ã€ŠA Cheap, OP Brawlerã€‹


 Chapter 1: One Life Ends, Another Begins

    ¡°Hi~! Glad to see you finally made it, Jinma Kotori!¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± One moment, I was heavy, cold, and grew numb when everything around me turned black. Then, I suddenly felt weightless, but now, energy is welling into me again as I blink my eyes open. I tiredly gaze around the area to only see nothing but white, and I¡¯m currently sitting on a chair. I look down on myself to see the holes and tears on my suit¡ªwhich is really a black suit jacket, matching slacks, and a white button-up shirt followed by black leather shoes, nothing too fancy¡ªare completely gone without a trace. They almost look brand new. Looking in front of me, there¡¯s a bodacious blondie with a top ponytail sitting across from me with a beaming smile. She looks healthy, her garbs are white, but they¡¯re rather exotic to show a lot of skin.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ thank you for bringing me here after I fell unconscious, but I¡¯m not interested in taking part in this new ¡®kink house¡¯ or whatever they call it these days.¡±

    ¡°Okay, first off, I¡¯m not a pleasure girl that do those services. I¡¯m one of the Immortals who oversees and guides the souls of Japan to the next life, the Goddess of Lust, Obina. Second, you didn¡¯t go unconscious. You died on Earth as you see here.¡± The [self-proclaimed] goddess, Ms. Obina, snaps her fingers and the floor(?) suddenly changes to the top-view city of Ikebukuro as if we were flying right above it. The view zooms in to the familiar construction site where many unconscious bodies are lying around. Sitting against one of the beams, my body is there limp and lifeless. The blood that dirtied my previously ruined suit and pooled around me gets washed away from the heavy rain, and the knife that sealed my fate still lies next to me.

    ¡°¡­ Huh, so I really am dead.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem very shocked hearing this groundbreaking news.¡±

    ¡°Well, with the kind of work I was in, I kind of have to expect the possibility of death. I¡¯m just sort of amazed I made it up to that point.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, those are the circumstances right now,¡± Ms. Obina says before snapping her fingers again, making everything around us completely white once more. ¡°Now, normally this is where I give you the option of either being reborn as a baby, starting over your next life on Earth with a completely blank slate, or moving on to the afterlife in heaven, chilling out for the rest of eternity watching many happenings on Earth or other worlds from above; however, in this time around, you are specially qualified for a third option.¡±

    ¡°And that is ¡­¡±

    ¡°To be resurrected into an entirely new world, with your cleaned-up body, along with all its memories, skills, items on hand, and physical characteristics you had up to your death be transferred over. Basically, a second chance for the life you truly desire in an entirely new environment that¡¯s similar to those RPG video games you previously played on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ so why am I given this chance? Was it just dumb luck?¡±

    ¡°Two things, actually: one, your mother, Mikan Kotori, asked me to give you this chance should you die young.¡±

    ¡°You talked with my mom?¡± I ask with widened eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I was in charge of directing her passing as well, but ¡­ I say she ¡®asked,¡¯ but it¡¯s more like she threatened me. A lot more energetic than how she was on her deathbed, that¡¯s for sure,¡± she says with a shiver, probably calling back her moments with Mom.

    I stifle a chuckle. ¡°Yep, that sounds like Mom, all right. She was quite the sukeban by the time she had me, you know?¡± [sukeban: leader of a female juvenile (yankee) gang in Japan, identified by the long skirt going by the same name that drapes down to their feet]

    ¡°I¡¯m aware. Anyway, the second reason why you¡¯re given this chance is the sacrifices you had put into for your mother¡¯s sake, working for enough money to make ends meet, as well as paying for her hospital bills when you really should be looking after yourself, at least from her perspective. She really wanted you to be sure you had the freedom to do as you please like you deserve while living like a decent person in society.¡±

    I feel great warmth growing in my chest. Mom ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry I made you worry over me so much. You really are the best mom a son like me could ask for.

    ¡°There¡¯s all that, but most of it is because ¡­ you died a virgin.¡±

    The heartwarming atmosphere suddenly shatters after hearing that.

    ¡°Yes, there are more virgins dying in Japan in the recent decades, but they lacked what I was looking for, which is why I usually give them the first two options I mentioned to you. Don¡¯t even get me started on those who¡¯ve died from suicide.¡±

    ¡°Wow, how harsh can you Immortals even get?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you should know by now that not everything in life is fair. You should be thankful your demonic strength pretty much destroyed the bar I set on my qualifications to give you the new world option.¡±

    I¡¯m still a little put off by this shallow evaluation from a goddess, but I decide not to press any further on the subject. ¡°So, what¡¯s living in this new world like?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t go into too much detail before you make a decision, but in short, this new world is in a fantasy setting with RPG-like mechanics. There¡¯s magic, special skills, classes, abilities, as well as many titles to work into thanks to the contributions of the previous transfers, or ¡®Champions¡¯ as you¡¯ll be named on paper. There are also different races aside from humans like Elves, Beastmen, and those who¡¯re put under the label as demons like Devils and Succubi.¡±

    ¡°Demons, huh ¡­¡±

    ¡°One last thing, before I let your mother off, she said she will accept whatever decision you decide to make and she¡¯ll always watch you. One way or another, this is something that will decide the rest of your life, so do what you think is best for yourself while living as a decent person.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡±

    ¡°So, what will it be? Be reborn on Earth to begin anew, move onto heaven and live comfortably, or be resurrected in a brand-new world and get a second chance for the life you truly desire?¡±

    ¡°Well, after hearing how much Mom convinced you to put up this choice, it¡¯d almost be an insult to her if I didn¡¯t choose that one. I¡¯ll go with the resurrection.¡±

    ¡°Yippee! Excellent!¡± Ms. Obina cheers as she claps. ¡°You¡¯re actually doing me a big favor on this, too, so it will be win-win-win for all of us.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You know, I honestly don¡¯t really care about that. You have your thing, and I have my own.¡±

    ¡°All right, all right, I get it. Now, before we get you over there, we need to get you properly equipped and get you a blessing, or ¡®cheat¡¯ for game-talk. Just name one thing that you desire, and I will bless you with whatever will fit.¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Anything that I want, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yep! Describe it the best you can, and I¡¯ll look up what will suit you.¡±

    ¡°All right ¡­¡± I take a moment to think hard on what I want. If magic exists, then something powerful would more likely kill me than the number of beat-downs I put up with. I should get something that gives me insurance to last me a while. ¡°Would it be too much to ask for an ability that makes me invincible?¡±

    ¡°I can only grant so much, however~, there¡¯s one ability that just might fit your needs. Check it.¡± Ms. Obina snaps her fingers, and a golden-yellow, window-like box appears. A name of something with a description is inscribed.

    <u>[Dragon Scale Defense:</u> 20x the base DEF and SP. DEF stats, plus strong resistance to all attributes and resistant to ¡®One-Hit-KO¡¯ attacks that leaves the user with 1 HP.]

    ¡°The attributes, just so you know, are Fire, Water, Terra, Storm, Holy, and Curse. Any damage you take from those attacks will be reduced with the respective resistance.¡±

    ¡°I see, this sounds perfect. I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    ¡°Excellent! Let¡¯s get right to it!¡± Ms. Obina puts her hands over the borders of the yellow window and shrinks it down before cupping it inside. She takes a deep breath and blows while opening her hands back up, causing yellow balls of light to fly and envelop me before sinking into my body. I feel warmth welling up inside, glowing patterns that resemble scales ran through my skin. I can actually feel not just my skin, but my entire body becoming much tougher than before, even though it may not show by size. Seeing the glowing patterns on me fade and dissipate, I¡¯m honestly relieved I¡¯m not going to end up with actual dragon scales instead of my usual human skin.

    ¡°All set. I also bestowed you another blessing to let you view your ¡®status,¡¯ letting you see your stats and skills like anyone else would over there. You¡¯ll also be able to communicate with any of the mortal beings that reside in that world, no matter what language they speak that¡¯s different from your own. Finally, most of the skills you¡¯ve gained in your experience on Earth will be applied and rated accordingly, plus the new ability you gained, to fit your standing in the new world. Anything else you can do that doesn¡¯t show up now might come later after you put it into practice. You¡¯ll be reduced to Level 1 to start off in the new world, but your base stats are the measurements of the strength you had on Earth. Go ahead and chant ¡®status open,¡¯ to see what you got.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. Status open.¡± Two light blue, transparent windows appear in front of me just as I say that. Many things are written on them in Japanese.

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Race: Human

    Class: Brawler

    Title: Natural-Born Brawler, Studious, Seeker of Knowledge

    Equipment: Freshly Pressed Suit

    Stats:

    LV: 1

    HP: 750/750

    MP: 700/700

    ATK: 3248

    DEF: 58680  [2934 X 20]

    SP. ATK: 1903

    SP. DEF: 49380       [2469 X 20]

    AGI: 873

    LUCK: 11

    EXP: 0/100

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 200

    [BP: 0 (only seen by the user)]

    [Total Affinity Level (TAL): 0 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger: User emits a powerful aura that scares the weaker enemies in the field away, but also attracts stronger, possibly rare ones in the process.

    Dragon Scale Defense: 20x the base DEF and SP. DEF stats, plus strong resistance to all attributes and resistant to ¡®One-Hit-KO¡¯ attacks that leaves the user with 1 HP.

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user): Able to purchase items, skills, abilities, and others through the ¡®Immortal¡¯s Blessings Shop (IBS);¡¯ gains access to Affinity Points (AP) and use Affinity Skills.]

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Skills:

    Passive: Cooking LV 7, Merciless Style LV 6, Throw LV 6, Resourceful Weapon LV 6, Poison Resistance LV 6, Despair Resistance LV 4, Fear Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Money Grubbing LV 3, Baking LV 3, Housekeeping LV 3, Massaging LV 3, Studying MAX LV, Catch*, Intimidation*

    Active: Glare LV 6, Heavy Throw LV 6, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Scare*, Taunt*

    ~~

    Ms. Obina gapes at my status before manually closing her mouth shut. ¡°Um ¡­ okay, wow, I knew he was something, but definitely not like this. Could this be a good or bad thing?¡± she mutters to herself.

    ¡°Um, hello? I have a ton of questions on what all of these are. Are my base stats normal? What¡¯s this Brawler class?¡±

    ¡°Oh, shoot, I forgot about that. Been so long since I started getting back into this, too. We¡¯re supposed to show you your status before getting to the blessings and allow you a choice of what class you want to change into. Brawler is the default for everyone before they pick what they want to do, and they¡¯ll get bonus points in their stats depending on what they choose.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ do I have to pick one right now?¡±

    ¡°Not immediately, but unless you do a bunch of stuff that affects the results, your stats go up so very little as you level up, you¡¯re better off training on your own to get more points out of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just stick with Brawler for now until I get a good grasp on what I want to do. Maybe seeing other classes in action over there will help me decide. Plus, I¡¯m good with self-conditioning anyways, so training won¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    ¡°All right, your choice. The others I¡¯ll just explain to you once you cross those bridges. Just a few more things before you¡¯re set.¡± She then snaps her fingers, making balls of light appear before they morph into a knapsack with a rainbow string tying it closed, and a gold bracelet that falls onto her hands. ¡°Some welcome gifts for your journey. This Magic Item Bag (MIB) will let you carry up to 10,000 kilograms [~22,000 pounds] worth of items and supplies, and it will never feel heavy. Once the bag reaches full capacity, it will automatically close itself when you try to add any more stuff in there. It¡¯s set up to have a special space for objects that don¡¯t get affected by outside forces, including time, so any perishable items will never spoil should you pack stuff like cooked meat or cold milk. There¡¯s a map of the country you¡¯ll be going to inside, and it¡¯s enchanted to be readable for anyone who looks into it.

    ¡°This here is the ¡®Immortal¡¯s Enchanted Bracelet (IEB).¡¯ Use this to contact me for any questions you might have, or just to chat, as well as open the ¡®Immortal¡¯s Blessed Shop¡¯ (IBS) to spend ¡®Bless Points (BP)¡¯ on any new equipment, abilities, skills you might have difficulty getting on your own, or others. To get BP, you may use the country¡¯s currency, food, or any valuables you have on hand in exchange for them. There¡¯s 25 BP already inside to get you started. If I see you doing well in the new world, I will add more things for you to buy in the shop. This is also enchanted to only work its magic for you, so if someone steals it and tries to use it themselves, it will just be nothing more than a simple accessory to them, but I highly suggest you don¡¯t lose it.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± I say as I slip the bracelet on, which was big and loose at first before it suddenly shrinks around my wrist, making a perfect fit. I then strap the knapsack over my shoulder. ¡°So, are we good to go? Did my mom say anything else I should know about?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! Yeah, she actually saw how that bitch of an ex-coworker of yours did you in with that stab in the stomach, and she said you giving her that slap was a good and badass move. Since there¡¯ll likely be much more dangerous girls than her in the new world, she says you¡¯re free to deal with them as you see fit. There may be times where you¡¯ll have to kill people in order to survive, especially from people who don¡¯t know what they¡¯re getting into while raising a weapon against you. You know how rough your mother had it being a sukeban, and she admits there were some things back in the day she wished to have done differently, even if it would go against the public morals and laws at the time. She won¡¯t blame you if you do get violent; however, no matter how different your new life will be there, remember all the things she¡¯s taught you in living daily, especially handling people. Even if you do resort to killing, you¡¯ll be better off if you have comrades to turn to and lean on.¡±

    So, I may have to kill to live, huh? True, there were bastards back on Earth I wished to take care of myself if I wasn¡¯t minding the law. Being able to kill in this new world ¡­ I have mixed feelings in this.

    ¡°Also, be aware of the possible repercussions from your decisions, especially since their common sense is different than Earth¡¯s. She also said to try not to get into any more shady businesses like that loan company in the new world, and most importantly ¡­¡± Ms. Obina walks up to me, beckons me to come close with her hand, and I turn my ear toward her to hear what she has to say ¡­ only to feel a soft, smooth pair of lips press against my right cheek.

    ¡°From the both of us, to you, live a good, honest, new life!¡± Ms. Obina exclaims with a smile before she snaps her fingers and a ring of light forms around me. I was so in a daze from that sneak attack of a kiss, I didn¡¯t realize I was being lifted off the ground. ¡°Now, Jinma Kotori, brace yourself, my Champion, for you shall step into the country of Padimon on your new journey in the world of Raiza! Best of luck, and remember to get it on with lots of girls!¡±

    ¡°W-Wait, what?! What do you mean by¡ª¡± I say before my vision turns white, then fades into black, as if I was put into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 2: Out of the Cave ...

    ¡°Mgh ¡­ why do I feel so cold?¡± I groan as I slowly open my eyes, taking a moment to make sure they actually were open before I realize that everything¡¯s just dark. From patting my surroundings, I feel the ground is cold and full of dirt, and the walls are quite rocky.

    ¡°¡­ Ah, I¡¯m in a cave. Did I make it to the new world?¡±

    <¡°You sure did, Jinma!¡±>

    A sudden familiar voice makes me jump up in shock and quickly shift my gaze around. ¡°Uh, Ms. Obina? Is that you? Where ¡­¡±

    <¡°I¡¯m not there, silly! I¡¯m talking to you through your bracelet! Just making sure this still works.¡±>

    I look at the bracelet, the IEB, on my wrist and sigh in relief. ¡°So, hearing you in my head right now means everything that happened earlier wasn¡¯t a dream. I really died and transferred to this new world with a near-invincible ability, right?¡±

    <¡°Right you are! Now, this is where I¡¯m supposed to ask you if you want to spend any SP or the 25 BP I gave you before you begin your journey in the new world, but ¡­ that might have to wait.¡±>

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    <¡°You¡¯ve got a pissed off Toxic Troll coming your way.¡±>

    I look in the direction where it leads out of the cave just as I start feeling tremors underneath me. A grayish-purple humanoid creature that¡¯s bigger than an elephant comes my way as Ms. Obina said. The creature in question has large hands and feet that¡¯s disproportionate from its limbs like one would expect from a regular human¡¯s. Its skin has a sedimented-like texture as many plants, mushrooms, and fungi are grown and scattered over its body with colors that practically scream ¡®poison.¡¯ It has a potbelly that could fit four or five basketballs. With its only article of ¡®clothing¡¯ being a small bush of leaves under said belly, one could assume this creature is a male, and as Ms. Obina warned, this guy has a seriously angry expression on his ugly mug that makes pigs look like princes.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ you wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable enough for us to not talk this out like mature adults, would you?¡±

    ¡°Glock kiiiiiill!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I should¡¯ve guessed you are,¡± I conclude as the Toxic Troll runs over to try and swat me to the side. Quickly deciding to test something out, I brace myself for impact.

    Don! Kshaaa!

    I get knocked off my feet and sent flying to the rock wall before crashing into it. I fall to the floor and roll to where I face up.

    ¡°Huh. Makes sense our differences in weight would send me flying, but I hardly felt anything at all.¡± I notice two bars in my peripheral to see a barely noticeable smidge of the red bar that says HP is missing compared to the blue one reading MP. ¡°I can¡¯t tell, is that 1 or 2 HP down? There¡¯s no number to display.¡±

    ¡°Buraaaaaaaaap!¡± the Toxic Troll then unleashes a ghastly belch that spews nauseous fumes as I¡¯m down.

    I cough and hack while trying to cover my nose and mouth with my sleeve as much as I can. There¡¯s a burning sensation in my lungs. ¡°Ugh, when¡¯s the last time you brushed and rinsed? You could kill someone with that breath.¡±

    ¡°Guraaagh! Die! Die! Diiiiiee!¡±

    Don! Don! Don!

    ¡°¡­ God, you have horrible foot odor, too. Ugh, guess that shrub doesn¡¯t cover much of your junk from below, either,¡± I comment nonchalantly as the Toxic Troll takes his giant foot to repeatedly stomp me to the ground. I cover my face with my arms to block as much as I could, and looking at my peripheral, the HP goes down a smidge each time the Troll¡¯s stomp lands on me, but I notice a big dent was taken before that. It must¡¯ve been that burn I felt in my lungs when he spewed that gas. It actually could kill someone if unleashed continuously.

    ¡°Okay, I think this is enough testing right now. Ms. Obina, how do I use my skills here?¡±

    <¡°Uh ¡­ the Passive Skills are already in effect, while the Active Skills you think of what you want to happen while calling out its name.¡±>

    So, then, if I want to shove this guy back, I should use ¡­ ¡°Blowback Punch.¡±

    Bakyu-n!

    ¡°Guraagh?!¡±

    Don!

    Right as the Toxic Troll was delivering another stomp, I met it halfway with my fist while using my skill. Looks like the force was enough to not only move him away but also fall on his back.

    Taking advantage of the opening, I quickly get up and go right between his legs. The moment I have my target in sight, I pull my right leg back.

    ¡°Man Killer.¡±

    Guki!

    A disgusting pop resounded the cave the moment the point of my foot impacted the Toxic Troll¡¯s jewels, followed by that same creature¡¯s scream of pain. I feel something dripping on my shoe.

    Critical Hit.

    I heard something like that in my head, too.

    <¡°Ooh, that¡¯s brutal,¡±> Ms. Obina says as I get on the Toxic Troll¡¯s stomach and move up until I get to his head.

    ¡°Glare.¡±

    Bwoooooooon!

    ¡°Glk!¡±

    Even if I haven¡¯t read the description on what this skill does, if it¡¯s anything like what happens when I meet eyes with another person back on Earth with not even a little hostility, they freeze up like a deer in headlights. This is what¡¯s going on with the Toxic Troll right now when I give him as much intensity as I do when I¡¯m pissed off. I don¡¯t know how much of an effect this has in the new world, but it seems to have stopped him from moving at a great degree.

    Then, I deliver a rain of punches on his face, one after another that knocks the head from side to side. Blood and snot start to leek out from his mouth and nose respectively that get onto my fists and clothes. His sedimented skin cracks and breaks off from each impact. It¡¯s like I¡¯m punching a mixture of dirt and rock, not sure how much damage I¡¯m really doing with just my fists, but as long as I keep him still with my ¡®Glare,¡¯ I¡¯m gonna continue to go at this the cheap way.

    I feel my heart racing with adrenaline. I thought I also felt something creep on my face, but I didn¡¯t think about it too much as I continued this one-sided assault.

    ¡°Remember, that I tried, to resolve this, by talking things, out first. You brought this, on yourself, the moment you, attacked me!¡± I exclaim between punches.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    He couldn¡¯t even utter a grunt in response as I pull an open hand back.

    ¡°Do me a favor and don¡¯t bother me ever again. Demon¡¯s Palm.¡±

    ¡°No¡ª¡±

    Dooon!

    I deliver what I consider the most powerful attack that I hardly ever used back home for good reason. The moment my palm makes an impact on his forehead, much of his sedimented skin is blown away until I see some kind of stone that might make up his ¡®bones.¡¯ The skull collapses in itself and punctures the brain inside it, giving extreme hemorrhage before his body falls limp like a rag doll.

    Da-da-da-da, Di-da!

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    The cave was in silence until those strange noises resounded.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ Ms. Obina? What was that?¡±

    <¡°That ¡­ would be the victory and level-up tracks.¡±>

    ¡°Ah, so I¡¯ve won, then. So, what comes¡ª¡± I say before a blue window that¡¯s similar to the goldish-yellow one I saw in that white room appears in front of me. A list of descriptions follows.

    [You have now reached ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ LV 7!

    [You have now reached ¡®Glare¡¯ LV 7! Note: Cooldown time is no longer required. You may now activate it without saying the skill. Just intend to stun your target as you intensify your glare and let the skill do the rest.

    [Congratulations! You have created the new skill, ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ LV 1!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Formidable Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Underdog Bonus*!]

    ¡°¡­ Wait, what?¡± The influx of info was too much for me, so I open my status and see for myself what the changes were, and the results were staggering.

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Race: Human

    Class: Brawler

    [New Title(s) Achieved: Formidable Underdog]

    Title: Natural-Born Brawler, Studious, Seeker of Knowledge [Formidable Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    Equipment: Roughed-Up Suit

    Stats:

    LV: 55 (+54)

    HP: 583/890 (+140)

    MP: 840/840 (+140)

    ATK: 3455 (+207)

    DEF: 63760 ????[3188 (+254) X 20]

    SP. ATK: 2043 (+140)

    SP. DEF: 51980 ?? [2599 (+130) X 20]

    AGI: 1002 (+129)

    LUCK: 16 (+5)

    EXP: 1697/5500 (+~150000)

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 254 (+54)

    [BP: 25 (only seen by the user)]

    [TAL: 0 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger

    Dragon Scale Defense

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user)]

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    [Skill(s) Leveled Up: Passive: Poison Resistance LV 7; Active: Glare LV 7

    [New Skill(s) learned: Sadistic Smile LV 1, Underdog Bonus*]

    Skills:

    Passive: Poison Resistance LV 7, Cooking LV 7, Merciless Style LV 6, Throw LV 6, Resourceful Weapon LV 6, Despair Resistance LV 4, Fear Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Money Grubbing LV 3, Baking LV 3, Housekeeping LV 3, Massaging LV 3, Studying MAX LV, Catch*, Intimidation* [Underdog Bonus* (only seen by the user)]

    Active: Glare LV 7, Heavy Throw LV 6, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Sadistic Smile LV 1, Scare*, Taunt*

    ~~

    ¡°So ¡­ let me see if I have this right,¡± I say after double-checking my status. I gesture to the dead Toxic Troll at my feet. ¡°This guy here was so powerful that I got up 50+ levels from killing him; I leveled up this much while in my default class, which gets me these ¡®Underdog¡¯ stuff somehow; and finally, I was ¡­ I was smiling back there?¡±

    <¡°I¡¯m honestly more amazed you added the smiling part than the fact you just killed a Special Monster in your very first battle in this world.¡±>

    ¡°Special Monster?¡±

    <¡°They¡¯re monsters that have grown strong enough to gain a skill or two along with the ability to speak coherently ¡­ to an extent, anyway. That Toxic Troll there must¡¯ve grown especially powerful after he evolved from a regular Troll.¡±>

    ¡°Huh, so the monsters in this world evolve, too? And yet, aside from his horrible breath, it looks like each blow he delivered only took like, what, 1 HP out of me because of my stupidly high Defense (DEF)? Wish I knew how strong he was to make a comparison. Anyway, what should I do with this guy?¡±

    <¡°Well, powerful monsters tend to have large Mon Crystals, which can be used to power cities and other things. The Toxic Troll here would certainly have one, and maybe some parts of its body, especially the plants and fungi that grow on it, that could serve as good materials for items like potions and antidotes. I¡¯d say put it in the MIB if you could take it apart and drop its pieces inside it, but you don¡¯t have a blade, and you don¡¯t have money to convert into BP for buying what¡¯s best in the IBS. Of course, he¡¯s too big for you to try to fit the MIB over all at once.¡±>

    ¡°I wonder ¡­ could the Toxic Troll be guarding something if he attacked at first sight?¡± I reach into my pocket to take out my smartphone¡ªthankfully undamaged despite the beating I took¡ªand turn on the flashlight function to search deeper in the cave.

    ~~

    [1 Hour Later]

    ¡°Well, that went a lot better than I expected,¡± I say as I¡¯m walking through the dense forest.

    What I found at the cave¡¯s deepest passageway was a hoard of coins in gold and silver, which are part of the currency in this country called karos, along with some gems, jewelry, and shiny weaponry. Seems like this guy¡¯s notorious for collecting this stuff from passersby after killing them. He didn¡¯t look smart enough to know how valuable all of these are, he probably just liked how shiny they looked and decided to hoard all that he could.

    I decided to use a good chunk of that money to convert into BP and buy a what¡¯s called a Null Spell from Ms. Obina¡¯s IBS called [Storage]. Null Spells in this world are unique spells that are not categorized within the six existing attributes. It could very well be in a league of its own. There are those who carry the same one, others that have something incredibly rare that are their very own, and some might just not have it at all. [Storage], from what Ms. Obina told me, is a very valuable Null Spell for merchants and adventurers to transport large quantities of goods that could exceed how much the MIB itself could hold depending on how much MP the user has.

    At her suggestion, I bought [Storage] to put the Toxic Troll¡¯s corpse into and deal with later. I then quickly sorted the monster¡¯s hoard and shoved all of the said monster¡¯s silver coins and weapons in my MIB while all the gold, gems, and jewelry are in [Storage] along with the corpse.

    Just to note, one copper makes 1 karo, 100 karos for one silver, and 10,000 karos for one gold. Aside from copper coins, silver and gold ones can be split into halves, as do their values that¡¯s self-explanatory.

    Knowing gold coins has more value than silver ones, I thought it¡¯d be best to stash these in a safe place and pull it out in case of emergencies, and who knows how much the gems and jewelry were worth? I can probably sell some of these for more money later. I also bought what¡¯s called a ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ from Ms. Obina¡¯s shop that would give me a non-changing appearance in some areas to clean myself up a little. I just cut my black hair short to a buzzcut, a permanent shave on my face and body¡ªsave for one place above my genitals that¡¯s trimmed¡ªand kept the scars I gained from Earth for personal reasons. I decided to look at other stuff in her IBS later and head out of the cave to look for civilization first thing. I also took the liberty of storing the stuff I had on me in my MIB so I wouldn¡¯t lose them and only have the IEB in my pocket. I had spent about 20 minutes in the cave before I left with the corpse and hoard, and I¡¯ve been walking aimlessly for almost an hour now. I¡¯d check the map and see where I am, but with my only clue being dense forestry, it could be practically anywhere. Ms. Obina can¡¯t help me this much as part of some ¡®rules¡¯ she has to follow as an Immortal.

    ¡°Man, even with all of that money and stuff, it still feels like there¡¯s nothing in this bag,¡± I say to myself as I lug the MIB over my shoulder. I actually had to stop partway to check I had everything in there out of needless worry.

    ¡°Well, I had a bit of a rocky start with that fight first thing since I woke up, but it still worked out in the end. Though this is the beginning of a new life for me, I shouldn¡¯t get too excited. With monsters like that guy around, I¡¯ll have to be more vigilant. Who knows what I could carelessly step into if I¡¯m not care-FUUULL?!¡±

    Fwap!

    Something immediately snatches my leg and whisks me up from the ground as I walked, accidentally dropping my MIB out of shock. The next thing I know is that I¡¯m dangling upside-down by some kind of loop latching on my ankle.

    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuuuuuck, I¡¯m really high right now. Calm down ¡­ calm down, dammit. Breathe ¡­ squeeze, let go, and breathe ¡­¡± I try to do the routine that I do when I¡¯m suddenly faced with my traumatic fear of heights. Closing my eyes, focus on loosening up my body and breathing while trying to calm down my racing heart.

    ¡°Get yourself together and assess the situation, Jinma ¡­ okay. I must have gotten caught by some kind of trap. My bag is ¡­ nope, not looking down. I must be well above a few meters from the ground right now. I could either just hang here and wait for help to come around, or try to get myself down ¡­ let¡¯s see what we¡¯re working with here. Okay, straighten up, clench your butt and core, and ¡­ hup!¡±

    I bend myself over like I¡¯m doing a sit-up to grab the leg that¡¯s being latched by the rope to see what I¡¯m dealing with. ¡°¡­ What the, what kind of rope is this?¡± I touch a few places of the strand to check for knots, only to find they¡¯re rather sticky as well as being surprisingly thin.

    Isn¡¯t this ¡­ a spider¡¯s webbing?

    ¡°Well, well~, what do we have here~?¡±

    A new voice makes me jump a little before I turn to the direction it came from to find a woman ¡­ with six beady obsidian eyes and the lower half of her body being that of a giant bluish-black spider¡¯s abdomen. Her arms and hands have an exoskeleton with a likeness to her legs that give them a claw-like appearance. Her hair that¡¯s medium-short in length has a similar color to her spider abdomen, but her skin has a contrasting, pinkish-white flesh shade. She looks at me with a playful smile like a mother caught her kid with their hand in a cookie jar.

    I¡¯m not ¡­ in deep shit right now, am I?

 Chapter 3: ... And into the Spiders Web.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ would you allow me to explain myself?¡± I ask while trying to stay as calm as possible as I¡¯m looking at this spider-girl that¡¯s hanging upside down in front of me.

    ¡°I am a bit curious, and I¡¯m not in a hurry. Enlighten me.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­ first, my name is Jinma Kotori, and I¡¯m a human. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? Lili, Arachne, likewise,¡± she introduces with a hint of sarcasm.

    So that¡¯s the name of her race. ¡°I¡¯m a lost traveler with no idea where I¡¯m going, or where I am right now aside from the country of Padimon ¡­ this is Padimon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are correct. Are you aware that you¡¯re in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory right now?¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ no?¡±

    ¡°Huh. Okay, anything to add in your explanation?¡±

    ¡°I apologize if I¡¯m intruding in your space, Ms. Lili, I really just want to find a place to settle for a bit before moving on without causing a lot of trouble. I would be most appreciative if you could help me down, especially since I¡¯m terrible with heights, and direct me to the nearest town so that I can be on my way.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ and I assume this is your bag?¡± Ms. Lili uses a strand of webbing to pull up the MIB from the ground.

    ¡°Yes, that is my bag.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ how peculiar for a lost traveler to be carrying such a valuable item like a MIB. You must have a lot of stuff in the course of your travels.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ right.¡±

    ¡°Weapons included?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to search you for any other weapons you have. Let yourself hang and don¡¯t struggle, please.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡± If the relationships between humans and demons in this world are anything like what I¡¯ve seen in the mangas, she wants to play it safe so that I don¡¯t stab her in the back later. I¡¯ll have to play along for now. I flop myself back in a hanging position while letting my arms sway loosely. I try and keep myself calm to not let my fear of heights get the better of me.

    [You have now reached ¡®Fear Resistance¡¯ LV 5!]

    Well, would you look at that? I leveled up a skill. I guess these things happen when you¡¯re doing stuff associated with existing skills?

    Ms. Lili starts the pat-down¡ªor to be more technical, pat-up¡ªfrom my shoulders first, checking the pockets in my suit for any contents before moving to the slacks. She then notices something in my pocket and feels around to pull out ¡­

    ¡°W-What in the world?!¡± she exclaims while holding my IEB in front of her. She moves up and holds my chin to where I¡¯m looking right at her while she stares back with a serious expression. ¡°You ¡­ you¡¯re a Champion, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes?¡±

    Ms. Lili sighs. ¡°This is truly unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ what are you doing?¡± I ask as she drops the IEB in my bag, sets my arms at my sides, and starts spinning me around, briskly entwining her webbing on my body all the while. I quickly grow dizzy and delirious with the height fears and the blood rushing in my head on top of things.

    ¡°You were so cute and cooperative, I was willing to let you go, even escort you to the town I was heading back to myself, but the Demon King issued an order to all demons to capture any Champions and report them to the capital immediately for a generous reward in exchange.¡±

    ¡°The Demon King? What does he want with the Champions?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if you¡¯re lucky, she might let you go after giving me the reward. That¡¯s what she¡¯s done with the last few others that were brought before her from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°Wait, the Demon King is a girl, and she didn¡¯t do anything with the last few Champions before me?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I heard she gave them some money as an apology for the inconvenience and a night¡¯s stay at the castle before she let them be on their way. They carried a signed note from her that they¡¯ve already been dealt with and have no need with them any further. I don¡¯t know what happened to them after they left.¡±

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Could this just be a mandatory procedure for any Champions that passed by in this territory?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Capturing and bringing the Champions to her was the first decree she made when she took the throne and didn¡¯t explain any further as to why. Unfortunately, the other demons made this into some sort of competition and attempted to steal the Champions away from each other. It¡¯s been going on for about 4 years now.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­¡± Before I knew it, I¡¯m wrapped in Ms. Lili¡¯s cocoon webbing with my face still in the open. I feel like one of those silkworms I found in the mountains near Grandma¡¯s residence when I was a tyke.

    ¡°You¡¯re being surprisingly calm about this. I would think you¡¯d try to escape and kill me by now.¡±

    ¡°Well, this webbing¡¯s tougher than I thought, and ¡­ you sound like you¡¯re telling the truth. Even if you¡¯re passing me off for some money, at least you¡¯re more honest with your intentions compared to the last girl I thought I could trust, and she was a human.¡± Thinking back to the last moments before I died on Earth, the memory has me tensing up to where I¡¯m tightening my fist under Ms. Lili¡¯s webbing.

    ¡°Is that right ¡­ I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s supposed to make me feel better, but the least I can do is handle you well for being so calm about this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡±

    She then wraps my head in webbing, leaving enough space for me to breathe before she lowers me down to the ground. Going by my sensations, I¡¯m being placed on top of a few other cocoons before getting tied together and get on top of the spider part of her back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep your MIB on me until we get to my place first. We¡¯ll get you something to eat while discussing what to do with you from there.¡±

    ¡°Any others who¡¯re there?¡±

    ¡°Just my mom. I¡¯m on vacation visiting her and was hunting for our dinner.¡±

    ¡°Ah, and that trap was for your dinner.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Now sit tight and I¡¯ll take us from here.¡±

    Not like I¡¯ll be going anywhere anytime soon.

    ~~

    An hour has passed by the time we make it to her birthplace, the city of Dondegarm from what she told me, with little words exchanged. We got there going from tree to tree instead of on the ground, as Ms. Lili would attract less attention from other monsters this way. It¡¯s actually because of knowing how high we were that I could hardly speak and focused on keeping myself calm.

    When we were close to the city, Ms. Lili got us back on the ground, warned me to keep quiet and play dead so she could get us through the toll. Since she¡¯s a merchant of sorts, apparently, she could flash some ID to the guards and tell them she was transporting goods. While I¡¯m fully cocooned, the others in her ¡®luggage¡¯ had heads and limbs sticking out enough so the guards know what she¡¯s carrying. After paying a small fee, they let us through. I kept still and quiet all the while. It isn¡¯t long before I hear the hustle and bustle of activity from the citizens. Ms. Lili even says hi to some of them as we walk by. It sounds like it¡¯s pretty peaceful here. I wish I could see what my surroundings were like, but I¡¯m supposed to be playing dead until we get to her home. I¡¯m not sure how they fare with other humans passing through, but it¡¯s clear Ms. Lili doesn¡¯t want to take any chances of her carrying a Champion being let out.

    ¡°Hey, Lili! Great weather we¡¯re having today, huh?!¡±

    ¡°Sure is, and the kebabs smell delicious as always!¡±

    ¡°Ms. Lili! Have you thought over my proposal?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it, Carmen! Hey, Erizora, Ren!¡±

    ¡°Good afternoon to you as well, Ms. Lili.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Good afternoon.¡±

    Sounds like Ms. Lili¡¯s pretty popular around these parts.

    It takes about a couple of minutes before we finally make it to Ms. Lili¡¯s residence. ¡°Mom! I¡¯m home!¡± she calls as she walks inside.

    ¡°I¡¯m in the back, sweetie! You caught any big ones today?¡± a woman asks, who I can assume to be Ms. Lili¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I caught something, all right. Can you come in here?¡±

    ¡°In a sec!¡±

    ¡°Just stay quiet and let me do the talking until I say otherwise,¡± Ms. Lili whispers to me as I hear something locking the door behind us, probably her doing.

    I move my head as much as I could to nod in response before she set me down on the floor. I can hear her setting the other cocoons to the side, too. Sounds like she¡¯s also closing the windows in the room as well.

    ¡°Hi, sweetie~! Goodness, you really did bring some good ones,¡± a new woman, Ms. Lili¡¯s mom, I¡¯m guessing, says as I hear many trills of steps coming in the room. ¡°That one seems smaller than the rest from what I remember seeing, though. Why are the windows closed?¡±

    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s something I found in the forest that I need to show you, but you have to stay calm and keep quiet.¡±

    ¡°Lili, I don¡¯t know why you sound so serious, but I have seen many surprising things in my life. I think I can handle whatever you may throw at me.¡±

    ¡°Okay then ¡­¡±

    Moments later, I see one of Ms. Lili¡¯s claw-like fingers poking through the webbing covering my face before it circles around to clear the rest away. Finally, I see my surroundings for the first time since what felt like hours ago, finding many cobwebs covering the room.

    Ms. Lili then sits me up on what feels like a couch(?) to where I see another Arachne that is her mother. Taking a quick glance between the two, they have strikingly similar appearances. Out of the two, the mom is slightly taller in height, has a bigger spider abdomen, larger breasts (as if Ms. Lili¡¯s weren¡¯t big enough already), and longer hair that stretches past her shoulders. What surprises me the most is that the mother looks so young that I might have mistaken her as Ms. Lili¡¯s older sister. She looks at me with widened eyes.

    ¡°Mom ¡­ this is Jinma Kotori, he¡¯s a human who got caught in one of my traps.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Psst. Jinma, you can speak.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh ¡­ it¡¯s nice to meet you?¡±

    Ms. Lili¡¯s mother falls into brief silence until she opens her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, sweetie, I know you haven¡¯t had the best luck with men, but you gotta get with the times no matter how desperate you are in seeking a mate. Taking a man home by force has been outdated for centuries.¡±

    ¡°W-What?!¡± Ms. Lili exclaims with tinted cheeks.

    ¡°Still, your taste is surprisingly similar to mine. Not beefy in muscle, but there¡¯s something about his presence that makes him stronger than he looks.¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ thanks?¡±

    ¡°Mom! This isn¡¯t about getting a mate! Jinma¡¯s ¡­¡± Ms. Lili trails off as she moves to her mother¡¯s ear and whispers.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Guess the news is out.

 Chapter 3 (Revised): ... And Into The Lizards Arms

    [Previously, on Chapter 2]

    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuuuuuck, I¡¯m really high right now. Calm down ¡­ calm down, dammit. Breathe ¡­ squeeze, let go, and breathe ¡­¡± I try to do the routine that I do when I¡¯m suddenly faced with my traumatic fear of heights. Closing my eyes, focus on tightening and loosening up my body, and breathing while trying to calm down my racing heart.

    ¡°Get yourself together and assess the situation, Jinma ¡­ okay. I must have gotten caught by some kind of trap. My bag is ¡­ nope, not looking down. I must be well above a few meters from the ground right now. I could either just hang here and wait for help to come around, or try to get myself down ¡­ let¡¯s see what we¡¯re working with here. Okay, straighten up, clench your butt and core, and ¡­ hup!¡±

    I bend myself over like I¡¯m doing a sit-up to grab the leg that¡¯s being latched by the rope to see what I¡¯m dealing with. ¡°¡­ What the, what kind of rope is this?¡± I touch a few places of the strand to check for knots, only to find they¡¯re rather sticky as well as being surprisingly thin.

    Isn¡¯t this ¡­ a spider¡¯s webbing? Wait, does that indicate there are monster spiders intelligent enough to make traps like this? And if I remember right, spiders can tell very quickly when something gets caught in it ¡­

    In a slight panic, I quickly try to tear it off with raw strength, even biting it, but it was too strong and sticky for me to continue. Well, now what do I do? I suppose I could take out the lighter from my [Storage] and burn it, but I¡¯d likely risk creating a fire in this forest, would I? That would be bad. Dammit, this is the one time I actually wished I carried a knife with me back home, but with my strength, I¡¯d likely be mistaken as a serial killer back there. Would there be anyone else in this forest right now if dangerous spider monsters exist in the area? I¡¯m not sure attracting attention to myself by calling for help would be a good idea ¡­ I¡¯m gonna have to look down, aren¡¯t I? At least to see if there¡¯s someone on the ground. Ugh, come on, Jinma, get it together, just a quick peek ¡­

    As soon as I turned my head down, I see it, a light blue-headed figure right below me, checking my MIB. The color¡¯s definitely surreal, but there¡¯s no doubt that there¡¯s a person on the ground, and by the hair¡¯s length, she looks like a girl. Everything else in my surroundings is ignored as my sights are entirely focused on the person down there.

    This is my chance! ¡°Excuse me! Ma¡¯am! The blue-headed one!¡± I call out from above.

    The woman seems to have heard me as she went on alert, tensed up and ready for a fight with my MIB in her hand, and even from a few meters above, that¡¯s when I see them.

    Scaly-blue arms with claws, matching legs and feet, as well as a long tail poking out from whatever ragged clothing she was wearing.

    She definitely isn¡¯t human, but I can¡¯t let that stop me from calling for help.

    ¡°Up here! Above you!¡± I call out again.

    From her body language, she looks confused before looking up and our eyes meet.

    Even from some distance above, I could see the glimmering turquoise color in her irises while a slit went down that matches her reptilian-like limbs. She stares at me in wonder and confusion, and whatever fears I had from my heights a while ago was drowned out by me getting lost into her gaze.

    She opens her mouth.

    ¡°What the heck are you?¡± she asks.

    That¡¯s how the first conversation I had with a resident in the new world began, and I did not know how much my meeting with this woman would change the rest of my life.

    [Present (Revised) Chapter 3]

    ¡°Um ¡­ I¡¯m a human. Are they a rarity around these parts?¡± I ask in response to the question that came from below me.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of what you are and you¡¯re the first human I¡¯ve seen since I got here ¡­ your features indicate your race as such, but that aura ¡­ and you can really see and hear me?¡± she asks while muttering in between.

    ¡°¡­ Yeah? Plain as day. Cerulean hair, blue-scaled arms and legs, tail, turquoise eyes, rags for clothes, yep, I can see it all from here.¡±

    ¡°Do you have Magic Sense activated?¡±

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s ¡®Magic Sense?¡¯¡±

    ¡°You mean you can see me with your own eyes? No skills to help at all?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Interesting ¡­¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am, I¡¯d love for us to continue this chat, but I¡¯m kind of in a situation here,¡± I say while gesturing to the spider silk trap my leg is entangled into. ¡°This caught me by surprise and I¡¯m worried if whatever made this will come back soon. Can you help bring me down, please?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see or sense anyone nearby coming this way. It¡¯s possible someone had set that trap for the long-term, planning to come back to whatever got caught in it later.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m not in danger? Thank goodness.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief after hearing that.

    ¡°Anyway, do you not know where you are?¡± the reptilian girl asks.

    ¡°Not a clue. You could say I¡¯m ¡­ lost. I have no bearings on where the nearest town is, and as shameful as it is for me to admit this, but my fear of heights is really starting to make me uneasy. I would appreciate it if you could help me down and possibly point me in the right direction to where I need to go to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°And you do not mind me being from a different race?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of new to all of this, but right now, I don¡¯t see any reason for why I shouldn¡¯t trust you.¡±

    The blue reptile girl takes a moment to think before noticing my bag in her hand. ¡°This is a MIB, yes? Is this yours?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it is.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Tell you what, I¡¯ll get you down and even guide you to the nearest city from here, but I want a favor from you in exchange. Will you accept?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Absolutely! I¡¯m willing to negotiate on whatever I can do to return the favor!¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± she says while strapping my MIB to her back. ¡°I would brace myself if I were you. Wind Cutter.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±

    Zasha!

    Before I could get another word in, I hear the sound of something being cut in the air.

    The next thing I know is that I¡¯m being pulled down by a great force and I¡¯m approaching the ground fast.

    I¡¯m gonna diiiiiiie! I scream in my head for the first few seconds before I suddenly hit on something catching me, two strong limbs holding my body by the shoulder and legs, and I suddenly find myself going up.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Eh? Wait, are we flying? I think in confusion. When I look up, I see the reptile girl¡¯s face up close, focused, and then everything around me falls before I could even react.

    DON!

    The landing was hard, shaking the ground a little, but I don¡¯t feel the force of myself falling out of her grasp. My body is so supported that I didn¡¯t feel any inertia at all. The reptile girl takes a moment to let out a breath she was holding and straightens her strong reptilian legs that were bent at 90 degrees.

    She then looks down on me. ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Human?¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? Oh, yeah, I¡¯m ¡­ fine. You can put me down now.¡± I was so surprised at everything moving at high speed that I had no idea what I was supposed to feel. For a brief moment, I had gained a little understanding of how thrilling yet embarrassing it is to be carried princess-style.

    The reptile girl gently sets me down on my feet, I get a little unbalanced from the sudden adrenaline rush, but straighten myself out. While I fix my clothes, she passes me back my MIB that was strapped to her shoulder.

    ¡°Um ¡­ Thank you, very much.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Can I give a few words of advice?¡±

    ¡°What are they?¡±

    ¡°Be on the lookout for traps in the future, and I advise you to clean yourself as soon as you can because you reek worse than a rotten corpse burning in a volcano.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Right.¡± The stench was likely from the Toxic Troll I fought earlier; I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d linger that long.

    A man like me getting carried princess-style and being told bluntly how much I smelled, all by a girl. My new life in this world isn¡¯t turning out well so far, if you don¡¯t count the trap and the fight earlier, that is.

    [You have now reached ¡®Fear Resistance¡¯ LV 5!]

    Well, would you look at that? I leveled up a skill. I guess these things happen when you¡¯re doing stuff associated with existing skills? Great, at least one good thing came out of this embarrassment.

    I lug the MIB back on my shoulder and look to my savior. She¡¯s about half a head taller than me wearing only a dirtied, roughed-up, pancho-like rag covering the majority of her body, only her blue-scaled arms, legs, and tail are seen poking out. Her cerulean hair shines in the sunlight, and on closer inspection, there are light-blue fins poking out the sides of her locks. They look to work as her ears. She stares down at me blankly with her turquoise eyes.

    ¡°Oh, uh, I¡¯m Jinma, by the way. Jinma Kotori,¡± I introduce while holding a hand out for a shake.

    ¡°¡­ Umeiyon.¡± She stares at my hand for a moment before copying my gesture and I take the lead on the handshake. It looks like she wasn¡¯t familiar with this type of greeting and is slightly relieved she made the right call.

    ¡°So ¡­ this favor you want me to do, should we discuss this further in the nearest town you mentioned? Where it¡¯s less dangerous than here?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that would be best.¡± Ms. Umeiyon then looks around and squints her eyes before pointing in a direction. ¡°We¡¯ll go that way.¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be following you for the time being, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, do stay close.¡±

    And with that, we walk side by side at Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s direction.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This is quickly getting awkward. ¡°So ¡­ uh, that move you did back there, ¡®Wind Cutter,¡¯ was it? Was that magic?¡± I ask, trying to get a talk going.

    ¡°Yes, it is. Have you not seen magic being done before?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how it¡¯s done?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve read a little in a few books a while ago, but the fundamentals I learned of then might be different than what¡¯s known here. I read them more for the fun of it.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve never tried it yourself, then?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°¡­ For one of such an aura, and yet no experience in magic? More and more curious,¡± she mutters to herself.

    ¡°Do you know other kinds of magic?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Oh, yes, lots. Wind Cutter was a basic Storm Magic Spell at minimal power, but I know of plenty more. It¡¯s to be expected of a Sage such as myself.¡±

    ¡°A Sage ¡­ is that a class?¡±

    ¡°The Advanced Class of Mage, yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Advanced Class, huh? Neat.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what yours is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Brawler.¡±

    Ms. Umeiyon then jolts her head at me with widened eyes. ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m 22.¡±

    ¡°¡­ And what level are you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ 55?¡±

    Ms. Umeiyon then stops me with one claw on my shoulder, then grabs me with both of them as she moves her face close enough to mine that our noses almost touch. She looks like she¡¯s staring into my soul, trying to find something, but the more I stare back at her, the more I get lost in her turquoise eyes.

    ¡­ Nobody other than Mom, some of my aunts, and my two friends have ever looked at my eyes this close without getting scared and running away before. Her choice of attire is questionable, but just going by the face ¡­ she¡¯s actually really cute, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°You¡¯re not ¡­ joking at this, are you?¡± she asks with disbelief.

    ¡°¡­ No?¡±

    ¡°How new are you in this land? When did you arrive?¡±

    ¡°Not a lot, almost next to nothing. I just came in today?¡±

    ¡°¡­ You have no idea what¡¯s going on here, do you?¡±

    ¡°Is it ¡­ bad if I don¡¯t?¡±

    She moves back and closes her eyes briefly to contemplate while she crosses her arms. Just at that moment, I realize that she has a bigger chest under those rags than I realize based on how much she carries them in her arms.

    I¡¯m getting a little tense on how serious Ms. Umeiyon looks until she turns back to me.

    ¡°¡­ You and I have a lot to talk about, Jinma Kotori.¡±

    ¡°What do you¡ªwhoa?!¡± Without warning, Ms. Umeiyon lifts me into princess-style carry again.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to get there quick enough at the pace we¡¯re going. Hold on tight so we¡¯ll find a place to chat.¡±

    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re not¡ªSHIIIIIIIIIT!¡± I scream as Ms. Umeiyon suddenly makes a great leap through the trees¡¯ shrubbery above us before hopping between the treetops. As soon as I see how high we are, I quickly wrap my arms around her neck and press my head against her shoulder, blocking my eyes from the view.

    Crap, I¡¯m really wrapping myself around Ms. Umeiyon right now! Literally! This is so not where I want to be right now! Despite the cursing at myself, I have no idea how much stronger Ms. Umeiyon is from me, and with my traumatic fear of heights, I couldn¡¯t move a muscle. I¡¯m completely at her mercy.

    ~~

    ¡°Okay, we don¡¯t want to make a lot of racket jumping into the city all of a sudden, so we¡¯ll get inside through the front on foot from here.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You can get down now, Jinma Kotori.¡±

    ¡°A-Are we on the ground?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    While my arms are still wrapped around her neck and face against her shoulder, Ms. Umeiyon gently set me down on the ground once more. I couldn¡¯t stand on my feet, I lose strength in my body the moment my grip around her neck was released, I¡¯m short of breath, and my heart couldn¡¯t stop beating enough to jump out of my chest out of desperation and fear. I had to lie on the ground for a bit to regain myself.

    ¡°You¡¯re really not good with heights, are you?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks me with surprise in her tone.

    ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s bad to the point of traumatizing.¡±

    ¡°¡­ If you would excuse me one moment. Diagnosis.¡±

    Suddenly, I feel a slight tingle coursing throughout my body.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ ah, here it is, ¡®acrophobia,¡¯¡± Ms. Umeiyon says as she stares at some empty space, maybe a status screen only she could see? ¡°¡®Severity: High. When faced under extreme conditions, the subject will succumb into the ¡®distressed¡¯ ailment that includes heart palpitations, lack of breath, and loss of strength in the body before he blacks out into a ¡®FAINTED¡¯ status if not attended to immediately ¡­¡¯ Jinma Kotori, I had no idea it would be so severe, going by what I¡¯m finding with my ¡®Diagnosis¡¯ skill, anyway.¡±

    Wow, that skill tells a lot more than I¡¯m not even sure is morally sound. Still, there¡¯s a ¡®distressed¡¯ ailment like there is for ¡®poisoned¡¯? This is getting too real here. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ that you have to see me in such a pathetic state.¡± I roll to where my back is toward Ms. Umeiyon while huddling myself in a fetal position.

    Silence fills the air briefly before I hear some movement behind me. Then, I feel her claws running through my hair.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being afraid,¡± she says. ¡°When it comes to surviving, fear is a more important ¡®skill¡¯ than one may think they need. It tells you when something dangerous is approaching, when to be on guard, what and where you should be wary of, and how you can adapt to work around your difficulties. If you try to ignore those fears, you¡¯ll only be reckless, and you¡¯ll meet your death sooner rather than later. Having no fear means you are unaware of the danger around you, making you more vulnerable for attack and follow the same pattern as before. It¡¯s important that we know what we¡¯re afraid of so that we can find ways to work around them and learn how to face them later. I may not know how you got acrophobia, but I was ignorant of how you were feeling when I made those sudden decisions while in a hurry. For those, it is I who must apologize.

    ¡°We¡¯ll rest here until you get your strength back. There seem to be guards keeping a lookout at the entrance. I¡¯ll need you to help me negotiate with them as I¡¯m also unfamiliar with these lands.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You seem pretty capable to do that by yourself, though,¡± I point out.

    ¡°From what I can see, not many Lizardmen are seen around these parts, and so they may be wary of one so far away from its known home. You, on the other hand, despite being ensnared by a trap, you were not afraid of calling out to me for help despite our drastic differences in appearance. We will need that for the citizens of this city, especially.¡±

    Lizardmen ¡­ is that what Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s race is called? ¡°Why do you say that?¡± I ask after that passing thought.

    ¡°¡­ Ah, I have yet to tell you where we are, have I?¡±

    ¡°¡­ We¡¯re in Padimon, are we?¡±

    ¡°You are right in that, but these lands are owned by one of the three kin that resides on it. In that city, there are many demons living in it, just like the majority of others in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory that we¡¯re standing on right now.¡±

 Chapter 4: An [Un]Ordinary Dinner

    After calming her mother down, Ms. Lili pulled out my IEB from the MIB to show proof of me being a Champion. Once that¡¯s been cleared up, many minutes passed, and before I knew it, I¡¯m sitting at the table with this unique mother-daughter family over dinner ¡­ still cocooned to ensure I won¡¯t escape. Despite my infamy back on Earth, I had a few female friends, one of which who goes by Hyoko Ishima, or ¡®Hyo-chan¡¯ to me. I¡¯ve had a meal or two with her family when I was young. Those were a bit awkward at times, but even those were better than right now as I¡¯m being held captive.

    Even if I were to escape somehow, there are many other people from the demon race who¡¯ll most likely be suspicious of a lone human passing by and try to capture me for questioning, then things would get a lot more chaotic from there.

    It hasn¡¯t even been a full day since I¡¯ve arrived in this world, and I¡¯ve already got into a fight with a ¡®strong¡¯ Toxic Troll before finding out later I might be in one of the worst places possible for a human to wake up in. Even if I¡¯m being held captive, I just want to take a break from the excitement. This seems to be the place for that at the time being.

    ¡°So, Jinma, since you¡¯re a you-know-what, my daughter has probably already explained to you about what will happen, yes?¡± the mother, who she introduced herself as Ms. Raize, asks while Ms. Lili feeds me the stew we were having since I couldn¡¯t move my arms. Even though the meat was made from the monsters she previously caught, it¡¯s rather delicious.

    ¡°About how she¡¯ll take me to the Demon King as ordered to all her subjects to do should they come across a Champion, right?¡±

    ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know how aware you are with the relationship between the humans and demons, but even though we¡¯ve come to a sort of peace treaty along with the demis, we¡¯re still wary of each other, with some hating more of one kind than the other, to an extent that they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill at first sight. Despite that, while our city is nearest to the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory, we¡¯ve gotten along to the extent of making trades between here and there. We even have a regular human slave merchant visitor who sells and rents slaves to the people here who need housework done, help raise children, or help with quests assigned from the adventurer¡¯s guild, so you can be assured that we¡¯re decent; however, I¡¯m sure hell would break loose if anyone knows what you really are.¡±

    Wait, what was that about slaves?

    ¡°Lili here works as a tailoress at the capital, so she¡¯ll definitely find a way to transport you there safely without getting much attention,¡± Ms. Raize continues. ¡°Once she takes you to the Demon King, you won¡¯t have to worry. If you¡¯re like the few other Champions who¡¯ve been brought to her, she¡¯ll let you go and head back to the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory out of the great compassion and mercy in her benevolent heart.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°So, she¡¯s a good ruler among the demons, huh?¡± I ask between spoons of food Ms. Lili feeds me.

    ¡°Oh, yes, fair among all and delivers just punishment to wrongdoers, human, demi, demon, and all. With you being so complacent despite where you are now, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll see you as a good enough person to let you off with a fair warning. You can do whatever you want with my daughter and the reward money she¡¯ll receive after that.¡±

    ¡°Mom! I told you we aren¡¯t like that! We just met today!¡±

    ¡°Is uh ¡­ finding a mate really big for you guys?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It is for us Arachne since we¡¯re one of the few demon races that consist entirely of girls. We need human men to be able to reproduce. That¡¯s why having a slave merchant bringing male slaves to sell is such a miracle around these parts. It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t afford one for myself.¡±

    ¡°Ah, and from what you were telling Ms. Lili earlier, Arachne ¡­ kidnapped human men in the past?¡±

    ¡°Centuries ago, yes, but then the peace treaty between the three Kin happened and it¡¯s been a lot harder for us to reel in human men since then. Somehow, it¡¯s easier for the Lamias to find mates to seduce while the Harpies can be rather free-spirited to not let the rules weigh them down. It was a miracle I even got Lili out of a drunken one-night stand.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Ms. Lili yells with a flushed face.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I was so happy for her to have found you, and that was before she told me you were like ¡®that.¡¯ They¡¯ve made great achievements over the courses of history, with some being the first to actually get along with people outside of the human race. Even if it was an accident, I thought she snagged herself a good one, and you¡¯re just so cute all wrapped in a cocoon. It reminds me of when Lili was still but a baby.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, since you get along well with Lili, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be a big help to her shop with your skills as a ¡­ what are your class and title again?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, you never told me what they were in your introduction,¡± Ms. Lili points out. ¡°You only mentioned you were a traveler, but there isn¡¯t a title that¡¯s similar to that other than an adventurer, and I didn¡¯t see an ID like that on you.¡±

    ¡°Class and title ¡­¡± Going by what I could gather from the few times I saw my status, classes are fighting styles such as mage, fighter, and the like. Titles, while there might be more than one for a person to hold depending on what achievements they¡¯ve made, there are some such as ¡®adventurer¡¯ or ¡®merchant¡¯ that sound like occupations or jobs.

    The only titles I have that name me something are ¡®Seeker of Knowledge,¡¯ ¡®Natural-Born Brawler,¡¯ and ¡®Formidable Underdog.¡¯ I can¡¯t even show the last one of the three no matter how much I want to. Since I¡¯m left with no other option, I decide to tell them what I can.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a Brawler, and I really don¡¯t have a job like an adventurer or merchant. ¡®Traveler¡¯ was really the best I could tell her when we met.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    The table is met with an uncomfortable silence.

    ¡°Well, I think our guest had enough food and drink for the time being. Lili, why don¡¯t you take him to your room and help set up a place to sleep,¡± Ms. Raize says.

    ¡°Huh? But there¡¯s half a bowl of stew left¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get him to sleep, Lili.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes, Mom.¡±

    ¡°Jinma, we¡¯ll discuss how you¡¯ll head out with Lili to the capital over breakfast tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ okay? Goodnight.¡±

    Ms. Raize didn¡¯t say anything back by the time Ms. Lili starts taking me up the stairs of this two-story, cobwebbed home of theirs.

 Chapter 5: A Tailoress Goals

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry you had to see that, Jinma. You can see why I had to move to the capital with how high-maintenance Mom can be,¡± Ms. Lili says as she sets up a hammock made of webbing next to hers.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sort of thankful, actually. I haven¡¯t had a dinner that energetic in a while.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have a talk once I¡¯m done helping her with clean up. You need anything before I go? Help you use a toilet or something?¡±

    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve had this itch on my face that¡¯s been bugging me¡ªaaaah~. Thanks, that feels a lot better,¡± I say after she delicately scratches my itches using her claw-like fingers while giggling a little.

    She then quickly makes some kind of drawstring that sits next to my face before connecting it to somewhere on her person. ¡°If you need something, tug on this with your mouth a few times and I¡¯ll come by as soon as I can. Just try to relax and make yourself at home until I come back, okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, thanks.¡±

    ~~

    It wasn¡¯t even five minutes after I started resting my eyes that I heard a lot of yelling downstairs. It was then I started to wonder if this is normal within a family of spiderfolk. I did read somewhere back on Earth that the female spider does something with her mate once his part for reproduction is finished, so maybe this isn¡¯t too much of a stretch of how Arachnes behave in this world.

    While this may be what feels like ¡®home¡¯ to them, I can do anything but relax at this point in time after thinking of that.

    Finally, after about an hour, Ms. Lili comes back looking drained.

    ¡°Ugh. I may be cutting my vacation short, but I¡¯ll be glad to get out of this house by tomorrow,¡± Ms. Lili groans as she walks over to me. ¡°You doing okay? You didn¡¯t eat much, are you still hungry?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I¡¯m not sure if I should feel like a guest or a victim in this unique kidnapping, but I really didn¡¯t want to bother Ms. Lili too much with the trouble she¡¯s putting herself through.

    ¡°¡­ All right.¡± She then walks over to her hammock and gets on before turning over to look at me. ¡°So, spill. Brawler is like the default class for humans, right? How can you still be something like that at your age while you¡¯re walking around these parts?¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ that¡¯s a bit difficult for me to explain. There are just so many to choose from and where to go with them. I wasn¡¯t in a hurry to pick one now, so I thought I¡¯d worry about it later after seeing the world a bit.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Do you realize how quickly those in the default class would die if they step outside the safety of their homes? There are races like the Werebeasts who can make do with theirs just fine, but anyone else who doesn¡¯t find something to quickly better their chances of survival are probably the dumbest people I¡¯ve ever heard of, and you¡¯re quickly getting to the top of that list.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m honored to be granted such a privilege,¡± I say monotonously.

    ¡°No, seriously, how did someone like you become a Champion? The Champions I¡¯ve heard of since childhood were granted abilities, powers, and items to do many great feats in this world. Saving cities, making new things we¡¯d never think of that would advance their civilizations greatly, providing great knowledge that Sages would kill to have, and you ¡­ you¡¯re a Brawler looking like a spring roll ready to be eaten.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to not meet your expectations.¡± Maybe it¡¯s better for others to think I¡¯m so weak to not be bothered with, but my pride still hurts a little. More importantly, spring rolls are a thing here? Does that mean there¡¯s rice, too?

    ¡°That¡¯s just it. The strangest thing here is that I¡¯m sort of glad you¡¯re not like what I¡¯ve heard of.¡± Ms. Lili turns her back to me so I wouldn¡¯t see her face. ¡°To be honest, I was close enough to see you just as you got swept up in my trap. I was going to stop you, but I was too late. I then saw how scared you were hanging from such a high place, yet tried to bear with it to find a way to get out of that trap.

    ¡°When I think back on it and our exchange in the first meeting now, I realize that you¡¯re not so different from other humans, different from us, who also have fears and hardships when they come across something they don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve only made one or two human acquaintances purely out of business, but the other customers wouldn¡¯t look at me, act cold, even get defensive and aggressive for how terrifying I appear with my spider half. You, on the other hand, though a bit awkward, still tried to talk to me like I was just another person. If that¡¯s not strange enough, you didn¡¯t even fight back when I told you I¡¯d be taking you to the Demon King for some gold. Sure, Mom and I have told you how good-natured our king is, but you have every right to not trust anything we say, so just ¡­ why? Why would you still go along with this, being held captive and all?¡±

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I had to take a moment to think. ¡°Well ¡­ it¡¯s true I have the right to not trust you, but then who else would I turn to? I¡¯m all lost and alone in this world, and if I don¡¯t trust someone even a little bit, I¡¯ll never get a moment¡¯s rest. You¡¯re the first one I¡¯ve met since coming to this territory with no reliable source of what demons are like. I mentioned before how you being honest with your intentions makes you better than others I¡¯ve met, and I had nothing else going on, so I thought I might as well see where this would go.

    ¡°You were careful with me from the forest all the way up to this point like you said you would. Though I might¡¯ve blown it on my first impression with your mom, she was still decent to an extent with me regardless of my circumstances. The only thing I¡¯d have to question is the flattery you two brought on about my looks. I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re trying to fool calling me something like ¡®cute¡¯ of all things, but it¡¯s not working. I¡¯ve probably scared more human girls away in my life than a typical demon might, so putting the ¡®cute¡¯ label on me would be very unlikely.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You really are stupid, but not as much as those girls you scared off,¡± she mutters.

    ¡°Wait, what? I didn¡¯t hear that.¡±

    ¡°Just forget it.¡±

    ¡°Hey, come on, is this an interrogation or something? Throw me a bone at least, like what you¡¯re planning to do with the money you¡¯ll get in the reward.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna use it to help make Dondegarm a better place for Mom to live, as well as the other citizens ¡­ after investing some into my own shop in the capital, Korangar, of course. I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I wanted to have a place of my own and be more independent, and yes, while she drove me crazy, I still owe her so much for getting me to where I am today. I want to make this place at least a little more comfortable for her to stay in, you know? I just wish Mom would get off my back about getting a mate, already. The last few guys I saw before I left really broke my expectations in having a decent romance, and I¡¯m not getting her freakin¡¯ grandchildren the very next day.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my own mom was pretty aggressive of me seeing other girls, too. I think she just wanted to make sure I wasn¡¯t lonely by the time she ¡­ a-anyway, it may be the same idea with your mom as well, Ms. Lili, but if you haven¡¯t told her already, I think you should really make a stance on what you want so she doesn¡¯t have any more misunderstandings.¡±

    ¡°Easier said than done, but I guess I¡¯ll try to take your word for it. Also, quit acting all formal and just call me ¡®Lili.¡¯ It¡¯s weird of you being that way with me when neither of us is doing the same.¡±

    ¡°All right, Lili.¡±

    A moment of silence passes between us. I thought this would be the time for me to get some shut-eye, but then Lili¡¯s next words jumped me awake a little.

    ¡°Hey, Jinma ¡­ you said you could trust me because I was more honest with my intentions than your female human friend who betrayed you, right? If she was the same as me, would you still trust her?¡± I see she turned again to face me as she asked that question. My eyes adjusted to the dark enough that I could see her pinkish-white face looking at me with curiosity.

    I roll to my back on the hammock to look up at the ceiling. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know. I never knew what her intentions were for being with me all that time before she stabbed me.¡±

    ¡°Wait, she did what¡ª¡±

    Tok tok!

    ¡°Uah!¡± The sudden knocking on the window next to Lili¡¯s hammock made her jump up to sitting, looking out to see a shadowy figure with pointy ears.

    ¡°Ms. Lili! Pull me in!¡±

    ¡°R-Ren?! What are you doing out there?! Wait, is that a fire over in the city?!¡± Lili quickly opens the window and pulls the girl named Ren inside her room. Lili then pulls something to turn the room¡¯s lights on and I see the visitor standing in the middle.

    Ren ¡­ didn¡¯t I hear that name while we were passing through the city earlier?

    This girl who¡¯s rather lithe and short is bipedal like me, with the big differences between us being her furry canine-like ears poking out of her shoulder-length white hair, as well as beast-like limbs with fur of the same color. The nails/claws on her beastly hands and feet are neatly trimmed. There¡¯s also a bushy tail sticking out of a hole behind her as she wears a worn-out, two-piece rag set covering her breasts and hips, of which I can guess they¡¯re not covered in fur like the rest of her torso that¡¯s seen in the open. Finally, there¡¯s a blue ring around her neck that looks like a tattoo.

    I have a guess to what race she¡¯s from, and I find her to be surprisingly cute despite looking in her mid-teens.

    With this get-up Ren¡¯s wearing, I recall the conversation I had with Lili and her mom over dinner involving a human merchant of a particular trade who visits Dondegarm often.

    ¡°Is she ¡­ a slave?¡± I mutter aloud.

    ¡°Oh crap! Jinma! Shh! You''re not supposed to be here!¡± Lili exclaims.

    Oh, right, I snuck in through the toll as luggage of sorts.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ms. Lili, I suspected you were sneaking someone inside the moment I caught a strange scent while watching you,¡± Ren says before turning to me with a cool expression. ¡°Mr. Jinma, yes? As you say, I¡¯m a slave currently under the slave merchant¡¯s, Mistress Carmen Todoka¡¯s, ownership. I am Ren of the White Werewolves. Am I right to assume you¡¯re a human ¡­ and that you crossed paths with an evolved Troll recently?¡±

    ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡± Lili and I utter at once.

    Honestly, I¡¯m more surprised I was correct on what I guessed of her race is than her finding out about me meeting an ¡®evolved¡¯ Troll. I¡¯d probably be a little giddy running into a Werewolf for the first time in this world if the atmosphere wasn¡¯t so serious.

    ¡°If that is so, then please, I beg of you, you must help my slave merchant and friends, help save this city!¡±

    ¡°H-Hold on, what¡¯s going on?! What¡¯s happening to the city?!¡± Lili exclaims.

    Ren looks at both of us with a serious expression. ¡°This group of humans ¡­ the White Rapture, they¡¯re pillaging everything the city¡¯s got and taking its citizens their prisoners!¡±

 Chapter 6: The White Rapture

    ¡°The White ¡­ Rapture?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to guess this isn¡¯t one of the larger adventurer parties formed in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory, right?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they are, but they¡¯re bent on overthrowing demon settlements, maybe try to take over our territory. Motives aside, we need to save my slave merchant and friends so they can help the others,¡± Ren says.

    Don! Don! Don!

    ¡°Shit! They followed me here!¡± Ren hisses.

    ¡°Oh no! Mom!¡± Lili quickly gets up from her hammock and was about to rush out of the room.

    ¡°Lili! Stop! Get me out of this!¡± I exclaim.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just going to take this chance to run away?!¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to beat those bastards down.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?! Do you know how many there are?! You¡¯re just a Brawler of all things, and how do I know you¡¯re even speaking the truth?!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Mr. Jinma is still a Brawler?¡± Ren asks while looking at me with widened eyes.

    ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t, I can only give you my word that I¡¯ll save your mom and not run away under the chaos while showing you what a Brawler like me can do. Of course, I¡¯m still your captive, you can always just take me away and save yourself. I honestly don¡¯t care who or what I¡¯m saving, I¡¯m itching to bust heads of bastards who think they can take whatever they want. That, and I really just want to stretch my fighting limbs after being cocooned for the past few hours.¡±

    ¡°¡­ If you manage to pull all of this off, you¡¯re going to tell me how you did it all afterward.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain whatever I can,¡± I say as she takes one of her claw-like fingers and glides it through the cocoon¡¯s webbing with ease like a scalpel. ¡°Where¡¯s my bag?¡±

    ¡°I set it at the corner over there.¡±

    After breaking free of the webbing, I quickly go over to my MIB while I hear noise going on downstairs. I dump the contents of all the shiny weapons I stored while keeping all the money and other valuables inside like Ms. Obina instructed me.

    ¡°Holy shit, you got an armory in there or something?¡± Lili asks as I sift through the weaponry on the floor.

    ¡°Swords, not my forte. Axes, too unbalanced. Daggers, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Ah, there are two of them. Mr. Jinma, may I borrow the daggers? My ¡®Dual-Wielding¡¯ skill is pretty high as a Thief,¡± Ren says.

    A Werewolf in a Thief class? That¡¯s actually pretty badass. ¡°Knock yourself out, kid.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m 18,¡± she says while looking sour at me. She probably didn¡¯t want to sound rude as a slave, but I bet she¡¯s practically screaming ¡®I¡¯m not a kid!¡¯ with that statement.

    ¡°Ah. My bad. What¡¯s this weapon? It looks like a bat.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but that¡¯s a club, not an animal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that kind of bat.¡±

    ¡°Will you two shut up and get going so we could save my mom?!¡±

    ¡°¡­ The club as a bat it is.¡± As I pick it up and get a handle on it, something clicks and various moves with the bat-like weapon play like a movie in my head. A corner of my lips twitches a little while imagining the possibilities. ¡°Yeah, I got this,¡± I mutter while quickly shoving the other weapons back in the MIB and hold it out to Lili. ¡°Hold this for me, would you?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Ren be holding it being a slave?¡±

    ¡°Can you fight like Ren and me?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Not really, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re holding the bag.¡±

    Lili clicks her tongue while strapping my MIB on her shoulders.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing?!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fight back, we¡¯re taking you along with everything you have with us!¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Lili exclaims to the fight downstairs.

    ¡°Showtime.¡± I quickly open the door and lead the way downstairs where Ms. Raize is holding off three human guys in white, cult-like robes. I hold us back so they wouldn¡¯t see us.

    ¡°I call to thee, Fire, burn away those that taint this world, Flame Burst!¡± the guy at the very back chants before a spit of fire the size of a soccer ball quickly shoots from waving sort of wand.

    Fwoosh!

    The flame burns Ms. Raize, the impact sends her flying and hits the wall behind her.

    ¡°Agh!¡±

    ¡°Mmph!¡± Lili tries to exclaim, but Ren quickly covers her mouth to keep her from giving away our position.

    ¡°You will cease to resist at once,¡± one of the cultists say as the two on vanguard approach the wounded mother. The fire caster keeps a safe distance from behind. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be giving you hideous monsters mercy, but if you value your life, you will give up everything and come with us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but who are the monsters here?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡±

    Thwack! Dan!

    ¡°Bwugh!¡±

    ¡°Gagh!¡±

    I whack the first guy on the side of his head with the club like a baseball bat, sending him flying and hitting the wall to the side that knocks some knick-knacks off the shelves. The second I hit with a backhand swing hard enough to knock him to the floor. Blood leaks from their noses and mouths, and I think I see a few teeth knocked out of their skulls.

    ¡°You all right, Ms. Raize?¡±

    ¡°Jinma?!¡± Ms. Raize exclaims while she looks at me in shock.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?!¡± one of the two guys I hit asks as they get up staggeringly. ¡°Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re trying to help you?! A fellow human?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re from White Rapture, right?¡± I ask while holding my club out to them. ¡°Tell me. What exactly are you? What are you trying to accomplish raiding and destroying these people¡¯s homes? What has these people who¡¯ve been living peacefully until moments ago done to you to deserve this?¡±

    ¡°What are we? We are the people who decided to take a stand for all humanity! We, who¡¯ve been put down by the demis and demons like that disgusting spider freak, for their advantages in strength and magic over the past couple of centuries! We are the voices of the people who won¡¯t put up with this for any longer! We are the people who¡¯ll take the first step into creating paradise, a world where humans rule all, and the demons and demis who¡¯ve put us down would live to serve us¡ª¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a cult of self-righteous, ego-centric pricks trying to play hero. Okay, I get the picture,¡± I say while closing my eyes and nodding to myself in confirmation.

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    ¡°How dare you! You, a fellow human, would mock our cause?! You actually side with the evil called demis and demons?!¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I give a damn on who or what you call ¡®good¡¯ and ¡®evil?¡¯ I¡¯ll save or beat the crap of whoever I want. Right now, I¡¯m seeing a bunch of hero wannabes stupid and crazy enough to think they can do whatever they want for the sake of ¡®justice,¡¯ and it¡¯s those kinds of people ¡­¡±

    As I open my eyes, I can imagine how I look while smiling, as it¡¯s something I forbade myself from doing knowing how much it frightens other people as it does for the cultists right now. I¡¯m sure I had this kind of smile on when I faced the Toxic Troll earlier, too, recalling there was a glimpse of fear in his eyes while I wailed on him.

    ¡°That pisses me off enough to play the ¡®villain¡¯ and beat the crap out of them!¡±

    ¡°W-What¡¯s with that look on his face?! Is he really human?!¡±

    ¡°W-Who cares?! Anyone who¡¯s not supporting our cause is as bad as the evil we¡¯re fighting against!¡±

    ¡°Get him!¡±

    ¡°I call to thee, Fire ¡­¡±

    The two guys I knocked down before come at me from the front and back with swords at the ready while the fire-caster prepares another magic attack. Right as I evade and trip the attacker coming in the front, I hold my club behind me to block the sword aiming at my back. I knock that sword out of its trajectory while using that same momentum to deliver a crushing skull attack from above, knocking him down to the floor face first. I then spin while winding up before making a hefty baseball swing at the head of the guy getting up from my tripping him moments ago, sending him flying and crashing through the wall until he hangs over the freshly-made hole.

    ¡°Pyreball!¡± the fire-caster chants before I feel sudden heatwave filling the room.

    Taking a quick glance, I see a fireball that would probably reach my chest from the floor in diameter, but it¡¯s not aiming towards me. It¡¯s going towards Ms. Raize who¡¯s backed up to the wall opposite of the front door.

    Without thinking, I drop my club and quickly run over to get between her and the fireball. I cover my face with my arms and brace myself for the burning attack.

    Fooom!

    ¡°¡°[Mr.] Jinma!¡±¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha~! Take that, traitor! Burn in hell as all the other demons in this world will!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Aaah, this is no good. You burned up half of my good suit.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    My upper half was engulfed by the large fireball for a couple seconds before disappearing immediately. When I checked myself, my suit jacket and shirt burned up into ashes, leaving me incredibly topless. What¡¯s amazing though is that I hardly felt a burning sensation hit me, and there¡¯s no sign of any marks other than the scars on my body. Not even my hair got burned off of my scalp.

    To hardly feel any pain, this high SP. DEF from my Dragon Scale Defense is more effective than I thought. Wonder if this is the work of the ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ that¡¯s keeping me this clean? Wish it could¡¯ve included my clothes as well. ¡°Well, at least I¡¯m not completely naked. That would¡¯ve been awkward,¡± I conclude.

    ¡°N-No way, you ¡­ you really are like them. Y-You¡¯re a demon!¡± the fire-caster cult exclaims before running out of the house screaming.

    Figuring it wouldn¡¯t be good if he called for back up, I try to stop him in his tracks with my ¡®Glare.¡¯

    Bwooooooooooon!

    ¡°Glk!¡± His body completely stops moving, but the momentum causes him to fall face first while dropping his wand. He lies there in a mid-run pose.

    Looks like I don¡¯t need to make direct eye contact with them if I want my ¡®Glare¡¯ to work, and I didn¡¯t even need to call it out like that description said, either. That¡¯s good, at least, I think as I step out of the house, seeing how we¡¯re in a wide clearing with the trees being a good couple meters away. It¡¯s perfect for me to try something without worrying about damaging my surroundings.

    ¡°I wonder ¡­¡± Making sure the fire-caster stays ¡®stunned,¡¯ I point an open palm towards his body.

    A bit embarrassing to admit, but with me kept being called a demon by my classmates back in school, I studied mythological beings that could be associated with such a label, along with a little magic and witchcraft. I didn¡¯t have such a case of chuunibyou [TN: middle-school syndrome, eighth-grade syndrome] to believe I could summon magic like a demon would, but I always liked the fantasy genre of manga and anime enough to get so invested in it.

    Using the ¡®knowledge¡¯ I gained from some books, I try imagining what I want in the spell that the fire-caster last used. Making use of this energy(?) described in books that dwells inside me to make the fireball bigger, maybe the same height as a typical convertible, fast as one, too, feeling the great heat that radiates from the scorching flames, and make the effect last longer¡ªmaybe 15 seconds?¡ªenough to knock him out of commission.

    I didn¡¯t hear enough of the chant he did to make this spell possible, but if I just spoke its name while keeping these characteristics in mind ¡­

    ¡°Pyreball,¡± I say with a firm, forceful tone.

    Suddenly, the fireball I imagined appears in an instant and is shot straight to the fire-caster lying on the ground.

    ¡°Wait, what?! N-No! Please! Have mercy¡ªgyaaaaaaaaa!¡±

    Foooooooom!

    The fire-caster¡¯s body is entirely engulfed in the ball of flames, covering a wider area than his on me earlier, and lasting longer just as I had intended. Looks to be a lot more painful than my experience, too.

    After many seconds, the large fireball disappears, and a large black scorch mark surrounds the last cultist¡¯s body, butt-naked, bald to the head, and practically charred.

    ¡°Y-You ¡­ really are a ¡­ d-demon ¡­¡± he chokes out before falling to a limp on the ground.

    Da-da-da-da, Di-da!

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    The victory and level-up tracks play in my head, indicating the end of this battle. Then, a list of notices appears in front of me.

    [Congratulations! You have created a new brawling fight style: ¡®Slugger Style!¡¯

    [You have now learned ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ LV 1!

    [Conditions met: ¡®Club-Wielding¡¯ skills associated with current ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ level are available to learn.

    [You have now learned ¡®Fire Magic LV 3!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Pyromancer¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Pyreball¡¯ LV 3!]

    ¡°¡­ Huh, I feel like I skipped a few steps. Is this normal?¡± I mutter to myself. ¡°Actually, did I just kill a couple dudes?¡±

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ th-the two back there still have a pulse. They¡¯re okay, Mr. Jinma.¡±

    I look back to see Ms. Raize who answered my question, only keeping a safe distance from me. I got a little surprised she got formal on me all of a sudden.

    ¡°Thanks to the Immortals¡¯ powers softening the blows, you only hit them enough to KO them. If your ¡­ Fire Magic wasn¡¯t lethal enough, that guy should just be out cold, too.¡±

    I quickly go over to the charred body and press two fingers to his throat to find a pulse. ¡°Holy crap ¡­ despite receiving 2<sup>nd</sup>-degree burns, he actually is still alive.¡±

    ¡°Amazing ¡­ Mr. Jinma, you¡¯re really amazing! Are you really a Brawler?!¡± Ren asks me while I could practically see stars in her eyes. Even her wolf tail is wagging erratically.

    ¡­ Cute.

    ¡°If you were capable of doing that, why didn¡¯t you use it when I trapped you?¡± Lili then asks.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I could do magic until 10 seconds ago.¡±

    ¡°You mean that was your first time?! But ¡®Pyreball¡¯ is only something you can get when your Fire Magic is at LV 2, right?! And you didn¡¯t say any lines before you cast the spell, yet were still able to do that! How did you do it?!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I¡¯m just a Brawler.¡±

    ¡°Just being capable of doing that much on your first try, Mas¡ª¡­ I mean, Mr. Jinma, I sincerely apologize for doubting your capabilities for even a moment after hearing your class. I now truly believe you¡¯re able to save my friends and Dondegarm.¡± Ren then prostrates herself at my feet. ¡°I beg of you, please, help us!¡±

    ¡°Whoa, settle down, I thought me helping you was already established.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡± Ren asks with hope glimmering in her eyes.

    ¡°More like helping your friends is a bonus while I beat up those bastards from White Rapture. After hearing those motives, I want to show them what kind of ¡®demon¡¯ they should truly fear¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡± Ren exclaims while jumping and hugging my torso with her arms and legs. Her tail wags erratically once more.

    I also notice that despite her ragged garb between us, I could feel two modest mounds pressing against my bare upper body.

    ¡°O-Okay, Ren, we get it, let¡¯s not get too excited,¡± I say while pulling her away from me and set her down. How she looks deflated after releasing her hold kind of crushes me on the inside.

    ¡°Um ¡­ you¡¯ll need this as well, Mr. Jinma.¡±

    I turn to see Ms. Raize who¡¯s holding out the club I dropped moments ago.

    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Lili, are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to help him, of course. You stay here and keep an eye on those guys until we get someone to bring them in,¡± Lili answers as I lug my club over my shoulder. Ms. Raize approaches Lili¡¯s side and places a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°You be careful out there ¡­ and try to show off your good side to get some points back after your bumpy meeting, if you catch my drift,¡± she mumbles in Lili¡¯s ear enough that I could hardly hear her.

    ¡°Mom! Is this really a good time to be worried about that?!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jinma, while Lili¡¯s capable of fending for herself, please look out for her if she¡¯s in a bind, and ¡­ thank you, for saving me.¡±

    ¡°No problem, and I¡¯ll make sure Lili comes back unharmed ¡­ hang on, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I quickly run over to the two unconscious cultists inside and search their persons before finding their pouches of money that I put in [Storage]. I head back out with their swords in hand, pick up the dropped wand and check the charred fire-caster. His money pouch is amazingly still unharmed underneath him, as well as what remains of his robes. There¡¯s also something around his neck.

    ¡°Are you seriously stealing from unconscious people?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m merely collecting my winnings in a battle. Adventurers pick up what monsters drop and collect their materials around here, right?¡±

    ¡°I mean ¡­ you¡¯re not wrong, but to take it from your own kind with little to no shame ¡­ you really are something like a villain.¡±

    ¡°That depends on where you¡¯re standing. At the end of it all, I¡¯m just a Brawler trying to make a living.¡±

    ¡°So cool ¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make this any worse, Ren,¡± Lili scolds.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this pendant here?¡± I ask while holding up the red gem-like pendant that was around the fire-caster¡¯s neck.

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ a Blaze Stone, powering one¡¯s fire-attribute attacks to a good amount. He had that on him, yet Jinma still didn¡¯t get burned?¡± Lili asks herself.

    ¡°Huh, neat. I¡¯m going to store these in here for later.¡± I then take the cultists¡¯ belongings and money to be put in my MIB that¡¯s on Lili¡¯s back. ¡°All right, all set. Let¡¯s get going, you two.¡±

    ¡°R-Right.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Jinma!¡±

    ~~

    While holding her wound, Raize watches the trio run to the city while bidding them off. A sad smile spreads across her face.

    ¡°¡­ I envy not being you right now, sweetie. Go get that man for both of us.¡±

 Chapter 7: The Slaves Breakout, Part 1

    As we made a run for Dondegarm, we came up with a plan to take back the city taken hostage. Like Ren begged us to do from the beginning, we¡¯d rescue her slave merchant and friends currently being held captive. The merchant, Ms. Carmen Todoka, actually told Ren to run off and find help just as things were starting to get crazy, knowing how she¡¯s the fastest runner of all her slaves. There are guards and adventurers in the city currently fending off the cult, but the invaders used some tactics to take down some of the city¡¯s defenses before they started going after its citizens. All of Ms. Carmen¡¯s slaves are capable, strong fighters registered as adventurers just in case there are customers who seek to rent backup for their quests and dungeon crawling. There¡¯s especially one, in particular, an Ogre who goes by Erizora (another name I heard earlier today, or ¡®Eri¡¯ by her friends). While her adventurer rank is marked blue, she¡¯s not only Ren¡¯s closest friend, but she¡¯s the strongest slave out of everyone for carrying the Savage class. To keep note, Ren¡¯s apparently a green-ranked adventurer.

    ¡°We¡¯d especially need her brute strength and capabilities in crowd control to make an upset in taking back the city,¡± Ren explains as we run. ¡°Being a regular visitor, Mistress Carmen has established a good enough relationship with her customers here to want to help out in times of trouble. Once we set them free, we¡¯ll become the resistance to take back Dondegarm and capture the White Rapture for questioning.¡±

    ¡°Saving an army to fight another army. Sounds like a good deal,¡± I say.

    ¡°If I may ask, Mr. Jinma, what is your adventurer¡¯s rank?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not even registered as one.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding! To be able to pull that off back there and subjugate an evolved Troll, I thought you¡¯d be a red, or even a purple by now.¡±

    ¡°Are those ranks good?¡±

    ¡°Yes! They¡¯re one and two ranks above Eri¡¯s, respectively!¡±

    ¡°About that, while I do admit that you smelled pretty bad, did you really subjugate an evolved Troll before getting ensnared by my trap?¡± Lili asks while quirking her brow.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was honestly surprised Ren even knew I did.¡±

    ¡°When I saw you two passing by earlier today, while it was faint, I picked up the scent of an evolved Troll¡¯s blood and body odor on top of Mr. Jinma¡¯s. I had to confirm it with some of the other slaves in case I wasn¡¯t smelling things. Most evolved Trolls are strong monsters that only a few blue-ranked adventurers or a small party of green-ranks on average to be able to handle them.¡±

    For a girl to point out some guy¡¯s body odor on me ¡­ it must¡¯ve been when he stomped on me so many times on top of that ghastly breath. That¡¯s a little embarrassing.

    ¡°What had me concerned, however, was that while you had that scent of an evolved Troll on you, please pardon my rudeness, but I gagged from how ¡­ toxic, it smelled. Like I might¡¯ve gotten poisoned if I didn¡¯t back off a little ¡­¡± Ren trails off as if she noticed something.

    ¡°¡­ Jinma, what was that evolved Troll like? Were you alone when you fought it?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°Well, I certainly was alone, I wound up sleeping in his cave without realizing it and he thought I was there to take his stuff. He was as brutal as he looked with that purplish color on him, the poisonous plants and fungi threw off that intimidation though, and I managed to kill him off. Still, that awful breath of his was something I couldn¡¯t forget even if I wanted to since I could still kind of tasted it. I still couldn¡¯t believe how much of my HP he took down with that.¡±

    ¡°Did he ¡­ happen to speak at the time?¡±

    ¡°Barely. He screamed ¡®Glock, kiiill¡¯ after I tried reasoning with him first.¡±

    Lili and Ren suddenly halt to a stop before I slow down to do the same a few meters ahead of them. I look back to see them stare at me wide-eyed.

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    ¡°¡­ What? Did I say something weird?¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ was he a Toxic Troll, by any chance?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Jinma ¡­ that Toxic Troll was gaining a rep in this city as a dangerous adversary, especially with his breath that could kill victims within minutes. It kills anyone that comes within his sights before taking their weapons and belongings¡ªwait, is that where you got all those weapons?!¡±

    ¡°Last I heard from the adventurer¡¯s guild, they issued a wanted poster and marked Glock, The Putrid, a purple-ranked Special Monster,¡± Ren says.

    ¡°To be able to kill him all by yourself ¡­¡± Lili trails off.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about the details right now. We got some slaves and a merchant to break out, right?¡± I ask. While they nodded in agreement and Ren continued to lead the way, there was only the awkward silence between us.

    If I showed Glock, The Putrid¡¯s corpse to the adventurer¡¯s guild, I¡¯ll probably make some good money out of it. Maybe that can also help me establish where I should stand to start as an adventurer if I want to find a source of good income.

    ~~

    We approach two tents, one large and one small, that one might see for a circus when we got to the city. Four armed cultists are outside of the larger one while keeping watch for any intruders, with two stationed at the front while the other half are patrolling the backside. Ren explained to me how the smaller tent is not only her slave merchant¡¯s room/office but also a storage area for weaponry the slaves are specialized in, which explains why there are three cultists guarding it in a triangle formation.

    Using Lili¡¯s skill in webbing, she snatches away one of the cultists in the back of the large tent for her and Ren to incapacitate without making a sound. As soon as the other back guard notices his partner missing and run off to where he once was, I quickly and quietly sneak right behind him to try a move I wondered would work in this world. Once I get close ¡­

    Koki!

    I grab his head and crack his neck, making him fall to the ground without even uttering a word.

    Da-da-da-da, Di-da!

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    The victory and level-up tracks sound in my head. I put two fingers on the guard¡¯s neck and could still read a pulse.

    Nice, looks like I can put guys in KO this way, too. He may be paralyzed for the rest of his life, but it could¡¯ve been worse for him; however, this also means it could apply to me as well, even with my high DEF. I¡¯d have to be extra careful.

    [Conditions met. The skill, ¡®Stealth¡¯ LV 5 is now visible.]

    Wait, what? What do you mean it¡¯s now visible? Actually, Ms. Obina said there are other skills of mine that will come later if I put them into practice. So, it was there all along, but something just needs to switch it on? That means I¡¯ve had this level of ¡®Stealth¡¯ back on Earth for some time?

    I mean, it makes sense. For someone who¡¯s just starting out in a new world, one can only handle so much info at once, and we usually use so many ¡®skills¡¯ that we practiced on Earth. It¡¯s like if ¡®Swimming¡¯ was a skill. I don¡¯t need it right now, but once I do it in some water, I¡¯m sure the status will show what level of mastery it¡¯s already in.

    That just leaves the question: what did I do to get such a high level of ¡®Stealth?¡¯ I¡¯ve often had to hide in some places when I overheard something I probably shouldn¡¯t hear while growing up. I could¡¯ve also subconsciously tried to blend in with the crowd to not get called out into fights. The biggest contribution though might be the times when I found Hyo-chan by herself that I either distanced myself from or follow her until she meets up with someone else.

    I wasn¡¯t stalking her, mind you. She was just prone to attract the wrong crowd, and when I observed enough to know that things were going to get ugly with a shady guy or group, I¡¯d intervene and pretend we were around the same place by coincidence while I tried to get them to back off. I¡¯d get pulled into another fight soon after that, win it, and get away before other people may suspect I¡¯m associated with Hyo-chan in some manner.

    Why I was avoiding Hyo-chan was complicated, but I still cared for her and tried to provide the best protection I could offer from the sidelines. I wasn¡¯t one of those obsessive, cowardly assholes. The same ones who¡¯d send love letters and try to take advantage of any opportunity just to get close to her because of how she¡¯s pretty, intelligent, hardworking, and friendly back in high school.

    At least, that what I¡¯ve thought of her, but I¡¯m not a stalker if I¡¯m protecting her from obvious thugs while watching from the side, right? Well, that¡¯s beside the point. I was apparently good enough then to have my ¡®Stealth¡¯ recognized to be LV 5. I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m proud of being good at hiding from her to get at this level, okay?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the heck you just did, but that noise didn¡¯t sound pleasant,¡± Lili says in a whisper as she and Ren approach me after taking care of their guy.

    ¡°Something I learned from home,¡± I answer as Lili takes my guy¡¯s unconscious body and hangs him cocooned on a sturdy tree branch next to theirs, of which I could see a red stain showing through the webbing.

    Well, better them than me, speaking as someone who was hung in a similar position not too long ago.

 Chapter 8: The Slaves Breakout, Part 2

    ¡°Mistress Carmen and Eri are in there, I could smell them and the others,¡± Ren says as she points to the larger tent we¡¯re standing next to.

    ¡°Allow me.¡± Lili approaches the tent and effortlessly trails her claw-like finger through the tapestry as she did with the webbing on my cocoon earlier, making a big enough hole for me to fit into.

    I peek inside first to assess the situation. Like one would see in a market, there are two straight paths on each side of the tent. Cultists are walking along the paths on patrol with lines of cages on each side like those circus animals would be kept in, only ¡­ the amenities that are inside them make the space surprisingly homier than I thought. There are things similar to Japanese futons folded up and set aside to make space while seat cushions are provided in each cage, probably since slaves are instructed to present and sell themselves as best as they can manage for potential customers that walk by. From the looks of the broken, but previously cheap tableware, the slaves were having a meal when the White Rapture attacked. Despite the signs of struggling and bruises, the slaves are actually much cleaner than I expected, giving them a more attractive appearance. Taking a quick glance at Ren, I wasn¡¯t even aware of how clean she already was when she got to Lili¡¯s window. I¡¯d be amazed if this world had soap, but it looks like the slaves have access to a source of water to clean their bodies in some manner.

    The general living conditions for these slaves are minimal, but if I were put up for slavery in this world and this is how they¡¯re treated until sold, I¡¯d be totally tolerant of the situation in these circumstances. Mom and I had more space in our home, but we didn¡¯t have as much of a luxurious lifestyle as others while I was growing up. It seems there¡¯s a more humane approach to slavery in this world than one would imagine on Earth.

    Among the slaves inside the cages, there are two, in particular, that stand out from the others to me. One of them being large and have a muscular build while her yellow blonde hair is unkempt, with a horn sticking out of it on one side while the other ¡®s only a nub like it was broken off some time ago. Her slave rags are a two-piece ensemble that emphasizes her toned abs as well as the incredible bust, with the cleavage practically legendary. The large woman sits in her seat cushion in seiza [TN: sitting on one''s knees at respectful attention] with a worried look on her face while looking down to her hands that are cuffed.

    The other ¡®slave¡¯ a couple cages over from there stands out by not wearing any rags, but a set of clothes that make her look like the ringmaster of a circus, and it¡¯s designed to make her lithe curves stand out. She¡¯s making the most noise out of everyone there, making curses at the cultists while her hands are also cuffed.

    ¡°That¡¯s our slave merchant over there,¡± Ren whispers as she points to the ringmaster-dressed girl yelling at the cultists. ¡°She¡¯s a pretty-gifted Sage. If we get her out first, she can get us to her tent where all of our weapons are stored. Then we can get the others and Eri to wreak havoc on the cult.¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s do it. Lili, think you can try to secure her tent until we get there?¡±

    ¡°Sure can. I¡¯ll keep your stuff safe until you get there. Best of luck.¡±

    Ren and I nod to her before we get into the tent and hide behind a few crates. Lili quickly sews the cut she made in the tent shut so no one else suspects any break-ins.

    ¡°I imagine Ms. Carmen has ¡­ or had the keys to the cages before they took it away,¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Right, but I have the ¡®Lockpicking¡¯ skill that Mistress Carmen gave me permission to use once I brought back help. The biggest problem is those cuffs I¡¯m sure the cultists forced them to wear. They have special properties that don¡¯t allow the wearer to use any skills or magic and are designed to be impenetrable to the ¡®Lockpicking¡¯ skill. We need to get that key to take them off.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should get to Ms. Carmen¡¯s cage and see if she knows who around here has it, but how do we get there without attracting attention?¡±

    ¡°I have ¡®Stealth¡¯ on a high enough level that allows me and those I touch to erase our presence unless we¡¯re caught on sight.¡±

    Really? ¡®Stealth¡¯ can do that, too? ¡°Would me having ¡®Stealth¡¯ also let us hide better?¡±

    Ren widens her eyes for a moment before blinking herself out of it. ¡°Um ¡­ yes, it would.¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s do it, then.¡± I reach out and grab one of Ren¡¯s furry Werewolf claws. The sensation of the pads on her ¡®paw¡¯ catches me by surprise at first, but I shake it out. ¡°Lead the way whenever you¡¯re ready, Ren.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Ren? You okay?¡±

    ¡°I just realized this is the first time I¡¯m holding the hand of a male that isn¡¯t my older brother or father, and it¡¯s been so long since I held either of them ¡­ this is also the first a human male has ever held my hand, too. Yours is surprisingly warm on top of being big and firm, Mr. Jinma.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ thanks?¡± Fuck, now I¡¯m just remembering how it¡¯s been so long since I held Hyo-chan¡¯s hand when we were very little. Dammit, this is no time to feel self-conscious, Jinma! I berate to myself as Ren quickly leads me to Ms. Carmen¡¯s cage, going from crate to crate while the cultists weren¡¯t looking. The other slaves pretend not to see us per Ren¡¯s silent request, though some couldn¡¯t help glance our way with curious looks. Even the muscle-girl with horns, who Ren told me earlier was the Ogre, Erizora, stares at me with intensity.

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    Thinking about it, a topless man with scars and a club strapped to his back would be unusual enough for anyone to see.

    Ms. Carmen looks to have given up on her cursing at the cultists by the time we make it to her cage.

    ¡°Psst! Mistress Carmen! Mistress Carmen!¡± Ren whispers loud enough for her to hear.

    She glances back and widens her eyes. Making sure the coast is clear, she scoots herself back enough to the cage to hear us. ¡°Ren, good to see you¡¯re still okay, but ¡­ is he really the only help you got?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Ms. Lili securing your tent for the weapons as we speak, but we can trust this one. He took down the three cultists who were chasing me on his own, and killed the infamous Toxic Troll, Glock the Putrid, by himself, too.¡±

    ¡°No kidding?¡±

    ¡°We need the key to get you out of those cuffs, right? Who¡¯s carrying them?¡± I ask in a whisper.

    ¡°The guy who¡¯s the farthest from here. He also has my key to the cages.¡± Ms. Carmen nods her head in the direction for us to point to the cultist patrolling the path furthest from us.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll be right back. Ren, move us to the back of the tent again.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Jinma.¡± Ren leads us back to our starting point while I keep an eye on the cultist Ms. Carmen pointed out.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. One of us will take each guy on the path and take them out with speed and silence. Then we¡¯ll take out the guys guarding the front once we get everyone out of those cages and cuffs, and hopefully, Lili will have the other tent secured once we get there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mistress Carmen has a Null Spell called [Portal] that can get us right into her tent once we get her out. We can sneak in through that and have everyone get their weapons from there before we start our resistance.¡±

    ¡°Nice, let¡¯s do that. We¡¯ll move on the count of three.¡±

    Ren nods in understanding before we get to our positions while we¡¯re able to see each other. I hold out a hand to her as I watch for the timing for us to strike. I count on my fingers.

    One. Two. Three.

    We make our move with the cultists¡¯ backs turned.

    Koki!

    ¡°Stab.¡±

    Shick!

    ¡°Mmph!¡±

    Like the first guy before I came in, I got up close to my target and twisted his neck to knock him out cold and fall to the ground, while Ren, as she covered her target¡¯s mouth, she used one of the borrowed daggers to stab him in the back. What was amazing about her approach is that with the height differences, she had to leap and tackle him to the ground with the momentum of her attack, yet she managed to pull off taking him out without making a sound. Her AGI as a Werewolf and level of ¡®Stealth¡¯ must take a big part here that leaves me impressed.

    Da-da-da-da, Di-da!

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Assassin¡¯ title!

    [¡®Stealth¡¯ LV 1¡¯s mastery has been integrated to ¡®Stealth¡¯ LV 5.

    [You have now learned ¡®Ambush*¡¯!]

    The tracks ring in my head and I see the notices scroll down in front of me, ascertaining our victory. I feel mixed about acquiring a title like ¡®Assassin,¡¯ though.

    ¡°That guy¡¯s really not dead, right?¡± I ask Ren.

    ¡°The Immortals¡¯ influence in this city allows those inside it to still barely hold onto their lives from the last blow to put them into KO status. They¡¯d need another heavy blow while in KO status, or a really fatal one like slitting their throat or decapitating them to make the Immortals¡¯ influence ineffective. You¡¯ll know you really killed someone when your sounds of victory and level-up are in a darker tone than usual.¡±

    ¡°Huh, good to know.¡±

    I then search my target¡¯s person while the other slaves around me whisper amongst each other. I take both keys out of him, along with his belongings that include a money pouch and a dagger.

    ¡°Mr. Jinma.¡±

    I turn to Ren who now stands next to me, holding out a shortsword and bigger money pouch than the one my guy had. They must be her target¡¯s belongings that she pilfered.

    ¡°¡­ Are those for me?¡±

    Ren nods.

    ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but those are your winnings. You can keep those for yourself and save it for something special.¡±

    Ren then shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯re helping me a great deal tonight. I insist you take these as part of my gratitude.¡±

    ¡­ Well, it¡¯d be rude to turn it down if she¡¯s insisting. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll humbly accept. Thanks, Ren.¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± Ren utters as she hands the stuff over to me. While her expression is still cool, her tail wags ecstatically. I use the cultists¡¯ holsters to hold the new weapons at my sides. I find myself liking and wielding these ones better than those I found in the Toxic Troll¡¯s cave, and with the ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ I recently learned, I need to make some experiments.

    She says she¡¯s 18, but she¡¯s like a little kid excited to show their parent something amazing ¡­ no, since she¡¯s a Werewolf, isn¡¯t this more like a dog wanting praise for bringing something of value? I don¡¯t mean to degrade, but I can¡¯t help but find this adorable. I find myself lost in thought before a few giggles from the other slaves snap me out of it. ¡°Oh, we should set everyone free. This isn¡¯t the time to relax.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Mr. Jinma, may I see the key for the cuffs really quick, please?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure which one it was, so I hold both out. Assuming she already knows what Ms. Carmen¡¯s key for the cages look like, she takes the one that¡¯s for the cuffs and examines it.

    ¡°¡­ Okay, got it. [Duplicate], 1.¡±

    Suddenly, an exact copy of the same key appears in her empty hand by the formation of many blue lights after her chant.

    ¡°Whoa, is that like your rare, personal Null Spell, Ren?¡± I ask as she hands the original back to me.

    ¡°Yes. My Null Spell, [Duplicate], allows me to make an exact copy of anything that¡¯s around small to medium size. The copies will fade away at my own will, or when they¡¯re too far for me to maintain its magic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible. You¡¯re really something else, Ren.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of Mr. Jinma¡¯s praise. Now, since I have a copy of the cuffs¡¯ key, we can set everyone free twice as fast.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ~~

    As Jinma starts letting the slaves out of the cages and cuffs on one side of the tent, Ren goes to the other where Carmen and Erizora are held captive. She goes straight to work in setting the former of the two free first.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you that happy in a while, Ren. Is that guy your type?¡± Carmen asks while giving a smug look.

    Due to the magical influence of the slave ring around her neck, Ren couldn¡¯t lie, so she stays quiet while her cheeks redden. It¡¯s to be noted that her tail couldn¡¯t stop wagging since Jinma praised her capabilities.

    ¡°Does he fit in your criterion?¡± Carmen asks.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen or know enough of him to make a firm decision yet, but ¡­ the chances are pretty high. If he¡¯s interested in someone like me, I hope we can work things out when this is all over.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Erizora the Ogre couldn¡¯t help but overhear their conversation before turning her attention to Jinma and gets lost in thought as he frees her comrades.

    Ren¡¯s criterion is quite strict, too. For him to possibly fit ¡­ even when relaxed, my gut¡¯s going crazy over the power he holds. Could it be possible ¡­?

 Chapter 9: The Beginning of the Resistance

    Once we got everyone out of the cages and uncuffed, Ms. Carmen went straight to work. From what she explained, her Null Spell, [Portal], allows one to open a way to a place they¡¯ve been to before in their memories. How much one¡¯s mana (MP) is used depends on the distance between here and there, but once it¡¯s opened, it¡¯s easy to maintain until everyone passes through. Like [Storage], [Portal] is a valuable Null Spell one could have to make quick transportations and deliveries between locations, even being able to skip a number of floors in a dungeon after getting far enough by foot alone. And so, for the convenience and effort it takes to make some services possible, those who wield it are paid much more than others. It seems Ms. Carmen made good use of her [Portal] and [Storage] Null Spells, a powerful combo for one to have, to create a ¡®traveling slave market¡¯ service between popular locations in Padimon for a set amount of time. In her words, it¡¯s better to say this market is more of an extension to her father¡¯s slave market that¡¯s stationed in a city within the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory called ¡®Alluga,¡¯ making this more of a unique family-owned business.

    For her to get this far in life when she¡¯s around my age and even be well-received by the slaves, Ms. Carmen must¡¯ve been raised well, and their business must be very successful in this industry.

    Anyway, Ms. Carmen used her [Portal] to quietly transport all of us to the storage tent. When we get there, we find Lili just finished wrapping up the three cultists guarding Ms.Carme¡¯s office tent, plus the two who were guarding outside of ours with her web. They¡¯re gagged by that same webbing so their flailing doesn¡¯t get heard by the others.

    ¡°It looks like none of them took anything from here yet. The storage was still well-stocked when I got here,¡± Lili explains.

    ¡°Excellent! All right, people, gather your weapons and listen up!¡± Ms. Carmen demands while the slaves get their weapons of expertise. Ren takes the time to return the daggers she borrowed into my MIB after cleaning them before getting her own weapons. ¡°These damn White Rapture bastards made a big mistake in coming to Dondegarm at this time while we¡¯re around! They may have caught us off-guard, but now it¡¯s time for us to fight back! This city has been wonderful and generous to have us set up business here, so let¡¯s give them a helping hand, take those cultist bastards down, and show everyone that the slaves of the Todoka household are not to be taken lightly!¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Mistress Carmen!¡±¡± they all exclaim, weapons at the ready.

    ¡°Let¡¯s kick some ass! Chaaaaaarge!¡±

    The slaves storm out of the storage/office tent with a battle cry. I could already hear those from the White Rapture yelling orders to take defense. Only Lili, Ren, Erizora, and myself are left with Ms. Carmen.

    ¡°Mr. Kotori, right? You going to bust some heads as well?¡± Ms. Carmen asks.

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right, I am,¡± I say while pulling out the dagger and shortsword.

    ¡°Ren, you stick with Mr. Kotori and watch his back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mistress Carmen.¡±

    ¡°Mistress Carmen ¡­ if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to fight with Mr. Kotori and Ren as well,¡± Erizora suddenly says while lugging a kanabo over her shoulder. I¡¯m honestly more surprised to see such a traditional Japanese weapon to be used in this world than having her suddenly fight with me and Ren.

    Wait, Ren¡¯s close friends with Erizora, right? Maybe she¡¯s joining us out of worry from leaving the two of us alone?

    ¡°Really, now~? All right, you have my permission. The three of you will serve as our resistance¡¯s main force of offense, so don¡¯t leave me disappointed!¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Mistress Carmen!¡±¡± Ren and Erizora exclaim.

    Man, not counting the moments before my death, I haven¡¯t had to fight this much in one day back home. Well, at least I won¡¯t get bored.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go to higher ground and trap some of the cultists as they come. I¡¯ll continue holding onto your bag as well,¡± Lili says.

    ¡°I appreciate it, and be careful.¡±

    ¡°Same to you.¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s move!¡±

    ¡°¡°Right!¡±¡± I lead the way out of the tent with the rest following me.

    ~~

    ¡°Slash!¡±

    The first thing that meets my ears when we get a fair distance away from the tent is a battle cry from one of Ms. Carmen¡¯s slaves. I look in that direction just in time to see one wielding a longsword cutting the air, somehow creating a large, bluish-white arc that flies straight to one of the cultists.

    Zasha!

    ¡°Guhack!¡±

    The arc manages to leave a gash across the target¡¯s back without him being aware before another slave he was fighting at the time finishes him off.

    ¡°Whoa, what was that?¡± I ask while we move.

    ¡°You never saw someone using the ¡®Slash¡¯ skill before, Mr. Jinma?¡± Ren asks. ¡°That¡¯s the basic skill any class that could wield a bladed weapon would learn, using one¡¯s solidified mana to cause ATK damage from a distance. The size depends on the length of the blade they¡¯re using, and it uses a set amount of MP. There¡¯s a 15-second cooldown after using it when you¡¯re just starting out, but it will lessen as you master it. There are also different skills branching from ¡®Slash¡¯ that matches the weapon¡¯s capabilities. Like for example ¡­¡±

    Ren pulls out her two daggers and looks toward a small crowd of the White Rapture before the blades start to glow.

    ¡°Multi-Slash.¡±

    Zazazazazasha!

    Ren swiftly and rapidly cuts the air with both her daggers, sending numerous small arcs of mana towards the cultists, creating many cuts on their bodies.

    ¡°Gah! You bitch! Let¡¯s get her!¡± one of them exclaim before they all charge at her.

    Erizora then jumps in front of Ren while winding up her kanabo.

    ¡°Mow Down!¡±

    Fwoosh!

    ¡°¡°Guraaaaagh!¡±¡±

    With one large swing, Erizora sends the small group of cultists flying backward.

    Damn, she really is good with crowd control, I think before looking at the dagger in my right hand, and the shortsword in my left. I need to use SP to learn a skill, right? But what if I¡¯m able to do it on my own? If it¡¯s using mana like that Pyreball I made earlier, then ¡­ Like how it was written in the witchcraft and sorcery books I read back home, I focus the energy into my blades, imagining the arcs to be sharp and fast. I notice then the blades start to glow like Ren¡¯s daggers.

    I quickly look around to see a cultist fighting one of the city¡¯s defenders that has four horse legs sticking out of the drape-like garbs covering the body. It looks like a Centaur. While a part of me is stoked to seeing one in person, I couldn¡¯t let myself get distracted when they¡¯re currently having difficulties, especially since there are more gathering around from different sides.

    15-second cooldown, huh? I wonder ¡­ I then move on my instincts.

    ¡°Slash! Slash!¡±

    Zasha! Zasha!

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    Just as I had hoped, one ¡®Slash¡¯ was sent from the blades I¡¯m carrying with each swing, a small one from the dagger, and a bigger one from the shortsword, but I didn¡¯t stop to marvel. Whether it succeeded or failed, I¡¯d still move to the Centaur¡¯s location in a sprint like I¡¯m doing now.

    I know I was fast on Earth, but I was a bit surprised I could keep up with the speed of my ¡®Slash¡¯ attacks somewhat. I couldn¡¯t let it distract me though.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    ¡°Gugh!¡±

    Shick!

    ¡°Guagh!¡±

    My long-distance attacks reach my targets and momentarily stops them in their tracks while I approach the first cultist¡¯s back and stab him right up and under his ribs. I pull it out and whack him up the side of his head with the butt of the shortsword, knocking him out and clearing the way before I quickly run to the other two cultists to stop them in their tracks. A sword stab, a dagger stab, and then a strong thrusting kick knocks away the first of the two. I then come around to the second before he attempts to strike me. I parry with the dagger, knocking him off balance before tripping him face first with a leg sweep, then finishing him off with a shortsword thrust downward, right between the gaps of his rib cage to reach the lungs. The three of them lie on the ground unconscious.

    I think all this happened within the 15-second cooldown after the last ¡®Slash¡¯ attack I used, doing it all while maintaining my new ¡®Sadistic Smile,¡¯ which I feel makes them weaker and take more damage somehow. Thinking about it now, I probably could¡¯ve used my ¡®Glare¡¯ to stop them and make the fight easier for both me and the Centaur, but what¡¯s done is done.

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    [You have now reached ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ LV 2!

    [You have now reached ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ LV 3!

    [Conditions have been met; ¡®Dagger-Wielding¡¯ skills associated with current ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ level are now available to learn.

    [Conditions have been met; ¡®Shortsword-Wielding¡¯ skills associated with current ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ level are now available to learn.

    [Conditions have been met; ¡®Dual-Wielding¡¯ skills associated with current ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ level are now available to learn.

    [You have now learned ¡®Slash¡¯ LV 3! Note: Cooldown time has been reduced to 10 seconds.

    [You have now reached ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ LV 2!]

    ¡­ Ah, I leveled up, but the ¡®battle¡¯ doesn¡¯t have a clear victor yet, hence no track for it. This is pretty large-scale, maybe the usual mechanics change and adapt depending on the situation? Still, I did it again. I somehow managed to learn ¡®Slash¡¯ on my own and jumped up a few levels like with ¡®Pyreball.¡¯ Is this normal for someone to come across these skills with only one¡¯s given instructions and observations to go off of?

    ¡°Um ¡­ Sir Human?¡±

    A mature, but feminine voice reaches my ears. I turn to the direction to see the Centaur next to me. The horse body from the waist-down caught so much of my sight, I didn¡¯t realize the person itself is a girl once I look towards the upper half. While the drapes cover the horse body¡ªwith only the brunette horsetail sticking out of the back¡ªthe human-like upper half is currently wearing leather armor and gauntlets holding a shortsword. There are horse ears sticking out the top of her medium-long brunette hair with part of it tied in a ponytail.

    While the image is an incredible sight to see, I can¡¯t help but notice her biggest attention-grabbers that are nearly bursting out of her leather armor vest that acts more like a corset now. They aren¡¯t as ginormous as Erizora¡¯s, but they¡¯re still an impressive size. I try not to stare.

    ¡°Oh, sorry for zoning out there. You all right?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Y-Yes, I am fine, but if I may prithee, I have not seen thee around these parts. Though the same goes for the invaders who go by the ¡®White Rapture,¡¯ thou art not one of them?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Just a traveling Brawler who was passing through.¡±

    ¡°Wait, thou art a Brawler?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jinma!¡±

    We turn to Ren¡¯s voice as she and Erizora run over to us. ¡°Ah, sorry I left you two out there,¡± I say.

    ¡°No, I was going to say that was incredible! To be able to do two consecutive ¡®Slash¡¯ attacks from different weapons on your first try, and then sprinting such a distance at speeds that meet my own before defeating three enemies so swiftly, you¡¯re bringing up more and more surprises!¡±

    ¡°I hate to break up this moment, but there are still plenty of other cultists left,¡± Erizora points out.

    ¡°Ah, right. Miss, do you know how many are left?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, but I believe there is someone on the inside who made this invasion possible. They knew the Guild Master would be out of town for a meeting and not available to give all these whoresons a good thrashing. I recently came back from a quest to help look after the place as vowed while he is absent. I am just thankful the lord is still out of town unharmed by this, too. I was directing these humans¡¯ attention away from the sudden resistance of Ms. Carmen¡¯s slaves until thou came along.¡±

    ¡°That timing does sound too good to be called a coincidence. We¡¯ll have to question them later, but for now, I think we need to take out the one leading this group to lower their morale and take back the city after that.¡±

    ¡°Right you are. If only we can stop one and question them first before knocking them out ¡­¡±

    ¡°Aaaaugh!¡±

    The blood-curdling scream catches our attention as we turn to the source. At a far distance, a male Centaur stands between a cultist holding a battle axe, and two young girls huddling together against a wall to a building, both of which having parts of large snakes from the waist down.

    Wait ¡­ are those two Lamias? I think before I notice the Centaur in front of them is enduring heavy wounds, likely from the axe-wielding cultist standing before him.

    ¡°Ha! You demons aren¡¯t as tough as I thought! Screw capturing them, I¡¯m going to enjoy hacking every last one of you freaks!¡± the cultist exclaims as he raises his axe, readying a killing blow to the Centaur in front of him.

    ¡°Halt! Stop¡ª!¡±

    Bwoooooooooon!

    ¡°Flame Burst.¡±

    Fwooosh!

    ¡°Guagh!¡±

    Just as the cultist swung the axe down, I stop him in place with my ¡®Glare,¡¯ followed by my first ¡®Flame Burst¡¯ spell I conjured to be big, fast, and forceful enough to blast him away from standing, but barely keep him conscious. He drops his axe while getting blown off and slides across the ground.

    The others look toward me with widened eyes, but I pay them little mind. ¡°Go help those three over there and be on the lookout. I¡¯m going to interrogate the cultist.¡±

    ¡°A-Ah¡ª¡± the lady Centaur utters right as I sprint over to the cultist¡¯s side at a faster pace than I thought.

    The guy¡¯s groaning as he gets up, but I pin him to the ground face first.

    ¡°G-Gah! What are you doing?! Aren¡¯t you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± I say boldly before bending one of his limbs uncomfortably.

    ¡°Ow! Ow! Owwww!¡±

    ¡°Tell me where your boss is barking orders from. I¡¯m not one of you, and I got no time to spare, so spill it.¡±

    ¡°W-What makes you think I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    Koki!

    ¡°Gyaaagh!¡± he screams agonizingly as I break his right pinky finger like a twig.

    ¡°One word that doesn¡¯t help me will cost you one finger. Talk.¡±

    ¡°Y-You think you¡¯ll get away with¡ª¡±

    Koki!

    ¡°Gyaaagh! Y-You¡¯re ¡­ betraying your own kind for¡ªAaaugh! Are you some kind of madman¡ªGuraaagh!¡±

    ¡°This is starting to get fun~. Wanna see how long you¡¯ll hold out before we get to your arms next? How about your legs? I¡¯ve been enjoying the sound of one¡¯s neck snapping lately today. You wanna know what that feels like?¡± I ask while looking straight into his eyes, being very aware of the ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ etched on my face right now.

    ¡°Okay! Okay, I¡¯ll talk! The second-in-command is directing orders in the city¡¯s square while our boss is out getting some secret weapon! I don¡¯t know what it is other than something these damn demons had to seal away! Really, that¡¯s all I know! J-Just please stop breaking my bones!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Much obliged. You go ahead and have a niiiice nap now.¡±

    Bishi!

    I hit him upside the head with the butt of the dagger before he lies on the ground like a ragdoll, unconscious.

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    [You have now learned ¡®Flame Burst¡¯ LV 3!]

    Again, I learned something while jumping a few levels after using it the first time. I remember watching that fire-caster using that spell on Ms. Raize, and I didn¡¯t even need to add any phrasings like he did to make it work, either. So, what gives? I think as I search his person and take his money as well as a few glass bottles containing green colored liquids.

    ¡°Ah! He had Health Potions on him?! M-Mr. Jinma, was it? Please, I prithee, lend me one of those for the injured!¡±

    ¡°Sure, here you go.¡±

    ¡°That easily?!¡±

    ¡°What? It¡¯s an emergency, right? You gonna help him or let him bleed to KO?¡±

    ¡°R-Right! I will help him!¡± the lady Centaur rushes over to the injured male one with a bottle of the potion I gave her.

    I look over to Erizora and Ren who approach me, noticing both of them are covered in bruises and scratches from their recent fights. I look in my hands to see two bottles of the potion are left.

    ¡°Here, you take each of these as well,¡± I say while holding up the bottles to them.

    ¡°H-Huh?! We simply couldn¡¯t!¡± Erizora exclaims while shaking her hands.

    ¡°Erizora, you need it the most since you not only took the brunt of the attacks, but your skills cost you some HP as well, right? Ms. Carmen¡¯s letting me borrow you two, so I need you both to be in good enough shape when this is all over. Try to use your HP for skills sparingly, all right?¡±

    ¡°Y ¡­ Yes, of course.¡±

    ¡°But what about you, Mr. Jinma?¡± Ren asks as they take the bottles from me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are other assholes who have those potions on them. I¡¯ll just snag some then. Still, wonder if there are any skills available for me to learn and help recover my HP steadily, at least?¡± Taking advantage of this reprieve, I open my status to see where I stand and what skills I could learn quickly.

    From the last time I checked after beating that Toxic Troll, the numbers that increased were beyond my expectations from the last couple of battles I won.

    ~~

    As Jinma takes in what he sees in his status, something others can¡¯t see unless the holder wills it to appear before them, Erizora looks at him with amazement while recalling the images of his torture methods against the axe-wielding cult. The biggest thing that etched in her mind is the malicious smile on Jinma¡¯s face as he enjoyed making said cultist suffer.

    S-Such cruelty toward one of his own kind, such malice, such overwhelming power just standing near it ¡­ these feelings inside me are so much stronger with him than anyone I¡¯ve ever faced. I could barely keep myself standing while something¡¯s building¡ªno! This is no time to be feeling like this! Erizora downs the bottle of potion while Ren tilts her head noticing how desperate she looks while doing it.

    Erizora at that point wasn¡¯t sure to be thankful or saddened over how much the potion¡¯s awful taste would be such a turnoff for her.

 Chapter 10: Rasholl, Protector of the Night

    These events took place earlier today right as the White Rapture began their attack on Dondegarm.

    A small group of five men was going through a burrow hidden in the forest southeast of the city. One of the five men scouts the area in front, wearing the cult¡¯s signature white robe while lighting the way with a sort of light magic and directing the rest to follow him. In the center of the triangle-like formation of the group behind the scout is a strong, lean man. He wears his ¡®uniform¡¯ differently from the rest by putting his dark-colored leather armor over the white fabrics of clothing that includes a hood to cover his head. With a dagger and a shortsword holstered at his sides, it gives him the image of something like an assassin from a certain video game franchise. While the equipment makes this individual stand out so much from the rest, it also sends those around him a message that he¡¯s of an Advanced Class in this world, something that one achieves after much leveling up and mastery over the required skills for promotion. Because such a dedicated individual is fighting for a ¡®just¡¯ cause, it would be a great shame and mockery to the White Rapture¡¯s reputation to not properly recognize and acknowledge his achievements. And so, while those in Novice Classes wear the generic white robe, no matter whether they¡¯re a Mage or a Savage, they allow those in Advanced Classes to dress however they want, so long as they wear some white while wearing the mark of their cult. For this assassin-like character, he wears it on his sleeve compared to everyone else having it on the chest of their robes.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure the weapon¡¯s this way?¡± the leader asks the scout.

    ¡°Yes, sir! We¡¯re just near the end of this cave! I had to disarm the many traps guarding the place ahead of time! There¡¯s just the seal that I left untouched for you, sir!¡±

    The man smiles under his hood as he sees the end of the cave and said weapon in his sights. The weapon in question is an oriental, straight, dagger-length blade that¡¯s currently sheathed, tightly wrapped in many strings holding it aloft. Charms are attached to the strings to act as protective seals to keep the dark, cursed powers within the vicinity at all times.

    ¡°The Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra ¡­ the cursed dagger that can pierce and cut through anything no matter how high one¡¯s DEF is. It is said that even the near-impenetrable scaly hides of dragons are like butter to this blade. Such an immeasurable power for one to wield, with the cost of one¡¯s sanity as the weapon possesses the wielder until the day he dies. Those foolish enough to try holding it only got possessed because their hearts were weak, had unstable morals, and no resolve.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I, Rasholl of White Rapture in the Nightblade class, Protector of the Night, am the most qualified to wield this accursed blade and use its powers to enslave and smite the evil that is the Demon-Kin and Demi-Kin. The Demon-Kin were right to seal this away in their territory as it¡¯s the very weapon that will bring their demise. It¡¯s a wonder why this isn¡¯t something like a holy weapon, but no matter.¡±

    ¡°You can do it, sir!¡±

    ¡°I heard he was a black-ranked adventurer before he joined the White Rapture! For someone that great while wielding a title like ¡®Protector of the Night,¡¯ he just has to overcome the dagger¡¯s possession!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re with you all the way, sir!¡±

    ¡°Shh. Please, be silent, everyone,¡± Rasholl says. ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of your kind support, and I¡¯ll need things to be quiet so that I may speak to the blade.¡±

    Rasholl¡¯s lackeys look to each other in confusion.

    ¡°Possession is someone¡¯s will controlling another¡¯s, yes? If there¡¯s a ¡®will¡¯ in this blade, that means there¡¯s a soul that has a conscience. It may be aware of its surroundings and hearing us as we speak. If I try talking to it before holding the blade, it might want to cooperate in our cause.¡±

    ¡°¡°Ooooh,¡±¡± the lackeys say while nodding to each other in understanding.

    ¡°Now, I need silence, so that I may speak with the being inside the blade.¡± Rasholl then turns to the tanto holding aloft by the purification strings and clears his throat.

    ¡°O Great One that dwells in this blade! If you can hear me, I mean no harm! I wish for us to be comrades in the fight for good and justice! I have lived in hard times growing up with no family just to find bread and water, but I¡¯ve lived an honest life! My heart wishes for a world of peace where we humans thrive! Please, let us work together to make this a better place for everyone!¡±

    Rasholl takes his sword and cut the strings tying the dagger in place before grabbing it. He carefully undoes the leftover bindings around the handle and sheath while wiping leftover dust away. The weapon gets pulled out, revealing the luster of the blade in a unique jet-black color that shines under the scout¡¯s light magic. Rasholl stares at his reflection while waiting for something to happen.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You feel any different, sir?¡±

    ¡°Not really ¡­ but if nothing¡¯s happening, that must mean the cursed weapon heard and accepted me, right?¡±

    The others were about to nod in agreement until Rasholl hears something that the rest couldn¡¯t. A feminine voice that speaks with malice and a hint of mischief, talking down on the human male.

    What the haughty female says to the ¡®Protector of the Night¡¯ sends a foreboding, suffocating chill down his spine that he hasn¡¯t felt in the longest time, long before his retirement as a black-ranked adventurer.

    <¡°Fight for good and justice ¡­ a world of peace ¡­ making a better place for everyone ¡­ in all my years, I¡¯ve heard Goblin shit talking better crap than you ever would, stupid human.¡±>

 Chapter 11: Rupturing the White Rapture, Part 1

    [Present]

    So, these are my current stats since I last checked after the battle with the Toxic Troll.

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Race: Human

    Class: Brawler

    [New Title(s) Achieved: Pyromancer, Assassin]

    Title: Natural-Born Brawler, Studious, Seeker of Knowledge, Pyromancer, Assassin [Formidable Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    Equipment: Roughed-Up Slacks

    Stats:

    LV: 62 (+7)

    HP: 627/965 (+75)

    MP: 943/943 (+103)

    ATK: 3561 (+106)

    DEF: 65280 ?????[3264 (+76) X 20]

    SP. ATK: 2142 (+99)

    SP. DEF: 53540 ??? [2677 (+78) X 20]

    AGI: 1112 (+110)

    LUCK: 18 (+2)

    EXP: 6114/6200 (+~45000)

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 261 (+7)

    [BP: 520 (+1000, -505) (only seen by the user)]

    [TAL: 0 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger

    Dragon Scale Defense

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user)]

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    [Skill(s) Leveled Up: Fear Resistance LV 5, Sadistic Smile LV 2

    [Skill(s) Revealed: Stealth LV 5

    [New Skill(s) Learned: Fire Magic LV 3, Slugger Style LV 3, Slash LV 3, Pyreball LV 3, Flame Burst LV 3, Ambush*]

    Skills:

    Passive: Poison Resistance LV 7, Cooking LV 7, Merciless Style LV 6, Throw LV 6, Resourceful Weapon LV 6, Fear Resistance LV 5, Stealth LV 5, Despair Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Fire Magic LV 3, Money Grubbing LV 3, Baking LV 3, Housekeeping LV 3, Massaging LV 3, Slugger Style LV 3, Studying MAX LV, Catch*, Intimidation*, Ambush* [Underdog Bonus* (only seen by user)]

    Active: Glare LV 7, Heavy Throw LV 6, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Slash LV 3, Sadistic Smile LV 2, Scare*, Taunt*

    Spells: Pyreball LV 3, Flame Burst LV 3

    ~~

    I¡¯m not sure, but I get the feeling my stats shouldn¡¯t rise this quickly, or get as much EXP as I did to make leveling up this much possible, even with the ¡®Underdog Bonus¡¯ applied to it. What¡¯s most worrying, however, is that even with the amount of power I had in the last few spells I cast, my MP has already recovered. I didn¡¯t even notice it until after confirming the bars in my peripheral. Deciding to seriously question Ms. Obina about this later, I open up the Skill List to see what would help me recover HP until one catches my attention.

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    <u>[Meditation:</u> Adds ¡®HP Regeneration¡¯ status buff to the user. Higher levels increase the amount of HP healed overtime; Requirements met: VOIDED, Special Condition with the user¡¯s ¡®Protective Style¡¯ at a high enough level; Cost: 80 SP; Status: READY.]

    It looks like I¡¯m able to learn this thanks to my ¡®Protective Style¡¯ being at a high enough level of mastery to override the previous requirements? Though, I don¡¯t know how a brawling fighting style like that levels up or how I got it in that level when I came here. Details aside, it costs a lot of SP to learn, but until I find an alternative to recover more, I don¡¯t have other options over what I can learn right now, so I go for it.

    [You have spent 80 SP. Total: 181 SP

    [You have now learned ¡®Meditation¡¯ LV 1!]

    Looks like it worked, and I seem to just ¡®know¡¯ the fundamentals of how to do it once I learn it. Strange how that didn¡¯t come when I learned Fire Magic and the like. When the others aren¡¯t looking, I¡¯ll activate it to heal myself over time.

    ¡°Mr. Jinma, the man who goes by ¡®Shane¡¯ expresses his gratitude for saving him and the girls,¡± the lady Centaur says as she approaches me. She then rests a hand to her generous bosom and bows her head. ¡°Thou have also my own thanks for sparing a bottle for him at his time of need. Have thou also healed thy wounds?¡±

    ¡°I gave the rest to Erizora and Ren here. They needed it more than I did having no scratch, as you can see,¡± I say while standing up and spinning to show myself.

    ¡°Y-Yes, well ¡­ ¡®tis good thou art well,¡± she says before clearing her throat and averting her gaze with tinted cheeks.

    ¡­ Oh, I forgot I¡¯m still topless, and I have all these scars, too. This is awkward.

    ¡°A-Anyway, did the cultist say anything of use for us?¡± she continues.

    ¡°Ah, right, he said there¡¯s a second-in-command making the orders at the city¡¯s square while the main leader is out getting some secret weapon that the demons locked away or something.¡±

    ¡°Secret weapon locked away ¡­¡± she trails off before her face suddenly pales. ¡°No. No, no, nononono! ¡®Tis not good! ¡®Tis very not good! How did they find it?! How long ago did they go there?! Wait! There were traps set out! If I run over there now, maybe I can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oi! Settle down!¡± I exclaim, shutting her up. ¡°Take a few deep breaths, and then calmly explain to me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°O-Okay, okay, I am calming down ¡­¡± She the obliges to my suggestion with a hand to her bosom. Once she gets her act together, she looks down while her horse ears fold back. ¡°There is ¡­ a cursed weapon in a cave outside of the city that¡¯s been sealed away for ¡­ the last few centuries, if I am correct, that brings great disaster to the holder as well as those around them. Not only will they get possessed by the being that dwells in the weapon to kill anyone indiscriminately, but that same one can use an ominous influence to attract monsters. If the White Rapture gets to the cursed weapon, their infiltration in our city would be the least of our problems at this point.¡±

    ¡°All right, I understand how that¡¯s a big deal now, but we need to take in mind the current circumstances before making any other moves. How¡¯s the fighting force of the people in this city?¡±

    ¡°There art the guards stationed in this city as well as the registered adventurers, myself included, who art nearby to help defend against the White Rapture. Oh, and then there are Ms. Carmen and her slaves who have joined in the fight recently, as well as thee. Putting it all together, we have a fighting force of around ¡­ 150 to 200 people, while I last heard the White Rapture having around 500 when they came in.¡±

    ¡°With those numbers, it would be best that we help the people in Dondegarm and defeat the second-in-command first before anything else. We can focus on finding the leader and the cursed weapon once we push them back far enough. We need all the numbers we can get to take those bastards down.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thou art right. I prithee, would thou come with me to the central square and help fight off this infiltration?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m ready to bust heads at any time. Ren, Erizora, how about you ¡­ two?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind us! Continue your chat on the battlefield while Ren and I are holding them off! Mow Down!¡± Erizora exclaims as she swings her kanabo, blowing a crowd of cultists away. I feel like half of what she said was sarcastic, and the other she was serious about letting us continue talking. Either way ¡­

    ¡°¡°We should help out,¡±¡± we both say at once before taking our weapons and charge at the hordes of cultists. The lady Centaur takes on one side of the crowd while I prepare a spell on the other.

    ¡°Pardon me being late for this, but I realize I have yet to introduce myself! I am Kalline Gallofree of the Centaurs! Mercenary class and a blue-ranked adventurer! A pleasure to meet and fight with thee!¡±

    ¡°Jinma Kotori of the Humans! Brawler class, traveler! Likewise! Flame Burst!¡± I exclaim in kind while aiming my palm at the crowd of cultists, firing a bigger ball of flames than the one that hit the axe guy earlier.

    Fwoosh!

    ¡°¡°Gyaaugh!¡±¡±

    As the name suggests, the spell bursts in a large radius and blasts the cultists away screaming.

    ¡°¡­ Art thou lying of thy class for something far greater?!¡±

    ¡°Nope! I¡¯ll even show you my status after all of this to prove it if you want! Let¡¯s hurry to the central square!¡± I exclaim while taking out the club strapped to my back. I¡¯m about to head right towards where I blasted the cultists and stop mid-step before looking back. ¡°Which way is central square?!¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ this way.¡± Ms. Gallofree then starts galloping in a completely different direction than where I was intending.

    ¡°Right ¡­ that way, how would I have known?¡± I ask myself before catching up to her with Ren and Erizora following behind.

 Chapter 12: Rupturing the White Rapture, Part 2

    We get through the roads and fight our way through the crowds of cultists while helping the innocent as we get to the central square. As we were helping people, I saw other skills and spells put into action from both sides of the battle that I try to use myself. Like ¡®Slash¡¯ and ¡®Pyreball¡¯ from earlier, I was able to learn them at surprising strengths and levels of mastery.

    [You have now learned ¡®Water Magic¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Hydromancer¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Water Blast¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Storm Magic¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Atmomancer¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Wind Cutter¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Wide Slash¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Multi-Slash¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Circular Slash¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Mow Down¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now reached ¡®Throw¡¯ LV 8!

    [You have now reached ¡®Meditation¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now reached ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now reached ¡®Money Grubbing¡¯ LV 6!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Mr. Shakedown¡¯ title!]

    Honestly, with how I¡¯m learning these so often, aside from the concerning title like ¡®Mr. Shakedown¡¯ from searching the cultists¡¯ persons for goods, I¡¯m not as surprised to see these any more than compared to the first few times. The other members of my current ¡®team,¡¯ however, couldn¡¯t relax as much seeing one thing after another from me. Just so I couldn¡¯t utter more surprises, I at one point tried using Ren¡¯s [Duplicate] Null Spell without buying it from the IBS first just to see if I could do it, and after experimenting it with a fist-sized rock, I found that I can. I threw the copy at one of the cultists¡¯ heads and knocked them out completely, showing how strong my ¡®Throw¡¯ skill is and leveling it up twice. I then saw the rock fade away in lights of mana like Ren¡¯s key copy earlier. I did one more test by trying [Portal] out with success by putting my foot through and tripping one of the cultists with it. I confirmed then, that once I know the Null Spell¡¯s name and how it works, I could do it immediately without even buying it from the IBS.

    So, why does that portion of the shop exist for me, anyway? I thought at one point and decided to consult Ms. Obina about it later.

    I also activated my new ¡®Meditation¡¯ skill when I could to slowly recover my HP without others noticing. I once read of practices where one could be in a constant ¡®meditative¡¯ state while living their lives actively back on Earth, so when I tried that, it quickly leveled up to 3. Sure, the same stat buffs don¡¯t stack on top of each other, but it¡¯s good to practice something worthwhile wherever and whenever you can, I always say.

    I was also getting a better idea on the demographics that goes on in Dondegarm over the course of the battles. Most of the city here consisted of Arachnes, Centaurs, Lamias, and Harpies, four different races of the Demon-Kin, three of which with the similarity of having large bodies taking up much space, with their upper halves being humanoid while the rest consist parts and limbs of their respective animals. Harpies, while bipedal, have arms and legs that resemble a bird¡¯s talons, and they have wings sprouting from their backs that can take up a lot of space when fully spread out, too. The Arachnes, Harpies, and Lamias come in a wide variety of different colors and sizes. Centaurs, while I¡¯m not well-informed in breeds, the colors they have looked as natural as the ones I¡¯ve seen on Earth. Other than those four, there were about a handful of other bipedal demons, as well as humans like Ms. Carmen who seemed to be passing through for merchant or adventurer matters when the attack happened. There were almost no demis that weren¡¯t branded as slaves like Ms. Carmen¡¯s.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    One female really stood out the most to me having navy blue reptilian claws and feet, with scales spread over most of the exposed parts of her body, flowing cerulean hair stretching past her shoulders, and fin-like ears jotting out the sides of her head. Though I didn¡¯t see the slave brand, she still had rags similar to Ren and Erizora¡¯s, except hers was only a one-piece that acts as a sort of poncho.

    The strangest thing about her was that she didn¡¯t look the slightest bit disturbed of the chaos that was going on around her. I saw her just strolling by and observing her surroundings like some sort of tourist. There was a stray ¡®Pyreball¡¯ spell coming her way that I had to stop by coming between them and cast a ¡®Water Force¡¯ spell to counteract the flames with succession.

    ¡°Miss, are you all right?!¡± I ask her after making sure the coast was clear and turning around.

    Aaand she was still strolling.

    ¡°Oi! Ms. Blue Lizard Girl!¡±

    That made her jump and turn around to face me before her eyes widen. She shifts glances around her before pointing at herself.

    ¡°Yes, you! Did you know there was a large fireball coming behind you?!¡±

    ¡°¡­ You saved me?¡± she asks me.

    ¡°Uh, yeah? I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re hurt anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Do you have ¡®Magic Sense¡¯ activated?¡±

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s ¡®Magic Sense?¡¯¡±

    ¡°You mean you can see me with your own eyes? No skills to help at all?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Interesting ¡­¡±

    ¡°Listen, if you haven¡¯t noticed, it¡¯s not safe for you to be here. I saw some Centaur guards evacuating citizens to some kind of shelter. If you follow them and tell them what happened, they may let you in, too. I gotta get going¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± she interrupts while holding my hand with her reptilian claw, looking to me with a hardened gaze. ¡°Why would you, a human, save me?¡±

    Is she really asking me something like this under these circumstances? Though, since the enemies are aiming at demons, I guess it¡¯d make sense of her to be skeptical? ¡°Do I need a reason to help someone who was about to get hurt? Because I just jumped in without taking a moment to think.¡±

    ¡°You mean you just stepped in the line of fire to protect a stranger that¡¯s not even of the same race as you without even considering the consequences? I may not have seen what you did to save me, but what if you didn¡¯t have the power or strength to live through it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I dunno. I don¡¯t usually think about what could happen in situations like these, and other than keeping what could be improved into mind for next time, I don¡¯t dwell on them any longer than I need to be.¡±

    ¡°You realize you¡¯re making yourself out to be a fool, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, if I had to choose between being a fool who acts first and thinks later with no regrets, and a bystander who keeps thinking what he could¡¯ve done and regrets not acting at all, I¡¯d be a fool every time. At least by then, I can make the decision I made to be the right one instead of second-guessing whether it was right or wrong, and if it¡¯s a cute girl who¡¯s in trouble, you know I¡¯m going to make the right decision every time.¡±

    The blue lizard girl widens her eyes. ¡°¡­ Cute?¡± she asks with a hint of red in her cheeks.

    ¡°Master! We gotta go!¡± Ren exclaims in the distance.

    ¡°There¡¯s my cue.¡± I take one of the Health Potions I had in my pocket and hand it to the lizard girl. ¡°Use this if you¡¯re injured and you be careful, all right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Of course.¡±

    I didn¡¯t realize at the end of that exchange how much attention I got from that lizard girl, as well as how much she¡¯ll contribute to my new life in Raiza soon down the line.

    ~~

    I felt like she stared at me pretty intently as I left. While I¡¯m used to being stared at this point, it¡¯s still kind of unnerving at times depending on who¡¯s doing it.

    Anyway, even though this city may not be their hometown, the visitors of different races, including humans, were as determined to fight and defend this place as its own residents do, even if it means going against one of their own like I am.

    Sheesh, and Lili sounded like humans weren¡¯t really welcome here.

    While it might be true for some, I wondered if Lili was trying to scare me in a teasing way. She just had that sort of vibe to her when we first talked.

 Chapter 13: Rupturing the White Rapture, Part 3

    By the time we reached the central square, Erizora handled a lot more enemies than I thought despite the number of times she used her skills that cost HP. She had to sit out a few times when she got exhausted, though. Ren tried to maintain a distance and get effective strikes in to immediately down her enemies when she could. Even when she tried conserving her energy, she still got worn out to not be able to go on at times. Finally, Ms. Gallofree definitely showed better technique and skill with the sword than I ever would, both one-handed and two-handed, and I¡¯m not sure how much more complicated it would be to master them with her equine lower body, so that alone made her even more impressive. She also had a lot of energy, too¡ªperhaps, a common similarity between Centaurs and horses? ¡ªI was amazed she was only slightly out of breath when we got to our destination. I¡¯ve defeated enough cultists to lose count from when I last checked my status, the most out of all of us from what I¡¯ve noticed, and surprisingly, I hardly broke a sweat. I always did have enough energy to get me going for a while back home, but with these many fights in one day, I¡¯m amazed I got this far, and so did the rest. One thing about a few cultists that stood out to me was that they were dressed differently compared to the majority wearing only robes. They looked more experienced in battles, but I managed to beat them anyways. I pilfered them of any belongings as we went by, mostly money and weapons I stashed away in my [Storage] without anyone looking and whatever potions I could get to heal the girls, especially Ren and Erizora, who have also started going through the infiltrators¡¯ persons and bring me their belongings at one point.

    The energy they had as they brought me the infiltrators¡¯ money and weapons were like when Ren did it the first time back at the tent. They looked eager to bring me the goods and earning praises. I had to show them I could use [Storage] at one point so they know where I¡¯m even keeping all the stuff. Ms. Gallofree noticed that and suggested we confiscate all of the infiltrators¡¯ weaponry by that point. She didn¡¯t seem to mind me selling all of them to some dealer later, so I went ahead and stored all of the confiscated weapons and money away for my own use while giving them the potions needed to heal wounds.

    When we get to the central square, I see one of the robed cultists shouting something to someone dressed differently from the others. Like a few others I had beaten, instead of the usual robes covering the entirety of his person, his ¡®uniform¡¯ is more like one a Shaolin monk would wear with only the right half of his body exposed. Half-sleeveless top, flappy trousers, special fighting sandals, it¡¯s all there in pure white with the same emblem on his chest like the other cultists. Aside from everyone else looking either crazed or in panic, this one has a mellow, chill air, even going so far as drinking alcohol out of a jug as he¡¯s listening to one of his subordinates practically screaming his report.

    A drunken state while wearing those clothes? If that¡¯s what I think it is, then this may very well be our second-in-command, and I shouldn¡¯t underestimate him.

    ¡°Graaaugh! Die, you bastard!¡±

    Just I was thinking, one of the beefier Centaurs charges at the monk with a spear. The cultist who was yelling at the monk runs off to the side in fright while the latter stays there.

    ¡°Oi! Stop!¡± I exclaim while reaching out to him, but I couldn¡¯t do it quick enough.

    Just as the beefy Centaur was about to make contact, the monk drops his jug and knocks the spear out of its trajectory with his elbow, evading the attack while using the momentum to fall. One would think his drunk state caused him to lose balance and fall on accident, but no, this staggering movement was intentional as he moves his legs in a sweeping motion, somehow being able to trip one or two of the Centaur¡¯s hooves enough to tumble forward. His momentum crashes into the stone statue at the center of the square headfirst and breaks it into many pieces. The impact must¡¯ve been strong enough to knock him out right there.

    We look to the monk who now lies there on the ground, guzzling more alcohol out of the jug.

    ¡°Quick! Get him while he¡¯s down!¡± one of the humans defending the city exclaims before he and others behind him charge at the monk on the ground.

    I notice Erizora, Ren, and Ms. Gallofree following the humans¡¯ lead in my peripheral and I act quickly.

    ¡°Yipe?!¡±

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    Bwooooon!

    ¡°Grk! W-What the?!¡±

    I grabbed Erizora by her slave rag skirt to stop her, stretching the material enough of me to accidentally get a glimpse of her taut ass cheeks, realizing then I¡¯m grabbing the panties as well and giving her one hell of an embarrassing wedgie; Ren, by her tail which probably hurt like heck for her at the speed she was going; and finally, I had to do quick thinking and use ¡®Glare¡¯ to stop Ms. Gallofree in her tracks, unfortunately causing her to trip and fall due the momentum after being ¡®stunned¡¯ mid-step.

    Despite the very unusual scene and how guilty I feel making Erizora so flushed from getting caught in this situation, I try to keep my expression stern.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t get too hasty and confident! This guy isn¡¯t as he seems!¡± I exclaim while watching the other guys making the first move at the monk on the ground. The monk throws the now empty jug of alcohol to the side and sweeps his feet in a circle, tripping over the first few guys attacking him before he gets right back up to a staggering fighting stance like he¡¯s holding a shot of sake in front of him.

    ¡°Blowback Punch. Multi-Punch. Multi-Hit. *Urp.* Gonna barf. Knockback. Thrust Kick.¡±

    With every attack coming his way, he manages to weave and block them away, despite looking off-balance, before making quick, light, and effective counterattacks. Not with just his uniquely-formed fists, but elbows, arms, legs, feet, shoulders, even his own body, he fights back like he¡¯s really ¡­ well, drunk, but his deceptive, unpredictable movements using his whole being to fight back is this guy¡¯s way of fighting. I¡¯ve seen it in a few rented movies with Mom and Hyo-chan before.

    And ¡­ the more I watch how this drunk monk fights, the more I see myself doing those movements, playing it all back in a video-like manner, similar to when I was learning my new ¡®Slugger Style.¡¯

    All of the monk¡¯s attackers are down and out before I realized it, they all lie there in KO status while the second-in-command staggers as he stands. He takes another jug of alcohol from somewhere and downs it ¡­ with his eyes on me.

    ¡°What in the world ¡­ is he?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks, now standing up and relaxed with my ¡®Glare¡¯s¡¯ effects having worn off moments ago.

    This isn¡¯t something I can solve by flailing around like usual. ¡°You three, take care of the cultists around us and hold our allies off from this guy. I¡¯m taking him on next,¡± I say while dropping all my weapons to the ground before walking towards him. I hear one of the three try to stop me, but someone or something holds her back.

    I¡¯ve never fought a real martial arts master back home before ¡­ this day is just full of firsts.

    ¡°Why, hello, young man~,¡± the monk drawls. ¡°Are you a new member of White Rapture, or are you with the demons?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a guy fighting for his own morals.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re a rebellious kind of guy, are you?¡±

    ¡°Are you the second-in-command leading all these cultists here?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I am. Seeing as you held your allies back from attacking me, are you aware of who I am?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I just know how not to underestimate my opponents when I see them. I¡¯m Jinma Kotori from the Brawler class.¡±

    ¡°Well, now, I guess it takes an underestimated to know one, doesn¡¯t it? Gin, from the Advanced Class, Monk.¡±

    ¡°Advanced Class?¡±

    ¡°Surely, you know the difference between Novice and Advanced Classes, don¡¯t you? While Brawler is where everyone begins, Mercenary, Mage, and Pugilist are a few of today¡¯s known Novice Classes. Monk is a promoted class from Pugilist, making it an Advanced Class.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡±

    ¡°And for you to come this far while being a Brawler, you must¡¯ve received a revelation from watching my fighting style just now, did you?¡±

    ¡°Revelation?¡± I ask before a notice screen appears in front of me.

    [Congratulations! You have learned a new brawling fight style: ¡®Drunken Style!¡¯]

    ¡°Ah, there it is. You learned my ¡®Drunken Style¡¯ brawling that I created and honed in my younger days before I was even old enough to drink. Oh, this is no good, you¡¯re a ¡®Natural-Born Brawler,¡¯ aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ am?¡± Come to think of it, I don¡¯t even know what good it is having a title like ¡®Natural-Born Brawler¡¯ would do for me. The ¡®Assassin¡¯ title gave me ¡®Ambush¡¯ and did something with my ¡®Stealth.¡¯ Is there more to ¡®Natural-Born Brawler¡¯ than just a fancy label?

    ¡°Not just the scars, but I can see in your eyes that you¡¯ve fought many battles before now ¡­ though the basest of classes, you¡¯ll soon pose a more dangerous threat to our cause if you¡¯re fighting for the demons.¡± Gin downs the rest of his second jug of alcohol before throwing it at me, of which I catch and gently set down on the ground. He staggers into his default fighting stance that is his ¡®Drunken Style¡¯ brawling. ¡°This sucks ¡­ I¡¯d have to get serious and kill a fellow human this time around. Haven¡¯t done anything that dirty since my adventuring days.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re that in grief over taking a fellow human¡¯s life, why don¡¯t you share that same grief for the demons and demis you guys are trying so hard to kill?¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I am in grief. Demis are a different matter, but demons are beings known for their chaos and disorder, handling matters through violence and aggression, it¡¯s a wonder how the previous Demon King convinced the three kin to have a peace treaty. Now, the demons are drawing in humans like these poor souls as well as you to their side, seducing them with lust and materialistic goods. I do not wish to kill them, but merely show them a better path to enlightenment and peace. If enslavement is what it takes to rehabilitate them for the better of all, then I¡¯ll do whatever it takes for White Rapture to achieve their goal of peace.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re so full of shit.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Gin responds with a quirked brow.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what I think is really going on. You and the rest of White Rapture are terrified of something you don¡¯t understand, something out of your control. You¡¯re jumping to conclusions to what they might do and charge in like dumbasses without looking at the bigger picture. Can you really say we humans are that different from demons when it comes to ¡®handling matters¡¯ and how disorderly we are? Have you looked at yourself in a mirror recently? Saying you¡¯re enslaving them for their own good to attain peace, you probably can¡¯t remember the last time you were sober to be thinking up such garbage, can you?¡±

    Gin furrows his brow.

    ¡°So, here¡¯s what¡¯s gonna go down,¡± I say before copying Gin and ready myself in the default fighting stance for the ¡®Drunken Style,¡¯ a.k.a. the drunken boxing kung-fu I¡¯ve seen in some movies and arcade games. ¡°You¡¯re going to teach me all you can of your Brawling Style, and I¡¯ll use it for my own benefits before I beat the crap out of you and all the other shitheads in your cult who¡¯ve pissed me off tonight.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Foolish, disgraceful child,¡± he mutters. ¡°I¡¯ll have you dead before you learn any of my moves, much less pose a threat to the White Rapture, and we will see who is the more terrified one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of a pitiful, old drunkard, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    Tonk!

    Our battle began the moment I kicked Gin¡¯s jug I set down earlier right up to his face.

 Chapter 14: Jinma Versus Gin

    The jug flies to Gin¡¯s face while Jinma rushes in for the attack first. Gin crashes the glass container to pieces with his kick before dodging Jinma¡¯s first punch. They then quickly exchange blows, blocking and canceling each other¡¯s punches and kicks at once.

    ¡°Multi-Punch.¡±

    Dadadadadada!

    ¡°Blowback Punch.¡±

    Bakyu-n!

    Gin unleashes many hits with his cup holding-formed fists that come as fast as bullets. He then punches Jinma hard enough to knock him back. Gin follows up with a flying crescent kick that sends his own body facing the ground while in the air. Jinma quickly slides back just before the monk¡¯s foot sends him to the ground and falls flat. Jinma makes a large stomp that Gin rolls away from right before it hits.

    ¡°Thrust Kick.¡±

    Don!

    When Gin rolled to his back, he pulls one of his feet to do a kick to Jinma¡¯s gut from the ground. The force knocks him off balance a little while Gin takes the opening to get back up to his staggering fighting stance.

    Hmm ¡­ my attacks are landing, but something doesn¡¯t seem right here ¡­ Gin thinks as Jinma gets back to the ¡®Drunken Style¡¯s¡¯ default fighting stance. Gin then reaches into his robe and pulls out four small bottles. ¡°I hate to resort to this, but you leave me with no other choices, boy.¡±

    Gin pops the corks off of all the bottles and downs their contents at once. Jinma and his team are not sure what he drank, but it looks like they tasted so bad that he¡¯s about to puke it out. He toughs it and swallows his upchuck, though.

    ¡°Uuuooooooooh!¡±

    Suddenly, red, green, and purplish-black auras envelop the monk¡¯s contracted body. His muscles flare up, the hairs of his balding head stand on end, and even his eyes are getting bloodshot.

    ¡°Mr. Kotori! Be careful!¡± Erizora warns while fending off the other cultists. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he just drank, but he suddenly got a boost in AGI, ATK, and Curse Magic that he¡¯s apparently capable of!¡±

    Jinma counts out the number of buffs and compares it to the bottles he consumed. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s three bottles. What about the last one?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Guh ¡­ strong vodka to hide the potions¡¯ terrible tastes,¡± Gin answers with shallow breaths before standing straight. ¡°You still want to learn my moves, boy?! Then take a good look, as they¡¯re the last things you¡¯ll ever see! Decomposing Defense! Sluggish Speed! Baneful Poison!¡±

    With each of Gin¡¯s spells cast, a purplish-white magic circle appears below Jinma¡¯s feet, one after another.

    ¡°This is insane! A human of the Monk class stacking that many Curse Spells one after another?!¡± Kalline exclaims as Gin smacks his hands together. From that, a purplish-black aura around him envelops his hands and feet.

    ¡°There it is! Mr. Gin¡¯s Darkness Manipulation!¡± one of the cultists exclaim.

    ¡°That¡¯s what one gets when their mastery in Curse Magic is high enough, right?!¡±

    ¡°I heard he won it after clearing a dungeon once! He¡¯s able to use Curse Magic because of that!¡±

    Powered up with this ominous magic on top of the status buffs, Gin charges in with his increased speed.

    ¡°Blowback Punch! Multi-Hit! Multi-Punch! Thrusting Kick! Elbow Drop!¡±

    Gin knocks Jinma back again with a Blowback Punch, followed by a rapid fire of solidified, purplish-black mana balls of the Multi-Hit skill from his blackened fists. Gin zips behind Jinma and uses Multi-Punch to hit his exposed back before doing a Thrusting Kick to send him falling forward face first. Once Jinma hit the ground, Gin uses Elbow Drop to hit right onto the nape of the neck.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, that guy¡¯s done for now.¡±

    ¡°I heard he used this same technique with these status buffs on someone who challenged him to an arena battle a while ago ¡­ he didn¡¯t walk away alive after that.¡±

    ¡°To have Mr. Gin be pushed this far to resort to this drastic technique, he¡¯s tougher than we thought.¡±

    The cultists who Jinma¡¯s teammates were holding off earlier were now watching his battle with their second-in-command while talking amongst themselves.

    ¡°Mr. Jinma, no ¡­¡± Ren whispers as her eyes well up from the sight. Erizora and Kalline continue to watch on while gripping their fists. The other civilians also witness in horror of the overwhelming power that Jinma¡¯s taking. Even Lili who could see the fight from the rooftops gets worried not because she¡¯d lose her reward turning in the Champion to the Demon King, but she has yet to properly thank him for saving her mother. The mysterious girl with navy blue scales of a lizard is the only one who isn¡¯t showing a hint of emotion like the others are. She only watches in from a distance and evaluating what¡¯s taking place in the square. Also, off to the side alone is a small, purple snake curling around one of the buildings¡¯ gutter pipes, observing the square from above.

    ¡°This should finally finish you off! King¡¯s Palm!¡± Gin exclaims as he forms a stiff palm and brings it down to the back of Jinma¡¯s head.

    Doooon!

    The impact creates a crater that¡¯s about one and a half basketballs of the radius underneath them, creating a dust cloud that covers the area. The center square falls to silence. The crackling flames of the burning buildings and shallow breathing from the Monk only fill the air.

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ over,¡± Gin says between breaths as the auras from his status buffs fade away, as well as the dark magic around his hands and feet. He gets off of Jinma¡¯s body still lying on the ground, his face buried in the small crater. The monk sighs a breath of relief as he steps out of the dust cloud. ¡°Sheesh, that kid was sturdy, but I got him. All right, boys, back to work! And would somebody get me another ale?! God, the ringing in my ears is getting annoying ¡­ ringing, but not the usual sounds?¡± When Gin realizes something was missing, he stops, and his drunken expression becomes perplexed. ¡°Hold on, was he really that weak, or¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh, this is so disappointing ¡­ and getting quickly boring.¡±

    Gin¡¯s heart skips a beat when he heard that voice, and for a moment, he feels a kind of clarity he hadn¡¯t received in his head for who knows how long; the moment of soberness and the realization frightens him as he looks back at the fading dust cloud to see a shadow standing inside it.

    ~~

    ¡°M-Mr. Jinma?¡± I hear Ren ask as I step out of the dust cloud and pop the stiffness out of my joints.

    ¡°Really, I thought I¡¯d let the first few skills from the beginning slide, but to use fuckin¡¯ items, potions with a swig of alcohol to get some sort of power boost, and magic of all things just to kill me as quickly as possible ¡­ it¡¯s just tragic. I wanted to see and experience some sweet drunken boxing, or at least some form of kung-fu or martial art from a dignified master in person, someone who has trained their body and mind for years. I just wanted to see what their trained techniques would do to me, a guy who has never been properly trained and practically got this far by raw power alone. To not experience and receive a blow from someone like that, I think that¡¯s one of the few regrets I had before coming here. I thought I¡¯d hold back a little so I could see what you got, receive the blows safely in sync with yours¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t really so hard to do with how slow you were¡ªso I could watch and experience every second of it. I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect much in this world of swords and magic, and I got to see some interesting skills and spells out of this, but for you to have the balls to call yourself a master of drunken boxing ¡­ not only am I disappointed, but I am furious that you would call something like that a ¡®martial art.¡¯¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°H-How ¡­ how in the world did you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m not done talking here!¡± I yell, making Gin and a couple others around us jump back a little. ¡°Your Monk class doesn¡¯t do you justice, it¡¯s no wonder your ¡®Drunken Style¡¯ was only something for Brawlers to possibly learn from. It¡¯s just fuckin¡¯ sloppy and defective for battle the way it is, especially if you¡¯re drunk when you actually shouldn¡¯t be, to begin with. Now ¡­ it¡¯s time for me to get more serious, beat the drunk out of you enough to get back into reality, and have you face the music.¡±

    Gin trembles with rage as I get into the ¡®Drunken Style¡¯s¡¯ default, staggering fighting stance. ¡°How dare you speak that way when you¡¯re just a brat! Boys! Don¡¯t just stand there! Get him!¡±

    Gin then makes the first move by rushing in with his cup holding-formed fists at the ready while his cultist subordinates charge in at me as well, ignoring my teammates who tried to hold them off before.

    With my ailments Gin cast earlier now worn off, I can move more comfortably, really up my speed, and show these bastards what the ¡®Drunken Style,¡¯ or drunken boxing as it was called back home, is really all about (at least from what I¡¯ve observed on Earth, anyway).

    It might be because of our differences of AGI, but everyone¡¯s movements were slow enough for me to know where they were going and how to react, and so with Gin moving in first, I not only block his right hook, but counterattack with an elbow to his ribs, then swerve and move under the arm to a little behind him to lock that appendage in place.

    Koki!

    ¡°Gaaaugh!¡±

    I break his locked arm after forcing him forward, then pull him backward, sweep his feet, and make him fall hard on his back.

    The next guy that comes in has a sword that he swings down. I step to the side, grab his arm, and effortlessly throw him right at another cultist behind me. With another cultist coming from behind, I do another elbow to the chest, followed by a back fist to the face, and then a flying buck kick with both feet that blows him away before I fall flat on the ground. Another enemy approaches in front of me, and so from the ground, I leap like a frog and unleash a flying, spiral headbutt to his sternum. I think I heard it breaking before he goes unconscious and I fall on my back now. I leap back up to my feet and to my staggering fighting stance before handling the next opponent.

    ¡°Just to see if I can do it, Sluggish Speed, Debilitating Defense, Baneful Poison.¡±

    Like what Gin did to me earlier, I cast one ailment-inducing spell after another to the next few guys coming after me. The spells activated and affected them in succession, drastically dropping their stats and afflicting them with poison in the process, I could see it in their faces.

    ¡°All right, looks like I can do Curse Magic, too. Now to focus on the new fighting style for the time being ¡­¡±

    ~~

    While Jinma¡¯s teammates were holding off the other cultists before, they as well as the other civilians couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how he¡¯s handling the enemies by himself.

    ¡°Amazing ¡­ he is not even using skills to knock them out,¡± Kalline says. ¡°He looks like he is drunk, but there is a sense of grace and balance to his movements, compared to the second-in-command¡¯s. To move like that and delivering such blows to his opponents, he must have higher strength than he looks, as well as fast speed to read and react to the incoming attacks accordingly. Has he seen this fighting style from someone else before, or ¡­ could this be how a Brawler really fights, relying on the stats one has and make the most out of them in these battles?¡±

    ¡°Not only that, he¡¯s only using the Monk¡¯s Brawling Style against him and his subordinates,¡± the mysterious reptile girl intervenes as she stands and observes with crossed arms next to the Centaur Mercenary. ¡°If he¡¯s able to do this much with someone else¡¯s Brawling Style, what can he do with his own while using the ¡®raw power¡¯ he proclaimed to help him get this far? What other surprises are this Brawler hiding from us?¡±

    ¡°H-Hey, thou should not be so close if thou do not want to get hurt¡ª¡±

    ¡°Screw that monster! I¡¯m taking you freaks down¡ª¡±

    DON!

    ¡°Glk?!¡±

    Kshaaan!

    A beefier cultist was quickly approaching the two of them when the reptile girl zips in front of him. Before he could register what was going on, he was sent flying and crashing into one of the burning buildings, knocking him out instantly.

    This is all from one punch to the gut that the reptile girl delivered.

    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m capable of looking after myself, so there¡¯s no need for concern. I¡¯ll continue to watch the human¡¯s fight,¡± she says as more of an order than a request.

    ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ as thou were.¡± What is up with these people coming into Dondegarm today? Kalline thinks as the reptile girl assumes her previous position next to her. Ren and Erizora were the only ones out of the ¡®audience¡¯ watching the fight with excitement and eagerness.

    ~~

    After taking out numerous cultists that are now scattered about on the ground, I take a moment to relieve myself. ¡°Ahh~, I¡¯m feeling a little better after putting more effort into it, but I still have some work to do on that ¡®Drunken Style.¡¯¡±

    ¡°You bastard ¡­ you can¡¯t surpass me in the fighting style of my own creation!¡± Gin exclaims as he charges in at me.

    I sigh a breath. ¡°All right, old drunkard, let me just show you a few of my own moves to make up for this.¡±

    Just as Gin gets close enough to attack, I weave and deliver a powerful punch to his gut.

    Don!

    ¡°Gufuagh!¡±

    ¡°Man Killer.¡±

    Guki!

    ¡°Gohack!¡±

    Critical Hit.

    My own skill of a powerful punt right to his groin was apparently strong enough to make him cough blood upon impact.

    ¡°And last, but not least, my deadliest skill: Demon¡¯s Palm.¡±

    Dooooooooon!

    I deliver a powerful palm strike right to the old man¡¯s sternum. I could practically feel it and his rib cages fracturing all across their frames. One more punch would be enough to shatter them all into pieces and kill him. I¡¯m not sure how this is different than his ¡®King¡¯s Palm¡¯ from earlier, but I imagine the principles are the same. The impact shoots through his back and leaves an imprint of a malicious smile¡ªlike the one I¡¯m making right now¡ªin the crater on one of the buildings¡¯ walls behind him.

    ¡°Buagh!¡± Gin practically vomits the blood on me from the attack. His breath is shallow while trying to utter his last words. ¡°Impossible ¡­ can¡¯t be the end. Not when I still need to show Big Brother ¡­ the fruits of my training ¡­¡±

    Zudon.

    With the last of his energy spent, his body falls limp to the ground below me, drooling a puddle of the blood he puked earlier.

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    The level-up track plays in my head, signifying the end of this battle.

    ¡°N-No ¡­ this can¡¯t be, Mr. Gin is down!¡±

    ¡°For that guy to take them all on his own ¡­ he isn¡¯t human!¡±

    ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡±

    The cultist spectators exclaim before they drop their weapons and make a run for it. Those defending the city chase after them for capture. At least, that¡¯s what I think¡¯s going on, I¡¯m busy skimming through the numerous notices that pop up one after another in front of me.

    [Congratulations! Because you defeated the original creator of the ¡®Drunken Style,¡¯ you have reached his level of mastery, LV 5!

    [You have now learned Sway*!

    [¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ LV 1¡¯s mastery is integrated to ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ LV 7.

    [You have now learned ¡®Alcohol Constitution¡¯ LV 1!

    [You have now learned ¡®Intoxicated*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Impregnable¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Sturdy Shell*¡¯!

    [Conditions met. The skill, ¡®Focus¡¯ LV 8 is now visible.

    [You have now learned ¡®Curse Magic¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Hexmancer¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Debilitating Defense¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Sluggish Speed¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have now learned ¡®Baneful Poison¡¯ LV 3!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Ultimate Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Underdog¡¯s Second Class*¡¯!

    [Second Class has been automatically set to ¡®Mage.¡¯ Remaining accumulated EXP has been integrated into the registered class.

    [You have now learned ¡®Size Up ¡®LV 1!]

    Whoa whoa wait, what? What were the last few ones again? Just as I¡¯m about to pull up my status to see what was going on, I hear a blood-curdling scream.

    ¡°Everyone, make a run for it!¡±

    ¡°That weapon! The cursed weapon has been released!¡±

    ¡°The White Rapture¡¯s leader is on a rampage!¡±

    The civilians and defenders of the city run the opposite direction of where they were chasing the infiltrators. The cultists, who were also running back in fear, get stabbed, cut, and beheaded one after another by a man in bloodied white garbs with a hood up. It seems some of the unlucky civilians and defenders were also in his path as they lie behind him in a bloody mess, indicating this foe is an indiscriminate killer. The weapon he¡¯s holding emanates an ominous aura.

    This ¡­ does not bode well, does it?

 Chapter 15: The Cursed Weapons Genocide

    ¡°No ¡­ we¡¯re too late,¡± Ms. Gallofree whispers as she watches in paled horror at the massacre the hooded guy¡¯s creating. Ren and Erizora from my team also watch the bloodshed in a grimace. I also just notice the strange lizard girl standing next to Ms. Gallofree is watching the slaughter. I wonder how long she¡¯s been here, but don¡¯t take too much time to cling on it.

    More importantly, I¡¯m somehow able to see names as well as HP and MP bars above people¡¯s heads now. Looking above the lizard girl¡¯s head, I learn that her name¡¯s Umeiyon.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s the cursed weapon I spoke to thee about,¡± Ms. Gallofree answers while turning to me, but not in the right context to what I was asking earlier. ¡°The weapon that possesses the wielder to take the lives of anyone in sight, bringing catastrophe to whoever and wherever it goes, the Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra. The damn White Rapture was foolish enough to set it free from its prison and is now causing havoc to Dondegarm, and possibly all of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Wait, a tanto? A weapon like that exists here, too?¡±

    ¡°What art thou talking about?! Is that really the only thing thou got out of what I just said?!¡±

    I mean, a kanabo like Erizora¡¯s being here is one thing, but if a traditional Japanese weapon like a tanto is here as well, why wouldn¡¯t I be surprised? Then again, I¡¯m just as overwhelmed by the many names and bars above people¡¯s heads as they passed by, watching some who got caught by the rampaging man get cut and stabbed, quickly bringing their HP bars down to 0 before I see ¡®KO¡¯ blinking over their names.

    Ow, are seeing all of these things making my head hurt?

    [You have now reached ¡®Size Up LV 2!¡¯]

    That was fast. Wait, is that why I¡¯m seeing all of this now? Could ¡®Size Up¡¯ be some kind of appraisal skill?

    ¡°Ugh! Never mind! Mr. Jinma, I may not know how fast thou travel, but thou need to get out of here and warn Dondegarm¡¯s lord about this! I must stay here to direct the remaining citizens to safety and make sure she and the guild master do not get harmed¡ª¡±

    ¡°Look out!¡±

    Schick!

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡±

    At the corner of my gaze, I noticed the hooded man quickly coming this way, aiming towards Ms. Gallofree. I instinctively rushed between them to stop his attack on her, thinking my high DEF would help deal little harm to me.

    However, I didn¡¯t expect this tanto to stab me the same way as any other knife would ¡­ no, this one¡¯s stab into my flesh was as smooth and clean as stabbing into pudding. I stand there in a similar scenario as the last few moments before my death on Earth, a sharp wound to my stomach, but this time, I¡¯m desperately gripping the stabber¡¯s arm in place and not let him pull the weapon out.

    ¡°¡°[Mr.] Jinma!¡±¡±

    I hear a chorus of feminine screams ringing in the air, one of them I could make out to be Lili¡¯s even if it¡¯s smaller and from a farther distance than the others. Time seems to be slowing down for me more than usual, even with my current level of AGI, a ringing fills my head, and I feel a burning sensation from the tanto. In my peripheral, I see my HP bar steadily decreasing.

    Fuck ¡­ am I really going to die like this again, after not even one day of living in this new world?

    The hooded man¡¯s arm trembles as it tries to pull the weapon out. I look up to see the man under the hood, seeing his face pale, drenched in cold sweat and tears, and twisted in agonizing pain after taking a closer look at his profile. Above his face, I read that his name is ¡®Rasholl.¡¯

    ¡°Help ¡­ me ¡­¡± Rasholl wheezes. I then notice the same emblem that the other cultists wear patched on his white-sleeved arm. If this guy is dressed differently like Gin and the few other subordinates, he must be of another Advanced Class.

    Hearing his cry for help though ¡­ I find my body contracting and trembling.

    Help you? After everything you and your psychopathic servants have done to this city and its people, you want my help now while you got this fucking knife in my gut? Do you realize how much you ¡­?

    My mind races and flashes back to the last few moments of my death on Earth, right up to the stab wound by the co-worker I thought I could trust. She, who had helped me settle into that shady loan company; who I thought I could relate to having to work at such a place for the sake of our loved ones; who had kindly returned favors for me teaching her how to cook even though it wasn¡¯t necessary; who had supported me while attending my mom¡¯s funeral.

    The few seconds after her stab to my gut, I remember seeing her face drenched from that night¡¯s rain and tears as she shoved the knife that killed me further inside.

    The thing that stood out the most to me that night were her eyes, devoid of life and kindness, as if she were hypnotized or put under some spell.

    ¡°Please ¡­ help me.¡±

    I don¡¯t know if I was hearing things, but that was the last thing I heard before I slapped her hard enough in the face to send her flying off to the side. A ringing sound overwhelms the few words I spoke then, my vision growing blurry in some parts, before it ended with her running away in full clarity in sight and sound. I don¡¯t know what brought me into taking such actions, I wasn¡¯t even aware of my body was doing such a thing. It was like I was cut off from all reason, all of reality, and I just watched how it all went down like an observer looking through the killer¡¯s eyes in a horror movie flick.

    The confusion and rage from back then fill my mind again as I glare at the pathetic look on this guy¡¯s mug. If the contrasting plea for help while hurting me wasn¡¯t enough to piss me off, the next few words I hear from a new voice put me over the edge.

    <¡°Oohh~, you¡¯re a sturdy looking human, aren¡¯t you~? I have a feeling you¡¯ll serve as a fine vessel for my reign of bloody misfortune~.¡±

    The condescending tone in this girl¡¯s (?) voice makes me snap.

    ¡°Like I¡¯d help you, you fuck!¡±

    Don!

    ¡°Guhack!¡±

    I send a powerful palm strike to the man¡¯s chest that breaks a few ribs as he¡¯s sent flying and sliding across the square¡¯s ground, letting go of the tanto that now sticks in my gut. Infuriated, I rip the tanto out of me.

    ¡°GRAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGH!¡±

    BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

    I scream in anger and pain as a powerful pulse courses through my whole body. The only thing that was different is the splitting sensation in my head the moment I grabbed and pulled the tanto out, but this pulse overwhelmed that. Not even the burning pain from the stab wound moments ago bothered me anymore.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    I don¡¯t know how long this lasted, but after it finally settles down, I feel a strange sense of lightness, my body free of any burdens that were clinging to me moments ago as my scream dies down.

    ¡°M-Mr. K-K-Kotori, your eyes ¡­¡±

    ¡°What ¡­ happened to you?¡± Erizora and Ms. Gallofree ask respectively. Ren and the lizard girl, Ms. Umeiyon, stand there and stare at me with widened eyes. I notice then that my perception is completely off from normal. I¡¯m not only hyper-focused, but I can see something emanating within the girls¡¯ bodies. Something akin to wisps of smoke in a surreal magenta color move similarly like the auras of magic I¡¯ve seen so far today. Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s strangely the only one who I¡¯m not seeing anything flowing out of her, and Erizora¡¯s has a cyan colored aura coming off her body along with magenta.

    I hold my free hand out and see a strange whitish-gray aura emanating from it that resembles smoke, along with a blend of other colors that seem to separate as they move further away from it. I then notice the bloodied tanto in my hand emanating a purplish-black aura and try to look in its reflection to see what Erizora was talking about with my eyes.

    ¡°W-What the?!¡±

    In the reflection is a pair of eyes with black scleras, white irises, and a pupil shrunken to the size of a needle¡¯s point looking right at me.

    <¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on?! Why are you not under my control?! And stop looking at me with those freakish eyes!¡±>

    I jolt my head around to see where that voice was coming from. Remembering what she just said, I look right back at the tanto in my hand. ¡°Was that ¡­ you?¡±

    <¡°Who else could it be?! Now turn off those ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ so I can possess you properly!¡±>

    ¡°Art thou ¡­ speaking to the being that dwells in the blade?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks. I nod in response while still keeping my eyes on the tanto. It seems only I can hear what she¡¯s saying as long as I¡¯m holding her.

    ¡°She said something about ¡®Devil Eyes,¡¯ is that what these are?¡± I ask Ms. Gallofree while pointing to my eyes in their currently freaky (and kind of cool) condition.

    ¡°Y-Yes. It is a trademark of the Devil race that powers them up in various ways when activated. It is what makes them one of the most powerful races amongst demons, but I have never heard of a human bearing the ¡®Devil Eyes¡ª¡¯¡±

    <¡°Ugh! Fine! If you won¡¯t turn them off, I¡¯ll just wear you out until you do!¡±> the tanto exclaims before I see the ominous aura around the blade grow bigger and more unsettling.

    We then feel the ground shake.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°It is the tanto bringing the catastrophe! It will draw in many monsters from the surrounding areas to attack the civilians and the city!¡± Ms. Gallofree answers.

    Kshaaaa!

    Suddenly, many sharp claws pop out of the ground. The things that pull themselves out of the holes are large creatures with long snouts and thick fur coats that cover their husky bodies.

    ¡°Bear Moles?!¡± Ms. Gallofree exclaims as they come one after another and roar. Indeed, I could confirm they were called Bear Moles from the names and bars over their heads, probably thanks to my new ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill. From a distance, we can hear one of the burning buildings collapsing into the large hole that suddenly formed underneath it. ¡°We need to stop them before Dondegarm falls! Literally!¡±

    I look at the tanto once more and assess my current state. My heart is racing a kilometer per minute, I feel completely heated up from the flowing energy, and the lightness makes me question if I¡¯d suddenly float up from the ground at any moment. The memories of the moments before my death on Earth still runs in my mind that I¡¯m angry about, same goes for that bastard who was pathetic enough to call on his own enemy for help in such a state.

    Still so furious, I just want something to ¡­

    ¡°Hahahaha! This is our chance, boys! The God of Fortune is on our side!¡± Rasholl suddenly exclaims while standing up with a hand to his chest, still sore from my palm strike earlier. With my heightened eyes, his ¡®aura¡¯ emanates a lone cyan color like half of Erizora¡¯s. Glancing around, there are apparently still some of the cultists who were running from him earlier until I made that big show of myself. They were also showing auras of the cyan color as well. ¡°Forget about capturing the demons! Bring this entire city down, kill everyone in your sight, including that freakish traitor of a human over there!¡± He points at me at the end of his order. Sounds like this guy really is the leader in charge of the infiltration.

    The remaining cultists roar in excitement.

    ¡°Even if he¡¯s separated from the weapon, the possession seems to have driven him mad and unreasonable,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says as she observes her surroundings with an unusual calmness. ¡°Or, could it be the weapon¡¯s influence on the monsters affecting these humans as well?¡±

    <¡°Hahahaha! Think you can take them all on?! Let¡¯s see how long you last until you let your guard down enough for me to control you!¡±> the tanto girl exclaims.

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the adrenaline and the hyper-focused vision making me think things, but I suddenly feel a powerful intent to kill coming from behind me.

    ¡°Graaaugh!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jinma¡ª!¡±

    Zasha zasha zasha!

    Just as Ren started her warning, I quickly move towards the murderous intent of the axe-wielding cultist and swipe the tanto thrice before I find myself behind him. I look back to see him standing in place before both of his arms and his head fall from his body due to the clean cuts that sever them. He looked like he didn¡¯t know what happened as his body collapsed into pieces. His HP bar dropped down to 0 in an instant, and instead of a blinking ¡®KO,¡¯ a big, bold, ¡®DEAD¡¯ appears over the guy¡¯s name, Samuel, that¡¯s now faded to gray letters from its white font.

    Well ¡­ he certainly won¡¯t come back from that, I think as I take in the fact that I suddenly took someone¡¯s life for the first time.

    <¡°W-What ¡­ in the world?¡±> the female voice in the tanto asks shakenly as the bloodied blade emanates a different glow. I realize then that my mana, my whitish-gray magic, is blending with hers to create this surreal, beautifully bright magenta color. I didn¡¯t even know I was putting my magic in there like I was with the previous swords for their ¡®Slash¡¯ skills a while ago.

    More importantly, I never thought I¡¯d feel such a rush, so alive as I do right now. I can feel the ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ growing on my face as I turn to the enemies, monster and human-alike, coming to attack me.

    ¡°This ¡­ is gonna be fun,¡± I say as I ready the tanto in my hand for this sudden adrenaline rush of a battle. ¡°Come! I¡¯ll take every one of you fuckers on!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jinma! Stop!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t register Ms. Gallofree¡¯s plea as I sprint into the horde of enemies with my magic imbuing the cursed blade¡¯s.

    I start swinging the blade through my enemies almost like air, leaving deep gashes, cuts, stabs and severs of their bodies as they fall one after another. Their decreasing HP bars mark a good indicator of how much damage I¡¯m causing, quickly going by instinct how much power I can put in my next attack and where I should land it for the best outcome. It all comes so easily because everything around me seems to be moving in a much slower speed than usual, or is it that I¡¯m going so fast that I¡¯m able to react more quickly than normal? I can¡¯t tell, but either way, it¡¯s allowing me to take out these guys a lot quicker and easier than I thought.

    <¡°A-Ah, mnh, th-this feeling ¡­¡±> the now sexy female voice from the tanto moans in my head with each contact between flesh and blade. <¡°S-Such powerful magic, I can feel your hand gripping me¡ªmmph¡ªso tenderly, am I really ¡­ getting like this after so long~?¡±>

    For some reason, I think I could feel what the tanto¡¯s feeling. Powerful arousal builds within me as more blood from the cultists and Bear Moles is shed, my magic blends and mingles with the blade¡¯s like a sort of dance, becoming one that¡¯s getting larger by the second. It tickles me in a certain area that I didn¡¯t think would feel so good compared to taking care of it myself.

    I don¡¯t know what to make of this, but I want this to keep going for as long as I could, this rush of adrenaline and ecstasy I¡¯m feeling as I¡¯m letting out the anger from my past onto these pathetic cultists and monsters who were dumb enough to approach me without caution.

    Before I realize it, there aren¡¯t any enemies left, and I¡¯m surrounded by many corpses of cultists and Bear Moles, cut, bloodied, and severed into many pieces. Just as I¡¯m about to feel down about this excitement suddenly ending ¡­

    Kshaaaa!

    ¡°Guooooooo!¡±

    The largest Bear Mole I¡¯ve seen yet, or ¡®Emperor Bear Mole¡¯ as the name above its head reads, pops out of the large hole made from the many smaller ones grouped into one place. It roars in ferocity after witnessing the outcome of this massacre.

    ¡°¡­ Perfect,¡± I say before holding the tanto in both hands with my ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ still on me. I start pumping much of my mana into the tanto, our blend of magic now growing so ridiculously long that if it were to become a new weapon, it¡¯d be akin to another traditional Japanese blade called an odachi if my memory¡¯s correct.

    <¡°Ah. Ahh~. Aaahh~!¡±> the female voice¡¯s moaning grows louder and more intense as our magic builds.

    What I assume to be the Emperor Bear Mole roars and charges at me just as I¡¯m near the peak of my attack.

    As if our magic is near to bursting, I swing the ominous odachi-like weapon across.

    ¡°Demon¡¯s Wave Slash.¡±

    ZUSHA!

    <¡°Aaaaaahaaaaaaahn~ ??? !¡±>

    As the scream of ecstasy fills my head, a large, ominous, purplish-black arc of mana cuts through the air along with my swing. It looks like it extends to about 5 meters long [~16.5 feet] as it approaches the Emperor Bear Mole, phasing right through it, as well as the building behind it before dissipating. The large monster while on its run suddenly splits into two before it realizes what happened. The top half of the building behind it falls and collapses along the clean cut from the improvised skill I came up with moments ago. Once the crashes finish, the area falls into dead silence ¡­ well, I assume it¡¯s silent. I could actually still hear the female voice wheezing in my head. The magic that makes up the ¡®odachi¡¯ dissipates, reverting the weapon back to the original tanto form.

 Chapter 16: The Merciless Demon Rises

    <¡°You ¡­ you¡¯re not like any other human in this world, are you?¡±> the tanto girl asks between breaths.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what makes one ¡®like any other human,¡¯ I just know that I¡¯m a Brawler just trying to get by,¡± I answer low enough that no others would hear me. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, I may look like I¡¯m talking to myself like a crazy loner ¡­ though that sadly describes a little of who I am anyway, so what difference would this make?

    <¡°Ha ha ¡­ I know you¡¯re serious, but I can¡¯t help but laugh at that.¡±>

    ¡°Have you finally calmed down?¡±

    <¡°Better than that, for a moment, I thought I had a body again with how much you turned me on back there. I feel like I finally woke up from this madness from Immortals know how long¡ª¡±>

    ¡°You ¡­ you bastard!¡±

    I jolt my head to the only group standing out here other than me. There I see Ren being held captive with a knife to her throat by the pathetic so-called leader that led everyone to this mess in the first place, Rasholl.

    ¡°Ren!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jinma!¡±

    ¡°You ¡­ you¡¯re just a shirtless punk! How could a shithead like you be able to wield the cursed tanto?! How do you even have those eyes?! Why aren¡¯t you even on our side?!¡±

    ¡°Let her go¡ª!¡±

    ¡°One step and the bitch gets it!¡±

    ¡°Glk!¡± Rasholl pokes his knife into Ren¡¯s neck a little, drawing blood.

    ¡°You mongrel ¡­¡± Ms. Gallofree growls.

    ¡°Now, here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen ¡­¡±

    <¡°Psst, hey, Jinma, right? Can you try speaking to me with your mind?¡±> the tanto girl asks me.

    Keeping my eyes on the man but zoning out on his bargain, I set my mind to the girl. What¡¯s up?

    <¡°You can use Curse Magic, right? And going by your most recent memories, it looks like you watched that Monk use Darkness Manipulation in your fight with him earlier. In fact, you even used it just moments ago when you made that long as shit blade.¡±>

    I did? I don¡¯t even know how I did it, it just happened. You got an idea that involves using it?

    <¡°Dude, if you¡¯re able to do that much on your first try by whatever that was, you should be able to do this. Listen closely on what you should do here and I¡¯ll help you how to hone that skill in a moment ¡­¡±>

    I carefully listen in on the tanto girl¡¯s plan while pretending to pay attention to Rasholl.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m speaking to you, punk! So, what¡¯s it gonna be?!¡± Rasholl exclaims. I honestly had no idea what he just said, but it¡¯s not like he¡¯s gonna be true to holding this bargain if he¡¯s from someone like White Rapture, right?

    Instead, I concentrate on a certain point behind him like Nyra instructed. ¡°Can I uh ¡­ just ask one little thing?¡±

    ¡°What.¡±

    ¡°Which would you rather pick? Right, or left?¡±

    My question sounded so out of place and vague that along with Rasholl, the others, even Ren, give me a look like I¡¯ve gone insane. Well, with how my eyes are right now, I don¡¯t blame them.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ right?¡± Despite it coming from nowhere, Rasholl still answered.

    My ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ grows. ¡°Okay~, right side it is, then~.¡±

    Coming suddenly from behind, a purplish-black tendril wraps itself around Rasholl¡¯s right arm that¡¯s holding the knife to Ren¡¯s throat.

    ¡°What the¡ª?!¡±

    KOKI KOKI!

    ¡°Gaaaauuugh!¡±

    In two quick movements, the tendril straightens and pulls Rasholl¡¯s arm away from Ren, dislocating it from its socket, followed by bending it back unnaturally enough to break it entirely. With the knife dropped and grip loosened, Ren takes the chance to get away from him, as do the others.

    Three more tendrils appear from behind him to grab each of his remaining limbs, stretch them out, and hold him aloft.

    ¡°What¡¯s ¡­ what¡¯s going on?! Is this¡ª¡±

    ¡°Darkness Manipulation? Why yes, it is,¡± I answer him while taking a piece of a corpse¡¯s clothes and use it to wipe the blood off of the tanto. ¡°Picked it up from your second-in-command earlier and got some help from my new friend I¡¯m cleaning here to make it possible. Did you know you could control the darkness from other people¡¯s shadows when its skill is at a high enough level? That¡¯s how you¡¯re in that situation. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, I think there¡¯s still your right leg I need to break next.¡±

    Koki!

    ¡°Gaaaaahahaaaaugh!¡± he screams in agonizing pain; the others flinch from seeing the sight.

    ¡°Jinma! What the hell is going on?! What happened to you?!¡±

    ¡°Ah! Lili! Glad you could join us! You¡¯re just in time for me to finish him off.¡±

    ¡°Please! Please don¡¯t kill me! I swear I¡¯ll leave the White Rapture and never step foot in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory again! Just please, spare me!¡± Rasholl begs.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not going to kill you. I¡¯m just going to crush your ego and body enough to twist you into a pretzel before the proper authorities take care of you and whoever¡¯s still alive in your group for questioning. Okay, left limbs next!¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Koki koki koki!

    ¡°Gaaaaugh! You bastard! Do you realize you¡¯re betraying your own kin helping these demons?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you know, I¡¯ve made a lot of enemies of my own kin back home anyway, so making new ones here, whether they be human, demi, or demon, won¡¯t make much of a difference to me. Even if more of you White Rupture fucks come after me, I¡¯ll take you all out until the entire cult is taken down. Now, if we bend this back here, and that over there, oh, this would be a nice touch ¡­¡±

    More noises of popping and breaking bones as well as Rasholl¡¯s screams fill the air of this now barren city. The girl in the tanto, while moaning from our magic intermingling again, she also laughs hysterically in my head as she takes part and watches him suffer. Finally, the twisted White Rupture leader pretzel is finished, with his briefs pulled over his head in an extreme wedgie for good measure. His face is gross with tears and snot at the end of it all.

    ¡°Who ¡­ or what are you?¡± he cries.

    ¡°Just know that I¡¯m a guy who doesn¡¯t shit around when it comes to doing business and taking names. Mess with me or the weak, and you¡¯ll be the one crying by the end of it all. I am Jinma Kotori, but the guys back home call me ¡­ the Merciless Demon,¡± I finish while getting in his face with my ¡®Sadistic Smile.¡¯ ¡°You have a nice nap now.¡±

    Don!

    I finish him off with a hard kick to his face, knocking many teeth out of his skull before he lies there out cold.

    Don Don Din Don!

    Do-ro-ro Don Din Don!

    ¡°¡­ We did it, we won!¡± Ms. Gallofree exclaims. ¡°The White Rapture has been vanquished!¡±

    From her proclamation, many of the citizens suddenly come out of hiding and cheer as they gather around us.

    Am I the only one slightly concerned about the change of tone from the tracks I heard? Wait, no, Ren said that¡¯s supposed to be expected after killing someone, right? I really did take someone¡¯s life today, did I?

    <¡°Yep! And you¡¯re sure as hell that you¡¯ll be taking plenty more in the future! I think we can make a great team, Jinma Kotori!¡±>

    ¡°A ¡­ team?¡± I mutter when I suddenly feel really light-headed.

    ¡°Hey, Jinma, your eyes are back to normal. Are you all right?¡± Lili asks while I have a hand up to my head.

    ¡°Never mind me. Ren, how¡¯s your throat? Are you hurt badly?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I-I¡¯m fine, I just need a bandage to stop the bleeding is all.¡±

    ¡°Good, I¡¯m glad. Now I just need to ¡­ lie down and ¡­¡±

    <¡°H-Hey! Don¡¯t get dizzy on me now! Get it together, Jinma! Jin¡ª¡±>

    Ringing fills my ears and my body gets weak as I couldn¡¯t stand any longer. I black out before I could even hit the ground.

    ~~

    ¡°¡°[Mr.] Jinma/Kotori!¡±¡± the girls exclaim as Jinma collapses to the ground. Erizora manages to catch him, but he drops the tanto in the process. The crowd of civilians surrounding them went quiet and made space.

    ¡°What is wrong with him?! Is he all right?!¡± Kalline exclaims.

    ¡°Give me space,¡± the blue lizard girl, Umeiyon, demands as she approaches Jinma¡¯s unconscious body and presses two claw-like fingers on his throat. ¡°¡­ He¡¯s still alive, I think he just fainted from exhaustion.¡± She then checks other places on his body to ascertain something before turning to the lone Werewolf. ¡°Ren, was it? Come here and show me the knife wound, would you?¡±

    Despite the uncertainty, Ren follows her instruction anyways. Umeiyon then peers into the cut before putting one hand over it, and her other on Jinma¡¯s head.

    ¡°Heal,¡± she chants before light emanates from her palms. Ren¡¯s wound quickly closes while no distinguishable changes are found on Jinma¡¯s body. She does this for a couple seconds before the lights fade. ¡°I healed most of your HP, closed any visible wounds, and recovered the muscles from fatigue. It seems I cannot erase any scars that were made from the cursed tanto, but he should be fine by the time he wakes up.¡±

    ¡°That is some Holy Magic,¡± Lili says with widened eyes.

    ¡°Um ¡­ thank you very much for helping me and Master, Ms. Lizardman,¡± Ren thanks before bowing to her.

    ¡°¡°Master?!¡±¡± Erizora, Lili, and Kalline exclaim.

    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± Umeiyon glances over to the unconscious Jinma before giving a smirk. ¡°Jinma Kotori, was it? He has shown me many interesting things tonight. When he wakes up, give him a message that Umeiyon wishes to speak with him in private. I¡¯ll be around the city in daylight waiting for him. Until then, I wish you luck in your city¡¯s reparations.¡±

    Byo!

    At everyone¡¯s shock, Umeiyon leaps high in the air and makes a break for it by jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

    ¡°¡­ What a peculiar demon we have here,¡± Kalline says.

    ¡°Hey, that guy was in control of himself while using the cursed weapon, right? Is this safe to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do not touch that dagger!¡±

    A mature woman¡¯s voice interrupts a male passerby before a purple snake circles around the tanto on the ground. It hisses and bares its fangs, scaring him away.

    ¡°Th-That snake!¡±

    ¡°Lady Tephalia! Thou hast returned!¡± Kalline exclaims as she quickly kneels down the best a Centaur could do.

    The other civilians follow her lead and clear a path for a violet-headed woman with the body of a snake from the hips down and like-colored scales slithering to the center of the crowd. Though the clothing is a simple dress that drapes past her hips, its gold trimmings and stitching give it a regal air that dignifies the Lamia¡¯s current position as the lord in the city of Dondegarm.

    ¡°Please pardon my rudeness, but I thought thou would not come back until midday tomorrow, Lady Tephalia,¡± Kalline says.

    ¡°The moment my familiars spotted the suspicious group that was the White Rapture approaching my city, I cut my meeting short to get back here as soon as possible. You have done well to observe these events, Damian.¡±

    ¡°My pleasure, Missstressss,¡± the snake responds while bowing his head.

    Tephalia then pulls out a unique glove made of wrappings that are riddled with charm scriptures and slips it on before picking up the cursed tanto with caution. ¡°The cursed weapon of misfortune will be under my custody until further notice! In the meantime, this is no time to dawdle! Put out any remaining fires in the city, gather the corpses and the wounded that require medical treatment, make sure every resident is accounted for, and for the Immortals¡¯ sake, bring this human a shirt before he gets any colder!¡± she orders while pointing to Jinma still in Erizora¡¯s arms.

    ¡°¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±¡± the majority of the crowd exclaims before they went about their tasks.

    ¡°Uh, I can quickly make some clothes, but what will you do with Jinma?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°Do not worry, he is not in trouble, but I must have him on watch in my residence until he wakes up. I must question and judge his motives for myself.¡±

    ¡°U-Um! Please let me be by Master¡¯s side, Lady Tephalia!¡± Ren exclaims while prostrating to the Lamia lord. ¡°I do not mean to doubt your words, but Master saved my life! I would feel much better if I protect him at his side until he wakes up!¡±

    ¡°Same goes for me!¡± Erizora exclaims while bowing her head and keeping Jinma¡¯s unconscious body steady. ¡°I know my body can take many more hits and labor than Ren would while he¡¯s under my watch! Please, let us both give him our best protection!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Are you both under this man¡¯s ownership? Let me see the certifications.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± The two of them couldn¡¯t do what she requested, but they don¡¯t know how else to respond.

    ¡°A moment of your time, Milady!¡±

    ¡°¡°Mistress Carmen!¡±¡± Ren and Erizora exclaim as they watch their slave merchant approach Tephalia.

    Carmen removes her hat and bows to the lord. ¡°These girls are under my ownership as their slave merchant. Mr. Kotori helped break me and my slaves out of the cult¡¯s captivity before we could join in the resistance. If these girls are willing, I believe we can have something arranged to have my debt to him be paid ¡­¡±

    Unknown to the entirety of the group as they talk amongst themselves, including the unconscious Jinma, many notices only he could see appear in front of him.

    [You have now reached ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ LV 6!

    [You have now reached ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have now reached ¡®Slash LV 4¡ª

    [You have now reached ¡®Wave Slash LV 4¡ª

    [Override adjustment required; ¡®Slash LV 4¡¯ and ¡®Wave Slash LV 4¡¯ have conjoined and now become ¡®Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4.¡¯

    [You have now learned ¡®Demon¡¯s Slash¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have now reached ¡®Curse Magic¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have now learned ¡®Darkness Manipulation LV 4¡¯!

    [Conditions met. The skill, ¡®Devil Eyes*¡¯ is now visible.

    [You have now reached ¡®Focus¡¯ LV 10!

    [The skill, ¡®Focus,¡¯ has reached maximum level of mastery and will now evolve to ¡®Hyper Perception.¡¯

    [You have now reached ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have now learned ¡®Magic Sense*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Torture Expert¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Mutilation*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Monster Genocider¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Monster Bonus*!¡¯

    [You have achieved the ¡®Merciless Demon¡¯ title!]

 Chapter 17: The Slave Rent Free Trial

    I find myself in a familiar, endless white space. For a moment, I thought I was back in Ms. Obina¡¯s ¡®office,¡¯ but the atmosphere here feels different from that. That¡¯s because instead of me sitting down facing an Immortal, a familiar person in front of me is the one sitting in this ¡®room.¡¯ Her back is facing me, as well as the familiar bleach-blonde straight locks that hang from her head.

    ¡°Do you know what it is that you want? The life that you truly desire?¡±

    ¡°Huh? I thought I was living in it already? Being here with you, that¡¯s all that really matters to me. Are you happy with this like I am?¡± I ask her before she stands up.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go,¡± she says without looking back. I wonder if she even heard me.

    ¡°H-Huh? Go? Go where? Can I come with?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll find what you¡¯re looking for if you look at the world around you. Just know that wherever it is you decide to go, I will always love you, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder of you.¡± She then starts walking away, I can¡¯t even hear her footsteps.

    ¡°W-Wait! Where are you going?!¡± I try to chase after her until I hit an invisible wall. Something is in front of me, like a pane of glass, cruel to stop me from getting to my cherished one who¡¯s right there. Is this why she can¡¯t hear me? But I can hear her, so why?

    ¡°Good-bye, Jin-chan.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Stop! Don¡¯t leave me, please! Mom!¡± I practically scream while hitting and punching the wall of glass as hard as I can to break it. Mom¡¯s back quickly grows smaller until I couldn¡¯t even see her anymore.

    ¡°It¡¯s just you and me now ¡­¡± another familiar voice says, but I wonder if that was actually me who said something off just now.

    I look behind me to see another person in a chair with his back facing me. He has short black hair and wearing a formal-casual suit. He turns his head back ¡­ in a complete 180 without popping a bone socket.

    Demonic eyes and a malicious smile are looking at my direction. It takes me a second to realize this guy was me.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have some fun from now on, you and I¡ª¡±

    ~~

    ¡°NO!¡±

    ¡°¡°Agh!¡±¡±

    Don!

    I suddenly find myself gasping for breath and in cold sweat, almost drenched like I just came out from drowning. My heart is racing as fast as I was facing my traumatic fear of heights.

    ¡°Master! Are you all right?!¡±

    I look to the person on my left who asked that and see a familiar petite girl with long white hair and two-piece set of rags with great concern on her face. It takes a glance at her wolf ears to recognize who this is.

    ¡°¡­ Ren? What are you ¡­¡± Something feels off to me, so I pat myself down from my head to my legs. Despite the sweat, I find myself wearing a new white long-sleeve shirt¡ªsmooth like silk to the touch¡ªand the same roughed-up slacks I was wearing yesterday. That¡¯s when I notice the large bed below me, as well as a spacious, luxurious room. There¡¯s a vase of lilies decorating a small table and two knapsacks sitting at the corner of the room.

    ¡°¡­ Where am I?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in one of Lady Tephalia¡¯s guest rooms in her mansion, Master.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡± I jolt to apparently the second girl in this room in surprise and find the mismatched horns popping out of her head, as well as the messy blonde hair and the bombshells that are her breasts pressed together between her arms. ¡°Erizora?¡±

    ¡°You look really pale. Are you feeling all right?¡± Ren asks me with great concern in her eyes.

    ¡°Y-Yeah, I think so. I just had a really bad dream ¡­ wait.¡± Taking a closer inspection on the bed, I notice large indents at each of my sides that look to match the girls¡¯ sizes. ¡°Uh ¡­ did you two just call me ¡®Master,¡¯ and were you both lying with me in bed moments ago?¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master.¡±¡±

    Their synchronized response caught me off guard. I put a hand to my head that feels like it¡¯s about to explode from how confused I am right now. ¡°Okay, could one of you please tell me what¡¯s going on? What happened after I blacked out? And keep it under three minutes, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Ren volunteers with her hand up. ¡°The lord of Dondegarm, Lady Tephalia, returned from out of town not too long after you passed out. She ordered everyone to gather the casualties and injured for treatment before they got to work on the city¡¯s reparations. She also confiscated the cursed tanto under her custody as well as yourself in her residence until you woke up to discuss negotiations. Ms. Lili was the one who made you the shirt you¡¯re wearing from her own spider silk and is currently in possession of your belongings at her place. Also, a Lizardman female named Ms. Umeiyon healed your injuries and muscle fatigue with her healing magic and would like to speak with you in private when you have the time.¡±

    Ah, that explains why I feel so light right now despite how heavy I felt last night. I¡¯ll have to thank her properly when I see her in town.

    ¡°Finally, as for Eri and I, we were instructed by Mistress Carmen to stay by your side and give you a message when you woke up. Eri?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± With a nod in understanding, Erizora reaches into her large cleavage and pull out a letter with a wax seal before passing it to me.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ thanks.¡± While thinking about what else Erizora could put in there, I take the envelope and break the seal¡ª

    Kiiii.

    Suddenly, lots of dotted lights appear on both of Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s rings around their necks. It made me jump a little. They stand at each side of the bed without even flinching.

    ¡°Are you two ¡­ okay?¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master,¡±¡± they answer in sync before they stand in attention like soldiers, waiting for further orders with cool, calm expressions.

    ¡­ Doesn¡¯t sound like they¡¯re hurt. That surprised me. I continue opening the envelope and pull out a folded letter. When I see the contents ¡­

    Fuck. I can¡¯t read. I guess Ms. Obina¡¯s magic allowed me to decipher any vocal language but none of the written ones? I feel really awkward thinking what I¡¯m about to do, but I¡¯m left with no further options.

    ¡°Can the both of you read?¡±

    My blunt question makes them twitch, yet they try to look unfazed. ¡°Yes, Master, we are both fluent in reading Padimonian,¡± Erizora answers.

    I hold the letter out to Ren. ¡°Read this to me, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Ren takes the letter and clears her throat. ¡°To Mr. Jinma Kotori, as my way of giving thanks to breaking us out of the White Rapture¡¯s captivity and taking good care of my girls over the course of last night¡¯s battles, please accept this special one-of-a-kind, slave rental free trial serviced by Ren and Erizora. By the time the wax seal from this letter is broken, they¡¯ll be under your servitude for the next 36 hours as indicated by the number of lights on the slave rings. These two girls will provide the full gold-level service with no restrictions to you until all the lights on their rings disappear and are under my ownership again, of which you must bring them back to my tent. Please ask the two of them for any further details.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Enjoy your 36 hours, and we hope you may consider us for future slave redemption or rental needs. Yours truly, Carmen Todoka of the Todoka Family¡¯s Slavery Services.¡±

    My mouth is agape by the time Ren finishes reading the letter, folds it up, and gently set it to the side. I noticed her tail was wagging ecstatically sometime in the middle of her reading, too. Also, this notice window came up some time in the beginning, around right after the dotted lights appeared on their necks, but I was too surprised to say anything.

    [Ren and Erizora are now under your ownership for a temporary time. Swipe to the ¡®Slaves¡¯ page as you open your status to confirm settings.]

    So, this is what that meant.

    ¡°As you have heard, Eri and I have been assigned as your slaves for the next 36 hours with no restrictions to what we can and are able to do,¡± Ren says as she and Erizora stand together on one side of the bed now. They then get to the floor and prostrate themselves.

    ¡°¡°We hope our services will please you, Master Jinma Kotori.¡±¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ are you two all right with this?¡± I finally ask after what felt like an hour of awkward silence.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ren asks as she and Erizora sit up. The two of them look at me with confusion.

    ¡°I mean, I know what I did to all those guys last night with the dagger was more than terrifying to just about anyone. If you two aren¡¯t comfortable just being near me, let alone serve me as my slaves, I¡¯m willing to take you both back and negotiate Ms. Carmen with something else as payment¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡°Absolutely not!¡±¡±

    Their sudden upfront denial was so loud I almost fell backward to the floor on the other side. They¡¯re practically in my face with their hands on the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Master, I can¡¯t deny that I was surprised,¡± Ren begins. ¡°I¡¯ve never been surprised so many times on one day like last night. I was even a little scared of what other surprises you might pull up next, but what you did to save everyone here in this city last night was amazing. You saved my life, and even when you were barely standing, you were more worried about a little cut on myself, a disposable slave, than your own valuable body. I volunteered to stay by your side and agreed to Mistress Carmen¡¯s conditions because I owe you so much for everything you did.¡±

    With all the shit I¡¯ve been through, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call myself ¡®valuable,¡¯ and don¡¯t label yourself something so demeaning as ¡®disposable.¡¯ You¡¯re too cute to be thrown away. I wanted to say stuff like that, but I couldn¡¯t get it in there.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just her, either,¡± Erizora says. ¡°You kept throwing potion after potion in my way and the others when I wasn¡¯t even sure if you needed them more after everything you¡¯ve been through. I consider Ren my closest friend, a sister even. If someone cared enough for her to save her life, then I¡¯m indebted to you as well. Most importantly, I was in awe of the way you fought last night. Such raw power, such cruelty to those bastards, especially when you overcame the cursed tanto¡¯s possession, and finally that slow, creative torture to Ren¡¯s assaulter that held her hostage. Being exposed to it and witnessing it all, I¡¯ve never felt so ¡­ *gokin*¡±

    Then from out of nowhere, Erizora grabs my hand and practically hits herself in the incredible bosom with it, pressing my palm hard and close enough to her chest where her heart is. I didn¡¯t even notice until now, but she even grew as red in the face like a strawberry while she was describing my actions from last night.

    The incredible sensation suddenly makes my heart jump and I feel something new stirring inside me.

    ¡°Can you not feel how fast my chest is racing right now as I¡¯m just thinking about it last night?! Can you not feel the passion burning inside me?! I¡¯ve never felt so alive and sure that I want to learn more about you as a man! To see more of your incredible strength! To be on the receiving end of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Eri!¡±

    Ren¡¯s outburst snaps me out of my trance and shuts Erizora up. She then takes a moment to assess the current situation. The redness of ¡®passion¡¯ on her face becomes one of great embarrassment as she quickly pulls my hand out of her chest, gently sets it down on my side, and prostrates herself more than she was doing earlier.

    ¡°I am so sorry for my aggressive rudeness! Do with me as you must for discipline, but I beg of you, please forgive me¡ª!¡±

    ¡°O-Okay! Okay! I get it! I forgive you, so just calm down!¡±

    ¡°¡­ You won¡¯t smack me for discipline?¡± she asks while peeking up from her prostration.

    ¡°No! Why would I want to for, well, that?¡± On the contrary, I feel should pay you as thanks for giving me the chance to feel such a wonderful sensation of a woman¡¯s body.

    My other friend of mine back on Earth, Komiwa Karuga, or ¡®Komi¡¯ as she wanted me to call her while she called me ¡®Jin-chi,¡¯ always teased and tempted me by pressing her own sizeable breasts on me before backing off and not go too far, but that¡¯s another story for another day. Komi¡¯s were certainly one of the biggest out of the whole school, but Erizora¡¯s pretty much destroyed the competition with her own two wrecking balls, and after getting a feel, my hand never felt so cold before now.

    On another note, what the hell was that sudden rush earlier? Did I seriously have such a strong urge to pin Erizora down and do unspeakable things just from touching her breast?

    Erizora stares off to the side as she sits up in seiza. ¡°Oh ¡­ well, okay then.¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you disappointed?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Erizora starts before the ring around her neck suddenly glows a bright whitish-blue. She paused midsentence and then says something I¡¯d never expect a girl to say in front of me.

    ¡°I feel neglected, but that kind of play while I was just getting a rise is also a bit of a turn on that I¡¯m okay with!¡±

    As soon as Erizora said that, I thought her head might turn into a tomato from how red she is right now while covering her mouth.

    ¡°¡­ Well, at least with that, you can now say that our intentions are confirmed,¡± Ren says while trying to get back on topic. Erizora sits over at a corner in a fetal position, hugging her knees and putting her head down to hide her shame the best she could.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. While I do feel bad for Erizora looking like that, I thought getting back on track might be a better choice.

    ¡°The slaves¡¯ ¡®Control¡¯ and ¡®Confession¡¯ settings default to the middle of a scale between 0 to 5 when they¡¯re rented or redeemed to a new master. With our ¡®Confession¡¯ set at 1 and above, we can¡¯t ever tell a lie. While Eri partially didn¡¯t want you to know some of that, you can be certain that everything we¡¯ve told you up to now was true and done at our own will, which includes us wanting to serve you as your slaves for the next 36 hours.¡±

    I sigh and scratch my head. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you say, then I guess it¡¯d be rude to turn down the favor, huh?¡± I mutter, deciding to play along for the time being and not get too out of hand. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite, what is this ¡®no restrictions gold-level service¡¯ that was written in the letter?¡±

    ¡°Ah, allow me to explain what each of our services in Mistress Carmen¡¯s family business entails. The bronze-level service, or ¡®All Work and No Play¡¯ service, gets us doing laborious tasks and chores like farm work, housekeeping, and going on adventuring quests with our clients. This is the most common that adventurers use, especially going into dungeons if it¡¯s close enough. Then there¡¯s the silver-level, or ¡®Look, but No Touch¡¯ service that includes what¡¯s in the bronze-level, plus entertainment like strip shows and fetish plays of the client¡¯s choosing to a certain extent. Finally, the gold-level, or ¡®Anything You Want¡¯ service, is what the name implies. Labor work, more intimate fetish plays, including free reign to touch your rented slave(s) anywhere on his/her body at your discretion, even have full intercourse with them.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ what?¡± By the time Ren got to discussing the silver-level service, my head was already scrambling.

    ¡°There are only a few restrictions where the client cannot have penetrative sex like anal or vaginal without any argument,¡± Ren continues, ¡°and that is when the slave is a virgin. It is because one¡¯s virginity, or ¡®purity,¡¯ has value for selling slaves and must be maintained until they¡¯re legally redeemed and owned by a master. If a client crosses the line and proceeds to penetrative sex, the slave merchant has the right to charge a fine with a law enforcement¡¯s warrant on the client that¡¯s the same as said slave¡¯s market price, plus 50% interest, or be subjected to a trial for additional charges.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­¡±

    ¡°Each of these three services is charged by every hour with special deals for certain periods, and the price varies between slaves that have value in different areas like race, adventurer rank, age, attractiveness, and others, including whether they¡¯re a virgin or not. Master Todoka usually gives first-time customers a free-trial with a bronze-level service at 36 hours. Mistress Carmen, of course, follows her father¡¯s policies and does the same for her clients. For her to provide two virgin slaves, Eri and I, on gold-level service as a ¡®free-trial¡¯ with no restrictions, meaning there will be no consequences brought to you should you take our virginities, this is truly a one-of-a-kind deal as it was stated in her letter. Though Eri and I are inexperienced in actual intercourse, we will do our best to service and entertain you within our capabilities, and we are more than honored to serve such an astounding and esteemed client such as yourself, Master.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± I hang my head and sigh deeply.

    ¡°Master? Is there something wrong?¡± Ren asks as she tilts her head.

    The only thing I could think of in that very moment is that this will be a loooooong 36 hours.

 Chapter 18: Stirring Feelings

    So, I¡¯ve been left with two slaves to do what I please with no consequence for 36 hours as a token of their slave merchant¡¯s gratitude for saving her and the other slaves from captivity. I could only imagine how expensive it is to redeem a virgin slave if they¡¯re so highly valued, so for a slave merchant to provide two for me to do with absolutely free with no consequence, though it¡¯s written in letter, I could already tell there¡¯s more to what¡¯s going on here that I or even Ren and Erizora here weren¡¯t filled in on. Even with that aside, I couldn¡¯t feel more conflicted of such a moral/ethical dilemma as I do right now.

    I peek up to see Ren standing in front of me expectantly waiting for further orders in her two-piece slave rags. Glancing at Erizora¡¯s as well while she¡¯s still sitting in a fetal position at a corner in shame, I can see they might¡¯ve changed out rags since the last ones were dirtied with blood. It also looks like they only did a bare minimum of cleaning on their own bodies before they started their watch over me while I was out.

    For the time being, I quickly pull up the ¡®Slaves¡¯ page and find the settings Ren mentioned.

    ¡°¡­ Here we go. I¡¯ll set both of your ¡®Control¡¯ and ¡®Confession¡¯ settings to 0 and 1 respectively.¡±

    Ren widens her eyes and even Erizora tilts her head up in shock.

    ¡°Is that ¡­ really okay with you, Master?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m already weirded out on this whole situation as it is and I¡¯d rather not have a lot weighing in my mind. This way, while I know you can¡¯t lie, you still have more of a choice to do what you want to do without this ¡­ magic, or whatever it is, restricting your movements. I¡¯m not planning on having you two do anything extreme, but if there¡¯s something you¡¯re not comfortable doing or wish to share, just say so.¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ all right. If that is what you wish, then we¡¯ll follow through, Master,¡± Ren answers.

    ¡°All right, then. Now, if I may ask, you two were sleeping with me on my bed, right? Was there some purpose to that while you were looking after me?¡±

    ¡°O-Oh, uh ¡­¡± Ren averts her gaze and blushes a little. ¡°It¡¯s true we slept with you, and while it could be part of our watch, we hoped you may have a more pleasant sleep if we each took a side¡ªah! Were we too forward with that?! Was that why you got up so startled?! Oh! We did have a chance to change and clean ourselves if you¡¯re worried about cleanliness! We didn¡¯t do anything else strange with you aside with that, so please don¡¯t hate on us, Master!¡±

    ¡°No, no, as I said, I just had a bad dream, and both of you don¡¯t have to address me every sentence, either. About cleanliness though, did you use soap?¡±

    ¡°¡­ No. We only rinsed our hair and body out of any dirt and blood from the battles last night before changing into some clean rags and underwear ¡­ though I feel dirty again after realizing how forward it was sleeping with you.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t feel any filthier than I do right now ¡­ I¡¯m just a piece of rotten scum,¡± Erizora mumbles while tracing circles on the floor.

    ¡°We did have a slave that knew the [Clean] Null Spell to make things easier and not use up water, but she was just redeemed by a previous client recently.¡±

    ¡°[Clean]?¡±

    ¡°As the name implies, it¡¯s a kind of common Null Spell that cleans anything someone targets with magic. It makes things spotless enough to eat off of, and when you¡¯re hit by it, it leaves a really refreshing, relaxing feeling.¡±

    I think for a moment and come up with an idea to brighten the mood a little. ¡°Hey, is this room soundproofed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lady Tephalia didn¡¯t want to take chances, so she let you sleep in this guest room specialized to keep sound out. There¡¯s a chord next to the bed that she said you can pull once you¡¯re awake to call a handmaiden over.¡±

    I look over to the side and indeed see a rope hanging from a hole in the ceiling, despite my slight annoyance of this lord assuming I¡¯d do something to these girls as soon as I woke up. ¡°Right ¡­ Ren, come here for a sec. You too, Erizora.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master.¡±¡±

    I still can¡¯t get used to getting addressed in sync like that. It just feels off, I think as the girls get close enough to me. ¡°Hold still.¡± Deciding to try something, I hold my palms out towards them and focus on the kind of magic I want to cast at my targets.

    ¡°¡­ [Clean].¡±

    They gasp in surprise as a disc of light with bubbles comes out and scroll down their forms from head to feet. The before and after the change was very distinguishable as they look brighter on the skin and rags. Their hair¡ªplus fur and tail for Ren¡ªlook soft with just the right fluffiness once the spell finished.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s been forever since I felt like this! I feel fantastic!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°I feel I¡¯ve been cleansed from the inside out ¡­ I¡¯m reborn into a new woman!¡±

    ¡°To think Master knows [Clean] as well as [Storage] and used the former on us, his [temporary] slaves, he¡¯s a kinder and greater man than I realized!¡±

    ¡°¡°We are not worthy of your kindness, Master!¡±¡± they exclaim at once before prostrating again.

    What is this, a paid advertisement on baptism? And how are they doing that in sync? Well, at least the mood¡¯s getting better, let¡¯s keep the ball rolling. I cast [Clean] on myself to get rid of any filth from last night that might have clung to me. Ren was right on one thing, I feel pretty refreshed, but as a Japanese man, nothing could beat the refreshing feeling from stepping out of a nice hot bath.

    ¡°If you thought that was amazing, check this out ¡­¡±

    As if I¡¯m doing an improv magic show, I first demonstrated my use of [Portal] by poking Ren¡¯s shoulder from behind and booping Erizora¡¯s nose with my hand through this interdimensional hole. As if they weren¡¯t surprised enough, they were speechless when I used Ren¡¯s [Duplicate] Null Spell to make two dozen copies of lilies I saw in a vase that decorated this room. After splitting them into two bouquets, I gave both of them one each like some professional performer, and they went red in the face as they held them in their hands with much delicacy.

    Uh oh, there it is again. I thought they looked cute before, but that stirring¡¯s making me want to do more invasive stuff just from seeing how they are now. The feeling¡¯s unusually strong and I wonder why I never felt like this back home before I died. I thought I¡¯ve grown out of this ¡®phase¡¯ after I gave up attempting to go out with a cute girl. They were usually so scared of me that they would run and scream in fright when I¡¯m in their sight. Sure, there were a few exceptions like Hyo-chan and Komi, but they were ¡®special¡¯ cases that only ended up as my friends.

    I still regret never expressing how I felt about them when things got complicated ¡­ and they died off in an accident before everything was resolved.

    Okay, getting a bit heavy here. Back to the present.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ wait, no, this is insane!¡± Ren suddenly exclaims after snapping out of some trance from receiving the bouquet of copied lilies. She gently sets it aside before turning to me. ¡°Knowing four Null Spells is one thing, but for you to know [Duplicate] should be impossible! That¡¯s a rare, personal Null Spell that I knew I was the only one that could do it! Nobody I knew heard of it before I told them, let alone do it! You didn¡¯t even know I had that Null Spell until I ¡­ told you. The same goes for [Portal], and then there was [Clean] that I just told you about moments ago.¡±

    ¡°Master ¡­ can you use any Null Spell once you know the name and how it works?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°I guess. I¡¯ve only figured it out myself during the battles last night after I experimented behind your backs. I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ we are supposed to report our activities with our clients to Mistress Carmen after our times are up, but unless they¡¯re planning something shady, she keeps everything discreet,¡± Erizora says.

    ¡°If it¡¯s something you have to do, it can¡¯t be helped, but still¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll do everything we can to bring this secret to our graves!¡± Ren exclaims. ¡°But if I may ask, are you¡ª!¡±

    Don don.

    Ren is interrupted by a few knocks on the door.

    ¡°I got it!¡± As if on instinct like a dog, Ren immediately went straight to the door and open it. I will the lily bouquet copies to disappear so there wouldn¡¯t be any suspicions, but I felt a little crushed to see Erizora deflated from seeing hers gone.

    ¡°Ah, good morning, Ren, I thought I¡¯d check in while passing by¡ªoh! I see you are awake and looking healthy ¡­ am I perhaps interrupting something?¡±

    Walking ¡­ or I should say ¡®slithering¡¯ into my room is a modestly dressed, mature-looking woman with long violet locks and matching scales that make up her snake body from the hips down. What also stands out are the pointy ears poking out of her hair, along with cyan eyes with pupils slit as a snake''s and maybe almost any other reptile. Her dress is simple with baggy long sleeves while it contorts around her waist and then drapes as a skirt. The gold trimmings and accessories, especially the circlet, adds a regal air to her appearance. Outside in the hallway, I see three more snake-women of differing colored hair and scales with surprisingly minimal clothing, but they¡¯re in a uniform-like design while their faces from the nose down are covered in a sort of veil that Arabian dancers would wear. Actually, I think the Lamias¡¯ fashion, in general, seems to be from Arabian descent.

    Noticing the names and bars above their heads thanks to my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill, I know the purple one in the room is the same Tephalia that Ren and Erizora mentioned, while the girls out in the hall go by Ashe, Pasesi, and Salelia

    ¡°Mr. Jinma Kotori, was it? I was filled in on the circumstances between you and your temporary slaves, so I provided you with this room to let you unwind when you woke up. I hope I¡¯m not intruding on something important,¡± Ms. Tephalia says.

    ¡°Ah, no, nothing like that was going on,¡± I say as I¡¯m sliding off the bed. ¡°And yes, I¡¯m Jinma Kotori, but just Jinma is fine.¡±

    ¡°A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Jinma. I am Tephalia, and though I wish we were in better circumstances, allow me to formally welcome you to the city of Dondegarm that I govern as its lord. I dropped in and see if you¡¯re well enough to join me for breakfast.¡±

    Gyuuuuuuuuun~.

    At the mentioning of ¡®breakfast,¡¯ not just my stomach, but Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s also growled, probably louder than mine, even. Their faces redden and hold they their stomachs in embarrassment.

    ¡°Breakfast sounds great. Can Ren and Erizora join us, too?¡±

    All the girls in the room, even Ren and Erizora, stare at me like I was speaking crazy.

    ¡°¡­ What? Did I say something strange?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Well ¡­ since they¡¯re currently under your supervision, I would normally agree and have them be treated as guests as long as you¡¯re fine with that, but there are some important matters regarding last night that we need to discuss in private over our meal.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. Can you at least make sure they¡¯re well fed?¡±

    Ms. Tephalia gives a gentle smile. ¡°I will certainly see to that.¡± She then slithers out to the hallway and discusses something to the other three girls who may be her handmaidens.

    I turn to Ren and Erizora. ¡°All right, you two, it looks like I¡¯ll be away for a bit. We¡¯ll regroup and continue where we left off later.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master,¡±¡± they answer before bowing.

 Chapter 19: Lamias can be Sly

    It looked like Ms. Pasesi was assigned to direct Ren and Erizora to the dining hall where they¡¯d have breakfast, while Ms. Tephalia and I went in another direction to have ours that her other servants will bring us. The other two handmaidens, Ms. Ashe, and Ms. Salelia, were for some reason, just following us from behind, and I¡¯m not sure if I was hearing things, but it sounded like they were whispering and giggling over something. I wasn¡¯t really interested in what they were talking about, but I was practically hypnotized by how all the Lamias naturally rock their hips while they slither forward. It must be how they were able to have such tight and well-toned stomachs. I get that strange stirring inside me again before I realized I was ogling at them, and then linked together the possibility that the two handmaidens were talking about me and my staring.

    ¡°Is something a matter, Jinma?¡± Ms. Tephalia asks as she slithers at my side while I just have a hand scratching my head.

    I try my best to make my eye-contact with the Lamia lord as gentle as possible. ¡°I ¡­ must apologize, Ms. Tephalia. A lot of stuff happened last night, and I know I caused quite a bit of damage to the city with that tanto, along with other things. I also couldn¡¯t stop it from taking some of your citizens¡¯ lives sooner. I¡¯ll take responsibility and do whatever I can to pay for the damages I caused to your city.

    ¡°Another thing is even when you¡¯ve generously provided a bed and hospitality to a human like me, who I must admit snuck into the city in the middle of the chaos last night, I ¡­ well, I¡¯ve heard many times how my ¡®stares¡¯ can make people uncomfortable even when I didn¡¯t intend them, or just staring rudely in general. I apologize in advance if I come off that way, and I hope you may forgive me for my rudeness while I try to adjust myself accordingly.¡±

    Ms. Tephalia seems to be taking a moment to absorb what I just said, but despite her surprise, she covers her giggles poorly. ¡°Goodness, you¡¯re much humbler and more of a gentleman now than when I saw you through Damian¡¯s eyes last night.¡±

    ¡°Damian?¡±

    ¡°My main snake familiar summoned from Curse Magic. He and a couple of his subordinates I also summoned to watch the city while I was gone relayed to me what they observed over the infiltration last night as I quickly made my way back. I made sure Damian kept a close eye on you, especially.¡±

    ¡°Ah, to keep track of the destruction I caused, huh?¡±

    ¡°Well, that, among other things. More importantly, however, there¡¯s no need to get so tense and self-conscious. Not only are you a guest, but you¡¯re also a renowned hero among the people in my city. Whether you¡¯re a human, demi, or demon, I want this city to be welcoming and thriving with wonders for travelers of all kinds, especially since we¡¯re the closest city to the border between the Human-Kin and Demon-Kin Territories.¡±

    I cringe a little when the word ¡®hero¡¯ was mentioned. It may be one thing if it was mentioned in fiction aimed at kids, but I never liked how it¡¯s used in the real world. I don¡¯t know why, I just get unsettling feelings from the word and who it describes, especially me.

    ¡°That¡¯s really cool and all, but I¡¯m not even close to what you may define as a ¡®hero.¡¯ If you¡¯ve observed last night through your familiars, then you should know that I pilfered the majority of what those cultists carried after beating them. I wouldn¡¯t exactly call that ¡®heroic.¡¯ What about you?¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ well, it¡¯s expected that one would experience a great loss, in one form or another, after losing a battle in these parts, but I think whether it¡¯s a good or bad thing, in general, depends on the circumstances. You may not have found those deeds heroic, but I think adding insult to injury towards enemies makes one bolder than most, and you certainly stood out in how you handled the infiltrators.¡±

    ¡°Still, I couldn¡¯t stop some of the citizens¡¯ lives from being taken ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, about that. While some were certainly mortally wounded, especially those from the cursed tanto, the Immortals¡¯ influence from the monument managed to stop them from going over the brink of death.¡±

    My eyes widen at her news.

    ¡°We thankfully have some people able to use Holy Magic to heal those who were wounded, and we Lamias have a history in specializing potions and other concoctions, so we have enough on reserve for any emergencies. The scars made from the tanto, unfortunately, won¡¯t fade away even with Holy Magic doing its work, but once they¡¯ve recovered their energies, they should be able to get back to their normal lives.¡±

    ¡°So, there were no casualties at all? What about the White Rapture?¡±

    ¡°Aside from those in the White Rapture and the monsters that invaded, there were no casualties whatsoever. Some of the cultists managed to escape, unfortunately, but we captured a good number of them, regardless.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡± I feel as if a great weight was lifted from my shoulders as I sigh inwardly. That¡¯s such a relief. When I get ahold of Ms. Obina again, I¡¯ll have to pay my proper respects if their monument played such a large part in their survival.

    I jump a little from the sudden pinching feeling on my shoulder and see that it¡¯s Ms. Tephalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Goodness, that weighed on your mind much heavier than I thought, did it? You¡¯re still tense, but I could see how much you relaxed just now after hearing the news. You really cared and brooded over us, did you?¡±

    ¡°I mean ¡­ there are still things weighing in my mind, like the damage I caused to the city.¡± Plus, what am I to do with Ren and Erizora for the next 36 hours, that foreboding nightmare I had last night, and these so-called ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ I somehow have. Oh, and of course the fact that I actually killed someone for the first time, let alone seven, if I remember correctly. I still can¡¯t believe that happened and I did all of that. It felt like I wasn¡¯t even in control of myself.

    ¡°We can worry about that later. For now, you¡¯re our honorary guest hungry for breakfast, and we must provide the best hospitality for you to unwind. Isn¡¯t that right, girls?¡±

    ¡°¡°Oh, yes~!/Certainly~!¡±¡± the two handmaidens behind us exclaim before giggling. I can¡¯t see their mouths with the veils, but their eyes seem to smile with certain mischief. It¡¯s when I see their eyes that something hits me, and when I glance at Ms. Tephalia¡¯s, hers are the same.

    I¡¯ve become so familiar with people back home being scared and frightened of me that I could tell just from looking into one¡¯s eyes. If I don¡¯t see that, then I can bet that there¡¯s something else going on in their minds, and unless it¡¯s from one of my only two friends from school or Mom¡¯s acquaintances back home, it usually doesn¡¯t mean anything good.

    My suspicions may have been confirmed by the time we arrived at the designated room. While there are shelves of books to indicate it as a study, the exotic lounge couch, chair, coffee table with a lidded platter in the middle, and even a bed bigger than mine that I realized was more than a king-size give this incredibly spacious, royal room a personal, intimate vibe.

    Can this be ¡­

    ¡°Welcome, to my personal chambers, Jinma,¡± Ms. Tephalia greets with a gentle, but sneaky smirk.

    ¡­ Yep, this is her bedroom all right. I¡¯m suddenly feeling like being back in that guest room with Ren and Erizora doing who-knows-what to be a much more pleasant option than whatever what I¡¯m about to experience here.

    Just as I¡¯m thinking what I¡¯ve gotten myself into, a familiar, slightly annoying female voice rings in my head.

    <¡°Jinma?! Is that you?! Hey! It¡¯s me! The cursed tanto from last night! Get me out of this damn platter!¡±>

    ¡­ Well, at least I¡¯m not alone.

 Chapter 20: A Foreboding Feeling

    It took Ren and Erizora a couple minutes to be led to the dining hall where they would have their breakfast. Unfortunately, since Erizora was too big to fit into one of the chairs, they provided her a cushion to sit on with her knees. As soon as Pasesi made sure they were comfortable, she went right off to the kitchen to direct the cooks into preparing food for them.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t turning out as bad as we expected things to be, isn¡¯t it, Ren?¡± Erizora asks. ¡°We were warned we might lose our lives, let alone our chastity if we get near Master the way he is, but aside from the chest grab I forced him to do on me, he hasn¡¯t harmed a single hair out of us. Heck, aside from being unable to lie, he even let us have full control of ourselves.¡±

    Indeed, these slaves and their merchant, Carmen, were filled in on the cursed weapon¡¯s powers and side-effects by Tephalia. Even if just being near Jinma in this state could be signing a death wish, Ren and Erizora¡¯s will to repay his debt overpowered whatever fears or doubts they had. Besides, if they weren¡¯t around, there¡¯s a possibility that Jinma could kill someone else due to the curse¡¯s side-effects. Having even one of Tephalia¡¯s citizens to be killed under these circumstances, she couldn¡¯t have that.

    And so, without Jinma¡¯s knowing, Tephalia and Carmen settled on a deal in private on what the slaves should do with him when he wakes up. Even when they¡¯ll be under his supervision for 36 hours, they¡¯re still technically in Carmen¡¯s legal ownership, her ¡®property¡¯ in a sense, until they¡¯re officially redeemed to a new master. Should anything happen to either or both of them, Tephalia would have to pay hefty collateral that would result in quite a dent to her city¡¯s economy. This is the condition Jinma wasn¡¯t aware of when mentioned in the letter that he could do ¡®whatever he wanted with them.¡¯ Not even the sky¡¯s the limit to what could be accomplished, immoral, or otherwise.

    It could be better and quicker for her to just off Jinma then while he¡¯s still unconscious to be safe, but the tanto¡¯s actions are partially her responsibility for the role she plays with it along with being Dondegarm¡¯s lord, and she¡¯s one who¡¯d rather not let those who fell victim to the curse, be they the assaulted or the possessed, suffer any further than they already have. This is especially so for Jinma, who played the biggest role in saving her city with that very cursed weapon, something that she thought would never happen.

    That, and he has caught her attention in more ways than one.

    And so, by the time the deal was made and the letter was handed to the slaves, they were also given these instructions when Jinma wakes up in the guest room:

    <ul>

    <li>Be prepared for anything and keep Jinma busy with whatever orders he enacts until Tephalia checks in.</li>

    <li>Do not mention anything about the side-effects if he asks.</li>

    <li>Should he show any signs, pull the chord to notify the service staff.</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°¡®Hold out for as long as you can, and the city of Dondegarm are in your debts. I will take care of everything else from there.¡¯ That¡¯s what Lady Tephalia said. Even though I was ready to put my life that Master saved in his hands to do with as he pleased, I never would¡¯ve thought things would turn out this way,¡± Ren says. She then puts a hand to her bosom and looks down. ¡°He must¡¯ve sensed how on edge we were back there, and so he did so much just to calm us down when it should¡¯ve been the other way around, especially with how tense he looked when he woke up. We¡¯ve seen how brutal Master¡¯s battle tactics were from last night, but ¡­ he seems far kinder than he appears when he¡¯s not in a fight.¡±

    ¡°Being in the presence of such power last night, I lost count in how many times he got me in an ¡®accident¡¯ with my underwear, but it was so breathtaking the way he handled those guys, I lost my sense of shame at that point. I was ready as you were to put my body on the line for his aggressive pleasures. Perhaps a little too excited for it, I must admit. I¡¯m not sure if I should be disappointed that didn¡¯t happen, but ¡­ for a brief moment, I felt as if he really saw and treated me like a regular girl despite my beefy body. And those bouquets he pulled from out of nowhere, even if they couldn¡¯t stay around for very long, is it weird that I felt so happy he did that?¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Ren shakes her head to Erizora¡¯s question. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I felt the same way, too. He shows as someone to be depended on, knows right from wrong, strong in body and mind, generally kind to everyone no matter their race¡­ if he fits everything in my criterion, would he ¡­¡± she trails off while staring into space.

    ¡°Ren? You feeling okay?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°Eh? Oh, yeah. I¡¯m gonna smell the flowers for a little bit ¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay, hurry back.¡±

    Ren then gets off her seat and leaves the dining hall. It takes her a bit to get to the toilets as she had to step out of the manor and head to a separate building where the Lamia servants do their preparations for the day.

    ¡°I feel like I might fall in if I¡¯m not careful ¡­¡± she mutters to herself before doing her business on the larger than normal toilet stall and thinks. Come to think of it, Master wasn¡¯t very enthused about the idea of having Eri and I serving him for the day. It may be my first time doing the Gold-Level service, but from what the other girls told me, they get right to business when they get to a room. Master on the other hand ¡­ looked like he was holding back, or was he just too tired after everything last night? From how he woke up this morning, it sounds like he was anxious, or even scared of something happening if whatever dream he had overnight got him screaming. He said it wasn¡¯t us, but was he just being nice? What if he¡¯s not into having those relations with girls outside of his race? Being master and servant, let alone friends is one thing, but romance and mating is a whole other level.

    He almost fits everything in my criterion, but if he doesn¡¯t feel that way towards me ¡­ somehow, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d live with myself.

    ¡°Is it true that human who¡¯s sleeping in the manor really wielded the cursed tanto without getting possessed?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. I was there, and he was relentless with the White Rapture and Bear Moles that went after him.¡±

    Ren¡¯s uneasy thoughts make an abrupt stop when she hears two girls discussing last night¡¯s events involving Jinma. She quickly activates her ¡®Stealth¡¯ skill and holds still in the stall she¡¯s occupying.

    ¡°Won¡¯t Lady Tephalia be in danger if she¡¯s in the same room as him though? Don¡¯t those who¡¯ve previously held the tanto get dangerous side-effects from the curse even if they¡¯re separated?¡±

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, yes, and it gets ugly really fast. Apparently, Lady Tephalia and those before her have dealt with this situation a few times.¡±

    ¡°Have they cured them?¡±

    ¡°If there was any cure that was successful, I¡¯d have heard it. All I know is when those who were previously possessed get too hard to control under the curse¡¯s side-effects, they¡¯ve had to put them down once they¡¯re restrained.¡±

    ¡°You mean ¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re blessed to have the history of poisons and drugs our ancestors created, with one of them bringing people into a painless, calming death once injected.¡±

    Ren gasps and covers her mouth, recalling the last words Tephalia said to her and Erizora from last night.

    ¡°I will take care of everything else from there.¡±

    Is she ¡­ going to kill Master?

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but it¡¯s better this way than leaving them alone restrained. I heard they wind up dying the following day due to some strange internal blood loss if they¡¯re left to their own devices. I can¡¯t imagine how painful that would be compared to just injecting poison with a needle.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so sad ¡­¡±

    Master, no ¡­ Ren thinks as her eyes well up.

    ¡°Shame too for the human who¡¯s with Lady Tephalia right now. Looking past how ruthless he was dealing with the White Rupture and the monsters, I thought he was kind of good-looking.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°He even saved Ashe and Salelia who¡¯re tending to him and Lady Tephalia right now. If they thought bearing his children was a good idea, I would give it a shot myself.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ hey, how does Lady Tephalia not get possessed if she needed to confiscate the tanto?¡±

    ¡°She has a special glove made of charms to prevent the tanto¡¯s curse from reaching her. I¡¯m sure she has it with her at all times.¡±

    ¡°Ah, okay then. There¡¯s certainly a lot that goes on in this city, is there?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a wonder how we made it to this point ¡­¡± The two Lamia servants slither out of the lavatories and went back to their businesses, leaving Ren who¡¯s still in her stall.

    ¡°¡­ No, it can¡¯t be. Master can¡¯t die yet! I won¡¯t let him! Not at least until I know what his true feelings are!¡±

 Chapter 21: A Lascivious Welcome

    <¡°Seriously! Get me out of this platter! I¡¯ve been dying of boredom since you blacked out last night!¡±> the girl in the tanto exclaims in my head.

    ¡°Girls, help this gentleman to his seat,¡± Ms. Tephalia orders her handmaidens.

    ¡°Yes, Milady.¡±

    ¡°Right this way, Mr. Kotori,¡± Ms. Ashe and Ms. Salelia say respectively before grabbing my hands.

    ¡°Uh, I can sit by myself¡ªwhoa you¡¯re stronger than you look!¡± I exclaim as I realize they¡¯re wrapping their snake bodies around my arms to lift me from the floor and gently sit me on the lounge couch at the center. The handmaidens giggle as they snuggle close at each of my sides, getting aggressive with their affections as they press their perky breasts on my arms. From my previous experiences with Komi, I thought I¡¯ve grown used to this ¡®attention,¡¯ but it¡¯s been so long since that time, having it done again with two girls on both sides instead of one, and being Lamia handmaidens on top of that, I was getting quickly overwhelmed.

    <¡°¡­ On second thought, take your time in getting me out. It¡¯s been some time since I got to watch something interesting,¡±> the tanto girl says before I get that familiar stirring in my core.

    Crap! There it is again! Why am I getting like this just from these touches?!

    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to two of my finest attendants, Ashe and Salelia. They¡¯ve been very eager to speak with you since they got here,¡± Ms. Tephalia says.

    ¡°They ¡­ have?¡±

    ¡°Make yourself at home and mingle while I change into something more comfortable,¡± she says as she slithers over to a walk-in closet and out of my sights.

    ¡°Hii~! Call me Ashe!¡±

    ¡°And I, Salelia.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Nice to meet you.¡± I try to not mind the stirring in my core by keeping the memory of the handmaidens¡¯ names and profiles¡ªthough, thanks to my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill, I could just look at the names above their heads if I ever forget anyway. Ashe¡¯s on my left with twin-tailed hair and scales red as rust. She looks young, likely in her late teens, but her bright and bubbly demeanor that one could get from her voice alone gives her more of a youthful vibe that could liven up the energy of any place she could go to. It matches her modest, yet perky chest in wrappings that she presses into my arm. Salelia¡¯s to my right with greenish-blue scales and cerulean hair tied in a braided ponytail. She¡¯s calmer, cooler, and looks dependable like an older sister looking after her siblings, but she¡¯s showing more sensual affection by not just trapping my other arm in her large breasts, but also using her hand to rub and draw figures over the chest of my shirt.

    While I really am trying to occupy my mind remembering their names, noticing their sensual advances makes holding back these urges harder.

    ¡°You were probably too occupied to remember us, but you saved our lives during the infiltration last night,¡± Salelia says.

    ¡°Yeah! The way you used your Fire Magic on that axe guy was awesome!¡± Ashe adds.

    Two Lamias threatened by a cultist with an axe, using Fire Magic to stop him ¡­ ¡°Oh, yeah, I remember now. Wasn¡¯t there a Centaur protecting you before I got there, though?¡±

    ¡°You mean Shane? He didn¡¯t fight back much before you got there.¡±

    ¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t used to fighting, you gotta commend him for his bravery, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Shane was nice, but you were much more incredible. Not only did you stop him, but you even went as far as breaking his fingers as punishment.¡± Salelia moves into my ear. ¡°It was so bold, I thought the fires got on me for how hot I felt,¡± she whispers seductively.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡­ I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re just sucking up to me or what, but Mr. Shane, please forgive me for stealing your thunder. Your guts will be remembered in my book.

    ¡°And ¡­ you looked really cool without your shirt on,¡± Ashe says before fidgeting in her seat with a reddened face. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much to ask ¡­ can I see it again?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t want to look rude towards Ms. Tephalia.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t fret yourself on my account.¡±

    I thought my eyes might pop out of my skull when I saw Ms. Tephalia come back in the room. Instead of the modest dress that covered most of her torso, she¡¯s wearing an exotic outfit like a belly dancer¡¯s, showing so much skin that would make one question if it¡¯s actually lingerie. Her voluptuous chest, the largest in the room no doubt, looks like it would burst out of her bra-like top at any moment; her abdominals tight and sculpted like marble; and finally, the loincloth-like bottoms tied by string sits so low on her waist that her womanhood would be revealed by a slight tug down. Even when she¡¯s making her way to her seat, her bottoms were low enough from behind that I could see some of her peach-like butt cheeks, revealing just how much her ¡®human half¡¯ is there before shifting over to a snake¡¯s. She takes her time getting to her seat with her eyes on me with a smile as if she was expecting me to drink in every ounce of the sight that is her mature body. She finally sits in front of me with grace and whatever modesty she has left like a noblewoman.

    <¡°Whoa~ Momma!¡±>

    The tanto girl¡¯s statement couldn¡¯t reflect my feelings any more than they do right now.

    ¡°On the contrary, Jinma, I would like to see your battle-sculpted body under this lighting, if you¡¯re comfortable with it, of course.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I do feel a bit stuffy.¡± I¡¯m about to reach the hems of my shirt and pull it up before the handmaidens stop me.

    ¡°Please, allow us~,¡± Salelia says as she pulls my shirt up while Ashe holds my arms vertically.

    ¡°Aaah~! It looks even better up close and personal!¡± Ashe squeals and claps her hands by the time Salelia removes my shirt and tosses it to the floor.

    I think I just made this worse on myself. God, calm the fuck down. Though they¡¯re really pushing the boundaries, they¡¯re just egging you on as Komi did before. You shouldn¡¯t be getting so heated up over this, so why am I finding it harder to keep myself from having my way with these girls?!

    <¡°Hm? You¡¯re getting turned on out of your own control? Wonder if that¡¯s the side-effects kicking in?¡±>

    ¡°W-What side-effects?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Did you say something?¡± Ms. Tephalia says.

    ¡°O-Oh, just muttering to myself ¡­ side-effects of a cold if I catch it from not wearing a shirt somehow.¡±

    ¡°Ah, then our breakfast will warm you right up very soon.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime~, we can keep your body warm~.¡±

    ¡°So hard~, and scars can be so sexy on a human man~,¡± Salelia and Ashe say respectively before giggling and really pressing themselves on me this time, not only feeling up my stomach and chest, but their snake bodies coil around each of my legs just tight enough to make me immobile, yet give such sensual feelings.

    Trying to keep your whole body from trembling is like suddenly being put underground and holding your breath for as long as you can. That¡¯s what I¡¯m feeling right now as I try to contract and tighten every muscle in my body and keep itself from doing any sudden movements.

    Tanto Girl, quick, what are these side-effects you¡¯re talking about?!

    <¡°Ah, well, when those who¡¯ve previously held this blade got possessed and suddenly get separated from it, the curse leaves side-effects that vary from person to person. From what I recall, they were mainly going into unreasonable madness, violent cravings of power and dominance, and/or constant sexual excitement, all of which resulting in rising blood pressure in the vessels to the point of rupture and they die.¡±>

    Oh, god ¡­ and this is not helping if I have the third case.

    <¡°Until you find a way to let off all that steam and calm your body down within a day, that will be your demise. Getting in the sack with a woman is usually the best way to remedy this.¡±>

    Seriously? How did they come across that ¡®cure?¡¯

    <¡°One human male who wielded and dropped me before was so pent up with lust that he overpowered the first woman he saw, I think she was even his sister. He gained his senses after that, but neither of them didn¡¯t get off so easily in the end. The other guys afterward were like that, too.¡±>

    I¡¯m not gonna rape a woman just to save my hide! Wait! I got it!

    ¡°Jinma, are you listening¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Ms. Tephalia, but is there a toilet near here?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Behind that door?¡± She points to the door near one of the bookshelves at the corner of the room.

    ¡°Nature¡¯s calling, be right back.¡± I practically jump out of the handmaidens¡¯ holds and over the couch, picking up my shirt along the way before sprinting to the toilet and shutting the door behind me.

    <¡°It¡¯s gonna take more than a few jack-offs to relieve the sexual excitement!¡±>

    Shut up!

 Chapter 22: A [Suspicious] Breakfast with a Lord

    I apparently couldn¡¯t get ¡®it¡¯ down until after four rounds before I could actually do nature¡¯s business. I didn¡¯t realize until then, but even back home, I didn¡¯t really relieve myself for quite a while. Sure, I had a lot of emotional stuff going on to not really get in the mood, but still. My heart¡¯s still going at a concerningly fast pace, but I¡¯m able to think straight for now.

    <¡°Being able to wield me without getting possessed, and then handling your libido like this. If you didn¡¯t look like such a mess of a virgin right now, I¡¯d be impressed, especially with how much you got in that ¡®snake¡¯ of yours,¡±> the tanto girl says as I wash my hands and face with cold water.

    Shut it. It¡¯s bad enough that I¡¯m terrified of what I might do right now, I don¡¯t need some bitch talking down on my virginity.

    <¡°Wait, you really are a virgin?! How old are you?!¡±>

    22.

    <¡°How have you lived with yourself to this point?!¡±>

    I was kept busy with my jobs and fights back home, and I didn¡¯t have much time of leisure to worry about romance. I had problems with girls anyway, so I¡¯ve never played the dating game, okay? Laugh at me if you want, I¡¯ve numbed myself from the derogatoriness.

    <¡°¡­¡±>

    I¡¯m just gonna get through this breakfast, get what needs to be discussed out of the way, regroup with Ren and Erizora, and then figure out how I can save myself without getting any innocent girls involved.

    <¡°For the record, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call those body-warming handmaidens ¡®innocent,¡¯ but all right, I¡¯ll be curious to see what you can come up with.¡±>

    After taking a few deep breaths and drying off, I put my shirt back on and went back to the room on the couch where Ashe and Salelia kept my spot open. On the table next to the lidded platter is a large plate of a freshly cooked breakfast with eggs, bread, some fruit, and a cup of tea. There¡¯s also a pitcher of water and two empty glasses.

    ¡°There you are. Are you feeling all right, Jinma? You¡¯ve been in there for a while,¡± Ms. Tephalia says with her own plate of breakfast in her hands.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, had to take a load off before I could relax. Sorry for worrying you, but you might want to clear some space.¡± Not the most attractive thing anyone could say, I know, but with the handmaidens complying and sidling to the ends of the couch, I could at least have some breathing space with this. I take the pitcher and pour water into the glass.

    ¡°Oh, I could¡¯ve¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ashe, I got it. Thanks,¡± I interrupt her before taking a nice chug and sit down before picking up my plate. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two going to eat, though?¡±

    ¡°We already ate,¡± Salelia answers.

    ¡°All right, then. Now, I appreciate the warm and generous hospitality you and your attendants have provided, Ms. Tephalia, and I¡¯d love to relax and chat, but I remembered while I was in there that I have many things to take care of today, so if we could speed this along and get what needs to be discussed settled, I¡¯ll take Ren and Erizora and be on my way.¡± I then take my plate and practically inhale its contents without even savoring its tastes.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s the rush?¡±

    ¡°Is there someplace you need to be?¡± Salelia and Ashe ask respectively.

    ¡°Shumhig lah dah,¡± I answer with my mouth full.

    Again, not the most attractive sight to see, but also in my favor to keep the girls from their distance, and it¡¯s true I need to be at a place ¡­ as far away from here as possible for their safety.

    ¡°¡­ The tanto¡¯s curse did do something to you, did it?¡± Ms. Tephalia suddenly asks, her calm regal air from before now turning serious, which I admit is quite impressive to pull off with the getup she¡¯s wearing. ¡°That¡¯s actually part of what I want to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡­ Gokun.

    Feeling like my cover¡¯s blown, I subconsciously take a loud, hefty gulp of whatever food I had in my mouth.

    Crap!

    <¡°Well now, didn¡¯t take long for her to catch on, did it?¡±> the tanto girl says in my head.

    ¡°R-Really? How so? Not that there¡¯s anything wrong with me, nothing serious for that matter,¡± I say as I set the now empty plate down. The handmaidens¡¯ eyes widen from how quickly I got through it all.

    As much as I¡¯d rather savor my food, I learned how to really eat quickly to make deadlines back home. Glad this helped in this situation as it¡¯s sort of an emergency.

    ¡°So, there is something,¡± Ms. Tephalia presses.

    ¡°As I said before, nothing serious. Nothing, it¡¯s even a little ridiculous and stupid, not worth mentioning at all.¡±

    ¡°Even so, precautionary measures are needed to be taken. Girls.¡±

    ¡°W-Whoa! Hold up!¡±

    At Ms. Tephalia¡¯s command, my arms are suddenly coiled and held over my head by Salelia¡¯s snake body, while Ashe¡¯s bound my legs.

    <¡°Well, this escalated quickly.¡±>

    Ms. Tephalia sets her plate down, then moves the coffee table to the side with ease thanks to her own violet snake body before approaching me. ¡°Along with being the lord of Dondegarm, I and those before me in my bloodline have served as guardians of sorts to keep the cursed tanto sealed away. We¡¯re aware of some of the side-effects the curse brought to its previous holders, and believe me when I say that I was very hesitant in letting your slaves stay by your side for protection. Even when I tried to reason with them, they were stubborn, and their slave merchant, whether by boldness or foolishness, I¡¯m not sure, wanted to honor their wishes.¡±

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    They ¡­ wanted to be with me that much, even after knowing the dangers?

    ¡°Honestly, you surprised me the most when I found those slaves unharmed. After hearing what Ashe and Salelia said about you when they felt you up, I¡¯m impressed you managed you kept in control for this long despite your fast heart rate.¡±

    Wait, is that what they were feeling me up for?! Couldn¡¯t they have mistaken that for me being really nervous around them partially naked?! Because I was!

    <¡°I¡¯ve seen enough back in my days to know that virgins can almost always be quite anxious at their first times. It was always quite adorable, really shows how much of a sweetheart they were, like you!¡±>

    Don¡¯t patronize me at a time like this!

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, really. I wanted you to relax a little so we could talk, but since you¡¯re so in a rush to get down to business, there¡¯s no helping it, I suppose.¡± Ms. Tephalia then puts her hands on my shoulders and starts coiling her snake body around my human one, from my hips to my feet, taking Ashe¡¯s place before she presses her voluptuous chest on me. They weren¡¯t as big as Erizora¡¯s, maybe around Ms. Obina¡¯s size from what I remember of her appearance, but they were big with a soft, yet firm enough texture that could make any guy melt if they¡¯re making contact with them like I am.

    I wonder my heart¡¯s getting ready to explode from how fast it¡¯s going as Ms. Tephalia moves into my ear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance, Jinma Kotori. Tell me what it is you¡¯re holding back, and I might let you live for a little longer. I only want what¡¯s best for you and my citizens ¡­ hm?¡±

    Ms. Tephalia pulls back and strokes a hand down her hips, then patting mine before looking down. ¡°Is there ¡­ something hard poking me down there?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t see anything sticking out from anywhere,¡± Ashe says as she searches us with her eyes.

    ¡°For the record, his arms suddenly got a lot more difficult to keep restrained. I think I could use some help here,¡± Salelia says.

    Oh ¡­ fuck. I couldn¡¯t bear to look at what¡¯s going on, so I tightly closed my eyes.

    I could feel Ms. Tephalia pulling back further and reaching down to the ¡®hardness¡¯ between us. A shiver runs down my spine when she touches it, and from how much contact we were making, I¡¯m sure she felt it as well. ¡°Jinma, are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry but I¡¯ve been so fucking horny since I woke up that I think I¡¯m going insane! My mind raced with thoughts of how I should have my way with you and the other girls just from looking at you all every second! Ever since Erizora forced my hand into fondling her chest, I thought I was going to lose it every other minute! The same thing for how Ashe and Salelia were feeling me up, but they were just playing me while doing their ¡®jobs,¡¯ were they?! Would anyone blame a stupid virgin like me getting so flustered over that?! Yeah! A scary tough demon-eyed bastard in his early 20¡¯s like me never got with a girl! Laugh it all up! I¡¯m ashamed enough as I am having such despicable thoughts of ravaging beautiful girls against their wills like you all! Not even death does me enough punishment for what I deserve! Do what you will, just please make these shameful urges stop¡ªmmph?!¡±

    I jolt my eyes open when I feel something press against my lips, only to see Ms. Tephalia¡¯s closed while we¡¯re close enough for our noses to touch.

    I realize then that we¡¯re currently kissing.

    Gokun.

    The shock makes me gulp a large quantity of strange, tasteless fluids that went down my gullet before I feel something unusual invading the insides of my mouth. It scours everywhere inside, paying special attention to my tongue, and more fluids that were different from the first batch went down my throat.

    <¡°Daaaaamn~. I heard the stories, but Lamia tongues are more impressive than I thought when it comes to kissing.¡±>

    This is Ms. Tephalia¡¯s tongue?!

    As if answering the scream in my head, Ms. Tephalia pulls back from her kiss, along with her tongue that¡¯s coated with our saliva, revealing to be at least a whopping 15 centimeters [~half a foot], from the tip to her lips that are formed in a smile. Her cheeks are still tinted red from earlier, too.

    Did I ¡­ seriously lose my first kiss from that?

    <¡°Seriously?! Dude, how big is your cherry that we¡¯re working to pop here?!¡±>

    Ms. Tephalia giggles before pulling her tongue back in her mouth, her lips and eyes smile with a sort of glint.

    ¡°If you¡¯re fine with an old lady like me, I¡¯ll be sure to take good care of you on your first time when you wake up.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Huh? Wake up? But I don¡¯t feel tired?¡±

    The three Lamias stay in place with widened eyes when they realized how much time has passed.

    ¡°Um ¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I asked them to bring the right ¡®stuff,¡¯ did I?¡± Ms. Tephalia asks.

    ¡°I saw it!¡±

    ¡°They even said they¡¯d give you one potent enough to put a Minotaur to sleep, and he inhaled the whole thing,¡± Ashe and Salelia say respectively.

    Wait, was there something in my breakfast?

    <¡°Oh, yeah, apparently she put some sleeping drug in it for safety measures in case something goes awry. It¡¯s supposedly pretty potent and fast-acting.¡±>

    And you didn¡¯t bring this up to me because ¡­?

    <¡°Hey, I was busy talking with you in the toilet. I can only be aware of so much in my surroundings, you know? And I was more interested in how this would develop.¡±>

    ¡°Well ¡­ do you feel any different at all? Any place tingling?¡± Ms. Tephalia asks.

    ¡°Other than how my dick is rock hard and my urges to have my way with you grew from that kiss, no.¡± That, as well as my anger from whatever bullshit she¡¯s trying to pull. Whether that¡¯s the curse¡¯s influence at work or not can be debated.

    Tephalia¡¯s face pales. ¡°You ¡­ wouldn¡¯t happen to have the ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ skill, would you?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ level 7, if you¡¯re wondering¡ª¡±

    [You have now reached ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ LV 8!]

    ¡°¡­ Scratch that, it leveled up to 8 just now,¡± I say after skimming through the notice screen that appeared between us.

    ¡°¡°Level 8?!¡±¡±

    KSHAAA!

    Suddenly, the door crashing down give the three Lamias a jump in fright.

    ¡°Let our master go!¡±

    ¡°Ren?!¡±

    From the veil of dust clouds, Ren jumps out and into the room before throwing sand at the Lamias.

    Zasha! Zasha!

    ¡°Augh! My eyes!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±

    Within the confusion, Tephalia loosens her grip enough to drop me.

    ¡°Get away from him!¡±

    Don!

    ¡°Glk!¡±

    Kshaaa!

    Erizora then jumps out of the dust cloud and charges right at Tephalia¡¯s side, tackling her hard enough to crash the coffee table into many pieces, as well as the tableware that flew from it.

    In slow motion, I could see the tanto and a glove with peculiar marks launch out of the platter and into the air. As if by some force, my hand is pulled towards the cursed weapon.

    ¡°You buffoon of a slave! You dare attack our lord?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that!¡±

    ¡°Big talk for someone trying to kill the very person who saved their fucking lives!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the buffoons if you think you can get away with that!¡±

    ¡°ENOUGH!¡±

    Shing!

    At my yell, I grab and pull the tanto out of its sheath before tapping into its powers with my magic.

    ¡°¡°Gyaaaugh!¡±¡±

    Purplish-black tendrils sprout from every shadow in the room, ensnaring all the girls, including Ren and Erizora. They¡¯re held aloft in the air with their arms, legs, and snake bodies bound by the vines of darkness while many more still wriggle about.

    ¡°Somebody¡¯s going to tell me what the fuck is going on, or every girl in this room will experience the most violent tentacle play that no Japanese person would ever want to experience or see, and believe me, I will not be able to hold back once I snap!¡±

    <¡°I¡¯m all for the tentacle play!¡±>

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a ¡®Japanese¡¯ is, but that sounds very unpleasant!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°T-Tentacle play ¡­¡±

    ¡°Eri, for the Immortals¡¯ sake, wipe that look off your face! This is not the time for you to fall into your delusions!¡±

 Chapter 23: The Lamia Lords Motives

    ¡°O-Okay! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk!¡± Tephalia exclaims before taking a breath to compose herself. She looks at me with a serious expression. ¡°Though I¡¯ve observed how you managed to wield the cursed tanto without getting possessed last night, please understand that this has never happened before, especially by a human who bears the ¡®Devil Eyes.¡¯ Previous holders who¡¯ve been possessed in the past exhibited violent outrages, going into madness, or extreme arousal that leads them to ravage the one nearest to them that seems even slightly sexually attractive, whether they be of another race or not. These go on until they let out all of their steam, and even if they were restrained, they die a day later. This is from internal blood loss due to the bursting blood vessels from the rising blood pressure and heart rate.

    ¡°I warned the slaves here that they¡¯d possibly lose their lives if they were near you, but they wouldn¡¯t have any of it, and so with their merchant¡¯s permission and contract we signed on, should anything happen to them, they would serve as sacrifices to appease your urges and I would pay for collateral. I didn¡¯t want anyone to lose their lives for something like this, but I was left with little options at the last minute. I didn¡¯t think no harm would even be brought to them like they were when I found you, and so you piqued my interest, but I still wanted to play safe. So, when I ordered breakfast, I asked for our most potent sleeping poison on the side to spike your food with just in case you showed suspicious behavior, as well as one other ¡­ the one I put into you through the mouth with my own.¡± Tephalia averts her gaze with tinted cheeks during her pause.

    ¡°M-Mouth to mouth, you mean ¡­¡±

    ¡°K-K-Kissing?¡± Erizora and Ren ask respectively before their faces turn red.

    ¡°¡­ Okay, I admit suddenly going to the toilet and staying there for a long time might count as suspicious, which is around the time the food came in and you spiked mine with the sleeping poison, but what was that other one?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It¡¯s a special one that relaxes all the muscles in your body to the point of numbness as well as reducing the heart rate and blood pressure, a poison specifically designed to counteract the curse¡¯s side-effects on the tanto¡¯s previous holders. It¡¯s only temporary while still in its experimental stages, and we haven¡¯t even tested it to whether it will make the curse¡¯s side-effects disappear. I thought that when the numbing poison takes effect while the sleeping one does you in, you might have time and space with a clearer mind to think about my offer after both of them wear off and we talk some more ¡­ whether or not the curse¡¯s side-effects have disappeared by then.¡±

    ¡°You mean ¡­ about you being my ¡®first.¡¯¡±

    Tephalia nods her head.

    ¡°W-Wait, first what? What is she talking about?!¡± Erizora exclaims.

    ¡°Why, exactly what you¡¯re thinking, of course~.¡±

    ¡°It should a great honor for him, you know? For Lady Tephalia to be his primary wife,¡± Ashe and Salelia say respectively.

    ¡°¡°What?!¡±¡± Erizora and Ren exclaim.

    ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t thinking that far ahead! Don¡¯t make this any more complicated than it already is!¡± Tephalia exclaims while flustered.

    Despite how shocked I am and how much I wanted to ravage her right now, I still desperately try to maintain my clarity of mind. ¡°But wait, you said the numbing poison might not stop the curse¡¯s side-effects, that would still put you in danger the most if you were near me while I wake up. Why would you, the lord of this city, go out of your way to take that risk?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s my fault that I jumped to conclusions about your ¡®suspicious behaviors.¡¯ I didn¡¯t realize how much you were suffering until you confessed. Opening your heart like that, revealing such concerns that affect us, seeing us as ¡®beautiful women¡¯ and not just ¡®those of another race,¡¯ it moved me. Whether or not you wanted to take things further with us, I needed to take responsibility for my miscalculated judgment while showing my gratitude to you for saving my city, and ¡­ well, you¡¯re pretty much my type. Your level of ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ was also something I¡¯m most impressed with as my grandmother was at that same level. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d mind getting a little roughed up if it¡¯s with someone of your caliber, Jinma.¡± Despite being aloft in the air, she manages to look up at me with a blushing smile.

    ¡°¡°Aaaaah! Lady Tephaliaaa!¡±¡± the handmaidens squealed.

    I¡¯m ¡­ so confused.

    <¡°She wants to be your girl! What¡¯s not there to get?!¡±> the tanto girl exclaims in my head.

    I just ¡­ I can¡¯t think like this. My mind is overwhelmed with images of me and Tephalia doing lewd things together. More of them appear as I glance at the other girls.

    Aaugh! I can¡¯t do it! Not like this!

    ¡°Master?! Are you all right?!¡± Ren exclaims as I hold a hand to my head. I¡¯m panting heavily and feeling very hot.

    ¡°¡­ Tephalia, you think having sex will relieve the curse¡¯s effects, but I just need to blow off steam, right?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°M-More or less, yes.¡±

    Trying to do the best I can, I recall all the places I¡¯ve been to so far since coming to this world until one image jumps out at me. ¡°In that case ¡­ I¡¯ll be borrowing this for a while. [Portal]!¡±

    With the tanto and its sheath in my hands, I open up a hole in space and deactivate the Darkness Manipulation magic. The girls who were held aloft by them drop abruptly before I jump through the hole.

    ¡°¡°Master!¡±¡±

    ¡°Jinma?!¡±

    I hear the girls scream behind me before I close the hole. I find myself in front of a familiar cave, the same one I came out of just yesterday after killing that Toxic Troll.

    <¡°What the hell?! She was totally giving you a booty call! You could¡¯ve picked it up!¡±> the tanto girl exclaims in my head while I suddenly make a sprint in a random direction, leading to a steep hill that I climb. Many trees in the dense forestry pass by me as I make a run for it, hurdling over the occasional rock or bush in between.

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    ¡°I don¡¯t want to just jump right into it like a wild animal! I want to be a man who can hold his spoken word when everything¡¯s put on the table, and I can¡¯t do that while I¡¯m in some kind of fucking heat like a raging horndog!¡±

    <¡°So, what are you going to do? Just seeing you bail out like that, I¡¯m seriously turned off right now.¡±>

    ¡°I just need to let out my steam, right? Don¡¯t you think it would benefit you more if I got you in on the action? Remember the fun we had last night?¡±

    <¡°?!¡±>

    Finally, after about a few minutes of sprinting up the large hill through the dense forest, I come out of it and into a large clearing, a field of wide-open plains where I could see mountains in the distance, as well as what appears to be the silhouette of a castle that my eyes could barely make out from so far away. Looking down to another direction, I could see the large city viewed from above is Dondegarm. The layout looks more urban than what I¡¯d expect in a medieval fantasy-like world as it consists of a bunch of large buildings spread over a wide area. A few of the biggest ones I could guess to be Ms. Tephalia¡¯s manor and the adventurer¡¯s guild, but then there¡¯s what looks like a coliseum that stands out the most out of everything else. There¡¯s a jungle that begins from the outskirts of the city and I could see the blue oceans past above it that fade into the horizons. A trail comes out of Dondegarm that goes up a steady incline, passing by a rock that I¡¯m guessing is bigger than the Toxic Troll and King Bear Mole I fought combined based on the proportions from this distance. Seeing small specks of dots lining up and moving towards that rock, those must be people. They look like they¡¯re in line for some kind of attraction one would see in an amusement park. Further beyond the trail and more off to the side I could make out the side of another city that¡¯s about the same as Dondegarm¡¯s in size, but I could see a distinguishing difference in the architecture even from this far away. There looks to be two more cities past that, but they¡¯re about as far in distance as the castle-like silhouette in the mountains as I can¡¯t make out much of their distinguishing features, so they must be farther than the closest city I can see from here.

    ¡°So beautiful ¡­ what a perfect place to get wild!¡± I exclaim before giving a big smile. I look at the black weapon in my hands. ¡°Tanto Girl! Do what you did last night and summon as many monsters as your power can attract! You and I are gonna dance the bloody tango until we drop!¡±

    <¡°Now you¡¯re speaking my language! Let¡¯s do it!¡±>

    I thrust the weapon to the air as if I¡¯m piercing the sky itself. The dark, ominous aura radiates from the blade and shoots up like a geyser. As if a beacon has risen, I could hear the monsters¡¯ roars responding to it, sounding very ferocious, and in this new and strange world, who knows what they even are?

    My entire self is raging hot and while my heart races, but not out of the traumatic fear of heights, or the powerful urge to vandalize and defile a woman, but out of the anticipation of what enemies I¡¯d be facing that could mean the death of me.

    It¡¯s as if I¡¯m declaring war against the world itself, and right here, right now, I¡¯m going to hack and slash my feelings of doubt and the majority of worries out of my mind. I couldn¡¯t be more excited, even a little turned on, for what¡¯s in store for this heated onslaught.

    ¡°Come at me, bitches!¡± I scream before giving a boisterous laugh to the world.

    ~~

    ¡°¡­ Well, this is peculiar.¡±

    Off in the far distance where Jinma currently is, at one of the buildings in the earlier spotted city that goes by Palocaesy, there¡¯s a girl on a balcony of a luxurious cottage, sitting in a chair enjoying a drink from fine china as she witnesses his geyser of purplish-black magic. A gentle breeze blows through her long crimson locks as if they were made from the magic¡¯s pressure going at such a distance. The open parasol above her keeps the sun¡¯s rays from hitting her near porcelain skin. The majority of her body is covered in a monochrome, Lolita-like dress.

    ¡°The pillar of dark magic is one thing, but it¡¯s where that¡¯s coming from that has me piqued,¡± she says to herself. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a unique aura before and I can¡¯t even make out which of the three kin that individual¡¯s from. A rare spectacle for anyone with ¡®Magic Sense¡¯ to be able to witness.¡±

    ¡°Milady.¡±

    The crimson-haired girl tilts her head to the woman who called her. Kneeling in front of the door that leads inside is someone wearing black armor, but missing a head. Purplish-black flames that lick the air are what is placed in the head¡¯s stead. The disembodied head in a helmet is positioned in a bowing gesture while being held by the matching armor¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Yes, Gabriella?¡±

    ¡°I know I¡¯ve said this already, but are you sure you want to do this? Lord Rowling may have appointed me for this task out of concern for your safety, but having at least one adventurer, or a small party of them, with no connections to either of you or any noble household back in Korangar, carrying a high rank, and of a unique background? Dondegarm¡¯s guild master may have taken the task of finding such an individual under his own hands, but all I hear is that we¡¯re letting one of a suspicious character accompany us on this dungeon crawl.¡±

    The lady furrows her brow at the headless kneeling knight. ¡°Are you doubting my judgment, Gabriella?¡±

    ¡°A-Absolutely not, Milady! It¡¯s just that¡ª¡±

    ¡°We may have reached a compromise, but I am the one who wanted to do this, I will say who¡¯s allowed to join us, and it is I who will make the final call on whether they¡¯re worthy to venture with us or not. Neither of you has any say on this matter, and that¡¯s final. This discussion is closed.¡± The lady then turns back to the direction where the geyser of magic shot up from and continues drinking the crimson liquid out of her china.

    ¡°Y-Yes, Milady. Would you care for more blood?¡±

    ¡°If you would,¡± the lady answers without even looking back.

    The beheaded knight bows her disembodied head before going back inside while the noblewoman continues to stare at the scenery.

    ¡°If anyone, I¡¯d like to see the one who created that spectacle,¡± the lady says to herself, ¡°but ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t get my hopes up. It¡¯s a miracle I even convinced him to let me do this before that. Whoever the guild master ends up finding, I¡¯ll have to make the most of what¡¯s given to me and pray that this venture will be at least a little interesting.¡±

    Meanwhile, in the kitchen, making sure no one else is around, Gabriella pulls out a colored crystal that lights up once she applies magic to it. ¡°Tyvera, status report,¡± she whispers.

    <¡°Ugh, boring. No threats nearby that could harm Lady Krauss.¡±>

    ¡°Did you see the dark pillar that shot up in the distance earlier? Did you see what caused it?¡±

    <¡°Oh, that? I took a quick peek and it was just a human showing off his magic.¡±>

    ¡°A human? What could one be doing way out there? In the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory?¡±

    <¡°I dunno, but the guy will wind up dead in minutes with how much attention he¡¯s grabbing. Not worth wasting energy to check any further with how far he is. I¡¯m gonna take a nap for a bit.¡±>

    ¡°Be cautious to not give away your position. Lord Rowling says¡ª¡±

    <¡°If the adventurer(s) they bring out deems too suspicious, I drop in and be Lady Krauss¡¯ second escort whether she likes it or not, I know. I feel disgusted enough doing this for that possessive bastard behind that girl¡¯s back, I¡¯m not looking forward to fighting as vanguard underground.¡±>

    ¡°But there are lights inside, plenty enough for Harpies to see even in a little darkness.¡±

    <¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s not as much space for me to spread my wings! Ugh, at least I¡¯ll get stronger with whatever¡¯s given to me at the end of the dungeon. Tyvera, out.¡±>

    With the ¡®call¡¯ ended, the crystal light in Gabriella¡¯s hand dims to nothing.

    ¡­ Can¡¯t say I disagree with Rowling being a ¡®possessive bastard.¡¯ Truly, my pride and honor as a Dark Knight are put to the test in this task.

 Chapter 24: The Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra

    ¡°Ha ¡­ ha ha ¡­ ah hahaha. I did it. It¡¯s been so long since I could barely move after all the activity, but I actually did it,¡± I say before making more tired laughs.

    I¡¯m currently lying on my back, looking up at the slightly cloudy, but blue skies. Looking at it from my perspective, it¡¯d be a peaceful sight.

    Zoom out to an outsider¡¯s point of view, however, one would see me lying on top of a hill ¡­ no, a mountain of monster corpses, consisting of different species from various sizes, all hacked, slashed, or stabbed cleanly with the cursed tanto, leaving me and the weapon itself drenched in their blood. I told the tanto girl to bring out as many monsters she could summon with her powers like she did last night, but she got too excited from the sexual ecstasy and went overboard. One wouldn¡¯t even be able to hear themselves think anymore from all cries of agony the monsters let out in the air as they were killed, while at the same time having a girl moan and scream from one orgasm after another.

    Because of all that noise, I lost count of how many I killed after somewhere around 100. The tanto girl might¡¯ve lost consciousness at one point¡ªif that was even possible for one dwelling in a weapon or anything to begin with¡ªbecause I couldn¡¯t feel her ominous magic summoning monsters anymore, nor did I hear any more of her squeals of ecstasy. Maybe some shallow breathing from time to time, but then that was all I heard from her once the monsters stopped coming and I end up lying on the mountain. In the efforts of wearing out my lusting for women with violence, I think all the ¡®stuff¡¯ that was backed up since my last jack-off kind of leaked out prematurely from judging how soaked my trousers are right now, and I know that¡¯s not all the monster blood¡¯s fault.

    I barely used any skills or spells, though I noticed things around me were going slower for me than normal while I was battling. I learned later that it might¡¯ve been ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ at work. I must¡¯ve got it while I was out last night and just used it subconsciously as I fought. Other than that, I just basically sprinted towards and attacked any monster that came after me with raw strength. It was easy to see how close they were to dying since I saw their HP and MP bars over their heads like I couldn¡¯t before. With those as my guides of sorts, I dealt with each accordingly while putting my mana into the tanto to help her bring out more monsters for me to fight. Since she stopped doing that at one point, I thought I should experiment and practice my new ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ skill. I enveloped that magic around the tanto and change the mana¡¯s density and shape to form different weapons like a bat, a katana, and the odachi like the one I made last night, to name a few. The tanto girl did get back up a few times when I made such sudden changes, but not for very long. Any attacks the monsters landed on me, I didn¡¯t even notice them, no pain whatsoever. Any scratches or hints of damage that were visible, I used ¡®Meditation¡¯ to let the ¡®HP Regeneration¡¯ bonus to make them disappear. I¡¯m using ¡®Meditation¡¯ even now while I¡¯m lying down to help fill any holes left in my HP bar. I think I¡¯ve had my ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ on me for so long that it kind of got stuck, and so I had to massage my face a little to relax the muscles some.

    By the time the battle ¡­ or maybe it¡¯s better to call it a genocide ended, I received many notices following my level up.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Fearsome Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Status Sorting*!¡¯

    [You have now reached ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ LV 6!

    [You have now reached ¡®Size Up¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have now reached ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ LV 5!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Umpquamancer¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ LV 7!

    [Conditions met: ¡®Katana-Wielding¡¯ skills associated with current ¡®Slugger Style¡¯ level are available to learn.

    [You have now reached ¡®Meditation¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have now reached ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ LV 5!]

    I checked my pulse after the notices stopped appearing. Seeing as how my heart rate has finally slowed down and images of me violating the girls stopped flowing into my head, I can now say for certain that I¡¯ve successfully fought off the curse¡¯s side-effects to the point of exhaustion. I just didn¡¯t think the tanto girl would get as exhausted as I am. I don¡¯t even know how long we¡¯ve been out here since I escaped from Ms. Tephalia¡¯s bedchambers.

    <¡°Jinma ¡­ do you know what I¡¯m feeling right now?¡±> she asks in my head.

    ¡°What?¡± No one else is around, so I thought it¡¯d be safe for me to speak aloud.

    <¡°I feel like I survived the mother of all gangbangs where I thought the onslaught of males pumping their semen inside me would never stop.¡±>

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <¡°I¡¯ve had my share of orgies, my best record around 30 people in the same room I did it with, but we had breaks to recover while switching partners to go another round with. This? I felt like I was thrown into a lion¡¯s den with a hundred sex hungry, pent-up males who didn¡¯t relieve themselves for a week, at best. It was fun having the control of getting many off at once at first, but then after a while when I got too tired to pleasure them myself, they wouldn¡¯t wait to let me recover and just continued pumping whatever amounts of thick, potent semen they could into me.¡±>

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <¡°Three, then one, then three, then two, their dicks kept plugging my holes and they wouldn¡¯t stop dumping their splooge in me until I was practically drowning in the stuff. Even if I stopped responding to anything, they¡¯d just kept going on me like I was a slab of meat. I¡¯d have such a thick, smelly coat on me while looking like I was pregnant with triplets, no, quadruplets of babies for how bloated my stomach would be right now. I¡¯d have soooo much of it gushing out of my holes, even vomiting it out if someone pressed down on my stomach. I must have a spring¡¯s worth of semen, your mana, oozing out of me right now.¡±>

    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s more fucked up right now: that image, or the fact that I¡¯m actually getting turned on again from such an image, and I thought I was over this twisted lust. Did I hurt you through all of that somehow?¡±

    The tanto girl then laughs in my head. <¡°Are you seriously worrying over someone who has slain countless people through possessed vessels for a few thousand years?¡±>

    ¡°Uh ¡­¡±

    <¡°Don¡¯t think about it too hard, stud, all that I said just now was the biggest praise I ever gave in my lifetime. Don¡¯t worry about your lust, either. Right now, those are just the normal levels of horniness for a healthy young male. Well, you might be a bit too healthy from how hard you¡¯re getting right now even after all you ejaculated, but you¡¯re not so on edge with lust that you¡¯ll want to pin a girl down and take her within the next five minutes.¡±>

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    <¡°I don¡¯t know, I think all that magic you pumped into me made some kind of bond between us that let me just ¡­ well, know that much about you. Hell, even in my current state, I''ve actually got turned on again after describing that image, and that was around the same time you listened.¡±>

    ¡°Huh ¡­ so right now, you and I are one in a way?¡±

    <¡°If anything, I¡¯d say you¡¯re still inside me while we¡¯re cuddling and having the levels of afterglow that go beyond the heavens.¡±>

    ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s deep.¡±

    <¡°That¡¯s what he said.¡±>

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    I don¡¯t know why, but we both ended up laughing our heads off over that lame dirty joke.

    <¡°In all my years of screwing around that led me to my current level of ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ before I got trapped in the tanto, I had never done it with a male or female who made me feel this way like you did. I¡¯d hug and kiss you so much right now if I had my body.¡±

    ¡°If you were coated in that rank stuff as you said, I¡¯d politely ask you to keep yourself three meters away from me until you wash yourself.¡±

    <¡°Ah! You¡¯re the one who made me like this! Be a male and take responsibility!¡±>

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯d just take you to the nearest bubble bath and drop you in the water to soak for a while.¡±

    <¡°How cold!¡±>

    Amidst our banter, something about Tanto Girl mentioning her ¡®previous body¡¯ got me thinking.

    ¡°¡­ What were you like before you dwelled in the tanto? Actually, I never even got your name and have been calling you ¡®Tanto Girl¡¯ this whole time.¡±

    <¡°Ah, well then, some proper introductions are in order. I once went by as Nyra, the very Royal Blacksmith who crafted the tanto you hold now, and I was a Pixie.¡±>

    ¡°Pixie?¡± I ask while sitting up and looking at the blade in my hand. ¡°You mean beings similar to Fairies? Those Pixies?¡±

    <¡°More or less. Have you seen an Elf before?¡±>

    ¡°Nope.¡± Aside from the ones I¡¯ve seen in some manga and books of mythology back home, but they wouldn¡¯t count in this context.

    <¡°Well, imagine one that¡¯s about as big as a human child with long pointy ears, a pair of glass-like wings, small horns, and dark skin, and that¡¯s what makes up the most of us. It¡¯s been so long, I can¡¯t even remember the finer details of my body before it got sucked in this blade, but I was the hottest girl, second before our queen, of course, that got around with many of my kind on the side of my main job as a blacksmith.¡±>

    ¡°That¡¯s really amazing, Ms. Nyra. How¡¯d you even get stuck in your own creation?¡±

    <¡°Okay, first, no formalities after the kinky shit we just went through. From now on, you¡¯re ¡®Jinma¡¯ to me, and I¡¯m ¡®Nyra¡¯ to you. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t mind you calling me ¡®Babe¡¯ at this point.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ I think I¡¯m fine with just calling you ¡®Nyra.¡¯¡± Calling a girl something like ¡®Babe¡¯ makes me feel like a real douchebag, like the old playboy of a coworker I previously worked with back on Earth.

    <¡°Suit yourself. Anyway, to keep things short, I think it was because of some jealous bitch who was also a blacksmith. We were competing in a contest held in our village. It was the day before the main event that I was maintaining my best work when she used some high-level Curse Magic to enchant the weapon that included trapping me inside it. I blacked out after that, and the next time I woke up, I found myself stagnant and immobile off the side of a riverbed. I think she might¡¯ve tossed my weapon to the nearest river with me in it. From that point, I¡¯m not sure if it was the enchantment¡¯s work, but I lost my sanity and wanted to cut the first thing in sight with the weapon. I was able to learn how to summon monsters to move me around from there, and after that, the legend of the ¡®Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra¡¯ started to sprout.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ Did you ever want to get your body back? Get revenge on the bitch who did this to you?¡±

    <¡°I¡¯d definitely give her the piece of my mind that¡¯s way past due if I ever see her again, but I¡¯m not as vested in revenge anymore. I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s still alive, as well as the village still standing. There have been times I was nostalgic of having my old body back, but I¡¯ve gotten used to this new one. Whether or not I was in my moments of clarity from the curse, enchantment, or whatever, I tried to relish the moments given to me, even if it meant taking another¡¯s life, and then I was at one point sealed away by that Lamia Lord¡¯s ancestor. From there, a couple people broke in to take me, only to get possessed for some time before the Lamia guardians managed to take me back and seal me away again, upping the traps for tighter security, lather, rinse, and repeat. I thought this time wasn¡¯t going to be any different, either ¡­ until I met you, of course.

    <¡°After sharing this dance oozing of ecstasy and blood with you the second time, I¡¯d like to make a proposal with you, Jinma.¡±>

    ¡°A ¡­ proposal?¡±

    <¡°Whether or not I¡¯d win the contest with my last creation¡ªbut really, I totally had it in the bag¡ªit¡¯s not like I would let it sit in my shelf and gather dust. In the pursuit to be the greatest blacksmith in the world, I wanted to craft something that¡¯d be on the same level as the items blessed by the Immortals, and by that logic, have that same item be wielded by someone I¡¯d consider worthy for it. Ironically, in an attempt to make me fail, that bitch who cast this curse on me actually helped make my dream come true, and finally, after thousands of years, I think I¡¯ve finally found the one worthy to wield my greatest creation ¡­ to wield me, really.

    <¡°Jinma, form a Weapon¡¯s Bond with my blade, let it be a part of you, let me be your partner and become one with you¡ªand I don¡¯t mean that in the sexual sense. I can grant you knowledge in magic and blacksmithing that those working in such fields would kill to gain, I can be your second pair of eyes who watches your back and help judge what kind of people we¡¯d deal with in the future, and so much more as we get to know each other. You won¡¯t ever have to worry about this blade breaking, for it¡¯s made with Chaos Ore, the strongest metal in the world that can pierce through the greatest of defenses, even a Dragon¡¯s hide when sharpened. Along with that, four Gold Greed Rings were melded into it to help you gain twice the amount of EXP to level up as you normally would. If that isn¡¯t crazy enough, it seems my curse allows the wielder to level up three times instead of two when taking someone¡¯s life. You should see a drastic change in your stats by now because of those qualities.

    <¡°Finally, the most important thing: I would never betray you.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ Nyra, anyone would say that easily at first but will have no problem stabbing the other person in the back later. I know from experience. Even if you can¡¯t possess me, what makes you any different from those who just say they won¡¯t do it, but not follow through?¡± I ask while furrowing my brow.

    <¡°Jinma ¡­ even though we¡¯ve only fought together twice, right now, I¡¯m feeling things I never had before with my previous partners, and I don¡¯t want to let them go. I just know that if I do something unforgivable, I would never be able to get these feelings from anyone else.¡±>

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, most were nice people, my previous partners. There were a few I made mistakes with, and those I wish I wasn¡¯t so stupid to choose and find out they were mistakes later. You, however, even after knowing a little of what I am, got worried for me on instinct when I made that kinky metaphor. I¡¯ve never met a human that was so honest and genuinely considerate of someone very different from them. I¡¯m not gonna say my previous partners don¡¯t matter to me, because they helped shape me into the Pixie I was before I got cursed, but I never wanted to be a part of someone¡¯s life so much as I do right now.¡±>

    Suddenly from the tanto, the purplish-black aura emanates from the blade, swirling up and around until it loops over my free hand. When that very hand is wrapped, it¡¯s very difficult to distinguish its temperature, but I can still tell it¡¯s there, the small physical touch that the ominous-looking magic is emanating that¡¯s holding me tenderly.

    Just briefly, I thought I saw something small flying in front of me that¡¯s holding my hand with both of theirs, the same way as the tanto¡¯s magic is right now.

    <¡°Please, Jinma? Can I come with you?¡±> Nyra asks.

    It doesn¡¯t even take me five seconds to think before I sigh. ¡°You¡¯re going to drive me nuts with your lewd metaphors and images in my head.¡±

    <¡°You don¡¯t mean?!¡±>

    I get up, jump down from the top of Mt. Monster Genocide, and stretch before patting my hands against my trousers. ¡°Even if people might see me as crazy at times, or that the world is against me, at least I won¡¯t ever have to feel alone if you¡¯re around.¡±

    <¡°Yes! Yeeeeees! Thank you thank you thank you!¡±>

    ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s not get too crazy. We gotta do that ¡®Weapon¡¯s Bond¡¯ thing, right? Tell me what exactly it is and how it works while I clean up and put away these monster corpses for later. [Storage, In].¡± Pointing my hand to the mountain of monster corpses, a circle of light appears underneath it before everything inside vanishes into thin air. I then cast [Clean] towards most of the area in my surroundings, including myself and the tanto in my hand, wiping off any traces of blood and dirt. The area looks as beautiful and green as it was when I came here, myself and my clothes are spotless, and the tanto shines a great luster.

    <¡°Niiiiice~. Anyway, as I explained before, the weapon¡ªmyself included in this case¡ªwould become a part of you, as in even if you lose it somehow, all you have to do is call it back by the name you gave it and it will return to you immediately. Also, this way even if we¡¯re apart, we may be able to communicate at a farther distance than we did when we weren¡¯t close enough for contact ¡­¡±>

    Later on, she explains how the rite for the Weapon¡¯s Bond is performed that I followed. Basically, after dropping my own blood onto the weapon I put magic into, I recite a chant the way she told me, right up to where I give it a name to call on. In this case, I didn¡¯t think too hard and called the tanto ¡®Nyra¡¯ since she and it are one and the same now. The weapon glows a whitish-blue before it dissipates.

    Also, as for how I got to drip my blood on the blade, I just used it to prick my finger before I let the ¡®HP Regeneration¡¯ status buff close the hole overtime. It was kind of scary how easy I could injure myself with it, so I had to handle it with care in the future.

    <¡°You¡¯re all set! I¡¯ll be in your care, sugar.¡±>

    ¡°Ditto. Now, where did I put that sheath?¡±

    <¡°Here, I¡¯ll take care of that.¡±> The same whitish-blue light appears before the black sheath that matches the tanto¡¯s design manifests itself. I catch it in my hand and sheathe my new weapon.

    ¡°We kept the girls back in the bedchamber waiting for a while. We should probably make it back and tell them all what happened.¡±

    <¡°Oh! Oh! Before we do, open up your status and show me your stats! C¡¯mon! C¡¯mon! Pleeeeeease?!¡±>

    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll open my status and show you since we¡¯ll be together for a while. I¡¯m actually curious to see how much stronger I got, myself.¡±

    ¡°As am I, Jinma Kotori.¡±

 Chapter 25: Valuables for a Noble Cause

    I jump a little when the new voice comes from out of nowhere. I jolt around and see a familiar face with fin-like ears and the majority of her body in rags. I can only see her blue scaly arms with claws and matching feet poking out of them.

    ¡°¡­ O-Oh, it¡¯s you, the reptile girl from last night, erm, Ms. Umeiyon, was it? Ren told me about what happened. Thanks for healing the two of us with your magic.¡± I pretended to try and remember her name, but I could really see her name and bars above her head like I could with the monsters. Interestingly, I can¡¯t see anything new after my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill leveled up.

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. Though I didn¡¯t need assistance, you still went out of your way to help me. I only returned what was due, but I wish I could heal away the scar the tanto made.¡±

    I pull up my shirt and see the stab wound where Nyra got me, pretty close to the last scar that coworker left when I died. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no problem, I already have so many anyway, what¡¯s ¡­ wait, how long were you out here?¡±

    ¡°I believe I came around after you got to your 30<sup>th</sup> monster kill in that growing swarm. I followed that beacon of dark magic in the sky when I recognized it to be yours. I¡¯ve been watching you from the tree branches since.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Which means you heard everything I was saying to myself, huh?¡±

    ¡°Do not worry, I was there last night when it was revealed you can speak with the one who dwells in the tanto, so I at least know you¡¯re actually talking to someone. Though, I admit I might find you ¡®crazy¡¯ in another sense.¡±

    ¡°Never mind that, why would you want to see my status?¡±

    ¡°You have piqued my interest, Jinma Kotori. While yes, there were other peculiar humans from last night who aided Dondegarm¡¯s citizens and saved the city, you stood out the most in taking out both of the appointed leaders and subduing the monsters summoned by the tanto the way you did, all while bearing the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ that no one but the Devil race should be able to use. Seeing your status after defeating all those monsters is part of why I want to speak with you in private.¡±

    <¡°Jinma, I¡¯d be careful of this one,¡±> Nyra warns.

    What do you mean?

    <¡°She¡¯s been bugging me since I first laid eyes on her last night. I can¡¯t see it right now, but from the few glimpses last night, her magic is unlike any of those from the other kin I¡¯ve ever seen and it¡¯s crazy powerful. My ¡®Magic Sense¡¯ was bouncing off the walls around her.¡±>

    I remember Ms. Umeiyon something about ''Magic Sense'' last night, and if Nyra here says hers is going off the charts, while I''m not sure how it works, it certainly gives me a reason to keep myself cautious.

    ¡°¡­ What do you hope to gain from our private talk?¡± I ask while tensing my muscles. I realize then that I just got done with that genocide of monsters earlier and I¡¯m still rather exhausted.

    ¡°Please, lower your guard. I come with no intentions to fight, but to seek help that requires a unique individual that may be of your caliber. It is a great, noble cause that could mean life or death for my kind, and I assure you that you won¡¯t go unrewarded by the end of it.¡±

    ¡°What could it be that requires such help?¡±

    ¡°I will explain further once you show me your status.¡±

    I look to the side and think. As far as I know, showing one¡¯s status in this world may be like revealing your personal info and bank account to a complete stranger. Depending on who it is you¡¯re showing it to, they¡¯ll either try to use you or in the worst-case scenario kill you if you pose too big of a threat.

    ¡°¡­ Perhaps these may help motivate you into showing me. [Storage, Out].¡± With both of her reptilian hands out, Ms. Umeiyon makes that chant before two things land on them. One is a shiny white coin, and the other is a jet-black rock the size of a melon.

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    <¡°Aaaauuuuuuuuuugh!¡±>

    Nyra¡¯s scream makes me flinch and hold my head. ¡°Geez, Nyra, what gives? Scream like that again and you might pop my head into killing me.¡±

    <¡°Do you seriously not know what those are?!¡±>

    ¡°I may not be able to hear your friend, but from how you responded, it seems she¡¯s fully aware of what these are. Do you, Jinma Kotori?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks.

    ¡°Um ¡­ should I know what those are?¡±

    Ms. Umeiyon looks at the objects in her hand. ¡°Not even one of these?¡± she asks while glancing up to me.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Interesting. Well, at least your friend has an idea for what you¡¯ll get for giving me your time and showing me your status. You¡¯ll want to inquire her on what she thinks when I¡¯ll give you tenfold on each of these as a ¡­ how do you say, a ¡®deposit?¡¯ after I judge your status worthy for helping my cause.¡±

    <¡°¡­ A-A-And if he succeeds in helping her?¡±>

    I relay Nyra¡¯s question to Ms. Umeiyon.

    ¡°Then you can expect another fiftyfold on each of these by the end of it all.¡±

    <¡°THAT¡¯S SIXTYFOLLLLLLLLLD!¡±>

    ¡°Ow! Goddammit, Nyra, I said stop screaming!¡±

    <¡°You¡¯re not even grasping how heavy the situation is here! And she thought you were crazy?! No, right now, I don¡¯t even know who¡¯s crazier!¡±>

    ¡°Maybe you can explain it to me in simple terms so I¡¯ll know what I¡¯m working here? All I¡¯m seeing right now is a fancy white coin and a large black rock.¡±

    <¡°YOU¡ª!¡±> Nyra stops herself and takes a few deep breaths to calm down. The next thing she says is so shaky I wonder if she was having a mini seizure. <¡°Okay~, you¡¯re obviously not from around here if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re looking at, so let me spell it out for you. You see that ¡®large black rock¡¯ in her hand?¡±>

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    <¡°That rock is worth around two, maybe three of those coins she also has in her other hand.¡±>

    ¡°Okay?¡±

    <¡°That large black rock is not just a rock. That is the same lump of the strongest metal in this world that makes up the fucking tanto in your hands!¡±>

    I quirk a brow and hold up the new tanto. ¡°You mean, ¡®Chaos Ore?¡¯ But how can you tell?¡±

    ¡°I can lend it to you to check and see its legitimacy,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says as she holds out the ore.

    <¡°Yes! Take it and the tanto out! Now!¡±>

    ¡°Okay, okay, sheesh.¡± I pull the blade out and take the ore until both are in each hand. The ore, despite its size, is actually lighter than it looks.

    <¡°Now, hold each one at a time close to your ear.¡±>

    I do as she says and I find something peculiar. From both the tanto and the ore, there¡¯s a low-pitched tone resonating from them, sort of like how one would hear from hitting a tuning fork.

    ¡°Are they ¡­ vibrating?¡±

    <¡°They called this Chaos Ore for the way it constantly vibrates even when stationary. It¡¯s really the molecules that make up the matter vibrating at an astonishing rate. All of the molecules that make up solids in this world usually vibrate continuously while staying in one place, but this is the first solid found to have its vibrations so prevalent that one can hear it if held close enough to the ear. To melt the stuff into a liquid and pour into a mold before blacksmiths can even do the physical work, it needs very intense heat that¡¯s nearly impossible to produce in their workshops. Astonishingly, even when it cools to a solid again, the vibrations return at the same rate as it did before it melted. It¡¯s because of its high vibrations that sharpened Chaos Ore can cut through any object. One stab is made up of a hundred in a second, and that¡¯s just pushing a sharpened knife of the stuff through something with little effort.¡±>

    ¡°My god ¡­¡± the more I hear about this metal, the more I wonder how I even survived such a stab in the gut by that same material.

    <¡°We getting how valuable Chaos Ore is yet? Good~. Now, that shiny white gold coin? That¡¯s worth a hundred regular gold ones, and I pray you already know how much just one of those is worth,¡±> Nyra continues as I return the ore to Ms. Umeiyon and glance at the white coin.

    One gold coin is worth 10,000 karos, according to Ms. Obina when she explained the basics of this world¡¯s economic system to me yesterday. 100 of those gold coins makes 1 million karos, which is apparently what one white gold coin is worth.

    <¡°If this chick is offering one white gold coin and one lump of Chaos Ore in that size each to you just for showing her your status, that¡¯s already 4 million karos at best right there. Now take that sixtyfold if you managed to help her problem to the very end.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ 240 million ¡­ karos?¡± I ask after doing quick calculations in my head.

    <¡°Keep note that these were the market values from a couple of centuries ago. If you think that¡¯s expensive then, I have no knowledge of how they are now in modern times. Now, do you see how fucking crazy the situation is now?! This chick is NOT. NORMAL!¡±>

    ¡°Do you now see the density of my situation here, Jinma Kotori?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks. ¡°I should have you know that if what I see in your status exceeds my expectations, I¡¯m willing to negotiate to however much each of these you desire as a reward for your help. Money is but an object to me, and I have plenty more where that came from.¡±

    <¡°SHE¡¯S THE SUGAR MOMMA OF SUGAR MOMMAAAAAAAS!¡±>

 Chapter 26: A Grand Reveal

    ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, time out,¡± I say while forming my hands in a ¡®T.¡¯ ¡°Okay, I understand how serious you are about this, but please understand that this isn¡¯t about money or rare materials for me to do whatever. Heck, I¡¯d feel terrible taking this much from you by itself just for showing you my status.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not about the money, then what is it?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks while her eyes widen.

    ¡°Listen, I may not know how much friction the races, kin, or whatever have with each other, and I respect you to go out of your way to look for help from the outside, but ¡­ you¡¯re asking a lot from a total stranger who may or may not have anything to do with this, and do you even know how long this cause will take until we¡¯re able to complete it?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ no, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°So, this is a long-term kind of deal, and if you¡¯re investing so much into one guy for this task, then this could be something that may take the rest of his life. I don¡¯t think all the money, Chaos Ore, or whatever in the world would be enough to have guys like me drop everything and risk myself into helping a cause that they may not even want me to be a part of. Do you get me, Ms. Umeiyon?¡±

    ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t seek outside help if I didn¡¯t know that?¡± she asks before taking a deep breath to sigh. ¡°I get it. I know I would be asking a lot out of you, and I may be a tad aggressive in what I can offer as payment, but I don¡¯t know where else to turn. No one in my kind is willing to give my idea a chance, and if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, they mocked me for it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°They took my idea that could possibly save us, spat on it, and rubbed it into the dirt. Seeing as how I wasn¡¯t needed in their eyes, I put myself in exile and came all the way out here on my own. I had hoped that actions would speak louder than words, and if there¡¯s even a small percentage of it succeeding, I¡¯m willing to take that chance and try it, and if it does work, maybe then others would follow my example. I know I could¡¯ve just come up with better, more realistic options, maybe give it up altogether, just continue living it out in exile and never deal with those bastards who mocked me ever again, but ¡­¡± Ms. Umeiyon starts sniffling as her eyes well up in tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want us all to die out like this. I want to leave a physical, living mark in this world that would last hundreds, thousands of more years that we were here, that we existed. I know we¡¯ll still die in due time, but I still want us to be remembered as we are, so that future generations would look back and see how far they¡¯ve gone to keep our bloodline alive, and maybe better in ways we could never have fathomed, but I can¡¯t do this just by myself.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Umeiyon ¡­¡±

    She takes a moment to gather herself and wipe away any stray tears before grabbing my shoulders and look at me straight in the eyes. ¡°If it¡¯s not money or rare materials, then what is it that you do want, Jinma Kotori? Name it, I¡¯ll do anything if it means I can see a glimpse of hope, that my work up to now won¡¯t be in vain, just please, show me your status¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I will show you. Word of warning though, you should be careful of what you say to people. You¡¯ll never know what they want from you, and your work just may actually be in vain in that way. Lucky for you, I just have one condition that isn¡¯t very extreme, but if it doesn¡¯t work out for you in the end, do keep what I said in mind in the future, all right?¡± I ask as I take a sleeve and help wipe away the tears streaking down her cheeks while she sniffles.

    ¡°Thank you, and yes, I¡¯ll take your word for it. Now, what is your condition?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very simple, actually. Since it seems like we¡¯d be working together for quite a while, I need to see what kind of person you are so I¡¯ll know you¡¯re someone I can trust. That said, to see my status, all that I ask is that I see yours, stats, skills, and all.¡±

    For a moment, Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s complexion pales. Even when she shakes it off, she breaks into a cold sweat. ¡°O-Okay, I see your point, and you make a valid argument. Very well, I accept those terms. Now, how should we go about this?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just stand side-to-side, pull up both of our statuses at once, and we¡¯ll see what each of us has to offer from there, like so.¡± I step over to Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s side and huddle close enough to her shoulder, but not actually touch it as we face the same direction. ¡°We¡¯ll just spread it all out and we can see what we want to see from there. Sound good?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ it sounds reasonable enough.¡±

    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll pull them up at once on the count of three. Ready?¡± I ask before she nods in response. ¡°One. Two. Three.¡±

    ¡°¡°Status open.¡±¡±

    At our command, four window screens spread out in front of us. Ms. Umeiyon and Nyra gasp when they see my status windows, and honestly, I wonder if my eyes are going bad from how bonkers the numbers and everything else look.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ~~

    Kotori Jinma

    Race: Human

    [New Class(es) Added: Mage]

    Class: Brawler [Mage (only seen by the user)]

    [History: Brawler LV 173, Mage LV 124 (only seen by the user)]

    [New Title(s) Achieved: Merciless Demon, Impregnable, Hydromancer, Atmomancer, Hexmancer, Umpquamancer, Mr. Shakedown, Torture Expert, Monster Genocider, Ultimate Underdog, Fearsome Underdog]

    Title: Merciless Demon, Natural-Born Brawler, Impregnable, Studious, Seeker of Knowledge, Pyromancer, Hydromancer, Atmomancer, Hexmancer, Umpquamancer, Mr. Shakedown, Torture Expert, Monster Genocider [Formidable Underdog, Ultimate Underdog, Fearsome Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    Equipment: Roughed-Up Slacks, Spider Silk Shirt, Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra

    Stats:

    [Sentients Killed: 7]

    LV: 173 (+21K, +90) [124 (+21K, +102)]

    HP: 3000/3345 ????[2085 (965+1120) [+1260 (20+1240)]]

    MP: 3597/3597 ????[2190 (943+1247) [+1407 (40+1367)]]

    ATK: 6533 ??????[4982 (3561+1421) [+1551 (10+1541)]]

    DEF: 113280 ???? [4394 (3264+1130) [+1270 (20+1250)] X 20]

    SP. ATK: 4811 ???? [3379 (2142+1237) [+1432 (75+1357)]]

    SP. DEF: 101840 ???[3787 (2677+1110) [+1305 (75+1230)] X 20]

    AGI: 3995 ??????[2491 (1112+1379) [+1504 (5+1499)]]

    LUCK: 5 ???????[33 (18+15) [+17 (5+12)] X 0.1]

    EXP: 14/17300 (+~1040000) [1700/12400 (+~724100)]

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 495 (+234)

    [BP: 520 (only seen by the user)]

    [TAL: 0 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger

    Dragon Scale Defense

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user)]

    ~~

    Kotori Jinma

    [Skill(s) Leveled Up: Poison Resistance LV 8, Slugger Style LV 7, Money Grubbing LV 6, Sadistic Smile LV 5

    [Skill(s) Revealed: Focus LV 10, Devil Eyes*

    [Skill(s) Evolved: Focus LV 10 >> Hyper Perception LV 6

    [New Skill(s) Learned: Drunken Style LV 5, Darkness Manipulation LV 5, Curse Magic LV 4, Size Up LV 4, Meditation LV 4, Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4 [Slash LV 3 and Wide Slash LV 3 have been integrated into Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4], Multi-Slash LV 3, Circular Slash LV 3, Mow Down LV 3, Water Magic LV 3, Storm Magic LV 3, Water Blast LV 3, Wind Cutter LV 3, Debilitating Defense LV 3, Sluggish Speed LV 3, Baneful Poison LV 3, Alcohol Constitution LV 1, Sway*, Intoxicated*, Sturdy Shell*, Magic Sense*, Mutilation*, Monster Bonus*, Underdog¡¯s Second Class*, Status Sorting*

    Skills:

    Passive: Poison Resistance LV 8, Slugger Style LV 7, Cooking LV 7, Merciless Style LV 6, Throw LV 6, Resourceful Weapon LV 6, Money Grubbing LV 6, Hyper Perception LV 6, Drunken Style LV 5, Darkness Manipulation LV 5, Fear Resistance LV 5, Stealth LV 5, Despair Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Curse Magic LV 4, Fire Magic LV 3, Water Magic LV 3, Storm Magic LV 3, Baking LV 3, Housekeeping LV 3, Massaging LV 3, Alcohol Constitution LV 1, Studying MAX LV, Catch*, Intimidation*, Sway*, Intoxicated*, Sturdy Shell*, Devil Eyes*, Magic Sense*, Mutilation*, Monster Bonus* [Size Up LV 4, Underdog Bonus*, Status Sorting*, Underdog¡¯s Second Class* (only seen by the user)]

    Active: Glare LV 7, Heavy Throw LV 6, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Sadistic Smile LV 5, Meditation LV 4, Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4, Multi-Slash LV 3, Circular Slash LV 3, Mow Down LV 3, Scare*, Taunt*

    Spells: Pyreball LV 3, Flame Burst LV 3, Water Blast LV 3, Wind Cutter LV 3, Debilitating Defense LV 3, Sluggish Speed LV 3, Baneful Poison LV 3

    ~~

    <¡°W-Wha ¡­ Brawler, Mage ¡­ 2 Classes? O-Obina¡¯s Champion? Wha?¡±> Nyra is so surprised she couldn¡¯t form a coherent sentence. I then remember one of the notices I saw from last night.

    That¡¯s right! I got some other Underdog skill that lets me get a second class! Holy shit, how could I even get these numbers?! Wait a minute! Why did my LUCK go down?! Obviously, I had a lot to say about the ridiculous EXP I gained as well as many questions, like why ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ is a skill that was ¡®revealed¡¯ and not ¡®learned.¡¯ If I had used that before, when? Where? How? Why? Unfortunately, I¡¯d have to worry about those questions later as I don¡¯t have enough knowledge and facts of this world to go off of.

    Right, just calm down. I now just need to see Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s ¡­ statuses.

    It¡¯s when I peeked over at Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s windows that I thought I got more surprised with hers than my own.

    ~~

    Umeiyon

    Race: Lizardman [Dragon]

    Class: Sage [Dragon]

    Title: Blessmancer, Master of Sanctity, Grandmaster of Light, Hydromancer, Master of Downfall, Grandmaster of Aqua, Atmomancer, Master of Winds, Housekeeper, Studious, Seeker of Knowledge [Wielder of the Archaic, Dragon in Exile]

    Equipment: Rags

    Stats:

    LV: 75 [759* / 10]

    HP: 33741/33741

    MP: 31189/31189

    ATK: 4951 ??? [49513 / 10]

    DEF: 5467 ??? [54678 / 10]

    SP. ATK: 5732 ??[57324 / 10]

    SP. DEF: 5770 ??[57702 / 10]

    AGI: 1362 ????[13623 / 10]

    LUCK: 2784

    EXP: 754/7500 ??[75900 / 10]

    STR RES: WATER, STORM, HOLY

    SP: 571

    Ability: None

    ~~

    Umeiyon

    Skills:

    Passive: Water Magic LV 8, Holy Magic LV 8, Storm Magic LV 7, Diagnosis LV 7, Housekeeping LV 4, Studying MAX LV, Water Boost*, Water Amp*, Storm Boost*, Storm Amp*, Holy Boost*, Holy Amp*, Magic Sense*, Hide Magic*, Magic Synchronization*, Magic Synthesis* [Ancient Magic*]

    Active:

    Spells: Water Blast LV 8, Heal LV 8, Freezing Breath LV 7, Sacred Breath LV 7, Arrows of Light LV 7, Icicle Needle LV 7, Wind Cutter LV 7, Turbulent Breath LV 6, Sanctity Lance LV 5, Divine Punishment LV 5, Iceberg Crush LV 5, Avalanche LV 5, Hurricane LV 5, Lightning Lance LV 4 [Ancient Magic*]

    ~~

    ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ you¡¯re a ¡­¡± I trail off before I hear small giggles. I look to my right and see they were from Ms. Umeiyon, who grows into a fit of laughter hard enough to break into tears again.

    ¡°This is ¡­ incredible! To not only have such an ability that derives from our race, but have twice the defenses as a normal one would! My expectations of you have been blown to smithereens!¡±

    ¡°Ms. ¡­ Umeiyon?¡± I ask before she abruptly claps her claws over my hands. Her reptilian, brilliant turquoise eyes sparkle with stars glimmering in them as she looks at me with a smile of excitement.

    ¡°Jinma Kotori! Become my mate, and let us begin a new generation of Dragons that the world of Raiza has never seen before!¡±

    ¡°¡­ What?¡±

    <¡°WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!¡±>

 Chapter 27: A Great Price

    Back in Tephalia¡¯s bedchambers, as an apology for breaking in, Erizora and Ren cleaned up the debris from the wreckage they made. After Tephalia sent a small squad of Centaur scouts to look for Jinma, she took the liberty of having her other handmaidens bring up their breakfast as she found out they rushed up to her room without eating anything. Actually, everyone got a bit hungry again after the excitement, so Tephalia had sent some more for herself as well as Ashe and Salelia. The slaves ended up eating while sitting on the floor as the Lamias ate from the furniture that remained intact.

    For all of the girls in that room, it was a very awkward few hours. They all were kept silent when they ate.

    ¡°¡­ I never anticipated things to turn out this way.¡± Tephalia ended up being the first to speak sometime after they all finished their breakfast¡ªa second helping for the Lamias, of course. The other girls turn and give her all their attention as she sighs. ¡°I really owe that man an apology. Cursed or not, he¡¯s still the one who saved Dondegarm and deserves every proper respect, and yet I displayed a sort of deception that put him on edge. I must apologize to you, Ashe and Salelia, for having you play a part in this.¡±

    ¡°Lady Tephalia, please don¡¯t bring it all to yourself!¡± Ashe exclaims.

    ¡°I admit that we might¡¯ve played with him a bit more aggressively than we planned on our way here,¡± Salelia adds. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t with ill intentions, we should¡¯ve seen firsthand that something was going on with him, especially with the experience in our other line of work. We really did want to show our appreciation to him for helping us, it just didn¡¯t turn out as smoothly as we hoped it would. We¡¯re as much at fault here.¡±

    Tephalia nods in understanding before turning to the slaves. ¡°Ren, Erizora, I must apologize to you as well. I assume you must¡¯ve taken drastic measures because you heard something unsettling?¡±

    ¡°Is it true ¡­ that you and your previous generations have killed those who have been possessed with your specialized poisons?¡± Ren asks.

    Tephalia nods solemnly. ¡°We have tried to come up with poisons that would counteract the curse¡¯s side-effects for generations. That numbing poison I had Jinma drink was the result after years of experimentation, trial, and error with the local monsters before even trying it on the previously possessed. If it didn¡¯t work out and the situation escalated, that was when we had to put them down and not let them suffer any further. Painlessly taking one¡¯s life through our poisons have only served as our last resort in these cases, and though I¡¯d say the same for Jinma¡¯s ¡­ not only is his unique, but I didn¡¯t want him to die so soon.¡±

    ¡°Because you wanted to mate with Master and bear his child before he could, right?¡± Erizora asks.

    Tephalia blushes a little before nodding again. ¡°Though some in the past have returned to their former selves after violent intercourse, I honestly didn¡¯t know what was going to happen with Jinma. He was very different this morning compared to last night from what my familiar reported on his surveillance.¡±

    ¡°Right?! Even after knowing he could do whatever with us, he said he wouldn¡¯t do anything extreme! He also adjusted our ¡®slave¡¯ settings to more comfortable levels, helped clean us more thoroughly, and entertained us! I haven¡¯t been a slave for as long as Eri has, but that isn¡¯t something owners do for their slaves very often, right?! Doesn¡¯t that make Master really special?!¡± Ren exclaims so excitedly that even shocks Erizora next to her, let alone the Lamias.

    Tephalia giggles. ¡°Yes, it certainly does. So special, that I never expected someone of his caliber to actually still be a virgin at his age.¡±

    ¡°¡°He is?!¡±¡± the two of them exclaim, but Tephalia continues without mentioning his virginity any further.

    ¡°And I certainly didn¡¯t expect his temporary slaves would rush here the way they did when they sensed something was wrong, even going so far as to attack one of a higher standing for him.¡±

    ¡°R-Right ¡­ sorry again about that,¡± Erizora says while scratching her head.

    ¡°You two really took a liking to Jinma in such a short time, did you?¡±

    Ren and Erizora blush a little while looking down. ¡°We ¡­ really want to spend all the time we could to get to know each other,¡± the former says while her tail wags ecstatically.

    ¡°Well, I hope some good news will reach us soon. For our Centaurs to take this long even with their speeds, Jinma must¡¯ve moved to quite a distant location. If that isn¡¯t bad enough, he even took the tanto with him. If his condition somehow worsens¡ª¡±

    ¡°He has to be all right!¡± Ren exclaims, shocking the other girls. ¡°Master did so much to keep his urges at bay, right up to then, even when he thought you three were deceiving him! I admire his consideration for us, but honestly, he should¡¯ve said something to me sooner so all of this would be avoided! If I knew he was such an amazing male, then I would¡¯ve happily ¡­¡± Ren trails off as images of what would happen between them run through her mind. She turns red in the face. ¡°E-Even with my inexperience, I would¡¯ve h-happily~¡±

    Zwoom!

    Suddenly, a hole appears in the middle of the room that makes everyone jump. Stepping out of that hole and into the room ¡­

    ~~

    ¡°Master!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Don!

    Just as I step into Ms. Tephalia¡¯s room, I¡¯m suddenly tackled to the floor. Though I¡¯m not hurt thanks to my ridiculously high DEF, I¡¯m still registering the shock before realizing Ren¡¯s currently on top of me, wrapping her arms around my neck and nuzzling into my chest.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay! You¡¯re really okay!¡±

    ¡°R-Ren! Calm down!¡±

    ¡°Uah!¡±

    Despite Ren¡¯s efforts, Erizora manages to pull her off of me.

    ¡°What are you doing?! Put me down!¡±

    ¡°Easy! I¡¯m happy as you are, but Master might still be under the curse¡¯s influence!¡±

    Ren was flailing in Erizora¡¯s hold until she heard that.

    ¡°Yeesh, calm down. I got over my violent, near uncontrollable sexual urges a while ago.¡±

    <¡°Mine might be jumping up again! Sweet Titty Almighty, look at the size of those things!¡±> Nyra exclaims in my head, but since no one else can hear her, I ignore it.

    ¡°Y-You got over it? How did you do it?¡± Ms. Tephalia asks.

    ¡°I used Nyra¡¯s magic that summons monsters to my advantage and basically took out as much as I could until I wore myself out.¡±

    ¡°Using the violent energy for sex into killing monsters that were summoned! Of course! It was simple enough that even I could do it! As expected of Master!¡± Erizora exclaims proudly while Ren¡¯s still under her arm.

    ¡°¡­ Wait, ¡®Nyra?¡¯¡± Ms. Tephalia asks.

    ¡°Right, I should explain that, but first, did I hurt any of you while I had you bound earlier?¡±

    ¡°O-Oh, no, I wasn¡¯t hurt at all,¡± Ms. Tephalia answers while waving her hand. I catch it and take a closer inspection to see rub burns around her wrist like one would have after they were tied with rope.

    ¡°You also got tackled by Erizora earlier, too. Let me just get everyone recovered for a moment.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she asks.

    ¡°¡­ Heal.¡±

    At my command, the room is then filled with a warming light from the floor. I make sure that every mark of injury on the girls as well as any sign of soreness and muscle fatigue were gone, with more focus to Ms. Tephalia as she took the most damage out of everyone. I kept track of everyone¡¯s HP bars above their heads with my ¡®Size Up.¡¯

    Once I know everyone¡¯s fully recovered, I release the spell and look at Ms. Tephalia¡¯s wrist again.

    ¡°¡­ All right, I did it. How¡¯s everyone feeling?¡± I ask.

    ¡°M-Much better, actually,¡± she says. The other girls also give their voices of approval as notice screens appear in front of me.

    [You have now reached ¡®Holy Magic¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Blessmancer¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Heal¡¯ LV 4!]

    I had to hold myself back from letting out a dry chuckle. Not bad for my first try.

    <¡°As if you weren¡¯t stupidly powerful already,¡±> Nyra quips.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could use Holy Magic,¡± Ms. Tephalia says.

    I didn¡¯t either until an hour ago. I couldn¡¯t say that much to her or everyone would freak out. Ms. Umeiyon actually helped me learn how to do it while healing my fatigued body from all the physical activity before we parted ways. I started with something small and unnoticeable, a cut on my palm I made with Nyra before closing it up with ¡®Heal.¡¯ I only got a small scar from that experiment until I got notices of learning both ¡®Holy Magic¡¯ and ¡®Heal¡¯ at LV 1.

    From this, I know now that if I have the capacity and know how it works, I could make those leaps of level ups instantly. How and why this is possible, I¡¯ve yet to know, maybe my ¡®Natural-Born Brawler¡¯ title that old drunkard was worried about last night has something to do with it. I¡¯m honestly too emotionally exhausted to be surprised or worry about it anymore after making that theory.

    Ms. Umeiyon left a lot for me to think about after our encounter. I¡¯m just glad she¡¯s giving me time to think things over; hence, why she isn''t here with me at this moment.

    Once I confirmed everyone was healed, I reach into my pocket and put something in Ms. Tephalia¡¯s palm before closing her hand. I then take a few steps back and lower myself into dogeza before her. ¡°Ms. Tephalia, please forgive me for the pain and trouble I caused you and your attendants. The slaves¡¯ actions are also part of my responsibility, so please do not fault them.¡±

    ¡°W-What?! No! It¡¯s me who should be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please let me finish,¡± I say with a hand up while my head is still deeply bowed to her. ¡°While I know I¡¯m not in a good position right now, I have an important request I must ask of you. Along with the damages I brought to this room and some of your city, the remainder of what I gave you goes to this request.¡±

    ¡°W-What in the world?! Th-This is ¡­?!¡±

    ¡°¡°Three white gold coins?!¡±¡± Ashe and Salelia exclaim at once. I assume they¡¯re peering into Ms. Tephalia¡¯s hand right now.

    ¡°W-What could it be that you want to request for this much?¡± Ms. Tephalia asks.

    ¡°Please allow me to keep this weapon, ¡®The Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡°WHAT?!¡±¡±

    ¡°After getting a better handle of wielding the tanto that I named ¡®Nyra,¡¯ I was able to withstand the curse¡¯s side-effects, and call me crazy, but I¡¯m also able to communicate with the being who goes by the same name in the weapon.¡±

    ¡°We had records of the previously possessed saying they heard a voice in their head. I see, so her name was Nyra,¡± I heard Ms. Tephalia mutter.

    ¡°We talked, and she said she wanted to come with me. I understand the curse has brought unwanted grief around these parts for quite a while, and honestly, I don¡¯t think sealing it away again while upping the traps will really solve the issue. I¡¯m able to wield Nyra with little problems, and I don¡¯t think the side-effects will burden me as much as they did the first time. I also made a Weapon¡¯s Bond with Nyra, so even if I lose her or someone picks her up, I can always call her right back to me before things quickly get out of hand.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What are you planning to do with such a fearsome weapon?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much, really. I just want to up my chances of living in this world.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°I know I might seem ¡­ unstable, but if I could, I want to avoid battles. I understand you and your predecessors have been guarding her for quite some time, but if I could ask you to trust me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay, you can keep her.¡±

    ¡°That easily?!¡± I exclaim while jolting my head up.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand why this task was forced on us to begin with. Frankly, I thought that even if we sealed her away and she doesn¡¯t get wielded, this city is still influenced by her misfortune somehow, and I just wanted to get rid of her. She¡¯s more troublesome just being looked after than its worth.¡±

    <¡°Well, fuck you too, lady!¡±> Nyra refutes, despite knowing no one could hear her.

    ¡°I¡¯d hesitate if it were anyone else, but not only have you displayed heroism last night, you¡¯ve also shown great willpower and self-control to not submit yourself to the curse¡¯s side-effects so easily. Along with this generous donation you gave me that wasn¡¯t really needed, I think I can entrust Nyra to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ms. Tephalia¡ª¡±

    ¡°There is one thing I want to ask, though, about my ¡®offer¡¯ earlier ¡­¡±

    ¡°R-Right, uh, I¡¯m not ready to settle down yet, as well as becoming a father that follows after marriage¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine! Frankly, even with the circumstances, I realized later that it might¡¯ve been extreme. I want to properly acknowledge you as a hero to Dondegarm and throw a festivity as an honor for last night¡¯s victory. If you¡¯re willing to stay a few nights for us to gather ourselves and prepare ¡­ we could get to know each other properly along the way.¡±

    ¡°While I admit that sounds great, I have a prior engagement with someone else that¡¯s needed to be taken into account. May I confirm that with them first?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Will you be heading out now?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I say as I stand up. I gestured Ren and Erizora behind me to do the same. ¡°There are many things I must get done today while I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°I understand. If you end up staying the night in Dondegarm, you¡¯re welcome to spend it in my manor.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve imposed on you enough with my abrupt arrival already. I¡¯ll find an inn or someplace to crash.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then. Do let me know what decision you¡¯ll come to when you figure out your situation.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°And Jinma?¡± Ms. Tephalia asks as she slithers over to me.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Chu.

    Suddenly, a pair of lips is pressed on my cheek.

    <¡°Oooh yeaaaaaah!¡±> Nyra cheers in my head.

    ¡°Thanks again for your valiant efforts~.¡±

 Chapter 28: Hero Treatment

    Ms. Tephalia had Ashe and Salelia take us out of her manor once our business was finished for the time being. The two handmaidens took the opportunity to apologize profusely for pushing me more on edge than what was considered comfortable and stated clearly that they want to thank me properly for saving them last night.

    ¡°Oh! Sally! We should invite him to that!¡±

    ¡°I was just thinking the same, Ashe. The two of us also work part-time at a place called ¡®The Basket.¡¯ Ask for the two of us there, and we¡¯ll be sure to give you our best service, at your own pace, free of charge.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the least we could do to make up for our poor misjudgment earlier! Please consider it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll uh ¡­ keep it in mind,¡± I answer.

    We make it to the door and the two of them bid us off with beaming smiles on their faces as the three of us walk out of the premises, which includes passing a gate where two Centaur post guards stand on each side holding spears. Looking above their heads, I read their names as Linolio and Simones.

    ¡°Oh! Sir Kotori! Good morning!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, uh ¡­ morning?¡± ¡®Sir¡¯ Kotori? I think.

    ¡°Please pardon me for my selfishness, but may I ¡­ shake thy hand?¡± Linolio asks.

    I look at him with a quirked brow. ¡°¡­ Sure? Did you want one as well?¡± I ask Simones.

    ¡°I-It would be an honor!¡±

    The two of them switch their hands holding their weapons to shake with their dominant ones, both of which I do with a firm grip. While shaking Linolio¡¯s, I concentrated on him until I see a new green status window for the first time.

    [Name: Linolio

    Race: Centaur

    Class: Halberdier

    Measurements: 215 cm in height [~7 ft], 468 kg in weight [~1,032 lbs]

    HP: 1097/1097

    MP: 329/329]

    ¡°Keep ¡­ up the good work.¡± While trying to maintain conversation and not be so confused at what is going on, I drag that line longer than needed.

    ¡°¡°With pleasure, sir!¡±¡±

    Well, not sure how knowing one¡¯s ¡®Measurements¡¯ helps me in battle, but at least I know ¡®Size Up¡¯ works if I concentrate on one person enough.

    As I make my way out of the premises with Ren and Erizora behind me, I thought I heard ¡°He¡¯s cooler than I thought he was!¡± out of earshot, but I¡¯m probably just overthinking things.

    Once I¡¯m sure no others are around to see and hear, I heave a deep sigh. ¡°I was able to say all of that to Ms. Tephalia, so why didn¡¯t I do the same with Ms. Umeiyon?¡± I mutter.

    ¡°Ms. Umeiyon? You mean the Lizardman girl from last night?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°Did you run into her while you were venting out your energy?¡± Ren adds. ¡°What happened? And why do you look so down?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ complicated, I¡¯m too tired to explain it right now.¡±

    ~~

    It was about an hour before I made it back to Ms. Tephalia¡¯s bedchambers. Ms. Umeiyon was so happy after seeing my status earlier that she was running on about the things she thought would come. I couldn¡¯t even find a spot to jump in and say my opinion because of how I was still absorbing her outrageous request of producing offspring with her. Even Nyra was also speechless to say anything obnoxious.

    Ms. Umeiyon was so happy, in fact, that alongside with healing my exhaustion from the monster slaughter earlier, even though I turned it down before, she gave me more than twice of what she previously offered in the beginning just to see my status out of pure joy. I mentioned I¡¯d rather just have it all in coins instead for some reason, so she just exchanged the two lumps of Chaos Ore for the number of white gold coins that she heard were recently worth at the sizes she had. Like Nyra guessed, they were more than what was sold in the market back in her days.

    I was caught off guard when she suddenly ripped the rags off her body, but before I could get a glimpse of her naked form, her very being was glowing white. Using what I assumed to be the ¡®Ancient Magic¡¯ that was listed in her skills, she changed her form from what I guessed would be the standard look for Lizardmen into something much larger. With marine blue scales all over the backside of her form while a yellowish-white, fleshy underbelly was seen below, large wings spread out to the total span of maybe one and a half soccer fields, a maw riddled with pointy teeth, and a pair of horns in the matching color of what was on her claws jotted out the back of her head, her transformation was complete.

    If I didn¡¯t believe it at first, I did then. Ms. Umeiyon was a legit Dragon. Around these parts, it seems they take the form similar to what¡¯s recognized in Western European Mythology back on Earth.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time to think things over. If I don¡¯t see you again before then, I¡¯ll be right here eager to hear your answer!¡± she exclaimed cheerfully with the same tone and pitch in her voice she spoke to me in her smaller form. With that, she lifted herself off the ground with a few flaps of her wings, creating such strong gusts of wind that nearly blew me off my feet, before taking off. I could remember the joyous laughter she made as she flew with freedom and grace while doing aerial acrobatics.

    And so, I was left with 15 white gold coins, 15 million karos, out of her having a good day after finding the best ¡®mate¡¯ to possibly help save her race. I spent the remainder of my time counting out all the money I ¡®earned¡¯ from yesterday in my [Storage] while collecting my thoughts and explaining to Nyra how I¡¯m a Champion. Since she was going to be my partner from now on, I figured she should know that much about me.

    Nyra was ecstatic that I represented Ms. Obina as her Champion, as that is the one goddess that she and the majority of other Pixies back in her home revered the most. For how crude her humor and euphemisms can be, it¡¯s plain to see where she got them from.

    I left out how I¡¯m from another world, of course, and as for how I¡¯m able to have two classes at the same time, aside from leveling up my class enough as a Brawler, I¡¯m as dumb as her in that regard, so I couldn¡¯t answer very much.

    I¡¯ve wanted to learn more of what all of my skills can do, but I didn¡¯t want to keep the girls waiting any longer than I could, so I just selected the ones that seem the most boggling¡ªmostly the Underdog-related skills¡ªand checked their descriptions.

    [<u>Underdog Bonus:</u> Gained after acquiring the ¡®Formidable Underdog¡¯ title; user gets a boost in how much EXP he earns and a bonus in stats when leveling up from now on.]

    [<u>Size Up:</u> Gained after acquiring the ¡®Extreme Underdog¡¯ title; allows the user to appraise his enemies for information. Concentrate on one target for further details than their defaults.]

    [<u>Status Sorting:</u> Gained after acquiring the ¡®Fearsome Underdog¡¯ title; allows the user to move things from his status¡ªother than his stats, race, and primary class¡ªto another window that cannot be viewed in public or accessed by any appraisal-type skills.]

    [<u>Hyper Perception:</u> A skill evolved from the ¡®Focus¡¯ skill when at maximum level of mastery; the user¡¯s able to perceive his surroundings with a faster thought process, slowing the movements of the world around him to react to more quickly.]

    [<u>Devil Eyes:</u> An exclusive racial skill for those in the Devil race; depending on the individual, it will heighten the user¡¯s senses/instincts, dramatically increase his stats, help activate special skills/spells, and/or better his control of mana when activated; the user will fall in KO if the skill is prolonged to a certain extent.]

    So, even the description stated ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ is exclusive to the Devil race, but couldn¡¯t explain why I, a human, has it. I even double-checked my status to make sure my race is correct, and as expected, it still stated as ¡®Human.¡¯ I¡¯d really need to figure out how I can get more info out of this, how to even use it/activate it, but most importantly, don¡¯t abuse it to make me drop in KO as I likely did last night. I¡¯d be in deep shit if that happened out in the open while in the middle of a battle.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡®Size Up,¡¯ I experimented it on one of the post guards later on with succession after concentrating on one person enough. At its current level, it seems I can see one¡¯s name, race, class, measurements, plus their HP and MP in numerical detail than just how full the bars above their heads are.

    ¡®Underdog Bonus¡¯ seems to explain how I got more EXP than I thought I¡¯d get and get so much of my stats increased. They must be preset to a certain amount at each level up that¡¯s separate from what I earned in real time. I could already see then how ridiculous that will quickly get.

    Finally, my latest new skill, ¡®Status Sorting,¡¯ seemed the most interesting. When I pulled my status up with the skill in mind, a gray window appeared next to the light blue one, and as the skill described, I could move skills, spells, abilities, and even titles over to the new window that won¡¯t be seen by others.

    The scariest thing about this skill, however? I could even move and change parts of my name to the other window. ¡®Majin Kotori,¡¯ ¡®Koma Jintori,¡¯ ¡®Jin Manto,¡¯ even with the whole thing moved over, I¡¯d get a ¡®(N/A)¡¯ symbol. The possibilities of what I could do with such a world-breaking skill frightens me. For the time-being, I just went with my original name and moved a bunch of my skills, spells, and titles over to hopefully not garner very much attention, including the ¡®Natural-Born Brawler¡¯ title if the old drunkard from last night found that to be a threat.

    In the end, aside from the silver coins I stored in its own pouch, I found a total of 610 gold coins from both the Toxic Troll¡¯s stash and the cultists from last night, which would make a little more than 6 million karos then, coming to a grand total of 21 million I have on hand. I planned out what I wanted to do from there before heading back to the bedchambers through [Portal], and the rest was history.

    ~~

    ¡°So, what do you want to do now?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°Have the two of you eaten?¡±

    Gyuuuuuun.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s not what you think! Lady Tephalia really did feed us! Honest!¡± Erizora defends with a flushed face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m hungry from the energy I spent earlier, so let¡¯s grab a quick bite and decide what to do next.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master.¡±¡±

    I could also use this chance to ask them some questions, like what Ms. Tephalia said about them being with me.

    ~~

    The next couple of minutes, we stroll through the city while figuring out where we could find some food. Since we aren¡¯t in a hurry and there are no emergencies going on, I take the time to really take in the surroundings that I can see better in daylight than I could last night. I may have already seen it from atop that hill earlier, but walking the streets inside it now? I could see that it¡¯s big with a capital ¡®B.¡¯ Seeing the buildings made of wood, stone, and mud up close, the city¡¯s foundation really was designed to accommodate the larger-bodied races like Lamias and Centaurs. Some of them I could see even Erizora being able to walk into comfortably without ducking her head. Then there are those that got damaged from the infiltration last night that some of the public service are working to repair them as we speak.

    Surprisingly, the ¡®public service¡¯ doing the repairs have different lower halves from Arachne, and there are equal number of females and males of that group doing the labor. I confirmed it with Ren and Erizora that they are a subspecies of the ¡®Insectoid¡¯ race called ¡®Giant Ants.¡¯ It seems their colony is stationed somewhere outside of the city and messengers were sent to request their assistance with repairs after the infiltration died down. Giant Ants are known to be quite industrious and hard-working, making them the best people to go to for anything involving building homes that would get done within a few days, faster than Humans back home wouldn¡¯t even dream to achieve. Seeing the antennas jotting out of their heads on closer inspection, I could see the resemblance. The girls had to snap me out of it when I was in awe of how they use the ant lower-halves to climb up the walls with ease despite carrying heavy-looking materials in their hands. The lady Giant Ants are especially surprising, while I could see how lean their muscles are, their true strength is contrary to their looks. I wondered if this is similar to how the ants back home are able to lift objects ten times their body weight.

    Aside from the girls snapping me out of it, I¡¯d probably take the moments to really marvel at the architectures so foreign to me and the process of building them if it weren¡¯t for the strange comments I receive from the locals along the way.

    ¡°Good morning, Sir Kotori!¡± [Male Centaur Guard

    ¡°Hey~! Mr. Kotori~! How¡¯s it going?!¡± [Arachne Shopkeeper]

    ¡°Mr. Kotori! What¡¯s up?!¡± [Male Imp Adventurer?]

    ¡°¡°Hi, hero~! ?¡±¡± [Harpy Messenger(?) Trio flying overhead]

    Some races were obvious, but I could only guess what a few might¡¯ve been along with their occupations by appearance alone. I didn¡¯t have a lot of time to look into them more thoroughly with ¡®Size Up¡¯ as they quickly passed by.

    That aside, I¡¯m experiencing one hell of a culture shock with all of these people greeting me the way they are right now.

    ¡°¡­ Hey, Ren, Erizora, did something happen?¡± I ask while glancing back.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°They¡¯re all so ¡­ friendly, towards me, and some are watching me strangely, kind of like what Ashe and Salelia were doing earlier on our way to Ms. Tephalia¡¯s room. How do they all even know my name?¡±

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that expected? You¡¯re a hero, Master, the whole city pretty much knows what you did last night.¡±

    ¡°Of course, your great strength deserves every reverence and respect it could get,¡± Ren and Erizora say, respectively.

    Again, the word ¡®hero¡¯ being said repeatedly makes me a little uncomfortable, but I try not to show it.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like I did all the work, though. There were others who helped, hell, you two and Ms. Gallofree were with me leading the offensive. Shouldn¡¯t you also get some praise, too? And let¡¯s not forget how I destroyed a building, unintentionally attracted monsters into the city with Nyra¡¯s power, and ¡­ oh yeah, I killed a bunch of dudes with her. I even tortured some of them more out of my own satisfaction instead of ¡®justice.¡¯ I don¡¯t think a ¡®hero¡¯ does any of those.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the killing part could be helped,¡± Ren starts. ¡°Frankly, I was amazed you held back from offing most of them up to that point, and while I wasn¡¯t sure what you were going through when Nyra tried to possess you, you must¡¯ve gone through a lot. It¡¯s incredible you were still able to discriminate who to fight and who to protect alone from that curse¡¯s history. Being able to overcome that while bearing those eyes, while it may still be intimidating, it¡¯s also amazing in itself.¡±

    ¡°As for the others like Ms. Gallofree who¡¯ve helped with defending the city,¡± Erizora continues, ¡°while I¡¯m sure they¡¯re getting pats on the back for their efforts, you stood out the most with how much you contributed to the fight. For us slaves who fought with you, as do all others, we¡¯re more like ¡­ accessories, additional tools that an owner also ¡®wields¡¯ at the time. Since slave owners take responsibility for their slaves¡¯ actions, that means it¡¯s thanks to those same owners that we¡¯d even fight for a side, and so they take all the credit at the end, as do all the spoils and riches the slaves collect from their enemies¡¯ persons.¡±

    I think back to the moments Ren and Erizora have collected the items and money from their defeated enemies last night and bringing them to me. Ms. Carmen, who¡¯s their current legal owner, did say to help me out with the offensive, but I wonder if she was implying that as well.

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s gotta be rough for you guys, not having your credits paid when they¡¯re due,¡± I say. ¡°Well, the prowess both of you showed last night was great in their own rights. If anything, I appreciate the efforts you two had put into last night¡¯s fight.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s no trouble at all! On the contrary, it was an honor for us to fight alongside a person of such strengths like yours. For you to not only concern us on something so minor but to praise us and even go so far as to treat us with food, we are not worthy of such kindness!¡± Erizora exclaims.

    I sigh internally and scratch my head for how serious she¡¯s taking this. Being so humble despite her size, she might fit right in Japan, same goes for Ren.

    ¡°Hey-hey-hey~! There¡¯s our city¡¯s hero of the hour! Come on, come on! I got a nice kebab fresh off the flames with your name on it, free of charge!¡±

    I look over to the girl who yelled all that and she waves her hand at me with a smile. What makes her stand out the most is that she¡¯s an Arachne like Lili, but having a large, fuzzy-brown, tarantula-like spider half. She also has more of a muscular physique in her upper human half, and even her arms match her spider body having many hairs. She stands behind a counter of a large stand, and further in the back I see many kebabs of large, skewered meats slowly spinning over the fire set in some kind of grill. Above her head, I read the name as Sarud with ¡®Size Up.¡¯

    Now that I think about it, I remember Lili talking to someone about their kebabs while I was still cocooned. Is this the girl she was talking to? I think as we walk over to her. ¡°A free kebab? You sure that¡¯s okay?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You¡¯re new around these parts, aren¡¯t ya?! My kebabs are the finest meals to have on-the-go! Having made from the freshest and high-quality monster meats coated with my secret spices, you can¡¯t get these anywhere else! I¡¯ll give one of these fine beauties to you as a welcome to our city and thanks for saving it! My stand wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise! What do you say?!¡±

    ¡°Th-They smell so good. Even though I never had one, I could eat four of those right now,¡± Erizora says while drool escapes from her lips.

    ¡°¡­ *Zuu. Gokin.*¡± I could recognize that slurping sound from Ren behind me.

    ¡°¡­ All right, then. One for me, and five of your freshest ones for my friends here.¡±

    ¡°That will be 120 karos, please!¡±

    Pretending to pull a pouch out of my pocket, I take the one from my [Storage] after quietly chanting the Null Spell and give the tarantula girl two whole silver coins (200 karos). ¡°Keep the change.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, kind hero sir! I¡¯ll have them right out!¡±

    ¡°M-Master! You sure that¡¯s all right?! You¡¯re basically paying for your own anyways, plus extra!¡± Erizora exclaims as Sarud gets the kebabs.

    ¡°Girl¡¯s gotta make a living. I¡¯d feel bad for her selling herself short if they¡¯re as good as she made them out to be. Plus, you never had one before, and bigger bodies need more food for energy, right? Might as well try something new when you can, and if you say you can eat four, then I think I can believe you¡ªmmph?!¡± I suddenly get swept up and off the ground before my face is planted to something incredibly huge with the excellent mixture of softness and firmness at the next instant.

    Erizora has got me in a tight bear hug, firmly pulling me into her titanic breasts.

    ¡°N-None of the previoush rentersh were ever thish generoush to me before! I¡¯m sho happy~!¡± I hear Erizora cry.

    ¡°E-Eri! Calm down! I think you¡¯re suffocating Master!¡± Ren exclaims.

    <¡°Holy shiiiiiit! This chick really is ginormous! I could probably fit my whole body in here, and I do not mean my current one!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    ¡­ I probably wouldn¡¯t mind dying in this manner.

 Chapter 29: Confessions, Part 1

    Once we got our kebabs, we make to a nearby park. Amazingly, this is one of the few places where the infiltration didn¡¯t leave it destroyed in the aftermath. Some sort of playground is also there where children of different races are playing in it like any other day, as if the infiltration last night didn¡¯t happen at all. I¡¯m not usually good with kids and we may have gotten a few stares from them, but the sight of them enjoying themselves is very wholesome to witness.

    There are also benches in the park, but since none are big enough to fit all three of us¡ªgiven Erizora¡¯s size¡ªI decide for us to sit under one of the trees¡¯ shade. The two of them take each side of me when they sit down.

    ¡°Mmmm~! Thish ish sho gooood!¡± Erizora exclaims after taking her first bite, eating out of one skewer in one hand while the other held the rest of the four I gave her.

    ¡°This has a nice level of spice in it. Wonder what kind of monster meat was used?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the Bear Moles you took down last night?¡± Ren guesses. ¡°They all had to go somewhere.¡±

    ¡°True ¡­¡± Actually, wonder what I could find out about these two with my new skill? Hey, Mr. Size Up, help me out here, will you? As if answering my internal call while I¡¯m watching Ren eat, a new green screen appears in front of me.

    [Name: Ren

    Race: Werewolf

    Class: Thief

    Measurements: 162 cm in height [~5 ft, 3 in], 68 kg in weight [~150 lbs], the three sizes are 78C-72-80

    HP: 764/764

    MP: 431/431]

    ¡°¡­¡± I feel like I just saw something I shouldn¡¯t have, but at the same time grateful to be blessed with such a skill. Ren seems so thin though, is she not given enough food while under Ms. Carmen¡¯s watch? She should eat more to get a healthier weight. Still, C-cup, huh? That¡¯s pretty good.

    <¡°No fair! How come I didn¡¯t get a skill like that?!¡±>

    Circumstances. Now, for Erizora ¡­

    [Name: Erizora

    Race: Ogre/Human

    Class: Savage

    Measurements: 228 cm in height [~7 ft, 6 in], 105 kg in weight [~231 lbs], the three sizes are 117L-81-95¡ª]

    <¡°HOLY SWEET MOTHERFUCKER OF THE QUEEN!¡±>

    ¡°PBBTH¡ªGOHO GOHO GOHO!¡±

    ¡°Master! Are you all right?!¡± Erizora exclaims after I got so surprised that the piece of meat I was eating went down the wrong pipe. I was on the verge of choking.¡±

    ¡°Master! You know Water Magic, right?! Use ¡®Create Water¡¯!¡± Ren exclaims.

    As I¡¯m partially focused, I utter enough of the chant to create an unstable, dribbling amoeba of water in the air. I bring it close to me and try to drink as much out of it as I could while not minding the mess.

    Crisis averted, I exasperated while holding a hand to my chest as Erizora pats my back.

    ¡°Oh, god ¡­¡±

    ¡°What happened?!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°I was just ¡­ surprised, and a piece went down the wrong tube,¡± I answer after getting my bearings.

    ¡°What got you so surprised?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°Nyra gave me a scare that caught me off-guard.¡±

    ¡°The one in the cursed tanto, right? Wonder what she said?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ better that you don¡¯t know.¡± I go back to eating the rest of my kebab not willing to continue the discussion any further, trying not to let my eyes stray to Erizora¡¯s direction. The girls, getting the hint, went back to eating their own.

    117 centimeters ¡­ L cup ¡­ is that the standard for Ogre women? No, that¡¯s one hell of a surprise, but more importantly ¡­ she¡¯s half human? I can get all female races like Lamias, but other demon races can interbreed with humans, too?

    <¡°You got me. This is the first I¡¯ve heard and seen such a spectacle. Though, that does explain her unique magical aura.¡±>

    What do you mean?

    <¡°The kin are identified more for their magical auras than physical traits, and they¡¯re represented by different colors. We demons have maroon colored auras, humans have cyan, and demis have yellow ones. Megatits here is exhibiting the first two auras blending together. It¡¯s the first I¡¯ve ever seen in my time while being trapped in the tanto.¡±>

    Now that you mention it, I remember seeing that while my Devil Eyes were activated ¡­ wait, so Pixies are classified as demons? What about Fairies?

    <¡°They¡¯re demis, and let me tell you that we¡¯ve had the biggest beef with them waaaaaay back before I got trapped here. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised that hasn¡¯t changed over the thousand-plus years since I left if either of them still exist.¡±>

    Huh ¡­ still, going back to Erizora, wonder if she¡¯s trying to hide half of her race from others? I¡¯ll respect her privacy.

    Surprisingly, the girls were still hungry for more kebabs, even Erizora after having four, but they didn¡¯t say it outright after I asked them. Since their ¡®Confessions¡¯ are set at 1, they couldn¡¯t lie, so they just went silent instead of being honest.

    Maybe they¡¯re being modest and were told not to be demanding since they¡¯re slaves? I wonder if they¡¯d actually tell me their measurements if I ordered them to instead of looking into them myself.

    Feeling a little guilty of that and looking into their very personal information without their knowing, I went ahead and got four more kebabs¡ªthree of which are for Erizora¡ªfrom the stall for them, despite their protest. I was satisfied after eating one, so I didn¡¯t get any more for myself. I also got us some kind of fruit water at a shop Sarud directed me to while I waited for fresh kebabs to be prepared.

    Curious, I ask Ren how she knew about a spell like ¡®Create Water¡¯ to help me ease my choking earlier. It¡¯s the fundamental spell in Water Magic that uses very little MP and serves as a ¡®test¡¯ to see if one is capable of using that attribute magic. There¡¯s one for each of the other five attributes as well and Ren demonstrated her capability of using ¡®Terra Magic¡¯ by casting ¡®Create Sand,¡¯ which makes sand appear on her palm. Apparently, this was how Ren got that same sand to blind the Lamias when she and Erizora tried to rescue me. It¡¯s actually rather incredible how capable she is, a Werewolf of the Thief class able to cast Terra Magic and possessing a rare Null Spell. I imagine she must fetch a high price to buy as a slave.

    Deciding to test it out, I cast ¡®Create Sand¡¯ as well with success and little effort.

    [You have now learned ¡®Terra Magic¡¯ LV 1!]

    Shock appears on Erizora¡¯s and Ren¡¯s faces, with the latter being so shocked that she almost dropped her skewer. Ren stares ahead with dead fish eyes.

    ¡°Fire, Water, Storm, Curse, Holy, and now Terra ¡­ Master¡¯s able to do all of them ¡­ the one redeeming quality I have to be useful to Master, gone, blown away in the wind like the sand on my palm ¡­ so, too, does the meaning of my existence,¡± Ren drones.

    ¡°Ren! What are you talking about?! Snap out of it!¡±

    She¡¯s still listless despite my yelling.

    ¡°Erizora! Can¡¯t you do something?!¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! It¡¯s like she regressed to the state she was when she first started living with the Todoka family as their slave, if not worse than before!¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    <¡°Jinma, there¡¯s only one thing you must do with her when she¡¯s like this,¡±> Nyra urges.

    Wait, what do you mean?

    <¡°These are drastic measures. To snap her out of it, this must be done.¡±>

    ¡­ You mean this?

    I do the first thing that comes to mind: get behind Ren while minding her tail, reach out ¡­

    And pet Ren¡¯s fluffy wolf ears as I read in a pet training book once.

    Mofu mofu mofu.

    I could see a shiver run up Ren¡¯s spine while she arches her back, and soon enough, her tail starts wagging ecstatically.

    ¡°Mrrrrrr~?.¡± Ren lets out a satisfied, contented growl of pleasure in her throat while she practically melts at my touch.

    [You have now learned ¡®Petting¡¯ LV 3!]

    Wow, this turned out way better than I thought.

    <¡°I was expecting you to reach under her top and cop a feel of her C-cup breasts to surprise her out of it but this is entertaining in its own way.¡±>

    What kind of guy do you make of me to get that out of your vague hinting?

    <¡°It always worked for me back home!¡±>

    Ren profusely apologized with a flustered face when she came to her senses and I let her off easy. I got a nice treat out of it anyway, so all things were good. Still, Ren brought up a good point earlier. I don¡¯t know how often one being able to use all six of the magic attributes and a number of null spells comes around in this world. I¡¯ll surely draw a lot of unwanted attention to myself if I use magic carelessly, so I made a mental note to limit its use while telling the girls not to speak a word about it to anyone.

    I then let them take a couple more minutes to get their fills while I try to come up with the right questions to ask them about the situation.

    ¡°You two ¡­ you both knew what you were getting into when you volunteered to stay at my bedside,¡± I start while looking straight ahead. Their eating noises get quieter. ¡°Ms. Tephalia told me a little of what happened before you barged in. I¡¯m not gonna force you to spill everything just by changing your ¡®Confession¡¯ settings to max, but I want you to be honest with me. Why would you risk your lives like that? What were you two hoping to gain whether or not things worked out after I woke up?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ I do owe you my life for saving me when I was held hostage,¡± Ren says. ¡°And you helped me set Mistress Carmen and my friends free before we began the resistance. I felt I owe you so much that ¡­¡± Ren pauses and tries to think of her next words before turning to me. ¡°Before I continue, may I ask something of you first, Master?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°What are you planning to do after everything¡¯s settled? Your ¡®prior engagements¡¯ and other things while you¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Well, I definitely want to know what¡¯s going on with me having my ¡®special eyes,¡¯¡± I say while pointing to them. ¡°I want to find someone who can help explain to me what they are and how to control them. I never knew I had such powers until last night, and I couldn¡¯t get them to come again while I was venting steam earlier. I just want to know why I even have these so I can calm down these uneasy feelings about them. That aside though ¡­ I want to live. I want to visit and explore many places around Padimon, around this world, as much as I can, doing things I couldn¡¯t do in my previous home that I can never go back to no matter how much I want to.

    ¡°I guess you could say I want to do exactly what the ¡®adventurer¡¯ job does in its name: go on adventures, and when I feel I¡¯ve done enough, I¡¯d like to find a nice home to live and come back to after a day of honest work, whether it be adventuring or some other occupation is still up to debate.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ almost always on the move between locations?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°Yeah. I could probably stay in one place from a couple days to a week before traveling to the next area, taking advantage of whatever they each have to offer as I can. Plus, I have [Portal], so I can go back to those places anytime once I visit them ¡­ I could see Ms. Tephalia whenever I want, too,¡± I mutter the last one to myself. The more I talked, the more I was thinking of benefits I didn¡¯t consider while I was by myself.

    <¡°Oooh~, interested in charming the head snake lady, are we~?¡±>

    ¡­ Maybe. I mean, if she shows that much of an interest in me, why shouldn¡¯t I try? Never gone on real dates with girls back home before, anyway, so why not start now? She did take my first kiss.

    <¡°See, now this is why I like you. You¡¯re actually honest with yourself. Unlike you, aside from the very rare special occasions, we Pixies were never allowed out of our village, so even if I wanted to meet someone new, I couldn¡¯t. As long as I¡¯m with you, I could see all kinds of people, as well as all the actions, if you catch my drift~.¡±>

    ¡­ As long as you¡¯re quiet, I guess I would not mind you watching it.

    <¡°Others would just think I¡¯m a regular dagger. You realize just knowing what I really am and doing at the time while you¡¯re going at it like rabbits make the experience all the kinkier, right?¡±>

    I¡¯m not gonna bother worrying about it since we did that a while ago.

    ¡°¡­ To be honest, Master, I had something of a motive for staying with you.¡±

    I lost track of how long I was talking to Nyra in my head that I nearly jumped from Ren¡¯s comment.

    ¡°That¡¯s really my main reason for volunteering to be at your side for a short time, along with repaying you for saving my life. Please allow me to express my sincerest apologies for holding this out from you,¡± Ren says before setting aside her finished kebab on the grass and prostrate herself in front of me. ¡°Eri only came along out of worry for me, so please don¡¯t put any blame on her.¡±

    ¡°R-Ren¡ª!¡±

    I hold up a hand towards Erizora to stop her while keeping my eyes on Ren. ¡°I know there was a lot of craziness going on, so I appreciate you opening up about this now. If you can, please tell me your intentions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Ren then sits up attentively in seiza. ¡°I¡¯ve actually been looking for some form of protection from someone for some time. Protection from a group who goes by the ¡®Chaos Barrage.¡¯ You could say they¡¯re similar to the White Rapture we fought last night; a group mainly consisting of demons bent to enslave, or even eradicate the entire human and demi races ¡­ my older brother, along with my previous pack of the White Werewolves is among them.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, but he and the rest of my previous pack joined in for reasons our parents and myself wouldn¡¯t accept. So, I ran away at the first opportunity, but Big Brother and the rest want to capture me mainly for my personal Null Spell. Have you wondered what it could do to this country¡¯s currency?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yeah, I can see how that can lead to something bad.¡±

    Forget counterfeiting, Padimon¡¯s economy would go into chaos if spells like ¡®[Duplicate]¡¯ are used for the wrong reasons.

    ¡°At some point, I ran into Mistress Carmen¡¯s father, and when I told him my situation, we settled on a deal that led me to become a slave.¡±

    ¡°Why would becoming a slave solve your problem?¡±

    ¡°Unlike most other slave merchants, his daughter runs an extension that moves to different locations periodically. As long as I stayed and worked close to her, I¡¯d have fewer chances of running into the Chaos Barrage. Of course, I couldn¡¯t stay with them forever. With what I¡¯m capable of, someone is bound to want to redeem me, and as part of the ¡®Slave¡¯s Silver Lining Act,¡¯ I only have 10 months from the beginning of my enslavement to have a choice of who I could have as my Master, and after that, I¡¯d have to go with them at what I¡¯m currently priced in the market, whether I like it or not. It¡¯s been 9 months since then, and I¡¯ve trained myself in what I could to be too valuable for most to redeem me. We slaves do have a criterion that potential owners must meet in order to redeem us at lower prices, however.¡±

    ¡°And for you, one of them is having a Master who¡¯s almost always on the move,¡± I say, having an idea to where this was going, to which Ren nods.

    ¡°I know I¡¯d be asking a lot out of my protector for watching over me from the Chaos Barrage. That¡¯s why me being their slave works out. In exchange for looking after me for as long as they could, I¡¯d do whatever they ask me to do. Fight monsters for them, do laborious chores ¡­ relieve their sexual urges, and then some. You have fulfilled almost everything in my criterion when I volunteered to watch over you, and I bet Mistress Carmen knew of my intentions. That¡¯s why she and Lady Tephalia made the agreement to lend me to you as a free, temporary slave offering Gold-Level Services for 36 hours.¡±

    ¡°But you were warned that you might lose your life if you were near me thanks to the curse¡¯s side-effects. Things could¡¯ve gone a lot worse than the way they are right now.¡±

    ¡°You are certainly right on that, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I still owe you my life for saving me. Whether it be through being ravaged or being killed, anything is better than being held captive by the Chaos Barrage and using my Null Spell for bad things. Other than that, I¡¯ll take whatever was given to me¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t!¡± I yell while stabbing my finished skewer in the ground, scaring her and Erizora, as well as a few passersby, I imagine, but I didn¡¯t care what they were seeing. ¡°You have as much right to choose how you want to live as anyone else! You shouldn¡¯t ¡®settle¡¯ for what was given to you if you aren¡¯t satisfied with it! That¡¯s the main reason why you trained up to this point since your enslavement, isn¡¯t it?! To be strong enough to fight for what you truly want?!

    ¡°And even if you were okay with throwing your life away, what about the friends you¡¯ve made like Erizora?! What about me?! If you already knew I¡¯d be under the curse¡¯s side-effects, you think I want to kill the first person I woke up to when they never deserved it?! You think I want to force myself on a beautiful, nonconsenting woman when they should be saving that special moment with the one person they truly love?! I would never forgive myself for that!¡±

    ¡°M-Master ¡­¡±

    I take a deep breath and heave a deep sigh to try and calm down before putting both my hands on her shoulders, looking right into her golden-yellow eyes. ¡°Tell me, Ren. Tell me what it is you truly want to do with yourself and your life. I don¡¯t care how selfish they may sound to you, just tell me your true feelings.¡±

    Ren¡¯s eyes start welling up as the cool mask she tries to wear begins to crack. ¡°I-I ¡­ I want to live. I want to live happily in a pack, a family where we would support each other, to love and be loved. It may never be the same as my old one, but I ¡­ I just don¡¯t want to feel so alone anymore. Is that ¡­ too much to ask?¡±

    ¡°Ren ¡­¡± Erizora mutters while Ren tries to fight back the tears, but fails spectacularly. Her eyes are shut tight and tears streak down her cheeks as she chokes on her sobs.

    Without thinking, I wrap my arms around Ren¡¯s shoulders and pull her into an embrace. I could feel her body shudder from the sudden surprise, but I stroke her hair with care.

    ¡°No, Ren, it¡¯s not. That¡¯s a very precious thing to have, and it suits a precious girl like you,¡± I whisper with as much care as I put in my tone.

    ¡°Master ¡­¡± Ren wraps her arms around me and continues to sob into my shoulder while I comfort her.

    It seems she and I are on a similar boat right now. We¡¯re both trying to come to terms with losing someone dear to us. The circumstances may be different, but I can sympathize with her, at least.

    Just recalling the faces I¡¯ll never see again back home, those who¡¯ve been with Mom and I since my birth and so on, without even getting a chance to say good-bye, it took every bit of my restraint to keep myself from breaking down in front of the girls. This is not the time, I think to myself. Let this one use you for support for the time being and you can handle your personal matters on your own time.

    <¡°Idiot ¡­¡±>

    I thought I heard Nyra say something, but I might just be hearing things again.

 Chapter 30: Confessions, Part 2

    ¡°Please forgive me for that undesirable appearance ¡­ and making a mess of your shirt, Master.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Are you feeling better?¡± I ask as I wipe the remains of Ren¡¯s tears and snot from her face with my sleeve, wishing I had my handkerchief, but it¡¯s in the MIB that¡¯s with Lili right now.

    Still slightly red in the face, she only nods silently while I cast [Clean] on my stains.

    ¡°Let me just see if I got my facts straight. While you certainly want someone strong and dependable to watch your back while the Chaos Barrage comes after you, you really want to find someone to be your support, to make a new ¡®pack¡¯ that you can live a good life with. Does that sound right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And trying not to sound egocentric, but you think I¡¯d be the best guy for you as ¡­ your master?¡±

    ¡°W-Well ¡­¡± Ren pushes her fingers together while averting her gaze. ¡°You¡¯d be the best for that other thing, too. If possible, I¡¯d like you to be the leader of my new pack, the leader of our adventurer party.¡±

    ¡°I get being the leader of the adventurer party, but what does one being a ¡®pack leader¡¯ entail? Is there a difference?¡±

    ¡°Well, a pack leader makes the decisions for what we should do and what tasks to assign members as we work together. Also, as the pack leader, the highest alpha, he has the privilege of having as many mates to do with as he pleases. I imagine people in adventurer parties have more equality in social standing, or it could vary depending who¡¯s in them, but I believe you being the leader for both cases would be best.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so ¡­ you want me to form a harem?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Though humans allow polygamy, I understand the ways they go about relationships are different from us Werewolves specifically, as do other races. Since I¡¯m a slave, I can take the part of what we call the ¡®alpha female¡¯ among the other slave girls, a faction that serves as your concubines, tending to every need of yours and your wives while we bear and tend to your children. Whether they be from the same race as me or not, I will acknowledge and accept every person, male or female, as part of this new pack, though I¡¯d preferably like more females than males, or, really, having you being the only male while I look after the other females in your harem.¡±

    <¡°I like how this girl thinks,¡±> Nyra comments.

    Recalling my conversation with Ms. Umeiyon after hearing ¡®children,¡¯ I freeze up in a daze before shaking myself out of it. ¡°H-Hold on, wait, this is a lot to take in,¡± I say while holding my head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want to be free of slavery so that you¡¯d stand on the same level as my other wives? Not that I¡¯m saying how sure I am of getting other wives. Having many girls giving so much attention to someone like me is something I¡¯ve never experienced back home ¡­ well, other than my aunts, my mom¡¯s friends, who like to dote and tease me on occasion.¡±

    <¡°Soo~, you¡¯re more into the older and mature type, huh~?¡±

    Hey, it¡¯s not like that. They were family to me. I wouldn¡¯t go that far.

    <¡°Dude, as we speak, I can sense forms of attraction from you that would only apply to those you see as women and not just ¡®family.¡¯¡±>

    Those were just hopeless childish crushes! They only saw me as a nephew or even a little brother, anyways, so they don¡¯t count! Shut up!

    ¡°I think you¡¯re being modest,¡± Ren says, snapping me out of my banter with Nyra, ¡°and those girls had no idea what they were missing out on not having to be with such a man of your caliber. As for being free to become your wife, it may be better for me to stay as your slave.¡±

    ¡°Why would that be?¡±

    ¡°While free women do have the choice of who they want to be with, I think they¡¯re at a higher risk of being taken advantage of and can¡¯t fend for themselves than slaves are, whether they¡¯re someone¡¯s wife or not. Plus, they¡¯re more likely to get into infidelity behind their husbands¡¯ backs. Being someone¡¯s slave means they¡¯re their owner¡¯s personal property, something outsiders would rather not mess with if they know what¡¯s good for them. Plus, should something happen to a slave, their owners can track them thanks to the magic in effect and could pin the culprit for committing a crime against them.¡±

    ¡°How common is slavery here?¡±

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve learned, it¡¯s been around since after the Great War. Those were much crueler times, but the industry¡¯s been progressive in how they treat and trade slaves these days. The ¡®Slave¡¯s Silver Lining Act¡¯ never existed until a few centuries ago, and it¡¯s still an agreed practice among those of the three kin involved with the slave merchant¡¯s guild.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I have complicated feelings for how slavery is handled here right now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just today¡¯s logic behind slavery, but in my personal opinion, I¡¯d rather be a slave because ¡­ I¡¯d feel safer and more comfortable knowing I¡¯m owned by someone like you, someone I¡¯m more than happy to do anything for.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <¡°Oooh~, Jinma, having such thoughts at the mention of her doing anything for you. You naughty man~.¡±>

    Shut up. ¡°Okay, being comfortable is one thing, but if you didn¡¯t catch what Ms. Tephalia said, Nyra here attracts much misfortune, and my LUCK stat was already low enough before I made a Weapon¡¯s Bond with her. I think it went down even more after that. There will be many obstacles and hardships coming your way if you stick by me.¡±

    ¡°I have little to no problems with that. If you are in grave danger, I am willing to put my life on the line for you since you saved it once already. Also ¡­¡± Ren trails off before her face reddens and she glances away. ¡°I-If you get stressed, backed-up, or get caught under the curse¡¯s side-effects again, I-I ¡­ I will leave my body for you to do with as you please.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ is there anything else I need to know about your intentions being with me?¡±

    ¡°Well, if possible, I¡¯d be happy if you could redeem Eri as your second slave/concubine. Though I¡¯m older than her by almost a year, she has more experience being a slave than I do, and she¡¯s helped me with adjusting to my new life the most out of everyone in Master Todoka¡¯s household.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Erizora¡¯s younger? How old is she now?¡± We then turn to the Ogre/Human who was picking her teeth with one of the finished skewers. She pauses when she notices us staring at her.

    ¡°Um ¡­ I apologize, I wasn¡¯t sure if I should butt in,¡± she says before setting all her finished skewers to the side with an awkward smile. ¡°And to answer your question ¡­ I just turned 18 recently.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°And just putting it out there, I¡¯ll actually be turning 19 within a few months,¡± Ren says.

    ¡°¡­ Is there a legal age of when one¡¯s acknowledged as an adult?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated for the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory as there are not only so many races that reside here, but there are those that have longer life spans and age slower than others,¡± Ren explains. ¡°Lately, using humans as a standard, we demons are acknowledged as adults when we look similar to a 13-year-old.¡±

    THIRTEEN?! ¡°¡­ A-And there are races who are actually younger than that despite looking like it? Like a 20-year-old being actually, I don¡¯t know, 5, for example?¡±

    ¡°You mean those that age quickly? I know there are monsters like Goblins that fit the description, growing into ¡®adults¡¯ within a week after birth, but I don¡¯t know any demon races that are like that,¡± Erizora says while scratching her cheek while looking up to think.

    ¡°Some of the sentient races today just age slower like the Elves and Dark Elves, and then there are Fairies and Pixies that were reported always seen as children, but we never knew what their true ages are since we never found where they live. Plus, there are human nobles who are married at that age, so that¡¯s why we have that as the standard for reaching adulthood. Same goes for when they¡¯re allowed to be sold and be enslaved,¡± Ren finishes.

    Have nobles in European Medieval times been married around that age? Actually, weren¡¯t there kings who were even younger than that? Wait, is she saying slaves can even be bought and have those things be done to them around that age, too?

    <¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going on, but you could say we Pixies are ¡®eternal thirteen¡¯s¡¯ until some of us get around 300-500 years old. We¡¯d grow into bodies that are around humans at 25, and by then, those who¡¯ve acquired them would be running to be royalty when the current one passes away,¡±> Nyra explains.

    ¡°¡­ Just to make sure, you both are still virgins, right?¡± I ask the girls.

    ¡°Y-Yes, that is true for both of us,¡± Ren says with blushing cheeks while Erizora nods along with the same face.

    This conversation is getting more complicated for me to keep up with. I decide to drop it then and be thankful the girls who¡¯re with me are long past the ¡®age of adulthood¡¯ in this world and still have their chastity intact.

    I clear my throat and compose myself to get back on the original topic. ¡°Erizora, like Ren, I¡¯d like to know what your intentions were, if you had any, for volunteering to be at my side despite the risk of losing your life as the result of me being under the curse¡¯s side-effects.¡±

    ¡°R-Right, that.¡± Erizora straightens herself in seiza and clears her throat. ¡°Well, it¡¯s as I explained earlier when you woke up. Ren is like a sister to me, and so I felt I owed you a debt for saving her life, as well as mine many times over for all the potions you threw at me. More than that though ¡­ I have a few confessions to make if you¡¯d allow me, Master.¡±

    ¡°You may.¡±

    ¡°First, I¡¯m ¡­ a masochist.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°N-Not so much as such that I¡¯d get turned on from being roughed up, humiliated, looked down on, and played with by just anyone! I¡¯m not that easy! It¡¯s just from those who I rightfully acknowledge as stronger than me!

    ¡°Stronger ¡­ in what way?¡±

    ¡°For the majority of us Ogres, we acknowledge those with raw strength, usually within our own kind, but there are races who we know are more powerful than us that we give great respects to. It¡¯s the same raw strength and power that determines who¡¯s the leader of our tribe and has the high ground for choosing their mate worthy to bear his children. For my mother, however, she only recognizes a man worthy to bear children for if he has a strength of heart, and she was the strongest female among all Ogres who can throw anyone down, even the males who approached her. There was only one who overwhelmed her, not just with raw strength, but even when all odds seem to be against him: my father.

    ¡°This brings me to my second confession: only half of my blood is of an Ogre on my mother¡¯s side. My father, who represented my other half ¡­ was a Human.¡±

    Surprise might not have been seen on my face because I¡¯m well aware of that fact after using ¡®Size Up¡¯ on her earlier. Honestly, if you remove the horns, she could very well pass off as an abnormal-sized Human, at best, and I¡¯d be more shocked finding half of her race being an Ogre¡¯s by then. Right now, I can¡¯t see anything that set may set her apart from other Ogres if this is the normal appearance for the females of that race.

    ¡°Among us demons, there are exceptions like the Lamias, Arachne, and Harpies, races made up entirely of females, who need human males in order to reproduce. Other than them, no one had ever thought a child born between a demon and a human was possible, but I¡¯m apparently the prime example that it is, and when the others in my tribe found that out later, they weren¡¯t happy, I can say that much. So much so that I was called a freak, a disgrace of Ogres even when Mom trained me to be as strong as her. With this as my mark as a disgrace, I was banished from my tribe, and I don¡¯t know what has become of Mom.¡± She points at the stubble among her two horns as she said that. Looking at it closely, there are signs of it being filed afterward to smooth it out, but it was certainly cut by some sharp object in the past. I thought it was made of bone, but if it can be filed without pain, maybe it¡¯s made of the same stuff as what¡¯s in our fingernails.

    ¡°Dad died during one of his quests as an adventurer while I was young, so with no place to go, I thought going to the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory might lead me somewhere. That was when I ran into Mistress Carmen¡¯s father and he took me in as a slave in his business. While I was seen as a useful vanguard among adventurers who rented me for their quests, like those in my tribe, I was called as a freak, an abomination behind my back when they found out about me being half Human.¡±

    <¡°Whoa, Jinma, easy. I can feel your bloodlust from here,¡±> Nyra warns as I¡¯m tightly gripping the grass beneath me.

    ¡°You asked Ren what she desired most, right?¡± Erizora asks. ¡°I will say what I want as my third confession. While I was taught the skills needed to be a valuable slave, I came across ¡­ special novels that involve things related to how I became a masochist today. From what Mom told me, the relationship she and Dad had was similar to what I read. While I could sympathize how much it might hurt for her at times, the way they made up like the books described as ¡®aftercare¡¯ ¡­ I thought it sounded very pleasant. Whether or not it would develop into something romantic, I wanted to experience that with someone who¡¯s willing to do it with me, and the fact that they¡¯re stronger than me in all areas like in Mom¡¯s case ¡­ it gives me a good, tingling sensation just thinking about it. Receiving the same by someone who I know is inferior, I feel more shame and disgust in myself than pleasure.

    ¡°Master, even though I haven¡¯t enacted a test on you, just being in the presence of such great power, dominance, animosity, cruelty, and savagery ¡­¡± Erizora trails off before she starts to squirm in her seat. Her face starts to flush. ¡°I never felt so much overwhelming pleasure just being near such an aura before last night. E-Even now, just thinking about it again is making me a little damp¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay, please get to the point before you make an accident in public, Erizora.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! I apologize!¡±

    <¡°Wow, she has it so bad it¡¯s almost concerning. Luckily, that kind of thing was even practiced around my area back in my day. I¡¯d definitely show her some neat tricks that would blow her genitals,¡±> Nyra says before snickering.

    But seriously, ¡®animosity?¡¯ ¡®Cruelty?¡¯ ¡®Savagery?¡¯ Am I supposed to take those as compliments?

    Erizora clears her throat once more. ¡°The point is, we¡¯d still have to do the test in front of Mistress Carmen to make it legit, but I believe you greatly overpower me, which is part of my own criterion of what I want in a master. I may be too muscular, brash, perverted, and too big a freak of nature, but as I¡¯d fight for you, it would be my greatest honor if you have me as one of your concubines, and ¡­ I¡¯d be really, really happy if you¡¯d help me explore myself as a masochist through such plays,¡± she finishes while fidgeting in her seat blushing. The way her massive breasts jiggle and press together as she did so was also very arousing.

    Just remembering the sensation from how she actually made me grope one of those L-cup beauties, I was slightly worried the ¡®side-effects¡¯ might be kicking in again.

    Coming to my senses, I clear my own throat. ¡°Right, thank you for your inputs, girls. I think I got a lot more than what I needed to know.¡±

    ¡°So then ¡­ what do you want to do, Master?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°Putting in the math, if you wish to redeem both of us at our reduced prices after meeting both of our criterions, one and a half of those white gold coins you gave to Lady Tephalia would be more than enough to pay for the proper certifications,¡± Ren adds.

    ¡°Is that right? Well, you both will have to wait on what decision I¡¯ll come to. I have a lot to think through and there¡¯s still one other matter with someone I need to attend to before anything else.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my, I hope you¡¯re referring to me?¡±

    Following that question, a familiar girl suddenly drops from above and looks at me while upside-down. Her sudden appearance makes us all jump.

    ¡°¡°[Ms.] Lili!¡±¡±

 Chapter 31: Dress-Up

    ¡°How long have you been here?!¡± I exclaim to Lili.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ I think I came in after you yelled and made that speech to Ren here. I thought things were getting interesting, so I just hung out above you and listened in. Still, I had no idea the Chaos Barrage was after her and that Erizora would actually be half-Human.¡±

    Oh, god, she heard pretty much everything, did she?

    <¡°Man, you know quite a bit of unique characters,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°N-Never mind that. Were you seeking Master for something? Is it about that matter he mentioned?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°Yes, I was curious how he was doing in his recovery, so I was on my way over from home when I heard him yelling. Seems like you¡¯re looking well, Jinma.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ couldn¡¯t be more exhausted, honestly. I had a lot going on this morning, so can we take this talk to a more private place and we can get it over with?¡±

    ¡°Mom¡¯s out back in my place, but it¡¯s quite a long way from here.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. Can Ren and Erizora come, too?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d have to wait in a separate room.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    The three of us get up and properly disposed of the skewers. I look around for any witnesses before I cast [Portal] behind the tree that has the least visibility. Lili shows shock when she sees me cast it.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go quickly, everyone.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master.¡±¡±

    ¡°¡­ Haa. With how many surprises you¡¯ve shown, I don¡¯t even care anymore,¡± Lili sighs before we get through the hole.

    Instantly at Lili¡¯s home, she leads us inside and asks Ren and Erizora to wait in the living room. I then follow Lili along to a cellar leading from the back of the house. Inside, once Lili uses some kind of crystal to light up the room, I instantly see a few mannequins of different body shapes made of stuffed, stitched spider webs. Many outfits are spread along the walls. Unlike the rest of the house, this whole floor was totally clean of cobwebs. At a corner of the room, I see my MIB sitting there.

    ¡°Now, the first order of business: strip down and change into these,¡± Lili says as she walks over to a table and picks up a set of folded clothes.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°Come on, come on, we don¡¯t have all day, and toss me those destroyed trousers. We can talk and work.¡±

    ¡°All right, all right, jeez.¡± I set Nyra aside, slip out of my clothes and trade with Lili, who stares at me wide-eyed. ¡°So, about our original plan ¡­¡± I trail off as I put on the new clothes.

    ¡°Original plan?¡±

    ¡°Uh, where you hand me to the Demon King in exchange for money since I¡¯m a you-know-what?¡±

    ¡°Ooohhh, that. Yeah, I¡¯m not into that anymore.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯d seriously turn you in after everything you did to save my mom and hometown? The money might be good, but I¡¯m not that desperate for it. I¡¯d have stolen you away from Lady Tephalia¡¯s manor by now if I was. Plus ¡­ I took your advice while we were cleaning up overnight.¡±

    ¡°Advice ¡­ oh, you mean with talking to your mom about butting in your romantic life.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that,¡± Lili says as she checks my new clothes to see how they fit on me. ¡°She told me what she was trying to do when I asked seriously and we talked things out. She¡¯ll still worry, but she said she¡¯ll try not to press into my love life as much anymore. I¡¯m free to go about finding my own mate at my own pace.¡±

    ¡°Good for you. I¡¯m glad things worked out.¡±

    ¡°Well, seeing how you did all of that for us last night, I figured why not? All right, looks like these fit well, how do they feel?¡±

    ¡°Really great, actually. Is this really made out of your own silk?¡±

    ¡°Impressed? Arachne Silk can be very durable, you know, especially if we make it really tight when interwoven in density. I heard humans would pay a handful of gold coins for something of even the lowest of quality.¡±

    ¡°Really? How much do I owe you, then?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Consider these sets as my thanks for saving my mom as well as an apology for getting you caught up in this mess ¡­ I¡¯ll cut you with my claws if I hear a word of you selling these though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never do that with such a nice gift, but with how prone I am getting into fights, I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll keep these from getting damaged for long.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s inevitable for clothes on fighters, which is why I had these clothes enchanted to be self-repairable.¡±

    ¡°You could do that?¡± I ask with amazement.

    ¡°It¡¯s a special kind of spell granted to us tailors when we¡¯re skilled enough in the trade, which usually takes a lot of work to get to. Same goes when making clothes that adjusts themselves to a comfortable fit for the wearer, but I didn¡¯t do that with these. If these get cut or torn, they¡¯ll slowly repair themselves over time, but it will take even longer if they get burned. You can speed up the process of both if you apply your mana into it.¡±

    Man, magic is seriously something around these parts. ¡°Right ¡­ hey, I know we got off in a complicated beginning, but since your plans on what to do with me have changed, I was wondering if we could have a sort of fresh start.¡±

    ¡°Uh, I think I¡¯m the one who should be asking all of that? I¡¯m the one with the freakish monster-sized spider body who held you captive in the beginning, after all. And don¡¯t you humans hate spiders?¡± she asks while crossing her arms and quirking her brows.

    ¡°They may bother us to an extent, and I admit you might¡¯ve startled me at first, but you¡¯re not a spider to me. You¡¯re Lili.¡±

    ¡°¡­ And you¡¯re really strange, Jinma.¡±

    I shrug ¡°It¡¯s helped me get to this point, so I don¡¯t see a reason why I should change it now.¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Have other Humans called you strange, too?¡±

    I spot a suit jacket that¡¯s similar to the one I wore yesterday folded and off to the side. Getting the okay from Lili, I try it on as well. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Other then the few friends I had and my family, everyone else either avoided me like the plague or tried to kill me for even looking like a threat. I try to defend myself from the latter, and my rep gets worse. With how I tried to handle it so they wouldn¡¯t bother me anymore, there¡¯s a reason why I was dubbed the ¡®Merciless Demon¡¯ back home.¡± Lili holds my arms out to the sides so she could see how the suit jacket fits me as well.

    ¡°And I assume this rep has not got you so lucky with the Human females?¡±

    ¡°Not in the slightest.¡±

    <¡°Sheesh, no wonder you¡¯re still a virgin at your age,¡±> Nyra quips.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    <¡°Whoa, where¡¯s this going, I wonder.¡±>

    I was suddenly ambushed from behind as two large, soft mounds pressed against the back of my head while Lili¡¯s claw-like hands wrap around my shoulders. Her front-most legs (?) also wrap around my waist and traps me.

    ¡°You know, I thought you were cute yesterday when I first met you. You really surprised me when I saw how you fought and saved Dondegarm. Now ¡­ seeing you opening up to me like this, it makes me want to do the same thing. Can you keep a secret?¡±

    ¡°All the way to my grave.¡±

    ¡°I guess, in a way, I¡¯ve been curious about Human men for some time now. While I did find a passion for tailoring clothes, a part of me wanted to take advantage of it to see how different they are from me. Sure, my business is booming in Korangar, but I rarely ever see Humans in the city, and while there are more here in Dondegarm, they keep their distance from us Arachne as much as possible while doing business. I really don¡¯t mean any harm, I just want to see what a Human man is like in their barest form. Does that make me strange?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t think so? I mean, I assume most guys would want to see girls naked, I don¡¯t see why the reverse can¡¯t be true. I think being curious about how another¡¯s body looks when naked is pretty normal to me, if they¡¯re good-looking enough, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why it isn¡¯t so with female Humans, but ¡­ I¡¯m positive you¡¯ll see more females around these parts who find you far more than ¡®good-looking enough.¡¯ I know I do, especially with how you look in this.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, Jinma, did you know you became the first human man I¡¯ve seen down to his underwear?¡±

    ¡°I did not ¡­ wait, what about that one guy when I burned the majority of his robe off?¡±

    ¡°You were the first I saw of a Human man¡¯s bare upper torso last night when that same cultist burned some of your clothes off. Honestly, I was so fixated on you that I didn¡¯t even take a glimpse of his body.¡±

    I turn my shoulder to look up to her with a quirked brow.

    ¡°Okay, I might¡¯ve taken a small peek, but his figure wasn¡¯t very appealing enough for me to stare, so I just kept my eyes on you instead. I hardly remember any details from the guy. Anyway, I caught myself staring at you multiple times over the infiltration last night, and each time I found myself ¡­ excited, if I had to put it simply. In fact, I had to hold myself back briefly when you suddenly stripped down to your underwear.

    ¡°Please, be honest with me, Jinma. Am I a bad, perverted girl for getting so excited over your body?¡± she asks. The way she tenses her hold on me gives me an idea of how nervous she is of my opinion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad, per se. From what I¡¯ve been told, I think that¡¯s normal when you see someone who interests you that much. Even though you held me captive from the beginning, you were pretty good to me, so I don¡¯t think of you as a bad person. Whether it¡¯s perverted or not is a different matter and can be up to interpretation.¡±

    ¡°Would you be with a girl who¡¯s perverted?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d be really happy if a cute girl sees me as someone who can be open about their desires.¡± I¡¯ve met my fair share of ¡®strange people¡¯ during my previous line of work back home.

    Let¡¯s just say there are things in that world you¡¯re better off not knowing about, and you have no idea the weird things people back in Ikebukuro and Shinjuku have that get them off. I could never look at a pair of diapers the same way again because of it.

    ¡°And ¡­ that goes for me, too?¡±

    ¡°Well, sure.¡±

    ¡°Does it bother you if I¡¯m staring at you like that?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t, but I was pretty much always stared at with wariness, fear, and/or contempt by other Humans. Being stared as an object of one¡¯s interest ¡­ it¡¯s completely new to me, but it¡¯s not really bad, I don¡¯t think.¡±

    I hear her sigh behind me while her grip on me loosens. Looks like I was able to calm her down. That¡¯s good.

    ¡°Still, a part of me feels guilty having all the fun with exhibition play by myself. Do you want to see what I¡¯m like?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I didn¡¯t even hesitate in answering.

    I¡¯ll be honest, I find the clothes Lili¡¯s wearing right now to be quite risqu¨¦. Compared to last night, what she¡¯s wearing now is not only skimpy, but quite dangerous. Her top incredibly keeps her breasts supported while still managing to pull off the seemingly impossible ¡®under boob¡¯ look without gravity pulling them down and jiggle for everyone to see.

    Actually, now that I think about it, a lot of the female locals wear pretty loose and eye-catching clothes. I think only the Centaurs are the most modest in appearance around these parts. I wonder if being this open on the topic of sex is part of demon culture.

    Suddenly, I feel Lili removing herself from me, but just as I¡¯m slightly saddened at her letting me go, her front-most legs spin me around and my face meets with a pair of fleshy, soft, warm cushions that is Lili¡¯s bare breasts while I feel them thumping from the racing heartbeat. Not just my face, but my whole body gets lifted and pressed against the rest of her body in front of me with a few more legs pulling up my back for good measure.

    I hear a shallow gasp as my face gets pulled into her chest further. I might be mistaken, but I think I even feel something warm and damp somewhere around Lili¡¯s stomach area.

    ¡°I feel bad for being able to see nearly your whole body when you weren¡¯t ashamed of doing that much, but ¡­ if you¡¯re fine with someone like me, I think we can fulfill each other¡¯s fullest curiosities ¡­ and maybe then some, if you¡¯re interested.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    I was then gently set down on the floor while my eyes are widened as I see some of Lili¡¯s bare form, shadowed due to the lighting, but I could still make out the contours of her breasts dangling above me, even the nipples, as if they were udders that tempted me to milk them of their fluids with my mouth. It¡¯s the darkness that hides what¡¯s further down below her presumably naked form that I¡¯m slightly bummed of not having something like a night vision skill yet, if not ever existing, to see through it. It¡¯s the first of a girl I¡¯ve ever seen not just in this world, but in my life that isn¡¯t Mom¡¯s from the times we bathed together when I was younger ¡­ along with some other strange occasions as I got older. My reaction seems to have amused her from how she¡¯s giggling.

    ¡°We can continue this in further detail later. For now, let¡¯s regroup with your slaves in the living room and discuss what our next moves will be. I have a few more sets of clothes, pairs of socks, and underwear in the same sizes stored in your MIB for you to keep. They should fit you the same as the ones you¡¯re wearing right now.¡±

    ¡°Th-Thanks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go on ahead and prepare some drinks. Take your time getting back.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡±

    Without looking behind, I hear her slipping her top and whatever covers her sex back on before sounds of spider trills going up the stairs and out of the basement follow, leaving me alone with Nyra still on the work table.

    <¡°Daaaaaaamn! Dude, you¡¯re snagging these girls¡¯ hearts left and right! How are you even still a virgin?!¡±>

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know, Nyra. I¡¯m finding myself asking the same thing lately.¡±

    ~~

    Meanwhile, just outside of the door to the cellar, under visible daylight, Lili is seen very flushed as she covers her face.

    What the hell did I just doooooooo?! I was so tempted to just take him there, too! Dammit, Mom, I know we¡¯re ¡®predators,¡¯ but I don¡¯t think this appliiiiiiiies!

    Yes, not even she herself knows what had gotten into her to make such a bold and aggressive move. It was as if her instincts drew her to take Jinma right there, kicking in the moment her eyes first laid on his partially nude form earlier. It only escalated as she made physical contact with him. She was about to lose it from excitement when she loomed over him, just as a spider would when it was about to feed on its prey, until a moment of clarity hits when the possibility of Jinma hating her from assaulting him came to mind, and that terrified her more than anything. She didn¡¯t have such a reaction last night when she was staring at his bare upper body. Hell, when she took his measurements for his new clothes while he was unconscious after the infiltration, she didn¡¯t have the slightest urge to take him then. Lili could¡¯ve passed it off as her being too occupied into her work as a tailoress, but something in the back of her mind told her it wouldn¡¯t be as fun if Jinma wasn¡¯t awake to fight back. Whatever happened between last night to today, Jinma seems to have become far more delectable to her as one of the opposite sex than he was when she first met him caught dangling in her trap. She found it cute how he tried not to let his weakness, his great fear of heights, get to him.

    As Lili had said earlier, Jinma will certainly come to meet girls in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory who¡¯ll find him far more than ¡®good-looking enough.¡¯ Whether it¡¯s considered a blessing or a curse can still be debated on his part.

 Chapter 32: Plans for the Future

    I had to really take a few minutes to gather myself in the basement after my heated exchange with Lili. I thought I¡¯d pass the time by seeing what the other sets of clothes she prepared for me looked like. Of course, they¡¯re made of the same silk as her spider threads, but whatever technique she used to dye them, though they were simple, the colors really popped out to me. The slacks, socks, and underwear she also prepared were very comfortable, too.

    To be able to make all of this in one night, I wondered if she even got any sleep after the infiltration ended. What¡¯s more is that after I did a little research on my smartphone, I found spider silk consists of proteins that they¡¯d sometimes eat to replenish some energy if no other food source is available. If that also applies to Arachne in this world, then Lili using so much of it to make my clothes must¡¯ve taken quite a toll on her condition.

    Also, I realized then that I can use the internet in this world ¡­ as if that wasn¡¯t strange enough already, all of my contacts were erased to be left blank. I wondered if the Immortals prepared this ahead of time and made a mental note to ask Ms. Obina why they did this later.

    ¡°¡­ I couldn¡¯t possibly take all of this for free, even if they¡¯re supposedly a gift as thanks.¡±

    After trying to explain to Nyra what my smartphone is, I decide to take fifteen gold coins (150,000 karos) from my [Storage] and use [Portal] to sneakily set the stack in her room on the nightstand before I go back in the house the way we came out.

    ~~

    ¡°Even though I didn¡¯t originally plan for this on my vacation, I¡¯ll be staying here for a couple more days to help with the reparations in the city as much as I can. I was only let off of the work up to now because I volunteered to help provide Jinma new clothes. After my days are up, I¡¯ll be heading back to Korangar and resume business at my shop.¡±

    When I regrouped with the three, Lili prepared water and juice for us before we sat down in the living room and she started off explaining her plans. Though she didn¡¯t have a chair, her posture looked as if she was sitting on something, and even her ¡®legs¡¯ were crossed as she talked in a calm, cool manner. I read earlier that her front-most legs are actually a spider¡¯s ¡®palps¡¯ for eating, obviously not the same for Arachnes, but since she ¡®hugged¡¯ me that way earlier, maybe they¡¯re used in a different context?

    It¡¯s as if we never had that conversation in the basement. I really admired her for being so mature out of this, which also ups her appeal as a woman.

    ¡°So, Jinma, what will you do?¡± Lili then asks me.

    I then told her a little of what I explained to Ren and Erizora: become a registered adventurer to live freely while finding out more of what me having these ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ are about.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll certainly need to talk to someone from the Devil race for your eyes, though I wouldn¡¯t keep my hopes up of them being able to help you. They tend to be very prideful, being among the strongest of Demon races to not bother with helping those who are weaker than them,¡± she says after I explained.

    ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t anyone from the Devil race you know that might be able to help me? Anyone at all?¡±

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a stretch, but the Demon King happens to be a Devil. The biggest problem is getting an audience with her. Unless you¡¯re signing a death wish and challenge her for the seat on the throne, there¡¯s her right-hand man, the Duke of Demons, who¡¯s also a Devil, but isn¡¯t as flexible in negotiating with the other races other than his own as the Demon King is. He wouldn¡¯t let just anyone in to see her, even if they come for the challenge of taking the throne.¡±

    ¡°Huh, so what exceptions would he make to let people in to see the Demon King?¡± I ask.

    ¡°They¡¯d have to bear some sort of sign of great recognition, for one, like being a noble, or a well-renowned adventurer who¡¯s on the same level as the ¡®Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples¡¯ to be able to catch his attention. The Disciples, by the way, is also an adventurer party consisting of members handpicked by the duke himself to be assigned special tasks. They¡¯re said to be the strongest adventuring party in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m gonna take a wild guess and say that great power, strength, magic, or otherwise, is what determines who sits on the throne as the Demon King.¡±

    ¡°You got that right. It¡¯s a deciding factor for most ¡®political matters¡¯ around these parts, and as you can guess, the Demon King is renowned as the strongest of all amongst the Demon-Kin.¡±

    ¡°Any other exceptions that he¡¯d let others in? I¡¯d rather not fight unless it¡¯s a last resort.¡±

    Crazy coming from me, I know, but unless there are high stakes at risk, winning fights for almost every little thing every time gets really boring quickly, enough that I don¡¯t want to waste any more precious time on it.

    ¡°There is showing physical proof that the Demon King invited you to her castle, and then ¡­ there¡¯s bringing a Champion to exchange for a reward as she announced 4 years ago. There¡¯d have to be proof that he/she is a Champion, of course, but from what I¡¯ve heard of the few who have been presented to the Demon King, they were let in immediately.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Then that¡¯s perfect!¡± I exclaim while clapping my hands. ¡°You¡¯d just help take me to them as a captured Champion, and boom, we¡¯re in! Quickest and easiest way to get in without any struggle.¡±

    ¡°¡­ And I just said I had given up taking you in, too.¡± Lili pinches the space between her eyes while sighing.

    ¡°W-Wait a minute, Ms. Lili just said Champions were brought in to the Demon King, but Master isn¡¯t a Champion ¡­ is he?¡± Ren asks as she and Erizora turn to me.

    ¡°Ah, right. Can you two keep this a secret?¡± I ask as I reach into my MIB to pull out the IEB, to which the two of them gasp. ¡°I imagine the proof they want would be this.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I-I may not have seen it before, but come on, Master, this has to be some sort of lame joke. That¡¯s just a regular gold bracelet, right?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the real thing, the sign of Champions representing the Immortals, the ¡®Immortal¡¯s Enchanted Bracelet.¡¯ I confirmed it myself after showing it to my mother,¡± Lili says.

    ¡°¡°Master¡¯s a¡ª!?¡±¡±

    I stop Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s outburst with hands over their mouths. ¡°Keep it down! We don¡¯t want others to hear this!¡± I exclaim in a whisper.

    They nod in understanding before I remove my hands.

    ¡°Anyway, how did your mother confirm it was the real deal?¡± I ask after putting the bracelet away.

    ¡°Mom works in the adventurer¡¯s guild as a receptionist and has a skill that appraises items among other things. She may have never seen it in person before, but it only takes one glance before she knows exactly what something is in an instant. It¡¯s a skill all adventurer guild receptionists have when they work there long enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly useful ¡­ wait, won¡¯t she need to report something like that with them since it¡¯s such a big deal?¡±

    ¡°She said she¡¯d keep quiet until I take you to the Demon King, but really, unless it¡¯s something dire and life-threatening, adventurer guild receptionists don¡¯t really talk a lot about work outside of the building or their personal lives inside it anyway, so we¡¯re clear on that.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s not good with us, though!¡± Ren exclaims. ¡°Master, we¡¯re required to report our activities to Mistress Carmen at the end of our services with clients! We may have to reveal your identity to her just by setting our ¡®Confession¡¯ to the max!¡±

    ¡°Who knows what she may do when she finds out?!¡± Erizora adds.

    ¡°Yeah, that does sound bad if you¡¯re under her legal ownership, but if I redeem you before then, there should be no worry, right?¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°W-What ¡­ did you say?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean ¡­¡± Erizora adds.

    ¡°I have no knowledge to the customs, directions, or common sense to the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, and if I want to get to the Demon King to find some answers, I¡¯ll need some guidance to help me get around. We¡¯re definitely going to be running into some obstacles down the line, but I see you two as very strong, capable women who I can trust to watch my back while I do the same with yours. If you¡¯re both willing to take the challenge, would you two want to come with me, not just as my slaves, but companions?¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡± They didn¡¯t even take a second to respond as they jump up and lift me off the couch ¡­ or more like Erizora swept both Ren and me off our seats before she hops in joy with us in her arms. The Werewolf and Ogre/Human squeal and cheer with great joy knowing I¡¯ll be redeeming them.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    <¡°And so, our questionably-proclaimed ¡®hero¡¯ takes the first step on his new journey. A journey of lust, love, lust, sweat, lust, blood, and lust, as he aims to fulfill his dream of acquiring 100 wives, concubines, and/or slaves, blow away the competition as the greatest adventurer, and fuck¡ªI mean ¡®defeat¡¯ the strongest Demon in the land of Padimon to be the next Demon [Harem] King.¡±>

    Why are you speaking like a narrator on a poorly written web novel?! Also, you said ¡®lust¡¯ four times there, that is not even close to what my dream is and there¡¯s no way any of that will ever happen!

    <¡°You never know~.¡±>

    ~~

    When Ren and Erizora calmed down, we went right to work. Making sure we have all of our things, I use [Portal] to take us back to the park where we left. Lili takes the privilege of going on ahead to the adventurer¡¯s guild to let her mother, Ms. Raize, know that we¡¯ll be coming over to register later while Ren and Erizora lead me back to the tents where Ms. Carmen¡¯s business is. I figured I might as well get their redemptions done and out of the way first so I could register us all as a party when we get there. Plus, I want to get that ¡®deal¡¯ between Ms. Carmen and Tephalia voided so the latter won¡¯t have to worry about paying for any collateral that was anticipated from me under Nyra¡¯s curse.

    Also, if redeeming them are as much as Ren said, including what I¡¯ve already given to Tephalia, I should still have enough from my own pocket to put back into Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s ¡®gift¡¯ that I¡¯m planning on returning later. Plus, I¡¯ll be getting some earnings once we disassemble the parts from the monsters I collected, including the Toxic Troll that was put up as a ¡®wanted¡¯ quest, anyway, so I may likely not end up with so little when everything¡¯s settled.

    When we arrived at the tents, we go to the smallest out of the pack where her ¡®office¡¯ would be.

    ¡°Mistress Carmen! It¡¯s Ren and Erizora! We¡¯ve returned!¡± Ren exclaims from the outside.

    Suddenly, noises of stuff being toppled and knocked over are heard before the entrance parts open wide, the ringmaster-clad girl stands surprised at the center with arms spread out to hold the tarp.

    ¡°It is you two! You¡¯re alive?! Wait, what about your purities? Did he do anything to you two?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m right here.¡±

    ¡°Ack!¡± Ms. Carmen jumps and stiffens in place at my call. ¡°M-Mr. Kotori! Welcome! Good to see you¡¯re doing well! Have you ¡­ enjoyed playing with the girls to your heart¡¯s content?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything strange with them if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true! Master didn¡¯t do anything extreme to us! Well, there may have been some mishaps and close calls, but he hasn¡¯t claimed either of us at all!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°¡­ You two, get in here.¡± Ms. Carmen then pulls Ren and Erizora inside the tent before poking her head out between the partings. ¡°Excuse me, but we¡¯ll be but just a moment,¡± she says before pulling back.

    Is it really so strange of me to not doing anything to them?

    <¡°Well, aside from how brutal you were to the cultists and Bear Moles when you first wielded me, we are talking about slaves here. I¡¯m only going by what I¡¯ve heard and read in the minds of those who¡¯ve held me previously. As far as I know, when a guy is given a girl to use as their sex toy with no consequence, they¡¯d take that offer without question and use them at the first opportune moment, with or without her consent, with no consideration over whether they¡¯d get impregnated by the end of it. That¡¯s how it was waaaaaaaay back, but now the industry seems to have taken a course where the slaves are treated with slightly better care and management. I imagine that depending on who¡¯s doing the business, what the clients do to the slaves, whether it¡¯s after renting or redeeming them, the treatment isn¡¯t much different now. For you, who not only find those girls sexually attractive, but don¡¯t make a move on them, even though they said you could do whatever you want with them, and treat them with as much respect and consideration¡ªwith maybe a little more of the latter than needed¡ªas one would with another of their own race, you¡¯re probably the anomaly of men here.¡±>

    Gee, I¡¯m honored to be viewed so highly by your standards.

    <¡°Believe me, yours is a good strange. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just from your ¡®unique¡¯ heroism last night, but you¡¯re catching a lot of the girls¡¯ attention around these parts. Just look at the three slaves huddling together on your left.¡±>

    I follow Nyra¡¯s direction and confirm her description. They have the animal ears and tails of a feline, a canine, and a rabbit, respectively, but do not have matching limbs like Ren does as their hands and feet resemble a human¡¯s, five fingers and all. Actually, the first two look more ¡®pet-like,¡¯ as in they are bred to be domesticated as one would to live with humans. I take a quick look of their detailed stats with my ¡®Size Up¡¯ and find they are a ¡®Cat Beastman,¡¯ ¡®Dog Beastman,¡¯ and ¡®Bunny Beastman.¡¯

    I learn later that there are the ¡®demon reflections¡¯ that are like the Werewolves, but are aptly named Werecats and Wererabbits for the feline and rabbit species. I have this peculiar feeling that the Cat and Dog Beastmen in particular were more feral a long time ago. Maybe there still are some around in the Demi-Kin¡¯s Territory, but perhaps their time after being captured as slaves has evolved them to be where they¡¯re more obedient and loyal to their owners than other slaves would. It¡¯s kind of strange to see something that animals go through overtime does the same thing with the humanoid equivalent.

    When they realize I¡¯m staring at them, the cat girl in particular smirks and lowers her eyelids as she raises a hand and trails her fingers in my direction.

    I check around to make sure she wasn¡¯t directing it at someone else before looking back and hold an open hand up in kind. The cat girl brightens up and whispers something to the girls excitedly before they giggled.

    <¡°You see that? She has you in her sights.¡±>

    How can you even be so sure that they¡¯re even into me and not aiming to scam me instead? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re basing this off of ¡®female intuition.¡¯

    <¡°It is female intuition. That, and I¡¯ve honed my Psyche Magic over the thousand-plus years in the tanto to be able to tell what one¡¯s thinking and feeling at the given moment.¡±>

    Psyche Magic? That doesn¡¯t sound like something from the usual six attributes.

    <¡°It¡¯s a special magic that¡¯s been taught to all of us Pixies for generations. My mother was especially stingy with my training and wasn¡¯t really into me being a blacksmith, but thanks to her tutoring, I was able to get a lot of lays and be able to possess people all of those years.¡±>

    That¡¯s kind of scary.

    <¡°Anyway, just know that I can tell when a chick¡¯s attracted to you or is planning something nefarious, and that cat girl ¡­ huh? Both?¡±>

    You actually weren¡¯t using your magic until just now, were you?

    <¡°O-Of course I was using it the whole time! I just got over excited is all!¡±>

    Anyway, if you said half of her feelings are nefarious then there¡¯s no reason for me to do anything with her. Besides, even without this Psyche Magic, I¡¯ve at least been able to tell when someone¡¯s not wanting to be near me for as long as I could remember. Girls, especially, when I can see the fear in their eyes.

    <¡°You sure they weren¡¯t just really shy being around you?¡±>

    Would fainting at the sight of my bad smile before her friends pick her up and run-away screaming count as ¡®being shy?¡¯

    <¡°¡­ Okay, you got me there, and your smile is unpleasant when it¡¯s the sadistic one, but I¡¯m telling ya that you¡¯re more popular among certain crowds as you might think. That aside, you¡¯ve been planning on taking Ren and Erizora in for a while have you? Did their stories touch you or something?¡±>

    Well ¡­ in a way, I guess.

    ¡°Mr. Kotori! You can come in, now!¡±

    Before I could think any further, Ms. Carmen calls me from inside, to which I follow through. Ren and Erizora are off to the side sitting at attention on some cushions. Ms. Carmen sits behind a foldable table that acts as her desk, while a folding chair sits across from her.

    ¡­ Wait, there are folding chairs and tables around here, too? I ask in my mind, now realizing such a stark contrast between modernism and fantasy is sitting in front of me.

    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Ms. Carmen says while gesturing to the chair, of which I sit in compliance. Despite the circus ringleader getup, she currently has an air about her that screams ¡®business.¡¯

    ¡°I had the girls give me the rundown of what went on between the time you woke up to now. There was some info about you that they were desperate not to reveal under your request. Normally, slaves would reveal everything without hesitation of their clients, including secrets they were told not to tell, but this is the first I¡¯ve seen two who¡¯re respecting your privacy, and have their ¡®Control¡¯ and ¡®Confession¡¯ functions set so low on the bars. I admit I¡¯m curious about you, but unless it¡¯s such a dire matter that¡¯s related to a crime, I have a right to report those suspicious clients to the authorities for questioning. It doesn¡¯t seem like you fit the bill from what they¡¯ve told me, so your secrets, whatever they are, are safe for now.¡±

    I glance over to the girls who still sit there at attention. Perhaps they¡¯re doing as trained while under a slave merchant¡¯s watch.

    ¡°That aside, while you had put them in some ¡­ awkward situations, as they¡¯ve said, you really didn¡¯t do anything to taint them over these last couple hours. Now, you¡¯re already aware of the deal I had with Lady Tephalia during the time you were out last night, right?¡±

    I nod in confirmation. Ms. Carmen then pulls out a parchment from a case she had under the table.

    ¡°And I can see from your side that what they said about you owning that cursed weapon is also true. Under this last-minute contract I whipped up for Lady Tephalia to sign, it states she would handle the collateral should Ren and Erizora, who I¡¯m currently lending to you while they¡¯re still under my legal property, die under your hands, in exchange to providing you the 36-Hour Gold-Level Free Trial where you can do whatever you want with them, including having sex with them. This is also considered a gift of thanks from me to you, who helped break us out of captivity and save one of the cities our business has good success with under my father¡¯s name, and when I messaged him about it last night, he agreed the move I made was the right one. Now, you¡¯ve come back here with the both of them with the interest of redeeming and certifying them as your official slaves after taking astoundingly good care of them, and they deemed you worthy as their ideal owner as written in their criterion under the ¡®Slave¡¯s Silver Lining Policy.¡¯ Am I missing anything here, Mr. Kotori?¡±

    ¡°No, that is all true. I would like to take Ren and Erizora in under my supervision as their master.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve listened and understood the circumstances they explained to you?¡±

    ¡°For the most part, yes.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re seriously still a Brawler class at your age?¡±

    ¡°It is what it is,¡± I answer while shrugging.

    ¡°¡­ Right then! Since you hardly did anything with them to the point of returning them to me, we can have Lady Tephalia¡¯s contract nulled and voided, so let¡¯s get you set up with your certification right away, shall we?¡± She asks while quickly ripping and shredding the contract into many pieces before throwing them in the air like confetti.

    ¡°Really? Just like that? Don¡¯t I need to do something to prove I fit in their criterion?¡± I ask. Even Ren and Erizora look surprised at this sudden turn of events.

    ¡°That would be the case, but you took down a Toxic Troll that even Erizora might have difficulty in handling, and single-handedly took down all those cultists and monsters from last night to now while maintaining your sanity with the cursed weapon, or ¡®Nyra¡¯ as you call her, on your person. I don¡¯t think I need any more proof to know how strong you are. Under the ¡®Slave¡¯s Silver Lining Policy,¡¯ I will charge your redemption on Ren the Werewolf, and Erizora the Ogre/Human, at the reduced prices as honored.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Carmen,¡± I say while bowing. I can hear Ren and Erizora sniffling in their seats off to the side. They sound like they¡¯re desperately trying not to cry in front of us. Nyra tells me in my head that they¡¯re brimming with great joy, so if they¡¯re this happy with the circumstances, then I guess this is a good sign.

 Chapter 33: Slave Redemptions

    After Ms. Carmen turned off whatever spell it is that records the time spent with me in my free trial from the girls¡¯ rings, we went right to business. First, I provided the money to pay for their redemption. In her father¡¯s slavery business that she¡¯s taking part as a sort of branch manager, the redemption also includes a few sets of clothes for them to change into, toothbrushes (I found out later that this world doesn¡¯t use anything like fluoride toothpaste for cleaning teeth), their own knapsacks, their weapons of choice, and two ¡®Return Feathers,¡¯ one per each slave redeemed. They¡¯re apparently a special, disposable warp item that immediately sends everyone in contact of the holder back to the start of certain areas like dungeons.

    I also paid a little extra for the seat cushions they¡¯d need to sit on the floor comfortably (not like I¡¯d force them to sit on the floor most of the time, but just to be safe on certain occasions and locations) and ¡®special outfits¡¯ tailored to their fitting, specifically maid uniforms. They¡¯re not the skimpy, ecchi, French/Victorian ones that one might see in Japanese maid cafes though. These are more traditional where they give the ¡®servants¡¯ a modest appearance as they work in a noble household one¡¯s assigned to. A more professional look with sleeves, skirts that stretch to the floor, and even caps big enough to cover Ren¡¯s wolf ears. Erizora¡¯s lone horn might be a bit of a challenge to cover, though. They¡¯re both in dark colors with a white, frilly apron that¡¯s removable as it covers the front of the set and ties together in the back.

    Imagining the girls in those uniforms, it could be that they¡¯re designed so demons and demis could attempt to live and walk amongst the humans¡ªif you look past the holes in the skirts for those like Ren who have tails¡ªand guests wouldn¡¯t be as anxious having those of a different race serving them as the next might. Personally, I prefer this design over the ¡®popular, modern¡¯ look back in Japan since it gives an air of professionalism to the wearer that one could take seriously. If the head of the household is feeling frisky in certain roleplays, it makes taking advantage of his position over his servants more realistic and tabooer for the sake of thrills. That¡¯s just my own take in this certain scenario, but I doubt I¡¯ll have a lot of time to have such things with Ren and Erizora.

    Of course, having a removable apron also gives the option of taking the ¡®naked apron¡¯ look that I admit have wanted to see in person for myself at least once in my life.

    Once I paid for it all in gold coins (since I¡¯m not sure how Ms. Carmen would react if I paid with a few white gold coins), she then explained to me what I need to know about owning a slave. This includes the laws that come with owning a slave, confirming how the functions in my ¡®Slaves¡¯ window works, and the consequences of mishandling them, mainly make sure they have a roof over their heads when sleeping, are not underfed, and/or physically abused to the point of death. I gotta admit I got a little queasy hearing something like that.

    Still, I was surprised of how the government in Padimon works when I asked further details as one from ''overseas.'' While there are guilds like the adventurer¡¯s guild, merchant¡¯s guild, and slave merchant¡¯s guild who share the same rules within their industries at all locations, the territories governed by their respective rulers have laws that those who are in their boundaries must follow, whether they¡¯re residents or travelers. And so those guilds must follow what goes on in whatever territory they''re stationed. I was really fascinated by how the demons in this territory have traditions differed by race.

    I mean, using Minotaurs for an example that Ms. Carmen explained to me, the males can fight to the death for courting the female of interest, and that could include one if not all of the combatant¡¯s sisters. Kind of similar to Erizora¡¯s Ogre courting traditions, but far more radical and gorier. Even if the females don¡¯t like the victorious male, they¡¯d still have to go along with him and be their mate as accorded to tradition. They even make it into a public event that people would pay money to see in a coliseum.

    Finally, we moved on to the ¡®Transfer of Ownership Ritual.¡¯ This is to change the ownership and workings of the slave magic on the subjected slaves from the slave merchant to the new owner permanently before we get to the legal certifications on paper. To do this, Ms. Carmen had to pull out a unique black ink prepared beforehand poured into a glass along with a few drops of my blood mixed in it. Using Nyra¡¯s blade, I cut along the scar I made on my palm earlier and let the blood drop in the glass. Ms. Carmen provided bandages for me to use for the wound, but I quietly chant ¡®Heal¡¯ to close the wound again after the wrapping was done and will remove it later. Ms. Carmen then dips a brush in the stirred ink-blood concoction and draws a symbol on each of the girls¡¯ sternums.

    Yes, this required Ren and Erizora to remove the tops of their slave rags and taut their breasts to the sides¡ªnot so much for Ren with her modest size, but definitely so for Erizora¡ªfor Ms. Carmen to draw the symbol legibly in the center. They flushed greatly in their faces and some parts of their bodies that are bare as I watch the process intently. Once I realized what I was doing, I had to quickly apologize and look away to respect their privacy.

    Turned out that wasn¡¯t necessary, as part of the ritual included me actually touching the symbols with my bare fingers and pour my magic into them, getting the slave rings around their necks to identify me as their new owner, in a sense. Something akin to the newer smartphones on Earth having those fingerprint IDs. Ms. Carmen said that there was usually pain involved for the slaves when they¡¯re first branded, as they would fight and struggle for their right to be free and be their own person. If there wasn¡¯t a hint of pain shown on them, whether if they¡¯re being branded the first time or being transferred to a new owner, it meant they¡¯ve totally submitted themselves and accepted in their hearts the new master they¡¯d serve from now on.

    Even if they couldn¡¯t tell a lie, I was still a little unconvinced that they¡¯d want to be my slaves so badly, but if what Ms. Carmen said was true, that might be why they had smiles on their flushed faces as I poured my mana in their symbols.

    I have to admit that I was feeling light and warm in my chest knowing now that these two girls chose me to spend the rest of their lives with.

    To answer Nyra¡¯s earlier question of why I wanted them as my slaves now, it is true that their backstories sympathize with me. I lost my mother due to an illness not too long ago and I could never see the remainder of my ¡®family,¡¯ Mom¡¯s other friends who were my aunts, again after getting killed and transferred to Raiza.

    A stinging pain hits my chest as I think about it, but I try to choke it down for the time being until I find some time and space to myself.

    Anyway, it seems Ren and Erizora have lost their own families in particular circumstances and were left to fend for themselves against the world, and all that they seek is companionship. Someone they could lean on while they try to do the same for them.

    Honestly, I chose coming to this world over being reborn with a clean slate or be sent to heaven partly not just because Mom gave me this opportunity, but I found it as more of a self-enacting punishment. To make amends after beating all of those people back home and take their money as part of my former ¡®job,¡¯ even if my intentions for going into such work seemed justified at the time. Hell, even if I was angry at the time my female coworker stabbed me, now that I¡¯m looking back on it with a clearer mindset, that might¡¯ve been the result of my own karma catching up to me. I figured being sent to a world where more danger lurks in every corner than back home, fighting in such a place for the rest of my life seemed fitting for my own demise. Raiza would serve as my hell that I¡¯d try to make the most of my time with.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    I don¡¯t find redeeming Ren and Erizora making up for my sins on Earth as I¡¯m doing this more out of my own selfish need of companionship and protection like they¡¯re seeking. If they wish to be set free from slavery, I would give it to them without argument and let them do as they please.

    I admit that I haven¡¯t been so terrified of handling such a responsibility like taking in a slave in my life before now; however, Ren and Erizora embraced me from both sides with smiles on their faces by the end of the ritual. Aside from the incredible feeling of their bare breasts against me, I felt a little more relaxed than I was at the beginning.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Slave Owner¡¯ title!

    [The ¡®Slaves¡¯ status page is now accessible!

    [Ren has now become your slave. Scroll to the ¡®Slaves¡¯ page to set your parameters.

    [Erizora has now become your slave.

    [Ren¡¯s Affinity is now unlocked. Current level of Affinity: LV 1; Total Affinity Level: 1

    [Conditions met: Affinity Points (AP) are now available.

    [You may now use the Affinity Skill: ¡®Werewolf¡¯s Fangs!¡¯ Cost: 4 AP

    [Erizora¡¯s Affinity is now unlocked. Current level of Affinity: LV 1; Total Affinity Level: 2

    [You may now use the Affinity Skill: ¡®Ogre¡¯s Rage!¡¯ Cost: 4 AP]

    The last couple of notices that relate to ¡®affinities¡¯ were strangely in light pink windows instead of the usual light blue color.

    Well ¡­ that¡¯s new.

    <¡°Greeaaaat, as if you weren¡¯t stupidly powerful enough already. Is this like a Champion thing?¡±> Nyra asks.

    I will definitely need to ask Ms. Obina at some point but in the meantime ¡­ let¡¯s not worry about it for now.

    After the long stream of notices appeared before me, I eased the tensions I didn¡¯t realize I had in my shoulders and returned the embrace to the girls. With this, Ren, the White Werewolf, and Erizora, the Ogre/Human hybrid, I¡¯ve now a total of three people in my soon-to-be new adventurer¡¯s party, as well as the ever-growing, strange, yet awesome new family in this world.

    <¡°Hey! What about me?!¡±>

    Oh, make that four if we include Nyra, the Pixie who dwells in my tanto, into the mix. Yeah, this will certainly grow into a strange family, all right.

    ~~

    To finish off our business, Ms. Carmen used the same ink to write out the certificates, one for each person owned as my slave. At her suggestion, she also prepared two ¡®receipts¡¯ of sorts that signify the same thing while her father¡¯s business keeps the certificates for records. Whenever I enter a new town, I should show the post guards the receipts I¡¯ll be carrying that certify Ren and Erizora are under my care. This happened while Ren and Erizora changed out of their rags and into the new clothes provided for them.

    Speaking of clothes, Ms. Carmen also provided me notes that tell of the girls¡¯ measurements in case I need to get them new clothes and underwear. I couldn¡¯t read Padimonian, but I already knew what their measurements were with my ¡®Size Up.¡¯ Still, it would be good to have it on hand as a sort of reference to see if I can learn a little of the language on my own time.

    Lastly, Ms. Carmen said she¡¯ll be packing up her tents to return to Alluga for the time being within the next week. She¡¯s aware of me being able to use [Portal] and is giving me this opportunity to make a hop, skip, and a jump to the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory in case I want to come back at a later time. She is charging a fee for it, which makes sense as there are not many opportunities for most to travel so far within a short time, and so the price matches. I figured it would be nice to see a little of what Alluga has to offer while I¡¯m there, so I put in a reservation to come along with her while giving her three gold coins for the fee.

    Ms. Carmen also mentioned how her father, the business¡¯ main head, would like to see me from how unique I sounded when she reported my activities last night. I¡¯m not really aiming to redeem more slaves for the time being if that¡¯s his aim, but I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to talk to him. We agreed the first thing we¡¯d do when we get to the city is to visit his office.

    When I was asked for any other questions I had, out of reference, I asked Ms. Carmen if there are ways to prevent the girls from getting pregnant since Erizora serves a prime example that interbreeding between humans and demons is possible. One method she explained was this weird goo made from grounded special herbs that Nyra¡¯s not surprisingly familiar with as she must use a bunch of this stuff for her own plays back in the day. It acts as a lubricant as well as an absorbent for semen when applied in a woman¡¯s nether region. They¡¯d have to be scraped off and reapplied again when one wants to do multiple rounds, however. The slaves in her father¡¯s business are apparently also given a free sample of the stuff upon redeeming for their owners to use at their own discretion.

    When I asked if there was anything else, she told me something interesting about a Null Spell appropriately named [Contraception]. Those who¡¯re capable of using this spell are paid very well in brothels as it not only acts as a better lubricant than the herb goo, but it lasts for two hours inside the woman¡¯s body even with multiple rounds and it increases the stimulation for both males and females when applied to both of their sexes. It sounds like it kills the sperm inside semen before it even gets to fertilize the egg going by what she¡¯s explaining to me. I¡¯m only guessing because her wording makes it sound like this world isn¡¯t advanced in health science enough to even know what sperm is.

    She said I could try to find someone capable of using that spell and see if they could lend me some, or find shops that sell jars of it as it doesn¡¯t go bad as long as it¡¯s preserved properly, but I think I already know someone who can after hearing about this spell if my track record for this stuff is consistent.

    As an additional bonus, Ms. Carmen pointed out a few places in Dondegarm that are like the love hotels back in Japan where people go to pay money to occupy a room and have their fun time in private, a few of which that has staff knowing the [Soundproof] Null Spell. I asked for more details on it and I knew immediately that this ¡®certain someone¡¯ is capable of using the second new spell I heard of today.

    Ren and Erizora took the opportunity to say good-bye to their slave colleagues before we left since we most likely won¡¯t be seeing them again for a while. I admit that things got a little awkward when that cat girl from earlier approached and got too close for my comfort, and even more so when Ren and Erizora suddenly grew very hostile towards her. Like, the making themselves big while growling that made her literally run with her tail between her legs kind of hostile. Even Nyra pointed out how she could sense the bloodlust wafting from their forms, a complete first I¡¯ve seen from them. When I asked them what the deal was later, they said the cat girl is a newbie slave who¡¯s notorious for doing little physical labor and thinks just acting cute and flirty would be enough for a potential owner to redeem her. They overheard her once how she¡¯d wish to live in a life of luxury in a capable person¡¯s home and just lazes about when she¡¯s not acting as her master¡¯s plaything.

    I know there are slaves who submitted themselves to the industry by choice, but I had no idea they got into it with those motives in mind. Doing nothing but eat and sleep, other than submitting themselves to be their owner¡¯s sex toy, that sounds like a shut-in¡¯s paradise. I didn¡¯t think there are people with such naivete in this industry. I¡¯m glad Ren and Erizora butted in when they did, but I can¡¯t help but pity her a little when she realizes how cruel reality will be later. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s at a younger age than Ren and Erizora that she has such a positive outlook, but I digress. I took the ¡®those who don¡¯t work, don¡¯t eat¡¯ philosophy pretty seriously back home while growing up. Ren and Erizora look to be ready to work at a moment¡¯s notice, and they¡¯re hard enough warriors to handle battles while they keep up with me. We won¡¯t be in a life of luxury for a while, so that cat girl would have a hard time being with us, anyway.

    I realize later that I never looked up to see what her name was. It just goes to show how little I cared for her if her affection is partly an act like Nyra warned me, contrary to what Ren and Erizora were feeling from Lili''s house after learning of their redemption up to now.

    I might sound like a total degenerate now, but if I actually find more girls around here who have similar feelings like these two, if they''re willing to get along, maybe forming a large harem might not be too much of a stretch to achieve as I originally thought.

 Chapter 34: Adventurers Guild

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to the adventurer¡¯s guild to register you as one and form a party, right?¡± Ren asks as we make our way there.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I see. And um ¡­ Master?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°How do ¡­ we look?¡±

    Ren and Erizora stand side to side as I observe them. Instead of the slave rags, they¡¯ve changed into clothes that are more for adventurers to wear. Ren has a simple set of a blackish-gray crop top and dark green hot pants while her tail hangs over the back comfortably. Her daggers are holstered on each side by a brown belt. Since she has trimmed beast claws for hands and canine paws for feet, there isn¡¯t a need for gloves or footwear. I imagine those with a Thief class need to dress lightly in order to move quickly. Meanwhile, Erizora has a form-fitting gray tube top that really emphasizes her massive breasts, as well as letting her muscular arms and chiseled abs share the spotlight. I wonder if she¡¯s wearing a strapless bra to keep her chest supported since they look more put together than they were in slave rags. Scrolling lower is a tiger-striped battle skirt that hangs just halfway down her thick, muscular thighs, and at the bottom are sandals with straps that go up to the knees, footwear that one might see on a gladiator. To finish off her look, she has bracers that match her skirt while her signature kanabo hangs behind her back. Remembering she¡¯s a Savage class, while they need to wear little for full movement, maybe their attire is more selected to intimidate their opponents, but I honestly find her look very appealing.

    They look a little anxious as they wait to hear my opinion. After asking them to spin once so I could admire their backsides, I nod in confirmation. ¡°Yeah, the two of you look great in your new clothes. I like them a lot.¡±

    They sigh a breath of relief after hearing that. I write a mental note to find clothes for them to wear casually when we¡¯re not out adventuring. Much to my awkwardness, I¡¯ll need to find them new underwear, too. I wonder if there¡¯s also something for nightwear. I¡¯d have to confer it to Lili later.

    ¡°Sir Kotori?! Is that thou?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ms. Gallofree,¡± Ren points out as we turn to the source of the voice and approaching clops of hooves.

    ¡°It is thou! I was just going to Lady Tephalia¡¯s manor to check in! I am so glad thou art well! I-Is that the Misfortune Tanto of Nyra?! Wait, Ren, Erizora, thy attires art different? What happened?!"

    ¡°Calm down, Ms. Gallofree,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re doing well, too, and Ren and Erizora are dressed differently because I just redeemed them as my slaves.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, I see, that makes sense ¡­ wait, what?! Thou redeemed slaves?! Two of them?!¡±

    ¡°I needed some companions to help me get around the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory and they were the most capable people who offered to join me at the time,¡± I explain to her.

    ¡°Yep! From now on, we¡¯re officially Master Jinma Kotori¡¯s sword and shield!¡±

    ¡°His first and second honorary sex slaves!¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Please tell me you¡¯re not going to introduce yourselves like this to everyone?¡± I ask while rubbing my eyes and Nyra cackles at my expense.

    It¡¯s painful how they¡¯re actually puffing their chests in pride after saying something so outrageous in public. We¡¯re already even grabbing the attention of the passersby with various expressions.

    ¡°B-But I was about to ¡­¡± Ms. Gallofree looks to have said something but trails off in a mumble I couldn¡¯t make out while looking a little depressed.

    ¡°Did you need to see me for something?¡± I ask Ms. Gallofree, desperate to change the subject.

    ¡°O-Oh! Yes! Art thou planning to register as an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the guild for that, yes.¡±

    ¡°This is the most perfect of timings! I have spoken to the guild master who had just returned from his business about thy heroic deeds, and he would like to speak to thee about the qualifications for getting a high rank right after registering!¡±

    ¡°So, that is possible? All right, would you please kindly lead the way, Ms. Gallofree?¡±

    ¡°It would be an honor! Let us make haste!¡± Ms. Gallofree then makes a quick canter towards the streets while the three of us catch up. She looks like she realizes something as she skids to a stop. ¡°O-Oh! I beg thy pardon! I am making thee move thy feet when thee suffered a stab in my place just last night! I should ¡­ wait, what would he say when he sees us like that? But I owe my savior that much¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gallofree, it¡¯s okay. I got word that Ms. Umeiyon healed me while I was out. I can walk, move, and feel just fine. Plus, introducing us to the guild master is already plenty enough help. You don¡¯t need to fret about owing me anything else.¡±

    ¡°But I need to properly express my gratitude to thee for saving my life! Is there not something I can do to pay my debt?!¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ how about I take a raincheck for now and get back to you on that?¡±

    ¡°¡­ What is this ¡®raincheck¡¯ thou speak of? Unfortunately, I am incapable of predicting the weather.¡±

    ¡°No, not like that, I mean you can do a favor for me at a later time when I figure out what I want you to do.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see! Very well, then I will prepare myself for the opportunity to return thy favor at any given moment!¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Sheesh, someone¡¯s in a good mood today. I think as we all follow her at a calm, walking pace.

    <¡°Maybe you could ask her to let you ride her in exchange if you know what I mean~?¡±>

    ¡­ Nyra, considering who we¡¯re talking about, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re serious or fucking with me at this point.

    <¡°Hey, you have a chance to go doggy style with a real bitch and take your dick on a journey through the large valley between mountains where no dick has gone before. What¡¯s the harm of creating a whole new meaning of ¡®riding cowgirl¡¯ on top of it? Wait, no, I should hold on to that when we meet a Minotaur. What about ¡®becoming the steer for her steed?¡¯ No, that doesn¡¯t work, either.¡±>

    Where do you even get this stuff?

    <¡°I have my resources ¡­ hold on.¡±>

    What¡¯s up? I ask, noticing Nyra¡¯s tone turning serious.

    <¡°My ¡®Magic Sense¡¯ is picking up something fierce close by. The crowd is making this difficult to see where it¡¯s coming from, but I can sense it following us. It doesn¡¯t feel threatening, but stay on your guard.¡±>

    All right, I think as I rest a hand on the tanto holstered at my side, ready to pull out at a moment¡¯s notice.

    ~~

    We arrive at Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild a couple of minutes late. Nyra¡¯s been cueing me in on our follower¡¯s movements all the while. The first thing that comes to mind when seeing this building was ¡®huge.¡¯ I think I recall one of the conference rooms to a Comiket I visited once was about as big as the entirety of this building with two stories. As if the place wasn¡¯t big enough, the large coliseum I saw earlier from the field also stands out behind the guild, along with a few large arena-like platforms between them. That could perhaps be the training area where adventurers spar and the like. It may be because most of Dondegarm¡¯s residents are large-bodied that everything else has to be big for them to move around in freely. Considering some that don¡¯t even have legs, or have feet that could easily slip, it makes sense that most ¡®stairs¡¯ that go to the upper floors are more like ramps with small wooden hedges for footing¡ªsomething one might see with chicken coops¡ªwhile the majority of homes in the city are only one story. I think I recall a few buildings we passed by having stone ramps for entrances being at a higher elevation.

    When we get inside, I feel like how I was when I got to Comiket for the first time with one of Mom¡¯s friends, one of my close aunts, to provide help in her circle in exchange for doing me a big favor in the past. There are many people with a variety of armors and weapons on their persons scattered around the ground floor, with most being Centaurs. I could see others from a few different races are also included. One that stands out to me is a girl that has light purple skin, pointy ears, bluish-black horns, and straight dark pink hair. She caught my eye because she was wearing a dirtied white robe and I almost mistook her for one of the cultists last night until I saw the features on her face. For being a cult that goes against anything non-human, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to have a demon among them. Upon closer inspection, there¡¯s no emblem anywhere on the robe like the cultists had on theirs, but hers has yellow trimmings around her collar and ends of her sleeves. I also notice she¡¯s been staring at me with quite the shock on her face since I came in. Looking above her head, I see her name reads ¡®Winny,¡¯ same place as the others¡¯ as they all move about thanks to ¡®Size Up.¡¯ It¡¯s actually a bit overwhelming seeing so many at once that I get a bit of a headache.

    [You have reached ¡®Size Up¡¯ LV 5!]

    Speaking of which, I see that ¡®Size Up¡¯ has leveled up, probably with seeing all of those names at once. I look at the girl, Ms. Winny, again.

    Excuse me in advance for what I¡¯m about to do, Ms. Winny. Okay, Mr. Size Up, can you show me some stuff about her without revealing her measurements, please?

    [Name: Winny

    Race: Arch Imp

    Class: Priestess

    Measurements: 163 cm in height [~5 ft, 4 in], 71 kg in weight [~156 lbs], the three sizes are 85E-80-88

    Titles: Adventurer (29<sup>th</sup> Black), Holy Bishop, Studious, Blessmancer, Master of Sanctity, Atmomancer, Master of Winds [error; other titles can''t be revealed at this time]

    HP: 1379/1379

    MP: 1863/1863]

    Can¡¯t block them out even if I don¡¯t want to see them, huh? Great, as if it wasn¡¯t bad enough that I searched a Priestess, but apparently, she¡¯s a very strong adventurer, too, if me being unable to see her other titles mean anything, or it could be my level of ''Size Up'' isn''t high enough to see all of them right now.

    <¡°An Arch Imp, huh? Well, she wouldn¡¯t even hold a candle to you, anyway, so you¡¯re fine. Still, that Priestess is certainly curvier under those robes than she looks. Hubba, hubba~.¡±>

    What are you, some kind of perverted old man?

    ¡°Mr. Jinma~! Yoo-hoo~! Remember me?! A certain someone¡¯s mother?!¡±

    ¡°Mom! Cut that out!¡±

    I recognize that bicker anywhere. I follow the source and see Ms. Raize waving at us behind what looks like the reception counter while Lili rubs her two lower-most eyes in embarrassment.

    ¡°Oh, right, if thou art acquainted with Ms. Lili, then, of course, thou would know her mother.¡± Seems Ms. Gallofree can be a bit slow on the uptake for her to take this long to figure it out.

    <¡°So, that¡¯s Lili¡¯s mom? Looks pretty good.¡±>

    Despite Nyra¡¯s comment, I urge the others to follow along and we head to the reception where the mother-daughter Arachne pair wait.

    ¡°Lili told me all about it. So, you¡¯re wanting to register as an adventurer? I can help you get started right away.¡±

    ¡°That is indeed the case, but first, we need to speak to the guild master. Could thou please tell him that I have brought the man I told him about?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks.

    ¡°Ah, yes, we were told to expect a visitor to meet with him today. So, you¡¯re the man of the hour, huh? Not much of a surprise, really, since you saved us all last night, especially me. I¡¯m honestly surprised you weren¡¯t one already.¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ things happened.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, go ahead and have a seat anywhere and I¡¯ll be back in a sec.¡± Ms. Raize then steps out of her station and makes a move.

    Looking around, there are a number of large wooden tables that one might see in a cafeteria sort of way. Some adventurer parties gather around to talk while eating food. Off to one side of the building, I see a sort of bar where some were having drinks. I guess this place also serves as a sort of pub. We all go over to one of the vacant tables and I slide onto a bench with Ren and Erizora taking my side. Since there aren¡¯t chairs big enough for Centaurs, Ms. Gallofree just lowers her horse body to the floor in a sort of lying position while Lili keeps herself stationary.

    ¡°So ¡­ I heard the tanto has side-effects for those who were previously possessed by the being that dwells in it. Did thou ¡­ experience any, by any chance?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks.

    ¡°There was a slight setback, but I was able to quell it down after beating a bunch of monsters.¡±

    ¡°It was worrying that he left for a few hours, but I was relieved Master managed to return safely,¡± Ren says.

    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. You tackled him to the floor at first sight.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me ¡­¡±

    I guess even these two have a sort of exchange like this from time to time, too. Though, I have to admit the attention I received then wasn¡¯t unwelcome.

    ¡°Well, it is good thou art not harmed, at least. Did thou happen to talk to the Lizardman who goes by Ms. Umeiyon, yet? She looked to have quite an interest in thee over the courses of last night.¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ we talked, and I need to speak to her again to have something settled.¡±

    ¡°Really? Have you come to a decision to my offer that quickly?¡±

    ¡°¡°AUGH!¡±¡± We all jump when we suddenly notice a certain Dragon in Lizardman Form sitting right next to me as she spoke, wearing the same rags she tore off prior to turning into her true form before she left earlier.

    Of all the times for her to show up when the other girls are here ¡­ I really hope things don¡¯t get ugly quickly.

 Chapter 35: Proving Ones Worth

    ¡°W-When did thou get here?! I did not see thee when we got to this table!¡± Ms. Gallofree exclaims while the other girls put up their guards.

    ¡°Ah, I have ways of blending in with the crowd. I saw you four passing by and I was curious, so I followed you. I¡¯ve been with you all since then.¡±

    <¡°Wow, she must know how to control her magical aura if her ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ skill isn¡¯t doing all of the work. I know it was something fierce when I first sensed it, but I didn¡¯t even recognize it was her. Actually, I didn¡¯t even see her at all until she spoke. She must¡¯ve cast some magic to make herself invisible in a way.¡±>

    That¡¯s really scary ¡­ actually, something like that happened last night, too. Nobody even noticed she was passing by on a stroll while the infiltration took place, like they couldn¡¯t even see her. So how was it that I could see her at that time and not now? Even on my way here, I glanced back a few times and saw no one was there, yet Nyra said that powerful magic was still following us. Did she do something different with her ¡®invisibility magic¡¯ that I couldn¡¯t see her then?

    ¡°Anyway, I couldn¡¯t hear what you were talking about until you got to the counter. What did the older Arachne mean about you registering as an adventurer?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks me while she tilts her head in confusion.

    ¡°Sir Kotori will be judged of his rank as an adventurer among the many others all over Padimon. People who take quests that will benefit the people to live their peaceful lives while getting properly paid for their services. It may be dangerous depending on the difficulty of the assigned quest, but it is for a noble and worthy cause.¡± Ms. Gallofree puffs her impressive chest as she explained. I guess she takes pride in her work. Going by what I heard so far, being at a higher rank than Ren and Erizora, she must be rather passionate about what she does.

    ¡°Judged of his rank ¡­ will his power of strength and magic be accounted for?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks.

    ¡°Yes, among other things.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Though I don¡¯t know why Jinma Kotori needs to get paid when he already has my offer to be considered, I¡¯m rather interested in how they measure his value. Could I possibly have mine measured as well?¡±

    ¡°Thou can, but there art hefty registration fees to pay for. I do not mean to be rude, but can thou afford it with thy ¡­ lack of attire?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks while quirking a brow.

    ¡°Ah, if money¡¯s involved, that won¡¯t be an issue¡ª¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ll pay for it!¡±

    My loud interjection not only surprises the girls, but the other adventurers near us look over their shoulders with a questionable look.

    ¡°I mean ¡­ I can use the monsters I collected to help pay for my stuff, and I should have plenty to pay for Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s as well, so why not?¡±

    ¡°O ¡­ kay?¡±

    ¡°Jinma Kotori, you don¡¯t really need to¡ªhff mmh bh,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says right as I cover her mouth.

    ¡°Excuse us for a moment,¡± I say as I get up while pulling Ms. Umeiyon out of her seat before I lead us to a vacant section of the guild where we could talk in private. ¡°You got any silver and copper coins in that [Storage] of yours?¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Pft. No? They¡¯re of lesser value than gold and white gold coins, yes? I have collected many gold coins, as well as white gold, and other valuables like the Chaos Ore lumps over the course of my lifetime. Why would I need such a small monetary change for making such a grand offer that my potential mate almost couldn¡¯t refuse?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Did you pay the toll to get in with gold coins?¡±

    ¡°Toll? What is this ¡®toll?¡¯ Is that what those Centaurs were standing outside the gates for? Other than last night, I¡¯ve been going around the same way as I did when I followed you here. While Lizardmen are a race that resides in the Demon-kin¡¯s Territory, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could pass off as one being so outside of their usual area of residence.¡±

    This Dragon has no common sense!

    As Nyra wails in laughter from my internal scream, I sigh and rub my eyes. ¡°Okay, I think you¡¯ll be fine if you¡¯re with me. Let me pay for everything right now until we get to the talk of your offer, just ¡­ don¡¯t wave any of your money or valuables around out in the open. You¡¯ll attract the wrong crowd.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so stay with you and follow your lead, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I can do that much for my mate, no problem, just one question.¡±

    I try not to let the cringe of being called her mate show on my face. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Do we have to be this close at all times?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I look down and realize I still have my arm wrapped around her waist since I pulled her to the vacant space. Not only that but with Ms. Umeiyon being taller than me in this form, I notice how big her breasts are as I¡¯m pressing myself against one of its sides, even under those heavy, draping rags. Erizora¡¯s still reigning champion for size, but Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s look to be even bigger than Ms. Winny¡¯s and Ms. Raize¡¯s.

    ¡°O-Oh!¡± I exclaim as I jump back. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to get that invasive of your space.¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, it is quite all right ¡­¡± Ms. Umeiyon seems to be contemplating something as she feels the areas I touched, including the side of her breasts, with her eyes closed.

    Is she ¡­ feeling herself up? I subconsciously block visuals with my body in case there were other people looking in.

    <¡°Daaaang, this girl¡¯s bold doing that right here in public. Oh, Goddess Obina, so many glorious boobies, bigger than I¡¯ve ever seen from the queen and the higher Pixies ¡­ how I wish I had hands again to feel all of their sensational weights in my palms.¡±>

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    ¡°If the two of thee wish to flirt, take it somewhere else. This guild is no place for such uncouth tomfoolery.¡±

    A gruff voice snaps me out of the trance of Ms. Umeiyon touching herself¡ªnot in that context, of course¡ªbefore we both look behind us to see a Centaur. One can definitely see at a glance that he¡¯s seen and experienced dangerous times, one being his scars resembling claw marks that ran from his left cheek, over part of his lips, and nipped off the chin. Even with the graying hairs on his head, beard, and tail poking out of the cloth draping over his horse body, he still has a strong, lean physique in the top human half that might resemble one in his mid-30¡¯s.

    His hardened eyes look like they could stab someone as he looks down on me, his head well over 40 centimeters [at least a foot] above mine, taller than Ms. Gallofree who stands next to him with a strained smile. Even the golden armlet on his left bicep signifies his authority in a way. When I looked above the man¡¯s head, I read his name.

    [Eugus Gallofree.]

    Wait, isn¡¯t that ¡­

    <¡°Oh, no ¡­ she¡¯s related to the guild master?!¡±>

    Ms. Gallofree clears her throat. ¡°Guild Master, this is Sir Jinma Kotori, the one who made the biggest contribution to saving Dondegarm last night, and this is his acquaintance, Ms. Umeiyon, who would also wish to register. Sir Kotori, Ms. Umeiyon, this is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thou did not tell me the boy was a human, Kalline,¡± the guild master ¡­ let¡¯s just call him Eugus for convenience sake, interrupts with harshness in his tone as he glares at her.

    ¡°A-Ah, well ¡­ it is because I saw more in him than just being human, sir. He is even able to wield the cursed tanto without getting possessed.¡±

    Eugus snorts before glancing down on me. ¡°Such naivete. Is the butter knife thou have on thine side that same tanto? ¡®Tis but a ruse.¡±

    <¡°Butter knife?! You wanna get cut and try saying that again, jackass?!¡±> Nyra exclaims. I¡¯m not sure if she even remembers how he can¡¯t hear her.

    ¡°Honestly. It is bad enough I have more important matters to attend to after having it thrown on me last-minute, I then come back and hear a group of pathetic humans and Bear Moles tried to level my city, as well as my people down to the bloody dirt.¡± Eugus turns himself around. ¡°It is not often that thee would put in a word for someone, Kalline. I must say I am disappointed. We will have a talk on how to judge one¡¯s caliber properly later,¡± he says before moving on his way without looking back.

    ¡°Guild Master¡ª!¡±

    DON!

    Bwooooooooooooooooon!

    ¡°Hrnk?!¡±

    Eugus stops mid-step and stays stiff in place from my loud stomp on the ground followed by my ¡®Glare.¡¯ Actually, it looks like a bunch of others in my sight also got affected as I can see where in the air gets the heaviest. Lili and Ms. Raize who I didn¡¯t know was standing a fair distance behind the guild master were unfortunately also in my sight, and so they got afflicted with the ¡®stun¡¯ ailment as the others did.

    ¡°Oh, god ¡­ such animosity~. I think I¡¯m gonna melt~.¡±

    ¡°Eri, please, this is not the time and place. You¡¯ll embarrass Master if you make an accident here.¡± Though my new companions weren¡¯t within the area of effect, Erizora is somehow affected by my skill in a strange way while Ren tries to reprimand her for it.

    I mentally apologize to everyone in the guild for getting caught up in this mess, but Ms. Gallofree¡¯s relative or not, I couldn¡¯t let this guy walk away after talking to her like that.

    ¡°¡­ Do I have your attention now, Guild Master?¡± I ask while spitting his title like venom. I walk to the front of him, pull out Nyra, and point her at his neck while still keeping my ¡®Glare¡¯ on him. ¡°Since you¡¯re so in a hurry, let¡¯s cut the crap and get to business. You will put me and Ms. Umeiyon in our appropriate ranks, and then you go back to whatever other important matters you need to attend to. If this isn¡¯t enough to be worthy of your time, I have much more proof that can say otherwise.¡± I look towards a general area over my shoulder. ¡°Oi! Give me space if you know what¡¯s good for you! And lots of it!¡±

    The patrons in my line of sight obliged without question as they quickly moved themselves and any furniture. With about a quarter of the guild¡¯s ground floor open and the high ceiling above me, I judge this more than enough as I turn around and point both hands at two separate spots.

    ¡°[Storage, Out!]¡±

    The guild is filled with gasps, followed by some coughing and wheezing as two large things appear from out of nowhere. On my left, the Toxic Troll I killed yesterday, permeating its stench from its poisonous, rotting odor around the guild, and on my right, the mountain of monster corpses I used to vent out the curse¡¯s side-effects earlier.

    ¡°I beat the Toxic Troll to death on my way here yesterday, and with this tanto and her magic to attract monsters, I took down alllll of those in that pile just a couple of hours ago.¡±

    ¡°I can attest to the monster pile,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says as she comes up to my side with her arms crossed and eyes stern, not even the slightest bit affected to the tense atmosphere. ¡°I arrived a bit later when he started, but I saw with my own eyes that Jinma Kotori killed every last monster on his own seamlessly with that weapon of his.¡±

    ¡°N-No way ¡­¡± Shaken out of her ¡®stunned¡¯ ailment, Ms. Raize approaches the corpses with a web-knitted handkerchief over her face and examines them. ¡°Th-The Toxic Troll ¡­ it¡¯s Glock the Putrid that we put up as a purple-rank subjugation quest. There are signs of repeated beatings to the face before a great force was acted on it for the finisher, and oh god, the unrecognizable condition on his genitals. As for the monsters in this pile ¡­ Horned Boars, Venom Beasts, Great Hornets, Wilderballs, Black Wilderballs?! Even Red Banes?! I¡¯ve never seen so many that were done in around the same time, and save for a handful of monsters that were done in by a blunt weapon, the rest have such clean cuts like the Bear Moles we collected from last night¡¯s infiltration! And these were all within a couple of hours?!¡±

    This must be due to the skill Lili mentioned Ms. Raize having when she examines the corpses. From how the other patrons were talking amongst themselves in shock, they must believe her words to be true.

    ¡°Well, there you have it, Guild Master. Still think I¡¯m not worth your time? Otherwise, I¡¯d be more than happy to show you what I¡¯m really made of outside,¡± I say before I slowly move Nyra¡¯s blade across Eugus¡¯ beard. I only intended to brush it, but I didn¡¯t expect it to cut his hairs with little effort as if they were nothing. With his now weirdly-cut beard, I just proved how sharp she really is, or it could be the constant vibrations from the ore that she mentioned earlier that made the tanto like an electric razor. Either way, things would take a really bad turn very quickly if she was mishandled.

    Still, seeing such a hardened warrior breaking into a cold sweat at my subtle threat couldn¡¯t help but make me smile.

    ¡°¡­ If I may ask, art thou ¡­ the same man who shielded Kalline? From the very tanto thou have in thy hand?¡± he asks with his tone not as condescending and hard as it was earlier.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, and you should know that Ms. Gallofree fought valiantly as she guided me through the streets last night. She knew the tanto was being taken from wherever this was sealed, yet she put the lives and safety of the people above stopping those who stole the weapon. So, if you still don¡¯t give her credit for her ¡®judgment of caliber,¡¯ at least give her some for setting her priorities straight.¡±

    ¡°Sir Kotori ¡­¡±

    ¡°A thousand pardons for my rudeness, Mr. Kotori.¡± Eugus takes a few steps back and bows his head with a hand on his chest. ¡°Thou hast open mine eyes. If thou can find it in thy heart to forgive me, I would be honored to help thee in thine registration.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s, too?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You are forgiven.¡± I then pull Nyra back and sheathe her.

    <¡°Much better. Way to put him in his place, Jinma.¡±>

    ¡°I thank thee. Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am the guild master of Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, Eugus Gallofree. I also give thee my sincerest gratitude for helping to save Dondegarm in my absence ¡­ and putting thine life on the line for my niece.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet ¡­ wait, niece?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This is my late mother¡¯s older brother,¡± Ms. Gallofree explains.

    <¡°That dude¡¯s her uncle?!¡±>

 Chapter 36: Putting in Good Words

    ¡°With introductions settled, we should have thine full capabilities measured immediately! Dost anybody know if Winny the Priestess is in the area?!¡± Eugus asks as he looks around him.

    ¡°I am here, Guild Master.¡±

    Suddenly coming up from the side, the same light purple girl who was staring at me earlier approaches Eugus in a calm manner with her arms in her sleeves. Suddenly remembering her 85E bust from my perverted ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill, I try not to linger my eyes around that area.

    ¡°You require my assistance to measure Master Kotori¡¯s Innate Stat Ranking, yes?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, but, Master Kotori, Winny?¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®Innate Stat Ranking?¡¯¡± I ask.

    ¡°My name is Winny, an Arch Imp Priestess, and black-ranked adventurer of my two-member party, ¡®Phasing Moon.¡¯ It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Jinma Kotori,¡± she introduces formally while bowing her head.

    ¡°Uh, likewise, Ms. Winny.¡±

    ¡°As for the ¡®Innate Stat Ranking,¡¯ it is a measure of your being that reflects your performance in battles as well as your daily living. There are six categories: Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, Vitality, Endurance, and Charm. With the Immortals generous enough to provide assistance through their monument and using me as a bridge between the Mortal and Sacred Realms, we would see how the Immortals from above rank your prowess among those categories. It is through these measures that the guild master will decide what rank you¡¯ll be as an adventurer. Because of the convenience and using the immortals¡¯ precious time as well as the guild master¡¯s, we professionally trained Priests and Priestesses who maintain the churches scattered around Padimon charge 20,000 karos per person; otherwise, registering in the guild normally and starting at the very bottom as a white-rank only costs 500 karos per person.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quite a jump.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Depending on one¡¯s rank, adventurers receive discounts for services at the guild-approved shops and inns, and they¡¯d avoid going through all the efforts of doing numerous quests to get to where they¡¯d currently be. They are also able to enter cities without paying for toll since the quests you¡¯ll take will help the people and the guild itself. There are times, however, that even if the person has the money to pay for the convenience fee, they¡¯d still not wind up as high a rank as they might expect under the Immortals¡¯ eyes, and ultimately displeases the guild master. That¡¯s why the one registering must prove himself worthy to spend some of the guild master¡¯s and Immortals¡¯ times, like what you just did pulling up all those monsters through your [Storage] Null Spell. They can¡¯t just go up and ask for the guild master to witness it, either. They¡¯d have to be recommended by at least one adventurer of high rank, or one with special connections to even catch the guild master¡¯s attention. Honestly, if you hadn¡¯t stopped Guild Master the way you did with Ms. Kalline¡¯s word not bearing fruit, I was going to step in and vouch for you as a black rank adventurer and my place in the churches as a Holy Bishop.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I sensed a powerful presence before you even walked through those doors, and though I didn¡¯t watch you last night, I felt something from you at quite a far distance from the square, which was completely different compared to now. When I saw you with my own eyes, I knew right away that you¡¯re not among average adventurers. I daresay you¡¯re more powerful than me at my level of magic.¡±

    ¡°Stronger than even thee, Winny?¡± Eugus asks her, to which she nods in response. ¡°And thou hast traveled how far from thy home, Mr. Kotori?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from ¡­ overseas.¡± I admit that isn¡¯t true, but it isn¡¯t completely false, either.

    Eugus strokes what¡¯s left of his beard while thinking. ¡°Could this be a blessing to run into someone like him so soon or a sign of a foreboding disaster?¡± he mutters to himself before glancing over to Ms. Umeiyon standing next to me. ¡°And thou art looking to register as an adventurer as well?¡±

    ¡°Is it possible to just have my Innate Stat Ranking measured and not go any further? Will there be anything else revealed to the public by the Immortals¡¯ wills?¡±

    ¡°It is possible, but thou would still need to pay the fee to acquire this service. The only other things revealed along with thy true prowess is thy name, race, and current class.¡±

    ¡°True prowess, race, and class ¡­ is there any other way to have my adventurer¡¯s rank be determined?¡±

    ¡°Well, there art guild examiners who can evaluate thy fighting capabilities, and what rank thee will get depends on that and who is willing to fight thee. This is called the Fight Evaluation Ranking. There is a fee of 10,000 karos for taking up the guild examiner¡¯s time, but thankfully, whether thou choose that or the Innate Stat Ranking, the money required for normal registration is no longer required. Thou will have already paid quite the sum when thou art evaluated and measured.¡±

    ¡°I see. In that case, Jinma Kotori may have himself evaluated through the Immortals and get his adventurer¡¯s rank first. I will then fight¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I cut in before Ms. Umeiyon could finish.

    She looks at me with surprise and confusion for a moment before patting a fist to her hand as if she understood. ¡°I see. Even though you¡¯ll be my mate, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I will not hold anything against you coming at me full strength as I will do the same.¡±

    ¡°¡°Mate?!¡±¡± I guess everyone in the guild heard her, including the girls who¡¯re with us. I had to hold myself back from groaning or flinching being called her mate again.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue. I¡¯ll fight if I need to, but I¡¯d rather avoid fighting needlessly if I had the choice. I don¡¯t want to get involved with someone who¡¯d fight me with such a pointless reason like ¡®proving one¡¯s strength.¡¯ They can bother someone else for that.¡±

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    ¡°And yet, not even five minutes ago, thou were willing to fight the guild master, my uncle, to do such a thing,¡± Ms. Gallofree retorts with a quirked brow.

    ¡°Hey, I thought he was talking you down for judging me wrong. I wanted to back you up, I didn¡¯t even know the two of you were related. Anyway, I¡¯m talking about being pointless if they approach me for a fight to prove themselves, there¡¯s a difference between who starts and who receives.¡±

    ¡°That aside, I would not even allow the two of thee to fight each other, or any pairing where both are potentially becoming adventurers of the same party,¡± Eugus intervenes. ¡°It must be done with someone who is already registered.¡±

    Ms. Umeiyon clicks her tongue at the decline. I guess she doesn¡¯t want to risk her true identity be revealed through the Immortals¡¯ evaluation, especially if the ranks are high enough to cause panic within the city. I¡¯m glad to know she¡¯s being conscious of that much even though she may not understand the common sense outside of her own just yet.

    ¡°My older twin brother may be able to spar with you for your evaluation,¡± Ms. Winny suddenly says. ¡°He¡¯s unfortunately dumb enough to not realize what he¡¯ll get into until it hits him in the face, but Brother will take any excuse to fight so long as it would help make him stronger. Is that okay with you, Ms. Umeiyon?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is he a black rank like yourself?¡±

    ¡°Brother is red, two ranks below me, but it¡¯s still high enough to consider one a veteran adventurer.¡±

    Wait, but he¡¯s the older twin brother, right? Is he the other member of her party? Shouldn¡¯t they be in the same rank right now if they¡¯ve done quests together up to this point?

    ¡°I guess that will do for now,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says while shrugging.

    ¡°So, one Innate Stat Ranking and one Fight Evaluation Ranking. Unless both of thee will pay for thine selves, it will be a total of 30,000 karos,¡± Eugus says.

    Volunteering to pay for both of us, I take 3 gold coins from my [Storage] and pass it to Eugus.

    ¡°Raize, have a guild examiner prepared for Umeiyon on our return.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Guild Master, and I guess I¡¯ll see you later, Mr. Jinma?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah, sure.¡±

    With that, Ms. Raize leaves while the rest of the patrons talk amongst themselves.

    ¡°Oh, right, I should probably store the monsters back to be dealt with later¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please wait, Master!¡±

    ¡°?!¡± Surprised, I turn around and see Ren and Erizora quickly approaching me

    ¡°And the two of thee art ¡­?¡± Eugus trails off in a question.

    ¡°Ren of the White Werewolves and Erizora of the Ogres, reporting for duty as Master Jinma Kotori¡¯s slaves, Guild Master, sir,¡± Ren introduces as she and Erizora stand at salute side by side.

    ¡°¡­ Ah, you two were with him last night, right? I was wondering why you were sticking around. I¡¯m not very familiar with this custom, but you are basically Jinma Kotori¡¯s servants, yes?¡± Ms. Umeiyon asks.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! We were just redeemed as Master¡¯s first official slaves less than an hour ago! Which is why, Master! Please give us the order of dismantling your monsters while you have your ¡®Innate Stat Ranking¡¯ be judged! Eri and I are properly trained in the ¡®Dismantling¡¯ skill for this task and assure that you will get the most of this game to be sold to the guild!¡±

    ¡°Dismantling, huh?¡± I do recall Ms. Obina mentioning how places use Mon Crystals as energy sources of sorts and I assume they have values that vary between monsters. Not only that, but the materials from the game could be used for a variety of things.

    Normally, I¡¯d want to dismantle this stuff with them so I could learn the skill and speed up the process while not leaving them with all of the work; however, if we want to make the most of our time today getting everything done and if I¡¯m going to be these girls¡¯ leader of the adventuring party as well as their owner, I should probably start acting like them.

    ¡°Guild Master, is there a work station of sorts where they can do their dismantling?¡± I ask Eugus.

    ¡°There art stations at the very right corner as thou get to the training grounds. They art open to anyone to use when they art vacant.¡±

    ¡°Then, I will leave the dismantling to you two while I¡¯m gone. Please get whatever you can out of them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master! Looks like we got our first job work cut out for us, Eri. Let¡¯s start moving the bodies to the station,¡± Ren says.

    ¡°Right.¡± Erizora then lugs the Toxic Troll corpse over her shoulder with ease, despite the smell, before picking up one of the Horned Boars to carry under her free arm. She heads to the back with both, but then stops before turning around. ¡°I almost forgot, but you were meeting Ms. Umeiyon to discuss with her being your mate, right, Master? You have my congratulations.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! It¡¯s impressive you have already won the hearts of two beautiful females wanting to be your wives within a day, as expected of Master! You can be sure that we will give full support to your matrimonies!¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been decided yet! Don¡¯t jump to conclusions that quickly!¡± Also, two wives? Are they referring to Ms. Tephalia as the other one? I thought we already cleared up to take it slow with that? Shit, now I¡¯m getting death stares from some of the people here ¡­ actually, don¡¯t that group of humans over there look like they want to kill me?

    <¡°I can sense disgust, contempt, and anger. Yep, I¡¯d say they definitely have their sights on you.¡±>

    Great ¡­ more bothersome people I have to avoid, and one of them is a woman on top of it. Hope the girls don¡¯t get into any trouble with them.

    ~~

    With our tasks set, Eugus and Ms. Winny lead the way to the church where I¡¯d be measured in my ¡®Innate Stat Ranking¡¯ first.

    ¡°I can understand Ms. Umeiyon wanting to come along, but why art thou joining us, Ms. Lili?¡± [Kalline]

    ¡°Well, seeing him in action last night, I¡¯m curious to see what his full potential is. I¡¯m just glad Mr. Gallofree and Ms. Winny sees us enough as Jinma¡¯s acquaintances to allow us to come along, since this is a seriously private deal. I¡¯m also wanting to know more of the story with Ms. Umeiyon being Jinma¡¯s new ¡®mate.¡¯¡± [Lili]

    ¡°I admit, I am rather curious of that myself, among other things.¡± [Kalline]

    Meanwhile, Ms. Gallofree, Lili, and Ms. Umeiyon walk in front of me talking among themselves like I¡¯m not here as I¡¯m walking a couple paces behind the group.

    ¡°It is as you¡¯ve heard. Jinma Kotori will be my mate, and as such, his worries and businesses will also be my own, and I will be listening in on what the fuss is about.¡± [Umeiyon]

    ¡°¡­ Jinma, you better explain what the hell is going on soon,¡± Lili says while looking over her shoulder and furrowing her six eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ¡­ explain what I can when we have a moment to ourselves.¡±

    <¡°You realize you¡¯re in deep shit right now, right?¡±> Nyra asks.

    You have nooooooo idea. I wonder if my ridiculously high defenses will be enough to prepare me for what lies ahead.

    ~~

    ¡°Thou used thy ¡®Magic Sense¡¯ on them, right? How do those two measure?¡± Eugus asks Winny in a whisper as they walk far enough ahead to be out of the others¡¯ hearing.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said Master Kotori¡¯s stronger than me in magic, but what was most peculiar was his magical aura.¡±

    ¡°Thou mean what differentiates between the three kin?¡±

    Winny nods. ¡°One would expect him to have the same kind of aura as other humans, but ¡­ his aura resembles all of the three kin.¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°The only other similar case I¡¯ve seen in my life is the Ogre slave earlier, that was a surprise for me. Though she has a little magic affinity, she bears both auras of a Demon-Kin and Human-Kin.¡±

    ¡°That is surprising. And what of Umeiyon, the Lizardman?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just it. She¡¯s the most peculiar one as I don¡¯t sense any of the three kin¡¯s auras from her at all. Also, whatever Master Kotori did to afflict ¡®stun¡¯ on you and the other adventurers at the guild, she did not flinch in the slightest. I did, however, happen to see her sending one of the infiltrators from last night flying with just one punch.¡±

    ¡°¡­ It seems we have quite the strange ones this time around,¡± Eugus concludes. He then thinks about how one or both of the soon-to-be adventurers may be what he exactly needs for the ¡®important matter¡¯ that was dropped on his lap before his return.

 Chapter 37: Rankings, Part 1

    We arrive at Dondegarm¡¯s church a couple minutes later. I gotta admit, I was skeptical when I heard something as religious as a church existing here, let alone have some in an area where radical followers from Earth would most likely frown on, but seeing the establishment before my eyes that¡¯s similar to the few I¡¯ve seen back home, I was now convinced. I guess it makes sense they¡¯d be here as Immortals like Ms. Obina played a part in creating this world, and so they must be revered and paid respects to as one might.

    I never followed a religion back home, and even now after seeing an actual goddess in person, I¡¯m still not really sure what to think of them. Maybe I haven¡¯t seen enough of them to really get a full picture of what the Immortals really are.

    When we get there, Ms. Winny places her hand on the ground and concentrates before a yellowish-white magic circle appears.

    ¡°I call to thee, Holy, I require the sound beast that flies from the waters, Aqua Fenghuang Sage of Humility, Summon.¡±

    At Ms. Winny¡¯s chant, a large, light blue bird rises from the light, spreading its wings as if stretching out after a long nap. Upon seeing Ms. Winny in front of it, the flashy, graceful bird bows to her.

    ¡°You have called for me, Milady?¡±

    ¡°Holy crap, it talks,¡± I mutter. And wait, Fenghuang? Like the Chinese Phoenix, Fenghuang?

    <¡°What¡¯s a ¡®Chai-niis?¡¯ It sounds like a sort of tea,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°Yes, Plume. I¡¯d like you to find my brother and tell him there¡¯s someone who wishes to fight him for the ¡®Battle Evaluation Ranking.¡¯ If he accepts, please tell him to wait at the guild until we return.¡±

    ¡°At once, Milady.¡± The Fenghuang who goes by ¡®Plume¡¯ flaps his wings and takes off to the skies.

    ¡°So, uh ¡­ was that a familiar?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yes. Do you not have one, Master Kotori? Are you capable of Holy or Curse Magic?¡± Ms. Winny asks.

    ¡°Uh, no, and yes.¡± I decide to not tell her which of the two kinds of magic I can do yet.

    ¡°If you¡¯d like, we at this church provide assistance to set up Familiar Contracts for those who are able to do those magics. It will be 5,000 karos per try, as the material for it is expensive and the preparations needed for it are meticulous.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ I think I¡¯ll wait on it tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°But of course. We can get to it after you settle your lover¡¯s quarrel.¡±

    Winny said that with such a bright smile on her face that I don¡¯t know what to make of it, but I feel really disgusted in myself somehow.

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s get to your ranking, shall we?¡± Winny asks before she opens the door and leads the way inside the church.

    I¡¯m not cuffed, yet I feel like a prisoner about to meet his sentence.

    <¡°A prisoner of what is rather hard to say. Love? Lust? Curiosity? Commitment? I¡¯ve never been to one, but I heard there are these things called ¡®brothels¡¯ back in my day. Is that still a thing at this time?¡±>

    There are brothels, but I¡¯ve never been to one.

    <¡°Well, aside from a few bad eggs, I¡¯ve gotten around so well with everyone that bumping uglies had become a greeting for me. I just don¡¯t understand why the other races had to make it complicated. ¡®I¡¯ll only bear children for the strongest!¡¯ ¡®More than one wife is for the upper class.¡¯ ¡®Wives are better than concubines.¡¯ ¡®How could you sleep with another woman?!¡¯ If I was asked how I could I sleep with another man, I¡¯d say this: If I feel like fucking and you¡¯re not around, then I find a fuck buddy to fuck with instead. It¡¯s not like I stopped liking the person and not want to see them anymore. Can¡¯t people call themselves a ¡®couple¡¯ while having fun with others if their main partner isn¡¯t around or too busy?¡±>

    ¡­ Nyra, I would love to spend a day living the kind of life you had back in your hometown.

    <¡°Oh, dude, the place was great. I¡¯d have totally shown you around, but if having sex with you is as ecstatic as it is when we fight together, I¡¯m not gonna lie. I¡¯d take that one day of yours and have you all to myself doing all kinds of shenanigans in my old place.¡±>

    Well, there¡¯s part of the answer to your earlier question.

    <¡°¡­ Ohhhh.¡±>

    By the time Nyra reached her epiphany, we stand before a large slab of stone with murals and scriptures engraved in it, as if there¡¯s a story being told with only one picture to tell it all.

    ¡°Is this your first time seeing an Immortals¡¯ monument, Master Kotori?¡± Ms. Winny asks, to which I nod. ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep it brief, then. These monuments that are scattered around the country of Padimon, the entire world of Raiza, are fragments of the combined power from the Immortals as they were creating it and the lives that dwell on it. With the Immortals having connections to these monuments, they use their divine powers to evaluate one¡¯s capability through the ¡®Innate Stat Ranking;¡¯ provide a protective field around a designated area where sentient lives aren¡¯t taken immediately by murder, unless the damage is too great to be prevented like decapitation, of course; and finally, to give the sentient beings the chance to grow as individuals, whether it be in battles or in the livelihoods of their choice, by granting them classes that determine their fighting styles and the boons that come with them. The monuments also show the progress of where the sentient beings stand to promote themselves from a Novice Class to an Advanced Class and how to get there.

    ¡°There are also the Champions, those who were brought to this world to represent a specific Immortal, who use these monuments as a bridge to transport themselves to where the divine dwell, the Sacred Realm, to speak with him/her in person.¡±

    So, not only can I change my class, but I could go back to that place where Ms. Obina was and speak to her in person. Still, when she said ¡®those who were brought to this world,¡¯ in what context does she mean by that?

    <¡°We have one back home, too, but we never built a church around it. Ours was a shrine that we use for everything Winny described. I guess what¡¯s built around these monuments depends on the culture that surrounds them? Also, what do you mean ¡®in what context?¡¯ She meant how they were born after some sweet sweet sex like everyone else. How else would we even get here?¡±>

    R-Right, of course ¡­ I forgot that Nyra could listen into my thoughts and quietly say ¡®be careful¡¯ to myself.

    ¡°If I may ask, Master Kotori, what class are you?¡± Ms. Winny asks ¡°I at first thought you were a powerful Sage with your strength in magic, but showing us those monsters proved you have quite the fighting capabilities, too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a Brawler.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°Surely, thou jest, Mr. Kotori?¡± Eugus asks. ¡°To get this far without even giving up thy race¡¯s default class for something greater, that is just preposterous.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s very true,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says. ¡°I saw it myself, and ¡­ well, if this ¡®Innate Stat Ranking¡¯ doesn¡¯t show how powerful he is, I don¡¯t know what will.¡±

    ¡°Mmm ¡­ I would not jump to that conclusion so soon.¡±

    ¡°Really, Guild Master? Thou did the same thing with Sir Kotori before he put a knife to thy neck,¡± Ms. Gallofree quips while furrowing her brow at her uncle. I wonder if she¡¯s only calling him ¡®Guild Master¡¯ out in the open and call him something else when they¡¯re alone.

    ¡°I admit, that was my err as I was having a difficult time myself, but ¡®tis different. I have heard back in my day people with peculiar skills, abilities, and items who can change how their status appears in public. They could flash their status to them however many times they wish, but the reality comes when they are on the battlefield, if not evaluated by the immortals.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but if I find this different than what you showed me, I will demand you give back more than what I gave, as you might understand, Jinma Kotori,¡± Ms. Umeiyon growls in my ear.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    I may not have anything to worry about, but knowing who I¡¯m dealing with, I admit I was still afraid with how she delivered that threat, and there are only so few things that I truly feared most in my life, and that¡¯s great heights, my mother when angry, and her closest friend, my first aunt, when she¡¯s the same, in that order.

    It¡¯s really because of those two women that virtually no other person would ever scare the living daylights out of me before a fight, as they don¡¯t even compare to the terror those two bring when infuriated, reflecting their past days as yankees in high school.

    ¡°All right, Master Kotori, step forward to the monument, lower your head, and open your heart to the Immortals who watch over you,¡± Ms. Winny says.

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡± I step up to the spot where Ms. Winny gestures me to. I lower myself to a knee before my head follows while closing my eyes. I feel the warmth of what I assume to be Ms. Winny¡¯s palm placed on my head that spreads from there to my toes as if she¡¯s lending me energy to revitalize myself.

    ¡°O, great Immortals from the realm of above and beyond, I call to you for your assistance,¡± Ms. Winny says. ¡°This man who¡¯s opening his heart to you wishes to know his true worth. O, great Immortals, I beseech to you as I stand with this man, show us all what innate capabilities Jinma Kotori bears!¡±

    Through my eyelids, I could see the space getting brighter, most likely due to the monument that sits in front of me if they¡¯re imbued by the Immortals¡¯ powers as Ms. Winny explained.

    After a few moments, a collective gasp sounds throughout the sanctuary after I see the light die down.

    ¡°W-What in the world ¡­ is this?¡±

    Following Eugus¡¯ question, I look up in their direction and could quickly guess what the big shocker is, but I¡¯m confused about what I¡¯m even looking at.

    ~~

    [Jinma Kotori, D-Human, Brawler

    [Strength: SS

    [Intelligence: SS

    [Dexterity: S

    [Vitality: ¡î

    [Endurance: ¡î

    [Charm:

    <ul>

    <li>Humans: D</li>

    <li>Demis: A</li>

    <li>Demons: SS</li>

    <li>Other: S]</li>

    </ul>

    ~~

    ¡°So ¡­ what do these mean?¡± I ask before numerous notices appear in front of me.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Almighty¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Weight Defiance*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Erudite¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Caculation*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Masterful¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Skill Bonus*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Unwavering¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Body Temperature Stability*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Debonair¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Seduction¡¯ LV 1!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Loved by Non-Humans¡¯ title!

    [Conditions met: the ability, ¡®Black Charisma,¡¯ is now revealed

    [Other skills associated with newly acquired titles are now available to learn]

    Uh ¡­ should I be worried here?

    <¡°That depends on how you view whatever this ¡®Black Charisma¡¯ ability is. What does it mean being now visible? Could you have something like this all along and not know it? Also, what the hell is this ¡®D-Human¡¯ race? I¡¯ve never seen something like that among the previous humans I possessed.¡±>

    Your guess is as good as mine.

    ¡°A D-Human ¡­ I¡¯ve never come across something like that in the books of my studies,¡± Ms. Umeiyon mutters.

    If Ms. Umeiyon is as long-lived as I would think Dragons are, then this ¡®D-Human¡¯ business must be something highly confidential that hasn¡¯t been released to the public for quite some time.

    ¡°¡­ Master Jinma Kotori, Guild Master, would the two of you please come with me to the confessionary?¡± Ms. Winny asks calmly as she takes the window of my Innate Stats and shrinks it down to the size of a business card with her magic.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Eugus answers.

    ¡°Sure, but why the sudden change in formalities?¡± I ask. ¡°And I¡¯ve been meaning to say this for a while, but you can just call me ¡®Jinma¡¯ since you¡¯d be my senior in this adventuring biz.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. I am not in a rightful position to address you in such an informal, casual manner, but if it truly bothers you, would you allow me to address you as ¡®Master Jinma?¡¯¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s ¡­ okay.¡± Sheesh, is it such a big deal that I have to be addressed so formally?

    ¡°Very good, then, and you may address me as ¡®Winny¡¯ if you wish. The rest of you please stand by until our return, and remember that nothing that was seen or heard here today will leave these walls. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Ms. Winny,¡± Ms. Gallofree answers while the other two girls just nod.

    Winny then leads us to a room in the back of the sanctuary where a stone mural takes up an entire wall. There are numerous cushions of varying sizes set at a corner that Winny goes to first. She picks up two of the largest cushions for Eugus-san to sit on the floor with and was overly meticulous with setting up one more for me to use before she gets the last one for herself.

    ¡°Now then, I will explain the meanings behind the rankings to Master Jinma¡¯s Innate Stats that we just witnessed,¡± Winny starts. ¡°Keep in mind that what we saw isn¡¯t what¡¯s entirely reflected in the current stats of your status that has numbers. The rankings show how capable you are using your trained body in reaching those numbers, and even beyond that. You could say some of the numbers in your stats are the ¡®average¡¯ of what you achieve with your powers in battle that could also be applied to your daily life. The Immortals put in a lot of complicated factors as they judge your prowess before coming to a suitable rank for each category.

    ¡°From the bottom, we have F, then E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and finally, ¡®¡î.¡¯ To put the values into comparison, ¡®C¡¯ would be the average among any individual, no matter what race or class they are. Anything under ¡®C¡¯ is below average and might not walk away from a battle with a weak monster by themselves. A small handful would reach ¡®B¡¯ and ¡®A,¡¯ which is what one would expect an adventurer to be while as a red and even violet-rank. ¡®S¡¯ is what ranks some of the strongest and most capable of handling difficult quests on their own as black-rank adventurers, and there are currently 32 who are registered as such. Those in ¡®SS¡¯ rank are even smaller in number than the black-ranks, but they make up the bronze, silver, and gold ranks. Note that these don¡¯t mean they make you into those ranks. You could say those are the average ranks of what one has while in that standing as adventurers.¡±

    ¡°And the ¡®¡î¡¯ rank?¡± I ask, suddenly getting nervous about where this is going.

    ¡°¡­ It is almost unheard of, as it¡¯s in an entirely new level that¡¯s beyond our understanding and measurements that the Immortals give us. You¡¯d very well stand alongside the Demon King, a few of the greatest Champions known in history, or even possibly Dragons.¡±

    Ms. Umeiyon comes to mind at the mention of ¡®Dragons,¡¯ along with what she mentioned after seeing my status back in that field.

    ¡°This is ¡­ incredible! To not only have such an ability that derives from our race, but have twice the defenses as a normal one would! My expectations of you have been blown to smithereens!¡±

    So, I¡¯m tougher and more durable than a fucking Dragon?

    <¡°I heard of a saying among blacksmiths. ¡®You know you¡¯re facing a Dragon if you chip the blade from their skin.¡¯ If a steel sword clashes with you, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the thing breaks off and not even leave a scratch on your hot bod,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°It is the first in my lifetime to even witness one bear such a rank in even one category, let alone two,¡± Winny continues. ¡°And for you to actually still be a Brawler, you may jump to whatever Advanced Class you choose. I have not witnessed the Demon King¡¯s power, but your Vitality shows you could stand toe-to-toe with her attacks. Do you not agree, Guild Master?¡±

    ¡°I admit that thou hast shattered what I would expect from a human and I would have a difficult time defeating thee even if the attacks art one-sided on my end; however, at this point in time, I can only start thee off at the bottom of black-rank adventurers under my authority as a guild master. Thou would have to prove thy strength among the other black-ranked adventurers and complete enough quests to be able to go up in the ranks while I notify the association about this discovery. Thou can rest assured that this Innate Stat Ranking will not be released to the public, but it must be addressed to the higher-ups before we send word to all the guilds about your debut should you choose to register as an adventurer. Do I have thy permission to make this possible?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Will I be bugged about taking seriously difficult quests?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Indeed, quests that art specifically addressed to thee art what we call ¡®Assigned Quests,¡¯ and while thou dost hast the choice of declining, it could take a toll on thy rep depending on who thou art rejecting.¡±

    ¡°So damned if I do and damned if I don¡¯t, huh?¡± I ask before sighing. ¡°Well, as long as the specifics aren¡¯t released to the public, I guess I have one less thing to worry about, and I don¡¯t know what else I can do to make a living with my current circumstances.¡±

    ¡°It is decided, then! Allow me to be the first to welcome thee to the ranks as an honorary adventurer! I pray that thou will work together with us well in the coming future!¡±

    ¡°Sure, same here, Guild Master.¡±

    ¡°Please! A man of thy caliber may address me as Eugus.¡±

    ¡°Then, you may call me Jinma,¡± I say before Eugus and I shake on it.

    ¡°Dost thou hast any further business to attend to before we head back to the guild and I set up thy card while an examiner evaluates Umeiyon¡¯s rank?¡±

    ¡°I do have something I need to ask Master Jinma in private,¡± Winny says.

    ¡°Then, I shall go on ahead and set things up for thee. When thou and Umeiyon are both evaluated and registered, I would like to speak to thee in private about a special quest that may give thou a good start in thy new job having it being thy first.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I can listen to what the quest is, at least, but I have a question.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Jinma?¡±

    ¡°What is a ¡®D-Human?¡¯ How come I¡¯ve never seen that in my status until now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I am not familiar with ¡®D-Humans,¡¯ but have read that there be a being on the same level as the Immortals that manages how we see our statuses today. We do not know the name or even the gender of that being, but with their cooperation with the Immortals, they decide what in thy status can be revealed to thee at the time. Thou can bet there art those who have passed on without ever knowing who they truly were. Perhaps, when thou prayed to the Immortals in front of the monument to reveal thy true self, they decided the time to reveal thy true race would be then.¡±

    I see, it¡¯s like when ¡®Stealth¡¯ and ¡®Black Charisma¡¯ were revealed to me. Certain conditions have to be met before I was ready to see what¡¯s really in my status. Whoever¡¯s doing this that¡¯s associated with Ms. Obina must¡¯ve decided now would be a good time to reveal who I truly was ¡­ but, does that mean I was a ¡®D-Human¡¯ this whole time? Even back home? And why reveal it to me now? Just because I was kneeling in front of the monument?

    While lost in my thoughts, Winny passes my Innate Stats in card form to Eugus before he stores it in a unique black case that he pulls out.

    ¡°I will let thy acquaintances know what is going on and move on ahead. Winny, I entrust thee in bringing Jinma back to the guild after thy business is finished.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡±

    Eugus then gets up and heads out the door before shutting it behind him, leaving me and Winny by ourselves.

 Chapter 38: Rankings, Part 2

    ¡°So, what is it that you want to ask, Winny?¡±

    Winny takes a moment to take a deep breath and ready herself for something before turning herself to fully face me. Her expression is calm, but one can feel how tense and serious the air around her is right now.

    ¡°Master Jinma, keep in mind that whatever happens in this room stays in this room. With the Immortals as my witnesses, I swear to you that it is my duty as a Holy Bishop to aid you in your time of need while keeping your discretion in mind. We are in a confessionary, a place where you bare your heart and soul to the Immortals who watch over us, as well as to any one of us Holy Bishops willing to lend an ear to the troubled. I swear to you that I will not tell a soul of what I¡¯ve seen and heard in this room, not even the other Holy Bishops, not even my only immediate family that is my older twin brother, or may the Immortals strike down on me for not properly playing my role. I just want you to be honest with me when I ask this: are you a Champion, and can you show me proof if you are so?¡±

    I¡¯m left speechless by such weight behind Winny¡¯s words before she even brought up the question. Normally, I¡¯d get a little awkward if I was speaking to a religious person, so I tried to avoid them as much as possible.

    This case is different because not only am I speaking to a young and cute Priestess, but she¡¯s a freaking demon, helping to look after a ¡®church¡¯ that¡¯s on a turf owned by demons. It¡¯s not just such a high contrast between ideas, but I really feel like I can trust Winny¡¯s words. It didn¡¯t look like she had told any lies since our meeting, and if she is capable of lying, they¡¯d probably be white lies. Unless it¡¯s something bad enough to possibly kill me, I¡¯d be more than likely to forgive Winny for committing a wrong towards me.

    <¡°Well, we can ask Goddess Obina if what Winny said is the truth later, but fuck it. Let¡¯s tell her.¡±> So Nyra says in my mind.

    Deciding it¡¯d be quicker to show her, I take my MIB and pull out the IEB that emanates a divine glow upon contact. Winny gasps and covers her mouth in surprise.

    ¡°I-Is that really ¡­¡±

    ¡°See for yourself, if you¡¯d like,¡± I say while holding the bracelet out to her.

    Winny tentatively takes it in her hands before the bracelet¡¯s glow diminishes, now looking like a regular gold bracelet that one would see in a jewelry store. She thoroughly inspects the IEB with great concentration.

    ¡°The divine aura that emanates from this bracelet is the same as I see in the monument. Master Jinma really is one ¡­¡± Winny mumbles to herself before handing the IEB back to me. While I put it back in my MIB, she takes a moment to breathe again and straighten her posture on the cushion. She dabs away any sign of sweat from her face with the sleeve of her robe.

    ¡°P-Please forgive me if I was pushing you to a corner, Master Jinma, I was required to ask that of you if we suspect anything, a-and you¡¯re so ¡­ powerful beyond imagination that I had a feeling¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Winny,¡± I interrupt as I see the panic starting to rise from her eyes. ¡°Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Eugus suspects me as one at this point, but I¡¯m sure he can¡¯t reveal something that big without any proof, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, of course. Anyway, as I¡¯ve mentioned earlier, we who manage the churches that house the monuments in Padimon are required to assist Champions exclusively for anything they need with almost no questions asked. That goes with sending them to the Sacred Realm to speak with the Immortals, answer any questions they may have about Padimon to the best of our knowledge, and hearing their concerns among other things. Am I the first Holy Bishop since you¡¯ve arrived? We¡¯ve been told Champions traveled from faraway lands that work very differently from ours.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard right on that, and yes, you¡¯re the first Holy Bishop I ran into.¡±

    ¡°Then please allow me to be your go-to Holy Bishop for any matters you may need in your lifelong journey, Master Jinma. While I¡¯m mainly here in Dondegarm, my brother and I go back and forth between here and Alluga in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory for quests and other businesses. I help out at the church in Alluga, too. O-Of course, if I¡¯m not around when you need me, you are welcome to ask any Holy Bishop nearby for assistance. You just show them the IEB like you did with me, and they¡¯ll give you their full attention while not speaking a word about anything that was spoken between you and them.¡±

    ¡°What if I refer you to another Holy Bishop who¡¯s helping me at the time?¡±

    ¡°Even if our name is mentioned, we are not allowed to mention anything in our talks with Champions between us. Unless it¡¯s an extremely dire matter like one of us abusing our powers for the wrong gains, we cannot involve and investigate each other¡¯s content shared with the Champions. We cannot mention anything about meeting a Champion, even if we void out their names.¡±

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Man, that¡¯s really strict. ¡°Well, even if I¡¯m somewhere else at the time, I can use [Portal], so I can come to you at any time if I need something, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Anything you need from me, and I will do everything in my power to assist you!¡± Winny exclaims while pumping her fists. Her eyes practically sparkle with determination.

    Sheesh, Ren and Erizora were like this, too. Do they even know what they¡¯re saying?

    <¡°Well, if your ¡®Charm¡¯ level with the Demon-Kin is accurate, you¡¯ll probably be expecting a lot of this attention when you do good things for them. Hell, if they¡¯re cute enough, I¡¯d jump at the chance of them offering their bodies.¡±>

    That¡¯s what worries me the most. ¡°Winny, I appreciate you being supportive and helping me, but you should be careful of who you¡¯re saying that stuff to,¡± I warn her.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t quite follow.¡± Winny tilts her head in confusion.

    Oh god, she¡¯s purer than I thought. ¡°I mean, there are people out there who can either misinterpret or even take advantage of some statements, and ¡­ I¡¯d just feel really shitty knowing a kind, diligent, and cute girl like you is getting hurt over some dumb misunderstanding.¡±

    Winny widens her eyes while her lilac cheeks redden a little. ¡°Y-You think I¡¯m ¡­ cute, Master Jinma? And you¡¯d feel sad if I get hurt?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯m not saying you should stop helping people out of your own safety, just ¡­ be careful of what you say to them. Like instead of ¡®I¡¯ll do anything to help you,¡¯ it¡¯d be something like ¡®how may I help you,¡¯ or ¡®what would you like me to do for you.¡¯ Something more specific like a question and not so open-ended to interpretation that goes outside of your comfort zone, like having a stranger in your home. You get me?¡±

    ¡°Ah! That reminds me, maybe it would be more convenient and private if we have our talks at my house. Then you can use your [Portal] to visit me at any time. I would be more than happy to spare some time for you. I will prepare a card with my address before we leave.¡±

    ¡°O ¡­ kay?¡±

    <¡°Niiiiiice, she¡¯s given you free entry to her home, dude! You know what that means?¡±>

    Yeah. Not abusing my role as a Champion and taking advantage of Winny¡¯s pure heart.

    <¡°What?!¡±>

    I won¡¯t deny that I¡¯m curious to what her place is like, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll force myself on her just because she¡¯s ¡®helping a Champion in need of support.¡¯

    <¡°That¡¯s not even what I was ¡­ ugh. Never mind.¡±>

    ¡°Still, be careful of what I say to others. I see, yes, I think I understand,¡± Winny says before bringing her hands together to prayer while closing her eyes and smiles contently with her cheeks still reddened. ¡°I will take your words of wisdom to heart. I thank you for your consideration, Master Jinma, and I¡¯m grateful to the Immortals for bringing a man of such great compassion to this world.¡±

    Oh, god, stop. I don¡¯t deserve that. My insides are burning from the purity. ¡°W-Well then, we should get going and see if your brother¡¯s ready to take on Ms. Umeiyon for her own ranking, right?¡± I ask while standing up and offering a hand to Winny.

    ¡°Why yes, indee-EED?!¡±

    Pomf!

    Munya munya.

    I don¡¯t know what happened, but I think I pulled Winny too hard from the floor to where she practically flies into my chest. Before either of us knew it, I¡¯m embracing her in a way that might be too close for a pair of dancers¡¯ comforts. My arm wraps around her waist that unintentionally constricts her bat-like wings in place, while shockingly realizing how big Winny¡¯s 85E jugs are as they¡¯re pressing against my front. Her Priestess robes hid the contours of her curvy and stacked figure better than I thought.

    <¡°Daaaaamn, Jinma. This is quite bold of you, isn¡¯t it?¡±>

    I didn¡¯t mean to do that! Winny was much lighter than she appeared!

    <¡°Or, it could be that ¡®Weight Defiance¡¯ skill being put to good use here, along with your ridiculous Strength.¡±>

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ Master Jinma?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Excuse me!¡± I exclaim while jumping back and letting her go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know where that came from¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Let us rejoin with the others and make our return to the guild! Oh! I still need to make that card! Wait here one moment!¡± Winny exclaims before quickly moving on ahead.

    ¡°Right ¡­¡± Crap. Why do I even keep doing this to myself? Now things will get awkward between us.

    <¡°I don¡¯t know. If you¡¯re planning on doing anything with her later, you may be going in the right direction.¡±>

    I¡¯m not, and she¡¯s a Holy Bishop. I¡¯m sure there are some rules about not having such ¡­ intimate relationships in her line of work for some reason. I¡¯ll just try and pretend nothing happened.

    <¡°If you say so ¡­¡±>

    ~~

    Meanwhile, outside of the confessionary, Winny desperately tries to collect herself with deep breaths. Her face is flushed, and her bat-like wings and tail are flinching here and there as she tries to keep them from getting too excited, but the way she squirms in place while doing so seems to have made things worse for herself.

    Oh, dear ¡­ it was bad enough of him to call me cute and be concerned for me, then he pulls that from who knows where? I was so on edge when he touched my wings, too, I really hope I don¡¯t make some kind of accident. Dear Immortals, why won¡¯t my heart calm down? Just remembering his scent and hard body ¡­ I don¡¯t know how I managed to control myself back there.

    What¡¯s really bad about all this is that I kind of knew what I was getting out there when I said I¡¯d do anything for him, and now that we touched each other ¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine how things might be if we¡¯re alone in my own home now. O, Immortals, please forgive me for having these feelings towards one of your Champions.

    I¡¯ll have to really take care of myself tonight. Geez, why did I pick today of all days to have that up inside me?

 Chapter 39: Rankings, Part 3

    Before we returned to the others, Winny managed to get me a card with her name and address written on it ¡­ which are of course in Padimonian that I can¡¯t read. I really need to find some way to read this language on my own. Anyway, I have the card kept in my MIB for the time being.

    ¡°Jinma Kotori, the Cen¡ª ¡­ *ehen,* I mean, Kalline Gallofree and her uncle, filled me in on what the rankings implied and where you will stand as an adventurer. While I admit I had hoped you might be stronger, I can still see you¡¯re plenty exemplary compared to the other humans; thus, I will let you off the hook and still deem you qualified to be my mate. You have my sincerest congratulations.¡±

    That was the first greeting that I got from Ms. Umeiyon since Winny and I returned from the confessionary. She then puts her reptilian claw on my shoulder before giving a haughty smile.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ that hasn¡¯t been set in stone until I give you my answer, but let¡¯s just get to the guild and have your own ranking evaluated, all right?¡± I ask while gently removing Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s claw off my shoulder.

    ¡°Very well, then. Arch Imp Priestess, you may lead the way¡ª¡±

    ¡°[Portal],¡± I chant before a hole opens up in the air that leads us back to the front of the guild. I make it big enough for Lili and Ms. Gallofree to walk through, too.

    ¡°¡­ You can also do [Storage], right? Master Jinma, you really are amazing,¡± Winny says before stepping through the hole first.

    ¡°Rejoice! To use both Null Spells! Sir Kotori ¡­ nay, my superior, Master Kotori! My respect for you continues to grow even taller!¡± Ms. Gallofree exclaims before heading in next.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve already seen this before. Should I even be surprised anymore after what I just saw?¡± Lili asks herself more than the others as she walks in the hole next.

    ¡°After you, Ms. Umeiyon,¡± I say while gesturing. Her eyes were widened throughout the time from when the hole was opened to now before she clears her throat.

    ¡°Yes, well, I would expect nothing less of my mate, but next time, do tell me you¡¯re capable of this well ahead.¡± Snorting with an embarrassed blush, Ms. Umeiyon practically stomps her way through the [Portal].

    ¡­ Well, I give her points for her huffy tsundere moment, at least.

    <¡°What¡¯s a ¡®soon-dare-a?¡¯¡±>

    I¡¯ll tell ya later, I answer Nyra in my mind as I go through the [Portal] last and close it behind me. Just as I did though, I get a couple of notices.

    [Ren has now reached ¡®Dismantling¡¯ LV 6!

    [Ren has earned 112 SP!

    [Erizora has now reached ¡®Dismantling¡¯ LV 5!

    [Erizora has achieved the ¡®Dismantler¡¯ title!

    [Erizora has earned 94 SP!]

    Oh, yeah, Ms. Carmen mentioned I get to see my slaves¡¯ achievements even if I¡¯m not around. Wait, does this mean they¡¯re done with the monster game?

    ~~

    ¡°Ah! Master! Welcome back, sir!¡±

    ¡°?!¡± I almost screamed when I saw what greeted me when Ms. Umeiyon and I went through the guild¡¯s doors first. Standing at a distance while saluting are Ren and Erizora ¡­ almost covered head to toe by blood like they just jumped out of a gory horror movie. I can see how the other adventurers in the building are keeping themselves as far away from the two of them as possible, probably from both the sight and the stench that was previous emitted by the Toxic Troll.

    ¡°We are happy to report that we dismantled all of the bodies for materials and they are being evaluated by the staff as we speak! We made sure they were under your name, of course, sir!¡± Ren exclaims.

    Too bothered by the appearance, I cast [Clean] on the two of them to get rid of the bloody mess and smell. ¡°Wait, you went through all of that already? How long were we gone?¡±

    ¡°I think it was for an hour sir!¡± Erizora exclaims.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I peek back outside and see that it¡¯s still pretty bright out. Judging by the sun¡¯s position, it looks like we¡¯re just getting past the quarter of the afternoon. Now that I think about it, today has been unusually long. ¡°What time is it?¡±

    ¡°It is the fifth trian right now, sir!¡± Ren answers.

    ¡­ Wha?

    <¡°Dude? Did you seriously not understand that she meant it¡¯s past 6 in the afternoon? The beginning of the fifth period in the daily cycle?¡±>

    ¡­ Wha?

    <¡°¡­ Jinma, how many hours are there in a day?¡±>

    It¡¯s 24 hours, of course ¡­ right?

    <¡°Wow, what rock did you come out of? There¡¯s 36 hours in a day here, stupid!¡±>

    36? Something about that number¡¯s familiar to me, but when I think back, it dawns on me. The 36-Hour Slave Rent Free Trial! It wasn¡¯t talking about a weird day and a half of free service, it was actually a full day here! Is this seriously half a day longer than back home?! No wonder it feels like things were dragging on today!

    ¡°Master? Are you all right? You look like you¡¯re anguishing about something?¡± Ren asks with concern.

    Ah, right. ¡°Sorry, I was having a mental spat in my head. Anyway, there was a lot to work with, and you managed to get through it all in an hour with just the two of you?¡±

    ¡°Our ¡®Dismantling¡¯ skill level at the time allowed us to work through them all quite fast and efficiently! In fact, we even leveled it up by the end of our task, sir!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°I saw that, excellent job. You two can relax and use inside voices now. Also, you don¡¯t have to put in ¡®sir¡¯ at the end of every sentence, too.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master,¡±¡± they say in sync before relaxing their postures.

    ¡°Ah, are you the Lizardman girl I was requested to evaluate today?¡±

    We turn to see the new person who asked for Ms. Umeiyon. It¡¯s an Arachne like Lili and Ms. Raize, only her spider body is an interesting dark green color while her medium-short hair is in a much lighter shade. She wears light leather armor and clothing along with gloves that seem to help carry a clipboard of sorts. She¡¯s a little smaller than Lili in size.

    ¡°For the Fighting Evaluation Ranking, yes? I am that same one,¡± Ms. Umeiyon answers.

    ¡°I¡¯m Zelnesh, and I¡¯ll be your examiner for today. Has your volunteered opponent arrived yet?¡±

    ¡°I just got word from Plume that my brother is on his way. We should meet him at the training grounds,¡± Winny says while a few fingers are on her temple.

    ¡°Well then, let us head over there now. This way, please.¡± Ms. Zelnesh takes the lead to the very back of the guild while the rest of us follow. I notice a couple other curious adventurers also come along to watch how this turns out as well.

    ¡°Did you get that from some kind of telepathy?¡± I ask Winny while we walk.

    ¡°Yes. When magical beasts are contracted to their summoners as familiars, they¡¯re able to communicate through telepathy no matter how far apart they are, and orders can be relayed through multiple familiars at once if more than one is summoned. You¡¯ll be able to pick it up pretty quickly once we get you set up tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Cool.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I wonder what kind of familiar I¡¯d get when we get to the training grounds. I take the opportunity to [Clean] up the bloody mess Ren and Erizora made in the work area from dismantling the monsters. Meanwhile, Ms. Zelnesh leads Ms. Umeiyon to one of the platforms where she¡¯d have her battle with Winny¡¯s brother. Ms. Umeiyon answers some questions the examiner asked as she writes notes in the clipboard with some kind of charcoal pencil.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m laaaaaaaate! Equip! Groundshaker!¡±

    We all hear a voice coming from the sky. When we look up, we see two figures coming down. Arriving first is Winny¡¯s bird familiar, Plume, followed by a lithe young man. As he flew down, I make out a stupidly large sword appearing in some kind of light from out of nowhere. He reaches out and grabs the handle before making his rough landing on the platform.

    With a big, confident smile, he gets into some kind of signature pose with that large sword in the air.

    ¡°The Great Older Twin Brother, Arch Imp Buster Swordsman Kenny of Phasing Moon has arrived!¡±

    Taking a close look at his features, I can see a few of the similarities between him and Winny. Their eye and hair colors are the same as well as their youthful complexions, and even height. Aside from the gear and physique, he stands out more from his wild short hairstyle and different-shaped horns. What catches my attention the most though other than the ridiculous sword that¡¯s the same length as his body is the bronze band on his left arm that has a similar design to Eugus¡¯ gold one. He looks like someone that jumped out from one of those shounen mangas back home.

    Where did he even pull that big sword from? Did he make a ¡®Weapon¡¯s Bond¡¯ with it?

    <¡°It could be possible, but it¡¯s more than likely he got it out of his Armory Armlet,¡±> Nyra answers in my head. <¡°It allows the wearer to quickly equip and change gear at a moment¡¯s notice, and how much it can hold depends on the armlet¡¯s material. This Kenny guy has the lowest quality being a bronze armlet, and Eugus wears a gold one, which is the highest quality.¡±>

    I see, so it¡¯s like my MIB, but I can change my equipment in a snap. I should get myself one of those.

    ¡°Thank you for taking a moment of your time for this matter, Mr. Kenny,¡± Ms. Zelnesh says while looking very used to his energetic behavior.

    ¡°No problem! I¡¯m always up to having a good fight! Now, who¡¯s my worthy opponent today¡ªwhoooooa! What the hell¡¯s up with your magic, dude?!¡± Kenny asks as he points his sword at me.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my magic?¡± I ask while tilting my head.

    ¡°So, I was like ¡®Whoooa! What¡¯s doing that?!¡¯ on my way here, because it was like ¡®Fwoooooom!¡¯ and ¡®Psshaaaaa!¡¯ and ¡®Fweeeet!¡¯ and then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Brother! What did I say about using actual words to describe events?!¡± Winny exclaims in a surprisingly uncharacteristic manner. She seems to have realized this before quickly turning to me and bowing her head. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, Master Jinma, he can be really boisterous and oblivious to his surroundings when he¡¯s excited about something. If he offended you¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Winny. I¡¯ve dealt with weirder. So, you¡¯re saying my magic aura or something is seen as really huge and colorful that came into bursts, and it¡¯s going wild as I¡¯m speaking?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You totally get me!¡±

    ¡°You actually understood all of that?¡± Lili asks me, to which I just shrugged.

    ¡°Okay, you gotta be my opponent, right? It¡¯s only natural that our fight will be freakin¡¯ epic!¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, Mr. Kenny. She is your opponent,¡± Ms. Zelshen corrects as she points her charcoal pencil to Ms. Umeiyon who stands there with an unimpressed expression.

    ¡°¡­ Whoa, you were there the whole time? I didn¡¯t even notice you. Weird.¡±

    ¡°Brother! That¡¯s really rude! Be mindful of what you say to strangers for the Immortals¡¯ sake!¡±

    ¡°Well, no matter! I just have to beat her and see what rank she¡¯ll be placed in, right?! I don¡¯t sense any magic from you, but don¡¯t expect me to hold back because of it and a fact that you¡¯re female! This will be a cinch!¡±

    ¡°Are you even listening to me?!¡±

    <¡°Is that guy really the older twin here?¡±> Nyra asks me. I just shrugged.

    I¡¯ve seen mothers back home scolding their children like this. Seeing it done repeatedly at a time, I can only imagine how difficult it can be to be a parent; hence, part of why I¡¯m really careful to not fall into that role all of a sudden and hope I wasn¡¯t as much of a pain to Mom when I was young.

    Still, to see Winny, the younger twin, to scold her older brother, their family situation must be complicated for her to look after him like this.

    ¡°What did he mean when he introduced himself as a ¡®Buster Swordsman¡¯ though? Is that a class?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yes, an Advanced Class that one can promote to whether they be a Mercenary or a Savage,¡± Winny explains. ¡°A Buster Swordsman is as the name suggests, one that uses a Buster Sword like the one he¡¯s carrying as his main mean of offense, using a balance of strength and speed to do crowd control when dealing with swarms of enemies.¡±

    I could make out the muscles in his arms to see how much he trained to get to where he is; yet, his size is still a contrast to how strong he really is from wielding such an impractical weapon only one would see in games and anime.

    ¡°Can we get this over with? I¡¯d rather not get involved with insects that only buzz around to annoy me,¡± Ms. Umeiyon says while crossing her arms and furrowing her brow.

    Despite her harshness, she speaks the truth, at least to what her Stats read that she¡¯s likely able to change at her will along with her form. I recall seeing her ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ skill when she showed me her Status. She probably got around unnoticed to this point because of it. I¡¯d have to see if I could learn that if my own magic stands out as much as Kenny and Winny imply it. If there are others who can see magic like I did when I had my ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ on, I don¡¯t want to risk getting into trouble with some strong, bothersome people.

    That aside, as loud and annoying as Kenny is, I have to do something to avoid him getting an unneeded brutal death.

    ¡°Well then, if both participants are ready, take your positions,¡± Ms. Zelshen says before the two of them stand at a certain distance between them.

    ¡°Ms. Umeiyon!¡± I call out to her. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him!¡±

    ¡°What the hell?! Do the two of you look down on me that much?!¡± Kenny exclaims.

    ¡°Huh, that might actually be a little difficult for me to do, but won¡¯t the Immortals¡¯ magic from the monument prevent that?¡±

    ¡°Not if it¡¯s a complete overkill!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Can you do something for me in exchange, then?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You allow me to call you ¡®Jin¡¯ while you call me ¡®Ume.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°¡­ What?¡± I ask for clarification.

    ¡°¡®Jinma¡¯ is what you humans call your ¡®given name,¡¯ and ¡®Kotori¡¯ is your ¡®surname,¡¯ yes? Back in my home, we refer to those with a piece of the whole name we were given at birth to show how close they are to us. A ¡®nickname,¡¯ I think humans called it. I would call you ¡®Jin¡¯ while I¡¯ve always wanted my mate to call me ¡®Ume.¡¯¡±

    Oh, god, this is just digging my mate hole with her even deeper.

    <¡°Pft. ¡®Mate hole.¡¯¡±>

    It was difficult to not groan in this situation. ¡°We still need to talk about it later, but please don¡¯t kill Kenny in this fight for me ¡­ Ume.¡±

    Ume¡¯s face flushes deeply while she covers her mouth and averts her gaze. I can see her tail straightening and stiffen out behind her. ¡°Oh, wow ¡­ that was actually more embarrassing than how I imagined it would turn out.¡±

    How do you think I feel about this?! And dammit, why do you have to look so cute all embarrassed right now?!

    ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re just pissing me off with your lovey-dovey shit!¡± Kenny exclaims before he quickly rushes in to attack first without Ms. Zelshen¡¯s signal. ¡°Get bent and spare the other single men here some grief¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Water Blast.¡±

    BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    ¡°¡°?!¡±¡±

    At Ume¡¯s nonchalant chant, a large, powerful pillar of water shoots out from the direction of her palm, practically covering most of the arena. It blasts and pushes Kenny back and out of the platform while dropping his weapon before hitting the wall. The stream went on for a couple seconds before Ume cuts the magic off¡ªstill flushed from earlier¡ªand Kenny is revealed practically embedded to the wall from the force. His HP was empty the moment he made the impact. There¡¯re only whites in his eyes as he peels off the wall and falls face first to the ground.

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ I didn¡¯t even say ¡®begin¡¯ yet, but okay,¡± Ms. Zelshen says shakily before gesturing to Ume who¡¯s squirming in place. ¡°The winner is the new adventurer, Umeiyon. W-We may not have seen much, but we can clearly see how capable you are with magic to an extent, as expected of a Sage. Would you be all right with being a red-ranked adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah, sure.¡±

    ¡°Is he ¡­ still alive?¡± Lili asks while Winny quickly runs over to Kenny¡¯s side and checks his condition.

    ¡°He¡¯s okay! He still has a pulse!¡± Winny announces.

    I may have already known he¡¯s still alive from seeing his bars while a ¡®KO¡¯ sign was blinking above his name, but I still sigh with relief along with the others. If Kenny was truly dead, there¡¯d be a big sign that reads ¡®DEAD¡¯ while his name is faded from white to gray characters. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve noticed from seeing the monsters I killed a while back, same goes for the people I killed last night¡ªwhich I¡¯m still coming to terms with, actually. This may be another of what my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill allows me to see.

    Ms. Zelshen jots some more notes down in her clipboard. ¡°I¡¯ll get your card set up. Come on inside and wait until we call you when you¡¯re ready,¡± she says before going down the platform and heads back inside the guild.

    I then go on up the platform and approach Ume while she tries to snaps herself out of it.

    ¡°Are you okay there, Ume?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m fine, but um ¡­ perhaps I was a bit ahead of myself making such a bold request before I even hear your answer to my offer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then, should I go back to calling you ¡®Ms. Umeiyon¡¯ then?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± she yells, sounding a little desperate, but then clears her throat to calm herself down. ¡°I mean, you have my permission to still address me as ¡®Ume,¡¯ but until I hear your answer, I¡¯ll still refer you as ¡®Jinma Kotori.¡¯ Is that ¡­ all right, with you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s fine.¡± At this point, I¡¯d have said I was fine with her calling me ¡®Jinma¡¯ at least, but saying someone¡¯s full name must be some sort of norm among casually acquainted Dragons back at her home. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯ll react when I reject her, so I think this is fine for now. I don¡¯t want to get her hopes up either, so I¡¯ll just call her ¡®Umeiyon¡¯ at least.

    Still, I¡¯ll be a little saddened to let this one go. I don¡¯t know how urgent it is for her to have children, but if she¡¯s willing to wait, I wouldn¡¯t mind getting to know her a little more on an intimate level. Seeing her so bashful like this is tempting me to tease her a little more.

    <¡°Psst. Hey, Jinma, not to spoil your sweet moment, but the other guys are practically killing you a hundred times over with their looks,¡±> Nyra whispers in my mind.

    I glance over and indeed; the many male adventurers are trying to burn holes into me with their eyes, especially the humans.

    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s head on back inside and wait for further instructions! Come on, guys!¡± I exclaim while grabbing Umeiyon¡¯s claw and pull her along back inside the guild.

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master!¡±¡± [Ren and Erizora]

    ¡°Do I ¡­ even have a chance to be by his side?¡± [Ms. Gallofree]

    ¡°Come on, Lady Mellow of the Dramatic, let¡¯s get moving.¡± [Lili]

    ¡°I¡¯ll rejoin you all after I tend to Brother¡¯s injuries!¡± [Winny]

    I heard comments from the background as I move along, trying to avoid the piercing glares from the other male adventurers.

 Chapter 40: Establishing Terms

    When we got back inside, we were stopped by one of the guild staff and was told to wait in one of the meeting rooms upstairs for further instructions. After requesting some water to be sent up, we all went to the designated meeting room upstairs. The meeting room has a few rows of tables and chairs along with one of those podiums that makes the place look like a sort of classroom. Having no idea where to sit, I just take the centermost spot in the room. Ren, Erizora, and Ms. Gallofree take my right in that order, while Umeiyon and Lili take my left. It took very little time for the water to arrive, of which we take a moment to quench our thirst.

    ¡°So, how did things go in the church, Master?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°Ah, right. I can¡¯t go into details just yet, but I think it¡¯s safe to say that I¡¯ll be put in as a black-ranked adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Ohh! That¡¯s wonderful news, Master!¡± Ren exclaims while she and Erizora applaud me.

    ¡°So, with Ren being green, me a blue, and Master as black, the three of us put together as a party may be ranked as a blue or red,¡± Erizora guesses.

    ¡°Well, whatever we end up, I¡¯ll be counting on you two to help me learn the norms of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory as we go on quests. It¡¯s so overwhelmingly different for me just being here that I¡¯m starting to have difficulty keeping up with everything.¡±

    ¡°You can count on us, Master, though personally, you might not have very much trouble fitting in with how strong you already are. You got an Ogre¡¯s guarantee that everyone will be looking to you with respect and admiration at first sight,¡± Erizora declares while thumping a fist on her impressive chest. The way it ripples from the impact is almost mesmerizing.

    ¡°Not only that, but you¡¯ll be swarmed with many girls who¡¯ll want to be your mate,¡± Ren adds. ¡°And ¡­ do you mind if I speak honestly, Master?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Ren.¡±

    She then puts a hand on her modest bosom. ¡°While Eri and I are your officially owned slaves to do with as you please, though we normally aren''t in place to even say what we want, as I have confessed over lunch, I hope our party can grow into a wonderful pack where we¡¯d live happily, and that we have a chance to share as much fun times and experiences together as you will with your potential mates ¡­ and yes, that includes mating,¡± Ren finishes with a slight blush.

    ¡°¡­ Does that go for you as well, Erizora?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Y-Yes, the same as what Ren said and what I confessed over lunch as well.¡±

    <¡°I gotta admit, having such a big, strong woman being a masochistic sub is definitely something not many will ever come by,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°Is it normal ¡­ for demons to go straight to mating after first meeting someone in a day?¡± I ask out of curiosity.

    ¡°How mates are acknowledged and formed varies between races, but from what I¡¯ve heard, yes, there are pairings who¡¯ve become successful partners even after meeting them for one day. I like to think we just have good instincts in these things that makes us confident in the choices of our mates, even if it¡¯s just from seeing them for the first time. It¡¯s akin to what humans refer to as ¡®love at first sight,¡¯ I think the saying goes. Of course, there are people like those of the Succubi who aren¡¯t looking for committing partners but have good eyes and instincts on mating and seek those who¡¯re capable of that, and then there are those who just mate for the sake of pleasure, and that¡¯s where brothels come in.¡±

    ¡°Wait, mates ¡®mating,¡¯ like doing that? There are people who get together just for that? ¡®Brothels?¡¯ What now?¡± Umeiyon mumbles to herself, looking confused. I couldn¡¯t make out the words.

    ¡°I see ¡­ well, please understand that I need some time to think and adjust before we get to that point. I¡¯m not sure I can just accept every offer given to me, either. I¡¯m not just speaking as a human, but as a man who hasn¡¯t got so much attention from girls in that way before while growing up. I honestly still can¡¯t believe there are girls who actually do see me in that way, just going by my experiences with them in the past back home.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, there are plenty here who do, and that includes the two of us. Right?¡± Ren asks Erizora, to which she nods in agreement.

    ¡°Master Kotori, may I ¡­ also confess in something?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I have thought of this quite hard after the events from last night, and the things I have seen so far today have only ascertained my decision.¡± Ms. Gallofree then suddenly takes a knee (at least the best she can with her horse lower-body). ¡°I know thou hast said thou will save the favor I owe to thee until a later time, but for saving my life last night, I feel this may be the best way for me to pay my debt. Please, allow me to join thy party and serve thee as thy servant, as thy trusted steed.¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ steed?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s saying she wants to be your riding horse,¡± Lili translates. ¡°Which is sort of peculiar, because don¡¯t Centaurs hate humans riding on them?¡±

    ¡°There was a time when we did not get along with humans or any race capable of getting on our backs; however, a Champion changed all that when he valiantly saved a life of our own kind one day. That moment became a legend of which few of us wish to see come to fruition; to serve under a human who sees us as allies and not tamable, abominated animals. I am secretly one of those few, and with my uncle¡¯s guidance without his knowing of my intentions and motivations, I have honed my body for battle since I was able to pick up a weapon. Even if I may never find such a human, especially when bridges between kin art starting to build, I wanted to serve a rightful cause; thus, leading me to be an adventurer.

    ¡°I was beginning to think my hopes were becoming something like childish dreams ¡­ until thou came along, Master Kotori.¡±

    ¡°Listen, that sounds awesome and all, but I¡¯m not as valiant or good of a person you¡¯re making me out to be. I save or beat the crap of whoever I want, no matter if they¡¯re human, demi, or demon. I¡¯m not really a hero if I was able to beat, pilfer goods, and kill all of those guys last night just because they pissed me off.¡±

    ¡°If that is so, then why did thee save me?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I dunno, it just sort of happened.¡±

    ¡°Master Kotori, there art few in number who would put their lives on the line to save another as a first response, and even fewer if the person they art saving is so different from them. Thy battle tactics may be concerning, but thy quick judgments and decision-making from last night, as well as all the scars I have seen on thy body, they spoke thy story to me more than any other ever would. If that is not enough to speak what kind of person thou art to be, just look at the girls who art with thee now, those who do see thee as more than what thou can for thyself.

    ¡°I will speak to my uncle the truth about my wishes, I can be the legs that carry thee when thou art weary, I can pull more of a loaded cart on my own than thou may think, I can be thy knight who thou can use as a sword and shield, just please, give me a chance to prove myself worthy to serve thee, to be a companion in your new party!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Just so you know, I¡¯m planning on meeting the Demon King.¡±

    My statement makes Ms. Gallofree¡¯s eyes widen.

    ¡°Nothing too serious or life-threatening, mind you, I¡¯m just seeking information that may help me figure out what¡¯s going on in my personal matters,¡± I continue while pointing my eyes, knowing she witnessed how they were last night. ¡°Despite that, there are bound to be more enemies than you might expect from Nyra¡¯s power, my ridiculously low LUCK, and my annoying ability that attracts strong enemies combined. Even if I want to live a stress-free, peaceful, laid-back life, that might be impossible for me, and the same could be said for you if you stick by me. Do you still want to come with me despite knowing all that?¡±

    ¡°On the contrary! I could not be more thrilled to want to join thee in thy adventures any more than I do now! An arduous journey of peril and hardship, seeking an audience with the Demon King who may hold the answers to the mysteries that is thy true self, all before fighting to the main goal of everlasting peace. Yes! Tis certainly the kind of life I want to be a part of, and the possibilities of who and what we may run into art endless!

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°Give me a test, a trial, something to prove me worthy to joining thee on this personal quest! I must join thy party! I just have to! Please!¡±

    ¡°Okay! Okay! You can join!¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡± she responds with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°But only if your uncle¡¯s okay with it. Also, I¡¯m not aiming to gain ¡®everlasting peace¡¯ for the world. I just want to live a simpler life after figuring out what the heck is even going on with me and my body.¡±

    ¡°Tis enough for me! I thank thee for considering!¡±

    ¡°By the way, how old are you, anyway?¡±

    ¡°I turned 20 a few months ago, actually!¡±

    So, a little younger than me, but still old enough to be considered an adult. Unless her uncle¡¯s really overbearing, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll have any problems getting permission. Not only that, but she¡¯s a blue-ranked adventurer, and she doesn¡¯t look to have a romantic interest in me, just in the adventure aspect, right? I don¡¯t know how okay it is for her to do labors that are fitting for a horse, but I¡¯ll just have to respect her decisions as a person to be able to work together, so I shouldn¡¯t have to worry about anything weird sprouting between us ¡­ right?

    <¡°Hm, I don¡¯t know. That depends on how you¡¯ll respond to seeing her you-know-what if you ask me.¡±>

    Okay, that¡¯s not even funny, Nyra.

    ¡°Just so we¡¯re in the clear, I¡¯m just a tailoress with minimal combat capabilities,¡± Lili now speaks. ¡°I won¡¯t be joining in on your crazy adventures when I have my own shop to tend to, but you¡¯re welcome to submit commissions to me. I can even make stuff that will help you survive in your battles. Though, I do hope you¡¯ll find time for us just to have an outing or two.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± I might as well have her be my go-to person for all of my clothes. Spider silk is really strong from what I¡¯ve read, so I can only imagine how much they¡¯d resemble something like armor if she spins the kind for the job needed.

    <¡°Plus, you¡¯re wanting to continue where you left off in the cellar, are you?¡±>

    ¡­ Not like I¡¯m putting that on such high importance, but I¡¯d still like to see it if she¡¯s willing.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame you won¡¯t join us, Lili, but it sounds like it can¡¯t be helped,¡± Umeiyon says while shrugging her shoulders.

    ¡°¡­ ¡®Us?¡¯¡± Ren asks for me.

    ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll be going with Jinma Kotori as his mate while we¡¯re on his adventures. I may not understand finding his ¡®true self¡¯ as Kalline Gallofree described, but, as long as he has me on his side, he won¡¯t have to worry about any hindrances getting in our way.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, can you finally explain to us what¡¯s going on with that, Jinma?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°Right ¡­¡±

    I then give them all a short version of Umeiyon¡¯s problem without revealing her true identity.

    ¡°Okay, I think I understand what¡¯s really going on now,¡± Lili says.

    ¡°But art there really so few Lizardmen left in the world that they art close to extinction? I mean, I heard they do not usually leave so far away from their land, and Ms. Umeiyon is the first Lizardman I have seen in person. I do not know much of how they keep their population stable, but would Master Kotori be enough to help save it?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks.

    ¡°I believe so, at least for a start,¡± Umeiyon answers. ¡°From what I¡¯ve been told, we need strong, capable males to mate with the fittest females in order to ensure our race to continue residing in this world. Jinma Kotori not only shows both but also has high intelligence with strong potential in magic. It has never been brought up before, but I believe expanding out to other races is the key for our survival, and I believe he¡¯s the best male for the job.¡±

    ¡°Listen, Umeiyon, I¡¯ve been meaning to say this for a while, but some ¡­ stuff happened that kind of prevented me of that. I can¡¯t help you save your race from extinction.¡±

    By ¡®stuff,¡¯ I mainly meant how she turned into a fully-grown Dragon in front of my eyes and I was terrified to see how quickly her mood could turn 180 from how happy she was before.

    Umeiyon jolts her head to me with widened eyes filled with disbelief. ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°I know I should¡¯ve said this sooner to save you the trouble, but ¡­ I was scared, all right? You were so happy when you saw my status, and I don¡¯t ever want to hurt a nice, cute girl in such a state when she hasn¡¯t done me or others any wrong, but I know now that I can only turn someone down so gently in matters like these. [Storage, Out].¡±

    Appearing in my open palm is a hefty pouch that I set up well ahead of time after I counted all the money I had out in that field. I gently take one of Umeiyon¡¯s claws and put the pouch in the center of it.

    ¡°It may not be enough, but the least I could do is return the money you gave me in your outburst. I had to spend some of it to repair some damages and redeeming Ren and Erizora, but I covered it with my own. It should all be there and accounted for.¡±

    ¡°H-Hold on, by ¡®repair some damages,¡¯ you mean, from what you gave to ¡­¡± Ren trails off. I could only nod to her when she was getting an idea of the money I gave to Ms. Tephalia.

    ¡°W-Why?¡± Umeiyon asks, looking desperate while setting the pouch aside. ¡°Why can¡¯t you help me?! Is it me? Is my form repulsive to you?! E-Even if it is, I only need a child, or two, or three if you¡¯re generous, and I can take care of things from there!¡±

    I lightly shake my head. ¡°I could never leave a woman with such a heavy burden as raising a child on their own, and I¡¯m not ready to settle down and be a parent. There¡¯s so much of this world I want to explore, so many interesting people I want to meet, and if there comes a time I get into that situation, I heard word of a Null Spell that I can use to prevent pregnancy, so I can get into those situations with no worries.¡±

    ¡°¡°You can?!¡±¡± the other girls in the room exclaim.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to be before I feel I¡¯m ready to settle, and I don¡¯t want an open-minded, intelligent girl like you to wait for someone like me when there are better guys out there who are more willing to help you. Finally, what¡¯s most important to me for why I can¡¯t do this is because I don¡¯t want to be a part of something that¡¯s considered a ¡®duty¡¯ that neither party would enjoy. I mean, I¡¯m definitely sure I¡¯ll enjoy it, but I want the girl I¡¯m doing it with feeling the same, if not more, as I do when we¡¯re sharing such an amazing experience together. It may not be perfect for my first time when it comes, but I want to at least have it as something I can remember and look back to fondly.¡±

    Umeiyon stands there looking more confused than she was when I first turned her down. She takes a moment to contemplate before looking to me with a quirked brow. ¡°Is getting a child really that complicated? And what is this ¡®pregnancy¡¯ you spoke of?¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    It¡¯s as if the entire world stopped and fell into silence at such a bold question.

    ¡­ No, it can¡¯t be. She may not have as much common sense to the working world as another might normally would and she¡¯s a different race from me, but she couldn¡¯t not know how that works at her age, whatever that is, being a Dragon ¡­ could she?

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite first,¡± Lili says. ¡°Ms. Umeiyon ¡­ where do you think babies come from?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ from what my father had told me, a male and female who are acknowledged as mates first get together in a private area. Then, they make a loud enough noise that the Immortals from above can hear. Heeding the mates¡¯ call, they send a Clork that flies down from above, beak-delivering the child wrapped by silk a cloth to the expecting parents. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told on where babies come from, and honestly, I do not know what difference it makes if we switch out with a male of our kind for one from another, or heck, why we can¡¯t make more noise for the Immortals to send more Clorks down ¡­ is there something funny I¡¯m missing?¡±

    <¡°Well, she¡¯s right that there¡¯s lots of noise involved, at least!¡±>

    Outside of Nyra who¡¯s laughing like a maniac in my mind, the other girls turn themselves away and are doing their utmost best to not break out into guffaws as well. I can only stand there and get cold feet for how dire Umeiyon¡¯s situation is.

    I could almost break into tears over how pure Umeiyon really is, too.

    ¡°¡­ Let me just ask this, Umeiyon. Do the babies come in eggs?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Eggs? Why would babies come in a form so likely to be eaten?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ Jinma Kotori? Why are you embracing me?¡±

    It¡¯s a bit awkward in this position with how she¡¯s half a head taller than me, but I don¡¯t mind it. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility. I promise to teach you the best I¡¯m able to about this subject, the truth that your father held out on you, but ¡­ be prepared for some mental scarring, and I pray to the Immortals that you¡¯ll understand by then why having a child with me will be more ¡­ difficult than you might think. Maybe even impossible. We¡¯ll put the mate question aside for now, but will you stay with us for a little longer until then?¡±

    ¡°W-Well ¡­ if my father was holding something out on me, I would certainly like to know the truth, I¡¯m not expected to head back home anytime soon, and I¡¯m not in a hurry to have a child, so ¡­ as long as you¡¯re offering, I suppose I could indulge you of my presence for a little while longer,¡± Umeiyon answers as she hugs me back. ¡°I-In the meantime, I¡¯ll just call you ¡®Jin¡¯ to save breath, and I thought I already told you that you¡¯re allowed to call me by that other name.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that at all, Ume.¡±

    ¡°¡­ A-As long as you understand.¡± I notice then how fast her heart is racing, or it could be both of ours since we¡¯re pressing each other like this, but this isn¡¯t unwelcoming for me.

    [Umeiyon¡¯s Affinity is now unlocked. Current level of Affinity: LV 1; Total Affinity Level: 3

    [You may now use the Affinity Skill: ¡®Dragon¡¯s Blessing!¡¯ Cost: 5 AP]

    Werewolf¡¯s Fangs, Ogre¡¯s Rage, and now Dragon¡¯s Blessing. I need to have a word with Ms. Obina on what the heck all of these are.

    ¡°*Ehen!* Am I interrupting something here?¡±

    We turn to see Eugus, the one who was asking earlier, and Ms. Zelshen at the door that leads out of the meeting room. I then look back and see Ume and I still holding each other.

    ¡°O-Oh, no, we¡¯re just finishing up here.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Um, you can let go now, Ume.¡±

    ¡°5 more minutes. Or better yet, just get to business while you let me do this throughout the whole thing.¡± To emphasize how much she doesn¡¯t want to let go, she squeezes me tighter while wrapping her reptilian tail around me.

    ¡°¡­ She is not going to let go of me, is she?¡±

    ¡°Well, with how ¡®charming¡¯ thou art with demons, this may be something thou will deal with most of the time, and I heard Lizardmen can be pretty possessive of their mates, so I will say thou hast the best of luck in thy romantic life, Jinma,¡± Eugus says.

    That¡¯s the Lizardmen, though. I¡¯m a little worried of how Dragons are with their mates, and if my ¡®Charm¡¯ is anything to go by as he implies ¡­ can I really survive this?

    On another note, I learned later that ¡®Clorks¡¯ are apparently rare, harmless, flying feathered reptile monsters that have been said to bring expecting parents good fortune for their children if they spot one. Maybe the childish story of how they deliver babies are derived from that like the storks were back in my world?

 Chapter 41: The First [Assigned] Quest

    At Ume¡¯s urging, we went through the procedures and listened to Eugus¡¯ explanation while she clung to my side most of the time. She also whispered to me that I could keep the money she gave me, which to be honest, kind of gave me a sigh of relief. I still think I¡¯d have enough to get by for a while after I get my reward from turning in the monster raw materials and whatever bounty was on that Toxic Troll¡¯s head, but I¡¯d feel more comfortable knowing I have something like a ¡®rainy day¡¯ fund put off to the side. I put the pouch back in my [Storage] for the time being.

    Going back to the registration, the first that we¡¯ve started off with is the ownership of our new cards. Normally, beginning adventurers were given white cards, their starting color-rank, which then changes to yellow, green, blue, red, violet, black, bronze, silver, and finally gold as you complete enough quests and fulfill certain conditions. It looked like Eugus and Ms. Zelshen had to go over a few hurdles to prepare the cards for me and Ume, being black and red, respectively. We had to hold our cards between our hands and focus like we¡¯re preparing a spell before they did the work. When a light shined through the cracks in my palms before dimming down, I opened up to see gold writing on my card in characters I can¡¯t read, but I can see it¡¯s Padimonian just remembering what I¡¯ve seen so far today. While letting Ume see it, Eugus explained how an adventurer¡¯s card listed my name, race, class, and an ID number. There is also a party name and party ID that are left blank until one is recognized by the guild.

    I also got a few notice screens when my card was inscribed.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Adventurer (33<sup>rd</sup> Black)¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Labor*¡¯!]

    Ms. Zelshen explained to us from there how gaining the ¡®Adventurer¡¯ title would give us its designated labor skill, which allows all participating, acknowledged party members to get the same EXP earned from winning battles. One can get 50% more of it only if they won a battle on their own without additional support from their party members. I recalled how Winny said there were 32 black-ranked adventurers currently registered with the guild when we talked, and Eugus mentioned I would start out at the bottom among them; hence, why I was given the ¡®33<sup>rd</sup>¡¯ placement along with ¡®Black¡¯ as part of my ¡®Adventurer¡¯ title. Also, like it showed from my Innate Stats, only my primary class, ¡®Brawler,¡¯ is shown on the ID while my secondary ¡®Mage¡¯ class is not. This must be the work of whatever strange magic having the Brawler class is doing since all my ¡®Underdog¡¯ titles and skills can¡¯t be seen in public.

    When Ume did hers after watching me, she must¡¯ve used some kind of magic in the process of inscription, because when we handed both of our cards for Eugus to see, there isn¡¯t a hint of surprise to his face. She must¡¯ve been able to change her race and class in her card to what she¡¯s been telling everyone, to what I saw in her status as ¡®Lizardman¡¯ and ¡®Sage,¡¯ respectively.

    I have to say, having magic, skills, or abilities that can change our personal information like that is kind of terrifying. If I was back home and this existed, a handful would be capable to commit identity theft without even using technology, but it doesn¡¯t look like Ume¡¯s looking to do something so nefarious in the future, so I can relax a little for the time being.

    When we were handed our cards back, we were then told of some of the adventurers¡¯ policies and guidelines that were required to follow, like no harming civilians; adventurers in conflict must settle matters on their own terms that include fights; what penalties would lead us expelled from the guild while giving up our cards and ¡®Adventurer¡¯ titles, among other things.

    Interestingly, adventurers who¡¯re ranked black have freer rein on how they handle other adventurers in fights without facing consequences under unique circumstances. Yes, that also includes killing them should the black-rank resort to it even inside city boundaries. I imagine not every ridiculously strong person registering as an adventurer is immediately assigned a black rank after getting their Innate Stats evaluated with that much freedom in mind. That¡¯s probably how getting good reference from someone higher up plays such a large part in judging a new adventurer¡¯s starting rank. I wonder if me being a Champion would play a part if I showed Eugus my bracelet back at the church, but I still wouldn¡¯t do it whether or not it changes anything.

    Even so, while I was following the procedures and am now officially titled as an adventurer, Eugus told me to try and not to wave my card around until he notifies the association about my circumstances. Other than showing it to post guards to get free entry inside cities and businesses like inns and shops that are partnered with the guild to get discounts, I should keep my card under wraps until the association makes an official announcement to the guilds around Padimon of my arrival as a black-rank adventurer.

    Honestly, I think it¡¯d be just easier for me to just not pull out my card at all until that announcement. I imagine this policy is made so people won¡¯t pose around as something they¡¯re not without getting questioned by the authorities, but I¡¯d rather not get a lot of attention drawn on me if I can. I¡¯ll just try to use the discounts from my party members to decrease the prices if that¡¯s possible, but I don¡¯t mind paying for stuff at full price with the money I have right now.

    Throughout the explanation, Ume ended up falling asleep and leaned on my shoulder at one point, Ren and Erizora were nodding off, desperately trying not to do the same, Ms. Gallofree looked to be contemplating how she¡¯d break the news of joining my party with her uncle, and Lili¡¯s keeping herself busy playing cats cradle with her webs, of which I almost got distracted by how talented she is with her claw-like fingers.

    <¡°This is sooooooooo booooooooooriiiiiiiiiiiiiing.¡±>

    Nyra couldn¡¯t have expressed my mood any better. I wished there was some kind of pamphlet or rulebook I can use my photographic memory on to skim through it and get what I needed to know in my head in a snap. That¡¯s how I always got through my academics back in school, and if my ¡®Studying¡¯ skill is anything to go by, one could guess how well I did it, though I admit I didn¡¯t think it would be so great if it¡¯s anything related to my ¡®SS¡¯ ranked Intelligence.

    ¡°And that about covers thy jobs as adventurers. Any questions?¡± Eugus asks.

    Everyone was occupied in their own things to answer, and I didn¡¯t have anything that confused me for the time being. Plus, I could always ask the guild receptionists if there¡¯s something I don¡¯t know of yet or forgotten.

    ¡°Right then! Jinma, tis the time I need to speak to thee of that thing we were discussing before, and from what Zelshen had told me in Umeiyon¡¯s performance in her test, I would like to extend my invitation of the Assigned Quest to her as well.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I ask in amazement.

    ¡°Indeed. The Assigned Quest requires at least one adventurer of a high rank, and I do not see why two would not be better than one.¡±

    ¡°You hear that, Ume? Isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    ¡°Mmgh ¡­ c¡¯mon, fly like I showed you. You can do it ¡­¡±

    ¡­ She¡¯s already dreaming of her life as a mother with her kids, is she?

    I have to admit that that¡¯s probably the most adorable thing I¡¯ve ever seen in my time on this new world yet, and as much as I¡¯d hate to interrupt her dreams, I gotta barge in before she says something strange in front of the others.

    PACHI!

    ¡°IETHAT!¡± Ume screams with terror in her face after I loudly clapped my hands in front of her. She quickly scans the room and realizes where she¡¯s in. Ren and Erizora who were nodding off a moment ago were also jolted awake from the noise.

    ¡°Welcome back to reality, Ume. Had a nice trip in dreamland? Flew with anyone special, maybe?¡± I ask with a slight teasing tone.

    Ume grows red in the face. ¡°Um ¡­ I¡¯ll go along with whatever you want to do if you don¡¯t speak a word of whatever you witnessed to anyone.¡±

    ¡°I can do that no problem, but what about the others?¡±

    Lili in particular has a mischievous grin on her face while the rest try to play innocent. Ren and Erizora looked to be the only ones who really didn¡¯t know what happened moments ago.

    ¡°¡­ Would money help keep you all quiet?¡± Ume then asks.

    ¡°That depends. How much are you willing to give?¡± Lili asks.

    <¡°Wow, Spiderbabe is merciless,¡±> Nyra says.

    Ume and I have a quick ¡®money advisory¡¯ meeting in a whisper so she doesn¡¯t go overboard with the profit.

    ¡°Ume¡¯s willing to give everyone in this room 3 gold coins each if they promise not to speak a word of what they saw here,¡± I announce for her.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°That¡¯s already 120,000 karos with the four of us ¡­¡± Ms. Zelshen says. She seemed to have kept track of who was paying attention up to Ume¡¯s awakening, or maybe she just didn¡¯t count Ren and Erizora being slaves?

    While both wondering how loaded Ume is while slightly pitying her, they accepted her offer. Ume uses her [Storage] to pull out 12 gold coins to distribute between the four of them. As part of the bargain on my end, I have her stay behind to listen in on the Assigned Quest offered to the both of us. After her agreement, everyone who wasn¡¯t involved were asked to leave the room. I gave Ren a gold coin of my own along with my permission to order whatever she and Erizora may like for snacking from the guild¡¯s food menu while they wait for me, as the two of us will be out for a while. When I whispered my plans in her ear, she understood immediately.

    Once the three of us are left, Eugus then takes a seat across the table from me and Ume. ¡°Now then, I dost not think I would give an Assigned Quest like this to newly registered adventurers, but I believe fate could not have brought the two of thee to this city at a more convenient timing.¡±

    ¡°What are the details?¡± I ask, mine and Ume¡¯s focus now refreshed after dulling from Eugus¡¯ earlier snore-fest of a lecture.

    ¡°There is a lady from a prestigious noble family who wishes to take on the dungeon that is between Dondegarm and the city nearest here, Palocaesy. Before thou asks, she already hast a capable bodyguard, but she is quite skilled with her weapon of choice as well as a powerful magic-user, too. Even so, she herself wishes to request an adventurer near our Dondegarm branch.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, and what kind of adventurer is she looking for?¡±

    ¡°That is the troublesome part. She wishes for an adventurer, or adventurer party, that is at least a blue rank and hast a unique background that dost not relate to her birthplace, the capital city, Korangar.¡±

    ¡°Is that where all noble families reside in this territory? Are they made up of one or more demon races?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and as for the races, there art mainly three that make up most of the nobility: The Devils, some of the Insectoids, and the Vampires, the last of which is where our client is from.¡±

    ¡°A Vampire, huh ¡­¡±

    <¡°Whoa, dude, why are you getting so excited all of a sudden?!¡±> Nyra asks, but I try not to mind her and keep myself restrained. Ume¡¯s expression doesn¡¯t change.

    ¡°It is because of her lineage that maketh this matter complicated, as they have not only been long-lived and worked closely with the previous Demon Kings over the course of history, but there art still Vampires today who art condescending towards the other races that art lower than them in status and power, especially the humans, but for our client, she dost not mind the selected adventurer being one. She had to point that out to me outside of her bodyguard¡¯s hearing, too.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. So, what does she expect to get out of completing the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Have either of thee ever explored a dungeon before?¡± he asks, to which we shake our heads. ¡°There art dungeons scattered throughout the country of Padimon, and at the end of each one, there art special Immortals¡¯ Monuments that art unlike the one thou saw in the church earlier. These monuments serve a special purpose of granting those who hast cleared the dungeons the title ¡®Dungeon Conqueror,¡¯ as well as a blessing from the Immortals themselves.¡±

    ¡°Blessings?¡±

    ¡°It could be a rare skill, an unheard-of spell, a unique ability, an item that is impossible to replicate, the list goes on.¡±

    So, there¡¯s a chance I can get something as good as my ¡®Dragon Scale Defense¡¯ ability that I got at the beginning. It may not even be available in the shop that¡¯s included in my bracelet.

    ¡°Wonder if I¡¯m allowed to have something like that?¡± Ume mumbles to herself.

    ¡°The designated dungeon, ¡®Palocaesy Dungeon,¡¯ will not be easy to complete,¡± Eugus continues. ¡°There art 60 floors, with two Lesser Bosses and one Dungeon Boss that guard it, along with many other monsters that they command.

    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing they get stronger as you go deeper inside?¡±

    ¡°Thou hast guessed correctly.¡±

    ¡°Can anyone take on the dungeons, whether or not they¡¯re adventurers?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, they can; however, one can be sure that if thou art not prepared, you could very well die, and no one would even know where thou hast gone.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. For something that risky, surely there¡¯s a hefty reward that reflects that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the reward to complete this is 780,000 karos.¡±

    <¡°Daaaaaaang.¡±>

    ¡°That¡¯s not very much,¡± Ume says bluntly.

    ¡°¡­ How wealthy art thee, Umeiyon?¡±

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s not important. Anyway, does the client only wish one adventurer at least a blue-rank to go along with her and the bodyguard?¡±

    ¡°She clearly realizes that one¡¯s rank dost not determine their strength, but understands numbers will increase the chances of survival. From what she hast speaketh to me, aside from her bodyguard, she can allow five adventurers at most in a party to escort her.¡±

    I quickly do a head count in my mind and confirmed that everyone in my potential party would be able to come along with me. ¡°What about familiars from summons?¡± I ask to make certain.

    ¡°They do not count. The time they art allowed to roam in this realm depends on their master¡¯s magical capacity.¡±

    Huh, so as long as I have enough magic, they can stay out here for as long as they want. That might not be a problem with how quickly mine recovers.

    ¡°Thou can definitely be sure that the succession to this quest will not only affect thy standings, but also this guild¡¯s reputation since I am its representative as its guild master. That is why, while our client is providing the reward money, this is an Assigned Quest made under my name; in which case, I am asking thee, Jinma and Umeiyon, to be the first of five who will escort our client, a noble of the Vampire race, to explore the dungeon and complete it. I will leave the formation of the other three up to thee. Will thou accept?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go along with whatever you want to do, Jin,¡± Ume says.

    I tilt and balance my chair back to where I can look up at the ceiling as I think about this. I think about what info I¡¯ll need to ask about if I accept, how my potential party can handle the dungeon and its monsters, as well as the pros and cons of succeeding this quest. There¡¯s one thing that comes to mind out of all of this, though.

    ¡°You mentioned the noble Vampires have worked alongside the previous Demon Kings for some time, right? How closely acquainted is the client¡¯s family to the current Demon King?¡±

    ¡°¡­ What dost thou intend to do with such info?¡± he asks with a quirked brow.

    ¡°Well, if her family¡¯s close to the Demon King, I was hoping to have an audience with her through word of mouth so I can ask her some questions that I hope she¡¯d answer.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what kind of questions?¡±

    ¡°Complicated questions that I can¡¯t just bring up to anyone else in this territory. If she¡¯s as open-minded and knowledgeable as I heard, I think she¡¯s the only one I can go to who might help me.¡±

    ¡°So, thou art seeking the Demon King¡¯s wisdom?¡± I nod to Eugus¡¯ question. ¡°And if the client refuses to help thee get an audience with the Demon King?¡±

    ¡°I have a back-up plan that might help me, so it won¡¯t be a huge loss. I¡¯d just like to try an alternative if it¡¯s less of a hassle for me. It won¡¯t affect my decision of taking this quest whether her family¡¯s affiliated to royalty or not.¡±

    ¡°Well, since thou will need to learn more about the client anyways, I suppose I will have to take thy word for it. Her name is Noire Scarletine Krauss, and from what I have heard, the current head of her family was one of the demons who hast worked alongside with the previous Demon King, and was close enough to him to be there for his daughter¡¯s birth, the same daughter who sits on the throne today.¡±

    That does sound pretty close. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he and the current Demon King has kept in touch. If I can have Ms. Krauss¡¯ father get me an audience with her, I won¡¯t have to reveal my identity as a captured Champion to get in.

    <¡°It sounds like a good deal, but seriously, what¡¯s with the sudden jump of excitement?¡±>

    Well, I¡¯d be working with a Vampire, after all. I¡¯m curious to see what this one is like in person. It¡¯s like how you might wonder what Ms. Obina does in her occupation as the Goddess of Lust. Haven¡¯t you wondered if she ever got with a lover or two? Maybe see what she does in action?

    <¡°Now that¡¯s just mean, making me have all these erotic fantasies of Goddess Obina having the mother of all orgies with her faithful, devoted followers.¡±>

    Coming to a decision, I tilt the chair back forward to its stationary position. ¡°All right, Eugus, you¡¯re on. We¡¯ll take on that quest.¡±

    ~~

    After our taking on the quest was confirmed, I asked Eugus more info on what¡¯s to expect in the dungeon and some of its layouts. We also discussed how we¡¯d meet with the client at Palocaesy the day after tomorrow, how we should address nobility formally out of politeness and respect, how Eugus will send a Harpy messenger to send a notice to Lady Krauss that he has found capable candidates while giving the meeting time, and how we must report to him by the end of tomorrow who¡¯ll join us on taking this Assigned Quest. We were advised to take the rest of today and tomorrow to rest and prepare myself for departure.

    Honestly, I wished I had another day to relax and prepare from all the craziness I went through yesterday and today. When I asked Eugus, he said Lady Krauss wants to take on the dungeon as soon as possible, and he was instructed to give his chosen adventurer less than 2 days to rest and prepare upon confirmation. All I could say from that is having things done at her pace was sort of what I expected from a noble, but I¡¯ve dealt with worse. I just have to put on the same mindset I had to make a good impression on the first day of my previous job. I pray this doesn¡¯t go as badly as me having to lug my ex-partner over my shoulder after he dragged me to his go-to pub for drinks to ¡®welcome me to the company¡¯ at the end of the first day.

    I still couldn¡¯t believe how that ended with all those [unconscious] bodies damaged and bloodied to the floor, just from that same coworker who was hitting on a girl in his drunken stupor, and not knowing how her boyfriend was in the same building.

    I¡¯ve hated that son of a bitch since then, and the possessive boyfriend wasn¡¯t any better, either. Again, I pray that I don¡¯t get into anything similar with Lady Krauss, especially since I¡¯ll need her to get an audience with the Demon King ¡­ as well as help fill in the curiosity I¡¯ve had with Vampires for the longest time. It¡¯s more of the latter that has me so excited that Nyra pointed out.

    ¡°Any further questions?¡± Eugus asks after everything was gone over.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re good for now, but could Ume and I stay in this room for a while longer? I need to speak with her privately,¡± I say.

    ¡°That will be fine. I will let the receptionists know not to disturb the two of thee before I go make that message for our client. Make sure thou let them know when thou art finished.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Eugus.¡±

    With that, Eugus gets up and steps out of the meeting room, now leaving the two of us.

    ¡°Are you now going to explain to me where babies come from, Jin?¡± Ume asks. Though she looks calm, one could see a glimmer of excitement in her eyes, almost like a child waiting for a bedtime story, or a passionate researcher who¡¯s about to discover the secrets of the universe.

    ¡°Yes. Just give me a couple of minutes to prepare myself real quick. I need to pull up some materials for a refresher.¡± I then pull out my smartphone and start looking up a bunch of things from the internet I can apparently still access in this world.

    ¡°What is that strange object?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s a ¡­ multi-functional magic tool. We call it a smartphone back home.¡±

    ¡°Really? And you can find information in that small thing like one can when reading books?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and a bunch of other things.¡±

    ¡°Interesting ¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t realize then that that would be the beginning of how my life would be changed forever in such a romance flag-raising setting with the two of us alone like this.

 Chapter 42: A Dragons Findings

    Fun fact, while it¡¯s normal for reptiles to lay eggs as their way to reproduce, there are a few species who actually do it by birthing, the same way mammals do. It¡¯s a peculiar occurrence like the platypus being the only mammal to lay eggs. For these few species of reptiles, they either give birth naturally or keep the egg inside them until it hatches and the offspring comes out then, with the broken shells following after.

    I had Google-sensei to thank after looking up these facts with my smartphone. Since I now know this occurrence is possible, it wouldn¡¯t be too strange for the reptile-like races in this world, whether they be Lizardmen or Dragons, to give birth the same way humans do. Seeing as how Ume never saw an egg hatch with new life before or having one of her own kind be seen with an egg, I had to find the right information to work with her ¡®special case¡¯ of this knowledge being withheld by her father.

    Seriously, even if I¡¯d be putting my life on the line, I wanted to find her dad and give him a good kick in the face for his bad parenting, forcing myself to take his place, and explain this important, delicate fact of life that he stupidly neglected.

    While pointing out how I¡¯m using humans as a basis for this talk and not know whether the other race¡¯s reproductive organs work similarly or not, I had to use visual aids found on the internet, videos that surprisingly spoke with dialogue that the people of this world would still understand¡ªanother unique enchantment on my smartphone granted by the Immortals, maybe?¡ªand ... inappropriate gesturing to properly explain how the process is done. I wasn¡¯t sure if the meeting room can block out noise from both sides, so before I started the talk, I tried the [Soundproof] spell Ms. Carmen told me about with succession, extending a flexible, bubble-like barrier that covers most of the room until it just passes the door so that we could hear any knocks from visitors.

    Ume was rather fascinated at first of how I used my smartphone to display such detailed pictures and videos that are like magic to the people of this world, but when we got to the talk of sex, she was at a loss for words while looking listless.

    I mentally debated whether or not I should find birthing videos and basically pornography to help ¡®see the process in action¡¯ before the talk, but then I notice how much Ume is affected by this when she holds her own tail. I was glad I ended up showing a video of a chicken going through its life from the moment the egg is laid, to finding a mate to reproduce and begin the cycle once more.

    By the time ¡®the talk¡¯ ended, I thought Ume would wind up the same as I was after Mom gave it to me when I was a kid: speechless, questioning their own existence, and mentally scarred from seeing something they regret seeing. Well, compared to what I¡¯ve seen, her exposure is to a lesser degree, but the serious contemplating face she¡¯s making right now is worrying.

    ¡°Ume? Are you feeling all right?¡± I ask, but she keeps silent. ¡°Listen, I know it was a lot to take in, as well as a bit too graphic, but I think you can guess why being able to make children with you may be ¡­ difficult.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You were concerned whether impregnating me was even possible if you tried to put your penis in the vagina of my true form, right? You weren¡¯t sure whether my reproductive organs would even register your sperm in my system?¡±

    Whoa, okay, looks like she took the talk a lot better than I thought she did. ¡°Well, yeah, that¡¯s the gist of it. If I may ask, what were you planning to do to get a child before we had that talk?¡±

    Ume exasperated while pinching her brow with her claws. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to even think about it now after learning the truth. I thought the Immortals and Clorks wouldn¡¯t even tell the difference with what pairing is making the noise loud enough to demand a child. I would revert to my true form and make the loudest noise like that while you would do the same the way you are now since you can¡¯t transform like me.¡±

    Yeah, that¡¯s kind of what I figured she would think.

    ¡°I know now why the Dragons back home laughed at me like I was a fool. Not only would they think it¡¯s impossible, but imagine how you¡¯d try to put something so small in me when I¡¯m sure their penises are as big as your whole body ¡­ haha, I¡¯m laughing at myself just thinking about it now.¡±

    I¡¯m starting to get crushed over how Ume¡¯s putting herself down like this. ¡°So ¡­ what will you do now?¡±

    Unexpectedly, Ume looks up to me with a quirked brow. ¡°What do you mean? I accepted this escort job with you as an adventurer, so of course, I¡¯ll be going along with it until the end.¡±

    ¡°O ¡­ kay? And, then what?¡±

    ¡°We would go to Korangar. You need to see the Demon King and get some questions of yours answered, right?¡±

    ¡°I mean, yeah, that¡¯s true, but what about the ¡®making children¡¯ thing?¡±

    ¡°What about it? Of course, we¡¯ll still try to make children together, once you feel you¡¯re ready to be a parent, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on, was there something I said that you didn¡¯t understand?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I understood the gist of it. Even if some of the terminologies were unfamiliar to me, I still got a good grasp of it. I think you forgot how this reproduction is possible between two humans, along with a few animal pairings of the same species as examples. As incredibly advanced in this study is from your home country, they¡¯ve only studied the workings of their own race, right? They¡¯ve yet to study how a human male is able to reproduce with a Lamia or a Harpy, or in Erizora¡¯s case between a human and an Ogre.¡±

    ¡°How did you ¡­¡±

    ¡°I was fascinated by how her magical aura emits from both a demon and a human when I first saw her, but getting a grasp on how these ¡®genes¡¯ play in our bodies, even if I haven¡¯t seen her status, I can guess how her ¡®true race¡¯ is displayed like yours is as a ¡®D-Human,¡¯ but we¡¯ll go over that another time.

    ¡°Now, what about a human and a Dragon? I explained how impregnating me would be impossible in my true form, right? But what about when I¡¯m in this size?¡± Ume asks before she twirls in place.

    In a flash, a pair of recognizable wings appear from her back after she lets some of her rags droop behind her, horns also pop in from her head, and even her tail grows longer and bulkier, all in the likeness of her Dragon Form, now attached to her humanoid figure.

    I have to admit that I was spellbound at the sight.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the only Dragon among us to transform into something like this, we¡¯re all capable of doing it once we honed our Ancient Magic enough. We even have a small group of us fly to Padimon every couple of decades to see how things have changed by walking among you all. Other than to see how capable it is for humans and other races to be able to fell a Dragon, we don¡¯t really need to bother with you at all and mind our own business. So, why does our ability to transform exist within our teachings of Ancient Magic? Why would we Dragons be granted this capability by the Immortals? I think there¡¯s a hidden potential for us to do something the whole time with this practice, but we never bothered looking into it further because we didn¡¯t want to grow inferior and be as weak as those beneath us.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°This is different from my true form, but I¡¯m still able to eat, drink, pee, and poop naturally now as I would back then. If I can do that much, what other things could I do naturally while in this form?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying ¡­ you came up with the idea of possibly having sex and reproduce while in this form on your own?¡± I ask, to which she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s really incredible, Ume. Were you thinking about this the whole time?¡±

    ¡°Since some time in the middle of your baby making talk, yeah.¡±

    ¡°What drove you think about that so deeply?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Ume asks before poking a pointy claw on my chest. ¡°Jin, I chose you to be my mate because if given the time and proper training, I think you have the most potential to defeat one of us, and I want to be with the male who¡¯s strong enough to be able to stand with me ¡­ at least, that¡¯s what I thought I only want in a mate.

    ¡°You worry over the strangest things, fight for the strangest reasons, and you may have the strangest perception in what you find visually pleasing out of every male I¡¯ve ever seen, but ¡­¡± Ume rests a claw to her bosom. ¡°You¡¯re the first male to have ever made me feel this way, to be so happy being near someone, to be held with such compassion, and then there¡¯s ¡­ this.¡±

    Ume then takes my hand and presses it against her breast over the rags, eliciting a subtle, sexy moan.

    ¡°U-Ume?¡±

    ¡°This is ¡­ how one gets when they¡¯re aroused, right?¡± she asks as she moves my hand to feel up her breast some more. ¡°When one starts craving for sex? I first felt like this when you pulled me to a corner of the guild earlier. When I tried to recreate it, it just didn¡¯t feel the same with my own hand. I think you¡¯re the only one who can make me feel this way.

    ¡°I know ¡­ that humans find partners in a different way from us Dragons, and I know you said you¡¯re not ready to have children yet, but even if it may not be possible with us after many attempts, I know myself enough that I still want to be with you.

    ¡°You only turned down being my mate because you weren¡¯t sure you could make children with me, right? Then, what about just being with me? Would you want to be a mate with someone like me who¡¯s so different from you?¡±

    I try not to get lost in the texture of Ume¡¯s breast so I could take her seriously. ¡°What about your family? Your friends? It might not be possible to get back to them being with someone like me.¡±

    Ume shakes her head. ¡°The moment I heard them laugh at my idea to save our race from extinction, I knew I¡¯ve lost all face and respect to become an outcast amongst my kind. There¡¯s no place for me back there anymore. Whether or not I¡¯m able to have children in the end, all I want to do right now is be the one thing I couldn¡¯t be while I was there: free. Free to choose the kind of life I want to live and who to spend it with, and right here, right now, I want to be with you ¡­ Jin.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And you know, even with all of the detailed pictures and explanations you gave me on where babies come from, while I¡¯m confident in retaining information through a variety of means, almost nothing beats the ¡®hands-on¡¯ approach to learning for me, so ¡­¡±

    With a flick of her wrist, her rags fall to the floor and Ume stands in front of me with all of her glory bare, and I¡¯m drinking it all in like water. Her large, full, melon-sized breasts with pinkish-red nipples hard and erect enough to cut through butter; her curvy, but taut waist made up of the best balance in muscle and fat, red with heated inflammation that¡¯s begging to be stroked; her hips, what may be the best size to bear the children she wants, strong and durable to look good even after probably three births; and finally, the slit that is her labia blossoming between her legs, looking swollen with signs of wetness dripping down to the floor, preparing itself for mating. All of that is not covered by her scales, but without any article of clothing, I could appreciate the strong, fit sculpture of her thick thighs, as well as the lean musculature in her arms that resemble a Dragon¡¯s.

    It must be a habit I¡¯m growing to develop, but I subconsciously activate ¡®Size Up¡¯ to read Ume¡¯s detailed stats.

    [Name: Umeiyon

    Race: Dragon (Currently Dragonoid Form)

    Class: Dragon (Currently Sage as viewed by a public user)

    Measurements: 191 cm in height [~6 ft, 3 in], 93 kg in weight [~205 lbs], the three sizes are 94G-84-96

    Titles: Dragon in Exile, Wielder of the Archaic, Adventurer (Red), Blessmancer, Master of Sanctity, Grandmaster of Light, Hydromancer, Master of Downfall, Grandmaster of Aqua, Atmomancer, Master of Winds, Housekeeper, Studious, Seeker of Knowledge [error;other titles can''t be revealed at this time]

    HP: 33741/33741

    MP: 31039/31189]

    ¡­ Hot.

    ¡°You know of a spell that will prevent pregnancy, yes? Then I don¡¯t see any issue of us going over this ¡®lesson.¡¯ If you¡¯re okay with someone like me being your mate, would you be so kind as to show me how reproduction is done? Starting from the beginning?¡± Ume asks with a flushed face as she gets on the floor, folds her wings, curls her bulky Dragon tail, spreads her legs, and reveal her glimmering wet pussy that¡¯s slowly drooling with viscous sex fluids and making a small puddle for me to see.

    If I count the number times I had to hold myself back under dire circumstances since I woke up this morning, I think I might have all the fingers on both hands counted. I¡¯m honestly rather amazed how much vigor my dick has right now despite all of that.

    I have been avoiding the subject far too many times today because of certain negative influences like Nyra¡¯s curse side-effects, my feelings that the mood didn¡¯t seem right at the time, the morals that were ingrained in me from my previous life, and I wasn¡¯t sure how different relationships are handled among demons in this country to rush things so quickly. While I personally think my reasonings at those times were valid, I can¡¯t deny that I regretted a little not taking that step despite questioning my morals, the girls¡¯ motives for doing it with someone like me, and the consequences that follow. They might as well be excuses of me being a coward as I haven¡¯t attempted to seek relationships since middle school when I was rejected for the third time. ¡®He¡¯s so terrifying!¡¯ ¡®Have you seen the guys he¡¯s with?! I don¡¯t want to get involved with a delinquent like that!¡¯ ¡®I heard he almost assaulted a girl once!¡¯ ¡®How is he not in prison?!¡¯ I¡¯ve overheard gossip like those and then some, including those that were either completely false rumors or large misunderstandings. Save for two girls who thought of me differently, Hyo-chan and Komi, I couldn¡¯t even talk to one casually because of my rep as the ¡®Merciless Demon,¡¯ and I didn¡¯t want to risk losing the only few genuine friends I had. So, I just gave up on the dating game altogether then.

    Even if my friend from high school, Komi, was just teasing me and not planned on taking our friendship any further despite some of my suspicions, even if I might¡¯ve gotten serious backlash getting involved with my childhood friend Hyo-chan despite our estranged connections at the time, I should¡¯ve taken that chance to ask at least one of them out and confessed my true feelings ¡­ before they passed on so suddenly.

    Even my own mother right up to her deathbed constantly pushed me to seek a girlfriend and actually start making something out of my life instead of paying so much attention to her health. Her friends, my aunts, also felt the same as they egged me on.

    Even the former coworker who delivered the final killing blow, Ms. Koyuki Jikan, while I still question her motives for doing something so unlike her, I wonder if things would¡¯ve gone differently if I just nudge into that direction a little and asked her out before that climactic moment.

    I kept telling everyone that I was fine being by myself, that I didn¡¯t need a woman to make something of my life, but it¡¯s likely some part of me is calling bullshit and is beating as much into my ego as I had with the thugs around me back home. If Ms. Obina had been watching me up to that moment, being the attractive Goddess of Lust that she is, I wonder if she¡¯d been laughing at my expense for being a virgin for so long. The playboy son-of-a-bitch that was the partner of my previous job, Kazumi Shinka, is probably telling everyone back home right now how much of a spineless weakling I really was for not trying to play the dating game.

    Now, at this moment, Ume is right in front of me like this after opening herself up the way she did, in a world where I¡¯m actually given a second chance. With my track record of how things will quickly turn ugly no matter what decision I make, do both the worlds of Raiza and Earth seriously think I¡¯d stop and mind my ¡®morals¡¯ at this point of my now chaotic life?

    ¡­ Nyra.

    <¡°Yeah?¡±> she asks calmly.

    Do you know if there¡¯s anyone approaching this meeting room?

    <¡°I can sense people¡¯s auras with my ¡®Magic Sense,¡¯ even through walls, and I don¡¯t see anyone coming here anytime soon.¡±>

    And my [Soundproof] barrier reaches just outside the door for us to hear anyone knocking, right?

    <¡°Yep.¡±>

    Nyra ¡­ hold my V-card. I¡¯m going in.

    <¡°FUCK HER UP GOOD, BRO! I GOT YO CARD!¡±>

 Chapter 43: An Extended Sexual Education

    ¡°Okay, so a more thorough lesson on the beginning of reproduction: sex. That¡¯s what you¡¯re wanting to learn, right?¡± I ask, both out of the ¡®play¡¯ as well as part of confirmation while I set Nyra to the side and started undressing. I discussed with Ume earlier how some roleplaying and unique ¡®games¡¯ can be used to help spark the participants¡¯ arousals before getting into the main act; hence, this little ad-libbed, informal play of a teacher/tutor and student setting.

    Ume seems to be catching on in what I was doing and giggles while blushing. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°All right, then. I do agree that the hands-on approach can be effective, and in this case, it may be best to have a live demonstration where you experience the sensations first hand so you know how things would go. This will require me to touch vulnerable, sensitive places on your body to elicit the feelings we want to get before and during sex. Is that okay with you?¡± I ask before dropping my briefs for last, revealing my throbbing erection as well as the rest of my bare body, riddled with scars on some places. With Ume sitting on the floor, she can see my cock at the same level of height that leaves her eyes wide open.

    ¡°Y-You know more on this subject than I do, so whatever it is that needs to be done for me to understand, I¡¯ll trust you, but ¡­ can you be gentle?¡± she asks while staring at my erection with curiosity and a hint of nervousness.

    ¡°Of course. You just tell me how much you want me to do and I¡¯ll adjust accordingly. Sound fair?¡± I ask while taking a seat on the floor with her. She nods in response. ¡°Now, before we get to the intercourse, it is important that your vagina is well lubricated and relaxed before it accepts the penis. This is how getting aroused is into play.¡±

    ¡°And one of the ways to get aroused is by ¡­ foreplay?¡± Ume asks, to which I nod in confirmation. ¡°So, what actions does foreplay include?¡±

    ¡°This is where touching one¡¯s sensitive places comes in, sensual touches that elicit good feelings and get the blood pumping to your vagina and expand the entrance. May I demonstrate?¡±

    With Ume¡¯s nod as confirmation, I ask her to close her eyes and bring myself close enough to rest my hands on her shoulders, I could feel her shivering slightly from the touch as she sits there following my instructions. Even her tail and wings twitched a little.

    I close myself in and place my lips on hers. I could feel a shock running down her body as I enacted to rub our mouths together first. This went on a for a couple of seconds before I pull away with a peck and Ume takes a large gulp of air. She bates her breath with flushed cheeks and dilated pupils.

    ¡°That was ¡­ kissing, right? I heard that¡¯s how humans show affections to each other as mates.¡±

    ¡°You are right on that. Our lips are also one of the best places for us to get aroused when we both get into it.¡±

    ¡°I-I can see why ¡­ this is more sensitive than I thought,¡± Ume says before touching her own lips for testing. ¡°Can we try that again? I ¡­ forgot how to breathe for a moment there.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Just relax and breathe through your nose.¡±

    She nods in understanding before I take the lead again.

    ¡°Mm ¡­¡±

    Getting a little more into it, we both put more passion in the kiss this time. We breathe through our noses heavily as we feel each other¡¯s lips rubbing against each other, making smacking noises in between. I start to get really excited about how this is progressing. Seems Ume feels the same.

    I decide to continue my ¡®demonstration¡¯ from there as I slowly run my hands over her body, specifically where her tender and clean human-like flesh meets her reptilian sapphire scales. The sensation is so surreal to me with how smooth both sides of her body are in their own respective ways.

    ¡°Mmh!¡±

    Ume seems to like it as well judging from her surprised squeal of delight.

    I decide to explore this unique border further by continuing to run my hands along her sides, while I move my head down to her neck and kiss along the line between skin and scale as well. This makes Ume let out a shallow, shuddering gasp that¡¯s both sensual and surprising. She reaches around and pulls me in, hoping I get as close to her as possible. The way her breasts sensually press against my chest gets my invigorated.

    ¡°Oh, god ¡­ so kissing can be used this way as well? And touching multiple places enhances these sensations, too. It feels ¡­ so nice, so good~,¡± Ume moans before her breathing starts to get shallow again.

    I don¡¯t know when, but I ended up being on top of her, which is a good position for me to do something that I¡¯ve been wanting to do for the longest time. I was slightly concerned if this position was uncomfortable for her wings and tail, but she didn¡¯t say anything, so I went along with it.

    ¡°Ahhn! A-Are you kissing my breast, too?! No, you¡¯re sucking my nipple?! But I don¡¯t even know¡ªaaah! If I can produce milk like this! Never mind getting pregnant! Aahn! Y-Your hand is fondling my other one! W-Why does my breasts getting this attention ¡­ feel so gooood?!¡±

    ¡°It just means your breasts are sensitive that you liked getting touched to be aroused as well,¡± I say in between kissing, sucking, and even nibbling while pinching both of her nipples that elicits a good response as well. ¡°And I¡¯ve wanted to do this with a woman¡¯s breasts for a long while.¡±

    ¡°R-Really? So ¡­ mmmy breasts are good? You like my breasts that muuuchhh?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Your breasts are really amazing, Ume.¡±

    ¡°I-I see ¡­ I¡¯m glad.¡±

    It sounds like she was a little self-conscious of her body, so I¡¯m glad I was able to give her a peace of mind for even a little bit. I decide to change positions and give her other teat some mouth love while my right-hand gets a good feel of her other now salivated nipple.

    As for my left hand, I trail a finger down her skin/scale line until it gets to her hips and moves over to her sex leaking fluids.

    ¡°Ume, I¡¯m going to put a finger in your pussy now.¡±

    ¡°P-Pussy?¡± she asks with a shaky breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s a slang for vagina. ¡®Dick¡¯ or ¡®cock¡¯ is also the slang for penis.¡±

    ¡°Are those terms preferable to those going into sex?¡±

    ¡°It varies, but I say most call them those things.¡±

    ¡°Then ¡­ I¡¯m ready. Put your finger ¡­ inside my pussy, Jin.¡±

    Looking up, I could see how conflicted and flustered she is from using unfamiliar words. ¡°Why does that sound so dirty?¡± I thought I heard her mumble.

    Restraining myself from getting lost in the excitement, I slowly feel my way and push my middle finger right up inside her hot, wet hole.

    Ume gasps in shock and arches her back. Her wings look to want to flare out wide while her tail straightens out.

    ¡°J-Jin! I¡¯m starting to feel strange and it¡¯s growing! I-It¡¯s so hot ¡­ is this a female¡¯s ¡­ orgasm coming?!¡±

    ¡°That could be it. Just a little more and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Ume screams, putting everything to a halt.

    ¡°W-What is it?¡± I ask, slightly worried I¡¯m overstepping my boundaries.

    ¡°This will be ¡­ my very first orgasm, and you haven¡¯t felt good like this yet, right? Is there a way ¡­ we can do it together?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is that what you want?¡± I ask, to which she nods. ¡°That might be difficult getting it on the first try. I can tell from my finger inside you that you seem ready enough, but I need to apply the [Contraception] spell before we continue.¡±

    ¡°D-Do whatever you need to do, just don¡¯t make me orgasm alone for the first time.¡±

    ¡°All right, just bear with it and let me know when you¡¯re close so we can stop and breathe for a little bit.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    While my middle finger¡¯s inside Ume¡¯s sex, I remember how the spell worked from Ms. Carmen¡¯s explanation and focus on where I want to appear.

    ¡°¡­ [Contraception].¡±

    ¡°Aahn~! S-Something hot and slimy¡¯s going inside me! J-Jin! Stop!¡±

    I quickly pull my finger out at Ume¡¯s call before she drops to the floor with bated breath. I notice that she¡¯s glimmering with sweat while the magic lube/sex juice concoction slowly spills out of her sex and makes the puddle between her legs ever larger. I also see claw marks on the wooden floor that Ume probably made as a resort to restraining herself.

    ¡­ No one will notice these marks, right? I think as the magic lube continues to flow out of my finger as I intended earlier.

    I was told that the lubricant when fresh is lukewarm but can be quite hot when it¡¯s in contact with the genitals of both sexes, doing its work creating a field that will burn the sperm inside semen that would result in the loads in becoming blanks. It also increases one¡¯s sensations when applied as well, which is probably what Ume¡¯s experiencing right now as she trembles and tries to hold back from coming with all of her might.

    ¡°Ume, try not to hurt yourself, all right? It¡¯s okay if you let it slip,¡± I try to comfort her.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°N-No! I want to have ¡­ my first orgasm with Jin, and I will get it!¡±

    I¡¯m not sure if this is her pride as a Dragon speaking or if she¡¯s just stubborn, but either way, it¡¯s kind of cute seeing how hard she¡¯s trying to have things go her way.

    I want to respect her wishes to the best of my abilities though, and so while I wait for Ume to calm down, I apply the still-flowing magic contraceptive to my aching erection that¡¯s dripping with cowper [precum for western culture speak]. I suddenly get the sense of how Ume was feeling moments ago as my cock and balls are also growing really hot while the lubricant settles. It¡¯s become so sensitive that even a gentle breeze kissing the skin might be enough for it to go off.

    ¡°Ume ¡­ I¡¯m going to put my cock inside now,¡± I force out with a strain while setting the head on the entrance.

    ¡°Do it! Stick it inside my pussy! I don¡¯t know how much more I can hold on!¡±

    Following her command, I surprisingly push myself inside her vaginal hole with ease.

    The moment I unexpectedly hilted myself inside her in one go, penetrating a woman¡¯s sex for the first time, it¡¯s as if a great shock suddenly appeared and coursed through both of our bodies, sending signals of incredible sensations that seems too much for our brains to handle.

    ¡°¡°FUCK/AAAAAAAAAHN~!!¡±¡±

    Because of the overload in our brains, we subconsciously release the hold in our bodies that was keeping us from orgasming. Our figurative dams burst as Ume and I climax at once. Her hot, wet, and strong folds that line her insides practically suffocate my painfully hard cock to squeeze out everything it has inside, and it delivers by shooting so much blank semen inside her womb that a few dribbles leak out and drop to the puddle of fluids between us from the overflow.

    At that climax, as if reflecting her insides, Ume wrapped her arms, legs, and Dragon tail around and locked me in place, trying to break my spine while not letting me go as she screamed ¡­ no, roared from coming for the very first time as a healthy and beautiful woman. She tried to pull me in as close as possible, which included forcing my face right into her 94G-sized cleavage.

    From how the bones in my spine popped, the great squeezing on my ejaculating dick, and the sudden loss of air from getting shoved between her breasts, if it weren¡¯t for my high defenses, I¡¯m not even sure if a normal guy would even live to tell the tale after all of that.

    If I didn¡¯t know any better, that roar also might¡¯ve shaken up the whole guild if it weren¡¯t for the [Soundproof] spell containing it, and even then, it seemed like it would¡¯ve popped like a bubble if it lasted for a little while longer.

    When Ume¡¯s roar finally died down, her holds on my snapped body and my choked cock loosen while she falls limply to the floor and bated breath. The grip release was enough to give me some breathing room and I could still feel how fast Ume¡¯s heart is racing.

    I¡¯m not sure if Dragons usually sweat in their human-like forms of if I¡¯m even sweating as much if my ¡®Body Temperature Stability¡¯ skill plays some part of it, but the scent that¡¯s emitting from the mix of fluids on her heated body is surprisingly pleasant.

    [Conditions met: the skill, ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 1 is now visible

    [You have achieved the ¡®Dragon (Sex) Slayer¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 21!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Mr. Libido¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Climactic Level-Up*¡¯!

    [You have now learned ¡®Sweet Spots*¡¯!

    [You have now learned ¡®Climax Gauge*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Master Libido¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Intimate Touch*¡¯!

    [You have reached Umeiyon¡¯s Affinity LV 2! Total Level of Affinity: 4

    [You have acquired a new ability! ¡®Dragon¡¯s Greedy Hoarding!¡¯]

    All of those notices appear in front of me as we collect ourselves. I still don¡¯t know how this affinity stuff works, but I guess Ume and I achieved something from having sex for the first time and I got a reward out of it?

    More importantly, did I seriously get all of those ridiculous titles and skills because I had sex with Ume?

    ¡°Jin?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Did you get the ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ skill revealed to you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Does it usually appear after one has their first sex with another?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ think that¡¯s the case.¡± I was never told any of this ever happening in Mom¡¯s ¡®talks¡¯ and health science lectures in school, that¡¯s for sure.

    ¡°So, then ¡­ we really did it, right? We just had sex? I feel that was shorter than it should be.¡±

    ¡°Well, we were both on the brink of orgasm when I put myself inside you, and I think that [Contraception] lube pushed us even further to it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not satisfied with this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, while that orgasm was great, we could¡¯ve done more before then.¡±

    ¡°Your cock is certainly stubborn growing inside me again.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Wanna go again?¡±

    ¡°You up for 4 more times?¡±

    ¡°You crazy? We only have so much time with this room to ourselves and the others are waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°¡­ 2 more times, and we¡¯ll see how far we can go later tonight after we regroup and energize ourselves.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on.¡±

    <¡°Oh, fuck yes! Round 2, baby! Let¡¯s get it on!¡±> Nyra yells in my mind, sounding she¡¯s just getting started with her own playtime.

    And so, while the [Contraception] lube was still active and my first load was mixed into that, we went on with our extended ¡®lesson¡¯ on sex and reproduction. On the second round, we stayed on the same spot while I demonstrated how sex is done in different positions, starting with the missionary position. The heat from the active lubricant/semen concoction as well as Ume¡¯s hot insides squeezing around my cock as I worked my hips in such a way for the first time, making wet, lewd slapping noises when our genitals come in contact makes the moment all the more incredible and worthwhile.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe ¡­ my stupid father kept something so amazing ¡­ from me like this~!¡± Ume squeals in delight as she has her arms, legs, and tail around me again in a looser hold than earlier. I take the liberty of sucking her teat in my mouth as I pounded inside her, relishing the feeling that Ume seems to enjoy judging from the moan of surprise.

    What I found differently this time around is that I now see a new pink gauge that hovers around Ume and fills up in accordance with my actions. Not only that, but there are glowing, translucent pink spots scattered around her body, some places brighter than others, that give off positive responses as I make contact. The nipple I have in my mouth was one of the brighter spots, and while she gave off a good reaction from the first time, it seems more intense and worthwhile to her now. There are also translucent pink lines that shape the contours of Ume¡¯s sex as well as mine that are also moving along with me in real time, and there are spots that glow and react to contact as well. I try to angle my thrusts in different ways to both experiment how those spots respond and make this more interesting, which give positive results going by Ume¡¯s growing gauge and the noise she makes.

    If that isn¡¯t strange enough, I feel like I suddenly regained a completely different, new, and even stronger vigor in my energy and cock than I had moments ago than all the sensual moments I¡¯ve experienced so far today, like even after three rounds that we¡¯d finish off with for now, I would actually still be raring to go for the fourth and fifth like Ume previously wanted at first, and maybe then some after that.

    Thanks to the new gauge acting as an indicator to what I¡¯m guessing is her approaching orgasm, I try to match its pace with my own climax that we could do again together like Ume wanted.

    ¡°Jin! Jin! It¡¯s coming again! I¡¯m getting close!¡±

    I know. I could see it. ¡°I¡¯m getting there, too! Let¡¯s come together again!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please! I want to come! I want to come with Jin!¡±

    I don¡¯t even need these strange spots and gauges to know how ecstatic she is, and so I up the pace of my thrusts, making the lewd slapping noises of our sexes louder than before. The sensation of Ume¡¯s insides squeezing me, tempting me to shoot out another load of cum gives me the motivation to really push myself.

    Seriously, it feels like I suddenly became a professional in sex after that first time, and I know it wouldn¡¯t go this smoothly if I hadn¡¯t seen all these strange happenings that are serving me as guides.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming! It¡¯s coming! I¡¯m ¡­ COOOOOOOMIIIIIIIIING!¡±

    And once again, while Ume has me in a tight hold and I hilt myself inside at just the right time, we both reach our second climax. Interestingly, it doesn¡¯t seem like this load of semen is any less in amount than the first, if at all. The fluids from the first load were already leaking out as I was really getting into the sex with Ume, making the puddle between us ever larger, and it seems it will grow still with how much I was pumping inside her the second time.

    If it really is possible to have a child with Ume despite our drastic differences in races, I feel this might¡¯ve been enough to get her knocked up; yet, once our second climax dies down into a soothing afterglow, while Ume looked to be as much in bliss as she was after her first orgasm, I could see in her dilated pupils that she still craves for more.

    In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I saw something of a heart in her eyes that signifies how spellbound she is into the lust right now.

    Ume relishes the afterglow, but not for very long as she¡¯s raring to go for round 3, and my dick that¡¯s still inside her is only half-erect that needs some stimulation again. She wants to put in the work this time around and asks me how to do that, and so I opt us to change positions, taking a moment to pull my half-erect dick out that acted as a plug before our concoction splurges out of her swollen pussy and drops to the puddle below her. It was a mesmerizing sight to behold. We moved to a spot that¡¯s distant from the puddle and claw marks on the floor.

    ¡°So, what is this position called again?¡± Ume asks while now sitting on top of me as I¡¯m lying on the floor. Her wings are partially spanned and get a chance to stretch out after being on the floor for a while. Her bulky Dragon tail sways side to side, reflecting her anticipation for the next move.

    ¡°We call it the cowgirl position back where I¡¯m from.¡±

    ¡°Why call it that? It sounds like something Minotaurs would only do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more of a cultural thing that¡¯s based on another activity. Think of riding on a horse¡¯s back and this position reflects that.¡±

    ¡°You mean like how you¡¯re going to ride on Kalline Gallofree with her as your steed?¡±

    ¡°I mean ¡­ something like that, but I¡¯m rather mixed to think about that right now.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s a way of putting the female in control, huh? I see ¡­ I think I might grow to like this position.¡±

    ¡°You gotta put my cock in there first before we even get anywhere, though.¡±

    Right now, she¡¯s basically straddling my hips while her sopping wet cunt soaks on my member, which isn¡¯t really an unpleasant feeling as it quickly gets hard again.

    ¡°Right, I should try putting it inside me this time ¡­¡± Being careful with her claws, she delicately holds my erect cock like a prized jewel and sets it up beneath her. ¡°So, it was in this hole, and ¡­ nngh ¡­ ah! W-Whoa, that¡¯s really in there when I¡¯m on top. Really making a mess up here, too ¡­ I¡¯m not too heavy for you, am I?¡± she asks while a hint of concern scrunches her brow.

    I¡¯m not sure if I mentioned it before, but the way my whole dick seems to have disappeared as it¡¯s hilted to her sex and whatever magic is at play to let me see the pink contours that depict what¡¯s going on inside Ume¡¯s body is a surreal experience to behold.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine. This feels really incredible, and you¡¯re really beautiful from down here, Ume.¡±

    Ume blushes from the compliment and it¡¯s as if her insides are hugging my cock out of pure joy from hearing that. Even the fluttering wings look like they want to lift her off the ground in delight. ¡°I-Is that so? That¡¯s good. So ¡­ what do I do now?¡±

    ¡°You move your hips, whether it be grinding or bouncing on it, and you just do it until one or both of us get to orgasm. You can set your claws on top of me for support if it helps.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ like this?¡± Ume gently places her claws on my stomach and starts rubbing her hips on me back and forth, spreading the sex concoction and making a bigger mess all the while. ¡°A-Ahn ¡­ okay, I think I¡¯m ¡­ ngh! Getting it now! Does this ¡­ feel good, Jin?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re doing great. Experiment and play around a little.¡± I rest my hands on her sides and rub into her skin/scale line to ease her nervousness.

    ¡°Okay, then!¡±

    It¡¯s clumsy, I gotta admit that. Having not to know where to set her claws for support at first or how else to move, she even slipped out a few times on accident and had to realign herself, but I assured her that she was doing fine and let her take her time. This is her first time and come on, it¡¯s sex. How could I even get picky in a moment like this? This is her moment to shine, so I just relax and enjoy getting ridden. Besides, she looks to be having fun with this, and the way her G-cup breasts bounce and jiggle about as she moves makes this an awesome show.

    What really hits home though is the giggle Ume makes while smiling as she starts to really get into this. I could see that she¡¯s having the best day of her life right now at this moment, and I¡¯m happy I get to be a part of it.

    I may have only known Ume for a day, we¡¯re probably skipping a ton of steps that were likely supposed to be followed back home, and it may be the high from the sex that¡¯s giving me these feelings, but as I look at her now, especially when she leans in to kiss me that I gladly return in kind while she¡¯s humping my cock, I could see the two of us being together for a long while.

    As of this moment, Umeiyon, the Dragon Girl, is now my woman. Whether or not we¡¯ll be able to have kids whenever I¡¯m ready to be a parent, I¡¯ll do what my dad failed to do for Mom and take responsibility to support and cherish her, do everything I can for her, and I¡¯ll make sure her choosing me to be her mate won¡¯t be a mistake.

    I won¡¯t let anything take someone precious to me again like they had the last few times ¡­ I¡¯ll get my hands dirtied red if I have to.

 Chapter 44: Declaration of Courtship

    By the time Ume and I cum inside her once more, relish the afterglow while kissing, and calling it a day, I get something unexpected.

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    [Number of climaxes: 2; the user will receive 2 level ups.]

    It seems one of my new skills, ¡®Climactic Level-Up,¡¯ works as the name suggests. I literally get a level-up for every time I ¡®climax.¡¯ Nyra herself points out how jacking myself off won¡¯t cut it, either. Apparently, it has to be done by whatever way a girl I¡¯m with does it. Anal, blowjob, handjob, whatever it is she¡¯s doing, she has to be the direct cause of my climaxes.

    Knowing this is from the only girl I know who has ¡®gotten around¡¯ with people the most, she¡¯s not fucking around with this.

    I guess there are also gender-specific titles related to this subject as Nyra said she has things like ¡®Ms. Libido,¡¯ ¡®Mistress Libido,¡¯ ¡®Trollop,¡¯ ¡®Harem Queen,¡¯ and ¡®Nymphomaniac.¡¯ I guess achieving those titles requires filling specific conditions.

    <¡°But man, ¡®Dragon [Sex] Slayer,¡¯ that¡¯s a first I¡¯ve heard of such a title that seems to have a big payoff. Wonder if that would work for me if I was doing it with a male Dragon? Even if I was able to make such an achievement, I don¡¯t think it would cut it for whatever I might get for the biggest mountain I wanted to climb: getting in bed with Her Majesty. Oh, if I just had one night with her, knowing how well my tanto would come out, my life would¡¯ve been complete.¡±>

    I guess Nyra had pretty crazy dreams she wanted to be fulfilled back in the day. I have an uneasy churning in my stomach wondering how well Nyra and Kazumi would get along if they met.

    Anyway, I used ¡®Create Sand¡¯ from Terra Magic to fill in the claw marks Ume made to make them less noticeable and [Clean] to clear every nook and cranny of the meeting room as well as ourselves. I wasn¡¯t sure how far up the null spell would do for Ume¡¯s snatch if I can¡¯t see it directly, so I used Water Magic as a sort of enema to rinse her insides, which was a pretty strange experience. She was actually crestfallen that she couldn¡¯t just let it sit there inside her if she isn¡¯t going to get pregnant, but then they¡¯d be dripping down her legs as she goes about in public and we don¡¯t want that to be seen. Panties could probably lessen the mess, but when I brought up that solution to her ¡­

    ¡°I saw a few when I was looking around and don¡¯t really see the point of wearing something like that. It would be one more article of clothing I¡¯d have to take off if I want to transform without ripping it to shreds, and when I tried a pair on that were just hanging there for some reason, sure, it might¡¯ve been too small, but it didn¡¯t sit right with my tail in Lizardman Form, and God forbid how bad that would be in Dragonoid form.¡±

    That¡¯s what Ume said, but more importantly, did she just say she picked up a pair of clean panties that were hanging to dry without the owner¡¯s permission? I hope she at least cleaned it before putting it back or I just found a suspect for a potential panty-thieving pervert.

    Seriously, she may be insanely intelligent in magic, but it¡¯s a wonder how random her common sense for things can be.

    Going back to the argument though, she had to either pick wearing panties during the day¡ªthat I¡¯d pay for her, of course¡ªor live with getting her pussy washed after sex, not including the times that would happen at night before bed though, since we¡¯d be in bed and not bother going out by then. When I told her how I¡¯ll make an announcement of making our relationship official in exchange, she caved in.

    Needless to say, even though Ume knew she wasn¡¯t really doing it, she had very mixed feelings of getting flushed down there in a way that looks like peeing while it¡¯s being done in front of me. Me, on the other hand, while I knew most of that was just water, I felt like something clicked inside me as I was watching such a unique spectacle, but I restrained myself from looking further into the subject.

    I also realized at that point that Ume will be going around commando from now on ¡­ we need to find some clothes that will cover her privates while they suit to her liking, but I can¡¯t help but feel a little excited at the thought.

    I stopped myself when I fantasized the possibilities of teasing her vulnerable cunt under a table while we sit together with everyone.

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    We agreed that we have to keep her Dragon identity a secret, but honestly, keeping our sex moment a secret if they asked would be too much of a pain. We¡¯d have to keep it on the down low so we wouldn¡¯t get any scolding from the guild, but since my ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ skill level and ¡®Dragon [Sex] Slayer¡¯ title would be dead giveaways put together, I decide to withhold revealing my status to the others until later. Just in case, I used ¡®Status Sorting¡¯ to hide my ¡®Dragon [Sex] Slayer¡¯ title in another window.

    Once everything was properly clean and tidy, we were properly dressed, and Ume reverted to her Lizardman form, we finally stepped out of the meeting room, claw in hand.

    I figured if we¡¯re going to make it official, we might as well make it obvious. When I told Ume it was normal for humans to hold hands like this when they¡¯re a couple, judging by the awkward smile on her reddened face, she doesn¡¯t know whether to feel happy or embarrassed.

    No, down boy. I know she¡¯s cute, but keep it together, man. You kept the others waiting long enough. Just be glad you have a girlfriend now ¡­ girlfriend. Wait, or could it be that ¡®mate¡¯ is on the same level as a husband and wife if it¡¯s as committed as they¡¯re making it out to be? Did we just get hitched?

    <¡°That seems to be the case going by what I¡¯ve seen in those I¡¯ve previously possessed,¡±> Nyra answers.

    I see, it may not be official in human standards, but in a sense, Ume¡¯s my wife now ¡­ dammit, don¡¯t you start smiling weirdly, too.

    ~~

    ¡°Sheesh, about time you two came back ¡­ but what exactly is this I¡¯m seeing here?¡± Lili asks first as Ume and I approach our group gathered around a table. Ren and Erizora are currently eating a large plateful of muttons, clearly more than a snack bought with the money I gave them while Winny who joined back with us however long ago is having tea.

    ¡°Yeah, we went into ¡®the talk¡¯ in great detail and went over some things after that, which includes what will happen in the future,¡± I answer first before gesturing to Ume next to me, her claw still in my hand. ¡°Ladies, allow me to introduce you to my new mate as of today.¡±

    ¡°All righ, Mashtah!¡± Erizora exclaims with her mouth full.

    ¡°How wonderful! May the Immortals grant you happiness in your courtship,¡± Winny adds with her hands together in prayer.

    ¡°Master! Let¡¯s have a feast to celebrate! To your courting with Ms. Umeiyon and the formation of our new party! ¡­ If that isn¡¯t too much to ask of a slave,¡± Ren says after remembering her place, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯d fault her for getting excited.

    A feast when you already have that much food as your ¡®snack?¡¯ Despite my thought, I shrug. ¡°I am pretty hungry. Ume, how about it?¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡± Ume mumbles while her face is still red.

    ¡°Oh, we should register ourselves as a party while we¡¯re at it. Where¡¯s Ms. Gallofree, by the way?¡± Indeed, when I look around the guild, I don¡¯t see a sign of our Centaur companion in sight.

    ¡°Kalline ate an appetizer and left to ¡®prepare for the great battle that awaits her,¡¯¡± Lili answers. ¡°I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s steeling herself to ask her uncle about joining your party. She wanted me to tell you that she¡¯ll return with the results tomorrow and suggested you reserve a room or two at the ¡®Cantering Dreams Inn¡¯ for tonight.¡±

    ¡°I guess we won¡¯t be seeing her again until tomorrow. Lili, Winny, would you two like to join us in our ¡®feast¡¯ once we get our party registered?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m down with that. I think I¡¯d like a dinner that¡¯d turn out better than what happened last night.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind someone like me, then I¡¯ll be more than happy to humbly accept the invitation to your celebration,¡± Lili and Winny answer, respectively.

    ¡°Oh! I just remembered! They came over earlier and mentioned they¡¯re ready to go over your reward, Master!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°All right! To the reception!¡± Erizora says after finishing a leg of some meat. She and Ren then use napkins to clean their hands and faces before making a dash to the reception first.

    ¡°We¡¯ll hold the table here.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Lili,¡± I say before I head over to the counter as well with Ume still holding my hand.

    <¡°Jinma ¡­¡±>

    Yeah, even if you didn¡¯t tell me, I can feel it. As we were walking over, I could sense a bunch of hateful gazes aiming our way. I wonder if they were the same guys who were at Ume¡¯s ranking test earlier.

    ¡°Jin ¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it, Ume?¡± I ask her, noticing how she¡¯s sort of staring into space.

    ¡°We¡¯re ¡­ really partners, right? You¡¯re my mate and I¡¯m yours? This is really happening, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I see, so Jin really is my mate now ¡­¡± Ume giggles to herself while her face is blushing again.

    She¡¯s totally oblivious to the tense air around us, but goddammit, she looks so cute right now.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    All right, screw it, single or not, I get glares back home anyway.

    I make a bold move to kiss Ume right on the lips, right where everyone would see us. Ume jumps startled from my sneak attack.

    ¡°J-Jin?! W-What was that for?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my mate, so I¡¯ll kiss you whenever I feel like it, and the cute face you¡¯re making right now is begging me to smooch it.¡± I emphasize my point with another peck on her cheek this time.

    ¡°Th-This is really embarrassing.¡± She tries to cover her face with her free claw but poorly covers her smile.

    Ah, seeing a prideful and haughty woman melt in front of me like this, I wanna embarrass her more in front of everyone. I restrain myself though and we continue to the reception. I blissfully ignore the malicious glares directed at our way in the process.

 Chapter 45: Rewards

    ¡°Hello, new adventurer~. A little spider told me you got quite the high ranking, too. Congratulations on your achievement,¡± Ms. Raize greets when the four of us gather around her counter.

    ¡°Thanks, Ms. Raize.¡±

    ¡°And I see you got a party already gathered, too. Shall I have you all registered as one?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of what we¡¯re here for. Could you set us up?¡±

    ¡°Most certainly!¡±

    After using the receipts to confirm my slave ownership with Ren and Erizora, we all hand over our cards for Ms. Raize to use a special stamp to mark them. Apparently, our party ID number is 7734, and our party rank is currently blue with the four of us together.

    ¡°Have you come up with a name for your party yet? You don¡¯t have to give one now and you can change it at any time,¡± Ms. Raize says.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll hold it off and think about it for now.¡±

    With that, we got our cards back.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin counting off the spoils that you earned, starting with the bounty on Glock, the Putrid¡¯s head ¡­¡±

    To keep things short, here¡¯s a summary of what I brought in and received in exchange, along with a few surprises:

    <ul>

    <li>Glock the Ruthless

    <ul>

    <li>Bounty: 578,000 karos</li>

    <li>Total from dismantled Mon Crystal, teeth, plants, fungi, and useable innards: 430,312 karos</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Monster Pile; a total of 369 corpses counted by Ren and Erizora

    <ul>

    <li>Total from dismantled Mon Crystals, teeth, horns, tusks, useable/edible innards, pelts, claws, venom sacs, and stingers: 837,697 karos</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Collected Bear Moles from last night¡¯s infiltration; 27, plus 1 King Bear Mole, as reported by Ren, Erizora, and Ms. Gallofree

    <ul>

    <li>Total from corpses collected, with some charges taken by the guild dismantling them for parts afterward, as well as to repair parts of the city I damaged: 98,481 karos</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Capturing the leader and second-in-command of White Rapture¡¯s infiltration on the city last night, plus taking part in subduing the cultists.

    <ul>

    <li>Total from 89 bodies (dead or alive) counted as witnessed by Ren, Erizora, and Ms. Gallofree: 750,000.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Grand Total of money earned: 2,694,490 karos.</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°My.¡±

    ¡°God,¡± Ren, Erizora, and I say, respectively.

    ¡°Hm ¡­ that¡¯s not very much.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Umeiyon, just how wealthy are you to even say something so outrageous?¡± Ren asks Ume.

    ¡°Now, as you might guess, we don¡¯t have that much money on hand already to give you,¡± Ms. Raize says. ¡°We do have an account service for adventurers to store their money and other valuables for safekeeping. Would you like to have the money you just earned be stored in that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that would be great, but um ¡­ is there a way I can put part of that money towards the reparations to the city?¡±

    Not only Ms. Raize, but Ren, Erizora, and whoever else were within earshot widen their eyes and turn to me. Ume only looks at me in confusion.

    ¡°Would you be willing to do that, Mr. Jinma?¡± Ms. Raize asks.

    ¡°Yeah, I honestly have more than I know what to do with, already, and I¡¯d rather not let it sit around doing nothing. Also, I happen to have the items Glock had in his horde that most likely belonged to the victims. Would it be possible to have those be returned to their families in mourning?¡±

    ¡°We can do that, no problem! Let¡¯s get that settled, right away!¡±

    After I checked to see if Ren returned the daggers I lent to her last night, I took out all the shiny weapons, gems, and jewelry stored in my MIB that Ms. Raize had to call a few other employees to take to another area to deal with later. Then, I took out most of the weapons I collected from the cultists in the infiltration last night from my [Storage]. Swords, daggers, axes, clubs, plus a couple of wands, two of which being very capable to boost one¡¯s magic attacks according to Ms. Raize¡¯s appraisal. I kept one for myself and the other to Ume, being the magic specialist of our group. Despite saying she didn¡¯t need it, she put it away in her [Storage] to give me peace of mind. I also kept a couple of spears that were gathered last night to be used as disposable throwing projectiles just in case.

    Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Mom couldn¡¯t stress that saying enough when she had me carrying an umbrella, gloves, and a scarf for the wet and cold seasons back in my school days.

    Once I got the total of those being sold, I then settled with distributing the money from my reward to where I¡¯m left with about half of the grand total, 1.49 million karos, in my new account while the rest plus extra go to city repairs. I know I gave Ms. Tephalia 3 million karos already to pay for the tanto, the damages in her bedchambers, and what¡¯s left to repair the city, but I felt it should go more towards the first two, especially Nyra since she¡¯s made of such a rare material that has special properties. From what Ms. Raize told me, whatever money¡¯s left would go to the citizens who had their homes damaged, treatment for their wounds, and an orphanage that¡¯s around the same area as the church.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Charitable¡¯ title!]

    I also got that at the end of my ¡®transaction.¡¯ I didn¡¯t really understand why it didn¡¯t come up for me when I gave all that money to Ms. Tephalia, but I decided to not think about it too much. I said I had more money than what I could do with, and while that¡¯s true, part of me feels a little sour as I recall receiving large sums of money doing the same thing back home at my previous job. Sure, helping pay for Mom¡¯s medical bills kept me going, but other than the assholes who feel like they don¡¯t owe anything, there were a handful of good people who made the wrong decision of turning to this company for ¡®financial support.¡¯ By the time the debt becomes too high to pay back that they can¡¯t keep up with any more, well ¡­ let¡¯s say I learned the hard way how bad my workplace really was that led me to quit after Mom passed away.

    I don¡¯t think that doing this will make up for what I¡¯ve done in my old company¡¯s ¡®business.¡¯ Hell, even if the cultists were assholes last night, I still took their money and whatever belongings I could stow away in my [Storage] at the time just like I had before back home. I want to live the life I want to live, but the least I could do is be a decent citizen and put some money towards good causes when it¡¯s convenient.

    ¡°We thank you very much for your patronage, Mr. Jinma,¡± Ms. Raize says while bowing, ¡°and we¡¯ll make sure the money selling the weapons back to the victims¡¯ families will go to your account as well, not counting the taxes, of course.¡±

    ¡°Huh? But I don¡¯t think I need the money from that, though. Couldn¡¯t you just return those weapons like it is?¡±

    ¡°If we did that without a fee, there will be people who will claim to be relatives to collect those weapons to sell for themselves instead.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Honestly, to even go that far for some spare change, pathetic doesn¡¯t even begin to describe how low they are,¡± Ume comments.

    ¡°I guess that makes sense. Then, could you put that money from the fees to the orphanage in town, too?¡± I ask.

    ¡°We could most certainly do that, just leave it to us.¡±

    I breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that. Honestly, I didn¡¯t feel right taking money from mourning families.

    ¡°Now normally, this is where we¡¯d reward you points to your rank for the achievements, but since you did it all while not registered in the guild, we have to follow policy and reward it to those who¡¯ve officially taken on the quests at the time. Wanted criminals and monsters like Glock the Putrid may be an exception as one could run into them at any given time with or without officially taking the ¡®quest,¡¯ but they¡¯d still have to be registered adventurers at the time of collection. It¡¯s a shame, but it¡¯s thanks to you pulling out that Toxic Troll that Guild Master gave you his attention, so it works out, right?¡±

    I only shrug in response. I didn¡¯t really care about the ranking as long as I could get the money that was due.

    ¡°Well, I think that should cover about everything right now. If you don¡¯t mind me prying, what are your plans after this?¡± Ms. Raize asks.

    ¡°Actually, we¡¯d like to order a special dinner for a celebration at our table.¡±

    ¡°For our party¡¯s formation and Master¡¯s courtship with Ms. Umeiyon!¡± Ren exclaims with excitement.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Goodness, that certainly is a good reason to celebrate. You¡¯re with Lili and Winny at that table over there, right? We¡¯ll have some menus over there and you can order whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Ms. Raize.¡±

    ¡°Still, while I¡¯m happy for you, Mr. Jinma, I¡¯m a little sad. Just when I decided to not meddle into my daughter¡¯s love life, the first man I have my eyes on is already taken. Though, I pretty much lost my chance after last night, huh?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what went on between you two, but if you¡¯re not planning on doing anything nefarious, Raize, you¡¯re welcome to get closer to Jin, you know?¡±

    Not just Ms. Raize, even I couldn¡¯t believe what I just heard from Ume.

    ¡°Um ¡­ by getting closer, you mean like that, right? Are you sure that¡¯s okay, Ume?¡± I ask.

    ¡°By ¡®that,¡¯ you mean sex, right? Well, going by what Ren said earlier, there will be other females who¡¯ll be infatuated with you like the three of us are. Looking back at our ¡®talk,¡¯ even for someone like me, I think females can only handle so much at a certain time. We had polygamy back in my home as well and I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll make allies with those who are better in some areas than I am. As long as I¡¯m aware of who we¡¯re dealing with, you¡¯re welcome to seek other females that catch your fancy, be they for the short term or long term. Though, you¡¯ll have to show me what a ¡®brothel¡¯ is and what takes place there some time as I¡¯m still unfamiliar in some areas of this subject.¡±

    ¡°O ¡­ kay? And, what about you?¡±

    ¡°Me? Why, I¡¯ll always go to you for sex, of course. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s able to spark these feelings of mine, after all. I don¡¯t see how I could possibly get anything better from anyone else.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°W-Wait, so Master lost his virginity to Ms. Umeiyon? Since when?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°Actually, I thought I smelled something funny some time before they came back from the meeting room, could it be that¡ª¡±

    ¡°We took it someplace else, of course! Man, do Null Spells come in handy when they count, don¡¯t they?!¡± I interrupt Ren while admittedly trying too hard to come up with a good lie.

    Ren furrows her brow at me as if she could smell my lie a kilometer away. I really need to explain things to them soon, I decide to myself.

    Ms. Raize clears her throat and beckons me closer, to which I lean my ear towards her. ¡°Since Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s kindly offering, you¡¯re welcome to spend a night or two at my place. I could have the slaves set up in the cellar to sleep in and then help however the two of you want to sleep together after that. Of course, if you¡¯re all right with little old me, you two could stay in my room.¡±

    <¡°Daaaaaamn, the predator has you in her sights, dude,¡±> Nyra says.

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s very nice of you, Ms. Raize, but we don¡¯t want to impose,¡± I say with my hands up.

    ¡°Oh, come now, I haven¡¯t even begun to thank you properly for saving me, as well as apologize for my um ¡­ condescending treatment towards you with your class.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s water under the bridge and your thoughts are good enough. I don¡¯t want to risk bothering Lili, either.¡±

    ¡°But there must be something¡ª¡±

    ¡°He said he¡¯s fine, Mom.¡±

    Lili startles me a little as she comes into our talk from behind and rests her claws on my shoulders. ¡°Just please have the menus sent to our table and we¡¯ll have our dinner here. Let¡¯s go, Jinma, girls.¡± She then moves me away from the reception while the other girls in my new party follow.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, sweetie! I¡¯ll see you around, too, Mr. Jinma!¡± I could hear Ms. Raize call from behind.

    ¡°¡­ She didn¡¯t say anything strange to you, did she?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re not ¡­ interested in her in that way, are you? I won¡¯t judge you for your tastes, so please be honest with me.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I admit she¡¯s attractive, but I don¡¯t want to do anything with her if it bothers you, Lili.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I want you to go that far. Mom doesn¡¯t have a lot of male company to mingle with, and she¡¯s really changed her opinion on you when we last talked. I don¡¯t mind you getting along with her, but ¡­ just tell me if you think there¡¯s something going on and we¡¯ll work things out from there, all right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can do that.¡±

    <¡°Hmm, ¡®work something out,¡¯ huh? Gotta admit, I never did a threesome with a parent and kid grouped with me, so this might be really interesting.¡±>

    How ¡­ would that even work with their bodies?

    <¡°You could come up with something creative with your Darkness Manipulation, maybe?¡±>

    Well, I hesitated because I wasn¡¯t sure how awkward things would be between Lili and Ms. Raize, but if they¡¯re both into it ¡­ maybe we can have something set up before we all leave for Korangar?

    <¡°Now, we¡¯re talking! Feeling more confident after getting your V-card punched, stud?¡±>

    I mean, I know Ume wanted to be with me as my mate, but I didn¡¯t think she was that open to polygamy after the sex we had. I feel weird thinking about switching over to another girl just like that. Ume and I are planning to continue where we left off later tonight, so maybe I could get Ren or Erizora to help us learn how to cooperate with multiple partners at once around that time.

    <¡°It would certainly be a good warm-up, for sure.¡±>

    When we got back to the table, one of the guild receptionists acting as our waitress brought our menus and gave us some time to look over what there is to eat. Of course, I couldn¡¯t read Padimonian, so Ume and Ren who were both sitting on each side helped me figure out what to order.

    Once we made our orders when the waitress returned, Lili brought up an interesting topic.

    ¡°So, Ms. Umeiyon, you¡¯re Jinma¡¯s mate now, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right ¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you have something like a wardrobe change?¡± Lili asks as she feels Ume¡¯s rags.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them? They make me look decent, do they?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re an eyesore, and I wouldn¡¯t be caught dead wearing something like this while I¡¯m with my mate.¡±

    <¡°Finally! Someone mentions it! Fighter or not, girls gotta go in style wherever they go! But going commando like Scalybutt here? Totally okay with that. Back in my day, I used to go out and walk around the home without them on from time to time.¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°I can pay for her clothes, Lili. How much would I owe you?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, if you want something by today while having it enchanted with self-repairing magic and fitting adjustment magic, let¡¯s do ¡­ 450,000 karos.¡±

    I already have my money pouch out as she spoke and quickly counted 45 gold coins to pass off to her.

    ¡°Pleasure doing business! Do you have any recommendations for what design I should do for her?¡±

    Normally, I probably would¡¯ve said ¡®anything¡¯s fine,¡¯ but when the word ¡®Dragon¡¯ came to my mind as I look at Ume, I recall a certain attire that some girls wear back in my world that I must admit that I¡¯ve taken a fancy to for the longest time. It may be a Dragon based off of a different culture, but just imagining it has me believing she could pull it off really well. Some other things that would fit into Ume¡¯s taste are also taken into consideration that gets me a little creative.

    <¡°Oooh~, I can see what you¡¯re thinking, and I¡¯m liking your tastes in fashion, Jinma! I say go for it!¡±>

    I quickly take out my smartphone from the MIB and went to the internet to search for good images.

    When I pass it to Lili with the image shown on the screen, I explain to her how to make it backless if it¡¯s possible and have the skirt designed like an apron that wraps around the waist above where Ume¡¯s tail begins. She gets a pad and charcoal pencil from ¡­ somewhere, and writes down the notes of my specifications.

    ¡°I see where you¡¯re going with the skirt, but interesting ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen a design like this before. May I use this as a base to make more for my shop?¡±

    ¡°Go for it. I think it could work for guys, too, if it¡¯s simple enough and include pants. The specifications for this should work, but it may be best to get Ume¡¯s opinion of what she¡¯d like just in case. Also, if possible, I think having the color matching her scales would do wonders.¡±

    ¡°What? What is it that Jinma wants me to wear?¡± Ume asks as she tries to see what¡¯s on the smartphone screen, but Lili pulls it away and passes it back to me.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m keeping this as a surprise. From what I¡¯m already cooking up, I think you¡¯re going to love his design choices. Let¡¯s reserve a meeting room so that I can get your measurements. From what we¡¯ve ordered and how packed this place is, it will take at least an hour and a half, not including bread and appetizers, to get everything out, and that should be enough time for me to get everything ready.¡±

    ¡°Can you really get something like that done within such a short time?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking at a professional tailoress who spins her own silk, sweetie. While I charge extra for timing and convenience, I never leave my customers disappointed with my products. Let¡¯s get a move on, Ms. Umeiyon.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you, Lili!¡± I exclaim as they approach the reception desk to reserve a meeting room. Lili responds with a thumb-claw up as the two of them walk. ¡°An hour and a half, huh ¡­¡±

    With my smartphone in hand, I set a timer and learn something interesting as I fiddle around with it. The Immortals must¡¯ve really changed the phone¡¯s operational properties that goes in this world¡¯s real-time in some way when I got here. Going by what I could adjust in the timer, there are not only 36 hours in a day here in Raiza, but 90 minutes in an hour as well as 90 seconds in that.

    It was already jarring enough knowing this world has days that last 12 hours longer than Earth. Knowing there¡¯s an extra 30 in both minutes and seconds, that really extends the time further. Maybe it¡¯s part of why Lady Krauss thought we only needed a day after confirming our acceptance to the quest to prepare ourselves, but knowing days last so long, I wonder if people actually need to eat four full meals a day and sleep more hours to get their energy back. It would certainly explain why Ren and Erizora¡¯s ¡®snack¡¯ was so large in portions that it¡¯s a full meal in itself.

    Going back to Lili¡¯s approximation in time for when the food¡¯s ready, an ¡®hour and a half¡¯ in this case would mean 135 minutes in total.

    ¡°Yeah, that should be fine,¡± I mumble to myself as I finish setting the timer. ¡°I¡¯m going to step out and work up an appetite. Ren, Erizora, you stay here with Winny and keep watch.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master,¡±¡± they answer without questioning further.

    Leaving my MIB under the table and Nyra holstered at my side, I step out of the guild and start my walk. Nyra, are they following?

    <¡°Yep. A few at a time at first, but the numbers are growing, all humans. You going to take care of them before dinner?¡±>

    Depending on where this is going, I might have ¡®Round 4¡¯ with you this time around.

    <¡°Oh ho ho ho ho~, I¡¯m already getting wet just thinking about it! This is going to be fun~!¡±>

    I¡¯ve been sensing the other adventurers¡¯ hostility for quite some time since I made my show of love with Ume. ¡®That damn Demongenerate, so sickening.¡¯ ¡®What is wrong with that guy?¡¯ ¡®So disgusting, Demongenerates should just die.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m gonna have a word with that bastard child ¡­¡¯ I¡¯ve overheard things like that and then some, but it seems ¡®Demongenerate¡¯ is an infamous derogatory term around these parts. Aside from that, I¡¯m not unfamiliar with these things over my time back home.

    Up to my death back home, one could figuratively say I¡¯ve been fighting with one arm tied behind my back because I could possibly kill someone if I went all out. Even when I was overwhelmed by the mob that brought me closer to my death, I still held back mainly more to follow the law and not risk myself getting arrested than following morals. Sure, there¡¯s justified self-defense, but I¡¯m not sure if I could pass it off like that with how much power I had at the time.

    Now that I¡¯m in a place that violence is more prevalent and I¡¯m in a position as an adventurer to make some appropriate calls under certain circumstances, I may finally fight with both arms. I just need to find an appropriate battlefield to go all-out in.

 Chapter 46: A Killer Resolve

    I kept walking and acting oblivious to the growing mob behind me as I look around for a good spot. Going by how I fought with Nyra as my main weapon the last few times, if I can find a smaller space to bring them all together, I could deal them on a smaller scale without getting too destructive with the city and not get innocents involved.

    Luckily, I found an alleyway that I went through, leading to some sort of backlot that¡¯s perfect for underground brawls.

    ¡°Oh, no, I guess I took a wrong turn. Let¡¯s go back and retrace my steps.¡±

    <¡°Wow, were you even trying to act naturally? That was so weak a dull sword would work as a better club than your acting.¡±>

    I was never good in plays back in the day.

    I turn around and am about to head my way out until I see the adventurers who were following me come pouring in. I¡¯m quickly surrounded at all sides, the boy-girl ratio is about 7 to 1 with the total looking to be around 50 or so. I silently chant [Soundproof] to quickly create a barrier around the area without their noticing, reaching as far as the entrance to the backlot.

    ¡°May I help you, ladies and gentlemen?¡± I ask while looking innocent and start skimming through each person¡¯s statuses with my ¡®Size Up¡¯ as fast as possible.

    ¡°Yeah! You buzz off with the flirting on the ugly Lizardman girl!¡±

    ¡°Did you actually fuck her?! What is wrong with you?!¡±

    ¡°You think you¡¯re such a hotshot fooling around with demons like that?! Ugh! Just stop!¡±

    ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t even beat all of those monsters you showed off on your own! You¡¯re freaking bluffing!¡±

    ¡°Maybe you charmed that abomination of a Priestess to vouch for you, too!¡±

    ¡°Freaks of nature! All of you! Demons and Demongenerates alike!¡±

    The derogatoriness goes on as more of them join in while I ¡®Size Up¡¯ each one of them despite the slight pang in my head that came in between.

    [You have reached ¡®Size Up¡¯ LV 6!]

    Even when my skill made a level-up, I don¡¯t backtrack. I keep going to see what¡¯s different and reached a summarized conclusion.

    The adventurers here range from green to violet rank, about a quarter of them look to have Advanced Classes like Berserker, Sorcerer, Priest, Nightblade, and others. With my leveled-up skill, I¡¯m able to see the rest of their stats like ATK, DEF, and the rest as well as the current levels in their classes, but I don¡¯t see their EXP, which isn¡¯t much of a loss for me. If I have to average out the numbers I¡¯ve seen, save for their AGI and LUCK that look to have different value systems, the rest have around 1500 to 2800 points. There were a few that were almost up to 3500 in points on one stat.

    The biggest kicker though? They all have titles like ¡®White Rapture Brother¡¯ and ¡®White Rapture Sister,¡¯ and they seem to have their signature robes stored in the knapsacks on their backs. That means either these guys are the remnants of last night¡¯s infiltration that have come back for revenge, or they¡¯re reinforcements sent to scout around what caused their plan last night to fail and come up with another for a counterattack. Maybe a little bit of both.

    Still, I¡¯m not sure what White Rupture¡¯s stance is in Dondegarm¡¯s blacklist, but if they were able to sneak inside the city using their ¡®Adventurer¡¯ titles, there could be more around these parts that aren¡¯t in this backlot right now, waiting for the right moment to act on another infiltration or some other mission.

    Going by Raiza¡¯s real-time, I¡¯d say about 5 minutes have passed since I left the guild, leaving me 130 left to see if I can find them all. With a city this big and not much explored, even with [Portal] to go to places I¡¯ve remembered, I haven¡¯t explored much to say I can get around quick enough before the feast.

    ¡°You Demongenerates are such an eyesore to get off on the Demon-Kin. You might as well not be human if those hideous, freakish bastard children get you going more than a real woman.¡± The man who steps up and says that goes by Lyles, a Berserker who has the highest ATK out of everyone here and one of the very few violet-ranks who¡¯re with us. I wonder if this could be the one leading the second wave of the raid.

    Taking his double-headed battle axe out, Lyles aims one head right above my shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know what cheap tricks you played to get everyone¡¯s attention so far, but you¡¯re now surrounded. Your playtime is over. Any last words before we send you to hell?¡±

    Despite getting pissed off at these bastards talking smack against my party, especially Ume, I can¡¯t really let my emotions do everything for me. How I killed those guys last night still seems surreal to me, like I was barely under the control of my own actions, but something was influencing me to take their lives as effortlessly as I did.

    I have a feeling my ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ was one of those ¡®influences.¡¯ At that time, it was almost like I¡¯m seeing the murderer¡¯s perspective in a horror movie and I have no control of his/her actions. This time, my mind is clear, judgment is sound to an extent, and awareness high for what¡¯s about to transpire.

    This time, I don¡¯t have influences like the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ or Nyra¡¯s curse that are pulling me towards the path I¡¯m taking. No, I¡¯ll be taking a path with my own two feet, my own power, my own will, and once I take that first step, there¡¯s no going back, only forward towards whatever¡¯s ahead of me.

    With that in mind, I make my choice.

    ¡°You¡¯re friends with Gin and Rasholl in White Rapture, right? Just out of curiosity, how many of you are here in the city?¡±

    ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± Lyles, as well as the others, are shocked to see how I saw through them.

    ¡°He knows too much! Get¡ª¡±

    Zasha!

    Just as Lyles makes his order, I quickly pull out Nyra, activating Darkness Manipulation to extend the blade¡¯s range while making an extension of the handle, going from a tanto to a katana. I swipe it across his neck at the same time as I made those extensions, decapitating him smoothly.

    With my ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ on and my fast AGI, I make my move and initiate the battle with a ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ on my face. From offing Lyles, I dash to the first person in the direction of my momentum and stab him right in his vital point, then slash the blade through his body along with other internal organs that bring his HP to 0 instantly. The blood from the second victim splatters against his comrades within splash range and I take advantage of the opening before they have a chance to react.

    And so, the hack-and-slash went on. I aim for the vitals so the Immortals¡¯ influence won¡¯t be able to stop the cultists from dying, I effortlessly take lives one after the other thanks to the Chaos Ore¡¯s supersonic vibrating properties in Nyra¡¯s blade combined with my high ¡®Strength¡¯ and ATK. My AGI that¡¯s the highest out of everyone here allows me to zip through victims one-by-one. A couple of them tried to make a move and fight back, but with my ¡®Hyper Perception,¡¯ I¡¯m able to read their moves and react accordingly, using little movement to evade before offing them in a counterattack. Everything seems to be moving slowly like they¡¯re all underwater, and while I feel the same, it¡¯s like there¡¯s something over my body that repels the water slowing me down, allowing me to move more smoothly and quickly.

    Young and old, low and high in the ranking, novice and advanced in class, even man and woman. No matter what differences set them apart, all of their lives ended in the same way: falling victim to my attacks after making the foolish choice of ganging up on me.

    <¡°Aahhn~! Yes! Yes! More, Jinma! Fuck me more! Use me more! Pour more of your mana and their blood inside and make me explode with ecstasy! I want to feel it all! Fuck me and make me cum~!¡±> Nyra squeals in the process.

    Fighting and taking lives ¡­ I think a normal, conscientious, sane person would get overwhelmed with grief and madness after murdering so many people at once, but with Nyra¡¯s colorful commentary in my mind? With each cut and stab I make, I care less and less about their well-being and my consequences. Instead, I think more about how I want to make the slutty Pixie scream with ecstasy. It doesn¡¯t help that I¡¯m still a little excited and horny after my few rounds with Ume.

    I think the ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ on my face is growing on me as I¡¯m actually starting to get some sick enjoyment out of this.

    For so long, I¡¯ve tried to fit in, held myself back, and went along with the rules on Earth that would inhibit my actions the most. I thought playing honest and fair while working hard for my life like everyone else would help me achieve something worthwhile.

    While I still think it¡¯s fine to try and be a decent citizen, I should¡¯ve realized a long time ago that living the ¡®normal¡¯ life would be impossible for someone like me. No matter what I tried to do to not bother people and avoid trouble, it will always find some way to approach me and try to make my life miserable anyway. There will always be people who¡¯ll judge me, who¡¯ll not accept any of my actions, even fucking assholes trying to beat me for breathing or just being some object to vent out stupid personal shit that I don¡¯t want any part in.

    I might¡¯ve known this for a while but somewhere deep inside me, beating up assholes was one of the few things in my previous life that didn¡¯t make ¡®living¡¯ as boring as I thought it would be. In my last job, when they resisted in giving up the money that was due to pay their loans, it wasn¡¯t as much of a change to spice things up. Now, as I¡¯m not holding back my strength, still maintaining a clear mind and not receive any influences from outside forces, I couldn¡¯t feel more ¡®alive¡¯ now as I was back home, even more than how I was influenced by the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ that were active last night.

    Remembering how good I made Ume feel with my touch and movements like I am right now with Nyra as I¡¯m cutting one self-righteous asshole after another gets me more excited, more aroused, enough that I want to do more sex. I want to make both of them as well as Ren and Erizora feel good with my advances. To make them all melt as I claim them to be my women with cum, to make molds of their pussies, assholes, and orifices that would only make love to my cock. The same could be said for those like Winny, Lili, Ms. Raize, Ms. Tephalia, and others I may come across in my travels. Fantasies of what I want to do with them fill my mind as I move in a sort of dance that¡¯s in line with Nyra¡¯s solo vocals of lust and ecstasy.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I want to meet all kinds of good women and make them mine. That thought lingered in my mind the moment Lyles¡¯ head became the first stepping stone towards the new life I want to reach.

    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna let you get away after saying all of that shit to my face!¡±

    ¡°N-No¡ª¡±

    Zasha! I cut another one¡¯s body clean, crossing from his head to the waist with Nyra in katana form. When things look to finally start dying down, I deactivate my Darkness Manipulation to dissipate the extensions on the blade and revert it back to its original tanto form.

    <¡°Oh, Immortals, never in my thousand-plus years have I felt so horny cutting bastards up~. One more, just one more~,¡±> Nyra moans.

    ¡°S-Stop, please, no more ¡­¡±

    Noticing a beneath me crying for mercy, the ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ on my face might¡¯ve grown more sinister. ¡°Oh? Looks like I didn¡¯t beat you good enough. What¡¯s the matter? Didn¡¯t you say you were going to send me to hell? You¡¯ll never make it happen with that attitude~. Man Killer.¡±

    Kshan! With the guy under me, I take my foot and stomp it right onto his pathetic masculine weapon he calls his dick. The sound of his genitals bursting like a crushed watermelon, followed by an agonizing scream echoes in the [Soundproof] barrier that rings in my ears.

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re a monster! A maniac! A freak like you ¡­ has no chance of getting out of this alive!¡±

    ¡°If more want to come and die, I say let them come, because I¡¯m not a monster ¡­ I¡¯m a demon.¡±

    Schick!

    <¡°Ah~.¡±>

    Schick!

    <¡°Ahhn~.¡±>

    Schhhhhhick!

    <¡°AHAAAAAAAHHHHHN~???!¡±>

    I raise Nyra up and stab him clean right through the sternum, making him cough blood, then stab him again in the heart, and then slowly drag the blade across his throat, spraying his blood and making a mess on me that¡¯s in sync with the last of Nyra¡¯s musical orgasms.

    With him unable to move, I stand back up. Before I knew it, I was left the only one standing, surrounded by corpses stabbed and sliced into pulps that create a small pond of blood at my feet. That same blood is splattered on me and my clothes, dripping down from Nyra¡¯s blade. I feel the contrast of the warm blood being cooled by the drafty breeze that blows through the dead silent backlot ¡­ if I don¡¯t count Nyra¡¯s shallow panting after her killing sex play, of course.

    Even if that happened in Earth¡¯s real-time, that probably could¡¯ve been under 5 minutes I took to deal with all of those guys and girls. I probably could¡¯ve used a rendition of ¡®Demon¡¯s Slash¡¯ to dispose of them quicker, but I don¡¯t want to risk wrecking buildings again like I did last night, possibly pulling innocents involved as well.

    It¡¯s better I get rid of the problem quickly than to just let it linger to become someone else¡¯s down the line. That¡¯s something I¡¯m coming to learn the more I¡¯m living in this new world.

    ¡°Nyra ¡­ my ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ aren¡¯t on right now, right?¡± I ask out loud. I notice then that the ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ is stuck on my face again and I had to massage it to relax the muscles in the cheeks.

    <¡°No~, you¡¯re good~.¡±>

    I see ¡­ so, I really did it. With this blade held in my hand, I killed everyone here ¡­ at my own will.

    <¡°How do you feel?¡±>

    ¡­ Jumpy, a little horny, and a little nauseous, honestly. Never been exposed to this much blood and gore from other humans before.

    <¡°With how well our lusts were in sync, I think you¡¯ll get used to it soon enough.¡±>

    Don Don Din Don!

    Do-ro-ro Don Din Don!

    [You have now reached ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ LV 7!

    [You have now reached ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ LV 7!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Peak of Mages¡¯ title!

    [Your MP, SP. ATK, and SP. DEF. have been increased!

    [You have now learned ¡®Minor Mana Regeneration*¡¯!

    [You have reached the maximum level of the Mage class. Remaining and following EXP will be accumulated and applied to your class promotion.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Extreme Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Underdog¡¯s Third Class*¡¯!

    [Third Class has been automatically set to ¡®Thief.¡¯ Remaining EXP has been integrated into the registered class.

    [You have acquired a new ability! Alpha Underdog!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Peak of Thieves¡¯ title!

    [Your HP, MP, and AGI have been increased!

    [You have now learned ¡®Insightful Mapping*¡¯!

    [You have reached the maximum level of the Thief class. Remaining and following EXP will be accumulated and applied to your class promotion.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Crafty Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Skill Point Conversion*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Cunning Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Underdog¡¯s Fourth Class*¡¯!

    [Fourth Class has been automatically set to ¡®Myrmidon.¡¯ Remaining EXP has been integrated into the registered class.

    [You have now learned ¡®Class Authority*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Peak of Myrmidons¡¯ title!

    [Your MP, ATK, and AGI have been increased!

    [You have now learned ¡®Detection*¡¯!

    [You have reached the maximum level of the Myrmidon class. Remaining and following EXP will be accumulated and applied to your class promotion.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Respected Underdog¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Loyal Accomplice*¡¯!]

    ¡°W-Whoa, I feel a bit dizzy, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the potent smell of blood that¡¯s causing it,¡± I say while putting a hand to my head.

    <¡°J-Jinma? Remember what I said about that tanto having 4 Gold Greed Rings embedded in the ore? About how it gives the holder twice the EXP they would normally earn in battle?¡±> Nyra asks shakily more out of anxiety than ecstasy.

    Y-Yeah?

    <¡°You also just got that new ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Labor¡¯ skill, too, which adds another 50% of EXP normally earned into your stats.¡±>

    Uh-huh?

    <¡°Finally, let¡¯s not forget the added special addition to the curse enchanted on the tanto, allowing the wielder to get three automatic level-ups for every sentient life taken instead of two.¡±>

    ¡­

    <¡°Jinma ¡­ open your status.¡±>

    I oblige and catch myself from fainting once I see the results of my growth.

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Race: D-Human

    [New Class(es) Added: Thief, Myrmidon]

    Class: Brawler [Mage, Thief, Myrmidon (only seen by the user)]

    [History: Brawler LV 471, Mage LV 150, Thief LV 150, Myrmidon LV 150 (only seen by the user)]

    [New Title(s) Achieved: Loved by Non-Humans, Almighty, Erudite, Masterful, Unwavering, Debonair, Adventurer (33<sup>rd</sup> Black), Slave Owner [Ren, Erizora], Charitable, Peak of Mages, Peak of Thieves, Peak of Myrmidons, Blessmancer, Dragon (Sex) Slayer, Mr. Libido, Master Libido, Extreme Underdog, Crafty Underdog, Cunning Underdog, Respected Underdog]

    Title: Merciless Demon, Loved by Non-Humans, Natural-Born Brawler, Almighty, Erudite, Masterful, Impregnable, Unwavering, Debonair, Charitable, Adventurer (33<sup>rd</sup> Black), Slave Owner [Ren, Erizora], Studious, Seeker of Knowledge, Peak of Mages, Peak of Thieves, Peak of Myrmidons, Pyromancer, Hydromancer, Atmomancer, Hexmancer, Umpquamancer Blessmancer, Mr. Shakedown, Assassin, Torture Expert, Monster Genocider, Dragon (Sex) Slayer, Mr. Libido, Master Libido, [Formidable Underdog, Ultimate Underdog, Fearsome Underdog, Extreme Underdog, Crafty Underdog, Cunning Underdog, Respected Underdog (only seen by user)]

    Equipment: Spider Silk Slacks, Spider Silk Suit Jacket, Spider Silk Shirt, Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra

    Stats:

    [Climaxes: 2

    [Sentients killed: 58

    LV: 471 (+2C, +174K, +122) [150 (+2C, +24K), 150 (+130K, +19), 150 (+149)]

    HP: 3345/9895 ???? [5315 (+20, +1740, +250, +1220) [+1520 (+20, +240), + 1530 (40+1300, +190), +1530 (40+1490)]]

    MP: 10647/10647 ??  [5920 (+20, +1740, +250, +250, +250, +1220) [+1667 (+20, +240), +1530 (40+1300, +190), +1530 (40+1490)]]

    ATK: 13629 ??????[8389 (+20, +1740, +250, +1397) [+1811 (+20, +240), +1702 (35+1300, +367), +1727 (60+1667)]]

    DEF: 238480 ?????[7374 (+20, +1740, +1220) [+1530 (+20, +240), +1520 (30+1300, +190), +1500 (10+1490)] X 20]

    SP. ATK: 11326 ????[6609 (+20, +1740, +250, +1220)] [+1692 (+20, +240), +1515 (25+1300, +190), +1510 (20+1490)]

    SP. DEF: 231840 ???[7017 (+20, +1740, +250, +1220) [+1565 (+20, 240), +1510 (20+1300, +190), +1500 (10+1490)] X 20]

    AGI: 11434 ????? [6164 (+20, +1740, +250, +250, +1413) [+1764 (+20, +240), 1743 (40+1300, +403), +1763 (60+1703)]]

    LUCK: 9 ?????? [39 (+6) [+20 (+3), +23 (20+3), +13 (10+3)] X 0.1]

    EXP: 320/47100 (+~5000000) [5001700 (+150K)/MAX (+~5000000), 4734000/MAX (+~5000000), 1975100/MAX (+~3092600)]

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 6715 (+6220)

    [BP: 520 (only seen by the user)]

    [TAL: 4 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger

    [REVEALED!] Black Charisma: At the first meeting, the user¡¯s unique charisma can give off attractions and influences that are substantially more positive to those who¡¯re considered strange, unique, and out-of-place from the norm of his race. At the same time and levels, negative attractions and influences affect those who are in the norm, as well as oppressors, competitors, and thugs of all kinds. Effects vary between males and females.

    Dragon Scale Defense

    [NEW!] Dragon¡¯s Greedy Hoarding: The user has a chance of getting a rare drop for every monster defeated in a battle.

    [[NEW!] Alpha Underdog (only seen by the user): The user can exude a presence to increase chances of gaining the attention of anyone or anything he desires, while at the same time use it to better scare any potential enemies away from starting a battle; the user¡¯s ¡®Charm¡¯ is greatly increased.]

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user)]

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    [Skill(s) Leveled Up: Hyper Perception LV 7, Sadistic Smile LV 7, Size Up LV 6

    [Skill(s) Revealed: Vigorous Libido LV 21

    [New Skill(s) Learned: Holy Magic LV 4, Heal LV 4, Petting LV 3, Terra Magic LV 1, Seduction LV 1, Weight Defiance*, Calculation*, Skill Bonus*, Body Temperature Stability*, Adventurer¡¯s Labor*, Climactic Level-Up*, Sweet Spots*, Climax Gauge*, Intimate Touch*, Minor Mana Regeneration*, Insightful Mapping*, Detection*, Underdog¡¯s Third Class*, Skill Point Conversion*, Underdog¡¯s Fourth Class*, Class Authority*, Loyal Accomplice*]

    Skills:

    Passive: Vigorous Libido LV 21, Poison Resistance LV 8, Slugger Style LV 7, Hyper Perception LV 7, Cooking LV 7, Throw LV 6, Merciless Style LV 6, Resourceful Weapon LV 6, Money Grubbing LV 6, Drunken Style LV 5, Darkness Manipulation LV 5, Fear Resistance LV 5, Stealth LV 5, Despair Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Holy Magic LV 4, Curse Magic LV 4, Fire Magic LV 3, Water Magic LV 3, Storm Magic LV 3, Baking LV 3, Housekeeping LV 3, Massaging LV 3, Petting LV 3, Terra Magic LV 1, Seduction LV 1, Studying MAX LV, Catch*, Intimidation*, Detection*, Ambush*, Insightful Mapping*, Sway*, Minor Magic Regeneration*, Magic Sense*, Mutilation*, Monster Bonus*, Adventurer¡¯s Labor*, Weight Defiance*, Calculation*, Skill Bonus*, Sturdy Shell*, Body Temperature Stability*, Climactic Level-Up*, Sweet Spots*, Climax Gauge*, Intimate Touch*, [Size Up LV 6, Underdog Bonus*, Status Sorting*, Skill Point Conversion*, Class Authority*, Loyal Accomplice*, Underdog¡¯s Second Class*, Underdog¡¯s Third Class*, Underdog¡¯s Fourth Class* (only seen by user)]

    Active: Glare LV 7, Sadistic Smile LV 7, Heavy Throw LV 6, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Meditation LV 4, Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4, Mow Down LV 3, Scare*, Taunt*

    Spells: Heal LV 4, Pyreball LV 3, Flame Burst LV 3, Water Blast LV 3, Wind Cutter LV 3, Debilitating Defense LV 3, Sluggish Speed LV 3, Baneful Poison LV 3

    ~~

    ¡°W-Wait, Winny mentioned how my magical aura stands out enough being so ¡­ unique, right?¡± I ask myself out loud. ¡°I-If my stats have grown this much ¡­ will my magical aura also reflect that?¡±

    <¡°That¡¯s a definite yes. Even now, I¡¯m practically trembling just being in the presence of your aura, and there will definitely be others who¡¯re sensitive to magic to feel the same. What are you doing?¡±>

    I swipe to the skills list and go over those I¡¯m able to learn right now. ¡°Please, please, let it be here ¡­ aha! ¡®Hide Magic!¡¯ I can learn this, and it¡¯s 200 SP! I¡¯d rather have Ume teach me how if it¡¯s possible, but this is an emergency that I can¡¯t act cheap with. Learn it! Learn it!¡±

    [You have spent 200 SP. Total: 6515 SP

    [You have now learned ¡®Hide Magic*¡¯!]

    At the notice¡¯s timing, I¡¯m suddenly ingrained with knowledge of the skill and how it works. It¡¯s actually rather simple that¡¯s similar to a slider adjusting the volume to a radio. From displaying total nothingness to maximum output, I could adjust how my magical aura is revealed. It seems you either have to be at a certain level as a Sage or have a high enough MP and/or SP. ATK to be able to learn it, and it looks like I have both of the latter halves definitely fulfilled.

    For the time being, I adjust my magical aura output to total nothingness, making myself invisible to the magically sensitive.

 Chapter 47: Experimental Interrogation

    <¡°Hooo~, that feels so much better! I¡¯m all for getting tickled at the right places to cumming, but I could only handle so much as a girl!¡±>

    Wait, that¡¯s what you were ¡®trembling¡¯ about?

    <¡°I mentioned before how your magic intermingling with mine makes me horny, right? Not to mention how much magic you put in the blade that fills me up and hitting all of the best spots.¡±>

    I roll my eyes and shake my head before I use many purplish-black tendrils from ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ to quickly organize the collateral into three piles: corpses, weapons, and bags of all kinds. I then use [Storage] to put the corpses and weapons away, but pull one of the bloodied bags from the pile to search its contents.

    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s just as ¡®Size Up¡¯ described. These guys had White Rapture¡¯s signature cult robes and gear, and it looks like they keep their adventurer cards in here, too ¡­ it¡¯s just as Eugus and Ms. Zelshen said at the orientation.¡±

    One of the things that were mentioned in the lecture was that if adventurers suddenly die for some reason, no matter what rank they were before, all of the cards change from their current colored rank to gray. The gold writing also fades into black like ink as well. Going through some of the adventurers¡¯/cultists¡¯ cards, they all turned gray and black after their deaths.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to report these things to the guild as soon as possible, but ¡­¡±

    <¡°You want to find any other cultists and take them out before they initiate another raid, right? You got time and a bunch of new skills, maybe one or more of them will help you find who we¡¯re looking for quicker.¡±>

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s quickly see what we got first after I gather the cards ¡­¡±

    I gathered all of the cards I can get before putting the bags into [Storage] as well, but not before using one of their stored money pouches to keep the cards inside and put it in my pocket. I then [Clean] the whole backlot as well as myself and Nyra before sheathing her. I feel like I just cleaned up a murder scene ¡­ or a genocide.

    I open the skills list again and check out my newest additions. From what I¡¯m witnessing, I¡¯m starting to question the validity of my LUCK for how good of a break this is.

    ~~

    I¡¯ll try to keep what I found short. First off, ¡®Insightful Mapping¡¯ is basically the necessary mechanic in every RPG game, allowing me to view a map only I could see that spans as far as my current mana capacity, 1 kilometer [~3,280 feet or over half a mile] for every 100 of my total MP. At my current level with the total MP being over 10,000, I can expand my range of mapping to an area over 100 kilometers [~328,000 feet or 62 miles].

    If that isn¡¯t something by itself, I can combine the functions of certain other skills to see where everything is. People, monsters, maybe even treasure if there¡¯s a skill for that, and then some. If I combine this with the newly acquired ¡®Detect¡¯ skill, allowing me to sense the presence of people nearby without relying on magic, something that even overrides the ¡®Stealth¡¯ skill, I could see where the inhabitants of the whole city displayed as colored dots on a holographic-like, three-dimensional map. Add my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill in the mix, and I could make out which dots have the ¡®White Rapture Brother¡¯ and ¡®White Rapture Sister¡¯ titles that are indicated in a different color. This would make finding the remaining cultists blending in Dondegarm a whole lot more efficient.

    My other new skills, ¡®Skill Point Conversion,¡¯ ¡®Class Authority,¡¯ and ¡®Loyal Accomplice¡¯ are also very interesting, but I¡¯ll go over what those are in another time. For now, to minimize detection, I keep my magical aura completely hidden with ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ and took an extra measure in hiding my name in another window with ¡®Status Sorting,¡¯ showing the display in my status as (N/A).

    Just as a sort of experiment I take out my new adventurer¡¯s card. When I look at where one¡¯s name is indicated, disturbingly enough, it shows as completely blank, but my class and everything else is unchanged.

    ¡°Yeah, these identification-changing skills are scary ¡­¡± I come to that conclusion as I put my card away.

    Anyway, add all of those earlier-mentioned skills and ¡®Stealth,¡¯ I¡¯m practically invisible. With additional preparations set and the backlot cleaned of the events that took place, I get out of it the same way I came in. No one notices me as I step out of the alleyway, just as I predicted, and I make my move to begin my sudden stealth-assassination mission. I aim to get the remaining cultists hidden in the city¡ªthat I counted 7 when I checked the map, making a total of 65 that were lingering in Dondegarm if I include those that I killed moments ago¡ªeliminated before the feast. There weren¡¯t any others outside of the walls when I expanded the map, so I don¡¯t need to worry about those possibly camping out for the time being.

    ~~

    20 minutes in Raiza¡¯s time later, the mission was a bigger cinch than I thought, save for a couple of difficult hurdles. A few were scouting the area from the rooftops, and with me having my traumatic fear of heights, it was difficult avoiding myself from looking down. I don¡¯t know how much damage I could take from falls even with my high defenses and I¡¯m not planning to experiment on that anytime soon.

    Anyway, most of these guys were Thieves, a ¡®Whisper¡¯ that¡¯s apparently a promoted class from Thief, and a few Archers that took the higher ground for scouting. Despite my fear of heights, taking down the Archers was easy enough as I just threw Nyra at their heads, one-shot killed them, and head up there with [Portal] to gather Nyra and the collateral. My ¡®Throw¡¯ skill was certainly helpful in that regard.

    I¡¯m not sure if Thieves are able to detect each other when they both have ¡®Stealth¡¯ activated, but with mine at a higher level than theirs, I was able to sneak behind and off them quietly. I only kept one alive, the Whisper who goes by Luke.

    When I catch him, I take us to the cave where I killed the Toxic Troll with [Portal], a secluded place where no other people would come to interrupt us, and after checking my map, there weren¡¯t any monsters or other living beings in the area.

    With the two of us alone and Luke caught off-guard, I first take initiative by casting [Soundproof] and pin him to the ground.

    ¡°Gah! W-What¡¯s going on?! Where are¡ª¡±

    Koki!

    ¡°Aaaaaaugh!¡±

    I make Luke immobile by breaking all of his limbs, a surprisingly easier feat to achieve now than it was with that other guy during the raid last night. His pained cries for help go unanswered as it bounces around the barrier by the Null Spell while I lock him in place with the tendrils from ¡®Darkness Manipulation.¡¯ I use Nyra to cut and tear every layer of clothing on him until he¡¯s left in his briefs, completely stripped of his gear, weapons, and the like.

    Now defenseless and held against his will, I turn him over to lay on his back. His eyes widen when he sees me after I made a ball of light above me by chanting ¡®Create Light,¡¯ brightening the cave some. If it¡¯s like ¡®Create Sand¡¯ and ¡®Create Water,¡¯ I thought this might be a fundamental spell for Holy Magic and decided to take a shot at it, producing pleasant results.

    ¡°Y-You! The fucking Demongenerate! How did you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut it.¡± I give him a good stomp on one of his broken limbs, eliciting cries of pain as I add weight into it. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase. You may already know who I am, and I know you¡¯re Luke, a violet-ranked adventurer with the Whisper class, and a faithful follower of the White Rapture. You will cooperate and tell me what you know about your cult, and if you know what¡¯s good for you, you won¡¯t lie about any information you¡¯ll give me, or there will be severe consequences.¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯d say anything to the likes of you, human traitor!¡±

    My ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ grows once more. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. Now, question one, what is your goal sneaking around in Dondegarm?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Already not cooperating, huh? All right, then.¡± I then take Nyra to slowly and smoothly cut open where one of his arms is broken. Luke screams in agony once more as the wound is bone-deep and draws blood.

    <¡°Haaaa~, it¡¯s like you¡¯re trailing your fingers around my perky nipples~,¡± Nyra moans.

    Putting on one of my victims¡¯ leather gloves and wrapping one of their clean rags over my face to make a surgical mask, I take the fingers and dig them right into his arm, pulling the wound open while he elicits more cries of pain. Bringing the ball of light closer to the open wound, I fiddle around inside until I find the spots that bring the most reaction out of him, his nerve stem and bone. Like a doctor in the middle of an operation, I take Nyra acting as a scalpel to reach down and cut his nerve at a painstakingly slow pace. I keep an eye on his HP that quickly goes down as I¡¯m doing this.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯m the head of the scout group in charge of reconnaissance!¡± Luke cries.

    ¡°Oh? Is that right? And what were you looking for in your recon?¡± I ask while I poke the tip of Nyra¡¯s blade onto Luke¡¯s bone.

    <¡°Ahhn~, prodding the head on my pussy like that is just mean, you know~?¡±>

    ¡°To review the status of the city while planning for a counterattack, how to break out our brothers and sisters, and seeking info on you!¡±

    ¡°Aww, I¡¯m touched that you want to get to know me. I prefer to do these things over dinner and a few drinks, but either way, you guys aren¡¯t really my type.¡± I thought I¡¯d make light of this cruel treatment I¡¯m giving him through jokes.

    <¡°I love a male who can make me laugh~.¡±>

    Seems I found the first fan of my comedy routine.

    ¡°Question two, will there be others coming?¡± I ask.

    ¡°No ¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying~.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Schick!

    ¡°Gaaaaaugh!¡±

    <¡°Oohh~, to suddenly go all in like that, you¡¯re a rough guy that likes to play dirty~.¡±>

    I stab Nyra into Luke¡¯s arm, easily going right through his bone and out the other side.

    ¡°I-I mean not today! Our group was going to rendezvous with reinforcements to give our reports!¡± Luke cries out.

    ¡°And when will that be?¡±

    ¡°A few nights from now!¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡­ I suppose that will do for now. I call to thee, Holy, repair the nerve stem, bring the muscle fibers back into place and close the wounds, Heal.¡±

    At my command, a warm glow emanates over Luke¡¯s parted arm and follows my instructions to the point. I look at his HP bar and see that it¡¯s going back up again. Making sure his arm is still broken, what¡¯s left is a scar that would never heal thanks to Nyra¡¯s curse. I see, so the words are more to give the caster better visuals of what they want to do in their spells. It doesn¡¯t need to be all flowery and romantic like a poem, but at the same time, being so specific like this doesn¡¯t make casting spells all that thrilling, in my opinion. If one who specializes in medicine and surgery were to get their hands on some Holy Magic, they might do a better job healing wounds than experienced Priests and Priestesses would.

    ¡°Question three, who¡¯s the main leader of your cult? The main head of the White Rapture?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Father.¡±

    ¡°Your dad?¡±

    ¡°N-No! That¡¯s just what he goes by! As members of the White Rapture, we¡¯re brothers and sisters that are aiming towards the main goal of a paradise only for humans!¡±

    Ah, I think that kind of reference is also applied to some pastors and bishops of churches back home. Were cults like that, too? ¡°So, you don¡¯t know his name, then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never even seen his face! The majority of us likely hasn¡¯t, either! It¡¯s said that the only ones who know his true identity are his disciples who work with him the closest!¡±

    ¡°I see. Do they each lead a faction of some sort? Do you have someone that represents you?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! He goes by Brother Montague! He¡¯s one of the disciples and my superior, as well as Gin¡¯s and Rasholl¡¯s, the guys you reprimanded last night!¡±

    ¡°Montague ¡­ and what do you know about him? Class? Titles? Jobs like an adventurer? His motives for working with you guys?¡±

    ¡°None of that! All except for wishing our race to be superior and enslaving all others to do our bidding! To build our paradise for us!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± He doesn¡¯t seem to be lying. So, other than his stupid as shit ideal, they don¡¯t know jack-squat about him. ¡®Montague¡¯ might not even be his real name if he¡¯s keeping his abilities under wraps. The only thing is that he¡¯s Luke¡¯s, Gin¡¯s, and Rasholl¡¯s superior, equal, if not more in strength and power. I only know whether he¡¯s lying or not up to this point because of the new ¡®Intuition¡¯ skill I learned ahead of time. It gives me high senses to know whether he¡¯s lying or holding something out on me. One has to be a Thief at a high enough level to be able to learn it, but now that I¡¯m at its maximum level, I can learn anything I want. Same goes for the Mage and Myrmidon skills.

    I¡¯m about to call it a day when Nyra speaks. <¡°Hey, Jinma, you mind if I try something interesting?¡±>

    What are you planning to do?

    <¡°Just bring me closer to his head and you¡¯ll see.¡±>

    Curious to see where this is going, I take the bloodied blade and hold it over Luke¡¯s head.

    ¡°W-What are you doing? What is that?! Stop! Stop, please¡ªAaaaaaugh!¡±

    A familiar dark mist emanates from the blade that envelops Luke¡¯s head, and in that moment, with Nyra¡¯s childlike laughter in the background, a life that I¡¯m totally unfamiliar with flashes before my eyes. I have not once remembered experiencing any of these events, yet within these few microseconds, it¡¯s as if I¡¯m seeing everything that happened within the last 2 weeks of this world in a completely different perspective.

    One moment in this new life I¡¯m seeing that jumps at me the most is what happened within a half hour ago, a few familiar faces of the Thieves I killed earlier are on each side of me.

    ¡°Do we really have to keep out of that fight? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if all of us ganged up on him?¡±

    ¡°We still have a mission to do, Trent. Your skills as Thieves as well as my own being a Whisper are necessary for this task. Besides, that¡¯s more than enough people to handle one human traitor.¡± The one who said that was Luke, but much closer to me like I¡¯m right in his shoes.

    ¡°Still, I would¡¯ve killed to see the look on that bastard¡¯s smug face getting cut and beaten in for betraying his own kin.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in his female demon posse, specifically that Lizardman girl,¡± Luke says. ¡°Known for being one of the toughest races in the Demon-Kin, their scale hides are definitely the biggest contributors for their high defenses. I know a guy who would pay good money to get their hands on that hide, especially one with such a unique color and sheen like that girl¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°You mean in the black market?¡±

    ¡°Damn, Luke, you really know your way around these things.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s how I¡¯ve gotten this far, boys. Once we know that bastard¡¯s beaten, I¡¯m going to get that Lizardman girl alone and dismantle her alive. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for those grotesque lizard parts, she¡¯d be an attractive lady as a human, her breasts especially seem to be supple ¡­ maybe I¡¯ll have my way with her while I have the chance.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Let me in on it! I¡¯ve been backed up for a while now.¡±

    With that, the ¡®flashback¡¯ ends, and I find myself before Luke once more, his face now covered in cold sweat and gasping for breath while Nyra¡¯s mist returns to the blade.

    Nyra ¡­ what was that?

    <¡°I used my Psyche Magic to tap into his memories and have you see them for yourself! Everywhere he¡¯s been, what he¡¯s seen, among other things, you now know them as well!¡±>

    It seems so surreal, but she was right. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve almost been everywhere Luke¡¯s been within the last 2 weeks and I knew what was going on then. I even got to see his superior, Montague. It¡¯s unfortunate that I couldn¡¯t use ¡®Size Up¡¯ to see who and what he really was, but just remembering his face is enough to know who I may deal with in the future.

    Still, if there¡¯s one thing that really bugs me though is that some of the traits on his face are eerily familiar. I can¡¯t make out why that is though.

    Well, I¡¯ll have to think about it another time.

    Can you see my memories like this as well, Nyra? I ask her in my mind.

    <¡°I¡¯m honestly more focused on what¡¯s in front of me right now and I can only do so much at once. I usually ease through my previously possessed memories so their bodies don¡¯t get too stressed out. It¡¯s when they¡¯re resting that I have freer rein to do so.¡±>

    ¡­ I¡¯m going to assume you¡¯ll do the same with me once I let my guard down, but as long as you¡¯re not planning to try and possess me again, you can look through my memories as well.

    <¡°I was going to do it even if you didn¡¯t tell me.¡±>

    That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying it now. Nyra¡¯s in for a big surprise when she sees what I¡¯ve seen and will certainly have a lot of questions the next time I wake up. Not like there¡¯s any way for her to spread it around, but since she¡¯s stuck with me by the hip, I might as well answer whatever she asks when the time comes.

    Going back to Luke, however ¡­ does he know you invaded his memories?

    <¡°How long do you think I¡¯ve been doing this? I¡¯ve done it enough times to know how to hide my tracks, and we Pixies are no pushovers when it comes to Psyche Magic, especially yours truly from how my mother drilled it into me. I just gave him a traumatic scare as a distraction while I did some searching.¡±>

    Good to know ¡­

    ¡°W-What just happened? A-Am I free to go? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Luke asks as my ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ is now more sinister than when I started, I can only imagine if I see myself right now.

    ¡°What was it that you said about my mate? Something about dismantling her alive and having your way with her before selling her scale hide to the black market?¡±

    From how Luke¡¯s face pales while drenched in even more cold sweat, he knows I¡¯m not making this shit up.

    Nyra, get ready for ¡­ what round are we in now?

    <¡°Fuck if I know, but who¡¯s counting?! Let me have it, big boy!¡±>

    And so, out of my own sick pleasure and payback for him possibly going after Ume, I maimed and healed his body repeatedly over the next couple of minutes. His painful screams as I cut, stab, heal, and repeat various places on his body are flushed out by Nyra¡¯s noises of ecstasy in my mind, getting myself horny once more.

    I¡¯ll make sure he isn¡¯t too broken to cooperate with the guild once I take him in, I remind myself in between.

    By the end of his mutilation, I got ¡®Heal¡¯ leveled up to 8, the same level as Ume¡¯s, after experimenting with it some more. Still conscious, I make Luke do one more thing before tying him up with ropes that were in one of my victims¡¯ bags and store him in a rucksack.

    Now, about my new ¡®Skill Point Conversion¡¯ skill, it allows me to put SP into skills and level them up that way instead of putting them to proper practice. This alone tells me that unless someone levels up high enough as a Brawler, they can¡¯t do this on their own, which means I¡¯m basically taking the underhanded cheap way into mastering skills instead of those who would probably take years to do the same.

    Since even Ume hasn¡¯t leveled up some to the max yet, I wonder how long it would take and what conditions were necessary to be able to max them out as I put SP into skills like ¡®Heal¡¯ and ¡®Pyreball¡¯ to them. With how much SP I earned in such a short time, I actually didn¡¯t lose a lot to make leveling up skills to the max possible. When I finished, I learned right then what I could do with those completely mastered skills, and it sort of terrified me. I make a mental note to not make a big show of them out in public in the future.

    There are some skills I can¡¯t put SP in to master them, however, and while I have some complaints, I decide to not think much more on it further. From killing the 6 guys before Luke, I leveled up my stats enough to get over LV 500, received an ¡®Underhanded Underdog¡¯ title, and got the ¡®Cheap Shot¡¯ and ¡®Underdog¡¯s Fifth Class¡¯ skills along with it. With the new Pugilist fighting class added to my list, I think I¡¯m satisfied with this much for the time being.

    I do some other stuff in my status that I found I can ¡®turn off¡¯ some skills and titles to not make them appear when I open it up to the public, maybe so that there isn¡¯t such a huge wall of text to go over. I can¡¯t do the same with some battle-related skills and titles, however, maybe because it¡¯s mandatory for others to see like not concealing a weapon? I do recall there are some parts of countries where concealing even a knife is illegal without a license or some other thing. I guess that¡¯s where my ¡®Status Sorting¡¯ skill comes in to break the game.

    That said, after turning off some of my unusable non-combatant skills and titles from view and moving a bunch of stuff around, especially most of my maxed-out skills, I come up with this more compressed status window.

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Race: D-Human

    [New Class(es) Added: Pugilist]

    Class: Brawler [Mage, Thief, Myrmidon, Pugilist (only seen by the user)]

    [History: Brawler LV 508, Mage LV 150, Thief LV 150, Myrmidon LV 150, Pugilist LV 95 (only seen by the user)]

    [New Title(s) Achieved: Master of Blaze, Master of Sanctity, Master of Abyss, Underhanded Underdog]

    Title: Merciless Demon, Loved by Non-Humans, Natural-Born Brawler, Adventurer (33<sup>rd</sup> Black), Slave Owner [Ren, Erizora], Master of Blaze, Hydromancer, Atmomancer, Master of Sanctity, Master of Abyss, [Underhanded Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    Equipment: Spider Silk Slacks, Spider Silk Suit Jacket, Spider Silk Shirt, Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra

    Stats:

    [Sentients killed: 6

    LV: 508 (+18K, +9) [150, 150, 150, 95 (+94)]

    HP: 3345/11165 ??? [5585 (+180, +90) [+5580]]

    MP: 11887/11887 ?? [6190 (+180, +90) [+5697]]

    ATK: 14927 ????? [8678 (+180, +109) [+6249]]

    DEF: 263180 ???? [7644 (+180, +90) [+5515] X 20]

    SP. ATK: 12556 ??? [6879 (+180, +90) [+5677]]

    SP. DEF: 256240 ???[7287 (+180, +90) [+5525] X 20]

    AGI: 12694 ????? [6434 (+180, +90) [+6260]]

    LUCK: 10 ??????[40 (+1) [+62] X 0.1]

    EXP: 47620/50800 (+~500000) [Mage: 5501700 (+168K)/MAX (+~500000); Thief: 5234000 (+18K)/MAX (+~500000); Myrmidon: 2475100 (+18K)/MAX (+~500000); Pugilist: 3600/9500 (+~450100)]

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 5875 (-400, -1650, +1210)

    [BP: 520 (only seen by the user)]

    [TAL: 4 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger

    Black Charisma

    Dragon Scale Defense

    Dragon¡¯s Greedy Hoarding

    [Alpha Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user)]

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    [Skill(s) Leveled Up: Fire magic LV 5, Holy Magic LV 5, Curse Magic LV 5, Pyreball MAX LV, Heal MAX LV [MOVED]: Hyper Perception MAX LV, Stealth MAX LV, Darkness Manipulation MAX LV, Throw MAX LV, Heavy Throw MAX LV, Poison Resistance MAX LV

    [New Skill(s) Learned: Hide Magic*, Underdog¡¯s Fifth Class*, Cheap Shot*, [MOVED]: Deception MAX LV, Intuition MAX LV

    Skills:

    Passive: Vigorous Libido LV 21, Slugger Style LV 7, Merciless Style LV 6, Drunken Style LV 5, Fear Resistance LV 5, Fire Magic LV 5, Holy Magic LV 5, Curse Magic LV 5, Despair Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Water Magic LV 3, Storm Magic LV 3, Petting LV 3, Terra Magic LV 1, Detection*, Insightful Mapping*, Minor Magic Regeneration*, Magic Sense*, Hide Magic*, Adventurer¡¯s Labor*, Climactic Level-Up*, Sweet Spots*, Climax Gauge*, Intimate Touch*, [Size Up LV 6, Underdog Bonus*, Status Sorting*, Skill Point Conversion*, Class Authority*, Loyal Accomplice*, Cheap Shot*, Underdog¡¯s Fifth Class* (only seen by the user)]

    Active: Glare LV 7, Sadistic Smile LV 7, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Meditation LV 4, Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4, Mow Down LV 3, Scare*, Taunt*

    Spells: Flame Burst LV 3, Water Blast LV 3, Wind Cutter LV 3, Debilitating Defense LV 3, Sluggish Speed LV 3, Baneful Poison LV 3, Pyreball MAX LV, Heal MAX LV

 Chapter 48: A New Dress and a Great Feast (End of Vol. 1)

    With my mission completely finished, I used [Portal] to take me back to the front of the guild.

    ¡°Ah, Master! Welcome back!¡± Ren exclaims with glee from our table.

    ¡°You were gone for a while. What do you have there in those bags?¡± Winny asks.

    ¡°One of them¡¯s moving, too ¡­¡± Erizora points out.

    ¡°An uninvited guest. I¡¯ll rejoin you all in a moment.¡± While Luke still struggles and makes noise, I carry him and his knapsack over my shoulder and approach a bewildered Ms. Raize at the reception.

    ¡°Um ¡­ is there something I can help you with, Mr. Jinma?¡± Ms. Raize asks, unsure of what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°Quick question, but is there anything being done in regards to White Rapture from the raid last night?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well, after questioning those the law-enforcement captured last night, the guild has put up a wanted poster for any of the group¡¯s members spotted in the city to be taken in.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter if they¡¯re dead or alive?¡±

    ¡°We prefer them alive so they¡¯d get their due punishment after questioning. You¡¯ll also get a bonus in your reward if you bring them in that way, too ¡­ wait, don¡¯t tell me.¡±

    I set the moving rucksack upright before pulling it up and out, revealing a pathetic man bound and gagged by a rope while only in his underwear. Scars that will never heal are riddled all over his body while tears and snot make a mess of his face.

    ¡°Say hello to Luke, a Whisper in cahoots with the White Rapture. He even has his signature robe on him,¡± I say while reaching into his knapsack and pulling out the robe. ¡°Apparently, he¡¯s their main scout group¡¯s lead that surveys Dondegarm and was instructed to rendezvous with some other members to make a report on their next raid. Isn¡¯t that right, buddy?¡± I ask while loosening his gag to let him speak.

    ¡°I¡¯m not one of them! I¡¯m not one of them, you gotta believe me!¡±

    ¡°Oh, come now, don¡¯t go lying to me now after all the ¡®fun¡¯ we¡¯ve been through together. You wouldn¡¯t want to wind up like one of your friends here, would you?¡± I chant [Storage, Out] and make another bag appear, this one looking dark red on the bottom as blood seeps through and drips to the floor. I reach in and pull out part of Lyles¡¯ disembodied head.

    ¡°LYLES?!¡±

    ¡°My god ¡­¡± Ms. Raize says. ¡°According to his status, he is one of the White Rapture, or was. I know he was a total dick, but I never would¡¯ve guessed.¡±

    Huh, does Ms. Raize have an appraisal skill that works like an autopsy? I think as I put Lyles¡¯ head back in [Storage].

    ¡°Okay, okay! I was one of them, but not anymore! I¡¯ve turned a new leaf, I swear! I won¡¯t get involved with them and bother the non-humans anymore, just please, let me go!¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut up. You clearly mentioned to your cohorts how you¡¯re ready to kill me and ¡®Dismantle¡¯ my mate alive to sell for parts for humiliating Rasholl the way I did.¡± I grip his hair and ¡®Glare¡¯ into his eyes with a ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ on my face. ¡°I don¡¯t take threats like that lightly, buddy, that¡¯s why I kept torturing you after you told me everything you knew. You should be damn well grateful I even healed you after cutting up your body again and again.¡± I found my ¡®Mutilation¡¯ skill that I got a while ago very useful in this regard, allowing me to torture him right up to 1 HP and stay there, not letting the KO status come to give him mercy.

    ¡°Y-You won¡¯t get away with this! I have others on standby just waiting for the signal to bust me and our captured comrades out!¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, I hope you don¡¯t mean these guys,¡± I say before pulling out the pouch and reveal a large deck of gray cards. Luke¡¯s face grew even paler than the cards¡¯ color at the sight as I show them to Ms. Raize. ¡°Including yourself, that¡¯s 65 total.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve confirmed them. Every single one of these adventurers, all brothers, and sisters of the White Rapture cult,¡± Ms. Raize announces after sifting through the cards.

    ¡°N-No ¡­ no! You son of a bitch! Monster! Demongenerate!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I heard it all. That will do, Luke. You can take a nap now.¡±

    Don!

    After one good punch to the face, Luke lies on the floor motionless, his cheek swollen and marked with my fist. I look up his name and see his status reads as KO, just as I intended when I brought his HP low enough to take him out in one go.

    Da-da-da-da, Di-da!

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    ¡°You can do with him what you will after he wakes up. You might want to get some guys set up to investigate that rendezvous that will happen a few nights from now,¡± I suggest. I also pass over a rolled parchment of the note I made Luke write under my threat, describing the details of their next rendezvous. I may not be able to read Padimonian, but with my maxed out ¡®Intuition,¡¯ I made sure none of what he wrote for me was false information.

    ¡°Y-Yes, we¡¯ll most certainly do that!¡± Ms. Raize gestures some receptionists to bring in the authorities to take Luke away. Ms. Zalshen, while she was nearby, uses her silk to completely bind the guy after gagging his mouth again with the rope and take him to the back. ¡°We thank you very much for your contribution, Mr. Jinma! Would you like the reward to be put into your account as well?¡±

    ¡°After you use what¡¯s there to pay for our feast, and ¡­ one round of drinks for everyone here. I¡¯m feeling generous tonight.¡±

    ¡°All right! A round of drinks on Jinma Kotori! I¡¯m down with that!¡± one of the demon adventurers exclaim while the rest cheer in agreement.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Moneybags¡¯ title!]

    I finish my business with Ms. Raize putting a certain number of points on my card for submitting the captured Luke and all of the cards identifying by their late owners to be cultists. I also give Ms. Raize a tip that the round of drinks goes to the staff as well, including her. I bid her off before returning back to my table where the girls were staring at me wide-eyed.

    ¡°So, what did I miss¡ª¡±

    ¡°That was amazing, Master!¡± Ren exclaims while jumping out of her seat and hugging me. Even without her erratic tail wagging, excitement is clearly seen on her face. ¡°To handle all of those guys on your own in such a short time, you¡¯re just proving to be more amazing by the hour!¡±

    ¡°The way you were interrogating that man while all bound up and pathetic-looking as well ¡­ I¡¯m jealous of him to receive something so incredible,¡± Erizora mutters while I see a hint of drool escaping her lips.

    Wow, her masochism is worse than I thought if what I was giving him would actually turn her on.

    ¡°Master Jinma ¡­¡± Winny then says as she gets up from her seat and approaches me. ¡°I noticed how a couple of humans walked out of the guild around the same time you did. I wanted to say something, but I wasn¡¯t so sure of what was going on to really tell someone about it. To put yourself in such great danger for our safety, and even making such a generous donation to the orphanage from what Ren and Erizora had told me ¡­ with the Immortals as my witnesses, I¡¯m forever in your debt.¡± Winny then lowers herself to prostrate at my feet.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Whoa, whoa, no. Please, none of that, Winny.¡± I pull Winny back up to standing with ease. ¡°I thought it was just going to be another brawl at first, but when I found out who and what they really were, I couldn¡¯t let it be ignored. I just did all of that because those bastards piss me off after what they did last night.¡±

    ¡°But you did that because you knew they were going to plan another raid in Dondegarm, right? If it weren¡¯t for you, we would¡¯ve been facing another crisis.¡± Winny then takes one of my hands and holds it in both of hers. ¡°Brother and I grew up in Dondegarm, and so we¡¯ve grown an attachment to this place to call it our home. It¡¯s important to me, especially, enough to become an adventurer since the day I was old enough to register in order to give back what this city has given me and then some. Please, Master Jinma, tell me what it is I can do for you to show how grateful I am for your help in keeping this city alive.¡±

    Whoa, she sounds really serious about this. Also, that phrasing, she must be putting what I suggested to her to practice. I know I want to have sex with Winny, but it¡¯s difficult to even bring it up now and risk dampening the mood.

    ¡°¡­ Would it be too much to ask of you to join my party?¡±

    ¡°Y-You see me fit enough to stand alongside you like that?!¡±

    ¡°Well, you seem pretty capable enough if you¡¯re a black-rank adventurer. Ume may be our magic specialist, but she¡¯s more of a glass cannon kind of fighter. Being a Priestess, you must be very valuable for support and maybe defense on top of healing, right? We¡¯d certainly like to have someone like that on the team.¡±

    Winny gives a sad smile. ¡°I¡¯m honored you think of me like that, Master Jinma, but unfortunately, that is something I cannot do. Ren and Erizora have told me how you¡¯re planning to travel around Padimon to see new places. I admit that it would be thrilling to go on that kind of journey, but I have my duty here as one of Dondegarm Church¡¯s Holy Bishops, and I¡¯m already in a party with Brother as Phasing Moon that I just can¡¯t leave by himself.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I only saw him once, but I could already see how much of a handful he is. What¡¯s he doing, by the way?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s back home sulking over his loss in the test with Ms. Umeiyon, but give him some food and sleep and he¡¯ll be back at it again the next day.¡±

    ¡°Well, anyway, I figured that would be your answer, but couldn¡¯t hurt to try, right?¡± I ask while shrugging.

    ¡°I really am sorry to turn you down like this. Is there anything else I can do?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just call it owing me a favor for now and I¡¯ll let you know when I come up with something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that. I¡¯m ready to provide assistance at any time, so don¡¯t hesitate to ask me for whatever I can do within my power.¡±

    ¡°Right. Thanks, Winny.¡±

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen of the guild!¡±

    From that announcement, the place goes quiet as we all turn to the source upstairs, seeing that it¡¯s Lili standing at the top.

    ¡°May I present to you: the new Ms. Umeiyon of the Lizardmen!¡± Lili introduces as she moves aside and lets Ume step forward.

    With a flushed face and head in poise, Ume slowly steps down to the lobby with hands in front of her, drinking in the attention that we and the other guild patrons are giving her as she wears her new dress.

    ¡°The base design provided by Jinma Kotori that seems to be derived from eastern origins is what he called a ¡®cheongsam,¡¯¡± Lili explains while using her web to lower herself from above. ¡°Modifying to his and Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s specifications was admittedly quite difficult at first, but I¡¯m one who likes a challenge in this field and the solution turned out quite simple. It may look more like an apron than the traditional cheongsam it originally based off of, but to be able to make this backless while maintaining as much modesty as possible, this was the result.

    ¡°This is made with a slip-on, slip-off design while enchanted with magic to conform around the wearer¡¯s figure to a comfortable fit while not letting it slip. The chest area is made with straps that go over and hang by the neck, giving her the needed comfort and support while showing off the goods to her mate at both the front and the sides.

    ¡°Wrapping around the waist are special straps enchanted to tie itself into the majestic knot you see that¡¯s tight enough to keep the outfit intact. At the base of those straps are two flaps of cloth stretching down to her mid thighs covering as little of her backside to not hinder movement as requested by Ms. Umeiyon. The third flap of fabric that covers her front and hangs down to her mid-thighs keeps her modesty as a woman and appeals her fine legs while letting her move freely and comfortably. The three flaps together give a unique air of elegance, mystery, and promiscuity, flowing in ways that leave male spectators like her mate here wanting to see more of what¡¯s underneath.

    ¡°Lastly, the material of the whole outfit is made of silk created by yours truly, woven to be durable while enchanted with my magic to be self-repairable if it gets damaged. It will take longer to repair if it gets burned, however, but if you¡¯re able to use magic, you can speed up the process by applying mana into the threads.

    ¡°With these modifications, while embroidering patterns that exhibit her fiery personality with colors that match her scales, I like to dub this: the first ever ¡®Blue Dragon Cheongsam!¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡°Oooooh!¡±¡± The guild is filled with awe followed by applause after Lili¡¯s exposition of Ume¡¯s outfit. Nyra blows a whistle in my head.

    As I watch Ume slowly coming down the stairs with her biggest eye-catchers jiggling with each step she made, I come to a stunning realization.

    Ume¡¯s not fond of underwear. That¡¯s a fact, so it¡¯s likely she¡¯s not wearing anything underneath. Even if she didn¡¯t explicitly say it, I¡¯m pretty sure her feelings towards bras are similar if those chest straps keeping her appearance somewhat modest are the only things giving her ¡®support.¡¯ While the new outfit may have the appeal of a cheongsam, Lili said it herself that it might as well be a fancy-looking apron.

    This can only mean one thing: Ume will be basically walking around in public with the ¡®naked apron¡¯ look, the phenomenal appearance of a woman, whether or not they became a housewife, who very recently got engaged/married. She may have requested the outfit to not cover much more out of functional purposes than sex appeal, but with how much of her leg, back, and chest exposed while the apron magically conforms around her contours, she might as well be naked with only paint and a few loincloths and it¡¯d look pretty much the same.

    Ume is pushing the boundaries of exhibitionism pulling off the naked apron look in public while it gives the silent message that declares ¡®My body and I are happily engaged/married to the man we love.¡¯ When I see myself standing next to her with an arm around her waist, I¡¯d make the bold silent declaration of my own stating ¡®This is a happily engaged/married woman, and you¡¯re looking at the lucky man who fucks her.¡¯

    Did I really stick my filthy former virgin dick inside this beautiful woman and defiled her?

    <¡°Yeah, you fucking did, and I couldn¡¯t be any prouder of you! *Gushi.* They grow up so fast,¡±> Nyra fake cries like a mother in a mid-life crisis.

    Ume approaches me with as much poise as possible and looks straight at me in the eyes, despite hers wavering that she desperately tries not to avert while her cheeks are flushed red.

    ¡°H-How ¡­ do I look?¡± she asks. The guild has fallen deathly silent as everyone around us wait for my approval like Ume is.

    I just place my hands on her hips and give a passionate kiss, eliciting a good response from the adventurers and receptionists of the guild as they cheer at our display of affection.

    I pull back with a peck and stare into her turquoise eyes. ¡°More amazing and stunning than I ever imagined. It looks fantastic on you, Ume.¡±

    ¡°... Okay.¡± Ume seems to not know what else to say and just kisses me again with a flushed face. The other people in the guild gives their loud approval.

    ¡°Drinks are on! One free round of mead for everyone in the guild, as paid for by our lucky male of the hour!¡± one of the receptionists exclaim as they went around the lobby carrying trays of mugs with yellowish-white foam frothing and spilling over the rims. Our party and those joining us in our table are handed a mug first before they focused on the other adventurers.

    ¡°A toast to Mr. Jinma Kotori, for forming his new party, his new courtship with Ms. Umeiyon, and possibly saving Dondegarm for the second time!¡± Ms. Raize exclaims.

    ¡°Second time? The heck did I miss while I was out?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. Have you had alcohol before, Ume?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Pft. Of course, I had alcohol. This mead, whatever it is, is most likely nothing compared to what we had back home.¡±

    ¡°Well then, why don¡¯t we make this toast a little more interesting for the both of us?¡±

    After we make our cheers and clink our mugs, I instruct the two of us to link arms while holding our drinks in that same hand. Curled and locked by the folds of our elbows, we tip the mugs towards ourselves and shot the whole pint of the strong and honey-sweet mead. The people in the guild cheer their approval in our impressive display of downing alcohol. As we chuckle at each other for the funny foam mustaches on our faces¡ªI realized then that that was the first time I actually laughed since coming to this world¡ªthe food finally arrives. Our group of six in the table start the feast while the other people enjoy the evening in their own way. The guild has become much more boisterous than it was moments ago.

    I feel it has been an eternity since I was last able to really sit down, let go of the worries weighing on my shoulders, and enjoy good food with warm company. I get nostalgic as I recall the meals I shared with Mom, my aunts, and the few friends I had as I grew up. They were different occasions, some I have sadly taken for granted, but I will look back to them with content and remember them fondly while I embrace the meals I¡¯ll share with my party from now on.

    We have a lot to prepare for our Assigned Quest the day after tomorrow, so we need to make the most of the time we have now.

    Gooooooon~.

    With the gong of Dondegarm¡¯s bell that apparently indicates the beginning of the sixth trian of the day¡ª24 of the 36 hours in the day officially passed¡ªour first evening of fun times as a newly-formed adventurer party begins.

 Chapter 49: Changing Before the Bath (Vol. 2 Start)

    Over the course of dinner, I talked to everyone in the table what had happened when I left the guild, leaving some details out like making use of my Brawler skills. I basically lied to them on how I got the information of where the remaining scouting cultists were and left out some details that I acquired through Nyra¡¯s assistance.

    I likely wouldn¡¯t have been able to lie so convincingly if it weren¡¯t for my new ¡®Deception¡¯ skill I learned through my third class as a Thief. I don¡¯t think normal people would be able to lie so well with that skill at LV 1.

    Anyway, the others in the table were on the edge of their seats with excitement as I told the tale, but Ume and Ren looked pretty serious out of everyone as they listened. They looked like they wanted to say something, but decided to hold it off for the time being.

    I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t scare any of my new companions from hearing how I handled those cultists. I wondered if it¡¯s because they knew I was a Champion that they almost expected me to achieve such great feats. It was then that I realized Ume¡¯s the only one out of the whole table who isn¡¯t in on my secret identity yet.

    I want to come out to everyone in my party with the truth, about how broken the Brawler class really is and how it has made me so strong in such a short span of time. It would be especially helpful that they know of it so I could use my new ¡®Loyal Accomplice¡¯ skill at its full potential to those in my party. Maybe I¡¯ll go over it with them in the morning when Ms. Gallofree comes back with the news, I decide to myself.

    ~~

    Amazingly, despite all the food we had, we cleaned it out. Winny stored some in a doggy bag to take home for her brother. Erizora and Ren, looking pregnant with their food babies, seem to be the biggest gluttons, but amazingly it¡¯s Ume who won the ¡®title.¡¯ She ate and drank the most out of everyone, and while she patted her stomach in content, she didn¡¯t look as bloated at the end of the feast as the others were. I¡¯m not sure how the food is from her birthplace, but she mentioned she never had food so delicious before. I also remembered how ¡­ oblivious she was with table manners, barely even using the silverware unless advised to, of which I had to instruct her how to use them. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s a Dragon that they have bigger appetites than others along with different eating habits back at her home, but seriously, I can¡¯t imagine where all of that goes having eaten so much.

    My eyes glossed over at two of her possible suspects, now exemplified with her new apron-like cheongsam Lili made in such a short time, doing a fine job with its size-conforming magic to keep the goods on her G-cup breasts well supported. At one point, she dripped some meat juices onto the top of her supple flesh and tender cleavage, and without a care in the world, she lifted up her breasts and stretched her long reptile-like tongue to lick it off. It wasn¡¯t as long as Ms. Tephalia¡¯s from what I remembered, but it was still impressive. The way her breasts bounced after dropping them when she was done and she licked her lips and fingers out of delight from the taste ¡­ I just experienced one hell of a treat.

    Even though I was still eating by that point, I mentally gave my thanks for the delectable meal. Nyra also joined me in that moment.

    Let¡¯s not forget the fact that Ume was also in commando as she sat next to me on the bench. While her lizard tail dangles behind her, the two flaps that cover her rear are also hanging down, which means her bare butt is currently sitting on that spot next to me.

    Her tail was surprisingly able to cover most of her good points up to now. If I was just where she¡¯s sitting right now ¡­ the thought of my face being in that spot crossed my mind.

    Finally, with Ren on my other side coddling her bare, swollen stomach like Ume was, I grew a strong urge to rub both of them. Other fantasies ran through my mind, like how much I wanted to lick food off of her breasts like she did.

    I¡¯m not sure if it was due to some untapped fetishes I wasn¡¯t aware of that had got me worked up or some side-effect from my high-leveled ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ skill. Maybe I was still horny after my ¡®playtime¡¯ with Nyra cutting Luke up again and again. Either way, minding my time and place, I restrained myself.

    I however found how much I like more girls who eat a lot than those who¡¯re mindful of the amount. It doesn¡¯t just reflect in their figures, but it shows how much they really enjoy the simple pleasures of eating. I could kind of get why some girls are self-conscious about it, but honestly, like the people who are in the table right now, I would be more than happy enough to see they¡¯re okay with eating without restraint around me. It makes me want to go back to cooking and see how happy they¡¯d be eating what I make like Mom and everyone else did back in the day.

    When our tableware was cleared, I asked Winny and Lili if they wanted to join us in the baths after dinner¡ªI was honestly surprised enough when I heard they have such a facility as a public bathhouse in this world. Winny had to return home to bring the food to Kenny before taking him along and mentioned how it might be best that he and Ume don¡¯t see each other for a while. I guess she can¡¯t really let her guard down leaving her brother by himself at times? We agreed to meet tomorrow at the church to summon my familiar though. Lili wanted to wait for Ms. Raize when she¡¯s done before they do the same, and that will take a while.

    I was reminded then that there are a bunch of things I needed to get for tonight, so with Winny¡¯s directions before bidding her and Lili a good evening, my party and I went to the nearest item shop to buy some necessities. I got one of the better-looking knapsacks from the cultists cleaned inside and out of belongings and bloodstains for Ume to use, toothbrushes for the two of us, hairbrushes for each of the girls, some jerky in case I was feeling for a snack, towels, and soap for washing ourselves.

    Yes, I could use [Clean] to do the job quicker and make us spotless, but I think doing it by hand is more refreshing and there may be times I¡¯m not around to do it for us, so it¡¯s safe to be prepared. Plus, I¡¯m not sure of us using the Null Spell beforehand would excuse our courtesy of going straight in when others haven¡¯t seen it being used. There were a bunch of other things there that would definitely help prepare us for the quest, so I¡¯d have to come back later for them.

    With Winny¡¯s directions in mind we went to the nearest bathhouse after that, and going by what I was remembering, this is another one of the biggest buildings I saw from atop that hill earlier, surprisingly enough.

    We went inside and approach the Lamia receptionist at the front who goes by Athesia, according to the name above her head with my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill active. The layout of the lobby is similar to what I would see in a Japanese public bath. The biggest difference is the entrances that lead to the baths. Instead of Japanese characters that read to the men¡¯s and women¡¯s sides, there are what I assume to be Padimonian characters imprinted on the curtain-like doorways.

    ¡°Hello, is this where we pay for our entry to the baths?¡± I ask her for the group.

    ¡°Yes, sir! Is this your first time visiting a bathhouse in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Mine as well,¡± Ume adds in.

    ¡°Well, this bath in particular works differently than those in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°While there are sides for males and females, that¡¯s included in the ¡®humans only¡¯ bath on your left. The free bath on your right, on the other hand, accepts all races for the guests to share, male and female.¡±

    I think my heart might¡¯ve stopped and leapt up to my throat. ¡°S-So it¡¯s ¡­ a mixed bath?¡± I ask shakily.

    ¡°It¡¯s been called that as well, but yes, more or less.¡±

    I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some legitimate reason why this is a thing here, but I¡¯m having difficulty thinking what that might be right now.

    I clear my throat to try and calm myself down. ¡°Speaking as a foreigner unfamiliar of some customs, is there a common courtesy I should know about if I go in the free bath? Like, not staring at someone for too long or something?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no roughhousing and running around, but other than that, everyone who¡¯s in there are well aware of what they¡¯re getting into and they may even talk on friendly terms, so you¡¯re free to look anywhere for as long as the other person¡¯s comfortable with.¡±

    ¡°Physical contact?¡±

    ¡°Aside from washing each other who need assistance, physical contact is usually minimal, but, there¡¯s a special separate and closed-off ¡®contact-consented¡¯ bath for anybody who wants to get more ¡®intimate,¡¯ if you catch my drift. We get mate pairs and small groups who go in there to ¡®get close and personal-like¡¯ for a limited time. Are all of these girls with you your harem?¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°¡­ Yes?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯d like to pay extra, we can provide you a key to the contact-consented bath for your group to occupy for 1 hour doing whatever it is that you want to do in there.

    ¡­ Ms. Obina, God, Great Buddha, and/or whoever¡¯s responsible for this, I thank you for making this special event possible for a scary demon-looking man like myself.

    <¡°THANK YOU GODDESS OBINAAAAAAAAA~!¡±> However we expressed it, Nyra¡¯s and my own feelings were aligned at this very moment.

    ~~

    I didn¡¯t take long to take out the necessary money needed to pay for the entry and reservation for the closed-off bath, the latter of which being surprisingly expensive according to Ren and Erizora¡¯s reactions, coming to a total of almost 5,000 karos for the four of us. I just gave Athesia a half-gold coin and told her to keep the change. We were told to wait a bit before going in the closed-off bath so they could make sure everything¡¯s prepared. With those instructions in mind, our group went through the curtain-like partitions that lead to the free bath. When we get there, while there are a few males of the Centaurs, Giant Ants who were working on the city¡¯s reparations earlier, Imps, and Arch Imps, along with the opposite sex of those same niches, it¡¯s just as I expected in a city full of female-only demon races: the free bath is practically packed with them, Lamias, Harpies, and even a few Arachnes I see coming out of what looks like a sauna, probably an alternative to a bath since they can¡¯t swim or dunk their spider bodies in the water.

    Speaking of the bath, it would be better to say the ¡®bath¡¯ is more like a pool from a water amusement park. I can understand why the size with so many large-bodied people, but the total area seems to be bigger than an Olympic-sized pool. Off towards a corner, I could see a door leading to another room, a sign written in Padimonian hangs on the wall next to it. That door may very well lead the ¡®contact-consented¡¯ bath.

    All of what was described is only the bathing area. Covering a large area before that are many washing stations, each with their own soap, shampoo, and wooden basins to soak and rinse with. There are also long brushes and strange tools hanging on the walls that I imagine to be for the Centaurs¡¯ use as they look to be suitable for horses. And then there¡¯s the changing area where we strip and keep our belongings in baskets, the one we step into first, of which the patrons nearby catch the sight of us¡ªor more specifically, me¡ªand start whispering to each other.

    <¡°Holy crap ¡­ this is paradise! Why did we not have this?!¡±> Nyra screams excitedly in my head as our group starts changing out of our clothes and gear.

    Too bad this is as far as you¡¯ll go, then.

    <¡°Huh?¡±>

    I look towards one of the signs in the changing area. While I couldn¡¯t read Padimonian, the illustrations, including one depicting a sword and axe crossing each other underneath one of those cross circles, speaks levels.

    It seems we can¡¯t bring our weapons to the bath. You know what that means, Nyra.

    <¡°Nooooooooooooooooooo!¡±>

    Can you even see very far from where you are? I mean you could even tell what was going on back in Ms. Tephalia¡¯s room.

    <¡°I can only ¡®see¡¯ so far ahead on my own! I could just barely see what¡¯s going on in the bathing area by itself from here! How cruel it is for me at this time to be trapped in a weapon! Jinma, please, you have to ogle and grope every female body in this bathhouse for the both of us!¡±>

    Nyra, this bathhouse has rules and policies to follow. Do you want to get me banned from this paradise?

    ¡°Is something a matter, Jin?¡± Ume asks.

    I look over and see Ume already stripped of her cheongsam-apron dress and raring to go, butt-naked and bare for all to see. It¡¯s a bit different compared to her Dragonoid Form earlier without some of its traits seen and her tail slimmer, but her body¡¯s still as incredible a sight to behold as she was before our sex in the guild¡¯s meeting room.

    I almost instinctively look away out of manners, but I remind myself that this gorgeous woman is my equivalent of a wife now, and everyone who¡¯s in this bath knows what to expect when being here as Athesia explained. I shouldn¡¯t be ashamed to drink in how sexy Ume is, so I quickly calm myself down before answering.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Ume. Nyra and I are just having an internal spat in my head because she can¡¯t see very much of the bathhouse from here.

    ¡°Master must have a lot of those since he made a ¡®Weapon¡¯s Bond¡¯ with the tanto,¡± Ren says from behind me.

    ¡°You have noooooo idea.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Was she able to see everything when she possessed the previous holders?¡± Ume asks.

    <¡°Not just see, I could feel, hear, and taste everything!¡±>

    I relay her answer to Ume.

    ¡°She may not be able to do a full possession, but could she possess part of your body? Like taking your eye for sight if you allow it?¡±

    <¡°That¡¯s actually not a bad idea! Shall we try it?¡±>

    Only if you don¡¯t try to do something sneaky with it later.

    <¡°It¡¯s only one of your eyes! I promise!¡±>

    All right, so how do we do this?

    <¡°Just close both of your eyes while holding me and give me a sec.¡±>

    I oblige and stand there for only a couple of seconds. I feel a weird twitch in my left eye that¡¯s still closed.

    <¡°Okay, try opening them now.¡±>

    I do so and don¡¯t see anything change. I only have this strange slightly tingling feeling in my left eye.

    <¡°I think it worked! I can see you holding me!¡±>

    ¡°Whoa, Master¡¯s eye color changed again, except it¡¯s only the left with his dark brown turning red.¡±

    I glance to Erizora who said that and then feel like my eyes might¡¯ve popped out of my skull when I saw her main attractions right in front of me. The way they dangle as she¡¯s bending forward, those things might as well be a pair of cow udders begging to be milked.

    <¡°Yeah it definitely works! Holy shit, I can see a lot better than I normally would, and Megatit¡¯s bazongas are better in person than I ever dreamed of!¡±>

    ¡°¡­ Why do I feel this strange sense of defeat when I look at you?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me for being blunt, but you have no right to say that unless you¡¯re in my position, Ms. Umeiyon,¡± Ume and Ren say, respectfully.

    ¡°I-I sincerely apologize for having such a shameless body that offends you two. Master, I can¡¯t apologize enough to you, especially.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± I say in a much firmer and serious tone than what¡¯s necessary in this setting. I reel myself back when I realize that. ¡°To maintain a healthy body is one¡¯s own responsibility and should make the best out of it through any way they can, and Erizora, whatever it is that you¡¯re doing with it, you¡¯re doing an excellent job.¡± I emphasize my point with a thumb up.

    <¡°Preach it, brother!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    ¡°That goes for you two as well, Ume and Ren. You should not worry about what you lack and instead take pride of what you already have, both outside and in. Hell, if there¡¯s anyone here who should take that advice more than anyone, it¡¯s yours truly for how much I put my body through.¡± I finally start stripping down as well after saying that piece, revealing the scars scattered across my body. I¡¯m amazed I didn¡¯t get anything distinguishable on my face at this point in my lifetime.

    Sure, I could¡¯ve used the ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ service from the IBS like I did yesterday to remove the scars and make my body more appealing to the eyes, but I feel I¡¯d be erasing the mistakes I made in the past that I shouldn¡¯t forget by doing so, or I¡¯d repeat them otherwise. I figured keeping myself permanently shaved while having my ¡®bush¡¯ down there trimmed would be enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty crazy and unsettling, right?¡± I ask, preparing for the worst.

    ¡°¡°You¡¯re good,¡±¡± they respond immediately that kind of surprised me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look with the different lightings over the raid last night, but seeing it now ¡­ Master¡¯s really lean.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a nice change of pace being around so many bulky males back in my tribe, but ¡­ I see, so this is a human male¡¯s cock.¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°Impressed? This is my mate¡¯s amazing dick as you¡¯re seeing here, which actually looks bigger than I last remembered, so if I had an incredible experience then, then things will only get better from here! You may marvel at its greatness, girls,¡± Ume says while puffing her impressive chest with pride.

    ¡°So, they did have sex earlier ¡­¡± [Ren]

    ¡°And this is bigger than before?¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°My, my, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get to see something like this.¡± [Arachne]

    ¡°That¡¯s a good size. Must be my lucky day~.¡± [Harpy]

    ¡°It¡¯s bigger than my mate¡¯s ¡­¡± [Lamia Mother]

    ¡°Mommy, does that make him a better male than Daddy?¡± [Lamia Daughter]

    Thanks to Ume, I ¡­ or more specifically my erection has suddenly become the center of attention for the females in the bath as I¡¯m hearing their comments, some of which being sort of off-putting that makes me question the norms of parenting around here. It sounds like not many human males actually come to the free bath if it¡¯s such a spectacle for the demon females here.

    I was sort of self-conscious of my scars before, but now I¡¯m not sure what to feel.

    Wait, what the hell? My dick actually did get bigger. How the heck did that happen? I think after recalling Ume¡¯s comment about my size.

    Going by what I remember seeing, my dick at full erection when I had sex with Ume might¡¯ve been 14 centimeters [~5.5 inches], now it¡¯s about 17, maybe 18 centimeters [~6.7-7 inches]. I think the girth has gotten a little more swollen, too.

    I was wondering how the erection in my pants suddenly got more uncomfortable than usual while I was killing those cultists and cutting Luke up. Could this be the reason?

    <¡°Ahh, it seems the effects came in quicker than I thought. Actually, with how horny you were from lopping those guys¡¯ heads off and taking your time with that Whisper earlier, maybe that was when it kicked in?¡±>

    What do you mean?

    <¡°If one levels up their ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ high enough, they go through physical changes in the body that reflects their success of achieving sex. For guys, they get more stamina and/or bigger dicks with more pumping power, while the girls will also get more stamina, bigger butts, and/or boobs along with their more mature, womanly bodies. With such a ridiculous jump of yours after gaining the ¡®Dragon [Sex] Slayer¡¯ title and still virile for a few more rounds, I guess your changes came in quicker than the other guys when it usually happens overnight. Was this to be expected from a guy fresh out of his chastity? I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s just what I¡¯ve noticed from the humans I¡¯ve seen after possessing so many. We Pixies have different side-effects when our own Vigorous Libidos are leveled-up high enough, though.¡±>

    Huh, if that¡¯s actually a thing while being able to level up your stats from it, then maybe brothels are more popular among guys and the girls who work there than I thought. While that sounds incredible, that also means you¡¯re increasing the chances of getting STD¡¯s now that I think about it ¡­ in that case, I should be more careful with who I meet around here.

    I mentally pray that my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill would tell me whether someone has something like that or not when it levels up enough. Or better yet, doesn¡¯t Ume possess a ¡®Diagnosis¡¯ skill? I should see if I could get that myself soon.

 Chapter 50: Cleaning Before the Bath

    Despite the attention we were getting, we try to get ourselves completely undressed and moving on while not minding the other people. Ume seemed ecstatic to get in the contact-consented bath, but we haven¡¯t been given permission to go in yet. In the meantime, we went to the washing stations so I¡¯d show her the routines taken place here that¡¯s similar to how they¡¯re done back in Japan. In one station, I¡¯m currently sitting behind Ume and marveling the sapphire gem-like scales on her back, while Ren and Erizora start their own routines in another next to ours.

    ¡°I see, so soaking in the bath is more of a place to relax, and it¡¯d be rude to jump right in while still all dirty when there are other people sitting in the same water, so these are made for us to clean ourselves first,¡± Ume says after I dump water on her nude form and start off with lathering shampoo in her cerulean locks.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Interesting, even the cleaning has a way of relaxing yourself. Having my hair washed like this is pretty soothing. Do humans help each other like this all the time?¡±

    ¡°No, in the bathhouses where I¡¯m from, it was more normal to wash by yourself even if you¡¯re with a group. Having people wash each other like this sort of shows how close they are and that they¡¯re bonding through what we call skinship back home.¡±

    ¡°And this can go between those of the same sex as well as those that are opposite?¡±

    ¡°I imagine couples would do this from time to time, but I think it varies for those of the same sex. I never had another guy help me out like this, so I can¡¯t say for certain, and of course, I¡¯ve never seen two girls washing each other either ¡­ until now, that is.¡±

    Seeing Ren and Erizora help washing each other, they may as well be a pair of sisters with how smoothly they¡¯re doing this. They must¡¯ve helped each other a lot in this regard when they were still under the Todoka family¡¯s ownership. This moment could be seen as wholesome in a girl¡¯s perspective ¡­ but with me noticing how much their wet, sudsy bodies are rubbing together as they clean each other, especially when their very different chests were involved, it¡¯s as if they knew I¡¯m watching and are putting on a show for me. Maybe it¡¯s part of how they¡¯re trained as slaves to entertain their owners?

    Hell, everywhere I look in the washing area, whether the girls are alone or with a friend, especially being of such different races, the ways they clean themselves and each other are completely different experiences to behold. Lamias dexterously use the end of their tails holding soap-soaked towels to wash their backs and hard-to-reach pleases before cleaning the rest by hand after curling them around; Harpies are really careful in rinsing and washing the feathers on their wings to give them a glossy-clean shine, which likely requires the help of a friend; finally, the Centaurs, Arachnes, and Giant Ants, if they don¡¯t have someone helping them, they use the provided long brushes to clean as much of their larger lower animal/insect bodies as they can.

    <¡°Jinma! Look at that Lamia¡¯s bazongas! No, no, wait, that Harpy¡¯s ass is succulent, too! Wait! I think I just saw a Centaur¡¯s puffy pussy! Damn, the guys¡¯ balls next to her are huge.¡±> With Nyra possessing one of my eyes, she makes one commentary after another, a few of which I¡¯d rather not see and know about.

    You know what? I probably shouldn¡¯t be doing this. I got girls here with me already, especially one right in front of me while washing her hair. I should focus on the task at hand.

    <¡°Oh, come ooooon.¡±>

    If you were here with us in your own body and didn¡¯t get in trouble, I wouldn¡¯t mind you ogling anywhere you please, but unless I was here by myself, I should give my girls here the proper attention they deserve. Haven¡¯t you given your previous sex partners the attention they needed when you jack them off until they shoot the goo? Especially if it¡¯s one-on-one? If you leave them limp and hanging, they¡¯ll get hurt in their balls and their hearts.

    <¡°¡­ Damn. Well, I can¡¯t argue with that logic. Even in a gangbang, one girl could only get so many guys off with her own body.¡±>

    ¡°Okay, Ume, I think I got enough of your hair washed. I¡¯m going to rinse you off and wash your back and tail next. Can you do your front while I¡¯m at it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do the front for me?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯d be happy to, but this isn¡¯t a good time and place for that. I don¡¯t want to risk getting things in a different direction when there are kids here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, fair point.¡± Despite sounding disappointed, she resigns herself as I rinse the suds off her hair with a tub of water. I then get a soap-soaked towel for each of us and start cleaning our assigned areas. I make sure to be thorough and get as much between the scales as possible.

    ¡°Ooh~, that feels niiice~,¡± Ume coos while her tail sways side to side.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying it.¡±

    I continue my work and things between us get silent for a bit until I notice Ume¡¯s shoulders getting a little tense. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but how much stronger did you get after defeating all of those guys?¡± she asks.

    ¡°¡­ A lot.¡±

    ¡°Were you able to learn ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ after leveling up?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I see, that explains how I couldn¡¯t sense anything from you since I came back. It may be best that you keep it that way. I learned the hard way that it¡¯s standard for those with high magical power to learn that skill as early as possible. To those around you, whether or not they¡¯re sensitive to magic, affects them in ways you¡¯d be surprised to see, especially other demons being as magically influenced as they already are. It¡¯s also better since your magic is unique compared to others.¡±

    ¡°I figured as much, but thanks for your input.¡±

    ¡°More importantly though, after I thought it over, I¡¯m a little mad at you, Jin.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I may have been ¡­ in a daze at the time from your signs of affection, you should¡¯ve said something to me if you felt those humans being hostile towards you.¡±

    ¡°Like I said before, I thought they just wanted to pick a fight at the time and they were aiming more towards me. I didn¡¯t want to bother you with my problems, especially when you were getting fitted for your new dress.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not right, though!¡± Ume then spins herself around and stares me down. ¡°Even if you were capable of handling those guys by yourself, I¡¯m your mate now, your problems are as much as mine as it is the other way around. Not only that, we¡¯re part of a party now, and last I checked, adventuring parties are supposed to work together and fight for each other.¡±

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s right!¡± Ren exclaims as she stands next to us, her golden-yellow eyes are hard and sharp like her primary dagger weapons. ¡°You¡¯re also our leader, our master! As your slaves and companions, we are at your command! You say the word, and Eri and I will take them down without having you lift a finger for even once! I will use my honed skills and senses as a Werewolf Thief to track down and eliminate anyone for even speaking about laying a hand on you! I heard those bastards saying all of those awful things about you back at the guild, and with no settings restricting my movements, I was this close to slitting their throats right there!¡±

    ¡°I may be banished from a tribe, but as long as the blood of the Ogres flow inside me, I will crush anyone in my sight as a Savage! They will see how fearsome an Ogre¡¯s rage can be when angered for besmirching my master¡¯s great name!¡± Erizora adds from where she sits on her stool.

    ¡°And of course, no one who thinks they can get away after hurting my mate will be able to avoid my magic unscathed if not dead,¡± Ume says while baring her claws. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to get this far on your own and not collapse from exhaustion after all that you did for us and this city within these last 36 hours, but it¡¯s not just you fighting battles anymore. Let us help you and fight with you, as a team.¡±

    ¡°As a pack!¡±

    ¡°As a harem!¡±

    ¡°¡­ A family?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Whatever it is, you¡¯re not alone anymore, Jin. None of us want anything bad happening to you if we can do something to avoid it. If you keep going off doing everything on your own ¡­ no matter how much attention you might give us through sex, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be any closer to you than when we first met, maybe even before that when we were still alone ¡­ right?¡± Ume turns to the others when she asks that and they nod in agreement.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    <¡°Don¡¯t forget about me,¡±> Nyra barges in my mind. <¡°If you think you¡¯re by yourself, I¡¯ll annoy you as much as possible until you acknowledge my existence. No matter how bad things will get, you¡¯re stuck with me, and that¡¯s as much of a curse on you as it is for me, so I¡¯d work on your sense of humor if I were you.¡±>

    ¡°Guys ¡­¡±

    I wonder how long it has been since people have offered to help me so much ¡­ no, when Mom died a couple of months ago, aside from the funeral, I pushed everyone away while I tried to work out my issues on my own, and look how that turned out. Just when I decided to do something for myself like she asked me to on her deathbed, when I quitted that company that¡¯s so toxic to our clients¡¯ lives, I was marked for a hit so I wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to them. Though I probably should¡¯ve considered it, I didn¡¯t intend to try and leak anything important, I just wanted to quickly move on in my life.

    When I got tailed, I didn¡¯t want to put anyone in danger, especially my aunts, but I should¡¯ve thought of asking them for help first thing when they offered it so many times before. Like Mom, they were not your average girls back in high school, and they know how to put up the dukes when the situation calls for it. That still holds true today.

    Alas, that never happened, and who knows how they¡¯re handling my death right now just when they lost Mom not too long ago? Even now, if I hadn¡¯t gotten my hands and these cheat-like skills and abilities, who knows whether I¡¯d meet that fate again in that backlot?

    When I came to this world, I was completely on my own with no one to rely on if I don¡¯t count Ms. Obina contacting me through the bracelet. Now I got Ume, Ren, and Erizora, and all I¡¯ve done so far was made them worried over me. They probably tried to hide it during our feast as I was telling my tale.

    I need to fight in order to live decently in this world, but now, I don¡¯t need to do it alone anymore as I had all this time. I need to make sure that every moment I make with these girls counts, whether it¡¯s on or off the battlefield.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I say after thinking and bow my head to them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you all worried. I promise to work hard and be a good leader ¡­ a good mate who relies on you girls when I need you. I hope you can be patient with me as I try to work this out, and I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, to not even consider me and my assets, it¡¯s such an insult to my pride, but since it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll let it slide this time. Just know that there are things in this world that you just can¡¯t do without us, like reading.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t remind me. It kind of hurts knowing I¡¯m the most illiterate person here.¡±

    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I myself will just have to teach you how to read, then.¡±

    ¡°Can you really?!¡± I ask while looking up.

    ¡°Yep. I got a wide array of books stowed away in my [Storage]. We can use those as references while I¡¯ll also teach you what you may not already know about magic.¡±

    ¡°That would be awesome!¡± I hold both of her claws/hands together in mine while I deeply bow my head. ¡°Thank you so much, Ume! Thank you!¡±

    ¡°H-Honestly, with your LUCK, it¡¯s a miracle you even have someone like me around to help you. Aren¡¯t you grateful?¡± she asks with a slight shake in her voice.

    ¡°I am grateful! Really! I feel so left out not being able to read when most of everyone else here can! To be able to give me this chance, Ume, I feel like the luckiest man in the world to have you with me as my mate! I will love you forever!¡±

    ¡°L-L-Love?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow, Ms. Umeiyon is turning so red in the fleshy areas.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen so few Ogres from my tribe that red before. I didn¡¯t know a Lizardman¡¯s ears would move like that, either.¡±

    Curious from Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s respective comments, I look up and indeed, the parts of Ume¡¯s body not covered by scales got so red she might be overheating, and the fin-like ears are flapping like a fish would while swimming. The expression in her face is especially unreadable.

    ¡°J-J-Jin will ¡­ l-love me forever? Th-The kind of ¡®like¡¯ that¡¯s g-greater than a normal ¡®like¡¯? Th-That love?¡± she asks more to herself than anyone else.

    Come to think of it, I never mentioned that when we had sex, did I?

    I only explained to her the process of reproduction, then she decided to stay with me anyways, and we gave each other our virginities at the heat of the moment. I did mention how people would have sex for different reasons other than procreation over our ¡®talk,¡¯ but did she not expect such intimate feelings would get involved between us? She seemed happy enough when I was kissing her in public, right? Does that ¡­ no, actions may speak louder than words at times, but it¡¯s important to voice your feelings as well, or how else would we be able to properly communicate?

    I was also unsure of my feelings for her both before and after the act, but I swore to myself I¡¯d take responsibility as a man for her. Thinking back how willing I was to mutilate Luke¡¯s body for thinking about doing such awful things to Ume, I think that speaks levels for how much I care for her, doesn¡¯t it? Would I not get so heated up over it if it involves somebody I¡¯m not close to?

    We may not be doing this relationship in the right order and this may be a weird time and place for us, but as long as the subject is present, I should still own up to it.

    ¡°Ume,¡± I say while squeezing her claws and I stare right at her flustered, wavering eyes. ¡°I¡¯m saying this to you not as a human to a demon and not just as one member of a family to another, but I¡¯m saying this as a man to a woman, a male to a female ¡­ I love you, Ume, and just as I said moments ago, I will love you forever.¡±

    ¡°¡°Oooooh~!¡±¡± Not just Ren and Erizora, but the other bathhouse patrons are also cooing with delight and excitement at this sudden turn of events. I try not to pay them any mind, however.

    With Ume¡¯s claws still in my hands, I bring my face close to hers, closing my eyes, and feel her shuddering breath on my lips as they make their approach.

    ¡°C-C-C-C-CREATE WATER!¡±

    ¡°¡°Aaaaugh!¡±¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    At Ume¡¯s squeal of a chant and the bathhouse patrons¡¯ panicked screams, I open my eyes and notice she pulled one of her claws and held it straight up in the air.

    I look up just as a ginormous blob of water comes crashing down on my face.

    ZABOOSH!

    ¡°¡°COOOOLD!¡±¡± Ren, Erizora, and I exclaim as all four of us get caught in that tidal wave of ice-cold water. The other patrons look to have seen what was about to happen and made a break from it before they got caught in its splash zone. It went quite far, even wetting some of the changing area and just ways away from the baths.

    Even with my ¡®Body Temperature Stability¡¯ skill, it takes a bit for it to kick in, which leaves me trembling and chattering from the cold like the rest of us were.

    ¡°W-Was it s-s-s-something I s-said?¡± I ask through shuddering breath.

    ¡°P-Please don¡¯t misunderstand!¡± Ume exclaims while holding a claw out to me, her non-scaly flesh now back to its pasty color ¡­ well, maybe paler than usual from the cold, but seeing how hard and erect her nipples currently are is getting my dick warmed back up already.

    ¡°I-I was so happy, embarrassed, and other things that I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do with myself if you kissed me like that right then.¡± Ume¡¯s face blushes again and averts her gaze while fidgeting in place. ¡°W-We¡¯re not supposed to do that here, right? I don¡¯t think I could restrain myself if that happened, so ¡­ can we pick this back up when we get to the contact-consent bath, please?¡±

    ¡°¡°Ooooh~!¡±¡± The bathhouse patrons are even more enthused at this sudden development.

    ¡°So ¡­ you¡¯re not turned off by me and my confession?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    I sigh with a hand to my chest. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°The bath isn¡¯t ready for us to go in yet, right? In the meantime, why don¡¯t I help clean you next while we wait?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sounds good.¡± She may want some time to calm herself down after that surprise there, so I¡¯ll let things go at her pace. We change spots with Ume behind me before she starts washing my hair first. I¡¯m starting to get where Ume¡¯s coming from. How her claws gently scratch my scalp as she lathers my hair is pretty soothing to me. I wonder if Ren also felt something similar when I petted her at the park a while ago. The other bathhouse patrons went back to their own cleanings while going over gossip at our moment.

    ¡°Ren, Erizora, why don¡¯t you two warm up for a bit before you join us?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Eh?! Is that really all right?!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°I mean, with that moment, we figured you two might¡¯ve wanted to keep it to yourselves,¡± Erizora adds.

    ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do after getting you two caught up in that cold splash. Looking past your social standing, I want to bond with the people in our party. We can make it as a special bond of skinship like Jin described.¡±

    ¡°Ume, I think what we¡¯ll be doing in there goes beyond what¡¯s considered ¡®skinship.¡¯ Aside from that, as long as Ume¡¯s all right with it, I¡¯d also like to get closer to the two of you as well.¡±

    ¡°Besides, with how ¡­ energetic Jin was with me earlier, I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯d fare an hour with him alone, but as his primary mate, I get first dibs,¡± Ume adds. I could imagine her blushing as she said that.

    ¡°We¡¯d be more than happy to be of service for Master! Right, Eri?!¡±

    ¡°If Ms. Umeiyon being a Lizardman was having trouble keeping up with Master earlier, then ¡­ I wonder how rough he¡¯ll be with me? He was really on edge in those bedchambers, too. Oh, god, this isn¡¯t good. I¡¯m already getting wet~.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ she¡¯ll be fine,¡± Ren says before straining a smile, answering for Erizora while she smiles perversely.

    <¡°Daaaaamn, Megatits is a bigger bitch in heat than the actual bitch!¡±>

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Erizora already wet from my magic earlier?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of ¡®wet,¡¯ Ume.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Ohhh.¡±

    When Ume finishes washing my hair, she rinses it with the tub of warm water instead of her magic like earlier. As I get started lathering my arms and front, I thought I heard whispering coming from behind me, but since I¡¯m trying to mentally prepare myself for the ¡®activities¡¯ in the bath, I didn¡¯t pay it much mind.

    Suddenly, a pair of blue scaly arms appear in my peripheral and wrap around my waist before I feel a pair of large, malleable breasts sliding against my back. Their erected nipples tickle me as they run over some of the scars that are on my back.

    ¡°Ahh ¡­¡±

    I could only recognize that sigh dripping with lust to be Ume¡¯s as she moves her face close to mine, specifically my ear where I could feel her hot breath on it.

    ¡°I will always love you forever, too, Jin.¡±

    It¡¯s such a low and quiet whisper that I¡¯m not sure Ren could hear it with her heightened Werewolf senses.

    I then feel a pair of lips on my face that makes a smacking sound from the peck before a cheek rests on my own, my body is pulled into a loving embrace from behind.

    With a contented sigh through my nose and a gentle smirk, I close my eyes, rest a hand on Ume¡¯s arms, and lean my face against hers. I relish one of the moments I¡¯ve always wanted to share with the love of my own, and I pray I could use every point of my stupidly low LUCK that I have to experience more of these with Ume and the others in the near future.

 Chapter 51: Salts and Lubricant Before the Bath

    We finally get the okay of going into the contact-consented bath and were given the key to it just as we finished cleaning ourselves. With our towels, we did not waste any time getting right into the closed-off room.

    When we get inside, we are first greeted by a large personal pool that one might see in a rich celebrity¡¯s home, at least by the dimensions in length and width. I noticed it on our way here, but like at the edge of the public bath, there are Padimonian characters displayed in tiles along the pool edge here, too. Ume explained to me how those are numbers that seem to indicate how deep some parts of the pool are. It seems they took bigger customers like Erizora in mind while they designed this place as it looks like it gets deep enough for her to dunk herself up to her chest while sitting. A kid might even be able to swim in it if they tried. I saw illustrated signs where that isn¡¯t allowed though, so I¡¯m thankful they considered that much as well.

    Off to the side is a table with jars of variable sizes containing different stuff inside. Three large jars, in particular, have salt-like stuff inside in varying colors, and when Ume read the labels below them aloud, they were surprisingly bath salts, things I didn¡¯t think were possible to make in this world. What¡¯s peculiar is the type of scents included in them, named ¡®Lovander,¡¯ ¡®Toses,¡¯ and ¡®Cavilla.¡¯ When I smell them myself, they¡¯re similar, if not the same as lavender, roses, and vanilla.

    Like the Clork-Stork resemblance, it seems there are other things in this world that are closely related to the stuff back home. I wonder what other similar stuff is out here, but that¡¯s another subject to think on another day.

    Alongside the bath salts are smaller, personal-sized jars containing the [Contraception] lubricant I used on Ume earlier, with labels describing its effects that she reads aloud. While I¡¯m familiar with its ability to prevent pregnancy, I had no idea it would still be active when in the water after it''s applied. Not only that but when applied to other places on one¡¯s body, those can also be sexually stimulated as well, making them more sensitive by the touch for the same duration of time. We were allowed only one jar per person, and the jars themselves only have enough to either be thoroughly applied on the genitals and maybe some parts of one¡¯s body. Since I¡¯m capable of casting the spell myself though, that won¡¯t be necessary.

    At the side of the table is an icebox, and when I check inside, there are bottles of what looks like different flavors of milk. There¡¯s a label on the box that Ume reads ¡®one per person, only¡¯ as well.

    It¡¯s no wonder they charge people so much for using this pool here if all of this is included. It may very well be a mixture of love hotels and those ¡®soaplands¡¯ I¡¯ve heard of back home. It would be better to dub this a ¡®Love Bath,¡¯ but why would this bathhouse call it the ¡®contact-consented bath?¡¯

    ¡°Wait, I can sort of understand the chest, but the anus is ¡­ one¡¯s hole where waste comes out, right? Why would one want to put that stuff in there to get stimulated? It isn¡¯t a place for a male¡¯s cock to get into ¡­ is it?¡± Ume asks herself after reading the label for the [Contraception] lubricant, perplexed.

    I didn¡¯t explain to Ume the different ways partners have sex when we had ¡®the talk¡¯ at the guild. I¡¯m mentally debating if I should show her tonight.

    I get a few pokes on my side and see it was Ren grabbing my attention. She beckons me closer, and so I squat to her level. ¡°Eri and I emptied ourselves out with Ms. Umeiyon at the toilets before we left the guild and we made sure our holes were thoroughly cleaned, too. Along with Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s, our asses are ready to serve you at your leisure, Master,¡± she whispers.

    <¡°So committed! Those Todokas did a hell of a job training these slaves!¡±

    No shit. Literally. Wait, when did they have time cleaning that part of Ume¡¯s body while we were in the cleaning area? No, I probably shouldn¡¯t think about it too hard. ¡°Ren, would you please dump the bath salts in the water?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Yes, Master, what scent?¡±

    ¡°Any preferences?¡± I ask everyone.

    ¡°Lovander seems to be the most popular judging by how little there is in the jar compared to the other two,¡± Ume points out.

    Deciding to give it a try, Ren starts dumping scoops of the faux lavender bath salts in the water. Erizora, meanwhile, fidgets and squirms in place with a flushed face, poorly covering her privates with the towel too small for her size and one of her arms as she shifts glances between the bath and the lubricant.

    ¡°Erizora, since you¡¯re so eager, you¡¯re up first. Do you mind, Ume?¡±

    ¡°As long as I still get to go first with you in the sex, I would prefer having mine applied last.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then. Also, Erizora, I want to point something out about your ¡­ tastes.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes?!¡±

    ¡°Let me just say ahead of time that while you have seen me give some bastards the torture/scare treatment they deserve, I¡¯ve never given it to someone who¡¯s as willing to receive it as you are right now, even though you didn¡¯t wrong me or anybody around you. Because of that, considering my high Strength, I¡¯m hesitant to give you this treatment while risking to cause serious damage to your awesome body, especially since I¡¯ve never taken part in this sort of play before. Sure, I have healing magic, and it¡¯d be different if we¡¯re someplace else, but we¡¯re here with the others to relax and have a good time, not go wild. We¡¯ll go over your interests in greater detail in another time, but for now, I¡¯d like us to bond as a party ¡­ as a harem, the best way we can. Do I make myself clear, Erizora?¡±

    Erizora looks shocked for a moment and tries to take in my words. ¡°S-So ¡­ nothing crazy?¡±

    ¡°Nothing crazy. I¡¯d just like to cherish your bodies like any man who cares for his woman.¡±

    ¡°¡­ O-Okay, I think I get it.¡± She seems to understand, yet now looks like she¡¯s under some kind of inner conflict.

    ¡°Good. Now, come on over here and spread your pussy open nice and wide for me. [Contraception],¡± I chant before holding up one of my hands and the magic lubricant oozes out of it before slowly dripping to the floor.

    Erizora drops her towel, baring herself before me, and approaches with an unreadable, flushed face. The way her incredible tits jiggle and sway with each step gets my now grown-up dick even more excited. She reaches down to her snatch and parts her puffy pink lips, which oozes and drips sexual fluids down to the tiles between her feet in response

    With one of my hands oozing with the lubricant, I take two fingers and shove them right up inside her, making a squelching sound as they¡¯re assaulted by the great heat and gripping power of her pussy. Despite being big for her size, the hole itself is rather tight.

    ¡°Aaah!¡± Erizora squeals, making her knees buckle from the sudden invasion. ¡°M-Master¡¯s fingers ¡­ now inside me! A-Aaah! Th-The fluids! So hot! A-Auugh! You¡¯re moving them, too?!¡±

    ¡°Gotta make sure it¡¯s thoroughly applied and it gets deep inside.¡± I move my fingers in a beckoning motion and rotate them with each rub, using my ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ skill to tickle the right places to make her feel fantastic all the while. I take my thumb and find the button that is her swollen clit, making her squeal in ecstasy on contact. Playing with her hardened clit while applying the lubricant inside her depths, it¡¯s incredible how Erizora¡¯s still standing despite how shaken she is.

    Looking at her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ though, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was already partially full before, but with touching her good spots while learning earlier that my ¡®Intimate Touch¡¯ skill heightens the stimulation further, it¡¯s filling up quite rapidly.

    ¡°I-I can feel it pouring ¡­ right down to my womb! I can feel ¡­ everything! Aaaaugh!¡±

    Just as her gauge reaches its full peak, her insides suddenly squeeze around my fingers and her fluids squirt down between her legs to make a puddle. The gripping power is surprisingly tight enough to hold me into a vice, and anyone who¡¯d try to break free would probably hurt themselves.

    Not being able to hold herself up any longer, Erizora buckles down to the floor and gasps with bated breath, my fingers slip out of her pussy in the process, now soaked more of her juices than the magic lubricant that oozes out of my hands. I then notice her eyes are hungrily aimed at my throbbing cock.

    ¡°Cumming already, Erizora? And it hasn¡¯t even been 3 minutes. You¡¯re really wanting this aren¡¯t you?¡± I ask while slowly waving my dick side to side with my hips. Her gaze follows it with great attention like she¡¯s hypnotized.

    ¡°Y-Yesh ¡­¡±

    ¡°Is she usually like this?¡± I hear Ume whispering to Ren as they watch us from the side.

    ¡°Master will be the first male to take her as a woman. I honestly thought she¡¯d be disappointed not getting roughed up being a super masochist, but Eri seems more excited than before.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s a ¡®super masochist?¡¯¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get this soon enough, Erizora, but for now, let me get a niiice rub-down of your perverted breasts now,¡± I say to her as I get to my knees, my eyes now at level with her tits. I know I said I wouldn¡¯t do anything crazy, but teasing her to this extent isn¡¯t going too far, is it?

    <¡°It¡¯s not extreme, so I think you¡¯re good,¡±> Nyra comments, being the sex expert she is.

    ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Snapped to attention, Erizora sits up and straightens her back, putting her incredible boobs in total view.

    Erizora forced my hand on one of them this morning and I was caught off-guard, but now with nothing to hold me back ¡­ With my oozing lubricated hands, I push them right up against her titan tatas.

    Munya Munya!

    ¡°Hii!¡± Erizora jolts her back from the sudden contact, I imagine the great heat from the lubricant is currently penetrating her watermelon-sized lumps of fat as I rub it down.

    ¡°Geez, Erizora, they¡¯re so huge and weighty I have to use both hands just to hold one of these,¡± I say while I focus on one mammary first. I lube it up in a generous coating from the base right to her nipple, pushing, stretching, twisting, all the while activating her ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ as I see them and watch how Erizora squirms and breathes shakily in response. I make sure to pay extra attention to her large walnut-sized areola and round nipple that¡¯s similar to a pea¡¯s, circling my lube-coated thumb all around, push it in, and let it pop back up painfully erect before pinching and stretching it. It¡¯s phenomenal how just one of these babies have such a good mixture of softness and firmness while it spills over my fingers, like a giant marshmallow on the verge of melting yet still maintaining some solidified form and shape. The nipple itself is especially hard and erect, and if I squint my eyes, I could make out the tiny pores that would lactate milk if she were pregnant.

    As if drawn in by instinct, I put my mouth over the nipple and started sucking like a hungry beast, massaging the lone tit to squeeze out the milk that would not come out. I swirl my tongue around the areola before gently biting it down and pull.

    ¡°Aaaugh! It burns so hot! M-Master¡¯s assaulting my nipple! Forgive me for not being able to lactate yeeeet!¡± Erizora wails.

    At her call, I come to my senses and remember I still have stuff to do and only a limited time to do it. I quickly lube up and massage her other large tit that¡¯s poorly neglected. Her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ staggers around over 50% full now.

    ¡°All right, Erizora, turn and stretch your anus for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Oh, fuck! This is different from when Jin touched me!¡±

    Just as Erizora turns herself around, we look to the scene in front of us and see Ren on top of Ume while massaging her breasts. Two small jars from the table sit next to her. While Ume lies there and moans, Ren focuses hard on the treatment she¡¯s giving to her.

    Noticing our gaze, Ren looks to us while still doing the massage. ¡°Ms. Umeiyon asked me to do this, saying we¡¯ll lose all the time we have at the rate you¡¯re going by yourself. She told me to follow whatever procedures you¡¯re doing to Eri, and I already applied the lubricant to Ms. Umeiyon¡¯s pussy. Shall I apply the lube to her anus as well?¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°E-Eh?! Was that why you were cleaning me down there earlier, too?! Will Jin put his dick in my ass?!¡± Ume asks Ren in shock.

    ¡°If you want me to, Ume. That¡¯s one of the ways two people can have sex while not aiming to procreate. You¡¯d be prepped for what¡¯s called anal sex, then there¡¯s what we had earlier, vaginal sex, and then there¡¯s oral sex where the dick goes into the mouth.¡±

    ¡°That can go in there, too?!¡± Ume exclaims.

    ¡°We trained our asses for anal sex with lubed dildos,¡± Ren explains. ¡°It may be uncomfortable the first time, but it surprisingly feels good when done right and with practice. Oral sex is more to make the males feel good when they¡¯re on the receiving end, but I heard some girls can get off on giving it, too. Eri was certainly into her training on that using all of those Jabanas and Cuzumbers, for sure.¡±

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t mention that in front of Master! Oh, god, having him knowing how I used food like that ¡­ I can¡¯t bear this humiliation~!¡±

    From the look on your face and how much your two holes are throbbing, you certainly don¡¯t seem that sad about it, I couldn¡¯t help but retort that in my mind.

    But seriously, ¡®Jabanas¡¯ and ¡®Cuzumbers?¡¯ Who came up with these weird names?

    ¡°¡­ A-And you¡¯ll feel good if I do all of those with you, Jin?¡± Ume asks shakily.

    ¡°It may, I¡¯ve never experienced anal and oral before, but it¡¯s something I¡¯d like to try. You don¡¯t have to do it if you don¡¯t want to, though.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Erizora, switch with me.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Ms. Umeiyon!¡± Without argument, Erizora gets up and change places with Ume before the latter kneels down to my level. Looking past her, the two slaves get right to it with Ren being the first to apply lube into Erizora¡¯s bum.

    ¡°Now then, t-this oral and anal sex ¡­ I imagine we¡¯ll want to do the latter in the water while we make use of our bath time, so we will try the former here before you lube my ass.

    ¡°Are you sure, Ume?¡± I then ask her while deactivating my [Contraception] spell before quietly casting [Clean] on my hands to dry for a moment. I then go from sitting on my knees to my butt.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure! I¡¯m not only curious and wanting to do it, but as your primary mate, I have the privilege to take any, if not all of your firsts in various activities before any other girl, unless otherwise! So, if there¡¯s anything new you want to try in the future, you bring that up to me first before I decide what to do with it! Got it?!¡±

    ¡°Loud and clear.¡± I mean, I could get it if that¡¯s a thing in this world, but I also feel this is just her being greedy and wanting as much from me as possible before the others. Not that I¡¯m complaining, since I¡¯ll be getting a blowjob from my new girlfriend/wife and I get to see her ass in full view like I wanted earlier at the guild. I also find her being so honest in what she wants to do with me to be rather charming.

    ¡°S-So, this oral sex ¡­ I put my mouth over this, right?¡± Ume asks as she lies down between my spread legs and brings her face close to my hardened dick.

    ¡°Well, yes, mainly it¡¯s to do a bunch of things to it with your mouth. Try licking it first.¡±

    As if trying a new food for the first time, Ume takes her tongue and slowly runs up the underside of my erection, from above the ball sack all the way to the flared head. The sudden new sensation sends shivers down my spine and I couldn¡¯t help but make a slight groaning sound in my throat. Ume didn¡¯t seem to notice as she was contemplating the taste.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ it could be because you just cleaned it earlier, but I could taste a little of something else along with what I assume to be the soap. Rather peculiar ¡­¡±

    Ume continues her taste test on my cock, thoroughly running her thick reptile-like tongue all over the balls first before moving up to the throbbing shaft from the base to the tip. She notices the bead of precum forming at the tip and laps it up some as well.

    I¡¯m so glad I decided to use the ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ service to give that area the proper shave and trim needed when I first came here, or this may not have been as appealing for Ume as it is right now. I¡¯m not completely shaved of pubic hair, I just have a small and narrow, trapezoid-shaped black fuzz on the pelvis above the shaft.

    It pains me to admit I got this idea from Kazumi, being the slimeball playboy that he was when he suggested it to me if I was planning on ¡®hitting up chicks.¡¯ I kept doing it mainly more out of feeling refreshed and clean afterward, but I guess I owe that son-of-a-bitch a drink on top of the ¡®Blowback Punch¡¯ to the face.

    Feeling the hot, moist, soft appendage of hers over my shaved genitals, transferring great heat at first before the cold from the draft hits the bare skin soon after, it¡¯s definitely different from when I stuck it inside her pussy the first few times. My body tenses up from these sensations, my legs tightening while they stretch out, and my core tightens as I try not to ejaculate prematurely despite the number of times I got aroused between the sex from the guild to now.

    ¡°Idareshtig. Dosh dish fee dood, Din? [Interesting. Does this feel good, Jin?]¡± Ume asks with her tongue still lolled out on my dick with upturned eyes.

    <¡°Come on, dude, say something! Girls don¡¯t know how guys are feeling unless they say it out loud!¡±> Nyra urges in my mind.

    ¡°It does. You¡¯re doing great, Ume. Now try putting your mouth over it, move it up and down as deep as you can while working your tongue. Oh, and watch the teeth.¡±

    Ume nods and obliges, first putting the tip in her mouth with a claw gently holding my erection steady. She then slowly lowers her head down, quickly finding how small her mouth is as my cock gets closer to the back. She stops for a moment, tries to open her throat, and smoothly manages to get the rest in while being careful with her teeth.

    Using my sight and what I¡¯m feeling inside her mouth as a basis, I quickly find how different that is compared to having my cock inside her snatch. I couldn¡¯t hold back a groan when the head reaches the back of her throat that somehow tightens and massages around it, combined with her dexterous, strong tongue curling and gripping the underside of the shaft.

    I didn¡¯t notice until now how her eyes have been on me the whole time, and when our eyes meet, I could¡¯ve sworn I felt her lips forming into a mischievous smile.

    As if it¡¯s now under her control, she starts her assault on my cock while maintaining great concentration on how it reacts. She seems to have quickly learned this over the few rounds of sex over at the guild¡¯s meeting room. Up, down, up, down, suck, blow, and suck again with a greater vacuum force, she experiments how much my cock throbs from her actions while her tongue massages it.

    ¡°F-Fuck! Ume! Can¡¯t hold it in ¡­ much longer!¡±

    Remembering where the sperm and semen develop from our talk, Ume takes one of her claws up to my sagging, swelling ball sack and give it a few firm squeezes, as if doing so would squirt the male juices right out.

    At this time, she¡¯s correct on that assumption.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    ¡°Mmph?!¡±

    I hold her head in place and thrust my cock up inside her as I cum. A lot must¡¯ve built up over the times I got horny from having my way with the cultists because this load quickly fills up her oral cavity with its hot, thick fluids. Some of it seems to have got down to her windpipe as she releases what she had in her mouth before coughing it up, making a mess of my dick and pelvis.

    ¡°*Koff, koff, guhack!* Agh, a bit more warning next time would¡¯ve been nice!¡± Ume scolds while furrowing her brow at me, her lips and chin a mess of the yellowish-white fluids that drip down to the tile floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I¡¯m building up more than I thought today.¡± I put my hands together and bow my head to her in apology.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s as much here as there was the last few times earlier ¡­ did it really feel that good?¡±

    ¡°It was amazing,¡± I answer with my head still lowered.

    ¡°W-Well, this is a first for both of us, so I¡¯ll let you off easy ¡­¡±

    Just as I look up, I see her sniffing the cum now on her claw that she used to wipe off her face. She then licks the whole thing off.

    ¡°Uh, you don¡¯t need to eat that ¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh. It¡¯s a taste I¡¯m certainly not familiar with, but I don¡¯t dislike it.¡±

    Ume sees the mess of cum on my dick and pelvis, and then surprisingly, she closes in and laps up everything clean, the sudden assault jolts me up while my dick that was starting to soften grows hard again. She then runs her tongue all over them to make sure she got every last bit of taste on that appendage. She licks what¡¯s left on her lips and chin, and with all of it gathered in her mouth, she thoroughly swishes it around before swallowing it all down with a loud, hearty *dokun.*

    ¡°Haaah~, the way it slithers down my throat and how it makes my tummy grow all nice and warm ... it could taste a little better, but what a blissful treat that was. Thanks for the meal,¡± Ume says before she sensually rubs her bare stomach with a satisfied grin on her face.

    ¡°¡­ It is I who should be thanking you for the treat, Ume,¡± I say before putting my hands and bowing my head to her again. Looking down, I can already see my cock at full erection and ready to go for the next round.

    ¡°Eh? Did you get something out of this, too?¡±

    More than you know.

    ¡°Oh! I almost forgot we¡¯re in a time limit, and the bath¡¯s been ready from the salts poured inside a while ago!¡± Ume then gets down to a dogeza-like position with her butt high in the air at my direction. With the lizard tail lifted up and Ume spreading her cheeks, I marvel for the first time at the sight that is her ass, big and bubbly, yet firm to the touch from how her claws grip it. Her anus, clean thanks to Ren¡¯s help, gapes at me as I see nothing but darkness in its depths. Her dripping wet pussy below that adds as a bonus to the glorious piece of art that is Umeiyon¡¯s derriere.

    ¡°Come on, hurry up and lube it so we can get right to it!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Jin!¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry, I was so entranced by your anus that I spaced out.¡±

    ¡°D-D-Don¡¯t get entranced by it! I-I still don¡¯t get this anal sex, but I know that poop comes out of there! Even you should know that much, right?!¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s so pretty, though. Hell, even your pussy is rather beautiful at this angle, too.¡±

    ¡°W-What the hell are your standards in beauty if that counts as such?! Ohh, why do I feel so embarrassed over this now, and why is Jin being such a weirdo?¡± Ume asks herself while looking away, but I could see how flushed her face is from here, and seeing how red and puffy her pussy is growing as it expels more fluids, I think her body says otherwise about receiving compliments.

    Aah, seeing Ume so embarrassed over her poop hole is so cute. I want to see how she reacts when I lick it, but maybe another time. I¡¯ll just settle for tasting her pussy the first time while lubing her sweet ass.

    <¡°I may be seeing this through one of your eyes, but I so envy you being in this situation right now,¡±> Nyra comments, but I pay her no mind.

    I quietly cast [Contraception] again to only expel the magical lube through two of my fingers before pushing them through Ume¡¯s gaping anus with a *schlick.*

    ¡°Haaaa!¡± Ume gasps, her body and tail tenses while the hole suddenly closes itself around my fingers tightly. Despite its grip, I went to work lubing up her insides, making the same motions with my fingers as I did with inside Erizora¡¯s pussy, rubbing at the glowing spots on her bumpy, smooth folds that react nicely thanks to the assistance of my ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ and ¡®Intimate Touch¡¯ skills.

    ¡°W-What is this?! This heat! It¡¯s surging up to my stomach! J-Jin¡¯s scratching the insides of my ass with his fingers! I-It¡¯s so strange, so slippery, but why is it also ¡­ so goooood~?!¡± Ume moans as the grip keeping her ass cheeks spread weakens, more fluids drip from her snatch to the floor.

    Tempted by the blossoming entrance before my eyes, I make my move.

    ¡°E-Eh?! J-Jin, Ren already lubed there, I¡¯m already hot and tingly enough as it¡ªIIYAAAAAUGH! W-What is this?! This hot, moist, squishy thing in my pussy?! Is that ¡­ J-Jin¡¯s tongue?! Jin¡¯s licking my pussy with his tongue! Is this oral sex with me on the receiving end?!¡±

    The lube must not have some sort of flavor because I couldn¡¯t even taste it when I inserted my tongue in Ume¡¯s snatch. The taste of a woman, the taste of Ume¡¯s cunt, it¡¯s certainly unlike what I¡¯ve eaten in meals, but it¡¯s not bad.

    In fact, perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s Ume¡¯s snatch that it tastes good enough to grow addicted to it. My desire to eat her out more grows, to thoroughly ravage the place my cock destroyed three times earlier and explore every part of her to taste it all.

    I run my tongue over the smooth linings of her insides spread out with my other fingers, teasing her swelling clit now and then, before prodding the tip at the entrance and force my way inside. I fill up her cavity, tasting everything that squeezes around my perverted tongue, but I make it work to get my fill while remembering the ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ that make Ume feel good the best so she could get off of it as much as I am. Soon enough, the fingers lubing up Ume¡¯s ass started thrusting themselves inside her, in and out, and the others keeping her pussy folds spread plays with her swollen clitoris.

    ¡°Aaugh! My assh, my pusshy, my clit! Sh-Sho hot! Sho much shtuffsh acting up at once! I can¡¯t! I can¡¯t! I¡¯m cumming, Jin! I¡¯m cumming! I¡¯m ¡­ CUUUUUMMIIIIIIIIING!¡±

    As her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ reaches its peak, her body tenses up and the insides contract. My mouth is met with a burst of warm, steamy sex liquids. I quickly align my mouth and help myself to get every last drop of the great tasting Dragon Juices from her personal fountain that goes down my gullet. I toggle and pinch her clit some more so she could make every spurt count.

    When Ume¡¯s climax rides over, she drops to the tile floor flat on her stomach, her lizard tail flops to the side, as she gasps bated breath from her sexual high.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Skillful Lover¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 22!

    [You have now learned ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ LV 1!

    Oh, I¡¯m definitely maxing this out. Without a second thought, I use ¡®Skill Point Conversion¡¯ and spend a bunch of SP to level ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ up to the max.

    [You have spent 270 SP. Total: 6245 SP

    [You have now reached ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ LV 10!

    [You have now reached the max level of ¡®Sex Technique!¡¯

    [You have achieved the ¡®Sex Practitioner¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 25!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Sex Master¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Ejaculation Control*¡¯!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 30!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Virile Beast¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Potent Semen*¡¯!]

    Just as the last notice passes my sight, the knowledge I gained from maxing out my ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ skill naturally flows into my mind, along with the confidence that I could now make any girl melt through my fingers.

    ¡°Jin ¡­ kiss me,¡± Ume wheezes between breaths.

    Not one to against a lovely lady¡¯s wishes, I wipe off the remains of juices from my face, get on my feet, squat, and go above and beyond Ume¡¯s expectations by picking her up from the floor. I¡¯m now carrying her bridal style with ease thanks to my high Strength and ¡®Weight Defiance¡¯ skill.

    The sudden gesture makes Ume squeak, and her eyes widen in shock as she looks up at me with reddened cheeks.

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ aren¡¯t I heavy?¡±

    ¡°Not really. For me, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Odd ¡­ I think only Father carried me like this when I was a youngling.¡±

    ¡°Bet ya he didn¡¯t kiss you like this.¡±

    I demonstrate and bring Ume¡¯s lips to me.

    ¡°Mmph~.¡± Ume, happy to comply, returns the gesture and we mash lips together passionately. She pulls herself up by the arms curled around my neck.

    As a bonus, I add tongue to the kiss. She gets surprised at first, but then hums in content and meets me the rest of the way with her own.

    This turned out a lot better than my first ¡®kiss¡¯ with Ms. Tephalia, I subtly think before we pull away with a gasp. Ume¡¯s cheeks are redder than before while her formerly slit reptilian eyes are dilated to large black circles.

    ¡°¡­ Jin?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you, too.¡±

    ¡°¡°<¡°Awww~.¡±>¡±¡± Not just Nyra in my head, but Ren and Erizora also coo at our affection.

    I was honestly so focused on Ume that I forgot two others are here with us, and that we also only have so much time in this bath.

    ¡°Ren, Erizora, are you two ready?¡± I ask.

    ¡°We made use of everything in three of the four jars we¡¯re allowed to use! Also, please pardon us, but we helped ourselves to ¡®warming-up¡¯ from your foreplay with Ms. Umeiyon.¡±

    ¡°The bath has been ready with the bath salts inside a while ago, too! We¡¯re ready to go whenever you are, Master!¡± Erizora and Ren say, respectively.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get soaked in the bath, then!¡± I declare.

    The real fun will begin soon enough.

 Chapter 52: Kissing in the [Dirtied] Bath (Umeiyon, Part 1)

    ¡°Haaaa~. Goodness, this is so heavenly~.¡± [Ume]

    ¡°The last time I had a bath was ¡­ no, soaking in a cold watering hole, to call that a ¡®bath¡¯ would be a great insult to this. I¡¯ve never been so grateful to be alive as I am right now, more so to serve someone so generous as Master.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°It¡¯s different now with the bath salts, but I¡¯m getting nostalgia from the few visits to the hot springs I went to with my mother when I was little.¡± [Erizora]

    After I gently set Ume down to the bathwater, now purple and smelling of Lovander (which I will call ¡®faux lavender¡¯ from now on, along with other similar stuff as ¡®faux-something¡¯ in the future) thanks to the bath salts, Ren and Erizora stepped inside as well while I quickly lubed my genitals with the [Contraception] lubricant. The heat that came with the effects was immediately stimulating, but after I got in the hot bath next to Ume, it didn¡¯t push me to the brink as much. More like, there was a pleasant sense of my cock along with the rest of my body being melted away into this water. It¡¯s rather incredible that the [Contraception] spell is still in effect while inside the water. Add into the faux lavender scent that wafts from the purple waters, and I might turn into steam from how floaty I feel from smelling it.

    What makes this moment really great though is how Ume¡¯s hugging my arm while smooshing her awesome breast against it and leaning herself on me. This is like the ideal setting of what I wanted in a honeymoon trip with my newlywedded wife (if mixed baths were actually a thing back home). Hell, I¡¯d even be satisfied just hugging her close in the small bath I used to have in the apartment I shared with Mom.

    Now, not only has that fantasy come true, but it¡¯s exemplified threefold with two more girls in the bath with us, both beautiful in their own way like Ume is, and are just living without a care in the world.

    Having dinner together earlier was really nice, and while I think that much to be considered ¡®peace,¡¯ the same could be said for here, too.

    ¡°So, people usually take baths to relax and ease their bodies after moving around so much from day-to-day, right?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°That seems to be the case here and it¡¯s the same back where I came from, but some may go about relaxing differently,¡± I answer.

    ¡°And normally, other people who gather in the bath mingle while they soak, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s likely among the people they came with, but it¡¯s not often one talks with complete strangers. Sometimes, they¡¯d just like to unwind and soak by themselves when they come to baths alone.¡±

    ¡°And right now, the four of us aren¡¯t in a ¡®normal¡¯ bath, but the ¡®contact-consent¡¯ one, closed off from the main bath where those from outside won¡¯t be able to see or hear anything we do. In this bath, we can pretty much do whatever we want, like the receptionist said, right?¡± After asking that, Ume looks over to me with half-lidded eyes and a slightly mischievous grin. ¡°Wanna start making a mess in this bath, then?¡±

    I love her. ¡°No need to ask me twice.¡±

    Ume takes the initiative and grabs the back of my head before pulling me into a heated French kiss, now a little more thrilling than the first one thanks to her dexterous tongue. My mastered ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ applies to kissing as well, but I didn¡¯t use it much when I first tried Frenching with her earlier. Now, it¡¯s as if they¡¯re performing an erotic, hot, and steamy dance between our mouths that serves as our ¡®ballroom.¡¯

    Ume gasps for breath as she pulls away and saliva drips from our chins. ¡°I¡¯ve read of kissing in a few books before I first tried it with you. I never thought it¡¯d be so thrilling,¡± Ume sighs with reddened cheeks.

    ¡°You like kissing, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I want to do lots of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, then. Shall we get to our first anal?¡±

    After Ume nods enthusiastically, we move to a shallower part of the bath where I instruct her to lean over the edge, her body from the waist down remains in the water while the upper half is on the floor. Her lizard legs are on their knees and spread apart as they settle on the bottom of the bath. She faces her ass towards me and moves her tail off to the side, now completely exposed. Having it under the purplish waters give it a charming sight.

    ¡°It¡¯s still stimulating, right?¡± I ask as I finger her anus and feel my way through her insides. The lubricant surprisingly still seems to be in effect as I slide in easily, even with bits of water going inside.

    ¡°Ohhh yeah~, even when I was just sitting next to you, I could barely keep myself contained when I shifted, stimulating both of my holes~,¡± she coos while looking over her shoulder.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯m going to put it in now, so try and relax.¡±

    Seeing how her anus loosens the grip on my finger, I set the flared head of my grown-up cock, also lubed and stimulated, at the back entrance. With incredible ease, I push it right into her depths. The incredible sensation of her ribbed insides that¡¯s slippery, hot, and wet from the lube and bathwater sends a pleasurable shiver down my spine.

    ¡°OOOOOH~!¡± Ume moans, arching her dripping wet, shiny scale back while her tail straightens out. Her insides respond by contracting once more, including what lines her anal depths as they squeeze around my throbbing erection in a vice and pulls me further inside.

    ¡°Fuck, Ume, you¡¯re really tight in there,¡± I groan.

    ¡°You really have grown considerably bigger! If you were to put that in my pussy now, it may split apart!¡± Ume exclaims.

    I hunch over and move to her fin-like ear. ¡°I¡¯ll be as careful as you want me to, Ume. I want to make every moment of this a joyous occasion for you and not risk any serious injury.¡±

    ¡°Wh-Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? I¡¯ll take anything you throw at me, and besides ¡­ whether it turns out bad or good, I feel like anything will be a joyous occasion with you at my side, Jin.¡±

    I love her.

    <¡°I have a feeling I¡¯m going to be hearing that from you a lot for a while,¡±> Nyra comments. <¡°Well, at least the view¡¯s nice.¡±>

    ¡°All right, I¡¯m going to start moving now, Ume. Just let me know how you want it,¡± I say, disregarding Nyra¡¯s comments.

    Ume nods and I straighten back before slowly pulling my cock out of her depths, the slippery friction along with the ribbed pressure acting on my member is an experience to behold, but I keep myself in check from ejaculating too early.

    With just my head left inside her ass now, I start my movements, slapping my pelvis against her firm, bubbly ass with each easy thrust, splashing the purply bathwater all the while. With my ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ skill active, I can see through her body how some of her places inside the rectum react to my movements with glowing pink contours and balls of light. I slightly change my motions accordingly to her reactions, and with my mastered ¡®Sex Techniques,¡¯ I manage to move my cock at an angle where I run over a few of her best spots at once, every time. With her ribbed insides massaging my throbbing meat and the lube earlier making every action on it more stimulating, the sensations I¡¯m experiencing at this moment are nothing less than phenomenal.

    ¡°Ohh, yeeeesss~! Like that! Just like that! Fuck me! Fuck me more, just like that!¡± Ume squeals in delight. Her hips look to be moving on their own accord now, going in sync with mine to get the best out of it possible. Even her tail curls around my lower back to pull me in and up the power of my thrusts. Her ¡®Climax Gauge,¡¯ while it was already partially full to start, steadily increases.

    Gaining a rhythm, I hunch over her back once more, move her head towards me and we lock lips again once more.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Mmhh~!¡± Ume moans with her mouth closed, the vibrations acting on our mouths from that giving the kiss a nice touch while I continue my rhythmic motions.

    With our bodies close in contact, I aim to stimulate and drive her senses even crazier by reaching down one hand to grope her lubed breast, while my other reaches down between her legs and start playing her swollen clit.

    ¡°Mmmhh! Hmm! Hm! Hmm~!¡± Ume hums from the sudden double assault, and in my mind, I can see her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ makes a jump to near its peak. Her sudden vice-like grip on my cock was slightly worrying to me as I felt so built up that I thought I was going to lose it, but as if it heard my will, my body still holds on while I continue my motions.

    I find out later that this is due to my new ¡®Ejaculation Control¡¯ skill, allowing me to keep restraining my semen until I make the call. Until then, semen would still build up from my balls to my slowly swelling shaft while the head keeps it all contained. Think about adding more frosting than what those bags used to decorate cakes need, and it gets harder to keep it all contained as I make it bigger by pushing and pumping more of it further up while the cap is tightly closed.

    I admit it¡¯s a little painful on my part to let it keep building up more, but it¡¯s strangely amazing at the same time as I feel the pay off at the end would be worth it.

    ¡°Aah! Ah! Aaah! It¡¯s getting bigger! Your cock is swelling so big in my ass!¡± Ume squeals after breaking away from the kiss.

    ¡°Do you, *mmph,* like it?¡± I groan.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! I love it! I love doing anal! Cum! Make me cum and fill my ass pussy with your seed!¡±

    <¡°Ooh~! She¡¯s getting creative with her crude language! Atta girl!¡±> Nyra cheers.

    And it makes me more turned on than before as I straighten up and put all efforts into fucking her ass pussy. I have my hands on her hips for support, with one hand still on her swollen clit to heighten her sensations. I notice then that there¡¯s a large glowing pink spot underneath the tail where it meets her body, just above the crack of her ass.

    I decide to take a thumb to prod and rub against that spot.

    ¡°IIIYAAAAAAAA~!¡±

    Ume¡¯s scream along with the increased pressure of her anus around my cock and the jump in her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ tells me that I¡¯ve hit her best ¡®Sweet Spot.¡¯

    My cock feels like it¡¯s about to burst, but I soldier on as I pound her ass like a jackhammer, splashing the water wildly while her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ reaches its peak. I continue giving the sensitive spot under her tail its deserved attention, too.

    ¡°Aah! Ahh! Aaah! I¡¯m cumming! I¡¯m cumming! I¡¯m CUUUUUUMMIIIIIIIIIING!¡±

    ¡°Mmgh!¡±

    At the same time of her call, I hilt against Ume¡¯s buttocks, will myself to release, and practically explode inside her anal depths. How her ribbed insides contract and add all of its pressure around my cock make me shoot out like that earlier-mentioned frosting bag spilling its contents in large quantities after the cap broke off.

    ¡°Aaaaaaah! S-So hot! It¡¯s so thick! Jin¡¯s seed! Coating my ass pussy! I can¡¯t! I¡¯m coming again!¡± Ume squeals while her anus milks my cock for everything it has.

    Indeed, as I feel my seed filling up her depths, compared to the first few times I came inside her, it¡¯s much thicker, warmer, and more viscous now. This is due to some of the effects of the new ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ skill I also gained earlier. There are some other interesting things about it as well, but I¡¯ll explain those later.

    When I finally shoot out the last of my buildup, I slowly pull myself back until my dick flops out with a pop. I marvel at the sight of Ume¡¯s ass pussy, now out of the water, but gaping the same size as the object that was in there before while my thick, white splooge oozes out and trails down over her dripping entrance before dropping into the bathwater. Her body is now doing its work rejecting the foreign contents out the same way they went in, and the sight is so erotic that my cock under the hot bathwater immediately gets hard yet again. First, it was her mouth that went down to her stomach, then, it was her ass where everything from that same stomach would end. With her baby hole left clean and untouched at this moment, my desire to coat all of her insides white and yellow drives me like I¡¯m almost possessed.

    ¡°Ume, brace yourself.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Ume responds in confusion right as I spread her pussy, and with my hardened cock covered in semen, water, and durable lube, I push it right inside. Since I grew sometime after we last had sex, the pressure is much tighter now as it quickly stretches her insides, and call me crazy, but I think I might¡¯ve hit right at the entrance to her womb while I get balls-deep inside her.

    ¡°IIIYAAAAH!¡± she screams while her entire body contracts. I could feel my thicker, viscous semen plastering itself on Ume¡¯s inner walls, and while it was already hot before with the bathwater¡¯s temperature and the [Contraception] lube¡¯s effects, the heat that¡¯s taken place here is a bit surreal.

    ¡°Holy shit, you¡¯re much tighter here than before.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Ume? Did I hurt you?¡± I ask, my high from earlier quickly drained and replaced with concern.

    ¡°Jin ¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°While I do wish you would¡¯ve given me more time to mentally prepare and I could move my legs right now, your semen that¡¯s thicker than I remember is seeping into the insides of my ass and pussy as we speak, and I¡¯m getting so hot that I feel like I¡¯m going to melt. Not only that, it seems you¡¯ve grown big enough to ejaculate your semen straight into my womb.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get some payback in due time for surprising me like that. I know we agreed to not have kids yet, but for now, if you love me, you¡¯re going to take that monster of a babymaker, fuck my brains out, inject your hot stuff into my baby hole until it¡¯s filled to the brim with it, and act like you¡¯ll impregnate me with triplets like the virile horny beast of a human male that you are. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± She didn¡¯t need to tell me twice, and from the sound of things, this is due to another effect from my ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ skill. When not injected in the vagina, it will act as a sort of aphrodisiac when smelled, applied on the body, and/or taken in the ass or mouth¡ªthe latter of which that I read later in the skill¡¯s description is now tastier than it was before when Ume first tried it, but that will have to be tested later. The more they take, the more they¡¯ll be turned on and crave for the semen from its original owner to get into their starving pussies for a time.

    Finally, as the name suggests, not only does ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ make it more likely to impregnate a female, but it¡¯s guaranteed that they¡¯ll develop into healthy children no matter who births them. Ume¡¯s wish to bear children and possibly save her Dragon bloodline from extinction may not be as much of a pipedream now if it applies to her. I don¡¯t feel ready to raise them yet, but when the time comes, I¡¯ll definitely take responsibility and raise them with her like my ¡®father¡¯ never did with Mom.

    And so, with the two of us now in a vaginal doggy-style position now, I hump my swelling, throbbing monster of a dick in her hot pussy like the beast she wanted me to be. With my mastered ¡®Sex Technique,¡¯ I go by my instincts to fuck Ume in a way that gets her best spots. My thrusts have me repeatedly slapping my pelvis against her bubble ass, not minding some of the rejected semen from our anal play making a mess of me, making splashes that cause ripples in the bathwater like mini tidal waves. I try to get the most out of her soft, malleable, voluptuous breasts from behind as I do so.

    ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! It¡¯s so good! Jin, this is so fucking good! My mind is melting from how much this is driving my body wild!¡± Ume exclaims as she curls her tail around me again and tries to get her hips to move as much in sync with my own as she could in her position. Her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ is approaching its peak once more and my cock is already beginning to swell again with the built-up semen prepared to expel.

    ¡°Ume! I will fill your everything with my seed, mark your everything as my own, and will have you bear my kids! Because you¡¯re my mate, and I will fuck you as many times as it takes to get that fact across!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes! Fuck me! Empty your fat cock in my pussy and make me pregnant! I want to be swelling with your kids inside me! Coat my everything and make me reek of your seed!¡±

    ¡°I love you, Ume! I love you so much!¡±

    ¡°I love you too, Jin! Aah! Ah! Aaah! I¡¯m cumming! I¡¯m cumming! I¡¯m¡ªmmph!¡± In the middle of her screaming, I turn her head and place my lips on hers once more, eating her mouth like the hungry beast she wants me to be while I continue to pound her pussy.

    The moment I see her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ reaches its peak, I expel my contents at the same time while hilting my pelvis against her ass.

    ¡°MMMMMMMHHMMMMMMMM~!¡± Ume screams with my mouth muffling hers.

    Like the first time inside her ass pussy, I feel my cock opening the hatches and unleashing large loads straight into her womb with my head pushing against its entrance, dumping spurts after spurts of the thicker, more potent baby batter that¡¯s been building inside my swollen ball sack.

    I hilt myself again in the last few spurts of my load when we¡¯re calming down. We break away from the kiss and Ume lies there over the bath¡¯s edge with bated breath and flushed cheeks.

    ¡°Ume? Are you doing okay?¡± I ask out of slight concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m ogay, buh doo wipe do move,¡± she spews out.

    ¡°Need to take a break?¡±

    ¡°Yesh.¡±

    I slowly pull myself out of her pussy, my cock half-limp, and just like what¡¯s going on in her ass, the thicker, seemingly slimier semen oozes out of her baby hole and drips down to the bathwater. I know I already did it the first time with her earlier, but with the insides of her pussy now coated yellowish-white as it is in her ass and stomach, my subconsciously ingrained mission of conquering and marking Ume¡¯s body as my territory within the same time frame is now complete.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Female Marker¡¯ title!

    [You have reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 33]

    Okay, seriously? I know that ¡®marking¡¯ a girl as their own might be a turn on for some guys, but do they really have to make a title out of that?

    Inner retorts aside, I help Ume off of the floor and gently set her back to sitting in the bathwater, now in a deeper area of the bath where she¡¯s dunked to her shoulders while her G-cup breasts float and bob on the surface.

    God, she¡¯s like a walking magnet of erotic and I love it.

    <¡°What¡¯s a magnet?¡±>

    Uh, I¡¯ll tell you later. ¡°All right, I¡¯m going to spend some time with Ren and Erizora for a bit. You just sit tight and relax while getting your strength back.¡±

    ¡°Ogay.¡±

    After a quick exchange of a kiss and an ¡®I love you,¡¯ I walk over to Ren and Erizora who are currently sitting in wait. Even though my cock already came 3 times within the last 30 minutes (?) since we came in this bath, seeing their clean, sexy, untainted virgin bodies has it getting back up and raring to go for its next ¡®conquest.¡¯

 Chapter 53: Kissing in the [Dirtied] Bath (Ren & Erizora, Part 2)

    When I walked over to the two of them, they look flushed to the face, some saliva is dripping down their chins, and I can make out their hands playing with each other¡¯s snatches below the water¡¯s surface.

    I feel like I just missed out on something amazing, but if my sex with Ume was as hot as it looked, then I guess it made sense that these two would get off on it. Even so, I want to get some things out while I¡¯m in a temporary ¡®Sage Mode¡¯ after having climaxed inside Ume twice.

    ¡°Ren, Erizora.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Master! We¡¯re ready to serve!¡± Ren exclaims while she and Erizora sit at attention.

    ¡°Before we do anything, I want to take this chance to apologize.¡±

    ¡°¡°<¡°Huh?¡±>¡±¡± Ren, Erizora, and even Nyra seem baffled at my sudden apology.

    ¡°Since the moment I woke up this morning on this crazy day, you two were ready to put your bodies on the line while I was under the influence of Nyra¡¯s curse. While there were some close calls, I put the two of you on edge from some of my actions today. Then I feel I¡¯ve started neglecting the two of you sometime before or after I made my mate relationship with Ume official. I just want to take this chance to apologize for troubling you two so much, and I can¡¯t thank you enough for everything you¡¯ve done for me today.¡± I bow towards them until I¡¯m parallel to the floor to show how serious I am.

    ¡°N-N-No! It wasn¡¯t¡ªmmph!¡± Ren starts to say something until her mouth is forcibly closed shut while the blue slave ring around her neck glows. She tries to get something out, but the magic that¡¯s acting on her ring is likely preventing that.

    Ren was probably about to say something like ¡®it wasn¡¯t troubling at all,¡¯ but with their ¡®Confession¡¯ setting on my Slaves page set at 1, they couldn¡¯t lie. That means in truth, they really were bothered to an extent from some of my actions. She probably has this humbleness ingrained in her throughout her training as a slave to not bother her future owner. She knows in her mind she doesn¡¯t want me upset, but she can¡¯t lie about what she truly feels inside her heart. That¡¯s what I¡¯m getting in this situation, at least.

    Ren probably resorted to lying on instinct to not make me feel bad, and while I¡¯m a little happy that she¡¯s considering my feelings, I¡¯d honestly rather have her tell the truth more than anything. While I have a lot to practice on what I preach, I want our party ¡­ our family, to be as comfortably open about things as possible.

    With that said, I mentally open up my ¡®Slaves¡¯ page and go on over to Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s settings, where both of their ¡®Control¡¯ and ¡®Confession¡¯ are set to 0 and 1, respectively. I make one little adjustment to make sure both of them are set at 0.

    ¡°¡ªI swear I wasn¡¯t suspicious and jealous of you and Ms. Umeiyon having all of the fun in that room back at the guild ¡­ eh?¡± Ren utters when she realizes what she just said. ¡°Did I just ¡­ Eri! Say something! The biggest most outrageous lie you can think of!¡±

    ¡°E-Eh?! But we can¡¯t¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Just do it!¡±

    ¡°O-Okay! Okay! Let¡¯s see, um ¡­ I¡¯m totally not interested in Master coating his shadow tendrils with the [Contraception] lubricant to make his tentacle play on me all the more realistic and humiliating. I swear that I would not get off on that.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    Even without my maxed ¡®Intuition¡¯ skill, does this super masochist seriously think she could pass that off? Can anybody in this world not lie so well without a Thief¡¯s ¡®Deception¡¯ skill? Hell, that wasn¡¯t really ¡®hinting¡¯ at anything and more like blatantly making the poorest attempt of hiding yourself from something like a certain pirate reindeer would do.

    Still, her delusions have certainly sparked my sadistic creativity for some acts in the near future if I could pull that off.

    Nyra, write a mental note on that for me, would you?

    <¡°I will keep this in my mind like my life depends on it.¡±>

    I then put each hand on their shoulders while trying to look at both of them. ¡°Ren, Erizora, I have set both of your ¡®Control¡¯ and ¡®Confession¡¯ settings at 0 so that you¡¯re free to move and speak of anything you wish, truth or lie.¡±

    ¡°¡°What?!¡±¡±

    ¡°Master! Why would you do that?! With both of them set at 0, we¡¯re not much different than a regular person not enslaved! As if giving us free movement to possibly attack you wasn¡¯t bad enough, we could ¡­ lie to your face, if we wanted to. Plus, if you haven¡¯t checked my status yet, as a Thief, I have a ¡®Deception¡¯ skill at a decently high level to come up with some pretty convincing lies!¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯d be the same if I set you free from slavery, right?¡± I ask. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that much different, really, so if you want, I have no problems in setting the two of you free. I¡¯ve listened to what you two want back in the park, remember? Ren, to make a new pack out of our party while getting the support you need to stand up to your brother who¡¯s in the ¡®Chaos Barrage¡¯ group. Erizora, to find the best partner you acknowledge as your superior to share your, um ¡­ ¡®rough and kinky¡¯ plays with as their concubine. That was the gist of it, right?¡±

    The two of them nod in confirmation.

    ¡°And I need companions to help me find my way around the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, possibly around all of Padimon and make the most of my new life here. As far as I can see, our goals and wishes are aligned, so I don¡¯t see any reason for us to be cautious of each other, and so I want us to be as open with one another as possible ¡­ as a family.¡±

    ¡°¡°Master ¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s inevitable that there¡¯ll be disagreements and arguments down the line, maybe some lying here and there, too, but working them out is part of how a family works, and I don¡¯t want either of you to be holding back your desires. I¡¯d like it if you two are as free to express your likes and dislikes like Ume is, hence coming to my decision to set both of your ¡®Control¡¯ and ¡®Confession¡¯ to 0, but if you wish, I can set the both of you free right here and now. I still need to learn how to practice polygamy properly, but whether or not you¡¯re a slave, I¡¯ll make an effort to give as much attention as you two want. It¡¯s the least I can do for my new family, so what do you say? I also want to hear your true feelings in regards to having sex with me, not just as slaves to their owner as a part of their servitude, but as women to a man.¡±

    Ren and Erizora take a moment to gaze at each other, and as if by some sort of telepathy, the smile and nod to each other before turning their attention back to me.

    ¡°I believe I mentioned this before at the park but I believe it¡¯d be best that we remain as your slaves, especially now more than ever,¡± Ren says before she places a hand to the ring around her neck. ¡°To trust and believe in us enough to this extent, these rings around our necks will serve as physical proof of our loyalty to you, that we are yours and no one else¡¯s, and that we would never betray you. As for my feelings for you from female to male ¡­ while I was amazed from witnessing your prowess last night, the moment when you asked how I was feeling after rescuing me from being taken hostage, despite how weary you looked then, I think that was when I thought, ¡®I want to be with this man.¡¯¡±

    Ren then takes one of my hands in her beast-like ones. ¡°I understand that you¡¯ll need time to adjust to this sudden new relationship, but I¡¯ll help you figure it out, because from now until the day of my death, I, Ren of the White Werewolves, will always love you, Master Jinma Kotori.¡±

    It¡¯s Erizora¡¯s turn when she takes my other hand in both of hers. ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you, Master. While my masochistic delusions often go in the deep-end that makes me hot and bothered, when I thought I was facing the real thing ¡­ I was frightened. I think some of my delusions up to this point have been a sort of way to prepare and cope into the slave life, expecting to be treated like trash by my owner, n-not that I expected you to treat me like that with malice, Master, but when it came to my head¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I get it. It¡¯s one thing to fantasize and read about it from an outside perspective, but when you¡¯re put into it for the first time, you don¡¯t know if it will turn out what you imagined and it may turn out to be ¡­ well, scarier than what you initially thought.¡± I imagine anyone who has played fantasy RPGs before has wondered what it would be like to live in such a world at least once. If they were suddenly pulled here one day and realize how their lives are at risk, it¡¯s likely they would wish they never had the thought.

    For me, how I¡¯m living here now is not much different than it was back home, danger-wise. The only differences between here and there are the use of magic and not shouldering everything myself when it comes to fighting enemies. I have these girls to help me with that now.

    Erizora nods to my simplified reasoning. ¡°That¡¯s why when you said you weren¡¯t planning on doing anything crazy and would talk to me more about my interests later on, while I was surprised, I didn¡¯t realize how scared I was until I found how relieved I became after that, a-and when you touched me there while applying the lube with such care and delicacy ¡­ I felt really happy, and while you¡¯re superior to me in strength, I knew then that my body would be in good hands, especially after seeing how well you were treating Ms. Umeiyon, and especially now after coming out to us like this.

    ¡°I¡¯ve grown to like and respect you very much, Master, and I¡¯ll continue to wear this ring with pride, happy to know I get to serve such a wonderful owner who sees and treats me as much of a woman as he does with others.¡±

    I haven¡¯t caught a single hint of a fib from either of these two with the help of my maxed ¡®Intuition¡¯ skill, but I can sort of feel they¡¯re telling the truth even without it. Still, while I do want them to feel free in what they say and do, I¡¯ll be able to tell when they¡¯re lying from now on thanks to that, but a part of me hopes I don¡¯t need to use it and definitely not resort to setting their ¡®Confessions¡¯ to max on any occasion.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ve come to a decision, huh? Shall we kiss to seal the deal?¡± I ask.

    Slightly reddened, the two of them nod at my suggestion.

    ¡°C¡¯mere, Ren,¡± I say while pulling her arm. She obliges and wraps both of her sopping wet, furry beast arms around my neck while I hold her by the waist.

    ¡°Mmph ¡­ Mashtah,¡± Ren moans as I start kissing her. We begin with just lips at first, but Ren seems eager to go into tongue with how she was prodding her tongue on me. I happily allow her entry and we then mingle with our sloppy wet appendages. Actually, her tongue might actually be sloppier from how much saliva she¡¯s producing. Compared to Tephalia¡¯s and Ume¡¯s, Ren¡¯s tongue is a little wider and seems to have more experience in this. I wonder if she practiced kissing with Erizora during her training. While my arm is around her, I reach up to cup one of her breasts. She seemed self-conscious of having her chest compared to Erizora¡¯s earlier, but remembering hers being a C-cup, I think it¡¯s a pretty good size. Being able to have the whole thing fit in my hand to squeeze and fondle, pinching her perky nipples on occasion, I believe those are her strongest points in her breasts alone.

    Reaching down to her ass after that, I¡¯m also gaining an appreciation for it from how much it fills my hand while maintaining such a fit, taut shape. Having her wolf tail wag in delight while she moaned from being copped up also gives it a cute factor.

    I finish kissing Ren just as I pull Erizora in to do her lips next. Despite the slightly bigger than normal canines to tear meat, her kiss is probably the most ¡®human-like¡¯ out of everyone here from how much her tongue is similarly shaped, not that I wasn¡¯t satisfied with the previous kisses before now, of course. Like Ren, Erizora also seems to be experienced in kissing, except hers has more of a submissive approach that has me overwhelm her like our tongues are wrestling, something not expected from an Ogre, but likely from a masochist.

    Being a bigger size, Erizora had to crouch a little to kiss me, and I can¡¯t really wrap an arm around her well in this position; but, her L-cup breasts dangle over the purple water like a pair of udders. I take the opportunity to massage and milk them like they were as I try to get as much of one of her massive tits into my palm as I could, using my mastered ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ to be meticulous with my finger work on her teat.

    ¡°Mmmh~.¡± Erizora¡¯s throaty groan tells me she¡¯s liking the treatment, especially when she reaches down between her legs to finger herself like the horny and lewd sub she is, not realizing I opened my eyes at one point to see it.

    It¡¯s then I notice Ren being affectionate as she kisses my neck and chest while my other hand was still copping a feel on her ass. I then feel soft pads fondling and caressing my balls and painfully erect cock that throbs in the water. I see that it¡¯s Ren¡¯s beastly hand performing an uncertain but likely practiced handjob under the water as she showers me with kisses, passionate about how much she wants to show her affection. Maybe it¡¯s like how pet dogs are friendly and show love to their owners that [Were]wolves are also affectionate in this manner.

    From an outside perspective, one can see that I¡¯m truly living the harem life now. I may not know I¡¯ll be this passionate with my mates every night and day, but I certainly do know that I won¡¯t ever get bored living in this new world with ladies like these two on my sides. It¡¯s as if they planned to be redeemed as a pair ahead of time so they could show their owner, me, just how capable they are working together as a team, not just in the battlefield, but also servicing their master through sex. Perhaps it¡¯s because of how happy they looked after I opened up to them that they seem really passionate about what they¡¯re doing now. If this shows how happy they are in being with me, then I really want to keep that going for everyone here.

    I suddenly get an idea as I break away from the kiss and I ask the girls to give me some space. Using my maxed-out ¡®Darkness Manipulation,¡¯ I create a large purplish-black, oblong-shaped cushion that sits on the bath¡¯s floor and then directed Ren and Erizora accordingly.

    Soon enough, Ren is lying on her back, on top of Erizora while she lies on the cushion I made¡ªadding necessary magic to form a headrest for her. Erizora holds Ren in her arms akin to an otter holding their young while floating down the river, the latter of which is resting her head on the former¡¯s breasts as a pillow that also seems to be buoyant. It¡¯s an awesome sight that takes advantage of their size differences, and with two pussies presenting themselves to me, one above the other with Ren¡¯s tail splashing the water some between them, I can move and shift between them at any time.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    They both came to me at once, and so I want to treat both of them the same way without leaving one or the other out, hence this unique position we¡¯re in now.

    ¡°Ren, I¡¯m going to put it in now. Are you ready?¡± I ask, hovering over the both of them with my hard cock set at Ren¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°R-Ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± she answers with a slight shake in her voice. She probably didn¡¯t expect my cock to be so big, thus getting a little intimidated. I wonder if I could get it all inside even with our genitals lubed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go slow, so tell me when it gets too much and I¡¯ll stop. Just try to relax.¡±

    Ren nods at my directions and takes a deep breath to loosen herself. Erizora, seeing her companion nervous, tries to ease her tensions by massaging the thighs from underneath.

    Mentally thanking Erizora for her efforts, I set my cock at Ren¡¯s entrance and slowly push myself inside. While it¡¯s smooth, the pressure of her tightness suddenly sends a shock down my spine. Being a smaller size than Ume, the way my cock spreads Ren¡¯s bitch pussy open is a hell of a sight to see from above, and more so as I¡¯m seeing the pink contours of the insides stretching through her stomach with ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ active.

    ¡°Gah! K-Keep going!¡± Ren forces out as she tries to keep herself open. Erizora continues to ease her partner with the massaging. Ren¡¯s ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ is staggering around 45% full, probably due to the mixture of pain and pleasure that comes with being penetrated by something so large the first time.

    Finally, after what feels like an arduous journey, I amazingly managed to get all of myself inside Ren. With my pelvis hilted against hers, my trimmed pubes rubbing against her small white ones, my swelling ball sack sitting on the base of her stiffening tail, looking down between us, I could see that my head is just prodding against the entrance to her womb through ¡®Sweet Spots.¡¯ Feeling the tight space of Ren¡¯s insides squeezing all around my cock, hot, wet, and a little bumpy, is definitely unlike what I felt in Ume¡¯s pussy moments ago.

    ¡°Ren, you did it. It¡¯s all inside,¡± I assure her.

    ¡°I got all of Master inside me ¡­ yay,¡± Ren wheezes.

    Acknowledging her efforts, I close in and give Ren a considerate kiss, nothing too hot, just comforting and soothing in hopes of her to relax. I try to massage her abs along where my cock is to help some more, but I could incredibly touch myself through it, something hard and separate from Ren that actually increases the pressure a little as I press down.

    ¡°Mmh~.¡± Ren seems to like it from how relaxed her moan was just now. She breaks away from the kiss and holds my cheek as she looks into my eyes with her golden yellow ones that seem to be smiling. ¡°I¡¯m okay now, Master. You can move when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it easy to start. Just tell me if I should do anything differently.¡±

    Ren nods in understanding and I get back up to a standing crouch, holding her by the waist for support. I then slowly pull back until only my head still remains inside and start my motions. Using ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ as a guide, I try to put on the brakes as I approach her womb to give it a light tap with my tip before pulling back and repeat. Still, with how tight Ren is, it¡¯s like I¡¯m hitting all of her good spots at the same time.

    ¡°Ah. Aah. Aaahhh! I can feel it! Master¡¯s cock! Stretching my insides to his shape! It feels ¡­ so good! Master¡¯s big cock is so good!¡± Ren exclaims as she locks her legs around my waist.

    ¡°It feels really good for me, too, Ren! So tight, gripping every fiber of my cock like a sleeve! I hope you¡¯re liking this, Ren, because I won¡¯t let you get fucked by any other guy!¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t, aaahn~! Dream of it! Master¡¯s dick is so good, his technique is so amazing, no other male would ever make me feel like this!¡±

    ¡°Then say it, Ren! Howl it at the top of your lungs like the Werewolf you are so that every other male in the world can hear it, and I¡¯ll make you feel this good whenever you want!¡±

    ¡°Awooooooo~! I am Ren! Of the White Werewooooolves~! And I am Master Jinma Kotori¡¯s mate! His lover! His bitch, and no one else¡¯s! My pussy! My wooooooomb! Will conform to Master¡¯s large, hot cock for his pleasure, receive his seed, and proudly bear his children! From now until the end of my days, my heart, body, and soul are in his gentle and kind hands, and I will love him forevermooooooore~!

    ¡°Please, Master! Harder! Faster! Drive your cock inside and fuck me like a beast!¡±

    Such a declaration to the world and bold request after that kickstarted my feral instincts and I up the speed and power of my thrusts, pounding the wet pelvis like a horny dog determined to impregnate such a delectable female. In response to my increased efforts, Ren¡¯s insides squeeze me ever tighter, tighten the grip of her legs around my waist, and even wrap her arms around my neck until she pulls herself off of Erizora¡¯s body. Soon enough, I¡¯m standing straight and only relying on my Strength and ¡®Weight Defiance¡¯ skill to pound her while she¡¯s clinging to my torso. I grab her by the ass cheeks to get a good handle and pull her down while I thrust upward. Her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ ever approaches its peak.

    ¡°Au! Au! Au! Au! Yes! Yes! Fuck me, Master! Mark and claim me with your seed! Make me yours! Aaaaah~! It¡¯s stretching me even more! I can¡¯t! I¡¯m going to come! I¡¯m going to cum!¡±

    ¡°Here it comes, Ren! As of now, you¡¯re officially my bitch!¡±

    ¡°YES, MASTER-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~???!¡± Howling in sheer delight, Ren climaxes just as I release my fourth load at our time in this bath, pulling her down to my cock as much as I could to shoot up and empty my thick, ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ straight into her womb. Dribbles of sex fluids from her climax escape from her snatch and splash down to the bath.

    ¡°S-So warm, so thick, Master¡¯s seed inside me ¡­ hauuu~, I wish it¡¯d stay there forever~?,¡± Ren coos and slumps over my shoulder as I pump the last of my load inside her, my large cock acting like a cork that wouldn¡¯t let any drop drip to the water.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Werewolf¡¯s Alpha Male¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Night Vision¡¯ LV 1!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Philanderer¡¯ title!

    [¡®Seduction¡¯ LV 1 has been integrated into ¡®Seduction¡¯ LV 1.

    [You have now reached ¡®Seduction¡¯ LV 2!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 37!

    [You have reached Ren¡¯s Affinity LV 2! Total Level of Affinity: 5

    [You have acquired a new ability! ¡®Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sensing!¡¯

    [Total Affinity Level conditions met. You have now acquired a new ability! ¡®Champion¡¯s Appeal!¡¯

    Wow, I got a bunch of new stuff this time. Holy shit! The Lovander scent suddenly got more intense, I could even smell the sex in the air! Will this happen with every new demon I have sex with?

    <¡°If it does, then getting in bed with at least one from every living Demon race would be one hell of a feat, indeed. Same goes for those in the Demi races, too,¡±> Nyra answers.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to go that far.

    <¡°You never know~.¡±>

    Still, what¡¯s the purpose of these ¡®Affinity Levels?¡¯ I¡¯ll really need to talk to Ms. Obina about this, along with many other things.

    ¡°Ren? You doing all right?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Never better~.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to set you down on top of Erizora now and give her some love now, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay~. I love you~?.¡±

    ¡°I love you, too,¡± I reply before giving her a kiss. I then pull my half-erect cock out of Ren¡¯s bitch pussy, and like pulling the plug from a drain, Ren¡¯s snatch oozes out the yellowish-white semen that was stored in my balls moments ago, thick and viscous as it makes drops that splash in the bathwater. Ren manages to catch some in her hand and bring it up to sniff and lap it off. Whatever she was feeling then, it¡¯s as if electricity ran down her spine.

    ¡°Master¡¯s proving to be more amazing every time! I had no idea his semen would taste this good!¡± Ren exclaims, now revitalized despite looking haggard moments ago. ¡°Eri! You have to try this!¡± Ren takes some more from her snatch and slurps it up in her mouth before getting back on Erizora¡¯s body, facing down and nestled between the melon-sized pillows that are the Ogre/Human¡¯s breasts.

    Then, unexpectedly, Ren pulls herself in and give Erizora a sloppy French Kiss while the semen that was in her mouth dribbles out between them, some of which is transferred into the Ogre/Human¡¯s that she swallows in shock. Seeing how my leftover semen is also dripping down from Ren¡¯s snatch and making a mess on Erizora¡¯s pelvis, trailing down to her own pussy, I¡¯m impressed of how quickly my cock gets back up.

    Four times now and I don¡¯t even feel slightly sore and/or exhausted of sex, just craving for more. I¡¯m starting to see how terrifyingly awesome ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ can be.

    <¡°Oh, dude, if I had my body right now and we had sex, with how high both of our ¡®Vigorous Libidos¡¯ are, it¡¯d probably take a trian or two before we start to catch our breaths.¡±>

    Have you ever had sex for that long?

    <¡°Not with just one person without switching to another partner. I heard our queen once had sex for even longer than that with one of her concubines.¡±>

    Huh.

    ¡°M-Master,¡± Erizora says. ¡°I admit I was getting turned on from watching you two, but now I can¡¯t seem to wait anymore after feeling the warmth of your semen flowing inside my stomach!¡±

    As Ren licks up the semen and saliva that escaped, Erizora reaches down between her legs and spreads her large pussy that¡¯s underwater. ¡°Please, Master! Let this shameless Ogre¡¯s hungry pussy embrace your fat cock and let it be claimed by your seed, too!¡±

    Wow, either that ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ works quick, or she was already turned on and it¡¯s only amplifying her desires further. Welp, can¡¯t keep a starving woman waiting.

    With my cock hard and ready again, I oblige to Erizora¡¯s request and set the head to her entrance, then helped myself all the way inside without warning. It¡¯s just as I felt when I applied the lube earlier. Despite it being a little bigger than Ume¡¯s hole, it¡¯s still rather tight ¡­ actually, it¡¯s even tighter than Ren¡¯s grip!

    ¡°Aaah~! It¡¯s inside! Master¡¯s cock is inside!¡± Erizora squeals as she wraps her legs around my waist, the sudden intrusion to her insides actually makes the grip pressure even tighter!

    Holy shit, this is strong! I think a normal guy¡¯s dick might snap off from this pressure! Is this the strength of an Ogre woman?! Is this what Erizora¡¯s father experienced when he was with her mother?!

    It¡¯s so great that I almost released my ¡®Ejaculation Control¡¯ and cum inside her prematurely. I think if it weren¡¯t for my high defenses and my skills associated with my ¡®Vigorous Libido,¡¯ things could¡¯ve probably gone in a whole other direction in the worst way possible.

    It¡¯s probably no wonder that the males of this race have to be stronger than the females in this case. Any other person along with an Ogre female if she doesn¡¯t hold back could be life or death for the male¡¯s manhood, a true ¡®death by sex.¡¯

    Truly, an Ogre¡¯s strength is nothing to sneeze at, but if this is what having sex with Erizora is like from now on, then I¡¯m going to relish every moment of this. I give props to her dad from surviving this journey and being able to give such an awesome daughter to this world.

    With Erizora being rough on my cock, I decide to go with the flow and give both of her teats such a death grip like I¡¯m trying to make them pop like balloons. Thankfully, her ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ were showing that the nipples were one of the most sensitive parts in the body that make her feel good, and so I make sure I pinch them both real good between my fingers along with my grip. Even so, her massive tits are so malleable that it¡¯s like my hands might sink right through them like large cups of melted marshmallows at any moment.

    ¡°Aaahn~!¡± Erizora¡¯s loud, throaty moan seems to have shaken the bathwater a little and tightens the grip on my cock slightly more. I can see how much her body tenses up from veins popping up and throbbing through her muscles, especially her washboard abs turning into something like a six-pack.

    While the sight¡¯s incredible, it¡¯s actually kind of worrisome, not for my cock snapping off, but for Erizora¡¯s well-being.

    ¡°Erizora? You doing all right?¡± I ask while loosening my grip on her breasts some for relief.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine! Don¡¯t stop! Just keep going and don¡¯t hold back!¡± Erizora groans. Ren, seeing how tense her friend is, tries to ease her with more kisses.

    Seeing her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ is still pretty up there around 60%, she must be feeling good to some extent, and so I go back to my rough play with her permission. With Erizora¡¯s opening being slightly bigger, I have to put in more effort into hitting the right points with ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ assistance. If I haven¡¯t mastered my ¡®Sex Techniques¡¯ skill, this feat could¡¯ve been much more difficult. Even now, Erizora¡¯s smooth, wet insides of her pussy is hotter than anything my cock has experienced being inside Ren¡¯s and Ume¡¯s, and with her inner grip being the strongest out of everyone here while I¡¯m trying to keep my ¡®Ejaculation Control¡¯ maintained, this is far beyond calling it ¡®easy.¡¯

    Even with my grown length, the tip could barely brush Erizora¡¯s womb going by the ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯¡¯ contour guides, but I think this much is fine. If I ever actually grow any more than this afterward, I worry I might really hurt Ren the next time I have sex with her. Ume, I don¡¯t have as many problems, but Ren¡¯s petite body getting damaged is what concerns me the most.

    If this ¡®growth¡¯ is inevitable, then I pray I don¡¯t get past 20 centimeters [~7.8, almost 8 inches], at best but that¡¯s to fuss over when I cross that bridge. For now, I¡¯m taking care of Erizora¡¯s needs, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m planning to do.

    Her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ steadily increases to 80%. Erizora¡¯s throaty moans, despite being muffled by Ren¡¯s kisses, is also becoming an indicator to her approaching climax with her rising volume, but the gauge¡¯s increase is starting to slow down, surprising since my ¡®Intimate Touch¡¯ should increase the stimulus when they get touched in the right places.

    She did cum once when I lubed her, I wonder if she came some more while watching me having sex with Ume and Ren earlier. I¡¯ve read a female¡¯s vagina becomes more sensitive with each orgasm, but if done a bunch, it¡¯ll start to get more difficult. With her parts being more stimulated with the [Contraception] lube¡¯s effects, she must be getting to her limit.

    She¡¯s waited patiently all this time, and so I¡¯ll finish her off with a bang.

    I throw away my ¡®Sex Technique¡¯ and just pound her pussy fast and hard like a horny mad dog, making sure I at least get a few of her ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ hit repeatedly as I do so. The splashing of the bathwater becomes bigger and makes more noise, the change in rhythm sends a surprise shock to Erizora¡¯s insides that retightens her grip on my cock, making this harder for me to not ejaculate prematurely even with ¡®Ejaculation Control.¡¯ With my hands on her titan breasts, I move so that my mouth is over one of her erect nipples like a hungry baby, vigorously sucking and even lightly biting the border of her areola to tug back. Both my hands are thoroughly and roughly massaging her other teat, even tightly pinching and pulling her hard nipple to hopefully draw milk out of it.

    ¡°Aaaaugh~! I¡¯m sorry again for not being able to lactate right now! Master¡¯s harsh treatment on my erotic boobs! His relentless pounding on my pussy! I love it! I love Master! I love it so much I can¡¯t take it! I¡¯m getting close! Please! Shoot your seed inside me and make me your woman!¡±

    ¡°I love this, too! I love you! And as of now, you! Are! Mine! ErizoraaAAAAAA!¡±

    ¡°AHHHHAAAAAAAHN~???!¡±

    As the grand finale, I hilt myself and explode inside Erizora¡¯s depths, as deep as I could so it¡¯d reach her womb. The orgasm is especially strong this time with how much her Ogre strength is milking everything out of my sturdy cock from the base to the tip. Her insides are especially getting filled with water and our sex liquids this time around.

    When the last of my thick, ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ is shot, I fall on top of Ren still nestled between Erizora¡¯s breasts, my head right on her ass like a firm and fluffed cushion, and slouch over.

    Just like how I was when I killed all of those monsters on that hill this morning, I¡¯m officially spent as I lay on this soaking wet meat bed of naked women catching my breath.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Ogre¡¯s Dominant¡¯ title!

    [¡®Fear Resistance¡¯ LV 1 has been integrated into ¡®Fear Resistance¡¯ LV 5.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Demon [Sex] Slayer¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 43!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Lustful Beast¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Semen Pump*¡¯!

    [You have reached Erizora¡¯s Affinity LV 2! Total Level of Affinity: 6

    [You have acquired a new ability! ¡®Ogre¡¯s Muscles!¡¯

    [Number of Climaxes: 5. The user will receive 5 level ups.

    [The user¡¯s Sex Technique has been evaluated. The user will receive 413 SP. Total SP: 6658]

    Uuuuuugh. Enough with the bonuses already. God, how sore am I going to be in the morning after this? Nyra? Do you know?

    <¡°Shut up. I¡¯m exhausted enough as I am getting off from all of that action and possessing your eye at the same time. Hell, everything from today has left me bushed. I¡¯m going rest in the tanto for a while. I¡¯ll see you in the morning if you don¡¯t wake me up before then.¡±>

    Okay, good night.

    After we catch our breath, Ren and Erizora vouch for cleaning my spent cock, which they do so together with a sloppy oral that one would see in a porno, but I couldn¡¯t get it back up even from that erotic sight, so that was enough to say that I¡¯m officially sexed out for the night.

    We spend the remainder of our time huddled together in the bathwater, now filthy with sex fluids, but the faux-lavender scent still seems to cover most of the smell. I give each of the girls a considerate kiss while expressing my thanks for the amazing time and the love I have for this group. They all thankfully have mutual feelings and we agreed to just relax in the public bath on our next visit.

    Once we refreshed ourselves with the provided ¡®ceremonial milk¡¯ post-bath, we dry off, gather our gear, and went straight to the ¡®Cantering Dreams Inn,¡¯ as requested by Ms. Gallofree to where we¡¯d meet in the morning, after getting directions again from Athesia the bath receptionist.

    A hop, skip, and a jump with money jingling later, we all go straight to sleep, finishing my second day in this world with pleasant exhaustion and smell of faux-lavender from the girls.

    One would think this is the ¡®happily ever after¡¯ of a story, but little did I know that my exciting adventure in this crazy new world had just begun.

 Chapter 54: Expectations and the Adventurers Association

    Meanwhile, back at the cottage in Palocaesy, the Vampire noblewoman, Noire Scarletine Krauss, sits up in a fancy black coffin with padded red velvet lining, wearing a beautiful nightgown as she reads over a parchment by candlelight. It is the message Eugus had a Harpy messenger deliver on the same day. It was addressed specifically to her, to be read only by her, as requested when she and the guild master last talked before the latter left. She summarized the letter to Gabriella who was with her that Eugus had found two capable adventurers to escort them through the dungeon, and as instructed, they will wait one day for them to prepare for the quest before meeting them the following day. What Noire kept from Gabriella, however, are the names, races, and ranks of the adventurers.

    After reading it, Noire was supposed to destroy the message by fire, but she had to keep it with her to reread the interesting description of her assigned escorts.

    ¡°The talented Lizardman Sage, Umeiyon, and her mate, the foreign and mysterious human Brawler, Jinma Kotori, both of them newly registered adventurers ranked as red and black, respectively,¡± she says quietly to herself after reading the letter and a smile forms from her glossy lips. The signature fangs that trademark her race poke out as she gives a light giggle. ¡°A very interesting find indeed, Mr. Gallofree.¡±

    Noire crumples the message into a ball, sets it on an ashtray, and chants ¡°Create Fire¡± while snapping her fingers to spontaneously combust it into flames, quickly turning it to ash within seconds. She then turns to the glass doors that lead to the balcony to gaze at the night sky. One could see the reflection of the blue moon into her violet eyes if they tried.

    ¡°Not to sound brash, but someone¡¯s head will roll if this does not please me and I do not just mean Gabriella¡¯s,¡± she swears to herself.

    She then reaches down to her coffin and pull up a smartphone with a sparkly ruby case, turning it on, and opens up a journal app where she types in her entries.

    [My time in this world as a free woman is nearing its end. While I am grateful to what has been given to me since noble birth, I cannot help but feel I am lacking something I have yet acquired in my lifetime. Am I selfish to seek that despite everything I have been given? Is this greed so improper for a noblewoman when I do not even know what it is that I seek?

    [Whatever be the case, I will just have to relish the remaining time I have however I can before I settle with annoying my ¡®dearly beloved¡¯ to pass the time for the rest of my days. I just pray I will be given permission to at least see my enthusiastic, charming friend on some occasions.

    [Blood is ever tastier when shared with the one you love. From what I have tasted, I do not think my ¡®dearly beloved¡¯ fits the quota that Dear Mother and Dear Father have ingrained in me since I was a child.

    [Even blood of the highest quality has come to taste bland when it was my ¡®dearly beloved¡¯ who gifted it to me. If I were to taste something different, maybe that would be the beginning of a change that I have so longed for. I just hope my assigned escorts will be able to provide me a drop at the least in my last venture.

    [Oh, how I wish to see the one(s) who drew so much blood from a horde of monsters in such an extravagant manner this morning, the one(s) with the peculiar magical aura(s). Perhaps their tale of how they survived such an ordeal would be more interesting than all of the achievements my ¡®dearly beloved¡¯ has attained.]

    After yawning and stretching her arms from finishing her entry, Noire sets the alarm on her smartphone and blows out the candle. She reaches for the lid of the coffin and shuts herself inside, completely enveloped in darkness before falling into a solemn, lonely slumber.

    ~~

    Outside of that cottage, at the hill of the fields where Jinma fought the mob of monsters, a silhouette glides above the area with large feathered wings unfurled wide and out of her back, a Harpy with a pair of goggles that gleams under the moonlight.

    ¡°Gah, I hate wearing these things. Why do we have such poor eyesight in the darkness of all times?¡± she berates to herself.

    Harpies, while a race that loves to fly in the air free as birds are also like most of them in a sense of seeing in the dark. Sure, some of them may be lucky and are gifted to see at long distances with the ¡®Deadeye¡¯ skill from birth like this one is, very rarely does one or two are even born with ¡®Night Vision¡¯ like some species of birds, but for the most part, Harpies cannot see and navigate in darkness for the life of them. If one was seen flying over the moonlit sky, while there is a chance they could have the ¡®Night Vision¡¯ skill, it¡¯s far more likely they¡¯re wearing the same goggles this individual is currently wearing, built and magically enchanted with that same skill to allow any wearer to see better in the dark. Like its skill levels, the ability to see in the dark increases as it gets higher, as well as the price for even affording such a pair.

    For this one, her goggles are enchanted with ¡®Night Vision¡¯ at 3 in the level of mastery, not much to brag home about, but still manageable for one to see well within a 15-meter [~49 feet] radius of the user¡¯s surroundings.

    The Harpy glides down to a soft landing at the clearing. She makes sure she doesn¡¯t make a sound that¡¯d wake monsters nearby, yet still has one of her talon-like hands on the shortsword holstered at her side, ready to unsheathe at any ambushes that might attack her. She scans her surroundings through the goggles over her eyes and takes a few whiffs of the air.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ this is where I saw that human male fighting all of those monsters this morning ¡­ the scent of blood still lingers in the air, but there¡¯s not a drop of it in sight on the grass. Since Gabriella has night watch, I thought I could take this chance to see if I could find any evidence of him ¡­ being dead or alive.¡±

    The Harpy who speculates this is the same one who spotted Jinma fighting off the monster horde on his own earlier in the morning, the black-ranked Harpy adventurer, Tyvera, currently on secret reconnaissance as ¡®requested¡¯ by her superior who goes by Lord Rowling, something that Noire isn¡¯t aware of.

    Normally, when an adventurer finds evidence of another being dead, like their ID card now gray from its original color, they are to report it to the nearest guild at their earliest convenience during business hours. Tyvera suspected Jinma to be one of these unfortunate cases but has yet to find evidence of his death as she searched the area of where she saw him last. She¡¯s unaware that he wasn¡¯t even a registered adventurer at the time.

    Sure, normally she would¡¯ve flown in immediately and provided assistance to someone facing danger in such overwhelming odds, but Tyvera was given orders to keep watch for any oncoming dangers to Noire¡¯s life within a certain distance. She couldn¡¯t leave her post for even a couple minutes to help someone, even if she saw them getting maimed before her eyes.

    This kind of judgment is not uncommon for adventurers while on the job, especially if they¡¯re on escort quests when they¡¯re protecting important clients and merchants who paid for their services. Unless they were given permission to help the third party in danger, they¡¯re to not leave their client under any circumstances.

    That doesn¡¯t make for a good excuse for why Tyvera had to ignore Jinma in danger, though. She didn¡¯t get this far in her adventurer career ignoring people who¡¯re in need of help. Even if it was a reckless decision at times, she¡¯s almost always the ¡®act first, ask questions later¡¯ kind of girl, and with her honed aerial acrobatics and skills to become the unique Airborne Huntress she is today, she¡¯s confident she¡¯d help the victim escape from trouble at the least before bringing them to a safe location for questioning.

    Tyvera could¡¯ve done that much for Jinma in this case. Give her 5-10 minutes and she¡¯d rush in, lift him off the ground, and carry him back to her post in Palocaesy. She¡¯s that confident in her speed.

    ¡°W-Well, it wasn¡¯t my fault he made such a stupid decision to taking on all of those monsters by himself with only a fucking knife and whatever magic he had on him,¡± Tyvera says to herself while crossing her arms, trying to lessen the guilt on her conscience. ¡°He¡¯d have such a stern talking to from me for doing something so foolish ¡­ even if he did look kind of cool while doing it at first,¡± she mutters.

    Tyvera shakes the image of Jinma¡¯s figure out of her head. ¡°Well, whether he¡¯s an adventurer or not, someone¡¯s going to notice him going missing sooner or later. If I ever catch word of it, I¡¯ll just point them here and they can take care of the rest. I still got a job to do, and I got a hammock perched on a tree with my name on it just waiting to be slept on.¡±

    Finishing the search here, Tyvera crouches and unfurls her wings, ready to take flight.

    ¡°¡­ May you rest in peace, crazy human male.¡± With that mutter to herself, Tyvera the Harpy takes off and heads back to her post to sleep for the evening, unknown that she¡¯ll see Jinma¡¯s current ¡®condition¡¯ soon enough.

    ~~

    Back in Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, Eugus Gallofree is in a room closed off from the world, black as pitch, with only a crystal ball on a pedestal he knows is in front of him.

    ¡°It is time,¡± he says before holding a hand over the crystal ball, focusing his magic until it emits green light. It grows and fills the room before giving off a blinding flash, changing the scene completely.

    Eugus is now in a circle with numerous green hologram-like figures. If seen from another perspective, he¡¯s among those same figures as a hologram as well. The ¡®room¡¯ these people are in is a peculiar one. In reality, they¡¯re all in their own guild¡¯s respective secret room, but the power that lies in their own crystal balls allow those in the room to communicate and hold meetings with everyone present as if they were right there.

    This is the work of a special Messaging Crystal that only guild masters of their respective guilds have access to, and with those crystals activated while all of them are gathered, the ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Association¡¯ is formed. The association usually comes together once a month for meetings to discuss current events and important matters around their respective residences. There are a few occasions, however, where one sends a message to all others to hold an emergency meeting at the usual appointed time at night to discuss a drastic change within adventurer grounds.

    This is one of those occasions that Eugus appointed to the association.

    ¡°All right, it seems everyone is accounted for,¡± Eugus says.

    ¡°Can we get this over with? I didn¡¯t mentally prepare myself for this meeting and I¡¯m dead tired,¡± a lithe man with a yellow fox-like head and large, poofy tail of the same color says while scratching his ear.

    ¡°Before we begin, I¡¯d like to confirm something with you, Eugus,¡± an old human man holding a cane speaks. ¡°I have heard that Dondegarm was infiltrated by the White Rapture last night.¡±

    ¡°Thou hast heard correctly, Kaswell.¡±

    ¡°Is it true that, among those who were involved with the infiltration ¡­¡±

    ¡°I saw him as soon as I could to make sure of it myself. Yes, thy brother, Gin, was the second-in-command that helped lead the infiltration. He is held captive to recover before questioning as we speak.¡±

    The old human man who goes by Kaswell sighs. ¡°Gin-boy, you fool,¡± he mutters to himself before bowing to Eugus. ¡°I know it is not enough, but I apologize for his actions. I know he didn¡¯t have a good history with demons in the past, but for him to go this far ¡­¡±

    ¡°Each adventurer must be held accountable for their own actions,¡± Eugus says. ¡°I understand if it affected thee, but thou art not directly tied with thy little brother¡¯s intentions. If thou cared for him so, I would be thankful for him to be alive if I were thee, especially since it is due to the person of the subject in this discussion that I called all of thee here for. The young man who defeated him in a one-on-one battle turned many against one at Gin¡¯s command, yet he stepped out with not even a scratch, according to reports.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°And this man is a registered adventurer?¡± a woman asks.

    ¡°Nay, but not until earlier today, as I was not aware of his achievements until my niece introduced him me. I was presumptuous as a fool to lose my beard at the cost of him gaining my attention.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank god I don¡¯t have to be the one to point out how tasteless that new beard style of yours is. Then again, your need for a shave is waaaaaay past due,¡± a flamboyant human man comments.

    ¡°Please excuse my appearance, I did not have time to get a proper trim. Now, for the man in question, he paid ahead for an Innate Stat Ranking that I witnessed today, of which I will reveal the results to all of thee now.¡± Eugus takes the hologram-like card from the black case and inserts it in a slot on his pedestal.

    The enlarged image of the card hovering in the air elicits a collective gasp from the association members.

    ¡°¡­ You are right, Eugus. With these rankings, I¡¯m amazed my little brother is kept alive under such overwhelming power,¡± Kaswell says.

    ¡°Is there something wrong with that card, Eugus?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what the Immortals evaluated him through the monument. Nothing could change that, and the Immortals would not joke about this.¡±

    ¡°How has this man not appeared in the Kingdom of Yineer?! No, more importantly, what is this ¡®D-Human?!¡¯ And why is he still a Brawler?!¡± a human man with graying brown locks wearing a sort of uniform exclaims.

    ¡°Mmm~, and he¡¯s young, you say? I¡¯m quite interested in meeting him, now,¡± the flamboyant man comments.

    ¡°His name is Jinma Kotori,¡± Eugus begins. ¡°As I said before, he not only defeated Kaswell¡¯s younger brother in combat but had the most responsibility in saving Dondegarm from the White Rapture¡¯s raid. This includes beating the one leading the raid, Rasholl, overcoming the possession from the infamous ¡®Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra¡¯ that he now wields as his primary weapon, and stopped a rampage from a Bear Mole herd that same cursed weapon summoned, possibly in hopes to possess him by exhaustion.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, you mean the Rasholl? The ¡®Protector of Night,¡¯ Rasholl? He led White Rapture¡¯s infiltration?¡± Kaswell asks.

    ¡°And from what was reported, he tried to wield the cursed tanto himself but failed. He ended up, to put it bluntly, twisted like a pretzel under Jinma¡¯s newly gained powers when he held a Werewolf slave under hostage.¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°I have also received a report just earlier today that same Jinma hast subdued 65 of the cult¡¯s scouts that were investigating Dondegarm for another raid ¡­ he only left one alive to be further questioned, but all of them were cultists, registered adventurers of various ranks from green to purple. We have intel of where they art supposed to meet for a strategy meeting that we art currently formulating a plan for while seeking adventurers to assign to as a quest.¡±

    ¡°This human Brawler killed 64 people of his own kin, all of that ¡­ on his own? Not taking into account the EXP he earned from winning, he would¡¯ve already gone up at least 120 levels ¡­¡± the uniformed man trails off shakily. If one would look closely enough, they could see him breaking out beads of cold sweat.

    ¡°There is one last thing about Jinma that needs to be addressed, however,¡± Eugus continues.

    ¡°What else needs to be known if he wasn¡¯t crazy strong already?¡± the fox man asks.

    ¡°From what witnesses reported, this man bears the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ that appeared the moment he took hold of the cursed tanto.¡±

    ¡°¡°WHAT?!¡±¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± a woman with black horns resembling a bison exclaims while pounding a fist to the wall. Her black wings flare open, her arrow-pointed tube tail straightens out, and her scleras turn dark as she bares her teeth. ¡°Only those with the Devil race¡¯s blood would bear such eyes! This ¡®Jinma Kotori¡¯ is a full-blown human! How would he possess such power?!¡±

    ¡°You mean a ¡®D-Human,¡¯ Natasha, and I cannot help but feel that plays a part in how he is capable of holding such a powerful racial skill,¡± a mature woman with long pointy ears theorizes.

    ¡°Calm down, Natasha. Eugus, have you confirmed with Jinma about using this power?¡± Kaswell asks.

    ¡°Nay, but from what has been mentioned in the reports, it seems not even he was aware of such capabilities until then.¡±

    ¡°And since this guy¡¯s still a freakin¡¯ Brawler¡ªgod knows why¡ªwe¡¯re dealing with one hell of a Pandora¡¯s Box here,¡± the fox man groans.

    ¡°Hahaha! Interesting! I¡¯m tempted to find that man and challenge him to a brawl, myself!¡± The one who roared is a male with the head of another canine, a monstrous wolf with sculpted hindlegs, beastly claws, and a bulky physique covered with fur that is red as rust, wearing only a tattered pair of slacks for decency as a guild master. The tips of some strands are gray as ash that show his apparent age. He continues his roaring laughter after exclaiming his desires as a beastly warrior.

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in meeting him for more than exchanging fists, myself~,¡± the flamboyant man coos.

    ¡°I imagine you penned him in as the lowest black-rank after seeing these stats, Eugus?¡± Kaswell asks.

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°It is the highest rank we can grant for one just starting out as an adventurer, as we agreed upon with our positions as guild masters, but I imagine he¡¯ll go up the ranks fairly quickly if his levels are anything to speak about. What needs to be addressed, however, is how much of a threat he may pose to Padimon as a whole? He could very well be invincible if his Vitality is unreadable by the Immortals¡¯ standards,¡± the uniform-clad man says.

    ¡°Are we sure this human isn¡¯t a Champion?¡± Natasha asks.

    ¡°Even if he is, you know we guild masters are not allowed to directly question his identity under the Immortals¡¯ law,¡± the fox man answers. ¡°Even if he opened up his identity to one of the bishops in the churches, be they Holy or Cursed, they are also under Immortals¡¯ law to not reveal a Champion¡¯s identity to anybody, including amongst themselves under the same roof. It¡¯s honestly annoying enough as it is that the Immortals had to put up these laws concerning Champions.¡±

    ¡°Not only that, but there are esteemed individuals in this world who¡¯re also gifted with the Immortals¡¯ blessings that could put them on par with a Champion¡¯s power. Kaswell¡¯s granddaughter is certainly the case and point in where she stands.¡±

    ¡°Aye, indeed. I¡¯m so proud of how far she¡¯s come in her life,¡± Kaswell says while puffing his chest.

    ¡°What is your personal take on Jinma¡¯s character, Eugus?¡± the long-eared woman asks.

    ¡°I ¡­ am uncertain myself. He dost not seem to pose a threat, but he practically has Dondegarm¡¯s citizens in the palm of his hand, the females, especially. And then there art those girls who fawn over him wherever he goes, all demons, even one of the receptionists could not stop talking about him! That damn miscreant even caught Lady Tephalia¡¯s eyes to hold him in high regard after speaking with her for confirmation!¡±

    ¡°Sounds like someone¡¯s worried this ¡®miscreant¡¯ will take his precious niece away,¡± the fox man says before snickering.

    ¡°There, there, Eugus,¡± Kaswell consoles. ¡°I know how you feel, but girls must grow up to be women at some point in their lives.¡±

    ¡°Easy for thou to say! Thy granddaughter hast not been snatched away by a troubling young man yet!¡±

    ¡°Ah, but that¡¯s because I¡¯ve trained her to be as strong as she is today, and I¡¯ve ingrained in her that she may only marry the man who proves to be stronger than her. Some of the demon races¡¯ proceedings in finding mates have helped influence my parenting in this regard.¡±

    She¡¯ll never get married with a hurdle that high. The majority of guild masters in the room more or less had that similar thought, knowing what Kaswell¡¯s granddaughter is capable of.

    ¡°And of course, no one lays a hand on my daughter until they surpass yours truly! They¡¯d be dead before even getting a chance to lay their eyes on her!¡± the black wolf-like man declares.

    Considering Vrog¡¯s a Hellhound, I pity his daughter right now, the long-eared woman thinks.

    ¡°*Ehen.* Moving on, is there anything else about Jinma Kotori we should be aware of?¡± the man in uniform asks.

    ¡°¡­ I gave him an Assigned Quest as his first to judge his character,¡± Eugus continues after taking a moment to calm down. ¡°Konjiro, I think thou know where I am getting at as it involves your city.¡±

    The fox man that goes by Konjiro pales. ¡°Wait ¡­ no, no! You can¡¯t be serious! Do you even know what¡¯s at stake with a great noble¡¯s daughter involved?! Don¡¯t even get me started on her betrothed! I¡¯m losing hair on my fur from lack of sleep and the stress of it all! Strong as this Jinma Kotori is, he¡¯s a total newbie as an adventurer, right?! Has he even been in a dungeon?!¡±

    ¡°Not to worry, he has a talented Lizardman Sage at his side who will be able to assist him, and from what I remember, he also has his Werewolf and Ogre slaves that he will likely take with him for this quest as well.¡±

    ¡°Did you not you say he has many female demons who are fawning over him?¡± the long-eared woman asks. ¡°Are those three included? Could they all be part of a harem?¡±

    ¡°That ¡­ is likely, yes.¡±

    ¡°So, we have a Demongenerate in our hands, and with his ¡®Charm¡¯ with demons? Oh, yeah, this Assigned Quest will just go swimmingly. Allow me some time to write my will and resignation letters.¡±

    ¡°Konjiro, as a fellow man with ¡®unique¡¯ tastes myself, I will not overlook the use of such a foul term against one of my own kin,¡± the flamboyant man says while furrowing his eyes.

    ¡°Oh, and you think I feel safe enough around you and your ¡®tastes,¡¯ Julius? I don¡¯t mean to brag, but being a Kitsune, I can change my appearance into quite the handsome human male, myself. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you stripping me with your eyes when we first met.¡±

    ¡°Th-That isn¡¯t the point!¡±

    ¡°Will ye two shut it?! I gots me own wife and kids I need t¡¯ get back ter, y¡¯ know?!¡± a short, stout man with an orange beard covering the majority of his body yells in a heavy accent.

    ¡°At any rate,¡± Eugus continues, ¡°¡®tis a quest assigned to my guild by the client, Konjiro, thou art only serving as a witness in these events. I will be guiding Jinma and his chosen party members to Palocaesy and its dungeon where it will take place.¡±

    ¡°Good, because I¡¯m not wanting any part in whatever chaos this human may wreak in my city. If he fails this quest even after giving him one day to prepare himself, well, we will know then if he is worth the rank that is given to him.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we hold off on announcing the new black-rank adventurer until he finishes that quest?¡± the uniformed man suggests. ¡°If he fails, you will demote him to violet as a penalty while handling whatever repercussions that follow. If he succeeds, then you will handle it accordingly to his results. We will have a follow-up meeting then to determine where he stands before deciding to make an announcement to the other guilds of his arrival. Everyone in agreement?¡±

    ¡°¡°Aye.¡±¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m excited~. Such an interesting rookie to come from out of nowhere. My body will be anticipating the results~,¡± Julius coos.

    ¡°Coming from you, I don¡¯t know who I should fear for more,¡± Konjiro groans.

    ¡°Is there anything else that should be addressed while we are all here? Some other rising individuals we should be on the lookout for like Jinma of the Brawler class?¡± the long-eared woman asks.

    The room falls silent, but three people, in particular, have the most contemplating looking expressions on their faces as they think.

    A fully black leather-clad female with a peculiar ruby-colored helmet very unlike one from a Knight class and a chain whip looped around her torso, Konjiro thinks with arms crossed and eyes closed. I¡¯ve been hearing things about her lately and the weapon itself speaks that her class is either a Mercenary or the unique Advanced Class of a Lasher, but if she¡¯s keeping herself so closed off from everyone if it doesn¡¯t involve business, standing out as much as she already is, wonder if she is also a Brawler in some way?

    Not really worth mentioning, but that girl who frequently works at that pub might be one that fits the bill, Kaswell thinks as he looks back with a smile behind a fist befitting for a perverted old man. Young, cute, friendly with anyone of any race, and she¡¯s a Brawler! Other than going on collection quests from time to time on her own, she¡¯s certainly going up the ranks in her own way for the last couple of months. Looks like I found an excuse to do some personal ¡®investigation¡¯ at that pub, soon enough!

    For a human Brawler to kill so many of their own kind at once like this Jinma Kotori did, there¡¯s only one I could think of that would certainly be similar in that regard, the uniformed man thinks with cold sweat on his brow. Said to have shown up out of the blue one day with at least 20 heads of bandits that raided a nearby village for pillaging, an ominous katana red as blood, eyes cold and lifeless, also such a dark shade of brown that¡¯s almost black like the void of darkness.

    It¡¯s so unlike such a young woman to have the look of a cold-blooded killer, yet I could still remember how the cold shiver went down my spine when I first laid my eyes on hers. Everyone who was there for her Fighting Evaluation Ranking would remember how cold the air was when she won against a blue-ranked adventurer who foolishly hit on her, lopping both of his arms off in such a nonchalant way seconds after the test began.

    We¡¯re blessed in the Yineer Kingdom to have numerous talented healers on standby to reattach his arms after paying a fee, but then he and his party made the foolish choice of overwhelming her for revenge. One is more likely to get away with killing other adventurers as they rise in the ranks depending on the circumstances, but at that time, for all of them to be found scattered and dismembered cleanly while she stood there so unfazed of the situation ¡­

    She quickly gained a rep as the ¡®Cold Slaughter Princess¡¯ at that point, and now is a violet rank after 4 months since that day, leader of the ¡®Freezing Bird¡¯ party with only a Werepanther and a Kitsune on her sides as slaves. If she isn¡¯t a Brawler, she could very well be a powerful Samurai at this point, and I need to see how much she¡¯s changed since that day before making the decision of promoting her to a black-rank.

    ¡°No people to speak of, huh?¡± the long-eared woman asks. ¡°Well, if we are all lacking enough information, I guess it would be best that we would not jump to conclusions so soon and investigate to the best of our abilities. In which case, we will adjourn this meeting for the time being. Eugus, you will notify us when Jinma Kotori finishes his quest.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Eugus says while bowing his head.

    ¡°Ugh, finally, I can get some sleep, but I¡¯ll have to mentally prepare for the follow-up meeting, though, especially for witnessing the proceedings between him and the noble client. I never even met the guy, yet he¡¯s already giving me more trouble than he¡¯s worth.¡±

    With Konjiro¡¯s comment, the guild masters cut off their connections from the ¡®meeting room,¡¯ their hologram-like figures disappearing until Eugus and Natasha are left.

    ¡°I figured thou would stay behind,¡± Eugus says.

    ¡°Just answer me this, Eugus. Does this man pose a threat to the Demon King? Do you know?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Nay, I do not.¡±

    ¡°I see. Do keep in touch if you find anything out that might pose a problem down the line.¡±

    ¡°I will try to keep that in mind, Natasha. Good night.¡±

    With that, the two of them disconnect at the same time. Eugus exasperates a sigh before pulling out Jinma¡¯s Innate Stats card and holds it up in the darkness.

    ¡°¡­ Thou hast me trotting on thin ice with dangerous people. Thou hast caught my attention, now prove to me how capable thou art to be as an adventurer, Jinma Kotori. Well, as sketchy as he may seem at first glance, at least I will not have to worry about Kalline getting further involved with such a male.¡±

    Little did Eugus know that his precious niece, Kalline, patiently waits for him at their home with his favorite meals cooked and ready to serve, her main weapons for her approaching heated ¡®battle¡¯ with him involving that same man.

 Chapter 55: Three Children and a Man in Black

    A dark room, a bed with rails, tubes coming out from various places of my sight, and a screen with a line moving repeated zig-zags of different heights.

    Is this ¡­ a hospital room? Am I back home? Wait, why do my hands look so small? No, my whole body has shrunk, and it¡¯s injected with all of these IV¡¯s.

    ¡°Jin ¡­ chan.¡±

    I hear a familiar voice and turn to the bed next to mine. In that bed is a young girl with long, black hair, sitting up and wearing the same hospital gown I¡¯m currently wearing. No equipment is attached to her and there¡¯s not a bandage in sight, but she sits there trembling and frozen in a pose like she was holding something before it was taken away, trying desperately to move, but so frustrated that she breaks into tears as she shifts her eyes at me.

    That¡¯s ¡­ Hyo-chan as a kid, right? Does that mean I¡¯ve become a kid again as well? When did this happen? And why does it look like she¡¯s not moving like a statue? It might be the condition I¡¯m in right now that I¡¯m more listless and dumber than concerned for the current situation.

    ¡°As you get older, you will be facing many dangers that will try to take what¡¯s dearest to you. It is a dreadful curse that we all share in various forms.¡±

    A grown, mature man¡¯s voice enters my hearing. I look above Hyo-chan¡¯s bed to see a dark figure of that very man¡¯s back as he stares out the window, at the sky still in its nighttime. I could make out his clothes being a pitch-black haori. In his hands behind the back is an empty syringe with a needle that looks sharp to the touch, the size about the same as what could fit in Hyo-chan¡¯s hand that¡¯s forced open.

    ¡°The majority of them will look at you with sneers, questioning why such a ¡®creature¡¯ is living among them, and no matter what good you¡¯ll do for them, their opinion of you will never change ¡­ I did not anticipate things to ever go this far when I made that contract so long ago, to affect your mother, your father, your parents¡¯ parents, your friend here and her parents, and even our little guest behind that door,¡± he says before turning his head to the door.

    ¡°?!¡±

    A gasp is heard, and when I turn to the source, the door is cracked open, but nothing is in sight.

    ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t be shy, I know you¡¯re still out there. C¡¯mon in here and join us. I won¡¯t bite,¡± the man beckons.

    At that, the door opens further, and poking a head inside is another young girl with blonde locks tied in a ponytail that stand out from the darkness.

    Blonde hair ¡­ is this one a foreigner?

    ¡°Ahh~, I see, how nostalgic,¡± the old man says. ¡°Let me guess, did I catch you in the middle of your ¡®mission?¡¯¡±

    ¡°?!¡± the little blonde girl gasps again.

    ¡°I figured as much. Do not worry, we will pretend you¡¯re not here and keep your presence a secret between us. Right, kids?¡± he asks me and Hyo-chan.

    I look over to Hyo-chan and she looks back with a worried expression.

    ¡°¡­ Mm.¡± I could only nod. I don¡¯t know what he meant by her being on a ¡®mission,¡¯ but she doesn¡¯t look like she intends to cause trouble and I don¡¯t want her to get into it for getting caught. This man here, for whatever reason he¡¯s in this room, also doesn¡¯t seem to be a bad guy from how he¡¯s speaking, so I might as well give him a chance, too.

    Then again, it could be whatever meds I¡¯m on and my current age right now that¡¯s likely making me as dumb as a vegetable to have those na?ve thoughts.

    Even so, Hyo-chan seems to have relaxed a little when she saw my response.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come in and join us? This involves you as much as these two as well, you know?¡± the man invites.

    The blonde girl wordlessly obliges and gets inside before closing the door behind her. Like me and Hyo-chan, she¡¯s also in some hospital gown.

    She¡¯s a patient in this place, too, and she¡¯s expected to continue her ¡®mission?¡¯ Who even put her up to this?

    ¡°Step over here where I can see the three of you together,¡± the man beckons the blonde girl.

    She nods and moves to the space between mine and Hyo-chan¡¯s beds before standing at attention like some kind of soldier. She doesn¡¯t look my way even once.

    The man sets the syringe on the counter next to Hyo-chan, moves to a spot where he gets on one knee and sees the three of us together. ¡°Would you look at that. It¡¯s like I¡¯m seeing a reflection of my past, but with such two astounding beauties instead of my blood brothers. If you got my charms, you¡¯re going to be very lucky with these two down the line, kid.¡±

    ¡°¡°Huh?!¡±¡± the girls respond.

    I couldn¡¯t help but quirk a brow at that and turn to the girls to ask them what he meant, only to see them jolting their heads away at the same time to avoid my gaze and unwilling to talk.

    What¡¯s that guy even talking about? I could feel my mind regressing back to the age that matches my current body as I think that question. I admit that I was pretty stupid and oblivious to what other people were thinking at times when I was growing up.

    ¡°Anyway, going back to what I said,¡± the man continues. ¡°I didn¡¯t anticipate for this curse to extend so far when I made that contract, back when I was still young and foolish to think that this power was what I needed to overturn any odds against us in our line of work, and how much it would affect the people down the line who didn¡¯t even want to involve themselves in what we did. Seeing the three of you here together in this day and age, I can¡¯t even imagine how much you¡¯ve all suffered from my own mistake.¡±

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    The man lowers himself further to a dogeza with his head on the floor. ¡°Whatever grudge you may have out of being put in this situation, you may direct your hate and frustrations at me instead of your immediate parents. Just like the three of you, they are also victims of my foolish blunder. For that, I must apologize to you three, especially you, Jinma Kotori, from man to man sharing the same blood, the same ¡®curse¡¯ that lives on no matter how many times it has passed down between generations.¡±

    How does he know my name? Is this man ¡­ no, it couldn¡¯t be. He mentioned my dad, so it couldn¡¯t be him, but how does he know them all? He said we share the same blood, is he a relative I¡¯ve never met? How are Hyo-chan and the blonde girl I¡¯ve never met even involved with all of this? We¡¯re not siblings ¡­ right?

    The man stands back up and moves to one corner of my bed. I still can¡¯t make out his features aside from the black haori that blends in the darkness ¡­ no, if anything, I could make out a little of his eyes, sharp, fierce, intimidating at first, but I can¡¯t help but feel there is something very sad behind them as he looks at me.

    Aside from that feeling, his eyes actually look similar to mine, the same ones that people say I look like a ¡®demon¡¯ with them.

    The man looks to have push his sadness aside and maintains his serious tone. ¡°I know this will not be enough to make up for what I¡¯ve done, but let me give something to make things a little easier for you three down the line.¡±

    He reaches into his haori and pulls out some ring-like object that fits over his hand, a bracelet? Under the moonlight, it shines gold before a white aura emanates from it.

    The next thing I hear from him is complete gibberish, a language unlike anything I¡¯ve ever heard before.

    ¡°!@#%%$^%(&%(%&*$%^&$*$%&^$#&$^&$^&E#$&$*&^%^#$^*$%$($%&^%*.¡±

    ¡°¡°#%^$^%$*&$%^($%^*%^($#*%#^%%&^$%$^#$$&^$%^^*$^%.¡±¡±

    That last quote sounds more like a collective chant from some kind of group. I must have heard it in my head because I don¡¯t see anyone else here other than the four of us.

    After that, the man then suddenly emanates the same white glow as the bracelet before it disintegrates into particles of light that go up and through the ceiling. Looking back to the man, even though he glows now, I still can¡¯t make out the features other than his demon-like eyes that look to be smiling now.

    I also notice then that same white aura is phasing through all of our chests.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± Hyo-chan asks. The blonde girl seems to can¡¯t move from her position as well.

    ¡°My time is finally nearing its end, but allow me a chance as your old man who¡¯s lived a long life to give you some advice as my last parting gift to you, Jinma Kotori. You two ladies listen to this as well,¡± he then says back in fluent Japanese. ¡°There will be people in this world and the next who¡¯ll try to put you down, to talk you down on anything you do just for being so different from them.

    ¡°My advice? Fuck those people.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± I utter for the first time since I woke up. To hear something so blunt and crude from a man to three kids, if he¡¯s my ¡®old man,¡¯ I can¡¯t imagine how his own kids have lived under this parenting.

    ¡°If they¡¯re going to disapprove everything you do anyway, then why bother proving yourself to them? Fuck them all, don¡¯t let them get you down, and don¡¯t let those assholes decide what¡¯s best for you, kid. You have the right to live your life any way you want to. Decide for yourself what¡¯s best for you, what and who is worth protecting, and don¡¯t let any of those bastards get away from doing anything to what matters to you most.

    ¡°To straighten out bastards who even dares to fuck up what¡¯s precious to us when we¡¯re trying to live as decent citizens, to take matters into our own hands when the law only fucks around and twiddle their thumbs, to live however we want no matter what they all say, that is how we run things in our family.

    ¡°Now, Jinma Kotori, Hyoko Ishima, and ¡®****** ******,¡¯¡± he then says, the last name interrupted by such loud static that I couldn¡¯t hear it, ¡°take this gift. Use it and the curses bestowed upon you three to live your lives to the fullest, become the kind of people you want to be, man or woman, and most importantly, no matter how far you may have fallen, no matter the number of times it will happen, always remember that only you have the choice and power to get back up.¡±

    The man¡¯s figure fades into white, along with the glowing aura and my vision.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna do great things, kids, I just know it. You three a part of this splendid family of mine, after all.¡±

    ~~

    The light fades to darkness as I suddenly feel weight pressing down on my body and something wet invading my mouth. I slowly open my eyes and see a familiar face with hers closed, sighing through her nose and moaning in content as she works her tongue around mine.

    Even not knowing what was going on but still mildly awake, I wrap my arms around Ume¡¯s lower back and put in some work into our kiss as well.

    [Conditions met, the skill, ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ MAX LV has now evolved into ¡®Poison Nullification*¡¯.]

    Whoa, that¡¯s weird. I was wondering how some skills didn¡¯t evolve after maxing them out. Do some not take into effect until I rest my body?

    Well, whatever. ¡®Poison Nullification¡¯ means I won¡¯t ever get like a ¡®poisoned¡¯ ailment and be unaffected by any type of poison, right? Sweet, I¡¯d like to give a personal thanks to my mother and her possibly deadly cooking that might¡¯ve made me having the ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ skill possible.

    Still ¡­ what was with that ¡®dream¡¯ last night? It seemed all too real and sophisticated to have all of that be made from my head on the spot.

    Ume pulls back and takes a shallow gasp while leaving a mess of saliva on our faces, then taking her long, reptilian tongue to wipe what was on hers, as if to savor the taste of the kiss we just had. She then squints her eyes open with a delightful smile that matches the one on her lips.

    ¡°Good morning, Jin~.¡±

    ¡°Morning, Ume ¡­ even though it¡¯s still dark to even call it a morning yet.¡± Indeed, aside from clearly seeing Ume¡¯s beautiful face, the room we¡¯re currently staying in is still dark as there¡¯s no light shining in through the large windows. It must be a new day now, but still too early before the sun starts to dawn.

    ¡°What¡¯s the occasion on the passionate kiss this morning?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read how human wives would wake up their husbands with this ¡®Good Morning Kiss,¡¯ and so I wanted to try it for myself. Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know, I might still be dreaming having such a beautiful woman doing that much for me. Maybe I need a second dose?¡± I ask before giving her another kiss, eliciting a giggle while she happily obliges. Our bodies are currently stripped of clothing with only me in my briefs, so having such a naked and beautiful Lizardman/Dragon girl on top of me while we¡¯re under covers already has me very much awake, same goes for my little buddy that¡¯s sandwiched between us.

    If I were to be wake up like this every day from now on, then I definitely made the right choice in having Ume as my first mate/wife.

    Our second kiss is only brief, however, as Ume pulls back again and sets a hand over my cheek. ¡°There¡¯s another reason why I woke you up so early before the others do, you know? After all the craziness that happened yesterday, I realized there¡¯s something we haven¡¯t done yet that I want to do now when the sun rises, to make us official as mates in accordance to our customs.¡±

    I glance over to my side and see Ren and Erizora still sleeping in Japanese futon-like beds with a [Soundproof] barrier surrounding them. I didn¡¯t put that up last night, so Ume probably made it somehow before she made her move to wake me up only.

    ¡°Dragon customs?¡± I whisper, and she nods in confirmation. ¡°All right, I¡¯m all for it. What do we do?¡±

 Chapter 56: A Big Fat Dragon Courtship

    At Ume¡¯s directions, I use [Portal] to move us to the field where I fought the monster mob yesterday morning, where she revealed herself to me as a Dragon seeking a mate to help save her kind from extinction. I take Nyra along for safety precautions, my MIB to carry our clothes, and had Ume write a note for the other girls in case they wake up before we come back.

    As it¡¯s still early in the morning, the field is quite dark, but I could see the many stars above me are starting to fade as the sky slowly starts to change in accordance to the approaching daylight.

    For such a romantic setting, it¡¯s a little off-putting to have my briefs dropped when we get there as requested by Ume, but since this is a custom by Dragons who usually don¡¯t wear clothes in their true forms anyway, she probably wants to make this procedure to match that as much as possible, and so I oblige.

    And besides, how could I possibly complain about it when I get to marvel Ume in all of her naked glory in Dragonoid form as well?

    ¡°Now then, Jin, it looks like we have some time before the sun rises. Is there anything you¡¯d like to say before we make this official?¡± Ume asks.

    If we¡¯re making this as much legit in Dragon standards as it is in marriage, I should probably come clean with some things while I have the chance, I decide.

    ¡°I was going to save some of this when Ms. Gallofree joins back with us, and while there were so many things going on yesterday, there¡¯s something I need you to know about me if we¡¯re going to be living together,¡± I say while I take her reptilian hands in mine, trying to make this as serious as possible by looking at her face only and not look down on her bodacious body. ¡°The truth is, Ume, I¡¯m ¡­ a Champion.¡±

    While Ume expresses shock, I reach into my MIB and pull out the IEB to show proof.

    ¡°You may be thinking this is how I¡¯m so strong from other humans, right? That might be part of it, but the biggest contributor may be my capabilities as a Brawler as I quickly leveled up ¡­¡±

    With the limited time we have before the sun rises, I try to explain as much of what I know so far about this class as I could, including the titles and skills I¡¯ve gained, how quickly I¡¯ve leveled up, and my multiple classes. I even demonstrated a little by pulling up my status and changing what I could display in real time, something that¡¯s considered impossible in this world¡¯s standards.

    Ume stays silent throughout that time, taking in every word that¡¯s given.

    ¡°Ren, Erizora, Lili, Ms. Raize, and Winny are already aware of my identity under certain circumstances, but they have yet to know how crazy this Brawler class is, I don¡¯t even know how much crazier this class can get until I reach a level cap, if there is one, but this is the gist of what I know so far,¡± I finish my explanation.

    ¡°Do you mind if I speak my thoughts?¡± Ume finally asks, to which I nod. ¡°I¡¯ve read quite a bit of the Champions¡¯ accomplishments over the courses of my studies, and truthfully, some of the other Dragons have come to resent Champions for how much the Immortals seem to favor the humans compared to the other kin in this regard.¡±

    I flinch at that statement and avert my gaze. I could understand how others would view us in that perspective, it may be part of why the relations between kin is so bumpy. Hell, I¡¯m questioning how broken this system is for how far I¡¯ve come within three days since I came here.

    ¡°It just proves how much my judgment was correct in choosing you as my mate.¡±

    Ume¡¯s following statement widens my eyes before she takes a reptilian hand to hold my chin and direct my gaze back at her, a gentle smile is etched on her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little annoyed I¡¯m not the first to know your identity, but unveiling my own as a Dragon yesterday must¡¯ve also been shocking to you as well, so I think we can call it even between us on that front. I believe you should try to keep your capabilities as a Brawler on the down low for now though, as much as you can among the others in the party unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary if it extends to the rest of us. I just know how much of a riot this will turn to be if others got word of such a discovery. Although, since Eugus Gallofree was there to see your class and race as a ¡®D-Human¡¯ and he has to report it to this association, I think we¡¯re in a tight bind already, but we¡¯ll figure out how to work through it when we get there.

    ¡°Going back to us, while there were Dragons who resent or even fear the Champions to have possible means for falling them, I actually played with the hypothetical idea of meeting one to help me save us from extinction, knowing how different they are from a regular human. So, really, I¡¯m thrilled it didn¡¯t turn out to be left as a hypothetical, and knowing you actually still have much more room for growth even with how strong you already are just being a Brawler would make things better for all of us down the line.¡±

    Ume then pulls me in for a hug, squeezing and pressing as much of her generous breasts onto me as she could. ¡°It was a bit late, but I¡¯m happy you trust me enough to give such a big secret now than never. Just know that Champion or not, I know that you¡¯re still the same Jinma Kotori who saved me in multiple ways, who accepts everyone around you for who they are and treat them accordingly. That¡¯s just a piece of why I love you, how that love will never change, and though I¡¯ve yet to learn much about you, I¡¯ll accept everything as I see you are like you have for me.¡±

    ¡°Ume ¡­¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ll accept everything as I see you are.¡¯ Something about how those words were said clicked something inside of me that I respond in hugging Ume back quite strongly and hold back the urge to break into tears.

    Other than Mom, I could only guess that Hyo-chan, Komi, and my aunts didn¡¯t see me as such a bad delinquent just on my looks than what most others would think no matter what I tried to change their minds.

    ¡°The majority of them will look at you with sneers, questioning why such a ¡®creature¡¯ is living among them, and no matter what good you¡¯ll do for them, their opinion of you will never change ¡­¡±

    Those familiar words ring in my head for a moment and I think I¡¯ve lived with such an ingrained fear of not being accepted for who I really am for longer than I might¡¯ve noticed. I was scared I would meet the same, if not worse people to not accept me when I came to this world, especially if the likeliness to getting killed is higher. It didn¡¯t help that I was all alone back then with no family or friend to help me relax even a little just by being there for me.

    Ume mentioned how I saved her in multiple ways, but she saved me more than she knew when she said those words. Knowing now how there¡¯s really someone out there who can truly accept me, not only am I grateful to be chosen as her mate, but I really feel like I don¡¯t need to be scared as much about living in this world than I did when I first came here.

    [You have now reached ¡®Fear Resistance¡¯ LV 6!]

    Wow, seriously? I was that scared? And I thought my fear of heights was pathetic enough.

    ¡°And with that said, shall we get started with our official courtship?¡± Ume asks as she pulls back, to which I nod with a smirk.

    As instructed by Ume, we have both of our hands interlocked together and at our sides, eyes closed, our bodies as close as possible with foreheads, noses, chests, and pelvises touching. Ume¡¯s wings are fully flared out behind her while her larger than normal tail wraps around my legs. I was even asked to wear the IEB while we¡¯re like this, and so I obliged. I also have Nyra laid on the grass and touching my foot so I know where she is just in case if we were ambushed.

    Traditionally, both Dragons who are acknowledging each other as mates have their wings flared out and tails curling together in the presence of others so they know who would soon belong to whom. When this was explained, I offered to use my ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ and make shadows of my own ¡®Dragon Parts¡¯ to follow procedures down to the nose, but Ume turned that down.

    While she wants to replicate it as much as possible, she knows I¡¯m not a Dragon and we¡¯re only by ourselves. That¡¯s why she wants our relationship to be acknowledged in a way that we know ¡®who¡¯ we¡¯re doing it with and are together because of that instead of ¡®what race¡¯ we¡¯re doing it with. I¡¯m a [D-]human, a Champion who obviously can¡¯t change into a Dragon¡¯s size, and Ume¡¯s adapting herself to make this work while still maintaining as much of her true appearance as she can while in Dragonoid Form to bare who she really is, and both of us are here together with nothing aside from my bracelet in the way to hide any part of ourselves from each other.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Or so she said.

    Ume must¡¯ve thought this through for quite a while if our unique ¡®ritual¡¯ is symbolized that much in her mind. Seeing how she¡¯s so earnest in these matters just makes me love her all the more.

    ¡°And now, with the two of us like this, there would usually be a third party acquainted with us who would serve as a witness and help us exchange our vows, but since it¡¯s just the two of us ¡­¡± Ume trails off.

    <¡°Then would you perhaps allow me to fill in that role in this special occasion, Ms. Umeiyon?¡±>

    ¡°¡°<¡°Huh?!¡±>¡±¡± Me, Ume, and even Nyra for the first I¡¯ve heard from her since I woke up jump a little from the sudden uninvited guest. Ume and I opened our eyes in shock while in this position

    ¡°M-Ms. ¡­ Obina? Is that you?¡± I ask while looking at my bracelet.

    ¡°Obina?! As in the Goddess of Lust, Obina?! You¡¯re representing her as a Champion, Jin?!¡± Ume asks.

    <¡°The one and only~.¡±>

    <¡°O-Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, is this really happening?! Am I really hearing the Great and Lascivious Goddess Obina¡¯s erotically ethereal voice?!¡±> Nyra exclaims in a panic?

    ¡°Who the fuck was that?!¡±

    ¡°Wait, you can hear Nyra, too, Ume?!¡±

    <¡°You can hear me?!¡±>

    <¡°Surpriiiise~! I¡¯ve made some special arrangements through the bracelet in order for you to act as a bridge between Nyra and your friends whenever you¡¯re all in physical contact. Anytime Nyra¡¯s on Jinma¡¯s person and he¡¯s wearing the bracelet, anyone who touches him can speak to her through telepathy. You¡¯re welcome.¡±>

    ¡°S-So this is the same Pixie who speaks to Jin in his mind?¡± Ume asks while looking down to the tanto touching my foot.

    <¡°Um ¡­ y-yeah, right. I¡¯m Nyra, of the Pixies. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet with you properly, Umeiyon.¡±>

    ¡°L-Likewise ¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden change of formality, Nyra? Actually, you¡¯ve been quiet for a while, did you just wake up?¡± I ask her.

    <¡°Oh, no, I¡¯ve been awake for quiiiite a long while, but with the four of us now able to speak to each other like this, I guess I¡¯ll just have to play as a witness to your official courtship with her. I-If that¡¯s all right with the Great Goddess Obina, I mean!¡±>

    <¡°But of course! And it¡¯s not just the four of us, either. Everyone is here!¡±>

    ¡°¡­ E-Everyone?¡± Ume asks.

    <¡°This is the first time a Dragon has ever officially courted with a human, let alone a Champion, so of course all of us Immortals have to step out of our posts to witness such a special occasion while enchanting the area to not let anything interfere it.¡±>

    ¡°All ¡­ of the Immortals?¡±

    <¡°Woo~! Looking good out there, girly!¡±>

    <¡°Ah~, two different kin, yet their love is as spontaneous and joyous as any other pairing with their own. What a wonderful era we¡¯re now witnessing.¡±>

    <¡°So sleepy ¡­ I want to go to bed, but I don¡¯t want to miss a second of this.¡±>

    Those among other voices from different Immortals also ring in our heads.

    All of those people are watching and we¡¯re both buck naked ¡­ the only thing that could make this any more awkward than it already is would be Mom also being in on this.

    <¡°Oh, that reminds me, I brought along a special guest for the occasion~!¡±> Ms. Obina sings as if responding to my thoughts.

    <¡°Yo~, Jin-chan~, looking good in the au naturelle look!¡±>

    ¡°MOM?!¡± I could practically feel my whole body getting cold and pale.

    <¡°It¡¯s about time you finally snagged yourself a beauty! Or I should better say ¡®beauties¡¯ with your other two girls out of commission at the moment, and at such a short time, too. Took long enough for me to finally be in my own son¡¯s wedding, or something close to it, anyway!¡±>

    ¡°S-So this is ¡­ Jin¡¯s mother?¡± Ume asks.

    <¡°It¡¯s a shame that we can¡¯t properly meet under these circumstances, but it¡¯s a pleasure to speak with you, Ms. Umeiyon. Name¡¯s Mikan Kotori, but you can call me ¡®Mom.¡¯¡±>

    ¡°N-No! The honor and pleasure are all mine, ma¡¯am¡ªI-I mean, Mom! And please, call me Mei!¡± Ume exclaims, getting flustered.

    <¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t Jinma call you ¡®Ume,¡¯ though? Why ¡®Mei?¡¯¡±> Nyra asks.

    ¡°The parts of our names that are addressed differentiates what relationship we Dragons have with each other. I use ¡®Mei¡¯ for close friends and relatives to address me, even Father has called me so when he spoke with me. ¡®Ume¡¯ is for my mate¡¯s use of referral only.¡±

    <¡°I see! In that case, would ¡®Mei-chan¡¯ be okay?¡±>

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s fine!¡±

    <¡°Dude, Jinma, you¡¯re looking white as a sheet. What gives?¡±> Nyra asks.

    ¡°For my own mother to show up now of all times while we¡¯re both in the nude ¡­ Immortals, please, shoot me now,¡± I mutter with my head down.

    <¡°¡°Not gonna happen,¡±¡±> the Immortals in the ¡®room¡¯ respond in sync.

    <¡°Oh, come now, Jin-chan, you¡¯ve seen me naked practically all the time back home and I¡¯ve washed your cute little pooper when you were still a brat. What¡¯s the difference now?¡±>

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it like thaaaaaaat!¡± I¡¯m tempted to chuck the bracelet as far away from here as possible while the Immortals laughed at my expense, but Ume¡¯s wish for me to wear it during this ritual and the slight happiness I¡¯m feeling from hearing Mom¡¯s voice again after so long is preventing that.

    <¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s settle down before Jinma explodes from embarrassment, we got a Dragon Courtship Ritual/Wedding to continue!¡±> Ms. Obina exclaims while clapping her hands. <¡°Sexy Lovebirds! Back to your positions and let¡¯s get this started while the sun¡¯s rising!¡±>

    ¡°R-Right! Come on, Jin! Let¡¯s get through this, already!¡±

    ¡°Sure ¡­¡± This is probably the weirdest and most embarrassing thing I¡¯m experiencing right now. Standing in a full classroom in only my underwear at the least might be better than this, I think as we interlock each other¡¯s hands and resume our previous positions with eyes closed.

    ¡°*Gushi. Gushi.*¡±

    ¡°Ume, are you crying?¡± I ask with my eyes still closed.

    ¡°Sh-Shut up! Our courtship is being witnessed and acknowledged by the Immortals and your mother despite how different we are! How could I not be so happy about this?!¡±

    <¡°¡°Awwww,¡±¡±> the Immortals awe.

    <¡°Jin-chan can be pretty stubborn and reserved for silly reasons, so don¡¯t be afraid to smack him up the head when you need to straighten him out. I expect you and the other girls to keep him from doing anything stupid while taking care of him in my place. Can I count on you for that, Mei-chan?¡±> Mom asks.

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±

    <¡°Nyra-chan, since you¡¯re stuck at the hip with my boy, you¡¯re pretty much as close to a best friend as he could get right now. Unless you get your body back somehow, help him out however you can when he needs it, all right?¡±>

    <¡°Right, sure ¡­¡±> Nyra says, sounding a little wary for some reason.

    ¡°Mom ¡­ how much have you known about what¡¯s going on already?¡± I ask.

    <¡°Oh~, I know more than you want me to and will continue doing so from this point on, Jin-chan~, so you best be getting used to it~.¡±>

    ¡°Wait, is she saying she somehow knows we¡¯ve already ¡­ including what went on last night?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Highly likely,¡± I dread, and I could feel how cold and sweaty Ume¡¯s forehead is getting after hearing it.

    <¡°Now then, from seeing enough Dragon Courtship Rituals myself from the Sacred Realm, I will begin moving the ritual along,¡±> Ms. Obina says before clearing her throat.

    <¡°Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to commemorate the joining of these two esteemed, unique individuals in matrimony. Jinma Kotori of the Humans and Champion representing yours truly, as the male head of your harem, before all of these witnesses, do you take Umeiyon of the Dragons to be your officially courted wife? Do you take all of her faults and strengths while offering yourself with all of your own faults and strengths? To be there for her in sickness and health, in rich and poor? To honor and care for her, to share your life openly and speak the truth to her in love, and to cherish and encourage her own fulfillment as an individual as you spend the rest of your lives together until death do you part?¡±>

    Damn, this is really happening, isn¡¯t it? Being here with Ume while naked, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I was still dreaming, but this is all real. The heat, the racing hearts, the nervous breathing, the clammy hands, this is really happening. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get this far with anyone so soon, but ¡­ I made my decision a while ago, and so I must proclaim it, right here and now.

    ¡°I do,¡± I say firmly with my eyes closed.

    ¡°<Umeiyon of the Dragons, as the female head of the harem, before all of these witnesses, do you take Jinma Kotori of the Humans and Champion representing yours truly to be your officially courted husband? Do you take all of his faults and strengths while offering yourself with all of your own faults and strengths? To be there for him in sickness and health, in rich and poor? To honor and care for him, to share your life openly and speak the truth to him in love, and to cherish and encourage his own fulfillment as an individual as you spend the rest of your lives together until death do you part?¡±>

    ¡°*Gushi.* I-I do,¡± Ume cries. I squeeze her reptilian hands tight to ease her worries.

    <¡°Now, open your eyes, look into each other¡¯s souls, the reflections of yourselves inside them, and let their inner and outer beauties be ingrained into your mind as you accept them to be a part of your life.¡±>

    We do as she instructed and I look deep into Ume¡¯s reptilian turquoise eyes, her pupils fully dilated instead of being slit. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anyone¡¯s eyes shine and glimmer so bright like hers is right now even with the built-up tears taken into account. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m seeing one¡¯s magic in its purest form dwelling inside them. The light from the sunrise also adds to the effect, making her all the more beautiful.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Spouse¡¯ title!

    [Umeiyon has been registered as your wife.

    [You have now learned ¡®Magic Synthesis*¡¯!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Magic Dragon¡¯s Consort¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Magic Dragon¡¯s Blessing*¡¯!

    [Your MP, SP. ATK, and SP. DEF. have been increased!

    [You have reached Umeiyon¡¯s Affinity LV 3! Total Level of Affinity: 7

    [Your Affinity with Umeiyon has acquired ¡®AP Boost.¡¯ Amount of AP generated from performing skinship with her has increased.]

    ¡°W-Whoa ¡­ I got a bunch of crazy stuff, here,¡± I say after the scrolls of notices were finished and I lean back in surprise.

    ¡°M-Me too ¡­¡±

    <¡°The vows have been exchanged and your relationship has been confirmed,¡±> Ms. Obina continues. <¡°We¡¯ll talk about your benefits after the ritual ends, but for now, by the powers vested in me as the Goddess of Lust, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss.¡±>

    <¡°¡°KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS!¡±¡±> everyone in the metaphorical ¡®room¡¯ chants. I could even hear Mom amongst that crowd.

    ¡°Does kissing usually happen in these courtship rituals?¡± I ask Ume.

    ¡°Not among other Dragons, but this is not like any other courtship ritual I¡¯ve seen in my lifetime. Although~, I think it¡¯s fitting for us to end it this way,¡± she answers before smiling mischievously. ¡°C¡¯mere, big boy!¡±

    ¡°Whoa?!¡±

    <¡°¡°WOOOOOOOO~!¡±¡±>

    With the cheers of the Immortals and my mother in our minds, Ume passionately kisses me while on top after a powerful tackle, still as much buck-naked as we were when we started. Thus, the last-minute, altered Dragon Courtship Ritual comes to a close.

    Little did I know that this is only the first of many other crazy ¡®weddings¡¯ I¡¯m involved in later down the line.

 Chapter 57: Courtship Benefits, the Brawler Class, and Promotions

    When things finally calmed down, the other Immortals apparently had to get back to their ¡®jobs¡¯ after giving us their congratulations and blessings. Ms. Obina thankfully stayed behind as I had a ton of things to ask her and Mom was allowed to stick around for a bit, which made me really glad to hear her voice some more, now much healthier and full of life than she was on her deathbed.

    I convinced Ume into getting us changing into our clothes for today before we got to the questioning because I sure wouldn¡¯t take it seriously if we were still naked. She decided to stay in Dragonoid Form for a little longer which none of us really minded, especially when everyone here already knew of her identity already.

    It¡¯s then I realized that was the first time I got to see Ume wearing the cheongsam-like apron while in Dragonoid Form, and just as I had hoped, it looked really good on her, and having it backless allowed her wings to move freely. I really wished I could see her like that all the time, but we had to keep her true identity under wraps for a while longer.

    Once we got changed and sat close together, we started the questioning with Ms. Obina.

    To start, the benefits of marriage or other forms of courtship. Apparently, when two people are recognized as spouses by the Immortals, one random skill of theirs can be copied and passed down to their partner. In our case, I got Ume¡¯s ¡®Magic Synthesis¡¯ while she got my ¡®Poison Nullification,¡¯ the skill I just received from evolving my maxed out ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ earlier.

    Usually, that¡¯s really it when it¡¯s between two people of the same race/kin, but it¡¯s when they¡¯re from different ones that things get interesting. That¡¯s where me getting the ¡®Magic Dragon¡¯s Consort¡¯ title and ¡®Magic Dragon¡¯s Blessing¡¯ skill comes in. If the partner I¡¯m married to is of a different race, not only do I get a title that fits the circumstances, but I¡¯ll also get a skill that correlates to their race.

    For Ume, apparently, when she showed me her status the first time, she didn¡¯t really show me everything. It seems she has acquired and trained many skills over the course of her time in this world, she only showed me what she had that fits her ¡®class¡¯ she tells everyone having along with promoting her capabilities as a mate. She hid the rest of what she could do from me thanks to her ¡®Ancient Magic,¡¯ otherwise, it¡¯d be an even bigger wall of text having everything out there than with me and all of my own skills.

    Honestly, for Dragons that lived such long lives and how much time they¡¯d have in mastering the skills available, I was surprised by how little there was in Ume¡¯s status when I first saw it, and when I caught a glimpse of everything she had in her skills after asking her to let me see it, sure, I could possibly memorize it all with my maxed out ¡®Studying¡¯ skill, but that¡¯d be too much time and effort for me to worry about, so I just gave up on that idea.

    As for the ¡®Magic Dragon¡¯ thing, even though it doesn¡¯t really show it specifically in their statuses, there are actually two types of Dragons that are born with a proportion of stats that they hone and use to fight differently while living together in the country where she came from: the Magic Dragons, where Ume belongs that specializes more in magic-based stats and skills, and the Martial Dragons, ones that rely more on physical power and strength. It¡¯s not really so much as a radical difference between the two but more as a spectrum, and interestingly, it¡¯s the color of their scales that indicates which side they fall more into, from red to violet. It seems the Lizardmen also follows the same color scheme, so I¡¯m glad to know it wouldn¡¯t be strange for one like Ume to have such a color palette of scales, though thinking back, there were quite a bit of colorful reptiles and amphibians back on Earth, too, but that usually indicates how poisonous they were.

    Anyway, since Ume fell into the ¡®Magic Dragon¡¯ side, I got the benefit of having my magic related stats increased due to the newly acquired title and skill from courting with her. Now, what about what she got from courting with a human? Since this is the first time a Dragon and a human are recognized as spouses, even Ms. Obina had no idea at first, especially if it was with a regular human. For me, being a Champion, Ume received a ¡®Champion¡¯s Consort¡¯ title. This is actually common for anyone who has courted with a Champion in the past, and it seems Ume is no exception even for being a Dragon. From that title, she receives three benefits:

    One, she receives whatever copy of a rare-like skill she could get from me in my repertoire. In this case, she received the ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ skill at the same level of mastery as I do. I didn¡¯t know at first until I checked it, but ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ is apparently a powerful skill that lowers all of the enemies¡¯ stats according to its level of mastery when active, and it continuously drains the user¡¯s MP the longer it¡¯s maintained. I didn¡¯t realize how quickly it drains MP since mine always recovers rapidly, even before I acquired the ¡®Minor Magic Regeneration¡¯ skill, and I didn¡¯t know how powerful of a skill that was when used until Ume tried it on me.

    The sense of dread, hopelessness, and fear that sent a chill down my spine when I was Ume¡¯s target was definitely something I couldn¡¯t just forget about. I didn¡¯t realize how terrifying she could be with that thing on her face, let alone myself with my own enemies. It¡¯s worrying what would happen when both of us max it out. If she uses it in her true Dragon Form? I can¡¯t imagine the chaos she may bring to those around her.

    Since it drains her MP so much after continuously using that skill and she can¡¯t auto-regenerate it like I do, she decided to only resort to using it under serious emergencies. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief after hearing that.

    The second benefit is she could inherit one random Null Spell I¡¯m able to use like she did with one of my skills, but that would almost be useless for Ume if she received anything else but the ¡®[Duplicate]¡¯ spell I learned from watching Ren.

    The ¡®Ancient Magic¡¯ she¡¯s been using up to now is apparently what Null Spells derived from, and unlike the inhabitants in this world who just ¡®know¡¯ the spell and what it does when it comes to them, those with ¡®Ancient Magic¡¯ have to really train their skills in visualization and magic in order to make what they come up with into reality. It¡¯s like you¡¯re given a large book of blank pages and are expected to turn it into a dictionary only by hand with no source material, only replace the words and definitions into spell names and their effects.

    That¡¯s part of why Dragons visit the territories in Padimon in their smaller forms to find texts with updated Null Spells added into some kind of encyclopedia and return to their country with that knowledge. Sure, with the wisdom and experience they gained training the magical arts, it could be possible to come up with entirely new spells, but it¡¯s just quicker and easier to learn them from another source.

    I think anyone can relate to that unless they¡¯re some genius scientist like Einstein or Hawking, but just like scientists using previously found discoveries to advance further into their fields, it seems Dragons can take what they¡¯ve learned in their investigations and see if they can come up with something better.

    In general, Ume and the other Dragons who can wield ¡®Ancient Magic¡¯ are like me in that other than coming up with their own spells. Ume just needs to know the name and the effects of the Null Spell and she can just train her ¡®Ancient Magic¡¯ to make it work for her accordingly. Since she never heard of [Duplicate] until now though, she can cast it with no problems after testing it with some nearby rocks.

    When Ume said she will teach me a couple of Null Spells she came up with along with other magic she¡¯s learned, I¡¯m already looking forward to her tutorship in this subject along with Padimon¡¯s written language.

    Lastly, the third benefit to our courtship: any female who bears the ¡®Champion¡¯s Consort¡¯ title will be guaranteed to have healthy children birthed when the time comes. This got Ume bawling into tears of joy while crushing me in a ¡®Dragon Hug¡¯ after hearing it from Ms. Obina herself.

    Even if a child between a Dragon and a human was impossible, this new fact pretty much just destroyed that outcome into smithereens, and with my newly acquired ¡®Potent Semen¡¯ skill, I think we can expect Ume to have some super babies when we¡¯re ready to settle down as real parents, emphasis on ¡®when we¡¯re ready.¡¯ Ume understands I¡¯d like some time to explore and live my life while learning the secrets to my possession of ¡®Demon Eyes¡¯ and the ¡®D-Human¡¯ race, and she wants to be there with me every step of the way. Since her bearing my children issue has been resolved, we can go about it at our own leisurely pace.

    Plus, one thing we both agreed on is that when we do have kids in the picture, we probably won¡¯t have as much time and energy to spare having more fun sex together, and we definitely want to explore what¡¯s out there as much as we can within our comfort zones. Having Mom telling us that she expects at least one grandchild from every girl who¡¯s with me also kind of added more pressure than what was needed and killed the mood a little. There were other things Ms. Obina explained in terms of having sex with other girls from different races and my ¡®Vigorous Libido,¡¯ especially those who¡¯re registered as my slaves like Ren and Erizora, but we¡¯ll go back to that at another time.

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    The next thing we questioned Ms. Obina about is my capabilities as a Brawler, which brings us to the present.

    ¡°Why did you keep such a huge benefit about the default class away from the public?¡± Ume asks first.

    <¡°We Immortals relayed what information we could to a handful of the very first inhabitants of this world and agreed to not mention it any further until one who stumbled into the circumstances asks us. What those first inhabitants did with that information was all under their decision and outside of our obligations, so really, it¡¯s them to blame for keeping such a huge secret from being passed down to this day, and those who have stumbled into it also handled their ¡®discoveries¡¯ accordingly with the public, too.¡±>

    ¡°A handful of the first inhabitants, would that include ¡­ no, that just can¡¯t be, can it?¡± Ume mutters to herself.

    ¡°Wait, ¡®what information we could?¡¯ You mean what was known about the Brawler class back then has changed now?¡± I then ask.

    <¡°Not exactly. It still follows through how we came up with it to this day, it¡¯s just how different it was handled between cases. Some benefits are still the same since back then, such as being able to hold multiple classes and level them up along with your primary one, but we designed the Brawler class to be as much of a wild card for mortals as possible, to make the class as much of the user¡¯s own as it could be based on the stats, skills, and titles they gained along with the path they¡¯ve chosen in their lives.¡±>

    ¡°So, there are other Brawlers out there who have different titles, skills, and abilities gained from leveling up this class from my own, like different variations of the ¡®Underdog¡¯ titles and skills, or is it something completely different?¡±

    <¡°I apologize, but I cannot answer that question under the guidelines we set.¡±>

    ¡°Seriously? Ugh, and I¡¯m guessing what a Brawler¡¯s fullest potential would include is also impossible to answer, then? What about level caps like the Novice Classes?¡±

    <¡°I¡¯ll leave that for you to find out yourself.¡±>

    ¡°Oh, come on, I¡¯m gripping at straws trying to figure it out with what little I have,¡± I say.

    <¡°With that said, shall we have the classes you currently have set get promoted?¡±>

    Aaaaand I¡¯m left totally ignored.

    ¡°So, Jin can promote his secondary class and then on into Advanced Classes,¡± Ume confirms.

    <¡°Right, you are! Not only that, but Jinma can do it himself without my assistance through his new ¡®Class Authority¡¯ skill!¡±>

    ¡°Wait, seriously? I thought people other than Dragons are supposed to go to the Immortals¡¯ Monuments to get their classes changed and promoted?¡±

    <¡°That is true. Heck, the IEB Jinma¡¯s wearing also acts as an Immortal¡¯s Monument, and he could change and promote his classes as well as his party members¡¯ anytime he likes if he wanted to, but it seems he has recently acquired a great skill that bypasses all of that.¡±>

    Indeed, I almost fell on my butt in the pool of blood in that back alley yesterday after reading the description of ¡®Class Authority.¡¯ Not only can I change and promote my classes anytime I want, but I could also even have what are called ¡®Class Sets¡¯ where I can organize a number of class lineups that I can quickly change into to fit the circumstances I need in an instant. Like, I can have a Class Set that includes the Mercenary, Pugilist, and Savage classes focusing on strength/physical attacks, while another can have the Thief, Pugilist, and Myrmidon classes to focus on speed, and the list goes on.

    The only reasons why I haven¡¯t tried it out right then and there was that I was worried if there¡¯s a possibility one could experience something dreadful after promotion when they have so much EXP to go into right at the start. I didn¡¯t want to find out I could somehow blowup from the EXP/Level-Up overload before it was too late, and that¡¯d be one seriously pathetic way to end my new life right there. I mean, it was already crazy enough how quickly I was leveling up my Brawler class up to this point, but promoting and leveling up 3 classes at once with so much extra EXP accumulated, who knows what could happen? I also wondered what would happen if I ever promote my Brawler class to something else, and so I bring up both points to Ms. Obina.

    <¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the overload. While yours is an extremely rare case, we haven¡¯t gotten any incidents where one racks up too much EXP and sustain a serious injury after leveling up so quickly, so I¡¯m sure it will be the same for you. As for the Brawler class, it¡¯s different compared to the other Novice Classes being the default for everyone. Once you change into another class and the stats and skills you received at that point will be transferred over, you will never be able to go back. The promotion from Brawler to another class is a one-way trip, and with yours being so high already, you can promote it straight to one of the Advanced Classes you¡¯re qualified to do, you know?¡±>

    ¡°So, once I get out of being a Brawler, I can¡¯t go back. And I¡¯ll be able to keep the related skills and titles?¡±

    <¡°Right. They¡¯ll just be visible to everyone when you publicly showcase your status by that point.¡±>

    ¡°Wow, if I hadn¡¯t gotten ¡®Status Sorting,¡¯ I¡¯d seriously be screwed at that point. Good thing I kept it up to now, and I think I¡¯ll hang onto that for a while longer. As for my other classes ¡­¡±

    So far, I already have the Mage, Thief, and Myrmidon classes up to their level cap. They each receive bonuses in stats that aligns with their respective Advanced Class after promotion and I get an additional 200 SP for each promotion I earn. I could apparently promote to one of the many Advanced Classes branching from them even if I haven''t trained in specific skills first to be qualified. Like, say, a Mercenary to a Paladin without possessing Holy Magic, for example. I could apparently acquire the ¡®Holy Magic¡¯ skill after promoting to Paladin from maxing out my Mercenary class if I haven¡¯t gotten it from the beginning. Same goes if I went from Mercenary to Nightblade without the ¡®Dagger-Wielding¡¯ and ¡®Curse Magic¡¯ skills, and the list goes on. The Mage class is actually unique as its promotions can branch depending on what attribute of magic they specialize in and how much they mastered it, such as a Fire Mage, Water Mage, Terra Mage, and Storm Mage. The Sage class is a step above all of them if one has mastered at least two magic attributes enough, or if they reached the ¡®Peak of Mages¡¯ like I did.

    For me, after Ms. Obina explained to me how the Advanced Classes worked, I decide to make the following promotions: Mage > Sage, Thief > Nightblade, and Myrmidon > Samurai.

    Yes, there¡¯s actually a fucking SAMURAI class in this world, along with a NINJA class promoted from Thief, too. I¡¯m starting to worry about how much of Japan¡¯s culture has influenced this world¡¯s development.

    I¡¯m apparently already eligible to promote my Pugilist class if I wanted, but I decided to keep leveling that up to its peak like I will for the other available Novice Classes: Mercenary, Halberdier, Savage, Cleric, Dark Mage, and Archer.

    Once I got those three classes promoted, my HP fully recovered from those promotions, and my skills and titles moved around, my status currently looks like this:

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    Race: D-Human

    Class: Brawler [Sage, Nightblade, Samurai, Pugilist (only seen by the user)]

    [History: Brawler LV 513, Mage LV 150 >> Sage LV 374, Thief LV 150 >> Nightblade LV 324, Myrmidon LV 150 >> Samurai LV 224, Pugilist LV 100 (only seen by the user)]

    [New Title(s) Achieved: Philanderer, Werewolf¡¯s Alpha Male, Ogre¡¯s Dominant, Demon [Sex] Slayer, Spouse [Umeiyon] [MOVED]: Moneybags, Skillful Lover, Sex Practitioner, Sex Master, Virile Beast, Lustful Beast, Magic Dragon¡¯s Consort]

    Title: Merciless Demon, Loved by Non-Humans, Natural-Born Brawler, Adventurer (33<sup>rd</sup> Black), Spouse [Umeiyon], Slave Owner [Ren, Erizora], Master of Blaze, Hydromancer, Atmomancer, Master of Sanctity, Master of Abyss, Werewolf¡¯s Alpha Male, Ogre¡¯s Dominant, Demon [Sex] Slayer, Philanderer [Underhanded Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    Equipment: Spider Silk Slacks, Spider Silk Suit Jacket, Spider Silk Shirt, Cursed Misfortune Tanto of Nyra

    Stats:

    [Climaxes made: 5]

    LV: 513 (+5C) [374, 324, 224, 100 (+5C)]

    HP: 20735/20735 ??  [5635 (+50) [+15100]]

    MP: 22577/22577 ???[7240 (+50, +1000) [+15337]]

    ATK: 24625 ??????[8728 (+50) [+15897]]

    DEF: 452480 ??????[7694 (+50) [+14930] X 20]

    SP. ATK: 23176 ???? [7929 (+50, +1000) [+15247]]

    SP. DEF: 446340???? [8337 (+50, +1000) [+14980] X 20]

    AGI: 22351 ??????[6484 (+50) [+15867]]

    LUCK: 20 ??????[40 [+161] X 0.1]

    EXP: 47620/51300 (+5C) [Sage: 12900/37400 (+5501700 (+168K, +5C)); Nightblade: 29000/32400 (+5234000 (+18K, +5C)); Samurai: 20800/22400 (+2475100 (+15K, +5C)); Pugilist: 3600/10000 (+5C)]

    STR RES: FIRE, WATER, STORM, TERRA, HOLY, CURSE

    SP: 16578 (-270, +413, +9920)

    [BP: 520 (only seen by the user)]

    [TAL: 7 (only seen by the user)]

    Ability: Violently Tempting Challenger

    Black Charisma

    Dragon Scale Defense

    Dragon¡¯s Greedy Hoarding

    [NEW!] Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sensing: The user¡¯s sense of smell is heightened to the same strength as a Werewolf¡¯s; the user may pick up scents that regular humans can¡¯t.

    [NEW!] Ogre¡¯s Muscles: The user¡¯s muscle fibers grow to be as strong as an Ogre¡¯s; the user¡¯s Strength and Vitality are increased and may receive muscle gains quicker if the user wishes while training accordingly.

    Alpha Underdog (only seen by the user)]

    [Obina¡¯s Champion (only seen by the user)]

    [[NEW!] Champion¡¯s Appeal (only seen by the user): The user¡¯s Charm is increased depending on the TAL and number of girls in his party]

    ~~

    Jinma Kotori

    [Skill(s) Leveled Up: Vigorous Libido LV 43, Fear Resistance LV 6 [MOVED]: Seduction LV 2

    [New Skill(s) Learned: Night Vision LV 1 [MOVED]: Sex Technique MAX LV, Ejaculation Control*, Potent Semen*, Semen Pump*, Magic Synthesis*, Magic Dragon¡¯s Blessing*

    [Skill(s) Evolved: [MOVED]: Poison Resistance MAX LV >> Poison Nullification*]

    Skills:

    Passive: Vigorous Libido LV 43, Slugger Style LV 7, Merciless Style LV 6, Drunken Style LV 5, Fear Resistance LV 6, Fire Magic LV 5, Holy Magic LV 5, Curse Magic LV 5, Despair Resistance LV 4, Protective Style LV 4, Water Magic LV 3, Storm Magic LV 3, Petting LV 3, Terra Magic LV 1, Night Vision LV 1, Poison Nullification*, Detection*, Insightful Mapping*, Minor Magic Regeneration*, Magic Sense*, Hide Magic*, Adventurer¡¯s Labor*, Climactic Level-Up*, Sweet Spots*, Climax Gauge*, Intimate Touch*, [Size Up LV 6, Underdog Bonus*, Status Sorting*, Skill Point Conversion*, Class Authority*, Loyal Accomplice*, Cheap Shot*, Underdog¡¯s Fifth Class* (only seen by the user)]

    Active: Glare LV 7, Sadistic Smile LV 7, Demon¡¯s Palm LV 6, Blowback Punch LV 5, Man Killer LV 5, Meditation LV 4, Demon¡¯s Slash LV 4, Mow Down LV 3, Scare*, Taunt*

    Spells: Flame Burst LV 3, Water Blast LV 3, Wind Cutter LV 3, Debilitating Defense LV 3, Sluggish Speed LV 3, Baneful Poison LV 3, Pyreball MAX LV, Heal MAX LV

 Chapter 58: Promises and Memories

    ¡°Wow ¡­ you¡¯re really more durable than a Dragon now with these defenses, you already beat me at speed, and at this rate, your offenses will be as strong as one¡¯s soon enough. Your defenses were only twice of the average Dragon¡¯s when I saw this yesterday, and with this ¡®Ogre¡¯s Muscles¡¯ ability, I see, I was wondering why you felt so much harder than you were before I woke you up,¡± Ume says as she feels my arm and chest while looking at my status.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ a loooot of stuff happened yesterday, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Still, with these numbers, does that make you invincible?¡±

    ¡°Well, with this blade being made of Chaos Ore, said to cut through anything, I wonder ¡­¡±

    <¡°Jin-chan, you better not be thinking about hurting yourself for a stupid experiment or so help me ¡­¡±>

    ¡°Yes, Mom,¡± I respond dutifully.

    ¡°Ack! I forgot you can see us! I¡¯m not being rude touching your son like this, am I?!¡± Ume flusters.

    Mom giggles. <¡°You¡¯re fine, sweetie. I¡¯m just happy to finally see my son getting so lovey-dovey with a cute girl. Other than my friends who act as his ¡®aunts,¡¯ there were very few girls around Jin-chan¡¯s age who were intimate with him back home.¡±>

    ¡°Wait, you had human girls who liked you and you didn¡¯t become mates with them?¡± Ume asks me in shock.

    ¡°They were close friends of mine and I thought I¡¯d be happy enough with us just being that, but things got complicated ¡­ I admit that I was pretty stupid with my way of thinking when I was younger.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in your 20¡¯s, right? You¡¯re still young.¡±

    <¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, you¡¯re probably much older than him in this case, are you, Mei-chan? Doesn¡¯t it bother you having such an age difference?¡±> Mom asks.

    ¡°Well, we Dragons mature at a slower rate along with our longer life-spans, but even with that in account, when you know there are races who live such shorter lives, especially Jin, I think the saying ¡®age is just a number¡¯ comes into play here when the difference is so vast.¡±

    <¡°Hmm, I see.¡±>

    ¡°Um, Ms. Koto¡ªI-I mean, Mom, these ¡®circumstances¡¯ that are preventing you to see us in person right now, are they also why you two are separated? If you want, I can help take Jin to where you are by flight.¡±

    <¡°That¡¯s sweet of you, Mei-chan, but the circumstances are more than just the distance between us that makes meeting each other impossible. Besides, it¡¯s impossible already since Jin-chan¡¯s deathly afraid of heights.¡±>

    ¡°What?! He is?!¡±

    ¡°Mom! Don¡¯t blurt out my fears like that to other people!¡± I exclaim.

    <¡°Jin-chan, the fear you have going on is nothing to be ashamed about. When I first heard how you fainted after being so high up, I thought I was going to lose it with my own fears. If Mei-chan¡¯s your wife now, she needs to know that much.¡±>

    ¡°Ah, here it is, ¡®acrophobia,¡¯¡± Ume says as she stares at some empty space, maybe a status screen only she could see? ¡°¡®Severity: High. When faced under extreme conditions, the subject will succumb into the ¡®distressed¡¯ ailment that includes heart palpitations, lack of breath, and loss of strength in the body before he blacks out into a ¡®FAINTED¡¯ status if not attended to immediately ¡­¡¯ Jin, I had no idea it would be so severe, going by what I¡¯m finding with my ¡®Diagnosis¡¯ skill, anyway.¡±

    Wow, that skill tells a lot more than I¡¯m not even sure is morally sound. Still, there¡¯s a ¡®distressed¡¯ ailment like there is for ¡®poisoned¡¯ and ¡®paralyzed?¡¯ This is getting too real here.

    <¡°One of his aunts tried to help find ways to relieve his episodes after she finished, um ¡­ a school for healing, the best she could, and while it worked, I¡¯m afraid getting rid of his fears is another story altogether,¡±> Mom says, trying to explain in a way that ¡®nursing school¡¯ would fit with this world¡¯s setting.

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone could ever get rid of their fears, whatever shape or form. I have yet to hear of anyone ever mastering their ¡®Fear Resistance¡¯ skill to evolve into something like ¡®Fear Nullification,¡¯ but even if that were the case, I feel like there are ways we could still sense it somehow. It¡¯s just what¡¯s ingrained in our instincts in order to survive, to live in this world, or they¡¯d be killed off with their blissful ignorance, otherwise.¡± Ume then interlocks her reptilian hand in mind. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, Jin, I¡¯m actually terrified of the dark.¡±

    ¡°<¡°Really?¡±>¡± Nyra and I ask at once.

    ¡°It¡¯s really more like I¡¯m afraid of what I can¡¯t see in the dark, but I like to think it¡¯s the same. While it¡¯s possible to gain ¡®Night Vision,¡¯ I for some reason cannot learn it, and so I can¡¯t go off going anywhere without a light, making me very grateful to be able to wield ¡®Holy Magic¡¯ where I can make my own, and unless we¡¯re in dire need to recover, Dragons usually sleep more out of luxury instead of necessity. I¡¯ve had so many sleepless nights since I didn¡¯t know what would happen if I closed my eyes by myself that I eventually gained the ¡®Sleep Nullification¡¯ skill that I hid when I showed you my status yesterday.¡±

    Was that why Ume seemed so awake this morning? ¡°But you were fine when you slept last night ¡­ were you? Actually, Eugus even bored you to sleep yesterday at our adventurer¡¯s orientation.¡±

    ¡°If I was with my family and close friend nearby, I would sleep fine, and of course, it was the best when I did it with you around. I fell asleep more from being comfortable holding you than listening to that lecture, and I was especially at peace when we slept the way we did last night. Having such a nice smell that wasn¡¯t the Lovander¡¯s doing, getting all warm and fuzzy as I held you in my arms and I could faintly feel your heart beating while our bare bodies were touching ¡­ I knew then that as long as I¡¯m with you, not even the blackest darkness would scare me.¡±

    ¡°Ume ¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just my anxiety about the dark, though. Your acrophobia¡¯s severe enough to bring you into the ¡®distress¡¯ ailment along with other physical conditions. Even if I guarantee your safety, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be enough to relieve your fears. It can¡¯t be helped, so I guess we¡¯ll have to find some other form of fast travel like [Portal] when we need it ¡­ there goes our flight date of chasing the sunset, though,¡± Ume mutters to herself before smiling sadly, but I heard it clearly enough that I felt serious pain in my chest. She was likely thinking of letting me ride her back in Dragon Form while she flies us in the sun¡¯s direction, prolonging the ¡®dusk¡¯ as long as possible while we watch it together.

    I¡¯ve underestimated Ume¡¯s romantic imagination, because even I would want to get in on that now that I¡¯ve heard it, despite my fears being challenged.

    She may be right that I can¡¯t get rid of my fears, but I don¡¯t want them to control how I live, though. It doesn¡¯t have to be immediately, but I have to find a way to not let that phobia get the better of me, even if I have to fly myself to do it.

    <¡°Yep, that¡¯s my crazy son, all right,¡±> Mom says before giggling.

    ¡°Huh? Did I miss something?¡± Ume asks. It seems our thoughts aren¡¯t connected like Mom¡¯s, Ms. Obina¡¯s, and Nyra¡¯s voices are with us, so I was relieved she didn¡¯t hear what I was thinking.

    <¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mei-chan. I should be letting you two off soon so you can go prepare for your big quest tomorrow, right? Do you mind if I have a moment alone with my son?¡±>

    ¡°Oh, no, of course not! Please, take as much time as you need, I¡¯ll just take a look around the place and watch for intruders while I wait. Let me know when you¡¯re done, Jin.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Ume,¡± I say before she kisses me on the lips and goes about her little exploration.

    I then sit comfortably with my eyes closed to focus entirely on my thoughts. Mom ¡­ I never got the chance to say it with how crazy things have gotten earlier, but you have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice again.

    <¡°I¡¯m happy to speak with you, too, Jin-chan, but before we go any further, Nyra-chan, you¡¯ve been quiet for an awfully long while. Is there something you want to say?¡±>

    <¡°H-Huh?! N-No, that¡¯s, I mean, even if you wanted me out of your mom-son talk, I can¡¯t really block out what I can hear, you know?!¡±> Nyra exclaims, out of character and strangely a little flustered.

    <¡°I figured that might be the case, so I¡¯ll cut right to the chase. Knowing you¡¯re able to see into one¡¯s memories, you¡¯ve probably looked into a good chunk of my son¡¯s by now. What you have seen there is the truth. Jin-chan and I are from another world, and we both died, with me going out first before he followed 4 months later in Earth¡¯s time, meeting Obina after his death and was given the second chance to live in this new world instead.¡±>

    <¡°S-So that is the case, huh? G-Goddess Obina, does this mean ¡­ all of the Champions who¡¯ve made history were brought here by you and the other Immortals after their first deaths?¡±>

    <¡°That is the case, yes,¡±> Ms. Obina answers.

    Nyra, are you feeling all right?

    <¡°I think I might finally be experiencing my existential crisis if I haven¡¯t already.¡±>

    <¡°I understand this new knowledge is overwhelming, Nyra, but I assure you, in our own way, we Immortals care for the world of Raiza and its inhabitants that we created, same goes for the Champions that we brought here after settling on our deal with the gods from their own world.¡±>

    Wait, so there were gods who watched over Earth? I ask in my mind.

    <¡°I¡¯d rather not go over the complications over there for the sake of those who might be watching in, but the point is, we have our own realms and worlds we govern, and Raiza will always be our top priority. We only wish for its inhabitants to live their lives accordingly with what assistance we can give them while keeping watch on anything that might come to disrupt it.¡±>

    <¡°So ¡­ there was nothing wrong with what Jinma and I did that brought us to where we are right now?¡±> Nyra asks.

    <¡°The morals of what¡¯s right and wrong were created by the inhabitants themselves after centuries of conflicts and agreements. We Immortals, who were made and shaped based on who knows what, have no right and place to dictate that.¡±>

    <¡°I see ¡­ I can kind of get it and kind of don¡¯t at the same time, but I guess that¡¯s just how it is, huh?¡±>

    <¡°That¡¯s just how it is.¡±>

    I feel I¡¯m listening in on something I shouldn¡¯t, and hold on, Ms. Obina, what did you mean by ¡®for the sake of those who might be watching in?¡¯

    <¡°Anyway, Mikan, was there something else you wanted to say to Nyra?¡±> Ms. Obina asks, not even acknowledging my question.

    <¡°I just wanted to point out what was true so she won¡¯t get confused and blow up on Jin-chan later from what we¡¯re discussing. Now, Jin-chan, do you remember the message I left with Obina before you came here?¡±>

    Um ¡­ that because there are more dangerous people than the coworker who stabbed me¡ªnot that the other guys who were sent to kill me were any different¡ªI should just deal with them as I see fit when they assault me, which includes killing them? But for the most part, I should try to live a decent life however I can in this new world? I feel like it¡¯s been so long since I heard her message that I¡¯m pretty sure I glossed over some important points somewhere.

    <¡°I¡¯ll call it passable. Anyway, from the first day since you came to Raiza, I¡¯ve observed how many people you¡¯ve saved and killed. What do you feel right now as you look back in those moments?¡±>

    I open up my eyes and unsheathe Nyra, observing the blade as it reflects light, looking stationary, but really vibrating in such hypersonic speeds with the ore it¡¯s made from that makes it impossible to see, even with my ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ at full power to slow everything down. I think back to all of the moments I ended one¡¯s life with this blade and all of the blood that splattered on it as well as myself.

    It¡¯s strange. Even though this is a new world with its own laws, I felt off when I went against all of what was ingrained in me from Earth multiple times. It still feels off now as I look back on them, and in this world, the act of taking what is considered ¡®precious¡¯ to us is somehow making us stronger more quickly than just by conditioning my body and honing my skills alone. Even when I was torturing them like that guy yesterday when he threatened to kill Ume, while I had my ¡®Sadistic Smile¡¯ on my face, I had mixed feelings underneath it, and Nyra getting off on that in my head only made them more complicated.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    I¡¯m still questionable to whether taking one¡¯s life is right or wrong, I¡¯m not sure if I would say I ¡®liked¡¯ making that guy suffer by my hand, and that especially goes to when I took all of those lives, man and woman, but ¡­ I don¡¯t think I regret making those choices. With my mind aligned with my heart, I judged all of those people, who also valued their own lives as precious, to be total trash for myself and everyone here if they thought they can reach ¡®paradise¡¯ by joining some fucking bigot orgy of a cult and making other people¡¯s lives suffer just because they¡¯re different.

    I didn¡¯t take their lives for the sake of ¡®justice,¡¯ and protecting what I love only played some part in my biased judgment. I just wanted to get rid of the wastes of space that piss me off if they think they can commit such heinous acts for stupid reasons and get away with it. I don¡¯t think even imprisoning them for god knows how long would be enough for them to realize what they¡¯ve been doing was ¡®wrong.¡¯ Hell, I think everyone wants to be put in the ¡®right¡¯ in some way no matter how pathetic their actions might¡¯ve been, but whether we¡¯re human, demi, or demon, it¡¯s like what Ms. Obina said earlier, we¡¯re the ones to who made the morals that decide what¡¯s right and wrong.

    Crazy as it sounds, those bastards I killed might even be considered ¡®heroes¡¯ to the friends and families who supported them to ¡®fight for what¡¯s right,¡¯ those who¡¯ve also seen them as precious in their lives that they don¡¯t want anything bad happening to them. By taking their lives, I became the ¡®villain,¡¯ the ¡®evil¡¯ they so despise and wish to destroy without even considering my side of things.

    In the end, we both have our reasons for fighting, and even if their friends and families somehow track me down for revenge, I doubt they¡¯d even listen to my reasons for why I did what I had to do. I¡¯ll judge them accordingly just like I did with those bastards I killed, and if they even try to make a move to attack me, well ¡­ if they turn out to be as bad as their fallen loved ones, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill again. What do you think, Mom? I finish off while sheathing Nyra.

    <¡°Jinma ¡­¡±> Nyra mutters first.

    <¡°If anything, Jin-chan, I¡¯m very happy you managed to think all of that through on your own. It¡¯s enough to show that you¡¯re still a living being with a heart and soul and not some emotionless tool used for killing. I admit I was concerned for how different you stood out from other kids when you were younger, but with that aside, know that I couldn¡¯t be any prouder as a mother to see how far you¡¯ve come and I will always be on your side no matter what happens.

    <¡°In the meantime, promise me that you won¡¯t try to ignore the feelings you¡¯re having now or numb yourself down when you do have to take lives. Acknowledge your opponents as living beings like yourself, judge them and their values as you have been, be they man or woman, fight, and live with all of your heart that you wish to share with Mei-chan and the other girls while doing what it is that you want to do. There will be more people in this world who¡¯ll recognize your convictions and follow you for it, while at the same time those who¡¯ll wish to take advantage of your capabilities. When that happens, judge them as you have with your opponents and deal with them accordingly. Can you promise me that much, Jin-chan?¡±>

    ¡°Yes, Mom,¡± I say out loud with eyes closed. I couldn¡¯t let such an answer just be spoken in my mind.

    <¡°You¡¯ve grown to be a fine young man, Jin-chan, and I know that you¡¯ll do great things in this new world. I know this because you¡¯re my son, a part of my family, after all, and I will always love you for it.¡±>

    ¡°I¡¯ll always love you, too, Mom ¡­¡± I trail off before realizing what Mom said there sounded familiar.

    Then, something rings in my mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna do great things, kids, I just know it. You three a part of this splendid family of mine, after all.¡±

    There it is, again ¡­ who was that?

    <¡°Hm? Did you say something?¡±>

    O-Oh, it¡¯s nothing, Mom, I might¡¯ve just been hearing things, but can I just ask one last thing?

    <¡°Anything you like, sweetheart.¡±>

    Are you really okay with me ¡­ having multiple wives and concubines? Isn¡¯t that usually out of the norm for us Japanese?

    <¡°Oh, Jin-chan, you should know as well as I do that our ¡®family¡¯ is anything but in the norm among the other Japanese. I was even wondering if you were to work something out with Hyoko-chan and Komi-chan before that happened.¡±>

    ¡°WHAT?! N-No way, that just can¡¯t ¡­ I mean, for some reason I could see Komi being all right with it, but it would definitely be impossible for Hyo-chan, especially with her dad being one of the higher-ups of the fucking police!¡±

    <¡°Oh, you wouldn¡¯t need to worry about him. Even with him in his position, he knew what I was capable of to put him in his place, and he¡¯d wish that¡¯d be the worst of it if he ever did anything to you or his own daughter.¡±>

    Listening to Mom talk, I couldn¡¯t help but feel cold shivers down my spine. Back in her yankee days, she wasn¡¯t called the Scarlet Queen of the Crimson Butterflies Gang for nothing, if all of the stories told by my aunts, Mom¡¯s friends who were also in that same gang were anything to go by. Hell, I caught a glimpse of it firsthand when I was a kid getting bullied by delinquent high-schoolers and she put them ¡®in their place.¡¯

    Seeing those guys prostrating to her by the end of that, she was definitely one hell of a ¡®matriarch.¡¯

    <¡°Still, it was a shame for how he and his wife had died in the end there. The loss of their daughter really hit it harder on them than I would¡¯ve thought,¡±> Mom continues.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, do you know anything about what happened to them after that? What about you, Ms. Obina? What about Komi¡¯s parents? I¡¯ve never really seen them since she never introduced me.¡±

    <¡°I believe I said it before that those who committed suicide don¡¯t have much of a choice on what¡¯s in store for them after the deed was done. Anyway, we aren¡¯t allowed to disclose any information about other people, even if they were related to you in some way,¡±> Ms. Obina says.

    <¡°And I can¡¯t say anything on what I know on that matter, either. Sorry about that, Jin-chan,¡±> Mom apologizes.

    I sigh. ¡°Well, if you can¡¯t, then it can¡¯t be helped. Will I ever get to talk to you again, Mom?¡±

    <¡°I wish that were possible, but I was only allowed to be able to talk with you under these special circumstances. With that said, Obina, could you let me have a girl-to-girl talk with Mei-chan for a brief moment before we end things here?¡±>

    <¡°¡­ I have a feeling this is not just a ¡®request¡¯ you¡¯re making right now, is it?¡±> Ms. Obina dreads.

    <¡°I¡¯m glad that you know me well enough that I don¡¯t need to clarify that.¡±>

    Ms. Obina sighs. <¡°Jinma, have Umeiyon wear your bracelet for a bit and I¡¯ll take care of things from there.¡±>

    ¡°Um ¡­ sure.¡± I remember Ms. Obina saying how Mom gave her a hard time when they first talked. Going by their brief exchange there, it seems even Immortals can feel threatened at times depending on who it is they¡¯re dealing with.

    To even make a celestial being take caution, yep, that¡¯s just like Mom, all right.

    <¡°I¡¯ll be checking in on how you¡¯re doing from time to time, but other than that, keep enjoying your new life as you have been, Jin-chan! Love you~!¡±>

    ¡°Love you, too, Mom. I¡¯ll pass you off to Ume, now. Hey, Ume!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Augh!¡± I didn¡¯t realize Ume was standing right next to me, so I jump in surprise. ¡°How long have you been there?!¡±

    ¡°Quite a while. I was curious when you made that outburst earlier, so I couldn¡¯t help but try and listen in. Oh, and I found this feather while I was looking around.¡± Ume then pulls out a large feather that doesn¡¯t look like it would come from any regular bird I¡¯ve seen from Earth, having such a light-blonde sheen that one might see in foreign women¡¯s hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think this lone feather would be of much value to us, but I thought you might like it as a keepsake or something, so I cast [Clean] on it for you.¡±

    ¡°I would like to keep this feather, thank you, Ume. Also, it seems Mom wanted to talk to you before she leaves.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± she asks in shock.

    We trade items and I instruct her to wear my IEB to communicate, and so she steps aside and has her girl talk with Mom in her mind while I inspect the feather.

    ¡°What do you think this feather came from, Nyra?¡± I ask her.

    <¡°Well, there are Harpies in Dondegarm, maybe one was flying by? I wish I could say more, but as a Blacksmith, I only have an appraisal skill that lets me examine weapons, armors, and materials that could be used to make them.¡±>

    ¡°Ah, that makes sense, but a Harpy feather, huh? I don¡¯t think I saw one in town with this kind of color, must be from someone outside of it.¡±

    <¡°Yeah ¡­ hey, Jinma?¡±>

    ¡°Hm?¡± I answer while putting the feather away in my MIB.

    <¡°Your home from another world, the country of Japan, was it? Even with everything you¡¯ve been through there, do you miss it?¡±>

    ¡°Ah ¡­ well, I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t. It may have been a crazy shithole, but it was the crazy shithole I grew up in, you know? I still got family over there, too.¡±

    <¡°Yeah, I hear ya.¡±>

    ¡°It¡¯s not much different here right now with the fights I got into, but this is the third day I¡¯ve been here and I¡¯m already having a blast. Even if it was possible to get back, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d want to go back so soon, more so if I can¡¯t take you or the others with me.¡±

    <¡°That¡¯s good to hear, at least.¡±>

    ¡°Are you feeling all right after having such a world-changing secret exposed to you?¡±

    <¡°I¡¯m still trying to reel that in, but I think I¡¯ll get over it soon enough. I¡¯m honestly more interested in your memories.¡±>

    ¡°What about them?¡±

    <¡°It¡¯s normal for one to have a harder time remembering parts of their past as they get older if they don¡¯t do it often enough, it¡¯s like maintaining a sword to keep it from rusting, but if I had to describe yours ¡­ not only were there some that were harder for me to look into being so fragmented, but there seems to be a large jump from one time to another that leaves me concerned.¡±>

    ¡°A jump?¡±

    <¡°As in, how much time has passed from one point to another that a person can¡¯t recall on their own. It¡¯d make sense if some parts in a ¡®jump¡¯ are blurry in some places, but if it¡¯s completely blank and black, totally devoid of any memories at all, that usually means the person in question was put into a ¡®COMA¡¯ status at one point.¡±>

    ¡°¡®COMA¡¯ status?¡±

    <¡°They may not be put in risk of a ¡®DEATH¡¯ status, but it¡¯s more serious than ¡®FAINTED¡¯ that they can¡¯t get back up after the usual length of time, and if they don¡¯t get the nutrition they need to live, then they will be put to death under the lack of it. Do you know anything about this? It¡¯s still in its repairable stages, but I tried showing you some of it through your dreams last night.¡±>

    So, that¡¯s what that was. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not sure. Other than the few memories that stood out to me, I don¡¯t remember a lot from my childhood, and even having it shown through my dreams, I can¡¯t remember everything that happened in them, you know?¡± I ask while holding my head.

    <¡°Well, if you¡¯d like, I can try to see what else I can scrounge up to help you remember them more. I¡¯m capable of doing this much with my mastery in ¡®Psyche Magic.¡¯ I¡¯m most especially interested in the time right before you were put in the ¡®COMA¡¯ status. Sentient beings have ways to subconsciously block out past memories they don¡¯t want to recall for their own health and safety, and yours in this case definitely doesn¡¯t want to be revealed.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ Can you keep them hidden away from me until I want them to show?¡±

    <¡°Sure, but once it¡¯s out there, there¡¯s no going back, you won¡¯t be able to forget them no matter how much you want to. I¡¯ve seen some Pixies back in my day going absolutely mad remembering their past traumas when they weren¡¯t mentally prepared to take them on, and getting them recovered was an even more grueling task.¡±>

    ¡°¡­¡± Looking back in my early life now, I do feel like I might¡¯ve changed at an unusual pace at one point, but of course, I can¡¯t remember as to why. If what Nyra said was true and I was put in a coma for some time, then maybe whatever caused it had also changed me that way, too. If remembering one¡¯s locked away past was so vivid as she described, then it¡¯d make sense to worry about how I¡¯d be once I do remember.

    Mom would certainly know what was going on, but even if I was given the chance again, I don¡¯t think she¡¯d tell me if I ask her. Sure, I¡¯m a grown man now, but maybe she thought there were things I was better off not knowing if it didn¡¯t have anything to do with me.

    I may not need to know, but it¡¯s still a part of my life I can¡¯t remember though, and like the scars I wear on my body, I don¡¯t want to just forget things and risk repeating past mistakes.

    ¡°I want to know what happened in those times if I can. Can you see what you can do in our off times when we¡¯re not busy and just keep what you found on hold until you tell me?¡±

    <¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. I do my best when their minds are resting while the body sleeps, so I¡¯ll get to work then. It would help if you also recall the earliest memory you can remember before falling asleep to get me to our destination quicker.¡±>

    ¡°All right, I can do that, no problem.¡±

    <¡°There is just one thing I wanted to know about while we¡¯re on this subject,¡±> Nyra then says. I can¡¯t help but notice the hint of mischief in her tone and I¡¯m already not liking where this is going.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    <¡°¡­ Yes, yes! I can feel it! The chaos! More! Bring me more! Bring me more chaos, O Goddess Eris! Yes! I¡¯m growing mad with POWER!¡±>

    The moment she said those cringey lines, my stomach dropped. ¡°No ¡­ Nyra, stop, please.¡±

    <¡°Serving under the Great Lord Beelzebub as my contractor, blessed by the Goddess Eris, may my powers granted by the embodiment of chaos send fear and madness to my enemies¡¯ very bones! With the strength of 10 Hercules¡¯! The fires of Hephaestus! And the darkness of Scotus! I will reign supreme!¡±>

    ¡°Nyra, I beg of you, stop ¡­¡± I trail off as I shrink into a fetal position.

    <¡°Foolish humans, beware, for if you so much as lay a hand on my precious Demonic Princess Hyoko, you will not go unpunished, for I am ¡­¡±>

    ¡°Nyra, for the love of Obina, please ¡­¡±

    <¡°Merus Seressu! The Demon of Black Madness! FWAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAA!¡±>

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I scream internally in anguish as I curl myself into a ball.

    My dark past ¡­ the one thing I don¡¯t want to recall from my ¡®studies¡¯ in magic and witchcraft back home, especially that horrid name I came up with on the fly. Thinking back on it now, some kind of weird game of telephone must¡¯ve taken place if ¡®Merus Seressu, the Demon of Black Madness,¡¯ changed into the ¡®Merciless Demon¡¯ over time in my delinquent rep. Nyra just reenacted the cringey introduction of my ¡®demon self¡¯ right down to the maniacal laughter.

    And ¡®Demonic Princess Hyoko¡¯ ¡­ I internally beg forgiveness to Hyo-chan¡¯s soul in the afterlife a thousand times for pulling her into such a ridiculous role when we were kids.

    <¡°S-Seriously! Where the hell did you come up with that ridiculous speech?! I feel like you mixed a bunch of stuff together to make that ¡®chaotic¡¯ nonsense!¡±> Nyra exclaims between laughs.

    I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL AT THE TIIIIIIIIME!

    ¡°Jin? What are you doing looking like a defenseless egg?¡± Ume asks from above, sounding like she finished her talk with Mom not too long ago.

    ¡°Just ¡­ give me five minutes to gather the pieces of my remaining shattered pride.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Okay? But, when you¡¯re done, Goddess Obina needed to speak with you about a few other matters privately.¡±

    ¡°All right. How was your talk with Mom?¡±

    ¡°O-Oh, you know ¡­ just what you might expect from your new in-laws, not that I would know a lot about it, but she¡¯s ¡­ definitely an amazing female for a human,¡± she answers with a slight shake in her voice.

    ¡°¡­ She threatened you should something happen to me, did she?¡±

    ¡°What was frightening was that ¡­ even though I haven¡¯t seen her in person, I could actually feel her power from there as she spoke, and if this is your mother we¡¯re talking about ¡­ no matter how insane her statement was, I have the dreadful feeling that she could make it happen. If I didn¡¯t know it already after seeing you, then I have certainly learned now that there are powerful individuals that live in this world ¡­ some that could possibly erase us Dragons out of existence, if they wanted to ¡­¡±

    <¡°My god, this may be the first I¡¯ve ever felt so much fear from Scalybutt! What did your mom even say to her, man?!¡±>

    Whatever it was, I just know that¡¯s definitely like Mom to be like that, especially now since she saw how I died the first time by a woman¡¯s hands.

    The Scarlet Queen ¡­ it seems nobody can ever stand above her, even if they were a Dragon or an Immortal.

 Chapter 59: A Fallen Centaurs Melancholy

    After we gathered ourselves, Ume gave me the IEB back and I spoke with Ms. Obina privately. Since she knew we needed to get back to the others to start the day, she tried to make things short and gave me a quick rundown of what I can do now with the IEB and its shop as follows.

    First, Affinity Levels and Skills. As I was guessing before, the closer I¡¯m connected to my acknowledged party members/partners, the higher my levels with them increase as well as my Total Affinity Level (TAL). With higher levels of each partner, I gain certain abilities, bonuses, and what are called Affinity Skills in battles that use Affinity Points (AP). I didn¡¯t even notice it until it was pointed out, but while my red HP bar and blue MP bar are in my lower right peripheral, the upper half of that side now has a yellow AP bar already at full power with 5. Getting this as full as possible is done by defeating enemies, supporting my party, and finally, ¡®skinship,¡¯ as in holding hands, hugging, kissing, having sex, the more intimate, the better, especially with no articles of clothing between us. Apparently, with Ume now having ¡®AP Boost,¡¯ she can help me get it full faster than before, not that I¡¯ve ever noticed it up to this point, anyway. Affinity Skills use AP for unique actions and effects in the field that are unlike regular skills using HP and MP. The problem is what they do. Ume¡¯s ¡®Dragon¡¯s Blessing,¡¯ Ren¡¯s ¡®Werewolf¡¯s Fangs,¡¯ and Erizora¡¯s ¡®Ogre¡¯s Rage,¡¯ not even Ms. Obina knows what any of them do until activated, which she explained to me how.

    Honestly, if Champions are the only ones who are capable of doing these things, it would be better to not use them at all unless under dire circumstances so I wouldn¡¯t give myself away. I especially don¡¯t want to do it if I had to do something so shameless out in the open to activate them, and I was already embarrassed enough after Nyra brought up my dark past.

    Second, the Immortal¡¯s Blessing Shop (IBS). Since I¡¯m starting out as a black-ranked adventurer and I actually saved a city [twice], I got a lot of new things I can select in the store now. Disposable items, weapons, gear, materials, skills, spells, abilities, and other things. I got a lot more to choose from now, but I decided to look through what I can get later.

    The only strange thing is that since I can immediately use a new Null Spell after just learning the name and what it does, Ms. Obina had to remove those items from my selections, stating if I want to learn a new Null Spell, I¡¯d have to describe to her what it is I need and she gives me the options for a price. Apparently, Champions aren¡¯t even supposed to learn new Null Spells that quickly until they buy it from the shop, so I¡¯m basically some sort of anomaly being able to do that much. I wonder if my race being a ¡®D-Human¡¯ plays some part in that, but since she¡¯s trying to run some kind of business, I understood the actions she had to take and just went along with it.

    Finally, and this is what I brought up to her myself, my race as a ¡®D-Human¡¯ and why I¡¯m able to use a racial skill like ¡®Devil Eyes.¡¯

    Annoyingly enough, she can¡¯t tell me anything under either of them, and she couldn¡¯t tell me as to why that is.

    When I asked her why even reveal my ¡®D-Human¡¯ race at the Immortals¡¯ Monument and not show it from the very beginning, she only mentioned how the Immortals have to follow protocols in revealing the subject¡¯s true inner self when they have their Innate Stats evaluated. She honestly thought it wouldn¡¯t make much difference to me in whether I was a regular human or a ¡®D-Human,¡¯ hence why my status displayed my race as ¡®Human¡¯ up to yesterday. I couldn¡¯t really accept that reasoning for an answer, but since she won¡¯t tell me anything further on the subject, I had to give in for the time being.

    It¡¯s bothersome, but I guess I¡¯ll need to find the secrets of ¡®D-Humans¡¯ and how I¡¯m able to use the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ on my own.

    I finished my talk with her by then before I brought up the idea with Ume to take a commemorative picture with me on the hill using my smartphone. Since she wasn¡¯t aware of it doing that before, I had to show her how it worked so she wouldn¡¯t be wary of it. Ume quickly grew an interest in it at that point after I took a few test pictures. Once I did a few more tests, I had Ume¡ªboth in her Dragonoid and Lizardman Forms¡ªand I took a few affectionate, intimate pictures close together using the tendrils from my ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ skill as our ¡®personal photographer.¡¯ Ume also wanted to see pictures of us naked together as well, so we stripped again and did some additional poses with those.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    I never had a photogenic smile with my scary looks, so I was really surprised how decent I was that time around. Ume was overjoyed to see how well they turned out and I made a mental note to find a way to make physical pictures of these for her to keep some copies, but on the bright side, I got some sweet material to work with in case I get bored and by myself. I made separate folders for ¡®those¡¯ pictures, another for all of Ume in Dragon Form, and one more for my experiences in this world.

    If given the chance, I want to brag and show off how beautiful Ume is if anyone ever questioned me even being in a relationship. Along with a punch to the face, I want to see how my former work partner Kazumi would look when he sees me having such a sexy woman as my wife.

    Ah ¡­ I have truly degraded myself into the normie I resented so much every time I saw happy couples being lovey-dovey in public back home, that thought crossed my mind for a brief moment.

    Finally, with our business finished and clothes back on, we realized how hungry we¡¯ve gotten, and so I used [Portal] to get us back to our room at the Cantering Dreams Inn. When we got there ¡­

    ¡°Why is there a dead horse in our room?¡± Ume asks completely unfazed.

    ¡°Wait ¡­ that¡¯s Ms. Gallofree in a slump!¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ Master Kotori and Lady Umeiyon, good morning to thee both ¡­ wonderful weather we art having today, is it not?¡± Ms. Gallofree says monotonously with her back toward us while not even facing the same direction to where the windows are, lying on her side on the faux-tatami mat floor. She seems to be wearing some casual clothes this time around, a plain button-up short-sleeve beige shirt and navy-blue skirt (or drapes?) covering her horse lower body. I then notice a bronze band over her right arm.

    Hey, isn¡¯t that one of those Armory Armlets like Eugus has? Has she always worn one?

    <¡°Yep, that certainly is, a bronze one at that. Knowing her uncle¡¯s the guild master of this city¡¯s guild, it would make sense he afforded that for her. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if you didn¡¯t see it under loose clothing though, as some may aim to steal it if their guard¡¯s down.¡±> Nyra speculates.

    ¡°What are you doing lying on the floor like this? And wait, ¡®Lady Umeiyon?¡¯¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°The two of thee have officially courted as husband and wife, yes? My congratulations to both of thee, and since Lady Umeiyon now stands on the same level as Master Kotori, I must address his wife with proper respects.¡±

    ¡°Really~? Well, not like I didn¡¯t already know how amazing Jin is, but it¡¯s expected that I¡¯d also receive the same treatment as his wife ¡­ hehehe~.¡±

    Ume, I know you¡¯re happy, but please don¡¯t get too full of yourself.

    ¡°As for why I am like this, well ¡­ it is to be expected that a pathetic Centaur such as myself would be stooped down to this level, utterly defeated ¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been like this all morning today.¡±

    ¡°Whoa?!¡± I jump from the sudden new voice, only to see Lili standing in the corner playing cats cradle. ¡°L-Lili! When did you get here?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here the whole time? I was on my way here to offer my greetings when I saw Kalline like this. We ran into Ren and Erizora who told us the situation and they offered to pay for our breakfast, which they left with some of our money to do so not too long ago. Ah, and congratulations on your courtship, too.¡±

    I left some money for Ren and Erizora along with the note Ume left in case they got hungry while we were gone, so I wonder if they had already eaten.

    ¡°Ah! Master! Lady Umeiyon! Good morning!¡±

    ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Lili says as we see Ren and Erizora coming back inside.

    ¡°We just got back from ordering Ms. Lili¡¯s and Ms. Gallofree¡¯s breakfasts while we haven¡¯t gotten anything yet. Oh! And congratulations on your official courtship, Master!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Congratulations!¡± Erizora and Ren exclaim respectively.

    ¡°Ume, did you write in the note how we were basically having our own little wedding?¡± I ask her, unaware of what she wrote before we left.

    ¡°Y-Yes, but it¡¯s starting to get embarrassing receiving all of these praises and being referred to as ¡®Lady¡¯ now ¡­¡±

    ¡°How come you haven¡¯t ordered anything for yourselves yet, you two?¡± I ask Ren and Erizora.

    ¡°We thought it¡¯d be better if we enjoyed breakfast together when you came back, considering all that¡¯s happened yesterday,¡± Ren answers.

    ¡­ Ah, they¡¯re referring to that crazy morning with Ms. Tephalia in her manor, are they? And last night¡¯s dinner was amazing with everyone there. Actually, I need to talk with Ms. Tephalia about my plans like I promised yesterday. ¡°Thank you for considering us, you two. Sorry if we kept you waiting long,¡± I say.

    ¡°N-No! It¡¯s no trouble at all!¡± Ren exclaims in a fluster.

    ¡°Would you two like to join us as well? Ms. Gallofree, you can tell us how things went with your uncle during that time.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°I am not worthy of such a generous offer and not in my lowly place to do so, but since I have to explain the results anyway, I suppose I will have to go along with it ¡­¡±

    Sheesh, she really doesn¡¯t sound all too hot.

 Chapter 60: A Centaur Warriors Servitude

    When we checked-in to the Cantering Dreams Inn last night, we found that they have what¡¯s called a ¡®mixed room¡¯ that houses groups consisting of large-bodied races like Centaurs and Lamias, and it¡¯s very popular due to the ¡®tatami mats¡¯ that give the room a nice nature-like smell. They even provide the appropriate futons of two different sizes, pillows, and down-quilt covers for those who need some help to keep warm. Centaurs apparently have high body temperatures like regular horses do, and so they really only need pillows to rest their heads on.

    When I asked the receptionist for further details, it was just as I had suspected that it was a Champion, one highly likely from Japan or well-versed in its culture, who assisted in designing the inn in the past. I wondered if Padimon is the go-to country for Japanese transfers since I¡¯ve seen and heard so many things related to my home¡¯s culture already.

    Needless to say, we ordered two double-sized futons put together for each pair of us in our group to sleep in overnight, and somehow the girls wanted to sleep butt-naked and I was too tired to refute, so I joined in.

    Sleeping while being surrounded by hot naked monster girls smelling of faux lavender from the bath salts, it didn¡¯t take long for me and the rest of us to fall asleep last night, especially when I was smothered lovingly by Ume¡¯s and Ren¡¯s softness on each side of me from our sleeping arrangements.

    Anyway, back to the present, we are currently in one of the tables of the dining lobby after we made our orders for breakfast. Ms. Gallofree explained to us what happened between her and Eugus when she tried to ask his permission to join my newly-formed party.

    To keep it short, it didn¡¯t turn out well. Some harsh words were exchanged even when Ms. Gallofree prepared Eugus¡¯ favorite meals to lighten up the mood a little, and in the end she wound up crying to sleep in her room ¡­ for 3 hours (which is apparently the same amount of time as horses need to rest) before she got up, trained herself to exhaustion while in an angry mood, then fell into depression after cleaning her sweat from the bathhouse and made her way here.

    ¡°It is just not fair,¡± Ms. Gallofree says while lying on the side of her face, not even attempting to eat the food in front of her. ¡°I was even told of how Master Kotori saved Dondgarm the second time on his own and made such large donations to the city¡¯s reparations and its local church yesterday. With removing the Toxic Troll threat on top of that, how would Guild Master ¡­ nay, Dear Uncle, forbid me from even associating with him further than I already have?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you haven¡¯t gotten the whole story, I did kill ¡­ what, around 70 humans in the course of two days, plus brutally tortured a few out of extracting information and out of my own self-fulfillment. Take into my Innate Stats that were recorded yesterday, I¡¯d be wary of such a guy if I was talking to him knowing all of that,¡± I say in between bites.

    ¡°I thought being forbidden was bad enough,¡± Ms. Gallofree continues, ¡°but I thought wrong when he talked down on my wish to serve a capable human as his steed, just like what I had read in the stories. ¡®To willingly let one ride their back, ¡®tis the greatest of shames for Centaurs and I will not let my niece fall into one for such a dangerous human male,¡¯ he said. As if my job as an adventurer was not dangerous enough, he said I would be bringing myself lower than a harlot to even allow such action since I am a female ¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh, don¡¯t female Centaurs usually seek strong male warriors of the same race to mate and bear strong children? How is this even lower than that if the female doesn¡¯t even like the male?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°Ms. Gallofree ¡­ how much do you want to join our party?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Very much so!¡± she exclaims while straightening up. ¡°Dear Uncle has trained me since I was able to carry a sword to be able to hold off on my own, and his influence as a guild master had made others hesitant to approach me, his niece. From the raid the night before, though thou did not know my background at the time, thou art the first to ever fight alongside me as part of a group without him nearby, even though we art from different kin. That aside, I felt something as I fought with thee, Ren, and Erizora that night, and I wanted to continue finding out what that something was. When I learned why thou art taking an arduous journey yesterday, it made me want to join thee more!

    ¡°Whatever Dear Uncle thinks of thee, I know thou art a lot more than that, and I want to prove that to him while showing why I want to serve under such a man, especially since he hast not even seen thou fight yet!¡±

    I take a moment to contemplate and consider what would be best for all of us here before turning to her.

    ¡°I will be honest with you, Ms. Gallofree,¡± I start, ¡°I almost didn¡¯t really care who would be joining my party at first since I lived a mostly solitary life, but after spending some quality time with the girls here and what I¡¯ve experienced, I made some ¡®prerequisites¡¯ in order for those interested in joining be considered qualified. They may sound superficial to you based on how you might view of me so far, but do you still wish to hear them?¡±

    Ms. Gallofree nods firmly and sits up to give me her utmost attention. The other girls gathered around the table also turn to me with great interest.

    ¡°I admit that things might¡¯ve gone differently if the circumstances were different, but as you may see already, Ume is officially my wife now, and Ren and Erizora are the second and third members of my growing harem,¡± I declare as I wrap one arm around Ume¡¯s waist and I pat Ren¡¯s head next to me with the other, the two of them look to me with shocked, blushing faces. ¡°Things might get complicated if we allow other guys and girls uninterested in joining the harem be a part of this party. With the exceptions of a familiar or two I may summon later today, I¡¯ve decided that those who join this party must be capable girls who¡¯re willing to get along with the others as part of the harem. Is that okay with you three?¡± I ask the girls in my ¡®party.¡¯

    ¡°As long as I still have the place as your primary wife, I have no problems.¡± [Ume]

    ¡°I¡¯d honestly be uncomfortable having other males aside from Master¡¯s potential familiars join the group at this point.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°And of course, females who¡¯re strong and able to fight for the protection of Master¡¯s and the party¡¯s safety is also a must.¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°Seems we¡¯re all in agreement. There may be girls who wish to keep relations while not joining the party, but we¡¯ll go over that later,¡± I say before turning back to Ms. Gallofree, who stares at me with shock. ¡°That aside, if Eugus were to allow you in joining us, I would make an exception and give you the part as our ¡®advisor¡¯ of sorts.¡±

    ¡°Advisor?¡±

    ¡°Ume and I are strong, but we got our high ranks by paying the extra money and proving our strength. We pretty much know next to nothing on what adventurers usually do over the course of their daily livings. Ren and Erizora, you¡¯ve probably only been taught in how to serve your owners through your slave-training, right? Were you taught any rules on what¡¯s to follow as adventurers?¡±

    ¡°Not really, no.¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°We learned what we could while on the field, but we only just followed what those who rented our services ordered us to do without letting us give much input.¡± [Ren]

    I¡¯ll have to change that in this group, then, I decide. ¡°Then, Ms. Gallofree, that would make you the most experienced adventurer in the field out of all of us here. We would likely go to you on questions about what behaviors are acceptable between adventurers, strategies of attack and defense while on the field, and so on. Would you be confident in giving us your inputs for those situations and then some?¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Y-Yes, of course. Dear Uncle had me read through what rules to follow as an adventurer and also taught me everything he knew in the field when he escorted me on certain quests with other people.¡±

    With my maxed out ¡®Intuition¡¯ activated, I could see and hear how firm her resolve was when she answered. Not even catching a hint of a lie on top of that, she¡¯s definitely not taking this lightly.

    ¡°Then, while you¡¯d be with us as part of the exception, I wouldn¡¯t force you into joining the harem along with the ¡­ ¡®activities¡¯ that goes with being in one, but I would be expecting you to get along with us as we go about our lives together, putting our differences in race aside,¡± I continue. ¡°The dangers of being with us are inevitable, but I want to put cooperation as our highest priority when it comes to this party. I gave you this chance when I wasn¡¯t thinking much on it at first, but after considering more of your background, I believe you¡¯d make an excellent addition and contribute a lot to our party. Do you guys agree?¡± I ask the three girls, of which they nod in agreement. ¡°So, I will now ask you this, Ms. Gallofree: if I can convince your uncle in some way to change his mind, would you still want to join our party, taking what you know of us now into consideration?¡±

    Ms. Gallofree takes a moment to look down and think hard with a fist to her mouth. Her cheeks at one-point tint red for some reason before looking back up to me. ¡°May I ask some things for confirmation?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°These ¡­ ¡®activities¡¯ thou said will do with thy harem ¡­ thou meant sex, right?¡± she asks with her face a little redder than before.

    ¡°Well, yes, that¡¯s right, but that may not be all that we¡¯ll do, though, other than taking quests together, of course. Even if I try to change things up a bit, I could only imagine how bored the girls might get out of it later on.¡±

    ¡°¡°Are you kidding?!¡±¡± the girls in my party exclaim, making me jump in my seat.

    ¡°Jin, I only have just learned the wonders of sex yesterday,¡± Ume says. ¡°I may not know much yet, but if there actually are girls out there who have the gall to say ¡®sex is boring,¡¯ I¡¯d shove your dick that grew from 2.5 centimeters last night, now a whopping 20.5 [~ 8.1 inches], right up their pussies once, take it out, shove it up inside me, and let you fuck me silly while we make those narrow-minded disgraces of females watch us have the time of our lives so they can see just what they¡¯re missing out on after getting a taste of your hard, succulent meat.¡±

    ¡°PFFFFFT!¡± Lili who¡¯s been quiet up to now did a spit take before coughing up whatever juice went down her windpipe. Erizora rubs her back out of comfort since she sits next to her.

    Holy crap ¡­ 20.5? A lot happened this morning, but I thought it seemed a little heavier than usual last night when it was fully erect numerous times earlier. Wait, did Ume learned that from reading whatever she got from her ¡®Diagnosis¡¯ skill, too? Well, anyway, it¡¯s a bit more than where I wanted it to stop, but I guess this is fine, just don¡¯t grow any further, please. Actually, should this topic even be discussed so openly in public?

    ¡°That¡¯s how incredible your cock is by itself, don¡¯t even get me started on how you used it, especially last night at that private bath,¡± Ume continues before pressing her breasts on my arm while hugging it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck it is that you¡¯re worried about, but you can bet I won¡¯t get bored having sex with you anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°If anything, we should be worried about boring you,¡± Ren adds as she hugs my other arm. ¡°Sure, it may have been the first time for Eri and me, but as your slaves, we should be tending to your needs, not the other way around. We want to make you feel good with our services, Master, and with how well you claimed us last night, whether we have these rings or not, we¡¯ll be up for anything you want us to do!¡±

    ¡°20.5 ¡­ grew from 2.5, so Jinma was an 18 before?¡± Lili asks Erizora, and she quietly makes lewd gestures with her hands to show how big it was, causing the mature Arachne woman flush while covering her mouth. Since Erizora¡¯s an Ogre who¡¯s naturally big, seeing her make those gestures make it seem much more astounding than before.

    Okay, seriously, how open are demon girls here with sex? I thought this was something only guys do?

    I mean, that¡¯s practically all what Kazumi from my previous work always talked about when he has me to go have drinks with at the end of the day, and he was one of the very very few male acquaintances I¡¯ve had in my life who didn¡¯t try to pick a fight with me on a daily basis.

    <¡°Hey, we talked about our lays all the time back home, boys and girls. Hell, some of us get so turned on from the talks that we do it right there. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised that other demons are like this. I¡¯m more shocked at how dishonest and ashamed humans and demis are in the subject, whether or not they even liked the partners they did it with, they¡¯re the weird ones. You, having next to no male friends and spent most of the time with your mother and ¡®aunts,¡¯ though it wasn¡¯t sex, your talks with them are probably more entertaining than all of the human and demi-kin combined. That¡¯s as far as I saw from your memories, but I think that¡¯s because your world had more to do for passing the time than us.¡±>

    Hm, can¡¯t say I know enough about the humans and demis in this world to agree, but you may have a point with us having more things to do back there to talk about it.

    Ms. Gallofree clears her throat to catch our attention again. ¡°Going back on topic, since I would not be part of the harem, thou would not force me into the sex, yes? So, how would thou go about doing that with thy harem when one is not taking part?¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡­ well, since they probably wouldn¡¯t like to know what¡¯s going on, unless we have different rooms at an inn occupied unlike this one, we¡¯d likely just keep it in the room I¡¯d be staying while I have [Soundproof] up so we wouldn¡¯t disturb the other patrons overnight. Since our whole party¡¯s sharing the mixed room here, if you were to stay with us there to make things cheaper, I¡¯d want us to get as much rest possible before we set out for our Assigned Quest tomorrow morning. I was told there are love hotels in the red-light district we can reserve rooms for a certain time, so it¡¯d be likely that we do it there before coming back here to sleep¡ª¡±

    ¡°O-Oh, no! I would not let thou go through that much trouble for something like that! I would just ¡­ nay, in the case that we get ambushed, ¡®twould be best to stay close to react quickly and accordingly. The single and double rooms art only on the second floor of this inn while the mixed room takes up some of the first floor ¡­¡± Ms. Gallofree trails off as if talking to herself about what would be best here.

    Ms. Gallofree¡¯s not even officially part of our group yet, but she¡¯s already sounding to be a splendid advisor taking so much into account.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind if she stayed with us and she watches,¡± Ume says with a hand up.

    ¡°¡°Huh?!¡±¡± Ms. Gallofree and I exclaim to her.

    ¡°I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be much different than what we had last night in the bath. I had a nice time relaxing while watching you doing it with Ren and Erizora. If privacy¡¯s the issue, just make an improvised partition separating the room with ¡®Create Darkness¡¯ from your Curse Magic, put up a [Soundproof] barrier on our side, and the problem¡¯s solved.¡±

    ¡°The room would reek of sweat and sex, though. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d need my heightened smell as a Werewolf to know that much,¡± Ren points out.

    Are there scented candles around here to hide the smell? I think.

    ¡°R-Regardless, ¡®tis only if I do not wish to partake in thy ¡®harem activities,¡¯ yes?¡± Ms. Gallofree asks.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Then ¡­ I have decided.¡± Ms. Gallofree then gets up, moves to my side, and lowers herself the best she could with the horse body while bowing down to make a dogeza adapted to Centaurs. ¡°If thou can change Dear Uncle¡¯s mind, please, let me join thy party, and I will do my utmost as an advisor to meet thy expectations, Master Kotori.¡±

    ¡°All right, then. I already have something cooking up, but you have to promise me that you will go along with anything I say that comes with what I have planned for Eugus without question or argument. Can you do that, Ms. Gallofree?¡±

    She then moves to a kneeling position fitting for a knight having an audience with a king. ¡°I promise to go along with whatever it is that thou have planned, Master Kotori, and please, call me Kalline. It would not be right for my superior to act so politely with a servant like me.¡±

    She really can¡¯t emphasize the ¡®servant¡¯ part enough, can she? ¡°Only if you refer to me as ¡®Jinma.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That, I cannot do towards my superior. Would ¡®Master Jinma¡¯ suffice?¡±

    I sigh. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine. Now eat your food before it gets cold, Kalline. We got a lot to do today to prepare for our first quest tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master Jinma.¡± With that, Kalline returns to her table and finally eats with a gentle smile.

    <¡°I can already see what you have planned for Old Horsefart and Kalline will definitely not be okay with it. Not that I doubt your stupidly powerful prowess, but are you sure about this?¡±> Nyra asks.

    It sounds like Eugus is one of those stubborn old men who can¡¯t get with the times. If I don¡¯t do something crazy like I did to catch his attention yesterday, then I can just kiss our new adventurer advisor good-bye, I think while I eat.

    ¡°So ¡­ will Kalline Gallofree be watching us have sex tonight or not?¡±

    ¡°¡°PFFFFT!¡±¡± Ume¡¯s blunt question makes Kalline and I spit our food while the rest went on with eating their breakfasts.

    We never really got that matter settled until much later today.

 Chapter 61: The Antagonizing First Summons

    After we were done with breakfast, I decided to get the first course of action settled: summoning my familiars. Eugus may have said I could have any number of familiars I want as they will not be taken into the account of the number of adventurers allowed to join us in our first quest, but I figured I might as well get it done and show him what I have along with the rest of my party to make things less complicated down the line.

    Of course, everyone in the group wanted to come and see what I could summon, and so once we got our stuff gathered, I used [Portal] to take us all to the church where we¡¯ll meet Winny again to help me get started. She seemed to have anticipated our arrival as she had a wooden crate of supplies needed for summoning rituals at her side while she was tending the garden when we got there, and so once I gave her the money needed for her service, she led us all to a courtyard at the back where the summoning will take place. Either she came up with the conclusion herself or just anticipated I would since I was a Champion, but she seemed to be well aware of me being able to use both Holy and Curse Magic when she asked which of them I wanted to try summoning a familiar with first.

    Lili and Kalline, completely unaware of me being able to use Holy Magic since they saw me use Curse Magic at the raid yesterday, were awestruck when I told them then.

    I told Winny I wanted to try Curse Magic first, and so by using special chalk that conducts to one¡¯s magic on contact, she begins drawing the circle required to summon magical beasts from what was dubbed the ¡®Cursed Realm.¡¯ It¡¯s then I realized Winny¡¯s doing something that¡¯s completely opposite of her position as one of a class that specializes in Holy Magic, and so I asked her partway if this was all right.

    ¡°Most of us usually don¡¯t study Curse Magic on the side for any reason, but when I first got Plume, Brother was pretty pushy on me in helping him get his own familiar even if he could only use Curse Magic. So, I tried to find whatever resources I could with Curse Magic Summoning and helped him at that point. Really, anyone could try summoning a familiar on their own once they know what to do, and if we have more chances to provide funds for the church, all the better reason for them to let me go along with this. Brother has a cat familiar with a Fencer class now to help him out when he needs it. His name is Varusso.¡±

    There were so many things I wanted to say from those last few sentences but I¡¯d rather not drag this on any longer, so I kept them to myself as she went back to her work.

    Winny explained along the way how the summoning procedure works, such as making the circle as a visual aid to channel magic into without using too much of it. Winny demonstrated midway how I could use it differently by writing her name in Padimonian in the air in front of her and it was a cool sight to see, as expected in a world of swords and magic. Ume, of course, is also able to do it being a Magic Dragon, and so with a little hint from her as assistance, I was able to write my own name in Japanese with ease [Jinma = ÈÊ</a>Ä§</a>; Kotori = Ð¡øB</a>]. The others were fascinated by the unique image of Japanese characters.

    Going back to the summoning procedure, whether it¡¯s through Holy Magic or Cursed Magic, what would appear in the circle is anyone¡¯s guess. It¡¯s random most of the time as a magical beast would need to have their interest piqued at the time to respond to the call and it¡¯s more likely if an offering was placed in the center of the circle. There are times that nothing would appear at all. Even if the summoner tries again with an offering, no magical beast would heed their call. It¡¯s nothing personal, but it just means they don¡¯t have what it takes to summon a magical beast. When this happens, the church is required to give half of the service fee back. This is so the church still has money to invest in more supplies for summoning, yet the summoner won¡¯t have to leave completely empty-handed.

    Once the magical beast is summoned though, the summoner must step into the circle and take a trial within the magical beast¡¯s terms and succeed. The two would work out the contract once the trial is complete with succession, but if the summoner fails, the magical beast would go back to their realm and not return to the same summoner ever again.

    When the circle was finished, I took a picture of it with my smartphone for reference, using ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ to hold it from above and get a good top-view image.

    Everyone other than Ume had no idea what I was doing, of course, and this may very well be an act of stealing, but I need to make the most of what I can get in this world. If I¡¯m not hurting anybody from this, then I don¡¯t have many qualms with it. I like to think this is more like ¡®taking notes¡¯ from a textbook for an upcoming test. Though I have a high ¡®Studying¡¯ skill along with my photographic memory to memorize materials with a few blinks, I thought it¡¯d be good to have physical evidence for just in case.

    ¡°There, it¡¯s all set,¡± Winny says as she wipes off the residue on her hands with a cloth. ¡°If you have something to use as an offering, now would be the time to take it out. I advise you to be careful getting it to the center, and money is not allowed.¡±

    I at one point considered if it would be a good idea to use one of the dismembered limbs of the people I killed yesterday that I still have in [Storage] as an offering, but that might be too gruesome to see on holy ground around a church, so I decided to find some other method to use the bodies that are taking up space at a later time. ¡°I understand, but I¡¯ll just take a shot without it,¡± I say.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Then, whenever you¡¯re ready, place your hand on the edge of the circle, focus your Curse Magic in it, and repeat the following chant I will say to you.¡±

    I nod and take a knee before following her instructions (but not before I made a note of the chant into the phone for reference). The magic circle lights up in a purplish-white hue as I focus.

    ¡°I call to thee, Curse, I beseech to you, bring me one who resides in the realm of sin! Summon!¡±

    At my call, purplish-black miasma fills up half of the circle¡¯s field.

    Don!

    A dark red forepaw with claws reaches out from within the miasma and steps down on the ground with a large thud. More of the creature comes into view as the air around us grows heavy until a large dark-red bear reveals itself and stands on its hind legs. It stands probably about half a head taller than the Toxic Troll I killed the day before, perhaps 2.5 meters [~8 feet].

    <¡°It¡¯s huuuuuuuuuuge!¡±> Nyra cries in my head.

    ¡°Are you the one who called me?¡± the deep, masculine-sounding bear asks me.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ that would be me.¡±

    ¡°W-What in the world, this is ¡­ how?!¡±

    ¡°Winny, do you know who this is?¡± I ask her, noticing how she and the other girls are trembling in place.

    ¡°One of the strongest magical beasts that reside in the Cursed Realm,¡± Ume answers for her, not shaking, but certainly looking serious as she furrows her brow at the bear with arms crossed. ¡°This one rules over the Cursed Realm with his destructive powers in both strength and magic. Of the Seven Cursed Beasts of Sin, he¡¯s renowned as the Crimson Bear King of Wrath.¡±

    The bear snorts. ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable, Lizardman female. As for you, human male, what is your purpose in calling me?¡±

    I look around to see everyone but Ume, Winny, and me as ¡®stunned¡¯ as some of my enemies were when I used ¡®Glare¡¯ on them. ¡°Oi, do you think you can tone it down on whatever it is you¡¯re doing, please? You¡¯re scaring my companions.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Ah, so they are.¡± When the bear acknowledged it, I suddenly feel the air growing lighter, and the girls affected by it move again while taking large breaths as if they couldn¡¯t breathe moments ago. ¡°How peculiar that you and the Lizardman female are the only ones who aren¡¯t affected by my magical pressure. There¡¯s the ominous magic emanating from the weapon, but could it be due to the strange power I¡¯m sensing from you?¡±

    ¡°Strange power?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Never mind. I was talking to myself. Now, back to my original question: what is your purpose in calling me?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m seeking a familiar to form a contract with and you¡¯re the first one that came up after performing the summoning chant, so I was wondering¡ª¡±

    ¡°Me? Form a contract with a human? If this is a jest, then I¡¯m not laughing!¡±

    Don!

    Bwoooooon!

    The bear stomps with his hind foot, upping the air¡¯s pressure more powerful than before, leaving most of the girls ¡®stunned¡¯ again. Ume seems to be having a harder time keeping herself standing this time around. I could feel the weight on me being heavier than before, too, but I¡¯m able to hold my ground.

    <¡°Jinma ¡­ this doesn¡¯t look good,¡±> Nyra says, but I¡¯m honestly getting more pissed off than worried about the situation.

    I tried to ask nicely, especially the first time when this ¡®pressure¡¯ affected the girls, and yet this bastard just blows up on me for it?! I think while clenching my fists, suddenly feeling something welling up inside me.

    ¡°You dare look down on me, the King of Wrath?!¡±

    ¡°HEY!¡±

    DON!

    BWOOOOOOOOOOON!

    ¡°¡°UAH?!¡±¡±

    I stomp my own foot, making a small indent of my shoe on the stone tile, and as if by instinct, I completely turn off my ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ skill that I¡¯ve kept on at 100% since yesterday, revealing the extent of my magical power that I¡¯ve kept hidden from the public, now pushing away the bear¡¯s pressure weighing on me and overwhelm it as I ¡®Glare¡¯ him down. The girls at my side seem more surprised by that sudden outburst and yelped in the process.

    My vision darkens and like the night before at the raid, I can now see the bear¡¯s strangely dark-green magical aura being pushed back by my own that¡¯s a mix of whitish-gray and maroon.

    ¡°W-What the?! I can¡¯t move?! Th-This power! Those eyes¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Shut it, bear!¡± I cut him off. ¡°I tried to be fuckin¡¯ polite and yet you¡¯d just cut in without letting me finish?! Moreover, talking down on it and scaring my friends?! Is this how a so-called ¡®king¡¯ behaves?! Hah?!¡±

    ¡°B-But, I¡¯m the King of Wrath ¡­¡±

    Sching.

    I unsheathe Nyra and point the tip of the blade between his legs as I step in the glowing magic circle that flashes a little upon my entry.

    ¡°If you want ¡®wrath,¡¯ I¡¯ll shove it along with this knife up your ass if you don¡¯t fucking cut the magic pressure and stop messing with my friends in the next 3 seconds! 2! 1¡ª!¡±

    ¡°O-Okay! Okay! I¡¯ll turn it off! Just put that blade away!¡±

    In his fluster, the bear lowers the pressure of his dark-green magical aura until nothing emanates from his body.

    The girls behind me sans Ume gasp and fall to the ground before taking a breath. Winny only took a knee while the rest are lying down.

    <¡°¡­ Daaaaaaamn,¡±> Nyra drawls.

    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s better.¡± Seeing his magical aura receding and the air feeling lighter, I relax my hardened ¡®Glare,¡¯ sigh out my own breath I was holding and put ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ back on as I sheathe Nyra. The bear falls on his ass as his wobbly hind legs couldn¡¯t hold his weight after that fright.

    [You have now reached ¡®Glare¡¯ LV 8!]

    Feels like it¡¯s been a while since that skill leveled up, but I didn¡¯t pay it too much mind.

    I then look to the others behind me, my vision now at its usual brightness that I¡¯m familiar with. ¡°Is everyone all right?!¡±

    ¡°I think ¡­ we¡¯re fine,¡± Ume says between breaths with a hand to her chest while the others are still lying on the ground in different fashions. They may look out, but the statuses I could see above them with my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill tells me that they¡¯ll be fine.

    I turn my attention back to the bear. ¡°Now, then, going back to where we left off before I was rudely interrupted, I would like to make a contract with you, but I¡¯m aware that a trial must be done in order for you guys to see me as worthy and I¡¯m willing to take the task, so if you would please explain to me the details¡ª¡±

    ¡°Th-That won¡¯t be necessary! I-In fact, you passed the trial before it even began! You passed! You¡¯re definitely worthy!¡± the bear exclaims while looking flustered.

    The whole courtyard goes quiet from the bear¡¯s sudden declaration of my approval.

    Uh ¡­ new bear familiar, get?

 Chapter 62: To Be Contracted, To Be Tamed

    ¡°¡­ Seriously? You¡¯re not playing with me as part of a trial already in progress, are you?¡± I ask with my hand back on Nyra¡¯s handle again.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m serious here! Destructive as I can be, I am not one to use underhanded tactics to achieve victory, especially as part of a trial!¡±

    ¡°Then, what made you see me as worthy?¡±

    ¡°When I became the King of Wrath, there were only very few people who were able to make me stagger in fear just being in the presence of their power. One of them was my superior in the Cursed Realm.¡±

    ¡°That would be the God of Wrath, Monkar, right?¡± Ume asks, to which the bear nods in confirmation.

    ¡°I see,¡± I start with a hand to my chin, ¡°and if I remember right, Winny¡¯s bird familiar from the Holy Realm is something about ¡®Humility,¡¯ which opposes Pride as one of the Seven Virtues, right? That means, for each god and goddess of sin or virtue, there is a king or queen magical beast of those same ideologies that serve as their aide or right-hand man of sorts?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± the bear answers. ¡°I have fought and worked my way up from the bottom to get to where I am today with raw power both physically and magically. Few have dared to oppose me when I took my stance as a king, and none of them ever walked out of my presence alive. Human male, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Jinma Kotori.¡±

    ¡°Jinma Kotori ¡­ you are not only the first human to have ever summon me, but the first being since I became a king to oppose and make me stagger in the presence of your magical aura, let alone possessing the Devil Eyes that only those of the Devil race may possess. You have more than proven yourself worthy before I even uttered a word about putting you on trial.¡±

    So, my Devil Eyes were on just then? How did I get them up? Are they still on now?

    <¡°Nope, you¡¯re good,¡±> Nyra confirms.

    ¡°Your strength and capability for committing wrath far exceed anything I could ever expect; therefore, if you would have me, it would be an honor to make a Master and Familiar pact with you, Jinma Kotori.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re willing to form a contract with me?!¡±

    ¡°That is what I¡¯m telling you, yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, please! It would be awesome to have you on board! How do we make the contract?¡±

    ¡°Bestow a name upon me, and our pact will be sealed.¡±

    ¡°Give you a name, huh ¡­¡± I close my eyes and think hard on what to give this impressive familiar. It doesn¡¯t help that I¡¯m no good at coming up with names on the spot. ¡°Crimson bear, red bear, strong bear ¡­ Kenaka.¡± Trying out the little trick Winny showed me, I use my magic to trace lines with my finger to form the bear¡¯s name in Japanese with ease. [½¡</a>³à</a>] ¡°Not very creative, but it translates to something like ¡®red strength¡¯ back in my country.¡±

    ¡°¡®Red strength¡¯ with these peculiar characters ¡­ I like it! Then from this moment on, I bestow my power to you, accept the name ¡®Kenaka,¡¯ and will be your familiar until the end of your days. I¡¯m honored to be under your leadership, Milord,¡± he declares as he lowers his head to me.

    ¡°Yeah, welcome aboard, Kenaka,¡± I say before my magical characters dissipate into nothingness. The summoning circle and Kenaka emit a bright purplish-white light before it all condense and sinks into my chest like Ms. Obina¡¯s magic did in the Sacred Realm. A great feeling swells and spreads through my body before I get an incredible sense of lightness.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Bear King of Wrath Summoner¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Summon Bear King of Wrath*!¡¯

    [You have now learned ¡®Familiar Telepathy*¡¯!

    [You have now learned ¡®Bear King of Wrath¡¯s Blessing*!¡¯

    [Your HP, MP, ATK, DEF, SP. ATK and SP. DEF has increased!]

    Huh, is this stat boost the result of the blessing? I¡¯ll look at it later.

    ¡°Ha ha ha~!¡± Ume suddenly laughs joyfully as she wraps her arms around my shoulders and circles me around. ¡°You did it! I still can¡¯t believe it, but you did it! Not only forming a contract with a familiar but with the Bear King of Wrath! Is there anything you can¡¯t do?!¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable ¡­ for Master Jinma to form a contract with the King of Wrath,¡± Winny says as she slowly stands up.

    ¡°I do not go by ¡®King of Wrath¡¯ any longer. Refer to me as ¡®Kenaka¡¯ from now on.¡±

    ¡°O-Oh, yes, Master Kenaka, please excuse me.¡±

    <¡°Am I the only one finding it weird how he changed his tone so drastically since he came in?¡±>

    ¡°Hm? Who said that?¡± Kenaka asks while looking around the room.

    ¡°Wait, can you hear Nyra, too?¡± I ask while Ume sets me down before I hold up the tanto in front of him.

    ¡°Nyra? I imagine this being a cursed weapon, but is there someone dwelling inside it?¡±

    <¡°Yoo, what up, bear! Name¡¯s Nyra! I¡¯m a Pixie trapped in the weapon of my own creation! Nice to meet ya!¡±>

    ¡°A Pixie trapped in a weapon as part of a curse ¡­ it seems there¡¯s still much to this realm I¡¯ve yet to know. If you¡¯ve formed a Weapon¡¯s Bond with her, Milord, I imagine its magic is being linked by that of the contract between us.¡±

    ¡°Huh, neat.¡±

    ¡°Wait, did I hear right that there¡¯s a Pixie trapped in the cursed tanto?¡± Winny asks, but Kenaka continues without acknowledging her.

    ¡°Well then, I guess I look forward to working with you in the future, Nyra.¡±

    <¡°Ditto!¡±>

    ¡°Please excuse me for being selfish, Milord, but I¡¯d like to ask a favor.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Normally by now, we magical beasts would return to our respective realms as their continuous presence require magical power from the summoner, but as we are linked by the contract, I can sense yours is already recovering at a drastically fast rate. If it doesn¡¯t hinder your movements, I¡¯d like to remain by your side in this realm.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯m worried how me walking around with a large bear will scare the other locals. Even now with your pressure toned down, my companions are still a little uneasy.¡± I look back and see the girls are taking their time getting their bearings. The only one concerning me is Ren who still lies on the ground face-first.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Ah, yes ¡­ then perhaps this will suffice?¡±

    Suddenly, Kenaka blows up in a puff of smoke, and in his place, sits a red bear cub that¡¯s a little bigger than my MIB.

    ¡°I believe this form will be more sufficient to getting around without attracting attention? I also require less magical power while in this form to stay with you in this realm,¡± he says in a surprisingly higher pitched, child-like voice.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s actually much better.¡±

    ¡°Oh my gosh, you¡¯re the cutest thing, ever!¡± Ume exclaims as she picks Kenaka up and hugs him. ¡°Haaa~! You¡¯re so soft and cuddly!¡±

    ¡°U-Unhand me, Lizardman! I am not some plaything that some stranger can do whatever they want with!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but I am not ¡®some stranger.¡¯ My name is Umeiyon, I am your master¡¯s proud and beloved wife, and so I have the right to cuddle and squeeze you anytime I please, so you should get used to this treatment while you can.¡±

    ¡°A human and a Lizardman courted as husband and wife?! Wait, does that make ¡­ all of the other girls here of the Demon-Kin Milord¡¯s concubines?!¡± Kenaka exclaims.

    ¡°H-Huh?! Does it really look like that?! I-I mean ¡­ someone like me having that kind of relationship with Master Jinma would be ¡­¡± Winny trails off before going into mumbling that I can¡¯t make out.

    ¡°I-I am not like that with Master Jinma! We art not even registered as party members yet! I am but a lowly servant!¡± Kalline exclaims in a fluster.

    ¡°Ren and I are Master¡¯s sex slaves. Since you¡¯ll be serving him along with us, I hope that we get along, Kenaka,¡± Erizora says politely.

    ¡°I¡¯m a ¡­ I think we¡¯re working something out, at least. We haven¡¯t got much time to bond, and after talking with my mother last night ¡­¡± Lili also trails off while looking to the side with a slight blush.

    <¡°And as for me, while I¡¯m his main partner in battle being the tanto that I am, I¡¯m his partner in crime in our crude comedy duo!¡±>

    Seriously, Nyra?

    <¡°I mean, we also have some bloody crazy magic sex or whatever the fuck¡¯s going on with us when he uses me to cut enemies open, so I guess that¡¯d make us primary sex buddies? I don¡¯t fucking now.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ What in the bloody name of Monkar has this world come to for a human to get with so many demons in a harem?¡± Kenaka asks.

    ¡°You might want to get used to it because I feel like we¡¯re going to meet a lot more crazy people in our travels soon enough,¡± I say before approaching Ren still lying on the ground. Her status still reads as ¡®ALIVE,¡¯ but I¡¯m worried about how she¡¯s not getting up like the others have. Not to mention, like one might see in RPGs, using clear symbols and colors, there¡¯s a strange new icon next to her name like I¡¯ve seen from other people that say they¡¯re afflicted with ailments like ¡®poisoned¡¯ or having their stats decreased.

    This new icon in particular just depicts a silhouette of a canine¡¯s head.

    ¡°Ren? Are you still with us? Kenaka¡¯s calmed down now so you can relax, too,¡± I say while lightly shaking Ren¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Murr ¡­¡± Ren utters a weird noise and stretches in a low yoga-like pose strangely fitting for her character¡ªI learn later that it was called ¡®downward dog¡¯¡ªbefore shaking herself and stands on all fours.

    ¡­ Something feels very wrong here, I think just as Ren looks up at me.

    ¡°[Master! It¡¯s Master! Master¡¯s here!]¡± Ren exclaims excitedly as she suddenly runs around me in circles, still on all fours. The way she shouted that, I couldn¡¯t help but feel there was something different about it from the way she usually spoke. ¡°[Wow! Look at all of the people here! What¡¯s that big furry thing?! Ooh! I see birds flying! *Gasp!* Look at all of this grass!]¡±

    Then, out of nowhere, Ren runs to the grass and starts rolling and rubbing herself on top of it. ¡°[Sooooft! It smells so gooood! Oh, if Master rubs my tummy like this, I¡¯d really be living in paradise, now!]¡±

    ¡°Is Ren ¡­ barking?¡± Lili asks out of shock as she and the rest of the girls watch on in Ren¡¯s drastic behavior change.

    Wait, ¡®barking?¡¯ Like, ¡®wan wan,¡¯ barking? But I understood her just fine, though?

    <¡°I heard her fine, too! Though, I do admit her speaking sounded a bit more off than normal.¡±>

    You thought of that, too, huh?

    ¡°Oh, dear, under these circumstances, it was expected that this would happen,¡± Ume says while Winny walks over to Ren who¡¯s rolling on the ground.

    ¡°I will check with my ¡®Diagnosis¡¯ skill ¡­ yep, it¡¯s as I thought. Ren has succumbed into the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®regressed?¡¯ ailment?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It¡¯s an ailment specifically affecting beast-type races in both the Demon-Kin and Demi-Kin,¡± Winny explains. ¡°When one¡¯s experiencing high stress under a threatening-enough situation, they momentarily lose their senses of logic and reasoning and revert to their more bestial instincts that befits their race in order to quickly commit some sort of responsive action. They won¡¯t be able to properly use their skills and spells, they¡¯ll just behave like, well, beasts, and usually attack anyone indiscriminately when they¡¯re approached, but this is the first I¡¯ve ever seen one experiencing this ailment in such a manner,¡± she finishes as she watches Ren.

    Ume mentioned me going into ¡®distressed¡¯ if I was overwhelmed by my fear of heights. So, there¡¯s ailments like that, and then there are those like ¡®regressed¡¯ that Ren¡¯s afflicted with right now. I can¡¯t tell how real or ridiculous the mechanics in this world are getting.

    ¡°[Master! Tummy rubs, please!]¡± Ren barks (?) as she looks at me before panting with her tongue out.

    ¡°Ah, I just remembered Ren telling me of this pose once,¡± Erizora says. ¡°This is how Werewolves completely submit themselves to their ¡®opponents¡¯ when they know in their mind and heart that there¡¯s no hope of them ever achieving victory against them, and so they lie on their backs, exposing their stomachs, and leave themselves completely vulnerable as a way to beg for mercy and spare their lives.¡±

    ¡°¡­ But Ren just said she wanted me to rub her stomach just now,¡± I argue.

    ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡± the others respond in confusion while I approach Ren and lower myself to my knees.

    ¡°You said you want ¡­ ¡®tummy rubs,¡¯ right? Is that what you want?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°[Tummy rubs! Tummy rubs!]¡±

    ¡°She responded?!¡± Winny exclaims in shock. ¡°But they¡¯re usually incapable of thought and reasoning while in this state! Did she understand him?!¡±

    Slightly hesitant, I reach out and stroke Ren¡¯s bare midriff, slowly running my hand in a circle that elicits shivers in her body.

    ¡°Mrrrrrrr~,¡± Ren coos while lying back and receives what she¡¯s given, wagging her tail and kicking her wolf hindleg as well.

    ¡°She ¡­ likes it,¡± Kalline says while she and the others stare at the scene with mixed expressions.

    ¡°She really seems to be enjoying herself there, does she?¡±

    ¡°U-Uh, Lady Umeiyon? Could you loosen your hold on me, please? I think I can feel my bones creaking ¡­¡± Kenaka pleads to Ume.

    Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s actually jealous of this strange scene, is she?

    <¡°Going by what I¡¯m sensing with my Psyche Magic? I could feel the envy wafting from her,¡±> Nyra confirms.

    H-Hold on, if Ren¡¯s like this, then could she also ¡­ no, that just can¡¯t be ¡­ I mentally decide to do a little experiment based on what I¡¯ve read in some animal-related books back home.

    Ren deflates as I pull my hand away and I clear my throat. ¡°Let¡¯s try this ¡­ Ren, roll over,¡± I command while moving my hand in the appropriate motion.

    Ren follows without question until she stops on her stomach.

    ¡°Sit. Speak.¡±

    ¡°[I love you, Master!]¡±

    Okay, I admit I¡¯d probably be a little happier being told that with so much energy every morning if we aren¡¯t under these strange circumstances.

    ¡°Hand. Hand. Play dead.¡±

    After putting each of her corresponding beast hands on top of my own, Ren falls to her side and lies there motionlessly, following the ¡®play dead¡¯ command more beautifully than any pet dog I¡¯ve seen on Earth.

    ¡°She¡¯s following every order so straightforwardly! Master Jinma, how are you doing this?!¡± Winny asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m just doing what¡¯s expected between pets and pet owners!¡±

    ¡°Pets ¡­ come to think of it, Mr. Todoka¡¯s wife is a pet trainer that tames and trains monsters this way, too, making them ¡®pets¡¯ to be sold for high prices,¡± Erizora points out. ¡°If this is also possible with beast-type races under the ¡®regressed¡¯ status, then wouldn¡¯t that make Ren ¡­¡±

    [You have achieved the ¡®Pet Trainer¡¯ title!

    [¡®Petting¡¯ LV 1¡¯s mastery has been integrated into ¡®Petting¡¯ LV 3.

    [You have now reached ¡®Petting¡¯ LV 4!

    [¡®Massaging¡¯ LV 1 has been integrated into ¡®Massaging¡¯ LV 3.

    [You have now reached ¡®Massaging¡¯ LV 4!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Pet Owner¡¯ title!

    [¡®Petting¡¯ LV 1¡¯s mastery has been integrated into ¡®Petting¡¯ LV 4.

    [Ren is now registered as your pet!

    [Ren has achieved the ¡®Trained [Sex] Pet¡¯ title!]

    Just as Erizora trailed off, I receive all of these notices.

    Out of pure curiosity and confirmation through light experimentation, I have just converted my Werewolf [slave] companion, Ren, into a domesticated pet dog.

    If I had to make a comparison to this situation, a car that was driven by one of the people my former company hired to do me in back home successfully hit me with it as I was making my getaway and approaching my last moments before death. Getting hit by one for the very first time, I was amazed I managed to walk away with a couple fractured ribs and still itching to fight for my life. I was even still mending the wounds I had received from a street brawl prior to that at the time.

    My collision with that car was nothing compared to how the reality of this situation hits me, though.

    WHAT HAVE I DOOOOOOOOOOOOONE?! I scream in my mind.

 Chapter 63: The Awkward Second Summons

    I panicked as I thought I did something irreversible and told the others what I saw in the notices. They looked at Ren¡¯s current state with a rather solemn expression as I practically begged Winny to tell me what I should do to fix this, to get Ren out of this ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment and not force her into being a domesticated pet for the rest of her life.

    Thankfully, my worries were unfounded as Winny explained that beast-type races under the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment just need some time and space away from what¡¯s causing the stress. With her current level of the ¡®Diagnosis¡¯ skill, she can see how long those affected by ailments would last. Ren just needed about 10 minutes of space before she gets back to normal, the only downside being that those under the ailment will remember everything they experienced while in that state. It will be highly likely that Ren may want to die from the sheer embarrassment recalling those memories, but I¡¯d take that outcome out of anything else.

    Still, that begs the question of how Ren acquired something like a ¡®Trained [Sex] Pet¡¯ title while she was under the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment. Hell, how would even one¡¯s magical aura/pressure be enough to send someone into such a state? I knew Ume warned me before to keep ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ on full power at all times because those around high-powered beings would succumb to various side-effects, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be to this degree.

    It wasn¡¯t just Ren, either. Kalline, a Centaur that¡¯s also considered a beast-type race, would¡¯ve also fallen victim to my magical aura bout with Kenaka earlier if it weren¡¯t for her SP. DEF and experience as an adventurer to help her resist it. Instead, she was like a deer in headlights and just stood there frozen, unable to move a muscle. Lili also responded in this regard despite being part of the Insectoid race.

    Erizora seemed to have the second-to-worst of it as the sudden overwhelming pressure was too much for her body to handle and she ended up wetting herself. She didn¡¯t want to admit it at first before I saw the puddle she was sitting on to keep it from being seen, but the fact that she not only did not look ashamed but was so turned on from having me seeing her in such a humiliating, pitiful state that she wetted herself in a different way. Nyra confirmed that with me from how she sensed Erizora¡¯s emotions. While we all know Erizora¡¯s still a complete beginner in this kind of play in reality instead of her delusions, seeing her actually getting off to this while on a ¡®sacred ground¡¯ before she practically begged me to punish her appropriately ¡­ yeah, she¡¯s starting to bud as a masochist.

    What¡¯s also worrying is that I might also be budding as a sadist for wanting to see her make another accident before my eyes, but I try not to dwell on those thoughts as I shake them off.

    After I used [Clean] to clear the mess on Erizora and the courtyard¡¯s stone floor, I had her and the others take Ren to the church¡¯s sanctuary to rest until she recovers from the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment while Winny helped me with the second summons from the Holy Realm. Kenaka wants to join them after convincing Ume to let him go as it seems there are some magical beasts from opposing sides that can have quite a feud between them. He didn¡¯t wish his presence to hinder any possibility of me getting more capable help, and so I have him watch over Ren for me while they were out. He would let me know through telepathy in case anything happened.

    Ren was reluctant to separate from me and even gave me the puppy-dog eyes while asking ¡°[Master doesn¡¯t want me here? Will Master leave me?]¡± Apparently, all the others aside from me and Nyra heard was Ren making that same whining sound dogs would make when they¡¯re disheartened, but after assuring her I¡¯d be back as soon as I could and gave her some jerky I had in my MIB, she seemed somewhat satisfied and went off with the others, leaving me, Ume, and Winny still in the courtyard. I made a mental note to visit Ms. Carmen¡¯s tent later today, tell her what happened and see what her thoughts are in Ren becoming my ¡®pet.¡¯

    Just so we¡¯re clear here, it¡¯s not like I want Ren to play my pet after seeing how cute she looked acting like a playful, affectionate dog when she was forced into it under these circumstances. She¡¯s a companion first and a slave last with everything else in between them, all right? I want to acknowledge and respect the position she wants to be in when everything is settled in front of her.

    However, if she wants to do some pet play from time-to-time as a sort of experiment to see how we can make our sex lives together as a harem more interesting, who am I to refuse her wish to give it a try? I¡¯m totally not using that opportunity to fill the hole of wanting a pet in my life since I was a kid, but couldn¡¯t get one because of our financial status and how much animals of any kind seem to hate me while I was growing up.

    It¡¯s just a coincidence that Ren would be perfect to be doing such foreplay being a Werewolf that likes getting her ears and soft, fluffy, white-headed hair petted, okay? A coincidence.

    ¡°Still, for the people around me to have such a reaction just having my ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ off ¡­ you weren¡¯t kidding when you said there¡¯d be chaos,¡± I say to Ume as Winny starts drawing another magic circle, specifically to summon magical beasts from the Holy Realm.

    ¡°I have yet heard what happens when such power is revealed amongst humans and demis. This is just what I¡¯ve heard from others of my kind when they expose their auras around demons, specifically those who are more magically sensitive, of which I had unfortunately inconvenienced with my presence before I came to Dondegarm and met you. There are those who have high enough magic resistance to be able to keep standing while under such pressure, but just can¡¯t move. That said, I must say, Winny, you were barely able to hold your ground when everyone else fell over under such pressure. I thought you were very impressive back there.¡±

    ¡°E-Eh?! N-No, it¡¯s not really that big of a deal, and besides, it¡¯s not like I came out of that unscathed, either ¡­¡± Winny says shyly with reddened cheeks.

    Indeed, Winny was the only one other than Ume who was still able to stand while the magical pressure was on, she only relaxed and collapsed to her knees when my bout with Kenaka ended. Maybe that¡¯s to be expected of a black-ranked Priestess adventurer who also helps manages the church as a Holy Bishop.

    Though, admittedly, Winny really had to use the toilet before she got to drawing the second magic circle, which meant she almost fell to the same fate as Erizora did. Still, for Ume, a Dragon who specializes in magic, to give Winny such praise, I have a feeling that not a lot of Dragons would give beings ¡®lower than them¡¯ such acknowledgment, so that must really say a lot.

    ¡°Even so, being able to stand before Kenaka and Jin together under such pressure is a commendable feat,¡± Ume continues. ¡°In fact, speaking as his primary wife, I wouldn¡¯t mind you joining his harem, either.¡±

    ¡°Eh?! N-No, I just couldn¡¯t! There¡¯s still Brother who needs to be looked after and my duties as one of Dondegarm¡¯s Holy Bishops of its church!¡±

    ¡°So, if you weren¡¯t busy with those things, then you¡¯d join Jin¡¯s harem?¡±

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s ¡­¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, take it easy, Ume,¡± I intervene. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to press her on something like this. I already asked her yesterday if she could join our party and she refused while giving her reasons before we settled with her owing me a favor. I¡¯m not one to be persistent on someone when they¡¯ve rejected me clear as day. I¡¯m just glad that unlike those who¡¯ve royally rejected me back home, Winny here¡¯s willing to keep in touch with me as a good friend to confide in.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Winny widens her eyes. ¡°Friends? Do you really see me that way? As a friend?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah? I mean, we already talked quite a bit yesterday, so I don¡¯t see why we aren¡¯t unless you don¡¯t want us to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not in the slightest!¡± Winny exclaims, sounding desperate, but pulls back when she realizes how much she surprised us and clears her throat. ¡°I-I mean, yes, if you don¡¯t mind someone like me, I would be more than happy to be a friend of yours, Master Jinma, and ¡­ would you mind if I rely on you if I need anything in the future?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Putting favors aside, friends help each other out when they need it, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, of course! Then, I will be in your care, Master Jinma!¡± she exclaims while bowing.

    ¡°Mm. Same here, Winny.¡±

    <¡°She certainly seems happy getting friend-zoned, although ¡­ if what I¡¯m sensing right now is correct, maybe ¡®friends with benefits¡¯ might not be too far off~,¡±> Nyra says as Winny went back to drawing the magic circle.

    You know what it means to be ¡®friend-zoned?¡¯ And seriously, Nyra? ¡®Friends with benefits?¡¯ Did your Psyche Magic tell you that much, too?

    <¡°Oh, this one¡¯s on my female intuition and I¡¯m confident in that to know what girls have in their minds ¡­ being one myself along with having my fun with so many of them back in my day. What I want to know is what you think of her as a woman.¡±>

    Well, she¡¯s cute, nice, reliable, compassionate, I¡¯d definitely want her in the group having all of that in mind, and yes, as shameful as I might be thinking this way towards a pure-hearted Priestess, I¡¯m definitely curious to see what¡¯s under those robes after getting that small feel from her in our short ¡®embrace¡¯ yesterday. Again though, she rejected my advances, and so I don''t plan on pursuing her as a man unless something happens.

    <¡°She rejected joining your ¡®party,¡¯ Jinma. Joining your harem is a whole other game, but I think I¡¯ll stop the topic here for today.¡±>

    Soon enough, Winny finishes the second magic circle to summon magical beasts from the Holy Realm and I pull out my smartphone with ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ to get a good top-view image of it for reference. From there, Winny instructs me on how to start the summons, which was pretty much the same thing as I did when I summoned Kenaka, only with a few changes of words to fit with the use of my Holy Magic this time around.

    ¡°Aside from putting in an offering, is there a way you can get a particular magical beast to make a contract with?¡± I ask as I get myself in position.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ now that I think about it, a lot really don¡¯t know what to look for when they first summon a familiar. I know the magic circle won¡¯t react at all if you tried to change the chant when you first summon a magical beast, so doing that to specify what you want won¡¯t work. It¡¯s not often people try to summon more than one, but maybe you could try imagining what kind you¡¯re looking for as you put magic into it? Offerings may increase your chances, but it really all comes down to luck with how random the summoning may be.¡±

    With my ¡®LUCK,¡¯ it was incredible I¡¯d even get someone like Kenaka. I probably shouldn¡¯t expect something as great to come this time around. Actually, I kind of hope I don¡¯t get anything so fantastic.

    <¡°Never heard of anyone wishing for something that strange. Why do you say that?¡±> Nyra asks.

    I don¡¯t know why, but I feel with my LUCK, something really bad would happen down the line when I come across something awesome by chance around the same time. A lot of craziness happened within the last few days, but I actually started a harem, got to talk with Mom again for a short time, and managed to form a contract with a powerful familiar in my first summon. Whatever happens here, something will come later to even things out. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve noticed from how my life has been up to this point, anyway.

    <¡°Well, guess we¡¯ll have to see, won¡¯t we?¡±>

    I put my hand on the edge of the circle as I had done yesterday, but take a moment to clarify what kind of familiar I want in my mind before beginning.

    I don¡¯t want anything big. I want something small, maybe like a bird similar to Winny¡¯s familiar, Plume. It doesn¡¯t even have to be great enough to help me in battles, just something to serve as my eye in the skies when I need it. A bird ¡­ a bird a bird a bird a bird ¡­

    ¡°I call to thee, Holy, I beseech to you, bring me one who resides in the realm of virtue! Summon!¡±

    The large courtyard is bathed in the yellowish-white light the circle¡¯s emanating while some aura of the same color appears on the opposite side of me.

    ¡°S-Something¡¯s coming!¡± Winny exclaims.

    ¡°Augh, it¡¯s too bright! I can¡¯t see!¡± Ume adds.

    I squint my eyes while covering as much as I can to see what¡¯s coming. I see something of a figure approaching, but can¡¯t make out the shape. The gate (?) then becomes brighter that practically blinds us briefly before the lights finally die down. Once my eyes adjusted, I take a clear look at what¡¯s inside the circle, and it¡¯s ¡­

    A feline, more specifically, a cougar-like one with jade-like green fur and white underbelly, bearing a smaller body than Kenaka¡¯s, but still rather large overall. What stands out the most though is the bright-yellow eyes that seem to stare into my soul.

    ¡°Human with the strained magic, are you the one who called me?¡± the cougar asks with a mature woman-like tone. Seems the one who came this time is a girl.

    ¡°I-Incredible! The Jade Cougar Queen of Diligence! She¡¯s of the Seven Holy Beasts of Virtue! To even summon two of these amazing magical beasts, Master Jinma, is there no bound to your prowess?!¡± Winny asks as I can feel her sparkling eyes staring into me.

    ¡°This is ¡­¡± the exact opposite of what I was asking foooooor!

    Not only did I not get a bird, but something that likely eats them, and I was kind of hoping for another guy, too ¡­

    ¡°You are standing before The Jade Cougar Queen of Diligence of the Seven Holy Beasts of Virtue, yet I can¡¯t help but sense you¡¯re feeling disappointed. Is my presence not good enough for you, human?¡±

    ¡°No no no! It¡¯s not you, I was just, uh ¡­ if I speak honestly, can I ask you to not get mad?¡±

    ¡°Bad or good, I am a queen that accepts all honesties, nonetheless. Speak your mind,¡± the cougar says as she takes a seat and curls her tail around.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I was hoping for a bird or some beast that flies to give me a sort of scout from the skies and I was keeping my expectations really low for this, too, and I just ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to take this in.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ you do not require a great beast with the diligence in the highest caliber of its faction, but a measly bird just to help with your bad sense of direction?¡±

    ¡­ This is awkward.

    Ume then gives me a hard nudge. ¡°Pst! Jin! I hope you¡¯re not forgetting that you already got somebody that can fly right next to you!¡± she whispers with aggravation.

    ¡°Yeah, but we can¡¯t have you reveal too much of your identity to the public, right?! At this point in time, you¡¯re stuck on the ground!¡±

    Ume clicks her tongue at my rebuttal.

    ¡°Someone please tell me this is a joke,¡± the cougar says as she prowls around the magic circle. ¡°I came all this way after a great, unique power was calling to me, with nothing to do no less, and then I get told I was not needed?! Me?! The most diligent of all magical beasts in the Holy Realm?! Do you not know how it feels for someone to tell you that you¡¯re not wanted?!¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­¡±

    ¡°What will the others even say when I go back and tell them what happened?! I will be a laughingstock! I didn¡¯t work my way up to this position just to be brushed aside, you know?! Heck, I didn¡¯t even know what¡¯s entailed being the most diligent! I thought I¡¯d get the highest of praises from one of the Immortals themselves as I work alongside them being their partner or something! But nooooo, no ¡®thanks,¡¯ no ¡®good job, Cougar,¡¯ not even a scratch behind the ear, nothing! I just wanted some good attention after doing some honest work! Is that so wrong?! Even when I do want to go back and do the work I used to do, they¡¯re like, ¡®Oh, no, Your Majesty, you¡¯ve done enough on this end, you should return to the work that¡¯s right for your position.¡¯ There is nothing. Left. To do!

    ¡°I¡¯ve caught up with everything there is to do, I¡¯m bored out of my mind! I want to do something, but nobody¡¯s giving me a chance, and just when I¡¯ve picked up something of interest to me, I find that I picked up the wrong call! For me to even come this far in my life, making the sacrifices I had to make and grit my teeth on the humiliation I had to occur from time to time, just what have I been doing with my life up to now? I just ¡­¡± The cougar then collapses and sobs while covering her eyes with her paws.

    Aside from the silence between us three¡ªfour if you count Nyra in my mind¡ªthe courtyard in the back of the church is only filled by the cries of a seemingly neglected cougar who just wanted to feel like she mattered to someone.

    <¡°Whelp, congratulations, Jinma. You just made one of the strongest magical beasts in the Holy Realm cry. How do you feel on this one-of-a-kind accomplishment?¡±>

    ¡­ Shit.

 Chapter 64: To Acknowledge Ones Worth

    Oh, god ¡­ this is like sitting through some of my aunts¡¯ depressing, drunken ex-boyfriend talks, and she looks like she¡¯s been bottling this up for a looooong time. I¡¯ve never done this with a stranger though, let alone an animal, but since I pulled her out here ¡­

    I take a deep breath and step into the circle before kneeling at the crying cougar¡¯s side. Not knowing what else to do, I just do the first thing that comes to mind.

    [You have spent 450 SP. Total: 16128 SP

    [You have now reached ¡®Petting¡¯ LV 10!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Tamer¡¯ title!

    [¡®Monster Appraisal¡¯ LV 1 has been integrated into ¡®Size Up¡¯ LV 6

    [You have now reached ¡®Size Up¡¯ LV 7!

    [¡®Massaging¡¯ LV 1 has been integrated into ¡®Massaging¡¯ LV 4.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Master Tamer¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Pet Telepathy*¡¯!

    [The two coinciding skills ¡®Familiar Telepathy*¡¯ and ¡®Pet Telepathy*¡¯ have integrated into ¡®Telepathy¡¯ LV 1.

    [You have now learned ¡®Psyche Magic¡¯ LV 1!

    [You have now learned ¡®Summon Pet*!¡¯

    [You have reached the maximum level of the ¡®Petting¡¯ skill!]

    <¡°Holy shit! I didn¡¯t even know you could learn Psyche Magic like that! Isn¡¯t this just downright crazy?! Well, fuck it! That makes us ¡®Psyche Fuck Buddies!¡¯ Awesome!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    Wow, okay, I know I decided to give the cougar more than just a scratch behind the ears but isn¡¯t this a bit much? Well, I guess this is somewhat to be expected when I suddenly spend SP to max out a skill with ¡®Skill Point Conversion,¡¯ but still ¡­

    Deciding to look at the new skills later, I make my move.

    Nade nade nade.

    With my mind and body acutely aware of how I move my hands and fingers, I give the cougar the best treatment possible with my maxed out ¡®Petting,¡¯ ¡®Intimate Touch,¡¯ and ¡®Sweet Spot¡¯ skills providing me assistance.

    ¡°W-What are you ¡­ oooohhhh~, sweet Zola that feels amaaaziiiiing~.¡± It was a bold move, but the cougar seems to start calming down and enjoy herself in the treatment.

    The fact that a sentient being like this cougar is even purring in content is a good sign to me.

    ¡°Are you hungry? I have some jerky.¡±

    ¡°Jerky?¡±

    I take a big chunk of the same jerky I gave to Ren earlier out of a pouch from my MIB and hold it out in front of the cougar while I continue petting her. She takes a few whiffs before taking it in her maw.

    ¡°Oh, my, thish ish ¡­ really good. *Gokun.* If you could get that spot where it joins the ear¡ªooooohh yeaaaah that¡¯s the spooooot~.¡± The cougar then falls to her side and melts under my touch.

    Despite how lewd she sounds, this is the exact kind of behavior I wanted to see if I were to have a pet cat. Both cats and dogs look so cute when they get spoiled rotten, but if I had to pick one or the other that I like better, I¡¯d have to lean more to the latter. It¡¯s a shame I had to die before I even had a chance to get close to anything remotely related to an animal and not get attacked.

    It''s so soooooft~. I mean, Ren¡¯s hair and ears are also soft, but this cougar¡¯s fur is on a whole other level of softness. Haaa~, I just want this sweet cougar to rest on my lap for me to pet all day and fall asleep with, if I could~.

    Before I lose myself in the cougar¡¯s fur and become a lazy bum, I shake any further thoughts out of my mind.

    ¡°I must apologize,¡± I say while giving her another jerky before I continue petting. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you and I had no idea you were having such a rough time. This may not be much to make up for my blunder, but I hope it gets somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Mm ¡­ do not feel so burdened. These summonses can get rather random at times and my problems aren¡¯t your fault.¡±

    ¡°Still, it sounds like you worked really hard to become a queen. I respect that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ being a ¡®queen¡¯ isn¡¯t all that¡¯s cracked up to be, lately.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what,¡± I start as I get in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make this a waste of time for you to go back with nothing to tell, so why don¡¯t you give me the toughest trial you got and we¡¯ll just do it for the sake of tradition.¡±

    ¡°You would lose on purpose for my sake? You¡¯ll never have a chance to see me again, though.¡±

    ¡°Not on purpose. I gotta pull my own weight to make this trial worth something for the both of us. I acknowledge people who work hard and am willing to meet them halfway. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be a very good story to tell if I don¡¯t give it my all like you have done up to this point, right?¡±

    To show my point, I release my ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ skill again and let my aura out to show what I¡¯m made of. I only showed about 50% of what I had this time around to not cause a panic again. The cougar¡¯s eyes widen in shock and I could see in my peripheral how Ume and Winny tingled from the sudden exposure to my magic.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°¡­ What is your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Jinma Kotori, ma¡¯am.¡± The cougar¡¯s turning out to be more polite this time around than Kenaka was, so I try to treat her with more respect.

    The cougar gets up and moves to sit in front of me. ¡°Jinma Kotori, I believe it is pointless of me to give you a trial now since I have decided to come with you out of my own volition.¡±

    ¡°<¡°Huh?!¡±>¡± Nyra, Ume, and Winny exclaim at once. I¡¯m also feeling shocked at this development.

    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, there¡¯s nothing left for me to do over there, no one would let me lift a paw to do things no matter how much I want to, and the Immortal I represent, the Goddess of Diligence, Zola, is too occupied with her own work to give a damn of where I am or what I do. Hell, the trial I wanted you to do, to fetch me a fish or edible water-type monster that¡¯s bigger than the both of us together within 36 hours, I¡¯d want to do it myself just to while away the time if I could. You, while you were honest with your intentions with summoning a familiar, even though you aren¡¯t to blame for my circumstances, you took it upon yourself to humor me just so I¡¯d have something to do. Your magical aura is unlike anything I¡¯ve seen before and you certainly did not earn the levels of power you possess by doing nothing, I¡¯m sure. I feel a sense of camaraderie from that, and I have a feeling I¡¯ll have more things to do worth my time being with you than back in the Holy Realm.

    ¡°I may not be a bird, but my own sense of directions along with the honed magic and Huntress class skills I possess will more than compensate that. If you would have me, I would be delighted to come with you as your familiar.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ if you¡¯re all right with me, then I¡¯d be thrilled to take you in,¡± I say before putting my ¡®Hide Magic¡¯ back on.

    ¡°Then bestow a name upon me, and our contract is sealed.¡±

    Man, I¡¯m really putting my naming senses to work here today. ¡°Let¡¯s see, a diligent cougar, jade, feline, a Huntress sounds skillful, adept, well-rounded in many situations ¡­ Mametama.¡± I use magic writing from earlier to write out her name in Japanese. [¤Þ¤á</a>Óñ</a>] It literally translates to ¡®Diligent Jade¡¯ and ¡®Tama¡¯ seems like a common name for house cats in Japan, so I figured why not? I didn¡¯t tell her that much, of course.

    ¡°Hm, not bad. From this moment on, I bestow my power to you, accept the name ¡®Mametama,¡¯ and will be your familiar until the end of your days. I look forward to working with you, Milord,¡± she finishes before bowing her head to me.

    ¡°Same here. Glad to have you with us, Mametama.¡±

    Just like with Kenaka¡¯s case, my magical characters dissipate before the magic circle and Mametama emit a yellowish-white light, all condensing and sinking into my chest. Lightness and warmth fill my being before notices appear.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Cougar Queen of Diligence Summoner¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Summon Cougar Queen of Diligence*¡¯!

    [You have now learned ¡®Cougar Queen of Diligence¡¯s Blessing*¡¯!

    [Your HP, MP, ATK, DEF, SP. DEF and AGI have increased!]

    <¡°Helloooooo~! Can you hear me?!¡±>

    ¡°¡­ Milord, what is that shrill, annoying noise?¡±

    ¡°That would be Nyra who dwells in this cursed weapon,¡± I answer Mametama as I hold out the weapon to her.

    <¡°How¡¯s it going?! Nyra the Pixie trapped in the tanto and Jinma¡¯s main partner in battle, at your service!¡±>

    ¡°Erm ¡­ the pleasure¡¯s all mine?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of noise, Winny and Ume have been quiet for a while. Hey, how are you two ¡­ doing?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, Master Jinma did it again, just like that, not even taking a trial to do it. Just some jerky, pets, and sweet-talking were all it took to win the Cougar Queen over. Now he¡¯s grown even more powerful from contracts with two of the strongest magical beasts in their respective realms ¡­¡± Winny mutters and trails off while staring into space. Ume, on the other hand, is fidgeting with reddened cheeks and shifting glances as she looks to be conflicted about something.

    <¡°Oooh~, Scalybutt¡¯s really teetering with her feelings right now! Wonder what she¡¯s thinking about?¡±> Nyra asks as if subtly asking me to try and use ¡®Telepathy¡¯ on Ume.

    Knowledgeable in magic as she is, I¡¯m not sure if Ume knows enough about Psyche Magic to not get freaked out if I suddenly speak to her mind, so I didn¡¯t do it, but it¡¯s definitely something I want to try at some point.

    ¡°So, who are these two, Milord?¡± Mametama asks.

    ¡°Ah, right. The Arch Imp is Winny, a splendid Priestess and Holy Bishop who helped me in summoning you, and the Lizardman is Umeiyon, a talented Sage and my primary wife that I usually call ¡®Ume.¡¯¡±

    ¡°A human is married to a Lizardman?!¡±

    ¡°Huh, Kenaka also had a similar reaction. Is it really so strange for humans and demons to have that kind of relationship with each other?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I only know the fundamentals and workings of most of the Mortal Realm from the books Goddess Zola gave me access to. I didn¡¯t fathom such a genuine relationship between two very different races was even possible!¡±

    ¡°Well, whether it¡¯s considered good or bad among others doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± I get up and move to wrap an arm around Ume¡¯s waist. ¡°I admit that it was rather a fast development between us, but I love my beautiful wife as she is. The same can be said for the rest of my family that¡¯s currently waiting for us back inside the church.¡±

    ¡°Jin ¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also another new familiar, Kenaka, who¡¯s waiting for us with them and he¡¯s from the Cursed Realm. Will it be a problem for you with him being from the opposite realm?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Hm, I did sense a beast of sin the moment we made a connection. The residents between realms may butt heads at times, but for me, it really depends on who I¡¯m dealing with. What kind of beast is he?¡±

    ¡°He was formerly the King of Wrath, a red ¡­ or more specifically a crimson bear.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Really, now? And what trial did you do to make him submit into being your familiar?¡± she asks with sudden great interest.

    ¡°Well, it was sort of like how things turned out between us, except he really intimidated my family with his magical aura and I had to settle him down with my own. I guess that was enough of him to not even do a trial on me. He was kind of frightened by it, too.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ interesting.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but I feel Mametama made a sneer just now. ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to get along with him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry, Milord. We¡¯ll get along swimmingly. This will honestly be an interesting change of pace since I¡¯ve grown bored of those worshipping me.¡±

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to see later. Oh, and you¡¯re welcome to stay in this realm if you want. My MP seems to recover pretty quickly, but you¡¯ll have to be in a smaller form to walk around in the open.¡±

    ¡°I can do that no problem.¡± A puff of smoke envelops Mametama¡¯s form, and in her place is a green kitten. ¡°How¡¯s this, Milord?¡± she asks in a higher pitched voice that matches her smaller form.

    At that moment, something pierces my heart that I clutch in pain.

    ¡­ Yep, I¡¯m currently suffering from the cuteness.

    ¡°Aaaaah! She¡¯s so adorable!¡± Winny squeals before picking Mametama up without a second thought and cradles the kitten in her arm like a baby. ¡°So cuuuuute~! Who¡¯s the cutest? Whoooo¡¯s the cutest? You are! Yes, you are~.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to get used to this attention, aren¡¯t I?¡± Mametama asks.

    ¡°At least for a while. You should expect maybe four more girls who¡¯ll want to coddle you when they meet you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, four girls? Are they the rest of your family? Are they your mates, too?¡±

    ¡°Um, more or less.¡±

    ¡°¡­ All of them also of the Demon-kin?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m the only human.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m suddenly questioning my life choices again.¡±

    And so, whether the cougar [kitten] regrets her life choices or not, I¡¯ve gained my second familiar. I didn¡¯t know until soon after making that contract that having Kenaka and Mametama together in my party would make things more complicated than I realized.

    I also had no idea that these two magical beasts sticking by me would play a significant role in an encounter I would never have expected since coming to this world.

 Chapter 65: A Bitter Reunion and a Werewolfs Regression

    After Winny calmed down and Ume had her turn holding Mametama, we gathered our things and made the way back inside the church. I went ahead to check in on Ren first because I wasn¡¯t sure if the ¡®dog versus cat¡¯ feud is as common here in this world as it was on Earth and I¡¯d rather like to avoid any unneeded fighting.

    When I got to the sanctuary first, the others are scattered around doing their own thing, with Ren sitting by herself on one of the benches before she looks at me.

    ¡°Hey, guys. How¡¯s she doing?¡± I ask.

    ¡°She calmed down and was sitting on the floor watching the door the whole time before she came to her senses,¡± Erizora explains. ¡°She¡¯s just been sitting on the bench being quiet since then.¡±

    Sitting and watching the door ¡­ just like pet a dog waiting for their owner to come home. My heart was weakened by Mametama¡¯s cuteness in kitten form moments ago, so when I imagined Ren in such a scenario just now, it ached even more from the cute yet sad image of her loneliness.

    I shake off those feelings and approach Ren and lower myself to her eye level. The moment our eyes meet, her face flushes and she averts her gaze as she tries to keep herself from breaking out into tears.

    ¡°Are you feeling all right, Ren?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m okay now, and ¡­ I¡¯m sorry you had to see such a shameful side of me, Master.¡±

    I look to the others and they nod. It seems they¡¯re able to understand her now.

    ¡°All right, now before we get to what happened back there, allow me to introduce you all to my second new familiar from the Holy Realm,¡± I say before I went back out and give the okay to the others outside. Winny comes in first before Ume follows after that with Mametama in her arms. I thought the collective high-pitched squeals might¡¯ve blown my eardrums as I close the door behind me.

    ¡°Master Jinma, who is that bundle of cuteness in Lady Umeiyon¡¯s arms?!¡± Kalline asks. This is probably the most feminine I¡¯ve seen out of the proud Centaur warrior so far.

    I clear my throat. ¡°Guys, allow me to introduce you to my second familiar who came from the Holy Realm. The Jade Cougar Queen of Diligence I named Mametama.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Kenaka exclaims with a jump.

    ¡°Well, well, well~, so what Milord has told me was correct,¡± Mametama says before jumping off of Ume¡¯s arms, surprising her, and approach Kenaka. Despite looking like a kitten, her eyes changed to one like they¡¯ve spotted a prey to play with, even though Kenaka¡¯s cub form is a little bigger than her. ¡°The one and only Crimson Bear King of Wrath. Oh, how I¡¯ve longed to meet you of all beasts again.¡±

    Judging by the sound of her tone, Mametama seems anything but happy to see Kenaka right now.

    ¡°You two know each other?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Oh, we had quite an interesting history together before we took the roles of kings and queens among our factions. Isn¡¯t that right, ¡®Kenaka,¡¯ was it? For the ¡®King of Wrath,¡¯ the ¡®High Ruler of Destruction¡¯ stooped down to becoming a human¡¯s familiar after being frightened of his power. I must say, this is the most pitiful I¡¯ve seen of you yet. Oh, not that I¡¯m saying serving you is in any way disgraceful, Milord. I do not mean to offend.¡±

    ¡°Uh, none taken?¡±

    ¡°¡­ You know me well enough by now that I only acknowledge those of great power as my superior, and Milord certainly displayed that before I even had the chance to put him on trial,¡± Kenaka defends.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t do anything with Jin because of how he threatened to stick a knife up your ass if you didn¡¯t stop scaring the others in his party?¡± Ume asks with a quirked brow.

    Kenaka falls short into silence before Mametama guffaws.

    ¡°Seriously?! You¡¯ve frightened every enemy before you up to now, and all it took to put you in your place was a knife?!¡±

    ¡°Shut it! If you witnessed Milord¡¯s overwhelming aura on top of his ¡®Devil Eyes,¡¯ you know how gruesome it would be to become that man¡¯s adversary!¡±

    Mametama¡¯s laughs also fall short as she stares at Kenaka wide-eyed. ¡°Really? I mean, I¡¯ve seen his powerful aura as well, but the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ is news to me. That shouldn¡¯t even be possible for a human.¡±

    ¡°I must say, I thought I was hearing things when I heard a human who possessed the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ helped stop the raid on Dondegarm, but after seeing that spectacle ¡­¡± Winny trails off.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I don¡¯t know what the deal on that is, either, and I didn¡¯t even know how I was able to activate it,¡± I say while scratching my head. ¡°I plan on seeking some info on how that¡¯s possible in the future after our first quest is finished, but in the meantime, let me ask this to the two of you now.¡±

    I approach the two young-looking animals of their respective races and stand between them before furrowing my brow. ¡°I can tell from the sound of your tones that whatever relationship you had in the past didn¡¯t end so well. Will that history become a problem that will hinder our performance as a party down the line?¡±

    ¡°¡­ No, Milord.¡±

    ¡°The last thing I wish as a former queen is to become a burden to you, Milord,¡± Kenaka and Mametama say respectively as they bow before me.

    ¡°You can discuss your personal affairs on your own times as long as you¡¯re remaining in this realm, but if I see or hear of anything that would disturb the peace in result of those same affairs, I will step in and use whatever means necessary to resolve that problem myself and believe me, it will not be pretty. Are we clear?¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Milord.¡±¡±

    ¡°Am I the only one who finds this image a little strange?¡± I hear Lili whispering to Kalline.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    If she¡¯s talking about two young animals bowing down to a scary-looking dude then I don¡¯t blame her for thinking that, but I¡¯m not going to worry about it.

    After everyone properly introduced themselves to my new familiars, I shift my direction to Ren, going into the subject of her being in a ¡®regressed¡¯ status moments ago.

    I had been thinking a little before coming into the sanctuary as to why Nyra and I were somehow able to understand Ren while the others only heard barking and whining out of her. I then remembered what happened before I even arrived in this world.

    Ms. Obina¡¯s magic. From what she told me, I was given a special blessing where I could interpret any spoken language, even though I couldn¡¯t read the writing of them for the life of me. I thought the ¡®Pet Telepathy¡¯ skill was why I could understand her at first, but I got that after I maxed out my ¡®Petting¡¯ skill, so that couldn¡¯t have been it. I then wondered if Ren was speaking another language only other Werewolves would understand.

    With that in mind, I ask Ren about what she could remember and why it happened the way it wasn¡¯t expected to be from beast-type races under the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment.

    ¡°First of all, I mean no offense Ms. Winny, but I think your assumption on how we behave under the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment is not right.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Winny asks, a little shocked.

    ¡°There are different beast-type races among demis and demons, and so it would make sense that they behave differently, not just by their race, but their personality as well. For us Werewolves, while we¡¯re more likely to resort to violence, we only do it among those that try to harm us or our pack. When we know that there¡¯s no danger nearby, I suppose you could say ¡­ we¡¯re a lot more open to express our desires and act on our instincts in front of those inside our pack than the people outside of it. We also subconsciously resort to speaking in what we call ¡®Caninian¡¯ that only those among canine beast-type races would understand, but we¡¯re still able to interpret whatever language we know of outside of it while in that state.¡±

    I see, so understanding her special language was the case here.

    <¡°So, how was I able to understand her? The Pixies and Fairies spoke and wrote in what was called ¡®Spritan,¡¯ I learned to speak Padimonian over the course of my time as a tanto possessing other people, but this is the first I¡¯ve heard of such a language like ¡®Caninian,¡¯¡±> Nyra points out.

    Hmm ¡­ Kenaka mentioned how the Weapon¡¯s Bond¡¯s magic linked us together in order for him to hear from you. I had to use my blood to make this bond possible and I was given a blessing before that that allows me to interpret any vocal language. Do you think those two are connected?

    <¡°It might be possible. Since we¡¯re linked by magic with your blood being a sort of marking, we¡¯re able to share some of our capabilities, right? It would explain how you managed to pick up ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ so quickly. So, that blessing Goddess Obina gave you to understand all languages passed down to me as well?¡±>

    Somehow.

    ¡°Jinma was able to understand you just fine, though,¡± Lili points out, continuing where Ren left off. ¡°Like ¡­ he understood what you were saying, word for word. How did you do that, Jinma?¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh ¡­ it¡¯s not really about what she said that I understood, but when you think back to her gestures, you could make out what she was trying to put out through body language, right?¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ from Ren lying on her back and exposing her stomach, thou figured out she wanted ¡­ ¡®tummy rubs?¡¯ How did thou come to that conclusion?¡± Kalline asks. The way the word ¡®tummy rubs¡¯ was used made Ren flush.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just ¡­ what I¡¯ve seen between tamed canine-type monsters and monster tamers back home.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I remember Mr. Todoka¡¯s wife doing the same thing with her tamed pets, so that must be true!¡± Erizora exclaims. The others seem convinced after hearing someone¡¯s confirmation.

    Wow, way to make my ¡®Deception¡¯ more believable, Erizora. I¡¯m not sure if I would put those animals back home on the same level as monsters, but I haven¡¯t seen any regular animals so far in this world, so I had to play it safe.

    ¡°Speaking of ¡®taming,¡¯ Jin told us how he got a notice of achieving the ¡®Pet Owner¡¯ and ¡®Pet Trainer¡¯ titles after he successfully had Ren, who had achieved the ¡®Trained Pet¡¯ title, follow his commands. What was with that?¡± Ume asks.

    I voided out the [Sex] from ¡®Trained [Sex] Pet¡¯ when I explained to the others so it wouldn¡¯t be too strange.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know about that one,¡± Ren says with a contemplating expression. She seems to have picked up on my intentions since she didn¡¯t correct me on her true title and decides to go along with it. ¡°With or without my place as a slave, I knew in my heart that Master was superior to me in many ways, and of course, I love him as a male. I felt it was natural of me to do anything he tells me to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have put you in a humiliating state and receive such a degrading title,¡± I say before bowing my head to her in a 90-degree angle. ¡°Had I known that would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have put you through such an ordeal. I hope that you may forgive me, Ren.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s fine, Master! Please, raise your head! Besides ¡­¡± she trails off and I look up to see her averting her gaze, embarrassed and still red. ¡°You¡¯re so fair and kind, I felt really good and happy how you have petted me from time to time. Shameful as it might be for me in my place as your slave to receive such indulgences, if being Master¡¯s pet is what it takes to get more of that, then ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind doing that much for you. I know because that¡¯s what I truly felt when I look back at the moment you rubbed my stomach ¡­¡±

    I thought my heart might¡¯ve popped out of my chest from how hard it thumped. What¡¯s more, I didn¡¯t catch a single hint of a lie in her words with my ¡®Intuition¡¯ on.

    Oh, no ¡­ if she really says she doesn¡¯t mind, then I might take her up on it without warning from time to time. I didn¡¯t really think I¡¯d get something like this for a ¡®pet¡¯ back home but I might have to make the most of it from our ¡®plays¡¯ from now on.

    <¡°Well~, lookee here~, taking the first step into ¡®freaky territory,¡¯ huh? This sounds to be some form of BDSM without so much bondage. Gotta admit, we didn¡¯t have this sort of foreplay back in my day and I haven¡¯t seen any memories of the previously possessed taking any part of this, so this will definitely be an awesome experience for the both of us,¡±> Nyra says. Even though I don¡¯t know what she looks like, I could imagine her licking her lips or make some other lewd expression to show her enthusiasm.

    Aside from that, we all agreed that a sentient being like a Werewolf being able to acquire a ¡®Trained Pet¡¯ title was unusual, which means I really need to talk to Ms. Carmen and see what she makes of this situation. It seems Ren will be fine though, so we called this matter settled for the time being.

    I give my thanks to Winny for providing the summons service today while she does the same being allowed to witness such a wondrous event in her time as a Holy Bishop. With two of my new familiars now with us in my party, I decide for us to move to our next location: the adventurer¡¯s guild, where I¡¯ll need to confront Eugus about letting Kalline join my party. And so, I open up [Portal] to the guild before everyone sans Winny starts stepping through.

    A tug on my jacket catches my attention as I maintain the spell to see it was Ren. She beckons me closer so she could whisper, and so I comply.

    ¡°One more thing about us Werewolves. On nights of a full moon, when we¡¯re with our acknowledged mates, we females submit to the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment while going through our heat to readily accept the male¡¯s seed and bear their children. We¡¯re ¡­ a lot more energetic over sex at this time, so ¡­ I¡¯ll be in your care when that comes, and I¡¯ll make sure our time together will be worthwhile, Master.¡±

    I turn to her wide-eyed and see how red she is despite her gentle smile, her tail sways side to side. Being the second the last to step into the [Portal], she takes her time to approach and walk through it, lifting her tail up all the while without looking back, as if letting me drink in the view of the perky ass on purpose as her owner and mate.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <¡°So, Werewolf bitches do go into heat, huh? And more ¡®energetic,¡¯ she says? Since you got the [Contraception] Null Spell to prevent pregnancy, sounds like you got something to look forward to on the next full moon, huh?¡±> Nyra asks.

    Yeah ¡­ I¡¯m definitely gonna go wild on that bitch when the time comes. With that thought in mind, while also restraining my cock from getting hard in my pants, I pick up my stuff and make my way through the [Portal] to join the others.

 Chapter 66: The Assigned Quests Dangers

    I opened the [Portal] a little away from the guild so we¡¯d walk the rest of the way there and not cut into any traffic. I could sense how much we were attracting attention from other passersby and adventurers but I pay them no mind. For such a large group walking together that includes a bear and cougar cub, it¡¯d be inevitable that we¡¯d be attracting eyes.

    When we got inside the guild, we went straight to Ms. Raize who waved her clawed hand at us upon first sight. Representing for the group, I give my request to speak with Eugus about discussing the Assigned Quest he gave to me and Ume yesterday. Ms. Raize had one of the nearby employees notify him in his office and asked us to take a seat on one of the tables to wait. I mentioned to her that we¡¯ll be updating our party registry after that and she nodded in confirmation before we took our seats.

    While part of my objective is to notify Eugus who¡¯ll be joining me and Ume, the original adventurers who were scouted first in our Assigned Quest, I will be attempting to persuade the stubborn guild master into letting his niece, Kalline, be registered in our party. For this to work, I need to reconfirm something.

    ¡°Before I confront Eugus, I just need to make sure with you, Kalline, do you still want to join our party enough to go this far?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°I owe my life to thee, and it would be unforgivable for me as a Centaur to not repay that ¡­ nay, it is not just that, I want to do whatever it takes to be of use by someone of thy caliber. I previously thought my dream was nothing but childish, but if it is thee, thou may help me make that dream become reality. Thou have my word that I will go along with whatever plan thou may have.¡±

    Okay, partially my fault to put such a serious air to this, but her enthusiasm is as fiery as ever, I think as I nod to her. ¡°Then, in order for my plan to work, you must go along with whatever I say without question or doubt despite the direction it may go. That goes for everyone here. Do you all understand?¡±

    Everyone in my party nods in agreement.

    ¡°I may not be a part of this party, but is it possible to give us the main point of this quest?¡± Lili asks.

    Eugus told Ume and I that we shouldn¡¯t tell too much about the quest to those outside of the group joining us, but since Lili is a close acquaintance whose mother works for the guild, I think I could trust her. So, I put up a [Soundproof] barrier so people outside of our table aren¡¯t able to hear us.

    ¡°To keep things short, it¡¯s an escort mission in Palocaesy Dungeon with a Vampire named Noire Scarletine Krauss.¡±

    ¡°¡°Lady Krauss?!¡±¡± Lili and Kalline exclaim. Ren and Erizora look like they have no idea what was going on, which I sort of expected, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get such a reaction from Lili and Kalline.

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re talking about the noblewoman Vampire Noire of the Krauss family right? Please tell me I¡¯m mistaken,¡± Lili says.

    ¡°Uh, nope. You¡¯re on the dot.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what you signed up for?! Do you know how much shit you¡¯ll be in if something happened to her?!¡± Lili asks while shaking me in a panic.

    ¡°M-Ms. Lili! Calm down!¡± Kalline exclaims while separating the two of us. ¡°I understand how important she is coming from a prestigious family, but if it is the guild master who gave Master Jinma and Lady Umeiyon the Assigned Quest himself, then that either shows how confident he is in their capabilities, or I would not be surprised if this is part of some trial for them starting out at their respective ranks as adventurers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if you¡¯ve been on the social web long enough, you¡¯d know how dire this situation would be, especially if it¡¯s her being escorted by a male, and a human at that! Jinma, I¡¯m not even supposed to be saying this to you, but you need to know this so you wouldn¡¯t even think of trying anything fishy with her.¡±

    Sheesh, can she not trust me being alone with a woman at all?

    <¡°Uh, are you seriously asking that after the orgy you had in the private bath last night?¡±>

    ¡­ Right. Point taken.

    ¡°This goes to the rest of you in this bubble as well! This must never be outside of it! Understand?!¡± Lili asks the others, to which they nod in understanding. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve been running a business as a tailoress in Korangar for some time, and knowing my creations are made from my own silk, you can bet I¡¯d get high-paid commissions from those living the good life. One of which is a wedding dress commissioned by the groom, a Vampire named Lord Perseus Shalloreed Rowling, the second son of the current head the Rowling Family, and also the leader of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples. Basically, he¡¯s the duke¡¯s right-hand man. And guess who the lucky bride is?¡±

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    ¡°¡­ Ah, so Lady Krauss is engaged,¡± I conclude.

    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re following along while addressing nobles properly on where they stand, Jinma. I only know this because he hired me to create Lady Krauss¡¯ dress, but the engagement hasn¡¯t been made public yet and the wedding is planned to have only all the noble families attend. I can¡¯t even go to it even though I made the dress. This is how high-strung and serious the Rowling Family takes these things. Now, if something were to happen to Lady Krauss under your watch, and especially if it¡¯s your doing, you can surely bet that the Rowlings, most likely the Krausses as well, and even the entire adventure party handpicked by the duke to be coming for your head. You may be sturdy to make that difficult, but once they know how your party and I am associated with you, we will likely be in the crossfire as well. Do you now understand the severity of the situation, Jinma?¡±

    I sigh in slight disappointment. Well, if that¡¯s what I think it is in Vampire culture, then there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get into it now, is there?

    <¡°That reminds me, there was another interesting memory I came across that answered my earlier question to why you were so excited about this mission yesterday. I gotta admit, Jinma, you were probably more destined for kinky shit than I thought if you had your ¡®Demonic Princess¡¯ go along with your kicks as a kid.¡±>

    Dude! Don¡¯t even spin it that way! I was just curious at the time and we were just playing around! Wait, not that kind of ¡®playing around,¡¯ but you know what I mean!

    <¡°Oh, yeah, sure, allow me to just put the fact that you had a curious masochist side with a biting fetish back in your ever-growing closet of other weird shit that you¡¯ve seen on Earth. Seriously, I thought we Pixies are the most sexually proactive race, and I¡¯m aware how horny humans can be, but are all of them back in Japan that ¡­ ¡®creative¡¯ with their fetishes?¡±>

    I think Japan might be one of the very few who can make pretty much anything lewd at this point and I¡¯m not sure how to make of that being a former resident of said country.

    And for the record, Nyra was talking about the time when Hyo-chan and I were kids watching a movie involving Vampires and I was curious to how getting bitten by one felt. She was embarrassed being the only one doing the biting when I asked her, so we just did it once with each other leaving only hickies on our necks. It didn¡¯t really feel right at the time, but since we couldn¡¯t go further and risk hurting each other, we¡¯d leave it off there.

    I was excited for this mission because I would finally get that unfulfilled curiosity I had settled with the help of a real Vampire if she was needing some blood, but if Lady Krauss is engaged and they take biting a little more seriously in a cultural sense than what I¡¯ve seen and read in fictional media, then I can just drop my hopes of getting bitten this time around.

    Then again, my defenses are so stupidly high that getting bitten might even be impossible. I get a little depressed when I realize that.

    ¡°Hello?! Are you still with us, Jinma?!¡± Lili exclaims to me.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, Nyra distracted me. Anyway, I get it. I wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything to her anyway. I only took this quest because Lady Krauss¡¯ family is close with the Demon King, and I figured if I impress her enough, she could possibly help me get into the castle. Plus, something you didn¡¯t know about me, I have experience in security as a bodyguard back home. I know what I was doing to make sure my coworker who I got stuck with and my clients who my former employer hired me to protect at times got the protection they need. The only thing that made my job difficult was that I had to hold back my strength to keep assaulters alive. Now that I know what I¡¯m dealing with and anything goes in this country, you can bet that anyone and anything that may pose an obstacle in Lady Krauss¡¯ path will be out of the way within seconds under my watch.¡±

    The others sit there agape while taking in this new fact about me. Lili¡¯s the only one who¡¯s not just unsurprised, but also skeptical.

    ¡°You sound well received back there. So, why are you here with us?¡± she asks.

    ¡°From how they tried to ¡®shut me up¡¯ enough that led me to flee the country, I guess they thought I posed too big of a threat to be left alone after I put in my two-week¡¯s notice. That¡¯s how big of a deal they thought I apparently was when I got tired of how they did their ¡®business¡¯ enough to quit.¡±

    ¡°Is that ¡­ why you can¡¯t go back to your home?¡± Ren asks with folded ears.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s part of it, anyway, but it¡¯s all in the past now. After we get things settled with Eugus, we¡¯ll take the rest of the day to prepare for our departure.¡±

    The others nod in agreement.

    ¡°Sounds like this is quite the interesting mission in our hands. I can¡¯t wait to start going all out again,¡± Kenaka says while in Erizora¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Careful that you don¡¯t get things too out of hand, or Milord might get that knife up your ass for real, that time.¡± Mametama quips while currently in Ren¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Watch it, cat.¡±

    Just when I put the [Soundproof] barrier down, a guild employee, a Harpy named Dorora according to my ¡®Size Up¡¯ skill, comes up to us and said she¡¯d take us to the meeting room where Eugus will talk to us, and so we follow her up the stairs. Lili, not being part of the party, stays behind and waits while we decided to have lunch together after we were done.

 Chapter 67: To Borrow Ones Resolve

    We make it to the meeting room before Dorora the Harpy went back to her business. We all take our seats like the last time we were here and wait for his arrival. The only differences between then and now are Lili¡¯s absence and Kenaka¡¯s and Mametama¡¯s attendance, who are currently sitting in Erizora¡¯s and Ren¡¯s laps, respectfully. Kalline sits with the poise of tranquility and wariness, like a warrior ready to draw her sword at any hint of danger, and Ume, not even reading the room, gets comfortable and intimate with my arm against her bosom. Honestly, her nonchalant behavior in this setting actually helped make living in this air a little easier, and I, of course, don¡¯t dislike the feeling of her generous mounds pressing against me.

    ¡°Thank you for waiting, Jinma¡ªAAAH! Kalline! Thou art here, too?!¡± Eugus exclaims as he comes in the room and practically slams the door behind him. Upon closer inspection, I see bags under his eyes. It seems he also got his beard trimmed after I gave it the bad cut yesterday.

    ¡°Yes, Guild ¡­ nay, Dear Uncle, I am here as well, and I will politely ask again: please, let me join Master Jinma Kotori¡¯s adventurer party,¡± she requests with hardened eyes.

    ¡°Where have thou been?! I have waited for thee to join me for breakfast and I ended up getting here hungry!¡±

    ¡°I was training and taking a bath before I went over to the Cantering Dreams Inn to speak with Master Jinma and the others. Please, let me join his adventuring party,¡± she requests again.

    ¡°¡­ He did not do anything strange to thee, did he?¡±

    ¡°Master Jinma did no such thing and has taken care of me quite well. Please, let me join Master Jinma¡¯s adventuring party.¡± One can already see how much she was losing her patience asking once more.

    ¡°I will not let thee join this dubious human¡¯s party!¡±

    ¡°Why art thou so against this?! Thou had no problem registering him as a black-rank!¡±

    ¡°That was before I read into the reports from the infiltration! Summoning a herd of Bear Moles, including a King Bear Mole, into the city; destruction of property from them and his ominous ¡®Slash¡¯ skill; seven cultists from the White Rapture killed, many survivors left with major internal injuries, including the former black-rank adventurer who led the infiltration with dislocated and broken bones from being forcibly bent the wrong way; the many lives of the scouts he took yesterday while traumatizing one through torture enough to break his mind; taking the majority if not all of their money and belongings after defeat; and let us not forget the fact that the same man who did all of this bears a certain kind of eyes that no human should ever have! Thou were there and witnessed it all, and yet thou did nothing to stop him, Kalline?!¡±

    ¡°With all due respect, Dear Uncle, but Master Jinma was not even a registered adventurer at the time of the infiltration, but a foreigner who had nothing to do with this city, yet still put his life on the line to save it and its citizens when he was merely passing through. He confiscated the cultists¡¯ possessions to not risk them doing anything sneaky, helped heal the mortally wounded citizens with the potions that were confiscated, and used the majority of the money he took from them to pay for the reparations in this city, including those he damaged himself! Not only that, but now that he is a black-ranked adventurer, he has more leeway to decide how to handle enemies without receiving consequences, and I heard he managed to pull important information from the one he kept alive that could possibly lead us to one of their hideouts if we follow their tracks!

    ¡°Adventurer or not, people kill and steal from each other all the time, at least he put what he stole into a good cause and stopped a threat from getting any worse. Also, those eyes of his, as well as the tanto he now carries, are a bigger threat combined than that infiltration, yet here he is with us not even abusing either of those powers! Thou art only calling him a notorious man because thou were not there to see who and what he really is!¡±

    ¡°If I could step in before someone says something they will regret?¡± I ask while standing and move between them. ¡°Eugus, I understand your concern for your family, as well as how I do my ethics, but Kalline is more than old and capable enough to start making her own decisions, and my party has plenty of girls for her to go to with her troubles and concerns as a woman. She will not be alone should something happen to her.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I want to get closer to Ms. Gallofree as a friend and fellow party member!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°Same goes for me!¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°I want to get to know more of Kalline Gallofree¡¯s bold and loyal nature as well.¡± [Ume]

    ¡°By ¡®party,¡¯ thou mean thy growing harem, yes? Art thou not just trying to get my niece for thy sick twists?¡±

    ¡°Uncle!¡±

    ¡°Yes, my party might as well be my harem and I explained that to Kalline as best as I could, but I was willing to let her join as a special exception. I would not force her into something she would not be interested in and I try not to let one¡¯s work interfere with personal lives. She would be free to go about her tasks like any other member of a party would.

    ¡°As this newly-formed party¡¯s leader, I want Kalline to feel welcome here as well. I¡¯m impressed with her knowledge and experience as an adventurer. I want to support her goals as a friend and comrade, and you can be sure that she¡¯ll be taken care of under my watch,¡± I say.

    ¡°Master Jinma ¡­¡±

    ¡°If our party¡¯s word for her still means nothing for you, then ¡­¡± I get up from my seat, take out my black adventurer¡¯s card, and ¡­

    KSHAAAN!

    ¡°¡°Uah?!¡±¡±

    The others around me jump in shock as I slap my hand on the table hard enough to break it into two. My adventurer¡¯s card sits on the floor where the break is.

    ¡°¡­¡± Uh, I was trying to make this more dramatic by slapping the card on the table, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d actually snap the thing in two. Damn, I¡¯m stronger than I thought. Despite the thought, I pick up my card from the ground and thrust it toward Eugus while maintaining my cool air.

    ¡°Eugus Gallofree, I would like to put my place as a black-rank adventurer and all the money I have on the line and challenge you to a duel.¡±

    ¡°¡°What?!¡±¡± Kalline, Ren, and Erizora exclaim. Ume, Eugus, and my familiars sit there unfazed.

    ¡°A duel, thou say?¡± Eugus asks.

    ¡°We would be fighting for Kalline¡¯s freedom to choose what path she wants to take. If I win, I keep my place and money while you let her do what she pleases from now on. If I lose, then she will be forbidden in joining my party, all of my money on hand and what¡¯s in the account will go to the guild, and you can demote my rank back down to the bottom as a white. You can even put that table I broke into a part of my debt. I¡¯ll still pay for it if I win, of course.¡±

    ¡°Master Jinma¡ª!¡± Kalline exclaims before I stop her in place with a hand up, staring her down, trying to remind her of what we just agreed on moments ago. Despite looking frightened, she pulls back.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Thou art putting up a hard bargain, Jinma, and thou art asking to go against the guild master of Dondegarm, who is currently ranked bronze as an adventurer. Thou may have incredible Innate Stats, but thou do not know what I am capable of. On the condition that I decide how we do battle, art thou sure thou want to do this?¡± Eugus asks.

    Eugus has one thing wrong about me in his assumption, for I actually do know what he¡¯s capable of since I evaluated his status in detail with my ¡®Size Up¡¯ since he and Kalline started that family spat.

    I admit I was surprised he was ranked as bronze, being a guild master, but his stats are more than what I was expecting.

    [Name: Eugus Gallofree

    Race: Centaur

    Classes: Equestrian Paladin (1<sup>st</sup>), Equestrian Tank (2<sup>nd</sup>), Equestrian Knight (3<sup>rd</sup>)

    Measurements: 220 cm in height [~7 ft, 2 in], 500 kg in weight [~1102 lbs]

    Titles: Guild Master, Adventurer (Bronze), Dungeon Conqueror III, Master of Sanctity, Longsword Master, Spear Master, Shield Wielder, Bull Tank of Diligence Summoner [error; other titles can''t be revealed at this time]

    Equipment: Golden Armory Armlet, Steel Chainmail, Leather Vest

    Stats:

    LV: 413 (1<sup>st</sup>), 201 (2<sup>nd</sup>), 234 (3<sup>rd</sup>)

    HP: 18746/18746

    MP: 13013/13013

    ATK: 16457

    DEF: 21897

    SP. ATK: 14713

    SP. DEF: 22134

    AGI: 6124

    LUCK: 1956

    SP: 1798

    Ability: Warrior¡¯s Last Stand

    ~~

    Skills:

    Passive: Holy Resistance LV 9, Holy Magic LV 6, Shield-Wielding LV 6, Great Strength LV 6, Fear Resistance LV 5, Great Vitality LV 5, Longsword-Wielding MAX LV, Spear Wielding MAX LV, Armor Walk*, Third Class Privileges*

    [error; other skills can''t be revealed at this time]]

    With ¡®Size Up¡¯ at LV 7 now, I can see skills, abilities, and maybe more titles than I could before, but there¡¯s still much that I¡¯m unable to see just yet. Even so, appraising Eugus definitely gave me confirmation that it is possible for one to acquire multiple classes through different means. What¡¯s off though is that compared to my case, I don¡¯t have the ¡®1<sup>st</sup>, 2<sup>nd</sup>¡¯ and other labels for the classes in my status like he does. What difference does it make for his classes to be set in a certain order, and why is his ¡®Equestrian Tank¡¯ class at LV 201 set as ¡®2<sup>nd</sup>¡¯ before ¡®Equestrian Knight¡¯ on ¡®3<sup>rd</sup>¡¯ at LV 234? When I look closer, their levels don¡¯t seem to be evenly distributed in a way like the classes in mine are.

    I want to ask Eugus on why this is but then my cover would be blown right then and there, so I play dumb and pretend I didn¡¯t see anything. I may have the advantage in stats, but there are skills and titles I can¡¯t see that he could use to possibly turn the tides of battle depending on how he wants to do this, let alone all of his experience on the field as an adventurer. With that in mind, I can¡¯t get cocky since I¡¯m putting a lot on the line for Kalline¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure,¡± I answer to his question while looking straight into his eyes that seem to gleam with an expression that I¡¯m not familiar with.

    ¡°Very well, then! How about we put the details of thy Assigned Quest aside for now and prepare for our duel 2 hours from now when we art nourished with lunch? Know that since I already gave our client notice about thee and Umeiyon¡¯s participation, the results of this duel will not affect thy eligibility to take this quest. Will thou accept these terms?¡±

    ¡°I accept.¡±

    Eugus and I then shake on it and he tells me to be present in the guild when the time of our duel is near. If I¡¯m not here by the appointed time, then I would be automatically disqualified and will have to give up my end of the bargain. After I give my confirmation, he steps out into the hall and leaves us in the meeting room.

    ¡°Master Jinma, why?! Why would thou risk thy own rank and money just to let me join thee?! Do thee even realize how much thou art staking?! Who thou art up against?!¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°I do, but I¡¯ve only been a black-rank for one day, and I honestly didn¡¯t really care about my rank at the start. As long as I have a stable source of income, I¡¯m fine with anything even lower than a white rank. Not only that, I have a feeling being a black-rank will bring unwanted attention my way, so being put in a position that doesn¡¯t attract as much would be more favorable to me.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I never really cared about my own rank, either,¡± Ume says. ¡°I only joined in as an adventurer because I had nothing else going on and Jin was becoming one, too. If I was suddenly demoted to the lowest rank, I probably wouldn¡¯t care all that much. It doesn¡¯t really value how great I am anyway, and the same goes for Jin.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Black or white, Master¡¯s still Master! We already know how great he is!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°I am still against these conditions ¡­¡± Kalline trails off while folding her horse ears back before shifting her gaze to me. ¡°If thou lose to Dear Uncle, I will not be able to join thy party. Nay, more than that, he may forbid me from speaking to thee ever again.¡±

    ¡°Kalline, do you mind if I ask something personal?¡± I ask before she nods. ¡°You¡¯re clearly old enough to be your own woman, right? Is there a reason why he has you on such a short leash?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I have mentioned he is my late mother¡¯s older brother, yes? I am afraid that plays a large part in his overbearing behavior.¡± Kalline grips her bronze armlet and looks to the side. ¡°Dear Uncle told me of this when I was old enough, but it seems my parents were on their way back here from my grandparents¡¯ home by carriage when my mother went into labor in the middle of the road. It was apparently the most opportune time for human bandits nearby to make an ambush and try to rob them of everything they had. Dear Uncle must have found out those bandits have been seen along that road, and so he got there by himself as fast as he could to save my mother and her husband. He managed to get them all before they got away from the scene, but ¡­ it was too late.

    ¡°It was a miracle I survived. From what Dear Uncle told me, my mother must¡¯ve done everything she could to keep me safe while I was still inside her. It was not until he heard me crying from the carriage after he finished off the bandits that he knew at least one had survived from the attack. From then on, he did everything he could to raise me on his own for his little sister¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°Was that why he was so against you joining a party that includes a human like me?¡± I ask before she nodded. As annoyingly strict as he might be, I have a feeling Eugus and Mom might get along since she was in a similar situation while having me.

    ¡°Dear Uncle has been as much of a father as one may, a role model of a proud warrior that I want to strive for and I could never express how grateful I am to him for saving me that day. That is why ¡­ it is difficult for me to go against Dear Uncle¡¯s word.¡±

    ¡°You really love your uncle, huh?¡±

    ¡°I do indeed, and I want to show him how strong I have become as a warrior, how much I want to put all of what he had taught me up to now into achieving my own goals, but it is so frustrating that he dost not allow me a chance to do so ¡­¡±

    ¡°And you can¡¯t really win against him in a match, being a guild master and all, let alone your uncle,¡± I say, to which she nods. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t really help it with him being so strong, and who knows how long it would take for you to get strong enough to even stand up at his level, but you still want to show him how strong you¡¯ve become, how strong you will become as you join me and my party during our quests. If you were to fight him in my place, knowing full well you¡¯ll lose, would you still do it, Kalline?¡±

    ¡°¡­ If fighting him with everything I have was what it took for me to join thy party, then yes, I would.¡±

    ¡°All right then, I think I hear you loud and clear now,¡± I say before I cast [Soundproof] in the meeting room, make sure the door¡¯s closed, windows are covered and I get to my MIB, reaching inside to search for something by touch. ¡°There are some things in life where one¡¯s resolve can achieve incredible feats, even if it seems impossible. Your resolve to show your uncle your strength as a warrior as well as joining my party are strong, so if you don¡¯t mind, Kalline, I will borrow it to use in my duel as I fight in your place.¡±

    ¡°¡°Haa~?!¡±¡± Kalline, Kenaka, and Mametama gasp as I pull out what I was looking for in my MIB, a golden bracelet that glows upon contact with me. Those three are the only ones left among others in this room who aren¡¯t aware of my identity that I will now reveal to them.

    ¡°Th-That bracelet ¡­ is it really?¡± [Kalline]

    ¡°I knew Milord was someone unique, but ¡­¡± [Kenaka]

    ¡°To think he was actually one of them ¡­¡± [Mametama]

    ¡°Ohh~! Master¡¯s getting pumped now!¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°I can practically feel the energy! It¡¯s the same kind that Master had when we started the resistance on the White Rapture¡¯s raid!¡± [Ren]

    ¡°Hmph. If you have this much enthusiasm, Jin, then as your primary wife, I expect one hell of a victory by the end of this.¡± [Ume]

    <¡°You heard the lady, Jinma. We gotta buck that old geezer¡¯s ass in the coolest way possible.¡±> [Nyra]

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± I answer to Ume and Nyra as I slip the IEB on my right wrist before it glows brightly as if it senses my determination. I then turn to Kalline who stares at me wide-eyed before I thump my fist with that same bracelet over my heart with an excited smile.

    Just this once, I decide to let a little of my Dark Past help me say these next words.

    ¡°Kalline Gallofrey, I swear to thee on this bracelet, as a Champion representing for the Goddess of Lust, Obina, I will defeat thy uncle and win thee thy freedom to join my adventuring party or my name isn¡¯t Jinma Kotori, the ¡®Merciless Demon!¡¯¡± I declare in the same archaic language the Centaurs use the best I could.

    ¡°¡°WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!¡±¡± [Kalline/Kenaka/Mametama]

 Chapter 68: Pre-Duel Nerves Over Lunch

    After things calmed down in the meeting room and I put my bracelet in the MIB, we went back downstairs to the guild¡¯s lobby to meet back up with Lili waiting to have lunch with us.

    Why did I put the IEB back in the MIB and not put it in my [Storage], you ask? Well, I would if I could, but I can¡¯t.

    Let me just say for the record that I didn¡¯t just think about putting the IEB in [Storage] when Ume pointed it out to me, all right? It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t think about doing something that simple since I first came to this world while I was adjusting to the drastic changes of a new environment.

    Because not putting such a cheat-like bag in a cheat-like item box system would be such a stupid noob gamer thing to do, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d just forget about trying it until now, okay? The concept itself is just so fucking laughable, only a total idiot wouldn¡¯t think about doing that first thing when they got the [Storage] spell, right?

    Hahaha, ha ha, ha ¡­

    Aaanyway, when I tried putting my bracelet in [Storage] back in the meeting room, I couldn¡¯t do it. The spell wouldn¡¯t respond when I tried to put the bracelet there. I couldn¡¯t even put the MIB in [Storage], either, whether or not the bracelet was included. When I thought about it, maybe the Immortals enchanted the IEB to not be put in a magical space like [Storage]. It¡¯s strange since I recall Ms. Obina specifically telling me I shouldn¡¯t lose that bracelet, so it¡¯d make sense to put it in a place like [Storage] for safe keeping, right?

    So, why would the Immortals tell Champions not to lose their bracelets, yet have it enchanted so that we couldn¡¯t put them in what may be the safest space to keep valuable items? Why was keeping it in the MIB fine? It seems another mystery of this world has suddenly been discovered.

    As for the MIB not being able to go into [Storage], it may also have been the Immortals¡¯ doing by enchanting it that way like they did for the IEB. I mean, I could put the normal knapsacks I got from the White Rapture scouts¡¯ haul in [Storage] just fine yesterday. It¡¯s likely they didn¡¯t want Champions and the residents of the world try to break the system in some way since the MIB could carry up to 10,000 kilograms [~22,000 pounds] inside it, while the [Storage] Null Spell¡¯s capacity depends on the user¡¯s MP. Thinking of it like that made sense to me, but I¡¯m still scratching my head on the IEB issue. Since I couldn¡¯t put either the IEB or MIB in [Storage], I had to keep both of them on me at all times. It¡¯s why I had to refuse Ren and Erizora¡¯s offer in holding my bag for me as my slaves.

    It''s not that I don¡¯t trust them in keeping my things safe, I¡¯ve just had a lot of misfortune involving the loss of my belongings through stealing over the course of my school days. Mom and I weren¡¯t financially well off enough for me to just buy replacements for lost items, so I had to track the stealers down like a bloodhound and take responsibility for the ownership of my own things.

    The MIB ¡­ I¡¯d likely not have as much of a fuss over losing by itself since I have [Storage] to help me keep my things. Since I have so much money now, I could just buy a new one through the IBS to replace it if that¡¯s possible. Hell, if I could make one or some kind of equivalent, I¡¯d probably save a lot of money that way, too. I just can¡¯t have my IEB out from my reach and of course, I can¡¯t just keep it in my pocket and risk someone finding it like Lili did the day before. What¡¯s more, I learned from going over the Thief skills earlier that there¡¯s a ¡®Steal¡¯ skill that allows one to take one random item from the target without them knowing. With my LUCK, things would quickly get chaotic if a Thief somehow got a hold of my IEB that way.

    Besides, I don¡¯t feel very hindered carrying around my MIB since it can hold so much while still weighing as much as a feather, but since it would suck if I lost valuables like my smartphone that I brought with me from Earth, I took a moment to transfer those items from the bag to my [Storage]. If I really need to, I¡¯ll probably just put the IEB in a regular knapsack for me to carry while Ren or Erizora would carry the MIB for me.

    We ordered the food we wanted for lunch when we got down to the lobby before I told Lili what happened in the meeting room with the [Soundproof] bubble up to keep the conversation private. Of course, Lili went about as hysterical in my duel with Eugus as Kalline was. Even if I didn¡¯t have a skill like ¡®Size Up¡¯ to ensure my chances of winning, even with my stupidly high defenses, there¡¯s no way I would¡¯ve gone up and challenge someone like Eugus, a guild master, without coming up with some sort of plan beforehand.

    And so, by the time our food arrived and we started lunch, I took necessary measures to prepare myself for whatever battle Eugus had in store for me while I ate.

    [You have spent 2,080 SP. Total: 14,048 SP

    [You have now learned ¡®High-Speed Thought Processing¡¯ LV 10!

    [The skill, ¡®High-Speed Thought Processing,¡¯ has reached the maximum level of mastery and will now evolve to ¡®Hyper Thought Processing.¡¯

    [You have now reached ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ LV 10!

    [You have reached the maximum level of the ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ skill!

    [You have now learned ¡®Foresight¡¯ LV 10!

    [The skill, ¡®Foresight,¡¯ has reached the maximum level of mastery and will now evolve to ¡®Hyper Foresight.¡¯

    [You have now reached ¡®Hyper Foresight¡¯ LV 10!

    [You have reached the maximum level of the ¡®Hyper Foresight¡¯ skill!]

    To break it down, I spent 500 SP each to learn the ¡®High-Speed Thought Processing¡¯ and ¡®Foresight¡¯ skills first. I was capable of doing this thanks to me having the ¡®Erudite¡¯ title that I gained after having my Intelligence from my Innate Stats evaluated and acknowledged as ¡®SS¡¯ rank. I then just used ¡®Skill Point Conversion¡¯ to spend more SP maxing those skills out, which evolved into ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ and ¡®Hyper Foresight,¡¯ respectively, before spending even more SP to max those out.

    As for the skills, ¡®High-Speed Thought Processing¡¯ allows me to process and think in my mind at higher speeds than normal while ¡®Foresight¡¯ heightens my ¡®prediction¡¯ and gives me a glimpse to see what actions would take place in my surroundings. Just think of me being able to have those long monologues to myself that takes place between short, climactic instances in action and sports mangas while I can see what my opponent will do next by watching their after-images of sorts ¡­ actually, in this case, wouldn¡¯t they be ¡®before-images?¡¯

    Anyway, their evolved skills basically work the same to a greater extent. When activated, it¡¯s strangely like my ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ that everything slows down, at least the effects of my surroundings depict it as such, but it¡¯s really the result of thinking really fast while being able to predict what will happen within a few seconds. Unfortunately, with ¡®Hyper Foresight,¡¯ it¡¯s not like I¡¯m able to see very far into the future, more like I can predict what and where the trajectories of incoming attacks would come from at that very moment, for example.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    When I do activate ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ on top of those two, then things really pick up in how fast I would respond to those situations. It¡¯s incredible how none of these even require MP to use them.

    I may not know what kind of battle Eugus has planned for us or what the full extent of his skills are, but I believe with these three skills combined and my AGI that far surpasses his, while I don¡¯t want to overestimate myself and get cocky, I do think I¡¯ll have better chances to see what¡¯s coming and act accordingly.

    Plus, with ¡®Hyper Thought Processing,¡¯ I could listen and answer to what Nyra has to say in my mind while in the middle of a conversation without skipping a beat. It may be another story if I try using ¡®Telepathy¡¯ with the people of my party, but I¡¯ll work that out later.

    Speaking of my party, while Ume, Ren, and Erizora were fully enjoying their lunches without care, Kalline, Kenaka, and Mametama looked listless while they ate, probably still trying to take in the fact that I¡¯m a Champion.

    Aside from Lili¡ªwho looked to have just been fed up with everything while she ate after I told her about my duel with Eugus¡ªMs. Raize, and Winny who are aware of my identity under different circumstances, I felt I had to let those currently in my party know of my true identity as soon as possible, and while Kalline is yet an official member of my party, I was going to make that happen no matter what it took.

    Still, it was concerning to see how quiet they¡¯ve gotten since I made that promise to Kalline.

    ¡°Hey, are you doing all right, Kalline?¡± I ask first.

    ¡°H-Huh?! Oh ¡­ yes, I am fine.¡±

    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t look fine,¡± Lili rebuts.

    ¡°It is just ¡­ now that I know what Master Jinma is, I am further questioning if I even have the right to serve such a man.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you are aware of that now.¡±

    ¡°Kalline Gallofree, I would suggest that you stop that line of thinking from this point on,¡± Ume says while furrowing her brow. ¡°If you think about it, Jin could use his high-ranked Charm with Demons to find another exceptional, experienced adventurer to help show us the ropes on doing this job while joining his party as an advisor, and then fuck her silly with his awesome dick that same night to make her stay with us permanently.¡±

    Am I really that quick in doing such a thing? But I wouldn¡¯t just choose party members that willy-nilly, right? Some things just happened that led to the four¡ªsoon to be five¡ªof us coming together as a party. Does Ume really think I could get any girl just like that?

    ¡°He could¡¯ve done that and not worry about all of this trouble,¡± Ume continues, ¡°yet here he is staking his money and rank on the line for you, who may not even have the slightest bit of romantic interest in him, so passionate and desperate to join his party yesterday, and now you¡¯re questioning your worthiness to join after all that he did for you? Do you even realize how much you¡¯re insulting Jin by stepping over his kindness? If you have the gall to second-guess your decision after your show of passion for adventure yesterday then you shouldn¡¯t have bothered us to begin with.¡±

    ¡°Ume, stop, that¡¯s going too far¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nay, Master Jinma. Lady Umeiyon has a point,¡± Kalline interrupts me before getting up and lowers herself as much as possible into a bowing position towards me and Ume. ¡°While I was second-guessing my usefulness in this party, I had inadvertently second-guessed thy prowess and kindness after doing everything thou have done to give me this opportunity. Please, Master Jinma, Lady Umeiyon, I beg forgiveness for my negligence.¡±

    God, are all Centaurs this serious about everything? I feel like some sort of power-hungry ruler or something. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kalline. It¡¯s understandable to get worked up being caught in a situation like this, but seriously, it won¡¯t do us any good getting serious all the time. I know I want you to act as our advisor, but just try to loosen up a little, all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master Jinma, I thank thee for thy kindness.¡±

    ¡°And as for you, Ume, you need to choose your words better. That last bit was uncalled for, especially when you told Eugus yourself that you wanted to see what Kalline is capable of, right? I already know how strong you are but I doubt anyone in this table will get to that same level as you so quickly. You gotta consider where they stand before saying something so harshly.¡±

    Ume sits there in silence while averting her eyes away from my stare.

    ¡°I was weak once, too, you know? Hell, I still question if I¡¯m still weak in some things even now. Surely, there were times you guys have also felt that way, right?¡±

    Ume then exasperates a sigh and scratches her head. ¡°Considering who and what my father was, maybe it wasn¡¯t fair of me to judge you so harshly, Kalline Gallofree. I ¡­ apologize, for stepping out of bounds.¡±

    ¡°N-No no! Not at all! I should be the one to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just accept the damn apology and finish your food before I ¡®Water Blast¡¯ you in the face.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±

    Considering how we saw how powerful that spell was from her ¡®test¡¯ with Winny¡¯s older brother yesterday, it¡¯d make sense for Kalline to get flustered, back to her seat, and went back to eating her lunch without further questioning.

    Well, it¡¯s a step in some direction, I think, hoping Ume will get better with Kalline and the others.

    <¡°Hey, if anything, I thought you handled the situation pretty well! I¡¯d probably learn to get used to things like this, though, having them being in your harem and all,¡±> Nyra advises.

    But Kalline isn¡¯t part of the harem?

    <¡°Not right now, she ain¡¯t, but soon ¡­ very soon, things will change. I can feel it in my loins.¡±>

    Do you even have loins?

    <¡°Hey, if I got orgasmic when you used me to cut bitches up, then my loins must be somewhere, right?¡±>

    Hm, fair point.

    ¡°Still though, for Milord to not only be one of them but also representing the Goddess of Lust. My, does fate work in mysterious ways. Don¡¯t you think so, too, Kenaka?¡± Mametama asks him. I can¡¯t help but feel there¡¯s something about her tone that might¡¯ve intentionally rubbed Kenaka the wrong way. The two of them are currently at the edge of the table on the floor eating food off of their own plates.

    ¡°¡­ I have no comment aside from how grateful I am to have someone like Milord to be my master. That is all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come now, we¡¯re talking about the Goddess of Lust, after all. If you to ask Milord nicely, maybe he can¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will not bother Milord on my trifling matters and if you value your cute little kitty face, you will refrain from speaking any further on this subject and drop it, Mametama.¡±

    ¡°Well then, I guess that speaks enough of how you¡¯ve been doing up to now.¡±

    Compared to Ume and Kalline, Kenaka and Mametama¡¯s ¡®relationship¡¯ may take some more time and effort to improve, considering how they seem to have a history that none of us know about. I admit I¡¯m curious to how they know each other and how I might help Kenaka since I¡¯m representing Ms. Obina, but I want to respect their personal space, so I won¡¯t interfere unless I need to.

    Everyone continued eating and wound up ordering seconds¡ªRen and Erizora were reluctant to ask me for more but I was more than happy to oblige¡ªwhile I decided to step out into the training grounds as directed by one of the guild staff. To work off my food and prepare for my duel with Eugus, I do some light exercises like I was doing radio calisthenics back in the day and then some. Some of the other adventurers nearby were eying at me strangely, as if they never saw someone doing exercises in a training ground before, but I didn¡¯t pay them much mind. Kenaka ended up coming out partway through and when I asked him what was up, he said the others were having a girl talk that he¡¯d rather not want to listen in on. So, he ended up helping me with my exercises by becoming a makeshift weight-resistance bag of sorts, basically carrying him by piggyback. I think I got even more strange looks from the other adventurers after that, but again, I didn¡¯t pay them any mind.

    I remember Ms. Obina mentioning how I could raise my stats by doing some training. While I confirmed that statement to be true, it didn¡¯t feel like I changed all that much, especially when only my HP and MP have gone up by a few points. It could be that I wasn¡¯t intense enough in this training, and so I make a mental note to try and come up with a more strenuous session in the future.

    I realize that this would be the first time I¡¯m facing a demon in battle since I came to this world. I¡¯ve mostly fought monsters and humans up to this point. I admit this duel will be different from the fights I¡¯ve had up to now, going up against a Centaur would be the same as facing a human on horseback while they¡¯re in perfect sync. It will be different, sure, and the stakes are high, but I¡¯m gonna do what it takes to win Kalline¡¯s freedom to join my party.

    Before I even noticed it, the time for my battle with the guild master of Dondegarm had come.

 Chapter 69: To Follow Instincts

    This was around the time Kenaka left when the girls of Jinma¡¯s party finished eating and were having that girl talk. Mametama ended up being in Lili¡¯s arms and while she was a little nervous to be held by an Arachne¡¯s claw-like hands at first, the cougar in her cub form calmed down when she listened in on their girl talk.

    The topic of discussion: men, specifically the man of the hour, Jinma Kotori.

    Somehow, they all managed to put in their experiences with their man of interest to where they could formulate a general timeline, from the very beginning two days prior when Jinma got pulled into one of Lili¡¯s traps, to the present. Lili¡¯s mother, Raize, happened to join in partway through while on her lunch break to get filled in on the details, especially the juicier ones that involve Jinma¡¯s sexual escapades.

    They wouldn¡¯t get so loud and ecstatic as they had been if Jinma didn¡¯t leave the [Soundproof] barrier on as requested by the girls. Based on what he told them, he should be able to maintain it even if he was from a certain distance, so as long as they don¡¯t step out of it and say something others shouldn¡¯t hear, they could make as much noise as they wanted.

    ¡°I must say, you three must¡¯ve had one heck of a time with him in the private bath. I¡¯m envious,¡± Lili says.

    ¡°I¡¯m more amazed that Lady Umeiyon not only did a courtship ceremony with the Immortals and Nyra witnessing it, but she even managed to speak with Master¡¯s mother, all of it taken place this morning. To bring such a male like Master to this world, his mother must be quite the amazing female as well,¡± Ren speculates while nodding to herself.

    ¡°Haha, yeah, she was one heck of a human female, all right ¡­¡± Umeiyon says before taking a drink to quench her sudden thirst.

    While Umeiyon voided details that would reveal her identity as a Dragon, she couldn¡¯t shake off the imposing threat Jinma¡¯s mother, Mikan Kotori, left with her. Even now as she recalls her last words, a chill ran through her bones that she didn¡¯t think was possible for a human to achieve against a Dragon through long-distance communication.

    Also, out of getting pressed into it by the other girls, Umeiyon wound up spilling the beans of how her first time her Jinma went but left the details of doing it in the very same meeting room their party was in a while ago.

    ¡°Lady Umeiyon, there hast been something on my mind that I have been meaning to say to thee for a while, but could not speak of it while Master Jinma was nearby,¡± Kalline says after putting down the cup of tea she had been drinking.

    ¡°¡­ And what would that be?¡± Umeiyon asks with slight tension in the air. She can tell Kalline is referring to the harsh ¡®criticism¡¯ that Jinma had to step in and stop the flames from getting any bigger, but she honestly thought they were over that already. What more of that could be said?

    The other girls gathered around that table direct all of their attention to Kalline as she takes the floor.

    ¡°What I have been meaning to say is that ¡­ thy accusation about me not having the ¡®slightest romantic interest¡¯ in Master Jinma ¡­ is wrong.¡±

    ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡±

    Kalline, suddenly now embarrassed, pushes her fingers together with reddened cheeks. ¡°In truth, I have had ¡­ something of a romantic interest in him for some time ¡­ a big ¡®something,¡¯ in fact. W-While I do wish to go on adventures with him as a member of his party, I mainly wanted to join ¡­ as shameful of me as a hardened warrior who is loyal to her master to admit this, in hopes that I get closer to him as a female to a male.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ you actually do like Jin in that way,¡± Umeiyon states, to which Kalline nods in confirmation.

    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then why didn¡¯t you say anything from the very beginning?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you even come to like Master in that way?¡± Erizora and Ren ask, respectfully.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I mean, look at me. Would Master Jinma even think of having such a relationship with a female having a body like this?¡± Kalline looks down to her horse lower-body, currently sitting with attention as a noble Centaur lady should, but her matching ears fold back as she grimaces at the sight. ¡°Thinking back on it, it may have been a miracle that he even gave me a chance to be his steed, seeing how conflicted he was when I offered. I cannot imagine how things would be if I told him I ¡­ I do not know, find out more of why I was so awestruck and invested in that man since he saved my life from that raid, just like how the Champion hero from the story I read put his life on the line to save the Centaur heroine, the same one who had also sworn allegiance to the Champion afterward before they grew ever closer until¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold it, take a few steps back and let me process this,¡± Lili interrupts before rubbing her temples with the joints of her claw-like fingers, avoiding the possibility of scratching herself. ¡°Are you trying to say you like him because he¡¯s a human that resembles the Champion from that story, or ¡­¡±

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°No, no, no! I do not mean it like that!¡± Kalline answers, looking frantic. ¡°I admit that it felt thrilling to be in the same place as the heroine when Master Jinma saved me but I am not trying to recreate a work of fiction into reality! Dear Uncle scared away enough stallions who have tried to approach me into making me lose hope in finding a mate but this is the first time I have ever felt this way for a male, let alone one who is a human! I just ¡­ I do not think this is what hast been termed ¡®love at first sight,¡¯ but I just have this feeling that I might be very happy being with Master Jinma, and I just wanted to see if these feelings were true.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I get it. Those might be your instincts,¡± Ren says as she places a hand to her modest chest. ¡°I admit that I didn¡¯t think much of Master when I first met him, knowing how he was still a Brawler then, but as soon as he stepped up to save Ms. Raize and defeated those White Rapture cultists who threatened her, I gained that same interest in getting to know him more in that instant, just as you likely had when he saved you.¡±

    ¡°My instincts ¡­¡± Kalline repeats as she rests a hand to her bosom, the heart that dwells inside it beats quickly as she thinks back to the moment when Jinma saved her life.

    ¡°Even being the proud Centaur that you are, you¡¯re still as much of a ¡®beast¡¯ as I am being a Werewolf, the same can be said for a Minotaur, an Orc, or even a Kitsune. When one has nothing left to turn to in a time of crisis, they follow and act on their instincts, whether their certainty for a good outcome is high or low. No matter what it is, we go by our instincts if we want something to happen, for if we don¡¯t, then we will never get anywhere.

    ¡°From one beast to another, Ms. Gallofree, listen to your instincts, even if it¡¯s just a little bit, and decide for yourself whether or not you should act on them. You will know when you get there whether following your instincts was the right call. I¡¯ve not regretted following them even once since it has helped me come this far, to meet Master as well as everyone here.¡±

    ¡°Ren ¡­¡± Erizora mutters as she looks at her slave companion longingly, being one of the very few who have come to learn of her circumstances since they first met.

    Erizora was driven out of her home for being half human, but Ren had to leave her old pack out of her own volition when she felt the life she had been living up to then wasn¡¯t good for her. Ren seemed quite close with that pack as she told many stories and adventures with them to her, so it must not have been easy to leave them the way she did.

    To see her grow so much since the beginning of their time together, with Ogre blood running through her veins, Erizora respected Ren¡¯s ¡®strength¡¯ very highly, and she couldn¡¯t be prouder to call her a friend and sister-figure.

    As if trying to put those words into her heart, Kalline tightens the hand on her chest into a fist. ¡°I see ¡­ I think I get it now. Yes, I will consider thy words wisely. I thank thee for thy helpful input, Ren.¡±

    ¡°Anytime, Ms. Gallofree. That¡¯s what we party members are here for.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and please, call me Kalline.¡± With that, the Centaur and Werewolf smile to each other.

    ¡°Going back to Mr. Jinma¡¯s duel for a bit though, I have to admit, I thought Lili was going crazy when she told me,¡± Raize cuts in. ¡°Putting the high rank he had just earned and all of his money on stake just so Kalline would join his party. Well, other than possibly losing his niece and some pride, I can¡¯t help but think that Guild Master won¡¯t lose very much if the odds are in Mr. Jinma¡¯s favor.¡±

    ¡°Males certainly take their pride seriously, but I agree that he won¡¯t lose very much,¡± Umeiyon adds.

    ¡°¡­ This deal was only made on a vocal agreement, right? None of the terms have been clearly stated on parchment?¡± Lili asks.

    ¡°It did seem last-minute, but yes, thou art correct, and they shook on it,¡± Kalline answers.

    ¡°Well then, when things like this come up, a proper contract listing the terms in detail with both parties putting things of similar, if not equal value on the table must be accounted for to make things proper and fair. I think I know how I can set things up to even out the playing field ¡­¡±

    ¡°Um, is it normal for your daughter to get like this, Ms. Raize?¡± Mametama asks as she looks up at Lili¡¯s conniving grin. If possible, one might see how all of her six beady black eyes have turned into gold coins.

    ¡°Oh, dear. Of course, when a ¡®business opportunity¡¯ comes up during her vacation, you can bet she¡¯ll try to catch it in her web and make it work in her favor. Shall I get a parchment, quill, and ink for you, honey?¡±

    ¡°If you would, please~.¡±

    Coming to an understanding only a mother and daughter would know about, Raize gets up and heads over to the reception counter to borrow the necessary supplies while Lili still smiles.

    The other girls gathered around that table turn wary as they gaze at the Arachne¡¯s expression, suddenly coming to learn a new and greedy side to her.

    ¡°Well, if I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say a certain Centaur¡¯s body and his pouch has just been found caught in this web,¡± Umeiyon says, being the only one unperturbed by this unsettling air before she takes another sip of her drink. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s aware of her nature as a Dragon to hoard whatever that may be of value that she can somewhat relate to Lili¡¯s pursuit for money.

    ¡°My, my~, what a large gathering of unique girls we have here today, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, there are a few new faces here out of those I¡¯m familiar with in this group.¡±

    ¡°¡°?!¡±¡±

    The sudden new guest to the table had everyone jolting their heads to the direction of the source.

    Hovering above Umeiyon¡¯s head is the face of a mature woman with long violet locks, hourglass-like waist, and a lower body of a snake with scales that match her hair.

    Aside from the clothes that were trying too hard to make her inconspicuous, more than half of the girls in the table recognize this new guest all too well.

    ¡°Might I inquire one of you ladies to tell me where Jinma currently is?¡±

    ¡°¡°Lady Tephalia?!¡±¡± the majority of the girls exclaim. The only ones that had no clue to who the new guest is are Umeiyon and Mametama. Both of them only tilt their heads in confusion.

 Chapter 70: Jinma vs. Eugus

    By the time my duel with Eugus was nearing, Dorora the Harpy came up and directed me to the arena at the very back of the guild¡¯s property. I made it there first with my MIB in hand and Kenaka still on my back before the others came in after that. I took a moment to relish my surroundings that look like I was put in the Roman Coliseum.

    The arena. From what Dorora explained to me, every city in Padimon that has an adventurer¡¯s guild comes with this coliseum-like space. In the arena, there are no rules, no limitations, those who fight in it will do so until there¡¯s only one standing while the rest lie dead. Like if you¡¯re committing murder outside of any town without getting caught, even if the entire population saw it, no matter how many people you killed, you can walk away scot-free, with only the consequence of your reputation being affected.

    Even if you don¡¯t get punished, the guild in charge of the arena is required to make a report on the events that took place and spread the news throughout the other guilds in Padimon. This is so that 1: the laws in each of the three territories will be aware of the circumstances and not make a move should a relative or acquaintance of the victim accuses the killer for murder, and 2: the other adventurers who are in the guilds during the time of the newsbreak are aware of what the named killer is capable of so that they can either stay away from that killer, find them to see if they can kill them instead, or even crazier, try to recruit them in their party to become even stronger and more well-known among adventurers. Anything in between those three after an arena battle can be possible.

    Whether you¡¯re a citizen, an adventurer, a noble, even one of the royal family, when you step onto the arena, whatever title you carry and where you stand in society won¡¯t matter in the slightest. You¡¯d be in ¡®No Man¡¯s Land,¡¯ where the law couldn¡¯t even touch you.

    Perhaps it¡¯s because of a silent agreement that¡¯s shared amongst everyone within the city that hardly anyone would dare step into the arena¡¯s boundaries unless they have some sort of death wish. If one is found being dragged to the arena against their will in order to kill without consequence, that is where the adventurer¡¯s guild and the law would step in and stop it. That is why the parties involved must give consent and verify it to the towns¡¯ guardsmen and/or guild so there¡¯d be no interferences. The Immortals¡¯ magical influence of not letting people die even if their HP reaches 0 is still in effect in the arena, maybe as a way for two or more parties to change their minds at the last minute when they realized they¡¯ve gone too far; however, it also plays a critical part of letting the ¡®winner¡¯ decide the ¡®loser¡¯s¡¯ fate. This kind of thing only exists in towns with guilds because it¡¯s the very people who run them that sponsor it.

    Of course, that isn¡¯t what¡¯s taking place here as Dorora explained when Eugus sent her to get me. He figured this duel of ours, being a private personal matter only by the two of us and associated parties, it would be a hassle to make such a big event out of it for others to witness and there aren¡¯t a lot of places for us to duel in secret. The arena seems to be the only place where we could have our duel in peace with doors locking people out from the outside. This way, aside from my party sitting in the audience, we wouldn¡¯t have any onlookers making such a big influence in this match.

    At least, that¡¯s how things were supposed to go.

    ¡°Good luck out there, Jinma~! I¡¯ll be rooting for you~!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get killed too quickly, now! I want to challenge you, next!¡±

    ¡°Brother, please, you¡¯re embarrassing me ¡­¡±

    In the audience along with my party, Lili and her mother Ms. Raize, there¡¯s also Dondegarm¡¯s lord that governs this city, Ms. Tephalia, Winny, and her older twin brother Kenny. Looking further up, you could not only see Dorora also watching in from the top of the coliseum''s walls, but other Harpies, Imps, and Arch Imps who caught interest in the event taking place as they were flying by. They all look like birds standing on power lines back home when you see them together like this.

    How this came to be, well, it seems Ms. Tephalia was visiting the guild to see me at first and approached the girls. She got filled in on the situation and pretty much abused her authority as the city¡¯s lord to keep the coliseum locked out of any intruders. It doesn¡¯t do much to stop the races that could fly, of course, but when I check my ¡®Insightful Map¡¯ with ¡®Detect¡¯ applied to it, one could see many dots bunched together and huddling around the coliseum. Even without that, one can tell how crowded it is outside of these walls just listening to the noise. I guess not only having Eugus, a guild master, participating in some sort of battle is a sight to see but having the lord of the city nearby to spectate that same battle would also attract many curious people.

    As for Winny and Kenny being here, I guess the latter was looking to have a spar with me after his humiliating loss with Ume yesterday and pressed the former into telling him where I went. With that, the two of them flew here and spotted me in the coliseum with the others from above and just barged right in, but I¡¯m not worried about that.

    What I¡¯m most worried about is the fact that I almost forgot to report to Ms. Tephalia about my plans, as well as the fact that she doesn¡¯t know I married Ume just this morning. Thinking about it now, isn¡¯t telling one girl to hold off on marrying at the last minute and then doing just that with another one a complete dick move? Forget about losing my chance with Ms. Tephalia, I wonder how possible it would be for Ume to change her mind about our relationship.

    I¡¯m panicking about the prospect so much that my thoughts are running even faster than what my ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ could keep up with if that¡¯s even possible.

    <¡°Dude, chill, you can settle your lover¡¯s quarrel with the reptiles later. Right now, you got a duel to focus on,¡±> Nyra says.

    With that, I take a moment to just focus on my breathing and slow my thoughts down a tad. She¡¯s right. Let¡¯s just take this one step at a time. I¡¯ll have a moment with Ume and Ms. Tephalia after this.

    Good thing my ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ allowed me to go through all of that within a few seconds or I don¡¯t even know how long that would¡¯ve taken.

    Going back to the duel, the first thing that was thrust toward us when the others arrived was a sort of ¡®contract¡¯ arranged by Lili, detailing the terms of our earlier agreement as discussed. She wanted to assure both of us would follow through on our promises by the end of the duel as stated on a written agreement instead of a vocal one. I guess that¡¯s to be expected of Lili, being a merchant.

    She pointed out one additional detail in the contract that¡¯s new from what Eugus and I agreed on. It was something that Eugus would have to give up in addition to granting Kalline freedom as the weight of the stakes I put on the deal was way too heavy and made the scales unbalanced.

    Considering how much money I have left from what Ume gave me, what I got from the raid, what I gathered from the scouts, and the Toxic Troll¡¯s hoard, I have to admit that I was worried I¡¯d end up making Eugus go broke if I won by the end of this. I wasn¡¯t planning on showing how much I have on hand anytime soon, of course.

    So, in accordance to what¡¯s written in the contract, with me putting all the money I have and my current rank on the line, Eugus, along with granting Kalline freedom, had to ¡®pay for nightgowns, lingerie, and underwear provided by Lili the Arachne¡¯s tailoring services for each of Jinma Kotori¡¯s harem members, including Kalline Gallofree, amounting to the same price as the total money in Jinma Kotori¡¯s adventurer account.¡¯

    Anyone can see Lili was totally taking advantage of the situation in favor of her business but I was planning on getting some more underwear for Ren and Erizora, anyway. This would be a good opportunity to get them something stylish and attractive for their features. Not sure if they¡¯ll even wear them by the end of the night but having nightgowns and lingerie would be a nice bonus, doubly so since Lili will be tailoring it all.

    Surprisingly, despite how disgruntled Eugus was, he agreed to the changed conditions to make things fair between both parties. I wonder if he was confident enough in his skills and stats to make a win off me under his own conditions to his duel.

    With the help of Lili showing me how my name is written in Padimonian, Eugus and I wrote our signatures on the contract. Ms. Tephalia, being a governmental figure that she is, used a stamped seal that she had on her to make our contract official while serving as a last-minute witness to the events.

    ¡°Now then, I will now explain the conditions on our duel,¡± Eugus starts as he takes a stone slab he carried with him and writes some things down with magic writing as if he¡¯s fiddling with a tablet one would use on Earth.

    <¡°Hmm~? How interesting~.¡±>

    What is it, Nyra?

    <¡°That slab he¡¯s writing on. It has the same magical properties as the Immortals¡¯ Monument at the church and your IEB. Wonder if that slab is also some sort of Immortal-blessed item?¡±>

    ¡°Considering your high defenses and endurance,¡± Eugus continues, ¡°I would rather not draw this out for very long as we need to discuss the details of thy quest afterward. So, I would like to settle this in a sort of match with a point system. The main objective is to make the first strike and earn one point. The strikes have to be effective enough that would deal considerable damage to a normal being. The first to earn three points within 2 minutes will be declared the victor.¡±

    I see. This point system is similar to the rules of kendo back home. Still, even if there are 30 more seconds in a minute here, 2 minutes might not be as much time as I think. ¡°Sounds simple enough. Do we need to use the same weapon? Would striking anywhere count as a point? What about the use of skills and magic?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Thou may use the weapon of thy choice but bladed weapons must be dulled. Striking anywhere above the legs will count as a point, and thou may use passive skills along with spells that are attack-based and support-based. All active skills, and all spells that afflict ailments and cause multiple hits are forbidden.¡±

    If I remember right, that old drunkard from the raid had a skill called ¡®Multi-Punch,¡¯ right? One would certainly get three points instantly with that if each hit causes considerable damage. There must be other active skills and spells that hit targets many times with different weapons, as well as hitting multiple targets the same way. Ailment-afflicting spells would be like my ¡®Baneful Poison¡¯ and ¡®Sluggish Speed,¡¯ and since Eugus has an Equestrian Paladin class, if my experience with RPGs is anything to go by, then there are likely spells from Holy Magic that could buff up one¡¯s stats for a short period of time. I can¡¯t see any of his spells with ¡®Size Up¡¯ yet so I¡¯ll have to assume he has a notch over me with that much ¡­

    Actually, I don¡¯t even have spells like that yet. Could I take advantage of¡ªno, I shouldn¡¯t get too greedy and add more stuff to my artillery. The important thing right now is just trying to get points off of him as fast as I can while making sure the hits are decent enough, and if we¡¯re talking speed here ¡­

    ¡°I see. That sounds fair to me,¡± I answer to Eugus¡¯ terms while immediately putting some more of my SP to use.

    [You have spent 1825 SP. Total: 12,223 SP

    [You have now reached ¡®Water Blast¡¯ LV 10!

    [You have now reached ¡®Water Magic¡¯ LV 5!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Master of Downfall¡¯ title!

    [You have achieved the maximum level of ¡®Water Blast¡¯!

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    [You have now learned ¡®Magic Cooldown Reduction¡¯ LV 10!

    [The skill, ¡®Magic Cooldown Reduction,¡¯ has reached the maximum level of mastery and will now evolve to ¡®Hyper Magic Cooldown Reduction.¡¯

    [You have now reached ¡®Hyper Magic Cooldown Reduction¡¯ LV 10!

    [You have reached the maximum level of the ¡®Hyper Magic Cooldown Reduction¡¯ skill!]

    Since Kalline, Ren, and Erizora had to report to the guild about what happened at the raid the other night, that would mean Eugus is already somewhat aware of what I¡¯m capable of. Just to make sure, I talked to those same girls ahead of time and see what they reported.

    So far, the guild knows I¡¯m able to use magic in the Fire, Storm, Water, and Cursed attributes if we¡¯re going by what was witnessed at the raid. They may already be aware of me using the [Storage] Null Spell, too, but they likely don¡¯t know about the other ones I can do as well as pretty much using all of them once I know their names and effects. Kalline mentioned Eugus had to speak with Ms. Tephalia at one point, so it¡¯s likely they know about me using Holy Magic and the [Portal] Null Spell as well since she and many others were there in her bedchambers to witness me using them. Oh, and let¡¯s not forget how I¡¯m able to use ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ (even though I don¡¯t know how) and ¡®Darkness Manipulation,¡¯ too.

    In Kalline¡¯s opinion, for an adventurer who can use five of the six known magic attributes and be able to use [Portal] and [Storage], I¡¯m not just one of the rarities, I¡¯m some kind of magical powerhouse. Since Eugus knows that much, of course, he¡¯ll be on his toes ¡­ er, hooves (?) on whatever I may pull. Even so, I¡¯d rather not reveal too much, especially since there are many other spectators around us watching in.

    From what I¡¯ve experienced in the raid the other night, like active skills such as ¡®Slash,¡¯ spells also have cooldowns that need time after casting before it¡¯s ready to use again, but spells have the flexibility to put as much MP as you can while active skills like ¡®Slash¡¯ only require a certain amount. Of course, skills like ¡®Blowback Punch¡¯ that uses HP also require cooldowns as well. How long spells need to cool down usually depends on their level of mastery that also affects how far you can make the spell appear away from you, the mana you put into it to increase power, distance, area of effect, and other things. The skill I just learned and maxed out, from ¡®Magic Cooldown Reduction¡¯ to ¡®Hyper Magic Cooldown Reduction,¡¯ as the name implies, reduces the cooldown time for spells way down to almost nonexistent. As I was going over my skills earlier, I learned I could spend SP on the former after my Mage class and Intelligence are at a certain level and rank, respectively. I held off on learning it until I confirmed what Eugus¡¯ duel entails.

    Of course, there¡¯s also the regular ¡®Cooldown Reduction¡¯ skill that I could learn after getting one of my other novice fighter-based classes to a certain level and a Dexterity rank, but since I can¡¯t use active skills for this duel, I¡¯ll hold that off for another time.

    ¡®Water Blast¡¯ is the basic attack spell in Water Magic, and raising its levels will increase what I¡¯m able to do with it, speed, control, power, and otherwise. ¡®Flare Burst¡¯ and ¡®Wind Cutter¡¯ are also the basics in their respective magics but I can¡¯t help but feel they¡¯re too dangerous. Of course, I don¡¯t want anyone other than Ume, Ren, and Erizora know (at least until the rest of the party does later) how I¡¯m able to use Terra Magic as well, even though I don¡¯t know any of its spells yet. That leaves me with using ¡®Water Blast¡¯ and maxing that out. With my ¡®Hyper Cooldown Reduction,¡¯ I could get him in three-consecutive hits if I set them up correctly.

    Still, there is one thing I¡¯ve been wanting to try in terms of magic, and it¡¯s the main reason why I acquired ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ to help me pull it off.

    After I learned and leveled up my skills at shattering record speeds, Eugus finishes writing on the stone slate before tossing it in the air.

    Before I could think of what he was trying to accomplish, the slate stops mid-air in an upright horizontal position while glowing in the same bright color as the Immortals¡¯ Monument at the church, practically blinding me and the spectators for a moment. When it dies down, the slab hovers in the air while displaying a light blue window that¡¯s similar to my status screen that shows a time stamp, Eugus and my own names, and large numbers underneath.

    In short, we¡¯re basically seeing a holographic-like scoreboard.

    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask Eugus.

    ¡°That is an Immortals¡¯ Slate. The Immortals from above can receive messages by whatever is written there and/or what we say to it. If they approve of a request, they will lend their power for the task at hand in a short span of time. All guild masters in Padimon have one of these and they only work for us.¡±

    It really is a freakin¡¯ tablet! ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s a device just begging to be abused,¡± I say monotonously.

    ¡°We swore to never misuse them while taking our positions as guild masters and the Immortals must give their approval on requests before anything can happen, so we should be fine.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you write to the Immortals? Something related to our duel?¡±

    ¡°I asked them to act as our judges for our duel so there would not be any unfair play, keeping score based on the conditions I told thee moments ago. Also, while this city is under the Immortals¡¯ influence to protect us, I made sure we were extra protected and neither of us would earn EXP at the end of the duel.¡±

    <¡°Well, shoot, guess you won¡¯t get a ridiculous amount of EXP if you win this,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°The EXP thing is fine and all, but ¡®extra protection?¡¯¡± I ask.

    ¡°But of course. For a matter such as this, we both must fight at our all. It would be burdensome if one or both of us are left with a serious injury, so within the next 2 minutes, while we will still experience pain as we would in battle, the Immortals will make sure that neither of us will be at risk of death.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that explains why you mentioned we¡¯d only use weapons that are dulled. No holding back, huh? I like the sound of that.¡± I unsheathe Nyra and focus my ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ to extend the handle and the blade to appropriate lengths for a katana, making sure the latter¡¯s blunt and not sharp. I guess I actually made a bokken instead of an actual katana in this case. I lightly tap the ¡®blade¡¯ end on my palm and confirmed its dullness.

    ¡°A katana, hm? Interesting. Dost thou need any armor to protect thyself? What about sending thy familiars back to their respective realms to reserve MP?¡±

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. Neither of them has seen me fight before and I want to show them what I¡¯m made of as their master.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then. Equip: Paladin Set with Ristor,¡± Eugus says in a sort of command before the Armory Armlet glows and flashes.

    In the next instant, he changed out of his leather armor and into a shiny metal one with gold trimmings. He also has a helmet to cover his head and face, a longsword in both hands, even his horse lower body is protected by a steel fish scale-like mail. He must have set up this equipment arrangement to pull up from his Armory Armlet at any time.

    I check his stats again with ¡®Size Up¡¯ and I don¡¯t see any changes. Thinking about it, when I was able to see stats like ATK and such from the humans I killed yesterday, I didn¡¯t see anything that indicated whether their equipped armors and weapons would affect their stats. I make a mental note to ask Nyra if weapons and armor have their own stats or something since she was a talented blacksmith before getting trapped in the tanto.

    Still, this is more or less what I imagined what a Centaur in a fantasy world would look like: a seasoned, noble knight figure clad in armor ready to engage in battle.

    I had to control my breath and not let the excitement that¡¯s leaking from my Dark Past overwhelm me. Before I realize it though, the audience goes wild at Eugus¡¯ change of attire.

    ¡°Master Jinma! Be careful! Guild Master is getting really serious about this!¡± Kalline exclaims. Having been trained under him for so long, she must¡¯ve experienced and witnessed countless battles and spars. Maybe she realizes how dire the situation is from the equipment her uncle is wearing.

    <¡°Jinma, this guy¡¯s equipment is no joke,¡±> Nyra says. <¡°His armor is made of Mithril that reduces the power of magic attacks to the point of them bouncing off if they¡¯re weak enough. The dull longsword Ristor, made of the same metal, is enchanted to disperse those same attacks with a swing.¡±>

    As expected of a master blacksmith to see all of that in a glance. Even though I may not have that capability, I¡¯m glad I have someone on my side that does. Still, having armor that actually makes magic attacks ineffective if they¡¯re not powerful enough certainly changes things in what I can do, more so since we¡¯re practically invulnerable to real life-threatening damage.

    I glance over to the audience and see my party¡¯s expressions looking intense. Same goes for Winny, Lili, and Ms. Raize. Ms. Tephalia only looks calm but calculating. I guess this is to be expected, it¡¯s a spar with the highest official of Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, likely the strongest in the city, and it¡¯s a guy who saved said city [twice] starting out as a rookie that he¡¯s facing. If there were spectators in my fight with the old drunkard at the raid the other night, they may be expecting to see something just as heated as that while watching from the audience.

    I have a feeling Ms. Obina is also watching in through the slate if she¡¯s taking part as a judge, but other than that, I can¡¯t help but feel there¡¯s someone else in the audience whose way of observing is different from everyone else¡¯s. I can¡¯t put my finger on what it is and I can¡¯t tell where that one¡¯s watching in from, but there¡¯s an unusual pressure weighing on me from how they¡¯re expecting this duel to turn out. Call it my own trained ¡®intuition¡¯ from all of the years being watched from Earth that I could somewhat tell that much.

    ¡°Art thou ready to start, Jinma Kotori?¡± Eugus asks.

    I close my eyes, take a breath and ready myself in a stance while holding Nyra in bokken form. I¡¯ve never participated in an official kendo match, but I¡¯m getting nostalgia as I look back to the many times a certain person also readied herself like this while I helped honed her skills through spars. She loved samurais, their ideologies, and how they wield their trademarked weapons in some manga and anime enough to have her parents enroll her in a kendo school. She was the most diligent person I knew in her training and I was glad and proud as her friend to be able to help her get better. I could still recall the beaming smile she had as she won her first tournament while holding a trophy thanks to all of that hard work.

    Hyo-chan ¡­ for the sake of a friend, lend me your strength for a little bit, please. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I answer while opening my eyes after my inner prayer.

    ¡°Then, I beseech to thee, O Great Immortals, begin the countdown to start our duel!¡± Eugus preaches as he gets into his own stance.

    The audience settles down to dead silence and the scoreboard starts the countdown from 5 with sound effects while I quickly analyze the best course of action through ¡®Hyper Thought Processing.¡¯ Finding openings, how I can make openings, what attacks to make, where to attack from, how he¡¯ll respond, once I took all of those considerations and then some into mind, I mentally prepare my first attack.

    I calmly went through all of that in a span of 3 seconds, and so I tense my muscles to take my initiative.

    The scoreboard rings with a loud ¡®bong¡¯ as it reaches 0, beginning the duel.

    ¡°Sanc¡ª¡±

    FWOOOOOM!

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Zasha!

    Zabush¡ªclunk!

    ¡°Grk!¡±

    Fwoosh!

    Zasha!

    Zabush¡ªclunk!

    ¡°Dammit!¡±

    Eugus looked to have started chanting his spell before getting overwhelmed by the barrage of magic attacks heading for him. A large ¡®Pyreball¡¯ as big as a Centaur came straight at him that he dissipated with a swing of his sword before a compressed, fast shot of ¡®Water Blast¡¯ hit his armor at an open side with a hard ¡®clunk.¡¯ Then, a soccer ball-sized ¡®Flare Burst¡¯ came straight at him that he dissipated with his next swing before another ¡®Water Blast¡¯ hit another opening with a ¡®clunk.¡¯

    All of those spells that approached him in specific trajectories were cast by me without even saying them aloud. As soon as launching that ¡®Pyreball¡¯ was successful, I learned then that if I prepare a spell by mentally describing it in detail while imagining the visuals before chanting out its name in my mind, I can make a lot of things happen. My ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ helped me a great deal in getting all of that prepared in almost an instant.

    From there, my ¡®Hyper Foresight¡¯ activated and I saw how he¡¯d dissipate my spell with his sword swing in a specific direction, giving me an opening to send a ¡®Water Blast¡¯ at a specific trajectory, speed, and power with great succession. I did the same thing with the following ¡®Flare Burst¡¯ and second ¡®Water Blast¡¯ as my ¡®Hyper Perception¡¯ slowed my surroundings enough for me to act accordingly.

    Finally, as he was distracted by my barrage of spells, I take advantage of my high AGI and rush at his side, activating my maxed-out Stealth to hide my presence that¡¯s outside of his field of vision while I wind up my bokken like I would with a baseball bat.

    Likely not even close to how a katana should be swung by professionals in sword arts, but it¡¯s just right for me and my current ¡®Slugger¡¯ Brawler style.

    By the time Eugus realizes I¡¯m right next to him, it was too late.

    ¡°Doh.¡±

    CLUNK!

    ¡°Grk!¡±

    Like a kendo practitioner in a match, I let out the call of where my attack would strike as the bokken made contact with his side.

    Thinking on it then, I haven¡¯t even tested out my newly-gained powers from the class promotions and the blessings I received from forming a contract with Kenaka and Mametama yet. There was also my increased Strength from the ¡®Ogre¡¯s Muscles¡¯ ability I got after having sex with Erizora to take into account as well. I made sure I had my bokken formed from ¡®Darkness Manipulation¡¯ dense enough that I could feel some weight before the match started. If my increased Strength and my ¡®Weight Defiance¡¯ skill played a part in how I hold my weapons, I didn¡¯t know how heavy I made that bokken then.

    That¡¯s why I was surprised by how I literally sent Eugus flying and hurtling to the nearest wall as I followed through my swing.

    KSHAAAAAAAAN!

    Eugus¡¯ body crashes into the wall below the audience¡¯s seats, startling them from the sudden rumble as the cloud of dust and rubble appears from the impact. When it dissipates, a large crater where Eugus hit it is seen, and the Centaur himself lies on the ground as he groans in pain. One could see the large dent in his armor made from the strike of my bokken.

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    The audience, as well as myself, are trying to comprehend what the hell just happened. I check his HP to make sure, but there was no sign of any damage taken. Just as Eugus said, we were invincible, but from the sounds of his groans, we really could still experience pain depending on the differences in stats.

    Da-da-da-daaaaaah!

    The only thing that breaks the deafening silence of the coliseum is the victory tone the scoreboard makes.

    I turn to it and see the score between me and Eugus is 3-0, the timer stopped 5 seconds after the match started. I think I hear Kenaka being the only one laughing his ass off, probably from after he viewed the scoreboard as the others did.

    Um ¡­ I¡¯ve won just as planned?

 Chapter 71: A Centaurs Pride and Joy

    Well ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this.

    After I lifted Eugus off the ground and set him back on the arena with tendrils from ¡®Darkness Manipulation,¡¯ even if we were under the Immortals¡¯ protection, I wanted to make sure Eugus didn¡¯t suffer any serious injuries, but he seemed to be doing fine once he got back on his hooves. He looked at the scoreboard and confirmed that the Immortals did indeed track the score of every valid strike I hit on his body with my magic and bokken. I guess there¡¯s also a recording feature as he asked the slate to show footage of the battle that took place.

    Whatever device that was used to record this unique ¡®video,¡¯ I can imagine it would be every passionate cameraman¡¯s dream from how high quality it was, especially when the footage was slowed down to countless frames per second. There were even symbols that indicated where the strikes were landed to give me points.

    I was surprised how fast I moved from one place to another after watching that footage. Thinking back on that battle as well, I was astounded how everything seemed slow to me. I know I planned to assault him as fast as I could and not give him a chance to attack but I didn¡¯t think I was that fast, let alone getting the duel done within 5 seconds.

    Eugus still seemed to be in disbelief as he replayed the footage a number of times, trying to seek something that wouldn¡¯t count as a point for me.

    ¡°Eugus, it¡¯s time to concede,¡± a mature, feminine voice says as a hand is placed on Eugus¡¯ shoulder.

    The two of us look over and see it¡¯s Ms. Tephalia giving him a considerate and somewhat apologetic smile. Behind her are my party along with Lili, Ms. Raize, and Winny.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been going over that footage for 5 minutes. We all saw it here, the Immortals made the declaration, there¡¯s no argument to who won,¡± Ms. Tephalia continues.

    Eugus grunted and shut his eyes tightly. ¡°But ¡­ Kalline will be ¡­¡±

    He really didn¡¯t want to face the reality of the situation. Shutting himself out from it so much, he suddenly grew much smaller in my eyes compared to before our duel started.

    It¡¯s as if the wrinkles that show his age finally revealed themselves that depict him to be a pitiful old man.

    ¡°Dear Uncle ¡­ is there something else going on? Something that thou art using Master Jinma as an excuse to avoid?¡± Kalline then asks as she steps up.

    ¡°I ¡­ I knew this day was coming. I knew it, but ¡­¡± he trails off while not being able to look at Kalline in the eyes. ¡°My dear niece, thou have grown to be a fine young lady, a spitting image of thy mother. I was ¡­ I was afraid, that if thou left, it would be like losing her all over again and I just ¡­ do not want to be alone.¡±

    ¡°Dear Uncle ¡­¡±

    Not wanting ¡­ to be alone ¡­? The words repeat themselves in my mind before I get a sudden painful throb in my head. I put my hand on the side of it while a ringing noise fills my ears, drowning out the talk between Kalline and Eugus.

    ¡°Jin-chan! *** can¡¯t ***! I don¡¯t want *** to ***! I don¡¯t want to be alone again!¡±

    <¡°Whoa! Jinma, calm down! Breathe! Breathe!¡±>

    Barely getting Nyra¡¯s instruction, I focus on my breaths and take it slowly. The pain dies down and I¡¯m left with a cold sweat and subtle numbness down my back that makes me lose balance for a bit there.

    The hell was that? I thought I heard ¡­ Mom¡¯s voice for a moment there. I¡¯ve never heard her getting so hysterical before.

    <¡°It looks like the old fart¡¯s words triggered a few your locked memories to resurface.¡±>

    Locked ¡­ memories?

    <¡°Remember? A point in your memories before that large jump happened was desperately keeping itself locked away for your mental safety. Whatever you were thinking when he said that broke one of the shackles to keep it shut.¡±>

    Ah ¡­ I get it now.

    <¡°This is actually good news for us as I have found a point to start investigating that memory. I¡¯ll remind you again before you go to sleep tonight but I¡¯ll trace back to your earliest memory up to that point and look into it while you rest.¡±>

    Right. I appreciate that, Nyra.

    ¡°Master, are you okay? You look like you¡¯re in pain ¡­¡±

    I look over to see it was Ren who asked that, looking up to me with folded ears while holding Mametama in her arms. The little cougar cub also stared at me with a similar expression that would make any person¡¯s heart crumble at the sight.

    ¡°Yeah, my head just ached for a moment there but it calmed down now. Sorry to worry you, Ren, Mametama.¡± I try to put up a smirk while ruffling Ren¡¯s hair and scratching behind Mametama¡¯s ear to assure my condition. They still look skeptical but decide to leave it there.

    ¡°Jinma,¡± Eugus calls. I turn and give him my attention. I don¡¯t know how long my mind was pulled away from reality but it seems he and Kalline came to an understanding during that time. ¡°It pains me to admit this but despite the unbelievable circumstances, thou hast followed the rules accordingly, and thus ¡­ I concede defeat.¡± He then bows his head to me.

    ¡°You heard the man!¡± Ms. Raize exclaims as she takes my hand and holds it up in the air. ¡°The winner of this duel is the uprising rookie adventurer, Jinma Kotori!¡±

    The crowd in the audience goes wild at her announcement. It was so quiet until now that I forgot we were being watched.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it! Master did it! He beat a guild master on his own terms so one-sidedly! Mmh~! I can¡¯t stop shaking after just thinking about it!¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°Master has shattered expectations with greater proportions yet again!¡± [Ren]

    ¡°Hmph. Was there ever any doubt?¡± [Ume]

    ¡°Master Jinma ¡­ just keeps growing more amazing by the hour.¡± [Winny]

    ¡°A very well done, Milord! To prove your physical strength being as great if not better than your magic in such an astounding victory, I couldn¡¯t have done the same!¡± [Kenaka]

    ¡°Indeed, and quite cunning as well to pull that off. It seems we have chosen an interesting master to serve as familiars after all.¡± [Mametama]

    ¡°And now, as per the agreement exchanged between participants, Guild Master?¡± Ms. Raize asks him as she takes the part of an MC. The audience goes silent again.

    ¡°Right.¡± Eugus then turns to Kalline and puts both hands on her shoulders. ¡°Kalline, as agreed, thou hast been given freedom from my authority. I may already know but I will ask anyway, what will thou do now?¡±

    ¡°Dear Uncle ¡­ I am going to join Master Jinma¡¯s party and his journey to greatness. While I will serve him as his advisor, I will use everything thou hast taught me up to now and become a splendid adventurer that thou can be proud of.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡±

    Then at Kalline¡¯s surprise along with everyone else¡¯s, Eugus pulls her into a tight embrace.

    ¡°I have always been proud of thee ¡­ as an adventurer and a daughter. I could not be more honored and blessed to be thy guardian,¡± he whispers.

    ¡°D-Dear Uncle ¡­¡± Kalline tightly returns the gesture while breaking into tears. ¡°Thank you ¡­ thank you so much for everything ¡­¡±

    I hear a few sniffles around me as I watch the scene. The one that¡¯s most apparent is Ren, but unlike the rest of them that look to be crying tears of joy, hers look to be of sadness. Maybe seeing this moment is bringing up some memories that she didn¡¯t want to look back on? I may not tell that much with my ¡®Intuition¡¯ but that¡¯s what my gut is telling me, anyway.

    I console her the best I could by scratching and petting her head again.

    Taking a moment to gather themselves, the uncle-niece Centaurs turn to me with the former resting a hand on the latter¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°I entrust her into thy care, Jinma Kotori. I ask of thee as a guardian ¡­ take good care of her, would thee?¡±

    I only nod to answer before Kalline walks up to me and kneels to a position that¡¯s worthy of a noble knight.

    ¡°Master Jinma Kotori, it is an honor and pleasure to serve thee. I, Kalline Gallofree, pledge my allegiance in hopes that I will be of use to thee in the times ahead. I will be in thy care.¡±

    ¡°Mm. Good to have you on board, Kalline. I will be expecting much from you as our advisor, so let¡¯s get along, all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master Jinma!¡±

    [Kalline Gallofree¡¯s Affinity is now unlocked. Current level of Affinity: LV 1; Total Affinity Level: 8

    [You may now use the Affinity Skill: ¡®Centaur¡¯s Honor!¡¯ Cost: 4 AP]

    <¡°And that¡¯s another girl in the harem bag, plucked just ripe and ready to be eaten!¡±>

    I mentally shake my head in Nyra¡¯s antics.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfy just yet! There¡¯s one more thing that needs to be settled!¡± Lili then suddenly exclaims. ¡°In addition to granting Kalline freedom from authority, the guild master will pay for nightgowns, lingerie, and underwear provided by yours truly for each of Jinma Kotori¡¯s harem members, including his beloved niece, amounting to the same price as what¡¯s in his adventurer¡¯s account!¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The audience is stunned into silence at Lili¡¯s announcement.

    ¡°Ah, yes, I have almost forgotten ¡­¡± Eugus says, his tone suddenly turning very sour and dark.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, I¡¯m aware of what¡¯s included in underwear, but what are these ¡®nightgowns¡¯ and ¡®lingerie¡¯ you speak of?¡± Ume asks but no one answered her.

    ¡°So, Mom, how much money does Jinma currently have in his account?¡± Lili asks Ms. Raize.

    ¡°Well, we have actually received enough money today for Mr. Jinma to withdraw if he wants to. Add into the remaining reward money he earned yesterday after spending most of it in last night¡¯s drinks ¡­ it¡¯s about 4 million karos.¡±

    ¡°¡°4 MILLION?!¡±¡± Eugus and I yell.

    ¡°4 million karos ¡­ he-he-he~, I¡¯m going to be making bank with that much money. Yes~, I¡¯m gonna have to get creative with my lingerie designs this time around. I¡¯ll make sure yours will be extra special for the occasion, Kalline~,¡± Lili promises before she giggles some more ¡­ a little maniacally, even, as she rubs her hands together like a children¡¯s anime villain.

    Despite how shady my former employer was, I admit I was also excited when I saw the number on my first paycheck, even after taking the payments for Mom¡¯s hospital bills and other things into account. I was excited, but not in the way Lili¡¯s showing right now.

    It¡¯s kind of scary what money can do to change a person, human or demon.

    ¡°L-Lingerie ¡­ for me? But I am not suited for ¡­¡± Kalline trails off as she gets flustered.

    Somehow, my eyes are stuck at Kalline¡¯s direction and I suddenly think about how female Centaurs would wear such particular clothing.

    Now that I think about it, Centaurs don¡¯t even wear underwear like panties and briefs ¡­ right? That¡¯d be a weird image if they do and how would they even put them on? I guess that¡¯s why all of them wear those drape-like skirts to maintain modesty for both guys and girls. Still, if you remove the drapes and put the lingerie on the human-like torso ¡­

    ¡°U-Um, Master Jinma, thy staring with those eyes is a little unnerving to me,¡± Kalline says shakily with flushed cheeks while instinctively covering her chest.

    Shing.

    Before I could even open my mouth to speak and defend myself, I feel a sharp point set right on my neck. It doesn¡¯t hurt but I could still feel dangerous vibes emanating from it.

    ¡­ That¡¯s not the same sword he was using in the duel, is it?

    <¡°Nope. This one¡¯s faaaar more lethal than the other one.¡±>

    ¡°Art thou trying to steal my dear niece¡¯s chastity along with all of my money right in front of me, thou cretin?¡±

    ¡°¡­ How about we discuss details on the deal along with my quest back inside?¡±

    Somehow or other, I managed to dodge from a possibly messier ¡®duel¡¯ by the skin of my teeth as we moved back into the meeting room for the discussion through my [Portal], mainly because of how crowded the coliseum had gotten both inside and out that made escaping difficult.

    On another note, Kenny, who was with Winny a while ago, pretty much changed his mind about challenging me right after seeing how my duel with Eugus turned out and flew off with the tail between his legs. This is what Winny told me though, but I honestly didn¡¯t even notice he left. Maybe he was getting traumatic flashbacks from how he ended up a similar fate by Ume¡¯s Water Blast, but who knows?

    ~~

    Unknown to everyone in the coliseum, a person sits alone on one of the audience¡¯s benches, completely undetectable by means that not even a great Magic Dragon can see through normally with ¡®Magic Sense.¡¯ Only Jinma caught a faint feeling of being watched from this person earlier, the same one whose kind of observation he couldn¡¯t put a finger on. That feeling bothers him even then as he and his peers disappear through the [Portal] he made.

    Having seen the entire duel from start to finish, she couldn¡¯t help but snicker while making a grin big enough that might split her face in two from how her lips were pulled up to her cheeks.

    ¡°Jinma ¡­ Kotori ¡­¡± she silently whispers to herself as she trills her fingers together, burning the image of the man¡¯s face in her mind as best she could.

    ~~

    I took everyone who was gathered at the arena back to the meeting room where it all started. The table I broke in half was still there, and as promised, I would pay for the damage with my own money whether or not I won that duel. I went ahead and gave that money to Ms. Raize right then and there.

    Then, with everyone present as witnesses and the door locking people out from the outside, Eugus and I settled on how payments for Lili¡¯s services in providing customized, adulterous attire for my harem and Kalline would be arranged.

    Ren and Erizora had to answer Ume¡¯s questioning on what lingerie and nightgowns were earlier. Ume was against the idea at first, as she wondered what the point was of wearing something when it was going to be stripped off soon after putting it on, anyway. Even though she¡¯d barely notice it, it was constraining enough wearing the apron-like cheongsam during the day.

    Indeed, Lili made an enchantment on that outfit as she put it together that conforms to her figure and even provides ample support to her chest almost like a bra would, amazingly enough. Seeing her G-cup boobs as intoxicating and delectable as they were then, I was tempted to give them a few squeezes.

    Despite Ume¡¯s argument, it was amazingly Ms. Tephalia who whispered something in her fin-like ear that made her flush while changing her mind. It was then I remembered my dilemma between the two of them and wondered how much they both knew of what was going on before they came to the coliseum. The way her eyes smiled as she glanced my way after whispering her piece sent shivers down my spine in ways I didn¡¯t think was possible.

    Once the arrangements of how payments to Lili¡¯s services were settled, Ms. Tephalia asked me to make a [Portal] that would send her back to her manor, which I was fine with doing so, but then made the announcement of inviting me and my whole party to come to that same place for dinner tonight.

    Apparently, the invitation was the main reason why she came to the guild from the start. Not even the girls who spoke with her before the duel were aware of it. It wouldn¡¯t be as much of a surprise if she invited only me, but inviting my whole party that included Kenaka and Mametama was quite a shock. I didn¡¯t get a chance to talk with her before she slithered through the [Portal] but since I decided to accept the invitation for us, I was given some time to think about what I should say to her about the harem situation and my relationship with Ume.

    After Ms. Tephalia left, everyone else who wasn¡¯t part of my party was asked by Eugus to leave the room so he could discuss the details of the Assigned Quest with us in private. From there, Winny decided to head to back to the church for work, Lili would stand by in the lobby and wait for an opportunity to get the girls¡¯ measurements, and Ms. Raize would do the same to update our party registry to include Kalline in the group.

    When only our party was left in the room, we all took a seat while Eugus confirmed who would be joining me and Ume on the Assigned Quest. Me, Ume, Ren, Erizora, and Kalline. He said before that the limit to the group joining me was five but confirmed Mametama and Kenaka are exceptions since they¡¯re my familiars summoned due to a spell. I didn¡¯t tell him what kind of magical beasts they were, of course.

    Once the five allowed participants were accounted for, with a reminder to those who were in the meeting room last time to not fall asleep, Eugus explained to us the conditions of the Assigned Quest as he explained to me and Ume yesterday.

    There was some additional information Ume and I wasn¡¯t aware of when Eugus explained it to us yesterday, probably so everyone who¡¯ll be coming with us is accounted for and he wouldn¡¯t have to repeat everything. One is that there¡¯ll be a witness who will oversee the events, the guild master of Palocaesy who goes by Konjiro who¡¯s apparently of the Kitsune race. I guess if this quest is taking place in a dungeon nearest to your city with a prestigious noble involved, it would make sense as one of the highest officials to become a witness of sorts, but I didn¡¯t think that person would be from a race that¡¯s depicted in Japanese folktales to be one of the Demon-Kin. Considering how they¡¯re well known to be tricksters in the folklore, I¡¯m curious to see how different Mr. Konjiro of the Kitsune would be from those sayings.

    The second part of these new details is Lady Krauss¡¯ bodyguard. Her name is Gabriella, and not only is she a Dullahan, but she¡¯s one of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples. Before my excitement of seeing the famous ¡®headless horseman¡¯ in the flesh, I recall from Lili¡¯s talk how Lady Krauss¡¯ fianc¨¦, Lord ¡­ Rowling, I think his name was, is the leader of that same adventurer¡¯s party. Eugus didn¡¯t mention this in the details but it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Lord Rowling himself appointed Ms. Gabriella to be his fiance¡¯s bodyguard over the course of this quest. Though, for being possessive as Lili made him out to be, I was surprised he only appointed one bodyguard to her. I wondered if this meant Ms. Gabriella is that great of an adventurer, or if Lady Krauss is also just as great of a combatant remembering how Eugus spoke of her yesterday.

    Being a former bodyguard myself, no matter how strong or diligent one may be, I¡¯ve learned the number of them in a certain area shows how important and wealthy the client is. Maybe since Lord Rowling is aware of Lady Krauss exploring a dungeon with possibly more than two escorts, he took into account how larger numbers would actually hinder her safety if the spaces to traverse through the area are too small.

    Then I remembered Eugus telling me how Lady Krauss told him she was fine with a human escort outside of Ms. Gabriella¡¯s hearing. Why would she have to be that discreet from her own bodyguard? I might understand feeling suffocated being watched at all times but was Lady Krauss telling that to Eugus in secret because she didn¡¯t trust Ms. Gabriella? What if she didn¡¯t trust Lord Rowling, or maybe both him and Ms. Gabriella?

    Are the two of them, engaged to be wed, holding out something out that the other shouldn¡¯t know about?

    <¡°My goddess, dude, can you even call that paranoia anymore?¡±> Nyra suddenly asks. I was going over all of those previous possibilities and then some in my mind while listening to Eugus talk, thanks in part to my ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ skill to get all of that within a few seconds.

    When you¡¯ve been in my line of work long enough, you¡¯ll know that there are times you can¡¯t accept everything at face value, especially politicians, people involved with the government, pretty much anybody from the upper-class of society, really. It¡¯s sometimes because of the ¡®support¡¯ given by companies like my former one that they even got to their positions today.

    <¡°You mean ¡­ using money to buy their way to the top?¡±>

    Not just money, there are other means they use that would go against the law in order to obtain some sort of power.

    <¡°So, then ¡­ should we even trust this Noire Scarletine Krauss can help you get an audience with the Demon King?¡±>

    Right now, we¡¯re just taking a shot in the dark with what we got. We know the Krauss family has been close by while directly serving the Demon King(s) for many generations. It¡¯s a gamble, but it seems the people here can receive as much benefits from their connections as those from my old world would. They likely may not even try getting together to get friendly with each other. It¡¯s really a mind game of how good one can use the other to get a step up above them.

    <¡°That sounds really complicated.¡±>

    Yeah, and quite frankly I¡¯m not the brightest in this department of work, either. If you¡¯ve seen enough of my memories, then you know just how my naivete has brought me here today.

    <¡°I guess it¡¯s a good thing you maxed out your ¡®Intuition¡¯ skill, huh? That way, you¡¯d know better to who you may trust with any sort of dealings.¡±>

    Eeeexactly.

    The third new piece of information we got is the agreed meeting time and place for our departure tomorrow: the gong of the second triad, 06:00, at the guild. Eugus will have a carriage prepared for us at the time while he will escort us, and if we don¡¯t make too many stops aside from taking breaks, we would hopefully arrive in Palocaesy at around the fourth triad, 18:00¡ªwhich is basically this world¡¯s ¡®noon.¡¯ We would head to Lady Krauss¡¯ cottage where we¡¯d introduce ourselves to her, Ms. Gabriella, and Mr. Konjiro while we discuss our course of action to tackle the dungeon.

    There¡¯s one last thing Eugus mentioned that got the others on the edge of their seat. Apparently, this was agreed to be made as a last-minute ¡®trial¡¯ for my first quest as a black-ranked adventurer between him and the members of the Adventurer¡¯s Association after he reported my Innate Stats Ranking and my accomplishments to them late last night. If I were to fail or make a poor performance in the client¡¯s eyes in our quest, then Eugus can deem me unworthy to be ranked black and demote me to violet. When that happens, I can¡¯t apply myself as a black rank through normal qualifications until 3 months after the day of my demotion.

    A little note about this world¡¯s passage of time. Raiza is similar to Earth as there are 12 months in a year and 7 days in a week; however, there are exactly 35 days in all of the months in Raiza¡¯s time, compared Earth¡¯s when there¡¯s usually 30 or 31 in a month with the exception of February and its leap years. That means there are 5 weeks in a month, and with some quick math using my ¡®Calculation¡¯ skill, there are 420 days in a year for Raiza compared to Earth¡¯s 365.

    As if the days themselves in this world were enough, it seems it will take even longer to reapply for promoting myself back up to black rank than I thought should I fail.

    I guess I¡¯ll have to do everything I can to not let that happen and make sure Lady Noire Scarletine Krauss will be satisfied at the end of our first quest together.

 Chapter 72: The Terror of the Skies

    With no further questions asked, Ren and Erizora were asked to show their adventurer ID cards to confirm their ranks and classes so that he¡¯d have a report of the updated participants in my party who¡¯ll act as Lady Krauss¡¯ escorts. He¡¯d include Kalline¡¯s info, of course, and being her uncle, he¡¯s well aware of his niece¡¯s current rank and class.

    Just a reminder, our current ranks are me as black, Ume¡¯s red, Erizora¡¯s blue, and Ren¡¯s green. With Kalline, also a blue rank, now added into our party, our current party rank would now be red. I guess there¡¯s a system where a party¡¯s rank is the average from the number of people in it and their own adventurer ranks.

    Once Eugus had everything written down, he said we could use the meeting room for Lili to take the girls¡¯ measurements in before he dismissed us, stepped out of the meeting room and called out for the nearest Harpy to deliver the report to Lady Krauss.

    Surprisingly, it was Dorora, the same one who has helped me a number of times today, who happened to be standing nearby in the hallway. Once Eugus handed the report to Dorora in an envelope and instructed her to get the message to Lady Krauss in Palocaesy before the end of the day, he took his leave for further business.

    Instead of going to do her job right away though, Dorora somehow approaches me with her bird talon-like hands holding the envelope behind her back. She¡¯s a little shorter than me, so she had to look up a little, somehow giving her a child-like, innocent aura like a kid talking to an adult of curious interest.

    ¡°Can I help you with something?¡± I ask her while the others watch in.

    ¡°I just wanted to give my congratulations on winning your duel against Guild Master. It¡¯s not very easy to win over him in a match-up like that, you know, so I thought you handling him the way you did was very impressive. Oh, and I know it¡¯s a bit late but my name¡¯s Dorora, by the way. You can call me Dodo.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, uh ¡­ thanks? And it¡¯s nice to meet you, Dodo, I¡¯m Jinma.¡±

    Dodo then giggles. ¡°Well, of course I know who you are, silly, but it¡¯s nice to meet you, too!¡±

    <¡°Jinma, I should tell you this right now, but I¡¯ve been sensing a presence standing just outside of that door in the hallway for a while now,¡±> Nyra says in my mind.

    ¡­ You¡¯re not seriously suggesting?

    <¡°Dude, she¡¯s a Harpy, an all-female race, and they need human males in order to breed. This little birdy has been on your tail for quite a while like a chick imprinting their parent. You know where this is going.¡±>

    ¡°So~, I know I¡¯ve been handed with an important task all of a sudden, but we Harpies who have taken long-distance delivery missions can finish their work days early. I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I¡¯m kind of one of the fastest Harpies for these sorts of things,¡± Dodo continues.

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡°Right? So, I was wondering, do you ¡­ have any plans for tonight? I know a nice restaurant that serves good chicken. Maybe we can get to know each other over some nice food?¡±

    <¡°Oh, shit! This chick¡¯s going for the attack on the get-go! And she¡¯s offering chicken! A bird! Sort of like her! Dude, that tears it, she¡¯s totally going for your pants to get that pecker up her egg factory, here! What is your response?!¡±>

    ¡°That sounds good, but I¡¯m afraid I already have plans with someone else for tonight.¡±

    <¡°Ohhh~, shot down! I mean, I get it, dinner with a snake temptress lord is something you just couldn¡¯t cancel, considering the circumstances, but I gotta give bluebird here points for effort.¡±>

    For the record, Dodo here has light-blue feathers on her wings and they¡¯re the same color as her hair tied in a short ponytail. They actually look more periwinkle on closer inspection but Nyra¡¯s nickname for her seems on point.

    ¡°Well, darn, I guess it can¡¯t be helped if you already have plans. Maybe some other time like, say, tomorrow night?¡±

    <¡°Damn! Her wing may be clipped but she¡¯s still flying strong! This one¡¯s really persistent! Actually, you might make that work if you [Portal] yourself back here from Palocaesy and¡ª¡±>

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be out of town starting tomorrow. I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    <¡°¡­ My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. Jinma, how could you?! What happened to getting with a girl of every race, man?!¡±>

    I don¡¯t recall ever making a plan like that. Besides, do you even know why she suddenly started talking to me now like this of all times instead of earlier?

    <¡°Uh, because you¡¯re a freaking stud after beating the strongest warrior in Dondegarm and she wants your dick to make her babies? What else could there be?!¡±>

    Perhaps you forgot how the total amount of money in my adventurer¡¯s account was blatantly revealed to everyone in the coliseum? Come on, Nyra, surely you had at least a friend or two who were gold diggers?

    <¡°¡­ Who the fuck cares?! You¡¯re freakin¡¯ loaded and you got the all-powerful mother of all sugar mommas as your fucking wife! Throw some of that money away and live a little, ya cheapskate!¡±>

    With that whole mental exchange happening within a few seconds with my ¡®Hyper Thought Processing¡¯ skill, Dodo¡¯s disappointment is apparent in her sigh. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s one of those long-term quests you gotta do, right? Well, it can¡¯t be helped,¡± she says while shrugging. ¡°You gotta do what you gotta do, but hit me up whenever you get back. I wanna hear about your adventures with your friends soon.¡±

    <¡°¡­ Little chick, if I had my body right now, [I would make love to you ¡­ for all. Night. Long.]¡±>

    Did you just speak English?

    <¡°Is that what that language was called on Earth? I caught a glimpse of a memory where you said that line to some nerdy girl while you both were in a small room surrounded in a clusterfuck of books. I think I also heard a monster inside a cage-like box that¡¯s in the same room, too. I had no idea what you just said but it sounded very suave and seductive that it just fit for this scenario. By the way, who was she and why didn¡¯t you bang her?¡±>

    ¡­ Oh, that¡¯s likely one of my aunts, and the ¡®monster¡¯ in the box is her pet cat. She worked as a mangaka and I helped out with her manuscripts while cooking her a decent meal from time to time. We were probably dicking around and making fun of the cheesy romance stories that normies would eat up at the time. Her cat never liked me though, so she had to put her in that box to avoid me getting scratched. It¡¯s a shame, because she looked so cute that I wanted to pet her.

    <¡°Ah, well, I guess you¡¯re really happy to have someone like Mametama.¡±>

    ¡®Happy¡¯ doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it. Mametama might not have been a familiar I was expecting at first but I know I was going to have a lot of fun spoiling her when I have the chance.

    Just as Dodo was about to leave, seeing her wings reminds me of something. ¡°Actually, Dodo, before you go, can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°But of course!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been to a lot of places, right? Seen a lot of flying, feathered creatures in bright colors, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I do get around and see the occasional bird but I think there are more bright-colored Harpies out there than there are flying feathered monsters. Why do you ask?¡±

    I take my MIB and reach into one of the pouches to pull out the light blond-colored feather Ume found for me this morning. ¡°Do you happen to know anything about who or what owned this ¡­ feather?¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    As soon as I held up the feather in front of Dodo, her face turns very pale that¡¯s unfit for her character.

    ¡°W-Where ¡­ d-d-did you get that?¡± Dodo stutters.

    ¡°Uh, Ume found it for me while we were in the fields?¡±

    ¡°I thought it looked really pretty so I had to pick it up. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Ume asks the others to which most of them agreed. Only Kalline strangely had a serious expression.

    ¡°May I see that, Master Jinma?¡±

    With a quirked brow, I handed the feather over to Kalline and she checks it with close inspection. ¡°Hmm ¡­ yes, I do believe this is a Harpy feather. Judging by the sheen and color, I am positive this belongs to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say her name!¡± Dodo practically screams, scaring us.

    ¡°Whoa, Dodo, what¡¯s the matter¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay back!¡± she yelps, jumping back and hides behind the wall, trembling so much that some of her feathers start to fall. ¡°Jinma, if you know what¡¯s good for you, you get rid of that feather! Toss it, burn it, or whatever! Just keep that away and don¡¯t come any closer! In fact, don¡¯t talk to me ever again! I don¡¯t want anything to do with the ¡®Terror of the Skies!¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®Terror of the Skies?!¡¯¡± ¡°Did somebody say ¡®Terror of the Skies?!¡± ¡°No! Not the Terror!¡± ¡°Is she nearby?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there like a Gluck! Everybody, fly!¡±

    ¡°¡°AAAAAUGH!¡±¡±

    A chorus of screams sounded through the guild follow by many ruffling feathers. Looking outside of the window, we see Dorora and many other Harpies flying away from the guild in panic as fast as possible. I think I even see Imps and Arch Imps among them, too.

    ¡°The heck was that all about?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Are you asking about how all of the Harpies in the guild suddenly flew off or how that Dorora girl told Master to stay away from her so rudely after she tried to seduce him? If I even see that damn bird again, I¡¯ll show her my own brand of terror for disrespecting Master,¡± Ren says while pulling out both of her daggers with a darkened expression.

    ¡°The ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯ ¡­ I feel like I might¡¯ve heard that name before,¡± Erizora says.

    ¡°¡®Twould not be surprising if thou did, Erizora, for this Harpy goes by the name of Tyvera, and just like Ms. Gabriella who was mentioned earlier, this one is with the ¡®Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples¡¯ as well,¡± Kalline says. ¡°I have only seen her a few times but I certainly could not forget those golden feathers like the one we have here.¡±

    ¡°What makes this Tyvera chick so much of a ¡®terror¡¯ that would scare off the Harpies here by mentioning her title?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Well, thou art all aware that most flying monsters are weak against Storm-type magic and attacks, yes? Well, the same can be said for flying races like most of the Harpies, emphasis on most.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying this Tyvera can resist Storm-attribute attacks?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°Forget ¡®resisting,¡¯ she can harness the power of Storm, add its attribute to her attacks and skills, and can recover her strength while growing even more powerful from it when used against her. Add in the strong Water-attribute resistance and she would not slow down from her feathers getting wet as the liquids would just slide right off. Hence, becoming the dreadful adversary that we know as the ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯ today. Now, keep in mind I only know this much from hearsay, but if what I had heard were true, I can imagine those feats were only made possible by a special ability that she was ¡®blessed¡¯ from birth.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you mean she¡¯s one of the Gifted,¡± Tenaka says.

    ¡°Precisely. Now, was this feather always this clean and pristine when it was found in the field?¡±

    ¡°I used magic to clean the feather before giving it to Jin but it was more or less the same condition as it is right now,¡± Ume answers.

    ¡°Then that means she was at that same field fairly recently before the two of thee showed up. I do not know what Ms. Tyvera¡¯s intentions were when she passed over that field, it would be optimistic to say this was only pure coincidence, but since another disciple, Ms. Gabriella, was around a fair amount of distance from her, I believe we should proceed in our travel to Palocaesy with caution.¡±

    ¡°Wow, it all makes so much sense, you¡¯re turning out to be a better advisor than what we could¡¯ve hoped for!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°Indeed. The skills you¡¯re displaying right now would make you a good Huntress,¡± Mametama adds

    ¡°Th-Thou think so? I only came to that conclusion with circumstantial evidence, but what dost thou think, Master Jinma?

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Master Jinma?¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? Oh, yeah, I also think we should ¡­ stay cautious.¡±

    ¡°Jin, are you all right? You¡¯re looking kind of ¡­ distant,¡± Ume says.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡­¡± Or I will be once this nostalgia of feeling dead and empty from getting royally rejected by a girl I barely made acquaintance with passes.

    <¡°Oh, yeah, I do recall glimpses of your memories where you barely even spoke a few words before normal human girls hightailed it. Damn, though, I thought you were exaggerating but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see something like that happen, and then there was the stab from that woman who did you in while you were seriously injured, too. Seriously, your love life was rougher than I thought, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re hesitant on believing a girl¡¯s feelings today. I¡¯m also suddenly in the mood for some fried chicken after the exit that Dorora made.

    <¡°But! This isn¡¯t a huge loss on your part. From this event you learned of an interesting girl, right?¡±>

    Are you saying I should look into hitting up this Tyvera girl?

    <¡°Well, if Dorora¡¯s reaction to that feather meant anything, I¡¯m pretty sure the other Harpies won¡¯t approach you now even if you¡¯re less than remotely associated with her. If you¡¯re planning on getting a girl of every race, you might as well try to get the cream of the crop.¡±>

    Again, I didn¡¯t even have a plan like that in mind, but I am sort of curious of Ms. Tyvera now. Thanks for trying to cheer me up and not make fun of my failed love history, by the way.

    <¡°Hey, you made me feel good with your violence and the shows you put on from the fun times with your harem. It¡¯s the least I could do to help you out in these sorts of things. You¡¯re like a little brother to me.¡±>

    That¡¯s kind of weird putting it that way considering what we¡¯ve been through.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m beyond centuries older than you and I don¡¯t feel like one of the grannies I¡¯ve seen in other people¡¯s memories, so you¡¯re my little brother. If I knew I had a little brother back home, I¡¯d give him all kinds of love only an older sister Pixie would. Just know that you¡¯d be more than grateful and happy to have an older sister like me around.¡±

    ¡­

    I didn¡¯t know what to say in such a chaotic statement so I just dropped the subject there. Still, knowing another one of the duke¡¯s disciples is near the area, one of them likely appointed by the leader of said group, I¡¯m beginning to draw my own suspicions if this isn¡¯t just a mere coincidence.

    Also, I learned later that a ¡®Gluck¡¯ is apparently another one of those seemingly-harmless monsters that¡¯s similar to a duck, but has a reptilian-like appearance and a bill on its face. They¡¯re actually really annoying from how they make those swallowing sounds loud enough to surround an area like cicadas would; hence, why they¡¯re aptly named as such.

    ~~

    ¡°¡­ Nope, can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t get over how bummed I feel not helping that human out, even if I did sound harsh when I made that report the other day.¡±

    The ¡®Terror of the Skies,¡¯ Tyvera, is currently gliding leisurely while keeping watch for any suspicious people targeting Noire. Ever since she didn¡¯t find any clues of Jinma¡¯s ¡®death¡¯ last night, though she said her good-byes, she can¡¯t seem to get the person out of her mind. She barely remembers what he looked like now, and while a part of her is trying to move on, another side resists to not let it go just yet.

    It¡¯s been eating at her so much that she could barely sleep while dreaming of a nightmare last night.

    ¡°That field seems to be in Dondegarm¡¯s boundary. If I could just make a quick stop to report that incident ¡­¡± Of course, she can¡¯t as it would interfere with her mission.

    As she sighs in discontent, she sees it in the far distance with ¡®Deadeye,¡¯ a periwinkle-colored Harpy flying from Dondegarm¡¯s direction at an alarmingly fast speed while carrying a shoulder bag. She¡¯s the same one who just spoke with Jinma moments ago, Dorora.

    Hey! I think she¡¯s one of the Dondegarm guild¡¯s messenger Harpies, right?! This can be my chance!

    Excited, she glides over to Dorora¡¯s direction. ¡°Excuse me?! Miss?! A moment of your time?!¡±

    The moment Dorora¡¯s eyes catches a glimpse at Tyvera¡¯s golden-blonde feathers, her face grew even paler than it was earlier.

    Noooooo! Of all the worst timings! Dorora screams in her mind before she quickly decides to ignore Tyvera¡¯s calls and pick up the pace while blatantly changing course in attempt to ignore her.

    ¡°Hey! Hold on a sec! I need to talk to you!¡± Tyvera then gives chase to Dorora.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m in a hurry at the moment!¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s fly and talk! You¡¯re from Dondegarm, right?! See, there¡¯s this guy¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t help you! Please leave me be!¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said leave me alone!¡± In desperate attempt to flee, Dorora reaches into her shoulder bag and pull out a small cylindrical item with a pin. This is one of many disposable adventurer tools to escape from perilous danger of monsters, the smoke grenade, something one could get at nearly any item store.

    Dorora takes the smoke grenade, pulls the pin, and wait just the right amount of time before tossing it back, right into Tyvera¡¯s face.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    PON!

    The grenade explodes into a large cloud of smoke, forcing Tyvera to abruptly stop in her tracks before coughing. The distraction was just enough for Dorora to make a quick flee and out of her sight.

    ¡°*Keho! Keho!* Ack! Are you fucking kidding me?!¡± Tyvera exclaims as the smoke finally clears. Dorora successfully flew out of her sight and the action made her grind her teeth.

    ¡°Fine! Be that way, fucking twat! I hope your mate¡¯s dick is too limp and small to even get inside your lousy cunt!¡± Tyvera kicks the air in frustration before exasperating. ¡°S¡¯not like I wanted to be the fucking ¡®Terror of the Skies,¡¯ you know ¡­¡± Her mood dampens further along with the mental dilemma involving Jinma.

    A familiar ringing snaps her out of it before she reaches into her knapsack and pulls out a yellow crystal. She activates it with her magic. ¡°This is Tyvera,¡± she practically growls.

    <¡°Anything new to report?¡±>

    ¡°No, Gabriella. Things are looking just peachy. I¡¯m gonna get some food.¡±

    <¡°Didn¡¯t you already have lunch?¡±>

    ¡°I¡¯m still hungry. Don¡¯t bother me for a while. Tyvera, out.¡±

    Ending her call, Tyvera puts away the Messaging Crystal and flies back to Palocaesy in a huff, thinking what large meal she can have to help sate her foul mood.

 Chapter 73: The Party that Lives from Dawn to Dusk and Dawn Again

    After things calmed down, I got Lili to come up to the meeting room and take the girls¡¯ measurements for their new clothes while Kenaka and Mametama wanted to follow me. I decided to take the opportunity to sell most of the weapons and items from my [Storage] I got from the cultists scouting Dondegarm yesterday. I kept some things from them like potions, spears, bows, and quivers of arrows. Some time has passed since the end of that duel so it looks like things have also calmed down in the guild, especially since all of the Harpies and most of the [Arch] Imps flew off in a panic. It¡¯s actually pretty empty. Maybe most of the adventurers are out doing their quests at this point of time?

    I wound up getting around 650,000 karos from most of the weapons and gear I gathered from the cultists. I decided to keep them on hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, Mr. Jinma, but what did you do with the um ¡­ the bodies of the White Rapture scouts yesterday?¡± Ms. Raize who was helping me with the transaction asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping them in my [Storage] until I figure out what to do with them.¡±

    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s 64 bodies in there, right? And there were all of those items you pulled out from [Storage] moments ago, too. Then there was the Toxic Troll and all of those monsters you pulled yesterday. You must have a lot of magic capacity to be able to hold all of that, right?¡±

    ¡°Depends on what you mean by a lot. Hey, if you see anyone from my party, could you tell them I¡¯m in the training grounds if they ask?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With that, I head to the training grounds with my MIB in tow while Kenaka and Mametama follow me, specifically to the shooting range where a few targets made of hay wrapped in cloth are set up for those wanting to hone their skills with the bow or throwing weapons.

    From there, I performed a couple of experiments involving magic and weapons. To be more specific, making weapons from magic, like throwing knives, spheres, spears, and shuriken while doing some target practice. I first made all of those mentioned weapons from Darkness Manipulation before I threw them at the targets. Compared to creating them from shadows nearby, I can now make them straight from my magic with better ease after I maxed the skill out. Since my Throw skill was also at max level, I didn¡¯t think about how powerful the disposable weapons would be at first when I threw them as hard as I could.

    The ¡®Shadow Ball,¡¯ which was the first weapon I tried that I molded into the size of a baseball, just blew a hole right through the target and even out the other side of the wooden fence behind it. I had to run over and made sure I didn¡¯t hit anybody. Thankfully, nobody got hurt but I stopped using any ball-shaped items and minded my throwing power from that point on. Those things might as well be miniature cannonballs from how it embedded itself in a tree outside of the fucking city.

    So many holes made in a line ¡­ I would have to pay for these damages, unfortunately, so I quickly reported my screw up with Ms. Raize and provided the necessary money for the reparations before I moved on to another target to practice on. The few others who were using them before disappeared after seeing what I did.

    Ah ¡­ this sense of loneliness from scaring away people due to my strength. How nostalgic, I thought for a moment as I stared at the empty shooting range wistfully.

    I shook off my melancholy and moved on with my experiment while keeping my throwing power in mind. My sharp ¡®Shadow Knives¡¯ went right through another clean target and stuck themselves on the wooden fence behind it. The same went for the ¡®Shadow Spear¡¯ and even ¡®Shadow Shurikens¡¯ that were about the same size as the palm of my hand. I confirmed it with the ¡®Shadow Ball¡¯ as well, but they¡¯re able to maintain their shape and form even after going at a far enough distance until I made them disappear at will.

    I did the same thing after I went a little creative with ¡®Create Water¡¯ from Water Magic and made those weapons out of solid ice, or ¡®Create Ice¡¯ as Kenaka and Mametama called it as they helped. It seems they both have good knowledge of magic under their belts as well, which helped me quite a bit.

    My ¡®Ice Weapons¡¯ were actually more difficult for me to make compared to my ¡®Shadow Weapons¡¯ even with my Hyper Thought Processing, probably because I had to take into account the density and durability of solidified water compared to ¡­ well, whatever matter Darkness Manipulation comes from.

    Kalline mentioned how flying beings are usually weak against Storm-attribute attacks. Would throwing chunks of ice and black stuff count as Water and Curse-attribute attacks, respectfully? I wouldn¡¯t really know until I tried it out, I suppose, but I played around with what else I could do with Water and Curse Magic some more. I was even able to use Ren¡¯s [Duplicate] Null Spell to make copies of Nyra after trying it and they turned out to be decent throwing knives.

    With how strong my throws are, I may not even need to use a bow and arrow, but I wondered how possible it would be for me to stop using magic all of a sudden due to some dire circumstances and I needed to catch someone from a long distance. At that point, not having magic would be difficult. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to use Weapon¡¯s Bond to call Nyra back to me after I throw her. Even if I sprint to where my opponent is, they could get away with their own [Portal] if they had the capability to do so. I made a mental note to try my hand on the bow and arrow at another time.

    During my experimental stages, Mametama and Kenaka asked me questions on what the White Rapture was, what Ms. Raize meant about their bodies I kept in [Storage] and how I came into contact with Ms. Obina. I told them what I could without revealing too much as I trained on my own.

    The conversation was through ¡®Telepathy,¡¯ by the way, so no one would be able to know what we were talking about. Nyra had to put in some jabs at me to keep the ¡®talk¡¯ less boring for her. She especially cackled after I made those holes with the Shadow Ball.

    [You have earned 97 SP. Total: 12,320 SP

    [Your ATK has been increased!]

    By the time I called my training session good for the time being and I earned 97 SP along with a boost in ATK, the others seemed to have finished with their measurements a while ago and decided to watch me. I didn¡¯t even notice they were there until I was finished. Lili wasn¡¯t with them, but Ren told me she had to get the supplies and return home to get started on her special line of commissions.

    With everyone gathered, we went back inside the guild and met up with Ms. Raize.

    ¡°All done with your businesses?¡± Ms. Raize asks.

    ¡°Yep. We still need to get supplies and prepare for our quest tomorrow, but right now we need to register Kalline in our party and give it a name before anything else.¡±

    ¡°Ooh~, do tell. What inspired you to come up with it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯d like to first thank the girls for giving me the inspiration: Ume, Ren, Erizora, Kalline, and last but not least, Nyra.¡±

    ¡°<¡°Huh?¡±>¡± they utter.

    I take Nyra still sheathed and place it on my chest as I think back to the times I spent with them to this point. ¡°The circumstances were crazy, but we were all together by the end of the raid the night before. Six very different strangers of different races, fighting together for a common goal while Dondegarm was under attack. I could still remember how morbidly red the sky was as the sun began to set when I first got here during the chaos.

    ¡°The following day, I got to know a little of each of these individuals, got attracted to them, and one thing led to another before I first made love with Ume. The sun was also on the verge of setting at that time, giving her and the area a warm, welcoming light. And finally, from early this morning, I made my courtship with Ume official. The Immortals watched over us, acknowledged us as husband and wife as we kissed during the sunrise, beginning the first day of the rest of our lives together with the same, welcoming glow that made her all the more beautiful.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I think our party should have a name that fits with how it shines on us during our most climactic moments. How that no matter what the circumstances may be, we will make the most of the time given to us, whether they be dawn or dusk, because how we live is what makes us both the same and unique at once, all under the same light.

    ¡°That¡¯s why our party, number 7734, should be dubbed ¡®Twilight Sky.¡¯ What do you all ¡­ think?¡± I turn to my party when I ask that, only to see the girls¡¯ eyes welling up with tears.

    ¡°Master J-Jinma, that speech ¡­ ¡®twas beautiful,¡± Kalline says as she dabs her eyes with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Master has such a way with words ¡­¡± [Ren]

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he thought so much of us in a short time.¡± [Erizora]

    <¡°Oh, Jinma ¡­ to say stuff like that while forcing me to feel and hear your heartbeat like this, you¡¯re gonna make me do something crazy with my magic in front of all of these people if you say anymore.¡±> [Nyra]

    ¡°*Gushi.* All right, then,¡± Ms. Raize says after dabbing tears from her own six eyes away. ¡°If everyone¡¯s in agreement, lend me your cards and I¡¯ll update them right away.¡±

    All of us do just that while I overheard Mametama whisper something to Kenaka. The latter¡¯s grunt told me he didn¡¯t like what she said but restrained himself from ruining the mood. I then feel one of my hands get interlocked by another¡¯s covered in scales. I glance over and see Ume fighting the urge to break down while her face was very red.

    Ah ¡­ my wife is so cute like this. Everyone¡¯s cute like this. I couldn¡¯t be more grateful to have such a wonderful family here with me. Thank you for making this possible, Goddess Obina. I feel I should pray to her as a proper goddess for this one.

    And so, our cards were given back to us moments later, and at the space below our party¡¯s number is the name ¡®Twilight Sky¡¯ in Padimonian writing.

    ~~

    After the registration was complete, we sat down and went over what we need for our dungeon crawl. Ren, Erizora, and Kalline have actually visited Palocaesy Dungeon before but have yet to complete it. Even so, their experience up to the 29<sup>th</sup> floor at the deepest (Kalline was the one who made it that far on her own while Ren and Erizora have only gone so far down as the 15<sup>th</sup>) was more than helpful for Ume and I who haven¡¯t even been inside a dungeon before.

    Since we have Ume¡¯s and my own [Storage] along with my MIB, both of which have a special space that keeps whatever perishable items just as fresh as they were when put inside, we made a list of things we needed for the trip over to Palocaesy, along with another one for the dungeon crawl that would likely happen the following day we get there, all written down on cheap paper and a charcoal pencil bought from the reception desk. We went over whatever situations were accounted for that would require such items when we need them, how much time would be expected for us to stay there in order to get to the end, how much rations we should prepare, and the like.

    Potions weren¡¯t much of an issue because I got a bunch of those from the White Rapture scouts yesterday, and so I took the bottles of what I had in [Storage] and distributed them among the party right then and there. I also passed a lighter I brought with me from Earth over to Kalline. Kazumi from my old work was a smoker and tended to abuse his position as my senior in the workplace to have me light his cigarettes.

    He at one point tried to have me buy the damn lung-killers for him, even if he would pay me back the money for it, but I scared him enough to not bother me about that task again. Mom was really strict in not allowing me to use drugs and cigarettes and I wasn¡¯t willing to be someone¡¯s minor drug mule for something like that.

    Still, he was really annoying when he forgot his lighter to light his smokes with, so I ended up carrying one around out of habit to shut him up about it. Since I have Fire Magic now, I have no need for the lighter anymore, so I gave it to Kalline to be a better and more efficient alternative than using those flints they use to light fires with. I¡¯d need to find an alternative fuel for when the lighter fluid runs out though, or maybe see if I can buy it from the IBS at some point.

    Once we came up with what we needed, I was gung-ho and ready to help buy the stuff for us, even visiting Ms. Carmen¡¯s tent about Ren¡¯s ¡®Trained [(voided) Sex] Pet¡¯ situation on the side.

    The girls unanimously suggested I sit out, however, and Ren herself said she felt fine enough to not worry about it today when I tried arguing her circumstances. She seemed to be telling the truth on it, so I couldn¡¯t argue her on that point any further.

    Instead, Ren, Erizora, and Kalline have gone to get the supplies with Kenaka serving as a mean of communication between me and them in case something went wrong. I lent them enough money to buy them all and my MIB to make carrying the supplies around easier while I have my IEB in a regular knapsack currently lugged on my shoulder. While they were picking up supplies, Ume, Mametama, and I would walk back to the Cantering Dreams Inn for a change of pace instead of using [Portal].

    We ¡­ or more technically they decided that we should meet back up at the inn once their shopping was done so we could visit the bath before going to Ms. Tephalia¡¯s manor for dinner. Which brings us to the present with me currently holding Ume¡¯s hand on one side of me while Mametama walked on the other

    ¡°I know I couldn¡¯t really refuse a unanimous decision like that but I still don¡¯t know why you all were so against me helping out,¡± I start off.

    ¡°Jin, you worked in getting two of the strongest magical beasts in the Holy and Curse Realms to become your familiars, had a duel with this city¡¯s guild master to let his niece join our party, and after going through the exhausting details of our quest tomorrow and dealing with that damn chick¡¯s rudeness, you honed your skills by throwing those magic-made weapons at targets. You may not be an average human, but even I know from my own kind that everyone has limits.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t feel tired, though? And didn¡¯t you say it yourself that you were looking for a strong, capable mate before you wound up with me, Ume?¡±

    ¡°Being strong is one thing, but being hasty and constantly pushing that strength to its breaking point is a whole other story. There are those in my kind who have died sooner than they should¡¯ve because of overwork and they themselves didn¡¯t even realize it until it was too late. I may not be one to talk with my lack of sleep but we take sleeping and resting very seriously.¡±

    ¡°Lady Umeiyon is right, Milord,¡± Mametama adds. ¡°Before I earned my former position, I have also worked too much to the point of collapse at times. Most magical beasts who were with me have been run ragged enough times until they didn¡¯t want anything to do with me anymore since they couldn¡¯t keep up with my pace. You may be different, but if you try taking everything on your own, even if you don¡¯t die from it directly, you may end up collapsing at the worst possible time and place.¡±

    ¡°Have you been in a similar position, Mametama?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I was ¡­ and if it weren¡¯t for that damn bear, I probably wouldn¡¯t even be here with you.¡±

    ¡°Kenaka?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Ugh, it pains me to even remember how furious he was when he scolded me after taking care of some monsters that were about to do me in.¡±

    ¡°So, there are monsters from your realm, too, huh?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in their relationship than the monsters. If Kenaka was scolding you, then the two of you were actually pretty close friends, right? What brought the two of you to drift apart? Was it how you two became the Holy and Cursed Beasts?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it. The reason¡¯s more complicated than that but let¡¯s not drift away from the main subject. The point is, you need a break, and it¡¯s more serious than you think if I¡¯m the one saying that. That¡¯s why it¡¯s the two of us coming along with you so we can make sure you stay put and not leave our sight.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Did you girls plan this far ahead while I was away?¡±

    ¡°We did a lot of talking, yes, and keeping you relaxed and pampered after a long day is just one of my duties as your primary wife; hence, why it was decided I would be the one to come with you.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like I¡¯m putting you all through some trouble worrying over me, though. I¡¯m sorry if I did. I just didn¡¯t want to feel like I¡¯m abusing my position as the party¡¯s leader to slack off and not put in my fair share of the work.¡±

    ¡°<¡°You¡¯ve done more than enough,¡±>¡± the two of them and even Nyra said in sync. I couldn¡¯t help but flinch a little at that.

    We get back to the inn before I realized it. We get to the reception and I make sure my familiars and Kalline were accounted for to stay with us before we get to the mixed room.

    ¡°Jin ¡­ you¡¯ve done so much for us in this short time. We¡¯re happy to be with you and just as much to be of use to you, wife, slave, servant, or otherwise, but we¡¯re worried how you haven¡¯t had much of a chance to just ¡­ stop with everything and relax a little, when you¡¯re not eating and sleeping. You¡¯ve been constantly gripping your ¡®leader¡¯ label tightly as you made decisions and took the lead on what was best for us as a party ¡­ as well as how to make us feel good when we have sex.¡±

    My eyes widen slightly when she mentioned sex as we step into the room and I take off my shoes. Ume looks over to Mametama and nods her head over in a direction. Mametama seems to have got the message as she nods and steps out of the mixed room. Ume then casts [Soundproof] over the room while closing the door and the curtains with some form of her Ancient Magic. She takes me to one of the futons on the floor and starts undressing me.

    <¡°Oohh~, I¡¯m liking where this is going~,¡±> Nyra coos.

    ¡°We¡¯ll likely not have as much time to relax after we set out on our quest tomorrow and we¡¯ll need to get as much rest as we can tonight to get up bright and early. That¡¯s why ¡­ during this short time we have alone together, I¡¯ll take the lead for the lovemaking this time around. I want to know how you managed to defeat Eugus Gallofree later, but for now, tell me what it is that you want to do, what you want me to do, and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll feel good and refreshed enough to take on the world tomorrow, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ume ¡­¡±

    As soon as she tossed away my belt, suit jacket, and dress shirt, leaving me topless, she undoes the strap on the back of her cheongsam apron, letting it fall forward before slipping it off over her head and toss it along with my clothes, all while staring at me with avid, hungry eyes. My own were locked onto the beautiful and erotic breasts of her voluptuous body that¡¯s now bare to the world.

    With that, I take up the offer and surrender myself to my Dragon Wife¡¯s ¡®pampering.¡¯

 Chapter 74: A Dragons Pampering

    ¡°I¡¯m not just doing this out of obligation, either, you know? Ever since you said all of those things you had in mind while coming up with our party¡¯s name at the guild, I had to stop myself from taking you right there. I¡¯ve been so horny since then that I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied being on the receiving end this time around.¡±

    Come to think of it, Ume did feel up my thigh under the table while we were going over the supplies needed earlier. I¡¯m pretty sure I heard her breathing shallower and more in a seductive manner next to me, too.

    <¡°Aw, shit, this girl is thirsty!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    I shove Nyra under the pillow as Ume pulled me down to the futon and started taking the lead with a heated make-out session, her tongue overwhelming my own while she excavated every nook and cranny of my oral cavity. I sigh through my nose and relish the feeling of her breasts pressing into my bare chest as she pushed me down.

    Ume pulls back with a mess of saliva spilling between us and I see her face flushed red for a moment. She then moves down to kiss my neck, sending pleasant shivers down my spine. ¡°Come on. Tell me what you want, already. I¡¯m itching to get started,¡± she says in between kisses.

    Honestly, I was going to ask if she and Ms. Tephalia talked about anything related to me but that clearly isn¡¯t what¡¯s in her mind right now.

    ¡°I want ¡­ to grope your boobs.¡± It was so sudden and rare for me to be firm in voicing what I really want in the moment that I hesitated briefly.

    My slight fears were unfounded as Ume happily obliged and we set ourselves up to where she lies her back on top of me, positioning ourselves to where our faces are close to each other on the same level. I take a moment to slip out of my slacks and set my hardened dick free before reaching up from underneath and start fondling her G-cup mounds. Ume takes a shallow gasp and she arches her back while I relish the feeling of her breasts molding and spilling over my hands, using my maxed out Sex Technique skill to make the experience just as enjoyable for her, too. They¡¯re almost like the mochi from ozoni after they¡¯ve been warmed up in the broth and it¡¯s a very pleasant feeling. How her nipples get hard and erect from my touch is the finishing touch to the experience. I could still remember how nice it felt and tasted in my mouth when I first did it with Ume yesterday.

    ¡°Mmmh~. You really like my boobs that much, Jin?¡±

    ¡°I love your boobs, Ume. I¡¯d fondle them all day if I could, whether they are clothed or bare like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s stopping you?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Jin, I¡¯m your wife, remember?¡± she asks while turning her head to me as much as she could. ¡°My body is yours, from now to forever, and I love you giving it attention like this no matter where we are. I¡¯m minding the public¡¯s norm of decency for your sake and not attract a lot of attraction to myself, but with my Ancient Magic, I could make myself undetectable to everyone¡¯s eyes except for yours, only. I could walk around butt naked with you and no one would even bat an eye because they wouldn¡¯t see me. I could even make you just as so and we can have sex right out in the open if you wanted, while everyone else won¡¯t even see or hear what we¡¯re doing. Actually, I¡¯m getting excited just thinking about it.¡±

    <¡°Holy crap, she¡¯s one hell of an exhibitionist, and where can I get that magic to make it work for me, too?!¡±> Nyra asks.

    ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t really care if anyone sees me if it means the sex we¡¯d have would be incredible. We can go out and do it right now if you want, all you have to do is say the word.¡±

    I may not have been popular with girls and too occupied with work to think about these things but I admit I¡¯ve read a little doujinshi on some kinks here and there. I found it unlikely to have sex in public spaces like a school classroom or a park and not get caught, but that doesn¡¯t make the fantasy depicted in the doujinshi any less enjoyable.

    If Ume can actually make those fantasies into reality, then that¡¯s something I should really consider trying in the future.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind but I¡¯d rather not do something that exciting right now. I want to take it easy and enjoy the leisure time with my beautiful wife,¡± I answer before I start kissing the border between the skin and scale of her neck.

    Ume giggles. ¡°You can be such a smooth talker, Jin. This beautiful wife is lucky to have you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more of a miracle for me than you realize. I love you very much, Ume.

    ¡°I love you, too.¡±

    We affirmed our love again with another heated kiss while I continue fondling her breasts with gentle care. The sighs of her breaths were hot enough to warm most of my face. The way they sound with no other noise interrupting it with [Soundproof]¡¯s assistance heightened my sense of hearing, making the experience even more intense. I wonder if Ume was feeling the same way. Her moans as I pinch and stretch her nipples gets my blood pumping down to my dick and make it even harder and swollen. Ume¡¯s smooth, scaly back rubbing against my hardened cock sandwiched between us gives a surreal feeling that I don¡¯t think could ever be replicated on Earth.

    ¡°Hey, Ume.¡±

    ¡°Hmm~?¡±

    ¡°I want you to do something else with your boobs but I¡¯ll need to lubricate them first. Do you mind?¡±

    ¡°Do whatever you like~.¡±

    I cast [Contraception] and let my hands currently rubbing Ume¡¯s breasts emit the stimulating, magical lubricant. Ume gasps shakily as I start applying the lubricant onto her beautiful milk bags, making sure I¡¯m thorough in getting every part of them covered from top to bottom, and especially in between them.

    ¡°My boobs are getting so hot ¡­ are we doing something different with them than what we¡¯ve done to this point?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s something I¡¯ve fantasized from time to time and I¡¯ve always wanted to try it if I had the chance. You¡¯ll be the first to do this for me, Ume.¡±

    ¡°Yay~.¡±

    Thinking I¡¯ve applied enough on her breasts, I ask Ume to move so I could apply the lubricant on my cock next. It¡¯s then I realized this is the first time I¡¯ve seen my improved sex in all of its glory, 20.5 centimeters [~ 8.1 inches] of red, swollen, hard flesh that¡¯s raring to go and conquer a woman with its seed. I was a tad worried about even making this possible with the size I started out with when I came to this world, but now I think I can do it to make it a more thrilling experience.

    <¡°Mmh~, goddamn, do I wish I could break myself and ride that cock right now~,¡±> Nyra moans, also impressed of my improved masculine weapon as I start generously applying the [Contraception] lubricant on it, head, balls, and everywhere in between. The heat and sensitivity quickly overwhelm me and I¡¯m amazed I haven¡¯t grown to get used to it yet.

    After I¡¯m coated and ready, I instruct Ume accordingly while we change positions.

    ¡°So, this is called a ¡­ boob job, was it?¡± Ume asks as she holds her breasts together over my cock. I¡¯m currently lying down on my back.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°I can already tell a girl with sizeable breasts is required but I feel like this is something more Erizora¡¯s specialty with her giant ones. Are you really sure I¡¯m the first girl you¡¯re doing this with?¡±

    ¡°Yes, absolutely sure.¡±

    ¡°Have you thought of doing this with her? Actually, Kalline Gallofree¡¯s breasts looked pretty decent, too.¡±

    ¡°I admit I did but I know how much you want to share most, if not all of our firsts together and you said we could do whatever I want right now, so ¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, you made a wise decision in coming to your wife first for these things ¡­ I¡¯m very happy that you remembered, too.¡±

    Well, she did say that just last night. How could I possibly even forget?

    ¡°Okay, so you want me to slide your cock through my boobs like this, right? I¡¯m going to do that now.¡±

    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready, and do it slowly, please,¡± I say while aligning my cock to position.

    Ume nods and then starts pressing her breasts together while getting my tip between them.

    A shock runs down my spine as my cock slowly gets swallowed between the cleavage of her G-cup mounds, tight, soft, smooth, firm, and with the magic lubricant, the feeling is very warm and sensual. My erection is fully enveloped by her tits before I realized it.

    ¡°Mmh~. The lubricant is making this feel good for me, too. Ah! The glans is poking out!¡± Ume exclaims before giggling. ¡°Aww~, it¡¯s kind of cute like this. Hey there, little guy~. Are you happy to see me? You¡¯re just a cute little thing, aren¡¯t you? Yes, you are~.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± I have mixed feelings for this. Nyra¡¯s cackling in my mind doesn¡¯t really help with this moment of a strange complex and Ume¡¯s loving kiss after her baby talk makes this all the stranger.

    ¡°What should I do now?¡± Ume asks after finishing her baby talk.

    ¡°Now try to rub your breasts up and down on it, in a similar motion like how you were riding on it in cowgirl yesterday. Make sure you¡¯re pressing them tightly together, too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I get it.¡± Understanding it, she starts out slow with fucking my cock up and down in a smooth motion with her tits, keeping them pressed together between her scaly arms and lizard hands all the while. A feeling of my cock getting milked from top to bottom is like squeezing a tube of toothpaste on both ends repeatedly. The noises of wet sliding from the lubricant make the boob job sound all the lewder and sexier.

    ¡°Mmh. Yeah, like that.¡±

    ¡°Does it feel good?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it feels incredible.¡±

    ¡°Good, because I¡¯m starting to get into this, too. If it¡¯s like fucking on cowgirl, then ¡­¡± Ume suddenly gets an idea as she stops her motions at the top where my head is only remaining inside her cleavage.

    She then drops her tits and pounds them on my pelvis hard, bringing them back up and repeat the motion again, making slapping sounds that echo in the [Soundproof] barrier. The pressure around my cock suddenly grows more intense from her change of motions, and in a good way.

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    Ume really is trying to replicate the motions she made being on cowgirl and apply them to her tit job. I think there was no further need of me to instruct her on what to do and just voice my approvals.

    ¡°Fuck, Ume, that¡¯s really good! You¡¯re really fucking me with your tits! I¡¯m already getting close!¡±

    ¡°I really am! This is getting good for me, too! It¡¯s hotter than I thought! Oh, but I want to taste your semen again ¡­ hey, I know of something else to make this more interesting!¡± With Ume¡¯s breasts resting on my pelvis and wrapped around my cock, she takes her long tongue dripping with saliva and stretches it down to circle around the glans that was poking out, her tip runs along just below the head. Just to make sure the boob job was still going, Ume moves her tits around in a small circle that¡¯s in sync with the motions of her tongue, something she¡¯s also done during her cowgirl position yesterday. The experience this time is different with how the tight softness of her tits knocks my cock around like a joystick on a controller while my glans and its underside are overwhelmed by the improving dexterity of the long, warm, moist appendage that is her tongue.

    As if the mixed sensations weren¡¯t enough, the sight of her blushing face, endearing, but hungry eyes as they squint and glimmer, even the smile that could be seen with her lips despite her tongue lolled out, just add her giggling and you got yourself the unique sexy/cute image that¡¯s probably not easy to pull off. Yet Ume does this so naturally because it¡¯s fun for her, because she¡¯s doing it with someone like me.

    From that thought alone, I make sure my Potent Semen and Semen Pump skills were activated while using my Ejaculation Control to let it all build up in my cock, making it swell ever larger, redder, and hotter.

    ¡°Ume! It¡¯s too much! I¡¯m going to cum!¡±

    ¡°Hm?!¡±

    Releasing my Ejaculation Control, I let it all out. Like a miniature geyser, yellowish-white fluids erupt from my swollen cock and shoot up to hit right onto Ume¡¯s face. She instinctively closes her both of her eyes as more semen paints over her complexion and drips down to the growing mess around her cleavage.

    With Semen Pump allowing me to unload more jizz than a normal human male would, it¡¯s like I¡¯m making a unique work of art with Ume as the canvas. I had to have ejaculated half a soda can¡¯s worth of semen by the time my climax finally calms down.

    ¡°Agh, Bin! ¡®oob ab ba beh oo meh!¡± [Ugh, Jin! Look at the mess you made!] I think this is what Ume said with her tongue still lolled out, but she didn¡¯t sound all that mad compared to last night when something similar happened.

    ¡°Hold on! Before you do anything, I want to take a picture of this.¡±

    ¡°[Eh? You mean like this morning?]¡± Ume asks as I pull my smartphone out of my [Storage] and set up the camera.

    ¡°Yeah, I want to think back on the moment when my beautiful wife looks like this. Can we do it? Please?¡±

    ¡°[Will you want to take more pictures of these after this?]¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°[¡­ Can I see how they look after we¡¯re done?]¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°[Okay, since it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll allow it.]¡±

    ¡°Great! Can you stay like that with your tongue out and hold your fingers up like this?¡± I ask while making a double-peace sign. Ume mimics it while she maintains her ¡®smile.¡¯ ¡°Perfect! Now hold it like that!¡±

    <¡°Oh, wow ¡­ this looks so lewd and wrong and I love it! Isn¡¯t this what you guys call the ¡®ahegao¡¯ face back in Japan?¡±> Nyra asks as I take some quick shots with the smartphone.

    Sure is, and my god, Ume looks so sexy/cute like this right now that I¡¯m already getting turned on again for round two. These will definitely be for our own eyes to see only.

    Once I took some good enough pictures of her ahegao coated in cum, Ume uses that long tongue of hers to clean up the mess around of cleavage and most over her face.

    Her tongue may not be as long as Ms. Tephalia¡¯s but to even pull that off is an impressive feat, at least I thought so as I took more pictures of her tongue-cleaning then.

    Ume had to wipe whatever remained that her tongue couldn¡¯t reach with her scaly hands. She tried to get all of my semen in her mouth at once and slowly swish it around, savoring it, before having it go down her gullet with a hearty gulp.

    ¡°Ren and Erizora mentioned how delicious your semen tasted when they cleaned it last night so I wanted to try it again, but ¡­ this is much different in taste than from what I remembered. Is it from one of your skills?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Yes, Potent Semen, it read.¡±

    ¡°I think I saw that in the skill list of your status earlier, too. I see, so that¡¯s what this is ¡­ such a strong smell while tasting so thick and delicious ¡­¡± The redness on Ume¡¯s face deepens as her breathing gets shallow and she rests her hands on the chest where the heart is. It¡¯s then I realize how apparent the smell of sex is in the room. With my ¡®Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sensing¡¯ ability I gained from bonding with Ren, I could tell most of this scent is coming from Ume that¡¯s quickly becoming more overwhelming. I think I could even hear fluids from her pussy dripping down to the faux-tatami mat floor.

    ¡°Is this also why ¡­ I feel so hot and achy in my pussy?¡± Ume asks between breaths and she reaches down to feel up her dripping snatch. ¡°Jin, you¡¯re erect enough again, right? The [Contraception] Null Spell should still be effective if it¡¯s only your cock, right? Is it okay if I take it inside me now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, and fuck yes. I will be in your care.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ume then takes my already erected cock and aligns herself above it, still dripping juices and making a mess of my member all the while.

    ¡°Oh, but be careful, though.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ll have it in this size, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Try to take it easy. I wouldn¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s kind of incredible to feel how much this thing is throbbing.¡±

    ¡­ She¡¯s totally not listening to me, is she?

    <¡°Nope. The only thing she has in her mind is a big, fat, ¡®D.¡¯ I can feel her lust going off the charts from here.¡±>

    ¡°O-Okay, I think I got it. I¡¯m going to lower myself down, now.¡± Ume doesn¡¯t even wait to hear my confirmation as she slowly lets gravity do the work for her. Compared to the first few times I¡¯ve watched my cock getting swallowed, it¡¯s definitely more surreal now with its improved size. The enlarged head¡¯s already stretching Ume¡¯s pussy as it gets past the entrance. Using Sweet Spots to see the insides of her sex through glowing pink contours made the scene an even more amazing sight to behold. The sudden heat that¡¯s different from what was brought from the magic lubricant overwhelms me along with its sheer tightness.

    ¡°A-Ahn ¡­ wow, this is ¡­ a bit challenging. S-So much bigger than last night, I feel like I¡¯m splitting in two ¡­ aaah, is it actually getting even bigger?! J-Jin¡¯s cock ¡­ is filling up all of my insides! I can feel its pulses ¡­ coursing through me!¡±

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re halfway there, just relax and keep going!¡± Despite my growing worries, I feel I need to cheer her on. It¡¯s a little difficult to get worried, too, feeling how much of Ume¡¯s hot, moist, and loving embrace is acting from the cavity of her pussy, enveloping me so tightly that it¡¯s almost suffocating my cock for its seed.

    Looking up at Ume¡¯s Climax Gauge, I¡¯m surprised how her bar is steadily yet shakenly getting fuller and fuller. She must¡¯ve gotten really warmed up from how her breasts were given so much attention moments ago. I¡¯d say it¡¯s just at 75% now.

    ¡°S-So big!¡± Ume exclaims while lowering herself further, but I can see it¡¯s starting to get difficult. The tip of my glans is already close to her cervix. Her ¡®Climax Gauge¡¯ is at 80%.

    ¡°I just need ¡­ a little more!¡±

    The tip touches the cervix and presses into it. The contact is enough to make Ume¡¯s entire body shiver and get her Climax Gauge to jump up to 90%. The pressure that squeezes around my glans is making my Ejaculation Control hard to keep from releasing the second load.

    ¡°¡­ J-Jin? Is it all in there?¡±

    ¡°¡­ A-About a centimeter or 2 is still out, but hey, this is turning out¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dammit, Umeiyon, suck it up and take it like the proud Dragon female you are!¡± she berates herself before pulling herself back up a little and forces the rest of the way down, making a loud slap as our pelvises finally meet. ¡°AAA¡ª¡±

    As if everything is going in slow motion from my Hyper Perception and Hyper Foresight skills, I see how the glowing pink contours showing her insides stretch out and had the large foreign intruder forcing itself inside, firmly pressing the cervix like a button that shot her Climax Gauge up to 100%. The reaction causes Ume to scream in both bliss and a touch of pain from her incredible climax.

    It was that touch of pain in her voice that my Hyper Thought Processing kicks itself into high-gear. I evaluate where in her insides were stretched to near breaking point and chant directions in my mind to quickly repair themselves as I sit up and place a hand directly above the passage of her sex.

    HEEEEEEEEAL! I scream in my mind as I put my Holy Magic at full power from my palm and permeate through Ume¡¯s abdominals in the middle of her orgasmic scream. With assistance from my power, her body¡¯s self-repair functioning goes at incredible speeds to heal the parts of her insides that are painfully stretched, soothing the soreness, and even make the lining stronger than ever before.

    ¡°¡ªAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHN~!¡± It¡¯s as if the sudden repair and reconstruction made Ume¡¯s climax all the more pleasurable. If possible, her Climax Gauge might have gotten broken as it jumped way up to 200%. The pleasure shows as her reconstructed linings squeeze around my cock in such a vice that it even rivals Erizora¡¯s sheer inner gripping strength.

    The pressure was too much for me to hold my Ejaculation Control any longer and I blast another incredible load of semen inside her. I don¡¯t know how small the passage of her cervix is to the womb, but I could imagine some of the semen going right through and making its home inside while the rest fills up and coats her inner walls. I could already feel the concoction of my semen and her orgasmic fluids leaking out of her hot chambers and making a mess of my pelvis.

    Ume¡¯s body trembles while her insides constrict and retract sporadically as her head tilts up to the ceiling. Finally, after what felt like minutes of climaxing, Ume loses her strength to sit up straight and falls forward on top of me. I react quickly and catch her in my arms before the fall on my back cushions Ume¡¯s.

    ¡°Ume? Are you feeling okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­ *Hic.*¡±

    ¡°Ume?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯b ¡­ sho shorry.¡±

    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± I ask, confused and worried over why she¡¯s crying. She doesn¡¯t even look at me while sniffling and wiping her tears.

    ¡°It was so good, the healing while I was climaxing, and it was building up so much that I ¡­ couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. My body could barely move, I can¡¯t tighten my insides, and now I¡¯m ¡­¡±

    As Ume trails off, I feel it and even smell it in the air with my Werewolf sense of smell. A great warmth showering my pelvis and balls as it dribbles down to the tatami-mat floor, making a bigger mess than it probably already is. Judging by this new smell that¡¯s wafting in the room ¡­

    Ume¡¯s peeing on me right now, isn¡¯t she?

    Nyra seems to have known for a while and was just waiting for the punch line before she cackles in my head.

    ¡°It was shameful enough that I couldn¡¯t accept all of it inside me, but to degrade myself down to peeing on my own husband ¡­ I couldn¡¯t be more ashamed and embarrassed right now. I¡¯m so sorry¡ª¡±

    I silence her self-pity by pulling her face towards me and lock my lips with hers, giving a considerate and loving kiss instead of a passionate one this time around while I rub her back in comfort.

    ¡°Sheesh, you¡¯re being as hard on yourself as Kalline was a while ago,¡± I say after breaking the kiss.

    ¡°B-But ¡­ I ruined this perfect moment with my urine.¡±

    ¡°So what? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s totally ruined.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°No. I was honestly more worried about you really hurting yourself after doing something that reckless back there. I know you were trying your best but it wouldn¡¯t do either of us any good if you hurt yourself ¡­ I mean, I may not be one to talk, but you get my drift, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­¡±

    I pull her in for a hug. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, thanks to your last-minute healing. I¡¯m sorry I was so reckless with that, though.¡±

    ¡°Just try not to go overboard next time, okay? I¡¯m happy enough knowing I have such a beautiful, intelligent, wonderful wife to share these amazing moments with. These little ¡®accidents¡¯ are things we can just look back and laugh on.¡±

    ¡°Please forget about that accident.¡±

    ¡°Nope. Not gonna. In fact, I even got it all recorded from a good rear-view, too.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    I might have used Darkness Manipulation to get good angles of Ume¡¯s gradual penetration with my smartphone set to video recording. I¡¯m pretty sure I had it between my legs while she let herself go, too.

    I confirmed that assumption as I use a tendril to hold the phone up above us and playback the video, fast-forwarding it to right as Ume¡¯s sweet ass is in view with my cock still inside her pussy while it started dribbling with urine. Even some of her crying in the background was recorded.

    The smartphone wound up getting a little wet from being in the splash zone but thank goodness I had it in a durable case to not be deterred by liquids and getting roughed up a little. The latter of the two was definitely to be expected from working in my previous job.

    With Ume not having the strength to move, she couldn¡¯t even attempt to reach for my smartphone and figure out how to delete it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these moments will only be for our own eyes only, but I definitely won¡¯t forget about this moment with this helping my memory,¡± I say.

    ¡°¡­ You really are merciless. Not even going easy on your own beloved wife.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a gimmick. I got your attention that way, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°I suppose ¡­ you¡¯re lucky I love you so much or I¡¯d send you flying with such a punch to the face.¡±

    ¡°And I love you too, Ume.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least my insides have adjusted enough to fit your new size. You think we could try it again once I have my strength?¡±

    ¡°Until I get word from Kenaka that they¡¯ll be coming back soon, anyway. Just take it easy and rest for a bit, all right?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She kisses and nuzzles her face on mine while she rests her eyes, basking in our cuddling after her intense climax.

    We never really got to continue with another round as she wound up sleeping the rest of the time, but I had no qualms with it. I got to see how cute Ume looks when sleeping in the nude and I got some great shots out of it, too. All of my classes went up 2 levels from my climaxing twice thanks to Climactic Level-Up and I earned 73 SP from my evaluated Sex Technique, definitely not as much as last time, probably due to how little I did this time around, but I didn¡¯t mind it.

 Chapter 75: Special: The Musings of a Lonely Pussy

    Well, it has certainly been one crazy thing after another today, hm? One minute, you¡¯re bored out of your mind when you¡¯ve gone through everything at your disposal to while away the time. The next? You¡¯re keeping watch outside of a room at an inn where two lovey-dovey people of extremely different backgrounds are going at it like beasts in heat. It may be quiet right now due to the [Soundproof] Null Spell but I can tell from the stench that that¡¯s what they¡¯re doing behind the door at my back right now.

    Not to say I¡¯m against two people being together if they love each other. A part of me really wishes for the best for them, but there are times I just wish I¡¯d see those damn lovey-dovey couples burst into flames.

    It would be hard to believe that I was once Queen of the Diligence Faction in the Holy Realm, a place where magical beasts would go if they seek peace, prosperity, and order while making an honest living. The Cursed Realm is the Holy Realm¡¯s polar opposite ¡­ well, I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s the complete opposite. Those who traverse there usually wish to have freedom, to express themselves and have their strengths known and live with their own way of honesty ¡­ for better or worse. For the magical beasts who were born into same realm from the beginning, simply dubbed the Magical Beast (MB) Realm, they must choose which of the two other realms to cross over, live, and serve under the Immortals in charge of them.

    There are those on both sides who have radical views of each other that are usually not under a good light. Looking down on each other and question their very existences for being there.

    I don¡¯t have as much qualms with our realms butting heads. I guess that¡¯s because I had a few acquaintances who made the choice of moving over there instead of coming with me. I don¡¯t believe I made the wrong choice. I considered my options accordingly and put my needs and priorities above anything else. I¡¯m one who doesn¡¯t let the opinions of others sway my way of thinking. I even told the one I cared for the most, the one who had watched my back up to the point of our departures what I decided to do ahead of time, and if he chose to come along with me, I would do everything I can to pay back his kindness and support while we worked together as comrades to achieve greatness. I would stay by his side no matter what may happen and I would never betray him.

    I know that¡¯s what I told him, but in truth ¡­ I was in love with him. The bear who now goes by Kenaka, formerly the King of Wrath. If he chose to come along with me, there would be no doubt that I¡¯d jump for joy and pounce him right there before I bare my heart and soul to him. My other friend in our trio, the one who¡¯s currently the Queen of Lust, also had feelings for him, and the both of us became aware of the rivalry between us when we realized what paths we wished to take in life. We might¡¯ve had our squabbles in the past but when the time came, we agreed to not hold hard feelings to each other when our love interest made his choice.

    I didn¡¯t realize how lonely I¡¯d be when I waited for his arrival that day, only to find out the hard way that that moment would never come.

    I panicked for a while as I thought of what may be happening to my former love, for even though I called my rival in romance a ¡®friend,¡¯ I always felt there was something she hid from us, something she didn¡¯t want either of us to know about. Yes, all of us have a secret or two we wouldn¡¯t want others knowing about, but I knew there are times when those same secrets would intentionally hurt those around them, involving them to the point of being used until they become unneeded in the manipulator¡¯s eyes.

    I panicked, but then started thinking with a clearer head, about how I shouldn¡¯t even worry about the two of them anymore. Kenaka made his choice, he didn¡¯t know what he was missing from not choosing me, and so I just needed to work my way to the top and show just how capable I am without depending on my former comrades.

    I admit as I look back to those moments that I was just fooling myself. Even so, it gave me something to focus and strive for and I really did want to show my former love how well I¡¯ve been doing without him, whether out of pride or other I can¡¯t even remember anymore.

    But then wouldn¡¯t you know it, around the same time I became the Jade Cougar Queen of Diligence, they became the Crimson Bear King of Wrath and the Violet Goat Queen of Lust. News spread fast between realms and so I cried myself to sleep the same night I heard of it. I didn¡¯t even bother finding another male to move on to as I was mainly occupied with raising my status, so the fact that those two made it there together made me realize how lonesome I felt.

    We¡¯re able to communicate between realms through a few means. It¡¯s especially not as much of a feat for us kings and queens of our factions, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to contact them and neither of them ever left me with anything, anyway. It seemed like we grew ever more estranged since we heard of each other¡¯s accomplishments.

    After a while, I¡¯ve come to a sort of acceptance to the circumstances. Zola, the Goddess of Diligence, helped me come to terms a little when she noticed how depressed I was. How she petted me then was probably the first and last time I received such attention, but I still grew to revere her regardless. I thought that once I started accepting things as they were, I really could move on and maybe find the love of my own for real this time.

    But then it happened: news of Kenaka and the goat queen breaking off as mates had everyone in all three realms in an uproar. Not much details were shared aside from the goat queen shutting herself off from the world in her home while Kenaka disappeared, destroying everything in his wake and leaving a mark as the master of his division.

    Somehow, the conclusion I came to with that lack of info was that Kenaka left the goat queen without so much of a word, or worse yet, he broke her heart and left in his power-hungry state. It may not be the most absolute conclusion, but I was still furious just from the thought of it. Oh, how I¡¯ve wanted to run right over to wherever he was then and rip him a new one with my claws and canines. I thought it would be the goat queen that would take advantage of Kenaka, but the circumstances looked like it turned out the other way around and he just got bored with her advances after getting his new position.

    For the first time since our parting, I pitied that poor goat. If she was shutting herself off, then she really didn¡¯t want to meet with anyone right now. It made me wonder what I even saw in that bear if he had that side of him kept away from both of us.

    It¡¯s been a long while since their separation. I actually sent the goat queen a message to see how she was doing for the very first time since our departure but she had never gotten back to me. I was still mad at Kenaka, but overall, I was getting melancholy on how far the three of us drifted apart.

    It was strange how I prayed for something to occupy my time after I was left with nothing else to do when I felt a powerful presence calling for me. That was when I met the human male who I now serve as his familiar.

    I thought that this would be an opportunity to begin a new chapter of my life. While we kings and queens were appointed to such positions to be our Immortals¡¯ aides of sorts, it was destined that some unique individuals would summon us and make a pact as master and familiar working together in the Mortal Realm, just as any other magical beast in our own realms would. I admit that Milord may seem like a strange individual even now, something I didn¡¯t expect from a Champion, but I still felt a sort of kinship with this man that made me think going with this guy would turn out interesting. So, I decided to give him a chance as I accepted the name granted to me: Mametama.

    I thought I was going crazy when that summoning circle disappeared and I was fully connected to the Mortal Realm. At that moment, I could sense a very powerful, but very familiar presence startlingly close by that I stopped myself from going off on my own and make a bad first impression of myself as his familiar.

    Lo and behold, there he was. The same bear that Milord seemed to have also made a contract with moments before summoning me. His cub form was unmistakable to miss since I saw him like that when we first met.

    Oh, how I wanted to claw that bastard¡¯s face, but Milord pretty much forbade us from not getting physical with each other. So instead, I tried to agitate Kenaka at every chance I could get behind Milord¡¯s back until he tells me what the hell happened between him and the goat queen.

    Over our disputes, I¡¯ve quickly learned how different Kenaka is now, how he has changed since we parted ways. He didn¡¯t make as many snappy comebacks like he used to but instead made subtle threats to silence me if I spoke out of line. Other than those, he ignores me and keeps himself distant from me whether or not I was trying to ¡®talk¡¯ to him.

    Honestly, that damn bear¡¯s acting so childish in not telling me anything, you wouldn¡¯t think he was previously a king ¡­ though, thinking back on it, I may not have been as much better trying to prod him for information the way I did.

    I¡¯m not going to apologize, though. I should get at least some closure for that bear to leave me that day. If he actually does try to get me back up on that tree then I will most definitely claw his face off. Painful as it might¡¯ve been, I¡¯ve moved on from Kenaka as a love interest and I could clearly see after what happened between him and the goat queen that something similar might¡¯ve happened between us if we were the ones who got together instead.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Maybe I just wasn¡¯t cut out for romance from the start. The males back in the Holy Realm never sparked an interest in me, whether or not they were kings of their divisions. There were also the ¡®dukes¡¯ and ¡®duchesses,¡¯ those who directly serve under us kings and queens, but I quickly found out early on how those from the former group are so full of themselves, even if they were from the Holy Realm. It doesn¡¯t help that I have no ¡­ ¡®experience¡¯ in that department like the goat queen likely had up to her separation with Kenaka. I couldn¡¯t imagine how she ever handled the size difference between them, much less be so bold and shameless to get physically affectionate with him from time to time back when the three of us still worked together. Did she even feel good doing that much? It looked that way to me, at least.

    The only two people who made me feel good from something similar was Goddess Zola and ¡­ Milord, when they petted me, but the latter was admittedly more thorough with his technique that was to my liking.

    Honestly, I really wish I was in Lady Umeiyon¡¯s place right now with Milord petting me some more. I don¡¯t mean to offend but somehow, I just have a feeling being held in that man¡¯s arms while in my cub form would be more comforting than in the other girls¡¯. I wouldn¡¯t mind sleeping with him in that way either if he wished.

    He may look intimidating at first glance for a normal person or magical beast, but I¡¯ve always had a sort of respect for those who walked the walk while trying to be humble despite their achievements. Milord seems to fit into that characteristic quite nicely, and I find the intense fire in his eyes rather charming. His clothes are unique but I can somehow picture him having a good physique, too.

    ¡°¡­ Maybe just a little wouldn¡¯t hurt?¡±

    Kapan. Chira

    ¡°?!¡±

    Kapan!

    I took a peek inside their room out of curiosity before quickly shutting the door in embarrassment. Goodness, they looked like they really enjoyed themselves, and Milord¡¯s physique was actually much more than I had imagined, being the first human male that I¡¯ve seen in such a state. I wouldn¡¯t say no being in his arms like Lady Umeiyon is right now after seeing that. Remembering the discussion involving him earlier, I can now understand how the girls in his harem felt after seeing him like that for the first time.

    Would it be wrong to say that I get tingly whenever seeing a male¡¯s battle scars? Kenaka¡¯s fur covers them now, but I remember a time I couldn¡¯t help but stare at his own scars with slight interest. I think the goat queen¡¯s influence might¡¯ve rubbed off on me in this regard.

    Lady Umeiyon seems to hold him quite dearly if she¡¯s sleeping in his arms so contentedly, too. Exotic, but very warm and wholesome ¡­ is this what love should look like? I wonder if Kenaka and the goat queen were like that before they separated.

    ¡°Haa ¡­ I really do need a male, do I?¡± I mutter to myself quietly.

    I tried telling myself that I didn¡¯t need a male to live a good life but I can¡¯t deny that getting such attention from someone was something I wanted at least once. Of course, I can¡¯t expect Milord to provide that with the way I am now.

    There is a way for someone like me to change their appearance that may be to Milord¡¯s liking but it would take a magical beast years of training while they¡¯re in a pact with their master to make it work. Usually, the master would die of some death before the familiar would even come close to that goal, and the case has become so rare that it¡¯s almost a myth among us magical beasts at this point. There is an item that can speed up the process but one would have to have high amounts of LUCK before there¡¯s even a possibility to acquire even one of them. Milord may be an interesting individual as well as a Champion and I might be closer to that goal with my strength as the former Queen of Diligence than other magical beasts, but I¡¯d be fooling myself if I think he could actually make it possible.

    That said, I¡¯m not going to make the same mistake I made with Kenaka and wait for something that may never come. I will be more honest with myself and my desires from this point on.

    Milord? May I come in? I ask him through my Familiar Telepathy.

    <¡°Huh?! Oh, Mametama, uh ¡­ give me a moment.¡±>

    The smell of sex seems to have reduced dramatically while I waited. Was he trying to make himself more decent? Come to think of it, that was the first I¡¯ve spoken to him through his mind, was it? I would think he¡¯s gotten used to it with Nyra speaking in his mind for Zola knows how long. I guess he hasn¡¯t gotten used to having servants yet since they usually don¡¯t have a place to judge and reprimand their master¡¯s current state. In fact, they would politely ask for their pardon for interrupting their ¡®business,¡¯ whether they be someone like a maid, a slave, heck, a familiar is pretty much on the same level as the latter so that counts for those like me, too. I¡¯ve heard how a few human maids had to report to the nobles they serve while they were in the middle of sex with their mistress, even if it wasn¡¯t for a dire emergency.

    I may be a former queen but I am a servant of sorts to Milord now, or perhaps something closer to a pet with my current form, he shouldn¡¯t need to worry about what I see of him ¡­ but I admit the possibility of him seeing me as close to a companion as the girls in his harem made me a little happy.

    <¡°Okay, you can enter,¡±> he says before I obliged. The barrier that was there moments ago pops like a bubble once I stepped through. Unless the one who cast it is awake, the [Soundproof] Null Spell can be kept up all throughout the night as one may wish so long as no one steps in or out of it. The room doesn¡¯t reek of sex as much as it did earlier and Lady Umeiyon is currently under the futon¡¯s covers surrounded by another [Soundproof] barrier while Milord is sitting cross-legged next to her, dressed in his clothes except the jacket that¡¯s sitting next to the lady¡¯s strange outfit.

    Aww, I wanted a better look at his body, though ¡­

    ¡°Is there something going on out there?¡± Milord asks.

    ¡°No, nothing important to report, but ¡­ Milord, may I admit something a little shameful?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ the way you petted me earlier, I¡¯ve ¡­ taken quite a liking to it, and so ¡­¡± What are you even doing, Mametama? Getting nervous like this? Just spit it out!

    ¡°You want to be petted again?¡± Milord asks the question for me instead.

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ yes.¡± I hang my head in shame.

    ¡°All right, then. Come on over here.¡± He lies down on his side next to Lady Umeiyon and pats the open space in front of him.

    Milord, that¡¯s not a position just for petting, that¡¯s ¡­ something for c-cuddling, isn¡¯t it? ¡°I-Is that really all right?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Sure, petting you has been pretty soothing for me, too. I could use some relaxation after the craziness today. You can even change into your adult form if you want to.¡±

    ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve kindly offered, Milord, I¡¯ll ¡­ humbly accept.¡± I activate my magic and change my appearance to an adult cougar in a puff of smoke. I walk over and lay myself with my back against him while we¡¯re both on a futon. Once I got close enough, he gets one arm over my waist and starts scratching my stomach with his hand while petting and massaging my head with the other.

    Ooooh~, I¡¯m afraid of getting addicted to this quickly~, I think while Milord pets and cuddles me. I¡¯m quickly melting under his embrace.

    ¡°How¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ heavenly~.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± The both of us lie just lie there in comfortable silence while Milord spoils me rotten.

    Ah ¡­ I wish I was able to do more for Milord when I¡¯m not like this.

    <¡°Hmmm~, what more would you do for Jinma, I wonder~?¡±>

    ¡°?!¡± I barely managed to restrain myself from jumping up in fright. O-Oh, it¡¯s you, Nyra ¡­ wait, does Milord ¡­?

    <¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m keeping this talk closed off to only the two of us.¡±>

    ¡­ How much do you already know?

    <¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering, but I¡¯ve sensed your growing emotions outside that door from here for a while now. You¡¯re starting to like Jinma as a guy, are you?¡±>

    N-No! Nothing of the sort! That¡¯s impossible from someone like me¡ª

    <¡°Oh, hush, don¡¯t even try to lie to yourself. We Pixies may know more of what the other¡¯s experiencing than they even realize, but you don¡¯t need me to point out what¡¯s really going on here, do you?¡±>

    I swear, this Pixie¡¯s becoming as aggravating as Kenaka just doing nothing in my presence. I¡¯ve read they¡¯re quite the empathetic race with their Psyche Magic assisting them but they could be just as frustratingly so when one has to put up their antics. I can¡¯t fathom how Milord had tolerated her up to now.

    <¡°Relax, I won¡¯t tell Jinma your feelings but you won¡¯t really get anywhere from being his familiar/pet if you keep things like this.¡±>

    ¡­ It¡¯s not like I have a chance even if I do tell him. Being intimate with a demon is one crazy thing already, but with a magical beast?

    <¡°Yeaaaah, I didn¡¯t see any weird stuff related to this kink in Jinma¡¯s memories so your chances of succeeding the way you are now is rather low. Is there a way you can change that to something closer to Ren¡¯s appearance, at least?¡±>

    Thinking it wouldn¡¯t hurt for her to know, I then tell Nyra one possibility along with what could speed up that process.

    <¡°Huh, is that all? Well, that will be easy.¡±>

    Did you not hear what I just said? Just getting a number of those rare items requires the LUCK of a Dragon. The chances for an average human to come across just one is 1 to 500,000.

    <¡°Those are some odds, and Jinma may have the lowest LUCK anyone has out here in this world, but I¡¯m absolutely sure he can pull it off.¡±>

    How can you be so certain? How long have you been with this man?

    <¡°Hmm ¡­ from the time I made the Weapon¡¯s Bond with him, if you don¡¯t count our first encounter, I think it¡¯s really only been a day and a half.¡±>

    Are you kidding me?!

    <¡°I just have a feeling that if he¡¯s doing it for a good woman, his chances of succeeding will go up by, like, a million percent. You saw it yourself when he was fighting Eugus for Kalline¡¯s sake, right? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll figure something out once he puts his mind to it.

    <¡°Plus, even with his LUCK, he managed to summon you and Kenaka, right? I know you just met him and he may not get it right away, but put at least a little faith in your new master. Just between you and me, I told him he doesn¡¯t need to worry about it, but I have a little hope that he may find a way to break this curse on me one day.¡±>

    The chances of that happening are even less than him finding the items needed to help me, and yet you still have faith in him?

    <¡°Well, there¡¯s no one else who can hold me and not go crazy from my curse so why not?¡±>

    ¡­ I¡¯ll consider it.

    <¡°That¡¯s the spirit! In the meantime, just help Jinma out while you can in your current state. I think you¡¯re one of the very few who can make him so relaxed as he is¡ªoh, wait, he fell asleep.¡±>

    I was so vested in the conversation I didn¡¯t realize Milord stopped petting me. Instead, I¡¯m trapped in a sort of hold like a cherished stuffed toy would be in the arms of a child.

    Well ¡­ he did move around a lot today. If being like this helps him be at ease, then I don¡¯t really care if he never finds those items. I¡¯m grateful enough to serve a master who is kind enough to cherish moments like this with someone like me.

    This bond with Milord ¡­ I will do everything in my power to not let it break like the one I had with the two of them. That resolution resides in my mind as I fall asleep alongside my new master.

 Chapter 76: A Home in the Brawlers Future

    Mametama came in sometime after Ume fell asleep and wanted to be petted some more. I thought I could use some relaxation after that heated sex earlier so I went along with her request. I didn¡¯t realize how tired I was as I fell asleep not too long after I started. I didn¡¯t know how long ago that was until the group who was gathering supplies came back. I embarrassingly apologized for being seen in that state to them and to Mametama for even falling asleep in the middle of it. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t mind it, as they were impressed to see how Mametama looks in her adult form while the cougar herself was pleased to provide me such comfort.

    Kenaka seems to have found something to tease Mametama with, however, but she wasn¡¯t really too bothered by it for some reason.

    Kalline got flustered after seeing Ume waking up soon afterward in the nude, totally clean of the mess made from earlier thanks to my magic, but since Ren and Erizora were with us together in the bath yesterday, they weren¡¯t bothered as much. My wife, of course, could care less what the others were thinking and was just a little miffed that she fell asleep by herself. I apologized to her and promised to cuddle with her later tonight to make up for it. She seemed to be satisfied with that much.

    With everyone gathered, we poured out all of what was in the MIB and made sure we had all of the things we needed to begin our quest. There were fresh vegetables, bread, wrapped meat, and some other ingredients included that I requested myself as we went over the list earlier.

    When I told them I was going to prepare our lunches for tomorrow, there was excitement, confusion, and concern mixed among their expressions. Based on what they told me, Ren seemed to be capable of cooking decent meals thanks to her knifework and her slave training; Kalline had learned to cook while living with Eugus to be able to provide the necessary nutrition while they went through her adventurer training; and finally, Erizora may be able to do some tasks in the kitchen but she can¡¯t really cook much with her being so large and unable to hold knives in the kitchen. When I requested those ingredients, I guess they thought they were expected to do the cooking for everyone and wouldn¡¯t even fathom letting their leader/master lift a finger in the kitchen. Kenaka and Mametama also felt the same and they aren¡¯t even able to cook.

    There was a bit of difficulty but we came to an agreement that we¡¯ll do rotations of who¡¯ll be in charge of cooking some meals throughout the day. Since more people were curious to what I can do, I would start the rotations with Kalline helping me first, and with Ume and I having [Storage] and our MIB being able to preserve food, they¡¯ll be fresh and ready to eat the next time we pull them out tomorrow. We decided to prepare them when we get back from dinner with Ms. Tephalia.

    Also, Ume had never cooked even once in her life¡ªwhich was actually surprising to me since I recall her ¡®Housekeeping¡¯ skill to be a decent level. It made me wonder about what she was doing in her old home before she left.

    Once we got our supplies packed back in the MIB, we gathered our things and I [Portal] us to the bathhouse we went to yesterday with three new additions to our party. Amazingly, they were okay with Kenaka and Mametama going inside with their cub forms when I told the Athesia, the same receptionist who helped us yesterday, that they were my familiars. I guess compared to pets, they¡¯re aware of how intelligent magical beasts are?

    Atheisha did offer us a reservation to the consent-free bath but we were preparing for an important dinner and wanted to relax this time around. Kalline was actually the most surprised I¡¯d be coming with the girls to the mixed bath, I guess she wasn¡¯t filled in on me having my alone time with the party yesterday? She didn¡¯t have any problems with me joining them when I asked but she looked really embarrassed with how red her face was.

    I found that strange since both guys and girls of different races bathe together there. Maybe she never had a naked human being in the same room with her before?

    We must¡¯ve been coming in on a slow part of the day because when we got inside it was rather spacious compared to yesterday. When I looked around, there was mostly Lamias, Arachnes, Centaurs, and some Giant Ants. I could just barely see the number of [Arch] Imps and Harpies that¡¯s past what I could count on one hand.

    I then remembered that little scare at the guild earlier. Were the flying races still on alert about the ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯ thing and the ones here were just unaware of it? That¡¯s what I thought at first, but then someone came in my sight that ran my spine cold before I even got to undress.

    One thing led to another before I¡¯m finally in the bath ¡­ but not in a way I was expecting.

    ¡°You were waiting for me this whole time, weren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you have other things you need to do, considering your position?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I do not know what thou art talking about, Jinma. I had finished my work some time ago and my body is weary after today. It is a mere coincidence for us to run into each other like this. To be honest, while I am aware of thy girls in thy harem, I did not think thou had the guts to even walk in here so casually for a human.¡±

    ¡°Milord, Kalline, may I toss this male out of the bathhouse?¡± Kenaka asks.

    ¡°Guys, please, no violence in the bathhouse, and why must thou embarrass me so, Dear Uncle?¡± Kalline asks while covering her face ¡­ at least that¡¯s what I think she¡¯s doing.

    Yes, somehow Eugus was ¡®coincidentally¡¯ in the bathhouse as well just getting ready to head inside. ¡®Ah, Jinma, what a pleasant surprise. How about we help each other out and talk?¡¯ That¡¯s what Eugus said, but I think it was more like ¡®Thou and I art going to talk and thou will have no right to refuse. Do not even think about ogling my niece, either.¡¯

    For washing the back of another guy on my first time, that was not the kind of setting I had in mind, let alone that same guy is a Centaur. None of the girls, not even my wife Ume could come over and help my scrub my back, at the least. I¡¯m thankful Kenaka was the only other guy in my party that has my back and I won¡¯t feel like I¡¯m confronting a parental figure on my own. We didn¡¯t even talk that whole time until we got into the bath.

    Right now, I¡¯m sitting with Kenaka who¡¯s sitting on a stool I made with Darkness Manipulation at the last second on my right and Eugus on my left. The girls are sitting on the opposite side of us looking displeased¡ªUme Ren, and Mametama especially so¡ªwith Kalline sitting next to her uncle, a place where I couldn¡¯t see her.

    <¡°This is so not how I want this bath time to go. Give me some hot girls to ogle, dammit,¡±> Nyra protests. Just like last time, I let her possess one of my eyes to get a clear vision of my surroundings.

    ¡°Tis only a moment between us males, Kalline. Step further away from this space, please,¡± Eugus says with the authoritative tone of a parental figure.

    ¡°Thou will not let me sit with my new friends where Master Jinma may see me, yes? I will not be bathing on my own and I will not let thou needlessly pressuring him, either, so I will be staying here. Besides, he beat thee fair and square and I have gained my freedom as agreed, there should be no reason for thee to argue this any further.¡±

    ¡°I am not here to argue. I just want to talk to him, and what happened at the duel is actually part of it.¡±

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Unlike my bank account, I¡¯m not that open to spill my fighting secrets to just anybody, you know. I¡¯m not going to tell you anything no matter what you may try to convince me,¡± I assert.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ not even if I give thee a Guild Master¡¯s Badge in exchange?¡±

    ¡°¡°WHAT?!¡±¡± Kalline and some other bath patrons exclaim. Only the rest in my party and I had no idea what was going on.

    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®Guild Master¡¯s Badge?¡¯¡± I ask.

    ¡°Thou can call it a seal of approval if thou will. It is not easy to get another promotion once thou reaches black rank and this is one of the ways to speed up thy chances of getting further up to the top.¡±

    So, it¡¯s like one of those teacher recommendations to get accepted into universities?

    ¡°Huh, and I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll get promoted to bronze, silver, and finally gold once you get enough of those badges from each of the guild masters in Padimon?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Tempting, but not interested. I¡¯m not that much in a hurry to get promoted to the top and I don¡¯t really need such promotions to be happy.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? Then, what art thou planning on doing while working as an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to travel and see the world, try new food and things, meet people, things like that. I want to get some personal questions of mine answered along the way, and ¡­ I¡¯d like to invest in owning a home at some point.¡±

    ¡°A home, thou say?¡±

    I quickly consider the circumstances of the situation while coming up with my ¡®story.¡¯ ¡°Before my mother and I were ¡­ separated, we were mostly working enough in order to live with futons, food, and having a roof over our heads. How our life was in our home country is different compared to this, but it still had its struggles. I wasn¡¯t as good being social with other humans than I currently am now with the demons here but I still had some good friends and family to help me when I needed them.

    ¡°I wanted a better home for Mom and me to live in, a place I was able to afford with my hard-earned money, but nothing so extravagant. It would be a place for the two of us to live comfortable lives and have lively dinners for our friends and family to enjoy on some occasions.

    ¡°I can¡¯t go back to my home now to make that possible and I don¡¯t know how Mom¡¯s doing without me, but she wanted me to focus on making the kind of life I want to live and so that¡¯s what I¡¯m planning to do here in Padimon. After my traveling ends and I want to settle down, I want to live in a home that I could live happily in with my new family, my party who¡¯s here with me right now. Though, compared to what kind of home I wanted before, I¡¯ll have to think of something bigger for all of us.¡±

    <¡°Aw, yeah!¡±> Nyra exclaims. <¡°For you, we gotta get a home fit for a [harem] king, and what do you think of when you hear the word ¡®king?¡¯ A castle! And not just any castle, we¡¯re talking a huge one that¡¯s two, maybe three stories tall! Big enough to house you and 100 of your ladies! Hot maids in those skimpy uniforms that are similar to what I¡¯ve seen from your memories but with miniskirts at your beck and call! A private bath that¡¯s as big as what we¡¯re in right now but only for you and your ladies to use! A royal bed that¡¯s bigger than a king size to have all of your orgies on! Oh, and we just couldn¡¯t possibly forget the icing on this royal cake of a home: a sex dungeon where you personally punish your ladies for being bad little girls and train them to be your obedient little pets! I can already see Erizora being a regular to that place in the castle. Oh, the things you could do to her with what you¡¯d have in your arsenal!¡±>

    ¡­ You know, it¡¯s scary that you can even come up with these things, likely from some of my memories for source material, but it¡¯s even scarier how we¡¯re kind of aligned on things like this. I was thinking more of a mansion, though. The maids, bath, and bed can be debated, but no sex dungeon. Period.

    <¡°Oh, come on, we both know how much of an ¡®S¡¯ you can be with your enemies but there can only be so many of them around. These things don¡¯t just happen all of a sudden, you know? It¡¯s in your blood, and from the place you came from, it¡¯s definitely so being a Japanese man. It¡¯s time we get recreational with it and use its powers for the greater good that¡¯s in your pants and there¡¯s only one sacred place in the world where you can make that happen! Come on, Jinma! When I say ¡®sex,¡¯ you say ¡®dungeon!¡¯ Sex!¡±>

    ¡­

    <¡°¡­ Sex!¡±>

    ¡°Hmm. Sounds like thou have some kind of plan for thy future, and thou art close to thy mother,¡± Eugus says as I turn my attention back to the conversation.

    <¡°¡­ I¡¯m gonna pull that ¡®S¡¯ out of you one way or another, just you wait and see. I may not be fully possessing you right now, but I can already feel your heart getting tainted as we speak,¡±> Nyra finishes off before giggling like a conniving Sunday anime villain.

    ¡°Well, I say I have family over there, but Mom was one of the very few blood-relatives who was happy to have me. Other than her grandmother, no one else on Mom¡¯s side of the family wanted anything to do with her after being pregnant with me at a young age, and neither of us knows anything about where my ¡®father¡¯ is or his own connections after he disappeared on her. If it weren¡¯t for Mom despite everything that was pitted against her, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll always be grateful and admire her as the strongest woman I know. If you think what I did to you in that duel was bad, you¡¯d likely be prostrating to her at the end if she took my place.¡±

    ¡°She very well could, you know!¡± Ume exclaims from across the bath.

    ¡°Is that so? Going back to thy home though, it will be where thou and thy party will live in, yes? Thy slaves and familiars included?¡± Eugus asks.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Kalline as well?¡±

    ¡°Well, sure, if she likes. Thinking about it, she¡¯s the only one out of the rest of us who even has a home and family to return to without any serious and complicated drama behind her. This home is mostly for the rest of us who don¡¯t have either of those things because of certain circumstances. Kalline is welcome to join us and I can help her get to your place for visiting from time to time, but if come a time she wishes to move on to something else on her own after I retire from my adventuring days, I won¡¯t stop her.¡±

    ¡°Master Jinma ¡­¡± I hear Kalline mutter.

    ¡°¡­ Thou really do care about thy comrades¡¯ well-being, do thee?¡±

    I look at Eugus straight in the eyes and nod to him.

    ¡°Well, then, I suppose that lifts some lingering worries off my shoulders. I will be heading out first, then.¡±

    ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡± Kalline, Kenaka and I utter as Eugus stands up.

    ¡°Thou hast a big day ahead so do not get too crazy tonight. I will see thee and Twilight Sky tomorrow morning.¡± With that, Eugus wades through the water and steps out of the bath, making his exit.

    ¡°Uh, yeah ¡­ later,¡± I say as he left. By the time he¡¯s out of our hearing, I exasperate a sigh. ¡°Sheesh, when was the last time I felt like this after a talk with a father figure?¡±

    ¡°I apologize for Dear Uncle being so overbearing,¡± Kalline says.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m actually thankful there are guys out there who really look out for their kids like your uncle ¡­ does,¡± I trail off as I look over to Kalline.

    While her hair is wrapped in a towel and most of her body is submerged in the deep end of the bath, I could still see how her impressive breasts are floating on the water¡¯s surface, glistening with drops that make them shine like a treasure of sorts. Her arms also have quite the lean, sculpted look to them that shows how much she¡¯s honed her body as an adventurer.

    I realize then this is the first time I¡¯m seeing Kalline in all of her glory and it seems she¡¯s just getting that same idea as her face flushes.

    ¡°Uh, sorry ¡­ you don¡¯t like having me stare at you like this, right?¡± I ask while averting my gaze.

    ¡°I-It is fine, Master Jinma, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Finally! It¡¯s about time for that guy to give us some space!¡±

    Seeing an opportunity, Ume comes in and force herself between Kenaka and me before taking one of my arms and trap it in her chest that¡¯s bigger than Kalline¡¯s.

    ¡°Haa~, much better!¡± Ume says before leaning on me.

    ¡°Wait, is this kind of contact allowed in this public bath?¡±

    ¡°It should be fine if we don¡¯t let things escalate,¡± Ren answers as she sits right in front of me with Mametama still in her arms. Erizora sits on the opposite side of Kalline. ¡°More importantly, Master, was you talking about getting a home for all of us to live in the truth? Even when Eri and I are slaves?¡±

    ¡°Ren, you and Erizora are more like companions first before slaves that are put last. Each of you will get your own room or you could share one together if you want.¡±

    ¡°Our own rooms ¡­ that sounds nice,¡± Ren says with a faint smile.

    ¡°I admit that having a room to myself and my belongings would be pleasant, but as your wife, I¡¯ll be sleeping with you in your bed, of course,¡± Ume says.

    ¡°I want to sleep with Master, too!¡± [Ren]

    ¡°Um ¡­ I¡¯m not being selfish for wanting that too, right?¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°Sleeping on top of the same covers as Milord does sound delightful.¡± [Mametama]

    ¡°¡­ It seems you¡¯ll have to look into getting a large bed, if you can, Milord.¡± [Kenaka]

    The tense, serious air from moments ago melts away as the girls talk more on what would be good for our home. I fix my sitting position so that Ren could sit between my legs and rest her back against me while I hold her waist with my free arm. I don¡¯t think either of us minds my erect cock getting sandwiched between us.

    From there, we went on with our relaxing bath together until it was time for us to head out to Ms. Tephalia¡¯s manor for dinner.

 Chapter 77: A Welcoming Feast and a Brawlers Intervention

    ¡°Before we begin, as the lord of Dondegarm, congratulations are in order. To Jinma Kotori, for saving this city twice, achieving black rank, and defeating the guild master, Eugus Gallofree, in a duel as a starting adventurer. A toast to the bright future ahead of him and his new party, Twilight Sky. Cheers!¡±

    ¡°¡°Cheers!¡±¡±

    With our wine glasses in hand, we clink them together and begin our feast after Ms. Tephalia¡¯s opening.

    We are currently in Ms. Tephalia¡¯s manor after cleaning ourselves up at the bathhouse and a hop, skip, and a jump through [Portal]. The moment we stepped in front of the gate, the Centaur post guards there immediately recognized me and were told of our revival before they let us in without question. One of them led us inside where one of the Lamia handmaidens was nearby to direct us to the dining hall from there. I made sure I got us there early enough to the appointed time with the help of my smartphone back at the bath.

    With Ms. Tephalia sitting at the head dressed in a modest but exuberant gown fit for a lord, I sit right next to her with Ume on my other side. The rest of the party is split evenly into both sides of the table. Aside from me and Kenaka, the only other males are the Centaur guards standing at attention with their backs against the walls, acting vigilantly for any signs of a potential threat.

    I feel awkward having them all just standing there and not eat with us. Even everyone in my party other than Ume was tempted to do the same, but it seems Ms. Tephalia remembered how I wanted Ren and Erizora to join the two of us for breakfast yesterday and figured the same case would apply to this feast. Everyone¡¯s names are on cards that were placed in front of our seats when we came inside the dining room. I recognized my own name in Padimonian after seeing it once earlier. Even Mametama and Kenaka managed to get high chairs to sit and eat with us at the table in cub forms.

    ¡°Ms. Tephalia, I speak for all of us that we thank you for inviting us to this feast,¡± I say. ¡°I just wish we had more time to find the proper attire for the occasion.¡± Sure, the new black blazer and slacks that Lili made for me could barely pass off as formal, but everyone else¡¯s clothes definitely stand out in a noble¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Oh, nonsense, it is quite all right,¡± Ms. Tephalia says with a wave of her hand. ¡°This feast was rather a last-minute occasion and aside from Jinma¡¯s two new familiars, the rest of you are renowned saviors of this city during the raid and will be respected as such.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for your kind understanding, Ms. Tephalia,¡± I say while bowing to her.

    ¡°And please, drop the formalities when it¡¯s just us in the room. This is a feast in your honor, Jinma. Just relax and enjoy the meal.¡±

    So, it¡¯s fine to be casual if it¡¯s only me and the party here with her, while I have to address her formally in public. Makes sense, but what about the guards here? ¡°Right, I will take you up on that.¡±

    <¡°There are no signs of poison in any of the food, Milord. I guarantee it in my Poison Detection skill as a Huntress,¡±> Mametama relays in my mind.

    Thanks, Mametama. It¡¯s as if everyone was waiting for me to take the first bite in our meal before everyone else followed.

    The meal, by the way, is surprisingly curry with rice and many side dishes like vegetables and bread with butter spread throughout the table. Well, curry originated from India, if I remember right, and if it¡¯s a Lamia with a similar line of attire that¡¯s lording over Dondegarm, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be too surprising to see something like this. I just couldn¡¯t help but think back on all the times I had to have curry for a number of days back home to maintain a food budget as I took my first bite.

    A good punch of spiciness fills my mouth as I savor the flavor. There¡¯s a sense of authenticity in its presentation as well as the taste that makes this unique compared to my own home-cooked ones in Japan. As expected of cooks that work in a lord¡¯s manor. Unless it¡¯s similar to a tasteless poison like what I had in yesterday¡¯s breakfast, I can confirm that there is nothing spiked in the food as Mametama informed me.

    I told Mametama ahead of time through Telepathy to check any of the food on the table when I found out she had a Poison Detection skill, something only certain magical beasts or classes they¡¯re in are able to learn. I know Ume and I have nothing to worry about with our Poison Nullification skills but after our little episode in Tephalia¡¯s breakfast yesterday, I wanted to make sure the others weren¡¯t under any risk.

    I look over to my right and see everyone in my party are a little more aware of their table manners than usual, despite a few of them struggling more with the curry¡¯s spiciness than the rest of us. I did tell them that we should be a little more formal than usual before we got here but it seems keeping a straight face despite the burning in their mouths makes it slightly difficult. Ume, the one who lacks in table manners the most is especially struggling with how much she¡¯s gripping the spoon to eat her meal with ¡­ a little too hard and awkwardly considering how I¡¯m seeing it warp a little. I had to stop and show her how to hold it properly then and there and apologize to Tephalia for ruining her tableware.

    Kalline seems to be the only one of us who has her act together as she eats with poise and dignity, probably something Eugus drilled into her adventurer training should she encounter any nobles, and Kenaka and Mametama were only given bowls of curry without rice for the two of them to eat out of.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ~~

    Things relaxed a little over the course of dinner. It started out with me talking about how I came to Dondegarm before the raid happened, and then the others added in their own commentaries as time went by. After we were finished with dinner, they brought out a pudding dessert made of some ingredients that were unfamiliar to me, even if they sound like things similar to what we had on Earth. It had an incredibly amazing mixture of spicy and sweet flavors even with its cold temperature. Everyone was getting a kick out of it. I was thinking spicy dishes are a bit of a theme here in Dondegarm as I recall the kebab I had with Ren and Erizora yesterday also having a sort of spice that was coated on the meat.

    Tephalia really seemed like she was enjoying our company as we talked but I was still concerned over the relationship situation, especially between her and Ume. I needed to talk the two of them together by themselves so we would come to a sort of understanding.

    Thankfully, Kalline brought up how we needed to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s quest when things started to get late in the evening. At my request, I had everyone but Ume go back to the inn through my [Portal] and told them that we¡¯d catch up with them later. Tephalia seemed to know what I wanted to do, and so she brought us to another room, a meeting room in her manor where she¡¯d speak with important guests.

    Ume and I are currently sitting on a lounge couch across from Tephalia on another one, with a coffee table between us where one of her handmaidens prepared some tea just as we were making ourselves comfortable.

    ¡°So, Jinma, what is it that you wish to speak of with just the three of us?¡± Tephalia starts before taking a sip of her tea.

    ¡°Well ¡­ first, I want to apologize for not coming to you sooner when I found what my plans are. I know we didn¡¯t make an appointed time to meet, but I felt I was being rude for keeping you waiting.¡± I bow my head to her after making my apology.

    ¡°Oh, it is quite all right. From what I have heard before we even saw each other again, you have been very busy since you left the first time.¡±

    ¡°There is one other thing I need to confess, and it¡¯s why I have Ume here so I can say this to the both of you.¡± I grip my slacks as I look back up. ¡°I was ¡­ going through a lot yesterday morning. Having Ren and Erizora thrown at me for reasons that involve their previous owner repaying a debt, taking in the fact that I killed one of my own kin for the first time, finding out I have this ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ skill that I shouldn¡¯t even have as a human, feeling anxious that I had so many more girls that weren¡¯t my family surrounding me than what I was used to, and then there were the effects of Nyra¡¯s curse that was making everything hard to think about. Everything seemed to be coming at me in a rush that I felt I had to make decisions right there but couldn¡¯t on the spot. Looking back to them, I feel like my mind was still in a blur and not really grasping the reality of the situation as I was making decisions and I want to apologize to the both of you for doing them without a clear mindset. I want to take this moment to make something clear.¡±

    I turn to Ume first and make direct eye contact with her. ¡°Ume, when we first talked for real on that field, you opened up things about yourself to me that I can¡¯t deny others wouldn¡¯t take so lightly if they were in my place. It took me a while to realize who I was talking to before you left, and with how serious you took our talk at the time, I couldn¡¯t tell you about someone else already offering a similar proposal before you did. I think I remember mentioning it before but I want to apologize again for not being straight with you of my circumstances sooner.¡±

    ¡°Jin ¡­¡±

    I then turn back to our host. ¡°Tephalia, I want to apologize again for making all of that ruckus yesterday and not coming up with a clear answer to the proposal you gave me first before Ume gave me a similar one later on. I feel like we didn¡¯t really settle everything after I came back from calming down Nyra¡¯s curse affecting me. I know ¡­ it may not be fair of me to say this now instead of sooner, but ¡­¡±

    I take a moment to breathe and interlock my fingers with Ume¡¯s reptilian ones for assurance. My other hand still tightly grips my slacks.

    ¡°Over the time I¡¯ve come to spend with Ume, I now love her as a woman, and we have been acknowledged by the Immortals as legitimate spouses just this morning. After this quest, with Ume as my primary wife and the rest of my party at my side, I¡¯m going to see the Demon King to find out more on why I possess the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ and what sets me apart from others among the Human-Kin. I understand if you don¡¯t want any part of it after this, but I¡¯ve come to like you despite the complications yesterday. I would be happy if we could still get along as friends.¡± I bow my head to her once more after finishing my piece, my hand still interlocked with Ume¡¯s.

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    The room went dead silent for a while, I feel like I just became the only one in here even though I have someone¡¯s hand in mine.

    ¡°¡­ Pft.¡±

    A noise I didn¡¯t expect breaks the silence and it¡¯s coming from across us.

    I look up and see Tephalia trying to keep herself from breaking out into laughter. I then see Ume doing the same as she looks away from me.

    Soon enough, the two of them couldn¡¯t hold it anymore.

    ¡°Um ¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± I ask, totally confused.

    ¡°Goodness, Jinma, I thought you needed to speak to me with something more serious than that. Did you think I didn¡¯t know what was going on?¡± Tephalia asks after wiping a stray tear.

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡±

    ¡°Ren and Erizora filled me in on some of the circumstances with Tephalia while you were preparing for the duel,¡± Ume explains. ¡°I admit my perceptions of her were rather mixed at first, but after we talked a little and she gave me some helpful advice, I think she¡¯d make a good addition to your harem if neither of you has any further qualms with each other.¡±

    ¡°And from our ¡®complications,¡¯ as you described them, I figured you¡¯d already have sex with Ren and Erizora first before we saw each other again, but marrying to Umeiyon here was quite a surprise,¡± Tephalia adds.

    ¡°So ¡­ both of you were already aware of the marriage and I was fretting all over it for nothing?¡± I ask while scratching my head. ¡°What the heck? I was more on edge with this situation than the duel with Eugus when I saw the two of you together, you know? I don¡¯t know if I feel like an idiot or something else for taking this so seriously.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jin,¡± Ume says as she hugs my shoulders and kisses my cheek. ¡°I thought our alone time together earlier had calmed you down enough from the craziness today, but I guess there are things you can¡¯t really get out of your mind until they¡¯re set in stone, huh?¡±

    ¡°I figured we had our misunderstanding yesterday settled, but I suppose we left the marriage proposal on a vague note. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d still take it that seriously ¡­ though thinking back on it, I probably should¡¯ve seen it coming from how worried you were of the innocent lives involved in the raid the night before. I should apologize for not talking to you about this sooner.¡±

    ¡°How about we call this exchange of apologies good and discuss where we¡¯ll go from here?¡±

    The girls agreed and we take a moment to drink our worries and uneasiness away with the provided tea that has cooled down.

 Chapter 78: To Not Live With Regrets

    After Tephalia gave her congratulations on our courtship, she addressed her interest in getting to know me before deciding to tie the knot and become one of my wives in the harem.

    I admit that she was a little too casual in admitting her greater interest in how well I was in bed than bearing my children from how much she heard from the girls outside of my earshot. Ume pointed out right there how much greater my dick had gotten since the last few times we did it, and I had to pull us back to the main subject before it went off in a tangent I couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed of, especially since I¡¯m even still in the same room as them in their girl talk.

    Then again, I can¡¯t deny that I was still interested in having sex with Tephalia as well when she asked me. Since they were so open about it, I thought it shouldn¡¯t be much of an issue for me to express my own honest thoughts.

    We had to get ready and head in early for our quest tomorrow so we couldn¡¯t really make some time for tonight, but we agreed to meet up sometime after that and appoint ourselves properly as lovers for a start, kept under wraps from the public eyes, of course.

    ¡°Hey, Jin, I just remembered something from what Lili told us. She said you need some kind of physical form of approval from an influential demon to be able to get an audience with the Demon King, right? Wouldn¡¯t Tephalia here help us here in that regard?¡± Ume asks after we settled on our relationship matter.

    ¡°¡­¡± HOW THE HELL DID I NOT THINK OF THAT?!

    <¡°Yeaaaah, this might be a total brain fart moment here on your part,¡±> Nyra jabs.

    True, we might not even need to take that quest tomorrow if we¡¯re aiming to get Lady Krauss¡¯ attention enough to help me get an audience with the Demon King. I don¡¯t know where she stands in the noble hierarchy, but Tephalia is the lord of a freaking city, a ¡®Demon Lord,¡¯ if you will. Should she not have as much political/government power if not greater than her?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ well, after saving Dondegarm twice and beating Eugus, yes, I would most definitely give you a letter of recommendation to have an audience with the Demon King, but from someone in my position, that would give you an appointment with her 4 weeks from the day you show it to them, maybe 3 if we¡¯re optimistic. You want to see her as soon as possible though, right?¡± Tephalia asks.

    ¡°Yes, most certainly.¡±

    ¡°Then, you¡¯ll have a better chance of seeing her sooner if you get a good word from a resident noble in the city of Korangar, especially from one of a prestigious family that directly serves under the Demon King, herself, such as your client, Lady Noire Scarletine Krauss.¡±

    My eyes widen. ¡°How much do you know of our quest if you know who the client is?¡±

    ¡°Just the summary that Eugus told me while we talked about you. Now, I have high confidence that you¡¯ll be able to help her get to the end of that dungeon, but I must warn you: unless you¡¯re absolutely interested in getting into the class of nobility, if I was in your position, I would not get involved with Lady Krauss¡¯ affairs outside of the quest.¡±

    Lady Krauss¡¯ affairs ¡­ could she be talking about her engagement with Lord ¡®Little Girl¡¯s Drum¡¯ that Lili told us about?

    Nyra cackles in my mind. <¡°Dude! That isn¡¯t ¡­ okay, okay, you know what, never mind. Yes, his name¡¯s Lord ¡®Little Girl¡¯s Drum.¡¯ Totally accurate!¡±> [TN: ¡®Rowling¡¯ would be pronounced low-leen-goo for Japanese speakers and the ¡®loli¡¯ sound in his name can mean ¡­ well, you get the picture, while ¡®gu¡¯ means ¡®drum¡¯ ¹Ä</a>.]

    I may be totally inaccurate in his name but I¡¯m sticking to it if it means remembering at least a little of it. Unless I¡¯m involved with someone enough, I tend to forget their names not long after meeting them the first time, more so for the guys.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying this now as I¡¯m seeing how quickly you¡¯re getting attention from other girls but I¡¯ll wish you luck,¡± Tephalia continues. ¡°One more thing I want to mention. You said something about seeing the Demon King about your ¡®Devil Eyes,¡¯ right? You weren¡¯t aware of having such a capability until now, Jinma?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t even know how to activate it or why I even have it. I was kind of hoping the Demon King may refer me to someone who¡¯s willing to teach me about it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ that might be a stretch, but I think I know of someone who could possibly help you learn about it. The thing is, no one knows where or what kind of demon she is, even for someone around my social position, but she¡¯s said to be the Demon King¡¯s court magician who researches anything that catches her eyes.¡±

    ¡°Court magician ¡­ so this one¡¯s the strongest spellcaster among everyone in the Demon-Kin?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°As well as the most intelligent.¡±

    ¡°Even if we may not know where she is, if there¡¯s a chance she can help me figure out what I have going on, then I don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t look her up. Does she even have a name?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I only know of her unusual title. She goes by ¡­ the ¡®Shining Tea Set.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    <¡°Yeah, that will certainly help us get somewhere.¡±> Nyra might have spoken both of mine and Ume¡¯s thoughts.

    ~~

    Once Tephalia bid us off and gave me a savoring good-bye kiss, at Ume¡¯s request, I take us to the front of the manor through [Portal] and we walk the rest of the way while holding hands.

    <¡°You know, you¡¯ve held her hand a lot today. Doesn¡¯t it feel strange being scaly and claw-like?¡±> Nyra asks.

    Well ¡­ it¡¯s certainly different than from what Komi did when she was teasing me back in the day, but I still welcome it. It just makes bonding with her that much more interesting.

    Komi tended to trap my arm against her chest from time to time when we hung out, mainly to get a rise out of me or make me a stand-in as a pretend boyfriend if there were guys hitting on her. Her teasing may have gotten a little overboard at times, but looking back on it now, maybe that was what made our friendship kind of fun.

    <¡°Eh, suit yourself.¡±>

    ¡°Hey, Jin? There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering,¡± Ume then says.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I can sort of understand with the complications between the three of us, but why did you feel the need to apologize for our separate circumstances, especially if you somewhat knew that you had already done it the first time? Actually, for someone who calls himself the ¡®Merciless Demon,¡¯ you certainly apologize for things more than what your title would imply, don¡¯t you think? At least as far as I¡¯ve noticed, anyway.¡±

    I glance down to the ground as we walk while lightly tightening the grip on my wife¡¯s reptilian hand. ¡°You know how Mom and I had a ¡­ complicated separation that makes seeing each other again impossible, right? Well, long before that, something similar happened to the two closest friends I had. Things were not good for us when we were approaching an important turning point in our lives, and ¡­ both of them just left all of a sudden before we even had a chance to talk and make up.¡±

    ¡°Were they both human females?¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I cherished them both as friends even if my relationship between each was so different. They were probably my honest-to-good first loves, but like how I couldn¡¯t approach them when things were getting difficult, I couldn¡¯t risk coming out with my feelings and completely change what I had between them, for better or worse. They ¡­ left just as I decided to try and do something to make up for it, and I couldn¡¯t really get it all settled in the end.¡±

    I think back to the news that killed parts of my soul that day, the day when Hyoko Ishima, Komiwa Karuga, and 27 other people died from a horrific accident in a moving bus on the highway. Half of the people from our homeroom classroom, our assigned teacher who was also Mom¡¯s closest friend and my very first aunt, Mitsuki Toko, plus a few students from other classrooms at our school got caught in it.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    If I was just more honest with myself and what I really wanted to do despite the consequences, I would¡¯ve been victim number 30. I would¡¯ve joined my friends, our classmates, and teacher as we were all making our way to an outing at the beach over summer vacation during our third year of high school. The event was organized by Hyo-chan who asked Mitsu-oba (that was how I usually referred Mitsuki Toko outside of school) to be our chaperone. She even invited me and Komi together well ahead of time, too, despite how little we talked over the course of our high school years.

    I couldn¡¯t go due to many factors despite how excited the two of them were at first, so I pretended to be under the summer cold that day.

    ¡°Not resolving our complications soon enough while being honest with myself ¡­ was one of the biggest regrets I had before coming here,¡± I continue with Ume walking alongside me. ¡°A while after that separation, I promised myself that if I realized I did something wrong, even if it may be a problem for me and troubling to those involved, I would get those issues I¡¯ve caused mended as fast as possible so that I won¡¯t be weighed down with more regrets. I guess I apologized for those earlier things the second time because I was a little paranoid that there was still some stuff lingering that people may hold a grudge on me over. Well, if they still dislike me after I apologized, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that and I¡¯ve grown used to it. There¡¯s also what I had done in my previous job that doesn¡¯t really help my case, either, but since it¡¯s you and Tephalia we¡¯re talking about, I just couldn¡¯t risk leaving any ends loose ¡­¡± I trail off before I realize that Ume stopped our walk.

    Before I could say anything, Ume takes my head and holds it against her breasts, right to her cleavage. She¡¯s a little taller than me, so I didn¡¯t need to crouch much to get to that level, but the gesture was still a surprise.

    ¡°Your mother ¡­ really emphasized on letting you be more selfish and honest with your desires while not being so reserved. I thought I was getting somewhere when I pampered you earlier, but I think I¡¯m starting to understand what she really meant by that now. About why you¡¯re working so hard for all of us, try to take everything on your own, and try to right every wrong you might¡¯ve made, especially with me.

    ¡°Jin ¡­ are you going along with what we have right now because of what I am? Because of what I might do if you rejected me? I know I¡¯m selfish and greedy, keeping you to myself more than with the others even though I encourage you into growing your harem, maybe I¡¯m getting ahead of myself trying to experience everything for the first time with you. I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never had a mate or had interest in males before meeting you and I¡¯m happy to have you here, but I realize I didn¡¯t really consider your feelings on what you want to do with me. It might¡¯ve been like that since I first asked you to be my mate. Please, understand that I want you to be as happy if not more about us as I do, but I don¡¯t know what it is that you want if you don¡¯t come out and say something.

    ¡°I may act a bit self-indulgent and sulk if you make a mistake, but please know that I will never hate you, and if I¡¯m holding something against you, I¡¯ll try to come up front about it instead of holding it off from you like others may have. The last thing I could ever want is making you feel trapped or subdued going along with what I want and hate me later for it. Human lives are so tragically short compared to us. I want to spend every waking moment with you and I want you to be happy being here with me and the others, so please tell me, tell us if there¡¯s something bothering you, if you need help, or if you¡¯re sad and angry about something. We will do everything in our powers to help you, so, please ¡­ don¡¯t come to hate us at a point where you¡¯d ¡®separate¡¯ us like you had with your mother and friends ¡­ don¡¯t leave us, don¡¯t leave me, please ¡­¡± Ume¡¯s voice starts to crack near the end and I feel something wet drip on my head as she tightens her shakily hold.

    ¡°Ume ¡­¡± I pull my face away from her cleavage and give Ume a proper hug. I pull her in tight while she grips the back of my blazer with her lizard-like claws and quietly sobbing in the crook of my neck.

    ¡°Do you mind ¡­ if I may be honest for a moment?¡± I ask before she nods her head. ¡°I admit that I was a little worried of those things possibly happening if I fully rejected you, and your possessiveness is also a tad concerning, but being so honest in what you want is one of your biggest charms that I¡¯ve come to love about you, Ume.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s strange for me to be so genuinely wanted to this degree when I¡¯ve grown so used to being shied or driven away by everyone among other humans who isn¡¯t my mother, friends, and family. It may also be indulgent of me, but I¡¯ve started growing a liking to it. It just makes me want to keep you and the other girls to myself all the more.

    ¡°That said, this is my first time in all of this, too, especially this harem stuff, but I want you and the others to be just as happy if not more than you girls do for me. I don¡¯t want to separate from you and the others, either. That¡¯s why I was working so hard up to now.¡±

    Ume giggles a little as she pulls back and wipes stray tears from her face. ¡°I guess we both have a lot to work on if we don¡¯t think we¡¯re doing enough to make the other happy. I may not know what exactly it is about you that some other humans don¡¯t want to be with you for, but if the other demons in this city aren¡¯t enough, then you can bet that you¡¯re the most wanted for me to be with, along with Tephalia and the other girls in Twilight Sky.¡±

    ¡°Well, talking and working those out is part of how we can make our relationship better, especially you and me as spouses. We gotta make sure the others are happy being with us, too.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. I want to have lots of fun trying and doing new things with them like our moment in the private bath last night, like showing you the new lingerie Lili¡¯s making for us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m definitely looking forward to that. You better have your plans open by then and the day after, because I¡¯m keeping all of you to myself.¡±

    ¡°Ooh~, Jin, you¡¯re so greedy~.¡±

    I pull Ume in by the waist with a conniving grin. ¡°Only with those I love, and I won¡¯t let anything, especially another guy, try to take you all away from me.¡±

    ¡°Growl~, I love a male being bold and taking charge~.¡±

    The two of us giggle while exchanging a few kisses.

    <¡°All right, lover boy, as much as I want to see you go at it right here, you got some preparations to do for tomorrow, don¡¯t you?¡±>

    Ah, right. With Nyra¡¯s reminder, we continue our walk back to the inn.

    ¡°Oh! Speaking of not letting something take us away, you really showed Eugus Gallofree who was superior in your duel. I¡¯ve been dying to know, how¡¯d you manage to pull that off? Chantless spellcasting, predicting his moves, and all?¡± Ume asks with excitement in her tone now.

    Just so I don¡¯t want to risk other hearing us, I come up with an idea. ¡°First, you can¡¯t freak out on what I¡¯m about to try.¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ okay?¡±

    ¡­ All right, can you hear me?

    ¡°Of course, I can hear ¡­ eh? Wait ¡­ <Is Jin doing what I think he¡¯s doing? Okay, a test, let¡¯s see ¡­ should I tell him in my mind how I wasn¡¯t really interested in seeing male Dragons before I left because there was a friend of mine who attracted them far better with her looks, powers, and charm than I could ¡­ and I was self-conscious of my tail being too big for their tastes?¡±>

    Really? Do dragons see the size of one¡¯s tail as an attractive feature?

    ¡°Uaagh!¡± Ume yelps as she jumps away from me. <¡°Y-You ¡­ you heard all of that?¡±>

    Every word.

    <¡°So, then ¡­ you¡¯re able to use Telepathy.¡±>

    Yep.

    <¡°And you¡¯re aware of the embarrassing insecurity with my tail now.¡±>

    I actually find that kind of adorable.

    <¡°Seriously, Jinma, what isn¡¯t cute in those weird eyes of yours?¡±>

    <¡°Eh?! Wait, I recognize that voice ¡­ Nyra, was it? Is that you?¡±>

    <¡°Whoa, so you can hear me like this even when you¡¯re not touching Jinma while wearing the bracelet, huh? Interesting.¡±>

    I thought you couldn¡¯t speak with people from the very beginning unless someone touches you?

    <¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been speaking to you with my own Telepathy this whole time. It¡¯s just the curse that¡¯s not allowing me to communicate with anyone until they wield the tanto. The closest thing I could do with my powers along with the curse is summoning monsters to move me around. Perhaps since you¡¯re now able to use Telepathy as well, I can speak to whoever you¡¯re connecting to with that skill. It¡¯s like how I¡¯m able to speak with Kenaka and Mametama, but like opening and closing a bridge to other sentient beings outside of those who¡¯re connected to you by magic.

    <¡°And with that said, nice to speak with you again so soon, Scalybutt!¡±>

    ¡°Scalybutt?!¡± Ume exclaims aloud with a flushed face. She realizes her sudden action that draws the attention of other people around us before she claps a claw over her mouth. <¡°What the heck, Nyra?! You weren¡¯t like this when we spoke earlier?!¡±> she exclaims again in her mind.

    <¡°I was going through some conflicting stuff then but I¡¯m over it. From now on, when you¡¯re speaking with Jinma through Telepathy, expect some colorful commentary from your promiscuous neighborhood Pixie! Such as how your fat tail brings all the Dragon boys to the yard!¡±>

    Ume subconsciously covers her tail and looks over to me with her eyes, pleading for help while on the verge of tears again.

    ¡­ You get used to it. Honestly, for someone who doesn¡¯t like clothes, you¡¯d think Ume wouldn¡¯t mind people staring but I guess this tail thing is a bigger issue for her than I thought.

    ~~

    Ume submitted to defeat and let our internal conversation continue with me explaining how I beat Eugus in the duel while we walked back to the inn. Just as Nyra promised, she provided her own colorful thoughts in between. My Telepathy skill leveled up to 3 after continuous practice while Nyra gave me some pointers by the time we made it back to the inn. We regrouped with the others and made the necessary preparations before our big day tomorrow.

    To have Nyra help investigate the mystery of my memories, I recalled the earliest moments of my childhood that I could think of by the time we were all trying to fall asleep. I briefly thought back to the day I heard Hyo-chan, Komi, and Mitsu-oba died on Earth.

    I admit that I considered the possibility of running into any of them in Padimon but I don¡¯t have any evidence to show that they¡¯re here to go off of. I¡¯d rather not get my hopes up to search for someone or something that may not even be in this world.

    Wherever any of them may be, if my conversation with Mom earlier was anything to go by, I prayed that they were all doing well as I drifted off into slumber.

 Chapter 79: Special: ???

    ¡°I apologize for disturbing you in the middle of your work, Mistress.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You coming here earlier than usual means you have something urgent to report, right, Sei?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Thanks to your generous contributions, I¡¯m able to sense things with my magic at distances that I couldn¡¯t fathom to achieve in my previous form, one of which had caught my attention quite intensely as I was training outside of the city walls.¡±

    ¡°What did you sense?¡±

    ¡°A great power of Wrath ¡­ a power that I could only recognize to be the Queen of Lust¡¯s runaway lover.¡±

    ¡°Ooh~, that sounds scandalous. What happened to them?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just heard the King of Wrath ran off on her without a word. I checked in on her out of curiosity but I gave up trying after she didn¡¯t answer me once.¡±

    ¡°Huh, do you need to go back to the Cursed Realm to check in on her again? You may be the former duchess of the Sloth Faction, but is she a friend of yours or something similar?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if ¡®friend¡¯ would be the right word for it. We were acquainted once and she filled me in on all of her ¡­ ¡®escapades¡¯ with her lover a few times, with more details than I wanted to know about, just because I was around for her to speak them to. Other than her being my superior, we¡¯re ¡®coworkers¡¯ at best. It¡¯s too bothersome for me to poke my nose in on something any further. It¡¯s especially so, now that I need to watch over someone who can¡¯t seem to trust anyone into forming a party enough to resort to summoning a comrade to watch her back instead.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, very funny, Sei. Still, to not bother yourself with something of this matter, I guess that¡¯s normal for you guys in the Sloth Faction, huh?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that. Moreover, Mistress, if what I¡¯ve read and heard on human females is correct, currently 19, you¡¯re at an age when the likeliness to be picked up by a male starts to decrease. It¡¯s incredible that you can even still act as energetic and alluring as you have along with your looks during the day yet push away any suitors who show an interest. Soon, that will become less likely. If you¡¯re looking for a lifestyle with as little responsibilities to do as possible, you¡¯ll have to change your angle in how to snag a male.¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve said it once before in a topic similar to this, right? There¡¯s only one target I have my eyes on and I will wait for him no matter how long it takes. In the meantime, I¡¯ll get stronger and gather whatever intel necessary that may pose a threat to him in the long run. For my own safety, I won¡¯t involve myself in any affairs that don¡¯t have anything to do with that or myself.¡±

    ¡°Mistress ¡­ with all due respect, I¡¯m amazed you haven¡¯t considered summoning someone greater than I with how powerful you are already. You could possibly take down an army with your powers and yet you say you¡¯re still not strong enough?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with grinding yourself to a high enough level to move on and enjoy the plot to a story on hard mode. That¡¯s what he told me once. Besides, unless he comes with new friends of his own, I¡¯m not taking chances of exposing my weakness to multiple parties. One confidant is enough for me and I¡¯m glad to have one who¡¯s gotten so cute now.¡±

    ¡°While I¡¯m not familiar with the metaphor, I¡¯m unworthy to receive your praises, Mistress.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else to report with that King of Wrath? What about the person who summoned him?¡±

    ¡°Actually, not too long after the King of Wrath came to this realm, another great power also revealed itself in that same general direction, and this one¡¯s from the Holy Realm. What¡¯s more ¡­ for a brief moment, the one who summoned both of them revealed their own powers to be as on par if not greater than you were when you summoned me before they erased their presence again.¡±

    ¡°So, this one¡¯s able to use both Curse and Holy Magic and was able to summon two powerful magical beasts. Do you think they¡¯ll be a great threat down the line?¡±

    ¡°The direction where both of them came from was the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory and not very far from here. I didn¡¯t sense it approaching us but since this one has made a contract with the King of Wrath, as we¡¯re intending to not get involved in any affairs, it would be wise for us to keep our distance until further notice.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡±

    ¡°Komiwaaaaaaa! Please, come back from your break soon! We have a full house here and most of them are here for you!¡±

    ¡°Okaaaay~¡î! I¡¯ll, like, be there in a little biit~¡î! Sei, we¡¯ll continue this discussion later. For now, come on inside and I¡¯ll reserve our next open seat for you. You can order something extra special as thanks for your hard work tonight.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for your generosity, Mistress. As always, I¡¯ll take care of whatever bothersome customers may come your way ¡­ no matter how much of a pain it is for me to deal with. Since you said I can get something special, I would be prepared for a large tab coming your way.¡±

    ¡°Whatever, no biggie. I¡¯ll be counting on you as always, Sei~. Ki¡î.¡±

    ¡°¡­ And for the love of Curis, don¡¯t call me that.¡±

 Chapter 80: The Trapped Noblewoman

    ¡°Milady, may I be honest for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Fuaaa~. Permission granted, Gabriella,¡± Noire says after yawning.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s to rest enough to prepare for your dungeon crawl, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s healthy to just eat and sleep throughout the majority of the day. It may be a bit daring to go at this time of night, but as long as I¡¯m by your side, I think it would be wise to step out for a stroll and get some fresh air.¡±

    Gabriella and Noire are currently in the lounge of the cottage where the latter is relaxing with her late-night cup of blood after a meal while wearing a fancy nightgown. She would head right back to sleep into her coffin after that.

    Other than to wake up for her meals and change into a clean attire after a bath, Noire has been sleeping in her coffin all day ¡­ that is what Gabriella believes. While she has slept through most of the day, the reality is that the lady in question has been doing something in her coffin that would be considered out of place for her position. She just doesn¡¯t wish for the Dullahan Dark Knight to get any funny ideas.

    ¡°It is because of you being there that does not make me wish to go out during the day. You are rather suffocating enough to be around as a bodyguard that makes me exhausted just thinking about going out. Besides, it is not like I will live very differently after that comes around, so I do not see how what I am doing right now is inadequate.¡±

    Feeling awkward at this dark turn of the subject, Gabriella clears her throat¡ªor what remains of it from her disembodied head¡ªwhile coming up with a different topic. ¡°Anyway, you received a new message from Dondegarm¡¯s guild master, yes? Does it entail any updates to the quest?¡±

    ¡°Just an updated roster of adventurers who will be joining the original two.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Milady, I¡¯m aware that who you have chosen to escort us is at your discretion under the agreement with Lord Rowling, but I must admit that not knowing even what these adventurers are is putting me on edge. Would you at least give me a hint to who we¡¯re working with for my own peace of mind?¡±

    ¡°Who is to say that ¡®putting you on edge¡¯ isn''t what I was intending to do from the start?¡± Noire¡¯s eyes as they¡¯re locked on Gabriella¡¯s are calm and collecting as she drank her blood, but the mischievous smirk from her lips as they¡¯re against the rim of the teacup wasn¡¯t hard to miss.

    For a brief moment, Gabriella¡¯s eye twitches.

    ¡°But ¡­ if what these adventurers are is what you desire to know, then I suppose I could give you at least that much, but I will only mention the additions to the roster that were stated in the message I received today,¡± Noire continues.

    ¡°That would be more than plenty enough. I thank you for our understanding, Milady,¡± Gabriella says while bowing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ let us start with be the Werewolf Thief. She is a green rank and the first of two slaves owned by one of the original escorts.¡±

    ¡°Below what we¡¯re expecting, but her skills to detect and disarm traps is most valuable for dungeon crawls. Her sense of smell as a Werewolf would also help us in detecting monsters.¡±

    ¡°Next is the Ogre Savage, the second of the two slaves and is a blue rank.¡±

    ¡°Okay, brute offense from an Ogre would be good to have as a vanguard.¡±

    ¡°The last of the new additions is the Centaur Mercenary, also a blue rank, and coincidentally is the guild master¡¯s niece.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, if she was trained by the guild master, then she may be a very valuable asset, indeed. Is that everyone?¡±

    ¡°The guild master also mentioned in his message two familiars that one of the original escorts recently made contracts with, a bear and cougar cub pairing, but he does not know whether they are from the Holy or Cursed Realms.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ being able to contract two familiars in one day shows this escort has a high aptitude for magic. A Sage may be less likely, but Priestess or Sorceress, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°That is all I will say on the matter. As you can see, while these additions can be valuable assets, our original escorts that the guild master assigned us to are far greater than all of them combined, bringing their current party rank to red as a result. Does this put you at ease, Gabriella?¡±

    ¡°Rightfully so. I thank you for indulging me in this matter, Milady. Shall I bring you more blood?¡±

    ¡°That will not be necessary,¡± Noire says as she sets the finished teacup on its dish before putting it all on the table. ¡°I will be powdering my nose and then turn myself in for the night. You get some rest as well, Gabriella.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milady. You have a good evening.¡± Gabriella takes the tea set in her free hand before walking out of the room, her head being held in her other arm all the while.

    By the time the Dullahan gets to the kitchen, she takes out the yellow Messaging Crystal and applies mana into it.

    <¡°¡­ What is it that you want so badly to wake me up from my sleep?¡±> Tyvera asks in a tired tone from the other end of the line.

    ¡°Tyvera, you know what tomorrow is, right?¡±

    <¡°Um ¡­ the escorts will be coming to meet with Lady Krauss?¡±>

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, and I pulled some valuable information about some of their escorts comrades from the lady.¡±

    <¡°That¡¯s nice ¡­ so you want me to keep an eye out for them, right?¡±>

    ¡°Correct. Be on the lookout for a Werewolf, an Ogre, and a Centaur in the same group tomorrow. There may also be a bear and cougar cub familiar along with them. See if you can make out our two main escorts among them and report back to me as soon as you can. That will be your main task tomorrow.¡±

    <¡°Can do. Going back to sleep now. Night.¡±> With that, Tyvera abruptly ends the call there.

    ¡­ No hard feelings, Milady. Just following orders, Gabriella thinks to herself as she cleans the used tea set before heading in for the evening.

    ~~

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ I must admit, Master Jinma, while thy magic tool is rather multi-functional in an impressive way, this ¡­ ¡®alarm feature,¡¯ as thou called it can wake us up in quite the abrasive manner,¡± Kalline groans.

    ¡°Yeah, I hear that.¡±

    ¡°Even so, we must get ready to start the day posthaste! Our very first real quest as the Twilight Sky adventuring party is upon us!¡±

    ¡°Yep. We certainly should.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Master Jinma, I cannot take thy words seriously when thou art under this ¡­ ¡®condition.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Well tell her that, because she¡¯s definitely not letting me go,¡± I say while my face is pressed against Ume¡¯s bare, impressive boobs while trapped in her embrace. It¡¯s a miracle how my mouth is still free enough for me to breathe, but the close proximity along with the powerful essence of her feminine scent is making it hard for me to keep myself awake.

    While I¡¯m in my night shirt and boxers¡ªor at least this world¡¯s equivalent of the latter provided by Lili the Arachne who made it with her own web¡ªUme¡¯s currently butt naked as she holds me like a large stuffed bear. It¡¯s amazing that I was able to reach for my smartphone to turn off the alarm in this position. When Kalline asked Ume why she was so bent on sleeping naked last night, she repeated her distaste for clothes as she had to me, Ren, and Erizora already, along with the logic of why wear something overnight when I¡¯d need to take it off to have sex if I wanted to do it at the last minute.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that crazy for sex to have the gall to wake up one of the girls just so we would do it in the middle of the night ¡­ especially when there are others sleeping in the same room. Sure, there¡¯s [Soundproof], but there¡¯s still the stench to take into account and not all parties like Kalline, Kenaka, and Mametama would want to be nearby when the action happens.

    Despite that, Ume was weirdly stubborn with it and said she was used to sleeping like that with those she cherishes, as it is also the norm for how those in her race does so. Who one considers they ¡®cherish¡¯ includes their mate, friends they would trust, and their family.

    I¡¯m pretty sure she was speaking more of her experiences back home as a Dragon as I¡¯m not certain the Lizardmen are also like this. The only reason why it makes a lick of sense for her is that they all likely sleep in their true forms, as well as living on a daily basis, and so it would be ridiculous for Dragons to wear clothes to sleep with, let alone for any occasion.

    So basically ¡­ Dragons are just natural-born nudists?

    I then get a weird image of Ume sleeping the way she is now in her Lizardman Form and having other family members doing the same alongside her ¡­ that would include her dad and brother (if she had one) back in her birthplace.

    I¡¯m pretty sure a ¡®normal¡¯ human being would be more than weirded out at such an image, but it wasn¡¯t so much for me since the conditions I grew up in back home had led me to live with Mom in a similar fashion. Not that she¡¯d sleep next to me naked, of course ¡­ not always, anyway. She would frequently change clothes for her jobs while I was still in the room and was almost always in a hurry enough to just leave her underwear strewn about. You can probably guess how I got my current level of the Housekeeping skill from that alone.

    Anyway, because of her hectic schedule, she would likely be around the place in loungewear when she had the rare day off and sometimes would fall asleep right after getting home. From her still being fully-clothed from her job, to half-dressed, to barely anything at all that she might as well have been naked.

    Of course, being her son and the only one around to look after her, I had to help her dress and get to bed properly while she was still asleep so she wouldn¡¯t catch a cold, but she was someone who snores and moves around in her sleep to where she pulled me into some awkward positions ...

    That said, how Ume was sleeping with her family up to her departure was not in my place to judge, which was part of why I couldn¡¯t step in to say otherwise on her habits, among other obvious reasons as a man. Kalline gave in by that point and so we wound up here. I felt Ren and Erizora were getting some strange ideas following Ume¡¯s example last night, though. I¡¯m kind of thankful yet disappointed I didn¡¯t find either of them under the same condition as my wife when we woke up.

    ¡°Mmgh ¡­ I don¡¯t wanna,¡± Ume whines tiredly. It seems she has also woken up partially but refuses to continue any further.

    ¡°Come on, Ume, as much as I like to see how cute you are like this, we need to get ready for our quest.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good for us to get to our first important quest late.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll cook us a delicious breakfast~.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Still not getting up.¡±

    ¡°She almost gave in there,¡± Ren points out.

    ¡°¡­ Okay, Ume, I didn¡¯t want to resort to this but you pulled my hand to do it. You all, give me some space.¡±

    The others had no idea what I was planning but heeded my warning anyway judging from their fading footsteps.

    I concentrate hard and summon purplish-black tendrils with my Darkness Manipulation. I could hear the others gasp from the sheer number that sprouted around us.

    ¡°Have a taste of my special Darkness Manipulation technique: The Tickle Torture of Terror!¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Kocho kocho kocho kocho kocho!

    ¡°Ahahahahahaha! W-What is this?! W-What are you doing to me, you jer-hahahaha!¡±

    Just as I begin my assault, Ume¡¯s hold loosens immediately enough for me to move away while she cackles uncontrollably. An urge to take this a step further grows within me enough that I put on my Sadistic Smile on instinct. It¡¯s as if my Shadow Tendrils have read my thoughts that they bound her wrists, ankles, and even her flailing tail in place on the floor as they continue their assault. ¡°Oh~? Have you never been tickled before, Ume? Still not willing to get up? Well, then, let¡¯s learn more of where you¡¯re the most sensitive, shall we? Sides and armpits are no surprise. Ooh, how about your little lizard footsies? Maybe somewhere around the underside of your tail, perhaps?¡± I ask while controlling my Shadow Tendrils to assault those spots.

    ¡°Ahahahahahaha! Okay! Okay! I¡¯m up! I give in, so please stop! I can¡¯t stop! I¡¯m gonna pee! I¡¯m gonna peeee~!¡±

    Seeing as Ume had enough, I abruptly stop the torture and made the Shadow Tendrils disappear. Ume lies flat on her back and gasping for breath, her breasts rising and lowering while the rest of her nude body is covered in a light sweat.

    Such an erotic sight, I was tempted to take her right there.

    ¡°The Tickle Torture of Terror ¡­ what a fearsome sight.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°Would we also ¡­ fall under the same fate should we misbehave?¡± [Kalline]

    ¡°That looks like ¡­ so much fun ¡­¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°Should I expect our mornings to be this energetic every day?¡± [Mametama]

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than the crappy wake-up calls I¡¯ve had the displeasure of experiencing back in the Cursed Realm, for sure.¡± [Kenaka]

    <¡°Yes~, good, good~, let the ¡®S¡¯ flow through you, my dear apprentice. Fwahahahaha~.¡±> [Nyra]

    All I¡¯ve learned from this experience is that I might¡¯ve found a new kind of play that Erizora might be willing to help me experiment further whenever we have a chance.

 Chapter 81: The Underdog Brawlers Very First Fan (End of Vol. 2)

    After getting dressed, as promised, I cooked breakfast for all of us with Ren helping me with the prep work, making sure Ume¡¯s helpings were extra special at the time. I also cooked last night for today¡¯s lunch and snacks later on (it seems longer periods between meals means more snacks in this world, which is understandable) but I actually spent some SP on skills beforehand to help me get better acquainted with this world¡¯s ingredients and known recipes. I¡¯ll explain them in further detail later, but thanks to the experience last night that I applied to this morning¡¯s meal, let¡¯s say that I got a really good reaction from my party when they tried my breakfast for the first time.

    I always did find accomplishment and enlightenment in seeing other people enjoy my cooking. It just seemed better for me than cooking everything for myself and not have anyone to share it with.

    When we finished breakfast, we then went through our hygienic routine, made sure all of our stuff is packed, and the mixed room we¡¯ve been staying in the past few nights is clean to lighten the load of the inn¡¯s staff before finally checking out at the reception.

    After that, I used [Portal] to get us all to the guild where Eugus had been standing and waiting for us next to a carriage, the one he said he would rent for us.

    How should I put it ¡­ if you put a modern flatbed truck and one of those hay wagons you ride on in carnivals together, slap on the seat for the coach to sit in and wooden wheels over where the tires would go and you pretty much get this with a canopy for the finishing touch. If that was the only off thing here then I might be okay with this arrangement, but there¡¯s something else with this image that raises many questions in my mind.

    ¡°Ah, Sir Kotori! An honor and pleasure to meet thee and thy party! Thou may call me Kostos!¡±

    ¡°And I am his brother, Pantos! We will be doing the honor of taking thee to Palocaesy today!¡±

    Yes, instead of regular horses, there are two very muscular Centaurs taking their place to pull the carriage. I know Eugus said he would rent a carriage for us but something about this felt a little wrong to me.

    ¡°Uh, thank you, Kostos and Pantos,¡± I say while shaking their hands, trying to be polite despite these strange circumstances. ¡°To be honest, this is the first time I¡¯ll ever be riding a carriage and I¡¯ve usually seen regular horses doing the pulling instead. Is this ¡­ normal, for you guys?¡±

    ¡°Oh, indeed! When we art not honing our skills for battle, we have been the main means for transporting goods and nobles to their destinations in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory since carriages came into existence!¡± Kostos exclaims.

    ¡°We would hire adventurers to provide protection over both during our travels, but it was centuries ago that we provided means of transportation to the public, and a few after that that we started crossing the border to the Human-Kin¡¯s and Demi-Kin¡¯s Territories, but only to a select few locations,¡± Pantos adds.

    ¡°Huh, interesting.¡±

    ¡°I had made a reservation for the use of the carriage just in the nick of time yesterday,¡± Eugus says. ¡°Normally, they would have left a few hours earlier for transporting goods, considering we Centaurs only need 3 hours of rest, but I wanted to make sure you all had enough of it before we would set out. Tis the only one available to take us to Palocaesy, having our group as big as it already is.¡±

    Two Centaurs, a Human/Ogre, three humanoids, and a bear and cougar cub ¡­ yeah, I¡¯d say this is quite a big group that a flatbed-like carriage is needed. I could only imagine races like Arachnes, Lamias, and even Giant Ants also using something similar to get around long distances without walking.

    ¡°Of course, we could not possibly refuse a request from the guild master himself.¡±

    ¡°Let alone provide assistance to the hero who saved Dondegarm,¡± Kostos and Pantos say, respectfully.

    Ugh, I may not have been here for very long, but I will definitely not miss being referred to as a ¡®hero¡¯ for a while.

    <¡°Even after investigating some of your memories last night, I still don¡¯t quite see why you¡¯re so distasteful at heroes.¡±>

    Ah, yes, we¡¯ll have to discuss what you found sometime after we hit the road. While it was more embarrassing in the beginning than I thought at first, something startling came at the end before I woke up.

    ¡°Anyway, thou all arrived at a good time with minutes to spare. Art thou ready to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Waaaaaaait!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t leave just yet, please!¡±

    We all turn to the two familiar voices calling out to us. Running as fast as she could with her spider legs is Ms. Raize with many paper bags in each hand, plus two coming in from the air, one I could recognize to be Winny, but I can¡¯t make out who the other one is with the rising dawn¡¯s light hindering my vision.

    The three of them come to a stop after approaching us with the two flyers making a graceful landing. Ms. Raize¡¯s the only one out of the group who looks exhausted.

    Did she run all the way here from her home with those bags?

    ¡°Just when I thought ¡­ I could relax on ¡­ my day off,¡± Ms. Raize exasperates between breaths.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I ask.

    Ms. Raize takes a moment to catch her breath. ¡°Lili ¡­ had to work all night to get the lingerie done. Before she conked out from exhaustion, she woke me up to get these to you before you left.¡± She shoves the paper bags our way. Upon closer look, there is Padimonian writing on each of them, probably to indicate which belongs to who.

    The girls in my party take their own bags and look inside them. Ren, Erizora, and Kalline flush after peeking, and¡ª

    ¡°What is this¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡°Don¡¯t take that out!¡±¡±

    Ume was just about to pull out her own into the open until the others stopped her in the nick of time.

    ¡°Lady Umeiyon, you have to keep that a surprise for Master or it won¡¯t be good anymore!¡± Ren exclaims.

    ¡°She¡¯s right, you know,¡± Ms. Raize says. ¡°Lili said she¡¯ll have the others ready by the time you get done with your quest, but she wanted to be sure that each of you has something special and unique to show Jinma as his mates.¡±

    We may be out for a few days but we are coming back to Dondegarm through [Portal] after the quest is done for other businesses, such as help getting Lili back to Korangar. There¡¯s also hitching Ms. Carmen¡¯s own [Portal] to visit Alluga in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory and meet her father at his request. I still need to speak to one or both of them about Ren¡¯s pet thing at some point, too.

    ¡°B-But, I am not ¡­¡± Kalline trails off while her face is still red. She couldn¡¯t even look in my direction just as she saw me.

    Ignoring the death glare Eugus has on me, I take two silver coins from the money pouch in my MIB and place them in Ms. Raize¡¯s hand. ¡°One for each of you. Thanks for your hard work and give my regards to Lili, will you?¡±

    ¡°S-Sure thing ¡­¡± Ms. Raize holds the coins up to the light and checks their luster.

    ¡°Jinma ¡­ even with their efforts, that is just too big of a tip,¡± Eugus says while rubbing his eyes.

    ¡°Is it?¡± I ask with a quirked brow. I¡¯ve heard some of the prices and paid for a bunch of things within the last few days. I thought 100 karos for both of them was a decent amount but I guess that¡¯s a little overboard?

    I don¡¯t pay it much mind though as I turn to Winny next. ¡°What about you, Winny?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was on my way to see you off, but then I ran into this one here.¡± Winny turns her direction to the new person in question. Like the Arch Imp Priestess, this girl also has light lavender skin, pointy ears, wings, and a thick spade-tipped tail. The differences with her are the bluish-black horns that resemble a small bison¡¯s, poking out of her platinum-pink hair with a pair of black ribbons tying it in twin tails that¡¯s about shoulder-length, compared to Winny¡¯s horns that stick out more from her forehead while curving upward a little bit. Then there are the girl¡¯s brilliant amber-colored eyes that resemble the sky¡¯s color during the hours of twilight.

    These features are quite astonishing, but then I notice how she¡¯s even shorter than Ren. If I remember their numbers correctly through Size Up, Ren is just barely below Winny¡¯s height by a centimeter. The difference between Ren and this girl must be about 20 centimeters.

    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m taller than the average Japanese man at 181 centimeters [~5 feet, 11 inches] that I associate short, small, and petite to young in age, hence why I mistook Ren to be younger than she really is when I first met her, though it was dark back then and I didn¡¯t really see how tall she was compared to me. For Winny, while she¡¯s of a similar height, the robes along with the subtle contours of her curves give her a more adult-like air, so I didn¡¯t depict her of the opposite.

    Even so, I still feel the small and petite equaling young in age should be a somewhat accurate case here with this new girl ¡­ if it weren¡¯t for her chest that defies all logic and reason. I don¡¯t know what the average breast size is in this world, especially among female [Arch] Imps, but having the new girl standing next to Winny, the former¡¯s seem to be a couple centimeters bigger. Her clothes include brown short-shorts, leather boots of the same color that reach up to her thick, plump thighs, and a specially-designed, low-collared black cotton crop top that I almost mistook for a bra at first, allowing mobility in her wings while conforming to her chest that are also emphasized thanks to the large exposure of her cleavage. Black straps matching the top indicate she¡¯s definitely wearing a bra of the same color underneath. To be frank, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised the crop top actually was a second bra providing support along with the first one just to withstand the weight and pressure of her melon-sized boobs. An over-the-shoulder knapsack hanging at her side also shows long black leather gloves that she probably wears when out in the field. This is all covering her figure of short stature with not just her incredible knockers, but also thick hips that almost fill her short-shorts enough to make them look like panties, and a surprisingly lean waistline that has just the right amount of fat and muscle to not make her look so grotesquely thin to be just skin and bones. These proportions pretty much destroyed any hope I had left to accurately make out her presumed age.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    In short, this new girl is one of those ¡®oppai lolis¡¯ I¡¯ve heard of from home. I was tempted to use Size Up and see her measurements in detail, but if she actually is younger than what¡¯s considered ¡®safe,¡¯ then morals aren¡¯t really the only thing I should be worried about here, so I held myself back.

    The oppai loli ¡­ let¡¯s call her ¡®OL¡¯ for now, is currently standing up straight and stiff while shivering the moment I laid eyes on her.

    Ah ¡­ this isn¡¯t good. I could only imagine how terrified she is right now just being in the presence of someone like me. I wasn¡¯t very good with kids back home, mainly due to scaring them off with my looks. Don¡¯t even get me started on how many times I got questioned by the police just because I was near them.

    But now I¡¯m surrounded by comrades who have my back should something happen, so deciding to investigate, I kneel myself down to OL¡¯s level. ¡°Hello, there. May I help you with something?¡± I ask in the gentlest way possible to not scare her off.

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re J-Jinma ¡­ K-K-Kotori, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Whoa, are you okay? You¡¯re tearing up,¡± I say with widened eyes.

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± It seems OL hasn¡¯t realized it as she touches her face and sees the tear bead on her finger with shock.

    ¡°Uh, here, let me get that.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    I take out my handkerchief and start dabbing OL¡¯s tears away. She wasn¡¯t crying a lot so the cleanup wasn¡¯t too big of an issue. It might¡¯ve been too forward for me towards a stranger but I wasn¡¯t sure what else to do in this situation.

    ¡°You feeling all right?¡± I ask.

    She only slowly and shakily nods once. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a good or a bad thing, but I roll with it.

    ¡°Okay then, may I ask for your name, young lady?¡± I ask her while putting the handkerchief back in my pocket.

    ¡°R-Right, my name is ¡­ m-my name is S-S ¡­¡± She seems to be at a loss for how to get the words out without stuttering, and so she stops, closes her eyes tightly, takes a deep breath and ¡­

    ¡°MY NAME IS SUE AND I¡¯M YOUR BIGGEST FAAAAAAAAAAN!¡±

    The sheer volume and pitch of her introduction were enough to scramble my head for a little bit, same goes for the others. Hell, I think that might¡¯ve woken up the whole city with how far it echoed.

    I blink myself back into reality and try to clean my ears a little to get some of my senses back. ¡°Uh ¡­ Sue, was it? And you¡¯re my ¡­ fan?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yes!¡± she screams again before clapping her mouth shut. ¡°U-Um ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for screaming, and the crying as well, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m ¡­ n-nervous and you were so cool at the duel yesterday that I wanted to meet you but I couldn¡¯t come up with the best way to introduce myself and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Whoa, slow down, Sue. Let¡¯s take a few deep breaths first, okay?¡± I ask before I instruct her to focus on her breathing a bit. She follows along very diligently, to my surprise. ¡°You feel better?¡±

    ¡°A-A little ¡­¡±

    I look up to Winny. ¡°Is it normal for someone to have fans?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, some esteemed, high-ranked adventurers who¡¯ve especially made a rep and name for themselves have their own fanbases in certain communities.¡±

    ¡°I see, then ¡­¡± Trying to put up the best and gentlest smile I could, I take Sue¡¯s hand that¡¯s gotten a little clammy and give it a light shake. ¡°It seems you¡¯re the very first fan in my adventuring rep, Ms. Sue. I¡¯m happy you went out of your way to meet me like this so early in the morning.¡±

    ¡°N-No! Please, just ¡®Sue¡¯ is fine with me! I couldn¡¯t be happier and more honored to be here!¡± Sue exclaims with her eyes glimmering as she continues to shake my hand.

    Heh, she¡¯s cute. Not sure if I really deserve a fanbase but I could get used to this kind of attention.

    <¡°Hey, you may even get a good lay or two if they¡¯re really happy to see you. Oppai Loli Imp here certainly seems so.¡±>

    Don¡¯t get any funny ideas, and how do you know of that ¡®oppai loli¡¯ term?

    <¡°You didn¡¯t really think I couldn¡¯t overhear your monologues now and then, did you? I¡¯ve seen some of the stuff you¡¯ve read in your memories, so why the fuck not call her Oppai Loli Imp?¡±>

    I mentally shake my head at our internal exchange as I finish the handshake that lasted longer than necessary.

    ¡°So, Sue, I¡¯d love for us to talk a little, but as you can see, we¡¯re about to leave for our quest. Did you want an autograph or something?¡± I ask.

    ¡°An autograph would be great, but ¡­ there¡¯s one other thing I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, something of a favor,¡± Sue says while pushing her fingers together shyly, the way she does it under the breasts too large for her size just emphasizes them more, enough that I notice small chains from two necklaces are wedged between her cleavage. I try not to eye them for too long to bring any misunderstandings.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You and your party are heading to Palocaesy, right? Where are you planning to go after your business is done there?¡±

    ¡°Well, we are planning on heading to Korangar sometime after our quest is done.¡±

    ¡°Really?! Then ¡­ may I come with you?!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I was planning on going to Korangar as well but I couldn¡¯t reserve a seat for a carriage ride for the first stop on my way there in time. I know this is really selfish of me to ask at the last minute but I have enough money to pay for the fare! I won¡¯t become a burden to you, either! I can hold my own in a fight! I know you already have your slaves but I can carry your things, too, if you want! I¡¯ll do whatever I¡¯m capable of that you ask me to do, just please let me come along!¡± Sue then prostrates herself before me.

    ¡­ Ah, I think I see what¡¯s going on now. I¡¯m not sure how true it was of her being my ¡®fan¡¯ even with my Intuition skill activated. Hell, something felt off the moment she introduced herself. Acting like I was coming back to my senses from the loud greeting was when I looked up above her head and found something disturbing ¡­ or to be more technical, I didn¡¯t find anything, and there lies the problem.

    Out of everyone in front of the guild right now, this ¡®Sue¡¯ is the only one who I can¡¯t seem to see her name, HP, and MP bars above her head. I quickly used Size Up with more focus despite my moral dilemma in order to try and pull anything I could ¡­ and found this:

    [Size Up¡¯s appraisal has been blocked]

    That¡¯s all of what the notice window showed me. If the wording here¡¯s accurate, then something on her is blocking my Size Up skill from appraising her status and ¡®other¡¯ information.

    Whether it¡¯s by a skill, an ability, or maybe even an item that¡¯s making this possible, the fact that I can¡¯t appraise her at this time is already raising many danger flags that this one is not who she seems.

    Coming up so early in the morning to express herself as my ¡®fan,¡¯ and then requesting to hitch a ride with us to get to her destination. I thought she was putting up quite a strong front with her acting skills just to flatter me and get on my good side, but then I recall the moment she was in a daze before I pointed out how she was crying, as well as Nyra pointing out how happy she was at one point.

    Nyra, what was Sue feeling when she was breaking into tears a bit ago? I ask her for confirmation.

    <¡°Well, to keep it simple: emotional. As in, she was feeling all kinds of things at once, right after confirming her question to your identity, now that I think about it. If we¡¯re going play-by-play, she was very anxious at first, but then intense, high levels of joy with a hint of sadness that lead her to break into tears. The sadness faded away and she was still very elated as you talked with her until she requested to come with you. Right now, she¡¯s not just anxious, but fearful and even desperate as she¡¯s waiting for your answer.¡±>

    ¡­

    <¡°I admit that not being able to see her name and status is very concerning, I can understand your worries, but going by my heightened Psyche Magic, all I can make out is that she really did want to meet you, was very happy to see you, and was pulling out all the stops and play the ¡®I¡¯ll do anything¡¯ card just to go along with you to Palocaesy. You should know by now that all of what she said then was the truth with your Intuition skill, right?¡±>

    Yeah ¡­

    <¡°Whatever her reasons are to keep herself hidden, Sue¡¯s feelings are genuine enough that match her actions up to now. Even if she isn¡¯t thinking of getting owned by you and your dick, I think we should at least give her a chance.¡±>

    ¡­ You were doing so well until you mentioned ¡®dick.¡¯

    <¡°Hey, that¡¯s just how I roll, my dude. Take it or leave it.¡±>

    I then look to Eugus. ¡°Hey, Eugus, is there any chance we could fit one more on the carriage?¡±

    ¡°Kostos? Pantos?¡± he then asks while turning to what I dub the BCB (Buff Centaur Brothers) pulling the carriage.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ since tis last minute, we would have to charge thee extra for convenience.¡±

    ¡°That aside, we have pulled much heavier. We should still be able to get there on schedule,¡± Kostos and Pantos say, respectively.

    ¡°Sue, was it? We will be heading to Palocaesy for the first official quest for Jinma and his party, Twilight Sky. I am also setting this as a sort of trial for them, which includes what will go on over the trip there that will start the moment we leave this city¡¯s walls. I would leave the extra payment to thy discretion but how he will treat thee, his ¡®guest,¡¯ will also be evaluated in this trial. He will also take any responsibility for anything that will happen to thee over the course of this trip until he finishes his quest. Will this make do?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I will pay for my own fare and I will definitely be sure to not stand in his way!¡± Sue exclaims while looking up.

    I then turn to the others in my party. ¡°What do the rest of you say?¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t really mind either way. For one person, what we have here is more than enough.¡± [Ume]

    ¡°I think it would make the trip there more interesting with Ms. Sue around. The more, the merrier, we always say.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°I um ¡­ know of a way to lighten the carriage¡¯s load if we need to. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing for me, but if it will make our traveling more efficient, then I¡¯ll bear with it.¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°I can step in for Mr. Kostos and Mr. Pantos and help pull the carriage as well if it is necessary.¡± [Kalline]

    <¡°What¡¯s the harm in one more passenger?¡±> [Kenaka]

    <¡°Still na?ve and oblivious of the possible danger as always, I see, but I¡¯ll take the liberty of keeping an eye on her. I just have a feeling there¡¯s more to this ¡®Imp¡¯ than meets the eye.¡±> [Mametama]

    <¡°You already know my vote, and I want to see how much this one will swoon under your charms enough to throw herself at you, too~.¡±> [Nyra]

    ¡°All right, I guess that settles it.¡± I turn back to Sue with the best inviting smile I could muster. ¡°We will definitely make sure to get you to Palocaesy safely. If you¡¯re all right with us, Sue, would you want to come a¡ªLOOONG?!¡±

    Sue interrupts me with a tackle to the ground, pinning me down with her arms around my ribs in a tight embrace. Her much larger-than-average melons press down one me while she nuzzles my chest.

    ¡°Yes! Yes, I would be more than happy to join you on your journey! This is the happiest day of my life!¡± Sue exclaims.

    ¡°W-Wow ¡­ you¡¯re a little stronger than you look, are you?¡± I ask with a strained voice. I think I could even feel some bones in my spine popping.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to not mention this for a while, but Ms. Sue¡¯s breasts are ¡­ rather large, are they? Even though she¡¯s shorter than me, with a chest like that ¡­ it¡¯s one thing if it¡¯s Eri¡¯s being already big for her size, but to be beaten in this manner ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah! Ren! Please don¡¯t feel down! Your breasts are already beautiful the way they are!¡± Erizora exclaims to her before the others commented on Sue¡¯s breasts in their own way.

    Indeed, it seems an oppai loli¡¯s breasts are a big influence in any world.

    ~~

    After Sue calmed down, she provided the money to the BCB, threw her knapsack in the carriage and started a pile before flying inside and the rest of us followed. While Eugus spoke to them about some other matters, I took the liberty of making that autograph Sue wanted. It wasn¡¯t much, but I only had a charcoal pencil and parchment to work with. I intended to have one of the girls help me with how I should write what Sue wants in Padimonian, but when I told her how I wasn¡¯t familiar with this country¡¯s written language yet, she said to write my name in the language I knew to make it as authentic as possible. She was also interested in what my name looks like in my native language.

    And so, with ¡®To my very first, cute fan, Sue,¡¯ in Padimonian (with Ume helping to show me how it was done), I wrote my full name, Jinma Kotori, at the end in Japanese. [ÈÊ</a>Ä§</a>  Ð¡øB</a>]

    ¡°It really is you ¡­¡± Sue muttered quietly after staring at what I wrote. She then pressed the autograph against her chest with a contented smile, as if trying to ingrain my name in her heart.

    For some reason, I felt she looked like she had finally found something after a long time of searching and is satisfied with the results of her labor. Contrary to her excited, child-like image earlier, Sue seemed much more dignified and mature that time around. Nyra also felt the same when I confided in her.

    Finally, after Winny and Ms. Raize bade us off and wished luck on our first quest together, we made it out of the city boundaries and started making our way to the city of Palocaesy. With Ume on my left and Sue on my right, I looked back to how Dondegarm starts growing smaller and the slow sunrise gave the scene a beautiful color. I had to take out my smartphone to take a picture of it. I then took a bunch of other pictures of us in the carriage to relish the first steps of our new journey, which included a selfie of me and Sue together making a peace sign after instructing her, and she was not afraid to get up close and personal with me to make a good shot, too.

    And so, with the mysterious first fan of my adventuring career, Sue the Arch Imp, as she introduced us, to uncover the secrets of my identity, and making many memorable encounters, my journey of traversing the lands in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory begins.

 A Cheap Character Bio/Ref Sheet (Up to Vol. 2 on Ch. 81)

    [WARNING: This will contain spoilers from content up to the end of Vol. 2 (Ch. 81). If you¡¯re starting with this before reading the story, put it down and start from the beginning. You have been warned.]

    Yo, yo, yo! What up, bitches?! It¡¯s your favorite Pixie, Nyra, in the house! What? What am I doing here? Where¡¯s the next chapter? Seriously, a fun, loveable, and sexy girl is right in front of you and you¡¯re asking something like that?

    Well, not that you can see me right now anyway, but I¡¯m still sexy in my own way! Put me in one of those ASMR videos you perverts get off to and I¡¯ll make you cream your pants with the sweet, sweet sounds of my voice dripping with lust to tickle every nook and cranny of your dick and asshole. I know my way around this biz.

    Anyway! The author here wants me to help spice up this bio page and by god, how could I not refuse? These may not showcase everyone¡¯s stats, but by order of roles, described appearances and descriptions, we will provide the information that truly matters along with a bit of extra just for you guys. So, without further ado, let¡¯s get this started!

    ~~

    The Main Protagonist; The ¡®Merciless Demon,¡¯ Jinma Kotori

    Age: 22; Race: D-Human; Height: 181 centimeters [~5 feet 11 inches]; Weight: 73 kilograms [~161 pounds]; Penis size: 20.5 centimeters [~8.1 inches] long, 13.7 centimeters [~5.4 inches] in girth; black hair with short-medium buzzcut; very dark, blackish-brown eyes (sharp and fierce enough to look scary ¡®as a demon¡¯); wears white shirt with black blazer over it, matching slacks and leather shoes.

    Ah, shit, here we go, the main protagonist of this story; the mercilessly pounding, heart-stopping, sexy motherfucker who will become the harem king, Jinma Kotori. Coming all the way from Ikebukuro, Tokyo Japan on the planet Earth after getting brutally beaten, cut, tased, hit by a car (whatever that is) and finally stabbed to death by his former shady company, this guy tries to take a second chance to live a new life in the land of Padimon on the world of Raiza as a Champion. With the help of the o mighty Goddess of Lust, Obina, he gains a blessing, the Dragon Scale Defense ability, that raises all his defenses 20 times, gives resistance against all attribute attacks of any kind, and not get killed in one hit. Little did any of us know that his starting stats at LV 1 as they were evaluated back on Earth were already very strong for any normal human. Not only that, he can learn almost any skill and spell at an approximate level thanks to his Natural-Born Brawler title after seeing and trying it once, can somehow use any Null Spell once he knows the name and its effects, and is able to use a skill only available for those in the Devil demon race, the Devil Eyes.

    To keep things short, he was plenty powerful from the beginning, but thanks to him not changing his default class as a Brawler, he got stupidly more powerful later down the line with these, plus the use of multiple classes, and from his Innate Stats, he¡¯s a hit with the ladies in the Demon-Kin with his SS-ranked Charm in that demographic. Oh, and apparently, he¡¯s not even fully human, but some kind of ¡®D-Human,¡¯ somehow. None of us know why or how this is possible along with his other broken oddities that makes him so OP, and so Jinma tries to find the answers to these mysteries involving him as he lives his new life as an adventurer.

    All I know is that with his ridiculously low LUCK despite all of his other stats being the opposite, it will not be easy, but he won¡¯t be alone! Keep fighting on, my dude, I¡¯ll always have your back!

    ~~

    The First/Primary Wife; The Dragon Girl, Umeiyon (Lizardman Form)

    Age: ???; Height: 191 centimeters [~6 feet, 3 inches]; Weight: 93 kilograms [~205 pounds]; BWH Sizes: 94G-84-96; cerulean hair past shoulder length; turquoise eyes with slit irises resembling a reptile¡¯s; sapphire blue scales covering back and majority of body except face, butt, and entirety of front down to pelvis that¡¯s clean, pasty pink skin; reptilian claws with four fingers, opposable thumbs, and white talon tips; buff reptilian legs with four ¡®toes¡¯; large, bulky tail with yellowish-white underside; light-blue fin-like ears; wears a skimpy, apron-like cheongsam that matches her scales with beautiful decors during the day.

    (Dragonoid Form): Everything above with the addition of white horns out of head, navy-blue wings, and growth of tail to be bigger and bulkier; weight may increase due to these additions; stats also increase to larger fraction from her True Dragon Form.

    (True Dragon Form): What it sounds like with yellowish-white underbelly taking place of the ¡®skin¡¯ that was once there, has three ¡®fingers¡¯ with opposable thumbs now for claws while appendages on feet stay the same; resembles European dragons; height and weight are immeasurable, just plain huge.

    Now, don¡¯t get me wrong, knowing Jinma was still a cherry boy until his current age, I¡¯m happy he actually got with a girl not too long since he came to Padimon, but for him to be paired up with Scalybutt here first ¡­ with what she¡¯s capable of, he¡¯s got a lot of work to do to make up for what she wants.

    The Dragon Girl, Umeiyon, started out exiling herself from her home in order to find a suitable mate to help save her kind from going extinct with next to no knowledge on how baby-making worked for a while. She got impressed with Jinma¡¯s prowess before it quickly turned into an interest of the opposite sex. After some serious talks between them, including the birds and the bees, plus some fun and sexy times, and this giant lizard became a lovestruck, dutiful primary wife that officially started Jinma¡¯s harem. After learning she¡¯s able to bear Jinma¡¯s children thanks to the perks of his Brawler class and being a Champion, she takes her time enjoying her new love life with her husband as she helps him out with his adventuring career and journey of his self-discovery. She keeps her identity as a Dragon secret while posing as a Lizardman with the Sage class during the day. The day she reveals her true identity to her new friends/harem members has yet to be determined.

    Knowing she¡¯s one of what is considered the most powerful race that exists in the Mortal Realm, let¡¯s just hope she¡¯s not as greedy to keep Jinma to herself as rumors make her kind out to be.

    ~~

    The ¡®Bloody¡¯ Nympho Tanto/Pixie Girl, Nyra

    Age: ???; Other than the basis of the Pixie race¡ªchild-like physiques, dark skin, long pointy ears, small horns, and glass-like reflective wings¡ªfurther details to this character in her true form have yet to be revealed.

    (Tanto): Blade length of 30 centimeters [12 inches], just at the max length to still be considered as a tanto; no guard; black handle and sheath with stylized engravings; the blade is black.

    The weapon is made of Chaos Metal, the most powerful metal in the world of Raiza due to the subtle hypersonic vibrations in its resting state, synthesized with 4 Gold Greed Rings, each to give those who wear one an additional 50% of EXP from winning battles, making these alone very expensive and hard to make. The weapon is also enchanted with a high-leveled curse that trapped Nyra inside it, giving it effects of making her mad and lustful for violence and killing. In addition to what she¡¯s already capable of before being trapped, she can summon monsters to her current location at will, possess those who try to wield the blade, and decrease their LUCK stat to 10% of its original value. Even if they managed to get away from Nyra¡¯s possession, there¡¯s still the side-effects from the curse that make the original wielder fall into violent outrages, madness, and/or extreme arousal to sexually assault the first attractive figure in their sight until collapse from exhaustion. One being able to restrain themselves from all of these is a commendable feat, but if not tended to within the next 36 hours [the length of time in a day on Raiza], they will die from internal blood loss due to the increasing high blood pressure in the vessels that lead to bursting. If the wielder were to miraculously overcome these harsh effects (e.g. Jinma Kotori), they will be able to earn 2 times the EXP thanks to the 4 Gold Greed Rings and level up by 3 if they kill a sentient being thanks to the curse, compared to those who usually level up by 2 from doing the same.

    Hey, this is me! Aww, now what¡¯s with that title? Well, I¡¯ve slain countless people for thousands of years so I guess this is accurate, but I¡¯ve gotten mellower since I met Jinma, you know? I¡¯m not that blood-crazy.

    Anyway, I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I was one of the most renowned Pixies back in my village not only for my Royal Blacksmith title, making me one of the greatest blacksmiths of all time, but I was one of the sexiest, most proactive, open-minded, and bonafide sluts in its truest definition, and compared to how most races like humans degrade those with the term, that¡¯s one of the best compliments a female Pixie can have, especially me. Guy or girl, I went both ways, baby. I guess there are some who hold a grudge or something towards me for my rep, though, considering someone enchanted a curse that trapped me to the last weapon I crafted that I consider my greatest achievement in my blacksmith career. It wasn¡¯t until thousand-plus years of possessing and being passed around by other people that Jinma picked me up. Literally.

    Now, I¡¯m his partner in crime as the go-to weapon for all of his violent needs while he gives me the time of my life. With my specialties in Psyche Magic and other skills I¡¯ve retained from my true form, I can communicate with him through Telepathy along with giving inputs on certain situations. I also tend to tease the fuck out of him with my masterfully crude sense of humor.

    Will he manage to break the curse on me one day? I think it¡¯s possible, and when that time comes, I will give him the ride of his life and become the greatest cock sleeve in the world for his use only. From how much of a good time he¡¯s given me so far in all my years of living, no other male will stick their limp dicks up this cunt.

    Though, I maaay or may not have some sexy fun with the other girls in his harem. Hell, I¡¯m practically one of them already, so I should have at least that much of a privilege, right?

    ~~

    The Loyal Pet; The Alpha Werewolf Slave Girl, Ren

    Age: 18; Race: Werewolf; Height: 162 centimeters [~5 feet, 3 inches]; Weight: 68 kilograms [~150 pounds]; BWH Sizes: 78C-72-80; shoulder-length white hair; beastly arms and legs covered in white fur; white furry canine ears; white wolf tail; golden-yellow eyes; wears blackish-gray crop top and dark green hot pants; has a blue ring around her neck that marks her as a slave.

    Ah, yes, the Loyal Bitch, one of the first girls who¡¯ve witnessed Jinma¡¯s incredible prowess during a resistance from a raid of humans from the White Rapture cult. She practically begged to serve him as his slave after that. While she was highly interested in him as a male, she was also intending to look for someone to protect her from a demon-demi organization that aims to enslave, if not eradicate the entirety of the Human-Kin, the Chaos Barrage, a group which her older brother and former packmates are also involved in. They were aiming to use her rare Null Spell, [Duplicate], for their own nefarious purposes.

    And so, in exchange of putting her life on the line while doing anything asked of her, lewd or otherwise, Jinma redeems and takes her in as the first slave that will lead others in this ¡®Slave Harem/Pack¡¯ later down the line, using her dual-wielding daggers as one of the Thief class with some knowledge in Terra Magic that we have yet to witness. She¡¯s eager to please while loves getting petted in various places like any domesticated pet would. As cute, happy, and willing as Ren to go doggy-style with, I feel there¡¯s something she¡¯s keeping from her new owner that he¡¯s better off not knowing, but that¡¯s just me.

    ~~

    The Budding Super Masochist; The Ogre-Human Girl, Erizora (¡®Eri¡¯ to her close friends like Ren)

    Age: 18; Race: Ogre-Human; Height: 228 centimeters [~7 feet, 6 inches]; Weight: 105 kilograms [~231 pounds]; BWH Sizes: 117L-81-95; unkempt, medium-short yellow blonde hair; a pair of white horns poking out of her head with one broken off and left as a nub; blazing orange eyes; wears gray tube top, tiger-striped battle skirt, matching bracers, and gladiator sandals; carries a large iron kanabo on her back; also has a blue ring around her neck to mark her for slavery.

    Megatits! Oh, how much I wanted to glomp those beauties the moment I first laid my metaphorical eyes on them, and those arms, those thighs, dat ass, and especially those abs you just wanna grind meet off of, mmh! I¡¯ve gained a new appreciation to the muscle fetish now. My heart and loins thank you for the treat. Hm? Oh, right, the bio. Where was I?

    Despite her intimidating looks, Erizora¡¯s one of those teddy bears with the softest insides that her tough exterior couldn¡¯t possibly cover, and is a hardcore masochist when it comes to her delusions, but she has yet to go into anything extreme in reality. Still! The moment she set her eyes on Jinma¡¯s sadistic nature, she found the peanut butter to her perverted jelly. Along with providing support to her close friend and slave companion, Ren, Erizora plead to Jinma to serve him as his second slave, not only to become his best hand warmers with her titanic titties, but to become the best goddamn durable meat toilet for his sexual and venting needs while helping her explore her super masochistic fantasies.

    Oh, and she can be one hell of a force for crowd control being a Savage with her signature iron kanabo as her main weapon of choice.

    Jinma just has to get around to let it loose a little and give her the rough and tough love in both physical and mental matters she so desperately craves from a male so superior to her. The large differences in size between the two of them just turn her on oh, so much.

    Maybe Jinma¡¯s holding back knowing how bad Erizora was treated when she was exiled from her tribe due to being half-human. Her human dad¡¯s dead but we have yet to know what happened to her Ogre mother, who was previously the strongest and most respected female in her tribe. Yeah, that really puts a damper to the mood, and I guess Jinma¡¯s overwhelming strength could leave some serious injury if it goes overboard, but I will tell you all something from my experience.

    BDSM is all about careful experimentation, trial-and-error, and communication. Jinma has every right to be worried about seriously hurting his harem with his OP strength, but not only does he have healing magic to mend wounds, but I know he has the consideration and compassion of a gentleman to tend to his woman¡¯s every need and possibly provide the best aftercare any experienced masochist would hope to dream.

    So, Jinma, if Erizora or any girl tells you to spank her, you take that powerfully perverted hand of yours and SMACK dat ass so good that it hurts ¡­ good. Okay, that didn¡¯t come out the way I intended, but you get my point! Moving on!

    ~~

    The Conflicted Advisor; The Centaur Girl, Kalline Gallofrey

    Age: 20; Race: Centaur; Height: 211 centimeters [~6 feet, 11 inches]; Weight: 475 kilograms [~1,047 pounds]; BWH Sizes: 86E-74-N/A (Hips Immeasurable); brunette hair tied in a ponytail stretching to her mid-back, matches her ¡®pony tail¡¯; horse ears appear from top of head; hazel eye color with horse iris (wide, horizontal ellipses like a goat¡¯s); dark brunette horse lower body; changes clothes and armor with Bronze Armory Armlet depending on the circumstances, but usually wears a button-up shirt or blouse and a skirt for her horse lower body as casual wear during the day.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Oof, I haven¡¯t made up a nickname for her yet. Steed in Denial? No, too long. ¡®Mare¡¯y? Nah. There¡¯s Horsebutt but Umeiyon¡¯s already got Scalybutt in hers ¡­ Flanks. Yeah, that¡¯s good, because hers are pretty big compared to what I¡¯ve seen from other Centaur females. This is perfect. Ah, right, the bio.

    After her miraculous birth despite the parents¡¯ deaths, Kalline¡¯s uncle took the poor filly in as her guardian in his late younger sister¡¯s stead. Under his guidance, she trained to become the seasoned, experienced adventurer with the Mercenary class she is today. After Jinma saved her life from getting stabbed by yours truly¡ªin my tanto form while in another¡¯s hands, mind you¡ªduring the raid, Kalline pledged her loyalty to him as a servant. With her expansive knowledge of the field as an adventurer, Jinma takes her in as his party¡¯s advisor after ¡®convincing¡¯ her overbearing uncle through a duel and winning very one-sidedly.

    She says she¡¯s only serving him as his advisor and steed but come on, I think we all know where this is going no matter how in denial she is. The ¡®romance stories¡¯ she read involving a male Champion and female Centaur since as a kid doesn¡¯t really help her case, either.

    Serious as Kalline is, it will take quite a bit for her to be convinced of what she¡¯s really feeling; otherwise, Jinma will have to step up as a man, ¡®take the reins,¡¯ and give ¡®riding cowgirl¡¯ a whole new other meaning.

    Horse butt or not, that¡¯s still a woman¡¯s ass that craves to be plowed by a confident male, dammit! Who cares if it¡¯s on the border of bestiality?! Hm? What was that? Really~? All right, I just got word from our crazy author that sex with centaurs is allowed in the sites this story is published as long as they¡¯re able to convey words and give consent! Also, in Padimon¡¯s reality, sex with anything non-human is considered taboo in some cultures, considering there¡¯s a derogatory term like ¡®Demongenerate¡¯ that labels humans having romantic/sexual relations with people outside of their kin, whether they be demons or even demis. SO! The level of taboo could be on the same level of bestiality, but for this story content¡¯s sake, he will not count this as such. Moreover, Jinma pretty much crossed the point of no return the moment he stuck a dick in Scalybutt¡¯s vajayjay, anyway!

    You heard the man, Jinma! Get to work!

    ~~

    Finally, I¡¯m told that this is the last of what we have in Jinma¡¯s main cast for the time being! For purposes of keeping this as spoiler-free as possible at the story¡¯s current chapter, the author will only put down what¡¯s already been seen and can be evaluated into detail by one¡¯s eyes. So, without further ado, here. She. Is!

    ~~

    The Mysterious Fangirl; The Arch Imp Girl, Sue (?)

    Age: ???; Height: 131 centimeters [~4 feet, 3 inches]; Weight: ???; BWH: 89F-78-91; platinum-pink hair tied with black ribbons into twin tails to shoulder length; light lavender skin; pointy ears; bat-like wings; thick dark violet-blue tail with spade tip; matching horns resembling a small bison¡¯s; amber eyes; wears low-collared black cotton crop top over matching bra, two necklaces with chain loops wedged in her cleavage, brown short-shorts, and matching thigh-high boots; carries over-shoulder knapsack on side that has a pair of long black-leather gloves poking out.

    Holy crap, her?! She¡¯s part of the main cast?! I kind of thought the Naughty Priestess would be joining us from out of nowhere to fit the ¡®one from each race¡¯ theme! And dude, Jinma! Going by these numbers this isn¡¯t a difference of 20 centimeters between her and Ren, this is barely over 30! That¡¯s over a foot, man! How bad are you in guessing these things without your Size Up to help you?!

    Ugh, well ¡­ there¡¯s not much to say about ¡®Sue¡¯ yet since we just finished the second volume with her appearance. Damn, though, those knockers are huge for her size, and if I remember right, she¡¯d be about a head taller than me in my previous form. I think my head would wedge right into those puppies. Fucking hell, nobody back home had bazongas this huge with her height. She¡¯d be the biggest hit in my village, for sure! Wait, where was I? Ah, right.

    I guess it makes sense that we can¡¯t guess what her weight is just from looking alone and questioning her age raises more questions, but I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s old enough to be of legal age if this goes where I think will go. The only thing we know so far is that it seems she was at the coliseum where Jinma had his duel with Eugus and became a fan immediately after that. She was very emotional at their first meeting and looked like she wanted to get close to him as much as possible, too. She was heading to Korangar like Jinma and the others after their quest is done and was planning to get to Palocaesy as one of her stops, and so with desperate begging, Jinma let her join them on their journey.

    Will she be on her way straight to Korangar after making it to Palocaesy? Iiiii have a feeling that isn¡¯t going to be the case. Sue may not officially join Jinma¡¯s party, but she¡¯ll be sticking with them for quite a while if the author putting her here means anything. Will she have sex with Jinma? Well, duh, it¡¯s just the matter of when and how that¡¯s complicated to me, and I don¡¯t usually do complicated.

    ~~

    Anyway, that looks like everyone from the main cast for now. Author wants to do some short descriptions of the supporting cast and some upcomers for later down the line, so, yeah. Let¡¯s get that over with quickly.

    ~~

    Lili. She¡¯s the Arachne Tailoress and the very first one who Jinma ran into since he came to Raiza. Kind of sad she won¡¯t be part of the main cast but it looks like she¡¯ll be involved with a lot of stuff. And of course, the two of them still need to get down and dirty.

    Raize. Lili¡¯s mother who works at the Dondegarm adventurer¡¯s guild branch. She had a bit of a bump with Jinma at first due to him being a Brawler for some reason, but after he saved her spider ass along with the rest of the city from the raid, she wants in on the action. There might be some mother-daughter play in a threesome down the line. Hey, I¡¯m down for that.

    Winny, the Arch Imp Priestess. She¡¯s the ¡®Naughty Priestess¡¯ I mentioned earlier. She helped by vouching for Jinma to start off as a high-ranked adventurer and was quite enthusiastic when she found out he was a Champion later on. She may act all devoted to her work and providing whatever help she can in the Immortals¡¯ place, but I think she¡¯s hiding something she doesn¡¯t want others knowing. I called her ¡®Naughty¡¯ for a reason. With her curves, I really hope Jinma gets with her at some point.

    Kenny the Arch Imp Buster Swordsman. He¡¯s Winny¡¯s older twin brother ¡­ not much is left to say about him other than being an idiot and getting totally owned by Umeiyon in her ranking test. Totally unattractive. Moving along.

    Kenaka, the former Crimson Bear King of Wrath. This guy was summoned from the Cursed Realm and pretty much submitted himself into forming a contract with Jinma out of sheer fear. Also not very attractive, but I guess he got with some goat in that realm for a good reason? I¡¯m not interested. He¡¯s part of the main party but his significance is the same as Lili¡¯s, at best. He may get stronger like a certain cougar cub will, but who knows?

    Mametama, the former Jade Cougar Queen of Diligence. Speak of the devil! The second familiar summoned from the Holy Realm. Things got weird, but she ended up forming a contract with him in the end. Yeah, she was skeptical at first, but after seeing what Jinma got in the duel, she totally has the hots for him now. It¡¯s just she can¡¯t do much to get his attention as a female being a ¡­ well, cat. Sentient as she is, she¡¯s too animal-like to try anything right now and not let be labeled as bestiality. But! There¡¯s a way for her to get a more attractive form, and I think by that time she will be bumped up as part of the main cast in Jinma¡¯s harem with measurements and all. For now, she¡¯ll have to live with this supporting role. Oh, and apparently, she had a crush on Kenaka before but got over him a while after he stood her up. Well, she¡¯ll definitely be happier with Jinma when that time comes around.

    AAAAAAH! Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod~! The Goddess of Lust herself, the almighty Goddess Obina! Oh, wow, I could write a book of what I would say about her right now but there¡¯s so little space! Okay, to keep it short, she helped transfer Jinma to Raiza, took the ¡®master of ceremonies¡¯ role at the last minute for his and Umeiyon¡¯s ¡®wedding,¡¯ and is so beautiful and sexy among the other goddesses that if she suddenly tells me to kiss her foot, I would not only make love to it, but I would be wetting myself the best way possible from it. I don¡¯t even have a foot fetish, but dammit, I¡¯ll make it as one of mine anyway if it means I could bask the glory of her feet and anything she steps on. Fuck, having her step on my face and be her floormat would be a total honor for me. O Great Goddess Obina, if you¡¯re reading this, know that I get off on you in prayer every night before bed like a committed follower of your teachings. If I¡¯m actually worthy enough to be in your presence? Call me.

    Eugus Gallofree, Kalline¡¯s uncle and the guild master for Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild branch. An overbearing father figure who doesn¡¯t know the difference between what¡¯s best for his niece and what he actually wants. Got owned by Jinma in the duel when he couldn¡¯t give up and let her join his party, and now his utter defeat will be known not only in Dondegarm, but to the entire land of Padimon. If that weren¡¯t bad enough, salt was added to the wound when he had to pay 4 million karos worth of underwear and lingerie for the girls in Jinma¡¯s party, including his own niece, as part of the conditions organized by Lili. I couldn¡¯t think of a crueler punishment for his arrogance and possessiveness ¡­ and it was glorious. At least Kalline still loves him though ¡­ right?

    Tephalia, the Lamia Demon Lord of Dondegarm. She and her predecessors have kept me sealed away for the longest time but gave Jinma permission to keep me after seeing what he was capable of. She had a moral dilemma in the beginning and got into a heated misunderstanding with Jinma that lead to stealing his first kiss, but they¡¯re cool now. They agreed to be secret lovers until Jinma finds a chance to settle down but I don¡¯t think it will be a while before she becomes one of his legit wives.

    Ashe and Salelia? Oh, yeah, there were these two, the Lamia handmaidens who Jinma saved from the raid and wanted to thank him personally. Things got dramatic at first while in the room with Tephalia, but they promised to treat him to a special service at a place called ¡®The Basket¡¯ as a form of apology for the inconvenience. Will he take them up for it? I don¡¯t know, maybe in an interlude chapter or something. I almost forgot about them, honestly.

    Ahh, here we go, Noire Scarletine Krauss, the Vampire Noblewoman. She¡¯s the client to Jinma¡¯s first quest by escorting her through a dungeon. We haven¡¯t seen much of her yet but it looks like she¡¯s able to use Fire Magic. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be part of the main cast soon enough once Jinma gets more involved ¡­ and the author can pick up the damn pace, that is. What¡¯s that? She¡¯s engaged? From how she feels about this arrangement, do you really think he¡¯ll take that lying down? Watch out, because Mr. Steal Yo Girl¡¯s coming. Also, she seems to have a smartphone like he does. Huh, wonder where she got it?

    Gabriella the Dullahan Dark Knight. Also not much to be said other than being Noire¡¯s bodyguard, but she¡¯s taking orders from higher up without her knowing. Oohh~, someone¡¯s going to be in trooubleee~.

    Dorora the Harpy? The hell¡¯s she doing here? She¡¯s a big fat chicken. ¡®Nuf said. NEXT!

    Tyvera the Harpy Airborne Huntress, or Terror of the Skies, ah, this one¡¯s interesting. Seems to be a tomboy and poorly misunderstood by her other flying peers. She was really beating herself up over not helping the guy she saw handling all of those monsters by himself the other day [Psst, that¡¯s Jinma, in case you forgot] even though she was under strict orders to stay in her boundaries and keep surveillance of a designated area for dangers without Noire¡¯s knowing. Poor girl, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure a certain someone will send her flying in the clouds in more ways than one soon enough.

    Perseus Shalloreed Rowling? Oh, yeah, he¡¯s the vampire douche poor Noire is engaged to, as well as the one who assigned Gabriella and Tyvera to be her bodyguards. Someone¡¯s going to have a bad time soon.

    Mikan Kotori ¡­ ah, Jinma¡¯s badass mother, based on what I¡¯ve heard, anyway. She died of a serious illness on Earth before Jinma followed sometime later. I think the only time we got a glimpse to see what she looked like was her blonde hair¡ªthat I was told she dyed it herself¡ªin Jinma¡¯s nightmare the same night the raid ended. Was the leader of a yankee gang back in her high school days as a ¡®sukeban,¡¯ pretty much struck fear into people¡¯s hearts the same as Jinma did in his time of ¡®delinquency.¡¯ Bold enough to even threaten Goddess Obina to make sure Jinma gets transferred into Raiza and said something to Umeiyon after the wedding that sent chills down her spine. Gotta wonder where she even gets all this bravado that even puts Jinma in his place with a few words. Is she important to this plot? I don¡¯t know, but between you and me, I think the two of them have got a liiiittle bit of a mother-son complex going on. I mean, come on, he was quite exposed to her underwear and nudity enough to not be bothered by it, helped changed her while she¡¯s asleep, and she pulled him into ¡®awkward positions¡¯ in her sleep while partially naked. We Pixies may be pretty promiscuous among ourselves, some of us even going so far as to do it with our immediate family members. That¡¯s if we know they¡¯re our relatives, anyway. We get around a lot with each other to where I might¡¯ve even done it with my own old man, sister, brother, cousin, nephew, and/or niece without even knowing about it ¡­ god, that sounds hot, but growing up with my mother ¡­ I don¡¯t see myself going that far with her. So, if I¡¯m the one saying how his thing with Mikan is weird ¡­ then you know this shit is serious. But, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll actually see her since she said it herself that it¡¯s impossible, right?

    Hyoko Ishima, or ¡®Hyo-chan,¡¯ Jinma¡¯s very first-ever friend going all the way back from childhood and one of his first loves. The only time we saw her was in that hospital room dream with her black locks. Jinma actually prayed for his late friend to lend him her strength while he was readying to start the duel with Eugus, using me in a ¡®bokken¡¯ form, I think he called it, which shows she has experience in the sword arts as well, right? Probably better at it than he is. She and many others died in a horrific bus accident about 4 years before Jinma died after that. Huh, wonder how she¡¯d react in seeing him now with all of those girls? Guess we¡¯ll never know.

    Komiwa Karuga, or ¡®Komi,¡¯ Jinma¡¯s legit second friend in his lifetime and the second of his first loves from Earth. Seems they spent a lot of time in high school together, teasing him with her advances before she got caught up in that accident with Hyoko. Aaaand she was last seen speaking with what looks like a familiar she named Sei[ki], the former Duchess of Sloth, who reported to her about a few certain powerful familiars making their presence in the Mortal Realm ¡­ wait, so if this is where I think is going and Komiwa¡¯s here, then ¡­ oh. Ohhhhh.

    Uh, let¡¯s see, Mitsuki Toko¡¯s next, or ¡®Mitsu-oba¡¯ in Jinma¡¯s language. She¡¯s the very first of his many aunts that looked after him with Mikan while he grew up on Earth. We don¡¯t know much else aside from her being one of his high school teachers who got caught up in that accident with Hyoko and Komiwa as well ¡­ oh, boy, things are going to be complicated.

    Okay, uh, we¡¯re starting to get down to the nitty-gritty with mentions of names and short-lived appearances, so let¡¯s zoom through this.

    Kazumi Shinka, the playboy former coworker of Jinma¡¯s at his former company. Apparently, he was his main partner over the course of his workdays. Not much else is known about him other than being a total sleazebag and apparently, I might get along with him. Hey, just so we¡¯re clear, there¡¯s a difference of being your friendly neighborhood slut, and then there¡¯s being an outright jerk who tosses away people they¡¯re done using after getting bored with them. If this guy¡¯s like the latter, then there¡¯s no way I¡¯d want to associate with him.

    Koyuki Jikan, a female coworker who also worked at Jinma¡¯s former company. She was the one who dealt the finishing blow of killing him on Earth by stabbing him in the gut before she got totally bitch slapped. Apparently, they were closely acquainted before, but it looked like she was going through something complicated as she stabbed Jinma while asking him for help at the same time ¡­ yeah, all I can say is this bitch be craaaazyyy~.

    The ¡®Shining Tea Set,¡¯ supposedly the current Demon King¡¯s court magician. Nobody knows what she looks like or where she is. We don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s a girl. Gonna be difficult to find, we get it. Next.

    Rasholl, a follower of White Rapture that lead the raid on Dondegarm, got possessed by yours truly and twisted into a pretzel after Jinma beat his ass. Next.

    Gin, second-in-command of the raid, drunk old dude, Jinma beat his ass. Next.

    Kaswell ¡­ who¡¯s this guy? Gin¡¯s older brother? One of the guild masters in the association? Pervy old man? Has a talented granddaughter as an adventurer? Don¡¯t know either of them. Next.

    Natasha, guild master of association, a Devil who¡¯s wary of Jinma¡¯s debut with his Devil Eyes. Scary. Next.

    Vrog, guild master of association, a Hellhound who¡¯s a battle junkie and overbearing of his daughter. Better hide yo kid when Jinma comes around. Next.

    Konjiro, Kitsune and guild master of Palocaesy. We¡¯re meeting him there as a witness to oversee the discussion with Noire. He hasn¡¯t even met Jinma yet but it looks like he¡¯s already done with this the moment he heard about him from Eugus. Bad time coming up for him, then. Next.

    Julius, a ¡®flamboyant human male,¡¯ it says here. He seems to have a high interest in Jinma ¡­ we¡¯re not going down that route, right? Not that I¡¯m against it. It¡¯s not something I see every day, so I¡¯d certainly get a kick at it, but ¡­ okay, yeah, Jinma¡¯s solely into the female sex, so there¡¯s no way that will happen, but will that stop this ¡®guild master¡¯ from stripping him with his eyes? I¡¯d probably watch my back around that guy if I was him.

    Let¡¯s see, there was also a long-eared woman in that association, likely an elf, a human guy in uniform from this ¡®Yineer Kingdom,¡¯ a stout guy with a large beard who has a family, and that¡¯s all we got from those in the Adventurer¡¯s Association. What else?

    Ah, Carmen Todoka, she¡¯s the slave merchant who sold Ren and Erizora to Jinma. She expressed how her father, Bouba Todoka, wishes to see him sometime in Alluga. That probably won¡¯t be for a while.

    Then there are the minor characters in shops and businesses Jinma met that we¡¯ll gloss over; woman in full-leathered suit and ¡®strange helmet¡¯ seen in Palocaesy; popular girl who works at a pub; cold-blooded Samurai; little blonde girl from the hospital dream, she didn¡¯t stand out much; the old guy from the same dream? Not much to know about that guy either other than having some kind of connection with Jinma and the girls who were with him in that room; the current Demon King? Yeah, great Devil girl, we all know that, but we don¡¯t know why she issued the order to gather Champions to her castle for rewards that¡¯s been going on for a couple of years. There¡¯s also her Dad, the previous Demon King. Was how he died mentioned yet? No? Don¡¯t care, moving on.

    Aaaaand, yeah, I think that¡¯s about all of it. If I gloss over anybody, then they¡¯re either unimportant or the author¡¯s already starting to get deranged with how many names and people he has to keep track of. He requests the readers to point out any names he missed out on and he¡¯ll see whether they¡¯re worthy to be put in this bio.

    That¡¯s all we have in this special character bio for now! Stick around as we oversee more surprises and plot twists in Jinma¡¯s journey of self-discovery and sexual conquest! We¡¯ll probably do an update on this bio at another time. I¡¯m your run-of-the-mill Pixie slut, Nyra, and we¡¯ll see you all next time! Bye~! So long! You¡¯re all degenerates and I love you for it! Hey! Jinma! Don¡¯t start on the fun without me flicking my metaphorical clit to it!

 Chapter 82: What it Means to be a Demon (Vol. 3 Start)

    It was a day like any other ¡­ at least, that¡¯s what I want to say, but I didn¡¯t remember this part of my life so clearly before. Perhaps Nyra¡¯s involvement in putting my memories together is helping me recalling this so well. Whatever it is, I¡¯ll take what I can get.

    ¡°Uweeeeeeeh~! Jin-chan, I¡¯m shorryyyy~!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was bright in daylight at the park where Hyo-chan and I always played with a couple of other kids from primary school. Hyo-chan was in a bright yellow sundress as she bawled her eyes out while apologizing to me. She sat in fetal position while hugging her knees as she did so, her long, straight black hair fell to the middle of her back. I scratched my head in confusion and the itch bothering me, only to find the latter was caused by the bandages wrapped around it. I wondered how much longer I needed to wait until it was okay to take them off, but that was the least of my worries then.

    ¡°Why are you crying, Hyo-chan?¡± I asked, confused and concerned.

    ¡°I ruined your chance to play the ¡®hero¡¯ and they won¡¯t let you ever do it now!¡± she cried after sniffling. ¡°Just because I said you¡¯d be a better hero than ¡®***¡¯-kun ever would! It¡¯s not fair that you always played the ¡®demon¡¯ when you wanted to play the hero at least once, you know?! Just when we came out of the hospital and I actually wanted to play the princess to be saved, too~!¡±

    Ah, right. Hyo-chan and I played ¡®Save the Princess from the Demon¡¯ game with some classmates from time to time, but looking back, that might¡¯ve been some form of bullying. Of course, I always played the ¡®demon,¡¯ the boys who were with us would switch being the ¡®hero,¡¯ and the girls, the ¡®princess.¡¯ The others who were there would act as supporters of the hero¡¯s party. Hyo-chan didn¡¯t want to play the princess as the other girls did, but when pushed into it, she made the ¡®game¡¯ not as fun as when she played one of the supporters, even though she didn¡¯t really play the ¡®supporter¡¯ very well back then, either.

    It was around this time that I brought up the question, ¡®Why am I always playing the demon?¡¯ and somehow that spiraled into some kind of heated argument. Truthfully, back then, I wouldn¡¯t mind even playing some kind of support role on the side of ¡®good¡¯ for a change.

    I might¡¯ve wanted to play the ¡®hero¡¯ at one point, but something happened around that time the role didn¡¯t really appeal to me as much anymore. A lot of things around me seemed different to me then. I didn¡¯t even know those kids Hyo-chan and I were playing with all that time, not now, not even way back then. Was I always that oblivious and ignorant of their names? Did I really not care for them that much?

    Could it be that whatever led me to that hospital had changed my way of thinking at such a young age?

    ¡°I hate this game!¡± Hyo-chan cried. ¡°I don¡¯t want to play with them anymore if they don¡¯t let Jin-chan be the hero, but I don¡¯t think they ever will and it¡¯s all my fault~! I¡¯m sorry, Jin-chan, please don¡¯t hate me~!¡±

    Hyo-chan and I did a lot together for as long as I could remember, definitely more so with just the two of us than with the other kids, so it¡¯d make sense for her to feel so strongly about this. I didn¡¯t really care what we were doing as long as we had fun, that was the thought I had up to that point. Even playing ¡®house,¡¯ a game usually fitting between girls, was quite fun for how things went between the two of us.

    And yes, we played ¡®doctor¡¯ and had baths together, too. We were close enough at a young age that I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she suddenly became a sister of mine one day.

    I didn¡¯t blame Hyo-chan for what happened here. It wasn¡¯t like I want the two of us to stop playing together over something as silly as that. I only just brought up a question that didn¡¯t occur to me until then. Hell, I didn¡¯t even care for the other kids much, hence why I couldn¡¯t register the name to the boy Hyo-chan mentioned, I just cared about playing with her since she always jumped at the chance to do something with me first thing out of everyone else. I was always so happy to see at least one person around my age wanting to play with me so much when Mom or my aunts either weren¡¯t around or had the energy to do so. I cherished her as a friend and playmate, so even if it was something mellow like ¡®house¡¯ or ¡®doctor,¡¯ I would go along with it and then find how fun it turned out to be once I got into it.

    How do I make Hyo-chan feel better? That was the thought I had then until something came to me.

    ¡°You have the right to live your life any way you want to. Decide for yourself what¡¯s best for you, what and who is worth protecting, and don¡¯t let any of those bastards get away from doing anything to what matters to you most.¡±

    There it was again, the voice from that ¡®old man.¡¯ I remembered that ringing through my head for some reason, but I didn¡¯t know where it came from.

    I didn¡¯t know, but it sounded so awesome that it motivated me to do something, something completely unexpected that no one would see coming and stop Hyo-chan¡¯s crying.

    Something so cool and crazy that not even those lame ¡®heroes¡¯ would be mad enough to pull off.

    ¡°Kh kh kh, ge he he he, ga ha ha ha ¡­ FWAAAAHAHAHAHA~!¡± I suddenly cackled to the sky in the most deranged, evil laughter I could recreate from the anime shows I watched.

    My outburst started paying off as Hyo-chan stopped crying and looked at me confused.

    ¡°So, they don¡¯t pass me off as a ¡®hero,¡¯ do they? An expected response, for my great powers as a demon only sends fear down to their very bones. This only proves how much time I¡¯d be wasting with those goody-two-shoes,¡± I said while looking as cool as possible, a conniving grin spread across my face.

    ¡°J-Jin ¡­ chan?¡±

    ¡°Fighting for what¡¯s right? For justice? For the ¡®good of the people?¡¯ If those ¡®heroes¡¯ even knew what was good for them, they¡¯d do something to permanently stop the villains from terrorizing citizens, again, and again, and again, every time they come back. Their ways of handling villains only show just how spineless these ¡®heroes¡¯ really are. It¡¯s just not how demons like me roll.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°To keep what¡¯s precious to us close, to use any means necessary to take back what¡¯s rightfully ours, those are the only things we demons need to know while dealing with enemies, and so ¡­¡±

    ¡°Uwah?!¡±

    I suddenly pull Hyo-chan off the ground before wrapping an arm over her shoulders and another around her waist with a confident smile from behind.

    ¡°Prepare yourself, princess, because I¡¯ve just decided to claim you as my precious hostage! I won¡¯t leave you out of my sight and be taken away by those dumb heroes so easily! If they do, then I¡¯ll use my dark powers to take you back, no matter how many times it takes, because keeping what¡¯s precious and rightfully ours close to us by any means necessary is what we demons do, and no amount of ¡®good and justice¡¯ will ever change that! FWAAAAHAHAHA~!¡±

    ¡°But, Jin-chan, you¡¯re only by yourself when you fight those heroes, and when there are many of them against you, it won¡¯t be so easy to win, you know?¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just have to get stronger! If my powers are already to be feared now, just wait until I get even better in strength! Punches that make things go flying with one hit! To lift giants off the ground with my bare hands! To summon the hottest fires from hell with my great magic! I¡¯ll become so strong that nothing will stand against me! Ah, but it will be difficult to get stronger on my own, of course.¡±

    I pulled myself away and paced around to think. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll have to do some research. I heard some people have made ¡®contracts¡¯ and pledges to some gods through rituals to get great powers beyond imagining. I just have to find them and the great powers to keep the princess to myself will all be mine!¡±

    ¡°In that case, let me help you!¡±

    I jolted with widened eyes to Hyo-chan who said that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like those guys anymore, I¡¯m tired of being saved by the wrong person, I¡¯m tired of being pulled away from you, demon or not, and I¡¯m so sick of not being able to do anything to defend myself! I¡¯ve devoted myself to the ways of the sword before I even met you, I should be the one fending them off from bothering us! I want to be strong as you, Jin-chan, and if I have to become a demon to do so, then I will! I want to be with you forever!¡±

    ¡°Hyo-chan ¡­¡± I was so touched I almost slipped out of character, so I shook it off. ¡°So, you wish to join me and become a demon, is it? To become strong enough to defend yourself and me from anyone bothering us? You know that will include the ¡®heroes¡¯ as well, do you? You may be branded as a villain just for even associating with me. Do you still want to be with me even after knowing all of that?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Even if the entire world is against me, I¡¯ll never be afraid and sad as long as I have Jin-chan, so please, let me get stronger with you!¡± Hyo-chan then bowed deeply, like a potential disciple begging a master to be their teacher.

    ¡°Ha ha ha~! I like your spirit, just what I needed for an accomplice!¡±

    ¡°Accomplice?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m going to be the ¡®villain¡¯ to those ¡®heroes,¡¯ then those who follow me will become my accomplices. They¡¯ll probably still see you as their princess that needs to be saved, though, hmm ¡­ maybe we can put that to our advantage. Yes, yes, I like it! Oh, how terrifying my genius of intellect can be!¡±

    I then point a finger to her. ¡°A princess devoted to the way of the sword, we will use your talent to be realized in the worst way possible for them as you willingly come to this side as my right hand and we do whatever we please! From this day forth, you shall be the Demon Sword Princess, Hyoko!¡±

    ¡°Demon Sword Princess ¡­¡± she trails off before giggling, which then grows into laughter for some reason, but that¡¯s what I was hoping for from the start.

    Ah, there¡¯s that laugh. Hyo-chan always looks so nice when she laughs and smiles like this. That thought crossed my mind.

    Hyo-chan calmed down after a bit and wiped a few stray tears. ¡°You really are amazing, Jin-chan. Everyone¡¯s so wrong about you.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± That comment took me off guard. I didn¡¯t really pay attention to other people, which made sense that I didn¡¯t think about how they thought of me up to then.

    Hyo-chan walked past me with hands behind her back as she looked up at the sky. ¡°People usually put scary things together with ¡®evil¡¯ and ¡®villains.¡¯ I don¡¯t know why they do when they don¡¯t even know who or what it is they are looking at, especially if they haven¡¯t done anything yet. There may be demons that really are ¡®bad,¡¯ but I think there can also be good demons out there, too, because ¡­¡±

    Hyo-chan then spun on her heel toward me with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Jin-chan is a ¡®good demon,¡¯ after all!¡± [TN: The characters in Jinma¡¯s name, ¡®Jin¡¯ (ÈÊ</a>) can be translated as ¡®benevolence¡¯ or ¡®good,¡¯ and ¡®ma¡¯ (Ä§</a>) by itself can mean ¡®devil,¡¯ but putting it in ¡®Akuma¡¯ (™Ä§</a>) can translate to ¡®demon.¡¯]

    My cheeks flared enough that I had to scratch one side from an itch while averting my gaze. ¡°Um ¡­ thanks, but that pun wasn¡¯t very well thought out.¡±

    ¡°Who said I was making that a joke?!¡±

    It was when my eyes were averted that something caught my sight. It seemed to notice my attention and hid out of instinct.

    ¡°You there! In the bushes! Show yourself!¡± I exclaimed.

    A few moments later, as if by command, the bushes rustled before a figure dutifully stepped out of it. The first thing that drew my attention was the blonde locks of hair tied in a ponytail that shined under the sun as the girl in a t-shirt and shorts approached us.

    ¡°Ah! I recognize her! She goes to our school, but I think she¡¯s in another class from us. I¡¯ve seen her watch us play that game from time to time, though,¡± Hyo-chan says.

    ¡°She was?¡± I never really noticed her until then.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her name, but if I remember correctly ¡­ I heard her mother is from a country in Europe. That¡¯s probably why her hair¡¯s so different from us. It looks so pretty, too.¡±

    ¡°Ohh.¡± Somehow, I looked at Hyo-chan¡¯s black hair after she said that.

    ¡°I think I heard something happened to her parents and so she¡¯s been closing herself off from everyone more than usual. I don¡¯t know how long ago that was before we got admitted to the hospital, though ¡­ what are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, I was just thinking how your hair also looks pretty, Hyo-chan.¡±

    She widened her eyes and turned away before fiddling with her hair. I made out her ears turning bright red.

    Okay, I know I was too oblivious then to even know what she was thinking after I said something so bold but come on, I was a kid, all right? Cut me some slack.

    It took us a moment to realize the blonde-haired girl already got close enough to us. All she did was stare at us with her hands behind her back, standing straight at attention. Her face was rather unreadable and hard to make out what she was feeling. For some reason, an image of a police officer or a soldier came to mind when I looked at her. She seemed to be staring my way most of the time, though.

    ¡°Um ¡­¡± Hyo-chan attempted to break the silence that was starting to get awkward. ¡°You go to the same school as us, right? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever met being in different classes. I¡¯m Hyoko Ishima, and this is Jinma Kotori.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± The blonde girl stayed silent; her expression unchanging.

    Hyo-chan and I exchanged a glance for a bit. ¡°Uh ¡­ would you tell us your name, please? Something we can call you, at least?¡± I then asked.

    She looked around the park as if the check on something before turning back to us and took a deep breath. ¡°¡­ My name is Komiwa Karuga.¡± she introduced before quickly bowing. ¡°Hyoko-chan, it¡¯s good to see you again and doing well. Kotori-sama, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you properly. I¡¯ll leave how I can be addressed to you.¡±

    And that was the last I could recall of that memory in my dream before I woke up this morning.

 Chapter 83: The Invasive Inquisitor

    I swear, I must¡¯ve woken up from that damn alarm going off before that dream had just gotten good. I still can¡¯t believe it though, I thought I first met Komi back in our first year in high school, but if those memories were legit ¡­ then we¡¯ve gone way further back than I thought. She seemed to act so differently back then compared to how she was during our high school years, though. What could¡¯ve happened to make that drastic change of character? Why did she call me ¡®Kotori-sama¡¯ back then and switched to ¡®Jin-chi¡¯ in high school? Was she teasing me all that time because I actually forgot about her? Shit ¡­ now I feel like an asshole.

    <¡°Well, your memories are kind of out of the wazoo right now. Whatever happened that made them like this is something you couldn¡¯t help with. Still, getting to the real meat of them was difficult, which was why I thought putting the memories you dreamt of last night back together would be a good start. That said, I think we can take home a few things.¡±>

    What are those?

    <¡°One: Whatever happened to the awkwardly formal blondie back then to become the ¡®gyaru bitch¡¯ blondie you met with later must¡¯ve started somewhere between those two moments, and two: Looking back at the memory you had the night before, Komiwa Karuga was definitely the same girl who was with you and Hyoko Ishima speaking with that old man back in that hospital room. The resemblance between the two of them despite the length of time apart can confirm that.¡±>

    Right ¡­ in the hospital room with that guy who said we share the same blood. I¡¯ve never seen any resemblance of him from Mom¡¯s side, so could he have been from my dad¡¯s? How could he have known the three of us, though?

    <¡°Ugh, all of this is making my head hurt, and I don¡¯t even know where my head is.¡±>

    My legs are starting to fall asleep ¡­ wait, were they always this heavy before?

    <¡°Uh, dude? It¡¯s not your legs that are getting heavy.¡±>

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Mr. Kotori! Is it true that there¡¯s someone living in that tanto of yours?! Are you speaking to it right now?!¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± I open my eyes after a long, detailed talk with Nyra discussing the memory in my dreams last night. Well, long in our case while it must¡¯ve lasted about a minute thanks to my Hyper Thought Processing skill.

    The first thing that meets my eyes is a large, light lavender-colored cleavage that¡¯s centimeters away from my face. The sheer size couldn¡¯t let me see that my lap below me is currently being straddled, and it isn¡¯t until I look up to see that it¡¯s the ecstatic, excitedly curious face of the first ¡®fan¡¯ of my adventuring career, an oppai loli Arch Imp named Sue, who I let come with us for the ride to Palocaesy just before we left Dondegarm. It was amazing that she was really nervous just being near me at first, but then tackled me in joy sometime later. She had no problems sitting and getting close for a selfie with me when I was in a mood for pictures sometime after that, and now after about 2 hours since then, she¡¯s straddling my lap with her bombastic tits near my face like we¡¯ve known each other in our whole lives.

    Maybe Sue was trying to restrain herself back then in fears that she might scare me off with her ¡®enthusiasm?¡¯ I admit that I was certainly surprised by her sudden gesture, her strength that betrays her short stature and physique when she hugged me, but I have stupidly high defenses thanks to my Dragon Scale Defense ability. Also, after being exposed and trapped by the wonders of a woman¡¯s flesh so much since meeting my new party, that kind of greeting by a cute girl wouldn¡¯t really be unwelcome to me at this point. I just hope she doesn¡¯t mind a surprising ¡®hello¡¯ from my energetic buddy below her.

    ¡°Your tanto! Is there really someone living inside it and you were talking to them just now, Mr. Kotori?!¡± Sue asks excitedly.

    ¡°A-Ah, yeah, that¡¯s right. Her name¡¯s Nyra and she speaks to me in my mind. Also, you can just call me Jinma if you want, Sue.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Jinma! Is it possible I could see it up close?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you look, but you can¡¯t touch. There¡¯s a curse on this that will drive whoever holds it insane, and even after they release it, they will be left with side-effects that will end your life after a day. I¡¯m only able to withstand it because of my ¡­ willpower. Also, it¡¯s very sharp and could easily cut you and leave a scar that will never heal, even with magic.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t touch it, I promise!¡± Sue rests a hand on top of her ginormous boobs while holding another up like she¡¯s swearing an oath.

    I take Nyra and pull her out of the sheath before holding it up before Sue. She eyes the blade with wonder as I turn it and let her see every centimeter of it.

    ¡°It looks so beautiful ¡­ what kind of person is Nyra who¡¯s trapped in this? Is she saying anything right now?¡±

    <¡°Oh! Oh! Tell Sue I want her godly cleavage to be my personal tanto holder! The great heat that emanates from her boingy-boingy bosom would please me.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ She¡¯s a talented blacksmith who actually made this blade before getting sealed in it by the curse, and she¡¯s saying you have a big heart that would warm anyone who¡¯s near it.¡± Well, it¡¯s close enough, anyway.

    ¡°Hm, being the same blacksmith who made this weapon is incredible but I bet she¡¯s only saying that other part because my boobs are so big.¡±

    So, she is aware of it!

    ¡°Anyway, I asked around Dondegarm and got somewhat the gist of what happened in how you got that tanto,¡± Sue continues. ¡°A cult of humans tried to raid the city, you, your companions, and those residing in Dondegarm resisted, and at some point, the leader came in and started hurting people indiscriminately due to the curse from that tanto, right? You managed to take that away from him though, overcame Nyra¡¯s possession from the curse, and the resistance gained a huge upset because of you and your new weapon to the point of victory. Did I get that correctly?¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°From what I have read in the reports when I returned the day after that, that is the short of it, yes,¡± Eugus confirms.

    ¡°And Master was amazing from there to the very end!¡±

    ¡°I still get the tingles just thinking about the manic look on his face as he cut those guys and Bear Moles down,¡± Ren and Erizora say respectfully, with the latter shivering a little in place.

    Seriously, am I supposed to take that last bit as a compliment?

    ¡°He did not win without injury, however,¡± Kalline cuts in. ¡°Getting that tanto away from Rasholl, the leader of the raid, was not initially intended at first. Master Jinma took the weapon to his stomach when it was aiming at me. I thought something vital was struck when he got stabbed. Not only was it a miracle for him to still move fluently but to even unleash such powerful magic ¡­ I admit I was rather frightened at first, but I did not overlook the fact that he saved my life; thus, I pledged my loyalty to him as a party member to repay my debt.¡±

    I made sure to tell everyone last night, but we agreed to keep my use of the ¡®Devil Eyes¡¯ a secret from the public and try to make up something else if somebody asks about it. I¡¯m glad Kalline managed to say that so swimmingly while dodging around that secret.

    ¡°Judging from the duel yesterday, your uncle wasn¡¯t on board with that idea at first, and so Jinma had to resort to dueling him to win your freedom. Is that what the deal was?¡±

    Kalline fails to stifle a giggle. ¡°Indeed, and the conclusion twas quite one-sided, even when the duel conditions seemed to be against the victor at first. Is that not right, Dear Uncle?¡±

    ¡°Do not remind me ¡­¡±

    It kind of hurt seeing how much of a smug Kalline was making at her guardian. Somehow, I could see a similar scenario where a girl got cocky while proving against her father how great her boyfriend is, despite his criticisms.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s really something else. So, are you a part of Jinma¡¯s harem now like the other girls here?¡± Sue asks bluntly.

    ¡°Um ¡­ well, no. I am only serving him as his advisor and steed,¡± Kalline answers.

    We introduced ourselves properly to Sue sometime after we set off on our journey ¡­ well, ¡®properly¡¯ might not be the correct term for how it went.

    ¡°I am Umeiyon and I am Jin¡¯s proud primary wife who happily pampers to his needs.¡±

    ¡°My name is Ren. I¡¯m the honorary alpha female and pet of Master¡¯s sex slaves.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m ¡­ Erizora, the second of Master¡¯s happy and unworthy sex toys to relieve his urges with.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Kalline Gallofree, I am the party¡¯s advisor and Master Jinma¡¯s steed.¡±

    ¡°Kenaka, first of Master Jinma Kotori¡¯s two familiars.¡±

    ¡°Mametama, the second of the two.¡±

    At least Kalline¡¯s, Kenaka¡¯s, and Mametama¡¯s were more dignified, with the latter two keeping their former king and queen titles a secret as I told them last night. I¡¯m not sure Sue got really excited in awe of us thanks to that save or she was passing off the heavy ¡®romantic¡¯ stuff, but it was especially Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s introductions that killed me a little on the inside.

    I mean, I don¡¯t know about calling them ¡®toys.¡¯ Them being my ¡®sex slaves¡¯ is pretty much true, especially Ren being my ¡®pet¡¯ as read in her titles, but they didn¡¯t have to tell that to everybody. No matter how much I didn¡¯t want to, I wondered if I should actually order them to not introduce themselves to other people like that.

    ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t the Twilight Sky party basically Jinma¡¯s harem? Save for his familiars, of course. If you¡¯re the only one who isn¡¯t, doesn¡¯t that make you feel ¡­ out of place?¡± Sue asks.

    ¡°Can we please cease this subject any further while I am in the room?¡± Eugus asks.

    ¡°And speaking of ¡®out of place,¡¯ Sue, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re bothering Jin if you continue to sit on him like that?¡± Ume asks with a tinge of annoyance in her tone.

    ¡°¡­ Oh! I-I¡¯m sorry, Jinma!¡± Sue apologizes before quickly getting back to her seat. ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve been kind of all over the place with how comfortable I am being near you, have I? Compared to the others here, I¡¯m still practically a stranger. Please forgive me for being so forward.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sue,¡± I say while patting her head with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s not often I come across people who warm up to me so quickly at first meeting, let alone having a fan, so I¡¯ll let it slide.¡±

    ¡°O-Okay. Wow, this is, really nice ¡­¡± She seems to be in a sort of daze as I pet her in comfort. I wonder if my maxed-out Petting skill has this sort of effect on people in general before Sue leans on my side and falls asleep.

    Now that I think about it, isn¡¯t 06:00 in this world really early? She must¡¯ve gotten up in a hurry to even catch up to me before we left. Expending all of that energy must¡¯ve wiped her out ¡­ hm?

    As an extra measure for security, I¡¯ve had my Insightful Mapping skill activated with Detect and Size Up added to it for any signs of life on the field since we left. I¡¯m currently able to view a geographic ¡®map¡¯ that only I could see that spreads over 100 square kilometers of my surroundings in a perfectly spherical shape thanks to my magic capacity.

    Looking at the map, I see a small cluster of blue dots that make up our group at the very center. Zooming in, I see more dots in red, scattered on both sides of the road we¡¯re on and are about 600 meters ahead up north.

    There¡¯s also one more dot that¡¯s of a white color that¡¯s barely within my field of range on higher ground from us. I arranged my map so that the red dots would depict monsters on the field while any sentient beings are marked white.

    I activate Size Up to appraise the red dots ahead of us in detail and confirm there are 7 fairly lethal monsters looking to be setting an ambush on us, their levels range from 40 to 70.

    As for the lone white dot on higher ground ¡­

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m catching a scent of monsters ahead of us. There looks to be 7 of them,¡± Ren reports with a furrowed brow.

    Wow, to be able to catch that from over 500 meters ahead. A Werewolf¡¯s sense of smell is no joke. I tried focusing my Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sensing ability to see if it works like Ren¡¯s sense of smell. I could make out the different scents that are far ahead up north compared to those of us in the carriage.

    ¡°Oh, that many monsters ahead, huh?¡±

    ¡°Hm ¡­ I suppose this would be the time of the month when they would be pretty active, but for that many at once ¡­¡± Kostos and Pantos say, respectively as they pulled the carriage in front of us.

    ¡°Master Jinma,¡± Kalline says while looking determined. ¡°Would thou allow Ren, Erizora, and I to handle this? As this will be the first for us to really work together as a party, I would like to show thee what we art capable of.¡±

    I look over to Eugus.

    ¡°Do not look at me. From start to finish, I will be evaluating how thou all work together as adventurers, that includes thy leadership and judgment. For the most part, I am not even here.¡±

    ¡°I see, then ¡­¡± I look over to the jade green and white cougar cub sitting up on the floor. ¡°Mametama, you go along with them to be my eyes and stand by until further notice.¡±

    ¡°We will be using that skill, yes? As you wish, Milord,¡± Mametama says while bowing her head.

    I cast [Soundproof] around Sue to let her continue sleeping in peace while I pet her before turning to the other girls. ¡°Ume, Kenaka and I will be here to look after Sue. Kalline, Ren, Erizora, it looks like the three of you planned something for this occasion by yourselves. Pretend I¡¯m in Mametama¡¯s place as she goes with you and show me what you¡¯re made of.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master [Jinma]!¡±¡±

 Chapter 84: Engage! Roaring Thunder!

    ¡°Equip, Archer Set,¡± Kalline starts before her bronze armband glows. In a flash, a finely crafted bow appears in one hand while a quiver of arrows shows up strapped to her back.

    I haven¡¯t gotten the chance to talk to everyone about what skills and such they¡¯re able to do on the field. I know from fighting in the raid the other night that Kalline¡¯s able to use a shortsword but this is the first I¡¯ve seen of her taking up the bow, which comes as a shock to me, considering she¡¯s a Mercenary.

    <¡°If I remember right, the Mercenary is like a jack of all trades, master of none type of class with equal efficiency for weapons all across the board. This is the only novice class that has the potential to promote to practically any advanced class a person can choose once they figure out what direction of fighting specialties they want to do; however, it could take longer to get promoted for a person as their rate of mastering a weapon type that¡¯s required for advanced classes is slower compared to another novice class focusing their efficiency on one or two types.¡±>

    Is the efficiency for weapons equal for everyone in their respective classes? I ask Nyra in my mind.

    <¡°Nah, you could say the classes serve more as a ¡®boost¡¯ to one¡¯s weapon efficiency. You could make Megatits change from her Savage class to a Mage, for example, but if she doesn¡¯t have the talent for using wands and magic, then she could put more harm towards herself and others around her by drastically reducing her fighting capabilities. The boosts the classes give to people are the same, but it¡¯s up to them how well they can use it.¡±>

    I see, so it¡¯s like having talent in a weapon that partially determines what class would be best for them.

    <¡°Right.¡±>

    All of that talk in my mind, of course, took place in a span of few seconds thanks to my Hyper Thought Processing skill.

    ¡°Let us go with the ¡®Roaring Thunder¡¯ tactic just as we discussed, girls. Erizora?¡± Kalline then asks her, taking the lead in this sudden monster subjugation mission.

    ¡°All right ¡­ Master, forgive me for what you¡¯re about to witness.¡±

    I was about to ask her what she meant by that until she closes her eyes and opens her mouth.

    ¡°[Shrink]!¡±

    And in the next instant, the Ogre-Human hybrid that was taking up most of the carriage¡¯s space moments ago disappears, surprising Ume by jumping in her seat. I barely managed to restrain myself doing the same to keep from Sue waking up.

    Kalline then walks over to where Erizora used to be and reaches down to her seat, picking up something that fits in her hand.

    On closer inspection, it¡¯s the same Ogre-Human who ¡®disappeared,¡¯ only to be found in a much smaller size along with her signature kanobo weapon and clothes. With my eyes to make a guess, she looks to be around 10 centimeters right now [~4 inches].

    ¡°Did Erizora just get smaller with a Null Spell just now? I¡¯ve never read of such a thing. This has to be a rare type,¡± Ume says as Kalline sets the smaller Erizora on her shoulder.

    ¡°Let us go, Ren!¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    Kalline immediately leaps out the back of the carriage first, followed by Ren, and then Mametama while changing to her adult form in a puff of smoke before they all turn 180 and make a run, passing our carriage and heading to the scene where the monsters are.

    From there, I activate one of the new skills I learned last night, Shared Vision, which allows me to see whatever my familiar sees while not hindering their senses. Tephalia actually told me of this skill last night since she was aware of me being so new of having my own familiar. This will be how I¡¯ll watch their performance while on the scene. The drawback is that I won¡¯t be able to see what¡¯s going on from my own eyes unless I split one each, but that will make things confusing since this will be the first time I¡¯ll be using it. I figured this will be a good practice run since Ume and Kenaka are also with my body.

    Wow, it¡¯s like I¡¯m watching someone playing one of those FPS games, I think as I watch Mametama sprinting behind Kalline and Ren through her own eyes.

    <¡°Excuse me, Milord, but what is an ¡®FPS game?¡¯¡±>

    <¡°Don¡¯t think too hard on it, Kitty. It¡¯s just a thing from Jinma¡¯s home country,¡±> Nyra answers Mametama for me through Telepathy.

    Anyway, Mametama, while you¡¯ll be my eyes, I¡¯d like you to help out the girls however you can without getting too involved for now. Like, tell them however you know about the monsters they¡¯re approaching.

    <¡°Understood.¡±> ¡°Kalline, Erizora, Ren, may I advise you on the monsters you¡¯ll be facing?¡± Mametama asks them.

    ¡°I can tell from their scents that we¡¯ll be dealing with Howlers,¡± Ren starts.

    ¡°I can confirm that with my Deadeye skill. 6 art blue and 1 is violet. That 1 Howler could be their pack leader if they art gathered like that,¡± Kalline added.

    ¡°You are right in that assumption,¡± Mametama says. ¡°Like the wolf-like monsters they are, they¡¯ll be catching your presence soon enough. I should warn you that the Violet Howler is Level 70. The Blue Howlers are between 40 to 60. I know that much from my Monster Appraisal skill.¡±

    ¡°Then, we will use this chance to take the first attack. Erizora, prepare thyself.¡±

    It could be because Erizora¡¯s smaller size that I couldn¡¯t hear her response, but from Mametama¡¯s view, I could see Kalline knocking an arrow to her bow. She draws the string back to prepare the shot.

    To my surprise, Erizora climbs on top of the knocked arrow near the head and hangs on to it for dear life.

    Wait, don¡¯t tell me ¡­

    ¡°Let us initiate ¡®Roaring Thunder!¡¯ Erizora! Go!¡±

    Fwip!

    ¡°Aaa ¡­!¡±

    Kalline points her aim upward before letting the arrow fly. Even from Erizora¡¯s smaller stature, I could still make out her tiny scream for a moment before it quickly fades away.

    Mametama changes the direction of her perspective to the Howlers they¡¯re approaching. They look to be minding their own business until they catch someone¡¯s presence, but it was too late.

    ¡°Body Slaaaaaaaaaam!¡± Erizora cries as she suddenly appears at normal size while falling from the sky.

    If it were anyone else while taken place on Earth, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d walk away scot-free from such a fall that puts a belly flop on water to shame.

    One also has to wonder if Erizora would damage her ¡®goods¡¯ this way. Considering they¡¯re the largest in this group, they¡¯d certainly be the first to hit the ground. I make a mental note to give her some personal healing while giving her titanic tits the love and respect they deserve later.

    The ground shakes a little when Erizora slams the ground, right on top of one of the poor unsuspecting Howlers before getting flattened like a pancake. The impact was great enough that even sends other Howlers around her up and off the ground.

    ¡°Arrow Assault!¡± ¡°Multi-Throw!¡±

    Kalline and Ren take advantage of their confusion to initiate their own attacks. Kalline repeatedly shoots arrow after arrow with clean form and finesse, each skewering the Howlers in the air. Ren switches from running on all fours to only two before suddenly throwing many copies of her daggers at the remaining monsters on the ground, cutting and stabbing them as they got in their paths of trajectory before disappearing in a poof. Unlike using copies with the [Duplicate] Null Spell, a skill like Multi-Throw can allow one to use a set amount of MP to produce a number of daggers to be thrown at a target or general area at once.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The remaining Howlers recover from their shock and suddenly grow hostile towards the approaching girls. The purple one who acted as their leader lead the attack by going to their nearest target, Erizora, who would¡¯ve been completely vulnerable after such a large drop.

    ¡°Graaaaugh!¡±

    ¡°Yip!?¡±

    But much to their dismay, Erizora shakes it off like a champ and blows them away with a swing of her iron kanabo. I could even hear the crack of their bones from Mametama¡¯s ears as they were sent flying.

    Yeah, I doubt they¡¯d live after a hit like that.

    Seeing Erizora¡¯s power itself, the Violet Howler changes tactics on the spot and aims its direction at Ren.

    ¡°I call to thee, Terra, immobilize my enemy, Trap Hole!¡±

    Shubababa!

    ¡°Aroo?!¡±

    To the Violet Howler¡¯s shock, Ren casts the Terra Magic spell, Trap Hole, causing the ground beneath it to collapse before it falls inside.

    ¡°I call to thee, Terra, blind my enemies, Sand Gust! Stab!¡± ¡°Change! Bow and Arrow for Spear!¡±

    Ren follows up her spellcasting with one that sends a wave of sand at the remaining Blue Howlers, causing them further confusion as they run about blindly with what¡¯s in their eyes. Ren then quickly approaches one of the Howlers before throwing herself and pierces its neck with one of her daggers using the Stab skill. Meanwhile, Kalline switches gears by using her armlet to quickly switch from using a bow and arrow to a durable looking, iron spear. She then approaches the Violet Howler trapped in Ren¡¯s hole, the worst possible place for it to be attacked with no way to dodge. Just as the purple wolf-like monster was about to make its escape, he drops back in by the piercing attack of Kalline¡¯s spear. She then quickly drops one attack after another on it from above, the Violet Howler cries in pain from each successful hit until it stops.

    While Ren finished off her first target, a Blue Howler next to her was close enough to make out her form and attack straight on if it wanted, but it didn¡¯t get the chance to do so, because Erizora¡¯s kanabo crushed its skull from above.

    Soon enough, the area went quiet aside from the winds blowing. Blood was scattered around the battlefield before more starts to pool around the Howlers¡¯ bodies.

    Da-da-da-da, Di-da!

    Da-ra-ra-bing-bong-bing!

    The victory and level-up tracks play in my mind, officially ending the battle.

    Just as I had thought ¡­ if it¡¯s like this, then it¡¯s no wonder the slave industry has been standing for this long, I think.

    As part of my preparations last night, I took advantage of the benefits I had as a black-ranked adventurer and most of the money I had to spend heftily on some valuable items from the IBS in my IEB. Mainly, the Greed Ring 3¡¯s, of which the wearer can gain an additional 50% of EXP from winning battles. I bought one for each of my party members, making a total of 4.

    Of course, 3 of those 4 I gave rings to were against it at first, as it would be crazy for servants and slaves to even carry such valuable items, let alone use them to their advantage. I argued, however, that since we¡¯d be escorting an important client like Lady Krauss, then we needed to stay sharp and get stronger by taking advantage of every EXP we could get our hands on. Not to mention what we¡¯re planning to do after that quest ends: to get an audience with the Demon King. Surely, there were chances we¡¯d have to face some difficult opponents that may stand in our way, so it was essential that we take opportunities to get stronger when we could.

    The 3 who opposed at first, Ren, Erizora, and Kalline, couldn¡¯t argue any further, but then they brought up the question of why I didn¡¯t buy a Greed Ring 3 for myself. When I told them I had 4 of them synthesized into the tanto as it was made, in Nyra¡¯s own words, there was no further questioning.

    I did let them know that if we end up fighting monsters along the way to Palocaesy, I wanted to try something out with Ren and Erizora¡¯s cooperation. Of course, they said they¡¯ll go along with whatever I had planned, which brings us to moments before the battle with the Howlers started.

    Amazingly, one of the benefits of owning a slave as Ms. Carmen explained to me two days ago was that I could actually control how much EXP I could take from them as my own from the ¡®Slaves¡¯ settings, from 0 to 100%, and I wouldn¡¯t even have to lift a finger. This was set up so slaves would be prevented from getting stronger than their owners before they have funny ideas of turning against them, as well as assuring the owner¡¯s safety should he/she be inexperienced in battle yet want to increase their levels near effortlessly. With such a system, not only did it prove how valuable the slave industry is, it proved how those with enough money can get great power for little effort, if they don¡¯t send their slaves out in the field to die, of course.

    For me, while I do want to get stronger, I want my entitled slaves to have opportunities to grow as well, which brought me to buying Ren and Erizora a Greed Ring 3. What do you think would happen if the two of them wore an item that gave them an additional 50% of their total EXP gained after the battle, while at the same time I have their ¡®Slave¡¯ page set that I could receive 50% of that total experience for my own stats?

    The result: each of their bonus 50% of EXP would go to me, leaving the three of us with the same amount of EXP gained after winning a battle. Ren and Erizora would still get all of their EXP with no problems as they would without wearing a Greed Ring 3, and I would get the full total of EXP as if I was there fighting alongside them, even if I was sitting in the carriage watching over Sue while they did the physical labor.

    On another note, if I had Mametama directly involve herself into that battle with the Howlers, according to what she and Kenaka had told me when I asked them last night, since they¡¯re roaming in this realm due to my summoning them with a spell, you could say they¡¯re constant attack spells made from my own powers, ready to be landed onto an enemy at a moment¡¯s notice. If their attacks land and defeat our targets, while they earn a percentage of the total EXP I would gain from winning a battle, I could still get the full total as if I were fighting the battle on my own.

    If I had Mametama involve herself in that battle with the Howlers for a brief moment, there could be a chance I¡¯d receive 200% of the total EXP gained from winning that battle; the first 100% for my magic getting involved through Mametama, plus another 100% from Ren and Erizora¡¯s EXP through the ¡®Slave¡¯ settings. That was just a theory, though, and I would test it at another time, but thanks to the success of that battle, I gained a ton of level-ups for a couple of new classes I switched out with what I had up to then for something I want to do with later. Along with my Brawler and Sage classes staying on me, I switched out the rest with Mercenary LV 1, Cleric LV 1, and Dark Mage LV 1. Where those came to after the battle ended, I¡¯ll bring it up the details later, but they all generally went up by 30 levels.

    ¡°¡­ There are none of them left. They¡¯re all down,¡± Mametama says, not just to the girls, but myself as well as she slowly approaches the scene.

    ¡°Mission accomplished! Twas some excellent work from the two of thee, especially since this was our first attempt at ¡®Roaring Thunder!¡¯ Erizora, how art thou feeling after that fall?¡± Kalline asks her.

    ¡°Ha! You kidding?! I could take 5 more of those things! I got these babies to thank for their great power and cushioning!¡± Erizora exclaims before pounding her large L cup chest. ¡°Moreover, I didn¡¯t think flying like that would be so much fun!¡±

    ¡°Ah, well then ¡­ good to see thou art well, but the Body Slam skill takes quite a bit of HP, yes? We will have to get that recovered before our next assault.¡±

    ¡°Other than that, we make such a great team!¡± Ren cheers with her hands up. Her tail wags with great enthusiasm. ¡°It¡¯s just to be expected of those serving Master! Master, you saw all of that, right?! How did we do?!¡± she asks Mametama, knowing I¡¯m sharing her eyes.

    ¡°¡­ You girls were awesome out there.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but say that aloud.

    Considering my fear of heights, I would not have the balls to replicate what Erizora did. Not taking my heightened defenses into account, I¡¯d likely freeze up and fall to my death due to the sheer shock of it all.

    ¡°Huh? They¡¯re done already?¡± Ume asks, unaware of what happened outside of the carriage.

    ¡°No doubt! Those girls annihilated those Howlers!¡±

    ¡°Quite the team they make, eh?¡± Kostos and Pantos say, respectively.

    ¡°I expected nothing less from my niece,¡± Eugus says while puffing his chest like a proud parent.

    ¡°All right, go ahead and gather the spoils and we¡¯ll catch up to you momentarily.¡±

    ¡°¡ªSo, Milord says,¡± Mametama answers Ren for me.

    ¡°All right, we will have to go over how to defeat them while they art still under good condition for dismantling in the future, but we will work out the flaws as we go. Without further ado, let us gather the spoils,¡± Kalline says.

    ¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡±

    <¡°You think that person saw everything?¡±> Nyra asks me, referring to the one lone white dot I saw on my map and appraised with Size Up.

    After seeing some of her skills, no doubt, but we shouldn¡¯t reveal ourselves just yet. Let¡¯s just see how she responds and we¡¯ll move accordingly.

    <¡°Right.¡±>

    ~~

    ¡°Holy shit, those girls are insane!¡± Tyvera exclaims. She¡¯s currently lying on one of the higher rock structures, using her Deadeye skill to watch all of the events unfolding kilometers away while hiding herself.

    <¡°Tyvera, what¡¯s the status report?¡±>

    ¡°Gabriella! I just saw one hell of a battle between our targets¡¯ party members and some Howlers.¡±

    <¡°Any sign of the two adventurers leading the escort?¡±>

    ¡°Not yet. They¡¯re likely in that carriage I saw the others came out of.¡±

    <¡°Hmm ¡­ continue the surveillance and make note of their actions. Make sure to keep your distance.¡±>

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Tyvera, out.¡± Cutting the connection with the Messaging Crystal, she looks at a different direction briefly. Her focus is on the clearing where she last saw the man fighting the horde of monsters the other day. Somehow, she had hoped there would be some sort sign of him still alive, maybe appearing over there again like he did the other day. If Tyvera knew what became of that man, she would surely move on with a peace of mind.

    ¡°Agh, get it together, Tyvera,¡± she berates herself while shaking off those thoughts. ¡°That was then, this is now. You have other priorities to attend to. Gotta do your part.¡± With that, she continues her surveillance on the party approaching Palocaesy.

 Chapter 85: Bird Watching

    By the time Sue woke up, we had already gathered the spoils from the Howlers and were continuing our way to Palocaesy. She sulked that she wasn¡¯t awake to see the action that took place, but I promised to let her know when something went on if she fell asleep again. On another note, I found how cute girls can be when they pouted. Slowly, I was starting to see why some guys like to ¡®bully¡¯ their girlfriends from time to time.

    Anyway, a few hours passed since that battle and I was continuing to keep watch on our surroundings with my Insightful Mapping skill. Tyvera was still in my range and only moved to keep her distance from us. I was getting worried as this may lead to her observing us through the entirety of our trip. She had only seen Kalline, Erizora, Ren, and Mametama outside of the carriage in action so far. Knowing she¡¯s from the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples party, the same group as Gabriella who we¡¯re meeting with our client in Palocaesy, if this is going where I think is going, then our first quest might be over with a failure before it even began once she sees Ume and I.

    What¡¯s more, we have to come to a stop a few times to let Kostos and Pantos have a break while we have lunch and snacks, which would leave us stepping out of the carriage and reveal ourselves.

    That said, I quickly came up with a plan while spending some SP on the skills necessary for this task.

    [You have spent 670 SP; Total remaining: 12,124]

    [You have now learned ¡®Slothful Slumber¡¯ LV 10!]

    [You have reached the maximum level of ¡®Slothful Slumber!¡¯]

    [You have now reached ¡®Cursed Magic¡¯ LV 7!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Smellingsalt*¡¯!]

    I then tap Ume on the shoulder to get her attention before I lightly tug on my ear. Until the others know of my Telepathy along with the other [broken Brawler] skills, this was a tell the two of us came up with last night in case we need to speak to each other through it and not get surprised by the sudden voice in our heads.

    Ume, I should tell you this since you know of my skills the most out of everyone else, but we¡¯ve been watched by another party for a while now.

    <¡°Is that so? Do you know who they are?¡±>

    It¡¯s Tyvera.

    <¡°The same ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯ Tyvera we talked about yesterday?¡±>

    The very same.

    <¡°What¡¯s she doing watching us?¡±>

    That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to find out. Do you think you could cover for me?

    <¡°Just leave it to me. You be careful out there.¡±>

    Of course.

    <¡°Oh, and Jin?¡±>

    Yeah?

    <¡°¡­ I love you.¡±>

    I shift my glance over to Ume¡¯s direction. While we¡¯re trying to look like we¡¯re minding our own business and not speaking to each other telepathically, her slightly reddened cheeks while trying not to smile couldn¡¯t be ignored. She must¡¯ve wanted to try saying that telepathically for a while now and found it charming/embarrassing.

    ¡­ I love you, too, Ume.

    <¡°Awww, now aren¡¯t you two lovebirds just the cutest?¡±> Nyra asks.

    <¡°Gah! I forgot you could hear that, too! Don¡¯t ruin our moment!¡±>

    ¡°Lady Umeiyon, is something a matter? You look to be a little flustered,¡± Ren points out.

    ¡°Uh, nothing. Just thinking of some things.¡±

    ¡°What kind of things?¡± Sue asks out of curiosity.

    ¡°¡­ Adult things with Jin. Y-You wouldn¡¯t understand at your age.¡± Ume flushes a little harder and averts her gaze after saying that.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?! I¡¯m an adult! I¡¯m 18 years old going on 19 soon!¡±

    ¡°<¡°You are?¡±>¡± everyone in the carriage asks at once, even Nyra in my mind. I was surprised, too, but I had to get my plan into action while saving Ume from digging herself deeper in the grave.

    ¡°She¡¯s the same age as me, and yet with that chest ¡­¡± Ren mutters while looking deflated.

    I also need to stop Ren from getting depressed over her complex, too. I make a mental note to give her chest some proper attention soon.

    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m starting to get cramped here,¡± I say while getting up and stretching. ¡°I¡¯m gonna step outside and stretch my legs. Maybe move on ahead and see if there¡¯s any oncoming danger our way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then shall one of us escort thee?¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s cool, it will only be a light run. If I spot anything that¡¯s a little much, I¡¯ll come to you guys for backup. Watch after Sue for me, and Mametama, you¡¯ll notify me if something happens while I¡¯m gone.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Enjoy your stroll, Milord.¡±

    ¡°A light run with Master ¡­ that sounds fun. I kind of want to go, too,¡± Ren mutters. Her tail even wags a little.

    Huh, are Werewolves more like dogs than I thought if they¡¯re thinking of runs and walks that ecstatically? Keeping that consideration in mind, I hop out of the moving carriage from the back and keep myself hidden while finding a place to hide outside of the road. I then use [Portal] numerous times to quickly move me forward through a nearby forest every couple of meters ahead from the carriage¡¯s path while I have my Stealth skill activated and keeping Tyvera in my radar.

    Once I have Tyvera¡¯s location in my sight, I use [Portal] once more to jump me just a meter behind her and make my move.

    I silently cast the new maxed-out Curse Spell I learned in the carriage, Slothful Slumber, immediately putting my target, Tyvera, to sleep on the spot without her knowing. Like other ailment-inducing spells, Slothful Slumber only works on one specified target, going into cooldown for some time after that before it¡¯s ready to be cast again, but with my new cooldown-reduction skills, that isn¡¯t as much of an issue for me as it is for a regular spell-caster. I could cast it back-to-back on multiple targets within seconds if I wanted to.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Gotcha. Now, let¡¯s see what we¡¯re working with here.¡± I first take notice of her brilliant golden-blonde wings folded behind her as she lies on her stomach. I take out the feather I pulled from my MIB earlier without the others knowing and hold it up near the ones connected to her wings.

    ¡°Just as I thought. It¡¯s a perfect match.¡±

    <¡°Which means she really was at that clearing we were in the other morning,¡±> Nyra reminds me.

    ¡°Pardon the intrusion,¡± I say aloud while putting the feather away before patting her down for any hidden items and weapons and strip them off her person as I went. I then rolled her sleeping body over to her back and make mental note of her profile.

    Similar to her feathers, Tyvera¡¯s medium-short hair is blonde, wearing a tribal-like hairband to keep the bangs out of her face and revealing a light golden-brown forehead, blending well with the rest of her revealing skin. Her proportions are modest and similar to Ren¡¯s, but after reading her measurements through Size Up, she¡¯s just a tad bigger in the bust and hips as well as being a little taller. Like other Harpies, her arms are similar to a bird¡¯s leg and talons up to her elbows. The legs themselves are only up to her knees before it blends to look more human with plump, yet firm thighs. The shin areas are coated with fur-like feathers in a whiter shade of blonde. Other than those specifics, the stature of them to their entirety is similar to Ren¡¯s beast legs.

    As for her attire, she¡¯s dressed very lightly, which is to be expected of her being a unique Airborne Huntress class or any airborne race, really. She has a white tube top and a mini skirt made out of animal pelt, revealing her lean midriff.

    I¡¯m starting to become lazy with putting up everything in another person¡¯s status with the Size Up skill, so I¡¯ll just put what I saw like this:

    ~~

    [Name: Tyvera

    Race: Harpy

    Class: Airborne Huntress

    Measurements: 164 cm in height [~5 ft, 4 in], 68 kg in weight [~154 lbs], the three sizes are 80C-72-83]

    ~~

    She¡¯s at LV 153, her AGI is nothing to sneeze at being in the 3000s, her ATK and SP. ATK are the next strong points having between 3500-4000. She even has a strong resistance to Water attribute attacks, has ¡®DRA: STORM¡¯ listed above that, which means she could absorb Storm attribute attacks, and is surprisingly quite skilled in Storm Magic. The biggest kicker here, however, is her ability.

    [Child of Thunderstorms: the user is blessed with drain resistance to Storm attribute attacks and strong resistance to Water attribute; the user¡¯s own Storm attribute attacks and spells are increased; should the user be attacked by Storm attribute attacks, not only will she absorb those attacks, but she will receive a ¡®Raised Offense¡¯ and ¡®Storm Boosted¡¯ status bonus for a period of time.]

    ¡°It all checks out to what Kalline described of her capabilities yesterday. Seriously, ¡®Child of Thunderstorms¡¯ is something like a cheat ability in some form,¡± I say.

    <¡°Well, she¡¯s certainly a beauty, and with her stats, it¡¯s no wonder how she¡¯s so feared by other airborne races,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s check and see what¡¯s in her bag.¡±

    I go to her knapsack and pour all of its contents out. ¡°Let¡¯s see, money pouch, food rations, spare clothes, underwear.¡±

    <¡°Oo la la~. For a tomboy, she¡¯s got quite a taste. Black G-String thong, me likey~.¡±>

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ here¡¯s her adventurer¡¯s card, definitely black as it said in her title and she¡¯s only ranked 28th. According to my Street Smarts, this is a pair of Night Vision LV 3 Goggles, and this is a Messaging Crystal at LV 3?¡±

    As part of my preparations last night, I spent some SP to learn a new Brawler class skill called Street Smarts. It¡¯s basically like Size Up, but it only gave a vague description that read, ¡®gives the user the ability to perceive and learn about the world around him.¡¯ Apparently, this was a skill one could spend SP to learn once they reached LV 10 as a Brawler. Sure, the description was vague while the name itself sounded pretty ghetto for a gangster, but being a Brawler up to that point had given me surprises that many others might not have come across yet, so I figured, ¡®why not?¡¯

    When I first learned it, one of the skills that I prepared last night actually got integrated into this and brought the level of mastery from 1 to 5. What was the prepared skill? I¡¯ll tell you later, but I couldn¡¯t use SP to raise its level any higher. Perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s a skill originating from the Brawler class that I couldn¡¯t use Skill Point Conversion to max out its level of mastery right away, so I had to resort to doing it the natural way and check everything in my sight. I¡¯ve been using it repeatedly since then but it hasn¡¯t gone up. It may be due to the skill that integrated into Street Smarts that there are a lot of things I know about already. Right now, depending on the type of item, I could read some of an object¡¯s description of what it is and some of its traits just from looking at it.

    To demonstrate, I appraise the Night Vision Goggles and Messaging Crystal and find their descriptions to look like this:

    [Night Vision LV 3 Goggles: a pair of goggles enchanted with the Night Vision skill to allow the user to see in the dark at LV 3 of its mastery; can allow the user to see 15 meters [~49 feet] ahead of him in the dark; the market price for one is 6,800 karos; status condition: good.]

    [Messaging Crystal LV 3: an enchanted crystal that allows the user to apply his mana into it and connect with another activated one at the same level after recognizing its signature beforehand in order to initiate long-distance communication; can connect with other crystals at the same level 150 kilometers [~93 miles] within its range; the market price for one is 16,500 karos; status condition: great.]

    ¡°Ah, I see, so it¡¯s like a magic cellphone. Still, 150 kilometers, huh? Isn¡¯t that about how long it is between Dondegarm and Palocaesy?¡± I ask.

    <¡°I believe so~.¡±>

    ¡°And other than catching a sign of her recent whereabouts at that field with her feather, we haven¡¯t come across anything similar in Dondegarm since yesterday morning. Which means, Tyvera¡¯s relaying her observations to someone in Palocaesy. Who else do we know is currently waiting for us there while being in the same group as Tyvera?¡±

    ¡°<¡°Gabriella,¡±>¡± we say in sync.

    <¡°You think having a spy like this without our knowledge in the job description complicates what¡¯s agreed on in the Assigned Quest?¡±>

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll have to bring Tyvera in and report this to Eugus. I understand we¡¯re dealing with an important noble like Lady Krauss, but it¡¯s important that we know every single detail on the conditions before we would even accept the quest.¡±

    <¡°No doubt. Let¡¯s tie up this chick and become total snitches.¡±>

    ¡°Right.¡±

    <¡°Milord. It seems we¡¯re approaching a stop to have a break,¡±> Mametama relays to me.

    Perfect timing. Tell them I¡¯ll be there in ¡­ 10-15 minutes, and expect some interesting company coming with me.

    <¡°¡­ I¡¯m already not liking how it sounds, but I¡¯ll pass along the message, Milord.¡±>

    With that, I pack up Tyvera¡¯s things in her knapsack and bind her arms, legs, and wings together with my Shadow Tendrils before I lug both over my shoulder.

    <¡°Hey, Jinma, before we head back, could I ask you to do a favor for me when you have a chance?¡±>

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    <¡°Do you think you could inspect my tanto with your Street Smarts skill?¡±>

    ¡°The tanto?¡±

    <¡°Out of all the things I could examine with my appraisal skill as a Blacksmith, I could never check my own blade for some reason. I think that might¡¯ve been part of the curse put on me.¡±>

    ¡°Ah, I see, so if I use my Street Smarts on your tanto, maybe we¡¯ll see what curse is put on it and how we can break it. Is that it?¡±

    <¡°I mean, sure, I suppose we could take it to another Blacksmith to see it for themselves, but I¡¯m afraid of them possibly handling it would get them infected by the curse. Also, unless it¡¯s a sexy woman, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be comfortable being in any hand that isn¡¯t yours, Jinma.¡±>

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll see what I can do when we reach a rest area. Remind me when we¡¯re by ourselves.¡±

    <¡°Roger that. Also, if we do manage to break my curse, you can count on me to help you with any of your blacksmithing needs. I can also help with growing your harem and I will be the best goddamn living cock sleeve with the awesomely tight born-again virgin holes for use at your leisure only. Just as we¡¯re bound by the Weapon¡¯s Bond, my body and soul are yours for the taking.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯d best be ready when that time comes, because I¡¯ll blow you up like a balloon full of my seed to near bursting in every hole of yours, even if it takes all night, and I won¡¯t let you go sleeping.¡±

    <¡°Ooh yeah~, now you¡¯re speaking my language. I¡¯ll be looking forward to it, stud~?.¡±>

    With that, I do some extra prep work for what may lie ahead before opening [Portal] some distance away from the parked carriage and run over to my party waiting for me with a bound Tyvera and her knapsack in tow.

 Chapter 86: Down on Ones LUCK

    ¡°So, while thou were on thy ¡®stroll¡¯ and keeping the lookout for dangers, thou spotted Tyvera eyeing our carriage highly, deemed it suspicious, and captured her without her knowing before Mametama notified thee of our stop. Did I get that right?¡± Kalline asks after I explained the situation to the group.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°And knowing Tyvera is from the same party as Gabriella while carrying a Messaging Crystal that would surely reach Palocaesy from here for long-distance communication, I can understand why thou would be concerned with this,¡± Eugus adds. ¡°And considering the circumstances, this alone would certainly complicate matters in this Assigned Quest.¡±

    ¡°Circumstances? What circumstances?¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°I did not mention this over the briefing of the quest yesterday but I thought it would be irrelevant until now. The one who appointed Gabriella to be Lady Krauss¡¯ main bodyguard was another Vampire noble, the second son of another esteemed family and leader of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples, Lord Perseus Shalloreed Rowling. Considering he is Gabriella¡¯s and Tyvera¡¯s superior, it would not be strange to assume he played a hand in appointing the latter as a scout without my knowing.¡±

    Ah, considering he¡¯s Lady Krauss¡¯ fianc¨¦, of course, he¡¯d have a say in who¡¯d be allowed to escort her in the dungeon. The question is, do both of them know of this or just the guy? What about the guild master who¡¯s playing witness to the proceedings when we get there? Konjiro the Kitsune, was it? Is he as much in the dark about this as Eugus is?

    ¡°Dear Uncle, is it not part of the guild¡¯s regulations to relay every needed detail on quests to adventurers who art taking them, as well as answering any questions and concerns they may have on them?¡± Kalline asks with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°It is indeed, and if there art details on the quest that the guild itself is unaware of when the client submitted the request at the time, then it is the guild¡¯s right and responsibility to question that client before the quest can further proceed.¡±

    ¡°So, who would we have to question?¡± I ask.

    ¡°That would be Lady Krauss, Konjiro, and Lord Rowling together, but I was told Gabriella would stand in as a representative of her superior for any questions or concerns on the quest should they arise since he is busy with other matters in Korangar. We would have to question them if Tyvera¡¯s actions match with our concerns. Jinma, thou captured her at first sight, yes? Thou did not question her?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°I figured we would have to question her ourselves, but just in case she may resist, I took any possible weapons off of her person before tying her up and bringing her here. I didn¡¯t harm her, but I¡¯ll take responsibility for mending the situation should this come to a misunderstanding in some way.¡±

    I¡¯ve been pulled away by the police for questioning many times back home, so I know how this kind of proceeding will go just from my own experiences.

    ¡°Very good. I suppose now we will just have to wait until Tyvera wakes up from her literal sleeping spell,¡± Eugus says before we turn to her currently sleeping while sitting up against a rock. Sue, Ren, and Erizora were keeping watch on her as I explained the situation to everyone. Kostos and Pantos are off to the side taking a break from pulling our carriage. ¡°Unless someone has an item that can forcefully wake someone up, those put under the Slothful Slumber spell would even sleep through a riot if it was strong enough.¡±

    ¡°I got this covered.¡±

    Despite them quirking eyebrows, I walk over to the sleeping Tyvera and squat down in front of her. I clap my hands and rub them together to set the mood a little before bringing them close to her cheeks.

    ¡°Smellingsalt.¡±

    PACHI!

    ¡°UAH?! Who what when where why?!¡± she exclaims while looking around in a fluster after getting abruptly waken.

    ¡°Hellooo~, Ms. Tyvera. Did you have a nice nap?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Wh-Who are, where ¡­ how did this happen?! Gah! What the hell am I bound with?!¡± Tyvera exclaims while trying to break free from the bindings made from my Darkness Manipulation skill to no avail.

    ¡°H-How ¡­ did thou manage to wake her up so easily?¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of a skill called Smellingsalt. It allows me to snap anyone out of the ¡®asleep,¡¯ ¡®confused,¡¯ ¡®fear,¡¯ ¡®stunned,¡¯ and ¡®charmed¡¯ ailments, even waking someone up from the ¡®FAINTED¡¯ and ¡®KO¡¯ statuses by using some HP and slapping their cheeks together. Oh, they¡¯d receive some damage, of course, but that can¡¯t be helped if this were an emergency. It would be best that those under the ¡®FAINTED¡¯ and ¡®KO¡¯ statuses have enough HP on themselves before attempting to use it, too.¡±

    ¡°Incredible ¡­ I have not even heard of such a skill in my time,¡± Eugus says.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t read of such a skill in my books, either.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Master! He¡¯s a miracle worker!¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m envious to not be in Tyvera¡¯s position right now,¡± Ume, Ren, and Erizora say, respectively.

    ¡­ It¡¯s a Brawler class skill that one could learn after they reach level 20. Just how bad does this world look down on this default class to not even know that? Or better yet, has anyone even tried leveling up while in a default class before changing it to a different one?

    ¡°W-Wait, Guildmaster Eugus?! And the Werewolf, Ogre, Centaur, and cougar familiar from earlier?! And with that bear cub there, that means you and her are ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, so thou hast been watching us even from the fight with the Howlers earlier, huh?¡± Kalline asks with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even pick up her scent and we¡¯ve been moving forward for a while. My Smell skill can only go so far at its current level, so she must¡¯ve kept her distance enough while knowing that much to keep out of my range,¡± Ren adds.

    ¡°Tyvera, unless someone from this group released information to someone in some way, only the client of this party¡¯s mission would know who¡¯ll be involved in their quest. How did thou, an outsider, know about this?¡± Eugus interrogates with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°¡­ Crap,¡± she curses under her breath.

    <¡°She¡¯s not very bright, is she?¡±> Nyra asks.

    ¡°Tyvera, I would advise you to not hide anything from us or lie about it. I¡¯ve actually anticipated this encounter happening ever since I first heard of you after showing my party this.¡± I pull out her feather from my pocket and hold it out to her.

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    ¡°What?! W-W-Where did you¡ª?!¡± For some reason after seeing the feather in my hand, instead of getting fearful or anxious being put on the spot, she gets flustered while her face turns very red and averts her gaze.

    ¡°I checked it myself after putting you to sleep. This feather fell from your wings after flying around a forest clearing at a high elevation that I passed by just yesterday morning. It was a fair distance away from Dondegarm. Do you recall that location?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday morning at a fair distance from Dondegarm, a forest clearing ¡­¡± Her eyes widen after repeating the description and slowly turns back to me in shock and disbelief. ¡°Um ¡­ you wouldn¡¯t happen to have unleashed a geyser of violet magic before fighting a horde of monsters recently ¡­ have you? Like, two days before today around the morning?¡±

    ¡­ Isn¡¯t that when I let off that steam to fight off your curse¡¯s side-effects?

    <¡°Yep, and quite frankly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if other people saw that ¡®purple geyser of magic¡¯ you made that time. I was honestly amazed only Scalybutt came by in response to that.¡±>

    So, that means Tyvera saw me back then, too. I was up there for a while though, and anybody would¡¯ve noticed Ume flying off after ¡­

    I glance over at Ume who¡¯s watching and waiting for my answer. I give my tell for her to see I¡¯m going to speak to her through Telepathy. Ume, you know where we¡¯re talking about, right? That clearing we were at twice? Where we had that courtship ritual and you revealed your identity to me the day before? Did you do anything at both of those times that we wouldn¡¯t attract attention? I ask in her mind.

    <¡°I remember Goddess Obina mentioning she and the other Immortals putting up some kind of barrier around us for our courtship ritual yesterday, but when I talked with you the day before that, I put up a hide-detection spell around us so we wouldn¡¯t be interrupted. That was active when I transformed and flew off after that, too. We Dragons make sure no one sees us flying by. We¡¯d reveal ourselves immediately if we unleashed an attack all of a sudden.¡±>

    With my Hyper Thought Processing skill activated, I quickly figure out how to answer Tyvera¡¯s question without giving too much away. I decided to try and be straight with her. ¡°Around that same clearing? Yes, that was me.¡±

    ¡°A morning two days ago ¡­ ah! That was when Master transported himself while he was under the curse¡¯s side-effects!¡± Ren exclaims

    ¡°Can we see that clearing from here?¡± Erizora asks.

    I get up and check my bearings. Looking ahead on the road, you can see the silhouette of the city we were heading to, Palocaesy. We¡¯re at a higher elevation, but one could still make out some of Dondegarm¡¯s structures poking out from the hill on the horizon. The clearing I was at was on such a high elevation that one could see both of those cities from above and possibly a faint outline of a castle from a kingdom-like location in the distant mountains.

    ¡°It was ¡­ around up there,¡± I say while pointing to a general direction.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ that would explain a lot of things,¡± Eugus says.

    ¡°What dost thou mean, Dear Uncle?¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°The monster pile Jinma pulled out in front of everyone at the guild to show his worth that same day. Horned Boars and Great Hornets, those art scattered at various places in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, but Venom Beasts, Wilderballs, Black Wilderballs, Red Banes, even Trolls and their evolved forms like Glock the Putrid as a Toxic Troll ¡­ even just one or two from each of them would be enough to take out those Howlers we came across earlier, as they art quite the ferocious monsters that can only be seen from¡ª¡±

    ¡°Eeriegreen Forest, one of the more dangerous locations in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory with death rates of around 200 per year. Monsters at levels 40-60 were reported more around the border of that forest, but they get stronger as it gets deeper and denser to where they can be at 85 on average, which looks to be just about where Jinma was according to the placement of that clearing. There are a few Special Monsters that were reported to be as high as 60, or 120 by regular monster standards, that can appear at random, whether they be at the thinner or denser areas of the forest. I can only imagine that Toxic Troll would be one of those Special Monsters that Jinma faced. An adventurer would have to be a violet rank at the least to even have a chance to survive the denser areas of that forest on their own under such conditions.¡±

    We all slowly turn with widened eyes to the one who described the conditions of that forest in such detail that a statistician would be proud of. She¡¯s currently hovering above us as she focuses her concentration at the direction of the clearing, a hand is up to her chin and her other arm is supporting her ridiculous tits that look too big for her short body. They bounce with every other wing flap to keep her afloat.

    ¡°¡­ Um, yes, I think that sounds about right, Sue,¡± Eugus says.

    ¡°How many of those monsters did Jinma bring in that day?¡± Sue asks after lowering herself to my height.

    ¡°Counting the Toxic Troll Master defeated at an earlier time, he pulled out a total of 370 monsters from his [Storage]. Eri and I counted them out ourselves while we dismantled them for goods,¡± Ren answers, to which Erizora nods in confirmation.

    ¡°I can see the majority of them being the lesser Monsters, but if Jinma dealt with those that Eugus listed among them around that time frame, then that means ¡­ Jinma¡¯s a more incredible person than I could hope to dream!¡± Sue then exclaims before flinging herself on me and letting out an ecstatic squeal. ¡°Aaaaaah~! This is so amazing, Jinma! I love you all the more now!¡±

    Ume then comes to hug my other side. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even aware of such dangers and we had our courtship ritual at such a place. Crazy, but rather fitting for people of our statures. I¡¯m so happy to be your wife.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m happy to serve such a splendid person as a slave!¡± Ren exclaims while hugging my front.

    ¡°A true male among males,¡± Erizora adds while wrapping most of us together from my behind. Her titanic tits press against the back of my head.

    Off in my peripheral, Kalline looks to be conflicted to join in this group hug despite how little room there¡¯s left, but all I could do is stand there dumbly like a statue and absorb the information Sue described.

    ¡­ The first things I woke up to in this new world were the walls and ceilings of a cave before that Toxic Troll came that I ended up fighting. Is she telling me I woke up in an area like THAT?! But I didn¡¯t encounter any other Monsters since I left that cave before I stumbled into Lili¡¯s trap! I didn¡¯t fight any of them until I tried venting the curse¡¯s side-effects off! Why was that?!

    <¡°Ah, you know, going back to your most recent memories I examined while you were sleeping, you did get stomped on by his smelly foot multiple times and got exposed to his literally killer breath. It could be that those smells stuck on you as you walked and the surrounding Monsters thought you were that same Toxic Troll. They knew that wasn¡¯t a Special Monster to mess with, and so they kept their distance out of safety. I can understand that much after observing their behavior long enough while being trapped in this tanto.

    <¡°Still, though, if it weren¡¯t for your Dragon Scale Defense ability blessing, even with your strength, you could¡¯ve very well died on the first day of your time in Raiza. Damn, I think that LUCK of yours was more sinister than I thought to bring you there at random, and thanks to part of this tanto¡¯s curse, that has barely gone up even with all of your level-ups since you got here.¡±>

    Does my LUCK stat really play such a big role in this world?

    <¡°Let me put it this way: if your LUCK was at 0, you¡¯d likely die at birth.¡±>

    ¡­

    ¡°Kalline?¡± I call out.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Get in here. That¡¯s an order as your leader.¡±

    ¡°O-Okay ¡­¡± Kalline walks over without argument and tries to get as much involved with the hug as she could despite her flushed cheeks and large size as a Centaur. I try to wiggle my arms free and wrap them around Sue¡¯s and Ume¡¯s waists while closing my eyes and resist the urge to break into tears. I don¡¯t even care of the stink eyes Eugus is giving me from the sidelines.

    After learning much too late how dire my situation was back then as well as my LUCK stat, at this moment, I know now how important it is to take some chances and cherish the moments given to me. I¡¯ll need to take caution and put everything I have into working towards my desired outcomes and not let anything be put to chance, if possible, for both myself and the girls who chose to be with me despite the dangers that would lie ahead of us.

    ¡°Um ¡­ Mr. Jinma, was it?¡±

    Tyvera¡¯s voice breaks our touching moment and we turn our attention back to her who¡¯s still sitting bound against the rock. A very sullen air hovers around her as she doesn¡¯t even look up at us.

    ¡°I ¡­¡± Tyvera continues but hesitates as she looks to be at a loss for what to say. ¡°I¡¯ll ¡­ confess. I¡¯ll explain everything about why I¡¯m here to you all, so¡ª¡±

    Gyuuuuuun.

    The sudden loud rumble comes from Tyvera¡¯s direction, specifically her stomach. Her despairing face turns into one of embarrassment as it turns red despite her tanned composition.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s about time for lunch. Shall we continue this discussion over some food?¡± I ask.

    She looks at me with upturned eyes and nods shyly. Tyvera was quite rowdy the moment she woke up, and even though this is our first time meeting each other, I find it strange how quickly her demeanor changed. It makes me curious about what she needs to confess has anything to do with it.

 Chapter 87: A Confession from the Terror of the Skies

    Just to make sure Tyvera doesn¡¯t try anything, I only released the bindings on the hands to allow her to eat while she explained to us the circumstances. Though to be fair, she¡¯s able to use Storm Magic, but since she¡¯ll likely need to chant aloud in order to cast spells, she¡¯s aware enough that we¡¯d stop her if she attempted to try it.

    From my [Storage], I pulled out a large batch of seasoned karaage with ground Horned Boar meat as a replacement, [TN: Karaage is Japanese Fried Chicken, but some other meats can replace the chicken from what I¡¯ve heard, not sure if they go by different names though] plus pan-fried vegetables and rice. Because the space in [Storage] doesn¡¯t hinder the time on items that are stored inside, they came out as hot and fresh as they were out of the stove. I made plenty of helpings just in case since Ume, Ren, and Erizora look to be the biggest eaters of our group with the first of the three being number one, but it looked like there was enough for even Kostos, Pantos, Sue, and Tyvera to have their own portions.

    The reactions they all had after taking their first bite was astounding. Ren, Erizora, and even Tyvera were literally moved to tears from the taste; Eugus, despite having mixed feelings towards me for basically stealing his niece, was having difficulty in giving his own honest opinion; Kalline, Kostos, and Pantos were about to kneel to me in worship like seasoned knights before I stopped them in a fluster; Ume, for the first time, actually slowed her pace in eating to savor every last bite of my cooking; and finally, Sue passionately expressed my cooking to be on the same level as a highly-skilled Chef or even a Master Chef.

    Well, Sue was pretty much on point, because I spent SP last night to raise my Cooking skill to the max level of mastery. From that, I got the Cook title, then Chef, and finally Master Chef. From achieving those titles, I got the Food Appraisal skill at LV 1, Cookbook LV 1, Meal Bonus*, and Meal Bonus+*. The Food Appraisal skill I maxed out immediately, which lead me to learn everything I need to know about each edible item by themselves and even identify them in prepared meals just at a single glance. That was actually integrated into my Street Smarts skill I learned afterward that leveled up to 5 in response to that. Thankfully, the benefits from my maxed-out Food Appraisal are still in effect after confirming it with the dishes in our lunch.

    I also maxed out the Cookbook skill immediately to be able to learn every existing recipe with their instructions, ingredients, and their effects after consuming them with mana applied. I could even try to formulate new recipes with known ingredients in my mind and predict how they¡¯d turn out after preparing them accordingly.

    But wait, you can apply your mana into food? You may ask yourself, and yes, you can, which brings us to the Meal Bonus skill that made me learn that fact. You know how in some RPGs you can increase your stats from eating cooked meals once you gather the necessary ingredients for them? Well, that¡¯s what¡¯s going on here, along with curing some ailments, even raising certain stats for a specific amount of time. The Meal Bonus+ skill I got after achieving the ¡®Master Chef¡¯ title? That basically doubles the amount of previously mentioned effects. Like if you get +2 in your HP stat after eating a mana-infused fried egg with Meal Bonus, then Meal Bonus+ would bump that up to +4 instead. Temporarily raising your ATK by 10% for 5 hours after eating an omelet? With Meal Bonus+, one¡¯s ATK is raised by 20% for 5 hours.

    When I thought about it, if one had enough money to redeem a slave to do all the fighting for them and had an experienced Chef cook their meals with stat boosts, it¡¯s clear to see how the nobles in this world have got around to getting stronger and level up even if they never left their homes. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that one can level up by spending some money. That just got me thinking more on what else the nobles of this world could be hiding. Like, could they possibly have multiple classes like Eugus does? If so, how do they go about it?

    By that point, I could only speculate, and if I don¡¯t have any further leads that could point me in the right direction, I¡¯m stuck, so I had to stop there.

    By the time most of us had our fill, Tyvera explained the details of her position. To keep it brief, while Lady Krauss was aware of Gabriella being her bodyguard, Lord Whatshisface also appointed Tyvera at the same time as a sort of secret scout without his fiance¡¯s knowing. Not only was she keeping a lookout for oncoming threats from the skies, but she would also serve as an ¡®emergency second escort¡¯ to help guide Lady Krauss through the dungeon should Gabriella find the adventurer(s) Eugus appointed to this quest unqualified for the task. As you might guess, the lord kept this from Lady Krauss, which makes this matter complicated.

    ¡°Gabriella relayed me the details on some of the party members who would be joining the appointed adventurers last night, which was how I recognized the group here who subjugated the Howlers earlier,¡± Tyvera continues. ¡°How Gabriella got that information, she didn¡¯t say, but I can imagine she convinced Lady Krauss to trust her enough to do that much. Thinking on that now, it makes doing this job all the more disgusting for me to be a part of.¡±

    ¡°So, you were against being a part of this before?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yes. As much as I like being an adventurer, taking part in such a high-pressuring test is making me molt sooner, especially since it¡¯s involving someone so important like Lady Krauss.¡±

    ¡°If you weren¡¯t into it, couldn¡¯t that guy find someone else?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one other among us in the disciples who¡¯s able to fly, but even then, she doesn¡¯t have the Deadeye skill for surveillance like I have, and a bit more vulnerable in defenses. And of course, Lord Rowling couldn¡¯t entrust Lady Krauss¡¯ safety to just anybody without her arguing about it¡­ then again, at this point, I question if he even trusts her at all.¡±

    If the relationship¡¯s like that, then the circumstances surrounding their engagement must be more political than I imagined.

    ¡°This is not good,¡± Eugus says. ¡°Lord Rowling and Lady Krauss made the request to escort the latter through the dungeon with seemingly agreed conditions. If they themselves do not have a firm confirmation on what is going on, if this were not found out earlier on, then they would have pulled the guild and the assigned adventurers into a complicated situation that would result in heavy fines on them for a penalty.¡±

    ¡°If it is Lord Rowling we art talking about, I doubt he would go into this blindly,¡± Kalline adds. ¡°If the assigned adventurer was not to his expectations and comfort to escort Lady Krauss, if he was that careful to assign Tyvera in secret, it could be possible he was prepared to pay the penalty. He is one of nobility, money would not be an issue to him.¡±

    ¡°Jinma, Umeiyon¡± Eugus says while turning to me. ¡°Since this involves the two of thee directly and was happening out of thy knowledge, what would thou like to do? If thou decide to decline the quest once the situation¡¯s confirmed, since the fault is on the client¡¯s side, thy reputations will not be affected.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What do you think, Jin?¡± Ume asks me.

    I take a moment to think. From what I had been told about the quest up to now, the circumstances, and the current situation. In short, it was ¡®agreed¡¯ that Lady Krauss would have the final say on who would be escorting her along with Gabriella in the dungeon and she had no obligation to release any info on the assigned adventurers. I¡¯m guessing since Ume and I are the main-assigned adventurers, Lady Krauss felt it was fine to release some info on our party members at the least. Meanwhile, Lord Whatshisface is someone who would actually take matters into his own hands and go back on his word if he doesn¡¯t see something go in his favor. Lady Krauss¡¯ family seems to be high on the social ladder than the lord¡¯s enough that he would marry into it instead of the other way around. Doesn¡¯t that make Lady Krauss the one in charge? Or is it that her family is looking for a concubine of sorts for her to produce an heir? I¡¯m not familiar with noble classes and their hierarchy, but if the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory¡¯s government is anything like medieval Europe¡¯s, I think I know enough that whether Lady Krauss had a brother that¡¯s older or younger than her, the position of family head would likely fall onto the firstborn male once the previous one retires or passes away.

    ¡°I should probably say this now, but if Jinma is the one who¡¯s assigned to be Lady Krauss¡¯ escort, Gabriella won¡¯t go along with the plan no matter the circumstances,¡± Tyvera then says.

    ¡°Even if the adventurer was chosen by Lady Krauss herself?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yes, because she despises humans with a burning passion. As for why that is, you just need one look at her and it would become clear.¡±

    ¡°One look ¡­¡± I¡¯ve never seen Gabriella, but the only thing I know about her is that she¡¯s a Dullahan¡ª ¡°Ah! Could it be her race? Was she once human herself?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Bingo. I won¡¯t go into details out of respect for her personal privacy, but the fact remains that humans were the cause that Gabriella turned into a Dullahan.¡±

    From what I recall of Dullahans back on Earth, there were very few interpretations from the original source. One of which claimed Dullahans were part of the undead due to the effects of a curse acting on the victim, whether it¡¯s before or after the beheading for whatever reason varies.

    ¡°I¡¯m only saying this to you now so you¡¯d know who you¡¯re up against when she goes ballistic,¡± Tyvera says.

    ¡°I appreciate the concern, but I took some necessary courses of action to prepare myself for this moment. If I may ask, how often do you need to report to Gabriella?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s usually the one who needs to contact me first to avoid getting caught under Lady Krauss¡¯ eyes. She tries to contact me every 2 hours, I think, and the last one wasn¡¯t too long before you put me to sleep.¡±

    ¡°That was an hour and a half ago, if I remember right, so about 45 minutes until she makes another call. Then, this is perfect. We¡¯ll just get there before she contacts you as a surprise.¡±

    ¡°Uh, excuse me, we could not help but overhear thy talk, but that should be impossible.¡±

    ¡°Aye, we art not even at the halfway point to our destination, and with this setback, it will take us a little longer than we initially scheduled to get there,¡± Kostos and Pantos say, respectfully.

    ¡°Right, about that,¡± I say before turning to the guild master escorting us. ¡°Eugus, I¡¯m not sure how much you know of me already, but I¡¯m able to use [Portal].¡±

    ¡°Lady Tephalia had notified me of that when I asked her, yes, but is that only for the user to use at locations they have been to before? I do not remember you mentioning being in Palocaesy before, so I assumed you have not, or we would be over there a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°And you are right to assume that as I have not been to Palocaesy ¡­ at least from 45 minutes ago before I got back here, I think.¡±

    The others stand there in stunned silence for a brief moment.

    ¡°J-Jinma, do not tell me thou ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ran all the way from where I picked up Tyvera to just outside of Palocaesy¡¯s gates on foot? Why yes, yes I did,¡± I answered for Eugus.

    ¡°I was wondering why your shoes look so worn out now, Milord. Clearly, those are not designed for running,¡± Mametama points out as she and the others look at my black leather shoes.

    When I came to this world, my shoes along with the clothes I had on at the time of death from Earth were repaired and restored to the point of being brand new. They had seen some fair share of wear and tear as I ran around from then up to now, especially that full sprint to Palocaesy with Tyvera still lugged on my shoulder. Now, my shoes are so dirty and roughed up with the soles so rubbed down to flat that both of them may fall into pieces at any given moment.

    Could I have just used [Portal] multiple times like I did to sneak up on Tyvera? I could, but I was worried how much some will keep track of my magic capacity and its recovery speed since [Portal] uses up so much MP the farther away it goes from the caster¡¯s starting point by itself, let alone using it multiple times every couple of meters like I did earlier through the trees in the forest nearby, and I was worried how much my maxed-out Deception skill would hold water if anything on me doesn¡¯t match my description.

    There¡¯s all that, and I really did want to go on a sort of run to see how fast I could go at top speed with my current AGI. I actually got there much earlier than I expected, so I just ran a few laps around the city before running back. I somehow even got the Free Runner title along with a Parkour skill at LV 5.

    ¡°But seriously, I¡¯ll need to get some better shoes once we get to Palocaesy. I¡¯m amazed I haven¡¯t even gotten bloody blisters on my feet at this point, but they do feel a little chaffed. I should probably give them a quick heal before we continue ¡­ why do some of you look so down?¡± I was rambling to myself by that point before I notice deflated expressions on some of their faces.

    ¡°Was Jinma ¡­ that fast when he beat me?¡± [Eugus]

    ¡°I was supposed to be Master Jinma¡¯s steed ¡­ of course, he would not need me if he was capable of going that fast from the start, so where would that leave me?¡± [Kalline]

    ¡°I want to run with Master, too ¡­¡± [Ren]

    Well ¡­ this is awkward. Eugus aside, I¡¯ll have to find a way to make Ren and Kalline feel better, I think as I silently heal the chaffing and soreness in my feet before clearing my throat. ¡°Anyway, I was hoping not to resort to this and we¡¯d get to our destination at a leisurely pace, but the current circumstances have changed things. Mr. Kostos, Mr. Pantos, is it okay for me to use [Portal] to get us to our destination faster?¡±

    ¡°Hey, if thou can get us there within the next 5 minutes, we can get other things done much ahead of schedule and even make our way back to Dondegarm on the same day.¡±

    ¡°Really, it should be us paying thee for transportation and doing us this favor,¡± Kostos and Pantos say, respectfully.

    ¡°Eugus? Your thoughts?¡±

    He sighs. ¡°This trip was supposed to serve as part of a trial prior to the quest, but I do not even care at this point. Do whatever thou want.¡±

    ¡°I feel I should be ecstatic at how amazing Jinma is, but I feel a little sad cutting our time so short,¡± Sue suddenly says.

    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be parting ways so soon when we get there. You¡¯re going to Korangar like us, right? Unless you¡¯re in a hurry, I don¡¯t mind you sticking with us for a bit longer. It¡¯s the same for everyone else, right?¡± I ask while looking to the others and they nod in agreement. ¡°I don¡¯t know how things will turn out with this Assigned Quest, but we¡¯ll work it over as we go along if you want to continue traveling with us.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Absolutely! As long as possible, if it¡¯s not too much trouble!¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Besides, I¡¯d feel a little uneasy letting you go to Korangar on your own, so you¡¯re doing me a favor, here.¡±

    ¡°Jinma ¡­¡± Sue¡¯s purple-tinted cheeks turn red while her wings rustle and her tail flailed about excitedly. I glance up above her head and still not see her name and HP/MP bars like I can with the others, just like how it was from the start of our trip.

    I don¡¯t know what her deal is but I want to get to know her if I can. Not only for my own peace of mind with her identity completely hidden in the dark, but also to know some of her motives, if possible. If she really does turn out to be harmless and is infatuated with me ¡­ then I¡¯d like to give my first loyal fan the kind of attention she deserves.

    ¡°Right, then!¡± I exclaim while rustling Sue¡¯s platinum-pink locks. ¡°Let¡¯s pack up and get ready to head out! We¡¯ll be heading to Palocaesy under 5 minutes!¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡±

 Chapter 88: Unexpected Guests and Fruit Tarts

    ¡°I must say, Konjiro, it is a surprise to see you here this early. Going by the time it takes getting from Dondegarm to Palocaesy by carriage, I believe the assigned adventurers will not be here until later in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say, yes. I am just here to check how prepared you are in taking on the dungeon tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°The fox be telling lies, Lady Noire. He is not one who usually goes out of his way for someone else unless it¡¯s for his own personal gain. It must be the sixth sense some of those in the Kitsune race are gifted with that drew him here, or he would not wake up so early in the morning to come here in a ragged state.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I will not deny that I am exhausted, but our ¡®sixth sense¡¯ is only a silly myth that some ¡®unique¡¯ people had spread about us. I could very well accuse you of being here as well for the same reason if we¡¯re using that as a basis.¡±

    ¡°Though it may be me¡ªthe Great Beelzebub!¡ªwe are talking about, I do not have, nor do I need this sixth sense to tell me where I go and what to do. I go wherever I please out of my own volition.¡±

    ¡°Then, may I ask, what are you here for, Lady Beelzebub?¡±

    ¡°Imagine how this room would look like without me. Now, compare it with me currently inside it. Does this room not seem more extravagant and prosperous now with my presence included? This room was screaming with gloom and despair moments ago because I was not in it. Because I¡ªthe Great Beelzebub!¡ªam such a kind and generous noble, I thought I¡¯d go out of my way and put some of my time and work aside to bless this room with my presence. Be grateful that you have the LUCK needed to run into someone great as me to enlighten the rest of your day.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°She means she was bored and going insane getting buried in her work and needed a break for a change of pace.¡±

    ¡°Y-You dare misinterpret my noble intentions, Vampire?! I did not need to go out of my way to come here, you know?! I could very well be blessing another noble¡¯s home that deserves my presence much more right now!¡±

    ¡°Oh, well that¡¯s a shame. I have a few fruit tarts from the patisserie near here that I was saving for a special occasion that I couldn¡¯t possibly finish it all by myself, but I suppose I could share it with Konjiro and Gabriella instead.¡±

    ¡°¡­ That patisserie wouldn¡¯t happen to be La Fin Du Crepuscule, would it?¡±

    ¡°The very same.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I suppose I could indulge your desires and take some of those tarts off of your hands.¡±

    ¡°Konjiro? Gabriella?¡±

    ¡°I already ate.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Milady.¡±

    With a snap of her fingers, Noire orders one of the cottage¡¯s working maids to prepare the treat for her uninvited guest. In truth, Noire had specially ordered those tarts very recently to help lighten the air for when her assigned adventurers arrive. Knowing one of them was a human, whether or not he knew of her family¡¯s reputation, she wanted to showcase her willingness to cooperate in the dungeon they¡¯d tackle together with good intentions, despite her own selfish motives for setting up this quest, to begin with.

    The sudden arrival of one of Noire¡¯s few close friends, Beelzebub, was a pleasant surprise on her part and wished to while away the time she had to wait for the adventurers to come with some form of entertainment. Though other demon nobles and those of high positions like Konjiro are fully aware of how demanding and troublesome she was, Noire, on the other hand, found her antics amusing. She resembles how some characters that were labeled as ¡®chuunibyous¡¯ in the ¡®books¡¯ she read would behave.

    Whenever Noire was at a loss for what to do in her free time, she could always count on Beelzebub to provide decent entertainment, even if it¡¯s at the expense of others around her like Konjiro and Gabriella currently in the room.

    ¡°Mmm~! So goooood! Another fine piece of work by Palocaesy¡¯s famous patisserie!¡± Beelzebub exclaims while eating a piece of the fruit tart delivered to her. The fly wings from her back and antennae jotting out of her light green-colored hair flutter and twitch respectively with delight.

    ¡°I am pleased it is to your liking, Lady Beelzebub,¡± Noire says while bowing in her seat.

    ¡°Now, then, while filling this room¡¯s desire of my presence was part of my reason for being here, that is not entirely the case.¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Konjiro asks with a quirked brow.

    ¡°I was aware that Lady Noire was going to challenge a dungeon with adventurers as part of a quest, and a little fly told me they would be arriving today. I was curious to see who would catch her eyes, so I came to see who they are myself.¡±

    Spoken like a true Flyran of the Insectoid race, annoying by buzzing around others¡¯ businesses, Konjiro thinks while calmly drinking tea.

    ¡°There was that, as well as checking in on Lady Noire since the last time we talked,¡± Beelzebub continues before taking a sip of her own tea.

    ¡°Check in on me?¡±

    ¡°The day of binding is approaching, is it not? The day when your fate will forever be entwined with another¡¯s. Going by what you have told me, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m all for this arrangement. If someone as great as I were in your place, I would not settle for such a person to be stuck with during the rest of my days, and I know you well and long enough to think the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Even so, I cannot decline Father¡¯s arrangements after everything he and Mother have given to me. For us with this lifestyle, some sacrifices must be made in order to maintain it as well as our image.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Sacrifice, huh? To give up something of yourself for the sake of others. While there are those who see it as a noble act, I find it foolish that only benefits those who forced the choice on the person of interest, dare I say including your parents if they aren¡¯t as ¡®noble¡¯ as I first made them out to be.

    ¡°Take this fruit tart for example. It is delicious, sweet, tart, creamy, and melty in the mouth. I would eat a hundred of these and I still wouldn¡¯t be satisfied, but the patisserie is benefiting by selling that much to me in their offer. In which case, both of us are more or less happy with the outcome. Now, let¡¯s say that same patisserie stopped making this fruit tart all of a sudden and they cannot sell it anymore, but they¡¯re willing to give me a deal where they¡¯d only give it to yours truly. For every couple of nanaba cream pies they sell to me, I could have one of their delicious fruit tarts for free.¡±

    ¡°That does not seem like a bad deal to me,¡± Noire comments.

    ¡°It would be, except that I hate nanaba cream pies and the fact that I have to buy a couple in order to get one fruit tart is a ludicrous business deal. Could I just toss the pies to get a tart after buying them? I could, but you know how much I hate being wasteful of food, which especially goes against my position as Minister of Agriculture. I can¡¯t even sell it off as part of the deal made by the patisserie. That only leaves giving it away to acquaintances and ¡­ well, I¡ªthe Great Beelzebub!¡ªwith so many followers and acquaintances at my beck and call, do not have the time and energy to do that in my position, especially if I¡¯m not making a profit out of it. I may not be the Minister of Finance, but I¡¯m not a charity worker, either.¡±

    By that, she means she doesn¡¯t have any friends other than me to share the pies with and I¡¯m frankly not a big fan of nanaba cream, either. At least she¡¯s honest about wanting to make a profit out of something, Noire thinks to herself.

    ¡°So, that only leaves with two options: agree with the deal and buy their nanaba cream pies, suck it up by eating them all to not let any go to waste, and still be supplied with my favorite fruit tart for the rest of my life, or decline and never get their fruit tarts again. What do you think I would do, Lady Noire?¡± Beelzebub asks.

    ¡°Well ¡­ knowing you, you would not comply with such demands, so I guess decline the deal?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Not just that, either, I would not have business over there ever again!¡± Beelzebub exclaims while standing from her seat.

    ¡°But we are talking about the best patisserie in Palocaesy, right? Maybe even the entire Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory. Would you ever find a place that sells fruit tarts as delicious, if not more so than that one¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Maybe! It may not even be their fruit tart I would come to love, either! I may try something new that is so good that I would buy a thousand of those compared to a hundred fruit tarts if it were possible! Heck, who said I have to find it? Why not go a step further and run my own patisserie that makes my own fruit tart that tops theirs and then some? One can only remain at the top for so long before someone else pushes them off of their high horse from below, and running them down to the ground, no, to the lowest depths of despair would be the best possible victory for me!¡± Beelzebub takes a moment to cackle at her cruelly delightful thought.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Anyway, the point is that I would not know whether what I decide will be right or wrong unless I try! Either way, at least I am going at this with my own freedom and not compromising myself for another¡¯s needs. Whether or not they are better without me is not my concern, and that should be the same for you, Lady Noire.

    ¡°Indeed, it is important to remember how far you have gotten with your parents¡¯ support and influence, but even in my lifetime that pales in comparison to yours, I know you enough to see how much you stand out from others in the Krauss family, let alone among other nobles. You were wise and intelligent enough to associate with me, after all. If there ever come a time when you are truly in a bind that you cannot break free from, just scream ¡®Please, save me, O Great Beelzebub!¡¯ and I will rush to your side faster than a Harpy with her eyes set on a delectable human male, because if there is one thing that a Beelzebub never does, it¡¯s turning their back on a subordinate¡¯s plea for help.¡±

    ¡°Beelzebub ¡­¡± It may have been worded a little egocentrically but Noire could tell Beelzebub was trying to give consolation and support in her own way. Even though she was sticking around with Beelzebub for her own selfish and somewhat twisted reasons, it seems her presence meant more to the chuunibyou-like demon noble than she realized.

    Noire reaches a hand down to her side where a pouch with a rainbow string is holstered on her hip. Despite the small size, it has a surprisingly large storage space to hold 5,000 kilograms [~11,023 pounds] of objects thanks to the rare materials and necessary magic needed to craft the magical tool that¡¯s hard to come by. It is a step down from the MIB that all Champions are likely found with, appropriately called the Magic Item Pouch (MIP). It¡¯s the likely expensive gear where she carries most of her belongings everywhere, including her precious ruby-cased smartphone that her only other friend gave her as a gift.

    I wonder ¡­ if she could help me as well, Noire thinks.

    Konjiro is also in a state of shock seeing this side of Beelzebub. Finally, Gabriella, who stands at attention fully armored from head to toe like the knight she is, grits her teeth while tightly gripping her armored hand that¡¯s slightly trembling.

    Why ¡­ was no one there when I needed them most? Gabriella thinks. If spoken aloud, her voice would have a slight shake with great sadness, anger, malice, and dripping with venom as she recalls the time before her arrival in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, the last moments of her humanity that she so despised and everyone who was linked to it.

    ¡°Milady.¡± One of the cottage¡¯s maids interrupts the air in the room for a brief moment while calling out to her mistress. ¡°An unexpected guest has come for some business,¡± she reports.

    Another one? ¡°Who is it?¡± Noire asks.

    ¡°A guild master from Bomira¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory, Master Julius.¡±

    WHAT?!

    Klink!

    Konjiro just barely stopped himself from screaming that aloud, but the increased tension snapped the handle on his teacup right off. The hand Gabriella¡¯s gripping into a fist tightens and trembles even further.

    ¡°Ooh~, another pleasant surprise. Do let him in,¡± Noire permits with a raised pitch in her tone.

    ¡°Yes, Milady.¡±

    ¡°A human, huh? There aren¡¯t many of them around these parts, let alone one from a town so far like Bomira. Do you know him, Lady Noire?¡± Beelzebub asks.

    ¡°I have only heard of him through stories from Eugus and a few other guild masters of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory in their previous adventurer days.¡±

    ¡°Erm, Lady Krauss, I really don¡¯t think that letting him in here would be a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Guild Master Konjiro. We should not let him in here,¡± Konjiro and Gabriella say with a hint of desperation in their voices.

    ¡°Why ever not? Julius sounds quite the delight of a character.¡± At least for me to drive you two bonkers, Noire thinks to herself while expertly hiding the mischievous smile on her lips with a teacup while sipping blood.

    ¡°Myy~, I am pleased such a distinguished lady thinks of me so~.¡±

    ¡°Guh ¡­¡± Konjiro grunts after hearing the familiar voice of their visitor.

    From that, Noire looks up from her seat and widens her eyes at their new human visitor. The man is, in all better senses of the word ¡®bright.¡¯ With a rosy pink tuxedo, trousers and top hat over his platinum blonde hair, blending well with his white dress shirt, gloves, cane, and shoes, compared to Konjiro¡¯s oriental robes, the smiling human gentleman stands out as the brightest one in the room with such attire.

    ¡°A good morning, and please pardon the intrusion. I am Julius, the guild master that runs the adventurer¡¯s guild in Bomira of the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory. An honor and pleasure to make your acquaintance, Milady,¡± Julius introduces as he bows with poise.

    ¡°And salutations to you as well,¡± Noire greets while standing and giving a curtsey. I am Noire Scarletine Krauss. You may have a seat next to Konjiro, Julius.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he responds before obliging. Konjiro holds no restraint and subtlety in showing his distaste as he quickly scoots as close to one side of the couch as possible while Julius takes the remaining space. He uses the cane between his legs as a support for his hands before turning his head to him. ¡°Konjiro, it has been too long,¡± Julius greets him.

    ¡°¡­ Quite.¡± Not long enough, though, Konjiro thinks to himself while avoiding eye contact.

    Noire, on the other hand, is staring at the two of them intently as she sits across from them. With sheer focus and concentration, one might think she¡¯s making a serious decision at a turning point of her nobility that could determine the rest of her life.

    ¡­ Juli X Konji, or Konji X Juli? Certainly, Julius¡¯ aggressive nature when pursuing romance would make him the ¡®seme,¡¯ and I had seen Konjiro¡¯s disguise a few times, reflecting his human counterpart that would make girls scream ¡®uke¡¯; on the other hand, though, the reverse of those roles might also be possible. Julius¡¯ effeminate fashion sense and lean physique really make him the inviting, submissive type, and the thought of Konjiro¡¯s ¡®tsun¡¯ taking the lead in his true form while pinning Julius down ¡­

    Oh, the struggles of these decisions for a woman of my tastes! Still, I really owe it to her for helping me make these moments more interesting for me to see, and with blood to enjoy it with on the side ¡­ truly delicious, indeed.

    If one strained their ears hard enough, they could hear Noire¡¯s subtle swallow due to her mouth filling with saliva from her fantasies, something completely unbefitting for a noblewoman.

    ¡°¡­ Do you always wear such disgustingly bright clothes?¡± Beelzebub asks bluntly, just in time to drown out Noire¡¯s subtle swallow.

    ¡°Oh, heavens, no. I dressed myself up properly for this occasion. I usually wear what I currently have on underneath this.¡±

    ¡°If you are talking about that tight pink tunic and pants, I personally don¡¯t think you¡¯re doing fashion justice.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my, Konjiro~, to pay that much detail in my attire, are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Even. Try, Julius.¡±

    OH MY GOODNESS, YEEEESS! That flirting! That clash! I could even imagine Julius in those attires and I¡¯m drooling in my mouth! That tears it, Juli X Konji is the true pairing! Only such a daring man could be able to pull off such attire with confidence, and with Konjiro backing away, human disguise or not, he fits the ¡®uke¡¯ to the OOMPH! Okay, calm yourself, Noire, you don¡¯t want to get too excited. Just keep this pairing in mind as you get to your coffin tonight and you¡¯ll be sleeping with sweet dreams to the middle of the day tomorrow.

    Keeping her thoughts in check, Noire clears her throat. ¡°Anyway, Julius, brings you all the way here in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory on your own?¡±

    ¡°Well, I have been meaning to meet with someone after hearing about him coming to Palocaesy and a little birdy told me Konjiro was here, so I thought I¡¯d stop by and say hi.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Meet with someone?¡± Konjiro asks with a quirked brow.

    ¡°The new adventurer we were talking about the other day. When I heard of what he accomplished that time, I couldn¡¯t help but want to see him for myself. So, I asked Charly-baby to watch over the guild for today while I stepped out and used my Transportation Crystal to move here.¡±

    Transportation Crystals, like Messaging Crystals, are magical tools that function similarly with the [Portal] Null Spell as long as the user remembers the location that they¡¯ve last been to. Due to the difficulty of crafting such a convenient item, they¡¯re valued at high prices in the market. One would be lucky to even win this in a lottery or as a reward for clearing a dungeon, the latter case of which was how Julius came across back when he was a regular adventurer. The downside is that depending on the distance from one place to the next, the Transportation Crystal will have to recharge to be used again, and so they can be inactive for as long as until the next day.

    ¡°¡­ This ¡®new adventurer,¡¯ you say he is coming here in Palocaesy? Today?¡± Gabriella then asks, putting more effort than necessary to keep her voice from shaking.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Going by the detailed reports, Tyvera didn¡¯t see anyone other than the lone carriage she was observing who likely has our two adventurers Lady Krauss accepted for this quest. It may have been the first one she saw today at an early time, but if there were others behind it, she would tell me. Knowing Julius, if the ¡®new adventurer¡¯ he¡¯s seeing is a ¡­ as Gabriella connect the dots, she trembles enough that even her black armor starts to rattle.

    ¡°Uh oh ¡­¡± Konjiro mutters, already seeing where this was going. He then starts feeling the fur on his body standing on end.

    ¡°Milady, I need to step out for some air.¡± Without even waiting for Noire¡¯s reply, Gabriella practically sprints out of the room and to the backyard of the cottage. She quickly takes out the yellow Messaging Crystal and channels her mana into it.

    ¡°Tyvera!¡±

    <¡°Oh ¡­ Gabriella, this is earlier than usual,¡±> she responds lightly.

    ¡°I need to make sure, but you¡¯ve only been keeping an eye on the carriage where the two adventurers are likely in, right?! There was nobody else behind them?!¡±

    <¡°Yeah ¡­ and honestly, even if there were other carriages behind them, they were likely too far for my Deadeye skill to see in range.¡±>

    If carriages started going at this time of day, they would likely not arrive here from Dondegarm until late evening, and if Julius heard he was coming here today ¡­ ¡°Tyvera, change of plans, we¡¯re aborting this quest.¡±

    <¡°Aborting?¡±>

    ¡°Lord Rowling provided a forged message of Lady Krauss¡¯ sister suddenly falling ill as a lifeline in case there¡¯s any suspicion that the adventurers she accepted may prove to be a threat to his plans. I need you back here to pretend you just hand-delivered it to me so that we can get Lady Krauss out of here immediately. Don¡¯t ask why. I just need you back here now.¡±

    <¡°¡­¡±>

    ¡°Tyvera? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    <¡°I was not familiar with this ¡®forged message¡¯ of a lifeline of yours. Did Lord Rowling give that and those instructions to you while I was out?¡±>

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You know as well as I do how careful he is with these things, now quit dawdling and get over here!¡±

    A long hiss through the teeth can be heard through the crystal. <¡°Yeeeaaaaah, slight problem with that.¡±>

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    <¡°You wanna hear the good news or the bad news first?¡±>

    ¡°¡­ The good news?¡±

    <¡°So, funny you should mention me getting back to Palocaesy immediately because I¡¯m already here.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ A-And the bad news?¡±

    <¡°See ¡­ I got caught. I¡¯m being bound by the assigned adventurers¡¯ party, Guild Master Eugus is along with them, they all heard everything you just said about the forged message just now, and we¡¯re approaching Lady Krauss¡¯ residence as we speak. You all heard that, right? Yep, they¡¯re nodding, they heard it all.¡±>

    ¡°Tyera, if this is a cruel joke you¡¯re making, I am not in the mood for that right now.¡±

    <¡°Oh, you can take it from me that this is no joke, Ms. Gabriella.¡±>

    The sudden new voice, deep, masculine, slightly condescending, and powerful that interrupted the conversation just now sends shivers down the Dark Knight Dullahan¡¯s spine.

    ¡°¡­ Who. Is. This?¡±

    <¡°How about you give Lady Krauss this message instead of the one Rowling forged: Jinma Kotori and Twilight Sky have arrived, and we have much to discuss.¡±>

 Chapter 89: A Vampires Fury and Her First Fall

    ¡°Wonder what got Gabriella so pale? Well, paler than usual, to be more accurate,¡± Noire says a little after her Dark Knight Dullahan escort dashed out of the lounge.

    Shortly after, a flurry of steps come approaching the room. ¡°M-Milady! It is urgent!¡± a maid exclaims as she rushes in.

    ¡°What could it possibly be this time?¡± Noire asks.

    ¡°It is Guild Master Eugus! He is here! With his representing adventurers along with a Harpy convict!¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Konjiro exclaims as he stands from his seat. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! They shouldn¡¯t be here until later this evening!¡±

    ¡°Goodness, could they also have a Transportation Crystal in their possession? Although, I am more concerned about this Harpy convict that was mentioned,¡± Julius comments.

    ¡°Do you know anything about that Harpy in particular?¡± Noire asks the maid.

    ¡°Milady, we believe that she is the widely-known ¡®Terror of the Skies!¡¯ Tyvera of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? Wait, isn¡¯t that¡ª¡± Beelzebub starts, until ¡­

    ~~

    After Eugus greeted to the maid who answered the door of Lady Krauss¡¯ cottage, she rushed inside to report our arrival to her mistress. We¡¯re all currently outside with our things on hand (Erizora¡¯s lugging my MIB along with her own things at her suggestion, leaving me with only Nyra holstered on my side), waiting for permission to be let inside. Eugus thanked Kostos and Pantos for their short service some time ago before they left.

    ¡°Aaaah~! I can¡¯t get over how cool you were, Jinma! ¡®Jinma Kotori and Twilight Sky have arrived, and we have much to discuss.¡¯ I¡¯m still tingly from the goosebumps spreading all over me! I don¡¯t think I could even breathe if that tone was directed at me! This has been the best day ever!¡± Sue exclaims during her what my otaku/mangaka aunt would properly dub a good ¡®fangasm¡¯ over my talk with Gabriella not too long ago.

    To be frank, I was so pissed after overhearing her earlier plan of aborting the quest in such a manner as directed by her superior, Rowling, that my ¡®sadist¡¯ side kind of leaked out. Seeing a cute girl like Sue getting all excited over something like that though was giving me mixed feelings of bashfulness and embarrassment.

    ¡°I think I got my own goosebumps growing in places I didn¡¯t think was possible. If I was a weak Harpy, I¡¯m sure all of my feathers would fall from the sheer fright.¡± [Tyvera]

    ¡°I kind of wetted myself a little after hearing that, too ¡­¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°Just goes to show that Master is a person one should not mess with and expect to walk away alive.¡± [Ren]

    Seriously, are these scary comments about me supposedly compliments in demon culture? There was a time I was self-conscious about my ¡®scary looks¡¯ for a while back home, you know?

    <¡°Hey, if you got the goods, you should show them off to their fullest. If someone isn¡¯t satisfied with what you got, I don¡¯t see why you should continue wasting your time with them when you got others who actually appreciate it¡ª¡±>

    BWOOOOOOOOOON!

    Just as I was listening to Nyra¡¯s comment in my mind, a sudden heavy pressure falls on us. I recall Kenaka using something similar when I first summoned him, but this pressure has far more malice and anger possible that even makes me stiffen up some.

    ¡°W-What the?! This ¡­ magical pressure!¡± Eugus exclaims with a strained voice while most of the others barely caught themselves from the surprise. Even I feel my chest tightening from its struggle to breathe air.

    ¡°Jin! Inside the building!¡± Ume calls.

    I look over to where she¡¯s pointing but I only see a wall, but it¡¯s when I activate my Magic Sense skill that I realize what she¡¯s referring to. Numerous people are gathered in what looks like a living room, most look to be of the Demon-Kin with their maroon-colored auras, but there¡¯s one cyan one that identifies it as a human. There¡¯s an aura that¡¯s strangely purple while remnants of cyan emanate from it. It¡¯s like the purple aura¡¯s covering the majority of the cyan¡¯s color before fading away by its true color.

    And then there¡¯s the one that stands out from the rest. Its color is also maroon, but currently spiking like a blast that overwhelms the other auras surrounding it. I could even make out a little of the figure from its contours alone, wearing an extravagant dress from the looks of it with long flowing locks.

    ¡°Is that ¡­¡±

    ¡°If what we were guessing on the circumstances is correct, then Lady Krauss had just put everything together when she was not in the know until now,¡± Ume answers for me.

    ¡°This is going to be ¡­ interesting.¡±

    I look over to see it was Sue who muttered that calmly, strangely unfazed by the pressure in the air as she looks towards that building with one arm holding her massive breasts, and the other putting a hand over her mouth, but that did little to cover the expression on her face that somehow sent chills down my soul.

    Eyes squint to slits and a smile that could possibly split her face in half from the strength of her cheekbones, a sadistic expression of one ready to see a bloodbath unfold right in front of her, like a kid watching a live performance taken place on stage.

    Just who ¡­ or what are you, Sue?

    ~~

    ¡°Milady!¡± Gabriella screams, interrupting Beelzebub as she runs into the room with her armor clanging about. ¡°Whatever you do, do not answer that¡ª¡±

    BWOOOOOOOOOON!

    ¡°Gah!¡± Gabriella grunts, suddenly stopping in place, but in a position to see Noire¡¯s current expression.

    The smile that¡¯s on the noble Vampire¡¯s face at the moment looks plastered, fake, yet still could fool anybody under normal circumstances as she has practiced putting such a mask on for any occasion over the many years she has been alive; however, if a normal person was in that room at that moment, they would not be able to stand under the sheer magical pressure that has everybody else frozen in place under the audacity that is Noire Scarletine Krauss¡¯ silent rage.

    Being the fianc¨¦ of Perseus Shalowreed Rowling, the leader of the Duke of Demon Disciples, Noire had a chance to see and know every member of that esteemed party at least once. The moment she heard ¡®Tyvera¡¯ and her party¡¯s name together in the same line, everything came together for her at an instant, and in contrast to the smile on her face, Noire is currently not happy as she looks towards the Dullahan¡¯s direction.

    Noire calmly raises an open hand towards her bodyguard¡¯s body. ¡°Heavy Sin.¡± At her chant, a magic circle appears below Gabriella¡¯s feet and sounds of chains could be heard.

    ¡°Guh! M-Mi ¡­ lady ¡­¡± Gabriella grunts as a great pressure and weight are placed on both of her legs. She couldn¡¯t budge them an inch, despite how light they actually are in real-time. It¡¯s as if everything from the waist down had turned to stone for her, and while she could still move her torso, she cannot force her legs to budge even a millimeter for the life of her.

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    That¡¯s to be expected of Noire¡¯s Curse Magic spell, Heavy Sin, allowing the user to inflict a single target with the ¡®disabled movement¡¯ ailment, which disables any of its attempts to run away. They could still try to fight back, use some skills, and cast spells with what they can move from the waist up until the ailment wears off, but Noire¡¯s magical pressure that everyone in the room¡¯s currently put under has also made Gabriella¡¯s resistance pointless.

    Seeing the affliction being a success, Noire consciously lessens the pressure enough for her servants to move. She then snaps her fingers while keeping her smile on. ¡°Seize Gabriella¡¯s lying head, restrain her body and move it to the cellar, at once. Oh, and strip the armor off of her as well. All. Of. It.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milady.¡±

    ¡°H-Hold on! Stop! You cannot do this, Lady Krauss! I am not just your bodyguard! I am a representative of Lord Rowling! Whatever ideas you have going on, he will not be pleased!¡± Gabriella exclaims as the maids quickly remove her head and tied the body¡¯s wrists together in the back before moving down to the ankles. As the body was taken away, the maid who¡¯s holding the head removes it from the helmet, revealing Gabriella¡¯s face to everyone in the room. The contortions on her face show how much she¡¯s struggling to break free of the restraints the maids are putting on the body, but with so many ganging up on her at once and their senses of direction split between it and the head, the resistance quickly grows to be pointless.

    ¡°And I think you and Rowling are forgetting something here,¡± Noire says as she bends over slightly to Gabriella¡¯s level, staring her straight in the eyes that are currently dull gray with black scleras as she tips the head up by the chin. The sharpness of Noire¡¯s squinting glare, despite the contrasting smile, would be enough to stab right through Gabriella¡¯s own if that was possible. ¡°With the current status of our ¡®relationship¡¯ right now, he is not the one who stands above me. As long as I bear the Krauss family name, he will submit to our whims, and when Father hears about it by the end of all this, it will not be I who will be standing above hot water here. Though you and Tyvera are only following orders, both of you shall also receive your due punishment.¡±

    ¡°Ghk!¡± Gabriella grunts while flinching, a subtle hint of red is shown on her cheeks.

    ¡°Ah~, from the looks of your face, it seems they are already working to strip your under armor. I love it when they work quickly, and your body¡¯s more sensitive than I thought if you are making such expressions.¡±

    ¡°M-Milady, when you ordered them to strip me of all my armor, you didn¡¯t mean ¡­¡± Gabriella strains.

    ¡°I would rather not mince words when making orders, Gabriella. As much as I want to see your body squirming, I have important guests I need to attend to, so just sit back and watch for now and do not try to break anything down there in that cellar, or you will pay for them dearly.¡±

    Thwack!

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    To add insult to injury, or technically the reverse of it, Noire flicks Gabriella by the nose before straightening her posture and looks up to the maid holding the disembodied head. ¡°Make sure she keeps quiet.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milady.¡± The maid takes out a towel she has on hand and shoves it in Gabriella¡¯s maw to gag her. She wouldn¡¯t be completely silent, but at least her rebuttals will be incoherent and muffled down.

    It should also be noted that the towel was used before made into a gag. Gabriella is currently tasting the filth of whatever the towel cleaned off before getting washed properly.

    The other guests who¡¯re currently in the living room, even though the pressure from Noire¡¯s magic has worn off a while ago, they¡¯re still rather stiff and quiet after witnessing what had just transpired.

    Noire sighs out some of the tensions that were building up in her body moments ago before smoothing out her hair and the wrinkles from her clothes from the sudden surprise. She even made sure her voluptuous chest was rather presentable.

    The males do not dare comment on such improper actions of a lady if they don¡¯t wish to be put into the same position as the currently restrained bodyguard. Noire¡¯s aware of that, and so she ignores their gaze.

    She then turns to Beelzebub after fixing herself up enough. ¡°How do I look?¡±

    ¡°A-As beautiful as always ¡­ like a million karos,¡± Beelzebub slightly stutters.

    Noire then takes one last breath to calm and compose herself. ¡°Only let Eugus, the two representing escorts, and the captive Harpy inside and keep the others occupied until further notice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milady.¡± The maid who answered the door first bows and makes her way back to the front and let Noire¡¯s guests inside.

    Ah, it is no good. After that little moment of drama, I¡¯m still on edge. I¡¯m sure those outside have also felt that pressure that I admit was going rather overboard on my part. Those escorts are my only hope to make this situation more doable. I pray they aren¡¯t too frightened of my influence just then, Noire thinks as Eugus makes his appearance first in her sight with Tyvera in tow with a purplish-black rope.

    ¡°Lady Krauss, it is an honor and pleasure to see thou again so soon,¡± Eugus greets while bowing.

    ¡°Likewise, Eugus. Tyvera, I see you have been doing well.¡± Noire¡¯s mask of a smile along with the slight sarcastic remark sends shivers down the Harpy¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Y-Yeah, never been better. Hey there, Gabriella. They got you, too, huh?¡± she asks shakily while straining a smile.

    Gabriella could only snort in a huff at her cohort, both in frustration and disappointment in Tyvera¡¯s failure.

    ¡°Hey, there, Eugus.¡± [Konjiro]

    ¡°Greetings, Centaur.¡± [Beelzebub]

    ¡°Good morning, Eugus~!¡± [Julius]

    ¡°¡­ I expected Konjiro, but Julius ¡­ and Lady Beelzebub, ¡®tis a surprise,¡± Eugus says drones.

    ¡°Beel¡ª!?¡±

    Pachi!

    A shout followed by a slap over the mouth sound from the entryway, out of sight from those in the living room.

    ¡°Fufufu~n. I see~, for you to react in such a manner from my name, you must know of the great powers I possess and are in fear of me,¡± Beelzebub says while standing up before waving her arm to the side. ¡°Well, you should fear me, lowly peasant! For I¡ªthe Great Beelzebub!¡ªam here as an acquaintance to Lady Noire to observe and judge your worthiness to become her escort in the dungeon crawl quest¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Who are you to call my Jin ¡®lowly,¡¯ you¡ª¡± a scantily-clad woman with large curves and sapphire scales over parts of her body growls as she steps out of hiding and was about to unleash hell at the Flyran, only to be stopped and interrupted by having her arms locked back by another pair in black sleeves curling from behind.

    ¡°Ume! Get ahold of yourself! We¡¯re dealing with nobility here!¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­¡± The moment the human man appears in her sight, Noire¡¯s sense of time drastically slows to a near standstill.

    Dokun.

    Pitch black hair, strong, piercing eyes that could make anybody stop and tremble in fear with a single glance. They may not be aiming at her, but the mere sight of those features going along with that face suddenly makes her chest feel very tight.

    Where have I ¡­

    Dokun.

    Her powerful heartbeat feels like it¡¯s trying to break free of its sudden restraints. This wasn¡¯t the first time she felt this way, though. No, Noire feels like she experienced something similar before, how long ago, she can¡¯t seem to figure out for the life of her, but it was only ¡®similar¡¯ in comparison.

    What Noire¡¯s feeling now is far different towards the young man before her. She had never felt her body crying out to her in such significance before. She had never felt so warm that the hottest summer days couldn¡¯t possibly bring her. She had never thought the tightness in her chest that¡¯s making her feel breathless, would ever make her feel so light and fuzzy. She had never thought of wanting to be stuck in such a frozen state of time so she could take in the details of each sensation in her body at that moment for the rest of her days.

    Dokun.

    Could it be due to a spell? It could be so in some form, but not in the way she¡¯s thinking. Even so, she wants to be kept spellbound, because this is the first time in her long life that she truly felt like a woman, a maiden at its truest form, who actually wanted a man to look at her without any nefarious gains.

    This isn¡¯t ¡­ what I think it is, is it? she thinks while placing both hands to the center of her chest, taking in the swelling that¡¯s occurring in her large bosom all the while.

    No, Noire, you mustn¡¯t! How could you even think of such an act towards someone at first meeting?! He is your guest! Your potential escort to the dungeon! Compose yourself, woman! Even if that strong, bulging, healthy neck looks delectable enough to sink your fangs into and¡ªno! What even are these feelings?! I have never even felt these when I make all of those pairings with those bishonens! Pairing him with either Konjiro or Julius may seem rather charming, but these are going beyond those things!

    The black rank Human Brawler, Jinma Kotori ¡­ just what kind of man are you to rouse these feelings? I must investigate this thoroughly. Personality, background¡ªdoes he have a thing for the yakuza with that attire?¡ªrelationships with his party¡ªit¡¯s an eye-opener he¡¯s even the mate of a Lizardman female¡ª preferences, does he like them big or small, blood type, what he eats, kinks like getting bitten¡ªwhy is your mind going into that direction, woman?! Stop it!

    Calm and composed as she may seem on the surface, the subtle red tints on her cheeks shows for the first time how her body really felt from her mind, whether she¡¯s aware of it or not.

    It¡¯s at this moment that the lady, Noire Scarletine Krauss, just experienced the first taste of something that dropped in the hole of her heart, and was desperate to fill it up to the brim, even if it means resorting to her instincts as one of the noble lineages of Vampires that they¡¯re so well-known for.

    This is where the noble closet fujoshi Vampire¡¯s love story truly begins.

 Chapter 90: Introductions Made, Surprises Revealed

    ¡°Ume! Get ahold of yourself! We¡¯re dealing with nobility here!¡± I exclaim as I lock Ume¡¯s arms and hold her back from unleashing unnecessary wrath on a noble. Her large lizard tail flails about and smacks on my side.

    ¡°But Jin¡ª!¡±

    ¡°No buts.¡± I then spin her around to where our backs are towards the others in the lounge and sidestep out of their view. I move close to her fin-like ear. ¡°If we make a bad impression in front of Lady Krauss now, especially with how bad things have gotten, she may want to drop this quest altogether and we¡¯d lose a chance to establish a connection for us to meet the Demon King. You want to help me with that, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to meet more people who¡¯ll condescend us like that down the line, so it¡¯s important that we be on our best behavior while not taking comments like that too personally. I¡¯m happy you want to stand up for me but I¡¯ve dealt with worse. I could handle that much, so please, can you try to restrain yourself? For me?¡±

    Ume looks like she wants to retort something but couldn¡¯t come up with a good one. So, she sighs in defeat. Her agitated lizard tail limps from the deflated energy. ¡°You have done a lot for me, for the rest of us. I can at least do that much for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ume. Love ya.¡± To emphasize my feelings and loosen her up a little, I place a peck on her neck, right along the line where the skin and scale meet, one of her ¡®Sweet Spots.¡¯ I could feel the pleasant shiver run down her spine from that intimate contact.

    ¡°L-Love you, too ¡­¡± And with that, the crisis was averted.

    ¡°Holy shit ¡­¡± Tyvera mutters as she and Eugus look on at the sight from our side. She has watched us being physically affectionate a few times on our way over here, but this was the first time she¡¯s seen me taking an initiative like that. I guess Tyvera wasn¡¯t prepared to see that as her face flushed and quickly turned her head when she noticed my gaze. I don¡¯t pay that in any mind, though.

    ¡°Our deepest apologies for our rudeness just now,¡± I start off as I lead the both of us back in view to the others of the living room. ¡°We¡¯ve been a little on edge due to some circumstances that arrived on our way over here.¡±

    Eugus clears his throat. ¡°Yes, indeed ¡­ we will go over those ¡®circumstances¡¯ after introductions. Will the two of thee please come this way?¡±

    Ume and I nod and move to the spot where Eugus gestures us to.

    ¡°May I introduce to all of thee ¡­ the two adventurers I have personally chosen to be the main escorts of this quest: Umeiyon of the Lizardmen, and the leader of the Twilight Sky party, Jinma Kotori of the Humans.¡±

    ¡°It is an honor and pleasure for us to be in your presence today,¡± I greet while I lead the bow, Ume follows with a curtsey, or what she could make of one from whatever part of her ¡®skirt¡¯ from the apron/cheongsam that¡¯s available to hold.

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    Only silence fills the room.

    <¡°Oh, yeah, this is starting off really well.¡±>

    <¡°Jin! Though I am not familiar with these procedures, even I can sense how tense the air is right now! Did I really mess up that badly?!¡±> Nyra and Ume make their points in the silence through Telepathy.

    Don¡¯t lose hope just yet. It¡¯s up to the one with the highest social standing to say the word of when we make any further movements, just as Eugus taught us. Just keep up for a little longer.

    <¡°¡­ Hm? Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Wait. A. Minute! I thought something had been bugging me the moment we stepped in here! Is this seriously happening?!¡±>

    What? What is it, Nyra?

    <¡°My Psyche Magic! It¡¯s sensing powerful feelings right now that I didn¡¯t think would be possible on the first meeting! It¡¯s coming from¡ª¡±>

    ¡°Jinma ¡­ Kotori, and Umeiyon, yes? You may both stand and be at ease.¡±

    Hearing the cue that was likely Lady Krauss¡¯, despite interrupting Nyra¡¯s take, the two of us stand back up and look to our client.

    With how hectic it got with Ume¡¯s outburst from the beginning, I had yet to get a good look at everyone¡¯s profile yet, so Lady Krauss¡¯ is the first I¡¯d get to see since I came in this large, fancy cottage ¡­ and the moment I set my eyes on the lady¡¯s before me, I think my breath got stolen away.

    Large, dark amethyst eyes that pop with long eyelashes; a few hair strands that resemble a red string of fate, but dark as crimson; and smooth, clear skin of white marble. Those are the first things I see when I get a good look at Lady Krauss¡¯ face, and I can¡¯t seem to tear my eyes away to view anything else. She¡¯s a tad taller than Ren, so neither of us need to tilt our heads any more than needed while sacrificing comfort to strain our necks, but her face and complexion shows the youthfulness of a high school girl. As one who has made a habit of checking every nook and cranny of the person before me with my eyes from experience in life and my previous job, this is one of the very few and rare occasions when I didn¡¯t need to look anywhere else to know how beautiful she is from her face alone. Hell, even the fangs poking out of her luscious lips somehow give her a nice touch of cuteness that complements the youthfulness of her beauty.

    I have yet to see Elves of both types to confirm they¡¯re similar from what I had read in books and other ¡®research¡¯ of mythology from Earth, but Vampires ¡­ their description of their beauty being ethereal and out of this world isn¡¯t too far off the mark from what I¡¯m seeing now. Even recalling as much as I could of Obina¡¯s looks from my first meeting with her, Lady Krauss¡¯ would certainly be something that¡¯s considered near the same level, if not on par.

    It could be my Hyper Thought Processing and Hyper Perception skills that are allowing me to analyze and process things at faster speeds than normal but I feel like I¡¯ve been staring at Lady Krauss¡¯ face for hours and I have not yet gotten tired of it to check the rest of her form. I don¡¯t think I even want to turn my eyes away to anything else, and somehow, I have a slight feeling that Lady Krauss feels the same way. It¡¯s as if we¡¯re in our own little world.

    ¡°Lady Noire?¡±

    It was another girl¡¯s voice that snaps both of us out of our trance, causing Lady Krauss to blink and cover her mouth, poorly hiding her ¡®I forgot what we were doing for a moment¡¯ shocked face. A hint of red grows on her white cheeks out of embarrassment, almost similar to roses in a marble background.

    That somehow made her even more charming and cuter than she was moments ago, and that¡¯s when it hit me.

    I don¡¯t think either of us is safe with each other by ourselves.

    <¡°You got that right! My Psyche Magic¡¯s sensing the lady¡¯s fallen head over heels and even you are having a hard time containing yourself!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    ¡°Please pardon me for my delayed greetings,¡± Lady Krauss says before pinching the sides of her flowing gothic lolita skirt and curtseys with a delighted smile, her blush still distinguishable. ¡°Salutations. I am the eldest daughter of the Krauss family head, Noire Scarletine Krauss. I thank you for coming all this way to take part in my selfish request on what seems to be such short notice, and with impeccable timing for that matter.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ prob¡ª*ehen!*¡ªI mean, it is no trouble at all, Lady Krauss. I am happy and honored to make your acquaintance.¡± I got stagnant and awkward for a bit there before I caught my composure.

    Lady Krauss caught my fumble though and giggles to herself. The mere gesture tugs at my heartstrings. ¡°No need to be so uptight, Jinma, especially with these circumstances. If I may ask, are yours and Umeiyon¡¯s clothes made of enchanted Arachne silk?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes, actually! Our Arachne tailoress friend made these to be self-repairable by applying mana into the fabric! From what she told us, anyway!¡± Ume exclaims, pleasantly surprised.

    ¡°You can tell that much at a glance, Lady Krauss?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need a skill to know a fine artisan was able to tailor amazing clothes with such a fabric. I especially like Umeiyon¡¯s unique cheongsam design.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± Ume asks, blushing from bashfulness while fluttering her outfit side to side. ¡°I was honestly not sure about it when I first saw it, especially when I don¡¯t usually wear clothes anyway, but then I remembered Jin collaborated with our tailoress to design this towards my own tastes and preferences. Isn¡¯t my husband so kind and considerate to think about it this much?¡±

    ¡°¡°HUSBAND?!¡±¡± the majority of people in the room exclaim.

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean you don¡¯t ¡®usually wear clothes?!¡¯¡± Tyvera asks with flushed cheeks.

    ¡°Oh, my, oh my~,¡± some other guy in the room says, but what was discussed just moments ago made me realize something.

    ¡­ Wait, hold on, how did she know Ume¡¯s wearing a cheongsam? I thought that design isn¡¯t widespread in this world yet? I think while my eyes glance at Noire, only to see she¡¯s looking at me with a half-lidded gaze with a mischievous glint.

    ¡°Really~? You have a finer and more interesting taste in fashion than you appear, Jinma, let alone your preferences in the opposite sex.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s uh ¡­ not really a preference but more that things happened that lead us to be like this. Though I admit I don¡¯t have as much luck with human women, I know I would come to love my wife no matter her race. To me, she¡¯s too good and beautiful to not let anyone else snatch her away, even if they¡¯re of the same race with better compatibility to her than she is with me. I¡¯ll more than beat them down if they so much as to try anything with her.¡± I emphasize my point by interlocking my fingers with her lizard claw-like ones.

    Out of my peripheral, I see Ume turning away with her face flushed red, but she tightens her grip on my hand while her tail wags ecstatically.

    Ah, I was a little uneasy for a moment being taken in by Lady Krauss¡¯ beauty, but this confirms it: Ume¡¯s just too cute to ignore. Damn, now I want to spoil and dote on her more.

    <¡°She¡¯s definitely very happy from what I¡¯m sensing ¡­ hm? This is peculiar.¡±>

    What is it, Nyra?

    <¡°The Vampire¡¯s happiness just grew a little from your display of love, too ¡­ but there¡¯s also some sadness and envy as well.¡±>

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°How nice ¡­¡± Lady Krauss¡¯ mutter seems to have complemented Nyra¡¯s evaluation further from what I could tell from her tone.

    Does Lady Krauss also long for a relationship like Ume and I have?

    <¡°It¡¯s possible. Considering what has happened with her fianc¨¦ interfering with these affairs, I¡¯m not sure how long she had these feelings, but it seems she certainly wasn¡¯t into the arrangements of her engagement for a while.¡±>

    Eugus clears his throat. ¡°I hate to interrupt this conversation but Jinma¡¯s other party members and a fan of his art still waiting outside.¡±

    ¡°A fan?¡± Lady Krauss asks.

    ¡°Ah, yeah. She caught us before we left Dondegarm and wanted to travel with us. She¡¯s not part of the party, more like a guest of ours. She¡¯s aware of the circumstances in this quest, too,¡± I explain.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ have her and the rest of Jinma¡¯s party be let inside as well and we will introduce ourselves with everybody in the room,¡± Lady Krauss orders one of the nearby maids.

    ¡°Yes, Milady.¡±

    Soon enough, the others have gathered inside the cottage¡¯s living room as well. They¡¯re in awe by the scenery and decoration of a noble¡¯s residence. Strangely, Sue¡¯s the only one who¡¯s totally unfazed of the luxurious household. She¡¯s still attentive of her surroundings but isn¡¯t as interested in the details. The look she has is like mine when I went to a museum with Hyo-chan once back in my primary school days: totally bored and ready to go back home to find something better to do. That¡¯s the kind of air Sue has on her right now. Actually, Kenaka and Mametama don¡¯t seem as enthused, either. They were the king and queen of their respective factions in their realms, though, so maybe they lived in a similarly luxurious lifestyle.

    Lady Krauss was immediately taken in by Mametama¡¯s cougar cub cuteness after I introduced her along with everyone else in my party, and so with Mametama¡¯s okay and my permission, she cradled her by the arms and played with the soft pads on her paws. The image of her in such a scene drew me into her charms further.

    ¡°What an interesting line of adventurers we have here. It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I will let you all introduce yourselves to them now,¡± Lady Krauss says to the other people in the living room.

    And the first one that comes into my sight instantly at point-blank is a flashy human gentleman in pink as he eagerly shakes my hand. ¡°Jinma Kotori! I have heard great things about you! I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you since I first caught word and you are more charming and handsome than I imagined! I am Julius, the guild master in Bomira¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild that resides in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory. It is a pleasure to finally meet you!¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ wait, you came all the way from the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory to here ¡­ for me?¡± I¡¯m so surprised by this treatment I had never received from another guy before that I had difficulty in making a coherent response.

    ¡°Of course! Some other guild masters shared their own interest in you when Eugy reported to us of your prowess.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Please, do not call me ¡®Eugy.¡¯¡±

    He must be talking about after Eugus took my Innate Stats Ranking card from Dondegarm¡¯s church the day before. I see, so when someone registers the adventurer¡¯s guild the first time as a black rank, then all of the other guild masters in Padimon are informed as well. Is it just circumstances like this or does everyone who¡¯s close to becoming a black rank go through the same thing?

    ¡°W-Wait, hold on, if Guild Master Julius knows of him like that, then ¡­ Mr. Jinma, are you a black rank?¡± Tyvera asks from behind me, confirming my suspicions.

    ¡°Ah, now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t told you that, have I? I just registered as an adventurer the day before with my Innate Stats ranked and am starting out at the bottom-most barrel of other black ranks, at least until after my performance in my first quest here is evaluated.¡±

    ¡°And I started out around the same time as a red rank from my ¡®Battle Rank Test¡¯ or something,¡± Ume follows before the both of us take out our respective adventurer cards.

    ¡°Yes, the two of us were just as surprised as the others when we had our meeting. Isn¡¯t that right, Konjiro?¡± Julius asks, turning his head to the direction of the next person.

    ¡°¡­ Yes, quite. I am Konjiro, the guild master for Palocaesy¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild. I will be playing mediator to these events. A pleasure,¡± he introduces while bowing his head.

    ¡°Uh, yeah ¡­ pleasure.¡±

    <¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You seem a bit tense?¡±> Nyra asks.

    Nyra ¡­ it¡¯s a walking and talking fox wearing a shinshoku¡¯s robe. How can I not be tense?

    <¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? It¡¯s the same for Ren and other Werebeast subraces of the Demon-Kin.¡±>

    No, it isn¡¯t! He¡¯s got a fox¡¯s head! Ren has cute wolf ears, tail, and paws¡ªwait, are you telling me the males are actually more animal-like than females in appearance?

    <¡°¡­ Ah, wait, seeing a glimpse of your memories, I am seeing werewolves with beastly physiques among some illustrations you¡¯ve seen in the past on your homeworld. Okay, I can see how you¡¯re a little off-put by this. So, in this world, yes, the males among Werebeasts are more ¡®animal-like¡¯ or ¡®furry¡¯ in appearance while females have the more ¡®nekomimi¡¯ look in your terms.¡±>

    Aren¡¯t there ¡®Beastmen¡¯ in the Demi-Kin as well? What are they like?

    <¡°From what I¡¯ve seen in memories of the previously possessed, both females and males are more ¡®nekomimi¡¯ in appearance with human-like limbs.¡±>

    That doesn¡¯t make any sense!

    <¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±>

    I just think these races should have more distinguishable appearances from each other to tell apart. Kitsunes are part of the Werebeasts, right? Since Ren is part of that as well as a Werewolf, I would think her image would be more like Konjiro¡¯s, being a ¡®furry¡¯s,¡¯ you know? Actually, aren¡¯t Lizardmen also part of the Werebeasts as well? Shouldn¡¯t Ume¡¯s disguised appearance look more like a lizard¡¯s, too?

    <¡°Wait, so, you¡¯d rather Ren and Ume look more like a wolf and a lizard to satisfy your bestiality fetish or something?¡±>

    NO! I just think that if you¡¯re going for something, it should be all-or-nothing or it won¡¯t be consistent! Like weapons! A sword is a sword because there¡¯s at least one bladed edge that cuts into things, right? Would you be confused if someone suddenly called a sword a ¡®stick¡¯ or vice versa instead?

    <¡°Hey, don¡¯t ask me, talk to the Immortals. They¡¯re the ones who decided to make everybody the way they are today.¡±>

    I will go do that, but in the meantime, gods, whatever your reasons, I thank you for making Ume and Ren as cute as they are today and not making our relationships any weirder than they are in this world¡¯s standards.

    [AN: You are quite welcome, Jinma.]

    ¡°I suppose it is my turn now!¡± another girl exclaims, the voice familiar from what I heard when I came in. While she¡¯s the same height as Sue, her chest is very normal and small that goes with the petite figure, but what really stands out are the large fly-like wings that buzz in eagerness, insect claws and legs, and the antennas that jot out of her short green hair. If it weren¡¯t for those, the bikini-like attire she currently has on her tanned physique makes her like a younger girl trying too hard to look like an adult. In fact, the lone fang that jots out of her lips actually makes her somewhat cuter.

    She then makes a ridiculous pose that¡¯s supposed to look cool, yet intimidating. ¡°Hailing from the royal bloodline of the Flyran race, I stand before you as the Lord of Flies, the Empress of Insatiable Gluttony, the Minister of Agriculture, and acquaintance of Lady Noire Scarletine Krauss. Kneel and tremble before the Fearsome, Almighty, and Great Beelzebub!¡± she introduces before cackling evilly.

    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±

    ¡°Stunned silent, are we? Well, that is no surprise. You are standing before the most powerful of the Flyrans, the one worthy to be dubbed ¡®Beelzebub¡¯ after standing above the twelve other brothers and sisters of the royal bloodline in victory of a great battle for the throne. Yes, with my great magic, sorcery of darkness, and cunning, even as the youngest of all of us thirteen siblings, I stand at the top as the strongest of all Flyrans.

    ¡°Now that I recall, you were the one who yelped at the mention of my name, yes? Even now, as I see you hiding your face, averting your eyes from me, you are well aware of how fearsome I really am! Even your wife has realized the extent of my power from how she hides behind your back! Yes, tremble! Feast your eyes on the greatness that is Beelzebub, as it will be the last thing you¡¯ll ever see!¡±

    I admit that I was surprised when I heard Beelzebub¡¯s name. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d hear such a familiar name from Earth be brought up here in Raiza. I honestly thought we¡¯d be in big trouble if such a big shot of demons was among us and we mess with her bad sides.

    That was before I laid eyes on the little girl doing chuunibyou poses trying to look almighty and cool ¡­ and definitely before I used the Size Up skill on her stats and caught a glimpse of her name.

    [Margaret (Beelzebub the 113<sup>th</sup>) Maggy Buzzington]

    I was ¡®trembling,¡¯ all right. Trembling from how cringy her performance was and how much I tried to hold myself back from busting a gut in front of everyone.

    <¡°Margaret. Maggy. Buzzington! Hahahahahaha! BUZZington! Maggy! As in short for ¡®maggot¡¯! I can¡¯t! I just can¡¯t¡ªhahahahahaha~!¡±>

    It didn¡¯t help that Nyra was laughing her head off in my own head. Not only that, my Telepathy was still on between Ume and me, which means she is also having difficulty containing herself after hearing Nyra¡¯s outburst. It¡¯s amazing how contagious laughter can be as we hold each other, trying our best to keep ourselves from getting out of composure, but with little success from how everyone is giving us weird looks.

    ¡°Yes, yes, we are all aware of how ¡®great¡¯ you are, Lady Beelzebub, so you may sit back in your seat,¡± Lady Krauss says to her acquaintance. The baffled loli fly shrugs and obliges. Ume and I hit each other by the back to snap ourselves out of it and clear our throats before turning back to our client.

    ¡°The last one, as much as I would rather not do it, I will have to due to these circumstances,¡± Lady Krauss continues as she gestures to the object being carried in a maid¡¯s arms.

    That object is a disembodied head with pale light gray skin, brunette hair with silver-white highlights, and dead gray irises surrounded by black scleras to make up the eyes that are currently trying to kill me with her glare. The washrag gagging her mouth really dampens the intimidation factor of her expression.

    Perhaps it¡¯s because there are so many elephants in the room that I couldn¡¯t notice the small yet so outlandish scene before me when I first came in, let alone jump in fright at the sight of a disembodied head. Then again, I¡¯ve seen my fair share of dead bodies both on Raiza and on Earth, so I¡¯m not sure how concerning it is that I¡¯m unresponsive to the sight.

    ¡°This is the head of my supposed ¡®bodyguard,¡¯ Gabriella Carlamat, who represents and is in cahoots with her superior alongside Tyvera, the other half of us who requested the adventurer guild¡¯s services, Perseus Shallowreed Rowling,¡± Lady Krauss introduces.

    ¡°So, you are the one I spoke to on the Messaging Crystal on our way over here,¡± I say while bending over to meet her level.

    Muffled by the gag, she could only growl with resentment in response.

    ¡°Ah, so you two have spoken?¡± Lady Krauss asks.

    ¡°Yes, after I caught Tyvera spying on us on the way over here. It seems as soon as Gabriella figured out what kind of person your assigned escort was, your truly, she attempted to abort the quest by handing you a forged letter by your little sister as an excuse,¡± I explain.

    ¡°Is that right ¡­¡±

    ¡°Milady, we have found the message Master Kotori spoke of,¡± one of the maids confirms as she passes over an envelope with a wax seal keeping it closed.

    Lady Krauss takes the envelope and takes her time in examining the envelope as well as its contents. ¡°¡­ When something is urgent, my sister always takes the time to write me the letters herself. This is not even her handwriting, and the stamp, as well as the wax seal, has signs of it being forged compared to what the Krauss family bears. I am insulted that you all underestimated me enough to be a fool that can be manipulated under your whims.¡± She rolls up the message and bops Gabriella¡¯s head with it, flinching her.

    ¡°If it means anything, I was unaware of the quest aborting countermeasures. That was something Lord Rowling and Gabriella came up with themselves before the latter filled me in with everybody in Mr. Jinma¡¯s party present.¡± Tyvera defends.

    ¡°But you were still following his orders with Gabriella from the very beginning, were you not? What role were you playing in all of this?¡± Lady Krauss asks with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°I was tasked to observe and seek out the assigned adventurer escorts while keeping an eye out for any danger approaching the cottage from the outside. Initially, if the assigned adventurers weren¡¯t suitable to Lord Rowling¡¯s and your standards, then I would stand in as an ¡®emergency escort¡¯ for substitution, but as Mr. Jinma caught me without being even remotely aware of his presence, I think that already speaks levels of how qualified he is to be your escort, Lady Krauss, but that isn¡¯t all.

    ¡°Two mornings ago, I spotted a violet geyser of magic from the distance with my Deadeye skill. That came from a clearing of Eeriegreen Forest that¡¯s some distance away from Dondegarm before a large swarm of monsters surrounded and attacked the cause that seemed to have drawn them in. At the time, I thought it was a foolish human who had no idea what he was doing, and as much as I wanted to fly over and help him myself, I was ordered not to leave my post.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you do not mean ¡­¡± Lady Krauss trails off, looking surprised as her eyes lock on me. Even Gabriella and I are shocked that Tyvera¡¯s even releasing that info.

    Tyvera nodded. ¡°Yes, that came from Mr. Jinma himself, here, who has not only survived the monster swarm but also dealt with all of the monsters that went there. I checked the scene myself late that same night with no sign of blood and body nearby that I could report to Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, but it seems not only were my worries unfounded, but Mr. Jinma just proved to be a far more capable human than I initially thought.¡±

    Tyvera then turns to me and bows deeply. ¡°I know it¡¯s late to say this, but I do apologize for not helping you out back there like I should¡¯ve, as well as being part of this whole mess that I didn¡¯t really want to be in from the beginning. I will accept whatever punishment is doable for me, but I have one request that I would like to have filled after I atone.¡±

    ¡°And ¡­ what would that be?¡± I ask.

    Then, much to everyone¡¯s surprise, despite being bound behind her back, Tyvera collapses on her knees before hitting her head on the floor, ass in the air, to perform a compromised dogeza.

    ¡°Please! Let me join your party and become one of your mates!¡±

    ¡°¡°WHAAAAAT?!¡±¡±

 Chapter 91: A Ladys Propositions and a Brawlers Unfavorable Route of Fate

    ¡°Wait, wait, hold on, you¡¯re part of the strongest adventurer party in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, right? Surely, they¡¯re pretty high up there in ranking that pales in comparison to ours. Why would you join our party despite that?¡± I ask after helping Tyvera sit back upright.

    ¡°And what made you want to be one of Jin¡¯s mates?¡± Ume then follows.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m asking for a lot here but I¡¯m tired of being a part of this party that didn¡¯t turn out what I had hoped for when I signed up,¡± Tyvera starts while looking down. ¡°The Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples. They are a party composed of the strongest adventurers known in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, whether it be among their own race or some other. It¡¯s so well-renowned that some of the members have their own ¡®sub-parties¡¯ to work for them. I¡¯ve worked as a solo adventurer for quite some time, enough to be recognized as the ¡®Terror of the Skies,¡¯ the strongest Harpy to have lived, and so Lord Rowling recruited me for that reason. When I heard the ¡®disciples¡¯ have their own parties, I thought ¡­ joining it would give me enough recognition for my own, to be with people who aren¡¯t afraid of me, and maybe find a capable mate I may come across while I¡¯m with them.

    ¡°I was so wrong! Save for one or two, the other disciples are a bunch of assholes! Even working under Gabriella has started to become annoying!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Gabriella¡¯s gagged, so she could only look so appalled.

    ¡°Not only that but being part of the disciples have also scared people away from me even more! The more I worked for them, the more I realized how cruel everybody is, especially Lord ¡­ no, fuck formalities! I hate Rowling! So many times, I wanted to claw out his neck, but I know he¡¯d freakin¡¯ killed me if I even think that! Up to this point, I had to do what I was told if I didn¡¯t want to become a roast chicken, including turning my eyes away from people in need of help, and that is so not how I roll! How they¡¯ve also always bashed hate on humans put such a downer on me and my efforts to find a mate, too!¡±

    ¡°Ms. Tyvera, if I may,¡± Ren starts with a hand up, sitting on the floor in seiza with a seat cushion below her. ¡°There are human male slaves out there if you know where to look. I¡¯m sure the slave merchants who sold Eri and I also have some back in their main quarters in Alluga that are worth however much you earn as an adventurer of your caliber.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want a human male slave! Whatever backgrounds they came from, I know they¡¯re not good for me if they wound up in their current positions! I¡¯m not looking for just any guy to ¡­ to ¡­ you know! Make babies with! I want a man with the balls to not get intimidated by me and can actually hold his ground! A man who actually accepts me for who I really am like I would want from friends!¡±

    Tyvera takes a moment to catch her breath before looking up to me with upturned eyes and a straining smile. ¡°I saw hints of both of those and so much more from the short time I spent watching you and your party, Mr. Jinma. Your wife and the others genuinely adore you, you give that affection back, and they get along with each other, too, despite how different you all are. Not to mention, you¡¯re kind of a hunk when I first laid eyes on you.¡±

    <¡°Oo la la~, bird girl putting it all out there, what a twist!¡±> Nyra comments. I scratch the back of my head and avert my gaze in awkwardness from being called a ¡®hunk.¡¯

    She then looks down while biting her lower lip. Her eyes start to well up. ¡°I was watching my dream party right in front of me and it took so much to keep myself from breaking down from the pain of loneliness I was feeling. If you don¡¯t feel attracted enough of me to make one of your own, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯d be satisfied enough if we could start over and become friends at the least, but please ¡­¡± Tyvera trails off before hitting her head on the floor once more in a compromised dogeza. ¡°My money, my gear, I¡¯ll give you all of it, I¡¯ll do anything you want, just please, get me out of that trash mob and let me join your party! Please!¡±

    All of us is stunned silent, it¡¯s almost deafening how quiet the living room became after her confession.

    That is until a stifling giggle breaks the silence.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯ll do anything you want.¡¯ I did not hear that incorrectly, yes? You are true to your word, Tyvera?¡± Lady Krauss asks as she stands next to me, looking down on Tyvera while holding an open decorative fan to cover the lower half of her face, only revealing her amethyst eyes.

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do anything! If it¡¯s for what I¡¯ve done towards Mr. Jinma¡¯s party and Lady Krauss, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make up for it!¡±

    ¡°Uh, Tyvera, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe your words, but you should probably restrain yourself a little ¡­¡± I say.

    In fact, it¡¯s because of my maxed-out Intuition skill not responding to Tyvera¡¯s claims that I¡¯m deeply concerned. Not only that, Lady Krauss somehow knows she isn¡¯t lying, either, and though I can¡¯t see her lips, the glint in her squinting eyes shows how much she¡¯s really smiling right now. Somehow, I even find that rather charming, yet it sends a chill down my spine.

    Before I could even say anything further, Lady Krauss beats me to the punch.

    ¡°Well, then, I believe there is a proposition we can work out that can settle the issues that surround this quest right now,¡± Lady Krauss starts while folding her fan closed. ¡°Despite the complications, I do still want to clear the dungeon in one go. It would be dangerous to rush, so it would be wise that we take our time with the number we currently have.¡±

    ¡°Actually, a word, Lady Krauss,¡± Konjiro interrupts. ¡°According to Lord Rowling, he wishes for you and the assigned party to clear the dungeon within 5 days.¡±

    ¡°5 days?¡± I ask. ¡°That would mean we¡¯d have to go through at least 12 floors every day to get to the bottom 60<sup>th</sup>, right? I don¡¯t know how big dungeons usually are, but can anybody clear this one while going through bosses at that time?¡±

    ¡°The fastest time an adventurer party of five has cleared the Palocaesy Dungeon is 3 days,¡± Konjiro explains. ¡°While it is possible to achieve, it¡¯s not as easy to pull off. Since the minimum rank is blue, whether the adventurer¡¯s going solo or in a party of 5, Rowling thought this time would be most reasonable, and it is the average time adventurers of that rank complete the dungeon, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Konjiro ¡­ I am aware that is approaching and he said he would have a date marked for when that would come, but I expected it to be further away from today. Did he give us that time limit knowing how close it would be? Were thou aware of them all of this time? Moreover, were thou aware of Tyvera¡¯s involvement?¡± Eugus asks while straining his voice and furrowing his brow.

    ¡°The conditions were sent to me this morning. I was actually going to relay that message to Lady Krauss when I came here, but Lady Beelzebub didn¡¯t really give me a chance. The date of that has been marked for 2 weeks from tomorrow. Taking the required time to complete the quest into account, there would be enough left over for Lady Krauss to return to Korangar immediately afterward and prepare for that date. As for Tyvera¡¯s involvement ¡­ no, I was not filled in on that at all.¡±

    A ringing sound comes in my mind, making me straighten up a little.

    <¡°Jinma ¡­¡±>

    Yes, Nyra, I know ¡­ Konjiro¡¯s hiding something, I answer to her in my mind.

    According to my Intuition, everything that Konjiro just stated up to Tyvera was true, which can only mean a few things:

    <ol>

    <li>Going by how he emphasized ¡®that,¡¯ Konjiro could be referring to Lady Krauss¡¯ and Rowling¡¯s wedding, which is apparently scheduled 2 weeks from tomorrow. Why cutting it so close while expecting us to clear the dungeon in 5 days, I¡¯m not sure of yet.</li>

    <li>Konjiro, acting as the mediator of these arrangements, is actually in on Rowling¡¯s plans from how he played dumb on Tyvera¡¯s involvement. Question is, what are his gains, especially since it seems to put his place as a guild master in such a compromising position.</li>

    </ol>

    ¡°¡­ I have not been filled in on this. Why did he not send me that same notice?¡± Lady Krauss asks while furrowing her own brow. Seeing as how my Intuition didn¡¯t react, she really didn¡¯t know this, either.

    ¡°He did tell me to relay this news to you, he probably figured that would be enough. Here¡¯s the message to prove it.¡± Konjiro then takes out the envelope and hands it over to Lady Krauss.

    Just like before, she inspected the envelope and its contents in a thorough matter. ¡°Hmm ¡­ this does seem legitimate, but considering the circumstances now, his input at this moment is meaningless to me. Create Fire.¡± With that and a snap of her fingers, the envelope and letter spontaneously combusted, immediately turning them to ash and making us jump in fright. The nearby maids immediately clean up the ashes that fell to the floor.

    Well, at least we know she specializes in Fire Magic, I think.

    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Lady Krauss continues, ¡°I have a proposition that can look past your interferences in this quest by Rowling¡¯s hand while still allowing the both of you to participate in it, Tyvera and Gabriella.¡±

    ¡°And what would that be?¡± Tyvera asks while looking up.

    ¡°Simple: Tyvera leaves the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples and joins Jinma¡¯s Twilight Sky party ¡­ as his slave.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    ¡°Whoa, whoa, time out, I understand their interference is a huge deal but isn¡¯t that kind of harsh?¡± I ask.

    ¡°While I have much to discuss with Rowling after the quest, if he truly wishes to make amends for his hindrance towards me, then he needs to provide collateral in some form for the time being. He should be thankful I am even making this as painless as possible by cutting Gabriella¡¯s pay in half alongside that, of which will go to whatever penalty fees necessary the adventurer¡¯s guild charges us for inconveniencing them, if not to your party on top of the reward money you will earn for completing the quest, Jinma. That is if he decides to take my proposition to look past his blunder. As for what will happen if he refuses to accept it ¡­ it is unfortunate, but I will drop this quest altogether, have him pay for the penalties for wasting all of our time, have him questioned for the marked date on that, and demand appropriate punishment for Tyvera and Gabriella for their involvement of going against the Krauss family¡¯s affairs ¡­ perhaps execution would be suitable enough?¡±

    ¡°¡°HUH?!¡±¡±

    ¡°I mean really, it may be two black ranks, but does Rowling really think just the two of them would be enough to help me get through the dungeon as an ¡®emergency substitution party¡¯ within 5 days?¡± Lady Krauss continues while shrugging her shoulders. ¡°It would be a different matter if there was no time limit, but unlike the three of them, I have not gone into a dungeon before. I would be making a death wish if I went along with his demands. Moreover, he had just committed invasion of personal privacy through using Tyvera as an illegal prowler, forgery of a noble family¡¯s seal and impersonating a high-ranking noble through a forged letter. Around these parts, they are bigger offenses than humans may make light of. Yes, Rowling said he had assigned Tyvera as a second bodyguard, but unless he told me otherwise further ahead of time, we would not even be in this mess and Tyvera at this moment is an illegal trespasser to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Do you or your family have that kind of political power to make such a demand like executing someone?¡± I ask.

    ¡°The current head of the Krauss family, my father, Ramone Silshire Krauss, is the Minister of Defense and Weaponry. I only need to relay these events to him, he reports them to the Demon King, and she will decide on things accordingly. Considering how close in acquaintanceship he is to her, though ¡­ I do not think it will take much to convince her into going along with the execution.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    So, this is what a demon noble is capable of ¡­

    <¡°Yeaaaaaah, you can count me out on any further political affairs. Even if I hate the guy I¡¯d have to service the rest of my life, I¡¯d take being a sex slave over getting executed any day,¡±> Nyra quips.

    ¡°And you wish to send a message to Lord Rowling about this proposal, Lady Krauss?¡± Konjiro asks.

    ¡°I understand that we are on a schedule right now and a message can only go so fast. This is a very critical matter that needs to be resolved posthaste, but if I recall, Rowling assigned a representative to stand in for him to make decisions on his behalf. Now, who was that again? Ah, yes, Gabriella.¡± Lady Krauss then turns to the disembodied head whose eye is twitching from the sheer stress and anger of the situation. Her mouth is still gagged with the washrag before Lady Krauss orders the maid holding her to remove it.

    The Vampire lady then bends over with a fan over her mouth to hide the conniving grin. ¡°Well, Gabriella, today is your lucky day. You get to decide your own fate on behalf of your superior¡¯s. So, what will it be? Give up half of your money and your comrade who is clearly dissatisfied with you and your party to slavery under Jinma¡¯s possession, or risk to put both of your lives under Her Highness¡¯ judgment? And before you ask whether I see Jinma and his party qualified to escort me on this quest, my decision is already made. What happens from here will depend on you and him.¡±

    It¡¯s clear she has taken everything into account to come up with her proposition in such a short span of time, all so she could put on the pressure on Gabriella with her life and reputation on the line. It seems that when an opportunity to get back at those who wronged her arises, she will relish every moment of it.

    Not that I don¡¯t understand her feelings when it comes to me and my own battles, but this is a much grander scale than I could ever pull off.

    ¡°You knew what kind of person Jinma Kotori is, how I would react when I discover his identity and chose to keep it to yourself until this very moment. I think you already know where I stand when it comes to working with people like him,¡± Gabriella says before shooting a glare in my direction.

    ¡°With all due respect, Gabriella, you were never one to get along with anybody in general. You may despise us just as much as you do for people like Jinma and Julius. I could have told you the truth, but your attitude would be bothersome for me to deal with for a few days. Even so, the final decision of who is worthy to be my escort through the dungeon still falls to me. I may not know what Rowling saw in you, but it is clear your skills as a Dark Knight are second-to-none. You should be grateful I am even giving you this chance from that alone when I could just drop you altogether. So, what will it be? Give up one¡¯s life and half of your reward money to another, or put two lives, including your own, to the chopping block? The choice is yours, Gabriella Carlamat.¡±

    The disembodied head practically growls her discontent and looks away. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking care anymore. I hate everybody here but I hate losing my life again like this even more.¡±

    ¡°That settles on her decision! Tyvera, you may not have had a say in this but you did say you would do anything to atone. Are you satisfied with these arrangements?¡± Lady Krauss asks her who still sits on the floor wide-eyed throughout the whole spectacle.

    ¡°¡­ Yes, I think this is fine,¡± she submits while bowing her head to the lady standing above her.

    ¡°And now we go to you, Jinma Kotori,¡± Lady Krauss then says while folding her fan closed, revealing a face that¡¯s apologetic and full of sympathy. ¡°First, allow me to deeply apologize for the trouble you have gone through to make it this far. These are clearly personal affairs between Rowling and I that should not involve third parties, yet our complications resulted in miscommunication with the adventurer¡¯s guild. I do hope you could forgive and not think less of me.¡± She then bows her head with eyes closed.

    ¡°Um, no, not at all. This is a bit confusing for us as well, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ¡­ bad, per se, since you¡¯re going this far to settle things.¡± More like I know now how I shouldn¡¯t mess with you under any circumstance.

    ¡°You are too kind, Jinma. Eugus, I also apologize for having you go out of your way going through all of this.¡±

    ¡°No matter the circumstances, if thou still wish to continue this arrangement, thou must pay for the repercussions of not making the details of this quest clear for the guild and our assigned adventurers. It is imperative that the adventurer is filled in on all of the conditions and information on the quest at hand, and we of the guild do not wish to send them on quests that would lead to dangers outside of our knowledge.¡±

    ¡°I fully understand and am willing to pay for whatever is necessary to settle the penalty. If Jinma still wishes to take part in this quest, then I can offer him and his party a bigger reward for taking his time after the dungeon is cleared. Let¡¯s see, I believe it was 780,000 karos before, yes? How does one white gold coin sound?¡±

    The silence that fills the room after Lady Krauss¡¯ suggestion is deafening.

    That¡¯s a million karos, isn¡¯t it?

    <¡°Damn right, and this ¡®sucker¡¯s¡¯ fucking loaded!¡±> Nyra answers.

    ¡°Of course, this is if you still wish to take on my quest, Jinma,¡± Lady Krauss continues. ¡°I will not hold anything against you if you would rather decline. You will still receive Tyvera¡¯s services as your slave and I will pay for the penalties with Gabriella¡¯s pay cut before the two of us return to Korangar and I have a firm discussion with Rowling. I do not wish to burden you with my personal affairs any more than I already have, and you can definitely be sure that I will not bring them up as we take on the dungeon should you take on my quest.¡±

    ¡°I will remind thee that thy reputation will not be affected if thou decide to decline,¡± Eugus adds. ¡°We will still need to assign thee another quest to serve as a replacement trial to evaluate your capabilities as a newly-registered adventurer starting off at black rank, but if thou decide to still take this quest, then we will go along with the trial as originally planned.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡± I look down, deep in thought, before the familiar scale-covered claw interlocking with my hand catches my attention. I look over to see Ume giving a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with whatever you decide for us, Jin. I will make sure nothing will come to harm you, and so will the others,¡± Ume says as she turns to the rest of our party who are sitting on the floor. They all give their determined smiles and nods in confirmation. Sue seems to be occupied with her own thoughts but with how contemplative she looks right now, it¡¯s hard to tell what she thinks of everything here.

    In my deeper thoughts, I recall Tephalia¡¯s warning last night about involving myself in Lady Krauss¡¯ affairs. If her family is that close to the Demon King then it¡¯s no wonder others may try to marry into it: to have that political and governmental power to do a variety of things one can¡¯t do on their own, and if they get on their bad side ¡­ they could very well disappear.

    I glance over to Lady Krauss. As far as I know, other demon nobles could handle these affairs in a similar fashion as she displayed. I have yet to see a noble of any kind in this world that would determine the standards and exceptions of nobility. While I admit she¡¯s an ethereal beauty that has a sort of charm of drawing me in, when I remember with a clear head where we stand, I¡¯d be crazy to think I might have some kind of chance with her, especially if I may put my party¡¯s lives on the line from making even the smallest of fuck-ups. Putting my LUCK in the equation, just who knows how long this ¡®streak¡¯ will go before things go downhill?

    If I simply choose between the lives of my party who¡¯ve cared for me up to this point and a beautiful lady I had just met, then the decision¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?

    <¡°Are you sure about this, Jinma? I mean, according to my Psyche Magic, she¡ª¡±>

    I honestly don¡¯t want to make things any more complicated than it needs to be. The only reason we came this far was because getting close with Lady Krauss would give us a chance to have an audience with the Demon King. That¡¯s less of a hassle in the long term than turning myself in as a Champion that she has everyone in her territory search for. It¡¯d be one thing if it was just you and me, but we got Ume and the others to take into account, as well. In fact, if I just went to the Demon King on my own with that plan, then I¡¯d risk the least number of casualties possible. Yeah, let¡¯s go with that plan. If we somehow come across other opportunities along the way, we¡¯ll look into them, but as long as the Demon King¡¯s search for the Champions still goes on¡ª

    ¡°Milady! It is urgent!¡± one of the maids exclaim as she rushes into the room with parchment in hand.

    ¡°¡­ What could it possibly be this time?¡± Lady Krauss asks while restraining her annoyed tone. It seems she¡¯s had a number of surprises today and she was already getting tired of the frequency.

    ¡°Just read this!¡± the exclaims while shoving the parchment in Lady Krauss¡¯ face.

    ¡°¡­ A proclamation from Her Highness?¡±

    The words ¡®Her Highness¡¯ straighten up everyone in the room in shock. The only exceptions are Julius, Ume, me, and Sue.

    Lady Krauss takes the parchment and skims through the contents. ¡°¡­ Yes, this has the royal seal and everything. This is a legit proclamation. Where did you get this?¡± she asks the maid.

    ¡°They¡¯re falling from the sky outside!¡±

    From that, we all look out to the nearest window and sure enough, there are many parchments falling from above. Some winged people, Imps, Harpies, and the like, are flying in a coordinated fashion as they drop more from their knapsacks. Palocaesy¡¯s citizens are all looking up in wonder as they snatch a parchment from above and on the ground to read the contents.

    ¡°Muhfuh! Muhfuh!¡±

    The muffled calls and a tug on my blazer catch my attention before I turn and see Ren ¡­ sitting in a squat with a parchment in her mouth like a dog fetching a newspaper while her tail wags in pride and accomplishment.

    Since when did she get an opportunity to go out and get that? No, more than that, why is it that she¡¯s becoming more dog-like lately?

    <¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the important thing here, dude,¡±> Nyra quips as I take the parchment out of Ren¡¯s mouth.

    At first glance, I, of course, can¡¯t read jack shit, but I recognize the characters to be Padimonian. Ume remembers that and thankfully steps close to my side and read the message aloud.

    [By Her Majesty, the Demon King¡¯s, decree, she will no longer accept any more Champions that residents of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory have escorted to the kingdom and hereby bring the ¡®Territory-Wide Champion Search¡¯ that has lasted for the last 4 years to a close. She thanks you for your support and efforts in the search up to now and wishes you all a pleasant day.

    Long Live the Demon King.]

    A heavy weight falls on my stomach and shoulders long before Ume finishes reading the decree.

    <¡°Dude? Isn¡¯t that ¡®Champion Search¡¯ the only fallback plan you have to have an audience with the Demon King?¡±> Nyra asks.

    ¡­ It was. I had a fallback plan relating to that, anyway.

    <¡°Wow ¡­ that is one hell timing for her to stop the search. If you try to go up there with that now, they probably won¡¯t even look at you even if you show proof like the bracelet. With that closed and no other known method to get an audience with the Demon King available, that means having good enough relations with the Krauss family to introduce you to her is the only chance you have right now, and who knows when another opportunity like this will ever come up? Sheesh, what ¡®LUCK¡¯ to have that route closed, huh? I guess this is how it finally starts to catch up to you.¡±>

    WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!

    ¡°So, she is finally stopping this search, huh?¡± Lady Krauss asks before shrugging. ¡°Not that I care for it all that much but I do wonder what brought her to make such a thing in the first place. Well, no matter. Getting back on topic, what is your decision, Jinma?¡±

    At a loss and in defeat, there¡¯s only one thing I could do. If I don¡¯t take this chance now, like Nyra said, who knows when another opportunity will arise? How do I know it will be better or worse in terms of risk than this one? Other than ¡®Shining Tea Set¡¯ with no known whereabouts of their residence or even their race, the Demon King, a Devil, is the only other hope I have who can possibly provide answers as to why I, a [D-]Human, possess a skill like the Devil Eyes and maybe learn how to control it.

    If my LUCK is taunting me to take it, then I¡¯d have to kick it in the balls and do everything I can to make sure everybody in my party and Lady Krauss can walk away from the quest safe and sound.

    ¡°¡­ Yes. I will accept these conditions and Twilight Sky will participate in this quest,¡± I answer while trying not to sound disappointed and restrain myself from hanging my head.

    ¡°You will?! Oh, this is wonderful!¡± Lady Krauss exclaims as she takes one of my hands in both of hers and looks up at me with sparkling eyes. ¡°Really, you have no idea how happy and grateful I am to receive your assistance, Jinma.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Lady Noire! Are you telling me you will really take this human in as your escort without further questioning?!¡± Mar¡ªI mean Beelzebub exclaims. ¡°We have not even seen what he can do! And did I hear right that he just registered as an adventurer recently, and as a black rank no less?! Does this not sound suspicious to you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Lady Beelzebub,¡± Lady Krauss interrupts while strongly emphasizing the name as she turns her head to the fly loli, hands still holding my own. The smile is still plastered on her face, but I could suddenly feel an intense pressure coming off of her that sends chills down my spine. ¡°I will be taking Jinma Kotori as my escort. My decision is final. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Crystal,¡± Beelzebub squeaks before sitting back in her seat.

    Lady Krauss clears her throat and lessens the pressure before turning back to me, the air surrounding her smile more genuine than it was seconds ago. Actually, it¡¯s like there¡¯s some kind of warm, bubbly glow that starkly contrasts her gothic lolita look in ways I didn¡¯t think was possible. ¡°As I was saying, Jinma, let us work hard together and make this adventure a memorable experience for all of us.¡±

    Partially afraid of turning her mood sour, I force the best smile I could while straining a laugh. I pray my maxed-out Deception skill is helping to take most of the work off of my mental strength. ¡°Yeah ¡­ we won¡¯t let you down, Lady Krauss.¡±

    Aaaaaaaaaugh! It doesn¡¯t help that Lady Krauss looks kind of cute like this! What the hell did I even sign up for?! I gotta clean myself with Ume¡¯s love after this is over!

    And with that, our first quest as the adventuring party, Twilight Sky, has been reconfirmed. The only good thing that came out of all this is that we get a new capable party member in Tyvera joining the group as the third member of my Slave Harem with Ren and Erizora. I¡¯m still a little apprehensive with how that came to be, but at least she has her own charms that I¡¯d like to get to know ¡­ if the others are okay with it, that is.

 Chapter 92: A [Slave] Merchants Concern for their Customer

    With the agreement to the assigned quest¡¯s conditions settled, the first few things we needed done were officializing it as well as finding a slave merchant to brand Tyvera as my slave. Eugus had blank parchments and an inkwell with quill stored in his armlet for situations like these, as do all guild masters, apparently, and while he was writing up the new conditions, I demonstrated my capabilities as an adventurer by using [Portal] to fetch us a slave merchant for this situation.

    ¡°Ah! So, that¡¯s how you got here so quickly! How very useful, indeed~!¡± Julius exclaims when he first sees it in action.

    ¡°¡­ But this is your first time here in Palocaesy, yes?¡± Konjiro asks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to them. You go ahead and do what you need to do, Jin,¡± Ume says.

    ¡°Thanks, Ume.¡±

    From there, I made a hop, skip, and a jump back to Dondegarm, right in front of the temporary establishment where the only slave merchant I personally knew was currently doing business.

    Ms. Carmen Todoka, the slave merchant who sold Ren and Erizora to me, was certainly shocked at my sudden arrival, and more so when I mentioned what I needed to borrow her for.

    From what she explained to me, while there have been cases when people have sold off others to fulfill a debt the potential slave couldn¡¯t pay for on their own or some other circumstance, it¡¯s not often that a highly capable adventurer would sell themselves off to another unless they lost a high-stakes bet or some other. Having the ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯ be marked a slave as a penalty for interfering a quest ¡­ while her ¡®family business¡¯ keeps these dealings discreet, it¡¯s highly likely that news will spread like wildfire.

    Even so, one might have seen how Ms. Carmen¡¯s eyes turned into gold karos coins at this opportunity before she quickly packed whatever materials necessary for enslavement and certification. Once Ms. Carmen notified one of the more capable-looking slaves to watch the place while she was gone, the two of us hopped right back into Lady Krauss¡¯ residence through my [Portal].

    ¡°¡­ We were not even halfway through our route to Palocaesy before thou had the entire carriage make a leap to a ways from the city gates the first time around; then, thou hopped right back to Dondegarm, and finally back here again,¡± Eugus ¡®greets¡¯ on our immediate return before he rubs his eyes. ¡°I do not know if I should get used to this madness or just pretend thou had a bunch of mana potions on hand and move on.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m seeing it yet I still can¡¯t believe it ¡­¡± Tyvera adds with widened eyes, still bound by ¡®ropes¡¯ made from my Darkness Manipulation skill.

    ¡°Incredible ¡­ your magic capacity must be gargantuan,¡± Lady Krauss says with sparkling eyes filled with wonder.

    ¡°Whoa whoa wait, hang on, you mean we¡¯re in Palocaesy right now?¡± Ms. Carmen asks while turning to me.

    ¡°Yeah? Did I forget to mention that?¡±

    ¡°¡­ A-And the lady in the room?¡±

    ¡°You are Carmen Todoka that Jinma referred us, yes?¡± Lady Krauss asks before giving a curtsey. ¡°I am Noire Scarletine Krauss. I thank you for giving us your valuable time in this matter.¡±

    ¡°N-No! Not at all! I apologize for intruding in your home so abruptly, Lady Krauss!¡± Ms. Carmen exclaims before going straight to dogeza before her. The sudden change in formality is a surprise for me.

    ¡°There is no need for you to apologize, Carmen. I understand if we¡¯re interrupting you and your business and wish to return to it posthaste, so shall we get the enslavement going underway?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Absolutely! Do you mind if I get my things ready in your kitchen?!¡±

    ¡°Go right ahead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much! Mr. Kotori, come with me, please!¡± Without even waiting to hear my response, Ms. Carmen takes my hand and pulls me straight inside.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Moments later, we¡¯re at the corner of a kitchen counter as Ms. Carmen uses her own [Storage] to take out and set up her supplies needed for this arrangement. ¡°Mr. Kotori! What the hell did you sign me up for?! Conducting business with a demon noble in Palocaesy of all places?!¡± Ms. Carmens in a loud whisper.

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± I ask with a quirked brow.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem, but ¡­ the closer we are to Korangar, the more demons there are that aren¡¯t as favorable having us humans walking about in the open. Compared to everybody in Dondegarm who¡¯s open arms to welcoming humans, I¡¯d say there are 30-40% of demons in Palocaesy who¡¯d rather see us wallowing in the slums. There¡¯s a reason Dondegarm¡¯s the farthest our business can go in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory. Not only that, but do you even know how big the Krauss family is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been told the head is the Minister of Defense and Weaponry.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, which means they know how to kick our asses if we so much as try anything in their kingdom.¡±

    ¡°¡­ How much of the demon population in Korangar, the kingdom of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, I imagine, would you say are unfavorable to humans?¡± I then ask.

    The moment ¡®Korangar¡¯ came out of my mouth, Ms. Carmen froze in place before she stiffly, yet shakily turns her head to me. ¡°¡­ Mr. Kotori? Please tell me you¡¯re not planning on going there.¡±

    ¡°I need to get over there ¡­ I have some personal business to be settled.¡±

    Despite our height differences by half a head, Ms. Carmen puts both hands on my shoulders and looks at me straight in the eyes. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s amazing that I¡¯m actually more scared of how serious you are in this than the look of those eyes themselves. I may not have been there myself, but going by what Father had heard from the grapevine ¡­ there could very well be 80% of demons over there who would have no qualms of beating you to the ground to prove their superiority. Some of them may even make it as a favorite pastime and makes sure their ¡®toys¡¯ disappear without anybody seeing how fucked up they made it ¡­ and their disappearance is permanent.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask what business you have over there, but if you can help it, do not engage them in a fight, never wander alone, and most importantly, keep your comrades safe, especially your slaves. Compared to other [slave] merchants, we Todokas prioritize the well-being of our slaves, especially after the redemption. I won¡¯t forgive you if something happens to Ren and Erizora.¡±

    ¡°What about how you willingly lent them to Lady Tephalia in order to ¡®sate my uncontrollable desires?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hey, that was their choice and the circumstances seemed dire at the time when she explained it to me. I made that contract so Lady Tephalia would receive the least drastic punishments by paying some money for collateral if something happened to them. Having one slave die under their watch is a more complicated matter than you might think but that isn¡¯t the point. Are you going to take responsibility of the two ¡­ no, three lives under your ownership, or aren¡¯t you?

    I could only give a firm nod in response. I can¡¯t really promise not to engage in fights, but that aside, I could never let anyone get away from doing anything to those two or the rest of my party. They¡¯re my new family, after all.

    Ms. Carmen went back to prepping her materials, including taking out the same black ink she used before to transfer Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s ownerships over to me. ¡°A few drops of blood in here, please. Are you still planning on coming with me to Alluga after whatever business you have here finished?¡±

    I make a small cut on my hand with Nyra¡¯s blade and drop a few beads of blood in the ink before healing the wound with magic. ¡°I¡¯m planning to, but the quest we¡¯re about to take soon, clearing Palocaesy¡¯s dungeon, will actually take longer than I expected. I was hoping to hitch with you afterwards, but ¡­ would it be possible I could get a refund for the trip since I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be back? You said it will be within a week that you¡¯ll head over to Alluga, right?¡±

    Ms. Carmen pauses and taps a finger to her chin while looking up. She then shoves six fingers total on two hands in front of my face. ¡°Tell you what. You give me this much and we will hold off on the trip back until you arrive. It¡¯s gotta be within the next ¡­ 10 days from today though, or we will leave without you while requesting an investigation on your whereabouts. Father still wants to see you and we both want to see how much Ren and Erizora have grown since they¡¯ve been taken under your care. I know this is a lot, but I gotta keep our slaves as well as myself cleaned and well-fed, you know?¡±

    My eyes are widened at such an offer at first, but then I smirk and take out 6 gold coins (60,000 karos) from the pouch I keep in my [Storage] and pass it over to Ms. Carmen. ¡°Thank you very much for doing this, Ms. Carmen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a unique customer, Mr. Kotori. It would be a shame if we lose a potential regular so soon. I¡¯m going to assume you¡¯ll buy a seat cushion for your new Harpy slave to use? It saddens me to say that I don¡¯t think I have any maid uniforms for her size, but if I could get her measurements, I can relay them to Father and have him put in an order ready for you to pick up when you stop by.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes, and definitely yes, please.¡± That reminds me. I have yet to see Ren and Erizora in their own maid uniforms. There¡¯s been a lot going on, but I really hope I get to see them in it soon.

 Chapter 93: Owning Feathers and Controlling Hearts (?)

    With that, Eugus had finished writing the conditions and agreement before Lady Krauss signed and stamped it with a seal as the two of us came back inside. After I signed my own name in Padimonian and the fee for the service has been paid on Lady Krauss¡¯ account, Ms. Carmen went right to work on the enslavement process.

    Unfortunately, there isn¡¯t a procedure that directly enslaves a person to be the ¡®customer¡¯s¡¯ property immediately. The slave merchants would have to enslave them under their own possession first before doing the ownership transfer ritual to pass her along to me.

    With that said, we got to see how a slave merchant enslaves someone before our very eyes, which was quite different from what I¡¯ve seen of other skills up to this point. According to Ms. Carmen, there¡¯s apparently what¡¯s called the Enslave skill that can be acquired when one bears the Slave Merchant title, and the person would have to go through some processes to even be qualified for it through the slave merchant¡¯s guild.

    If there¡¯s one other method for someone to acquire the Enslave skill, that would be earning it as a reward for clearing a dungeon in Padimon, but when there are numerous things one could win from doing that, the chances of that happening are uncertain. Even if they did somehow get the skill, they can¡¯t do any business without being registered as a legal Slave Merchant first or they¡¯d be committing illegal trafficking. Owners need certifications to let their slaves get into towns alongside them, after all.

    As we all watched Ms. Carmen using Enslave before our very eyes, directed at Tyvera who was still bound and kneeling on the floor, something hit me that I almost forgot.

    Natural-Born Brawler, one of the first few titles that I started out with since I came to this world. I didn¡¯t know how significant that was at first but going back to my fight with the old drunkard during the White Rapture¡¯s raid, despite how inebriated he was, he realized how much of a threat I could be down the line. I recalled further back and remembered how strange it was for me to learn and cast magic with no experience. The only things I got going during that time was watching how some of the cults cast spells and what I learned about magic through some books I read back on Earth. Then there were skills like Slash and Mow Down I learned after watching Ren and Erizora in battle at the raid. Skills like Shortsword-Wielding and Dagger-Wielding only got integrated into my Slugger Style Brawler skill and leveled it up.

    Natural-Born Brawler ¡­ can I see what that title entails?

    As if my request was heard, a notice screen appears in front of me, the same kind used when I appraised Tyvera¡¯s Night Vision Goggles and Messaging Crystal with the Street Smarts skill earlier. The description read as follows:

    [Natural-Born Brawler: This title acknowledges the user for how they¡¯re evaluated in their battles and surviving long enough with the Brawler class to become a capable fighter of his own merits; grants the user a hidden ability that allows him to learn new skills and spells after observing and understanding them before trying them for the first time without spending SP; the level of mastery is dependent on the user¡¯s understanding of the skill or spell; the first time is always free with no cost of HP and MP.]

    What the fuck is this broken title?! Hidden ability?! So, I don¡¯t even know the name of the ability because it¡¯s hidden from me or is it whoever that created this chaotic mess was too lazy to even come up with it?! Be consistent with your game mechanics, dammit!

    <¡°Dude? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the important thing here. Are you getting a good look at Caramel using that skill?¡±>

    My Hyper Thought Processing skill is activated so I¡¯m seeing it all in slower speeds. I watch how after Ms. Carmen chants ¡°Enslave, start,¡± she takes a wand and draws a hexagram in a circle. It¡¯s my first time seeing it, but even with my sense of time slowing down, I could see she¡¯s still undergoing training to be a capable Slave Merchant, but she¡¯s got some talent in the practice. Once the hexagram and circle are complete, she points the wand at the center, aiming towards the sitting Tyvera who has her eyes closed as if she¡¯s submitting herself to fate.

    Ms. Carmen then moves the hexagram circle to above Tyvera¡¯s head before lowering it down. Tyvera flinches a little from the contact, but still resigns herself to Ms. Carmen¡¯s whims as she moves the pattern in a way that the circle would go around her neck while the hexagram is still on top of her head.

    Then ¡°Enslave, bind,¡± comes out of Ms. Carmen¡¯s mouth before the patterns on Tyvera glow. The hexagram sinks into her head while the circle brightens up and closes in to cling itself around her neck before turning into the same blue ring that is on Ren and Erizora. Both of the participants sigh a breath of relief after holding onto it for some time, indicating the end of the enslavement ritual.

    <¡°So, what do you think? You think you can pull it off?¡±> Nyra asks.

    I sigh internally. I¡¯m not too sure what to think. I¡¯m still absorbing how ridiculous that title is. Also, people can write in the air and anywhere with magic if they¡¯re capable of doing it, right? Wouldn¡¯t anyone be able to enslave a person if they just repeated what she did?

    <¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more to this skill than just drawing and moving fancy shapes. What will you do if you succeed?¡±>

    Not abuse it, for one thing. Since I don¡¯t want to break any laws, I would probably resort to it only at the direst of emergencies, and even if I tried, it looks like there may be some difficulty in enslaving the target if they¡¯re unwilling to cooperate like Tyvera is. Sure, it may be easier if I max it out as I have with others but then there¡¯s the question of ¡®do I really need to use this if I¡¯m not willing to break the law?¡¯

    <¡°You could register as a Slave Merchant.¡±>

    I¡¯m not really sure if I¡¯d like that kind of occupation.

    <¡°So ¡­ it would totally be useless, then.¡±>

    Pretty much.

    <¡°Well, we can at least try it on somebody to see if your Natural-Born Brawler title does as it says.¡±>

    Who would agree to that, though?

    <¡°¡­ There¡¯s Flanks. I¡¯m not sure how keen Scalybutt would be enslaved to her husband, even if it¡¯s only briefly, but Flanks is the only other person in the party who¡¯s not branded yet still displays the same level of servitude as the other two. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll take any opportunity to be relied on and be of use if you ask her.¡±>

    I glance over to Kalline who was watching the ritual with an observant gaze. She seems to be really evaluating Tyvera for some reason.

    ¡­ I¡¯ll have to think about it. Also, did you just call Ms. Carmen ¡®Caramel?¡¯

    <¡°What? I saw a piece of caramel once in your memories and it looked good. She has that ¡®uncertain and square¡¯ feel about her when it comes to business that makes liking her a bit of a challenge, but like the candy that gets softer and sweeter as it settles in the mouth, you get to like her once you get to know her. Plus, her hair kind of resembles the color, too, so, ¡®Caramel.¡¯¡±>

    ¡­ That¡¯s the most weirdly thought-out reason for a nickname that I¡¯ve ever heard from you.

    <¡°I bet ya she¡¯ll taste just as sweet if you eat her out, though.¡±>

    There¡¯s the perverted Pixie I know and love!

    ¡°All right! That went easier than I thought!¡± Caramel¡ªI mean Ms. Carmen exclaims after raising her hands in victory. ¡°Normally there¡¯s a lot more pain if the target resists and struggles, making aligning the pattern that much more difficult, but this turned out well! Go ahead and untie her.¡±

    ¡°I did feel a slight prick for a brief moment ¡­¡± Tyvera trails off as I will the bindings from my Darkness Manipulation skill to dissipate. She sighs a breath of relief after finally getting her freedom back as she rubs her bird talon-like wrists and rustles her wings

    ¡°Maybe a part of you was still uncertain of going through with this. I know that feeling from experience,¡± Ren says with a hand to her chest before pumping her fists in a guts pose with determination. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry, you¡¯ll like what comes next, and if you think of completely giving yourself to Master, it will be totally painless.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°G-Giving myself ¡­ is that what happened with you two?¡±

    ¡°Been happily serving Master ever since!¡± Erizora answers this time while bouncing a little in her seat cushion, her titanic tits also bounced with the same amount of vigor. I could sense the majority of eyes in the room watched that spectacle in awe.

    ¡°A-All right, then ¡­ but what do you mean I¡¯ll like what comes next?¡±

    Tyvera reddens when Ms. Carmen explains she has to remove her top and tauten her breasts to draw the ¡®transfer symbol¡¯ on her sternum with the ink and blood concoction, followed by me touching it and applying my magic into it.

    Eugus, Konjiro, and Julius immediately decide to step out to give her some privacy when they got the gist of what was going to happen, leaving me and Kenaka the only guys in the room full of girls. Gabriella could only look at Tyvera and me with great scorn, but the Harpy doesn¡¯t pay her any mind.

    ¡°H-Hey, Mr. Jinma ¡­ no, I should start calling you ¡®Master¡¯ or something now, right?¡±

    ¡°Tyvera, you can call me whatever you like. Everyone in our party has their own thing for me.¡±

    ¡°W-Whatever I want? Then ¡­¡± Still reddened, she squirms on the seat cushion I bought from Ms. Carmen for her. ¡°May I call you ¡­ Chief?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a new one. Is there a significant meaning behind it?¡± I ask with a quirked brow.

    ¡°Well ¡­ since we Harpies are all females, there can be some competition on who would get a mate they like, but if they¡¯re on friendly terms and come to an agreement, they can form what we call a flock with our mate as the head. A few have grown to the size of small villages in the past, and so we have named males who start them all as chiefs.

    ¡°There¡¯s that, and ¡­ whether I would be by myself or with some fellow females, I kind of wanted to grow a large family for some time now, and so the name ¡®Chief¡¯ sounded like a good pet name for a mate to me. You¡¯re already getting a good start on it with what you have in your party right now, and then there¡¯s ¡­ my feather.¡±

    ¡°You mean this?¡± I ask while taking her feather out of my pocket.

    ¡°How should I put it ¡­ humans have rings to symbolize marriage, right? It¡¯s kind of the same deal if we Harpies give a feather of ours to our mate.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Oooooohhh.¡± That explains why she was so flustered when I showed her the feather the first time.

    ¡°Oh! But I couldn¡¯t possibly let you have what you found on the ground as the symbol of that!¡± Tyvera corrects while frantically waving her hands and even rustling her wings in a fluster. ¡°I would need to get at much better one from my wings that I could make into an accessory for you to wear on your person! N-Not that I would think I would ¡®own¡¯ you as a husband by just wearing it since this ownership thing is clearly the other way around! And ¡­¡± she rambles on while not making eye contact with seemingly no sign of her stopping at some point. She seems to be the kind of person that talks a lot when nervous.

    A tap on my shoulder catches my attention and I turn to see it¡¯s Ume lightly smiling while touching her fin-like ear, giving the tell to talk in Telepathy.

    What¡¯s up, Ume?

    <¡°I was uncertain about her at first, but I think I can see that she has a genuine interest in you as the opposite sex. I¡¯ll leave whether she stays as a slave or not between the two of you, but not only do I see her as a capable ally in battles, but I think she¡¯ll make a good lover for the harem as well.¡±>

    <¡°It¡¯s plain to see now but my Psyche Magic can confirm that her feelings for you are legit here, too. She¡¯s really anxious about what you think of her right now, though, which is understandable considering how you two met and all. I think you need to confirm your feelings on the matter so she can be at ease or I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever get anywhere if she continues talking up a storm,¡±> Nyra advises.

    ¡°¡­ Above all that, though,¡± Tyvera continues, ¡°I was spying on your party on the way over here and even before that I didn¡¯t leave my post to help you fight all of those monsters in the clearing when I should¡¯ve! I don¡¯t blame you for not having feelings for me from that, let alone how unattractive I might look to you, but¡ª!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°?!!!¡±

    ¡°¡°UOOOOOH~!!!¡±

    ¡°Oh, my goodness~!¡± [Noire]

    ¡°W-W-What the?!¡± [Beelzebub]

    ¡°Tch. Disgusting.¡± [Gabriella]

    To shut Tyvera up, I hold her chin and lock my lips with hers. I don¡¯t see how shocked she is right now with my eyes closed but from the sound of her wings springing up behind her, I think I achieved my goal of hitting the shock and awe factor.

    I move back with a peck and moved into her pointy ear, brushing it with my lips while my nostrils, enhanced by my Werewolf smelling ability, are tickled by the unique feminine scent emanating from her light golden-blonde locks. ¡°You know, when I looked at you in your sleeping form, the first thing that came to mind was how much I wanted to eat you up,¡± I whisper.

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± Tyvera asks in a squeaky pitch. I could tell from the rising heat from her ear touching my lips that it as well as the rest of her head is getting red again.

    ¡°¡®This one¡¯s way too cute to be called a ¡®Terror,¡¯¡¯ is what I thought. Even now, you¡¯re looking more and more adorable for me to spoil into a rotten, melted mess, so if nothing else that convinces you, remember this so that you don¡¯t even think I find you the slightest bit unattractive.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°With that said, I want to get to know you more, Tyvera,¡± I continue in a normal speaking tone after moving away and facing her. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about what you want to do as part of our group later. For now, I don¡¯t mind you calling me ¡®Chief¡¯ and I would love to wear something you want to craft a new feather of yours into, but I¡¯d like to keep the one I found as a sort of memorabilia in our first meeting. Would that be okay with you?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ that¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Now, let¡¯s finish things off and move on with business here as a party with our new member, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡± Tyvera complies with twinkling light green eyes while still blushing as if put under a spell. Even her unfurled feathers rustle a little in delight.

    [You have now reached ¡®Seduction¡¯ LV 3!]

    Whoa whoa wait, what? I honestly forgot I had this skill but did I seriously seduce Tyvera? Is that what this is telling me? When did I get this skill and how has it leveled up to now?

    <¡°Let¡¯s see, you first got it as a benefit from seeing your Innate Status Ranking at the church with your current levels of Charm among all of the different kin, then you leveled it up to 2 after getting the ¡®Philanderer¡¯ title after having sex with Ren the first time at the bath, which would normally grant one Seduction LV 1, but it got integrated to what you already had. How it got leveled up to 3 now, while it doesn¡¯t have much effect with those you already have a relationship with, but how you flirted and bonded with your girls that lead to sex can increase the growth of this skill. How you do it with a totally new girl like Tyvera is a whole other story; thus, your level increase,¡±> Nyra explains.

    Wow, did you look through my memories to find all of that out yourself?

    <¡°Nah, there¡¯s a way you can look at the ¡®history¡¯ of everything you¡¯ve done up to now through your status. I just checked the history of your Seduction skill through your mind.¡±>

    Huh ¡­ anyway, despite how that grew from my bonding with the girls, isn¡¯t the act of seducing itself usually a bad thing?

    <¡°It depends on what you intend to use it for. What I just explained only scratches the surface on ways you can naturally master it. This isn¡¯t the best time and place to talk more about it but if you¡¯re looking to save some SP and learn to pick up girls like a pro, hit me up later.¡±>

    All right, then ¡­

    Despite my lingering concerns, we went through the ownership transfer ritual without further interruptions. How Tyvera tried to keep herself decent by covering her breasts while tautening them to the sides, embarrassed of everyone watching yet having a wry smile as she looked at me, Nyra sensed her feelings through Psyche Magic that she didn¡¯t seem totally against the idea of being half-naked in front of me. In fact, she got rather aroused for a while after I whispered in her ear so intimately earlier. According to Nyra, how one brings their ¡®target¡¯ to arousal is another way of how one practices Seduction. I think finding their ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ might also be something to exploit while practicing the skill.

    As I put my magic into the symbol Ms. Carmen painted on Tyvera¡¯s sternum, I thought about what I wanted to do with the Seduction skill and similar others that may come down the line.

    I wasn¡¯t successful with human girls back on Earth so the thought of actually exciting a [demon] girl with my advances brought me similar feelings, especially back then when I whispered to Tyvera, but my conscience reeled me back in by how much would it take for me to easily abuse such a frightening skill. Moreover, there¡¯s one of my Innate Stats that I briefly forgot until Nyra brought it up again.

    Charm. Why is it ranked as such between me and the general races/kin of this world? What part of the feelings from the girls in my harem is considered genuine from natural development while not being influenced by that Charm factor? How do I know what they¡¯re feeling isn¡¯t due to the effects of the skills and abilities I have that associate with my Charm?

    In short, where does one cross the line of ¡®fallen in love¡¯ or ¡®fallen under a spell?¡¯ Since abilities, skills, and magic can play a part of how one behaves and functions in society here, I could very well be dragging a line of mind-controlled girls fallen under the pretense of love without me realizing it. While I do want to cherish my new family/harem, I don¡¯t think I want it formed under such notorious, manipulative practices.

    Sure, I could just ¡®seduce¡¯ a girl to a short-term sex session and I move on after that, but what happens to the girl after the ¡®spell¡¯ wears off? If I¡¯m not careful, I could be ruining lives of harmless, innocent girls by stealing away the hopes they have of finding and giving love to the person who truly deserves it. Nyra had it easy as she could make anybody she finds, guy or girl, into a sex friend of hers, so I¡¯m not sure if I could rely on her for the wisdom of what comes after the act of a short-term relationship.

    In which case, I need advice from an expert, one that knows all the inner workings of love and lust, the feelings that come before and after the act, and everything in between, and what better advice can I already immediately get on hand than a certain Goddess of Lust?

    [Tyvera has now become your slave.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Experienced Slave Owner¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Slave Raise*¡¯!

    [Tyvera¡¯s Affinity is now unlocked. Current level of Affinity: LV 1; Total Affinity Level: 8

    [Jinma and Tyvera may now use the Affinity Skill: Harpy¡¯s Feathers. Cost: 4 AP]

    With the ownership transfer ritual finished without a hitch or injury, Tyvera¡¯s officially a part of my slave harem as well as our party¡ªit seems Eugus used his authority as a guild master to change her current party registration to ours while Ms. Carmen and I were out. The people in the room applauded, some more awkwardly than others, at the completion as I rustled Tyvera¡¯s locks. She gave a cute giggle at the friendly gesture.

    Considering there were some strange twists and turns from the beginning, I have things I need to clear up with Tyvera. For the time being, I mentally vowed myself to take responsibility for having her under my wing¡ªpun not intended¡ªwhile keeping the plan of talking to Ms. Obina about my Charm and Seduction later in my mind.

 Chapter 94: A Day in the Life of the Glamorous Brawler, Part 1

    My name is something something and I¡¯m just your typical, normal high school girl. That¡¯s how these things normally go in those shoujo mangas, right? The girl says some things about herself, monologues about a boy she has a crush on but feels like she has no chance of getting close to him. Suddenly, some strange thing happens that brings the two of them together. A romantic comedy story full of misunderstandings, accidents that the girl can¡¯t help but be happy with when it involves her crush, and a bunch of other nonsensical events begins that shows the ¡®progression¡¯ of their relationship that leads readers to think ¡®just kiss and get married already!¡¯

    In my case, part of me wishes that even half of those things are relevant, but as they say, reality is stranger than fiction, and if I had to compare in terms of books, my current life right now is more like those isekai light novels that were trending in my previous life on Earth.

    ¡°Hi hi~¡î! I¡¯ll be your waitress for today! Can I, like, start you off with some drinks or something?¡± I start in my ¡®casual role¡¯ like usual.

    ¡°Yeah~, how about I have some of you to go, little lady~?¡± one of the guys of the group catcalls, the others chuckle with sleazy smiles.

    ¡°Sorry~, but I¡¯m not on the menu. I¡¯ll just bring over some water and give you some time to decide on your orders, ¡®kay~?¡±

    Pachi!

    With the mask of a smile plastered on my face, I smack the hand that was reaching for a feel away with no remorse before I nonchalantly went to get the waters, unfazed by the mixed gazes aiming in my direction.

    ¡°Honestly ¡­ it¡¯s too early for shit like that,¡± one of my human waitress coworkers, Natalie, complains as I set up the glasses.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Komiwa. I can¡¯t seem to keep myself together from even looking at those guys ¡­¡± another waitress, a Beastman with rabbit ears and tail who went by Lala, mutters while shuddering in place.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s cool~. I got this.¡±

    ¡°So cool and brave ¡­ does that come with the title of being an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Seriously, though, I know we put up the request at the guild for more hands here, yet you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s always taken up the job. I¡¯d be hunting all of those monsters by now if I were in your shoes.¡±

    ¡°Well, I like to think it¡¯s not bad to take on easier jobs like this every now and then. Besides, I got someone doing the harder hunting quests out there already making dough for the both of us.¡±

    ¡°That Lizardman girl, right? Sei, I think her name was? I have to say I may not have seen one of them before but her scale hide seems rather different from what I heard.¡±

    That¡¯s because Sei isn¡¯t a Lizardman. She¡¯s my familiar from the Cursed Realm who was once the Duchess of Sloth. Duchesses and dukes are apparently second-best of all familiars in their respective factions compared to the queens and kings who lead them. The magical beasts existing in those realms that are summoned to this world due to a spell and forming a contract are based on animals in both real life and mythology like phoenixes, cu siths, and others. Sei is what¡¯s called a sobek, a crocodile magical beast that is commonly known in Egyptian mythology according to the internet (thank god that still works in this new world, strangely enough). It was stated that they resemble fertility and military prowess in the myth, but sobeks are just intelligent and capable crocodiles among other magical beasts here.

    It¡¯s mainly how they¡¯re related to ¡®fertility¡¯ that I came up with Sei¡¯s name after forming the contract, or ¡®Seiki¡¯ as I¡¯d sometimes tease her with.

    I don¡¯t know how relative that Egyptian myth is to sobeks like Sei, but when I researched it, I had a strange feeling of likeness to it. It¡¯s said summoning your potential familiar for the first time in this world is random but I wonder if there¡¯s more to it somehow. Even before I knew what a sobek was, when she mentioned she was like the second-in-command of the Sloth faction, I also had an uncanny likeness to that term in the meaning of the seven deadly sins through Christianity.

    Besides that, Sei started off as a larger than normal crocodile who can transform into a small baby-looking one that¡¯s easy to carry around on my shoulder while expending less MP. When I caught eyes on what was called a Special Medal once, Sei explained to me how they¡¯re not only very valuable, but also have the capability to make one¡¯s familiars get a significant power boost, and once they¡¯re given enough ¡­

    ¡°Ms. Komiwa, I have returned.¡±

    ¡°Hey, speak of the devil¡ªWHAT THE FLYING FUCK?!¡±

    ¡°KYAAAAA!¡±

    ¡°Aww, Sei~, why¡¯d you gotta come all the way here looking like that~?¡± I ask in a whining tone.

    In front of us is another girl, standing tall at 2 meters [~6 feet, 7 inches], wearing a two-piece garment of a thigh-length apron-like skirt that wraps over the front but stops just three-quarters around the waist, and an athletic crop top that her large breasts really fill out. Both of them are now totally drenched and splattered with blood along with the knapsack strapped to her back and the rest of her bulky body. Covered by dark-orange scales with a few lines of horns down her back called scutes or scuta is a very pale pink skin like one has never stepped out of their homes to get some sun, but the six-pack abs she has that are bare for all to see would clearly show she didn¡¯t laze around. She also has a large, strong tail that is also lined with horns and scales of the same color, but the underside has a lighter shade of orange like peaches. It¡¯s because of this tail covering the private parts of her buttocks that the wearer felt the ¡®skirt¡¯ didn¡¯t need to wrap all the way around when clothes were chosen for her. Then there are the reptilian claws and feet with strong, lean arms, legs, and thighs to finish the package that distinguishes what makes her not human at a glance.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Other than the fleshy skin that makes up the front of the torso, there¡¯s the front half of her neck, the face, and light-orange hair that¡¯s cut short in a boyish style to make up the ¡®human¡¯ parts of her body, and if you look closely into her eyes, there are brilliantly bright emerald irises surrounding black slit pupils that resemble a reptile¡¯s. There are also peach-colored ¡®fins¡¯ exposed out on the sides of her head to make up the ears.

    Yep, this is definitely Sei, the former Jasper Sodek Duchess of Sloth.

    This appearance is what a familiar will become when they consume enough Special Medals for power boosts. I don¡¯t even need to constantly spend MP to keep her in this realm anymore as she has enough power to come and go as she pleases, but since she¡¯s still my familiar as part of our contract, I can still summon her from anywhere at any time. They can look more like someone from the Demi-Kin and the Human-Kin if their master preferred it that way, but when I was given the choice of how Sei¡¯s appearance would turn out, I decided on hers to be more from the Demon-Kin¡¯s bloodline partially because that¡¯s what she personally preferred, but I also thought it would be useful to have an intimidating-looking acquaintance always at my side to scare away any weak-willed guys.

    Having someone of her size and being covered in monster blood on top of it has certainly done what I intended as I notice the guys at the table I just waited doing their utmost to avoid looking in our direction, slightly trembling in their seats. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the response as well as feel nostalgic when I used to be with a certain someone who would also give out a similar threatening air at a glance.

    Ah, those were the good days ¡­ I really hope Jin-chi¡¯s doing well, whatever he¡¯s doing, I think before I cast [Clean] on Sei and rid her of the mess, now totally spotless and practically shining. Natalie and Lala breathe sighs of relief once the grotesque scene in front of them was gone.

    Honestly, the blood almost blended so well with her scales that no one would notice, but having it staining her flesh and clothes while emitting a smell would certainly set off alarms in people¡¯s heads. It¡¯s especially not good for the pub I¡¯m currently working right now.

    ¡°Forgive me. I found going to the bathhouse to clean by myself too bothersome,¡± Sei says.

    ¡°Sei, you think doing anything is too bothersome, aside from fighting and training.¡±

    ¡°Other than eating, resting, and bathing with acquaintances, there is no better way to spend my valuable time training and honing my body. I¡¯d rather fight opponents worthy of my time, though. Wasting my time with the weak would be too bothersome.¡±

    ¡°Well, this here certainly says how capable a fighter you are,¡± Natalie says while poking a finger on Sei¡¯s subtle six-pack. ¡°Seriously, if you were human and a guy, I would totally fall for these abs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried how I could¡¯ve mistaken you for a male if it weren¡¯t for your chest,¡± Lala adds while poking the side of her large breasts before reaching up and feeling through her hair scarlet-like locks. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have let your hair grow out at least a little? You¡¯d come out more like a girl that way.¡±

    ¡°Too bothersome to maintain.¡±

    ¡°How would you seek out capable guys if you don¡¯t look a little more charming?¡± Natalie asks.

    ¡°Chasing males is too bothersome and I¡¯m not interested in finding a mate right now.¡±

    Of course, it is. ¡°Come on, cut her some slack, you two. If she says she¡¯s fine being on her own then we should respect it. That aside, Sei, you finished with the quests?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Got all of the things in here,¡± Sei answers while showing the knapsack on her back. It may look easy to lug around, but it would certainly hinder one¡¯s movements if they¡¯re not careful. That¡¯s why I was glad to leave carrying my Magic Item Bag (MIB) to Sei without worries. Sure, I earned enough not long since I got here to afford to learn the [Storage] Null Spell for larger and harder-to-carry items, but in the case of emergency, that slight delay of activating the spell and taking out what you need would mean certain death.

    Carry as little on hand as you can and never give the enemy a second to attack in close-quarters combat. I may not have been as strong in brute strength as Jin-chi, but my quick reflexes, technique, and accuracy were enough for me to fell any foe back on Earth. That¡¯s just how I was trained and he never knew that about me, much to my dismay now. Being in this new world of Raiza, while my training was also helpful from the beginning, the application of skills, magic, and abilities can possibly have someone let down their guard if they get too confident.

    I was warned about this long before I even got here, and so I kept my senses as sharp then as they are now, which has become even sharper thanks to some skills I acquired over my time here.

    ¡°Well, then, why don¡¯t you have a seat and I¡¯ll get you some lunch before we head on out to the guild?¡± I suggest to Sei while pointing to her favorite booth.

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Komiwa. The usual, please.¡±

    ¡°Coming right up~¡î!¡±

    ~~

    Sometime after I received the sleazy group¡¯s order and relayed both theirs and Sei¡¯s to the cooks, I was tasked to briefly handle the garbage, and so I went to the alleyway behind the pub, the Black Cat, and unload it in the dumpster.

    Okay, after I take care of their orders, Sei and I will head for the guild and move along with our plans with some time to spare ¡­ aw shit, an ambush.

    Honing in my ¡®skills¡¯ to sense an enemy¡¯s presence, I see that I¡¯m quickly surrounded by sleazebags in hiding, coming out at the perfect opportunity when I¡¯m by my lonesome. I recognize numerous names and faces I¡¯ve seen from the pub, all persistent pursuers who tried their advances to pick me up, only to get turned down. This alleyway would have the homeless frequently hanging around here, and so when I found there were some people lingering by thanks to my ¡®internal map¡¯ before coming out here, I figured that¡¯d be the case, so I didn¡¯t confirm their identities. I was careless in this instance seeing the group approaching me.

    Honestly, I want to forget these guys and move on, but not only are they ¡®regulars¡¯ to the Black Cat, but I also can¡¯t overlook the possibility of something drastic happening. I can¡¯t really relax until they¡¯re removed from this world. I was lenient when I suspected these guys to be the frequent homeless at first.

    ¡­ Seven total, I evaluate after quickly scanning my surroundings and confirming them with my skills.

    ¡°You¡¯ve only got yourself to blame for this, little miss,¡± one of the sleazes says as he and the others close in. ¡°All we wanted was to have a little fun, but you¡¯ve always turned us down and hid behind your lizard friend. We¡¯re getting tired of your playing hard-to-get.¡±

    ¡°How can we not be tempted with how you¡¯ve always dressed? That nape revealed by your blonde ponytail, that cleavage hiding whatever you¡¯re wearing as a necklace, those knee-high stockings latched by garters that peek out with each flutter of the skirt ¡­¡±

    ¡°Only girls who want some action would go so far to look like that.¡±

    Sheesh, stereotyping much? Can¡¯t a girl dress however she pleases? Things were so much easier when I could wear shorter skirts to school. I mean, these aren¡¯t as bad for part of a waitress uniform, but I miss wearing cuter clothes and tease Jin-chi for staring ¡­ well, when it¡¯s put that way, I was doing it to get some attention, but I only wanted to get his out of everyone else.

    ¡°If you change your mind right now, though, we can go easy on ya,¡± another one says.

    With those hands? Yeah, I don¡¯t believe you one bit. Even Jin-chi would know how to treat a girl like me gently. God, I wish I could¡¯ve known how gentle he could really be if I wasn¡¯t so afraid to put myself out earlier on.

    Well, no matter. I¡¯ll keep myself clean for as long as it takes. Until I see him again and come out with the truth, I won¡¯t let you low lives anywhere near these goods ¡­ but I¡¯ll give you quite the show.

 Chapter 95: A Day in the Life of the Glamorous Brawler, Part 2

    Feigning defeat and hopelessly disadvantaged, I raise my hands up. ¡°Okay, okay, I give, I¡¯ll go along with your games for a little bit. I just hope I don¡¯t get my good panties too messy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see some of that!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Are they black like the garters?!¡± they say one after another, excited like they can¡¯t wait to open presents on Christmas morning.

    ¡°Why, yes, they are, and they¡¯re laced~. Would you ¡®gentlemen¡¯ like a little peek?¡±

    ¡°¡°Yeah~!¡±¡±

    ¡°You want a niice, loooong, and hard look?¡±

    ¡°¡°Fuck yeah!¡±¡±

    ¡°All right, then get ready~¡î,¡± I sing while delicately holding up a piece of my skirt at the front, revealing more of my garter belts latched onto my black knee-high stockings. The sleazebags whistle and catcall me as I slowly reveal more of my legs getting ever closer to my special place.

    ¡°One~.¡±

    I briefly close my eyes and concentrate.

    ¡°Two~ ¡­¡±

    Back open, my clear blue eyes that were there before are gone, and in their place are ones that are deep and red as blood.

    My focus intensifies, my body feels light as air, and my senses are sharpened. At this moment, I¡¯m currently in what my ¡®teacher,¡¯ the one who I call Oyabun [ÓH·Ö</a>], dubbed my ¡®D-Zone.¡¯

    Schick!

    ¡°AAAAUGH!¡±

    ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡±

    With a flick of the wrist, I tug my skirt to the side enough for me to reach my hidden knife that was holstered on the garter belt, strapped way up my upper thigh. While everyone¡¯s eyes were locked onto the hand that was holding the skirt, I draw their attention away enough for me to grab my knife and throw it right into the eye of the man directly in front of me.

    I take advantage of their confusion and immediately rush forward, my AGI boosted with my D-Zone¡¯s effects is enough for me to reach the guy I just threw the knife at under a second before grabbing the handle.

    ¡°Demon¡¯s Slice.¡±

    Sasa.

    With that chant along with my quick movement of the knife, I cut it across the first sleaze¡¯s face, bisecting his whole head unevenly due to the diagonal pathway that leaves an eerie purplish-black trail, but clean enough for half of it to slide off and fall to the stone-paved ground of the alleyway.

    I don¡¯t stop there, though. With the momentum from the first swing, I move to the next guy on my left with a bloodied knife in hand.

    ¡°Demon¡¯s Stab. Demon¡¯s Slice. Demon¡¯s Backstab.¡±

    Schick. Sasa. Schick-Don-Schick!

    I start off with an assault from below, shoving the knife straight up under the second guy¡¯s chin, a purplish-black point extends from the tip of the blade at the impact that pierces his skull and pokes right out of the top of his head. I then quickly move past the third guy with another Demon¡¯s Slice straight along the neck, decapitating him. Moving onto the back of the fourth, I aim the knife behind his heart that I effortlessly pierce through before delivering a powerful palm strike right at the butt. I give it enough force to push it through and out the other side of his chest as it went between the space of his ribcage.

    Schick!

    ¡°Gaaugh!¡±

    ¡°¡°What?!¡±¡±

    The knife that was pushed through is sent flying into the chest of the fifth guy. I quickly rush in again and grab a hold of my knife that¡¯s penetrating his stomach.

    ¡°Demon¡¯s Multi-Slice. Demon¡¯s Sonic Slice.¡±

    Sasasasasasa-SAH!

    The swiftness and maneuverability of my arm as I cut the fifth guy many times come as a blur for my enemies. Stomach. Chest. Chest. Neck. Head. I make sure I cut deep enough to reach the vital organs and blood vessels underneath to off him near instantaneously.

    Finally, the sixth and seventh sleazebags. On the surface, I move straight across to the other side of those two in a line at an instant, my stance of finishing a strike with my knife in a reverse grip. In reality, though, I moved at the speed of sound under the Demon¡¯s Sonic Slice¡¯s influence, allowing me to move and attack that isn¡¯t visible by the naked eye.

    I made countless slices at both of their necks, many small cuts to form a ring around them before I could go ever deeper until I could cut through bone, and I did that twice to the sixth and seventh guys before their heads fall over to the sides, the bodies follow afterward.

    With that, my ¡®battle¡¯ of 7-to-1 is finished under 10 seconds. I only got a few drops of blood on me, but the bottoms of my shoes are getting drenched by the increasing pools of blood from the corpses. The alleyway is quiet, but I quickly check my surroundings for any more intruders, any witnesses on sight that could become problematic for me while holding my breath.

    Don Don Din Don!

    Do-ro-ro Don Din Don!

    The ¡®Murderous Victory¡¯ tracks play in my mind, confirming the completion of my battle. I breathe a sigh of relief, relax my tense muscles, and get out of my D-Zone, my blood crimson eyes revert back to their natural clear-blue color.

    ¡°Sheesh, using so much HP for those skills can take a toll on ya. I¡¯m thankful to learn a skill that reduces more than what I usually spend, but it¡¯s still rather burdensome on my body, especially using my D-Zone on top of it,¡± I say to myself while rolling my shoulders. I then cast [Clean] on my knife before slipping it back in the holster strapped to the garter on my upper thigh that¡¯s hidden under the skirt.

    If things were a little more peaceful in this world like it was in modern Japan, I wouldn¡¯t have had to go to such lengths to protect myself and dress more cutely, but some sacrifices in fashion had to be made for functionality in this world, unfortunately. I¡¯d rather wear this on a daily basis than clothing appropriate for female adventurers. Sure, the short shorts some people with the Thief class wear might be okay on some occasions, but that¡¯s just too constraining for me to move in daily compared to skirts.

    Anyway, despite the HP I had spent on those kills, I thankfully have good quality health potions stored in my [Storage] in case of emergencies. Still, having some healing magic would be nice right now. Sei¡¯s argument about increasing our party during our discussion before bed last night is really starting to become more convincing for me to go along with; hence, our plans for what we¡¯re going to do today after turning in the goods she collected for the quests ¡­ as well as my own from working in the Black Cat and whatever I can get after reporting my case of an ¡®assault¡¯ to the adventurer¡¯s guild.

    I take a bottle of health potion from [Storage] and about to pop the cork before the light blue notice screen appears with a surprising description.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    [You have reached the maximum level of your Brawler class. Remaining EXP will be accumulated from here on.

    [You have achieved the Mistress Vixen title!

    [You have now learned ¡®EXP Distributing*¡¯!

    [You have acquired a new ability! ¡®Femme Fatale!¡¯]

    ¡°¡­ So, that time has come, huh?¡±

    ~~

    I left the scene as is and reported what happened back there to the owner who runs the Black Cat pub, Ms. Miyo. Thankfully, I have a ¡®special relationship¡¯ with her to help me out. She vouched for me by writing up a form with her seal and signature for me to turn into the guild along with the sleaze bags¡¯ adventurer ID cards. After some words of warning were exchanged, I cast [Clean] on myself and finished the remainder of my work with no further complications while the owner got to work keeping the scene from getting tampered.

    After calling it a day at the Black Cat, I walk with Sei beside me as we make our way to Alluga¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild.

    <¡°¡­ Mistress.¡±>

    Yes, Sei? I ask through our Familiar Telepathy skill. I made a point for her to refer me as something other than ¡®Mistress¡¯ and the like in public so others wouldn¡¯t suspect anything. Only in private or through telepathy right now can she refer me as such.

    <¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to mention this but I can sense you have grown much stronger very recently, and though I cannot see it, the scent of blood is still fresh on you.¡±>

    I click my tongue. Man ¡­ I thought I was thorough with my [Clean], too.

    <¡°Did you suddenly get into a fight? Why did you not call me?¡±>

    It was an ambush in the back of the pub. If I had summoned you there then, everyone would know you¡¯re not actually a Lizardman, and people will grow suspicious if you suddenly walk out to the back without warning. Besides, there weren¡¯t very much and they weren¡¯t very strong for guys above my ¡®rank.¡¯ I thought I could handle them quick enough on my own. We¡¯ll be reporting their attempt to assault me while completing the quest. I got the owner¡¯s approval for investigation and testimony to help us out on this.

    <¡°¡­ As expected of Mistress. Thinking three steps ahead to take any opportunity in your sight by the neck.¡±>

    Still, I just came across an interesting issue after that battle. Because of that issue, I change my mind and decide to follow your suggestion.

    <¡°You mean you will take recruiting party members seriously?¡±>

    Yes. While I can still level up my Secondary Classes for who knows how much longer, I have officially reached the level cap of my Brawler class.

    <¡°You don¡¯t say? Congratulations. I¡¯d say only a handful of people from the Mortal Realm have ever reached their peak level in an Advanced Class before death. I¡¯ve never heard of one reaching the level cap in their default class, though. Even when you have a few Greed Rings around your neck to gain some extra EXP, reaching the level cap is no small feat.¡±>

    Well, with the work you¡¯ve put in to earn me some, I doubt anybody could reach this as fast as I did. I¡¯m sure I can still grow stronger in my Brawler class¡¯ stats through training, but it will likely be slower than leveling up. Even with multiple classes, there¡¯s only so much I can do on my own, and having you there may make things easier, you¡¯re pretty much at peak condition of your strength as well and can only get stronger the same way, right?

    <¡°Yes ¡­ even consuming more Special Medals will prove fruitless now that I¡¯ve attained this form. I could still revert myself back to my adult beast and baby beast forms if I want to, but I see no further reason to do so. Other than just resting on your shoulder in the latter form, having opposable digits while walking on two legs is quite more convenient for me.¡±>

    I know, right? Being bipedal kicks ass. So, anyway, having more helping hands would be the only other option we have to up our chances of survival against stronger enemies; thus, recruiting more party members.

    <¡°I¡¯m pleased to know my suggestion has helped you come to a firm decision. Having more comrades will lessen the load on me dealing with weaker enemies, too.¡±>

    That was your true aim all along, wasn¡¯t it?

    <¡°I can never lie to you, Mistress.¡±>

    I sigh and lightly shake my head. Well, whatever. At least we won¡¯t have any problems finding some recruits to our party.

    <¡°Why would you think it would be easy? Just so you know, unless you¡¯re suddenly able to cast Holy Magic now¡ªwhich I would honestly prefer you didn¡¯t¡ªyou can¡¯t summon another familiar from the Cursed Realm for 3 more months out of the 6 six required to wait after your first attempt.¡±>

    I know that. It¡¯s just that thanks to my admittedly kickass Fortune Drop ability, we¡¯re loaded enough to retire early and spend the rest of our lives lazing about in a nice home with our own maid if we wanted to.

    Fortune Drop is the blessing I chose when my representing Immortal, The Goddess of Pride, Telanis, gave me the option as I was setting up my start for the new world as one of her Champions. With this cheat-like ability, I would be granted some money and a rare drop from any monster I defeat, 100% of the time. It¡¯s through this ability that I got enough Special Medals for Sei¡¯s growth and transformation, something that only Special Monsters would drop if the one who performed the finishing blow was lucky enough.

    <¡°Ah! Have you gathered more drop items than I have when I wasn¡¯t looking? Those remaining Special Medals would sell quite a lot, too. Wait, if we can afford that much now, then why are we still working?¡±>

    Well, that money isn¡¯t for us.

    <¡°¡­ Don¡¯t tell me, for that ¡®target¡¯ you¡¯re waiting for?¡±>

    You got it. It¡¯s all part of a bigger goal that will benefit all of us, though. You may grow to like him as well once you meet him. Before that, we need to spend money on some reliable, trustworthy, and cute-looking allies who won¡¯t stab our backs and come to like my target as well. Once we earn that money back and pull it all together for him to see when we finally meet again, we¡¯ll be living the good lives from then on.

    I picked the Fortune Drop ability with Jin-chi in mind, after all, knowing how he and Ms. Mikan, his mother, were almost always working to make a decent living. I admired his hard work but I wanted to help provide as much as I could so he wouldn¡¯t work himself to death. With the money I saved since I started living in Padimon, we could spoil each other like gross nobles as much as we wanted.

    <¡°¡­ Ah, so we¡¯ll be redeeming a slave or two to recruit as party members.¡±>

    That¡¯s the plan. We¡¯re gonna withdraw a lot of money from my account on top of what we¡¯ve earned in this quest and what we¡¯ll get after reporting my little ¡®incident¡¯ for the cause. I¡¯m certain the higher quality the slave is means higher values, so we¡¯re banking it until we make it.

    <¡°¡­ Mistress, I must be honest that how you can be so nonchalant with these absurd methods frightens me sometimes. Moreover, you¡¯ve only been living in Alluga for 4 months now, right? How can you even be certain that you¡¯ll meet your ¡®target¡¯ again if you have no idea where he is?¡±>

    Because it¡¯s part of our ¡®family¡¯s circumstances¡¯ that we can wind up in this world, and knowing him, he¡¯ll take that chance when it¡¯s presented to him. Though we may be separated right now, we will reunite in some way soon enough. Besides ¡­ it¡¯s part of my duty as his arranged mistress that I do everything I can to make him happy.

    I could feel Sei¡¯s eyes popping out of her head with jaw agape as she gazes at me. I only look on ahead and still give a relaxed and proud smirk.

    I¡¯ve known for the longest time that my life goes beyond what¡¯s considered ¡®out-of-the-ordinary.¡¯ I would be lying if I said I never had moments of wishing this life not being forced on me since even before my birth. I thought I had experienced hell on Earth, and some moments were so agonizing and painful that death would be the only mercy given to me to escape the life that very few girls would want to live.

    But then, he would come to mind. How would things turn out if this life wasn¡¯t thrust onto me from the beginning? Would I still be able to see him as our ¡®family¡¯ introduced to me at a distance for the first time? Would I still properly meet him on that fateful day at that playground when he spotted me from the bushes? Would I still meet him for the first time after so long at the beginning of high school after he saved me from a group of delinquents hitting on me (even though I could have ground them down on the concrete with my foot at any time)? Would I still see him as someone I want to cherish despite how frightened everyone around him was?

    To some, this ¡®practice¡¯ that¡¯s been going on in my bloodline since the foundation of our ¡®family¡¯ may look like a curse, but to me, it couldn¡¯t have been more of a blessing to become such an important part of someone¡¯s life like Jin-chi¡¯s. No matter if it is the work of fate, deities, or somewhere in between, I¡¯m grateful for the life I was given. It made repeated trips to hell and back all the worthwhile.

    And so, if I had to begin my story of romance, shoujo manga, isekai light novel, or otherwise, I would say mine would start out like this:

    Hey, there, I like to dress and style myself in cute fashions and my favorite food on Earth is fried rice. I was assigned by higher-ups to be the bodyguard and arranged mistress to the man I have grown to love and made my ¡®target¡¯ for all things sexual or otherwise, Jinma Kotori, or ¡®Jin-chi¡¯ as I like to call him, or even ¡®O-Jin-Jin¡¯ on some occasions. [AN: Jinma¡¯s other nickname can closely sound like Ochinchin [¤ª¤Á¤ó¤Á¤ó</a>], which is a translation to ¡®penis¡¯ in Japanese. ??]

    Ehh~? Why is a cute girl like me playing bodyguard/mistress to a ¡®scary¡¯ looking man, you ask? Well~, that-is-class-i-fied~, but I will tell you one thing since I¡¯m no longer on Earth. Back in the field, I was referred by a codename when I made my debut.

    In broad daylight, I was your ¡®typical high-school gyaru¡¯ that knew how to tease the man she liked, but from the dark depths of the urban underworld, there was no man who I can¡¯t make fall under my ¡®charms¡¯ to make hot and red before he went cold and dead.

    There was only one fitting codename that reflected how I did my business while keeping myself pure for the man I love:

    My name is Komiwa Karuga, and I am what you may call a hitman; codenamed [Vixen].

 Chapter 96: Dinner Invites

    When the ritual was finished, Ms. Carmen made Tyvera¡¯s certificate like she did for Ren¡¯s and Erizora¡¯s before taking measurements for her own maid uniform¡ªwithout her being aware of what we¡¯re taking them for as part of a surprise. I took the opportunity to open my Slaves page and set her ¡®Confession¡¯ and ¡®Control¡¯ settings down to 1 and 0, respectively, making it so that while she can¡¯t lie, she can still move at her own will. Since she had been so cooperative up to this point despite how we met, I thought she deserved that much and will inform her on that later.

    Ms. Carmen wrote me a copy to use on my own time, and by then, our business was done. Tyvera got her top back on before we called the other guys back inside. Ms. Carmen then packed her things in [Storage] before taking off through her own [Portal] back to Dondegarm. Lady Krauss thanked her for the time and even provided a good-quality mana potion to restore her reserves after making it back. With that, Ms. Carmen bid Ren and Erizora, slaves who were previously under her family¡¯s protection, a farewell and wished the newly marked slave under my care, Tyvera, the best of luck. Ms. Carmen reminded me of our deal we made in the kitchen and said to come to her for any questions and services for slave-related matters, so long as it¡¯s within her ¡®capabilities,¡¯ which is probably another way of saying her comfort, which makes sense considering where she is right now.

    I remembered the strange issue that came up at Dondegarm¡¯s church yesterday when Ren fell into the regressed ailment and somehow acquired a Trained [Sex] Pet title after getting ¡®domesticated and trained.¡¯ I glanced over to Ren and saw she sat on her seat cushion by the knees in a seiza pose, but then I remembered how she retrieved one of the falling fliers earlier like a dog fetching a newspaper. Then there were the few comments she made on the way here that had me questioning if that was part of her instincts as a Werewolf or if it was a sort of side-effect on the pet-related title.

    As much as I wanted to inform Ms. Carmen of this strange development to get to the bottom of things, that wasn¡¯t the best time and place to discuss it, and for the most part, Ren seemed to look fine, both by appearance and from what I could see from the ¡®mini-status¡¯ floating above her head. Unless I see something worsening in her later down the line, I¡¯ll bring it up to Ms. Carmen as soon as I can.

    With that, Ms. Carmen bid farewell and cast [Portal] before stepping through and closing the way behind her.

    ¡°Well! We have certainly been through a lot today, have we not? And it is almost noon,¡± Lady Krauss points out. ¡°You and your party must have been through quite a bit this morning to get here and I am sure you all would want to get to know your new addition as soon as possible. How about we call it a day here and we will go over dungeon preparations along with our battle capabilities tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Is that really okay, Lady Krauss? Ume and I were told that we should expect to start the dungeon crawl the next day we got here,¡± I point out, to which Ume nods in confirmation.

    ¡°Well, considering the unusual circumstances revolving around this, some of which that even I was not aware of until today, I know I would be asking for much if I expect you and your party to be prepared for the dungeon crawl the next day, even with the extra time you are given after arriving here so early. Moreover, I need to make a letter to my family in Korangar to inform them about the current situation about my ¡­ ¡®association¡¯ with Rowling.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. We are grateful for your generosity to give us this extra time to rest, Lady Krauss,¡± I say while bowing my head to her. Ume quickly follows my example in succession.

    ¡°Please, be at ease with the formalities. As we will be working together to clear the dungeon, I would like us to be on common ground in hopes that we could cooperate more in sync. That said, Jinma, I would like you and your wife, Umeiyon, was it? To join me for dinner tonight.¡±

    ¡°¡°Huh?!¡±¡± some of the people in the room respond in shock. Even Ume and I are also at a loss for words.

    ¡°I am very curious to know how you and your party came together, especially so on the feats you have achieved like subjugating monsters in Eeriegreen Forest on your own. I would love to hear some of your adventures up to now. Would you do me this one selfish request?¡± Lady Krauss¡¯ eyes as she asked that question look to be filled with hope and wonder. Paired off with her youthful appearance in gothic lolita attire, she¡¯s almost like a kid asking their parent for a bedtime story.

    Just how much of an exception is she among other nobles? I think. Considering how much Beelzebub is looking at me with suspicion right now, I don¡¯t think I should expect this kind of treatment from other nobles of the Demon-Kin. Going by my Intuition, Lady Krauss seems genuinely interested in my stories.

    If possible ¡­ I¡¯d like to get to know her as well without stepping too far out of line.

    A scaly hand interlocking me by the fingers grab my attention and I look over to Ume. She gives a gentle smile and a light nod.

    ¡°¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, Lady Krauss, then we would be more than happy to accept,¡± I answer while turning back to her.

    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Lady Krauss exclaims while clapping her hands in glee. ¡°Then I will make the necessary arrangements posthaste!¡±

    ~~

    With our time of meeting set and what we should wear confirmed¡ªshe was fine with us coming in as we were since we had no formal clothes for this occasion¡ªLady Krauss walked our party out the door and bid us off with waves and smiles, the latter was accompanied by tinted cheeks on her face. Ume and I waved back as we walked, and even when our backs are turned, I could still feel her eyes on us ¡­ on me in particular.

    <¡°Dude ¡­ she totally has the hots for you. You know that, right? I don¡¯t think you even need my Psyche Magic to confirm that,¡±> Nyra says.

    Even if that is true, so what? She¡¯s a noble, I¡¯m a commoner. She¡¯s in politics and government, I want nothing in either of those. After this is over, she¡¯ll likely be kept busy with her noble duties or whatever in her own home while I¡¯m doing my own thing that involves traveling. Finally, and this is the deal-breaker here, she¡¯s engaged.

    <¡°Not for loong~, didn¡¯t you hear about how Lady Krauss needed to write a letter to her parents about her ¡®association¡¯ with Rowling? I may not have been a noble in my previous body, but I know that¡¯s girl talk for ¡®I¡¯m dropping this bitch so come and let me be yours.¡¯ And besides, you can¡¯t deny your own feelings on this matter. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you trying to avoid popping one when you first set your eyes on her. If you have your eyes on someone, you gotta put in the work to make her yours. Steal her away from her fianc¨¦, show how much more of a man you are than him, girls dig that. Demon girls, anyway, not that I have seen a lot as I was stuck in hiding with the other Pixies for a fraction of my lifetime, but since we are of the Demon-Kin and yours truly has probably gotten more guys and girls than a brothel might rake in daily, then I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±>

    ¡­ Putting my own feelings aside, there¡¯s still the safety of my party, my family, that I have to consider. From what Lili told us of this Rowling guy, I think we¡¯re already in hot water enough to anticipate the possibility of him sending more people from the disciples¡¯ party out to get us, whether or not I end up taking her away. In which case, I may need to power up more and get some better gear for my party. Oh! Now that I think about it, Tyvera was a part of them, maybe she can tell us who we should keep on the lookout for.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    <¡°I mean, sure, we¡¯ll probably need to prepare for that but come on! If he¡¯s gonna get you anyway, you might as well go all the way. Don¡¯t you humans get excited over that ¡®forbidden love between social status¡¯ shtick?¡±>

    ¡°Well, all things considered, I thought that turned out quite well,¡± Ume says, interrupting what I was about to retort to Nyra. ¡°Lady Krauss seemed nicer than I had expected.¡±

    ¡°The Krauss family head, Ramone Silshire Krauss, is the Minister of Defense and Weaponry,¡± Sue then says. ¡°Sure, there are plenty of illegal activities that still go on in the streets and back alleys, but fights between us demons, even arena battles that put lives on the line are more commonplace here than you might think. When it comes to the entireties of cities in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, their defenses are top-notch if a sudden great threat is brought upon them, such as a Wyvern attack or an incoming Mass Monster Swarm. Not only that, but we have adventurers who are also available to fend off those threats on a daily basis.

    ¡°We may be of kin that likes to keep ¡®personal businesses¡¯ to ourselves that are usually settled with fists, but when the need arises, the Krauss¡¯ head knows how to act accordingly in emergencies. He puts the safety of our territory¡¯s citizens on a higher priority than others might think, and so it would make sense that he would teach such consideration and generosity to his two daughters, Noire Scarletine Krauss, and Isabelle Silvine Krauss, along with how to hold their ground and fend for themselves. I like to think their family sets a good example of what kind of people nobles should be.¡±

    ¡°You uh ¡­ seem to know a lot about them, Sue,¡± I mention, surprised by such knowledge as others in our group.

    ¡°W-Well, you know, Korangar is my birthplace, so of course I¡¯d know at least some noble households that reside in it. The Krausses are just that well-renown among us, after all,¡± Sue says before laughing both awkwardly and nervously.

    I don¡¯t know why, but while Sue is telling the truth, my Intuition skill is tickling me that there¡¯s more to it for some reason, but before I could contemplate further ¡­

    ¡°How about we put the serious political stuff aside for now and get you all a nice inn to stay for the time being? I¡¯ve frequented Palocaesy myself, and while I admit there are some who don¡¯t take kindly to humans as others, there are plenty of human-friendly establishments that would be more than welcome to have someone of your stature in their building, Jinma,¡± Julius says with an arm over my shoulder, getting more up close and personal than I expected.

    Evidently, Julius decided to leave at the same time so he could show us a little of what Palocaesy has to offer. I admit that this guy¡¯s being a little too friendly for my standards at first meeting, considering my history of others I came across that I wind up beating not too long later, but it¡¯s kind of comforting to have at least one other human in our group nearby, and he¡¯s a guild master from the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory, no less, so his words must have at least some credibility, right?

    ¡°I was planning to suggest a few inns myself, but since it is Julius ¡­ while it would make sense to rely on another human to guide another, I cannot help but feel somewhat anxious,¡± Eugus suddenly mutters in the latter half that I can hear clearly.

    ¡­ Well, if something happens, I¡¯ll just not hold back and beat him down to a pulp like usual. With that decision in mind, we follow Julius to see and explore what the city of Palocaesy has in store.

    ~~

    From the front door, Noire continues to watch Jinma¡¯s back as it grows smaller with a gentle smile on her face, sighing dreamily through her nose.

    ¡°Lady Noire,¡± Beelzebub (or Margaret as she¡¯s really named) says from behind.

    ¡°Hmm~?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure this is all right? Dinner? Taking him on as your escort without even knowing what he can do? Being that bold with the Harpy right in front of us? Not to mention that he¡¯s a human above all else.¡±

    ¡°I am failing to see the problem, Lady Beelzebub. I was aware of his race when Eugus informed me and Jinma¡¯s even more interesting than I had hoped for. I cannot wait for dinner to come sooner to learn more about him.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Lady Noire, I think there¡¯s something wrong with you. This is the first I¡¯ve actually seen you smile like this.¡±

    ¡°Am I really?¡± Noire then feels her face, taking note of her flexed cheek muscles as well as their warmth. ¡°Huh, so I am. Oh! I forgot to treat them to the fruit tarts! Well, I suppose we can set them aside for tonight¡¯s dessert at the least and let them have the rest afterward.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I should be heading off as well. I¡¯ll come back tomorrow for the briefing of the dungeon crawl,¡± Konjiro says as he makes his way to the door. ¡°Will you be notifying your family of your ¡®personal affairs?¡¯¡±

    ¡°As soon as possible by a reliable messenger Harpy, of course.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ well then, I bid you a good day.¡± Konjiro then steps out and walks to another direction where Palocaesy¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild resides.

    ¡°Now, then, what to do with you,¡± Noire then says as she goes back inside and directs her attention to Gabriella.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to mention where I stand in all of this. Do what you will, I refuse to cooperate with that man. There¡¯s nothing that will make me change my mind when I¡¯m already brought this low.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really~? Now that I think about it, there may be other things Rowling has also informed you of without me knowing. It would be wise that we force them out of you. Do you not agree, Lady Beelzebub?¡±

    ¡°I want no part of this.¡± Beelzebub then backs away with hands up.

    ¡°Y-You already figured everything out! There¡¯s nothing left of what Lord Rowling told me that you don¡¯t know!¡± Gabriella exclaims, sounding desperate.

    ¡°As Dear Father once taught me, one can never be too sure when dealing with traitors.¡± Noire¡¯s smile that was full of love and joy moments ago has now turned into one of malice and spite. Truthfully, Noire¡¯s own trained Intuition has hinted her that there are one or two things Gabriella is still hiding from her. Though they may be minuscule, a part of her may reason that it isn¡¯t wrong to pull whatever she could out of her traitor.

    In reality, though, Noire wants nothing more than to torture the traitor out of her own enjoyment. Whether it¡¯s Gabriella or even Rowling in the Dullahan¡¯s place, she wants something to vent out the frustrations that the arranged marriage to the latter had brought her in the first place. One annoyance after another, they brought her closer to the boiling point that her ¡®noblewoman¡¯s mask¡¯ could no longer hide. That¡¯s how tense she is right now, and she¡¯s glad her new ¡®interest¡¯ isn¡¯t around to see this side of her.

    Gabriella, who had been silent and watching throughout most of the meeting already had some idea of what was developing between Noire and Jinma, and somewhere within the deepest depths of her undead heart, she actually wished the man would stick around a little more so her inevitable fate would be delayed further.

    ¡°Prepare the traitor¡¯s body for severe interrogation procedures. Oh, and get preparations for tonight¡¯s dinner for four started,¡± Noire orders before the maids nearby immediately got to work without further questioning. It wouldn¡¯t be long before a woman¡¯s screams could be heard from below the floors of the peaceful-looking cottage on a beautiful sunny day.

    ~~

    Meanwhile, when the Kitsune guild master Konjiro got far enough away from Noire¡¯s residence and hides in an alleyway, he reaches into the chest of his robe and pulls out a purplish-black crystal before applying his mana into it.

    ¡°Milord, are you there?¡±

    <¡°I am listening.¡±>

    ¡°I know it is early but I have come in contact with the adventurer. It seems we have a human male assigned to escort Lady Krauss in the dungeon. Moreover, the two of them have found out about both of your ¡®emergency¡¯ and ¡®quest abortion¡¯ plans.¡±

    <¡°Hmm ¡­¡±>

    ¡°Lady Krauss will be sending a message to her family by Harpy messenger about putting your engagement into question. What is your next course of action?¡±

    Rowling sighs from his end. <¡°This would be so much easier if she was more cooperative, but she has ignored my propositions for the last time. I will take care of handling the messenger issue, I already have someone in Palocaesy on standby for immediate course of action.¡±>

    ¡°And then what?¡±

    <¡°We will be setting the stage for a ¡®tragic accident¡¯ on Noire Scarletine Krauss, her human escort, and his accompanying party during their dungeon crawl. It may be delayed, but I will have to set my sights on Isabelle Silvene Krauss to be one step closer to become the family head. Afterward ¡­ we will initiate our plan for my ascension of the family head seat to be certain. I will contact you later for further details while you tell me more about what you know of this human escort and his party.¡±>

    ¡°Very good, Milord.¡± With his slit eyes open and a conniving smile spread across his maw, Konjiro¡¯s connection with his ¡®lord¡¯ through the high-leveled Messaging Crystal is cut before he restrains from snickering to himself, his yellow foxtail wags with malevolent glee.

 Chapter 97: New City, New Locals, and New Girls (?)

    The city of Palocaesy. Compared to Dondegarm, this one has more tall buildings and the roads are paved, but the boundaries take up less space. From what Julius and Sue explained, Palocaesy is about an eighth smaller than Dondegarm, but the number of tall buildings makes up the difference. The reason why the size is different though is highly likely because of the mostly bipedal demographics of the population that live here.

    With my Size Up skill along with Hyper Perception and Hyper Thought Processing, I quickly surveyed my surroundings and skimmed through some of the passersby¡¯s statuses as we walked. Imps and Arch Imps I¡¯m starting to see as the common race that makes up the majority of demons as I saw more here than I had in Dondegarm. Some Centaurs and Harpies also pass by that look to be in the middle of making deliveries with the kinds of carts and bags they were holding.

    Then there are new ones I saw like Lilims despite having different physical traits that make up other demon races. According to Sue, like Lamias and Harpies, this is also an all-female race who actually have no problems mating with other races besides humans, despite being so human-like themselves. Their flexibility with who they sleep with is apparently a strong mindset to have that¡¯s perfect to work in brothels as prostitutes, and so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see some in those establishments around the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory. I actually saw a couple of these back in Dondegarm as well but I was too overwhelmed by the culture shock for me to get a good look at their statuses.

    The appearance of Monoeyes, people that are similar to Cyclops with having one eye but with smaller statures relatable to human standards, was also an eye-opener for me (pun not intended).

    There is also a wider range of Insectoids like Lili¡¯s and Margaret¡¯s¡ªI mean Beelzebub¡¯s subraces, Arachnes and Flyrans respectively, plus Mantises, some Giant Ants in the middle of construction work, and apparently Beetles that are mostly covered in exoskeleton armor and ¡®pincers¡¯ for horns while still being able to walk on two feet.

    There are even a handful of Werebeasts like Werewolves such as Ren, Kitsunes like Konjiro, plus Wererabbits, and Werecougars. I got to see both female and male forms of all of them, and again, I¡¯m grateful to the Immortals for making the former of the sexes so pleasing and attractive to the eyes.

    Then there were Orcs ¡­ they¡¯re just as ¡®attractive¡¯ as one may see in doujinshis, both males and females, unfortunately. With builds larger (and ¡®rounder¡¯) than a human¡¯s, both sexes have legit pig faces. Ears, snout, ¡®tusks,¡¯ and all, plus thin coiling tails, all resembling a pig¡¯s. Not to mention they¡¯re so scarily similar that the only thing that sets them apart between a male and a female are the chests and maybe their choices of attire. The best word that could describe this race would be ¡®grotesque,¡¯ and that may be me being generous.

    In this world when it comes to ¡®beauty,¡¯ the Orcs¡¯ perceptions are apparently the reverse to the majorities. To clarify, if Elves are one of the most beautiful of existing races in Raizen, then even though the Orcs are on the opposite end of the spectrum, they see themselves as such while others look hideous, with Elves being the ¡®worst¡¯ of all. While it¡¯s unlikely to see an Orc in a relationship with someone outside of their race, they do have their ¡®needs¡¯ being one of those with higher libidos than others, especially the males, and so they won¡¯t mind ¡®letting off some steam¡¯ on some Lilims in brothels if there aren¡¯t any Orc prostitutes available.

    All I can say in this is that there is nooooo way I¡¯m touching any of that from the girls'' side and thank god Nyra¡¯s on the same page. I had lost the appetite for pork after just seeing one for the first time.

    Anyway, I¡¯ve seen plenty more different demons in Palocaesy compared to Dondegarm, enough to level my Size Up skill to 8. I even examined my surroundings with Street Smarts fast enough to bring that up to 7 (and yes, that¡¯s 2 levels from when I last mentioned that skill) as there were many more unfamiliar objects in detail I had yet to learn more of. It was a little overwhelming though, enough for me to get a bit of a headache from the influx of information coming in at once.

    ¡°Master, are you all right?¡± Ren asks.

    ¡°Yeah, I just got a bit of a headache. I think the exhaustion from all that has happened today has caught up to me.¡±

    ¡°Here. Down this with some water,¡± Sue then says as she takes out a glass jar of round pills. She pours one out and holds it up to me. ¡°Healing magic is impressive but illnesses are another story. It¡¯s important to keep yourself healthy when you can, and try not to overwork yourself, too.¡±

    I quickly appraise the pill with Street Smarts and confirm that it¡¯s indeed a medicine that¡¯s made with herbs and other ingredients I¡¯m not familiar with to treat headaches, among some other symptoms that are similar for cases of migraines. No hint of poison whatsoever or serious side-effects unless the dosage is abused.

    ¡°Wow, thanks, Sue.¡± I take the pill and pop it in my maw before downing it with the water I have in a canteen. ¡°Do you have something like this often since you carry those meds with you?¡±

    ¡°More or less. It¡¯s usually when I get too pent up that my body takes a toll on me. Not that I¡¯m feeling like that right now, of course. I especially had a blast in Lady Krauss¡¯ cottage.¡±

    ¡°At least someone had fun back there. There were moments I thought I¡¯d lose all my feathers from molting too early.¡± [Tyvera]

    ¡°Agreed. That was the first I have been in a noble¡¯s home and I had to be careful my ¡®body¡¯ did not bump into anything valuable.¡± [Kalline]

    ¡°Considering Jinma¡¯s track record so far, that may be something thou will need to get used to quickly, Kalline,¡± [Eugus]

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to be on our best behavior so that we don¡¯t embarrass Master. Eri, that goes especially for you with being so prone to getting into ¡®accidents¡¯ lately.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°Uugh. It¡¯s embarrassing when you put it like that, but you couldn¡¯t be more right ¡­ though that isn¡¯t so bad in itself if it was Master who scolded me.¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°I¡¯m worried for this group.¡± [Kenaka]

    ¡°For once, you and I can agree on something.¡± [Mametama]

    Seriously. There were so many tense situations back there that I¡¯m amazed I didn¡¯t get this headache sooner ¡­ whoa, it¡¯s gone. That¡¯s some effective stuff. Maybe I should look into getting a medicine making skill, too, or at least find someone with it who¡¯s willing to join our party. If neither of those, maybe we should find a go-to pharmacy for any medicinal needs.

    ¡°Well, once we get to this inn, we¡¯ll be able to take it easy a little bit,¡± Julius says as he takes the lead. ¡°It¡¯s just a few blocks down from this pub here¡ª¡±

    Just as I¡¯m looking straight ahead, my Hyper Foresight activates and I foresee an incoming danger in slow ¡®before-images.¡¯ I react quickly by tugging on Julius¡¯ collar to stop him to a halt, then stretch out both arms to my sides where Sue and Ume are occupying each, suddenly blocking their paths before those following behind them stop in kind.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    KSHAAAAAAN!

    Just a couple centimeters away from Julius¡¯ path, a blast of shattered glass breaks out in front of him. A figure is seen amidst that, screaming as if he comes flying out of the building a couple ways ahead of us by a broken window of the pub that Julius was just pointing at moments ago.

    I¡¯m seeing it all in slow motion as if I¡¯m watching a movie with special effects. My Hyper Perception and Hyper Thought Processing skills really know how to make what I see look more interesting.

    With the danger quickly passing, the frame rate speed goes back to real-time as the figure hits the ground and rolls to a stop like a rag doll. The trail of shattered window glass is left in his wake as he groans in pain.

    I sigh a breath of relief. ¡°*Haa,* that was close¡ª¡±

    Munya munya.

    Just as I get my bearings, I realize my hands are gripping something with two different variations of softness and firmness. Both of them are rather large but the one on my right has more weight and size with only a thin, smooth silk getting between the hand and fingers, while my left is gripping something with a few layers of soft fabric, yet I¡¯m still getting a good sense of the firm texture of the object as it¡¯s being supported.

    It takes me a few seconds to realize I¡¯m gripping Ume¡¯s and Sue¡¯s respectively massive chests. While I tried to react to the foreseeing danger as fast as I could, I didn¡¯t really focus on what my hands were doing, and so they just subconsciously grab the first thing they can get a good grip of. They both stand there as if afflicted with the stunned ailment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was trying to stop you both but I didn¡¯t know where my hands were going!¡± I exclaim to both of them while bowing deeply at 90 degrees.

    The two girls take a bit to register what just happened before I hear a light hit of a palm in realization.

    ¡°Oh! I see now! From the crash, right? Okay, I get it, but really, there¡¯s nothing to apologize for, Jin. If you wanted to indulge yourself in my boobs, you¡¯re more than welcome to at any time and place. I am your wife, after all.¡± [Ume]

    ¡°A-And, um, as a very happy fan ¡­ if you g-give me time to ready my heart and move us to a private space, I-I don¡¯t mind ¡­ p-prepping my boobs for you to cop a better feel ¡­ and maybe then some.¡± [Sue]

    Oh my god ¡­ this is definitely not a manga if I¡¯m not getting hit comically for doing something lewd like every unlucky harem protagonist in history, and my LUCK is shit, no less. I was even prepared for it with my stupidly high defenses from my cheat ability, but ¡­ I feel like it¡¯s been tragically wasted for some reason.

    <¡°I have not looked into enough of your memories involving those things to even know what the fuck you¡¯re talking about, dude. More importantly, you might want to take a better look at the guy that came crashing out the window.¡±>

    With Nyra¡¯s help regaining my senses, I look to the guy that tumbled on the ground as he groaned and got up. The biggest thing about him that stands out is the light blue skin that encompasses his body. Then there are a pair of black horns curling back and behind his head, almost resembling a gazelle¡¯s of some sort, jotting out of his wild, short navy-blue hair. He has a lean build covered by brown leather jacket over a t-shirt with black fingerless gloves, trousers, and boots. Jotting out some slits from the jacket¡¯s back are a pair of black bat-like wings, and out of a hole behind his trousers is a large black tube tail with an arrow-shaped tip.

    ¡°A Devil ¡­¡± Kalline mutters behind me.

    I check his status with Size Up and confirm that he is indeed from the Devil race, bearing a Monk class, the same as that old drunkard from the raid at Dondegarm despite his looks. Going by some of his skills, he must be one that likes to use his fists to fight, but unlike the old drunkard with his Drunken Style brawling that I copied, this Devil that went by Klash has a fighting style skill called ¡®Kickboxing Style.¡¯

    Kickboxing is an established martial art back on Earth. Could it be that recognized martial arts can make or break what advanced class you can promote to as a Pugilist? If that¡¯s so, maybe that old drunkard had mastered an actual martial art alongside his Drunken Style brawling to get to where he was then. Compared to my Merciless Style brawling that I just polished on the fly as I learned how to fight from Mom and my aunts, this guy must¡¯ve been taught by a professional or spent some SP on the skill that suited his tastes ¡­ despite how low the level of mastery in the Kickboxing Style he¡¯s in right now.

    Even so, this is the race my Devil Eyes originate from, huh? I would need to find someone like this to help me learn more about it.

    ¡°Hah?! More humans?! Just who the fuck do you think you are walking in our territory like you own the place?!¡±

    Klash¡¯s yell snaps me out of my thoughts. Going by his tone, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be willing to help me anytime soon.

    ¡°Boss!¡± Another Devil quickly runs up to his side, coming out of the pub along with a couple of Imps and Arch Imps. All of them looked like they had just been through one hell of a beat down from their roughed up clothes, bruises, and traces of blood. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay here for much longer! She¡¯s coming this way!¡±

    Klash looks over towards the pub and clicks his tongue before jolting back to us with gritted teeth. He accusingly points a finger in my and Julius¡¯ direction. ¡°Mark my words! The next time you run into me, you will regret living to this day, so get the fuck out of our territory!¡±

    With that, Klash flaps his wings and flies off in a hurry, his cohorts follow along.

    ¡°¡­ Well, that was pleasant,¡± Julius says as he smooths out his pink attire and fixed his hat before turning to me. ¡°You stopped me from getting caught in that crash, didn¡¯t you, Jinma? That was some impressive reflexes. You have my thanks.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention ¡­ it,¡± I drawl as I look to where Klash¡¯s gang was running away from and my thought process screeches to a halt.

    Stepping outside of the pub is a girl. I can only say that much going by the curves of her frame, especially the breasts despite their modest size, as it¡¯s entirely covered by a black leather suit with a large zipper line down the middle. Along with matching gloves and boots is a shiny scarlet-covered dome for the head, a visor blocks the majority of her face, and looped around her torso is what looks like a chain whip with the handle dangling loosely over her left shoulder, ready to pull and strike with at any time.

    Scanning the entirety of her form twice over as she looks my way, I can only come to one conclusion.

    O-Oi, no matter how you look at it, that¡¯s a motor cycler¡¯s outfit, right? The one-piece leather suit is debatable but there¡¯s no way such a helmet could exist here unless someone from the outside has seen it at least once, and as far as I know, motor engines shouldn¡¯t even be invented yet, so motorcycles can¡¯t be a thing here.

    <¡°Jinma! That chain whip! I¡¯m sensing a powerful, ethereal aura from it! It¡¯s similar to what comes from your bracelet and the Immortals¡¯ Monuments!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    I glance above her head and my heart stops at what I¡¯m seeing ¡­ or to be more technical, what I¡¯m not seeing. I activate my Size Up skill to try and pull more details. I even tried using Street Smarts to see if I can get a hint from anything on her person.

    [Size Up¡¯s appraisal has been blocked]

    [Street Smarts¡¯ appraisal has been blocked]

    J-Just like Sue ¡­ I can¡¯t see her status or the details of what she¡¯s wearing!

    ¡°Mistreeeess!¡±

    Coming from the direction that gang flew off is a girl with a bit of pep and happiness in her tone. When I look over, my eyes widen in shock.

    Fleshy pink skin with a curvy, slightly pudgy frame that isn¡¯t too fat yet looks soft to the touch¡ªespecially her tits that look to be on par with Sue¡¯s on cup size¡ªthick but strong hips as well as arms, plus a cute little button nose.

    From what I had seen today, one wouldn¡¯t even think of this girl having floppy pig ears and a matching tail, and yet there she is having both of those while wearing a daring pelt miniskirt, matching croptop that supports the bust very well, leather bracers for shins and forearms, and sandals. The big kickers she has on though are not only the knapsack strapped to her back that clearly resembles mine that Erizora¡¯s currently carrying, the large war axe strapped to that despite the girl not taking any notice in its weight at all, and a necklace that¡¯s hiding something in her impressive cleavage, but it¡¯s the blue ring around her neck, the trademark brand for slaves in this world, that has my head spinning as she approaches the motorcycle girl with a smile.

    ¡°I got some great ingredients at neat prices from the market today! I¡¯m going to cook something that will knock your boots ¡­ off? Who are these people, Mistress?¡± she asks as she shifts glances between the motorcycle girl and our group.

    Is this girl seriously a freaking Orc?! There¡¯s no way an Orc can be this fucking cute, let alone be a slave! Desperate to know her name, I use Size Up and Street Smarts on her immediately without questioning.

    [Size Up¡¯s appraisal has been blocked]

    [Street Smarts¡¯ appraisal has been blocked]

    Again with this?! Just what is going on here?! And if that bag the Orc has on is the same as mine ¡­ with that modern look and our common items, there can be no question.

    I look over to the motorcycle girl once more who I don¡¯t think has shifted her gaze away from me the whole time, despite not seeing what¡¯s under that scarlet helmet.

    This girl ¡­ no, this Champion, just who is she?!

 Chapter 98: Introducing the Skull Bashers

    ¡°Wait, broken glass, noise from the pub ¡­ Mistress, were you in the middle of a battle?!¡± the surprisingly cute Orc girl exclaims before stepping in front of the motorcycle girl while reaching back to grab her battle axe. Her eyes turn fierce as she glares at us. ¡°Just say the word, Mistress, and I¡¯ll have these people chopped!¡±

    ¡°Hold on, we¡¯re not¡ª¡±

    Before I could say any further, the motorcycle girl puts a hand on her Orc slave¡¯s (?) shoulder. She then moves in and whispers something ¡­ at least that¡¯s what it looks like from how close their faces are and one of the Orc girl¡¯s pig ears perk up.

    ¡°Um ¡­ Mistress asks if any of you got hurt?¡± the Orc girl asks in confusion.

    ¡°We are fine, thank you,¡± Julius answers. ¡°We managed to stop right before getting caught in the crash.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ these guys aren¡¯t our enemies?¡±

    The motorcycle girl shakes her head and whispers more. The Orc girl¡¯s face suddenly reddens as both of her ears perk up.

    ¡°Oh, gosh, I¡¯m so sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion!¡± the Orc girl exclaims before getting down into dogeza, being careful of the broken glass below her. ¡°Please, do with me what you must, but I beg you to not think of my Mistress with an ill will!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite all right since no one has gotten hurt ¡­ though I can¡¯t quite say the same for that girl¡¯s real enemies that flew off. Isn¡¯t that right, Jinma?¡± Julius asks me.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, right ¡­¡±

    The motorcycle girl then crouches down next to the Orc girl and pulls her back up before whispering into her ear more.

    ¡°Mistress wishes to compensate you all for the inconvenience and asks if you have a place to stay,¡± the Orc girl relays to us.

    ¡°We were just on our way to the inn close to here to reserve some rooms,¡± Julius answers.

    ¡°The Moonshine, right? That¡¯s where we¡¯re staying.¡±

    ¡°That it is, indeed.¡±

    The motorcycle girl whispers more into the Orc girl¡¯s ear. ¡°Mistress would like to check back in the pub here and pay for the damages before leading you all there. We can talk more then.¡±

    ¡°That would be wonderful!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure ¡­¡± Julius and I say. She seems to be reasonable but I wonder why she has to relay those messages to her Orc slave for delivery?

    <¡°I don¡¯t know, but I wouldn¡¯t let down my guard just yet,¡±> Nyra advises.

    ~~

    We took a couple of minutes for motorcycle girl to settle business with the pub before she and her Orc girl slave lead us to the inn further down the street. The place that¡¯s called ¡®The Moonshine¡¯ is about as big as the one me and my party stayed in Dondegarm, only these guys don¡¯t have the Japanese-inspired ¡®mixed room¡¯ and has just more rooms available, big and small for different clientele.

    Before we had a chance to check ourselves in, the human-Orc pair orders some food for us at the counter before we were directed to seats made up of a few tables quickly put together for our large group. I sat near the end with Ume and Sue at both of my sides while the two new girls were across from us. Julius was at one end and Eugus on the other, with everyone else settling in their own seats accordingly. My familiars are sitting on the floor next to us as they wait for their food like the rest of us.

    ¡°Please allow me to be the first to apologize once more and start the introductions,¡± the Orc girl says as she and her owner stands before everyone. ¡°This is my human owner who goes by Kisaki. She¡¯s not good with speaking up to strangers so please excuse her for using me to relay any and all of her messages for now. I am Roll, her one and only slave companion of the Orcs. Mistress and I are a green-ranked adventurer party who like to go by the Skull Bashers. We hope we could get along.¡± Roll and Kisaki then bow before everyone, ending their introduction.

    Aaaaand just like that, my Intuition skill kicks in and warning flags are flipping up at the wazoo in my mind.

    The name, ¡®Kisaki,¡¯ not only just screams Japanese, but it¡¯s completely contradictory to her behavior if she¡¯s actually ¡®not good with strangers.¡¯ If anything, how Roll¡¯s speaking for her already speaks levels of how high in the ground she sees herself as that goes along with the name¡¯s vibe. [AN: kisaki (ºó</a>) is a translation for ¡®queen¡¯ in Japanese.]

    If that weren¡¯t strange enough, there¡¯s the party¡¯s name that was also likely Kisaki¡¯s doing. ¡®Skull Bashers?¡¯ Doesn¡¯t that sound like a rock or metal group? Anyway, that aside, Roll lied just then, which means her ¡®Confession¡¯ setting as a slave is completely off at 0. From the sounds of the timing, it seems it was her ¡®difficulty to speak to strangers¡¯ that set off my Intuition skill. Which means she¡¯s not speaking up for an entirely different reason that Roll¡¯s aware of or she wouldn¡¯t have to lie to do it. She seems to be telling the truth about the name, though ¡­ question is, is that also a lie, and is she keeping her real name hidden from her slave partner? For what reason?

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    ¡°Very nice, very nice,¡± Julius says while applauding. ¡°I am Julius, the guild master for Bomira¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory. I arrived here in Palocaesy today doing business.¡±

    ¡°And I am Eugus, guild master for Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild that is the next town over. I came with Jinma¡¯s party also as part of business,¡± Eugus joins in.

    ¡°Uuu ¡­ I really messed up this time if I raised a blade against two guild masters,¡± Roll says while shuddering in her seat.

    ¡°Now, now, it¡¯s okay. That¡¯s all in the past now. Jinma, would you like to go first for your group?¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ sure,¡± I say before standing up.

    I may not know what this ¡®Kisaki¡¯s¡¯ deal is, but even if she has more experience in this world than I do, I can¡¯t let myself be seen as someone to take lightly, yet see me as a big enough threat to take out first thing. I guess I¡¯ll just introduce myself normally.

    ¡°I¡¯m Jinma Kotori, human, and leader of the ¡®Twilight Sky¡¯ adventurer¡¯s party. Nice to meet ¡®cha. This is my wife and a ¡®second-in-command¡¯ of sorts in the party, Umeiyon, a Lizardman.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure,¡± Ume greets.

    ¡°Buhii?! Wife?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was rather shocked, too,¡± Julius comments to Roll¡¯s surprise. Kisaki, on the other hand, claps her gloved hands together with glee.

    <¡°Huh, that¡¯s weird. She¡¯s clapping like she¡¯s excited, but her emotions ¡­ they indicate she¡¯s not all that shocked,¡±> Nyra comments.

    Well, with one guy surrounded by girls, would it be strange if he wasn¡¯t in a relationship of some sort with any of them? I imagine she made some guesses about me on our way here.

    <¡°I mean, yeah, sure, I would agree with you on that but ¡­ I don¡¯t know, I just find her reactions here a bit off from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±>

    After that, Sue along with the rest introduced themselves accordingly.

    ¡°Wow, so many different people ¡­ it¡¯s not often I see an Ogre or a Lizardman around these parts, but for the latter to be the wife that heads her husband¡¯s harem ¡­ just being a wife is already so amazing, but to even go that far ¡­¡± Roll trails off as she spaces out in a dream-like state.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me mentioning, Roll, but you¡¯re really ¡­ different from what I¡¯ve seen of other Orcs so far here,¡± I point out.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to sugarcoat it, Mr. Kotori, I know ¡­ I¡¯m hideous from the other Orcs, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Everyone at that table is stunned silent at her statement.

    ¡°¡­ What?¡± I ask to break the silence.

    ¡°The moment I was born my parents said things like ¡®why, why were we given such a hideous child?¡¯ They wanted nothing more than to get rid of me. My siblings who came after teased and ganged up on me, their oldest, for my hideous face, made messes for me to clean up after as part of our parents¡¯ ¡®discipline¡¯ towards me, said I should be put to some use despite my looks. They wouldn¡¯t even let me out of their home in public because they were that ashamed of having such an ugly daughter.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I got old enough that they sold me as a slave. I developed a good Housekeeping skill while I knew how to swing an axe from all of the wood I chopped, I guess the Slave Merchant who bought me saw value in those, at least. From there, I was put through more rigorous labor as a slave, improving my Housekeeping and Axe-Wielding skills, among others, until I met Mistress much, much later.

    ¡°She was so nice to me, kind as she is strong with her special chain whip. She was the first to ever tell me I actually looked pretty, especially after she helped cleaned me up some and bought cute clothes for casual wear. Mistress may be stern with me at times and can get a little overboard with my training while battling monsters, but I could tell, compared to my parents, her form of ¡®discipline¡¯ is out of consideration for my safety and the kindness of her heart.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only served Mistress as her slave for a little over a month now, but I owe a lot to her for saving me that day. That¡¯s why that even if I¡¯ll get bad stares from others for my hideous looks, I won¡¯t get discouraged. As long as I could serve a wonderful person like Mistress, I¡¯m happy as I am right now.¡±

    ¡°We totally get it!¡± Ren exclaims, leaning over the table while her tail wagged to and fro. Erizora also looks on with serious eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve only been with Master for a few days, but despite how different we are from him, he treats us as equal individuals! He cares so much for our health and gives us such special treatment, I feel like we¡¯d never repay all of the wonderful things he¡¯s given us!¡±

    ¡°I feel the same way for Mistress!¡±

    ¡°Uh, I just started with this whole slavery thing, so I don¡¯t know much about this yet to even relate,¡± Tyvera interjects with a talon-hand up.

    ¡°If I could also say something, Roll,¡± I intervene. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the standards of beauty for Orcs work and it may not mean much from me, being a human, but I agree with Kisaki here. Speaking as a guy, I think you¡¯re really cute as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Eh? Ehhhhh?! No! You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Roll exclaims as her face flushes.

    ¡°Dead serious. I¡¯m interested to see how you look in casual clothes, and honestly, if I were in Kisaki¡¯s shoes at that time you two first met, I¡¯d redeem you in a heartbeat. You not only have cute looks but your personality also seems to have the same level of attractiveness. You¡¯re a legit cinnamon roll, Roll.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is but I agree with Jinma, too,¡± Julius adds. ¡°Out of all the Orcs I¡¯ve seen in my days, I find you quite charming, Roll.¡±

    ¡°N-No, really, I¡¯m not ¡­¡± Steam seems to be blowing out of Roll¡¯s ears from how hot and red her face is getting. Kisaki nudges her side, probably saying something like ¡®See? What¡¯d I tell ya?¡¯ with her actions. ¡°No, not you, too, Mistress. Please, don¡¯t look at me ¡­¡± Roll then covers her face, hiding her embarrassment.

    Ah~, she looks so cute it makes me want to eat her up.

    <¡°Yeah~, you might want to get that taken care of soon. I can tell from here that you¡¯re getting really backed up from all the rises of arousal today.¡±>

    Right, maybe I¡¯ll do that as soon as we figure out our rooms, but really, this Kisaki ¡­ she may be hiding some big things, but she¡¯s a really nice girl deep down, huh? Strong, kind, stern and tend to go overboard, even the way she¡¯s teasing Roll right now ¡­

    ¡°Jinma? Are you okay?¡± Sue suddenly asks me.

    ¡°I am, why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smiling, but your eyes were looking a little sad and lonely for a moment there.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Ah, did it really look like that? I really am fine, I just got nostalgic for a bit from watching those two. It just reminded me of the good times I shared with some good people of mine back home.¡±

    ¡°With your family?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Have you ever felt like that?¡±

    ¡°¡­ From time to time, yes.¡± Sue looks down and smiles sadly to herself while placing a hand on her chest, specifically over her necklaces that are tucked between her cleavage.

    Maybe they¡¯re memorabilia of some sort to remember someone in the family dear to her? While I can relate to that, I wonder what hers is? Who does she have in Korangar right now if she¡¯s this far on her own? I kind of hope I¡¯ll get to learn more about her, soon.

    ~~

    Off on Jinma¡¯s other side, without his knowledge, the Dragon girl in disguise, Umeiyon, also has a similar expression on her face as she thinks back to her previous time at her old home, to the people of her own kind that were closest to her.

    ¡­ Despite my disappearance, I hope you¡¯re doing well over there. If only you all can see how happy I am to have fallen in love with Jin right now.

 Chapter 99: Sleeping Arrangements

    The food arrived and our little meal break went on as we talked to Roll and Kisaki some more. Kisaki couldn¡¯t eat or drink because of the helmet, of course, and she didn¡¯t want to take it off in front of others. Sure, she could move it enough to where her mouth is in the open and eat it while half of her face is covered, but who knows if someone might knock that helmet off the rest of the way after being loosened so much? She didn¡¯t want to take any chances, not even in the bath, and yes, that meant she literally goes to the bath with the helmet on. Apparently, the helmet¡¯s special that it¡¯s enchanted to provide ventilation and some sort of AC functioning so she doesn¡¯t get heatstroke from wearing it for too long, especially in hot places. After she finishes taking a dip in the bath and is by herself, she would cast [Clean] on her head and hair as well as the inside of the helmet to make up for the place that hadn¡¯t been tended to. Kisaki said¡ªor at least Roll said for her¡ªthat she wouldn¡¯t let her ¡®insecurities¡¯ get the better of her enough to keep away from enjoying herself in a bath after a long day.

    We learned then that unlike Dondegarm, the few public baths in Palocaesy don¡¯t have a side specifically for humans. There is one where the baths are separated by gender, but there¡¯s also one that only has a mixed bath for different demon races and different genders.

    While Kisaki¡¯s reasoning for keeping the helmet on was rather dubious, I could definitely tell Kisaki¡¯s a true Japanese woman through and through, and going by the conversation, she and Roll usually go to the public bath that separates into genders. While I could understand her reasoning, I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t curious about how she looks underneath the motorcycle outfit. Sure, how it conforms to the body doesn¡¯t leave much to the imagination for the shape, but speaking as a guy, I wanted to see it all. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get that view anytime soon but I¡¯m thankful enough that she¡¯s willing to talk to me despite my scary looks, unlike most other human girls from Earth who tend to avert their gaze from me. It may be the boost in strength thanks to the game-like leveling system of this world that gave her enough confidence to talk to someone like me but hey, I don¡¯t nitpick on the details.

    We also learned that those two have been staying in Palocaesy for a while now, training in the dungeon nearby as they went on quests and quickly moved up in the ranks. I don¡¯t know how long Kisaki¡¯s been here specifically before she met Roll, but it was probably best that I didn¡¯t pry on any information about her being a Champion like me. Unless we¡¯re by ourselves and are on really good terms, maybe it¡¯s a sort of unspoken rule for Champions to reveal themselves to each other. Besides, we both decided to come to this world for the sake of taking a second chance. To do something with our new lives that we couldn¡¯t with our old ones and I haven¡¯t heard much about her causing a lot of trouble, so there isn¡¯t any reason for me to put my nose into her personal business.

    ¡®Let sleeping dogs lie, but if you¡¯re the dog getting messed with, bark loudly back; otherwise, bite hard if they get serious,¡¯ as Mom always told me.

    Anyway, some time passed and our short meal was long done. Kisaki and Roll had to do some more errands and said we¡¯ll see them around before bidding us off.

    Julius went ahead and reserved a room for himself while the short meal went on, and so he decided to do some sightseeing. Eugus, perhaps to give his niece some space, decided to find another inn to spend the night and will also leave. We thanked the two of them for leading us this far and they wished us luck on dinner with Lady Krauss later tonight as they went along as well, but not before putting in a word that both of them will be showing up at the cottage again the next morning to further discuss the quest proceedings.

    ¡°Now, how do we go about assigning rooms ¡­¡± I start off when it was only our group left behind. ¡°Unlike the inn at Dondegarm, it doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s one large room to house multiple guests. From what the receptionist said, there are ¡®Single Regular-Sized (SR)¡¯ rooms for people of my size with one single bed; ¡®Single Large-Sized (SL)¡¯ rooms for large-bodied people like Erizora with a bed that could fit one of her or two of me; and finally, these ¡®Extra Large-Sized (XL)¡¯ rooms with a bed that could fit two Erizoras or four of me if tucked tightly together, being the most expensive of all.¡±

    ¡°It also seems that we can order separate pillows and blankets for a bit of extra, too,¡± Kalline adds in. ¡°I usually sleep on the floor so there is no need to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Let me just ask the question that everyone wants to know,¡± Ume then says before raising a scaly claw up. ¡°Who here wants to sleep with Jin? Raise your hand if you do.¡±

    And with that, all of the girls in the group followed through.

    ¡°Wait, you want to sleep with me as well, Kalline?¡± I ask.

    ¡°My reason ¡­ is not too significant,¡± she says while twiddling her thumbs. ¡°I feel like I have not had the chance to speak or spend time with thee as much as the others have, and ¡­ I would like to use that opportunity to strengthen our bonds ¡­ as party comrades, of course! Nothing more! I was thinking we could even discuss strategies for tackling the dungeon early on!¡±

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    Aaaand my Intuition skill is going off the charts with how much Kalline¡¯s lying poorly right now. Part of it sounded true, but I could see there¡¯s a bigger ulterior motive behind her desires. Not that I find that bad, of course, I do feel like I should spend time and get to know her more.

    ¡°And of course, as a fan, it would be a dream come true for me to sleep on the same bed as my idol!¡± [Sue]

    ¡°Hey, I just joined this group! Slave or not, I want to get to know Chief, too!¡± [Tyvera]

    ¡°Really, Mametama? Did you feel you have to raise your paw up?¡± [Kenaka]

    ¡°What? Have you not experienced Milord¡¯s superior petting techniques? I would have to be crazy not to throw my hat in the ring if I could get this opportunity.¡± [Mametama]

    ¡°I can relate to that feeling.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°The more I hear about Master¡¯s petting techniques the more I want to be his submissive pet, too!¡± [Erizora]

    Part of me feels like I should expect this kind of thing, being the main man of the harem and all, but when I hear how much these cute girls (and cougar cub in not a weird way, mind you) wanting to spend time with me so much, it¡¯s difficult for me not to get embarrassed and bashful over it. It¡¯s like when I was younger and getting spoiled by my aunts when they get together with Mom.

    ¡°Well, before we can get anywhere, you all can be sure that I won¡¯t be sleeping with Jin this time around.¡±

    We all jolt to the one girl we¡¯d expect to say that the least: my wife.

    ¡°While yes, I have privileges being Jin¡¯s primary wife, I also have a responsibility in looking after and getting to know my husband¡¯s other mates as well,¡± Ume explains. ¡°Not to mention, I¡¯ve spent the most time with Jin out of everyone here and I¡¯ll be spending more of it with him as the two of us have dinner together with ¡®you-know-who;¡¯ thus, I¡¯ll be stepping out this time and let you all have a chance to be with him. I have first dibs of sleeping with him tomorrow night, though.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ in that case, if we count out Mametama possibly sleeping on top of him on the bed and Kenaka being in the other room, that would leave five of us left,¡± Sue said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be good of Jinma suffocating under all of that heat and weight, so how about we just have two girls in bed with him tonight?¡±

    ¡°That sounds fair, and we can decide who gets to sleep with him by drawing lots. Is that all right with thee, Master Jinma?¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    And so, I take some pieces of paper and draw two of them with a star, indicating the person who picked it up will sleep with me tonight, before folding them up, tossing them in a hat I just made with Darkness Manipulation and shuffled it all inside before letting the girls take one.

    The result ¡­ Sue and Kalline drew their stars.

    ¡°Yes! I got it, I got it, I got it!!!¡±

    ¡°M-Me too? Oh, but, I would be sleeping on the floor, though. Even if I got on the bed, I am afraid my uh ¡­ size might be too much for it to handle on top of Sue¡¯s and Master Jinma¡¯s ¡­¡±

    <¡°I think you mean your ass is too fat for the bed to handle, Flanks.¡±>

    I know nobody can hear you right now but please hush, Nyra.

    ¡°All right, then pick one of those who didn¡¯t get it and let her sleep with Jinma and I. While the thought sounds nice, it wouldn¡¯t be fair if I had him to myself in bed.¡±

    I suddenly feel like some important dakimakura that everyone wants to get a hold of. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that.

    ¡°I think ¡­ I will let Erizora take my spot. She endured a lot from that battle with the Howlers earlier. I think she deserves at least that much.¡±

    ¡°Really?! Thank you very much, Ms. Kalline!¡± Erizora exclaims while happily hopping in place, her titanic breasts bounce all the while.

    As my eyes notice that, I shift my gaze over to Sue, specifically her own chest, which is also quite impressive in size, especially paired off with her petite stature.

    I¡¯m gonna be sleeping in a booby sandwich tonight ¡­ Niiiice.

    <¡°My thoughts exactly.¡±>

    Tyvera¡¯s sigh then snaps me back into attention. ¡°I mean, it is what it is, but I really want ¡­ to sleep with Chief, too,¡± she says while looking down with disappointment.

    ¡°Actually, Tyvera,¡± I then intervene while lifting her head up by the chin. ¡°I¡¯ve been getting pent up from the excitement so far today. I was hoping you could help me with that as we get to know each other and you settle with our group.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?! But I haven¡¯t had a chance to clean myself yet! I might smell funny!¡±

    ¡°For your information, when I got close enough to you earlier, I found your aroma quite pleasant.¡±

    ¡°Ohh ¡­ now I know how Roll feels when she¡¯s complimented on her looks.¡± Tyvera then hides behind her talon-like hands, even folding her wings over her front in flushed embarrassment.

    ¡°Master, may I be there to assist as well?¡± Ren asks. ¡°As the alpha female to your slave harem, I feel I need to be there to offer our new recruit her needed support while showing her the ways a slave properly serves her master.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all right with that. I¡¯ve been meaning to give you a sort of reward for your hard work in the battle with the Howlers earlier, too, so that would be perfect.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Master is too generous, but I will anticipate receiving your kindness with high expectations.¡± Though Ren¡¯s trying to keep herself level-headed, how her tail¡¯s wagging erratically the moment she heard ¡®reward¡¯ tells how she really feels.

    ¡°Would you be all right with that, Tyvera?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Since I¡¯m so new at this, I¡¯ll ¡­ probably need as much help as I can get. Ren, I¡¯ll be in your care to show me the ropes.¡±

    ¡°Mm! You can count on me!¡± Ren exclaims with a fist to her chest, eyes sparkling while her tail still wags with the same vigor as earlier. I guess she really likes to be depended on by her junior. While I can sort of relate to that feeling, it¡¯s kind of weird when you know Tyvera¡¯s on a whole other level in battle prowess and adventurer rank from Ren, but I don¡¯t point that out.

    And so, we check ourselves in at the reception. We settle with reserving two XL rooms for our party, split between me, Sue, Erizora, Kalline, and Mametama in one, while Ume, Ren, Tyvera, and Kenaka would take the other for tonight.

    Once we drop off our things in our respective rooms for the evening, those who weren¡¯t involved with my ¡®harem quality time¡¯ decide to go about their own businesses accordingly while Ren, Tyvera, and I get settled in my room.

 Chapter 100: Playing with Birds and Dogs (Tyvera and Ren)

    Ren, Tyvera and I get settled on the largest bed I¡¯ve ever seen so far. Out of curiosity, I used my Street Smarts skill to get some further details and I found that the area of the bed is about a three-quarters size bigger than a king-size bed from Earth. It¡¯s surprisingly not springy after we played with it a little, but someone next door could certainly hear what was going on if enough activity is acted on it.

    Before we get to that though, there¡¯s something I need to fill Tyvera on since she¡¯s the newest recruit to our party, and so while the three of it sit on the bed with my [Soundproof] Null Spell surrounding us, I give it to her straight.

    ¡°Ch-Ch-Chief is a ¡­ is a Champion?¡± Tyvera asks in a stutter after I told her the truth. I even took out my Immortal¡¯s Enchanted Bracelet (IEB) to show proof.

    ¡°This is a fact about me that must be known to everyone in my party first thing. Slave or not, you must not let this thing about me get leaked to anyone outside of it. Not even Sue, my first and only fan, is aware of it. It should also be known that after our quest with Lady Krauss ends, we¡¯ll be going to Korangar to try and get an audience with the Demon King for some personal business of mine.¡±

    ¡°I think ¡­ I might¡¯ve overheard a little of that from your little talk with Chieftess.¡±

    ¡°Chieftess? You mean Ume?¡±

    ¡°When a female is married to the chief of a tribe, then she¡¯d be a chieftess, right? Your wife is the top female to your harem, so that makes Chieftess Chieftess.¡±

    ¡°You might wanna run that by her so she doesn¡¯t get confused later.¡±

    ¡°Right. But wow, an audience with Her Highness. Is that why you¡¯re trying to get in good graces with Lady Krauss?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re hoping that she could use her family¡¯s influence to help us get an audience with her without getting violent and fight our way through to prove our worthiness. There was that Champion hunt the Demon King issued that I would use as a last resort in case something happened, and with how complicated Lady Krauss¡¯ situation is, I was planning on turning her down then, but ¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, Her Highness made that decree of closing that 4-year-long hunt earlier. With the way she spread it, I¡¯m sure everyone in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory is aware of that fact now. With that option locked off, you had to accept Lady Krauss¡¯ quest despite her complications with Rowling.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°I see, I see ¡­ wait, are you trying to get an audience with her to woo her like you have with the girls here?¡±

    ¡°That would be some sort of incredible,¡± Ren comments.

    <¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping how things will turn out!¡±> Nyra exclaims.

    ¡°No, no, no, nothing of that sort. I just need some guidance, important advice, that I felt only she could give me,¡± I clarify.

    ¡°A human seeking advice from a Demon King ¡­ that¡¯s something you don¡¯t hear every day since that human may likely get killed after the first few steps into Korangar¡¯s boundaries. If they look weak enough, some demons will certainly want to ¡®play¡¯ with them until they break. But! To even capture someone like me without being noticed and to survive that Monster Swarm a few days back, I think you have what it takes and I like the reckless ballsy sorts in males, so I¡¯ll do everything I can to provide support, Chief!¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate that, Tyvera.¡±

    ¡°But wow, to even go that far, I wonder if all Champions are like that, and I will be ¡­¡± Tyvera trails off before trembling in place, turning into a shade of red that overwhelms her tanned complexion.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not comfortable, we can hold it off for¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! I¡¯m just excited! Really excited, nervous excited, so much I could barely think! I heard the first time is painful for most races, but if it¡¯s anything like laying eggs, then I should have no problems!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Harpies lay eggs?¡± I ask with widened eyes.

    ¡°Yeah! We usually lay about 3-5 a month that are unfertilized. One comes out of me about every other week.¡±

    ¡°What do you do with all of them?¡±

    ¡°Unless Harpies have a mate, most don¡¯t really bother with looking after unfertilized eggs. I¡¯m not interested in being a mother right now so I take all of my eggs to a facility in Petharocast. I get some good money out of it, too.¡±

    I¡¯m a little surprised at how nonchalant Harpies deal with their eggs, but I guess since they¡¯re unfertilized, they¡¯re technically not ¡®alive¡¯ enough to make a point of concern for morality and ethics. I suppose they could be used for something else more worthwhile if one can get creative with them. I can imagine facilities on Earth handling women¡¯s egg cells for research or other purposes, so the one in this city of Petharocast must work in a similar way.

    ¡°Anyway, I can have sex between egg-laying periods and not worry about getting impregnated like human females and other races do. Ah, now that I¡¯m a slave though, I can¡¯t leave and enter any cities like I usually do without you with me, huh? Petharocast is also far in the west that¡¯s close to the Demi-Kin¡¯s and Human-Kin¡¯s Territory borders. I laid an egg recently, though, so we don¡¯t have to worry about the next one coming for a while, at least after we¡¯re done with the quest if we clear the dungeon at the average time,¡± Tyvera then looks down and sensually rubs her washboard stomach with a warm smile. ¡°I would like to be a mother one day, but right now I want to do what I can as an adventurer, as your party member, slave, and ¡­ lover.¡± Tyvera looks back up to me with the same expression, a spitting image of a maiden happy to be with her significant other.

    ¡°Tyvera ¡­¡±

    She then crawls over to me while we¡¯re on the bed, getting on my lap as I sit cross-legged. Being of a similar height to Ren, she¡¯s able to meet me at an eye-level while wrapping her arms around my shoulders, pulling me close and pressing her chest against me with only the thin layer of fabric from her tube top in the way of her sizeable breasts. Our faces are millimeters apart, her eyes are half-lidded and filled with excitement, lust, and a hint of warmth that¡¯s relevant to her body heat that¡¯s enveloping me.

    ¡°Chief ¡­ you¡¯ve been working really hard lately, haven¡¯t you?¡± Tyvera asks. ¡°I may be new at this, but shall I tend to your needs as your newest lover while you relax?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and smirk a little. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave it to you whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°Just leave it to me, Chief.¡±

    She makes the first move and initiates the kiss, pressing herself further, sensually rubbing her breasts onto me all the while I savor the softness of her lips and scent of femininity with a dose of sweat, surprisingly alluring enough to act as a sort of aphrodisiac. Our noses brush against each other and breathe heavily as our mouths closed a way for air to flow through.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good. You¡¯re a natural at this, Tyvera,¡± Ren whispers from the side as she coaches her slave junior on lover techniques. With the [Soundproof] blocking any noise from the outside, only Ren¡¯s words, our breaths, rubbing fabrics, and movement on the bed can be heard as closing off our sense of sight heightens the others. As if we were the remaining people in the world, prepping and cheering ourselves on to begin repopulation with high vigors.

    <¡°Oh, yeah, this is getting hot,¡±> Nyra says in my mind.

    We break away our kiss that must¡¯ve lasted at least a minute and take a breather. On wordless agreement, Tyvera reaches down and pulls up the shirt I only have on while I raise my arms for better ease.

    ¡°Whoa, you¡¯ve definitely seen more battles than I have with those scars,¡± Tyvera points out as she tosses my shirt to the floor, then proceeding to practically rip off her tribal hairband to free her blonde hair.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I get into more trouble than I want to and this can be a hassle to deal with, especially with other guys staring at me while in the public baths.¡±

    ¡°I personally find scars sexy on a man, and on a body like yours ¡­ I¡¯m getting hotter than usual just looking at it.¡± Tyvera reaches around to undo her tube top that¡¯s bound together by clamps, a functional design specifically for Harpies to wear while minding their wings. She lets it fall to the floor, baring her boobs with pinkish-red nipples perky and erect from arousal. With their size and color, I could think of large hills covered with wheat that shine in the sunlight that brings a sense of calming delight. That¡¯s how beautiful they look to me right now.

    ¡°I know these aren¡¯t as big as your wife¡¯s but I hope they¡¯re still to your liking,¡± Tyvera says as she cups the tits in her talon-like hands, completely filling them out in a good fit.

    ¡°I do, very much. I¡¯m going to fondle them.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all yours~.¡±

    We continue the make-out session while my hands are between us, savoring how well her tits fill my hand as I play with them. Tyvera giggles from the tickly feeling then gasps through her nose from when I pinch her erect nipples between my fingers. The flesh that slightly molds to my touch is about as firm as nikuman [AN: steamed pork buns] and is just about as warm if one were to hold it on a chilly evening; fresh, but just hot enough to warm cold hands while eating it, which is what I end up doing as I kiss my way down her jawline, neck, and collarbone before finally reaching the perky nipple. The line of path I traced with my lips brushed over her Sweet Spots as my skill of the same name indicated, the impact intensified by my Intimate Touch, and her arousal as shown with my Climax Gauge rises by leaps and bounds.

    ¡°O-Oh~, Chief ¡­ I think ¡­ I¡¯m quickly seeing why everyone loves you,¡± Tyvera sighs with ecstasy between breaths, reaching around to pull me closer before getting a big whiff of my hair. ¡°I¡¯ve never ¡­ felt like this before. I¡¯ll be floating far above the clouds ¡­ by the time this is over.¡± Then, whether it¡¯s by some kind of instinct or other, Tyvera¡¯s wings unfurled out behind her, fluttering in delight as she subconsciously rocks her hips on my lap. She continues taking deep breaths from the scent wafting off of my hair as I greedily suck her tit like a starving baby.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Tyvera, stop what you¡¯re doing,¡± Ren cuts in.

    ¡°Huuh~? But things were going good¡ªwait, when did you get naked?¡±

    Just as Tyvera said, Ren is butt-naked as she holds Tyvera from the side. She must¡¯ve undressed while the two of us were occupied. As expected of a Thief to do it while hiding her presence.

    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten what we¡¯re trying to do here, Tyvera,¡± Ren argues. ¡°We¡¯re servicing Master¡¯s needs while he doesn¡¯t exert himself after a tiring day.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Ah! I was getting so into it that I forgot!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable for you to feel that way, being your first time and all, but we must remember our place as Master¡¯s love slaves who cater to his every need. We cannot get distracted and get swept up in the mome¡ªEEE?!¡±

    ¡°You say that Ren, but I can feel you getting pretty wet down here and your tail has been wagging nonstop. You must¡¯ve been getting off on our little show, were you~?¡± I tease while twiddling her clit that I reached between her legs. With each action played on it, more liquids dribble from her pussy, making a mess of my hand, her legs, and the blanket underneath her.

    ¡°Mrr, Master, please~! I¡¯m trying to show Tyvera what it means to be a slave like a good alpha should~!¡± Ren whines with a hint of moaning in between. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t ¡­ spoil us like this~!¡±

    ¡°Aw, but I saw you fight against the Howlers so well with Kalline and Erizora earlier, and you even did an excellent job dismantling them, too. You deserve some praise, and isn¡¯t it an owner¡¯s responsibility to make sure their slaves are properly rewarded?¡± I ask as I scoot up to her and do a combination attack: using my maxed Petting skill on her head with one hand while my other that¡¯s currently soaked with Ren¡¯s juices fondles her modest chest, making it slick to the touch while intensifying her arousal further with Intimate Touch and Sweet Spots. She takes a shaky gasp, jolts up from the electric ecstasy running down her spine, and grows hot to the touch while all of her hairs stand on end.

    ¡°How could I possibly neglect such a thing towards a good girl like you, Ren?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ a good girl?¡±

    ¡°Unless you want to be a bad girl and refuse my reward, but that would make me very sad.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want ¡­ to make Master sad ¡­¡±

    ¡°Then, you will accept my reward?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll humbly ¡­ no, I¡¯ll happily accept Master¡¯s reward.¡±

    ¡°Atta girl, Ren! Who¡¯s a good girl? Whooo¡¯s a good girl?¡± I ask while petting and fondling some more, almost like I would with a pet dog. She grows ever redder.

    ¡°¡­ I-I am?¡±

    ¡°You are! Yes, you are~!¡±

    ¡°I-I am a good girl!¡± she exclaims with glee and a little embarrassment.

    ¡°Now, give me a kiss.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master!¡±

    With me still behind her, we lock lips and I continue fondling her body, paying special attention to her breasts like I promised myself a while ago to appease her complex over them. Ren raggedly breathes through her nose before giving up and went with using her tongue for the kiss instead, to which I oblige. As Ren grips my hair with one of her beast-like hands, the other reaches down and back to undo my pants and pull the lower-garments down, setting my rock-hard erection flick up free. She then got to work with giving me a handjob, but not before using some of her juices that continue to drip down from her snatch to wet her furry pad-covered hand, then went to lubing up my cock, all the while maintaining our sloppy make-out session. Noticing how she¡¯s already getting close to her first climax, I reach back to down to her snatch and start fingering her soaked entrance, the hot insides practically welcome my appendages with great vigor and try to squeeze me like they would for my dick, taking all they could inside. Ren subconsciously rocks her hips in rhythm with my finger thrusts while keeping the motions of her handjob in sync.

    <¡°Damn, you¡¯re starting to get the hang of this pet play pretty well. We just need a collar and a leash and we can take it a step further,¡±> Nyra coaches.

    One thing at a time, Nyra. I¡¯m already conflicted enough as I am taking advantage of her pet-related title and treating her like one.

    ¡°Holy shit, I have to take that thing inside me?!¡±

    Tyvera¡¯s shock snaps us out of our session somewhat and Ren glances down as much as she could from over her shoulder to see what her hand¡¯s gripped on. Not only does her eyes widen, but her face pales somewhat at the sight.

    ¡°Master ¡­ did this get bigger than it was previously?¡±

    ¡°How big was it before?!¡±

    I get a little awkward and scratch my head while forcing a wry grin. ¡°Yeah, I believe it grew after doing it with you and Erizora for the first time, Ren. I should probably warn you to be careful with it this time around. When Ume got reckless the next time we did it, she hurt herself to where I had to cast healing magic on her.¡±

    Ren looks over to Tyvera¡¯s crotch, still clothed by the animal pelt. ¡°¡­ Even if she may not get pregnant the usual way, it would be best a generous amount of [Contraception] lube be applied, especially with it being her first time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was mentally debating that as well.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but we should first show her the joy of swallowing Master¡¯s seed first. Tyvera, help me get his trousers off and remove your remaining clothes as well.¡±

    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re doing what now?¡±

    Before I knew it, I¡¯m sitting on the edge of the larger than normal (at least by Earth¡¯s standards) bed with two cute and sexy animal-like girls between my legs and getting their mouths over my cock like it was the world¡¯s most delicious popsicle. Ren, despite dealing with my increased size that¡¯s now 20.5 centimeters [~8.1 inches], demonstrates the proper technique of a blowjob, one fitting for a slave to use her mouth as her owner¡¯s personal onahole, even going so far as to deepthroat it into her gullet. With my increased length and girth, it is being gripped by Ren¡¯s throat muscles I didn¡¯t think was possible, trying to suck and swallow it whole with no signs of gagging whatsoever. Erizora may have an easier time taking it all in thanks to her increased size, but Ren¡¯s efforts are quite commendable.

    As expected, when Tyvera tries it herself, she could barely get at least half of my cock into her mouth before her gag reflexes kick in. She gets disheartened by her failed efforts, but Ren consoles her and mentions that it takes practice, which is most certainly true for most things. For the time being though, the two just give their attention to my cock, licking it, suckling my balls, all while making lewd noises that bounce in the [Soundproof] spell¡¯s bubble.

    The sight, sounds, and mixed sensations of them double-teaming on my erection gets me gripping my sheets. If I was still a regular human being, I probably would¡¯ve cummed not too long after their special blowjob started. Thanks to my Ejaculation Control skill, though, I¡¯ve been letting my semen build up more and more, my erection swollen from the restraint while applying Potent Semen and Semen Pump to make sure my first climax of the session would leave the two of them painted white and yellow.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯d like to let Tyvera have all of the first load. If it¡¯s yours, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll have fewer apprehensions of accepting you inside her once she receives the first taste,¡± Ren says.

    ¡°If you say so! Tyvera, get your maw wide open and ready, it¡¯s about to blow!¡± I exclaim.

    Without further questioning, Tyvera complies, opening her mouth as wide as she could while closing her eyes, waiting to be showered by my ¡®love.¡¯

    Letting my Ejaculation Control go, my cock shoots out like a powerful water gun with the Semen Pump skill. The thick, viscous semen goes into her open mouth. The force from the beginning was too much and ended up painting some of her copper-brown face white, a little got near her nose, and then some spurted onto her wheat field-like hills that are her breasts. I get most of my fluids into her open maw, though, and with the Potent Semen active, I myself could smell the powerful musk it emanated with the Werewolf Olfactory Sense ability I have. Ren must have also got a good whiff from how red her cheeks became, and the room quickly starts getting rank with the stuff.

    Somehow getting the feeling that it was over, Tyvera takes what she received and swallows it whole with a hearty gulp. I could practically see my fluids making the lump in her throat as it went down her gullet and to the stomach.

    ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s some serious aftertaste, and it¡¯s more delicious than what I¡¯ve heard ¡­¡± Tyvera trails off before her face reddens. She doesn¡¯t even notice some of the remaining semen that lingers on her face and chest as she takes raspy breaths. ¡°H-Huh? I feel so ¡­ hot. My stomach, pussy, all aching hot ¡­ is this normal?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your body ¡­ getting filled with love for Master, and begging for more of it in your special place,¡± Ren explains, already starting to get off on the musk alone.

    ¡°I think I get it ¡­ I really do need Chief inside me.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do some quick prep work first before getting to the good part,¡± I suggest.

    I take a few moments to use the [Contraception] spell to apply generous amounts of the warm lubricant over my cock and inside Tyvera¡¯s snatch. Her body shivers from the contact, her Climax Gauge already rather close to the brink from my fingers alone, and it staggers from the growing heat alone. Her pussy is dripping and soaking wet, and her breaths are ragged.

    With it being her first time, I let her get on top in cowgirl and lower herself on my already hard again cock at her own pace.

    ¡°This is like ¡­ laying eggs going backward!¡± Tyvera exclaims. ¡°Wh-Why is it like this when it¡¯s not as big as the eggs?! Why it feels so ¡­ I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t hold it for much longer, I, I ¡­ AAAAAH~!¡±

    It started off with the head being swallowed into her snatch, but then as she went down, with the pink outlines of her insides I could see with Sweet Spots, I watch as more and more of my cock takes up space. More of myself get squeezed and sucked into her hot, slimy-wet chamber as it molds itself into my member¡¯s shape, to make a space that only I could fill and satisfy her body¡¯s every need. Tyvera¡¯s climax just as she amazingly got all of me inside her shows just how delighted she is, both in body and mind.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Harpy¡¯s Mate¡¯ title!

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 45!

    [You have achieved the ¡®Savage Beast¡¯ title!

    [You have now learned ¡®Bestial Endurance*¡¯!]

    I keep the new notices in mind while I console and praise Tyvera for a job well done in taking my cock whole, something that even Ume had difficulty achieving to the point of injuring herself. I guess her experience in laying eggs as a Harpy really paid off here.

    Despite her sweaty face, Tyvera put up a smile of pride, probably thinking how she actually one-upped my own wife, or ¡®chieftess¡¯ in her terms, over lovemaking. Knowing how competitive Ume can be, I ask Tyvera and Ren to keep it a secret between us three, to which the obliged.

    Once Tyvera acclimates herself to my cock after coming back from her afterglow, she gets to work pleasuring me cowgirl style. She awkwardly rocks her hips over my loins being the newbie in sex she is while getting the sense of how to control her body to jack off my erect cock with her insides. She must¡¯ve learned how it works similarly with laying eggs because it didn¡¯t take too long for her to get the hang of it while benefitting the results herself. Her motions are a complex mix of blowing and sucking my erection that I didn¡¯t think was possible. Because of that, I feel I need to let myself go inside her sooner than I wanted as a sort of praise from how well she performed on her first time. It seems climaxing again from getting cummed inside not long after her first one was too much for her, though, as she flops her sweaty body on top of me, breathing raggedly and not being able to move for a bit after that.

    Despite her efforts quickly used up, I quickly see how beneficial it would be to have a Harpy lover. I pity the closed-minded bastards who didn¡¯t think of giving demon girls like Tyvera a chance for love as they¡¯re really missing out on the fun.

    Well, more demon girls for me to take, I guess. I had a thought like that for a moment and did not even question my way of thinking. I even got a little high from Nyra saying I ¡®spoke like a true harem king.¡¯

    With that, I was still raring to go for more, of which Ren then decided to take the spot while Tyvera made a mess of my thick, Potent Semen drooling out of her pussy as she was on the bed.

    Ren helped me cum three more times after that, licking the remains off my cock while I got a taste of her as the two of us were in a 69 position, cumming the first of three in her mouth. The second of three was when she rode on me herself, but couldn¡¯t lower herself enough to swallow me whole like Tyvera did and she practically got drunk from the combination of [Contraception] lube applied beforehand, plus the musk and potency of my Potent Semen to even register the discomfort much. Even though I ejaculated a good load in her snatch, I still wasn¡¯t satisfied. So, while Ren laid down on the bed and let my seed drool out on the bed as well, I made like a dog and humped her ass like one in heat. I figured since I filled two of her holes today, I might as well do the last to complete the set, cumming my third of three loads inside in the process while Ren laid there and just took it.

    Just so Tyvera wouldn¡¯t be left out, I fucked her ass as well despite her being unable to move. I let myself build up for my sixth and last load for the time being before ejaculating some inside, then pull out to paint both of the girls¡¯ asses as well as their backs with my semen, marking them as my ¡®property.¡¯

    [Number of Climaxes: 6. The user will receive 6 level ups.

    [The user¡¯s Sex Technique has been evaluated. The user will receive 302 SP. Total SP: 12,726]

    I don¡¯t know what it was, but I felt that after I accomplished some sort of hidden goal, I finally calmed down and felt spent while the exhaustion from everything that happened so far today piled up on my body.

    I released the [Soundproof] spell and flopped down on the messed-up bed that reeked of sexual fluids, right between Tyvera and Ren. The two of them huddled close to me and we fell slumber not too long after that.

 Chapter 101: Dinner Preparations

    We had somehow napped longer than I thought because Mametama, who was playing post guard outside of my room while I was having my fun with Ren and Tyvera, notified me through Telepathy how the others were returning after 2 hours since we separated. I wasn¡¯t sure how long our ¡®bonding¡¯ moment lasted, but Ren and Tyvera were really feeling the soreness after receiving my large cock in their bodies. I cast Heal to quickly speed up their recovery as well as [Clean] to clear out the mess we made and gave both of them a passionate kiss of gratitude for their love and hard work. We then hastily got dressed and stepped out to meet everyone and head to the mixed public bath we heard of to get ourselves soaked and relaxed, especially for Ume and me to prepare for our dinner with Lady Krauss tonight.

    I said ¡®everyone,¡¯ but Sue wasn¡¯t there. From what Ume said, Sue was doing some last-minute shopping along with some other errands before getting back to the inn. She said we could go on ahead of her, wished Ume and I luck on the dinner, and was going to join the rest of our party for supper while she, Erizora, and Kalline would wait for me back in my room to sleep together.

    At first, I found it odd how she couldn¡¯t get into the mixed bath with us, especially with all of the physical contacts she made with me from the moment we met this morning up to then. Considering there¡¯s another public bath that separates between genders though, maybe there are some demons out there who weren¡¯t as nonchalant with bathing someone of the opposite sex at the same time as others, no matter their race. Or maybe Sue, as a fan, was just shy of exposing her bare body to me, her idol, without losing her cool, especially in a space like a public bath. I had the experience of being a bodyguard for an idol that my previous workplace on Earth assigned me to on multiple occasions. While my experiences with her were ¡­ unique, to say the least, I had seen and dealt with my fair share of fans who were a little too enthused about coming face-to-face with their idol, so I understood a little of where Sue was coming from to make that decision.

    I imagined she would go to the gender-separated bath like Kisaki and Roll, so the rest of us went over to the mixed public bath to get our rejuvenating soak for the day. The place was similar to the one we went to in Dondegarm, the only difference is that they didn¡¯t have the ¡®private bath¡¯ where groups of customers can have their own intimate times in. Perhaps that was a special perk for Dondegarm as it tries to show their support of making interconnections between the Human-Kin and Demon-Kin, especially for the all-female races like Lamias and Arachnes who need human males in order to reproduce. Palocaesy, while it has some ¡®human-friendly¡¯ establishments, there are some who aren¡¯t as for making friendly relations between different kin as others.

    It was apparent in the bath we went to as the reception was utterly shocked to see a lone human (me) going into a mixed bath with a harem of demon girls. Most of the patrons inside were just as so, and Nyra pointed out a few who directed discontent and irritation in my direction. They didn¡¯t dare approach me, though, probably because of the intimidation from seeing Erizora, Kalline, Ume, and even Tyvera for her rep as the ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯ among my group. The girls may not have the ability to read their moods like Nyra can, but they must¡¯ve felt the hostility in my direction because they huddled around me closer than usual without me even mentioning anything.

    I admit it felt kind of odd being the one protected, but I got to enjoy the view and softness of the girls¡¯ wet and naked bodies surrounding me, so there wasn¡¯t any room for me to complain.

    I looked into the new Savage Beast title with my Street Smarts while I soaked. I learned that I apparently earned it after having sex with more than one beast-type race in my lifetime. It¡¯s kind of strange I¡¯d get something like that now after having sex with an Ogre, let alone a Dragon, but I guess different titles have different requirements that can¡¯t be overlooked.

    Not only that but if I remember right, my Innate Stats read that my Endurance was already at a ¡î rank, something that goes beyond what can be measured in this world. I¡¯m not sure how much of a difference my new Bestial Endurance would help me in battle, but maybe it gives me more ¡®endurance¡¯ in these kinds of activities? Wouldn¡¯t my original Endurance already speak as many levels of how much I could hold out for? I couldn¡¯t really come to a conclusion.

    Aside from that, the girls enjoyed their talk while keeping me protected, the attention focused mostly on Ren and Tyvera on how my ¡®bonding¡¯ with them went.

    ¡°Chief ¡­ can be quite a beast when he wants to be, huh?¡± [Tyvera]

    ¡°A very good quality for a pack leader with many mates to have.¡± [Ren]

    ¡°Also quite considerate when taking care of me. To be so strong on top of that, I really feel safe and warm to be in his embrace.¡± [Ume]

    ¡°I¡¯d take Master over an Ogre on any given day.¡± [Erizora]

    ¡°¡­ Can something like that really feel so good?¡± [Kalline]

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kenaka? Feeling left out from the lack of affection?¡± [Mametama]

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    ¡°Just restraining myself from blowing this place to smithereens is all. Nothing too serious.¡± [Kenaka]

    I asked Kenaka if he wanted to talk after overhearing that but he didn¡¯t want to spoil the mood. When I thought about it, he hadn¡¯t gotten in on a lot of action since he came to this realm. Being the former King of Wrath, I wondered if he needed to go all out to vent some steam. The same could be said for Mametama as the former Queen of Diligence since she only sprinted today to exert the majority of her own energy. I also haven¡¯t even seen how they fare on the battlefield yet. I made a mental note to go to the fields with Kenaka and Mametama by themselves so I could see what they¡¯re made of while letting them move around a little.

    With our dinner date approaching, we finished our bath without any conflicts and got dressed before leaving the building. I gave Kalline enough money from my pouch so she and the others would get enough food to eat for tonight. They bid Ume and I the best of luck on our time with Lady Krauss before we parted ways and I opened [Portal] to take the two of us in front of the noble Vampire¡¯s cottage, specifically the gate.

    After checking each other to see if we look decent, we psyched ourselves up and made our presence known before one of Lady Krauss¡¯ maids came up to greet and direct us inside.

    ¡°Jinma, Umeiyon, salutations,¡± Lady Krauss greets us first upon our arrival while giving a curtsey before smiling. ¡°It is delightful to see the two of you joining us for dinner this evening.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Good evening, Lady Krauss. And to you as well, Lady Beelzebub.¡±

    ¡°Good evening,¡± I return the greeting first before Umeiyon follows soon after while both of us bow. Though I said my greeting to the both of them, my eyes were locked on Lady Krauss only.

    She¡¯s in a different outfit this time around. While it¡¯s still in gothic lolita fashion like the earlier dress, this one she has on has a more formal, elegant air to it with frills that sway with each step. Not only that, even though her face was already creamy white enough, I could still make out hints of light makeup on her complexion; lipstick of a pale pink that look full and luscious while her trademark Vampire fangs poke out; eyeshadow that matches her natural violet color while her lashes are done to really make her eyes pop; even her deep red locks seem to be brushed and handled with great care; finally, to top it all off, her cleavage is on full display thanks to the open-shoulder design of her top, her white breasts pumped up and presentable to resemble two large pearls on an oyster like it had just struck a good deal, and oh, wouldn¡¯t you know it, she even has a pearl necklace on for the occasion as well.

    To sum it up, it¡¯s like she¡¯s ready to go to a ball instead of a ¡®casual dinner.¡¯ Way over the top for this occasion, in my opinion, but I couldn¡¯t even question her change when I thought she was beautiful enough already. I¡¯m that spellbound by her appearance at the moment, enough to get my heart picking up the pace.

    Fuck ¡­ and I thought I got that out of my system after my time with Ren and Tyvera, I inwardly curse as I restrain my masculine hormones from getting to my crotch again.

    <¡°You came six times earlier and after a moment¡¯s rest, you¡¯re ready to for more. Are human males this insatiable with mating?¡±>

    <¡°I don¡¯t know, I think it¡¯s just Jinma being the insanely virile dude he is, whether or not my curse is involved with his libido,¡±> Ume makes a snappy question on my vitality while Nyra follows up with her own thoughts, both heard in my mind through Telepathy.

    In case we¡¯re stuck on how to respond or behave appropriately, we agreed to let Nyra keep my Telepathy skill on between the three of us throughout the course of dinner.

    <¡°Still, Lady Krauss looks quite different from what we had seen of her earlier. I¡¯m having difficulties to breathe just looking at how she set herself up.¡±>

    <¡°Despite her smile, I could sense some anxiety and nervousness in her mood. I think somebody¡¯s looking to fish for some compliments tonight,¡±> Ume comments on Lady Krauss¡¯ change in appearance while Nyra gives her insight with her Psyche Magic skills.

    ¡°Both of you came at a good time, the appetizer should be approaching momentarily. Have a seat and let us chat for a bit.

    ¡°Come on, hurry it up, we haven¡¯t got all night,¡± Lady Krauss gives her permission for us to sit at the dining table while Beelzebub voices her impatience. Both of us comply without argument.

    <¡°Pst! Jinma! Say something about her dress!¡±> Nyra exclaims in my mind.

    Why? I¡¯m not trying to woo her?

    <¡°It¡¯s common courtesy towards females that males must follow on special occasions, dammit, just do it!¡±>

    ¡°I ¡­ wish we had something more appropriate to wear since you¡¯re looking so stunning this evening, Lady Krauss. I feel like we¡¯re sticking out like sore thumbs, especially in such an extravagant place like this,¡± I say in accordance with Nyra¡¯s ¡®advice.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, hush, this is just me in a good mood. I understand adventurers usually carry the necessities needed for their quests, it would not be fair to expect you to compromise your safety just to satisfy me for one evening. I am more than pleased enough to see you two going out of your way to freshen yourselves up before coming here.¡±

    ¡­ Holy shit, all of what she said just now was true? I ask internally while keeping watch on my Intuition skill to catch any hint of lies.

    <¡°Not only that but her mood just brightened considerably after you complimented her looks! Way to put your silver tongue to use other than eating them out!¡±>

    <¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t think other females would get that hung up over their looks like that. I mean, I have similar feelings with my body but I still don¡¯t see the point of wearing clothes, and I thought Jin¡¯s tongue was pink?¡±>

    Ume, I love your body the way it is now and I probably wouldn¡¯t mind you next to me naked under some circumstances, but clothes are around for a reason. Also, the tongue thing was a figure of speech, Nyra praises my compliment while Ume gives her input on body insecurities and the idea of clothes. I ease her concerns and correct her in response.

    Still, I have to agree on Ume for this one. To see Lady Krauss so dolled up for this occasion, I only woke up from my nap at least a few hours ago, and yet I¡¯m already exhausted enough to head to bed, even without dinner.

    It just goes to show that we have a long night ahead of us.

 Chapter 102: Secrets and Messages

    I learned many things over the course of the evening. First off, the Vampires of this world can eat regular food like humans do and their tastes for it are similar going by what I saw Lady Krauss ate, but their taste for blood is different from ours and they get the most nutrients needed out of it in order to live. That said, meals that contain more blood than others like liver and onions as an example are an exquisite delight for Vampires. Going by what I know from my Cookbook skill, I could come up with some excellent dishes that could send Lady Krauss melting from the taste if I play my cards right. This is so I can be in better graces with her and up my chances of meeting with the Demon King through her family¡¯s influence.

    The next thing I learned is that Vampire fangs are actually more powerful than I thought, being magically enchanted to pierce anything in existence. They¡¯re probably on the same level as Chaos Ore, the same stuff that makes up my tanto that Nyra last crafted.

    ¡°We can even pierce the hide of Dragons if we wanted to, it has been proven to be possible according to records in our race¡¯s lineage, but we would not be able to suck much blood out of them with how thick they can be.¡± Those were Lady Krauss¡¯ words, and with Ume being a Dragon herself, that comment sent shivers down her spine, understandably enough.

    It was definitely good news for me, though. I was worried my stupidly high defenses would make her attempts to wound me null and void, but if she can bite me despite that, then one of the things on my bucket list that I was most curious about since childhood can possibly be fulfilled soon enough.

    Not that I have a biting fetish as Nyra joked about, mind you, I just wanted to see what getting bitten and sucked of blood would feel like if it brings such fear to people as depicted in some fictions. I always thought they were as bad as getting hit with two flu shots at once. The best part is that I wouldn¡¯t be turned into a Vampire servant/slave from a bite alone. Apparently, there is a ritual that ¡®True Vampires¡¯ must perform in order to conform humans¡ªand only humans as it was proven it doesn¡¯t work on other races¡ªinto one of their own, and that would result in not only an increase in power but also a longer life span while maintaining youth. Like slaves, though, they¡¯d have to follow every order given by their ¡®contractor¡¯ without any argument.

    This was long before slavery became an industry and particular requirements need to be met to enslave people of any race in the way Ms. Carmen showed us earlier today. For Vampires, it was more convenient to just spend money to redeem them than to go through the ritual themselves. Lady Krauss was actually going to enlist the help of a particular Vampire acquaintance in the industry to help with Tyvera¡¯s enslavement before I brought up Ms. Carmen. The ritual is only still around today as a means of punishment for human violators who had done them wrong, and there aren¡¯t any drawbacks for the contractor after it was complete, so they could make more if they wanted to.

    I momentarily thought what it would be like if I wound up being Lady Krauss¡¯ servant for some reason. Following orders against my will would definitely suck, sure, but if it was for someone like her, I probably wouldn¡¯t mind, and I could live longer while still looking the way I do now.

    Anyway, Lady Krauss was very cooperative in answering questions I had of her Vampire culture that included what I had just explained, plus some myths about garlic, being under the sun, and whatnot.

    This was if I explained some things about myself in exchange, of course. I couldn¡¯t tell her about me being a Champion, a person from another world, so I had to come up with a story of how I even wound up in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory on the spot.

    ¡°I had come from a far-away land that¡¯s very unlike this one, and I wound up in a cave due to some unforeseeable circumstances¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the vaguest and most suspicious line I heard from you yet, Jinma Kotori,¡± Beelzebub interrupts my ¡®intro¡¯ while pointing an accusing finger at me. ¡°If you can¡¯t be clear of your origins, then how can I entrust the safety of Lady Noire to such a sketchy individual?¡±

    That ¡®vague and suspicious line¡¯ was the only thing I could come up with without making it come off as a blatant lie. Even with my maxed-out Deception skill, though I hadn¡¯t checked her stats with my Size Up yet, I have a feeling she also has Intuition at a high enough level to pick up on it like I can. I couldn¡¯t take any chances regardless of how effective some skills may be.

    Ume¡¯s scaly fist that¡¯s gripping her silverware trembles in place, looking ready to use it as a weapon against Beelzebub for her accusation towards me at any moment. I place a hand on hers to ease the anger before turning back to Beelzebub. ¡°I understand your concerns but I¡¯m afraid the truth would make matters more complicated than they already are. It¡¯s harder to believe than you might think and if no one believes me on that, how would I know they¡¯d do on everything else?¡±

    ¡°Lady Beelzebub, calm yourself,¡± Lady Krauss says while lowering Beelzebub¡¯s finger. ¡°There is no reason for us to force the truth out of him. Neither him, his wife nor any of his party¡ªsave for Tyvera who has already been punished¡ªhave ever done any wrong towards us since our first meeting earlier. We cannot make them think they are not welcome in our presence.¡±

    ¡°But Lady Noire!¡±

    ¡°No buts and no further interruptions. Unless you want to spend the night with Gabriella and I call your assistant to bring you back to your office the next morning, then please, do tell us a legitimate reason why. Why I should not trust Jinma and his party to escort me in the dungeon without mentioning their races, ranks, and not knowing of their personal lives when they are in the same stance with mine. Depending on how you answer, I will take the necessary measures, Lady Beelzebub.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Tch.¡± With a click of her tongue, Beelzebub sits back down in her seat and crosses her arms.

    ¡°I must sincerely apologize for that, Jinma. Please, do continue.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ sure.¡± Isn¡¯t Beelzebub the Minister of Agriculture in this territory? I guess with Lady Krauss¡¯ dad being the same of Defense and Weaponry, maybe his political standing is higher than hers? I think.

    <¡°Whatever it may be, I gotta give Fangs props for her shutting Buzzington up.¡±>

    <¡°I must say I¡¯m starting to like this Vampire as well. I think she¡¯d make an interesting addition to your harem.¡±>

    <¡°You hear that, Jinma? You got your wife¡¯s approval.¡±>

    Not you, too ¡­

    Nyra and Ume give their own approvals for Lady Krauss¡¯ qualifications to be in my harem before I internally sigh with that comment in mind.

    I then went on with how my adventure in the new world began. Glock the Putrid, my stumbling into Lili¡¯s trap, how I got into Dondegarm as well as saving it later that same evening while meeting the companions who are with me today, and so on. I left out some of the details like Ume¡¯s secret (of course), my capabilities as a Brawler, my Devil Eyes, my goal to see the Demon King, how I went about my love affairs, and how the side-effects to Nyra¡¯s curse affected them to an extent. Lady Krauss was attentive to every detail from the way she rested her head on her hands with a smile, like a kid listening to an exciting bedtime story.

    I was having an oddly fun time doing it and I saw Lady Krauss more appealing as I spoke and stared at her. Sure, she may have dressed herself a little over the top for the occasion, but if I were to lay eyes on her in a ballroom, I¡¯d probably race over to ask for her first dance, even if I never danced in my lifetime. If there was a chance I could have her look my way for a brief moment, that was all the reason I would ever need to ignore looking a little stupid in public.

    That is of course if we were meeting for the very first time in that ballroom and I was still single. I did overhear from my aunts from time to time how some men may look more attractive if they already have someone with them, girlfriend, wife, or otherwise. I don¡¯t know what the deal with that is, maybe it¡¯s some form of feminine pride, but I do question if Lady Krauss would show this much interest in me as Nyra said if I didn¡¯t have Ume or any of my party members with me. Could it be another factor of this Charm that¡¯s shown in my Innate Stats that affects the people around me? How would I know if her feelings by that point are genuine or not? The more I thought about it, the more I felt the need to talk to Ms. Obina about how this Charm thing affects my living in this world.

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    Before any of us realize it, it¡¯s gotten awfully late by the time I caught up with how my current journey has played out up to now. The Horned Boar ham dinner with faux-mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed vegetables, and casserole was exquisite, and the fruit tart we had for dessert was very delicious. Lady Krauss generously gave us the leftovers to share with the rest of our party.

    ¡°It is a shame that time can pass so quickly. I had a wonderful evening,¡± Lady Krauss says as we were at her doorstep.

    ¡°We did as well. Thank you very much for inviting us over, Lady Krauss.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m glad I got to be able to relax like this with Jin here. Thank you for this opportunity, Lady Krauss.¡±

    I give the comment and thanks for the evening first before Ume does the same and we follow it up with our respective bow and curtsey.

    ¡°Oh, no, the two of you have become quite the delight to be around. I insist that you address me as Noire from now on.¡±

    Ume and I look to each other with widened eyes. ¡°Is that really okay?¡± I ask while glancing back to Noire.

    ¡°But of course! I would like to get better acquainted with the two of you and it is only fair that you address me the same way as I have with you without formalities.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you say so, then we will happily accept that offer ¡­ Noire.¡±

    ¡°And you may call me ¡®Mei¡¯ as well. It¡¯s in our culture that we address each other with a part of our names that resembles our closeness in relationships.¡±

    Slightly surprised, I still manage to call out Noire¡¯s name while Ume mentions how she¡¯d like to be addressed.

    ¡°Ah, so ¡®Ume¡¯ is for your significant other to address you while ¡®Mei¡¯ is the next one down to closeness, like a nickname. How delightful! Very well, ¡®Mei¡¯ it is! Now, you both rest up and come back with your party after breakfast tomorrow so we can discuss each other¡¯s battle capabilities and how to tackle the dungeon. The guild masters will be with us as well.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Until next time, Noire!¡±

    ¡°Goodnight, Noire!¡±

    ¡°Salutations, Jinma! Mei!¡±

    With our plan set, we bid each other goodnight. With the boxed fruit tarts stored in my [Storage], Ume and I walk out the door and wave to Noire behind us. She stands there returning the gesture with a smile of blushing content.

    ~~

    The noblewoman stands there and watches until Jinma¡¯s and Umeiyon¡¯s backs disappear into the darkness. Noire sighs, shuts the door and walks over to where Jinma left his dessert, finished with his used fork still on the plate.

    ¡°I would like to state that I still have my doubts with Jinma Kotori,¡± Beelzebub comments with crossed arms while Noire picks up Jinma¡¯s used plate. ¡°His feats may be impressive, but there are secrets he¡¯s still hiding from us. He hasn¡¯t even told us his fighting class.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have been aware of that a long time ago, and that just makes him all the more interesting because of it.¡± Noire picks up the used fork gazes longingly at it. ¡°Did you notice, Beelzebub, that when I mentioned a Vampire¡¯s fangs are enchanted to pierce through any defenses, there was a hint of excitement in his eyes?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯d be skillful enough in reading people to notice that much. If what you say is true though, why would he be excited?¡±

    ¡°That is one of his ¡®secrets¡¯ that I would like to know most of all. We all have secrets, Lady Beelzebub, and it is finding out by getting to know the person in question that makes discovering it all the more fun and memorable experience. Do you not also think so? I would not know what your true name was, otherwise.¡±

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t just mention that out of the blue!¡± Beelzebub exclaims while getting flustered.

    ¡°Anyway, I will be taking my time in getting him to open up to me. I will take every chance I can get to get him to look my way more and more ¡­¡± And if he¡¯s as great as his harem idolizes, then maybe we can work something out for us to achieve our own happy endings. That would be the ideal scenario, would it not?

    I will be expecting many things from you, Jinma Kotori. With that thought, Noire takes Jinma¡¯s used fork in her hand, cuts a piece of her own remaining fruit tart and places it in her mouth with reddened cheeks. Compared to what she had eaten already, she couldn¡¯t help but notice how different this one tasted. Perhaps it¡¯s because she knew the fork was in Jinma¡¯s mouth first before it went into hers. It¡¯s as if she¡¯s receiving a ¡®taste¡¯ of him on top of the sweetness in the dessert.

    ¡®Indirect kiss,¡¯ a term that she has learned from the many ¡®books¡¯ she has read, crosses her mind as she savors the fork more than the dessert itself with each bite, trying to lick it in her mouth to get every piece of him inside of her without looking so vulgar and unladylike in the process. She couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the thought.

    Little does Noire know while being occupied in her own world that Beelzebub and the maids in the room are seeing it being done right in front of them with jaws agape.

    ~~

    Ume and I wordlessly agreed to take our time getting back to the inn while holding hands and keeping close. We walk the streets and take in the bustling nightlife Palocaesy has to offer.

    ¡°I think that worked out rather well, don¡¯t you think?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°Yeah. The choice of attire was a little shocking, but she¡¯s really nice nonetheless. I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re already on a casual first-name basis with her.¡±

    ¡°At this rate, I think she¡¯d be happy to help us get an audience with the Demon King long before our quest ends, and that isn¡¯t much compared to when she wants to join the harem.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves here.¡±

    <¡°Aw, come on! She¡¯s obviously not happy with her engagement to Rowling¡ªand for a good reason¡ªshe totally has the hots for you if she went out of her way that much to dress up just to have dinner, even Scalybutt here gave her approval in letting Fangs join the harem. What¡¯s stopping you from sweeping the lady off her feet now?¡±> Nyra asks me.

    ¡°Her nobility, for one thing. Noire¡¯s emotions may be occupying her logic and reasoning but what would her family say about letting a fellow Vampire having a relationship with a human, a lower-class adventurer on top of it? How would our association affect her family¡¯s reputation? What if the Demon King doesn¡¯t even want anything to do with her family because of it?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we been told the Demon King was fair to all races?¡± Ume asks.

    ¡°People¡¯s opinions can change at the drop of a hat. I mean, take that decree she made and revealed in such a showy, dramatic manner today.¡± I pull out one of the notices I kept in my [Storage]. I thought picking up a couple on the way over to the inn would be good to have for scrap paper if I needed it. The lots that were made to assign rooms were made with scraps that same paper.

    ¡°She could have very well made this decree at the last minute because she got tired of the Champions that have been brought to her doorstep, or the last one left such a bad impression on her that it affected her perspective of the Human-Kin as a whole. If that were the case, then we need the Krauss¡¯ influence to help me get an audience with the Demon King now more than ever. To do that, I¡¯ll need to get in good graces with Noire while keeping her in arm¡¯s length, catch the attention of her father, the head of the family and the Minister of Defense and Weaponry, and then see if he can put in a good word for me. If I did something to his daughter, then I can kiss any chance of getting an audience with the Demon King good-bye.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I never really paid attention to this kind of stuff but it seems getting on good terms with those higher in the hierarchy is more complicated than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Damn right it is, and out of everyone from my hometown, I may be one of the clumsier ones when it comes to brownnosing our superiors.¡± I sigh and hold the paper up above me as we walk. ¡°To think, we wouldn¡¯t be doing something this mentally exhausting if this hadn¡¯t ¡­ huh?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Ume asks as I squint at the top of the decree while holding it towards the light.

    ¡°¡­ There¡¯s something else written on this?¡± I ask as I lower it down and flip the paper over. It¡¯s blank, but I saw some writing through the light.

    Invisible ink? No ¡­ lemons? With my Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sensing ability, I catch a whiff of citrus from the back of the paper. I recall something familiar as I look at this setting, something I did as a kid while playing with Hyo-chan.

    A child-like way to write secret messages.

    ¡°¡­ Ume, come with me for a bit and give me a light.¡±

    ¡°Huh? O-Okay.¡±

    I lead Ume by the hand to a dark alleyway before she chants ¡®Create Light,¡¯ a warm yellow orb appears above her raised claw that illuminates some parts of the darkness. I double-check with my Insightful Mapping and Detection skills to see that there¡¯s no one nearby to see us. I cast [Soundproof] around us so our conversation isn¡¯t heard by unwanted ears.

    I then chant ¡®Create Fire¡¯ to create a small flame over my finger like a lighter and hover it over to where I smelled the citrus scent on the paper.

    ¡°¡­ Just like I thought.¡±

    ¡°Whoa! What kind of magic is this?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not magic. It¡¯s lighting up the citric acid to change color, revealing patterns that make up secret messages one can write with lemon juice. I did these a lot with a close friend of mine while we were kids.¡±

    ¡°Wait, ¡®lemon¡¯ juice? Do you mean ¡®nolem¡¯ juice?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Right, that.¡± I forgot some items in Raiza differ in names than those from Earth, so we¡¯ll just call it ¡®faux-lemon juice¡¯ to save the confusion, as will all similar items.

    ¡°Anyway, what does the message say? For some reason, I recognize this kind of writing, but I can¡¯t read it.¡±

    ¡°You recognized it because I¡¯ve shown you a few characters of it before in my hometown¡¯s written language ¡­ this is Japanese.¡±

    That¡¯s right, what was written in lemon juice wasn¡¯t Padimonian, but clear, concise Japanese that even I can understand, and it reads like this:

    [If you can read this, apply your mana into the paper.]

    ¡°Apply my mana? Like when I¡¯m casting a spell or when Tyvera was using that Messaging Crystal?¡±

    <¡°Just do it! This is getting way too freaky and I¡¯m not sure how to feel about this!¡±> Nyra exclaims in our minds.

    I glance over to Ume and we nod before I focus mana into the paper in my hand.

    FOOSH!

    ¡°¡°Uah?!¡±¡± The sudden eruption of small flames startles both of us, but it doesn¡¯t burn the paper completely. Instead, it turns into a new message, a secret one that not even I thought would ever appear.

    ¡°Th-This is Japanese again, isn¡¯t it? What does it say, Jin?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Jin?¡±

    <¡°J-Jinma, what does this mean?¡±> Nyra asks shakily as the paper trembles in my hand.

    I run my eyes through it over and over, but it¡¯s still the same, and there¡¯s even another Demon King¡¯s Royal Seal to mark her ownership. Even so, I feel a kind of fear I didn¡¯t think I could ever experience in my life as the new message states in bold characters in front of me:

    [I HAVE FINALLY FOUND YOU]

 Chapter 103: Royal Expectations

    It¡¯s late in the evening. A grand walkway with a red carpet and stone pillars on each side leads towards an even grander golden throne with red velvet cushions, illuminated by magic crystals perched on specially designed lamps that line the walls. If one were to step into this room under normal circumstances, they would receive feelings of overwhelming pressure from the sheer large size of it, such as the normal atmosphere fitting for the very first king of demons that ruled the territory before others followed.

    This evening is unlike others, however, for on a part of its grand stone walls is a large mess of blood and guts, similar to a bug being swatted against the surface to create the splatting result. The corpse it belonged to was dropped to the floor in a heaping pile. That corpse was of a lowly male Imp wearing what was a previously white uniform fitting for a janitor now dyed red of his blood. Signs of powerful forces were seen focused on his body and head, his facial features now crushed to beyond recognition. Despite the destructive force, one could make out that such blows were left with multiple stomps and kicks from a boot.

    The one who delivered such merciless kicks is currently having her bloodied leather knee-high black boots cleaned and shined by the maids who previously worked with the late Imp janitor, working fast and efficiently despite the terror causing them to shiver. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re trying to wipe away whatever feelings they had for that janitor along with the blood and guts he left on his superior¡¯s boots.

    Such a cruel fate is to be expected when one makes the very dire mistake of defying the Demon King¡¯s rules when working in the castle staff. What was the Imp janitor¡¯s sin that brought such punishment? Taking advantage of his occupation to try and sneak into a room that no Demon King would ever let those but a select few into. The moment he was caught red-handed, his fate was sealed.

    ¡°Let this be a reminder that those who defy the Demon King will be shown no mercy! I expect that mess gone and completely spotless by tomorrow morning, or else!¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes! Your Highness!¡±¡±

    The Demon King declares her warning before giving the order. The maids who are there voice their confirmations without argument once the cleaning of their royal¡¯s boots is finished. The maids flew off to immediately get started on their last-minute assignment, their lives literally depended on the succession of this task.

    ¡°An excellent display of power as always, Your Majesty,¡± a voluptuous woman says while putting a black mantle that was tossed to the floor earlier back on the Demon King¡¯s shoulders, covering the entirety of her body. The woman in question wears formal garbs while intentionally leaving her bountiful cleavage out in the open. This showcases a part of her pride as a member of the Succubus race while still maintaining the appearance of her position as the Demon King¡¯s aide, a secretary of sorts.

    ¡°Thank you, Gloria,¡± the Demon King says after heaving a sigh once her servants were out of the throne room. She turns and trots back to the throne that¡¯s clearly too large for her. Her aide, Gloria, follows closely behind.

    Considering it was once the seat of the first Demon King, one who ruled all as part of the now-extinct Gigantes race, it makes sense both physically and figuratively that no other would ever fill the throne the same way he did. It¡¯s a historic monument at this point that no one could ever practically climb up to sit on and not feel like a toddler sitting on an adult¡¯s chair. A modern-day Ogre could probably sit on it, but their toes would barely touch the floor even if they sat on the very edge.

    This is why at the foot of this large throne, another one was made, but it was magically enchanted to change its size for anyone who places their posterior on after it identifies the owner¡¯s ¡®mana signature.¡¯ Its default size could fit an average-sized Ogre¡¯s posterior at most while both of their feet are stationed flat on the floor.

    With a wave of her mantle, the current Demon King plops onto her royal seat, her features darkened by shadows that the lights couldn¡¯t reach while Gloria stands at her side with a black clipboard-like object in hand. ¡°While I do wish to be alone for the rest of the evening, I am assuming you have some business with me. So, what brings you here at this time of night, Vask?¡± the Demon King asks while crossing her leg.

    A grown male with pale blue skin that looks to be in his mid-20¡¯s wears a formal black suit like he¡¯s going to an important business meeting. His black horns resemble a goat¡¯s that jot out of his frost blue, spiky hair. This one who goes by Vask Willowing Astroth is the current Duke of Demons, the second-best of all demons in the land.

    Unlike the servants, Vask shows no sign of fear for his superior as he takes a knee before her. ¡°I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but I have come with an inquiry about today¡¯s events.¡±

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°You may speak your piece.¡±

    With the Demon King¡¯s permission, Vask stands up and searches through his coat to pull out a parchment. ¡°It is about these fliers that were scattered all across our territory. Am I right to assume that you gave permission to spread this decree about the closing of your ¡®Champion Search?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±

    ¡°Why was the Board not notified of this decree before you decided this?¡±

    ¡°I believe it was agreed at the time of writing the Champion Search that the one who¡¯s crowned the Demon King may cease any further activity at any time. Gloria, refresh our memories on this, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I have the copy with me should the need arise after that show earlier.¡± Gloria flips through the few pages tucked in her clipboard before skimming through the lines. ¡°Ah, here it is, the ¡®Champion Search, Identify, and Initiation Act.¡¯ Its initial purpose was to locate only human individuals traversing in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory who meet the qualifications to be called ¡®Champions¡¯ by the Immortals. They would be brought back to Her Majesty for immediate questioning and unbiased judgment. Those who bring over Champion(s) to Her Majesty will be greatly rewarded, and as for said Champion(s), Her Majesty would take responsibility for what to do with them.

    ¡°This act was supposed to be taken in action for 1 year after the decree. After that has passed, the one who¡¯s currently crowned Demon King must handle the funds that provides the reward money and whatever compensations needed that involves the Champion(s) under his/her care at the time, the amount of which as agreed with the Board at the time of writing, until he/she sees further action on this act no longer necessary. Her Majesty has ceased further action on this act today, making it approximately 4 years and 7 months after it was first decreed.¡±

    ¡°So, there you have it, Vask,¡± the Demon King then says after Gloria read out the details on the act. ¡°This was put under my responsibility after one year since the decree was made and it does not say anywhere that I needed to notify the Board about its closing. Is that not right?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Your Majesty,¡± Gloria confirms.

    ¡°I understand that, but what I want to know is why you decided to close the act now of all times? Did another Champion walk through these halls without my knowing?¡± Vask asks.

    ¡°No, no Champion did not come here today or any time since the last one. That was about a year ago, was it not?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and if I remember right, he ¡­ really left a bad impression on you as you sent him off. I was honestly surprised he even walked away alive after his rude behavior towards you.¡±

    ¡°Please do not remind me. I am still trying to calm down after my little ¡®talk¡¯ with our late janitor. Which reminds me, do put up a notice that we are looking for new hires for that position, and do a more thorough background check so that we will not have this kind of mess again.¡±

    ¡°I have already made a note of that for tomorrow, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, to answer your question, Vask,¡± the Demon King continues. ¡°Why I decided to close the search now, well, it is just as it said in writing. I saw further action on that thing no longer necessary. I am under no obligation to fill you in on the details any more than that so you may save your breath.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Vask¡¯s response is as cold as his demeanor and what¡¯s reflected on his pale blue skin. Behind his back, how he holds a tightened, trembling fist tells another story.

    ¡°Was that all you need to see me for?¡±

    ¡°Right, I actually passed by the guild master for Korangar today before that decree fell. She wanted me to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Say no more. I will send a messenger that I am too busy to spare some time with her over some tea and refreshments ¡­ again,¡± the Demon King adds with slight annoyance.

    This isn¡¯t the first time the guild master of Korangar, Natasha of the Devils, sent an invite to the Demon King for some tea and refreshments. While the reason for the decline is professional on the surface, it actually goes far deeper that shows the status of their unique relationship.

    Vask, of course, is aware of this, yet he barely restrains himself from flinching in annoyance over being interrupted. Gloria makes a note on her clipboard about assigning a messenger for the task the Demon King mentioned.

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°¡­ No, that will be all, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Then, you are dismissed.¡±

    After the quipped exchange, Vask bows, turns, and flies off towards the other end of the throne room until opening and shutting the door behind him. This was also manufactured from the even bigger door that surrounds it, also due to making walking into the throne room comfortable for the first Demon King from the extinct Gigantes race.

    ¡°Shall I have the secret service continue their watch on the duke?¡± Gloria asks.

    ¡°Yes, please do so, and you may dismiss yourself for today afterward, Gloria. Good work today.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. Shall I call some guards to escort you to your quarters?¡±

    ¡°I will be fine getting there on my own. I wish to have a moment of peace.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then. You have a good evening.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    With a bow, Gloria makes her exit out of the throne room as well, taking one of the doors behind the throne instead, leaving the young-looking girl all alone, her figure still hidden in the darkness.

    Once she knows she¡¯s truly by herself, snickers can be heard echoing in the halls of the throne room. She changes her sitting position on the throne to where she rests her head on a hand while an elbow is on an arm of the throne. With a big, excitably eager smile that could practically split her face, she slouches on the royal seat while staring straight ahead with her amber eyes shining under what the room¡¯s light could hit.

    ¡°Now that that matter¡¯s closed, I can finally focus some of my reserved energy on you. I will make sure nothing too grand will come to harm you, so you can relax and take your time getting here on your little journey while I watch over you.

    ¡°I will look forward to seeing what you can do ¡­ Jinma Kotori.¡±

 Chapter 104: Plotting Schemes, Confiding Fears, and Questioning Allies, Part 1

    <¡°I see, I see, so this is how their ¡®tragic dungeon accident¡¯ will go into play, huh?¡±>

    ¡°Yes. With what information you have given me about this ¡®Jinma Kotori,¡¯ while I cannot believe some of the details myself, it would be difficult to neglect how the Immortals rate us under our Innate Status Rankings. With his ¡®harem¡¯ also taken into account, we must take necessary measures to bring him, his party, and Noire to their downfall. Being able to use Devil Eyes is also a concerning matter that needs to be taken into consideration.¡±

    <¡°Yes, though I have not seen him use it myself, we all know how dangerous one can be when using that skill, and that is just from one of the Devils. I can¡¯t imagine what would happen if that kind of power is in a human¡¯s hands. So, when will our ¡®helpers¡¯ be going to the dungeon?¡±>

    ¡°I will be transporting them to the city tonight and they will go about preparing themselves for the plan. Their fates will be sealed the moment they step inside the dungeon the day after tomorrow. You will inform me as soon as you receive word of it, Konjiro.¡±

    <¡°Of course, Milord. Shall I give you any further details on them as we go over the quest tomorrow?¡±>

    ¡°Yes. Tell me about them as soon as you can afterward.¡±

    <¡°Got it. Also, if I may ask, what will you do with Tyvera and Gabriella?¡±>

    ¡°I had kept my expectations of them low from the start and yet they still utterly failed their duties. The duke has no need for weak demons and I have been given permission to do with them as I please. It is also safer to have fewer people in the know of what is going on, anyway. They will be disposed of along with the others in that ¡®accident.¡¯¡±

    <¡°Fair enough, Milord. You have a good evening.¡±>

    BLIP.

    ¡°¡­ I assume you all have paid attention to that as well, yes?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe. A human with Devil Eyes, huh~? I can¡¯t wait to see how much he bruises when I beat him to a pulp. Skill or not, humans are common playthings for us no matter how high their defenses may be. Oh, and it¡¯s about time I paddle around with my little bro since he¡¯s in the area, too. Maybe he can help me out on this if I ¡®persuade¡¯ him enough.¡±

    ¡°Not if I cross him first. It¡¯s about time I get my filling of a good meal from a virile human. He¡¯ll literally die for the sake of sating my hunger once he gets a taste of what I can give that none of his mates ever could.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in his so-called ¡®wife.¡¯ I don¡¯t know what she sees in him but it¡¯s about time she gets the attention she deserves from one of her own kin. May I keep her if I convince her enough, Milord?¡±

    ¡°¡­ If you can keep her from seeing the light of day again to not let out a peep of what will happen, I do not care if you break her mind to do it; otherwise, eliminate her if she resists.¡±

    ¡°I will see to it that it won¡¯t happen. She will receive as much care and respect as my other mates do. My comrades will settle for whatever that comes their way, Lizardman or not.¡±

    ¡°You will be given the necessary items, including a Transportation Crystal to get you all to Palocaesy in an instant and reconvene with Cyec before filling her in on the plan. Make sure you¡¯re all fully prepared before your departure. I expect whatever happens in the dungeon will stay in there, and failure is not an option.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Milord.¡±¡±

    ~~

    After I calmed down a little bit, we did a few quick experiments involving more fliers of the Demon King¡¯s decree. Whether it was Ume or some other demon passersby she asked to apply magic into the fliers (I asked a few myself first but they were a little put off and didn¡¯t bother with me), they didn¡¯t respond, yet they did with the same message, ¡®I have finally found you,¡¯ in Japanese when I applied my own. I have yet to find any more humans to ask to do the same in Palocaesy other than Kisaki and Julius, who I will ask to do the next time I see them.

    What I had come across so far brought about a very scary theory. The Demon King wouldn¡¯t suddenly make a grand announcement of closing the Champion Search after at least 4 years from its opening without some good reason other than she suddenly felt like it was not worth continuing any further. What if the Champion Search was made not just to find Champions, but only 1 in particular? Who that particular Champion is, I¡¯m not sure if she knows, but clearly, they would have to be Japanese or be fluent in our language while being able to get the same reaction of applying their magic in the flier like I did.

    In the case of if she does know who I am, why didn¡¯t she make the order of ¡®find the Champion, Jinma Kotori¡¯? Well, if a member of royalty was making an order to search a particular person, how would that person react? I could of think of a few responses like these:

    <ul>

    <li>¡°Someone in the royal family is looking for me?! Hot dang, I gotta get to the kingdom right now!¡±</li>

    <li>¡°Someone in the royal family is looking for me? Crap, what did I do? I¡¯m innocent, but I should keep low and wait until it all passes over.¡±</li>

    <li>¡°Someone in the royal family is looking for me? No, could it be another person with the same name? Maybe I should look into this.¡±</li>

    </ul>

    If the Demon King somehow knows my name, she thought of this enough to avoid the second scenario happening. If there isn¡¯t even a description of my profile or some pictures for reference, then the third scenario would be more likely for the targeted person to fall into. Then there are the strange cases of humans, Champions or not, who may approach her with my name and bullshit their way through for various reasons. Even if they did attempt to try it and are able to pull off reading Japanese, the Demon King might have a method similar to how the decree reacted from my magic to prove that person is the one she¡¯s looking for. Going through the fakes like that would probably be a bigger hassle than it¡¯s worth though, and it could raise even more questions to the general public if they caught word on her methods.

    That¡¯s why the Demon King made the vague order of ¡®bring me Champions¡¯ while promising a reward, getting many of her subjects involved with the search, upping the chances of having me be brought to her, but that can¡¯t be enough if she was willing for this to go on for 4 years. Maybe she enlisted a secret service to survey the main cities of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory for any news and signs of activity involving Champions, even potentials if they stand out enough.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    And what have I been doing in the last few days? I made the biggest influence of stopping the raid the White Rapture caused on Dondegarm, showed myself fighting monsters on Eeriegreen Forest in a way that Tyvera and Lady Krauss noticed, and I defeated Eugus, the guild master for Dondegarm¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, in a duel that attracted many bystanders that could fly over that stadium¡¯s wall and see the action themselves.

    Even if it¡¯s so far away from the kingdom that¡¯s nestled in Korangar, there had to be at least some word that spread far enough to catch at least one of the secret service¡¯s attention. It might have even reached the Demon King¡¯s own ears.

    However the Demon King came to the conclusion so quickly, she found the Champion she had been looking for; she had no further need for the Champion Search, and so that decree today not only served as a notice to everyone in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory of its closing, it was a way to send a message directly to me.

    The Demon King knows I¡¯m in her territory and however she¡¯s doing it, she¡¯s watching my every move through the eyes of her secret service or some other force. Why she was looking for me, how much she knows of me, why she hasn¡¯t sent anyone to pick me up, and what she wants from me are only a handful of questions that leave me in the unknown.

    Normally, I¡¯d investigate something like this myself almost immediately, but now I have my party, my new family, that I have to make sure to keep safe. I¡¯m not trying to doubt their strength and skills (especially Ume¡¯s, being a Dragon), but the fact that the Demon King, the strongest person of the Demon-Kin, could issue an order of apprehending them, maybe even eliminate them, at any time if I offend her in any way or don¡¯t comply with her demands is what¡¯s terrifying me the most.

    After our quick experiments were done, we stuck around in that alleyway as I explained my thoughts and concerns to Ume and Nyra, frequently checking my Insightful Mapping and Detection skills to make sure there was no one else listening in on this. Both of them were silent, taking in my every word without interruption.

    ¡°I see ¡­ even if the evidence we have right now is circumstantial, that would make the Demon King¡¯s actions so far seem sound,¡± Ume says after I finished my explanation. She then furrowed her brow in slight annoyance while crossing her arms. ¡°Though I have to admit, Jin, I¡¯m a little hurt in you thinking I¡¯m weak enough to get taken down without a fight. The same goes for the others. Do you have that little faith in us? Are you saying you¡¯re not strong enough to fight for us, either?¡±

    ¡°No, and at this point, I will remove anyone who would try to harm you guys. I wouldn¡¯t stop fighting enough to make sure all of us would come out alive, it¡¯s just ¡­¡± I trail off as I look down with trembling fists. ¡°All of this is just happening so fast and I lost so much before I came here. Lost them because I wasn¡¯t there or I didn¡¯t try hard enough to hold them close. I¡¯m afraid of losing all of you and I just ¡­ I just don¡¯t want to experience all of that again.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Come here, Jin.¡±

    Ume takes my head in her reptilian claws and pulls me into generous bosom while we sit down on the alleyway¡¯s stone path. I instinctively wrap my arms around her while she holds me in place, stroking one of her claws down my back in comfort. I¡¯m hit with the calming, soothing security of the feminine scent wafting from her soft and warm breasts. With the [Soundproof] spell still active around us, it¡¯s as if we became the last people that remained in this world.

    ¡°You know, I had kind of put this off when the topic of our ages was brought up over our talk with your mother and after that dinner with Lady Tephalia, but I don¡¯t think I can ignore it now after hearing about your losses. Compared to us Dragons, an average human¡¯s lifespan is very sadly short. For us, a human¡¯s time in this world from birth to death lasts for about an instant in our perception. What¡¯s more, even if it¡¯s possible for us to have children of our own, since half of their blood will be of a human¡¯s, I wonder if their lifespans are also affected in that regard. I would lose you first before our children would follow. I would be left alone likely looking the same as I do right now and it would still be a long time before I pass on as well.¡±

    My eyes widen and my body tenses up. I honestly didn¡¯t even think that far ahead. How could I? I had already lost some of the most important people in my life from Earth but I can¡¯t even imagine what it would be like living for hundreds, for thousands of years still alone when everyone else I knew and made connections with would leave and pass on without me. My aunts and their kids (if they have them) would be gone and I would have nothing left. My chest feels heavy just thinking about it.

    ¡°I think ¡­ a part of me put it off because I was scared, too,¡± Ume continued. ¡°Scared of what I would do when all of you are gone. My first love, our children, and everyone in our new family, all of you would be gone. Even if I go back to my homeland and reconnect with my friends and family there, those who I can continue to grow old with, I would still be left with a hole in my heart that you all left me with.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would regret it, though, meeting you all. You and everyone have shown and taught me things I would never experience if I stuck with staying in my homeland. Most of what I had learned from Padimon and other continents in this world to the point of my exile was only from hearsay and some books. None of those things or the new memories I would make from that point in our lives would ever replace them. What about you, Jin? You may have experienced those losses far sooner than I have, but do you ever regret meeting those people if they brought you that much pain?¡±

    ¡°Of course, not. I loved all of them, I still do. I would definitely worry about leaving you and our kids behind, worry of how bad I may look from wrinkles of age, and feeling very guilty of causing you all such great sadness, but I know I would rather go out in peace from growing old than from a seriously mortal wound or illness.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why I think it¡¯s important that we spend every waking moment together until that point. Whether it¡¯s good times or bad, I don¡¯t want anything to tear us apart by force. I want to love you in every way imaginable, as well as our children and the rest of our family. I had read once that there are some cultures who believe in reincarnation, the process of being reborn. If that¡¯s possible, I will throw away my pride as a Dragon to submit myself to the Immortals and scour every measure of this world if it means I can see you again.

    ¡°By that point, when I see you again in a possibly new appearance, whether as a human or some other race, even if you become a female, I will call out to you, hold your hands in mine, look deeply in your eyes, and proudly say, ¡®Become my mate!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ume.¡± I peek up from the comforts of her bosom and see her smiling down on me. ¡°¡­ If I do manage to keep some of my former self, I will try to give you a straight answer at a shorter time. I will warn you though, I may age quickly under your perception of time, whether in this life or the next. I might not look as attractive or be as strong and energetic by then as I do now.¡±

    ¡°Well, I pretty much promised I would support you through your whole life for helping me make children when I approached you. That, as well as my love, won¡¯t change no matter how old you may get. Besides, I kind of find you humans adorable when you age. They remind me of raisins with all of those wrinkles.¡±

    ¡°¡­ How do I even respond to that?¡±

    ¡°Just say you won¡¯t let whatever plans the Demon King may have to keep you from living with me and the others and drop this concern for now. If she was really desperate in seeking you out, we would likely be surrounded by her guards by now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Right, let¡¯s do that.¡±

    <¡°*Hic*. That was so beautiful ¡­ Jinma, know that I will always love you and your sweet ass, too, no matter how wrinkly it may get,¡±> Nyra finally cuts in between sniffles.

    ¡°Aaaand just like that, the moment¡¯s ruined. Can we please stop talking about me getting wrinkly, please? I¡¯m only in my early 20¡¯s and I still have plenty of time before I reach that point.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Shall we kiss and move on?¡±

    ¡°You had me at ¡®kiss.¡¯¡±

    With that, we stand back up to our feet, share a comforting smooch, and embrace each other for successfully talking through another of one of our growing concerns as newly wedded husband and wife.

 Chapter 105: Plotting Schemes, Confiding Fears, and Questioning Allies, Part 2

    ¡°Actually, speaking of studies, I believe I had read somewhere the process of how one can make secret messages appear through using magic,¡± Ume then says.

    ¡°How does that fit in with the Demon King¡¯s secret message?¡±

    ¡°While there is magic used to attack enemies and other effects in battles that are shown in our skill and spell lists, there are other kinds of magic one can use aside from Null Spells for specific purposes. Magic that can be applied to alchemy is an example of that.¡±

    <¡°Oh! Oh! I know of magic like that, too! I used some methods to make some kickass magic weapons back in my blacksmithing days!¡±> Nyra contributes.

    ¡°As we were going through the experiments earlier, something was tickling my memories as I saw those secret messages appearing by your magic. I think you have to do something during the process of making those messages in order to achieve that specific outcome. If I look back into the books I keep in my [Storage] that describes that instruction, we may find a clue as to what kind of person the Demon King is or what her aims could be. I can try to skim through what I have tonight and tomorrow over our free time and see if I find anything before we set out on our quest.¡±

    ¡°Hey, at this point, I think anything can help if it involves with the Demon King in some way. I would help, but I can¡¯t read Padimonian yet, so is it all right if I leave it to you, Ume?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Just leave it to me!¡± she exclaims while pounding a fist to her bosom in pride. ¡°Oh! Should we fill the others in on what we found, too? This is a pretty big thing since you need to see the Demon King, anyway, something that we¡¯re all aware of.¡±

    Just as I open my mouth to respond, an image of a certain Arch Imp¡¯s big smiling face pauses me briefly.

    ¡°¡­ Everyone in our party, right? Not including Sue?¡±

    ¡°Huh, now that you mention it, does she know about us seeing the Demon King after our quest here?¡±

    <¡°I can confirm after looking through Jinma¡¯s memories that he has not mentioned anything about seeing the Demon King in front of Sue, just the fact that you¡¯re all going to Korangar sometime after your quest with Fangs ends. Although, if she had dinner with the others back at the inn, it could be possible they might¡¯ve brought it up in conversation.¡±>

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ hey, Kenaka, Mametama, you two still up?¡± I ask aloud while using my Telepathy skill.

    <¡°We are awake, Milord.¡±>

    <¡°Are you in need of our services? How was your dinner with Lady Krauss?¡±>

    ¡°It turned out well, surprisingly. We are on our way back now but what¡¯s the situation with you guys?¡±

    <¡°Well, Roll the Orc slave and Lord Julius popped in on the conversation while joining us for dinner. Lady Sue joined sometime later. They all went straight to their rooms afterward and the two of us are currently outside of our assigned ones, keeping watch until your return.¡±>

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    <¡°As for Lady Kisaki, it seemed she is out on some sort of errand. Neither of us has yet seen nor heard anything of her return after we asked Roll of her whereabouts.¡±>

    Just for a quick moment, I refer to the zoomed-out map that shows the entirety of Palocaesy from my Insightful Mapping skill while applying Detection and Size Up to figure out where she is ¡­ only to remember I couldn¡¯t even see her name or status from our first meeting, the same goes for Roll and Sue. I do see two dots with blank names grouped with my party members and Julius around the area where our inn is located. Considering my familiars¡¯ testimonies, I could only imagine them to be Roll¡¯s and Sue¡¯s locations. I have yet to see Kisaki¡¯s, though, and even after zooming out my search area as wide as possible, I do not see any sign of her at all. Whether she¡¯s somehow outside of Palocaesy or doing something to hide from even a broken skill like Insightful Mapping just further raises the possibility of her being a Champion and a dangerous one at that.

    Wait, she couldn¡¯t be working for the Demon King as part of the secret service ¡­ could she?

    <¡°Wait, what?¡±>

    <¡°What¡¯s this about Lady Kisaki being part of a service?¡±>

    While my Telepathy was still on, Kenaka and Mametama had overheard my thoughts that I wasn¡¯t sure to share with the others yet.

    ¡°A-Ah, I¡¯ll explain later. By any chance, have either of you overheard their dinner conversation mentioning anything about our meeting with the Demon King?¡±

    <¡°Lady Kalline had actually taken into account your preference of keeping our plans within the party¡¯s knowing only and reminded the others about it, including the Demon King thing,¡±> Mametama answers first.

    <¡°And since Lady Sue is only with us as a guest, she¡¯s only aware of us going to Korangar. She did bring it up at one point during dinner, but we avoided mentioning the Demon King. Julius and Roll were quite surprised about it when they first heard the news, though. You should probably be prepared to get questioned from one of them about it later,¡±> Kenaka warns.

    While keeping that in mind, I make a quick mental note to have a word with Sue about what should and shouldn¡¯t be said with others outside of our group, too. ¡°Right, good to know. Ume and I will be taking our time getting back to the inn so could you please let them know we¡¯ll be there momentarily?¡±

    <¡°As you wish, Milord.¡±>

    <¡°We will see you again, soon,¡±> Kenaka and Mametama answer respectfully.

    ¡°Yep, see you soon.¡± With that, I mentally deactivate my Telepathy skill.

    ¡°Nyra linked me to your telepathic talk. It sounds like things might get a little complicated,¡± Ume says.

    ¡°Yeah, it would be best that we keep this between us until Sue is not present. I kind of don¡¯t like intentionally keeping her out of the loop like this, but ¡­¡± Wait, with all of this timing, could even she be ¡­ ugh, now I¡¯m uncertain of practically everything now.

    <¡°Welp, there¡¯s only one thing to keep your mind off of the difficult shit and into the gutter, and that¡¯s some good old-fashioned humpin¡¯ and lock with a lady¡¯s badonkadonk! Let¡¯s get crazy, baby!¡±>

    ¡°Uh, Sue is sleeping in the same room as us, and with Kalline and Mametama there, too ¡­¡±

    <¡°Why do you think I said we¡¯d get crazy?! Besides, even if Sue has something to hide, you just make her melt from your sweet, sweet ¡®Seduction¡¯ and she¡¯ll be unloading all of her secrets along with her juices before you know it! She¡¯ll play stripper with your finger while dancing on the stage that is your own palm!¡±>

    ¡°I do think it¡¯s a good idea to let yourself unwind from all of this stress, but doing that to pull info from Sue? What do you think, Jin?¡± Ume asks me.

    ¡­ I won¡¯t lie, I hate how it sounds so wrong and manipulative while being completely genius at the same time. While this is a delicate time for me, any information of sort would be useful to help me and my party get by at this point, but I feel uneasy using a skill like Seduction after I max it out with Skill Point Conversion to force something out of Sue. I¡¯m conflicted about what I should do under these current circumstances.

    At any rate, I do need to give some attention to Erizora for her efforts today and I¡¯m feeling quite hungry for some Human-Ogre cleavage tonight. Maybe some ¡®stress-relief¡¯ would be a good thing for me right now, after all.

 Chapter 106: Discrimination, Secrets, and Lingerie

    After I made my decision and we head back to the inn with our fingers interlocked like the lovey-dovey newlyweds we are, I advised Ume through Telepathy to engage in conversation with her roommates for tonight if they seek her input on anything. As much as I want to learn more about the Demon King, even if Ume¡¯s research on that strange magic could help us with seeking that info, I¡¯d rather she get along and get to know our party members, as part of my harem, as we¡¯d be staying and living together while moving about. Once my business with the Demon King is finished, my next move would be to find a long-term base of operations, a.k.a. our new home for all of us to live together and have a place to come back to. That won¡¯t be until much later, though.

    As we were walking, though, we noticed some demons giving vicious sneers and stink eyes our way. More of the guys, in particular, were directing them at me. I remember Ms. Carmen mentioning how some demons in Palocaesy aren¡¯t as friendly and accepting of letting humans into their territory as those in Dondegarm are. That seems to be holding water as I even overheard some passersby muttering discriminating things about me. The term ¡®Demongenerate¡¯ was even mentioned, and then words like degenerate, disgusting, and scum were aimed at not just me, but Ume as well. I guess they aren¡¯t for interracial relationships between humans and demons, either. I wonder if Lamias, Harpies and other all-female demon races relying on humans for procreation also deal with the same thing.

    From how our hands were gripping each other tightly while still interlocked, neither of us need Telepathy to know that we want to cave their faces in, male and female alike, for speaking such mean things about our beloved.

    Before one of us snapped, I directed us to the nearest alleyway and decided to cut our leisure walk short. I cast [Portal] to open a way right back into the inn¡¯s lobby. The noise filled with hate closed off behind us and is replaced by the silence of slow inactivity.

    ¡°Milord, Lady Umeiyon, I thought you were taking your time¡ª¡± Mametama starts as she and Kenaka approach us before I hold up a hand to stop them.

    ¡°Can you give us a moment, please? [Soundproof].¡±

    With a small bubble surrounding us, Ume starts off with her exploding vent of fury over what we had just experienced. She yells violent, gruesome threats that only a Dragon could pull off. I nod and sympathize with her feelings, and when she finally calms down, I remind her of how we can¡¯t cause too much trouble in cities, not only to not draw attention to ourselves but in a way that could harm us in the long-term. We can¡¯t initiate a fight in a public space and from the look of things, we can¡¯t really rely on eyewitness testimony to back us up, either. Even if we were the victims getting assaulted first and we fought to defend ourselves, I as well as Nyra could sense enough hostility in the public that they could possibly change the story to turn it against us.

    The experience I gained with my rep as ¡®The Merciless Demon¡¯ back on Earth can back me up on how such a crazy outcome could be possible. The public, the entirety of society itself, can be a frightening opponent for anyone to take on if they don¡¯t have a shred of influence to go against the tide, especially if the people within such a thing are powerful demons that could overwhelm us within seconds. We haven¡¯t done anything for now, but if some of our actions were enough for the Demon King to change her mind about looking for me, we could be fighting a never-ending war of survival. Kisaki, as a fellow human, might have been involved with this as well, and despite that brawl earlier, she must be taking whatever measures necessary to keep herself from getting caught in the crossfire, which includes keeping her identity hidden from everyone around her, even Roll, her only other party member, and slave.

    Realizing how bleak the situation was, we comforted ourselves with another embrace, taking in each other¡¯s warmth and calming scents to regain our senses of security. We said sweet nothings to one another, affirm our love, and promised that we won¡¯t let what anyone say get in the way of what we feel for each other as well as those in our group.

    I asked Ume if she wanted to sleep with me anyway but she politely turned it down.

    ¡°We have to let others know about what happened while taking the chance to get closer. If this keeps up, we gotta have everybody be ready for the worst and support each other however we can.¡±

    Those were Ume¡¯s words and I couldn¡¯t agree with them more.

    We decided to discuss what actions we should take over breakfast before heading out to discuss our dungeon crawl with Noire tomorrow. We also needed to find a time to discuss what we found from the Demon King¡¯s decree with the others while Sue was on her own.

    With our plans set, we sealed it with a kiss before I deactivated the [Soundproof] spell.

    ¡°Is everything all right, Milord?¡±

    ¡°You two have been in that [Soundproof] spell for a good 5 minutes.¡±

    Mametama gives her question with a tone of concern before Kenaka points out how long we had been talking in the bubble. Considering how the rate of time in Raiza is vastly different from Earth¡¯s, 5 minutes was more of a good long while here than one may think.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ we had to cut our walk short due to some stressful things happening on the way over. We¡¯ll go over them with you and the others in our rooms before we settle in for tonight,¡± I answer for the both of us.

    ¡°Understood. I suppose this is it for now, Kenaka.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Rest well, and be on your guard, Mametama.¡±

    ¡°And I, to you.¡±

    <¡°Eeeh~? What¡¯s this~? Aren¡¯t you two usually at each other¡¯s throats~?¡±> Nyra asks in a teasing tone.

    ¡°Do not misunderstand. We were trying to go over battle strategies that match our fighting styles while getting caught up on what¡¯s been going on.¡±

    ¡°Whatever nonsense you¡¯re thinking, we have no plans with each other besides mutual comrades on the field. You should know that better than anyone, Nyra.¡±

    Kenaka and Mametama give their respective claims to clear some kind of misunderstanding I¡¯m not seeing.

    <¡°I know~, I know~, I just can¡¯t let a chance for a good tease slide by.¡±>

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on here? Since when did you two have some sort of talk?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to be concerned about, Milord. Right, Nyra?¡±

    <¡°Of course~, of course~, nothin¡¯ at all~.¡±>

    That makes Ume and I even more confused as we tilt our heads to each other. Even Kenaka seems to not know what¡¯s going on, either. Since it seems like neither Mametama and Nyra are willing to talk further, we decide to drop it.

    Ume and I bid each other goodnight with one last kiss before we split to our assigned rooms. Mametama walks alongside me while Kenaka does the same with Ume.

    <¡°May I assume you¡¯ll be ¡®bonding¡¯ with your mates to vent whatever stresses you had before falling into slumber, Milord?¡±> Mametame asks through Telepathy. I feel like she worded it in a way that includes Kalline and Sue as well, even though they weren¡¯t officially my mates.

    ¡­ Does it bother you if I was sort of planning on it?

    <¡°We all need to find relief through some means, Milord. You are also a male, and I am a mature female. I will just stay out of your way while I keep watch on the surroundings from the inside until it¡¯s time to rest. You won¡¯t even know I¡¯m there.¡±>

    When we get to the door, I kneel down with Mametama in her cub form still standing beside me. You know, I¡¯m not sure if I said this enough but I really do appreciate you and Kenaka looking out for the others when I¡¯m not around, Mametama. Is there something I can do to reward you for your efforts? I ask while making use of my maxed-out Petting skill to tactfully rub her in the right way. She raises her chin and body on the tips of her paws while straightening her tail before purring in delight.

    <¡°Oooh~. Believe me, Milord, your food, words of praise, and petting treatment are plenty enough for me. Kenaka is also satisfied with how things are with him, all things considered. We were talking a little about that while you were gone, and we familiars can never lie directly to our masters.¡±>

    Well ¡­ if you¡¯re happy with the way things are, I guess it¡¯s fine. I still need to see what you two are made of on the battlefield, too. Maybe we can do a little trial run in a bit of free time tomorrow.

    <¡°That would be lovely~. I¡¯ll be sure to not disappoint.¡±>

    With one last quick rub on her head, I get back up and knock on the door. ¡°It¡¯s me. May I come in?¡±

    ¡°Th-Thou may!¡±

    With Kalline¡¯s stuttering consent, I open the door and step inside. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting any ¡­ thing?¡± I trail off as my eyes fall on what¡¯s in front of me.

    In the room are three very different women, all clad in white lingerie, but different designs for each of them.

    Erizora¡¯s chest support was definitely taken into account with her camisole design. As her massive cleavage is comfortably cupped in the padding that really stands out to the eyes, the rest that drapes down is translucent and parts away from the middle until it stops around her hips. Her matching string panties are fully exposed, but turn her around and it turns out to be a thong with how much her buns of steel pop out to the viewer. With spaghetti straps holding it all together, Erizora¡¯s tailored lingerie was designed to emphasize not just her titanic breasts, but her chiseled abs, strong arms, sculpted thighs, and legs, all worthy to be replicated into a marble statue. As if resembling the Ogres as told of folktales from Japan, the entirety of her body underneath has turned to a light shade of red that I¡¯m not familiar with during the day, with her face and pointy ears being especially flushed.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Kalline¡¯s unique white silk chemise would be best described as majestic. The laces on the trimmings plus the excellent support and prominence on her sizeable chest help give her ¡®human¡¯ upper-half great beauty as it goes down to where it joins together with her horse half. That¡¯s only part of the set seen from the front. What makes her design interesting are the garters that latch from that to the matching ¡®skirt¡¯ covering her horse half¡¯s derriere. It keeps the modesty of her womanhood maintained while exemplifying the appeal of the shiny coat of the horse half¡¯s dark brunette fur. It looks like the skirt could even move back using the garters to act as rails for a curtain. Even her lighter brunette horsetail is braided with a cute white ribbon tied into a bow at the end while the matching straight hair from her head falls down to her midback. Her human parts are also in a shade of red while her eyes couldn¡¯t look my way as she shyly pushed her fingers together. Erizora and Sue had to have helped her set this up because something like this couldn¡¯t be possible to put together on her own.

    Finally, there is Sue¡¯s white teddy lingerie. It seems tailored like Erizora¡¯s and Kalline¡¯s lingerie, hugging her short and curvy figure perfectly while fully supporting the breasts that are too ridiculous to be put on her form, showing off every shape and contour of her body. It¡¯s also mostly backless to let her wings be free while there¡¯s a little indent at the bottom for her long and slender tail to rest on and move about comfortably. The fabric is a mixture of mesh and lace that¡¯s artistically designed to resemble flower vines, covering her privates all the while. There are even frills attached to the trimmings around her thighs into a sort of miniskirt, and with her matching thigh-high stockings, it¡¯s like Sue came out of a ballet on stage. Other than the necklaces she¡¯s still wearing that are currently hiding in her cleavage, with her short stature comfortably snug into the lingerie and her platinum pink hair down, giving off an air of innocent sexy cuteness, it¡¯s like she¡¯s proclaiming ¡®I¡¯m a princess and I demand hugs!¡¯ of which I would most happily oblige under different circumstances.

    At this time though, compared to Erizora and Kalline who are embarrassed from head to toe (or hoof?), Sue looks to be fretting over something like a kid realizing how much trouble they¡¯re in as she sits on the bed with her legs dangling over the edge.

    Despite how curious and eager I am to see where the direction with all of the girls (sans Mametama being a cougar cub) in such fascinating lingerie would lead, how Sue¡¯s looking so guilty right now screeches whatever fantasies I was about to have to a stop.

    <¡°Hubba, hubba, hubba! Did I actually ascend to heaven all of a sudden?!¡±>

    Nyra, as much as I can agree with you, I think something¡¯s going on with Sue.

    <¡°Oh, yeah, you should totally get to the bottom of that, but compliment the girls on their lingerie, first. They really prettied themselves up for this occasion and Lili did an excellent job on the designs.¡±>

    Since Eugus was paying for the girls¡¯ lingerie as part of the deal from losing the duel with me, Lili must¡¯ve gone all out on the designs last night. Even if it was for only the 4 girls in my party, if they were each tailored to their specific characteristics, I¡¯m not sure if Lili being an Arachne helped, but I can¡¯t imagine how difficult it might be for only one person to pull it all off.

    ¡°Wow, you all look amazing,¡± I say to start off.

    ¡°D-Do we really look that good?¡± Erizora asks.

    ¡°Yeah. Lili made them for you two, right? They look incredible. Do you like them?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Ms. Lili mentioned in a note included that she designed these with a theme in mind. I really feel like a female ¡­ one of Master¡¯s females, while I¡¯m in this. Do you not agree, Kalline?¡± Erizora asks while smoothing the material of her lingerie.

    ¡°I was uncertain of how well this would turn out, but if ¡®tis to Master Jinma¡¯s liking ¡­¡± Despite how shocked she was at my response at first, still not looking up and rotating herself away from me, she poorly tries to hide her bashful smile while getting lost in her thoughts. Even her braided tail rustled from how gleeful she is. Like curtains, her flicking tail moves enough to reveal where the ¡®skirt¡¯ of her lingerie parts and reveal her sex. I have a slight difficulty turning myself away and avoid taking a peek of what it looks like.

    ¡°Oh! Right! When Ms. Sue saw some of ours, she apparently went out on her own earlier to find lingerie matching the theme to fit the occasion, too!¡± Erizora continues. ¡°I was honestly surprised she found something so great while in her size in such a short time! Ms. Sue, if I may, wherein Palocaesy did you even get that?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, right. I just know my way around these things and spent a little more than usual to have it fitted at the last minute, is all. Size-fitting magic can really do wonders for a girl, you know?¡± Sue asks, but she isn¡¯t as enthused as the other two are.

    ¡°You look really great but is there something on your mind, Sue? You seem kind of down,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but point it out.

    ¡°¡­ I know this may not be the right time and mood but may I talk to you for a moment, Jinma?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Do you want it to be just the two of us?¡±

    ¡°No, they can stay. They can serve as our witnesses.¡±

    I look to the other three and their own mood has changed to something a little more serious than when I came in. They all nod their approval, knowing what it is that Sue wants to talk about.

    Sue then silently urges me to sit on the bed with her that I oblige to. The others take their respective seats on the floor in front of us to make a semicircle. I patiently wait for her to start while she gathers herself, fidgeting, and loosening the stiff joints in her wings and tail.

    ¡°Before I start ¡­ just how much do you want others to know of your adventures? Your plans for the journey, and all that?¡± Sue asks.

    ¡°Probably the bare minimum, at best. I think I can tell someone what general direction I¡¯m taking but nothing more than that unless I need to.¡±

    Sue looks down on the ground and droops a little. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. Over dinner, I ¡­ slipped up on where you and your party are going after you¡¯re done with Lady Krauss¡¯ quest. Julius and Roll were there with us, and I think a few other inn patrons who were nearby also heard it. They were really surprised, probably by the fact a human is going to the capital of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, the place where the strongest of Demons gather. I think I may have put you in a difficult position with my big mouth. I¡¯m just ¡­ really sorry I blabbed something so personal about you to others outside of this group.¡±

    Kenaka and Mametama have already filled me in on this ahead of time through Telepathy, of course, so I had a small opportunity to think it over somewhat.

    ¡°I mean ¡­ I didn¡¯t tell you to keep it a secret from anyone else so I¡¯m partially to blame for that. Plus, I¡¯ve been getting so much attention lately that it¡¯d be difficult to keep anything discreet at this point. I¡¯m sure it would¡¯ve been out sooner or later.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not mad?¡± she asks while looking up to me.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s gonna take a lot more than that to set me off, let alone hate you if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. Even if you didn¡¯t realize it until afterward, I¡¯m honestly a little happy you thought of me enough to apologize.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want me to go away, even if I might let something slip again?¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate it if you avoid that but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough for us to make you go away. We¡¯re not bothered by it, right?¡± I ask while turning to the three.

    ¡°Of course, not. As Master Jinma¡¯s servant, I will do whatever I can to make sure his safety as well his acquaintances¡¯ like thyself is assured, Sue. Thou hast my word.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll blow away anyone that tries to harm you two!¡±

    ¡°I will admit that I still have some concerns over you, but if Milord wishes it, then I will protect you like I would for him.¡±

    Kalline, Erizora, and Mametama give their respective comments for confirmation.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything on your mind bothering you, you can come to me or any of the others in our party to talk about it, too. Whatever you don¡¯t want out in the open, it will only be kept between us. I can promise you that,¡± I assure while rubbing Sue¡¯s head some more.

    ¡°¡­ Jinma? May I hug you?¡±

    ¡°Whenever you want, Sue.¡± Though, she has hugged me without permission a few times already, so why change that now?

    After accepting Sue¡¯s request, she climbs and straddles on top of my lap as I¡¯m sitting on the bed¡¯s edge and pulls herself into an intimate embrace, pressing her warm, soft cheek against my own with arms over my shoulder. I return the gesture with arms around her curvy waist, the fabric of her teddy lingerie thin enough for me to get a taste of the texture that is her skin with just the right amount of fat and muscle balanced together. I don¡¯t think I need to mention how much her larger than normal breasts are firmly sandwiched between us. Sue¡¯s wings flutter and her tail moves about to express delight.

    I then feel something wet sliding between our cheeks while I hear a few sniffles.

    ¡°I know my approach was sudden when we first met this morning,¡± she whispers in my ear with a slight crack in her voice, her embrace grows slightly tighter, ¡°but this really has been the best day of my life, better than anything I could possibly imagine. There¡¯s nothing that could ever make me happier than how I¡¯m spending this night with you. I really want you to know that, Jinma.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ happy to hear that.¡± I¡¯m not just taken aback by the words, but the genuineness as well. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a side-effect with my Intuition skill but I could sense great power, resolution, and emotion in her tone as she spoke. It honestly has me worried under these circumstances.

    ¡°Um ¡­ you learned about me very recently, from my duel with Eugus yesterday, right? I mean, putting my prior experience here aside, I just became an adventurer almost 3 days ago. Did I really make a big enough impact for you to imagine a scene like this in such a short time?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± It sounds like she made a response, but it¡¯s so quiet despite how close she is to my ear that I couldn¡¯t make it out.

    Before I could ask her to speak up clearly, Sue sniffles and wipes whatever was on her face after pulling back. She then gives her signature big smile like usual, but I can¡¯t help but feel there¡¯s a slight air of mischief to it. Like she¡¯s aware that what she just said was unintelligible but isn¡¯t willing to make it clearer for me. ¡®What did I say, I wonder?¡¯ That seemed like something she would say here at this moment.

    She was just fretting about being hated or forced to leave moments ago and now she turns around and becomes like this. Seriously, I just don¡¯t get this girl. Did you catch any of that, Nyra?

    <¡°Nope, but her feelings were genuine and I can still sense some subtle guilt looming over her. Guess we¡¯re gonna have to keep an eye on her, especially if she¡¯s got something to hide.¡±>

    ¡°Well! I¡¯m happy you¡¯re not mad at me but I do feel bad about spouting such personal information in public, so I want to make it up to you, Jinma,¡± Sue then says as she spins herself around to where her back is against me with her wings spread out. ¡°You¡¯re wanting to let off some more steam after all that action today, right? I could put my big mouth to better use for you if you catch my drift? I can already tell from how hard you are since I got on top.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Ah~?.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    <¡°Well, this just got hot all of a sudden.¡±>

    Sue fixes her seating to where my erection is directly against her underside as she straddles me, then takes both of my hands and firmly places them against her bountiful mounds, letting off a moan dripping with ecstasy in response. The others sitting in front of us are also shocked about this sudden change in development.

    ¡°How about it?¡± Sue asks while learning herself back, pushing me to where we lie on the bed while she¡¯s on top. She looks up, reaches for my hair to run her fingers through while the other reaches down to between her legs, not even minding the others in front of us who could see what¡¯s between them in full view. My hands are still firmly grasping her chest over the lingerie. ¡°To make up for my blunder, you can play with my body however you like and you can drench me in as much cock juice as your hard meat can give. All I ask is to not be kissed on the lips and your dick doesn¡¯t get into my ass and pussy.¡±

    Despite my shock from her wording, I recall my old coworker, Kazumi, mentioning similar ¡®rules¡¯ when he made visits to strip clubs and soaplands over his time off, which were details that I never wanted to hear. I wonder if this was how he was ¡®serviced.¡¯

    ¡°Is that ¡­ really all right? And why those limits in particular?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saving those moments for the special moments in my life. I thought this over pretty thoroughly and came up with this in the end. I can think of something else if you¡¯re not satisfied with these conditions but I really want to do this for you, Jinma. It¡¯s the least I can do for you as your biggest fan.¡±

    Her hand then reaches further down between her legs until my crotch is in contact. Shocks run down my spine as she thoroughly caresses the throbbing bulge through my pants.

    ¡°Pleeeeease~, Jinmaaaaa~?¡± Sue then asks with upturned eyes. Even in this position, she somehow manages to make herself look so cute and innocent like a kitten scared of being abandoned in the streets.

    I¡¯m not even sure if I could consider myself a man if I decided to turn myself away from her. And so, another energetic night of my impactful sex life begins.

 Chapter 107: Giving Favors, Confessions, and Breasts, Part 1 (Sue)

    ¡°¡­ You said no kissing on the lips, right? So, I can kiss you everywhere else on your body? Even your ¡®lips¡¯ down there?¡± I whisper in her pointy ear for clarification.

    ¡°My ¡®best day ever¡¯ would go up tenfold with you doing that to me, Jinma.¡±

    ¡°If that is so, then ¡­ itadakimasu.¡± Thanking Sue for the meal, I put my mouth on her pointy ear I was whispering to. This is partly because that was one of the ¡®Sweet Spots¡¯ I could see from where I was with my skill, but I was curious to how a pointy ear in my mouth felt.

    I¡¯m not sure if it differs between races but the pointy end of Sue¡¯s ear has a thin ¡®rim¡¯ over the top half that sort of resembles humans. The texture has a bit of softness to it, almost spongey.

    Sue gasps from the contact, arching her back while still lying on top of me. Her wings rustle and tense up as they stretch out between us and her tail flails about. Her Climax Gauge begins to rise.

    As I nibble over her ear, I subconsciously take a big whiff through my nose, then noticing a soothing, flowery scent wafting from her platinum-pink locks.

    ¡°Your hair smells really good, Sue,¡± I say before pulling her up by the waist so I could reach her neck to kiss next. ¡°Your skin also has a nice scent while being incredibly smooth. Did you use something while you were in the bath?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡­ want to smell bad ¡­ while sleeping with you,¡± Sue answers between breaths. She gasps more as I fondle her breasts over the lingerie again.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have much to worry about. I¡¯m going to get under your lingerie.¡±

    ¡°Yes~, please touch and kiss me more~.¡±

    I reach for the strap around her neck that supports her teddy and pull it over her head, then down over her stomach, peeling away the fabric while setting her stupidly large breasts free and fall to the sides. Looking over her shoulder, her nipples match the theme to an [Arch] Imp¡¯s light purple-colored skin as they stand out erect with a dark lavender color. I reach over with both hands and cop feels on them. Compared to when I accidentally groped one while stopping her from getting caught in the window crash earlier, having both of her large breasts out and fully exposed, my hands get the incredible, moldable softness from the oppai loli Arch Imp.

    From the amazing texture, my libido gets amped up as I eat out Sue¡¯s neck and shoulder more, even trailing my tongue along them to get the full taste of her delicious femininity. Her climax gauge steadily grows further.

    ¡°Your nipples are so hard, Sue. Are you that turned on?¡± I ask while pinching said parts between my fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been ¡­ holding myself back more than you can imagine ¡­ so much more,¡± she sighs.

    With her chest free and hanging to the sides, my eyes catch two pieces of shiny jewelry that have been hiding in her cleavage this whole time. One¡¯s a polished, smooth stone that has an aquamarine color, the other looks like a cut quartz crystal with a light blue tint to it. Both of them have small silver chains through the manmade holes to keep hung around her neck.

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve got some lovely necklaces there, Sue.¡±

    ¡°One is ¡­ from my father. The other¡¯s from a close friend. I prefer to keep them on me at all times.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll leave them alone.¡± What has me slightly concerned is that I can¡¯t see details of what those accessories are with my Street Smarts skill, but it could be from whatever Sue has going that¡¯s blocking my attempts to read her status with Size Up. Since I¡¯d rather not sour the mood right now, I put those matters on the backburner.

    ¡°Wanna switch it up and eat each other out?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes~, I¡¯ve been wanting to taste you for a while. Ah, but let me undress us first.¡±

    Sue then sits up on my waist and rotates on top to face me. She then stands up, suddenly giving a domineering air as she slowly slips herself out of her lingerie with a smug on her face, as if to tease me by tugging on my growing anticipation. Sliding the teddy down, pulling one leg out of it, then the other before flicking it to the side like a slingshot. Sue now stands above me with nothing but the thigh-high stockings on her legs. The dark purple lips that are her pussy is blossomed in full view with glistening juices dripping to my shirt. Despite the current [lack of] attire, the way her wings unfold along with the tail snapping like a whip behind her actually makes her a little intimidating. Perhaps it¡¯s the strong confidence in her face, that however this will go out, Sue will get the result she wants with the assets she has.

    Even if she is a virgin and we won¡¯t be going all the way, this is a different change of pace, and my heart¡¯s beating with adrenaline.

    ¡°You like~?¡± Sue asks as she bends forward and rests her hands on my chest. Lowering to her knees after that, and she now resembles a ferocious feline ready to pounce on her prey, even her tail moves to the vibe. Along with the necklaces, Sue¡¯s stupidly large tits dangle down like cow udders before getting sandwiched between us.

    ¡°¡­ Very.¡± I could only respond with that much.

    Sue giggles while caressing my face. ¡°I love how cute and funny you are when you¡¯re honest.¡± She then moves in and presses her lips against me, right on the corner of my own, just barely on the tip of limitations she described from the beginning as she starts to unbutton my shirt. She then moves up and gently bites on my ear, a complete first for me, something that sends electricity down my spine. I feel like I just submitted control to her at this point seeing how well she¡¯s doing these motions.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Have you done this before?¡± I ask, attempting to keep myself calm. She seems to have sensed that as she giggles from my efforts.

    ¡°Only in practice, with help from a female friend.¡± Sue must¡¯ve specified that last part for my own peace of mind, because I feel some relief after hearing it.

    ¡°Is this ¡®practice¡¯ also for those special moments you mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Yep~.¡±

    ¡°Have anyone you like right now?¡±

    ¡°Maaaaaybe~. How bad do you want to know?¡± Sue asks as she completely parts my buttoned shirt open, revealing my torso riddled with scars from years of roughhousing. The teasing smile from her face disappears immediately while her motions stop.

    <¡°Whoa, her excitement moments ago just dropped and is suddenly very anxious. I think the scars were a bigger surprise for her than I thought. You may need to ease her up a little bit,¡±> Nyra advises in my mind.

    Deciding to follow it, I try to ignore the look and pull the shirt over my head like it¡¯s no big deal while answering her question. ¡°I am curious, but I understand if you don¡¯t want to tell me and I won¡¯t go against your wishes of saving yourself for him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be very lucky to have someone like you as his mate.¡± Granted, I¡¯m not sure how Sue going this far to ¡®pay me back¡¯ wouldn¡¯t affect her chances of getting with the guy she¡¯s interested in, but if it¡¯s due to the difference in cultures that this sort of thing is okay, I try not to think about it too much.

    ¡°¡­ Thanks.¡± Sue then lowers herself and places her lips on one of my scars with great care and consideration. She does it again on another, and another as she works her way down, caressing my body with her smooth hands and tits rubbing over me all the while.

    In between kisses, I hear ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll ¡­ sure ¡­ will ¡­ more,¡± muttered in a near silent whisper. I couldn¡¯t make out whether it was to me, herself, or even the guy of her interest, but I caught a hint of strong ¡­ ambition in her tone, if I have to describe it. Nyra seems to agree with my thoughts as she felt that emotion emanating from the Arch Imp girl.

    Once Sue finally reaches to my pants, she went straight to work on unbuttoning it and setting my cock free. She¡¯s utterly speechless, intimidated even, at how it stands as tall as her face, especially since it¡¯s close enough for her to breathe on it. It¡¯s at this point that I just notice our positions.

    ¡°Wait a minute, weren¡¯t we going to eat each other out?¡±

    ¡°Change of plans,¡± Sue answers me matter-of-factly.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you want to¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I really want to concentrate on this. Please, just let me do it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ All right, just don¡¯t force yourself.¡±

    ¡°Can I have you stand?¡±

    I oblige and make sure the tanto is under my pillow before I slip my pants off and stand up straight, my erection throbs in front of Sue¡¯s face at about sixty degrees from my gut, balls swollen and dangling below.

    As if marching to battle, Sue stares at my intimidating cock head on and goes right to work after a quick breath. She cups and juggles my sack in her palm, her other hand keeps the shaft steady and up at a higher angle before taking a long, slow lick from the base to the tip, lapping the bead of pre-cum that sits there. The simultaneous sensation of my balls enveloped by the warmth from her dexterous hand, followed by the hot, moist stroke of her tongue had me contracting my muscles from the sheer jolt of pleasure. The slow, thorough work of her swirling licks at the glan just below the swollen head had me almost releasing my Ejaculation Control early.

    She then gets to work on her motions, getting herself as far down my cock as she could without gagging, and going down a little further with each bob. Despite her best efforts, she can only go about halfway down due to my large girth taking up most of her mouth. Even so, feeling the hot, moist, sucking, swirling, and tight sensations on my member as it goes in her maw, especially when my head just touches the back of her throat, has me reeling. The sight of her face making such an erotic look with my dick in her mouth is also pleasing.

    ¡°F-Fuck ¡­ is this seriously your first time doing it with a real cock?¡±

    ¡°Ah-hah. Ah use ah doy foh blagdas,¡± Sue responds in the middle of her work, her hot breath on my meat stick emits a delightful tingle on my spine.

    <¡°Damn, I don¡¯t know how much practice she put into this but she¡¯s got the makings of a professional,¡±> Nyra comments.

    Even with Ejaculation Control, I can already sense that I¡¯m getting close to the brink. Knowing Sue doesn¡¯t want to go any farther than this, I make sure my Potent Semen skill is turned off so its properties don¡¯t tempt her to change her mind. For going this far to make up her fault, I want to respect her wishes. I also want to show her how well she¡¯s doing this as well, so I leave the Semen Pump skill on to give her a sweet surprise.

    ¡°Sue, I¡¯m getting rather close. Can I let it go in your mouth?¡± I ask while resting my hands on her head.

    ¡°Mm-hm!¡± Filled with a boost of motivation, Sue ups the pace of her motions, going slightly further down than her limit, juggling and squeezing my swelling balls with one hand, urging it to release all they have, while her other grips and twists what her mouth couldn¡¯t reach to make up for it as she keeps it steady. This, all while making slurping and moaning noises as loud as possible to make the scene all the lewder. That was enough to push me to the brink.

    ¡°Sue! Here it comes! Get ready!¡± With that, I release my Ejaculation Control. My cock swells and throbs as it releases part of the first of many loads tonight. I can practically feel the yellowish-white male fluids coursing through my dick and stream it out of its head like a fully-loaded squirt gun. I could tell that was going straight down her throat before Sue pulls back and lets her maw gets quickly filled with my essence.

    ¡°Mmph?!¡± It looks like she didn¡¯t expect how powerful my cock was from how some of my fluids leaking out from the climax. Even with how she tries to swallow what she could as quickly as possible, it was just too thick and large to keep it all in. Her eyes shutting tight shows how much she was struggling before pulling out and cough, probably due to some going down the wrong pipe, leaving her face fully exposed for my cock to give her a facial of what was left.

    ¡°Sorry about that, Sue. I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be that much. Are you okay?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just my pride that¡¯s taken a hit.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you did great. I really enjoyed it.¡± I try to pet Sue¡¯s head in comfort and praise to push my point further.

    ¡°¡­ Not great enough,¡± she mutters.

    Is it normal for girls to be hard on themselves for something like this?

    <¡°I¡¯ve only seen a few who were similar, but that¡¯s only when they¡¯re doing it for ¡­¡±>

    What?

    <¡°¡­ Nah, I¡¯m probably thinking too much. Just know that despite how grumpy she is right now, Sue¡¯s glad to hear you enjoyed it.¡±>

    ¡°¡­ What about you three? Enjoyed the show?¡± Sue suddenly asks while looking over her shoulder.

    It¡¯s then I remember Sue and I aren¡¯t the only ones in the room.

 Chapter 108: Giving Favors, Confessions, and Breasts, Part 2 (Kalline and Erizora)

    Ever since Sue and I started our fondling/blowjob session, Erizora, Kalline, and Mametama have been sitting on the floor at the foot¡¯s side of the bed, seeing an exposed pair with the oppai loli at the same level as the man¡¯s dick in front of them. They look to be in a daze before realizing Sue called out to them.

    ¡°I-I am so sorry! I did not mean to ¡­ I will just step out for a while!¡±

    ¡°While looking like that, Kalline?¡± Mametama points out calmly, stopping Kalline just as she was about to stand up.

    ¡°Though, if you¡¯re looking to get disgusted, distasteful looks from the other patrons and innkeepers, all while in a hot and bothered state and dripping for some shameful action, I can sympathize with those feelings,¡± Erizora comments with arms crossed and nodding with eyes closed.

    ¡°I am not hot and bothered!¡±

    ¡°I may not have Ren¡¯s nose but I can practically smell your arousal from over here, and you¡¯re definitely dripping right now.¡±

    ¡°Being a magical beast myself, I can confirm with Erizora¡¯s statement.¡±

    ¡°Eep!¡±

    I noticed nothing as my attention was on Sue up to now. Since Erizora and Mametama pointed it out, I could smell a different scent in the air from my enhanced olfactory senses. From Erizora mentioning other patrons, I realize then that I forgot to put up the [Soundproof] spell and others outside of the room might hear us. I quickly chant [Soundproof] to fix that and make a mental note to [Clean] everything in the room and not give housekeeping more work to deal with later.

    ¡°¡­ I am so sorry for thee to see me in such a state, Master Jinma,¡± Kalline apologizes while drooping. ¡°If getting humiliated after thou orders me to leave the room is my punishment for disgraceful behavior, so be it.¡±

    ¡°I-I will accept the punishment as well!¡± Erizora exclaims while shooting her hand straight up, though she looks more excited for her ¡®punishment¡¯ than desperate to save her companion.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± I say firmly while sitting back down on the bed¡¯s edge. ¡°Neither of you did anything wrong so you won¡¯t get punished for it. There¡¯s that, and I forbid you two to show yourselves wearing that lingerie to anyone else but myself and the companions in our party. The same goes for stepping out in the nude without me there. Public baths are the exception depending on circumstances, however. This is a rule all girls in my harem must follow at all costs, understand?¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, Master/Milord!¡±¡± Erizora and Mametama (for whatever reason) respond dutifully.

    ¡°W-Wait, this ¡®rule¡¯ is for all the girls in thy harem, yes? B-But am I not ¡­?¡± Kalline trails off.

    Sue sighs and rubs the cum off her face while standing back up. ¡°You denied this over dinner, too, and this is getting painful to watch. Jinma, be honest here. What do you think of Kalline?¡± she asks while turning to me, arms resting under her breasts too large for her small frame.

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the afterglow that¡¯s making me this relaxed but I knew where Sue¡¯s going, and I think it¡¯s about time I be honest with myself, too.

    ¡°¡­ Kalline, despite my lingering concerns, when it comes right to it, I am interested in learning more and getting closer to you ¡­ as a woman. I see you more than a woman I want to know more of than a servant, knight, or whatever you see yourself as.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?!¡± Kalline yelps in a fluster while getting red.

    ¡°You¡¯re devout, intelligent and creative in your battle tactics, passionate about your job as an adventurer, have a powerful drive to achieve goals, and great courage. I really respect that, and I find them charming on you as a woman, along with the cuter sides of how you present yourself. I may not be a ¡®stallion¡¯ like the other Centaurs, but I¡¯d be happy if you see and want to know more of me as one of the opposite sex.¡±

    ¡°¡­ If I may ask, what art these ¡®lingering concerns¡¯ thou possess?¡± Kalline asks.

    ¡°Well, being able to satisfy you as a woman, for one. Putting race aside, our bodies are so different, and I might not ¡­ be big enough to please you, if you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°O-Oh.¡± Kalline looked down toward my half-erect cock for a moment, then realize where she¡¯s looking before quickly averting her gaze with blushing cheeks.

    ¡°I have heard the Centaurs¡¯ genitals resemble horses, and from thinking back in my experience as a slave, it¡¯s on point, especially Kalline¡¯s when I helped her clean herself and braided her tail for tonight, but it¡¯s kind of pretty,¡± Erizora describes.

    ¡°I heard some Centaur mares prefer smaller penis sizes,¡± Sue adds while looking over to me. ¡°Some have even said a stallion¡¯s dick was just too intimidating looking, and they¡¯d rather not describe how their first ¡®experience¡¯ went.¡±

    ¡°¡­ From what I had been told from my few Centaur female acquaintances in Dondegarm, even as an experienced adventurer, I admit the thought of a male from the same race making such advances still frightens me,¡± Kalline says while averting her gaze. ¡°I have heard and read how such moments between human couples was a beautiful thing, something that both of them enjoyed. Then there were the few books I read involving human-Centaur relationships where the ¡­ fornication, was like those from fully human couples. It might have been a dream, but ¡®twas the bond I had longed for from my significant other, be he Centaur or human.¡±

    ¡°And what do you think of me?¡± I ask, slightly on edge.

    ¡°After thou saved my life that night, I gained a high admiration and respect for thee. Whilst serving under thee to repay my debt, I too wished to learn more of thee as an individual. Thou seem to keep getting more incredible in my eyes the more I watch thee from the side. Then there was when thou stood up for me to confront my uncle ¡­¡±

    Kalline then slowly approaches me, her hoof steps small and light despite her size, perhaps out of shyness as she lowers herself slightly to my level. The blush in her face while having difficulty maintaining eye contact seems to show as much, too. ¡°Not even the stronger and more experienced stallions would even dare rub him the wrong way, as if risking their lives fighting a monster was better than to challenge him. Master Jinma, if it were not for thee doing what they could not, I do not think I would have near the amount of courage I have that thou like of me, especially now as I say these words ¡­¡±

    She takes one of my hands in both of hers, the firm yet soft delicacy of the fingers that contrasts her knightly character never ceases to surprise me, but I can still see the passionate fire that burns in her hazel horse-like eyes as she stares into mine.

    ¡°Master Jinma, I want thee, and only thee ¡­ to make me a woman. Wouldst thou doth me that honor and let me join in thy harem?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I think it¡¯s safe to say that you¡¯ve been a part of it a long time ago.¡±

    With that, I hold Kalline¡¯s chin and start my assault with a soft, yet passionate kiss.

    ¡°Mmh!¡± Though surprised at first, Kalline quickly welcomed the gesture as she sighs through her nose, breathing out most of the concerns and worries lingering inside her. She returns the kiss in kind, noises of our lips smacking become more apparent. I must have kissed with the others enough to know that this is Kalline¡¯s very first from how clumsy she is, but her happiness and excitement are apparent, and her lips are more pleasing to the touch than I thought from their soft and smooth texture. I wonder if she used lip gloss of some sort beforehand, if that even exists in this world.

    We only break away for a moment to catch some air before getting right back into it with Kalline getting more aggressive. It didn¡¯t take long before she has the bed creaking and groaning with agony from the additional weight as the front half of her horse body has me completely pinned. I had heard that horses¡¯ regular body temperature is higher than humans. I guess that applies to the Centaurs in this world as I¡¯m mostly enveloped by the impressive heat Kalline¡¯s upper half emits through her lingerie while it rubs against my bare skin. My cock was already getting back up for another round once we started our make out. Now it¡¯s fully erect and getting squeezed in a sandwich between us.

    Kalline, whether she was getting eager or got too hot for her own good, broke away from the kiss and practically ripped the part of the lingerie that covered her human torso. She¡¯s now halfway free from her fabric prison as the womanly curves of her human half bares itself to me. I only saw glimpses of it a few times at the baths we shared as a party, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen a woman¡¯s body so flushed with heat.

    The view was short-lived as Kalline went right back on the offensive of her kissing onslaught. Now hotter and more intimate than ever with her bare skin touching my own, her smooth and firm breasts¡ªthough not as big as Ume¡¯s or even Sue¡¯s, they were still impressive¡ªpress against my chest as she sidles me. She¡¯s barely mindful of how the front legs of her horse lower body curl underneath her, getting as physically close to me as possible, before reaching to my throbbing erection while kissing me passionately.

    Her skills in handling a sword and spear must be at play here. Her handjob, while it¡¯s a complete first for me, I realize how the ¡®handiwork¡¯ from my jerk-offs pales compared to hers in performance as I experience the incredible sensation of a woman¡¯s delicate, soft, and dexterous fingers on my hot cock. It¡¯s an even bigger surprise knowing how long Kalline had been using weapons, I half-expected some spots of callouses revealed from her palm or fingers. Whatever she did to make her hands maintain that baby-smooth texture, her gripping and twisting techniques on my own ¡®spear¡¯ are practically melting me from the treatment.

    And that¡¯s just without lotion or lubricant ¡­ well, at this point I was already leaking with pre-cum again to remove that concern. Still, just think how out of the world the experience would be if I used one or the other.

    ¡°Good for you, Kalline.¡±

    ¡°About damn time, really.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Hmm, if that comes to pass, I may be at a standstill after seeing a lone hand¡¯s capabilities.¡±

    Erizora, Sue, and Mametama make their subdued comments in the peanut gallery, but I barely registered it as Kalline was occupying my mind.

    ¡°Master Jinma ¡­ dost this please thee?¡± Kalline wheezes between kisses.

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible, Kalline. Your hands are so good, I¡¯m already getting close to cumming again¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Hrk?!¡±

    Out of sheer desperation, Kalline violently grips on my erection like her life depended on it. I felt sympathy for her weapons if she ever gripped them this hard out of fright. Truthfully, I could go longer without cumming thanks to the Ejaculation Control skill, but I definitely felt the desire to cum rising, and I wanted to express to her how true that was. Her vice grip on my cock put all of that tension to a screeching halt, though.

    ¡°I-I am so sorry! Was that too much?!¡± Kalline exclaimed in panic.

    I¡¯m surprised that it didn¡¯t hurt as much as I thought, being the sensitive part of my body that it is. The tightness was there, but I wasn¡¯t in such agonizing pain to scream it out, far from it. It was a weird contrast of emotions, and for a moment, I was starting to understand where Erizora was coming from with her masochistic tendencies.

    Could it be my high defenses at work?

    <¡°I don¡¯t know, but now I want to step on your dick and see if what I just sensed wasn¡¯t my imagination,¡±> Nyra comments, albeit mischievously.

    I quickly decide to not dwell on those feelings any further.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kalline. More importantly, what was up with that death grip? Something a matter?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°W-Well, it is just, if thou were to ¡­ cum, so soon, I wouldst rather thou do it ¡­ inside ¡­¡±

    A part of me wanted to tease her by clarifying that, but since this was her first time and she¡¯s doing it with someone so different from her, I could understand how anxious she is even without Nyra telling me with her mood-reading expertise. Being the serious one she is here, especially under these circumstances, I need to treat this the same way, especially for what I was about to face.

    We take a moment to get off the bed and the girls help with undressing the rest of Kalline¡¯s lingerie, leaving both her human top-half and horse lower-half as bare as nature intended. Despite how nervous and embarrassed she is, there¡¯s a sort of majesty to her appearance, perhaps it¡¯s because of the glossy shine from the horse body¡¯s coat.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Kalline rests her naked human torso on the bed while her horse body stays standing on the floor, stepping awkwardly in place, while I stand behind her with my body just as bare, slightly breaking into sweat. The other girls are sitting on cushions as they wait for me to start my move. Erizora commented how my dick has gotten much bigger than she last saw it, which lead to the three of them whispering more about it.

    A memory to the time I was at a zoo with Hyo-Chan when I was a kid rises in my mind. There was an area where people could ride a horse for one lap or two around a track with a zoo keeper guiding the animal along. At the time we were there, it looked like there was a newbie getting taught by their senpai how to manage and take care of the horses. The newbie made a mistake of standing right behind the horse and somehow agitated it enough to give him a good buck in the stomach. Hyo-chan and I saw it all just after Mom who was with us asked if either of us wanted to ride it. The both of us furiously shook our heads in response, me especially. It was later that day I learned how bad I was with animals, especially the larger ones. I won¡¯t go into detail now, but I will say it left a fair bit of trauma (though it wasn¡¯t even close to my severe phobia of heights) that lead me wanting to get myself strong enough to defend myself against such large adversaries.

    One reason I was fine with all the animal-based demons in this world so far was because a part of their anatomies resembled humans and they looked to have a more predictable way of moving about because of their higher intellect, compared to regular animals that are more the opposite.

    I had to remind myself a couple times that I wasn¡¯t standing behind a horse, but Kalline; that I would not get attacked like that newbie zookeeper if I¡¯m as gentle to her as I have with the other girls (I may have a cheat ability that raises my defenses, but it was more out of insurance for my safety and I¡¯d rather not be on the receiving end of attacks if I can); that I was about to put my dick in Kalline¡¯s pussy and not ¡­ well, you get the idea.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to move your tail aside,¡± I announce. I see Kalline nodding her head in confirmation and I make my move, taking the braided dark brunette tail by the base and shift it to the side.

    As if parting a curtain and walking into a room, I¡¯m suddenly blasted by a peculiar scent, a little sour with a touch of unique sweetness, my sense of smell heightened by the Werewolf¡¯s nose ability tells me that much at least. It¡¯s then I see a large, puffy, leathery-black vulva parted and blooming like a flower, revealing the brilliant pink insides of the vagina while clear fluids leak out, trailing down over a pea-sized bump. Having it all between a pair of large brown flanks makes this sight more surreal.

    The anxiety I was feeling moments ago washes away, replaced with wonder and astonishment along with this mixture of sight and smell. I didn¡¯t realize I had gone limp from the nervousness as I feel my cock rising once more.

    It is then that I would never look at a horse¡¯s butt the same way ever again.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ it really is kind of pretty.¡±

    ¡°Please do not stare at it too much,¡± Kalline practically begs to me. Her tail twitches in my hand, maybe it was out of embarrassment?

    ¡°Right, uh, I¡¯m going to apply the contraceptive lube now. It will get pretty warm.¡±

    Once I found out where the right hole was, I cast [Contraception] and allow my free hand get covered by a thin coat of lube. I take one finger to start off and slowly push it into Kalline¡¯s horse pussy hole. It¡¯s almost like I stuck my finger in a heated sauna from how hot it felt, and now it¡¯s gripping and sucking me in with vigor. I let that force apply some lube for me before slipping in my second finger. I slowly twist them around to spread a good coat on her insides. Her entire ass shudders from my actions while her own juices leak out.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really tight in here, Kalline. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯b never ¡­ felt so hot before,¡± she muddled. ¡°I can barely stand. Master Jinma, please, pick things up quickly.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I think you¡¯re wet enough, now just a quick touch and slather ¡­ all right, I¡¯m lubed up, too.¡± With our genitals ready to go, I set the flared head of my hard cock against her soaking hot pussy. ¡°I¡¯m going to push it inside now. Try to relax, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­¡±

    With a little push, my head pops right in, getting a squeal from Kalline before I feel the powerful grip of her steamy insides. I push myself further, easing into it, her pussy welcomes me, but has a difficult time pulling my cock inside while taking it all in. I can feel my cock getting overwhelmed by the heat and throbbing even harder in response, slightly swelling more to fill up her cunt and mold it into its shape. It¡¯s amazing as this was even hotter than after I applied the magic lube on my cock and balls. I keep myself from ejaculating, but the pressure around my dick is practically bringing me agony as I¡¯m staggering at my peak. Kalline¡¯s loud, rising cries of pleasure has me looking at her Climax Gauge until then on accident to see that she was already close to coming, too.

    For the both of us experiencing this unique pleasure for the first time in our lives, the mere act of penetration was enough for us to get to the climax. I look down and see I¡¯m almost all the way in. I only need one last push.

    ¡°Kalline, I can¡¯t hold it in any longer! I¡¯m gonna go for it the rest of the way!¡±

    ¡°Wait! I am not¡ª¡±

    With one last push, not only is my cock swallowed whole, I feel the head stopping at a wall of sorts, no, a smaller entrance? My tip just pushes past that hole while I feel something slightly rough above it. I felt this experience once or twice before. I was certain this was her g-spot.

    Regardless, that push was enough for the both of us to go over the edge, Kalline cries at an even higher and more powerful pitch than her war cry in battle, the reacting insides gripping my cock were almost enough to rip it off, it swells up and releases its second ejaculation for the night. I couldn¡¯t even keep myself from grunting loud enough that one might mistake me from getting a powerful kick in the gut. Shot after shot, I pump my baby batter through the small hole the tip was peeking out. I¡¯m certain my seed is heading straight to Kalline¡¯s womb. The build-up this time was even bigger than the last as I feel how much Kalline¡¯s hot honeypot gets quickly filled with my cum.

    I get some notice screens scrolling down my vision, but I don¡¯t pay those much attention as the last of my load shoots out and I calm down from my high. I pull myself out just as Kalline comes down from hers. She slumps her horse body to the floor, my thick cum drips out from her pussy. Her human half slumps on the bed and she heaves breaths, all while drenched in sweat.

    ¡°Are you doing all right there?¡± I ask after I came to her side.

    ¡°I am fine ¡­ please forgive me for losing it so fast.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you did great, and I thought your cunt was amazing, unlike anything I have ever experienced yet. What about you?¡±

    ¡°I thought thou were big for a human when I felt it with my hand, but I could not imagine ¡­ that we would be compatible enough to fill each other so well.¡±

    ¡°Right? I was surprised, too.¡±

    ¡°I could still feel thy cum inside me ¡­ it may be the lube, but I did not think I would feel so much warmer than usual.¡±

    ¡°You wanna get filled up some more? I¡¯ve still got plenty of energy ¡­ my cock¡¯s still very erect after pulling out.¡± Unlike the previous times when it would go flaccid and I¡¯d need to get it back up again after a few minutes, my cock is still just as strong as it went inside before the ejaculation. I may have received a new skill from that list of notices that lets me stay erect longer, even after my climax. I would have to look at them later.

    Kalline giggles. ¡°I need a breather before I can continue, and I am sure Erizora is dying to get a piece of the action now. Thou can humor her for some time and I will get back to thee if I can go again.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Love ya, Kalline.¡±

    ¡°And I, thee.¡±

    We then have a savoring kiss before I move on to the third and last of my girls in waiting, Erizora, who was making a mess on her cushion after she¡¯s been masturbating from who knows how long. Erizora¡¯s hands were coordinating around the lingerie to play on her pussy and one of her ginormous tits as I approach her. Sue was doing the same at her own seat with only stockings on her legs while Mametama followed her gaze at my bouncing, hard cock like a house cat with a toy.

    From Erizora¡¯s blissful state and what I know of her so far, I switch gears and let a little of my sadistic self to come out and play. ¡°Having fun there, Erizora?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yeees~.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear ¡­ but I don¡¯t think I ever gave you permission to do that.¡±

    From my wording, Erizora¡¯s slap from reality sobered her up before she breaks into a cold sweat.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been a little too relaxed in my party lately, Erizora. Pleasuring yourself without your owner¡¯s dick in a hole isn¡¯t how a sex toy like yourself should behave, is it? You¡¯re a disgrace to all the real sex toys I should give my time to properly. What do you have to say for yourself?¡±

    <¡°Niiice~, I¡¯m liking where this is going. Keep up the pressure,¡±> Nyra urges.

    ¡°I-I am so sorry, Master!¡± Erizora then goes straight to dogeza. ¡°Your glorious cock seems to have grown far more extravagant than I remembered and I wanted it inside me so badly, I just couldn¡¯t help myself! Please forgive me for being a selfish, broken sex toy of a slave!¡±

    I squat down, grip Erizora¡¯s hair, and pull her face up, revealing her expression to be flushed while trying not to smile, especially when her eyes locked on my dick right in front of her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be sorry in the slightest, and it¡¯s not just this case that has me questioning your loyalty as a slave.¡±

    ¡°W-What else have I done wrong to you, Master?¡±

    ¡°Why you didn¡¯t tell me you had the [Shrink] null spell, for starters.¡± That¡¯s been on my mind since I first saw it in action against those monsters on the way here. I figure this would be a good opportunity to bring it up.

    ¡°I-I was ¡­ embarrassed to have such a useless null spell, that it wouldn¡¯t serve you well for a great purpose. I thought it wasn¡¯t worth mentioning.¡±

    ¡°But you just proved earlier today that [Shrink] can be a valuable null spell to have, didn¡¯t you? And there are many other things you can use it for.¡± I then shove my erect cock right against her face. ¡°Are you saying you haven¡¯t thought of shrinking yourself down to a size that can please this ¡®glorious cock?¡¯ To praise and offer prayer to this powerful dick like it truly deserves as it stands and looks down to you from above, granting you generous amounts of its potent, sure to impregnate seed as it rains down and coats every fiber of your being to show its favor?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even think of that! Master, are you a god?!¡±

    <¡°From the recently gained skills I¡¯m reading, you might as well be second to Goddess Obina¡¯s level of grandeur,¡±> Nyra comments.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go over whatever other skills and spells you foolishly thought are ¡®worthless¡¯ another time,¡± I continue. ¡°There is one other matter that needs mentioning. How are your tits after that battle with the monsters on the road earlier?¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need to worry about that, Master! Though I¡¯m half human, my tits are as strong as an Ogre¡¯s should be!¡± As if to prove it, Erizora quickly takes off the dress of her lingerie with only her drenched panties remaining on her person. Her gigantic L cup-sized tits are open and bare in front of me, pea-sized nipples are erect and hard from arousal, and the large reddish-pink areolas surrounding them are in tip-top shape. Like the rest of her hard and muscular Ogre exterior, Erizora¡¯s bigger-than-bowling-ball-sized breasts exudes just as much power with their perkiness. How she pounds them with her fist and arm, left without even a hint of a bruise, emphasizes their strength further.

    Even if they were injured, Ume and I have healing magic at high levels of mastery to heal those chest puppies back into good form, but ¡­

    ¡°That won¡¯t do, Erizora,¡± I say while furrowing my brow.

    ¡°Huh?¡± she responds.

    ¡°I may not know how you or others using the Body Slam skill walk away after such an impact, but you shouldn¡¯t recklessly attack and put yourself in greater risk of injury. What would we do if you couldn¡¯t get back up? Slave or not, you¡¯re a valuable member of our party, of my harem. If something terrible happened to you, I would be crushed. We may watch each other¡¯s backs for any attacks, but we are each responsible for the health of our own bodies, and we need to stay healthy whenever we can.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re right. It would be shameful to have my master worry for me over my mishaps.¡± Realizing how serious I was for this to not be part of the S&M play, Erizora then bows her head. ¡°I apologize for my carelessness, and I will be more aware of my actions as I take your words to heart, Master.¡±

    ¡°That is all I want you to take from this. That, and ¡­¡±

    Slipping back into my sadistic self, I reach for Erizora¡¯s exposed nipples, pinch, and stretch them hard towards me, eliciting a surprised squeal of pain and ecstasy from her.

    ¡°Your shamelessly erotic tits, your smugly toned ass, and every other part of your disgustingly ripped body are all mine to abuse and enjoy at my amusement,¡± I continue before giving both of her nipples a tight twist, making her squeal even further. ¡°If I see or catch wind of you using those bombastic weapons of yours against our enemies, or if you so much as let them have their way with your body, expect me to abuse it all tenfold to override it after I kill those bastards, so you and everyone else remember whose filthy plaything of a sex toy you belong to. Do you understand, Ero-zora?¡±

    ¡°YEEEEEEEESH! I UNDERSHTAND COMPLETELYYYYYY~???!¡± Erizora screams in ecstatic pain while drool escapes from her smiling lips.

    ¡°Now, get on your back so I can fuck that filthy breast-pussy of yours.¡±

    ¡°Yeeesh, Mashteeer~???!¡±

    From there, I tried to be as rough with Erizora as I could bring while not causing her serious harm. I think applying generous amounts of the magic lube helped ease some load off, especially when I performed paizuri on her breasts. Despite their ridiculous size, my cock was long enough for the head to poke out of the other side. Being the faithful sex toy slave that Erizora was, she at one point worked her lubed-up tit magic on my dick while she suckled on the head. Compared to Ume¡¯s when she first tried it, one could see how much Erizora trained this form of foreplay for that very moment, and the way their breasts pressed together to sandwich my penis were also distinguishable from each other, both on the tits¡¯ textures and the pressure applied.

    I gave her a good amount of my cum down the gullet when my time to come for the third time came around. I applied my Potent Semen skill for good measure, giving her a temporary addiction for my seed to have it inside her, no matter where it would be. I made her beg me for it like the hungry cum dumpster slut that she was (her words not mine).

    And so I did. For the fourth load, I had her work for it as she rode me, bouncing and piercing herself with my cock in her now savagely wrecked cunt first (which I could also get balls-deep inside her, and with my increased length and girth combined with her tightness, it was like I took her virginity all over again). Having her looming me enough that I could bite into and suck one of her tits like a hungry calf for milk after seeing them shake from above was also a good show. Then, I ram my cock right up her ass for the fifth load, which was tighter even with the lube. I had her in doggy-style for that while I used her dangling udders as handgrips for support, but not before I gave her ass cheeks a good spank. I made sure I filled her insides to the brim with cum at both times. I hashed one insult after another like she wanted me to as her sadistic slave owner until she lied on the floor like an overused sex doll with the grossest looking ahegao face one could imagine.

    After that, Kalline came back with enough energy for more, and so I obliged. Sixth was down her throat (after using [Clean] on my cock first, since it was previously in Erizora¡¯s ass). Then there was the seventh, eighth, and ninth that went into her blackish horse cunt once more, filling her womb to the brim with cum like I was her special breeding stallion. I was getting strangely fonder experiencing this new set of genitals with each climax as I molded her insides to remember every nook and cranny of the fat cock penetrating it, but I reminded myself that this was only possible with Kalline as my partner and not someone ¡­ or something else before I got any strange ideas.

    Speaking of strange, the weirdest thing out of all was that when I wanted to keep things rolling, my dick was a champ and didn¡¯t go flaccid once after my first time with Kalline. I didn¡¯t even feel sore.

    <¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later. Just keep fucking your sluts until you or both of them go to sleep,¡±> was what Nyra responded when I asked her what was going on partway through. Degrading names aside, I was all for it as long as she told me sometime within the next morning.

    With my record of nine climaxes so far, we were all exhausted and ended up sleeping on the floor with Kalline¡¯s body acting as our convenient heat pack with none of us realizing it. I lost track of when Mametama and Sue fell asleep, or when I got so tired enough to black out, but that was probably the most eventful sex night I had yet.

    The only thing I knew was that I really needed to even it out with Ume, Ren, and Tyvera when they sleep with me the next night before our dungeon crawl.

 Chapter 109: The Vixen, The Cyclist, and The Spy (?)

    What¡¯s up, people? This is your favorite stylish former hitman, Komi here, live from the exquisite baths reserved only for guests at the Night of Luxury inn, parked close to the red-light district of Alluga in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory. I¡¯m here soaking up the hot waters with my body that¡¯s just as so, letting the fatigue from all of my efforts today wash away with my humanoid crocodile familiar, Sei[ki], and two guests.

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ Mistress?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lola?¡±

    ¡°Is it really okay for we ¡­ to have this luxury? Mistress spent so much money, yes? Not just for we, but for food and to move to this inn, too ¡­ and was it really okay to reserve this whole bath for our small party?¡±

    This is the first of our two guests, Lola. Despite her shy demeanor with language difficulty issues, she¡¯s actually a Minotaur from the Demon-Kin. White bull horns jotting out the sides of her short-medium brunette hair, matching ears, bull legs with hooves covered in fur from the hips down, and a matching tail to top it all off. Just as Earth¡¯s mythology describes the entirety of these creatures, Lola is BIG, in every sense of the word, standing at 233 centimeters tall [~7 feet, 7.5 inches] and weighing 113 kilograms [~250 pounds]. For the parts of her light caramel body not covered by fur, she is ripped with muscle like a bodybuilder¡¯s, six-pack and all, but it¡¯s her toned ass and gigantic M cup tits that would knock any normal guy over just from looking at them.

    On an unrelated note, even if her bull fur doesn¡¯t cover her ass and genitals, she¡¯s got a hell of a bush going on. I may have to get it trimmed later if Jin-chi even thinks about hitting that.

    ¡°Well, we had to move to another inn since the last one we were in was small, let alone was ballsy enough to not accept demon patrons,¡± I answer. ¡°This was the only one in Alluga with big enough rooms that can accommodate large guests like you. As for the bath, it was no biggie. I had plenty of money to burn that I can quickly earn back, and I have good ties with the manager that runs this inn. Besides, this is a time for celebration, it doesn¡¯t hurt to splurge once in a while for these occasions.¡±

    ¡°You heard the new boss lady, Lola. We might as well take what we can get now, since we will probably get worked to the bone starting tomorrow. Just start soaking and relax a little for once.¡±

    That was from the second of our two guests, Momirugan, but she was okay being called Momo for convenience (if we were back in Japan, I¡¯d likely call her Momi-chan). Momo was the complete opposite from Lola in physique, standing at 171 centimeters (the same as me) [~5 feet, 7 inches], thin with 70 kilograms to her weight [~154 pounds], almost frail with peach-white skin like she¡¯s been indoors most of her life, and totally flat with A cup breasts and a petite butt. With her straight black hair cut into a bob, she could fit in with humans if it weren¡¯t for her pointy ears and the large, lone emerald green eye taking up almost half of her face, the trademark trait of the Monoeye race from the Demon-Kin.

    And just for consistency¡¯s sake, while Momo also has a bush, it isn¡¯t as big and covering most of her genitals like Lola¡¯s is. They look like they had a trimming a while ago.

    Lola and Momo, a Minotaur and a Monoeye, these are two girls from the Demon-Kin that I redeemed as my slaves earlier today as the latest additions to Sei¡¯s and mine party. Getting them wasn¡¯t easy, by the way. Apparently, the slave merchant we bought from had just got them from another in the same trade. To keep things short, there were policies in their place that didn¡¯t allow me to redeem the girls unless I passed some kind of test that Momo representing the two gave to me, something that tests my worthiness as their owner, perhaps? Besides passing the test that proves my worthiness, I could redeem the two of them at a lower price, and Jin-chi had always told me this with good deals: ¡°If you see or hear of it, get it at all costs, even if it means shoving others aside. Housewives are especially the kinds of people you need to look out for in a convenience store.¡±

    The test was to get some specific herbs Momo described that grew in a jungle-like area that was waaay outside of Alluga¡¯s borders, and I had to get several them and bring them back before the end of the day. There were no do-overs.

    Thankfully, finding them was easy thanks to my Streets Smarts applied to my Insightful Mapping skill, and with using [Portal] in my favor, I completed it at record-shattering time.

    ¡°Still, to get such rare herbs so quickly ¡­ I¡¯m still trying to believe it,¡± Momo says as she dunks herself in the bath. Lola follows suit right next to her. The inn¡¯s bath declines at a certain point to let people of larger races soak their bodies deeper, it¡¯s practically a swimming pool at this point. ¡°There¡¯s one thing out of all this that¡¯s bothering me, though.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Momo?¡± I ask.

    ¡°If your previous inn didn¡¯t accept demon patrons, then how was she able to stay with you?¡±

    We all look over to the only other girl in the bath, Sei, who¡¯s soaking up to her shoulders with eyes closed. Knowing her slothful nature, I¡¯m betting she¡¯s asleep right now.

    I would explain that and some other important things to our new recruits that those from the outside shouldn¡¯t hear, which was why I paid so much in advance to reserve the baths for our group and put up a [Soundproof] barrier surrounding us after we all stepped in.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because she isn¡¯t a demon. She¡¯s a familiar,¡± I answer.

    ¡°¡­ Uh, Mistress?¡± Momo asks. ¡°Aren¡¯t familiars supposed to be magical beasts that resemble, I don¡¯t know, animals? Even though some demon races have animal traits, they don¡¯t aren¡¯t the same as regular animals. I don¡¯t need two eyes to see Sei isn¡¯t anything but a tougher-looking Lizardman.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Sei, wake up,¡± I say while squirting bathwater right onto her face.

    ¡°Whaaat?¡± Sei whines in annoyance.

    ¡°Show them you¡¯re my familiar by turning into your smaller form, would you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Fiiiine. So bothersome.¡± With that, Sei goes out in a puff of smoke, surprising our two new comrades. In her place ¡­ a reddish-orange, baby crocodile. ¡°There, you happy now?¡± she asks in a higher pitched, craggy tone.

    ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Lola screams in fright while jumping out of the bath in a large splash, shaking the room as she hit the floor before poorly hiding behind Momo¡¯s head. Momo only sits there in shock with her one eye wide open, staring at Sei leisurely swimming around the bath.

    ¡°I had her change into this form to play off as my real familiar/pet whenever we walked around the last inn,¡± I explain. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let her sleep out in the streets and she¡¯d rather not go back to the Cursed Realm, so we went with that compromise. It was easier for me, too, since I could sleep soundly while paying for our stay at a lesser price. Oh, and for the record, she was previously the Jasper Sodek Duchess of Sloth.¡±

    ¡°A pleasure to make your proper acquaintance,¡± Sei introduced before smoke-puffing back to her ¡®demon form.¡¯ ¡°Now, please let me soak in peace. Wake me up when it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    So you are planning on napping here.

    ¡°A magical beast that can turn into a bipedal form at will,¡± Momo mutters with a hand to her chin. ¡°I have read stories, but I thought those were fairy tales. So, something like this is possible?¡±

    ¡°I can tell you what made it possible later if you¡¯re interested.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very interested. Lola, you can get back into the bath now, you know?¡±

    ¡°I-Is it safe?¡±

    ¡°Sei¡¯s harmless, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Trusting Momo¡¯s words, Lola tentatively sinks herself back in the water.

    ¡°Still, since you have a capable partner already, what need do you have for us?¡± Momo then asks.

    ¡°We figured it was time to have a few extra pairs of hands. It¡¯s especially so now, from the intel I had received recently.¡±

    ¡°Intel?¡± Momo asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s from a reliable source that I¡¯ve been checking back since I got to Alluga. There¡¯s something I need to get that only a handful of people in this world have and getting it won¡¯t be easy. Momo, with your skills as a Sniper with healing magic and knowledge in medicine on the side, Lola¡¯s potential as a Tank, and Sei¡¯s offensive capabilities, I¡¯m certain we can take down our hit with ease.¡±

    ¡°Wait, a ¡®hit?¡¯ You¡¯re speaking like you¡¯re an assassin,¡± Momo says.

    ¡°Well, technically, I was a hitman from where I came from, but they¡¯re both the same, right?¡±

    ¡°Eeeeeeh?!¡± Lola exclaims while stiffening up in her seat. Momo still sits there cool as a cucumber.

    ¡°I see, with an occupation like that, I imagine you did your work to earn enough money to afford all of this.¡±

    ¡°Bu-buu~, wrong. I earned my income with my occupation as an adventurer. I¡¯m not accepting any ¡®requests¡¯ for those kinds of jobs right now.¡±

    ¡°Huh. So, this ¡®hit¡¯ you want us to take part of is for your own personal gain.¡±

    ¡°Yep, but don¡¯t worry. From what I gathered, he¡¯s a real piece of shit. Have you heard of the White Rapture?¡±

    ¡°I might have heard their name here and there. They¡¯re the human-only group of people who only hates those outside of their race, especially demons like us, right? I think they¡¯re also trying to make a statement about why humans shouldn¡¯t associate themselves with us.¡±

    ¡°Bing-bong~, correct.¡±

    ¡°And this hit we¡¯re after is part of that group? Even though he¡¯s from the same race as you?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m working for a girl who doesn¡¯t mind sneaking Sei in as a pet for a cheaper price, who is a capable adventurer with a history just soaked with blood, and will go against one of their own to achieve her goals,¡± Momo summarized.

    ¡°Eh, that sounds about right, but I have my principles. I didn¡¯t really care who I was killing in the past, ¡®a target is a target¡¯ is what my superiors in the trade taught me, but I¡¯m my own woman now. I only kill if my life was on the line or if I know they¡¯re up to no good and it would be better if they were to disappear.¡± Of course, I¡¯d take out anyone who was aiming for Jin-chi¡¯s head, and if he were to ask me to ¡®remove¡¯ someone, I¡¯d likely do it in a heartbeat, no questions asked. Not that he¡¯d ever go that far from the time I¡¯ve gotten to know him. He¡¯d have a really good reason to even consider taking such a step, considering he was plenty satisfied letting assaulters go with broken bones, at the worst.

    If he could restrain himself to leave them with that, then I¡¯d trust his judgement and take whatever hit jobs he could give me. I just love him that much to go so far.

    Lola trembles in place after listening to my reasoning while Momo looks up in thought.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how do you do your kills? Do they get messy?¡± Momo asks.

    I¡¯m honestly surprised she¡¯d even ask me that. Nobody has ever asked how I did my job, but since these two will work under me, there wasn¡¯t much reason for me to not tell them. ¡°I try to make my kills swift and quick, but I sometimes leave a big mess if I go a little overboard. Just earlier today, actually, some persistent bastards that I served as customers for a pub I often work tried to have their way with me in an alleyway ¡­¡±

    I went on with what happened at the back of the pub earlier today. When I finished, Lola and Momo sat there wide-eyed as they took in my story.

    ¡°Damn. You can not only be a slimeball when you want to be, but you¡¯re not afraid to get dirty, either ¡­ I like that. Hey, if I can make us some lethal poisons or other questionable potions, you think I could use our ¡®hits¡¯ to test them with?¡±

    That¡¯s not a response I was expecting, I think while I blink in confusion to Momo¡¯s statement.

    ¡°I can make us regular health and mana potions to use in battle when we need them, of course,¡± Momo continues. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind us selling them if we¡¯re really strapped for cash, so long as we get the right ingredients. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been wanting to get a little more creative with my concoctions lately and I need something to test them on.¡±

    Lola sighs. ¡°Momo would get like this. Some of Momo¡¯s potions that me saw included bugs and some living plants ¡­ me thinks Momo has too much fun turning them all into paste, more so with that smile of hers.¡±

    That¡¯s a disturbing image, but remembering what Jin-chi was into, I have an uneasy feeling these two would get along in a strange way. ¡°I suppose if an opportunity arises, I wouldn¡¯t mind you experimenting here and there. We¡¯ll likely cross with the rougher crowds, so I don¡¯t really care what happens to them if they try to mess with us.¡±

    ¡°Sweet! Finally, I can perform riskier experiments! I can only use Lola as a test subject so much without getting into things too lethal.¡±

    I look over to Lola with legit concern on my face.

    ¡°It¡¯s part of an agreement we had when Momo took me in. But don¡¯t worry, though! Momo is really a good person! Momo¡¯s medicines work like magic, and me receive good resistance skills since me started living with Momo!¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    So that¡¯s how she got all of those ¡­ wow.

    If you¡¯re wondering, Lola¡¯s resistance skills include poison, paralyze, sleep, confusion, and petrification. Now that I know Momo was the reason that Lola gained all of those resistances at surprisingly decent mastery levels, I can¡¯t tell which of the two is more dangerous.

    ¡°A-Anyway, me can be good Tank with shield! Me may get scared, but me will protect Momo and Mistress in battle!¡±

    ¡°All right, then. We will get plenty of rest for tomorrow so we can find you both the gear you need and I see what you can do. We must prepare however we can for our first hit as a party.¡±

    ¡°What is our first hit like, other than being one of the White Rapture?¡± Momo asks.

    ¡°Apparently, this guy was one of the higher-ups in the cult who gave the command of sending some of its followers to Dondegarm for an all-out raid. The city¡¯s safe, though, but I didn¡¯t get any details to why yet. That aside, this bastard may not be the head of the whole cult, but he¡¯s part of the handful of people in this world that I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    ¡°And what is it about this ¡®handful of people¡¯ that makes them different from the rest?¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re Champions, and our hit is one of the bad ones.¡±

    ¡°¡°What?!¡±¡±

    ¡°Oh, but neither of you need to worry about attacking him head on, I¡¯ll be doing that myself. I¡¯m a Champion, too, after all.¡±

    ¡°¡°WHAT?!¡±¡±

    ~~

    ¡°Haa~. You know, Roll, if there¡¯s one thing I look forward to after a long day, it¡¯s drinking your tea. You really know how to brew them damn good,¡± I say before taking another sip, relaxing in a vacant chair in our reserved room that¡¯s surrounded by a [Soundproof] field so I could speak freely.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear you like my tea that much, Mistress,¡± Roll answers, standing at attention and in waiting for further orders, forcing a smile despite the sweat trailing down her face.

    We hear a few more slurps of tea in our room.

    ¡°Um ¡­ Mistress?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Roll?¡±

    ¡°May I ask who your new friends are?¡± she asks with a slight shake in her voice.

    With us in our room are two more guests sitting next to each other on the bed (there was no place else to sit). One is a woman with limbs, ears, and tail of a jaguar, but the fur color is like an inverse of what one would normally see; black with spots and rings in shades of yellow and brown. Her long wild hair matches her fur both in color and patterns, her skin making up the torso is a light chocolate brown that¡¯s covered by a fitting white tank-top and matching panty. Her posture is thug-like as she drinks tea and eyes the one sitting next to her, a petite girl with pink and white feathered wings folded behind her back. Her limbs resemble a bird¡¯s talons, her straight short hair matches the feathers that start white before turning pink at the tips. The clothes she¡¯s wearing over her healthy light pink skin is a white chemise and matching panty. Unlike the neighbor next to her, the bird girl¡¯s drinking her own tea with great delight and poise.

    They¡¯re wearing the bare minimum because those were what I could provide at the last minute for cheap. I am planning on getting them better clothes and gear tomorrow.

    ¡°Right, right, introductions,¡± I say. I gesture my tea cup over to Roll to kick things off. ¡°Guys, this is Roll, my other party member I told you about. Roll, these two are my new familiars. Charcoal Ocelomeh Duchess of Wrath, Ikari [TN: Å­¤ê</a>, literally means hatred], and Sakura Nightingale Duchess of Charity, Kandaiko [Œˆ´ó</a>ÐÒ</a>, means generous fortune].

    ¡°EEEH?!¡±

    ¡°Oi, Anego, you sure we can afford to have porky in the group?¡± Ikari asks. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough I have to work with a pansy from the freakin¡¯ Holy Realm, but I gotta babysit a weakling like her, too?¡±

    ¡°Now, now, Ikari, there¡¯s no need to act hostile,¡± Kandaiko intervenes before turning to Roll with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance and I¡¯m also grateful for the delicious tea, too, Roll. Would you like one of my feathers?¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ no thank you. Mistress, I can probably take a few guesses to how your new familiars turned out like this, but is this what you have been doing while you were out? Where did you even do the summoning?¡±

    ¡°In the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡±

    ¡°I bought some summoning kits from Obina through the Immortal¡¯s Blessing Shop that lets me do them any place I want, even outside a church. I didn¡¯t know how much of a big deal it would be and few adventurers would go to the dungeon at this time of night. It was the best place to do them without getting a lot of unwanted attention.¡±

    ¡°Whoa whoa, back up, you mean the Obina? The Goddess of Lust?¡± Ikari asks with widened eyes.

    ¡°And since you bought those kits from a special shop that¡¯s only accessible by Champions, that means you are one of them?¡± Kandaiko follows.

    ¡°Bingo.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Fuck, guess how you beat me while in this form makes sense, now ¡­ you would definitely make that damn bear beg for mercy, if you wanted to.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the Bear King of Wrath, he¡¯s already submitted himself to another human. He¡¯s following him around as his familiar as we speak.¡±

    ¡°No, shit?! Well, where the fuck is he?!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, or do you want to get your third beat down for the night?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m calm.¡± Just like that, Ikari changes from her thug-like posture to sitting in seiza on the bed.

    ¡°Good, and you¡¯ll see him later, just keep your magic auras hidden like I told you to. In the meantime, I want to go over what we¡¯ll be doing within the next week. Roll, more tea, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mistress!¡±

    While I hold my cup out, she takes the kettle and pours my second helping.

    ¡°There¡¯s a young man, Jinma Kotori, who¡¯s getting himself and his harem into a lion¡¯s den full of bastards just itching to draw their blood, and these guys are people from the higher point of Shitty Mountain that can easily gather more annoying flies with their god-awful stench they call ¡®nobility.¡¯¡±

    ¡°So, you want us to crush some skulls? Now, that¡¯s a plan I can get behind. Just say the word, and I¡¯ll bring them dead in seconds,¡± Ikari says while punching into her jaguar paw.

    ¡°Close, we will only provide backup when they need it. He¡¯s going this far as part of his first quest as an adventurer. I want to see how he fares on his own for now. I¡¯m sure his credibility will plummet if we interfered.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a trial of sorts,¡± Kandaiko summarizes while I take another sip.

    ¡°Right. Once they finish this quest, they will head to Korangar, which is where we will go, too.¡±

    Roll jolts her head to me. ¡°W-Wait, how did you know that without me ¡­¡±

    ¡°Korangar, huh? Isn¡¯t that where the strongest of demons crash?¡± [Ikari]

    ¡°Not to mention the Demon King.¡± [Kandaiko]

    ¡°And that is why we¡¯re going up there.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? You mean the Demon King? Why do you want to see her?¡± [Roll]

    ¡°Not ¡®her.¡¯ ¡®Him.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Wait, is the king a guy or a girl? I don¡¯t get why the position of ¡®Demon King¡¯ doesn¡¯t change for whoever stands on it around these parts.¡± [Ikari]

    ¡°The current Demon King is a girl, but the previous Demon King was a boy, and I think he was the current one¡¯s father, but he passed on ¡­ wait, Mistress, are you trying to find that Demon King?¡± [Roll]

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sound rude, but why would you be looking for someone who¡¯s already dead?¡± [Kandaiko]

    ¡°I¡¯ve been asking around for him ever since I came here, and how they all responded was strange,¡± I say while looking down on the floor with the teacup in the palm of my hand. ¡°I just have this feeling that he¡¯s responsible for his own ¡®death¡¯ and how everyone has remembered him. If there¡¯s anyone who has any remote idea of what really happened, it would be his own daughter.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that the father is not dead and the daughter¡¯s covering for him?¡± [Kandaiko]

    ¡°It¡¯s just a theory, but if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m certain of, it¡¯s that that Demon King is still alive, and when I find out where he is ¡­¡±

    KSHAAN!

    The tea cup breaks from my hand closing into a trembling fist, eliciting a yelp from Roll and shocking my new familiars silent. I barely restrained myself from letting my magical aura go out of control.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill that bastard a thousand times over.¡±

    ~~

    Finally, they settled down. That guy really knows how to stretch out a night of sex. I may have to up my game in training after this.

    Using the same method I did with a distracted Mametama, I cast Slothful Slumber in my mind and put the exhausted Erizora, Kalline, and Jinma into a deep sleep. I stand up from my seat, stretch while I¡¯m still only in my tailored white stockings, and got to work. I start off by going to my bag and slipping on my arm-length, magically enchanted black leather gloves.

    <¡°What the hell?! What¡¯s Sue doing?! Jinma! Wake up¡ª¡±>

    ¡°[Silence].¡±

    <¡°¡ª?!¡±>

    I cast [Silence] toward Jinma¡¯s tanto, Nyra. [Silence] is a null spell that turns the target into a mute. They can still hear their own voice and thoughts, but no one could hear them, not even the mysterious forces that allows us to use skills and cast magic (I know this much from my experimentation). When you¡¯re unable to use skills or magic while in a battlefield, you¡¯d be the first one they target for the kill. Anyone capable of using this null spell would pose a threat to anyone.

    I must say, I didn¡¯t think that would work on you. Could it perhaps be from your curse that some spells can still be effective on you? I ask to Nyra through Telepathy.

    <¡°?!¡±>

    Yes, Nyra, I¡¯ve been capable of using Telepathy for a while, but I¡¯ve listened your ¡®entertaining conversations¡¯ in Jinma¡¯s mind through my rare Mind Read skill since I first got acquainted with you all. Unlike Telepathy, it¡¯s very convenient for one in my position to hear everyone¡¯s thoughts while they can¡¯t hear my own. I got that skill as a reward from clearing a dungeon, you know.

    Don¡¯t worry, Jinma will hear you again when [Silence] wears off and I¡¯m not planning anything cruel to you all. I need you to be quiet for now so I can do my work, though. If you¡¯ll excuse me.

    I walk to the head of the bed and pull Nyra out from under the pillows before unsheathing the blade.

    <¡°?!¡±>

    Wondering why I¡¯m not getting affected by your curse? These gloves I¡¯m wearing have magic resistant properties, blocking effects from most Black and White Enchantment effects. Pretty cool, right? Not to brag, but I may resist your curse without the gloves, but one must be careful, and I can¡¯t give myself to Jinma under the influence of lust just yet.

    I do a quick appraisal with Nyra in my hand before approaching Jinma¡¯s sleeping body. I squat down and pick up his hand that has a few scars. I was extra attentive to his body while giving him my special treatment earlier. I burned every detail of his physique in my mind; it was the same when I watched his sexy show with the girls I fingered my sopping wet pussy to. Even when fully clothed, I can guess where most of his scars are by now.

    I shudder with unease as I recall them, and I have an excruciating pain in my chest for what I¡¯m about to do.

    ¡°Sorry about this ¡­¡± I whisper before taking Nyra¡¯s blade and draw along one of the scar lines on his hand. I¡¯m aware how sharp blade-type weapons made of Chaos Metal can be, but seeing how it can easily cut through Jinma¡¯s god-like defenses makes me wonder if all of the Immortal Blessed Weapons in history were forged with this ore.

    The line I drew on Jinma¡¯s hand quickly turns red before beads of the same color form on top. I take a small glass vial out from my [Storage] and draw out more of his blood to drip down to the container. Once I have enough, I put a cork on the vial and clean up the rest of Jinma¡¯s blood before casting Heal on the wound.

    It¡¯s just like he said. No matter how much I put into Heal, this scar will never fade away ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Jinma. I will pay you back dearly at a later time. I place a kiss on that scar as I made that vow.

    With the vial full of Jinma¡¯s blood sample, I cast [Portal] to open a small hole, stuck the container through, and let the one on the other side take it out of my hand. I heard her praise, ¡°good work,¡± before pulling my hand back and close the [Portal].

    I¡¯ve finished my part in this mission, so I quickly [Clean] the evidence of my involvement with these events while waiting for the results. I grip the sheathed Nyra tightly in my hand, anxious for what may turn out.

    My emotions have overturned my judgement many times throughout most of this day. From the moment I first met Jinma face-to-face this morning, to tonight that I shared with him and some of his girls, and a lot of other things in between. In all these years, I trained myself to repress those very emotions. It¡¯s a wonder how I had even lived with myself up to this point.

    No matter how much my heart wanted something to be true, though, I have to face the facts, the truth that lies within the reality of this cruel, chaotic world. Whatever outcome it turns out to be, I promised to myself and Jinma that I would make things right. I owe that much for putting up this imperfect front that¡¯s been inconveniencing him.

    A few minutes pass and feelings of great joy suddenly swell up in my heart, enough that I bawl grossly on the spot, just as I had, if not more than how I was this morning. My large tears drip to the floor and even on Nyra¡¯s scabbard.

    ¡°Finally. After all of this time, I have finally ¡­¡± I cry in a whisper.

    <¡°¡­ ?¡±> Though I can¡¯t hear Nyra in my mind, I must feel how confused she is right now from holding her. ¡°The fuck is going on here?¡± I could imagine her saying that. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle between my cries at the thought.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I just didn¡¯t think this day would turn out so well, better than what I had dreamed,¡± I say while wiping the tears from my eyes. I calm myself down, hold up Nyra, and imagine I¡¯m staring her in the eyes with determination as I smile and tighten my fist. ¡°I know this may be hard to understand, but there¡¯s no need to worry. I will do my best to keep Jinma alive. I¡¯m on your guys¡¯ side.

    ¡°This is not the right time and place, but I will reveal everything to you and Jinma in due time. For now, I will need you to sleep.¡±

    I cast Slothful Slumber once more on Nyra. [Silence] should have worn off some time ago, but the lack of rebellion told me the sleep spell had worked. With that, I hold an open palm towards the tanto and concentrated carefully on what I want.

    ¡°[Suppress]. You will forget what has happened within the last 7 minutes here. And then, [Implant]. When you wake up, you will learn that in order to get your true body back, you will need Jinma to get the Sorcerer class, learn the Black Enchantment skill, and max its mastery to use at its full potential.¡±

    With this, even for Nyra being the expert in Psyche Magic she is, she won¡¯t be able to release the seal I put on her memories so easily with the [Suppress] null spell. Meanwhile, after getting some idea of what to do from appraising the tanto, I use the [Implant] null spell to ingrain new knowledge in her mind. I may not know how long it¡¯s been since someone trapped Nyra in the tanto, but I want to give her a choice to get her body back, and using the Black Enchantment skill, the same one used to curse Nyra in the first place, is the only way to do it.

    It¡¯s the least I could do after inconveniencing one of the few people who helped protect my cherished one up to this point.

    Oh, but for the record, she wishes she could use my ¡®boingy-boingy bosom¡¯ as her tanto holder. These melons will be for his use only.

    Once I finished my work for tonight, I put Nyra back under the pillow where I found it, put away my arm gloves, and get ready for bed. I set up a spare blanket and pillow for Kalline¡¯s use after putting Erizora¡¯s and Jinma¡¯s sleeping bodies on the bed and under the covers (despite their sizes compared to mine, this feat was easy for one of my strength). All of their bodies are a mess with dried juices and semen. It would be a hell of a cleanup job for this inn¡¯s housekeeping in the morning.

    I put a sleeping Mametama on top of Jinma¡¯s body for the finishing touch before I turn out the lights and scooch under the covers by the man of the hour, still only in my white stockings (my feet get cold easily). I giggle lightly when I realize what positions we are in.

    ¡°I hope ¡­ no, I will make sure we¡¯ll have more opportunities to sleep like this,¡± I whisper as I pet Jinma¡¯s short black hair with a dopey smile on my face. I then scooch even closer so I could pull his face towards my bare, generous cleavage, making sure he sleeps pleasant dreams from smelling the high-quality soap I used to wash my body earlier. I close my eyes, embracing the warmth shared between us. I think back to the words I whispered as I kissed each of Jinma¡¯s scars during my treatment, after he mentioned how lucky a guy would be to have me as his mate.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that you will be so much more.¡±

    As my memory draws to Jinma¡¯s scars, I question what people would even leave him in such a state, what I would do to them for harming him. My thoughts and feelings grow dark and heavy, especially when I think back to Jinma¡¯s approaching enemies.

    Perseus Shallowreed Rowling and Konjiro. I¡¯ve met and spoke with both of them on some occasions, and with the help of my Mind Read skill, it didn¡¯t take me long to see how low they were as scum, much less than nobles. They have been on my black list for a while, but I only have so much resources to investigate them thoroughly when I¡¯m trying to dig some dirt on one person in particular. A certain ¡®duke¡¯ who has had a lot of deplorable things about me in his mind for a while, and it is just recently as I read Konjiro¡¯s mind earlier that I found this duke is the one pulling the strings of this whole mess ¡­ no, that¡¯s being too generous. This is only a small piece of trash in the rancid landfill of his schemes. I just haven¡¯t found the evidence damning enough to remove him of his position up to now.

    And it will be Jinma, a complete outsider in all of this, who may play an unexpectedly big enough disturbance in his plans to have everyone under his authority aim the lives of this very unlucky man and his harem. That damn duke doesn¡¯t realize what he¡¯s about to do will make him more unfortunate than even Jinma.

    I slowly open my eyes to be half-lidded. Though the room is dark as pitch, I¡¯m sure anyone would see my eyes becoming black and brilliant gold right now. Even in my near-naked state in bed with Jinma against my chest, I imagine glaring down that damn duke in front of me.

    To get my cherished pulled into this mess, you have finally sealed your fate, Vask. Under my authority as the Demon King, I will see to your demise ¡­ personally.

 Chapter 110: Good To Be Flirted, Not To Be Messed With

    It was early the next morning. The sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, but I felt fucking fantastic. Was it because of the good sex I had with Erizora and Kalline (plus some foreplay from Sue)? Was it how I woke up in bed sandwiched between two massive pairs of pillows called boobs (I wondered if Erizora woke up partway to move three of us to the bed overnight)? Was it maybe how I found Sue¡¯s drooling sleeping face oddly cute? Hell, all the girls¡¯ sleeping faces were cute, I had to get my smartphone to take pictures of all of them for memory¡¯s sake.

    I don¡¯t know; I was just in a good mood this morning. As much as I wanted to just watch them slumber a little longer, I had some things to do and promises to keep. I carefully woke up Mametama sleeping on top of me so the two of us could get off the bed and prepare for this morning. I did a massive [Clean] job of everyone and everything in the room, wiping any evidence of last night¡¯s sexual escapades, before I got dressed and woke up Kenaka and Ume through Telepathy. Well, Ume wasn¡¯t sleeping when I contacted her, I guess she stayed up all night doing research after talking to the others rooming with her to sleep. She said she was planning on taking a nap later in the day, though.

    Anyway, I told Ume I was taking my familiars out for some early morning training and asked her to let everyone know I¡¯d come back for breakfast before we went to Noire¡¯s cottage. With my plan set and gear equipped, I kissed the snoring girls who slept with me on their cheeks and headed to the lobby. I met Ume waiting for me with Kenaka there, but then she said there was something different about me.

    ¡°¡­ I think it¡¯s your smell,¡± Ume says to me.

    ¡°Aw, what? But I used [Clean] on everything in that room, including myself.¡±

    ¡°No, not that, you¡¯re fine in that regard. It¡¯s more like ¡­ your usual smell, something that makes you, you.¡± Ume pulls my head and take a few whiffs of my hair to confirm it.

    ¡°Huh, you mean how I could smell you differently from the others when we do it?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Is it bad that my own changed somehow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad. It¡¯s different, I could learn to like your new smell like I did with your old one, but ¡­ I would probably be careful with other demons if I were you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Each of the kin have their own unique smell that differs from each other before they derive to forms that make each individual different. Yours ¡­ it¡¯s not just similar to a demon¡¯s now, but a little stronger than others, enough that could turn some heads. See if any demons around you act any different from normal and tell me about it when you come back. I¡¯m still researching that thing from last night, but I¡¯ll let you know if I find something that¡¯s of interest to us.¡±

    ¡°Will do. Love ya, Ume.¡±

    ¡°*Fufun.* Love you, too, Jin.¡±

    And so, as a good husband should with his wife, I give her a kiss and bid her later before leaving with my familiars. We make a quick stop at a bakery one of the inn¡¯s employees suggested for quick energy. There was a cute Imp girl behind the counter as I got inside a few minutes later.

    ¡°Why, hello there~. And what can I do for you on this fine early morning, handsome?¡± The way she spoke to me differed from what I would expect from the customer service I was familiar with on Earth, even during my short time in Dondegarm when everyone there treated me as a ¡®hero.¡¯

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯d like a loaf of bread, please?¡±

    ¡°Would you like some butter and a bottle of our cool, deliciously creamy milk to go with that?¡±

    ¡°Sure ¡­ how much do I owe you?¡±

    ¡°For you, 70 karos.¡±

    I was trying to get a better sense of this country¡¯s (or at least this territory¡¯s) economics with the food I had been ordering up to then. Ume would make deciding our orders opportunities to learn some Padimonian language and how their numbers would read.

    I glance up at a chalkboard that displayed the items and their prices. After making out a few recognizable words and numbers and did some quick math with the Calculation skill, I found the total she gave me was half of what that order would price. Being a cook myself, I didn¡¯t want her hard work paid so cheaply, and I was in a good mood, so I paid the actual price, plus a little extra, and told her to keep the change.

    ¡°Here you are! This bread is from our freshest batch, too, so eat it while it¡¯s still warm!¡± The Imp girl was short, so she flies over the counter with her bat-like wings, and hover at my level to hand the goods in a paper bag to me personally. She then moves close to my ear and cups a hand over it. ¡°And come back, soon. I¡¯m not one to let a stud¡¯s generosity go unrewarded, so I¡¯ll make sure to treat you to something extra special next time~?,¡± she whispers.

    ¡°¡­ Thanks. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± It was hard to say that without letting my voice quiver.

    She then sends me off with a wave, a big smile, all with her lavender face slightly reddened right up to the tips of her ears.

    The three of us had to find a bench to sit down, eat our energy, and discuss what happened.

    <¡°¡­ I think Lady Umeiyon might have been onto something, Milord,¡±> Kenaka starts as he and Mametama eat some jerky I gave them for sustenance.

    <¡°Gee, you don¡¯t say? Did you not see how hard she was hitting on him? She was as bad as ¡®you know who¡¯ was with you.¡±>

    <¡°Let¡¯s not pull her in this conversation so early in the morning, Mametama.¡±>

    Respecting Kenaka¡¯s privacy, I put my question on who ¡®you know who¡¯ was to the side. Yeaaah. I mean, I know some can use flattery to get customers to buy their goods, but that? With how surprised she was when I paid all of that full price and a tip, I don¡¯t think she was expecting me to give up that much money.

    <¡°I think ¡®flattery¡¯ would be an understatement in this context, Milord.¡±> [Mametama]

    <¡°We should definitely report this to Lady Umeiyon when we get back.¡±> [Kenaka]

    ¡­ Better idea. I¡¯ll tell her about it right now.

    I use my Skill Point Conversion skill to put the necessary SP into Telepathy to max out its mastery.

    [You have spent 245 SP. Total: 12,984]

    [You have now reached the max level of ¡®Telepathy¡¯!]

    [You have now reached ¡®Psyche Magic¡¯ LV 4!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Language Comprehension¡¯ LV 1!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Empathy¡¯ LV 1!]

    Whoa whoa, Language Comprehension?! Is this what I think it does?! Nyra! You¡¯re the Psyche Magic expert here! Tell me, please!

    <¡°¡­ Huh? Oh, yeah. When you read another person¡¯s thoughts, it¡¯s natural that they speak their mind in the same language as they would vocally. Language Comprehension allows us to not only better understand different vocal languages but also how to read and write them, too. It was a pain to improve, though, and we Pixies secluded ourselves from the outside, so we hardly had the chance to learn other languages at all, even after we earned that skill from leveling Telepathy up enough. I barely understood anyone who wasn¡¯t a Pixie until I possessed enough people and read their thoughts as a cursed tanto. You didn¡¯t have as much problem understanding what others have said because of Goddess Obina¡¯s help, right? You should be able to read and understand another language pretty well at LV 5.¡±>

    I gotta give this a shot.

    [You have spent 270 SP. Total: 12,714]

    [You have not reached the max level of ¡®Language Comprehension¡¯!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Interpreter¡¯ title!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Master Linguist¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Charisma¡¯ LV 1!]

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    [You have now reached ¡®Psyche Magic¡¯ LV 5!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Telepath¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Illusion¡¯ LV 1!]

    <¡°Even though I¡¯m aware of it now, I¡¯m still baffled that Milord can learn and master almost any skill within seconds. There¡¯s so much of this world I¡¯ve yet to know,¡±> Mametama comments as I take a quick look around and see a post in a square with signs describing places while pointing in different directions.

    Shopping District, Market District, Theatre, Red-Light District, Moonlight Valley, Twilight Hills.

    ¡°I CAN REEEEEAD!¡± I yell while standing with arms raised in victory. I didn¡¯t care I was making a few passersby turn their heads, I¡¯m on the brink of crying tears of joy.

    When you¡¯ve been in a foreign land without even some idea of deciphering a different language, you start to feel a sense of loneliness you didn¡¯t realize was possible. Sure, I had my girls, but when you¡¯re the only one in the group who can¡¯t read for shit, you would start feeling out of place. I don¡¯t care that I could understand any language I see or hear, just knowing I can be on the same level on this subject as everyone else, I really feel like I¡¯m making this world my own to live and connect with, you know?

    I take a moment to calm down before using my maxed-out Telepathy skill to contact Ume at a farther distance than I could do before. I surprised her at first, and when she asked how, I explained that and what happened earlier. She was definitely happy for me as she gave her congratulations.

    <¡°Still, the Imp baker girl was that forward with you, huh? And this was the first time you were hit on?¡±> Ume asks.

    Genuinely, yes. There was only one girl I knew who would usually do it as a joke, but that was because we¡¯ve been friends for a while. That friend being Komi, by the way. Though, I guess there was also one or two Lamias, Harpies, and Arachnes back in Dondegarm, but I think that was because I helped saved the city from the White Rapture. None of the girls in the harem was ever like that, either. This was the first a legit stranger I met for the first time making the moves on me.

    <¡°I see. With your popularity and Charm level with the Demon-Kin, I suspected something like this would come eventually.¡±>

    What should I do if something like that happens again? I won¡¯t have anything to do with them if the idea makes you uncomfortable, Ume. I want to hear your thoughts on this.

    <¡°I believe I mentioned before that I¡¯m fine with you seeing other females that catch your fancy. If I have to be specific, though, I don¡¯t mind if they¡¯re ¡®quickies¡¯ as I¡¯ve heard some called them. Heck, if you can use those to get your female opponents to submit to you, I¡¯d rather you go with that outcome than killing them outright.¡±>

    That ¡­ might get complicated depending on how the situation is, but I¡¯d rather not kill someone if I can, either.

    <¡°Anyway, you just need to tell me about every female you have your eye on or if they have an interest on you so I don¡¯t get as much surprises later,¡±> Ume continues. <¡°This includes those who want to be with you for the long-term like Tephalia and Lili, and especially those who¡¯re interested in joining the party. If they want in, they have to keep up with us.¡±>

    Now that is something we can both agree on.

    <¡°Going back to that Imp baker, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you had sex with her right there in that bakery before you even told me about her advances, but I don¡¯t see her joining our group. If she wants to be an ally that supports us from the side while pleasuring you, then hey, more power to us. I just want you to tell me about it afterwards. Oh! And I want to know how things went with all the females in the harem you did it with yesterday, too. I imagine you did it with Kalline last night?¡±>

    ¡­ It¡¯s not weird if I did, is it?

    <¡°I admit that I had never heard of a human having sex with a Centaur outside of fiction before, but Kalline¡¯s a good female and you¡¯re a splendid male, so I will support you both. At the end of the day, I want us to be honest and not have a lot of secrets kept from each other, if possible. Like you telling me what females you have met, I will tell you of any male who has tried to court with me.¡±>

    I ¡­ don¡¯t like the idea of you being with another guy, to be honest. I¡¯d beat him to a pulp if he lays his hands on you.

    <¡°That likely won¡¯t be possible, because he¡¯d be dead by my hands before you even have the chance of seeing him. I¡¯m yours and yours only.¡±>

    ¡­ God, that sounds kind of hot coming from you.

    <¡°*Fufun.* I love you, too. Now, eat your snack and get going on your morning training. We¡¯ll be here when you get back.¡±>

    All right. Catch ya later.

    <¡°Lady Umeiyon is ¡­ quite the female, huh?¡±> Kenaka asks with a slight shake in his inner voice.

    Yeah. There¡¯s definitely no other girl like her. Right, Nyra?

    <¡°H-Huh? Oh, yeah ¡­¡±>

    What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been quiet since we woke up.

    <¡°Now that I think about it, you said nothing about Milord¡¯s talk with the baker earlier. ¡®Oh, yeah, she definitely wants that dick.¡¯ I expected that much coming from you, at the least.¡±> [Mametama]

    <¡°Wow ¡­ I thought I would never hear the word ¡®dick¡¯ from you, of all people.¡±>

    <¡°Oh, shut up, Kenaka,¡±> my familiars bicker.

    <¡°¡­ I don¡¯t like the feeling of this but I think something happened to us last night.¡±>

    How do you figure?

    <¡°You know that gap between times in your memories? Well, I¡¯m experiencing something similar related to last night¡¯s events. Unlike you though, I can remember very clearly what happened before my memories got abruptly cut off. It¡¯s like ¡­ you don¡¯t realize your favorite dildo got strangely shorter until you stick it up your pussy.¡±>

    <¡°Do you have to use something like that as an analogy?¡±> Mametama asks, but Nyra continues.

    <¡°Now, I¡¯ve been into some good nights here and there when I had blacked out in the middle of it and forget what happened afterward. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t mind that, because it usually shows how amazing the sex was, with or without the booze, and I wonder why I even blacked out when someone tells me about it the next morning, but this is weirdly different. Going back to the dildo, instead of it being shorter, that ¡®missing piece¡¯ was replaced with another covered in textures that tickles me in the right places, but it still feels off since it¡¯s not really the same toy that I knew and love anymore, you know?¡±>

    You mean ¡­ there¡¯s something in your blacked-out memories that shouldn¡¯t be there, but now it is?

    <¡°Right, and I used the dildo as a reference because that textured piece that made me feel good ¡­ is the memory of my knowledge of how I can get my body back.¡±>

    Startled, I take Nyra out of my holster and I look at the tanto in my hand. Are you serious? You mean your body as a Pixie before it got trapped in the tanto, right?

    <¡°Yes, and it¡¯s strange because if I knew this when I first met you, I would tell you right away. Heck, I would¡¯ve gotten my body back a long time ago by possessing some other guy¡¯s for the labor instead. It¡¯s weird because the solution is so simple, clear, and easy for even you to understand and accomplish, I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t think of it on my own.

    <¡°Jinma, this is serious. Someone did something to my [metaphorical] head. With our specialty in Psyche Magic, we Pixies are very emotionally intelligent thanks to that Empathy skill that you just learned moments ago. We can have our nights of sex go beyond the levels of normal ecstasy than what¡¯s possible with only our bodies, but the reverse is also true. If we¡¯re not careful, we¡¯d get FUCKED UP in the worst way possible. That¡¯s why we made this thing as a ritual that only those who truly love and trust each other can perform with consent. It¡¯s what separates us between sex friends and spouses we¡¯d want to spend the rest of our lives with and do it with them only. If one of us goes on another by force with only them getting out of it feeling good and leaving the other mentally destroyed ¡­ they¡¯d be the worst of scum among us Pixies.¡±>

    This sounds as bad as rape among humans ¡­ It¡¯s as I think that that I hear something from Nyra that¡¯s very out of character for her, the cracked voice of fear as if they¡¯re about to cry at any moment.

    <¡°I¡¯m scared, Jinma. I don¡¯t know who did this to me, but I could have been worse than how I was when we first met, when I tried to possess you for my own gains. I don¡¯t want to go back to that state when I¡¯m finally starting to have fun again, even if I don¡¯t have my body. I don¡¯t even know if I could trust this bullshit knowledge that they implanted in me. I would never force anyone into the state I¡¯m in right now, and for them to just do it while I got blacked out ¡­ maybe even to the rest of us while we didn¡¯t notice, I¡¯d ¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t care how weird it looked as I try to wrap myself around the tanto as much as possible, doing the best I could to provide a compromised hug that sends my warmth and sympathies to her.

    Mametama, did you notice anything strange last night? I ask her through telepathy.

    <¡°Actually, since we¡¯re on this subject, I thought it was odd how I fell asleep with the noise you all were making. I think like Nyra, I might have blacked out part way through ¡­ I¡¯m sorry to say that I didn¡¯t do my job as lookout well last night.¡±>

    Hmm ¡­ that leaves Kalline, Erizora, and Sue who might have some idea to what happened. We must bring this up to everyone over breakfast.

    <¡°I¡¯m sorry about this, Jinma. I know how much of a good mood you were in earlier and now I feel like I ruined it ¡­¡±>

    Hey, come on, don¡¯t be like that. We¡¯re partners, aren¡¯t we? You¡¯ve put up with my nonsensical thoughts from time to time, you can talk to me about anything that¡¯s bothering you. We¡¯ll figure out these strange circumstances together, okay? Don¡¯t think you need to take these on your own.

    <¡°Right ¡­¡±>

    If you¡¯re not feeling good, we can go back and talk over this more.

    <¡°No, we can stick with our original plan for now. While I fear what¡¯s going on, I¡¯m also frustrated, angry that someone had the balls to fuck up my head. My head, one that already got fucked with sex many times and is good with Psyche Magic of all things. I need something to vent all of this out.

    <¡°As for the way to get my body back, while I don¡¯t trust the fucker who planted this in me and not know why they did it, I want to get a start on this and see where it goes. It¡¯s better than to keep mindlessly wandering around and finding another way to go about this for now.¡±>

    All right, if you say so.

    I take the bottle of milk and was about to drink some before I realize some demon guys were looking my way oddly. I then notice I was still holding the tanto like I would with a baby.

    ¡°¡­ What? Something wrong with a guy expressing gratitude to his gear for keeping him alive? Hah?!¡± I exclaim. They jump and then scatter in fright.

    <¡°Was that subtle threat really necessary, Milord?¡±> [Mametama]

    <¡°Heh, come on, Mametama. It was funny, I even heard Nyra giggle a little from that. I thought Milord handled that pretty well.¡±> [Kenaka]

    You pick up a few things here and there when you deal with enough annoying punks back home.

    <¡°Oh, Jinma, never change,¡±> Nyra comments. By her tone, the delinquent persona I developed from my school days was surprisingly effective, but I admit my added frustration was genuine. It wasn¡¯t from the embarrassment of ¡®showing my gratitude,¡¯ though, but knowing some bastard had potentially put someone dear to me in harm¡¯s way.

    I don¡¯t know what their goal was for messing with Nyra¡¯s head or why they put instructions on how to set her free from the curse in it, but I know I won¡¯t go easy on them for making my partner cry a little.

    Whether it turns into a fight will depend on their motives once I get to the bottom of this.

 Updates and Announcements

    Hello everyone,

    I apologize to keep you all waiting and I appreciate your patience, but some life stuff has happened on my end to where I had to put aside my projects for a period, leaving me with the decision to delay the release and push it back to next month, October. I do feel bad about bringing this announcement to all of you who''ve been itching to read more of this story again, so instead of leaving you in the dark, I will leave some info about retcons that I''m planning to enforce in this story as well as hints of what''s to come along with all my stories going forward.

    Retcons (Note: I''ll probably leave a chapter that specifies these changes so some readers won''t be confused):

    I will be making Padimon as a continent. I felt this wasn''t specified clear enough from the beginning, so I will make sure this is clarified in past chapters.

    The Three Territories for Human-Kin, Demi-Kin, and Demon-Kin, I''m thinking about coming up with actual names for each of them and be made into their own countries. It may come out as less of a mouthful to remember than from what I''ve put in up to now, but what do you think?

    Magic Mechanics, up to now, I''ve had names of Null spells in brackets like this, [Spell], while spells in other magic like Fire, Water, etc. were kind of varied. I''d like to make this consistent and have all spell names be in brackets. Do you think I should do the same with skill names too?

    Narrative, up to the latest chapter, it''s been told in present-tense. I''d like to change this to past-tense from this point on. This story started out as a way to practice present-tense writing, but after coming this far and reading some reviews, I feel past-tense writing is more my style. I hope this doesn''t change the narrative to this story too much, but I''ll make sure the quality of the content stays consistent.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    EXP mechanics in statuses, I''m planning on removing them entirely. Again, this is more for the sake of ease for me, and will save me TONS of time as I''m updating Jinma''s status. And speaking of status, I''m also planning on changing how status windows will be displayed moving forward, hopefully to make things easier to go over for readers. It will look more like a table than whatever what I was trying to do up to now.

    That''s it for the retcons, now for the more fun, exciting news of what''s to come.

    Do you want to access chapters earlier than other readers? Getting ahead by one, two, three, or maybe even more chapters? Do you want to participate in the MC''s adventures in some manner? Do you want to read more stories from me that you can''t find on here? How about some very very poor but sexy fanart illustrations of characters from this story or some other popular medium, all by yours truly?

    I will tell you right now, once I have everything set, and if things go well, you will have a chance to get all of these, and maybe then some, in the near future, so stay tuned for when that happens.

    One final thing, in accordance to these huge changes with my writing ''hobby,'' I was thinking of upgrading my profile, specifically getting some avatar that represents me more as a creator, but I''m having difficulty to come up with what might seem good. So I''d like to ask you guys, based on my current profile pic, handle/penname (Orange Rain), the type of content I create, or maybe even none of the above, what kind of avatar, OC, mascot, etc. do you think would suit me? What do you think of when you hear or read my penname?

    Please let me know your thoughts on all these either in the comments, on web novel, or my twitter @OrangeRain3477. Once again, thank you all for your patience, and please look forward for amazing things ahead to hopefully make this year not as crappy as it has been.

 Chapter 111: Small Talk with a Bear Girl in Line

    Once Nyra told me how to break the curse, I changed my classes to set up my fighting style for this early morning monster subjugation. Right now, I have Brawler, Sage, Dark Mage, Cleric, and Nightblade set as my classes. I had done a lot of fighting since I got here, but I noticed that I haven¡¯t used much magic and just relied on my martial skills with Nyra in hand to quickly farm EXP. I¡¯m not sure if not using Nyra will affect how much I earn EXP, especially since Mametama and Kenaka will be doing most of the fighting, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to try it out. I have been wanting to do something more fantasy-like than just cutting and stabbing shit like a normal person would for a while now ¡­ well, as ¡®normal¡¯ as it would get in this world, but you get the idea.

    As part of my prep, Nyra pulled up my ¡®log history¡¯ and showed what achievements I made from my night with Kalline and Erizora.

    [You have achieved the ¡®Centaur¡¯s Rider¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Horse-Riding¡¯ LV 1!]

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 50!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Shameless Beast¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Erection Control*¡¯!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Demonic Zoophile¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Demonic Pheromones*¡¯!]

    The last notice stuck out to me the most, my new [Demonic Pheromones] skill. Ume mentioned I smell differently just before I left, smelling similar to a demon. She even advised me to watch myself around other demons than I normally have, especially for how they might behave. Just like she said, the Imp from the bread shop was being just as nice and personal, if not more so, than the people from Dondegarm, and I hadn¡¯t done anything to gain such attention in Palocaesy yet. This new skill was the main culprit to these strange changes.

    When I looked into the new skill further, it read that those from the Demon-Kin, specifically the opposite sex, would find me more appealing and attractive in an olfactory sense. This was thanks to my adjusted pheromones that the skill described to be ¡®as concentrated as the ¡®alphas¡¯ among other male demons and intensifies as the females approach the user¡¯s genitals.¡¯ I understood ¡®alphas¡¯ were highly regarded among Werewolves, thinking back to Ren¡¯s explanation on how their packs functioned, but I didn¡¯t think this sort of thing could extend to other races in a different matter. Strength was considered as one of the higher personal values in Demon-Kin culture, so it may be possible the stronger demons emitted pheromones of a similar degree to attract potential partners. I guess if the Charm of my Internal Status wasn¡¯t enough to win some demons over, then this skill would help the user make that happen.

    I received [Demonic Pheromones] thanks to my [Demonic Zoophile] title, which I achieved ¡®after having successful intercourse with more than three individuals from the Demon-Kin,¡¯as noted in the description. Kalline just became the fourth demon I officially made as part of my harem last night, after Tyvera, Erizora, and Ren joined in chronological order. Ume couldn¡¯t have counted because she was, of course, a dragon making herself off as a demon, so if I didn¡¯t get this title until that requirement was breached, then it¡¯d make sense for me to witness these effects today.

    Thankfully, I can turn off my [Demonic Pheromones] skill like flipping a switch, which isn¡¯t much different from how I used some of my sex-related skills up to this point. Still, if this skill will really help me win over demon girls and Ume was okay with me having some fun with them¡ªas long as I tell her afterward, of course¡ªthen I wanted to see how well I can put this to use, so I decided to leave it on. Nyra was all for that plan, and I¡¯d fill my familiars in with what I found later.

    ~~

    ¡°There it is, Palocaesy¡¯s Dungeon. Wow, there¡¯s already a line forming to get inside,¡± I pointed out when we finally got there. We then went right to the end of the line that was moving slowly as the guard on duty, an Orc, was letting us in.

    <So, since we have yet to get into action, we are using this opportunity to show Milord the extent of our abilities as his familiars?> Kenaka asked through [Telepathy].

    <While at the same time inspecting the dungeon we will be taking on tomorrow to see what we are dealing with. A practical and well-thought-out plan, Milord,> Mametama followed.

    I nodded, <Eugus had filled us in on what to expect when dungeon crawling during the briefing the other day, but I¡¯m not sure how different Palocaesy¡¯s is from the others. It may be best that I ask someone around here who may know more about it. Question is who should I¡ª>

    Before I could question myself further, I felt something pressing into my hair. There was air getting sucked in and blown out from whatever was on my head. Two hefty weights were then placed on my shoulders, as if they were keeping me steady while whatever was on my head was doing its business. The weight applied to them was enough for me to put effort into just keeping myself standing. When I glanced at both my shoulders, I saw large, yellowish-brown paw-like hands that reminded me of Kenaka¡¯s feet.

    ¡°*Inhaled deeply before sighing in kind.* Such a nice scent ¡­ let me smell it some more,¡± a woman with a tired-sounding, laid-back tone said behind me.

    ¡°Uh, may I help you, ma¡¯am?¡± I asked, uncertain of what else to say in this scene.

    ¡°Hmm? ¡­ Huh? W-Whoa, I am so sorry about that,¡± she said tiredly before pulling back. With this opening, I turned around to see the strange new person behind me, only to find myself staring directly into her massive tits¡ªnot so big to be on Erizora¡¯s scale in size, mind you, but they were a pretty close second from the look of it. I had to tilt my head up some just to see the face I was talking to.

    The woman standing in front of me was large and tall, but not as big as Erizora. What¡¯s more, Erizora was more ¡®human-like¡¯ in appearance, while this woman was like Ren possessing beastly limbs, but resembling more to a bear. It wasn¡¯t just the claws that gave away her species, the top of her head had a pair of dirty blonde, round, fluffy ears poking out of her hair that was in a bedhead-like style. She was currently wearing minimal armor, with only an iron breastplate, matching shoulder pads, shin guards, and bracers for protection. There was only a loose crop top underneath the breastplate and I wasn¡¯t sure [Redacted] With the brown short shorts being the only other article of clothing on her, this left her stomach totally [Redacted] In fact, her body seemed to have a softer, curvier frame that gave off cuddly vibes that contrasted with the intimidating size. It was far different from my ogre slave¡¯s frame that was hardened and sculpted by her muscles. Despite how comforting the bear girl looked at first glance, I don¡¯t think anybody could ignore the battle axe strapped to her back. I could make a few guesses to what class she may fall into with that weapon alone.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to getting up this early and I haven¡¯t gotten much sleep, so I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve done or said anything weird,¡± the bear girl droned as she rubbed her eyes and tried blinking herself awake before looking down, ¡°... Whooooooa, a human? Not many of those around these parts. Weird, I thought I smelled a demon earlier ¡­ but your scent is still nice for a human though. Are you here to take on the dungeon too?¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ thanks? And yes, I¡¯m going to do some morning practice in the dungeon with my¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold on, is that a bear cub familiar standing next to you?¡± the bear girl interrupted, pointing to Kenaka with widened eyes.

    I nodded, ¡°Yes. His name¡¯s Kenaka, and this is my cougar cub familiar, Mametama.¡±

    The bear girl squatted in front of my bear cub familiar, ¡°You¡¯re so cuuuuuute. May I pet you?¡±

    ¡°... Just be gentle about it, please,¡± Kenaka requested, averting his gaze.

    <Oooh? Is the great King of Wrath getting bashful?> Mametama teased through [Telepathy] as the bear girl gently pet Kenaka¡¯s head.

    <You be quiet,> the bear cub retorted.

    ¡°So, are you here to take on the dungeon too?¡± I asked the bear girl to change the subject.

    Satisfied with her pets, the bear girl stood back up and scratched her head, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m honestly holding a spot for my party right now while they get everything ready ¡­ at least, that was the plan after I drew the short straw last night. Knowing them, though, they¡¯re gonna take longer to get ready before coming up with my breakfast. The person letting people into the dungeon won¡¯t let us hold up the line too long to wait for other party members to arrive before we all go in, so I¡¯d have to go all the way back to the end of the line to start over if they don¡¯t come sooner ¡­ and now, not only am I tired, but I¡¯m hungry after mentioning food too.¡±

    Yikes. That¡¯s a bummer ¡­ hold on, I thought before discreetly reaching into my [Storage] and pulled out the paper bag the breadshop imp girl gave me. The loaf of bread I was given was much bigger than I expected and I didn¡¯t want to stock up on it too much before breakfast with my own party, so I only ate about less than half and drank the whole bottle of milk before we made our way to the dungeon, thinking I might have more later as a bit of a snack in between training.

    With this bear girl being bigger than me, though, she¡¯d probably need more energy than I do, so I tore off a piece of the loaf from the end for myself before holding out the rest to her, ¡°Here, take the rest of this. It may not be much, but hopefully it will help you get by a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Whooooa, thanks! You¡¯re a lifesaver!¡± she said while taking the bread and before eating it ravenously. Despite the rest of my loaf still being so big, it was gone within a minute. She hummed in delight while rubbing her bare stomach. The gesture seemed sexy to me and I couldn¡¯t help but stare for a bit.

    ¡°So, is it only you and your familiars going into the dungeon, or are you waiting for others too?¡± the bear girl then asked, ¡°I¡¯ve heard this is one of the more difficult dungeons for most humans. Will you be okay?¡±

    ¡°... Huh?¡± I responded before shaking my head in realization, ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s just the three of us going in, and I¡¯ll be fine. Even if I went in on my own, I¡¯ve fought solo enough to know how to watch my own back.¡±

    ¡°Hmmmmm ¡­¡± the bear girl hummed while tilting her head in thought, crossing her arms to where [Redacted] ¡°I can hold myself in a fight too, but I¡¯d rather not be alone if I could help it ¡­ I know, what if you come with me and my party?¡±

    I blinked in surprise, ¡°Is that really okay?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Sure. Two or more adventuring parties joining together for quests isn¡¯t uncommon, and the same can be said for dungeon crawling. Everyone in my party are demons, but they tend to go at their own pace without caring for the other, but they¡¯re mostly okay people. For you to be out here and even sharing your food with me, you seem like a good guy, and I think I can trust you. I can even vouch for you if some of them are in disagreement, so what do you say?¡±

    I waved a hand with an apologetic smile, ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯m kind of on a schedule for today and I¡¯m not planning on going down very far.¡±

    I tried to be gentle with the decline, but the real reason why is so I don¡¯t reveal too much of my capabilities to outside parties. This is especially so when the Demon King somehow knows I¡¯m in the very country she rules over, and I can¡¯t ignore the possibility that one of her agents or something is currently watching me. For all I knew, as chill and cute this bear girl seemed, she could very well be one of them while putting on an act.

    <I¡¯d egg you on about accepting her offer, but with what I had just experienced, I probably shouldn¡¯t be so pushy about you expanding your harem right now,> Nyra admitted, referring to her altered memories, <It¡¯s a shame, too, because I can see a hug from this girl would make me feel really good in multiple ways right now.>

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a shame. I¡¯d like to have you around, but I can¡¯t really force you, so I¡¯ll stop pushing the subject. Still, I should repay you for the food¡ªand make up for the weird moment earlier¡ªis there anything I can do that would make us even?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m still pretty green to dungeon crawling, so if you could give some tips on that and what I should know about this dungeon in particular, I think that would really help,¡± I said. I was just thinking about asking someone about this subject, too, so the timing couldn¡¯t be more perfect.

    The bear girl seemed for the idea as she smiled and nodded eagerly, ¡°Sure, I can do that. Oh, and before I forget, I¡¯m Rizz of the Werebears.¡±

    To try and stay vigilant, I was careful with how much info I gave to the bear monster girl, Rizz, while sticking out a hand for a shake, ¡°Kotori. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Rizz.¡±

    ¡°Likewise,¡± she greeted while taking my hand with her bear-like claw.

    From there, Rizz gave me the rundown of Palocaesy¡¯s Dungeon and dungeon crawling in general as we waited for our turns in line. She yawned occasionally in between, which made me wonder how much sleep she got if she was this tired. When I asked, she said she only had eight hours of sleep last night, which was the recommended time humans should take back on Earth. For Rizz, however, she usually slept for twelve, at max. I questioned if this sleep pattern was healthy, but considering Raiza¡¯s time is so different from Earth¡¯s, it might make sense for people of the former to sleep more if they¡¯re awake longer. Not only that, Rizz wasn¡¯t even human, so the amount of time she needs to sleep might be completely different to even other demons. I briefly wondered if Rizz actually hibernated over winter like normal bears would, but thought best to not bring up the question and come off as rude.

    By the time it was close to my turn, Rizz had to start letting people cut in front of her so she wouldn¡¯t get sent to the back of the line again while waiting for the rest of her party. She wished me the best of luck and hoped to see me again down in the dungeon soon. I returned the same feelings as I was starting to like this girl, but reminded myself to not get too close too quickly.

    Unfortunately, other than that strange smelling moment, it didn¡¯t look like my [Demonic Pheromone] skill did anything too noticeable on Rizz¡¯s behavior. Maybe the effect differs between girls and I was seeing a side of her that wasn¡¯t normally seen by others, but I couldn¡¯t be sure and there weren¡¯t any other girls in the line to test the skill on. I¡¯d have to see if my harem behaves differently after being exposed to the effects of my skill the first time when I get back.

    Finally, by the time it was my turn, the Orc that was standing at the post eyed me with suspicion. He asked for my name, whether I was an adventurer, and to see my adventurer¡¯s ID if I answered ¡®yes¡¯ on the second question. Though it seemed accusing, I saw him do the same with the demons before me, so this was more out of protocol than human discrimination. I asked if I had to show him my ID to get inside, and he said no. Anybody could get in the dungeon, really, but the procedure was more for keeping a mental note on who went inside and what to look for should something happen. We were pretty much on our own for being safe and not getting injured in the dungeon, much less killed. I didn¡¯t want to arouse attention by flashing my black-ranked adventurer¡¯s card, so I declined his last request and he didn¡¯t argue any further on the subject.

    Once I was given the okay, my familiars and I took our first steps into one of Raiza¡¯s several dungeons in the world.

 Chapter 112: Morning Training and Rare Drops

    The first couple floors were about as I expected at the beginning of a dungeon. One thing to point out first was that we came across a conspicuously large hole on the ground early-on. From what Rizz told me, these holes would occasionally pop up in random spots and floors in the dungeon. There were some cases when they¡¯d appear right below someone¡¯s feet before they drop down suddenly, and it closes immediately. They call these Trap Holes from how they appeared below people on purpose, as if the dungeon was alive and did this out of a cruel prank that could lead them to their death. There¡¯s apparently a disposable item you can use that makes one for you at an instant. In either case, you go down these holes, you skip several floors down the dungeon, and there¡¯s no telling how far you¡¯d go. The unknown of how far one would go down, especially if they were still a rookie, is part of what makes these dungeons dangerous. Since the monsters get stronger as you go further below the surface, if someone dropped right into a horde of strong monsters, they could be done for.

    Oddly enough, when I asked Rizz if anyone died from falling through enough floors, the other demons around us poorly hid their amusement. The Werebear furrowed a brow at them in annoyance, but when she turned back to me, she only said ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of me being the only human in the line that those other demons didn¡¯t think much of me, or why Rizz couldn¡¯t explain I didn¡¯t have to worry right before it was time for us to separate. Nyra confirmed for Rizz that I would be safe when I asked her, though, based on the memories of those she previously possessed, but like the other demons around us, she also snickered mischievously. I didn¡¯t know what it was that¡¯s so funny, but even if what Nyra said was true, I wasn¡¯t going to take any chances with these holes.

    For me, just the thought of falling from such heights made my chest tighten. Yes, I have my stupidly high defenses that could break my fall, but that didn¡¯t help ease the trauma-level reactions from my acrophobia. My body would freeze up and I¡¯d have difficulty breathing if I looked down from a high enough place. When things get really bad, my body would just shut down and I¡¯d faint on the spot. I know it¡¯s pathetic, but that¡¯s how my body reacted every time I¡¯m high above ground. I couldn¡¯t control it if I wanted to, and I have no idea why I even have this phobia to begin with.

    That said, there was no way I would willingly fall down these holes. When my familiars sensed my anxiety, I tried to brush it off and advised we don¡¯t fall through these holes in the future. I¡¯m not one that usually bosses people around, but I was thankful my familiars would follow practically any order I give them in this case without questioning. So, we just ran our way through, taking stairs that would take us to the next floor down. We either took out monsters that attacked us along the way or ran past them, just to see how far we can go in a short time.

    As for the monsters that reside in the dungeon, they weren¡¯t weak, but maybe it¡¯s because this dungeon is in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory that monsters of this level would be considered as such for the local adventurers. I was still many levels ahead to take them out without a hitch and they were practically a breeze for my familiars while in their cub forms. I was surprised my ¡®ability that repels weak monsters¡¯ ability wasn¡¯t kicking in for these guys to keep their distance from me, though. Maybe there are areas like dungeons where abilities like mine weren¡¯t effective? While that much wasn¡¯t hard to figure out, it wasn¡¯t until we got to the fifth floor after subjugating numerous waves of monsters that we felt something was off.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t these weak monsters leaving quite a bit of drops?¡± Kenaka asked, ¡°If I recall, the ones Milord¡¯s servants took down yesterday on our way here didn¡¯t even leave one, yes?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I can confirm that since I was there observing them from afar,¡± Mametama answered before looking over the recent monster corpses, ¡°Here, not only has every monster left drops after being defeated, but there is more money, and the items left behind are higher in rarity and value. I do not recall monsters in dungeons being more likely to leave drops than those in the field either.¡±

    In this world, the monsters¡¯ drops appear after winning a battle by transforming their bodies into money or items. Sometimes it¡¯s the entire body, other times it¡¯s an arm, leg, or head that¡¯s transformed while leaving the rest of the body behind for adventurers to disassemble and turn in as materials. These drops, from what I had heard, happen at random, and it usually gives you more than the market price monster materials are sold. The chances of these drops happening rise depending on the LUCK of the victors who won by themselves. For groups winning a battle, though, nobody knows whether that LUCK is the total of everyone¡¯s together or something else.

    Just as Mametama confirmed that I also saw for myself with the [Shared Sight] skill, there weren''t any drops that appeared after Ren, Erizora, and Kalline took care of those wolves on the road yesterday. Aside from Mametama appraising those monsters, neither of us participated in that battle in any way back then. Here, both of my familiars were the ones who did the work while I didn¡¯t lift a finger, yet money and items appeared from every defeated monster in the area.

    I looked down with a hand to my chin, pondering, ¡°Wait, does that have to do with¡ª¡±

    Everything in my surroundings slowed down as I felt a hostile force directed at me. I quickly turned to the direction of the source and caught what my [Size Up] skill identified as a ¡®Red Tigerbat¡¯ in my sights, flying my way in slow motion. It was an attempted ambush from within 2 meters [~6.6 feet], but with skills enhancing my senses and reflexes, I was able to react far quicker.

    ¡°Milord, watch¡ª!¡± Mametama screamed in panic, but I had already aimed my palm up toward my assaulter.

    With a near instant chant in my mind, a fireball just bigger than my ambusher shot from my hand. My [Pyreball] spell collided with the monster before it was completely engulfed with flames.

    ¡°GYAAAAAAAUGH!¡± the monster screamed in agony, falling to the ground as its body was burning to a crisp, including the vocal cords that silenced its cries within seconds. It didn¡¯t even have a chance to struggle and writhe for dear life before it became motionless. With my [Size Up] skill, I saw its HP bar was empty, and the flames that scorched the monster¡¯s body were snuffed out like a candle. It was now black and hard like charcoal as the body was stuck in an offensive pose, its face twisted and crumbling in an expression of pain and horror.

    Once the victory track rang in my mind, the area went silent.

    ¡°¡­ Out?¡± Mametama finished her earlier warning with confusion.

    Kenaka guffawed and fell on his butt before clapping his paws. Seeing him like that in his cub form made the sight a little adorable, ¡°Magnificent, Milord! A fine display of power and dominance! That whelp should be grateful of you giving it a quick death with mercy!¡±

    ¡°¡­ And that was a Special Monster, too. Milord¡¯s power is something, indeed,¡± Mametama added.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what it was that I intended to happen, because I didn¡¯t think my magic would be that effective in wiping a monster out so quickly. Sure, I changed my classes to be more magic-focused before I got here, my [Fire Magic] skill level was up there, and [Pyreball] was at a level of its own, but I was slightly intimidated by how all that stacked up to create something like that. I was using the bare minimum of MP required to cast it, too. This just proved how careful I should be when casting magic from now on, at least until I find some place where I can openly test it without restraint and not worry about damaging anything; otherwise, this could blow out of proportion very fast.

    Going back to the Special Monster, it would be hopeless to find anything from its remains to scavenge and sell to the guild by itself. With its current condition, I wondered if I could at least sell it off as kindling. I wasn¡¯t even sure if the monster¡¯s magic crystal was still intact.

    Just as I was about to crouch down and check that, though, the charred corpse glowed a brilliant light before it shrunk and condensed down to a round-shaped object. When the light dimmed, a thick coin that was bigger than a 500 yen one, made of gold with a blue star engraved in it took the late Special Monster¡¯s place.

    <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!>

    Kenaka and I flinched and covered our ears from not just Mametama¡¯s, but Nyra¡¯s high-pitched squeal as well. Our efforts were hopeless, however, as this noise rang in our heads through shared [Telepathy.]

    A highly ecstatic exchange between the girls of our group began, starting with Mametama, <Nyra! D-Do you see?!>

    <I¡¯m seeing it! I¡¯m seeing it! Didn¡¯t I tell you it would happen?!>

    <You did! I am sorry for even doubting you! With this, I can ¡­>

    <And then you can do ¡­>

    <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!> they squealed again.

    <Can you please stop screaming and tell us what¡¯s going on?!> I yelled back while covering my ears, despite how useless that was with [Telepathy] being used to communicate right now.

    <I do not know why Nyra is like this, but I can understand Mametama being excited,> Kenaka explained, <Milord, what you have there is a Special Medal, an item that only Special Monsters like the one you just defeated dropped. Well, I am not sure I would call this a ¡®drop¡¯, but that is what the Immortals named it, so I will not question their judgement.>

    <What does this do?> I asked as I picked the medal up and inspected it, seeing there¡¯s also a red star engraved on the other side of the blue one.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    <Special Medals hold power far greater than what magic crystals, the main source of energy that residents of this world use to live out their lives in relative comfort, could provide,> Kenaka explained, <From what I had heard, just one of those medals alone can provide energy to an urban city that would last two months.>

    Holy shit ¡­ I thought. Considering Raiza¡¯s time lasts longer than Earth¡¯s, if this was used back home, it might last twice as long in place of electricity.

    <That is not all, Milord,> Kenaka continued in [Telepathy,] <If one has a familiar like Mametama and myself, those Special Medals will provide enough EXP that will level us up by leaps and bounds, far faster than we can by defeating monsters alone. Even the weakest familiars in our realms would have a chance to take down kings and queens like us if they consume enough of them, on top of being able to evolve.>

    <Wait, you guys can evolve like those monsters can too?> I asked.

    Kenaka nodded, <Indeed, but compared to the monsters here, who are stuck with the forms they evolve into, we are more intelligent as well as being able to change between different forms at will. What you see of us now as well as our larger ¡®adult¡¯ selves are such forms.>

    <Wow ¡­ are there more forms to evolve into than what you can do now?> I asked.

    <Of course. In fact, we cannot acquire our final forms without either the assistance of the Special Medals that only exist in this realm, or leveling up here by itself. That is one of the purposes your summoning rituals serve for us familiars, to give us the opportunity to grow even stronger than what we can do in our respective realms. By the time we are able to reach the peak of our strengths ¡­> Kenaka said before pointing his paw at me, <You, Milord, will decide which of the Three Kin from your world that we will take the form of.>

    I blanked out, blinking my eyes in confusion, <¡­ Excuse me?>

    <Human, demi, demon, each of these kin have their own strengths and weaknesses that comes with the different forms they possess, but they all bear some resemblance to our creators, the Immortals,> Kenaka continued before bringing his paw to his chest, <To take that likeness of the same Immortals that rule our realms, that is the ultimate goal that most, if not all of us Magical Beasts wish to achieve. Very few have ever done it over the course of history, however, that they might as well be considered ¡®legends¡¯ of your world.>

    <Huh ¡­ and you are included in wanting this final form, even though you¡¯re already as strong as you are being the King of Wrath?> I asked.

    Kenaka then tried to stand on his hind legs with paws up, keeping himself balanced, but seeing him like that as a cub was just plain adorable, <Of course! If there is more power that I can gain, I would take it in a heartbeat! Having you, Milord, to be the one that grants me such power, I would only use at your command. To be able to stand and fight like you do on the fields of battle is the highest honor that I would be grateful to receive.>

    I then turned to my cougar cub familiar and squatted down, <Does that go for you as well, Mametama? Was that why you were so excited earlier?>

    Suddenly being put on the spot, Mametama got a little self-conscious, <W-Well ¡­ yes, but I only seek this power to better serve you, Milord! Honest! And I would happily accept whatever form of the three kin you see would fit me!>

    <Ah, if we are talking preferences, I personally would like the Demon-Kin form.>

    <Kenaka!> Mametama exclaimed to her familiar partner in protest.

    <What? I just feel the Demon-Kin have strengths that resonate with me. I will go with whatever Milord decides for me, of course, I am just speaking my thoughts,> Kenaka defended.

    <Do you have any preferences like that, Mametama?> I asked her.

    <Um ¡­> Mametama started, circling her paw around the dirt, <If I had to choose ¡­ it would have to be either a human or a demon.>

    <Alright, then we¡¯ll settle that with this. Red for human, and blue for demon,> I said while taking the Special Medal and showed the respective colors on both sides.

    With a flick of my thumb, I flipped the medallion in the air. I then remembered too late why I don¡¯t usually base on some decisions with this method, as the flick was too hard to send the medal ricocheting between the stalactites and pillars in the dungeon. We had to get down on the ground to avoid getting hit until the medal finally slammed into the ground in a dust cloud.

    <¡­ Does this sort of thing happen often, Milord?> Kenaka asked in [Telepathy], peeking up from under his paws.

    I scratched my head in shame and embarrassment, <I forgot. The last time I flipped a coin in a weird way, I ended up breaking a window with its force. I imagine that has gotten stronger now with my improved strength, and I shudder to think what might happen if this took place in town. Remind me to never do that again in the future.>

    <Duly noted,> not just my familiars, but even Nyra said that in unison.

    We checked to see the result of my insane ¡®coin flip,¡¯ only to see half of the medal was digging into the ground. It was set in an angle that revealed the red side was mostly facing up, though. I glanced over to Mametama, only to see her looking disheartened.

    <Alright, so that¡¯s the Demon-Kin form for Kenaka ¡­ as well as Mametama,> I declared with [Telepathy] before pulling the Special Medal out of the ground.

    Both my familiars looked at me in shock. <H-Huh? But does this not decide what ¡­> Mametama trailed off, confused.

    <¡­ Before I even came across Nyra, I was an unlucky guy,> I said while gazing at the medal, <Fortune would never be in my favor. Whether it be drawing straws, rock-paper-scissors, lotteries, or some other luck-based game, I¡¯d always get the short end of the stick. I don¡¯t remember winning any one of those games at least once. If I had no idea what to do, I was worried about how things would turn out if I used something like a coin toss to decide for me. I brought up this concern with Mom one day, and she said, ¡°It may be one thing with games, but who said a bitch like Lady Luck gets to decide what you should or shouldn¡¯t do in life? If you don¡¯t like what she gave you, then go with what you want to do, dammit.¡±

    <That¡¯s when I learned that my ¡®misfortune¡¯ could be used in my favor, to help me figure out what I really want to do when I¡¯m stuck on important decisions. When I started to look at luck in that way, I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m more fortunate than others even realize,> I said before putting the Special Medal away in my [Storage] and turning back to Mametama, <I figured I might as well apply that reasoning in other people¡¯s decisions too. It just wouldn¡¯t make sense to do something you don¡¯t like just because an inanimate object like a coin told you to. Since it looked like you weren¡¯t into the idea of having a human¡¯s form, then that means you¡¯d like to have a demon¡¯s, instead, so that¡¯s what we¡¯ll go for you when that time comes, Mametama.>

    <Milord ¡­> Mametama trailed off.

    <Sheesh, that is just like you to not be honest with yourself,> Kenaka said while shaking his head, <If you did not want Milord going through all that trouble, you should have just said so.>

    <Hey! I really was conflicted in what to pick between the two, you know!> Mametama rebutted.

    Kenaka waved a paw,

    Mametama huffed through her nose, <My reasons are more complex than you think. Figures you are still just as dense to a female¡¯s feelings as you always have. You should take some pointers in how to make females happy from Milord, here.>

    <What was that?!>

    <Okay!> I exclaimed in [Telepathy] while clapping my hands, ending the bicker between them before it escalated, <With that settled, let¡¯s get as many Special Medals as we can while we¡¯re here. Just to make sure, can you both still revert to your animal forms after achieving your final ones?>

    <That is what we were told, yes,> Mametama answered for both of them.

    I pulled Nyra out of her sheathe, <In that case, there should be no reason for either of you to not take them now, and if you do happen to achieve your final forms sooner than expected, then we¡¯ll keep them hidden from the others.>

    <Do you mean your party, Milord?> Kenaka asked.

    I nodded, <Yes. I don¡¯t mean to do this because I distrust them, of course, but ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be very open with my plans right now. Some things happened where I feel we might be watched.>

    I recalled last night, when Ume and I came across the secret message in the fliers of the Demon King¡¯s decree. For some reason, because she ¡®found me,¡¯ she called off the Champion Hunt that would reward demons who¡¯d bring one. There could be several reasons why and how she found me, as I had been attracting a lot of attention not even a week after I was sent to this world. Even so, now that I had caught her attention, I needed to keep the number of people who know the extent of my powers to a minimum, at least until I see her in person. In the meantime, she could have sent a spy or two to watch my movements, and who knows what they would do with the information they could find about me. Only Nyra, Ume, and I were aware of these circumstances, but other than maybe my familiars, I¡¯m not sure how big of a risk it is to fill the others in on this news, even if it was done through my [Telepathy] skill. Hell, the chunk of memories that were implanted in Nyra could be a sign of the Demon King¡¯s involvement for whatever reason. I¡¯d need to take these and other accounts into consideration for a while. I explained a summarized version of these reasons to my familiars, along with what Ume, Nyra, and I found in the flyers last night.

    <I see, that is most disconcerting, indeed. I am now aware how serious the situation is, Milord,> Kenaka answered.

    <We will do our utmost to keep this plan under wraps, but how long should we keep this from the others?> Mametama asked.

    I thought for a moment, <Hmm, at the very least, until after Noire¡¯s quest is complete, but we may have to unveil it under dire emergencies. Just be prepared for when that time comes.>

    <Yes, Milord,> my familiars answered in unison.

    <Now, let¡¯s continue this training and get some Special Medals! Nyra!> I said while thrusting the tanto up high.

    <Way ahead of you! One monster horde, coming right up!> Nyra exclaimed before the ominous haze emanated from the black blade and spread throughout the dungeon floor.

    <W-Wait, what is this?! I am sensing many monsters coming our way! Milord, whatever it is you are doing, you are not seriously suggesting ¡­ how do you even know we will find more Special Monsters?! Let alone Special Medals?!> Mametama questioned.

    <I¡¯ll explain later! Just prepare yourselves to kick some ass!> I answered.

    <I am all for this plan!> ¡°Come at me, foolish weaklings!¡± Kenaka taunted aloud.

    ¡°Ohh ¡­ I do not know whether to partake or dread this moment,¡± Mametama added.

    Thus, with the limited time we had, our dungeon trial run/training session turned into a Special Monster farming event.

 Chapter 113: The Familiars Evolution

    With Nyra¡¯s ¡®curse¡¯ in effect drawing in many monsters, Kenaka, Mametama, and I took out whatever was coming our way. There was about one Special Monster in every fifteen regulars, and there were some I noticed were coming from both the floors below and above us. Some of the other dungeon trekking parties ahead of us came back running in panic and confusion, probably not suspecting the swarm of monsters they were facing would chase them. Maybe monsters weren¡¯t supposed to leave their own floors under normal circumstances? If that were the case, then to bypass that restriction just proved how strong the magic in Nyra¡¯s curse was. Unfortunately, that also meant some of the unlucky dungeon crawlers got caught in the monster waves and probably died in the process. I internally apologized to those who may have lost their lives in my trek to get Special Medals in between bouts, but to be honest, I wasn¡¯t even sure if I was that sincere in my mourning.

    As we were taking out the Special Monsters, while every other one or two dropped a rare item or material, the rest were dropping Special Medals. It was just as I suspected that my [Dragon¡¯s GreedyHoarding], an ability I earned after having sex with Ume for the first time, played a part in this treasure trove of drops. The ability seemed to only be effective for me and my familiars, probably because we were linked through master-familiar pacts. For Ren and Erizora, even if they were linked to me as my slaves, I guess that didn¡¯t qualify for my ability to stretch out to them, which is why they didn¡¯t get any rare drops yesterday like I am right now. I wondered if this played differently when I fought with the others, but that would have to be tested for another time. To make sure I didn¡¯t trip over anything, I stowed the monster corpses, unrelated item drops, and karos in [Storage], mentally sorting them out as I went. Since the capacity of my [Storage] depended on my total MP and I was leveling up all my magic-focused classes, I had no problems with how much space I have left. I still have all those corpses of the White Rapture guys from the other day that I also need to take care of at some point.

    I also found that I can still gain as much EXP casting magic to subjugate monsters as I would when using the tanto. Nyra had pointed out between breaks that this didn¡¯t happen when she tried the same thing back when she possessed people in the past. They could only gain EXP in their bodies when they subjugated enemies with the tanto. The reason she didn¡¯t point that out now was the one key difference between the people she possessed and myself: the Weapon¡¯s Bond. She had attempted to try this by herself a few times in the past, but it seemed she couldn¡¯t force the people she possessed to bond with her weapon. It could either be something that wasn¡¯t in the ritual¡¯s procedures or an effect of the curse that trapped her in the tanto that made this impossible, we couldn¡¯t be sure. Since I was able bond with the weapon by my own will, however, all the cursed tanto¡¯s effects were applied to my being. This means I can gain the same number of EXP, as well as level up twice when killing sentients, with both the tanto and any other means, weapon, magic, or otherwise.

    This was the expected outcome that Nyra wanted to see with the people she possessed in the past. Nothing would happen if someone bonded with an average, normally crafted weapon. If the wielder did the same with an enchanted, magical weapon, however, then they get some additional benefits that reflect the weapon¡¯s powers. An example of this would be an enchanted flame sword giving the wielder a boost in Fire element attacks and magic, and maybe a resistance to it too. Going back to the tanto, Nyra knew the curse decreased the wielder¡¯s LUCK just by holding it, but she didn¡¯t know how much until I made the bond¡ªshe apparently also couldn¡¯t pull up statuses of the people she possessed before I came around¡ªwhich gave me all its banes as well as its boons. Knowing Nyra was a master blacksmith in the past, there was no way she could make any of this stuff up, so I had no reason to question her for legitimacy.

    After some time spent on slaying hundreds of monsters, I ended up with thirty Special Medals at the end. Thanks to my [Insightful Mapping] and some other skills, I could sense where other presences were moving about in the dungeon. I could even foresee how the other floors above and below me were faring. Because of the chaos we created earlier, the first five floors of the dungeon¡ªwith the three of us smack in the middle on the third floor¡ªwere totally barren, but then slowly filling back up with respawning monsters. If the dungeons in this world were really as ¡®alive¡¯ as the people around here say they were, it will probably be a while before the floors are filled back up with monsters at appropriate numbers.

    The dungeon floor we were on was empty and dead silent, but if I hadn¡¯t put my [Storage] Null Spell into use, this floor would have been littered with monster corpses, items, and money. I¡¯d have to figure out what to do with them all at some point, but I had leveled up my magic-based classes quite a bit at the end. From the few monsters that were respawning on this floor, I could see from my holographic map that they were moving about. In fact, they were appearing as far away from us as possible. I thought the locations of where the monsters respawn was random, but I wondered if the dungeon, presumably alive, was intentionally keeping them away from us. The question was thought-provoking, but I decided to think about it further on another day.

    Putting that aside, after taking a brief look at the top of my status, I had leveled up my magic-based classes quite well. We may not have reached the Dark Mage class to its max level yet, but I say this was as good a start as any. I¡¯d look through the rest in further detail at another time.

    When my familiars asked how I was able to get all those drops, especially the Special Medals, I explained my ability to them while counting them.

    <Lady Umeiyon is a Dragon?!> both my familiars exclaimed.

    <Wait wait wait, did you not say Lady Umeiyon was a Lizardman you courted as your wife after you summoned me?!> Kenaka questioned with panic.

    <Milord said the same thing to me!> Mametama added.

    <... Ah, right, I did say that, but there were others around at the time, so I couldn¡¯t say the truth. Yes, Ume is actually a Dragon, and she¡¯s currently using [Ancient Magic] to make herself look like she¡¯s a Lizardman in public,> I explained.

    Mametama looked down with disbelief, <I do not sense anything that could tell me you are lying ¡­ for our lord, a human, to court a Dragon ¡­>

    <Our lord¡¯s splendor and virility knows no bounds ¡­> Kenaka added.

    While I let my familiars take a moment to soak it all in, I checked in with Ume to see how everyone back at the inn was doing with [Telepathy]. It seemed I was still good on time. I also told her that my familiars were now aware of her true identity. Since familiars would never go against their masters, she had no problem with me spilling her secret to them, but she asked me to make sure Kenaka and Mametama would never say anything about it to anyone else before our connection cut off. With that settled, I told my familiars what Ume wanted them to do and they agreed to obey without question.

    <Still, to have an ability that collects money and items like that, anyone would be able to live for themselves and then some for the rest of their lives,> Kenaka said through [Telepathy].

    <¡­ Nyra, you knew about this, did you not? You could not tell me of this sooner?> Mametama asked, sounding accusatory.

    <Well, I had no idea how effective that ability would be, so I didn¡¯t want to bring your hopes too high if you end up falling hard,> Nyra defended, I could imagine her shrugging her shoulders at this point, <But, it all worked out, didn¡¯t it? You think these would be enough Special Medals to get them evolved, Jinma?>

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    <If not, this should at least be a good start,> I answered, <I talked to Ume earlier and confirmed that we still have time before meeting everyone for breakfast. Since we¡¯re here while no one¡¯s around, you want to see if we can get you both evolved?>

    <Yes!> they both exclaimed without hesitation, eagerness was heard in their tones. Out of excitement, they even changed into their adult forms in a puff of smoke. The adult jade and white-furred cougar and crimson bear sat on the ground.

    <Okay, so how do we do this?> I asked while holding one Special Medal in each hand.

    <¡­ Just feed them to us one at a time until something happens, I guess?> Kenaka asked while turning to Mametama, uncertain. The cougar only shrugged her shoulders, looking just as unsure.

    With no other option known, I went and fed them the Special Medals. They were a little bigger than five hundred yen coins, and I¡¯ve heard some weird stories of people eating such things back in my previous job on Earth. I didn¡¯t know how big a cougar¡¯s or bear¡¯s throat was compared to a human¡¯s, but I figured swallowing Special Medals would be easy for my familiars.

    The medals were found to be ingestible, surprisingly enough. For the taste, Kenaka and Mametama described them not being something like iron or some other metal. There was so little flavor, in fact, that it was hard to even describe it. It was hard to bite into, couldn¡¯t bend or crumple under pressure, not even with Kenaka¡¯s bear teeth. That much was to be expected from a metal. Despite their toughness, though, the moment they tried swallowing, the Special Medals just melted immediately, almost faded to nothing, and there was no aftertaste.

    There weren¡¯t any distinguishable changes by my eyes, but my familiars could hear the level-up tracks in their heads and feel they were stronger and more energetic than before. I didn¡¯t even think about checking their statuses¡ªif that was even possible for me to do as their master¡ªbut with my [Size Up] skill, I could still see their names and bars above their heads. I considered checking their statuses in full-detail, but if their moment of evolution meant they had hit their max-level, I thought I might as well wait until then.

    With that said, there wasn¡¯t anything that indicated when it was time to evolve after the first Special Medal. So I fed them more medals, one at a time, almost like a well-oiled machine. Kenaka and Mametama swallowed each with more ease than the last, and they could feel themselves getting better and better.

    Finally, after giving each of them ten Special Medals, something happened.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="3">

    Maximum level has been reached. Your familiar, Kenaka, is ready to evolve.

    Choose Kenaka¡¯s final form.

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Human-Kin

    </td>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Demi-Kin

    </td>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Demon-Kin

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="3">

    Maximum level has been reached. Your familiar, Mametama, is ready to evolve.

    Choose Mametama¡¯s final form.

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Human-Kin

    </td>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Demi-Kin

    </td>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Demon-Kin

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <Guys ¡­ this is it! We did it! Are you both seeing this?!> I exclaimed in excitement through [Telepathy].

    <I can feel it ¡­ like I am about to burst with energy,> Kenaka answered.

    <I cannot ¡­ believe it. Is this really happening?> Mametama asked in amazement.

    Using only ten Special Medals to get Kenaka and Mametama to their max levels may not seem much, but if you think about it, they¡¯re two of the kings and queens that rule factions in another realm. They¡¯re likely the strongest magical beasts to lead their followers. The number of Special Medals required may not seem like much for the kings and queens. Those that stand lower in power, on the other hand, may need more to get to the same level as their rulers. Not only that, coming across just one Special Medal is practically a miracle. I just happened to have an ability that lets me win something rare in every victory. Its level of cheat power was on par with my [Dragon Scale Defense] ability, the one that Obina gave me before I arrived.

    For something that relies on LUCK, the lowest stat I have in my status, I had all my skills, abilities, and items to make up for it and get this far. I was pretty sure some bad luck would come my way to balance things out, but for the time being, I wanted to be happy for Kenaka and Mametama reaching their goals.

    <Okay, Demon-Kin forms for both of you, right?> I asked through [Telepathy], they nodded in eager confirmation, <When I confirm these selections, you both will be at your strongest forms.>

    <This is so exciting! Even after thousands of years, I¡¯ve never seen something like this happen before! This world is so large and vast, indeed, even if I had my original body,> Nyra commented.

    <This is it, Mametama. Are you ready for this?> Kenaka asked.

    Mametama looked down while curling her tail around, <I admit ¡­ I am a bit nervous.>

    I put my [Petting] skill to use and petted my cougar familiar¡¯s head and face, <It¡¯s going to be okay, Mametama. No matter if it¡¯s this form or one of the other two, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to look great either way.>

    I could feel Mametama¡¯s muscles loosening up from my petting treatment, but there was still some tension as she looked at me, <¡­ May I ask one selfish request of you, Milord?>

    <Feh, and you called me selfish?> Kenaka argued.

    <It¡¯s okay, Kenaka. What would you like Mametama?> I asked her.

    Mametama paused, finding the right words, <This will ¡­ not happen immediately, especially since we have the others waiting on us, but when a chance arises after this, I want to speak to you about something important ¡­ in private. Is that okay?>

    I nodded, <Of course, it¡¯s okay. Whether we¡¯re alone or with the others, you can speak your mind to me about anything at any time. I¡¯ll let you decide for when you think you¡¯re ready to talk.>

    Mametama placed a paw on one of my hands petting her face and closed her eyes, <Thank you, Milord. Knowing that puts my mind at ease.>

    <Come on, let us get this going, already! I want to see myself in my new form!> Kenaka exclaimed.

    <Yeah! I want to see how hot you both look!> Nyra added.

    With that, I took a couple steps back and pulled up the selection screens, moving the cursors over to ¡®Demon-Kin¡¯ forms for both my familiars and selecting them. Both of their screens showed up like this.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td colspan="2">

    Is this final form correct?

    ¡®Demon-Kin¡¯

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    Yes

    </td>

    <td style="text-align: center">

    No

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <You both ready?> I asked my familiars through [Telepathy].

    They both only nodded.

    <Okay, I¡¯m choosing ¡®Yes,¡¯ in three. Two. One,> I counted down before confirming my selection for both at the same time.

    A moment of silence passed with nothing happening. Kenaka and Mametama only stared ahead blankly.

    <¡­ Huh, is that it? Well, that was anti¡ª>

    Nyra¡¯s comment was interrupted when my familiars¡¯ bodies suddenly got enveloped by peculiar auras. Mametama¡¯s aura was a light that shined bright yellow, while Kenaka¡¯s was like those UV blacklights one might see in parties or concerts, but far more intense, ominous, and darker. Those auras swallowed my familiars¡¯ forms, stretching, morphing, and ¡®splashing¡¯ like lava lamps going at high speeds. There wasn¡¯t any screaming of pain, just the strange sounds the auras were making as they moved.

    This went on for a couple seconds until both auras practically exploded in puffs of smoke in their respective colors, as if someone set off a grenade of that type in the room. Yellow and violet covered the area in a thick cloud.

    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t even see a hint of my familiars, until the clouds dissipated, and I saw two silhouettes.

 Chapter 114: Primal Instincts

    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t even see a hint of my familiars, until the clouds dissipated, and I saw two silhouettes.

    A loud, hearty laugh that echoed in the dungeon floor made me jump in surprise.

    ¡°Yeeeeeees! Now this is what I am talking about! I feel like a new bear!¡± Kenaka roared as I saw the larger of two silhouettes approaching me and out of the thick purple cloud.

    Though he looked very different, I could still tell this guy was Kenaka. Instead of the usual bear appearance, though, his new humanoid body frame was large and barrel shaped. He may have gotten shorter than his bear form while standing, but he was still taller than Erizora, probably around 230 centimeters [~7.5 feet]. His limbs were certainly like a human¡¯s, thick and large like logs to a tree that would make professional weightlifters shiver in fear, until you get to the ¡®hands and feet¡¯. His hands resembled a human¡¯s, but the digits were thick as sausages, and like the bear girl, Rizz, there were black pads from his bear form to make up the palms. The legs and feet were also like Rizz¡¯s, still maintaining the structure from his original form to look more feral. Finally, instead of a human head, Kenaka¡¯s head still resembled a bear¡¯s like the fox guildmaster, Konjiro, does for his own species. With all that covered in the thick, crimson fur coat from his previous body, this appearance further proved that the male Werebeasts in this world were more animalistic in appearance. Remembering Rizz¡¯s race, this could be an example of what a male Werebear would typically look like.

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ quiet down, will you? What if you attract more monsters with that voice while we are still vulnerable?¡±

    I recognized that voice to be Mametama¡¯s immediately, but when I turned to her as she stepped out of the yellow cloud, I think my jaw dropped to the floor.

    My Holy Familiar¡¯s Demon-Kin form certainly looked more human than Kenaka¡¯s, especially when you [Redacted]. This torso along with her head resembled a human¡¯s with a golden-brown tan similar to Tyvera¡¯s, with perhaps a shade or two darker in tone. Her full, somewhat wild hair had the same color as her cougar body¡¯s as it stretched to her shoulder blades. Mametama¡¯s cougar form was still prevalent in her limbs in the same fashion as Ren¡¯s to give off the Werebeast vibe. The top of the former cougar¡¯s arms had jade fur while the undersides were white with black pads on her paws, and her legs were shown in the same fashion. To finish off the new look, there was a pair of cougar ears with white tufts jotting out her head, as well as her matching thick tail that curled up from the back. Since this is more in line with a Werebeast subrace, Mametama would probably be referred to as a Werecougar in this form.

    I wouldn¡¯t be this descriptive of Mametama¡¯s form if she wasn¡¯t standing in front of me [Redacted] right now. Kenaka was in the same state, and unfortunately, my eyes strayed down to between his legs where I saw something that wasn¡¯t as noticeable as he was in his bear form. I wasn¡¯t sure if the immortals or whoever had intended this during their creation, but a male Werebeast¡¯s [Redacted] apparently resembled a human¡¯s ¡­ and Kenaka¡¯s was [Redacted] as he was eyeing Mametama.

    <Daaaaaaaamn, the cougar¡¯s hot and ready to stalk her prey! Big bear¡¯s also ready for action too ¡­ oh, and Kenaka¡¯s looking great,> Nyra commented, slipping in crude humor as always.

    Mametama was taking a moment to check herself, running her paws over her body in ways that my eyes couldn¡¯t help but follow while drinking in her form. She paid special attention to her [Redacted] before looking up, ¡°So? How do I look?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Whoa,¡± Kenaka answered first.

    ¡°I do not mean you, Kenaka,¡± Mametama retorted before turning and walking towards me. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was intentional or something adapted from her cougar form, but there was a certain sway to her stride that looked like she was approaching potential prey.

    My Holy Familiar in her new (and sexy) form stopped just within arm¡¯s length, enough for me to see her bright yellow eyes with feline slits as they stared into my soul. ¡°What do you think, Milord? Do I look satisfactory?¡± she asked before giving a slow spin, giving me a look of her [Redacted], while her tail brushed on me like a cat¡¯s would. She then stopped about face, her [Redacted]. I noticed then that she was about the same height as me.

    I was so dumbstruck by Mametama¡¯s new [Redacted] look that I couldn¡¯t find the words to speak at first, clearing my throat to hopefully regain myself a bit, ¡°Uh ¡­ wow, y-you look great, Mametama, definitely more than ¡®satisfactory.¡¯ Yes, very nice. Beautiful, even, very attractive and stunning, like ¡­ wow.¡±

    <Okay, lover boy, now¡¯s the time to shut up before you say too much,> Nyra intervened.

    Mametama¡¯s face reddened and she reached up to scratch one of her ears while averting her gaze, ¡°Is that ¡­ so? I do not look strange and off-putting?¡±

    I shook my hand in a slight panic, ¡°No, no. Very much the opposite, it is very appealing, very ¡­ sexy.¡±

    <And you¡¯re acting very dumb about this. The hell¡¯s wrong with you?> Nyra asked.

    <I uh ¡­ have a thing for tanned girls,> I admitted.

    I remembered one summer when Komi had to be gone for a bit, and when we met up again during vacation, she was sporting a tan like she spent the whole day at a beach. With her natural blonde hair, I had no idea where to look and not come off as creepy for staring at her when I usually wasn¡¯t. She was just that hot to me, too much for me to even try to ignore. Don¡¯t even get me started when she teased me with her tan lines too. I understood the appeal of kurogyarus that day, that¡¯s for sure.

    <Aaaaah, I see, so dark-skinned girls are your type, huh? Then you¡¯ll love the Dark Elves whenever you get a chance to see them, and you¡¯ll definitely love me when I have my body back. But wait, you weren¡¯t this dumb when speaking with Tyvera though?> Nyra asked.

    I mentally shrugged, <I thought she was a spy aiming to ambush us yesterday. I may have had a thought of how hot she looked then, but I was more focused on taking her out than taking in her body. I guess I learned to get used to her after we settled some things.>

    <Hmm, I guess I¡¯ll give it a pass,> Nyra said. I guess she was satisfied with my reason enough to not question it further. Since this talk was through [Telepathy], and with my skills that sped up my perception of time, slowing everything around me, it only lasted for a few seconds in real time.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    It was when I came back in reality that I was bombarded with a question.

    ¡°Then, would you like to ¡­ pet my new body?¡± Mametama asked. Her head was down, so I had no idea what face she was making.

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± I asked, dumbstruck again.

    ¡°Petting me in my new body ¡­ you can do it, if you want, Milord,¡± Mametama answered with her head still down, ¡°It may be one thing ¡­ if I was in my original form. But, when I am like this ¡­ I would not let anyone do it but you, Milord, so ¡­¡±

    I was lost on what was going on here. I barely even registered what she said. Does she feel strange in her new body? Maybe because of how unfamiliar it is to her? I suppose it would make sense to be wary of other people touching you, whether you¡¯re human or something else. We may not have known each other long, but the fact that Mametama trusts me enough to do that much with her in this state must be a big deal ¡­ ah, she¡¯s shivering in place. Is she nervous, or maybe cold? Maybe she¡¯s too embarrassed to ask to be petted directly? She does try to keep a cool head most of the time and only relaxes when we¡¯re alone. I still don¡¯t know what the deal is between her and Kenaka, but I imagine she doesn¡¯t want to come off as getting spoiled in front of him. Whatever the case, I should take this matter with utmost care.

    ¡°O ¡­ kay. Well, since you¡¯re offering, I guess I¡¯ll take you up on that ¡­¡± I answered.

    Keeping Mametama¡¯s sensitivity in mind, I wrapped my arms around her. Her shoulders stiffened upon contact. I tried not to get my body pressed against her since she [Redacted], making this hug look awkward from a bystander¡¯s standpoint, but I wanted to make sure she was warmed up to some extent. Then, with a hand on her head, I used my [Petting] skill the best I could in this position.

    ¡°You ¡­ worked really hard to get this far,¡± I whispered, ¡°I may not have known you much since we first met, but I can tell how much you put effort into everything up to now. Take pride in that. I¡¯m happy to have someone like you on my side.¡±

    ¡°Milord ¡­¡±

    Before I realized it, Mametama held me by the back and pulled me closer, pressing as much of herself onto me as possible as she nuzzled her head onto mine. The subtle purrs she was making and how much her tail was straightening up told how happy she was then, but my thoughts were focused on elsewhere.

    Even through my clothes, I could feel how incredibly warm Mametama was, and how much I could distinguish parts of her bare body that rubbed against my own. Her [Redacted]. I didn¡¯t know if these feelings of mine were bad to have for her, as my familiar, who was previously a sentient cougar before. Even when she¡¯s fully aware of me and my activities with my harem¡ªespecially since she was there to witness one of them last night¡ªI didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression on her if these relations between master and familiar were taboo.

    This awkward contact seemed accidental at first and I was internally debating between pulling away immediately or keep going and pray Mametama doesn¡¯t notice. Before I had a chance to decide, though, I felt something off.

    For starters, my back was against the wall, literally. To be more precise, I was pinned to one of the dungeon¡¯s nearest pillars that spread throughout the floor. I didn¡¯t remember when we even moved to this spot. Another thing was the [Redacted].

    ¡°Milord ¡­¡± Mametama sighed, her tone sounded longing, desperate, as if she was pleading for something.

    I then heard something tear behind me while my back was getting scratched. With my [Dragon Scale Defense] ability, I didn¡¯t get hurt, making this more like a sharp back scratcher that was surprisingly pleasant. Though I didn¡¯t get hurt, it was apparent from the draft that my clothes were getting torn from behind. The pillars in the dungeon might have some jagged rocks, but I didn¡¯t think they were sharp enough to do this much to my back, let alone cling into it. After considering the circumstances, I realized that Mametama was the culprit, using her claws to get a grip on my back and pull me in as tight as possible.

    Just as I was quickly putting the pieces together in my mind, I felt my neck getting [Redacted].

    <Uh ¡­ Milord? Mametama? I hate to break ¡­ whatever it is you are doing there, but I can sense company approaching,> Kenaka intervened through [Telepathy] with a young sounding, high-pitched voice. I glanced over and saw my bear familiar had reverted from his Demon-Kin form back to a cub.

    Kenaka¡¯s voice stopped the [Redacted], along with everything else that overwhelmed my senses, as if time had stopped. I was then released from the embrace(?) and found Mametama prostrating me from the ground.

    <Milord, I am so sorry! I have no idea what came over me!> she pleaded through [Telepathy], likely to follow Kenaka¡¯s lead to keep our approaching company from hearing us.

    It took me a moment to try and register what just happened, <Uh ¡­ it¡¯s fine, Mametama, just ¡­ change back to your cub form for now.>

    <Yes, Milord,> Mametama answered, and with a puff of smoke, a jade green cougar cub was in place of the dark-skinned woman with cougar ears and tail. She was in the same prostrating pose before sitting back up and curled her tail around in awkwardness.

    Though I was about to speak through [Telepathy], I had to clear the awkwardness out of my throat, <¡­ Okay, while we¡¯ll need to discuss that later, I think we can call this a good time to end our morning training. For now, we¡¯ll need to keep your new forms hidden until after the quest, unless we¡¯re under a dire emergency. I¡¯ll hold onto the remaining ten Special Medals for now until I figure out what to do with them, same goes for the other drops and monster corpses I stowed away in my [Storage]. We¡¯ve also made good progress on getting my Dark Mage class to max level before we find a way to get Nyra her body back, but we¡¯ll still need to address her altered memory over breakfast with the others ¡­ oh, and we¡¯ll need to get clothes for you two in Demon-Kin forms at some point.>

    <Clothes ¡­ honestly, I do not see their purpose. Even in my Demon-Kin form, I felt just fine with nothing at all,> Kenaka commented.

    <It is about common decency, Kenaka,> Mametama argued, <Not all of us want to see your ¡®improved¡¯ junk in plain sight.>

    <I bet you wouldn¡¯t mind a certain someone¡¯s junk in plain sight, eh, pussycat?> Nyra teased.

    Mametama growled in agitation, <Don¡¯t ¡­ start with me, Nyra.>

    On that awkward note, I did one final test before exiting the dungeon. I found that unless I was aiming to escape to someplace outside, I can¡¯t move between floors of the dungeon with my [Portal] Null Spell, even the ones I¡¯ve been to before. It was just as Eugus, Dondegarm¡¯s guild master and Kalline¡¯s uncle, informed me during the briefing of my quest. This meant that should something happen, I¡¯d have to make my way back up to a previous floor on foot, and with how big the first few floors of Palocaesy¡¯s Dungeon were so far, it may take me a bit, even if I sprint at my fastest speed and ignore my enemies. It¡¯s reassuring that I have another method of escape aside from using a consumable item like a Return Feather, but we would still have to be careful of how we trek the dungeon for real tomorrow.

    With these cautions kept in mind, I opened [Portal] to an alleyway close to the inn. After the three of us stepped through, I cast [Clean] on us and used my mana to put the self-repair function on my clothes¡ªcourtesy of Lili¡¯s magical skills in tailoring¡ªto work on fixing the tears Mametama made. Once we looked decent enough, we made our way back to the inn while I thought back to my few encounters with tanned girls.

    Thinking back on it, I might have been entranced by dark-skinned girls since I was a kid. There was a time when I was by myself because Hyo-chan had moved away. Since she was my only friend up to then¡ªthis was before I remembered Komi was also a long-time friend¡ªI was at a loss for what to do with myself. I might have subconsciously pushed these memories back because of how it hurt me when I remembered how lonely I was. It was also a time I learned to cook at a young age and I would make extra helpings for Hyo-chan to taste-test my cooking. That was ingrained as a habit that I couldn¡¯t break out of immediately after she left.

    It wasn¡¯t until one day that habit of mine turned out to be a blessing for someone. A pretty, dark-skinned, fashionable girl who I was proud to call my ¡®big sister.¡¯

 Chapter 115: The Big Sister with Golden Wheat Skin, Part 1

    I was on my way to elementary school one morning, carrying two bentos in my bag before I realized I made the second one for Hyo-chan again, when she won¡¯t be around to try it like she used to.

    I guess I could have the other bento as a snack on my way back, I thought, I just don¡¯t want it to go to waste ¡­ actually, has anybody other than Hyo-chan, Mom, and my aunts tried my cooking? What would a random person say if they try it? Should I have one of my classmates do it? Would I even have a shot when nobody¡¯s talked to me since Hyo-chan left? I don¡¯t think the teachers would give anything I bring to school a try after how Mom¡¯s cooking made everyone sick, and I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯d believe I made it. Who would be willing to try my cooking?

    To get to my elementary school, I would have to pass by a park that was near my home. I stopped going there after Hyo-chan moved, and there were times I felt lonelier when I even looked at it. Sure, we had each other¡¯s contacts to keep in touch, but we really wouldn¡¯t be able to talk until the evening. Until then, I was on my own during the day. Just the thought of sitting on one of the swings Hyo-chan and I used to play on by myself made me uneasy.

    On that morning, though, as I passed by the park, I couldn¡¯t help but glance over to the swings before my eyes widened at what I saw.

    There was a girl around high-school age with skin as brown as golden wheat sitting on one of those swings with ¡®lonely¡¯ written on her face as she stared at the ground. I only thought she was around high-school because of the bag that was sitting on the ground next to her. There was also her uniform, of course, but the way she dressed that revealed more of her tanned skin, giving a ¡®grown-up¡¯ air about her, made me think otherwise for a moment. Her brunette hair was also curly to give a spunky look, but it certainly didn¡¯t match the sadness the girl was feeling then.

    Whether it was her skin or the way she was dressed, I¡¯m not sure if you could call it a hopeless crush or a boy¡¯s budding curiosity in girls, but I was entranced by the ¡®mature¡¯ air about her, especially when she wasn¡¯t as old as my mother or aunts. How she stood out from what I had seen before made me drawn to her.

    ¡°... What do you want, kid?¡± the tanned girl asked, not making eye-contact.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I asked, blinking in confusion. It was then I found she literally drew me to her. I didn¡¯t even realize I approached her until she called out to me.

    Annoyed, she looked at me with a furrowed brow, allowing me to see the pretty light-brown eyes, ¡°If there¡¯s something you want, spit it out and get to school already. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±

    ¡°... Don¡¯t you need to go to school too?¡± I asked while tilting my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to school,¡± she answered while looking away.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it.¡±

    Wow ¡­ going to school whenever you feel like it. Her parents must be something else. Mom would kill me if I didn¡¯t go to school, I thought briefly. I didn¡¯t have much knowledge of what was considered ¡®delinquent behavior,¡¯ but I was a little jealous that she had a little more freedom than I did. Sure, she still had her school bag like she was going to school, but with how annoyed she looked then, I wasn¡¯t sure if I should question her further on it.

    ¡°Look, I really want to be alone right now, so tell me what you want so you can get going,¡± the tanned girl said.

    Suddenly put on the spot, I got nervous and shifted my gaze, ¡°Uh, there isn¡¯t anything I ¡®want.¡¯ I was just thinking ¡­ you looked too pretty to be sad.¡±

    The tanned-girl widened her eyes.

    ¡°W-Wait, what am I saying?¡± I stuttered, looking to the side and getting more nervous by her reaction, ¡°Of course, you¡¯re pretty, you obviously get that a lot from other big kids. Mature, too, I think, but what does ¡®too pretty to be sad¡¯ even mean? You can be sad no matter how pretty you are. It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t not be sad when you¡¯re pretty. No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. What I meant to say was¡ª¡±

    Before I could say anything else, the tanned girl exploded in a fit of laughter, holding her stomach and leaning over so much that she might fall from the swing. Tears even broke out from her tightly-closed eyes.

    ¡°Are you, are you trying to hit on me, kid?!¡± she asked in between laughs.

    ¡°... Hit you? Why would I want to hit you? I don¡¯t even have my fists up?¡± I asked, raising my palms, having next to no knowledge on romance back then to know what she was talking about.

    That somehow got her laughing even harder, enough to actually fall from the swing this time. The fall didn¡¯t bother her in the slightest as she just lied there on the ground, busting a gut and kicking her legs.

    Whatever she was sad about moments ago, she definitely didn¡¯t look so then. It was a completely different image of her than what I saw before, but I felt she actually looked prettier laughing and smiling like that.

    When she finally calmed down about a minute or two later, she wiped the stray tears from her eyes, patted off the dust on her uniform, and got back on the swing, sighing in relief, ¡°Oh, that was a good laugh.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ you¡¯re not sad now?¡± I asked, uncertain about what made her laugh in the first place.

    She nodded with a smirk, ¡°Yep, I am better now. Thanks for that, kid.¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ you¡¯re wel¡ª¡± I said before a loud growl interrupted, echoing through the empty park.

    The tanned girl blushed and laughed awkwardly while scratching her head, ¡°Guess skipping breakfast this morning caught up to me. I should probably go pick up something from the convenience store soon.¡±

    From this talk of food, a light bulb lit up in my mind, ¡°Hold on, miss, I think I have something better for you.¡± I then got into my backpack and pulled out a yellow bento box.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your lunch?¡± she asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°It¡¯s extra from what was cooked this morning. I have mine in my bag. Go ahead and take it,¡± I said while holding out the box to her.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Wow, thanks kid ¡­ whoa, this looks good,¡± she said, taking the bento and checking its contents, ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have karaage for breakfast, but hey, I love it anyway, so, itadakimasu.¡± [TN: karaage = japanese fried chicken]

    I stood there silently, swallowing my nervousness as she took the first bite. I can still remember how clammy my hands felt back then.

    After taking a moment to taste it, the dark skin on her face glowed brightly, ¡°Damn! This is really good!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, wiping off the sweat from my hands to my school bag. The tanned-girl shoveled more bites with vigor.

    ¡°Yeah! This has just the right amount of crisp to it! It¡¯s the best karaage I ever had! Your mom¡¯s a great cook!¡± she praised.

    I didn¡¯t know why, but having a pretty girl like her praise my cooking that much made me more bashful and embarrassed than I was with Hyo-chan and my family doing the same. That aside, I was nervous if she¡¯d believe what I had to say next.

    ¡°Um ¡­ I actually ¡­ made, that,¡± I mumbled.

    Despite how quiet I was, it seemed she heard it as she jolted her head my way and swallowed everything that was in her mouth that moment. ¡°No. Way. You made this?¡± she asked with disbelief, pointing to the bento with the chopsticks in her hand.

    I nodded slightly in confirmation.

    ¡°That. Is. Awesome! How long have you been cooking?! How old are you?!¡± she asked with great curiosity.

    ¡°Um ¡­ about a year, I think. Cooking, I mean. I¡¯m nine-years old,¡± I answered shyly, having no idea why I had made such an odd correction.

    ¡°Duuude, that¡¯s nuts! If you¡¯re this good now, you¡¯ll be a lady killer with your cooking if you keep up the practice! I¡¯d want to take you out!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to kill ladies? Wait, are you gonna die because of my cooking?! Is that why you want to beat me up?!¡± I asked in panic. Again, I had next to zero knowledge about romance and dating at this age. My main focuses during this time were school, learning to cook as well as other housework, and fighting to fend for myself.

    Once again, I made her bust a gut to the point of tears, and I had to wait until she calmed down to continue, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine, and you¡¯re not going to kill me or anyone with your cooking. If anybody¡¯s capable of doing that, it would be my dad.¡±

    ¡°... I think my mom almost killed a bunch of people with her cooking once,¡± I admitted while looking down, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I was still living up to then, but I took up cooking because of that.¡±

    ¡°Oof, sounds like we¡¯re on the same boat for this, except you¡¯re doing something great learning to cook, while I ¡­¡± she trailed off, her smile moments ago dampening as she may have remembered what she was sad about earlier.

    ¡°... Miss? Are you okay?¡± I asked out of concern.

    Hearing me call to her, she shook herself out of it, ¡°Y-Yeah! I¡¯m okay! See? I¡¯m smiling!¡± The ¡®smile¡¯ she put on then was quite forced, but I figured she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so I didn¡¯t press it any further.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you liked my food. Go ahead and take your time eating, I gotta get going to school for morning duties,¡± I said before strapping on my school bag.

    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t you need this bento box back?¡± the tanned girl asked, holding up the box.

    ¡°Uh ¡­¡± I said, stopping my tracks. I didn¡¯t know why I forgot about the box belonging to me. I guess I was just too focused on her opinion for my cooking to not worry about anything else.

    ¡°... How about we do this,¡± the tanned girl said, ¡°We¡¯ll meet back here after school so I can give the bento box back to you. After that ¡­ do you have any plans?¡±

    I turned around and shook my head, ¡°I do have to get some shopping done for tonight¡¯s dinner, but that won¡¯t be for a while. My mom doesn¡¯t get home until late.¡±

    ¡°Then, do you wanna hang out with me when you come back?¡± she asked.

    The question was so shocking that it was my turn to be in disbelief, ¡°Is that ¡­ really okay? I can hang out with a big kid like you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can! At least with me, anyway! I¡¯m the one offering! So what do you say?¡± she asked, looking hopeful that I would say yes.

    I was told that food tends to make people feel better when they¡¯re in a bad mood, especially when they¡¯re hungry. Seeing the tanned girl looking more colorful than before, willing to talk after acting so cold earlier made me feel relieved. I didn¡¯t even think a girl like her would want to hang out with a kid like me.

    I was a lonely kid and it was a pretty high-school girl who was giving the invite. Could you blame me for accepting without second-thoughts?

    ¡°Well, okay! I¡¯ll come straight back here after school!¡± I exclaimed, hyped for my plans coming later.

    ¡°Great! Oh, and before I forget, I¡¯m Nao Yosaka,¡± the tanned-girl introduced.

    ¡°Jinma Kotori!¡± I returned with vigor.

    Still holding the bento and chopsticks in one hand, she hopped out of the swing and stood in front of me. ¡°I see, Ma-chi, then. It¡¯s nice to meet you, and I¡¯ll see you back here,¡± she said while sticking a hand out for a handshake.

    I eagerly shook her hand, noticing how soft and velvety smooth it was, ¡°You too, Yosaka-san! See you later!¡±

    With that, I dashed out of the park and headed to school, excited for something new to happen afterward. The texture of the tanned-girl¡¯s hand stayed with me for quite a while. It wasn¡¯t until I got there that I asked aloud, ¡°Wait, why ¡®Ma-chi¡¯?¡±

    ~~

    I had felt my days without Hyo-chan were long before, but that day seemed to stretch longer than usual for me. I barely paid attention in class and wasn¡¯t really bothered by my classmates distancing me as I was before. The tanned girl that went by Nao Yosaka took over most of my thoughts, wondering if she had favorite foods other than karaage, what games she usually plays¡ªif big kids like her still play them¡ªand many other things I wanted to know about her.

    Finally, when school ended, I rushed out as fast as I could and sprinted for the park. I was out of breath and sweating buckets by the time I got there, with no sign of her in sight. As excited as I was, I doubted she would feel the same and rush herself for a kid like me, so I decided to sit on one of the park¡¯s benches to wait for her.

    Now that I think about it, she said she wasn¡¯t going to school, I remembered, Not going to school sounded nice, but what would she do during that time? Go to the arcade, maybe? Are they open during that time? Do they even allow kids not going to school? I think I heard big kids tend to visit cafes and restaurants after school, does that also apply to those times? Wait, could that be where we¡¯re going? But aside from what I have for groceries, I don¡¯t have much money to spend on me ¡­ maybe I could get some juice or something? I probably shouldn¡¯t eat a lot before din¡ª

    ¡°Ya-ho!¡±

    The loud greeting along with a poke to my cheek made me yelp and jump in my seat. I recognized the familiar laugh that came afterward, and when I turned to the source, the tanned high school girl, Nao Yosaka, was there.

    ¡°My bad, my bad! You just looked so deep in thought even though I tried calling you, I had to get your attention!¡± she said between laughs before calming down, ¡°Did you wait long?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°Not really. I ran straight back here after school.¡±

    ¡°That eager to see me, huh? You¡¯re a good kid, Ma-chi,¡± she said while ruffling my hair. She then reached into her school bag and pulled out my bento, ¡°Here. I only rinsed it off at school, so you¡¯ll need to wash it properly when you get home.¡±

    ¡°You went to school after all? Were you late?¡± I asked with widened eyes as I put the bento away in my school bag.

    She waved a hand, ¡°I was, but you don¡¯t have to worry about that. It¡¯s not the first time I got into trouble for being late and skipping school, so I¡¯m used to it.¡±

    ¡°What made you change your mind today?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I wonder. Maybe it was a cute, funny boy¡¯s delicious bento that gave me enough energy to do the trick,¡± she said before booping my nose with a big smile on her face.

    I blanked out and blinked in confusion, not knowing what to say to that.

    ¡°Okay, now come along with me and let¡¯s get to our first stop of the day!¡± she then said before taking the lead.

    It took me a moment to realize we were leaving before I hopped off the bench in a panic, ¡°W-Wait for me, Yosaka-san!¡±

 Chapter 116: The Big Sister with Golden Wheat Skin, Part 2

    Our first stop of the afternoon was the nearest convenience store, something I didn¡¯t expect, until she told me I could have whatever frozen treat I wanted.

    ¡°Is this ¡­ really okay?¡± I asked, looking down at the chocolate chip-mint ice cream cup in my hands as I sat on a bench next to Yosaka-san.

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s okay! This is to pay you back for the bento you gave me. It¡¯s the least I could do to say thanks,¡± she answered, holding an ice cream of the same brand.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s part of it, but I heard we¡¯re not supposed to eat stuff like this before dinner?¡±

    That was how things went with Hyo-chan and her family at the time, anyway. Considering her dad was a cop, it was hard to argue against that logic.

    ¡°Pft, really, kid? That old thing? Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± the spunky girl answered with a swatting motion of her hand, ¡°Having that much ice cream before dinner¡¯s not gonna kill ya, and you gotta live a little now and then! If you¡¯re that worried about it, nobody¡¯s going to know if we keep it between us, okay? Now eat up before it melts! Itadakimasu!¡± She then took her first spoonful of ice cream and squealed at how delicious it was.

    ¡°... Okay, then. Itadakimasu,¡± I answered, resigning to the older girl¡¯s logic and taking my first spoonful.

    The ice cream should have tasted the same as I had the few times before¡ªthe times I could even have this treat were rare, considering our money situation¡ªbut there was something about this occasion that made the treat taste so much better. I¡¯ve roughhoused with other kids around my age a fair number of times, but this might have been the first taste of my ¡®delinquency¡¯ and what it had to offer. Sharing this first experience with a pretty girl like Yosaka-san made it taste all the sweeter.

    ¡°Chocolate chip mint, right? How¡¯s it taste?¡± she asked.

    ¡°... It¡¯s good. Really good. What flavor did you get, Yosaka-san?¡±

    She then took another scoop and held the spoonful towards me, ¡°Cookie dough! You wanna trade bites?¡±

    ¡°Huh?! Big kids do this too?!¡± I exclaimed in surprise.

    The spunky girl looked up in thought, ¡°Well, I do it all the time with my friends, so yeah, this is totally okay!¡±

    I was surprised by this revelation because the only people I ¡®traded tastes¡¯ with for anything were Mom¡ªwho I labeled separately from big kids as an ¡®adult,¡¯ being in a league of her own¡ªand Hyo-chan. Due to my lack of friends, I was unaware of the ¡®indirect kiss¡¯ fad until later. With Hyo-chan being around the same age as me asking that we could taste each other¡¯s treats most of the time¡ªdoing it the same way Yosaka-san was back then¡ªI figured this was a ¡®normal¡¯ thing done between friends of this age-group.

    It was when I remembered my times with Hyo-chan and what Yosaka-san described to me that I realized something just then.

    ¡°Does that mean ¡­ I¡¯m your friend, Yosaka-san?¡± I asked nervously.

    She then looked at me with confusion, ¡°Hm? Course that makes you my friend. Don¡¯t you want to be friends with me, Ma-chi?¡±

    Hearing her say that made me warm up so much that I thought I¡¯d explode from happiness. I just couldn¡¯t let this chance slip by me.

    ¡°I-I do! I want to be friends with you too, Yosaka-san! I¡¯ve even been thinking about it at school! You were in my head all day today!¡± I exclaimed.

    The tanned girl was so shocked she had to turn her head away. Even with her curly hair, I saw enough of her ear poking out that turned a tint of red. Seeing her react that way made me self-conscious of what I said then, now terrified that she might have changed her mind.

    Admittedly, I was probably so desperate for companionship back then that I might have said a little more than was needed to know. I didn¡¯t even know most of those words were something pulled from a cheesy romance novel at the time, but that was really how I felt about her.

    ¡°J-Jeez, don¡¯t say something like that to a girl out of nowhere. You¡¯re making me embarrassed,¡± Yosaka-san said while turning away.

    I looked down, deflated at being rejected, ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ that was weird of me to say, wasn¡¯t it.¡±

    ¡°Definitely weird ¡­ but I don¡¯t hate it.¡±

    The way she said it got me confused, wondering if I misinterpreted her somewhat before my hair got rustled again. I looked up to her and saw she had a different smile from before, one that¡¯s more bashful that went with her tanned-cheeks tinted red.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy you wanted to see me again that much, Ma-chi. Thanks,¡± she said.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ sure. You¡¯re welcome,¡± I answered. I was so dumbstruck by how cute she looked then that I didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    She then took another spoonful of her cookie dough ice cream and held it up like she did before, ¡°Now that we got that cleared up, wanna trade bites now, Ma-chi?¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± I answered excitedly. With a spoonful of our own ice creams in hand, we put them in each other¡¯s mouths to taste.

    I never had cookie dough flavored ice cream until that moment, but it became an instant favorite for reasons I didn¡¯t realize back then.

    After that, we talked while eating the rest of our ice creams. I learned that Yosaka-san back then was a first-year in the high school closest to my home¡ªthe same one that I ended up going to much much later after Mom and I moved to a different neighborhood¡ªwhile I was still a fourth-year in my elementary school.

    We then at one point brought up some problems we were currently dealing with. The reason why Yosaka-san was down that morning was because she broke up with her ex-boyfriend after learning he two-timed her the day before. She had been feeling down ever since and didn¡¯t want to risk running into him at school, even if her dad would end up scolding her for skipping when she got back. The friends at Yosaka-san¡¯s school were surprised to see her, and it sounded like they were doing their part to support her by keeping her ex away, especially when he tried approaching her after classes ended.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Yosaka-san¡¯s circumstances reminded me of why Mom was single and I never met my ¡®dad,¡¯ the old bastard. She wasn¡¯t clear on the details as to why back then and I never even got to know his name. All I knew was that he left us right after I was born. If the reasons were similar to Yosaka-san¡¯s problems, it made me angry at both her ex and the old bastard for doing such wrong to good people.

    Yosaka-san¡¯s problems sounded rough, far more exhausting than what I was dealing with, but it was comforting to know she had some good friends that got her back. After listening to how much she loved them, though, I got a little melancholy, and she noticed right away. After she egged me on enough, I decided to come out with it.

    ¡°I see. So you¡¯re lonely since your friend moved, huh?¡± Yosaka-san asked.

    I only nodded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any others at your school?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°I think the other kids only played with me because Hyo-chan was also there. Now that she¡¯s gone, nobody bothers talking to me, let alone play with me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Ma-chi,¡± Yosaka-san said, pulling me to a hug that I wasn¡¯t mentally prepared for, ¡°Just who would be so cruel to a sweet, cute boy like you?¡±

    I was used to Mom and Hyo-chan hugging me, and my aunts were also just as affectionate at times, but there was something about Yosaka-san¡¯s embrace that made me heat up like an oven. I didn¡¯t dislike it, of course, quite the contrary. I wanted to stay in the warm, sweet-smelling comfort I was wrapped up in. It was still so different from what I was used to that it made me self-conscious though, especially when she called me cute.

    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t have to feel lonely anymore, Ma-chi, ¡®Cause now you got a banging, brand new friend to play with,¡± Yosaka-san then said. I couldn¡¯t see her face from how she was holding me, but I imagine she had a look of pride on her face at this moment.

    I thought I was hearing things and had to check to make sure, ¡°Is it really okay ¡­ for me to play with you?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s okay! I want to play and get to know you more, Ma-chi! You¡¯re a cool little dude!¡± she answered before squeezing me harder to emphasize her point, ¡°In fact ¡­ do you have a phone on you?¡±

    I reached into my school bag and took out a flip phone. The phone itself was already paid for by my aunts while Mom took care of paying for the plan. It had info on my mom, all my aunts, and Hyo-chan. I told Yosaka-san that much as she looked at my contacts.

    She then pushed some buttons on both our phones and handed my phone back, ¡°There. You have my number now, so anytime you¡¯re feeling lonely and want to play, just hit me up, okay?¡±

    Whoa ¡­ a big kid¡¯s phone number, I thought as I held up my phone with Yosaka-san¡¯s contact on display, as if I was holding a rare treasure.

    She then pulled me up close and snapped a selfie of us with her phone before sending the picture to me, ¡°A little something to remember this moment by. Did you get it?¡±

    It all came so suddenly that I didn¡¯t have time to register it all. I didn¡¯t know what happened until I got the picture Yosaka-san sent me. It was of me having a confused look on my face, getting pulled into her chest by the arm while she held a peace sign with a bright, colorful smile on her uniquely dark-skinned, glowing face.

    ¡­ She¡¯s so pretty, I thought, ¡°Y-Yeah, I got it.¡±

    ¡°Cool! If any kid gives you trouble about being alone, just tell them you know a cool and mature big kid and show them that picture as evidence. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll shut up about it immediately,¡± she said before nodding to herself in confirmation.

    I looked deeply into the picture again, I don¡¯t think I want to show this off though. The other kids only played with me because I was with Hyo-chan. Would something like that happen again if they know of Yosaka-san? If that¡¯s the case, it may be best to keep this a secret.

    I made sure the photo was saved before closing my phone with a shy smile, ¡°Thanks, Yosaka-san, you¡¯re ¡­ really nice, and cool too, like a big sister.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ ¡®big sister,¡¯ huh? I like the sound of that,¡± she said as I turned back to her, seeing that she was deep in thought, ¡°Okay, I decided. I just feel weird with you calling me ¡®Yosaka-san¡¯ all the time, so from now on, I¡¯ll be your ¡®big sister,¡¯ and you can call me ¡®Onee-chan.¡¯ What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Whoa, really?! I can do that?!¡± I asked with widened eyes. There were times I wondered what it would be like if I had a brother or sister. I knew enough about this subject back then that it would be impossible while Mom was still by herself, and she was working hard to make sure we were living comfortably. We may have had Hyo-chan over for dinner occasionally, but there was no way Mom could give the majority of her attention to my younger sibling while working during that time. Plus, from what I had seen from other mothers who were expecting, I didn¡¯t want to make things harder for Mom than they already were.

    With that said, the fact that I could call someone ¡®Onee-chan¡¯ if they asked me to was like a huge discovery to me.

    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ve always wanted a little brother or sister, so this would work perfectly! So, what do you say? You wanna be my little bro?¡± she asked.

    My answer was obvious, but there was one thing I wanted to change, so I roused up the courage to ask, ¡°That would be really cool, but ¡­ is it okay if I called you ¡®Aneki?¡¯¡± [TN: Another term for ¡®big sister,¡¯ or ¡®Big Sis.¡¯]

    ¡°¡®Aneki¡¯? Hmm ¡­ that sounds good too, so I¡¯m okay with that, but why ¡®Aneki?¡¯¡± she asked while tilting her head.

    I looked up to think, ¡°My aunts told me once that ¡®Aneki¡¯ was for a ¡®big sister you look up to with great respect and devotion,¡¯ and all of them called my mom that, even when some of them were older than her, so that really tells how cool my mom is, right? It made me want to call her that too, but she wouldn¡¯t allow it. Still, I thought it would be nice to call a cool, amazing girl like that my Aneki. You seem cool and amazing, so that¡¯s why I want to call you ¡®Aneki.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ give me a sec, please,¡± the tanned girl said with a shocked face before turning to the side. Just like earlier, I saw her ears turn red, and it looked like she was covering her mouth that time around too. I think I also heard her sniffle a bit.

    After some time, she cleared her throat, took a deep breath and turned back to me, ¡°Just to make sure, do you know what ¡®devotion¡¯ means?¡±

    ¡°My aunts told me it was something like ¡®loyalty,¡¯ I think?¡± I asked while tilting my head in thought, ¡°They did tell me I act that way for Hyo-chan, so if it¡¯s something like that, I can be the same for you too.¡±

    The tanned girl covered her mouth with a fist and cleared her throat while averting her gaze, her face glowing a tint of red again, ¡°I-I see. Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to meet your expectations and make ¡®Aneki¡¯ be a title that¡¯s worth something.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s okay?!¡± I asked in excitement.

    She then got up from her seat, got in front of me, and lowered herself to my level before sticking out a pinky, ¡°Ma-chi, I pinky-swear to you that I¡¯ll be the best ¡®Aneki¡¯ that you can ask for, and maybe then some. But in exchange, you have to be the cool little bro that I¡¯d like to see from you. Deal?¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± I answered while locking my pinky with hers, ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care from now on, Aneki!¡±

    ¡°Count on it, little bro,¡± she answered while rustling my hair before standing back up, ¡°Now, you got some groceries you need to get for dinner tonight, right? I¡¯ll come with and help out.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Aneki! That would help a lot!¡±

    We ended up running into Mom as we came back from getting groceries, which was a big surprise for me. I guessed she got all of her work done and decided to come home early. After some quick explanations, Mom was really happy I made a new friend. We also found out then that Aneki lived in the same neighborhood as us, so Mom invited her to join us for dinner, which she happily accepted without hesitation. Aneki definitely confirmed that I was able to cook with the spread I made that night, and it made me happy to see how much she loved every bite.

    To me, dinner that night was the best I ever had so far.

 Chapter 117: The Big Sister with Golden Wheat Skin, Part 3

    From that point on, the rest of my elementary school days didn¡¯t turn out as bad as I feared without Hyo-chan around. Just like Hyo-chan, Aneki would often come over for dinner and she was more than happy to help look after me while Mom was out later than usual. We¡¯d even have sleepovers some nights and bathe together.

    I was even able to meet Aneki¡¯s friends at one point and they were surprisingly just as accepting as she was. My cooking became an excellent icebreaker that also left a good first impression on the group, enough that they¡¯d let me hang out with them when it was convenient. During this time, I had no idea what a ¡®JK¡¯ or ¡®gyaru¡¯ like Komi was. Maybe it was a trend that was starting to get off the ground, but all of Aneki¡¯s friends looked the part in their own unique fashion sense. There were times when they teased me, but I don¡¯t think there was malice or something behind them. I was still figuring out how big kids were doing things outside of school, so I had no idea what they were implying most of the time. Aneki would step in and coddle me at some points though, which helped me relax and just observe what everyone was discussing, only answering when a question was directed at me. I may not have contributed much and was the only ¡®little kid¡¯ among them, but I really felt I was part of a group, and I was happy about it.

    There were times when I couldn¡¯t see Aneki and her friends¡ªunderstandable as they were all high-schoolers¡ªbut that was made up with the former texting and talking to me on the phone. Aneki and I had some rough moments at times, too, as well as some scary ones, but we somehow managed to pull through and come out a little stronger, both in ourselves as well as our bond. Aneki really became a good, essential part of my family, like she really was my older sister, and I took great pride with how cool she was.

    That was why I became such a mess of tears and snot when it was time for us to graduate from our schools and Aneki had to move for college. We promised to keep in touch and she¡¯d come by to visit during breaks, and we did just those as I went on in my middle school years. This time was mostly hell for me, both in a social sense as well as all the fighting I was going through. The couple times I saw Aneki during that time were like small escapes from my harsh reality, going into dreams as she became more adult-like than I thought was possible. I would have higher respects for her at each meeting, both as my older sister figure, as well as a woman. I became more self-conscious than I was before at our first meeting, more nervous than when I was going into a fight with someone bigger than me. It became especially awkward for me whenever she gave her affections like she did when I was younger.

    I wanted to push these feelings for Aneki down, have fun with my big sister like I had back then and not let the distasteful things I heard from middle school influence my thoughts toward her. I just couldn¡¯t ignore them though. I couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that Aneki was a woman, I was a growing man, and we really weren¡¯t related by blood.

    I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d call Aneki my first crush, but I had come to terms that I was hopelessly in love with her. Even so, I valued her highly as a big sister, and I was afraid of that changing if I came out and confessed, especially considering how she was way out of my league. As much as it pained my heart to even consider it, I had to convince myself that she was likely already seeing someone, and she was only stopping by during breaks to see her ¡®little bro.¡¯ Putting her college studies, personal and love lives, and everything aside to humor me, I felt like I was becoming a burden to her. Whether I was a kid or a growing teen, I knew I loved her enough that I¡¯d want her to be as happy as she had made me. I had witnessed how hard she worked to get to her places in life, to achieve her goals in adulthood.

    I wanted to do whatever I could to support Aneki, even if it meant distancing myself from her, and that was just what I had done slowly over time.

    ~~

    I can¡¯t remember the last time I last spoke to Aneki, but she wasn¡¯t on my mind very much during my times in high school. Maybe it was because Komi was there and I got to see Hyo-chan again, even though our ¡®friendship¡¯ was estranged. Now that I had died once and transferred to Raiza, I felt guilty of distancing myself from her without saying anything, without thanking her for being there for me, without telling her my feelings, even if they couldn¡¯t be returned. With the way I had gone out, the news of my death reaching her would be hard to miss. I wondered if she was as sad of me being gone as my aunts likely were, or maybe she didn¡¯t feel anything because I stopped talking to her. If it was the latter, I wouldn¡¯t blame her for feeling that way for how cold I might have acted.

    <Maaaaan, you really dropped the ball on that one. What a babe she turned out to be, and you bathed with her?> Nyra asked me suddenly as I walked to the inn with my familiars.

    I raised a brow, <... Did you seriously watch my whole flashback?>

    <I¡¯m pretty much in your head everyday, it¡¯d be hard to miss what you¡¯re thinking or feeling right now,> she answered, <Also, if you haven¡¯t noticed, I used my Psyche Magic to help make those memories clear and crisp for you. Now you can think back to all those moments you had with that, *mwah*, lusciously tanned body with high quality visuals as much as you want.>

    My face scrunched with discontent, <Gee, Nyra, thanks for helping me remember how much of a hopeless idiot I was.>

    I could imagine her taking my sarcasm in stride with a bow, <You¡¯re very welcome. So, your ¡®Aneki¡¯, Nao Yosaka, she went to this ¡®college¡¯ to improve her cooking and open her own restaurant?>

    I nodded, inconspicuously pulling my smartphone out of my [Storage], <That was what she told me around graduation. I initially thought she asked me to teach her how to cook so she could make her own meals, but I guess that was to build her cooking skills and get a head start on her career path.>

    <It¡¯s a commendable feat, for sure, but ¡­ nah, I can¡¯t really read people¡¯s emotions through memories anyway, so we¡¯ll never know what she was thinking back then. Best you can do from here is learn from it and move on,> she advised as I scrolled through the gallery on my phone.

    When I came to Raiza, all the contacts I had on my smartphone were wiped clean, but my files and pictures were still there and I was still able to access the internet. I may have upgraded to a new phone back home, but I made sure I had everything from my old one transferred over, including all the pictures Aneki sent me. Like Komi, Hyo-chan, and all the girls in my harem, I had a file that kept all of Aneki¡¯s pics inside.

    I pulled up the very first selfie I ever had, the first picture that Aneki sent me. It depicted her giving the camera a bright smile with a hand holding a peace sign while pulling a younger, more oblivious me into her chest.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    I gave a light chuckle while smirking, <Yeah ¡­ that¡¯s all I really can do. That, and hope that wherever Aneki is right now, she¡¯s living a good life.>

    <Something a matter, Milord?> Mametama asked, interrupting my telepathic conversation with Nyra.

    It wasn¡¯t until my cougar familiar spoke up that I realized I stopped walking to look at the pictures on my phone. I shook out of my daze, brought my smartphone back to its home screen and tossed it back in my [Storage], <It¡¯s nothing to worry about, Mametama, just thinking some things.>

    <I advise that we make haste to the inn. The others may be waiting for your return, Milord,> Kenaka suggested.

    I nodded in agreement, <Right. Let¡¯s get going then.>

    ~~

    {Nao}

    ¡°Achoo! Whew, that was a good one. Could someone be talking about me right now?¡± I asked aloud to no one in particular.

    ¡°Is that another one of those strange superstitions from your hometown?¡± One of my coworkers from the kitchen asked, ¡°If that were true, wouldn¡¯t you be sneezing up a storm when you¡¯re one of the most talked-about women in this city?¡±

    I waved my finger in dismissal, ¡°No no no, it¡¯s not like that. See, where I come from, when it¡¯s not allergy season or hay fever, sneezing like that means someone close to you is either talking about you or thinking of you very strongly.¡±

    At least, that¡¯s how I¡¯d like to interpret it.

    ¡°Wooow, that sounds so romantic,¡± one of the passing waitresses sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve talked much about your love life before, Nao. Does that mean you actually have someone in mind?¡±

    ¡°The Nao Yosaka, the ¡®Golden Mistress,¡¯ in love? Now this, I gotta hear,¡± another one thirsty for gossip said.

    I waved a hand, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I do have a couple friends I cherished back home ¡­ there¡¯s also my little bro too.¡±

    ¡°You have a little brother?¡± the girls in the kitchen asked in sync with widened eyes.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t related by blood and there weren¡¯t any marriages involved. It was just something that we came up with together on the spur of the moment after he helped me out when I was younger. We hung out and played together almost all the time for a few years until I had to move,¡± I explained while I prepped the ingredients.

    ¡°That sounds so nice. I wish I had something like that,¡± the romantic waitress commented.

    ¡°You never saw him again after that?¡± the gossiping waitress asked.

    I stopped prepping the ingredients and looked up in thought, ¡°I tried to come back and visit when I had the chance. He was really growing more handsome each time I stopped by, but you should have seen how cute he looked being nervous around me. Sometimes I just wanted to pick him up and take him home with me.¡±

    ¡°Oooooh!¡± the girls in the kitchen responded.

    ¡°What? What did I say?¡± I asked, confused.

    ¡°Nao, do you really think we wouldn¡¯t say anything when you said that with that body? I wouldn¡¯t blame the kid getting all nervous if you looked this good the whole time,¡± the gossiping waitress said as she gestured to my form.

    ¡°Large breasts, wide hips, both in a huggable, housewarming frame, all wrapped in deliciously tanned skin with a strong personality that looks out for others while having the best cooking skills in the city. Aaaaah, please marry me, Nao!¡±

    ¡°I refuse,¡± I boldly said to the ¡®lovestruck¡¯ cook¡ªwho for the record was also a girl like me.

    ¡°Aaaah, even the way you turn me down is so cool! What a treat! Thanks for the meal!¡± the rejected cook exclaimed.

    ¡°Just for curiosity''s sake, what if your ¡®little bro¡¯ proposed to you?¡± the romantic waitress asked.

    All my motions stopped at the question. My mind blanked out any previous thoughts about my job and replaced them with a fantasy.

    ~~

    ¡°Aneki, I can¡¯t hold myself back any longer. I love you, and I want to express it in every way possible, starting with your body,¡± the Ma-chi in my fantasy confessed, looming over me like a predator ready to feast on their prey as he pinned me down to my bed by the wrists.

    ¡°Ma-chi ¡­ I¡¯m not as much of the ¡®cool, amazing big sister¡¯ as you thought of me,¡± my fantasy self admitted, averting her gaze, ¡°I¡¯ve done awful, shameful, degrading things. This old body of mine ¡­ was tainted by other men more than you may think. You deserve to be with a girl that¡¯s cleaner, more refined than an old bitch like me.¡±

    To my fantasy self¡¯s surprise, fantasy Ma-chi held my chin and directed my gaze to him, looking into his sharp, but gentle stare, ¡°I don¡¯t need a girl ¡­ I need a woman. I need you, Aneki, and if being ¡®tainted¡¯ by other men is the problem, then I¡¯ll just taint over those guys¡¯ marks with my own. I¡¯ll make sure that you won¡¯t get marked by anyone else ever again ¡­ by making you my wife.¡±

    ¡°Ma-chi ¡­¡± my dream self breathed as dream Ma-chi closed in on her. She closed her eyes and fully submitted herself to the ¡®little bro¡¯ who has become a man.

    ~~

    My face got very warm as I fantasized that moment, giggling like an idiot with a dumb smile stuck to my face, ¡°Yeah, I would love for it to turn out like that.¡± Once I finally calmed down, though, I remembered that I wasn¡¯t alone. I turned around and saw all the girls currently working in the pub gathered around me.

    They were all dumbstruck with their jaws dropped to the floor.

    ¡°... What? I can dream a little, can¡¯t I?¡± I asked, trying to defend myself, but I was sure embarrassment was painted on my face.

    ¡°What are you girls doing standing around? Pick your fucking asses up and get back to work,¡± our boss, who we all called ¡®Mama,¡¯ commanded boldly.

    ¡°Yes, Mama!¡± we all responded without argument, hastily getting back to our tasks. In my case, I was preparing breakfast for one of our waitresses who was taking the day off.

    Those of us who worked in Mama¡¯s pub have the privilege of eating breakfast here before we open for the day, after paying for it at a discounted price, of course. The waitress I was cooking for, who¡¯s actually doing the job daily as an adventurer¡¯s quest, is someone who not only stood out from most others in our staff, but she and I were living in this city under similar circumstances. Today was different as she had two new party members that joined her recently. How she got them to join ¡­ was questionable, if I had to be perfectly honest, but we have more freedom to do what we like around these parts and I wasn¡¯t a stranger to certain shady dealings, so I had no right to stop and tell her how to live life properly.

    With four servings of breakfast ready, I personally served it to my ¡®part-time¡¯ coworker and her party, ¡°Here you are, dig in. I don¡¯t have a right to say anything about this, but I expect you to give me the dets on what brought you to redeeming slaves, Komi-chi.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Nao-chin! We¡¯ll be out for today, but if you want, we can get together for dinner later and I can explain then.¡±

    I nodded in confirmation, ¡°I¡¯m holding you to it then, so don¡¯t flake, or I¡¯ll get Mama to help me find you, and I don¡¯t think either of us want that.¡±

    The high-school aged gyaru, Komiwa Karuga, who was a Champion like me, chuckled, ¡°No, we don¡¯t, so you can count on me to be there!¡±

 Chapter 118: Rune Crafts and Mana Signatures

    {Jinma}

    When we got to the lobby of the inn, we saw Ume in one of the lobby¡¯s tables, practically glued to an open book she was reading with a charcoal pencil in hand¡ªor claw in her case. More books were stacked on the side, tags that bookmarked specific pages were spread all over them. There were also a couple sheets of parchment with writing and strange pictures on them spread around the table. A mug of coffee was also there that she took a moment to sip from as we came in and greet her. Ume and I shared a kiss when we got to her table before I sat down next to her, my familiars also took their own seats on vacant chairs. When she asked how my training was, I decided to tell her what happened with my familiars through [Telepathy]. If anybody had the right to know some of my juicier secrets, it would be my wife. We agreed to be as open about ourselves as possible, after all. I told my familiars beforehand and they just went along with it without argument.

    One good thing about my maxed-out [Telepathy] is that I can connect multiple people¡¯s minds at the same time through this skill. Before that, I had to ¡®switch connections¡¯ between different people. With this improved skill, I can serve as a link for everyone to communicate immediately. How many I can connect at once and how far these links can extend depended on a calculation of my magic-based stats. Since my SP. DEF stat is ridiculous through my [Dragon Scale Defense] ability, I might be able to reach someone on the other side of Raiza and beyond, let alone Earth.

    Ume was especially shocked when I told her the news of my familiars. Just to confirm my story, she borrowed Mametama and took her to the restroom where my familiar could change forms in private. This took an unusually long time for what looked like a quick task. After about ten minutes, Ume and Mametama finally came back.

    <Well ¡­ I don¡¯t know how you did it, but your familiars really can change forms to resemble a Demon-Kin¡¯s,> Ume started while we were still linked through my [Telepathy] skill, <I¡¯ve heard a few instances of this from my home. The texts I had read way back then would be considered legends, fairy tales, even, to you humans now.>

    <I know, right? It¡¯s quite unbelievable,> I agreed.

    <I have a few questions I want to ask, however,> Ume said.

    <Fire away.>

    Ume then held up one of her claws, <First, we¡¯re keeping this from the others in our party, right? Like we¡¯re doing with the message we found in the flier last night?>

    I nodded, <I didn¡¯t sense anybody nearby when my familiars changed forms, but I don¡¯t know what skills are capable of fooling my own. If I am being watched for every movement I make, I want as little people to know what¡¯s going on as possible. At least until we know what¡¯s going on with the Demon King and what she wants from me. Worst-case scenario, we¡¯ll have my familiars change forms when under a state of emergency.>

    <Fair enough. I will follow through and keep what you told me to myself as well,> Ume said before holding up two claws now, <Now, for my other question: Are you planning on having Mametama join your harem?>

    <Lady Umeiyon! We agreed to not speak of that!> Mametama exclaimed in panic.

    I was so startled by the question that I didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    <I didn¡¯t bring up that subject, as we agreed on. I am merely asking for Jin¡¯s thoughts on the matter,> Ume argued before turning to me, her gaze still serious, <Jin? What do you think of having Mametama as part of your harem? Be honest.>

    I scratched my head out of nervousness, <Uh ¡­ it will be strange, knowing Mametama¡¯s primarily a cougar, but since she¡¯s not just a cougar, and taking her Demon-Kin form into account, I¡¯d ¡­ I¡¯d like to get to know her a little and see where it goes, if it isn¡¯t strange for her as a Magical Beast to do, that is.>

    Ume then turned to both my familiars, <Kenaka? Mametama? Being from the highest positions from your factions in the Cursed and Holy Realms, do you know if a familiar having such relations with their contracted master a taboo act?>

    <... There are pairs among us Magical Beasts where we differ in species,> Kenaka started, sounding serious, even looking down with a sullen air, <As far as I am aware, the Immortals have not stepped in to interfere with these relations since we came into existence. It is uncommon, but not impossible, and some of them have lived fulfilling lives together. I have my own gripes with this, but it is more of a personal matter. I honestly do not care who pairs up with whom, whatever they are, and why. The only advice I would give to anyone involved ¡­ is that they really think about whether they see themselves being happy with their partner, whether they can trust their entire being into them, and then assure if the partner¡¯s feelings are mutual. If those feelings are mutual, then go crazy. If not, well ¡­ unless they value you to some extent, then you would do well to distance yourself from them ¡­ before they hurt you more than they already have.>

    <Kenaka ¡­> Mametama said with pity in her tone.

    This ¡®you know who¡¯ those two keep talking about between them, could they be talking about Kenaka¡¯s past love? Who was also a different species from him? I thought to myself.

    <Mametama? Do you have anything you wish to share?> Ume then asked my other familiar.

    Mametama stiffened up at being called and was at a loss for what to say. She couldn¡¯t even look my way. After a moment, she took a deep sigh to resign herself, <It is about the same in my realm and I also have no qualms of what species pairs up with another. As for Milord¡¯s feelings for me, well ¡­ it was not a reason I had initially, but part of why I wanted to attain my final form ¡­ was so I may have a chance to get closer to you as a female.>

    <Ooooooooooh!> Nyra cooed in excitement.

    It wasn¡¯t just me, Kenaka was also just as shocked at hearing Mametama¡¯s feelings.

    <I have not heard of a familiar pairing with their master that way as taboo from our realm, but I know enough that not all people from Raiza could harbor feelings for someone so different from them, kin, race, or otherwise,> Mametama continued while turning to me, <I was willing to sacrifice the desire for the form of my choosing if it meant I could get closer to you, Milord. You letting me choose what form I want, your words of accepting me no matter which form I took, and your body reacting to my new form in such a manner, they made me happy, more than you even realize.>

    <Ohohohohohohoooo!> Nyra laughed unusually with an uncontainable thrill.

    Wait, by my body ¡®reacting to her new form¡¯, does that mean she knew I was popping a boner to her back in the dungeon? I thought to myself.

    Mametama then rested a paw on her chest, <That is why, Milord, if you see me as compatible to be part of your harem, even if it is to see where this relationship would go, I would be more than happy to take you up on that offer ¡­ no, more than that, I want to show you what I can do as a female, your female, if you allow me.>

    To show me what she can do ¡­ as a female? I thought, briefly picturing what she was implying. It may not be what she was totally intending, but I couldn¡¯t help but gulp from how exciting it sounded.

    <Well ¡­ okay then!> I answered, clapping my hands together, <I was honestly not expecting things to develop like this, but I¡¯m for it! We¡¯ll reveal you to everyone else eventually, but for now, consider yourself part of the harem!>

    <Woohooooooo! Hot cat girl sex! Let¡¯s fucking goooooooo!> Nyra cheered in our heads. We¡¯ve all grown accustomed to her antics to not make a big deal of it at this point.

    Mametama then bowed her head to me. <Thank you, Milord, I will not disappoint. May I ¡­ make a selfish request as a female in your harem?> she asked while peeking her head up.

    I nodded, <Sure, go ahead and let it out. If it¡¯s something I can provide, I will do what I can for my girls.>

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    My cougar cub familiar straightened up and got a little fidgety on her seat. <Would you ¡­ pet me, while I lay on your lap?> she asked while looking up to me.

    The way she asked that while in her cougar cub form, compared to her Demon-Kin form, this cuteness was so much in a league of its own that it should be considered illegal. Not that I¡¯d refuse such a simple request, but seeing Mametama like a lost, abandoned kitten right now was crushing my heart.

    <Agh! What is this cuteness?! Noooo! My erotic heart can¡¯t take it!> Nyra exclaimed as if in pain. Dramatic as it was, it seemed her feelings were mutual.

    When I gave Mametama the okay, she didn¡¯t hesitate to jump onto my lap. I then put my [Petting] skill to work again and scratched the best parts around her head while she purred on my lap in comfort. I¡¯ll admit, knowing Mametama¡¯s like this, it will be weird when we get to that part as I have with the other girls in my harem, but remembering how hot she was in her Demon-Kin form just washed all those worries away. I had to keep myself from getting an erection while she was on my lap in the meantime.

    ¡°Well, now that that¡¯s settled, shall I finally go over what I found in my research?¡± Ume suddenly asked aloud as she took an open seat next to me, holding up the flier that had the foreboding message I read last night.

    This looked like it was going to take a bit to explain, and remembering it tensed up my shoulders, but petting Mametama while she was on my lap was relaxing me. I never had this feeling with how bad I was with animals back on Earth. I might have gotten a taste of it while giving Ren similar treatment, but I was really beginning to understand the appeal of owning a pet. I wondered if Mametama wouldn¡¯t mind using my lap as her primary seat for most of the time if it meant I could relish in this comfort almost non-stop. I¡¯d have to bring it up to her at another time.

    With that thought in mind, I gave my intelligent dragon wife my full attention as she went over what she researched about the enchanted fliers we came across last night. My fingers were on auto-pilot petting Mametama in the meantime.

    ¡°Signature Magic?¡± I asked after listening to her findings.

    Ume nodded, ¡°That¡¯s what I believe is going on here ¡­ or at least that¡¯s part of what I found. First, hold this flier up to the light and look at the bottom-left.¡±

    Once Ume handed me the flier we found, I did as she requested. While the instructions to apply magic to the flier were written up top in ¡®invisible ink,¡¯ there was also a complicated circle with characters inscribed where I was told to look. It looked to be put in with that same ink.

    ¡°Is this ¡­ a magic circle?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ume answered, ¡°As there is magic that can be applied directly on the field, there is magic formed through what¡¯s called Rune Craft, where you draw magic circles with runes inscribed around them. These runes serve as instructions for what the spell caster wants accomplished to produce a specific outcome. Those instructions are sent to the Immortals who read those instructions and judge whether the spellcaster is qualified to receive that outcome. The magic circles used to summon Kenaka and Mametama are just a few examples of what Rune Craft can accomplish. The effectiveness of magic from Rune Craft depends on the complexity of the task, how much mana is put in, and the motivations behind the person who made the circle.¡±

    Ume then took one of the parchments she wrote on, with the ¡®strange pictures¡¯ I saw earlier were actually magic circles. I could see some resemblance to the one that was on the flier, but I felt there was something off about Ume¡¯s version. ¡°People have created, tried, and experimented countless circles from Rune Craft for Immortals know how long. They recorded what worked, and then put them into practice as specific types of magic that have been standing for as long as it was needed at the time. Summoning Magic has been one of the longest standing magics made from Rune Craft that¡¯s still going strong to this day.¡±

    ¡°And this Signature Magic is also something from Rune Craft?¡± I asked as I pointed to the magic circle in the flier.

    Ume nodded, ¡°That was what I thought at first, too, but when I researched further, I found there was more to this circle that created a kind of ¡®Signature Magic¡¯ that¡¯s unlike what I¡¯m familiar with.¡±

    ¡°So, how is this different from what you know of Signature Magic?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Signature Magic, at its core, allows anyone to imprint their mana into the object the circle was written on,¡± Ume explained, ¡°When you try to activate magic while carrying that object, the magic circle would glow. Everyone has their own unique mana signature and it is impossible to replicate, so if someone else tried to do the same thing with that imprinted object, it won¡¯t react.¡±

    So, it¡¯s like a magical trademark? I could see many businesses using this as a way to legitimize property ownership on their products.

    ¡°What makes this Signature Magic different is the additional conditions added to the magic circle, which isn¡¯t impossible to achieve,¡± Ume continued, ¡°If the spellcaster¡¯s especially skilled and knowledgeable in creating Rune Craft, it is possible to add or adjust some things from the original magic circle in order to achieve certain effects. Whoever made this magic circle had designed it so it could only react to you when you activate magic, thereby lighting up and revealing that foreboding message. The problem with this, however, is how they managed to get the circle to react to your mana signature when you hadn¡¯t imprinted it.¡±

    ¡°That does sound somewhat worrying ¡­¡± I commented. This was like those tracker cookies in computers I heard of that follows your browser history and shows advertisements catered to your interests. No, it was better to call it a computer virus that tracked me down and stole my data without my knowing.

    I took a moment to think how this spellcaster could have gotten my signature, ¡°Do you have to intentionally put your mana in the circle at the start for the Signature Magic to take effect?¡±

    Ume nodded, ¡°Normally, yes, but it looks like the crafter here added runes in the circle to indicate that something could be used as a substitute. There are traces of our mana signature left in things like blood, hair, and saliva, so it isn¡¯t unlikely that someone could use one of those or something else from our bodies for the modified Signature Magic to take effect. Still, this magic was used for the Demon King to send you the message, ¡®I have finally found you.¡¯ That message was on her fliers that declared the Champion Hunt had officially closed as of yesterday.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re assuming the Demon King opened that Champion Hunt in the first place to find me, right?¡± I asked, ¡°And having her close that hunt as of yesterday, using those fliers as a way to reach me, means she already knew I¡¯m running around in her country right now.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Ume confirmed, ¡°The problem is how she knew you¡¯re here. If she used that same magic circle to find that out, she¡¯d have to get something from your body in order to confirm it.¡±

    I set the flier down and looked up in thought, ¡°Well, considering the last few days since I came to the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, I have been running around a lot. There are a few instances I can think of where I might have have left something like that behind, but does it have to be something from my body for the Signature Magic to take effect?¡±

    Ume looked down at the flier with her face tensing up with unease, ¡°They made this magic circle hard to read, so I¡¯m trying to see if I can make a replicate to confirm my suspicions, but with no luck yet. From what I researched in the books so far, there is a way for this Signature Magic to react to something that isn¡¯t from your body ¡­ and that¡¯s what bothers me the most.¡±

    ¡°Well, what is it?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    Ume shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s still too many questions left unanswered to jump to possibilities yet. I don¡¯t want to put you more on edge than you already are with the upcoming quest and everything going on, so I won¡¯t say anything until I¡¯m one-hundred percent certain that¡¯s the answer.¡±

    I nodded in understanding, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll settle with that for now. Why don¡¯t we put everything away, take a break for now, and we get ready for breakfast? And if there¡¯s anything I can do to help further your research, just let me know.¡±

    Ume looked up in thought before her eyes glimmered with inspiration. She looked over to me with those same eyes half-lidded and a smirk, ¡°Weeeell, I could use some samples to help me test the magic circles for future experiments.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can give some of that, no problem. You want some of my hair? Spit? I got no problems with giving blood. Is one of these more effective than the other?¡± I asked.

    Ume effortlessly put all her research materials away in her [Storage] before taking out a glass container with a cork for the lid. I then felt something running up my stomach in a sensual manner. I looked down and saw a familiar claw sliding down to my pants, not disturbing Mametama who had fallen asleep from my petting session part way through Ume¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Everything from your body should be the same in terms of leaving mana signatures behind, which includes something that I¡¯d like to help draw out, personally,¡± My dragon wife then undid the button on my pants with one claw before sliding it down. I was already getting hard from when she first touched me.

    <Mmm, I think I¡¯m for where this is going,> Nyra commented in my mind.

    Then, unexpectedly, Ume loomed over the sleeping Mametama and lightly scratched the top of her head with the tip of a claw, ¡°Wake up, Mametama, I need your assistance on this, too.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? Wha? Did I fall asleep?¡± Mametama asked, groggily opening her eyes. It was very adorable to see in her cougar cub form.

    <... Jinma, I think we might actually be picking up where we left off earlier,> Nyra informed me.

    I was surprised at first, but I had put together the pieces of what Ume was implying before Nyra even pointed it out. Honestly, the excitement from my encounter with Mametama¡¯s new Demon-Kin form was still lingering, so it pained me to try and ignore it for the rest of the day. Having my dragon wife giving me this opportunity for release and doing it with Mametama from where we left off in the dungeon? This was like a miracle given to me by God. Or maybe this moment in particular was Obina¡¯s work, being the ¡®Goddess of Lust¡¯ that she is? Well, either way, I thanked them both in my heart for this precious moment.

 Chapter 119: Gathering Samples, Part 1

    I told Kenaka to keep watch and let me know when someone wakes up before I followed Ume to the public restrooms with Mametama in my arms. Alarm bells rang in my head when Ume suggested going into the girls restroom, especially when she dragged me inside and there were two demon girls already inside checking themselves in the mirror. Much to my surprise, they didn¡¯t even bat an eye when I came in. In fact, they didn¡¯t seem to notice I was inside as they went on with their girl talk like they were still by themselves.

    ¡°Relax, Jin, they don¡¯t know we¡¯re even here,¡± Ume said after she brought us to the far wall of the women¡¯s restroom, ¡°Remember my Ancient Magic? I used it to make us undetectable to other people. Now, it¡¯s just the three of us knowing what we¡¯re doing with no one the wiser around us. We can make whatever noise we want, dress however we want, and nobody will even realize what¡¯s happening around them.¡±

    Mametama in her cub form looked on in amazement, ¡°Lady Umeiyon had demonstrated this magic earlier, but even then, I am still shocked. It is as expected of Milord¡¯s wife to be so incredibly capable.¡±

    <Oh, yeah, I remember her mentioning that when she took the lead the other night. Nyra, I think you mentioned something about her being an exhibitionist?> I asked her through [Telepathy].

    <Aww, I¡¯m flattered you remember that,> Nyra said.

    ¡°Alright, Mametama, change to your Demon-Kin form,¡± Ume commanded like she were her own familiar.

    My cub familiar nodded and jumped off my arms to get to the restroom floor before a puff of yellowish-white smoke appeared and engulfed her. The smoke quickly cleared, and in the cougar cub¡¯s place was the dark-skinned woman I saw in the dungeon on one knee. The jade and white hairs on her head, limbs, cougar ears, and matching tail shined under the restroom¡¯s light as she stood up. I gained a better glimpse of her tanned form under this light, seeing the lines of toned muscles around her abdominals. I¡¯d say something about her arms and legs, but other than looking big, I couldn¡¯t look past her fur to see the muscles underneath. I then noticed down below that her garden was pure white and contrasted from her dark skin.

    Needless to say, Mametama¡¯s Demon-Kin form was an exotic sight that already had me straining against my pants.

    ¡°Hmm, yes. Even though this is my second time, it¡¯s still an astounding sight to see,¡± Ume commented as she approached Mametama in Demon-Kin form. Then, unexpectedly, my wife cupped one of my familiar¡¯s fun bags in her claw and played with it in a pondering manner.

    The contact had the tanned cat woman trembling slightly in place while taking a shallow gasp.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the same size as mine, but slightly firmer and perkier. Her areolas and nipples are a little smaller though,¡± Ume described as she jiggled and moved Mametama¡¯s milk jug around while cupping her own for comparison.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if female acquaintances really compared each other¡¯s bodies like I had seen in manga and anime, but seeing it happening before my eyes made me feel blessed to be here.

    ¡°Mametama, do you feel anything as I¡¯m doing this to you?¡± Ume then asked as she give the tanned meat bun a few squeezes.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ this sensation is so new to me, but it does not hurt. It is still very sensitive though,¡± Mametama responded with a sexual undertone.

    So she is still sensitive and getting used to her new body. It¡¯s just as I suspected back in the dungeon, but damn, this is so hot.

    <Amen to that,> Nyra said, reading my thoughts.

    ¡°Okay, good to know,¡± Ume said before pulling her claw away, ¡°Now, Mametama, it¡¯s time to take on your first task as Jin¡¯s newest harem member. Make him feel good so he can shoot plenty of man spunk I can use for samples.¡±

    ¡°W-What?! Now?! Here?! But there are ¡­ wait,¡± Mametama said, looking flustered at first, but then remembered something.

    Ume nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, you don¡¯t need to worry about anyone outside the three of us. My Ancient Magic is in effect, so nobody will hear, listen, or even smell what¡¯s outside of my field. Since you¡¯re still getting used to your new body, I¡¯ll let you go at your own pace, just do whatever you need to get Jin¡¯s baby batter out so I can keep it in this container. From the looks of it, he¡¯s been backed-up all morning.¡±

    Mametama¡¯s eyes glanced over to where my wife¡¯s were directing before the former flushed.

    Though I wanted to interject, say we needed to wake the others for breakfast and get ready to meet with Noire, drinking in Mametama¡¯s body with my eyes were fogging up my thought processes.

    Though she was flushing in embarrassment at first, Mametama¡¯s face hardened with determination, ¡°... Understood. Please excuse me, Milord.¡±

    Before I could say anything, Mametama pinned me to the wall with her claws on my shoulders. Since we were about the same height, she was able to look straight into my eyes. From where I stood I saw her yellow, slitted cat eyes dilating, like she had a delicious prey in her sight.

    ¡°Milord ¡­ to properly please you, I have only what I saw from you and the girls last night to use as reference. I also have ¡­ next to no experience with males. I ask that you please excuse me in advance for my lack of experience in these arts,¡± Mametama informed.

    Come to think of it, she did mention about working almost non-stop to get a good position back in her realm. Guess she wasn¡¯t called ¡®Queen of Diligence¡¯ for no reason, but does she really have no knowledge with this stuff at all? In that case ...

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mametama,¡± I said, ¡°I think in a case like this, when in doubt, just go by your feelings.¡±

    Mametama blinked in confusion, ¡°My ¡­ feelings?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Yeah. Consent may have to be kept in mind, but this is really doing what you want to do with your lover while both have a good time. This is ¡­ your first time, yes?¡±

    Mametama only nodded meekly while keeping her eyes on me.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll take this on at your pace. It¡¯s a special occasion that I want you to enjoy, so I¡¯ll go along with what you want to do,¡± I said.

    Mametama averted her gaze in thought for a moment before shifting back to me, ¡°I know I want to make you feel good, Milord, first and foremost, but ¡­ if the other things I want to do make you feel good, then it is okay?¡±

    I nodded in confirmation.

    ¡°Then I want ¡­ to try kissing, like you had with the girls last night, while petting me, but different from what you have been doing up to now, if that makes sense?¡± Mametama asked, sounding uncertain.

    ¡°I understand the kissing, but what do you mean by petting you differently?¡± I asked while tilting my head, looking confused.

    ¡°I mean ¡­ petting me in places other than my head,¡± she answered, averting her gaze while blushing.

    ¡°Where else would you want me to pet you?¡± I asked.

    <Jinma, I know what you¡¯re trying to do, and I have to say, you¡¯re a sly, cunning son of a bitch, and I love you for it,> Nyra commented in my mind.

    I actually had some idea of what Mametama was talking about, but I wanted to see if she could say it explicitly. The fact she was having difficulty voicing it out was already cute enough.

    Mametama bit her lip while blushing and averting her gaze in embarrassment, tinting her dark brown skin with a deep red color. The sight made my heart race, pushing its blood directly to my already erect tower that was straining against my pants.

    ¡°I want ¡­ my buns, to be petted,¡± my cougar girl finally admitted in a strained voice. To emphasize her desire, she took one of my hands that were hanging limply and placed it on her dark-skinned derriere. The feeling must be unfamiliar in her new body, because I felt her body shiver on contact. This somehow made her step closer to me where her large meat buns pressed against my chest. I could feel through my shirt how her nipples were erecting and poking me.

    Mametama¡¯s breaths turned hot and shallow as they hit my neck. I caught a brief whiff of her jade hair while it was close enough, plus my [Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Senses] ability to assist me. I only used the [Clean] Null Spell on us to wipe the blood and other stuff off our bodies before coming into the inn earlier. With that in mind, I was smelling this cougar girl¡¯s all-natural, feminine scent. My primal, male instincts were turning my body on in response to these pheromones, naturally preparing itself to breed and impregnate the female before me. It¡¯s a miracle I had some sense of reason enough to hold myself back from pouncing on Mametama like a wild animal. I had to let her see this through on her own. It was the best acknowledgement to her heavenly gates that I could give while at the same time receiving pleasure of seeing how hot and erotic she was making herself.

    ¡°I want ¡­ my buns, my tits, my ¡­ aching pussy, to be petted by your god-like hands while you kiss me,¡± Mametama breathed in a pleading tone before moving her head to face me, seeing the pupils in her eyes fully dilated from arousal, ¡°Please, Milord, grant me this selfish request while I give you pleasure with my new body.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask me twice,¡± I answered, fully sold to my cougar girl¡¯s performance before locking my lips to her own.

    ¡°Mmh!¡± she yelped in her muffled mouth, her body straightening up in shock, but then totally relaxing as she submitted to her own desires and moved her lips against mine.

    While my other hand was free, it reached up to one of the large, firm mochis that were pressing against me to fulfill part of the request I was given. The cushion I was feeling certainly had some perkiness, but it still had enough amazing elasticity for me to sink my fingers into while rolling it around, almost like a water balloon. I especially noticed how the hard, erect bead could cover most of my thumb as I caressed it while the disc surrounding it had a baby smooth texture. Add into her size being comparable to my wife¡¯s, this was a fine fruit Mametama possessed.

    A deep, heavy sigh blew from my cougar girl¡¯s nose as I ran over the large, dark-skinned trunk with my hand that was already there, occasionally brushing my thumb over her thick, furry cougar tail that stiffened up at forty-five degrees. From how tight, firm, and large it was as I tried to sink my fingers into her flesh, I wondered if they reflected her physique in cougar form in some way. Cougars were considered as predators that hunt their prey, which I imagine would involve a lot of pouncing, leaping, and running. Coincidentally, she mentioned she had the Hunter class for her fighting style. As I ran one of my hands over her thigh, which blended into a frame that¡¯s akin to her original form, even through her fur, I noticed how hard and muscular it was. Putting the melons aside for questioning, I seemed to be getting somewhere with my animal-to-human(oid) theory as it all matched, and part of me wanted to lay my head on these amazing thighs to see how well they¡¯d serve as my lap pillow. Maybe another time.

    I knew Mametama wanted her pussy to be ¡®petted¡¯ as well, but since both my hands were full, I wondered what I should do to accommodate it. My cougar girl seemed to realize this somehow and was one step ahead. As she kissed me, she reached and slid my pants down. My hard, throbbing sausage was set free as it flopped and stood up with pride. Then, using her feral-like hand, Mametama positioned my spear to where she could set herself on top of it. I didn¡¯t penetrate her new honey pot. No, she literally sat on top of my banana, with her pussy soaking wet and dripping with fluids, while her thick, furry thighs trapped me between them. I was a little over [~ 8 inches], so it wasn¡¯t impossible for her to pull this off and I could imagine my head was poking out the other side. It created a hot, damp environment for my sword as she used it to ¡®pet¡¯ her pussy herself by rocking her hips while she kissing me. The way her slit and thighs grinded against me, a mixture of hot, wet skin and fur, was a surreal experience while my hands were on her derriere and melon as I kissed her.

    Speaking of kissing, our makeout session turned hotter as we got our tongues in the mix. I had no idea who initiated it, but I noticed how Mametama¡¯s tongue was slightly rougher compared to the other girls¡¯. Maybe this was another trait that was transferred over from her feline form, but adjusted to an extent to achieve certain functions. Whatever the case, I was pleased with this new experience.

    The minute or two of our kissing felt like an hour to me with all these sensations on my body¡ªwhether that was due to my heightened perception from my skills can be debatable¡ªbefore we finally broke away with a gasp, her grinding against my spear stopped. Our mess of slobber dripped down to Mametama¡¯s valley as she gazed longingly at me with bated breath.

    ¡°So. How was your first kiss in this form?¡± I asked in between breaths.

    ¡°I can see, why Raizans like to do this,¡± Mametama responded in the same manner, ¡°And your petting techniques, were amazing, Milord. I might get addicted, to this myself.¡±

    That might have been more my maxed-out [Sex Technique] skill putting itself to work automatically, but now that she pointed out, could I implement my [Petting] skill with it in Mametama¡¯s case? Could I do the same with the other girls?

    <If that were possible, you¡¯d be a hell of an adversary in bed. I say we give it a test next time,> Nyra suggested after reading my mind.

    Once Mametama caught her breath, she looked back to me, ¡°Thank you for fulfilling my request in an exemplary manner, Milord. Was my body to your liking?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Very much so.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you¡¯re finished, Mametama!¡± Ume intervened, ¡°Jin hasn¡¯t come yet and I¡¯m seeing more of your fluids dripping than his!¡±

    ¡°I-I am aware of that! I was just ¡­ warming up a little! I have not ¡­ c-come yet either!¡± Mametama exclaimed, flustered.

    ¡°Do you want to come first to get more comfortable?¡± I asked calmly. It¡¯s probably because of the number of times I had sex¡ªand maybe the number of girls to do it with¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t as awkward talking about this now as I was a while back. Then again, putting up with Nyra¡¯s crude humor probably made me numb to the awkward feelings too.

    Mametama shook her head while raising a hand, ¡°I appreciate your kindness, Milord, but I would be ashamed as your familiar¡ªas well as one of your lovers¡ªif I put my own pleasures above yours. You have fulfilled my selfish request, now it is my turn to tend to your needs.¡±

    I mean, I want to make you feel good too, I thought, not able to voice it aloud as the cougar girl set my shoulders back to the wall.

 Chapter 120: Gathering â€˜Samplesâ€™, Part 2

    ¡°Please lean back and relax while I service you, Milord,¡± Mametama requested before giving me a brief kiss and lowered herself to my erected tower¡¯s level, looking at it with widened eyes, ¡°G-Goodness. It¡¯s to be expected of Milord that his symbol of a male would have splendor, but now that I am seeing it up close, it is more than I had imagined.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sure some females would kill to get screwed by a tool like that. I can tell you confidently from experience that you may never get bored with it once you get a taste,¡± Ume gloated with a hand to her bosom.

    While the praise is boosting my confidence, I can¡¯t help but feel a little pressured of fulfilling the expectations behind them.

    <Relax, Jinma,> Nyra said, reading my thoughts, <Once you gain enough experience in this dance, it will all come naturally to you.>

    ¡°Okay, if I remember correctly, Kalline and Erizora serviced Milord a little like this,¡± Mametama said as she lifted my spear and planted her nose into the middle of my sack before taking a big whiff of the musk that came from it. Her cougar ears twitched and her matching tail stood up as she smelled my bag some more, catching my scent from every part that could be explored. Finally, she took her tongue and ran it all over my it before giving the long weapon sticking out some attention next. Mametama¡¯s tongue was a little rougher than the other girls, but instead of pain, it gave more of a ticklish sensation unlike anything my male parts had experienced yet. It could also be my defense ability that extended to my member to take a hit as well, and if that were the case, I may have more leeway to try having rougher tangos with some of the more ¡®dangerous¡¯ races of the Demon-Kin. If one monster girl gave such an exotic experience that¡¯s just as different as from the next, then my hornier, more virile side of me wanted to live through as many moments as it could. Nyra might be influencing me to go to such lengths, but I was all for this plan.

    As Mametama continued servicing my banana and nuts with her tongue, she would occasionally run her soft, smooth face along them, caressing them with her cheeks, even her jade hair would sometimes brush along them as she went with these motions. This was all while her eyes looked up to me, silently requesting me to watch her give my foods the proper affection they deserved. It reminded me of how a cat would rub itself against something to leave a scent, so maybe those instincts were taking effect as Mametama was servicing me. The view and the sensations I was experiencing were so hot and exotic that my fruit got harder and more swollen, leaking fluids that would smear on the cougar girl¡¯s face, but she wasn¡¯t bothered in the slightest. It was like she welcomed the gesture before she lapped the remainder off the tip, which sent shocks down my spine for how sensitive it was right now.

    The tanned cougar girl then moved on to take the head of my spear in her mouth. She was subtly surprised at how much space it took already, but she was not deterred as she pushed forward.

    My breath was slowly getting sucked away from this unique oral treatment, so I had to strain out my next words to advise my familiar, ¡°T-Try not to take more than you can handle. Take it easy a bit.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± she hummed in confirmation, but it didn¡¯t look like I made much influence in her course of action.

    Mametama was almost halfway down my shaft by the time its head hit the back of her throat. Her gag reflexes reacted to this alien occurrence, contracting the insides of her mouth to squeeze around my weapon that already took up the majority of its space. This pressure surrounding part of my hardness was pleasing to me, but I couldn¡¯t say it was the same for my cougar familiar who was trying her hardest to take more of me inside her, despite her gag reflexes preventing it.

    ¡°This is getting painful to watch,¡± Ume said as she approached us and squatted down next to Mametama. I was too distracted to even notice, but my dragon wife had stripped down while I was being serviced. Her unique cheongsam was currently sitting on the restroom counter.

    ¡°Hm?!¡± Mametama hummed in shock.

    ¡°You¡¯re obviously lacking too much experience to take Jin¡¯s whole fruit in your gullet yet. I¡¯ll take some of the load off your hands and tend to the places you can¡¯t reach. Just focus on tending to what you can cover so Jin can release his seed,¡± Ume ordered before letting her long, reptilian-like tongue hang down. She ran it over my swollen grapes first, caressing each with care, then moved it up to the half of my banana not in Mametama¡¯s mouth. With impressive dexterity, she curled her tongue around the exposed base of my flesh and started jerking it off. This sent more electricity down my spine that made me stiffen in place.

    ¡°Hm ¡­¡± my familiar responded in a subdued tone before slowly pulling herself back and started bobbing her head, running the insides of her mouth over the upper half and head of my stem. She brushed her rough tongue over the underside of my tip back and forth, sometimes stopping to swirl all around it a few times before going back to her bobs. Her lips had made contact with Ume¡¯s tongue multiple times while she continued to jerk the rest of me off with it. Neither of them seem to have minded these accidental touches. Going by their flushed faces, it somehow got them more into it to where they synced their movements to intentionally clash into each other. In a way, this was about as close to a ¡®kiss¡¯ as they could get under these positions. The uniqueness of the sight before my eyes as I watched them made this teamwork all the more appealing.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    This double oral treatment was a totally new experience for me. The contrasting motions at the halves of my banana; the different textures between my wife¡¯s long, dexterous, smooth tongue and my familiar¡¯s flat, clumsy, rough one; even the heat given off from their mouths were different in temperatures. There were so many different sensations acting on my fruit at once that any normal man likely wouldn¡¯t last even two minutes before finishing prematurely. I was already backed-up after the abrupt end to my moment with Mametama back in the dungeon. My earlier makeout session with her while she grinded my fruit between her thighs and honey pot just made me even more pent up. With this sensational double mouth blow, it may not have lasted long, but I was already at my peak to release everything I had stored so far today. The pleasure was so overwhelming that my reasoning and logic were momentarily lost. I couldn¡¯t keep my [Release Control] going for the life of me

    ¡°Fuck! Too much! I¡¯m going to come!¡± I grunted, taking Mametama¡¯s head into my hands.

    ¡°Hm?!¡± my familiar hummed in bewilderment before I shoved as much of my eggplant into her gullet as possible.

    Loads of seed surged from my nuts to the hole before they were blasted out, going straight into Mametama¡¯s maw and down her throat. It wasn¡¯t able to take such large volumes all at once, however, as the remainder of my thick, viscous fluids filled out her tanned cheeks. The suddenness of it all made my cougar girl familiar cough over my flesh at first, dribbling some of that liquid out and making a mess below us, but she quickly straightened herself out and took it all in like it was her duty. She grabbed my behind with her beastly, feline claws for support, keeping herself steady while swallowing as much of my manly nectar as she could with large, hearty gulps with eyes closed. My familiar took it all in like drinking water straight out of the tap.

    Finally, after a couple seconds, my climax died down, and my sack emptied the last of its contents at this time. Mametama licked up what was leftover on my shaft and her chin before taking one last gulp, breathing a heavy, wide open-mouthed sigh while proving there wasn¡¯t anything left inside. My spear was still hard even after unleashing such a large load, like it had never released anything in the first place.

    This is one of the benefits to my new [Stiffness Control] skill. As its name implied, it lets me control when I can get hard or stay soft at any time, even if I was feeling horny during the latter. It also helps me stay hard for long periods, even if I had just released a load moments ago. I can only imagine this as one of the ¡®cheat¡¯ skills that centered around adult play. I¡¯d have no problem doing it with multiple girls at once without giving the little guy a breather. The same can be said if I¡¯m doing it with a single girl who either takes longer to release or just isn¡¯t satisfied with only one of it. Knowing that I can also change how hard I was, from being incredibly soft to reaching maximum hardness with intimidating size and swollenness, I¡¯d as Nyra would quote, ¡®conquer any female as king of the bedroom.¡¯

    I wondered if I only received this skill after my [Vigorous Libido] skill got to level 50. It usually goes up by one after having a dance with a new girl for the first time, and that¡¯s if that girl was a human. Having the tango with different demons, however, gives you different level-ups as well as other benefits that are reflected on their subrace. If I wanted to reach this level the normal way, I¡¯d need to sleep with 50 human girls. That might be possible if I frequent brothels, but I can understand getting the money for it would be a hell of a challenge. With all that taken into consideration, it would make sense that I¡¯d gain the [Stiffness Control] skill now instead of later.

    The question now, though, is how far can I go with the [Vigorous Libido] skill? What would happen if I reached its level cap (if it has one)? What more could I even do to give myself and my girls the best time of their lives in the throes of dance? I was eager to try different things in this subject if it meant I can get closer to reaching [Vigorous Libido]¡¯s level cap.

    ¡°Thank you for the meal,¡± Mametama thanked in a sultry, moan-like tone while standing up, rubbing her toned, tanned stomach that now had my seed swimming inside.

    I scratched my head awkwardly, ¡°Sorry for that rough treatment at the end. Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to worry about, Milord. I have never felt better,¡± she answered with a hand to her bare bosom.

    ¡°Just out of curiosity, how does it taste?¡± I asked.

    She closed her eyes and hummed in content, ¡°Mm. I could still taste some of it, and it was more filling than I expected, not to mention delectable. I think I will grow fond of your seed quickly, Milord.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it, Mametama, but you swallowed the majority of samples I needed,¡± Ume intervened while holding up the familiar glass container with unamused eyes. Apparently, she acted quick enough to catch some of the fluid that spilled, but the amount inside didn¡¯t even take up a tenth of its total volume.

    ¡°... Oh, right,¡± Mametama and I responded in sync, totally forgetting the point of us doing this so suddenly.

    ¡°Well, at least with this, we can do another test on your capability as one of Jin¡¯s lovers,¡± Ume said while setting the glass container on the floor before going around and crouching behind Mametama.

    ¡°Lady Umeiyon? What are you do¡ªIING?!¡± Mametama yelped as Ume grabbed my familiar by the thighs and effortlessly lifted her off the floor, spreading her legs wide and held in a position that fully exposed her sopping wet, swollen lips. My cougar girl¡¯s fluids were dripping down to my wife¡¯s honey pot that was also getting damp as the latter took a seat on the counter.

    ¡°Time for the second part of your ¡®initiation¡¯ into Jin¡¯s harem: taking his wood inside your door,¡± Ume declared.

 Chapter 121: Gathering Samples, Part 3

    ¡°Tell me, have you had the tango with anyone else before him?¡± Ume asked Mametama from behind.

    The cougar girl bit her lip and averted her gaze in heated embarrassment, ¡°... No. I have not. No male before Milord was willing to go very far with me after a few dates.¡±

    ¡°I seee, so Jin will be taking your virginity, not just in this form, but in your entire being as a female?¡± my wife asked in a teasing-like tone.

    ¡°Ume, please don¡¯t tease her. You didn¡¯t even know what this dance was before I had to explain it to you, let alone taking your own virginity soon afterward,¡± I argued.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t spout stuff like that in front of her!¡± Ume exclaimed, now turning just as flustered.

    ¡°Speaking of, I¡¯m seeing you getting a little damp too. Are you needing some action as well?¡± I asked Ume.

    My dragon wife averted her gaze with a blush, ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯d like something as a reward for all my research last night, at least.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of you as well, Ume. Just let me tend to Mametama first,¡± I requested.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± she answered before we sealed the deal with a quick kiss over Mametama¡¯s shoulder.

    I then directed my attention back at my cougar girl, ¡°As for you, it may be uncomfortable at first, but I¡¯ll go slow and easy. Just tell me if I need to stop or something at any time, okay?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, Milord,¡± Mametama thanked before I surprised her with a kiss, which she accepted happily.

    Just so I don¡¯t risk either of my lovers getting pregnant, I cast [Contraception] to produce the hot lube that kills seeds to prevent pregnancies. It also served as an aphrodisiac, but I didn¡¯t want to get any of us so turned on that we¡¯d be stuck here getting off until it dies down. With that in mind, I applied as much as I needed on myself before I felt its effects kicking in at an instant. A pleasing heat coursed through my swollen balls and hard spear, readying themselves for round two.

    Lubed and ready to go, I set my head against Mametama¡¯s entrance. At first glance, it seemed impossible for someone of my size to get inside her; however, a woman¡¯s honeypot is a very durable and flexible thing, despite how painful it might feel at first. It had to be flexible to some extent, or women would have a bad time once they go into labor. I think I heard that those who are more physically fit or wider in the hips would be able to take ¡®bigger things¡¯ inside, and my cougar girl wasn¡¯t lacking in either of those departments. Add that she was sopping wet and Ume was spreading her wide as well, the penetration should be smooth to an extent.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to start pushing in, Mametama. Try to relax your cat while I do this slowly,¡± I advised.

    My cougar girl familiar wrapped her arms around my head for support, ¡°I will try, Milord. Whenever you are ready.¡±

    I nodded and looked down to where our privates were touching, my tip setting just above her entrance. I started applying some pressure before the head of my spear popped smoothly inside Mametama¡¯s hole.

    ¡°Grk!¡±

    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked Mametama, looking up with concern.

    ¡°I ¡­ am fine. Please keep going.¡±

    Confirming her okay to continue, I pushed myself further inside, experiencing more tightness surrounding my weapon than I thought was possible for a virgin female. Maybe it¡¯s because Mametama¡¯s Demon-Kin body is so new and fresh? Or could it be that my sword has grown so big that getting it into virgins became more of a challenge? Either way, I needed to make sure her first time was a memorable one, at the least, and the less I hurt her, the better.

    I watched as my engorged cucumber disappeared inside my cougar girl¡¯s wet soil, stretching it around and digging into her insides like a drill. Thanks to the effects of my [Sweet Spots] skill, giving me an x-ray-like vision inside her chambers, I could see how my vegetable was pushing against her inner walls. It molded them into its shape and took up space like it was nobody¡¯s business, all while running over the small pink lights that indicated where she¡¯d feel these sensations best. The heat and high pressure squeezing and milking my shaft was driving me wild, sending electric signals of pleasure that coursed through my body.

    Mametama, meanwhile, was letting out guttural grunts of pain, clinging herself on me and tearing into my jacket and shirt with her claws like she did before in the dungeon. Actually, from how her claws were digging into my skin, this was stronger than before, but it didn¡¯t hurt. If I had to describe it, it was like someone was pushing multiple sharpened pencils on my back, not stabbing or puncturing holes on it, but applying enough pressure to tell me that someone was doing something behind me. With Mametama doing this, though, I was getting an odd adrenaline rush over it, but it definitely wasn¡¯t the same for her. As much pain as my cougar girl was in, she was yelling, ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Keep going! Keep pushing!¡± and other similar things. I thought of going even slower, but I could be drawing out the pain for a longer period than making it easier for her. Part of me was still worried about her well-being, but then I saw her [Climax Gauge] getting closer and closer to the peak. This meant she was indeed getting a kick out of this, so I just kept my pace, sliding in more and more by the centimeter, causing her [Climax Gauge] to rise in sync and more heat and pressure to surround my shaft.

    As for Ume, she was keeping my cougar girl¡¯s hips steady so she doesn¡¯t make sudden jerking moves. She knew from experience just how much it hurts trying to take everything all at once, and I had to use [Heal] to close any rips and tears that came afterward. With Ume helping Mametama like this, keeping her from making the same mistake, she really was looking out for the other girls as my harem¡¯s head wife. I was very lucky she seeked me out and asked me to be her mate.

    Finally, after what felt like minutes, I bottomed out, both of our pelvises were touching. I could feel the entirety of my shaft enveloped, squeezed, and milked by my cougar girl¡¯s hot, wet walls. My tip was also pressing onto something like a wall at the end, meaning I was just big enough to reach her hallway¡¯s end.

    ¡°Mametama, you did it. I¡¯m all the way in,¡± I said, slightly breaking a sweat.

    My cougar familiar wrapped both arms and legs around me and clung to my body as much as possible, her head on my shoulder, breathing heavily from all the screaming and sweating more than I was, ¡°Milord ¡­ I am so happy that my new body can accept all of you now. I can feel you inside me, hot, throbbing, and pressing against my stomach. I had no idea ¡­ that this can feel this good.¡±

    My hands reached for her buns, both to cop a feel as well as give support in her hold. With my strength, she didn¡¯t feel heavy to me, ¡°Well, don¡¯t think this is everything. Once you get acclimated, we can start the fun for real. Are you ready?¡±

    She moved her head back to look at me, ¡°Please give me a bit to mentally prepare myself ¡­ and would it be too much to ask for a kiss from you?¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°Nothing is ¡®too much¡¯ for me to give you, Mametama.¡±

    I then granted my cougar girl¡¯s request and planted my lips onto hers. We quickly wrestled tongues, our saliva spilling over and making a mess on our chests. Her feminine fluids dribbled down my balls and to the floor while my fingers squeezed and sunk into the taut flesh of her rear. With my [Stiffness Control], my shaft that was inside her was still rock hard and didn¡¯t soften for a moment. It throbbed in sync with her inner walls¡¯ squeezings, both were getting comfortable with each other¡¯s company as they worked together into making a mold inside Mametama¡¯s honeypot for my personal use.

    ¡°Mmmh. Do you like my new derriere, Master?¡± she asked in between kisses.

    ¡°I love your new derriere. I want to screw it silly,¡± I answered, squeezing and clapping her cheeks to emphasize my desire.

    She giggled at my playful act and moved her head to my ear, ¡°Well, Milord, this trunk, this rack, these melons, and everything else are yours to do as you please. Whenever you are ready, take your big, majestic tool and screw me stupid.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint!¡± I answered with excited determination before gripping her backside and lifted her up, sliding out of my tool until only my tip remained inside. I then let gravity do part of the work and dropped her back down, her bottom pounded me on impact with my head pushing more into her chamber than before.

    My cougar girl screamed at the sudden drop in shock, pain, and pleasure before her entrance contracted tightly around my shaft. Her body spasmed and contracted in place. At my periphery, I noticed her [Climax Gauge] sky-rocketed to the end, meaning she was experiencing her first orgasm in this form.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    I grew impatient, pent-up, and virile, not willing to wait out her climax while I still haven¡¯t left my mark inside her. Sure, I could probably release right there if I wanted to, my [Release Control] was more than ready to let it go back when I was still trying to get inside her, but what fun would doing it so soon be?

    So, while Mametama was in the middle of her climax, I lifted up and dropped her trunk the same way I did before and repeated the motion, all at an increasing pace and force, the claps of our bodies hitting together sounded through the restroom¡ªor more specifically, the field in the restroom created by Ume¡¯s Ancient Magic that made any action of ours undetectable to those outside of it.

    ¡°Ah! Ah! Ah! Aaaah! Milord! It¡¯s so good! It feels so good! I can¡¯t stop! I can¡¯t! Stop! Comiiiiiing!¡± Mametama cried in excitement, her face was the picture of an adult woman getting her brains humped out and loving it. The cougar girl lost all control of her hips as they clumsily, yet erratically rocked themselves in sync with my own, the slaps sounding more wet as more of her fluids were making a mess on the restroom floor. Her inner walls had a strong grip, yet still smooth and slick with her liquids, running themselves over my tool that was repeatedly hitting her hallway¡¯s end. It was a wonder how her claws were still gripping onto my back for dear life with all that going on.

    Just as she said, her [Climax Gauge] was quickly filling up and peaking repeatedly, even though she was still in the middle of an orgasm moments ago. This meant she was in a continuous state of climax with no way to tell when it would subside. Mametama had just given up her first time today, and it was in her brand new humanoid body. The pleasure she was feeling for the first time must have been so surreal to her that it was overwhelming all her altered, if not heightened senses that came with the new body. I could feel how excited she was from the way her insides have continuously squeezed and milked my fruit for its seed, all from her spasming at the peak of delight. Whether the aphrodisiac effects from [Contraception]¡¯s lube took part in her highly aroused state was hard to tell at this point. The same went for me, but feeling how her hot, soaking wet, aggressive lower mouth was starving enough to milk my fruit for everything it had, I was all the more determined and excited to mark her insides, permanently making her mine.

    I was already good to go for unloading a high volume of seed inside, but since I probably won¡¯t be doing this again with her for a while after this¡ªto not risk getting my familiars¡¯ final forms exposed¡ªI needed to make the finisher worthwhile and end this with a bang. With my [¡®Tango¡¯ Technique] in play while gripping her ass tightly, I rapidly pumped my throbbing, swollen cock into Mametama¡¯s chambers like a piston. I rubbed into her [Sweet Spots] every time, the way her spasming inner walls were trying to get a hold of my manliness with all their might, they were practically begging me to release inside her already. My balls engorged with cloudy liquids slapped against the cougar girl¡¯s bottom while more of her feminine fluids dribbled down to the restroom floor. I couldn¡¯t tell what either of her fluids were at this point from how hot and wet it was making our genitals, maybe a little of both? Either way, my willpower and [Release Control] was keeping my load inside at this point, but I was about ready to blow.

    ¡°Mametama! You better get ready! I got a large one coming your way!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes! Yes! Do it, Milord! Screw me! Mark me! Come inside me! Take your hot, majestic seed and breed with meeeeee!¡± my cougar girl pleaded. The cool cucumber familiar I knew was pretty much not here at this point. This was a woman desperate to breed with a man, and I didn¡¯t dislike this side of her in the slightest. Though I couldn¡¯t give her children right now¡ªor if that was even possible between a master and familiar¡ªI definitely wanted this to seem like she was fertilized, so I was going to stick my squirter all the way up and shoot straight into her innermost chambers.

    I built up to that moment of climax and set my tool in position, ¡°Take this seed and become my woman, Mametama!¡±

    ¡°YEEEEEES! YES, MILOOOOOOOORD!¡± Mametama cried in great delight as I unloaded myself inside her.

    I felt the pressure in my squirter shooting the liquid straight out of its hole. Through my [Sweet Spot] skill¡¯s x-ray-like vision, I saw my fluids quickly filling up her chambers to their max capacity. When the they couldn¡¯t hold anymore, the fluids squeezed in the tight space between my tool and Mametama¡¯s lower mouth before leaking out of her entrance in large, thick, viscous globs in a yellowish-white color. I didn¡¯t know how small a woman¡¯s inner hole was, but I think I knew enough that not all of them are the same. From my times with the other girls, I was probably too blinded by lust to not notice this until now, but I was surprised to see my fluids actually going straight inside the chamber like I had seen in some doujinshis. I highly doubt this would even be possible to achieve back on Earth, but I guess what you¡¯re limited to on Raiza was based on your skills and abilities.

    ¡°F-full uh ¡­ Milord seed ¡­ swim inside me,¡± Mametama muttered awkwardly as her body spasmed in climax. It may not look pretty from the outside, but one glance at Mametama¡¯s flushed ahegao face was enough to say that she wasn¡¯t hurt in the slightest.

    When my release died down enough, I picked up my cougar girl¡¯s lolled-out tongue with my own and gave a wet, messy, kiss. From how little her own mouth was cooperating in our make-out, all those multiple climaxes might have made her mind go numb, not sending the needed signals to move her body.

    That good, huh? I thought before breaking the kiss and pulling myself out of her entrance. Thanks to my [Stiffness Control] skill, my tool may have gotten soft from the ejaculation for a moment, but it quickly got back up to peak hardness again and ready for the next round. Just as my tip popped out of the entrance, our concoction of juices dribbled down and into a funnel that sat on Ume¡¯s beaker. I guess she figured a big mess would occur and took a funnel from her [Storage] to catch as much as it could.

    It didn¡¯t look like Mametama could stand from how she could barely move her muscles right now, so I used my [Darkness Magic] to create a special seat that¡¯s similar to a toilet stall and sat my elated cougar girl on it. With her legs spread and posture in a more comfortable position, more of our fluids continued to dribble down through the toilet seat-like cushion and into the beaker.

    ¡°I gotta tend to my wife now, so relax and let your body recover while emptying itself of my seed, okay Mametama?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ Milord,¡± she answered before I gave her one more kiss.

    Just as I was about to check on my wife, multiple notices appeared in front of me.

    [You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 65!]

    [You have now achieved the ¡®Hungry Predator¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Pleasure Seeker*¡¯!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Werecougar¡¯s Mate¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Leap¡¯ LV 1!]

    [You have achieved the ¡®Queen of Diligence¡¯s King¡¯ title!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Perseverance¡¯ MAX LV!]

    [You have now learned ¡®Reduced Exhaustion¡¯ LV 1!]

    <Whoa! Nyra! Are you seeing this?! Wasn¡¯t my [Vigorous Libido] at LV 50 before?!> I exclaimed through [Telepathy].

    <Indeed, it was. Looks like having sex with Pussycat for the first time brought your [Vigorous Libido] up by fifteen levels. Hmm ¡­ it has gone up a couple levels for every girl from the Demon-Kin so far by varying degrees, with the exception of Scalybutt giving you twenty levels to that skill, and she was a Dragon. I¡¯ve been thinking this for a while, but maybe you¡¯re getting more levels to that skill due to how likely it would be for humans to successfully have a dance with someone of a different race. The less likely it is, like a Dragon and a familiar in their final form, the more you get out of it than normal after the deed is done,> Nyra theorized.

    I nodded in agreement, <I can see that making sense. I mean, who would even believe a guy had sex with a Dragon, knowing how rare they usually are to come across. Heck, under normal circumstances, knowing how prideful Dragons can be with their strength and magic, getting humiliated like that would spell death for that bastard.>

    ¡°Oh hooooneyyyyyy,¡± Ume cooed, snapping my attention to her.

    The first thing standing out to me was a plump, peach-like backside, the large reptilian tail attached to the tailbone curled up to present its luscious cheeks. A claw that matched the tail reached back to part its flesh open, revealing the dripping, steaming entrance that was hungry for a male¡¯s manhood. My dragon wife was supporting herself over the restroom¡¯s counter, looking back at me with a sultry gaze.

    ¡°This patient, yet horny wife is waiting for her husband¡¯s big, proud hardness to stuff her kitty and fill it up with seed,¡± Ume declared, waving her trunk side to side as a way to beckon me over, ¡°Come over and screw this Dragon senseless like you did to your familiar.¡±

    <Well, at least Scalybutt has no issues with you taking charge of her body,> Nyra commented, <Let¡¯s go over this and the other skills later, after you tend to your wife.>

    <No objections here.>

    I ended up coming two more times. The first being inside Ume¡¯s kitty, and there was already more than enough seed for sampling by the time my familiar was fully empty. Ume wanted more down her gullet to serve as the ¡®appetizer¡¯ before breakfast, and I of course was not the kind of man to leave a woman hungry, so I shot the second of my two loads down there. While my dragon wife gave me another oral treatment, she waited for my seed to drip from her roughed-up honeypot down into the beaker like Mametama had. By the time we were done, Ume¡¯s beaker was near full of my seed and their feminine fluids. I was concerned this concoction will affect anything in her Signature Magic research, but she said the magic can tell apart whatever was making contact with it when finding a match. If the concoction needed to be separated for some experiments, however, she apparently has a way to make that possible with her Ancient Magic, so I guess that¡¯s one less thing I need to worry about.

    Speaking of Ancient Magic, Ume¡¯s hide detection spell was really something else. Over the course of getting my ¡®samples¡¯ drawn out, the few females who entered and exited the restroom didn¡¯t notice anything in the slightest as they went about their usual lady business. I also started to learn why they tended to take so long in restrooms than the guys, and it wasn¡¯t just ¡®expelling waste.¡¯ It didn¡¯t have any significance to me, however, so I decided to just push this ¡®info¡¯ to the very back of my mind.

    After recollecting our energy and cleaning up our mess¡ªand ourselves¡ªwith my [Clean] null spell, Mametama went back to her cougar cub form and I carried her in my arms while I walked out of the women¡¯s restroom with Ume.

    Thanks to the release these girls gave me, I was in a more relaxed, clearer mindset. As we were going to check on the rest of our party for breakfast, I thought of how to bring up the dilemma with Nyra¡¯s misplaced memories. Depending on how long this could go, we may be making Noire wait a little to discuss our plan on how to tackle the dungeon, but the well-being of my partner, as well as the girls in my harem, will always take higher priority for me.

    Still, I wanted to have everything settled in one fell swoop, and I will start by finding and taking out the bastard who messed with Nyra¡¯s head.

 Chapter 122: Smells of Breakfast and Pheromones

    The three of us split off for a moment after we left the women¡¯s restroom, with Ume and I going to our rooms to check in on everyone while Mametama sat with Kenaka to save our seats. For those who stayed with me last night, Kalline, Erizora, and Sue, they were just changing into their gear as I walked in. My Centaur and Ogre girls were delighted to see me as I told everyone I was out training, but the Arch Imp fangirl showed great surprise moments after she saw me. I asked Sue if there was something on me that was such a shock to her, but she only said she noticed how much stronger I had gotten in my short time away. Maybe she had some skills that told her that much about me, but I wondered what she saw that changed in me. Sue quickly denied my change was a bad thing when I asked, however, quite the contrary.

    ¡°I thought you were strong already, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get even stronger so quickly! You¡¯re just full of surprises!¡± was what Sue said in great delight. Erizora and Kalline nodded in agreement from the side. No one seemed too bothered by my improved strength, so I just shrugged and dropped the subject there

    Looking at Kalline, I was reminded of the [Horse Riding] skill I recently learned, likely due to me having that dance with her for the first time last night. From a functional standpoint, there wasn¡¯t much point in me possessing that skill. I could just run with my high AGI to a new place, Point B, before using [Portal] to take me back to Point A, and then use it again to get to Point B from then on. This same method would be used again from Point B to Point C, from C to D, and so on. I could even just run straight to Korangar, the kingdom¡¯s capital where the Demon King resided, from here in Palocaesy and get the travel part of my journey done within a day. It may be more efficient, but it wouldn¡¯t be as fun and relaxing as going there at a normal person¡¯s walking pace.

    As much as I wanted to learn more of what was going on with me, my [Devil Eyes], and why the Demon King was looking for me, I wasn¡¯t in a hurry. I wanted to live out the rest of my days in Raiza through ways I couldn¡¯t on Earth, and I didn¡¯t want something important to take too much control of which direction I should take in my new life. So I¡¯m going to take as much time as I can get out of living to the fullest. It was what Mom always wanted me to do even after leaving her deathbed, and I was going to honor that wish.

    Since Kalline also wanted me to ride on her like the characters in her favorite stories did together¡ªnot in that way, of course¡ªit wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a skill like [Horse Riding] to help me learn faster. If I couldn¡¯t find time to do it with her before tomorrow when we start our dungeon-crawling quest, then I was sure to do it on the way to our next destination. In the meantime, I just left this skill at LV 1 for now.

    Once my current roommates were fully changed, we met up with the rest of my party, Ume, Ren, and Tyvera, and got to one of the dining area tables that Kenaka and Mametama reserved for us. After aligning a few tables to make it big enough for us to sit together, one of the innkeepers arrived and took our orders for breakfast.

    ¡°Hey, Jinma? May I say something?¡± Sue, who was sitting next to me, asked after we finished making our orders.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice, but did you put on some cologne or something? Because you smell really good today,¡± Sue said.

    ¡°Oh! I noticed that too! It was like a fresh breeze when Master greeted us earlier! With that breeze being Master¡¯s pleasant smell, that is!¡± Erizora exclaimed.

    ¡°So ¡®tis not a Beast-Type occurrence,¡± Kalline chimed in, looking to the side in thought, ¡°Honestly, I was aware he returned quite some time ago. I have ¡­ started to become more aware and familiar of Milord¡¯s scent recently, but ¡®tis stronger than before.¡± Whatever was on her mind, it turned her cheeks red in embarrassment.

    To my surprise, I got hugged from behind before I felt a nose smelling along my neck and shoulders. ¡°... I was tempted to see Master after smelling how strong his scent was, but I didn¡¯t want to disturb him if he was still sleeping, so I held back. It was agonizing to wait though,¡± Ren said from behind.

    Come to think of it, Ren seemed like she was fighting really hard to resist from something when I greeted her earlier, I thought, thinking back to how she fiddled in place while her tail wagged erratically at first sight of me.

    ¡°You should have seen Ren, Chief, she was sitting in front of the door, just waiting to pounce whoever opened it,¡± Tyvera commented, ¡°Still, I had only met you just yesterday, yet I could already tell you came back from somewhere a while ago.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked, looking up in thought.

    I didn¡¯t own a pet back home, but I¡¯ve heard how they tend to come rushing at the door for anyone approaching the door, especially their owners. Dogs were the most likely to behave this way. Imagining Ren behaving just as Tyvera described was cute, heart wrenching, and a little worrisome of how my Werewolf slave was becoming more dog-like by the day.

    Still, going by everyone¡¯s testimonies, it was just as I thought about my new [Demon Pheromones] skill that it gets me more attention from demons. It also seems that those who resemble more to animals¡ªor ¡®Beast-Types¡¯ as Kalline described them, herself included¡ªwere more likely to catch the scent first before other races with their heightened sense of smell.

    <Come to think of it, Mametama, Kenaka, did you smell anything different from me after changing into your Demon-Kin forms?> I asked my familiars through [Telepathy].

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    <I am aware of your scent and have become more familiarized with it, but I did not notice anything different after I changed forms, Milord,> Kenaka answered first.

    <I have also become familiar with your scent, but ¡­ after I changed forms, I did notice it being more potent than before. Not only that, but not long after changing, especially when I got closer to you, your scent got me a little heated,> Mametama admitted.

    I raised my brows, <Really?>

    <Indeed. It was the same in the restroom too. Once I changed forms, I felt normal at first, but I got frisky not too long afterward,> Mametama explained.

    So [Demon Pheromones] doesn¡¯t affect male demons. It¡¯s only the female demons that take notice of my scent, but if Mametama got frisky not too long after transforming ¡­

    ¡°Kalline, Ren, Tyvera, did anything strange happen after noticing I came back?¡± I asked my Beast-Type harem members.

    ¡°Not really. I thought you forgot something and had to step out, because I could smell your scent was moving away,¡± Ren answered, still hugging me from behind. Kalline and Tyvera gave similar answers.

    Ume, who was sitting the other side of me, poked my shoulder and lightly tugged on her fin ear, giving me the tell to talk to her through [Telepathy], so I did just that.

    <Jin, did you forget that I had my hide detection spell up in the restroom? All of the people¡¯s senses outside the field, including smell, wouldn¡¯t catch anything from us that are inside it. It was obvious that the others wouldn¡¯t detect your scent, even with how strong their senses of smell are. If it¡¯s any consolation, however, I also noticed your scent changing somewhat during our time in the restroom. That was right after Mametama transformed too.>

    <What do you think, Jinma? Any ideas to what¡¯s going on?> Nyra asked.

    I looked down in thought, <Hmm ¡­ I might have some idea, but I¡¯ll need to get in the mood for dancing with one of the other girls just to make sure. If it goes as I expect it, I might have to be careful of when my [Demon Pheromones] should be left on or off.>

    ¡°¡®Twould be intriguing if that were the case, as colognes and perfumes are items that are hard for most to afford,¡± Kalline commented, hand to her chin in thought, ¡°Nobles and some high-ranked adventurers are the most likely to buy them for special occasions. I do not recall any shops in Palocaesy that sell such products, but I know some Lamias are just as capable of concocting them as they would with medicines and poisons. I believe there is distribution and trade in effect between those Lamias and the shops that are interested in marketing them?¡±

    ¡°So, did you get some cologne to smell better, Master? What¡¯s the secret?¡± Erizora asked.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t think colognes and perfumes were even a thing in this country. I can get Lamias being the most likely to make them, but did they come up with the idea by themselves, or did someone from my world bring it up to them? I remember my former coworker, Kazumi, wearing too much cologne to make me flinch every time we met up. The constant exposure to the product made me lose interest in it over time, especially since I wasn¡¯t trying to ¡®pick up ladies.¡¯

    Still, if I said I wasn¡¯t wearing anything, I wondered if those listening in, specifically the spies the Demon King might have hired to observe me, would get any strange ideas. With that in mind, I put my [Deception] skill to work and made up a good lie. I quickly filled Ume, Mametama, and Kenaka in about my lie through [Telepathy] so they wouldn¡¯t get caught off guard.

    ¡°You got me. Lady Tephalia actually hooked me up with some cologne as a gift when Ume and I had dinner with her the other night,¡± I answered, ¡°She said I should wear it if I wanted to be on good terms with the Demon-Kin, especially Lady Noire. I didn¡¯t get a chance to put it on with how crazy it got yesterday, so I¡¯m curious to see how well this works out.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I see, I can definitely see that happening,¡± Kalline said, crossing her arms and nodding to herself in agreement, ¡°Yes, ¡®twould make sense for Lady Tephalia to provide such a gift after thy heroic efforts in Dondegarm.¡±

    The majority of people around the table seemed to have bought it after hearing Kalline¡¯s input. Aside from my wife and familiars who were already filled in on my lie, I sensed two other people that weren¡¯t so easily convinced. One was Ren who still hugged me from behind, but the way she tightened her hold told me she was anxious over something. I remembered she possessed the Thief class, which allowed people to possess skills like [Deception] to tell good lies, as well as [Intuition] to see through them. I wasn¡¯t sure what level Ren was at the latter, but it was surely high enough that she sensed something was off with my story.

    I lied to avoid getting my party worried about me. Since I found out the Demon King was watching me for whatever reason, I wanted to keep the number of people involved down to a minimum. This is so I wouldn¡¯t have them carry the burden that was meant to fall on me. It was worrying enough for Ume to shoulder part of it, even if she was my (Dragon) wife who vowed to help me when I needed her. Despite my worries, she became the main foundation to my new family in this world upon our marriage. I knew well enough about families that if the people inside them really care about each other, blood-related or not, one of them can lend the other a hand when they need it. I needed to trust Ume that she¡¯ll be okay while helping me out as my wife.

    Ren, for reasons I haven¡¯t fully understood yet, has become the ¡®family pet¡¯ of our group. While the majority of pets do want to be loved, they want to return that affection to their owners in kind. That¡¯s what I want to believe about how pets work, anyway. While I¡¯ve given Ren plenty of love up to now, she likely wants to return it in her own way and doesn¡¯t want to feel left out. If she suspected me of hiding something from her and the others, then it¡¯s obvious that she¡¯d show her anxiety in this manner. With that said, since she was one of the few who were aware of my lie, maybe I should fill her in on everything up to now so she could go with the flow of other lies I¡¯ll likely tell in the future. Though it was self-appointed, Ren did take on the role of ¡®Alpha Female¡¯ in my slave harem when I redeemed her. She was practically my right-hand man. With her class, skills, and abilities, maybe she can help me in ways the others couldn¡¯t. I decided to take that into consideration.

    As for the other person who didn¡¯t buy into my lie, Sue, she only narrowed her eyes at me and gave a knowing smile. I took that to meaning, ¡°I know that¡¯s total bullshit, you can¡¯t hide it from me.¡± It gave me mixed feelings of fear and suspicion.

    Earlier, Sue said she noticed I had gotten stronger over the short time I was gone. I wondered just how much of me she can see through and whether this level of perception was even possible for an Arch Imp.

    She said she was my biggest fan at our first meeting, but ¡­ just how much does she know me? How long has she been ¡­ watching me? I thought, suddenly putting the pieces together.

 Chapter 123: The Case of a Pixies Altered Memories

    I was able to clear my mind of those thoughts after eating some of the breakfast the inn keeper brought to us. No, it was better to say my resolve was hardened from those thoughts, especially after I linked the Arch Imp¡¯s perception to the Demon King watching me. Calling my ¡®biggest fan¡¯ one of the Demon King¡¯s spies was a heavy accusation that couldn¡¯t be confirmed through gut feelings alone. I needed some proof that she¡¯s involved with this somehow, and I had just the plan to get some hints.

    <So you think Sue might be the one who altered my memories?> Nyra asked me as I was going over my plan with her throughout our meal.

    <It¡¯s only a feeling I have right now,> I explained, <I don¡¯t have hard evidence to prove she¡¯s the one yet. I want to gauge her reactions throughout my talk with the others and see if we can base anything off of those. That¡¯s why I need you to observe her and report your findings to me. Can you do that for me, Nyra?>

    <You got it, Jinma! I¡¯ll keep my hypothetical eye on her like a Harpy stalking her human male prey!> Nyra exclaimed.

    I didn¡¯t fill Ume in on the plan through [Telepathy] because it would be bad if I had a Dragon sic on an Arch Imp over a misunderstanding. A part of me also wished Sue wasn¡¯t actually one of the Demon King¡¯s spies. We had only met yesterday, but so far her excitement and affections toward me seemed genuine. Nyra could even vouch for me on the legitimacy of my fangirl¡¯s feelings. Nyra also hadn¡¯t come across anyone holding an item, skill or ability that could fake their emotions yet, so it¡¯s hard to say whether such a thing even existed. It can¡¯t be denied that such things existing could possible, however, so we couldn¡¯t cut corners on this last-minute investigation.

    With that said, I executed my plan, starting by telling everyone the news of Nyra¡¯s memory issue.

    ¡°Remembering something that you shouldn¡¯t remember ¡­ how does that work? Is it even possible to have something like that be ¡®misplaced¡¯?¡± Tyvera asked first with a raised brow.

    ¡°I am not familiar with the details, but I have heard of Null Spells that might fit that description,¡± Kalline answered, ¡°Moreover, Pixies like Nyra were said to be an empathetic race that specialize in Psyche Magic, a type of magic that is said to be hard for even those with the Sage class to learn. I would not doubt Nyra if she felt something off with her memories, and it would not be hard to imagine a Psyche Magic spell that manipulates memories could exist.¡±

    <That isn¡¯t possible,> Nyra intervened in my mind,

    I relayed what Nyra informed me to everyone at the table. Ume, having the most experience with magic out of everyone here, agreed with that statement, but it left the others looking uneasy.

    ¡°A spell that manipulates one¡¯s memories ¡­¡± Tyvera trailed off, terrified.

    ¡°If all my memories involving Master suddenly went away ¡­ I don¡¯t even want to imagine how I¡¯d turn out,¡± Ren commented, looking down at her finished plate with folded ears.

    <What¡¯s the status, Nyra?> I asked her in my mind.

    <Ohhhh we are definitely onto something here! Sue¡¯s been growing more anxious and stressed since we brought the subject up, far more than anyone else on the table! She even experienced stomach cramps before taking medicine for it! Sue may have hid the pain well on her face, but she definitely can¡¯t control the rest of her body¡¯s functions!> Nyra reported.

    I wanted to feign I wasn¡¯t paying attention to Sue as I went over the news, so I kept my eyes off her while having Nyra watching her for me. The fact that she has stomach pains from stress is a huge tell that something¡¯s on her mind. My plan seems to be working so far and things weren¡¯t looking good for our Arch Imp, but I needed to keep this going to ascertain the truth.

    ¡°Since this seemed to happen late last night, I would like to hear what everyone was doing and whether they noticed anything strange during that time. That includes those who weren¡¯t in the room with me. Ume, why don¡¯t you start?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I did some of what you call ¡®pillow talk¡¯ with Ren and Tyvera for some time last night while Kenaka just slept the whole time,¡± Ume explained, ¡°Both of them then slept later on while I continued with my research through the rest of the night, taking restroom breaks in between. I didn¡¯t notice anything strange during that time, but I could have been too engrossed with my research to not worry about my surroundings ¡­ oh, but Ren and Tyvera did step out briefly before going to sleep.¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Tyvera and I also went to the restroom before settling for bed,¡± Ren said, looking up in thought, ¡°If I don¡¯t count Master¡¯s smell of sex, I didn¡¯t notice anything strange ¡­ wait, actually, we ran into Lady Kisaki stepping out of it by herself before we went in. No one else was inside.¡±

    Tyvera nodded in confirmation to Ren¡¯s statement, ¡°It¡¯s as she says, Chief. Putting your ¡­ smell aside, I didn¡¯t notice anything strange, either.¡±

    I could make do without the suggestive commentary, thank you. Still, Kisaki was outside on her own, huh? Like Sue, I can¡¯t read her status or her location with my skills, so that really leaves her without an alibi. If I don¡¯t find anything here, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to talk to her when I have the chance.

    ¡°I was ¡­ very tired after spending time with Milord last night,¡± Kalline testified, blushing and looking to the side, ¡°All of my attention was directed to him and he put up a [Soundproof] spell to not let noise in or out, so I could not notice anything strange outside the room. Before I realized it, I fell asleep, and I didn¡¯t wake up until this morning when I found myself in a spare pillow and blanket. Mametama, Erizora, did either of you notice anything?¡±

    ¡°I grew tired and fell asleep before any of you, strangely enough,¡± Mametama explained, ¡°I was like that until Milord woke me and Kenaka up for early-morning training.¡±

    ¡°I was busy pleasing Master with my body, so I didn¡¯t notice anything either,¡± Erizora bluntly stated, ¡°I can¡¯t remember when I fell asleep, but I thought I was on the floor with Kalline. I woke up in bed with Sue this morning.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because Sue and I put you there before we went in ourselves. Right, Sue?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Sue answered with a nod.

    ¡­ Huh? Wait a second, why does this feel ...

    Erizora flushed and scratched her head in embarrassment, ¡°I-Is that right? To put my master and his fan to work like that, I¡¯m so embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ it¡¯s okay, it was pretty crazy last night¡ª¡±

    <HOLD IT!> Nyra screamed, startling me enough to make me jump in my seat.

    ¡°Jin? Is something a matter?¡± Ume asked with a raised brow.

    I had to quickly collect myself to answer, ¡°N-Nothing, it was a ¡­ bug, that I thought was on me. It surprised me a little.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well it looks like it went away now, so you¡¯re good,¡± my wife said while patting my back in comfort.

    ¡°Thanks ¡­¡± <Nyra, what is it that made you startle me like that?> I asked her through [Telepathy], slightly annoyed.

    <Jinma, what was that last thing you said to Erizora?> Nyra then asked me sternly.

    <... That it was a crazy night?>

    <No! Before that!> she exclaimed.

    <Uh ¡­ that Sue and I put Erizora to bed before we went in?> I said with uncertainty.

    <Yes! That! Are you absolutely sure that was what happened?!> Nyra asked, growing hysterical.

    <Y-Yeah, I¡¯m sure of it. I even remembered how heavy Erizora was.>

    <OBJECTION! There is a contradiction in your testimony and it¡¯s a fucking big one!> Nyra rebutted.

    <There is? But I ¡­ remembered it so clearly?> I asked, too surprised at what Nyra was hinting to even call out that Phoenix Wright reference she made.

    <You get where I¡¯m going with this, do you?> Nyra asked, <You may have remembered it clearly, but I never saw that happen, and I know that for a fact because that was around where my original memory was cut off!>

    <You don¡¯t mean ¡­> I trailed off.

    <It wasn¡¯t just my memories that were altered last night, she did it to yours too!> she exclaimed.

    My mind was drawing a blank. Up to now, I only knew Nyra¡¯s memory was altered when she mentioned it to me. I didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of the perpetrator doing the same to everyone else¡¯s memories to legitimize it as the truth. Unless the perpetrator could also alter their own memories, they would be the only one who knew what really happened.

    <I don¡¯t even need to use my memories to prove it, either,> Nyra continued, <You felt it back then, didn¡¯t you? That something felt wrong with a certain person¡¯s statement, even though you knew in your own mind that it was supposed to be true.>

    If I had to describe what the [Intuition] skill kicking in was like, imagine a bell going off in your head, but you can¡¯t hear it ringing. Or maybe it¡¯s more like fuzzy vibrations in your head? Anyway, the skill gauges how big of a lie someone¡¯s statement is through different intensities of ¡®rings¡¯ in your head. The skill¡¯s higher levels allow you to better pinpoint where in the statement seem the most suspicious, as well as the likeliness to see through lies formed from the [Deception] skill. I do not know what happens when both skills are at max level and are used against each other.

    My [Intuition] skill kicked in at its earliest when that person confirmed my supposedly ¡®true¡¯ fact played out in my falsified memories.

    For the first time since the start of discussion, I glanced over to the Arch Imp sitting next to me, whose face was stiff as stone, but her hands tightened into clenched fists. Her wings also quivered, even her tail curled around the back of her chair and gripped on it for dear life.

    Sue ¡­ no. Why?

 Chapter 124: The Arch Imps Interrogation, Part 1

    Just so everyone had a chance to speak, Sue and I gave our testimonies to what happened last night. From what I last ¡®remembered,¡¯ I finished off my last load of the night into Erizora¡ªI left this and other explicit parts out of my story when I spoke¡ªand was too tired to cast [Clean] on everything, so I decided to leave it until the next morning. With Sue¡¯s help, we carried my Ogre slave¡¯s knocked out body onto the bed and put on the covers before we slid in underneath, with the Arch Imp snuggled close to me in a position for cuddling. I didn¡¯t notice anything strange up to then before falling asleep.

    Sue confirmed my testimony while admitting she was the one that set up the spare blanket and pillow for Kalline while she was sleeping on the floor. Until she fell asleep, she didn¡¯t notice anything strange, either. My [Intuition] kicked in when she mentioned the both of us carrying Erizora to bed, so I knew that part was false, but putting the blanket and pillow for Kalline turned out to be true.

    With the mystery of Nyra¡¯s altered memories still at large¡ªaccording to most around the table¡ªit was decided that we¡¯d keep an eye out for any strange occurrences. I told everyone to be wary of those who may be observing us from the sidelines, and should we decide to split up for any reason, it was best to have our groups in pairs, at the least.

    Once we were done with breakfast, we had to prepare ourselves for the meeting with Noire. I took this opportunity to be alone with Sue, telling her to join me in my room. I filled my familiars in on what was going to happen before telling Kenaka to stand guard from outside while Mametama looked after the others.

    This was something I needed to confront on my own, especially since I was the one who allowed Sue to join us in our journey. I had to take responsibility as my adventuring party¡¯s, Twilight Sky¡¯s, leader as well as the sole male of my harem to handle this situation by whatever means necessary.

    Sue sat on the edge of the bed we slept in last night, looking somber as she stared at the floor. I stood in front of her, hand on my tanto that was holstered on my side, ready to pull out at a moment¡¯s notice. Nyra has all her attention locked on the Arch Imp for any changes in moods. A [Soundproof] bubble made by yours truly was also erected to keep the conversation private. If anybody was coming in, Kenaka would let me know through [Telepathy].

    ¡°Sue, since our party will be taking this quest tomorrow, I want to go over how you may be spending your time during our absence,¡± I started, using the upcoming quest as a way to break the ice.

    To my surprise, the Arch Imp sighed and looked up at me, ¡°You can drop the pretenses, Jinma. I know why you wanted to speak with me alone, and I want to come mostly clean.¡±

    ¡°... So it¡¯s true, then. You ¡­ you¡¯re the one who altered Nyra¡¯s memories? And what do you mean coming ¡®mostly¡¯ clean?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.

    ¡°I was planning on pretending like last night never happened, but I didn¡¯t think either of you would catch on so quickly. I must have underestimated Nyra¡¯s expertise in the workings of the mind, or maybe I was too careful in how I hid my tracks and overlooked something. Either way, I resolved myself to open up should something like this happen. So, to answer your question ¡­ yes, it is true. I¡¯m the one who altered Nyra¡¯s memories last night, as well as yours, Jinma,¡± she confessed with a straight face.

    <Sue¡¯s carrying some dread, anxiety, and stress, but she¡¯s trying to keep a steady mind ¡­ she¡¯s serious about this, Jinma,> Nyra reported in my mind.

    Even without Nyra or my [Intuition] skill, I would likely tell that Sue was telling the truth. Numerous feelings were welling inside me, but I kept them down and stayed calm. It was because I was sorting things in my head that I couldn¡¯t find something to say.

    ¡°As for what I mean by coming ¡®mostly¡¯ clean, while I do want to explain everything, I¡¯m not in the right position to do so,¡± Sue continued, ¡°I can only answer certain questions you may have based on the current circumstances, so if you have anything you want to ask, speak them now. I¡¯ll explain whatever I can.¡±

    <Well, at least she¡¯s actually willing to cooperate. I kind of expected her to fight back a little bit, but as long as she¡¯s willing to answer questions, we might as well take up her offer and see how much of a liar she is,> Nyra suggested.

    <I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re willing to hear her out, considering what she did to you,> I commented internally.

    <What she did would be very grave for us Pixies, indeed, but I can sense guilt in her mood right now. I¡¯d like to see what she has to say first before coming to a conclusion.>

    I took a deep breath to calm myself, trying to relax my grip on the tanto, but not letting it go entirely, ¡°Very well, let¡¯s start from the top. Who, or what are you? Is ¡®Sue¡¯ even your name?¡±

    ¡°¡®Sue¡¯ is what I¡¯d like to go by for now, but it¡¯s part of my true name,¡± she explained, I didn¡¯t sense any problems with my [Intuition] skill so far, ¡°As for what I am, I am ¡­¡±

    ¡°You are ¡­¡± I trailed off, urging her to continue. The air in the room turned tense.

    ¡°I am ¡­ an agent of the secret service that directly serves the Demon King called ¡®The Dark Wind.¡¯¡±

    Aaaaaaaand my [Intuition] skill is going crazy.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me out,¡± Sue said with a hand up, ¡°I know it¡¯s a lie, but it¡¯s the closest concrete answer I can come up with to say I work with Her Highness without giving too much away.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ is there a secret service called ¡®The Dark Wind?¡¯¡± I asked.

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    ¡°Yes, there indeed is one that goes by that name,¡± she answered.

    My [Intuition] is saying she speaks the truth ¡­ and just how is this ¡®not giving too much away¡¯ of what she really is? And why does this secret service have such an edgy, chuuni-like name to it?

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t say you¡¯re like, I don¡¯t know, one of the Demon King¡¯s Royal Guard? Some member of the Demon King¡¯s Administration Board? Or dare I say head of the castle¡¯s capable maids or something?¡± I asked, bewildered.

    ¡°I thought being an agent sounded like a cooler cover,¡± Sue bluntly stated while shrugging her shoulders, ¡°This would also tell you that the Demon King does have a secret service that is currently undergoing a mission. You can relax as you have nothing to do with it.¡±

    <She¡¯s being ¡­ very oddly calm about this, and she¡¯s speaking the truth about you not being ¡®The Dark Wind¡¯s¡¯ target,> Nyra informed me.

    ¡°... How are you so certain I¡¯m not their target? What evidence do you have to back up that claim if you¡¯re not one of them?¡± I asked.

    Sue rested a hand on her large bosom, ¡°I may not be one of them, but I¡¯m the closest thing to them. You can say I was ¡®assigned¡¯ to watch over you as a secret agent if that helps you sleep at night. Just know that as long as I¡¯m around, none of them will even look your way.¡±

    This Arch Imp seemed very confident about that fact, like it was guaranteed under her watch. It surprised me when everything she said turned out to be true, according to my [Intuition] skill.

    It didn¡¯t look like she¡¯ll answer any more questions about her identity, though, so I shifted over to another subject that seemed to be in line, ¡°Since you¡¯re so close to these ¡®secret agents,¡¯ do you happen to know anything about the secret message in those fliers yesterday?¡±

    Sue widened her eyes in shock, ¡°Just to make sure, can you specify what was in that secret message?¡±

    I explained how I used fire to reveal the citrus-made invisible ink for the first part of the message, which gave instructions to apply magic to the flier that I then did before the second part, reading ¡°I have finally found you¡±, came up.

    ¡°Yaaay! So you did figure it out! I¡¯m so happy!¡± Sue exclaimed before clapping her hands in glee.

    ¡°So, you do know about the secret message?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes! I was one of the people who wrote it, after all!¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Both me and Nyra exclaimed in sync.

    Sue nodded in pride, ¡°Yep, it was under orders of Her Majesty of course, that we put them on all the fliers before the Harpies scattered them through the kingdom yesterday. We set them up so it would only react to your mana signature, since you¡¯re the one that she¡¯s referring to.¡±

    ¡°Were you the ones who used Rune Craft to make the magic circle that recognized me with Signature Magic?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ahh, so you¡¯re aware of that, huh? It was actually the Demon King who crafted the magic circle onto stamps. This is so we could quickly apply them on half of all the fliers before writing the secret messages on them by hand. Ah, right, we had set up two different stacks of fliers ahead of time for different scenarios, but they all hold the same decree as was written yesterday. The Demon King then destroyed the stamps soon after the operation was done,¡± she explained.

    Two different stacks ahead of time ¡­ so she was planning on giving the decree to the kingdom either way. For the other stack to not have the secret message, that must be for the case of when one of the demon citizens would bring me to the castle in person for a reward. There would be no point in leaving the message if the Demon King already has me in her castle.

    ¡°Why did she destroy the stamps?¡± I then asked.

    ¡°This was actually so the Demon King¡¯s Ministry wouldn¡¯t trace the magic circle back to her, should we resort to using that stack that had the secret messages included. They didn¡¯t even know about her announcement until just yesterday.¡±

    <The Demon King didn¡¯t want her own Ministry knowing about her secret message? So, this was all discreetly organized under her direct instruction?> I asked Nyra in my mind.

    <Apparently so, and if this is an undercover operation, the Demon King would have to put a lot of trust into the people involved to not give it away. Sue just happened to be one of the select handful that she can trust. Her actions are still questionable, but maybe there¡¯s some credibility to what she¡¯s telling us,> Nyra said.

    ¡°How many of you were there that helped the Demon King with this operation?¡± I asked Sue.

    Sue looked up in thought, ¡°If I remember right, there were about twenty of us who helped make those fliers. We had to make a lot of them in a short time, so it required a lot of hands.¡±

    ¡°So, are the other nineteen of you back at Korangar or another city doing something else right now? Were any of them part of ¡®The Dark Wind¡¯?¡± I asked.

    ¡°None of us who were there at the time came from ¡®The Dark Wind¡¯. Where they are right now is variable, but they know of me being with you and won¡¯t approach you like I have.¡±

    So it¡¯s some kind of secret network between them and the Demon King? Wonder what they all have in common that would have royalty put so much trust into them?

    <Who knows?> Nyra answered, reading my thoughts.

    ¡°Going back to the magic circle for a moment, I want to point out on record that it was Ume who taught me some of what Rune Crafting was,¡± I said, ¡°She¡¯s currently performing research to better understand what was written in the magic circle that would make its Signature Magic react to me specifically. Do you happen to know what mechanics or whatever is behind it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, your beloved wife, Umeiyon,¡± Sue said while crossing arms under her large tits, nodding to herself in thought, ¡°Quite the intelligent one, she is, though I suppose that¡¯s to be expected of someone from the Dragon-Kin, which really tells how amazing you are to marry her.¡±

    ¡°You even know about that?!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Relax, I won¡¯t tell anyone about her secret. I don¡¯t want to make getting around the kingdom harder or more complicated for either of you and your party, but I figured I should tell you I know that much since we¡¯re on the subject. As for what¡¯s written in the magic circle to make it react to your mana signature, I¡¯m afraid that info¡¯s classified,¡± Sue said while shrugging, ¡°Her Highness won¡¯t mind you two figuring it out yourselves, but that¡¯s all she¡¯s willing to open up to you on that front for now.¡±

    What the hell, did the Demon King anticipate me finding out about her association with Sue and specified what she¡¯s allowed to reveal to me? Does this girl have some sort of appraisal skill like my [Size Up]? Was that how she found Ume¡¯s true identity? Just how much does she know about us? About me?

 Chapter 125: The Arch Imps Interrogation, Part 2

    Though hesitant, I decided to follow through with my line of thinking since Sue won¡¯t talk anymore about the magic circle and secret messages, ¡°I¡¯m afraid to ask this, but how does the Demon King even know I¡¯m running around in her kingdom? What do you all know about me that I haven¡¯t mentioned yet?¡±

    ¡°Well first, how Her Highness knew you¡¯re here, considering you practically exploded with ominous magic during that raid at Dondegarm, it was hard to ignore such a thing, you know?¡± Sue asked while raising a brow.

    I knew something like that would draw attention, but not like this ...

    ¡°Even at such a long distance, from Dondegarm to Korangar, Her Highness sensed something was amiss in the former¡¯s direction,¡± Sue continued, ¡°That¡¯s when she sent me to investigate the scene immediately. Once I started asking around, it didn¡¯t take me long to find out you were the one she was looking for.

    ¡°As for what we know to look for while finding you, we know you are a relatively young, handsome human male with piercingly sharp eyes, holds a Champion¡¯s Bracelet, possesses the [Devil Eyes] skill, and is able to use a variety of weapons and/or spells with powerful finesse while still possessing the Brawler class,¡± the Arch Imp listed all these traits off while counting them out on her fingers.

    I had many questions for where she even knew such specific characteristics, but I was too bewildered to even know where to begin.

    ¡°Granted, for how specific these traits are, Her Highness knew that finding even half of them at first glance would be easier said than done, which is why she has a few pieces of evidence to prove you are the right person she¡¯s looking for. As for what they are, that info¡¯s also classified.¡±

    Again, with the ¡®classified¡¯ thing. The more I hear that word, the more it¡¯s annoying me.

    <I¡¯m still absorbing the fact this shortstack even altered my memories without getting herself cursed,> Nyra commented along with my thoughts.

    Hearing Nyra¡¯s comment, I remembered the purpose of this confrontation. It looked like we wouldn¡¯t get anymore info on the Demon King¡¯s search for me, so I moved on to the heart of the matter, ¡°Okay, next question. Why did you alter our memories last night? Did you do this to anyone else in the group?¡±

    ¡°Since you were the last one awake, Jinma, I had to alter your memory so you wouldn¡¯t find anything off about last night¡¯s events,¡± Sue answered, ¡°As for why I altered Nyra¡¯s memories, she was about to interfere with one of my missions, so I had to take necessary measures so she wouldn¡¯t suspect anything.¡±

    ¡°And your mission was ¡­¡± I said.

    ¡°Anything related to that mission is classified.¡±

    Of course, it is.

    ¡°I really do feel bad about altering Nyra¡¯s memories. That¡¯s why I implanted information to how she could set herself free from the curse in her mind,¡± Sue continued while holding up her gloved hands, ¡°I was able to do that without getting afflicted by her curse thanks to my curse-resistant gloves, and before you ask how I knew the way to break Nyra¡¯s curse, there are records of Sorcerers who¡¯ve managed to override cursed armory in the past through this method.¡±

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t do the same for Nyra here when she was possessing other people to go on murderous rampages?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    Sue shook her head, ¡°It requires bare, physical contact with the targeted weapon to make it work, without wearing any curse-resistant gear like my gloves, and as you know, just touching the tanto like that will only turn out for the worst. Even some of the more highly-skilled Sorcerers and their curse-resistant skills were hesitant to approach the weapon.

    ¡°You, however, are holding her right now and are looking fine and peachy. That makes you the only one qualified to tackle Nyra¡¯s curse head on and get her body back, and the only way to do that is to advance your class to Sorcerer and learn the [Curse Enchantment] skill,¡± Sue said before shrugging, ¡°Then again, considering what you¡¯ve done up to now as a ¡®Brawler,¡¯ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way to work around that.¡±

    Why do I feel she knows about my capability to carry multiple classes?

    ¡°And those ¡®records¡¯ you mentioned, where did you find them?¡± I asked, making sure the source material is trustworthy.

    ¡°That¡¯s classified,¡± Sue answered bluntly.

    I furrowed my brow, ¡°You¡¯re not even going to give us peace of mind on whether this info you implanted in Nyra¡¯s head is legitimate?¡±

    Sue looked down to the floor, disheartened, ¡°I only gave you what I thought would be the best solution to what I assume has been a chronic problem for Nyra. I can¡¯t give too much away on where I got that info from, but that as well as my humble apologies is all I can do to make up for the wrong I committed toward you.¡±

    To both Nyra¡¯s and my own surprises, Sue then hopped out of the bed and sat on her knees while on the floor before prostrating in front of me, ¡°I swear that I have not altered any memories of your other party members. I am truly, very sorry for what I did to you and Nyra. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me right away, but I hope you can still accept my apologies and that info as a start to reconciliation between us. The Demon King also takes partial responsibility and wishes to extend her apologies for allowing such measures toward you.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Demon King,¡¯ the ruler of this country, wants to apologize to me?¡± I asked with disbelief.

    Sue then sat back up from her prostrating position into a seiza pose, ¡°Yes, and she assigned me to do this in her stead as she¡¯s very busy with other royal matters. Should you not be satisfied with our offerings to apologize, then I have been asked to fulfill any requests you may have in her stead. If there is anything you may want that Her Highness can provide, within reason, then I will do everything in my power to meet those demands in her place.¡±

    ¡°... Anything at all, ¡®within reason¡¯?¡± I repeated.

    ¡°Yes, anything, and that includes using my body to do as you please, even going all the way,¡± Sue clarified while hefting her large melons in her hands to emphasize her point.

    I raised a brow, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say last night that you wanted to save your first times for your potential partner?¡±

    Sue nodded, ¡°Yes, and that still holds true, but after what I had done to you both last night, my pride as a maiden has no value. If a male after that has the gall to refuse my advances because I¡¯m not a virgin, that¡¯s their problem, not mine.¡±

    Taking my [Intuition] skill into account, everything she¡¯s said so far has been the truth, and that just gave me more questions than answers. I rested my hand on my head that pounded in pain from this confusion, What the hell? Why is this Demon King making this such a big deal? Why Sue? Is this Arch Imp really okay with this arrangement?

    <I mean, I get the Demon King being busy, but I¡¯m not sure if I approve of her sending one of her ¡­ servants? To go to such lengths for apologizing in her stead. If it were the queen from my homeland, she would be willing to offer her own body to right a wrong,> Nyra commented in line with my thoughts.

    ¡°... This might not be the best time and place for me to even bring it up, but I¡¯d like to make a proposal to you, and this is me speaking for myself, not the Demon King,¡± Sue then said.

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    ¡°A proposal?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°We are actually undergoing a top-secret investigation that involves the kingdom¡¯s nobility,¡± she explained, ¡°Specifically, the one engaged to the client of your current quest.¡±

    ¡°Rowling?¡±

    Sue nodded, ¡°We believe he and other participating parties are preparing for a coup against the Demon King. Traditionally, anyone could take the throne should they defeat the current Demon King on a one-on-one duel. Should they succeed, they have free reign for how to rule this kingdom. Challenging the current Demon King to such a duel, however, means they¡¯re going against everything the ruler stands for, creating the highest of offenses for themselves; thus, declaring a duel against the Demon King means forfeiting their lives to fate.¡±

    Wow, she is not pulling this out of her rear. This system of government could definitely go bad quickly depending on who takes the throne.

    ¡°What this group is planning goes against this tradition and the foundation this kingdom is built on in the worst way possible,¡± Sue continued, ¡°And if this coup is a success, it doesn¡¯t spell trouble for this kingdom, but for everyone in the continent of Padimon, demons, demis, and humans alike.¡±

    ¡°I think I know where this is going and I¡¯d rather not get involved with any political propaganda,¡± I said with a hand up.

    What made this scary is that this isn¡¯t some scare tactic trying to convince me to join a side. Going by my [Intuition], Sue actually believed Padimon will fall should the current Demon King be overthrown.

    Sue looked down, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the previous Demon King, we¡¯d all still be in a state of war, or worse, and his daughter wants to follow his footsteps after she inherited the throne. She wants her kin, her people, to be in good relations with the others in Padimon. She believes each side can gain unique benefits from each other if they really look, and we are slowly, but surely making good progress in that direction.

    ¡°I know not everything¡¯s perfect and there¡¯s much about this kingdom that¡¯s in the dark, but I still love everything that it has inside,¡± Sue continued while looking down, resting a hand to her chest, ¡°I know this place can be better for us demons and everyone else. I want this to be a place where my future family can feel safe and take pride in living, to be as accepted by everyone around us as we accept them. Her Highness¡¯ vision shares my own, and she sees a glimpse of that becoming a reality from you, Jinma. You, who not just saved Dondegarm from his own kin raiding it, but even assembled a harem of girls from the Demon-Kin, plus one from the Dragon-Kin, who all love and cherish you like you do for them. It¡¯s a kind of thing that I want to be a part of. I truly believe such a future is possible for others as well, if Her Highness continues to occupy that throne.¡±

    Sue then looked back up to me with a wry smile, ¡°I get that you¡¯re not into politics and government. Really, I do. I don¡¯t even expect you to accept my offer when you still suspect me of what I had done to you and Nyra. The Demon King¡¯s power and my association with royalty will have no part in changing your mind, should you refuse. This is me, as Sue, asking you to help me keep this vision of peace in Padimon alive by saving the Demon King from this coup. If you help me, then I swear to you that I¡¯ll convince Her Highness to reward you handsomely when it¡¯s all over.¡±

    I was at a loss. Sue was speaking from the heart, my [Intuition] can vouch for me on that much, considering it¡¯s at max level. Still, I don¡¯t know what happens when it takes on the [Deception] skill that¡¯s also at max level. Was it a matter of who can see through the other person for what they¡¯re worth first? It¡¯s hard to say. I can¡¯t even use my [Size Up] on Sue to confirm her true powers due to whatever¡¯s blocking it.

    This is probably one of the biggest decisions I¡¯ll ever make in my lifetime, as big as my decision to be with Ume for the rest of my life, and I¡¯ve never felt more terrified of making a choice than I did right now.

    <What do you want to do, Jinma?> Nyra suddenly asked in my mind.

    <What do I want to do? What about you and your memory problem?>

    <I¡¯m still suspicious of what I saw last night that made her wipe that part of my memory, but as far as I can tell, her feelings has been resolute throughout the whole interrogation, if you can even call it that at this point,> Nyra explained, <She was careful in what information is okay to release while putting everything else on the table for you to see with no smoke or mirrors around to fool you. Her solution to getting my body back may be questionable, but I still think it¡¯s a better lead to something than running around in circles trying to figure it out ourselves. Also, I¡¯ve lived with this curse tainting my mind for thousands of years. Some of my memories from the distant past are fuzzy at this point, I don¡¯t even remember what I look like in a mirror, and I doubt there are any Pixies around that could help me refresh them. What memory Sue ¡®replaced¡¯ last night doesn¡¯t even scratch the surface of what I can remember now, so it isn¡¯t much of a loss when I think about it objectively.

    <Honestly, the moment Sue mentioned the Demon King was taking partial responsibility for her ¡®servant¡¯s¡¯ actions, it wasn¡¯t just my problem anymore. We both know how much you¡¯ve been wanting to speak with the Demon King about who or what you are, taking your [Devil Eyes] skill and your ¡®D-Human¡¯ race into account, and from the looks of things, she already has some idea of what¡¯s going on. Maybe we can put that ¡®favor¡¯ she owes us into use,> Nyra suggested. I didn¡¯t know why, but the way she said that made us sound like criminals discussing deals under the table.

    I took a moment to think, <That may be a good idea, but we¡¯re still going to take on Noire¡¯s quest. It¡¯s not within my personal ethics to abandon a job I signed up doing. I want to ask a few more questions before I give Sue my answer.>

    <Fair enough.>

    ¡°Just to make sure, whether I accept or refuse your proposal, you still owe me a favor for what you did to me and Nyra, right?¡± I asked, holding up my sheathed tanto.

    Sue nodded, ¡°Correct. This and that are different things that will be settled accordingly should you accept my proposal. For righting my wrong, I will answer to whatever request you may have, within reason.¡±

    ¡°... Would that favor include you getting me an audience with the Demon King?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You want to meet her?!¡± Sue exclaimed, eyes sparkling.

    <Whoa, this is the most excited she¡¯s been yet. I think she¡¯s even restraining herself from tackling you,> Nyra reported.

    ¡°It¡¯s the main reason me and my party are going to Korangar,¡± I explained to Sue, ¡°Our original plan was to earn Noire¡¯s favor from completing her quest and see if she could help us get in through her word of mouth. That was before we knew what we were getting into and that decree rained down yesterday. We¡¯ll still be taking on her quest, but if your association with the Demon King is as good as hers ¡­¡±

    ¡°Say no more!¡± Sue exclaimed, jumping up to her feet in excitement before slapping her ginormous bust, ¡°I, Sue, will get you into the castle and see Her Highness, guaranteed! Honestly, part of my mission was to direct you to her anyway, so this will make things so much easier!¡±

    I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy or scared about that.

    ¡°Since our goals are aligned, I won¡¯t make that count as your request, so I can answer to anything else you want, so what will it be?¡± Sue asked, looking excited and eager to see through my demand.

    I scratched my head in thought, ¡°I want to set some guidelines between us moving forward. Would that count?¡±

    ¡°Nope! I would also greatly appreciate it if this is kept between us, at least until we get to Korangar.¡±

    I understood why she¡¯d ask that, but I wasn¡¯t thrilled about leaving my whole party in the dark, ¡°My familiars can keep a secret without issue, but I want to fill my wife in on this. Since you know about her being a Dragon, I believe she has every right to know of your identity.¡±

    She crossed arms under her breasts and looked up in thought, ¡°Hmm ¡­ I guess if she doesn¡¯t threaten to kill me after knowing who I am, I can live with that much.¡±

    I nodded in understanding, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen. I¡¯ll think about the request later, but I got one more question before we go over the guidelines. Let¡¯s say I did accept this proposal, what exactly would you want me to do? I imagine that the Demon King can¡¯t outright arrest Rowling out of suspicion only, right?¡±

    ¡°Right you are. If the Demon King suddenly starts sentencing punishments to citizens without a valid reason, her credibility as a ruler will plummet. This is why we need evidence to prove he¡¯s guilty, as well as others who work for him as accomplices. So far, we have him, the rest of the ¡®Duke of Demons¡¯ Disciples¡¯ adventuring party, and Konjiro as the biggest contenders that could be conspiring against the Demon King,¡± Sue explained.

    I blinked in surprise, ¡°Really? Palocaesy¡¯s Guildmaster is in on this? That¡¯s a shock.¡±

    ¡­ No, wait, taking yesterday into account, maybe it¡¯s not as much of a surprise as I thought.

    <Nyra, didn¡¯t we suspect Konjiro was hiding something yesterday?> I asked Nyra in my head.

    <We did, it was when he lied about not knowing Tyvera played as Rowling¡¯s spy,> Nyra answered, <We know Konjiro¡¯s playing ¡®mediator¡¯ while overseeing the proceedings of Noire¡¯s quest. There¡¯s also how he and Rowling send each other messages, so he has plenty of opportunities to plan out their coup if that¡¯s what¡¯s going ¡­ hold on, I just thought of something crazy.>

    <What?>

    <What if ¡­ Rowling¡¯s marriage to Noire was part of the plan in staging the coup?>

    Nyra¡¯s question made my stomach drop, <If that really is the case ¡­ then we¡¯re in deeper shit than I thought was possible.>

 Chapter 126: The Arch Imps Interrogation, Part 3

    If Noire¡¯s marriage really is part of Rowling¡¯s plan to stage a coup, then it would actually explain why he wanted so much control over what she could do during the dungeon crawl. The time limit to complete it, who should escort Noire, why Rowling had Gabriella and Tyvera watch over her as ¡®bodyguards¡¯, and why he had Konjiro play ¡®mediator¡¯ to oversee the quest¡¯s proceedings. Rowling wanted multiple eyes to observe Noire¡¯s movements and react accordingly, making sure it all comes back to his plan of marrying her. Noire said she¡¯d have a message sent to her father about questioning the proposal, but if Rowling managed to stop that from reaching him after hearing Konjiro¡¯s warning, then it¡¯s likely he already knows about my involvement in this quest. It¡¯s possible that he currently sees me as an obstacle in his course, one that suddenly came from the sky and dropped right into the hole he needed to pass through and proceed with his plans.

    Rowling currently knows who me and my party are now, aware of how I enslaved Tyvera and helped Noire catch Gabriella red-handed in this tight, covert operation. With Konjiro being the only pair of eyes left to observe proceedings, Rowling would surely try to plan how to eliminate me and my party while taking Noire back, or worse.

    <This is bad. Really bad. Should we warn Noire about this?> I asked Nyra.

    <We could, but it may be hard for her to believe us if we don¡¯t have hard evidence, or at least a witness that¡¯s aware of Rowling¡¯s plan,> Nyra answered.

    A witness ¡­ wait a minute.

    ¡°Tyvera ¡­ worked for Rowling while she was in the ¡®Duke of Demons¡¯ Disciples¡¯ before she became my slave. Maybe she might have some input on this?¡± I asked aloud.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Sue answered while shaking her head, ¡°I actually tried talking to Tyvera last night while you and Umeiyon had dinner with Noire. It sounds like she and Gabriella were two of the few outliers who the others in the party tried to leave alone as much as possible. My guess for why is that those outliers have some association with the humans that the others don¡¯t really approve. Their discrimination on humans is part of why they joined together for this coup in the first place. In fact, it¡¯s because of this radical viewpoint that we believe they¡¯re associated with a group who follows those same values that¡¯s been going around these parts. Have you heard anything about this group that goes by ¡®Chaos Barrage¡¯?¡±

    ¡°¡®Chaos Barrage¡¯ ¡­¡± Why do I feel like I heard that name before? I thought.

    <Ah, it¡¯s been a while for this to be mentioned,> Nyra commented, reading my thoughts, <You know the reason why Ren got into the slave industry in the first place? She was being chased down by that same group, of which her older brother and former pack joined in.>

    I nodded in understanding, <Riiiight, she became a slave in hopes to find some protection from ¡®Chaos Barrage¡¯, who were after her [Duplicate] Null Spell. I think she mentioned something about the group¡¯s main goal of total enslavement, or maybe eradication of the humans and demis?>

    <Now I get it. If ¡®Chaos Barrage¡¯ and the ¡®Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples¡¯ overthrow the Demon King, then they¡¯ll attack the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory first thing after their takeover, and if they follow-through with the Demi-Kin¡¯s as well ¡­ yeah, this could spell trouble for everybody,> Nyra summarized.

    ¡°¡­ I might have heard of that group,¡± I said, answering Sue¡¯s question, ¡°I¡¯d have to look into that further to get a better idea of who we¡¯re dealing with, but that adventurer party¡¯s name, the ¡®Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples¡¯, isn¡¯t that named after ...¡±

    Sue nodded, ¡°The Duke of Demons, yes, who we suspect is the one leading the whole operation on the coup. He goes by Vask Willowing Astroth, who is proclaimed to be the second strongest demon in the kingdom. He hails from the Devil race like Her Highness does.¡±

    Hm ¡­ a duke using underhanded means to take the throne. I¡¯ve read similar plots like this in manga and light novels, so it isn¡¯t the strangest thing I¡¯ve heard of. Still, if this is the second strongest demon in the kingdom ...

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about crossing swords with him,¡± Sue said, reading my thoughts, ¡°Once we find some tangible proof that will link back to him, Her Highness will deliver due punishment to him and his cohorts personally. All you need to do is find some dirt on any of the people Vask associates with.¡±

    I scratched my head in thought, ¡°I can understand how they might have some dirt, but you¡¯re asking someone who¡¯s not even from this country to dig it up. Would I need to break into a noble¡¯s home, putting myself at risk for arrest, to find this evidence?¡±

    Then again, considering what Rowling might try to do with me, I may as well be considered heavily involved already, and in the case of him being out of the picture because of me, won¡¯t Vask come after me next?

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be an inanimate object to expose them. If you can convince an influential person from inside the group enough, their testimony could be strong enough to blow this case wide open. This is where I think you will shine brightest,¡± Sue said as she lightly traced a finger down my torso, ¡°With your level of charm towards demons, specifically the females, I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll make someone break down enough to confess their life story for a good time in exchange.¡±

    ¡°You want me to seduce someone to spill the beans ¡­¡± I trailed off.

    <Hey, that should be no problem for you! Even with your low level in [Seduction], if you use all those other skills you learned and improved up to now, especially that new [Demon Pheromones] one, you¡¯ll win any demon girl over in no time!> Nyra exclaimed.

    ¡°I should probably mention that even though this is a proposal, even if you do accept, nothing bad will happen if you fail,¡± Sue said, ¡°I don¡¯t even expect you to have something ready before you go on your quest tomorrow. It could be after your quest is done and you coincidentally come across something worthwhile on your way over to Korangar. If needed, I have intel on other people who may contribute to the coup that we have a chance of crossing paths with on the way there. I just want to bring up something for you to keep in mind when an opportunity arises. ¡®The Dark Wind¡¯ are already working as we speak by watching our main targets from the shadows, finding an opportunity to take what they can get as physical evidence. I¡¯m doing what I can to find it as well, but it would mean the world to me and Her Highness if you contribute to our cause.¡±

    Even if I took my involvement with Rowling out of the equation, at this point, I didn¡¯t see any reason for why Sue¡¯s and the Demon King¡¯s happiness would matter to me. I was basically getting stalked for reasons I don¡¯t know about. Also, it seems the Demon King was going to use Sue to lead our party down to Korangar so I would eventually meet her. I imagine I wasn¡¯t getting some of the answers I need to know now because the Demon King would rather tell them to me in person later. I suppose if it has something to do with me, I¡¯d be more comfortable learning the truth straight from the source. Still, I didn¡¯t like how the two of them were leading me on and getting other people involved, like Nyra having her memories misplaced.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Though my [Intuition] told me how the majority of what Sue said up to now was the truth, I can¡¯t guarantee that [Deception] would be the only thing that could fool such a skill. If I couldn¡¯t see Sue¡¯s status with my [Size Up], she would surely have means of blocking the effects of other skills toward her. The same could be said of Nyra reading the Arch Imp¡¯s emotions, if it¡¯s even possible to fake from the inside out.

    With that in mind, I didn¡¯t have a reason to fully trust Sue¡¯s words. She could have decided to ¡®open up¡¯ and plead her case because she knew I was onto her. Maybe she thought she¡¯d still be viewed as somewhat ¡®innocent¡¯ by looking guilty for what she¡¯d done to us, or that she was only following orders from the Demon King. I¡¯ve seen my share of people who wore these masks, one of them being Koyuki Jikan, the coworker who delivered the final stab that brought me to Raiza. I¡¯d rather not put up with them anymore than necessary once I see a peek of what¡¯s underneath their mask.

    As much as part of me wanted Sue gone to make dealing with this easier, she would surely still follow the Demon King¡¯s orders by other means, and I¡¯m more worried about what she¡¯d do when left alone. That¡¯s partially why I brought up the idea of going places in pairs to my party should we separate, which is what I¡¯ll be bringing up to Sue momentarily.

    I took a moment to consider everything Sue had said up to now before coming up with an answer, ¡°I¡¯ll keep this proposal in mind, but know that all this has nothing to do with me or my party. If I¡¯m doing it, it will likely be out of our own benefit instead of making you or the Demon King happy.¡±

    If Rowling plans on taking me out just for getting involved with Noire, I¡¯ll just have to fight back however I can. Maybe I can find this ¡®evidence¡¯ Sue and the Demon King are looking for so I can avoid unnecessary trouble. Whether it benefits them doesn¡¯t matter to me right now.

    Sue¡¯s face that was bright with joy dimmed down from hearing my answer before she nodded solemnly, ¡°I understand. Just please make sure that the people knowing about this are limited to us, your familiars, and your wife.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not have the others involved as much as possible, so you don¡¯t need to tell me twice on it,¡± I answered before furrowing my brow and crossing my arms, ¡°Now, for my guidelines moving forward, there was a reason why I brought up forming pairs should we split up. No matter if our party is together or scattered, you will always be somewhere I can see you. You will not leave my side, you will not go anywhere without me, including the restroom and bath, I won¡¯t even give you privacy if you need to change, which shouldn¡¯t be a problem since I¡¯ve seen you mostly naked anyway.¡±

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re going to watch me ¡­ everyday?¡± Sue asked with a quiver in her voice. Her tail wagged erratically from side to side.

    ¡°Every. Day,¡± I emphasized, my face stern, ¡°This includes the dungeon, whether they agree to let you accompany us or not. I know a way around it should the latter occur.¡±

    <Ahh, Scalybutt¡¯s hide detection spell, right? Good thinking. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need it to follow Sue into the restroom without looking like a creep. That¡¯s all the more reason your wife needs to be filled in on the circumstances,> Nyra said.

    ¡°We will go about our travels to Korangar at my pace after the quest is done,¡± I continued, ¡°If there¡¯s any place you need to go, you tell me first, and I¡¯ll consider whether it¡¯s worth our time. Any questions?¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ does that include sleeping together again tonight? A-And every night after that?¡± Sue stuttered, her tail still wagging with the same level of energy as earlier.

    I nodded, ¡°Yes, and I will not let you off alone in the middle of the night either.¡±

    ¡°O-Okay, fair enough, and ¡­ will you also still touch me like you did last night?¡±

    I raised a brow, ¡°Do you want to be touched like last night?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered without hesitation.

    <I should probably point this out, but she¡¯s been growing more excited since you started explaining how you¡¯ll watch her from now on. And yes, she¡¯s definitely okay with being touched again for how willing she seemed just now. I¡¯ve got no clue what she¡¯s even thinking about at this point,> Nyra reported.

    ¡°... I¡¯ll have to think about that one,¡± I answered to Sue, keeping my face straight.

    If Sue has anything going for her at this point, it was that bombing shortstack body of hers. I may not know how she altered my memories from last night, but I definitely couldn¡¯t forget how incredibly cuddly her body was, possessing a powerful balance of softness, firmness, and perky elasticity. It was especially prevalent in her impossibly huge melons and buns. If I wasn¡¯t so suspicious of Sue while on a schedule right now, I¡¯d hold her in my arms and get handsy on her body for hours.

    I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t giving Sue this much of a second chance because of that body and how cute she still is. I think that moment we shared together last night was more ingrained into my soul than I thought. If this turns out for the worse, I¡¯ll take full responsibility for myself and my insatiable desires. Still, seeing Sue actually being excited for something I may not do while in the middle of an interrogation was really aggravating me. I wondered if she was really aware of her current position.

    ¡°Fair enough. I think I learned what I need to know on your guidelines,¡± Sue said, looking calmer, but still eager for what may happen tonight.

    ¡°Just curious of thought, but do you need to make regular reports to the Demon King? Do you have some method to contact her immediately?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Not ¡­ regularly, per se, but enough, I guess? And yes, I do have a method of long-distance communication,¡± she answered both questions.

    Huh, she seemed troubled with how to answer the first question. Is she trying to hide how often she contacts the Demon King? But why? If she actually tries something while I¡¯m not looking, I¡¯ll have to catch her in the act and grill her ruler at the first chance I get.

    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m going to give you this one chance of privacy while I fill Ume and my familiars in on what¡¯s going on,¡± I said with a finger up, ¡°While I¡¯m gone, you tell your king ¡­ queen, or whatever, that unless she¡¯s willing to talk with me in the room with you, she won¡¯t be hearing any more reports while you¡¯re stuck with me, and that she¡¯d better be prepared when I come for her.

    ¡°And this should go without saying, but I want to make this perfectly clear for you,¡± I said while placing a hand on Sue¡¯s shoulder, digging all my fingers into her skin that made her wince.

    I closed in on her personal space, my eyes directly on her amber ones, unflinching, with my tanto unsheathed and millimeters away from her neck, ¡°If I see, hear, or even smell a hint of you doing anything like that to Nyra or the other girls in my party again, I swear to Goddess Obina that I¡¯ll get into the Demon King¡¯s castle with your head as my ticket inside, and I will expect more than a favor from her in recompense for your fuck-up. You make sure she knows that too. Understand?¡±

    ¡°C-Crystal, Jinma,¡± Sue answered with a tremble in her voice.

    I released my death grip on her shoulder and sheathed my tanto, bruises were left on the spots where my fingers dug in. Just so nobody would get any funny ideas of me hurting Sue for no reason, I cast [Heal] on her shoulder. I was careful with not putting the weapon¡¯s blade against her neck for the same reason.

    I tried to calm down as I headed for the door without looking back, ¡°You got ten minutes. Savor these last moments of alone time while you can.¡±

    With that, I left the room and slammed the door behind me harder than necessary. I think I heard something from the door snapping and Kenaka was trying to ask me how things went, but I was too fixated in calming my nerves to give either of them my attention. I was especially bothered by the throbbing pain around my right eye-socket, of which I used my hand to cover it. With how cold that hand was, I hoped it would serve as a decent cold pack for the time being.

    If it weren¡¯t for her association with the Demon King, I probably would have cut her open and ended this problem swiftly. I really hope this doesn¡¯t end up becoming a mistake ¡­ for all our sakes, including hers.

 Chapter 127: The Demon Kingâ€™s Regret

    {Sue}

    I was stiff as a statue by the time Jinma slammed the door and left me by my lonesome. The [Soundproof] bubble that surrounded this room popped upon his exit, but I replaced it with my own immediately after that to secure my privacy. My legs weakened and became jelly as I collapsed on the floor, absorbing what I had just witnessed and experienced. The pain from Jinma trying to pierce my shoulder with his fingers before he healed it, the ultrasonic vibrations from his tanto that could practically phase through my neck, and his livid threat that made my blood run cold.

    But what really shook me to the very core was Jinma¡¯s razor-sharp glare. To be more precise, how his right dark brown eye almost turned pure white while the sclera would have turned pitch black. These colors faded in and out in that eye as he stared me down before it stopped at his default.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ what a rush,¡± I panted between breaths, reaching my hand down into my shorts before touching my crotch, ¡°... Holy fuck, I¡¯m soaking wet.¡±

    I could hear the wet schlicking noise of my middle finger slipping into my hot honey pot, leaking with nectar and other fluids. A sensual shiver went down my spine before I started pumping my finger in and out of my entrance.

    ¡°Ohhh, yeessss, right theeeere, fuck me like the bad bitch I ¡­ what am I even doing?! I don¡¯t have time for this!¡± I screamed, snapped out of my senses.

    Though I only saw half of Jinma¡¯s [Devil Eyes] briefly, I found it very beautiful. It may sound crazy to hear from a human, but we Devils traditionally find our potential partners by looking into each other¡¯s [Devil Eyes] after we¡¯re experienced enough in the skill. We get a sense of the other¡¯s inner strengths, passions, and resolve by looking into them. Sometimes, looking into the other¡¯s [Devil Eyes] is such a turn on for us that things would heat up in bed really fast, if they even have a chance to make it there.

    That¡¯s what I had at least heard of the last statement, anyway. Maybe it¡¯s because I was the Demon King, the most powerful Devil in the kingdom, that the [Devil Eyes] of males never clicked with me, especially knowing I could literally squash some under my boots within seconds. Not even Vask¡¯s, the second-most powerful Devil, couldn¡¯t make me feel anything before I found his true colors through my [Mind Read] skill. I was starting to get skeptical and thought it was a myth until I saw a glimpse of Jinma¡¯s [Devil Eyes]. Even if it almost activated in one of his eyes, the intense power and animosity behind it instilled a fear in me that I had never experienced before. It was something that gave me a hell of an adrenaline rush that brought a sexual thrill in my womb, like it was calling out, ¡°You are truly superior! Please, mark me, and let me bear your children!¡±

    That was why I got so wet as Jinma left the room, and honestly, if he stuck around for a bit longer, the piece of consciousness that still remained wouldn¡¯t be able to hold me back from taking him right there. I was both relieved and disappointed he ended the interrogation there, and somehow, I gained a better understanding of where Erizora was coming from with her masochism.

    I pulled my wet hand out of my shorts before casting [Clean] on my entire self, wiping away any trace of my scarousal before smacking both my cheeks together, ¡°Pull yourself together, Sue. Jinma only gave you ten minutes, you need to take this time to evaluate the situation and plan your next move.¡± After giving myself the pep talk, I jumped back up to my feet and started pacing around the room, thinking about the interrogation while considering my circumstances. I thought it best to start at the end and work backwards from there.

    What I had just witnessed at the end was an attempt to activate the [Devil Eyes] skill, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Why this was so shocking was because those who aren¡¯t experienced in the skill yet have never shown such signs. They¡¯d normally have it fully activated, but fall into a violent frenzy that could endanger anybody nearby as well as themselves. Though the skill doesn¡¯t have levels of proficiency, Devils needed to learn how to master it in order to apply it efficiently in battle. Whenever someone first started learning to use the [Devil Eyes], they were usually restrained in some fashion while another Devil experienced with the skill was nearby for supervision. That¡¯s how it was when my father helped me learn while I was around eight years old, immediately after the signs of me learning the skill were seen. These signs were usually seen when a young Devil is around ten years old, I was one of the early-bloomers. If Devils aren¡¯t properly trained in keeping this skill in check, they¡¯ll only become more dangerous as they grow older.

    One of the things that makes the [Devil Eyes] skill so dangerous to possess is that it reacts to the wielder¡¯s radical emotions and intensifies them upon activation, which quickly escalates to degrees that are beyond their control. Joy, sadness, anger, and fear, if one or more of these emotions are pushed to extreme levels, there¡¯s no telling how an untrained Devil would behave once their skill kicks in.

    When I investigated the aftermath of the raid in Dondegarm, I was honestly skeptical of how things went at first. Jinma shouldn¡¯t even be aware of the skill¡¯s existence, which means the moment that skill activated for the first time, he would have been more dangerous than a young Devil child on a temper tantrum. What¡¯s more, he was at risk of getting possessed by the curse that dwelled in Nyra¡¯s tanto, of which would also drive the wielder insane as they indiscriminately slash anyone in their sight with that powerful blade.

    Despite all that, according to Dondegarm¡¯s residents, it was as if the [Devil Eyes] served as Jinma¡¯s defense system for the curse¡¯s effects. He might have been on a killing spree soon after the skill activated, but he was still able to discriminate friend from foe, taking out the humans from White Rapture as well as the Bear Moles that invaded the city soon after. It was as if Jinma had already familiarized himself with the [Devil Eyes] skill long before he came to Dondegarm.

    Even though I used my [Size Up] to confirm Jinma¡¯s possession of the [Devil Eyes] upon our first official meeting, I was still skeptical that he actually had a grasp of that skill. After seeing his eyes from that moment, however, I now have some idea of what his position is with that dangerous skill.

    Jinma may not have realized it himself, but he definitely considered killing me out of justified anger. It was something that he might have been repressing the moment I got caught, and he would have lost himself to that urge if it weren¡¯t for whatever it was that held him back.

    That was what I saw in his eyes, as well as the three different mana signatures clashing with each other above him.

    ¡°Two of them I can rule out as Jinma¡¯s and Nyra¡¯s signatures, so who the heck does the third one belong to? Why is it inside him? This wasn¡¯t mentioned in the papers Father left me, but after having his blood and many things confirmed and checked twice, I now know with one-hundred-percent certainty that this is the Jinma Kotori I was expecting. Did something happen to him that was outside of Father¡¯s expectations?¡± I asked myself while looking up, still pacing around the room, ¡°It has been at least a decade since Father first spoke of him to me, so anything could happen during that time before Jinma arrived, but what could that even be?

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    ¡°Actually, Sammy mentioned there was an abnormality in his blood when she examined it. Could that be what it was? I should probably fill her in on what I found and see what she says,¡± I decided before taking mental notes on this chore, ¡°Right, then. Let¡¯s put that abnormality aside for now and address the bigger issue: Jinma¡¯s lowered approval of me, as Sue and maybe even the Demon King.¡±

    I was very careful with my wording and what I was comfortable revealing during that time. Sure, I¡¯ve been using the [Deception] skill long enough to even fool his [Intuition] at max level, but during the interrogation, I intended to tell only the truth to him, as much as what I was okay with opening up. Part of the reason I made that one blatant lie about me being part of ¡®The Dark Wind¡¯ was so Jinma would know when I would lie again for anything else, but it didn¡¯t look like he got the message. It was also very tempting of me to use my [Mind Read] skill to hear what Jinma and Nyra were talking about in his head, especially when I¡¯ve used it so much on everybody I¡¯ve met up to now. Putting [Mind Read] to work became an instinct before I realized it. It might have helped my case if I strategized what I should say in accordance to their thoughts, it¡¯s not much different from what I¡¯ve done with other nobles when reading into their intentions, but I feared I wouldn¡¯t get my true feelings across if I changed it to something that would please the two of them.

    As for why I wanted to be more of myself to Jinma than anyone else, well, when you¡¯re the Demon King, you gotta be wary of anyone who tries to make a pass on you, no matter how ¡®good-natured¡¯ they seem. If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯d be at their feet before you know it, leaving your throne open for them to steal and take your place as ruler. Until four years ago, Father was the only person I could fully trust before he entrusted the throne to me and ¡®disappeared¡¯. Now, the closest people I could consider as ¡®allies¡¯ at the moment were my secretary, Gloria, who was also my wet nurse back when I was born, and Sammy, who had worked with Father long before I came around. I valued Gloria¡¯s devotion to me, but the relationship we have wasn¡¯t something that I wanted to lean on when times are rough. Sammy ¡­ can be a bit hard to read at times, but I could tell she wanted to keep our relationship on a professional level as well. I didn¡¯t even want to think about my own mother as a ¡®trustworthy¡¯ person after the things I¡¯ve seen from her.

    From what Father had told me, Jinma Kotori could be the only other person I can rely on as a confidant and more. He¡¯s already proven to not be discriminating to people of different kin, has saved many lives, and is already friendly with the demons who looked to have accepted him as one of their own. So far, it didn¡¯t look like Jinma wants to abuse the good relations he has for his own gains. Unless they picked a fight with him, he genuinely wanted to get along with them as equals. I wanted to follow my subjects¡¯ example and put my trust in Jinma, to rely and lean on him whenever I get tired of carrying my title as Demon King, to have him be a valuable part of my life as a trusted family member. This was only the tip of the iceberg for why I¡¯ve been so vested in him up to now.

    That might be part of why I brought up the possibility of Vask staging a coup towards me. Though it was an idea I thought up on the spot, I honestly didn¡¯t want Jinma to get further involved than he already is, especially when it should be my responsibility as a Demon King to handle. Still, if we worked together, we can snuff out the threat right at the source before it could begin. By then, Jinma and I would have more room to breathe, relax, really start getting to know each other in a controlled space, and I¡¯d spoil him rotten while properly welcoming him to my kingdom. That¡¯s my ideal outcome, anyway.

    Then again, after what I did last night, I can¡¯t expect Jinma to agree to my offer right away. His hostile suspicion towards me was not unfounded. I would very likely be in the same state if I was in his position. Thinking back on it now, my judgement throughout yesterday wasn¡¯t sound. I was too excited, too impatient to get my findings confirmed by taking his blood sample the way I did. I¡¯m happy for what I found last night, still very much so now, but the situation now wouldn¡¯t be so complicated if I hadn¡¯t altered Jinma¡¯s and Nyra¡¯s memories. I wanted to trust them, but I ended up losing some of their trust in me.

    After reflecting on all this, I¡¯ve regretted my actions toward them last night, but what¡¯s done is done.

    ¡°If my relationship with Jinma doesn¡¯t change by the time he finds out who I really am, things will be awkward, and he may come to trust me even less,¡± I said aloud, pacing around the room again, ¡°I gotta work to earn back his trust and then some if I want things to work between us. Which means that this is my chance to put everything I¡¯ve trained for to the test. Other than Umeiyon and his familiars, it seems Jinma will keep his word on not letting the others know about me. I can take this chance to try and get on their good side and see if they could help me out. It will definitely be a challenge to convince Umeiyon I don¡¯t mean any harm. I¡¯d need to have a private talk with her so I could plead some of my case. Finally, I have to make sure Jinma knows that I really do care for him, that he¡¯s my main motivation to keep the peace treaty between the three kin intact while improving my own kin¡¯s relations with them. I¡¯m sure that Father worked so hard up to that moment as the previous king for the same reason.

    ¡°I can¡¯t assume everything will go smoothly, of course, I gotta consider the worst-case scenario ¡­ like Jinma taking my body before I reveal who I really am,¡± I said, feeling my form deflating at the thought.

    I rested a hand on my bosom, specifically where the necklaces Father and Sammy gave me. They were the very items that helped me hide my true identity from everyone around me, praying they were somehow here with me in spirit. I didn¡¯t feel much better as thoughts of Jinma having his way with me filled my mind. I then tried to take a deep breath to calm down.

    ¡°It¡¯s not how I would want things to go, but I won¡¯t fight it,¡± I said to myself, ¡°He has every right to aim his hostility toward me after what I did to him and Nyra, and if taking my virginity helps calm him down, that¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ll just have to make sure ¡®Sue¡¯ and the Demon King aren¡¯t one and the same when Jinma meets the latter, and we never reveal who we really are to him. I can¡¯t imagine how he¡¯d react to the truth after the deed has been done, it would be best for everyone that he¡¯s kept in the dark.

    ¡°This would also mean I¡¯d have to ¡­¡± I trailed off, choking up from finishing the sentence.

    A crushing pain formed in my chest, I hunched over before tears formed in my eyes. This was from the thought of me never seeing Jinma Kotori again, even after training and waiting for him all this time. Earlier, the anxiety and guilt that was built up through the interrogation were shoved aside by my scarousal. It quickly became too much to bear as it all came rushing back to me.

    I collapsed on all fours, trying to fight off the fear and sadness of being alone plaguing my soul, but I couldn¡¯t hold them back any further. Though I was by myself in the room, I curled into a ball, making sure nobody would see me grossly sobbing. Through years of practiced control, I used my [Devil Eyes] to help vent some of my feelings.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m sorry ¡­¡± I cried over and over to Jinma who wasn¡¯t here, letting go of the anxiety and guilt-filled tears that I had been holding back. I didn¡¯t feel right when I thought of crying in the middle of the interrogation, so I did my best to push it down until I had a moment to myself. Since I won¡¯t be left alone again for a while after my ten minutes were up, it seemed as good a time to let it all out as any.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t let that happen! I won¡¯t!¡± I cried again, practically screaming to make a statement more to myself than anyone else, ¡°I won¡¯t let Jinma be off by himself in this world! I promised! I swore that I would do everything in my power to make sure he¡¯s happy and safe! I want to be with him! Forever and ever! Because he¡¯s my ¡­!¡±

 Chapter 128: Discussion of Suspicions

    {Jinma}

    I had to take a moment to calm down after the interrogation was over, splashing my face with cold water in the restroom before drinking some of it from my [Water Magic]. Kenaka followed me around and waited until I was stable enough for him to make a minor report. It didn¡¯t sound like there was anyone nearby looking for me, but he got word from Mametama that the girls were near done preparing themselves to visit Noire. Ume was one of the first to be done, which gave me a chance to talk to her about what happened, so I called her over to the back of the inn with my [Telepathy].

    Moments later, I met her with Kenaka and Mametama joining us so they¡¯d all hear of what happened, but instead of me explaining it all, Nyra proposed something different to save time and energy talking. After unsheathing the tanto at Nyra¡¯s instruction, she emitted the purplish-black mist from the blade, connecting Ume¡¯s, Kenaka¡¯s, and Mametama¡¯s heads to my own. I watched my wife and familiars show great surprise at what they were seeing while staring off into space.

    This trick was something Nyra did to the last member of the White Rapture spies in Dondegarm that we took out single-handedly. I was able to see the memories that guy shared like I was standing in his shoes, experiencing it all firsthand as Nyra relayed them to me while she distracted him with a fear-inducing spell.

    The difference between then and now is that Nyra was relaying my memories of the interrogation moments ago, from beginning to end, into Ume¡¯s and my familiars¡¯ brains. None of my memories were being ¡®transferred¡¯ like I would forget them immediately afterward. It was more like Nyra copy-pasted what I saw into their minds. The experience was still very weird, like jello jiggling in my head if I had to describe it, but it didn¡¯t hurt.

    By the time the memory implant was done, my wife and familiars showed great discontent.

    ¡°That bitch!¡± Kenaka yelled.

    ¡°I knew there was something strange about her!¡± Mametama added.

    ¡°... Jin, this is a very serious matter. Are you certain we shouldn¡¯t kick Sue out right now, or at least tell the others what you saw? Can we really trust her words?¡± Ume asked with a furrowed brow.

    <About that, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to mention that I noticed after the interrogation,> Nyra intervened, speaking to all of us in our minds.

    ¡°What¡¯s that, Nyra?¡± I asked.

    <Sue¡¯s mood process after you left ¡­>

    Nyra then explained how she sensed Sue being briefly scaroused as I had her at knifepoint, followed by varying levels of concern, coming to some resolve, then quickly caving and breaking down sobbing from great distress and loneliness.

    <And this was within the last three to five minutes since Jinma left her alone,> Nyra said, finishing her report.

    ¡°The heck? Was she doing all that while speaking to the Demon King?¡± I asked.

    ¡°And how are you so certain of what mood Sue¡¯s currently in when you¡¯re not in the room?¡± Mametama asked.

    <Depending on the strength of the emotion, I could sense it from a few houses away, but ¡­ I may have left a teeeeeny tiny cut on the back of Sue¡¯s neck before I injected the wound with my magic,> Nyra answered.

    ¡°When the heck did you do that? And ¡®injecting magic¡¯ into people? Is that even possible?¡± I asked.

    <I did it when you had Sue at knifepoint,> Nyra explained <While you two had that staredown, I made my move and borrowed your [Darkness Manipulation] to make the small cut on her nape. And yes, it is indeed possible to inject magic, or specifically the mana connected to your magic, into other people to do a number of things. I picked this up over the first couple years of my curse and found I could track people and read their emotions, no matter where they may run off to hide. Now, if we want to know where Sue is in case she runs off or how she¡¯s feeling, I can just track down her mana and find her in seconds.>

    ¡°I can¡¯t even find her with my [Insightful Mapping] skill, so you must have found a way to bypass whatever that was causing it! That¡¯s brilliant, Nyra!¡± I exclaimed with a great impression.

    <Well, though she apologized, I still had my beefs about her messing with my head. With this, I think we can call it even, whether she knows it or not,> Nyra said before giving a mischievous snicker, <Still, other than her drastic change of emotions, there was one other thing that bugged me about Sue.>

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ume asked.

    <Well ¡­ are Arch Imps¡¯ blood usually a mix of magenta and cyan colors?>

    Nyra¡¯s question left all of us perplexed.

    ¡°That ¡­ should be impossible,¡± Mametama spoke out first, ¡°Some of the plant-type demon races would be an exception, but everyone else, no matter what race or kin, all the blood on Manara shares the same red color. Even magical beasts like Kenaka and I have that same blood color.¡±

    <Well, those were the colors that small drop of blood was made of when it formed on the wound I made. I may not have eyes right now, but I could still see very clearly, and I know what I saw,> Nyra argued.

    ¡°Magenta and cyan ¡­ you only see those colors associated together when the three kin¡¯s mana are involved,¡± Ume said more to herself than anyone in the backyard.

    ¡°Magenta for demons, cyan for humans, and yellow for demis, right?¡± I asked for clarification.

    Ume nodded, ¡°Correct. Us Dragons are different, as our mana signatures only come off as blue. All the monsters in this world share the same red color in their mana signature.¡±

    ¡°All of us magical beasts share the same green color for our mana signature,¡± Mametama added, ¡°However, something that I have learned recently, it seems that color blends with magenta whenever we change into our demon forms. I imagine it would blend with cyan and yellow should we change into human and demi forms, respectively.¡±

    ¡°Cyan, magenta, and yellow for the three main kin, and red, blue, and green for monsters, Dragons, and magical beasts, respectively,¡± I listed out. They seem to reflect the primary and secondary colors as listed in Earth¡¯s color theory. It also looks like there are ways for these mana signatures to blend together somehow, like Kenaka and Mametama¡¯s green having a magenta blend when in their demon forms.

    ¡°Blending colors, cyan and magenta ¡­ ah! Erizora!¡± I exclaimed, stumbling onto an epiphany, ¡°She may not be able to use magic, but everyone has a mana signature regardless, right? While the majority of demons have a magenta colored mana signature, Erizora¡¯s was mixed with cyan because she¡¯s ¡­ half-human.¡±

    My wife and familiars widened their eyes at my observation, looking to not believe where I was going with this. I was questioning my own sanity for even coming to this theory, too, but I just couldn¡¯t rule it out. My blood ran cold for where I was even implying.

    I looked back in the direction where I left Sue, ¡°And if that were the case ¡­ then what the hell does that make Sue with cyan and magenta blood?¡±

    ¡°Blood that reflects the user¡¯s mana signature ¡­ I feel like I came across that somewhere in my books before,¡± Ume said, looking deep into thought, ¡°I may have to research this along with the Rune Craft in that message.¡±

    ¡°Here is a thought,¡± Kenaka said, ¡°Nyra, you put the memories that Milord experienced in our heads, correct? Could you not do the reverse and extract Sue¡¯s memories for Milord to see what she is hiding?¡±

    <I had considered that,> Nyra answered, <Though, since we¡¯re dealing with someone who could misplace or forget memories, she could easily remove what we just saw after the extraction. By then, it would just be an endless cycle of learning and forgetting if we try again. Honestly, it¡¯s amazing Sue didn¡¯t attempt to make us forget everything that happened in the interrogation.>

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    That was a valid point. Sue could have easily made not just Nyra and I, but everyone in the party forget about the existence of someone manipulating our memories.

    ¡°I resolved myself to open up should something like this happen ¡­¡±

    Sue¡¯s confession echoed in my mind. I didn¡¯t sense any hints of a lie with my [Intuition] skill. Is she really intending to follow through with that? I thought, It may just be us five she¡¯s willing to confess to for now, but is she planning on doing the same to the others somewhere down the line? She seemed to be really careful of what info is okay to reveal, at least for right now. What conditions are needed for her to reveal more of what we need to know? Could she possibly do it if I cooperate with her on investigating this coup?

    Whatever Sue¡¯s reasons were for letting this play out like it did, I couldn¡¯t let my guard down around her. I fully intend to watch her every move, not matter how much of a creep that makes me look.

    ~~

    The ten minutes were up by the time we finished our discussion. When I asked Nyra to see how Sue was doing, she reported that the ¡®Arch Imp¡¯ hadn¡¯t moved from the room since we left her. After she finished bawling her eyes out, she went back and forth from being melancholy to optimistic. Nyra couldn¡¯t tell whether Sue was like that towards the Demon King when she contacted her, or if she even made any at all, but I guess this info was as good as we can get.

    By the time I knocked at the door to check in on her, going by the sounds that were made inside, it seemed like she was lying on the bed before I came up. When I went inside and put up a [Soundproof] bubble, she was almost standing at the exact same spot as I left her earlier, with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Your ten minutes are up. Have you said what you needed to the Demon King?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Yup! I was tasked to do my best to make peace with you and earn back your trust, and that is what I was planning on before Her Highness even brought it up!¡± Sue reported proudly while pounding her large chest with a fist, ¡°Oh, and she said she¡¯ll be more than happy to welcome you to her castle and there was no need to rush. Just stop on by at any time and she¡¯ll answer your call immediately!¡±

    <Hmm ¡­ her smile seems genuine, but there¡¯s still some conflicting feelings inside her,> Nyra reported in my mind.

    <Yeah, and she seems to be telling the truth too,> I replied, raising a brow before answering Sue, ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can tell me why she¡¯s so willing to put her important royal duties aside for someone like me, at any time I feel like coming?¡±

    ¡°Sorry! That¡¯s classified!¡± she answered with delight in her tone.

    <Should have figured,> Nyra and I said at once.

    ¡°You can guarantee that Her Highness will provide royal treatment for you and your party upon your arrival though,¡± Sue continued, ¡°It will be her way of apologizing for the trouble she¡¯s caused you, as well as saying thanks for your valiant efforts in saving Dondegarm from the White Rapture raiders. On an official standpoint, though, it will lean more towards the latter for the sake of keeping appearances among the public and nobility.¡±

    I waved a hand to brush it off, ¡°Sure, whatever, she better be prepared for the questioning I¡¯ll put her through when we get there.¡±

    ¡°Her Highness will be more than ready to answer anything you may have for her, I assure you,¡± Sue said.

    ¡°Ume and my familiars are aware of the situation now, and no one else, as we agreed on. Just to make sure, you won¡¯t try anything to make any of us forget about what transpired this morning?¡± I questioned her with a raised brow.

    ¡°Nope!¡± she answered before raising a hand and resting another on her bosom, all with a serious expression on her face, ¡°I, Sue, solemnly swear that from this point on, I won¡¯t do anything to the memories you or your party holds, and I will be as honest and straightforward as I can be until we get to Her Highness¡¯ castle.¡±

    I was surprised at the resolution in her promise, especially when my [Intuition] didn¡¯t pick up any lies.

    ¡°I also swear that should it be necessary to gain your trust, I will submit my body for you to use as you see fit ¡­ and I won¡¯t fight back,¡± Sue continued, with her voice straining slightly as she hesitated speaking the end there.

    <She seemed resolute, but that rise in anxiety there tells me that she hopes to not resort to that, not out of disgust, but for something else ¡­ I can¡¯t comprehend as to what,> Nyra informed.

    <Really? Not even you, an expert on emotions?> I asked.

    <Sometimes people are so conflicted with many emotions it¡¯s hard for us to tell what¡¯s going on. It¡¯s like multiple swords constantly clashing in their minds, making too loud a noise for us to even hear which blade stands out more,> Nyra explained.

    I looked to the side in thought, <Well ¡­ I don¡¯t want to come off as something scummy, but I¡¯m glad Sue¡¯s actually feeling anxious about that. I would question her mental health if she said all that while thinking everything will be hunky-dory.>

    <Oh believe me, I hear ya,> Nyra agreed, I imagine a figure in place of her nodding to show her agreement, <If there¡¯s one thing I learned over the years being trapped in the tanto, it¡¯s that some people try really hard to keep their true emotions bottled up, and that¡¯s something I¡¯ve never seen from other Pixies. It¡¯s amazing that they don¡¯t realize how important it is to let those feelings out, or it would destroy them from the inside out. I sensed Sue feeling a lot over the past ten minutes, but I think she hasn¡¯t got everything out of her system yet, like maybe she wasn¡¯t satisfied with how she vented those emotions.>

    If it was Nyra saying that, even if Sue was somehow aware of how she was being observed, I don¡¯t think anyone could really fake those emotions, and I¡¯d love to see whatever cheat item one can use to accomplish that. Maybe in her own strange way, Sue really was reflecting on her actions.

    That didn¡¯t get Sue off the hook for me though. I was still going to observe her like a hawk, like she may have done the same to me, even if they were under orders of the Demon King. As for the Arch Imp submitting her body for my leisure ¡­ I knew from our time last night that she doesn¡¯t want to be kissed on the lips or have sex yet. She¡¯d want to save those for her potential significant other, so those would be the boundaries I shouldn¡¯t cross under moral/ethical reasons. Was I going to take those away from her as recompense for her messing with Nyra¡¯s and my own memories? I may have been given that right, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯d take it, especially since I knew Sue wouldn¡¯t be into it.

    I don¡¯t know, I just didn¡¯t feel right using sex as a form of revenge. Other people might say otherwise if the person on the receiving end deserved it. I¡¯ve glimpsed at some doujinshis where that was the theme, and it really depended on the degree of wrong where that method of revenge would be acceptable. For Sue¡¯s case, other than how she messed with our memories¡ªwhich, if viewed from an objective standpoint, she didn¡¯t do very much of that compared to what she could have done with us¡ªthat she wants to make up for, I haven¡¯t seen or heard her commit any further wrongs so far since we met yesterday.

    Nyra has exacted her revenge by inserting her mana in a wound she made on Sue¡¯s nape, giving us an edge of where she is and how she¡¯s feeling at all times. If I had to come up with some form of punishment, the best I could think of is take advantage of my [Sweet Spots] skill and keep Sue on the edge of climax, probably for an hour or two, but never let her finish. Then she¡¯d just watch me give my other girls the climax she desperately wants right in front of her.

    <Ooooh, I would hate you all of the next day if you did that to me,> Nyra commented, reading my thoughts.

    I¡¯d have to think about it, but for the time being, I¡¯ll just help myself to touching Sue¡¯s soft and firm body whenever I feel like it. She seemed fine with it last night, so there¡¯s no reason for me to take advantage of that during the day too. There was just one thing I wanted confirmed, however.

    ¡°Regarding our memories, you only messed with what happened sometime after I fell asleep last night, right? Was there anything else during that same time you messed with that we should know about? Like ¡­ how you gave me that oral,¡± I specified.

    Sue shook her head, ¡°No. I only adjusted what happened before you fell asleep last night, and I only replaced Nyra¡¯s memory of interfering my mission with knowledge to release her curse. Everything yesterday, from the moment I first laid eyes on you, to before you fell asleep, really happened. I¡¯m ¡­ pretty sure I told the truth the whole time too.¡± She looked up in thought, trying to remember.

    ¡°Do you lie often?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°Only to people I don¡¯t have my full trust in ¡­ and there are quite a bit,¡± she admitted while looking down to the floor.

    ¡°And you think that despite what you did to me and Nyra, you can fully trust us, which includes following through our deal?¡± I asked with suspicion.

    Then, much to both Nyra¡¯s and my surprise, Sue walked up and wrapped her arms around me, pressing as much of herself¡ªespecially her large melons¡ªas possible, with a strength that was too strong for a girl of her stature. I was reminded of how short the Arch Imp was, shorter than Ren, as she placed her forehead right on my sternum, her face impossible to be seen from my perspective. Judging from how Sue¡¯s wings quivered while the tail curled between her legs, though, she seemed afraid. It was like she was trying to keep me from disappearing on her for whatever reason.

    ¡°I want to trust you, more than anyone else in the world ¡­¡± she muttered, tightening her hold around me even more than I thought was possible for her.

    Nyra and I were left speechless, with me as stiff as a statue, while Sue prolonged this awkward embrace. There was a shaky breath coming from the Arch Imp like she was trying to push down her fears and anxieties. Her quivering wings and tail curling between her legs also showed how scared she seemed. The Pixie in my mind confirmed the emotions Sue were experiencing were very legitimate.

    Satisfied with the embrace, Sue pulled back, shook off her nerves, and cleared her throat before looking back up to me calmly, ¡°Now, may I have a chance to freshen up before we go?¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, let¡¯s get Ume to help me escort you in the restroom,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Yes, Jinma.¡±

    Sue then took initiative to grab her things and leave the room first before I followed along.

    <... Yup, that settled it. This girl¡¯s got issues,> Nyra declared in my mind.

    Seriously, just what do you even say to that?

 Announcement: No Update This Week or the Next.

    I''m a little behind and I''d rather not release an incomplete chapter, so there will be no update on this story this week. I apologize for the inconvenience.

    This is also awkward as I''m taking a week off to celebrate my birthday (3/5). The year hasn''t been very good, honestly, and since the pandemic limits me on where I can go, I''d like to try and make the most of it at home. I''ll use this extra time to try and stockpile chapters in the meantime, though. Hopefully by then I won''t have a problem like this again for a while.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    I thank you for your understanding and updates will be back up the following week (3/14).

 Chapter 129: Talking in the Restroom

    When we regrouped with Ume, she gave Sue the biggest stink eye that I¡¯ve ever seen. I calmed her down and asked her to use the hide detection spell on me so I would follow Sue in the restroom. She followed through with no arguments and said she¡¯d wait outside to take the spell off me when I was done. The Arch Imp wouldn¡¯t see or sense me, but she¡¯d know that I was still nearby, and so with me sticking to her like glue, we went inside.

    The next couple minutes after that were probably the most awkward I¡¯ve ever experienced in my lifetime. I didn¡¯t want to risk anything from not seeing Sue past the stall door, so I had to follow her inside ¡­ and watch her do her business.

    ¡°To go this far, I¡¯ve never felt so embarrassed in my life. Do males actually get off on this?¡± Sue asked with a flushed face. There was nobody other than me and Nyra nearby to hear her.

    How do you expect me to answer that when you won¡¯t even hear it?

    According to Ume, with the hide detection spell in effect, nobody outside the arranged field would know I was here. There is, however, a different effect between producing one around a specified area, and one that encompasses a single individual. While people won¡¯t cross the boundary and interfere with the area the spell¡¯s taking effect, having it surround a mobile person, i.e. myself, would make me undetectable through most senses, but I could still potentially interact with the world. Meaning, even if they can¡¯t see, hear, or smell me, they could still potentially touch me if I¡¯m not careful.

    While I could still see my hands and body through my perspective, when I checked on the mirror as I walked in with Sue, I didn¡¯t see any hint of me in the reflection at all. I was basically invisible. Even when I moved the stall door, it looked to be moving on its own in the mirror¡¯s reflection. I could only imagine what mischief one could pull having access to such magic.

    ¡°That was a question directed to you by the way, Jinma, and I know you can use [Telepathy], so humor me a little, would you?¡± Sue then asked, which left me and Nyra surprised.

    Would it still work with me under the spell? Curious, I decided to enact this last-minute experiment and linked Sue to my [Telepathy], <... Some males might, but I¡¯m not one of them.>

    ¡°Huh, I know I wouldn¡¯t be caught dead like this by some of my peers ¡­ but I might learn to like it if it¡¯s you watching me, Jinma,¡± Sue admitted while averting her gaze with a reddened head.

    <Okay, so that proves [Telepathy] was a success even with Ume¡¯s hide detection spell on me, but now I question if you¡¯re right in the head and how you even know I possess that skill. Please answer with your mind as well,> I requested.

    <Hey, I¡¯m still young and haven¡¯t really explored what¡¯s out there yet and you¡¯re the one who decided to follow me inside instead of having your wife watch over me. As for how I know about your [Telepathy], that¡¯s classified ¡­ wow, this feels so much weirder than I thought it¡¯d be,> Sue commented while resting a hand to her head.

    <Talking with our minds is weirder than me watching you in the stall?> I asked with a raised brow.

    <Not like that!>

    <I don¡¯t know, I find this pretty kinky,> Nyra commented.

    After Sue was finished with her business and left the stall, I watched her head to the sink to wash her hands. <So, in order for you to still have your eyes on me, how do you plan on convincing Eugus to let me accompany you on your dungeon crawl?> she asked.

    <I would inform him and Noire that certain evidence last night revealed that we¡¯re being watched by suspicious third parties¡ªwhich is true, considering you¡¯re the culprit¡ªand I¡¯d feel unsafe leaving you, my ¡®fan,¡¯ all by your lonesome and vulnerable for a couple days,> I explained.

    <You know, under better circumstances, I would be so happy to know you worry over me,> Sue admitted, <Still, while I can prove that I can look out for myself, that would defeat the purpose of why you need to take me with you. Very well, I shall play along with the charade, but know that I was tasked to provide assistance under dire circumstances. I¡¯ll help however I can without getting too involved and interfere with your quest.>

    <I don¡¯t know how necessary your help is, but fair enough,> I said.

    Sue then splashed her face with water and dried off with a towel she pulled out of the knapsack she carried inside, <May I ask a few questions, Jinma?>

    <Shoot,> I answered.

    <Since we¡¯re pretending everything¡¯s fine in front of the others in your party, may I still behave around you as I have been?> she asked.

    I raised a brow, <Such as?>

    <Sidling up close to you, holding your arm, hugging you, sitting on your lap, to name a few,> Sue listed.

    I looked up in thought, <I guess they¡¯d suspect something if we suddenly treat each other differently from yesterday, and it¡¯d be better to have you close by at most times, so sure, but don¡¯t look like you¡¯re forcing more than what¡¯s needed ¡­ or get too comfortable with the physical contact.> Though I made that warning at the end there, I felt that was more directed to myself, and for a good reason.

    <I see ...> she answered, pausing from drying herself.

    <Weird, why does she feel glad about that?> Nyra asked, which raised a brow from me.

    <My other question is that I¡¯d like us to continue having these private talks through [Telepathy] in case the need arises. May we do that? Does anyone else in your party know you can do this?> Sue asked.

    <Other than Ume and my familiars ¡­ and now you as well, no,> I answered with annoyance in my mind¡¯s tone, <I don¡¯t want to risk people knowing I have too many skills than what¡¯s normal, so I¡¯m keeping most hidden unless an emergency calls for them. As for having more of these talks through [Telepathy], unless they¡¯re of dire importance that can¡¯t be put off for later, I¡¯ll allow it. Just grab my attention and tug on your ear a little to let me know you need to talk through that. It¡¯s the same tell Ume uses whenever she needs the same thing.>

    <Ahh, so that¡¯s why I¡¯ve seen her do that a few times. Clever. Still, does it really have to be for business only?> Sue asked with a sulking expression.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    <What else would you want to use it for?> I asked with a raised brow.

    Sue pushed her fingers togethers and averted her gaze, trying to look innocent, <Like, I don¡¯t know, sharing juicy secrets we don¡¯t want others to hear, flirt ¡­ talk dirty, maybe?>

    My expression soured, <You¡¯re not in a good position to make those kinds of requests, Sue. Since you¡¯re ¡®offering your body¡¯ to me, I¡¯ll fondle it as I see fit, when I see fit, and without warning, even someplace you wouldn¡¯t even expect to get groped.>

    Sue widened her eyes in surprise, <J-Just fondling and groping? Nothing further than those?>

    I hesitated in answering, <I ¡­ don¡¯t know about that yet. I just don¡¯t feel like doing something like that with you right now, not tonight, anyway. I¡¯m already conflicted enough with shit right now as it is, so you¡¯re going to serve as my personal stress ball whenever I need a good squeeze ¡­ and for someone wanting to share ¡®juicy secrets,¡¯ you sure know more about mine and Ume¡¯s without us saying anything about them.>

    Sue seemed slightly deflated at my answer, <Right ¡­ well, how about I share a few of my secrets to help even things out for now?>

    <Are they secrets even worth knowing about?> I asked with a raised brow.

    Sue looked to the side, <... You could call one or two of them my weaknesses, if that says anything.>

    What was crazy about everything up to now was that my [Intuition] skill didn¡¯t trigger in the slightest, so she was telling the truth the whole time, including the weakness part. It made me more uncertain as to whether I could accept her offer.

    <I know about you being a Champion, possessing the [Devil Eyes], and your wife being a Dragon, so that means I have to give three of my own secrets to balance things out. How does that sound?> Sue asked while counting her fingers.

    I sighed in frustration, <Fine. Let¡¯s see if any of your secrets are any good.>

    <Great!> Sue responded, sounding elated, before looking thoughtful, <Now, what secrets would be good ¡­>

    Though my expectations were low, I shivered slightly in anticipation of what Sue might reveal. Maybe it was because of how mysterious this Arch Imp was that practically any ¡®secret¡¯ she might hold was a valuable find. Nyra also seemed to be feeling the same.

    <... Okay, I got it,> Sue said through my [Telepathy] before holding up three fingers, <Sue¡¯s mysterious secret number one: I can use magic, but it¡¯s not really my forte. My fighting style relies more in close-quarters combat.>

    Oooh, that does seem valuable. How efficient she is in magic may still be questionable, but anyone who¡¯s wanting to fight against Sue would be better off attacking from a long-range ¡­ although, it¡¯s strange. I¡¯m pretty powerful in magic as demonstrated earlier in the dungeon, but I¡¯m rather the same in how I¡¯d like to fight. Sure, I may have just started learning about magic recently while I fought with my fists and feet most of my life, but even if my experience in both were the same, I think I¡¯d lean more towards getting physical.

    Sue lowered one of her fingers, leaving two up, <Sue¡¯s mysterious secret number two: my favorite food is omurice.> {AN: ¡®omelette rice¡¯ in Japanese}

    I was both surprised and confused. I didn¡¯t even realize a Japanese dish like omurice was a thing in Raiza. Though, considering the other things I¡¯ve seen so far that also reflect Japanese culture, I wondered if I should even be surprised at this point. Then I questioned why Sue¡¯s favorite food would be considered such a huge secret.

    Sue then left one finger up, <Sue¡¯s mysterious secret number three ¡­>

    There was a pause in the restroom with suspense hanging in the air.

    <... I have a thing for males with sharp, glaring-like eyes.>

    You call that a secret?! I screamed in my head, cutting off my [Telepathy] briefly.

    <I only know of a few people who bear such eyes in my life, and they¡¯re very well known to be strong, confident, and dependable,> Sue continued, looking down and blushing slightly while pushing her fingers together, <And I¡¯ve heard stories that in the rare moments the eyes of those same people soften and smile, they¡¯re seen as kind, compassionate, and happy to be with those who they love and cherish. Those traits seem to fit the kind of male I¡¯d want to be with for the rest of my life. That¡¯s why I find those kinds of eyes an attractive feature.>

    <Gee, I wonder who would have traits like those?> Nyra asked me in a sarcastic tone.

    I didn¡¯t want to seem egocentric, but I felt like the description of those specific eyes relate to me. What¡¯s more, everything Sue said there, as well as the other secrets, seem to be true. My [Intuition] hadn¡¯t kicked in through the entirety of this strange moment of trivia. Even if they were true, I couldn¡¯t give into the Arch Imp¡¯s attempt to flatter me.

    One thing I¡¯ve noticed through my time in the Demon-Kin¡¯s country so far is that the majority of demons, specifically the females, found my eyes an attractive feature like Sue described. It just feels strange to me to be complimented by them, especially when I scared humans the majority of my life with those same eyes. The only humans who actually ¡®liked¡¯ these eyes were Mom, all my aunts, Hyo-chan, Komi, Aneki and her friends, and my Granny.

    Actually, that¡¯s a decent number, isn¡¯t it? Though, the times these eyes scared the rest still stick out to me. There¡¯s also the fact that these eyes were inherited ...

    Part of me never really liked these eyes of mine. It wasn¡¯t just for all the unneeded fights it brought me and scaring people away, but I heard my eyes resembled that old bastard I would never acknowledge as my father, the same one who abandoned Mom when I was born.

    Going back to what type of guys Sue was into, if that old bastard also fell into the category of being strong, confident, and other positive things for bearing those eyes, then I wanted to rip them out of their sockets where they didn¡¯t belong. If not his, then I didn¡¯t really deserve them either. I could probably fake it until I make it with my confidence, but I didn¡¯t see myself as strong as Sue might be making me out to be, or dependable.

    You can just ask both of my late best friends. Their gravestones can tell you plenty how weak and undependable I really was.

    I don¡¯t know if Sue and the Demon King see me the same way, but they both are gonna have to get their eyes checked, as I¡¯m not as great as they think, I thought, I can¡¯t say that to Sue outright, though, or I might lose some credibility, as well as my chance to meet with the Demon King. The fact that I can¡¯t be honest with her for my own goals just goes to how much of a lowlife I really am. I had to hold myself back from chuckling at the one-man roast I was holding.

    <Jinma ¡­> Nyra uttered in my mind, reading into my dark thoughts.

    <Well, those are nice thoughts, Sue. Are we done here?> I asked her through [Telepathy].

    ¡°Huh?¡± Sue uttered. It looked like she was lost in her own thoughts before I pulled her back to reality, <I mean ¡­ I guess that¡¯s all, but what do you¡ª>

    <Then come on,> I interrupted, pushing the Arch Imp by the back and out of the restroom, <We gotta meet with the others and go over the plan before heading to Noire¡¯s. We got a lot to do today.>

    ¡°... Okay?¡± she answered, still slightly confused.

    Once we met back up with Ume outside the restroom, she undid the spell on me before we regrouped with the rest of my party. I informed them that after my ¡®talk¡¯ with Sue and getting a second opinion from Ume, we¡¯d ask Eugus to allow the Arch Imp to accompany us in our dungeon crawl. This was under the guise of ¡®protecting¡¯ Sue and keeping her from being alone after whatever messed with Nyra¡¯s memories last night. Other than Ren, whose [Intuition] skill probably hinted to her that something didn¡¯t feel right, the others bought our ruse and were for the plan. I had to find a moment to talk with Ren alone and inform her on what was happening on a ¡®need-to-know¡¯ basis.

    With our plan set and Sue sticking close by me, I opened [Portal] and we stepped through, taking us right in front of the gates of Noire¡¯s cottage. Just to keep things safe after yesterday¡¯s craziness, I used my [Insightful Mapping] in combination with [Size Up] to survey the area and see if there were any possible interlopers.

    Huh ¡­ that¡¯s odd.

    <Jinma, are you seeing this too?> Nyra asked, already on the same page of my discovery.

    <Yeah. Everyone from yesterday is here today, plus one additional guest, and it¡¯s ¡­ Konjiro¡¯s wife?>

 Chapter 130: The Cold Kitsune Wife

    It didn¡¯t take long for one of Noire¡¯s maids to be aware of our presence, who opened the gate and led us to the door. When we were allowed entry I went in first with Ume and Sue at both my sides, my familiars following close behind, as well as the rest of my party.

    Noire was the one who greeted us first, who stood from her seat and curtseyed, ¡°Salutations, Jinma, Mei, and the rest of ¡®Twilight Sky.¡¯ I hope you all had enough time to rest after the chaos of yesterday¡¯s events?¡±

    ¡°I uh ¡­ like to say we did, but I¡¯m afraid some unexpected problems rose from last night,¡± I admitted, ¡°We¡¯ll go over them today, but first, those clothes look good on you, Noire. Are they¡ª¡±

    ¡°You dare address nobility in such an informal matter, Jinma Kotori?¡± Konjiro, the Kitsune guildmaster that heads Palocaesy¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, interrupted while standing up and glaring his narrow fox eyes at me.

    ¡°Do not reprimand him, Konjiro,¡± Noire intervened, ¡°I gave Jinma and Mei permission to address me as such after dinner last night. In fact, I insisted they do so.¡±

    ¡°You heard the lady, Konjiro. Stand down,¡± Eugus, the Centaur guildmaster to Dondegarm¡¯s guild and Kalline¡¯s uncle, said to calm Konjiro¡¯s nerves.

    ¡°Yeah, Konji, lighten up. This is between the three of them, after all,¡± Julius, a human guildmaster from a guild in the Human-Kin¡¯s territory¡ªBomira, I think he said it was?¡ªadded.

    Konjiro¡¯s fox eyes were still glaring daggers at me as he sat back down.

    <Boy, someone¡¯s feeling antsy today,> Nyra commented.

    ¡°As I was about to say, thank you for the compliment on my clothes, Jinma,¡± Noire said before twirling in place, giving me a view of her whole attire, ¡°This set will serve as my ¡®adventurer¡¯s attire,¡¯ if you will. I thought I could try it on and get your opinion.

    Noire¡¯s outfit in question still emanated gothic lolita vibes, but there was much less fabric than the last few dresses she had on yesterday. The blouse had a black outer layer with white insides, its laced neckline was square-shaped to reveal a generous amount of cleavage from her large white bust. The ends of the top¡¯s long sleeves and base were also etched with lace, designed to make the contrast of black and white stand out. It was all closed together with white buttons, conforming around her slim, hourglass-like waist.

    For her bottom, I think some girls called it a ¡®battle skirt.¡¯ It matched the design of her blouse with a black outside and white inside, the trimmings were also laced that stretched past her mid thighs. The skirt was just long enough to keep her modesty, but it would only take a strong enough gust of wind to blow it up and reveal what was underneath. On her legs were thigh-high black stockings that also had lace designs etched into the fabric, taking advantage of the contrasting color of her marble white skin while showing the contours of their shape. This all led down to her polished black boots, which would normally not mix with dresses, but Noire somehow just made them look good for her.

    Finally, to finish off Noire¡¯s unique ¡®adventurer¡¯s ensemble,¡¯ her crimson hair was in a ponytail with two black bows tied at the base and tail, while a black hairband with white frills was set on top of her head. Sitting at her hip that stood out from her outfit was the Magic Item Pouch that we saw on her yesterday. Somehow, the Vampire noblewoman managed to achieve a good balance of style and functionality with her choice of attire, which allowed her to move freely with little to no restrictions.

    ¡°It definitely looks stunning, but I¡¯m concerned about the lack of armor for your protection,¡± I said while scanning Noire¡¯s form.

    ¡°Most of the outfit actually is armor,¡± Noire said while lifting her skirt a little, ¡°It is designed with two layers of tightly-knitted Arachne silk, taking advantage of their steel-like durability to take most wears and tears, with magical self-repairing properties when it does sustain such damage, all while magically fitted to move with me like I wasn¡¯t wearing anything at all.¡±

    ¡°Ooooooh,¡± all of us in the party responded with awe.

    ¡°As expected for a noble to not pull any stops for efficient protection, more so since she is the Minister of Defense and Weaponry¡¯s daughter,¡± Kalline exposited.

    If Lili¡¯s just as capable to pull that off, maybe I can have her make something for all of us.

    <Hey, don¡¯t leave me out of the equation! I¡¯m a Blacksmith, remember?! I can make armor that¡¯s way better than some spider thread!> Nyra exclaimed.

    <Not that I doubt you, Nyra, but you¡¯re not exactly in a condition to be smithing gear right now, much less hold a tool to do it,> I retorted.

    <... If I could just borrow your body for a few hours¡ª>

    <Absolutely not,> I interrupted her.

    ¡°Anyway, that is enough about me,¡± Noire said before letting go of her skirt, ¡°Before we continue, I would like Konjiro to introduce a guest joining us today.¡±

    Ah, we¡¯re finally going to address the elephant in the room ¡­ or I guess I should say fox?

    I glanced over to the woman who sat next to Konjiro. She was wearing [asian garb] that matched the male Kitsune¡¯s, with beast-like hands and feet sticking out of them. Unlike the guildmaster who has the head of a fox, his female acquaintance had a human¡¯s head. Her fox ears sprouted from the top of her straight wheat brown hair that looked to stretch past her shoulders, and I could see the large matching tail behind her with all its hairs standing on end. The female Kitsune¡¯s ice blue eyes still had some semblance of a fox¡¯s from the way they¡¯re almond shaped, despite how wide open they were in surprise, and it was as I examined them that I noticed she was staring right at me.

    ¡°Yes, Lady Krauss,¡± Konjiro answered to Noire¡¯s request, clearing his throat and gesturing to the fox woman next to him, ¡°This is my wife, Yukino. She is a bronze rank adventurer like myself who also helps me with guildmaster work and just returned from a meeting last night to join us today. Yukino?¡±

    Yukino sat there silent, still staring my way.

    ¡°... Yukino,¡± Konjiro repeated more sternly, tapping his wife¡¯s shoulder, which snapped her back into reality.

    ¡°H-Huh? Oh, yes,¡± she said before standing up from her seat and bowed to us with eyes closed, a greeting that resembled my home country¡¯s very well, ¡°I am Yukino. Please pardon my intrusion as I join you this late.¡± Though she was trying to act humble, I couldn¡¯t help but feel there was a cold, distant vibe in her low tone of a greeting that seemed to match her beauty. While she was still bowing down, her ice blue eyes open back up in a piercing slit staring in my direction again, which was also just as spine chillingly cold.

    So she is Konjiro¡¯s wife. Her title as [Spouse] with Konjiro¡¯s name on the side was seen in her status, just like how Ume¡¯s name was associated with my own title. Still, why does she keep staring my way? Is my being here just that surprising to her?

    <Ohohohoho, I think I know what¡¯s going on here, if what I¡¯m sensing from her is correct, and if she works ¡®closely¡¯ with Konjiro ¡­ you know where I¡¯m getting at, don¡¯t you?> Nyra asked in a suggestive manner.

    <... Wait, what? No way! With that stare?! I thought she was holding something against me! And this is someone¡¯s wife we¡¯re talking about!> I retorted.

    <Yes, the wife of someone who¡¯s playing a large part of a coup against the Demon King. Whether she¡¯s also playing some role or not, should you really be caring about their marriage at this point?> Nyra asked. I could imagine her giving a raised brow at me right now.

    I was going to argue, but instead looked up in second thought, <... You know what, you may have a point there, but for Yukino to have that much interest in me at first meeting ¡­ is my [Demon¡¯s Pheromone] playing a part in this somehow? It just makes me wonder how invested she is in this marriage to be so easily swayed by my ¡­ charm.> Even in my head, it was weird to say something like that about myself.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    As Yukino sat back down next to her husband, Noire clapped her hands, ¡°So, we are all acquainted, then? Shall we start off with our plan for the dungeon crawl?¡±

    ¡°Before we begin on that, I¡¯d like to address the ¡®unexpected problem¡¯ that came up last night, which may affect our progress in this dungeon crawl,¡± I interjected.

    Noire furrowed her brow with a serious, thoughtful expression and a hand to her chin, ¡°Is that so? That sounds serious. Take a seat wherever is available and enlighten us on the circumstances.¡±

    Once we all took our seats, I explained how we found evidence of my adventurer¡¯s party being watched by a third party, someone outside of Gabriella''s and Tyvera¡¯s knowledge who were observing us up to yesterday. I strategically used the Demon King¡¯s message for me and the events of last night to support my case without referring to their actual sources and who was directly involved. Using that evidence, I voiced my ¡®concern¡¯ of leaving Sue alone while the rest of us were in the dungeon for a couple days. Though she wasn¡¯t an official member of our party, just her association with us would serve more than enough reason for this third party to capture her and put us in a tight spot.

    ¡°This does sound rather concerning ¡­ Gabriella, are you and Tyvera holding anything out on us?¡± Noire asked the Dullahan with a piercing stink eye.

    Gabriella, in question, was in the same state as yesterday when we saw her, with only her head being in the arms of a maid. The only differences between then and now is the lack of a gag at the start of our meeting, and her complexion seemed paler than it was yesterday, which I didn¡¯t think was possible. It wasn¡¯t really out of fear or stress, but pure exhaustion. It looked like she didn¡¯t get a wink of sleep last night, though I wasn¡¯t sure if the undead really needed it.

    ¡°I have ¡­ told you everything that I know, Lady Krauss,¡± Gabriella answered in a subdued, tired tone. She looked to be fighting to keep herself awake from how heavy her eyelids seemed to be.

    Noire raised her brow in suspicion, ¡°Really? Everything? Do we need another ¡®interrogation session¡¯ to squeeze more out of you?¡±

    Gabriella jolted her eyes wide open, awake in great fear from hearing the words ¡®interrogation session¡¯, ¡°N-No! Absolutely not! I really did tell you everything Lord Rowling ordered us to do! You have to believe me! Just please, I beg of you, don¡¯t put me through another interrogation!¡±

    <Huh, the talking onahole seems to be feeling not just high levels of fear, but also great shame and embarrassment,> Nyra informed me.

    Though this Dullahan tried to pull one over us yesterday, I couldn¡¯t help but pity her for her current condition. I also honestly felt calling her a ¡®talking onahole¡¯ was a bit much, but now that Nyra said it, I couldn¡¯t really see her disembodied head the same as before.

    ¡°Uh, if it¡¯s any consolation, I only know as much, if not less than Gabriella about the motivations behind our previous missions,¡± Tyvera interjected. Though she and Gabriella weren¡¯t close, my Harpy Slave must still have some sympathy for her former comrade to try to lessen the degree of punishment.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit afraid to ask, but what happened in this ¡®interrogation¡¯?¡± I asked, ¡°Have you learned anything new from it?¡±

    ¡°Other than the finer details of what was already confessed yesterday, not much ¡­¡± Noire trailed off while looking up in thought. An idea seemed to dawn on her as she smiled mischievously, ¡°Come to think of it, you have not seen Gabriella¡¯s body yet, have you, Jinma? Would you and your party like to see? How are you all with seeing bodies of the Undead?¡±

    ¡°No! Lady Krauss, please! Anything but that! Not in front of this man!¡± Gabriella pleaded, now more desperate than earlier.

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve seen my share of ¡®bodies¡¯ from subjugated thugs, but Gabriella¡¯s the first Undead I¡¯ve ever seen in my life. I don¡¯t know how a Dullahan¡¯s body differs from other Undead.¡± Though I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not curious to see what the rest of her body looks like, I finished in my mind.

    ¡°Come to think of it, how do the Undead differ from other demons? Are they even demons at all?¡± I then asked aloud.

    ¡°The Undead fall more into a gray area between all kin,¡± Kalline explained, ¡°How they become Undead, what kind of Undead, how intelligent they are, and how hostile they can become differs from one to another, depending on the circumstances. The only thing they have in common is that this world¡¯s mana plays a large part in how they come to be. I am neigh familiar with the specifics, but ¡®tis the general concept of the Undead.¡±

    ¡°So, along with Dullahans, are there Zombies, Ghosts, and Ghouls among the Undead?¡± I asked.

    Kalline nodded, ¡°Indeed, and some are far more dangerous to face than others, especially when thou hast no Cleric in a party, or magic like Holy or Fire at the very least.¡±

    ¡°Huh, well, this just makes me more curious to see Gabriella¡¯s body. What about you guys?¡± I asked my party.

    They all had differing opinions, but the general consensus was that they wouldn¡¯t mind seeing the body either. Dullahans were apparently very rare to come by, and when something rare¡¯s involved, it¡¯s almost instinct for anyone to see it out of curiosity.

    Much to Gabriella¡¯s dismay, we asked Noire to show us the Dullahan¡¯s body, and she ordered a few of the maids to bring it up to the living room at once. It only took a couple minutes before we finally got to see her body in person, but how it was presented wasn¡¯t what any of us had expected.

    Gabriella¡¯s headless body was tied in rope ¡­ that was it. Rope was the only thing that clung to her otherwise naked body, tied on it in a way one one would see in bondage play. The body¡¯s skin matched the head in the whitish-blue, deathly tone, marks from rope burn could be seen underneath the binding. Even the color on the peaks of her ample melons had become a pale gray color, but they were perked up and erect thanks to the rope squeezing her chest with a complicated knot. Putting the color aside, Gabriella had a strong, moderate-sized physique that could be depicted as a picture of good health. I could see it in the flexed muscles in her arms, the chiseled formation on her legs, and the subtle lines of a washboard stomach. Finally, where the head should be placed, there was only a purplish-black, ominous haze wafting out of her neck.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ Gabriella is so lucky,¡± Erizora muttered, looking to be salivating at the sight of the Dullahan¡¯s kinky presentation.

    I honestly couldn¡¯t blame my Ogre Slave¡¯s excitement, because the so-called dark knight¡¯s current state had got my dominating, sadistic blood flowing in my veins. The urge to feel up her body that was entangled tightly in rope rose within me.

    <Whoa! Jinma! You may need to turn off your [Demon Pheromones]! Look at the girls!> Nyra exclaimed, snapping me back into reality somewhat.

    I quickly looked around at the girls in the room and noticed they were getting a little heated and red in the face, and it wasn¡¯t out of embarrassment or discomfort at Gabriella¡¯s current image. Erizora had as next to no shame on her face as she did voicing out her feelings earlier, looking ready to continue where we left off last night. Ren and Tyvera, however, while trying to look dignified, got fidgety in their cushions on the floor like Erizora was. Even Kalline¡¯s horse ears and tail had difficulty keeping themselves still. Sue, being closest to me, while keeping a straight face, was unashamedly rubbing my thigh.

    Outside of my party, Yokino was covering her mouth, but was breathing heavily through her nose. Beelzebub, the so-called ¡®King (or Queen) of the Flies¡¯, had trouble keeping her composure and had no idea where to look as she repeatedly wiped her sweaty hands and face with a handkerchief. Seeing the petite, prideful demon fidget in this manner was surprisingly fly-like, sticking true to her title. As for the hostess of this cottage, Noire, she had half of her face covered with a folding fan, but she had a feverish, excited look in her violet eyes as she scanned Gabriella¡¯s form. Even the Noble Vampire¡¯s nearby maids had trouble keeping themselves still.

    The only females in the room that seem to be acting ¡®normal¡¯ was Ume, who looked to be as cool as a cucumber, and Gabriella, who was naturally getting flustered from having her tied-up body being so exposed. The latter of the two was trying to kill me with her glare, but her flushed expression really dampened her threatening air.

    At Nyra¡¯s suggestion, I mentally turned my [Demon Pheromones] off immediately while I tried to control myself and my urge to fondle Gabriella¡¯s bound body.

    ¡°... Whew. Pardon me, everyone, I was so lost from seeing Gabriella¡¯s state that things got a little steamy for me,¡± Noire said while using her fan to cool herself.

    ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ I felt it was getting rather hot as well,¡± Beelzebub added, still using her handkerchief to wipe away the sweat from her face and hands.

    Well, I¡¯d say that was a rather successful outcome of this last-minute experiment, I mused, [Demon Pheromones] allows me to get in good graces with Demon-Kin girls when I¡¯m feeling good, and make them horny when I¡¯m feeling the same. What¡¯s more, I think I have an idea of how my [Pleasure Seeker] skill works.

    [Pleasure Seeker] was one of the new skills I got after my first time with Mametama at the inn. I didn¡¯t get a chance to see what the description was, but I noticed a very significant change that I didn¡¯t see before earning it. From the girls who were affected by my [Demon Pheromones] skill, there was a peculiar aura wafting about them, resembling hot pink smoke that emanated from their forms. It was like the desire for pleasure was burning in their bodies, coming out as smoke that only I could see. That¡¯s what I imagined how the [Pleasure Seeker] worked, giving me the visuals to see females who were literally seeking pleasure. What¡¯s more, the amount of hot pink smoke that emanated from them varied between individuals. I had to guess that the more of that smoke was wafting from them, the more pleasure they were desiring was burning in their bodies.

    And the ones outside of my harem who emanated this smoke the most were three people: Noire, the Vampire noble hostess of this cottage; Sue, the ¡®secret agent¡¯ serving the Demon King; and Yukino, the wife of Konjiro, who was the guildmaster of Palocaesy¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, as well as a possible participant of the coup against the Demon King. Oddly enough, it was the Kitsune woman who was wafting the hot pink smoke the most, meaning she was probably the horniest out of the three of them, despite how much she was trying to keep a calm demeanor.

    Seeing a wife that horny could only mean two things: she¡¯s currently under heat¡ªif Kitsunes are anything like the other Werebeasts¡ªor her husband hasn¡¯t been giving her proper attention as a woman lately ¡­ I might put this to my advantage, if I play my cards right.

 Chapter 131: A Brawlerâ€™s and â€˜Arch Impâ€™sâ€™ Cooperation

    Noire then cleared her throat, getting us all back on the earlier topic of discussion, ¡°Anyway, it seems there is no other information Gabriella and Tyvera can provide for us, so if there really is a third party that is on your tail, Jinma, then this is quite a bind. I can also understand why you are concerned to leave Sue alone while we are gone for a few days. What do you propose we do to solve this dilemma?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering if it was possible for Sue to come with us in the dungeon crawl,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Art thou sure that solution is wise, Jinma?¡± Eugus asked with a furrowed brow, ¡°In regards to the trip from Dondegarm to Palocaesy yesterday, while it was also initially a pre-trial to escort Sue, who was coincidentally going in the same direction as us, that had to be glossed over when we found out thy quest was being compromised by Lord Rowling¡¯s authority. I was planning on giving thee an outing after yesterday¡¯s events, but this arrangement thou art suggesting raises the quest¡¯s difficulty level. Thou would have to assist Lady Noire in battle while making sure no harm comes to Sue.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t get into anybody¡¯s way throughout the dungeon crawl,¡± Sue intervened with a hand to her chest, ¡°In fact, I wish to be a temporary member of Jinma¡¯s party and be as much assistance to him as I¡¯m able. It¡¯s the least I could do for him to go out of his way to protect me. It may be dangerous deep in the dungeon, but I believe it¡¯s safer for me to stick with Jinma and his party than to be on my own out here.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ so you trust Jinma enough to put your life in his hands? Is that what you are telling us?¡± Noire asked with an inquisitive stare.

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ uncertain, if I have to be really honest, but I want to trust him, and I¡¯m confident enough that Jinma can pull it off,¡± Sue answered with determined eyes.

    It¡¯s pretty much what she said to me back at the inn, only with some additional details, and I didn¡¯t sense any hints of lies in them with my [Intuition] skill. Honestly, I was glad she didn¡¯t fully trust me yet, because I¡¯d question her sanity if what she did to Nyra and I last night was out of some weird ¡®devotion¡¯ to me instead of the Demon King.

    ¡°Jinma? Do you feel confident about protecting both Sue and myself in the case of dire circumstances?¡± Noire then asked me.

    ¡°Back in my bodyguard days, I had to put up with a lot of shit, but I never let my clients and coworkers get hurt under my watch. My track record as well as the scars on my body can speak for themselves how likely it is for me to protect you both,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Really? Do you mind showing us your scars to prove your point, then?¡± Noire asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all,¡± I said as I was about to start unbuttoning my shirt, but then a white beastly paw was placed on my hand to stop me.

    ¡°Please allow me to disrobe you, Master,¡± Ren said, standing in front of me with a stoic stare, but her erratically wagging tail told her mood otherwise.

    <You might want to let her have this one, Jinma,> Nyra suggested, <Though she¡¯s a part of your harem, she¡¯s technically your slave first and foremost in the general public. Noire and the others here might question your leadership if you don¡¯t have your slave do things for you.>

    Nyra¡¯s logic in this seemed skewed to me, but that might be the common sense from back home thinking that. She¡¯s lived in this world much longer than I have, and the memories of those she previously possessed could tell her plenty of how things have changed between her times of freedom.

    Despite how excited Ren seemed, she was likely thinking of our social positions as well. That was why she jumped up to stop me, knowing how little experience I have in slave ownership so far. It was a bit unnerving, having someone do menial things for me, but I had to follow Nyra¡¯s advice and go through with this just once.

    ¡°... Alright then, do your thing,¡± I said while holding my arms up on my sides slightly.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Despite how stubby Ren¡¯s paws were, she was able to unbutton me very quickly. Maybe it was part of her slave training to tend to the clothes for their masters to change in and out of. In a matter of seconds, I was stripped of my dress shirt and blazer, totally topless. I felt strangely nostalgic as I thought back to my first big fight in Dondegarm.

    ¡°Oh my ¡­¡± Noire said as I showed her and everyone else my front and back.

    <Oooh, this is interesting,> Nyra said, <You don¡¯t have your [Demon Pheromones] on, but Noire and Yukino are getting quite turned on right now. So are a few of the maids, and ... well, this might just be even more interesting.>

    <What?> I asked with a raised brow.

    <Julius is getting turned on from seeing your back right now,> Nyra informed.

    <Uh ¡­ what does that mean, exactly?>

    <I¡¯ve actually caught hints of it yesterday, but I wasn¡¯t sure, so I didn¡¯t say anything, but with this ... yes, I could definitely see it clearly now. Julius has got the hots for you! I bet you he came all this way from the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory to see how attractive you are too!> she exclaimed.

    I tried not to let it show on my face, but I was unamused, <... Yeah, so, I don¡¯t have a thing for guys like I do for girls, so there¡¯s no way that¡¯s ever happening.>

    <Awww, really? Not even a little ¡®experimentation¡¯ to assure that?> she asked.

    <No,> I answered with no hesitation.

    I¡¯ve ¡®seen¡¯ my share of guys through all the brawls I went through on Earth, with the occasional passive-aggressive asshole who¡¯s too chicken to say it to my face on the side. Putting the non-human males aside, seeing Julius being welcoming and kind to me was a surprising change of pace. I¡¯ll admit he has his own charms in looks and personality, but I don¡¯t ever see myself being with him or any other guy in that sort of way.

    ¡°Well, I think you have shown enough to prove your point, Jinma, you may dress yourself,¡± Noire said.

    ¡°Allow me, Master,¡± Ren said as she quickly put my blazer and dress shirt back on me with great dexterity and finesse, buttoning me up with impressive speed.

    I smirked and petted Ren¡¯s head, borrowing my [Petting] skill, ¡°Thank you, Ren.¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± she responded with a nod and a contented smile before sitting back on her seat cushion.

    ¡°Now then, if you really believe you can look after the both of us, Jinma, then I will allow Sue to join us in our dungeon crawl,¡± Noire stated, leaving all of us in my party shocked.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Art thou sure about this, Lady Krauss?¡± Eugus asked.

    ¡°I have found Jinma¡¯s party to be interesting and full of surprises so far, so I am curious to see how they will fare escorting two people. Besides,¡± Noire said before looking over to Sue¡¯s direction, calmly scanning her form with a calculating stare, ¡°I have actually been curious to know who Sue is since I first saw her yesterday, so this may be a good chance for me to learn more about her. If you could enlighten me for a moment, Sue, but ¡­ have we ever met before?¡±

    With a hand to her bosom, Sue bowed her head with eyes closed, ¡°I am but a lowly Arch Imp who happens to be well-read of the Krauss family¡¯s exploits throughout their history of nobility. I am as humbled to be in your presence today as I was yesterday in our very first meeting.¡±

    ¡°So, we have not met before yesterday?¡± Noire asked.

    Sue shook her head, still holding her pose, ¡°I am afraid not, Lady Krauss.¡±

    Noire squinted her eyes at Sue more inquisitively than before, ¡°Hmm ¡­ very well then, perhaps I was mistaken in my perception. Regardless, I hope that we may get along as Jinma escorts us.¡±

    ¡°I would be honored to make your acquaintance, Lady Krauss,¡± Sue said before sitting back up in her seat.

    I didn¡¯t notice any signs of my [Intuition] skill going off throughout Noire¡¯s and Sue¡¯s exchange, but there was something not sitting right in my own gut.

    I just had to ask Sue through [Telepathy], <How much of what you said just now was true?>

    <... I am well informed of the Krauss family¡¯s history and I do wish to get along with Noire throughout the dungeon crawl, but those are about the only truths I spoke to her,> Sue admitted with a straight face.

    <So, you actually aren¡¯t an Arch Imp, and you really have met Noire before ¡­ as somebody else?> I asked.

    <You may take what you¡¯ve just seen of me as my ¡®formal public¡¯ face that I¡¯ve been using for years now,> Sue explained, <My name and what you¡¯ve seen of me in private are small parts of who I really am that I¡¯m willing to share only with you, Jinma. And before you ask, I only appear as an Arch Imp due to a Null Spell. Despite the other measures I¡¯ve taken to look completely different to Noire, though, she still thought she has seen me somewhere before. Her perception is actually quite sharp, just like her father.>

    <Huh ¡­ so are those large knockers part of this magic disguise of yours too?>

    <Ah, we really are alike, Jinma asking the questions that really matter,> Nyra commented.

    <Oh no, they¡¯re very real, but I can certainly make them look smaller or bigger than what they really are, as well as the rest of me,> Sue answered, <I just have to be careful of not touching anyone if the disguise is too different from the rest of me or I¡¯ll be seen through right away.>

    <Whew! That¡¯s a relief! I would flip if what we¡¯ve been feeling up to now were lies! That kind of deceit is unforgivable!> Nyra exclaimed.

    I mentally broke my [Telepathy] from Sue for a moment, <Nyra, have you searched through my memories enough to know what plastic surgery is?>

    <No, why? What is it?> I imagined a figure in Nyra¡¯s place tilting her head in confusion after asking.

    <It¡¯s pretty subtle, but you¡¯ll probably know what it is once you stumble across it. I don¡¯t want to spoil the surprise,> I answered.

    <Oh come on! Don¡¯t tease me like that!>

    Putting Nyra¡¯s antics aside, it seems Sue also knows Noire¡¯s dad, the Minister of Defense and Weaponry, as well. Yeah, that¡¯s not a total bomb dropped on my conscience, but that¡¯s not what was standing out to me the most.

    Since we first met yesterday, Sue didn¡¯t hesitate on making physical contact with me, especially last night, yet I didn¡¯t notice anything off about her through all those times we touched. If Sue was telling the truth about her magic disguise¡¯s properties and restrictions, then the body I¡¯ve been seeing and feeling on my side right now resembled her true form the most.

    Sue was a legit shortstack, emphasis on ¡®stack¡¯ when it comes to her rack and trunk. The clothes she¡¯s wearing right now must be real too. I¡¯ve seen many Arch Imps up to now having a pinkish-purple color tone on their skin, so that has to be fake on Sue. What about her platinum-pink pigtails? Her amber eyes? Her pair of small white bison horns? Her purplish-black bat-like wings, or even her spade-headed tail of the same color?

    Is Sue revealing herself like this to hint me on what her real identity looks like? Does this suggest that she¡¯s planning on revealing her true self in due time? Once again, the more info I found on this Sue, whatever race she is, the more questions sprung up in my mind.

    <Well, putting that tease aside, we found something else significant in Sue and Noire¡¯s exchange,> Nyra pointed out, reading my thoughts.

    <We did?>

    <Sue just said it herself that her knowledge on Noire¡¯s family history and intentions to get acquainted were the only truths she told her. You didn¡¯t catch any hint of her lies with your [Intuition] skill. What do you think this means?> Nyra asked me.

    That knowledge made me realize something, and I felt a chill in my spine because of it, Sue doesn¡¯t just have the [Deception] skill, but she¡¯s able to fool my [Intuition] as well, even while it¡¯s at max proficiency. So ¡­ whatever she¡¯s doing to pull that off, I have literally NO means to tell apart her truths from lies. That means her saying of only telling the truth to me could also be a big fat lie, as well as wanting to trust me, and¡ª

    <Whoooa, calm down, stud,> Nyra interrupted, stopping me from my panicked line of thoughts, <Did you forget you have me to help you with her legitimacy too? Sue looks calm right now, but the feelings behind her words seemed resolute, with a hint of desperate hope that you believe her. You really think she has some freaky means to fake that?>

    Nyra¡¯s reason calmed me down somewhat, but I was still a bit on edge of this chilling discovery of not distinguishing between Sue¡¯s truths and lies.

    Sensing my anxiety, Nyra sighed, <If that isn¡¯t enough to make sure she¡¯s telling the truth, there is one person who can help you find the means to detect truths and lies one-hundred-percent every time.>

    <You ¡­ know of such a person? Who?>

    <DUDE! Goddess Obina?! The Immortal you¡¯re representing?! The same busty, ethereal goddess who gave you a bracelet that includes a shop selling every item that exists since ever?!> Nyra practically screamed.

    <... Ah, right. Speaking of Obina, didn¡¯t she say I should visit a church or something and try praying at an Immortals¡¯ Monument at some point? Maybe she can guide me on what I should do about this.>

    <There you go, now we¡¯re getting somewhere! Sheesh, just where the hell would you even be right now without me?> Nyra exasperated.

    ¡°Jinma? Is something a matter?¡± Noire asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You seemed like you had something deep in mind,¡± Noire said.

    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing major. I was just brainstorming how to go about the dungeon crawl tomorrow while escorting two people,¡± I lied on the spot, putting my [Deception] to work.

    ¡°Ah, slow on planning, I see. Very dependable,¡± Noire praised before giving a graceful, beautiful smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not much, really ¡­¡± Still, for me to space out that long, even with my [Hyper Thought Processing] speeding up my thinking process, I was more rattled at Sue¡¯s thing than I thought.

    ¡°Anyway, if Jinma can follow through with his word, Sue will be joining us in the dungeon crawl as a last-minute addition to the group,¡± Noire said, clapping her hands together, ¡°Are we in agreement?¡±

    ¡°Personally, I, the Great Beelzebub! Am still not convinced,¡± the fly demon spoke up, hopping from her seat and pointing at me, ¡°Your body may have shown how many close-calls you survived from, but that doesn¡¯t speak to what you¡¯re actually able to do, does it? I need some more eye-opening evidence than that.¡±

    ¡°I do see your point, Beelzebub, and perhaps we will see what he and his wife can do with a proposal I planned ahead,¡± Noire said.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.

    Noire gave a brief smile that had a mischievous glint to it, ¡°A demonstration of fighting prowess, of course, with a sparring duel between you and Mei versus Gabriella and Beelzebub.¡±

 Chapter 132: The Vixen Brawler Makes a New Fashion Friend

    {Komi}

    Yo! What¡¯s up?! Former hitman Komi here!

    I¡¯m on the streets of Alluga with my familiar, Sei, as we¡¯re browsing the shops for good clothes and gear for my slave companions, Lola and Momo, who are also with us. I say we were browsing, but we were having a problem finding a place that catered to Demon-Kin patrons like those of the Minotaur races.

    Alluga is one of the Human-Kin¡¯s cities that sits closest to the border that separates territories, specifically the Demon-Kin¡¯s. With that close proximity, while being one of the best places for its red-light district, Alluga has grown to become one of the more progressive cities in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory that accepts residents from the Demon-Kin as well as some Demi-Kin. While I personally find this development good, there were still some lingering problems Alluga was still trying to resolve, such as shops selling gear for the bigger clientele like Lola. A few shops we visited could make special orders once they got her measurements, but the wait time wasn¡¯t something we could afford. Most places didn¡¯t have magic enchanted clothes to automatically fit the wearer, either, and apparently the clothes have to be bigger than the person before it could adjust itself to necessary proportions. If the outfit was too small for the wearer, there would be next to no change to it at all, other than getting stretched to its limits. It¡¯s because of this fitting magic that I was able to find clothes for Momo, even when the smallest sizes they had were too big to conform to her thin body frame.

    While I do have more than enough money to buy what I need from the shop in my Champion¡¯s Bracelet¡ªit was actually named something else, but it was too big a mouthful to say it all and I didn¡¯t like its initials¡ªI¡¯d like to see what I can splurge in the city first that¡¯s less expensive than the Immortals¡¯ shop. Plus, I¡¯ve been spending the last three months since I came to Raiza getting stronger while earning my keep and living frugally, not giving myself a chance to really explore much of the city, even though Nao-chi showed me around when I first came here. I¡¯ve kept aside more than enough money for Jin-chi and I to live off of for years to come. I wanted to try to really ¡®live¡¯ in the new world for a bit and see what it has to offer so I can show Jin-chi a good time during our stay.

    Oh, and Nao-chi, or Nao Yosaka, was something like my senpai to the pub I mostly worked at. ¡®Mama¡¯, the pub¡¯s owner, who also found me when I first came here, introduced her to me. They¡¯re both Champions from Japan like me, but Nao-chi has been in this world for four years, and Mama was here for a little longer than that. What¡¯s more, they¡¯re both Brawlers like me, so they likely got quite strong over the course of their stay. Anyway, Nao-chi was expecting me to explain to her why I redeemed my slaves all of a sudden over dinner later. We haven¡¯t spoken much of each other¡¯s personal lives from how busy I kept myself, but she was a cool and chill woman that I¡¯d like to keep in touch with, so I wondered how much I should open up to her tonight.

    ¡°I must admit that I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d actually wear clothes like these in my lifetime,¡± Momo commented as she looked down on her new black blouse and matching skirt.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with something that plain, though? There were a bunch of other clothes that you¡¯d look so much cuter in!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°My village didn''t have much ¡­ variety, in clothing as this city does,¡± Momo explained, ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t like using my head to fret over what to wear when it could be used for research, and black makes stains the least noticeable. Along with the outfit I will wear out in the field, I¡¯d like to try and keep things simple. Plus, I¡¯m fairly certain this visor throws off any attempt to look fashionable. I¡¯m still grateful to be given this much luxury as your slave, Mistress, and I must thank you for that.¡±

    The black visor Momo was wearing on her face, covering her one large eye, was something that I got along with redeeming her as my slave. It both protected her from any wind and dust that could disrupt her focus as someone with a Sniper class, and it helped her blend into human societies by hiding her one lone eye. While the slave ring around her neck made her stand out already, she could totally pass off as a human wearing the visor around everyday. Just like she said, though, finding clothes that would make the visor as an accessory was a bit of a challenge.

    ¡°... Lola? Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t heard from you yet. Do you have any preferences for what clothes to wear?¡± I asked my Minotaur slave.

    ¡°H-Huh?! Oh, that, um ¡­¡± Lola trailed off, pushing her fingers together awkwardly, ¡°Well, we no wear a lot of clothes back home. Me not know what Mistress or other humans think about clothes, but ¡­ me thinks me also want to keep simple like Momo do. A skirt and something like ¡®bra¡¯ be good, but no ¡®panties¡¯. Panties no look comfortable.¡±

    ¡°And you already know where I stand in terms of clothes, Mistress,¡± my reptilian familiar, Sei, commented while shrugging her shoulders, ¡°I am only wearing clothes under your orders, but I would rather not wear anything at all. Putting on and taking off clothes is so bothersome.¡±

    What¡¯s with these drastic ¡®function over fashion¡¯ ideals?! Can you even call it that at this point?! I screamed in my head before sighing internally, Maybe I should have dragged Nao-chi along on this venture. She may not convince them otherwise, but at least she seemed fashion-savvy enough for both of us to actually talk on equal terms in style. At least then we¡¯d actually get this friendship of ours off the ground. Hell, even the few times I went shopping with Hyo-chi back home were fun.

    Thinking back, it¡¯s surprising that I wasn¡¯t always into fashion and the latest trends as I am now. As a kid, I was rigorously trained to be the next successor of my blood family¡¯s line of hitmen, and I took it quite seriously during that time. Even before that incident, I didn¡¯t really get along with other kids around my age, as I was tasked to hide and watch over Jin-chi as a sort of ¡®bodyguard-in-training¡¯. He and Hyo-chi never noticed me until some time after we were released from the hospital, and that was when we became something like friends back then, at least until I had to move overseas for my hitman training.

    When I got older later, as my high school life with Jin-chi and Hyo-chi drew near, I was tasked to research fashion and basically become the gyarus that I saw in the magazines and pictures they sent as my ¡®study material¡¯. This was to help me get close to Jin-chi, as there were reports of him spending most of his time with these gyarus while he was still in primary school. You don¡¯t normally see such a unique sight, a kid hanging out with delinquent high school girls. Like his predecessors, though, Jin-chi was born with an innate ability that attracted people that, and I¡¯m putting this lightly, were ¡®strayed off from what¡¯s normal¡¯. Me, as well as Hyo-chi, Jin-chi¡¯s mom, and even his ¡®aunts¡¯ were no exceptions of these people that were ¡®strayed¡¯.

    Anyway, in order for Jin-chi to open up to me, I had to dress and act like the gyarus he enjoyed spending time with as a kid. Since becoming one of his mistresses was my main goal in life, I had to make myself attractive as a girl, so I dove headfirst into the fashion magazines and pictures.

    Not too long after that, what started out as building and acting in my public persona actually became a part of a new me. Being someone so colorful and bright appealed to me, igniting something inside my soul that I didn¡¯t even know I have, considering my line of work. It gave me a sense of freedom, being able to create my own image with the tools I trained myself to use. My cosmetic skills became comparable to a professional makeup artist by the time high school came around.

    Now, though, realizing I was the only fashion-minded person in a group of girls made me a little lonely. I wanted to share my passions with my girlfriends, but the girls with me right now only saw themselves as my servants beneath me. I just couldn¡¯t abuse my authority to force them into it if they weren¡¯t interested.

    I need a girlfriend who can humor my fashion cravings ¡­ hm? I thought, suddenly noticing something new in the distance.

    It was a girl with only a large rag for her ¡®clothes¡¯, staring at something through a shop¡¯s window with dilated eyes of great wonder. Not only did her garb stood out, but she had glossy, flowing locks as pink as sakura, with fin-like ears of a matching color. [AN: sakura = cherry blossoms] There were also hot pink, reptilian claws gripping into her rag, matching feet, and a long tail that was as thick as two of my own arms put together, poking out from below and swaying from side to side.

    ¡°... Hm? A Lizardman?¡± Momo asked, noticing where I was standing, ¡°That¡¯s the first I¡¯ve seen one around these parts, if you don¡¯t count Sei.¡±

    ¡°True. Though I look like one, I am technically not, given my origins,¡± Sei admitted.

    ¡°... Hm? Mistress? Why so pale?¡± Lola asked me after I used [Size Up] on the pink Lizardman to see what we were dealing with.

    That¡¯s no Lizardman, that¡¯s ...

    Just as I was thinking about us quickly moving to someplace else, a couple big shady-looking human thugs approached the ¡®Lizardman¡¯ girl with the most disgusting smiles on their faces. I couldn¡¯t help but use my [Mind Read] skill on them to see what was up.

    <What beautiful scales ¡­ they have to sell for millions after getting skinned.>

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    <I¡¯m so pent up ¡­ I could unload on just about anything right now. I want to know what¡¯s under those rags.>

    Their thoughts were like those and then some. And so, without much thought, I quickly moved through the crowds to reach the ¡®Lizardman¡¯ before those thugs could.

    ¡°Heeey! There you are! We¡¯ve been looking all over for you!¡± I called out to her, putting on my best ¡®friendly¡¯ aura I could muster while acting really familiar with her.

    ¡°... Eh? Are you talking to me?¡± she asked while pointing a claw to herself.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking to you, now come on! We got a long day ahead of us, so let¡¯s do some shopping! Lola! Momo! Sei! Let¡¯s head on inside! Quick!¡± I yelled while my hands were on her shoulders.

    A bit flustered at my sudden order, Sei snapped my slaves out of it before coming over. The thugs were flabbergasted at Lola and her size as she and the rest of my party followed me and the ¡®Lizardman¡¯ girl inside the shop in front of us.

    <W-Whoa, does that girl own that Minotaur? Are they all with that pink Lizardman?>

    <Screw that, then. Maybe I can jack off to that Minotaur¡¯s massive jugs in someplace safe.>

    Though some of their thoughts were crude, the thugs immediately gave up on approaching the pink ¡®Lizardman¡¯ girl after seeing she had intimidating company. With my [Insightful Mapping] and [Size Up] skill combo, I watched them move past the shop we were in and went about their day. I sighed a breath of relief when the coast was clear.

    ¡°Um ¡­ I hate to burst your bubble, but I think you got the wrong person. I¡¯ve never seen you before in my life,¡± the pink ¡®Lizardman¡¯ said, snapping me out of my moment of relief.

    Realizing I still had my hands on her, I immediately broke away and gave her some space. My party was looking just as confused to what was going on, but they didn¡¯t say anything, probably waiting to see if I¡¯d explain myself.

    I scratched my head and gave an awkward smile, ¡°Ah ¡­ sorry about the surprise. I know we¡¯ve never met before, but I saw some bad-looking guys earlier staring at you with wicked intentions, so I felt I had to step in and pull you away from them.¡±

    ¡°Bad-looking guys with wicked intentions ¡­¡± the ¡®Lizardman¡¯ girl trailed off, looking up with innocent thought, before she widened her eyes in realization, ¡°Ah! So you were protecting me?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Yes. Sorry again if I scared you. I don¡¯t mean any harm.¡±

    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re a really nice human to go out of your way like that!¡± she answered with amazement before giving a friendly smile, ¡°I appreciate the concern, but you don¡¯t need to worry about me. I can look out for myself when I need it.¡±

    Yeah, I know, because I was worried about everyone that isn¡¯t you and those thugs in Alluga. This city would fall into chaos if those guys tried to make a move on a Dragon in disguise.

    That was the first thing I found from identifying this pink individual with my [Size Up]. Her stats were the highest that I¡¯ve ever seen from this world¡¯s locals, and as for her skills and titles, I only took a glance, and I wasn¡¯t even sure I saw everything she had for how big the lists for both were. I lost my cool for a moment after seeing that, and I was too surprised to even see what her name was.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just glad I was able to help out without making things too awkward,¡± I said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you can look out for yourself when the need arises, but you should still be careful, you know? And even though those guys were bad news, I assure you that not all of us humans are that bad. I just hope that any of this didn¡¯t leave a bad impression for you on what we¡¯re like.¡± I wanted to avoid a potential disaster falling on me or anyone innocent, so I tried to be as formal as possible while getting my point across.

    The pink reptile girl shook her claw in front of me, ¡°Oh, of course not! If that were the case, then you¡¯d be lumped in with them, and that would be no good at all! I may have heard some stories, but I¡¯m glad to see there are humans like you out here that would say otherwise.¡±

    ¡­ My [Intuition] didn¡¯t respond to anything, so she¡¯s telling the truth. Good. I can rest a little easier now, I thought while sighing internally, ¡°Well, then, if we¡¯re all good here, I guess we can head out¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± the Dragon exclaimed, grabbing my wrist to stop me, ¡°Since you were kind enough to help me back there, maybe you can help me again with a question I have!¡±

    Mildly interested in what she had to say, I turned back to her, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Um, these ¡­ ¡®clothes¡¯ you humans call them, like the ones you¡¯re wearing right now, what is their purpose? Why do you wear them?¡± she asked while gesturing to a rack of cute tops next to her before pointing out what I was wearing.

    ¡°Clothes?¡± I asked while looking down to myself, checking my current ensemble.

    I was wearing a similar blouse Momo currently has on, but in white, along with a light red mini skirt and matching shoes with white stockings. They were something I bought for myself along with Momo¡¯s set. I also bought other clothes that were currently in my [Storage] right now along with other items and equipment.

    After seeing what I was wearing, I looked around and saw we were in another store for clothes. I didn¡¯t even notice what shop I pulled the pink Dragon into to get away from those thugs.

    ¡°Why we wear clothes ¡­ there are so many reasons that I don¡¯t know where to start to explain. Why do you ask?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well ¡­ where I¡¯m from, we don¡¯t really wear clothes, and I¡¯ve only heard mentions of them in stories, but these clothes ¡­¡± the Dragon trailed off as she brushed her claw over the cute tops hung together on a rack, staring at them longingly, ¡°Along with others I¡¯ve seen on humans, I never thought they would look so different from each other, so colorful, so ¡­ cute. I just wondered, that even if I¡¯m not human, I could still wear something so incredible.¡±

    As I listened to the pink Dragon, I thought my chest was going to burst from how fast it was racing in excitement. I was doing my best trying not to smile like a total idiot.

    A bit unexpected, but if this is you answering my wishes, O Great Immortals, then I owe you a great debt! I praised internally while calmly and earnestly rested my hand on the longing Dragon¡¯s shoulder, ¡°... If I may introduce myself, I¡¯m Komiwa Karuga, but I usually go by ¡®Komi¡¯. And your name?¡± Though I could just look up above the Dragon¡¯s head and see her name for myself, I was just met with one surprise after another to even register it, and so I just had to get it the traditional way.

    The hot pink Dragon blinked her sakura-colored eyes in surprise, ¡°... Mailigon.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Mailigon, what would you say if I told you that you not only can wear cute clothes, but you can look amazing in them, and you can keep as many as you can carry?¡± I asked in my best sales pitch. Unlike most people I¡¯ve talked to, since I was dealing with a Dragon, it was best that I address her properly with some formality.

    ¡°Can I really?!¡± Mailigon asked with excitement.

    I rested a hand on my bosom, ¡°And you¡¯re just in luck, for I¡¯m an expert when it comes to all things fashion. If you put your faith in me, I swear that I will teach you everything I know while finding you the best clothes to wear. You¡¯ll look as cute, beautiful, or whatever you want to be with the very clothes you like so much. Would you allow me to help you become the very best you that you can be?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mailigon responded without hesitation.

    ¡°Then are you ready to start that now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, yes, absolutely yes! Let¡¯s do it!¡± Mailigon exclaimed, and in her overwhelming excitement, she took the rag she had on and ripped it off her person, flinging it in the air.

    Before I realized what happened, the Dragon stood before me, stark naked. Mailigon¡¯s face and frontside of her torso, resembling a human, had the cleanest and smoothest peach-pink skin I had ever seen. No hairs, freckles, moles, blemishes, or scars stood out, and her chiseled six-pack abs looked to be hard enough to grate meat on. Her melons, which were bigger than mine and maybe on the same level as Nao-chi¡¯s, had incredible perkiness and shape as they stuck out from her chest with hard peaks just smaller than a five hundred yen coin. As for her toned arms and legs, they were covered in hot pink scales while carrying a reptilian appearance. Even her entire back gleamed with the same beautiful scales, down to her tail where her taut derriere was exposed with skin underneath it.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready, Komi! Lay whatever you have on me!¡± Mailigon exclaimed with vigor with arms and legs stretched out in a way that made her body scream, ¡°Take me!¡±

    It was because of Mailigon¡¯s exclamation that I was snapped out of my stunned state and scrambled to put the rag back on her, laughing awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re so eager, but there¡¯s a time and place to strip down, and this is not the place. That¡¯s your first lesson in clothing, okay, Ms. Mailigon?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± she exclaimed with purity and innocence. There wasn¡¯t a hint of shame or embarrassment in her features.

    I looked back to my party, who had been standing by watching it all with mixed levels of shock, ¡°Change of plans, girls! We¡¯re getting a wardrobe for this lucky lady here! Think you all can help me out?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mistress!¡± my slaves answered without question.

    Sei wasn¡¯t as eager as she raised a brow at me. <Not that I am in a position to refuse, but is there some benefit to keeping this Lizardman around? I imagine this is not just to appease your strange desire to dress someone in clothes,> she spoke to me through [Familiar Telepathy].

    <I¡¯ll explain later, but for the sake of our safety, as well as Alluga¡¯s, we need to keep watch over this girl and make sure she¡¯s happy,> I reasoned.

    <Hmm ¡­ very well, I shall go along with this for now,> she said while shrugging her shoulders.

    While it was true we needed to watch over this Dragon and I had a ton of questions for why she¡¯s even here, I was admittedly excited. The amount of muscle Mailigon had surprised me, but she was overall a hell of a looker. The beautiful curves on her sculpted frame made her martial artist-like body a work of art that rivaled the Immortals¡¯. My mind was already running at full speed with design ideas that would complement her dazzling hot pink scales and emphasize her bust, waist, and hips. If I could also convince Mailigon into fixing her silky sakura hair, maybe do some work on her claws, and touch up her lashes, then this will be the first I¡¯ll be having the time of my life in this world.

    Introducing Mailigon to Jin-chi as a potential harem member might be asking for much, but at the very least, I want to have a long-time friendship with this girl. I couldn¡¯t be more sure of this decision than becoming one of Jin-chi¡¯s mistresses, and that really says a lot.

 Chapter 133: Spar Preparations

    {Jinma}

    To demonstrate our fighting capabilities, everyone in the room moved outside to the backyard of the cottage where there was a training ground and sparring equipment stored. Apparently, Noire¡¯s father owned the cottage and the property around it, and he had the training grounds built alongside the estate¡¯s. He and his family would visit Palocaesy on some occasions and would use the training grounds to polish their fighting skills over the course of their stay. As expected of the Minister of Defense and Weaponry to keep himself as well as his family sharp for any unexpected encounters, and Noire would be no exception.

    ¡°It may be too late to speak up against this now, but are you sure it¡¯s safe to release Gabriella from her bindings?¡± I asked Noire, who was standing on the sidelines along with the others. I was standing on one side of the training grounds with Ume, and across from us was Margaret¡ªor ¡®Beelzebub¡¯ in public¡ªand Gabrielle fully decked out in black armor, fitting for her Dark Knight class, while carrying a longsword in both hands. Konjiro played the part as referee as he stood on the edge of the grounds between us.

    ¡°Do not worry!¡± Noire exclaimed, ¡°If Gabriella knows what is good for her, she will not try anything strange! Otherwise, feel free to beat her to a pulp if she does! She is an Undead, so other than magic, she can take anything thrown at her and still live!¡±

    ¡°I am seriously not that sturdy! Do you hate me that much, Lady Krauss?!¡± Gabriella exclaimed in slight panic.

    ¡°With Beelzebub as the exception, this spar will give us a chance to see how you fight as we go down the dungeon,¡± Noire explained, ignoring Gabriella¡¯s question, ¡°We will go over the specifics like the skills and magic we can use later, along with the rest of ¡®Twilight Sky¡¯. For now, this is a good opportunity to get an idea of what to expect from the strongest people in the group.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t you be in Beelzebub¡¯s place?¡± Ume asked.

    ¡°My fighting style would make the team you will fight against unbalanced, but you will see how I do things soon,¡± Noire answered, ¡°I have arranged this match to have an even team of magic and close-quarters-combat on both sides.¡±

    ¡°I get it now,¡± Kalline said, ¡°Lady Umeiyon is a Sage while Master Jinma is a Brawler. If Master Jinma pairs off against Gabriella for being a Dark Knight in close-quarters-combat, then Lady Umeiyon will be left with Lady Beelzebub for their expertise in magic. Does that mean Lady Beelzebub has a magic-based class as well?¡±

    Beelzebub laughed with pride, ¡°Correct! I, the Great Beelzebub! Am a master of the magical dark arts as a Sorceress! You all shall know true fear soon enough!¡±

    ¡°This is actually perfect,¡± Ume said, popping her neck and reptilian knuckles before giving a hint of her [Sadistic Smile], a frightening skill she inherited from me in our marriage, ¡°I¡¯m still a little peeved of you having the gall of talking down on my husband. It¡¯s about time you get knocked down some pegs and know who to really fear.¡±

    ¡°Ume, this is only a spar, and Mar¡ªI mean, ¡®Beelzebub¡¯, is a noble,¡± I interjected with a finger up, ¡°Don¡¯t kill her.¡±

    ¡°Are you both looking down on me?!¡± Beelzebub exclaimed in frustration.

    Looking at the numbers objectively, Ume can beat the fly, but the latter¡¯s status ¡­ I can¡¯t help but feel a little tense, I thought as I viewed our opponents¡¯ statuses with my [Size Up]

    First, Gabriella. Just as she advertised herself, she has the Dark Knight class, and while her stats lean more on the offensive side of things, she still had pretty good defenses and a surprising amount in AGI and DEX, considering her wearing armor. It did say she has weak resistance to Fire and Holy attribute attacks, but she also has strong resistance to Curse attribute attacks. She even has spells from Cursed Magic that inflict status ailments in *Paralyze* and *Poison*. Of course, we can¡¯t forget about her skills in the sword, and she has a wide array of them in her arsenal. There were even a few I haven¡¯t seen being used so far, so I was curious to see what they could do and how to learn them for myself. I especially wondered how her [Headless Style] fighting works in a battle. Also, like Eugus, she had an [Armor Walk] skill that allowed her to move in armor without hindering her AGI or certain movements. Even if my stats have hers beat, I should keep on my toes.

    Now, for the surprising thing I found from the status of Margaret ¡®Maggy¡¯ Buzzington, a.k.a., ¡®Beelzebub¡¯. While she was indeed a Sorceress, she was also a Water Mage and a Fire Mage. Yes, just like me and Eugus, this Lord of the Flies also possessed multiple classes, and all of them were promotions from the Dark Mage and regular Mage novice classes. The question is how this even came to be. I didn¡¯t see any hint of the Brawler class anywhere, and going by her attitude toward it, I doubt she knows the secret behind it, or she may still have it on her like I do.

    I didn¡¯t know what this fly¡¯s deal was, until I identified a few of her titles and skills with my [Size Up].

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Demon-Kin Noble: A title personally bestowed by a Demon-Kin Monarch, placing the user among their nobility; this grants the user access to certain skills they can learn, or granted by their Demon-Kin Monarch.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Demon King¡¯s [1st and 2nd] Peerage: A skill personally bestowed by a Demon-Kin Monarch, granting the user the capability to possess another class to practice and use in battle; only those with the Demon-Kin Noble title are qualified to learn this skill.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <Holy shit, this is huge!> Nyra exclaimed, seeming like she read over the descriptions of the title and skills I came across, <Does this mean every noble in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory has at least one additional class?!>

    I mentally nodded, <That seems to be the case, and if there¡¯s a line of titles and skills specifically for Demon-Kin nobility, then it¡¯s likely there are those for Demi-Kin and Human-Kin too. Also, notice the description said a ¡®Demon-Kin Monarch¡¯ grants the title and skill, and not a ¡®Demon King¡¯?> This meant ¡®Demon King¡¯ was just a label that¡¯s been used to address the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory¡¯s monarch up to now. There are likely other monarchs from different kin that rule countries outside of the continent of Padimon, all with possibly different ¡®royal title¡¯ names to address themselves.

    It would be no surprise that there are continents other than Padimon existing in the world of Raiza, but that just begged the question of how big it is to have a number of monarchs from different kin ruling their own countries. They could be totally different from the three countries in Padimon, either neighboring between borders or are separated by the sea, each having their own ways of running their governments. Maybe the discrimination between different kin aren¡¯t as bad in some of those foreign countries as it is here, but at the same time, it could also be far worse.

    Would all of the countries¡¯ leaders be considered as monarchs, or were some of them referred differently, like emperor, chief, or even president, to fit in with the culture it came from? And if it were the latter case, do they all have the same benefits under different labels, or are they each unique from each other? Lastly, if becoming a noble in a country was the only known method to get additional classes up to now, then why am I able to get the same as a Brawler? If I have a chance to speak with Obina again, I¡¯ll have to see if she can enlighten me on these questions, but that would be for another time.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    <Still, this brings a concerning problem,> I spoke to Nyra in my mind, <I don¡¯t know how many classes a noble or guild master is able to earn, but it¡¯s safe to assume that they¡¯re in a whole other league in fighting prowess compared to those I¡¯ve faced so far. Rowling and Vask are no exceptions, and if in the worst-case scenario I have to face the Demon King in battle, the same person that granted those nobles and then some the access to use multiple classes, then she¡¯d have to be insanely tough with however many tricks she has up her sleeve.>

    <I guess we¡¯ll have to hope that whatever reason she has for wanting to see you doesn¡¯t come to that, at least until you get stronger,> Nyra said.

    ¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s about all I really can do right now, isn¡¯t it? I may have my high defenses, but those can only help me survive long enough to run away when needed, at best. It won¡¯t be enough to protect my wife and harem. I have to get even stronger.

    ¡°Hey! Arch Imp! What are you doing?!¡± Margaret exclaimed snapping me out of my thoughts.

    Since Ume and I were occupied with the spar, I had Ren and Mametama keep a close eye on Sue while they watched from the sidelines. For some reason, though, Sue was coming toward us, accompanied by my Werewolf Slave and Cougar Cub Familiar.

    ¡°Just personally wishing Umeiyon and Jinma luck on the spar! It will only be a moment!¡± Sue exclaimed cheerfully as she stood behind us. The fake Arch Imp¡¯s tune changed when her expression turned serious and silently beckoned the two of us to close in. She also tugged her ear, giving the tell that she wishes to speak with [Telepathy].

    Ume and I exchanged a glance. Both of us had the same idea to see what it was Sue wanted to say even without the help of my [Telepathy] skill. We silently nodded in agreement and crouched down to Sue¡¯s level before I activated it and established a link between the three of us. Ren and Mametama in the meantime were standing about a meter away from this huddle at my request.

    <I have some tips to give you both an edge in this spar,> Sue started before glancing over to my wife first, <Umeiyon, including Sorcerer, Beelzebub possesses two other magic-based classes, Water Mage and Fire Mage, whose benefits will help increase the power of their respective element magics. Her main strategy relies on the status-afflicting spells from her [Curse Magic] that will temporarily make you weak to both types, and then slow you down before she throws her offensive spells on you. If you¡¯re trying to show your stuff to Noire, I advise that you evade or block her attempts to afflict you with those status ailments, then reveal how powerful your own magic is to hers.>

    Umeiyon¡¯s eyes widened and glanced over to me, <Is it true that she possesses three classes?>

    I nodded, <Yeah, I was going to mention it to you with a warning, but I guess Sue beat me to it. I didn¡¯t know what Beelzebub¡¯s main battle strategy would be, though.>

    Ume huffed through her nose and crossed her arms with pride, <Even if that is the case, I had a feeling ¡®Beelzebub¡¯ has some status ailment spells in her arsenal, and I already have measures to counteract them, so there is no need to worry over me. I am a Dragon who studied magic for a long time, you know?>

    Sue nodded in understanding before turning her attention to me, <Jinma, Dullahans have an exclusive fighting style skill called [Headless Style], and as the name suggests, it involves their disembodied heads. While the heads are their main sources of strength, however, they are also their greatest weakness, if you know how to put it to your advantage. You, as a Brawler, can use your own fighting style skills to do just that. I¡¯m sure you can come up with something that will blow everyone¡¯s minds.>

    <My fighting styles ¡­> I trailed off.

    Right now, I have my [Merciless Style], [Protective Style], [Slugger Style], and [Drunken Style] thanks to my capabilities as a Brawler. Each of them specializes in some area of combat that could alter my chances of winning a battle. If Sue can see my status, despite the measures I took with my [Status Sorting] skill to hide my true potential, she must know I can use at least one of these to obtain certain victory against Gabriella¡¯s [Headless Style]. At least that¡¯s what I assumed Sue was implying.

    <That sounds great and all, but this doesn¡¯t overwrite what you did to Jin and Nyra,> Ume said, furrowing her brow, <And if you¡¯re somehow tricking us again with this info, I will really let you have it after the spar.>

    <While I do admit I wished my advice would help improve my image, I know it won¡¯t be that easy, and I¡¯d be one hell of a dumbass to try and trick either of you under these circumstances,> Sue said while shrugging her shoulders, <You may do with my advice as you will. I just figured I¡¯d contribute something to make this easier for you to impress Noire, knowing what to expect.>

    Sue then did a one-eighty and put up a large, excited smile before wrapping both of us by the waist in her arms. ¡°Best of luck, you two! I¡¯ll be cheering you on!¡± She exclaimed, making sure everyone in the training grounds would hear it.

    We were surprised by the sudden gesture. We didn¡¯t have time to react before Sue pulled back and returned to the sidelines with Ren and Mametama, who both wished us luck as well.

    <¡­ Well? What do you think? Jin? Nyra?> Ume asked us, our link with my [Telepathy] skill still intact, but with just the two of us now.

    <I didn¡¯t sense anything off with my [Intuition] skill, so it seems like she was telling the truth,> I answered.

    <Sue had some slight feelings of concern over both of you, but she was mostly confident that you two will do good in this spar. She also had some stress that went down after hugging you both. That¡¯s what my [Psyche Magic] told me,> Nyra added.

    <Agh, I hate being confused like this,> Ume complained while scratching her head, <That female is unpredictable. Wonder if I have a better idea of what makes her tick if I used my [Diagnosis] spell on her?>

    <I¡¯m at a loss for what to do with her too, which is why I¡¯ll be consulting with Obina later today and see if she can give us advice,> I said.

    <You going to use the bracelet to speak to her?> Ume asked.

    <She suggested a while back that I go to a church and try praying at an Immortal¡¯s Monument. Not sure what makes that different from how we¡¯ve been talking to her up to now, but I figured I should give it a shot,> I explained.

    Ume rested a reptilian hand to her bosom, <In that case, I¡¯m coming with you. I¡¯m rather curious to see what Goddess Obina was talking about. Will Sue be coming with us too?>

    I nodded, <Without question.>

    ¡°Hey! Are we getting started with this or what?! The Great Beelzebub does not like to be kept waiting!¡± Beelzebub yelled in frustration.

    ¡°Sorry about that!¡± I exclaimed.

    I popped some kinks out of my joints before unsheathing Nyra and used [Darkness Manipulation] to make an extension of the blade and handle out of solidified darkness. This turned the tanto into a katana before I went into a fighting position. Ume got battle-ready as well.

    ¡°We¡¯re ready now!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s finally time for you to know your true place, Beelzebub,¡± Ume taunted.

    ¡°A Lizardman, telling the Great Beelzebub to know her true place? I will make you eat those words!¡± Beelzebub exclaimed.

    ¡°Jinma Kotori,¡± Gabriella said shakily, grabbing my attention and noticing her fists were trembling, ¡°You muscled your way into this delicate quest, taunted me upon your arrival, made a fool out of me, put me through cruel and unusual torture, and moments ago, saw me in my most vulnerable, shameful appearance in front of everyone.¡±

    ¡°¡­ If it¡¯s any consolation, I find your body pretty attractive¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± she interrupted while unsheathing her steel great sword before resting it on her shoulder. Gabriella then removed her head with her free hand and thrusted it out to me, making the anger on her face known, ¡°I am so fed up with everything right now that I do not care for my place as a Dark Knight anymore! I am going to take advantage of this moment to make you regret ever crossing me! Prepare yourself, Jinma Kotori!¡±

    <She certainly has some mixed feelings right now, that¡¯s for sure,> Nyra pointed out in my mind.

    ¡°May I remind everyone that this is a ¡®sparring¡¯ match? If you¡¯re going to shed blood, try to keep it to a minimum, at least. You¡¯re on a noble¡¯s property, after all,¡± Konjiro pointed out before raising his paw-like hand, ¡°Now, then! This match will last for three minutes! The battle will be over when the time limit runs out or both participants in a team surrenders, whichever comes first! Do you all agree to these conditions?!¡±

    ¡°No complaints,¡± I spoke for all of us.

    ¡°One round! Jinma and Umeiyon versus Gabriella and Beelzebub! Let the sparring match ¡­ begin!¡± Konjiro declared while chopping the air between us, starting our battle.

 Chapter 134: Team Sparring Battle and the Demon Kingâ€™s Observations, Part 1

    {Sue}

    With most of the audience gathered in the middle outside of the battlefield, I was standing closer to Jinma¡¯s side, separated from the crowd. Ren and Mametama were at both of my sides as my assigned escorts while their master was occupied with the spar. Using [Mana Manipulation] to heighten my hearing, plus my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills, I observed the battle and everything that went on around it.

    ¡°[Levitate]!¡± Gabriella chanted at the start of the battle before her disembodied head suddenly floated out of her hand and into the air, about 7 meters [~23 feet] off the ground.

    Hmm ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect her to possess the [Levitate] Null Spell. That could be a problem for Jinma. If my [Size Up] caught that Null Spell beforehand, I would have warned him about it first thing.

    A shame that even [Size Up] at max level wouldn¡¯t show what Null Spells a person possesses. It¡¯s especially annoying when the skill displays the more personal details of a person¡¯s character like what kind of items they have on their person, including what underwear they¡¯re wearing. Even a female¡¯s three sizes or the length and girth of a male¡¯s dong is known through this unorthodox appraisal skill¡ªthough I was especially thankful for that feature after seeing how much Jinma was packing before last night¡¯s events. That aside, it would be nice a person¡¯s list of Null Spells would be known, even if it takes another skill to do it. Perhaps the Immortals intentionally left this part out to give everyone a fighting chance when things look bleak?

    Anyway, Dullahans would usually throw their heads way up in the air, attack their enemies, and then catch their heads after they fall. This strategy gave Dullahans a moment to see the battle from above and not worry about any blind spots for ambushes while the body took care of downing the enemies. That was the focus in their battles, using their unique [Headless Style] fighting style skill that would be foolish to attempt if you don¡¯t have the strength and numbers to back you up. Even when they aren¡¯t on the front lines, Dullahans can be good allies to look out for their comrades¡¯ blind spots when facing multiple enemies.

    With Gabriella possessing [Levitate], though, she can control where to look and not worry about catching her head, focusing her body to fight the battle while watching like a member of the audience.

    ¡°[Heavy Sin]! [Debilitating Defense]! [Baneful Poison]! [Burning Weakness]! [Soaking Weakness]!¡±

    At the same time Gabriella¡¯s head lifted to the air, Beelzebub spouted rounds of status-ailment spells at Umeiyon. The Dragoness just stood there with her arms still crossed, unflinching at the Lord of the Flies¡¯ magical barrage.

    The Dark Knight¡¯s headless body rushed in, her great sword in both hands drawn back for a big wind up. She was setting her sights on Jinma, who just noticed her assault and prepared himself to take the attack head-on.

    Kkkkkkkkkkk!

    When their weapons clashed, I could feel a subtle shockwave from it. If Jinma hadn¡¯t stood his ground, Gabriella could have sent him flying. As their blades rubbed against each other, a continuous trill of steel rang throughout the training grounds. That was likely because of the ultrasonic vibrations the Chaos Metal in Jinma¡¯s katana was emitting as it held against the great sword.

    As for Umeiyon, at the last moment before Beelzebub¡¯s spells hit, a thin veil of light suddenly appeared and covered the Dragoness¡¯ form. With my active [Size Up], I glanced above Umeiyon¡¯s head and did not see any symbols for status ailments next to her name.

    All of this happened slowly enough for me to see everything thanks to my improved perception and reaction time from my skills, making everything within the last 4 seconds seem like 8-10 has passed. This is only part of what makes me the strongest Devil in Padimon and the current king of my country for Demons. Knowing Jinma has those same skills gives me comforting a sense of camaraderie.

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Beelzebub balked, seeing her status-ailment spells not having any effect on Umeiyon.

    ¡°Silent chanting and an [Immunity] spell?¡± Noire muttered while intensely watching the fight with calculating eyes and a fist to her mouth.

    ¡°Geez, is this really that surprising?¡± Umeiyon asked while shrugging her shoulders, ¡°Being a Sorceress, even a Dark Mage, weakening your opponent with [Curse Magic] first is like their main forte in battle, right? It should be obvious for someone to take proper measures when they know who they¡¯re up against. Don¡¯t even try to do the same to Jin, either, I already cast [Immunity] on him as well.

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m around, nobody under my watch is going to get afflicted with any status ailments, making your [Curse Magic] spells useless,¡± Umeiyon said before she pointed her reptilian finger at the Insectoid, ¡°Now, we can settle this like real magic specialists and rely on our own powers to see whose reign supreme, so show me what you got, Beelzebub, and we¡¯ll see if you¡¯re as ¡®great¡¯ as you¡¯ve repeatedly spoken.¡± With that reptilian hand the Dragoness was pointing, she turned it with the palm faced up, taunting the Flyran with a provoking gesture while making a conceited grin.

    ¡°Yeah ha ha! You tell her, Ume!¡± Jinma cheered, still holding himself against Gabriella¡¯s headless body before he pushes her back, ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to show off my stuff too.¡±

    ¡°You did well to hold back my first strike, but it¡¯s going to take more than that to¡ª¡±

    Gabriella¡¯s talk was interrupted by Jinma¡¯s rush, which was not only faster than hers, but his katana changed to a club-like weapon. Based on its shape, I have seen it in some books before, I believe it was called a ¡®bat¡¯? At his approach, he started whaling against the Dark Knight, pushing her back with each swing, all with a manic grin on his face.

    ¡°W-What is with his face?! Grk! Th-This power! Why do I feel ¡­ weaker?!¡± Gabriella exclaimed, aghast.

    Hmm ¡­ it¡¯s similar to the style Jinma showed against Eugus in their duel, even though it was a bokken. Could this be some of what his [Slugger Style] is about? And that smile of his ¡­ that has to be his [Sadistic Smile] skill. Gabriella¡¯s stats went down drastically the moment he put it on. I have never heard of another Devil or any Demon possessing such a skill. Could this be a unique? If he used that along with his [Devil Eyes] against me back at the inn ¡­ fuck, I¡¯m already getting wet just thinking about it. Still, from seeing [Sadistic Smile] in Umeiyon¡¯s skill set as well, she might have acquired it in their marriage, but with all the other stuff she has in her long list, it¡¯s hard to say whether that¡¯s the case.

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    ¡°Tch.¡±

    A tongue click caught my attention enough to turn to the source. It was Konjiro¡¯s wife, Yukino, who was watching the spar with frustration in her eyes while biting her nails. I¡¯ve noticed she has glared at Jinma for some time since she first saw him, but her eyes showed more annoyed confusion than malice. At least that was what I gathered from her.

    Haven¡¯t really got the chance to read Yukino yet with our eventful entrance. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on in her head, I thought while activating my [Mind Reading] skill.

    <Grr, I am a proud, married Kitsune, dammit, and that male is nothing more than a lowly Human,> she mentally argued, <So why has there been this race in my chest since I first saw him? Moreover, why did I get so hot and bothered with him when that Dullahan was practically nude? He was staring at her, a walking Human corpse, with such an arousing interest. Who would even get turned on over a dead body, of someone from completely different kin? Is this what that ¡®Demongenerate¡¯ thing I heard of is all about? Is he really that big of a freak of nature among other Humans? While it looks appalling, why is there a strange sense of envy inside me?

    <That male¡¯s Lizardman wife, and his Werewolf slave, they both seem so content in being with him, and he shows so much affection to them as well. Is it even possible for a Demon to be that happy with someone, let alone a Human? What were the circumstances in their first meeting? Does he have ¡­ intercourse with them often, yet still have enough energy to get turned on? I have heard humans are practically in heat all year around, but is their ¡®endurance¡¯ really this extensive?> Yukino momentarily shook her head, shaking off such thoughts derailing her line of thinking, <Guh, it is not even that time yet, but I wish Konjiro would have even a fraction of what that Human possesses to throw my way from time to time. He gives me the needed attention when my cycle comes around, sure, but is that really the only time he can give such affections? The guy even avoids finishing inside me to not risk pregnancy. I understand he¡¯s occupied with work, especially these days with what he has going on with Lord Rowling, but would it kill him to spare five minutes for some cuddling, at the least? He even dodges the question of having children when I bring it up to him.>

    The Kitsune wife furrowed her brow in annoyance again, <So annoying. I must know that Human¡¯s secrets, what makes him tick. Why do I have this rush when I look at him and not my husband? I have not felt like this since way back in the day. Even now, the way that Human fights is making something I thought I lost rise again inside me. He must have some skill, spell, or ability that¡¯s making me feel this way. I must confront him on this, one way or another.>

    Oooh, how scandalous, I thought, forcing down my urge to smile, From looking at her status, Yukino¡¯s getting to that age as a female Werebeast where they¡¯re more prone to be sexually starved, even though they aren¡¯t near their cycle. Even with her age, though, she still looks to be in her prime. If Jinma makes a move on her, could she possibly tell us what Konjiro and Perseus are planning with the coup?

    ¡°Gaaaugh!¡± Beelzebub yelled in frustration, interrupting my mental planning, ¡°Fine! You want magic?! The Great Beelzebub will give it to you! [Flame Burst]! [Water Blast]! [Pyreball]! [Hydroball]! [Spitting Flare]! [Heavy Shower]!¡± She then cast spell after spell that she had onto Umeiyon, who still stood there while spells of her own appeared and met with the Flyran¡¯s midway before they collided and dissipated. The magic power seemed to be equal, but Beelzebub looked like the spells took more out of her while Umeiyon wasn¡¯t breaking a sweat. The Dragoness set this up to be a battle of pure strength between magics, but with the large difference between their SP. ATK stats and MP to use, it¡¯s more of a test for how long Beelzebub would last before she was spent.

    Up to now, I¡¯ve only seen Father, Sammy, and Jinma being able to cast spells without voicing the incantations. Even just saying the spell¡¯s name aloud to activate is something very few humans can accomplish, whether they¡¯re in novice or advanced magic-based classes. Demons like myself and Demis can cast spells just by saying the name just fine. Sammy once said that this may be due to us having a higher intuition with mana and magic than humans do. With enough mental practice, not only would humans be able to cast magic the same way Demons and Demis do, but all of us should be able to do so without voicing incantations. That¡¯s what Sammy theorized, anyway, and she and Father are living examples that it can be possible.

    I¡¯m uncertain how long Jinma has been in Padimon as well as the time it took him to learn magic. For him to be at his current level as a Brawler, taking his EXP-boosting tanto into consideration, he must have faced quite a few strong foes during his time here to get this far. As for Umeiyon, being a long-lived, powerful Dragon, casting magic without incantations must be child¡¯s play for her. Even if she was using a fraction of her true power in her current form, she would be a huge threat to Padimon, let alone my kingdom, if someone was foolish enough to cross her.

    Still, what could a Dragon be doing in Padimon, and why is she married to Jinma? I thought, Not that I don¡¯t understand the appeal of his hard-to-resist charm and handsome looks on par to a Devil¡¯s, but don¡¯t all Dragons look down on the three kin as inferior in power?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Mei¡¯s magic is quite impressive, meeting Beelzebub¡¯s without as much effort,¡± Noire analyzed as she watches the spar, ¡°As for Jinma, his fighting style here may look unorthodox, but there is still enough power behind it to get him through certain situations.¡±

    I should point out that Noire has had her eyes set on Jinma longer than Umeiyon. Heck, even from yesterday, there were very few times her eyes weren¡¯t looking his way. To see her have this much interest over someone, even if it¡¯s toward Jinma, was a surprise for me knowing some of her background. If Noire¡¯s still this aggressive in making advances to him, something will surely develop between them in time.

    If it¡¯s Noire, hmm ¡­ Sammy has mentioned good things about her, and that really says something from a shut-in such as her, I thought, From what I¡¯ve heard on the grapevine, Noire has a different way of conducting herself that other nobles should learn from. There¡¯s no denying her beauty, of course, and she shows good judgement in character, especially if she¡¯s second-guessing her engagement to Perseus¡ªspeaking of which, I need to investigate whether her message has reached her family yet. It also looks like she¡¯s starting to get along with Jinma and Umeiyon, and from reading her mind, she has a legit interest in getting to know me and the rest of Jinma¡¯s party/harem too.

    Jinma seems to have mixed feelings having such a relationship with a noble, which is understandable as such a thing will always spark unwanted drama in the populace. If he ends up changing his mind later down the line, though, I don¡¯t think I have any problems of him making Noire his second wife. Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t know how Jinma married Umeiyon, but maybe I should arrange a proper ceremony for the three of them ¡­ four, if my relations with him improve.

    Plus, if Noire does happen to do something wrong to Jinma, I have no problems with erasing her compared to Umeiyon, and I will wipe the rest of the Krauss family off this world should they resist me. I¡¯m sure Father will understand why I would need to resort to such measures, even if he has close relations with Ramone ¡­ though I probably shouldn¡¯t think so far ahead if things don¡¯t work between me and Jinma. It¡¯s because of me having such thoughts that I¡¯m now having trouble connecting with him in the first place, I internally admitted, bumming myself out at the thought.

 Chapter 135: Team Sparring Battle and the Demon Kingâ€™s Observations, Part 2

    {Sue}

    ¡°Gaaugh! Enough of this!¡± Gabriella¡¯s floating head yelled in frustration. Her body swung her great sword in resistance that Jinma stepped back from to dodge, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you actually enjoying this?!¡±

    ¡°¡­ A little bit, yeah,¡± Jinma admitted, looking like he¡¯s holding back from saying something else.

    ¡°You look like you are dying to say something. Are you admitting defeat so soon?¡± Gabriella asked.

    Jinma shook his head, ¡°Nah, I was just thinking of how sexy your body was earlier, and how lucky Noire is to do whatever ¡®cruel and unusual¡¯ torture she did to you yesterday. I¡¯d love to see it.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± the headless Dark Knight balked, her floating head flushed red while the body instinctively covered her privates, even though she was already wearing armor, ¡°Y-You ¡­ you shameless, disgusting man! You do realize I am an Undead, do you?! You¡¯re lusting over a corpse!¡±

    Jinma shrugged, ¡°Hey, from what I saw so far, it looked to be in good enough shape for me to not tell the difference, and I¡¯ve seen my share of dead bodies. Plus, you¡¯re not just a ¡®corpse¡¯, you¡¯re Gabriella, right? Under better circumstances, I¡¯d want to get to know you more, maybe treat you to a nice dinner ¡­ actually, can you still eat like that?¡±

    Yes, Jinma, Dullhans can still eat, I mentally answered.

    ¡°Is that really something you should be asking right now?! And I bet you just want to see more of my body to do perverted things with, do you?!¡± Gabriella accused.

    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re not wrong, but I would want more than your body, I would want the whole package. I¡¯m not ashamed to admit I¡¯m a greedy man when it comes to women, but I know when to back off if they¡¯re not interested,¡± Jinma said before sighing in disappointment, ¡°That¡¯s if we met under better circumstances, though, but unfortunately, I just don¡¯t see things working out between us.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I feel like I am being rejected before we even started going out, and I am not sure whether to be angrier on that or how conceited you are to think you had a chance to woo me,¡± Gabriella admitted with a furrowed brow as she straightened up with pride, ¡°I will have you know that I caught many eyes back in my earlier Knight days. Men would line up at my door to ask for my hand in marriage, and I turned down every single one of them.¡±

    Huh, this must be back when she was still alive as a Human. Looking at the age in her status ¡­ she died about 5 years after Father took the throne. She¡¯s been around for a while.

    Jinma waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Sure, whatever, whether that actually happened back then doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?!¡± Gabriella gawked.

    ¡°Under better circumstances, I probably could have given you a chance to redeem yourself and we can start off fresh,¡± Jinma said before shrugging and shaking his head, ¡°Unfortunately for you, you were kind of bitchy to me at first meeting and recent events have gotten me in a crappy mood. I haven¡¯t found a good time to properly vent out my frustrations before this.¡±

    Ugh, my chest hurts knowing I¡¯m the main reason for his bad mood. If I didn¡¯t have these damn responsibilities as the Demon King, I would treat you so much better than I have been up to now, I thought, partially hoping my feelings would reach him, but I knew that was unlikely to happen with the way he is now.

    ¡°Despite my frustrations, I try to keep situations separate from each other, and even I think you don¡¯t deserve to have me vent on you,¡± Jinma continued, ¡°So, I¡¯m going to give you a choice. One, you submit defeat now, and we can just drop it all right here. Two, you apologize for being a bitch to us and receive a less humiliating defeat. I¡¯d prefer you combine these two for a good outcome. Then there¡¯s number three, that I make your defeat crueler and more unusual than whatever Noire did to torture you. These are your choices, Gabriella, so what will it be?¡±

    ¡°Well, of course, my choice will be ¡­ none of them, because I am going to take you down right¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Jinma interrupted before he flipped a finger to point up.

    Then, appearing behind Gabriella¡¯s body were purplish-black tendrils that curled around her limbs, straightening them out to where she made an ¡®X¡¯ formation and got locked into place. She was completely trapped, and the grip on her greatsword got too loose before it fell and clanged on the ground. I wondered when he was going to put [Darkness Manipulation] to good use here.

    ¡°What?!¡± Gabriella balked.

    ¡°[Portal],¡± Jinma then chanted, opening a hole in space right in front of him before he reached inside with both hands. A second later, he pulled his hands back out of the [Portal], carrying Gabriella¡¯s disembodied head. He turned it around so the two of them could see each other.

    ¡°H-Huh?! What the?! How did you¡ª?!¡±

    ¡°Wooow, so this is how heavy a lone head feels,¡± Jinma interrupted again after closing his [Portal], then moved Gabriella¡¯s head vertically, horizontally, and in a circle, ¡°My strength may make carrying you easier, but I can tell, a head¡¯s pretty weighty. Human necks are really something else to keep these sitting on our shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Get your filthy hands off my head you piece of Demongenerate scum! [Levitation]!¡± the Dark Knight cried before trying to get her head off Jinma¡¯s grasp. When Gabriella tried going straight up, she even managed to lift him off the ground. This suddenly brought an expression to Jinma¡¯s face that I haven¡¯t seen of him yet.

    He¡¯s ¡­ terrified? But why would ¡­ ah! His fear of heights! I remembered.

    One kind of the personal information a person with [Size Up] can find on a target is their greatest fears. I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯ve been aware of Jinma¡¯s fear of heights since I first saw him, as well as his fear of, by the description¡¯s quote, ¡®His mother when angry.¡¯ Neither of these things affected how much I admire and respect Jinma, though, as I¡¯m aware that everyone has at least one great fear they could never get over. Even I, the Demon King, have at least one great fear that would never go away, no matter how much I want it to. I hoped I could open up this fear to Jinma when we get close enough.

    Despite the fear on his face, Jinma tried shaking it off and got his expression back to being firm. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t!¡± he rebuked before more tendrils from his [Darkness Manipulation] appeared and locked around his ankles directly from below. The Brawler was then slowly pulled back down to the ground and got locked to it.

    ¡°I said let me go, you creep! Unhand me!¡± Gabriella yelled.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ you¡¯re not going anywhere,¡± Jinma responded, his tone low but heavy with fury. Even his [Hide Magic] skill was cracking and leaking his mana because of this anger. Gabriella took notice of his drastic change and went silent.

    Oh dear, Jinma may have gotten angry at Gabriella for giving him that scare. I better make a mental note of this so I could avoid the same mistake, I thought.

    ¡°You received your due punishment from Noire for pissing her off. Now ¡­ you get mine for the same thing,¡± he said.

    ¡°H-Hey, um ¡­ if this is about me calling you all those demeaning things, I am sorry, okay?¡± Gabriella asked with a shake in her voice, her face growing even paler than normal, ¡°I-I admit I was in a bad mood! We can talk this out, right?! Is the apology option still open?!¡±

    ¡°You made your choice, so it¡¯s time to take your responsibility properly,¡± Jinma said before two more tendrils from his [Darkness Manipulation] appeared on both sides of Gabriella¡¯s face, but these were different as they tips were split off into smaller ones, wriggling as if they were alive. They almost remind me of the Wrigglers, monsters that are notorious for defiling many females, no matter the kin.

    ¡°U-Um ¡­ w-what are you going to do with those?¡± Gabriella asked, seeing such tendrils in her periphery.

    ¡°I was hoping to try this on my masochist of a slave, Erizora, first, but the current circumstances has me wanting to try it sooner than expected. [Lubricate],¡± Jinma chanted before the two tendrils became coated with a glossy, viscous fluid, making their likeness to the Wrigglers more similar, but with an ominous touch thanks to the color from the [Darkness Manipulation] skill.

    ¡°Hee?! W-When did you remove my armor?! Wait! Stop! Aah! W-What are you doing to my body?! S-So cold and slimy! Stop it! Stop it, please! Aaah!¡± Gabriella cried in panic.

    I looked back to the Dark Knight¡¯s restrained body, and sure enough, all of its black armor was removed and fell to the ground, revealing her under-armor, which two more lubricated tendrils slipped inside and started slithering all over her body. One could even see how the tendrils moved and pulsed under the material, as if they were alive. It was apparent enough to make out that they were coiling around her tits as well as sliding under her crotch. The Dark Knight¡¯s under armor was quickly getting wet with the mana-made lubricant, her body was trembling with anxiety and fear, as if she was being assaulted in a Wriggler¡¯s attack.

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    ¡°Holy shit ¡­¡± Tyvera muttered under her breath as she and the rest of the audience stared at Gabriella¡¯s pathetic state with varying expressions.

    ¡°I have read something like this in a few books, but to think I would see it before my eyes now, of all times,¡± Noire said while her fan covered the bottom half of her reddened face, and just out of curiosity, I used my [Mind Reading] skill on her thoughts, <My word, I could learn a thing or two from Jinma in erotic torture methods, and just look at how much he is enjoying Gabriella¡¯s suffering! I am going to have some nice material to relieve some ¡®stress¡¯ before tomorrow¡¯s dungeon crawl, for sure.>

    If the ¡®books¡¯ Noire mentioned are the same ones that I¡¯ve read, if it was Jinma doing that to me ¡­ my god, I really am an ¡®M¡¯, aren¡¯t I?

    ¡°My gods, is this the ¡®tentacle play¡¯ Master mentioned a while back? If that were me right now ¡­ Gabriella¡¯s so lucky,¡± Erizora said, her face beet red and drooling. Everyone else was just too shocked at the development to even play the straight man to her masochist comment. Even Umeiyon and Beelzebub stopped their magic battle to watch the show put on by their teammates.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what happens when these go into your ears and throat, shall we?¡± Jinma asked, controlling the lubricated tendrils near Gabriella¡¯s head to close in on his targets. Just as the smaller tendrils at the tips touched her ears ¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I give up! I give up! I surrender! I submit defeat! JUST PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GODS MAKE IT STOOOOOP! UWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!¡±

    Gabriella, the Dullahan Dark Knight, was bawling her eyes out as she cried with great fear in her voice, begging to be spared like she was about to die. To be honest, for an Undead, I didn¡¯t think she could still produce tears, but there are first times for everything, I guess.

    ¡°Gabriella has made her surrender! Jinma Kotori, stop whatever you¡¯re doing to her! Now!¡± Konjiro demanded, practically in a panic.

    The purplish-black tendrils stopped their movement over Gabriella¡¯s head and disarmed body as Jinma sighed, calming down his fury, ¡°I guess I bullied you enough ¡­ for now. The next time you try anything, though, I won¡¯t stop until you¡¯re beyond broken, and there will be no one to save you. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Yuush ¡­¡± Gabriella answered shakily, her tears and snot falling from her disembodied head.

    Jinma then put the Dark Knight¡¯s head under his arm and turned to his wife, ¡°Ume, finish things off on your end. I think we¡¯ve shown enough to everyone.¡±

    ¡°What?! You dare underestimate¡ªBAUGHLGLGLGLGL!¡± Beelzebub exclaimed before a large pillar of water interrupted, blasting her back until she hit the wall surrounding Noire¡¯s training grounds.

    When the water died down, the Flyran was practically embedded against the wall. This was the first time she had taken damage in this spar, but surprisingly, only a quarter of her HP was drained. She does have quite a bit of SP. DEF to help reduce damage from magic attacks, and if that was Ume¡¯s [Water Blast], it was quite powerful for a basic spell.

    Beelzebub then struggled to get herself out of the wall, ¡°Grk! Cheap ¡­ shot, but I am not¡ªGAKAKAKAKAKAK!¡± Before she could get another word in, Ume silently cast one of [Storm Magic]¡¯s more powerful offensive spells, [Zap Bolt], and electrocuted her. Considering the Flyran was also soaked from the Dragoness¡¯ previous spell, she became more conductive to the lightning strike, increasing the damage taken. That spell had already brought the Lord of the Flies well below three-quarters of her total HP when it was done. Only one good strike would be enough to bring her gauge to zero and be put into a FAINTED status at worst. This is thanks to Palocaesy¡¯s Immortals¡¯ Monument projecting a field that would save anyone inside it from death by non-lethal damage. A stab in the vitals or beheading them would be too much for the enchanted stone to handle, though.

    Just as Beelzebub was trying to regain mental clarity, Umeiyon was rushing in while winding up her scaly fist for a punch. The Dragoness¡¯ [Sadistic Smile] was activated, her reptilian eyes intensified as they were seeking blood. While the safety field put up the Immortals¡¯ Monument would normally prevent death from a punch to the face, if we¡¯re talking about a Dragon delivering the blow, I doubted the haughty Flyran would be sturdy enough to live and tell the tale.

    As if the Lord of the Flies was meeting death, she went immediately pale, ¡°Okay okay! I give! I surrender! You are superior! I lost! Just please do not¡ª¡±

    A great blast that crushed the stone wall silenced her, and for a moment, I thought I felt a rush of wind blowing from that direction. The force of the Dragoness¡¯ punch was just that great, probably at the same level, if not more than my own if I were in her place.

    While it looked like Umeiyon punched through Beelzebub¡¯s skull, upon closer inspection, she only punched past the Flyran, putting a clean hole into the wall right next to her head. The Lord of the Flies¡¯ face was frozen mid-scream out of pure fear.

    With the dust settling down, the Dragoness softened her [Sadistic Smile] into a cuter, more innocent one, ¡°I win.¡±

    Unable to say a word, Beelzebub foamed at the mouth before her whole body slackened. Her eyes went pure white, and from how the liquids of a different color trickled down the legs of her already soaked body, I think she even wetted herself. Amazingly, the Flyran¡¯s status went FAINTED even though her HP wasn¡¯t at zero.

    Jinma had to hold in his laughter after seeing Umeiyon¡¯s display. ¡°Nice going, Ume! I couldn¡¯t have scared her better, myself! You see that, Gabrielle? That¡¯s my wife over ¡­ oh, well, damn, looks like you¡¯re out cold too,¡± he said after holding up the Dark Knight¡¯s head.

    Sure enough, Gabriella¡¯s eyes were full black, almost like they were hollow, while dried streaks of her tears and snot remained on her face. I guess this is what a Dullahan looks like when their eyes roll back, but her state was just unsettling to look at. With her body released from his tendrils and lying on the ground like a rag doll, the Dark Knight¡¯s status turned up FAINTED. Perhaps watching Umeiyon¡¯s performance had also shocked her enough to go out cold, especially after the stress she went through from almost getting defiled by Jinma¡¯s tentacle play.

    ¡°Um ¡­ I guess both participants are out cold,¡± Konjiro said tentatively before he gestured a hand to Jinma¡¯s side of the training grounds, ¡°The winner of this spar is Jinma Kotori and Umeiyon ¡­ though, after that display, can we even call this a spar at this point?¡±

    ¡°It was certainly a show, and a marvelous one, indeed!¡± Noire exclaimed before giggling and clapping her hands loudly, ¡°Take our unconscious guests inside and get them cleaned up while they rest, please!¡±

    At Noire¡¯s command, a number of maids arrived at the scene and took Gabriella¡¯s and Beelzebub¡¯s knocked-out bodies inside the cottage. Jinma passed the former¡¯s disembodied head over to one of them to take inside as well.

    Umeiyon then approached her husband with a skip in her step, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really tired after that, but I certainly blew off enough steam to loosen up a little. What about you, Jin?¡±

    Jinma nodded, ¡°Yeah, I still feel like I haven¡¯t gotten it all out, but I do feel a little better than I was when we got here.¡±

    With a seductive smile, the Dragoness trailed the tip of her claw down Jinma¡¯s chest, ¡°Mmm, you did seem quite pent up back there, and you looked like you wanted to continue that little ¡®play¡¯ of yours with Gabriella. I might have to help you take a load off if you¡¯re still tense later.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be sleeping with me tonight, right? I¡¯ll look forward to seeing what you¡¯ll deliver,¡± Jinma said while pulling Umeiyon in by the waist, bringing their bodies up close in contact.

    ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint,¡± Umeiyon said before the two share a kiss.

    Aaah, to flirt and kiss after a victory in battle ¡­ I want to do that with Jinma too, I thought, envious of the spouses¡¯ display of affection, That would make some of the more ¡®strenuous¡¯ jobs as the Demon King all the sweeter and worthwhile. Even just having him praise me while patting my head would put me into bliss.

    I then fantasized such a scenario. We would be on my luxurious Demon King-sized bed after my long day of royal duties, my head would lay on Jinma¡¯s lap while he ran his fingers through my hair, telling me, ¡°You worked hard today, Sue, you¡¯re such a good girl,¡± among other things. He would spoil me rotten while I fully let down my guard around him, letting him do whatever he wished to me. I couldn¡¯t just let this spoil treatment go one way, of course. With the relationship we would have, it was expected of me to return the favor practically tenfold.

    Before I fell deeper into my fantasies, I shook myself back into reality, I probably shouldn¡¯t get ahead myself in these fantasies. They will only be possible if Jinma accepts me after I reveal myself to him. Considering how different the Humans from his home are from those in Padimon, let alone us Demons, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to happen with how things are right now. I gotta work hard to patch things up between us and get back on his good side, but how?

    I crossed my arms and looked up in thought, Jinma said he¡¯s going to Korangar to see me, the Demon King, right? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have tons of questions to ask when he arrives. Is there anything I could answer for him now as I am? I should probably ask him and see what he wants to know. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be more comfortable being in the kingdom the less he is in the dark about certain things.

    Also, Jinma¡¯s probably still riled up after holding himself back from killing me earlier if his feelings after this ¡®spar¡¯ were anything to go by. Fighting seems to have helped vent some of his steam, though ¡­ at least that¡¯s one thing we certainly have in common, among other things. It¡¯s such a relief for me knowing I erased an annoying threat with my own hands and feet. Though I¡¯d prefer him not killing me to feel better, would letting him get a hit or two on me help?

    While I admit it¡¯s not the ideal way of solving problems for most people, it could help some of them get any frustrating feelings they have for each other out in the open. I¡¯ve seen that happen several times between friends, family members, and even some enemies in manga, and they all ended up getting closer while strengthening their bonds after a fight. It couldn¡¯t hurt to give it a shot, right?

    I should find time to bring these up to Jinma before the end of the day. I think the sooner I get this done, the less awkward the situation we¡¯ll be in when we take on the dungeon together, I decided while nodding to myself.

    ¡°Well, I do not know about everyone else, but that match had gotten me quite excited,¡± Noire then said, snapping me out of my thoughts as all our attention was directed to her. With a smile fitting of a noble lady, she approached Jinma and Umeiyon, who were still in each other¡¯s embrace, in the arena.

    ¡°Do pardon me for interrupting your lovey-dovey time, Mei, but I need to borrow your husband for a spell. It is about time I show off my own battle prowess.¡±

 Chapter 136: The Dance of Underdog and Vampire, Part 1

    {Jinma}

    Once Ume gave the okay and one last peck of a kiss on my lips, she left the training ground¡¯s arena and joined the small group where Sue, Ren, and Mametama stood off from the rest of the audience. In the arena, there was only me and Noire with a content, gentle smirk stretched across her face.

    ¡°Allow me to give my congrats on your sparring match, Jinma,¡± she said while clapping her hands, ¡°A splendid show, and quite an entertaining one at that. It is the first that I have ever seen like it.¡±

    I scratched my head awkwardly and averted my gaze, ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯m glad you had fun, at least.¡± Though I think I might have gone too far with Gabriella on that one.

    <Oh, relax. That Dullahan was obviously pent up with everything going on,> Nyra argued, reading my thoughts, <She made her choice when you offered it, so she must face the consequences. Still, though, I was surprised you used [Lubricate] to lube up those shadow tendrils. I honestly thought you would use [Contraception], and neither of us even heard of the [Lubricate] spell until now. How¡¯d you pull that out of your ass?>

    <Well, if I used [Contraception], then she would likely feel good from the tentacle play,> I explained, <I would like for that to happen with my harem and see how I can give that play to them, especially Erizora as she showed the most interest in it out of everyone. Gabriella, on the other hand, I wanted to give her a scare while delivering a hit to her pride as she suffers a humiliating defeat. You can¡¯t really have those kinds of feelings when you have [Contraception]¡¯s lubricant slathered all of you, right? You might learn to enjoy the play, instead.>

    <Okay, I can get behind that reason, and as for the [Lubricate] Null Spell?> Nyra asked.

    <So ¡­ weird thing about that, I don¡¯t really know.>

    <What do you mean you ¡®don¡¯t know¡¯?> Nyra asked, sounding suspicious, <I know your capability to use any Null Spell after learning its name and its effects is pretty jank, but it¡¯s not like you¡¯re powerful enough to make up a totally new Null Spell out of thin air, right?>

    ¡°That aside, I have kept you in the dark of my capabilities for too long, so it is now my turn to show my stuff,¡± Noire then said before gesturing a hand toward me, ¡°Going by our talk over dinner last night, you seem to have a decent knowledge of us Vampires, but did you know we all possess a race-specific skill?¡±

    <I¡¯ll explain more on that later, Nyra, gotta focus on this,> I reasoned.

    <Fiiine,> Nyra whined, <But you better not forget, or I¡¯ll annoy you until you say something.>

    To start answering Noire¡¯s question, I shrugged, ¡°I figured everyone that isn¡¯t human would have something like that, and you wouldn¡¯t be an exception. Will you be demonstrating such a skill for me today?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± she said before reaching into her Magic Item Pouch and pulling out a jar of blood, it had to hold at least a pint¡¯s worth, ¡°Our main racial skill, our specialty, you see, is called [Blood Manipulation]. With enough blood, no matter the species it came from, we can change it to take any shape we desire.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s like my [Darkness Manipulation], but using blood as its foundation instead of shadows,¡± I reasoned.

    Noire nodded while untwisting the metal lid and popped it open before setting the jar on the ground, ¡°Very good, and once we are proficient enough with [Blood Manipulation], we focus on at least one weapon we want this blood to take a shape of to practice and master into a weapon mastery skill. To put a unique spin on how to use our weapons with [Blood Manipulation] is how we formulated our form of combat known as [Bloody Style], and my specialty ¡­¡±

    Like an interpretive dance, the Vampire gracefully motioned her hands, controlling the crimson liquid to defy gravity and flow out of the glass jar. Noire then focused on stretching the blood to be long with one end having a pointed head and half of a crescent moon jotting out from below it. The blood then filled out, becoming solid, making a long shaft, a spear head, and a curved, sharp blade. This new object was about as tall as her as she took the weapon¡¯s shaft and spun it with great speed, the curved blade cutting the air in the meantime.

    With Noire¡¯s weapon complete, she got into a unique fighting stance, her violet eyes directed on me, ¡°¡­ Is using this scythe, fitting for a fighter who holds the Reaper class.¡±

    ¡°The Reaper class ¡­¡± I repeated.

    ¡°Is that not a Unique Class?¡± Kalline from the sidelines asked.

    ¡°Indeed, it is,¡± Eugus answered with a nod, ¡°It requires a proficiency level in [Spear Mastery] as a Spearman class before one even tries to hold a scythe. Once they learn and train [Scythe Mastery] to a high enough proficiency level, they can receive a promotion from Spearman to Reaper class. With the scythe¡¯s long reach and the skills that go along with the class and [Scythe Mastery], Reapers can ideally take out mobs of enemies in a field.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a class that attacks in a wide range, probably as big as me and my reach with the kabodon,¡± Erizora commented.

    ¡°I think Winny¡¯s twin brother can do that similarly as a Buster Swordsman ¡­ what was his name again?¡± Ren asked while looking to Ume, who last fought him as part of her adventurer rank exam.

    My Dragon Wife looked down at my Werewolf Slave with a raised brow, ¡°¡­ What? You mean that insect with the large butterknife? I don¡¯t register names of loud, weak fighters. I just remember him being just as annoying as that fly. I only held back against said fly from the start of the match so I can showcase some of what I can do with my magic; otherwise, she¡¯d be out within seconds after the spar started.¡±

    Just to confirm things, I used my [Size Up] skill to appraise Noire¡¯s status for the first time. As she said, the Reaper class was at the top of the list, followed by Sorceress, Fire Mage, and Thief as her secondary classes. Compared to Beelzebub, Noire has her beat in terms of stats, but not high enough to where I couldn¡¯t handle it in a fight. It¡¯s a wonder how this Vampire hasn¡¯t been appointed a position in the ministry if strength played a factor here, unless her father¡¯s more powerful than that.

    As for her skillset, there were quite a bit that originated from her Reaper and Spearman classes, with some from the former that actually ignores my defenses to deal heavy damage. Basically, a Reaper in this world could play as one of my biggest threats for survival if I wasn¡¯t careful. She also has a good number of spells under her belt that would help her as a Sorceress and Fire Mage. There were even skills that I could see as being really helpful in her position as a Demon Noble, like [Perception], [Intuition], and [Deception]. All of them came from the Thief class, and it was surprising enough for her to possess such a class. Following her Thief class, she also had the [Dagger Mastery] skill at a decent level, which told me Noire may have a knife or two hidden somewhere on her person. Perhaps that was used as a last-ditch resort whenever she was cornered, or some other purpose. A few of her main racial skills, [Blood Manipulation] and [Bloody Style] weren¡¯t actually at max level in proficiency, but they were pretty high up there, as did most other skills and spells, which was surprising as she was over one-hundred-fifty years old. Maybe those with longer lifespans must take longer to master skills in exchange?

    There was one out of this list that stood out to me the most, though, her [Magic Fangs] skill.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Magic Fangs: A skill exclusive to the Vampire race. The user¡¯s fangs are capable of piercing anything they bite into no matter what the target is made of or how high its defenses are.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    If this incredible bite could even pierce through Chaos Metal like my tanto is made of, Vampires are a fearsome breed, indeed. It also seemed strong enough to pierce a Dragon¡¯s tough scales and especially my stupid-high defenses. The thought of Noire biting into my neck like I had seen in old horror movies, an experience that I wondered what would be like for the longest time, sent an unusual thrill down my spine. With those indescribable feelings, my gaze veered over to the Vampire¡¯s more personal information that my [Size Up] provided without shame.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Hmm ¡­ even with her slim figure, she has a healthy body weight for her stature, I analyzed, Moreover, her bust size ¡­ it¡¯s close to Ume¡¯s, but with Noire¡¯s shorter height, her breasts give them a perception of bigger than normal size in proportions. They also looked to be supported well with the bra she has underneath, or would a noble like her be wearing something like a corset? Though, if her ¡®adventuring dress¡¯ magically contorts to her body and provides necessary support, would she be wearing a bra at all?

    <Ah, it makes me so happy to see a promising connoisseur of the female body blossom before my eyes,> Nyra commented, <And with breasts like hers, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll provide soothing comfort while she sates your bite fetish with her almighty fangs, creating a wondrous contrast of pain and pleasure that a masochist would die for.>

    I would have made clear to Nyra that I wasn¡¯t a masochist, but the image of Noire biting me while we were in the nude had left me dumbstruck.

    ¡°You are staring at me quite hard, Jinma, is there something that catches your eye?¡± Noire asked before giving a knowing, teasing smirk.

    Goddammit ¡­ I¡¯m falling for this Vampire hard, am I? I want to take her for myself, but would it even work between us?

    <I wouldn¡¯t count yourself out just yet,> Nyra intervened, reading my thoughts, <From what I¡¯m reading, she¡¯s getting a kick out of your attention. Moreover, she was really excited to see you bullying Gabriella earlier. Add into the friction between her and Rowling, she may be ready to leave him for you if you show your interest in her as a partner. Maybe you should try to be honest in a cool way to get the point across?>

    Cool ¡­ what the hell sounds cool? I thought quickly, ¡°¡­ I was just thinking for quite some time how there is more to you than meets the eye, and how much more I want to get to know you, Noire, underwear-out.¡±

    There was dead silence in the training grounds. I could feel everyone¡¯s eyes locked on me in shock.

    What the hell did I just say?! ¡®Underwear-out¡¯?! What kind of message does that bring?! I screamed in my head, feeling like I just changed the phrase ¡®inside-out¡¯ to something ridiculous.

    <Yeaaah, you had me going there until the end, implying something totally lewd. Not that I would oppose to your advances, personally, and I give it points for creativity, but for a noble ¡­> Nyra trailed off.

    ¡°Snrk!¡±

    A choke broke the awkward silence and we all turned to the source. Noire stood on the other side of the battlefield, trembling, and hunched over with a hand over her mouth, desperately trying to hold back from something, but failed.

    The Lady Vampire busted a gut laughing, her graceful, elegant air of a noble was shattered into pieces. Her laughter wasn¡¯t even like what I¡¯ve seen from the noble character tropes in manga and anime where they were all ¡®Ooohohoho~¡¯. If anything, were I close my eyes, I would think there was something like a Werehyena cackling in the area. Noire¡¯s face was beet red and was even breaking into tears.

    My attempt of being cool might be laughable, but I didn¡¯t think it was that funny, I thought, my self-confidence taking some damage at the current development.

    ¡°Oh, my ribs, my poor ribs. I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t ¡­¡± Noire wheezed between laughs, breaking out of formalities briefly, but finally calming down. Once she stopped, she turned her back to us and took a pocket mirror from her Magic Item Pouch to check herself. After the Lady Vampire straightened back up and cleaned her face with a handkerchief, she turned back to us and cleared her throat. ¡°Goodness, I have not had a good laugh like that in ages ¡­ underwear-out, snrk. Are you trying to get to know me through what kind of panties I am wearing? Khkhkhkh,¡± she snickered.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t curious,¡± I admitted. I already made a fool of myself enough already, so I thought I might as well come out with it.

    Noire stifled more of her chuckles before clearing her throat again, ¡°I thank you for your honesty, and for giving me such a good laugh as well as the show you gave in your last match, how about we make this sparring match interesting?¡±

    Then, much to all our surprises, Noire hiked up her battle skirt, revealing the garters underneath that she unclipped from her stocking. This gave me a glimpse of her luscious, marble-white thighs, but not what panties she was wearing. The Lady Vampire was careful about keeping that hidden.

    Finally, with all the garters between her fingers, she waved them next to her face with a teasing smirk, ¡°The rules for this match will be different as we will be putting up stakes. If you manage to snatch the panties I am currently wearing, I will let you keep them.¡±

    <Holy shit! I¡¯m loving where this is going!> Nyra yelled in my mind.

    ¡°But, as for your losing condition, let us see ¡­¡± Noire trailed off, looking up in thought, but I had a feeling she was only pretending to think. She looked to have thought of something before turning back to me while tapping her own neck with her mischievous smile, ¡°I know, how about if I get at least one scratch or wound on your body, I get a taste of your blood? Straight from your neck with my bite?¡±

    I see no downside to this set up, I thought intensely.

    ¡°Lady Krauss!¡± Konjiro exclaimed, sounding surprisingly outraged, ¡°Having you, a Vampire, getting a Human¡¯s blood like that would mean¡ª!¡±

    ¡°I know what the underlying message implies, Konjiro,¡± Noire interrupted while waving her hand dismissively, ¡°I was not born yesterday, you know, and this is only between me and Jinma. Do not have your own panties in a knot over this.¡±

    <Wait, is there some deep cultural meaning for a Vampire to bite and draw blood from someone?> I asked Nyra.

    <Don¡¯t ask me! I¡¯ve literally been under a rock over a thousand years, and the knowledge I gained from my previously possessed memories knew jack-squat about this!>

    I quickly turned to the people who know of my [Telepathy] skill to speak to them through it, <Ume, Mametama, Kenaka, do any of you know what Konjiro¡¯s talking about?>

    <I¡¯ve unfortunately not read much on Vampire culture, but I knew a few Dragons who have if that means anything,> Ume answered.

    <I generally know Werebeast cultures, at best,> Kenaka added.

    <I¡¯ve only studied Humans,> Mametama said last.

    I then turned to the last one who knows of my [Telepathy], Sue, who looks to be holding herself back from laughing with her hand, <¡­ I¡¯m afraid to ask, but do you know what Konjiro¡¯s talking about?>

    <I do, buuuuut I think it¡¯s funner that you find that out on your own. All I can say is best of luck!> she exclaimed.

    I should¡¯ve figured she¡¯d say something like that, I thought before sighing.

    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Noire continued, bringing my attention back to her again just as she put the garters away in her Magic Item Pouch, ¡°We will continue sparring until one of us achieves our objective first before reaping in our rewards after that. We can use whatever means necessary to accomplish it. Are these conditions acceptable to you, Jinma?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely the most interesting bet I¡¯ve ever heard. I¡¯m fine with the stakes here,¡± I answered.

    Honestly, I was a tad more excited at the thought of being bitten than getting a pair of used panties; however, since there are such heavy implications behind that act, it may be best that I try to avoid it until I learn more. Moreover, after seeing Noire laughing like that, something that gives such a stark contrast to her noble persona, I was drawn to the idea of getting to know more about her. What other things about herself could she be trying to hold back for the sake of her position as a noble?

    I want to know more about this Vampire, but if getting bitten means something heavy like, say, exchanging vows to marriage to set as an example, then I¡¯d rather avoid jumping into such a commitment yet. I admit that my marriage with Ume was partially out of excitement without much thought to the future, but at least she was willing to wait until we¡¯re under stabler conditions to settle down and start a family. That is something I¡¯m honestly afraid of jumping into for personal reasons. If I do end up getting hitched with Noire as my second wife, then I¡¯d want that to happen without something forcing us into it. I want to stick to my own terms to these things if I can help it.

    That said, to avoid getting bitten, I can¡¯t risk getting hit by one of Noire¡¯s attacks at any cost, which means I must win by snatching the panties she¡¯s wearing. I realized then just how difficult that sounded.

    Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve never really taken the panties off any of my girls, have I? They¡¯ve only taken them off for me before we had sex up to now. The only time I could think of taking off a girl¡¯s panties was Hyo-chan when we first met as kids, and I thought she was a boy from how she looked with boyish clothes at the time.

    <The hell even brought you to do that?> Nyra asked, reading my thoughts.

    <Both of us were dirty after getting roughed up by her bullies,> I explained, <When Mom suggested we take a bath when I brought her home, I thought it wouldn¡¯t be weird for two guys having a bath together. Apparently, Mom knew Hyo-chan was a girl at first sight and thought we were close enough to bathe together. It was definitely awkward, but she and I made up and started calling each other ¡®Jin-chan¡¯ and ¡®Hyo-chan¡¯ since then.>

    <Wooooow.>

    ¡°So, there you have it, Konjiro, take the role as a judge again and start the sparring match already,¡± Noire said to the Kitsune, looking slightly eager to get started.

    Konjiro furrowed his brow and growled a little at Noire¡¯s command, not looking pleased with the current development. Maybe ¡­ could that bite serve as a huge obstacle for their plans? I thought.

    Once the Kitsune regained his cool, he dismissively raised his hand. ¡°We will now have a sparring match between Jinma Kotori and Noire Scarletine Krauss. You already know the stakes and conditions to achieve victory, begin,¡± he abruptly finished, raggedly dropping his hand down to start the battle.

    Boy, he is not in a good mood right¡ª

    <Jinma! Watch out!> Nyra screamed, interrupting my thoughts.

    Just as I directed my attention to the arena, I was suddenly met with the bloody red crescent of Noire¡¯s scythe, coming straight for me as if Death was trying to take my life again.

 Chapter 137: The Dance of Underdog and Vampire, Part 2

    Thanks to my [Hyper Foresight], I was able to see well enough ahead where the scythe¡¯s path will travel. Just as it approached me, I leaned back like I was doing a limbo before the crimson weapon cut the air right above me. My eyes followed the head, noticing that it was stretched waaay beyond its original length from before the battle abruptly started. The tip grazed over the ground while striking down, cutting into it with ease, before the entire head reeled itself back away, returning to its starting length. The whole thing was like a freaky whipping motion.

    Noire, after finishing the motion of her preemptive attack, smiled mischievously while I straightened back up, ¡°You better keep on your toes, Jinma. Despite being clean and proper as I am, I do not hesitate playing dirty when I see an opening.¡±

    <That was too close for comfort. Thanks for giving me that warning, Nyra,> I thanked.

    <Don¡¯t relax just yet! This Vampire¡¯s got quite a bit of tricks up in her sleeve!> Nyra warned.

    And yet, the way she pulled that off was oddly charming of her, I admitted to myself.

    ¡°Now, watch closely, I am trying to show you what I can do, after all,¡± Noire said before swinging her scythe, the head¡¯s end of the shaft stretched and bended almost like rubber while moving in a whip-like motion again.

    I get it now, I thought as I read Noire¡¯s attack pattern, using [Hyper Foresight] and [Hyper Perception] to dodge and evade in a way that looked like I was making close calls. My [Hyper Thought Processing] was giving me a chance to quickly think things through and analyze her fighting style during the battle.

    Using [Blood Manipulation], Noire was taking advantage of the blood¡¯s viscosity to change the length of her scythe, while at the same time using the iron inside to harden and sharpen the blade, making it denser and deliver a deadlier force. She was still using a scythe, but it could also be used as a uniquely designed whip, or maybe something close to a chain and sickle. This would give her advantage in both mid and long-range, but there¡¯s a chance after swinging that she¡¯ll leave an opening for me to take advantage of. I could also sprint in close enough that the blade of the scythe won¡¯t hit me mid-swing, but I saw Noire had an Orichalcum Knife equipped in her status. She was likely hiding it somewhere on her person in case of an emergency, and there¡¯s always a chance that she¡¯ll pull something out of her Magic Item Pouch as a substitute to catch me off guard.

    After Noire finished a swing, she straightened her scythe to be at its default length. ¡°Next ¡­ [Multi-Reap Slash]!¡± she exclaimed before swinging her weapon some more. What was different this time was that she threw wide, thin arcs of mana similar to the slash attacks from other bladed weapons, but I sensed these were far more dangerous than the ones I had seen back in Dondegarm. Noire continued throwing one slash after another, using the momentum of each swing to prepare for the next with grace, moving like she was giving an interpretive dance.

    I dodged each of her slashes that came my way, and just as I feared, these were far sharper than usual. Their clean cuts into the ground, leaving a trail as they flew, told me just as much. If the [Multi-Reap Slash] was this powerful, then I shudder to think what the regular [Reap Slash] is like.

    <Damn! She must really want to have a taste of your blood!> Nyra exclaimed, but I was too focused with my analysis to make a proper response.

    To use weapon-based skills, it looked like Noire had to keep her scythe still and solid. There may be differences in power and range if she made her scythe bigger and denser, but she could not use her [Blood Manipulation] to stretch it out and use it like a chain-and-sickle while using her Attack Skills. Maybe despite the weapon being made entirely of blood, its solid form at an appropriate shape and dimensions was enough to pass it off as the real deal.

    Using blood to make legitimate weapons that stretch and deliver strikes beyond the limits of their original counterparts, so this is the essence of a Vampire¡¯s [Bloody Style] of fighting. I may not be able to control blood, but if it¡¯s something similar ¡­ my thoughts trailed off until I remembered our discussion of her skills moments ago.

    ¡°Our main racial skill, our specialty, you see, is called [Blood Manipulation]. With enough blood, no matter the species it came from, we can change it to take any shape we desire.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s like my [Darkness Manipulation], but using blood as its foundation instead of shadows.¡±

    Like [Darkness Manipulation], using shadows as a foundation ¡­

    It was after having that thought that I was struck with inspiration. Just like how I learned my previous fighting styles, I saw myself making fighting motions from a third-person¡¯s perspective, using a black bat for the demonstration. This image of myself was making similar motions to Noire¡¯s attacks, throwing my bat that stretched and recoiled, aiming to hit my target with a powerful, blunt force. All of it came to me in a flash.

    [You have now learned [Shady Style] LV 1!]

    ¡­ Really? Of all the names that can be used, that was the best they can do for this fighting style? Who even comes up with this shit? I thought.

    Just as Noire threw the last of her skill¡¯s attack, she held her scythe behind her and pointed an open palm towards me, ¡°[Flare Rain]!¡± At her chant, multiple flicks of fire shot from her hand in a wide, scattered pattern approaching me at a fast pace. They were all too close together for me to evade efficiently and too spread wide for me to move out of the way fast enough.

    I could attempt to jump over them, I¡¯m confident I could do it high enough with enough power in my legs, but not only would I be completely vulnerable in the air, but I¡¯m afraid I might freeze up after looking down from a high enough height. When I thought I was getting pulled off the ground in my spar with Gabriella, I had to fight off the urge of going into a panic attack from my acrophobia. That was just to retain enough of my senses to use [Darkness Manipulation] to pull us back down earlier. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have that mental strength again to think straight while being so high up in the air.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Dammit!

    With no other option, I cast the [Water Magic] spell, [Water Blast], to extinguish Noire¡¯s flames. I did this without voicing a chant, which I probably shouldn¡¯t have done if I wanted to keep my magical expertise on the down-low, but it had become a habit at this point. Thankfully, it looked like [Flare Rain] wasn¡¯t a spell that had homing properties as those my water spell didn¡¯t touch only flew past me. At least, that¡¯s what I was guessing since I couldn¡¯t feel any flames hitting me.

    The reason why I had to use this spell as a last resort was because it would obstruct my view after it was cast. I had to make it big enough so Noire¡¯s flames wouldn¡¯t graze me. Any hit I would take, magic or otherwise, would be an automatic loss for me, no matter how little damage it does. I needed to play it safe, and I could only make [Water Blast], a magic that shoots a perfect, circular pillar of water, bigger by increasing its area. I couldn¡¯t manipulate it into an elliptical shape that benefitted me. So really, I was making my own large blind spot by casting this spell, not giving me any view of what¡¯s coming from the sides or the back, until I deactivated my spell.

    I would be screwed at this point if I didn¡¯t have a second pair of eyes helping me out.

    <Jinma! Coming at you at 9 o''clock!> Nyra exclaimed.

    I deactivated my [Water Blast], seeing there weren¡¯t any more of Noire¡¯s [Flare Rain] coming at me. I turned to my left to see said Vampire coming at me with surprising speed, winding up her solid crimson scythe for a large swing while a manic smile was plastered on her face.

    That unexpected face and the suddenness of it all surprised me, but I reacted just in time to change my tanto into a bat with my [Darkness Manipulation] before I met the Vampire¡¯s attack head on. Just like my encounter with Gabriella, there were continuous rings sounding through the arena due to the ultrasonic vibrations from the Chaos Metal in my weapon as it met Noire¡¯s. What made this duel different from that, however, was this Vampire¡¯s surprising offensive power. I knew that her ATK stat was higher than Gabriella¡¯s, higher than Eugus¡¯, even, but not enough to overpower me. Still, this was the strongest blow I¡¯ve received from a demon so far. I could tell how much it differed from the humans of White Rapture that I took out the other day, even though I was at a lower level back then.

    Another thing that made Noire¡¯s duel different from Gabriella¡¯s was the mood. The Dark Knight was constantly glaring at me like I was scum, and though it was a spar, it looked like she was trying to kill me. This Vampire, on the other hand, was driven by the goal of victory and an adrenaline rush. As I was pushing her back, while our faces were so close, I could see excitement and a hint of hunger glimmering in her violet eyes. The manic smile on her face also showed just how good of a mood she¡¯s in today.

    ¡°To see through and efficiently dodge all my attacks with no wasted movement, and to cast magic with silent chanting, just like your wife ¡­ you just get more and more mysterious by the hour! I have never had so much fun trying to figure someone out before!¡± she exclaimed in a hushed whisper, keeping this talk of ours private from the audience behind her.

    ¡°You¡¯re really into this, Noire. You want to taste my blood that bad?¡± I asked while we were pushing each other back, our faces just centimeters apart.

    ¡°Mmm, that is certainly part of it, darling, but ¡­ if you want my honest opinion, I have been itching to dig my fangs into your neck for some time now, since I first set my eyes on you yesterday,¡± Noire admitted, ¡°It is hard to describe, but it is like I have a fire burning in my bosom in ways I have never thought to experience, and that heat is drawing me to you. Even now, I am tempted to bite you right here and now with everyone watching us.¡±

    <Holy shit, she is THIRSTY!> Nyra exclaimed.

    ¡°Something else I should mention, but I believe you have demonstrated your capability enough already,¡± Noire then said, ¡°You and Mei defeated Gabriella and Beelzebub in such a spectacular fashion, and you are holding yourself well against me. I can say with confidence that I officially deem you and your party qualified to escort me to the dungeon. So, how about you admit defeat now and let me have a gooood, looong taste of you?¡±

    <Ooh,> Nyra uttered.

    ¡°I heard from other Vampires that the first time always hurts at first, but they all quickly learn to love the penetration later,¡± Noire added.

    <Ooohh, baby!> Nyra responded.

    ¡°From me, I will be gentle and only use the tips for your first time. You have my word as a lady, so what do you say?¡± Noire asked before seductively licking her lips, ¡°Would you do me the honor of being my first taste of a male?¡±

    <Oooohhh, the innuendos! Being ¡®gentle¡¯! The ¡®tips¡¯! Being her ¡®first taste of male¡¯! Sooo delicious! This Vampire¡¯s got the makings of a dirty talk expert, Jinma!>

    <Why are you getting excited over this?> I asked Nyra, though I couldn¡¯t deny I was feeling something similar.

    <She¡¯s giving you the okay, man! You and your party are good to go for the quest! There are literally no consequences in this! Are you seriously not going to take this chance?!> Nyra asked.

    ¡°¡­ I will admit, Noire, after the way you delivered that offer, it¡¯s tempting of me to take,¡± I answered to both her and Nyra.

    ¡°¡­ I am sensing a ¡®but¡¯ here,¡± Noire said, looking slightly displeased.

    ¡°I get the feeling there¡¯s more significance to that bite than you¡¯re letting on or Konjiro wouldn¡¯t interfere the way he did,¡± I explained, ¡°Call me a coward, but I¡¯m not one to rush making commitments until I know all the stakes behind them. Also, though I made a fool of myself with that freudian slip, I can¡¯t let my harem, especially my wife, see me give up so uncool-like.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Noire, but we¡¯re gonna have to take this soak and cool our heads down a bit,¡± I said before giving a mischievous smile.

    ¡°What do you¡ª¡±

    Before Noire could say anything further, both of us were dunked by a waterfall produced by a large sphere of ice-cold water above us, its diameter about a quarter of an Olympic swimming pool. While Noire was talking to me, with my [Hyper Thought Processing] skill, I was mentally formulating the dimensions of my [Create Water] spell and conjured it above our heads. She seemed so focused and attentive towards me throughout the spar, especially when we were so close, I thought I should take a shot. Turned out that was the right call.

    After the large orb of water spilled the last of its contents on us, I quickly hopped back, getting distance between us. Both of us were sopping wet and the arena got soaked enough that the dirt turned into mud. Our clothes were clinging to our bodies like we just came out of a raging river. The way Noire¡¯s outfit clung onto her was especially enticing, really showing off the luscious curves of her body frame as water dripped down. In fact, with how cold she must be right now, I could even make out some of her nipples erecting against the fabric. The Lady Vampire¡¯s crimson hair tied in a ponytail had also become soaked as it hung behind her.

    Noire stood there in shock, her scythe still in her hands, taking in what just happened as her body shivered. ¡°¡­ C-Cold,¡± she stuttered while wrapping her arms around herself, ¡°Th-This is s-so c-cold ¡­ in more ways th-than one.¡±

    Ah, nothing like a splash of freezing water to bring someone back to their senses. Thank you, Mom, for resorting to this cruel method when I refused to get up from bed back in my rebellious phase.

    I had no problems with the cold water, however, as I had my [Body Temperature Stability] skill to help me endure radical temperatures. It was more like I felt the ice cold water at first, but my body produced enough heat to balance things out.

    ¡°You pull off the wet look really well, Noire, but you should probably get yourself warmed up before you catch a cold. Thankfully, I got these before they got wet,¡± I said before I swung a black piece of fabric around in circles with a smirk.

    And with that, this spar had come to a close.

 Chapter 138: The Sparâ€™s Aftermath

    Noire¡¯s violet eyes widened and her pupils shrunk to pin needles as she quickly patted herself down, confirming she had nothing on underneath, before her face flushed red, ¡°H-How ¡­ when did you ¡­?¡± She then caught something in her view and turned to the thing that was wiggling beside me in a sort of victory dance, one of my faithful shadow tendrils.

    While I was conjuring that giant ball of water earlier, I also summoned a tendril from Noire¡¯s shadow below her with my [Darkness Manipulation]. I had actually put that tendril into position before I even started making the water above us. It was difficult, trying to get into a good angle for snatching without Noire noticing, but it seemed she was more occupied with me than I thought. Then, just as I released my hold on the waterball, the tendril quickly pulled the panties down and used the split second Noire jumped in surprise to slip the fabric beneath her feet and move away from the scene before it got wet with us.

    I then held up my prize to the light, ¡°Black lace panties, though, and with such a beautiful design, too, as expected of a classy lady. These will be perfect to keep as my trophy. Thanks for the help, little guy, give me one down low.¡±

    Though I was controlling the tendril myself, it was fun patting myself on the back in a creative manner. I manipulated the tendril¡¯s end to form a hand before slapping it against my real one I had lowered.

    Sighing in disappointment and coming to her senses, Noire deconstructed her crimson scythe back to its liquid form and flowed it back into the jar she had set down from the start, ¡°Quite the dirty trick you pulled there, Jinma, but clever, I will give you that much. As agreed, this battle is yours, and you may keep¡ª¡±

    ¡°Huh, odd, I thought these were dry, but they¡¯re actually quite wet ¡­ and slippery?¡± I interrupted I rubbed my thumb over the fabric, ¡°I was sure I pulled these out before I dunked water on us, too ¡­ wait a minute, could they have gotten wet from¡ª¡±

    ¡°Well! I have certainly gotten hungry after that!¡± Noire interrupted desperately, ¡°Who is up for lunch?! I made sure to gather enough ingredients to prepare for everyone here! Maids, prepare our lunches immediately and bring a fresh pair of panties while you are at it!¡±

    Catching their mistress¡¯s hint, the maids who stood by bowed, confirming her order, and started directing the majority of the audience back inside the cottage. Ume, Ren, Sue, and my familiars were still standing by, probably waiting for me.

    ¡°Oh, and can someone please bring me a towel and dry clothes?!¡± Noire added to her demands.

    ¡°I think I can actually take care of that. [Clean],¡± I chanted while pointing a hand at Noire.

    Within seconds, the Vampire lady was totally dry like no water splashed on her in the first place. Noire checked herself and confirmed nothing was out of place. She cleared her throat, ¡°To use [Portal], [Lubricate], and [Clean], how convenient. And I suppose next you will tell me you can use [Storage] as well.¡±

    ¡°... Well, since you asked, and I was planning on stowing this away for later. [Storage, In],¡± I chanted, putting away Noire¡¯s used panties that will be preserved in its current condition for a long time. I was putting this away first to prevent it from getting caught in using [Clean] on myself, as such a treasure will lose all its value if the markings of the original owner were wiped away.

    Noire stood in place with widened eyes after witnessing what just happened, ¡°... How much can you put in that spell, if I may ask?¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°A lot. I can¡¯t really express it any better than that.¡±

    I mean, I still have all those bodies from the White Rapture and the monsters from this morning¡¯s dungeon trial run. I gotta find the time to put all of those things to use and not take up all my space.

    ¡°Hmm, I do have means of sleeping in the dungeon, but if you can perhaps store my coffin in there ¡­ no, on second thought, forget I said anything,¡± Noire said.

    Wow! Sleeping in coffins! That really is a thing for Vampires in this world! I kind of want to see what it¡¯s like sleeping inside it!

    <You get excited over the weirdest shit, you know that?> Nyra asked, reading my thoughts.

    <I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.>

    ¡°Are you sure, Noire? I have no problems carrying it for you if you want to take it with us,¡± I said, trying to ignore Nyra¡¯s quip.

    ¡°It is not that. While I do prefer to sleep in a coffin, I want to see what living the adventurer way is like during our dungeon crawl. This will be a good change of pace as well as a valuable learning experience for me,¡± Noire explained, crossing her arms and nodding to herself with eyes closed, as if thinking her reason was sound. She then perked up like an idea came to her, looking to the side pondering seriously for a moment. ¡°Although, the coffin I am sleeping in right now is big enough to fit two people, and with that added privacy ¡­¡±

    Unable to hear her muttering, I tilted my head in wonder, ¡°Noire? Are you thinking of¡ª?¡±

    Just as I was bringing up a question, a gust of wind suddenly blew, strong enough to suddenly blow up the Vampire¡¯s skirt, and I was able to see everything. Somehow, my primal instincts made use of my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills to speed up my reaction time and slow down the sense of time around me. This gave me a chance to see what was under Noire Scarletine Krauss¡¯ skirt in slow-motion, taking advantage of every millisecond I had to burn the image into my brain.

    Soft, porcelain white thighs ¡­ a full, round ass that shone like a full moon ¡­ and a trimmed, well-groomed garden of scarlet ¡­

    ¡°... I apologize for my indecisiveness, Jinma, but I believe I will require your [Storage] Null Spell to carry my coffin for me ¡­ for emergencies, of course, in case the conditions were just too severe for proper sleep,¡± Noire said, the wind settling down enough for her skirt to flutter back down, ¡°I am aware the space inside [Storage] is like my Magic Item Pouch that it keeps items well preserved and the coffin I am currently using is not very expensive and quite sturdy, so I have no issues entrusting this to you.¡± She then turned back and gave me her full attention again with the graceful smile I was used to seeing, far different from the one she had during our spar.

    It seemed the Vampire was so engrossed in her thoughts moments ago that she had no idea her skirt was flipped. If any of the guild masters, Beelzebub, or really anyone outside our group were here to see that happen, I can¡¯t imagine the scandal that would ensue.

    I think ¡­ I had just witnessed a miracle.

    Remembering Noire was waiting for my response, I cleared my throat, ¡°Uh, yeah, I should have plenty of room in my [Storage] to keep your coffin safe, so you can leave it to me. I can come back tomorrow before we leave for the dungeon crawl to pick it up.¡±

    Noire¡¯s violet eyes gleamed at my response, ¡°Splendid! Let us have our lunch now so we can discuss what the rest of your party can do and our plan for the dungeon crawl after that.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you head on in first, we¡¯ll catch up later,¡± I suggested.

    After nodding, Noire headed back inside first with that same noble gait in her step as I have seen so far from her.

    Just when I knew the lady had left, I turned my back to the remainder of my party, clapped my hands together, and bowed deeply. GODDESS OBINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! GOCHICHOUSAMAAAAAAA! I prayed to my Goddess of Lust for providing this miracle to me today.

    <Jinma! I made sure to keep that memory as crisp and clear as when you first saw it! We¡¯ll be able to relive that beautiful moment for the rest of our lives!> Nyra exclaimed.

    <You¡¯re the best, Nyra!> I exclaimed while giving an imaginary thumbs up.

    ¡°Congratulations on your victory, Master,¡± Ren said as she and the other remaining party members approached me from behind, ¡°I took the liberty of patching up the hole Lady Umeiyon made earlier with my [Earth Magic], but Lady Krauss will still need to hire some help to get it properly repaired. I made sure to let her maids know about that.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I looked back to the hole Ume made and, just as my Werewolf Slave said, I could see some contrast between the wall and the earth used to patch up its hole. I didn¡¯t even know you could use [Earth Magic] for something like that, so Ren must have some experience making patch-ups like this.

    I petted Ren¡¯s head with a smirk, ¡°That so? Well done, Ren.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not much, Master,¡± so Ren said, but her erratically wagging tail spoke how happy she was to receive the praise.

    ¡°Still, Noire proved to be quite a formidable foe,¡± Ume then said, crossing her arms as she recalled the battle in her mind, ¡°Yes, she could definitely hold herself better than that fly, and with her pristine lower half and how hard you stared at it, I can see her to be a fine addition to your harem. It seemed my [Storm Magic] proved useful in this little experiment.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you did that?!¡± I exclaimed in shock. She must have conjured wind with magic to blow up Noire¡¯s skirt like that.

    Ume shrugged, ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it earlier, but since there weren¡¯t many important people around and she looked so deep in thought, I figured I might as well see what she had while her guard was down. I didn¡¯t anticipate her not noticing it at all, though.¡±

    ¡°Well, I saw a side of her I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see, so thank you for the pleasant treat, Umeiyon,¡± Sue said while giving a light bow.

    Just as Ume shot a sour glare at the fake Arch Imp, as if saying, ¡®I didn¡¯t do that for you,¡¯ I placed my hands on her shoulders, surprising her, ¡°Ume ¡­ you are not only the MVP to this whole thing, but you just proved to be a hell of a wingwoman today. I don¡¯t think I could ever be more grateful to be your husband as I am right now.¡±

    ¡°Aww, I may not know what ¡®MVP¡¯ or ¡®wingwoman¡¯ means, but I¡¯m more than happy to help you find suitable mates for your harem at any time,¡± Ume said before giving me a peck on the lips, ¡°Still, we should see what the significance to her biting your neck is at some point, and I¡¯ve been thinking we should warn her about her possible involvement in Rowling¡¯s scheme. If you¡¯re really interested in her enough and we help her out, we could have her on our side pretty quickly putting your ¡­ ¡®unique¡¯ charm in the works.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because my weird slip made her laugh so hard. While we¡¯re on that subject, did anybody else think it was that funny? Be honest with me here, I won¡¯t bite,¡± I asked the others here.

    ¡°Uhhh ¡­¡± Kenaka said while averting his gaze.

    Mametama only cleared her throat.

    ¡°I thought how Lady Krauss laughed was interesting,¡± Ren said, not answering my question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about panties or underwear to get the joke,¡± Ume said, ¡°I don¡¯t even know why keeping a piece of fabric that someone just wore is such a big deal.¡±

    ¡°It really just comes down to a person¡¯s tastes, be they male or female,¡± Sue explained to Ume while shrugging, ¡°From the ¡­ books, that I¡¯ve read, liking freshly worn underwear makes Jinma out as a character of culture that¡¯s destined for greatness.¡±

    <... I don¡¯t want to admit it, I really don¡¯t, but I like the way she thinks,> Nyra said.

    What kind of ¡®books¡¯ did she read to come to that conclusion?

    After a bit more small talk, we went back into Noire¡¯s cottage and got ready for lunch. The Vampire probably took the nutritional needs of the larger guests like Eugus, Kalline, and Erizora into consideration as there was a surprisingly wider variety of food and refreshments to choose from. During our meal, Noire congratulated me and Ume on our spar victories and announced that she deemed our party qualified to escort her through Palocaesy¡¯s Dungeon. This got us in a good mood, especially me, as I was a bit worried she may take back what she said in our small exchange during the spar, considering how I turned her down. It could be my experience in dealing with the important clients and higher-ups from my former employer on Earth that made me think like that, though.

    All of us in my party talked about ourselves as we ate, like what our classes are, what skills and spells we can do, and our experience as adventurers and taking on dungeons. I tried to keep my explanations to a minimum to not risk any possible info to be used against me, especially my new [Shady Style] fighting I learned after watching Noire¡¯s [Bloody Style] at work. I didn¡¯t want word getting out on how I can instantly learn new skills after watching someone do them once thanks to the effects of my ¡®Natural-Born Brawler¡¯ title. If Konjiro really was conspiring with Rowling for a coup, it would be best that I keep this a secret.

    Sue also took this chance to explain what she could contribute to the dungeon crawl while not being a hindrance to everyone. Generally, despite possessing the Pugilist class, one that focuses on close-combat, she can also use magic pretty well to fend for herself. That was in line with what she told me in the restroom back at the inn. When I asked Sue through [Telepathy] for confirmation, though, she said she did have the Pugilist class, but she already leveled it up to max level and promoted it to an advanced class a while ago. She also answered truthfully that that wasn¡¯t the only class she has, meaning like the nobles, the guild masters, and myself, this fake Arch Imp is also capable of wielding multiple classes. While it was a good hint of how strong Sue really was, it wasn¡¯t really the kind of news I could be happy over. In the end, I just kept that tidbit in the back of my head to reference for later.

    Gabriella was still out cold from the spar, so her former party member-turned-Harpy Slave, Tyvera, spoke of what she knew about her capabilities in her place. Like how I saw in her status, Gabriella was capable of casting [Cursed Magic]. It was one of her perks of being a Dark Knight, and while she can fight with her head on her shoulders, since she can use the [Levitate] Null Spell, she¡¯d prefer to fight while having a good view of her surroundings from above.

    When I asked more about the Null Spell, I learned it was apparently something that can only be used on a single target. There isn¡¯t much limit to how high up you can go and the time you can stay up there, though, so long as you have enough MP to do it for extended periods. As for how much you can lift off the ground, it really depends on the user¡¯s Strength rank in their Innate Status that you can find out with a church¡¯s assistance. If you can¡¯t find out what it is through that, your ATK stat is usually a good indicator. So it¡¯s really whether you¡¯re able to lift something by your own power that decides how effective the [Levitate] Null Spell is.

    I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m happy to learn a new Null Spell out of this, but with my severe acrophobia, I can only lift myself so high up before I go into a panic attack. Maybe I can use it as a means to beat this fear in the future, but for now, [Levitate] will act as my safety cushion should I find myself at heights too tall for comfort. I¡¯m sure there are other uses I can think of for this Null Spell, too, but I¡¯d have to test it out the next time I¡¯m by myself.

    While we¡¯re on the topic of Null Spells, I talked to Nyra over how I knew [Lubricate] during my spar with Gabriella. As I told her earlier, I had no idea. It happened as I was pulling myself back down to the ground while the Dullahan¡¯s severed head was trying to get me into the air. I was in a lapse of fear and frustration during this vertical tug-of-war when I felt a weird ¡­ presence, if I had to describe it, inside of me. It was similar to Nyra speaking to me in my mind, and I¡¯m not sure how she didn¡¯t notice, but I guess this ¡®presence¡¯ managed to sneak by her to ¡®speak¡¯ to me. In fact, this may not be the first time I felt this experience. It had a similar feeling of when I was on my murderous rampage during White Rapture¡¯s raid in Dondegarm. In that instance, I had a small conversation between this ¡®presence¡¯¡ªfor ease of reference, we¡¯ll name this ¡®Creep¡¯ for reasons I¡¯ll explain later¡ªand my subconscious.

    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Creep asked me.

    My answer didn¡¯t come from ¡®me¡¯, but my subconscious in monotone, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you not like her making you this scared?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to make her taste her own medicine?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, take this and make her suffer.¡±

    And that was when I somehow learned the [Lubricate] Null Spell. By itself, the spell was completely harmless, but I just somehow knew how to use it for malicious purposes. After that, I managed to get myself back on the ground, lost my cool, used my sadistic tentacle play on Gabriella¡¯s body, and the rest was history. Admittedly, I was so livid in that moment that my focus became tunnel vision, aiming only to make the Dullahan suffer for almost making me fall into a panic attack. It wasn¡¯t until she cried that I was snapped out of it. I may have acted nonchalant to the end of that spar, but I felt a little uneasy after that strange ¡®chat¡¯ I had with Creep.

    <So, you think there was some other ¡®person¡¯ you named ¡®Creep¡¯ inside you like I am who told you about [Lubricate] without me noticing?> Nyra summarized.

    I mentally nodded, <That¡¯s what I think, yeah.>

    <Do you have any idea what Creep was like? Have you seen it before somewhere else?> she asked.

    There were two people that came to mind, but their identities were quite hazy. One, for some reason, was the old man in the hospital back in the memory I had as a kid. I think there was something about Creep¡¯s voice that resembled his, which made me think of him first, but he seemed more sympathetic and, dare I say, inspirational in the memory than how Creep displayed. The other one that came to mind, though I didn¡¯t want to consider it, was similar to Creep in its malice and sadistic nature. I only saw him once in the dream I had after the White Rapture raid, the dream where I only saw Mom walking away and I couldn¡¯t follow her because of some strong glass wall stopping me. I was only left alone with this other guy that looked like me, but pulled a horror movie move of spinning his head in a one-eighty and looked at me with demonic eyes and a malicious smile. Somehow, the way Creep spoke to me earlier, as if urging me to scare Gabriella, reminded me of that me in the dream.

    It was because of how unsettling that exchange was, thinking how this guy was like an uncanny mix of the old man and the demonic me, that the name ¡®Creep¡¯ seemed appropriate to refer to this thing. I explained that much to Nyra.

    <Hmm ¡­ and you met this thing while you fell in a lapse of fear in the spar? When you were being lifted off the ground?> Nyra asked.

    <Yes.>

    <What a peculiar thing this Creep is. If it happens again, I¡¯ll have to keep a lookout for it and see if I can notice it then. I¡¯ll let you know if I come across anything,> she said.

    <I appreciate that, but honestly, I¡¯d rather not meet that thing again if I could,> I commented as an unsettling chill ran down my spine.

    To veer away from these thoughts, I remembered Beelzebub was also in the same state as Gabriella to not eat with us too, so I asked where they were. They were currently staying in two of the guest rooms to rest. Apparently, the maids were ordered to leave aside food for both Beelzebub and Gabriella when they both woke up.

    Ah, how generous, I thought, After all that dirty talk and her boisterous laughter earlier, I forgot Noire was a noble lady. Thinking how a lady like her was actually following through on what being a noble entails warmed my heart a bit.

 Chapter 139: To Warn an â€˜Innocentâ€™ Lady

    Julius and Konjiro listened to our party¡¯s stories attentively, but they each looked to be doing it with different intentions in mind. Eugus looked rather exhausted, despite having not done much. Maybe he was just done questioning how drastic things have changed in this assigned quest over the last few days and is just letting things ride out as he sees it.

    As for Noire and Yukino, they looked to be paying attention, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel they both had their eyes on me most of the time. The Vampire was staring at my neck longingly with utmost curiosity, probably wondering what biting and sucking my blood from there would be like. The Kitsune wife, however, was harder to read as she was shifting glances between different spots on my person with frustration. It was like trying to find a chip she knew she saw on a marble statue from the first time seeing it, but no luck finding it again. These were based on Nyra¡¯s readings into their moods through her [Psyche Magic] and me trying to make sense of them.

    I don¡¯t know what exactly Yukino is looking for from me, but I do feel bad for rejecting Noire¡¯s advances to bite me¡ªespecially when I wanted to get bitten, too. Wonder if there¡¯s some compromise for her to just taste my blood without biting me, at the least? Something that doesn¡¯t have as much significant meaning behind it as Konjiro was implying earlier? Maybe I can ask her?

    Just as I was thinking that, one of the maids from outside came in and said Konjiro had a visitor waiting at the front. The Kitsune exasperated a sigh as he left the table to see what was up. He then came back less than a minute later, ¡°I apologize for the abrupt news, Lady Krauss, but it seems I have some urgent business back at the guild.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no need to fret, then, I appreciate your time looking after things here,¡± Noire said while waving a hand, ¡°We will meet again tomorrow as planned, yes?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Lady Krauss, but I still would like to have something reported related to these proceedings. Which is why, if I may ask, would you mind if Yukino took my place to observe?¡± Konjiro asked.

    ¡°I have no problems with that arrangement if Yukino is okay with it,¡± Noire answered.

    ¡°If you do not mind me, Lady Krauss, then I humbly accept the invitation,¡± Yukino answered cooly before turning back to her husband, ¡°Konjiro, if nothing else comes up, I will see you back home with a report of what I have observed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Yukino, Lady Krauss. Then, if you will excuse me ¡­¡± Konjiro bid before bowing his head and leaving the cottage.

    <Huh, interesting. Noire seemed a bit relieved to hear Konjiro leaving, but she¡¯s not totally relaxed knowing his wife¡¯s overseeing things in his place,> Nyra reported.

    <You think she¡¯s not favorable of Konjiro and Yukino?> I asked.

    <Well, Konjiro is communicating with her obsessive fiance who has been doing things behind her back,> Nyra argued.

    ¡°Well, then, it looks like we have learned a good bit about each other, settled for a time to meet tomorrow, and have nearly cleaned out our spread, is anybody else still hungry? Or is there anything else that needs to be discussed?¡± Noire asked.

    An idea quickly came to my mind, ¡°Actually, if you don¡¯t mind, Noire, I¡¯d like to see your coffin, just to make sure I can fit it in my [Storage] for when we head out.¡±

    Noire blinked in surprise before a glimmer of excitement shined in her violet eyes, ¡°Oh, but of course! It would be inconvenient if you cannot somehow fit it in your [Storage], yes? I will lead us to my room, then. Everyone, ask any of my maids for refills or additional helpings to your meals should you need it. Jinma and I will return momentarily.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit, guys. Ume, would you please keep an eye on things around here?¡± I asked her.

    Ume, already getting the idea of my motivations, nodded in understanding, ¡°Of course, Jin.¡±

    I then activated my [Telepathy], <Sue, stay out of trouble, Kenaka and Mametama, notify me if either of you see anything strange.>

    <I¡¯ll be good,> Sue answered nonchalantly.

    <We will be vigilant, Milord,> Mametama spoke for both her and Kenaka.

    Noire then led me up the stairs where her room was. There were a couple other rooms around the large second floor, two of which I assumed Gabriella and Beelzebub were resting. The Vampire seemed to be in a good mood as she led me, at least that was what Nyra told me after using her [Psyche Magic].

    Soon enough, I found myself in a large, extravagantly pink room, and the first thing that stood out to me was a large open coffin that matched the color scheme. It was painted rose pink and polished to a brilliant shine. Decorative floral designs were engraved around the sides, and on the lid was an emblem carved in what I wondered was the Krauss Family crest that signifies their nobility. Noire did mention something about that as she explained the forged letter yesterday, after all.

    As for the coffin¡¯s inside, it was lined with red velvet fabric and cushioning, only two expensive-looking pillows sat next to each other at the head with no blanket. I guess it insulates the temperature inside enough that Noire didn¡¯t have to worry about being cold overnight, or could that insulation be added in through magical means? Also, on the inside of the lid was a barely distinguishable handle. It was probably so Noire can open and close the coffin from the inside, and it looks to be designed so anybody resting in there won¡¯t have to worry about hitting their head upon waking up. Looking at it as a whole, it looks big enough to be comparable to a queen-size bed with how much room there was inside. I never thought I¡¯d see something so morbid be displayed in such a girly, princess-like design.

    I literally wouldn¡¯t be caught dead in something like this when it was time for me to leave this world. I didn¡¯t even think a Vampire would sleep in something like this, but Noire is a girl at the end of the day, so maybe this was designed more to her feminine tastes?

    Putting the coffin aside, there was also a chair in front of a vanity that also looks to function as a desk as I could see an inkwell and quill pen sitting at the corner. The whole thing was made of wood painted white, also designed with flowery designs in the carvings, with the surface and the mirror cleaned and polished to a great shine. I could imagine a princess sitting in front of the vanity as one of her maids does her hair and makeup to start the day. I guess the same scene can also apply to noble ladies like Noire.

    ¡°Please do not misunderstand this coffin and room to be aligned with my tastes,¡± Noire said with a surprisingly cute sulking face, snapping me out of my observing daze, ¡°Father had this room set up for me and my little sister while we were young children, and she just could not sleep without me next to her, hence why the coffin is as big as you see here. She is able to sleep by herself now, of course, and I nagged Father countless times to change this room, but he just cannot bring himself to do it. Regardless, my real coffin back home has much more maturity and class than this one.¡±

    Ah, so he¡¯s one of those doting, overbearing father types that just can¡¯t accept his daughter growing into a woman, good to know Noire¡¯s taste has changed over the years ¡­ though, she¡¯s over a hundred years old, is that still considered ¡®young¡¯ in Vampire years?

    <I don¡¯t know, but I have a feeling the difficulty level of winning over her dad for good relations just went up if he¡¯s this stubborn,> Nyra commented.

    From the Pixie¡¯s statement, something occurred to me, <... Now that you mention it, why did he think it was okay to let Noire marry to Rowling?>

    ¡°Anyway, do you think you will be able to fit this coffin in your [Storage]?¡± Noire asked me.

    Suddenly, I got a slightly disturbing message from Kenaka through [Telepathy], <Milord, Yukino has gone upstairs, saying she wishes to check on Gabriella, but I imagine that was her cover to eavesdrop into your business with Lady Noire. I suggest you be careful.>

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    <That was fast. Thanks for the heads up, Kenaka,> I thanked him.

    Turning my attention to Noire, I held a finger over my lips. ¡°I¡¯m going to do another surprising trick. Can you keep this a secret?¡± I whispered.

    After a pause of surprise, Noire became ecstatic to see what I had up my sleeve as she nodded without hesitation.

    ¡°[Soundproof],¡± I chanted, creating the amorphous, bubble-like field I was familiar with that I manipulated to cover Noire¡¯s room, ¡°Okay, that should do it, is your door locked?¡±

    ¡°A [Soundproof] Null Spell! How marvelous!¡± Noire exclaimed while clapping her hands in delight before remembering my question, ¡°Oh, and yes, I locked it so we wouldn¡¯t be disturbed.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, because there¡¯s another reason why I had us come here to speak so discreetly,¡± I informed.

    ¡°Yes?!¡± Noire asked, looking to be on the edge of her seat with heated anticipation.

    ¡°I wanted to personally warn you that you may be getting pulled into an intricate plot for a coup against the Demon King,¡± I announced.

    ¡°... Huh?¡± she asked in confusion.

    ¡°Going by the clues I told you about earlier and some conjectures from a convincing source, I believe Rowling may be trying to marry into the Krauss family as part of a plan to a large scale coup. The Duke of Demons, Vask, is currently the most likely suspect to lead the whole operation to take the Demon King position by force,¡± I explained further.

    After blinking and taking a few moments to absorb what I said, I thought I saw a glimpse of disappointment on Noire¡¯s face before she exasperated a sigh. She then closed the lid to her coffin and hopped up on top of it, crossing her arms and legs while settling into her seat. Such an act would make anyone in a funeral service faint at the sight that harshly disrespected the dead. In this case, the Vampire was trying to make herself comfortable like a teenage girl sitting on a bed, ready to listen to another one of her overbearing father¡¯s scoldings.

    ¡°Okay, grab that chair and let¡¯s get this over with already, from the top,¡± Noire said, dropping her formalities like she was done putting up with whatever she¡¯s dealing with.

    I was so surprised by her response that I had trouble trying to absorb her request, ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Explain to me what Vask and Rowling are planning for this coup against the Demon King. You went through such lengths to get us alone to tell me this, right? Then, go on, have a seat and explain it all to me, chop chop,¡± she urged while clapping her hands impatiently, ¡°We haven¡¯t got all day.¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ okay?¡± What¡¯s her deal? I thought as I took the chair in front of the vanity.

    <Oh, boy ¡­ I know it can¡¯t be helped under these circumstances, but you really dampened her mood there, buddy,> Nyra informed me.

    From there, I told Noire about Chaos Barrage, how Vask, Rowling, and Konjiro could be connected to it, and how her marriage may come into play for their coup.

    ¡°... And? Is that everything?¡± Noire asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ everything, yeah. Have you ¡­ been in something like this before?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    Noire sighed, ¡°The coup¡¯s new to me, but this isn¡¯t the first time a marriage candidate wants to marry into a prestigious family for nefarious purposes. The Krauss Family is especially prone to stuff like this, not just because we¡¯re close to the Demon King, but word on the grapevine said that we¡¯ve become ¡®weak and soft¡¯ for supporting her actions to make peace with the humans and demis across the border. This mindset has also been ¡®infecting¡¯ other demons who are for this change and we¡¯ve been growing weaker as a result. Perhaps they thought they could ¡®help¡¯ the demons become strong again after marrying into the Krauss Family and take Father¡¯s position as Minister of Defense and Weaponry. It¡¯s been like this with the previous Demon King as well.¡±

    ¡°... If I may ask, what¡¯s your personal opinion for the Demon King trying to make peace with the humans and demis?¡± I asked.

    Noire closed her eyes and thought deeply, ¡°... ¡®I love blood, but I do not wish to smell or taste any of it from my fellow kin out of violence.¡¯ Those were Father¡¯s words when he was asked of his support for the peace treaty when it was formed between the Three Territories. I agree and stand by his words, and I¡¯d like to add to it that not experiencing the same from the other kin out of war would be preferable to me. Losing blood in such a manner is not only a horrible waste, but the thought of just tasting it in the air is unsettling to me.¡±

    Wow, having a Vampire like Noire saying all of that really speaks levels of how serious she is on this. My [Intuition] isn¡¯t picking up any lies on what she said, either.

    ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to turn this question back to you with interest,¡± Noire then said, opening her violet eyes to me with a serious air, ¡°How do you feel about the peace treaty between the Three Territories in Padimon? And what exactly are you hoping to gain informing me of this possible coup?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ first of all, I¡¯m not a native of Padimon, I haven¡¯t even set foot on the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory to see what the country¡¯s like,¡± I said.

    Noire widened her eyes in surprise.

    ¡°The only seemingly ¡®decent¡¯ humans I¡¯ve seen so far during my time here are Julius, Carmen, and an adventurer I ran into named Kisaki,¡± I continued, ¡°All the other ones were from the White Rapture that I took out at Dondegarm and I haven¡¯t met a single person from the Demi-Kin yet. I haven¡¯t been in Padimon for very long, with the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory being the first country I¡¯ve set foot on, but personally, I like how the place looks so far. If that is due to the peace treaty, then I think the previous Demon King was onto something.

    ¡°As for what I could gain from informing you of the coup, well ¡­ there¡¯s something else I should let you know, about why I took on this quest in the first place.¡±

    <Jinma, are you sure you should be saying this?> Nyra asked, sensing where I was going, <If you¡¯re interested in Noire, this might lower her favor for you.>

    <I know, but with the circumstances as they are now, it wouldn¡¯t be right of me to keep hiding this from her. Besides, we already have a guarantee of meeting the Demon King through Sue, which was the main reason why we took on this quest in the first place, so it won¡¯t be much of a loss if Noire decides to end everything here now,> I explained.

    I heard Nyra sighing in my mind, <I¡¯ll keep an eye on how she¡¯s feeling to see how good we have in coming out of this. You¡¯ve been doing surprisingly well with her on your own so far, so just do what comes naturally to you, I guess.>

    <Thanks, Nyra.>

    From there, I told Noire my main reason for taking on her quest and what I initially hoped to gain after its completion, a chance to have an audience with the Demon King through her family connections. I told her the person who gave me the info of Chaos Barrage¡¯s movements was the same one who would help me speak with the Demon King instead and would guarantee a favor granted to me should I assist them from stopping the coup. I didn¡¯t tell Noire that Sue was that very person. When the Vampire asked what my reasons were for wanting to speak with the Demon King directly, I only told her I had some personal questions that only she could help me find answers to.

    ¡°So really, you don¡¯t need to take on my quest if your meeting with the Demon King is guaranteed,¡± Noire summarized, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a guy that doesn¡¯t abandon a job that was given to him unless the person in charge says otherwise,¡± I answered, ¡°However, considering the circumstances now, putting your safety first, I¡¯m honestly concerned as to whether moving forward with this quest is a good idea.¡±

    ¡°You suggest we drop the dungeon crawl?¡± she asked with a raised brow, ¡°Won¡¯t this sudden change affect your standing as an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°I just became an adventurer at this rank under special circumstances,¡± I said, ¡°If I lose this rank as quickly as I earned it, that¡¯s no bother to me. I may not have known you were exposed to this sort of thing enough to be numb to the surprise, and I¡¯ve experienced first-hand how well you can fend for yourself in a fight. Even so, I¡¯m telling you the dangers that are lurking behind the scenes of this quest because I¡¯ve come to like you enough to care so much for your safety.¡±

    Noire blinked in surprise, ¡°Y-You ¡­ like me?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°I apologize if you¡¯re offended by me initially using you to get to the Demon King. I understand if that puts me on the same level as the other nobles who¡¯ve tried to approach you and not wish to see me again. If you wish to drop this quest now because of the dire situation, I won¡¯t hold it against you, but if you¡¯d allow me, I¡¯d like to escort you back to your home in Korangar so you can fill your father in on the situation and come up with a plan to stop the coup. It will be free of charge, of course, as I owe that much for deceiving you up to this point. I just want to do this out of the feelings I¡¯ve grown for you over the short time we spent together and make amends for my wrong towards you.¡±

    ¡°... Um, please excuse me, I need a moment,¡± Noire said before turning her back to me.

    I sighed internally, Well, that settles that, I guess. A shame I won¡¯t get bitten by an actual Vampire ¡­ I don¡¯t know if Ume has the [Magic Fangs] skill, but could she possibly pierce my high defenses with her Dragon teeth?

    <Hold up, I wouldn¡¯t count yourself out just yet,> Nyra interrupted.

    <Huh? Why?>

    <Because I¡¯m reading Noire¡¯s filled with so much joy that she may pop like a bubble.>

    Before I could ask Nyra further on her reasoning, Noire spoke up with her back still turned, ¡°So, to reiterate, you only wish to speak with the Demon King for your ¡­ ¡®personal questions¡¯, yes? Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is all,¡± I answered without hesitation.

    ¡°No plans on taking the throne or some position of power?¡± she asked.

    I shook my head, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that was possible for me being a human, but no, I have no such plans.¡±

    ¡°And ¡­ you really like me, despite my lineage as a Vampire?¡± Noire asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Have you seen my wife and party?¡± I asked, ¡°You being a Vampire is interesting, but at the end of day, I like you as much as a male does for a female.¡±

    Noire sat there not saying anything in response, her shoulders trembling for reasons I couldn¡¯t comprehend. The silence in this room was growing surprisingly heavy despite how girly everything was.

    ¡°Uh, Noire¡ª¡±

    The Vampire held up a hand to stop me, silently asking me to wait a little longer for her response. I heard her taking a deep breath before she straightened her back to a more composed posture. She cleared her throat and spun on her seat back to me, her expression oddly calm.

    ¡°Jinma ¡­ I want to answer your question with a personal favor of my own, if you¡¯re up to the task, of course. Will you hear me out?¡± Noire asked.

    I only nodded in response.

    Noire then put up a graceful smile, and the next words she said left me dumbstruck, ¡°I want you to not only escort me through the dungeon, but help me rip Rowling¡¯s useless testicles off and shove them down his throat.¡±

 Chapter 140: The Vampireâ€™s Resolve

    <Oh, shit! Noire¡¯s not only talking crude, but fucking brutal on top of it! Somebody get some water, because we got a FIRE in the house!> Nyra exclaimed at Noire¡¯s request.

    Indeed, I would never have thought that something so gruesome for a guy could be said with such calm and grace from a pair of beautiful lips like Noire¡¯s. Considering her performance in the spar today, I think this just shows how terrifying of a woman she can be when pushed to the edge.

    I don¡¯t know why, but I find a girl who¡¯s able to send shivers down my spine like that very appealing. Maybe I just have a soft side for those with a good backbone.

    ¡°Allow me to explain my reasons, and do pardon me for my crude language,¡± Noire then said.

    I shook my head, ¡°Please, be as open as you like. Nothing can get out of this [Soundproof] spell, after all.¡± Not to mention, I love this gap moe she¡¯s got going here, if you can call it that.

    ¡°As a fortunate noble to live as I have up to now, I felt I had to put up with Father¡¯s marital arrangements,¡± Noire explained, ¡°He¡¯s the one who brought the Krauss Family to its current, grand social standing, after all, and he¡¯s someone of great power, political and otherwise. His word is pretty much law in our household. He¡¯s helped raise me to be the strong lady I am today, so of course, I have to return the favor in some way. I didn¡¯t have any males that caught my interest, anyway, so I figured I might as well leave it to him to arrange marriage candidates.

    ¡°There were a couple candidates that both of us agreed were no good after looking into their backgrounds, so we had no problems cutting off those arrangements,¡± Noire said before furrowing her brow in frustration, ¡°The thing with Rowling, however, is that even though he embodies suspicion, Father wasn¡¯t as willing to cut him off like I was.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why he¡¯s still here. Your father seems like a perceptive man if what I¡¯ve heard of him is true, and Rowling¡¯s actions tell me he¡¯s possessive of you to toxic degrees,¡± I pointed out.

    ¡°And that¡¯s the strangest part. When we meet for our ¡®dates¡¯, despite the work I had put into prettying myself for formality¡¯s sake, he never compliments me on my appearance, not even showing a hint of interest in me as a woman. One time, I went so far as exposing some of my chest to see if I could get a reaction out of him, and the first thing he said after seeing me? ¡®What do you think you are doing walking around with that garish appearance in public? Make yourself decent before you embarrass us anymore than you already have,¡¯¡± she mocked, imitating Rowling¡¯s tone.

    Oh my god, putting that guy from White Rapture who wanted to skin my wife for her scale hide at the top, this Rowling is the second guy who I want to do unspeakable things to.

    <You and me, both, brother. Who the fuck even says that to their own girl?> Nyra asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely clear he¡¯s more into marrying into the family than me,¡± Noire continued, ¡°And to be frank, even though I sent that message to Father about calling off the engagement yesterday, I have a feeling he may actually not do anything.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that?¡± I asked, surprised.

    ¡°I have two guesses as to why,¡± Noire said, holding two fingers up, ¡°One, now that we know Konjiro is in cahoots with Rowling, it is possible they already took action in offing the messenger I sent.¡±

    Oh, yeah, that would happen if Konjiro informed Rowling of this soon after yesterday¡¯s events. To the poor guy who got pulled into this mess, I hope you rest in peace.

    Noire then left one finger up, ¡°Two, Father may have been threatened by something enough to not take action. I daresay he may even send forces to take me back and get right to the marriage with Rowling by force.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t your father the Minister of Defense and Weaponry? Shouldn¡¯t he be using his position to look into who threatened him in the first place?¡± I asked.

    The Vampire lady looked down somberly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he has grown distant from his position as of late ¡­ no, he¡¯s been like this since the last Demon King left and his daughter took the throne. From what Father told me, the two of them were rather close. The previous Demon King, before he even took the throne, saved Father¡¯s life when they first met. From that point on, he would put his life on the line to keep him safe. It was because of his devotion and desire to protect that he became the Minister of Defense and Weaponry.¡±

    Wow, quite the guy this Demon King was.

    ¡°They lived long lives through thick and thin together, even being there for each other when they had us, their children, so it¡¯s understandable why Father would be in grief,¡± Noire continued, now changing from being somber to concerned, ¡°However ¡­ the circumstances to how the Demon King ¡®died¡¯ may have gotten Father to doubt his own worth, questioning whether the efforts he put into our protection were all for naught.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what ¡®circumstances¡¯ to that king¡¯s death are you talking about?¡± I asked.

    Noire looked up in thought, ¡°Well ¡­ we¡¯re actually forbidden to speak of this to other demons, or really any resident in Padimon, buuuut, you weren¡¯t born and raised in Padimon, yes? Would you keep what I¡¯m about to say between us?¡±

    This smells like some government conspiracy. Whatever the current Demon King¡¯s hiding from the public must be huge if she forbade any of her subjects to speak details of her father¡¯s ¡®death¡¯. If I could find out what this secret is, it could be a useful ¡®get out of jail¡¯ card should things go south between me and her.

    ¡°Your secret¡¯s safe with me,¡± I answered after giving it some thought.

    Noire then explained to me what it is about the last Demon King¡¯s ¡­ you know what, let¡¯s make this less confusing. We¡¯ll call the father Demon King ¡®F¡¯, and the daughter Demon King ¡®D¡¯. Anyway, Noire explained what made F¡¯s death so strange.

    It all started in the early morning of the announcement four years ago. When F was first declared dead, nobody remembered his identity. None of his physical features could be remembered as well as his real name. F being a Devil might as well be a guess to what his race was since his daughter was one, but so was the mother. I didn¡¯t know if interracial reproduction between different demon races worked in this world, and as long as that was a possibility, D¡¯s race wasn¡¯t much of a clue to go by on F¡¯s origins.

    There was no trace of F¡¯s existence left in Padimon, either. Paintings, public records, all of it was as gone as his ¡®dead¡¯ body that was never found to confirm his death, but the memories of his achievements as Demon King still remained, like his contributions to the Territories¡¯ Peace Treaty. Not even F¡¯s wife and closest peers like Noire¡¯s father¡ªRamone, I think his name was?¡ªcould not remember his identity, but they still somehow remember their time together with him. The only clue of his existence that remained was his will that declared he passed the position of Demon King to his daughter, D. That will was handwritten with ink while having both a thumbprint and the royal seal stamped with blood. The signature that was left behind only read as ¡®Demon King¡¯.

    If that wasn¡¯t crazy enough, the entire continent of Padimon had forgotten D¡¯s real name, too. Soon after her last-minute inauguration, one of her first decrees declared that her real name will not be released to the public and will only be referred to as ¡®Demon King¡¯ and the honorifics that came with her position. Only a select few were allowed to refer to her by name in private. Should she hear her name from outside of this small circle, however, she will track down the one responsible for leaking it and everyone who has heard it from them will be immediately executed as punishment. Rumors say D¡¯s mother, F¡¯s widowed wife, is one of the few who knows it, but she was quick to attack anyone who even so much as questioned what D¡¯s real name is. It was also said that the Court Magician, the same person Tephalia told me to ask about my [Devil Eyes], Shining Tea Set, was another person who knew D¡¯s real name. As the Lamia Demon Lord of Dondegarm told me, however, nobody knows who or where Shining Tea Set was because, you guessed it, everyone mysteriously forgot her identity. Nobody knows if she¡¯s still alive as she seemed to have disappeared like F was. Unlike F¡¯s case, though, Shining Tea Set didn¡¯t leave any sort of trace of her existence behind. There were a few mentionings where D had spoken with Shining Tea Set, but with how big of a mystery both of them are, it¡¯s hard to really know whether it was the truth.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    <Hmmmmm ¡­ the entire continent of Padimon forgetting the identities of two public figures and the name of the current Demon King. What an astounding case of memory loss! Just who could possibly know what brought this phenomenon, how did it happen, and just why did it happen?> Nyra asked with obvious sarcasm.

    A certain fake Arch Imp immediately came to mind the moment the keyword ¡®remember¡¯ was mentioned. As much as I¡¯d love to confront her about this ridiculous conspiracy, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll immediately suspect Noire of spilling the beans, and I¡¯d hate to be the one at fault for her penalty on something so ridiculous. The other demons in my harem might also be suspected of the same ¡®crime¡¯ and I¡¯d rather avoid pulling them into such harm if I could. The best I could do right now is keep this important tidbit in the back of my mind to look into later.

    ¡°Anyway, taking all this into account, despite their history¡¯s closeness, Father has gained the impression that the daughter Demon King has lost trust in him, probably because of how he failed to protect her own father,¡± Noire said, ¡°That¡¯s when he started looking into candidates for my marriage. He may have thought it was best to pass his position as a minister down to his successor who will marry into the family and likely surpass him. That, and maybe he¡¯s grown increasingly concerned for me and my sister¡¯s safety. I think he¡¯s being too hard on himself on losing the father Demon King, but his depression has made him increasingly stubborn to really listen to anyone¡¯s opinion.¡±

    I nodded in understanding, and this isn¡¯t the first case I heard of a person¡¯s life thrown in the dumps after losing someone important. Hyo-chan¡¯s parents were especially going through hard times after she and most of our homeroom got caught in that bus accident. Her old man, being a higher up in the police, was actually really stubborn with investigating the incident and claimed that it wasn¡¯t an accident. Later, when he couldn¡¯t find any more leads and had to give up the investigation, he pulled me out for ramen one day and explained what he had found. It was weird because we were never close, but I guess he went ¡®fuck it¡¯ with the discretion policies and wanted to vent to someone out of frustration and grief. What was it ¡­ the news said it was an explosion due to a gas leak, but the old man claimed the explosion was actually manmade for a third-degree murder?

    I would definitely be angry if that was the case, but there wasn''t enough evidence to back up that claim. Not to mention, why would someone pull a terrorist attack on innocent civilians while riding a mobile bus? Anyway, I just wanted to move on from the incident and tried to distance myself from Hyo-chan¡¯s old man, so I dropped it there. I then later found out he developed a gambling problem that led to him getting a loan from my former employer, Heaven¡¯s Cerberus. After that ¡­ both of Hyo-chan¡¯s parents resorted to suicide when they couldn¡¯t pay back the loan. I¡¯ve met some stressed out, miserable clients during my time with the company, but that suicide was the last straw for me to resign my position immediately. You know the rest of what happens after that, which brings us here in Raiza.

    Wait, if this case with Noire is similar to that, then what will Ramone do after he steps down as minister? He wouldn¡¯t ¡­ would he?

    ¡°That¡¯s why, with how things are right now, I¡¯ll need to take matters into my own hands, and this couldn¡¯t be a better time to prepare for what¡¯s ahead,¡± Noire continued before looking up to me with determination, ¡°Palocaesy¡¯s dungeon isn¡¯t the toughest one to clear in Padimon, but it¡¯s certainly one of the more difficult ones in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, as far as what I¡¯ve researched ahead. I was initially planning on clearing it at a moderate pace before preparing for my wedding with Rowling. With these current circumstances, though, I would like to take my time and get as strong as possible while we¡¯re down there. I¡¯m willing to live off of the monsters¡¯ meat for sustenance should we run out of rations if it means we can extend our time down there.

    ¡°With me wanting to shove my scythe up Rowling¡¯s ass and you finding evidence on Chaos Barrage¡¯s coup, it seems like our goals align pretty well. I know what I¡¯m asking for here is a lot more than what you signed up for, Jinma. I¡¯m planning on confronting Rowling whether you decide to or not, but it would mean the world to me to have a reliable ally like yourself to fight with me. More than anything, though ¡­¡± Noire trailed off as she got up from her seat before approaching me.

    Then, to my surprise, while I was still sitting on Noire¡¯s desk chair, she straddled on my lap, wrapped her arms around me, and pulled herself as close as possible. We have a good difference in height in this position where I could rest my face on her large bosom, but right now, I was focused on the Vampire¡¯s violet eyes that were filled with longing, loneliness, and a tinge of anxiety.

    ¡°... I want to spend as much time as I can with you on this venture, Jinma,¡± Noire continued, ¡°I confess that there is a significant meaning between us Vampires when we bite into someone¡¯s neck. You may call it an ¡®exchange of vows¡¯, so to speak, except that we¡¯re accepting each other¡¯s blood into our bodies, binding our fates to spend the rest of our lives together through thick and thin. While part of me did want to see what biting into your neck and tasting your blood would be like, another part of me was admittedly desperate to keep seeing you after the quest is done. Though we¡¯re of different kin, I was hoping that biting into your neck and taking your blood would help me become a part of your fate, become a part of your life, even if the blood¡¯s only going one way.

    ¡°I understand that this progression may be fast for you, Jinma, but out of all the marriage candidates so far, none of them have ever made me feel as I am with you right now. These feelings have been rushing in my very being since the moment I first laid eyes on you. Everything I said in our spar earlier was the truth, and it¡¯s never made me feel as alive as I do right now,¡± Noire said before taking my hand and gently pushing it on her chest to prove her point. Her heart was racing a kilometer a minute.

    Even with all this clothing, she feels so soft underneath it all ¡­

    ¡°Can you feel this, Jinma?¡± Noir asked before moving my hand further into her bosom, ¡°You¡¯re the one making it like this. I¡¯ve never felt this rush of excitement, uncertainty, joy, and fear before, and I want to find out why this is happening with you. With me throwing away my engagement with Rowling, I¡¯m currently single and not planning on seeing anyone else. Thinking back with a cooler head¡ªthanks for that at the spar, by the way¡ªI understand that my earlier actions would have sped up our progression to concerning degrees. I can restrain myself from rushing so we can take our time solidifying our relationship. I just want a chance to see if these feelings I have are really what I think they are, a chance that I might be a part of something like what you have with Mei and your harem. Won¡¯t you give me this chance, Jinma?¡±

    Despite how hectic our first meeting and bonding has been so far, Noire¡¯s being really serious about this right now. While I¡¯m very attracted to her and want to see where this is going, there¡¯s still her position that needs to be considered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say we do explore this together, how will your parents and other demon nobles react to this? Though your family supports the peace treaty movement, would they accept you having a relationship with a human?¡± I asked.

    Noire sighed, ¡°Despite what some may think, the noble life isn¡¯t what it¡¯s cracked up to be. Imagine being conscious of every minute thing you do, from how you speak, to the smallest twitch in your body, all to avoid being seen as offensive, getting ridiculed, or blackmailed for everything you have. At this point, I don¡¯t give two rats¡¯ asses what the noble community thinks about me, but I¡¯d hate to rope my family into the messes that come with my decisions. Despite the hardships being in this family brought me, I still love them. If they must disown me as their daughter to maintain their noble hierarchy, I¡¯ll be sad, yes, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll dwell on it for long. I hope you and your harem will be there to comfort me should that time come.¡± She then gave me a gentle smile that had acceptance and loneliness behind it.

    I looked to the side and thought about it. I like Noire¡¯s open-mindedness and willingness to explore the unknown, despite how it may be completely different from the life she¡¯s grown into. At the same time, I don¡¯t want her to be totally cut off from her family if she can help it. If you¡¯ve had a good run with some people for a long time, then you¡¯ll want to keep them in your life while you can. I¡¯m not just speaking this out of personal experience.

    If Mom were here, she would try to slap both Ramone and Noire silly about staying connected as a family. She segregated herself from everyone in her own family before she had me. Granny was the only one who still gave whatever support she could to Mom, despite her old age, right to the very end of her days on Earth. Aside from choosing to take care of me, Mom wouldn¡¯t tell me what other reasons why she cut herself off from her family. Despite that, unless they¡¯re in a toxic, unhealthy environment, Mom believed no one should ever feel they need to permanently cut themselves off from their families. I have a feeling what Noire¡¯s trying to pull here might be similar to Mom¡¯s complicated case.

    I don¡¯t even know anything about the old bastard¡¯s side of the family tree and I could only think of numerous reasons for why they haven¡¯t reached out to Mom up to her death. Whatever the case, I saw them as no good as the old bastard, so seeking them for any support was out of the question.

    While I want to avoid this separation for Noire and her family, what I really want to prevent at all costs is Ramone falling into the same fate as Hyo-chan¡¯s parents did. Not only do I want Noire to not experience the same pain and grief I went through, but I want to follow Mom¡¯s example to kick his ass and get him back up to gear. No matter the reason why Demon King F is gone, I highly doubt he¡¯d want Ramone to get so hung up over this if they¡¯re as close as Noire described them to be.

    I¡¯ll have to fill the others in on this, somehow, but if kicking Rowling¡¯s ass and stopping the coup is what it takes for Ramone to get his shit together, then that is something I can certainly do.

    <Yeah, buddy!> Nyra exclaimed, <Let¡¯s help the poor lady out and NTR her fiance!>

    <Don¡¯t you mean ¡®cuckold¡¯?> I asked.

    <From what I¡¯ve seen in your memories? NTR and cuckolding are two different subjects that just so happen to fall on the same foundation,> Nyra explained, <It¡¯s going to take a while for me to explain it to you, but the short version is that we want Rowling to crumple in misery, and NTR¡¯s the way to go.>

    Well, so long as I get that son of a bitch fucked over, I don¡¯t care what Nyra calls it, and regardless of what feelings he has for Noire, taking her for myself will be just the salty lemon juice I need to pour into his wounds once I¡¯m done with him.

 Chapter 141: Lady and the Brawler

    ¡°Okay, Noire, let¡¯s do it. I¡¯ll help you out,¡± I said after thinking it over.

    ¡°You really mean it?!¡± Noire exclaimed with excitement.

    I held a finger up, stopping her from getting too excited, ¡°One last thing I need to ask, though. I know you¡¯ll want to keep that Demon King thing between us, but how willing are you to let me bring up this situation to the rest of my party?¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s kept between you and them, I won¡¯t mind. I want to trust in them as much as I trust you,¡± Noire answered before giving a beaming smile.

    ¡°Alright, cool. Now, moving forward, it might still be wise that we gain some reinforcements, or at least have someone trustworthy on the inside looking into what¡¯s going on between Rowling and your dad. Do you know anyone that could probably help us?¡± I asked.

    Noire looked up in thought, ¡°Hmm ¡­ not to sound rude, but I¡¯m not confident in putting my trust in Beelzebub right now, despite our history. My little sister could help us, though. She¡¯s always looked up to me. I¡¯d rather not risk putting her in a lot of danger if I can help it, but I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll be happy to help me if I ask her. Also, I¡¯d like to inform the Demon King of what¡¯s going on between me and Rowling, too, but it will be difficult sending a messenger over if they¡¯re going to get killed off again. Unless you¡¯ve been to Korangar before and can use [Portal] to help send a message in secret, despite the MP it will take to travel such a long way from here, we can actually get somewhere.¡±

    <Hey, about that, [Portal] only works when the user has a good memory of the place they¡¯ve been to before, right?> Nyra asked me.

    <That¡¯s right.>

    <I think I might know a way to work around that,> Nyra said, <Tell Noire to write a good message to the Demon King for us to send tonight and we can come back here later to deliver it.>

    <Alright, I¡¯ll trust you on this one,> I answered to Nyra before relaying her message to Noire.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ well, you¡¯ve proven to be full of surprises, so if you know a way around it, then I¡¯ll go ahead and come up with something for the letter. Do you still have Tyvera¡¯s Messaging Crystal?¡± Noire asked.

    I nodded, ¡°Yeah, I have it in my [Storage] right now.¡± The Messaging Crystal, by the way, is what Tyvera and Gabriella used to communicate long-distances before their ruse got caught. I confiscated Tyvera¡¯s so I could send that warning to Gabriella just yesterday. I didn¡¯t know what else to do with it, but I figured it might come in handy later, so I kept it for safekeeping.

    ¡°And I still have the one I confiscated from Gabriella,¡± Noire informed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you keep yours on you and I¡¯ll contact you when I have another moment of privacy? We¡¯ll initiate the secret message sendoff then.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Now, there¡¯s another thing I¡¯d like settled that¡¯s a little more personal between us,¡± I said.

    Noire fixed her sitting position on my lap, getting comfortable, ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°Personally, while I do have an interest in getting to know you as well, and I¡¯m for us taking it slow, I still feel a little guilty of not giving you that chance to taste my blood. Is there a way I can give it to you that doesn¡¯t involve biting me, since the act is so significant to your race as Vampires?¡±

    Noire blinked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re willing to let me taste your blood?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re okay with not biting me, that is. If the two of us work well together, I want to put a raincheck on that bite until a special moment calls for it, you know? And ¡­¡± I trailed off, putting my hands on the Vampire¡¯s waist as she sat on my lap, keeping my eyes focused on hers, ¡°Speaking as a human, though I never thought of doing it to someone else before, if it means a lot to you, Noire, I¡¯m ¡­ willing to bite you and suck your blood as well. I don¡¯t have [Magic Fangs], unfortunately, so I don¡¯t know how much effort I¡¯ll need to do it on your neck, nor do I know if it will hurt worse than a Vampire¡¯s bite, but¡ªhah?!¡±

    Noire interrupted me by putting both thumbs in my mouth and spread my lips open, baring my teeth. She was unusually focused on inspecting my mouth, like a well-trained dentist doing an oral checkup.

    ¡°Hmmmm ¡­¡± the Vampire hummed as she gently pressed her thumbs on each of my canines, ¡°I¡¯ve not seen a human¡¯s mouth before, but all of your canines, both on top and bottom, are surprisingly bigger and sharper than I imagined.¡±

    ¡°Ish dah goo?¡± I asked with her fingers still in my mouth.

    ¡°Oh, yes, a Vampire¡¯s teeth is their very livelihood, the cleaner and sharper they look makes the owner all the more attractive and compatible as a mate. You wouldn¡¯t want jagged, filthy teeth sinking in your own skin, would you?¡± Noire asked, ¡°With these teeth of yours, though you don¡¯t have the [Magic Fangs] skill, you should still be able to bite into me if you have a high enough ATK stat.¡±

    Considering how much they put significance into biting their spouse, I guess it would make sense for a Vampire to put teeth in the highest priority of their hygiene. Wonder if they have dentistry in this world? And if they do, would Vampires make excellent dentists?

    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising for a Vampire wife to either have two or four holes in her neck. It would actually show just how compelling her husband is if there are more than two on the same side. The thought of yours managing to pull that off has gotten me more excited to be bitten,¡± Noire said before baring her own brilliantly white teeth, her fangs standing out with long, sharp, pointed tips while the lower canines were barely little bumps, ¡°You would normally see us females with only two fangs to leave holes with, and as you can see, mine are in the perfect condition for a clean, smooth bite.¡±

    Knowing I might get bitten with such teeth sooner or later, I had an anticipating shiver run down my spine.

    ¡°More traditional Vampires would say a couple should wait until marriage to give each other the first bite,¡± Noire then said before shrugging her shoulders, ¡°Those in my generation, however, despite denying it when questioned, would still do it earlier then, and I honestly don¡¯t mind that. Saving our first bites for that special moment sounds like a wonderful idea, Jinma, so let¡¯s do that for the time being.

    ¡°Going back to your question ¡­¡± Noire trailed off as she looked down and thought, ¡°I¡¯ve heard some couples in my generation have blatantly cut small wounds on themselves and taste each other that way, using the excuse of ¡®disinfecting the wound¡¯ to justify the action. I guess so long as the wound¡¯s not made with our teeth, anything goes, really.¡±

    Why do I feel like I¡¯m hearing a sex ed lecture for Vampires? Is this like a form of ¡®protection¡¯ for them, but half a step backwards? Well, if Noire says it''s fine, then ¡­

    I then unsheathed my tanto, but Noire gripped my wrist that had the blade, stopping me, "W-Wait! We''re doing this now?! Are you really sure about this?! Doesn''t this weapon leave a permanent scar?!"

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Yeah, but I''m just going to nick my finger," I answered calmly, "It will hardly be noticeable and you''ve seen my other scars already, it''s not a big deal to me."

    "... I''m sorry, I''m just oddly nervous for some reason," Noire said while looking down with uncertainty, "I''ve heard and read stuff about this countless times, but being in the moment now is overwhelming me, somehow."

    "Hmm ¡­ will my blood be the first you''ve tasted?" I asked, "And out of curiosity, have you not had sex yet?"

    Noire blushed a bit and only nodded in response.

    If tasting a person''s blood and sex are on a similar scale of significance for Vampires, then Noire must be having the first time jitters. Can''t really blame her for feeling this way, I was nervous in my first time with Ume, too, despite how much I''ve read into it beforehand.

    Deciding to take the lead, I rested a hand on Noire''s shoulder and smiled a little, "We can put this off for another time, if you want, there''s no rush. I don''t have a taste for blood, myself, but I''m willing to give you mine at any time."

    "... No, I want to do it now," Noire said after thinking about it, looking determined, "There may not be many chances after we leave this room, so I want to take what I can get. I apologize that you''ll have to injure yourself, but I''d like to taste your blood now, please." She then released her death grip on my wrist that had the tanto, giving me permission.

    "Alright, one moment," I said before setting the black blade against my left index finger, and with as much ease as a scalpel on skin, a clean, deep cut was made. I flinched a little at the tinge of pain that came, but got over it quickly. Soon, a large red bead was forming over the cut.

    "Ready when you are," I said while showing my blood to her.

    Noire swallowed her nervousness and took both her shaky hands to hold mine, "Well ¡­ thank you for the meal." Then, like ripping a bandage, she quickly shoved my finger in her mouth with her eyes clenched shut.

    Moments later, the Vampire''s eyes opened wide and stared into space.

    "... Noire? You okay?" I asked.

    "Hmmm ¡­" Noire hummed, her amethyst eyes relaxing before turning cloudy with dilated pupils. Then, to my surprise, I felt her tongue swirling around my finger still in her mouth.

    <Holy shit, Noire''s really getting into it! She''s turned on like a stove set on high!> Nyra exclaimed.

    "Uh ¡­ how does it taste?" I asked Noire, feeling weird with how she''s licking my finger. I wasn¡¯t even sure if she registered my question.

    "Mmph ¡­" Noire moaned before bobbing her head back and forth, then swirling her tongue all over my digit. She held my hand with a surprisingly strong grip for someone with such a feminine frame as she tried to get every drop of my blood possible. Her finger licks quickly became more erotic and looking more like a blowjob. I felt the sensations of the Vampire''s hot and moist tongue running over my finger coursing through my body. My dick quickly hardened underneath her butt that she started grinding on my lap. The insides of her mouth closed in and provided a vacuumed pressure around me, adding into the experience. To top it all off, her normally porcelain white face was tinted red.

    Crap, this is the hottest I''ve seen of her yet, I concluded in my mind, As much as I want to spoil Noire like this more, I should probably stop here so we can get back to the others. They''re probably wondering where we are, especially Yukino if she''s still trying to listen in from outside.

    "Okay, Noire, let''s finish off here for now, we need to get back to the others," I said before prying my finger away from her mouth with more force than necessary.

    Noire was in a daze momentarily before finally coming to her senses, her tinted face becoming redder out of embarrassment, "Oh, goodness, how ridiculous did I look?"

    "You looked hotter than ridiculous, like you were really enjoying yourself. Did my blood really taste that good?" I asked while closing the wound on my finger with the [Heal] spell.

    "It was ¡­ the tastiest thing I ever had, my mind was even up and over the moon without a care in the world," she answered, "Maybe this was what being high on a drug feels like. If that''s the case, I''m going to get addicted to this very quickly."

    "Guess that means you can''t really live without me now, huh?" I asked jokingly before chuckling, "Well, we should get back to the others before they wonder where we''ve been."

    "W-Wait!" Noire exclaimed, grabbing my shoulders to stop me, "You gave me such an experience with your blood, and I feel so happy and relieved to know you''re willing to help me. I don''t know if all my savings will be enough to pay back all these things you''ve given me. I''d also feel terrible of us leaving without you having even a fraction of what I had after drinking your blood. Is there something you want that I could¡ªhmm?!"

    As a playful sneak attack, I pressed my lips against her own mid sentence. I also ran my hands down her back and under her skirt to get a feel of her ass. I''ve been entranced in her derriere since I first saw it exposed by Ume''s wind earlier. Feeling its cushiony softness while molding it in my hands gave me more reason to appreciate its exotic splendor.

    "Hmm ¡­" Noire hummed in delight, despite her initial shock, before relaxing and pulled herself to me in a passionate embrace. Her pillow-soft tits pressed themselves between us as our kiss became more intense.

    After what felt like ten to fifteen seconds, both of us pulled our lips back, parting them with a smack and riding the subtle high that came with it.

    "... No fair. You took my first kiss without warning, you jerk," Noire rebutted before sulking with a reddened face. She didn''t seem all that mad, though.

    "You like my surprises, don''t you? I''m just following through my quota. As for your means to pay me back ¡­ why don''t we make that kiss the premium payment of taking all your other firsts as my girl, moving forward?" I asked before giving a mischievous smirk.

    After hearing my offer with surprise, Noire got over her sulk rather quickly as she giggled. She then gave a bright, blushing smile that made her feminine beauty shine radiantly. This was probably the best smile I''ve seen from her yet, and one I''d like to always see on her pretty face.

    "You better be ready then, darling, because I''ll be wanting to suck you dry when I have the chance," Noire said boldly.

    "I hope it''s not just my blood that you''ll be sucking," I answered coyly.

    "I think we can work something out."

    We then came in for another passionate kiss. In my mind, Nyra''s yelling and screaming for my success in snagging the Vampire Lady, Noire Scarletine Krauss.

    As I thought of the crazy future that lies ahead of us, a few notice boxes appeared in my mind.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Noire Scarletine Krauss¡¯ Affinity is now unlocked. Current level of Affinity: LV 1; Total Affinity Level: 12

    Your Charm for Demons has increased.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    Oh yeah, this is a thing, isn¡¯t it?

    As part of my benefits as a Champion, any newly-formed, intimate relationships I make with girls, I gain an ¡®Level of Affinity¡¯ with them. It shows that the two of us have opened up to each other and grown close enough to make this possible, and the higher levels allow me new skills, abilities, or other benefits. The combined total of the current levels I¡¯m at with all my bonded girls is my ¡®Total Affinity Level¡¯, and reaching benchmarks will also land me new abilities and other benefits that are exclusive to me as a Champion. So far, I¡¯ve made such a connection with all the girls in my party, except Mametama, but maybe Familiars don¡¯t count?

    Still, seeing this box that involves Noire gave me hope that things may work out between us in the future, but then it made me realize something I didn¡¯t think about until now: the fact that I haven¡¯t seen this notice box involving Sue yet.

    Things are complicated right now to make me suspicious of her, but if I put that aside, I thought we had grown pretty close before she revealed some of herself, especially with how willing she was to make me feel good last night. Since I didn¡¯t see a notice box at any point during that time, she was careful of not giving too much of herself away from the beginning. Moreover, she was fully aware of my identity as a Champion, despite limiting myself from releasing that information to everyone in my party.

    The only exception was Winny, the Arch Imp Priestess who helped summon my Familiars in Dondegarm, as well as vouching for me to become an adventurer as a black rank. Keeping my Champion identity a secret is part of her duty as a Holy Bishop and she seemed to have a lot of integrity, so I¡¯m confident I could trust her in following through with her word.

    For Sue to have known me for being a Champion from the start, she must have some kind of appraisal type of skill or ability to see through the tricks I¡¯ve pulled to hide my status¡¯ true values. She¡¯s also being very careful of keeping her real identity secret, especially since I can¡¯t see her status with my [Size Up] skill. Thinking back, I did see Noire¡¯s and Kalline¡¯s full names after making an affinity with them. Is it possible that Sue knows what will happen if she gets close enough to me as a Champion? If that is the case, then how much does she know about Champions, and what is it about her identity that she¡¯s trying so hard to keep me from knowing?

    It seems that even though she¡¯s not in the room, more questions about the fake Arch Imp, Sue, continue to sprout sporadically. I have to see what other stuff she¡¯s willing to share so I can get a better idea of who, or what, I¡¯m dealing with.

 Chapter 142: The Kitsune Wifeâ€™s Confrontation

    Before Noire and I called our meeting finished, I checked to see if I could put her coffin in my [Storage]. Though that was an excuse I used to be alone with her, I partially did want to make sure if that was possible, and it looks like we¡¯re clear on that. She then asked if I could cast [Clean] on her again before we left. When I asked why, she apparently got a little damp down there as she tasted my blood. If licking blood off my finger was enough to get this girl turned on and moist, I can¡¯t imagine how she¡¯d be after biting me, and the Vampires call that an ¡®exchange of vows¡¯? Still, someone might suspect something if they smell arousal or blood, so I better be thorough with my cleaning.

    After getting Noire¡¯s permission on using [Clean] on her entire room, I did just that while cleaning ourselves up. We then shared one last peck of a kiss, promising each other that we¡¯ll do more fun things together soon, before I took down the [Soundproof] spell and opened the door. I scared someone who I expected was trying to eavesdrop in our conversation from the hallway.

    ¡°J-Jinma! Lady Krauss! So you were in there!¡± Yukino exclaimed in genuine surprise, according to Nyra¡¯s [Psyche Magic].

    ¡°Of course, we were. This is my room, after all,¡± Noire answered in her formal way of speaking, coming up from behind me, ¡°What were you doing out in the hallway, Yukino?¡±

    ¡°I just finished checking in with Gabriella and Lady Beelzebub before I came here to do the same. You both seemed so quiet, I thought no one was inside and thought something had happened,¡± Yukino explained. My [Intuition] skill kicked in when she mentioned Gabriella and Beelzebub, meaning her implied ¡®concern¡¯ on their condition was total bullcrap.

    <She may hide her mana-induced aura with [Hide Magic], but she couldn¡¯t do the same with her emotions. I¡¯ve been sensing her growing frustration from behind the door for a good long while now,> Nyra confirmed for me.

    ¡°Oh, I just happened to have a Soundproof Crystal on me and activated it in my closed room,¡± Noire answered, my [Intuition] activating again immediately, ¡°Jinma and I wanted to talk while we were inside and lost track of time. You know how we nobles are and our need for privacy.¡±

    Yukino bowed her head apologetically, ¡°Yes, of course, and I apologize if I may have intruded.¡±

    Damn, even though I know it¡¯s a lie, Noire couldn¡¯t make this up if it wasn¡¯t possible, right? Does that mean there are crystals in this world that work similarly to existing Null Spells?

    Noire then gave her default lady smile, ¡°Quite all right, Yukino. We should be rather close in finishing our business for now, yes? Shall we regroup with the others?¡±

    ¡°Would you please allow me a moment with Jinma here? I promise it won¡¯t be long,¡± the female Kitsune said.

    ¡°Very well, I will see you momentarily, Jinma,¡± Noire said before I felt something grabbing my ass, but it was only for a moment. Her lady smile was unchanging as she left the room first and headed downstairs, giving off a seductive, coy glance my way before disappearing.

    <Dude, if Lady Bitey feeling up your ass doesn¡¯t make her interest in you obvious enough, you¡¯re a lost cause in reading women,> Nyra stated.

    <So that was her doing. I almost thought you somehow managed to conjure a hand and felt me up yourself,> I answered in my mind.

    <Oh, please, like I would do that to you. No, I¡¯d go straight for your crotch and not let go if I was in her shoes.>

    <And to think I didn¡¯t know who you were for a moment,> I said.

    ¡°I imagine you won¡¯t tell me what you and Lady Krauss were talking about in her room?¡± Yukino then asked me with arms crossed, her ice-blue eyes hardening and turning colder as she directed her attention at me.

    ¡°It was nothing of great importance if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering,¡± I lied.

    Yukino huffed, ¡°Very well, be that way. Just come with me.¡±

    Without waiting for my response, she grabbed my collar and practically dragged me to the next closest room that was vacant, further away from the stairs, and quietly shut the door behind us. Unlike Noire¡¯s girly room, this one was plainer in color, but there was still a fair amount of decor and finesse for a guest room that exemplifies her family¡¯s social and economic standing.

    Yukino¡¯s glare then turned harsh as she grabbed my collar with both hands and pulled me close, locking her eyes on mine, ¡°Okay, you bastard, I want you to cease what you¡¯re doing up to now immediately.¡±

    I was briefly surprised by the sudden shift of her tone, but I wasn¡¯t intimidated by her threatening gesture. I was only confused, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t follow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for your playing dumb, human. Your skill, magic, ability, whatever it is you¡¯re doing that¡¯s making me frustratingly strange whenever I look at you, a human, when I shouldn¡¯t be, I want you to cease it at once,¡± she clarified before giving a sneer. The way she emphasized my race oozed with toxicity.

    I couldn¡¯t help but raise a brow at her tone in this development, ¡°Is me being a human that big of a problem for you?¡±

    ¡°Damn right,¡± she spat, ¡°You¡¯re all a bunch of egocentric savages who don¡¯t know who among the existing kin is truly superior, even if it hits you in the face. You as a Demongenerate are especially a problem as you seem to be in constant heat and will fuck anything who possesses a hole, and any demon who has fallen for whatever charm-like spell you put on them are at the bottom of hierarchical power.¡±

    Well, someone has a superiority complex. Also, aren¡¯t you making an enemy of every female-only demon race that needs human males to reproduce?

    What makes this annoying is that I didn¡¯t sense my [Intuition] kicking. Why this fact is important is that I believe what someone thinks is the truth without a doubt, despite what the source material may really say, then they believe they are telling the truth. Sometimes, even if there¡¯s evidence that counters their argument, they won¡¯t submit themselves to the actual truth. Why that is is if what they learned up to that point had been a lie, then they¡¯ll question everything else and fall into great stress and disarray in the mind. I had unfortunately met a few of these sorts of people when I was working for Heaven¡¯s Cerberus. What¡¯s unsettling is that I¡¯ve overheard stories of how some people can basically get mind controlled into thinking what¡¯s true and false.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    With Yukino, though, she must have gone through some kind of spoiled life up to now where one¡¯s power and social standing as a certain kin or race is as distinguishable as black and white. Looking at her stats with my [Size Up], she¡¯s a surprisingly formidable foe that can challenge Beelzebub and Noire thanks to her secondary classes. This was made possible because of her title as a [Demon-Kin Noble] and possessing a [Noble¡¯s 2nd Peerage]. Guess that explains where her ¡®high and mighty¡¯ personality came from.

    ¡°It¡¯s even more baffling to see a Lizardman of all things to be a human¡¯s wife, knowing their general preferences,¡± Yukino continued.

    ¡°Is it that strange for a female Lizardman like Ume to be married to me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes!¡± she answered immediately, ¡°Lizardmen are one of the upper-class Demon races in terms of physical strength who are known for their strong scale hides to provide sturdy and powerful defenses. They¡¯re said to be the distant descendants of Dragons, and when you consider special cases like Umeiyon who can use magic, it isn¡¯t hard to understand why they shouldn¡¯t be messed with. The females in particular seek strong, physically capable males to bear potentially powerful offspring. You¡¯d likely see the more powerful male Lizardmen to have multiple mates because of those preferences. One Lizardman from the Duke of Demons¡¯ Disciples is a fine example of that, Krigeran, and he has a small party under his command who revere him for his strength. I¡¯d figure Umeiyon would be with someone like him and not you.¡±

    Considering why Ume wanted to be my mate to begin with, I guess I can understand why the Lizardmen are said to be relatives to Dragons, even if their mana auras are different.

    I shrugged at Yukino¡¯s statement, ¡°If Ume picked me over this Krigeran guy, then that means she¡¯s confident I could kick his ass. You¡¯ve seen me spar twice today, isn¡¯t that enough to show how strong I am?¡±

    Yukino rolled her eyes, ¡°Ha! You call those spars? I¡¯ll acknowledge you can hold yourself against Lady Krauss, and I¡¯ve heard from my husband you have an unusually high Vitality from your Innate Status Rankings, but those and your cheap tricks are all that you can do. I can¡¯t even believe how you pulled off stopping that raid in Dondegarm and taking out all those White Rapture spies by yourself.

    ¡°All of those things, how you have all those Demon females in your harem, they¡¯re all due to whatever conniving human tricks you pulled to turn the odds in your favor,¡± she said while stabbing a finger at my chest, ¡°You don¡¯t know what true strength really is, you never had it from the beginning. Even how your Charm stat aimed at Demons is ranked so high in your Innate Status is also due to whatever trickery you¡¯re pulling, because none of those females would see and ¡®love¡¯ you as the male you are without it.¡±

    Uh, did she not get the memo that I whooped Eugus¡¯ ass in a duel? Whether or not that¡¯s the case, this girl¡¯s annoyingly stubborn. Can I even convince her to spill what Konjiro and Rowling are planning with my [Seduction] skill at its current level?

    <Hmm ¡­ It may look bleak right now, but I think this yapper¡¯s trying to fool herself,> Nyra argued, reading my thoughts.

    <What makes you think that?> I asked out of curiosity.

    <The more she refers to your harem, the more I sense her frustration and envy rising with my [Psyche Magic],> the Pixie explained, <I¡¯ve actually felt her being awfully conflicted as she watched us in our spars earlier. It¡¯s like she¡¯s trying to push down her feelings with reason, and the former¡¯s being more difficult to be repressed than she anticipated. If we can draw out those feelings to our side, we might have a shot. You want me to feed you some smooth pick-up lines that might convince her?>

    As I listened to Nyra¡¯s explanation, I suddenly felt an unpleasant feeling of nostalgia involving my former coworker, Kazumi. Specifically, his methods to seduce a woman who¡¯s already in a relationship. He said he has successfully done it in the past, though I had never seen it, so he could have been lying out of his ass. Still, I was curious as to why he was more persistent to woo those girls instead of those who were single and available, so I asked him one night while we were out drinking, and that somehow turned into a weird, unpleasant lesson on how it was done. I even remembered his ¡®philosophy¡¯ on how ¡®hate¡¯ was born from ¡®love¡¯, why they¡¯re one and the same, and the tells women give that send the message, ¡°I¡¯m lonely and need a man¡¯s attention,¡± despite what they may say vocally.

    ¡°When a girl pretties herself up and is alone in a bar having a drink, despite them having a boyfriend, that means she¡¯s dealing with some romantic troubles,¡± I remembered Kazumi saying, ¡°She¡¯s mad and frustrated at her partner for not giving her the attention she craves, so what does she do? She tries filling that craving from someone else, even if it¡¯s lustful gazes. It¡¯s when she¡¯s in this sort of state that she wants some crazy hot sex, that she¡¯s wanting to try things that she couldn¡¯t with her boyfriend around. When you realize that¡¯s what she¡¯s looking for, Kotori-chan, that¡¯s when it¡¯s time to be her ¡®knight in shining armor¡¯ for one night, and it will be a hell of a night to remember for both of you.¡±

    I had a number of comebacks for whatever logic he was shitting out, but I was trying to keep myself sober at the time, so I let Kazumi prattle on. In the end, for better or worse, I learned this scumbag¡¯s ¡®unique¡¯ way of seducing girls who already have a partner in their life. I never saw him succeed with what he taught me and I was too occupied taking care of my bedridden mother at the time to even think about using those techniques on girls. It wasn¡¯t until recently that girls became such a big deal to me.

    Up to now in this new world, not that I¡¯m trying to brag, but I never really needed to use those techniques as I seemed to naturally draw in Ume and demon girls with my ridiculous strength and innate charms. It was the complete opposite of scaring away the human girls back home on Earth. Now, here I was with a demon girl, Yukino the Kitsune, who seemingly hates my guts on the surface, but Nyra¡¯s been informing me how she¡¯s been fighting an internal battle between reason and emotion since she first saw me.

    ¡°These are the ideal techniques to snag a one-night stand with any ¡®taken¡¯ girl in your sight, Kotori-chan, and with your bad boy looks and charm? You¡¯ll have them melting in the palm of your hand in no time,¡± I remembered Kazumi telling me in my uneasy trip down memory lane. Even the way he usually gave that shit-eating grin with those near black eyes and medium-length charcoal hair styled in a messy mohawk was vividly clear in my mind. It was a face you wouldn¡¯t expect to see from someone old enough to be my dad, and the thought of that image made me want to cave it in with my fist.

    <Jinma?> Nyra asked in confusion. I wondered if she heard my previous conversation with Kazumi in my memories.

    ... I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this.

    <Let me try taking a shot at wooing Yukino first. If things start to look bleak, I¡¯ll max out my [Seduction] skill as a last resort to change her mind,> I schemed with Nyra in my mind.

    <... Alright, sounds like you might know what you¡¯re doing this time, so I¡¯ll leave you to it. Knock her dead, stud,> she said.

    After I received Nyra¡¯s permission, I turned on my [Demon Pheromones] skill to give me an edge. I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m basically pulling off a trick like what Yukino has suspected me of doing to get where I am now, but I¡¯m not ashamed of using it against someone like her. I¡¯m not even sure if I want this prideful, condescending vixen to join my harem after I change her viewpoint of me. Maybe my lack of interest in her was why I thought I¡¯d give Kazumi¡¯s ¡®teachings¡¯ a shot when I knew I had nothing to lose, but I was aiming to get something out of this exchange.

    If I could get Yukino to tell me what Rowling and the rest of Chaos Barrage are planning with the coup, I¡¯ll gain a bit of Demon King D¡¯s favor after reporting it. Maybe I can also get Sue to trust in me more, enough that she¡¯ll be more willing to answer some questions that she couldn¡¯t before. Hell, maybe I could use Kazumi¡¯s techniques to convince her a bit, though I really don¡¯t want to think the scumbag¡¯s helping me out too much in this difficult situation.

    All right, Kazumi, let¡¯s see if I can put those ¡®techniques¡¯ of yours to use here, and maybe one-up them while I¡¯m at it.

 Chapter 143: The Underdog Uses a Weaselâ€™s Seductive Techniques

    The first step in Kazumi¡¯s ways of wife-stealing seduction is conversation. I needed to get Yukino talking, enough that she¡¯ll grow comfortable enough to open up things she¡¯d usually not say to most people. This was usually done over alcohol as girls, as do everyone, have inhibited judgement after their first few drinks, but I¡¯m basically jumping into this game on hard mode with no drinks in sight. If anything, I hoped my [Demon Pheromone] skill will help do the alcohol¡¯s job for me

    I quickly thought over the last thing Yukino said to me, about how I wouldn¡¯t be as ¡®powerful¡¯ and loved by the demon girls in my harem without my ¡®human tricks¡¯. I then came up with numerous arguments to counter her claims, how I can use her egocentric, boastful personality against her.

    ¡°You seem quite certain of your claims involving my relationship with Ume and the rest of my harem, Yukino. Are you basing part of this from your experiences with Konjiro?¡± I asked her.

    Yukino snorted with confidence, ¡°But of course. From how lovey-dovey you are with her right now, I imagine you two have tied the knot very recently, yes? Many pairs are like that at first. As time passes, you both will mellow out, not be together as much as you had from the start, and will begin to find faults in each other until you start to question your true characters that makes you wonder why they¡¯re your mate in the first place.¡±

    I tilted my head in curiosity, ¡°Huh, are you going through something like that with Konjiro right now?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªno! We are not having something like that!¡± Yukino denied in a slight panic, ¡°I¡¯m merely pointing out what will happen between the two of you being from different kin!¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I said, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about you, but while I do acknowledge Ume and I are different in some ways, our races being one of them, I don¡¯t think we were really too focused on our differences when we met and started talking to each other. There is also still not a lot we know about each other, either, good or bad, but isn¡¯t finding those things out part of what being in a marriage, or a relationship of any kind, is all about? It could even turn out fun, depending on how you look at it.¡±

    The Kitsune wife raised a brow, ¡°You are surprisingly more naive than you appear.¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t always like this before I met Ume and the girls, which also means relationships can change us, too, for better or worse. It doesn¡¯t look to be the latter between you and Konjiro, though, as I¡¯m sure he¡¯s treated you well, being as beautiful and sophisticated as you are.¡±

    She blinked in surprise, ¡°You ¡­ think so? I mean, yes, of course! It should be no surprise you think of me like that, really. Though we¡¯re technically part of the Werebeast race, we of the Kitsune are more intelligent than the other clans.¡±

    ¡°Really? How so?¡± I asked, feigning interest.

    Ren and I talked about this over dinner one day, but for the Werebeast demon race, they are divided into subraces they call ¡®clans¡¯. Each of these clans represent a line of species similar to the animals I know from Earth. Ren, for example, was previously from a pack of the White Werewolf Clan, meaning there may be other packs from the same clan and other wolf-like clans of different colors. Rizz from earlier this morning and Kenaka¡¯s new Demon-Kin form would be from the Werebear Clan, and Mametama in her Demon-Kin form would be from the Werecougar Clan.

    ¡°Unlike most clans, we Kitsunes don¡¯t like getting our hands dirty and rely on magic to take out our opponents in battle,¡± Yukino explained, ¡°I say that for most of us, but, there are ¡­ exceptions, who approach battles otherwise.¡± She then averted her gaze in frustration as she pointed out the outliers of her subrace. It seems she has some beef with someone who was a part of that and would rather not speak of them further.

    I¡¯m curious to know who these ¡®exceptions¡¯ are, but maybe later.

    ¡°I see, a Werebeast clan that specializes in magic,¡± I said. I already knew she specialized in magic after checking her status with my [Size Up], but I didn¡¯t think the whole clan would be so focused on that fighting style. I haven¡¯t checked Konjiro¡¯s status yet, but it¡¯s likely he¡¯ll also be quite powerful in magic if Yukino¡¯s claims hold true. What stood out from Yukino¡¯s status, though, is that she also had a [Bow Mastery] skill. I have some idea as to why, but I want to ask this pompous Kitsune to make sure.

    ¡°That is something else, but do you have any countermeasures when you run out of MP?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We would train with the bow so we can keep attacking from a long range should the need arises,¡± she answered, ¡°Though, there are those of us who have a race-specific ability that can recover MP at a faster rate than one could with the [Mana Recovery] skill, so wielding a weapon is almost unnecessary for them. They are highly revered among Kitsunes that we call the Tenkos, and Konjiro is one of them.¡±

    Huh, interesting that the concept of tenkos was adapted to this world.

    In Japanese folklore, after a kitsune turns a thousand years old and possesses nine tails, they become celestial fox spirits called the tenko. They were known to be very powerful with magic different from what exists in Raiza. It was even said that a tenko¡¯s power is comparable to a god. For a Kitsune of this fantasy world, however, maybe they revere and value Tenkos like the Elves that I¡¯ve read in some books do towards High Elves. Still, I¡¯ve seen hints of Japanese culture in some food and facilities like bath houses during my time here so far. I didn¡¯t think my culture¡¯s influence would actually run this deep. The Immortals created Raiza, right? Did they rip off some fantasy concepts from other worlds?

    Regardless of the backstory, I was now genuinely curious of the Kitsune Clan¡¯s cultural background, but I couldn¡¯t forget my mission to seduce Yukino. I decided to use this new intel to take the conversation in my direction, ¡°Is that so? I imagine someone like that must be very popular with other Kitsune girls, and polygamy is widely accepted among demons, right? But Konjiro only introduced you to us today. Are you his only wife?¡±

    Surprisingly, Yukino averted her gaze in frustration, identical to when she was talking about the ¡®exceptions¡¯ in her clan, ¡°Most of us don¡¯t have a lot of stamina, and Tenkos are especially the case. You¡¯d usually see them having one or two partners, at most. There was one other female ¡­ my twin sister, who was with Konjiro and I while we were still engaged, but I¡¯d rather not talk about her.¡±

    <Wow, I¡¯m getting some serious hate vibes from Yukino here, and they aren¡¯t even directed at you,> Nyra informed.

    It sounds like there are complicated family matters that went on if I didn¡¯t see or hear of Konjiro having a second wife up to now. For someone to piss off a high-and-mighty girl like Yukino to this degree, I wanted to meet this ¡®evil¡¯ twin sister now. Still, there was something this Kitsune wife said that stood out to me.

    ¡°¡®Not a lot of stamina¡¯, you say? Does Konjiro put enough ¡®stamina¡¯ aside to treat you well?¡± I asked with intrigue.

    ¡°O-Of course, he does! He¡¯s just been very busy with guild master duties lately, so I¡¯ve been doing all that I can to help him with his work!¡± she defended, even though I didn¡¯t say anything that would argue he wasn¡¯t giving her the time.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Did she mean to tell me that? Well, it seems I¡¯m making progress so far.

    I played along with Yukino¡¯s story with a wave of her hand, ¡°Yes, yes, of course, and I¡¯m sure that when Konjiro does have the time and energy, he gives a lovely, charming female like yourself the time of your life, just like how I do with Ume and the others in my harem.¡±

    ¡°... W-What do you mean by that?¡± Yukino asked.

    This is the beginning of the second step to Kazumi¡¯s ways of seduction, baiting. In his words, this is like fly fishing. You would want the fish swimming around in the water without a care in the world, at first, until they notice the disturbance you make with your line from above. You want them to get curious about what''s going on and check it out, give them a peek of something great, and see if they can catch it.

    I shrugged at Yukino¡¯s question, ¡°Well, personally, I can¡¯t really call myself a good husband and lover if I can¡¯t satisfy my women, but I¡¯m sure there are human guys who think otherwise. Still, I feel good when I make my girls feel the same, but that¡¯s sometimes easier said than done. Like just earlier today, before we even came here, Ume and I had a last-minute ¡®hubby-wifey¡¯ time to relieve some nerves. That took four rounds before both of us were satisfied.¡±

    ¡°F-Four rounds?!¡± Yukino balked.

    ¡°And that was just for the short-term stress relief before meeting Noire today,¡± I continued, ¡°We already made plans to do more later tonight, and Ren, Tyvera, and Sue will also be joining us. I¡¯ve already given attention to Erizora and Kalline last night.¡±

    Not gonna lie, but add into my scandalous make-out session with Noire earlier, I was already getting turned-on again just thinking about it. I could feel myself straining against my pants as we spoke. I¡¯m not embarrassed or ashamed by this, though, because I wanted this to happen.

    ¡°An Ogre and a Centaur?! With a human?! You¡¯re bluffing! You¡¯re bluffing all of this!¡± she argued with reddened cheeks.

    <Yukino¡¯s getting quite flustered, Nyra. How¡¯s she doing?> I asked her.

    <I could feel her heat rising from here! Whatever you¡¯re doing, it¡¯s working!> Nyra reported.

    Excellent.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not bluffing, Yukino, they can happily tell you how well last night went, or better yet ¡­ you can see for yourself,¡± I said.

    ¡°W-What ¡­ are you suggesting, Jinma Kotori?¡± Yukino asked.

    ¡°Your husband will be out with his guild master duties for a while tonight, right? Come to our inn and watch how well I treat my girls. Allow me to prove to you in person just how much they mean to me while they demonstrate their own love to myself, despite us being from different kin.¡±

    ¡°Y-You expect me to come watch a human, a Demongenerate, have sex with other demons?! Have you lost your mind?! No, better question, how long have you lived without one?!¡± Yukino balked.

    ¡°All you have to do is observe us as a bystander while we do our thing. That¡¯s not too much to ask of you, is it?¡± I asked while shrugging, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll get something out of this arrangement, too.¡±

    ¡°Like what? You, giving me, a married Kitsune, a similar treatment to what you¡¯ll give to your harem?¡± she asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°I mean, if you want to, none of us in the party will be against having a guest joining in on the fun, but that¡¯s not what I was implying,¡± I said while waving my hand dismissively, ¡°No, I¡¯d like to help you spice up your nights with Konjiro, let my girls show you some of the techniques they¡¯ve learned that will drive males wild. You can use what you learned tonight to show just how much you love your husband.¡±

    Yukino stood there in brief silence, her cheeks slowly turning more red with every passing second. ¡°I-I ¡­ don¡¯t need help in loving my husband,¡± she denied.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t, but this is a special treat I want to give to you, a little something to help us get better acquainted while we work together in this important quest. I imagine what I¡¯d show you tonight won¡¯t compare to what Konjiro can provide for his wife. In fact, being an experienced spouse yourself, maybe you can even give Ume and I some pointers to improve our own marriage while you¡¯re at it. What do you say?¡± I asked.

    Yukino opened her mouth, but then stopped herself like she had a second thought. She took a moment to think it over, occasionally shifting glances my way, but I noticed her gaze lingered over my crotch longer than the rest of my body.

    It wouldn¡¯t be surprising of her to stare at my lower regions, since I was popping a hell of a boner as I was fantasizing about the night I¡¯ll have with the girls the whole time I spoke with this Kitsune wife. This was partially so my [Demon Pheromone] skill will stay active and influence her judgement, but it was mostly so I could show off how I stack up against her husband. One thing I noticed as I was gaining and improving my sexual-oriented skills was that my erection got stronger and harder along with being bigger in length and girth. This resulted in me pitching a surprisingly high tent in my pants with lots of tension, like I was going to pierce a hole through it at any moment.

    <She¡¯s practically drooling from seeing your cock, dude. I think we got her,> Nyra informed with amazement.

    ¡°I¡¯ve ¡­ overheard how I can be a downer at times in special occasions, not that I care whether I¡¯ll ruin your night or not with my presence. You may be stabbing yourself in the foot to invite me,¡± Yukino warned.

    I waved my hand dismissively again, ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of parties you¡¯ve been to, but don¡¯t worry about it. Since you¡¯ll be a guest, we¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re comfortable as you watch us. The only thing I¡¯d advise you on is not reporting your ¡®findings¡¯ this evening to Konjiro if you don¡¯t want him getting any wrong ideas. Leave a note saying you¡¯ll stay at a friend¡¯s place or something so he doesn¡¯t get suspicious, either.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, if you show me something worth my time, then maybe I won¡¯t say anything,¡± she said before turning around and placed her hand on the doorknob, ¡°You and your harem best prepare yourselves for tonight, Jinma Kotori, because I won¡¯t let up on my critiques if I see something that displeases me.¡±

    I gave my best gentlemanly smile, ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed, I assure you.¡±

    Not that you¡¯ll have a choice in leaving, anyway. I¡¯ve caught you, hook, line, and sinker.

    With that, Yukino left the room, leaving me alone with Nyra in my thoughts. Before I could say anything, though, a notice screen appeared in front of me.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have now reached [Seduction] LV 3!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    It took me a moment to realize what had just happened over the last couple minutes, I ¡­ can¡¯t believe that actually worked.

    <I¡¯ll say!> Nyra said, <Though, I was sort of hoping you¡¯d convince her into giving you a blowjob, but that might be too much to ask with your current experience in hook-ups. So, what¡¯s your plan with her for later tonight?>

    <I¡¯ll make good use of my [Demon Pheromones] skill while I give the girls a good time like usual while Yukino watches,> I explained, <I didn¡¯t see much change in her behavior this time, but I have a feeling the skill has a greater effect when there are more demon girls in the same room getting pent up. We¡¯ll drive Yukino crazy with our performance until she begs to join in, I humor her, I get her going, and just as she approaches orgasm, I¡¯ll neglect her until she spills what¡¯s going on with Konjiro, Rowling, and Chaos Barrage. Sue, meanwhile, will use my phone to record all of it in a video, both serving as evidence of exposing the coup and as blackmail to Yukino should she try to say anything to her husband behind our backs.>

    <Oooooh, that is cruel,> she commented, <Not gonna lie, but knowing how well you give your girls a good time, I¡¯d likely sell myself and a few of my Pixie friends out if I was in that stick-up-the-ass¡¯ position. Still, with the way you had hit on her back there, it was a bit rusty, but you did well for your first time seducing someone. I noticed you were thinking about some sleazy guy earlier, though, was he the one who taught you those seduction techniques?>

    I scratched my head in frustration, <Have I told you about my coworker yet? Kazumi Shinka? That image you saw was him, and yes, he was the one who ¡®gave¡¯ me the tips to seduce someone ¡­ though, I¡¯m not proud of using them, nor am I thankful of him basically forcing those onto me in the first place. I wanted to see if they actually work with what I have right now, but I think I¡¯m going to just max out my [Seduction] skill and wing it if I ever need to do it again. It¡¯s bad enough I¡¯m using sex and lust to manipulate someone like this, I feel disgusted for implementing that guy¡¯s techniques into this arrangement and succeed with them.¡±

    <Well, whatever the case, we got that stuck-up wife in our grasp and we got the sexy Vampire to cooperate with our little counterattack against Chaos Barrage. We just need to fill everyone in on what¡¯s going on and come up with what to do next from there. Let¡¯s finish our business here and regroup back at the inn as soon as possible,> Nyra suggested.

    <Sounds good.>

    ¡°[Clean],¡± I casted on myself before putting my hand on the doorknob.

    <Why did you do that? You didn¡¯t make a mess in your pants, did you?> Nyra asked.

    I shook my head, <No, I just felt so filthy in my soul after all that that I hoped casting [Clean] may help refresh me.>

    <Oh. Did it work?>

    <... Not in the slightest.>

 Chapter 144: Regrouping at the Inn

    After leaving the room, I took a trip to the cottage¡¯s toilet. It took me a bit to do my business as I had to wait for my member to calm down, so I used this time to upgrade my [Seduction] skill to max level like I told Nyra earlier. What followed after that was a number of notice boxes.

    <table style="width: 94.8599%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have now reached [Seduction] at MAX LV!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table style="width: 95.2812%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have achieved the ¡®Expert of Seduction¡¯ title!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table style="width: 96.5969%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have now learned [Silver Tongue] LV 1!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table style="width: 95.3918%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have achieved the ¡®Master of Seduction¡¯ title!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table style="width: 96.195%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have now learned [Consented Touch] LV 1!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <Wait, the fuck? If [Silver Tongue] is what I think it is, shouldn¡¯t I have learned it much earlier?> I asked Nyra, being the expert in these kinds of skills that she is.

    <[Silver Tongue] is a skill that lets you swoon your target with your words, but that¡¯s if you put an effort into doing it, and the target isn¡¯t someone you already have a relationship with like the girls in your harem,> Nyra explained, <With or without [Seduction] in your repertoire, you¡¯d need to successfully woo targets that look to be in different leagues from you a certain number of times before you¡¯re recognized to have earned the skill. Up to now, though, your Charm stat towards the Demon-Kin is so high that using [Silver Tongue] was almost non-existent. I¡¯d imagine you¡¯d have more credit in earning that skill if you tried wooing girls from the Human-Kin, since your Charm towards them is so low.>

    <Okay, thinking back to my Innate Status when I first saw it, I can understand where you¡¯re coming from, but I still feel this is a bit late in the game for that. And, as for [Consented Touch] ¡­> I trailed off, slightly worried about what it was implying.

    <It¡¯s a skill that lets you get away with groping and feeling up someone,> Nyra answered bluntly, <As you might expect, it doesn¡¯t register when you feel up the girls in your harem or those with the ¡®Prostitute¡¯ title. I found this skill difficult to earn for most races of all kin. They all have their totally different social etiquettes in physical contact that led them to not try attempting it, even if their Charm stat was high. All of us Pixies had this skill, though, since we¡¯re so intimate with each other. I don¡¯t know about Yukino, but I¡¯m pretty sure most other demon girls, especially the all-female races like Lamias, would have no problems with you giving a surprise cop-up to them, you just have to have the balls to pull it off. As you¡¯ve seen here, if you never had either [Consented Touch] or [Silver Tongue] before mastering [Seduction], then you¡¯ll certainly earn them automatically after acquiring the titles you just got.>

    <Wow, these skills, especially [Consented Touch], could be dangerous depending on whom it¡¯s used on back home ¡­> I commented.

    <And, as you might expect, if you have [Seduction], [Silver Tongue], and [Consented Touch] at max levels, you¡¯ll no doubt win over any girl you have your eyes on, and get away with doing whatever you want with them!> Nyra exclaimed with excitement, <Even a grouch like Yukino won¡¯t even hold a grudge against you for suddenly feeling her up. Oh, but they¡¯re only effective towards your target. If someone in a public space of strict social etiquettes spots you feeling a girl up, you¡¯d likely be branded as a sexual deviant from the get-go, even if your target tried speaking up about letting you off. I¡¯d normally say ¡°Go crazy and feel up every girl you see for me!¡±, but since we¡¯re trying to maintain a good reputation here, you should probably hold yourself back from doing any of that until you¡¯re in a private setting.>

    I waved my hand dismissively, <I¡¯d do that without you telling me that. Anyway, if these skills will help me slip past Yukino¡¯s defenses later tonight, then it may be best to get these maxed-out, as well. As for other girls that might interest me moving forward ¡­ we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there, I guess. After being disciplined for respecting a girl¡¯s personal space by Mom for so long, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll shake off what she ingrained in me so easily.>

    <Seeing how terrifying your mother can be in your memories, I don¡¯t blame you,> Nyra said.

    I then spent enough SP to max out [Silver Tongue] and [Consented Touch] and received the respective titles, ¡®Smooth Operator¡¯ and ¡®Lucky Pervert¡¯. I¡¯m sort of thankful for not getting any more skills from them after that or I might be sitting on the toilet with Nyra for a while, learning more of what other unsavory, immoral acts I could get away with. I could become the greatest enemy of men and women before I even realize it.

    Once that was done, my business on the toilet was finished and I made sure my [Demonic Pheromones] skill was turned off. I then washed my hands and took out Tyvera¡¯s confiscated Messaging Crystal from my [Storage] to move into my blazer¡¯s pocket, just so I¡¯ll have it on hand and ready to pick it up when Noire calls me later. When I finally got back downstairs, it looked like everyone else was finished in their businesses with Noire, all full of food, and we were ready to move on. Gabriella and Beelzebub were still out cold, but the former will surely be ready to go by tomorrow. That was what the Vampire said, anyway, but I¡¯m not sure how things would go if the Dullahan wasn¡¯t awake by then.

    We then set an appointment late enough in the morning tomorrow to give ourselves time to have breakfast and warm up a bit before heading to the dungeon. Noire and I had a brief exchange in glances, silently agreeing to our secret meeting later tonight once she had all her things prepared.

    Nyra informed me that Yukino was also staring at me cautiously, probably anticipating what would happen later tonight, too, if she actually does show up. Honestly, even if she didn¡¯t show up, though I would lose a lead on learning Chaos Barrage¡¯s plans on the coup, it won¡¯t be a huge loss for me relationship-wise. Though she was attractive in appearance, I wasn¡¯t a real big fan of her haughty attitude. Her twin sister, despite what little she spoke of her, honestly caught my attention more, but I don''t think there''s much of a chance of me seeing her anytime soon, so it would be better to not think about her too much and focus on the dungeon.

    With our plan set, we gathered our things, Noire saw us all off at the front door of her cottage and we moved some distance away from her residence.

    ¡°My party and I will be heading back to the inn, ¡®The Moonshine¡¯, do any of you need a lift through my [Portal]?¡± I asked the two guild masters and Yukino.

    ¡°I will be taking a walk around town to clear my head after all that stress, but I will see you off at the dungeon tomorrow,¡± Eugus answered.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk with Eugy for a moment, so if I don¡¯t see you at the inn later, I¡¯ll be joining you for breakfast and see you off at the inn, too. Excellent work with the spars, by the way, you¡¯ve exceeded my expectations yet again today,¡± Julius added while tipping his hat before smiling.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    If this guy really does swing that way, does he even know I¡¯m not interested in him?

    <Aww, are you not even going to be buddies with him, at least?> Nyra asked, reading my internal thoughts.

    <I don¡¯t want to take any chances,> I answered bluntly.

    ¡°I must get home and write my report to Konjiro, but the two of us will see you off at the dungeon, as well,¡± Yukino answered last with arms crossed, her eyes coldly staring at me. I could tell that she was expecting something to happen tonight, though, which assured me that she¡¯ll certainly come to the inn later tonight. I made a mental note to tell my party about this back at the inn.

    We bid the three of them off before they made their separate ways. Once they were far enough away, I cast [Portal] to take our group back to the front of the inn. Just as I was telling my party about moving to the backyard for a strategy meeting while I led us inside, I jumped at the sudden call-out to me.

    "Kotori! You''re back!" a familiar, female voice exclaimed.

    Just as I was looking to see who it was, I was suddenly pulled into a spine-popping hug. A large plate of metal restricted my breathing as I was pressed against it.

    "You really did make it out! I was so worried!" the familiar voice exclaimed again.

    "A Werebear?" Ume asked.

    Just from that description alone, I managed to pop my head out and looked up to confirm my suspicions, "Rizz?"

    "Master, are you acquainted with her?" Ren asked.

    "Hm? Oh! You must be Kotori''s party!" Rizz exclaimed before setting me down, "''Scuse me for the sudden entrance. I''m Rizz. Kotori and I talked for a bit outside of Palocaesy Dungeon."

    "He did say something about checking the dungeon during his morning training," Kalline said, looking down in thought.

    "But what did you mean about Master ''making it out''?" Erizora asked.

    "Ah, right. So, I didn''t go inside because I was waiting for my own party, but I overheard how there was a lot of commotion in the dungeon," Rizz explained, "The monsters inside did the impossible and moved between floors in swarms! From multiple reports, there were monsters from the upper floors going down, and those from the lower floors were doing the same in reverse! The other adventurers inside were so surprised that they wound up getting caught in the middle of it all! Only a few of them came out severely injured, but nobody died! The guards watching the dungeon had to deny access to the other adventurers for a while to investigate what was going on.

    "I didn''t see Kotori or his familiars coming out, though, and nobody over there saw them inside. That got me worried, so I asked the guards to look for them while they investigated before I waited a while, but with no luck. I wondered if Kotori escaped to some other place, so I started going around the different inns in town looking for him, even when my party told me not to when they finally showed up later. It wasn''t until I came here that I found out Kotori and you guys stayed here, so I waited here to see how he was doing."

    "Goodness, that must be some wild goose chase," Sue said while covering her mouth with surprise.

    "Still, monsters traversing between dungeon floors," Kalline said while looking down in thought, "You are correct that that should not happen for dungeon monsters. The only exception would be the event of a monster outbreak that gets many of them escaping the dungeon. I have not heard monsters going deeper in the dungeon before, though. This does sound worrisome."

    <Looks like we made quite a mess of things, huh?> Nyra asked, and I couldn''t agree more.

    I used Nyra''s curse of attracting monsters to make grinding easier and we ended up with a large haul of monster corpses that I put in my [Storage] for later, along with all the drops and money that came with them. It seems that that same curse had some peculiar magic that made monsters ignore the limit of not traversing between dungeon floors. I anticipated casualties getting caught in my training, but I was thankful severe injuries were the worst thing that came out of this. I decided to be more careful of using Nyra''s curse in the future, but I learned some valuable info out of that chaos, though.

    "What made you go to such lengths to find Chief?" Tyvera asked Rizz next.

    The Werebear scratched her head awkwardly, "Well, he seemed like a nice guy, he even shared some bread with me when I was hungry. You rarely see humans around these parts of the Demon-Kin''s Territory for how tough the monsters and demons are, too, so for him to only go with his small familiars, of course, I''d get worried."

    Huh, this bear''s pretty cool.

    "I appreciate you looking out for me, Rizz, and I''m sorry to make you worry," I said before raising my arms in a T-pose, "But, as you can see, I''m fine and escaped that weird outbreak unharmed."

    "And it''s a relief to see you well, too," Rizz said.

    ¡°Do you know if the dungeon will still be closed tomorrow?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I believe it should be fine to go in now. Last thing I heard before leaving was that some of the floors were practically empty, so traversing through them should be a breeze. Are you going back there?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Part of the reason I trained there a bit today is so I can get a feel for the environment before a big quest tomorrow. My party will be coming with me that time, of course.¡±

    Rizz nodded in understanding, ¡°I see. Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m heading back to my own party. Best of luck on your quest tomorrow, Kotori.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Rizz! I¡¯ll see you around!¡± I bid before the Werebear left the inn.

    ¡°She was nice,¡± Ren commented.

    ¡°Yes. It warms my heart to see someone looking out for another like that,¡± Sue added, and according to my [Intuition], she wasn¡¯t lying, though I don¡¯t know why she would in this case.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s move to the backyard. There¡¯s a lot we need to discuss,¡± I said to everyone.

    Once we got to the inn¡¯s backyard, after making sure we were by ourselves, I cast [Soundproof] to keep our conversation out of earshot from outside. Then, just like my private conversation with Ume and my familiars earlier, Nyra assisted in getting everyone up to speed fast by connecting our heads with her purplish-black mist. She then implanted the memories of my talks with Noire and Yukino into my party¡¯s and Sue¡¯s minds. To keep things safe, Nyra left out the part where Noire revealed this kingdom¡¯s conspiracy to me so Sue doesn¡¯t get any funny ideas. Other than Ume and my familiars who¡¯ve been through this the first time, everyone else was quite shocked by what they experienced.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I can certainly never see Yukino the same way again,¡± Kalline said with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°For her to look down on Master like that ¡­ I wanna crush her to a pulp,¡± Erizora growled while hitting her palm with the kanabo.

    ¡°Jin, are you sure we can¡¯t maim that vixen¡¯s insides instead?¡± Ume asked before rolling her reptilian claws with the most innocent smile on her face. That kind of contrast would likely terrify anybody.

    ¡°I can assist you with my talons on that, Chieftess,¡± Tyvera added.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± I ordered, ¡°I know she¡¯s a bitch, but if we want any chance of pulling info on Chaos Barrage¡¯s plans out of her, we need to get her comfortable and drunk enough to spill her whole life story to us.¡±

    ¡°Chaos Barrage ¡­¡± Ren muttered under her breath while gazing to the ground, her white beastly hands clenched into fists. Even her white wolf tail was standing up along with all its hairs on end.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ren¡¯s brother is in that group,¡± Erizora reminded us, ¡°They were chasing her for her [Duplicate] Null Spell before. If Chaos Barrage is going to interfere with our quest, there may be a chance we¡¯ll run into him and his pack.¡±

    ¡°Ren,¡± I said as I lowered myself to her level, ¡°I know this may be tough for you, but it¡¯s likely we¡¯ll run into them eventually. Since they¡¯re previously your family, what do you want to do with them once we meet?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­¡± she trailed off while still looking down, having trouble finding the words to answer. Nyra informed me that Ren was currently feeling great degrees of fear and anxiety.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer it right now,¡± I assured her, ¡°Just keep this in mind and think it over. We¡¯ll support whatever you decide, every step of the way. We¡¯ve got your back, and as your master, as your alpha, you can bet that I¡¯ll protect you, no matter what. Understand?¡±

    ¡°... Yes. Thank you, Master,¡± Ren answered before the tensions in her arms and tail loosened. I petted between her folded, fluffy wolf ears in comfort.

    ¡°I must say, though, I had no idea Lady Krauss had it so rough,¡± Kalline commented, ¡°It is certainly a surprise to see such a rebellious side of her.¡±

    ¡°A lot of nobles in this kingdom have it rough,¡± Sue said while crossing her arms, ¡°But it¡¯s only those who put those struggles into serving the people that are deemed true nobility. Those who are only in it for power and fortune are unfortunately more in number, but the Krauss family have been a good asset to the Demon King and this kingdom for quite some time. I¡¯m glad to see we¡¯re taking this chance to help one of them out for a change.¡±

    ¡°... You know, I¡¯ve been thinking, you seem to know an awful lot about nobles, Sue, more than many commoners would want to know,¡± Tyvera said, while narrowing her eyes, ¡°And I¡¯ve been wondering where Chief got the idea that the Duke of Demons, Rowling, and Konjiro are part of Chaos Barrage, bent on making a coup to overthrow the Demon King. Moreover, you and Chief were talking in private for an awfully long time earlier. Was taking you with us in the escort quest the only thing you two talked about?¡±

    ¡­ Uh oh. What should I say?

 Chapter 145: Confirming Secrets and Palocaesyâ€™s Slums

    I¡¯m in a tight situation, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Tyvera¡¯s catching on to Sue¡¯s expansive knowledge of demon nobles, and it looks like the other party members were starting to question her identity in response. On one hand, I could come out and reveal the truth, but my party will be on edge and totally suspicious of Sue, leaving them not focused enough to concentrate on tomorrow¡¯s quest. On the other hand, I could keep quiet, maybe put my [Deception] skill to work and come up with a lie that could be a lid over the simmering pot, but who knows how long we could keep Sue¡¯s identity a secret before it all boils over? She might still look suspicious to Tyvera and a few other party members, too, and them keeping on their toes around her could also disrupt their focus in tomorrow¡¯s quest.

    At a loss for what to do, I turned on my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills to speed up my thinking speed. This is to give me time to consult with the only one who can keep up with my thoughts.

    <Nyra! What the fuck should I do?!> I yelled in my mind.

    <... About what?> Nyra asked, sounding clueless.

    <They''re catching onto Sue''s identity! Should I do something?!>

    <I don''t know. You may have made the deal to keep her secret, but do you still want to at this point?> she asked.

    <I ¡­ honestly don''t, but if I don''t hold my end, I may lose the chance to meet the Demon King!> I argued.

    "Well, Korangar is my birthplace, and everyone knows how dangerous it can be for those outside of it, demon or not" Sue answered Tyvera while shrugging, snapping me out of my talk with Nyra, "Not just on the threats of violence, but how one can get betrayed or screwed over at the drop of a hat. Scams, shady dealings, muggings, rumors of all that and more being headed by the very nobles who are supposed to serve its people. Is it so strange that a local like myself has gotten around so much to avoid falling victim to the dangers of the darker sides of Korangar?

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve gotten around in Korangar, I¡¯ve heard rumors here and there about Chaos Barrage, what they stand for, and their possible coup against the Demon King,¡± Sue continued, ¡°So, yes, I admit I leaked some of that info to Jinma during our talk earlier, but that¡¯s because I was worried for his safety when we get to Korangar. Just him being there as a human will make other demons target him like a disposable punching bag. I don¡¯t doubt his strength, of course, but you never know what may happen in that city. So, I wanted to warn him, and maybe ask him to see if there¡¯s something we can do to stop the coup, too, because I still love my birthplace and I want to make it better than it is right now. You could say that¡¯s part of why I wanted to follow you guys in the first place. Does that answer your question, Tyvera?¡±

    Sue''s case was sound, and I didn''t sense any hint of a lie with my [Intuition]. Some of her arguments were also mentioned when I interrogated her earlier, and thinking back on it, she also handled herself surprisingly well, even with the emotional moments Nyra reported to me. Right now, according to that perverted mood reader, Sue wasn''t the least bit anxious. She was confident in her argument.

    Whether Sue has experience being questioned like this or she has some skill that helps weigh arguments into her favor, I just keep learning more and more how dangerous this fake Arch Imp can be. Are there more locals like her in Korangar, too? Is their underground really thriving with crime?

    I recalled my experience living on Earth, especially with my previous employer, the loan company Heaven''s Cerberus. For better or worse, I might feel right at home in Korangar with how much crime I was exposed to back in Ikebukuro.

    Tyvera considered Sue''s argument carefully, the Harpy''s stiff face softened, "I guess ¡­ when you put it that way, it wouldn''t be strange. I wasn''t born there, and I had the safety and comfort of the skies to help me get by. Sorry for not thinking of your stance on this, Sue."

    At Tyvera''s apology, the rest of the group relaxed a bit.

    "It''s quite alright, don''t worry about it," Sue said while waving her hand dismissively before turning to me, "So, we know we have Noire counting on us as she stands on our side. Yukino''s a bitch, but we''re gonna need her to spill the info on what Chaos Barrage has planned before the end of tonight. On top of all that, we''ll need to make some final preparations for tomorrow''s quest. What should we do next, Jinma?"

    And just like that, Sue controlled the flow of conversation back to the main topic as smooth as silk before passing the baton to me. I feel like I should talk to her about this, but that will have to wait.

    Using [Hyper Thought Processing], I quickly think over our priorities. Preparing for Yukino''s arrival tonight is important, of course. We prepared a lot the day before we left Dondegarm, but it''s crucial to double-check everything we have for tomorrow and buy what additional essentials we need with the new intel we have gained. Preparing meals and snacks for a number of days in the dungeon would be good, too, and with my maxed out [Cooking] skill, I can whip something up within minutes, but we''ll need to get ingredients first.

    I also needed to keep an ear out for Noire''s signal on the Messaging Crystal. I was told communication won''t work if the Messaging Crystals are too far apart, so I have to be in Palocaesy by the time Noire makes that call. After I meet her, whatever Nyra has planned, I''ll have to make this business quick before Yukino''s arrival. If only she had a smartphone like I do, then we can share contacts and call or text each other without restrictions. Though, can I even make phone calls in this world? Putting those thoughts aside, I have to get all my personal businesses done first before Noire makes the call.

    One of my personal businesses is going to a church like Obina wanted me to do. I don''t know what difference going there makes than me talking to her through the bracelet, but I certainly needed a second opinion on everything I''m going through right now.

    My other personal business is that I still need to ask Sue several questions that I couldn''t get out earlier because of our appointment with Noire. I also needed time to clear my head for a bit, especially when I felt like I was about to kill her in some moments. Even now, I¡¯m still not sure whether letting her live was the right move, hence why I¡¯ll need to hear an opinion from Obina about all of this.

    I also wondered if one more person in our party, Ren, should be aware of Sue''s true character, especially considering some of the behavior I¡¯ve seen from her so far today. I haven''t checked her status, but as a Thief, Ren could have [Intuition], as well, though I don''t know how high that is to catch hints of lies from my [Deception], even with its high proficiency. If this Werewolf is able to catch more hints from my lies, I''m worried about her losing trust in me, and that¡¯s the last thing I want from anyone in my party right now. Plus, with how tense Ren was knowing we may face Chaos Barrage soon, she may feel safer if she sticks with me. Heck, how much that group involves her is all the more reason she should be filled in on what¡¯s really going on.

    I inconspicuously checked my smartphone, seeing the time that¡¯s adapted into Raiza¡¯s standards thanks to whatever ethereal magic Obina blessed into it when I came here. I may have woken up early, but so much has happened this morning, and it¡¯s only a few hours into the afternoon now. There¡¯s a lot to do, but we should have everything ready by tonight.

    With my plans set, I filled my party in on our next course of action before we all acted on it immediately, splitting into two groups. Erizora, Kalline, Tyvera, and my familiars will take my Magic Item Bag to double-check its contents before heading out to restock what we lost. I also wrote up a list of new items and ingredients for them to look into while they¡¯re out. Thank you, [Language Conprehension], for letting me write in this country''s language fluently. If there was anything they couldn¡¯t find in Palocaesy, Kenaka or Mametama would let me know through our master-familiar telepathy and I¡¯ll see what compromises we can make. In the worst-case scenario, there''s the shop on my Champion Bracelet to buy stuff from if there are no other alternatives. There was some stuff I¡¯ll need to get from there, anyways, so it all works out.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Meanwhile, Ume, Ren, Sue, and I headed off to a private location in town. We were going by Sue¡¯s direction, by the way, as it seems she has more experience in Palocaesy than the rest of us. It could also be that she has some connections in The Dark Wind who filled her in on this info in case the need for discreet discussions arises. Either way, I was uneasy following this fake Arch Imp¡¯s directions, but if this country¡¯s royalty really wants to see me, I doubt she¡¯d lead me to someplace with a high enough danger to put my life at risk. We were heading to this private location to get one of my personal priorities out of the way: questioning Sue. I also needed to see if we could fill Ren in on her secret.

    Just as I was thinking of how to bring up the question along the way, with Ren and Ume up front while Sue and I were in the back in a square formation, the fake Arch Imp caught my attention by poking my side. I turned to her and she lightly tugged on her own ear, giving the tell that she wants to talk through [Telepathy].

    <What is it?> I asked, starting the talk.

    <First, I want to say thanks for following through our agreement and not blurt out my secret,> Sue said.

    <... Why would you say that?>

    <When Tyvera was getting onto my case, you looked conflicted as to whether you should reveal everything to everyone,> she explained.

    My back broke into a cold sweat, <Was it that obvious? And doesn¡¯t me looking like I¡¯d break our deal make you warier of me?>

    Sue shrugged, <Not a lot of people can catch non-verbal cues, but I have a keen eye for these things, and I¡¯m especially starting to get a better read on your tells, Jinma. As for breaking our deal, I know I don¡¯t have a lot of your trust right now, and under dire circumstances, I anticipated you would choose to keep the trust of your party than little-old me. After what I¡¯ve done, I can¡¯t get mad at you or blame you for making that choice.

    <Which is why, should something like earlier happen again, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ve learned to talk my way out of these things pretty well over the years, so I can hide my secret by myself just fine while you stand by in your safe spot and relax. In the worst-case scenario that I do get found out, I¡¯ll make sure to take all of the blows that come with it and not let your party lose faith in you. I know a lot of stuff happened and we didn¡¯t have a lot of time to talk about the finer details of our agreement before we got to Noire¡¯s cottage, so I¡¯m getting this out here now while we have this chance to talk. Are you okay with these conditions?> Sue asked me.

    I blinked in surprise, having trouble coming up with the words to answer.

    <Damn, she must have really thought this out. There¡¯s some anxiety, but she¡¯s full of determination to see through her part of the agreement,> Nyra informed me.

    <... My [Intuition] isn¡¯t sensing any lies, but I¡¯m not sure how well I can do that through [Telepathy], so I can¡¯t really relax and take you for your word that easily,> I told Sue after some thought.

    Sue nodded, <I understand, you may do as you will, but know that I¡¯m going to put in the work to get your trust back and tell as much of the truth as I¡¯m able to you. That said, I¡¯m assuming we¡¯re going to my suggested private spot so you can ask me more questions, right?>

    <You got it,> I answered.

    <And what about Ren? I thought you might have her be with Kalline¡¯s group, instead,> Sue said.

    <About that, our agreement to keep your secret only extends to Ume and my familiars right now, right? I¡¯d like to include Ren into our small circle, too.>

    <... May I hear your reason as to why?> she asked.

    <Ren¡¯s a Thief. I haven¡¯t checked her whole status yet, but it¡¯s likely she has the [Intuition] skill like I¡ªand maybe you¡ªdo,> I explained, <Though my [Deception] is high, it seems she¡¯s still catching onto hints of my lies, somehow, and she¡¯s getting anxious of being left out. Moreover, with her brother and her former pack being part of Chaos Barrage, the same group staging a coup against the Demon King, Ren¡¯s more involved in this than you may think, and she¡¯s more on edge now after learning what we¡¯re dealing with. Ren¡¯s like my second-in-command, especially being the ¡®alpha female¡¯ that looks after the other slaves under my ownership. I want to make sure she knows I still trust and depend on her, and that she¡¯s not alone in facing whatever complications may come from confronting her brother.>

    Sue took a moment to think before sighing, <I suppose your reasons are valid, and I¡¯ve also noticed how sharp Ren can be at times, too. Under your care, she may surpass even Noire at some point, so it may be better that we fill her in on this now.>

    My eyes widened, <Really? Ren surpassing Noire? Even though the latter has multiple classes?>

    <There are ways to get around that disadvantage,> she explained, <Everyone in your harem has that potential, too, but seeing Ren¡¯s loyalty so far, by the time she gets to her peak of strength, I wouldn¡¯t make her an adversary if I was a normal demon.>

    Getting around multiple classes, and everyone in my harem has that potential? What does that mean?

    So far, to get multiple classes, I know there¡¯s leveling up as a Brawler in my case. Being a noble with a peerage granted to them by their monarch was another way through Beelzebub¡¯s and Noire¡¯s cases. Even Eugus has a case with his [Class Privilege] skill that I¡¯m still unsure of how he got it, maybe being a guild master was part of it? What other ways can someone get multiple classes? And is it really so simple for everyone in my harem to be capable of the same thing?

    Though I didn¡¯t detect any lies from Sue, I was still skeptical, but after everything I¡¯ve been through so far, I wondered just how bad the power balance in this world really is.

    With Sue¡¯s permission granted, I used [Telepathy] to fill Ume and my familiars in on our updated agreement and how I¡¯d bring up the news to Ren. None of them had any objections to my plan, and just as I had received that confirmation, the very Werewolf asked what we¡¯d be doing in this private location Sue¡¯s directing us to. I only told Ren that we had some important matters to discuss in our group, and though she looked a little tense, she seemed to understand enough on what we were doing.

    ~~

    A couple minutes later, we arrived in what looks like the slums of Palocaesy. Unlike most of the city we¡¯ve explored so far, this area wasn¡¯t as clean and vibrant. Some of the buildings were old and worn out, with a select few looking like they¡¯d collapse any day now. There were demons along the road that watched us as we passed by them, others hiding between alleys or poorly-made shelters, with one or two of them sleeping without a care in the world. According to my [Size Up], the races around here consisted of Imps, Lilims, and some subraces of Werebeasts like cats, rabbits, raccoons, and rodents. They all looked malnourished, haven¡¯t received a good bath in months, and were drained of life.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m not liking the atmosphere of this place,¡± Ren said, ¡°Are we really talking about something important here?¡±

    ¡°Sue? Is it okay for us to be here for that talk?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°As far as I¡¯ve heard, not a lot of people from middle-class and above would approach this area, and many locals here aren¡¯t confrontational or brave to take chances on things that could put their lives at risk,¡± the fake Arch Imp explained, ¡°We won¡¯t need to worry about running into unnecessary battles and we won¡¯t get eavesdropped by someone important around here, but ¡­ I¡¯d be lying if I said I was glad knowing such a place exists.¡±

    The three of us looked at Sue with confused expressions as we walked.

    ¡°Seeing a place in this condition from even before the previous Demon King left, there¡¯s definitely something going on between the nobles that he or his daughter not know about,¡± Sue continued with a furrowed brow, ¡°While both of them have made efforts to make peace with the other territories in Padimon, they still put their own subjects¡¯ safety and well being in a higher priority. There should have been progress to make places like this better, so why hasn¡¯t anything around here changed?¡±

    <Hmm, I¡¯m sensing great anger, frustration, and guilt from Sue right now,> Nyra informed me, <It¡¯s like she feels responsible for these slums to still exist.>

    Huh ¡­ wonder why that is?

    After some more walking, we arrived in what looks like a junkyard. Many old, discarded, broken items were spread all around us in chaotic piles. Eroded wood, warped metal, filthy furniture, broken tools, the list went on, and the place ranked like many dumpsters took a shit and vomited in the same location. Ren, with her canine sense of smell, was repulsed and even in pain from the stench as she covered her nose and mouth. Since I carried the [Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sense] ability, my face contorted the same way.

    Just as it looked like both of us were about to vomit from the repulsive atmosphere earlier, a light breeze blew over us, and the stench left without a trace.

    ¡°Whew, that¡¯s better,¡± Ume said, ¡°My [Air Barrier] spell usually deflects some trajectory attacks, but it looks like it also serves to keep any air inside it clean. We can breathe easier in here as long as I have this [Storm Magic] spell maintained.

    ¡°... Lady Umeiyon, you saved my nose¡¯s life. I¡¯m forever in your debt,¡± Ren said while bowing her head deeply.

    I followed Ren¡¯s example, ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver, Ume, I¡¯ll make sweet love with you tonight, for sure.¡±

    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do the same thing here, Jin, but you went through a lot today, so I thought I¡¯d pull some weight on my end,¡± Ume said.

    I didn¡¯t know a spell like [Air Barrier] existed yet, so I was grateful to have a magic specialist as my wife to think of this first. Hell, I was grateful for this world¡¯s magic in general. I¡¯m definitely going to cast [Clean] on us when we leave, just to keep us infection-free.

    ¡°This should be a good place for us to talk,¡± Sue said, ¡°Let¡¯s find some decent seats around here and try to get comfortable as we might be around for a while. Oh, and watch your step for any sharp objects, too.¡±

 Chapter 146: The Werewolf Slaveâ€™s Outburst and The Blink

    We took a quick look around in the junkyard and found a couch and a chair that looked good enough to use during our talk. They were sitting in difficult positions, but I found this situation a good opportunity to try the [Levitation] Null Spell I learned earlier. Since how much I could move depended on the Strength''s rank in my Innate Status, I had no problem lifting the furniture off their difficult positions and setting them on the ground next to us. Though I had to do it one at a time, Ren got ecstatic as she watched me, at least according to her tail''s erratic movements. Ume and Sue, meanwhile, only shrugged, not too surprised I was able to do this.

    Once I leveled the furniture decently, I cast [Clean] to make them less gross to sit on. The difference before and after the spell was like night and day. They looked like new furniture that got into unfortunate wreckages after I was done. With that, I sat on the couch with Ume and Ren sitting on each side of me, while Sue took the chair across from us. The cushions were quite worn out as I was almost sinking to the very bottom, but it would have to do.

    After we were settled in, I cast [Soundproof] to keep our conversation private, "Now, before we go any further, there is something you must know, Ren. I admit that this is something Ume, my familiars, and I have been keeping from the rest of the party, but it looked like you were catching onto our secret. Let me first apologize for keeping this from you and the others." I then bowed my head to my Werewolf slave with guilt.

    "... I had a feeling that something was going on," Ren said, "I wanted to believe you''re keeping quiet for a good reason, Master, but I couldn''t help but get worried."

    For the sake of both our comforts, I lightly petted Ren''s head, "I''m sorry I made you feel that way, Ren. After taking deep consideration and getting some second opinions, though, I decided to fill you in on what''s going on. What I''m about to reveal, however, is very important. I need you to promise me that you won''t say this to any of the others in the party until further notice, and that even after hearing this truth, you''ll stay calm and won''t take reckless action unless I say so."

    "... Wouldn''t it be simpler to change the Command level in your slave settings?" Ren asked while tilting her head in confusion, "Even at its lowest setting, while I still have freedom to move and voice my opinion, I couldn''t go against many orders you''d give me."

    I nodded in understanding, "That may be true, but as your Master, as your Alpha Male, I don''t want to force you into something you don''t want to. I want to put my trust into you not as a slave, but as my mate, my ally. I''m limiting the number of people who know this secret not only to reduce chances of this being leaked, but to avoid the others being targeted to extract that information. Not many would even think of confronting me or Ume after they know our powers, but I couldn''t say the same for the others in our party. I''m entrusting this secret to you because I believe you have the strength to carry the burden that comes with it. Does that make sense?"

    Ren looked down in thought for a moment before coming back up and nodding to me, "I understand, Master. I''m honored to know you have so much faith in me, and I won''t let you down. I''m ready to learn this secret whenever you are."

    With that confirmation, using Nyra''s assistance, I implanted the memories of my times with Sue into Ren''s mind, mainly the interrogation and our agreement from earlier. It was the fastest way to get everything out there in a short amount of time. The process only took a couple seconds.

    When I was done, Ren''s eyes widened before turning to Sue with disbelief, "Y-You ¡­ did that to Master and Nyra ¡­ why?"

    Sue sighed, "I honestly wanted to avoid it, if I could, but I needed to see my mission through. I''m sorry for deceiving you and everyone else, Ren."

    "That isn''t the point!" Ren yelled in anger, surprising me, "Was everything up to now a lie?! Being Master''s fan, getting close to him, all so you take him to the Demon King?!"

    "Of course, not," Sue answered, keeping calm while resting a hand on her large bosom, "I do want to help Jinma see Her Highness, and I like to think I''m a fan of his, too. Heck, the Demon King has also grown a liking to him after hearing his exploits."

    "... Lies," Ren said with a shaky breath, "I don''t care what my [Intuition] says, what you''re saying right now has to be a lie."

    "And what makes you so sure of that?" Sue asked, looking curious.

    "What kind of person says they like someone and then messes with their heads after that, huh?!" Ren yelled, "Do you have any idea how much pain you''ve made to my master, to Nyra, who were both taking a liking to you?!"

    Sue''s expression was blank, but her grips on the arms of her chair were very strong. I think they even pierced through the fabric as she dug her fingers into them.

    I''m not liking where this is going.

    "I''m not talking about their heads, either!" Ren continued, "Their hearts, their souls, the pain of learning someone you know is not who you think they are, you have no idea what that feeling is really like! The Demon King is no better if she even gave you permission to do that! Hell, she has no idea what she''s doing as a ruler if she allows people''s minds to be abused like this!"

    "Ren," I said calmly, trying to stop her, but she didn''t listen.

    "I don''t agree with what Chaos Barrage is doing, but maybe the Demon King should step down, because anyone, even Master, would be a better Demon King than she is at this point!" Ren continued, "The Demon King may be trying to bring the three territories together, but she doesn''t know the first thing about trust if she can''t even release her fucking name to her own people!"

    "That''s enough, Ren!" I yelled while jumping in front of her, arms spread wide as I faced Sue.

    Whether I know the controversy or not, Ren''s outburst would surely be taken as an offensive against royalty. I don''t know how strong Sue really is, or how much privilege she has to kill anyone under the Demon King''s name. If Sue''s loyal enough to her king, Ren''s execution for her offense could be taken place right here in the junkyard. I had to get in between them and act as a shield because this fake Arch Imp was tasked to keep me alive until I got to the Demon King. I had to use this chance to defend Ren, and should the worse-case happen, I''ll have to hope Sue doesn''t have anything that would pierce through my stupidly high defenses.

    "I know this may be taken as a high offense, but Ren''s only emotional after experiencing that influx of memories I put into her," I reasoned calmly, "I''ll make sure she calms down, and as her master, I will take responsibility for her outburst. I''ll bear whatever punishment is necessary, but please, Sue, spare Ren''s life!"

    Sue sat there blinking, dumbstruck, trying to absorb what was happening in front of her, "... Oh, right. Jinma, please stand down. I won''t harm Ren."

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    It was my turn to be surprised, "... Ren''s off the hook?"

    "She has done nothing wrong, and neither have you," Sue calmly explained while shaking her head, "It was shocking and gutsy of her to speak up like that, yes, but I understand her anger. I won''t condemn her or you for something like that."

    I was stiff while standing in place, still holding my pose. I wasn''t sure if Sue was going to suddenly go back on her word if I moved.

    <I think she means it, Jinma,> Nyra said, reading my thoughts, <I don''t sense a hint of anger in her throughout Ren''s whole speech.>

    <You''re sure about that?> I asked.

    <On the contrary. Though she''s putting up a calm face, she''s experiencing great levels of guilt, anxiety, and self-doubt right now,> Nyra explained.

    I blinked in surprise, <... Wait, self-doubt? You''re sure on that?>

    <All the doubt Sue''s feeling right now is directed at herself, yes.>

    That doesn''t make sense.

    Ren was mostly spouting how bad the Demon King is. Doubting your own head of government would make more sense after coming across some sensitive information they don''t want you to know. Could Sue be doubting herself over something else?

    Before I could think further, a pair of claws touching my shoulders made me jump in surprise. I immediately found out they belonged to my Dragon wife.

    "I think it''s okay to relax for now, Jin," Ume said, "I''ve seen how she behaved back at Noire''s cottage while you were gone. I don''t think she''s the kind that would go back on her word over something like this. Ren, I hope you realize things could have gone worse if you spoke anymore than you already have. Be mindful of how they could affect the people around you in the future."

    "I ¡­ didn''t realize until it was too late. I''m sorry for putting you in danger like that, Master," Ren whimpered behind me.

    I turned around and saw her wolf ears folded while her tail curled around her.

    I sighed in relief and petted Ren''s head, "I get you''re mad for me, and I appreciate the gesture, but this conflict falls between me, Sue, and the Demon King. It¡¯s not my strong suit, but I''m going to try and settle this with them diplomatically. All I ask is that you keep what you''ve learned today to yourself from the others until it''s over. In the meantime, I might ask you to watch over Sue when it''s needed. Are you okay with that, Ren?"

    Ren nodded firmly, "I understand, Master. I won''t let you down."

    With that settled, we all took our seats again before Sue spoke, "If I may, the Demon King is fully aware of the fault and inconvenience she''s caused to Jinma and Nyra. She''s given me the mission of escorting you all to her castle and providing whatever help I can. Her Highness will also make sure she''ll make it up to you all for the trouble, too."

    Ren furrowed her brow and snorted, perking her ears up in attention, ¡°Whatever the Demon King has to offer won¡¯t make up for wronging Master like that, and I¡¯m not going to be satisfied with whatever you have to offer me, either.¡±

    "Still, Ren''s outburst brought up an interesting fact,¡± Ume said while also furrowing her brow, but more inquisitively, ¡°The Demon King doesn''t release her name to the public. Pardon me for not knowing, but I¡¯m not from this country originally and I''ve not heard of a ruler being that guarded of their own secrets. Is what Ren said true?"

    Sue sighed, ¡°It is as she says, but it¡¯s more accurate to say they forgot her name than not knowing it, and it isn¡¯t just the current Demon King¡¯s name they don¡¯t remember. The identities of the previous Demon King, the current one¡¯s late father, and the Court Magician, Shining Tea Set, were also forgotten on the day of the former¡¯s death. Furthermore, the Court Magician also disappeared that day. No one could find their records or pictures to find out who they were and what they looked like, either, save for the current Demon King¡¯s image, of course.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Does the current Demon King have anything to do with this widespread memory loss?¡± Ume asked, ¡°Did it only affect everyone in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory? You were able to manipulate Jin¡¯s and Nyra¡¯s memories, after all, so you can¡¯t deny something like that is impossible.¡±

    Sue looked down, ¡°This widespread memory loss, the phenomenon that we call ¡®The Blink¡¯, affected not just the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, or even the whole continent of Padimon ¡­ but the entire world of Raiza.¡±

    The three of us on the couch sat there staring at Sue, wide-eyed and speechless.

    THE. ENTIRE. WORLD?

    <Whooooooa,> Nyra said.

    ¡°As for the cause of The Blink, the only thing I¡¯m allowed to say to Jinma and those who¡¯re in the know, is that Shining Tea Set played a significant role in crafting the magic to make it possible,¡± Sue continued, ¡°And her magic, as well as the tools to come up with it ¡­ are unlike anything you¡¯ve ever found or heard of in your lifetime.¡±

    I felt a furry, beastly hand suddenly interlocking with one of my own. Looking over to that side, Ren was trembling in her seat, all hairs standing on end, and her tail tightly coiled around her. As she stared into space, her paw was clenching my hand in a death grip, desperately hanging on as if I would suddenly float away. This Werewolf clearly didn¡¯t want to be left alone right now, and I couldn¡¯t blame her for feeling that way.

    I then glanced over to Ume, the most-experienced magic user in the group, and she was looking down with widened eyes shifting side to side, a claw to her mouth, and breaking sweat. She was desperately looking over her memories for any knowledge that would come close to The Blink¡¯s effects. If she was freaking out over it this much, then this was something that¡¯s beyond even the Dragons¡¯ understanding. What¡¯s more, this phenomenon seems like something no one would even notice happening. Wherever they were in the world, it happened in an instant, and no one would even know what they missed as they went about their day.

    Maybe this was why they called this phenomenon The Blink. It¡¯s because blinking is so fast and natural to us that there¡¯s no way we¡¯d be able to notice anything that happened during that tiny instant of blindness in our vision. All that just to wipe some memories and records related to three people? No matter how you look at it, that¡¯s just breaking the power balance for how much of an overkill that is.

    ¡°So, Shining Tea Set played a ¡®significant role¡¯, meaning she¡¯s not the only one responsible for The Blink, right?¡± I asked.

    Sue nodded solemnly, ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m afraid that is all I can tell you about The Blink. This is very sensitive information, and it¡¯s important that no one outside of our small circle knows of this. The Demon King is already on incredibly thin ice just allowing me to mention the phenomenon, let alone its secrets, so please understand why being this discreet is so crucial. You can ask me anything else that isn¡¯t related to that, and I¡¯ll answer whatever I can, but if you don¡¯t mind, I have some questions I¡¯d like answered, as well.¡±

    Just what is it about those three that¡¯s so important that Shining Tea Set had to do something as crazy as alter the entire world¡¯s memory of them? What kind of magic is she able to do that¡¯s even outside of Ume¡¯s knowledge?

    Tephalia referred Shining Tea Set to me as a possible source of info on my [Devil Eyes] skill. Maybe she could answer what my D-Human lineage is all about, too, but after hearing this, I¡¯m not sure whether seeking her out is a good idea. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure if I was in the mood of asking more questions after that, so maybe what Sue wants to ask could help steer my mind away from this subject for now.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what questions you have for me first before we switch back around,¡± I proposed before taking out a water flask from my [Storage] for a drink. I was getting very parched from how tense this talk just became, and it seemed Ume and Ren were the same as they asked me for a sip after I was done.

    ¡°Thank you, Jinma,¡± Sue said, ¡°What I want to know is that you¡¯re seeing the Demon King to ask some personal questions, right? Is there any among them that I could answer, at least to have some peace of mind until you bring it up to her?¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, seeing that she¡¯s so knowledgeable about this kingdom¡¯s secrets ¡­

    ¡°Well, if you know anything about why I could use [Devil Eyes] when I¡¯m not a Devil, as well as what a D-Human is and why I¡¯m classified as one for my race in my status, then I¡¯d love to hear it,¡± I said.

    Much to my surprise, Sue¡¯s eyes glimmered as she clapped in excitement with a big smile, ¡°Ooooh, I¡¯d love to talk about both of them, no problem! They¡¯re both actually related, and their origins come from an awesome story my father told me when I was a child! Do you want to hear it?!¡±

    Both of them are from a fucking bedtime story?! I screamed in my mind.

    I had a million retorts to counter Sue¡¯s question, but I was already exhausted after hearing about that worldwide memory wipe. I didn¡¯t even care how much of what this fake Arch Imp will tell is bullshit. Going by her current mood, this story seemed more entertaining and lighter than that bomb she dropped, and honestly, I could use something like this to help me get my head back in order. I¡¯ll decide by the end whether this info of my D-Human race and [Devil Eyes] skill is worth remembering.

    Before answering, I took out a bag from my [Storage] and held it up, ¡°Anybody here want some jerky? This sounds like it will take a while and I could use a snack.¡±

 Chapter 147: A Demon Kingâ€™s Doubts and the Rise of the Kurokichi Clan

    {Sue}

    I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m not a stranger to hearing complaints of how I rule my kingdom, and this isn¡¯t just from using my [Mind Reading] skill, either. When I explored different cities in my Arch Imp disguise, I¡¯ve heard how I was ¡®unfit to rule¡¯, ¡®not as good as her father¡¯, and ¡®too inexperienced¡¯, among other things in bars and pubs. Up to now, I ignored those and only paid attention to legit criticisms from my people and made notes on how to possibly improve my kingdom¡¯s livelihood.

    Ren¡¯s words, however, had hit harder on my conscience than anything else I¡¯ve heard so far. The ¡®pain from being betrayed¡¯, the only thing I could recall that would come close to that feeling was what I discovered from Mother after Father¡¯s ¡®death¡¯ and the fight we had because of it. We stopped talking to each other for a while after that and it wasn¡¯t until recently that she started to try to talk to me again over lunch, but I¡¯ve used my position repeatedly as an excuse to turn down her invitations and maintain my distance.

    Other than that, I¡¯ve had and used the [Mind Reading] skill for as long as I could remember, hearing everyone¡¯s dark thoughts of many things wherever I went. It may be due to the long-term exposure of such things that I learned to keep my distance and anticipate their moment of betrayal. Maybe it¡¯s because of what happened between me and Mother that I grew more distrustful towards others than usual, which really says something since I couldn¡¯t release my true name as a Demon King to the public during my inauguration. This distrust that I¡¯ve developed into a habit may have subconsciously spread to how I''ve treated Jinma somehow.

    While it was important to keep my distance, all so my identity won''t be revealed by the effects of Jinma''s ability as a Champion, I still wanted to get along with him as we traveled to Korangar. Well, with how things are between me and him right now, I may not need to worry about my identity being revealed, but now I wish I didn¡¯t get into this situation.

    Now, after hearing Ren¡¯s exclamations, I realized I may have brought Jinma the same kind of pain Mother did to me. I may have been subconsciously ignoring it up to now, but for the first time, I was seriously doubting whether I was fit to rule as a Demon King. What¡¯s worse, Jinma, the same person I had hurt, practically begged me to spare Ren for her transgression while he would take the penalty instead. He was likely worried I would execute her right there for besmirching the Demon King¡¯s name, but I may as well have deserved all that. You brought this on yourself, so just take it and get on with making amends with them already, stupid girl. You can wallow and cry in guilt by yourself later, I berated myself as I tried moving my conversation forward with Jinma and the two mates from his harem.

    When I offered to answer some questions he had for the Demon King¡ªthat''s me, who''s currently in disguise as an Arch Imp¡ªI was honestly surprised Jinma even brought up his [Devil Eyes] and D-Human race. Though he had little experience controlling the former, I figured he already had some idea of what was going on with it and where he falls in his family¡¯s bloodline. Though I was excited in telling the story that would answer those questions, I was genuinely concerned about how much in the dark Jinma really is. There may be a reason for why the info was kept from this D-Human up to now, but it seemed to fall in line with what Father told me of him and what he wanted me to do after his ''death''. I could still remember the last words he spoke to me, clear as day:

    "I don''t know how long it will take, but Jinma will likely appear while I''m gone and he won''t know a lot of things upon his arrival. In the meantime, I''m entrusting this kingdom''s future to you, and you may do what you think is best to make it prosper. All I ask is that when Jinma finally comes, you make sure he is comfortable in this kingdom during his stay, treat him well, and answer any questions he may have to the best of your abilities. Finally, after he learns the whole truth, only let him decide whether he and I should meet face-to-face. I''ll leave the time and place to reveal everything in your judgement."

    Father¡¯s wish to me falls in line with my personal goals involving Jinma, so of course I had no problems in following through. At least, that was what I thought at the time, but it looks like I already failed with two of the three things Father wanted me to do with him. Thinking back, I was only told of Jinma¡¯s existence and his mother¡¯s name, Mikan Kotori, but never of who they were and what they were like. What¡¯s more, aside from Sammy, I couldn¡¯t tell anyone about them, not even Mother.

    There has to be a reason why you were so secretive up to then ¡­ right, Father? I thought, the question plaguing me as I recalled his story.

    The story I was telling to Jinma and his companions is one that my father told me often as a child, when I was still learning so many things, yet so naive and oblivious to the cruelty of the world we live in. It was one of the stories that really helped me find an important goal to strive towards that I hope will come true soon. While I was excited to share this story, I seriously hope it will help Jinma answer whatever questions he had on his mind for so long.

    ~~

    This story''s setting dates back to hundreds of years ago in a small town called Hanami, in the country of Tipon that lies far to the east overseas. It was a simple town with only a couple thousand humans in the population, smaller than what the major cities in the Demon-Kin''s Territory can hold, but bigger than the numerous towns and villages where specific demon races resided. The humans in Hanami were in peace, living their day-to-day lives either farming for food and materials, fishing at the nearest coast, or crafting tools and furniture. This would go from dawn to dusk, then the townspeople would end the day by sharing the fruits of their labor with their friends and loved ones before doing it all again the next day. It was a simple, honest lifestyle where everyone could live in harmony, and it wasn''t until one day that the townspeople wished that peace would still continue up to the end of their lives.

    On that day, a small faction representing an organized group called the Shirogechi Clan {AN: °×</a>ÏÂÖª</a>»á</a>} came to Hanami and made a complete takeover of the land. With their numbers, weapons, wealth, and fighting experience, they took everything the townspeople worked so hard for and made it their own property. Any of the townspeople who opposed them when they arrived were beaten to near death, and once the rest saw how hopeless it was to resist, they submitted themselves to fate. They were pushed to work without rest. The majority of the town''s harvests and crafts were greedily taken by the Shirogechi Clan, and the workers were left with too little necessities for payment. To everyone in the town, it seemed all hope to get their peaceful lives back while staying alive was lost, all except for one.

    Amongst the townspeople during the attack was a ronin. He was a charming man with old, worn out clothes and a smile as bright as the sun, but he tended to get carried away when it came to alcohol. With this reputation, he was known as the Drunken Wanderer. The only things he had on his person was a wallet, a wooden gourd to hold his water and sake, and two blades at his hip, a katana and a tanto, both as sharp as his eyes when hardened in anger. His style of fighting was different from what one would know of swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. Unorthodox would best describe how he fought¡ªespecially after a few drinks¡ªbut he still managed to beat many opponents up to the Shirogechi Clan''s takeover.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The Drunken Wanderer managed to fend off a couple of the Shirogechi Clan''s members, but then ran out of town when things escalated. He realized their power was too great to fight on his own. While he could move along to the next location and not look back, he couldn¡¯t run away so soon as he was beginning to like Hanami and its people. Not only that, but this clan of notorious humans could very well do it again in the next town he visited. What made the situation bleak was that the land''s lord had no intention of sending forces to step in and stop it. Hanami was left to fend for itself.

    That was when the Drunken Wanderer came up with an idea. "If a clan is going to take over a town, then I''ll just make one to take it back," he said.

    Thus, he did what he does best and wandered to nearby towns and cities, finding forces to fight the Shirogechi Clan. On this journey, he came across two capable men who he would make his first sworn brothers.

    One man was a lone ronin that was on the brink of despair after being disowned by his lord from another land. Due to his loss of honor, the ronin was banished from his household and left alone with little possessions on him. It wasn¡¯t until the Drunken Wanderer came and helped him one day that the ronin found a new purpose, especially after witnessing his savior¡¯s unique fighting style as he saved his life. When it was offered, the lone ronin swore his loyalty and sword to the Drunken Wanderer without hesitation. He even decided to adapt his savior¡¯s fighting style into his swordplay, creating a school of swordsmanship called the Ochitaken-Ryu {AN: Âä¤Á¤¿</a>„‡</a>Á÷</a>, ¡®Fallen Sword Style¡¯}. Some members in their future clan would implement this way of sword fighting in their battles. This ronin would later be known as the Bloody Wolf for being the Drunken Wanderer¡¯s loyal, yet violent right-hand man that mercilessly cuts down his opponents with his unethical sword style. It was said that this ronin was more unhindered to violence then compared to his time as a full-fledged samurai.

    The other man was a foreign assassin who escaped to Tipon after failing to kill his last target. He wasn''t fluent with Tipon''s language, but he managed to get by while not revealing his past. The assassin was targeted for his failure, however, and it was by bad luck that they found him while he crossed paths with the wanderer and the wolf one day. That bad luck was turned against his pursuers, though, as they got killed by the three of them at the end of it. He decided to join the wanderer''s clan as a way of thanks, his contributions allowed some future members to use efficient killing techniques. This assassin who played the advisor for the wanderer, as well as not failing to kill his future targets would later be known as the Fox of Shadows.

    With two very capable men working with him, taking a shine to them, the Drunken Wanderer decided to hold the ritual of sharing sake with his single cup, making the wolf and the fox his first sworn brothers. There were others who joined later as subsidiaries and led their own chains of command known as ''families'', but this was when the wanderer became the founder of the Kurokichi Clan {AN: ü\</a>¼ª</a>×å</a>.}.

    Their reputation spread as they traveled and more capable allies joined to directly serve under the founder. They even established a base of operations, but they were still small and wouldn''t last long against the Shirogechi Clan''s number and power. The founder was having difficulty figuring out how to go against the rival clan with their small group and minimal resources, wanting to sacrifice as little as possible for succession. One day, he decided to take a walk along an ocean coast to be alone with his thoughts. He was at a loss for what to do until he stumbled upon a woman one day, stranded ashore and on the verge of death.

    The founder quickly brought the stranded woman back to his base and she miraculously survived. The woman who was clearly a foreigner took time afterward to recover at his base. Thankfully, the fox knew some of her language and tried to translate for her the best he could. The members of the Kurokichi Clan found that the woman was a witch who had escaped from the witch hunts of her homeland by boat. When she was caught, though, she jumped overboard to escape before the waves swallowed her, making her unconscious.

    The founder and his clan were no strangers to being outcasts, so disregarding her past, though questionable it may have been, they decided to let her stay with them. In exchange for that kindness, the witch decided to lend them her magic, giving them an ace in the hole against the Shirogeki Clan. To demonstrate her powers, she made the necessary preparations to call for someone to help them.

    This was when the humans of Tipon were first introduced to the Demon-Kin as the witch''s magic called forth a Devil. It was a female that held great power, and though the members of the Kurokichi Clan were unfamiliar with magic, they could just tell that this Devil wasn''t one to be messed with. Whatever doubts they had of the witch''s powers then were quickly extinguished.

    When the Devil asked what the clan desired, the founder stepped forth to represent them. Despite the two of them speaking completely different languages, the magic that brought the Devil allowed them to communicate with uncanny naturality.

    The founder voiced his wish for him and his clan to have power. Power that would topple many foes despite the odds against them. Power that no other human can replicate, no matter how advanced the current weaponry may be. Power that can be passed down to future generations, so that even when the founder and his current subordinates leave this world, they can entrust the future of their clan and its goals to their descendants.

    To give such a power is not outside of the Devil''s realm, but she warned him that such a thing couldn''t be given without something in return. For such a thing to extend to the clan''s future generations, not even the Devil knew what would be taken from them to complete the exchange.

    Everyone in the Kurokichi Clan heard and understood the risks, and after talking things over, the founder voiced the agreement to the Devil''s terms. Whatever it was that they needed to give, they all felt it was a small price to pay for their home''s, their very country''s, future.

    After hearing their approval, the Devil magically conjured a contract with all the terms and conditions already included. She then had the founder sign the contract, mark it with a bloody thumbprint seal, and finalize the agreement by bedding her. The founder and the Devil spent the rest of the evening in fornication at the Kurokichi Clan''s base, with the former required to please the latter with as many rounds as he could provide. It was said that the more effort and time put into pleasing the Devil would affect the strength of the magic behind the contract once the finalization was completed.

    The noise from their joining of bodies kept going throughout the night until it all went quiet. The rest of the Kurokichi Clan, who were standing by waiting for the contract to be completed, suddenly blacked out once their founder did the same.

    The next morning, the Devil was gone, but everyone who had woken up felt completely different from last night. The clan''s founder was especially different, as the first notable change the subordinates found of him was his sharp eyes. The whites on them turned pitch black, and the dark brown color of the irises turned into a vibrant red. The subordinates found that while the whites didn''t change, their irises turned into the same color as their leader''s.

    Thus, the first line of powerful humans with the blood of a Devil inside them, known as the D-Humans, was born. The legacy of the Kurokichi Clan''s founder, who would be known far and wide as the Demon of Calamity, started here.

 Chapter 148: The Underdogâ€™s Ancestry

    {Jinma}

    "And so, with these new powers as D-Humans, the Kurokichi Clan took on the Shirogechi Clan in Hanami, floored them with an overwhelming victory, and won back the village''s freedom," Sue said, really getting into her current role as a storyteller, "The Kurokichi Clan made Hanami their territory and regulated labor and exchange back to what it was initially. There were some small adjustments to the arrangement that the villagers made to pay the clan as thanks as well as continuing their service for protection. Some of the youths in the village joined the clan, too, assigned to some of the subsidiaries to start building the families that would branch out to neighboring towns and provide their protection against their rival clan. The two clans would continue to butt heads, but the Kurokichi Clan came out on top everytime, especially with the ''Demon of Calamity'' leading the charge. Down the line, their numbers grew not just with those joining the clan, but with the original subsidiaries making ''families'' of their own, including the demon, quickly finding out that their powers as D-Humans can be passed down to their children. Thanks to the Devil they summoned, the clan''s wishes as stated in the contract were granted, and they all, as they say, lived happily ever after."

    When Sue finished her story, Ren and I were sitting on the couch in shock, having no idea how to respond. Ume, on the other hand, was thinking seriously with a claw to her chin.

    "I get it, so you''re suggesting Jin is perhaps a descendant to the founder, the Demon of Calamity, and that''s why he''s a D-Human that possesses the [Devil Eyes] skill," Ume summarized.

    Sue nodded firmly, "That''s right!"

    "But from what I remember, Jin had white irises when his [Devil Eyes] activated. Shouldn''t he share the same color as his ancestor''s being red?" Ume asked, "Moreover, what about the subsidiaries that seem to have incomplete [Devil Eyes]? What phenomenon is that?"

    "Well, despite Jinma not being a Devil, having different colored [Devil Eyes] is no surprise," Sue said, "A Devil''s eyes will change color when activated, and just like how they differ in personality, the colors of their [Devil Eyes] differ, as well. The chances of an offspring having the same [Devil Eyes] color as one of their parents are actually very low. The only exception is if one¡¯s [Devil Eyes] turn white upon activating, which means the user doesn¡¯t have full control over the skill, but the other way around. The user would fall into what¡¯s called the Mad State, quickly going into a mindless, violent rampage and indiscriminately attacking anyone in their sight. A Devil needs to control the [Devil Eyes] enough to where they have an eye color that¡¯s anything but white, indicating they¡¯ve completely mastered it and acquired a color that best represents them. From what I heard of Jinma¡¯s exploits in Dondegarm during the raid, to even communicate while his eyes are white, much less distinguish friend from foe, is a total first for me. It was a miracle that everything played out the way it did at the end of the raid.¡±

    An unsettling shiver ran down my spine as I looked down on my hand, opening and closing it, I ¡­ should have lost total control over myself? Then how was I able to do all that, then?

    Thinking back on that night, I felt very different, like my mind was thriving with confidence, excitement, and a lust for bloody action, and my body was almost moving according to those thoughts. It sounded like I had fallen in the Mad State like Sue described, but I was still somewhat aware of what I was doing at the time. I don¡¯t know how I was able to get through that night without harming innocents, but this information gave me all the more reason to watch myself from falling into it again, at least until I know how to fully control my [Devil Eyes].

    "As for those who possess the ''incomplete'' [Devil Eyes], they have what''s called the [Demon Zone] skill, or [D-Zone] for short,¡± Sue continued, ¡°It works similarly to the [Devil Eyes], except it doesn''t hold the same degree of power, physical, magical, or otherwise, and they don¡¯t exactly fall into a Mad State, either. There are different colors, but those in the Kurokichi Clan share the same iris color as their founder due to the effects of the contract," Sue explained while shrugging, "That color won''t change as they produce offspring, no matter how many generations have passed. You could say it marks them on which clan their family''s bloodline came from. As you might expect, only D-Humans can possess that skill, and they don''t even need to be with another D-Human to produce one, too.

    ¡°The same can be said for direct descendants of the founder to possess [Devil Eyes], but not all of them are able to inherit them, though. It was said the chances of someone carrying the [Devil Eyes] increase if they were born from two D-Humans, more so if they both possess the skill themselves. So, as you might expect, the founder slept with many human females and had lots of children in the process, all in the hopes of finding a successor to lead his clan while carrying the [Devil Eyes] skill," Sue concluded.

    "I see, and the magic that Devil used to make the contract ¡­ that''s exclusive to the Devil race, yes?" Ume asked.

    "That''s correct," Sue answered while nodding, "Part of what makes the Devil race so powerful is their latent connection to the Immortals, and that power is realized through their contracts. There are different kinds of contracts, with some lasting a short time and others that last their entire lives. Once a ''client'' agrees to the terms in the contract, the Devil will receive the power and instructions necessary from the Immortals to follow through to their end of the deal. That night-long fornication as told in the story was one such example of her merely following instructions from the Immortals."

    I¡¯ve read in some christian mythology that it was best to never make a deal with the Devil. I think it was not only a sin to do so, but the prices the contracted must pay from their end of the deal are quite heavy, usually having their very souls taken as payment. I imagine the power the Devils in those myths need to fulfill those deals didn''t come from nothing. Maybe that power was borrowed from the ruler of Hell or something? If the process is similar to what Sue¡¯s explaining, then those myths I¡¯ve read may not have been as fictional as I thought they were.

    "But to fulfill a contract that would last generations, wouldn''t that leave the Devil in the story ¡­" Ren trailed off, fearing what she''d say next would be true.

    Sue shrugged again, "The act of sex is when two beings join together and become one, metaphorically speaking. It sounds like the effects of that contract took that metaphor quite literally. I''m unsure whether to say she''s alive or dead, but it''s possible she lives on inside Jinma and his relatives to this day."

    I had lowered my head partway through their conversation to stare at the ground, being totally silent. I could only imagine what my face looked like right now from how tight and stiff I was feeling on it. There were a lot of things running through my mind, enough that I tuned out the majority of my surroundings.

    "Um ¡­ Jinma? Are you doing okay there?" Sue asked apprehensively.

    Startled at the call, I slowly looked up to the fake Arch Imp, my face still tense from before, "Sue ¡­ what about the deal? What exactly was it that this clan had to give up in exchange for that kind of power?"

    Sue, who seemed to be in a good mood as she told her story moments ago, deflated after hearing my question. I had a feeling I didn¡¯t like what she was about to tell me, but the words I expected her to say, ¡°That¡¯s classified,¡± never came.

    "... I wish I knew the answer to that question, I really do," she said before hanging her head, "This is one of the biggest mysteries that had bothered me for years since I heard that story, but it seemed so cool at the time that I didn''t think about it too much. I wouldn¡¯t have thought such info would be so important right now."

    Huh, my [Intuition] didn¡¯t kick in here. If Sue¡¯s not pulling any tricks on me, then she, of all people, actually did not know the answer to something for once. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a good or bad thing here.

    ¡°So, you really have no idea what the Kurokichi Clan had to give up in exchange for that power?¡± I asked her again for confirmation.

    Sue looked back up and shook her head solemnly, ¡°What I¡¯ve told you up to now sums up what I know about D-Humans, the [D-Zone] skill that most of them learned, and you possessing the [Devil Eyes] skill.¡±

    ¡°And there are other D-Humans out there? Including ones not linked to the Kurokichi Clan?¡± I asked.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°If there are other people who made a similar contract to a Devil like the founder of the clan did, it could be possible, and the color of their eyes while in the [D-Zone] would tell whether you¡¯re linked to them or not,¡± Sue answered, ¡°Since this happened hundreds of years ago, though, it¡¯s hard to say if many of them even know about this fact, especially if you weren¡¯t filled in on it until now.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­¡± I trailed off before exasperating a sigh, hunching over and rubbing my eyes in frustration.

    Seriously, what the fuck is going on here?

    ¡°... Is hearing this story really that big of a shocker to you, Jinma? Do you believe it to be true?¡± Sue asked in both concern and curiosity.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how true it really is, but what scares me is that ¡­ I think I might have heard this story once before,¡± I answered, of which I could feel Ume and Ren jolting their heads towards me with widened eyes. Sue also looked just as shocked.

    The Kurokichi Clan, the Shirogechi Clan, the Ochitaken-Ryu sword style, and the use of magic and witchcraft. There were subtle differences in Sue''s version like the country and town it took place in, but I''ve heard the terms in this story before. Partway through her story time, I had Nyra look into a part of my foggy childhood memories and clean it up a bit for confirmation. The result?

    <I even double-checked it, and it''s just as you said, Jinma, the two stories here are uncannily similar. Some of the terms in the story you heard back then are the same ones Sue used in hers,> Nyra reported.

    It was really unsettling hearing this news. I don¡¯t know how or why, but these stories possibly being one and the same would mean a few things. One, my ancestor somehow made a deal with this Devil. Two, there was another way for someone to traverse between worlds, different from how I died on Earth and Obina made me her Champion before sending me to Raiza. Did Obina and the other Immortals know something like that was possible? How did that witch know how to ¡®summon¡¯ a Devil to Earth in the first place?

    ¡°Who told you this story?¡± Sue asked me after I voiced my concerns.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how much I¡¯d reveal could come as too big of a shock to Ume and Ren, leading them to questioning my true identity as someone who came from another world after dying. Sue may know that much to figure out where this world¡¯s Champions come from, which would make this all the scarier, but I didn¡¯t want to take any chances. So, I decided to keep things somewhat vague.

    ¡°My great grandmother told me,¡± I answered as I got up from the couch and started pacing around inside the [Soundproof] spell¡¯s field, ¡°It was only that one time when my mom took me to her place when I was really young. Granny had told me a similar story while I was there, lifting my spirits when I was in a crappy mood at the time. It was how our ancestors fought against an enemy group that was threatening their hometown through unique battle tactics and magic. She even showed me these books that had stuff on learning magic and the forms for a school of swordsmanship that our ancestors supposedly used. In exchange for keeping what she showed me a secret from Mom, Granny gave me a few copies of each, and I gave one of the sword-focused books to a close friend of mine who was passionate about swordsmanship at the time. I didn''t think about that story until now because it seemed mostly fictional and I forgot most of the material."

    "That''s amazing," Ren said, "If those stories are the same, then Master could possibly have such a heroic ancestor after all."

    "Yeah ¡­ that would be the case, wouldn''t it?" I asked while looking down.

    "You don''t seem too thrilled about that, Jin. Something wrong?" Ume asked.

    ¡°It''s just ¡­ I always thought it was strange, how Granny was the only one out of everyone from Mom¡¯s side of the family to support her having me while I still wasn¡¯t born yet,¡± I said while stopping, still looking down with my hands dangling to my sides, ¡°How Mom wouldn¡¯t tell me more about who Granny was and what the other relatives from her side of the family were like. The only thing I know is that they cut Mom off from family ties when she decided to keep me and move to a new place, taking care of me all by herself ¡­ while that old bastard was living with no worries after abandoning her. What I wouldn¡¯t give to ...¡± My hands then closed into fists before they trembled in anger, ready to hit the first thing that approached me.

    I grabbed my arm and took a deep breath to calm down for a moment before continuing, ¡°Anyway, I just find it strange that I didn''t know my ancestry would be that great until now. Mom certainly didn''t want me to know about it, so there must be something in that story that she''s hiding from me. Maybe ¡­ she knew what it was that our ancestors had to give up to obtain that power as D-Humans. Something so damn incriminating that it put her family into a bad light and she didn''t want me getting hurt because of it. But that also begged the question, was she a D-Human, too? Is everyone on her side of the family D-Humans? Hell, what about that so-called dad of mine? Was he actually running away because of how dangerous Mom''s family really is? That ¡­ I might turn out to be dangerous? If he didn''t know up to then, then I actually wouldn''t blame him for running away."

    If I was in his shoes and realized my life was on the line, without all this power I have on me, I might have run away like he did, I thought to myself, worried that Ume and Ren might take that the wrong way.

    "I still hate the bastard for throwing all those feelings for Mom away like that, but I think I have a better understanding of why he left in the first place," I continued, "He had every right to be afraid of what kind of person I may become if my family''s history played that big of a role in my life, something that would make me stand out from others."

    I looked down to my hand that opened and closed, "I knew for a long time that I was different from other kids while growing up. I drastically went back and forth on how I wanted to live as I got older, but the fact that I was so different from everyone else and not knowing why had always stuck with me. Not being able to learn my own family¡¯s history didn¡¯t make things better, either, but I tried to press forward and continue living my life as I could.

    "Then I came to this kingdom, stumbled across the [Devil Eyes] skill for the first time in the raid at Dondegarm, and discovered my race as a D-Human at their local church. And now ¡­ I just found the first clue to the origins that gave me my life in the most unexpected of places," I said before taking that same hand to hold my forehead, "I don''t think I''ve ever been so lost, so afraid, of not knowing who or what I am before. I just ¡­ I just don¡¯t know what to think anymore.¡±

    ¡°Jin ¡­¡± Ume muttered while she and Ren got up and hugged me from both sides, "I understand your fears of the unknown, especially of those relating to your own identity, but I''ve seen firsthand what kind of person you are multiple times, and I love you because of them. There may be much more I don''t know about you yet, but I do know enough that I don''t ever want to leave your side, no matter what happens."

    "I''m the same," Ren added, "Even if I wasn''t indebted to you, Master, there''s no way I''d want to leave you or everyone else in the harem. You brought us all together, doesn''t that count for something to who you are?"

    Relieved to hear those words, I pulled them in closer to me, "Thank you. I don''t want to lose you all, either, and I want to be as much of myself around you guys as possible, no matter what I find out about my family''s origins."

    "If you need help taking on the truth, we''ll be with you every step of the way. Right, Ren?" Ume asked her.

    The Werewolf nodded, "Of course."

    ¡°So, what do you plan on doing now, or at least after Noire¡¯s quest is done?¡± Sue asked.

    The three of us turned to her. ¡°I guess I''ll have to go to the Demon King and confirm the story''s contents from her or another Devil," I answered, "Maybe they''ll know more about what the Kurokichi Clan gave up for that D-Human power. I also need to get a handle on my [Devil Eyes] skill. I can¡¯t deny that it¡¯s useful in a pinch, but I¡¯m afraid of losing control and hurting innocent people because of it. Do you think the Demon King may find someone who could teach me how to use it if I asked her, Sue?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Sue answered without hesitation, hopping out of her seat and resting a hand to her chest, ¡°You¡¯ll get the help you need, the best help possible, you will learn to control the [Devil Eyes] skill, and ¡­ you will learn whatever you need to know about your family''s ancestry. I will do everything in my power to make it all so.¡±

    I nodded in understanding, "That would be appreciated. Thanks, Sue."

    "Anything for you, Jinma," Sue said before giving a big, bright smile, though I couldn''t help but feel it was a little forced.

    There was also how Sue hesitated on me finding answers to my ancestry, and Nyra confirmed that notion with me.

    <Sue seemed quite conflicted on releasing that information, and there''s some anxiety behind it, too,> the Pixie in my mind said.

    Maybe there was a reason for why Sue was chosen to take me to the Demon King, and it wasn''t out of duty to her monarch. As I watched her throughout our questioning, especially her storytime, I felt like I learned a little bit of what her true character is like.

    It¡¯s been quite the hectic journey just getting here, but it seemed like I finally made my first step to finding the truth to everything. Sue''s true identity, the Blink Conspiracy, even Mom keeping our family history away from my grasp all those years while Granny showed my child self a piece of it so endearingly. Despite how totally different they all are, I may be connected to them, somehow. I could already imagine one of those large cork billboards hanging on the wall with various pictures and documents pinned to it, all wildly entangled by red string branching between them like someone may see in those detective/mystery shows.

    I never thought I¡¯d ever find something related to my family¡¯s origins in this world, which gives me all the more reason to confront her as soon as possible.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s all the questions for me right now, yes?¡± Sue then asked, ¡°Are there other personal businesses that you need to get to?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°I need to speak with Goddess Obina, but she suggested I try to do it in a church the next time I wish to do so.¡±

    ¡°Ah, using the Immortals¡¯ Monument in the church, right? I can lead us to Palocaesy¡¯s after getting back to the square with your [Portal],¡± Sue suggested.

    I shook my head, ¡°We¡¯ll definitely be using [Portal], but we won¡¯t be going to the church in this city.¡±

    The fake Arch Imp blinked in confusion before she figured it out, ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t mean ¡­¡±

    I nodded in confirmation and turned to everyone in the group, ¡°Who¡¯s up for a quick trip back to Dondegarm? I know a trustworthy Priestess who can help us there.¡±

 Chapter 149: Champions, Bishops, and Monuments

    After we took down the [Soundproof] and [Air Barrier] spells surrounding us, I cast [Portal] to take us inside the lobby of Dondegarm''s church. The hole opened at the corner of the area so we wouldn''t stand out and we made sure to be quiet as we got inside. The place was silent, but not unsettling. It looked like no one else was here at the moment.

    "The distance to get here is even longer than how we got to Palocaesy after reaching partway by carriage," Ren stated before crossing her arms and nodding to herself, "A feat that would take lots of mana to pull off, yet Master did it without a hint of exhaustion. As expected of Master''s greatness."

    "He is my husband, after all," Ume said while crossing arms beneath her voluptuous chest with pride. For some reason, Sue copied the same gesture, but I''m not sure what it is that she was proud of.

    "Ah! M-Master Jinma! You are back?!"

    Hearing that familiar voice, we turned to the source. A lavender-skinned female with pointy ears, Winny the Arch Imp Priestess, approached us. Though her holy white, baggy robes covered her short form, there were enough distinguishable curves underneath to show she possessed a voluptuous chest and hips. Compared to Sue who has a similar height, though, this one''s proportions are smaller, but it held a sort of beauty that matched with her humble nature.

    I raised a hand in greeting, "Yo. Sorry for dropping in so suddenly."

    Winny shook her hands in front of her in a fluster, "N-Not at all! You are more than welcome to come to the church anytime, but are you not supposed to be in Palocaesy doing an important quest? Ah! Did it somehow not go well?!"

    I waved my hand dismissively, "No, no. We''re taking today to prepare to take on the quest for real tomorrow. It''s just that a lot of things came up over the past few days and I needed to speak with Obina for something, but she advised me to come to a church when I get a chance."

    Winny nodded in understanding, "I see, I see ¡­ but, there is a church in Palocaesy that is more convenient for you to go, is there not? The Bishop there will surely assist you in the same way I would."

    "That may be true, but ¡­ it''s because of what''s been going on that I''d be more comfortable seeking help from someone I know I could trust, and you''re the first person that came to mind," I reasoned.

    The holy Arch Imp joined her hands together in prayer and bowed her head, "I am honored and humbled to be someone worthy of your trust, Master Jinma, especially when you have gone through such lengths to come here. I will do my utmost to meet your expectations."

    I bowed my head to her in respect, "We''ll be in your care, Winny, thank you."

    <Just so you know, Winny''s bouncing off the walls in joy from your visit. This may be a good chance to get closer to that holy booty,> Nyra informed me.

    <Now''s not the time for that, Nyra,> I rebutted.

    "So, Goddess Obina advised you to speak with her in a church, yes?" Winny asked, "Then, we must use the monument to make this communication efficient."

    I nodded in understanding, "I figured as much. Will I just be standing in front of the monument and praying to it like what happened in my Innate Status appraisal?"

    Winny shook her head, "Not quite. This will require us to move to a different part of the monument that''s not open to the public. Will Mistress Umeiyon, Ren, and Sue be joining you?"

    I blinked in surprise, "Is that really alright?"

    "Of course. If they are truly recognized as a Champion''s companion, then they have as much privilege to speak with an Immortal as the Champion does," Winny explained, "If they are not recognized, they will just not be able to speak with them, but they are still welcome to come with the Champion to the room and observe. This is only possible when the Champion is present and the companion knows them as one."

    Being recognized as a Champion''s companion ¡­ could she mean my Affinity Level with them? I guess that would make sense as there would be mutual trust and respect between them, and I could see clearly whether or not we established a connection. So, not just Ume and Ren, but Erizora, Kalline, Tyvera, and even Noire could come speak to Obina with me if they wanted. My familiars might be some exception to the rule, though, since they''re bound to me by a pact and are also connected to the Immortals in some way.

    Sue won''t be able to speak with Obina¡ªwhich may be better for me for what I need to talk about¡ªbut I''d rather not leave her alone. If Winny said it''s okay to bring her regardless of not being a companion, then this will be a good compromise.

    I told Winny that I''d wish to bring the girls with me before she started to lead us to the back of the church, taking the door opposite of one that led to the area where I summoned my Familiars. The door we took led to a hallway that made the church bigger than it looked from the outside. We then went to a room a couple more doors down that looked to be an office that had a desk, a couple chairs, a large bookshelf, and a wooden file cabinet. Winny then strangely locked the office door from the inside, went to the bookshelf, moved some books aside, and reached to the back where she looked to have pulled a lever. The bookshelf then slowly slid to the side, revealing a secret passageway.

    Damn, security here''s tighter than I expected for a church.

    Winny then used the [Create Light] spell to light up the dark passageway and led us inside, the hallway slowly curled around and descended, taking us somewhere below the church. Along the way, I heard Ume and Ren muttering to themselves.

    "This will be the second time I spoke with Goddess Obina, but I still feel rather uneasy for some reason," Ume said.

    "Speaking with a real Immortal. Oh, dear, isn''t this too big of a privilege for a slave like me?" Ren asked with a slight shake in her voice.

    Sue was silent throughout the walk, but she looked to be uneasy for a reason different from the other two.

    The tense atmosphere is understandable, though. If it''s to speak to a god, of course this level of security is necessary. I¡¯m just not as nervous speaking with Obina as I learned what she was and some of her mannerisms during our first meeting. The couple exchanges we had through my Champion¡¯s Bracelet after that were more like the eccentric phone calls I had with my aunts from time to time. To even assist a Champion to communicate with an Immortal that¡¯s different from the Champion¡¯s Bracelet, all Bishops like Winny must have worked hard to earn the trust of the church to get this title and its privileges.

    "Are all churches designed like this?" I asked Winny as we traversed in the dark.

    "There may be a few similarities, but not all of them have the same security measures," Winny explained, "It is to reduce chances of intruders succeeding to infiltrate a church, should they think all of them work the same way. A few of the higher-end churches even have traps that only a Bishop could deactivate, but most have enchanted locks that people with a Thief class won''t be able to open so easily with their [Lockpicking] skill."

    I nodded in understanding, then remembered, "That''s right, you have that skill, too, right, Ren?"

    "Yes, Master, and as I have explained to Lady Krauss earlier, I have other skills as a Thief that will be most beneficial in dungeon raids. You can count on me for disarming any traps and finding secret rooms that hold treasures," Ren said while thumping a fist to her modest chest. Her tail wagged erratically in excitement. Ume giggled at the Werewolf''s cute display of pride.

    <Looks like Ren and Ume are feeling more relaxed now than when they came in. Nice work, Jinma,> Nyra praised.

    <It was a happy accident.>

    Finally, after another couple meters of walking, we reached the end of the secret passage. Winny''s light showed an old, but thick wooden door armed with a dozen metal locks arranged in a 3 x 4 pattern, suggesting multiple keys are required to unlock them all.

    "... My Thief senses are tingling so much seeing all these locks, it''s hard to resist attempting to pick them open," Ren said, quivering in place.

    ¡°I ask that you please refrain yourself from doing so, Ren,¡± Winny said, ¡°These locks are designed to close by themselves if they are not opened in a certain way. If it is not done in a certain amount of time, a very loud alarm will go off grabbing the attention of all Bishops in the area, thinking someone is trying to break into this room. It will be a real mess trying to calm things down, I assure you.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­¡± Ren said before deflating, her wolf ears folded back while her tail limped down.

    Hoping to make her feel better, I put my [Petting] skill to work on her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ren. I¡¯m sure there will be opportunities to pick locks open when we dive into the dungeon tomorrow. You can show me how cool you are as a Thief by then, alright?¡±

    Though it didn¡¯t show on her face, Ren¡¯s wolf ears perked back up slightly while her tail wagged calmly, ¡°Yes, Master. I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    ¡°Good girl,¡± I said before giving her a brief kiss on the lips.

    Still, an alarm system in a church of a fantasy world, huh? Even if the system is magical, it¡¯s surprisingly more modern than I expected a place like this to be.

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    Once that was settled, Winny tugged the collar of her robe back, reached down inside, and pulled out a small, square stone piece with a symbol engraved in the center, ¡°This is a key all Bishops carry to bypass the locks and traps in place to keep the room we are going into secure. They only work for those under the church they were assigned to serve in.¡±

    ¡°I see, that makes sense,¡± I said.

    <You say that, but I bet you¡¯re wondering what else that sexy bitch-op is hiding under that robe, are you?> Nyra teased.

    <... Shut up, Nyra.>

    Winny then held up the stone piece near one of the locks before the former glowed. One by one, the locks were undone in a seemingly random order until all twelve of them were open. The Arch Imp Priestess opened the unlocked door and led us into a room that she called the Champion¡¯s Confessional. It was a very simple, yet imposing cubic room that was about 10 meters on all sides. Taking up about half of the room was a grand, gray stone slab like the monument in the sanctuary, only much bigger and taller that had a large gemstone embedded above us at the very center, with a sculpted mural of people that seem to be praying to that embedded gemstone. It looked embedded into the ground and stretched to the very top of the ceiling.

    Looking at the structure and thinking about the design of the church as a whole, I came to a realization, ¡°The Immortals¡¯ Monument we saw in the sanctuary ¡­ was only the tip, while this is the base of it. The whole church was built around this thing.¡±

    If I had to make an approximate guess on the height of this pillar, it may reach up to the second floor of Tokyo Tower back home.

    ¡°You are indeed correct, Master Jinma,¡± Winny confirmed, ¡°As you know, visitors may use the monument¡¯s tip to have their Innate Status evaluated, get a chance to receive a class and, if the Immortals deem them qualified, have said class be promoted. Since before history was made, however, the monuments serve as the Immortals¡¯ means of protection in an affected area for this world¡¯s residents, prolonging their lives during dark, violent times when monsters were the main threat of our existence.

    ¡°When there were moments too bleak for even the monuments to help protect the people, esteemed, gifted individuals were sent by the Immortals to help those in dire need,¡± Winny then said before looking to me with a graceful smile, ¡°Those special individuals are what we know as Champions today, and with their connections to the Immortals, only they could communicate with them to seek guidance. For the people most faithful to the Immortals, they wish to help support the Champions with all their power, as well as protect their fellow kin. That is when they decided to build the churches you see today. They were designed around the monuments to serve as a place to offer prayer to the Immortals, protect the very things that keep our towns under safe security, as well as to provide whatever means of support it can give to Champions.

    ¡°The Immortals recognized the faithfuls¡¯ efforts and their intentions, so they decided to use their ethereal powers to designate them into a special role. This role is what not only acknowledges the duties they put upon themselves, but it also provides them limited means of communication with the Immortals, should a Champion not be present during times of crisis. That is how Bishops like myself came to be, and through agreements between them, the Champions, and the Immortals, we have the Champion Confessionals made and arranged our meetings with each other to be set up as you see today. It is only when Champions with their trusted companions and us Bishops can approach monuments like this, close to these crystals that hold all their ethereal powers, that we may be able to use them to their full potential and communicate with the Immortals.¡± Winny then placed a hand to her bosom and bowed, finishing her history lesson of these monuments, Champions, and Bishops.

    <Ah, I see, so for these pillars anyone can get something good when they please the ¡®head,¡¯ but only Champions and Bishops can deepthroat it aaaall the way down to the base to get the really good stuff,> Nyra summarized crudely.

    I had to resist rolling my eyes at that comment so Winny wouldn¡¯t misunderstand me. Still, after hearing this story, I glanced over to Winny who was in deep thought, which made me remember our current relationship that brought up a question in me.

    ¡°Champions, their companions, and Bishops ¡­ they seem separate from each other, so is it impossible for Bishops to be companions with Champions?¡± I asked Winny.

    The Arch Imp Priestess blinked at me as she processed my question before widening her eyes in realization, ¡°Are you asking ¡­ if I, a Bishop, could be your companion?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure how they define a ¡®companion¡¯ here, but I like you and you seem very trustworthy, so I¡¯d like us to get along well for the times to come.¡±

    Honestly, it¡¯s a surprise that I didn¡¯t get an Affinity Level with Winny yet. I mean, I wasn¡¯t thinking of having romantic relations with her initially, but I thought a strong enough bond in a platonic sense would work just as well.

    After taking a moment to process my statement, Winny smiled softly and took one of my hands into both of hers, ¡°Master Jinma ¡­ I am happy that you think of me that way, and it would be a great honor to join your party and go on an adventure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sensing a ¡®but¡¯ here ¡­¡± I trailed off.

    ¡°According to the scriptures, from my understanding, the Immortals generally define a Champion¡¯s companion as one who shares mutual feelings of respect, trust, cherishment, and promise with said Champion, growing stronger as they travel together, wishing to not be apart from each other¡¯s lives,¡± she explained, ¡°There is more to it, but that is the general definition. For me, my main purpose as a Bishop is to support Champions while doing my utmost to protect the monument that blesses this town, in Dondegarm. While there are other Bishops who can help look after it, and there are times I may have to travel to neighboring towns for important matters, my place will always be here and I cannot be absent for extended periods.¡±

    Now that I think about it, she said the same thing when I asked if she wanted to join my party after I took out those White Rapture spies.

    ¡°Is being a Bishop a life-long commitment? You can¡¯t travel to other places while holding that title?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The Immortals may make an exception under special circumstances, but that comes very rarely. For the most part, yes, becoming a Bishop in the church where they were granted the title is where they must stay and serve for the rest of their days. While they do support the Champions, they do not qualify to be their companions if they cannot join them on their journey,¡± Winny answered.

    <Oof, that is rough,> Nyra commented, and I couldn¡¯t have said it any better.

    ¡°I knew the costs it took for taking this title, but this is the decision I have made for myself, and I have not regretted it,¡± Winny continued as she looked up to the ceiling, ¡°Up there is the town where my brother and I were born, after all, and though we lost our parents at an early age, the orphanage that adjoins this church raised us well. The other orphans, the Clerics and Priests in training, and especially the Bishops, became an important family to us. Not only that, but Dondegarm is a friendly, wonderful town, it was a blessing for my brother and I to be born and raised here.

    ¡°I have looked up to Bishops for as long as I could remember, so when I discovered I had a talent in [Holy Magic], I wanted to do everything I could to help the people in Dondegarm just like they did. My brother felt the same way, so when we got old enough after much studying and training, we registered as adventurers, took on many quests to get stronger while providing what we could to the church. We decided to protect this town to the best of our abilities, giving our lives to the people we love. I really appreciate the sentiment of having me as your companion, Master Jinma, and I apologize I cannot do even that much for you,¡± Winny finished before smiling sadly.

    While the Arch Imp Priestess spoke of their livelihood, I was reminded of how I got along with my aunts, the ones who did so much for Mom and I, despite not being related by blood. It was regrettable that I left so soon without properly giving my gratitude to them, but I definitely want to make them proud of me, not letting their efforts to shape me into the man I am today be put to waste.

    After thinking back on it, I smirked a little, taking my other unoccupied hand and putting it over hers, ¡°Nah, I totally get it, and I respect that commitment. You may not be my companion, but I still want you in my life as a close friend, if that¡¯s okay with your position as a Bishop.¡±

    With that, Winny¡¯s smile brightened, ¡°Of course, it would be okay! As a matter of fact, there are records of Champions and Bishops being very close with each other in the past, whether it is working together to protect a town as adventurers, serving the community as friends, even living together as intimate lovers.¡±

    I blinked in surprise, ¡°Really? Lovers?¡±

    After realizing she mentioned that, Winny¡¯s face flushed red and got self-conscious as she shifted in place, her bat-like, dark violet wings and matching spade-tipped tail moved about frantically, ¡°W-Well, that is, um ¡­ it is sort of to be expected if we Bishops are required to keep our bodies clean and maintained for a Champion¡¯s ¡­ convenience, should they ask for some relief, b-but we are not forced to do it if we do not want to, of course! There are unfortunately humans who try to pose as Champions and try to take advantage of churches for selfish means, so we keep this thing secret until we know this Champion can be trusted, and, well, you gave such a generous donation to the church along with the rest of Dondegarm after saving it, twice, even, so ¡­ you are the first Champion I have met, and I am not experienced, but if you are okay with me, I could ¡­ help you relax, some time.¡± At the end, her voice shook as she looked down shyly, her head totally red from ear-to-ear.

    ¡°Ho-ho!¡± Ume exclaimed, ¡°Such a special treatment from a Holy Bishop, and I can sense your magic is quite impressive for an Arch Imp, too! It is a shame you cannot join our party, but as Jin¡¯s wife, you have my approval to be his lover!¡± My Dragon Wife gave a thumbs up to further signify her approval.

    <I hope you¡¯re not thinking of turning her down for some dumb reason! She¡¯s giving you the okay, dude! You gotta thank the Immortals for this privilege and go full-on missionary all the way across the sky!> Nyra exclaimed.

    Not gonna lie, I have been wanting a piece of that for a while, but I don¡¯t exactly have the time right now to have that sort of relaxation. Still, Winny saying it was okay meant that she really trusts me, and I couldn¡¯t be happier to hear that.

    ¡°I would love to take your offer on that, Winny, but we¡¯ll have to put that aside for later. For now, I¡¯d like for us to start communicating with Obina,¡± I reminded her.

    <Aaaaaaaaugh! You¡¯re unbelievable!> Nyra screamed in frustration, <I mean, yeah, speaking with Goddess Obina is still great and all, but she¡¯s right fucking there!>

    <Another time, Nyra,> I answered her.

    Remembering our objective, Winny frantically shook off her nerves and tried to regain her composure. There was a hint of disappointment in her, though, at least according to Nyra¡¯s [Psyche Magic]. I made a mental note to give this faithful Priestess a good time after I was done with the quest.

    Once the Arch Imp Bishop calmed down, she instructed us to line up left-to-right in front of the monument before we kneel in prayer with heads bowed down. Ren and Ume placed their paws and claws on my back while Sue did the same with the latter¡¯s. This was supposed to signify they were with me as my companions. Since Sue¡¯s technically not one, yet Winny said it was okay for non-companions to join in, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems with whatever¡¯s going to happen to us while speaking with Obina.

    After we closed our eyes and calmed our thoughts as Winny instructed, she placed her hand on my head and I felt a warmth coursing from head to toe, just like the first time I knelt to the monument to have my Innate Status evaluated.

    ¡°O, great Immortals from the realm of above and beyond, I call to you for your assistance,¡± Winny said, ¡°Your Champion, Jinma Kotori, and his companions are opening their hearts to you, seeking your guidance.¡±

    <H-Hey, Jinma?> Nyra asked.

    <What is it?>

    <Something¡¯s ¡­ weird. This is similar to when your Innate Status was read, right?>

    <I ¡­ think so? Why?>

    <I ¡­ don¡¯t ¡­ feel so good, why ¡­?> Nyra muttered shakily before falling silent, like she fainted from a terrible sickness.

    <Huh?! Nyra?! Are you alright?! Answer me, Nyra!>

    ¡°O, great Immortals, I beseech you as I, Winny, stand with these brave people, grant them your permission and let them have an audience with you!> Winny beckoned to the monument.

    I wanted to stop everything and tend to Nyra¡¯s sudden condition, but for some reason, I couldn¡¯t move after Winny finished her prayer. I couldn¡¯t utter a word or even open my eyes. A hum rising in pitch reverberated inside the confession, my ears could only hear white-noise.

    The next thing I knew, my blackened vision turned totally white, and I had lost all my sense of self.

 Chapter 150: A Special Appearance

    For a moment, I felt lightheaded, but not in a sort of way one would get from exhaustion. It was more like my head turned fuzzy before it floated away from my body briefly and came back to it, if that makes sense. As the white light dimmed through my closed eyes, my senses I thought I had lost slowly came back to me while being a little more sensitive to the strange new changes. The air around me wasn''t the slightly damp, stagnant air of the church''s secret cavern, but the cool, refreshing one of an air conditioned room. The cold, hard, dirty ground now had a carpet with a soft, velvet-smooth texture. Instead of the silence, a soothing jazz track rang in my ears.

    In short, it was like I was suddenly transported from the church''s secret cavern to somebody''s luxurious bedroom, and when I slowly opened my eyes, that assumption turned out to be correct, but I only had a moment to confirm it.

    "Jinmaaaa! You finally came!" A sudden feminine voice whose mature, silk-like tone was impossible to not recognize.

    Just as I was trying to take in my surroundings, I was suddenly pulled up from my kneeling position and into an incredibly soft, springy pair of large cushions. The sensation that enveloped my face and head, ''divine'' couldn''t even describe it well enough. Moreover, I was suffocating under such softness while an unbelievable scent of perfume filled my nostrils. I wasn''t sure whether I was on my way to heaven or that I was already there, but taking into account that voice and the hints of the exotic dancer outfit I was familiar with, I might be leaning more towards the latter.

    "... Obina?" I muttered with muffled breath.

    "That''s riiiiight!" she exclaimed with a melodic tone before gently setting me down and striking a pose fitting for a model, "The one and only voluptuous and exotic Immortal who oozes ecstasy, the Goddess of Lust, Obina, is heeeeere! Welcome, Champion Jinma Kotori and companions to my humble ¡­ oh? Do we have an unexpected guest?"

    The Goddess of Lust, who was all gung ho in her greeting moments ago, stopped midway as she noticed someone that, from the sound of her tone, shouldn''t be here. My thoughts rushed to the worst conclusion.

    Did Sue somehow manage to come with us?! Wait, more importantly, wasn''t Nyra not feeling well moments ago?!

    <Nyra! Are you there?! Say something! NYRA!> I yelled in a panic through [Telepathy].

    "Uuugh. Not so looooud," an unfamiliar, slightly husky voice groaned.

    "... Who said that?" I asked.

    "Uh, Jinma, you might want to turn around," Obina said, "Umeiyon, Ren, you should see this, too."

    Obina then spun me around by the shoulders and, with Ume and Ren just raising their heads and turning in the same direction, we all had shocked expressions on our faces.

    Instead of Sue, who I feared came here with us moments ago, there was a dark-skinned, slender woman with long, light-pink hair lying face down on the velvet carpet. She was wearing a dark violet tunic and skirt, both of which were old and worn out while being too small for her size, poorly covering her privates. Her most notable features, though, were the long, pointy ears and large almond-shaped, glass-like wings flopped over her form. She looked exhausted, maybe malnourished as there wasn''t a lot of meat on her. It seemed like she could break under the slightest touch for how frail she appeared.

    "... Pain. Hurts. Can''t move ¡­ starving," the dark-skinned woman groaned before the loudest growl I''ve ever heard rang throughout the room.

    GURURURURURU!

    WAS THAT HER STOMACH?!

    "Oh, dear, this doesn''t look good at all. Jinma, lay Nyra on my bed and let me see if I can get some¡ª," Obina said.

    "NYRA?!" Ume, Ren, and I interrupted Obina.

    "Dammit, didn''t I say to keep it down?" Nyra groaned, ¡°Jinma, please do as Goddess Obina says and put me on her bed. I can¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°Uh, right,¡± I said, still startled as I activated my [Levitate] Null Spell and carefully lifted Nyra off the floor. I then moved her to Obina¡¯s bed and gently set her down on her back. The Goddess, meanwhile, quickly rushed out of the room, probably to get some food to sate Nyra¡¯s hunger.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Jin?¡± Ume asked, ¡°Nyra¡¯s curse should still be keeping her in the tanto, right? Moreover, I¡¯m not sure if a ¡®Pixie¡¯ like her is supposed to be this big.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m as confused as ¡­ the tanto¡¯s gone?!¡± I exclaimed as I quickly patted myself, trying to find the weapon I usually carry.

    "Th-That''s not all ¡­ Lady Umeiyon, w-why do you have horns ¡­ and wings?" Ren asked shakily.

    "HUH," Ume and I responded in unison.

    I turned to her and, as Ren said, Ume has the horns and wings from her Dragon form appear on her. She looked over to a full-sized mirror and checked herself, feeling her horns and flapping her wings before her human-like skin had gone pale.

    "Jin ¡­ what''s happening? I ¡­ I didn''t mean to, like this ¡­" Ume muttered, having difficulty getting the words out.

    "This is the work of being in the Immortals'' Realm, after all," Obina then said as she came back to the room with a bowl of what looks like applesauce in her hands, "When you opened your hearts to the monument in prayer, it took a rendition of your souls suitable for this place and sent them here while they manifested into physical bodies. Umeiyon''s current form is the most suitable one to fit into this place, considering how Dragons are usually so huge in their true appearances.¡±

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    "Dragons?!" Ren exclaimed, "Y-You mean, Lady Umeiyon is ¡­"

    "Ren, please don''t be scared or harsh to Ume," I said, stepping between them, "I thought the people knowing Ume being a Dragon would make them panic, so I asked her to keep using her Lizardman form in public. I planned to have her reveal herself when we''ve grown close enough as a party. This was my idea, so whatever transgressions you may have at this unexpected revelation, direct them at me."

    I was hoping to ease the weight of Ume''s sudden burden by shouldering the blame. I didn''t know what else I could come up with since I was just as flustered about the sudden development as everyone else.

    "... No, Jin, don''t take all the responsibility on your own," Ume intervened, lowering my arm protecting her before turning to Ren, "I''ve been walking around as a Lizardmen even before I met Jin in hopes that I could find a suitable mate to help me save my kin that''s in danger of extinction. The reasons are complicated, but I intended to carry this mission out without getting a lot of people involved. Things progressed so fast and there wasn''t a good time to talk about it to you and the others, but still, keeping such a secret from you all, it may not be the right thing for me to do as the head wife of Jin¡¯s harem. If you''re angry about finding this out, I''ll take the brunt of the blow, just don''t be hard on Jin for following along with my wishes."

    Ren held her head with both hands, "I, I don''t know. Things are already crazy right now as they are, I don''t know how to process all this ..."

    "Aaaah!" A surprised scream resonated in the room, making the three of us jump.

    "What is it now? We''re trying to¡ª"

    "Jiiiinmaaaaaaa!" the source of the earlier scream, Nyra, squealed in delight as I was suddenly met with a pair of chocolate-colored tits slamming against my face, tackling me to the floor.

    Thank god my defenses are stupidly high, because I was sure hitting my head on the floor like that would knock me out cold if they were normal.

    "Jinma! I don''t just have a body again, but I''m sexier than before!" Nyra exclaimed in excitement before pushing up her exposed breasts, "Look at these tits! Look at these curves! Do you wanna see how big my ass has gotten?! Even my voice became lower and dripping with sex appeal! It''s like I''m on par with my birthplace''s queen in beauty!"

    Indeed, remembering how Pixies were first described to me, Nyra definitely has a bigger, more mature body than the standard. While I was happy that she somehow got a body after who knows how long, I was preoccupied with more pressing matters.

    "I''m happy for you, Nyra, really, but¡ª"

    "In celebration of my new body, I believe I''m overdue for a good greeting like we do back home. Pucker up, stud!" Nyra interrupted before holding my face and planted her lips over mine, initiating our first kiss together. In my moment of shock, she quickly took advantage of the opening and shoved her tongue in my mouth, escalating our kiss from heartwarming to raunchy within seconds.

    Holy crap, she''s got some skills, I mentally praised Nyra''s kissing techniques. She was practically sucking up the tense, anxious feelings I had moments ago. My body couldn''t resist from how it lost all its strength from Nyra''s passion.

    After a couple seconds, Nyra pulled away, letting me fall limp on the floor below her, "Wooooo! I still got it, baby! Fuck, I''m in such a good mood I wanna greet everyone! Scalybutt! You''re next, big girl!"

    "H-Huh?! Wait, I don''t think this is a good¡ªmmph?!"

    Without giving her a chance to refuse, Nyra lifted herself off me by her large wings and moved to kissing my Dragon Wife next. Just like before, Nyra forced herself into Ume''s mouth with her tongue, giving a passionate, messy makeout session. The Dragoness, despite being as powerful as she is, had as much difficulty pushing the Pixie away as I did with how quickly she lost control of her body.

    Not gonna lie, but anytime when yuri is happening in front of me is always a good one, in my opinion.

    When Nyra pulled away a couple seconds later, letting Ume collapse on the floor, she placed her fingers on her lips while closing her eyes in thought, "Mmh, as expected of a Dragon''s kiss to taste as delicious as this. Jinma''s a lucky bastard."

    "What is ¡­ happening right now?" Ren asked shakily.

    "Wolfyyyy! Of course, I couldn''t forget about you! Come here!" Nyra exclaimed before pulling a move that one would see from a prince or handsome lover in a romance movie, holding my Werewolf slave by the back as she was tilted near parallel to the floor. As soon as their lips touched, Ren''s ears perked up, her tail straightened out, and all the hairs looked to be standing on end. Just like with me and Ume, the Werewolf''s anxiety and tension in her muscles seemed to be sucked out during their passionate kiss.

    When finished, Nyra abruptly dropped Ren on the floor and shivered pleasantly in place, "Mmh, I could taste the sweet nature of Wolfy''s personality in her saliva. How delightful."

    "Heey, aren''t you going to give some of that love to me, too?" Obina asked dejectedly, totally going with the flow of the current situation.

    "Goddess Obina! How could I possibly turn you down for anything?!" Nyra asked, "No, I should be the one begging to give some of my love to you, but to ask for something like that so selfishly, especially after bringing me back to life with that amazing fruit sauce, is it really okay?!"

    Ah, so there was something in that fruit sauce that pulled Nyra out from the brink of death. That explains the one-eighty of boundless energy she has right now.

    Obina giggled, "Nonsense. Any form of affection from Jinma or his companions, be it from love or lust, I will accept it all wholeheartedly."

    "GODDESS OBINAAAAAA!" Nyra screamed in delight as she flew towards the voluptuous goddess without slowing down.

    Then, by some ethereal power, Obina effortlessly caught the bigger Pixie in her hands before the two of them shared a kiss. Unlike the first few times with Ume and Ren, Nyra''s kiss with Obina, whether by love or lust, the image held some form of unexplained beauty. It was like I was watching one of those European murals or paintings from the Renaissance back on Earth come to life, yet they still presented themselves as a priceless work or art.

    In only a few minutes, Nyra somehow overturned the tense, serious air in Obina¡¯s bedchambers and sucked it all up with her kisses, leaving Ume, Ren, and myself on the floor sapped of energy. I¡¯m not sure if she intended such an effect or if she was just in that much of a kissy mood after getting her body. Heck, I don¡¯t even know if she has some kind of power as a Pixie that saps negative feelings away. Whatever the case, I¡¯m thankful to her for lightening things up a little. I especially didn¡¯t dislike that amazing kiss she gave me, as well as the yuri show with Ume and Ren.

    Still, that begged the question of why Nyra has that body, let alone a body at all. Obina mentioned the Immortals¡¯ Monument took a rendition of our souls and manifested them into physical bodies here, in this realm. Going by Sue¡¯s absence, this is only possible for Champions and those acknowledged as their companions, which is indicated by my Affinity Level with each person. Nyra, though we haven¡¯t made such a thing yet, still came here with me, let alone have a physical form completely different from regular Pixies. Also, from her excitement, it seems she¡¯s gained a body that bears resemblance to her queen. Finally, to top it all off, my tanto, the very thing Nyra was sealed in from her curse, is gone.

    Despite how promiscuous Obina is, I seriously hope she was smart enough to have the answers to what¡¯s going on here, along with what I should do with Sue.

 Chapter 151: The Immortal-Champion Oath of Secrecy

    Once Nyra and Obina''s makeout session was done and things calmed down, the latter used her ethereal magic to bring up the biggest bean bag chair I''ve ever seen. It was better to call it a bean bag couch as it was big enough to fit me and all my girls on it. There were some magical properties in this out-of-place furniture that somehow adjusted itself to let all of us sit on it comfortably, no matter our positions. By my suggestion, we ended up with Nyra and Ume sitting on both my sides while Ren sat between my legs. This was so I could pet Ren to calm her down if she was still riled up from earlier, and honestly, I kind of needed the comfort, as well.

    Also, Obina took the liberty to fix up Nyra''s old clothes that became worn out and too small for her. The dark violet tunic she wore now stretched past her generous chest, still exposing the navel with no sleeves. Her matching skirt only went far enough down the upper thighs to cover her nethers and backseat. She would only need to bend forward slightly enough to leave all that exposed from behind, pantiless, and nothing could cover her ass as she sat down. Apparently, Pixies almost never wear shoes, so Nyra''s dark-toned feet were out in the open. From what Nyra told me, she only wears thick leather shoes when working in her smithy back in the day. Makes sense, since you¡¯ll need your feet protected from stepping on shrapnel and any sharp objects falling on them.

    After we got comfortable in our seats, with Obina sitting directly across from us in her own bean bag chair, we went into the first question in everyone''s minds: Nyra''s new appearance.

    "This is a first for me, but there are times when our powers as Immortals can do strange things that are not to our knowledge," Obina explained while resting a hand on her large bosom, "To explain what happened to Nyra, let''s start with what we know. We''re all aware that she was cursed, and she still is as she sits with us. That curse being sealed into the tanto she last created as a blacksmith."

    We all nodded in understanding, following along.

    "That curse forbids her from leaving the tanto, basically making her become the very weapon she created," Obina continued, "There are other effects to the curse, but this one is important. While Nyra''s body was fused with the tanto, her soul was also corrupted by the curse, allowing her to use skills and magic to an extent, both old and new ones that she learned while she was trapped. You''ve all witnessed her new tricks at least once. Drawing attention from monsters, possessing sentients, dramatically decreasing their LUCK stat when holding her, examining memories of whoever comes in contact, and sharing them with others. All of that was done while Nyra was in the tanto. Can you still do that now in your current state?"

    "Huh, I don''t know, let me try," Nyra said before turning to me and Ren, placing her hands on our heads. She closed her eyes and focused.

    Then, suddenly, I saw a group of men in white approaching me in a dark cave, while I was looking down from above. Their attire was eerily familiar as I knew what organization they associated with all too well. The man who was the leader spoke of some nonsense about helping him fight evil before he reached up and grabbed me. This all happened in a vision that flashed before my eyes.

    "... I saw the leader of the White Rapture who raided Dondegarm, trying to preach to me about justice and crap before reaching up to grab me," I said.

    "I saw the same thing," Ren added.

    "I figured I should show something that either of you haven''t seen or heard from me yet, so I went with that memory from before Jinma and I first met," Nyra explained, "Though, I will say I''ve never mastered [Psyche Magic] to this extent before I was cursed. After that, I just played around with it while I didn''t have much else to do."

    "And that''s the key here," Obina said, "Though Nyra was sealed, she still managed to train whatever skills and magic she could with her mind. During the times she possessed and killed many people, she has also grown stronger, especially with the EXP multiplier in the tanto. All that EXP accumulated in Nyra''s soul, waiting to be transferred to original body properly. It wasn''t until Jinma came along and brought her here that the monument provided an opportunity for her to get that body back, receiving all the EXP she accumulated.¡±

    "Even if it was the monument that helped Nyra get this body, only acknowledged companions of a Champion can come here, right?¡± I asked, ¡°I never got any notice that told me Nyra was one. If anything, I only formed a Weapon''s Bond with her when she was still a ¡­ tanto."

    "You getting the picture now, Jinma?" Obina asked, "Nyra may not be your ''companion'', but she''s connected to you, body and soul, through the Weapon''s Bond. With that bond, she''s inherited your benefits as a Champion; thus, why she came here with you. Since the curse prevented her soul from escaping the tanto, though, the monument''s ethereal powers did some extra work and transformed the weapon into the form of her manifested soul. If she came here like the rest of you, she wouldn''t arrive so exhausted and starving for food. Those of you whose souls are only transported here don''t need to eat. What we have here is Nyra''s real body after years of accumulated EXP being put into it, allowing her to evolve into what¡¯s called an Arch Pixie."

    ¡°Whooooa, I really am like the queen from my hometown now. SCORE!¡± Nyra exclaimed while pumping a fist.

    Huh, so some races of the Demon-Kin can apparently evolve? Well, there are Arch Imps like Winny and her brother, but I kind of thought they were born that way? I guess that¡¯s not the case for all of them? What other races are like that?

    "This all may be conjecture, though, as I only took what circumstantial evidence was found and applied it to what I know. The Pixie who sealed Nyra away did a hell of a job crafting the curse to make this possible," Obina finished with a shrug.

    Even if it was a guess, it did explain why I don''t have the tanto on me right now. Still, if the ethereal power that made this possible is something that Obina, an Immortal, is unaware of, then the other Immortals are in a similar position. I guess they aren''t as omnipotent as I thought they''d be.

    "I have a few questions," Nyra said with a hand up.

    "Go ahead, Nyra," Obina permitted.

    "You said I''m still cursed, right? Does that mean I¡¯ll turn back into a tanto once I get back down from here?"

    Obina nodded solemnly, "Honestly, I was worried the curse would turn you as blood-crazy as you were before meeting Jinma, but it seems his influence did more to your soul than I anticipated."

    "Is it also because of Jinma that I have this eye color? I forgot most of my original appearance, but I''m pretty sure I used to have light blue eyes instead of red," Nyra said as she pointed to said eyes, being as vibrant red as blood.

    "Hmm ¡­ that might be the case. I imagine Jinma''s race as a D-Human played a part in your changed eye color. I initially thought that was a side-effect from the curse, but considering your connection to him now ¡­" Obina trailed off before clapping her hands in remembrance, "Right, you came here to speak to me about something important, right, Jinma? Is there anything else you need to know, Nyra?"

    Nyra waved her hand dismissively, "Nah, I think I got most of what I want answered. Jinma can have the floor."

    I nodded to Nyra in thanks before turning to the Goddess of Lust, "Obina, I''m not sure how much you know of my situation already, but I could really use some help."

    Obina started counting with her fingers, "What you should do with Sue after her act of betrayal and confirming your lineage as a D-Human, yes? I''ve actually been meaning to talk to you about the latter in person for some time, hence why I urged you to come see me here in person, but I''ll need to speak with you and Nyra alone on both of them."

    "Why''s that?" Ren asked with a tilted head.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "It involves highly confidential information that I''m only allowed to release to Jinma as a Champion," Obina explained, "And since Nyra''s bonded to him body and soul, as well as being able to look into his memories, I need to bring her along, too."

    "... Very well, will Ren and I need to remain here or move to another room?" Ume asked.

    Obina then snapped her fingers before an ethereal glow emanated from the door she used earlier to get Nyra''s food, "You may use that door on your way out. There will be an assistant who can fetch you any refreshments you may like while you wait."

    "Didn''t you say we don''t get hungry while we''re here?" Ume asked.

    "That doesn''t mean you can''t enjoy food, does it?" Obina argued, "As long as you¡¯re in this realm, you can have as much as you like and never feel full."

    Ume and Ren then looked towards me with concern on their faces.

    "It''s okay, you two. We''ll call you when we''re ready," I assured them.

    "Alright, well, try to take it easy, then,¡± Ume urged before giving me a quick kiss and standing up from the bean bag couch, ¡°Let''s go, Ren, I can tell you a little more of my background as a Dragon while we wait.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lady Umeiyon,¡± Ren responded as she got up before turning around and giving me a kiss, too, ¡°Take care of yourself, Master, Nyra.¡±

    With that, Ume led Ren to the door by the shoulder, leaving the bedchambers and shutting the door behind them. Obina, Nyra, and myself were left in the room.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me while I get a little more comfortable,¡± Nyra said before standing up and taking Ren¡¯s space between my legs, teasing my crotch with her ass as she sat down, her wings fluttering. The bean bag couch adjusted itself enough so I could comfortably see Obina over the Arch Pixie¡¯s head.

    ¡°Ahh, much better. You can fondle my tits if it helps you relax, Jinma,¡± Nyra offered.

    ¡°You just want to feel good, too, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked teasingly.

    ¡°Your point being?¡± Nyra countered while looking back over her shoulder, watching me expectantly.

    I looked over to Obina, ¡°Are you even okay with this? We¡¯re kind of your guests, after all, I don¡¯t want to be rude.¡±

    ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re talking to the Goddess of Lust. What do you think I¡¯m okay with while you¡¯re in my presence?¡± she asked with a raised brow.

    Fair point.

    With that, I decided to go all in by reaching around and flipping Nyra''s top up, exposing her breasts to the Goddess of Lust in front of us, before copping a feel with both my hands. I relished the soft, almost springy resistance of her mounds as I squeezed, guessing their new size to be D cups, at the least.

    ¡°Mmh, I love having fondable tits now,¡± Nyra moaned as she arched her back, her wings fluttering again in delight as she relaxed.

    I¡¯ll admit that this may not be appropriate when we¡¯re about to dive into a serious topic. Considering how much Nyra and I have bonded since we became partners, though, when we get her curse sorted out back on Earth, I have a feeling this will be a routine whenever we talk about practically anything between us. If both of us are comfortable like this while we¡¯re talking, why bother fretting over anything else?

    ¡°Now, I must confirm with you one last time before we start talking, Jinma Kotori,¡± Obina said while slightly furrowing her brows in seriousness, ¡°Part of what I¡¯ll be discussing with you, your lineage, is of utmost importance to you, not as a Champion, but as your own person. You may honestly be better off not knowing this fact about yourself as you could live your new life on Raiza as happily, if not more so than you would after learning it. I¡¯ll even need you to swear an oath of secrecy to me, from Champion to their representing Immortal, that you won¡¯t speak of what you¡¯ll learn here to almost anyone under the set of conditions that my superior put down. Nyra must also follow this oath, being connected to you through the Weapon¡¯s Bond until you breathe your last breath. This information is just that big of a deal, and the conditions are non-negotiable. Knowing all that, do you still wish to learn what you need to know? Your lineage, Sue¡¯s secret, and what you should do with that knowledge moving forward?¡±

    I honestly didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal before I came here. I was almost sure Obina would have to turn me down on information that I want to know due to certain rules, but considering what she said about wanting to speak to me about my D-Human race, she may have jumped through quite a few hoops to set up this arrangement for me. There may be a lot of complicated rules the Immortals set a long time ago to avoid controversy, and Obina¡¯s basically bending a lot of them to work in my favor.

    The gravity of the situation right now may have gotten a lot heavier than I realized, but it made my final decision all the firmer.

    ¡°My lineage, Sue, The Blink, why the Demon King has her eyes on me, I just have this feeling that they¡¯re all connected somehow,¡± I answered while looking down in thought, ¡°Could I just drop everything that I was doing, escape the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory with my party and live the rest of my life avoiding them all? Maybe, but I think they¡¯ll all catch up to me one way or another. Not only do I think it¡¯s better that I learn all that I can now, but I don¡¯t want to move around aimlessly in the dark anymore, flailing my arms and hitting whatever seems like a threat to me without giving it a good look. Even if my bloodline has no relation to who I am now as a person, maybe learning about it can actually give me a direction to where I want to go. I''m tired of fooling myself knowing where I''m going when I''m totally blind."

    I looked back to my goddess straight in the eyes with unwavering conviction, "I want to see what''s straight ahead with my own eyes, having nothing to obstruct my vision, so please, Obina ¡­ give me a light that will show me a path."

    For a moment, Obina showed shock in her eyes. I wondered if she was surprised of me being so resolute, but maybe that wasn''t entirely the case.

    After a pause, Obina gave a smile, but I couldn''t help but feel it looked a little lonely. "Very well, then let''s begin by having you and Nyra signing the oath," she said before snapping her fingers, conjuring an unfurled parchment that emanated an ethereal glow along with the letters inscribed in it, and two quill pens, "By signing on the dotted lines below, you both agree to not disclose any information you''ll learn from this exchange to anyone outside of this realm. The person you know as Sue is the only exception, but you must wait exactly seven days from the time you return to Raiza before you may question her on anything you''ve learned here today. Your Familiars, Kenaka and Mametama, will also be informed of this oath automatically and will follow the conditions while they''re under their pact with you. Should any of you fail to follow through with these terms, you all will automatically forfeit your lives to us Immortals to do with at our disposal. This oath will become null and void when Sue chooses to disclose the truth to any of your companions."

    "... Uh, excuse me? Why does this oath seem to fall into Sue''s favor?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

    "These are the conditions set by an Immortal of a higher power than me, the God of The World, Palonitus, after I came to him for his permission," Obina answered, "He allowed me to release only a limited amount of information that he, himself, had arranged for this exchange. I''ll be frank that I''m not fond of this arrangement, either, but if I don''t do as he says, he''ll serve my ass on a platter a hundredfold."

    "An Immortal more powerful than Goddess Obina?" Nyra asked in shock.

    "... And how do I know that this senior of yours didn''t set up bullshit for me to fall for?" I asked.

    If you had worked in the industry I was in back home, you''d be surprised how underhanded the people setting up a deal can be, even so much as going back on their word. God or not, Obina''s superior may not be any different.

    "I''ve confirmed the contents myself," Obina answered, "Some of it is censored to avoid giving too much away, but that''s as far as he had altered it. Everything else falls into what I''ve seen happening to you in real time."

    I didn''t feel my [Intuition] reacting to any lies, but then again, Obina''s a Goddess. She could very well use her ethereal powers to block all my skills and abilities from activating. Still, if she''s known me for who knows how long before I died on Earth, what would she gain from losing my trust now?

    At a loss, I turned to the Arch Pixie whose tits I''m currently fondling from behind. Honestly, the situation made me forget I was even doing it. "What do you think, Nyra?" I asked her.

    "Well, I can totally understand why you''re cautious about this, and this is the first I''ve even heard of an Immortal more powerful than Goddess Obina," Nyra said, "Though, if what she said is true and she can explain what happened when Sue altered my memories last night, I''d like to know, even if it''s a little bit. True or false, it''s better than not knowing anything, but I''ll sign the oath if you will."

    I sighed. I really didn''t like how this oath/contract seems to favor Sue, and if it''s Obina''s superior, Palonitus, who set this up, then there must be something bigger going on right now that I''m unaware of. Somehow, I have a feeling I''ll get pulled into it, whether I want to or not. Like Nyra said, even if it''s a lie, it''s better that I''m equipped with some knowledge for what''s ahead. The best I can do out of this is take what I can get with a grain of salt.

    Resolved with my decision, I signed one of the dotted lines in Japanese before Nyra did the same in Padimonian characters. Immediately after that, the parchment rolled into a scroll, turned into light, and split into two before they sunk into our chests. A white crest in the shape of a heart then appeared on the back of our dominant hands, which Obina explained that it served as a sign of us currently under the oath''s effects. Only the two of us can see them, and they will disappear once the oath becomes null and void.

    "Okay, and with that finally out of the way, let''s get right to business, starting with your lineage," Obina said, which brought mine and Nyra''s full attention. What she said next was something I half-expected, with additional information that I didn''t anticipate.

    "Jinma Kotori, you are one of the last direct descendants of Sango Kurokichi, also known as the ''Demon of Calamity'', the founder and first chairman of the Kurokichi Clan, one of the longest running, underground yakuzas that exist in Japan. He is the very reason why you were born as a D-Human with the [Devil Eyes] ¡­ and the curse that came with them."

 Chapter 152: D-Humans, Curses, and Secrets, Part 1

    "Whoa whoa, back up, I''m seeing an inconsistency," Nyra said, "Sue said the Kurokichi Clan was formed in the country of Tipon, on Raiza. Was there another one formed in Jinma''s country, Japan, on Earth?"

    "I should probably clarify things first," Obina said, "There is indeed a country called Tipon in a continent to the far east of Padimon overseas, and there are some similarities in that country from Earth''s Japan. The story Sue was told by her father is based on some truths, but the original creation of the Kurokichi Clan was in Japan after the founder, Sango Kurokichi, summoned a Devil from Raiza to his home country on Earth and formed a contract with her."

    "I knew it ¡­" I trailed off, still reeling in the shock of the news. I do remember Obina telling me there are ways of going back to Earth after dying there once, but it seemed like there was a great cost in doing so and I was better off living my new life on Raiza. Still, to think there was such a great traversal between worlds involved to form a yakuza, of all things.

    "But how was being summoned from Raiza to Earth even possible? People from Earth are transported to Raiza as Champions after dying on the former, right?" Nyra asked.

    "That is correct," Obina confirmed, "In fact, it shouldn''t even be possible for Sango and that witch to summon the Devil. Why they were still able to do it despite that ¡­ is due to a mistake on our part."

    "A mistake?" I asked.

    "We had ¡­ an unruly Immortal among us a long time ago," Obina explained, sounding solemn, "It was while we were all working on an important long-term project. As part of some prank, Zalius, the God of Time, thought it would be funny to provide some of Raiza''s knowledge of magic, Devil summoning, and forming contracts with them to numerous humans throughout time on Earth. Because it affected many lives throughout a large span of time there, we had to condemn Zalius for his foolishness while cleaning after his mess. Honestly, if it weren''t for him, you and all the other Champions wouldn''t be here, Jinma."

    If the concept of demons has existed for so long on Earth, maybe even further back than recorded history, then Zalius really screwed up Earth''s progression with his antics. That begs the question, though, is the Kurokichi Clan not the first set of D-Humans that appeared on Earth? The thought shook me up a little. No wonder Palonitus was so careful in releasing what information was released.

    "I think I remember a story relating to this from one of the humans I possessed," Nyra said, looking down in thought, "''Zalius, the Trickster'', I believe it was called. It was told to children to teach good behavior. To think that guy was actually real, and an Immortal at that ¡­"

    "So, Zalius messed things up on Earth, our Gods who looked after it were pissed, and I guess you all came to an agreement on how to resolve it? Were the first Champions sent to Raiza victims of Zalius'' prank?" I asked.

    Obina nodded, "And since the concept of magic had spread so far throughout time, we had to make adjustments to our arrangements so Raiza isn''t overpopulated with OP individuals. As you can guess, Sango and all members of the Kurokichi Clan were included among them. The Shirogechi Clan also ended up like that, too, as they were seeking someone who could help them get the same power their rival clan gained."

    "The Shirogechi Clan also found a witch to summon a Devil for them?" I asked with shock. Sue never mentioned that part of the story. Did she leave that out on purpose? Or was it her father, the one who told the story to her, that left such a detail unmentioned?

    Obina nodded in confirmation, "And, as you can guess, the yakuza war between them extended to Raiza after they died on Earth. Nothing big like that is going on now, but the remnants of the clans still walk on Raiza today, living their lives for their own motivations, be they for the benefits of the clans they serve or not."

    That sounds like a pain. Mom wasn''t kidding about the yakuza bringing trouble wherever they go ¡­ my thoughts trailed off before I remembered something significant.

    "Wait, so, how much does Mom know about this? Was she keeping me distant from her family all this time because ¡­ they''re involved with the yakuza? The Kurokichi Clan?" I asked.

    Obina sighed, "All I can say is she only did what she thought was best for your growth as a person. She never wanted to get you pulled into something outside of your control, as well as hers. The less you know, the better, was her thought process. Alas, she could distance you and herself as far away from her family as she wants, but no matter where you both go, the curse from the contract will still follow you, even over here in another world."

    "And ¡­ what is this curse that plagued the Kurokichi Clan? How much did this affect all our lives?" I asked out of worry.

    "The curse that dwells in you have multiple effects that differs from person-to-person," Obina explained, "A few things that those who possess the [Devil Eyes] have in common, though, can be revealed in their abilities once they can open up their statuses here. You wouldn''t have seen them unless you were aware of possessing the curse, so I will assist in revealing them to you now, just ¡­ let me apologize in advance for what you¡¯re about to see."

    Before I asked what she was talking about, Obina snapped fingers, opening my status screen and automatically scrolling down to my list of abilities without me doing anything. All of those that I''ve earned since I came here were shifted down before new words appeared in the opened space. The characters came in ethereal gold at first, but then turned into an ominous purple before settling into the same font color as the rest. What¡¯s more, two of the abilities I already have, ¡®Violently Tempting Challenger¡¯ and ¡®Black Charisma¡¯, had the same light show as the other one, except some words were taken out and replaced with new ones. My newly discovered¡ªand apparently edited¡ªabilities were described as follows:

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Target of Hostility (Formerly ¡®Violently Tempting Challenger¡¯): A cursed ability that affects the user¡¯s aura and presence, scaring away those who are weak of heart, but taunts strong foes into fighting the user. The user is a target of hostility to almost everyone around them, all the same.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Black Charisma (New info added): A cursed ability that affects the user¡¯s Charm. At the first meeting, the user¡¯s unique charisma can give off attractions and influences that are substantially more positive to D-Humans and those who are considered strange, unique, and out-of-place from the norm for regular humans. At the same time and levels, negative attractions and influences affect regular humans who are in the norm, as well as oppressors, competitors, and thugs of all kinds. Effects vary between males and females.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Great Misfortune (REVEALED!): A cursed ability that affects the user¡¯s LUCK. No matter what number the user¡¯s LUCK stat is, they are more likely to lose in chance-related games and events. The times when the user wins big in chance-related games and events will be signs of an ill omen.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    "¡®Black Charisma¡¯ didn¡¯t change much, but this ¡®Great Misfortune¡¯, so not only am I more likely to lose by chance, but ¡®winning¡¯ could mean the world is ending?" I asked in confusion.

    "And what''s this about Jinma¡¯s ¡®Violently Tempting Challenger¡¯ changing to ¡®Target of Hostility¡¯?" Nyra asked, "Not only does this sound morbid, but shouldn¡¯t this be something he should have known before he came here?"

    "Jinma''s mother made it very clear¡ªand quite threateningly¡ªon her request that he wouldn''t know about the curse, yet warn him enough of the dangers that came with it when he arrived here. The best Palonitus could do is change the ability¡¯s name and description to make it sound cooler than it was originally written. It wouldn''t change much, though, since Jinma has been in many fights with odds against him throughout his life."

    Obina had a point. Most of the fights I''ve been in were either me versus many, me versus someone stronger than most, or a little of both. This has happened both in Raiza and Earth, so whether or not I knew the curse wouldn''t change how things went for me. Getting prepared for a fight at any time is almost second-nature to me at this point, but if I knew I had a curse like this from the start, I may have questioned what point there was to live if everyone was going to be this hostile to me. So, really, it was a change of perspective to make this ability more epic than depressing.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    With that thought, I remembered something that went against this, ¡°Hold on, the ability said ¡®almost¡¯ everyone would get hostile towards me, and this has been with me since I was born?¡±

    Obina nodded, ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Then, how do you explain me having a harem with Ume, Ren, and the others? With Lili, Raize, Carmen, Tephalia, and Winny? Hell, even back on Earth, I got along great with my aunts, Aneki and her friends, and even my best friends, Hyo-chan and Komi. I think it goes without saying that Mom loves me, and from what I remember, my great grandmother seemed to like me, too.

    "The only ones I''m unsure of what they think of me includes Sue, who''s hiding a lot more from me than she appears, especially the reason why she wiped mine and Nyra''s memories from last night," I said while holding up a finger, starting to count them off, "There was an idol back home, Fina, who despite having a haughty attitude outside the stage and meet-up events, was mellower towards me and kept requesting me as a bodyguard through her talent agency''s contract with Heaven''s Cerberus. Then there''s my former senpai, Kazumi Shinka, who I have no idea of whatever goes on in his mind, especially when he initially warned me of my former employer coming after my life after I quitted. And then there''s ¡­ Koyuki Jikan. The office lady from my former employer who I seemed to have got along with well enough until she stabbed me, then asked me to help her before I somehow threw her off, my death following after that.

    "If that uncertain group is the same as the one with my harem and the rest, then what makes all of them so different from the majority who would just hate me at first sight? Are they even affected by my curse, at all?¡± I asked.

    Obina lowered her eyes while thinning her lips, seeming uncertain in how to answer that loaded question. After taking a drink of water, she looked back at me, "Before I answer, what is your stance on people keeping secrets from each other? Friends, family, lovers, etc.? Whatever you''ll answer won''t change what I''ll tell you."

    I looked to the side and thought, "Well, I understand that we have our reasons for keeping secrets, even from those close to us. If their secret involves someone in the long-term, though, possibly even hurting them, I think they have a right to be filled in on it, or it could get ugly for both of them down the line."

    Much like how Sue''s may pull me and my party into trouble later ¡­ Wonder if it''s okay to give her a piece of my mind when everything''s settled? I thought.

    Obina nodded in understanding, looking satisfied with my answer, "Well, to answer your question ¡­ I will say part of their involvement with you has to do with your ''Black Charisma'' ability."

    I pulled ¡®Black Charisma¡¯s description up and reread it. "Going by the description ¡­ are you saying everyone who hasn''t been hostile toward me is abnormal?" I asked, "How is that even evaluated?"

    "Well, it''s agreed that nobody''s perfect," Obina explained, "Everyone has a past, secret, or something that shapes them into the people they become, for better or worse. Most of them are too ashamed to speak of these to anyone else. Even if there are some who are brave and unashamed enough to reveal these things, there''s a good chance they''ll be judged and discriminated against. Some people may not be aware of holding such things until an outside force triggers it, and what happens after that is left to chance. Whatever the case, people will likely not be able to see such things from each other on the surface. Some of the more fortunate-looking individuals are likely to hold such secrets and have gotten by in life because they''ve learned how to hide them well. Even some of the most normal-looking people have a side of themselves that no one wants to know, a side that makes them so abnormal that many wouldn''t want to accept them after learning it.

    "Your ability, ''Black Charisma'', gives off an ''abnormal air'', a presence that alerts everyone around you that you''re not normal at first sight, someone that they''re either better off not approaching, or want to get rid of," Obina continued, sounding serious before her tone changed to a lighter one, "At the same time, those who are abnormal are drawn to you immediately, for better or worse."

    "What do you mean by that?" I asked, sounding slightly worried.

    Obina gestured a hand, holding nothing, "Well, on one hand, their ''abnormality'' can be the obsession to be dominated and ridiculed, living wild and on the edge while ignoring their own safety, or being someone totally different in sexuality, identity, and species like the Demon-Kin."

    Erizora and Julius are the first that come to mind with ''being dominated'' and ''different sexuality'', respectively. I guess Kazumi could fit in the ''wild and on edge'' trait if his experience with women said anything.

    "The other side of the ''abnormal spectrum'' includes people who like getting into fights, seeking stronger opponents for the thrill without worrying about winning or losing, even if their lives are on the line," Obina continued, "Thugs and bullies who get off on oppressing the weak are also included. Then there are the worst kinds of people, such as serial killers and those who have a more radical way of thinking that fall in line with a dictator¡¯s. One way or another, for numerous reasons, you will attract everyone who falls under this ''abnormal spectrum''. The more radical they are, the more likely they¡¯ll notice you. This is a common curse that all D-Humans share, whether or not they possess [Devil Eyes], but the ones who don''t tend to attract certain types of abnormals from others."

    As I listened to Obina''s explanation, thinking of who may be affected by my family''s curse and how it worked, a certain memory came to mind. More specifically, a memory within a dream that Nyra showed me a few nights before. It was the one that took place in the hospital where me, Hyo-chan, and presumably Komi were kids with the old man speaking to us.

    ¡°The majority of them will look at you with sneers, questioning why such a ¡®creature¡¯ is living among them, and no matter what good you¡¯ll do for them, their opinion of you will never change ¡­ I did not anticipate things to ever go this far when I made that contract so long ago.¡±

    ¡°Seeing the three of you here together in this day and age, I can¡¯t even imagine how much you¡¯ve all suffered from my own mistake.¡±

    ¡°Whatever grudge you may have out of being put in this situation, you may direct your hate and frustrations at me instead of your immediate parents. Just like the three of you, they are also victims of my foolish blunder. For that, I must apologize to you three, especially you, Jinma Kotori, from man to man sharing the same blood, the same ¡®curse¡¯ that lives on no matter how many times it has passed down between generations.¡±

    Recalling that old man''s words, my body stiffened as my mind quickly made some unsettling connections. My hands that were fondling Nyra''s chest moved to hug around her waist, my vision going down and growing fuzzy out of rising anxiety.

    "Jinma?" Nyra asked out of confusion.

    "... Obina, can you tell me whether my friends, Hyoko Ishima and Komiwa Karuga, are D-Humans? Are they ¡­ connected to the Kurokichi Clan?" I asked shakily, not making eye contact.

    Obina stayed silent.

    ¡°The reason why Hyo-chan and Komi had caught the bastards¡¯ eyes from school, the hostile glares and backtalk from the girls in the hallways, and the carnal stares of the sleaziest adult men from the streets, all because they were D-Humans who inherited the clan¡¯s curse?¡± I asked, growing anxious and angry all the while.

    ¡°Uh, Jinma? You¡¯re holding me a little tight ¡­¡± Nyra muttered, but I hardly registered it.

    Again, Obina was quiet.

    ¡°Answer me, you bimbo Goddess!¡± I yelled while making eye contact with her, my rage seething. I felt like I was going to blow up at any moment, but something was holding me back. I couldn¡¯t register what it was, but it seemed familiar, like I had experienced this restraint when I interrogated Sue this morning. Unlike her, though, Obina was calm and composed, her eyes were soft with sympathy despite being under my pressure.

    ¡°J-Jinma! You¡¯re ¡­ crushing, me!¡±

    Nyra¡¯s cry of pain made me snap out of my anger, remembering I was still holding her in my arms. I was probably crushing her under my vice. I quickly let up my grip, lifted the Arch Pixie from my lap, and set her beside me in a panic. She coughed out the air that was trying to escape from her suffocating lungs.

    ¡°A-Are you okay, Nyra? Wait, what happened to your wings?! Did I crush them to pieces?!¡± I exclaimed, switching from anger to anxiety.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Nyra said with a scratchy throat, holding up a palm to stop me before taking a moment to compose herself, ¡°Haa, I¡¯m okay, don¡¯t worry. My wings are also fine, I just remembered I could retract them into me, so I did that to make myself more comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for hurting you like that ¡­¡± I trailed off before remembering what I said to Obina. Filled with more guilt, I stood up from the bean bag couch and bowed deeply to her, ¡°O-Obina, I¡¯m so sorry for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Save it,¡± Obina interrupted, stopping me, ¡°I understand your anger and no one would blame you for feeling that way. Your [Devil Eyes] were coming out, too, so just take a moment to breathe and collect yourself.¡±

    ¡°Seriously ¡­¡± I sighed as I straightened up and paced around the room, running my fingers over my hair, ¡°Am I gonna get like this every time I¡¯m angry now? I feel like I¡¯m getting angry more often lately. Is that bad? What the fuck am I talking about, it is bad! I just lashed out at a Goddess, for crying out loud! I feel like I was going to attack her at any moment!¡±

    ¡°You have no need to worry over my safety, Jinma. I may not look like it, but if you did attack me, I have my ways of making you heel,¡± Obina assured before I heard a snap of fingers and a flash of light.

    I turned to the source and my eyes almost popped out of my head from seeing Obina changed from her ethereal skimpy dancer outfit to a dominatrix getup. Black leather thigh-high-heel boots, black leather short shorts, a black leather crop jacket with a generous underboob exposed, even her blonde hair, luscious lips, and other cosmetics changed to match the set while sporting a leather cap. In her matching gloved hands was a spiked collar attached to a leather leash, a flick of her arms snapped the strap onto itself, making a loud crack that made me flinch as it echoed in the bed chambers.

    ¡°Now, are you gonna be a good boy and let me speak at my own pace, or am I gonna have to teach you some discipline?¡± Obina asked, her tone now rough and hardened like steel.

    ¡°I am at your mercy, my queen!¡± Nyra exclaimed while jumping up from her seat and immediately going into dogeza, rubbing her head against the floor while her ass was exposed.

    And just like that, I was totally drained of emotion, left with nothing but fear and a slight hint of arousal. I think my inner ¡®M¡¯ was debating whether to follow Obina¡¯s demands or risk acting out to see what happens.

 Chapter 153: D-Humans, Curses, and Secrets, Part 2

    Despite the weird turn the Goddess of Lust took with her BDSM moment, I managed to calm down from my temper and received no penalties. Once Obina catered to Nyra''s masochistic desire by stepping on her ass, she changed back to her exotic dancer look and we returned to our seats. From there, the Goddess of Lust answered my earlier question.

    As I feared, my closest friends from Earth, Hyoko Ishima and Komiwa Karuga, were indeed D-Humans. Not only that, but they were direct descendants of Sango''s first two sworn brothers in the Kurokichi Clan. Inumaru Ishima, the loyal and violent ronin known as the Bloody Wolf, was Hyo-chan''s ancestor. Komi''s ancestor was Richard Caldswell, the assassin known as the Fox of Shadows.

    It''s actually quite amazing that Hyo-chan''s surname, Ishima, had lived for that long. How Komi got Karuga despite her foreign heritage might be complicated with her ancestor being an assassin. Both of those cases made me wonder why I was a Kotori instead of Kurokichi if I was a direct descendant of the clan¡¯s founder. When I asked Obina, she told me of a woman named Michiko Kotori who was one of Sango''s sworn sisters through the same pact he shared with Inumaru and Richard, thus becoming one of the main subsidiaries of the clan. Michiko was recognized for her dirty tactics of street fighting using only her fists and feet. She used these and her looks to seduce men into having a fight with her, offering her body to them should they win. This led the woman winning many battles and making good money out of it.

    Michiko''s winning streak came to an end when Sango came along. Through the stakes she set herself, she became one of his concubines, but from what Obina told me, she wasn''t all that unhappy about the loss. After the Kurokichi Clan became D-Humans and took in more yakuza members, the woman ended up teaching her fighting tricks to those in her subsidiary. Add in her history of preying on rich, oblivious men to fool into losing their money, leaving them broke and bruised, she made a name for herself as the Gold Robbing Robin. Her surname was clearly taken into consideration for this title {AN: Kotori is Japanese for ¡®small bird¡¯}.

    When Michiko bore Sango''s children, she wanted them to inherit her surname since she wasn''t his wife. I guess he gave the okay since I hold her surname, Kotori, today. I remember Granny still had it as her surname, too, so I wondered if the women in the Kotori Family keeping their surname became a tradition. Would that mean Granny was also an important figurehead in the Kurokichi Clan? Wonder if she and Michiko were as much badasses as Mom was? Or more technically, could Mom have inherited that badassery from them?

    Now that I know I was a D-Human by inheritance, where Mom got her strength and bravado while Granny had her sturdiness despite old age was starting to make sense. It made me wonder if there were other women like Mom in the family and how different the men are from myself.

    With that and some of Hyo-chan''s and Komi''s ancestry added in, these were as much as Obina could tell me about them without spilling too much personal information. The Immortals were required to be discreet of such things towards Champions from the start, after all. With Palonitus being the head honcho, he was likely the one who enforced that rule, which meant only he had the final say of what information was released.

    Regardless of what info I was limited to consume, I had mixed feelings. I was still uneasy about the fact I came from the bloodline of a yakuza, but I was at the same time content with finally learning something about my family origins. It also made sense why I was so different from everyone else growing up, so I felt I can finally come to peace with that part of the mystery to my identity. I just wished I could have heard it from Mom, or heck, if I could meet Granny again before she passed away, I''d be satisfied learning from her, too. I don''t think I''d be as emotional hearing this from one of them as I was towards some Goddess, no offense to Obina. Still, Mom must have her reasons for keeping this from me, and outside of what I know of her after living together for so long, she must have had her own struggles that were brought on by the curse. I could never hate her over something like that.

    Putting that aside, it seems Hyo-chan and Komi were much closer to me in connections than I realized. I know it''s out of my control, but I still feel a little guilty knowing part of their daily struggles were due to a curse my ancestor put on us. Come to think of it, did both of them hold some kind of secret they didn''t want me to know about? Was that why Obina asked me about my stance with secrets?

    If their secrets have anything to do with the D-Humans'' powers, I''d wonder how much they knew about our family history. Thinking back, though I made an attempt to keep my distance from Hyo-chan for her own safety, I did find how often she got into trouble a little odd. Not only that, but despite how she seemed to have got along with the ''normal'' crowd on the surface, there were moments I''ve overheard some of the girls talking shit about her when they seemed so friendly five minutes ago. Some of the things they said about Hyo-chan were too far different from what I knew of her, being as sweet and kind as she was back then. Though, a lot of things could have happened between the time she moved away to our reunion in high school. We did try to keep in touch when Hyo-chan moved, but she stopped talking to me at one point for some reason. I think the biggest mystery of hers to me, though, was why she stopped taking kendo classes and going into tournaments. I knew how much she loved samurais and swordsmanship, and she had a real talent for kendo, too. I¡¯ve even seen her take her shinai to school sometimes and practice alone in a private area, so her passion for it was still there. For the sake of keeping distance between us, though, I didn¡¯t attempt to question her on it.

    As for Komi, even if I didn''t know I had known her before, it was odd how she got so chummy with me right from the start of our high school years. Moreover, where was she before then? How did she go from the unusually serious and formal kid I saw from my recollected childhood memories to the laid-back, trendy gyaru I knew from our high school days? Why was she living alone in the same neighborhood as me? What was her part-time job that she had to leave my side for various times?

    The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I didn''t know about the two of them, my best friends. I felt a little ashamed for not knowing as much as I should have, but they likely had their reasons for keeping some of their personal lives secret. I just wished to kick my past juvenile self in the ass for not being there as much for them as he should have. Maybe then they could open up and trust me a little more.

    "A karo for your thoughts, Jinma?" Obina asked as we were taking a momentary break from our talk over water.

    "I was just thinking, if my friends are with Mom and Granny right now, I hope they''re all getting along. I''m sure they must be resting easier now that they''re in a safer place where our curses don''t have much of an effect on them ¡­ do curses still persevere in the afterlife?" I asked as I looked at my representing Goddess.

    Obina gave a sympathetic smile, "Anyone who has chosen to live in the afterlife once their time on Earth ends, their souls are cleansed of all impurities, curses or otherwise."

    I sighed in relief, "Good. I''m glad." Nyra then rubbed my back in comfort.

    "Shall we move on, then? Any more questions you wish to ask about your heritage?" Obina asked.

    I shook my head, "If something comes up after we''re done, can I reach out to you through the bracelet?"

    "Of course. Now, moving on to the next part of our agenda, you wish to know what to do with Sue, yes?" Obina asked, "We Immortals cannot tell our Champions what to do, but we can give our opinions on some subjects. So long as it helps them find a path in life, we provide whatever help we can give."

    "A second opinion is all I really ask for," I said.

    "Still, this is a very complicated, sensitive situation, one that I knew you would come to me for. That''s why I went to Palonitus and got his permission to release some information," Obina said before snapping her fingers. A giant flatscreen TV appeared on my right, along with a high-end game console below that. In the CD slot was a gold disc halfway inside. Such a foreign thing coming from out of nowhere was enough to make Nyra jump from her seat. A Playstation, huh? The latest model, too. Didn''t think I''d ever see something like this again. Did the Immortals copy these from Earth''s technology or something?

    "As I mentioned before, some of the recorded content got edited by Palonitus, himself," Obina continued, "Other than censoring some visuals and muting the audio, everything you''ll see in this video is what happened from last night to this morning. A little of what happened to Sue after your interrogation is also included. Under the condition that I give this to you, however, I cannot answer any questions that involve what¡¯s happening in the recording. You¡¯ll have to use your own sense of judgement to figure out what¡¯s going on."

    "Whoooa, is this really one of those teevees I''ve seen from your memories, Jinma? It''s so big! And you can watch people having sex with this?! The countless treasures of live-recorded history known as porn?!" Nyra exclaimed in amazement.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I ignored Nyra''s question and turned to Obina, nodding to her condition of discretion, "How different are your recordings here from Earth''s?"

    "Not very different from what you may be used to seeing. If you''ve seen popular video games that let you pause and survey your surroundings to take edited screenshots, that''s basically what we did here with our ethereal powers," Obina explained.

    I didn''t play video games very often growing up and I couldn''t do it when I stepped into full-time work to take care of Mom. The only exceptions were when I looked after Fina as her bodyguard and she dragged me into arcades. She was apparently quite the competitive gamer when she wasn¡¯t working as an idol, so she got angry whenever I, an adult casual gamer, beat her numerous times in the arcade¡¯s games. One day, when I was near my last day at Heaven¡¯s Cerberus, I figured I¡¯d humor Fina one last time as her bodyguard when she reached out to me through my former employer. When we were done, imagine my surprise when she asked me to exchange contact info so we could play online. During that time, I only had a computer that I couldn¡¯t play many games on and I didn¡¯t have any of the latest game consoles. The smartphone I have on me was the last ¡®new¡¯ technology I ever had before coming here, and I¡¯m positive there were already new models two or three levels ahead of my own at the time. I told Fina that much when she brought up the idea of gaming together through online play.

    "What?! You don¡¯t own any consoles?! And how old is your computer for it to not play games?! Well, fine, then. I¡¯m going to be busy for a while, but once I have some idol businesses and have a schedule organized, I''ll have you come to my place so we can play games on my console and I beat you for real!" Those were the last words Fina said to me before I died over a week later.

    Oddly enough, the times this haughty idol played videogames were some of her more charming moments, in my opinion, despite how rough she was with other people in the idol industry. Maybe she didn¡¯t have to worry about reputation as much and relaxed a little while she gamed? She would get a bit demanding of me at times, but not too unreasonable, and nothing really came to mind that made her out to be a bad person.

    We never really got to play her console games at her place before I quitted Heaven''s Cerberus, now that I think about it. Wonder how angry she was after hearing of my death? ¡­ Actually, was it really okay for her, an eighteen-year-old idol, to invite a man in his early twenties to her home? What about her parents? Did she still live with them, or was she living on her own?

    I decided to stop thinking about it further. Whatever happens with Fina now is out of my reach, and so I needed to focus on the topic at hand.

    Getting back to reality, Obina popped the gold disk in the console and used her ethereal magic to bring out a game controller. She then showed me how to watch the recording and view it from different angles. While I listened, I was a little nervous. I wanted to know what Sue did that made manipulating our memories necessary, but whatever I see here may drastically change the circumstances of the situation. Still, I made the choice of jumping into this deal and I was going to take what I could get.

    When Obina finished the explanation, she held out the controller to me, "Are you ready, Jinma?"

    "... As I''ll ever be, I guess," I answered as I took the controller and pressed the play button.

    Since the events were recorded from last night, I decided to go over them from the top. Apparently, Palonitus started the recording during the middle of my ''adult play time'' with Erizora and Kalline. Sue, who I finished my moment with first, was sitting on the sidelines with Mametama as they watched us. As Obina told me, the audio was muted, but I could recall the sounds from last night as I watched myself playing with the charming Centaur and Ogre. It was a surreal experience, to be sure, but I tried not to get lost in the euphoric moment and focused on Sue''s movements.

    Sue was really getting off from watching us based on what expressions were on her face and how she played with her crotch. After she had a climax and was coming back from it, though, things were already going into motion as she put a hand over Mametama and cast a spell that put her to sleep, [Slothful Slumber].

    "I think it was around here that my memories felt a little off," Nyra confirmed as she watched the playback with me. I was honestly surprised she wasn''t masturbating to this, but I guess this was too important to get on a sex tangent.

    Back in the video, after I was done pleasing Kalline, who rested on the floor, I moved onto Erizora on the bed and made intercourse with her until both of us slacked off, getting drowsy and tired from the energy spent during that time. That was when Sue, who was only in her white stockings by then, made her move and cast [Slothful Slumber] again, putting me and my lovers for that night into a deep sleep. The fake Arch Imp then stood up from her seat, stretched, and pulled out the gloves from her bag. I remembered her mentioning they were enchanted to resist magic when I interrogated her, but what came to my surprise was how she pointed her hand to the direction where I hid Nyra under my pillow, of which it glowed subtly. The audio was mute, but going by body language, it seemed Sue used magic that did something to Nyra.

    "I''d wake you up right away if I saw signs of any trouble. Maybe ¡­ Sue had cast a Null Spell to stop me?" Nyra guessed.

    Sue then took Nyra from under the pillow and unsheathed her while wearing the magic-resistant gloves, totally unaffected by the curse in the tanto. She gazed at it a bit before approaching my naked, sleeping self and picked up my hand. With mixed looks of unease and discomfort, the fake Arch Imp then ran Nyra''s blade along one of the scars on my palm, drawing blood.

    I paused the video and looked at the same hand Sue had cut, which was now shaking in front of me. Though I wasn''t aware of the scar before, acknowledging its existence now gave me a subtle tingle that ran across the line. She cut ¡­ my hand?

    Before jumping to conclusions and losing my cool, I took a deep breath to calm myself down, I won¡¯t know what¡¯s going on until I see the whole thing. Get it together. With that mindset, I continued playing the video.

    Much to my surprise, Sue cast [Storage] to pull out a test tube before setting my bleeding hand over it. She filled the container nearly full with my blood before putting a cork on top, then cast [Heal] to close my hand''s wound, followed by [Clean] to wipe away any traces of blood. Sue looked quite guilty at the permanent scar left behind before she mouthed something and placed a kiss on it. Maybe it was her way of apologizing?

    After Sue made her silent amends, cleaned Nyra¡¯s blade and sheathed the weapon, she shocked me further by opening a hole in the space of my room. So, she can cast [Portal], too, but to where ¡­ my thoughts trailed off as I watched Sue take the test tube carrying my blood and put it through the black hole. This is likely one of the things Palonitus censored in the recording, as opening [Portal] would normally show you a window of the destination you want to hop to. It seemed someone was waiting on the other side to take my vial of blood before Sue pulled her arm back and closed the hole in space.

    A few moments after that, Sue cast [Clean] on a few places in the room, wiping any evidence of her movements, before she held still with Nyra trembling in her hands. She looked to be waiting for something, because whatever it was came to her sometime later as she broke out crying, her tears filled with many emotions.

    Going through all that with little words spoken ¡­ could someone be relaying a message to her telepathically? And, could she also have the means of speaking to Nyra telepathically without either of our assistance? That was my guess for why Sue went from anxious to relief and happiness.

    When Sue calmed down, she held up the sheathed Nyra with confidence and determination in her eyes before saying some words. I really wished I knew how to read lips. Is there a skill for that?

    ¡°There is indeed a skill that lets you read lips, but even if you possess it, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d have to temporarily seal it for the sake of discretion,¡± Obina said, answering the question in my mind.

    Once Sue was done speaking to Nyra, she pointed a hand to her and said some things. This must be where Nyra had her memories altered, and it looked like the fake Arch Imp was able to cast [Slothful Slumber] to put her to sleep. After that, Sue went around the room, getting everyone she put to sleep more comfortable in their slumber. She even turned out the lights, but I was able to adjust the brightness setting in the playback to see everything like it was still daytime. When mine and Erizora¡¯s sleeping bodies were put under the covers and Mametama was placed on top of us, Sue scooched in and pulled my sleeping face to her bosom. It was kind of amazing, and at the same time quite frightening, how happy Sue looked as she did all that, right up to when cuddled to me.

    "So, part of her mission ¡­ was to get a blood sample from me?¡± I asked while looking down in thought, summarizing one of Sue¡¯s secrets, ¡°But ¡­ why? What would the Demon King want with my¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Jinma! Pause the video and look at Sue!¡± Nyra screamed.

    Surprised, I did as Nyra said, and my shock only grew further.

    As Sue was coddling my head in her large bosom, in the darkness, her amber eyes turned bright gold, the whites in her eyes turned totally black. Whatever she was thinking of as she was glaring into space, the anger on her face just made it to the list of things in my life that scared the shit of me, just a few notches below my acrophobia and Mom¡¯s look when she¡¯s about to commit bloody murder. It didn¡¯t help that I adjusted the perspective on the screen to make it look like Sue was glaring right at me.

    ¡°J-Jinma, could Sue actually be ¡­¡±

    ¡°... A Devil,¡± I answered Nyra, another secret of Sue¡¯s unveiled before our eyes.

    Now more motivated to see if there was more to her, I zoomed the picture out to view the whole room before fast-forwarding the video to move onto the next morning. At least, that was my initial plan, but something else appeared that made me pause the video immediately.

    Another [Portal] appeared in the darkness, totally black thanks to Palonitus¡¯ censorship, with a black leather boot coming out from the other side.

    ¡°S-Someone else ¡­ came in last night?¡± I stuttered.

    ¡°Play it! And slow it down!¡± Nyra demanded while shaking my shoulders.

    I played the video at reduced speed, more of the mystery visitor was slowly revealed with each smooth transition of frames that would make cameramen faint in astonishment from watching it. Could I have ignored Nyra¡¯s demand and played it normally without making it so dramatic? Maybe, but I could barely think straight enough to follow requests to that extent, let alone go against it.

    As the majority of the visitor¡¯s booted leg was revealed, sirens were ringing in my head from how familiar it looked. N-No, no way ¡­

    The next thing that came out from the censored [Portal] were two bumps, quickly expanding to the size of watermelons as they were revealed.

    ¡°It ¡­ can¡¯t ¡­ be ¡­¡± Nyra strained as the two of us hugged each other in fright, watching the scene unfold.

    Finally, when more than half of the visitor¡¯s figure was revealed, the familiar platinum-pink hair tied in twintails, the pair of amber-colored eyes, all attached to a head that rested above a chest too huge for someone of her stature, gave everything away.

    Nyra and I screamed, ¡°THEEEERE¡¯S TWOOOOOO OOOOF THEEEEEEEM?!¡±

 Chapter 154: D-Humans, Curses, and Secrets, Part 3

    Watching the playback further, the Sue that was on the bed coddling my head to her breast got up and approached the other Sue that came in through the [Portal]. That was when I paused the video and compared the two of them close together. Other than the attire, they were both totally identical, eyes, hair, body, and all.

    "What the fuck is going on?! Does Sue have a twin sister?!" I exclaimed, "We may not have heard of her saying she''s an only child, but this is the second case of twin siblings I''ve experienced today!" The other case was mentioned by Yukino about her own twin that she''d rather not talk about.

    "Twin Kitsunes, twin Devils. What are the ¡­ hold on, the shock of seeing this was so great that I nearly forgot something," Nyra said, "Can you continue playing the video?"

    I obliged and the two of us watched the two Sues interact. The nearly naked one, whose [Devil Eyes] have deactivated, looked annoyed at the calm, fully-clothed one over something, but the latter was smiling and in a good mood as she was dressing down for some reason. When the near-naked one gave up on arguing further, she stripped out of her gloves and stockings before passing them over to her twin. The both of them were now totally naked, only the two matching pendants each of them had remained hanging around their necks before something unexpected happened.

    The Sue who got out of bed changed her appearance, becoming a figure made up of only maroon and cyan colors swirling like unmixable paint. The figure then became an amorphous blob before enveloping itself over the other Sue, getting absorbed before the disguised Devil remained.

    "GANGBANG!" Nyra suddenly yelled, making me jump in my seat and pause the video out of surprise.

    "Where the heck did that come from, Nyra?" I asked.

    "I remember now, Jinma! What was bugging me about Sue''s ''blood'' when I marked her with my magic earlier!" Nyra exclaimed, "That wasn''t really Sue at all! It was a copy of Sue made from the [Clone] Null Spell!"

    "[Clone]?" I repeated.

    "The spell takes everything about you in appearance, including what you''re wearing, takes up a percentage of your life force, and makes an inferior copy of yourself!" she explained, "It will have all the skills and spells you''re able to use, but its overall stats will only be a percentage of what you gave up to create it! I knew of this because one of the people I possessed knew a guy who had that Null Spell, and he was known for using his clones to give gangbangs to his lovers! When I learned that, I thought, ''Wow, if I had that Null Spell and a number of strap-ons, I could literally fuck myself in a gangbang,'' and I couldn''t have been more jealous of that guy since then! Anyway! Do you know what all this means, Jinma?!"

    "That ¡­ this whole time, the Sue who''s been with us up to now has been a clone and the real one is watching in from someplace else?" I asked in disbelief.

    "... Okay, that''s one thing, but the GANGBANG, man! Now that you know [Clone] and what it does, you can satisfy all your girls at once¡ªOwwwww!" Nyra cried as I gave a light tsukkomi chop on her head.

    "I won''t deny that it would be useful, but I''m afraid it won''t be a while until I actually use it," I said.

    "Why not?!"

    "Sue seems unusually informed about us Champions, it''s possible she knows that we can get items, skills, Null Spells, and abilities by converting money into Bless Points (BP). She hadn''t seen me use [Clone] when I tended to her, Kalline, and Erizora last night, so won''t she get suspicious if I suddenly use [Clone] from out of nowhere?"

    "Guh ¡­ you have a point, but orgies ¡­ and gangbangs ¡­" Nyra whined.

    Seriously, are those some of her favorite kinks or something?

    Suddenly, Obina sighed, "Since you know that much now, I might as well tell you that to have your clones come back and regain your original strength, there''s either defeating the clones and wait for it all to recover the next day, or chant [Merge] no matter where they are. Those who know the [Clone] Null Spell on their own would normally know [Merge] to make such a thing possible."

    Ah, so it''s like Erizora knowing [Shrink] and [Grow].

    "Your clones will copy your skills, personality, and thought processes enough to move independently, and they will move about for as long as you, the original, is conscious and awake," Obina continued, "Once you die, faint, or even fall asleep, your clones will immediately lose their tangible forms and return to you. No matter how they return to you, you''ll receive all the memories of what they experienced up to the end of their time, and you''ll receive the experience points they got from defeating opponents."

    "Isn''t that kind of broken?" I asked.

    "It would, if you have the strength of multiple people by yourself," Obina answered, "Your overall stats decrease the more clones you pop out, and you can produce fifty of them at max while you''re left with fifty percent of your strength. An average human would produce very weak clones that couldn''t accomplish much."

    That meant if a clone had one percent of my power, I could have up to fifty of them with that same percentage. At the same time, I could have one clone hold the entire other half of my power. If I produce the same number of clones as the classes I can assign, I could have a totally balanced party if I assigned each of them different roles. That might be another reason why I shouldn''t use [Clone] much if my party would feel they''re replaced by my own self. Yeah, other than emergencies, it''s best I just use [Clone] for fun adult times, huh?

    With that settled, we moved on to the playback and watched Sue after her clone merged back with her. Just as Obina said, the original Sue put on the stockings her clone was wearing before sliding under the covers and cuddled next to me to fall asleep, looking happy all the while. I then fast-forward the playback to the next morning¡ªas in earlier today¡ªwhen Mametama and I got up first and left the room for my early morning training after we got cleaned and geared up. Some time after we left, though, Sue got up next and stripped out of her stockings, leaving nothing but her necklaces on before casting [Clone] to produce a copy. After the original looked to have given the clone instructions, the latter got to dressing into her usual attire while the former used [Portal] to leave the room, still butt naked. When the clone was left alone, she stepped out to do something else before Kalline and Erizora woke up later.

    I confirmed with Obina that all the clothes and gear we have on, as well as their enchanted effects while casting [Clone] would be copied, but the clones won''t be able to take them off. It seems they''re able to dress themselves when they''re cloned naked, but any clothes and gear they have on when they were forced back to the original would be left behind.

    "So, Sue only had the necklaces copied when she clones herself, huh? That meant she couldn''t get them off when we had that foreplay last night," I deduced.

    I then fast-forward the playback to the point where I interrogated Sue¡ªspecifically, her clone¡ªfor messing with mine and Nyra''s memories. Nyra''s sneaky scratch to the back of Sue''s neck was also amazingly recorded. I momentarily stopped the video where I had her at knifepoint, threatening her should she mess with me or my party again. I noticed how the effects of my [Devil Eyes] skill were trying to fill up one of my eyes, but were seemingly pushed down. Even if I didn''t have the skill activated, I never saw myself looking so frightening from a bystander''s viewpoint before. It made me uneasy wondering if I looked that bad from the other times I got aggressive and violent. For a moment, Creep, the uncannily dark side of me that I''ve seen in my dreams, flashed in my mind, specifically his face in a manic smile.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    If I don''t want to lose control from the [Devil Eye''s] influence, I should try to remember this, reminding myself what I shouldn''t lower myself to become. I don''t want to scare Ume and the others away like I had with many others back home.

    Nyra and Obina were quiet as I was reflecting. They both seem to read me enough to know what I was thinking and respectfully not comment on it, like they didn''t need to say anything that I already know. I was grateful for their silence.

    After I made my resolve to not let the [Devil Eyes] get the better of me, I continued playing the video. It was when my interrogation was finished and I left the room while slamming the door closed in anger. Immediately afterwards, Sue looked to have casted [Soundproof] as we watched a familiar, amorphous field filling the room before she collapsed on the floor out of exhaustion.

    [Clone], [Portal], [Clean], [Soundproof], and let''s not forget the Null Spells that disguised her as an Arch Imp, stopped Nyra from waking me and altered our memories. Sue, just how powerful are ¡­ you?

    As I was thinking deeply while watching, I saw something unexpected.

    "Is Sue ¡­ masturbating?" I asked aloud.

    "Damn, I knew she was scaroused, but I didn''t think it was that bad," Nyra commented.

    We watched the disguised Devil clone snap herself out of her sexual daydream before she started pacing around the room in serious, deep thought. Then, unexpectedly, Sue looked like she was having a breakdown as she had a terrified, pained look on her face. She couldn''t keep herself standing as she dropped to the floor again in a fetal position and broke into tears with her [Devil Eyes] activated. I didn''t think something like that was possible, since my episodes were from my angry fits. Sue then looked to be yelling about something, I didn''t know what since the audio was muted. Still, this was the most I''ve ever seen from Sue''s emotions, and it was surprising as I remembered her looking totally normal when I checked on her later.

    I then remembered Nyra''s report on Sue''s mood changes earlier today. They seem to fall in line with what we''ve seen in the video before the screen blacked out.

    "That''s everything I''m allowed to show you," Obina said, "What are your thoughts, you two? Remember that I can neither confirm, nor deny anything that''s contained in the video."

    "Well, she certainly has more surprises than I thought, but if there''s one thing I was right on? That girl''s got some serious issues," Nyra summarized before she and Obina turned to me, waiting for my response.

    I stood up and started pacing around the room, thinking deeply, "So, the Demon King, a Devil, had Sue, another Devil disguised as an Arch Imp, come to find me to not only escort me to her, but also get a sample of my blood. Other than my flashy performance in Dondegarm, I don''t know how they figured out it was me enough to scatter all those flyers across the Demon-Kin''s Territory. Those same flyers not only served to notify the closing of the Demon King''s Champion Hunt, which was her previous means of finding me, but to send a message to me. According to Ume, the Rune Magic that was used for this can identify my mana signature enough to reveal that message, but it needed a sample of my mana signature, which can be found through anything that comes from my body, in order for it to identify me in the first place. This means that, until last night, they didn''t have a sample from me in order for that Rune Magic to work properly.

    "How they got a sample of my mana signature before that and why they needed my blood, I don''t know yet. Sue seems to have high personal stakes in this, though, if she was as emotionally invested as we''ve just seen her. The recording stopped before we got to see Sue conversing with the Demon King for the remaining time I gave her, so it doesn''t look like we''ll know what her motives are until I get more info," I said.

    "That does seem to be the case. Can we come up with theories involving Sue from what we learned?" Nyra asked.

    I nodded, "I was getting to that. As mentioned before, Sue seems to have close relations to the Demon King, closer than those with the Ministry and even her secret service, the ''Dark Wind''. Ah, now that I think about it, if Sue could use [Clone], could she have had a hand in making those fliers? If that was something the Ministry wasn''t aware of until then, and the Demon King destroyed the stamp that made the magic circles, then Sue making copies of herself doing the labor work would keep leaking information to a minimum."

    "Of course! What would normally be a twenty-ish man operation would immediately be brought down to two if the majority of them were clones!" Nyra exclaimed.

    "Right," I agreed, "So the Demon King must have high faith in Sue if the operation was only limited to the two of them. Still, what kind of relationship would they share that''s special enough for Sue to disguise herself and keep her identity a ... secret from the public." Muttering those last words, I felt something click in my mind.

    Some of the behaviors I''ve seen from Sue today and what she has told me, including The Blink. An unnoticeable phenomenon where the records and identities of Demon King F and Shining Teaset, as well as Demon King D''s name, were erased from the entire world. This was likely planned by F to keep such a great secret from leaking out. What was that secret? Sue seems to hold the key if she knows that much. The more I was making connections in my mind, even if they were just guesses, the more uneasy I got.

    "Did you figure something out?" Nyra asked.

    "I ¡­ have two theories," I said while holding up said number of fingers. I wondered if I was in the right state of mind to come up with them, though, "One, which I honestly think is more likely, is Sue being an illegitimate child of Demon King F, making her Demon King D''s sister."

    "Interesting," Nyra said while crossing her arms and looking down, "If that''s the case, it would explain why Sue''s so powerful. She''d have to be in the same league as D to pull off all those stunts last night. Also, even if Sue isn''t considered royalty, she could still use her influence responsibly and discreetly if she and D are close sisters. So, what''s the other ''less likely'' theory?"

    "... That Sue is D, the current Demon King," I answered after hesitating.

    Nyra blinked with widened eyes, "That ¡­ might also be the case, yes, but why would you think that''s less likely?"

    "Well, she''s the Demon King. I know nothing about politics or what monarchs do, but I can''t even imagine the power it takes to run a kingdom whose citizens can be hungry for violence. She''d have to spare enough energy to send a clone to watch over me on top of overseeing her royal duties, unless she somehow uses her authority to take a vacation, but even that can only do so much. Since I forced her clone to be under surveillance at every passing moment, there''s no way she could switch places unless we were knocked out. Moreover, she''d have to stay constantly awake in order to keep her clone mobile, and we''ll be going into a dungeon that will take who knows how long to clear it."

    Nyra looked up and thought, "Well, I can see your points, but if the Demon King is as powerful as what we''ve heard, would it really be less likely?"

    To be honest, I said it was ''less likely'' to partially fool myself. In actuality, I didn''t want it to be the truth, but there were too many hints that wouldn''t suggest otherwise after mulling over my times with Sue. If she really is Demon King D, then that opens many doors leading to other questions that I find myself afraid to figure out.

    One question, for example, why did Sue''s father, Demon King F, know of the D-Humans'' and the Kurokichi Clan''s origins? But the biggest question I''m hesitant to find out is why Sue had done so much for the last four years of her monarchy to find me, a D-Human who knew next to nothing about his own lineage until very recently.

    I can guess why I was put under an oath to secrecy to not bring up what I learned to Sue, but honestly, I was grateful for it. I can just put this to the back of my mind and think about it more on my own time while I focus on the mission ahead.

    "It looks like you came to some conclusion, Jinma. Have you found what you''ve seen in the video satisfactory?" Obina asked.

    "... Can I just ask what you think of all this? That is my original intent on coming here, after all," I said.

    Obina closed her eyes and thought deeply, "If you want my honest opinion, the way Sue''s going about all this is almost convoluted and I wasn''t very fond of how she messed with your memories. However, from my experience watching her grow, I know she had a complicated upbringing, and she was shoved with many heavy responsibilities despite being young. Seeing her after she started traveling with you was the first time I''ve ever seen her, well, child-like. Despite her screw-up last night, I know for certain that Sue cherishes you to high degrees. The only thing I can say is that no matter what happens, I hope she''ll learn something from this whole experience. That girl still has a long life ahead of her."

    Heavy responsibility from a young age ¡­ that could go in either direction of my theories.

    I admit that while we''re only a few years apart and from different kin, Sue''s at an age that can resemble a very confusing time for humans. I, myself, was no exception, and it was especially hard when Hyo-chan, Komi, and one of my aunts who was our homeroom teacher, Mitsuki Towa, died in that bus accident. We''re more likely to make irrational mistakes during emotional periods, whether said emotions were negative or positive. Seeing how happy Sue was in the recording, she probably wasn''t thinking ahead how her actions would put her in a bad light.

    I''m not letting Sue off the hook that easily, of course. I''m still going to keep an eye on her like a hawk, but my motivations may have changed somewhat after seeing Sue''s side of these weird circumstances. I may have to be more cautious of my actions towards her now than I was this morning.

    The illegitimate sister or the monarch herself. Whichever Sue''s real identity ends up being ¡­ will drastically change our relationship moving forward. Should I contemplate what to do in either case when that time comes?

 Chapter 155: The Immortalâ€™s Gifts and The Underdogâ€™s Clan Standing

    With the discussion finally over, Obina used her magic to send the video into my bracelet, saying I could watch it again at any time, but only I would be able to see it. Obina then reminded me of the conditions stated in the Oath to Secrecy, mainly not releasing what I learned to anyone, with Sue being the exception once seven days have passed. I will get a notification when that time passes, so I won''t have to worry about counting the days until then.

    Once that was done, Obina called Ume and Ren back into the room, with the latter of the pair looking despondent.

    "Everything went okay in there?" I asked them.

    Ren was the first to speak, but with hesitancy, "... Master, you are tasked by such an important mission by Lady Mei. I have some experience helping with child rearing, so I''ll do everything in my power to help raise your children strong and healthy."

    "Hm? Ah, the saving Dragons from extinction thing. I''m still young and we aren''t in a hurry, so we''re gonna take it slow until we find a place to ¡­ wait, Lady ''Mei''?" I asked.

    "Ren and I have gotten rather close over our talk," Ume explained with a reptilian hand to her bosom, "Us Dragons don''t have a system involving slaves, though a few of us may like to take some from other places for collecting reasons. I might become one of them if we get more than what we have so far, but I''m seeing Ren as more of a close acquaintance and fellow lover of my husband''s than someone below me. I figured it was best to have her address me as ''Mei'' without formalities, but Ren was pretty stubborn about keeping our stances known. ''Lady Mei'' was the compromise we came up with."

    "Your orders still take priority, but I will follow and serve Lady Mei as I would for you, Master," Ren stated.

    I nodded in understanding. I was just happy the two of them have gotten closer lately. Maybe spending the night together without me last night raised the flag for one of those bonding events I''ve heard about in some RPGs.

    ¡°Well, if Jinma took Scalybutt¡¯s offer from the start, he¡¯d be swimming in money, valuables, and bitches by now, but no, I guess he wants to do this the hard¡ªoooooooww!¡± Nyra cried in pain after I gave a tsukkomi chop to her head.

    You know, I¡¯ve always wanted to retort this way since Nyra first spoke so crudely. I¡¯ll look forward to more of these once I get her body back.

    ¡°That just makes me want my body back even less!¡± Nyra exclaimed while rubbing her head, reading my thoughts.

    "Now, I know we''ve been here for a while and you wish to head back, but I''d like to present you with gifts before you leave," Obina said, which grabbed all our attention.

    "Gifts?" I asked.

    "It''s a tradition for a Champion''s companions to receive a gift from the Immortal they represent after coming here for the first time," Obina explained, "Erizora, Kalline, Tyvera, and Noire will receive one as well once they come here with you next time."

    "I-I''m not worthy of such generosity!" Ren exclaimed while going into dogeza.

    "Is that okay for me, as well? What about ¡­" Ume trailed off while pointing to her Dragon horns and wings.

    "That is a different matter for the Dragon-Kin as a whole," Obina said, "This will be a gift to you as Jinma''s companion. Consider it a belated wedding gift if that makes you feel better."

    "Then ¡­ I''ll humbly accept the gift. Thank you, Goddess Obina," Ume said while bowing her head with a scaly hand on her bosom.

    Huh, was there some secret agreement between the Immortals and the Dragon-Kin in the past? Wonder if Ume can fill me in later?

    Obina then used her ethereal magic to produce a box with a hole bigger than my arm on the top side. It looked like one of those boxes you draw lots from for winning prizes.

    ¡°Reach into this box and pull out a paper slip. It will have a Skill, Ability, or rare item that is written on it that you¡¯ll receive once you return to Raiza,¡± she explained, ¡°We usually provide one of these as a blessing to those we choose as Champions.¡±

    Whooooa, if I have multiple people with the same capabilities as Champions, that would really help me feel better about our chances of surviving the harsher times in this world.

    Ume went first and reached her reptilian hand into the box. Despite how small the box looked, it seemed much deeper inside if she could put her whole arm in it. After a bit, she pulled up a paper slip and unfolded it.

    ¡°¡®Ability ¡­ Legendary Housewife¡¯?¡± Ume asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°Oooh, that¡¯s a blessing available to female Champions who seek a successful and happy marriage,¡± Obina explained with enthusiasm, ¡°It will provide you all the skills at max level and knowledge necessary for the ultimate housewife, and you earn EXP for how well you cater and spoil people around you. You get twice the experience if it¡¯s your husband who you¡¯re spoiling, and/or an additional fifty percent if it¡¯s to your husband¡¯s acknowledged harem members.¡±

    At Obina¡¯s explanation, Ume looked at me with half-lidded eyes and a mischievous smile, her Dragon wings fluttering and matching tail swaying enticingly. Thinking back, Ume was even willing to provide all the valuable money and possessions she had to have me be her mate and help save the Dragon-Kin from going extinct. I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about working for the rest of my life and only focus on providing her with children, which means a lot of sex would get involved if I took her offer from the start.

    Oh man, if she can spoil me to such a level, too, I might become less than a human being for how I won¡¯t want to do anything. I made the resolve to not fall to such desires and become the ¡®Legendary Husband¡¯ that works on the same level of effort worthy for the treatment he receives from his wife.

    When Ume came back and touched her shoulder to mine with intimacy, Ren stepped up and reached into the drawing lot box next. ¡°¡®Item, Great Servant¡¯s Collar,¡¯¡± she read aloud.

    ¡°That will allow the selected servant to be granted a power boost in proportion to the master registered in the collar; however, they¡¯d be eternally bound to their master, following them even after death, and neither of them can ever take it off,¡± Obina explained, her tone turning serious.

    Not even a second after that, Ren rushed back and looked up to me with excited determination in her eyes. ¡°Master! Please register the collar as the master and put it on me!¡± she exclaimed, her tail wagged erratically.

    ¡°Uh, Ren, you realize this is different from a Slave-Master Contract, right?¡± I asked apprehensively, ¡°Unlike the contract, which I can set to release you as my slave should I die, the collar would pull you down with me, whether I want that to happen or not. This can''t be removed, either. You''d be stuck with me for the rest of your life, for as long as I''m alive."

    Ren nodded, "I know that, all of it, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Master. Even if you give me freedom from the contract, I can''t imagine living in a world without you at this point. I won''t ever be happy knowing I outlived my own master who I swore to protect with my life. There''d be no harem, slave or otherwise, without its male. Moreover, you entrusted a great secret to me that shouldn''t be known to others. If this collar can grant me the strength I need to protect my master, the females in his harem, and such secrets, I would be more than honored to accept this power and all that comes with it."

    I still have questions regarding Ren''s values, whether they''re from her as a Werewolf or her own being. Still, it looked like her mind''s made up, and forcing it further would just be pushing my own values and selfishness onto her. It''s better for each person to learn for themselves what moral and ethical values best suit them. So long as it doesn''t hurt anyone else, I''d leave them alone. As for this case that involves me, I had already planned to protect Ren and have her as a lover from the start. I hold some of the responsibility for her safety, so giving her a power boost will give me a better peace of mind that she can look after herself when I''m not around.

    After taking some time to think it over, I looked at Ren, "... Alright, if you''re ok with me, I''d be more than happy to take you on as my official servant."

    "Yes! I won''t let you down, Master!" Ren exclaimed with resolution.

    "In that case, let''s get this underway, shall we?" Obina said before snapping her fingers.

    The paper slip in Ren''s hand exploded in a puff of smoke. Once it cleared, a dark blue leather collar with numerous characters written on the inside replaced the paper slip in her hands.

    "Night sky blue is your favorite color, right, Ren? I made sure the collar''s design was to your taste," Obina said.

    "I-It is. Thank you very much, Goddess Obina," Ren thanked while deeply bowing her head.

    Obina then lent me a sharp knife that ignored my high defenses to draw and drip blood anywhere on the collar''s inner side of the strap to register me as its master. I''ll admit it was a bit unnerving now that I know Sue did it to me last night, but since I did the same thing for Noire not too long ago, I shook the nerves off and bit the bullet. The characters written on the inner strap glowed a faint red after my blood dripped on it.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Huh, odd, I never saw the characters reacting like that before, I wonder ..." Obina muttered, it was too faint for me to catch it.

    "You ready for this, Ren? There''s no shame in turning back now," I reminded her while holding up the collar''s inner side toward her.

    "I''m ready, Master. Please put it on me," Ren said.

    I sighed and carefully looped the collar around Ren''s neck before it somehow adjusted itself to fit her snugly. The contact sent shivers down her spine, all her hairs stood on ends, and the glowing red characters shone through the strap before disappearing. Ren''s eyes somehow made a similar pattern as they briefly changed from yellow to red before they reverted back to their original color. Once the magic was over, she took shallow breaths with a hand clutching her chest.

    "Ren, are you okay?" I asked worryingly with both my hands on her shoulders.

    "Y-Yes, I''m ¡­ fine," she answered before catching her breath, "I just felt a great rush of power pouring into me, and somehow ¡­ I leveled up to the cap of my Thief class, acquired the [Peak of Thieves], [Kotori Family''s Subordinate], and [Concubine of the Boss] titles, and learned the [Insightful Mapping] and [D-Release] skills."

    Part of that was exactly what happened to me after killing that mob of White Rapture spies back in Dondegarm. But, what are these [Kotori Family¡¯s Subordinate] and [Concubine of the Boss] titles? And [D-Release]? Just as I had that thought, notices appeared.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Conditions met. The skill [D-Subordination] is now revealed.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have achieved the [Kotori Family Lieutenant] title!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    ¡°W-What the?! The fuck is this?! [Kotori Family Lieutenant]?!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°M-Me too! I suddenly got the [Wife of the Boss] title, the [D-Zone] skill, even my race became a ¡®D-Dragon¡¯!¡± Ume added.

    Obina only sighed, "I figured this would happen. Umeiyon being the [Wife of the Boss] was to be expected, and with how high-leveled Jinma is, of course Ren would reach the level cap of her class already. I figured we¡¯d do the class promotion here soon afterward. Still, I had a feeling, but I didn¡¯t think Jinma putting the collar on Ren would be the same as swearing an oath to the family, nor did I expect Umeiyon to become a ¡®D-Dragon¡¯ and acquire the [D-Zone] skill.¡±

    ¡°W-What does this mean ¡­¡± I trailed off, having some idea of what happened but partially didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it.

    ¡°Following the traditions of your bloodline, you¡¯ve been recognized as a subsidiary leader of the Kurokichi Clan. Ren, from this day forward, you will be directly serving under him as a member of his own subsidiary in the clan.¡±

    ¡°I get to serve Master as part of his historic clan? I couldn¡¯t feel more honored,¡± Ren said before turning to me and knelt before me, ¡°I swear to not be an embarrassment to your clan¡¯s legacy, Master. I will make you and everyone in your lineage proud.¡±

    ¡°Whoa whoa whoa! Time-out!¡± I exclaimed while forming a ¡®T¡¯ with my hands before turning to Obina, ¡°I know I learned a lot about my lineage over our talk, but I didn¡¯t say I want to be a part of ¡­ ¡®this¡¯! I¡¯m not interested in my clan¡¯s ¡®activities¡¯! I don¡¯t even know if there¡¯s someone from the clan close enough by!¡± Since Obina didn¡¯t say ¡®yakuza¡¯, I had to be careful of my choice of words if it could break the oath I made with her.

    The Goddess of Lust lightly shook her head, ¡°If you were to avoid following your clan¡¯s traditions, you could probably avoid this outcome; however, swearing an oath is a serious thing under those same traditions, and since you are a D-Human, you are subjected to all events that could affect you, your status, and your relationships, even if you stumble upon them on accident. It¡¯s doubly so for possessing the [Devil Eyes], as well, as you have an opportunity to get to the highest rank as chairman of the clan.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah, not happening, not at all,¡± I said before turning to my Werewolf and pulled her up from kneeling to standing position, ¡°Ren, despite what my race as a D-Human dictates of me and my title as a ¡®lieutenant¡¯, I¡¯m not interested in joining the Kurokichi Clan, so there¡¯s no need for you to get so serious out of respect for them. Other than the collar around your neck, nothing that drastic will change between us¡±

    ¡°Is that so? But I still got titles that are connected to you, Master, along with a new skill I¡¯ve never heard of. You seem to have gained something new, too, and it would be a waste if you can¡¯t use it ¡­¡± Ren said while deflating, looking disheartened.

    Oh come on, don¡¯t give me that look! Fuck, a Werewolf¡¯s puppy dog eyes are the real deal.

    ¡°Okay, okay, lighten up and listen. Instead of joining the clan, why don¡¯t we pull what my ancestor did and make our own?¡± I suggested.

    ¡°You can do that?!¡± Ren exclaimed, brightening back up in excitement.

    I shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t see why not? I mean, we kind of got something going with everyone as part of the harem and an adventurer¡¯s party, anyway. We can build something from there ¡­ though, now that I think about it, wouldn¡¯t I have a title that¡¯s higher than ¡®lieutenant¡¯ already?¡±

    ¡°Under your bloodline¡¯s traditions, that is not the case,¡± Obina answered while shaking her head, ¡°You¡¯re marked as ¡®lieutenant¡¯ because of your current level and influence you¡¯ve made in a community. Getting to a rank that high is usually not an easy task for most in the bloodline. Furthermore, there are people in this world who stand above you in rank as [Kotori Family Captain], [Kotori Family Patriarch], and finally the [Kurokichi Clan Chairman]. As a Kotori, it¡¯d be impossible to make up a clan on your own because the majority already serve for the Kurokichi Clan. You¡¯d have to pull a coup to overthrow the clan¡¯s current leadership in order to own it and have it become the Kotori Clan.¡±

    ¡°Huh, is that right ¡­¡± That means the current family captatin and patriarch is living somewhere in this world, as well as the chairman running the clan under public¡¯s noses. Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to search the entire world for them.

    ¡°All is not lost, however,¡± Obina continued, ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, Jinma, you have acquired the [D-Subordination] skill. Though it¡¯s through a different means from what happened with Ren, but if you have a human or a demon swear a family oath to you, they will become your subordinates, with the human becoming a [D-Human] while acquiring the [D-Zone] skill, and the demon acquiring the [D-Release] skill.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s [D-Release]? This is the first time I¡¯m hearing about it,¡± I said.

    ¡°[D-Release], short for [Demon Release], is similar to [D-Zone] for D-Humans,¡± Obina explained, ¡°It grants demons a power boost that will release all limitations in the body and perform at their peak condition; however, this only lasts for five minutes, and when that time is up, the demon won¡¯t be able to move for a while.¡±

    Five minutes may not be much in Earth¡¯s time, but it¡¯s much different here in Raiza. Still, if Ren activates it until time runs out, she would be completely vulnerable to enemy attacks if left alone. I¡¯ll have to make sure she doesn¡¯t use it carelessly.

    "Was Jin¡¯s [D-Subordination] part of why I became a ¡®D-Dragon¡¯ and learned the [D-Zone] skill, as well?" Ume asked, ¡°And what of those from the Demi-Kin?¡±

    "The Demis like Elves and Dwarves would have the [D-Zone] skill and would become what''s called a ''D-Demi'',¡± Obina explained, ¡°Their races would change to things like ''D-Elves'' and ''D-Dwarves''. I''ve never seen a Dragon under a [D-Subordination]''s effect, but because you¡¯re under a marital vow with Jinma, it seems you¡¯ve become a ''D-Dragon'' as a result. Also, with the [Wife of the Boss] title, you¡¯ll have a similar level of authority for Jinma¡¯s subordinates in his subsidiary.¡±

    ¡°Wait, if Ume is a D-Dragon now, then what will become of our kids?¡± I asked shakily. I also realized then I hadn¡¯t considered what would happen if she had offspring with a D-Human like me than a regular Human.

    Obina¡¯s expression deflated, ¡°To be honest ¡­ I am unsure. We have not run into a case where an offspring is born with the blood of more than two kin, let alone two races, especially if at least one of them was under [D-Subordination]. Those influenced by that skill¡¯s effects have gone through violent frenzies that killed a number of people because they¡¯ve not undergone proper training to control the [D-Zone] skill. Due to the lack of knowledge of this phenomenon, the ¡®pure-blooded¡¯ races retaliated and executed them before they could do further harm.¡±

    So, like those under [Devil Eyes] effects, even D-Humans with only the [D-Zone] skill could get violent if pushed to the edge ¡­ does that mean, Hyo-chan and Komi have undergone something like that at some point?

    While that thought was concerning enough, what¡¯s really worrying me now is what my wife thought of all this. She was so excited to hear that a healthy child will be guaranteed after marrying me, now we suddenly hear this bleak history of those born under [D-Subordination]¡¯s effects. I had little knowledge of D-Humans other than the name by the time we tied the knot, and in hein¡¯s sight, I should have thought more of what would happen if Ume had a child with one like me.

    ¡°L-Lady Mei ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Ren apologized suddenly, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t pushed Master into putting the collar on me, we wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Ume interrupted, putting a reptilian digit on Ren¡¯s lips, ¡°When I set out on finding a mate to help save my kin from going extinct, I didn¡¯t anticipate for a second that our child would be a pure-blooded Dragon. From what I heard of the other Dragons and where they stood, I feared we would leave this world if we didn¡¯t do something different with our methods of survival and reproduction. They were too stubborn that having a child with someone not a Dragon was impossible, and even if it was, they¡¯d be an abomination for not being ¡®pure¡¯ like us. Heck, some Dragons have looked down on the Demon-Kin¡¯s Lizardmen, the Demi-Kin¡¯s Drakes, Wyverns, and other similar monsters as ¡®Lesser Dragons¡¯ because they¡¯d never stand on the same level of strength and magic as us. I¡¯d imagine the ¡®abominations¡¯ would be lumped in that same group.

    ¡°I personally don¡¯t care whether these ¡®Lesser Dragons¡¯ are ¡®pure¡¯ or not. What annoys me is that they think they stand on the same level as us without ever truly seeing us and our splendor, let alone trying to fight us to see where they really stand. If they even have the gall to stand up to us despite knowing the difference of power between us, I¡¯d at least acknowledge they have the bravery or stupidity to take us on. As for my child, I¡¯ll tell them everything we Dragons are known and stand for,¡± Ume continued with a claw to her bosom, ¡°I¡¯ll teach them what true strength is, and have their father be the prime example that even the strongest of beings can be defeated if the challenger has ways of getting around those odds. I¡¯ll raise them so that if a Dragon ever calls them an abomination, they can stand up, fight back, and show them that they don¡¯t just have a Dragon¡¯s blood, but also a Dragon¡¯s heart and spirit, that they¡¯re the child of a loving, proud Dragon and D-Human who can beat their asses better than they would.¡±

    ¡°Ume ¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°So, a child of a D-Human will be more likely to get violent when aggravated, you say?¡± Ume asked Obina, ¡°That¡¯s nothing more than a temper tantrum to Dragons who have gone through something similar with their own offspring. It will just be a little tougher in my case because they¡¯ll have a Demon¡¯s blood inside them, but there¡¯s nothing a Dragon¡¯s discipline won¡¯t fix, and I¡¯m sure Jin¡¯s mother has beaten things into him that can be passed down to our child, too.¡±

    She¡¯s got that right.

    Ume then turned to me with a furrowed brow, ¡°And what about you, Jin? What do you think about having a child that will grow into a being like that? Would you be willing to kill your own child if it meant saving the lives of many?¡±

    ¡°... No fucking way,¡± I said sternly, ¡°I may not be ready to raise a kid yet, but even I wouldn¡¯t ever go that far, or I¡¯d be worse than the old bastard who abandoned Mom and I. If the discipline beaten into me doesn¡¯t work for my kid, then I¡¯ll do whatever I can to set them straight, because no one in my family is going to be left alone when they¡¯re in trouble. I¡¯ll never give up on them until they know how much they mean to me.¡±

    Ume smiled and crossed her arms, ¡°Mm. Exactly what I want to hear from my husband. You better not go back on your word, or I¡¯ll beat you straight back up.¡±

    ¡°I could say the same to you, honey.¡±

    Off to the side, Nyra sniffled and wiped her eyes, ¡°That was so beautiful.¡±

    Ren was standing alongside the Arch Pixie trying to avoid her eyes from pooling, but at least she didn¡¯t look as guilty as she was moments ago.

    Obina smiled sweetly, ¡°I guess I can let up my worries a bit if you¡¯re like this. With that bit of drama out of the way, shall we decide what Ren¡¯s promoted class will be?¡±

 Chapter 156: The Goddess of Lustâ€™s Sendoff

    Once we calmed down, we got right to deciding Ren¡¯s promoted class. Normally, you¡¯d be eligible for a promotion when you¡¯re reached past LV 100 and fulfilled certain requirements for the advanced class you¡¯re interested in. When you reach LV 200, though, which is every novice class¡¯ level cap, you¡¯d get the [Peak of (Blank)] title and can get promoted to any advanced class you want. Even if you didn¡¯t fulfill the requirements, such as learning a specific skill, you¡¯ll actually end up getting it upon the promotion. One example was if a Rogue wanted to become a Nightblade, they¡¯d need the [Shortsword-Wielding] and [Curse Magic] skills at acceptable levels. Even if you didn¡¯t have either of these skills, you¡¯ll learn both of them once you reach the Thief¡¯s level cap and achieve the [Peak of Thieves] title. Also, any EXP you¡¯ve accumulated while you¡¯re at your level cap will be carried over to the advanced class of your choice.

    Now, the ¡®Great Servant¡¯s Collar¡¯ was supposed to grant the wearer a portion of the registered master¡¯s power. I can have a total of five classes in my statuses, four of them being changeable since I¡¯m keeping my primary class as a Brawler¡ªwhich, despite being the ¡®default¡¯ novice class that everyone starts with, seems to have a higher level cap than the other novice classes as I haven¡¯t reached mine yet. I wanted to ask Obina about what¡¯s going on with this class, but I¡¯ve been bombarded by surprising revelations so many times today that I¡¯m not sure if I could take much more with a stable mind. For now, I¡¯ll just stick with leveling up Brawler to its level cap and see where it goes, I¡¯ll probably ask Obina about it by then.

    Anyway, thanks to the Brawler¡¯s skills that allow me to have multiple classes, I¡¯ve managed to level up and promote more than one class. What I¡¯m wondering is if I¡¯m granting some of my power to Ren through the ¡®Great Servant¡¯s Collar¡¯, is that power pulled from my primary class as a Brawler, or all of my classes combined? If this isn''t the first time that¡¯s happened, even if the Immortals were unaware of it at the time, it¡¯s possible they made necessary adjustments to the game-like system mechanics in this world to not be so broken¡ªthen again, the power balance could definitely still use some fixing, in my opinion. It would be more logical that the power will be from my primary class as a Brawler, but we¡¯d find out after Ren gets promoted.

    After letting Ren know that I¡¯d leave her the decision of what to promote into, she says she wishes to become a Ninja. According to Obina, that advanced class usually requires the [Dual-Wielding] skill and at least one that¡¯s magic-based, no matter the attribute. Ninjas focus on speed and aiming the vitals for quick one-hit kills. With their background in magic, they can also learn some specific kinds of magic that would enhance their Ninja capabilities like [Illusion Magic] and [Darkness Magic], the last of which requires getting the class to a high enough level first before being able to learn it.

    If I recall, that old drunkard from the raid at Dondegarm, despite possessing the Monk class, got [Darkness Magic] as a dungeon clear bonus, but I was able to learn it on my own thanks to my [Natural-Born Brawler] title. Apparently, this was one of the ¡®normal¡¯ means to acquire [Darkness Magic], while the other was to level up your [Curse Magic] skill high enough while being a Sorcerer. If Ren gets [Darkness Magic] as a Ninja, though, like that drunkard, she¡¯ll immediately gain an affinity for [Curse Magic] that she can learn after that. I asked Obina if there was any way I could help Ren learn that magic quicker, and she said I should be able to by teaching it to her. There''s a Brawler-specific skill called [School of Hard Knocks] that should allow me to effectively teach any skill or spell I have to other people. I could even teach my Brawler fighting-style skills to my disciples, too. If my fighting styles will help my party get stronger, then it was all the more reason for me to learn [School of Hard Knocks]. I just need to figure out how to effectively use it while we''re in the dungeon.

    With our plan decided, Obina went right to work promoting Ren to advanced class, which included a ritual where the latter had to kneel before the former and some ceremonial speech was done. As soon as the ritual was complete, it seems that ''pouring of power'' Ren described earlier was only halted. From how shaken the Werewolf seemed as soon as she was promoted, it looked like that process continued until it was finished. This only lasted for a couple seconds, and by the end of it, Ren was off balance even in a kneeling position. By the time she calmed down, I asked what level she was now as a Ninja.

    "... I was LV 73 before, but now, after reaching the Thief''s level cap and becoming a Ninja, I''ve reached LV 143 ¡­¡±

    "Wooow, that''s impressive," Ume said.

    "Master ¡­ just how powerful are you that allowed me to level up to this extent?" Ren asked as she looked at me with disbelief.

    If Ren was LV 73 before and reached LV 143 as a Ninja now, after doing some quick mental math with my [Calculation] skill, she had gone up by 270 levels. That was half the number of my current Brawler-class level at 540, but nothing has changed in my status. It looks like with only putting my Brawler class in the equation, the collar took a record of half the total levels in my primary class and applied it onto Ren''s status. I don''t know if her stats increased the same way as mine, nor do I know if half of my level ups will be applied to Ren¡¯s status from now on, but for the time being, she''ll certainly have enough SP to do some stuff with. According to Obina, Ren had just got to the right level and earned enough SP to learn [Darkness Magic] right there, but I''d like to see if I can teach it to her first.

    It seemed Ren was capable enough to learn and follow instructions, especially since she learned the [Magic Sense] skill from Ume while they were alone together in that room. Being able to sense someone¡¯s manic aura while adjusting how yours is seen, that will definitely be helpful in hiding her true power, so we made sure Ren adjusted hers to be the same as it was before we came in. If Ren was able to learn that much from Ume, then she¡¯ll surely be able to learn some of my own tricks.

    To finalize Ren¡¯s promotion, I converted some money into Bless Points (BP) and used it to buy some Ninja-related equipment from the Immortals¡¯ Blessing Shop. I also bought a Silver Armory Armlet, an item that allows the wearer to quickly change what armor and other equipment they have stored inside in an instant, and stored all that Ninja equipment inside it before giving the accessory to Ren. We don¡¯t want to risk Konjiro relaying information about Ren¡¯s recent promotion to Rowling and changing their battle tactics at the last minute. This way, Ren can still look the part of a Thief and be ready to become a Ninja at a moment¡¯s notice. Ren was reluctant to accept all these things at first, but after assuring her how necessary this was to help us get the upper hand over Rowling down the line, she accepted my offering and thanked me wholeheartedly. After registering the armor set to change into, I felt Ren was more than ready to take on the dungeon. There¡¯s still the new skills to learn with all the new SP the Werewolf got, and since she was my slave, I had to give the final say as her master. I decided that we would hold off on that until later in the evening.

    Speaking of slaves, with Ren¡¯s promotion complete, Obina gave some additional information on the Great Servant¡¯s Collar¡¯s effects, one of which that her [Slave] title and its own effects will stay for as long as the contract still exists between us. I guess in this world, there were some distinctions between someone being a person¡¯s servant and the other as a slave. After that, Obina then gave me something as a gift for my Familiars. On the surface, they look like normal ribbons of different colors, a yellow one for Mametama and a violet one for Kenaka. What she informed me through [Telepathy], though, was that wearing these ribbons while transforming to their Demon-Kin forms will provide them with some new clothes to walk around in. They were designed to be self-repairable and self-cleaned through magic should they get roughed up a bit in battle, and should my Familiar change back to their animal forms without their clothes on, the garments will revert back to their ribbon states. Obina told me all this through [Telepathy] knowing I¡¯m keeping my Familiars¡¯ new ability to transform a secret weapon from my party, which I was thankful for. This was also apparently a thing Immortals do for their representing Champions after having their Familiars achieve such a feat, too. At least with these arrangements, I won¡¯t have to worry about getting clothes prepared every time my Familiars transform, so I was grateful that such a tradition existed.

    Next, much to my surprise, Obina then taught me how I could use my [D-Subordination] skill to recruit new subordinates into my subsidiary. Through this, I could grant Demon-Kin subordinates the [D-Release] skill, and not only grant Human and Demi-Kin the [D-Zone] skill, but also make them what Obina dubbed the ¡®D-Species¡¯ race, putting all races that have no connections to the Demon-Kin under one banner. The process of this skill was pretty much what I¡¯ve heard goes on in yakuzas when forming sworn brother oaths. It was when the subsidiary head took a sip of some drink from a cup and had their new subordinates drink out of the same cup. According to Obina, though, I only need to get the recruiting subordinates drink from the same batch of liquid¡ªdoesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s alcohol, juice, water, or something else¡ªthat I drank out of after I said some important lines for formality¡¯s sake. It doesn¡¯t even have to be out of a cup, either. Now that I think about it, aren¡¯t I basically forcing them to drink my backwash? What the hell were these yakuzas thinking, coming up with such a tradition?

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Ren asked if I was going to recruit the rest of my party to be my subordinates when we got back, but I decided to hold that off for now. After hearing what comes to those from getting recruited into a subsidiary, especially the negative side-effects from the skills they were granted, I couldn¡¯t just use my [D-Subordination] skill so willy-nilly. I haven¡¯t even seen these skills be put to action yet, and if demons are sensitive to changes of power, especially those like Konjiro and Yukino who could become our enemies, it is best that we don¡¯t draw too much suspicion to ourselves. We were already pushing it with all the stuff we were granted today.

    Moreover, even if I leave the final decision of joining my subsidiary up to the new recruits, I didn¡¯t feel right changing their entire race for the sake of cooperation and granting them a deadly edge in battle. I don¡¯t know how much they¡¯ll change after getting such a power, so if possible, I wanted to keep the number of subordinates I have down to a minimum, at least until I learn more of what the ¡®D-Species¡¯ and their skills can do on the field.

    With that, it seemed our business with Obina was coming to a close, but seeing the Arch Pixie in the room made me realize something. ¡°Hey, what about Nyra? Doesn¡¯t she get a gift like Ume and Ren?¡± I asked. I¡¯ll be pissed if that fruit sauce that saved her from the brink of death was the ¡®gift¡¯ the Goddess of Lust had for her.

    ¡°Right, about that ¡­¡± Obina trailed off awkwardly before turning to Nyra with a wry smile, ¡°Nyra, dear, as much as it pains me to say this, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to give you a gift at this time.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess, is it because of my curse?¡± Nyra asked.

    Obina nodded solemnly, ¡°With that curse affecting your skills, abilities, and being unable to use items, it would be pointless to give you something as you are right now. Should I give you a gift now, I¡¯m not even sure if you¡¯ll have anything with you after your curse is lifted. I believe the best course of action here would be to hold off on your gift until your curse is settled.¡±

    Nyra sighed and shrugged, ¡°Well, I figured something like that was coming.¡±

    ¡°In that case, should we give Nyra and Master some time alone to mate before we get back to our realm?¡± Ren suggested, ¡°To finally get a body back after so long and not receive Master¡¯s love properly, it just feels like a waste to not do it now.¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, yeah, that would suck, especially knowing how much of a sex addict Nyra is.

    ¡°Ohh, Wolfyyy, you¡¯re so sweet!¡± Nyra cooed before pulling Ren into a hug, ¡°I appreciate the concern, but it wasn¡¯t until Jinma started swinging me around that I finally got some action that sated my dried up desires after so long, so I at least have that going for me for a while. Also, holding back my first horizontal tango with Jinma for some more time isn¡¯t much different than when I haven¡¯t gotten any for a thousand years. I can wait until I get my body back so our first time will be that much more special. You think you can restrain yourself until then as well, stud?¡±

    ¡°... If you¡¯re willing, I think I can be satisfied with one more of your expert kisses from earlier to keep myself motivated for that time,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Please, you won¡¯t hold yourself back after receiving one more of my ¡®expert¡¯ kisses, buuuut, I can give you this much to hold you over, at least,¡± Nyra said before lifting herself off the ground with her wings and approaching me.

    Putting herself on the same level as me, she wrapped her arms around my head before gently placing her lips over mine. It wasn¡¯t a hot, passionate kiss like before. This time, it was soft, warm, and surprisingly loving. Somehow, through this kiss, I could feel Nyra¡¯s emotions and intentions towards me. She doesn¡¯t want our first time to be wild, virile, and animalistic like I figured she wanted it. No, for our first night together, after being freed from her prison, Nyra wants to be held and loved dearly like a real woman. I couldn¡¯t fault her for having such a wish.

    After what felt like an eternity, Nyra broke away from our kiss and placed her forehead on mine. Then, as if we were fully in sync, we opened our eyes at the same time and looked deeply into each other.

    ¡°You okay with that, Jinma?¡± Nyra asked me softly.

    ¡°... Yeah, definitely.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much else that needed to be said between us. We knew what we wanted from each other, and we were going to deliver it when that time comes.

    With that, while facing Obina as instructed, the four of us knelt together in the same positions as we were from the beginning, ready to get sent back down to Raiza. The only difference was Nyra kneeling behind me with a hand on my back like Ume and Ren were doing from both sides.

    ¡°When you wake back up down there, only a couple seconds will have passed since you were brought up here,¡± Obina explained, ¡°Time in the Immortals¡¯ realm works very differently from yours where Raiza resides. You should have more than enough time to get back to Palocaesy and finish whatever business you need done before tomorrow. Jinma, if there¡¯s anything else that you need from me, I¡¯ll do whatever I can in my power to help you.¡±

    ¡°... Thank you, for all this, Obina. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything I can do to make it up to you,¡± I said while looking up to her.

    Obina smiled, but for some reason, I feel like there was some loneliness and sadness behind it, ¡°If you¡¯re offering, there¡¯s really only one thing this selfish Goddess would like to ask of you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    Before I could get an answer, Obina closed her eyes in focus, raised her hand, and snapped her fingers before I was blinded by a white light. The last thing I heard was Obina¡¯s voice in my mind.

    <No matter what happens, Jinma Kotori ¡­ never lose sight of who you really are.>

    ~~

    {Obina}

    With a snap of fingers, a pillar of white light surrounded the four visitors of the Immortals¡¯ realm before they were gone in a flash, leaving the Goddess of Lust, Obina, alone in her bedchambers. While no one else was around, she took one of her bean bag chairs and fell back on it. Totally exhausted and drained after all the stress and drama she went through, she placed an arm over her eyes, taking comfort in the darkness. She still has a ton of duties as an Immortal to do, but for the moment, she needed a moment of reprieve.

    ¡°That was not one of my finer moments as an Immortal, huh, Sango?¡± she asked no one in particular, ¡°Really wish I knew what you¡¯re thinking right now.¡±

    Obina thought back to her first time meeting the yakuza clan leader, Sango Kurokichi. Jinma was practically a spitting image of his ancestor, and when he pleaded with her to tell him the truth of his heritage, she saw a bit of Sango inside him. Incidentally, the young man¡¯s father was also the same in terms of appearance. Those three men, despite having very different personalities, have one thing in common: they are prone to shouldering everything for the people they care about. It was especially so if they¡¯re trying to fix a mistake they made. Their hearts were in the right place, but the way they went about it was nothing but ridiculous, foolish, and downright insane.

    ¡°Deny it all you want, Mikan, but you¡¯re no better than them, you know?¡± Obina asked, still by herself, ¡°You just happen to be a bigger pain in the ass. Seriously, can¡¯t you take a page from your son¡¯s book and tone down the demands a notch? You even know how difficult you¡¯re making this for us?¡±

    Though she¡¯s complaining now, Obina couldn¡¯t help but feel tense just thinking about Jinma¡¯s mother. Out of all the women she¡¯s seen so far, what drove Mikan Kotori to demand so much with such malevolence, hostility, and bloodlust has never terrified the Goddess of Lust to such lengths before. If that weren¡¯t bad enough, there¡¯s one more girl currently on Padimon who could very well be on her way of being the runner-up for scariest woman of the year. Obina couldn¡¯t imagine how Jinma will react should he see this runner-up as is down the line. The current Demon King, whose clone goes by Sue, would be placed third, but the promiscuous Immortal may be too generous with that thought. That curse of Jinma¡¯s, [Black Charisma], must be the worst case in his clan¡¯s history yet if it got those three like that.

    ¡°Obina, you are alone. Is the business with the boy finished?¡± a deep-toned, authoritative man¡¯s voice rang through the Goddess¡¯ bedchambers.

    Obina exasperated a sigh, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s done, Palonitus, and let me say again that I still don¡¯t like how we¡¯re doing this.¡±

    ¡°These are complicated circumstances that have been going on since the aftermath of that war on Raiza. We cannot be lacking vigilance, especially now.¡±

    ¡°Aw, dammit, do I even wanna know?¡± Obina asked, assuming the worst.

    ¡°The other Immortals know, but I left you out so you won¡¯t be interrupted with the boy. Within the coming future, we have to prepare for ¡­ a Code Black Champion Transferral,¡± Palonitus announced grimly.

    ¡°CODE BLACK?!¡± Obina yelled while straightening up from her bean bag chair, ¡°The last big transferral we had to do was 3 Earth years ago, right?! Over 50 people had to be accounted for! If that was a ¡®Code Green¡¯, how many are there for this one?!¡±

    ¡°For this transferral ¡­ it may be within a few thousands.¡±

    ¡°A FEW THOUSANDS?! Who is responsible for this?!¡± Obina yelled in defiance.

    ¡°You¡¯ll likely recognize this man,¡± Palonitus said before a golden window appeared before Obina, spreading out and revealing a video recording live in the evening of Ikebukuro Japan.

    It was an older man with trashy-looking hair and clothes who had just finished passing out folded papers to two girls in exchange for their carry-on bags packed to the brim with belongings. One of the girls was an attractive idol in her late teens who looked suspicious of that trashy old man after reading the contents in the paper. She went by her idol name, Fina. The other was an office lady Obina knew all too well, the same one who delivered the killing blow that brought her representing Champion to Raiza. This killer, Koyuki Jikan, was anxious and uncertain about what the trashy-looking man had in store for his plans.

    With their secret rendezvous finished, the girls left the area and went back to their homes for the night. Once the trashy-looking man was left alone, he muttered words unfamiliar in the Japanese language, instantly making the girls¡¯ carry-on bags disappear before one new backpack was brought out in their place. After lugging the bag over his shoulders, he used his hands to frame his target, a five-star luxury hotel, with a manic, conniving grin on his face.

    The sight of that man on screen angered the Goddess of Lust enough to grind her teeth, ¡°Itachi ¡­ no, Kazumi Shinka. What the fuck are you doing now, you bastard?¡±

 Chapter 157: To Become a Confidant

    {Jinma}

    After hearing Obina¡¯s last words, I felt the same weird feeling of something getting sucked out of me like when we came in, but in reverse. Soon after that, the white blindness died down and I was met with a comfortable darkness, realizing my eyes were closed before slowly opening them. The familiar ground of the church¡¯s secret cavern was below me.

    ¡°Goodness, that took quite a bit. You must have been up there for a while. And I see you came back with some souvenirs?¡± Winny, the Arch Imp Priestess, asked.

    I looked up and checked my surroundings. On top of the Immortals¡¯ Monument towering over us, Sue and Winny were in the same positions as when we started the chant, two different-colored ribbons sat in front of me, Ume was back in her Lizardman form, and Ren had the collar and silver armlet on when we left Obina¡¯s room. Nyra wasn¡¯t behind me, and when I patted myself, I felt the tanto holstered where it should be. Looks like we really did come back.

    ¡°How long were we out?¡± I asked as the others were wiping the brightness out of their eyes.

    Winny looked up in thought, ¡°About ¡­ 10 seconds, maybe? These things are usually done less than that. You must have spoken with Goddess Obina for quite some time.¡±

    A couple seconds, huh? With how long it felt there, though, I¡¯m not sure if I want to make those trips a regular thing, especially with the time and effort it takes just getting to the secret cavern here.

    ¡°Have you found what you needed after speaking with Goddess Obina?¡± Winny then asked.

    I looked at Sue again, who was shifting glances between me and Ren in surprise. Now that I think about it, Sue could probably see the changes in our statuses from our visit with whatever appraisal-type skill she has on her. She seems to know what I have hidden with my [Status Sorting] skill, too.

    I probably should have asked Obina if I could buy anything that would hide my identity and location like Sue can. Then again, I went over quite a bit of the list when I was shopping for Ren¡¯s equipment and didn¡¯t find anything that fit that criteria. It was mentioned before that more stuff will be available for me to buy when I¡¯m higher ranked as an adventurer, and I was black-ranked, so maybe I wasn¡¯t qualified for the top-tier quality items just yet. Those may be available when I reach bronze, silver, and gold-rank in the adventurer¡¯s guild.

    Putting that aside, even if I was able to buy something like that, Sue¡ªas well as the Demon King¡ªalready knows my identity as a Champion and a D-Human, and what I can do as a Brawler, anyway. The only things that changed were my abilities, my new title as a [Kotori Family Lieutenant], and the [D-Subordination] skill that came with it. Though Sue already sees what we have now, I should still make an effort to hide what I can with my [Status Sorting] skill. This Devil-turned-Arch Imp is just the exception of who or what can see through my efforts of hiding my identity when that really shouldn¡¯t be the case. Now that I learned that much about her through my meeting with Obina, though I should still be wary, I didn¡¯t have to worry about the possibility of facing many potential enemies that are just as dangerous as Sue can be.

    ¡°... Yeah, I think I learned enough to be satisfied for now,¡± I answered honestly to Winny¡¯s question about fulfilling my objective from meeting Obina.

    ~~

    With our business finished, I pocketed my Familiars¡¯ ribbons before Winny led us out of the Champion¡¯s Confessionary and back into the office where the secret passage began. On the way over, I used my [Status Sorting] skill to hide the new stuff I didn¡¯t want most other people to find. Ume and Ren walked in silence, but Sue seemed the most tense out of us all. Once Winny took the necessary measures to hide the secret passage again, she turned her attention back to us while we stood around in the office.

    ¡°Is there anything else you need from the church while you are here, Master Jinma?¡± Winny asked.

    I shook my head, ¡°Nah, you¡¯ve done more than enough going through the trouble for us. I really appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°It is no trouble at all. For you, I will do everything in my power as one of Dondegarm¡¯s Holy Bishops to support you,¡± Winna said before giving an angelic smile.

    ¡°Uh, there is one thing I¡¯d like to request,¡± Sue said unexpectedly, ¡°Could we borrow this room to have a quick private chat? We won¡¯t touch anything, of course.¡±

    Winny nodded, ¡°I have no problems with that. There are some chores I must get back to, but if there is nothing else you need from me, I wish you the best of luck in your quest, Master Jinma.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for everything, Winny,¡± I said before giving her a hug. She was surprised by the gesture at first, but quickly warmed up to the gesture as she returned it.

    After requesting us to close the door on our way out, the Arch Imp Priestess left the room, leaving the four of us behind. To ensure our privacy, I cast the [Soundproof] Null Spell to cover the room.

    ¡°So, what did you want to talk about, Sue?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I was wondering if there was anything you learned from your talk with Goddess Obina that you want to confirm with me about? I¡¯ll try to answer whatever I can, of course,¡± Sue said, but she didn¡¯t look confident as she was looking down and fidgeting in place.

    I sighed and scratched my head, ¡°There are things I want to confirm, but ¡­ I¡¯m under an oath set by Obina that I cannot say anything of what I learned from our talk.¡± I then went on with the conditions she set with everyone in the room listening in.

    When I was done, Sue looked up to me with widened eyes, ¡°So, unless I come out to you or anyone in your party, you and Nyra can¡¯t say anything to us, but after seven days from around this time today, you¡¯ll be free to confront me, alone, on what you¡¯ve learned?¡±

    ¡°What happens if you break that oath?¡± Ume asked.

    ¡°... I can¡¯t say,¡± I said while averting my gaze.

    I read as much as I could in the contract before signing it, and I confirmed some things with Obina on some instances before bringing Ume and Ren back in her bedchambers, too. I was allowed to bring up that much of the oath to those who know most of the circumstances, Ume, Ren, my Familiars, and especially Sue. If I brought up the consequences of breaking the oath, which is me, Nyra, and my Familiars forfeiting our lives to the Immortals, it could add enough pressure to Sue to confess by force, which I believe was something Palonitus wanted to avoid. At the same time, just staying quiet about what I learned may also cause Sue enough stress to do the same thing. Putting this much out on the table will be enough for Sue to be kept in the loop, as well as giving her a choice of revealing everything sooner. Keeping her in the dark of my penalty would also add just enough pressure of how serious these circumstances are. I assumed that was what this so-called ¡®God of the World¡¯ had in mind when setting up this middle-ground, but I wasn¡¯t sure how fair this arrangement really was.

    Moreover, what does ¡®forfeiting one¡¯s life to another¡¯ really mean? The worst-case would be me, Nyra, and my Familiars dropping dead right there. Interpreted in another way, we may be held as the Immortals¡¯ prisoners, maybe falling to the same fate as the God of Time who screwed everyone over with his pranks. It was hard to say what that vague statement really meant, and it was that uncertainty that would add as much pressure to the four of us under the oath as it would for Sue.

    After hearing of me keeping quiet about my penalty, it looked like Sue¡¯s thought process on this arrangement was mutual to mine as she stared down pale and breaking into cold sweat.

    <Oof, I could feel the pain from the stress she¡¯s feeling in her stomach right now,> Nyra said in my mind. Incidentally, it seemed she retained the mature, exotic voice from her new Arch Pixie body into her telepathy. That was going to be a little weird getting used to.

    <Yeah, looks like she wishes she never asked about my talk with Obina,> I agreed.

    <You feel bad about bringing it up to her?>

    <... After seeing the emotional turmoil she went through in the recordings, I¡¯m not really sure, honestly,> I answered.

    I was aware that the Sue we¡¯re talking to is a clone, but other than retaining the knowledge of being one, it seems they hold as much independence and personality as the original. Moreover, once those clones merge back with the original, the latter will acquire all the memories and experiences the former learned as if they were right there. That means until they merge back, the original has no idea what their clone is going through. The only exception would be if there was some means of communication to report what¡¯s happening between each other¡¯s ends, and recalling what I¡¯ve seen in the recording, I have a feeling Sue already has that covered. That aside, even if this is a clone in front of us, we can assume this is what the original Sue¡¯s really feeling at the moment. The question is where the original Sue is. She could either be watching in from a distance or someplace else taking care of a mission we¡¯re unaware of. Either way, since the original and the clone have the same thing that¡¯s keeping their identities and locations hidden, there¡¯s no way I can find them normally.

    Not bearing the stress of the unknown anymore, Sue reached into her knapsack and took out the pain-relief pills she gave me before and swallowed a few, along with whatever other negative emotions she had in her mind. The disguised Devil sighed in exhaustion, ¡°Right, well ¡­ thank you for sharing that much with me, Jinma. I¡¯ll definitely take some time to think about this.¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    I nodded in understanding, ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°It also looks like you all got some new stuff during your time in the Immortals¡¯ Realm. Especially you, Ren, I could already tell you¡¯ve gained a great power. You have my congratulations,¡± Sue then said.

    ¡°... Yes, thank you,¡± the Werewolf answered. It looked like she had more to say, but restrained herself after remembering her outburst in Palocaesy¡¯s junkyard.

    The disguised Devil then turned to me, ¡°I just have one thing I want to ask of you before we put this matter aside for now, Jinma.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± I said calmly.

    ¡°Whatever you learned through your talk with Obina, whatever you learned about me during that time ¡­ from now to even after I reveal everything to you, I¡¯d like for you to still see and treat me as you have been up to this point,¡± Sue said.

    I raised a brow in confusion.

    ¡°I know ¡­ it¡¯s both totally weird and a lot to ask of you,¡± Sue continued, ¡°And yes, I admit that my actions that led to these circumstances were not only hasty in my judgement, but also insensitive and unfair to you and Nyra. I ¡­ grew up with complicated circumstances that I admit may have bent and twisted what I know as common sense, as well as what¡¯s right and wrong. That proves well enough that I¡¯m not perfect, and I should be viewed as imperfect.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to treat and behave around me as natural as you would for any other person, regardless of kin, social status, or gender. I want you to be the prime example of why I¡¯m not perfect and don¡¯t deserve special treatment. The fact that no matter what I turn out to be, I¡¯m still Sue, a messed up, misguided girl who honestly has no experience of truly connecting with another individual outside of family ¡­¡± Sue trailed off before looking down, ¡°Then again, I wonder if I still even have a family at this point.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked.

    Sue then held up one of the necklaces around her neck, ¡°Despite how much I cherished Father, going so far as to carry one of the necklaces he gave me wherever I go, I¡¯ve recently started to question his true character as of late and why he¡¯s raised me the way he did. Moreover, Mother has started seeing someone else, something I never imagined she¡¯d do despite how much she loved Father, as far as I''ve seen out of the few times the three of us were together.¡±

    Sue¡¯s mom and dad, and the ¡®few times¡¯ the three of them were together? Does that mean most of the time they were never together for an extended period?

    <If Sue¡¯s dad is the previous Demon King, I¡¯d imagine his royal duties would keep him busy,> Nyra pointed out, <I get it, so there are some complicated mommy-daddy issues at play here. Still, that begs the question of whether Sue¡¯s mother being part of an affair was the queen, or a concubine. Not to mention, how long it''s been the three of them, if that really was the case.>

    ¡°I may have been fooling myself, though,¡± Sue continued, still looking down, ¡°We drifted apart ever so slowly, and before I knew it, I was suddenly thrown with a heavy responsibility as an ¡®agent¡¯ of ¡®The Dark Wind¡¯. And now ¡­ I don''t know if I could meet either of them.¡±

    We all know Sue was lying about that spy bullcrap. Me, and even Ren could tell despite our different levels in the [Intuition] skill. I guess this is the closest thing she could describe herself as at the moment. Still, Sue''s family situation seems very real. If this is something anyone could come up with on the fly, I''d lose faith in pretty much everyone, especially the disguised Devil in front of us.

    "... Is that why you''re trying to get close to me, despite how it may complicate the mission the Demon King gave you?" I asked, "Did you need someone to keep yourself grounded, alleviating the fear of confronting your parents for the truth?"

    "... You know, it''s humiliating for me if you point it out like that," Sue said while sulking, averting her gaze with tinted cheeks.

    <Huh, isn''t this the first time we''re actually seen her embarrassed over something?> Nyra asked.

    "But why me, though?" I asked, "I''m from a different kin. I can''t even see my own parents and relatives under ¡­ complicated circumstances, to really sympathize with you, someone from a different lineage and culture, who has that freedom to do so."

    "... When I first met you face-to-face, I felt something click inside me. ''This is the one,'' that thought just came to me then and there," Sue explained as she looked back up to me with a hand to her bosom, "Even now, I feel there''s a connection between us, something I''ve never experienced with anyone else before. I don''t know if I''m looking for a solution to my problem with my parents, but I feel like you''re the kind of person I can trust to confide in. It''s just that I''ve been living with secrets for so long, I don''t know what will happen if they come out."

    "But you were able to tell me those things earlier while we were alone, right?" I asked, referring to her favorite food, fighting style, and her taste in guys that she told me in the inn''s restroom, "There was also The Blink you told us about in the junkyard."

    "The Blink is one of this kingdom''s great secrets set by the previous Demon King," Sue explained while shrugging, "I honestly don''t know its purpose in the first place, so I don''t think it has anything to do with me, personally. And from what I told you alone, I''d like to think those are baby steps to help me come out of my shell. They''re nothing compared to the other secrets I have yet to tell."

    Yeah, I figured those ''secrets'' didn''t mean much.

    "Still, there are very few who know that much about me, and they could very well be used against me in more ways than you think," Sue continued, "That''s what I''ve been raised to believe, anyway, and seeing how even someone of my own family could betray me, it''s gotten hard to tell anyone anything. Until now, I don''t think I have anyone I can really call my confidant with pride."

    "''Until now'', as in me?" I asked.

    Sue nodded, "I know I''ve done wrong to you and Nyra, and I understand that you lack trust in me, but ¡­ I really do want to put my trust in you. My trust in you that, even after I reveal everything, you''ll still see me as I am now. Would you consider my request, at the least?"

    I scratched my head awkwardly and looked towards Ume and Ren.

    "Since it''s between the two of you, I''ll keep my opinions out of this one, but know that this very kingdom won''t be let off scot free if something happens to him under your watch, Sue. It would be wise that you remember that," Ume warned as she glared at Sue.

    Ren couldn''t say anything as she trembled under Ume''s threat. Now that she knows my wife is a Dragon, she knows that that threat could very well come true. My Werewolf¡¯s very well aware that even with her boost in power as a Ninja, my wife was still leagues above her.

    "... Yes, I will take your words to heart, Umeiyon," Sue said calmly as she turned back to me. According to Nyra, though, she couldn''t be more nervous than she already was.

    The disguised Devil then widened her eyes in realization, ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. With the three of you being as powerful as you are, I would like you all to take these. [Storage, Out].¡±

    With that chant, a magic circle opened over Sue¡¯s raised palm before four identical, yet familiar necklaces fell from it. They were the same as one of the two necklaces she was wearing. I used my [Street Smarts] skill, allowing me to appraise any item for any information I can gleam off of, to see what she brought out. I couldn¡¯t identify that necklace the first time as it seemed to be in effect while she had it on, but since these were by themselves in her hand, I managed to see what they were.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Pendant of Hidden Anonymity: An accessory that allows the wearer to hide their statuses and location from almost any other items, skills, and abilities that can be used to find them.

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    Well, this just explains a lot.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this one of the same necklaces your dad gave you as a gift?¡± I asked.

    ¡°From my father and a close friend of his,¡± Sue corrected, ¡°It¡¯s the latter of the two who managed to prepare these for me under short notice. We¡¯ll be facing dangerous opponents from Chaos Barrage, so it¡¯s wise that you hide as much of your true strength as possible.¡±

    A close friend of her father¡¯s ¡­ if she¡¯s related to the previous Demon King, could that ¡®close friend¡¯ be Shining Tea Set? If she was able to make something that caused The Blink, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be too strange of her to craft something this incredible.

    ¡°Won¡¯t this make you unable to see our statuses and where we are, too? If we¡¯re separated for whatever reason, it will cause a big problem in your mission to escort me to Korangar, won¡¯t it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I was able to find you the first time, didn¡¯t I?¡± Sue asked while shrugging, ¡°With how flashy you tend to be with your attacks, I don¡¯t think it will be hard for me to find you again. Since I¡¯ve found you, though, I¡¯m able to use another way that overrides the necklace¡¯s function of hiding your location, at most. Even if you¡¯re on the other side of Raiza, I¡¯ll still know where you are ¡­ wow, that actually sounded a lot creepier than it did in my head.¡±

    You just noticed that now?

    This news is also troublesome to me, because even if I tried running away now, the Demon King would surely chase me down. I was pretty much in her hands the moment Sue first laid eyes on me, and I didn¡¯t even realize it. Though ¡­ could that blood sample she extracted from me last night be part of why finding me anywhere is possible now? Could that have been part of the reason for her mission?

    <Dude, if I knew I had a stalker like that and I had no idea who or what they were, I¡¯d kill them on the spot right there, no questions asked,> Nyra commented after reading my thoughts.

    ¡°Anyway, Her Highness gave me permission to give these to you when the situation calls for it, so consider this as a gift to ensure your safety,¡± Sue continued, ¡°The fourth one is for Noire as she is formally recognized as an ally to the Demon King, but you¡¯ll be the one to give it to her as a gift when you see her later. I do have more for the others in your party, but I¡¯m worried those watching from the outside will raise their guards to prepare for the unexpected. These are not my payment for you to follow through my request, that¡¯s a different matter.¡±

    ¡°And ¡­ you¡¯re really okay being unable to see my status?¡± I asked, ¡°I could gain something incredible while leveling up and you won¡¯t even know about it.¡±

    ¡°Considering your track record so far, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised, but I¡¯ve already learned enough of what I needed to know about you in terms of your identity and status,¡± Sue answered.

    That didn¡¯t exactly make me feel any better as I furrowed my brow, ¡°Will I ever be able to see your status, since you know so much about mine already?¡±

    The disguised Devil averted her gaze briefly before looking back to me, ¡°... You will be the very first to know if I¡¯m comfortable enough. That¡¯s a guarantee.¡±

    I sighed and scratched my head some more, "I still don''t know what you see in me to make that request, but ¡­ alright. I can''t make any promises, but I''ll keep it in mind when you''re ready to open up." The three of us then took Sue¡¯s pendants and wore them around our necks. I put the fourth one for Noire in my [Storage] to give to her later.

    Sue lowered her head to me, "I''m grateful for you hearing me out, at least. It just further proves that you''re the best one I can count on ..." After she trailed off, her wings folded and her tail curled around her waist tightly while she held her arms.

    <Sue has seemed to relax a little, but she''s still tense. In fact, it seems like she''s really restraining herself,> Nyra informed me.

    <From what?>

    <... Hugging you, from the looks of it?> Nyra guessed, <I sensed these feelings from her before, so I can recognize it. Embracing you seems to help her as stress relief lately, but this time around, she''s desperately holding herself back. Maybe she''s trying to be considerate of your space with how awkward things are between you two right now? It might be a different story if you two are with the rest of your party trying to keep up the act as ¡®fan and celebrity¡¯, as you both agreed on earlier in the inn¡¯s restroom. I guess when you¡¯re alone with those in the know like this, she¡¯ll remember her place and not get close for your comfort.>

    With that strange statement, I sighed internally while scratching my head more, These things usually happen the other way around, right? If I was still left in the dark of all this, would you stick to my side like glue no matter the time and place? And now, to hold yourself back so much to the point of being unhealthy ¡­ Seriously, Sue, just what are you thinking about right now?

 Chapter 158: The Start of Another Bad Luck Streak

    With our business in Dondegarm''s church finished, I used [Portal] to take us back to Palocaesy in one of its alleyways. We unexpectedly have more time in our hands than I expected, so until Noire gives me the call through the Messaging Crystals for me to meet her, we decided to head back to the inn and regroup. I took us to a different part of the city so we could walk for leisure, and with my [Intuitive Mapping] skill, I¡¯m able to plot out directions that would take us to a longer route back to the inn. Everyone in my group agreed with what I wanted to do, and so with me in the lead, we took our time walking back to the inn. Sue was walking next to me while Ume and Ren were at the rear, creating a square formation so we don¡¯t take up most of the space on the road. The road I plotted led through a district with multiple two-story buildings, and while part of my mind was keeping track of our path, I was mostly occupied with my thoughts than checking out our surroundings. I used [Hyper Thought Processing] to speed up my thinking.

    After seeing how emotional Sue can be by herself, I can''t tell what she''s thinking without Nyra''s help reading her mood, I thought, Is she emotionally unstable? Did she choke back her feelings often before meeting me?

    And then there was her request. To see and treat Sue the same as she is now after the revelation ¡­ that just further proves her true identity is that big of a deal. She could very well be the illegitimate sibling of the Demon King, much less the very monarch herself. Though, I could be totally wrong on either of those guesses and she turns out to be a high-class noble like Noire. That might be the best-case scenario for me. No matter how good that may sound, though, I can''t turn away from what may be the likelier, yet dreadful truth.

    Still, even after she reveals herself, it will be difficult to treat Sue as ''normally'' as I have up to now with everything going on. It''s only been a day since we met, right? I thought she was cute and quite affectionate as a ''fan'', at first, and I just took those feelings at face value. Is that the ''normal'' she wants between us? Gah, is she trying to make this more complicated than it already is?

    <Well, Sue did say you could help yourself to do anything with her body, even sex, if you¡¯re on edge,> Nyra pointed out, <Though, you''re probably not thinking of taking it that far for a while, huh?>

    <Obviously, especially with the possibility of her being royalty on the table. Just poking her tits would be pushing it at this point.>

    <Even though she went as far as giving you a blowjob last night?> she argued.

    <She kind of took control at that time, and she was being careful back then, too. I''m talking about when I''m on top,> I defended.

    <And what if she tries to take control again, but taking it further than before?> Nyra asked.

    <... I highly doubt that will happen with her like this right now, but if she did, I''ll keep cool and push her away, of course. She''s clearly not thinking straight with the stress going on right now,> I answered.

    I glanced at Sue''s direction, who was keeping herself at about arm¡¯s length from me. Occasionally, she¡¯d stare at my hand, and at one point looked like she wanted to touch it, but then jerked back, stopping herself before looking away.

    <Yeaaah, she¡¯s got a lot of complicated stuff mixed up in her head right now. By the way, look at the top of her head,> Nyra instructed.

    Confused, I looked to where she was directing before I found myself in shock, ¡°W-When did you ...¡±

    ¡°Something wrong, Jin?¡± Ume asked from behind.

    Ren straightened up attentively, looking ready to receive orders. Meanwhile, Sue looked back to me in confusion.

    I shifted glances between the three of them, ¡°Um, can you not see ¡­¡± I then looked back to Sue¡¯s head, seeing a shrunken Nyra chilling on it like it was the most natural thing in the world. I waved and patted a hand over where the tiny Arch Pixie sat, only to see it phase through her like an illusion.

    ¡°Was there a bug on Sue¡¯s head just now?¡± Ume asked, tilting her head in confusion.

    ¡°Ah! Rude! How dare she put me on the same level as a bug!¡± the tiny Nyra cried as she stood up in protest, still phasing through my hand that was laid down.

    None of them seemed to have seen or heard her.

    ¡°... Yeah, a bug, that¡¯s probably what it was. I guess it''s gone now,¡± I answered Ume while patting the ¡®empty¡¯ space.

    ¡°Et tu, Jinma?!¡± Nyra exclaimed before flying up close to my face, glaring at me. I tried not to react too much and not come off as strange seeing this weird development.

    ¡°Master, I think you can stop patting Sue¡¯s head now,¡± Ren said.

    It wasn¡¯t until after hearing Ren¡¯s statement that I realized I was basically patting Sue¡¯s head right now. When I looked down at her, her eyes were directed to the ground while her face flushed red. Though I could only see her profile, she had a complicated expression on her face.

    ¡°... Uh, my bad, Sue,¡± I said before pulling my hand away.

    Still totally red, Sue covered her face with both hands. ¡°Itsh no broblem. Dankuu fo da dreet,¡± she muttered while turning her back to me, her wings and tail moving erratically.

    ¡°Well, someone¡¯s rather happy, despite being embarrassed at the same time,¡± Nyra said while she watched the scene from above the giddy(?) disguised Devil.

    Just so I don¡¯t get looked at as crazy, I used my [Telepathy], <Nyra, how the heck are you doing this?>

    ¡°Well, knowing I was going to turn back into a tanto, I figured you¡¯d miss seeing me and my bad, sexy self until you set me free,¡± Nyra explained, ¡°So, after I did some thinking and paid careful detail to my new voluptuous body while we were in Goddess Obina¡¯s room, I did some digging around in my status while experimenting and found I could conjure an illusion of myself with my improved magic as an Arch Pixie. It looks like you¡¯ll be the only one who can see and hear me like this, and if I did this correctly ¡­ you should be able to feel me as well if I do this.¡± The small Arch Pixie then planted her whole body on my cheek. Suddenly, out of the strange new sensation in that area, I felt a pair of soft bumps standing out to me from everything else.

    <I can feel something ¡­ weird, so I can¡¯t touch you, but you can touch me?> I asked her telepathically.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± she exclaimed while flying back in front of my face, ¡°I¡¯m using my magic to do some stuff with your senses, and right now, I can only do this much while I''m this size. What I¡¯m aiming for, though, is that you¡¯ll experience all of me in my true size with your five senses. From the taste of my kiss to the touch of your dick getting swallowed by my pussy. As an experienced female of the sexual arts, I should be able to reenact those sensations and have you experience them for yourself. For now, though, you¡¯ll have to settle with this little bit of eye candy of yours truly.¡±

    <That is ¡­ really incredible, honestly,> I said.

    ¡°Unfortunately, focusing my magic to do this much will rob me of the 360 degrees of observation I can perceive around us,¡± Nyra said while shrugging, ¡°While I¡¯m like this, I have as many blind spots as a normal person and won¡¯t see stuff coming as well as before.¡±

    ¡°Look out!¡± a woman suddenly screamed from above.

    Before I had time to react, I felt something tap my head and a loud crash of ceramic pottery sounded. Immediately after that, my vision turned dark brown briefly and something crumbled and spilled all over my head and shoulders before falling to the ground.

    ¡°... Like that flower pot falling from the sky and hitting your head, for example. Holy shit, what are the odds of that happening?¡± Nyra asked, looking surprised at what just transpired in front of her. The other girls around me looked just as shocked. There were other people around us, all Demons of different races, who were near enough to hear the crash and looking to see where it came from.

    ¡°... A flower pot? Is that what hit me?¡± I asked in confusion while rubbing my head. More brown stuff that I assumed to be soil spilled down from above.

    ¡°Oh my gosh! Sir! Are you alright?!¡± the woman from before cried in panic. That woman turned out to be an Imp who flew down from above in a panic. She hovered in place while her light lavender complexion paled, having no idea what to do as she scanned my form.

    After seeing the panicked Imp, whose name was Mincy after checking the name and bars above her head with my [Size Up], I looked above me where she flew from. The closest thing was a balcony with other potted plants sitting on the rail. There was a spot that was oddly vacant, and that was when I quickly put the pieces together.

    ¡°... Was that your flower pot that fell just now?¡± I asked the Imp lady.

    ¡°Yes! And I¡¯m so sorry for this happening to you! Are you hurt?! Are you bleeding anywhere?!¡± she asked as she briskly brushed off the soil and plant leftover on my head and shoulders.

    I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. What about you three? Did any of the shards scratch you or something?¡± I asked the other girls.

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    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m good,¡± Ume answered, still in shock.

    ¡°I¡¯m also not hurt,¡± Ren followed.

    ¡°... Same,¡± Sue said last, but her tone didn¡¯t sound surprised. No, she seemed seething.

    I turned back to Mincy, ¡°I guess we¡¯re all good, then. Can¡¯t say the same for your plant, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°F-Forget about the plant, are you really sure you¡¯re okay? You don¡¯t feel strange, do you?¡± Mincy asked in surprise.

    I shook my head again, "No, I feel totally normal."

    Seeing that I was okay, Mincy breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. Erm, would you like to step into my home and get cleaned up? I could wash your clothes for you."

    "Ah, I appreciate the offer, ma''am, but that won''t be necessary. [Clean]," I chanted before all the soil on my head and clothes were cleaned off, "See? Totally fine."

    "My, that is certainly fortunate! Um, is there something I can do to repay you for the inconvenience? I have to make it up to you with something," Mincy said.

    "If I may ask, ma''am, why did a flower pot fall in the first place?" Sue asked accusingly with a furrowed brow, arms crossed under her large chest.

    Mincy sighed with regret, "I have no excuse. I was watering the plants like normal, but then a bug frightened me enough to bump one of the flower pots off the rail. I''ll need to rethink my placement for the plants after this."

    Sue''s hardened expression didn''t let up, "As you should. If it wasn''t Jinma here, someone could have gotten really hurt. He seems forgiving to you, so I won''t press this any further, but I would be careful of not bringing harm to the wrong person, if I were you ¡­"

    "Whoa, Sue''s really doing all she can to repress that anger. She''s a lot more pissed and ready to dole out punishment than she looks," Nyra''s small self informed me.

    <Yeah, I could feel it from over here,> I said through [Telepathy].

    Mincy looked intimidated by Sue''s pressure as she bowed to her, "Y-Yes, I''ll be more careful."

    Mincy then asked me again if I wanted anything as an apology, but I didn''t have anything in mind. The Imp then looked like she remembered something as she flew back into her home and came back moments later with a small paper bag. It contained all the cookies she just made a batch of recently and had another already in the oven. I didn''t want to inconvenience her anymore by turning her down, so I accepted the gesture. After apologizing once more, she went back inside to get supplies to clean up the flower pot mess while we continued our way.

    "Hmm ¡­ butter cookies, huh? These are pretty good," I said after tasting it. The other girls were also eating a few cookies as well.

    "I''m amazed that flower pot didn''t faze you, though, Master," Ren said.

    "Jin does have the defenses of a Dragon, after all. No, at this point, they surpass any Dragon I''ve seen so far," Ume said while crossing her arms, hefting up her large chest from underneath with pride.

    "... More than that, you looked like you were used to such a thing happening," Sue said with a raised brow.

    "Well ¡­ I get hit somewhere in the head quite often back home. Some of them were accidents like that, others were from fights, a few of which where someone hit me from behind. Honestly, I''m surprised to receive this for the first time since I came to the Demon-Kin''s Territory," I said while rubbing my head.

    Throughout my school days, I was the most prone to getting hit in the head by stray balls. They hurt from the beginning, of course, but I guess as I got into more fights and received blows to the face as well as my scalp, the pain in my head numbed overtime. Either way, they were moments of bad luck that are outside of my control. I''ve just learned to deal with it coolly the more I was exposed to it.

    "So, whether by accident or hostility, you get hurt often back in your home country?" Sue asked.

    I nodded, "Yeah, but I''ve grown sturdy overtime, and even without Nyra''s help, I could just tell whether blows to the head like that were out of accident or hostility. That lady seemed genuinely sorry for dropping that flower pot, so I didn''t make as much of a fuss as I would if it were some dude hitting me with a beer bottle, for instance. Then again, it was rare that the people who caused the accidents in the past were as sincere in their apology as that lady, so it was a refreshing change of pace."

    Ume and Ren looked at each other with concern. ''Doesn''t this seem kind of bad?'' I felt their faces spoke that much.

    "I see ¡­" Sue trailed off before taking a notepad and charcoal pencil from her [Storage] and jotted some notes. What the notepad consisted of wasn¡¯t the usual parchment paper I¡¯ve seen up to now, but clean, crisp white paper. It seemed out of place in a fantasy world, heck, the existence of the notepad itself was off. I was starting to get used to some of this kingdom¡¯s facilities, cuisine, and public baths that were similar to what I know in Japan. Seeing such an advanced item of stationary so suddenly had me thrown for a loop. To process a paper of that quality in this kingdom ¡­ buying it couldn¡¯t be as cheap as one could get from a convenience store.

    "What are you writing?" I asked with a raised brow.

    "Just some important notes regarding your protection, in the future," Sue said, "I''m aware of your LUCK stat being low, but you''re the first I''ve seen in such a state, so I had no idea how much that would affect your daily life until now."

    "Right ¡­ I heard if someone''s LUCK is closer to ''0'', they''re more likely to die. Is that true?" I asked.

    "I''ve heard of that, as well, but I''ve yet to see anyone succumbing to such a fate that correlates with their LUCK," Sue answered, "Now that I know how likely you are to stumble into trouble, though, I will be more vigilant in providing your protection moving forward. I''ll also see if Her Highness can issue a capable bodyguard once we get to Korangar."

    I blinked in surprise, "Uh ¡­ seriously? I think my harem is enough to watch my back, though? Am I that big of a deal for the Demon King to go that far?"

    "You''re a very big deal, yes," Sue answered without hesitation, her gaze at me looking serious, "And I''m not making the recommendation for a bodyguard because I lack trust in your harem''s strength, especially Umeiyon''s and Ren''s. If anything, Her Highness would want to put their worries at ease once she finds someone who''s forthright in putting your safety over their own. That way, you all can enjoy yourselves during your stay."

    Right, I do recall Sue mentioning that the Demon King will provide ¡®royal treatment¡¯ to me and my party when we arrive. I guess that includes staying at the castle? Still, for her to go through all this trouble ...

    "Hey, did I ever ask what the Demon King wants with me?" I asked Sue, ¡°Like, why is she going so far for me? There¡¯s gotta be more to it than repaying me and Nyra for messing with our memories, right? Hell, that ¡®Champion Hunt¡¯ the Demon King made up four years ago was set up to primarily find me, right? And I¡¯m sure you were also participating in some way. If you know what she has in store for me, can you even tell me a little bit, at least?¡±

    ¡°... Would you be unable to focus on the quest if you didn¡¯t know?¡± Sue asked while halting her pencil¡¯s movements.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about being ¡®unable¡¯ to, but it might give me some peace of mind if I knew what she¡¯s thinking about me to go this far,¡± I answered, ¡°Hell, even telling me a little of who and what this Demon King is can help give me an idea of who I¡¯m dealing with when I meet her.¡±

    ¡°... Yes, I think I can give up that much,¡± Sue muttered to herself before looking up from her notepad, ¡°A little about Her Highness and what she thinks of you, is it? Will that be enough to satisfy you?¡±

    I looked to the side and scratched my head, ¡°To calm me down from all these mind-blowing facts that hit me today? Maybe a little?¡±

    Sue took a deep breath to calm herself. She then looked up in thought, ¡°Very well, then. If I had to summarize it from what I personally know of Her Majesty, she¡¯s very different from how she¡¯s portrayed in public. She has known and anticipated your arrival for longer than you may realize, and ¡­ under the best, ideal circumstances, your first meeting with her would be much different than what she¡¯s trying to arrange now.¡±

    ¡°Different ¡­ in what way?¡± I asked hesitantly, ¡°And what ¡®circumstances¡¯ did she want to happen?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ Her Highness wished she would be one of the very first people to meet you in her kingdom, someone before you came in contact with your wife and your harem, of those she¡¯s quite envious of. If that did happen, your life would be much less eventful than it is now, what with all the fighting, quests, stopping the coup, and such getting in the way. Still, whether it be in that case or this, her wish for you to live your best life in this kingdom is still the same. That¡¯s what she told me when I last reported to her,¡± Sue concluded before giving a smile, but it looked a little sad and lonely.

    I was at a loss for what to say. So did the other girls who watched our talk in surprise.

    ¡°¡­ She¡¯ll answer whatever other questions you may have for her when you arrive, so please hold them off until then," Sue continued before bringing her notepad and charcoal pencil back up, "Now, getting back on the topic of your safety, are there any other ¡­ peculiar instances that we should know about? Coming out of this quest unscathed is asking for the impossible with your LUCK, but it would put Her Majesty at ease if we can prepare the necessary measures to keep damages to a minimum."

    It didn''t look like Sue was going to budge her position on my ''protection'', despite me not really needing it. After hearing what she told me of the Demon King, I wasn¡¯t sure whether to be satisfied or more confused, especially considering how she took my blood sample. Still, it won''t do me any good fretting over it if I won''t get answers more concrete than this. Whether the Demon King is Sue¡¯s sister or the very person I¡¯m talking to now, I guess I won¡¯t really know what she¡¯s like until I can see her for myself.

    I sighed and rubbed my head, taking into consideration Sue''s questioning on my ¡®peculiar incidents¡¯, "Well ¡­ depending on the occasion, sometimes accidents like that flower pot incident would be the beginning of a bad luck streak that would escalate. I would pay close attention to my surroundings during that time until I judge things have calmed down."

    "So, that would be the ''calm before the storm'' of bad luck, then? Can you tell me how far that streak goes?" Sue asked as she wrote in her notepad.

    I checked my surroundings, noting the construction site of a new building being made. "It varies. Sometimes there''s an even bigger accident approaching, like a beam or sign from that site over there falling near me, so I''d steer clear of places like that for a bit. I almost got hit by a beam once, and I don''t think I''d come out of it unscathed back then like I could now, but I''d rather not take my chances when I can."

    "Goodness ¡­" Ren said in amazement while Sue continued writing.

    "In fact, what happened on the day of Dondegarm''s raid was also something of a bad luck streak," I continued, looking up in thought, "Before even arriving, I encountered Glock the Toxic Troll who was on the wanted list by the adventurer''s guild. I walked away with victory and a foul odor before tripping a trap set up by an Arachne. Then, some time after I got down and arrived in Dondegarm, I was attacked by some of White Rapture''s cult followers, which led me to participating in resisting their raid. During that time, I ran into the one leading the raid who was possessed by Nyra. After he stabbed me, I pushed him off and got nearly possessed by Nyra''s curse, as well. I think you all know what happened after that."

    "It uh ... sounds like your bad luck was all over the place back then," Sue commented before looking at me with genuine worry.

    I nodded in agreement, "Mm. It may look worrisome at first, but I didn''t think too much about it because a lot of good stuff came from it, too. Meeting Ume, Ren, and the others, inheriting Nyra''s powers in a powerful blade, wealth and fame, I felt all that good balanced out the bad that started it all."

    "True, if Jin didn''t demonstrate his power so splendidly that evening, I honestly wouldn''t have acknowledged his existence, let alone consider him a candidate to be my mate. After meeting him, my thoughts for many things have changed," Ume said.

    "Since so many good things happened at that time, I didn''t really think about my bad luck as much as usual," I said, "Now, though, especially with what I''ve learned today, I feel like the bad luck is finally starting to tip the scale again, and that flower pot was just the catalyst for what may come later."

    "If that''s the case, maybe it''s best that we head back to the inn immediately?" Sue asked, and before I could respond, an aggravated, yet familiar yell sounded.

    "Hey! I thought I told you to get the fuck out of this city!"

    We all turned to the source and saw the same Devil that was giving Kisaki a hard time yesterday. Just like before, his gang of Imps, Arch Imps, and another Devil gathered behind him, ready for a brawl.

    I sighed, "Looks like my bad luck has caught up with us."

 Chapter 159: Bad Luck and Bloodlust Building

    The Devil leader of the gang yesterday¡ªwhose name I just remembered after looking above his head with my [Size Up], Klash¡ªwas in about as much of a pissed off mood as he was yesterday. It didn''t look like he got into another fight with Kisaki based on the lack of bruises on his body. With that same Champion not here, there wasn''t anything keeping this guy from picking a fight with me right away.

    "I thought I told you that you don''t belong in this territory! Why are you still here?!" Klash yelled.

    I shrugged, "I''m an adventurer who''s here for an important quest. Being an adventurer yourself, surely you could understand that much?"

    Klash jolted in surprise, "H-How did you?!"

    When I checked more of his status, I saw that he has an [Adventurer, Red] title, meaning he''s the same rank as Ume. That''s what''s on the record, anway, it doesn''t accurately display how strong they really are. Going by stats alone, Ume could take this guy down with little issues. Incidentally, the other Devil named Zat is the only other red-ranked adventurer with slightly less stats than Klash. The Arch Imps were either blue or green-ranked.

    "W-Whatever!" Klash rebutted, "Adventurer or not, this is no place for Humans like you to be in! If those Demons are with you, they''re no better, either!"

    Something about the last thing he said ticked me off, but I kept my cool, "And what makes Demons who associate with Humans so bad?"

    "They''re weak!" Klash exclaimed, "Any Demons who''d rather get along with Humans are no better than them in strength! The weak are weak because they have to join together to make up for their lack of power! Only the strong who can look after themselves are worthy to walk in this territory!"

    "You say that while you have a bunch of other Demons backing you up, yet couldn''t take out Kisaki while she was on her own?" I asked with a raised brow.

    "We follow the strong for our own reasons," Zat answered, "But when it comes down to it, if we don''t want to get beaten up or killed, it''s better we do whatever the strong says."

    "Is that how it is?" I asked before turning to Ren, "Ren, you''re not with me out of fear of me possibly beating you up, are you? Then again, considering what you''ve seen of me so far, I guess it''d be expected that you''d be intimidated by me."

    "Of course not!" Ren refuted strongly while shaking her head, then stepped up front to stare down at the gang with determined eyes, "My master''s intimidating, yes, but he''s also kind! This man who killed off at least a hundred Human raiders who attacked Dondegarm, as well as subjugating countless strong monsters, had done it to save many Demons in that city, even though he''s of a different kin! I was also saved as well as gotten stronger by this Human''s kindness, both of which I sometimes feel I don''t deserve!"

    Ren looked down to her clenched fists, "When I see the scars on his body, I can see that he has had a history of countless hardships, some of them likely out of betrayal by those he thought he could trust! I can''t imagine what scars he may have in his heart from those types of hardships! Despite that, he still goes out of his way to help others, and even forgives those who''ve realized the mistakes they''ve made towards him! These by themselves are constantly putting him in danger in multiple ways, yet he still takes them on his own!

    "It''s because of people like my master that I, who is also weak, can still live another day! It''s the people like my master who we should follow and have faith in, not those who use their power to oppress the weak! It''s people like my master who embody what true strength is! If that doesn''t count as strength, then we all might as well be dead!" Ren exclaimed boldly.

    I was in shock. I initially brought up the question so casually so Ren could put down Zat''s statement in the same manner. She instead took it three times further and made a speech out of it. What''s more, none of what she said was a lie, according to my [Intuition]. I was getting used to her admiration and loyalty, but I didn''t think she saw that much from me through the short time we spent together. Not only that, but she feels she doesn''t deserve my kindness? I wondered what was making her think like that.

    Also, I didn''t really see myself as much of a ''forgiving'' person as Ren was making me out to be. What could even give her that idea? Was it how I brushed off the flower pot incident earlier? No, that''s too mundane. I''ll have to ask her about it later.

    "It''s because of my master''s kindness that I swore my life to him!" Ren continued her speech while unsheathing her daggers and getting into a fighting stance, "He''s too good to be killed off from narrow-minded brutes like yourselves! All it takes is one finger on my master''s body, and I swear I will end your life in a flash!"

    "Is that a challenge for a fight, little puppy?" Klash asked as he and his gang got into battle formation, taking out various weapons of knives, clubs, and a few wands to up the power of spells.

    "I think that''s enough, Ren," I said while coming up to her side and patted her head, "There are some things about what you said that I want to ask, but that can come later. Thanks for speaking up for me like that."

    "Of course!" Ren exclaimed while her tail wagged in excitement.

    I looked back to the gang, "Look, guys, it''s been a hectic day for us and we still have much to do to prepare for our upcoming quest. I''d rather not waste time on meaningless fights. If you leave us alone and not bother us while we do our adventuring business, we won''t bother you guys and whatever business you''re doing. Doesn''t that sound good to you guys?"

    "Hell no!" Klash exclaimed while pointing at me with his knife, "You don''t seem to know your place in our territory and that leather-covered bitch isn''t here to stop us, so we''re not gonna let you go until we beat that fact into you to the point of near death!"

    I sighed in defeat, Guess there''s no getting out of this one, either, not like that''s anything new.

    This procedure was something ingrained into me through my mom''s and aunts'' training way back in the day. If someone¡¯s picking me for a fight, no matter how I was feeling, I''d first ask if we could drop it. If they don''t let up, then it''s time to put up the dukes. Of course, the circumstances change if they suddenly attack without warning. Then I''d fight back out of self-defense. Now that I know these fights are due to my curse, should I even bother with that process if I''m going to get dragged into it either way?

    "Ren, you step back and let me take this one," I said to her.

    "What?! But Master!" Ren balked.

    I stopped her and moved into her ear to whisper, "We can''t risk you revealing your upgraded strength just yet. Someone could be watching. I need you to save it until we get to the dungeon, where you''ll play as a wild card for anyone who''s coming after us."

    Ren growled in frustration, "I understand, but still ¡­"

    "I swear it won''t take long, and when we get back, I can give you many head pats and other pets in other places. Okay?"

    "... Yes, Master," Ren answered hesitantly before sheathing her daggers.

    "You''re a good girl, Ren, thanks," I said while rustling her hair before stepping towards the gang, unsheathing my tanto.

    <How are we doing this, Jinma?> Nyra asked in my mind. It looked like she put away her illusion to get ready for a fight.

    <I''m not feeling good taking a life today,> I said, <I''m thinking we incapacitate them, cut their legs and arms off, then cauterize the wounds with [Fire Magic] before lots of blood is spilled. Oh, I shouldn''t forget the wings, too. We''ll then take their weapons to sell later before we bounce back to the inn with [Portal].>

    <I feel like that is worse than death, but I love the cruelty factor!>

    <They just picked a bad day to mess with me. I''m actually holding myself back from going overboard, or they''d be much worse off,> I said.

    <After what you''ve been through today, I don''t blame you!> Nyra exclaimed.

    "Thanks for waiting, gentlemen," I said to the gang before getting into a fighting stance with the tanto.

    Klash scoffed, "What, you gonna take us all on your own?"

    "I don''t know what Kisaki has done to you guys, but don''t worry. With me as your opponent, you''re not gonna walk out of here after this," I assured.

    <Ha! Good one!> Nyra exclaimed.

    "If this is where I think is going, it''s not looking good for those guys right now," Ume said, "Though, I probably wouldn''t be as merciful if I was fighting in his place."

    "Master gave them a chance to back down despite their harsh words. A shame that his kindness is wasted on scum like these," Ren added.

    "They should have been dead three minutes ago by my hands," Sue growled.

    <DAMN! Everyone''s bloodthirsty today!> Nyra exclaimed.

    "Cocky, are ya?" Klash asked, "Well, you better get¡ª"

    "Klash, there you are," a low, masculine voice interrupted.

    We looked towards the source and I widened my eyes. Coming out from an alleyway was a large individual covered in emerald green scales, walking on two legs with reptilian limbs similar to Ume''s, and a matching head in place of a human-like one that my wife has. A large battle axe was strapped to his back and he only has a pair of worn-out trousers for clothing. His frame was large and very muscular with his exposed upper body showing the six pack on his light-yellow underbelly. To top it off, a large, reptilian tail extended from his lower back. Using my [Magic Sense] skill, he has a considerable amount of mana for one having such a physique. Unlike Ume, whose manic aura was blue, though, this guy''s aura has a maroon color, signifying his origin as one of the Demon-Kin.

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    Is this guy ¡­ a legit Lizardman?

    "K-Krigeran?! What are you doing here?!" Klash exclaimed in surprise. It seems they''re acquainted. I felt as if I heard that name before.

    "Your brother asked me to come find you. He has some business that needs to be discussed with you. Refusing is not an option," the Lizardman said.

    "Grk! Damn you, Brother ¡­" Klash growled.

    When the Lizardman named Krigeran turned to us, his eyes widened as they were immediately set on Ume. When he shifted glances between the rest of us before locking back onto Ume, pointy teeth appeared in his big smile.

    "My, what a coincidence to see a female Lizardman around these parts? The most beautiful I''ve seen, even," he said.

    Ume hardened her gaze, "Your flattery is wasted. I am already married to Jin here." She then came up to my side and hugged my arm, trapping it in her generous bosom.

    Krigeran looked at me again and his smile disappeared, replaced with a frown of disapproval before turning back to Ume, "My dear, whatever you see in that weakling, it is wasted in an ethereal beauty like you, who should be on the side of one who''s truly worthy of your affections, just as my mates have toward me."

    Oh hell no, he did not just flirt at my wife in front of me, but also showing off his harem?! Wait, that bulge, is he popping a boner, too?!

    <Oof, I can already see the girth is hard to compete,> Nyra informed.

    "I''m on a tight schedule, so I must leave for now," Krigeran continued with a look of sympathy, "We will continue this discussion at a later time. I believe it is not too late to change your mind and change sides, to the male who will truly provide the love, affection, and assets a woman needs. I promise you, after spending a night with me, this weakling will be but a distant memory."

    Somewhere, I heard a snap, and my entire body tensed up.

    "Until next time, my dear," Krigeran said before turning to Klash, "Let''s go, your brother''s waiting. The rest of you are coming with us."

    The grip on my tanto tightened as my fist trembled. My vision narrowed in on the Lizardman.

    "This isn''t over, human scum! I''ll have your head soon!"

    It sounded familiar, but I barely registered who made that threat before I watched Krigeran turn and lead the gang from behind.

    That bastard ¡­ making a move on Ume? My wife? My woman?

    <Are you angry?> a familiar voice that wasn''t Nyra''s asked in my mind.

    <Is it not obvious?>

    <He wants to take your precious away. Do you want him dead?> he asked.

    <... Yes, I think I do.>

    <It''s not too late, you know? Their backs are turned and unguarded. Take that tanto and kill them before they know what hit them. Or better yet, leave the lizard for last and prolong his death. Show him who the weak one really is,> he urged, each word spoken sounding more pleasing than the last.

    His suggestion sounded promising to me, <... Yes, I should make him suffer. Maybe cut off the ''assets'' he''s so proud of first and shove them down his throat. If I act now, I''ll¡ª>

    "Jinma, look at me. No matter what, keep your eyes on me, hone your ears to my voice, and listen to me until I say otherwise."

    My internal conversation was interrupted and my sight on the Lizardman was replaced with a pair of amber eyes while a pair of soft hands held my face. Add in the familiar voice with an oddly calm and authoritative tone, my thoughts were at a halt.

    "... S-Sue?" I stuttered.

    "Stay calm and answer the questions I''ll ask you," Sue instructed, "What''s the square root of 64?"

    "... 8?"

    "What is Noire''s full name?"

    "Noire ¡­ Scarletine ¡­ Krauss," I drawled.

    Sue asked more questions, and with each of them asked, I was only focused on thinking of their correct answers. Slowly, my peripheral vision returned to normal, giving me a full view of Sue''s face up close. My hearing also became clearer, as if I was tuning a lot of things out moments ago. I noticed the sounds of wings flapping, and if Sue was this close to me, she was likely hovering over the ground right now.

    A sense of nostalgia slowly washed over me, This process ¡­ is familiar. If this is going where I think is going, what Sue will say next is ...

    "... Okay, now close your eyes, take a deeeeep breath, and tighten every muscle in your body, from your feet to your head, clench your teeth, if you must,¡± Sue instructed, of which I followed through, ¡°Then, slowly relax, uncurl your toes, open your hands, loosen your shoulders, and shake off the nerves in the rest of your body.¡±

    Yes, I¡¯m sure of it now. This is the same anger-management technique Mom taught me when she trained me. I could practically hear her voice with how close the instructions are ¡­ ah, could it be that back then, she was ...

    ¡°Take one last deep breath. Now, slowly open your eyes, and look at me once more,¡± Sue instructed.

    I did as she said and saw her eyes that were tense before had softened as she watched me closely. There was a great level of concern and caring in both cases, though.

    ¡°Jinma, how do you feel now?¡± Sue asked.

    ¡°A little ¡­ exhausted, maybe? My head¡¯s throbbing a bit, too,¡± I answered while rubbing my head.

    ¡°But you can think clearly, right? Not hearing anything strange anymore?¡± she asked as she set herself down on the ground.

    ¡°I did ¡­ hear a voice moments ago, but he¡¯s gone quiet now ...¡± Wait, could that have been Creep back then?

    <Can you hear me now, then?! Pick me up from the floor, already!> Nyra exclaimed, making me flinch.

    ¡°Yep, I can hear you, Nyra, but I could make do without the screaming,¡± I said vocally as I picked up the tanto and sheathed it. My head¡¯s out of whack to respond to her telepathically. When I was trying to relax earlier, I must have dropped my weapon in the process. That might have been for the better.

    ¡°I assume Nyra did something unreasonable in your head, but from your response, does that mean you can hear me, too, Jin?¡± Ume asked as she squeezed my arm that was still in her bosom, ¡°You didn¡¯t register anything I said while your whole body tensed up.¡±

    <Yeah! Same here! I sensed something was wrong and tried to warn you, but you didn¡¯t hear anything that I said, either!> Nyra said.

    ¡°R-Right, yeah, I can hear both of you now,¡± I answered before turning to Sue in front of me, ¡°Sue, just moments ago, was I ¡­?¡±

    Sue nodded solemnly, ¡°You were getting close to being controlled by the [Devil Eyes], yes. What I did to you back there was a trick Devils in training use when they¡¯re having difficulty maintaining focus with a clear mind while using the skill.¡±

    "Um, Sue, if I may ask, is it really bad if Master used [Devil Eyes] here?" Ren asked, "He wasn''t even aware of its existence back in Dondegarm, yet when it came out, he seemed okay. He even saved me. The only worrying part was when he collapsed at the end of the raid."

    "I have no idea what happened back then for such a miracle to happen, but that''s not usually the case, and I cannot take the chance that it will happen again," Sue said, "What''s troubling with [Devil Eyes] is if it''s unleashed without properly mastering it, once he kills his first victim with it activated, the bloodshed won''t stop until after all his opponents are dead. No, everyone that''s in his sight, bad or good, old or young, male or female, would get killed indiscriminately until there¡¯s either no one left or he expends all his energy into FAINTED status, whichever comes first."

    Thinking back, when I made my very first kill on one of White Rapture''s cultists during the raid, I also had [Devil Eyes] on at that time. I could still remember the unsettling rush of elation that came from cleanly decapitating his head with Nyra''s blade. Hearing her moans of ecstasy throughout that time didn¡¯t really dampen my excitement, either. By the next day when I faced White Rapture spies in a mob, I had almost no remorse for killing them and was even getting a thrill from it, even though I didn¡¯t have my [Devil Eyes] on. I wondered if the idea of killing people was slowly becoming more appealing to me as I took more lives.

    I get it. So, Mom taught this anger-management trick knowing my [Devil Eyes] will cause me problems. Of course, there had to be something like that existing, or our family and all D-Humans would have been hunted down to extinction for how dangerous of a threat we may pose.

    "That''s why, Jinma, until you have your [Devil Eyes] properly trained, you must keep your mind calm and stable, but I see that¡¯s starting to be more difficult for you lately," Sue said to me, continuing her explanation on the [Devil Eyes]¡¯s dangers, ¡°It may be a good thing for me to stick by your side at all times like we arranged, then, because I might be the only one in the group who can help you calm down if you can¡¯t do it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Why does it have to be you?¡± Ume asked with a raised brow in suspicion.

    ¡°There are times this trick won¡¯t always work,¡± Sue answered, ¡°In which case, the person helping Jinma must be strong enough to keep up with him should he go berserk, or they¡¯ll seriously put themselves in the face of death. You may be qualified of course, Umeiyon, but what do you think would happen if Jinma takes your life and realizes what he¡¯s done once he comes to his senses? There¡¯s a high chance that things will turn out far worse ¡­ and he may never come back as the person we know now.¡±

    Everyone in the group fell into dreadful silence.

    ¡°If it¡¯s me who¡¯s giving Jinma treatment, even if something were to happen, I can guarantee that he won¡¯t fall through the point of no return, because our bond right now is weak and flimsy compared to you and everyone else in his harem,¡± Sue continued, ¡°Killing off someone like me, a stranger, won¡¯t be as big of a deal to him as it would if his wife or cherished lover was in my place.¡±

    ¡°I suppose, when you put it like that, you have a point ¡­¡± Ume trailed off.

    You can only say that because you¡¯re not really here right now, though? I asked internally, knowing her [Clone] Null Spell and its effects, And, after seeing Sue¡¯s emotional side in the video and coming up with my theories ¡­ can I really say she¡¯s not as big of a deal to me as she claims to be? What about her own feelings if she was really putting her life on the line? Is there another way for me to calm down if that didn¡¯t work?

    I thought back on my training under Mom¡¯s tutelage, trying to see if there were alternatives should her trick not work, and there was one thing she added that Sue didn¡¯t ask me to do earlier.

    ¡­ Can¡¯t say how effective that will be with my body as it is right now, but I suppose I could come up with other methods to make that alternative work. Let¡¯s just try to keep that in the forefront of my mind and save it for when I really need it.

    ¡°Well, I appreciate you helping me calm down back there, Sue,¡± I said before furrowing my brow in annoyance, ¡°However, I don¡¯t like people thoughtlessly throwing their lives for someone else¡¯s sake, that ¡®noble sacrifice¡¯ thing is bullcrap to me. And do you really think I¡¯ll be okay with you getting killed in my [Devil Eyes]¡¯s rampage when there are still lots of things between us unresolved?¡±

    Sue only blinked her eyes in surprise.

    ¡°Until you reveal everything to us, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you use death as a means of escape,¡± I continued, ¡°I don¡¯t care who or what you¡¯ll turn out to be, because before anyone dies under my watch, I¡¯ll enact fitting punishment on you for giving us all a hard time.¡±

    ¡°... W-What kind of punishments do you have in mind?¡± Sue asked with reddened cheeks.

    I didn¡¯t expect her to ask that question when I didn¡¯t have anything in mind yet, so I scrounged up a guess, ¡°Uh ¡­ I don¡¯t know, something humiliating, to start, probably on the scale of Gabriella almost being subjected to the tentacle play earlier? Maybe more than that?¡±

    ¡°M-More than the tentacle play ¡­¡± Sue muttered as she looked down and squirmed in place, rubbing her legs together and trembling with flushed cheeks.

    <Uh, Jinma, I should probably mention this, but when Sue was trying to ¡®treat¡¯ you earlier, she was getting unusually aroused,> Nyra pointed out.

    <You mean like what we saw from the recording of this morning?> I asked.

    <Yep, and even after you calmed down, she was trying to keep that arousal restrained. Now, though, it sounded like the thought of being punished had turned her back on, somehow,> Nyra explained.

    <Seriously ¡­>

    Something Sue remembered seemed to have snapped her out of her aroused state as she cleared her throat, ¡°P-Punishments aside, there¡¯s something you need to know about that Lizardman, Krigeran. He¡¯s ¡­ one of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples, and from the sound of Klash¡¯s brother being mentioned, that would mean the Devil, Blaine, could also be in Palocaesy.¡±

    Now I remember, Yukino mentioned Krigeran during our talk earlier.

    ¡°Wait, but Gabriella is also a member of that party, right?¡± Ume asked, ¡°And Tyvera was a part of it until yesterday.¡±

    ¡°A-Also ¡­ before Krigeran left, he told me he knew someone from the White Wolf Tribe was looking for someone and said I should be on the lookout. That would mean ¡­¡± Ren trailed off. I probably didn¡¯t hear that part because I was near under my [Devil Eyes]¡¯s control.

    ¡°So, excluding Tyvera, three members of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples and Ren¡¯s older brother are here, and it¡¯s highly likely they aren¡¯t alone,¡± Sue said with seriousness before looking up to me, ¡°Jinma ¡­ I believe something big is building up and it involves our escort quest with Noire. You think this is also the work of your bad luck?¡±

    I exasperated a sigh and rubbed my eyes, ¡°Yeah ¡­ that sounds about right.¡±

 Chapter 160: What it Means to Forgive

    Despite my bad luck possibly building something big, we¡¯ve managed to avoid a killing frenzy from my [Devil Eyes], as well as me learning a trick to keep that and my anger managed. Realizing I had something like this trick on me for such a long time filled me with regret. I''m sure there was a time when I was prone to getting angered when I was young and I resorted to using that trick to calm myself down. If I had to guess why I had forgotten it, it''s probably because of how often I''ve won in fights and got so strong back home on Earth. Getting into fights wasn''t as worrisome as before, and I had gotten so much stronger than them that I felt my anger was pointless on those guys. They were just not worth the energy unless they dissed someone I was close to. Overtime, I didn''t need to use those tricks, and it just faded away over time.

    To have these tricks and not remember them until now ¡­ Sorry, Mom, I guess I let you down this time, but I swear I won¡¯t let the [Devil Eyes] skill take control of me. I¡¯ll really work to manage my anger. I won¡¯t let your teachings that you drilled so much into me go to waste.

    Just so we don''t get pulled into further trouble, I used [Portal] to immediately get us back to my room at the inn to regroup and discuss our plans. While I was there, I contacted my Familiars through [Telepathy] to see how their group was doing in gathering supplies. It sounded like they were close to being done, so they''d be heading back to the inn within an hour. My Familiars had also received some ''premonition'' that they were tied into something important, which was clearly Obina''s work per the agreements in the oath. I told them that I''d explain when they get back, and after I finished that contact, I remembered Tyvera, a former member of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples, was with them. When she comes back, it will be best that we ask her about the other members to see what we may be dealing with here.

    Once I finished my telepathic talk with them, I informed everyone in my group what was going on on their end before we got into discussion. I had set up [Soundproof] in the room, of course, and with Ume and Sue sitting across from me in chairs, I was on the bed with Ren between my legs, giving her the petting treatment I promised her. With Ume''s okay, the petting was done while both of us were butt naked. I felt with how stressful today was for both of us, we''d do the petting with more direct intimacy. Ren had no problems and stripped herself down to nothing with no hesitation. Even though I initially intended to do it with both of us topless, I had no complaints of her unreserved nature. With Ren''s ass sandwiching my erect cock, I pulled her right up with her back against me before I started petting her, working her head and one of her breasts first. Remembering how good this felt when I did the same with Nyra earlier, I was quickly seeing this as a useful means of stress-relief.

    "Does this feel good, Ren?" I asked as I fondled one of her tits.

    "Mmh. Hauuu. As expected, Master''s petting techniques are extraordinary, and with our skin touching like this ¡­ I think I might melt," Ren moaned.

    I looked up to Ume and Sue, "Are you both really okay with us doing this while we discuss serious matters?"

    "Of course. As your head wife, I want to make sure my husband is happy no matter who he''s getting intimate with," Ume said, "Though, I hope you''ll give me the same treatment at some point seeing how pleased Ren''s looking right now."

    "I anticipated this happening before we even met, so I have no problems," Sue added, "Though, it''s better to say that this kind of thing is normal between close acquaintances and lovers in the Demon-Kin''s Territory. It gives an impression of who''s the top dog of the group that visitors must acknowledge and respect, you know? It''s a different story if a powerful individual is in the room, like a noble or royalty."

    "Huh, so it''s like that?" I asked, Though, what the heck do you mean by ''anticipating'' this happening? And aren''t you a noble/royal?

    Sue nodded, "It''s like that, and ¡­ just putting it out there as a reminder, but as my way of apologizing for giving you and Nyra a hard time, my body is also available to use at your leisure. I won''t mind you ''petting'' me the same as Ren here." Sue''s face tinted red while trying to make that point.

    "... I''ll keep it in mind," I answered, knowing having sex with Sue is also included. With my theory of her possibly being royalty in the air, it''s really difficult to think I can get away with something like that. It''s hard to decide whether to fondle her loli-oppai boobs like before with that in mind, too. Even now, the thought of possibly copping a feel on royalty, a thing a commoner could only dream of ever happening, had an enticing appeal to it.

    I didn''t want to fall into such thoughts, so I sate my desire by cupping both of Ren''s modest breasts, causing her to tremble in delight. While they weren''t large like Ume''s or Sue''s, Ren''s breasts were still big enough to fill up my hands well while being quite soft. Actually ¡­ am I feeling more of Ren''s breasts than usual?

    "... Did these get bigger?" I asked aloud.

    "Did they really?!" Ren exclaimed excitedly. Her wolf tail whacked against me with the same mood.

    To confirm, I used my [Size Up] skill that reads a woman''s three sizes as well as her status. I only found this out after appraising Ren the first time, and I could still remember her numbers from back then.

    "... Ohh, it looks like you went up by about 2 centimeters," I said.

    "2 centimeters! This is the best news I''ve heard all day!" Ren exclaimed while pumping her fists in the air.

    Better than the power up from your collar earlier?! Are you that bothered by your breast size?!

    Sue cleared her throat, "Well, congratulations aside, are there any other personal things that need to be discussed before we move onto quest-related matters?"

    "May I just say something about that bastard of a Lizardman?" Ume asked while furrowing her brow, "While Jin was falling to the [Devil Eyes]'' effects, I was mentioning how much I wanted to kill him right there for dissing my husband like that."

    "You''re not alone on that," I said, "Even now, despite how calm I may look, I still want to do unspeakable things to him, with or without the [Devil Eyes]'' power."

    "What if, the next time he tries anything involving me while either of us are alone with him, one of us takes his head and shows it to the other, proving that the bastard is dead?" Ume suggested as she approached me from the side.

    "And after that, we''ll see his harem together and show them that their beloved mate is gone because of us?" I followed.

    "And once they see how superior you are, you seduce them into joining your harem, making their late mate writhe in the afterlife agonizingly by taking his females as your own?" Ume finalized before using her [Sadistic Smile] to add suspense to our plan, baring her sharp, pointed Dragon teeth.

    The sight sent pleasant shivers down my spine, "I love that we''re both on the same page.¡±

    "I love you."

    "I love you more."

    Having a mutual agreement, Ume and I sealed the deal with a tender, loving kiss. Ren shared our enthusiasm with a sensual howl as I gave her breasts a good squeeze.

    <Ah, a match made in heaven ¡­ or would you both be in hell after going through all that?> Nyra asked as we broke the kiss.

    Ume then moved behind me and started giving me a shoulder massage while I still ¡®petted¡¯ Ren. Despite my wife having reptilian claws, her massage techniques were superb, as if she spent centuries of her lifespan perfecting the [Massage] skill. It was like all the stress and tensions built on my shoulders from today were melting away under her unique touch. This was surely the effect of her new ¡®Legendary Housewife¡¯ ability she received as a gift from Obina. Legendary, indeed, just how did I have the luck to receive this special treatment from such a loving wife?

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "I have no objections with that plan and will even cooperate if needed, so it looks like we''re all in agreement on that," Sue said in regards to our assassination plot against Krigeran, "Anything else?"

    "Right, I have something to ask of Ren," I said while giving her breasts their needed attention, "The things you said to that gang, was all of that true?"

    "Hauu! Of course! As a lover and slave, I deliberate very heavily on my master''s good points so everyone would know how amazing he is!" she exclaimed with pride.

    "Then, can you tell me what it was that made you think I forgive people?" I asked, "Not only do I find that odd to point out in your speech, but I don''t really see myself as that forgiving of a person. What we just talked about with Krigeran should speak levels of how ''forgiving'' I am."

    "Well, that''s a given, because it doesn''t look like he''ll apologize and seek your forgiveness," Ren said before looking up in thought, "If I were to explain what makes you forgiving, well ¡­ there was how you handled that flower pot thing, for one."

    "Is it really that big of a deal?" I asked with a raised brow.

    "Let me put it this way," Sue answered for Ren, "If it were another demon, even if they were a commoner who had high defenses like you, there''s a high chance they''d use that as an excuse to scam that Imp. ''Oww, I think I might have a concussion, how are you going to take responsibility for this?'' Would be something they''d use to intimidate her before taking practically everything she''s got. If not that, the next likely thing they''d do would be to beat that Imp senseless as ''punishment'' for injuring someone more superior than her, maybe even to the point of death."

    "It''s that serious?" I asked with widened eyes.

    Thinking back on that Imp woman¡¯s, Mincy¡¯s, behavior, her concern may be sincere, but part of her motives might be to lessen the ''punishment'' enacted on her for causing me injury.

    Sue nodded solemnly, "While we''re on the subject, let''s say it was a Devil, a superior race among the Demon-Kin, who dropped the flower pot on you. Since it''s you, a ''human'' who''s most likely weaker than them, they wouldn''t give a rat''s ass over your health. ''It''s their fault for being too weak to get hurt over something like that,'' would be one of their lines of thinking. And if you were to confront them on it? Their ''apology'' would be shallow, if you''re lucky to get one. Instead, they''d be more likely to intimidate you out of dropping the subject. ''Oh? But I didn''t do it? Are you accusing me? Is that a challenge?'' It would be like that before things escalate from there."

    Wooow, I could even hear that Klash guy saying all that if he dropped the flower pot on me. How very scum-like.

    "That''s how most Devils in this territory were raised to be, anyway" Sue continued while shrugging, "Since some Demon Kings in the past have been Devils, including Her Highness, not to mention they were said to have some connections with the Immortals, they''ve developed a large ego in that they''re the ''superior race'' among the Demon-Kin. With the power they hold in their [Devil Eyes], their superiority seems to be a sure thing."

    "But the current Demon King is different from other Devils?" I asked.

    She nodded, "Because of her upbringing by her father, the previous Demon King, as well as his goal of making peace between the other territories, Her Highness wants to follow in his footsteps for that peace and make the Demon-Kin''s Territory a better kingdom for all races, including those from the Demi and Human-Kin.

    "Alas, there are nobles who oppose Her Highness'' goals, as well as her father''s, and are plotting to seize the throne as we speak," Sue said while resting a hand to her cheek in shame and pity, "Things are improving in the kingdom, but the hierarchical wall in both political and combat strength between Demon races is still quite high. Any display of kindness could be seen as weakness in the upper-power''s eyes. That''s why brushing off the flower pot incident is like a saint granting forgiveness to the general public."

    "Wait, but you seemed quite peeved over that Imp even though I brushed it off? If you''re trying to follow the Demon King''s example of fairness to all races and social classes, then weren''t you quite harsh towards her?" I argued with a raised brow.

    "... I have my reasons for reacting the way I did, but thinking back with a clear mind, yes, you''re right on that, Jinma. If that displeases you, I''ll take this as a learning experience and reflect on it, hoping I won''t repeat this mistake in the future," Sue answered calmly while bowing her head with humility.

    I was surprised how Sue took that criticism so well. It was about the same as when Ren made her outburst about the Demon King at the junkyard, though the difference here was that the criticism from me was directed at this disguised Devil. Sue''s promise to avoid being that harsh again seemed to hold quite a bit of weight since it ''displeased me''. It almost made me uneasy. For some reason, I felt I had to correct this.

    "Erm ¡­ I wouldn''t say I was displeased at that time, just surprised, and I just wanted to confirm your convictions," I said, "I may not know what your reasons were for acting that way, but if you realized what you did was wrong, just try to improve on your own merits at your own pace. Don''t just take priority of my feelings over yours."

    "I do want to improve on my own merits, really," Sue assured, "In fact, I''m grateful to you for pointing out that mistake. If it''s not too much trouble, I''d be most appreciated if you could give me more criticisms like that moving forward. In pursuit to become a person you can trust and accept in all their being, like I want to towards you, as well as making up for my wrong towards you, I believe this much is necessary."

    I feel like this just got much heavier. Like I''m appointed as someone''s advisor. Would I not have thought this way if I didn''t suspect Sue of being a noble, much less a royal?

    <She seems genuine with her request, too. You gotta give her props for asking that much towards someone she wronged,> Nyra said, reading my thoughts.

    "I ¡­ guess I''ll try to keep it in mind while I observe you," I answered to Sue, "And it wasn''t like you totally screwed up back there in the flower pot thing. Nyra sensed you were really trying to restrain yourself from possibly getting worse, so that tells me you''re already trying to improve yourself, so ¡­ nice work? Though, it might be best for you to find some outlet to vent your emotions if keeping yourself in check takes that much effort. Trying to choke down those negative emotions is as unhealthy and bad for you as taking it out on someone who may not deserve it."

    Sue using that trick to calm me down earlier might have worked, but I only see that beneficial for the short term to clear my senses. I still wanted to kill Krigeran for making moves on Ume, but I was surprised how possessive I seemed back there. I''m not sure if those were my true feelings or if it was the [Devil Eyes] having a lingering effect on me.

    Sue, surprised at my evaluation, nodded lightly, "Y-Yes, an outlet, that would be helpful. Though, what can I use that would be helpful to me?"

    "Well, talking about it would be a good start, venting it all out. You can do that to me if you''re comfortable with it," I suggested.

    "I-Is that really ¡­ okay?" Sue asked, to which I nodded, "O-Okay, I''ll keep it in mind, and thank you for noticing how hard I tried to hold myself back. I really do appreciate that ..." When Sue trailed off, she gazed down reservedly. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but held herself back.

    ¡­ Ah, maybe it''s that?

    "Sue, come here for a moment," I said while beckoning her over.

    Sue looked confused as she approached me, then widened her eyes in surprise as I petted her head.

    "You ¡­ did good back there, Sue. Good girl," I praised awkwardly.

    Sue''s entire head flushed, heating up like steam would blow from her pointed ears at any moment. She had an awkward, bashful smile and looked down while she received the praise. "Th-Thanguu ¡­" she flubbed.

    <Ohh! You guessed she wanted a form of praise for her hard work without me telling you! I''m impressed!> Nyra said.

    <She couldn''t ask for that kind of treatment because of how guilty she is. Praising someone''s hard work where it''s due is also essential for them to improve themselves. If she''s this happy with this much, I don''t mind humoring her to this extent,> I reasoned.

    "Ah, there''s that, too, another of Master''s saintly kindness," Ren said, picking back up our earlier conversation on my ''forgiving nature''.

    I also just realized we were both still naked as I patted Sue''s head while Ume was massaging my shoulders, creating a weird image in the room, but I tried to overlook that.

    "What do you mean, Ren?" I asked.

    "Though you had every right to kill Sue for messing with yours and Nyra''s memories, she did come out to you without resisting when you confronted her, right?" Ren asked, recalling the memories I shared with her through Nyra''s magic, "She''s still dubious with what other information she may be hiding, and you may be keeping her around to learn more about the Demon King, but you''re also gauging whether you can trust her by observing her actions, right? Doesn''t that show you want to forgive Sue, but you''re not sure if you should?"

    We all fell into silence, my hand stopped petting Sue''s head, and she looked up to me with an unreadable expression.

    I ¡­ want to forgive Sue? Is that what it looks like? Were there ever other times when I had such motives? Me wanting to forgive someone, despite how much they wronged me? What does it mean to forgive in the first place?

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, I said something weird, didn¡¯t I?¡± Ren asked while her ears folded back.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said while using my other hand to pet her head, ¡°I was just thinking how you define ¡®forgiveness¡¯ might be totally different from what my interpretation is.¡±

    ¡°Well, however ¡®forgiveness¡¯ is interpreted, the fact that Jinma is kinder than most remains the same, and I don¡¯t ever want to betray that kindness again,¡± Sue said while looking at me with upturned eyes with my hand still on her head, ¡°Thank you, Jinma, for at least giving me a chance to make it up to you. If there were more good Demons like you, this kingdom would surely be much more peaceful.¡±

    Something in what Sue last said made me remember something in my childhood memories. It was the one after I was released from the hospital that showed up in a recent dream.

    ¡°Jin-chan is a ¡®good demon,¡¯ after all!¡± the young Hyo-chan from my memories exclaimed, making a statement by using my name in a bad pun. I could still remember how her big, bright smile would warm my heart, knowing I was able to bring that out of her.

    ¡°A good demon, huh ¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, wrapping my arms around Ren¡¯s waist and pulled her into an embrace, Wonder how much of that is still true? And ¡­ would Hyo-chan still call me a ¡®good demon¡¯ if she saw how I am now?

 Chapter 161: The Cold-Hearted Bitch Interrogates a Slave Merchant

    {???}

    ¡°Ahh, what a shame,¡± one of my slaves said disappointingly before sighing, ¡°Your heart looks decent, but if it weren¡¯t for your drinking and smoking, your liver and lungs would look so much prettier. Sure, there are resistance skills that reduce chances of alcohol poisoning, and yes, healing magic may repair wounds, but those can only do so much when people keep abusing their bodies and not taking proper care of themselves. These things really show a person¡¯s age better than what¡¯s seen on the outside. Let¡¯s see how bad your digestive tract is.¡±

    ¡°GAAAAAAAUGH! PLEEEASE! HAVE MERCYYYY!¡± the old male ¡®patient¡¯ screamed.

    ¡°Ugh, what have you been eating?¡± she asked, ¡°Even with how much you¡¯ve shitted yourself, you clearly have got some constipation problems going for ya, and don¡¯t even get me started with all this fat spilling out from your guts. I¡¯ll tell you right now, even with this fat gone, you probably won¡¯t last very long, anyways. Seriously, our Immortals granted you these bodies when you came to this world, you know? Out of respect for those ethereal beings, you need to take better care of the gifts they¡¯ve generously given you. This ¡­ is beyond hopes of redemption.

    ¡°I swear, this is why I prefer them being younger,¡± my eccentric slave said, ¡°So clean and pure, untainted with alcoholism and drug abuse, so full of life and vigor, ready to take on anything life throws at them. That¡¯s why, should they get physically hurt, I would use everything in my [Holy Magic] to bring them back to peak condition! Those who¡¯ve taken proper care of themselves should receive the same treatment needed! Those are the people worth protecting! Take my mistress, for example! In her prime as a female, so clean and healthy thanks in part to her eating habits! And dare I say, I love what she¡¯s done with her hair and eyes to become icy blue! Then again, she is a Champion, and part of her health may be due to her Immortal showing some favor towards her, but that doesn¡¯t mean we shouldn¡¯t try to follow her example, does it?

    ¡°Interestingly enough, did you know Champions aren¡¯t actually from this world?¡± she asked suddenly.

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± the old male ¡®patient¡¯ muttered.

    ¡°Toshino, why are you bringing that up to these cretins?¡± my other slave asked sternly as she had a spear¡¯s head pointing at another man¡¯s neck.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to last much longer, anyway, right?¡± my slave who went by Toshino asked, ¡°I¡¯m normally a Kitsune of discretion, but our mistress said it herself that she doesn¡¯t care whether anyone knows about it or not. Isn¡¯t that right, Hyoko-sama?¡±

    Their conversation was barely background noise to me as I was sifting through some records at our target¡¯s desk for any clues I was looking for. ¡°No. Nope. Trash. Worthless. Why is this even here?¡± I asked myself, my search so far being fruitless.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes, so while you chill out with the seriousness, Liss-chan, I¡¯ll continue,¡± Toshino said before turning her attention back to her ¡®patient¡¯, ¡°You see, the truth is that Champions aren¡¯t just visitors from another world. They died from their homeworld, a world of advanced medical practices and tools none of us here could even dream about! This tiny little knife here that so easily cuts into your flesh is what they call a scalpel back there, and ¡­ awww man, he¡¯s dead. Great, now I don¡¯t feel like talking about it anymore, the mood¡¯s ruined.¡±

    ¡°U-Um, I would like to hear more about¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to make requests, Mondar,¡± ¡®Liss-chan¡¯, derived from Lissandra, interrupted while pushing her spear further up his neck.

    I sighed before tossing the parchments in the air in subdued frustration, standing up from the desk, and approached Mondar pinned to the floor. The man in question was stout, had a bloated gut, and had a mustache that you may expect villains from saturday morning anime to have.

    I kneeled down with a hand on my sheathed katana, ¡°Okay, Mondar, your records are proving to be crap, so I¡¯ll ask you personally. Where have you last heard a Champion was spotted?¡±

    ¡°W-Why the hell would you want to know about that?! Why would I even know about that?!¡± he exclaimed in protest, practically spitting.

    I raised a brow, ¡°A slave merchant on the wanted list for illegal practices in slave trafficking and sales in the blackmarket? Other than letting my slave from the Black Panther Tribe have her vengeance on you because of such things, why wouldn¡¯t I suspect you of having such information?"

    "Well I''m not obligated to tell you anything after you took out all of my men! Oh, and if you have forgotten, if you kill me, you''ll kill all the slaves that are under a contract with me! Hah!" Mondar exclaimed.

    "Yes, as a slave owner, myself, I¡¯m fully aware of that, and unfortunately for you, this isn''t the first time I''ve come across this problem," I said before turning to my Kitsune slave, "Toshino, the ''marker''."

    "Yeeees, Hyoko-samaaa," she sang before reaching into my Magic Item Bag and pulling out a black marker-like writing utensil. This is an enchanted marker that has an endless concoction of magic ink and my blood necessary to properly brand someone into a slave. Unlike traditional methods, using this marker makes the branding process immediate without the target struggling to fight it off with no chanting or additional steps necessary. That was the ''Slavery Marker'' that I got as a clear bonus after clearing a dungeon. This was a magic tool that slave merchants would kill to have, but I have no plans of getting such an occupation. I use this to instead force information out of my targets when they''re not willing to talk.

    Toshino passed me the marker that I uncap and drew a dot on Mondar''s exposed chest. At that moment, the dot fades away and the blue slave ring appears on his neck. I got the notifications of him being successfully branded as my slave immediately afterward.

    "W-What?! No! It can''t be! You actually have¡ª!?"

    "Shut up," I ordered, which immediately brought Mondar to silence. This was possible because I set the default settings on Confession and Command gauges in a slave status window up to max. "Now, first order of business, release all the slaves contracted under you."

    Mondar wordlessly followed my command like a puppet on strings. We were aware of the slaves being imprisoned in a basement below this building, so after we killed the guards, we unlocked the cages and bindings and told them to wait until they''re set free from slave magic. As part of Lissandra¡¯s request I left them enough money to get by for a few days¡ªI was pretty well off and we¡¯d get a ¡®payment¡¯ from Mondar, anyway, so it wasn¡¯t much of a loss for me. I watched and confirmed all the people from Mondar''s list of slaves were set free. The loud cheers that can be heard from the second floor means the release was a success.

    "Okay, next order," I said, "Tell us everything you know about any possible Champion sightings within the last three months."

    "... One boy was sent from Korangar in the Demon-Kin''s Territory after he was captured in their Champion Hunt. That is the earliest I heard taking place from three months ago," Mondar explained dronely.

    Being former residents that are also Demons, my slaves had told me about the Champion Hunt taking place in the Demon-Kin''s Territory. They didn''t know of anyone who had been brought to the Demon King since I came to this world three months ago, though.

    "Do you know who that boy is?" I asked Mondar.

    "He is the founder of the White Rapture cult who I''ve been collaborating with recently, Saito Shirogechi."

    "The White Rapture''s founder?!" Lissandra exclaimed, "He is a Champion?!"

    "Not only that, but it''s him, of all people, huh? I should have known," I said while gripping my katana.

    ¡°Oh? Could he be one of your targets, Hyoko-sama?¡± Toshino asked.

    ¡°He and his ¡®bodyguard¡¯, Taro Kaimu, have been at the top of my black list for the longest time,¡± I said, ¡°To think that pretentious, silver-tongued coward would erect a cult of all things.¡±

    ¡°What could he have done to earn such ire from you, Mistress?¡± Lissandra asked.

    ¡°In short, Saito¡¯s brought the most misfortune on me and my friends out of everything else back home, and is the one who brought us here under these circumstances without ¡­ without ...¡±

    ¡°Yosh, yosh, calm down, Hyoko-sama,¡± Toshino said while she rubbed my back, ¡°Your eyes are changing. Don¡¯t you need to question Mondar on anything else before you lose yourself?¡±

    I took a deep breath and regained my composure before turning my attention back to Mondar, "Do you know where Saito Shirogechi is now? Maybe info on Taro Kaimu¡¯s whereabouts, too?"

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Saito and Taro are likely stationed at their headquarters in the port city of Vukandu. I don''t know where exactly that is, though," Mondar answered obediently.

    ¡°Vukandu ¡­ I heard that it''s a very human-centred city. The locals there are said to hold the most discrimination against non-human races,¡± Lissandra explained.

    "Are there any other Champions who may be with the White Rapture?" I asked.

    "Along with Saito and Taro, I heard there are eight other Champions who are working for White Rapture, but I don''t know their names or their exact locations," Mondar answered.

    So a total of ten Champions ¡­ if they were all from the bus incident, that would take a huge chunk out of my black list. Still, it will be difficult if they team up against me and I don¡¯t know what their ¡®blessings¡¯ are. Well, we found where the cult¡¯s headquarters is stationed, at least. It¡¯s as good a start as any, but if I want to get anywhere, I¡¯ll need some backup ...

    ¡°Do you know of a girl around my age named Komiwa Karuga?¡± I then asked, ¡°And if so, can you tell me where she was last seen and what you know about her?¡±

    ¡°Komiwa ¡­ Karuga. I had heard of a girl with that name getting popular recently. She¡¯s an adventurer, but spends most of her time working at a pub in Alluga, and she seems to be in a party with a Lizardman girl who does the subjugation quests outside the city,¡± Mondar explained.

    The words ¡®red-light district¡¯ made me widen my eyes.

    ¡°Alluga ¡­ that¡¯s southeast from here,¡± Lissandra said, ¡°Not only is it known for its numerous ¡®services¡¯ in the red-light district, but it has the second-most diverse population of different races for being close to the border of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory. Telsden, where we¡¯re at right now, is a place known more for trading various goods and is used as a rest stop for travelers, adventurers, and merchants of all kinds of races. It¡¯s because Telsden is close to where all three of the territories¡¯ borders intersect that businesses can prosper here ¡­ even black markets and slave trades like this one.¡±

    ¡°Is Komiwa-san another target of yours?¡± Toshino asked.

    ¡°No ¡­ she¡¯s a friend of mine who shares a mutual goal, but for her to be in the red-light district ¡­¡± I trailed off, Isn¡¯t she faithful to him, though? No, I shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions just yet. From how it looked back then, she knew that he would come to this world, and she gave me advice to get as strong as I am now before we parted ways. Not to mention, Mondar said she¡¯s only working in a pub, and that could be all that it is. She could be doing what she can to prepare for his arrival, just like I am, even if we may be going about this differently.

    Anyway, it''s good that I have a lead of where Komi-chan is. I should make finding her my next move after this. If she shares my opinion, maybe she can help me out with the other Champions, especially those in White Rapture if they''re as bothersome as I''ve heard. For now, I just have a few more things to ask.

    I shook off my thoughts and turned my attention back to Mondar, ¡°... Have you heard of anyone that goes by the name ¡®Jinma Kotori¡¯ within the last three months?¡±

    ¡°No, I do not know of anyone by that name,¡± Mondar answered immediately.

    ¡°What about sightings of a young man with short black hair, blackish brown eyes with a sharp enough glare that could be mistaken for a Demon, who despite bearing a lean build of 181 centimeters {~5 feet 11 inches} in height and about 70 kilograms {~154 pounds} in weight, he could lift a carriage off the ground with one hand while barely breaking a sweat or some similar feat of strength, or could take on a mob of at least twenty men and walk away with minimal scratches? Ring any bells?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No matter how many times I hear that same question, I can¡¯t tell whether to be amazed or worried,¡± Lissandra said with a palm to her forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed she got it all out in one breath,¡± Toshino added.

    It looked like Mondar needed a moment to process everything I had said before answering, "... No. From the last three months, I haven''t heard of anyone that went by that description, except for a female adventurer who goes by the ¡®Cold-Slaughter Princess¡¯. I had heard she killed twenty bandits who pillaged a village by herself once."

    ¡°That¡¯s our mistress!¡± Toshino exclaimed with pride.

    I clicked my tongue, "Still no luck, huh? Okay, last question. I see you have a safe here. What''s the combination to its lock?"

    Mondar then gave the combination that I used to open the safe and saw numerous things inside. A lot of money was one, along with some important-looking records and documents, and two tomes. The tomes looked to have instructions on how to summon a Familiar from the Holy or Cursed Realms. I didn''t know how he got his hands on things that should probably belong to a Holy or Cursed Church, but this was a lucky break for me. I was thinking of summoning a Familiar for additional manpower against the Champions of this world, specifically my classmates who were with me in the bus incident. Despite that, I was uneasy with the idea of going to a church. Toshino being a Templar and her ''unique'' morals were tolerable enough to put up with when I redeemed her for her talent in [Holy Magic] from the start. I wanted to keep my party small for mobility purposes, so having one or two Familiars should be enough to get by.

    With my plan set, I took all the money, records, and books from Mondar''s safe and stowed them away in my [Storage]. Once I cleaned it out, I asked Mondar if he had any other places where he stashed his savings, but it looked like everything that was in his safe was it. His wife has some expensive jewelry in her room we could surely keep or pawn off somewhere, though. Funny enough, we didn¡¯t run into her when we ransacked the place, and when I asked Mondar, it seemed she was meeting some friends somewhere.

    The illegal slave merchant held no further use for me, so I released him from my slavery and let Lissandra have her revenge on him. Screams of pain and agony sounded through the office for a couple minutes before everything went silent. Compared to Toshino''s victim who looked like the result of a messy dissection in a high school Biology Lab, Lissandra''s was more like an overly used pincushion that was way past its due with how many holes were punctured into it.

    Now splattered in her late enemy''s blood, Lissandra knelt before me like a knight pledging to royalty, "Mistress, you have my eternal gratitude to let me exact my vengeance on the human male who took me away from my village and forced me into slavery. As the daughter of the Black Panther Tribe¡¯s chieftain, I am in your debt."

    I waved a hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re almost done and scavenging everything we can here and made some progress today. Once we clean the place out, why don¡¯t we use our ¡®winnings¡¯ to buy a good dinner to celebrate a bit?¡±

    ¡°Ooooh? A celebratory dinner? Goodness, what¡¯s the occasion, Hyoko-sama?¡± Toshino asked excitedly.

    ¡°There are some important matters to discuss, so I believe taking this in a formal setting is necessary,¡± I explained, ¡°I¡¯ve even anticipated our success to be done this early, so I took the liberty to make a reservation at a good restaurant I heard about and bought us dresses that will fall in line with their dress code. We just need to clean up and get ready for the evening.¡±

    Toshino clapped her beastly fox-like hands in glee, ¡°A good restaurant that requires a dress code?! My, such generosity! I can¡¯t wait to see what my dress looks like, the restaurant, too!¡±

    ¡°Yes, whatever you have arranged will surely be a fitting means for our celebration, Mistress,¡± Lissandra said as she stood up and bowed, ¡°I will look forward to¡ª¡±

    ¡°KYAAAAAAAAAUGH!¡± a violent, blood-curdling shriek of terror interrupted. We looked over and saw a gaudily-dressed human woman with lots of makeup standing at the door seeing the scene in fright.

    ¡°... Ah, so you must be Mondar¡¯s wife, or I guess I should say ¡®widow¡¯, now,¡± I said calmly after a moment¡¯s thought.

    ¡°You, what have you done?!¡± the widow yelled, ¡°The slaves are gone, my husband and everyone else in this building is dead, how are you going to take responsibility for this?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve actually come at a good time, miss, for there were a few questions I forgot to ask Mondar before I had Lissandra kill him,¡± I said as I calmly walked over to the new widow with a hand on my katana¡¯s scabbard, ¡°Do enlighten me, did Mondar have any other lovers as part of a harem? Do you or any of them have kids?¡±

    ¡°No! Mondar was only married to me, and I was going to tell him that I was pregnant!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, congratulations!¡± Toshino praised while clapping her hands, ¡°Hearing of a new life being born in this world is always such wonderful news.¡±

    ¡°You shut it, Demon scum!¡± the widow yelled before turning back to me with a face twisted in anger, ¡°And you, you and your slaves are not gonna get away with this! What could a bitch like you want to deliver such carnage to us?!¡±

    ¡°Bitch ¡­ yes, I¡¯ve been called that a number of times where I¡¯m from, and I think it suits me, if we¡¯re talking about the definition of a female dog,¡± I said as I recalled my times on Earth, ¡°All those people who called me that behind my back would never dream that the ¡®intelligent, peerless beauty¡¯, Hyoko Ishima, could fall hopelessly in love with the baddest delinquent in the city, the one they call the ¡®Merciless Demon¡¯, praying that he¡¯d take charge and make me his property, his personal bitch. What they would also never know is that that same bitch had no problems biting anyone who threatens her or her master, or just pissing her off overall, and unlike the ¡®bitch¡¯ that was me back then ¡­¡±

    After I paused, the sound of my katana being sheathed rang in the office.

    ¡°... The bitch that you see now has lost her master, and is without a leash to hold herself back anymore,¡± I finished.

    The widow, having no idea what happened, then slid and collapsed into pieces by the unseen slashes of my blessed blade, Chishiohana {AN: Literally ¡®Blood Flower¡¯; Ñª³±</a>»¨</a>}. A pool of blood quickly formed around the corpse, dying its formerly gaudy dress and jewelry in red.

    ¡°You should be grateful to that innocent baby inside you, or your death would be much less merciful. I pray he or she will have better luck in the next life,¡± I said before squatting down and taking the red-dyed jewelry from her slashed head. I cast [Clean] on them to make them presentable to pawn off.

    ¡°Awww, did you really have to kill the baby, too?¡± Toshino asked.

    ¡°From how the mother looked, the fetus¡¯ early development probably just started,¡± I reasoned, ¡°No one could really determine whether they¡¯re alive or not at this stage, and if it¡¯s early enough, there¡¯s still a chance to get them aborted with few repercussions if the mother has second thoughts. Moreover, if I let the mother live, there¡¯s a chance she¡¯ll teach the baby to exact vengeance on me as they grow up. This is the most painless countermeasure I can come up with to avoid that troublesome outcome.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess I can understand that much, and even my ability is saying you only killed one person instead of two, so maybe the baby didn¡¯t have a ¡®self¡¯ and was still a part of her as she died. Still, I suppose I¡¯ll also pray for the baby¡¯s safe departure, then,¡± Toshino said before joining her hands together.

    Lissandra sighed, ¡°It¡¯s almost scary how used to this I¡¯ve gotten since you redeemed me, Mistress. It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve been called the ¡®Cold-Slaughter Princess¡¯ among adventurers.¡±

    I stowed the jewelry in my [Storage] and looked over my shoulder, ¡°While I won¡¯t deny their claim, I wished they¡¯d call me something else. Like ¡®Demon Sword Princess¡¯. Doesn¡¯t that have a cooler ring to you?¡±

    I mean, it¡¯s Jin-chan who gave me that title when we plotted against those kids a long time ago, after all. Since it¡¯s from someone cool like him, it¡¯s natural the title itself would also be cool, right?

 Chapter 162: The Bitchâ€™s Plan for Slaughter

    {Hyoko}

    Sorry for the late introduction, but things got busy, so let¡¯s try to salvage this a bit. I¡¯m Hyoko Ishima, a former 3rd year high school student from Ikebukuro Japan. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, me and about 50 other people died in an explosive bus accident. Now, thanks to the Immortals that watch over the world of Raiza, I''m now living in it, specifically the Human-Kin''s Territory in the continent of Padimon.

    It has been 3 months since I started living in this world of swords and magic, the violence of which can be on scales greater than what''s known and reported in Japan. Recently, out of a change of pace and desire to try something new, I used the ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ service in the shop of my Champion''s Bracelet to dye my black hair and eyes into an ice blue color. Aside from that, I haven''t changed my class as a Brawler since I got here, but with my clothes and weapon of choice, I''d be mistaken for having the Samurai class (though it''s certainly the case as my ''second'' class, thanks to the benefits of being a Brawler). During my time here, I''ve redeemed two slaves to help me learn and get around the country.

    The first was Lissandra, a black-furred Werepanther with darkened skin and has the Huntress Class. She had a grudge against the Human Slave Merchant who abducted her from her tribe, and had grown a distaste for Humans because of it. Since I redeemed her, though, she had mellowed out, especially after exacting her revenge against the Slave Merchant she despised.

    My second slave was Toshino, an orange red-furred Kitsune with practically white skin and has the Templar class. She was the opposite to Lissandra and had an unusual interest in Humans. Their biology, their behaviors, their cultures, she wanted to learn and understand what she could about them, but in a way so twisted that it goes against the moral teachings from the church that trained her to previously become a Priestess. Due to some complicated circumstances, though, Toshino wound up becoming a Templar instead. She also apparently has a unique ability called ¡®Eyes of Death¡¯ that tells her how many people a person has killed in their lifetime just by looking at them. It was because of this ability and how many lives I''ve taken up to when we met that Toshino took a highly-esteemed interest in me.

    With her expertise in the healing arts from her [Holy Magic], I redeemed her as my main healer, but she has experience in other magics that I gleaned off of. Out of curiosity, I taught her what I could of the medical sciences I learned on Earth, using my smartphone to help give better visuals. This interestingly made her more intuitive in mastering her [Heal] spell, which will be most beneficial in my future plans.

    As for why Toshino was enslaved, it seemed she was sold out by her twin sister back when she still lived in the Demon-Kin''s Territory. The two of them were engaged to another Kitsune out of some political/cultural arrangements, and it seems her ''hobbies'' and direction to become a Templar had led her to getting sold out. I had asked her at one point if she wanted revenge on them like Lissandra did against the Slave Merchant.

    "Dissecting my sister and cutting off my ex-fiance''s tiny genitals would be quite the experience, but I''m not in as much of a hurry as Liss-chan is. I''ll see them again when fate decides our appointed time." That was Toshino''s answer.

    With that, the three of us formed the adventurer''s party, Black Robin. I came up with the name in part to dedicate my childhood friend and love interest, Jinma Kotori. That party may change depending how things go over tonight''s dinner, though.

    In celebration of Lissandra exacting her revenge, I reserved a table at the finest restaurant in the Human-Kin''s Territory''s capital, Yineer. It was quite a distance from where we completed our mission, Telsden, but thanks to my abundance of MP and the [Portal] Null Spell, we would get back to Yineer without much effort from me.

    Once we cleaned out everything in the late Slave Merchant¡¯s residence, I got us back to our inn, our main base of operations, in Yineer before preparing for dinner that evening. We were in a slight hurry and I wanted to take my time in the bath after dinner, so I cast [Clean] on all of us and pulled out the dresses I bought for the occasion. When we got ready a couple minutes later, I used [Portal] to take us straight to the restaurant. Despite the staff pointing suspicious stares at my slaves, we checked in with little trouble. The place was two stories tall, and our table was on a balcony facing toward the ocean as the day was turning dusk, giving us a picturesque view of the sunset. A string quartet playing music inside gave more vibe to the scene. I''d love to have Jin-chan here to see this.

    We made our orders soon after getting to the table, and they didn¡¯t take long to bring our drinks with warm bread and butter. I then cleared my throat and held up my glass of champagne, "I''m usually not into this sort of thing, but I might as well go with the formalities this time around. To Lissandra finally exacting her revenge. May Mondar and his wife despair in the afterlife, except for their unborn child to be birthed by better parents. Kanpai."

    "Kanpai!" my slaves cheered as we clinked glasses. Lissandra had red wine while Toshino had sparkling fruit water.

    "So, the restaurant was ''Travone''s Delise''. I heard good things about this place, but I could make do without the stares from the staff and clientele," Lissandra said before taking a sip.

    "That''s because we look like total beauties right now, right? I mean, look at us! Look at me! My tail has never been this fluffy before! To think your bracelet managed to pull all this off!" Toshino exclaimed excitedly. Her large, fluffy fox tail wagged in agreement.

    "Shh! Don''t speak of things like that so casually outdoors!" Lissandra hissed.

    "It''s fine, Lissandra. It''s the truth, after all," I said before taking a sip of champagne.

    Back at the inn, I used the ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ and ¡®Customize Equipment¡¯ services in my Champion''s bracelet to style our hair and added design touches to the dresses we were wearing. Lissandra''s black hair was straightened and tied into a braided ponytail. Her shoulderless white dress emphasized her impressive chest with a hefty cleavage and contrasted well with her dark skin and fur, the trimmings around her bust and skirt were altered to become lace thanks to the bracelet''s magic.

    Toshino''s dress was a passionate red with straps looping around her neck revealing the white cleavage of her bust, challenging Lissandra''s in volume. The bracelet altered it to be backless, going down to her lower back where her big, fluffy orange red fox tail popped out from behind and hung over her sizable derriere. Her hair was styled to be wavy and voluminous.

    Lastly, my icy blue hair was out of the ponytail I had on earlier and was left straightened, stretching to just past my shoulders. My dress was black with a slit running up to reveal my right leg. I used my bracelet to add white glittering specks in a pattern that resembled snowflakes blown in a blizzard.

    "Though it may be the truth, what if people approach you being a you-know-what, Mistress?" Lissandra asked me, getting back to the topic of my identity as a Champion.

    "Simple. If their request seems bothersome, I''ll turn it down. If they press me further than that, then I''ll cut them down. That ought to be enough to shut them up," I explained casually.

    "See? This is why we need to keep Mistress'' identity a secret, Toshino!" Lissandra exclaimed in a hushed tone.

    It''s kind of funny how Lissandra''s like this now when she could care less about Humans dying from the start. Wonder what changed her mind?

    "Hey, I''m for Hyoko-sama''s methods! Bold, sharp, and to the point¡ªor I guess I should say ''edge''¡ªthat''s why I''m happy to be her slave! Kikikiki!" Toshino exclaimed before making her unique laugh.

    "That''s enough about me," I said, "We have some time before our food arrives, so let''s go over the important matters. Mainly, you, Lissandra."

    Lissandra blinked, "Me, Mistress? Did I do something to dissatisfy you?"

    I waved my hand, "Nothing of the sort. You''ve been a great help to me ever since I redeemed you. What I want to know is what you''re going to do now."

    "I ¡­ don''t follow," Lissandra said hesitantly.

    I sighed in annoyance, "Have you forgotten? When we met for the first time, we made an agreement. You teach me everything you know about Padimon, its ways of living, and the like while helping me become strong enough to fend for myself, and I''d help you find Mondar to exact your revenge and grant you your freedom in exchange. You have done your part, I have a general understanding of this continent, and with your target dead, there''s no further meaning of us continuing the master-slave contract."

    Lissandra widened her eyes in surprise.

    "I''m a woman who follows through on a deal," I continued, "You''ve taught me much in our time together, which is why I''d like to leave you a few parting gifts. You may keep that spear I bought for you, the gear, the dress, the spare clothes, and I''ll leave you some money and a bag to carry it all while you lead your life of freedom. Does that sound satisfactory, Lissandra?"

    "W-Wait, hold on, what about Toshino?" Lissandra asked, "Does she have a deal for freedom, too?"

    "I asked and she said she''d like to stay as my slave after she gets back at her sister and ex-fiance, so I will have her sticking around as my main healer," I explained, "When we find Jinma, I''m planning on giving her to him for that same reason. Toshino could even become a lover of his, if he has an interest in her."

    "Oh, yes, and from what I saw of the picture of him she showed me, as well as what she told me about him, this Jinma-sama seems totally my type!" Toshino exclaimed, acting giddy.

    "I won''t hesitate to kill you if you try dissecting him, though," I said coldly.

    "Oh, of course! I wouldn''t do something like that towards Hyoko-sama''s mate without consent! If he has an interest in that, though, I''d be more than happy to oblige! I''d love to see what his insides would look like, and I''d heal him right back up like nothing happened! That applies to you, as well, if you''re interested, Hyoko-sama. For a beauty such as yourself, peeking inside would¡ª"

    "Touch me with a scalpel and you''re dead, Toshino," I interrupted with a furrowed brow, ¡°And for the record, he¡¯s not my ¡®mate¡¯, not officially.¡±

    "Message received," Toshino responded dejectedly, "Can I at least look inside you as a cadaver when that tragic day comes?"

    "W-Why was I not informed of this until now?" Lissandra asked, getting back on topic.

    "You were quite clear in wanting your freedom back, so I found no reason to tell you about my plans until now," I answered simply.

    "W-What will happen between us after you release me with those gifts?" Lissandra asked.

    I shrugged my shoulders, "Nothing. We go our separate ways in our lives, maybe crossing paths as acquaintances, but that''s the best-case scenario between us. Should for any reason you stand in my way as an obstacle, I won''t hesitate to kill you. Our relationship up to now was only professional as a fair master and a dutiful slave. Nothing more."

    Lissandra widened her eyes in shock.

    "Oof, I could feel the chill of that remark from here," Toshino commented.

    "Um ¡­ on the off chance of me being free, what about me joining you as a proper party member?" Lissandra asked.

    "That will be impossible," I said as I swirled my champagne glass, "Save for exceptions like Komiwa and Jinma, I had come to understand something soon after I was brought to this world. I can''t trust people under normal means. They can be truly awful, saying one thing yet doing another that goes against that statement. I know there are cases when those are done with good intentions, but distinguishing between what''s good or bad is too complicated and troublesome to fuss over. For me, though, I''ve mostly seen, and have been subjected to the bad cases, and they were quite cruel.

    "I was honestly worried if I could survive in this world. Even after I got strong enough to fend for myself, I can never relax, because there''s always a chance someone could take me by surprise. There''s no way I could live my life here as I had back home under the usual means, I thought that much, but then I saw that," I said as I pointed at the blue ring around Lissandra''s neck.

    "When I found out about slavery and how it works here, I had found an immediate solution to my concerns of living in this world," I continued, "I''m not one that likes giving orders, but I could grant my slaves some form of autonomy, leaving their Confession setting at 1 so they could never lie to me. They could choose to speak their mind, or not say anything at all. I won''t hold it against them if they have a complaint. In fact. I''d welcome it. I''d rather they say it to my face than when I have my back turned, but I¡¯ve been exposed to that long enough to not care about it as much. That said, even if I overhear something I shouldn¡¯t, unless it involves my life being at risk, I decided that I won''t acknowledge any complaints you have until you tell me, yourself. Once you do that much, we can try and make a compromise if it''s possible to fix. Under no circumstances will I allow lying in my party, and of course, I would follow the same rules I enforce."

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "Is that why you had answered my question of where Champions come from without worry?" Toshino asked.

    "That''s part of it, but I don''t really care whether someone knows that truth or not," I answered while resting a hand to my chest, "No, this rule is to also help me break out of my shell. As someone who has lived her life as a lie, lying with her behaviors, lying to her first love, and lying to herself on what was best for her, I have lived up to my last moments on Earth wearing a shell that weighed me down, hiding my true self from the world. ''This is for the best,'' ''Better things will come if you keep doing this,'' ''You''ll have your chance soon,'' those were just a few things I fooled myself into staying cramped up in my shell.

    "Then, just an opportunity presented itself to finally break out and reveal a piece of my true self, the man who I wanted to show it the most didn''t come to that appointed day, and I died soon after that," I said before pausing, taking a moment to push down the pain in my chest, "When I realized I could never go back to make things right, I was filled with regret and self-loathing for not breaking out of my shell sooner.

    "That was why, when I was given a chance to live in this world, I took it without a second thought. I picked and named my katana, Chishiohana, as my blessing, and with Komiwa''s advice, I stuck to being a Brawler before coming here. I woke up in a village that was being pillaged by bandits, and so I did the first thing I wanted to do once I arrived: to vent my anger and sadness, to finally sate the desire I had been repressing for so long, I killed a man with the very sword style I put the majority of my life into studying and training," I said before pausing to stare at my hand.

    "At that moment, something came to me. Memories I didn''t know I had poured into my mind, a power awakened inside me, and I felt so ¡­ alive. As alive as I was when I fantasized Jinma doing lewd things to me, when I could smell his scent and be held in his strong, protective arms. I wanted to keep that thrill going, I wanted it to last longer. And so, I killed another man, and I did it again, and again, and again, until all twenty bandits were slaughtered."

    My slaves looked at me in amazement and disbelief as I told my story. Now that I think about it, this is probably the first time I told the story of my arrival to this extent to them, let alone anyone.

    I downed the rest of my champagne and asked our waiter for another glass before continuing, "When that pillage was over and I came to my senses, though the villagers cheered and praised me for saving them, I felt hollow. The thrill I had up to then was gone, and the reality that I really was in another world, that I''m unable to see Jinma again, had sunk in. The mayor of that village let me stay in a guest room at his place as thanks, but I didn''t step out until the next morning as I was crying by myself. That was when I realized how abnormal I really was, and that I deeply regretted not really being myself back in my world. Other than Jinma and Komiwa, there was no way I could make friends in this world the ''normal'' way like back home. There was no way I could make friends without putting up my guard or a hand on my sword, ready to cut them down at any moment of betrayal.

    "That''s why I''m grateful that slavery exists here," I said while reaching a hand up to my neck, "If they ever kill me, they''ll kill themselves as a consequence, but I couldn''t pick just anyone to be my slave. ''I''d rather die than live to serve a Human like you'', there are people in this world that could be like that and could very well disregard their own life as they take mine. I only need someone to guide me through this land enough so I''ll know how to look out for myself. That''s why, even if you hate Humans, Lissandra, I gave you that deal when we met, so you won''t have much of an incentive to kill me. That''s also why I''ll never accept anyone else in my party unless they''re enslaved. I don''t expect them to be my friends under such conditions, of course. If they dislike me during their time as my slave, I don''t care. As long as they could cooperate with me well enough to get around, I''m fine with that much; otherwise, I''ll have to deal with them if their behavior becomes problematic for me. Those were my thoughts when I first redeemed you.

    "You''ve been a cooperative slave to the very end, Lissandra, better than I had anticipated. That''s why I''m giving you those gifts as my way of saying thanks. By the end of tomorrow, you won''t have to worry about serving me as a slave anymore, and you can make real friends who¡ª"

    "Don''t underestimate me, Mistress" Lissandra growled, surprising me a little, "I''ve been wondering for a while why you always maintained distance, why you don''t speak much of yourself or ask of my past, but now I fully understand. I finally understand what your thought processes were.

    "If you will allow me to be honest, Mistress, I''ve come to understand something while serving you," Lissandra said, to which I gave her permission to continue, "Yes, you and your methods of ''discussion'' with other people are a handful to work with, to the point I almost pity the Humans who got on your bad side. When I thought of that, I realized something. I only hated Mondar, the Slave Merchant who forcibly enslaved me. I could care less what the other Humans are like, but I was sure I''d hate whoever redeemed me for unreasonable demands, or worse, if the stories I heard from other slaves about living such a life were true.

    "You, Mistress, were beyond what I expected. You don''t make me do ridiculous tasks, not even the usual chores a slave is expected to do for their master," Lissandra said before placing a hand on her generous bosom, "You didn''t use my body through sexual means for your own gains. And most of all, you asked for my input on certain subjects, shared meals with me at the same table, letting me be honest, like we were equals instead of master and slave. It was like what happened in my previous life in the tribe before I got enslaved, when others seeked me for guidance as the chieftain''s daughter. The only difference now is that I didn''t look down on you like I had for them, especially after observing your strengths that far surpass mine.

    "Your means of dealing with enemies, even those who ticked you off, may be cruel, cold, and heartless, but you''ve treated me more fairly than any other Human I''ve met. From the course of our time together, I understand that you clearly know friend from foe, and as deep ¡­ and dark, it may be, I know there¡¯s a semblance of good inside you, the part that I¡¯m sure you want your crush, Jinma, to know about. It¡¯s because of this good inside you that I wanted to get closer to you as an equal, but you always seem to exert a field that kept me from doing so. Knowing you''re also a you-know-what made me feel more distant to you, and when I reached out, you disregarded my attempt. For the first time back then, I was afraid. Afraid of what will happen if I lose you, if you don''t deem me as useful anymore. I may have my freedom, but what would I do then? I can''t go back to my tribe as they''d shun me as worthless for being taken away. My father, the chieftain, would surely think that much of me. At that point, I have no other place to go, I''d be left alone ..." Lissandra trailed off before closing her eyes, as if trying to keep herself from seeing such a bleak future.

    "Liss-chan ¡­" Toshino muttered.

    My Werepanther slave took a shaky breath before looking back at me with determination, "I''m grateful that you remembered our deal all this time, Mistress, but I must make another selfish request from you. Please, let me stay as a part of Black Robin. Let me continue being at your side, let me be a friend to you!"

    I blinked in surprise, "... Friend?"

    "If I must give up my freedom and continue being your slave to keep your trust, that is a price I''m willing to pay!" Lissandra continued before getting up from her seat, walking to my side, and fixed her dress to kneel in front of me, "Please, Mistress! I''ll do whatever you want as a friend in exchange! It would be an honor to be your first in this world!"

    "Me as well, Hyoko-sama!" Toshino added, dashing to my other side and mimicking Lissandra''s pose, "I was first interested in you by your kill count, but when I started working with you and Liss-chan, I''ve wanted to be friends with you two for so long! Being a part of Black Robin has never been this much fun for me, and there are so many things I want us to do together, too! Please, Hyoko-sama, if Liss-chan''s offering to be your friend, then let me be one, as well!"

    At this point, we were attracting attention from the staff and other patrons in the balcony, but I could care less what they thought. The majority of people in this building are either stuck-up merchants, nobles, or some other thing I''d rather not associate with. They weren''t important here.

    I glanced between my two slaves who were kneeling before me. For some reason, my chest raced, something that only happened when Komi-chan, and especially Jin-chan were nearby. How long has it been ¡­ since I felt like this?

    "... Lissandra," I said after a moment''s thought.

    She jolted her head up, "Yes?!"

    "My decision when we see Jinma hasn''t changed. Along with Toshino, you will also be transferred to him to be your master. What he does with you will not be my business. Do you still wish to stick by me as my slave knowing this?" I asked her.

    "... If I may ask first, will you still be with us after we''ve been transferred? What are you planning to do after that?" Lissandra asked.

    "What will happen after that will depend on him once I settle things between us, but in the best-case scenario ¡­ yes, I will be sticking around," I answered.

    "Then that is fine," Lissandra said before bowing her head back down, "Even if we''re transferred over to Jinma, you will always be my friend, Mistress, if you will have me."

    "Same here!" Toshino added.

    At a loss, I sighed, "... Alright, Lissandra, you may stay, now both of you get back to your seats before you dirty those dresses any further."

    "Yes, Mistress/Hyoko-sama!" the two exclaim before following through.

    I rubbed my head in exhaustion, "As for the both of you being my friends ¡­ please understand that despite the ridiculous demands to earn my trust, I need time to adjust to this change, and absorb the fact that there are people in this world crazy enough to go along with it just to be my friend. It¡¯s because it¡¯s been so long since I made friends with Jinma and Komiwa that I don¡¯t know what¡¯s ¡®normal¡¯ between friends, real friends, in both worlds.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Hyoko-sama! I was the most abnormal among the Kitsunes in my hometown. I barely know as much about making friends as you might!¡± Toshino exclaimed.

    ¡°And I never really had a ¡®friend¡¯ who I¡¯d consider an equal among other Werepanthers in the tribe, especially when I couldn¡¯t show myself at my weakest in front of them. I think I know enough about making good relations from my father¡¯s teachings in managing the tribe to apply to us, though,¡± Lissandra added, ¡°I believe the three of us being together like this, who have seen the worst of each other already, have just jumped over the highest hurdle. If we keep ourselves open-minded and go at our own pace, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll learn more about being friends and grow closer as we go. I am just happy that you let me stay in the party, Mistress.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ and I¡¯ve said this before the first time we met, but I don¡¯t care how you two address me, despite us being master-slave. I¡¯m not strict with those things as other people are,¡± I said.

    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a good place to start! Nicknames!¡± Toshino exclaimed, ¡°Let¡¯s come up with something that¡¯s only for the three of us to share with each other! I know ¡®Liss¡¯ is something Liss-chan liked to be called, but what about Hyoko-sama and me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever said I was okay with ¡®Liss¡¯, but it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ll change your mind on that,¡± Lissandra said before sighing, a waiter brought back the second champagne I asked for, ¡°Mistress, you might as well call me that to make things easier.¡±

    ¡°In that case, since I gave you your nickname, Liss-chan, how about you give one to Hyoko-sama, and she gives one to me, making a triangle!"

    ¡°Erm ¡­ okay, let¡¯s see, a nickname for Mistress, ¡®Hyoko Ishima¡¯ ¡­ Yoko?¡± Lissandra asked with uncertainty.

    ¡°... Should I think of something for her instead?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked me to do this! I¡¯m not good with this stuff!¡± Lissandra rebutted while turning slightly red.

    I waved a hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s simple enough for me to get by.¡±

    As I took a sip from a new glass of champagne, Toshino looked at me with expectant eyes.

    ¡­ Oh, right, I have to make something up for her, too.

    ¡°... Shino. You satisfied with that?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I love it! So Liss-chan, Yoko-chan, and Shino-chan is what we¡¯ll go by from now on! Oooh, I¡¯m so excited!¡± ¡®Shino¡¯ exclaimed while clapping her hands, ¡°I know! We should make another toast for our newly-formed friendship!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leading it for the formalities again,¡± I said while I brushed my hand away, ¡°You two are the ones crazy enough to insist on being my friends under these extreme conditions, so one of you do it.¡±

    ¡°Very well, since I was the one who initiated it, I shall do it,¡± Liss said while raising her glass, Shino and I followed suit, ¡°To our newly-formed bond with Yoko and keeping our party together as Black Robin. Until we find her crush in this world, let us make the most of this friendship and enjoy ourselves along the way.¡±

    ¡°Oh! And while we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s take out as many Champions that wander in this world as we can like Yoko-chan wishes, too!¡± Shino added, ¡°Let¡¯s paint this world red with their blood! Kanpaaaai!¡±

    ¡°... Kanpai,¡± Liss and I responded with deflated moods while clinking glasses again.

    Ah, yes, I didn¡¯t mention my goals for my time in this world, did I? Well, if what Komi-chan said before we separated was true, sooner or later, we¡¯d be able to meet Jin-chan again in this world. So, by her suggestion, I¡¯ll live on in this world for as long as I can until that time comes. In the meantime, I¡¯ve set these following goals for myself in order to be more at peace living in this world.

    One, I get as strong as I can and clear as many dungeons in Padimon as I have access to, enough that I could stand by Jin-chan as a capable ally instead of the ¡®damsel in distress¡¯ he previously thought of me. Two, break away from my ¡®perfect girl¡¯ persona and settle into my true self that I want to show Jin-chan. And three, find the classmates that died with us in the bus incident and slaughter them to the afterlife for speaking ill and antagonizing my Jin-chan.

    I didn¡¯t care what anyone said or thought of me back on Earth. As long as I had Jin-chan, I didn¡¯t need much else. Komi-chan was the only other friend I could trust who also shared a mutual interest with me, so behind Jin-chan¡¯s back, we made a secret agreement. Anyone else who bothered Jin-chan, whether it be fighting him, speaking ill of him, harassing him, or playing with his heart as part of a cruel prank, I had kept track of everyone who has done it to him at least once. It was all so I could prepare for this very moment. Komi-chan had also exchanged information with me for such means. Jin-chan was a kind, conscientious man, and if anyone ever troubles such a man and does not reflect on their sins, I swore I won¡¯t allow them to live. Whether as Jin-chan¡¯s self-proclaimed bitch, the Demon Sword Princess, or the Cold Slaughter Princess, I will make sure every one of his enemies knows of me so they won¡¯t attempt to cross either of us.

    So far, I¡¯ve already reached max-level as a Brawler, I¡¯ve cleared three dungeons in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory, and out of the 27 other people from our school who were in the bus incident¡ªexcluding myself, Komi-chan, and our homeroom teacher, Mitsuki-san, of course¡ªI have slaughtered two of them not too long after I was sent to Padimon. I hold onto their Champion Bracelets as both proof of their ¡®removal¡¯ from this world, and for a great power they hold that could be of great use for the three of us once we get back together.

    All that within 3 months of this crazy, violent world called Raiza, I think that¡¯s a good start to having my goals realized. Don¡¯t you feel the same? Oh, and for some reason, after that ¡®toast to friendship¡¯, I¡¯ve somehow gained an ¡®Affinity¡¯ to Liss and Shino at LV 1 and received some bonuses from it. I¡¯ll have to look further into what this ¡®Affinity¡¯ stuff entails and what it means.

 Chapter 163: Sizing Up the Disciples, Part 1

    {Jinma}

    With our discussion done for the time being, I spoiled myself in fondling Ren¡¯s body more while Ume massaged me. Sue at one point pulled up a teapot and some cups from her [Storage] and offered tea for a refreshment. I checked the teapot¡¯s contents with my [Street Smarts] skill and confirmed there wasn¡¯t anything suspicious inside. On the contrary, the tea blend was said to recover stamina, give a boost of energy, and prevent anything that will make the drinker tired or sleepy, its effects would last for 6 hours. I can apparently cross reference the drink with my [Cookbook] skill to find the tea blend was made of valuable herbs and flowers in its recipe, as well as the process to have it prepared.

    ¡­ Just at the right temperature, with a soothing aroma and a touch of sweetness. Could it be the remaining nectar from the flowers? I thought as I savored the drink, and it was good with the remainder of the butter cookies we got from that Imp earlier. Ume and Ren also seem to be enjoying it, and Sue, even though she¡¯s drunk it before, couldn¡¯t get enough of the stuff. Having such a high quality drink freshly brewed and ready, she couldn¡¯t have prepared this on her own. When I asked Sue where she got it, of course, she answered ¡°That¡¯s classified,¡± but it was less serious and more teasing-like this time around. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to refute that statement, so I just continued enjoying my drink. She did say she can have some more ready for me at any time as we returned the finished cups and pot, though.

    Sometime later, the remainder of our party returned with all the supplies I asked for stuffed in the Magic Item Bag¡ªwe dressed up when they were approaching, of course. Erizora immediately noticed Ren¡¯s new collar and praised it with both excitement and jealousy.

    ¡°Master! Please forgive my selfish request, but could I maybe get a collar like Ren¡¯s, too?!¡± Erizora asked with hope gleaming in her eyes. I had a slight feeling she wasn¡¯t wanting one just as a fashion statement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about one exactly like Ren¡¯s, but we can look for one that suits your taste after the quest, okay?¡± I asked, and the Ogre/Human hybrid got ecstatic at hearing her wish granted, I mean, unless you pull another collar like Ren¡¯s when you see Obina, that would be great, but I don¡¯t see the odds of that happening again anytime soon.

    While my party talked amongst themselves about what happened in their errands¡ªwith Ren, Ume, and Sue minding some content being kept secret¡ªI pulled Mametama and Kenaka aside to a private area in the inn and filled them in on the oath I had to sign earlier. Obina said it was okay for me to use Nyra¡¯s memory-sharing powers to fill both of them in on everything Nyra and I learned quicker when I asked her, so I did just that.

    <I see, so with Sue being a high-level Devil and the numerous Null Spells she apparently wields, it would make sense she may be suspected of being royalty, whether that be the illegitimate sister or the Demon King, herself,> Mametama said through [Telepathy] so we can keep our talk discreet.

    <Gah, it¡¯s bothersome that we can¡¯t confront that girl to confirm her motives, though,> Kenaka added, <Then again, if she really is the Demon King, even with our maxed-out powers, I¡¯m uncertain if the two of us could stand against her. If Milord can¡¯t even see her status, who knows what she may be hiding. If she really is on our side, her arrival couldn¡¯t be better timed.>

    <What do you mean? Did something happen during your errands?> I asked.

    <Kenaka and I sensed some large gatherings of powerful Demons suddenly coming together before dispersing around Palocaesy,> Mametama explained, <Since I had the most stealth among the group, I separated from them for a bit to investigate. Turns out all the inns in town aside from ours have been occupied for tonight, and they¡¯re all packed with adventurers. There weren¡¯t any mentions about special occasions approaching that would gather such crowds.>

    I thought briefly, <By any chance, did you happen to come across a group of Lizardmen among those adventurers, maybe some Devils?>

    Mametama¡¯s eyes widened, <Why, yes, actually. Among the eighteen Lizardmen, three of them were female occupying what looked like one of the higher-quality rooms with a large bed, and there were about five Devils and one capable Arch Imp gathered into one group in another inn, with one Devil having the most power and influence among them.>

    <Jinma, could those guys perhaps be acquainted with ¡­> Nyra trailed off.

    I nodded in agreement ,<Yeah, I¡¯m starting to think of the same. Were there any other groups of Demons from different races that you¡¯ve seen?>

    <There was also a group of ten Orcs that seemed to be acquainted with that gathering, one powerful Succubus that seemed to be by herself,> Mametama explained, <And ... I¡¯m not sure how related this is or how Ren would feel from hearing it, but there have been mentions of a pack of White Werewolves among other Demons camping outside of the city¡¯s borders.>

    <Eighteen, twenty-four, thirty-four, add in those we saw earlier ¡­ that¡¯s about fifty, with the number from the White Werewolf pack still undetermined, and there may be more that are yet to come,> I said after counting the number of people seen and mentioned today.

    <It¡¯s as if they¡¯re preparing for a war ¡­> Kenaka trailed off.

    <Milord, you seem to have an idea for what¡¯s going on. Would you care to enlighten us?> Mametama asked.

    <We¡¯ll need to go over this with the others, for sure, but before we head back, Obina gave me these for you two to wear,> I said before taking out the enchanted ribbons, <It seems these will turn into clothes that you wear after your transformation. It¡¯s a bit hectic to see what it looks like now, so just keep these on aside from bath time. If we don¡¯t see what you look like soon in private, then we¡¯ll just hope they look good when you transform under an emergency.>

    <Ugh ¡­ I feel awkward having this gifted to me by Goddess Obina,> Kenaka groaned as I started tying his bright purple ribbon into a bow.

    <Why? Does she remind you of a certain someone, perhaps?> Mametama teased.

    <Shut up. You know damn well what it is, don¡¯t rub it in.>

    <You know, I try not to get nosy into people¡¯s personal affairs, but I¡¯d love to hear what went on between you two before you became my Familiars,> I commented as I tied Mametama¡¯s bright yellow ribbon next, <It sounds like you two have quite a history. I won¡¯t press anymore if you¡¯re not into revealing it, but I thought I should voice my thoughts on this.>

    Kenaka sighed, <I am grateful for you respecting my privacy, Milord, but after you gave me so much power through the Special Medals we collected today, it wouldn¡¯t be fair of me to not share something in return. This is aside from my services as your Familiar, of course. Maybe after we¡¯re done with this quest, I¡¯ll find the time to tell you everything.>

    I nodded, <Sure, that sounds fine. We¡¯ll do it over drinks as part of a guy¡¯s night, my treat. Just don¡¯t die on me after raising that death flag.>

    <Ho ho, that would be nice, and you need not worry over my death, Milord, for even if I do fall in battle¡ªwhich is highly unlikely since it¡¯s me we are talking about here¡ªI will only return to the Cursed Realm as a temporary measure to recover from my wounds,> Kenaka explained, <The minimum time to return after falling is 3 days. It¡¯s you who I should warn about not dying, as me and Mametama would be forced back to our own realms due to our severed pacts as master and familiar, and who knows what may happen after that?>

    <Is that right? That¡¯s nice to hear, at least, and with you two nearby, I won¡¯t need to worry about dying anytime soon, right?> I asked.

    <That is correct, Milord,> Mametama said while nodding, <Now, shall we return to the others and fill them all in on what¡¯s going on? Except the oath thing, of course.>

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    At Mametama¡¯s suggestion, we returned to my room where everyone was gathered. Just as I opened the door¡ª

    ¡°Krigeran is here?! Blaine, too?!¡± Tyvera yelled in shock.

    ¡°It seems we came back at a good time,¡± I said as me and my Familiars came inside. I chanted [Soundproof] in the room so no other outburst could be heard from the outside, ¡°Since you were part of the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples until yesterday, we need you to tell us everything you know about them. Our quest with Noire may have just become more serious than we¡¯ve anticipated.¡±

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ yeah, I probably should have mentioned it sooner since it seemed like we¡¯d encounter them at some point, but I didn¡¯t think it would be like this,¡± Tyvera said while scratching her head before nodding, ¡°I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d go this far, but I get the gravity of the situation now, Chief. Everyone get comfy and listen up. I have a lot to say about the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples.¡±

    Tyvera then went on with what she knew of the disciples, starting with those who seemed the least involved. Herself and Gabriella were a few of those mostly uninvolved members, but we knew enough of them already, and the former¡¯s in our party as my slave as part of a punishment. Another uninvolved adventurer we¡¯ve yet to meet was a Lich who went by Shankha. She¡¯s actually the one who brought Gabriella back to life and made her into a Dullahan, and that itself already spoke of how powerful she is. It seemed Vask, the Duke of Demon¡¯s himself, scouted her out for special missions while the disciples were still in their budding stages. Other than those times, she¡¯s never seen with anyone else from the group. With that said, nobody really knows what her past is, and whether ¡®Shankha¡¯ is even her real name. Her face was said to be covered most of the time, too, so it¡¯s hard to say what she looked like, as well as whether she supports the disciples¡¯ ideals that seem to match Chaos Barrage¡¯s. Those three are really it in terms of those most ¡®uninvolved¡¯ while working solo the majority of the time.

    Then we went over the leader of the disciples who we all knew well enough, Perseus Shalloreed Rowling. Like Noire, he''s a Vampire, and like any Vampire, his fangs are said to pierce through any defenses. It''s been said he''s skilled in fencing, magic, and has a variety of tools available to use at a moment''s notice. Sue chimed in and explained how this was because the Rowling Family worked under the Krauss Family as part of the weaponry division where they manage production and armor maintenance for the kingdom''s guards. It was through this connection that he was introduced as Noire''s fiance. Basically, I should expect him to be a walking armory and be ready for anything he throws at me should we ever meet. Thankfully, I can make something of an ''armory'', myself, thanks to some creativity while using [Darkness Manipulation] and have my tanto as the base. Whatever he has in store, I just need to come up with something to counter it.

    Now getting into those more dedicated to the disciples under Rowling''s command, we started off with the Lizardman I saw today, Krigeran. He''s one of the stronger members of the disciples thanks to the high defenses from his scales. This guy carries the Heavy Berserker class, an Advanced Class of the Barbarian with more focus on defenses than offenses, but his strength was still quite strong. He has a high standing among other Lizardmen in his tribe through strength as well as social standing being one of the chief''s sons, the strongest, at that. With that combo, he has at least twenty Lizardmen under his command as a party leader and about half a dozen mates in his lifetime, with a few of them expecting. The three female Lizardmen that Mametama mentioned were probably the stronger ones in his harem.

    It sounded like he was well received in his home, loved by many, but that won''t sway my decision of killing him for making the moves on my wife. Should there be any admirers who want to seek me out for vengeance, if they don''t accept why I killed him and attack me, then I''ll kill them, too. I felt they deserved to hear my reason since they weren''t directly involved. His mates are in the same boat. Ume felt the same after hearing my reasoning, but she asked if she could be the one to kill him instead of me, should both of us see him again together.

    "I''m the one he was aiming for and he refused to accept my rejection," Ume explained, "I''d rather you don''t get caught in the crossfire since I''m in the center of this. If they have a problem, they can take it up to me. As your wife, I feel I should resolve the problems that were directed at me from the start."

    I understood Ume''s intentions, so I agreed to her request, but only in the case she runs into him first. If Krigeran runs into me first and tries to take me out, I won''t hold back. I''ll also help her quell any revenge-seekers that would come for her when convenient. Ume agreed to those terms.

    Moving onto the next disciple, there''s the Arch Imp, Cyec. She¡¯s a Whisper, a promotion directly from the Thief Class, and she specializes in traps both in and outside dungeons. It seems she has experience in blacksmithing to be able to craft her own tools for making traps, which she either uses in dungeons or sells them off to adventurers. There have been some bad rumors of her possibly involved with the deaths of adventurers in dungeons, but she¡¯s hid her tracks well enough to not have it lead the trail back to her. If this Arch Imp is nearby, it was best to avoid her, according to Tyvera.

    "Leave that Arch Imp and her traps to me," Ren said with a thump on her chest, "As Master''s slave, I won''t allow anyone disrupting our quest with their traps."

    With Ren''s power up from the collar, I''m confident she''ll pull it off, so I''ll leave Cyec to her.

    Next was the ''Male Devourer'', Silvia. She''s a Succubus, the strongest amongst her clan, at that. Succubi are known for their powerful magic, some of which only they could do as one of the Demon races. One example is the ability to enter people''s dreams and freely manipulate what goes on inside them, especially the males''. It''s been said they could get the main sustenance they need, a male''s life force, through that, which is the safer method for them to get food. The other method is sucking the male''s life force directly through sex. Semen has the highest concentration of a male''s life force, among other bodily fluids, and the Succubi can consume it through multiple entrances. While this method is faster and more efficient, that usually spells the end of the man''s life in most encounters. Silvia is notorious for seeking out Human males and taking their life force through sex.

    The previous Demon King, ''F'', forbade Silvia from leaving the Demon-Kin''s Territory when her actions were causing problems in his efforts of bringing peace to the other two territories. When his daughter, Demon King ''D'', took up the throne, she reinstated Silvia''s house arrest as an assurance, but those rulings only kept her from leaving the Demons'' kingdom. There was almost no stopping her when she saw Human males¡ªher ''favorite meal'', as she called us¡ªtraversing in the Demon-Kin''s Territory.

    Employing a Succubus like that at this timing, Rowling must really want me out of the picture, and Mametama just so happened to see such a person in town today. She may not try to gun for me right away if she''s heard of what I could do, though. If possible, she could try to suck my life force from me while I sleep later tonight, get me weak enough for tomorrow to jump at me then and get the rest. In which case, I''m in great danger if I sleep tonight. Fortunately, Nyra''s able to get into my dreams. Should Silvia try to interfere with me there, with Nyra helping me get my senses in while in a lucid state, we could take her on and prevent that from happening.

    <I got your back, Jinma! If it comes down to it, I''ll fuck her out of your head, myself!> Nyra exclaimed as I confirmed her powers in my dreams. I have a feeling she has her own motives for gatekeeping my dreams during this time, but I won''t question it. It would be a different story if the dream invader was a dude.

    "Wait, but if a guy''s life force is most concentrated in their semen, how have I not died giving that to my girls here, especially in such large quantities?" I asked. Except for Ume and Sue, all the other girls in the room fidgeted and blushed.

    "From what a Succubus acquaintance told me, the Succubi have an innate power that connects their souls to the males''," Sue explained, "Once they''re connected, the males'' semen and other bodily fluids will be enriched with their life force through the power from that bond. Those fluids carry the life force that the Succubus ''eats'' with one of their holes. Think of it like pouring vinegar on rice to be molded and shaped to be eaten as onigiri or sushi. This is a power only the Succubi are capable of wielding." {AN: onigiri = rice balls}

    "I see, I think I get it," I said, though I wondered how much Japanese cuisine the locals of this country know about if onigiri and sushi were a thing here, "And is there any way for a guy to escape if he gets caught as Silvia''s next meal, let alone any Succubus who may resort to do the same?" I asked.

    "My Succubus acquaintance told me something once," Sue said, "Human males are most Succubi¡¯s favorite targets for how different their life force ¡®tastes¡¯ in quality from a Demon¡¯s, it seems, but they can live off of males from other races when the need arises. Most Succubi these days rely on the ''dream way'' of getting a male''s life force because they believe they can make a symbiotic relationship with the Human males to live for quite some time. The previous Demon King was the one who influenced that idea years ago, and only a small number of Succubi like Silvia are still stubborn enough to stick to their old-fashioned ways. The rest have learned to blend into Human societies and make a living with their powers. Alluga, a Human-Kin''s Territory city closest to our borders, is famously known for being the ¡®red-light city¡¯ that provides a variety of adult services. Most of the Succubi have migrated there and serve male customers by using their dream manipulation powers to help their customers experience the wildest of fantasies in a safe environment.¡±

    ¡°So, I shouldn¡¯t expect all Succubi to be a dangerous threat to me,¡± I summarized.

    Sue nodded, ¡°Correct, and for those who you do need to watch out for, like Silvia, should you get dragged into sex with what we call a ''radical Succubus'', there''s only one way to survive aside from killing her."

    Sue then hovered over to my side with her wings and cupped her hands over my ear. "You have to beat them at their own game. Force feed them as much man goo as you could muster until they get knocked out cold from it."

    Though I question the logic behind this strategy, a part of me was liking where it was going. Whether in my dreams or the real world, I have a feeling I could take Silvia on.

 Chapter 164: Sizing Up the Disciples, Part 2

    When I asked Sue for further details on her suggestion to beat Silvia, she said she''ll tell me more in private later. She did say she was confident that I could overcome our Succubus opponent with the level of my [Vigorous Libido], alone. Once again, I couldn''t sense a hint of lying from her with my [Intuition].

    Well, considering Sue''s circumstances, if she says I can take Silvia on, I''ll take her word for it. Maybe I could convince her to change sides like Tyvera did, if there''s a chance of that happening. Still, her past history with other men is worrying. I''ll have to see what she''s like before considering taking her in.

    Getting back to the other disciples, we next have Rowling''s right-hand man, a Devil named Blaine. He''s likely Klash''s older brother who had Krigeran come to fetch him earlier. Just mentioning him being a Devil meant he was very strong, and he was apparently the only member in the group who was a bronze-ranked adventurer, compared to the other disciples being black. Blaine leads a small party of six, with the others being Devils, as well, whose ranks range from red to violet, so his team had more strength in quality than quantity. It seems he has great strength in both close-quarters and magic combat like Sue.

    It''s surprising that Blaine works under Rowling''s authority, even if that Vampire''s rank was silver. Apparently, Blaine and Klash were nephews of the Duke of Demons, Vask, and I guess he found both of them not qualified to lead his disciples. Either that, or Rowling had something in his sleeve to win the spot. Klash, by the way, was a red-ranked adventurer, and I had confirmed that after using [Size Up] on him earlier. Recalling his stats, they were impressive, he would have no problems taking down Winny''s brother, Kenny, who was the same rank. It would be safe to assume Blaine''s party members would be around the same strength as his little brother. Noire could still take Klash down with stats alone, however. If his brother was stronger than him, though, Noire might have a tough time, as would I if I tried to hold back like I had in our sparring duel earlier. That was if we were fighting one-on-one, too. Facing him and his party all at once, it''s going to be tough to fight, next to Rowling, anyway.

    The last of the disciples was the main brawn in charge of the majority of physical labor, the Minotaur, Bufo. He was scouted as the strongest Minotaur in his clan, and he leads a small party of other strong Minotaurs who¡¯ve sworn loyalty to him. It¡¯s been said that if there was an attractive female in his sights, he would stop at nothing to ¡®mark¡¯ her as his property, and as a result, he¡¯s got half a dozen Minotaur women waiting on him. Within the last few years, though, he and his party have been off finding his little sister who went missing. What was unsettling was that for Minotaurs, some males would keep their younger sisters as one of their own women once they reached adulthood, and Bufo has been quite the siscon for some time. This sister went missing some time before she reached adulthood, and I couldn¡¯t help but pray that the poor girl was in a safer place where he couldn¡¯t find her.

    ¡°I can sympathize with that girl,¡± Ren said after hearing about Bufo¡¯s ¡®tastes¡¯. She was currently in the same position with me before everyone came back together, but with clothes on. I had an arm around her waist while my free hand was petting her head.

    ¡°Does your brother ¡­ feel that way about you, too?¡± I asked her with a raised brow.

    Ren shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure what he feels for me, exactly, but I know it isn¡¯t good. I was sympathizing with that little sister Minotaur for having a persistent and scary older brother to find her.¡±

    I nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Do you have siblings, Master?¡± Ren asked.

    I shrugged, ¡°As far as I know? Not really.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Ume asked.

    ¡°My dad vanished on Mom when I was born,¡± I explained, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t tell me the circumstances on why, but I could only make some reasonable guesses after learning some of my family history on my own much later. Whatever his reasons were, though, I¡¯ve wanted to beat him to a pulp for ditching Mom like that, especially when I¡¯ve sometimes seen her cry over him when I was young, something that I rarely saw of her, knowing how strong a woman she is. Anyway, he could be married to another woman with another kid by now and I wouldn¡¯t even know.¡±

    ¡°What would you do if you saw him and his new family now?¡± Ren asked.

    I looked up in thought, trying to envision myself in that sort of setting, ¡°Hmmm ¡­ I don¡¯t know, it would depend on how that old man and his new wife are, but I¡¯d definitely feel awkward. I¡¯d probably be more comfortable getting to know their new kid, since there was a time I thought what it would be like having a blood-related sibling. Considering how I¡¯ve scared many Humans away with my looks back home, though, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they got afraid of me, especially if I sent our dad flying with a punch to the face.¡±

    ¡°If I may ask, Master Jinma, what are your stances on incestuous relationships?¡± Kalline asked, ¡°Among some clans of Demons, incest is more common than others. I have heard that sort of thing is taboo among Humans, but I have also ¡­ read a few of such things happening in fiction. N-Not that I was searching for such things actively! I was just surprised they appeared in some Human literature! I was just wondering what you, as a Human, might say about these different approaches in the topic!¡± At the end, the Centaur got as flustered as she was red in the face.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ that would be difficult to answer,¡± I said, ¡°Back home, I knew an aunt who wasn¡¯t a part of such a thing, but she was still in a relationship that many would still look down on, despite how accepting it is in other places: being with another woman. ¡®If they¡¯re happy together, why bother making a big deal about it?¡¯ That was my thought there, but I know a relationship between two women is different from one of a brother and a sister, or some other pairings within a family. I¡¯ve never known anyone having gotten involved with that, and it¡¯s hard for me to have an opinion on something I haven¡¯t seen for myself. The general opinion back home calls incest a taboo, yet I¡¯ve also stumbled into some ¡­ literary works that centers around the subject.

    ¡°If I had to guess why that¡¯s a thing, part of it might be the excitement that comes from doing something that you know is wrong. Another is that, since you¡¯re reading about it objectively, it isn¡¯t as dangerous and dramatic as having it done in person. They¡¯re just more comfortable fantasizing about it than doing it themselves. Some people just like to imagine themselves getting raped for kicks, but would definitely not want to have it done to them in person, even if it was part of a consented roleplay,¡± I finished with a shrug.

    ¡°I see, so it¡¯s like Eri having the masochistic desire of being dominated, but not by anyone who¡¯s inferior to her,¡± Ren said.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t just spout things like that with everyone in the room!¡± Erizora exclaimed with a flushed face, ¡°And unlike those weak cowards, I enjoy Master dominating me in my fantasy and in real life! I wouldn¡¯t call myself his sex slave I half-ass it!¡±

    ¡°That ¡­ doesn¡¯t have anything to do with this, I don¡¯t think,¡± I said awkwardly.

    ¡°Going back to incest, what about you, Master Jinma?¡± Kalline then asked me, ¡°Incest in fantasy or real life ¡­ what is your take in both of those for yourself?¡±

    I closed my eyes and thought on it, Ugh, I blame my mangaka aunt for even introducing me to the many doujinshi genres and tags with such passion. Would I have these tastes if I never stumbled into it?

    ¡°Well ¡­ If I met my younger sister for the first time in my fantasy, I¡¯d likely be surprised at how cute and attractive she would be. ¡®How is this cutie related to a terrifying demon like me?!¡¯ would be my first thought,¡± I explained, ¡°And if she hasn¡¯t run away from my scary looks at that point, I¡¯d be happy, for sure. Since Mom had never introduced me to anyone in her family other than my grandmother, I was always a little afraid of not being accepted by blood-related relatives. It was especially so since it seemed my so-called ¡®dad¡¯ ended up not wanting to see me after I was born. That¡¯s why, if my little sister accepted me as her brother, I¡¯d be up to practically anything she¡¯d want to do to make up for lost sibling-bonding time, maybe even some, I don¡¯t know, ¡®adult-play¡¯ if she was single and seems like a cool girl.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Really? Even if other Humans will go against it for being taboo?¡± Ume asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°Well, Mom did tell me once that our family was anything but normal, and that fact seemed to apply to her blood-related family as well as the one made up of all her friends becoming my aunts,¡± I answered with a shrug, ¡°It would be different if we lived together for a long time, but if I saw her now without knowing, she''d be another girl in my eyes, first and foremost. If my little sister was abnormal and wanted to get closer through those relations, well, who am I to turn it down after she accepted a monster like me as her brother? I¡¯d never impose that idea on her, of course, not if it would risk me losing my only blood-related sister to where she wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with me anymore. I¡¯d be happy enough with her accepting me enough to maybe let me spoil her from time to time, spoil her in ways I had wanted to do as a ¡®normal¡¯ older brother. But, again, this is all part of my ¡®fantasy¡¯. How I would want things to go ideally in a ¡®perfect world¡¯. The chances of that happening in reality now are ¡­ very, very small, almost nonexistent, and I have no idea how I¡¯d react if I did meet my little sister ¡­ or an older one, if Mom wasn¡¯t the first girl that bastard knocked up."

    "Hmm ¡­ alright, I think I get it. Thank you for answering my question, Master Jinma," Kalline said.

    Now that I know my family has roots that could extend to this world, I won''t deny the possibility of seeing a relative existing, even if it was small. Since I had only personally known Mom and Granny from that family, though, the other Kotori''s and remnants of the Kurokichi Clan are total strangers to me. Unless I had a DNA test, or some skill that worked like one, there''s no way in me knowing I was speaking to someone from my family. The chances of me finding someone from the old bastard''s side are even lower than that.

    <Hey, Jinma, you wanna know whose emotions are seriously invested in this topic right now?> Nyra asked.

    I glanced over to Sue sitting on a chair, she stiffened up at my sudden attention directed at her.

    <... Don''t bother. I don''t want to hear it,> I answered.

    Yep, there is very, very little chance of me meeting a relative in this world. The probability is near nonexistent. I firmly believed in those facts, I wanted to believe in them. If by some miracle I do run into a relative¡ªor more likely, they approach me¡ªunder peculiar circumstances over the course of my journey to meet the Demon King, my first question wouldn''t be ''How did you find me'', but either ''Why are you here'', or ''What do you want''.

    While I learned a great deal of my family origins from Obina, that didn''t mean I wanted to find my other relatives, and I have no plans for doing that. What I learned from the Goddess of Lust was family history, that history has no power over how I want to live. I wanted to believe Mom secluded me from the rest of her family for that reason, among others. For that reason, I wanted to live my new life in this world on my own terms, not having anything, family or otherwise, veer me away from that path. If I had to be honest, I got anxious just thinking about meeting a family member I have no knowledge about. I wanted to avoid that meeting from ever happening, if I had the choice.

    Which is why, should I meet someone from my family, it couldn''t be out of coincidence. They were seeking me out for reasons I don''t know, and I''d rather not get involved with whatever they want from me. It was especially so after I learned their yakuza origins, and how they could still be active in the underground.

    The fantasy I described earlier was just that, whether it was with my sister, brother, uncle, aunt, or whatever. To be accepted with no ulterior motives while sharing mutual feelings of affection and/or camaraderie, that''s all my fantasy really boils down to. I have to accept the fact that that may never happen with me and my family''s curse. I can''t think of any reason someone from my family would seek me out other than to establish familial connections.

    That is why I''m going to ignore that one''s feelings in the topic. No matter how likely it is, it''s just too crazy for that to actually happen. There''d be many more questions that follow if that is the case, and I don''t want to put up with it. After all the mental olympics I was put through today, I couldn''t think anymore about this topic, not with a bunch of other things going on.

    I don''t care what you may throw at me, bad luck, curse, or whatever, but please, anything but that. Don''t make this any more troubling than it already is. At least give me time to prepare my heart.

    Before my mind got heavier with worrying thoughts, a ''gira gira'' sound rang through the room. I immediately recognized that tone after hearing it the first time before we confronted Gabriella on our first meeting.

    "That''s Noire," I said as I took out the blinking Messaging Crystal from my pocket with a lighter mind, thankful for her timing. Gesturing everyone to keep quiet, I activated the magical connection like pushing the ''call'' button on my phone.

    "Hello?"

    "Helloooooo, Jinma darling," Noire sang, "I have my things ready and the situation is calm in my cottage. If we''re still getting into the action, now would be the best time."

    "Perfect, I''ll pop over to your room in a little bit, just give me a moment," I said.

    "Don''t keep me waiting, my love. Toodle-oo," Noire greeted before the lit up Messaging Crystal dimmed in brightness.

    "I never thought a noblewoman like Lady Krauss would behave so ¡­ womanly, like a maiden in love," Kalline commented with tinted cheeks.

    "It''s Master we''re talking about, after all. He can make any female swoon," Ren said while puffing her chest in pride, though I wasn''t what there was to be proud of.

    The Werewolf stiffened in surprise as I lifted her from our position with ease and gently set her on my side before I hopped off of bed. "I have a personal matter to attend to with Noire, but I''ll be back as soon as I can to help prepare dinner," I said.

    "Actually, why don''t you let me take care of that?" Ume asked, which made me widen my eyes in shock.

    <Did ''Legendary Housewife'' give you a [Cooking] skill?> I asked her through [Telepathy].

    <That and [Cookbook] at max levels,> she answered while giving a prideful smile before speaking vocally, "Take your time with Noire and we''ll have a feast ready when you get back."

    "I see ¡­ so I''ll be tasting my wife''s cooking for the first time. I''ll look forward to it. Could you also prepare the meals in rations for the dungeon crawl?" I asked.

    "Leave it to me!"

    "Ren, Erizora, help Ume with food prep and whatever else she asks of you," I said.

    "Yes, Master!" they answered in sync.

    "Um ¡­ I can cook a bit, too," Sue said while shyly raising a hand up, "I know a few recipes that you may like, if that''s okay."

    Seeing Sue offering, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, Ume and Ren would watch her while I was gone. On the other, Sue would be preparing our food. She mentioned she won''t harm my party, and she seemed to be telling the truth, but after what I''ve seen of her so far, I don''t know what to expect. I can''t not turn down her offer, either, being my ''fan'' who wants to prepare her hero a good meal. The others who aren''t in the know would get suspicious. Guess there''s no helping it.

    "Ah, something made by my biggest fan, huh?" I asked, trying to get my best acting face on, "Alright, you can join in and use whatever ingredients we have to make your best dish. Ume, Ren, look after her progress and help her if she needs anything."

    Ume and Ren nodded, getting my message between the lines. Okay, that should ensure Sue not putting anything weird in our food, should she try anything.

    "I won''t let you down, Jinma! What I''ve got in store will knock your taste buds out!" Sue exclaimed with vigor.

    For your sake, I hope it doesn''t knock me out.

    Then again, my [Poison Nullification] should save me from any poisons and Sue should already know I have that skill. If she intended on doing something to me, she probably wouldn''t have offered to cook, unless she tried something at my party, despite what she promised me. Maybe the stress is making me paranoid?

    <We''ll let you know if something happens, Milord,> Kenaka said through [Telepathy]. Mametama nodded in confirmation.

    "Everyone else, stand by in the inn and rest, limit yourselves of going out unless it''s absolutely necessary, by that point, tell one of my Familiars so they can relay the message to me," I said, "Mametama had sighted what may be the disciples and their parties in town today, as well as heard about a pack of White Werewolves camping outside."

    Ren trembled slightly after hearing the Werewolf tidbit.

    "Things might get complicated from here on, and there''s still Yukino who may be coming later tonight," I continued, "Keep yourselves on the lookout, don''t go out by yourselves, and rest while you can. I''ll be back when my business with Noire is finished. Everyone good?"

    "Yes!" everyone exclaimed in confirmation.

    With the plan set, I switched gears and prepared myself for what may come as I opened [Portal] in Noire''s room and helped myself inside.

 Chapter 165: The Loud Little Sister

    "Pardon the intrusion," I said as I immediately closed the [Portal] behind me.

    "Hello, darling! I''ve missed you!" Noire exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around my head. She emphasized her impressive bust by how much she pressed herself onto me.

    I couldn''t help but chuckle at such a greeting as I pulled her in by the waist, "I''ve only been gone for a couple hours, though?"

    "Time has a way of making itself longer when you''re waiting for someone, you know? Especially after our exchange earlier, as I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it since you left,¡± she said while playing with my hair. I guess tasting that small bit of my blood left more of an impact on her than I thought.

    ¡°Well, then, will this make up the time we¡¯ve been apart?¡± I asked before placing a soft, comforting kiss on her glossy lips.

    She breathed deeply through her nostrils briefly before our kiss broke off, ¡°Hmm ¡­ maybe a little more?¡±

    I obliged and gave another quick peck.

    ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯m satisfied,¡± Noir said before pulling back.

    "Ah, I have something for you, too," I said as I reached into my pocket.

    "For me?"

    I instructed her to turn around and hold her red hair up. She obliged as I took out the pendant and put it around her neck.

    "This ''Pendant of Hidden Anonymity'' will hide your status as well as your location from appraising and tracking-type items and skills," I explained as I linked the string together with the attached clamp, "With your [Hide Magic] skill, you should be invisible to any stalkers following you."

    "That sounds like quite an effect for an enchanted item! Where did you get this?" Noire asked as she checked herself in the mirror.

    "An acquaintance gave it to me while I was getting supplies. I figured this could benefit you, being a noble who draws attention, I mean," I said. What I said was mostly true, so I hoped her [Intuition] wasn''t sharp enough to catch me hiding something. My anxiety was unfounded, though, as Noire seems transfixed on the pendant that now laid on top of her cleavage.

    "Hmm, I feel as though I''ve seen this pendant somewhere before ¡­ nonetheless, this must be a very valuable item," Noire said.

    "I have something else for you, too," I said.

    Noire seemed genuinely shocked, "There''s more?"

    I focused on my [Storage] skill and took out a gold ring. She gasped with great surprise.

    "You know what a Greed Ring is, right?" I asked, "I don''t know if you already have one or if you really need one with how strong you already are, but I thought it would be nice to have in case you''re seeking some extra EXP in the dungeon crawl tomorrow."

    I got this while shopping for Ren''s Ninja gear back in Obina''s room. It was the highest grade of Greed Ring, too, giving the wearer an additional 50 percent of EXP from winning a battle. I bought one in lower grades as silver for each of my party members, sans Ume, who wasn''t really into such jewelry and was already powerful as a Dragon. I figured with Noire wanting to be part of the harem later, I''d get her a ring to fit the aesthetic.

    "O-Oh, for the dungeon, of course. Things would speed way too fast if it were for that, but still ..." Noire muttered as she took a fan to cool down her tinted cheeks, averting her gaze.

    <Hmm ¡­ she''s feeling some relief and disappointment, I see,> Nyra informed me.

    When I looked at the ring in my hand, I connected the dots immediately. Oh.

    Though I didn''t intend to give Noire a ring for that reason, with how things were going right now, it wouldn''t be strange for that topic to be brought up, would it? Just as Noire said, though, we''d be going way too quick with this. We agreed to take this slow and have our established relationship at our own pace. I wanted to really get to know her first before I tied the knot, unlike my meeting with Ume, but I didn''t regret that choice, of course.

    That said, with this topic still fresh, I decided to use it in my favor in a slightly teasing mood.

    "Of course, this Greed Ring is primarily for the dungeon crawl, and maybe for the battles we''ll face together afterward," I said, "If I were to present a ring for any other reason, though, I''d confide in the girl I''m interested in what kind she''d prefer first. I want to give the best that she could ask for. What are your thoughts on that, Noire?"

    Noire, with half of her face still hidden by the fan, blinked with her long eyelashes. "Wouldn''t that lose the element of surprise?" she asked.

    "There are good surprises and there are bad ones. If anything, I''d play it safe and avoid the latter in important cases like this," I answered while shrugging.

    "... You do make a fair argument," she said while looking to the side in thought, "And to be honest, I was getting tired of previous suitors trying to win me over with the biggest rock they could afford with little thought into it. Rowling''s was no exception, and it puts enough unnecessary weight on my hand for me to not wear it around. Personally, I''d like a ring that isn''t flashy, but unique. Something that shows what kind of male I''m married to, you know? I have no preference for what kind of stone it''s on there."

    <Not flashy, unique, and basically has personality. You got all that, Nyra?> I asked her.

    <A bit of a tough call, but I think it''s manageable,> Nyra said, <If I had a body, I could make the rings to order. Weapons and armor aren''t the only things blacksmiths can make, you know? I just need the right materials along with tools in a smithy.>

    <Really? I''ll have to keep that in mind, then.>

    "Thank you for the input, Noire, I''ll be sure to look into it,¡± I said.

    ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll humbly accept your Greed Ring. If you don¡¯t mind ¡­¡± Noire trailed off while holding her right hand out. Though half of her face was still covered, her amethyst eyes told how much she was smiling.

    That smile was contagious as one spread slightly on my face, as well. Going all the way, I took one knee as if I was proposing, held Noire¡¯s hand like a delicate glass figurine, and slid the gold Greed Ring on the appropriate finger. The lady giggled behind her fan at how much I was hamming up this performance, especially when I kissed the back of her hand after putting the ring on.

    Ah, this is just what I needed after the stress from today. I¡¯ll have to share more of these with Ume during downtimes.

    After Noire gave a bashful thank you while checking out her new ring, we moved the conversation forward to the main topic.

    ¡°Do you have your message ready?" I asked her.

    "Messages, actually. Two, to be exact," Noire said while taking out two envelopes from her Magic Item Pouch, "One for my sister, and one for Her Highness. Now, you said you have a means of delivering the letters instantly like [Portal], even though you''ve never been to Korangar?"

    <Nyra? You were the one who said we may work around it, right?> I asked.

    <If this works, it''s quite simple, actually,> Nyra said, <First, we need to see a memory of a room in Noire''s home, maybe her sister''s? Ask Noire to close her eyes and concentrate in that room as much as possible. The more detailed, the better.>

    I asked Noire just as Nyra told me. The Vampire was understandably skeptical, but played along. Nyra then asked me to do the same while taking out the tanto, and so I followed through. Wait, is she doing what I think she''s doing?

    My suspicions were confirmed moments later. What appeared from the black space in my mind was an unfamiliar room, totally pink with some white, a fancy bed with a canopy, lace curtains, among other things. It was the very picture of what I imagined a fairy tale''s princess would sleep in.

    "Jinma? What''s going on? My head feels strange," Noire said, anxiety hinting in her tone.

    "Stay calm and keep picturing the room. This is necessary," I answered.

    <Actually, this should be enough. I''m cutting the connection¡ª>

    "Who is that?! Is someone here?!" Noire exclaimed in panic.

    <... Whoops.> From Nyra''s reaction, it seemed she didn''t intend for Noire to hear her. Maybe with this mental connection between the three of us, it was unavoidable for people to hear Nyra¡¯s voice. That still left the problem of Noire learning her existence now.

    Well, she''d have to learn about this sooner or later.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Uh ¡­ it''s a bit late, but let me introduce you to my partner, Nyra. She''s a Pixie trapped in this tanto as part of a curse," I said while opening my eyes. I saw Noire having her own eyes open and was shocked to see the purple mist-like aura from my tanto connecting our heads. It was the very magic Nyra has done to let me see into and transfer memories between the people we connect the last couple of times now.

    <Arch Pixie,> Nyra corrected.

    "Wait, Nyra? As in the Misfortune Tanto of Nyra?! The cursed dagger that was said to have possessed its wielders for over centuries?!" Noire exclaimed.

    <''Sup?> Nyra introduced coolly.

    "Due to some circumstances, I''m able to wield the tanto and its powers without being possessed, but it''s best you refrain from touching it and not get affected by the curse," I explained, "I''d appreciate it if you could keep this a secret, too."

    "O-Of course, but still, to wield a cursed weapon without receiving its effects, you are more exceptional than I anticipated, Jinma," Noire said in amazement.

    "Well, it''s not that I''m totally immune," I said while shrugging, "My LUCK had taken a nosedive and I do have to put up with a perverted voice in my head because of this curse."

    <Don''t you make yourself the innocent one here! You''re just as perverted!> Nyra rebutted.

    "It''s a matter of restraint, and you don''t hold back from making explicit comments every other minute."

    <As an Arch Pixie, it would be detrimental to my health if I don''t bare my true feelings! It''s you who''s crazy for keeping everything inside!> she argued.

    Noire giggled, "I can see why you call her your partner. You look like you get along with her well. Now, before we get too distracted, can we get to why our heads are connected like this?" She then pointed up to the purplish-black mist above us.

    <Right! Jinma, you got a good look at that room, right?> Nyra asked me.

    "Pretty much, yeah."

    <Now, with that in your mind, open a [Portal] to that room like you usually do with other places.>

    "... Ah, I see where you''re going with this now," I said after thinking about it.

    The [Portal] Null Spell requires the caster to be at the destination at some point in the past. It wouldn''t be possible if they''ve never been to that location before. What if you saw that place in a picture, or in our case, in someone else''s memories like you were right there? The activation of this Null Spell requires a good memory of that location, so what if we used someone else''s memories as our map to the destination?

    I don''t know if there are skills or spells that show a person''s memories in a clear picture like Nyra does with her powers, probably some form of [Psyche Magic]? Either way, we were going to test whether those powers can make a loophole with [Portal] for a synergistic effect.

    "Alright, here goes nothing ¡­ to Korangar," I said while focusing on the image of Noire''s sister''s room, raising a hand to an open space, "... [Portal]."

    And at my chant, a hole opened in space, revealing a bright pink room on the other side, followed by a girly shriek in surprise.

    "You did it! You really opened a [Portal] to Opal''s room!" Noire exclaimed in excitement before peeking her head inside the hole and sang in a low volume, "Hellooo, Opal!"

    "S-Sister Dearest?!" the lady who went by Opal exclaimed before Noire hushed her.

    "Don''t make too much noise. We''re not supposed to be here."

    "W-We?"

    Noire gestured me inside and I obliged before closing the [Portal] behind me. I then cast [Soundproof] so we could speak normally.

    "W-Who is that?! What''s a Human male doing here?!" the lady named Opal exclaimed in shock.

    This little sister of Noire''s had a more petite figure, but didn''t look much younger than I thought. She was wearing a loose dress for lounge wear, but in brighter colors than her older sister''s adventurer¡¯s clothes. Opal had long platinum pink locks and pink eyes while possessing the same marble white skin as Noire. She didn''t have as big of a bust as her sister, but she was still quite cute. I could almost feel the ''this girl must be protected'' vibe emanating from her.

    "Opal, allow me to introduce you to my new boyfriend, Jinma Kotori," Noire introduced with pride.

    "HAAAAA?! B-Boyfriend?! That Human?! W-What about your fiance?!" Opal asked.

    "Before I answer, I must ask you something important," Noire said before her face turned stern and serious. She rested her hands on Opal''s shoulders and looked her straight in the eye, "Opal, you''ll never betray me, right? Will you be on my side no matter what happens?"

    "Of course, Sister Dearest!" Opal exclaimed without hesitation, "I wouldn''t even think of abusing your trust, and I''ll always be on your side!"

    Silence spread through the room as the sisters stared at each other. Just to make sure, I used [Size Up] on Opal and checked her skills.

    Two classes and she''s got decent strength in magic, but no [Deception] skill. This one''s not lying ¡­ what a good sister Noire has. A pang of envy pierced my chest.

    It¡¯s understandable that Noire had to confirm Opal¡¯s loyalty, too. I¡¯ve read in some stories how siblings try to kill each other for political power, so it wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to question whether Opal was playing as Rowling¡¯s accomplice behind Noire¡¯s back. Add into how their father is unfit to provide help as Noire explained to me earlier, a reliable confidant is needed now more than ever for her.

    Noire looked to have come to the conclusion of trusting Opal as her face softened, "Were you approached by anyone strange? Did Father ask you anything peculiar?"

    Opal shook her head in response.

    "Last question, did you send this letter to me recently?" Noire asked as she pulled up an envelope and folded parchment paper from her pouch.

    Ah, that''s the message with the forged family seal that Gabriella had on her, right? She kept it as evidence for the crime against Rowling.

    I remembered Noire burning a message with [Fire Magic] yesterday, but then I realized it was a message from Rowling about the time limit in the dungeon. This lady totally disregarded his demand, though. I wondered if Noire could have kept it as further evidence, but if Rowling was the one who wrote the forged letter, she could probably tell right away by comparing them. She must have deduced Rowling hired someone to write it for him to hide his tracks. In which case, keeping the time-limit message that has no connections to the forgery would be pointless.

    Opal blinked her eyes in confusion as she read the forged letter, "Eh? No, I haven''t written anything like this, Sister Dearest. This isn''t even my handwriting."

    Noire nodded in affirmation, "Ah, then it''s confirmed. With this message bearing a forgery of our family seal, we''ll bring my soon-to-be ex-fiance a hundred kilometers below ground."

    "HAAAAAA?!"

    Opal''s a loud one, huh? Glad I put up that [Soundproof] when I got here. Still, a hundred kilometers below ground? How close would that be to Earth¡¯s core?

    {AN: 100 kilometers is about 62.14 miles, or 328,084 feet. The earth¡¯s core is about 2,900 kilometers, or 1,802 miles/9.51 million feet from the surface, so Noire¡¯s barely scratching the surface wanting to bury Rowling that deep.}

    I then suddenly remembered something in regards to that forgery, "Wait, will that forged message really be enough as evidence? Rowling could possibly disregard that accusation entirely with no connections of it leading to him."

    "You are correct in that assumption, Jinma, but this message alone will not be used as evidence for that reason," Noire said, "No, the timing of this being found on Gabriella''s person, the same Dark Knight who Rowling employed as my bodyguard for the quest, was suspicious enough. After thoroughly interrogating Gabriella of their motives, I got the majority of what I needed. Using her as a witness and this message will serve as a means of warrant to search his household and his relatives'' for further evidence in the forgery. Even if that evidence was destroyed, something even more interesting could be found during the search."

    "... Ah, I get it now."

    After hearing of Rowling''s potential involvement with Chaos Barrage and their plan for a coup against the Demon King, Noire''s going to use that forged letter as a front to expose everything about him and his conspirators. Searching a noble household for a possible item of forgery seemed reasonable enough if requested by another noble of higher standing. If there¡¯s evidence of a coup being planned that came up in the search, Rowling as well as Chaos Barrage will be done for.

    ¡°You really thought this through, huh, Noire?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s Lady Noire to you, Human! And of course she would plan that far ahead! Sister Dearest is an astounding lady of the Krauss Family, after all!¡± Opal exclaimed while puffing her chest in pride.

    ¡°Opal, do not speak to my boyfriend like that,¡± Noire said sternly with a furrowed brow, ¡°It was out of my request that he refer to me by name only. I will not tolerate you disrespecting him without a good reason.¡±

    ¡°But Sister Dearest! This is a Human we¡¯re talking about!¡± Opal argued, ¡°I understand you going against marrying Rowling. I was never for that decision in the first place, and this evidence just proves how much of a shrewd male he really is. I also know our family supports Her Highness in establishing connections with the races in the other Territories to make peace, including Humans. Even so, aside from maybe Father, our family has never been acquainted with Humans before, not even when other Vampire households enslaved some of them to be their servants in the distant past. For a Vampire to be in a romantic relationship with a Human, they¡¯d be seen as a disgrace from the other Vampires!¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, Opal, I¡¯ve made my decision,¡± Noire said while crossing her arms under her breasts, ¡°I was ready to drop Rowling as my fiance at the first chance I could get, an arrangement our fathers set up for political reasons. Jinma is the first male I¡¯ve ever made the choice of wanting to be with.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s impossible!¡± Opal rebutted, ¡°You, Sister Dearest, being with this ¡­ erm, okay, he may be charming in the eyes, but this is the first I¡¯ve even heard of this male! When did you meet him?! What made you want to be with him in the first place?!¡±

    Oh, so Opal also finds me charming in the eyes, huh?

    Despite how much Opal was against her sister dating me, I was a little happy she admitted that much about me, especially my eyes, knowing how much they scared normal Humans away.

    ¡°You¡¯re aware of me going to take on Palocaesy¡¯s Dungeon, yes? And I reached out to the adventurer¡¯s guild to arrange a proper escort along with Rowling¡¯s employed bodyguard?¡± Noire asked, of which Opal nodded, ¡°Jinma here was hand-selected by the guild master of Dondegarm after assigning him black rank on his first day. He has also bested that same guild master in a duel, which goes to show his strength is no joke. This male had also cleverly exposed Gabriella and a secret cohort of hers of trying to cancel my quest using the very forged letter I showed you. Lastly, even though I just met this male yesterday, I ¡­ dare I say it, fell in love at first sight.¡± Noire then hid her face with a fan out of embarrassment, averting her gaze.

    ¡°HAAAAAA?! F-F-First sight?! Only yesterday?!¡± Opal balked.

    ¡°And just earlier today, he ¡­ cut his own finger to let me taste his blood,¡± Noire said before hiding her whole face behind the fan, ¡°It was so delicious I thought my mouth orgasmed.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡±

    I should probably cut in before things get a little out of hand, I thought before clearing my throat, garnering their attention, ¡°I hate to butt in on your ¡­ sisterly bonding, Noire, but we¡¯re short on time here.¡±

    "Ah, right," Noire said while regaining her composure and taking out one of the letters she showed me, "Opal, Rowling is up to no good and may interfere with my dungeon crawl in a fatal way. I need you to deliver one of the messages in this envelope to Vladimir. He''ll know what to do after reading it. Father must not know of this at all costs. He must not know that I was here. Do you understand, Opal?"

    "Y-Yes! Of course, Sister Dearest! I won''t let you down!" Opal exclaimed while taking the message.

    Who''s Vladimir? And one of the messages? Oh, maybe Noire didn¡¯t think she¡¯d hand Opal the message personally and had written a separate letter to her that listed instructions?

    "Jinma," Noire said, snapping me out of my thoughts, "I need you to help me with what I need to do with Her Highness'' letter."

    "You''re not going to have Opal deliver it to her for you?" I asked.

    "That''s Lady Opal to¡ª... Opal''s fine," Opal said as Noire stopped her outburst with a look that could kill.

    Noire turned back to me with a delighted smile, "That was my initial plan, but your little trick has given me a better idea."

    ¡­ Oh no, is she really going to suggest? I thought as cold sweat ran down my back.

    That lady-like smile on Noire turned mischievous, "We''re going to deliver this message to the Demon King personally, of course."

 Chapter 166: The Private Delivery Plan

    Anxiety rose in me. Using my new trick, Noire wanted to hand deliver her other message to the Demon King. In other words, opening a [Portal] in the Demon King''s very castle, entering without permission, which could potentially be treated as capital offense.

    "I have several concerning questions," I rebutted, "Is there anything that could prevent me opening [Portal] in the Demon King''s castle? What about security? Won''t going in there unannounced be considered breaking and entering royal property?"

    "Under normal circumstances, yes, you''d be suspected of breaking and entering at first sight before getting apprehended for questioning," Noire answered, "It''s also under these same circumstances that it''s virtually impossible for someone to use [Portal] or a Transportation Crystal to get into the castle. There''s a magic field surrounding the property that prevents such entry, as well as defending against large-scale magic attacks."

    Damn, I should have expected that much from the castle of a Demon King. Is that the work of Shining Teaset, too?

    "These are based on ''normal'' circumstances, however," Noire continued before turning to her sister, "Opal, stand over there, turn around, and keep your ears and eyes blocked. Don''t move until I say otherwise."

    "Yes, Sister Dearest!" Opal exclaimed without questioning it, moving to that aforementioned spot and followed through with the instructed gesture. She seems to have recognized what Noire will say next is very confidential.

    Noire then instructed me to shrink the [Soundproof] spell''s range to only surround the two of us, of which I followed. She then held up two fingers, "I said bypassing the magic field was virtually impossible for a reason. There are two ways to ignore those defenses. One is a pendant that serves as a key to gain entry into anywhere in the castle, even Her Highness'' own office. That pendant is only given to those who the Demon King truly recognizes as her ally, and are put under oath to never mention it to anyone, save for family members that they and Her Highness can truly trust. Father is one such person under the previous Demon King''s ruling, and his daughter allowed him to keep it knowing her own father''s trust in him. I was recognized by Her Highness enough to be filled in on that tidbit, too, and I was also put under that same oath of secrecy."

    "You just broke that oath now, though? To me," I said while pointing at myself.

    "I''m confident Her Highness will understand once she hears what''s going on," Noire argued while glancing over to her sister, "I''ve taken the necessary measures to keep this information only for yourself, a pure outsider, to learn, after all. Even though I trust my sister, Opal must work to gain that same trust from Her Highness on her own merits. Her Highness said that much to me, at least."

    That''s some trust the two of them have.

    <Tell me about it,> Nyra commented, hearing my thoughts.

    "Unfortunately, that pendant is only limited to one per household, and you can guess who has the Krauss Family''s right now," Noire said while turning back to me with a furrowed brow, "I can''t take the chance that he''s working with Rowling, somehow, which is why I won''t approach him for the pendant, which leaves us with our second way of bypassing the castle''s magic field. Out of everywhere in the castle, only one room is not affected by the field''s effects, serving as a backdoor to get inside. That room is only to be used for dire emergencies should we not have the pendant."

    "And you''ve seen that room before, I take it? Which is where my trick comes in," I said.

    Noire nodded, "Precisely, but we don''t want to risk word of me being in the castle reaching Father''s ears. Thus, when we get to that room, we''ll sneak up to Her Highness'' office, avoid the guards, deliver the message, and done, mission complete. Not a bad plan, right? Best of all, you''ll be able to see the Demon King like you wanted, if only briefly."

    It''s true that I''ve wanted to meet the Demon King at the start. After all the mind-blowing bombs I''ve been through today, though, I''m not mentally prepared to face her. I knew she wanted to meet me, but won''t seeing me with Noire under those peculiar circumstances bring suspicion to her later? Like, if she divulged something so confidential as the two ways to pass through the castle''s magic barrier to an outsider like me, then what else could she have told me behind her back? For example, the mystery behind The Blink that Sue mentioned to be a government secret? Something that the Demon King doesn''t want people looking into very deeply?

    I wasn''t only anxious of myself meeting that same Demon King, but I worry about the consequences Noire might endure for associating with me like this. I have my own beef with that person and I''d rather not get other people pulled into it, if possible.

    "Jinma? Something wrong?" Noire asked with worry. My silent moment of thought must have been too drawn out.

    "N-No, I''m fine, I''ve just had a hectic day and I honestly didn''t want to worry about the Demon King right now," I said while scratching my hair.

    "... Are you nervous about meeting the Demon King, or something else?" Noire prodded.

    I averted my gaze, "Both. I''m worried whether you''ll get in trouble for this. If she suspects you of releasing such secrets without permission, then ¡­"

    Noire held my cheek and turned my face to see her gentle smile, "Hey, don''t worry about me, darling. This involves my soon-to-be ex-fiance, something I should be handling myself, but I now know how serious this really is after you told me about Chaos Barrage and their plan for a coup. We''re bending a few rules to assure Her Highness'' safety as well as this kingdom''s, and she and I go pretty far back before her father''s death. I''m positive she''ll understand our motives for doing this, and she''s a good girl when you get to know her. I know she''ll certainly be interested in you once I introduce you to her."

    <Oh, believe me, we know how interested she is in Jinma already,> Nyra spoke for both of us, but with our mental connection cut off, Noire didn''t hear it.

    "What do you say, Jinma? Do you trust me?" Noire asked.

    It sounds like Noire has some history with Demon King D, but would the former know anything about what happened last night when Sue altered my memories and got my blood sample? An act her very ruler ordered to do when I had my guard down? Actually, would the Demon King alter Noire''s memories? Could that play into how Noire trusts her so much?

    The mere thought of it made me more worried enough that I had to look into it immediately.

    "Sorry, could you give me a moment to think real quick?" I asked.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Of course," Noire said.

    With that, I pulled away, turned around, and focused, concentrating my mental power hard on a specific person. No better time to give this a whirl, I suppose.

    <... Sue? Can you hear¡ª>

    <Wah?!> Sue exclaimed in great shock, uncharacteristically so, even. It even left me surprised.

    <Wow, I should be expecting it, but I honestly didn''t think my [Telepathy] could reach that far.>

    With my [Telepathy] skill at max proficiency, unless there''s a way to block that connection, I could supposedly contact anyone from anywhere in the world. There''s usually no cost if they''re close by, but it would take MP if I try to contact them after a certain distance. I didn''t think I could connect to Sue that quickly, though.

    <J-Jinma?! How did¡ª?!> Sue exclaimed, unusually flustered.

    <Uh, sorry if I''m interrupting something important in your cooking. Are you too busy to answer a few quick questions?> I asked.

    She took a bit to answer, <... No, I can answer some questions.>

    <First, do you truly recognize Noire as your ally?> I asked, <You wouldn''t do anything like altering her memories when she''s done nothing wrong, would you? Like you did with mine and Nyra''s?>

    <That''s not¡ª!> Sue exclaimed before stopping herself, <... I admit that was an act of poor judgement on my part, but I normally don''t do that without a good reason. Noire and her father have proven to be loyal supporters to the Demon King, so unless they did something that betrays her trust, you can best believe that their punishment won''t just stop at a simple memory wipe.>

    <... Okay, not very enlightening, but good to know. So you''d never do anything to them if it was for your own gains? Or the Demon King''s?> I asked.

    <No. On the contrary, if there was something they need from the Demon King, from nobility to royalty, if their reasons are just, she would do whatever she could in her power to help them.>

    It didn''t seem like she was lying, but I wondered if my [Intuition] worked through a telepathic connection.

    <And to prove I''m not lying, here''s a tidbit. I''m currently wearing a bright green thong right now, because green is my favorite color.>

    Well, that proves [Intuition] works even through [Telepathy], because that lie was off the scale. Sue apparently hates the color green, and though her underwear isn¡¯t the same color, she is wearing a thong. My skill at its max level can pick that statement apart to such an extent.

    <... Alright, it seems you were telling the truth about Noire, but I''m going to make this clear,> I said, <Noire may not officially be part of the party yet, but I still consider her one of us. Just like my other party members, if you do anything to her, I''ll never forgive you or the Demon King, and you can expect some heads to roll, with or without my untrained [Devil Eyes]. Understood?>

    <You have my word. I''m assuming there''s a reason why you''re asking me about my relations with Noire in such depth?>

    I anticipated Sue would ask that. I thought about it briefly before contacting her, but she did say she wanted to trust me. I''m not even sure if this is the right move, but after she gave something so valuable and potentially dangerous as the ''Pendants of Hidden Anonymity'' to us, the least I could do is give her assurance that her trust in me wasn''t a mistake.

    I briefly filled her in on what Noire and I were doing and her plans to meet Demon King D. She was quite surprised that I was in Korangar right now, but didn''t ask for further details on that. I even told her the two ways of bypassing the castle''s magic barrier that Noire told me.

    <I see, Noire really is a cunning one, that girl,> Sue praised.

    <Do you know anything about this Vladimir guy by any chance?> I asked.

    <Why? Afraid you might have more competition for Noire''s hand in marriage?> Sue teased.

    <After encountering Krigeran while we''re dealing with Rowling? I can''t take chances,> I said honestly.

    <You can relax,> Sue said, <Vladimir''s the son of the Royal Guard''s General. Both of them are well acquainted with the Krauss Family head, being the Minister of Defense and Weaponry that he is, especially since the son''s stationed as one of his personal guards serving the house. Vladimir''s currently engaged to a noblewoman who''ll marry into his own household.>

    A weight was lifted off my shoulders after hearing that last statement. Putting my earlier worries aside, it sounds like Noire''s using Vladimir to reach out to his father, probably to prepare some guards to search through Rowling''s residence. The message to Demon King D must be to get the approval and warrant to search that house. I now understood how important it was for Noire to deliver that message privately, but that didn''t lower my anxiety.

    <So you or the Demon King won''t reprimand Noire for breaching that oath to secrecy?> I asked Sue.

    <It would be a different story if it was someone else that Noire released that information to, but this is you we''re talking about. I''m sure her Highness will let it slide,> Sue answered.

    I sighed, <That''s a relief.>

    <More importantly, you''ll be helping Noire getting into Her Highness'' castle, yes? Would you want to see Her Highness while escorting Noire to her?> Sue asked.

    <... To be frank, I don''t feel mentally prepared to meet her yet, not after all the stuff I learned today. I need some time to gather my thoughts into them, and that may be difficult with the dungeon crawl tomorrow,> I said.

    <... But you still want to see her, right?> Sue asked with a slight hint of anxiety in her tone.

    I nodded lightly, <Yes. For the goals I need to achieve, meeting the Demon King is unavoidable. I''m just not ready to do that yet.>

    <... Understood. I believe around this time, the guards in the castle will be rotating shifts, lessening the security in the process. Noire has seen enough of the castle to know where to go and find Her Highness in her office. There should be no problems if you only stood outside that office and waited for Noire to finish her business. After that ¡­ you might be able to use [Portal] to escape the castle without getting back to what Her Highness calls the ¡®emergency room¡¯,> Sue said with a hint of uncertainty.

    <I ¡®might¡¯?> I asked with a raised brow.

    <Just contact me if you have problems. I¡¯ll handle it in a flash. At any rate, if you''re going to deliver that message and want to avoid getting caught, now''s the best time to go, but you must hurry,> Sue said, dodging my suspicions.

    Despite my skepticism, it didn¡¯t seem like she was lying about handling the repercussions, so I tried to calm myself, <... Alright. Thank you, Sue, I really appreciate this. I''ll come back soon with high hopes for your cooking.>

    <... You won''t be disappointed.>

    With that, I cut the telepathic connection, took a deep breath, and turned back to Noire, still standing in the same spot and waiting patiently.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting," I said, "I''ll go along with your plan, but only if I don''t meet with the Demon King. I''ll just stand outside the room while you do your thing."

    Noire nodded in understanding, "Thank you for cooperating with me on this, Jinma."

    "Of course, I do whatever I can for my girls. We should get going now while there''s still light out, though," I said.

    After Noire agreed, she quickly released Opal from her ''censored mode'' and notified her of our departure. She reiterated her request of sending the message to Vladimir as soon as possible without drawing suspicion from their father. The little Vampire sister nodded in understanding.

    Noire then pulled Opal into an affectionate hug, "It''s going to be some time before I get back, so stay strong while I''m gone, okay? When this is all over, I''d like the three of us to have tea together and introduce you to Jinma properly."

    "I''m still skeptical about this arrangement, but I''m happy you''re in a better mood now than when you left, Sister Dearest," Opal said while hugging back tightly, "You must tell me everything that happened over tea when you come back."

    "Of course," Noire said before planting a kiss on Opal''s forehead, "Love you, Opal."

    "Love you, too, Sister Dearest."

    Wonder if anyone in Japan ever expressed sibling love like this? Or maybe some other foreign country?

    <Would you do that with your own sibling?> Nyra asked.

    <Definitely not for my brother ¡­ but I''d be too afraid of my sister hating me if I did it to her.>

    Once the Krauss sisters bid their farewells, the older of the two approached me, "Alright, I''m ready. Just like before?"

    I nodded before taking out my tanto. We then did the same trick that got us to Opal''s room, the owner of which gasped in awe as she watched the magic unfold before her. With the emergency room Noire imagined with clarity in my mind, I opened a [Portal] to it with no problems.

    Our infiltration in the Demon King''s castle commenced the moment we stepped inside.

 Chapter 167: The Underdogâ€™s Infiltration

    Unusual was the first word that came to mind when we got into the emergency room. It had the ambience of a guest room, there was a wardrobe, a vanity, and a closet, but no bed, no windows, no ornate decorations. It was more like a dressing room reserved for an important celebrity. The only thing that stood out was the fancy red and gold rope that hung from a hole in the ceiling.

    "Are we ¡­ here?" I asked with skepticism. Then again, I was skeptical when I saw Noire''s memory of this room.

    "This is it, indeed," Noire confirmed while running her fingers down the lone rope," One tug of this would notify Her Highness that we''re here. She would send a few guards to escort us to her office."

    Ah, so it''s like a doorbell of sorts?

    "The closet and wardrobe are empty and would be used for visitors like us to temporarily store our belongings," Noire continued while approaching the vanity and checking her appearance, fixing her hair and other areas that looked out of place. I could already guess why that was there if meeting the Demon King was an expected part of these procedures.

    "Since we''re meeting Her Highness in secret, though, we''re not going to pull this rope, then?" I asked.

    Noire nodded, "Correct. We don''t want to risk any word of me being here reaching Father, so it''s imperative that we avoid everyone but Her Highness."

    I approached the only door that looked to have a dumblock that locks from the outside, "I understand that much, but if this room is so important to serve as an emergency back door via teleportation magic, let''s say if word of this does spread to some bad guy. Shouldn''t this door be locked? Isn''t that why there''s a rope here in the first place?"

    If the Demon King was the first to know that someone''s here through that rope, she must have sent guards down to fetch the ''visitors'' here for extra security. If they have no idea who the person in the room is, that would immediately bring suspicion on them.

    In other words, if a bad guy tried to escape here from some trouble, they''d basically be jumping into their own prison. That''s why this room would be locked at all times, save for the occasion of cleaning and maintaining the space.

    "Your experience in security is really showing to figure that out, Jinma," Noire said, "Yes, that would normally be the case; however, I have a way that will get us¡ª"

    "It''s open."

    "... out?" Noire finished in confusion.

    Out of curiosity, I tried turning the knob and pushed lightly, finding I could open it quite easily.

    "That can''t be right. Could this room be in the middle of cleaning and the maids are elsewhere? But servants of Her Highness couldn''t possibly be this lax ¡­" Noire whispered, despite seeing the evidence before her.

    I peeked out into the large royal halls and saw no sign of maids having been in the area. I had an idea for why this door was unlocked, but it made me uneasy.

    Despite my concerns, I shook the discomfort off for now, "There''s no time to ponder over this. We need to get to Her Highness'' office fast, right? Lead the way."

    "R-Right, hold my hand and don''t let go," Noire said as she stepped out first.

    I quietly closed the door behind me and obliged to Noire''s request before we made a dash.

    Just before we left far enough out of earshot, I could have sworn I heard the sound of a door behind us locking up.

    ~~

    [Stealth] is a skill from the Thief class that allows one to sneak by and be out of people''s detection. This is in effect so long as they didn''t see the user, or if that said user doesn''t make abrupt noise blatantly. This skill can extend to multiple people once they make physical contact with the user. I had first used this with Ren when we broke her slave friends and their merchant out from captivity during the raid at Dondegarm.

    Noire, despite being a noble, has Thief as one of her secondary classes. She was having me hold her hand for the [Stealth] skill to affect both of us as we moved. Noire also has the [Lockpicking] skill, which I assumed was what she was planning to use to undo the lock in the emergency room, though I wasn''t really sure we would get out so easily that way.

    Noire didn''t mention any of this to me, but she likely didn''t know I was aware of her secondary classes and those skills already. She also didn''t know that I was the same. I wasn''t sure if it would help, but I used my own [Stealth] skill to hide our presence further. I also added something else as we moved.

    "Using [Soundproof] above the floor to quiet our footsteps! Absolutely brilliant, Jinma!" Noire whispered in high praise.

    By creating a long, narrow, and constantly moving field around the hallway floor, my [Soundproof] kept our movements from being heard in the distance of the castle''s echoing hallways. As long as we kept our voices low, we could sprint and not worry about our feet making noise. I thought it up on the fly and I was thankful that it worked.

    As we moved, I also had my [Intuitive Mapping] and [Size Up] skills active, not only looking ahead in the castle''s three-dimensional blueprint in my mind, but to also avoid any passing guards. When I sensed someone was drawing close, I quietly warned Noire and we stopped behind corners, stairways, ornate statues, vases, and other decors in the hallway. Keeping still and out of sight is when our [Stealth] skills would work at their highest performance. If we were lucky, we''d hide in a vacant room that Noire would unlock quickly with her [Lockpicking] skill.

    We¡¯ve narrowly escaped the guards¡¯ and servants¡¯ detection a couple times, with one instance really standing out to me.

    "Pudding, pudding, pudding, I gotta get that pudding quickly!"

    One of the castle''s guards, an Orc from the look of it, was running down the hall while spouting something about pudding in a panic. It wasn''t just his voice, the clanging of his armor could be heard from tens of meters away. Despite how well we hid, it was a close call as he passed right by us. His narrow-minded focus on that pudding spared us a great deal of trouble. Still, that Orc must really like pudding. Or maybe the pudding''s just that good here? I should prepare some if we have enough ingredients left.

    Finally, after a couple minutes of running in halls and stairways, making numerous turns, and sometimes taking an alternate route, we finally reached our destination.

    "Strange, there''s usually a guard or two standing outside when Her Highness is in the office?" Noire said with a tilted head, "Why is there only a halberd on the floor?"

    At that question, the Pudding Orc from earlier came to mind. He couldn''t be in a hurry because the Demon King ordered him to get it, could he? That would require leaving his post? Wouldn''t leaving his weapon behind be dangerous?

    I checked my [Intuitive Mapping] and [Size Up] to confirm, but I couldn''t see anyone in the office. The Demon King could have a ''Pendant of Hidden Anonymity'' like Sue does, hiding her status and location, which makes determining whether she''s in the room difficult.

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    Before I could ask for confirmation, Noire suddenly knocked on the door, "Your Majesty! The sky has started raining black!"

    The hell kind of chuunibyou greeting is that?!

    I was going to retort Noire¡¯s greeting when the knob suddenly turned and the intricately designed door opened a crack.

    "That''s a secret code she and I came up with to say we have something important to talk about in secret," Noire whispered, "She knows it''s me and is inviting me in."

    Ohh, so it''s a code ¡­ still pretty chuuni, though.

    "You sure you don''t want to come inside?" Noire asked.

    I shook my head, "I''ll wait out here and keep a lookout. If something happens, I''ll knock."

    "Okay, wish me luck," Noire said before giving me a peck on the lips and stepping inside the office.

    <You think this will go well?> Nyra asked.

    <I sure hope so ¡­>

    ~~

    {Demon King Sue}

    As soon as the Vampire noblewoman, Noire Scarletine Krauss, entered my office and shut the door behind her, I cast [Soundproof] to make sure our talk was private. I left enough on the door in case someone knocked on it.

    "Noire, what a surprise to see you here. I wasn¡¯t given notice that you came," I greeted.

    Noire did her formal curtsy in greeting, "Please forgive me for intruding unannounced, Your Majesty, but I have an urgent request that I must ask of you."

    Noire then reached into her Magic Item Pouch and pulled out an envelope and an open parchment as she approached me. I took the envelope first and opened it to read its contents.

    "... A formal request for a warrant to search Perseus Rowling''s residence for evidence of forging the Krauss Family seal, is it?" I asked after reading it. There were also a few other pieces of parchment that read ''Formal Testimony of Gabriella'', listing details of certain events before that person''s signature and thumbprint was put down at the end of the last page. Noire then handed me the parchment that looked like a letter from her younger sister, Opal. I could see immediately that these items were her evidence.

    "I''ve confirmed with Opal that she didn''t write and send that letter to me," Noire said, "Moreover, Gabriella, one of Rowling''s subordinates and member of the Duke of Demons'' Disciples, was holding that message. She confessed and has written in the testimony that it was fake after a thorough interrogation. I''ve also received intel that Rowling and the disciples may be part of a coup they''re planning to enact against you, Your Majesty."

    "I see, and you mean to use this warrant as a means to finding evidence of that coup?" I asked.

    Noire nodded firmly, "I had Opal help relay a message to Vladimir to report to his father and prepare to mobilize guards at your command, a feat I also couldn''t accomplish without the source of intel to help me meet her. That source of intel, by the way, is standing outside this room as we speak, and is also the one who helped me get into your castle. I apologize, but I had to breach that oath in order for him to help me make this delivery possible."

    Noire then lowered herself to one knee with her head down, "Your Majesty, I, Noire Scarletine Krauss, ask you as the daughter of Ramone Silshire Krauss, to please spare my accomplice and my family and let me take the brunt of the punishment for going against your agreement. I will take full responsibility for my actions, so please listen to my selfish request of that and the warrant to search through Rowling''s residence. That is all."

    I listened to Noire''s case patiently until she finished. I authoritatively told her to stand back up and face me, "Before I give my opinion, I must ask, do you really trust your accomplice, your source of intel for the coup, enough to breach your oath to me? What do you see in him?"

    Noire nodded, "Yes. His name is Jinma Kotori, a Human adventurer who took on my quest to escort me through the Palocaesy Dungeon with his party. He has demonstrated feats and his character so magnificently that I wonder if he was actually a child of a Champion, let alone a Champion himself, as I''ve heard from hearsay. Furthermore ¡­ I fell in love with him at first sight." Her cheeks tinted red after admitting that last bit.

    "Is that so?" I asked with a raised brow, "What was it about him that made you feel that way at first sight?"

    Noire looked to the side in thought, "How should I put it ¡­ For some reason, I felt something familiar from him, especially his eyes, that told me he''s not one to be distrusted. As I got to know him more, he naturally let down his guard, showing how much he trusts me. Whenever I¡¯m around him, I feel like I don''t have to worry about appearances and act naturally, to be myself without worrying about repercussions.

    "It all reminds me of ¡­ that''s right, Jinma''s like¡ª" Noire halted and covered her mouth as she realized what she was about to say. Clearly, she was taking great consideration of me to not mention who Jinma reminds her of.

    "... I see," I said, not needing Noire to finish. I already had an idea since my [Mind Reading] skill was taking action the moment she walked in.

    I understand why you stopped yourself, considering it¡¯s my own father, and I felt the same way the first time I saw Jinma, but ¡­ with the recent developments, can I really think of Father the same as I have before? Was there something he didn¡¯t tell me that I should know about?

    Noire cleared her throat of the awkwardness, "A-Anyway, it goes without saying that he''s a splendid male. His wife, a Lizardman named Umeiyon who I''ve recently acquainted with, and other female Demons in his harem seem quite happy with him despite their differences. It''s because of their lovely displays of affection that I wish to drop my engagement with Rowling so I could date him freely. He actually wants to speak with you, too, but he''s a bit anxious right now to come inside."

    "Considering the circumstances, I don''t blame him. I''m sure this favor you had him do was something in the spur of the moment, yes?" I asked.

    "Uh ¡­ yes," Noire answered before giving a wry smile.

    "Well, after hearing your praise, I''m interested in seeing him, as well, but I won''t force him if he''s not ready. Tell you what, if he''s still interested after this fiasco is over, I''ll reserve some time to have an audience with him," I said while swirling my cup of tea that had gone cold, "Maybe the three of us, plus his wife, could talk over some tea."

    "W-Wait, you mean you''ll?!" Noire exclaimed in excitement.

    "To tell you the truth, I''ve suspected Rowling was involved with the coup''s planning for some time, and since he works directly under Vask, it''s likely he''s the mastermind behind it all," I said, "You''ve just given me the outing I need to put both them and their conspirators in their place. For that, since this comes from your intention of helping me and the kingdom, I''ll overlook your breach of the oath this once."

    "Your Majesty! Thank you so much!" Noire exclaimed in joy as she bowed her head in gratitude. She then remembered something and jolted her head up, "Oh! I almost forgot, I''d appreciate it if Father isn''t aware of our meeting. He may be working with Rowling, but I have a feeling he''s doing it against his will. As if he''s being blackmailed into helping him. Is there any way he can be let off from this?"

    I closed my eyes in thought, "Hmm, I don''t know how involved he is with the coup, but going about it while neglecting his duties as the Minister of Defense and Weaponry is something that can''t be ignored. Depending on the degree of his cooperation, he may have to face a penalty of some kind."

    "... I understand," Noire said before bowing her head pleadingly, "All I ask is that you show mercy on my father, however much you can manage."

    "Of course," I said while nodding, "I will call on the general and get with the plan of searching Rowling''s home immediately. Will you still be going into Palocaesy Dungeon as you told me previously?"

    "Yes."

    "We should have something by the time you''re done, then. I''ll have a message sent to your cottage that will tell you the results of our investigation and instructions of what to do next," I explained before I furrowed my brow, "In the meantime, stay on your guard. If Rowling knows you''re going against his plans, he may do something drastic. Make sure Jinma and his party are aware of this and proceed with caution."

    "Yes, Your Majesty, thank you very much for your cooperation. I am in your debt."

    I waved my hand, "Nonsense, with where this will go, I should be thanking you. Now, if there''s nothing else, then you''re dismissed ¡­ ah, one last thing about Jinma."

    "Yes?"

    I wasn''t sure what to say for a moment, I had to be careful with my words without giving too much away.

    "... Give him my thanks and apologies for going through the trouble. If all goes well, he can look forward to a sizable reward coming his way for his cooperation. I wish him the best of luck in the dungeon and I look forward to meeting him soon," I said before giving the best gentle smile I could muster.

    "I''ll be sure he gets the message. Thank you again, Your Majesty, until next time," Noire bid while giving curtsies. She then stepped out of the office and closed the door behind her.

    I waited for a moment, but only silence ran through the room.

    ¡­ Okay, that means he really did it. I can finally relax.

    Alone in the room, with my [Soundproof] spell still up, I exasperated a sigh and dropped my head onto my desk.

    <Is it safe to come back?> a voice sounding like my own asked in my mind.

    <Yes, come on back.>

    At my cue, a [Portal] opened in my office before a copy of myself, a conjuration of the [Clone] spell, stepped inside and closed the hole behind her.

    "Did you have trouble stalling Por?" I asked my clone. Por is the Orc guard who was posted outside my office minutes ago.

    "Not really, but I made quite a mess in doing so."

    I sighed, "Let''s see what the damage is. [Merge]."

    At my chant, my clone demorphed into a solid manifestation of my mana before it moved to sink into my body. An influx of that clone''s experiences played in my mind.

    "Oh, dear, I really have to make it up to Por when he comes back," I said while rubbing my temples and deactivating my [Soundproof], "Still, to think Jinma and Noire would come here at this time, I did not anticipate this in the slightest."

 Chapter 168: The Demon Kingâ€™s Staging for the Underdogâ€™s Infiltration

    {Demon King Sue}

    It all started when Jinma contacted me through [Telepathy], and I mean the original me, not my clone who''s currently in Palocaesy. What Sammy had told me once was that if you use [Telepathy] to contact a person who has clones active in different locations, the skill automatically hones in on the one closest to you, regardless if they''re a clone or not. It would be a different story if you focused your [Telepathy] on a specific one if you know where they are. At the end of the day, though, the skill only requires you to think of the person you want to communicate from a distance, and it will lock onto the closest mana signature it recognizes that matches the user''s intentions. Sammy has tested and proved this herself, and she doesn''t skimp out on things like this, so I can trust her statements to be legit, especially when I''ve experienced it myself.

    I was working on my usual royal duties when Jinma''s voice came out of the blue, putting me in a totally flustered and vulnerable position. I honestly couldn''t believe I managed to fool Jinma into thinking he was speaking to my clone. To make sure he wouldn''t catch me lying, I had to be especially careful of my wording and not trigger his [Intuition], and that wasn''t easy to do in my off-guarded state.

    As soon as I got the details of Jinma''s and Noire''s plan, I immediately made a clone to unlock the door to the emergency room. That door has a high-level enchantment that even someone with a [Lockpicking] skill couldn''t hope to unlock. It could only be opened from outside the room with a specific key to undo the lock. My clone made sure to lock that door again as soon as Jinma and Noire came into the castle and was far enough away from the emergency room.

    After I sent my clone, I had Por, the guard stationed outside my office, to get me two cups of pudding from the castle''s cafeteria so he wouldn''t see my last-minute guests arrive. I would normally have a nearby maid or butler do it for me, but I acted impatient and practically scared the guard into fetching them. That was definitely one of the worst decisions I wasn¡¯t proud of making, with altering Jinma''s and Nyra''s memories being at the very top of that list. To make matters worse, when I was worried Por would come back too soon, my clone had to trip him, dropping the pudding and making a mess on the floor. He had to hastily apologize to the service staff nearby for his blunder before sprinting back to the kitchen to get some more. Por was a straight-laced, good person, too, so I felt terrible for putting him through all that.

    *DON DON DON!*

    ¡°Y-Your Majesty! I have returned! With pudding!¡±

    Speak of the Orc, I thought after hearing the loud knocks on the door. I straightened up and put on my ¡®royal mask¡¯, "You may enter."

    Opening the door was the very Orc guard I sent out on my selfish errand, Por, gasping for breath and sweating buckets. A silver platter with two cups of pudding and spoons was resting on one of his hands.

    "Y-Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize, for the wait," Por said in between breaths while carefully putting the platter on my desk. He then rested his hands on his knees while trying to recompose himself, "I ¡­ ran into some trouble, and spilled some pudding on the way. I apologized, to the maids nearby who cleaned it up, but I''ll accept, whatever punishment you have of me."

    I tried to give the best sympathetic look I could muster, "No, I realized too late that I came off too harsh. I was admittedly on edge earlier, and you did not deserve that. It is I who should apologize to you, Por. I hope that you can forgive me for my unsightly behavior." I lowered my head to show my shame. What I said was definitely the truth, considering how hasty I was to prepare Jinma''s and Noire''s arrival.

    He seemed to have gotten some energy back from the shock as he spoke in a panic, "P-Please, Your Majesty! There''s no need to lower yourself like that for the likes of me! I understand your duties as Demon King must be stressful! Your apology is enough!"

    After I quietly pulled something from my [Storage] under my desk, I raised my head back with a relieved smile. "Thank you for your understanding, Por, but I do feel I must repay you for going through the trouble. Come on over and give me your hand," I gently beckoned him to my desk.

    Slightly hesitant, Por followed my demand without resistance. Turning his palm up, I placed the object in his hand before closing his large, stout fingers.

    He checked to see what I placed in his hand before his eyes bulged, "Uh, Your Majesty? This is a half gold coin, right?"

    "You''re not mistaken," I answered.

    "This is 5,000 karos."

    I nodded, "I know. Go ahead and use that little tip however you like after your shift. I hope you will continue your service to the kingdom moving forward, Por."

    "W-With honor and pleasure, Your Majesty! Thank you very much!" Por thanked me while taking a knee.

    Happy to see he''s satisfied, I took one of the two pudding cups and spoons from the platter, "Good. Go ahead and help yourself to the other cup while you are at it."

    He jolted his head up in shock, staring at the other cup and spoon, "Y-Your Majesty, you mean you had me get two puddings because of ¡­"

    I intended to let Por have one of the puddings from the start for the trouble. The money was my apology for tripping him. I made a mental note to add a little bonus to the service staff¡¯s next pay for inconveniencing them with my selfish actions, too, cleaning after the mess my clone had made.

    "I will understand you turning it down if you do not like pudding, but it is there for the taking," I said while stirring my cup before taking the first spoonful.

    "N-No! I actually like this cafeteria''s pudding! Thank you for the meal!" Por exclaimed before graciously taking the pudding cup and spoon, not waiting to take the first bite.

    "Is it good?" I asked.

    He nodded quickly, "Very much so! Thank you very much, Your Majesty!"

    "I am glad," I said, "When you are done, have one of the nearby servants call Gloria and General Alaster here. There are important matters I must discuss with them."

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    "Mmph! A-At once, Your Majesty!" Por exclaimed before shoveling the rest of the pudding. With another "Thank you for the meal!", he set the empty cup and spoon on the platter and dashed out of my office, closing the door behind him

    "... You didn''t have to be in such a hurry. Well, it may be better to not have him away from his post longer than he already has. Ah, I should notify ''Sue'' about what happened so she''ll be ready when Jinma gets back," I said before taking another spoonful of pudding, savoring the taste.

    I then contacted my clone through my own [Telepathy] and we exchanged reports of what happened within the last couple hours. Unless I had my clone merge back into me, I can only get so much info on what happened to her through these reports. That¡¯s why the moment my clone made first contact with Jinma, I had her report her actions and what she¡¯s seen every few hours through [Telepathy]. She¡¯s currently holding 30 percent of my full power, which should be more than enough to look after and protect Jinma in case of emergencies while reporting to me regularly. I could honestly look after the kingdom at 50 percent of my power, if I wanted, but with plans for a coup on the rise, I had to be cautious for any surprises.

    After we finished our report session, I thought back to the events that led up to this point. Whenever I wasn¡¯t busy, I¡¯d try to process everything I learned and plan my clone¡¯s next course of action as soon as possible. With my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills, I could take about an hour¡¯s worth of thinking and planning time to be condensed to a couple minutes. What my clone has witnessed the last few hours, however, I had to really think this time around.

    I''ll admit, I was a little saddened that Jinma didn''t want to see me when he got here with Noire, but it may have been for the better, since I had no idea what to do if I saw him right now. I had plans that would make his arrival to the castle more memorable, even a little fun, but the drama and nerves has given me second thoughts on this. From the start, I was genuinely excited knowing Jinma was in my kingdom, but after I heard what my clone told me, I had grown quite anxious. What I learned then may have answered some concerns I had from the start of Jinma¡¯s recent castle infiltration.

    It shouldn''t be possible for Jinma to use [Telepathy] to contact me here. Moreover, he shouldn''t have been able to leave the castle without getting back to the emergency room, either.

    This was all because of the magic barrier surrounding the castle. While it did prevent intruders getting inside it, it was the same getting out of it, too, as well as blocking contact with reinforcements from the outside. The magic field does get weaker if it gets constantly bombarded with magic spells, so it could be possible to break it by brute magical force before making contact. The magic tool that keeps the field erect is supervised and resupplied with the necessary mana from the castle guard¡¯s Magic Division, though, and their magic is not to be underestimated.

    Only those who carry a special pendant like Sammy, Ramone, and myself could ignore the barrier to communicate and get in and out of the castle through magical means. There is also a magic tool Sammy designed that worked like a Messaging Crystal, but has multiple other functions. It was inspired by one of the advanced tools some Champions brought from their home called a ¡®smartphone¡¯, and Sammy designed it with the pendant¡¯s properties so we could communicate while ignoring the magic barrier¡¯s interference. Aside from her own, she¡¯s only given away a very limited number of other magic tools like this to trustworthy people, and unless they were a Champion, nobody would even figure out how it worked without instructions. I¡¯m getting a bit off track, but the point is that the methods to penetrate the castle¡¯s magic barrier are quite scarce.

    I could only think of one other way for someone like Jinma to be able to bypass that barrier without those methods, and going by what my clone reported, I was worried.

    How much does Jinma know after speaking with Goddess Obina? How much does he suspect who ¡­ or what I really am? How much longer could I even keep up this charade? Do I even want to? But the moment I do reveal the truth ¡­ will he really see and know everything about me? Like I would have of him? I know there''s more to him I don''t know because I''m hiding the truth from him, but what secrets does he have that I couldn''t see? What my ability couldn''t see ¡­ I trailed off while resting a hand on my bosom, feeling the anxious racing of my heart.

    My [Size Up] skill may have seen his status, but that and some other skills could only gather so much information, and can only do so much on their own. A vague, flimsy ability of mine is supposedly able to do all that and much more when it involves one specific person, and that was Jinma. This ability was awakened after I confirmed Jinma¡¯s identity late last night, and I¡¯ve just started learning its repercussions that are already in effect. One is that both of us must be fully aware of who and what we are as people in order for the ability to activate at peak performance, giving us a full ''connection'' of sorts. From what I''ve observed so far, though, having only me know who Jinma is could only have my ability, our ''connection'', perform at about 50 percent on my end. Evidence of that is the ''Pendant of Hidden Anonymity'' I had my clone give to him and some of his girls. My ability supposedly would bypass that item''s effects and still see his status and location, but that wasn''t the case. There were also some things I wanted to know about him that I couldn''t access out of those I did get answers to, like his favorite food, hobbies, and what books he likes to read.

    My ability supposedly gave Jinma the same capabilities should it involve me, but as long as he doesn''t know who I really am, our connection shouldn''t work for him. Despite that, he was able to reach me with his [Telepathy] and escape the castle through his [Portal] when the magic barrier should have prevented both. For the latter, I had some idea that my ability was involved with the former as I spoke to him, but I wasn¡¯t sure whether it would work. That was why I asked him to contact me should he fail to escape through [Portal] without getting back to the emergency room first, as I would open one myself to take them back to Noire¡¯s cottage. His silence after Noire left confirmed that he was able to escape the castle successfully, and that my hunch of my ability playing a part in it was onto something. Is it because I¡¯m involved that Jinma was able to penetrate it? Or, is my ability working for him in ways I''m not aware of yet? Like how I can¡¯t lie to him?

    I promised myself a long time ago that I¡¯d try to be as truthful and honest to Jinma as possible, and I¡ªor I should say my clone who shares my will and personality¡ªam genuinely trying to follow through when necessary as I speak to him. I¡¯ve learned recently after a few attempts, however, that even with my maxed out [Deception] and a few other skills and items that would fool his fully-mastered [Intuition], he can still see through my lies. I could only guess my recently awakened ability was playing a part of this somehow. So, even if I want to lie to Jinma, my ability won¡¯t let me get away with it.

    When I first saw that ability come to my attention last night, I was genuinely excited by its implications. It was like my connection with Jinma was that great to actually make an ability out of it. I¡¯ve started to learn, however, that this ability is as much of a curse as it is a blessing.

    The situation right now is already complicated as it is. If I don¡¯t do something to really mend my bond with Jinma soon, I have a feeling ¡­ that something bad is going to happen, especially if Jinma¡¯s LUCK is as bad as ¡®Sue¡¯ was making it out to be.

    *Don don don.*

    ¡°Your Majesty, it is me, Gloria. I came as soon as I received word of your summons.¡±

    From my secretary¡¯s greeting behind the door, I took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure, Well, it¡¯s a good thing I have a plan concocted for this situation. I just need to deal with these royal matters first and set everything up before I put it to action. It¡¯s a good thing I have Sammy made me supplements to prepare myself ahead of time for this moment. It¡¯s going to be a long night, but I must do everything I can now so I¡¯ll have little to worry about during my time off that I¡¯ve stocked up. I want to put everything I have into spending time and getting closer to Jinma, even if it means revealing my true self.

    I¡¯m sorry for troubling you and your harem with my selfishness, Jinma, but please be patient for a little longer. I swear, I will make it all up to you soon.

 Chapter 169: Planning a Rendezvous and Tamagoyaki

    {Jinma}

    Despite my worries, it looked like Noire was able to complete her mission and we escaped the castle with my [Portal] without issue. I took us right back into Noire¡¯s room at Palocaesy where we left off. Noire seemed quite exhausted the moment we found a chance to relax, and despite my heightened physical endurance, I was feeling the same mentally. I made sure to put up [Soundproof] in her room so we can speak in private, though. While Noire tried to get her energy back, I decided to report to Sue about our success, so I contacted her with [Telepathy].

    <Sue, it looks like we made it out of the castle okay. We were able to get Noire¡¯s message to the Demon King,> I reported.

    <Eh?!> Sue exclaimed in a fluster, she took quite a bit to answer, too, <O-Oh! That¡¯s great! Well done!>

    <Yeah, I just wanted to take this moment to let you know that and say my thanks. I do want to ask, did you ¡­ do anything to make our infiltration run as smoothly as it did?> I asked.

    <That¡¯s ¡­ classified?>

    I was a bit surprised to hear Sue respond like that. It sounded like she, herself, didn¡¯t know whether she was involved.

    <... Well, anyway, I¡¯m going to reconvene with Noire for a bit before I come back. How close is it to dinner?> I asked.

    <We¡¯re almost done, and Umeiyon prepared meals for the dungeon crawl, too. We had to pay for some of the inn¡¯s reserve ingredients since we didn¡¯t have enough, though,> she said.

    <That¡¯s fine. By any chance, do they have eggs, milk, sugar, and a fridge?>

    <Ooh! Are you going to make pudding?!> Sue exclaimed, having an idea of what I was making, <Yes, the inn¡¯s kitchen has all of that! A strainer, too!>

    I nodded lightly,

    <Will do! See you when you get back!>

    With my plans confirmed, I cut the telepathic connection and turned back to Noire, who was sitting on her coffin that was closed, ¡°So, have you regained enough strength to tell me what happened?¡±

    She nodded firmly with a relieved smile, ¡°I must admit that I was rather nervous, but it turned out very well. She said she¡¯ll get with the general and set up a plan to search Rowling¡¯s residence immediately. I should have a message sent to this cottage informing me of the updates by the time we get done with our dungeon crawl.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent news. Are there any repercussions? Like a penalty for breaching your oath?¡± I asked.

    Noire looked down wistfully, ¡°We aren¡¯t in trouble, Her Highness said she¡¯ll overlook my breaching the oath. When I asked her about my Father, though, since he seemed to have neglected his duties as a minister, he could face some kind of penalty. He may have to be confronted for his involvement in all this and prove his loyalty to Her Highness and the kingdom.¡±

    Guess it''s not easy being a noble. I''m involved with a few of them already, but I should be careful of not falling into their way of living should I decide to stop adventuring. Still, it sounds like Noire''s dad isn''t a bad guy. I want to help him out a little, if I can.

    "On the bright side, though, Her Highness expressed great interest in meeting you when I mentioned you," Noire said, lightening up a little, "She even said she''ll reserve time to meet you, and the three of us, plus Mei, could have tea together once this whole fiasco''s over. Isn''t that grand?!"

    "... Y-Yeah, definitely grand," I answered, a little anxious. I already know how much she wants to meet me, though.

    Noire didn''t seem to notice my anxiety as she stood up, took my hands and brought us to where I hugged her from behind. My arms wrapped around her waist, the weight of her soft, generous breasts rested on me comfortably. She led the swaying of our hips as if we were in a slow dance.

    Noire sighed in content, "It''s been a hectic ride, but I can almost feel Rowling''s downfall at my fingertips. Once we get him out of the picture, we can put most of our focus onto each other and go all out."

    "... You know, we could have a ''rendezvous'' here and there while going down the dungeon tomorrow," I suggested.

    Noire spun to face me before wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling us close and pressing into each other. She stared longingly at me with her amethyst eyes half-lidded. Our hips still swayed in a dance, with a throbbing bulge in my crotch pressed right onto the entrance through her dress.

    "A moment of passion while danger awaits all around us? So bold and daring. I might get a little wild from the excitement, myself," Noire cooed before growling like a cat in heat.

    "Careful, kitten, I might have to get forceful if you get too excited," I teased.

    "Nyaan," she meowed in a moaning tone, as if saying ''Then take this pussy by force'', before we got into a heated kiss.

    <Damn, she is really getting into it! It''s incredible that she''s still restraining herself!> Nyra exclaimed.

    Noire pulled back and looked into my eyes again, now with a slightly serious air, "I''ll definitely consider it when a chance arises, but we still have to be careful. Since Rowling might have some idea that we''re resisting, he could already be taking measures to take control of the situation. Her Highness said that much, too."

    "Actually, now that you mention it ¡­"

    I decided it was best that Noire knew ahead of time. I told her how I ran into Krigeran, along with my party''s sightings of the other disciples and a Werewolf Pack settling outside of town.

    "Hmm, that''s the majority of the group. Rowling must know we''re onto something if he called over that much reinforcements," Noire deduced.

    "I suspect Konjiro had something to do with relaying information to Rowling," I said, "I''m actually having his wife, Yukino, over to see if she can spill what they''re plotting."

    "Is that so? How are you planning on doing that?" Noire asked with a raised brow.

    From what I had planned, I didn''t want to hide much from Noire, if I could, but I still feel guilty for bringing it up. "Well ¡­ I was planning on seducing her, then use Nyra''s memory trick to see what she''s hiding while her guard is down," I said, "Is that ¡­ a problem for you?"

    "Ooooh, how scandalous!" she exclaimed in excitement while clapping her hands, much to my surprise, "To be fair, I had a feeling the two of them were up to no good, so anything that could run their social lives down in the mud would be both beneficial and entertaining to me."

    Damn, this woman''s brutal.

    "So, you don''t have a problem with me sleeping with someone outside my harem?" I asked.

    "Dearie, you''d be surprised how much gossip surrounding infidelity goes around among noble circles," Noire explained, "Some of that''s true, and others are blatant lies just to make the targeted person look bad. At the end of the day, they''re baseless rumors, but if it involves corrupted nobles, I''d be more than happy to watch their downfall. Having you being the cause of that is icing on the cake. I''d say unless you have ill intentions, I don''t really care who you sleep with as long as you stay cautious and give me enough attention as a female. Oh, and I''d love to hear the juicy details of when you confront Yukino."

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Huh ¡­" I was glad Noire isn''t too bothered about me seducing other women, but her reasons left me with mixed feelings.

    "Still, while it would be pleasing to see Yukino¡¯s reputation rock under the rumors of her infidelity, it would be nice if we had hard evidence of it to really nail her coffin closed," Noire said while looking to the side in thought.

    ¡°I think we should be able to get something like that,¡± I said, I could always have one of the girls use my phone to record the action right there. That ought to be damning enough evidence.

    ¡°Ooooh? Do tell,¡± Noire said, her interest clear in her tone.

    I put a finger on my lips, ¡°I¡¯ll surprise you when I report what I found afterward. Anyway, I gotta get going as dinner will be ready soon at the inn.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you tease!¡± she exclaimed before giving a light punch on my chest.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll like the way I''ll tell the tale,¡± I assured, Sophisticated as she is, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be very interested in the smartphone¡¯s functions once I show her the recording.

    <If it¡¯s anything like the video we saw in Goddess Obina¡¯s room earlier, I know I would be hyped,> Nyra commented.

    ¡°Can I at least get one last kiss before you go? It¡¯s going to be quite lonely without you here tonight,¡± Noire said before looking up at me with pleading puppy dog eyes. Their attack power on my heart was on par with Ren¡¯s, surprisingly enough.

    ¡°Well I can¡¯t turn something like that down when you ask that way.¡±

    Finally, with one last savory kiss and a promise to see her in the morning, I bid Noire off before I left the building with [Portal], hopping into an alleyway closest to one of the shops I had seen today. I dashed inside and basically cleaned out their whole stock of ceramic cups that were perfect for keeping pudding inside. I also bought a ton of disposable spoons. After that, I used [Portal] again to get back to the inn. Kalline, Tyvera, and Kenaka greeted me when I came back, reserving a few tables for us to feast on. It looked like I still had some time before dinner was ready. Perfect, if I make it quick, I should be able to get the pudding started the same time we get to eating.

    I got to the inn¡¯s kitchen and greeted the cooks, Ume, Ren, Erizora, and Sue, along with Mametama who was standing watch. I could already see a ton of food was ready to be served to the table. Off to the side was milk, egg, sugar, and the necessary kitchenware I needed to prepare pudding. I rolled up my sleeves and cast [Clean] on myself to prepare for cooking, Yosh, let¡¯s do this thing.

    I¡¯m not sure if it was the [Cooking] skill that was helping me, but I was preparing the pudding at speeds unimaginable to professional chefs. Even when I used some [Fire Magic] to help me out, making the caramel sauce took a shorter time to prepare than I expected. It only took me a couple minutes in Earth¡¯s time to prepare a bunch of pudding cups in pans of water before I put them in the oven to bake. I set a timer on my phone to let me know when they were ready to be refrigerated, keeping the difference of this world¡¯s time in mind, of course.

    Ren had told me both Ume and Sue also cooked at that same amazing speed I was doing with the pudding. It was expected of Ume with her [Legendary Housewife] ability providing it, but it seemed Sue also had her [Cooking] skill up to max level, as well, which was pretty surprising to me considering her possible identity as a royal or noble. Since meals prepared with this skill at higher levels could potentially raise stats, I imagine nobles and royalty would have personal chefs worry about the cooking. That would leave them more time to focus on training their battle prowess. So why would Sue need to learn the [Cooking] skill, much less maxing it out?

    <You think it might have something to do with you?> Nyra asked, reading my thoughts.

    <I guess ¡­ it might be possible, but the idea alone makes me uneasy,> I answered.

    Anyway, we gathered around a few tables put together when dinner was ready, with me sitting at the head of the arrangement while Ume and Sue sat on both my sides. My Familiars had their meals on the floor nearby. Dinner was served without a hitch and it was quite a feast to behold. Roasted garlic chicken, honey-glazed ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, freshly baked bread with butter, and more. It was a very western-focused theme for dinner, all except for one side that stood out from its origins that I was very familiar with.

    ¡°Tamagoyaki?¡± I asked with a raised brow. There were even small bowls of soy sauce to dip them in, too, with a bottle of said sauce put aside should anyone need more. {AN: tamagoyaki - japanese rolled egg omelette}

    ¡°Ah, Sue made those,¡± Ume said, ¡°While she helped prepare some of the other dishes today, she said wanted to focus on making those by herself.¡±

    Sue, sitting next to me, pushed her fingers together shyly, ¡°I was ¡­ a bit nervous on what to make, so I went with what I knew best. I made a bunch more to be put in the rations for tomorrow¡¯s dungeon crawl, too.¡±

    ¡°Those and the rations I prepared are stowed away in my [Storage] for the time being, but we can settle how to divide it accordingly after dinner,¡± Ume added.

    Just to make sure, I appraised the tamagoyaki with my [Street Smarts] skill and didn¡¯t find anything strange in the ingredients, nor any weird effects that may come after eating it. Looking at it at first glance, it was quite delectable, the quality in its appearance would be worthy of being in an advertisement.

    Everyone else at the table was waiting for me to start on our meal for tonight, but they all had their helpings already prepared on their plates. I¡¯m not sure if it was a custom for the party leader or harem head to have the first bite, but there was a weird pressure behind it. I was quite starved after all the excitement today, so I quickly prepared my helpings.

    ¡°Itedakimasu,¡± I said before picking up a piece of tamagoyaki first with my fork. A subtle gulp could be heard from Sue¡¯s direction.

    I decided to try the rolled omelette plain first to get a sense of its most natural flavors. The first bite rolled around in my mouth. Amazingly, it was just the right amount of sweetness that I preferred in my own tamagoyaki. It was both incredible and a little uncanny how Sue got one of my favorite foods prepared close to my preference, while at the same time managed to prepare it with her own unique spin.

    ¡°... It¡¯s good,¡± I said after thoroughly evaluating the taste.

    ¡°Really?!¡± Sue exclaimed in excitement.

    I nodded while dipping the remainder in soy sauce, ¡°Yeah, you somehow got it just the way I like it. You did good, Sue.¡± I then ate the second bite of it, now savoring the soy sauce¡¯s saltiness contrasting with the omelette¡¯s sweetness.

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m so glad ¡­¡± Sue trailed off before sniffling, her eyes welled up.

    I blinked in surprise, ¡°What are you crying for? Cut it out, or your tears will ruin your food.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sue sobbed, taking a handkerchief to dry her tears.

    <She¡¯s quite relieved and happy right now, you know? She was actually quite anxious for a while, so your approval really lifted her spirits,> Nyra informed me.

    Jeez, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be so serious over something like this, I thought while rubbing Sue¡¯s head awkwardly, trying to soothe her the best I could.

    I then noticed everyone else was watching us warmly, including Ren and Ume, which made me slightly more embarrassed, ¡°Well, what are you all sitting there for? Go ahead and eat, too, before it gets cold.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thanks for the food!¡± everyone exclaimed before they dug right in, their spirits quite brighter than when I took my first bite.

    As I was trying and savoring Ume¡¯s cooking for the first time¡ªwhich was quite delicious, I might add¡ªshe and Ren were telling me how serious Sue looked as she cooked her dish for tonight. Erizora and the others who weren¡¯t in the know of Sue¡¯s secret had also noticed how tense she was. Those in the dark had said the disguised Devil really wanted to make sure I was happy with the meal she cooked, but I wondered if that was really all that she was worried about.

    In the midst of her embarrassment, Sue took a piece of omelette from my plate with her fork, dipped it in my soy sauce, and held it up in front of me, hovering over her light lavender-colored palm to avoid any drippings. She stared at me intently with reddened cheeks. ¡°S-Say ¡­ aaaah,¡± Sue said with a quivering breath.

    How exactly is this better than being the subject of embarrassment? What is she trying to do here?

    Unperturbed, I took the rolled omelette out of her fork in my mouth. Seeing that I wasn¡¯t embarrassed by this in the slightest made it all backfire to Sue as her face reddened deeper, enough that she hid it behind her hands.

    Ume snorted, ¡°Your experience clearly showed there, Sue. You gotta do better than that to make Jin swoon. Allow me, as his head wife, to demonstrate.¡±

    My Dragon wife then took some of my green bean casserole with her own fork. She got close to me, her reptilian, cerulean eyes half-lidded. It was a more aggressive approach that really got into the target¡¯s space.

    ¡°Say ahh, honey,¡± she cooed in a tone sweet as honey.

    I dumbly complied and she moved the fork into my mouth. Somehow, it tasted even better than when I ate it, myself.

    ¡°Is it good?¡± Ume asked. The confidence in her eyes showed more that she wanted me to admit its taste than to seek my approval.

    I swallowed before answering, ¡°V-Very. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how clumsy of me, I made a mess on your lip. Let me clean that up for you,¡± Ume said before coming in and closed her lips over my own. She took her time ¡®cleaning¡¯ the food mess on my mouth, even brushing her reptilian tongue over a few places, before finally pulling back with a peck.

    With tinted cheeks, Ume licked her lips with her eyes closed, recalling the lingering taste, ¡°Mmh ¡­ delicious.¡±

    ¡°Whoa ¡­¡± Tyvera trailed off, watching the sight with amazed eyes. The others at our table had their jaws gaped enough to fall to the floor. Sue was frozen stiff at the sight.

    ¡°As expected of Master¡¯s wife, she¡¯s a force to be reckoned with as a female,¡± Ren said in admiration.

    No shit, and a female Dragon with the Legendary Housewife ability, at that. Did she get a skill that makes this so natural to her? I only thought this because it was the first time Ume¡¯s ever done this to me. Also, she gains EXP for spoiling her husband.

    From the lovey-dovey stuff I was sharing with Noire earlier, I was worried about not giving Ume enough attention of that sort, but I may not need to worry about that anymore. Hell, she may spoil me more later tonight.

 Chapter 170: The Cyclist and Her First Pudding

    Since we now know some potential enemies may be lurking in the city, I did a quick check around the inn with my [Intuitive Mapping] and [Size Up] skills. I didn¡¯t find anyone staying with us that would be concerning, so unless someone comes and checks in later, we should be safe here for the night. Still, as a Japanese man, it pains me to skip out on a bath, more so a mixed bath with my party, but I couldn¡¯t risk us possibly walking into an ambush by the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples. I explained that much to my party and they agreed, so when we finished dinner, I cast [Clean] on all of us to avoid going to the public bath for tonight.

    By that point, the pudding I was making was ready to be refrigerated. I took what was in the oven and put them in the kitchen''s shared fridge, of which I asked permission to use beforehand. On Earth, it would take a few hours before they''re ready to eat, but it would take about half of that time here in Raiza. I made quite a bit, so after I shared some with my party, I''ll store the rest in my [Storage] where they won''t spoil. Gotta love the magic in this world.

    Our party came up with plans and countermeasures for the dungeon crawl a bit before it derailed into casual chatter. The pudding was done before I realized how much time had passed, and just as I was about to get up to get them, three recognizable figures came into the inn.

    ¡°Oh, Kisaki, Roll, and Julius, you all just came back from somewhere?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The baths, actually, though we didn¡¯t really get a chance to bathe,¡± Julius, an adventurer¡¯s guild master from a city in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory, answered for the three of them, ¡°We ran into each other when we got there, but when we stepped inside, the atmosphere was rather ¡­ heavy, especially when some of the Demons inside glared so coldly at us. Even though there were baths catered to Humans that are separated by gender, we got the sense that we weren¡¯t welcome there. Then again, there were more Demons in this city acting hostile toward me than usual today. Is that the same for you, Kisaki?¡±

    Kisaki, still in her motorcycle one-piece leather suit and red helmet, nodded in agreement. The enchanted chains around her torso rattled subtly, like they were ready to fight back the moment they saw the sign of assault. The mysterious girl even patted those same chains to calm it down, as if it was a pet. That has to be the cheat blessing she chose when she arrived here, if she was a Champion, of course.

    "Yeah, I had almost gotten into a fight with the Devil from yesterday earlier too," I said, "We also got word that some dangerous Demons are lurking about in this city, so I''d be careful going out if I were you." I didn''t think Kisaki or Julius would be weak, but I figured it would be best to warn them.

    "I was considering whether to cut my time in Palocaesy short and I think you just gave me that answer, Jinma. My Transportation Crystal is charged, so I can hop back to Bomira at any time. Kisaki, you and your party are welcome to join me, free of charge.¡±

    Kisaki shook her head and whispered something to Roll.

    "Mistress said we still have some business in Palocaesy before moving on, but thank you for the offer, Mr. Julius," Roll answered before bowing her head.

    "Very well," Julius said before reaching into his flashy jacket pocket and pulling out a few cards, handing one to each of us, "If either of you ever stop by Bomira, use these cards at my guild''s front desk to reach me. I''d love to hear about your adventures."

    "We''ll keep it in mind," I said for both of us as we took the cards, "Oh, but stick around for a bit, I got a treat to share with you all."

    "A treat?" Julius asked while blinking in surprise.

    I then went into the kitchen and took out the chilled pudding cups, arranging the numbers I was giving out and those I would put away in my [Storage]. With the cups and disposable spoons on a tray, I carried it all out to the dining hall. Rounds of awe sounded in my group. Everyone helped themselves to a cup and spoon and eagerly took their first bite.

    "Mmmm! Thish sho good!" Kalline exclaimed, forgetting her manners briefly. Even her horse ears flopped with glee.

    "So delicious ¡­ my troubles are melting like the pudding in my mouth," Ren added, her tail wagging erratically.

    "Mr. Jinma made this, right?! Mistress, you have to try this!" Roll urged, but Kisaki shook her head before whispering in the cute Orc''s ear, "Mistress said she''ll have it later, but asks if Mr. Jinma has two more to give to our new party recruits."

    "Really? My congrats, then. Go ahead and give these to them and send my regards," I said, taking out two more pudding cups and spoons from my [Storage]. Kisaki nodded in thanks and put them away in the Magic Item Bag on Roll''s back.

    "Mm, handsome and a good cook? Jinma, your appeal is just getting higher and higher in my book," Julius said.

    "Don''t even think about it, I''m not interested."

    "Saying that and giving such a smile afterward, how cold!" Julius exclaimed at my blunt rejection.

    It didn¡¯t take long for all of us to finish our cups, so after Julius gathered his things and checked out of the inn, we bid him off as he went back to the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory through his Transportation Crystal. It functioned similarly to my [Portal] Null Spell, so I wondered if there were other items that seemed to play off some of the existing Null Spells in this world.

    After Julius left, Kisaki wanted to speak with me alone. I didn¡¯t know what was up, but I was curious how she¡¯d communicate with me when Roll wasn''t nearby. I had Ume and my Familiars watch after Sue before I followed Kisaki to the inn¡¯s backyard. The sky was turning violet, and the sun was slowly disappearing into the horizon. Just to make sure, I cast [Soundproof] to keep our talk discreet.

    ¡°So, Kisaki, will I actually get to hear what your voice is like?¡± I asked jokingly.

    Kisaki responded by pulling a smartphone from a pocket in her motorcycle suit and rapidly tapped something on the screen that my eyes couldn¡¯t follow. She then showed me the screen.

    ¡°Nah, I figured you can settle for me speaking like this.£¨¡ð©b¦Å£Þ¡ð£©¡±

    That was Kisaki¡¯s message on the screen, in Japanese, I might add.

    ¡°So, you really are a Champion, and a fellow Japanese, even,¡± I said.

    Kisaki typed her next message on her smartphone, ¡°Sorry for making this difficult for you. I have complicated reasons for keeping my voice and face hidden. m( _ _; m) ¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve been running into a lot of people with secrets like this lately,¡± I answered while waving a hand, ¡°Though it¡¯s a little suspicious, you don¡¯t seem to be a threat, so I figured it might be safe to hear you out, or ¡®read¡¯ you out, technically speaking.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I just wanted to see how you¡¯re doing. You seem to be tense when I saw you earlier this morning, almost like this, (©¿?§¥?)©¿áê©ß©¥©ß¡± Kisaki said.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°... Yeah, it was an emotional morning, that¡¯s for sure, and it got hectic after that,¡± I said, ¡°There might even be more stuff going on tonight, and I have an important quest to do in the dungeon tomorrow, one that seems to be garnering a lot of unwanted attention.¡±

    ¡°Does it have to do with the dangerous Demons you were mentioning earlier?¡± Kisaki asked.

    I nodded in confirmation, ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re mainly coming after me, but their group in general doesn¡¯t take kindly to Humans, so if you¡¯re planning on taking the dungeon tomorrow, I¡¯d take precaution.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the concern, but you don¡¯t need to worry about me. Are you still enjoying this new world, despite the current circumstances?¡± Kisaki asked, her helmet tilting to the side a little.

    ¡°... Well, if we¡¯re ignoring all the serious stuff, I¡¯d say I¡¯m having a blast,¡± I answered.

    ¡°I bet you those girls you¡¯re always with have something to do with it, right? ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t really deny that. As a Japanese person, do you have any problems with me having multiple partners?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Weeeell, if the way I¡¯m talking to you now doesn¡¯t say enough, I¡¯m not your typical Japanese girl, ?(???????)??¡± Kisaki answered, making brief pauses in between sentences to write more in her smartphone, ¡°Putting that aside, all I can say is don¡¯t let everything from your past life control what¡¯s right or wrong here. This isn¡¯t Japan, so you should make the most of what you can do now while you can. I¡¯d still keep your morals in check, though, cause I¡¯m sure those have something to do with how you got with all those girls, right?¡±

    I nodded in understanding, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I really do want to keep them around as much as I can, and I want to give them the best I can offer, especially my wife.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t run yourself ragged, though, or you¡¯ll leave them worried! Even with our cheats, there¡¯s only so much we Champions can do on our own. You seem to have gone through a lot, so try and take a break after your quest, okay?¡± she asked.

    Strange, even though it¡¯s through text, I can still somehow feel the comforting warmth behind those words. Heck, despite how suspicious Kisaki looks on the surface, I feel a little safer in her presence. Wonder why that is?

    After that brief thought, I nodded to Kisaki¡¯s suggestion, ¡°Yeah, that might sound good. I think there¡¯s still some stuff following the quest that we¡¯d have to deal with, but I¡¯ll try to find time in between for some R and R.¡±

    ¡°Good! Want to exchange LINEs and keep in touch?¡± Kisaki asked.

    ¡°That really works here?¡± I asked in amazement.

    I took out my smartphone and we exchanged contacts. After a quick test, I really can still use LINE and message Kisaki through it. Phone calls must also work between devices, too, and with the service on my phone at full bars, it doesn¡¯t look like we¡¯ll have any problems with connections. Out of curiosity, I tried checking for wi-fi, but there weren¡¯t any routers or some sort nearby that could provide it. Seriously, just where am I getting that service?

    ¡°If you ever need to talk about something, hit me up. I can spare some time to chat,¡± Kisaki said through the chat room in our LINE apps.

    I nodded in understanding, ¡°I¡¯ll take you up in that. Thanks, Kisaki.¡±

    ¡°Anytime, kiddo. I¡¯m gonna go try that pudding of yours before we freshen up and rest. Don¡¯t stay up too late and best of luck to your quest tomorrow! (¡î^O^¡î)¡± I read in LINE before my hair suddenly got rustled. For the record, Kisaki was shorter than me, so she had to reach up to mess with my head before making her way back inside.

    ¡°Y-Yeah, thanks,¡± I answered, caught off-guard by her gesture as I watched her form walk inside.

    Alone in the backyard, I discontinued the [Soundproof] spell, but then focused my mind to Nyra, <That was ¡­ weird. Nyra, did you sense anything from Kisaki in our talk?>

    <Okay, so I¡¯ve come across many females in the time of my curse, right? Mainly Humans, young and old, clothed and stripped, and I¡¯ve seen many of them in the memories of my previous hosts,> Nyra explained, of which I nodded in understanding, <Kisaki, I¡¯m positive from her body alone that she¡¯s younger than you, at least by a few years. But her feelings in that exchange? They were mostly of endearment, resembling those of a woman with experience, and there were also some weird pangs of restraint in her. Holding herself back from what, I don¡¯t have the slightest clue.>

    <So, despite how young she may appear, Kisaki might be more mature and experienced than you thought?> I asked in summary.

    <Correct.>

    <Well, considering how she called me ¡®kiddo¡¯ before leaving, her age certainly came into question,> I said, <There is a thing in the shop of our bracelets called ¡®Divine Makeover¡¯ that could change your appearance permanently. Maybe Kisaki used it to make herself look younger? But then why would she need the motorcycle outfit to hide her identity?>

    I did think how Kisaki was using those emojis at the end of nearly every message was a bit much for someone with a mature air like her. Back in Japan, Komi, through some god-like feminine powers, would somehow paste more emojis in longer passages while responding unnaturally fast whenever we messaged each other through LINE. Now that I think about it, Aneki was also like that on occasions when we caught up on each other¡¯s current states of life back in the day. At that point, I thought gyarus were kind of amazing, no matter how old they seem to get. Could Kisaki also have been like that back in Japan?

    ~~

    {Kisaki}

    After I regrouped with Roll, we bid the rest of Jinma¡¯s party, Twilight Sky, a good night before heading back up to our room. There, my Familiars, Ikari and Kandaiko, waited for us to give their reports. Unlike last night when they only had tank tops and panties on, they were currently wearing some fantasy-esque clothes from the ribbons Obina gave me. Jinma¡¯s Familiars should have clothes of similar fashions once they transform.

    Before my Familiars gave their reports, we took a moment to have the pudding Jinma gave us, and the taste made me speechless the moment the first spoonful touched my tongue.

    ¡°Mistress? I get that it¡¯s delicious, but is it really enough for you to break into tears?¡± Roll asked with great surprise.

    I sniffled and rubbed the tears out of my face frustratingly, ¡°Seriously? This is the second time food has made me cry since coming here as a Champion.¡± Compared to when I tasted food for the first time in this world, though, this ¡®first¡¯ for me was in a different context. I wondered if my friends back home would blame me for being like this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really see what the big deal is. I don¡¯t even like sweets ¡­ ah, it¡¯s gone already?¡± Ikari asked.

    ¡°You sure you do not mean having good sweets before tasting Sir Jinma¡¯s, Ikari?¡± Kandaiko asked, ¡°You pretty much inhaled the whole cup after taking your first bite.¡±

    ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that at all! Since you haven¡¯t finished yours yet, though, by your logic, you don¡¯t like it either, don¡¯t you?¡± Ikari asked.

    ¡°Unlike you, I am taking the time to savor the taste, but I do admit the temptation to speed it up is difficult to resist. And no, you are not having the rest of mine,¡± Kandaiko said before moving herself away from Ikari¡¯s reach.

    For the Duchess of Generosity to refuse sharing her pudding, I can¡¯t imagine how the others from the Generosity Faction in the Holy Realm would react after seeing her. Then again, Kandaiko wasn¡¯t the Queen of Generosity like her leader, but that would then beg the question of how the actual queen would react if she were in her place.

    ¡°Anyway, I do hope I could meet Sir Jinma soon so I could repay him, somehow. One of my feathers could not even begin to measure the deliciousness of his pudding. Thank you for the meal,¡± Kandaiko said while setting the finished cup down and putting her hands together in prayer. The look in Ikari¡¯s eyes upon seeing that empty cup was pitiable.

    Trying to resist the urge to cry again, I continued eating my own pudding cup, ¡°Let¡¯s get to your reports now. Ikari?¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? Ah, right,¡± Ikari stuttered before clearing her throat, ¡°It¡¯s as you said, Anego, there are numerous Demons led by the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples who were eager to fight the ¡®Human that Lord Rowling wants erased¡¯. There seems to be a plan of separating Jinma¡¯s party in the dungeon before they overwhelm them in numbers.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and the White Werewolf Pack that was camping outside Palocaesy¡¯s walls are making a move,¡± Kandaiko added, ¡°Though they are divided into smaller parties, they are going into the dungeon despite how late it is getting here.¡±

    ¡°And despite those numbers, we¡¯re not going to interfere to help Mr. Jinma, right? Until he needs us?¡± Roll asked.

    I nodded, setting my finished pudding cup to the side, ¡°Right. We¡¯re going to wait and watch how they¡¯ll set themselves up in the dungeon. Once we know at least half of them are inside, we¡¯ll head in as well and get a scope of what¡¯s going on. Should Jinma¡¯s party fall into the trap that separates them, we¡¯ll make our move accordingly then.¡±

    I¡¯m slightly annoyed that Klash, the Devil I¡¯ve exchanged blows with multiple times, has been persistent in trying to beat me the last couple days. Still, I don¡¯t take lives when I get enough satisfaction out of humiliating them in front of their peers, and that¡¯s me holding myself back. Even though he¡¯s getting dragged into this by his brother, Blaine, he¡¯s taking part in something that puts Jinma¡¯s life on the line. It would be a different story if this took place in Japan, but there was no way I¡¯m holding myself back this time in the new world.

    No matter who or what they are, no matter their circumstances, for making the stupid choice of targeting my Jinma, I¡¯ll give no mercy in leading them to their deaths.

 Chapter 171: The â€˜Special Guestâ€™ Arrives

    {Jinma}

    With everyone served pudding, their stomachs satisfied, and freshened up with my [Clean] spell, there wasn''t much else to do than to talk and go over the plans for the dungeon once more. At one point, I got with Sue in private and appointed her to be our little ¡®cameraman¡¯ in secret. If our ¡®special guest¡¯ actually comes tonight, Sue will record everything we¡¯ll see that can be served both as evidence for the coup against the Demon King, as well as blackmail should our guest try anything funny afterward. Since I wasn¡¯t planning on having Sue join in the adult fun, especially with the complications of her true identity to consider, I figured I might as well have her do something worthwhile. Sue didn¡¯t look all that pleased with the job she took, but that¡¯s what she gets for being so secretive behind our backs. I showed Sue how to operate the camera feature on my smartphone to record tonight''s events and she had surprisingly no issue of using it, even getting to the app itself. When I felt she got the gist of what to do, I decided to lend my smartphone to her for the time being so she could take it out in secret while everyone¡¯s occupied with the action.

    While we were talking in private, I also mentioned how I was going to appoint my Familiars to keep watch throughout the night. I would assign Kenaka to check in on Mametama and I through [Telepathy] at certain intervals and respond accordingly if we don¡¯t answer. Even after we let him know when we¡¯re close to getting to sleep, he and Mametama will take shifts on watching over the room throughout the night. They¡¯ll keep an eye on things should Sue decide to wake up and sneak off to do something suspicious again. Nyra would also be on watch this time around too. She was previously searching through my memories for the cause of my comatose state as a kid, but making sure nothing strange was going on tonight was more important.

    I told Sue these measures of surveillance I had planned ahead of time to show that I¡¯ve not let my guard down towards her, and to maintain the so-called ¡®trust¡¯ she had in me to not deceive her by doing this in secret. The disguised Devil clone then asked a few questions like what if she needed to use the toilet or step outside for some air while we were sleeping, of which she¡¯d wake me up so I could escort her. Sure, I could have one of my Familiars escort her in my place, and I don¡¯t doubt their strength. Heck, now that they acquired Demon Forms to change into at any time after ingesting enough Special Medals, they had to be as strong as a bronze-rank adventurer, at the least. Despite that, I was the one who allowed Sue to join our journey from the start with the intention of taking responsibility over her. The circumstances may have drastically changed, but my intention still stands.

    Once all her questions were answered, Sue didn¡¯t have any argument for this arrangement and agreed to the terms. ¡°I do have one thing I want to ask,¡± Sue said, ¡°I get not being a part of the action this time, but will I get something as a reward for recording our evidence?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking for a reward in your position? What would you even want?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°It¡¯s not much to ask, I don¡¯t think,¡± Sue said before blushing and averting her gaze, pushing her fingers together, ¡°I want you ¡­ to hold me, while we sleep.¡±

    ¡°... What, like cuddling? That¡¯s it?¡±

    Sue nodded, ¡°You can feel up my body at your leisure, I don¡¯t care where your dick pokes me, either. Unless there¡¯s some emergency, I swear that I won¡¯t do anything to you or the others during that time. I¡¯ll of course go anywhere with you should you need to step out, even if you have to wake me up while doing so. I just want to be in your arms while we sleep. That¡¯s all.¡±

    I thought about it briefly and weighed the pros and cons, <What do you think, Nyra?>

    <Her request was weird, but her intentions seemed sincere,> Nyra said, <Despite her suspicious background, it¡¯s surprising that she¡¯d ask for something that happens between mates. Even now, her anxiety is rising steadily the more we talk.>

    <Do you think it¡¯s safe to follow-through on her request?> I asked.

    <Hey, I¡¯d do more than ¡®feel her up¡¯ in exchange for messing with my memories, but as much as I want to get a hold of that supple body of hers, I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s doing it. Other than blue-balling yourself should you refuse, I don¡¯t see any danger of taking either option. I¡¯m good with whatever you decide,> Nyra concluded.

    I thought about it some more, even relaying the situation to Ume to get her own opinion. Of course, she refused to give up her spot for post-coital cuddles¡ªa ¡®head wife¡¯s privilege¡¯, she called it¡ªbut she had no issue with Sue taking the other side. With that permission and some bias from my male side, I came to a decision with a sigh.

    ¡°Fine, do what you want,¡± I said.

    Sue¡¯s wings and tail moved erratically with joy, her eyes glistening, ¡°Can I take that answer as permission to get naked while you hold me?¡±

    I raised a brow.

    ¡°I liked the physical contact we had from last night, okay?! It was my first time sleeping on the same bed with a male, too, and I prefer to sleep naked, and it just felt that good! Geeze, what are you making me say here?!¡± Sue exclaimed before lightly punching my abdomen in embarrassment.

    Honestly, I¡¯d be a bit more comfortable if she was clothed. Now that I¡¯m considering the possibility that I¡¯d be sleeping with the Demon King, I¡¯m worried about the backlash from sleeping with royalty without clothes. That was just a scandal ripe for the pickings. On the other hand, my sadistic side was tingling seeing the sight of Sue being embarrassed like this. I wanted to pay her back with all the complications she was putting me through, and I just came up with the most twisted way to do it.

    ¡°Tell you what, Sue,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you sleep with me naked tonight, as well as every night after that.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡± she exclaimed in excitement.

    ¡°BUT!¡± I interrupted with a finger up, ¡°You have to do something for me in exchange.¡±

    ¡°For a chance like that, I¡¯ll do anything!¡±

    Oh, you have no idea of the terror you¡¯re about to experience after saying those words.

    I used my [Darkness Manipulation] skill to conjure a pair of black cat paw-shaped gloves and a matching cat ears headpiece before practically shoving them to Sue, ¡°All you have to do is put on these cat gloves and ears, raise your hands like this, and repeat the following: ¡®Onii-chan, my sweet, handsome, and strong big brother, please let this weak and vul-nya-ble little sister sleep with mew tonight, nyan.¡¯¡± I made sure I said those lines in the girliest, cat-like, moe way possible.

    Sue¡¯s entire body stiffened, eyes bulging with their irises shrinking to pinpricks. I could have sworn I heard the sound of glass cracking in the background.

    <Wow ¡­ I didn¡¯t think Sue would even get this shocked, or ever see you do something like that. Please ¡­ don¡¯t ever do that again,> Nyra pleaded.

    I had no ulterior motives for her to get so cringey like this, aside from seeing her squirm. Whether she¡¯d sleep with me naked wasn¡¯t even on my mind. Where I even got the idea was a King¡¯s Game I participated in with Aneki and her friends way back in my primary school days. I was unfortunately subjected to humiliating stuff a few times, but so did Aneki, one of which spoke like a cat throughout the majority of the game. The ¡®big brother¡¯ bit I thought would be funny for Sue to say with our height differences and ages put into consideration.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°You can turn it down, but that means you¡¯ll have to sleep with me with clothes on and maybe not have as much chances to cuddle like you ¡­ wanted?¡± I said as I saw her shakily put on the cat ears and gloves.

    With a flushed face and trembling form, she did the pose and opened her mouth, ¡°O ¡­ O-Oniii-chaaan, my sweet ¡­ handsome ¡­ a-and strong big brother, p-please let th-this ¡­ weak, and vul-nya-ble little sister sleep with mew tonight ¡­ nyaaaan.¡±

    The world stood still in silence, the tension in the air hard enough that only a sword could cut. The disguised Devil clone had no idea what face she was making as she got teary-eyed while I stared at her in amazement. Not handling the embarrassment any longer, Sue got on the floor in a fetal position, covering her face with the cat paw gloves.

    <... Nyra, please tell me you got all that,> I pleaded.

    <You¡¯re truly a despicable creature, Jinma Kotori and I love it! I¡¯ve made sure the memory of that surprisingly adorable performance is crisp and clear for many many viewings in the future!> Nyra exclaimed.

    <You¡¯re a lifesaver, Nyra,> I said while giving a mental thumbs up, Oh, that was a lot more beautiful and satisfying than I imagined it would be. I should have conjured a black maid outfit with my [Darkness Manipulation]. It would have been perfect by then.

    I wished I could record it all on my smartphone, but if Sue was that quick to learn how to work the camera feature, I was worried she¡¯d figure out how to delete the video. I¡¯ll have to find a way to save some memories of mine into my phone for later.

    Once Sue had calmed down and I dissipated the cat-themed accessories, I confirmed my promise of her sleeping with me naked every night from now on. She couldn¡¯t look up at me the whole time. My ¡®S¡¯ side was satisfied seeing her suffer, so I consoled her with head pats before we regrouped with the others. I informed them about my Familiars performing surveillance overnight, under the guise that the disciples or our ¡®mysterious memory manipulator¡¯ would appear, they were all for the plan. With that arrangement done, we continued waiting for our ¡®special¡¯ guest until it got dark. We needed to get some rest for tomorrow, so we split off to our assigned rooms for tonight. I was sleeping with Ume, Ren, Sue, and Tyvera in my room with Mametama starting the watch. Erizora, Kalline, and Kenaka were sleeping together in another room.

    The girls I¡¯m sleeping with asked me to wait outside first so they could change into nightwear, so I went to the toilet to do some business first.

    <So, our guest of honor hasn''t shown up. What happens now?> Nyra asked.

    <Well ¡­ do you think you can pull someone''s memories without waking them up?> I asked back.

    <Should be no trouble, but you have your [Slothful Slumber] spell if something happens, right?>

    I nodded, <I guess if I use my [Intuitive Mapping] and [Size-Up] skills and looked over the entire city, I could search for Yukino¡¯s location and make sure Konjiro''s not nearby first. Then, I could sneak over there real quick, get whatever info I need, and come back before I relax with the girls. It may not be the kind of hard evidence Sue and the Demon King needs to overthrow the coup, but whatever we get is better than nothing, right?>

    <I guess so. So you¡¯re not planning on doing anything to Yukino in her sleep?> Nyra asked.

    <Hell no. She may be a pompous bitch, but I¡¯m not gonna stoop myself to such a level where I do her without proper consent. Do you even have a kink for that?>

    <Considering all that I¡¯ve done with other people¡¯s bodies through possession, I guess I gained some taste in those acts from my time through the curse. Still, even us Pixies back in the day liked to keep things safe, so I get where you¡¯re coming from and I won¡¯t bug you anymore on unconsensual sex,> Nyra answered.

    I sighed in relief, glad to hear Nyra¡¯s values in ethics and morals have some semblance from my own.

    <That said, should I get my body back, you get horny late one night and find me sleeping, you have my full consent to play with my body and fuck me in my sleep,> Nyra continued, <No matter whether I wake up in the middle of it or sleep through the whole thing, just the thought of you doing it to me in my most vulnerable state has gotten me turned on.>

    I recalled Nyra¡¯s Arch Imp form I saw earlier today, imagining her sleeping form in such a setting, and me violating her body, <... Fuck, now you got me turned on. Let¡¯s just get Yukino¡¯s memories quickly and get to bedding the girls tonight.>

    <Sounds like a plan, stud.>

    I activated my [Intuitive Mapping] and [Size-Up] skills to search through the three-dimensional map of Palocaesy for the Kitsune-Girl. Much to my surprise, I didn¡¯t need to look very far from where I was standing.

    <No way ¡­ Yukino¡¯s coming to the inn?> I asked.

    <Iiiinteresting. Very interesting, indeed,> Nyra said melodically.

    <She certainly took her sweet time getting here, though maybe she waited until it was dark so she could sneak through the night unnoticed? This is having an affair behind her husband¡¯s back, after all, even if she was doing it to exploit my weaknesses,> I reasoned.

    <It¡¯s certainly possible. Let¡¯s wait until she gets to the lobby searching for you, we don¡¯t want you making out to be expecting her. We should have Mametama inform the others of her arrival, though, and don¡¯t forget to activate your [Demon Pheromones] skill,> Nyra said.

    <Good idea.>

    While we watched Yukino¡¯s movements, I contacted Mametama through [Telepathy] and informed her of our guest approaching. She said she¡¯ll ask the other girls to act naturally and that they are ready for us to enter at any time.

    Once we deduced the Kitsune was looking for us in the library, I made sure my appearance was presentable and my [Demon Pheromones] skill was activated before I stepped out of the toilet. I acted like I was surprised when I saw her in the same shrine maiden robe and hakama she was wearing earlier, ¡°Yukino! What a pleasant surprise to see you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± she hushed after rushing up to me and blocked my mouth with her beastly hand, ¡°Quiet! Don¡¯t just blurt that out all of a sudden! I¡¯m not even supposed to be here!¡±

    I moved her hand away before whispering, ¡°Did you tell Konjiro where you were going?¡±

    ¡°I left him a note that I¡¯d be drinking at a friend¡¯s place and I made sure that same friend would vouch for me. This is already risky enough for me as it is!¡± Yukino whispered back.

    ¡°But you could be learning something important about us that Konjiro would like to know, up close and personal. Wouldn¡¯t he understand that much?¡± I asked.

    ¡°In the Kitsune Clan, a spouse of a Tenko has never slept with anyone else outside their marriage, especially without permission! Me and Konjiro could become a disgrace in our clan if anyone caught word of this, so you and your party better not tell anyone I was here!¡± she exclaimed quietly.

    ¡°But you aren¡¯t sleeping with us, are you? You¡¯ll just be observing how we make love and give pointers to Ume and I in our marriage. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, is there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°O-Of course, I know I won¡¯t be sleeping with a Demongenerate like you, but it¡¯s the misunderstandings that could arise from this that I¡¯m worried about! No matter what the specifics are, you will not mention any of this to anyone, got it?!¡± Yukino hissed.

    <Man, there is no ounce of that cold and collected bitch we saw earlier,> Nyra said, <She¡¯s clearly anxious about whether she should be doing this, but there¡¯s a hint of excitement underneath it all. If only we could lower her guard further and draw that excitement out.>

    <Why do you think I added wine to the list of ¡®essentials¡¯ I gave to Kalline earlier before we splitted off?> I asked.

    <Ohohohohooo, Jinma, you conniving dog, you,> Nyra teased.

    Among the list of items I had Kalline¡¯s group get while mine questioned Sue¡¯s motives earlier, there were three bottles of wine and a number of wine glasses. I emphasized one of those bottles to have a high enough alcohol content for one to get a buzz after a few sips. Kalline had a surprising knack for alcohol as her uncle, Eugus, was an experienced drinker, and she noted a number of wines and spirits that seemed to fit what I was looking for. From her recommendation, we got a bottle of red wine called the ¡®Devil¡¯s Advocate¡¯. It was on the pricier side among what was bought, but it wasn¡¯t much to cover thanks to Ume¡¯s grossly exorbitant finances. The bottle and glasses should be in the Magic Item Bag in my room.

    I normally wouldn¡¯t resort to using alcohol to take advantage of a woman. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t even think of going that far before I started working for Heaven¡¯s Cerberus back on Earth. It was really thanks to Kazumi¡¯s ¡®teachings¡¯ in the ¡®Art of Seduction¡¯ that the idea to numb Yukino¡¯s judgment came to me. Aside from cases like Yukino¡¯s, I seriously hope I don¡¯t need to use this to snag a woman I genuinely want to take for myself in the future.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t say a thing of this to anyone, you have my word,¡± I said to Yukino¡¯s confrontation, putting my [Deception] skill at full power, ¡°I even got some wine for us to enjoy for the occasion, so you can sit back and watch us work while having a drink or two.¡±

    Yukino snorted, ¡°Well, I suppose the sight of your ¡®lovemaking¡¯ will be more tolerable with some fluids in my system. I commend your thoughtfulness to the situation here.¡±

    ¡°I aim to please,¡± I said, Let''s just see how long you can keep that persona up, and I may not say anything about what will happen tonight, but Sue will certainly record it with my smartphone to show to the higher-ups later.

    With that, I directed Yukino to my room and I gave the door a few knocks, ¡°It¡¯s me, and our ¡®special guest¡¯ has arrived. You girls ready?¡±

    ¡°Come iiin,¡± Ume sang from behind the door.

    I opened it and I was shocked at what I saw after we stepped in.

 Chapter 172: Greeting Lovers and Drinking Wine

    If I recall, Lili, the Arachne tailoress I acquainted with early-on, gave the girls lingerie before we left for Palocaesy. Last night, I got to see her designs on Erizora and Kalline. Tonight, I was seeing the rest of her line-up.

    Starting from the front was my wife who greeted us at the door. Ume had an elegant smile on her face as she wore a transparent white chemise that stretched down to her upper thighs. The transparency made her generous breasts and their nipples very prevalent. Brilliant sapphire scales shone wherever the nightwear didn''t cover, her cerulean hair was brushed and fell neatly behind her shoulders. The biggest surprise was the white thong that was tied to her waist, but the fabric was so small that it barely covered her privates.

    "Hello, Jin. What do you think of my new lingerie?" Ume asked elegantly before she spun in place, giving me a brief look of her back.

    I held her by the waist, her longingly half-lidded gaze locked on mine. "You look stunning, honey," I said before I pulled us together and locked ourselves into a passionate kiss, Ume wrapped her arms over my shoulders.

    I pulled away after a couple seconds, "I have to say, though, seeing you in underwear for a change is quite a surprise."

    Ume found panties uncomfortable to wear, so while boldly wearing the uniquely-designed cheongsam with much exposure during the day, she went around in full commando.

    "Lili left a note in my bag saying she insisted that I wear it with the nightwear, at the least," Ume explained while lifting the skirt and tugging the strap to her thong, "If it''s this small, wearing it actually wasn''t too bad. I almost didn''t notice wearing it at all.

    So she''s okay with the more dangerous designs, huh? That''s surprising.

    <I might be in the same boat since I didn''t usually wear panties in my time, but damn, I could never get used to this beauty,> Nyra commented.

    "Master ¡­"

    Ren''s voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned to her, viewing her new white lingerie. I think this was called a babydoll back in my world, the set stretched just far enough down to reach her hips. While there were pads to the cups of her chest area, making her breasts a little bigger in the process, the center of her skirt was cut out, exposing her lithe stomach and g-string digging into her slit. Moving to the back, the skirt was just short enough to expose the bottom half off her derriere, but with her fluffy white wolf tail stretching down, it barely teased the viewer. You¡¯d only need to put Ren in a good mood to get her tail wagging, though, exposing her ass in the process. Speaking of wolf parts, the white babydoll matched her white hair quite beautifully. The fur of her beastly limbs were cleaned and brushed to give a classier look to her nightwear, and with the hair on her head groomed with the same amount of care, she gave off a dignified air worthy of praise. Even the way she stood at attention left the message, ¡°I¡¯m ready to serve my master¡¯s every need¡±. The collar she got from our visit to Obina¡¯s room today emphasized her servitude to me even more.

    ¡°Ren, that looks amazing on you. Do you like how it feels wearing it?¡± I asked her, lowering myself to her eye level.

    She nodded, ¡°Yes, Master, it gives me a fair amount of free space to move in various ways.¡±

    ¡°I must ask, though, is the stomach exposure intentional for this design?¡±

    Ren¡¯s cheeks reddened, ¡°If I may speak frankly, when Ms. Lili asked for preferences in our lingerie, I requested to leave my stomach exposed, as much as possible. I ¡­ like having you rubbing it, Master.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked before putting my [Petting] skill to use rubbing Ren¡¯s exposed belly in a sensual, yet teasing manner. Her wolf tail, ears, and all her hairs stood up on end as she trembled in delight, ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot for me today, Ren, and I appreciate your work. We¡¯ll have to make sure you get tons of belly rubs tonight, won¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Master ¡­¡± Ren moaned longingly before I planted my lips on hers. With a sensual sigh through her nose, she submitted herself to me by wrapping her arms around my head while our kiss escalated. I rubbed her exposed stomach some more as our tongues started a passionate wrestle.

    Once I felt I shared enough with Ren for now, I pulled back to see her face flushed and tongue slightly lolled out. Her wolf tail wagged erratically.

    ¡°I will do my best to please you tonight, Master,¡± Ren said, ¡°Tyvera will also do her part, as well. Is that not right?¡±

    Upon that question, my Werewolf slave and I turned to our next lover for the evening, Tyvera the Harpy, our latest slave who has been put under our care due to some complicated circumstances. Despite her previously being one of the disciples, she seemed to be fitting into the party quite well, and while she had a tomboyish personality, she has a surprisingly tender side to matters like these, as well. The lingerie she was wearing tonight really pulled out her feminine side.

    The first thing you would think of upon seeing it would be ¡®naked apron¡¯, which was pretty much what Tyvera was wearing. From its white silk material with lace trimmings, however, this apron was clearly designed for adult entertainment purposes instead of the conventional one for cooking. It mostly covered the front-most part of her golden-tan body, barely containing her perky breasts, but one could really see them at their finest from the sides due to how exposed they were. It only stretched down far enough to reach her upper thighs, barely covering her pubic area with no panties worn underneath.

    I imagined this lingerie was chosen for Tyvera because it was the only thing that could let her golden yellow-feathered wings move freely. With only the straps tied around her neck and lower back, her entire backside was exposed once those very wings unfurled themselves, though. Her light brown ass was just as impressive, if not better than her breasts in size, perkiness, and fondling under my hand.

    ¡°Mmph ¡­ I¡¯m not used to wearing stuff like this,¡± Tyvera said as she stretched her apron in a flushed face, ¡°With my rep as the ¡®Terror of the Skies¡¯, I didn¡¯t think I could ever get a mate to wear this for. It wasn¡¯t on the list you gave us, but Erizora insisted that we get this for me. ¡®As Master¡¯s slave, you must look your best as you service him, and the lingerie must match with ours as his lovers!¡¯ was what she said.¡±

    Now that I think about it, since Tyvera joined at the last minute, we didn¡¯t have any lingerie from Lili that would fit her, did we? We¡¯ll have to get her to make something at some point. In the meantime, I¡¯ll have to thank Erizora for this special consideration.

    <I second that!> Nyra agreed in my mind.

    ¡°Still, this must be too frilly for me. You¡¯re probably thinking that, too. Right, Chief?¡± Tyvera continued before looking up with a wry smile, ¡°Erizora said we may meet a tailor who could make me something more personal some time after our quest, but this is the best I could find that¡¯s near my preference for comfort. Sorry that you¡¯ll have to put up with me like this for tonight.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any issue,¡± I said while approaching her, taking her bird talon-like hands into mine, ¡°You¡¯re very beautiful in this, Tyvera. It makes me look forward to seeing what you could cook for me.¡±

    Her tanned face turned a deep shade of red before she averted her gaze, laughing nervously, ¡°Yeah ¡­ my [Cooking] skill isn¡¯t as good as Ren¡¯s or Erizora¡¯s, and Chieftess is beyond compare, but I know how to make fried eggs pretty well. Sue even said she could show me how to make those tamagoyaki that you liked earlier.¡±

    Something about a bird-like monster girl cooking eggs didn¡¯t sit right with me, but I suppose there are predatory birds that could eat other birds, so eating another bird¡¯s egg wouldn¡¯t be too weird, right? Heck, I¡¯m pretty sure Tyvera had at least a couple of Sue¡¯s tamagoyaki during dinner. Unless maybe under dire emergencies, I don¡¯t think Tyvera could ever eat her own eggs, especially since she said she takes those she laid to some facility in another city for research. That aside, there was something adorable in how this tomboy Harpy was trying to salvage what femininity she could muster by boasting her skill in one of the most basic of dishes.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Also, for a point of reference through my [Size Up] skill, Tyvera¡¯s current level in her [Cooking] skill is 1. Erizora is next at LV 3, followed by Ren and even Kalline at LV 4. Putting aside Sue¡ªat least presumably, since I couldn¡¯t see her status¡ªUme, and myself having our [Cooking] skill maxed out, I was honestly surprised how many of us in our group could cook. We¡¯d have to rotate who¡¯ll take charge of cooking both to keep party responsibilities even between us, as well as improve the skill associated with it.

    ¡°Is that so? Well I¡¯d be happy to try your tamagoyaki whenever you¡¯re ready, especially if you serve it while wearing this,¡± I said while running my hand down Tyvera¡¯s side, tugging at the strap tying behind her lower back.

    ¡°J-Jeez, when you put it like that, how could I even say no?¡± Tyvera asked before I held her chin and gave her a kiss.

    In our short make-out session, I ran my hands down Tyvera¡¯s back and got a good grip of her ass cheeks. I could hear her wings behind her fluttering in excitement. She couldn¡¯t suppress the giggles from me massaging her derriere. Yeah, her ass is definitely the best thing about her.

    When I finished my kiss with Tyvera, I turned to the last girl in waiting, Sue, wearing the same white underwear with garters and stockings she had on last night. To be honest, I saved her for last because I thought exchanging kisses with the others before now would help me relax a bit. Well, it helped a little, but that didn¡¯t make putting up the act of addressing her ¡®innocent¡¯ nature any easier.

    ¡°Sue ¡­¡± I trailed off.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I learned a lot of stuff today, a lot of stuff, with you nearby,¡± I started explaining.

    <That¡¯s an understatement,> Nyra quipped.

    ¡°Despite the ¡­ bumps, we came across along the way, I learned some things today that I didn¡¯t think I needed to know,¡± I continued, ¡°I have no idea how things would have turned out if I didn¡¯t take you with us from Dondegarm. It¡¯s been ¡­ quite an eye-opening time so far between us, especially today. I wouldn¡¯t have come across such things without you there, so ¡­ thanks, for giving me that opportunity, Sue, as well as your tamagoyaki from dinner that was quite delicious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where in the world the road we¡¯re on right now will take us, but I hope ¡­ that after this quest, after we reach Korangar, that things will get even better than they are now, and that you¡¯ll be around when that time comes. I¡¯ll make sure you get there with me, even if I have to drag you behind me to do it.¡±

    ¡°Jinma ¡­¡± Sue muttered, resting a hand on her bosom.

    ¡°Anyway, I just wanted to say my thanks for all that and then some,¡± I said, scratching my head, ¡°I have no idea if our time together have fulfilled any expectations you had of me as my fan, but I¡¯d be interested in trying more of your cooking some time, if you¡¯re okay with that.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± she exclaimed with determination, ¡°I should be the one thanking you for bringing me along, despite how much of a burden I have been for you and your party! And you didn¡¯t just ¡®fulfill¡¯ my expectations, you¡¯ve exceeded them far beyond my imaginations! I see you far more than just a talented adventurer now than I did when I first saw you in Dondegarm, and I¡¯ve been having fun spending time with you and your party! I couldn¡¯t be happier being a part of the adventures we¡¯ve been through so far, and I would love to go on more with you all! And of course, I¡¯ll try to cook whatever you want me to make!¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you, Sue,¡± I said while patting her head. She blushed with bashfulness before giggling slightly.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Not giving her kisses like you have for your other girls?¡± Yukino asked. She¡¯s been so quiet up to now that I almost forgot that she was here.

    ¡°Ah, well ¡­ she said she was saving her first time, kisses and everything above that, for a special someone,¡± I explained, ¡°And I¡¯m not one who forces a woman to do something she doesn¡¯t want to, so we¡¯re keeping it safe. She¡¯s comfortable doing some foreplay with me to an extent, but she¡¯ll be sitting out this time around since we did something together last night.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then should she even be here?¡± Yukino asked with a raised brow, ¡°And why would she still be in her underwear if she¡¯s not doing anything?¡±

    ¡°You were there when we explained it this morning, right? Sue¡¯s here where I can see her so she can be protected from any sudden dangers from our mysterious third party watching us,¡± I reasoned.

    ¡°Yeah, and what¡¯s wrong with a devoted fan giving their idol adventurer some eye candy?¡± Sue asked with a raised brow while crossing her arms, emphasizing her stupidly huge boobs that were bigger than Yukino¡¯s, ¡°I also owe him a great deal, so after some discussion, I gave consent of him playing with my body at his leisure.¡±

    Yukino snorted, ¡°Typical. It¡¯s so like an Imp to fall back on using their bodies for some form of compensation.¡±

    ¡°... What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I asked, feeling a string inside me tugging and tightening in annoyance.

    ¡°While there are more ¡­ promiscuous clans of Demons in this kingdom, what sets them apart from the Imps, whether at their basest or evolved as Arch Imps, is that they have the power to back them up, social, physical, or otherwise¡± Yukino explained, ¡°That power gives them value, especially in their bodies that many would kill to have. Sue may be more ¡®gifted¡¯ with her assets than other Arch Imps, but that¡¯s all she has going for her. Imps in general are the lowest in the Demon-Kin¡¯s power chain, they could never live up to be on the same level of strength as the others above them. The only things they can be good for other than physical labor are being meat shields and fucktoys, and they are expendable in all cases. I¡¯d have to give Sue credit for being smart enough to get into your pants to survive, considering how your harem consists of capable Demons, though I do have to wonder how much longer she could last in these conditions.¡±

    This bitch ¡­

    The more Yukino badmouthed Imps, the more I was questioning whether I should just kill her right there. For her to badmouth all Imps and Arch Imps would include Winny, a faithful, charitable, and compassionate person who¡¯s helped me greatly since I came to Dondegarm. To be in a high position in Dondegarm¡¯s church, I had no idea how hard she worked to get there on top of making a living as an adventurer. I¡¯m sure her brother, Kenny, also played some part in supporting her. This Kitsune was basically besmirching all the hard work they put in to get where they are now. There were Humans like her back on Earth, too, disrespecting another person¡¯s genuine efforts to improve or how they make a living, and those people¡¯s faces soon got to meet my fists within seconds. I could never tolerate that kind of talk right in front of me.

    As for Sue, I already knew she¡¯s a Devil who¡¯s very capable of looking out for herself. I¡¯m certain she could pop Yukino¡¯s head like a grape in an instant, if she wanted to. Part of me shouldn¡¯t be bothered by this as much as I was with Winny¡¯s case, especially after what Sue did to me and Nyra, but for some reason, I couldn¡¯t help but feel pissed off for her, too.

    I didn¡¯t realize my fist was trembling until I felt my arm getting trapped by a pair of soft cushions. I glanced down and saw it was Sue embracing it to her bosom.

    ¡°Enlighten me, Yukino, but have you ever faced off a Goblin before?¡± Sue asked.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t, but I know enough about them that they¡¯re bothersome Monsters while being the weakest of species,¡± Yukino answered.

    ¡°The thing about Goblins is that they may not seem threatening when facing one alone, but it¡¯s a different story if there were two of them, or three, ten, or a hundred,¡± Sue said, ¡°They not only have strength in numbers, but their battle tactics are also quite cruel, something no ordinary Human, Demi, or even Demon could come up with.

    ¡°And the thing about us Imps is that while we¡¯re also weak by ourselves, but like Goblins, we¡¯re also capable of banding together for a common cause. Moreover, we can be notorious for our tricks. How else do you think the previous Demon King initiated the Friday¡¯s Fool¡¯s Purge if it weren¡¯t for all the Imps in Cackle Village?¡± Sue asked before putting up the most terrifying grin that made Yukino pale. The other girls, including Ume and Ren, stared at Sue in amazement for how well she turned things around.

    <The heck is the ¡®Friday¡¯s Fool¡¯s Purge¡¯?> I asked Sue through [Telepathy].

    <Let¡¯s just say that in response to a threat of Cackle Village getting destroyed, five-hundred Humans tasked to take it down had fallen to cruel and unusual deaths thanks to the traps that one-hundred Imps and Arch Imps had prepared. The previous Demon King barely lifted a finger to help them achieve their victory,> Sue explained.

    <Damn,> Nyra and I said in sync.

    <I understand why you¡¯re angry, but try not to let stuff like that get to you,> Sue said, <I¡¯m sure Winny would be happy to see you being that way for her, though, and she¡¯d thank you sincerely for respecting her as an equal.>

    <Right ¡­>

    I¡¯m certain Sue butted in the way she did because she caught me losing my temper a bit and wanted to cheer me up. It didn¡¯t seem like she noticed how I didn¡¯t just get angry in Winny¡¯s place, though.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s not dread such things any further, we have an eventful night ahead of us,¡± Sue said as she went to the night stand where numerous wine glasses sat. The wine bottle, ¡®Devil¡¯s Advocate¡¯, was quite bigger than I expected it to be as it cooled in a bucket of ice next to those glasses.

    Sue took the chilled wine out of the ice and skillfully opened the bottle with a satisfying ¡®pop¡¯ from the cork, a pleased smile plastered on her face, ¡°Let¡¯s all have a nice drink and have some fun tonight.¡±

 Chapter 173*: A Prideful Kitsuneâ€™s Fall from Grace, Part 1

    Sue took the liberty in filling our glasses with the ¡®Devil¡¯s Advocate¡¯ red wine before we clinked them together in cheers. With my [Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Sense] ability, I knew from the moment the bottle was open that there was a ton of alcohol concentration. When I appraised the bottle with [Street Smarts], the alcohol percentage volume was concernedly high, and this was a wine that Kalline said it was stronger than most Demons could handle. It made me wonder how different their tolerance was on average compared to some Humans who may possibly die from a few glasses of this.

    I had [Poison Resistance] at max level, which according to Sue would make it so I don''t get any repercussions the morning after from binging. My [Alcohol Constitution], which I got from defeating that drunken geezer in Dondegarm, also indicates how well I can process alcohol and not get blacked-out drunk. [Intoxicated], another of that old man¡¯s skills, temporarily increases my stats when I¡¯m drunk, which works in tandem to the [Drunken Style] of brawling. So, I basically had every alcoholic''s dream of drinking until I dropped with no consequences. My judgment would still get affected after getting drunk from the booze, though, and with the potential enemies we have against us in Palocaesy, I needed to keep my drinking in moderation while staying alert. Just to keep things safe, I brought my [Alcohol Constitution] skill to max level by spending enough SP. I earned a self-deprecating title as a result of that, and I¡¯d rather not speak of it.

    As for the others, I made sure all of us had enough water to drink beforehand, and Sue even gave us pain-killers ahead of time so it would lessen the chances of getting a hangover in the morning. Despite these preparations, though, I wondered if that was enough for us against such a fearsome foe like the ''Devil''s Advocate''.

    Ren was the most concerning as she has the weakest tolerance among us in the party. I was certain the scent of Devil¡¯s Advocate¡¯s alcohol alone smacked her face into a buzz already, seeing how slightly red she looked. Sue seemed especially aware of Ren¡¯s low tolerance as she poured less than half of what the rest of us have in her first glass, which would probably fill up two and half shot glasses¡¯ worth.

    To celebrate the night ahead, we clink our glasses together in cheers before taking our first sip¡ªor in Ren''s case, downing the hatch. I guess since she didn''t have as much as the others and that she was only having one glass for tonight, she thought she might as well take it all and let the alcohol do its thing the rest of the night. I didn''t really take her as a connoisseur for booze and savor the taste like the rest of us, but considering how hard the alcohol hit me with a few sips, I was instantly worried for my Werewolf slave. Unfortunately, my concerns were founded.

    "I feel ¡­ so hot," Ren drawled as her face quickly grew redder. At the moment, her place as a slave and a woman clearly weren''t in mind, as she unashamedly stripped out of her new lingerie in an attempt to cool down. Beads of sweat were forming on her smooth, exposed skin, making the sight sensual, especially around her modest apples. I couldn''t imagine how hot she felt with her limbs covered in white wolf''s fur, but that along with the sweat made her body glimmer under the light, portraying a certain beauty to it. With her face red and tongue lolled out while panting, though, she was the very picture of a dog in heat.

    "You okay there, Ren? Do you need to rest?" I asked out of genuine worry, not minding the nude state she was in.

    Ren turned to me, looking miffed, "F-For Immortalsh shake, Mashter, y-you ¡­ yer alwayz sho worried about everythin¡¯, y-you ¡­ worrier. *snrk* W-When are you ever ¡­ goin'' to relaksh an'' led yer shlave pamper ya?"

    I couldn''t think of a response, I was too surprised by this recent development I didn''t anticipate, "Uh ¡­"

    "Alsho ¡­ why aren''t you more demandin'' t-to me ash a shlave?" Ren slurred, her face contorted in sadness, "Am I ¡­ sho ushlesh that you don'' ekshpec much of me?"

    "N-No, of course not, Ren, I¡ª"

    "You ¡­ are a powerful male! Act like one!" Ren interrupted, now looking frustrated, "I wanna be pin to th'' floor an'' be called yer bish like I deserve it! Make me feel like a bad girl! Make me work for your sheed like a horny shlut!¡±

    I ¡­ have no idea what to even say here.

    <This is a side of Ren I didn¡¯t think she had!> Nyra exclaimed.

    ¡°Aaah, shcrew it!¡± Ren exclaimed before suddenly pouncing on me, tackling me to the bed. Thanks to my reflexes, though, I somehow managed to hold onto my wine glass and keep it from spilling. Before I had a chance to speak, my mouth was assaulted by her feral tongue. In her aggression, while she was on top of me, Ren started unbuttoning my shirt, albeit clumsily with her drunken state. It should be noted that her behind was raised high up in the air, exposing her kitty out in the open without a care in the world. Her white wolf tail wagged to and fro, as if eager to pounce on its latest prey¡ªin other words, me.

    "How shameless," Yukino cursed, despite her own cheeks tinting a bit before glancing at Ume, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be doing something? You are his wife, yes?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ she¡¯s been put through a lot today, and knowing her alcohol tolerance, I¡¯m afraid she may not last very long,¡± Ume said while shrugging, ¡°Contrary to her current behavior, I know how much Ren cherishes Jin, so I¡¯ll let her have first dibs tonight. He has quite the endurance, you see, so I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty enough for me to have some later.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ see,¡± Yukino said hesitantly before she and Ume took another sip of their wine.

    I appreciate her being a bit understanding, but even I¡¯m starting to find this arrangement a little unfair, I thought as Ren finally broke away from the kiss to focus on undressing me. I took this chance to take a few sips of my wine while I thought of a solution. Whether it was because of the alcohol or something else, my mind came up with an idea to fix the problem of leaving Ume and Tyvera out of the action, at least for a brief period of time.

    ¡°Ren, continue stripping me. Ume, Tyvera, come on over here,¡± I called.

    Ren was too focused undressing me to respond, but Ume and Tyvera followed along, despite how confused they looked. Once I was fully undressed, revealing my erect, hard rooster that left Yukino speechless, I had the three girls take up positions under my instructions. I applied the seed-killing aphrodisiac lube from my [Contraception] Null Spell onto my unmentionables before we finalized our preparations.

    ¡°Mashter ¡­ I thing I get what yer doin¡¯, but I can¡¯t help but thing how demeaning this looksh to other people watchin¡¯ in, ¡®specially Yukino,¡± Ren criticized.

    ¡°Putting public faces aside, is this even okay? I may not be big like Erizora, but I¡¯m still quite heavy,¡± Ume added.

    ¡°It will be fine. I¡¯ve had a Toxic Troll stomp on me repeatedly and I left without much damage. This is nothing compared to that, and it will be a more enjoyable experience for me, too,¡± I assured.

    ¡°Damn, walking away from a Troll stomping is something not many could live and tell the tale. As expected of Chief to be that strong,¡± Tyvera said in amazement.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    What I had set up was a sort of four-way position where I could pleasure three girls at once. While I was lying on my back, Ren was currently hovering her dripping honey pot over my throbbing meat stick. Ume, with her thong moved aside, was squatting above my face, giving me a glorious view of her plump peach, cherry, and surprisingly attractive lizard tail. Finally, Tyvera was close enough to where my right hand could reach her snatch, with her apron flipped up to allow me entry.

    If there was another position where I could pleasure three girls at once, I couldn¡¯t think of it. This was the first thing that came to mind, and there¡¯s room for one more if I used my other hand. If I had to give this position a name ¡­ maybe the ¡®foundation¡¯? To exemplify how the girls get on top of me like people in architecture build a house¡¯s framework?

    <Too dull! I like the ¡®three towers¡¯ better, four if we include one more girl,> Nyra quipped, not liking my naming sense.

    ¡°C-Can that thing even get inside that Werewolf? I swear that the head is bigger than the hole here?¡± Yukino asked, genuinely worried.

    ¡°My mother ¡­ onsh shaid that ¡®no male¡¯sh head can ever compete with a baby¡¯sh¡¯. If I can¡¯t learn to take on Mashter¡¯sh cock, then there¡¯sh no hope for me produshin¡¯ offshpring,¡± Ren said.

    That¡¯s uh ¡­ quite a graphic saying. It took all of my mental willpower to not imagine the image and not get turned off. Thankfully, the sight of my Dragon wife¡¯s beautiful derriere helped make that task easy.

    ¡°Alright, Ume, Ren, when you¡¯re ready, lower yourselves down on top of me,¡± I said while reaching out to Tyvera¡¯s pussy.

    Then, as if they were in sync, the girls made their move accordingly. Ren steadied my stick before lowering herself on top of it, her snatch stretching out to take in my head that was lubed beforehand. It might be possible her drunken state made her bolder and not feel as much pain as it didn¡¯t take long for her to reach the very bottom. The tightness engulfing my member was so sudden that it made me jump a bit. Ume, meanwhile, gently set her seat on my face, positioning her slit to where my mouth could reach it. Despite our very different positions, it wasn¡¯t hard for me to search out her entrance with my tongue. Her trembling form along with the gasp told me I was on the right track, causing her to drop more of her weight on top of me. It was an oddly pleasant feeling, I must say. Finally, when my right hand reached Tyvera¡¯s nest, I dexterously shoved my lubed index and middle fingers into her hole, with my thumb resting on her button. This was surely a new thing she was experiencing as she yelped a bit.

    ¡°W-Whoa ¡­¡± Yukino muttered in amazement. I wish I could see what she looked like right now, but my vision was dimmed by my wife¡¯s phat Dragon bottom.

    ¡°Gosh, I wish I was in any of those girls¡¯ spots right now,¡± Sue whispered, but I didn¡¯t pay it much mind.

    At my silent urging through my body, the girls made their necessary movements. Ren, despite how much my huge pole was stretching her insides, was dutifully pleasing it by bouncing her hips on top of mine. I could feel her Werewolf paws on my abs for support. She was making the most noise in the room, not just from our crotches joining together in wet slaps, but also her panting hot breaths could also be heard. I could imagine her tongue was lolled out like it showed earlier. Even though Ren was drunk, her insides were skillfully squeezing and milking my member for its glorious seed as she bounced her hips. I¡¯ve screwed this hole many times, yet I couldn¡¯t believe how tight she still was despite all that I put it through.

    ¡°M-Mashter, your ¡­ glorioush weapon, ripping me in half, never sheashes to amaze me! No other weapon, could ever fill me, like thish!¡± Ren exclaimed between bounces.

    Tyvera in the meantime was rocking her hips in junction with my fingers, trying to help them get to her sweet spot as many times as possible. It was clear she was inexperienced in this, though, with how clumsy she was doing it, but that had its own charm. My [Sexual Techniques] skill made sure to adapt to her chaotic rhythm, though, and work it like I¡¯m controlling her sensual desires in the best way possible. With my index and middle fingers curling in a beckoning motion, my thumb teased her button by pressing it, flicking it, and rubbing it in different directions. Whatever the case, the Harpy¡¯s insides were gripping and urging my digits all the same, desperate to give their owner some sweet, needed relief. My little man may have just met Tyvera¡¯s kitty just recently after getting enslaved as part of a punishment, but since she was seeking my skills to pleasure her, I was planning to do just that. I was sure I would have plenty more opportunities to screw her in the near future.

    ¡°Chief! Chief! I get it now! A few Harpies always boast over their mates¡¯ fingers, and I understand now! Your fingers! Are incredible! Whatever you do! Don¡¯t stop! Pleeeeease!¡± Tyvera begged in between motions.

    Lastly, Ume was subtly grinding her honey pot over my nose and mouth as I pleasured her entrance with my tongue. Thanks again to my [Sexual Techniques] skill, in sync with my [Sweet Spots], I knew how to work my mouth¡¯s appendage dexterously over any fruit it comes across, finding the right sweet spot and teasing it accordingly. Up and down, side to side, in and out, and everything in between, my tongue did it all, and I could taste Ume¡¯s amazing Dragon nectar in the process. Having her smooth, soft peach cheeks grazing over my face was a nice touch. Feeling her trembling slightly above me tickled my manly pride that I was doing my job as her husband.

    Being my wife, my member has wrecked her entrance a number of times, too, with one time painfully tearing her insides a bit before I cast [Heal] immediately afterward. Ume and I were both new to the ways of love when we gave each other our virginities, and it still feels like there¡¯s a lot for us to learn. We may still get clumsy here and there, maybe get hurt a bit, too, but Ume was a patient, intelligent woman, putting aside her Dragon pride in order to gain new knowledge about the world around her. Even now, under these peculiar circumstances, I still wonder whether she deserves someone better to be her husband. That isn¡¯t to say I¡¯d give her up so easily, though. Since Dragons live much longer lives than us Humans, I was going to make sure every moment she shares with me with me counts. If her new ability makes her a ¡®Legendary Housewife¡¯, then I was sure as hell becoming her ¡®Legendary Husband¡¯, whatever the cost. I made sure I professed those feelings through my tonguework on her snatch.

    ¡°J-Jin! I had no idea, you could do that with your tongue! It¡¯s so good! It¡¯s soooo good! I love you! I love you so much! Lick me there more!¡± Ume begged.

    Thanks to my [Climax Gauge], I was able to see how close all three of my girls were getting to their first climax of the night. Ren seemed to be the one going at it the fastest with how quickly her bar was growing, and so I tried to up my game in my finger and tongue work to match her pace, all so they could climax at the same time. Their screams got louder and higher in pitch the closer they got to the end, then letting it all out once they reached their peaks. All of them rode out their finishers without abandon, expelling feminine fluids on my hips, face, and hand during that time. I shot out at the same time as them, of course, unloading my first large load of seed for the night inside my liquid dumpster of a Werewolf slave. I was sure I filled enough of her womb with my seed to form a lump on her stomach.

    With their climaxes done, the three of them fell to their afterglows next. Ren fell right on top of me, and then snored moments later. Since she was quite drunk beforehand, I had a feeling that this Werewolf was out for the night¡ªa shame, too, since I promised her lots of belly rubs, but I¡¯ll make it up to her somehow. Ume, tuckered out for the time being, just sat on my face without a care as she caught her breath. I had no complaints about this after learning and coming to fully appreciate the softness of her seat through this new experience. Lastly, Tyvera fell to her side, releasing my fingers, and panting in heavily. Looking at her talon-like hands, I could see how Harpies could have a difficult time playing themselves with such appendages, hence why they valued a Human male¡¯s stubby fingers like Tyvera preached earlier.

    ¡°Grr ¡­ can Konjiro even make me feel that good?¡± Yukino growled under her breath.

    ¡°Ohh? Yukino, are you frustrated, maybe? Or jealous? Perhaps both?¡± Sue asked her. I could see her mischievous grin in my mind¡¯s eye.

    With the high alcohol content in the wine and my [Demon Pheromone] filling the room, I was sure they played a part in why Yukino couldn¡¯t answer those taunting questions.

    ¡°You know, it may look demeaning to you, but Jinma is pleasuring Umeiyon because he loves her, despite the odd looks he may get from his peers to even have a relationship with a Lizardman,¡± Sue continued, ¡°In another note, I¡¯ve heard that the Humans called what Umeiyon did with Jinma ¡®Queening¡¯.¡±

    ¡°... Q-Queening?¡± Yukino stuttered.

    ¡°Yes, where the male gives the female a chance to feel like royalty, in a sense,¡± Sue continued, ¡°While the male makes his face like as a throne, his female partner sits on him appropriately before she gets pleasured in a form of tonguing from below. It¡¯s a way for males to show their females how much they appreciate and care for them as their mates.¡±

    ¡°Appreciate ¡­ and care,¡± Yukino repeated.

    ¡°Would you like to see what that¡¯s like, Yukino? To use as a reference for the next time Konjiro makes time with you, of course. I¡¯m sure Jinma will make this experience worth your while,¡± Sue said.

    And with that, our first step in seducing Yukino was complete.

 Announcement: Change of Update Schedule

    Scroll down to the TL;DR for the summary of this announcement.

    I meant to put this up on the next update, but I didn''t anticipate how much I needed to do at the last minute and I was occupied with other stuff to remember, so I''m going to mention it here.

    You probably noticed over the past month or so how I had to take a week off due to some sudden, sometimes stressful life stuff (aside from one weekend when I celebrated my birthday) that would pull me away from my work. Even if there''s nothing going on, I''ve been feeling overwhelmed with the workload as of late, to where I''m not making any time to write as much as I want, especially for my reboot in Great Sage. I thought of this for quite some time, and with how things have been recently, I felt it was time to initiate this change.

    For the past month, I''ve been transitioning into a new update schedule and implementing it on my subscribestar page first. I''ve gone through the queue of chapters that''s already up there and post them here at every update, as I had been up to this point. Now that the public platforms have caught up with the queue, from this point forward, I''ll be posting this story''s chapters on a bi-monthly basis (twice a month).

    What I''m hoping for is that once I get Great Sage''s reboot off the ground, I can publish chapters for both of these on an alternating schedule. I may have had the energy a long time ago, but I just don''t have it to post a chapter from 3 different stories every week anymore. With this new schedule, there will be one chapter from one story every week (unless you''re subscribed to my subscribestar and read Xeno King, as well, meaning two chapters every other week, one from different story). Not only will I not need to rush as much getting a chapter out, but I can take my time to improve is quality for a better reading experience. For the time being, though, the chapters for OP Brawler on public platforms will be out twice a month.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ~~

    TL;DR: Due to the stress of my work schedule affecting me for some time, I''ve decided to change the weekly chapter publishing schedule into a bi-monthly schedule (twice a month, every two weeks). Once I get the Great Sage reboot off the ground, I''m planning on alternating between stories for publishing chapters, meaning the readers will get one chapter of a story a week (two every other week if you''re subscribed to my subscribestar and read Xeno King). For the time being, though, only OP Brawler will be posting 2 chapters a month on the public platforms. Since I''ve posted a chapter on the 20th/21st this week, the next update won''t be until the 3rd of next month.

    I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, and please understand that coming to this decision was hard for me. This is for the sake of my health and giving myself more time to write chapters in better quality while not feeling so rushed to meet a deadline. I hope this improvement will show within the coming months. If you have any questions or concerns, I''ll answer whatever I can in the comments (I know my grammar may be off sometimes and I apologize if I may have confused you in some parts, hence the Q & A).

    Thank you very much for your understanding, and until next time.

 Chapter 174*: A Prideful Kitsuneâ€™s Fall from Grace, Part 2

    Thanks to Sue¡¯s convincing persuasion, alcohol, and my [Demon Pheromones] in the air, Yukino succumbed to join in and, by her words, ¡°Try out Queening only,¡± but I was going to convince her to rethink it otherwise soon enough. Though slightly hesitant, Yukino slowly stripped out of her shrine maiden-like clothes to get more comfortable.

    With Ume off of my face for the time being, I got to see this Kitsune in her underwear and couldn¡¯t help but whistle at the sight, ¡°You got nice taste, Yukino. On top of it matching your eyes, looks very sexy on you.¡±

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t wear this for you, you know! Don¡¯t get the wrong idea!¡± Yukino exclaimed, blushing slightly despite how intimidating she tried to look.

    I waved a hand, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that in the slightest. I¡¯m just delivering compliments where it¡¯s due.¡±

    ¡°H-Hmph! So long as you understand, and I don¡¯t need a Human¡¯s flattery, either!¡± she exclaimed while crossing her arms and turning her head.

    Yukino¡¯s underwear, by the way, was a simple set of bra and panties with lace, icy blue like her eyes. The robes really covered her figure, but now that she was near naked, I could see she had a charming figure. Lithe, but not too thin, has a nice shape to her curves, and her melons and buns look just big and perky enough to fill my hands comfortably. Even her limbs, though beastly and similar in framework like Ren, had an elegant vibe to them with how thin and delicate they looked. I¡¯d have to see a picture of a fox to confirm, but I was sure those limbs resembled that species to such a degree with the wheat brown fur blending into a darker shade at the hands and feet. Regardless of her marital status, it¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t like her personality enough to take her as my own. Wonder how identical her twin sister is?

    <I¡¯d love to see how much her pride would be shot if she heard those thoughts, but it¡¯s best that you don¡¯t mention her sister in any sort if we don¡¯t want her peeved,> Nyra said, responding to my thoughts, <Despite how haughty she looks and what she says, she¡¯s a bit relieved to hear that she¡¯s attractive in appearance. We need her to let down her guard further.>

    <Right.>

    ¡°S-So ¡­ do I have to take off my panties for this?¡± Yukino then asked.

    ¡°You can take them off, or you can move them aside enough for me to get in there. I guess I could do it through the fabric, but you probably won¡¯t get as much of an experience with that as you would without it. We¡¯ll go with whatever makes you more comfortable, though¡± I answered. I wanted to give her some semblance of control so she can relax further, as she seems to be the prideful type that likes to be on top. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a different story if it¡¯s Konjiro who¡¯s doing this with her right now as she¡¯d no doubt want the male she loves to take the lead. I had to bring her guard down low enough so I could get into that same position.

    Much to mine and everyone else¡¯s surprise, despite how embarrassed she looked, Yukino downed the rest of her wine glass¡ªher second one, in fact¡ªand practically thrusted her panties down, exposing her snatch with the small ¡®wheat field¡¯ patch above it. Ume and Tyvera, who were drinking more wine from the side, watched with awe. Incidentally, Ren was sleeping next to me on the bed, totally out after climaxing while in a drunken state. Sue, while outside of the Kitsune¡¯s sight, was already recording the scene with my smartphone from when the latter stripped down. With a mischievous grin, the disguised Devil made an ¡®okay¡¯ sign with her hand, showing she was getting excellent footage.

    With panties on the floor, Yukino stepped out of it and onto the bed before stopping. I took that as a message to lay back down so she could get above me, and my assumption was correct. I may be a bit biased about this, but I thought the sight of Ume¡¯s seat and honey pot above me was much sexier than Yukino¡¯s.

    ¡°S-So ¡­ this ¡®Queening¡¯, is just me sitting down on your face, right? And you just lick my ¡­ pelvic area?¡± Yukino asked hesitantly, sounding surprisingly meek about speaking crudely.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said.

    ¡°Won¡¯t that make it hard for you to breathe?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Are you concerned for my well-being, Yukino?¡± I asked teasingly.

    ¡°Nothing of the sort!¡± she refuted loudly.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll pat your leg if I need some air, but other than that, all you need to do is sit back and relax, allow yourself to be pampered like a queen would,¡± I said.

    Yukino sighed, ¡°I have no idea where you Humans even come up with this nonsense, but if what you say is true, then I expect you to work that tongue of yours like magic.¡±

    ¡°Oh, trust me, Jin will deliver it, for sure,¡± Ume said. I could feel the smug grin she was sporting from where I was laying.

    ¡°Alright, here goes, then ¡­¡± Yukino trailed off before slowly lowering herself and softly placing her bottom on my face. The moment we made contact, I put my [Sex Techniques] to work and got my tongue teasing her entrance, eliciting a sharp, deep gasp. Despite being unable to see, my [Sweet Spots] skill was serving as my guide, showing me where I could lick to get the best reactions out of her.

    ¡°W-What is this?! This ¡­ is this what getting licked down there is li¡ªaahn!¡± Yukino moaned. I could tell her fox tail was wagging erratically behind her.

    Incidentally, like Ren, Yukino also has a [Sweet Spot] under the base of her tail, and so with one of my hands sliding underneath her, I gently rubbed it with my thumb while I continued my tongue ministrations.

    ¡°AAh?! What?! I didn¡¯t know that would geAAt me like thiiiiisss!¡± Yukino wailed as I felt her hands placed on my chest for support before she subconsciously grinded her hips on me. Also, I was pretty sure she started drooling as I felt something warm and wet dripping on said area, ¡°Th-Thish ish ¡­ Aah! Y-Your tower! S-Seeing it up close! It¡¯s so ¡­ imposing!¡±

    ¡°Mind if I take that spot?¡± Ume suddenly asked as I felt the bed moving slightly, I could feel her smooth, scaly thighs rubbing against my own as she got on my hips, ¡°I was planning on letting Jin focus on giving you a good time, but I can¡¯t help but want to get Jin¡¯s amazing shaft inside me after seeing it like this. You don¡¯t mind this, do you, Jin?¡±

    ¡°Guh foh ih,¡± I responded with a thumbs up, my mouth muffled by Yukino¡¯s lower lips, which was intentional as its subtle vibrations pleasantly shook her to the core.

    My erect-again shaft was still covered by my [Contraception] lubricant, semen, and Ren¡¯s juices earlier, but Ume didn¡¯t mind it in the slightest as she positioned it over her entrance before smoothly lowering herself onto it. Her insides swallowed me whole and squeezed around my member, but it felt different from normal. Like a good housewife, it was like her warm inner walls greeted and welcomed my return at the front door as they lovingly hugged me in all the right places. The way my head touched her cervix at the end was like a joyful kiss to end the greeting.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    It¡¯s scarily dextrous, much more than usual. She¡¯s also taking this in strides without a hint of discomfort from my size. Could this also be the work of her new [Legendary Housewife] ability?

    ¡°Ahhhn, Jin¡¯s rod really is the best. I¡¯m so happy to be his wife,¡± Ume moaned before she started moving her hips above me with amazing control and finess not even moments after she took my shaft whole. I actually had to resist myself from getting close to coming too quickly with how incredible her inner walls pleasured my erection. If I wasn¡¯t careful, I would be at complete mercy of Ume¡¯s incredible new [Sex Technique] that might have come with her ability.

    ¡°Ahhn, yes, yes, your key feels so amazing inside of me, Jin, I could never get tired of this,¡± Ume moaned, amazingly keeping her voice stable while being totally sexy at the same time. What she said next surprised me, like one fellow housewife speaking to another under one of their weekly get-togethers, ¡°Now, Yukino, I understand Queening being new to you. Going by your words and your reactions, though, does that mean Konjiro hasn¡¯t given you cunnilingus yet?¡±

    ¡°N-Never! At most, he¡¯d aaaaAaapplied [Contraception] lubricAnt to my entrance! Th-Then did his business aaand fall asleep soon after!¡± Yukino exclaimed. I was surprised at how quick she answered it as if waiting to do so. Something about Ume must have gotten her to open up something to her like she couldn¡¯t with other women, likely because of the political and social statuses of her peers. I decided to ease up on my tongue work a bit so she could have a more ¡®stable¡¯ conversation with her.

    ¡°Hmm, and have you climaxed from those nights?¡± Ume asked before she started to lightly bounce her seat on my hips.

    ¡°... If I¡¯m lucky. On nights I get close before Konjiro falls asleep, I¡¯d go the rest of the way myself before doing the same, but it doesn¡¯t feel the same,¡± Yukino said despondently.

    Yeesh, no wonder she always seems to be in a bad mood.

    <No shit. I almost pity her,> Nyra commented on my thoughts.

    ¡°U-Um! Please don¡¯t say this to anyone! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s come over me, but I don¡¯t usually tell someone like this! Eep!¡± Yukino yelped in a panic. I figured I¡¯d up my cunnilingus a bit to ease her up some.

    ¡°Oh, but of course, Yukino, I can¡¯t imagine how awful it would be for you if word got out. Your secret¡¯s safe with me,¡± Ume answered soothingly, my [Intuition] skill going off the charts. It¡¯s rather impressive she¡¯d pull that off and bounce on my rod at the same time.

    She¡¯s totally going to speak of it after this. Oh, Ume, you sly Dragon, you. I could already see how Noire can get along with her with how similar the two of them thought.

    Just to assure she wasn¡¯t forgetting me, Ume gave tighter, more loving hugs to my key with her hole''s insides before continuing, ¡°Mmph, more importantly, though, you must be so stressed with everything going on, what with Konjiro observing the proceedings with Noire¡¯s quest.¡±

    ¡°I-Indeed, though this was planned weeks ahead of time, Konjiro was focusing on how everything in that quest would turn out perfect, and the last we slept together was some time before even that,¡± Yukino said.

    Considering how the days in Raiza are much longer than those on Earth, that time of neglect would be torture for me if I was in Yukino¡¯s position. With how stressful things are right now, I probably wouldn¡¯t relax until I had at least two rounds of sex a day. Ever since my first time with Ume, I don¡¯t think masturbating would do it for me anymore. Whether it¡¯s because of the [Vigorous Libido] skill or Nyra¡¯s lingering curse is up for debate.

    ¡°Oh, you poor thing,¡± Ume said, sympathy in her voice, ¡°Though Jin and I got married recently, I don¡¯t think I could live a couple days away from his spear after our first sex together. It was admittedly rough, at first, but I learned to love it quickly as we did it more and more.¡±

    ¡°H-He¡¯s that good, huh?¡± Yukino asked with a hint of envy in her voice. Nyra confirmed that factoid with me and Ume through [Telepathy].

    At Ume¡¯s request for me to bring Yukino to her first climax of the night¡ªor I should say after a month, maybe?¡ªI went double-time on my cunnilingus, trying to insert my tongue inside her honey pot. Despite how aroused she is now, it seems her abstinence had left her hole too inflexible to open up for me. Wondering if my high Strength rank is reflected in my tongue work, I tried forcing it inside.

    The infiltration was a success, and Yukino was especially shocked at the development from how high she screamed, ¡°J-Jinma?! Seriously?! With that tongue?!¡±

    ¡°Ahn, Jin¡¯s amazing with his tongue, right? His mighty sword¡¯s even more incredible,¡± Ume moaned as she rocked her hips on top of me, ¡°You know ¡­ once Jin releases his next load in me, I can let you borrow him for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡± Yukino exclaimed.

    ¡°Since it seems Konjiro will be occupied with Noire¡¯s quest for a while, even after we go in tomorrow, who knows what he¡¯ll do afterward. He probably won¡¯t relax until the important task in front of him is completed, am I right?¡± Ume asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ not wrong,¡± Yukino said.

    ¡°It will be a couple days before we¡¯ll actually clear the dungeon, and there may be a break after that until Noire is ready to head back to Korangar. That should give you some time for your insides to get back to normal,¡± Ume continued, ¡°It won¡¯t even be full-on sex, either. Think of it more like ¡­ a massage, one that really stretches you to a more relaxed state on the inside, and Jin won¡¯t unload inside you, either. It will only be until either you climax or Jin is close to coming that you stop. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Massage ¡­ stretch?¡± Yukino asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re gonna be loose after doing it with Jin once, and if you get hurt, I can use [Heal] to restore any internal injuries,¡± Ume said while waving a hand, ¡°Aside from that, we¡¯ll use a lot of the [Contraception] lubricant to make sure it will be as comfortable as possible, and Jin¡¯s really careful with those he has his first time with. You can be sure that you¡¯ll be relaxed and not worry about having sex again for a while. And of course, this will be a secret that will not leave this room. Jin, you got all that, right?¡±

    I only responded with a thumbs up, since my mouth was still keeping busy.

    I had to hand it to Ume, I thought I had to gain Yukino¡¯s trust on my own, but she¡¯s doing it much better than I would, and I could see with my [Intuition] that she was making no such promises. Despite that, earning trust as a fellow female might be easier than doing the same as a male, and Ume would use whatever skills she had at her disposal to pull Yukino to our side. It seems a Dragon is a force to be reckoned with in both physical and mental power, especially when you consider the number of years she spent to learn and hone the countless skills she has in her arsenal. I only saw a glimpse of that when we first met officially, and I was sure she had tons more than that.

    I¡¯m so glad I married this girl, and that she sees me worthy to be her lifetime partner. I¡¯ll really need to make it up to her for helping me out after this.

    <Just so you both know, Yukino¡¯s slowly considering the idea, I could sense her curiosity and excitement rising,> Nyra informed Ume and I.

    My Arch Pixie reported to me how Yukino was glancing around the room as she tried to gain assurances from my other party members about keeping this a secret. This was all done while her face was flushed for who knows how long, the alcohol clearly having an influence in her judgment. Sue managed to hide my smartphone in her ginormous cleavage at the heat of the moment so the Kitsune wouldn¡¯t suspect anything. Even after I clean it, it¡¯s gonna be weird holding my phone again after this.

    In my efforts to help seal the deal, I worked my tongue inside Yukino¡¯s hole, making sure I ran it over her [Sweet Spot]s as many times as I could while rubbing the one under her fox tail¡¯s base. Her [Climax Gauge] was growing steadily along with Ume¡¯s as she upped her bounces on my shaft.

    I timed my tongue ministrations so that the two of them climaxed at the same time while I unloaded my second helping of semen for the night. Ecstatic screams rang all around the room, but Yukino¡¯s was certainly the highest out of all I¡¯ve heard so far tonight. Just like in the case with Ren, I hoped I shot up enough inside my wife to make a subtle bump in her stomach. She¡¯s planning to have kids with me some time in the future, so it would be nice if I could get a hint of what she¡¯d look like pregnant. I¡¯ll have to check and see if there¡¯s a skill that could make that possible.

    Once the two wives have rode out their climax highs, they were letting their weight press me down on the bed with how exhausted they were. Not that I had a problem with Yukino¡¯s butt still on my face, but I preferred to have Ume¡¯s on me if I had the choice.

    ¡°Well? What do you think? Do you wanna try it?¡± Ume asked.

    After a couple moments of thought, the Kitsune¡¯s next words had set the stage for me, ¡°Well, I suppose I could buy a decent toy and tell Konjiro it¡¯s from that should my insides not recover in time ¡­¡±

 Chapter 175*: A Prideful Kitsuneâ€™s Fall from Grace, Part 3

    After a few moments, our positions and roles were switched. At Yukino''s request we went with the sex position she knew best: doggy style. This may also have some benefit of her not seeing some stranger doing the deed in place of her husband, but she also asked for a blindfold as an additional measure. Thanks to my [Darkness Manipulation], I conjured one that wouldn''t give her any openings to peek through. It was perfect if you needed total darkness to fall asleep in, but the circumstances here gave this a kinky twist. I almost wanted to tie her wrists together to really add some bondage into this play, but the goal here was to give her a sense of control. Erizora would probably cry if she saw this and not get in on the action right now ¡­ Better keep this in mind for later.

    At one point, Sue caught my attention and tugged on her ear, signaling that she wished to speak to me through [Telepathy].

    <What is it?> I asked.

    <If uh ¡­ you still want to deliver real punishment to me, really letting me have it, I''m not opposed to something like this, getting restrained to the bed on top of that. Just thought I''d put it out there ¡­> Sue trailed off while twirling her twin tailed hair with a blush.

    It seems Sue also had some similar thoughts to the implied setting of this arrangement and wanted to get a bit extreme. The problem, though, is whether this was really ''punishing'' her if she was basically asking for it by suggestion. Well, it may be more to appease me and vent stress off on her for giving me a hard time recently. If she was very strong, she could likely handle getting roughed up by me, and I always have [Heal] if I somehow went too far.

    <... I''ll keep it in mind.>

    At my response, Sue¡¯s body, especially her wings and tail, twitched and shivered. She did a poor job of trying to not smile.

    I tried to pretend not to see anything as I, after warning Yukino, applied some [Contraception] lube on her entrance to prepare for our fornication. I made sure to be quite thorough while teasing her insides a bit to warm her up. My eyes were on her [Climax Gauge] to make sure I didn¡¯t get her going too quickly, but despite that, her abstinence was painfully clear with how much she moaned contracted her body. I don¡¯t know how familiar she was to the magical lube, but the heat and aphrodisiac-like side-effects that come with it might also play a role in her reactions.

    ¡°Agh! Mmph! B-Be gentler with that, will you?!¡± the prideful Kitsune yelled in protest.

    ¡°Of course, but you should also try to relax a little, too,¡± I answered calmly, ¡°You¡¯re gripping me very tightly here, making the application a bit difficult. Try to take some deep breaths and ease up slowly.¡±

    How tight her hole was as it squeezed around to only my index finger also proved how neglected Yukino was to sex. Though I still remember the harsh words she spoke of Imps earlier, it was almost pitiful knowing the circumstances of her situation now, emphasis on ¡®almost¡¯. I¡¯m going to wreck your garage enough to not even recognize your husband¡¯s car anymore after we¡¯re done here. That will be my payback for all the harsh treatment she put us through today.

    Yukino complied with my instructions and tried to relax, the grip of her entrance on my finger opened slowly, but it was still rather tight. Despite that, this was all I could do to apply the lubricant. Though what¡¯s applied on mine would last a few hours, I added another layer to it to make sure the penetration was as smooth as possible.

    Incidentally, Ren was still deep asleep as she laid next to Yukino. The other girls were sitting in a line of chairs along the wall that my wife had apparently stocked in her [Storage]. Ume was enjoying the show while savoring the wine, not looking buzzed in the slightest despite the strong alcohol content. Tyvera, in the center, was looking the opposite with how flushed she looked after downing the rest of her glass. At some point in their shopping trip¡ªor maybe she got this before even meeting us¡ªthe Harpy apparently got her own toy that she coated with the [Contraception] lube before she started playing with it while watching the action. Considering how her hands resembled a bird¡¯s talons, I¡¯d understand why she¡¯d need to resort to this as it would be very uncomfortable doing it herself, even with some lube to smoothen things up.

    Sue was making sure to capture everything in a recording with my smartphone like I asked her to, giving a thumbs up to me that things were going good, and sometimes taking a few sips of her own wine. Lastly, Mametama, as a means of keeping an eye on the disguised Devil, curled up on her lap to keep her in place. The cougar cub informed at some point that she made a report to Kenaka on what was going on and received a notice that Erizora and Kalline were already sleeping in the other room.

    With preparations set, I set the tip of my hardened member against the Kitsune¡¯s entrance, clearly looking too big to enter normally, ¡°You ready, Yukino? I¡¯m going to start getting into you for real now.¡±

    ¡°... P-Please just be gentle and slow,¡± Kitsune pleaded with a shake in her voice. Even her fox tail trembled slightly with anxiety.

    ¡°Okay, try to relax and just let it all go,¡± I said while spreading her flower as wide as possible with my thumbs. Then, I slowly applied pressure, pressing the head against Yukino¡¯s small hole until it suddenly popped inside.

    Yukino gasped sharply, arching her back. Her body was definitely not as prepared to take on my size as it thought initially. What¡¯s more, since she was currently blindfolded, her senses must have temporarily heightened, making the sensations more impactful to experience. If she were a normal girl under different circumstances, I¡¯d likely take my time and help her ease into it, but I wasn¡¯t so considerate to her this time around. Instead, like a stake getting hammered into a hard patch of soil, I shoved myself deeper into the Kitsune¡¯s depths in small bursts, forcing her insides to stretch for my entrance. The sight was especially incredible as I watched through my [Sweet Spots] skill.

    ¡°Ah, ahh, aaaAAAH!¡± Yukino screamed in tandem to my intrusion. She might have wanted to scream ¡®stop¡¯, but she just couldn¡¯t find it in herself to voice it out. Whether it was because of pain or something else, it didn¡¯t really matter to me. All I knew was that this was perhaps the tightest hole I¡¯ve ever penetrated so far. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would wonder if I was actually taking Yukino¡¯s first time.

    ¡°How can! A Human be! So biiiIIIIIIG?!¡± Yukino yelped as I finally reached her cervix. It seemed like an arduous journey, but we finally made it. Her gasping breaths made it look like she just got to the top of a steep climb. Looking at her [Climax Gauge], the penetration was apparently enough for her to ''finish'' at the end there. Though I wonder if she even noticed, knowing I made it possible like this made me a little prideful.

    The only downside to this ¡­ I wasn¡¯t entirely in. It was only a couple centimeters, but I could tell that I couldn¡¯t get her any closer to the base of my sword, no matter how hard I tried. Ren has a smaller stature than Yukino, yet I was able to get the entirety of my blade inside her sheathe. I would have to tear through this Kitsune¡¯s cervix and destroy her insides if I want to get all the way in, and knowing who I was dealing with, the prospect was tempting to try. Honestly, though, I wanted to get this over with and get back to giving genuine love to my girls.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Okay, Yukino, let¡¯s rock this bed,¡± I said as I slowly pulled back.

    ¡°W-Wha-AAH!¡± Yukino screamed the moment I began my thrusts.

    Since Yukino came a few times already, she was surely feeling sensitive right now, more so while blindfolded. Her insides spasming around my dick as I screwed her certainly told that much, and it showed how quickly her [Climax Gauge] was filling up again, but it wasn¡¯t enough for me.

    She was still wearing a bra, and I felt it was better that she would be free of all restraints, so I undid the clasps for her, letting it fall to the bed.

    ¡°H-Hey! Who said you could¡ªOh! I didn¡¯t say you could touch those! Let go this¡ªMph! MMMmh!¡± Yukino protested as I reached down for her modest mochis and felt her up. Despite the cold hardness of her character, her chest was surprisingly soft, warm, and filled my hands well. Her tips seemed quite sensitive, too. Thanks to the combination of my [Massage], [Sweet Spot], and [Sexual Technique] skills, I immediately changed the Kitsune¡¯s tune to my ministrations while I continued to pump my stake inside her. She tried to break away, resist the urge to moan, like she was still in control, but she lost that a long time ago. I broke through her defenses and am currently taking everything she¡¯s got. Yukino became putty in my hands and I molded her inside-out to be my bitch.

    Her [Climax Gauge] was getting close to being full again, I¡¯ve been holding back mine to let the dam really burst, and so I judged this the best time to make my move.

    ¡°Well, that should do it for me,¡± I said, stopping myself with my head pressed against her cervix.

    ¡°W-Wha?¡± Yukino mumbled, confused.

    ¡°I¡¯m at my limit, and I don¡¯t think I can go on after this,¡± I lied, ¡°Furthermore, even though the [Contraception] would prevent pregnancy, you wouldn¡¯t want a Human¡¯s seed to swim around inside you, right?¡±

    ¡°E-Erm, right, but ¡­ you can¡¯t just bear with it a little more? Or yet, release a load and put it back in?¡± she asked.

    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been quite active lately, and even now I¡¯m pushing myself to satisfy as much as I can,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that after this one, I won¡¯t get it back up the rest of tonight.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?! But I¡¯m so¡ª¡± Yukino exclaimed before stopping herself. I¡¯m certain that if she finished that sentence, she¡¯d be losing her pride as a Kitsune.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve been satisfied enough, right?¡± I asked, ¡°I don¡¯t want to rough you up more than I already have, and I¡¯d rather be fully satisfied unloading my seed to one of my girls who really wants it, especially my wife, who can take on all of me at once.¡±

    ¡°... What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Yukino asked, looking slightly peeved as she removed the blindfold.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice? Even though I¡¯ve reached to your very depths, I¡¯m not fully inside. My whole sword couldn¡¯t get inside you, can you believe it?¡± I asked while shrugging, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a shocker, but I guess all girls are built differently. All the other girls in my party, including Ren, were able to swallow me whole.¡±

    ¡°The savage Werewolf?!¡± Yukino asked as she jolted towards Ren¡¯s direction, who was still sleeping soundly. The puddle of drool forming near her face made her look oddly adorable.

    ¡°Mashter ¡­ nod enuff ¡­ more, pleash,¡± the Werewolf mumbled in her sleep while squirming in place. From those words, she could either be dreaming about my sex with her, or eating all my cooking¡ªI know how much she¡¯d want to eat every last bite of it, no matter how full she may seem.

    Yukino must have took those words for the former case, as she looked absolutely angry at being shown up as a love partner before glaring at me, ¡°You think I can¡¯t take all of your blade?! Me?! A Kitsune?!¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not really your fault, it¡¯s just how your body is,¡± I said while shrugging again, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to hurt you any¡ª¡±

    Before I could finish my sentence, amazingly while still being joined together by our sexes, Yukino spun on her back, sat up, and gripped my shoulders before pulling me up close. She brought us face-to-face with a furious look, ¡°Don¡¯t you look down on me, Human! If anything, you¡¯re the one holding back! I¡¯m not at fault here! Now give me that stick and make me come! I don¡¯t care if you have to unload your filthy seed inside of me to do it!¡±

    I was slightly surprised at her outburst, but I still tried to play it cool and thought about it, ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know, it would be my last load for a while, I¡¯d rather give it to one of my girls who genuinely wants it.¡±

    ¡°As the wife of the one mediating your quest, I demand that you finish inside me, or there will be consequences,¡± Yukino growled.

    <Wow, she¡¯s seriously gonna throw her position around in a thing like this? Now I¡¯m turned off,> Nyra said, and I couldn¡¯t agree even more.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll do it, but I¡¯d like a favor in return,¡± I said.

    Yukino furrowed her brow, ¡°And just what would that be?¡±

    It was then my turn to look serious, ¡°Konjiro and Rowling. What are those two plotting behind our backs? I want your answer to that.¡±

    The Kitsune widened her eyes, ¡°What ¡­ are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb,¡± I said, ¡°Rowling was the one who put up this quest in the first place, right? And he¡¯s a very important man, hence why Konjiro¡¯s serving as ¡®mediator¡¯ to look after the quest¡¯s proceedings, keeping his preferences on Noire¡¯s escort to the dungeon crawl in mind. From the very start, you three weren¡¯t thrilled of having me and my party taking on Noire¡¯s quest, and with her attempt to call off her engagement, that could spell doom for Rowling, who Konjiro tries to keep in the loop on this development. Surely, they have a means of communication to make relaying information more instantaneous than a letter delivered by even the fastest of Harpies. Through that, Konjiro must keep you informed of what goes on, since you help support his goals as his wife.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m asking you now: what did Konjiro and Rowling discuss in regards to us escorting Noire in this quest?¡± I asked while sharpening my gaze.

    ¡°... H-Hmph, and what reason would I have for telling you? You realize I could tell Konjiro that you made me drunk and assaulted me?¡± Yukino asked.

    I looked up and thought, ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know, the receptionist and other patrons of this inn who were nearby seemed to know you came with me to my room willingly. I remember their faces, too, so if we take their witness accounts and bring them to Noire while you try to explain the situation with everyone, I have a feeling she¡¯s sharp enough to know when you¡¯re lying. And just what would she do after hearing such juicy gossip?¡±

    ¡°You bastard ¡­¡± she growled.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing why you should give me that info,¡± I said before moving to her fox ear, ¡°If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll never get a taste of my eggplant again.¡±

    She gasped as I pushed her down and started humping my hips against her groin in a missionary position, reminding her of our current connection, and that I was still maintaining hardness. Her [Climax Gauge] had gone down a bit, but it wasn¡¯t hard to get her back up to speed.

    ¡°You like having me inside you, don¡¯t you?¡± I whispered as I fucked her, ¡°A fruit so big, so different from your husband¡¯s, one that actually hits you in all the right places. What¡¯s more, he¡¯ll never fill you up like I have tonight, won¡¯t treat your body as well, either, and you know it. And you know what else? I don¡¯t want this to be the last time we join together.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh?¡± she uttered in disbelief.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you¡¯re married, but I¡¯ve been smittened by you, Yukino,¡± I lied, ¡°So fierce and feisty, as well as beautiful. If I can¡¯t have your love, the least I can have is your body when you¡¯re not busy. You¡¯re still faithful to your husband, but you want a good release, as well, right? This can be an arrangement that only stays between us.

    ¡°And in the first place, from one spouse to another, I¡¯ve approached you like this for the sake of my party¡¯s safety,¡± I said with sincerity, ¡°Any info of what we¡¯re up against could up our chances of surviving this quest. And if I were to disappear, you¡¯d never get to experience this again, either.¡±

    Yukino gasped, whether at the prospect or that I hit one of her [Sweet Spots], it¡¯s hard to say.

    I stopped my motions and looked at her in the eyes once more, ¡°So, what¡¯s it gonna be, Yukino? Tell us what Konjiro and Rowling have planned, or take a chance that the other Demons will believe your story of tonight¡¯s events? What will you choose?¡±

 Chapter 176*: A Prideful Kitsuneâ€™s Fall from Grace, Part 4

    Yukino had gotten conflicted with the choices I gave her: Tell me what she knows about Rowling¡¯s plans and receive the best screw she could have for a memorable climax, or be left empty and unsatisfied while I shoot my ¡®last¡¯ load into one of my girls. How her [Climax Gauge] was staggering near the peak added more pressure to the situation. This was what I was planning for, too, making her think she had full control from the start, only to pull the rug underneath her and reveal who was really in charge. I just need to add more pressure on her to come to a decision.

    With Yukino¡¯s [Climax Gauge] as my guide, I jiggled my sword in her sheath a bit, rubbing the head against her cervix in a teasing manner, keeping her on her toes. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m getting so close, Yukino, I don¡¯t think I can take much more, I have to pull out,¡± I said in between breaths, feigning exhaustion before slowly pulling myself out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Yukino screamed in desperation as she wrapped her arms and legs around me, ¡°L-Lord Rowling ¡­ he sent members from the Duke of Demons¡¯ Disciples and some back up to take you all out in the dungeon! Tyvera, Gabriella, and Lady Noire, too! He wants to make sure there are no survivors who know about Lady Noire¡¯s canceling of the engagement! He¡¯d go after Eugus, Julius, and even Lady Beelzebub after that, too!¡±

    Alright, now we¡¯re getting somewhere.

    ¡°Is that so? But Noire is Rowling¡¯s fiance, right? What would he do after she¡¯s dead?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯ll go after her sister, Lady Opal, next to marry into the Krauss Family!¡± Yukino exclaimed.

    ¡°To assume the role as the next head of the family, right? What¡¯s he planning to do with that position?¡±

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t explain that!¡± she refuted.

    ¡°Ah, well, I guess our time here is done¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± Yukino interrupted, reaffirming her hold on me, ¡°Lord Rowling will become the next Minister of Defense and Weaponry and use the resources that go with that along with Chaos Barrage for the coup against the Demon King! All led by the Duke of Demons, Vask!¡±

    ¡°I knew it ¡­¡± Sue muttered in the background.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even catch a word of this while I was still one of the disciples ¡­ I¡¯m sure Gabriella¡¯s the same,¡± Tyvera followed.

    ¡°And what¡¯s in it for you and Konjiro in helping Rowling with all this?¡± I asked next.

    ¡°Rowling was going to convince Vask to have Konjiro be a part of the new Ministry after the coup¡¯s succession. He was getting tired of being a Guild Master and wanted more than what it had to offer, you see,¡± Yukino reasoned.

    So Vask didn¡¯t ask Rowling to enlist Konjiro in his coup? This may be something like, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you have to do, just make sure your marriage into the Krauss Family goes without issues¡±, right?

    <Maybe it¡¯s because Rowling is Vask¡¯s right-hand man that the former is tasked with the minor details that go along with the coup. He does seem to be quite cautious to have all this planned out and put into action when necessary, Hell, Rowling could become the next Duke of Demons while Konjiro takes his place as Minister of Defense and Weaponry,> Nyra contributed.

    ¡°Okay, and how is Rowling planning to eliminate our group while in our dungeon crawl?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The other disciples and their parties should be going into the dungeon and get into assigned positions as we speak,¡± Yukino answered, ¡°Then, as your party treks the dungeon tomorrow, a trap will be set to separate you all, thinning your numbers to make the ambushes go smoother, if the Monsters in the lower levels don¡¯t do you in first.¡±

    I see, we have quite the number of capable people in our group, but it could be a different story if we get separated. I don¡¯t think I need to worry about Ume, Ren, Sue, and my Familiars having problems knowing how strong they are. Gabriella, I don¡¯t really care for much, but I¡¯m worried about leaving Tyvera, Erizora, Kalline, and especially Noire alone.

    ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t believe a Human cornered me like this, but whatever, it¡¯s not like knowing this will make a difference for you all,¡± Yukino said while furrowing her brow in annoyance, ¡°You basically have an army on top of the Monsters waiting to destroy you in the dungeon, there¡¯s no way you all will actually clear it alive. Which is why you should make the most of your last night here and really give me a good fuck like you promised. Such a shame your dear wife and other lovers won¡¯t be pleased any further, with you being close to the brink and a¡ªAAALL?!¡± she yelped as I pinned her down on the bed and continued my thrusts into her pussy. Her [Climax Gauge] had gotten down quite a bit, and while my dick was still hard, I was getting a bit too relaxed, so I needed to heat things back up.

    With Sue having all she needed to record as evidence and my questions answered for the time being, I was getting quite tired putting up with Yukino¡¯s bullshit. So, I didn¡¯t hold back and really pounded her insides like a raging, virile beast on steroids. It was hard to distinguish whether the unfaithful Kitsune¡¯s cries were of pain or pleasure, but that''s none of my concern at this point.

    ¡°You seem so sure that we won¡¯t survive, Yukino, you aren¡¯t worried that you¡¯ll never get sex like this again like I said earlier?¡± I asked while my hips moved.

    ¡°H-Ha! That would require you actually clearing the dungeon and coming out alive!¡± Yukino exclaimed between moans, ¡°The dead can¡¯t spill any secrets, after all, so there¡¯s no reason for me to worry over you doing that once you all get snuffed out.¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Is that so? And what would you do on the off-chance that we do come back out alive? You¡¯d be in trouble once the word gets out,¡± I informed.

    ¡°H-Hmph! In that case, I¡¯ll swallow my pride as a Kitsune, leave Konjiro and become one of your sex slaves, instead! It beats getting executed for being part of the coup!¡± Yukino yells haughtily before moaning louder.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to hold you to that, Yukino, but in the meantime, for tonight, become my coom dumpster and take this seed!¡±

    Right as Yukino¡¯s [Climax Gauge] reached the peak, I hilted myself and really unleashed the big buildup of semen stored in my balls thanks to [Semen Pump]¡¯s assistance. The haughty Kitsune looked especially surprised by the amount going into her womb as she screamed in ecstasy. Like earlier with Ren, Yukino¡¯s belly has also grown a bit of a bump with her apparently small womb getting inflated with my fluids.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get a lot of sexual satisfaction with how I still have some of my shaft exposed, but strangely enough, during her finisher, I felt her inner walls stretching and conforming as it somehow sucked the rest of it inside. It was as if it accepted submission and was taking it all in stride.

    Finally, after some time, our climaxes died out and Yukino flopped flat on the bed, exhausted and sweating slightly. ¡°H-Ha ha, enjoy this while you can, Human, because by tomorrow, you¡¯ll ¡­¡± she trailed off as I silently chant [Slothful Slumber] to put her to sleep.

    Sighing in relief, I pulled my shaft out with a pop, the liquid concoction inside already leaking out and making a small puddle between her legs, ¡°Finally, she can shut up for the rest of the evening.¡±

    Just as I said that, notices appeared in front of me.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have achieved the ¡®Paramour¡¯ title!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have now learned ¡®Orifice Conformity*¡¯!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have achieved the ¡®Kitsune¡¯s Mate¡¯ title!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    You have now reached ¡®Vigorous Libido¡¯ LV 48!

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    Wow, looks like having sex with a Kitsune brought me up a few levels. Not real proud of this ¡®Paramour¡¯ title, though, and what the heck is this ¡®Orifice Conformity¡¯?

    <Ohohoho, the benefits of cucking have finally arrived,> Nyra said, reading my thoughts, <You¡¯ve successfully pleased a married woman to like having sex with you more than their own husband, that¡¯s the requirement to get the ¡®Paramour¡¯ title, and with that comes the [Orifice Conformity] skill, which allows you to mold almost any hole in a female¡¯s body to shape and accept your key, no matter how big or small they may be. You saw how Yukino¡¯s honeypot swallowed the rest of your stick earlier, right? That was the new skill doing its work on her. From this, anyone who has a smaller stick than yours will never please her the same as you, and anyone bigger won¡¯t even get their head inside.>

    <Wait, that sounds kind of serious. Is it permanent?> I asked.

    <If Yukino doesn¡¯t get any more stickings from you after tonight, the effects will only last for a month and her flower will go back to normal,> Nyra explained, <The skill also has a switch that you can flip so you don¡¯t do it on every girl you have sex with. If you do it to Yukino again while the skill¡¯s off, she¡¯ll immediately go back to normal after that.

    <Every night after this, though, her womanhood will crave for your sword for it to sheathe over, and it will get progressively worse the longer the withdrawal lasts. Should her mouth and anus get to know your shaft, as well, they would add into her body¡¯s cravings, making her withdrawal even more unbearable. In short, you¡¯re basically making her into a bimbo addicted to meat, your meat. Unless she toughs it out for the month, she practically won¡¯t live without you and your manhood.>

    <... You knew this was going to happen and held off on telling me from the start, didn¡¯t you?> I asked.

    <Yep! I just didn¡¯t like Yukino enough to make her fall and become the meat-obsessed bitch she deserved to be,> Nyra answered unashamedly.

    Still, I got the gist of it. Any Paramours who have a married girl on their sight that they want for themselves, they¡¯d use the [Orifice Conformity] skill to make it so those wives couldn¡¯t live without them. Quite sleazy, I gotta admit, but I suppose it could be useful for me if I wanted difficult girls to cooperate for a short period of time. Still, I don¡¯t think I could ever use this on the girls who genuinely love me already, and I¡¯d rather win over other single girls through honest means, too. At this point, though, Yukino¡¯s fate of being my sex slave is sealed.

    For now, it¡¯s best that I have the [Orifice Conformity] off and just enjoy the rest of the night with the girls. I have sex-related skills that could let me hold myself back for longer while building up man milk for a bigger load, and I could still keep going for a couple more rounds after that. Honestly, as soon as I got what I needed from Yukino and unload inside her, I was going to cast [Slothful Slumber] to put her to sleep, shutting her up and giving me time to pleasure the girls again once more. Still, there¡¯s one thing I wanted to confirm with Sue.

    <Hey Sue, could Yukino really get away with execution for being part of the coup by becoming my sex slave? Compared to Tyvera¡¯s case, this seems far more serious,> I said to her through [Telepathy].

    <... If I may ask first, do you want Yukino to be your sex slave?> Sue asked.

    <I know it may have looked like I was into it, but I¡¯m honestly not sure. It doesn¡¯t look like Yukino will get along with the others the way she is now. As harsh as it may sound coming from me, I¡¯d be better off selling her to a slave merchant like Carmen,> I reasoned.

    <So, if her personality was better, you¡¯d consider taking her in?> Sue asked.

    <I ¡­ guess?> I answered with uncertainty.

    <I see. To be honest, I highly doubt enslavement would be enough of a punishment on its own, but I¡¯m sure Her Highness will figure something out once I give my report on her. You¡¯ll know what will happen to her once all this is over,> Sue explained.

    <Thanks, Sue.>

    ¡°So, are we good, Chief? We got all that we needed from Yukino? Should we get ready for bed now?¡± Tyvera asked.

    ¡°Pft, did you seriously take Jin¡¯s words at face value?¡± Ume scoffed, ¡°Obviously, he was lying to put her under pressure. Look between his legs and you tell me if that¡¯s the look of someone ready for bed.¡±

    Indeed, it might have taken a bit with my current mood, but savoring the beautiful naked bodies of the girls I genuinely love got my little man back up and ready for more action.

    ¡°I definitely want to keep going for a little longer, but there¡¯s something I want to look into before we continue, call it a break, if you will,¡± I said before calling out Nyra¡¯s name and have her tanto appear in my hand, an effect thanks to Weapon¡¯s Bond I made after confirming our long-term partnership back in Dondegarm.

    ¡°What are you going to do with Nyra, Jinma?¡± Sue asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°Yukino mentioned she had a twin sister, and she got real peeved while talking about it,¡± I explained, ¡°We¡¯re going to use Nyra¡¯s powers and see what happened between them through Yukino¡¯s memories. Anyone want to grab some snacks before we get started?¡±

 Chapter 177: The Kitsune Twinsâ€™ Grating Upbringing, Part 1

    Those of us who are still awake gathered around the bed, watching Yukino and Ren sleep peacefully. I can relay what we¡¯ve seen to the others through Nyra¡¯s powers tomorrow, so this was as good a time as any to get more of this Kitsune¡¯s back story and what happened with her sister. With the blade out, I focused on putting my mana into the weapon, harnessing Nyra¡¯s power that dwells inside while hovering it over Yukino¡¯s head. Purplish-black tendrils sprouted from the aura of the same color, the ends of them made contact with the sleeping Kitsune¡¯s head.

    <Alright, Jinma, from where should we start?> Nyra asked.

    <Let¡¯s take a look at Yukino¡¯s earliest childhood memories, the first one with her and her sister together that jumps out at you,> I said.

    <You got it!>

    With more of the purplish-black aura forming a large, oblong bubble before us, flashing, moving images started to fade in. It was like the sequence of events were playing backwards at high speeds.

    <The T.V. from Obina¡¯s room inspired you to make this, right?> I asked as I watched this recording of Yukino¡¯s memories rewind.

    <I thought it would be cool!>

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering what Yukino¡¯s past is like after meeting her a couple times, but something about this seems a bit invasive,¡± Tyvera said.

    ¡°I do pity her a little, but I¡¯m not going to let her badmouthing off my husband be forgiven so easily,¡± Ume said, ¡°Whatever we find here, we¡¯ll use as payback for her attitude towards Jin.¡±

    ¡°I get what you mean, but still ¡­¡± Tyvera trailed off.

    ¡°She and Konjiro are basically members of the upper class along with the nobility,¡± Sue said, ¡°Their words and actions hold a bigger impact than those from the common folk, and those same things will come back and bite them just as hard. Whatever thoughts she had living the upper class life, it¡¯s time that she learns the cold, bitter reality that comes with it.¡±

    Finally, we reached our first clip of Yukino¡¯s early childhood, and we all watched with utmost curiosity.

    ~~

    ¡°Big Sisterrrr! Why are you runniiing?! Don¡¯t you want to see how cool this is?!¡±

    ¡°IIIYAAAAAAA! Get that disgusting thing away from me! Drop it and get yourself cleaned right now!¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhh? But it¡¯s not moving? It won¡¯t hurt you, and it¡¯s not that dirty. I just killed this huge rat minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡±

    From Yukino¡¯s point of view, the first thing we saw was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 years of age, with orange-red hair chasing after her. She was carrying a gray rat the size of a shiba dog with its underside cut and pried open like a dissection project in high school biology class.

    Though she was much younger with a different hair and fur color, I can see how she resembled Yukino. If it weren¡¯t for the mess of blood on her body, I would find her pretty cute. It¡¯s unbelievable that this was the infamous younger twin sister.

    Yukino¡¯s recording fast-forwarded a bit to where her sister was getting scolded by their parents. There wasn¡¯t a hint of remorse or fear on her face as she was getting ripped a new one by her father. On the contrary, she was quite bored.

    ¡°Toshino! We found more of those Large Rat Monsters in your closet stinking up the place with their stench of death! Just how long have you been doing this?!¡± the father Kitsune exclaimed.

    ¡°Over the past week and a half, I think? Those were all failed attempts. I was going to toss them after showing Big Sister my perfect dissection, and I kept all the magic stones for later, too,¡± the twin sister, who apparently goes by Toshino, explained coolly with a shrug.

    ¡°Later for what?! Your past actions were questionable, but this is no behavior a proud Kitsune would display! We are not savages!¡± the father yelled, ¡°You and Yukino have your magic evaluations soon, determining your future as Kitsunes! You need to shape up and get your head straight before it comes back to bite you! Now, take those disgusting rats out and clean that mess before the stench gets worse!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father ¡­¡± she said dronely.

    ¡°That girl ¡­ she doesn¡¯t look sorry in the slightest,¡± Yukino, who was peeking in through the crack of the door, whispered to herself with grated annoyance.

    The memories have fast-forwarded again to what looks like the day of this ¡®magic evaluation¡¯ the father was talking about. It was Toshino¡¯s turn, and the Kitsune who was evaluating her, an old-looking male with graying fur and a fox head wearing a monocle, was astonished beyond belief.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Th-This is incredible! Toshino¡¯s mana recovery is astounding! She must have the Tenko¡¯s Recovery ability! Not only that, but even if you put her recent history of early Monster subjugation into consideration, her magic power is superb! This may be one of the top Tenkos we have of this generation yet!¡± the evaluator praised.

    ¡°You hear that, honey?! One of our daughters is a Tenko! One of the best, at that!¡± the mother Kitsune exclaimed with delight.

    ¡°With Toshino, our family will prosper!¡± the father exclaimed with the same enthusiasm.

    Toshino didn¡¯t look like she had any idea of what was going on with the adults in the room. She probably didn¡¯t think being a Tenko was that big of a deal to her.

    ¡°... Why? Why her, of all people?¡± Yukino muttered under her breath, the hatred in it palpable.

    During the fast-forward, there were glimpses of Yukino with her nose glued to books, training dummies scorched and pierced with arrows, and a pair of tiny hands drenched in sweat and blisters. At one point, Toshino actually used [Holy Magic] to heal some of Yukino¡¯s injuries that she got through her training, which really showed her talent in the magical arts being able to pull that off at that age. The little sister seemed quite pleased with the accomplishment, too, but the older one didn¡¯t seem to have similar feelings.

    Finally, the next part of this recording portrayed Toshino meeting with a young Kitsune boy, looking a couple years older than her. Both of their parents were with them sharing introductions, but Yukino looked to be watching it all from hiding. It should be noted that this Kitsune boy was seen briefly a couple times during the fast-forwards, too.

    ¡°So, you are Toshino?¡± the Kitsune boy asked with a prideful air, ¡°You may have already heard of me, but I¡¯ll introduce myself out of formalities. I¡¯m Konjiro, a Tenko like yourself. From this point on, you¡¯ll be engaged as my mate. Be honored that you have been given the opportunity to be my lifetime partner.¡±

    ¡°... Engaged? Konjiro?¡± Toshino asked in confusion. Either she forgot, or she was not in the know about this sudden arranged marriage, ¡°... Ah! That Konjiro! Wait, huh? I¡¯m engaged to you?¡±

    Konjiro was clearly annoyed by Toshino¡¯s ignorance, and he wasn¡¯t good at hiding his displeasure as a kid, ¡°... Yes. As part of our clan¡¯s tradition, we Tenkos must come together for an arranged marriage to produce more Tenko offspring and keep our Kitsune bloodline strong.¡±

    ¡°... Mother, Father, do I have to get married? This sounds like something that will get in the way of my [Holy Magic] studies,¡± Toshino said.

    If it was possible, everyone but that blunt Kitsune twin would have turned to stone from that crazy statement.

    ¡°And besides, Big Sister has a huge crush on Konjiro. Why can¡¯t he marry her, instead?¡± Toshino asked.

    ¡°What are you doing, you stupid girl?!¡± Yukino whispered with anger and embarrassment.

    ¡°... W-Well, I¡¯m impressed with the dedication to your magic studies, but, your sister, huh? Is she also a Tenko?¡± Konjiro asked.

    Toshino only shook her head.

    ¡°Then my discussion with your sister ends there,¡± Konjiro said, looking cold, ¡°I¡¯m only interested in keeping our Kitsune Clan alive and strong, and I need you and your Tenko blood to help me make that happen.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­¡± Yukino muttered, her voice cracked.

    ¡°Well, that sounds boring without Big Sister around,¡± Toshino said while crossing her arms nonchalantly, ¡°I don¡¯t really care about the Kitsune bloodline, either. You guys can marry more than one female, right? If you want to marry me that bad, then marry Big Sister, too. Either be engaged to both of us, or none of us, those are your choices, no further discussion.¡±

    ¡°T-Toshino?¡± Yukino stuttered.

    ¡°... So, if I get engaged to your big sister, will you help me maintain the Kitsune Clan?¡± Konjiro asked.

    ¡°That, and you continue letting me research [Holy Magic] during our marriage, whether I have a child or not,¡± Toshino said.

    ¡°... Very well, then,¡± Konjiro said, ¡°I, Konjiro, will ask your sister¡¯s hand in marriage alongside yours. If she¡¯s as ¡­ eccentric, as you and turns me down, you must be my primary mate and help me with the clan¡¯s bloodline, whenever I need you.¡±

    Toshino waved a hand, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Big Sister turning you down. Heck, I¡¯d rather you have many children with her, instead, but I¡¯ll go along with whatever.¡±

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s a deal,¡± Konjiro said before the two of them shook hands on it, but the vision of them started to get shaky and blurry before zipping sideways and went on the move. It looks like Yukino was running and crying at this moment.

    ¡°... Why? If you don¡¯t want to be a Tenko, Toshino, just let me be one in your place. Why did you have to be a Tenko, and not me? Konjiro won¡¯t ever really love me, not when I¡¯m not a Tenko. Stupid magic-and-dissection loving freak ¡­¡± Yukino cursed.

    ~~

    ¡°... Yikes, so Yukino wasn¡¯t even Konjiro¡¯s first choice in prospective marriages. If it weren¡¯t for her sister, he wouldn¡¯t even look at her,¡± I said as we waited for more of Yukino¡¯s memories to fast-forward to something of interest.

    ¡°I pity her, but that¡¯s just how things are in some Werebeast clans,¡± Tyvera said before shrugging, ¡°Strength can mean everything for them, physical, magical, or otherwise. Way back in the past, it can be difficult for some of us Harpies when seeking a Human male. If we pick up a weak one that we can overpower, we can produce a number of offspring quickly, but they likely won¡¯t get as strong as us. Stronger males are more ideal for us to have stronger offspring, but we couldn¡¯t get close since they can fight back. I heard it¡¯s been a bit better since the previous Demon King proposed that peace treaty to the other territories, but some of the more ¡®traditionalist¡¯ Demons want to keep their old practices alive. I doubt most Kitsunes would even think about having romantic relations with anyone that isn¡¯t someone from their own clan, let alone a human, so it¡¯s quite a miracle that you even convinced Yukino to sleep with you.¡±

    ¡°Heh, no matter who or what they are, no one can resist my husband¡¯s charms,¡± Ume said while puffing her exposed, giant chest with pride.

    If there¡¯s one thing I know about Toshino so far, it¡¯s that despite her eccentricity¡ªor maybe it¡¯s because of that¡ªshe has a strong independence of following her passions in magic research. It¡¯s possible she may have gained that independence during her research, too, whether her being a Tenko has anything to do with that would be up for debate. Still, we¡¯ve yet to see why we haven¡¯t seen Toshino here with Yukino today. Guess we¡¯ll have to sift through more of Yukino¡¯s memories to find out.

 Chapter 178: The Kitsune Twinsâ€™ Grating Upbringing, Part 2

    As we skimmed through more of Yukino¡¯s memories, we saw Konjiro proposing to her in first person, so it looked like he was proposing to a camera recording him. It was hard for me to not cringe at this scene since it¡¯s like I was the one being proposed to. His proposal to Yukino wasn¡¯t much different, if not colder than it was with Toshino. Though Yukino wasn¡¯t happy with how this engagement turned out, it seems that she was willing to take what she could get.

    After that proposal, there were brief instances of Toshino putting Konjiro through the same psychological trauma due to the exposure of gore from her dissection projects. This led him to going on dates with Yukino more to forget what he saw than to get closer to her. No matter the reason behind those dates, Yukino seemed somewhat thankful to her sister for giving her those opportunities.

    Despite the circumstances behind the engagement, Yukino was still putting much effort into her training as both a wife, as well as a Shrine Priestess with her magic and bow. I¡¯m pretty sure some of the upper-class women in medieval Japan were also going through a similar training to become fitting wives for their feudal lords. I have mixed feelings about learning this practice as a modern Japanese man now, but all I can say to Yukino in this case is that I respected her perseverance despite the bleakness of her situation. I could only imagine how different a woman she would be if Konjiro paid more attention to her throughout the day, but it seemed he was more narrow-minded and focused on maintaining the Kitstune-Clan¡¯s lineage.

    A few years into this estranged engagement later, the three of them gave up their default classes and became Clerics with the help of the Immortals¡¯ Monument that was in the church of their village. Apparently, unlike us humans and more human-like sapients who have the Brawler class as our default, the Werebeasts have a different default class called the ¡®Beast¡¯ class, according to Sue when I asked her about it later. Depending on what clan they come from, they have a different set of skills to learn as they level up the Beast class before deciding to change into a novice class like Thief and Mage.

    Incidentally, the Beastmen, who are part of the Demi-Kin, also share the default Beast class. Unlike the Werebeasts, the Beastmen race only have animal ears and tails to identify them as such, which makes them more ¡®human¡¯ in appearance, both females and males alike. Cases like Konjiro, who has a fox head and more beastly limbs as a male is what makes him and others the Werebeasts of the Demon-Kin. I¡¯m going off tangent from Yukino¡¯s life story, but I just found this weird similarity between Beastmen and Werebeasts pretty interesting.

    Anyway, Konjiro, Yukino, and Toshino approached their training as Clerics in their own ways within the next couple years to become Shrine Priests/Priestesses. Konjiro and Yukino relied mostly on the more ¡®traditionalist¡¯ approach and trained their classes through private studies, with their instructors supervising them when they go out hunting Monsters for field experience. Toshino, on the other hand, didn¡¯t change much from her original approach of study and research in [Holy Magic] and relied on dissections. The only difference here is that Toshino graduated from Large Rats and other ¡®small¡¯ Monsters to bigger, more dangerous ones. Her approach of ¡®battling¡¯ them was more mutilating than I expected, as well as something I used on an enemy in the past.

    Unlike her sister and fiance, Tohino would fight her enemies with offensive magics and knives, a fighting style that Ninjas like Ren were more likely to use than Shrine Priestesses. She¡¯d whittle the Monsters down little by little until near the brink of death, then use [Holy Magic] on those same creatures and heal their wounds before repeating the process. It was a crazy strategy that would put the fighter in danger, but it seemed Toshino learned to make a sick game out of it in the process. It got to the point where the Monsters she fought feared her and tried to run away, but that only got Toshino more into it and made her ¡®fights¡¯ into games of tag. Because of all the blood the Monsters lost, though, they couldn¡¯t run away for long with the severe lack of energy, and I guess that was when Toshino would finally put them out of their misery. I had to admit that I pitied those poor Monsters unlucky enough to meet such cruel fates.

    Through this method, Toshino may not gain as much EXP to level up from killing Monsters like Konjiro and Yukino would, but the proficiency in her magic and knives would increase by leaps and bounds. Considering how many Large Rats and other small Monsters she¡¯s killed before then, though, it makes me wonder if she was already too strong for the bigger Monsters when she started her Shrine Priestess training. If that were the case, then learning and honing skills are the only things she could do. As long as they help her further her research into [Holy Magic], then she¡¯ll do what¡¯s necessary to make it happen, and she¡¯ll have fun doing it, too, even if it freaked out her marriage partners with her gory mess that came with it.

    As I watched Toshino fight at a young age in Yukino¡¯s memories, I was conflicted. While I respected the latter¡¯s work ethics, I should be concerned, much less repulsed over the former¡¯s mental state due to the approach in her ¡®research¡¯. That¡¯s what I thought I should be feeling, if I was a normal person. However, I only grew more weirdly interested in this budding psychopath. Maybe it was how she was following her passion for research, despite the opposing opinions around her, that made me give her more of my attention. Her work/research ethics are questionable, but at least she has enough understanding in morals to know there are lines that shouldn¡¯t be crossed. Those were my thoughts, anyway.

    It wasn¡¯t until the three of them checked in on their progress in becoming Shrine Priest/Priestesses that I was getting some idea of what happened to Toshino.

    ~~

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s ¡­ impossible. Are you sure you¡¯re seeing that correctly, Toshino?¡± an older male Kitsune, who looked like a Shrine Priest that managed the church they were all in, asked, ¡°Your progress up to now has been astounding, I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re not actually ready to become a Shrine Priestess yet.¡±

    Toshino, who was now around junior high school age at this time, nodded, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to ya, gramps, I can¡¯t select ¡®Shrine Priestess¡¯ as my Advanced Class, and I¡¯ve trained the necessary skills at the required levels I could reach as a Cleric to make it happen ¡­ no, not just that, but surpassed them, too. Also, I can¡¯t level up as a Cleric anymore, either.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you ¡­ can¡¯t?¡± Konjiro asked in disbelief.

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    ¡°So, I¡¯ve actually reached the level required to be promoted a while ago, right?¡± Toshino explained, ¡°I thought I couldn¡¯t level up more than that, but the last big Monster I defeated turned out to net me more EXP than I thought and had me break past LV 100. When I checked my progress after that, I thought, ¡®huh, that¡¯s weird, wonder if I need to level up further than that to become a Shrine Priestess?¡¯ So by that point, I visited the nearest dungeon as an adventurer in my offtime and leveled up further. At first it was to see how much longer until I could be promoted into a Shrine Priestess, but I just forgot it later on and kept going to see how far I could actually go. At some point, I earned this ¡®Peak of Clerics¡¯ title when I leveled up to 200 and couldn¡¯t go any further.¡±

    ¡°LEVEL 200?!¡± Konjiro and Yukino yelled.

    ¡°Th-The P-Peak of Clerics?! You really reached the highest a Cleric could go?! At your age?!¡± the old Shrine Priest asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve even cleared the dungeon a few times, too,¡± Toshino said nonchalantly, ¡°Once the small-fry became a waste of time, I used [Stealth] that I learned before becoming a Cleric and just snuck my way through to the lower levels and fought stronger Monsters that way. It wasn¡¯t hard, really, especially when I brought enough tools and rations to last me a while down there. The adventurers who frequented it gave me some helpful advice, too, after I showed them who was superior, anyway, but it all turned into a fascinating learning experience, and I acquired plenty of funds for my research as a result of it. After I got to my max level, though, it seemed any EXP I got from that point was accumulated until I got promoted into an Advanced Class, where all that will be transferred over. I spent my off time learning and honing more skills during that time.¡±

    ¡°Th-This has never happened before,¡± the Shrine Priest said while patting the buckets of sweat away with a handkerchief, ¡°A Tenko, unable to be promoted into a Shrine Priestess? Even after reaching the Peak of Clerics where one could be promoted into any Advanced Class in the Cleric line, ignoring the requirements to reach them? Are you sure you can¡¯t be promoted into a Priestess, at the least?¡±

    ¡°The only Advanced Class I can get promoted into as a Cleric is a Templar,¡± Toshino answered.

    ¡°A TEMPLAR?!¡± the other three in the church yelled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it beforehand, and I must say, the class is quite intriguing,¡± Toshino said, ignoring the others¡¯ shock, ¡°A Templar¡¯s way of fighting seems up my alley, and some of its skills could really help make my research more efficient. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m unable to be promoted into the other Advanced Classes from the Cleric line, but isn¡¯t it fine for me to become a¡ª¡±

    ¡°ABSOLUTELY NOT!¡± the Shrine Priest yelled, surprising the three young Kitsunes, ¡°Templars are really Assassins hired by churches, and us Kitsunes, especially Tenkos like you and Konjiro, are not such savage Werebeasts to stoop down to such a level! If you take that class, you''ll surely drag our clan through the mud! I forbid you to¡ª!"

    "Hey, random question, gramps, but Father Kenju passed away in his sleep not too long ago, right?" Toshino interrupted, "And Father Tenka was the only other candidate to become Head Bishop of this church before he mysteriously disappeared, correct? With both of them gone, you were left to take the spot of Head Bishop, right?"

    "... Where are you going with this, Toshino?" the old Kitsune asked suspiciously.

    "I was just thinking how odd it was when, after acquiring a peculiar ability from clearing the dungeon, that I''m able to see a red 2 above your head, and with both of those names listed when I inspected it," Toshino answered.

    The church fell into silence.

    "Hey, hey, gramps, does being Head Bishop mean you could do what you want with any of the practitioners who work under you?" Toshino then asked like a curious child, "Sounds like a big deal, right? I guess I can understand why you''d remove the competition to take that spot for yourself."

    "You¡ª!"

    Before the Shrine Priest could speak any further, Toshino suddenly blinked out of existence. In the next moment, she reappeared behind the old Kitsune, pulled his head up by the graying hairs, and held a well-crafted, sharpened dagger against his neck.

    "Hey, gramps, if I get promoted into a Shrine Maiden, I''d be the most powerful Tenko in the Clan, right? If I kill you here after that, won''t that make me the next Head Bishop?" Toshino asked with uncanny childlike innocence, "That might be the easiest for both of us, since I''ll make sure your death is swift. Buuuuut, seeing how the other villagers will find out their newly-appointed Head Bishop got his position with red hands sounds more entertaining. Since I''ve passed all the necessary tests, they''ll no doubt appoint me as Head Bishop for outing a sinful traitor."

    "What ¡­ do you want?" the old Kitsune asked, graying and aging by the second from pure fear, with a dark stain growing on the crotch of his robes, "Money? Privileges? I''ll give you whatever you want, just please ¡­ spare me."

    ¡°All I¡¯ve wanted is to be left alone to do my research in [Holy Magic], but your Tenko traditions and other crap I don¡¯t care about are interfering with my studies, and it seems like becoming a Templar will cause more problems for me, so here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. You¡¯ll let me get promoted into Templar, make sure everyone in the village knows I''ve been promoted into a Shrine Priestess successfully, let me do my research as I please after that, and pretend we never had this conversation. I could care less if a serial killer ends up becoming a Head Bishop, so you can do whatever you wish to keep your position, but just remember this: I know you¡¯ve taken two lives already, and with each one you take from here on, I¡¯ll know in an instant who it was that you killed the moment I see you. If you so much as try anything funny to keep my mouth shut, I¡¯ll shut yours first before you know it ¡­ permanently, and I¡¯ll make sure to desecrate your grave by telling everyone all the people you¡¯ve killed. Do you understand, gramps?¡±

    ¡°D-Done! I¡¯ll comply! You can do whatever you wish as a ¡®Shrine Priestess¡¯, I give my permission as Head Bishop! Everyone in the village will know of your amazing prowess as a Shrine Priestess, I¡¯ll make sure that news is spread! You may research [Holy Magic] or whatever to your heart¡¯s content!¡± the old Kitsune said quickly in a panic.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it! Thanks, gramps!¡± Toshino exclaimed before pulling away her dagger and quickly moved back to the spot she was previously in with a bright, innocent smile on her face, ¡°Let¡¯s get started on that promotion, shall we? Oh! And before I forget!¡±

    Suddenly, Toshino zipped in front of Yukino and Konjiro in an instant. The two witnesses were trembling in place.

    ¡°It should go without saying that what you saw here stays between us, as well, even gramps¡¯ murders,¡± Toshino said, ¡°I¡¯d hate to snuff my marriage partners just to keep an old fart¡¯s secret, you know? With that said, I¡¯ll be counting on you when we work together moving forward! Kikikikiki!¡±

    With Toshino¡¯s peculiarly manic laugh echoing through the church halls, everyone in the room now understood a little of the young research-addicted Kitsune¡¯s true strength, and with her promotion into a Templar, she¡¯d only grow ever stronger from there.

    Those of us who were watching this memory were getting an idea as to why Toshino wasn¡¯t with Yukino and Konjiro anymore, but that still left with what became of her.

    We would find out shortly just what happened to Toshino, but there was one thing I knew for sure after watching her life up to now: the Kitsune Clan aren¡¯t as proud and ¡®noble¡¯ Werebeasts as they were making themselves out to be. If the Human nobles in Padimon are as corrupt as what I¡¯ve read in fiction, then the upper class Humans and Demons may have more in common than they would care to admit.

 Chapter 179: The Kitsune Twinsâ€™ Grating Upbringing, Part 3

    Time passed with the three Kitsune and their new promotions as they went about their duties, except for Toshino, who was left to her own devices as promised. Konjiro and Yukino spent the majority of their days together doing jobs as Shrine Priest(ess), with the latter urging the former to progress their current relationship whenever they had available free time. Apparently, their sexual relationship was just about as dry and prudent as it is today, with no luck on them bearing an heir. As it progressed, Konjiro looked displeased with the current situation, probably expecting more than what was coming to him as a Tenko and a Shrine Priest. Both of them harbored much envy towards Toshino, doing whatever she liked while pretending to be a Shrine Priestess like their corrupted Bishop promised her. Moreover, she was gaining a popular reputation in their village for her impressive [Holy Magic] that saved many in their clan, as well as her powerful and unique combat prowess subjugating Monsters, especially after her promotion. None of the villagers, other than the four who were in the church that day, realized the true motives for her ''benevolent'' actions, to further her research in [Holy Magic]. What she was trying to look for in her research back then, no one knew.

    It was mostly out of their envy and displeasure for their current standing in the village that Konjiro and Yukino registered as adventurers, as well. It really irked them when Toshino found out and proposed the three of them to form a party, since they couldn''t really turn her down for anything after her stunt at the church. By that point, they were basically riding on her coattails to quickly rise the ranks, with Toshino urging the two of them to take the credit despite her doing most of the leg work.

    When they asked her why they''re taking the credit, she answered this, "I didn''t want to stand out and be bothered while doing my research, so I used what I salvaged to earn money behind the scenes while ''slowly'' going up the ranks up to now. With you two here now, I can go all out, you two handle the negotiating side of things, we make a lot of money, and go up the ranks quickly! Win-win-win-win! And you can just leave it to me if there are any ''annoyances'' that try to harass us."

    Apparently, Yukino and Konjiro hoped no such problems would occur more for the ¡®annoyances¡¯¡¯ sake than Toshino¡¯s.

    From that point on, Konjiro''s and Yukino''s reputation rose quickly, gaining fame in their village and the neighboring adventurer''s guild, just as Toshino predicted. Unfortunately, the two sane spouses'' pride were shot, knowing they were really under a psychopath''s control. Moreover, they couldn''t stand the thought of their corrupted Head Bishop getting that position through such grotesque means, much less working underneath him, too. Konjiro, himself, couldn''t stand to take pride as a Tenko like this, much less a Kitsune. It wasn''t until one day that meeting a certain Vampire would serve as a turning point in their lives.

    Konjiro and Yukino were invited to a private meeting at their local adventurer''s guild. Toshino was too occupied with her research as usual to take part, and much to their dismay under these circumstances, negotiations had become more of their specialty as of late, so the pair went by themselves.

    When meeting the client, the Vampire noble, Rowling, he used some magic tool that worked like the [Soundproof] spell that created a barrier in a fixed space for no sound to get in or out. Clearly, he didn¡¯t wish for what they¡¯re about to discuss to leak to unwanted listeners.

    Some info on his first-time appearance, but his attire was about as snooty as a noble could get, with a fancy frilly necktie of some sort poofing out of his collar, a black tailcoat with matching slacks, shined black shoes, and leather gloves of the same color. From his exposed face, his skin tone is similar to Noire¡¯s that it¡¯s marble white, almost ghostly, with fangs poking out of his lips and pitch black eyes staring down at the Kitsune spouses with a condescending air. His shoulder-length hair was bluish-black that¡¯s been waxed and combed back, revealing his forehead and pointed ears jotting out the sides. If I didn¡¯t hear of his existence beforehand, I would have mistaken him for a butler with his ensemble.

    After the artificial [Soundproof] barrier was erected, Rowling brought up how Yukino¡¯s party has been quickly rising in the ranks as of late, and he¡¯s apparently done his homework on them, too, for better or worse. It was likely that he used his influence as a noble to send spies to follow the three¡¯s movements.

    ¡°The reason I called you both here is that I¡¯m gathering allies for a great cause, and you two may just fit our group¡¯s quota to achieving it,¡± Rowling explained, ¡°If you wish for your clan to stand at the top, to show this kingdom what Kitsunes really are, and to serve as prime examples to your clan, then I can help you accomplish all that and more after you join us.¡±

    ¡°... And what exactly is your group¡¯s ¡®great cause¡¯?¡± Konjiro asked, looking skeptical.

    Rowling shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot answer that until your joining our cause is guaranteed. If I were to tell you now and you refuse afterward, I¡¯d be forced to kill you, you know? Can¡¯t have potential traitors spilling our plans, you see.¡±

    This made the spouses break into cold sweat. They knew Toshino¡¯s the strongest Kitsune in their village, but they doubted even she could have a chance in taking out a powerful Vampire like Rowling.

    ¡°Despite my ¡®safety measures¡¯, I can¡¯t help but want to put your capabilities to use,¡± Rowling continued, ¡°If you have any conditions you want fulfilled now, then I¡¯ll see about doing them for you.¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯ll give us anything we want?¡± Konjiro asked.

    ¡°If it¡¯s within my realm of power, then yes, as long as you join our cause immediately afterward,¡± Rowling answered.

    ¡°Konjiro, what are you doing?! I don¡¯t think this is a good idea! We should leave! Now!¡± Yukino exclaimed in a whisper, but it seemed to have fallen onto deaf ears.

    ¡°Can you get rid of people, perhaps?¡± Konjiro asked.

    ¡°Depends on who those people are ¡­ and how you define ¡®ridding¡¯ them,¡± Rowling answered.

    ¡°Konjiro, you don¡¯t seriously mean ¡­¡± Yukino trailed off in disbelief.

    ¡°Come on, Yukino, you wanted this as much as I do, admit it,¡± Konjiro said, ¡°There are people dragging our clan¡¯s reputation through the mud, we loathe them for that and more. The honor that we originally prided ourselves in is pretty much lost in time now. Someone needs to step up and wipe the slate clean to start our clan anew. We can make that happen with Lord Rowling¡¯s help, and it all starts with getting rid of the most problematic in our clan, Tenko or not. You know two of them quite well. Once they¡¯re gone, setting an example for other delinquent Kitsunes, we can pave a new future for our clan, together.¡±

    ¡°... T-Together? As in, the two of us?¡± Yukino asked.

    Konjiro took Yukino¡¯s hand in his, looking into her with narrowed eyes, ¡°What do you say, Yukino? Want to make history with me?¡±

    Yukino¡¯s vision blurred, showing that she was tearing up before nodding quickly. I can guess that she thought Konjiro finally acknowledged her as a female, as a loving wife, maybe his one-and-only, even. I didn¡¯t see any hint of concern for her sister¡¯s well-being anywhere, much less the sincerity in her husband¡¯s eyes.

    With that, Konjiro led the discussion by explaining his conditions, getting rid of Toshino and the corrupted old Bishop. It seems they¡¯re gonna go about it by ¡®bringing their sins to light¡¯, so to speak, impeaching them for their crimes against the church and counts of murder, even if they have to forge evidence to make it possible. Remembering Opal¡¯s fake letter, I¡¯d imagine Rowling had some specialty in forgery to bring it up first since the Kitsune spouses weren¡¯t willing to draw blood. It¡¯s about what I expected of a corrupted noble, and it seems Konjiro and Yukino were willing to taint their Kitsune pride a bit to fulfill their goals.

    After the conditions were laid out, agreements were made and the three of them shook hands on them after signing some contracts. Time passed with much activity going on between them, contact with Toshino and the corrupted Bishop grew sparse, until the day of reckoning approached.

    ~~

    ¡°Unhand me! What is the meaning of this?!¡±

    ¡°Big Sister! What¡¯s going on?! Who are these people?! Why do I have this collar on me?!¡± the old Bishop and Toshino exclaimed respectively as they were struggling in the grasp of armored guards. They were detained by a metal collar and cuffs, getting dragged towards the village square against their will, where a crowd of Kitsunes was gathering around them. A carriage made of metal with barred windows was parked, with two armored Centaurs at the front, likely in charge of transporting it. Standing behind it were Rowling looking as ¡®dignified¡¯ as a noble could, with Konjiro and Yukino at his back.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Cease your bickering!¡± Rowling ordered.

    At his command, the collars and cuffs glowed red before lightning of the same color crackled from them. The sudden electrocution made the two detained Kitsunes scream in shock and pain before they were forced to kneel on the ground.

    The sight was enough for those of us watching the memory flinch. I decided to ask Sue what¡¯s going on with those collars with my [Telepathy].

    <Those enchanted collars and cuffs that come as sets serve as a means of temporary enslavement,> she explained, <Convicted criminals and those burdened by debt wear them until a Slave Merchant comes and officially brands them with the [Enslave] skill. The magic that¡¯s in those collars and cuffs isn¡¯t as complex as how [Enslave] brands a target, as it merely sends a shock to the wearer at a cue. I imagine the head leading those guards holds the registration to activate that cue.>

    How brutal ¡­

    Once the detained Kitsunes were brought to silence, Rowling introduced himself and explained the situation with dignity and poise, as if he was the one in charge of the village. Some items were even brought out to the public to serve as evidence for their crimes and other immoral activities to rub salt into the wounds. Some questionable specimens from Toshino¡¯s personal lab, including cadavers of recently departed Kitsunes, as well as the decaying bodies of the Bishop¡¯s victims of murder that have gone missing were among his line of evidence to pin the crime on them. As this tale was told with truths and lies woven in them, the other Kitsune villagers grew enraged, hurt as if they were betrayed. The corrupted Bishop was turning white as a sheet as his life was quickly crumbling away before his very eyes. Toshino, however, had no hint of fear or anxiety. She only stared at Yukino directly, practically unblinking with no signs of light seen in her eyes. That stare shook Yukino down to her very core before she hugged Konjiro¡¯s arm while hiding behind Rowling for the sake of security.

    Soon enough, the village¡¯s Kitsune elder stepped forward to confirm what was going on. After that, he only looked down at his detained clan members with disappointment before giving Rowling permission to do as he wished with them. The parents of the twins and Konjiro in the audience couldn¡¯t bear to look at their daughter (in law) any longer.

    With Toshino¡¯s and the Bishop¡¯s enslavement announced, they were given a chance to say some parting words before being taken away. The corrupted Bishop couldn¡¯t say anything as the shock of it all left him fainted while sitting up. The guards that were there merely took his body in a vegetative state and practically tossed him into the prisoner carriage. That only left Toshino, who was hanging her head at some point in Rowling¡¯s speech.

    ¡°Well, Toshino? Anything you have to say?¡± Rowling asked.

    After a brief moment, Toshino¡¯s shoulders shook before a snicker was heard, ¡°Kukuku ¡­ kikikiki. KIKIKIHAHAHAHAHAAAA!¡±

    The sudden outburst of laughter startled the audience, even Rowling.

    ¡°Oh, truly, what a joke this all has been!¡± Toshino exclaimed loud enough for all to hear, ¡°After everything I did for this village, what I¡¯ve contributed to the advancement of [Holy Magic], putting aside my more tainted and selfish mishaps, all it took was a stranger¡¯s words and some objects posing as ¡®evidence¡¯ to have all of that overlooked to paint me the bad guy! Interesting! Very well, then, let¡¯s set some things straight!

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not actually a Shrine Maiden, but a Templar, a supposed ¡®assassin of the church¡¯! Yes, I¡¯ve known gramps¡¯ murders for quite some time and blackmailed him for them, but I only wanted to do my damn research in peace while being a Templar in exchange for my silence! I didn¡¯t want to do any of the boring crap that came with being a Shrine Maiden, especially after knowing how much of a joke working for this village¡¯s church would be, since it¡¯s being looked after by a serial killer! But do you know what the punch line in all this is? Even though I¡¯m a Templar, the only murders I¡¯ve ever committed were out of self-defense because some stupid adventurers wouldn¡¯t know decency, even if it slitted their throats, and that was when I was still training as a Cleric, a supposed weak class that would make the Brawler more competent in a fight! Getting killed by a Cleric, how much of a joke would that be, huh?!¡± she exclaimed before getting into a giggle fit.

    ¡°... Are you quite done?¡± Rowling asked with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°H-Hold, hold on, I still have something hilarious to say!¡± she exclaimed between giggles before turning to Yukino with a smile, of which that made the older twin tremble, ¡°Yukino, my dear, serious, loving, yet stupid big sister. I know we had our differences and sisterly squabbles, I may have been born as a Tenko, but I used to look up to you, you know? I know more than anyone in this village, especially Konjiro, how hard you worked to get where you are today without the powers of a Tenko. Your persistence to push yourself to your limit and get a little better at something everyday was quite admirable, it made me want to be more passionate about my research and use what I could to support you. I wanted to give you something that would make all your hard work have meaning, to make you realize your life was worth something, even if none of the other stupid Kitsunes could see it. That¡¯s why I tried to pass off your crush to you when he proposed to me first.¡±

    ¡°O-Ow, you¡¯re gripping me rather tight there, Yukino,¡± Konjiro strained in a whisper, but it seemed Yukino was too blinded by rage to register it.

    ¡°I admit it was partially out of pity, but I really didn¡¯t want to put up with his narcissistic ass as my mate, nor have a mate at all,¡± Toshino continued, ¡°I made sure to make myself as gross and creepy as possible with my research so he could spend more time with you, instead. I didn¡¯t expect a thanks out of you for any of that, of course, but wow, I did not think you hated me so much to go to such lengths to get rid of me. I admit, as your little sister, I am quite hurt, but I must thank you for throwing me this party for my departure.¡±

    ¡°And what on Raiza could you possibly thank me for?¡± Yukino growled.

    ¡°Why, to give me a reason to put my Templar class to its full potential, of course!¡± Toshino exclaimed, ¡°Just think of the dirty work they¡¯ll have me do as a slave, and I could get more proactive in my research while on the job! I can dissect anyone while they¡¯re still alive and see their insides function before my very eyes! Who wouldn¡¯t want to take up such an opportunity to further their research?! I can finally work without worrying about ethics and my reputation as a false Shrine Maiden! By exposing my ¡®sins¡¯, you¡¯ve set me free to be more myself than I ever was before! Truly, this is a blessing from the Immortals themselves! A sign showing me the way to a greater purpose in life! And it¡¯s all thanks to you, dear sis¡ª¡±

    A loud smack rang through the village square, silencing Toshino¡¯s speech. In a blink of an eye, Yukino moved to her sister¡¯s side, leaving a red handprint on her cheek that was turned to the side.

    ¡°Why?¡± Yukino asked with a shaky breath, ¡°Even after I put you at rock bottom, taken away everything you held dear, why are you still smiling? You should be despairing, begging to be freed, become helpless over the changes you can¡¯t control, everything that you put me through for being under your fucking shadow. Why can¡¯t you suffer like I have after all these years?!¡±

    ¡°... Oh, Big Sister, it seems being under my ¡®shadow¡¯ has blinded you,¡± Toshino said calmly before facing her, ¡°I was suffering, Big Sister. Suffering to balance my research and fulfill expectations as a Tenko and Shrine Maiden, duties that I never asked to be a part of. Suffering to witness your own suffering as you cried yourself to sleep in some nights, asking the Immortals why you weren¡¯t born a Tenko like myself. I suffered witnessing many people praising and looking up to murderers as ¡®heroes¡¯, having no idea how many lives they¡¯ve truly taken, whether those victims have sinned or not. I¡¯ve suffered from the lack of comprehension of this world¡¯s existence, why the Immortals allowed ¡®evil¡¯ to run rampant, and why I¡¯m not finding answers to the most burning questions, no matter how much I researched [Holy Magic], amongst others.

    ¡°From the look of surprise on your face, it seems neither of us ever realized how much the other was going through. As of today, I¡¯ve come to learn that it¡¯s impossible to truly understand another person¡¯s suffering, but I do know I have one thing I have that helped me get through the worst moments of my life, including now, and that¡¯s my optimistic nature,¡± Toshino declared before smiling, ¡°These moments of ¡®suffering¡¯, I see them as moments to improve myself, just as you have with your persistent training. I see them as challenges to how I can perceive what¡¯s ¡®bad¡¯ or ¡®evil¡¯ into something that benefits me. I see the numbers people have killed as exciting stories of growth that make me want to unravel and learn from their example. Some of those stories may be boring or pitiful, like gramps¡¯ murders, but those who have killed many are likely to have many interesting stories to tell, too, and with this industry, I just might find the right master I can serve who won¡¯t make my new slave life as dreadful as some make it out to be. I¡¯ll be praying to the Immortals until the moment of that meeting comes.

    ¡°And when I do meet that very master, I¡¯ll come find you and Konjiro again, Big Sister, I¡¯ll tell you everything that I¡¯ve learned in my journey by example. I¡¯ll show you how much I appreciate you existing with me in this world, slowly and surely, as you¡¯ll come to understand what it really means to be in the darkness of my shadow after living under a ¡®false light¡¯ without me around from today onwards. It¡¯s the least I can do to thank you for giving me this opportunity, as well as leaving me this parting gift on my cheek, dear sister,¡± Toshino finished as she stared straight into Yukino¡¯s eyes with cold malice, and a smile of twisted happiness, probably from the thoughts of what she''ll do to her in their reunion.

    As Yukino trembled in place, Toshino moved up to her older twin¡¯s ear to whisper, ¡°Allow me to give you a theory I came up with from all the years of research I¡¯ve done up to now as my parting gift to you, something to linger in your thoughts as a way to remember me by. My original question, ¡®what is the purpose of this world¡¯s existence¡¯? My theory? This world, Raiza, is not the first world, the ¡®world of beginnings¡¯, but in fact one of the two final destinations. What we know as Heaven and Hell? They actually exist, and we ¡­ are in the latter, the world ruled by sin.

    ¡°Raiza ¡­ is the embodiment of Hell, itself.¡±

 Chapter 180: The Eccentric Tenkoâ€™s Aftermath

    After Toshino dropped that bomb, whatever face Yukino was making, the former must have found it hilarious with how much she laughed. Finding that she didn¡¯t have anything else to say, Rowling ordered the guards to get the convicted Kitsune into the prisoner carriage with the corrupted old bishop.

    <It appears that was the last time Yukino saw Toshino. Looking ahead in her memories, I didn¡¯t see any sign or hair of that crazy Tenko since then,> Nyra informed me as the manifestation of Yukino¡¯s memories faded into black. The purplish-black miasma that made up the improvised television shrunk down and returned to the tanto before I brought the blade back into its sheath. Yukino, the owner of these memories, didn¡¯t look to be disturbed enough to wake from her slumber throughout that presentation.

    ¡°Raiza, the embodiment of Hell, itself, huh?¡± Ume asked as she looked to the side in thought, her reptilian claw to her chin further exemplified how much she was thinking it over, ¡°I have to say, that is some theory that female came up with after all her studying into [Holy Magic].¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty much a master in [Holy Magic], right, Ume? What do you think?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I have indeed read the texts and history that came with the study of [Holy Magic], which includes the existence of other realms that the Immortals reside in, as well as the realms that Familiars such as Mametama come from. Heaven and Hell were also described, so I¡¯d imagine those also exist somewhere we can¡¯t reach. Still, it seems Toshino¡¯s intentions of researching it are entirely different from my own,¡± Ume said while shrugging, ¡°Her approach to the subject and thought process to come to that theory goes beyond what I can imagine. I¡¯d have to speak with her in person and find what grounds that brought her to that conclusion in order to make a little sense of it.¡±

    That really says a lot, considering Ume¡¯s a Dragon who¡¯s lived longer than any of us combined. In fact, her emphasizing ¡®we¡¯ was referring to her own kind, so the Dragons must have some magical means to travel between realms, and yet they can¡¯t reach Heaven and Hell despite their near almighty powers and [Ancient Magic]. Then again, she¡¯s never left her home before now, so maybe this is the first time she''s come across someone with such an outlandish viewpoint.

    ¡°Before Milord may ask, even if it seems unrelated, I am limited to what I can discuss in our home realms,¡± Mametama added, ¡°Even I, during my time as the Queen of Perseverance, have no such authority to disclose that information, to those in my faction. You would need to speak with my Goddess of Perseverance, or one of the other Immortals to get some answers, but I¡¯m unsure how likely getting that information is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably because I¡¯m not that smart, but I can¡¯t wrap my head around it, either,¡± Tyvera said, ¡°When I think of ¡®hell¡¯, I think of a horrific place where everyone¡¯s totally miserable. While it¡¯s true that I was living a pretty crappy life, despite my current circumstances, I¡¯m having more fun now since I joined Chief''s party.¡±

    ¡°Hearing you say that means a lot, Tyvera,¡± I said while placing a hand on her cheek, ¡°I know your enslavement¡¯s part of a punishment, but I don¡¯t intend to give any girls in my party mistreatment, regardless of their social standing. On the contrary, I¡¯d rather you speak up about any complaints or concerns you may have, and we¡¯ll work together to get those resolved.¡±

    Tyvera¡¯s tanned skin reddened as she smiled and held my hand against her face, relishing the touch, ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll keep it in mind. Thanks, Chief.¡±

    ¡°... Selling off family members into slavery is common in the Demon-Kin¡¯s and Human-Kin¡¯s Territories. The reasons for why vary,¡± Sue suddenly said with her eyes locked onto the sleeping Yukino, her expression dark, ¡°I get that they¡¯re so different, and yeah, Toshino¡¯s actions may be questionable, but ¡­ I don¡¯t like this outcome, not one bit.¡±

    ¡°Sue?¡± I asked, but she didn¡¯t seem to register my call.

    ¡°Toshino ¡­ respected Yukino as a sister, right?¡± Sue asked to no one in particular, ¡°Throughout those memories, not once have I ever seen Toshino acting superior to the other Kitsunes, including Yukino, because she¡¯s a Tenko. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s part of why she was revered by the other Kitsunes in their village, at least until that day. To have someone of her own flesh and blood, someone who she respected and admired betray her like that ¡­ she was putting up a bright smile while speaking so frankly, but I wonder how hurt she really was.¡±

    <Wow, so that¡¯s why Sue¡¯s been so full of sadness and anger at Yukino for a while. There¡¯s a hint of fear lingering somewhere in her, too,> Nyra reported, <Wonder why she¡¯s so vested in the sisters¡¯ relationship?>

    An idea was whizzing in the crevices of my mind, and I forcibly repressed it from leaking any further. I couldn¡¯t, no, I really didn¡¯t want to think about it, and I¡¯m sure Nyra already knew, but decided to keep quiet out of consideration.

    Just as I was keeping my thoughts from straying, I saw Sue was tugging her ear, silently giving me the tell that she wants to talk through [Telepathy]. I¡¯m sort of relieved at the suggestion, as I¡¯d need to focus my mind in this conversation and not let anything slip.

    <What¡¯s up, Sue?> I asked her. I had Ume also connected in this talk so she could listen in.

    <Just checking for confirmation, but do you still want Yukino to be your slave once this is over?> Sue asked, <Because if so, once I report this to Her Highness ¡­ I can guarantee that she won¡¯t be the same person after receiving her punishment.>

    I raised a brow, <Yukino selling out Toshino really set you off, huh?>

    <I¡¯d want nothing more than to off this bitch right here, right now, but this isn¡¯t the time and place for that,> she spoke honestly while glaring at Yukino¡¯s sleeping form, her fingers dug into her arm like they could pierce through the skin at any time, <Whatever you decide, one way or another, she¡¯s going to die.>

    I shuddered at the resoluteness from Sue¡¯s inner voice. I wasn¡¯t planning to, but this pretty much confirmed I shouldn¡¯t follow Yukino¡¯s example and betray this disguised Devil down the line. That aside, I feel partially responsible for giving Sue a reason to get so hostile toward the Kitsune that wasn¡¯t even the main instigator of the coup. I searched through her memories out of curiosity for Toshino¡¯s current circumstances, and while I got what I wanted, it sparked something terrifying within Sue that I wasn¡¯t intending, at all.

    Sure, Yukino¡¯s still a bitch, but after seeing her upbringing, I couldn¡¯t help but pity her for the situation she¡¯s now in.

    I tried to think quickly of how to lessen her punishment, <... Come to think of it, she likely wouldn¡¯t even be a part of this coup if Konjiro didn¡¯t coax her into it. She¡¯s been working so hard to become a worthy wife for him, I get the feeling he knew that, and he used that to his own advantage. Maybe her falling for my seduction was finding some means to temporarily escape the harsh reality she¡¯s in and receive some needed affection. Other than her ¡­ abrasive words towards us, I don¡¯t think she really did anything too harmful that would warrant a death sentence.

    <Since I¡¯m the one that pulled her into this mess, I¡¯ll take responsibility and look after her during her enslavement. With that said, you think you could convince Her Highness to not be too harsh on whatever punishment that needs to be done on her?> I asked. I glanced over to Ume, and she only gave me a wry smile.

    Sue gave an exasperated sigh through her nose, the grip of her fingers digging into her arm let up, <... If Toshino really was right about this world being the embodiment of Hell, then you¡¯re too good to be here, Jinma. Very well, I¡¯ll bring your request to Her Highness and see if she can be merciful towards Yukino when it¡¯s time for her punishment.>

    <Whatever you can manage, I¡¯ll be grateful. Thanks, Sue,> I said.

    <Honestly, I must agree with Sue that you¡¯re too soft on her, Jin,> Ume said while crossing her arms, <Despite whatever punishment Yukino receives, I hope you won¡¯t let her off easy and really put her to work. She must take responsibility for the choices she¡¯s made.>

    I nodded in understanding, <I know, I¡¯ll try to come up with something when that time comes.>

    <What about Toshino? Are we going to do anything about her?> Nyra asked.

    <Well, since the two of them will be on equal grounds and that Yukino will soon lose a high-ranking husband, I doubt she¡¯ll have any reason to act superior,> I said, <If we come across anything that could lead us to where Toshino is, I think we should bring them together and see if they can make amends, maybe even redeem her to be part of the group. If she doesn¡¯t want to join, that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯d like to give Yukino a chance to redeem herself with Konjiro not influencing her choices.>

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    <In that case, shall I send a request to the Dark Wind on finding intel of Toshino¡¯s whereabouts?> Sue asked, <If she¡¯s still part of the slave industry, I¡¯m sure they can find some sources that could help track her movements.>

    <That would be great, but is that okay? This seems pretty meager compared to what the Dark Wind usually does in the shadows, isn¡¯t it?> I asked.

    Sue nodded, <Not to worry, since they¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the nobles in this kingdom, knowing their connections, I¡¯m sure finding an individual like that won¡¯t be hard to accomplish.>

    <Well, if you could even get one person to look into it, that should be plenty, but that¡¯s after we get the coup settled. I can¡¯t really give you an excuse to contact your colleagues right now under these circumstances,> I said.

    <But of course.> With that confirmation, I cut off the telepathic connection

    Despite me saying that, though, since this is Sue¡¯s [Clone] I¡¯m talking to, I¡¯m sure the original has some means of keeping in contact with her without me knowing. If she¡¯s eager, she could be arranging a message to the Dark Wind as we speak.

    Well, whatever, I¡¯m getting rather tired of this drama, and I haven¡¯t properly given my love to the other girls yet, so let¡¯s have a bit of fun before hitting the sack.

    <Hell yeah! Let¡¯s pump them up good!> Nyra exclaimed.

    Still, wherever Toshino is right now, I hope she¡¯s managing herself. Though, as violent and eccentric as she has shown to be and how much stronger she likely is now, I worry for her current master.

    ~~

    {Hyoko}

    Throughout the dinner celebrating Liss¡¯ revenge being fulfilled, as well as our confirmed ¡®friendship¡¯, we got to know each other a bit. Well, it was more like Liss and I got to know Shino, since she voluntarily told us her life story that brought her to being enslaved. Aside from when I came to this world, neither myself nor Liss got a chance to tell more of our past because of how Shino took hold of the conversation. We were too tired to say anything when she finally finished, so we then went back to the inn and started settling down for the evening by taking a bath.

    That was when I came across my first troublesome problem for the night.

    ¡°Pleeeeeeeease?¡± Shino begged with puppy dog eyes.

    ¡°No,¡± I turned down with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°Oh, come on! We¡¯ve established a friendship tonight! I told you how I became a slave! Couldn¡¯t we have some skinship to soothe the woes caused from my past?!¡± Shino asked.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m even more wary of you touching me now after hearing about your dissections since childhood, and now you transitioned from Monsters to people?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°I¡¯m better at that now!¡± Shino argued, ¡°I only dissect our enemies! I would never do such a thing to my two dearest, closest friends! And besides, this isn¡¯t for the sake of my research, I¡¯ve just been dying to get a feel of your beautiful, clean, fit body since I first laid my eyes on it! I want to properly worship it where it''s due by washing you! I did it all the time with Big Sister!¡±

    My glare hardened, ¡°Your true intentions leaked out there, and I¡¯m starting to question whether your sister made the right choice in selling you off.¡±

    ¡°How cruel! You know I don¡¯t intend this to be a one-way thing, right?! I was going to let you feel my body, too, you know?!¡± she rebuked.

    I was going to shoot back with a rebuttal, but then I got a closer look at Shino¡¯s body. Up to tonight, I would take my bath separately from my slaves, or when push came to shove, I would settle for using [Clean] on myself and call it a night. I didn¡¯t really take a close look at either of their naked forms until now.

    Liss and Shino from the beginning were quite malnourished when I redeemed them. After feeding them enough food along with our physical labor that came from being adventurers, their bodies filled out with a healthy amount of meat. To summarize, their bodies were nothing short of a model¡¯s back on Earth, even with their beastly limbs as Werepanther and Kitsune. Their mature, womanly curves were superb, stomachs were toned, and their chest and butts were big enough to jiggle with each step they took. On top of all that, their contrasting dark and near white skin tones made them stand out from all the other Human girls. It¡¯s a relief there weren¡¯t any in the bath with us, or they¡¯d likely glare daggers at them.

    ¡°Hoho, did that catch your interest?¡± Shino teased as she bunched up the large breasts in her arms with a cheeky smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t let any male get a touch of this, you know? It¡¯s a part of a Shrine Priestess¡¯ duty to keep their body chaste and untainted by anyone aside from their spouse, you see, and not even my ex-fiance has seen me like this. Since I¡¯ve become a slave and you are my mistress and close friend, Yoko-chan, this body¡¯s all yours to do as you please. Doesn¡¯t the thought of exploring such a pure body excite you? I¡¯m. Open. For. Any. Thing. You know?¡± She then made her tits bounce in her arms while wiggling her ass and tail, her eyes narrowed with glee, and her smile grew wide.

    The sight of it all annoyed me. Komi-chan teased me like this back home, as well, as if she was showing off how better her ¡®womanly goods¡¯ were than mine, and how well she could put them to use for Jin-chan¡¯s pleasure.

    ¡°... Liss, wash my back, will you?¡± I asked as I turned and walked away.

    ¡°Yes, Yoko,¡± Liss obliged as she followed me.

    ¡°GUHACK?!¡± was the peculiar sound Shino made as I could hear her dropping to all fours in defeat, ¡°As expected of the Cold-Slaughter Princess, to shoot me down and leave me in the cold, like a Yuki-Onna deserting a starving traveler in the mountains under a harrowing blizzard. And yet, the look of disgust on Yoko-chan¡¯s face is also a treat. Gochichousama-deshita.¡±

    ¡°Quit it with the weird act and clean yourself already, or I¡¯ll cut you up and really leave you out in the cold,¡± I warned as I sat down in one of the bath stools and Liss got right to work by washing my back. Out of the two of them here, I can trust Liss to do this much, at least.

    ¡°Yes, Yoko-chan ¡­¡± Shino drawled before dragging herself to take the bath stool right next to me and started washing herself.

    ¡°A question, Shino, but do you really believe Raiza is the ¡®embodiment of Hell¡¯, or was that just a way to scare your sister for what may come once the two of you meet again?¡± Liss asked.

    ¡°Oh, no, if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ll never lie about, it¡¯s the findings in my research, and that theory is not only the truth from me, but it¡¯s becoming more of a fact after getting to know Yoko-chan here!¡± Shino exclaimed with her fox ears and tails perked up. I guess she¡¯s at her best when explaining the findings in her research.

    To be honest, I had to agree with Shino¡¯s theory, too. According to what she read in religious texts, amongst the Immortals that govern this world are represented as the seven deadly sins and the seven holy virtues, coming to a total of fourteen Gods and Goddesses right there. There are some other Immortals that represent something, but these fourteen seem to stand out the most. Not only that, but it was the Immortals representing the seven sins that greeted us and gave us our blessings, or cheats of overpowering gear and abilities, after our bus explosion incident. I was trying to race through the procedures to get to Raiza and vent my emotions, but thinking back on it now, it¡¯s a wonder how nobody else questioned how trustworthy those Immortals are if they represent the ¡®great evils¡¯ on Earth.

    And this is a bias of mine, but being here without Jin-chan everyday was already a personal hell for me to begin with. Even if I was in a cramped dumpster full of mold and other questionable items, I would be in heaven if Jin-chan was there with me, alone, with both of us getting filthier than the trash that was surrounding us. Ah, but then I wouldn¡¯t get a good grasp of his masculine scent if my nose is distracted by that very trash, nor would I properly taste his bodily fluids. Let¡¯s just write that as one of the many ¡®don¡¯ts¡¯ of places I want to be with Jin-chan.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not divulge into the details of how you came to that conclusion for now, but any plans on how you¡¯ll exact your revenge on your sister and ex-fiance?¡± Liss asked.

    ¡°Hmm. Well, I was planning on dissecting their bodies and neuter my ex-fiance, but I¡¯m not as bent on doing that now than when Yoko-chan brought up the question after redeeming me,¡± Shino said as she washed herself, ¡°Aside from when we worked together as a party, I tried to get out of their way as much as possible so they can be lovey-dovey as a couple, and yet they still weren¡¯t happy. After looking back on that now, I doubt that much has changed since I left, so I wonder if me taking revenge on them is really worth it at that point if they¡¯re already suffering without me. I guess if anything, I¡¯d like to see how they¡¯re doing and show off how happy I am now after meeting you two. Showing how much better I am now than I was with them, won¡¯t that serve as much of a revenge for them?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ not sure if I really understand that viewpoint, but this is you we¡¯re talking about, so I wonder how likely it is to understand that much?¡± Liss asked.

    ¡°Jinma would usually leave annoying bullies off with damaged, broken bodies and a warning back home. They¡¯d come back for revenge repeatedly after that, though, so if it¡¯s anything like that, I¡¯d rather kill them off permanently by that point,¡± I added with a shrug, ¡°Your ¡®revenge¡¯ seems to carry the least amount of damage, as well as the likeliness for them to get back at you, so if it¡¯s to reduce annoyances, I¡¯d think that¡¯s a fair reason to go about it that way. If they do still come after you despite that, though ¡­¡±

    Shino smiled wistfully, ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯d follow your example and kill them off then, too. Still, putting Konjiro aside, Big Sister and I are still family, you know? Even if I can¡¯t live in the village again, I¡¯d still like to see how she¡¯s doing, at the least.¡±

    ¡°Well, now that Liss¡¯ revenge is fulfilled, we can seek out that sister of yours after we confirm Komiwa¡¯s location in Alluga,¡± I said, ¡°First thing tomorrow, though, I¡¯ve heard churches provide services that summon Familiars. Have you been trained to do that, Shino?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I last attempted it, I¡¯ll need the proper text as a refresher to summon Magical Beasts from the Holy and Cursed Realms, as well as the proper tools and space to pull it off,¡± Toshino said.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I found some tomes regarding summoning practices in Mondar¡¯s safe, and I¡¯m sure I can get the necessary tools from my bracelet,¡± I said.

    ¡°Are you planning on summoning a Familiar, Yoko?¡± Liss asked.

    ¡°After learning who we¡¯re up against in the White Rapture, it doesn¡¯t hurt to have an additional loyal ally to help us out. I¡¯d still like to keep our numbers small for ease of travel, so are you both alright with only me attempting the summon?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be more okay with it!¡± Shino exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re the most powerful in our group, after all, so your potential must be just as strong! I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what may heed your call!¡±

    Liss nodded, ¡°I agree. I think having a Familiar will be fitting for a leader in your image, Yoko. What kind would you want, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    I looked up in thought, Well, I guess it would be nice if they¡¯re cute and share values in how we express our love like I do for Jin-chan. If we¡¯re talking love, considering how ¡®different¡¯ mine is, I doubt someone representing chastity from the Holy Realm would come to my calling, so that just leaves lust from the Cursed Realm?

    ¡°... Not sure. Guess we¡¯ll have to wait and see,¡± I answered.

 Chapter 181: The Vixen Brawler and the Hot Pink Dragoness Bonded, but â€¦

    {Komi}

    Hey, everyone. Komi here. Last time, me and my party were shopping for gear in preparation for my first self-assigned hit as a former hitman in Raiza. Admittedly boring, at first, as my party members had no sense or interest for fashion, that is until we met someone new. Under normal circumstances, I''d be having a blast finding a new best girl friend who shares a passion for fashion like myself.

    It''s too bad that that same girl could wipe out the whole continent of Padimon if I piss her off. This new girl, a Dragon passing off as a Lizardman named Mailigon, was someone I suddenly found who was almost ambushed by a few perverts before I intervened. I had no idea what her purpose was for being here. I doubted it¡¯s really because of her growing interest in clothes and fashion, but I needed to make sure she wasn¡¯t going to cause any long-term problems for me, as well as Jin-chan when he comes to Raiza. I also needed to know what her motives are for being in the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory of all places.

    Thus, my day of preparation for my mission turned into ¡®Operation: Snazzy Shopping Spree for Serenity¡¯. I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t have a little bit of fun with this, but every advice I gave to my new fashionista comrade, every move I made, and every arrangement of clothes I organized, I was careful in how I handled them to avoid having this continent fall into destruction out of a Dragon¡¯s fury. I should be thankful that Mailigon was so into it that she¡¯d absorb everything I said like a sponge.

    What I didn¡¯t anticipate is Mailigon¡¯s eagerness for clothes. She looked like she was having fun trying on new clothes that complemented her body, fascinated by how different she looked with them on, as well as the variety of pieces she can wear. This Dragon was especially interested in underwear, of all things, as well as their use and implications¡ªand damn, did she look sexy in them, too! Mailigon was so into clothes that she practically bought one of everything¡ªand I do mean everything¡ªin every store we visited that she put away in her [Storage] Null Spell. Money seemed to be no object to her, too, with how much she was able to afford it all. We even managed to get some cosmetics for her to try for the first time, of which I helped show her how to use. It was really more out of Mailigon¡¯s interest that we got some, but to be frank, her face was so unbelievably clean and smooth that I didn¡¯t think she really needed it. If she wanted to play with what she could do with her face, though, who was I to not lend her a hand?

    Other than my Familiar, Sei, my recently redeemed slaves/party members, Lola and Momo, were quite flabbergasted with how much Mailigon was buying. Even I thought it was getting too out of hand, but since this is a Dragon we¡¯re dealing with, maybe there¡¯s some truth to how much they hoard valuables like I had heard in fiction. I can expect Sei to get on the same page quickly and easily, but I wonder how I¡¯ll be able to explain this to Lola and Momo, though?

    Before any of us realized it, the day was nearing its end, and though we haven¡¯t gone through a quarter of clothing and accessory shops Alluga has to offer, it was made up with how much Mailigon cleaned out their stock after trying on so many sets. She seemed to have forgotten to eat lunch with how loud her stomach growled in protest, of which it intimidated Lola and Momo. Since it was near that time for me to meet with Nao-chin, too, and that I needed to inform Mama of what¡¯s going on, I felt it was best to have our meal at our go-to pub, the Black Cat.

    ~~

    ¡°I see, it sounds like you girls had quite an eventful day,¡± Nao-chin said after I explained what happened today over dinner. The six of us were gathered around a table with a large spread of food that looked to serve twice as much, but the majority of it was being consumed by Lola and Mailigon, the latter of which having no issue making a mess of food on her pink dress with spaghetti straps. She¡¯s able to cast [Clean], though, so messes weren¡¯t an issue with her, but she used it to wipe the makeup she had on beforehand since she was going to make a mess of that, too. It seems she has a grasp on table manners, though, which kept what food was left on her face to a minimum.

    ¡°Komi has been especially helpful in teaching me so many things about fashion today,¡± Mailigon said before turning to me with a big smile, ¡°And you¡¯re even treating me to such delicious food. Today has been so fun, I don¡¯t know how to properly thank you for it all.¡±

    I waved a hand, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Ms. Mailigon, we had a lot of fun, too. Right, girls?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Lady Mailigon was surprisingly quick to warm up to! Though, how much she spent on everything was also as big of a surprise,¡± Lola admitted while scratching her head nervously.

    ¡°Speaking of surprise, I just noticed that the pub is totally empty now,¡± Momo said as she looked around, ¡°Did the Black Cat usually close this early?¡±

    Definitely not. Knowing Nao-chin and Mama are experienced Brawlers, though I can¡¯t see their statuses for some reason, I¡¯m sure they also have the [Size Up] skill and identified Mailigon as a Dragon as I introduced her. After I gave them some subtle signs of my intentions in bringing her here, they and the rest of the staff worked to slowly clear out the pub to where our group and Mama were the only ones left in the building. Mama let the rest of the pub staff off early and cast [Soundproof] around the area so we can keep our talk discreet.

    ¡°Oh yeah, I wondered why it seemed quiet,¡± Mailigon said as she looked around, ¡°Are we being a hindrance like this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, not at all. Nao-chin and I work here and have certain privileges that go with it, including the food here, so you can continue eating at your own pace,¡± I said.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t get it, but okay!¡±

    ¡°More importantly, Ms. Mailigon, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask for some time, but what brings you to the Human-Kin¡¯s Territory?¡± I asked, finally getting the heart of the matter.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m actually looking for ¡­¡± Mailigon trailed off before slowly widening her eyes, as if coming to a realization. It seemed shocking enough that she would drop her silverware.

    ¡°Ms. Mailigon?¡± I asked, genuinely confused.

    ¡°No, no, this isn¡¯t good, this is not good at all, and after how much fun I was having, too, I can¡¯t believe I forgot for some time ¡­¡± Mailigon muttered while clinging her sakura hair with her reptilian claws, looking down in panic, ¡°After all that, I can¡¯t let it happen here, I just can¡¯t ¡­¡±

    For a Dragon of all things to look so scared right now, this may be a more serious matter than I thought.

    ¡°... Hey, Ms. Mailigon,¡± I said with a considerate tone while placing a hand on her shoulder, ¡°If we distracted you from something important, I apologize. I¡¯d like to help you to make it up, if it¡¯s possible, but I need to know what¡¯s wrong, okay? Are you comfortable with explaining something to me?¡±

    ¡°Komi ¡­¡± Mailigon uttered before her look of fear and hopelessness turned to determination before gently grabbing my shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone. She¡¯s very important to me and our home. She could be a Lizardman like me with sapphire blue scales and cerulean hair. Have you seen anyone like that?¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    I shook my head solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that doesn¡¯t ring any bells. When did she go missing? Did she leave notes or anything?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only been a couple days since she¡¯s been gone, but her disappearance was so sudden, I got worried,¡± Mailigon said as she looked down and recalled the events, ¡°So when I checked her home, I found a note stating how she may have besmirched our kind¡¯s pride and image for reasons I don¡¯t know of, and that she decided to exile herself as punishment. I¡¯m the only one who has found the note and took it with me without telling anyone, but I don¡¯t know how long her disappearance will continue before her brother and father start to question something. If I don¡¯t find her soon ¡­ Padimon could be in trouble.¡±

    ¡°Padimon ¡­ in trouble?¡± Lola asked in confusion.

    ¡°Something you said earlier didn¡¯t sit right with me,¡± Momo said while furrowing her brow, ¡°What were the words, ¡®she could be a Lizardman with sapphire scales and cerulean hair¡¯? The keyword in that sentence is ¡®could¡¯, as in, the person you¡¯re looking for may not be a Lizardman? That¡¯s kind of an odd thing to say about someone so important, right?¡±

    Mailigon realized the error she made and covered her mouth in fright, shifting her gaze in various directions, ¡°U-Um, I-I mean ¡­¡±

    ¡°Your friend is able to change her appearance through magic, right?¡± I asked, ¡°I recall some spells where something like that may be the case, so for your friend, she could make herself out to be a Human as well as a Lizardman?¡±

    I felt it might be bad if Mailigon was under pressure of an interrogation. We don¡¯t want her causing problems out of stress, so I tried giving her a way out. Based on the knowledge I gained from him, though, I wasn¡¯t lying that there is some magic out there where one can appear as something else.

    ¡°Y-Yes! That¡¯s right! It¡¯s like that!¡± Mailigon exclaimed, ¡°She¡¯s a gifted magic user, one of the best at home, and her father reigns at the top in that area, too! It¡¯s because of their gifts that they can be very dangerous, too, especially her father if he finds his daughter has gone missing! That¡¯s why I have to find my friend and bring her home as soon as possible, before many innocent lives like yours are gone!

    ¡°How much she can transform through magic is limited, but she can appear Human while keeping her cerulean hair, as well as a Draco from the Demi-Kin with that same hair, tail, and scales mentioned earlier. If you know anyone like that within the last couple days, anything at all, I have to know where she is at all costs!¡± Mailigon exclaimed, sounding desperate.

    I looked over to my slaves, ¡°Lola, Momo, I redeemed you two very recently. Does any of that ring bells to either of you while you were still under Todoka¡¯s ownership?¡±

    ¡°Me don¡¯t think so ¡­¡± Lola trailed off while her bull ears drooped.

    ¡°None from me, either,¡± Momo added.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of anyone like that among the patrons here, though I usually work in the kitchen most of the time, anyway,¡± Nao-chin said.

    ¡°... I think I know something.¡±

    ¡°Mama?¡± Nao-chin and I asked in sync as we turned to the source.

    Joining our table was a woman who looked to be in her mid to late twenties with long, flowing hair that¡¯s platinum white. She wears a simple gray t-shirt with arms toned enough to fill out the sleeves, with hints of a necklace hidden underneath the collar with sizable tits below that. On her lower half are a pair of black bell-bottom pants with ease of movement in mind of the design, with matching slippers worn over stockings. This is the owner of the Black Cat pub who everyone in the building refers to as Mama, and may perhaps be one of the strongest fighters in Alluga, let alone the top Brawler around.

    ¡°You know where my friend is?!¡± Mailigon exclaimed while standing up and slamming her reptilian hands on the table.

    ¡°Calm yourself, I said I think I know something,¡± Mama corrected with a finger up, ¡°I¡¯ll need to get in touch with one of my sources to confirm it, but there has been some crazy stuff going on as of late. The last thing I want is to provide the wrong info to send you on a wild goose chase. If you¡¯re willing to wait, Mailigon, I can get you your friend¡¯s whereabouts as soon as I can.¡±

    ¡°Please! Whatever you have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°However!¡± Mama interrupted, ¡°I have a few conditions you must fulfill in order to get anything out of me. My first condition is that you come out with who you and your friend really are.¡±

    Mailigon widened her eyes.

    ¡°If this is so big that the entirety of Padimon may be in trouble, we need to know what we¡¯re dealing with. I made sure everyone but us is out of this building and I cast [Soundproof] to keep any word of this from leaking out, so there¡¯s no need to hold back. If you refuse to cooperate, then I must ask that you leave this city now, and that you never speak to any of us here again.¡±

    ¡°What?! But Mama¡ª¡±

    ¡°Quiet, Nao,¡± Mama interrupted, shaking Nao-chin to her core, ¡°This deal is non-negotiable, and I won¡¯t speak my second condition until she agrees to the first. No matter what her circumstances are, she can take it or leave it.¡±

    ¡°... Can I not really not change your condition, Mama?¡± Mailigon asked coldly as she stood from her seat, staring Mama down as she flexed her reptilian claws, ¡°You may need my help for the disaster that will come. It would be wiser that you cooperate and not ask anything of me at all. I¡¯d rather not hurt anyone, but if you don¡¯t change your terms, I¡¯m not above resorting to force.¡±

    ¡°Whatever disaster that may come, we¡¯ll handle it, with or without you, and it won¡¯t do you good to take us so lightly, especially me,¡± Mama countered as she met Mailigon¡¯s glare with her own.

    The place went silent, the air grew heavy to the point of suffocating as two of the strongest beings in Alluga are gauging each other¡¯s resolve. To be honest, despite all my years of life-or-death situations, and with how strong I¡¯ve become now, even I was breaking into cold sweat, and it looks like my party wasn''t much better.

    Out of everyone I know in my life, I only knew two people I would never risk messing with: Jin-chi¡¯s mother, Mikan Kotori, and the Black Cat pub owner, Mama. That¡¯s because doing so would be a death sentence.

    ¡°Your strength, your mana ¡­ they¡¯re quiet, but I didn¡¯t think my battle instincts would ever react to anyone other than those of my own kind. It seems you aren¡¯t bluffing like I¡¯d expect Humans do,¡± Mailigon said before exasperating a sigh, ¡°Anymore time wasted here, and Padimon¡¯s demise draws ever closer. I¡¯d rather avoid that from happening with all the shops I haven¡¯t visited yet, and I don¡¯t know if my friend will retaliate in kind when that time comes.¡±

    ¡°If you understand that much, then you better spill it. You and your friend, who and what are you two, really?¡± Mama asked.

    Mailigon lowered her gaze, her expression unreadable due to her sakura hair covering her face, ¡°First of all, Komiwa Karuga, Sei, Momo, and Lola, allow me to apologize to you all for deceiving you of my identity, but know that our time together today, the joy and fun I experienced with you all was genuine. I hope that you all understand that much ¡­ and that you don¡¯t be too frightened of what you¡¯re about to see.¡±

    Then, Mailigon¡¯s form glowed until it became pure white and changed in appearance. A pair of wings grew out from where her back was exposed. Her reptilian tail grew larger in size, yet still maintained a slim-looking shape, if that makes sense. Finally, a pair of horns grew from her head, flowing back at a 45 degree angle like they were being blown back.

    When the transformation was complete, Nao, Momo, and Lola sat in the table aghast, Sei furrowed her brow and muttered, ¡°Ah, now I understand,¡± and Mama¡¯s expression didn¡¯t twitch a millimeter. As for me, well, speaking as a former hitman, even though I knew what I was dealing with, I had my limits of keeping a straight face without letting it crack. Color returned to Mailigon¡¯s form, which helped us distinguish the faded yellow membrane that made up her wings and her bright yellow horns. I didn¡¯t notice until after the transformation, but even the reptilian claws and hind legs became more beastly and intimidating as they were totally ripped of pure muscle and hot pink scales. Despite the additional muscles, though, the new pink dress she bought today gave her just enough femininity to show that she could be as beautiful as she is strong.

    Mailigon finally looked back up with her slitted, sakura-colored eyes as she rested a hand on her bosom, ¡°Allow me to properly introduce myself and my circumstances. I am Mailigon, daughter of the Court Martial Dragon, Malovos. I am searching for my dear friend, Umeiyon, who for reasons unknown has exiled herself from our home.

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t find her soon, Umeiyon¡¯s father, the Court Magic Dragon, Deiromu, and her little brother Damokus, could end all life on Padimon as we know it.¡±

 Chapter 182: Three Champions; The Vixen, The Big Sister, and their Boss

    ¡°D-D-Dragon? Y-You¡¯re really ¡­ a Dragon, Lady Mailigon?!¡± Lola stuttered as her whole body was shaking in place. Even her ginormous cow tits look like they were about to burst out from her leather belt-like bra top at any moment.

    ¡°I heard of Dragons being quite powerful, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be capable of this,¡± Momo added with her lone eye widened.

    ¡°This may be a surprise for you to see now, but we Dragons have visited Padimon, as well as other continents in Raiza while blending in like this for thousands of years,¡± Mailigon said, ¡°We mainly do this to observe the other Kins¡¯ progression of civilization, which sometimes include bringing items from those locations back home to compare those we¡¯ve brought in earlier times to see how far they¡¯ve come. Oh, but clothes aren¡¯t one of those things, though. The ones I bought today were purely out of my own personal interest and curiosity. Whatever the reason, though, we¡¯ve made oaths to never interfere in the other Kins¡¯ affairs, regardless of the state they¡¯re in. The majority of us blend in like this because we have no motives to cause trouble for you all ¡­ despite my efforts, though, I have a feeling a few of you have seen through my disguise from the start. Isn¡¯t that right, Komi?¡±

    I twitched at my name being called. My slaves changed their gaze of shock toward me.

    ¡°For some reason or other, you were the first to see what I really was, and so when you saw some unsavory Humans making a move on me, you didn¡¯t really stop them for my sake, didn¡¯t you?¡± Mailigon continued, ¡°You were worried they¡¯d provoke me enough to cause havoc in the city. That¡¯s what you were really protecting.¡±

    ¡°... It¡¯s as you say,¡± I said before sighing, ¡°If that offends you, then I apologize, and I¡¯ll take responsibility for deceiving you. I ask that you please keep me alive, at the least.¡±

    Much to our surprise, Mailigon laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! Your actions are justified, and I¡¯m partially at fault for being lenient of hiding my presence with magic if whoever you were protecting me from were able to see me, and since I didn¡¯t want to bring attention to myself, either, you did me a favor back there. At worst, I¡¯d be attracting a lot of eyes for turning those foolish Humans into living bags of flesh after I pulverize their bones into dust.¡±

    ¡°B-Bones into ¡­ dust?¡± Lola asked with a paled expression.

    ¡°Bags of flesh?¡± Momo followed with a glittering eye.

    ¡°Gross,¡± Sei added with a straight face.

    ¡°Plus, you showed me all kinds of things about the clothes and fashion of your kind today. How could I possibly hold a grudge against you after that?¡± Mailigon asked before giving a bright, toothy smile.

    ¡°Ms. Mailigon ¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to more important matters,¡± Mama intervened with a serious expression, ¡°So for reasons unknown, a very important Dragon has ran away from home, and if we don¡¯t find her soon, we¡¯ll be dealing with an overbearing father and siscon brother Dragon pair that could level all of Padimon. Taking you down, alone, might be a challenge for me, but I¡¯m not confident I can handle two at once on my own.¡±

    ¡°The fact that you say you might have a chance against me really speaks of your confidence if you knew what I was before I confessed. I can sense those words are not attempts to joke around,¡± Mailigon said, ¡°Nor can I deny your labels on Umeiyon¡¯s family members, you are indeed correct that this continent is doomed if we don¡¯t find her soon.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh, after all the hell Mama put me through to get where I am today, am I really gonna die here so soon?¡± Nao-chin whined while folding over the table, ¡°And I was starting to live comfortably here, too ¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you give up just yet, Nao, we haven¡¯t even begun to fight,¡± Mama said before turning to Mailigon, ¡°It¡¯s moments like these that I have to take action here. If you can give me a full description of Umeiyon¡¯s profile in all forms she can change into, I¡¯ll get in touch with my connections and see if they saw any sign of her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll really help me out?!¡± Mailigon exclaimed with hope glittering in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to keep the pub I built from the ground up in one piece, so our interests might as well align,¡± Mama said while pointing her thumb up to the ceiling, ¡°Nao, you¡¯re gonna help out.¡±

    ¡°Like I have a choice if you¡¯re saying that, but yeah, I¡¯d also be worried if someone I care about has gone missing. I can¡¯t say I can do much, but I guess I¡¯ll do whatever I can,¡± Nao said.

    ¡°Komi? What are you planning to do?¡± Mama asked me.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to help, too, but I have my own job I need to do first. It shouldn¡¯t take long, though, so I can offer my assistance after that,¡± I answered.

    ¡°... So you¡¯re still planning on doing that, huh?¡± Mama asked before sighing, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t stop you, since it¡¯s your own life now, and I imagine you redeemed those girls from slavery for that reason?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m making sure our chances of victory with everyone alive are at 100 percent. You should know how I roll up to now,¡± I said.

    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s ¡®that¡¯? Why is it something you redeemed slaves for?¡± Nao-chin asked.

    Mailigon also looked at me with confused interest.

    I glanced over at Mama, and she gave a knowing nod, granting me permission. I looked to everyone with a hand to my bosom, ¡°I have something that I need to come out with, as well. Before I came to Alluga, I was a hitman, an assassin that worked exclusively for a crime syndicate from my birthplace.¡±

    Mailigon and Nao-chin widened their eyes. My party and Mama weren¡¯t as surprised since they already know that much about me, especially the latter.

    ¡°You could say I turned over a new leaf since I came here, somewhat, since I¡¯ll be making hits out of my own merits moving forward and not for an organized group,¡± I continued, ¡°My main targets are Champions that pose a threat to this continent¡¯s order, but not for the sake of good. Those Champions have something that I need to get at all costs for the sake of my goal.¡±

    ¡°Champions ¡­ aren¡¯t they the strongest among you Humans? The ones chosen by the Immortals to represent them?¡± Mailigon asked, ¡°I can sense you have strength, as well, but I¡¯m not sure how well you¡¯ll fare against them.¡±

    ¡°It may be tough ¡­ if I was a normal Human, that is,¡± I corrected before pointing my thumb at myself, ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m not, as I¡¯m also a Champion. The Immortal I represent is the Goddess of Pride, Telanis. Sei?¡±

    My Familiar nodded in understanding and reached into my MIB to pull out my personal Champion¡¯s Bracelet. She tossed it to me and I caught it, which reacted by emitting an ethereal glow upon contact.

    ¡°That powerful mana that resembles those of the Immortals¡¯ Monuments ¡­ You¡¯re really a Champion? Wait, then are you also ¡­?¡± Mailigon asked as she turned to Mama.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it too much, and that you don¡¯t mention any of this to anyone, if possible,¡± Mama said, ¡°I normally wouldn¡¯t give this much about me away, but this seems like an emergency that requires us to put all the cards on the table.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also a Champion, but I¡¯m not as strong as these two are,¡± Nao-chin said, ¡°Mama still worked me to the bone to get as strong as I am today, but I¡¯d rather not fight in most instances. Something tells me I¡¯ll have to prepare for that, though.¡±

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    ¡°Wow, to think there would be three Champions together in the same room, and I thought they were rare to come across,¡± Momo said.

    ¡°Me thought the same,¡± Lola added.

    ¡°This is incredible!¡± Mailigon exclaimed in excitement, ¡°Three Champions helping me find my dearest friend ¡­ I couldn¡¯t possibly ask for better help than that!¡±

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t mad at me keeping this secret from you?¡± I asked her.

    She shook her head and rested a claw to her bosom, ¡°Not at all! I totally understand keeping such power under wraps, and while I¡¯m curious about your past with this ¡®crime syndicate¡¯, what matters is whether you¡¯re helping me find Umeiyon. I know you said you have a task to do before that, but if there¡¯s something I can do to help finish that quicker, I¡¯m willing to provide some assistance.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you get into trouble with the other Dragons if they find out about you interfering with Human affairs?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ah ¡­¡± It seemed Mailigon forgot about that briefly and was having difficulty answering that.

    I waved my hand dismissively, ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but if your involvement brings more trouble to Padimon than what¡¯s coming, I¡¯d rather avoid it. Don¡¯t worry, me and my party are capable of handling this job, ourselves. We¡¯ll get this done as soon as we can, and then we¡¯ll focus all efforts into finding your friend after that. You have my word.¡±

    ¡°... Thank you, Komi,¡± Mailigon said before giving a wry smile. It looked like there was more she wanted to say, so I put my [Mind Reading] skill to work to see what was in her thoughts.

    <Did you have to turn me down that quickly, though? I know that I¡¯m looking for Mei, but after our short time together, aren¡¯t you and I also¡ª>

    I decided to cut myself off from reading her thoughts any further before I may hear something I probably shouldn¡¯t, I¡¯m sorry, Mailigon. Normally, I¡¯d be thrilled if we could be friends, but it seems like Dragons making such associations with other Kin is something to be avoided. Moreover, other than maybe Hyo-chin who I may run into later, I can¡¯t have too many people get involved with my selfish goals. I¡¯m happy enough I got to show you how fun fashion can be. I hope you know that much, at least.

    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve all decided what to do now,¡± Mama said, ¡°We¡¯ll go over your friend¡¯s profile and reach out to my sources tomorrow, but I¡¯m worried about leaving you alone after that. Komi, you don¡¯t have to get her involved with your hit, but do you think you can look after Mailigon until then?¡±

    ¡­ Really, Mama? And I was planning on keeping distance between us, but I guess I get where she¡¯s coming from.

    I was the first one to find Mailigon, and I¡¯ve been with her the longest out of us three Champions. It would make sense that she¡¯d rather get stuck with someone she already knows.

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll help her reserve a room at the inn we¡¯re staying for ease of access, but when we¡¯re ready, can you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Actually, about that ¡®hit¡¯ you mentioned, do you think I can come with you?¡± Mailigon asked before raising a reptilian claw up, ¡°I swear as a Dragon that I won¡¯t run off to find my friend and I won¡¯t interfere with your task, I just ¡­¡± She averted her gaze upon trailing off.

    ¡­ Well, she¡¯s telling the truth, at least, I thought before sighing, ¡°Alright, you can come with us, but don''t interfere with our job, alright?¡±

    Mailigon seemed to be satisfied with that as her smile was more relaxed as she nodded. She then used her magic to return to her Lizardman form

    ¡°Um, I get that you all may be ready to head in for the night, but can I talk to you in private about something important, Komi?¡± Nao-chin asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered, This might be something to do with my past as a hitman, which is understandable. I was initially planning on telling her all I could before running into Mailigon, after all.

    ¡°We can take the talk to the kitchen,¡± Mama said before turning to the other girls, ¡°I have a feeling it might take a bit, do any of you want something to drink while waiting? This round will be on me.¡±

    Mailigon, Sei, Lola, and Momo ordered a variety of drinks, so Mama, Nao-chin, and I took a bit to prepare their beverages before we got to the private talk in the kitchen. We took this time to prepare our own refreshments, too. Mama, acting as mediator, adjusted her [Soundproof] spell to only surround the kitchen area so the others outside won¡¯t listen in.

    With our discretion confirmed, Nao-chin to me with a serious look, ¡°Komi ¡­ if you were originally part of a crime syndicate, do you happen to know anything about the Kurokichi Clan?¡±

    My eyes widened. I didn¡¯t think Nao-chin, of all people, would even know of that group. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ actually the syndicate I previously worked for.¡±

    ¡°... And you said you were still a high school student when you died on Earth? About 3 months ago? Is that still true?¡± Nao-chin asked in confirmation, of which I nodded. She took a moment to think until resolving herself, ¡°As a former hitman for the Kurokichi Clan, and a high school student ¡­ do you know of a boy named Jinma Kotori?¡±

    Jin-chi¡¯s name shook me to my very core. For some reason, this mature woman has linked the Kurokichi Clan and Jin-chi together. Due to some special arrangements, nobody outside of the clan should even be aware of that connection. It was tightly knit so that Jin-chi of all people wouldn¡¯t know of that connection.

    ¡°... Oh dear, I didn¡¯t think such a cute girl would look so terrifying. Did I say something out of line?¡± Nao-chin asked with genuine shock.

    I¡¯m guessing the look I had on my face at that time was one I make whenever I was about to snuff someone out, especially if they pose a threat to Jin-chi. Despite how ¡®scary¡¯ I looked, I¡¯ve known Nao-chi long enough to know how much of a good person she is, so I decided to give her the benefit of a doubt before making my move. One of my hands was reaching for a knife strapped to my upper thigh for any potential surprises.

    ¡°... How much do you know about him? What¡¯s your relationship with him?¡± I asked coldly, as if we were in an interrogation.

    ¡°Ah, I think I¡¯m starting to get it now,¡± Nao-chi said, coming to some kind of conclusion before resting a hand to her generous bosom, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on good terms with Ma-chi. I¡¯m his Aneki, after all.¡±

    My body stiffened up, ¡°... ¡®Ma-chi¡¯? ¡®Ane-ki¡¯?¡±

    Nao-chi then took out her smartphone she kept in her [Storage] and made some motions on the screen. ¡°He and I go way back, you see, and we hit it off good immediately on our first meeting. This is us from that day,¡± she said before showing me a picture on her phone¡¯s screen.

    ¡°AH!¡± I screamed since I immediately recognized that picture the moment I saw it, ¡°Th-That picture! You ¡­ You¡¯re her?!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Have you seen this picture before?¡± Nao-chi asked in confusion.

    ¡°That and many others! You¡¯re my inspiration to be trendy with gyaru and JK fashion! You¡¯re the role model I had to meet to become Jin-chi¡¯s mistress!¡±

    ¡°His WHAT?! And what do you mean ¡®many others¡¯?! How many pictures do you have of me?!¡± Nao-chi screamed.

    ¡°Believe me when I say that I wasn¡¯t the one to take those pictures, someone else sent them to me as reference material, but that¡¯s not important.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d dismiss a stalker sending pictures of a JK to a minor as something ¡®not important¡¯!¡± Nao-chi rebutted.

    ¡°You can direct your complaints to the higher-ups in the clan. More importantly, if you¡¯re that close to Jin-chi and know of his connection to the clan, does that mean you ¡­¡± I trailed off while pointing to my eye.

    ¡°... Oh! Right!¡± Getting the hint, she straightened her posture, closed her eyes, and made a pose with a big grin on her face like one may expect from a gyaru. What¡¯s incredible is that she managed to pull that off despite being a mature older woman.

    What¡¯s even more so is that her light brown eyes changed to a bright chromatic orange, like one may see from a blazing fire, and I recognized that color.

    ¡°... Now I get it. So you¡¯re Mikan-san¡¯s ¡®Second Pact¡¯ that I heard of a long time ago,¡± I concluded.

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right! Sometime after I met Ma-chi, I made a pact with his mom and became one of her subordinates as a D-Human! It¡¯s a condition I followed to look after him as his Aneki properly!¡± Nao-chi exclaimed with pride before her shoulders slumped in exhaustion, ¡°That was until I graduated high school, but I got to keep the power as thanks, which makes living much more convenient for me. Her ¡®training¡¯ me into how to use this power was no joke back then, though, but it couldn¡¯t even come in comparison with Mama¡¯s here.¡±

    I glanced over to the person in question, and she only gave a mischievous, shit-eating grin.

    ¡°... Nao-chi, Mama never told you who she was, did she?¡± I asked.

    The tanned woman raised a brow, ¡°Uh, no? I mean, I don¡¯t know how she found me out, but I figured she was connected to the clan in some way, and that she was helping me out as one of them? I knew the clan had some mixed rep, so I assumed she was keeping her real name hidden for something related to that.¡±

    I exasperatedly sighed, ¡°How much of this did you plan this out?¡±

    Mama gave a hearty laugh, ¡°I kind of winged it with Nao at first, but after meeting you here, I then wondered how funny things would turn out once you two got to know each other. Took you both long enough to get this far, though.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m feeling left out,¡± Nao-chi said, slightly annoyed.

    I rubbed my eyes, ¡°Nao-chi ¡­ Mama¡¯s not just part of the clan, she¡¯s the boss.¡±

    ¡°... Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about time I formally introduce myself,¡± Mama said before resting a hand to her modest bosom with a serious, authoritative look, ¡°I am the 8th chairman of the Kurokichi Clan, and Jinma-chan¡¯s great grandmother, Madashi Kotori. If you know what¡¯s good for you, you won¡¯t tell anyone of my existence.¡±

    The air in the kitchen chilled and grew heavy. All the tan color on Nao-chin¡¯s skin paled and turned white.

    Yep, I was the same as you after meeting her the first time here, Nao-chin. This ¡®young mama¡¯ here is really an ancient, yet formidable lady.

    Nao-chin screamed ¡°OH MY GOOOOOOOOOD!¡± in disbelief and english before it rang through the whole kitchen.

 Chapter 183: The Familiar Man and His Warnings

    {Jinma}

    "... Where am I, and how did I get here?" I asked no one in particular.

    My current surroundings were quite familiar: an endless space of white with no indication of left or right, not even up or down. My feet seemed to be on solid ground, but there was no light to cast a shadow, so I couldn''t tell if I was standing on anything at all. Despite the uncanniness of it all, the scene was very familiar.

    Before I could speculate further, though, my vision suddenly darkened as something covered my eyes. Soon after that, I felt some firm, soothing cushions pressing on my back.

    "Guess whooo," a familiar, mischievously feminine voice cooed close to my ear.

    "... Nyra?"

    "Correct! Let me give you a prize for being the winner."

    I was then suddenly spun around before my lips met with another''s, soft, luscious, and quite dexterous as they kissed me. I''ve only experienced this a few times, but there was no doubt these lips belonged to Nyra. Despite that, though, I was questioning why this was happening, since she''s supposed to be in the tanto.

    Nyra broke away from the kiss and stared at me with her crimson eyes, "You''re wondering how and why I''m here, right? Well, we''re in a dream ¡­ I think, but thanks to my powers, I was able to manifest myself before you like this."

    "What do you mean you ''think'' we''re in a dream?" I asked.

    In some ways, it made sense. I remember I was having some adult fun with the girls after looking into Yukino''s memories, and I guess we all fell asleep at some point. Even now, I have a vague recollection of this current environment, and the ambience behind it is unsettling.

    "... Wait, Sue didn''t put me to sleep again, did she?" I asked.

    "Nah, I was watching her carefully, and she didn''t do anything suspicious as far as I''ve noticed," Nyra said, "Other than getting herself off while watching you having at it with the other girls, she only stripped herself down in the nude and snuggled in on one of your sides when it was time for bed, just as you promised her to be allowed to do after you made her put on that catgirl outfit."

    "Oh, right ¡­"

    "Getting back to the main point, when I confirmed everyone was asleep, I thought I''d do another search through your memories for a bit, but then I was suddenly pulled here with you," Nyra said, "This is the first time such a thing has happened to me, and I usually have good control in traversing the the mindspaces of my previous hosts."

    "Huh, that is odd. Why do you think we were brought here?" I asked.

    "... Maybe that weird door has something to do with it?" Nyra asked while pointing behind me.

    I turned around and found the sliding door that was suitable for a traditional Japanese home. Actually, I have seen this whole building before.

    "That''s right, this is Granny''s home," I remembered, "I haven''t been here since I was a kid ¡­ has this always been here?"

    "I dunno," Nyra said while shrugging.

    "... You think whatever brought us here might be inside?" I asked.

    "It might be possible ¡­" Nyra said, suddenly turning guarded.

    "Let''s take caution," I said before leading us to the sliding door, "Pardon the intrusion ¡­ Granny? Are you here?"

    "She''s not present, but come on in, anyway."

    The sudden masculine voice caught me off guard, I had no idea who that was due to the shock. I turned to Nyra and she only shrugged. With little options, we stepped inside and left our shoes at the entryway, as expected in Japanese customs.

    I followed the source of the voice to the tatami-floored living room where an old-fashioned hearth was set, and a few meters down from that was a low-clearance table with cushions serving as seats surrounding it. On one of those cushions was a man with a green hannya mask covering the top half of his face, with his mouth and jaw free to drink tea like he was doing then. The peppered color of his hair tied in a ponytail reveals some of his age, but his stature and posture showed he has plenty of time before the end of his life. A pitch-black haori with matching nagagi and gray hakama made up the outfit that adorned his form, depicting an intimidating, yet eloquent air that deserves the highest of respect.

    ¡°Quit loitering around and take a seat. We have much to discuss, and I took the liberty of preparing tea and snacks,¡± the masked man said, gesturing to the center of the table with a tea kettle, old-fashioned tea mugs, and salted rice crackers, ¡°And before you ask why I¡¯m occupying your grandmother¡¯s home, this isn¡¯t the real thing and you don¡¯t use this area much in your mind, anyway, so I¡¯m taking residence here.¡±

    ¡­ Cranky much?

    I glanced at Nyra, and she only shrugged. We silently agreed to just roll with it and took our seats across from the masked man. He poured green tea in our mugs before passing them to us, along with separate plates to eat the rice crackers with. Nyra helped herself to trying the rice cracker first and was immediately taken by the refreshingly crunchy and salty taste.

    ¡°So ¡­ if you know this is my grandmother¡¯s home, does that mean you know who I am?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh, do I, Jinma Kotori, as well as your bloody nympho there, Nyra,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Okay, and you are ¡­?¡±

    The masked man shrugged, ¡°You tell me. I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°You ¡­ don¡¯t know who you are? Do you have amnesia?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Amnesia is what your generation defines as unnaturally forgotten memories, yes? I¡¯d say my memories are more ¡®missing¡¯ than forgotten, at least of those depicting who I am. All I know is that I¡¯m tasked to look after your troublemaking ass, which has become quite a handful as of late,¡± he said with a hardened tone before drinking his tea.

    ¡°Looking ¡­ after me?¡± I asked with a raised brow.

    ¡°Hey, Jinma, doesn¡¯t he seem familiar to you?¡± Nyra asked.

    Does he? I thought before taking a closer look, ¡°A pitch black haori, ponytail, and that voice ¡­ wait, aren¡¯t you the same guy that visited me in the hospital a long time ago?¡±

    ¡°Am I? I can¡¯t seem to recall that memory,¡± he said nonchalantly.

    ¡°Well ¡­ if you can¡¯t recall your identity, do you mind if we give you a name to make things easier?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That may be for the best. I¡¯ll leave that to you, but try and give me a good one.¡±

    ¡°Gee, way to add unnecessary pressure,¡± I said with annoyance before looking to the side and thinking about it, If he really is the same guy from the hospital that night, the one who seems to know enough of mine, Hyo-chan¡¯s, and Komi¡¯s families, then ¡­

    ¡°... Sango. Your name will be Sango,¡± I declared.

    Nyra jolted her head to me in shock, ¡°Jinma, are you suggesting that ¡­¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the masked man said while nodding, "Well, I can''t confirm nor deny whether that''s correct, but I guess ''Sango'' should be fine for now."

    "Alright, Sango-san, then can you explain what you meant by ''looking after me''?" I asked.

    "Well, for the longest time, since you were a little brat, I was watching out for your safety as a sort of ¡®guardian angel''," Sango explained, "I''ve been with you at every step of your life from then up to now, subtly guiding you in how to fight, notifying you of dangers that surrounded you, and most importantly, keeping what you two call ''Creep'' from taking over your mind. I don''t know why I was doing it, other than that that was the ''job'' I was given when I woke up. That was the feeling I got, anyway."

    "W-Wait, so the reason why I''ve been able to fight so well when I was young, and how well I can sense hostility from other people, was because of you?" I asked.

    ¡°Granted, I let you borrow a bit of ¡®foundation¡¯ for both those things at a young age to make living in your world a little easier,¡± Sango explained, ¡°You took those foundations and built on them to create a fighting style of your own making, as well as how you judge dangerous people. I only stepped in and warned you subtly when you were facing something you couldn¡¯t see with your own eyes. It isn¡¯t until recently that my role as your ¡®guardian angel¡¯ became more proactive, specifically when you came to Raiza.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked.

    ¡°For starters, even though I lost memories of my identity, I still have my instincts and know-how to fight, as well as my way around casting magic,¡± he said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to see through your wife¡¯s magic that hides her presence when you two met. She may be a long-lived and powerful Dragon, but I seemed to have made up some tricks back in my time to deal with potential opponents like her. The moment I sensed the concentration of mana upon our arrival here, I used what I know of magic and put them to action. I used what I could then to give you a bit of a starting point in learning magic, just as I did with your fighting style and sense of danger.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on, so when I tried to possess Jinma the first day we met, were you involved in preventing that?¡± Nyra asked.

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    ¡°I was, yes, and Creep¡¯s interference made the situation even more complicated, so I borrowed the latent power that dwelled inside you to take control of the situation,¡± Sango said.

    ¡°My ¡­ latent power?¡± I asked as I looked down with a hand to my chest.

    ¡°When I first awakened inside you, the first thing I noticed was that power of yours, the very thing that not only sets you apart from other Humans, but even the D-Humans that you learned of recently,¡± Sango continued, ¡°A power far beyond what my instincts could comprehend. If it weren¡¯t for my instincts in mana and magic, I don¡¯t know how I would be able to keep it under control inside of you. And so, as I watched over you during your growth, I¡¯ve also observed that power, learned how it reacts to your behaviors, and tried to see if I could wield it in case of emergencies. Unfortunately, Creep had also been studying it from the shadows of your being.¡±

    ¡°Back up, you¡¯re starting to lose me here,¡± I said, ¡°What is it about my power that sets me apart from the D-Humans, as if that wasn¡¯t bizarre enough already? Is it recognizable to you? And how is Creep involved in all this? What is he?¡±

    ¡°Settle down, kiddo, one question at a time,¡± Sango said with a hand up, ¡°Let¡¯s start with what sets this power different from others. This ¡®latent power¡¯ is separate from your own, myself, and Nyra¡¯s here. This power is very foreign to all of us, and it didn¡¯t dwell inside you from the beginning, yet it has now made itself a home in your being. From the blood in your veins to the mana that runs through your signature, it has resided as a separate entity from the rest of your being, non-autonomously aiding your growth in physical and magical mediums. There are signs of life that emanate from this power, too.

    ¡°What exactly this power is, I can¡¯t say, and though I recognized it, I couldn¡¯t for the life of me make out what it was that made me feel that way, nor remember where I had seen it from, until very recently. What I had actually recognized in that power, the thing that has its own life, is its mana signature, a conglomeration of other mana signatures coming into one,¡± Sango said before closing his eyes in a meditative state, ¡° Human-Kin, Demon-Kin, Demi-Kin, there are signatures that resemble the races that make up those kin, as well as the Dragon-Kin, and most importantly ¡­ the Immortals, in particular with Obina¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Obina¡¯s ¡­ mana signature?¡± I asked as I looked down at my hand still resting on my chest, How could we be in such a link when I¡¯ve only just met her recently? How would this power have its own life if Obina¡¯s still alive and kicking in the Immortals¡¯ Realm? Is it because of this that our first meeting ¡­ may not actually be a coincidence?

    ¡°It¡¯s not ¡­ from the Champion¡¯s Bracelet that you¡¯re sensing Obina¡¯s signature from, is it?¡± Nyra asked for confirmation.

    Sango shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve felt this connection of similarity ever since we first met Obina, before she even gave you that bracelet, though there are signs that that item is also involved. It¡¯s separate from the one you have on hand, however.¡±

    ¡°A foreign power that has life, a conglomeration of other mana signatures ¡­¡± I trailed off as I tried to make sense of it, before something hit me, ¡°You know, there was something I heard of once back on Earth, a special item that exists in myth, but it¡¯s been portrayed differently in some shows. In one instance, this item was the product of alchemy after countless lives were sacrificed in exchange for its immeasurable power, the Philosopher¡¯s Stone. Do you think ¡­ this power I have might be what that is?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­¡± Sango hummed before taking a sip of his tea, which has now gotten lukewarm, ¡°I can see how you would make that connection, and while I can sense some differences between that and this, it¡¯s pretty damn close to matching your reference. We don¡¯t know for certain if that really is the case yet, but how about we refer to this power as such for the time being, for the sake of convenience?¡±

    Nyra and I nodded in agreement, So something that crazy and ominous is dwelling inside me? And if that power¡¯s foreign, that means someone must have put that there, right? Wonder if Obina knows what¡¯s going on, since it¡¯s a piece of her power that¡¯s involved here?

    ¡°Let¡¯s move on to answer your other question, about who and what Creep is,¡± Sango continued, ¡°He ¡­ is a piece of that Philosopher¡¯s Stone, plus the amplified negative emotions that came from your [Devil Eyes] that manifested itself into its own being. Throughout the time the power of the stone dwelled in your body, that manifestation had also observed its behavior as he matured, slowly, yet surely making that power his own.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so ¡­ there¡¯s me, you, the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, and Creep that¡¯s been living together inside Jinma¡¯s being up to now? Sounds like he needs to legalize this property and charge us rent,¡± Nyra said.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t bad to manage from the beginning, not much different from looking after any other misbehaving brat,¡± Sango continued before turning to me, ¡°However, the more you grew and matured, Jinma, the more Creep did the same, especially from instances where you either lost your temper, or have hostile thoughts. Unfortunately, the more you experience those feelings, the easier it is for him to take over your body. I¡¯ve been trying to keep him at bay, but it¡¯s becoming more of a pain in the ass lately. You should be aware of these changes, as well.¡±

    Sango was referring to my first day in Raiza when Nyra tried to possess me. After that, while I tried to keep Mom¡¯s words about taking people¡¯s lives in mind, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been thinking as much as I should have. It was getting easier to have violent thoughts, let alone find some amusement in it, especially today with all the stressful mind-blowing revelations I learned. The time when I thought I heard a voice urging me to kill that Lizardman, Krigeran, stood out to me the most. Still, that makes me wonder, have I ever fallen that low back home? I¡¯ve been in so many fights in Japan that it had gotten boring to remember with every victory I earned, but there had to be at least a few instances when I was more heated than usual. It was hard to recall what those times were.

    ¡°... Is Creep here now? Where is he?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I have him detained in the basement for now,¡± Sango said as he patted the tatami floor, ¡°For the time being, it¡¯s best that you avoid contact with him as much as possible. That¡¯s mainly why I brought you and Nyra here, to warn you of that bastard¡¯s danger, as well as to tell you to get your shit together and not get worked up so easily. I have a bad feeling that soon enough, he may not even need you to think violently before he possesses your body. If at any point you fall unconscious, or that your mind goes blank for whatever reason, Creep will take advantage of that opening and wreak havoc as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I understand I¡¯ll need to keep myself stable, but is there any way I can beat Creep, to stop him from taking over me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I say mastering your [Devil Eyes] skill might be a good start,¡± Sango answered, ¡°Creep was born out of the amplified, negative emotions that that skill takes advantage of. The sooner you have that under your control, the sooner you can make Creep your bitch.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you teach me how to control my [Devil Eyes]?¡± I asked, ¡°You¡¯ve assisted me in learning everything else, why not this case, too?¡±

    ¡°Boy, it¡¯s taking more power than usual just to keep this bastard at bay lately,¡± Sango said, ¡°If something goes wrong in your training while it¡¯s being done here, I¡¯m not confident I¡¯ll be able to stop him. Under any other circumstance, though, I might give you some pointers, at best. It¡¯s better for you that you train the [Devil Eyes] in the real world, where Creep will need to put up more of an effort to reach you, which is why you¡¯ll need to get that Sue girl to teach you how to master it as soon as possible.¡±

    Ugh, I was afraid he would suggest that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you give me that look, kiddo,¡± Sango said, looking annoyed, ¡°Like it or not, that girl¡¯s the best teacher you could ask for on short notice, as well as your greatest ally.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure? In fact, if you can sense danger better than I could, then why didn¡¯t you warn me about her sooner? Actually, you¡¯ve been watching me and my surroundings for a while, right? Did you know what happened with Sue that we couldn¡¯t grasp from Obina¡¯s recording?¡±

    Sango shook his head, ¡°Unfortunately, no, I was occupied watching Creep during that time. I figured Nyra would warn you of any danger better than I could, so I left it to her. Even then, though, I didn¡¯t sense any danger or hostility from her that night, which was why I didn¡¯t bother making my move. I would knock you upside the head to warn you, otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Wait, no danger or hostility from her? Seriously? She drew blood from me, and altered my memories, man!¡± I rebutted.

    ¡°My memories, too,¡± Nyra added with a raised hand.

    ¡°I understand that you¡¯d be upset by that, and I don¡¯t know what she intends to do with that blood, either,¡± Sango said calmly, ¡°All I know is that if she managed to pull that off while not exhibiting danger flags, not even so much as to try to hide her hostile intent, then she did it out of purely good intentions, even when she altered both of your memories from that night. There¡¯s one more thing about her that I know that Sue can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.

    Sango crossed his arms, closed his eyes in his meditative state again, and thought deeply, ¡°The moment we first met Sue, I sensed a connection between you two. If I was in your place at that time, I could use that connection to get some answers through some secret means, myself. From watching you back on Earth, I¡¯ve sensed similar connections among a select few that you¡¯ve met, and while that doesn¡¯t tell me everything about their character, I haven¡¯t seen any of them do something that could pose a danger to you. If Sue is like them, even if some of her actions up to now have been questionable, I¡¯d still put my faith in her in times of crisis.¡±

    ¡°... You trust her that much, huh?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, and she isn¡¯t the first I¡¯ve put such faith in her, nor will she be the last. Funny enough, this faith I have with her and your other connections makes me nostalgic. It¡¯s probably through that that I¡¯m confident to put my trust in her,¡± Sango said without hesitation.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ and these ¡®secret means¡¯ you mentioned, is it possible for me to use them, too?¡±

    Sango shook his head, ¡°Not as you are right now, no. This is not like any skill that I can just subtly influence you into learning so you can see for yourself. You¡¯ll just have to straighten up, take my word for it, and face her like a man.¡±

    ¡°Easy for you to say ¡­¡± I trailed off before I noticed Granny¡¯s home getting distorted for a brief moment.

    ¡°Looks like our time here is nearly up,¡± Sango said, ¡°Remember, Jinma Kotori, keep your cool, your mind sharp, and don¡¯t look away from the problem that lies in front of you. I¡¯ll leave you with this, though, you are likely not the only one who holds this Philosopher¡¯s Stone look-alike within you.¡±

    ¡°How can you tell?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I could sense it the moment we arrived in Raiza,¡± Sango said, ¡°The air is dense with mana, more than what I expect there would usually be, and I could sense its remnants resemble those that you hold in the Philosopher''s Stone. Even if the other holders were using [Hide Magic] to keep their mana signatures hidden, that doesn¡¯t stop the concentrated mana pouring out from their beings. Not only that, but that density gets lighter the further away it goes from your location. My guess is that most, if not all of those stone-holders are somewhere in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible to trace that poured-out mana back to their owners?¡± Nyra asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a big fat no,¡± Sango said, ¡°I¡¯ve familiarized myself with the stone¡¯s mana in your body after being exposed to it long enough, but those from the other stone-holders are far more different as they converge together with yours in the air. Two stone-holders could be as far apart as from Dondegarm to Korangar, yet their area of overlap still extends far enough that their actual location is indistinguishable. It is the same if those said stone-holders are closer in proximity. The point is, you¡¯re not the only near-almighty person in this world that holds the Philosopher¡¯s Stone¡¯s power. Whatever business you have from here on out, proceed with caution, and try not to die, or I¡¯d be going down with you. I¡¯d rather not go out because of some brat without learning who I really am.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks for the encouragement,¡± I drawled in monotone as me and Nyra stood up, ¡°Though ¡­ since you gave me a guiding hand for so long, whatever your reasons were, I appreciate you putting up with me, Sango-san. I hope that I may continue to be under your care.¡± I then bowed deeply towards Sango with gratitude.

    Sango sighed, ¡°Not like I have any other choice. And you, Nyra, if Jinma goes bonkers, use whatever you can in your [Psyche Magic] arsenal to set him straight. You¡¯re the only one among us here who can stop him from going overboard and let Creep take over.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, Sango,¡± Nyra said while nodding in confirmation. Granny¡¯s home becomes more distorted for longer periods.

    ¡°I may not be able to pull you two here again after this, at least for a while,¡± Sango said, ¡°I¡¯ll be putting my all into keeping Creep here, borrowing the stone¡¯s power if necessary. Jinma, you¡¯ll be on your own from here on out. It may not be much different than how you¡¯ve lived up to now, but don¡¯t get lenient. Be ready for anything.¡±

    ¡°After what I¡¯ve been through so far, you think I haven¡¯t been doing that?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get snarky with me, kiddo, now git,¡± Sango said before making a loud snap with his fingers.

    With that, Granny¡¯s home became so distorted that it became unrecognizable before things quickly faded into black, and the last few words I heard were too muffled for me to make out.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget, never leave your family behind, or you will regret it.¡±

 Chapter 184: Morning Surprises, Part 1

    Lost in drowsiness, the first thing my half-asleep mind noticed was one of my hands grabbing something firm and soft. I have a good squeeze on it, yet gentle enough that it wouldn¡¯t harm it, malleable enough to mold between my fingers, and all around just too big for me to cup it in full. My basal instincts that are controlling my hand right now find this sensation fascinating enough to play with it some more, and so they did just that.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­¡±

    A pleased, sensual moan was elicited in response. Moreover, something was rubbing against my crotch that I just noticed was bare and stiff.

    From those stimulating sensations, my mind became awake, vision clear, to find the Devil disguised as an Arch Imp, Sue, in front of me. My hand was fondling her very generous chest, and my morning wood was in extreme danger of passing the point of no return into her womanhood, or backdoor, whichever was closer.

    In a panic, I reflexively pulled my hand groping her chest away, only to realize my wrist was restrained in doing so, and with a terrifying grip, at that.

    "Ohh, Jinma, you beast," Sue cooed as I felt my hand being pulled, forced into her chest further. To make things more dangerous, she was pushing her phat ass further against my wood, too, urging it to plant itself into her fertile land.

    ¡­ She''s pretending to talk and shift in her sleep when she''s wide awake, isn''t she?

    That''s what my thoughts concluded after taking a brief moment to think calmly, and in that moment, I noticed Sue''s tail swaying in front of me. Taking a bet on chance, I reached out with my free hand to grab and tug on her tail tightly.

    "AA¡ª!" Sue yelped before blocking her mouth from waking the others, using the hand she restrained me with moments ago.

    I took advantage of this opening to pull my hand away and practically leapt off the bed, all while making sure to not wake the others up. I used [Shadow Manipulation] to make tendrils that caught my fall, not making a sound.

    Looking very annoyed, Sue gave the signal to speak through [Telepathy], of which I started the connection. <What gives?! It was going so well, too!> she exclaimed in my mind, <You promised we could cuddle!>

    <Yeah, that wasn''t ''cuddling'', that was walking on eggshells,> I said as I had my shadow tendrils set me upright, <You seriously thought I had put my full trust in you to do those things again after I had you put on that cat outfit and call me ''Onii-chan''?>

    <... Would you reconsider if I called you that from now on?> Sue asked.

    <NO! That would make things way too weird! Weirder than they are right now! The point is, no foreplay between us, and that''s that!> I exclaimed.

    <Not even if it''s to relieve your stiff friend there?> Sue asked as she pointed to my morning wood, <You liked my blowjob before, right? I may not have gotten it all in full, but I think I can do it with some more practice. If not that, there''s always my tits, or something more unique like my feet?>

    <No, you will not do anything to my dick with any part of your body, end of story,> I refused.

    Sue clicked her tongue, <And I thought we had fun bonding together like that ¡­>

    <Someone''s a party pooper this morning,> Nyra greeted, <Did you forget what happened in the dream?>

    <I''d be surprised if I didn''t,> I responded.

    <Huh? Did something happen in your dream?> Sue asked.

    Sango didn''t tell me to keep our talk a secret, but I wondered if going into too much detail would risk breaking the oath Nyra and I made to Obina. I had to be careful of what I say.

    <... Some weird old guy in a mask claiming to be my ''guardian angel'' appeared and talked to Nyra and I,> I said, <He came to warn us about how my [Devil Eyes] self might go berserk if I''m not careful.>

    <A guardian angel?> Sue asked as she looked to the side, deep in thought.

    <Yeah, and that he somehow trusts you enough to be my greatest ally,> I said before shrugging, <I don''t know why, myself, but it was all bizarre to me, and I still have my doubts.>

    <Is that right ¡­ well, if your ''angel'' says I can be trusted, then I better work double-time to earn yours, then, Jinma,> Sue said before lifting herself off the bed with her wings.

    As she gently landed on the floor, her oppai-loli boobs made a hefty jiggle. It was hard not to look away when she was totally naked, and she just ate up that attention. My wood couldn''t go down because of that, and I was just too stiff to stuff it in my pants.

    As I tried to calm my buddy down, we made sure Yukino was still asleep, which Sue solidified with her own [Slothful Slumber] spell. We didn''t want Konjiro to get any ideas about her coming with us to the dungeon as he sees us off, especially since he was told she spent the night at a friend''s place. That reminds me, does Yukino even have friends?

    <I looked through her memories around present day, and apparently she''s acquainted with some of the staff in Palocaesy''s adventurer''s guild,> Nyra answered my thoughts for me, <Though, they aren''t really close, especially a few she overheard gossiping about her.>

    <Yikes, that makes her even more pitiful.>

    Anyway, with Yukino sleeping longer, Sue and I decided to look into more of her memories through Nyra¡¯s powers for any information she might have left out from us last night, as well as any physical evidence we can use to blow Rowling¡¯s cover. Unfortunately, Yukino¡¯s meetings with Rowling after their first one were very few, and Konjiro was the one to go to them on his own. Any other communication her husband had with their conspirator was done through a Messaging Crystal, of which Yukino had to step out for discretion. When she asked what they talked about later, Konjiro only told so little of what she wanted to know. This really showed how much Konjiro lacked faith in his own admittedly normal wife, giving me more reason to add pity points to her stock. I guess the plan to ambush us in the dungeon was the most Konjiro ever spoke to her with such an eerily delighted expression. He must hate us that much, huh? Or maybe it¡¯s just me that he despises?

    What was good for us, however, was Yukino being more of a curious woman than we gave her credit for. As part of her ¡®duties¡¯ as Assistant Guild Master of Palocaesy¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild, she was tasked to send messages to some of the nobility that reside in the city. When she snuck a peek at one of them, they were instructions for a secret meeting to hold for discussing the progression to pull off the coup. After finding that out, Yukino searched through Konjiro¡¯s office for further clues until she stumbled into some parchments in a secret compartment. Included in that stack was a list of possible houses to support the overthrow of the Demon King. Some of those names were marked with checks, a few others were crossed out entirely. What was interesting about the crossed-out group, according to Sue, was that the heads of those families have turned up dead recently. The remaining members of those fallen houses either migrated into other noble houses through marriage or servitude, the same houses that were checked off in that list, or have mysteriously disappeared. Seeing such coincidences that match up the names in that list were uncanny to ignore.

    From this discovery, Sue had perhaps the creepiest, mad-inducing smile I¡¯ve seen from her yet as she snickered eerily, ¡°Ohhh, this is a good find, indeed. Be grateful, Yukino, for your meddling may have lightened your sentence a tad.¡±

    Also to note, among the stacks of parchment found in that compartment was a list of names from their Kitsune Clan. All of those names have a feminine tone to them, with some having check marks next to them, others with X¡¯s, and a few with abbreviation for ¡®undecided¡¯. Yukino seems to know a few of them as Tenkos, while others she hasn¡¯t met, but heard they¡¯ve been recently recognized as such, as well, meaning they¡¯re quite young compared to her. There wasn¡¯t an indication that said what that list exactly was, but Yukino seemed to have an idea for what it is as her vision blurred while the parchment trembled in her hands.

    <I glazed through some of Yukino¡¯s memories and it turns out Konjiro occasionally had brief absences for ¡®work-related¡¯ matters, which mostly took place the adventurer¡¯s guild near their village,> Nyra pointed out, <You think that maybe ¡­>

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    If this is what I think it is, I was all the more compelled to beat Konjiro¡¯s fox-face in. It reminded me of how my old bastard disappeared after I was born, leaving Mom no trace of where he could have gone. He may have had his reasons for disappearing, but if he was fooling around with other girls without any regard to Mom¡¯s feelings? If there was a chance of me finding him, he¡¯d be dead within a minute after meeting him. As for Konjiro, as much as I wanted to beat him down, I shouldn¡¯t do anything that could risk giving us away from knowing his plans. At least with this, I don¡¯t feel as bad sleeping with his wife now, and even if Yukino had doubts of whether he was really committing infidelity, she must not feel as guilty for not tossing aside the possibility. With that in mind, despite our racial differences, she must have enjoyed our time together to some extent. You may get in deep shit later, and though I¡¯ll work you to the bone, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re treated right, like a real woman, I decided in my resolve.

    And before you ask, yes, I¡¯m aware how ¡®hypocritical¡¯ it might be of me to judge Konjiro for adultering. The difference between me and him, though, is that everyone in my harem is in agreement on how to go about our relationship, as well as how I should go about expanding it. Konjiro, on the other hand, has been seeing other girls behind Yukino¡¯s back, likely not worrying how she feels about all this, considering their history together. If he doesn¡¯t give a shit about her, then he won¡¯t mind me sleeping with her, though that really stocks up how much I need to pay him back for his assholery if that much won¡¯t cut it as much as I thought initially.

    Getting enough of what Sue, Nyra, and I could find, we made the necessary preparations before waking the others up to get ready. Ren was really devastated once she remembered how quickly she conked out last night, letting alcohol get in the way of pleasuring her master. This sort of worked out for me since I was still naked with a huge boner that couldn''t go down¡ªit didn¡¯t take long for us to get through Yukino¡¯s memories, despite how much we took in, hence why I was still relatively hard. When I asked Ren to help me with it to make up for her lack of participation last night, she didn''t hesitate to comply.

    Since I was worried I could impede today''s performance if I penetrated any holes on her lower half, we settled with her giving me a morning blowjob. I had to say that she was getting better at getting it all in her mouth, and I gave her proper praise for it by petting and scratching around her cute wolf ears as she did it. I seriously considered if I should have Ren do this for me every morning while we''re in the dungeon, and while she did say yes when I asked her, there was still the matter of Noire and Gabriella joining our dungeon dive today. It''s especially so since one of our escorted guests is interested in doing it with me in the dungeon, too. It wouldn''t be fair to the other girls not getting in on the action, either. Ah, the struggles of maintaining a harem.

    Putting those matters aside for now, once Ren properly emptied me out for the morning, we changed and regrouped with others for breakfast. Since it was slow this morning, I took this opportunity to use Nyra''s magic to relay to the unattended what we saw in Yukino''s memories last night, Ren included since she wasn''t awake at the time. I also showed everyone there what I found in her memories this morning.

    "Unforgivable," Kalline said first after finishing, her brow furrowed and fierce, "As a Centaur, family is the very foundation of our honor. The very thought of selling off one of our own under any circumstance would destroy us from the inside out. I have heard how the Kitsune take great value in their pride, but that mayhaps be the source of their infamy.¡±

    ¡°Being sold off by their own family like that ¡­ that¡¯s much worse than my own case,¡± Erizora said, looking down solemnly, ¡°I was going to get killed by the Ogres of my tribe when they found out about my father being Human, but in exchange of my mother giving up her own body, the worst they had done was putting me in exile, keeping me alive. It sucked, but I¡¯m grateful to Mom giving herself up like that to let me live. I understood from that alone how much she loved me, despite my upbringing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ and you haven¡¯t gone back to your tribe since?¡± I asked, ¡°Would you want to?¡±

    Erizora looked up at me and nodded firmly, ¡°If it¡¯s to see how Mom¡¯s doing, seeing whether she¡¯s still alive, then yes. It would be nice if I could free her from whatever they¡¯re putting her through, but I¡¯m at a loss for what to do.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I said, <Nyra, please make a mental note for us to visit Erizora¡¯s tribe as one of our priorities after meeting the Demon King, alongside with finding Toshino.>

    <Roger!>

    ¡°At any rate, it seems best to leave Yukino here and bring her along with Konjiro to justice once we expose Rowling¡¯s plans,¡± Ume said, ¡°Since we didn¡¯t hear anything from you, Kenaka, can we assume nothing major happened last night?¡±

    Kenaka shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t sense any large gatherings surrounding the inn last night, but there is a distinguishable difference in the density of mana right now. Compared to yesterday, the mana in the air is much lighter.¡±

    I activated my [Intuitive Mapping], [Detection], and [Size Up] skills to quickly look for how many people are currently up and about in the city, ¡°... The number of people here is far fewer than before, and there are no signs of dead bodies lying about. There isn¡¯t anyone camping outside of the city walls, either. Noire and Gabriella are still in the former¡¯s cottage, at least, and both of them are healthy. Well, whatever¡¯s considered ¡®healthy¡¯ for an Undead, anyway.¡±

    ¡°If the population in the area has dropped that significantly, though ¡­ that means Rowling¡¯s small army is making its move,¡± Kalline said as she gripped her sword¡¯s handle, looking tense.

    ¡°Brother ¡­¡± Ren muttered under her breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s important to stay alert, but I think we have an advantage,¡± I said, trying to lift everyone¡¯s heavy spirits, ¡°They don¡¯t know that we¡¯re aware of their ambush, to separate and overwhelm us with numbers, whether it be through their own forces or the Monsters¡¯ that dwell in the dungeon. While it¡¯s best for us to stay close together to avoid this, anything can happen, which is why we should prepare for the case we do get separated. So, allow me to give a quick rundown of what to do then ¡­¡±

    ~~

    With my strategy meeting gone over and our preparations set, I cast [Portal] to send everyone in my party to the dungeon to save our spot in advance. Only myself, Sue, and Mametama remained before I cast another [Portal] to take us to Noire¡¯s cottage. The maids there quickly let us in once we arrived, and one of them directed us to Noire who¡¯s currently waiting in her room. Incidentally, Gabriella¡¯s body is bound in the cottage¡¯s basement for the sake of Noire¡¯s safety, knowing her involvement with Rowling now, while her separated head was being looked after by one of the other maids.

    When we got to the door, Noire greeted us with a refreshing smile, all adorned in her adventurer¡¯s outfit and ready for the dungeon dive. She led us inside to speak in private, of which I ensured with my [Soundproof] spell. I first started things off by presenting Noire with a gift.

    ¡°Mmph! I didn¡¯t think you could actually make pudding, of all things, Jinma!¡± Noire exclaimed in delight, taking a spoonful and enjoying the jiggles it made in her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve had this at the castle¡¯s cafeteria, once, and I dare say yours has beat theirs by a landslide!¡±

    ¡°While I appreciate the praise, but the castle¡¯s cafeteria?¡± I asked with a raised brow as she ate another spoonful.

    ¡°Her Highness and I used to sneak in and swipe such delicacies back when she was still a princess, you could say. We were quite the duo, back then,¡± Noire said as she looked up with nostalgia.

    So the current Demon King was mischievous back then, huh? Considering the crap she¡¯s putting me through right now, I guess she¡¯s been doing this for longer than I thought.

    ¡°Soooo? How did things go last night?¡± Noire then asked before giving a knowing, mischievous grin.

    ¡°It was a big success. We got a lot more out of her than we could have hoped for, and we got some filthy dirt to use against Rowling, too,¡± I said.

    ¡°May I see it, perhaps?¡± Noire asked, ¡°The prospect of this possible bit of gossip made it hard for me to sleep last night.¡±

    I was kind of hoping to save this evidence until much later when we bring the guilty to justice, but I understood how eager Noire must be to see it now. The problem was how we gathered that evidence last night, through means truly foreign to the residence of Raiza.

    <Hey, Sue, you think it¡¯s okay if we show her what you recorded on my smartphone? It¡¯s pretty outlandish, after all,> I asked her through [Telepathy].

    <... She¡¯ll be surprised, but I think it should be fine,> Sue said, <On the contrary, it may have been the best way to record such evidence for both your benefits.>

    What does she mean by that? The wording was peculiar, but being an expert of nobility, herself, she must know what she¡¯s talking about, and my [Intuition] didn¡¯t pick up anything, either.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you see, but you must keep the ¡®method¡¯ I used to gather this evidence secret, and not mention any of what you see to others until we bring this up to Her Highness,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh, but of course! Since I¡¯m involved with this dilemma, while I have a right to be filled in on this investigation, I¡¯m aware of the necessity of keeping such things discreet until Her Majesty says otherwise. Don¡¯t want to risk spreading misinformation, and all that,¡± Noire said.

    ¡°Then, if I may,¡± I said before casting [Storage], but the moment I pulled my smartphone out ¡­

    ¡°What?!¡± Noire screamed.

    The suddenness startled me enough to nearly drop my device, ¡°W-What, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Where ¡­ did you get that?!¡± Noire exclaimed, pointing to said device.

    ¡°Uh, my former employer, actually,¡± I answered calmly, ¡°It was a gift as well as something for me to use while on the job. I don¡¯t know where they got it, though.¡±

    ¡°Your former employer uses that, too?¡± Noire asked apprehensively, ¡°They didn¡¯t tell you where you got it because they couldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Not really? I mean, I¡¯m sure they bought it from somewhere, the thought of asking never really came to me, though. Do you ¡­ know what this is?¡± I asked while holding up my device.

    Noire went silent for a moment, looking like she was seriously considering whether to answer truthfully. To be honest, part of me wouldn¡¯t really mind if she didn¡¯t say, but I¡¯d definitely be left curious as to why she reacted the way she did.

    The Noble Vampire seemed to have reached a decision and resolved herself as she took on a serious air. ¡°... That¡¯s a smartphone, yes?¡± Noire asked. I was surprised she knew that much, at first, what she pulled out from her Magic Item Pouch left me even more shocked, a similar-looking device with a case that was bedazzled with rubies of different sizes.

    Noire practically shoved the jewel-encrusted device in front of my face, ¡°I, too, have one, supposedly one of the only few identical magic tools that exist on Raiza, crafted by the one and only Shining Teaset, herself.¡±

 Chapter 185: Morning Surprises, Part 2 (End of Volume)

    ¡°Shining Teaset ¡­ as in the Court Magician of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory? You know Shining Teaset?¡± I asked in shock.

    ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯m one of the select few who know her personally, and know where she¡¯s hiding from public view,¡± Noire said as she held up her ruby-bedazzled device, ¡°This smartphone is one of the few she has made, herself, calling them ¡®symbols of her trust¡¯, as she knows for certain that the power dwelling in this tool could be abused in the wrong hands. It¡¯s the only method of contact I have with her, and she¡¯ll only answer my call when she feels like it as she¡¯s a very busy female.¡±

    So, not only is Shining Teaset the greatest magic practitioner in the kingdom, and has played a significant part of ¡®The Blink¡¯, she even knows how to build a smartphone from scratch using only this world¡¯s resources? She¡¯s a hell of an inventor ¡­

    ¡°She even told me something interesting, too,¡± Noir continued, ¡°There¡¯s only a few of these smartphones that she made into existence, but she really learned how to put them together after she ¡­ oh, what did she call it again? Reverse-something ¡­¡±

    ¡°... Reverse-engineering?¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it! She reverse-engineered a smartphone that previously belonged to a traveling Champion, and so ¡­ she warned me that if I ever see anyone who holds a similar looking device that she should not have given, it¡¯s highly likely its owner could be one of them,¡± Noire said before giving a knowing smirk.

    ¡­ Crap.

    <You know, with the number of people who know your identity now, I¡¯m starting to see how much you suck at keeping a low profile, which really says something with your secondary Rogue class being max level and all,> Nyra chided.

    "If I consider that possibility, a lot of things I''ve seen you done up to now would start to make sense," Noire continued before her expression turned serious, "Still, I can only guess so much with circumstantial evidence, and as I''m honestly growing more fond of you, I still have my position as a noble to consider, and I''ll be putting my life into your hands as we go down the dungeon. If we wish to get closer, to put trust in each other, we need to be honest, so I''ll ask this once: Are you a Champion, Jinma Kotori?"

    I sighed and scratched my head, there was no way I could turn down such strong, beautiful eyes like hers, "I''ve been wondering when would be the best time to tell you, like when things settle down after the dungeon crawl, but I do wish to gain your trust, so ¡­ yes, I am indeed a Champion, representing Goddess Obina. My bracelet is in my bag that one of my party members is carrying right now if you need proof, so¡ª"

    "That won''t be necessary," Noire interrupted with a hand up, smiling gently, "While I do usually prefer hard evidence most of the time, I doubt another Human would reveal themselves like you have. There are some questions I¡¯d like to ask of you as a Champion, but those can wait for another time. For now, I''ll take your word for it, and your secret is safe with me."

    "... Thank you, Noire," I said while lowering my head in gratitude.

    "More importantly, you have Yukino''s dirt in your smartphone? In that case, why don''t we exchange numbers and you send it over to me that way?" Noire asked before her smile turned mischievous.

    "Oh, good idea," I agreed before we quickly got to exchanging numbers. I immediately sent the video to her after that.

    To be honest, I had a Messaging Crystal ready for Noire to prepare us for the trials ahead, but this way may be far better for us in the long run. Kisaki, being a Champion, was one thing, but I didn''t think I''d ever exchange contacts with a local of this world.

    One thing that worries me though is Shining Teaset. I was too surprised at Noire''s revelation to think about it at first, but this Court Magician in hiding has more knowledge about Champions that I doubt the special handfuls like royalty and nobles should know about. Not to mention, ''reverse-engineering'' is a term that''s usually reserved for Earth''s modern sciences. Is Shining Teaset actually not who I figured her to be initially?

    I considered asking Noire for Shining Teaset''s number, as well, but the former said it herself that the smartphone is the latter''s ''symbol of trust''. If this Court Magician anticipated Noire meeting Champions carrying their own smartphones, then she must have forbidden her to ever share that contact information with anyone. I gave up from even attempting it after thinking that.

    Once Noire got the video and started watching it, she let out the most nefarious of snickers and giggles. I found it oddly cute. With this, though, should something happen to me or my phone, Noire has a copy of the evidence to share with the Demon King later.

    ¡°Oh, this is just delicious!¡± Noire exclaimed as she finished watching the video, ¡°With these good shots, there¡¯s no way Yukino can talk her way out of this. Still, Konjiro and Rowling concocted such a plan for us, huh? They must be getting desperate.¡±

    ¡°They have quite a large quantity of forces to take us down with, too,¡± I said, ¡°They¡¯ve all been out and about yesterday, but now they¡¯re nowhere within the Palocaesy¡¯s premises, meaning they must be waiting for us in the dungeon already. Since you gave Her Highness that tip yesterday, though, they should be looking through Rowling¡¯s place as we speak, adding more pressure to him in the process, and I imagine he¡¯ll want to get rid of us quickly. With that in mind, we prepared ourselves well in advance, so we should take our time clearing the dungeon. The rest of my party¡¯s holding our spot to get in the dungeon, so we should stow your coffin away and split.¡±

    ¡°Just real quick, since you¡¯re the first one I¡¯ve met other than Shining Teaset who has a smartphone, I¡¯d like to try taking this ¡®selfie¡¯ she told me about once,¡± Noire said, ¡°She can¡¯t take one of us because of her position, but if it¡¯s with you ¡­¡±

    I nodded in understanding, ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Great! Sue, after Jinma and I take one together, would you like to join us in another, too?¡± Noire asked.

    ¡°H-Huh? Oh, uh ¡­¡± Sue trailed off, shifting glances between Noire and me.

    I figured she was wondering how I felt about it, of which I shrugged, ¡°Noire brought it up, so I don¡¯t see why not.¡± We took a selfie when we first met, anyway, so that ice was already broken.

    Using my phone, I showed Noire how it was done with the two of us in it first, pulling her close to where our sides and faces touched to get in the shot. Thankfully, my [Darkness Manipulation] can be used as an advanced ¡®selfie stick¡¯ to keep our pictures stable and straight. The first one of us was normal with our photogenic smiles¡ªor at least as far as it was for mine¡ªwhile holding peace signs. The second was a surprise for me as Noire snuck a kiss to my cheek while still looking at the camera lens. Finally, our last few shots were with Sue in the picture as she was below our chins, again with our photogenic smiles shown for the camera.

    ¡°I hope I can share one with us and your wife together soon, too ¡­ maybe while we do something dirty?¡± Noire whispered in my ear as I sent all the photos to her phone. It was hard not to pop a boner after she brought that up.

    Once the photos were sent, I stowed Noire¡¯s ¡®double-sized¡¯ coffin in my [Storage] for her to use in the dungeon. Then, Noire got the maids to quickly prepare Gabriella for departure, dressing her up in her black armor and setting her head back on her shoulders.

    ¡°You should be lucky I¡¯m still willing to let you escort me,¡± Noire scolded while wagging her finger with a furrowed brow, ¡°I expect you to be on your best behavior in our dungeon crawl and not try anything funny, or there will be consequences. Capiche?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Milady,¡± Gabriella said while nodding meekly. Upon seeing me, she kept her distance. I guess that threat of tentacle play in our spar really got to her.

    ¡°Also, regardless whether this motivates you, I thought you should know that we got word that Rowling has hired some ¡®help¡¯ to get rid of us, including you,¡± I informed.

    Gabriella widened her eyes, ¡°W-Why would ¡­¡±

    ¡°I imagine it¡¯s not only because you failed him, but he also wants to make sure there are no witnesses knowing about Noire breaking off the engagement,¡± I said while shrugging, ¡°Don¡¯t know how much that would want you cooperating with us, but however this quest will end, you¡¯ll be on your own after that. Also, it¡¯s bad enough that you tried to stop the quest from happening the other day, if you try to redeem yourself to get back into Rowling¡¯s graces by betraying us, you¡¯ll be jumping from the hot pan you¡¯re currently on into the fire of political affairs that you won¡¯t be able to get out of alive ¡­ well, not ¡®alive¡¯ in technical terms, you won¡¯t be ¡®undead¡¯ would be more like it, for sure. The point is, if you wish to continue living as you have been, I suggest you think carefully about your options and what to do in the future before this quest ends. You get me?¡±

    Gabriella only stayed silent and turned away, her face twisted in frustration.

    ¡°... I don¡¯t hear opposition, so I¡¯ll take it as a yes,¡± I said before turning to Noire, ¡°Is there anything else that needs to be done?¡±

    ¡°Just one last thing,¡± Noire said as she turned to her maids, all gathered in a line to properly see their mistress off, ¡°Is this everyone who has worked here?¡±

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    One of the maids who looks to be in charge of the staff stepped forward, ¡°At your request, Milady, I have gathered all of the staff that work in this cottage here. Is something a matter?¡±

    Noire nodded firmly before looking towards all her service staff, her face was stern, yet composed, ¡°Everyone, stay calm and listen closely, for I have important news for you all. Due to the complications arising in my former engagement with Perseus Shallowreed Rowling, you may be in grave danger.¡±

    All the maids¡¯ faces went into shock.

    ¡°Though you are employed under my father, the head of our household, his current state has left me to question his judgment,¡± Noire said as she held up a two fingers, ¡°With that said, in the name of the Krauss Family, I would like to propose two options for you on what to do next. One, pack up your belongings and evacuate Palocaesy immediately. It doesn¡¯t matter where, but I advise you not to go to Korangar for now, and that you never come in contact with my family again. I have a number of letters of recommendation and some funds to distribute to you all so you can get by in living expenses for some time until you find a new house to serve under. This will be my final gift to you as a lady of the Krauss Family, I will not reprimand you for choosing to run away, and I will accept full responsibility for your sudden departure. If this falls in line with your interests, step forward now.¡±

    A heavy silence fell in the lobby, but none of them moved a centimeter. I glanced in Gabriella¡¯s direction and she looked surprised at the development before her.

    ¡°... Then, I will move on to the second and final option,¡± Noire continued, lowering one of her fingers to leave the other standing, ¡°If you still wish to serve under the Krauss Family, then I ask that you drop everything you have and serve under Her Highness for the time being as part of a temporary leave from our house. I do not know how long it will be, but when the drama from my breaking off the engagement calms down, I will personally make sure you all will be able to return to serving the Krauss household, if that is what you want by that point. If not, then I will see to it that you can be transferred to another house to serve under, or even work in Her Highness¡¯ castle, if you so wish.

    ¡°Make no mistake, neither choice will guarantee you of escaping from harm, but one of the choices is more likely for that to happen than the other,¡± Noire said, her stare hardened, ¡°Either way, there is a chance you may die. I understand this danger has come to be due to my actions, and for that, I must apologize for inconveniencing you. That is why I¡¯m bringing this up to you now.¡±

    Wow, I know she can be mischievous, but I had no idea she was this thoughtful of her servants. Still, throwing some servants to the Demon King so abruptly like that, does Noire hope that she¡¯ll protect them with her authority?

    <Sue, what do you think of this?> I asked her through [Telepathy], <This is the first time I¡¯m hearing such a plan. Do you think Her Highness can accommodate for Noire so quickly at the last minute?>

    <It should be fine,> Sue said without hesitation as she watched Noire¡¯s speech, <You helped Noire send that message to Her Highness yesterday, right? She¡¯s aware of the battle that¡¯s to come, and while she works to apprehend the traitors of the kingdom, she wants to keep casualties of uninvolved parties to a minimum. The servants of the Krauss Family are no slouches, so Her Highness will surely put them to work under her care, but she¡¯ll do everything in her power to protect the weak. That much, I can guarantee.>

    ¡°With that said, this is the last chance I am bringing this up,¡± Noire said, ¡°No one will shame you for valuing your life enough to run away. If you do not wish to get any further involved with the Krauss Family and leave Palocaesy, step forward now.¡±

    Yet again, none of the maids budged from their spot.

    ¡°Milady, may I speak openly?¡± the head maid asked as she stepped forward.

    Noire nodded, ¡°You may.¡±

    ¡°I believe I speak for all of us that we¡¯re grateful to have such a compassionate lady like Milady looking after humble servants like ourselves,¡± the head maid said with a hand to her bosom, ¡°Serving the Krauss Family for as long as I have, I can see that Lord Krauss¡¯ passion for protecting the weak and innocent has passed down to you. We owe a lot to Lord Krauss for allowing us to serve him, and that debt is extended to you, as well.

    ¡°That said, we are also aware that Lord Krauss has not been himself as of late, and if someone as perceptive as his own daughter can see there is trouble approaching, we would be foolish to not heed your warning. Despite our caution, we who have taken great pride to serve under the Krauss Family will never sway our devotion to any other house,¡± the head maid said as her brow furrowed, ¡°Nay, we should be doing everything in our power to protect the Krauss Family¡¯s members, yet we know all of ours combined will still pale in comparison to yours, Milady. That¡¯s why, even as we work under Her Highness for now, we will do it with our pride as Krauss Family servants and not besmirch your name. The only thing we wish for, Milady, is that you return safely, so that we may serve you with greater pride and devotion than when we left. Is that not right, ladies?¡±

    The other maids nodded firmly in agreement, I could see fires of determination burning in their eyes.

    Noire¡¯s expression softened to a gentle smile before she curtsied before the maids, ¡°I, Noire Scarletine Krauss, thank you for your courage and devotion in these trying times. I will personally see to it that you all get a bonus when this is over, if not a pay rise.¡±

    ¡°To think a powerful Demon Noble would lower their head to their servants like this ¡­ unlike the Humans in my time,¡± Gabriella muttered before she turned away, clicking her tongue.

    Noire then reached into her Magic Item Pouch and took out an envelope, handing it to the head maid, ¡°In that case, when you get to the castle, please give Her Highness this message from me. It will explain all the circumstances and my request to her as I explained to you.¡±

    The head maid gratefully accepted the envelope, ¡°Thank you, Milady, will you be providing funds for the travel fare to Korangar? We will pack our things immediately upon your departure.¡±

    ¡°I believe I said before that you will drop everything you have to serve Her Highness, yes? I did not mention anything about you getting there by carriage,¡± Noire said before turning to me, ¡°Jinma?¡±

    ¡°Way ahead of you,¡± I said before pointing an open palm to the side, imagining the place of destination, ¡°[Portal].¡±

    A hole then opened up in space leading to the emergency room in the Demon King¡¯s castle that Noire I went to yesterday. Everyone but me, Noire, and Sue jumped in shock.

    ¡°N-No way! Does that [Portal] actually lead to Korangar?! In the Demon King¡¯s castle?!¡±

    ¡°All the way from here?! Impossible?!¡±

    ¡°Just how powerful is this Human?!¡± the maids clamored in a panic.

    Noire clapped her hands, grabbing their attention, ¡°Settle down, everyone! There¡¯s no time to lose and Jinma needs to preserve his powers for the dungeon crawl today. When you get inside, pull down the rope hanging from the ceiling, and someone will answer you, just make sure that message is delivered to Her Highness. From there, do everything you can to work together, protect yourselves, fight, if you must, and do not tell anyone of what¡¯s going on with my engagement. These are my final orders to you for now. Do you all understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milady!¡± they responded in sync.

    Noire sweeped her hand to the side, ¡°Then, by the power vested in me as first daughter of the Krauss Family, you are all hereby dismissed! Now get out of here!¡±

    The maids then went through my [Portal] in a quick, yet orderly fashion with the head maid directing them all. Once that same head maid was the last one here, she turned to me, ¡°Master Kotori, it seems Milady¡¯s keen perception has seen something in you, and the powers you have displayed demonstrated how exceptional you are. Please, I ask you as her humble servant, bring her back home safely, no matter the means you do so.¡±

    I placed a hand on my chest, ¡°I swear on my life to protect Noire at all costs.¡±

    ¡°I will hold you to those words,¡± the head maid said before bowing to Noire, ¡°Best of luck to you, Milady.¡± She then stepped through the [Portal] before I closed it behind them, leaving the four of us behind.

    ¡°Thank you for fulfilling my request on such short notice, Jinma,¡± Noire said before curtseying to me, ¡°I¡¯m in your debt.¡±

    I brushed it off, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re pretty much friends at this point, so what¡¯s the harm in a favor or two?¡±

    ¡°Friends, hmm? Well, then, I¡¯ll have to make sure your friendship with me is very ¡­ beneficial, to you in our time together,¡± Noire said before trapping one of my arms to her generous bosoms, not hiding her lascivious smile.

    I chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it. Shall we join up with the others, then?¡±

    ¡°Ready when you are.¡±

    ~~

    The moment the four of us stepped through another [Porta] I conjured, we regrouped with my party who was keeping our place in line to get into the dungeon, with some additional guests there waiting for us.

    ¡°About time you all got here! Your group is about to go next, and I, the great Beelzebub! Do not like waiting!¡± Beelzebub exclaimed in frustration.

    ¡°How about I send you off flying overseas, instead, hmm?¡± Ume asked before smiling, her eyes totally void of kindness and mercy in contrast. That made the ¡®fearsome¡¯ Lord of the Flies tremble in place.

    ¡°A good morning you, too, Beelzebub, everyone,¡± Noire greeted with a curtsey before turning to our two other guests, Eugus Gallofree and Konjiro, ¡°Have you three come to see us off?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Eugus answered before turning to me, ¡°Under normal circumstances, I would wish thee best of luck, but do be careful. I cannot shake the feeling that there is an ill omen hiding in the dungeon this time around.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve done everything we could to be prepared,¡± I answered, ¡°No matter what lies ahead of us, I¡¯m confident we¡¯ll get through it. And just to make sure, once this quest is over, I¡¯ll be officially recognized as a Black Rank Adventurer?¡±

    ¡°As the one who personally endorsed thee to that rank, I will see to it that you and the other members of Twilight Sky will be acknowledged as a party with great potential. Thou hast my word,¡± Eugus said while thumping his chest.

    ¡°Hmph, well I¡¯ve done all I could as the mediator of this arrangement,¡± Konjiro said before raising his muzzle at me, ¡°Best of luck, Jinma Kotori. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I answered with empty emotion, For your sake, Konjiro, you¡¯ll need all the luck you can get when I¡¯m done with you.

    ¡°Despite what¡¯s at stake here, I am quite excited,¡± Kalline said.

    ¡°Though it¡¯s not our first time in this dungeon, this is the first quest we¡¯re taking as part of Master¡¯s party, as well as his slaves,¡± Ren added as she turned to her two other slave comrades, ¡°Eri, Tyvera, let¡¯s do our best and not embarrass our master. Show them that while we¡¯re his mates first, we¡¯re not to be messed with as his warriors.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± the two of them exclaimed with energy.

    ¡°This will be our first time accompanying our lord¡¯s quest as his Familiars,¡± Kenaka in bear cub form said to Mametama, ¡°Hope you didn¡¯t party too hard with him and his mates last night to affect your performance for today.¡±

    ¡°Your concern is unfounded,¡± Mametama quipped, also in her cougar cub form, ¡°As a Holy Familiar representing the Diligence Faction, it would be an embarrassment to myself and Milord to take their position lightly. I couldn¡¯t be more ready to give this everything I got.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with before I lose more than my pride as a knight,¡± Gabriella said exasperatedly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to drag you all down,¡± Sue said.

    ¡°Next party, make your place, and quit stallin¡¯!¡± one of the Orc guards stationed at the dungeon entrance exclaimed to us.

    ¡°Shall we get going, darling?¡± Noire asked.

    ¡°Ready whenever you are, Jin,¡± Ume said.

    <Let¡¯s kick some ass!> Nyra exclaimed in my mind.

    ¡°Alright! Everyone to your starting positions, and let¡¯s move out!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes!¡± they all exclaimed.

    As my party made its move heading inside Palocaesy Dungeon, with our guests bidding us off, I lingered in the rear with my wife, mistress, and ¡®fan¡¯ to leave some parting words for one Kitsune in particular.

    ¡°Say hi to your wife for me, Konjiro! And tell her I look forward to seeing her again!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Wha?!¡±

    Leaving a dumbfounded Kitsune in the dust, our group that remained in the rear held our snickers as we followed the rest of our party down.

    With that, our first quest down in Palocaesy Dungeon has begun.

 Chapter 186: The Calm Before the Storm (Start of Volume)

    {???, at a different time}

    "Hmm ¡­ a desert wasteland, rocky mountains, there doesn''t seem to be a sign of any cities nearby, but this place isn''t familiar to me. Am I not in Padimon? That might be a problem," I thought aloud as I patted my pack of cigarettes, "I mean, I expected an obstacle like this might happen, but Obina, herself, said we''d get there, and if nothing has changed, an Immortal never lies. They wouldn''t say anything, otherwise."

    I took out a cigarette and set it to my mouth, "Now, let''s see if this works ¡­ [Create Fire]."

    At my chant and a snap of my fingers, a small flame appeared at a tip like a lighter. I chuckled with pride.

    "Ohh, how I didn''t think of getting [Fire Magic] earlier, I''ll never know," I said before lighting my cigarette, taking a few puffs while snuffing out the flame on my finger, ¡°Holy shit, I can really savor this like new again with this ''renewed body''. Guess that''s one positive out of all this.¡±

    I looked at my wrist where my new Champion Bracelet is worn. Slide it a bit to the side, and there''s an ominous black ring underneath it. It gave off the same ethereal glow that made up the bracelet, but unlike that accessory, I could sense a powerful malice that seeped into my body, leaving its mark on my skin permanently like a bad tattoo. This is the result of the ''handicap ability'' I was forced on by the big man of all Immortals, Palonitus, for the grave sins I''ve committed in my time on Earth, especially the one that brought me here. He called it the [Immortal''s Loathing].

    "Being the target of hate from a God is more brutal to my psyche than I thought, but I should be able to shake it off soon enough, not the first time I¡¯ve been harassed by ¡®haters¡¯, as those kids called it," I said as I took off the bracelet and shoved it in my Magic Item Bag for now, then rolling my sleeve enough to cover the black ring, "They must still be busy cleaning after my ''mess'' right now, but if those girls left around the same time as me, they should be scattered someplace else in Padimon right now. Well, I did all I could to prepare them for the trip here, the rest is up to them. Now it''s a matter of who can reach our targets first."

    Weird as this may sound to many, this isn''t exactly my first time in Raiza. To be honest, I wouldn''t mind if my fate brought me to the deepest pits of hell, instead. It seemed fitting for a man of my character, but I needed to come back to this world to settle some scores. I strayed a bit to get here, and knowing that kid''s luck, regardless how much time has passed in Raiza, I''m certain he''s grown accustomed to life here pretty quickly. He''s a big boy, so I don''t need to see him in a hurry.

    What I am concerned about, however, is the young master that came before the kid, the one who should be the same age as him, but died in a bus ''accident'' 3 years ago in Japan. Compared to the kid, the young master''s a total pussy, but he has his wits, ways of manipulation, and his ''retainer'' to help him get around. If he and that retainer separated upon their arrival, though, he won''t last a day here, maybe a few if we''re being optimistic. There''s no guarantee that both of them would be in Padimon like the girls have, either, and Palonitus wouldn''t tell me that much when I asked.

    What''s more is that the rate of time between Raiza and Earth makes things quite complicated, more so with my new look. I''m eager to see the look on that dumbass kid''s face once he sees my current appearance, but the young master''s life takes priority first. With little options to work with, I''ll need to ask around to find where he is.

    "... If the Kurokichi Clan is still thriving here, they may be my best bet in finding the young master, but I''ll need to level myself back up first," I thought aloud before taking another puff from my cigarette, ¡°The guys from Shirogechi should start making waves in this world by now. I can already see the future of it all turning red.¡±

    I then heard a chorus of growls from a distance. I turned to the source to find a pack of sand-colored wolves, with one larger one leading it from behind. There had to be thirty of them, at the least.

    These overwhelming odds in numbers, I couldn''t help but smile giddily after I crushed the cigarette under my foot.

    "Hee hee hee! What do we have here?! A surprise welcome back party for little ol'' me? Did the big man put you up to this? Aw, he shouldn''t have," I said with enthusiasm, though I''m not really sure whether the big God had anything to do with this, "It''s about time I really stretch my legs again after all these years! Come on out! Kama Itachi!"

    At my call, my trusty black kunai knife with an emerald sheen appeared, then split itself into multiple versions of itself as they floated above me. Two of them lowered themselves to my raised open palms, and after adjusting them to my backhand grips, I got into my fighting stance.

    I can''t really waste too much time here. I gotta find the young master and make my amends before he gets pulled into the oncoming war. And then ¡­

    The thought made me smile maddeningly, before cackling, "You better not have died on me before I kill you myself! Kotori-chaaaan!"

    ~~

    {Jinma, present time}

    ¡°Haaaa.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a heck of a sigh, Noire,¡± I pointed out as we walked.

    ¡°Well, can you blame me? We¡¯re almost three floors into this dungeon so far, yet the number of monsters we¡¯ve seen can be counted on one hand. I¡¯m bored!¡± Noire exclaimed, thrusting her arms up in frustration.

    Ever since we started our trek down Palocaesy Dungeon, it¡¯s been barely a leisurely stroll compared to the first time I came here with my Familiars yesterday. Granted, Nyra helped draw the monsters out with her powers at the time, but even before then, the encounter rate was pretty active back then as it is now.

    ¡°¡®Tis lack of monsters dost seem concerning, much more barren from the last time I was here. I dare say there might have been more activity on our trip over to Palocaesy, and one dost not usually encounter monsters on the main road,¡± Kalline said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve smelled some monsters from some distance, but other than the few stragglers we took out, the rest dispersed before we could get close,¡± Ren added.

    ¡°It¡¯s as if they¡¯re running from us in fear ¡­¡± Erizora trailed off.

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    ¡°I¡¯ve read somewhere once that the dungeons in this world are alive, producing monsters and eating up corpses that stay inside for too long before the latter¡¯s belongings are left behind, if they had any,¡± Ume said with a claw to her chin, ¡°If the dungeons do have some semblance of life, which includes intelligence, could it perhaps communicate with the monsters it produces here?¡±

    ¡°What reason would it have to talk to monsters? Aside from maybe fetching it food?¡± I asked, genuinely curious.

    ¡°Well, monsters do have instincts that help them detect danger to survive on their own, so unless they¡¯re desperate for sustenance, they know when to avoid battles that could spell death for them,¡± Ume said, ¡°In groups or packs, however, there¡¯s usually no use arguing the one with highest power, which then brings a hierarchical system that must be followed to survive, or risk going out to die alone if they¡¯re not satisfied with the leadership. The dungeons, however, stand above all monsters in the hierarchy, because who would argue with the one that brought them to this world, and provide a space that produces necessary resources? Now, what if that same dungeon is aware of a great danger to itself and knows the lowest of monsters could never hope to stand against that threat?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying the dungeon is telling the monsters to stay away from this unstoppable threat and save their energy for the weaker intruders?¡± Gabriella asked.

    Ume shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s just my theory, but the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory is a land that¡¯s ruled by the strong, and there¡¯s no doubt that its residents couldn¡¯t have that strength without the dungeons within to challenge them, testing their wills to survive against great odds. It¡¯s been said that the select few whose power is acknowledged by the dungeons in this land are what makes them future rulers.¡±

    ¡°The Demon-Kin¡¯s way of living in Padimon seems not much different from the Magical Beasts of the Cursed Realm. Guess I can really make myself home here,¡± Kenaka said.

    ¡°Oooh! Then perhaps the combined strength of Master, Lady Mei, and Lady Noire is what made this dungeon warn its monsters to stay away from us! Don¡¯t you think so, Master?!¡± Ren exclaimed with glitter in her eyes, her tail wagging to match her mood.

    ¡°Well ¡­ it¡¯s an interesting theory, sure,¡± I said while petting Ren¡¯s head, smiling wryly.

    If that really is the case, then this dungeon knows the monsters within the first couple floors are hopeless against us, since I came here with my Familiars yesterday and caused great genocide to its ¡®offspring¡¯. It probably won¡¯t get serious with us until we get closer to one of the two Lesser Bosses that man this place. There are 60 floors in this dungeon, split into three sections of 20 each due to the Lesser Bosses guarding the intervals between them, along with the Dungeon Boss taking post at the very end. The adventurers called these sections ¡®cells¡¯, and we won¡¯t meet the first Lesser Boss, the guardian of the first cell, until the 20th floor. Looks like we have quite a ways to go before we¡¯re actually challenged.

    Say the dungeon didn¡¯t acknowledge my strength alone and really brings our combined strength into consideration, like Ren said. Aside from my Familiars to join in the club, maybe even Ren with her recent power boost, as well, I think there¡¯s only one person¡¯s strength that¡¯s really pullings its metaphorical weight for the rest of us.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just a ¡®theory¡¯, Jinma, it¡¯s an actual fact! Of course this dungeon would acknowledge this group¡¯s combined strength to let us pass with ease!¡± Sue, the real metaphorical weightlifter I was talking about, exclaimed, ¡°At the rate we¡¯re going, clearing this dungeon will be a breeze!¡±

    ¡°I just want to clear the first cell of this dungeon as soon as possible so I can take off these damn goggles,¡± Tyvera said as she adjusted said headgear over her eyes. Harpies, like most species of birds, have poor vision in the dark. I got her those Night Vision Goggles from my bracelet¡¯s shop that¡¯s better in performance than her last pair, but they were still uncomfortable to wear.

    According to the intel we gathered, the first 20 floors of this dungeon are pretty dim in lighting, with some instances when the whole floor goes pitch black at random. It gets much brighter after beating the first Lesser Boss, but you have to fight it in complete darkness no matter what, so it¡¯s absolutely essential that you have equipment or party members who can see in the dark in the first cell. Sure, you can use sources of light to help you see the path, but that makes you a bigger target for monsters who take advantage of that darkness, especially in places where that light doesn''t reach. So unless you¡¯re confident in your own strength or the range of your light source, it¡¯s recommended that you blend in with the darkness when necessary.

    I didn¡¯t come across a pitch-black floor the last time I was here, but I have my [Night Vision] skill, as do a few others in our group, and we have magic to help us light the way. Even if a pack of monsters suddenly decide to attack us, we have the strength and resources to fend for ourselves. My biggest concern, though, is that someone in Rowling¡¯s army will take advantage of this darkness to ambush us, perhaps to split our party into smaller, less advantageous groups like Yukino said. That¡¯s why I¡¯m on high alert, constantly checking my [Intuitive Mapping] skill and using all my other skills to detect any possible threats on these floors. So far, I¡¯ve only noted one presence that¡¯s keeping its distance while following us. I didn¡¯t label her as a threat after using [Size-Up] on her, but I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on it to catch any strange behaviors.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I get it, and I don¡¯t mind using this time of leisure to flirt with Jinma more, especially with the darkness setting the mood a bit, but I still want some excitement in our crawl, you know?¡± Noire asked as she hugged my arm, trapping it to her voluptuous chest, ¡°My body¡¯s itching to get itself as dirty as possible. It¡¯s one of the few excuses for a noble like myself to go all-out in a dungeon without worrying about appearances.¡±

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear a noble say such words ¡­¡± Gabriella trailed off, shaking her head.

    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t want to stray too far from each other, but if we come across some monsters that will bring a decent match, why don¡¯t you and I take those on, ourselves, or even the first Lesser Boss? Whichever comes first?¡± I asked.

    Noire clapped her hands in delight, ¡°Ooh, I like that idea! Let¡¯s make a battle formation and have Gabriella be our meat shield while we¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°Uh, you mean vanguard ¡­ right?¡± Gabriella asked.

    ¡°Jinma and I will also take front while we¡¯ll have our escort, Sue, close at the rear for protection and to up the difficulty. Gotta have some stakes to make things more interesting, you know?¡± Noire asked, ignoring Gabriella¡¯s question.

    ¡°I can never miss an opportunity to watch Jinma¡¯s fight from up close!¡± Sue exclaimed.

    ¡°In that case, should things go dark in the middle of that battle, I¡¯ll stay with Sue at the rear and provide light,¡± Mametama said, ¡°You can focus on the fight in front of you this way, Milord, and I know a few spells that can take out foes from a long-distance when necessary.¡±

    <Remember that you can also call monsters over with my powers, Jinma, even if they¡¯re unwilling to fight,> Nyra said, <Unlike last time, to avoid letting things get out of hand, the magic will be at a lower input so it attracts smaller groups.>

    ¡°Sounds like we have our main battle formation, then,¡± I said, ¡°As for the rest, let¡¯s make a second formation for weaker mobs and cycle through different members to fill in roles. Ume, you can switch with Mametama in some fights, if you wish.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, but if you¡¯re looking for a challenge, I¡¯ll likely make it easy,¡± Ume said while shrugging, ¡°If we want Noire to have a good time, I¡¯ll leave that up to you, Jin.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mei! I owe you one!¡± Noire exclaimed.

    ¡°That leaves me looking after the rest of you,¡± Ume said to the rest of our party, ¡°I can use my magic to help you in a pinch or heal your injuries, but I expect you all to do your best in the battles ahead and not embarrass our leader. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± the remaining members exclaimed in sync. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, they may see us as having too much fun taking on the dungeon, but I truly believe we have a good, sturdy foundation that can adapt itself quickly to unexpected surprises. Part of me thinks that we may not have as much of an issue with our party getting separated as I feared, and if we¡¯re lucky, their attempt to split us off could fail.

    I should have kicked myself for subconsciously raising that red flag, thinking I had ¡®luck¡¯ of all things on my side to have things work themselves out.

 Chapter 187: Battles, Frustrations, and Holes

    We kept going deeper in the dungeon with little issue, as well as little conflict. There were a few straggling monsters here and there, but while my formation was set up to take on the more challenging and difficult fights, the secondary one took care of the small fry as they walked in front of us. As I checked back with my [Intuitive Mapping] skill, I noticed that I can only see from as far as the floor ahead of us to the one we were in previously. Even when I changed my secondary classes around to be more magic-focused, that range hasn¡¯t changed. What¡¯s peculiar was that as we transitioned between floors through the stairs, they didn¡¯t seem as deep as what this [Intuitive Map] was showing me.

    From this finding, I came up with two theories for why. One, like how there¡¯s a limit to where I can fast-travel in the dungeon with the [Portal] Null Spell, the dungeons in this world have some magical effect that limits how far ahead and back we see in our [Intuitive Mapping] skill, regardless of how strong our magic may be. Two, that there¡¯s some strange space-time magic taking place in the dungeons as we move between floors. Just seeing how huge the first couple floors are so far, if I use Earth as an example, we wouldn¡¯t have reached its core, but really walked past it already. Either there¡¯s some strange magic that¡¯s distorting space to where each cell, or even each floor have their own dimensions separate from the one outside the dungeon, or Raiza¡¯s so much bigger than I realized, but the spaces these dungeons take drastically reduces the world¡¯s overall density. This would make Raiza much more hollow as a world, which would also affect its gravity, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling that if there¡¯s even a space as big as my apartment from back home underneath this earth, it would have already collapsed in itself a long time ago if there wasn¡¯t construction that prevented it. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how this world would stay intact if it¡¯s more hollow than I feared.

    It could also be possible that there¡¯s a mix between my two theories, as well, but it¡¯s not like anything would change if I questioned this world¡¯s physics this late in the game. This was really a thought experiment that came to me as I observed our surroundings, but since it¡¯s the Immortals that built this world, they should know what to do if something happened that¡¯s beyond mankind¡¯s capabilities. I just have to hope that they¡¯re maintaining Raiza to some degree. Maybe that¡¯s part of what the Immortal¡¯s Monuments scattered around the world are used for?

    After some time later, we finally reached where I stopped in the dungeon yesterday, the fifth floor. Since it was only me and my Familiars yesterday, our small group that moved at a sprint got here much quicker. Here, we had to coordinate in a large group, and we moved at a leisurely walk¡¯s pace. Our quest originally stated that we clear the dungeon as fast as possible, but since it was Rowling who arranged it on Noire¡¯s behalf and is now trying to kill us all off, we¡¯re basically flipping a fat middle finger to that preference. The noble lady Vampire pretty much forced the reins away from him and has become the main client for this quest.

    ¡°If memory serves, there should be stronger and more aggressive monsters with increased numbers at this point,¡± Kalline said with a hand resting on her sword handle, ¡°From here, we should anticipate the floors suddenly going pitch black. It will happen without warning, and there¡¯s no telling how long that darkness will last. It will also be harder to spot traps under such conditions.¡±

    ¡°That sounds about right, going by our own experiences,¡± Ren added, of which Erizora nodded.

    ¡°Huh, so the floors up to now actually don¡¯t go dark?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It does, but it happens so rarely that the chance of it happening is near nonexistent,¡± Kalline said, ¡°From what I¡¯ve read, the chances of a floor going dark in this cell once per hour increases at every fifth floor, that also means that not all of the floors go out at the same time. The only exception is the Lesser Boss¡¯ room, where it¡¯s pitch black all the time.¡±

    That might explain why that hadn¡¯t happened with me the first time around. Still, since this was where I stopped, and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m the one thinking this, but me and my Familiars must have gotten lucky for that to not happen when we were here.

    ¡°And none of you ever went past the first cell, right?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Correct, I¡¯ve never encountered the Lesser Boss that guards this cell, but the last time I was here was a few years ago with Dear Uncle Eugus,¡± Kalline confirmed, ¡°Granted, I was still a fledgling adventurer who overestimated her abilities at the time, especially with how well I was clearing Dondegarm Dungeon, but that has less floors compared to this, and there art major differences in the cells between them. That trip down Palocaesy Dungeon was more of a way for Dear Uncle Eugus to give me a reality check, and I am grateful for that.¡±

    Huh, there¡¯s a dungeon in Dondegarm, too? Dang, guess I¡¯ll have to come back and check it out once all this is over.

    <If it¡¯s like the first time we came here, Milord, with our newly-acquired strength, I bet we can clear Dondegarm Dungeon within a day since there are less floors,> Kenaka said through [Telepathy], responding to my thoughts, <Hell, it may not make much of a difference if it¡¯s just you and I. Just say the word, we¡¯ll get through it all, and have that ¡®guys night¡¯ you mentioned started before dusk.>

    <Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. You never know what may come in a dungeon, so it¡¯s important that both of us are there for Milord when he needs us.> Mametama argued.

    ¡°The last time Eri and I were here was for a Demon client, who was closely acquainted with Ms. Carmen¡¯s father, Mr. Bouba Todoka, while we were still under their ownership,¡± Ren explained, following Kalline¡¯s experience in Palocaesy Dungeon, ¡°He and his party members rented our services for the day, but when we got closer to the cell¡¯s boss room, we got ambushed in the dark, and the party who hired us got mortally wounded. We had to leave with the Escape Feather I had on hand to get them treated. Everyone survived, but Eri and I haven¡¯t been back to that dungeon since. That was probably a year and a half ago, but the both of us have gotten much stronger since then, so we definitely won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you, Master.¡± Ren pumped her arms and wagged her tail with determination.

    So even with a powerhouse like Erizora around, they barely got away with their lives, huh? I guess when you¡¯re flustered enough in the dark, your vitals would get vulnerable enough for the ambushers to take advantage of.

    ¡°Well we know what to do should things get dark, right?¡± I asked everyone, who nodded in confirmation, ¡°The worst thing to do is stray from the group, so keep tabs of the positions of everyone in your group, stay calm, and react accordingly when the floor goes black.¡±

    ¡°Our ¡®B Formations¡¯, yes?¡± Ume asked while shrugging, ¡°While I know what it stands for and its intent, I feel you could have come up with a better name than that.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I thought it was clever! ¡®B¡¯ for ¡®blind¡¯?! And the formation is for us to cover our ¡®blind¡¯ spots! Ren, help me out here! You think it¡¯s neat, right?!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°... Ah, I smell some monsters approaching, bigger in numbers than what we¡¯ve faced so far, too,¡± Ren informed the rest of us, ignoring my plea.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me hanging! Agh, dammit, now I¡¯m frustrated! I don¡¯t care what it is, I¡¯m venting this out! Everyone in Group A, let¡¯s move!¡± I exclaimed before moving to the front, pulling out my tanto and using [Shadow Manipulation] to make it into a bat.

    ¡°Yes, Milord,¡± Mametama said.

    ¡°Right behind ya!¡± Sue exclaimed.

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± Gabriella chided, but lowered the visor of her helmet and followed along despite her misgivings while drawing her sword and shield.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°I thought it was kind of cute, if it¡¯s any consolation,¡± Noire said as she ran beside me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call it cute!¡± I retorted.

    When we got to our battle formation up front, I used [Size Up] to appraise our first opponents since coming to this dungeon, at least for those of us in our group. There¡¯s a surprising number of Dire Bats, at least seven of them, with one large red one that¡¯s leading the flock as they¡¯re screeching with predatory hunger.

    ¡°Oooh, we struck a good group here! Nice sniffing, Ren!¡± Noire praised with a thumbs up.

    ¡°... Hmm? This other scent I smell ¡­¡± Ren muttered, but I heard it enough to try and quickly confirm it myself with my [Werewolf¡¯s Olfactory Senses] ability.

    ¡­ Something stinks. With that in mind, I kept my guard up and prepared for any surprises, ¡°Let¡¯s get them flustered for now! Mametama!¡±

    ¡°Way ahead of you, Milord! Just get ready!¡± Mametama exclaimed as she hopped in front of me.

    ¡°Everyone shield your eyes!¡± I yelled while blocking my vision with an arm, the others quickly followed suit.

    ¡°[Blinding Flare]!¡± Mametama roared before a bright white flash illuminated the area briefly. As the name suggests, [Blinding Flare] is a [Holy Magic] spell that sets off a burst of light that afflicts *Blind* to everyone who got caught in it. Unless you prepare yourself quickly ahead of time, even your own party members could get affected, as well.

    The Dire Bats screeched in shock and possibly pain from having their eyes burned from the bright light. When the floor dimmed back down enough, I peeked over my arm and saw the giant bat monsters flapping and flying in different directions, sometimes even colliding with each other, having no way of telling left from right.

    ¡°They¡¯re open! Let¡¯s take them down!¡± I exclaimed before I led the attack with a huge jump, raising my shadow bat high and swinging it to slam one of the flying Dire Bats plummeting down to the ground. A gross ¡®splat¡¯ sound when it made impact, like a rotten tomato hitting a wall, but I hardly flinched as I followed-through the momentum of my swing to make a somersault. Once I fell back down, I landed softly on my feet with flawless dismount.

    ¡°Amazing! That stunt gets a ten out of ten!¡± Sue cheered.

    ¡°Showoff,¡± Gabriella growled frustratingly before yelling [Slash], swinging her dark sword to send a wave of mana to another one of the Dire Bats that gets cut cleanly in half.

    ¡°Oh, lighten up, will you, Gabriella? Why not get some fun out of it?¡± Noire asked before casting [Flare Burst], shooting a larger than normal ember of fire at another Dire Bat before it exploded, catching two more in the blast.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the one being held prisoner here!¡± Gabriella exclaimed in anger, blocking and bashing the Dire Bats¡¯ flailing in the air away with her shield, ¡°You didn¡¯t get subjected to cruel and unusual punishment while being tied down to a chair for days because of following orders! You aren¡¯t on death row for failing said orders and counting down the innumerable days until you¡¯re snuffed by your superior without warning! How could I possibly have ¡®fun¡¯ in a situation like this?!¡±

    ¡°Huh, you know, that¡¯s scarily similar to how I left my previous employer,¡± I said before batting away a few incoming Dire Bats, ¡°Granted, I didn¡¯t really ¡®fail¡¯ anything, but I left them because I couldn¡¯t work under their ¡­ ¡®ethics¡¯, for any longer, and since they wanted to keep their ¡®activities¡¯ hush-hush, I guess I was ¡®punished¡¯ for leaving them by having a hundred or so guys after my life. I was on the run for days until I wound up here.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you should follow Jinma¡¯s example, Gabriella,¡± Sue said, ¡°You should know well enough what kind of character Rowling is after working for him, and yes, you may very well be on death row for failing him. If you wish to live, you may want to consider your options for the future.¡±

    ¡°True, I¡¯ve got all the info I needed out of you and we branded Tyvera as Jinma¡¯s slave, the worst you¡¯ll get at the end of this quest is a paycut, your reputation as an adventurer is still practically clean,¡± Noire said, shooting another [Flare Burst] at another Dire Bat.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t need to get permission to leave a party,¡± Sue added, sidestepping away from an acid spit one of the Dire Bats shot toward her, ¡°You can go to the nearest adventurer¡¯s guild and unregister your alignment with the Duke of Demons¡¯ Disciples at anytime and go solo for a while.¡±

    Gabriella stood there aghast as she took it all in. It seems she didn¡¯t think that was an option for her to do. Incidentally, I¡¯m pretty sure more Dire Bats had just blended into the flock, and that stench I smelled earlier got stronger, like it went up in quantity. Is that smell the reason why these Dire Bats are drawn here?

    Suddenly, the current Dire Bats and their reinforcements let out loud screeches that reverberated through the dungeon walls. Everyone covered their ears under cringing pain from the high-pitched sounds. I quickly cast [Soundproof] to create a field that surrounded the Dire Bats, keeping their screeches from going out. Normally, the spell would break the moment something gets in or out of the field if left alone. As long as I maintain focus on it, though, I can make it last for a while, regardless of what crosses the amorphous bubble of magic. This made the dungeon totally silent once again, save for the ringing that¡¯s likely in everyone¡¯s ears like my own.

    ¡°Let me make this clear! I will not apologize for enacting my brand of punishment on you! You signed up for this, so you should have expected what was coming to you!¡± Noire yelled over the ringing, using [Blood Manipulation] on some of the blood that¡¯s leaked out from the Dire Bats to form into a spear, ¡°But as far as what information I can get out of you involving Rowling, you are no longer needed, so I will not torture you further! You can even run away from this dungeon now, if you¡¯d like! None of us will stop you, but you won¡¯t even get the remainder of your pay cut and we will report your desertion that could affect your records at the end of our quest! Unless you have a bad history, I doubt one penalty will be the end of your Undead life!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no shame in running away, or making a ¡®strategic retreat¡¯, if you want to sugarcoat it!¡± Sue added, ¡°Alive or Undead, everyone has their own lives to look after! You have to decide what¡¯s best for you, and take responsibility for your actions that come with those choices!¡±

    Gabriella fell silent ¡­ or not, I couldn¡¯t tell with the visor of her helmet lowered, and the ringing made it hard for us to hear under our normal speaking volumes. Still, despite how condescending and bleak it might sound, I guess they were trying to uplift her spirits? Which really said something since Noire had no issue of executing her a few days ago. Maybe her mood improved a little after meeting the Demon King yesterday and learning about me being a Champion earlier.

    Just as the setting was getting weirdly good, though, my LUCK had caught up to me. The entire floor went pitch black like someone flicked the lights off with a switch, and warning signals were blaring in my mind. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s my instincts or Sango¡¯s doing, but I put my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills into overdrive and looked out for anything out of place. Time seemed to slow down, and despite the place going black, my [Night Vision] quickly kicked in to clearly see my surroundings like I was out in the sun.

    <Jinma! Behind the pillar at 11 o¡¯clock!>

    At Nyra¡¯s warning, I shifted my gaze over, and though it looked like nothing was there, I noticed a strange distortion in space. It was like a part of a backdrop in a play that shifted a little before it aligned itself back in place with the rest, and it was made of cloth.

    With a quick check with my [Size Up], I couldn¡¯t identify it, but I got a bad feeling that it was directing a malevolent gaze toward a particular target.

    I shifted my gaze in its direction and found that, in the midst of the surprise from everyone getting lost in the dark, a Trap Hole was opening up below Noire and Gabriella. They were already ankle-deep down as they couldn¡¯t process what was going on quick enough.

    I couldn¡¯t think. I had to act fast.

    I dashed in a sprint, racing to get to Noire while dispersing my [Shadow Manipulation] to sheathe Nyra in her original tanto form. In the corner of my eye, I saw Erizora, Tyvera, and Kalline falling through another Trap Hole that appeared below them. They were just as confused about what was going on, but I couldn¡¯t change my direction quick enough, and my body was already committed to its next action already. Ume, Ren, and Kenaka seemed to have processed what was going on quicker than the rest, but their bodies couldn¡¯t move fast enough. I could only hear them calling out to me in slow motion as I moved.

    Shifting my focus back to the Trap Hole Noire and Gabriella falling in, leg-deep now, I saw Sue and Mametama sprinting toward it, as well. It seems they noticed it just as fast as I had and were moving with the same idea, but not without the former aiming a murderous glare at the mysterious figure, the cause of those Trap Holes forming in the ground. Since those two are closer, they¡¯re more likely to reach them.

    With Noire and Gabriella already past waist-deep, I couldn¡¯t reach them quick enough from where I was. There was only one thing for me to try to reach her, something I haven¡¯t attempted in my experiments with my Familiars in the dungeon yesterday, but I¡¯ve done it a few times to win fights and move meters ahead of me within seconds by sequence already: what I called [Portal] Jumping.

    If I can¡¯t sprint fast enough to where they are, I just have to dive downward.

    ¡°[Portal]!¡±

    I screamed as I opened up a path, where I simultaneously dived into the hole in front of me before I exited right above the Trap Hole where Noire and Gabriella fell. The momentum was enough for me to catch Noire in my arms before Sue and Mametama followed close behind, and just as the Trap Hole closed behind us, it was at that moment that I realized ¡­

    Oh fuck ¡­ I¡¯m falling ¡­ again? That was my last thought before my life flashed before my eyes.

 Chapter 188: The Arch Imp Whisperâ€™s First and Last Appearance

    {Umeiyon}

    "Jin!"

    "Master!"

    "Milord!"

    Everything was happening too fast for the disguised Dragoness and her husband''s party. Just as the fight against the Dire Bats was getting suspiciously long, the lights in the floor suddenly went out. Granted, a fair number of them have [Night Vision] for that to not be a problem, but then Umeiyon''s companions started falling through Trap Holes that opened up soon after things went dark.

    Umeiyon, Ren, and Kenaka cried out for their party leader, Jinma, who reacted quickly by using his [Portal] to get to their client''s, Noire''s, side, only for both of them to fall in the first Trap Hole. Gabriella, Sue, and Mametama also fell in that hole, but the latter two really jumped in like Jinma did. Meanwhile, Kalline, Erizora, and Tyvera who were standing watch together on the side, fell into the second Trap Hole, with all of them screaming in shock before the hole closed, silencing them.

    All that was left in the area were the three of them and the flock of Dire Bats that seem to be increasing in number.

    "Lady Mei! There''s Monster Lure!" Ren exclaimed, pointing at the culprits for bringing the Dire Bats there, "We gotta take them out before more come here!"

    "Dammit!" Umeiyon cursed as she pointed a hand toward the flock, readying a spell, "[Razor Hurricane]!"

    The faux Lizardman''s reasoning was quick and simple: too many to take on one at a time? Then take everything out at once. Her [Storm Magic]''s spell, [Razor Hurricane], was just the thing to do the job.

    As the spell''s name implies, a large pillar of powerful cycling winds erected from the ground to the unseeable ceiling. All the Dire Bats and the scattered pouches of Monster Lure got caught in the wind''s currents before they all started receiving cuts. Those wounds quickly grew in number, length, and depth until they were cut through altogether. The Dire Bats'' screeches of unbearable pain got quickly drowned out by the raging gusts before they were torn to shreds, even their monster stones couldn''t withstand the forces enough to stay intact as they turned to dust. The pouches of Monster Lure also got torn into pieces, their stench that draws monsters was immediately blown away.

    Along with those items and some stones, however, some other objects were also caught up in the raging air currents, but with how powerful those winds are, it was hard to tell what was there. Perhaps they were items recently left behind by unfortunate adventurers? Umeiyon thought briefly. Whatever the case was, those new items got shredded in the hurricane, as well.

    Such a spell couldn''t possibly be controlled with such precise destruction if cast by even above-average hands of the magical arts. If anyone but Umeiyon, a Magic Dragon, attempted this, her remaining companions wouldn''t be simply standing there watching it all in awe. Judging it to be enough, the disguised Dragoness dispersed the spell, breaking away the hurricane until the breeze remained. No sign of the monsters, pouches, and straggling items were left behind.

    "Anything left, Ren?" Umeiyon asked, not a hint of exhaustion found anywhere, only eyes of high alert darted around the area.

    Ren quickly smelled her surroundings, "There aren''t anymore Monster Lures around, but ¡­ there''s¡ª¡±

    "YOU BITCH! HOW COULD YOU SHRED ALL MY STUFF?!" a new feminine voice yelled in the darkness.

    They all turned to the source who was keeping whatever wounds on her arms closed from bleeding as she hobbled out from behind the large pillar-like stalagmite. She heaved in breaths like air had recently been sucked right out of her.

    It was an Arch Imp, with her trademark light lavender skin and dark violet spade-tipped tail. What distinguished her from others they met was the medium-short light-green hair that was styled wildly, or maybe it was the recent winds that made it like that.

    "Do you even know ¡­ how much all that cost?!" the new Arch Imp exclaimed angrily.

    ¡°... Pray tell, what exactly was it that got destroyed? I didn¡¯t even know you were nearby,¡± Umeiyon said truthfully. Even with her senses in magic and mana in the air, she didn¡¯t catch this one¡¯s presence until just now, and like Jinma, she was also keeping an eye on her surroundings through her own means up to this point. If the lost items the Arch Imp told about were the same ones that got caught in the hurricane, it was plausible that she got caught in the weaker range of the spell without her knowing, which was quite rare for the Dragoness to overlook.

    ¡°Never mind what was caught in that storm, the point is that those items managed to keep you out of our presence up to now,¡± Ren said in a low tone as she took out her dual-wielding daggers, pointing one to the Arch Imp¡¯s direction, ¡°And for you to show up now, you had something to do with our party members falling in those Trap Holes and the Monster Lures that draw all those Dire Bats here, didn¡¯t you? Cyec?¡±

    When the Arch Imp seemed to have caught her breath, she snickered lightly, ¡°Guess my reputation is getting around. That¡¯s right. Representing Lord Vask¡¯s Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples, I am one of the core leaders, the Black Rank Adventurer, Cyec the Whisper, at your service.¡±

    Ren furrowed her eyes and let off a low growl, but kept her anger restrained, ¡°Answer us, Cyec, where do you have your forces stationed?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯m going to tell you so much, but I¡¯ll fill you in on this, little doggy,¡± Cyec said before giving a shit-eating grin at the White Werewolf, ¡°You¡¯re Ren, right? Your brother¡¯s been really eager to see you, the moment he caught the first word of your arrival. I made sure I left you out so the two of you and your brother¡¯s tribe can have a heartwarming family reunion further down this cell. Aren¡¯t I just the sweetest?¡±

    ¡°Of course, he would ¡­¡± Ren muttered under her breath, stiffening up that her greatest concern has been officially confirmed.

    ¡°Now that my role here is done, I¡¯m gonna head out and eagerly wait for all of your party¡¯s demise. I¡¯ll just scavenge your belongings to compensate for my stuff that you destroyed, but I¡¯m glad I kept this close,¡± Cyec said as she pulled out a large white feather from her pocket, the all-to-familiar Escape Feather that brings the holder back to the dungeon¡¯s entrance at an instant, ¡°Feast with your very eyes what happens when you and your dumbass leader oppose the disciples. Bye-bye! [Escape]!¡±

    At Cyec¡¯s command, the feather glowed before a pillar of white light shot down on her form. The only thing she left behind were the sickening cackles that echoed through the floor. Then, as if the show was over, the blackened floor finally brightened back up to its relatively comfortable dim lighting.

    ¡°Are you alright, Ren?¡± Umeiyon asked with a claw on the Werewolf¡¯s little shoulder.

    Ren let out a breath as she sheathed her daggers, ¡°Fine as I¡¯ll ever be, I guess. I¡¯m more worried about how Master is doing.¡±

    ¡°Milord is fine, I can tell that much as long as I¡¯m here, and the others will be fine, as well,¡± Kenaka assured, ¡°We¡¯ve anticipated this and prepared accordingly, of course. What¡¯s important is that we follow the procedures as we discussed beforehand. Until then, we have to keep moving forward. You both still have your Messaging Crystals, right?¡±

    The Dragonness and Werewolf confirmed by pulling out said items, with the latter taking it out from one of her pouches while the former pulled it out from her large cleavage. They resembled the ones Tyvera and Gabriella had before their spying got caught, the only difference is the color, which was pure white, showing how far apart they can be before their magic becomes ineffective. Aside from Noire, Gabriella, and the Familiars, everyone else had a Messaging Crystal of their own, all of which have already been registered to link to each other in order to initiate long-distance communication.

    ¡°Since two groups have fallen through the Trap Holes, we should expect at least two calls to be made as soon as they know they¡¯re in a safe location, right?¡± Ren asked.

    Umeiyon nodded, ¡°Correct, and since we¡¯re on the highest floor, it¡¯s up to us to regroup with the others down below, which means we¡¯ll be on our own to defeat the Lesser Boss of this cell ¡­ as well as your brother and your former tribe, it seems.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Lady Mei, I¡¯d like to take on my brother on my own,¡± Ren said with a hand to her modest bosom, ¡°To be honest, I thought of what might happen should I meet Brother again under my new master¡¯s servitude, and if it¡¯s my current master, I want to make it up to him for keeping my secrets from him with the best of my abilities. Would you allow me this selfish request?¡±

    Umeiyon smirked before ruffling Ren¡¯s hair, ¡°I¡¯m sure Jin would let you do whatever you need to do, and I¡¯ll follow his example. Should things get out of hand, though, I¡¯ll step in when necessary.¡±

    Ren lowered her head in gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Lady Mei.¡±

    ¡°Now, before we move on with our dungeon dive ¡­ how long are you planning on hiding from us, Rizz the Werebear?¡± Umeiyon asked nonchalantly while looking behind her.

    That same Werebear yelped and got flustered enough to fall out of hiding from behind one of the large stalagmites. Her face reddened with embarrassment and guilt that her cover got blown in such a casual way.

    ~~

    {Cyec}

    As three of the target¡¯s main party were left behind, Cyec found herself in an unexpected, yet impossible situation.

    ¡°How, is this, possible?! You ¡­ fell down, with them!¡± the flustered Arch Imp strained as her wind pipes were being crushed.

    It all happened within seconds. When Cyec made it outside of Palocaesy Dungeon, specifically in the magic circle at the opposite side of the entrance where it served as the main exit point, she was planning on using the Messaging Crystal on her person to contact Rowling and report that she completed her job. That was the only other thing on her person that didn¡¯t get destroyed in the enemy Lizardman¡¯s admittedly powerful spell. This Arch Imp was one of the weakest of the disciples, so she was honestly relieved she didn¡¯t have to fight them after witnessing that power for herself. Once she made her report, she could relax back at the inn and wait for further orders.

    Stolen story; please report.

    That was the plan, anyway, but seconds after stepping out of the magic circle, a hole opened up in the space next to her, and in her moment of confusion, a shadow of a blur suddenly hit her like a runaway carriage. The force drove her through the recently opened hole, and before she knew what was going on, she found a vice was holding her by the neck, lifting her off the ground and pressing against the wall. She quickly struggled to break herself free, but there wasn¡¯t any sign of the grip on her neck slipping. Once Cyec got her bearings, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when she looked at the perpetrator.

    It was the same Arch Imp reported to be the main target¡¯s fan, someone who got roped into this business when she was conveniently traveling with the Human she admired. Being one of the same race, Cyec could easily remember that that last-minute escort¡¯s name was Sue, but she didn¡¯t get much info on her combat capabilities, much less the strength that she was currently gripped by the neck with.

    ¡°Cyec ¡­ reported to be the best trapper in the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples,¡± Sue said calmly, her eyes stared right through the Arch Imp she¡¯s choking with incredible ease, ¡°You¡¯re not only known to have ingenious trapping capabilities in the field, you¡¯re said to be the reason why many adventurers die in the dungeons, despite not leaving any traces of your work being responsible. Little did they know that those hearsays were only half-true, as the traps you set in the dungeons weren¡¯t handmade, but as the result of your incredible Ability to manipulate some of the workings in any dungeon you traverse in, the [Dungeon Manipulator]. Going by the number next to your ¡®Dungeon Conqueror¡¯ title, I imagine you must have won it as a clear bonus in one of the dungeons you cleared in the past. It¡¯s unfortunate that you¡¯re actually weak as shit once you don¡¯t have the home advantage, however.¡±

    The more Sue explained Cyec¡¯s background, the paler the former became, whether that was out of fear or lack of air could be anyone¡¯s guess, ¡°H-How ¡­ th-there¡¯s no way ¡­¡±

    ¡°You could say my ¡®position¡¯ provides me with a useful information network. [Disguise, Release].¡±

    At Sue¡¯s chant, a light formed over her person, and within seconds, the ¡®Arch Imp¡¯ took on a completely different appearance, but one Cyec knew very well.

    ¡°Y-Your ¡­ M-M-Majesty?!¡± Cyec exclaimed before Sue¡ªscratch that, the Demon King¡ªthrew her to the ground. Cyec coughed and wheezed as she tried to gather whatever air she could gain back. It dawned on her that this was the second time that she was suffocated, and she couldn¡¯t imagine having it done again on the same day through different means.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste anymore time,¡± the Demon King said, looking down on the Arch Imp with her [Devil Eyes] activated and a powerful authoritarian aura making the air around them heavier, ¡°You will answer my questions without argument.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Your Maj-j-jesty! W-W-Whatever you say!¡± Cyec responded as she quickly went from lying on the ground to prostrating before her king, with her head rubbing against the dirt she¡¯s planting herself on. She¡¯s bore witness to a Devil¡¯s [Devil Eyes] a number of times, even has been on the receiving end of it from Vask once. Compared to the power of the girl she lowered herself to, though, there was no further argument that this was really the current ruler of the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory, herself.

    ¡°First, knowing you can control some of the workings in the dungeons with your Ability, you can control where those who¡¯ve fallen through your Trap Holes will end up, yes?¡± the Demon King asked.

    ¡°Y-Yes! That¡¯s correct!¡±

    ¡°The Trap Holes mine and Tyvera¡¯s groups fell through. Where do they lead?¡±

    She even knows that much?! Is this really the same Sue that fell through moments ago?! Wait, that can¡¯t be right, why would¡ª

    ¡°Answer. NOW,¡± the Demon King demanded, interrupting Cyec¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Y-Yes! I can¡¯t direct them to specific floors, but your group should currently be somewhere in the third cell while Tyvera¡¯s is somewhere in the second! It¡¯s the truth! I swear!¡± Cyec exclaimed.

    ¡°The other disciples and their parties should be stationed somewhere in the dungeon. Tell me where they¡¯re all posted,¡± the Demon King ordered.

    ¡°Yes! In descending order, Krigeran and his party should be waiting at the 39th floor, before the second cell¡¯s Lesser Boss Room. Silvia¡¯s in the third cell in the 50th floor, and Blaine and his party are in the 59th floor, before the Dungeon Boss Room! That¡¯s all of the other disciples participating in this mission!¡±

    Cyec then felt a foot, likely the Demon King¡¯s, pressing down on the back of her head. She could already sense that her ruler could squash her head like a grape if she wanted to.

    ¡°You¡¯re holding out on me. You have third parties serving as your accomplices. Tell me who they are,¡± Sue ordered.

    ¡°Yes! Members of the Chaos Barrage group answered Rowling''s call for reinforcements!¡± Cyec explained, ¡°Among them is the entire White Werewolf Tribe waiting on the 19th floor, the leader of which is the brother of the Werewolf slave in the Human¡¯s party! I just warned her of his presence before leaving! There are others following Krigeran and Silvia, and Blaine has his brother and his own party helping him out! There may be other adventurers who are also joining in secret for the reward Rowling promised for participating, but I don¡¯t know where they all are! Honest!¡±

    "I see, and all this is for your grand scheme to overthrow me and take the throne, with the Duke of Demons'' Disciples and Chaos Barrage being led by Vask, himself. Am I right?" the Demon King asked while slowly adding weight on the foot keeping Cyec''s head down.

    "Yes! It''s all true!" the Arch Imp answered without hesitation.

    "Any other organized groups or syndicates working with you all for the same goal?"

    "I heard there are nobles aligning themselves to Lord Vask, but I don''t know the specifics! Other than them, the disciples and Chaos Barrage are the only organized groups I know are planning to overthrow you! Honest!" Cyec exclaimed.

    "... I see."

    The area went silent, and each second escalated how much cold sweat the Arch Imp was producing as she trembled underneath her ruler''s foot. All she could think of is how to get out of this alive. She had to do everything she could for the Demon King to let her go.

    "L-Listen! I realize now how foolish it was to go against you, Your Majesty, and I''m sorry!" Cyec begged, "I''ll leave the disciples, hell, I''ll quit adventuring altogether! I''ll turn a new leaf! I''ll do whatever it takes to prove my loyalty to you and the kingdom! I plead for your forgiveness!"

    "Pleading for my forgiveness, eh? And you swear on your word to the crown?"

    "Y-Yes! I solemnly swear!" Cyec exclaimed, sounding hopeful, and she really meant everything she said, too, which surprised her.

    In truth, this was the first time she ever spoke to the Demon King in person, she''s only ever seen her making the occasional public appearance. Cyec admits she questioned her ruler''s authority the first time she saw her, knowing her being young in age after taking her father''s place. Heck, the circumstances of how it all came to be was suspicious. Maybe seeing how competent Vask was when in action was how she thought the kingdom was better off having him as its ruler.

    All those doubts flew right out the window after experiencing the weight of the Demon King''s presence in person. Perhaps that was evidence enough that she really has what it takes, and Cyec was all willing to switch to the winning side.

    "... You know, due to recent events, I''ve come to understand how my ways of gathering intel, observing the public eye, and enforcing law may not be very befitting for a ruler to enact," the Demon King said calmly, which surprised Cyec further, more so when she felt the foot on her head lifted, "Young as I was during my coronation, even I didn''t accept how I took Father''s place so suddenly. Try as I might to follow his footsteps, I can never lead the kingdom like he did. I still believe that now, and these recent events have made that reality painfully clear to me. Realizing how much I can''t have a personal life as a ruler, I''m more than not cut out for this job than I originally thought.

    "Take what we have here for instance. I can tell your words ring true, Cyec, and who could blame you for switching now? Having the Demon King, herself, jumping into the front lines to stop Vask¡¯s and Rowling¡¯s plans, could anybody ever predict that ever happening? As a ruler, while receiving a penalty for your actions is par for the course, granting you some form of mercy may be the just thing to do. Are all these things something a competent monarch would do, though? I¡¯ve questioned these choices and more at least once, and honestly? It¡¯s tiring, and you have no idea how much stomach pains the stress and weights of these decisions bring to me, to the point I had to have meds to help calm them down. Other than Vask and anyone supporting him, I¡¯d practically give the throne away to anyone at this point, just to free myself from it all.¡±

    What the heck is she talking about? Is this something someone like me should really hear? Cyec thought, but didn¡¯t dare raise her head unless ordered to.

    ¡°I want to throw it all away and get to more important, more personal matters already, but I can¡¯t just toss aside what Father trusted me to do in his absence,¡± the Demon King continued, ¡°I wanted to do what was right under his teachings, his principles, and his expectations, and while some of the decisions I¡¯ve made may be for the better, they weren¡¯t without cost. I was sort of aware of these costs, but I couldn¡¯t let the repercussions affect me personally. I¡¯ve just learned to numb myself from the negative feelings over time ¡­ until one of my stupid decisions, for the sake of sating my curiosity and following Father¡¯s expectations, had damaged the trust of the one person who I cherished most of all. That person is the main reason why I¡¯ve taken all these burdens, to make sure I¡¯ve prepared everything I could in this kingdom so that he could live in it comfortably. Everything, from even before my coronation up to now, was for him, and yet now I can¡¯t get anything right lately, and now I pulled him into this mess of mine. Gah, what was my [Clone] thinking? No, she¡¯s a part of me, an extension of me, so really, the question is what was I thinking?¡±

    ¡°[Clone]?¡± Cyec couldn¡¯t help but voice that aloud as she looked up, too confused to consider whether raising her head without permission was a good idea. She only saw the small back of a petite girl, whose tits were ridiculous enough in size to be seen from behind. Once again, the Arch Imp¡¯s doubt of the current Demon King¡¯s authority crept up in her conscience.

    ¡°... Pardon me, I was rambling, wasn¡¯t I?¡± the Demon King asked, as if now realizing she wasn¡¯t alone, ¡°The point is, I¡¯m tired of making decisions that try to please everyone, only to have scorn, envy, and hostility returned to me. I¡¯m tired of the same decisions that¡¯s hurting my cherished one by the hour, leaving him none the wiser of what¡¯s really going on. I¡¯m tired that the mess I¡¯m responsible for cleaning is bothering that same person, and so, I¡¯ve decided ¡­

    ¡°As of this moment, from now until this beef with Vask ¡­ no not him, until my beef with Father is over, I will clean up every mess I¡¯ve made so my cherished one won¡¯t be bothered by them anymore. This job will not be left up to the maids, guards, assassins, not even adventurers. The tasks I¡¯ll involve them in is minimal, but I will surely be doing the heavy lifting ¡­ starting with you, Cyec.¡±

    The air grew heavy once more the same time the Demon King returned to the Arch Imp at the blink of an eye. Before the latter could process what was going on, she was pulled back up by the powerful grip on her hair. Her head burned from the pain, but nothing could ever tear her attention away from the Demon King¡¯s cold, lifeless [Devil Eyes] staring into her soul.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit I¡¯m partially to blame for this,¡± the Demon King said, ¡°I don¡¯t even care that I fell into your Trap Hole. It¡¯s you and the others working under Vask targeting my cherished Jinma that¡¯s putting me on the edge of exploding.¡±

    Jinma?! That Human?! He¡¯s the Demon King¡¯s ¡®most cherished one¡¯?! Cyec screamed in her head with many other thoughts bouncing off her inner walls, totally lost on what¡¯s going on, but she knew one thing for sure.

    Forget Jinma being a threat. Their fates were put in the Demon King¡¯s hands the moment they targeted him. The Arch Imp¡¯s face blanched as she came to that morbid realization.

    ¡°Fuck mercy, fuck forgiveness, fuck the regulations that gives you a right to a trial,¡± the Demon King continued, ¡°By my powers as the Demon King, I hereby give this temporary decree: anyone under Vask¡¯s support who dare tries to kill the Human, Jinma Kotori, shall be immediately executed by the Demon King¡¯s own power on sight, no questions asked. May the Immortals have mercy on your soul for committing this grave sin, Cyec.¡±

    ¡°W-WAI¡ª!¡±

    Cyec was immediately silenced, becoming the very first victim of the Demon King¡¯s tyrannical, genocidal rampage that would go down in the Demon-Kin¡¯s Territory¡¯s blood-soaked history, little known to many that she wasn¡¯t even the greatest threat that all should fear. Any remnants of the Arch Imp¡¯s body, which basically became like a water balloon that splashed the whole alleyway red, was [Clean]ed off without a single trace left behind. Her home, as well as many others belonging to the ¡®resistance¡¯ that opposed the Demon King, were found and completely cleaned out, with all their belongings and property confiscated under the kingdom¡¯s authority until further notice, but that is a story for a later time.

    For now, one member of the Duke of Demons¡¯ Disciples, the Black Rank Adventurer, Cyec the Arch Imp Whisper, has been put out of commission. The cause: death by total pulverization with the Demon King¡¯s fists.

 Chapter 189: Traumatic Pasts and Troubling Secrets, Part 1

    {Clone Sue, seconds after the fall}

    The moment I realized Cyec was the culprit behind the Trap Hole ambush and figured out her plan through my [Mind Reading] skill, I immediately activated my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills to cause my surroundings to slow in motion, then informed my original self of the circumstances. Thankfully, she was on her way to Palocaesy Dungeon, so she can take care of her in my place. The problem now is our current situation.

    It''s understandable that Noire and Gabriella are screaming out of sudden fright, but Mametama is taking the fall quite well. What I''m mainly concerned about is Jinma, though, as moments after he jumped in, I noticed his status changed to ''FAINTED''. Noire doesn¡¯t seem to realize the state he¡¯s in, despite being wrapped up in his arms. I''ve known his fear of heights for a while, but I never expected it was bad enough for him to go unconscious moments after he''s facing his fears. It¡¯s rather incredible that his body¡¯s still holding Noire so tightly despite this state. Maybe his body memory recognized when someone¡¯s in danger and reacted on instinct? It was a stretch, but I couldn¡¯t think otherwise. I quickly thought of what to do until I remembered Nyra. Can''t she snap him out of it? What''s she doing? I have to see what''s going on.

    I activated my [Mind Reading] skill on Nyra in the tanto, but I didn''t believe what I was hearing, or more technically, what I wasn''t hearing. Even if someone wasn''t actively thinking of anything, whether they''re awake, asleep, or even in FAINTED or COMA status, I would hear at least some sort of white noise, if not whatever''s going on in their daydreaming. It may not be much, but it was a sign that the person was still alive. I wasn''t hearing anything from Nyra''s mind, however. That only happens when the person in question is dead, but I''m positive Nyra can''t die while she''s still cursed, chaining her to the bridge between life and death for eternity. This can only mean something happened to her during the fall, or I''d likely be hearing her screaming in Jinma''s mind right now. What could be going on in his head?

    I have the solution to find out, of course, but I swore myself to never use my [Mind Reading] skill on him. I invaded enough of his personal privacy as I already have, I don''t want to stumble across something in his thoughts I shouldn''t be knowing, no matter how curious and eager I was to learn more about him. It would be better to say I was afraid to see what he''s thinking, especially after what I did to him. Despite my fears of him forever hating me, my concerns for his condition were quickly overwhelming them. As questionable some of Father''s actions in the past were, he was still a wise man, and he once said if I ever find anyone thinking of their own death with my skill, I should have every right to act and question them out of genuine worry.

    I''ll put up with the consequences later, this is urgent! Pardon the intrusion, Jinma!

    The moment I used my [Mind Reading] skill on Jinma, my whole body trembled in a great chill from what I heard in his mind.

    If the saying of someone seeing their life flash before their eyes in the face of death was true, I''m pretty sure I was hearing it all blurred together in milliseconds, no, shorter than even that¡ªnanoseconds, I think Sammy called them once? There were screams and cries of women and children. Then came shattering glass, breaking bones, ominous electronic sounds from equipment that I imagine Sammy would have in her research lab, even more crying out of desperation, and a screech that rose in pitch and volume. Those stood out the most to me, but all of this was happening in an ultra-fast cycle, repeating again and again. When I honed my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] in Jinma''s mind, I could make out what some of those people were saying, more spaced out and at a relatively fast pace. I tried to concentrate and put together all the recurring sounds in a reasonable order before finding what¡¯s going on.

    Somehow, this ¡®dream¡¯ Jinma is having is cycling through two different settings. The first of those two started off with a young boy letting out a war cry.

    <LET HYO-CHAN GO! RAAAAUGH!>

    <WHAT¡¯S UP WITH THIS KID?!>

    <HE¡¯S A DEMON! THROW HIM OUT!>

    <JIN-CHAAAAN!>

    Going by the screams, shattering glass, and breaking bones in this scene, I made an educated guess that this was a memory of Jinma¡¯s past, at quite a young age, at that. He seemed to be trying to save the girl who went by ¡®Hyo-chan¡¯ from at least two adults, and I could hear the murderous rage in his scream, despite how young he may have sounded. Could his [Devil Eyes] perhaps have activated in that intense situation? Was that why one of them called him a demon? In his attempt to save the girl, though, I heard the glass shattering and bone breaking sounds following his rescue before there was a brief silence. I shuddered to think what might have happened, but I think his rescue might have failed.

    The scene then quickly transitioned to the second setting, where I heard the electronic beeps and more screams from a young woman at the start this time.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    <YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! HE CAN¡¯T DIE LIKE THIS!>

    <I¡¯m sorry, Kotori-san. We did everything we could, but he¡¯s lost too much blood from the fall, and the damage punctured various vitals. It¡¯s incredible that he¡¯s hung on for this long, but his pulse is growing weaker. I don¡¯t know how much longer he can hold on, but it¡¯s best that you stay with him for a while. I¡¯ll give you some privacy.>

    <No ¡­ why? Why does this always happen to us? Why does Jin-chan have to be subjected to this?>

    <Mama ¡­>

    <Jin-chan! I¡¯m here! Mama¡¯s here!>

    <Mama ¡­ sorry ¡­>

    <Don¡¯t apologize! I don¡¯t care what happened, just please, stay with me!>

    <Mama ¡­>

    The slowly weakening beeps stopped. An elongated cold tone took their place.

    <JIN-CHAN! NO! STAY WITH ME! PLEASE! YOU STUPID BASTARD, YOU BETTER BE RIGHT ABOUT THIS OR I¡¯LL COME AND KILL YOU! GOD, OR WHOEVER YOU ARE, HEAR MY WISH, I DON¡¯T CARE WHAT IT COST ME, JUST BRING MY SON BACK!>

    The rising screech then came at the end before it all started over from the first setting. I could make a good guess for what happened in the second scene, but my mind was too overwhelmed after piecing the end together to really think reasonably. Before I realized it, a trail of tears were being drawn towards the back of my head as we were still falling through the Trap Hole. Taking a close look at Jinma once more, even though he was still under FAINTED status, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s experiencing a devastating, recurring nightmare.

    I was quickly losing my reasoning as a great fear in me took its place. My only desire right now was for Jinma to get out of the recurring nightmare he¡¯s having.

    ¡°JINMA! YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP! PLEASE!¡± I screamed, but he didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Is something wrong with Milord?!¡± Mametama exclaimed in a panic, which made Noire and Gabriella halt their own screams.

    ¡°J-Jinma?! Hello?! We¡¯re currently falling to our deaths here! This is not the time to be sleeping! And I¡¯d rather you find a better time and place to embrace me like this!¡± Noire retorted while lightly slapping Jinma¡¯s cheek, but it all fell to deaf ears.

    For the record, though, we aren¡¯t really falling to our deaths, as there¡¯s always something at the end to cushion a fall, regardless whether the hole we fall through is a trap or not. I¡¯m sure Noire¡¯s learned of this already, but maybe the state of panic has made her forget? Though I will say that what cushions our fall at the bottom ¡­ is not very pleasant, but that¡¯s the least of our problems if that isn¡¯t the only thing waiting for us there. I¡¯m sure Cyec made arrangements to some extent that we''d have some ''company'' waiting for us with her [Dungeon Manipulator] ability.

    "MILADY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Gabriella exclaimed as Noire suddenly started kissing Jinma in his comatose-like state.

    "What?! ''True love''s kiss'' seems to always work in books, doesn''t it?!" Noire argued, "At least I''m trying something!"

    Fear and anxiety quickly grew within me. With how long we''ve been falling, I''m certain Cyec has dropped us down to the deeper floors of the dungeon. Stronger monsters wait for us the deeper we go. I have no problems taking them on at my current power, of course, but I''m more worried about Jinma not waking up from his nightmare. Despite how powerful I am, it¡¯s also frustrating that there isn¡¯t much I can do. I was growing desperate finding any sort of means to help him, no matter how severe the cost may be.

    ¡°Jinma! I know you can hear me! You have to wake up!¡± I yelled while shaking his shoulders, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the biggest secret I¡¯m hiding from you! I don¡¯t care anymore, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask of me, but you have to wake up!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this secret you¡¯re hiding?!¡± Noire exclaimed, but I didn¡¯t give her a glance.

    Once again, Jinma wasn''t responding, and I could still hear the sounds in his nightmare continuing. In fact, I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re growing more intense with each passing cycle, bringing him even more internal pain. To relive the moment of that fatal fall and on the verge of death again and again, with each time more severe than the last, I¡¯d question their sanity if they didn¡¯t develop a traumatic fear after that. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d wish for even someone like Vask to experience such a fate. Anyone would have changed drastically after that, and knowing how Jinma is so far today, I can¡¯t imagine how different he was before that moment.

    Why ¡­ why did he have to go through this? I thought, more tears pooled and trailed off from the side of my face, He was still a child back then, and who knows how much more he has suffered afterward? The loneliness I¡¯ve experienced so far is nothing compared to what he went through, and I¡¯m just adding more to his suffering. If I had known how much he was hurting up to now, especially without him around, I would never have pulled him into this mess. He¡¯d be better off not knowing anything ¡­ yeah, he definitely would be better off. I have to fix this. No matter the consequences, I have to make this right. Even if I have to be alone my whole life, that¡¯s a small price to make if it means he could live a fulfilling and happy life. Even if there¡¯s no chance of me ever meeting him again, it will be for his own good.

    It will be fine. Even if he forgets, I¡¯ll always remember every moment we made in this short time together, remember how lucky I am to find someone I could love so much. I couldn¡¯t ask for anything more.

    My fears, anxiety, and reasoning quickly dissipated, and in their place was sadness, acceptance, faith, and courage. I¡¯ll make sure my original self will remember and understand everything that happened here, and I¡¯ll make sure I¡¯ll clean this mess on my own.

    Everything will end after this ¡­ in that case, I might as well say what I¡¯ve kept for so long inside me. I¡¯ll get right to business after that.

    I took the deepest breath I could, and opened the dams to my heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything I did but know I did it all out of love for you! That may sound crazy coming from me, and you may hate me after hearing it, but I don¡¯t care and I¡¯ll love you always! I¡¯ll go away from you forever if you want, but please just do me this one favor and WAKE UP! ANIKIIIIIIII!¡±

    <Oi. Just what sort of nonsense are you thinking in your head, child?>

    At this strange new voice I heard in my mind, from the right side of Jinma¡¯s face, a crimson eye with black sclera opened, looking right at me.

 Chapter 190: Traumatic Pasts and Troubling Secrets, Part 2

    {Clone Sue}

    <Oi. Just what sort of nonsense are you thinking in your head, child?>

    At this strange new voice I heard in my mind, from the right side of Jinma¡¯s face, a crimson eye with black sclera opened, looking right at me.

    ¡°Aniki?!¡± I exclaimed in shock, and in just that moment, the hole¡¯s darkness we¡¯ve been falling through finally opened up to a new light.

    Bright blue skies were all around us, no sign of a ceiling that we fell through was seen. Tall, exotic green trees expanded as far as the eye could see, with no hint of a wall in sight. The heat and humidity in the air hit us all at once. One would wonder if this was all a very immersive illusion, or even a dream, since it¡¯s just impossible for something like this to be seen after falling through a hole in a dungeon. The reality is that these are all due to the workings of a dungeon¡¯s space, where these very out-of-place environments exist within a dungeon¡¯s space due to a mysterious magic. You¡¯re in a cave one minute, and then a rainforest the next. From a tropical island in the summer to the highest mountains in the dead of winter. If you thought you wouldn¡¯t make it through the driest desert, you¡¯ll find yourself in an undersea temple before you know it. If you thought you¡¯ve been to every place you can think of in the world, everything you know would turn upside down in a place like this. That¡¯s just the mysterious wonders of the dungeons in Raiza. I don¡¯t think I could ever get over these drastic environmental changes even if I went to every single one of them in the world.

    While this view was a sight to behold, I looked directly down to where we¡¯d be falling, and my earlier worries had unfortunately come true.

    ¡°Oh come on. A Monster Swarm?!¡± Gabriella screamed.

    Directly below us in a large clearing, surrounding a pond full of a gross green slime-looking fluid, monsters gathered around it in hundreds, maybe even at least a thousand. The majority of them are large and reptilian with different species spreading among them. I recalled Father and Sammy telling me once that these were called ¡®dinosaurs¡¯ back in Jinma¡¯s world, which existed in a time long before civilization was even founded. This is when no countries were made up of established borders, nor were there any people around to make such things. It was truly a world when ¡®survival of the fittest¡¯ summarized the way of life in its truest sense, with no law or order to govern its residents. It would be both a fascinating, yet terrifying world to live in for today¡¯s commoners, to be sure, no matter what kin we come from.

    That aside, this is the first I¡¯ve ever witnessed a Monster Swarm in such a size in a dungeon. I don¡¯t think I read of such a thing ever happening, either. I guess Cyec really outdid herself here with her [Dungeon Manipulator].

    ¡°This is bad. We¡¯re severely outnumbered,¡± Mametama said.

    ¡°What the?! Jinma?! What¡¯s up with your eyes?!¡± Noire exclaimed, suddenly realizing he was awake, but the man didn¡¯t answer as he quickly surveyed the situation.

    ¡°Everyone brace yourselves, this is going to get bumpy,¡± Jinma said in an eerie, distorted voice and tone, as if another man was saying these words along with him in sync, or perhaps he was saying them through the body¡¯s mouth. In fact, I¡¯m sure I just heard that man¡¯s voice in my mind just moments ago.

    Then, to our surprise, Jinma¡¯s tendrils from his [Darkness Manipulation] skill sprouted and grabbed all of us by the waist before we were pulled together in one big clump.

    ¡°NOOOOOOO! NOT THE TENTACLES!¡± Gabriella screamed in terror.

    ¡°Calm yourself, woman, this is not that sort of play,¡± Jinma(?) said authoritatively, and very out of character, too, much to my surprise, more so when it shut the Dulahan up. He then pointed his hand down at the Monster Swarm below us, ¡°Now, then. I call upon the flames from the darkest reaches of the underworld, heed my call! Incinerate everything in your path to ashes and smog! [MAGIC SYNTHESIS], [FIRE MAGIC], [CURSE MAGIC], COME TOGETHER TO CREATE [WRATH¡¯S HELLFIRE]!¡±

    From that, a powerful, giant ball of black flames shot from his hand, and my eyes widened at the sudden appearance of this spell, coming from the very line of magic Father forbade me of ever using unless there were no further options of survival. Sure, Jinma(?) has the [Magic Synthesis] skill, allowing him to combine properties of multiple elemental magics to conjure a new range of spells, and he is capable of both [Fire Magic] and [Curse Magic], but I¡¯ve not seen [Wrath¡¯s Hellfire] in his spell list. Hell, I¡¯m certain that he¡¯s never attempted to use [Magic Synthesis] up to now. So how is he able to pull this off in a short time?

    I watched the ball of black flames practically exploding when it hit the ground, quickly enveloping everything caught in its radius. The monsters below us roared in excruciating pain from being burned alive as they ran off in a panic, thereby quickly spreading the black fire to their surroundings. The destruction was powerful, a bit lingering, but relatively fast, as all the greenery below us were burnt to their very cores until they started to crumble into black and gray ash in under a minute or two. The monsters¡¯ cries quickly dissipated in the distance as either the smoke filled their lungs or the heat burned their vocal chords enough to not speak anymore, whichever came first before they died off. Even the pond of green slime, which normally serves as one¡¯s (gross) cushion when falling through a dungeon¡¯s hole, had also burned away, something that shouldn¡¯t even be possible with normal [Fire Magic].

    The frightening thing about [Wrath¡¯s Hellfire], or really any spell conjured from [Fire Magic] and [Curse Magic] combined, is that it burns everything in its vicinity until there¡¯s nothing left. Anything organic would be burned down to smog and ash, while the inorganic like rocks, metals, and even dirt would melt down to molten tar before it all quickly hardens into a black, hard floor, making it impossible to grow anything from it. Soon, this entire floor in the dungeon will be totally damaged and uninhabitable for any life forms. While there¡¯s a mysterious magic that thankfully keeps the black flames from spreading to the other floors, I have no idea whether it can recover from the damage this floor has received.

    From the growing fires engulfing the entire rainforest below, smoke and a hot updraft hit all of us as we continued falling. Jinma(?) took that chance to change and morph part of the shadows he bound us together into a large black cloth, while at the same time providing black masks that covered the majority of our faces, save for our eyes. Thanks to that and the updraft from the black flames, our fall drastically changed to a slow descent, and we¡¯re able to breathe despite the smog covering the air. It wasn¡¯t pleasant, and all our eyes were watering from the smoke, but we now weren¡¯t in as much risk getting severely injured from the fall since our only cushion was burned away.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?! Jinma, what was that magic?! And what happened to your eyes?!¡± Noire exclaimed, slightly muffled by the mask, yet demanding answers.

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    ¡°Argh, that really did a number, and I can¡¯t hold this for much longer,¡± Jinma(?) grunted as he looked up, using the handles in his hands to control our descent¡¯s direction the best he could.

    We followed his gaze and found the cloth he just made slowly eroding, forming holes in the fabric that wasn¡¯t catching as much wind resistance. Due to this, our descent was picking up speed again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain, so listen up,¡± Jinma ordered loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll try to lower you guys to safe ground as quickly as I can, but expect your landing to get rough. Keep channeling mana in your masks until the smoke clears, it will keep your breathing stable. Sue, I¡¯m gonna let you go first, you fall at your own pace with your wings. Follow me until I make my landing. Ready?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡± I responded.

    ¡°On three! Three!¡± Jinma(?) exclaimed in a rush before releasing his tendril that held me. At his instruction, I channeled magic into the mask he placed on me and unfurled my wings to glide alongside him. I tried not to let him out of my sight.

    ¡°Gabriella, Mametama, you¡¯re both going next! On three!¡±

    ¡°W-Wait! Hold¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Milord, what¡¯s going¡ª?!¡±

    ¡°Three!¡±

    The Dullahan and the cougar cub Familiar exclaimed at once before Jinma(?) interrupted and dropped them both. The two screeched in both shock and terror, but a shadow tendril was still connected to them. That purplish-black lifeline stretched and thinned as it slowed their fall until it reached its limit, snapping off while the two were less than a few meters above solid, non-burning ground. Mametama managed to react quickly and landed on her feet after jumping off of Gabriella, much like any cat would, while the latter wasn¡¯t so graceful with her landing as she tumbled into a roll, with sounds of clashing metal ringing out below us. What remained of that broken-off tendril quickly enveloped the Dullahan, coating her entire form in black, and even prevented her head tumbling off her shoulders from the fall.

    ¡°Noire! Can you channel your magic into the fabric above us and imagine mana filling those holes?!¡± Jinma(?) asked.

    ¡°I guess ¡­ I can try!¡± Noire exclaimed before putting her focus into following his directions.

    I looked up and saw that those holes in the cloth were filling back up by maroon-colored, transparent patches. Thanks to those, the descent has slowed down once again.

    ¡°O-Okay, looks like I did it. Now what?¡± Noire asked.

    Jinma(?) nodded and passed the handles he was holding to her, "Perfect. Now hold these tightly and just keep maintaining that magic until you land. I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    ¡°What do you¡ª?!¡±

    Before Noire could finish, Jinma(?) slipped himself out of his shadow¡¯s hold and dropped down. Immediately after that, he sprouted more shadows that made up membranes extending between his limbs, turning his fall into a glide. His current form resembled a flying squirrel, which quickly put much distance between him and Noire. I was caught off guard by this action briefly before remembering his command, Follow him until he makes his landing ¡­ wait, is this what he meant?! Upon that realization, I followed him, so I glided down to match his pace.

    ¡°You¡¯re still keeping up, I see, and we¡¯ve put considerable distance between us and the others. Good,¡± Jinma(?) said.

    Wait, so he separated himself from the others like this ¡­ to keep them safe? And I thought the eroding cloth was a sign of him running out of mana, but is that really true?

    ¡°Jinma ¡­ you don¡¯t really have full control over your [Devil Eyes] right now, do you? Is that even you?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°The brat you know as Jinma is currently occupied, but I¡¯m not your enemy. Look,¡± he said as he turned his face to me, and I both immediately understood, yet got even more confused.

    While it was true that the iris in his right eye is crimson, which is an indicator for any Devil that they have full control of their power, the one on his left is still white, which meant the [Devil Eyes]¡¯s very power was taking over the user. Under normal circumstances, both irises would be one color or the other, yet Jinma¡ªno, this new man in his body¡ªcurrently has one of the two colors in each of his, indicating only half is under control, and not by the body¡¯s original owner. I¡¯ve never heard of any Devil in the past ever having such a thing here, and this isn¡¯t even the Jinma I know?

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to speak with you in person for a while, but not under these circumstances, and I don¡¯t have a lot of time,¡± the man possessing Jinma¡¯s body said, ¡°I¡¯ll make this quick so listen up. There¡¯s another being inside Jinma, one made up of the [Devil Eyes] skill¡¯s negative side effects that acquired a life of its own thanks to the latent power dwelling inside the brat. That¡¯s the one making up the white side of this brat¡¯s eyes, he calls him Creep, while I¡¯m taking up his other one, though I don¡¯t know what color that looks like right now. The brat named me Sango on our first meeting.¡±

    ¡°Sango?!¡± I exclaimed in shock, But isn¡¯t that the name of ¡­ how and when did he know this?

    ¡°I¡¯m doing everything I can to keep Creep at bay after the brat and Nyra blacked out, but I don¡¯t know when it will overpower me,¡± the one named Sango continued, ¡°I¡¯m going to do something to lessen the chances of it doing anything rash. I must ask you first, child, can you use [Heal] to recover from severe internal injuries?¡±

    ¡°Huh?! I-I mean, I can, but what are you planning¡ª¡±

    ¡°Great, then if I¡¯m still conscious, I¡¯ll see you down there,¡± Sango said before suddenly making his shadow membranes disappear, increasing the speed of his fall as he approached land.

    Then, Sango moved Jinma¡¯s hands in front of him to hit the hardened, blackened ground first, causing the arms to bend in ways they shouldn¡¯t, before his body started rolling and tumbling to a stop like a ragdoll.

    My stomach and insides turned and tightened from watching it all before screaming without thinking, ¡°ANIKIIII!¡±

    I quickly caught up to him, not as graceful on my landing as normal to sit beside him, as he laid there unmoving, ¡°Aniki! Are you okay?!¡±

    ¡°There you go ¡­ calling him ¡®Aniki¡¯ again,¡± Aniki¡ªI mean, Sango, groaned, ¡°Fuck ¡­ guess I can still feel pain while borrowing the brat¡¯s body, but I¡¯m surprised how little his stupid defenses helped him soften the fall ¡­ no, could it have been worse if he didn¡¯t have high defenses while falling at such speeds? Well, he¡¯s lucky he won¡¯t be feeling this upon waking up with you here.¡±

    ¡°WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!¡± I yelled, outraged, ¡°IF YOU WEREN¡¯T IN ANIKI¡¯S BODY, IF IT WEREN¡¯T FOR HIS DEFENSES, I ¡®OUGHT TO¡ª!¡±

    Before I could finish, a black tendril lifted Jinma¡¯s arm like a puppet on strings, and morphed his hand to have his index and middle fingers pressing against my forehead. His other hand did the same on his own forehead.

    ¡°Now, then ¡­ you wanted to know the brat¡¯s life up to now, yeah? Then, let¡¯s make a brief exchange ¡­¡±

    I then suddenly felt something being sucked right out of me, while at the same time something foreign taking place inside my being. My life up to now flashed before my eyes, but then something unexpected rolled over when it caught up to the present. As if watching from the sidelines, I then saw the life of another¡¯s flashed before me ¡­ Jinma¡¯s life. From the moment of his birth, to his childhood, all the way up to his death on Earth before he met the Immortal he¡¯s currently representing as her Champion, Goddess Obina. Then came the moment of his arrival in Raiza and everything he went through up to now.

    Within that flash, I understood all of Jinma¡¯s struggles and hardships, as well as enjoyment and rewards, at the same time. The constant opposition he faced on a daily basis, the friends and family he came to know and cherish before losing them, driving him into despair, yet doing all he can to move forward on his own. My heart ached with many indescribable feelings as all of those experiences dwelled inside me, but the one thing that stuck out to me the most was the moment of Jinma¡¯s birth and what happened with his parents soon after that. From that, I finally found answers that I¡¯ve been searching for the longest time, yet there are now more questions left behind than ever before.

    Finally, after feeling like an unknown amount of time has passed, I was brought back to the present. I found myself crying uncontrollably, with many emotions swirling in my mind as I tried to process what had just happened.

    ¡°I see ¡­ it all makes sense now,¡± Sango said somberly, whose voice directed my attention back to him as he lowered his hand that was on my forehead, ¡°And it seems ¡­ that you and your family have also experienced many hardships under my influence, have you, Tsukima Kurokichi?¡±

 Chapter 191: Traumatic Pasts and Troubling Secrets, Part 3

    {Clone Tsukima}

    My body shook down to its very core, hearing someone speaking my true name for the first time in years. ¡°H-How, d-did you ¡­¡± I asked with a crack.

    ¡°Call it a special ability exclusive to me,¡± Sango said before looking up with a self-deprecating smile, ¡°Thanks to that, I¡¯ve learned a bit of who I was and what brought me here, as the brat¡¯s ¡®guardian angel¡¯ without memories of his past. It seems there are ¡­ many things my actions brought to my clan¡¯s descendants that I didn¡¯t take into account. I know words alone won¡¯t forgive what I¡¯ve done, I don¡¯t know all about my past yet, either, but just as I promised to those three long ago, I will do everything in my power to atone for the misfortune I brought to you and your family. I know I may look selfish and ignorant, but I must ask one favor from you.

    ¡°Tsukima Kurokichi, daughter of my descendant, Yoma Kurokichi, do not be a fool and run away, like your foolish brother is trying to do,¡± Sango said.

    My eyes widened, Did he know ¡­ about me wanting to erase Aniki¡¯s memories again?

    ¡°From when that brat last spoke to Obina up to now, he has been trying to run away from the possibility, and I know your circumstances are partially my doing, but I need the two of you to be strong and face the truth,¡± Sango continued, ¡°You now know that he has been excluded from our clan¡¯s matters by his mother¡¯s efforts, but our blood as D-Humans ¡­ the curse that I brought to our clan, has pulled him back to us, and it couldn¡¯t have picked a worse time to do so.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that within the limitations of my ability, I¡¯m unable to figure out Yoma¡¯s motivations for bringing the two of you together," Sango said as he looked down somberly, "Whatever his intentions are, however, I have a bad feeling that the future of this kingdom, nay, this entire continent, may be at stake, far beyond what Vask may be planning after the coup. Now, more than ever, Jinma needs to know the truth so the two of you can confront your father. I know that you¡¯ve been questioning his actions for some time, but you must not be afraid to face him. Talk to your brother, open up to him, do some roughhousing, if you must, just do whatever you can to get everything out in the open. Then, help him master his [Devil Eyes] before Creep takes over him. He may be the only one who can grant you the courage to face Yoma, and the two of you will need all the power you can muster to face the future ahead of you. You two, and ¡­ no, I don¡¯t want to raise hopes over something I don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    What, is there someone else who¡¯s here? Aniki¡¯s friends, maybe? Or ¡­

    "Finally, no matter how he feels about you, please, do everything you can to support your brother, and don''t leave him behind. You now know as much as I do how stupid and reckless he can be on his own, and if his new lovers, especially Umeiyon and Nyra, can''t look after him, then that leaves you, his only sister, to set him straight. Can you do that for me, Tsukima?" Sango asked me.

    I sniffled and wiped the mess of tears off my face before glaring at him, "You know, if you''re really our family''s founder, our ''historic hero'', isn''t using my brother¡¯s and my own lives against me to do your request a bit off-putting?"

    "I''m sure that during your time as Demon King, you''ve learned that those granted with the title of Monarch have to resort to measures they''re not proud of. What matters, though, is whether those measures will help your loved ones in the long run. Even if the entire world may go against you, remember those loved ones, and hold them tight. By then, even when you reach your end, you won''t be alone," Sango said.

    "What does that make you, then?" I asked, "We were told that you disappeared from Raiza without a trace over a thousand years ago, but here you are now. What are you if you''re not dead?"

    "... A lonely old man who longs for that death, yet has regrets and shame that chain him down. Even without my memories, that description sounds fitting for me."

    My eyes widened at the statement, but the ominous aura that was leaking out of Aniki''s body left me more surprised.

    ¡°... I guess it¡¯s time,¡± Sango said before looking at me seriously, ¡°I¡¯m gonna be out of commission for a while, keeping Creep at bay. Do not leave Jinma¡¯s side, no matter the circumstances.¡±

    ¡°... I got it. I don¡¯t think I could bring myself to leave him, anyway,¡± I said while shaking my head, ¡°I¡¯d never forgive myself if I let Aniki get hurt out of my negligence. What would all my preparations for meeting him up to now be worth if he was gone?¡±

    ¡°... You know, that obsession with your brother, despite not meeting him until recently, is a side-effect of our curse. You realize that, right?¡± Sango asked out of worry.

    ¡°Well, that kind of thing is normal for us Devils, anyway, even though my blood¡¯s only half of that. Curse or not, after finally meeting him, and seeing his life from beginning to now, I realize ¡­ that Aniki¡¯s the coolest guy ever!¡± I exclaimed before giving a big smile, ¡°I couldn¡¯t be any prouder as his sister! I love him more than ever now, and you can bet that I¡¯ll spoil him rotten, with my body or otherwise!¡±

    ¡°... Well, I guess that¡¯s doable for now,¡± Sango said before sighing in relief before looking up at the sky, ¡°I leave your brother¡¯s safety in your hands. Try not to give him too much of a hard time.¡±

    ¡°That should go without saying, but ¡­ there¡¯s a lot more going on with Father than I initially thought, and he¡¯s the most powerful Demon King I know. I¡¯m sure Sammy¡¯s in on it, too, and I¡¯ve never seen her in action, nor her status. You really think Aniki and I can stop whatever they¡¯re planning?¡± I asked.

    Sango ignored my question and used [Darkness Manipulation] again, leading one of his broken arms to point an open palm straight up to the sky, ¡°I call upon the waters from the brightest lights of heaven, heed my call! Take all my power to its last drop, and use it to purify and bring life back to these lands! [MANA EXPULSION], [MAGIC SYNTHESIS], [WATER MAGIC], [HOLY MAGIC], COME TOGETHER TO CREATE [SHOWER OF THE HEAVENS]!¡±

    At Sango¡¯s chant, a giant pillar of liquified light shot up to the skies, covered by gray and black smog from the earlier fires that now hangs there. When it pierced through that smog, that light burst and spread out, purifying those dense fumes into clouds in the purest of white, yet quickly darkened our surroundings further. Then, I flinched at something wet hitting my face before the number of drops grew exponentially. What was previously a depressing and possibly toxic sky now turned into one that showed sorrow and mercy for the ruined lands below as it released a heavy downpour of cool, refreshingly pure rain. As that water hit the charred, hardened ground, it pierced through and quickly softened the surface, practically lifting the black layer from the bottom before it all washed away. This was happening while the original soil underneath desperately absorbed the fresh liquids, slowly restoring to a healthy brown color. I didn¡¯t even mind my seat getting muddied from it, and with the air cleaned out, I removed the shadow mask from my face.

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    Spells when combining [Water Magic] and [Holy Magic] through [Magic Synthesis] was the only way to clean and clear the blackened earth, much less put out the black flames from the synthesis of [Fire Magic] and [Curse Magic], and restore the lands to restart the cycle of life. These waters also have a magically purifying effect that removes status ailments and recover fatigue for anyone that¡¯s soaked in it. Remembering this deals significant damage to the Undead, Gabriella came to mind, but then I remembered how Aniki¡¯s¡ªor was it Sango¡¯s?¡ª[Darkness Manipulation] coated her form. I see, it was to protect her from being purified by the holy water shower. He really thought ahead in such a short time.

    Sango not only did all that, he used the [Mana Expulsion] active skill, which immediately puts all the mana the user currently has into their next spell or active skill that requires it, regardless of the limits they have. This gives the next attack tremendous power, depending on how much mana the user has, but it has a dangerous downside of knocking that person out into FAINTED status immediately afterward, and they wouldn¡¯t wake back up for a while. Even with my impossibly fast mana regeneration, I¡¯d also be subjected to that same fate, so I¡¯m sure the same is said with Aniki who shares that same power.

    That said, it¡¯s important that the user make this shot their last resort in a fight, or at the least that they¡¯re not alone when doing so. It¡¯s also possible for the user to just use [Mana Expulsion] by itself and shoot off all the mana they have into its own attack. While that isn¡¯t as effective as applying it to another skill or spell, this is actually another one of the emergency measures we Devils use as we¡¯re learning to control our [Devil Eyes]. Since it requires us to retain enough sense to activate, though, and with how destructive it can be when not used properly, especially with how vulnerable it makes us afterward, some of us don¡¯t even bother learning the skill. Still, did Sango have to use it on [Shower of the Heavens], though? It would have been just fine with him using [Mana Expulsion] by itself, unless ¡­ is it for the dungeon?

    I¡¯m not sure if the dungeon could repair the earlier damage on its own, but with this, it should be able to grow plant life again, as well as spawn monsters, in a matter of time. Whether that¡¯s good or not would be debatable, but maybe Sango did this to fix the mess he made earlier.

    ¡°Tsukima ¡­¡±

    Sango¡¯s exhausted voice snapped me out of my thoughts and directed my attention back at him. Aniki¡¯s arms lay limp once more, no signs of his [Darkness Manipulation] at work, either, meaning his body was totally spent. Even his eyes, as they were looking at me, were slowly getting back to normal with how the ominous essence was leaking from their tear ducts in wisps. With his body getting drenched and muddied on top of that, he looked like he was about to be washed away with the other impurities in the land. I had to rest my hands on his stomach to prevent that from happening, gently, of course.

    Sango made a tired, yet confident smile before closing his eyes, "Whatever may come your way, you''ll get through this, both of you. I know, because you two are part of this family, after all, no matter how fucked up it may be.¡±

    I looked to the side and thought, He said that to Aniki and his friends when they were kids, too, back then, aside from that ¡®fucked up¡¯ part. Hyoko Ishima and Komiwa Karuga ¡­ Wonder if they can also help us?

    ¡°Hey, Sango, do you think Aniki''s friends from Earth are also ¡­ Sango? Ah, he¡¯s FAINTED now,¡± I said, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll get started healing Aniki¡¯s broken arms while the others are catching up, and do it fast.¡±

    As I went to using [Heal] at the appropriate power for broken bones, I thought back on what I¡¯ve seen from Jinma¡¯s life through Sango¡¯s ability. I did hear from Father¡¯s stories how traitors in the Kurokichi Clan would never escape punishment once Sango captured and pulled the truth out of them way back in the day. So that was because of his ability ¡­ it wasn¡¯t just a person¡¯s memories, it was what actually happened in their lifetime, a record that could never be overwritten with lies and deceit. To be able to see the truth of someone¡¯s life ¡­ that¡¯s more terrifying than someone using their [Mind Reading] skill against me.

    Still, there¡¯s a lot to process, but the biggest thing to worry about is what I saw Aniki and Nyra discussing with Goddess Obina in the Immortals¡¯ Realm.

    I now know that Aniki learned Sango¡¯s name and some of his family background through Goddess Obina. He¡¯s also learned of me taking his blood sample the other night for DNA testing with Sammy¡¯s assistance, to see if he was really my half-brother through our father, Yoma Kurokichi. Then there¡¯s me¡ªthe ¡®original¡¯ me, to be precise¡ªbeing able to produce [Clones], and that I¡¯m standing here as one of them. Lastly, much to my dismay, he¡¯s witnessed me in my most humiliating and vulnerable state, breaking down from the thought of cutting Aniki out of my life for good. Sure, that was all muted and censored to an extent, but it was still embarrassing to watch.

    From all that, Aniki had suspected of me being the Demon King, but wished that wasn¡¯t the case, as that would bring the possibility of me having blood-relations with him. This was the thing Sango was telling me Aniki was running away from. Knowing the modern cultural norms between siblings in his homeworld and how that goes against the racy things that we¡¯ve done already, I can understand why he can be so internally conflicted with this. Though I understood, it still hurt, knowing he was trying to look away from that truth.

    Does me being his sister disgust him that much? The thought made me second-guess briefly, but I shook myself out of it, What I saw there was Aniki¡¯s history, the facts of his life based on the actions and words he spoke of in the moment. He¡¯s already spoken his point of meeting up with a long-lost sibling, but there¡¯s a difference between what¡¯s theoretical and what¡¯s reality. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s learned all of my life through Sango now, but whether that¡¯s the case or not, I need to come out with it, especially since he, Nyra, and his Familiars are under oath of not speaking it for a certain time. Honestly, what a foul deal those Immortals pulled on him, though I¡¯m partially to blame for pushing him to such extremes to get that much info about me.

    Granted, it was a ballsy move of Sango to reveal what Aniki was hiding from me, putting the latter¡¯s own life at risk. Perhaps because Sango didn¡¯t swear to the oath, he took the loophole of him being a bystander witnessing it all and letting me in on the information through that ability of his.

    That aside, once my main body gets here, or that Aniki wakes up, whichever comes first, I need to get the truth out to everyone at the first chance I get. After that, I¡¯ll have to get someone to look into Hyoko and Komiwa, as well as Aniki¡¯s other close connections, to see whether they¡¯re somewhere in Padimon. If our family-founding ancestor has a bad feeling about what his descendant, Aniki¡¯s and my own father, is up to, then we¡¯re going to need all the help we can get.

    With Aniki¡¯s healing completed, I moved myself to where I could rest his head on my lap while we waited for the rest of our group to arrive. I looked up to the still pouring and chilly holy rain as I rubbed against his head, ¡°At least my huge tits are shielding your face from getting wet. Still, sheesh, just how much of your mana did that guy put into this rain, Aniki? And now I can¡¯t stop calling you ¡®Aniki¡¯ ¡­ whatever you may think of me after telling you the truth, I hope you can let me off with that much.¡±

    <Sue, do you read me?> a familiar voice rang in my mind, my original self.

    <Yeah, I¡¯m here, Tsukima,> I answered. We agreed ahead of time to refer to each other by those names to lessen confusion.

    <What¡¯s the status of the situation?> she asked.

    <Our group got through the worst of it, but ¡­ Tsukima, I learned something very important. It¡¯s best that you get here as soon as possible and we combine once more for you to understand,> I practically pleaded.

    <I know, I¡¯m heading over right now. I just got done with something unsettling, too.>

    <Was Cyec that troublesome?> I asked in shock.

    <No, she was easy, and I pulled a lot out of her that I¡¯ll relay to you soon, but ¡­ you¡¯d best watch yourself and not do anything irrational to Aniki until I get there.>

    I blinked in shock by how anxious I could sense from her, <That should go without saying, but why? What happened?>

    <I just learned first-hand ¡­ that Kisaki may be a bigger threat to me than we know.>

 Chapter 192: The Disciplinary Warning and a New Ally

    {Original Tsukima, a little earlier}

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one hindrance out of my way,¡± I said before using [Clean] on my body, wiping the remains of Cyec¡¯s corpse on me, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t dawdle too much. If Ani¡ªif Jinma and his group are somewhere in the third cell, I need to reach them and reconnect with my [Clone] before anything and get the gist of the situation¡ª¡±

    Just as I was talking, I felt a powerful force suddenly weighing on my shoulders. A force of great bloodlust and malice unlike any I¡¯ve ever felt before. It was greater than even Father¡¯s power from when I last saw him in action, and I doubt that was his full power at the time. It¡¯s a wonder how I haven¡¯t even got a read of their presence until now.

    I quickly turned to the source and got into a battle stance, but got confused about who I saw.

    A Human woman with a black leather bodysuit, an enchanted chain whip wrapped across her waist and shoulder, and a peculiar red helmet that covered her whole head. It was hard not to forget this one, who goes by Kisaki, even when I only got a hold of her image after reconnecting with my [Clone] the other night. The equipment she wore was unlike any I¡¯ve seen or read about, and I couldn¡¯t even see her status or location with my skills, which brought me to the immediate theory that Kisaki may be a Champion from Jinma¡¯s world. My [Clone] disguised as an Arch Imp only spoke with her briefly the first time they met¡ªthough ¡®spoke¡¯ might be a bit much since my [Clone] was the only one talking¡ªand she didn¡¯t seem to pose much of a threat.

    This is the first time I¡¯ve met Kisaki as my true self, not having met her in the castle, yet this malice that emanated from her was through degrees Vask couldn¡¯t ever hope to match. If I was struggling to stand under her pressure while at only 70% of my full power, then he would have no doubt crumbled in her presence. So what does she have against me who she¡¯s never met before?

    ¡°Your hostility towards me is strong, yet this is our first meeting,¡± I said calmly with a royal air, pretending to have met her for the first time, ¡°Do you not know who I am? I would rather not fight without cause, much less one that is not of my own kin, yet this intent to kill is enough to count as treason towards one of my position. State your name and business, and choose your words wisely.¡±

    ¡°Kisaki, and I just wanted to take a good look at who I¡¯m dealing with, since I know who you are and what you¡¯ve done, Your Majesty.¡±

    My heart rate jumped briefly, but my poker face was still calm. This was the first I¡¯ve ever heard Kisaki spoke without her Slave¡¯s assistance¡ªwho incidentally is not present right now. Kisaki¡¯s voice had that familiar distortion to it that Devils have when their [Devil Eyes] are activated. To have that addressed to me with such malice, something about it all made my back break into cold sweat. Is she actually a D-Human?

    ¡°... So you do know who I am,¡± I said, maintaining my calm facade, ¡°And what, pray tell, have I done to deserve such ire, Kisaki?¡±

    ¡°For deceiving Jinma to the point of drawing his blood and messing with his and his lovers¡¯ memories through your [Clone], of course.¡±

    ¡°How did you¡ª?!¡±

    Before I had a chance to fully retort in shock, Kisaki moved from a couple meters away to in front of my face within an instant. I instinctively react by bracing myself to take her uppercut to my gut, yet the pain I felt from such power was beyond what I¡¯ve dealt with in my cruel training.

    ¡°GUHACK?!¡±

    Through that force, I spat saliva while being sent flying straight up in the air. I wasn¡¯t given enough time to correct myself as Kisaki caught up with me, whether by [Portal] or something else, I couldn¡¯t tell. It was so fast that I had to resort to activating my [Devil Eyes] for the sake of better defending myself against her next attack. She delivered a spinning ax kick to my back, my spine underneath got smashed and cracked as it went out of place. My body then plummeted back down to the ground like a meteor making a crash landing, creating a small crater underneath and slightly shaking the surrounding area. As if that wasn¡¯t painful enough, Kisaki followed up with a heavy drop kick on my back yet again, distorting it further out of place. The fact that the boots she was wearing had heels made the strike all the more excruciating, having it all focused into one place.

    I haven¡¯t felt this much pain since I was training my [Devil Eyes], and at this moment, it was difficult for me to speak, especially with the taste of iron filling my mouth. To think there are still people out there with this much power ¡­

    ¡°It seems your parents haven¡¯t disciplined you enough, so I¡¯ll have to have a talk with them later,¡± Kisaki said before stomping on my injured back again, ¡°You¡¯ll have to make do with my discipline this time.¡±

    ¡°What ¡­ are you talking about?¡± I strained, my [Devil Eyes] activated, ¡°I don¡¯t talk to my so-called ¡®mother¡¯ anymore, and my father¡¯s been dead for 4 years.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know he¡¯s alive, and you can¡¯t use whatever you and this ¡®Sammy¡¯ used in ¡®The Blink¡¯ to ever convince me, otherwise,¡± Kisaki said before I could feel her approaching my ear, ¡°You will tell me where Yoma is, one way or another, and when I do, I¡¯ll make sure your whole family and Sammy will get what they deserve, Tsukima Kurokichi.¡±

    My body ran cold and my heart raced even further. The Blink, our true names, how?!

    ¡°How ¡­ do you know all that? What¡¯s ¡­ your goal?¡± I asked, ¡°Are you working for Vask? Whose side are you on?¡±

    ¡°My source of intel and motivations are none of your concern, but don¡¯t even think about lumping me with that bastard, Vask,¡± Kisaki said as she stepped off my back, got in front of me, and squatted before jabbing a finger in my head, ¡°Just make sure you keep this in your stupid little head. You will not tell your brother of this little ¡®spat¡¯ of ours, but if you do, and if you ever harm him like you did the other night, your next discipline will be far more severe. Understood?¡±

    I wanted to ask what relationship Kisaki has with Jinma, much less how she knows he¡¯s my (half) brother, but the words couldn¡¯t leave my mouth. The power she exuded after asking that question produced a pressure that far surpassed anything I felt before, including moments ago on her arrival. It showed that what she did to me within these last few minutes wasn''t even her full strength. She could very well follow through that promise of hers, and I don¡¯t know if that will be my last ¡®discipline¡¯ she¡¯ll deliver.

    I could only nod meekly in response.

    ¡°Good,¡± Kisaki said before pulling her power back. She then lightly smacked my cheek, stood up, and turned around, ¡°I got some cleaning up to do to make Jinma¡¯s quest less of a hassle. If you apply yourself, be a real good little sister and help him out, I might just see you in a better light, Tsukima. Now put yourself back together, clean this shit up, and get going, and remember this: I¡¯m always watching.¡±

    With that, Kisaki quietly chanted [Portal] and left in an instant. Alone again, I put on my Arch Imp persona with [Disguise] once more and used [Heal] to get myself back into shape, snapping my disjointed spine back into place before standing back up.

    ¡°Who is ¡­ that woman?¡± I muttered before realizing I felt something damp between my legs. With shame and embarrassment, I cast [Clean] on myself and the mess I made before making my way to the dungeon, reaching out to my [Clone] with [Telepathy] all the while to get the status of the situation.

    ~~

    {Umeiyon, present}

    ¡°So in short, you¡¯ve overheard how there¡¯s going to be an all-out ambush on an adventurer¡¯s party led by a lone Human among Demons, thought of Jin, and decided to follow us to watch out for him. Does that sum it all nicely?¡± the disguised Dragoness, Umeiyon, asked the newcomer, the Werebear Rizz, as she and her group walked through the dungeon. A ball of light from her [Holy Magic] spell, [Create Light], lit up the way of their dim path.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Hanging her head in shame, Rizz nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe it, but knowing how he and his Familiars escaped that weird Monster Outbreak yesterday, I just had a feeling there would be another problem like that happening to him, and I was worried. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt your quest, however, which was why I tried to keep my distance. I¡¯m sorry again if it looked suspicious to you.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I¡¯ve been aware of your presence for a while, then it¡¯s likely Jin was the same,¡± Umeiyon said, ¡°If he suspected you of anything, he would have brought you to our attention. Unless you¡¯re spying for those very people targeting us, then I don¡¯t see you as much of a threat as Jin does.¡±

    Rizz shook her head and beastly bear paws frantically, ¡°No! Absolutely not! I¡¯m not good with sneaky stuff like that, and there¡¯s no way I could harm a fellow adventurer with ill intent, especially someone like Koto¡ªJin¡ªuh, what¡¯s his real name?¡±

    ¡°His full name is Jinma Kotori,¡± Umeiyon answered, ¡°Jinma is his given name, but it seems he only gave you his surname out of precaution. I call him ¡®Jin¡¯ out of respect from my own cultural background.¡±

    Rizz nodded in understanding, ¡°Right, and after overhearing how he¡¯s being targeted, speaking as a fellow adventurer, I can understand why he¡¯s being careful with personal information, so I¡¯m not planning on holding that against him. That last battle I saw was the first I¡¯ve seen him fight, and I can already see that he¡¯s quite capable, so now I¡¯m worried about where he¡¯s ended up after falling through that Trap Hole.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. What do you think, Ren?¡± Umeiyon asked.

    ¡°She seems earnest, as I didn¡¯t catch any hints of lying from her,¡± Ren said, ¡°I¡¯m more curious to know what your own party members think of you acting on your own.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be on time-off for a while and I¡¯d normally be sleeping in right now, but I could hardly sleep last night after what I heard,¡± Rizz answered before shrugging, ¡°The rest of my party usually does their own thing. When I asked the inn where we stayed this morning, though, they said they didn¡¯t know where my party went. Weird, since they¡¯d usually let me know that much.¡±

    Umeiyon, Ren, and Kenaka looked at each other incredulously until a large pillar suddenly erected from the ground to the dark, unseeable cavern ceiling just a couple meters away from the group. The suddenness of it all surprised them, but just as fast as that pillar appeared, it vanished into nothingness, as well.

    ¡°Ah, looks like someone from above has also triggered a Dungeon Hole, and are now falling through to the lower floors as we speak. That¡¯s what the sudden appearance and disappearance of that pillar indicated,¡± Rizz explained.

    ¡°Huh, so this is what Jin and Tyvera¡¯s groups falling through the floors looked like a while ago? This is the first time I''ve seen something like this,¡± Umeiyon said.

    Rizz nodded, ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right. Anyway, I had no idea the Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples are the ones targeting Jinma, and that your quest actually involved escorting a noble. He must be a more experienced adventurer than I gave him credit for. I feel a little bad underestimating him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s experienced in fights, yes, but he actually hasn¡¯t been registered as an adventurer for very long,¡± Umeiyon corrected, ¡°Let¡¯s say that due to some unique circumstances, he¡¯s starting off at a higher rank than normal. I¡¯m on the same boat as I registered at the same time as him.¡±

    ¡°Wooow, and after watching your magic earlier, you and Jinma must be super strong,¡± Rizz said in amazement.

    Umeiyon smiled smugly and puffed her gifted chest out in pride, ¡°Riiight? It¡¯s to be expected since Jin is my husband, after all.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh? You¡¯re married?¡± Rizz asked in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, and the majority of us in Master¡¯s party are also his lovers, myself included,¡± Ren said, puffing out her not-so-gifted chest with the same vigor.

    ¡°We¡¯re all quite capable of looking after Jin in our own way, and he¡¯s got talented Familiars by his side, too,¡± Umeiyon added, ¡°It may look bleak right now, but we¡¯re able to handle this problem ourselves. If you¡¯d like, I can use [Portal] to open a way for you back outside the dungeon so you can catch up with your sleep.¡±

    ¡°Hmmmmmmm ¡­¡± Rizz hummed for a while as she crossed her arms with her eyes closed, heaving the heavy weights of her bosom¡ªthe biggest of all in their group, even¡ªup from underneath, and thought hard to make her decision.

    Just when Ren was thinking the Werebear should hurry up so they can get back to reuniting with her master, she noticed a faint scent of an incoming enemy. She quickly checked her immediate surroundings until looking up at last, noticing a larger-than-normal Dire Bat just hurtling itself straight down onto the oblivious Rizz at a shockingly fast pace.

    ¡°Rizz, stay still and don¡¯t¡ª¡± Ren started to say calmly, reaching for one of her throwing knives to intercept the Monster.

    Before she could finish, though, Rizz nonchalantly reached up and caught the falling Dire Bat in one of her beastly bear hands at a speed Ren couldn¡¯t comprehend. Umeiyon and Kenaka were also surprised to see how easily she was able to stop that Monster, who¡¯s now struggling to break free from the Werebear¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Hmmm ¡­ going back to sleep does sound nice, and I do see Jinma¡¯s party being capable, but I just can¡¯t shake this uneasy feeling in my chest,¡± Rizz thought aloud as she brought the bat down to both of her hands before she started tightening her grip.

    Almost immediately, sounds of crushing bone and pained Dire Bat screeches can be heard echoing through the dungeon floor. It was both so uncomfortably wet and crunchy that Ren couldn¡¯t help but flinch as it paired with the Monster¡¯s struggles for freedom. The fact that Rizz was the one making this without even a hint of remorse and effort in her strength was pretty disturbing to her. It¡¯s been well-known that Werebears are one of the strongest tribes of Werebeasts amongst the Demon-Kin, but this was clearly the first time Ren has witnessed such strength before her. Umeiyon and Kenaka only watched the gruesome, yet unique use of said strength with intrigue.

    Bones started to poke out of the Dire Bat¡¯s body with its eyes popping out and crying tears of blood as Rizz continued to easily crush it in her hands further, bending and breaking the Bat Monster¡¯s appendages in ways they shouldn¡¯t. Its figure warped and became smaller and smaller, with more and more blood leaking out between her fingers and dripping onto the ground.

    ¡°Also, what that Cyec said before leaving has me bothered for a while, much less annoyed me,¡± Rizz said to no one in particular while easily crushing the Dire Bat in her hands further, ¡°If what she said was true, then the whole Duke of Demon¡¯s Disciples party is plotting against the downfall of Jinma and his own party, which sounds like they were just formed recently. This goes beyond veteran adventurers gaslighting the rookies ¡­ and those are the kinds of adventurers I could never tolerate.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. So what if Jinma¡¯s a Human? He¡¯s an adventurer like me and them, why can¡¯t they respect him like I do? Why can¡¯t they just leave him to his own business and worry about their own matters? If this is how members of the disciples treat other adventurers, then they¡¯re no different than bullies ¡­ and bullies need to get straightened out,¡± Rizz said, the last bit sounding calm yet so unbelievably threatening that her bloodlust became palpable right then and there.

    At this point, Umeiyon¡¯s group can see what¡¯s going on now. Despite how lackadaisical she looks on the surface, Rizz seems to have an incredible amount of control of her emotions to where they can be used proactively into different tasks. That Dire Bat just became an unfortunate target for the Werebear to vent her emotions on in that moment, and it¡¯s been quite effective. The only thing on their minds is if this is how she is when ¡®frustrated¡¯, they wondered what happens when she¡¯s more than that. Ren, despite how strong she¡¯s become now, was the only one among them who didn¡¯t want to find out. Umeiyon and Kenaka, on the other hand, just became more curious about this aspect.

    Finally finished with her thoughts, Rizz looked down into her bloodied beastly hands, finding only a misshapen ball of flesh and bones. One wouldn¡¯t even believe that ball used to be a Dire Bat moments ago. Despite the uncanny and disturbing transformation, the Werebear only sighed before she merely tossed the Monster ball over her shoulder. Clearly, this wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯s ¡®vented her frustrations¡¯ like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Umeiyon,¡± Rizz apologized as she used her own clothes to wipe off her blood-soaked hands, ¡°I really meant to follow you guys up to a certain point until I knew for sure things would be safe, but I just can¡¯t go back and leave things like this, not when I know a new friend I¡¯ve made might be in trouble. I can assist you however I can with my strength. I won¡¯t get in the way of your quest, nor take any of the credit for helping you with it, either. I just want to make sure Jinma¡¯s okay and gets through this quest safely, so may I tag along with you guys for a while?¡± Despite how threatening she may look with her hands and gear covered with dried blood, the concern she had in her eyes as she made that request showed that her feelings for Jinma¡¯s well-being were genuine.

    Umeiyon¡¯s group quickly exchanged looks between each other and immediately came to a unanimous decision.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, then we¡¯ll gladly bring you along, Rizz,¡± Umeiyon spoke for all of them, ¡°And I¡¯m sure Jin will be happy to have someone like you going out of their way to help him.¡±

    ¡°Just as I said to Lady Mei a while ago, though, I¡¯m going to confront my brother and former tribe when we get to the end of this cell. I ask that you please leave that to me alone, Rizz,¡± Ren pointed out.

    Rizz sighed a breath of relief, ¡°Of course, I understand. Still, I¡¯m so glad to come along with you guys. I think more than anything, though, now that I know how much of a big deal Jinma is, I want to get to know him more once we regroup with him and the others.¡±

    Umeiyon smirked, ¡°You really like him, do you? Even though you only met him a few times?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Rizz exclaimed without hesitation, ¡°The moment I saw him in line for this dungeon yesterday morning, trying to work so hard on his own, I just wanted to comfort and put him at ease a little. You just can¡¯t seem to leave him alone for a moment.¡±

    I totally get you, Umeiyon and Ren thought while nodding at the same time.

    If Milord¡¯s other lovers think like this, then I fear he¡¯ll be doomed of being spoiled rotten. I can¡¯t say whether that¡¯s a good or bad thing in his case, though, Kenaka thought.

    Just as they stood there thinking, however, another large pillar erected near them, staying there briefly before disappearing like the previous one.

    ¡°Man, there are a lot of people going down these holes today, huh?¡± Rizz asked in surprise.

    Umeiyon¡¯s eyes furrowed, ¡°Knowing our party split up in the same fashion, I don¡¯t like the looks of this. We should get moving to the end of the cell, as soon as possible.¡±

    The others in her group nodded in agreement before continuing their dive at a jogger¡¯s pace with a new ally following them, none the wiser of others who had just gone on ahead.

 Chapter 193**: The Vixen and The Big Sister Discuss a Bleak Past

    {Komiwa}

    ¡®Sup, people? It¡¯s yo ex-hitman girl, Komi, here. Things were a liiiitle heavy with the reveals and drama last night, but let me try to sum up what happened.

    Mailigon revealed her identity as a Dragon and her motivations of being in Padimon to everyone, that is my party, Nao-chin, and Mama, in the Black Cat Pub. To prevent an overbearing daddy and siscon brother Dragon pair possibly destroying Padimon, we¡¯ve offered to lend Mailigon our help to find her dear friend, Umeiyon, who may be the only one that can stop said pair. That is, after I finish my business with my target that Mama gave me intel to.

    Speaking of Mama, she¡¯s also revealed to Nao-chin that same night that she was Jin-chi¡¯s great grandmother, Madashi Kotori. Yes, you read that right, great grandmother, and she¡¯s currently looking in her early to mid twenties. It seems when she finished her life on Earth, the Immortals gave her a bonus to change her body¡¯s age to her choosing before getting transferred to Raiza. Makes sense, because you won¡¯t last long in the new world as an old hag, even if you are a D-Human. And of course, Madashi¡ªnow going as the ¡®Mama who runs the Black Cat Pub¡¯¡ªdecided to change her body back to her prime, yet somehow still kept her white hair for personal reasons. I was still surprised this was the same old hag that led the Kurokichi Clan as its 8th chairman back on Earth, the same one who arranged for me to be Jin-chi¡¯s mistress/bodyguard.

    Huh? Did I forget to mention about Mama being the 8th chairman of a long-standing yakuza clan? Well, it seems like Mama isn¡¯t really into the yakuza business in Raiza, but she still lends a hand to other members of the clan like me when they get transferred here. She sometimes uses a private networking system she set up with other former yakuza members to gather information, like how she found my Champion target, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll do the same thing to find Umeiyon¡¯s whereabouts. Nao-chin¡¯s a bit of a strange case since she¡¯s not officially part of the clan, but she still managed to become a D-Human by making a pact with Jin-chi¡¯s mother, Misaki, through personal reasons of her own.

    Wanting to know what those reasons are is why I invited Nao-chi to a cafe where the two of us can talk. I would have asked last night, but Nao-chi was so out of it after learning Mama¡¯s origins that she wasn¡¯t in a good condition to talk then. Incidentally, the rest of my party and Mailigon are currently going around Alluga finding info about Umeiyon¡¯s whereabouts. I was going to do the last bit of preparation for the assault on my target after this.

    ¡°Feeling any better from last night, Nao-chi?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well ¡­ as good as I can get, I guess,¡± Nao-chi said before sighing, ¡°Seriously, though? Ma-chi¡¯s great grandmother? That would mean she¡¯s Kan-chi¡¯s grandmother, right? Aaaaaaugh, it¡¯s gonna be so awkward working under the same building with her from now on.¡±

    ¡®Kan-chi¡¯? Is that how she addresses Jin-chi¡¯s mom, even after the pact? She¡¯s got more guts than I gave her credit for.

    Nao-chi sighed again after venting her complaints, then supported her head on her hand while she lazily stirred her tea, ¡°So, you want to talk about how I relate to Ma-chi, right?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Yes. After Hyo-chin and I moved away as kids, you played a significant part in what kinds of girls Jin-chi fancies through a good chunk of his life. At least, that¡¯s what my sources told me as I tried to learn how to get close to him while I studied overseas. What I find strange is that Jin-chi never mentioned anything about you, or at the least having an ¡®aneki¡¯, to me or Hyo-chin throughout our time together in high school.¡±

    ¡°Whaaaaat? Ma-chi never talked about me? Can¡¯t believe he¡¯d be so cold ¡­ then again, I wasn¡¯t putting in any effort staying connected with him before my death, either,¡± Nao-chi said before deflating with guilt.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to know how you and Jin-chi met, why you made the pact with his mother, and why he hasn¡¯t mentioned you to us before,¡± I said, furrowing my brow, ¡°As one of his closest friends and future mistress, I need to know all I can about him.¡±

    ¡°This feels more like an interrogation, and I¡¯m still mixed about Ma-chi having a ¡®mistress¡¯, but ¡­ well, knowing how abnormal his life is, and how well he got along with my friends, maybe this shouldn¡¯t be too far off field?¡± she asked before sighing, ¡°You better tell me how you and him met in exchange. We¡¯re pretty much allies working for the same goal, right?¡±

    ¡°... Yeah, you¡¯re right. I can do that much, at least,¡± I said.

    Nao-chin then reminisced about his first meeting with Jin-chi. The circumstances behind it, what led him to call her ¡®Aneki¡¯, how she met Mikan later, and how the three of them started spending time together from that point. I admit it¡¯s a bit worrying to hear a young boy hanging out with high school gals under normal circumstances, but perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s Jin-chi that Nao-chi and her high school friends got along better with him than I thought.

    Nao-chin sighed nostalgically, ¡°I really miss those days when I could just hold him like a stuffed animal for no reason ¡­ if he grew any bigger than he did in his junior high school days, though, I guess that much is impossible now.¡±

    ¡°So you still saw him during those times?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Only for a few times during holidays, I was busy with college studies,¡± she corrected, ¡°We kept well in touch through phone calls, at first, but ¡­ I don¡¯t know, I guess it¡¯s because life happened that we didn¡¯t call each other as often, and the few times I came back home for the holidays, Ma-chi acted differently around me. If I had to guess ¡­ puberty must have happened, and he got more self-conscious around me. Over time, we contacted each other less and less before we stopped altogether.¡±

    ¡°Just out of curiosity, what were your plans if you hadn¡¯t died off on Earth?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well, after I finished my education, I¡¯d go back to Ikebukuro to open a restaurant, and ¡­ if I happen to run into Ma-chi again by coincidence, if his cooking has gone better than when I graduated high school, I might ¡­ take him on as one of my main cooks, and just maybe we could reconnect as brother and sister like old times?¡± Nao-chi said with uncertainty before sporting a wry smile.

    Using my [Mind Reading] skill on Nao-chi with skepticism, she says, <What the fuck am I talking about, of course I would coddle him like crazy! God, time seems to pass so sporadically between our worlds while I¡¯m here. If Ma-chi and Komi-chi were around high school before the latter died, then who knows how much older the former has become now?! That would mean our age gap won¡¯t be as awkward and I might have a chance of our relationship becoming something more than ¡®brother and sister¡¯! God, he was already so cute as a junior high student, just think of what he¡¯ll look like as an adult?!>

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Huh ¡­ though it might be the work of Jin-chi¡¯s ¡®curse¡¯, I¡¯m thinking it might be a good thing that they stopped contact, even for a little bit.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ would you still be willing to do that if Jin-chi came here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh of course! I mean, it sucks that he died over there, but I¡¯ll do everything I can to help make his new life here a little easier!¡± Nao-chi exclaimed.

    Well ¡­ her heart seems to be in the right place, at least.

    ¡°I think that should be enough of that,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯ve yet to hear why you made a pact with Mikan and became a D-Human. You mentioned looking after Jin-chi as his big sister, but what even brought this measure?¡±

    Nao-chi deflated again, ¡°Well ¡­ I guess you could say this is also my way of taking responsibility for a mess I pulled Ma-chi into once, which was how I came to learn of his complicated family business.¡±

    ~~

    {Nao, high school time}

    A little after I started hanging out with Ma-chi, I started getting invasive messages from my ex wanting to take me back. I tried blocking him and avoided confronting him, but it got harder to stay away as time went on. Ma-chi seemed to have noticed how on edge I was, but I tried to pretend that everything was fine. Besides, just having him nearby put me at ease, though I didn¡¯t know why that was at the time.

    I figured if I toughed it out and evaded my ex a little longer, he¡¯d give up and move on ¡­ I was naive. I didn¡¯t consider the lengths that bastard would go just to get me.

    One afternoon after school, I got a note in my locker ¡­ that my ex and his friends kidnapped Ma-chi, and that I had to come to a designated location alone without telling anyone.

    I was in such a panic that I didn¡¯t think rationally. Without even registering the concern of my friends who were nearby, I rushed over to the location as fast as my feet could carry me. I didn¡¯t care that I slipped a bit due to the increasing downpour. The only thing in my mind that pushed me was the hope that my little brother was okay.

    When I got to the location, an unsupervised construction site, the situation was worse than I thought. I could still recall the spine-chilling hunger the boys in the area, especially my ex, had in their eyes for my body, drenched from the rain enough that my underwear was seen through my shirt. The cold, damp atmosphere further added the chills in me, but nothing could have made my heart stop more than seeing poor Ma-chi getting black and blue.

    ¡°Ane ¡­ ki?¡±

    Hearing Ma-chi¡¯s raspy, quiet voice call for me, even from a couple meters away, I couldn¡¯t help but break into tears.

    ¡°About time you finally showed up, babe, and you¡¯re killing the wet shirt look. We were starting to get bored playing with your new little boytoy,¡± my ex, Takora Hansei, said before making the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

    ¡°He¡¯s not ¡­ like that,¡± I muttered in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s that? I can¡¯t hear you,¡± Takora said in a mocking tone.

    ¡°I said he¡¯s not like that!¡± I yelled, ¡°He¡¯s ¡­ my little brother!¡±

    That somehow got Takora and the other guys laughing, ¡°What the hell?! Are you serious?! Is that your little play or something?! That¡¯s adorable!¡±

    I had so many words to say to that bastard, so many things I wanted to do, but all I cared about then was to get Ma-chi to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.

    ¡°Whatever, just what do you want?¡± I asked, keeping my voice under control.

    ¡°Getting right to business, I see,¡± he said as he approached me, lifting my chin, ¡°Since you pissed me off playing with your ¡®little brother¡¯ instead of your boyfriend, you¡¯re going to show him how much of a bitch his ¡®aneki¡¯ really is. You become my girl again, and give me and each of my friends here one round. He¡¯ll be so disgusted with you that he¡¯ll never want to see you again, let alone be your brother. You do that for me, and we¡¯ll let the brat go. That shouldn¡¯t be too hard for a dumb bitch like you to follow, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°... And if I say no?¡± I asked.

    Takora shrugged, ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll play with your little brother some more. We were just going to make bets on how much more he can take before he loses his voice. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you want for him, is it? So what¡¯s it gonna be?¡±

    I was ashamed that this wasn¡¯t my first ¡®gathering¡¯ with other boys. I never mentioned this history to Ma-chi, nor did I ever want him to know about it, but I couldn¡¯t keep up my feminine pride under these circumstances. I thought it would be better that he didn¡¯t associate with me anymore, especially if he gets pulled into more of these dangerous situations just because of him being near me. I didn¡¯t care what happened to me, I just wanted to make sure he lived a safe and happy life.

    ¡°... F-Fine, whatever, I¡¯ll do it, just don¡¯t hurt Ma-chi anymore,¡± I said.

    ¡°We¡¯re good to go, guys!¡± Takora announced to his friends, which elicited loud cheers before they started yelling crude comments, ¡°Let¡¯s start off with a little show! Make sure the ¡®little bro¡¯ is awake to see this!¡±

    With his arms held back by one of the boys, Ma-chi was dragged to the front, getting him close enough to see me clearly.

    ¡°... Aneki? Why ¡­ are you crying?¡± Ma-chi asked hoarsely.

    The fact that he was still concerned for me despite the condition he was in made me more guilty of the situation than before. He really was too good to stick around someone like me.

    I tried to swallow that shame and wiped my tears before forcing a smile, not minding the mess of makeup that was likely on my face then, ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ going to be alright, Ma-chi. I¡¯m gonna get us out of this and get you to a doctor as soon as possible. Just hang in there for a little bit, okay? And ¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Aneki?¡± Ma-chi asked, more confused than before.

    ¡°Quit stalling and get on with the show, Nao! We don¡¯t have all day!¡± Takora exclaimed.

    I swallowed my shame, pride, and fear before I started unbuttoning my school uniform, which got the other boys whistling and throwing cat calls. Poor Ma-chi only got more confused of what was going on as he was watching. I guess he was still pretty oblivious of this sort of thing during that time.

    ¡°Your girlfriend is really something else, Takora!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I got dibs on going after you!¡± a few of the boys exclaimed in the background.

    That seemed to have made Ma-chi realize something before his confusion turned into anger, regaining some of his energy, especially in his voice, as he turned to Takora, ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the ex that cheated on Aneki?! Are you why she¡¯s been looking miserable lately?! You¡¯re making her sad even now, are you?!¡±

    ¡°Ma-chi ¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but pause my stripping seeing how much that kid was getting angry for my sake.

    ¡°You better stop what you¡¯re doing to her right now, or you¡¯re gonna¡ªGUHAH?!¡± Ma-chi exclaimed before one of the other boys landed a kick to his gut.

    ¡°MA-CHI!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but scream and tried to rush over, but a grab to my collar stopped me.

    ¡°You stay down, bitch!¡± Takora yelled before delivering a punch to my stomach, followed by another to my face, the force was enough for me to fall on my back. Two of the other boys came along and quickly pinned my wrists to the floor, making me totally helpless.

    Takora then hovered over me, like a beast ready to devour its prey, ¡°Just for that, I¡¯m going to spend some extra time roughing you up. You try anything funny, and your ¡®little brother¡¯ gets another beating. Now act like an obedient bitch and take what¡¯s coming to you.¡±

    He didn¡¯t hesitate ripping the rest of my uniform open, baring the rest of my shivering torso, and shoved my bra aside to expose my chest.

    I couldn¡¯t bear to watch, nor could I shut my eyes from what¡¯s coming, so I tried looking away to another direction, until my gaze unfortunately met Ma-chi¡¯s, who was staring at the sight in horror. Seeing the poor boy like that was too much, so I tried to assure him how fine I was with a forced smile.

    I guess in some way, whatever wrongs I¡¯ve done before now, maybe I¡¯m finally getting what¡¯s coming to me. Whatever, let¡¯s just get this over with and get Ma-chi treated as soon as possible. The sooner I get this done, the better.

    It was bleak, but those thoughts drove me to push through that ordeal. As long as Ma-chi came out of it alive, that was all it mattered to me. I was prepared for whatever consequences that awaited me after that.

    ¡°GET AWAY FROM HERRRRRRRRRR!¡±

    And it was that distorted, inhuman scream of pure hatred, that I made my first encounter with the ¡®demons¡¯ that walked among us on Earth.

 Chapter 194: Why the Big Sister Became a D-Human

    {Nao, high school age}

    ¡°GET AWAY FROM HERRRRRRRRRR!¡±

    Following that distorted scream was an atmosphere so heavy and cold, much colder than the rainstorm outside the warehouse, that my body wracked and shivered in chills. The instant that atmosphere was dropped, Takora, who was looming over me, suddenly disappeared, and the sound of boys getting toppled to the floor with yelps of surprise happened seconds later. The two that were pinning my arms to the floor lost their grip, since their own limbs bent in ways they shouldn¡¯t with very audible sounds of breaking bones. Before I could process what was going on, I was suddenly moved to a new spot, finding myself sitting up against one of the boxes in the building. It was when I saw the boys who were pinning me down earlier, crying in pain from their broken arms, that I realized I was set free.

    I suddenly found myself looking down and saw Ma-chi¡¯s black hair. I couldn¡¯t see his face, but his arms were around my waist, holding me with a strength I could never expect a boy his age could wield, yet he was so gentle and careful with me at the same time. I would be relieved that Ma-chi was here with me, holding me like that, but there was an ominous air coming off him that starkly contrasted the cute and sweet little bro I adored.

    ¡°Ma ¡­ chi?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but mutter his name dumbly.

    ¡°What the hell happened?!¡± Takora yelled, ¡°How was I thrown, and why is that brat holding my bitch over there?!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but something broke my arm!¡± one of the boys who pinned me down cried in pain.

    ¡°M-Mine, too!¡± the other added.

    Takora clicked his tongue, ¡°Whatever! The bitch broke the promise, so get a hold of the brat and¡ª¡±

    ¡°GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH.¡±

    The distorted growl that interrupted Takora was like a beast¡¯s that came from hell out of rage, and it took me a moment to realize that it was Ma-chi who made that noise. Moreover, he turned his attention to the boys while keeping me behind him, as if I was a great treasure that he wouldn¡¯t dare let anyone steal away, and it was when I saw a glimpse of his face that I thought my heart dropped to my stomach.

    Ma-chi¡¯s eyes had gone pitch black, with only a small pinprick-sized white dot that I guessed marked where his pupil was. It was like everything I thought was good about him wasn¡¯t there, and in its place was an unknown monster that was possessing his body. What scared me the most at that moment wasn¡¯t the pure anger and malice in his inhumane eyes, nor was it the ominous air that seemed to have wafted from his body like bad steam. It was the thought that the young, innocent little brother I took a liking to disappeared from this world that made me despaired, and that it was my fault that he turned out like this.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s up with that kid?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like he¡¯s possessed!¡±

    ¡°A monster, no ¡­ a d-demon.¡±

    The boys in the background said those things and more as they watched this demonized boy with the greatest caution as he scanned his enemies.

    Whatever condescending, dominating attitude Takora had moments ago was totally gone, and in its place was that of a pitiful, broken man, as death was staring him straight in the eye. The guy was sweating buckets, and I was pretty sure the crotch area of his pants wasn¡¯t wet from the rain outside.

    ¡°A-Alright, you caught us!¡± Takora exclaimed, the shake in his voice interfered with how he tried to play it cool, ¡°This was all a prank! Yeah! W-We just wanted t-to give her a scare and¡ª¡±

    ¡°YOU CALL THAT A PRANK?!¡± Ma-chi yelled distortedly.

    Convinced that Ma-chi wasn¡¯t up for games, Takora lost all composure, ¡°Okay! I admit that was dumb! We seriously hurt you both and we¡¯re sorry! You want your big sister?! She¡¯s all yours, kid! We¡¯ll leave you both alone from now on! J-Just please let us go!¡±

    ¡°You ¡­ made Aneki cry. You ¡­ made her sad, all this time. She asked you to stop, you did not listen. Now, you want me to let you go?¡±

    The more Ma-chi spoke, the angrier he got with his ominous air growing bigger. The boys in the warehouse were shivering in place.

    ¡°You made Aneki suffer. Now, I ¡­ WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER!¡±

    With Ma-chi¡¯s blood-curdling declaration, he rushed to the two boys with broken arms at inhumane speeds, grabbed both of their collars, and quickly dragged them away from the spot before easily tossing them to the rest of the boys, crashing into them like bowling pins. I¡¯m pretty sure he did the same to get Takora away from me earlier.

    After that, even though it was one versus ten¡ªI might be exaggerating in the numbers, but it was too tense a moment for me to really keep track¡ªit was more of a torture session than a typical brawl between boys. Anguished cries of pain, fear, and despair rang through the warehouse as Ma-chi followed through on his promise. The way he let out distorted, sadistic laughs at that time clearly showed that what started out as a way to get revenge turned into a funny, entertaining pastime for him. The fact that those laughs still had childish innocence behind them made me wonder if I was in a slasher horror movie at one point with how eerie the atmosphere became.

    Ma-chi broke more bones, knocked teeth and blood out from the boys¡¯ bodies with his punches, even tearing skin on occasion with his gruesome bites or scratches from his fingernails. When it was convenient, he picked up one of the heavy-looking iron pipes with ease and beat their bodies with it. One tried to crawl away to escape, trying to take advantage of Ma-chi¡¯s blind spot, but he made sure no one could leave his gaze, dragging that guy back before throwing him against another dude like a rag doll against a punching bag.

    That whole time, I sat there and watched it all, a strange mix of fear and excitement welled inside me, the latter probably out of seeing my ex finally getting his just desserts. That was partially why I didn¡¯t consider stopping Ma-chi ripping those guys a new one, another was whether he may hurt me if I tried to stop him. Somewhere in my conscience told me that something about this way of thinking was wrong and it still bugged me for a bit since then. It wasn¡¯t until later that I learned this inner conflict between my own ¡®angels and demons¡¯ was due to a curse.

    Minutes later, all the boys were bloodied and looked to be on the brink of death. Ma-chi was in a mess of their blood with a crazed smile on his face, and he was about to deal the finishing blow when two unexpected people showed up in the scene.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Jin-chan.¡±

    With that calm, but authoritative call, Ma-chi¡¯s mother, Kan-chi, suddenly appeared from out of thin air and delivered a karate chop to her son¡¯s nape. Ma-chi didn¡¯t react fast enough before the hit landed, knocking him unconscious. Kan-chi caught him just before his body hit the floor.

    ¡°Ma-chi?!¡± I yelled in fright.

    ¡°Relax, this isn¡¯t the first ¡®incident¡¯ Mikan-chan has dealt with. Jinma-kun will be fine.¡±

    The second woman that showed up in the scene out of thin air was Kan-chi¡¯s closest friend and one of Ma-chi¡¯s aunts, Mitsuko Toka. She suddenly showed up at my side and stopped me from running over to him.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°How does it look?¡± Ko-chi¡ªthe nickname I called her¡ªasked Kan-chi.

    ¡°Mm ¡­ they look like shit, but they¡¯ll live,¡± Kan-chi said bluntly, ¡°How¡¯s Nao-chan?¡±

    ¡°Ah, her uniform¡¯s gonna need to be fixed in places. There¡¯s a bit of bruising, but she¡¯s okay,¡± Ko-chi answered.

    ¡°Th-Thank you!¡± Takora exclaimed as he clambered out of the pile before prostrating to Kan-chi in gratitude, ¡°Th-Thank you for saving us from this hellspawn! I thought we were goners!¡±

    ¡°This ¡®hellspawn¡¯ ¡­ happens to be my son.¡±

    The last word spoken with a distorted tone shook all the boys to their cores. They and Takora looked up to their savior, only to find the hellspawn¡¯s parent, whose eyes have also changed to be like Ma-chi¡¯s earlier, only her irises shined a brilliant orange, like a bright, raging fire lighting the darkness around it.

    A sadistic grin spread through her face as she eyed the boys beneath her like bugs she¡¯s itching to squash, ¡°I¡¯d say ¡®sorry¡¯ for the trouble he may have caused, but I know he wouldn¡¯t get like this unless something really agitated him. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re out of the woods yet, you little pieces of shit.¡±

    The boys blubbered and clung onto each other for dear life as they waited for their fate.

    From that point on, Kan-chi said something to Ko-chi before the latter tied up the boys with the rope that was lying around the warehouse and had them moved to someplace else where no one would find them. That was when I found out Ko-chi was also like Kan-chi of someone being non-human, except her eyes still had the white scleras while her iris changed to the same brilliant orange color as the latter¡¯s. I didn¡¯t know until later that she was the ¡®First Pact¡¯ Kan-chi made within her own ¡®family¡¯.

    After Ko-chi left with the boys, Kan-chi made a phone call to have someone clean up the mess in the warehouse before she carried me and Ma-chi in her arms with ease and ran back to her home. I¡¯ll be honest, that was the second most terrifying thing that happened to me that day, with how Kan-chi sprinted and jumped between buildings at superhuman speeds.

    When we got back to Ma-chi¡¯s home, Kan-chi grabbed some towels and clothes for us. Once we calmed down, with Ma-chi getting his head petted while resting on his mother¡¯s lap, she had me explain what happened. I had some questions of my own, but I owed it to her for getting her son involved with my troubles, so I tried to explain everything as concisely as possible.

    ¡°I see ¡­ I bet that was a terrifying experience for you,¡± Ma-chi said, ¡°While I¡¯d rather you call me about the situation, I understand that you had to take it in your own hands under the circumstances. I thank you for putting yourself on the line to save my son.¡± She showed her gratitude while lowering her head.

    Flustered, I shook my hands, ¡°N-No, please, I was the one that got him in this mess, and ¡­ as crazy as it was, he did save me back there. I should be the one to thank you and apologize for the inconvenience I caused you and Ma-chi.¡±

    ¡°Even so, you¡¯ve been with Jin-chan from his loneliest time up to now. The kind of company he needed during that time was something I couldn¡¯t provide as his mother. I¡¯m grateful that you¡¯ve taken the time out of the days in your high school life to play with him,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, really. I¡¯ve had fun playing with Ma-chi, too, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Which is why it pains me to ask that you stay away from Jin-chan from now on.¡±

    The words Kan-chi spoke at that moment, I thought my heart stopped, ¡°C-Come again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay what¡¯s necessary to fix your uniform, and I¡¯ll let your school know that you¡¯ll be absent tomorrow so you can rest from this ordeal,¡± Kan-chi continued, ¡°I¡¯ll also make sure those boys will be out of your hair for good, and that I¡¯ll give you enough money to make up for the times you spent with my son. All I ask in return is that you don¡¯t speak of what happened today to anyone, and that you cut yourself off from Jin-chan¡¯s life for good.¡±

    The request was so crazy to me that I went hysterical, ¡°W-Wait a minute! You can¡¯t do that! No, more importantly, what was that back there?! What happened to Ma-chi?! How did you¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is a very confidential matter that stays within my family,¡± Kan-chi interrupted, her gaze now stern, ¡°It¡¯s risky enough that I¡¯m letting you leave out of this alive. Honestly, if you hadn¡¯t treated Jin-chan as well as you had, I wouldn¡¯t have minded taking you out right there in that warehouse with those boys.¡±

    Hearing that, knowing Kan-chi has the same kind of power as Ma-chi, I thought I¡¯d puke out my stomach for a moment. That was how scared I was.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening with Jin-chan is beyond what you can understand, and I can¡¯t risk letting you see more than what you have already,¡± Kan-chi continued, ¡°If you value your life, you should stop pressing into this matter now and do as I say.¡±

    If Kan-chi bringing me and Ma-chi to her home the way she did was the second scariest thing that happened to me that day, then this moment would be put at the very top of that list. I was scared enough of losing Ma-chi from how beat up he was¡ªwhich, by the way, has all healed up on its own, thanks to his demon powers¡ªnow I couldn¡¯t see him anymore because of some complicated family matter that I have next to no knowledge of. Part of me thought this might be for the better. I was ready to cut ties with him after Takora and his boys had their way with me out of shame, after all, and who knows if that would be the last time something like that has happened.

    Despite what might have been best for Ma-chi ¡­ I just couldn¡¯t do it. Not when there¡¯s so many more things I wanted to do with him, not when there¡¯s so much I still didn¡¯t know about him. My life up to that point was already fucked up as it was, I couldn¡¯t back down from Kan-chi¡¯s threat back then, not when there¡¯s an option for me to still stay with him.

    ¡°... No.¡± I really had to dig into myself to pull up the courage to say that much.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Kan-chi asked sternly.

    ¡°I said, no!¡± I exclaimed, standing from my seat, ¡°Whatever freaky powers he¡¯s got going on, Ma-chi is still Ma-chi! Despite how I was about to be defiled right in front of him, he saved me! He has saved me in times before that, too! How could I possibly cut myself off from him without ever properly paying him back after all that?! No, more than that, I want to play with Ma-chi more because I like him! Because I¡¯m his big sister!

    ¡°I know I failed to stick up for him properly back there, but please, you have to give me another chance! Let me prove to you that I can protect Ma-chi from now on as his big sister! Let me be a part of his life for just a little while longer!¡± I yelled before I caught my breath.

    Kan-chi watched me closely as I spouted every word, and when I finished, she took a moment to think seriously. The seconds of silence in that room seemed like they grew longer exponentially the more time passed.

    ¡°... Do you really like spending time with my son that much?¡± Kan-chi asked, her tone serious.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Are you prepared to do what it takes to protect him, and the secret that surrounds him and my family?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do whatever it takes!¡±

    ¡°... Even if it means killing someone with your own hands?¡±

    Kan-chi¡¯s last question startled me, but I only nodded erratically in response.

    Kan-chi¡¯s eyes looked deep into my soul. Despite the power she held that¡¯s likely much stronger than Ma-chi¡¯s, it took everything I had to not tear my gaze away from her own.

    After the long stare-off, Kan-chi sighed frustratingly, ¡°I wondered when he¡¯d get a hold of another girl, but a high school gyaru, of all things?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡±

    ~~

    {Komi, present}

    ¡°And that was how Kan-chi got me to make a pact with her and become a D-Human, filling me in on the Kurokichi Clan''s secrets and affairs that I needed to know to become Ma-chi''s ''proper'' big sister,¡± Nao-chi said before hugging herself with a nostalgic smile, ¡°When Ma-chi woke up later, you wouldn¡¯t believe how much he cried asking if I was okay. Most adorable I¡¯ve seen of him to date, for sure. Ko-chi then came back with pizza that we had for dinner before Ma-chi and I bathed and slept together later that night. Couldn¡¯t leave my side the whole time, saying ¡®I won¡¯t let those bullies take my aneki ever again!¡¯ Aaaah! Just thinking about it makes my heart burst!¡±

    ¡­ Restrain yourself, Komi. This is Jin-chi¡¯s big sister we¡¯re talking about. Can¡¯t have him asking questions of where she¡¯s gone if something happened to her. This is not out of jealousy that he never got that cuddly with me when I always had to take initiative to get physical. Nope. Not at all.

    I had to clear my throat to try to get us back on track, ¡°So, from the sound of things, Jin-chi had no memory of what happened in the warehouse?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, I guess he blacked out around the time his [Devil Eyes] activated,¡± Nao-chi answered, ¡°We played it off with one of the boys knocking him out cold when he resisted further, and Kan-chi and Ko-chi came to the rescue to beat their asses after that.¡±

    ¡°And what happened to your ex and those boys that antagonized you both?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Weeeell, when I was able to harness my own demon powers, Kan-chi had me learn how to use it while proving my loyalty to her ¡­ by using those boys as my test dummies. I think you can figure out what happened to them after that. They¡¯ve been on the news as missing since then, and I have never regretted taking that initiative to this day,¡± Nao-chi said before taking another sip of her tea, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s gone cold. Excuse me! Can I get another tea, please?!¡±

    Well, there wasn''t anything fishy with her story, at least. If she really did put in the work to prove her worth to the clan, even if it''s just Mikan and Mitsuki who she reports to, then I think she can be trusted. Not to mention, she stared death in the face opposing Mikan''s demands, just because she wanted to keep being with Jin-chi, big sister or otherwise. Not even Hyo-chi could question her loyalty by that point if she were here, though I wonder if she''ll be ''threatened'' the same way I''m feeling in regards to relations with Jin-chi?

    While I still love and care for Jin-chi deeply, I have to pity him for the trouble our little rivalry will likely cause him once we''re all reunited. It may be hopeless to think so, but it would be nice if Hyo-chi didn''t go overboard seeing him again.

 Life Update Announcement (Copied from Subscribestar)

    Hello readers, whether you¡¯ve been waiting for a long time or have just picked up my works recently, I thank you for checking them out. First, above everything else, I must sincerely apologize for my long absence and that I haven¡¯t left any updates since I last posted. I¡¯ll admit that one thing led to another, and that while I could have left something of a short excerpt during my brief moments of calmness, with how long it had been since I posted anything (March 27, 2023), I was anxious of showing myself again under the circumstances at the time. I¡¯d like to take this chance to explain the main points of what¡¯s been happening since I last posted anything and where I now currently stand, but if you want the short version of this announcement, you may scroll down to the TL;DR on the last page.

    My Life So Far

    So starting with what happened after I last posted, I fractured my ankle after falling off my bed one morning. I was in a bit of a writer¡¯s rut at the time, but that injury really affected my daily life for a while, even after getting out of the medical boot and going through physical therapy for recovery. At any rate, I was too preoccupied with that among other things to worry about my main projects, so I put those on hold and just wrote whatever I liked during my free time.

    Things were starting to pick up a little bit until I was terminated from my last job as an accounting assistant from August, about four months after my ankle incident. This was the result of breaking too many company policies in my company that have stacked up slowly over time, even after having received warnings of them, and I admit I¡¯m still embarrassed of falling to such a low, having it been the first job I was ever let go from instead of me leaving it for another job. The only bright side was that I was given a generous severance pay that would last me for a while if I was prudent with my spending, even after setting enough aside for taxes.

    Despite that, though, I had to find a new job, and my writing certainly won¡¯t earn me enough to live off from, so I had to put most of my time and energy into job hunting while receiving unemployment benefits. What made this most difficult was the increasing credit card and loan debt that had me going to my parents for financial assistance, which certainly helped me greatly and are still helping me to this day, yet I¡¯m still ashamed to rely on them as old as I am now, living single and alone. And of course, I¡¯ll inevitably have to pay them back once most of my debts have been paid off, so that¡¯s something worth looking forward to.

    Finally, after eight months since that termination, about one year since my ankle incident, through trials and tribulations, as well as poor money-handling decisions, plus a short contractual job at a warehouse for a few weeks, I finally got a long-term, part-time job at Walmart (mainly out of desperation as my unemployment benefits ran out shortly before that). It wasn¡¯t until six months after hiring that I was able to relocate to another location that¡¯s better for me transportation-wise. I was still in a rough spot, money-wise, and I¡¯m back in a position that I dreaded before I moved to become an accounting assistant, but it seemed like I was finally in a position where things would start to improve some for me. It seemed like things would start to look brighter beginning next year.

    That was until fairly recently. I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯ve lost quite a lot of money out of my lack of judgment in the people I meet and associate with, including scams, and that goes for what I¡¯ve been through the past year. I¡¯ve already taken measures in filing for fraud against the latest one that I fell for, and unfortunately, they¡¯ve denied my claim after a few weeks of investigation. I¡¯m now down a couple hundred dollars without any hope of getting it back. The difference between those other times and now is that back then I had a fair cushion of money set aside for emergencies, and I was still living with my family. Now, however, I¡¯m quite in a bind, and I¡¯ve barely been living from paycheck to paycheck. I¡¯m honestly anxious whether I¡¯ll have enough to pay rent and other bills the following month, and I¡¯m currently minimizing what I can spend on food.

    Which brings us to why I¡¯m here to see you all now. Turns out there are a select number of you who have still supported me in one way or another. For those, I thank you, and if you¡¯ve left a message or comment anywhere asking where I¡¯ve been, I¡¯m sorry again for keeping quiet until now. As rough as I¡¯m in right now, I¡¯m still very much alive, and I still write whenever I¡¯m able and motivated, most of which have been edited, cleaned up somewhat, and compiled within the last year and a half or so. To thank those who have patiently waited and for those who are waiting to see something new, I¡¯ll put not only all the chapters from my main projects free for the public to see, but also the works I¡¯ve done on the side as I try to get back to posting regularly, once a month at minimum, but for this month of February, I¡¯ll try to get most of my main projects out there on the public platforms. As for where things currently stand with those main projects, I¡¯ll list them down here.

    Story Updates

    OP Brawler: I¡¯m sorry to say that I¡¯ve hardly touched this project, nor even thought much about it over the past year and a half. I¡¯ve reached a point where I¡¯ve grown tired of writing my first story that had set me up to regular posting as a writer, and comparing the quality of my work from when I started to now is staggering. I don¡¯t even have the heart to go back to the beginning and clean it up to match the quality of my current works. Aside from trying to finish the last chapter I was working on, once that¡¯s been posted, I¡¯ll have to officially drop this series so I can move on. As cringeworthy as this story was after looking back on it, I don¡¯t regret posting it, as I wouldn¡¯t have gotten my start as a writer without it, but it is regrettable that I don¡¯t have the heart to give it a satisfying conclusion now.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Xeno King: This is in a similar spot to OP Brawler in terms of writing and progress, but since this is higher in quality than my first story, I don¡¯t think I want to give this up yet. With how painstakingly-slow this is becoming in pacing and how it veered off from my main objective to this series, though, I¡¯m tempted to give this a reboot. I¡¯d like to hear your guys¡¯ thoughts on its current standing after posting everything to where I stopped right now. For the time being, though, this will remain on hiatus.

    Great Sage: This one has been on-and-off for me, mainly because it has become more of a collaborative project with my proofreader/editor, Tnega Terces. Previously, it had gone through rewrites, retcons, and reboots, probably the most out of all I¡¯ve posted publicly so far, and the latest version we¡¯re working on now is certainly far different than what it was before. It has currently become more of a work of guilty pleasure, raunchy to epic proportions, to where the ¡®story¡¯s¡¯ pacing, development, and world-building would only make sense in a cheesy, physics-defying hentai/porno. It¡¯s become more of a story where you can just turn your brain off and just enjoy the smut it brings. Once Terces and I get it cleaned up and organized, I¡¯ll post all that we have so far, but updates will be agonizingly slow if I¡¯m being honest.

    As for the other stories I¡¯ve posted on SubscribeStar (including Bad Paladin, Piggy Hero, Side Character, Black Gardener, and the like), I¡¯ll post all the chapters I have written for those, as well, and then some, including one new story that I¡¯ve put most of my time and effort into writing as of late that has turned into a new main project of mine. I¡¯ll likely put that up on ScribbleHub and my other platforms some time in the future, but do let me know which of the other stories you¡¯d like to see more of, or if you want any of them seen on ScribbleHub, as well.

    In short, all the chapters posted on SubscribeStar will be viewable for free, no tier subscriptions to limit you from what you can see. You¡¯re welcome to change or delete your subscription there, if you¡¯d like, and I¡¯ve even set up a new Ko-Fi account (Will post link in comments) if you only wish to leave a one-time tip. This is just my way of saying thanks for the support you¡¯ve given me despite my absence, and if you can help me during my admittedly stupid yet harsh time, I¡¯ll be forever grateful, but please don¡¯t force yourself if you¡¯re having your own financial difficulties. A word of thanks and moral support can be just as plenty for me to keep moving forward.

    For now, once I put up everything I can this month, I¡¯ll keep writing what I like as I have been and will try to post semi-regularly this year. It¡¯s been mostly as a means of escapism at this point, but seeing how you guys enjoy it helps make the work I¡¯ve put in all worthwhile.

    Thank you very much for taking the time to read this life update, and though things are rough for me right now, I¡¯ll keep trudging forward and writing for you guys, even after things get better. Please wish me luck in surviving this year and beyond, and until next time,

    This is Orange Rain, signing off.

    TL;DR

    Shit has hit my fan repeatedly over the past year and a half and I¡¯m in a very harsh, very dumb time in my life, having lost a lot of money to scammers, but I¡¯m still living, and I thank you all for sticking by me so far. As my way of saying thanks, the chapters from my main projects as well as my other stories will now be viewable on SubscribeStar for free. I¡¯ll post all that I can in the month of February, but after that I¡¯ll try to post chapters once a month, at minimum.

    Things to note about my main projects and their current status:

    OP Brawler: Dropped once all chapters are posted due to lack of motivation to continue.

    Xeno King: Hiatus until I decide whether to continue or give it a reboot, leave your thoughts in the comments about what I should do.

    Great Sage: Still in process of preparing with my proofreader/editor/collaborator, Tnega Terces, but be prepared for a lot of smut compared to the previous versions.

    Other stories in SubscribeStar with their chapters will be put up in due time and will have their statuses be posted when we reach the end of their piles, but I have one I¡¯m consistently working on that has become a new main project that I¡¯ll post in ScribbleHub in the near future. Do let me know if you want my other stories to be posted on ScribbleHub, as well as which of them you want to see more of.

    Once again, all chapters and stories posted on SubscribeStar are now free to view in the public. You are more than welcome to change or delete your monthly subscription there, and I¡¯ve set up a Ko-Fi account (Will post link in comments) if you¡¯d like to make a one-time tip. For how tough things are for me financially, anything helps, but please don¡¯t force yourself if you¡¯re having difficult times, too.

    For now, once I put up everything I can this month, I¡¯ll keep writing what I like as I have been and will try to post semi-regularly starting next year. It¡¯s been mostly as a means of escapism at this point, but seeing how you guys enjoy it helps make the work I¡¯ve put in all worthwhile.

    Thank you very much for taking the time to read this life update, and though things are rough for me right now, I¡¯ll keep trudging forward and writing for you guys, even after things get better. Please wish me luck in surviving this year and beyond, and until next time,

    This is Orange Rain, signing off.

 Chapter 195: A Bloody Reunion, Part 1

    {Ren}

    While the White Werewolf had faith that her dear master, Jinma Kotori, is still alive and watching over Noire and the others who have fallen with him earlier, Ren wanted to regroup with them as possible. She knew she couldn¡¯t rush, however, especially with the enemy who¡¯s waiting for her near the end of Palocaesy Dungeon¡¯s first cell. She had to conserve as much energy as possible for the battle that lay ahead.

    With that in mind, her group went through the dungeon floors in a formation that focused more on mobility than offensive or defensive power. While Ren and Kenaka took the lead as scouts, using their inherent senses of smell to find paths that avoid conflicts with Monsters, Umeiyon and Rizz only used their physical strength to practically bat away those who have caught their presence and assaulted them. Thankfully, they¡¯re able to move and breeze through the floors at a casual jog¡¯s pace¡ªor a fast run on normal human standards¡ªwith the help of their great powers, even when the Monsters became stronger the deeper they went. They didn¡¯t bother stopping to disassemble Monsters for their magic stones and materials as every second spent not on the move will delay their progress, lengthening the time needed to regroup with their party leader and lover. It is possible to use one of the other holes available to fall further down the dungeon, lessening that time needed to regroup, and possibly skip the encounter with Ren¡¯s former tribe and one of the dungeon¡¯s Mid-Bosses. That is an option, but that would mean running away from her brother and the tribe again like she had been before becoming a slave.

    She knew her kind master wouldn¡¯t fault her for avoiding them, even with how much stronger she had become now with his assistance. Even so, she couldn¡¯t risk them chasing after her any further and becoming a bother for her master and the party. She didn¡¯t want to become more of a burden to him than she already has, nor did she want to keep holding the grave secret that she kept from him any longer. That¡¯s why Ren will settle the matter with her tribe once and for all, confess her shameful past to her master, and repay her past actions with her total servitude to him, and then some.

    The group only stopped a few times to take a breather and have some refreshments to replenish their energy. In one of those times, they finally got a call from the group consisting of Tyvera, Kalline, and Erizora.

    "It looks like we''re in another cell down," Tyvera explained, "When we landed, we had a lot of difficulty finding a place to rest and recuperate with the monsters around."

    "''Tis the first time Erizora and I have been in this cell, and ¡­ as much as it pains me to admit, the strength and numbers they exhibited were too much for us," Kalline said, sounding deflated.

    "Tyvera was the one who carried the group with her [Storm Magic] and wide-ranging attacks," Erizora followed, "Without her weakening and slowing them down, neither of us would be able to finish them off with less than a couple strong blows."

    "Because of this, we''re going to stick around on this floor in hiding until you come around," Tyvera said, "Considering the other disciples are waiting to ambush us, it will be too risky to move forward as we are. I''ll fly around and figure out what floor we''re on a little later."

    "Understood. Have you contacted Jin yet?" Umeiyon asked, holding the Messaging Crystal for the whole group.

    "We tried, but haven''t gotten an answer yet," Tyvera answered, concern prevalent in her voice, "Either Chief and his group are occupied fighting off Monsters while finding a safe spot, as well, or ¡­ I don''t want to bring up the worst-case scenario, but I imagine something happened to them where they''re unable to pick up."

    The bleakness made Ren tense, but she tried not letting it get to her, especially since her master''s wife is trying to keep herself collected, as well. Master is alive, Master is alive, Master is alive ¡­ she repeated in her mind like a mantra.

    "Alright, just hang tight and we''ll get there as soon as we can," Umeiyon said, "We have a few obstacles to overcome, ourselves, but I''m sure we''ll manage. We''ll let you know when we reach the next cell, but see if you can try to reach Jin again within a couple hours, and have the location of your floor be determined by then."

    "Yes, Chieftess. Tyvera, out."

    Putting that exchange aside, hours have passed since Ren and her group have gone down the dungeon after the party''s separation.

    Finally, they have reached the room before the end of the dungeon''s first cell ¡­ and the tribe Ren have separated from a long time ago were there, waiting for her, with many aiming all their hostility towards the lone White Werewolf the moment she was spotted. The one leading the tribe was especially bloodthirsty, but his complexion remains calm.

    "Ren ¡­ we finally meet again after all this time."

    "Brother ¡­" the two White Werewolves from opposing sides greeted.

    Ren''s older brother, Lyles, was more the typical Werewolf a person from Earth would see in horror movies. A wolf with an anthropomorphic form covered in majestic white fur, only wearing worn-out trousers in terms of clothes. Dual-wielding swords were strapped to his back, and a small pouch holstered to his side. Despite the fur, his musculature was still defined, it looked like he had been eating well enough, as did the others in the tribe. The women who were currently expecting and the younger Werewolves looked like they were especially healthy. That alone made his sister slightly relieved, despite the antagonism aimed at her. One person that surprised Ren, however, was Kala, who she fondly remembers as her close friend back in the tribe, and close enough to Lyles that she was expecting to be her in-law. Not only did she not seem hostile towards Ren, but she wasn''t pregnant, nor did she have any children with her.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Strange, with how much time passed, even with how bad things were with the tribe in the past, I would think some development would have happened between them in my absence. Have they not become mates?

    "It''s one thing that you deserted us, running with the tail between your legs, but then you come back here with that collar!" Lyles snarled, "And to add insult to injury, you reek of a human! To be claimed however many times by someone so weak and pathetic, do you have anything to say for yourself?!"

    "I feel pretty good, honestly," Ren said before resting a hand on her abdomen with a warm smile, "Despite having so many lovers in his hands, including an amazing wife, my strong, incredible master still manages to pour so much of his love into this modest Werewolf. I''m very happy with the life I''m living right now. I hope I get to bear many of his children."

    "Oh my," Rizz said in amazement from the background.

    From Ren''s outrageous statement, the tribe''s antagonism towards her grew by leaps and bounds. Kala was incredibly shocked, but was more conflicted with the news than repulsed. Lyles was especially struck with hate and disgust for the one who came from the same flesh and blood as himself.

    "One of the reasons I''ve come to meet you today was to tell you that much, Brother," Ren continued, her face and voice now grew somber, "I know what I brought to the tribe so long ago was tragic, and I ran away during a time you needed me most. I can''t apologize enough to you and the remainder of the tribe. However, my stance in the path you led the tribe in as its chief still stands after all this time. To join with Chaos Barrage who has the aim of dominating all the kin in Padimon, even if it''s to take revenge, I cannot condone such actions. There are innocent Humans who don''t deserve our vengeance like those bandits. Mother and Father wouldn''t¡ª"

    "DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE DEAD LIKE YOU KNOW THEM!" Lyles yelled, drawing one of his dual-wielding swords and pointed it at his sister, "You, especially, have no right to speak for our parents, SINCE THEIR BLOOD ARE ON YOUR HANDS!"

    "Umeiyon, I''m at a loss. What''s going on between Ren and her tribe?" Rizz asked, "I thought the Werewolves, white, black, and gray, were very closely-linked tribes?"

    "... When her tribe was going through hard times, Ren found a bandit hideout one day and snuck out with their loot, hoping to afford some food," Umeiyon explained, "However, the bandits she stole from seem to be from the stronger end of the crime world here, and not only did they track her back to her tribe, they launched an all-out attack. Ren and her brother''s father, the previous chief of the tribe, and their mothers were among those that stayed behind to fend off the bandits while the rest escaped. Basically, they all blamed Ren for leading the bandits to them and taking the lives of their loved ones."

    That was the secret Ren had kept from Jinma all this time, of which she confided in Umeiyon as they waited for him back in the Immortals¡¯ Realm. Erizora learned of the circumstances after Ren ran away and became enslaved under the Todoka family''s ownership, but she promised to keep quiet if there''s ever the chance the two of them will be redeemed together. It wasn''t just how Jinma will think poorly of her after learning it that frightened her, but that her past would come back to haunt her, or that she''ll make some mistake that would bring her new family to the same demise as her tribe.

    "As if her running away from her crime wasn''t bad enough, she went and got enslaved by the Humans! The same bastard race who took away our friends and families!" Lyles yelled, "And now she comes up and tells us to spare these pathetic Humans?! You are not only a disgrace as a warrior and a female, you are a traitor to all Werewolves!

    "Admittedly, I was playing with the idea of whether to give you one last chance to redeem yourself by joining back up with us. You would put your rare [Duplicate] Null Spell to use for the tribe, and have you be put as a Denalda to bring our population back up, but your actions caused enough grief for our parents in the afterlife to let you live no longer!"

    "Oof, I''d hate that life, especially as a Denalda," Rizz said.

    Denalda is the term used for Werebeast females whose sole purpose is to pleasure all the males of a tribe and produce offspring, basically your town whore and baby factory put into one. It was named after a former concubine of one of the previous Demon Kings who was a Werebeast after she was caught having relations with another male. As punishment, not only was she relieved of her position as his concubine, but a special prison was set up for her to live in, receive the males from her tribe, and give birth for the rest of her life. Her offspring would be branded a discriminating mark from birth, with the females being subjected to the same fate as her mother, while the males would be immediately put through harsh training to serve as the tribe''s warriors while being ridiculed as a bastard child when he comes of age.

    "If a female wants to dirty her commitment with her mate for another male, then she shall serve all the males in the tribe with her body. Her offspring will not be much different from their mother, anyway." That was the line of logic the Demon King had at the time of enacting that punishment, which he, himself, labeled as ''a great honor for her people'' in a sarcastic remark. Since then, Denalda has made an example to all Werebeast females in the tribes who would even think of making the same mistake.

    The punishment had mellowed out over the years to where it only extended to the offspring up to two generations from the original Denalda, making as many as her body can endure, with her daughters and granddaughters expected to have two and one offspring, respectively. Her branded family were also free to roam only as far as their tribe''s property borders, forbidden to leave, save for the male offspring who were escorted while they''re on the hunt or working outside. The Denalda would also only get one month of a break after each birth before she services males again for the next one, making a quota of servicing eight males per day, while she tries to look after the children by herself. When she goes into heat, she''s expected to serve as many as she could until it passes over, since the state gives her body more energy for mating than usual.

    "As chief of the White Werewolf tribe, I will send you to your fallen brethren, myself, so you may despair under their grief in the afterlife!" Lyles declared, "I will then follow Lord Rowling''s orders and take out your companions, as well! If you have anything to say for yourself, speak now, and forever hold your peace!"

    "... Am I really allowed to speak, Brother? No interruptions?" Ren asked.

    "While you''re a disgrace of a warrior, it is only right for me as a proper one to give you that much respect before your demise," Lyles said.

    "... Very well, then I will keep this brief," Ren said before drawing one of her dual-wielding blades and copied her brother''s pose, "People of the White Werewolf Tribe, my name is Ren! Daughter of the previous chief, Gargan, his concubine, Vila, and the proud Pet of the Human, Jinma Kotori!

    "Lyles, Chief of the White Werewolves! I challenge you to a Shanakan!"

 Chapter 196: A Bloody Reunion, Part 2

    {Ren}

    Shanakans are perhaps the foundation to how a Demon can claim the throne as its next Demon King, at least within Padimon''s history. Previously, like royalty, the title of chief within the Werebeast tribes was passed down by birthright, mainly to the first-born son. If there are at least two sons within the current chief''s family, then those from the second-born and beyond can challenge the firstborn to a duel for that spot. That tradition still holds true in current times, and it probably would have stayed like that by itself if it weren''t for one Werebeast that didn''t throw it all out of proportion.

    That Werebeast was Shanakan, who was said to train his body day and night since childhood, and didn''t agree with how the current chief of his time ran his tribe. And so, in a bold display, when the chief''s three sons were pitted against each other for the seat, Shanakan jumped in and challenged all three of them. Despite the odds against him, he came out victorious and held up the heads of the sons while in a mess of their blood to their fear-struck father. "Hand your seat over to me now, or join your sons!" he demanded loud enough for all in the tribe to hear, already impressed with him obtaining a three-on-one victory.

    Shanakan''s usurp for the chief''s seat changed the course of history, as well as the tradition for acquiring roles of leadership. It was enough that this turning point of a duel was named after the one who introduced it to the country. Since then, while the title of chief can still be passed on to their offspring, those outside of that family who meet certain requirements were also eligible to duel for that position. To take on the seat as the Demon King was considered the ''Shanakan that tops all others'', proving they are the strongest amongst all Demons in the country. This very duel, which pits the challenger''s own life against everything the current tribe stands for, is what the young White Werewolf, Ren, proposed to her older brother, Lyles.

    "You, a laughing stock to Werewolves everywhere, a ''pet'' to a foul Human, dares challenge me for the position as chief?!" Lyles balked while the others in the tribe were in a stir.

    "Since my life is already on the line, I might as well go all in," Ren said, her blade still pointing at her older sibling, "And your alliance with Chaos Barrage goes against my master''s plans, let alone getting him involved. If becoming chieftess ensures his safety, as well as the tribe''s, means I must take your head, Brother, then so it shall be."

    "DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHAT IT MEANS IF YOU DO BECOME CHIEFTESS?! YOU, A SLAVE TO A HUMAN?! YOU''LL PUT THE TRIBE''S ENTIRE LIVELIHOOD UNDER HIS THUMB!" Lyles yelled, "What can you possibly hope to achieve as chieftess?!"

    "Stop the tribe from running to their deaths, for one," Ren said calmly, "Whatever Rowling promised you from working with him, it isn''t worth it. He doesn''t care what happens to you. My master knows better people than him, those who are in good ties with Her Highness!"

    "Her ''Highness'' has done nothing for us! And her father was no better!"

    Yeah, and after what Sue did, I still don''t like her much, either. Why did I even bother bringing that up? Ren thought to herself, "Well Master is also strong! Stronger than you, and he''s accomplished so much in a short time! If Her Highness can''t get you what you want, he certainly can! He can go above and beyond whatever Rowling promised you!"

    "You think that one Human, an adventurer with an unknown past, can exceed what Lord Rowling, a Demon Noble, can provide?!¡± Lyles exclaimed.

    ¡°Of course! Why else would he have you and nearly all of the other disciples have you try to take us out in such a carefully intricate plan?!¡± Ren exclaimed, ¡°If my master was just any other Human, Rowling would take him out, himself, or hire a capable assassin to do the job, at least, but my master isn¡¯t weak like that! Her Highness, let alone Lady Noire, would not have invested such interest in my master if he was an average Human, either!¡±

    ¡°The Demon King has an interest in this ¡­ Jinma Kotori, was his name?¡± Kala asked in confusion.

    ¡°This is the first I¡¯m hearing this as well,¡± Rizz added in surprise, ¡°I figured he was something to be assigned an escort quest to a noble, but even the Demon King acknowledges his strength?¡±

    Ren found out too late that she said too much. She forgot that the Confession and Control settings in the slave magic on her was set to ¡®0¡¯, meaning she has free will to act and speak as she pleases. As happy as she was to know that Jinma invests that much trust in her, she wished he¡¯d take at least some precaution and leave the Control set to ¡®1¡¯ while ordering her to keep that kind of thing unspoken. Despite it being set that low, they wouldn¡¯t get the truth out of her even if she was tortured, otherwise.

    ¡°Ren, while I cherish you as a friend, you know that I¡¯ll need to tell Jin of your slip-up as his wife, yes?¡± Umeiyon asked, a chill ran down the Werewolf¡¯s spine from feeling the Dragoness¡¯ sharp gaze on her, ¡°Whatever you have planned in becoming the tribe¡¯s chieftess, I pray it will be enough to make up for your blunder.¡±

    I can¡¯t lose this duel more than ever now! Ren screamed in her mind, fearing more of the punishment that awaited her than her life on the line in the duel.

    ¡°A-Anyway, we¡¯re in a hurry to regroup with Master after being separated, so will you accept my declaration for a Shanakan?! Or is your pride as a warrior so low to not accept that challenge?!¡± Ren exclaimed, her attempt to provoke her brother sounding too desperate to not go unnoticed.

    ¡°I can practically smell the fear from you all the way here,¡± Lyles said before sighing, ¡°Knowing how scared you can be of confrontation in the past, it¡¯s a miracle you can stand like that in front of me now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the same cowardly pup you know before, but if you were in my shoes, you, too, would fear for your life when put in my master¡¯s hands,¡± Ren argued.

    ¡°Aye, if you¡¯ve witnessed Milord¡¯s power when he formed a contract with me, I imagine you would also fall into the ¡®regressed¡¯ ailment like your sister had just from being near it,¡± Kenaka commented, ¡°That was when she became his ¡®pet¡¯ in both the figurative and literal terms with the title she earned.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I was envious of how she enjoyed getting ¡®tummy rubs¡¯ from my husband, but now I look back at it fondly as an adorable moment,¡± Umeiyon added.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°For the love of the Immortals, please don¡¯t remind me of that in front of my brother!¡± Ren screamed on the brink of tears.

    "Wait ¡­" Lyles trailed off as he was starting to lose more color than usual, despite being one of the White Werewolf Tribe, "So, when you referred to yourself as this Human''s ''pet'' ¡­"

    "That''s right, I was granted the title of ''Trained (Sex) Pet'' after Master unintentionally brought me into the regressed ailment," Ren confessed, "He was quite apologetic when I came back to my senses, but I knew how kind he was, and not much had changed between us since then ¡­ well, aside from how good it feels receiving his praises, of course, both vocally and physically, especially the latter."

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Ren this happy before,¡± Kala remarked with widened eyes, eyeing Ren¡¯s tail that was wagging faster and harder the more she recalled.

    ¡°That good, huh?¡± Rizz asked before looking to the side, as if seriously pondering over something.

    "It can''t be ¡­" Lyles trailed off as he stared at his little sister in horror.

    "Hmm? What''s this? Could it be that you''re familiar with these strange circumstances?" Umeiyon asked, "It was quite a shock for all of us, even me with my wide expansive knowledge. If this isn''t the first time such a thing has happened¡ª"

    "Shut it!" Lyles yelled before pointing his blade at his sister, "Fine, I accept the duel for the Shanakan, and I''ll make sure you and everyone in your party will be wiped out from existence!"

    ¡°Lyles? You seem to be on edge more than usual. Is something a matter?¡± Kala asked with folded wolf ears.

    ¡°Nothing is wrong! I¡¯m just going to make sure my disgrace of a sister doesn¡¯t stain our tribe¡¯s history more than she already has!¡± Lyles exclaimed.

    Interesting, he seems to know more than he lets on. I''d love to pry more into how Ren acquiring the Trained (Sex) Pet title can put him in such a stir, Umeiyon thought.

    "... It pains me that you wish to get rid of me that much, Brother," Ren said as she held her upper arm, "Please understand that despite everything, you and the tribe are still precious to me, and I''ve always held great respect for you. Even so, I won''t back down from what I believe in, and I''ll never run away again. Are you sure you want to go through with the Shanakan and not talk things out?"

    "... The only ''talk'' from now on will be through our blades," he said.

    "... Very well, but know that you''ve made me do this. Equip! Ninja set!"

    At Ren''s command, an armlet she had on where she was holding over her sleeve glowed before a bright flash enveloped her. In an instant, her outfit as a Thief was replaced with that of the Ninja, her current class. It wasn¡¯t the change of class that the Werewolf tribe, Kenaka, and Rizz that they were surprised about, it was the design of her new attire that left them speechless.

    It has been said that one of the deadliest weapons a female ninja, a kunoichi, could ever possess is her art of seduction. If there was an outfit that would best represent that notion, Ren might have been wearing a piece of it, if not the lack-thereof. Her top only consisted of a fishnet crop top, not even trying to hide the skimpy night blue bra underneath, while leaving her pale, soft belly exposed like before, ready to be rubbed by her beloved master at any time he wished. For her bottoms, in place of the booty shorts she¡¯s had on up to now is a black skirt that¡¯s designed to look more like a loincloth. It was similar to what Umeiyon has with her cheongsam, only having two thin strips of cloth that covered her crotch and asscrack, barely even reaching down to her mid-thighs. The sides of her legs and buttcheeks were left totally visible to any viewer, as well as the strings to her thong that matches the bra in color. A blue sash was tied around to have a large bow made at one of her sides, with sheaths for her dual-wielding daggers holstered at the lower back, sitting right above the base of her white wolf tail. Finally, with her Great Servant¡¯s Collar proudly adorned around Ren¡¯s neck in a matching night blue, the Silver Armory Armlet was fully revealed on her left arm, while her right thigh had a strap carrying a throwing knife and a few pouches with something inside them. It was the most exposing kunoichi outfit anyone had ever seen.

    If they were to call Ren an exhibitionist, they wouldn¡¯t be wrong to think such thoughts. She didn¡¯t dress like this purely out of her own preference, however. Though it was common for Werebeasts to wear minimal clothing for the sake of moving freely in battle, this level of exposure was really leaning on the dangerous side by even their standards. As the design was made to not only match Umeiyon¡¯s in color, signifying their deep friendship and bond as lovers in Jinma¡¯s harem, it was arranged to have ¡®ease of access¡¯ to her body for her cherished master, and only him at any time. Should anyone even dare graze the petite White Werewolf, she will make sure they would be brought to a swift end, as no one but her packmates and her master were allowed to touch her. In some sense, one could perceive this as a kunoichi¡¯s ultimate sign of loyalty to her master.

    Ren, of course, showed Jinma and Umeiyon this setup the first time as they were going over her new Ninja gear and skills while they were still in Obina¡¯s room in the Ethereal Realm. After explaining her reasonings for the design choice, even taking into the consideration of the bonuses from the ludicrous gear and her titles granted when she got promoted to the Ninja class, Jinma had some mixed feelings over this at first. When Ren made a full demonstration of her ¡®ease of access¡¯ design, however, making sure her master was intimately involved, his rationality crumbled.

    ¡°Well ¡­ since you¡¯ve gained a portion of my EXP from putting on the collar, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult for you to handle most of the small fry dumb enough to approach you now,¡± Jinma had said back then, ¡°At least destroy their bodies, spirits, and wallets first while leaving them alive to serve as a warning, but if they really pose a threat, just ¡­ make sure you hide the bodies well enough for no one to see. Oh, and keep your Thief set on until the situation calls for a wardrobe change when we get into the dungeon. Also, unless we¡¯re in assigned battle formations or you¡¯re off on your own, you stay close to me where I can reach you, nearly at all times.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see my choice of clothes has spurned you enough to take full advantage of it as a male, Master,¡± Ren said, ¡°By all means, feel me or pet me anywhere, any time, any place, these clothes will allow ¡®ease of access¡¯ to you and you only.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that¡¯s part of the reason why, the main reason though is so no one would have any funny ideas approaching you once they see who you belong to,¡± Jinma said.

    ¡°... Y-Yes, most certainly, that will always be the case, of course,¡± Ren replied while her face reddened and wolf tail wagged excitedly.

    That was Jinma¡¯s conclusion to Ren¡¯s decision of her new Ninja set. Though it wasn¡¯t that long ago, the White Werewolf looked back at it fondly, especially the part about her belonging to him, and more so when he felt her exposed bum while saying so to bring the point home.

    Her brother along with the majority of her former tribe, on the other hand, had mixed receptions of their traitor''s new look. Kala was the only one among them who had curious interest in Ren''s design choice.

    "Take a good long look at this new White Werewolf, because that''s all you''re allowed to do, for this proud Ninja''s body is only for her master to use as he pleases," Ren declares as she shifts into a fighting stance, her dual-wielding daggers at the ready, "I belong to Master Jinma Kotori, alone. Anyone who even dares brushes against this skin will be met with a swift end."

    Lyles'' anger peaked over how low one of his own blood had become. "I''LL ERASE YOUR DISGRACEFUL SELF FROM HISTORY!" he yelled before rushing in.

    With the brother and sister born from the previous chief as the main participants, the duel that decided the White Werewolf Tribe''s fate began with the first clash of blades that rang through the floor.

 Chapter 197: A Bloody Reunion, Part 3

    {Ren}

    To accurately see what was going on between the two White Werewolf siblings, one would need to be around the same level as the participants. The flashes and clangs of when the blades clash could only be made out in blurred streaks by the majority watching. Even Kala, Lyles¡¯ supposed mate yet known to be the strongest alpha female of the tribe, had to strain her eyes to keep up with the action. To Umeiyon¡¯s, Kenaka¡¯s, and even Rizz¡¯s eyes, however, they can see that Lyles was going on the offensive. He has the advantage of power, reach, and even size with his dual-wielding swords while his speed wasn¡¯t giving Ren any time and room to find an opening as she blocks and parries every one of his strikes with her dual-wielding daggers. On the surface level, it would look like the young White Werewolf girl was being pushed back, that she was at a clear disadvantage against her older brother.

    ¡°Ha ha ha! I must say I¡¯m impressed, Ren! You have not gotten weaker since you left, that¡¯s for sure, or we would have been long done by now!¡± Lyles exclaimed as he continued striking, not letting up for a second, ¡°It will make killing you so much less regretful, and I can really ¡­¡±

    As Lyles trailed off, he felt something was off, like something was wrong. His warrior instincts somehow couldn¡¯t pick up what it was, until he looked closely into his little sister''s eyes.

    While it looked like Lyles had the advantage, Ren¡¯s face, however, didn¡¯t show any sign of anxiety or pressure of fear from losing. If anything, she was still holding the same face she usually has while going about her day. Admittedly, she was a tad surprised, at first, but as the exchange went on, she quickly became more placid, bored, even.

    ¡°Does that mean this is a warm-up, Brother?¡±

    Ren¡¯s nonchalant question shook Lyles enough to make him jump back, keeping distance between them. Something uneasy was stirring within him as he locked eyes with her, something he hadn¡¯t felt for quite some time, yet couldn¡¯t put a finger on what that feeling was. Whatever that feeling was, though, it greatly agitated him, more so with how his little sister was looking back with such a bored expression.

    ¡°How¡¯s this for a ¡®warm-up¡¯?! [Cross Slash]!¡± Lyles yelled before swinging both his swords, unleashing razor-sharp arcs of mana formed in an X-shape that was fast approaching Ren.

    ¡°[Cross Slash],¡± Ren chanted calmly before copying her brother¡¯s Active Skill with her dual-wielding daggers. Because of the difference in blade lengths, Ren¡¯s X-shaped arcs were shorter and smaller in size compared to Lyles¡¯. Despite that, not only was Ren¡¯s [Cross Slash] faster, there was something about it that made the attack more powerful than it appeared, and that was only distinguishable when the two Active Skills clashed.

    "Impossible! A [Cross Slash] that puny on par with mine?! No, it''s overpowering mine?!" Lyles exclaimed as he watched the two attacks pushing against each other, only for Ren''s to win by destroying his attack and continuing its assault towards him with reduced speed, but still fast enough to be difficult to dodge for most. Lyles was able to avoid it, however ¡­

    "You''re open," Ren said calmly as she appeared in her brother''s periphery as if coming out of thin air.

    "FUCK!" Lyles cursed as he blocked Ren''s incoming attack, followed by her own ongoing assault at speeds even he was having a hard time keeping up with. It was now the brother who was being on the defensive this time.

    "No way, the chief is being pushed back?" one of the White Werewolf tribesmen asked from the peanut gallery before others started to mutter amongst each other.

    "The heck is going on? She was never this fast with ease on our way down here?" Rizz asked.

    "Believe it or not, but it was thanks to her wardrobe change that Ren is able to move this fast," Umeiyon said.

    "Does that daring outfit have some stat-boosting properties?" Rizz asked.

    "That''s part of it, but it''s really thanks to her new titles from promoting into a Ninja having a synergy to her outfit that''s making such a difference," Umeiyon answered.

    ~~

    Upon Ren''s class promotion, along with Kotori Family Subordinate, there was one other title that she had earned: Devoted Kunoichi. Devoted Kunoichi is granted when a female Ninja has proven without a shadow of a doubt that she''ll devote her very life to serving and protecting her chosen lord, much like how the ninjas back in medieval Japan do for theirs. Wearing the Great Servant''s Collar couldn''t make Ren''s devotion to Jinma any clearer. The title will not only grant her a boost in her stats, but how much is boosted depends on the exposure of her body, thus Ren''s choice in dangerously promiscuous attire. Apparently, she''ll get the maximum boost to her stats if she fights totally naked. When Jinma learned of this, he asked Obina why such a title, the conditions to earning it, and its effects were created.

    "Think about it: you''re in your bedroom, your Ninja lover undresses herself, ready to show her loyalty, love, and respect for her lord and master, when suddenly, *snap*, an intruder barges in to try to take her master¡¯s life. That idiot not only interrupted a seriously precious moment, but they totally killed the mood, and has seen his lover in an appearance that no one but him is allowed to view. Would you blame her if she got totally pissed enough to want to just kill that assassin right then and there, as fast as possible, so she and her master can get back to more important matters? Sure, any woman would likely feel the same, but a kunoichi is as much of an assassin, if not more, than the other guy. Silencing targets is their specialty, more so if they drew the men in with their bodies first, making sure that will be the last woman¡¯s form they¡¯ll ever see. To off them in a near instant, without question, regardless of who or what that attacker is without hesitation, all to keep her beloved master safe, don¡¯t you think ¡®Devoted Kunoichi¡¯ is a fitting enough title for a woman like that?¡±

    ¡°Amazing ¡­ and I would do such a thing in that situation, too,¡± Ren said with full confidence, even excited at the prospect with the way her tail wagged erratically at the time. Whether such a thing would be considered ¡®romantic¡¯ is subjective.

    ~~

    Regardless, if one were to evaluate the boost to the little White Werewolf¡¯s stats in proportion to the level of exposure her current kunoichi attire exudes, they would have risen by approximately 90 percent. On top of all that, the EXP and levels she gained from putting on the Great Servant¡¯s Collar are only half of what her master had earned during his surprisingly short time in Raiza so far.

    To put Ren''s current powers into comparison, in terms of adventurers, she''d be within the top ten black-ranked adventures in Padimon, at the least, and bronze rank at most.

    "With a title like Devoted Kunoichi, one could say Ren''s current and arguably greatest power would come from the loyalty to her master," Umeiyon summarized before shrugging, ¡°Much less love, of course.¡±

    "It can''t be," Lyles said in disbelief as he continued holding back Ren''s onslaught, overhearing Umeiyon''s explanation in the background, "Ren''s servitude to that human, as his pet, granted her this much power in such a short time?!"

    "It''s important to be wary of your surroundings, but you shouldn''t drop your attention on the enemy in front of you," Ren said calmly as she pressed against one of Lyles'' swords with both her daggers, "Isn''t that what you told me, Brother?"

    ¡°Shut it, you traitor!¡± Lyles exclaimed before using his vacant sword to make a downward slash. The blade sliced right through the wolf kunoichi¡¯s form, splitting her in half.

    It seemed like the winner of this Shanakan was decided ¡­ until Ren¡¯s split body darkened into pitch black before dissipating.

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Lyles exclaimed.

    ¡°[Shadow Ninja Art: Shadow Substitution]. What do you think of my [Shadow Magic] derived technique from my new [Ninja Arts] skill, Brother?¡±

    Ren¡¯s question heard from the side, just outside of the peripheral, caught Lyles completely off guard as he evaded her dagger slash by a hair and put some distance between them.

    ¡°Since when did you learn [Shadow Magic]?! You¡¯ve only had [Terra Magic] up to now, haven¡¯t you?!¡± Lyles asked incredulously.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Looks like Ren¡¯s not up for playing around anymore if she¡¯s starting to use that now,¡± Umeiyon said from the sidelines.

    One of the skills a Ninja can learn, [Ninja Arts], allows the user to make use of the magic skills they have to be put into a new line of techniques they can learn and train to use. In Ren¡¯s case, she has used the [Shadow Magic] that she just learned upon earning the Ninja class to make into [Shadow Ninja Arts]. Of course, to learn these techniques requires SP and it would usually take much time to train them to raise their proficiency levels. Not only has Ren gained many SP after putting on the Great Servant¡¯s Collar, but thanks to her association to her master, she can also put her SP into raising the proficiency levels of her skills, spells, as well as [Ninja Arts], becoming a master of her craft near instantaneously.

    ¡°Even if this isn¡¯t your best, Brother, I don¡¯t see any point in prolonging this duel any further, not when I have my own priorities that needs attending to as soon as possible,¡± Ren said before going into a fighting pose, ¡°It¡¯s about time I put an end to this.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit! Possessing that magic does not make you any better of a warrior! No, it makes you less than one to rely on magic to achieve victory, let alone those items and your so-called ¡®loyalty¡¯ to that human that grants you power! You¡¯ll never be a better warrior than¡ª!¡± Lyles yelled before he was cut off short, ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re talking being a warrior of strength and honor, then yes, you may be right on that, at least in the past; however, what you¡¯ve proved without a shadow of a doubt up to now is who the better leader is,¡± Ren said, ¡°Though you are my brother, I can never follow you as a leader who allies with a group that singles out and overpower the weak with malicious intent. That is not what makes one strong. I¡¯ll prove to you that not only is my master, Jinma Kotori, the better leader, but he will help guide our tribe to a better life, one that we can be proud of, while lasting for generations to come, despite how dire it is right now.¡±

    At that moment, Lyles fell forward before its head that was frozen in confusion rolled and toppled from its shoulder, revealing a clean cut of where its head neck should be aligned. Blood quickly started to pool between the decapitated head and its body. Standing above it from behind was another Ren, standing atop of a footstool of her own [Shadow Magic] with fresh blood on her blades after finishing a swing. The Ren that was standing a few feet away from Lyles¡¯ body turned black and dissipated into thin air, another work of [Shadow Ninja Art: Shadow Substitution]. In an instant, a clear winner of the Shanakan has been decided.

    After wiping the blood off her blades and sheathing them, the real Ren approached Lyles¡¯ head and picked it up, not minding the mess. She then closed the head¡¯s eyes, placed a kiss on its forehead, then rested it against her own.

    ¡°Though you¡¯re not a good leader, I know you¡¯ve done all you could to keep the tribe together up to now,¡± Ren said with care and affection in her tone, ¡°Rest well, Brother. We will reunite and start anew soon.¡±

    The cavern fell into deafening silence. The remaining White Werewolf tribesmen couldn¡¯t speak a word of what transpired. How could they speak anything out of opposition, as they saw right before their eyes the truth of what happened? What was striking of all was that Kala didn¡¯t even shed a tear of grief or sorrow.

    After giving a moment of silence and respect to her departed brother, Ren took his head and aligned it with his body to where it looked like he was lying on the ground, sleeping. She then hardened her resolve and stood before the tribe.

    ¡°People of the White Werewolf Tribe! My name is Ren, and I stand before you as the winner of the Shanakan, making me your new chieftess!¡± she announced, ¡°While I understand there are ceremonial procedures to officialize me as chieftess, we will put that off for later! For now, my first decree is that I hereby cut off all our ties to Chaos Barrage and Lord Rowling, and that we align ourselves to support my master, Jinma Kotori! If there are any of you who are against this, you will make yourself an enemy of the tribe under my rule, and I will personally bring you a quick, merciful death just as your former leader has received! Right here and now! If you have the resolve to oppose me, step forward!¡±

    After witnessing Ren¡¯s overwhelming power, there were none who dared oppose her, but they were not totally willing to be loyal with her, either. She¡¯s aware of this much, but at the very least, they were smart enough to not risk their lives so haphazardly to demonstrate their loyalty to Lyles.

    ¡°... Very well! Now, I want all the females who are of age and have not yet mated to step forward!¡± Ren commanded, ¡°And do not lie about your chastity! I will know!¡±

    While werebeasts know whether a female was mated by scent, there are ways to hide their ¡®history¡¯, to put it lightly. Despite the efforts, though, a werebeast with a good nose would know whether a female was hiding something, making their shame all the clearer. Everyone in the tribe there knew well enough from Ren¡¯s scent that she mated with a Human, of course, repeatedly at that, and she wore that scent as proudly as the new skimpy ninja attire she¡¯s wearing to please him.

    At the new chieftess¡¯ command, nearly all the female white werewolves who weren¡¯t pregnant followed through. What surprised Ren was that Kala, Lyles¡¯ supposed mate, was among them. Out of disbelief, she pulled that specific werewolf out of the lineup and sniffed her personally, thoroughly, in front of everyone there. Tried as she might, though, Ren couldn¡¯t pick up a single hint of Kala hiding something. She had to pull her aside and talk privately to get to the bottom of things.

    ¡°Seriously, Kala?! Nothing happened between you and Brother after I left?!¡± Ren exclaimed in whispers.

    Kala smiled wryly, ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s true. I really did love your brother, and I tried all I could to give advice to better the tribe¡¯s future. I¡¯ve even ¡­ as shameful as it is to admit, tried seducing him out of aligning with Chaos Barrage and Lord Rowling, yet I couldn¡¯t get through to him.¡±

    ¡°Kala ¡­ you¡¯re the smartest and most beautiful female in the tribe, and ¡­ while it¡¯s painful for myself to admit, you¡¯d look far better standing by Master¡¯s side than I would, but even with your looks and efforts?¡± Ren asked in disbelief.

    Kala shook her head solemnly, ¡°It seems his sight had grown narrow since he became chieftain. A number of us have tried convincing him to change his mind with the alliance, but some of us got hurt in opposing his decisions to where we stopped fighting it altogether ¡­ myself included. I think my feelings for him have changed by that point.¡±

    Ren could only glance at Lyles¡¯ dead body with pity, Oh, Brother ¡­

    Much to Ren¡¯s surprise, Kala crouched down and gave her a hug, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so relieved to see you turned out okay after all this time, and I dare say you¡¯ve become far more beautiful, glowing, even, than I ever could. It makes me curious to see how good this Jinma Kotori is to make you like this.¡±

    Ren pried Kala off of her, ¡°I know I said you¡¯d look better, but I¡¯m not giving up my spot as Master¡¯s pet to you. I¡¯ll give you this heads up now with our history, but I¡¯d like to appoint you as one of Master¡¯s new concubines from the tribe, and I¡¯ll make you the leader among them, too.¡±

    ¡°So in your eyes, a pet stands above a concubine, does it?¡± Kala asked with a raised, teasing brow.

    ¡°I¡¯d drop any hopes you have of becoming Master¡¯s wife,¡± Ren said, ¡°Lady Mei is Master¡¯s wife, and she¡¯s a Magic Dragon. Lady Noire may be in the running to be his second, and aside from being a vampire, she¡¯s got both power and status. I have no chance of standing equal to two such powerful beauties, but at least with me being Master¡¯s pet, there are certain perks that I would never dare give up. At least that¡¯s how I see things, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ and what if I become a pet with you?¡± Kala asked.

    ¡°... I probably wouldn¡¯t mind that, but I¡¯d still be above you as your senior. There are very complex things we¡¯d have to work out in perks and treatment if Master accepts you, but he¡¯s as kind as he is strong, so there may be hope for you yet. I¡¯d still expect you to look after the concubines from the tribe as my second-in-command, however.¡± Though Ren said that while sporting an authoritative pose, her tail wagging excitedly revealed how happy she would be to have a fellow pet join the group. It was especially so if it was Kala, who she saw as a sister while growing up.

    ¡°Then, would you mind putting in a good word to your master for me when we meet?¡± Kala asked while putting her hands together pleadingly, ¡°I¡¯ll prove my potential to him from there, and I swear I¡¯ll keep the other concubines you pick out for him in line. I can also hold myself well enough in a fight, as well, so you don¡¯t need to worry about protecting me, either. May I ask this of you as your first loyal follower in your new tribe?¡±

    ¡°... Very well, we¡¯ll talk to him together about you becoming his second pet, but only on the condition that when you do decide to give yourself fully to him, I¡¯ll be there to guide you,¡± Ren said, ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re still chaste, it will be very difficult to accept him for your first time. He¡¯s much bigger than you think, so much so that it tore up Lady Mei¡¯s insides once before he had to cast healing magic on her. I will also warn you that by that point, you may never feel anything for my brother again. Before even becoming a pet, are you sure you want to give yourself to my master as one of his lovers?¡±

    ¡°... The Lyles I knew and loved died long before his body followed, and I care for the tribe¡¯s well being as much as both of you,¡± Kala said, ¡°If being his pet assures the tribe¡¯s legacy, then I don¡¯t care how many times Jinma Kotori tears into me, I¡¯ll welcome the challenge. I¡¯m also happy enough that we can be together as sisters again.¡±

    Ren gave a smile, ¡°Yes, I would like that very much ¡­ ah, but this time I¡¯ll be the big sister who leads the way.¡±

    Kala giggled, ¡°By your will, Chieftess.¡±

 Afterword

    First, to those who have been with me since the very beginning of this journey, I thank you for your time, patience, and support up to now. Even when I was very inexperienced at the start, having enough people taking interest in it convinced me enough to keep it going for some time now. At the time, while I was continuing to come up with new ideas to the plot, I already had some vague, short plan, a roadmap if you will, on how it would go and how it would even end. I just had no idea how many twists, turns, and even changing perspectives it would take in between stops, and before I knew it, I had no idea how much closer we were to the end, and at some point, I had grown tired of it.

    Having almost 200 chapters of this story now, you wouldn¡¯t believe that A Cheap, OP Brawler had a completely different cast, characters, and direction previously, having done many chapters of that, before I had rewritten it, more than once, until I finally took the courage to post it publicly online on Webnovel. I had posted fanfictions previously under a different name and platform (good luck to finding them as I won¡¯t tell, as that¡¯s a ¡®dark history¡¯ I¡¯d rather not revisit), but this was the first real original work I put up by myself, before my other stories came along and before I met my main proofreader/editor. That¡¯s why unlike the few fanfictions I had written that I just left unfinished and disappeared from the fandom, while I feel it¡¯s only right that I end the series like this, I¡¯m a little regretful and sad. I really did come to love writing this story, many of its characters, and I was excited to see where I could take them, even as I was busy with other matters in my life outside of writing.

    At some point, though, as I got better as a writer, tried a few things, and attempted other stories in a different way, the more I looked back on this one with a renewed perspective, the more unnerved and uncomfortable I felt going back to the writing style that shaped this story, a style very amateurish, barely polished, messy, and aimless. I just got tired going back to this style, and I just feel that even if I applied what I learned up to now into this story, it just wouldn¡¯t be the same for me and the readers. It¡¯s especially so if I went back and ¡®remastered¡¯ the story from the beginning. It may look and read better if I tried, but it just wouldn¡¯t be the same story that you all came to love.

    In short, I basically grew out of this story, and it was time that I moved on.

    I understand this is an abrupt way to end this series, especially with this number of chapters and how it ended with only one of the main characters¡¯ core issues resolved. Part of me wanted to keep pushing myself until hitting the big 200, but as I tried finishing the last chapter of this story, it was harder to write it the way I did previously without staggering. It¡¯s like my ideas were clashing with my mental functions to write well, and I just got exhausted shorter than usual. Even when I tried writing with some compromise between the two, if it¡¯s noticeable enough for some to see, I just didn¡¯t feel good about it by the end. Over the last decade from writing stories, I¡¯ve learned that when you don¡¯t feel good about writing something, more so after the fact, not only will it not be a good story, but it¡¯s time to drop it and move on. It¡¯s part of why I had come to the decision of dropping this series.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Of course, I¡¯m not planning on deleting A Cheap, OP Brawler from all the platforms entirely. Some people may still want to read it, maybe even reread it from the beginning to see how it flows, I understand that much as I¡¯ve done that countless times just so I have some collection of how the story went previously. I may even go back to this from time to time just to see how far I¡¯ve come as a writer. As cringeworthy and amateurish this work of mine is, it¡¯s still the first original story I¡¯ve ever posted online, and as they say, the internet is forever. I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve left some mark in this near infinite space of 1¡¯s and 0¡¯s, and even if it¡¯s small, I hoped it had amused a reader¡¯s day to some extent, just as it did for all of you.

    If you¡¯re depressed about not seeing what happens to Jinma, Umeiyon, and the rest, I might do like an outline of events that happened after the last chapter. It won¡¯t be in a story format, it will just list the short of what happened, how it could have played out in the real story, very straight-to-the-point, even revealing secrets that might have been nagging at your minds for a while (like Kisaki¡¯s and Shining Teaset¡¯s true identities, for one). If enough people want that, I¡¯ll try to push it out, at the least, maybe even answer some questions from the readers in the comments for any that I might have missed.

    So what¡¯s next after this? Well, as I¡¯ve mentioned in my last Life Update Announcement, I have a new project in the works that I¡¯m planning on posting in the near future, already having many chapters stockpiled up to now and counting, I just need to go through them for cleanups and update some information to keep things consistent. My other projects like The Xeno King and Living the Great Sage Life with my Fairies and Lovers in a New World, I¡¯ve been on and off from writing them and going over them with my editor. Great Sage I¡¯m working on a new version at slower than a snail¡¯s pace, but I¡¯m considering doing a reboot with Xeno King if others are interested in it. And of course, I have a bunch of other stories gathering dust that I¡¯m planning to post again on Subscribestar, only (I have all the latest chapters from Xeno King on there for now, but I¡¯ll post them on the other platforms in the future, too), but whether I continue writing them when we get through them all would be on my own time and convenience.

    Even though A Cheap, OP Brawler will finally close here, just know that I¡¯m still writing other works, and I¡¯ll likely still continue doing so for years to come. Once again, I want to thank everyone here who has been with me on this journey. Though it¡¯s quite late in the game and I¡¯ve moved onto other projects by the time you¡¯re reading this, any final thoughts and critiques you have for this series and how I should improve myself in my other works would be greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoyed the ride, and that I¡¯ll see you in my next work.

    For the last time on A Cheap, OP Brawler,

    This is your author, Orange Rain, signing off