《In another world as my waifu #1: Brave New World and the Fallen Prince(ss)》 Chapter 1: When gods play, mortals die. "Ahn!" I am being eaten like a lamb by a hungry lioness. "Nerinne...s-stop! Mhhmm!" I look up to the ceiling and find a mirror. There I can see my waifu making a lewd face while trying to stop her voice from leaking. At the same time, her breasts jiggle a bit while being played with. "D-Don''t...!" No...that is not actually my waifu...that''s me. "A-aaahn...there! Nerinne wa-wait..mmhn!" And the lioness that is eating me is the Goddess who helped me reincarnate in this body. "I-I''m...cummmmhhhn!!!!" Just how did I come...to be in this doujin type of situation again? __________________________________________________________ In a godly realm, two divine beings played a game of chess with pieces made of a lustrous heavenly metal. "Hoho, there goes your tower." One looked like an old man with long white hair and a well-kept beard. Everyone would say that he looked exactly as the stereotypical God. "Mou...I fell for your trap right there, didn''t I?" The other one looked like an energetic and beautiful young woman in her twenties with rose gold hair and golden pupils. At first glance one would say that she looked as the typical goddess of beauty or fertility, but the air around her suggested that she had an equal standing to her chess partner. "Yes, indeed, you did." He said while caressing his beard and laughing a bit. "No problem, I can still win. I just need a moment to rethink my strategy." The goddess looked attentively at the chess board. She had less pieces than her opponent and he was already closing in on her king. Some might think that it was a hopeless match, but she still had that glitter of hope in her eyes. "So, how is your world? I heard that you were having some problems. If you want, I can give you some advice, you know?" "Huh? No, I''m fine. They are just a little bit annoying and they haven''t been able to wake up, or create anything major, so I''m letting them do their thing." She looked at one of the pieces and was about to touch it but stopped herself at the last second. "I mean, I gave everyone the tools to defend themselves plus some extras. I even made it so they wouldn''t grow old so quickly and so on. But what do they do instead of bettering themselves and reclaiming the strength they once had? They just sit down on their villages, cities, and such. Hoping that the time to defend what is theirs never comes. And now just a small fraction of the people is able defend their land efficiently. It''s only logical for them to keep losing...hmm...maybe here? No...no..." The old man god looked at her with the same type of look a wise senior looks at their underclassman. Then he sighed and smiled. "I understand. After all, most of the people of my world fall in the same train of thought. It is surprisingly ironic how free will leads to the same path even on different worlds... But I think you should be a bit more hands on with your world and guide it to a different path. Take it from someone who realized it far too late to do something about it." The old man gave a glance to the floor and it turned into window that showed the world he created and supervised. It was filled with unnatural sounds, toxic clouds and poisonous substances filling the oceans. The people he created fought others for the wishes and greed of the few. But it wasn''t as bad as it sounds. That same people still found happiness on little material things and the feelings they evoked within them. He made a habit of watching said moments to make his work as the God of that world more bearable. And now he was watching one of those moments. "Oh, yes, yes. I can win this." The goddess murmured excitedly. The god, on the other hand, watched a man in his twenties come out of a store with a big bag on his hands and an even bigger smile. He had finally received the figure he bought with part of his pay. "I already did that a couple of times in this conflict, you know? I''m still figuring out if I should do it again. Oh well, we are gods, time is quite literally on our hands." "Just don''t let that carefree attitude of yours get in the way." "Yes, yes. Now take this!" "Wa-wait! Don''t slam the piece on the board like that! The others might fall off and..." A pawn piece fell off the table just as he said that and rolled to the ''window'', evading the hand of the god who tried to catch it. "You are just mad because I made a comeback, fufufu~~." Then both gods heard something. Something that made them twitch. It was both far away and near them. "GAH!" It came from the window or to be more specific from the person it was focused on. "..." The god looked at the goddess reproachfully. "Ooops?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My name is Auros and I''m 24 years old. Complete weeb and employed. Currently happily walking home. "It''s finally here! Yes!" BNDs sweetheart! The Angelusia Draconis Edge Alter Royal Snow Lingerie Edition figure I ordered six months ago in the pre-sale finally arrived at my favorite store! I''m so happy that I want to shout it to the heavens! But I will not, because I''m afraid someone might record me and get me in trouble. Fucking people hungry for views...but I bet I would look funny. "She was worth every penny! Can''t wait to put her beside the other figures of her!" As you can guess, Angelusia Edge Alter from the JRPG-Visual Novel hybrid series turned mobile game, Bond of Nightly Destiny, is my waifu and I''m not ashamed to say it! She is a darker version of the main heroine from the first game! One who lost her holy sword and was forced into a corrupted appearance due to being cursed by the traitor that was her adopted son. Not only that, but she was also betrayed by her Knights and exiled from her kingdom with a body riddled with wounds. Wounds that made her go through suffering that brought her mind near its breaking point. And yet, she survived. She did so not with a desire for revenge, but out of love and concern for her people. Thus, she returned to her Kingdom as a Dark Knight who protects its inhabitants with a cursed lance that is said to hold countless calamities within. Plus, her own powers from the first game make a comeback! Like the power to control storms! And in the middle of one of her battles, the player appears before her, transported again from their own world into hers. She is your heroine from before, but not at the same time. Yet, you will still help her orbe a heretic and pick another route! But why would I? She has it all! That glare that could kill you, that cool black-purplish armor and lance, and thaaaat voice! Her attitude towards the player too! And of course, THOSE BOOOOOOBS! They are perfect! A utopia! I would gladly give my life to see them up close and personal! "Huh? What isGAH?!" To be continued... Glossary Entry #1: Waifu: A waifu boils down to a character one has a deep emotional investment in. This can even turn into a financial one if we enter the real of merch related with the character. Of course, there are levels, from people who only use the term as synonym for favorite character to...Auros levels that you will see in the next chapters! Chapter 2: Accidents happen even to gods… "Ouch! That hurt!" Man, what the hell was that? I was so happy going home with my newly acquired Edge Alter figure and something striking me in the head almost ruins my day. Oh well, I still have my... "Eh? Where is my figure?! WHERE IS MY SEXY WAIFU?!" I try looking for it like a madman. Well, of course I would be like that. I paid a premium for it, to lose it just like that would mean the end for me and...IT IS A LIMITED EDITION!! HOW CAN I PRESENT MYSELF TO MY WAIFU AFTER THIS?! But then, it hit me. "Wait, where am I?" I was so distracted by what happened that I didn''t notice, I am not on the sidewalk that is on my way home anymore. It is not even a place I would recognize in the city I live. It is just a white...room? Space? "What am I wearing? My cellphone is not here...neither is my grandpa''s watch..." As I am looking at myself, I find this same whiteness covering me like simple clothes. This is obviously starting to scare the heck out of me. I mean, getting hit on the head? Check. Waking up in a white room? Check! Wearing a white robe with none of my possessions? BLOODY CHECK! "..." I already have an idea of what happened to me, but I don''t want to say it out loud. Call me a coward but I feel that saying it out loud would just be me making it real. Oh! Wait, wait...there''s something that can confirm it for me and without me saying what I don''t want to say. A phrase, so overused in these types of situations, that it basically has become a Rank EX summoning spell. Yes, indeed. I shall use that. "*ahem*" I prepare myself for it. I look around and find no one around or above me. Ok. Let''s do this. "Is this a dream?" There. I''ve said it. Now I just gotta wait fo "No this isn''t a dream, Auros, child of my world." Aaand there it is...damn it...with that I know that what I fear is true... I''m dead and the guy who just talked is God. "I regret to inform you that your time on earth has been given an abrupt end." "I...see..." I look up at the giant old man who just appeared before me. Yep, that''s God alright... "And worst of all, it wasn''t your due time, but an accident on my and a colleague''s part. For that, I am deeply sorry." "An accident? So, you are saying the thing that hit me was something of yours?" He looks at me with a surprised, if not amused, expression before answering my question. "You are taking this surprisingly well..." He murmured while caressing his beard. "Yes, the thing that caused your untimely death was caused by something of mine." He seemed to not want to say what it was, but I think he owes me at least that. "Can I ask what it was? Its just to satisfy my curiosity. Of course, only if you don''t mind." I''m talking casually to God... Is it my grandma''s fault? She always said that was the best way to talk to God instead of pretentious shit and all. "Hmm...I suppose that is the least I could do. Very well then, I shall give you an explanation too while we''re on the subject. Follow me." A great hall appeared before me and God started walking towards it. I don''t have anything better to do, so, I follow him. Of course, not before checking again if my precious figure wasn''t lying on the floor somewhere. It wasn''t. That''s sad. Very sad. Enough to ask a certain someone to play a certain song. References man! Gotta do them even in death! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We walked while he explained everything related to my death, up to the point where I appeared at that room. To think that it was such a mundane accident...except for the part of God opening a window focused on me, how the heck can I be that unlucky? I mean, I did pull that one SSR on command yesterday so maybe... Well, there''s no worth in crying over spilt milk, right? He also told me that when people die, they normally either go back to the cycle of reincarnation or go to heaven to rest for a while. But since the circumstances of my death were irregular, thanks to the involvement of two gods, I was called up to this place for ''compensation'' under the shared divine law. I''ll try to ask for the overused clean my hard drive if given the chance. "Here we are." "Ah, Yawue. Have you brought him? How angry is he?" I hear a young feminine voice coming from the other side of the room as we enter it. I suppose the owner of that voice is the Goddess that holds responsibility along with him. Her voice sounds like the VA of a certain city Dullahan or a barbaric healer that tends to go berserk about healing others...but gentler and a bit softer. You could say more divine, I guess? "Yes, Nerinne. I brought him. But as surprising as it may seem, he is rather calm." "That...is good? I was bracing myself for some mortal anger, but I guess I can let out a sigh of relief." I look up towards the owner of that feminine voice and I find myself moved by her incredible beauty. She looks like a year or two younger than me and her body could only be described as holy. As in HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT WAIFU MATERIAL RIGHT THERE?! WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR THIS RELIGION?! Alas, that is what I would think if I didn''t have already a waifu in my heart and obviously, my soul. "I am curious as to what is this waifu thing your mind has brought up when you saw me, but lets do that after we finish talking about the compensation, shall we?" "..." Ah. I forgot. Gods can read minds. Yay... To be continued... Glossary Entry #2: VA: Voice Actress. Can also be referred to as Seiyuu by otaku. Sexy: The readers. Chapter 3: The answer is obvious. "So, if I''m listening correctly, you are giving me the choice to reincarnate in either world you two manage with my memories intact, plus some extras. Is that right? After the awkward silence that befell the room when I heard the Goddess of another world, Nerinne, commenting on something from my inner monologue, she proceeded to state the contents of the compensation I would get for the accident that killed me. And as I just said, they both offered me an irregular form of reincarnation. I''ve read too many novels of this genre that even my thought process imitates the narration found on those, so you could say that I know just a teeny bit of where this is going...ok, I know for certain where this is going. ""Indeed."" They answered at the same time. Heh. That was funny. Oh! The Goddess just giggled! She found it funny too! Ah, I''m glad that God and the Goddess are not some stuck up beings and instead are kind of...human? "Well, that is obvious, no? We created your race in our image. Or more like the framework of your souls rather than your physical appearance. After all, there are more races besides humans, like those you know as elves and so on. At leastthey still exist in my world." The smile the Goddess had while explaining all of that to me disappeared when she said that last part. Even if she is not my waifu, I feel bad seeing her sad since she is so gorgeous... Ah! She smiled at me! She is still reading my mind! Please! It makes me happy to see you smile but let me have my private inner monologue narration! She giggled again! She must have found me amusing... She just nodded. "..." Oh. Sorry, God. Please continue. And yes, I gave up... "The extras we can give to you depend on the world you choose. In the case of Earth, we can give you an appearance like the one you had before your death, our divine protection and a fate that would make you lead a peaceful life without worries. We can even arrange a partner for you. If you so wish for." Umu, umu. That sounds completely by the book and not a bad deal at all. I mean, not having to worry about taxes, a mortgage, or the soul crushing depression that comes from a lonely heart, is pretty much a blessing. But I really want to hear the Goddess'' side of the extras. Not just because I want to hear more of her literally divine voice, but that is a good reason too. She laughed more openly now. Well, if my mind is going to be an open book then, I might as well be more open myself. "You truly are an interesting one." She smiles playfully, while playing with the locks of her hair. "Fufu~~, listen well then. If you choose my world, I can reincarnate you in an appearance like the one you had, but instead of going through infancy and puberty I can make you a fully-grown body from the start. Of course, you will have both our divine protections too. On the other side, I can''t give you a fate like the one Yawue offers you, but in its place, I can let you choose whatever skills and magical affinities you would like to have when reincarnating. I can even give you a holy weapon if you want. As for the partner...I could make it so you could find a romantic interest more easily, but not completely arrange it. Huh, you could say that my offer is lesser than his by just hearing this and adding the fact that you will need to fight to survive at least sometimes..." She looks a bit dejected, but umu, she is right. A peaceful life vs a life that has a certain chance of making me fight. A certain partner vs the possibility of one plus magic and other things to my choosing. Umu. I think it is pretty obvious, right? I mean, there is only one answer that is true to me and my values. "So, what world do you choose?" "Tell us. I promise that we are not reading your mind." "First, I would like to thank you both for giving me this chance, regardless of the circumstances. I promise that I will use this second chance in life to live at my fullest according to my feelings." They smile and nod at the same time as I say that. "Second. God, I thank you for the life I lived on Earth. It might have been a bit difficult at some moments, but I was happy, you know? Thank you for my family. I really love them because they accepted me, even with my quirks and likings. All in all, I was truly blessed." I do a light bow to show my gratitude and he responds by nodding again. Meanwhile, the Goddess looks like she thinks that I''m choosing Earth. "And that is why I am choosing the Goddess'' world for my reincarnation." Oh, so that''s how she looks when she is surprised. Cute indeed. "May I ask why?" So she asks. "Because your world sounds amazing! Magic?! Skills?! Holy Weapons?! And I can choose?! For a nerd like me, that is truly convenient! That, and how can I call myself human if I don''t choose to explore a new world when given the chance?" Am I smiling? Because I feel like I have a really big smile right now. Oh, she is just looking at me...wait...she is laughing to tears. Her voice sounds so lovely. Seriously, I would love to hear her voice every day after I wake up and when I go to sleep. After I hear the voice of my waifu though. Also, God is just smiling. "Your name was Auros, right? I can''t remember when I laughed this much, but you, I like you. I am glad someone like you is going to live in my world." "Hearing that makes me happy." Ok. This is a good time to ask for a certain something that I really want. "It is me who is happy to know that my offer was desirable enough." "Ah, I have something to say about that." She looks at me a bit perplexed. I understand since it looked like I was alright with the offer after I chose her world. But I can''t back off from this. It is a truly important matter that will shape my new life in a way so radicaland I''m sure you already know what it is. "Please do tell me what you want to say about my offer." "I..." To be continued... Glossary Entry #3: Umu: A meme. A way to say "Yeah." "Uh-huh." "Mhm." A way to be exposed to it is from anime. Chapter 4: Read title for a hint. "So, you don''t want to reincarnate with a similar form to the one you had?" "Yes. Is it possible?" "Of course. But are you sure? That part of the compensation was meant to help you remember of your origins and make it easier for you to adapt." The beautiful Goddess looked at me with curiosity after stating that I wanted to choose how would I look like when I reincarnate in her world. God seemed surprised for a moment but then he just gave me a look that told me he had figured it out. That''s the God of my world for you. He sure knows me well. "Yes, I''m sure. After all, I''m not losing my memories, so I don''t think it will be a problem for me. But...could there be any side effects?" "No, no. There are none. It would be a problem if we were reincarnating you into an already existing body, but since it involves making a custom one from scratch there are no such worries." I let out a sigh of relief after hearing that. "Ah, that''s great. Then yes, I would like to be able to choose." "Very well. And I suppose Yawue agrees too, right?" "Of course. That is well within the realm of what could be considered compensation under divine law, and you even said that your offer could be considered lesser, so that can count as added value." "If you put it like that then I don''t have any more doubts." She smiles. Heavenly, of course. But more importantly... YES! YES! YEEEEES!!! I could tell that she wasn''t so sure about it, but in the end, she accepted. Im so happy!! Oh, Goddess, you really are turning out to be more waifuable the more I interact with you. "Then, I shall leave you two to your work, you can use this room as you please. Nerinne, summon me when it is time for the reincarnation. And Auros, don''t go too overboard with your explanation." Huh? Explanation? Overboard? Ammmok? Well, God just left after leaving me with a giant interrogation mark on the top of my head. I guess he has God-like things to do and if I chose the Goddess'' world then that could mean that she has to do most of the work. "Indeed. It is as you think, Auros. Since you chose my world, I''m the one who is going to create your body and so on. Other Gods can''t help in this process, beyond providing energy and blessings for irregular cases such as yours." Oh. Ok. Can you at least tell me when you are reading my mind and when you are not? "You managed to surprise me once already when I wasn''t. So, no. Fufufu~~~." Fine. You beautiful Goddess whose playful giggles make my heart almost fall for you, have it your way. "I''m glad you understand. Now, do you have an idea as to what would you like your new body to be?" Umu. Several. My new body needs to have a charisma that would make one wonder if one is a king or a force to be followed absolutely. In other words, sublime. Enough power to hold ends of the world in one hand and to reign over its storms. An instinct that reads the flow of battle, letting me strike where it hurts the most. A great amount of mana to create an engulfing aura that enhances my strength to the maximum at will. A draconic crown of black horns that shows my power. Pale skin that shines equally in the day and night. Golden eyes that glow red whenever that aura is activated or whenever I want to. Gold-like hair that would make even royalty jealous. And of course, a bountiful chest that''s almost divine. Yes. A body like that. "eh?" THE BODY THAT PUTS ANY OTHER CHOICE TO SHAME. "..." THE BODY OF MY BESTO WAIFU. "Fufufu...hahahahaha...there you go again with that word Auros...fufufu~." Ummdid I went a bit overboard? Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. "No, no. That is just how you are, right? There is no need to apologize. Hmm..." I''m relieved to hear that. Also, she seems to be thinking about something. "Ah, I know!" Huh? Wait...the Goddess is getting smaller? "Yes, since we are going to be working together, I thought that it would be better if I matched my height with yours. So, please continue acting as open and casual as you have been doing." She says so with a big, warm smile. Damn...the impact it makes is stronger now that she is near me...her body too. She is just too gorgeous. "Thank you. I''m glad that you find me to your liking. When I showed myself to the mortals of my world, they thought I looked strange, so they chose to use another form to worship me." WHAT?! WHERE THEY BLIND? THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED! "Fufufu~~, no. I think their minds were not prepared enough to be able to see me completely. I would wager that they may have just seen my eyes and a ball of light, or a ball of light and hair." "Oh, so it was that type of situation." Indeed, in some of the novels I read there were times where gods tried to talk to the heroes, but their messages were misinterpreted because their mind wasn''t prepared. "But enough of that. I really want to know what is a ''waifu'' and why do you want to have her body." "Hmm, yes, but it would take some time for me to be able to explain it to you thoroughly." "Don''t worry about that. I''m a Goddess, I can quite literally make time. So please, explain it to me." "Very well. I shall enlighten you in the ways of waifuism! And for that...!" I rip off my ''shirt'' and my naked soul shines strongly. The Goddess looks surprised. I am too. Because I had no idea if what I was trying to do was going to work, but it did! "I need all of these materials!! My full collection!!!" The first game, the novelization and its sequel, the series, multiple spin-offs and so much more! Of course, I also brought forth the mobile game that is the birthplace of my besto waifu!! AGAIN, AND SO MUCH MORE!! "But you are not supposed to be able to bring objects from your world..." The Goddess murmured with her eyes wide open in surprise. "That is because...THEY ARE ENGRAVED IN MY SOUL!!!!!" And with that, I started my long explanation. Hope you are ready for the ride, Goddess. To be continued... Chapter 5: Character creation takes time. 500 hours later _____________________ "...and that is why Edge Alter is the best among all of the lookalikes, in my humble opinion." It took us a little bit of time, but we just finished playing, watching, and reading everything. The Goddess absorbs information at an absurd rate. So, terms like the ones I just used are already normal for her. I didn''t even need to give her my speed runner''s guide for the portable spin-off before she started destroying every battle, even with the difficult mode where you use the squishy and fluffy snow fox character. She can read a lot faster than me too, so the visual novels were like snacks for her. But she really wanted to see all the endings, so the playtime was still normal for my fast reader standards. "Hmm...I can see your point, but I think Guardian-chan could be tied with Edge Alter." Obviously, we''ve been playing the mobile game in between the other materials. And thanks to being where we are, the Japanese version was automatically translated for our enjoyment, plus...UNLIMITED CURRENCY. YEEEEEEEAH! Well, I did tell her that she shouldn''t use her power to do that because the salt was part of the experience, but when she got hooked it was inevitable... "I understand. I really do. But Edge Alter being an Angelusia gives her more points." "Then plain Angelusia would be better since she is not a lookalike nor an altered version. I mean, she is the original from the first game." ... She got me there. I really wanted her to enjoy the crossover between the other titles too. So, I also pulled out the Blessed in the Gardens movies and novels, as well as the Astral Princess: Solaris visual novel. She liked it so much, that she pulled its remake out of an alternative timeline. Yep, this Goddess is that OP. But that remake...OOFit was...OH SO GOOD! And...I can''t even...yeah. I think it is something you must experience instead of me telling you. Sorry. "Fufu~~, that''s the first time I won. You should praise me." She says so while making a smug smile and puffing out her ample chest. But now it is covered by the Batty-chan cosplay that she is wearing. Yeah, that is her favorite character. The vampire princess who acts like a villain for most of besto waifus game but is actually a good-hearted slouch that loves to collect and use hoodies. As for the barbaric healer, she said that she doesnt think of her as a waifu because they sound kind of similar and she isn''t the type of deity that enjoys narcissism. But she did say that she will cosplay as her since she loves her wild style. YES! OH YES! I also liked her Batty-chan style hoodie, so I asked her if she could make one for me and she did! It was red instead of pink, but since red is my favorite color, along with black, I didn''t have a problem with it. More so... I''M COORDINATING OUTFITS WITH AN ACTUAL GODDESS, HOW COOL IS THAT? Hey, didnt I tell you after we finished the first games anime that we are friends? Because we are! So, you are coordinating outfits with a really good friend before a goddess..." Sorry, I kind of got hyped up for a moment. But you are right, it was my first time doing something like that with a friend too so I''m happy. Wait, I think it is my first time doing a marathon with anyone. Ah, I can feel a tear coming out of my right eye. "Eh?! Wa-wait! Why are you crying?! D-did I said something bad?! Don''t cry!" I suddenly feel a warm and soft sensation. The Goddess, Nerinne, is hugging me. "Don''t worry, these are tears of joy." "Really?" "Really. It seems I''m more emotional since I became a soul." I wipe my tears away and smile. "You know, you are like a heroine type more than just a friend." She looks at me a bit surprised and giggles. "Wouldn''t that mean that you are protagonist?" Heh. "Well, considering my circumstances I have a really good chance, right?" "Indeed, and since I''m the first woman you met right after the introductory event, then that would make me the main heroine." We both look at each other curiously. "Huh, that means that I most likely will end up with you." We both start laughing but then the Goddess starts pondering in her usual pose. "I wouldn''t mind, you know?" "eh?" I''m kind of flabbergasted. No. I am totally flabbergasted and flustered. This Goddess...!! That personality of hers!!! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ANSWER TO THAT?! AREN''T EVENTS NEEDED FOR THE PROTAGONIST AND THE HEROINE TO BUILD CONFIDENCE BEFORE THIS?! WAIT. MY WAIFU. "No, you can''t end up with yourself. Remember what is going to be your new body." AAAAAAH SHE IS RIGHT AND SHE KNOWS IT. SHE IS ENJOYING THIS A LOT!! EVEN HER EYES ARE GLOWING!! WHAT CAN I DO?! "I could have a look to the future with my power and check if you end up with me." "NO! I don''t want spoilers!!!!" "Fufufu~~~, I just love how honest you are regarding those values of yours. You wouldn''t just tell me the story because you wanted me to experience it myself." "Because there is no point if you don''t get to experience it firsthand!" "Yes. Yes, indeed. But I meant what I said, Auros. I wouldn''t even mind if you were to enjoy yourself in my world since earthly values don''t have a hold on me." She says so with a seductive smile and a pretty convincing tone. One of my biggest gripes with almost all those novels I read is that the protagonist is a dense idiot who is blind and deaf to any type of advances until the last volumes. Some of them have good battles but I''m going off topic now... "You also said that you would live your life to the fullest." I did say that. "So, there''s only one answer for this situation. Right?" Yes. I think so too. "Can I hear it?" OF COURSE, SINCE YOU HAVEN''T BEEN READING MY MIND ALL THIS TIME, RIGHT?!! "Ehehehe." Dummy laughs don''t suit you Goddess. "..." "Anyway, I...will accept the Goddess route. Please take care of me." I think I''m as red as a tomato right now. The Goddess looks a bit surprised and then genuinely happy. She is showing me a warm smile right now. "Please take care of me too." We both just look at each other for some time. I think she senses my ignorance in what to do right now so she just hugs me and then kisses my forehead. "Let''s make you a body so that we can go further than this." "Ahm, yeah... yeah! Right!" ___________________________________________________________ "We got a problem." "What?" Nerinne, who was in the middle of creating my new body, backed off a bit from the console like magic circles she was using and turned to me. "I can''t give you what you want and still make your body human." I''m a bit surprised hearing that since she IS a Goddess. "It''s a problem with the limits that a human body has." "Oh, and I guess there is no way to put a dragon''s blood in it, or something like that to make it go further?" "I actually tried; it didn''t work. And you would also need a physically strong body too, for it to endure the [mana burst] original skill. I can''t do that while maintaining the physique you want...also that chest...strong back and shoulder muscles are needed..." "..." Well, that makes sense... We both look a bit disappointed and then go into thinking. After a while, we both seem to reach a similar conclusion. "Do you mind if you are reincarnated as different race?" "I don''t mind if I''m reincarnated as a different race." We both start laughing. Heh, it seems we really clicked well with each other. Who would''ve thought? "So, am I going to be an elf or a vampire? A dragonewt? A demon?" "None of those...it is kind of a race that lives in my world, but I didn''t create it." "Huh, that doesn''t make sense." "Yes, you could say that, but since its more like an evolution of a creature I did create then it is technically still one of mine. Still..." "Ah, I get it. Life taking its own turns and all. So, what''s the name of that race?" "Dragon Lord. They are the result of powerful dragon attaining the ability to take a humanoid form, further increasing their power. And sadly, they are also the ones causing trouble in my world. "...!" "This would be my first time making one, so I feel that your body would be able to handle everything you want and some extras. But I don''t know if you''d feel comfortable being the same race as the enemies of the world. Since it might cause problems with your social interactions..." She looks worried. I thought I told you to not make that kind of face... "Do it. I don''t mind. Heck, it even sounds cool! I socialized for my work more than from my own volition, so I''m fine with not being so social. More importantly, can you make the horns look like a crown and so on?" She looks perplexed at me and then laughs. "Yes, I can make that and even the armor, which I can make even edgier. I can also make the bodysuit under it and that one outfit you really like." "Do it! DO IT! JUST DO IT!" I''m so lucky! "Any colors you would like to change?" "Hmm, can the crown be solid black instead of purplish? Also, the armor-" "Black with red accents? Claws too, right?" "YES!" She already knows the colors that I like, but that still makes me happy. A bright white flash blinds me for a moment and then I look towards Nerinne. "Done. Check it out." I walk to her side and look at the magic screen in front of me. I can''t believe my eyes. The body she made, with the exceptions of some changes, looked identical to my besto waifu... "Wow." "I''m really glad you liked it. The height is different because the Dragon Lord race is tall in average, but I see that you didn''t mind that." "It''s even better for me since going from being tall to becoming the opposite would be weird." Yes, I said that. "With this we can get to the skills and magical affinities. This body can handle up to five. They are-" "Fire, Ice, Light, Darkness and Space. I want those." I know I just interrupted her, but I couldn''t stop myself. "Very well then, and what skills besides [mana burst], [sublime charisma], [universal riding], [royal presence], [abnormal status resistance] and [thunderous instinct]?" I make a straight face so that she can take me seriously. "Pleasurable hands, underwater breathing, shapeshifting touch and weapon''s mastery." "Pleasurable hands?" "Pleasurable hands." I nod with an expression so serious that leaves no room for doubt. "Understood. Add my divine protection, some other surprise skills from my choosing, the holy sword/lance Nern and now we just have to summon Yawue. Are you ready?" "I died ready." To be continued...(cue anime adaptation''s opening) Chapter 6: The blessing of the gods. I am known by a lot of names. Some are like my one true name, and others just describe a part of me. Some hold the idea that I do not exist, and others spill blood on the idea that I do. But that, is not their fault. *sigh* There was a time when I was immature and forceful. I didn''t know what to do with the beings I had just created. So, I did things in way that put them on the path I wished to avoid. I acted based on my emotions so many times. I abused my power, thinking that I could make things right if I just erased those who were problematic in an exemplary manner. Floods, plagues, flames and even the looming threat of an ever burning, but non-existing, hell. All those things just fed a toxic influence on the beings I created. And then, instead of correcting it, I encouraged it by trying to make them obey my will through a book. I tried to let my will be known through the prophets who wrote it, but it backfired horribly... That book it is still being used today, even if its contents were for a different time, and it is one of the weapons that were used in many of those bloody acts. I admit it, I am disappointed in myself. I created beings and gave them freedom, but then I tried to chain them. It is obvious they would stray... And the damage that caused...is something even other gods see with sadness. Many of us share the same ideas for the beings we end up creating. It is more efficient, but it is not as if it is an obligation. Take the world of the Goddes Nerinne, Arte, it is populated by various humanoid species capable of rational and emotional thought. For the most part, they coexist with one another taking care of the world they live in. My world, Earth, is different. It used to be populated by various races, just like in Arte. But one of those, Humanity, raised against them. Guided by the greed and vicious way of thinking my hubris created, they exterminated every other race. The Crusades, they called them. Wars waged on one of my many names using my words as justification for their acts. I tried to intervene, but my acts were misinterpreted, and my words misheard, twisted to fit their narrative. And so, the world that once had known various races turned into a world that was dominated by just one. The balance was thrown out and left me with no other choice but to watch from afar. By that time, I realized it was too late to guide them to a different path. But there was still some hope left. As it is bound to happen with freedom, different voices started to come up from inside of humanity. Some got free from that way of thinking and found the truth in my words. Change. A force that even I, Yawue, can''t stop. In these recent years, I have seen so much progress that my hope for a different path has been reignited. And maybe, after some more centuries, I will be able to tell the remnants of those who were exterminated that it is safe to go back to the surface. That they would be accepted, and even loved so dearly that it could erase those horrible memories. And why I, a God who seemed to have given up on his creations, would think like that? Because of the existence of a certain group of people. Yes. Those who are also known as nerds, otakus and so on. They hold the key to the coexistence with different beings. Because, if just one of them can coexist with a Goddess to the point that it clearly influences her, then I can believe in that future. _________________________________________________________ "..." God seems to have been inside the room for at least fifteen minutes and without us noticing him. You can imagine our surprise when the Goddess Nerinne tried to summon him and then finding out he was already there. "..." Nerinne is shocked. I mean, I am the simple soul of a mortal, so me not noticing something as God being behind me could be thought as normal. But in her case... She IS a Goddess and that means it is not something supposed to happen. He looks at the state of the room he left us in. *sigh* He just sighted while looking at me. God knows that it is my fault the room looks like the den of some nerd. I''M SORRY!! I GOT CARRIED AWAY! Sh-should I try the legendary bowing method known as dogeza?! Would it work even if I am not Japanese?! What do I do?! "Calm down, Auros. I was just...surprised. There is nothing for you to apologize." "O-ok..." Phew...I thought I was a goner. Wait...I''m already dead. "It seems you enjoyed your time with Auros, Nerinne." God takes the Goddess out of her shocked state by talking to her and she quickly gathers herself. "Y-yes. Indeed. It was quite fun and interesting. If I were to use his words, we clicked well with each other." "I cannot doubt those words after what I saw." Who is embarrassed? I am embarrassed. I heard once that God sees everything and that one shouldn''t be embarrassed but...yeah, so embarrassed. "There is nothing for you to be embarrassed, Auros. Gods and Goddesses involving themselves with mortals romantically is a story as old as the beings involved." Says Nerinne trying to make me not feel embarrassed...and I guess she is right, but I can''t help feeling the way I feel, after all, I am but the soul of a mortal. "It is natural. But you did choose this path, so you better grow accustomed to it, Auros." God looks at me with a serious expression in his face. He is like a father in law telling me to not fuck up the relationship with his precious daughter. I instantly gulped. "...yes, God. I will try my best." Nerinne giggles seeing my reaction at God''s words. This Goddess seem to have fun with lots of things... "Then, shall we begin?" "Yes. Auros, please walk into the magic circle that just appeared and stand on its center." I do as Nerinne tells me and walk into the magical circle. Oh! Now that I am on the center it started moving. "In accordance with the divine law, I, Yawue, bestow my divine protection as compensation for the act of ending a life sooner than it was meant to." God extends his hand towards me and a white light comes out covering me completely. "It shall protect you from extra-dimensional attacks and provide you with high luck, all so that your new life lasts longer." "In accordance with the divine law, I, Nerinne, bestow my divine protection as part of the compensation for the act of ending a life sooner than it was meant to." The Goddess Nerinne does the same as God and extends her hand towards me. The only difference is the color of the light being a light blue instead of white. "It shall give you the ability to understand all the languages of the races, as well as the mystical languages and the divine tongue. Making it possible for us to speak with each other like now." She says that with a smile and I respond in kind. She already gave me lots of powers and skills, so her divine protection goes more to the side of us being in a relationship. Wa-wait, I forgot to ask about the hard drive! "Don''t worry yourself about that. I already took care of it." Ah, thank you very much, God! But there is one more thing! God! Answer my question!! WHO IS BESTO GIRL?! "Heh." Did God just chuckle? "I apologize but I can''t tell you that." That smug lookHE KNOWS!!! AT LEAST TELL ME!!! "..." He ignored me. Nerinne is almost laughing. Well, I had to try... "Now close your eyes Auros. Son of my world. May your path lead you to happiness." "And you will awaken in a new world. My world. Let us enjoy your time there." Even with my eyes closed, I can feel the warmth in the words of both Gods and of course her love. Nerinne, I will do my best so let''s have fun. To be continued... (cue epic song of the soundtrack sold in 4 volumes with 4 songs each for $79.99!) Glossary Entry #4: Besto Girl: Way of writing Best Girl in forums and online interactions to determine which character is the Best Girl. One that is perfect in their way of taking care, protecting, helping, and supporting other characters. Yes, I did not specify that the character must be female, because that is not a must. Any character can be Best Girl for anyone. Speedwagon from JoJo is a good example of Best Girl without needing to a be a Girl. Although Best Boi is also a thing, so it is not absolute. Author''s Note: Thank you for reading everyone! I hope you have enjoyed the first 6 chapters of my story! Starting from chapter 7 I will be uploading 2 chapters daily. Please look forward for them! Chapter 7: (Ominous?) Arrival to a brave new world. The world of Arte. A young world, full of greenery, magic, and undiscovered wonders. One where the weather had always been consistent with the seasons. So, an out of season storm is something that shouldn''t happen, but that had ceased to be the case. The people in the outskirts of the Kyrie Kingdom looked at the sky with fear at the sudden appearance of black clouds, booming thunder, and red lightning. "Mommy I''m scared..." Said a little village girl as she hugged her mother. "Any reports of it being caused by a Dragon Lord?!" Shouted the head of the knights in charge of the outskirts of the kingdom. All his subordinates in charge of intelligence gathering gave him a negative response which baffled him. "Oh Goddess, please protect us!" Screamed a priest outside of his church. Nevertheless, the storm raged on as it moved near a mountain, instilling fear in every person who saw it. Then, as if to give more reasons for such fear, its red lightning started falling on the surface of the mountain it was hovering over. The first to fall created a magical tremor that was felt all over the world. "...!" A white-haired young-looking woman looked at the sky with worry from her magical tower. Like her, many who were deeply attuned with those energies did the same. The second released an overwhelming presence that made all the monsters, beasts, and animals in the area to flee in fear. Even the couple of Dragon Lords who were advancing towards the kingdom felt shivers run down their spine. "Did you feel that Master Scath?" "Yes, Bryn. It seems the Goddess has done something that might prove bothersome for our plan..." Said a female Dragon Lord with lustrous dark violet scales clad in gorgeous and revealing armor. There was no need for it to cover more. After all, a Dragon Lord''s armor was more like fashion than protection, since their skin has the highest defensive properties of all dragonkin. "What should we do, Master Scath?" Said another female Dragon Lord with icy blue scales and a more proper looking armor, some could say she looked like a knight from afar. "Stop the advance of our forces for now. We shall gather information on what has the Goddess brought upon us. Let the Kyrie Kingdom enjoy the little time they have gained because of it." "As you wish, Master Scath." And finally, the third lightning pierced the mountain with its might. The mountain itself trembled and revealed its true nature in the form of a gaping, burning maw. It was a volcano. Its black breath would be taken as a wrathful sign of the Goddess against the enemies of the world, renewing the morale of those who were in the Draconic Front. ________________________________________________________________________ For a moment I felt as if I was falling. You know that weird sensation one gets in their stomach? Like that. And since I''m afraid of heights, I didn''t even think of opening my eyes. Nope. Not doing it. I fell. And fell a bit more. Then I felt something warm enveloping me, covering me who was but a soul, it was a continuous warmth that repeated itself like a heartbeat. No, not like...it was indeed a heartbeat. My heartbeat. After that, I felt the wind caressing my skin. "Ahn!" It made me let out a soft moan in a different voice than the one I had. But it was one I knew, oh so well, that it made me shiver in excitement right down to my... womb? Huh? Womb? Well, I guess I would have a womb, right? I already knew what I was getting into, but it still feels kind of weird... Oh well, lets continue with the ''dramatic'' monologue. Next, my sense of smell and hearing returned. They were sharper than before, but I wasn''t overwhelmed by it. The air was notably cleaner and there were no unnatural sounds like those one could find in my former world. I became aware of the horns that adorned my head as a crown too. They didn''t feel unnatural at all, not even their extra weight bothered me. I could say the same thing about my ears, which are long and pointy, but they don''t feel unnatural either. And so, Im still falling. Although, I feel that I should be arriving at any moment now. You know what would be nice? Not appearing on a desolate valley like in those stories and instead on a comfy bed. "Open your eyes, Auros. And be welcome to Arte, my world." I do so and my sight adjusts to the light of my surroundings. I look around while gasping for air and getting used to my heightened senses. The calm before the storm, huh? I kind of feel as if Im having a bad hangover...and I''ve never been drunk in my life! Well at least not in my past life... I seem to be in a room, but it feels strange. My instinct is telling me that. How cool is that?! Where am I? "You are in a safe place, Auros. As a Dragon Lord you have access to a personal space, think of it as a fortress you can access anywhere on the world." So, this room is my own castle? My fortress at the edge of the world? "Fufufu~~ no, you dummy. This is but a room in it. You can change it according to your desires, but to make it bigger there''s another process..." That sounds great! Maybe I''ll try to beat a certain supreme undead majesty while doing it! "That would be fun to watch, but I have something to do. So, Ill leave you alone for a bit. Will you take too long? "Don''t worry, I''ll be back quickly with a surprise, so do explore your new body while I''m gone." She just said that with a playful tone. I see, she intends to go further with me like she told me. I''m kind of excited and a bit afraid...buuuuuut I look down at myself and I instantly forget about that. I HAVE BOOOOOBS! AND NOT JUST ANYONE''S BOOBS! MY WAIFU''S BOOBS! Oh, I want to play with them! I want to unleash myself! I might be doing a creepy face right now, but I don''t care! I stop myself right before I do it though. Yes, yes, I can''t go straight to the main course right away. There is more that I must feel before. I look at my slender but strong arms. They are indeed those of a woman, along with my hands, and my skin is as pale as I thought it would be. I touch my arms too. OOF, SO SOFT. I hurriedly touch my face, feeling its new shape, it is nothing like the one I had before. I pass my fingers on top of my lips and nose. I can feel heat building up inside of me, along with an itch in my womb. "..." This is how women feel when they are turned on, I guess? I pass my fingers through the line of my abdomen and stop right before my nether region. There is nothing there. I am a woman now and I need a mirror. I look around the room and there it is. A full view mirror appeared right in front of me. *gasp* I really look almost like her wearing the daring body suit that goes under her armor. Like my waifu, Angelusia Draconis edge alter. I put my arms around me, as if embracing myself. Still, I know what I should do before anything else. "..." I make a shy expression, as if afraid of what I''m going to say. Yes, just like that. "Auros, are you mydesti?!" HNNNNNNGH! Its as if dam has broken inside of me. Just hearing those words made the desire welling up inside me to go to the extreme. I know it''s just me but...but! I can''t hold on anymore. My hands move on their own and I let myself loose. To be continued...(cue advertisement for the uncensored Blu-ray version of the next chapter! For only 99.99$!) Chapter 8: They truly feel it better. Female pleasure. I have been curious about it since I was in junior high hearing how women have multiple orgasms, unlike men. You could say it also played part in my choosing of this body. "Ah! Hmnnng!" My female acquaintances told me that their body turns into an erogenous zone when they manage to get ''there''. That it is a high like none other. I''m glad they were comfortable enough with me to be able to talk about it. "This...ahn! Mmmhmmm!" That was why I asked the Goddess for the skill [Pleasurable Hands]. So that I could reach that ''place'' whenever I want to, even more so, considering that I wasn''t human anymore. Of course, it is something that I plan to use on Nerinne too... if things go there that is... "Something is...AaaAaAAH!" My mind goes blank. The waves of pleasure just keep on coming. I squeeze one of my breasts and pinch its nipple while my other hand is on my genitals. I''m arching on the bed with my legs trembling and then all my strength leaves my body, but the pleasure keeps coming. I even twitch a bit. "It...ah...was...hah...true..." That was the third time, and my hand went for more. I wanted more. I wanted to hear my new voice more. I wanted to feel my soft and yet solid skin. I wanted to satiate this burning heat that grew stronger every time I looked at myself in the mirror in front of me. I put myself face down letting my breasts touch the sheets. I can feel their weight while they jiggle a bit, but it doesn''t bother me at all. Just as she said, my back and shoulders are strong. My whole body is. There were moments I thought I would break the bed, but nothing happened to it. They are sensitive, so much that I climaxed just by playing with them for the first time... I grab one of my big breasts and start again in my new position. "This...ahn! Is the best!" I was so entranced with the pleasure that this new body was giving me that I didn''t notice the Goddess sitting on the chair beside the bed. Her eyes glowing gold and her expression full of enjoyment. What awaited me was a long night. ___________________________________________________________ So that is how it feels to have a flashback after falling in a surprising situation... Nerinne just appeared out of nowhere while I was getting acquainted with my new body. She just giggled and without saying a word she started... "Ah...!" She took advantage of my surprise to take the lead and going further, just like she said to me before I was reincarnated. "Nerinne...mmhm! What...are you...hiiih!" I felt like a lamb being eaten by a hungry lioness. She didn''t stop until I climaxed three more times...my body feels like jelly... "My, oh my. I am just doing a little checkup, Auros. Does it feel that good? Fufufu~~." And now she is teasing me with her own version of the skill [Pleasurable hands]! She is just caressing my body but... AH! KUH! This goddess...I can''t even narrate proper-HMMmmm! "So cute. Auros you are so cute! I could swear that your pupils just turned into hearts!" "That...is...not...true!" "Fufufu~~~, your breathing and that lewd face you made said the opposite! Oh, but those red cheeks and embarrassed expression of yours go straight to my kokoro! I can now see the appeal you were talking about." "..." My desperate attempt of salvaging my pride as a former man turned into a tsundere moment instead... Seriously, she is doing whatever she wants with me. All that while cosplaying as the Halloween version of that barbaric healer from the game...that neon colored wild bikini...that black and neon pink skirt...the sleeveless jacketand a small healer hat with that same color scheme... She is hot, she is really hot and seeing this scene reflected on the ceiling''s mirror excites me to no end...but her face...her face is totally making a perverted and lewd smile...way more than mine while looking at my nude self... Such a strange combination done by the Goddess who created the world I''m currently in... if the priests of her religion were to see this... "They would do nothing since love is one of the pillars of my religion. Love anyone but love them seriously, passionately and loyally." She is making a serious face now...well as serious as you can be while wearing that cosplay at least. "I think I already felt at least two of those tenets in my body..." I put one of my arms on top of my forehead while trying to get my breathing back to normal. She really did a number on me. But then, I suddenly feel two soft and warm somethings on top of my chest. Nerinne is now on top of me. "Oh, but that was only the beginning Auros..." She whispers softly in my ear...her voice is just divine. "Come...use that skill on me, my lovely destined one~~~." With just that she makes me feel that heat inside of me again. No, it is stronger. "...!" I reverse our positions by pushing her down. My breathing is ragged and heavy, but this desire that is welling up inside me is not calming down at all! "Oh my! My, my, my!" I, who didn''t have any experience, let my new instincts guide my hands while using the skill. She seemed surprised, but her smile tells me that she is getting what she wanted. "Mmm!" She is trying to hold down her voice, but I won''t let her. She made me squeal, so I will pay in kind! I kiss her on the lips, and she opens her eyes wide in surprise. "Not...fair...mmh!" That was our first kiss as lovers. I bet she was going to kiss me and take the lead again, but it seems I ruined her plans. My mouth goes down to the nape of her neck and I kiss her there. Then I bite her softly. "Aihn! Aur-ah!" One of my hands goes to her right breast and pinches her nipple. She is soft, she is warm, but I can also feel her strength. Why? Because she embraced me just now and she is not letting me go. But I take care of that with my other hand. It is time for her to reach that place too. "mMmHAAN! Good...hiin! Auros! HAAaNHM!" We kiss again just before I make her climax. "You said something about heart eyes?" "Mmmm...indeed." She says so with a face that is both lewd and beautiful. The heat I felt goes down abruptly after this and I feel exhausted. I lie down beside her, and we ended up being face to face. "So, do you like your new body?" She asks, even after all of this. "To be honest, I love it." We both laugh at such obvious question. "I''ll say it again. Welcome to my world Auros." "Thank you Nerinne, I''m on my new home." To be continued....(cue first ending of the anime adaptation.) Glossary Entry #5: Tsundere: A character archetype that appears in manga and anime. At its core, a character must seem cold, hostile, but then shows a gentler, friendlier side. Or even both at the same time to be considered a tsundere. Typical phrases such as "Hmph! Do not misunderstand I only helped you because I was pitying you! N-not because I li-like you or...anything like that... Get it?!" are part of every tsundere''s repertoire. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please, go to your nearest protagonist and get married. Your chances of success are quite high. Just be careful with psychopathic childhood friends... Kokoro: Japanese for heart. Chapter 9: The Goddess’ surprise and the holy weapon. The next morning? There are no windows in this room, so I don''t know if its morning. But we did sleep a lot, so I guess its fine, right? When I woke up the Goddess was still asleep. She was making a really satisfied smile and her rose gold hair was a bit disheveled. I know I say it a lot, but she is beautiful. I move slowly as to not wake her up and take my time. All the exhaustion I felt was gone and I felt refreshed, lighter even. I looked at the ceiling and saw my reflection. "I really look like her, huh..." I''m almost naked. The bodysuit I am wearing has been pulled up in the chest area and pulled aside in the nether area. So, I am completely exposed right now... I mean, it barely covers me anyway but still... It''s surprising that my hairstyle is not messed up at all too. Because that would be a drag to do even if I have some practice. "At least there is no chilly breeze...oh, they got hard anyway." I fix the bodysuit, so it covers those areas again and sit on the bed. "Sleepy..." My body might not feel it, but my mind still does. Or maybe it is my once human soul having effects on my mind and body? Meh...too early for those kind of questions... I look again at Nerinne who seems to have taken her clothes off at some point and now is naked. And then something dawns on me. "...!!!!" I HAD SEX WITH THE GODDESS! NOT JUST THAT, I PUSHED HER DOWN AND...AND!!!!! THE. GODDESS. OF. THIS. WORLD. Wh-what sh-should I ssay?! Is it bad?! I mean we are technically lovers, right? So, there is no problem? RIGHT?! And she did a number on me too...BUT THAT''S NOT THE SAME, I''M A MORTAL! I remember what she said about Gods and mortals but still!! "..." Did I just break a divine law and heavenly punishment is going to fall upon me?! "Divine Chop!" "OW!" My head! That really hurt! Like REALLY hurt!! "Good! Imagine how startled I was when you started shouting so suddenly! And you didn''t do anything wrong! Stop it with that! You and I are lovers now, and that''s the end of it! Don''t go all annoying MC on me!" B-but my head... "Yes, your head! Remember that I can hear your thoughts as loud as spoken words!" "You could''ve just turned that off..." "As if! When I''m sleep in this type of manifestation its always on for security reasons! Mou!! And I was having such a refreshing rest..." She gets up and sits on the bed. While fixing her hair with her hands, her body is covered in faint light and clothes appear after it. Batty-chan themed pajamas...it is pink with lots of cutesy bats and chibi versions of the character... Wow she really is into her... "Right back at you, darling~~." "Heh, touch." We both laugh for a bit. _______________________________________ Afterwards she used her power to clean ourselves. I was expecting a fan service filled shared bath scene with her, but alas, it seems now is not the time for it. I''m sorry. And, when I felt hungry a table with food appeared right in front of me. This personal space thing is awesome! It even is my favorite breakfast from earth! Pulled pork sandwiches plus orange juice! Juicy. Easy to make. Portable for those times you got to eat while going to work. One of the few things I thought I would miss! Of course, there is enough for the both of us. "Hmmm, these are yummy." She says with a nice facial expression. I swear I can even see some sparkles here and there. "Umu, my grandma taught me the recipe and it seems this place reproduced it faithfully." *chomp* "Haah. That was good." "Indeed, it was." What a nice breakfast. I can say with confidence that eating with someone does make it taste better. Even if that makes the otaku part of me scream ''NORMIEEEEE!!!'' with bloodshot eyes. Umu, eating breakfast with my lover is the best, and I just had to die for it to happen. Not a bad deal, I think. Speaking of thinking... "...there was something that piqued my interest, Goddess." "Nerinne." "..." "For you I am Nerinne. How many times I must tell you to stop it with the ''Goddess''?" "So-sorry...Nerinne..." I''m embarrassed. I bet my cheeks are red already. I am seriously not trying to copy that part of my waifu''s personality even if it comes off like that. I swear!! "Cute." "..." "Fufu~~. What piqued your interest, Auros?" Her gold eyes glow when she enjoys something. And that giggle of hers! So much waifu power! But now is not the time for that! "You said something like ''this type of manifestation'' and ''security reasons''. What was that about?" "Oh, that. I totally forgot to tell you. It was part of the surprise, but when I arrived yesterday one thing led to another and hehe..." What a carefree Goddess... "Don''t say that. You enjoyed it to the point you didn''t even think about it too." Now that she mentions it, she did say something about a surprise... "See? The surprise is, well, you are looking at it." "Huh?" I don''t get it. Is there something behind you? "No, you dummy! The surprise is me!" "Eh?" "*sigh* That wasn''t the reaction I was expecting, but maybe the context now didn''t help..." Sorry? "Oh well! You see, we gods can''t normally descend upon the worlds we create and when we do there''s lots of rules we have to follow." "Umu, umu. I''ve read lots of stories with that element in them." She looks at me with an expression telling me ''then why you didn''t get surprised?''. Sorry I just thought your world was different because of you being...you know, a bit lax? "How rude! Hmph! Even I must follow those, you know?! If I want to come here, I must create a mortal body for myself and seal a great deal of my power. That wouldn''t be a problem if the world was completely at peace but..." "It isn''t, right?" "Exactly. If I were to descend right now it would be as if I just painted a target on my back. Listen well, in that form I can be..." "...killed." I immediately clench my fist. Just the thought of something happening to her makes me angry... "Don''t make that fierce face." She grabs my fist softly with one hand and with the other she caresses my face, softly, with care... "It''s just..." "Don''t worry, it is just in a way. I wouldn''t really die. My mortal body would perish, and I would return to my divine plane. With some backlash, yes. Maybe, even some deep sleep after. But just that. And we Gods already have lots of preparations for those cases. Like, time bubbles that cover us when we fall in that deep sleep making it seem like we just slept for a second or counter backlash aura that reduces the damage to zero. I am not stupid enough to leave that source of tension just like that. I am a Goddess, not some useless plot device waiting to be hurt or sealed!" She says so with so much pride...and some pulled pork juice on her mouth. "...!!" "I am relieved to hear that. Really." "You don''t get to say that with such prince-like expression after ruining my moment!" "I just couldn''t help myself to not point it out." "Mou!" "Does that mean you are now in a mortal body?" "No, didn''t you see what I did about my clothes? If I were in a mortal body, I wouldn''t even be able to do that." Huh? "How are you here then?" "Fufu~~. That is the surprise. Tell me Auros, do you see your holy weapon anywhere in this room?" I unintentionally look around searching for it, even though I knew the answer. "No, I don''t think so?" "Well, that is just because you don''t know where to look for it." "So..." "It is right in front of you." That again? I am telling you that you are the only one that is in front of me right now. Wait. Holy weapon. Power of the Goddess. Power. Goddess. Here. Don''t tell me... "...it''s you?" I bet I am making a stupid expression right now. "Ding, ding. Correct. You asked how I am here, and I shall tell you that I can transform your holy weapon into an organic golem that I can use to put my consciousness in, all while circumventing the rules about my power and mortality. Just think of it as me putting a Golem mode in your holy weapon stats. Praise me!" "..." URGE TO KARATE CHOP SMUG GODDESS. ACCEPT? RESIST? RESIST. "Wasn''t I rude for thinking that you didn''t follow those rules? And now you admit to not follow those same rules?" "Ehehehehe, oops?" Dummy laughs don''t suit you, Goddess. "You should praise me! Who do you think I did this for?!" "You did it for me?" "Yes, you dummy!! How could I be a good lover if my hands were tied whenever something bad happens to you? Do I need to be confined to some balcony just praying and saying ''Auros...'' all filled with worry? I can''t have that! Besides, I would get lonely just watching from afar..." This goddess...Nerinne, she is so cute. I can feel my mouth turning into a wide smile already. Yes, hearing that made me happy. She cares this much for me already, how could I not fall for her... "I would feel lonely too, so, thank you Nerinne" "You should have said that earlier..." Oh, flustered Nerinne. Got to take a mental picture! To be continued...(cue bleach ad to clean one''s eyes of all this normieness) Glossary entry #6: MC: Main Character. Nuff said. Chibi: Cutesy, normally small and more cartoony versions of characters. Perfect for keychains, pajamas and so much more merch to dump one''s paycheck in! Cuteness is justice! Chapter 10: Her exposition and a volcano. "Let me see if I understood correctly. My lance can turn into a holy sword too whenever I wish, right?" I ask Nerinne while I put my armor on. She said I could just do it with magic, but I refused because then there wouldn''t be a fanservice shot of my under-boobs while I put the breast plate on. Or a shot of my thighs while I slowly put the leg armor. And how could I forget the armpit close shot! Got to check those ecchi fetish boxes! THEY. ARE. IMPORTANT! "Yes. I did that because giving you two holy weapons could be preferential treatment." "Hoooh~. And the thirteen seals both forms have?" "Ah, think of those being locked effects and abilities. They will be unlocked when I deem it necessary or if the situation calls for it. Like a boss battle after everything seems lost." Shounen power ups. Check. "But since Yawue''s Divine Protection gives you a high luck rank, I don''t think you should be worried." Pretty much a deus ex machina then. Check. "And then there''s the Golem mode. I am the only one who can activate it, so don''t get any ideas of using it as a decoy or something. " First companion and heroine. Check! Oh yes! My journey hasn''t even started and its already looking, and feeling, good! "Fufufu~~, I''m glad you are having fun with my exposition, but...!" Ow! She is pinching my cheeks and pulling them! "...pay proper attention when I''m talking! Understood?" "Y-yesh..." "Where was I? Ah, yes. Holy weapons are the epitome of weapons, so you don''t have to worry about durability or sharpness. They won''t degrade, and they can cut or destroy almost everything." "Even Dragon Lord skin." "Even Dragon Lord skin but don''t get conceited and...! You!" "Ow, ow, ow! Sh-shorry! I w-won''t do it again!" My cheeks...they feel like balloons...it hurts *sniff* "*ahem* We made an incredibly powerful body, Auros. But if we ever encounter a Dragon Lord do not get conceited and think you can beat them all in one swing. Please." She is worried... Man, now I even feel bad. "I''m sorry, I was letting the excitement get to my head." "It is fine to be excited. After all, this is all new to you. But don''t let it blind you, alright?" "Yes." "Good. Now, in regard to magic, you just need to picture it in your head and then recite something that acts as a trigger. Since my Divine Protection gives you automatic translation and comprehension of languages, you don''t need to worry about the different magical tongues and arcane formulas for the different elements. So, as you sometimes say, just shoot." "That is actually really useful. It would be a waste to have all these affinities and not be able to use them right away." "If that poor old man at the magic academy could hear you, he would be already on the reincarnation system. Fufu~~." She murmured. "And what about my health and resistances?" I can already guessok, I know for sure that it is on the OP side. But I must hear her say it, you know? It''s isekai tradition. "You have complete resistance to the elements you have affinities with. They even heal you instead of hurting you. The other elements'' damage varies depending on the caster. So be careful even if your defense is already high because of your race and type." Huh? That is one interesting word right there. "Type?" "Yes, type. You are a pure Dragon Lord since we made that body from zero." She started to ponder something. Oh, she even put on some shining glasses! "Hmm...you know, you could very well fit the description of a High Dragon Lord. Hehe...look at that, the very being of their legends is the one who is going to beat them into submission. Kukukuthat is good...veeery good..." Dark Nerinne has come out. I repeat Dark Nerinne has come out. "Oh my, that wasn''t very divine of me. I apologize. Your health is fine. You even have [Health Regeneration], combine that with your racial longevity and it is a non-issue." She switched back fast. Scary. I must make sure to never fall in that side of her. Wait, racial longevity? "Yes. Dragon Lords live up to 5000 years, but you might be an exception and live for 10,000 years. I know of some who have, so it is not unheard of. Still, now that I think about it, you could actually have an indefinite lifespan since you wield the holy weapon..." I''m immortal, that is what you are trying to say? Because if it is, I am not shocked. AT ALL. "No, you are not immortal since you can be hurt. Why do you think I worry? Its just that you won''t be dying of old age in any time near, maybe ever. Still, don''t go making dangerous assumptions, Auros, or I''ll get angry." She says so with a serious face. "Yes, ma''am." "And finally, you need a place to anchor your personal space so it can grow and turn into a reliable fortress." "I can''t take it wherever I go?" "Yes, you can. But it will only be this room. It will never grow to the scale you want." Seriously? And here I thought it would be cool to just summon my castle anywhere I wanted. "Indeed. That would be fun to watch. But you see, a personal space needs the planet''s energies to grow and expand. If it remains disconnected it would just stay the same." "And can''t it grow from me gaining powerful companions like in..." "No. It can''t." "Aw..." "Besides, where are you going to put those companions if you only have this one room?" "Ok, ok. I understand. I will find a place to anchor it." "Then, without further ado grab my waist." She grabs my helmet and walks right in front of me with a playful smile. Then, I do as she says and grab her waist. She kisses me and puts my helmet on right after. "That was a reward for completing the character tutorial." She winks and then she starts shining brightly. "Go and open the door to get out of your personal space." The blinding light fades and an ominous looking lance rests on my hand. It looks almost identical to my waifu''s lance except for some differences here and there. The main one being the handle, which has a design that reminds me of Nerinne. "Heh, a black colored holy weapon. Nice way of tricking people." It looks heavy because of its size but it is quite light for me, as if it was part of my arm. Now, lets see where this door leads me. I open it and I find myself inside a cave. Its walls look a bit charred, like something hot passed through here. I look behind me and as expected there is no door there. I walk for a bit and find the exit. "Wow, this is truly a fantasy world!" Clich phrase of amazement. Cheeeeck! An epic view expands from where I stand, a forest to my left and dirt road on the right. The air tastes clean and the weather is fair. I look at my back and I see where I was just inside of. "A mountain? No...there is a bit of smoke coming from the top...a volcano!" Thats awesome! Hm? Theres also signs of something impacting this place and leaving some craters. I wonder what happened? It wasn''t me that''s for sure. But appearing inside a volcanic cave must be a sign. You could say that my waifu''s presence is like that of this volcano. Umu. Umu. I know what to do now. "Nerinne, are you here?" "Yes, I''m always with you and even if I''m not physically here, I can talk to you directly into your mind like this." Ohhh. I can also talk through your lance. Shes right, her voice is coming out from the handle of the lance now. Oh, it is even glowing a bit. But I digress. "What do I have to do to anchor my personal space?" "Here?" "Yes." "It is a volcano, Auros." "Indeed." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "...just stick the lance in the volcano''s surface and announce that you claim this place as yours. Then you say your name and title." "Like this?" I stick the point of the lance in the surface with a bit of strength and it goes right in. It didn''t even feel like volcanic rock or something. "I claim this place as mine! I, Auros, High Dragon Lord of the Goddess! Great Volcano become my fortress and my shield!!" Oooooh, I sound so cool!!! I had a feeling that something good might happen if I added that last part. It might be my seemingly all-purpose instinct. "...!" A magical circle appears below me. I can even hear the energy crackling wildly. Oi, it looks ominous with that dark red color it has. It gives the impression I just did something villainous. I didn''t, right?! "No, you didn''t. That is just how it is." "But it is really evil looking..." "Says the black knight with an ominous looking full armor and weapon." "..." The circle starts expanding and it seems that is going to cover all the area where this volcano is. It starts spinning and then it disappears. "Ouch!" I feel a slight burn in my right hand, which makes me take off the gauntlet to see what happened. There, on the back of my hand I see a tattoo, a crest, in the form of a volcano with the silhouette of a dragon''s head. Nice! "That mark is proof that this place belongs to you now. Congratulations Auros!" "Thank you, Nerinne!" She is the best. She is even dependable enough to help me get a volcano. "Fufufu~~, I am glad. Now what are you going to do?" "Well, I was thinking. Should I go to the forest, get attacked by a beast that I defeat and turn it into a monster girl companion? Or go to the obviously bandit-controlled road and find a companion there that might be a princess?" I feel that I''m making the smile of someone who is up to no good. Hehehe. I wonder... To be continued...(cue foreshadowing scene from the pov of poor next companion) Glossary Entry #8: Monster-girl: A girl that has features of a monster. Not a monstrous girl...well, it can also be that too. Slimes that look like human girls. Arachnes, Lamias, Centaurs, all of this can be turned into cute and moe girls! All for justice! Chapter 11: Isekai bandit chapter. "Wouldn''t it be simpler to just choose another road? I mean, you don''t have to follow this one. Even more knowing that there''s bandits here." As you can see, Nerinne is surprised by the path I chose to take. Anyone with common sense would share her opinion, so I get where she is coming from. But...I am not like that anymore. "I believe I said I would live this life according to my feelings, right?" Or was that something that one of the characters in those novels said? Was it? Oh well, something along those lines. "Yes, you did." I am currently walking on the dirt road I saw while surveying the area outside of the cave. One thing I noticed when getting here is that the road is clean. Too clean. And also, well maintained, even though there are bandits here. How do I know? Come on. "You just can''t have a reincarnated person in a fantasy world without them facing bandits right after the start of their journey. Its part of the fun~~." And establishes that they can kill without batting an eye, even if they had never done so before. Buuuut its just like a game, man! "Auros, are you going to kill bandits to try out your strength?" "Ouch, that tone of yours just now hurts my feelings Nerinne. How can you suspect that of me? *sniff-sniff*." I may be a bit strange but, no, I am not like that. "That''s a no, right?" "Of course, it''s a no! Stop it with that suspecting tone!" Besides, there are more efficient ways to test my abilities and so on. Like attacking a big rock to see my magic power, lifting a big tree for physical strength, and even duking it out with a harmful monster for a mix of that. See? Efficient and reasonable! "Then what are you going to do to them?" "Heh. Now, now, just wait. Can''t spoil the fun, can I? I promise that it is not something bad and you will have fun too." "Fufu~~. Then, I look forward to it." We covered a good distance while we were talking, and we are now in an area where trees and more greenery grow to the side of the road. My comment from before still counts here. The road is too clean for it to be a bandit-controlled road. It is kind of strange. But well, I can always just ask. "Since they are already here." I murmur while looking around. I am completely and utterly surrounded. Ten? No, twenty. Quite the ambush they got here. Just as expected. And yes, Im totally smiling under my helmet. "Do not make any sudden movements!" So shouts a deep male voice from somewhere. That is obviously the bandit leader, but he is not near. I bet he is in the rear. "..." I stop moving. I can already hear the archers of the group readying their bows. Because of course, archers are composed of archers! "State your business in these parts!" Huh? No ''all your things are belong to us''? "Hooh~~~? Quite the strange question for those who are bandits." I say doing my best besto waifu impression. It sounds so good. Well that is to be expected since now I have her voice, but still!!! "Do not speak unless it is for answering my questions! I''ll say it again! State your business in these parts! Answer or...!" There it is!! "Or what?" I say so while letting out a bit of intimidating aura mixed with magical power and applying a bit of force to my lance to make it move, slightly. """"...!"""" Heh, it worked. Some of the bandits are getting scared! Nice, nice! Now give me the prompt for the next part of the intimidating combo, bandit leader! "DROP YOUR WEAPON NOW! OR WE WILL KILL YOU!" He is strangely calm even though he is shouting so strongly. Might be to help his comrades handle the fear. Good move, but thanks for the prompt!! "Very well." I thrust my lance through the road beneath it with ease. Cracks appeared all over the earth surrounding it. And I haven''t turned off the intimidating aura, so it is working wonders with this. """"...!"""" "Anything else, oh mysterious bandit leader?" I say so while looking to where my senses point out to be his position. Heh, even then he doesnt get startled. "Come now. Why resort to violence when we can talk as civilized people. Unless you wouldn''t mind losing your precious comrades, of course." That one is me mixed with besto waifu. Not that cool sounding and a clich, but it gets the job done. "...lets talk." See? "Stand down everyone." Just as planned. Although these bandits are really obedient. Talk about breaking stereotypes. And he is coming out from the place I was looking at. Yay for my new senses!! "It seems we have reached a deadlock here." Says the bandit leader while joining me on the road. He looks quite different to my idea of a bandit leader, but with these bandits, I was expecting that to happen. His hair is a solid black, enough to make a Japanese Isekai''d blush, and his face is a rough but well-kept one. That roughness is mainly because of the permanent glare he has, which reminds me of a certain Knight of the Round Table in the universe of my waifu. "My name is Erevain, to whom I owe the...pleasure?" Oooh!! His name is even similar!! Wait. Calm down. Even his etiquette is not something I would expect of a bandit leader, even if he is a bit angry. I think I have an idea about this whole unexpected form of the typical events. "You may call me Auros, or not. Matters not." He is a bit smaller than me in terms of height, so it ended up as if I''m talking down on him. He glares at me without blinking, I can see in his eyes that he is trying to place my name somewhere within his memories. I am sorry. I don''t think you have heard of me, since I just arrived in this world yesterday. "Would you consider taking off your helmet as a sign of good intentions?" The question seems meek by its own, but his tone is firm even being this close to me. This man... Heh, what an interesting fellow. "I shall grant your request, but I warn you that your men should stay put. I will end whoever attacks, yes?" I look at one of the bandits that still had his hand hovering its dagger''s handle. He gets spooked and then Erevain glares at him until he drops the belt where the dagger hang. I nod and start taking off my helmet. I wonder how they will react. Should I change my horns with my [Shapeshifting touch] skill? Oh well, it seems it is too late. Erevain just saw part of my pointy ears and part of the horns that are behind them. He isn''t moving an inch. I don''t know if he has nerves of steel or he is just reckless, but kudos man! I finish taking off my helmet. The wind blows, and my bangs move accordingly. I hear some surprised reactions here and there; others are just cursing their luck and one...just fainted. Erevain looks at me, faces down and sighs. And it is one heck of a resignation filled sigh. "So, this is it, huh?" He murmurs to himself, and me since I can hear him. Sorry. "If I may ask, what business does a Dragon Lord has in the outskirts of the Kingdom?" Its obvious that everyone here knows of the Dragon Lords and their power. And he still has the guts to look me in the eye and ask me that. I can''t help but smile at this guy. "Heh. I find your valor quite interesting and curious. You are unlike many bandits I have known. They always tend to be cowards and that does not extend to your group. I''m surprised that none of them have tried to either attack me or escape. Is it fear or loyalty? Both?" "..." No response. Ok. "I shall answer your question. My business is to travel this world, see its wonders and end the threat of the other Dragon Lords in the name of the Goddess." I say with a serious expression. I can hear some them say that I am lying. Nope, I am not. The Dragon Lords mean harm to the Goddess for whatever their reason and I won''t let them. Erevain looks a bit surprised, so let''s make him completely surprised. "And for that, I chose this curiously clean and well-maintained road looking for those who will help me achieve that goal. Like a certain band of bandits that seem to be more like knights playing the role of a bandit instead of the real product." "...!" At last some reaction. Oh, but there''s more! "As of today, all of you, will serve me." "..." Erevain is still surprised but at the same time he seems to be pondering. "As if I would choose to serve a fucking Dragon Lord!" There it is. Another good prompt. Thanks Bandit #4. It is time for me unleash that which makes many submit and others awaken to a new fetish before submitting. The Edge Alter Glare. "You don''t have a choice." I say so while glaring at him. I release even more intimidating aura, creating an almost physical pressure and Bandit #4 falls to his knees out of fear, with the others following suit immediately. Look at that, some are blushing. Enjoy your new fetish heh. "Stop. Forgive him for his transgression. If you are speaking the truth, then I have some terms." Erevain, man, your guts rating should be EX. To be able to speak and be standing after this much pressure...you have my respect. And my undivided attention. "I''m listening." To be continued...(cue ad for the Auros figure for only $999.99!) Chapter 12: Sometimes a new job means a new image. This is the worst situation I have encountered since what happened five years ago in the Kyrie Kingdom. The suspicious black knight that we have been following since he entered the Illumbee village''s road turned out to be a Dragon Lord. The others haven''t noticed it, but it is to be expected, not many see a Dragon Lord and live to tell the tale. Even I want to forget those memories, but that has proven to be a grave mistake. Yes, I made the mistake of not being able to gauge his strength and tried to ambush him with my comrades. A mistake that might cost us our lives. Maybe I have grown accustomed to this life of ambushing suspicious merchants and slave procurers, letting dust cover my instincts. But I know that this is a battle we would lose, no questions asked. No matter what tactic, trick, or strategy I were to come up with, it would be useless right now. Still, we are not dead, and blood has not been spilled. This Dragon Lord wants to talk. So, we shall talk. Even then just being near him and his gaze is overwhelming Kuh...I cannot let this pressure beat me! I shall not fall. That would be like laughing at the loyalty of my men and the sacrifices we have made. For I am their pillar. And so, I look at him in the eye and ask for his name, trying to get as much information as possible. Auros His name might be a fake one since there are no Dragon Lords who have that name, that I know of, but he could be speaking the truth too. I need more information. Perhaps he is willing to show his face as a sign of good intentions, so that shall be my next request. He is granting it under an obvious warning, one backed up by the actions of one of my comrades. Still, he stands down the moment I glare at him. Sorry, my friend, but not even you can land a surprise attack on him and not just because of the full armor that he is wearing. With that dealt with, he is now taking off his helmet and!! Iwhat is this?! He is a Dragon Lord, of that there is no doubt and yetI feel as if Im in front a King among Kings?! It feels as if Im being swallowed up by his presence and my body screams for me to kneel before him butI wont. I cant. Because this presence also means that his threat is far greater than I thought So shaken I am that I sigh and murmur without thinking. All as my body keeps screaming to me, but I refuse to hear it. I won''t bend the knee. I need to know. I need to hear the reasons for this...being to be on its way to the Kyrie Kingdom. I must at least ascertain that. I look at him in the eye once more, at those golden draconic eyes he has and ask exactly that. He chuckles while commenting about me and my comrades. He asks whether it is fear, loyalty, or both that makes them so different from the bandits he knows. It is something beyond loyalty, but I don''t know if someone like a Dragon Lord can understand it. Not after witnessing how they act towards the world and its inhabitants. As such, I give him silence as my response. Even if that may cause him to end me right here. But that doesnt happen, simply moves and begins answering my?! What...did...he just spoke of?! He wants...he wants to end the other Dragon Lords, his own kin, in the name of the Goddess?! That isabsurd. I almost shout at him accusing him of lying but...! There is no divine punishment falling upon him for using the name of the Goddess in vain That meansthat he is speaking the truth That he is indeed on the side of the Goddess He seems amused by my reaction and even more, he seems eager, as if he isnt done saying unexpected things. What else could he say that?! "...!" He...! How foolish of me! Of course! A Dragon Lord would not fall for an ambush like this! To think that the ones who were being watched and ambushed were us! Not only that, he is sharp to the point of knowing part of our circumstances Most important of all, he wishes for us to serve him so that he may accomplish his objective. This is truly a situation I could have never expected. One that I need to think about carefully, not just for my sake, but for theirs. To serve a Dragon Lord...a member of the race that is the enemy of the world... Someone that could invite ruin to us, and anyone related to us, even if we have been forgotten by them. But I believe that doing so would mean following the very will of the Goddess who gave life to the world itself. That could mean that at this moment the Goddess is not only extending a helping hand to us, but also a trial of faith and willpower. Yes. That is what my heart is telling me. I have made my choice, but I cannot speak for the others. I will make it clear that this is a choice that everyone... Damn! Idiot! He lost his calm and shouted something inconvenient! I have to say something before he ends up killed! That fool! Before all!! Kh...! This pressure is even more intense than before...! My body is screaming even harder! No! I wont! I. REFUSE. TO. BEND. THE. KNEE! Because I need to ask him to stop and forgive that fool... I also have no more time to obtain more information on him and I do not know how he will react to what I will ask of him, but I will have to do with what I have. I will say my terms. May my heart be right. __________________________________________________________ "Hoh~~. Even after hearing that you don''t have a choice you ask of me to give your comrades the choice of serving me while offering yourself to make it possible, am I right?" The terms he spoke of were the typical Do not kill civilians. If there is the possibility to protect them and better their lives, then that should be done and so on. He strayed so much from the image of a bandit, that I would believe him if he were to say that they were vigilantes. And then he offers his loyalty as payment for giving his men the choice of serving me. He is brave and has a strong will. Now I know that for sure. Too bad for him that his terms were already part of my morals to begin with. I mean, I am not some monster, and until a few days ago I was but a simple human, living a simple life with simple tastes. Indeed, simple. For me this is a good deal, so, of course I''ll take it. He doesn''t even know that they always had a choice and what I did was only to keep them from doing something stupid. Even so, this is more fun than my job, even though I''m still dealing with people. Yay for this second life! "Interesting. Very interesting indeed. Umu, I shall accept those terms." "I thank you, Lord Auros." I could hear the relief in his voice, he must cherish these people with all his heart to be able to do this. And that is why they will follow you into serving me, Erevain. Also...Lord? Did I mishear? He called me ''lord'', right? "If Pr-Leader Erevain has decided to serve you, then I will follow you too." Huh, what was that? He corrected himself so fast that I didn''t quite catch that. I feel that is something important... but well there goes one. "Eric...are you sure?" Oh, he looks kind of young that Eric. Seventeen? No...eighteen. Perhaps twenty? Yes, I think that is the correct number. Yep, no ban-hammer for me. "I vowed to follow you, my friend. That is not something I plan to break today or ever." "Me too." "And me." Oh! There it is!!! The moving ''me too'' scene, where true comrades choose to stay together and face whatever may happen. Such friendship! Such brotherhood!! Oooooh! My shounen friendship moments battery has been replenished to the brim!! This! This one was the right choice!! Every single one of the ''bandits'' chose to serve me. Even the one who shouted apologized. Thank you Erevain, you did your job perfectly! "Very well then. With your help we will end the threat of the Dragon Lords and bring peace to this world. This I swear!" I grab the Holy Lance and lift it, letting out its holy radiance. Everyone opens their eyes widely. """""....!!!!"""" Now they know that my words are the truth and there shouldn''t be any more problems, but they do something unexpected. I mean, I thought they would shout and put their fists in the air, but they all knelt. Even Erevain. "You underestimated how strong is the faith they have in me, Auros. Just as you said, now they know you are speaking the truth and that you are on my side. They will follow you to the ends of the world." Says Nerinne through the lance. Ah, nobody but me can hear her so there''s no problem. Also, if that''s the case then it will be easier to accept what is going to happen next. "What is?" The fun part. "Fufufu~~" She giggles. Heh, she can''t wait any longer I bet, so let''s show her. "I, Auros, High Dragon Lord of the Goddess claim you as my servants, my followers, and companions. Become part of my strength and part of my strength shall become yours!!" I recite a similar spell to the one Nerinne taught me and a magic circle appears beneath my feet extending through the whole area where the bandits are. It shines brightly in the same dark red light and then it disappears. I can already feel the burn-like feeling on my hands and parts of my body. I bet there are more crest-like marks on it now. No problem. They look cool and save me the terrifying experience of getting a tattoo with those scary needles. Win-win. "I can feel power surging through my body!" Me too! And me! Says one of the bandits with similar responses coming from everyone. It seems my attempt at a pact spell worked wonders. "That is only the first part of the process. We are going against the enemies of the world, and that means my followers must have the strength to do battle with their forces as their natural enemy." I say so with a serious voice. Everyone seems surprised, except Erevain, he just nods as if saying that the power he is feeling is not enough. Hmm there might be an interesting story there. "Hold the hand of the one beside you. That way I will only need to use this spell only once for everyone." Everyone does as I say. Good. Nerinne, watch this. "Erevain, your hand." "Yes, My Lord." He extends his free hand towards me and I grab it. "Heed my words. Picture the type of woman who you like the most, your perfect woman, you as a woman, any one of those or all of those made into one." """"Eh?"""" Everyone makes a confused expression. That is also my signal! It has appeared in their minds! "[Shapeshifting Touch]" Light envelops every single one of the bandits and expressions of surprise are heard among them. But that doesn''t matter because...HERE IT IS THE SHAPESHIFTING GACHA!! I can''t wait to see what comes out of this! Right Nerinne?! "Indeed. I couldn''t have guessed this turn of events...fufufu~~~" I told you that it would be fun. You all will serve me. Yes, you will serve meas my loyal Maid-Knights. Let us take care of each other from now on. To be continued... (cue splash page art with the waifus of this first volume) Glossary Entry #9: Gacha: A hell of salt and disappointment. A black hole made of money and dreams of obtaining the characters one wants. The waifu one will never get. Yes, that is gacha. It is prevalent in mobile games where you use in-game currency (which in some games can be bought directly with money) to roll for a desired character within a pool of many characters. The "prize" is usually separated in various rarities with their own rates. R, for rare. SR, for Super Rare. SSR, for Super Super Rare. Even some games have a hole deeper than that! The fearsome...UR!!! FOR ULTRA-RARE!! Of course, the rarer the unit is, the more useful or powerful it can be. This depends pretty much on the devs and how they balance their game though. But if you have addictive tendencies, please, stay away from this. Because this is designed to manipulate you and suck you dry. Combat Maids/Maid-Knights/etc: A popular trope in general for anime. Characters who are maids are cool by their own. So, how about we make them maids that also can beat the crap out of anyone?! EVEN MORE COOOOOL!! Chapter 13: Shapeshifting Gacha is saltless?! Nerinne’s new hobby is what?! "Wha-what is this?!" Exclaims Erevain who is in front of me. And I can hear, and see, the same type of reactions coming out of every single one of my new followers. But there is something different in all those voices. They are all female. I think you can already guess what happened to them with that, right? "My, oh my, it seems we just pulled an SSR class beauty Auros!" I think so too Nerinne. Just wow... I mean, I wanted to say that I didn''t expect this, but I had a tiny feeling this could happen. Its Erevain. The once rough, eternal glare-faced man has turned into a black-haired beauty that exuded nobility. The words black-haired duchess or baroness were the ones that first occurred to me to best describe her. Her curvaceous body would attract the eyes of every single man, and woman, in the room, and I''m saying that just by seeing him, her now, still wearing her leather armor. Just imagine if she were to wear a dress fitting for the character I just said. "Indeed. That seductive body coupled with that dignity and strong willpower of hers. Oh, and how could I forget that glare! Mmmmmm! It makes me want to dress her up just to see how much you can resist before giving her the waifu seal of approval!" Hey! It sounds as if giving her the seal of approval means I will pounce at her like some beast in heat! "Fufufufu~~~ I wonder why?" Tha-that was because of your te-teasing Nerinne!! "My, I just love teasing you like this. Your unintentional tsunderism is the best!" ... "Wha-What is the meaning of this, Lord Auros?! I demand an explanation!" Exclaims the now flustered Erevain with her arms holding her newly bulging chest. Her black hair flows long, creating some bangs here and there, giving even more expression to her face. She looks embarrassed. So...hot. Ah, sorry, I got too into it with Nerinne just now. Can''t stay silent. Hmmm...but what could be a good explanation? DING, OBLIGATORY LIGHT BULB. I got an idea. "Hmm, are you sure? You demand an explanation from me? Is that the correct choice of words to speak to me, your Master. Erevain?" I say that while glaring at her and making my voice a bit deeper. Scaaary, I really sound like pissed off Edge Alter here. Scary and hot, mind you. Oh, I really love this body of mine. She tries to reply to me but then she silences herself. It seems that she understands. "But indeed, an explanation is at hand. For all of you." While I''m saying this, Nerinne is going all Look, we have a cutie one over there too Auros! Oh! And there too! she seems delighted with the results. So am I! I just want to break character and check everyone out in detail, buuuuut...one''s got to do what one''s got to do! "And so, Erevain, give our comrades an explanation. I know for certain that you already have an idea about all of this, given that you are the only one who seems to know the true power of a Dragon Lord." The person in question looks at me with a bit of surprise in her eyes. "Take it as a trial that will decide your position, and since I have high expectations of you, I hope you do not disappoint me." We both lock eyes for a moment and then she nods. "Understood." Hmmm, now that I pay close attention to it, her voice sounds kind of like a certain witch''s. Yes, something like that. "All of you know that I survived an encounter with a Dragon Lord. The cost of that is something that changed all our lives...and that is why I thought the power Lord Auros gave us before this change was insufficient." I can hear already some of them saying No way and so on. "Lord Auros knows that to be true, and he decided to bestow us with a body that would let us fight against them." He? Erevain, really thinks that I''m a man? I thought my waifu''s face was feminine enough, but it seems that is not the case. Well, he is in for a surprise that''s for sure. "Fufufu~~~ and she does not seem to be the only one Auros. Some think that you are man, others a woman and others cannot decide. It is quite amusing." Well, that is sure going to a be a big surprise for some of them then. "..." They are looking at me now. So many beauties are looking at me at the same time that it makes me feel a bit excited. We have some with boyish but thick in the right places looks, others with village beauty looks, even the lovable ''eyes covered by her hair'' shy type is here. OOOOOH! RED-HEADED TANNED WARRIOR! OJOU-SAMA TOO!! CHECK! CHECK! AAAAAND CHECK!!!! ISEKAIS ARE THE BEST! YAY FOR SHAPESHIFTING GACHA! YAY FOR NERINNE! YAY FOR MEEEE! "You are mostly correct, Erevain. But do not worry, you did not disappoint." I say while patting her shoulder, she seems relieved. "Indeed. The power that my pact conveys you is already great, but it was not enough. For all of you to be able to wield it to the fullest, your bodies needed to be remade and adjusted for that power. Yes, it is a great change, but believe me when I say that all of you are now going to be able to unleash your full potential." Some are already convinced. Those are probably the ones that were already aware to the limits of their bodies before the change. For the others that are still not convinced I will use my most convenient card. "The Goddess believes so too. She approves of this change as a part of the trials that awaits us." Everyone nods after hearing this. Heh, so convenient. And now for the final push. "Erevain, you shall become my right-hand woman, advisor and strategist. I will be counting on you." She seemed a bit shocked when I said ''woman'' but besides that she nods immediately. "Yes, my Lord! I, Erevain, will loyally serve you and the Goddess until my life expires!" She bows deeply. I can feel the sincerity in those words. Don''t worry, I will respond to your loyalty. I promise. ________________________________________________________ Some time later after that, we are now walking to their camp. I''m glad things went well. You sure are convenient, Nerinne. "Hey! Don''t use me as an excuse for people to believe you!" You say that, but you are already thinking of outfits to make for them. I don''t even have to see you to know that your eyes are already shining. "Fufufu~~~indeed. But, using my authority without permission...kukuku it''s going to cost you Auros. And I already have the perfect outfit for you." *gulp* Cosplaying in this body was something I was looking forward to, but I can''t help but dread whatever Nerinne has in store for me now. "Oh, I can''t wait to see which new expression you will show me with that lovable face of yours. Fufu~~." ... Am I to blame for this new hobby of hers? To be continued...(cue embarrassed cosplaying Auros ending art.) Glossary Entry #10: Beauty: The readers. Chapter 14: The manly(?) way of gaining trust and base camp. "As you can see my Lord, this is what we do. Now, if you permit me, I would like to change my clothes since these ones are...too loose now." Says Erevain, still trying to support her newly bulging chest, while showing me boxes on top of boxes of diverse products and provisions. All ''procured'' from merchants they ambushed and so on. "You may go." It seems that I was right on the money thinking that they were more than simple bandits. And Erevain hasn''t told me the specifics as to why they are doing that, yet, but they are indeed the one''s responsible for the road being in such a good state. That also includes keeping it free of dangerous beasts and monsters. Still...vigilantes or exiled knights? Right now, Im betting more on the latter because of Erevain''s ''feel'', but I also can''t deny the other one. Either way, I''m almost certain that Erevain is someone who at least had a high position on this land. WHY? ISEKAI LAW OF COURSE! You can''t be an isekai protagonist without AT LEAST one princess, or high priestess, or something along those lines in your harem...I mean...party. And Erevain''s look and feel seem to me like a neon sign screaming ''SOMETHING KINGDOM SOMETHING ARC HEROINE HERE''. But I will stop myself for marking it as a ''check'' in the isekai things list until the person herself reveals their circumstances. Oh well, I may need to do other things before we go there though. I mean, I haven''t visited the village of the beginning yet! That is a must! Because that''s where I can get some idea of the common sense of this world before throwing it into the trash anyway. It seems I went a bit off topic there for a moment. Where was I? Ah yes. Their base camp has a good level of organization and even hygiene. It doesn''t smell bad at all. This is all on Erevain, I''m sure of it. But I was talking about the boxes, right? They secretly deliver those to a nearby village every first day of the month. Umu, umu. That is sure nice of them and that is more reason to go there. I made a right choice with them. "Indeed. I am impressed by their love for the people of their country even if it seems that they have been forgotten." Yes, Erevain said something along those lines when I asked her if they really had no problem going on a journey with me. "There is something I''ve been curious about, Auros." Hm? "Why are you playing a character?" Oh, that. "Wouldn''t it be more comfortable to just act as yourself?" Comfortable, yes. Effective and productive? Not so much. If I learned something in my job back in the other world, it was that sometimes one must play the character the image of one''s self creates in the minds of others to get good results. And since besto waifu already has a way of acting that fits the bill, I decided to emulate it. "Not just because you would sound cool role playing as her, right?" No, of course not, Nerinne. Who do you think I am? The logical reason is the central one of course...AS IF! OF COURSE, IT WAS BECAUSE I WOULD SOUND AND LOOK COOL TOO. "I knew it." I mean, the logical reason was there too but come on, that was obviously one of the reasons for me wanting this body! "Yes, but are you going to do that all the time?" No, not at all. I''m planning to break character slowly, that way it will feel just natural and will make it easier for them to trust me. I just need the right prompt or event to do it. "You are quite the shrewd one, Auros." Heh, blame my job for that. I might have learned some not so lawful-good things in there, but all that merch wouldn''t buy itself, right? Being a serious otaku is costly, you know? There is no way I could fill a warehouse with figurines, merch, books and so on being just a NEET! DO NOT BELIEVE THOSE PRO-NEET STORIES!! "Fufufu~~ I would like to hear more about that job of yours, but it seems that ''prompt'' you were looking for is coming." Oh, you are right. It''s the tanned red-headed warrior. She seems to have already changed to more comfortable clothes and thus I can see her tight curves even better. Thanks for the meal, as they say! "Yo'' Lord Auros!" Heh, a proper greeting for her character type. Nice, nice. "State your name and business with me." I say in a reproaching tone; some people are behind her too. Oh, it''s the blonde ojou-sama type and the shy one, both with more fitting clothes too. Good. Good. Thanks for the combo meal! "Yes, yes. I''m Kristoff, though now it doesn''t sound too convincing so, just call me Kris my Lord. As you can see, I am a warrior and I have come with a request for you." She says so while holding a stupidly big sword on her shoulders. Anime-level of big. Hiatus manga type of big. If that is not a check in my isekai things list, then I don''t know what it is! CHECK! "And you?" I say so to the ones behind them. The ojou-sama nods while the shy one gets a bit startled just like her character would act. Please tell me she was always like that and me changing her form didn''t affect her personality, Nerinne. Because that would be bad. "Your skill doesn''t do that, Auros. It just affects the physical appearance." Phew...thanks for the clarification. Let''s go back to the ojou-sama then. "I am Gabrielle, my Lord. I specialize in physical combat and healing magic. I have the same request as Kris, but I hope we can work well together from now on." She bows lightly after saying that and her blond curls bounce a bit with her movement as well as her chest. Truly a first-class beauty. I can almost hear the ''OHOHOHOHOHO!'' laugh coming out of her perfectly. "I-I''m Luca...I specializereconnaissance, scouting and stealth...my-my Lord. I...too haverequest..." While Gabrielles voice is soft and gentle, like a precious flower, without beating Nerinne though, Lucas is incredibly girly despite being as loud as a whisper. So much so that if I closed my eyes, I would think I was talking to a high schooler and not a woman in her twenties. "So, what is this request you speak of?" "Fight us my lord." "Please, my lord." "..." The three of them stare at me with pretty intense and expectant eyes. Well, Luca is trying her hardest to not look the other way though...she sure is cute. You were right, Nerinne. This is a really good prompt. "Hoh~~~ And why would you want to do something that could be thought as foolish?" I say so while putting my hand near my chin and using an inquisitive smile. I don''t know if it hasn''t been clear enough, but I''m having a blast doing this. "Heh, because I want to test the strength of my new lord, even if he is a Dragon Lord backed by the Goddess. Simple as that." She says so while giving me a big smile. The scar she has in one of her cheeks makes her even more charming now that I look at her closely. Ooof... "I''m afraid I have to agree with Kris. I want to better know the Lord that our Goddess has chosen." Oh, she is already wearing a pair of metal gauntlets. Her tone is polite, but she is completely serious about fighting me. "I...I fainted...when I met you so...I want to show you thatI am no...coward!" Luca, you don''t need to do that. With how you said that just now you already have a place in my heart. So cute dammit! Kris and Gabrielle are good too. "Besides, that would also help those with the same thoughts as us." Says Kris while pointing with her chin at the rest of my new companions, they were all paying attention to our talk. "Indeed, I can see the logic in your words. That also means that the three of you are in the higher ranks of your peers, am I correct?" "That''s how it is, my Lord." "Good. I accept your request." "We thank you for giving us some of your time." "...thank you..." ________________________________________________________ "I take my eyes off Kristoff for a moment and this happens...*sigh*" Says Erevain while shaking her head. Yeah, it was too coincidental that they came right after you left to change your clothes. Also, don''t worry about those, Nerinne is already working on something better and more...appropriate, heh. "Why, of course I am." That is also the reason why I am fighting barehanded right this moment, since I transported my lance to my personal space just a moment ago to let her do just that. "Oh my, my! What is this? Could it be that?" Huh? Is everything alright back there? "Yes, yes, don''t worry, Auros dear. You''ll see when you come back here. Now, focus on your fight scene, yes? Cheers." She is hiding something. I feel it in my horns. "GOT YOU!" Kris shouts while doing a downward slash with her sword. She thought I wasn''t paying attention, but I move out of the way as if I was dealing with some falling leaves. Sorry. I indeed wasn''t paying attention, but I have an OP instinct skill. "I apologize if I seem distracted, but the Goddess was speaking with me and...huff!" "Gnn!" I grab the striking Gabrielle by her arm throw her to the ground with a traditional martial arts technique. What? Why do I know martial arts? Are you serious? Any otaku of my level has at least gone through a martial arts phase when they were kids and watching certain Shonen anime!! No? WELL I DID! GOT A PROBLEM? But I also must give credit again to my instinct, senses and overall OP body obviously. Just putting it out there so people don''t forget and think I was some sort of genius that only needed to move to another world to shine. Heh. "You are coming from behind Luca. The opening was when I was grabbing Gabrielle here, not now. Try again if you can get up from...THIS!" "...!" By my Goddess, this instinct is an absolute OP thing coupled with my senses. I do a step-back kick and...oh! Luca was able to dodge it! Nice! Seems like she is the first one to start using her improved abilities even if its by luck. Some of our spectators are surprised by that. "Oraaa!!" Kris is coming with a round slash, so this time I will grab her sword and... "You fell for it! [OX PUNCH]!" Ah, it was a feint. She is coming with a glowing punch and her speed is increasing! Nice! "Do not forget about me, my Lord! [KI STRIKE]!" Gabrielle is coming at me from my other side with increased speed too! Good! I don''t even need to ask because I know for sure that I am smiling. Just imagining how awesome this looks from the outside makes me want to do even flashier things! But they are not enemies and I am not some battle junkie, so I''ll do this quick! "...[DAGGER THRUST]" Luca seems intent on attacking me from the back. Very well let''s try a bit of magic while dealing with these two at my sides. "Ice heed me and guard my back. [ICE WALL]" I murmur while taking both punches with each hand. They are strong. I actually felt them a bit. "Kya!" Cute. Luca, who just tried to attack me, saw herself blocked by the sudden emergence of an ice wall, duh, but her daggers managed to leave some surface cracks on it because of her strength. Just imagine if she had better equipment! "Ghnnn!" "Mhhh!" "You can''t break free from my grip; your hand will be damaged if you try. Do you wish to continue?" I say so while showing them a satisfied smile. They make a surprised expression in response to my smile and laugh a bit. "Aaaah...no, it was short, but it was a good fight, my Lord." "I have no objections. The doubts my heart had were squashed in a satisfying manner by my Lord." "I...think so too..." "Very well then." I release Kris and Gabrielle and then I help Luca get up. Then I walk towards everyone else. "Were you surprised by that? Have any of you seen them move this fast before? Or hit that hard? Well, that is the potential every single one of you now has. They managed to do that just a couple of hours after their transformation. Just imagine what will happen when you train properly and become accustomed to your new bodies." Some are looking at their hands and making fists with them, full of motivation. Others are looking at me with complete trust and others are still surprised. "But if anyone still has doubts, you can always request a fight with me. That is one of your rights as the ones who serve me." "Oh, that means we can fight again, my Lord?" Says Kris while resting her sword on her shoulders again. "Indeed. Now..." I summon a [Door] to my personal space. "Wha-What is that my lord?" "This is the door that will take us to my fortress, or better said, our headquarters. So, tell everyone to pack up everything, Erevain. I''ll be waiting inside." That will give me some time to see what the hell is Nerinne planning. "Yes, my lord." I cross the door and disappear inside. Nerinne, ready or not here I come! To be continued...(cue dark silhouette ofHUH?! WHAT?!) Glossary Entry #11: Neet: Not in Employment, Education, or Training. That is what that term means. It appears in various anime and manga, sometimes in a comedic way as the ultimate form of a weeb and sometimes on a more serious manner. Some isekai stories feature neets who die and go to another world. Chapter 15: Are you kidding? Eh?! "Amm...Nerinne..." "Yes, my dear?" "Who is that girl?" Five minutes after traversing inside of the surprisingly bigger, and recently expanded, personal space, I find myself back in the main bedroom, where Nerinne is on top of the bed doing the hair of a little girl I have never seen before. "Would you believe me if I said that she is the product of our love?" She says so as EH?! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHH?! "Fufufuhahahahahaha...your face! Hahahahaha that expression you are making is priceless Auros!" "..." "Fuh...let...me catch...my...hahaha...breath..." "..." "So fun...don''t you think so, Ilya?" Wh-what...? "Father looks funny..." Fafafafafafatheeeeeeeeeeer?! Are you serious?! Oi, oi, when the hell did the story change tags to the one with the F for me and Nerinne to have a kid?! We''re not even in the fifth volume to introduce the kuudere kid!!! "Please, no more...fufufu~~ I can''t keep laughing..." "..." "I mean, she was already introduced dear, but it wasn''t in this form." "Wha-What do you mean with that Nerinne?" "Her fiery orange hair doesn''t ring a bell for you?" "Ammm noooo?" "Or her ashen brownish skin? Keyword being, ashen, dear." I bet I''m making a dumb face right now, but it seriously doesn''t ring any bells. Oh, the girl is looking at me intently. You could even see the *staaaaaaaaaaaare* type of onomatopoeia crowning her head. That, plus her kuudere poker face, and it feels as if she is staring directly at my soul. This ten or something years old girl... Ah! She jumped off the bed and is now walking towards me. Shes here. "..." "Amm...hello?" She took my right hand and took off my gauntlet...huh? Was it that loose for her to take it off that easily? "Here..." She shows me the back of my hand where the crest-type mark is, specifically the one that appeared after I claimed the volcano, and then she shows me her own right hand. "No...way..." "Fufufu~~." "..." This girl...she has the same crest... That means...no, that is too crazy even for me, but...I... Nerinne? "Mhm." She just nodded. Ahahaha...hahahahahahahaha she is the volcano...the volcano is a kuudere little girl who calls me father even if I''m a woman now. I can''t even... We just went full isekai. We just went full absurdly long named type of isekai. HahA. Ha. "Hug." Huh? I am making another dumb face I know, but I think I just heard something so cute that my mind has lag. "Hug. Father." She is extending her arms while asking for a hug. "..." I can feel the last shred of my composure fly away after seeing that. Oh well.... HOW THE HECK CAN I RESIST SOMEONE THIS CUTE?!!!!!!! "OF COURSE, CUTIE!" I hug her immediately and rub my cheeks with hers. She lets out a really small laugh. "Ilya is happy..." "Aww, let mother join too, Ilya!" "Yes..." Welp, I have a volcano daughteru now. What was I doing before this? _____________________________________________________ Meanwhile, on one of the mountains that cross the Kyrie Kingdom, there lies the fortress of a Dragon Lord and her subordinates. Her second in command, Bryn, looked at one of her majestic horns with the help of the mirror in her private quarters and what her gaze was so fixated on was the feather-like pattern on it, ruined by a scratch made from a sword. It was something not so small but also not bigger than an index finger, still, opposite to her flesh, her horns do not heal. No one judged her, not even her master. After all, it was but a mere scratch. She could tell everyone that it was caused by some sparring training with her fellow Dragon Lords and everyone would just say... "Ah, yes. That tends to happen all the time." ...and that would be the end of the story. But not for her. No, this was done by a human. She thought of him while passing her finger over it. She remembered. She always remembers. That dark and rainy night a few years ago, the howls of war flooded the battlefield. It was a battle that would serve as a preview for the Kyrie Kingdom of the siege they would soon face. A sole knight abandoned by his forces and left to die confronted her. She who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was not an epic fight but an overwhelming one, for her power easily surpassed his, yet something bothered Bryn. The human would not fall. She would freeze him to death, only for him to break off the ice magic with pure force of will. She would impale him with her enchanted spear, only for him to just use that as a chance to attack her. He would just not fall. Even if she knew the result, until this day she still clenches her fist while remembering his face. Yes, the face he did after taking on one of her more serious attacks, her [Ice Blade Dance]. Those were the eyes of an unstoppable beast right in front of her. She was caught by surprise. She did not think he would be still standing after that, but he was. And he seized the chance by jumping at her while brandishing his sword, enchanted with what little magic he had left and slashed at her. She was baffled because for a second, she felt fear. Of a human, no less. That was when she saw that small part of her horn falling slowly like a snowflake. In anger, she quickly turned around looking to finish the lowly human who had done that, but she was surprised once again. He was already on the ground, as farther as a few feet behind her and on her right flank. She had missed it. She blinded herself for only an instant and she missed it. Normally, she would have continued walking towards her objective. But not that time. She had been made to feel fear and the one who did it, did not fall in front of her, not by her hands. He fell when he decided to and that made her mad, frustrated even, she wanted to shout at his corpse and urge him to get on his feet so that she may kill him while looking him in the eye. But she did not do it. Her master called for her. Her orders are absolute and so she left the battlefield. "Lady Bryn! I have urgent news!" She was quickly pulled out from her memories by the voice of a lesser dragon lord who was outside her room. "Come in." She said with an icy and almost melancholic voice. "The bandits you ordered to put under surveillance have disappeared. Not even their camp remains!" Said the lesser dragon lord nervously. The fear of death could be almost seen coming out from him. "Calm yourself. That only means that whatever the Goddess did at the burning mountain near the forest is still there. Find it." "Y-Yes!" The lesser dragon lord went on his way. But why would she order to keep an eye on some petty human bandits? The reason for that was simple. She came to know something. It was something that the air carried one day: a certain scent known only to her. Yes, indeed. The scent of that man who had shamed her with fear. She did not know how, and she did not care. The one who was supposed to be dead, was not. So, she looked for him and found him inside the forest. But instead of killing him there, she would kill him in the battlefield while the kingdom he protected burned to ash. She knew that was their fate, even now. And so, she waits. To be continued...(cue Nerinne and Auros still hugging Ilya!) Glossary Entry #12: Kuudere: Another character archetype popular in anime. This one belongs to those that seem or are emotionless, speak in a monotone, almost robotic, tone. They are usually silent, but when they talk, they do not sugar coat things and are quite blunt, even cold. Some stay there, but others actually care quite deeply about those they love. Of course, they are quite blunt about that too. Holy Fact: Lesser dragon lords are dragon lords that are not powerful enough to achieve a fully humanoid transformation and end up with pronounced draconic characteristics on their body. These range from pronounced scales on the side of their eyes and neck, extremities more draconic in nature, the permanence of their tail and more. They also lack a personal space to call their own. They can, however, grow to become full-fledged dragon lords if they obtain enough power. Chapter 16: Welcome to the castle of the Ever-Burning Will! "So, our cute daughter here was born out of a mix of our magical energies when I did the spell?" I''m currently sitting on the bed while Ilya is on top of my legs. "Nn...nn" My cute little daughter shakes her head in response to my question. Did I say she is cute? Because she is. "Ilya...has always been...there...sleeping. Mother''s lightningwoke me up. Father''s magic gave me form...gave me wish. I wanted to bewith father and mother...suddenly, I was here. Mother arrived and gave me name...so happy...she told me story of father and mother...made me clothes...made me pretty...father arrived...happy, so happy, so so happy...together." I WANNA CRY!!! SHE IS HUGGING ONE OF MY ARMS WITH ABSURD STRENGTH, BUT I DON''T CARE!! I PLEDGE TO PROTECT THIS CINNAMMON ROLL!! Ah, yes. Nerinne is also here with her eyes shining like stars and almost crying out of cuteness. I can guess she is thinking almost, if not, the same thing as me. They are both so precious...and it isn''t even the second volume yet!! But all sugar-coated scenes must come to an end for the oh-so complex plot to continue! Umu! I can feel that all my new combat maids have finished moving their stuff in and are currently waiting at the main hall. Why can I feel that? Well, it is MY space after all, also magic, op body, etc. You know the rest already. "It seems it is time to show them around, Nerinne can you turn back...?" Huh? I could''ve sworn that Nerinne was just in front of me. Where did she...? Ah. Right... Sorry guys, I hope your hearts are ready. "Want to come with me Ilya?" "Unn..." She nodded and got off me while still holding my hand. We walk towards the door. ___________________________________________________________ "Ah, my Lord. Who...is that young one?" Erevain was in the middle of doing a polite bow but she has noticed Ilya, and as such, she has asked that out of surprise while looking at her. And my cute daughter responds with hiding behind my leg. Aww she is a shy one too... Erevain looks a bit shocked and hurt by Ilya''s reaction though. She seems to be murmuring ''I thought I wasn''t scary looking anymore...'' I feel you girl, I really do... "She is my daughter Ilya, do not mind her." "Y-Yes. As you can see, we have finished moving everything over from the camp. Some of us have questions about this place, but there seems to be a more pressing matter I would like to ask about...who is she and why she seems so eager about taking our measurements?" Says Erevain pointing at Nerinne. Some locks of her long hair flow to the front and she quickly moves them to the back of her ear. I think I have the perfect hairstyle for her thanks to a certain heroine. Heh. But, back to the conversation. "Ah yes, she is--" Wait, how do I introduce her? I was thinking of asking her to turn back into a lance but now that she is enjoying herself, I mean, taking their measurements, that''s out of the question. And I was also considering introducing her as THE Goddess, but now that I think about it a bit more, that could be a bit too much...damn that is flag...I just raised a flag, didn''t I? Well I could always try and just say she is my lover and first companion. There is no lie in that, so it is fine. Umu, let''s go with that. "Oh my, indeed! How could I forget my manners!" Aaaand just when I was going to say something, she stops measuring Kris'' chest and comes to my side gracefully. Her changing speed from enjoyment mode to divine grace mode is strangely scary... "Hello everyone, I am Auros'' lover and companion..." Nice one Nerinne, so glad I wasn''t right with the fla-- "...but you all know me already as Nerinne, the Goddess of Arte, fufu~~." Eh?! THIIIIIIIISSSSSS GODDESSSSSSS!!! DON''T EVEN THINK THAT I DIDN''T HEAR THAT LITTLE GIGGLE YOU DID RIGHT THERE WHILE GLANCING AT ME!!!!! YOU LITTLE...!! THIS WAS YOUR PLAN ALL ALONG, I JUST KNOW IT!!! THAT WAS YOUR REVENGE HUH?! Look at them, they all ended up as statues out of shock!! "..." Poor Erevain, even one of her eyes is twitching. Maybe I''ll give her a massage some time later, I bet she has a lot of stress... "I am truly glad to see that all of you have decided to take on this holy task for the sake of the world you live in, the world I created." The way she is talking and moving reminds me of the time I met her. You can''t think of her as anything else besides a true Goddess when she does this type of thing. "Indeed, doing this implied a big change for all of you, but heed me, oh noble comrades of my hero, that was but a necessary step, for your fate has given you the best form you could have to start on this journey!" Goddess'' speech for the hero and her comrades...check... Even though she is basically saying the same thing as me but in a more divine way... "Erevain, I expect great things from you as the right hand of Auros. If you follow him, that which has been troubling you all, shall be resolved." Obvious foreshadowing is obvious, Nerinne. Obvious way of maintaining a misunderstanding about my gender for laughs is obvious too... "...!" Erevain comes out of her shock but keeps the surprised expression. "You all will be seeing me here throughout this journey, so I hope we all get along as companions." Oi, oi. Even if you smile like that, you are their Goddess and you are telling them to treat you as a companion. I mean, I get it but they... See! Luca is about to faint! Someone catch her!! Ah, nice save Gabrielle. "Now, accept this as my thanks." Nerinne extends her arm towards them and a blueish light covers the clothes of everyone. "This is..." Erevain is the first to notice what was happening. Yes, the clothes and armor of everyone started changing. When the light stopped glowing, I was greeted by a beautiful scene. I take back my words. This isn''t revenge. This is a gift. A blessing. Oh Nerinne, have I told you how much I love you? Because THIS IS GLORIOUS! MAID OUTFITS. MAID OUTFITS EVERYWHERE!!!! NOW THEY LOOK THE PART!! MY MAIDS OF THE ROUND!!! MY MAID-KNIGHTS!!! "I apologize for only giving you these combat clothes, but I can ensure their defensive capabilities and utility. They won''t lose against the hardest of metals, titanotite, and even dragon scales, in terms of defensive capabilities, while maintaining your mobility as if they were simple clothes." "Please, do not apologize, oh Goddess. You have given us a great gift." Says Erevain quickly kneeling, followed by everyone else. Garter belt detected! Yum! I kind of feel a bit sorry for those who wanted to object about the clothes but can''t since it was a gift of their Goddess. "Even so, I shall tell you that your proper weapons shall find you one way or another." And that is another flag, indeed... Gods seem to like raising those, huh? "Then there is nothing more we could ask of you, oh Goddess. But...I do apologize since it will take some time for some of us to be able to speak to your grace in the way you desire." "My, do not worry. Take your time. I am sure that at the end of this journey you''ll think of me more as a friend." Nerinne says so with a gentle smile on her face. She is so beautiful... "..." Erevain on the other hand seems unsure about what Nerinne said so she shifts her attention to me. "Lord Auros..." "Speak freely Erevain and stand, for you are my right-hand woman." "U-Understood. The me-women...want to know what this place is." Don''t worry, Erevain. You''ll get used to referring to yourself as a woman...I think. "This is my personal space, a place that all Dragon Lords have and our headquarters as of now. Just like I''ve told you before." She doesn''t look surprised at all. So, she already knew but still asked to confirm it, huh? Also, her outfit is predominantly black with some gray metal here and there. It does, however, look as one would expect not only from being the superior of the other maids, but also as my right hand. It screams high rank from wherever you look at it and makes her figure stand out, in a cool beauty type of way, while still maintaining that baroness feel. Yeah, it sounds weird but without the ability to make drawings with my thought process, unless I sacrifice a kidney, that is the best way I can describe her, sumanai. "Does it have a name, my lord?" "I''ve thought of some, but do you have one in mind, Erevain?" She stays silent for a moment and then nods. "Yes, my lord. There is a legend in the country we hail from, so, if I may." I nod, letting her tell said legend. "It is the legend of an ancient order of knights who faced one of the worst dangers that could befall this world, the Evil God''s emissaries. They had countless battles across the world and were said to live in a moving fortress. They defeated each other time and time again, until the last of the knights managed to kill the last of the emissaries, and thus bring about the sealing of their Evil God. But victory wasn''t without a price, the last of the knights drew their last breath not short after that, leaving just their feats as proof of their existence. They were known as the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will and we...wish to honor that legacy." "I see..." I smile after hearing that story. I was planning to seriously name this place Castle Camelot, but now I can''t say no to their honest wish. I can see it in their eyes that they are true fans of that legend. So, how could I deny them while having this body? And besides, it sounds cool too. "What do you think Nerinne?" "I am of the same mind as you, Auros." She says so as she nods. Don''t think that I didn''t catch that subtle change in your expression when she mentioned an evil god. You''ll have to tell me when you think is fine too. She nods again with a gentle expression. "Very well then, this place shall be known as the Castle of the Ever-Burning Will!" Erevain smiles while others get up and cheer. "Come with me, I will show you around." I hope there are enough rooms for everyone because if not that would be a bit awkward after all this hype. To be continued...(cue ad for a collab with a certain maid cafe!) Chapter 17: At last! To the village of the beginning! My personal space expanded a lot in the few hours that have passed since I anchored it. I was glad to see that there were enough rooms for everyone too, so there wasn''t any awkward moment where I had to tell them to share rooms. Yay. But that wasn''t all, along the way I found out that we don''t have only normal baths, but also an onsen, thanks to Nerinne wanting one. You know what that means?! MORE FANSERVICE! The shared bath scene will get even better! Nerinne and me, hot steam, warm water... Umu. I can''t wait to do it with Nerinne, maybe invite Erevain and the other maids down the line? That would make for a really good quality OVA. Just thinking about it makes me a bit aroused to be honest... I must get ahold of myself... Moving on, we also have a kitchen and a big one at that. There are enough stoves and ovens to make a complete feast and still have some of them free. There are also refrigerators and such. For a moment I thought that could be problem with the others, but it seems that there are refrigerators in Arte, just that they are enchanted with ice magic instead of running with electricity and so on. They were already stocked with vegetables and meat, but it seems that they are the ones from my world. Nerinne explained that the space will provide the food that its master is familiar with. It uses my memories and magic power to recreate them. So, if I want food from this world I need to, well, eat it. The cook in the new Knights of the Ever Burning Will had her eyes turn into stars the moment she set foot in it. She is quite the passionate one, that Louise. A pink haired woman that gives a big sis impression... she kinda reminds me of a character from the game of my waifu with that personality. And her body is not that different from that ''big sis'' feel, you know, thick and curvaceous. Speaking of that character from the game... I thought hers were bigger but Nerinne says that mine are bigger. The face she was making when she said that was full of confidence and...lewd to say the least. I had some strange sense of pride and accomplishment after she said that though. Hmm... There is also a big library space but this time the shelves are empty. I tried to make my space replicate all those novels I have read, but I felt like some sort of interference didn''t let me do the trick. I asked Nerinne and she said that maybe it has something to do with the room in the divine realm and me using my soul to put those things there. That means Nerinne is the only one with access to my entire collection now... I want to cry... Anyways We also have training rooms, a laundry, and a smithy, which our group''s smith took control of in a flash. The woman was almost salivating...she is a short haired, sporty looking beauty, but at that moment there wasn''t anything of that. Just a smith with a serious smithy deficiency finally getting her proper dose again. I can''t wait to see what things she makes in there. Ah, and her name is Roxxy. Well, she said it was more complicated than that, but since that nickname was easier and useful, she is going with that. Man, I will have to write down all these names just in case my memory fails me. Erevain got her own personal office, and given her position, it is perfect for my strategist. She didn''t express it with words, but her eyes showed that she was pleasantly surprised, I could even see a hint of nostalgia in them. Well, if she is happy then I''m happy too. There''s a meeting hall and a dinner hall too. It totally feels like a complete castle and Nerinne says that it will keep growing. That my experiences will influence it and shape its future additions. I could see a hopeful smile on her face. She truly wants me to live a meaningful life in this world from the bottom of her heart and that makes me really happy. I can''t stop saying that. Ilya was with us the whole time, she is still a bit shy with the maid knights, but I bet she will warm up to them in due time. Her face was full of curiosity every time we arrived at a new room, which warmed my heart. And that was the whole tour. ___________________________________________________________ We are right now in the meeting hall deciding what to do next. "Today we were supposed to deliver the supplies to the village but..." Says Erevain who is beside me. Nerinne, meanwhile, is with Ilya exploring the castle a bit more and to let the maid knights relax a bit. "Is there a problem?" I say so while looking at a map Erevain had put on the table. It is well made for a handmade map if I say so myself. According to Erevain, Illumbee village is a little village at the outskirts of the Kyrie Kingdom. They mostly subsist on their own with farming, hunting and the cattle they raise. But problems started two years ago with their land drying up and their cattle dying. They would get some new animals and land prepared, but even those would suffer the same fate. At that time, Erevain and the others couldn''t investigate the reason behind it because of their circumstances, so they do what they can to help in other ways. The village still survives to this day thanks to their hunters'' efforts and Erevain''s supplies, but it is far from ideal. "It could be considered a distraction from your objective of dealing with the dragon lords, my lord." "Ah, indeed..." I can see some of the knights showing some worry. Come on, have some faith in me! "...that could be the case if that was my only objective, Erevain. But that is not the case, remember that one of my objectives is to explore this world and see its wonders." "Certainly, but a simple village" I cut her off with my hand and a bit of a glare. "A simple village is part of it. A place that their inhabitants haven''t given up on, despite its situation, is a worthy place to visit. And besides, I know that place is important to all of you. Important enough for it to warrant the risk you have taken to help them for all this time." Some of the maid knights faces soften up with relief while others are smiling. See? I told you girls to trust me. Nothing good comes from being just cold and ruthless. Even besto waifu has that position in my heart for her way of showing the emotions underneath that exterior, at least to the protagonist. She is truly the most human out of the bunch in my opinion of course...NOPE, SHE IS BESTO WAIFU. FIGHT ME. "We won''t just deliver those supplies; we are also going to investigate the cause of those problems and deal with whoever is responsible. And with how different you look; you won''t have to worry about the risk." I could see a faint smile on Erevain''s face before returning to her usual seriousness. "Very well, my lord. If I may ask, why does my lord think that someone is behind it all? It does stand to reason to think that way, but my lord''s confidence makes it seem as if you know it to be the absolute truth." Hmm...everyone''s eyes are pretty much making the same question. I can''t tell them that in most isekai stories where something like this happens it is the fault of either corrupt government officials seeking to make the villagers abandon the land so they can sell it, or some shady merchant''s mercenaries creating the demand for their overpriced products. Heck, it could even be a plan to frame the villagers for ruining the land and turn them into slaves. If I go with the idea that my maid knights are exiled knights, then the first and third option seem more plausible. Because who would exile knights this loyal to their people, if not for a corrupt kingdom. That and they took care of any merchant seeking to profit from the village''s woes, so there goes the second one. Let''s emulate besto waifu a bit here. "Hoh~~. That is simple. Do not underestimate my knowledge. This here is a case of someone trying to obtain something from the suffering of the villagers. That someone is taking their time, instead of killing everyone they are trying to starve them or move them. That means they want a clean resolution and not a bloody one that raises suspicions. Do they want the land? The people? Their money? The reason may vary, but the fact is that someone is behind this. And we will end them so that the villagers can return to their normal lives again. Were those not your terms, Erevain?" Some are completely wide-eyed right now. Heh, I''m awesome I know. "Indeed, my lord. I apologize for asking." "Do not. You are my right-hand woman, one of your responsibilities is to make questions, no matter how hard or foolish. Never apologize for doing your job. Do it better." "Yes, my lord." "We know what to do now. Erevain, Kris, Gabrielle and Luca. You will come with me to Illumbee village." Erevain nods, Kris laughs excited, Gabrielle smiles and nods. Luca, on the other hand, gets startled and nods nervously, but her eyes are screaming ''Why me?!''. Cute. That''s why. "As for everyone else, focus on your training to get used to your new bodies, but be ready to deploy at a moment''s notice. Understood?" """"YES!"""" Exclaims everyone at the same time. Thats so cool. _________________________________________________________ The day was normal. It was as if the ominous storm of the day before had never happened, and that was good for a certain village girl attending to her family''s field. "I was so scared yesterday but...huff! I''m glad the sky is clear now." The field had some living plants but for the most part it was dry. It was a scene that could depress any farmer but there she was, working with a smile on her face. "Maybe it is a sign that the Goddess has forgiven us and is releasing the curse that she has casted upon us..." She looks at the dry field and her smile wavers for a moment. "...I really hope so. But if not, I''ll just have to keep working hard!" She said as she started to plow the soil again, and again, until she saw some people entering the village. "Huh? So beautiful...and not just the...man? Woman? But his maids as well. Are they foreigners?" She didn''t have any idea that it was a High Dragon Lord and her maid knights who just entered her village to change the lives of everyone. To be continued...(cue ad for super expensive set of stickers with a surprise random one very 10 orders!) (Thank you for reading! Please enjoy an approximation done in picrew''s Gorilla Art creator of the maids that Auros chose to accompany her!) Erevain: Gabrielle: Kris: Luca: BONUS ILYA: Chapter 18: Illumbee village investigation start!! And a massage? "This place really looks like what you would expect from a village, huh..." I murmur while doing a quick look around the place as we were walking. The beige dirt roads that create clouds of dust when the wind blows are there. Theres also easy to build and easy to fix wooden and stone houses everywhere I look, some bigger and some smaller, but alas, they look almost the same. The little central plaza you can see down this main road has a simple fountain, and it seems that it also serves as a market for travelers. But not so much for the villagers since they share the products among themselves given their situation. "...it''s surprising to hear you say that they do not fight amongst themselves for food and so on, Erevain." I say to the black-haired woman walking a step behind me to the right and she nods. By my Goddess, she really adapted quickly to her role, even her way of walking is quite the proper one for a lady, closely tied with her is Gabrielle and then Luca, with Kris in last place. But you could say that is part of her charm as a warrior. "I am glad to say they do not hold such thoughts, my lord. The villages that surround the Kyrie Kingdom are a source of pride for it since they show the essence with which the Kingdom was founded." I glanced at Erevain intrigued. "Hoh~~ pray tell me what it is." "Family, my lord. The villages that surround the kingdom remind us of how it all began with a place just as this one, full of people that put others before themselves and thus, overcoming the great trials the Goddess put before them." "Yes, I can see that they are the pride of the Kingdom since all their problems have already been resolved." I say sarcastically. The redheaded woman behind Erevain does a pained expression after listening to me. "Ouch, that was harsh, my lord." Yes Kris, it sounded harsh, but I must keep the image and it wasn''t a lie. If what Erevain says is true, then what the hell is the kingdom doing not taking care of the problem? "Kris, it is the truth. My lord is showing his trust in us by not wasting his time in sugar coating." Says the blonde woman at my other side, her curls bouncing lightly at the sides of her face with every step she takes. "Gabrielle is right Kris, do not worry. My lord did not offend me, it is as he says." I''m glad you take it that way Erevain, because I seriously didn''t mean to offend you. Sorry anyways, even though you can''t hear my monologue/narration. And Gabrielle, it sounds as if you are scolding Kris. She didn''t do anything wrong; she was being considerate! That is a nice trait to have! Don''t worry Kris!! I''m with you at least in my heart! "..." Luca at least try to say something! You look cute fidgeting and such, but I can feel you have something to say even though I''m not even looking at you directly! Oh, I forgot to say that I left my helmet back home after Erevain said to me in a really polite manner that it made me look as nothing but a villain, and then I used my [Shapeshifting Touch] skill to hide my horns, change my eyes'' appearance from draconic to human, as well as humanize my ears. I can''t help the villagers if they start running away because of a Dragon Lord suddenly visiting. "It is a matter to be proud of. That type of thinking was uncommon in the places I" "Umm...excuse me..." Suddenly, a new voice interrupts me. Well, I knew she was approaching us, but it would have been weird for her if I suddenly stopped talking and turned around to look at her before she had the chance to talk. Yep, yep. First impressions are important. I can also say that I just need to act polite with her. I bet she thinks we are foreigners because of our appearance and so, I''ll go with that. "Yes?" I say as I move to face her slowly with a polite smile. Oh! She got embarrassed! Did I just made someone fall in love? "Are...are you travelers?" The teen girl asks while innocently looking at my eyes. I''m glad that none of the maid-knights started saying something clich like ''how dare you approach my lord so...'' and the like though. That shows that they are waiting to follow my lead aaand that they are not rude. "Indeed." "I-I see...amm, I could guide you to the inn if it''s not a bother." She kind of reminds me of how my little sister acted when she met one of my co-workers. Now that I think about her, I hope she is alright and that she managed to enter that college she wanted. Go get them, you dwarf imouto! "Not at all, please, lead the way. But is it alright? I saw that you were plowing the field right there." "Ye-Yes, it is fine. I needed a break anyways, so no problems there." She sounds more relaxed, good, that means we can start with the information gathering right away. "Very well then, my name is Auros. And from right to left, they are Erevain, Kris, Luca and Gabrielle." I say so while stepping aside and extending my arm towards my maid-knights. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." Erevain politely bows, in a way that looks as if she were a noble, while holding the ends of her dress on both sides. Noble indeed. Her black dress with grey metal armored accents just fits her image completely. It also has the effect of hiding Erevain''s longsword as if it wasn''t there on the right side of her hips. Well done all around, Nerinne! "Yo''! Nice to meet ya!" Contrary to the one who came before her, Kris just winks at the girl while showing her a wide smile and a light nod with a familiar tone. Her dress is mainly red with white in the chest area and metallic shoulder guards. She looks quite imposing and strong with that anime big sword on her back while not losing her maid appeal. It is the one that more resembles a classical maid look. Umu. "Hello..." Luca tries her best. Her outfit is the opposite to Kris'', as in Nerinne clearly took some liberties with this one. Her dress is short and looks more like a skirt, it also has a hood with a really complex design on it. The weapon hiding effect can be also found here. I guess that is how she imagines how a stealth specialized maid should look? It''s cute though. "It''s a pleasure to meet you." Finally, Gabrielle. She does the same as Erevain with a polite bow, but she chooses to end it with a gentle smile. Her dress is green with golden accents here and there and the classic white in the chest area. Her massive gauntlets changed into ones that are slimmer, refined, but look even more solid. At first glance it looks like something an ojou type of character would use instead of a maid, that is until you see the little maid tiara on her head. Nice little touch! But...wow!! They talked in perfect timing, order and character type!! I want to smile so much right now, but I can''t! I''m controlling myself, but just knowing that I''m traveling with 4 of my maid-knights in their outfits like this makes it so damn worth it!! "Nice to meet you too. Ah, my manners! Sorry! I''m Sylvie!" "No need to apologize, Sylvie." I say so while smiling gently. "P-Please come this way." While I already know where the inn is, thanks to Erevain giving me a detailed map of the village, it is better this way. After all, we would look more suspicious alone than with one of the villagers guiding us. Thank you again Sylvie. We have walked for a few more minutes and I have to say that I was expecting the bad smell medieval times used to have, but there is none here. It is actually pretty clean. Why? Magic, duh. Now, onto the important part. Visit the village of the beginning, check! "If I may ask Mister Auros, are you from the Empire?" Mister? Really? Another one? Does my face really look that masculine or androgynous? I think it looks feminine and hot though...? Is it because of the deeper voice I''m doing for the sake of being in character? My hair? My full armor that hides my chest? Can everyone see my soul''s original appearance, and no one is telling me?! Now I really want to know why!! Do I need to walk without the breastplate on and expose my waist and under boobs for it to be clear? I.AM.NOW.A.WOMAN! *sniff* *sniff* So sad...Tristan play you know what... Aaaaand there''s that too... The obligatory ''Empire'' that always has to be next to the ''Kingdom'' on isekais, I had totally forgotten about that. They usually are assholes, so I really hope that expectation is wrong here. Because if not, I might just turn their emperor into a maid and make her stop their assholery. If you just felt a chill down your spine, consider it a warning to change your ways, unnamed emperor. I mean it. "No, I come from a more distant place that you probably haven''t heard of." As in it is another world so you obviously haven''t heard of it. "Oh, then Miss Erevain and the others too?" Heh, Erevaine twitched a little when she heard the ''Miss'' added to her name. "No, they are actually your fellow citizens of this kingdom." Sylvie makes a surprised expression and a double take on them after hearing me say that. "No way, they are too beautiful for them to be women of this kingdom and I say it as one!!" Right?! They are gorgeous!! Umu. Now I see that you are a fellow woman of culture. "My goodness, thanks for the compliment, Sylvie. But you are beautiful too, do not belittle yourself." Oooooh!! Gabrielle is resting her face on her right hand while her other hand supports her elbow! Truly an ojou-sama type of pose!!! Not only did she handle the compliment well, she is once again showing her mature and dependable personality!! Yes!! Lets see how the others Ara, not only Luca but even Erevain is blushing and fidgeting a little. "..." "..." Wha-What''s this? WHAT''S THIS ADORABLE SCENE?! "Ha-ha...! You think so? Thanks! Hahaha..." Kris do not try to hide your blushing face while laughing and looking the other way. You are even scratching your cheek!! Good!! "*ahem* Thank you for the compliments...and yes we lived in the kingdom, but we now serve our lord, as you can see." Now, now Erevain, don''t go changing the subject. You look quite beautiful all embarrassed like that. Wait...I think I get Nerinne''s new hobby now... "Aaah...that must be nice, being able to leave the kingdom and travel." Village girl who wants to travel. Check! Also, flag raised!! I hope it is a good one! "Indeed, one of my objectives is to travel the world and see its various wonders." I say so while looking up to the sky. It is so blue, it used to be like that in my world, but the days where it was gray started growing in number when I was alive there and not because of rain. To the point that a blue sky twice a week became an oddity. Its just another thing that reminds me that I''m seriously in another world. "Oooh! Seriously?! That is amazing! I wish I could do that!" I bet. Now that she knows a bit more about us and she has switched to a more familiar tone, I can start asking some questions. Why? Because the setup is as important as the questions themselves! Thank you, work!! "And why is it you can''t? If I may ask, of course." She seems surprised for a moment, but I can see in her eyes that she started trusting me, at least enough to warrant a response. I''m sure the [Royal Presence] and [Sublime Charisma] skills are helping with that too. "I...well, there''s a lot of reasons you know...like money and the education needed so that I could feel safe traveling, you know? But the most important reason would be my family. I...can''t leave them. At least not until the village gets out of this...tricky...situation..." "Commendable, to have that sense of responsibility at your age is truly commendable, Sylvie." I said so while nodding. She is blushing. That is a good prompt. "Indeed, money and education are needed too, but those are less important in the face of one''s family. You are a fine woman, Sylvie." Erevain joined in, her voice showed that she had regained her composure and her face truly looked like one of a noble praising someone from the depths of their heart. "Thanks, Miss Erevain..." She smiles warmly looking at everyone who nodded in agreement. "Sylvie, could you tell me about these problems you mentioned? I have heard the rumors but listening to someone who actually lives here is better." I ask directly. No need to beat around the bush anymore. She opens her eyes wide open and her smile goes down for a bit but then she nods. "It is as the rumors say, the crops stopped growing here and the cattle dies on the first night they get here...no matter how much we try it keeps happening." She says some depressing words, but her tone tells me she is not giving up. Her eyes too, those are some good eyes you got there Sylvie. Umu, you got me even more motivated. We have arrived at the humble central plaza of the village; some people stare at us but when they see Sylvie guiding us, they go on with their day. At the same time, Luca signals me with her hand in an inconspicuous way. She detected someone. I nod and tell her with my hand that there is no problem. I love that my blessing includes signal languages. So useful! "Do you have any theories about why this is happening, Sylvie? My servants and I may be of help." "Theories..." Sylvie starts to ponder a bit. I can already see the inn, so our time is cutting short. "No, I don''t have one of my own but...the one almost everyone in the village believes is that this land has been cursed by the Goddess as a punishment for our sins..." Huh? What? No, I can''t believe that. Nerinne wouldn''t do something like that. She told me that her most recent intervention outside of her normal duties with the world is a miracle she did some centuries ago, my reincarnation in it and nothing else. I need to ask her but not now, there is still one more question I need Sylvie to answer. "I see...was it an answer everyone came up with?" "No, no. At least, I don''t think so. I think it was an arch-priest that came from the capital who said that...but it was a year ago or so..." She seems troubled while trying to remember. I can''t pressure her, since she is no villain here. "It is understandable if that is as much as you can remember. Thank you, Sylvie. I promise that I will do whatever I can to help." I smile at her with sincerity. After that she took us inside the inn and helped us with the process. As thanks, Gabrielle gave her some recipes for medicines that she might need in the coming winter. I''m sure we will be seeing more of her until we leave though, so no goodbyes for now. Time for our first strategy meeting in Illumbee village. ______________________________________________________ I know you heard all of it Nerinne and I know it is not your fault but... "You still have to ask, right, dear?" Yes. "No, I do not do curses. I despise them. When I don''t like something, I tell the priests and give advice in how to correct that if needed, or a very clear divine punishment. That village is not cursed, at least not by me." Glad to hear you say it. "Aren''t you worried that I might lie to you? I''m a Goddess after all." I trust you and I know you wouldn''t lie to me. "Trust not just faith...fufu...I love you Auros." "...!" You...making me blush out of nowhere...geez... "Fufufu~~." A-anyways, then that Archpriest lied. But why? "That was not an Archpriest. I know all of them by name, and when every one of them speaks on my behalf, I can hear them. So, if anyone tries to do something like say I cursed the land, I will immediately punish that liar as per the internal law of my church." So, a fake archpriest that came from the capital... Thats still someone with enough influence and power to try something like this. And my instinct keeps telling me that it is related to the kingdom in some way. With that, the two theories I had are still viable, but I need more information to pin down any sort of conclusion. Thank you Nerinne. "Anything for you, dear~~." And...I love you too... "Fufufufu~~~ I know." I look up to the women that are waiting to hear the results of my conversation with the Goddess and explain everything she told me. Erevain had a serious expression throughout the whole thing and now she nodded as if she just confirmed something. Something that brought a change to that expression of hers. "As I thought, the capital is behind this in some way." Erevain''s expression is now heavy and with a tinge of sadness. She is seriously worried about her country... "And it stands to reason why everyone believes the story about the curse, since they had no way of knowing if it was a fake archpriest." Gabrielle was making some tea with a smile while saying that. Where did she get that tea set? I honestly don''t know. "Indeed, Gabrielle, no divine punishment befell them, so the villagers believed him right away." Erevain, seeing as I already had a teacup, finally accepted hers and took a sip. She let out a deep sigh, but then smiled a bit in approval of the tea. Hey, sometimes those little things can help even in one''s darkest hours. "But only an idiot would impersonate an archpriest and put that big of a target on their back. The Paladins of the church are no pushovers, Erevain. Dont you remember me always challenging that friend of mine who was Paladin? He handed me my ass on a holy platter every time. Heh, now I want to fight him again...I hope that he has gotten stronger." Kris'' eyes were shining with fighting spirit. She sure loves fighting, I like that side of her, but I hope she is not the type to pick fights not caring about the context of the situation. "Not...necessarily..." Luca talked! Great! "As Luca says, Kris, not necessarily. If that someone is backed by powerful enough people, they can hide them until they are useful again or they need a scapegoat." Erevain sure looks like she knows what she is talking about, and in a first-hand experience type of way. The others too, make a pained expression when she said that. "Cerainly, Erevain. It is easier to use an already trained dog for those tasks than train a new one every time the need arises." Hmm, this tea is good. Gabrielle you get a gold star. "Yes, my lord. That also means that they surely have eyes and ears on this village to supervise that their plan is going well." Says Erevain while glancing at the room''s door. I smile at Erevain, then I signal her and the others to keep talking while I silently get up from my chair. One of those eyes and ears has been following us since we entered the central plaza. Luca and I noticed immediately while the others took a bit to do so. And now they are outside the room. Let''s welcome our new informant. So, I start my chant in a low voice. "Darkness heed me and let me walk through you. [Shadow Walk]." As I finish my chant, I fall inside my own shadow and come out silently from the shadow of our peeper. He is so focused on listening in that he fails to notice the two-meter-tall woman behind him. So, I go for the whisper type of greeting. "Quite the foolish one you are for trying to spy on me." "...!" He doesn''t have enough time to react properly before I overwhelm him with my strength while covering his mouth and pushing him inside our room. A few minutes after that, Luca has tied him on a chair and he is now moving furiously trying to get free, but he can''t. Luca even used an interference spell on him so that he can''t use magic to escape. Luca, you are awesome. "Before I start with him, I shall give you your tasks. Kris and Gabrielle, you both go and talk to the villagers. Obtain as much information as possible from them. If we can piece together the motive for all of this, we would be a step closer to solving this problem." "Yes, yes, my lord." Says Kris with a big smile on her face. "As you wish, my lord." They both nodded and bowed lightly before leaving the room. "Luca, collect information the usual way you do." "Y-yes, my lord! I-I won''tdisappoint you!" So cute. She says that and leaves quickly. "Erevain, stand guard outside. Deal with any others who might come to commit the same foolish mistake as him." "Yes, my lord." She nods and leaves the room. "Now, space heed me and do not let any sound out of this place. [Silent Room]." I take off the gag that covered this guy''s mouth and he starts shouting. Because of course he does. "You won''t make me talk!! No matter what you do to my body!!" Heh. "Hoh~~~, those are big words for someone tied up to a chair with no hope of escaping." I smile at him and reveal my draconic eyes and horns. It seems I can undo my skill''s effect with just a thought if they are changes to my own body. He looks at me baffled and starts shaking. He is not just scared, he looks terrified. Even his legs started shaking a bit. "Do not worry. When I''m done with you, you will talk out of your own volition." I extend my hand to his face. He desperately tries move away but it is of no use. "[Shapeshifting touch]." He is swallowed by the light of the skill for a few seconds. Then, the new additions to his body are made clear to him, as well as that characteristic emptiness down there. "Aaah...aaaAh...wha-what have you done to me?!" She screams in a female voice. Yes, she. "As I said. Do not worry, you will talk." I caress her face, she is clearly afraid, but that is something she had to consider as a risk of the life she chose, being part of something as shady as trying to starve a whole village while desecrating Nerinne''s name. On a side note, I did a pretty good job on her giving her this cute of a form if I do say so myself. "[Pleasurable Hands]" "Ahn!" I start to take off her bindings until she is ''free'', but she isn''t moving. Her legs are trembling, and it is clear she doesn''t have the strength to move now, so I carry her to my bed and put her face down. I then put my hands on her back. Her breathing is already ragged and heavy. Her ears are a bit red too. "Don''t...haayn! Stop...ahn! Ammmh! Hnnnn!! Don''t...stop...don''t stop...ahmmn..." It is super effective and I''m only giving her a back massage... Goddess, these are some knots! To be continued...(cue Auros smiling smugly at all those who thought that something lewd was happening!) Glossary Entry #13: Imouto: Japanese for "little sister". They normally appear as tsunderes or the overly attached ones in anime and manga. But there are some that are...worst than that...lets just leave it at that. *shuders* (Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you want to see some NSFW sketches of Auros and Nerinne done by @HoneyPo31547929 and @LarhIlustrador on twitter, head over to my twitter @angelfire554! And if you want to support me in my quest to get more art for the story, you can do so by donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit counts, really!) Chapter 19: Night service and no, your eyes don’t deceive you. "Ah...ha...ah..." The slim woman on top of the bed right now tries to get up, but her legs are trembling so much that she falls on the bed right away. Her waist trembles, slightly moving from left to right. "Hmmm...!" She tries moving again and fails, showing her lack of endurance... "Stop moving or I will tie you to the bed." I say with a reproaching tone while straddling her and moving my hands on her naked back. "But...it...hmmm!" "Weren''t you going to endure everything I did to your body? Of course, it feels good! I''m doing your body a favor dealing with all these knots you have in your back." Well, that''s not the only reason why but it does feel good for her so...who cares? "You...! AHN!" "Oh, this is a big one. I can see that working for your boss is plenty stressful. Wouldn''t it be better to serve me?" "As..hyiii! If...!!" "Do believe me when I tell you that my offer can beat whatever your boss is paying you." Goddess...her shoulders are so stiff that it''s a wonder how she was able to move those arms. I shall use this as a practice for the time I reward Erevain with a massage. My boss taught me that they increase productivity and they did so back in the office. So, I''m going to put that in practice here, can''t let my maid-knights have a sprain because of stress or something like that. Hm? How do I know how to give a massage? That is an easy one, my grandma, Nana, she hammered it into my head until she considered me worthy enough to be the one who massaged her tired back. Love ya, Nana! "You...ahn...turned me...haa..innn..to a womannhnn!" She turns her blushed face around and tries to glare at me. ME! THE OWNER OF THE EDGE ALTER GLARE! HAHA! AS IF! HERE!! THIS IS A GLARE!! I put some mana into it and my eyes turn red, just like Nerinne and I wanted when we were making this body. Her attempt to glare at me quickly crumbles away by fear. "Eeeek!" Cute little yelp there. I get close to her face. Close enough to be able to whisper into her ear. "Yes, I did turn you into a woman. And a beautiful one at that. But it is necessary, or would you have preferred to keep your old and easily identifiable face when you betrayed your boss? Also, since we are on the subject, for them you are already a traitor and a loose end since you got captured. You know that, right?" She opens her eyes widely and then bites her lip in a frustrated grimace. I press a bit more on one of her back muscles. She holds her voice down. I just need to look at her eyes to know the reason. "Hoh~~, you still have time to fear them even though you are locked in a room with a Dragon Lord. That means they are powerful enough to be my equal, at least in that head of yours." Hearing me say that, her expressions go to a forced stop. Sumanai, but that only serves as confirmation. Youre asking how do I know that? Well, I had to learn to read people if I wanted to make money to invest in the love for my waifu. Now it is something I do almost subconsciously for my narration type inner monologue though. Anyways, lets give her some options since the human mind likes options. "Is it a merchant?" Her eyes don''t move, and her body is as relaxed as she could be. "No? Then, the guild?" Which Guild you ask? Heh, I just made that up, but it seems her body tensed up just a little. Huh, so there might be a guild out there somewhere. Interesting. "The kingdom? To be more specific, a hidden faction within it?" Her body tenses up in a way she wouldn''t be able to control and that my sensitive hands are able to pick up on. I already knew it was something related to the kingdom, but not the hidden faction part. That was just another of my additions. So that makes it still a ''bingo'' scene. "A hidden faction then...hmmm." "...!" She is trying to move again. What a stubborn person. Is she deaf? She is in a locked room with me. Unless she is some secret op isekaid she won''t be able to escape. Very well, it is time to put my offer on the table. "You know you can''t move. Hear what I have to say." I say while putting a bit of strength on her shoulders. "Ahn!" "What I''m offering you is a chance to redeem yourself and your only way to get out alive of this one. Even if I let you out of here, you know that they will find you and kill you wherever you run to. Serve me and you won''t need to run away, serve me and you will have a place to live. You will be able to eat three times a day and train to realize your upmost potential. You will be part of something much greater." Uwaaa...I almost feel like a devil offering a ''too good to be true'' contract with all those lines, but it is honest to goodness what you get if you join me, and it has no downsides that I can think about. Just ask the maid-knights. "..." I stop my hands as I finish saying that and she closes her eyes. She is thinking about it. Considering all her options and so on. Perfect moment for a little push. "But if all of that is not to your liking, then just think that serving me saves you from the divine punishment of being vaporized by the Goddess Nerinne for taking part in a plot that desecrates her name." "...!" I let my whisper slither away into her mind and I give her some space. But not even a second passes and she grabs my hand. "You got me with having a place to live." She says so while getting up and sitting on the bed. She is trying to pass it off with a smile and a strong front, but I can see that it was a difficult choice for her. She is still afraid of them more than she is of me. Her reaction when she saw me was raw, in the moment, but her expression at the times when I mentioned her boss and the hidden faction were some of the most deeply engrained forms of fear I have ever seen. Ah, she is half naked too, but she doesn''t seem to care. Heh. "You made the right choice. After we finish with the pact spell, you will tell me everything you know." "Yes, I will. There is also something else that you need to know..." ______________________________________________________ While the ''interrogation'' was starting, the sun set outside the inn and hues of orange painted the sky. A red-headed woman entered the bar just in front of the inn. She was wearing a mainly red maid outifit with some armored additions here and there. On her back one could find a sword so big it looked more like a slab of metal with a handle than a sword. All the men and women stared at the stranger who had entered. And she stared back at them, looking at their weapons and light armor. Most if not all of them were hunters. One thing someone must know about this village''s hunters, is that they are not your run of the mil deer hunters. No. They hunt in a forest that is filled with monsters and beasts that could kill the inexperienced in seconds and the experts in minutes if taken by surprise. In other words, they are strong, and she knows that. As such, that brings a smile to her face. "I will beat every single one of you in an arm-wrestling match while breaking all of your drinking records." She declared, confidently and loudly, as she started walking towards her first target, a burly man, maintaining that fierce but oh so alluring smile. "If I manage to do it, every single one of you will tell me everything you know about this so-called curse of the goddess. The whys, the hows, the crazy theories you have and so on. And if there is something reaaaaaaaally important here for someone to try to kill the whole village for it, don''t forget to mention it, alright?" With that, she sat loudly in front of the man that was drinking alone and gave him a challenging look. He smiled. "An'' wha if ya don''t, missy?" Said the man with a heavy accent readying his arm. It was a battle hardened arm full of scars and rough skin. Just like how her arms used to be before her transformation. She got a bit nostalgic, but she remembered that she still had the only scar that mattered to her. The one on her cheek. So that nostalgic feeling was quickly thrown away. After all, nostalgia is useless in a match. Those were her thoughts just before putting her strong looking, but a tad slender and feminine, arm on the table. "Then my master will pay the tab of everyone here for as long as we stay in this village. It can be a day, it can be a week, but no one will pay a dime. IF, I lose, of course." "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." Almost everyone was laughing and cheering for the man. "Show this maid how it''s done!!" "Get me mah free mead, man!!" The red-headed woman looked around and chuckled. "Ya'' on, missy!" Exclaimed the burly man in front of her. In response, she took the man''s beer mug and drank its contents dry. Afterwards she cleaned her face with her hand while showing eyes full of confidence. All while she kept smiling. After all, she was going to enjoy this. ___________________________________________________ While Kris was in the bar, a blonde gorgeous woman walked in the plaza. Her beautiful face and calm smile made a lot of men turn their heads at her. Some got hit by their wives because of it, but for them it was worth it. As she continued her stroll, she mingled with the people attending their stalls, never forgetting to buy something from them and always receiving a discount. One would think that the women of the village would immediately be hostile to her but on the contrary, they talked with her while laughing and having a good time. They would ask her about her hair, or her skin, even her clothes, and she gave them a perfectly crafted story with some truths mixed in. Like the recipe for a cream that helps the skin become softer, or a concoction that could revitalize hair that has been left unkempt. Because even though she specialized in healing magic, she had to learn alchemy too, given the circumstances of her group. With items like those beauty products being things she came up with while practicing on making things like medicines, poisons, oils, and poultices. And she always wrote down the recipe for every single one of those, even if she had no use for them. Among giggles and smiles, they talked about the current gossip of the village and things like that. It wasn''t what she was looking for specifically, but it helped to paint a picture of a village that reinforced the idea that they weren''t giving up on it. "Is it true that your master is from somewhere even farther than the empire?" "Oh, yes, indeed he is. It''s a small and isolated country but one rich in culture." Said Gabrielle while smiling. "Is he married? Because a man like that can''t be free, I just know it." Gabrielle raised her eyebrows at a specific word one of the women said. Man. There was something she knew that her comrades didn''t. Or at least not that she had heard of others sharing her thoughts. And that was that her master was really a woman. Every time someone said that her master was a man, she felt sad for her master, and bothered by how blind the others seemed. Maybe it was because she was acquainted with the complexities of a humanoid body and the traits shared among the races. Or maybe it was that light but uniquely feminine sway that the hips of her master had when walking. In the end, she was a woman and she knew it. But her master seemed to just go along with the misconception and so Gabrielle decided to follow her masters lead. Because that is what a good servant does. "He has a lover, yes. But if I am to be honest...it seems to me that she does not care if there are more as long as she keeps her place as number one." Gabrielle put one of her hands on top of her chest while nodding. All while remembering something that she caught a glance of back at the castle, it was the Goddess giving a certain something to Erevain. Something that made her think that. "Oh!" "Really?!" "I heard some nobles of the capital think that way too!" "Yes, I heard about that too! So strange!" The circle of women that had become a full-fledged gossip meeting was at full steam. "Ah, but that means that anyone could take her place if they manage to enchant your master even more than her." Gabrielle let out a small giggle. Almost telling that they wouldn''t be saying that if they knew who that woman was. "No, I do not think so. She is pretty much unbeatable so anyone who wants my master would have to accept being the number two at most." ''Although I wouldn''t mind even if I was the third or fourth. Except if'' Those were her thoughts while she talked to the women. Some time passed, and Gabrielle could hear that there was quite some movement inside the bar, but she kept walking around the plaza and nearby streets. As if she was looking for someone. But then someone stopped her, it was a child not much older than the young one that seemed to be her master''s daughter. "Miss, my grandma says that you knows healing magic! She needs help! Please..." She recognized that child by his speech and immediately knew of whom he was talking about. "Indeed, I do, little one. Show me where your grandma is, and I will do anything to help her." She smiled gently at the child and he answered with a smile full of relief. He quickly brought her to his home and opened the door telling her grandma that the woman she spoke of had come. Shortly after, a pale elderly woman walked slowly towards her living room. She seemed to be keeping something inside her right hand quite strongly, but that wasnt important for Gabrielle at the moment. For the elderly woman had wounds all over her body except for her face. Wounds that were roughly bandaged, with some of those bandages still having fresh blood on them. "...!" Gabrielle could not hold back her surprise at such a sight and her eyes widened. "You look quite different from what I remember or maybe I''m already losing it because of my old age...heh..." The old woman chuckled while sitting on the chair in front of Gabrielle. "But my [Magic Eyes] do not deceive me. They are the only part of this damn body that still functions well. You are one of those ''bandits'' that''s always leaving those supplies for us every first day of the month. Your mana trail checks out. Heck, you even healed my sprained ankle one of those times!" "..." Gabrielle was silent, not because her identity was exposed but because she was trying to figure out who would dare to hurt an old lady like that and go unpunished. After all, she may be a servant and, unknowingly, a maid knight, but her heart was still one of a knight who loved her country and its people. "Ah...don''t get mad, you should have seen how the other guy ended up. Blew ''im to smithereens! I might be old but I''m still a caster who served on the frontlines! I" A powerful cough interrupted her, and Gabrielle quickly started giving her treatment. "Spirits of nature and light hear my pleadings, [High Heal]!" A green light came out of Gabrielle''s hands and the color of the old woman''s skin started to return. "Aaah, that''s the stuff...now that I see you up close you turned into quite the pretty girl, huh? You looked quite average as a man, but I thought you would still find a partner if you wanted to, you know." "Ahaha...do not joke, reckless old lady. I''m fine like this, really. Now, I would like you tell me how and why you ended up like this." Said Gabrielle with a familiar tone, different to the one she had while talking to the women at the plaza. The old woman looked at Gabrielle''s face and as if understanding something she just closed her eyes, nodded and shrugged. "This old lady was just being honest. But if that''s how it is, then I don''t see the problem. As for your inquiry...why tell when I can show." The old woman then opened her right hand and the object within it started to glow in a faint blue light. "That''s...!" Gabrielle''s eyes opened completely at what the old lady was holding onto. It was an azure stone. ___________________________________________________ My first targets for my gathering of information were the houses of the most important people in the village, the Head of the village and the priest of the local church, but there was nothing related to my masters objective. Not even inside their secret safes. So, I kept searching, unnoticed by the people around me. Not only because it is my specialty, but because Im notgood at talking with people, so this has always been my way of contributing. And I cant disappoint Master! While looking around some more, I found some people gathering near my position and I moved accordingly. With care, I positioned myself in a way that I could hear them clearly without being noticed. They were a group of hunters discussing something about an off-limits area inside the forest and how they had already lost some of their fellow hunters inside of it. What caught my interest was, however, that no matter how many hunters investigated the outskirts of that area, they couldn''t find signs of whatever beast or monster lived in there. No fur. No scent. No tracks. Nothing. Which was suspicious, for I knew that the hunters of this village were skilled at their jobs. They had to. That is why that was enough for me to go quickly and have a look at that off-limits area. I ran, and ran, and ran some more. I was fast. Faster than before my transformation and I didn''t get tired as easily as I used to. Master was right about our bodies'' potential. And thanks to that, I managed to get to the forest in almost no time. Thus, I entered it without fear. Because places full of greenery are my home field. As a scout, moving inside a forest is something basic and necessary. Even staying there for days just surveying an area and waiting for the perfect moment to obtain valuable information is something normal. Even then, I am proud of how my feet are so silent that I make almost no sound while jumping from tree to tree, until I finally reached the inside of the off-limits area. The place where I am now. It is strange to say the least. This feeling... The chirping of the birds disappeared the second I entered this part of the forest, as if I had been teleported to a separate space... "...!" Thats it! Its like the feeling I had when I crossed the door towards my master''s castle but lesser. Maybe a barrier? If that is the case, I''m glad that my grandpa trained me to use every single skill and spell I need to avoid detection from things like this. Although, that is also a pretty basic thing scouts must do... But now I''m sure that theres something in here, something that doesnt want any visitors, and it is at least capable of manipulating an enclosed area. I go a bit deeper into the off-limits area and that''s where I find them. Hooded figures doing something to an open crevice in the earth. They are bringing out some strange looking mineral that I cant see clearly from where I am. I need to get a bit closer to have a good description of it for Master. "..." Silently, I jump to a tree close enough to them and the mineral, but not enough for someone to detect me. Although the tree feels strange, weak in some way, its greens have a tinge of an unhealthy gray unlike the ones behind it and the ones behind those. I can guess the reason, but I need to focus. There, a black mineral that is releasing miasma. My back shivers instinctively with just looking at it. It is dangerous. Whatever that thing is, I''m sure it has something to do with what''s happening in the village. Thats enough, I have enough experience to know that if I stay here any longer the chances of being detected will grow exponentially and so, I run again at top speed, but now with valuable information for my master. I am not good at talking and I fidget a lot Master...but you can count on me to always bring results!!! ___________________________________________________ I''m in front of my master''s room door while wearing the nightwear the Goddess had provided me before leaving. I was shocked when I saw it, but now I know why she did it. She knew. Just as the Goddess of our world should. I feel embarrassed to say the least, but I would''ve never thought that I would be doing something like this, not even in my wildest of dreams. Night service. For a man. For My Lord. While I try to prepare myself, my mind wanders as to how I ended up like this. To a few hours ago when My Lord was questioning the spy he captured. "It seems My lord used a spell to stop any sound from leaving the room, but I can still hear them..." Yes, I could hear the moans of the newly made female inside the room. "Does My Lord know I can hear them? No, he must know." He wouldn''t have made a mistake delimiting the area of effect. He must have wanted me to hear just so I could know how he would procure the information. And so, those moans kept going for a while until they stopped completely. Then, the woman started talking about everything she knew, and then she said something else, something that made me laugh at myself for how foolish I was to underestimate My Lord. "If you have done to them what you have done to me, then that woman who is still using that name, Erevain, she is" My heart stopped for a moment when I heard that woman say that, but then... "She will tell me when she feels it''s the right time to do so. I do not want to hear it from anyone else, understood?" ...My Lord answered with that. "Ye-Yes..." Even outside I could feel the pressure My Lord gave off to make that woman obey and she did. I was surprised then, but the more I ponder about it, the more I accept it. He knows but he does not intend to ask. He trusts me to be the one to speak about it and is giving me the space necessary to do so. I must reciprocate the level of trust that he has showed me. The door to the room then opened and a slim woman with short brown hair came out wearing an outfit like ours. She had changed sides and made a pact with My Lord. He asked me to book her a room and explain to her our objectives. And so, I did. When I finished the sun had already set and the others started returning one by one, until everyone was inside the room where our new companion was. Kris reeked of alcohol and sweat, she gave me her report and left to the bath without a single care. Seriously that ma-woman...never changes... Gabrielle was fatigued, her mana had been exhausted using healing magic for a long period of time and so, she too just gave her report and was about to leave for her room, but just before doing so she said something to me. "You are our leader and you will always be that. You even gave yourself first to our master so we could decide our fates, that is why you should be the first to provide him with warmth this night. Do not dare to waste his resting time with just reports, Erevain." With that, she left. Following behind her was Luca, who nodded nervously as she always does, and gave me her written report before going to her room. Meanwhile, the newcomer, who had renounced her name and was waiting for the one my lord was going to give her, only laughed and said that Gabrielle was right. And so, I left the newcomers room baffled. I honestly did not know what to think about Gabrielle''s words. Was this also another purpose of the bodies we have now? That is what I asked myself then. And that''s when I remembered what the Goddess had given to me, and I finally understood her intentions. It didn''t take long for me to go and change my clothes to the ones the Goddess gave me. They are made to showcase my figure and...proportions. Not...leaving...anything to the imagination... I can feel the embarrassment fill my face, but the Goddess gave me this task...and I already made a pledge. I, Erevain, find myself closing my eyes and opening the door of my master''s room. "E-excuse me, My lord!" "Ah...Erevain. I was expecting you." His regal tone and aura are truly of someone worthy of the title of king. His way of adapting to the situation, and quick decision-making to obtain results, show that his intellect is worthy of the task he shoulders. And here I am acting unbefitting of his right hand! I can''t keep shaming My Lord with this pitiful appearance of mine, closing my eyes in embarrassment and so, I open my eyes. "...!" My Lord? Are my eyes deceiving me? No Her pale skin bathed in the moonlight. Her golden hair loose and falling freely. Her unarmored figure breaking my preconceptions and leaving me speechless. I feel drawn towards her, enamored by her raw feminine beauty and even if those desires are improper for a servant... Yes...my master is... A woman... To be continued...(cue ''meanwhile'' image of Gabrielle, Luca and Kris having a nice bath together!)(Thank you for reading!) Chapter 20: Goddess what the hell did you tell her to do?! "Aaaah, man, that was tiring..." I mean, it''s not like I''m physically exhausted, but mentally speaking, that whole ''interrogation'' thing depleted my social batteries more than my encounter with Erevain and the others. She was seriously stubborn...and after all of that, she tries to tell me the real identity of my right-hand woman. If she was trying to get points that way, then sumanai, I''ve had a feeling since I first talked with Erevain. You can fake your accent, but it doesn''t matter if you keep that rich and educated vocabulary. Also, OP instinct coupled with an almost obsessive knowledge of isekais sure helps. And then, when I asked for her name she just got up and said that it didnt matter, that she belonged to me now, so I needed to give her a name. You are a maid, not a pet... Also, after that her clothes started glowing and changed into a maid outfit. She looked at me confused, but then I told her that it was the Goddess who gave her that outfit and not to complain because it was either that or something worse. She turned pale. I guess she thought she would be vaporized, but it was just some magical girl cosplay that she may or may not force me to wear down the line... Please be the second one... "Hmph...yep...can''t take it anymore." You know that feeling when you come home from work and you can''t wait to take off your suit or uniform and just be free? I''m feeling that now. "First the breastplate to let them breathe..." It''s not that I get hot while using it, but I do feel the need to just be in my bodysuit after being a whole day inside the armor. "Heh, I still get surprised while seeing them." I say so when I look down at my lightly jiggling chest. After that, I take off the rest of my armor, leaving it on the floor right beside the bed. "Should I let my hair loose too?" Yeah, why not? I already have enough practice with the limited-edition wig of my waifu, so there is no problem if I need to do my hair again. Pro tip: If you are going to buy a limited-edition wig of your waifu, you better practice doing that specific hairstyle, because wigs need special washing to stay at top quality. Them getting moldy and dry just shows the lack of love you have for your waifu, filthy faker! If you have a little sister, you can use them as practice dummies, just give them something they like as payment. Like the fee to her entrance exam for college plus plane tickets. Heh, too easy. Having said that, I let my hair loose and it feels liberating. Huh, so this is how it feels like...this new life has been nothing if not educational. I look at the muddy mirror that this room has and see myself. "First day clear!" A new body, race, gender and appearance. A new world. Even my seiyuu changed. I''m sorry former seiyuu-san! I bet there is going to be some flashbacks to my past so don''t be sad! But I hope that you also find a new project quickly! After I smile at my reflection and the sound of my voice I start stretching for a bit. I can already feel some jiggle here and there, fan service shots check! Huh? There is someone outside of my door. It must be Erevain bringing the reports of the others. And here I thought I was done for the day. She is taking her time to enter...she is even fidgeting a bit, is she nervous? She stands there for like 5 more minutes, but it seems that she is going to enter now. "E-excuse me, my lord!" "Ah...Erevain. I was expecting you." Ara, what is that daring night wear you are using Erevain? Your face is all red, and you are even closing your eyes as if you are embarrassed. Is this...some kind of punishment game? Did you lose a bet to the other maid knights? No...that design...it eerily similar to the royal snow lingerie one I have back in my room... as if it was made by the same person or in this case, the same Goddess. "Fufufu~~~ I do not know what you are talking about. But do enjoy yourself my dear." Don''t play dumb you...lovable Goddess!! I''m so sorry Erevain, you shouldn''t be a victim of that Goddess enjoyment. "...!" She opened her eyes as if she had mustered all her strength to do so but...why are you staring at me so strongly? I look at myself and see my big boobs...ah, right. She didn''t know I was a woman. But... Don''t stare that much...it feels kind of weird...ah I''m blushing a bit too... "..." "..." Got to say something to break this awkward silence. "I-Is something the matter, Erevain?" "...! Ah, I deeply apologize my lord, no, my lady...is just that..." "Was it that strong of a surprise? My unarmored appearance?" "I..." She is at a loss for words. Maybe if I push a bit more, I can help her regain her composure. "I can put my armor on if that resolves the problem, you too can change your clothes. If you wish you can keep referring to me as Lord, it matters not to me. So" I extend my hand towards my armor but Erevain steps forward and grabs it. "No, my lord." She says interrupting me while still holding my hand. AhhhI cant stop blushing "I am truly ashamed for showing you this shameful performance just now. My lack of words was not because I had a problem...it was because..." She too is blushing even when she is trying to maintain a serious face while saying that! "...I was about to say that I found your unarmored appearance truly beautiful..." EH?! "...?!" "I was a fool for believing that you were a man...and I apologize for any offense my misunderstanding might have caused." She bows deeply and...I can see everything... But then she gets back up and does a pose full of determination and her characteristic seriousness. And shes still holding my hand! What is this?! "I shall do my best tonight to redeem myself in your eyes." "Eh?!" EEEEEH?! Crap! I let that out and pulled my hand away due to the surprise! Composure. Composure. Change the subject. "Tonight Erevain? You just came to deliver the reports, correct?" Got to calm down. Got to calm down. Got to calm down. "Yes, My Lord but also to...provide you with n-night service..." EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?! She is saying that while looking at me expectantly. She puts her hands near the base of her stomach, her face is blushed, and she clearly doesn''t know what to do but her body language is telling me that she is fine with it. BUT THAT DOESN''T MATTER! NIGHT SERVICE?! WHERE THE HECK DID SHE GET THAT IDEA?!!! NERINNEEEEEEEE!!! "My, do not shout, my dear. I can hear you clearly, you know? Why are you so surprised? I told you, didn''t I? My morals are not those of a mortal so enjoy yourself. Fufu~~." "..." "My lord? Is something wrong?" She looks at me concerned about my silence. I want to sigh so hard right now, but that might worry her more with how serious she is. Lets justlets just go straight to the point. "Be honest, are you fine with doing this?" I ask her directly. After all, I don''t like shounen type of misunderstandings that take forever to resolve. "I...was unsure of laying with a man...of being able to satisfy him with this body...but I pledged myself to you My Lord. My loyalty and my body are yours, and now that I know that my lord is a woman any doubt, any unease I had is gone." She looks at me with eyes full of determination, this stunningly gorgeous woman just said that she is fine with sleeping with me. "I...see..." So... This is happening, huh? To be continued...(cue colored illustration of Erevain giving her declaration while holding Auros'' hand! Someday!) Glossary Entry #14: Shounen: It is a genre of anime and manga for young males. It is the home of the usual suspects for commonly known anime like Naruto, Dragon Ball, Pokemon, and so on. But it is also the home of some tropes that are categorized as annoying by many readers of the genre...at least in the west. One of those is that of "misunderstandings" happening in scenes where the protagonist is in a key moment for their relationship with a romantic interest, a heroine, and instead of things being a clear "I like you" they end up being "I li--oh! Look! An ovni! A secondary heroine! A rival! An excuse to prolong this for 20 more chapters!!!" or "She likes me? Nah, that is not possible. She is probably saying that she likes me as a friend, even if she tried to kiss me, yeah, or that she likes my shirt, or my cat. She can''t be saying that she actually likes me, even now that she is holding a neon sign saying that she wants to have my babies. Lets leave thinking about this until the last 5 chapters". If you find yourself in this kind of thought process and situation, please, do read the neon sign. If you are the future partner of someone like this, not even outright marrying them has been proven to be a solution. So, be warned. Chapter 21: A Knight’s night with her Lord and the beginning of her tale… Sometime ago, someone asked me a question while holding onto a gender bender doujin. "Hhhnn..." ''Is it gay to do it with someone that was gender bended into a woman?'' "...mmmy...lord...haaah...nnnh" To that, I answered: Who cares?! They are a girl right now! But I know some want a long answer so: Do you find their current appearance attractive? Do you find yourself in that situation? And are they consenting? Heck, are they the ones who proposed it? If your answer to all these questions is yes, then...who cares?! I sure as hell don''t and you shouldn''t too. Stop thinking of the past and enjoy the present. "...it is...haaah...haaannh...strange...this...mmmh feeling!" With that out of the way, lets keep caressing the beautiful woman who is Erevain with my [Pleasurable Hands] skill active while she is on the bed and I am on top of her. Her breathing is heavy, and some beads of sweat can be seen glistening her milky white skin bathed in moonlight. I caress her starting from the nape of her neck and going down softly, as if it was the most valuable silk. "Hmmmn!" She lets out a muffled moan when I reach the space between her breasts and go to her stomach. How to say it? Her moans are...more reserved? I''m sure you know, but I was someone without access to this type of experiences, in real life at least, so that is the best way to describe it. "Haah..." I reach her navel and she reacts to my touch once again. My hand approaches the part where her womb would be and suddenly stops. "mmmn?" Heh, surprised? I can see it in your eyes. That tantalizing feeling...so new, so alien to you but you can''t keep yourself from desiring more... "You look beautiful Ere..." I whisper to her in her ear while leaning closer to her face. "...!" Her face is red but instead of an expression of embarrassment I find her smiling at me. "Not as much as you are my lord." "...?!" She says so with that noble face of hers while caressing my face. That...was a surprise for sure. "I...am in no position to say this, but please My Lord...do not stop..." She embraces me after saying that and I accept her request. I undo the lace on her night wear, and it falls off elegantly showing me her bare chest. Their size is on the big side but not as big as mine, like an 85? At the same time her hands caress my back, almost reaching my hips and then she moves them towards my breasts and pulls up the chest part of my bodysuit. We kiss for a moment, after that my head goes down to her chest and I suck the tip of her right breast gently. "So...hymmn! Sensinnnnmm!" My other hand was already down there doing its job. "My...lord...mmmmhaH! Whamn! Happenninnnghh!" "Don''t worry Ere. You are reaching that place." "Hmmmmmmnnmnnnghh!!!" Her body starts shaking and her back is arching upwards a bit, our breasts touch and I feel a little jolt of pleasure just from that. I can feel the heat building up inside me as I watch Erevain climaxing. "Haah...haah...haah..." "Did it feel good Erevain?" She nods while she passes one of her hands near her mouth, her fingers tracing part of her lips and then a smile appears on her face. "But it is not fair My Lord..." "What?" Her sudden change of tone surprises me, its...kind of reproaching, yet provocative? "...it is not fair that I am the only one feeling good, My lord." The moment she says that I catch a familiar look in her eyes, and she pushes me down. "Wha...!" This feeling of dj vu...I can''t shake it... "HaaI already said that I would do my best tonight, My Lord and I intend to keep my word." "Wa-Wait!" She doesn''t listen to me and goes directly for my chest. "Hiiiinnh!" She is suckiNNGH! So hard and yetANH! "nNnNHH!!" She is not like Nerinne with her own skill, then why?! Her caressing, her fondling, her playful biting "Why does this feel so...mMnNnH!!" Crap, Im not supposed to say that! "I was unsure of satisfying a man but a woman..." "Haaahn!" "...that is something I learned in excess as a necessity for my future." She says while her hand goes down...HANH! Her fingers areMNNN!! "Please My Lord, come to the place you just showed me." "HNNNNNNG! HAaAaAH! MmMmMmNnGH!" I...just climaxed...and.HNGstill aMNh! What was...that technique...? Everything...is hazy... Good... It felt so good Sleepy no! I can''t lose control here! As if Ill let this end like this with her on top!! My besto waifu wouldnt let this end like this! And neither will I!! I can feel my face making a defiant smile. All while the heat starts invading my whole body once again. "You...cheeky maid, do not get ahead of yourself..." I grab her hand and pull her whole body towards mine. "My Lord...!" Our faces being so close that I can see myself clearly in her eyes. And she can see herself in mine. We are both smiling. Time for a tiebreaker! ___________________________________________________________ "Hah...hah...hah..." We went at it for at least three hours... We are both completely nude and panting on top of the bed. Well...she is sleeping but she is still panting...do I have to worry about that? Our hair is a mess, our bodies are full of sweat and every now and then we still twitch a bit. I won...right? I mean, I''m the one who is not asleep... I totally didn''t get overwhelmed by her impressive...technique... My instinct covered for my total lack of experience but... Her endurance was enough to keep up with me to the point that this victory feels empty...good, but empty nonetheless... So, I won? ... A-anyways... Erevain wasn''t joking when she said that she knew how to satisfy a woman...the things she did were things that only someone who studied extensively would know. I mean, in my world there are courses for that too...but its not like I had attended those, after all, they cost precious money and that was reserved for merch of my waifu. Whatever she did to me, I did to her and harder but then she too did that... What a cycle of things... Still...it was good...I really like how this body feels...and I learned a lot about it, heh. I truly enjoyed it just like she said. Now, time for the ''zzzz'' onomatopoeia... _________________________________________________________ "I...really look like her..." Erevain''s voice wakes me from my slumber. It is a low whisper, but my enhanced hearing caught it anyway. She is up and looking at her face in the muddy mirror. I can see her holding her clothes in her arms. I see...she was going to leave after dressing up but was caught by whatever her reflection triggered. "To whom?" I ask while sitting on the bed. I can feel my hair covering my chest while it flows down. Sorry for the censorship but I think you had enough fanservice for today. "My lord! How...?" She asks, startled by my sudden question. "Dragon ears I suppose. Do not worry, I am used to waking up in the middle of the night." To roll in the gacha right after maintenance of course. "I...understand, My Lord. And..." I can see in her face that what she is about to say is something important to her. "...to answer My Lord''s question. Like my mother...I look like my mother, the deceased queen regent of the Kyrie Kingdom. They used to say that I looked a lot like her when I was a child and now..." There is a mix of pride, sadness, pain, grief, nostalgia and more on her face, before she looks at me expecting my response. "Erevain, it must have been difficult for you to tell me this, but I am glad you did." I smile at her from the bottom of my heart because even if I already had an idea, the act of her telling me means a lot to me. She smiles back, her eyes a bit watery and nods. "May I tell you my story, My Lord?" Truly gorgeous, but that only lasted a moment because she went back to her usual seriousness. "Yes, you can Erevain." With that said I listened to her and the story of a prince(ss) who fell from grace... To be continued...(cue Nerinne watching everything while enjoying a cup of tea, like the cultured Goddess she is) Chapter 22: …or not. "...but we have work to do at the moment, My Lord. So, I intend to tell you about myself after we finish with our work here in the village." Says Erevain while putting her night wear on, it looks hot even if she isn''t doing it on purpose, especially now that she is putting her garter belt and stockings on. You thigh connoisseurs must thank and praise me for this fanservice! "...very well..." Still MY EXPECTATIONS!! MY FLASHBACK!! IT WAS SO CLOSE...! I WANTED TO SEE THE FLASHBACK EPISODE THAT WAS TOTALLY NOT FOR PADDIPROLONGING THE CURRENT VILLAGE ARC!!! "*chuckle*..." Wait, did Erevain just chuckle?! I do a double take on her and I see her covering her mouth with the back of her right hand. "I apologize, My Lord. It is just that I did not know how much you were looking forward to hearing my story, and your expression just now reminded me of someone..." Her tone is obviously nostalgic. I mean she is doing the whole ''looking at somewhere far away'' thing right now. Hmmm...judging by that surprising reaction of hers I bet she is talking about someone of her family. Maybe a sister? "Worry not, it was not as if I was that excited about it or anything..." I say so while turning my head to the left and crossing my arms.... WHY?!! THIS DAMN INVOLUNTARY TSUNDERISM OF MINE!! WAS I ALWAYS LIKE THIS DEEP DOWN?! AAAAHH!!!! "Is that so, My lord?" She doesn''t believe me at all. Her smile right now is basically telling me that. "*ahem* A-Anyway, let''s start with the reports then." "Yes, My Lord." She lightly bows and takes some pieces of paper that were on the table of this room and gives them to me. I say paper, but it is more of the equivalent of it in this world, it is not pure white and looks more like that eco-friendly light brown paper you see at some office supplies shops. I wonder of what it is made of here. I''m willing to risk it and say it is related to magic, but don''t believe me its just one of my crazy assumptions. Huh? The handwriting on two of them is the same while on the third one is different and I''m just skimming through them, I can see that both have some good vocabulary, but the one in the first two is better. Going by this, I can say that Erevain wrote the first two and the last one was Luca, judging by the contents of it. Even so I''m still going to ''ask''. "You wrote these two, right Erevain?" She looks a bit surprised by my comment. Heh, that is why I had to ask. "Yes, I did. But how did My Lord know?" "Simple, your rich and well-educated vocabulary. Although, Luca''s is not lacking either." "I see, as expected. My Lord''s knowledge of our language and its intricacies is deep enough to reach that conclusion." She nods while doing a prideful expression. I feel a bit bad about that, since its because of my blessing that I can understand what is written here and even talk to her. Oh well, being OP sure is convenient. "Enough about that Erevain, lets discuss about this off-limits area in the nearby forest." A barrier, robed persons, a black mineral that releases miasma. My instinct is telling me that it is absolutely related to the village''s problems and my isekai knowledge tells me that there''s an event there that will totally advance the plot by teasing its relation to something way bigger. "My Lord, may I suggest you clothe yourself first?" Says Erevain with an embarrassed face while trying not to look. She is even blushing a bit. Ah yes, I''m nude right now. It''s feels almost no different than wearing my bodysuit, so I forgot about that for a moment. Hehe. But come on! After all the things you did to me, you are embarrassed by me being naked?! Even if you are making that beautiful and pure maiden-like face now! I know the truth!!! But oh well, I''ll listen to her and cover myself with my tight bodysuit... Four panels of fanservice later... "There." "You have my thanks, My Lord." She lets out a sigh of relief. Seriously, this bodysuit is almost no different to me being nude, but it seems to work for her. "Back on topic then, the off-limits area and the miasma releasing black mineral. What are your thoughts Erevain?" "This mineral might be the one responsible for the sudden and unnatural death of the cattle and fields in the village. Luca mentions in her report that the trees that were closer to the people extracting the mineral and the mineral itself were decaying abnormally and that the soil near the crevice was dead looking, dry. If we cross-reference that with the statement of one hunter that Kris obtained, I think it solidifies this theory." Says Erevain wearing a focused expression, gone was the pure maiden and the serious right-hand woman was in. "What did the hunter say?" I ask while reading Luca''s report once more. She really wrote everything in great detail, it''s almost as if I was actually holding a picture of the place, instead of reading it. Her memory must be great for her to be able to do something like this. I need to reward her. I can imagine her expression when I tell her...hehe so cute... "He and his dog were chasing a three-horned deer when their prey entered the off-limits zone. He immediately stopped in his tracks, but his dog kept chasing it. After a half an hour the dog came back seemingly normal and without the deer, but the dog died when the sun came down that day. The dog''s corpse showed a once strong hunting dog turned into one that looked as if it had starved to death. Just like the cattle." Says Erevain looking at me with expectant eyes. She wants to hear my thoughts too but first... Poor doggy...I shall avenge you!! Now, I agree with Erevain, this pretty much seems to be the thing responsible for the problems in this village, but that only answers part of the how, although I already have a theory that my instinct is telling me that is right. "It is as you say Erevain, the black mineral is the weapon the ones responsible for all of this used to strike at the villager''s necks. Although, it does not explain how it came here. And I trust what you told me about this village''s age, so the idea of it being right under the village all along and for it to start showing its effects only now is not viable." Before continuing, I shift my gaze for a moment to the window and the vista outside of it, a vista of a village that has clearly been here for a long time. "If there was a large deposit of it right under the village, then this village wouldn''t be here to begin with. The water of the wells would kill both the crops and cattle since it would be polluted with the mineral and that is not happening. Add to that the dead soil and no one would be able to even grow crops here in the first place, let alone live here. Reading Kris'' report, she did ask about other hunting dogs and those are fine even though they drink water from the well too. " "Indeed, My Lord." "I do have a theory about this, though. If I am right, then whoever is responsible is using a powdered, diluted version of the mineral and spreading it only on the fields and the cattle''s foodstuffs. But that also implies that they are doing it with enough care to not spread its effects to the villagers themselves. And it also raises the question of how they are handling the mineral. Or could it be that its effects are only useful against plants and animals but not the humanoid races? Those questions can only be answered if we study the mineral ourselves. As such, we need to inspect that off-limits area first thing in the morning." I bet I am making a serious expression right now and that is because my instinct is telling me that if we do not go there, things will get dangerous. And even after deciding that we are going, the bad feeling just diminishes a bit, but it doesn''t disappear completely... Tell me if that is not some ominous foreshadowing. And Erevain noticing this expression of mine seems to have understood the urgency of the situation and nodded. "As you wish, My Lord. Also, My Lord''s theory of someone trying to make the villagers abandon the village instead of killing them, seems be the correct one. Specially with what Gabrielle mentioned in her report. An old woman found something that almost got her killed by the forces of our opponent in this village, although she managed to kill her assailant. As for the object she found, it was a rock, or better said, a gemstone that glows light blue. Our enemy probably suspects that there is more of it in, or under, this village and wants to take it in a quiet way." I raise an eyebrow when I hear that exact choice of words for the color and then I start reading Gabrielle''s report with haste and thanks to my nerd level being maxed out, I reached the important part quickly, finding at the end of it the name of the gemstone. My eyes widen as I read it. I mean who wouldn''t? "...the Goddess'' blood?!" To be continued...(cue me crying over doggy''s death...I''M SORRY!!! YOU WERE A GOOD BOY!!! I''M SORRY!!!!) Chapter 23: An eventful morning. The first rays of sunlight came down through a balcony door that also served as a large window. Its frame was exquisitely crafted with the objective to let as much sunlight in. It was the main source of illumination to this room that served as a private office for the young man who was at his desk doing paperwork. But it was not just that balcony door that was exquisitely crafted, not at all. The desk the young man was working on was made of elven wood, a material said to be a luxury among luxuries for its rarity. For it rarely left its place of origin through legal means and illegal attempts were met with death. Still, the desk was neither something bought nor stolen, it was a gift from an elven dignitary as part of a set of three. Only the second of the set was still being used inside the castle, the third one left with its owner to a distant college while the first one was left to gather dust locked up in a never to be mentioned or opened storage room. Bookshelves filled with expensive looking tomes, a closet filled with the finest suits, various maps of high quality hung on different walls, chairs that paired well with the desk and theme of the place and of course a sofa with a tea table in front of it. All were exquisite. If one were to describe the position of the one who owned the place, then two things would come to mind. First, a well-connected and prodigy merchant, given the young appearance of the man working in there or a prince of some country. If your conclusion was the latter, then congratulations are in order, for you are correct. The young man with fine features was Licht vi Kyrie, the crown prince of the Kyrie Kingdom. He was loved by the people, always thought as a hardworking young man who was both smart and sensible by politicians and citizens alike. He was checking reports of almost everything on the kingdom, from market prices for meat in the capital, to the state of the different cities and villages within the kingdom. Just as he always does first thing in the morning. You could say he was the perfect image of a responsible prince, but even he had his faults. At least one if you were to ask his personal maid who is always beside him. That is his hair. It was of an almost immaculate white, almost being the keyword here, the bangs that covered his left eye had a light pink color instead. The maid always tried to style the prince''s hair in a way that those bothersome bangs would not cover her master''s face, but they always returned to their place no matter what she did. Her master would then just laugh it off and tell her to try again the next day. In any case, as the prince finished with one of the reports in his hand, his eyes wandered to an iron pin with an emblem that was lying on a corner of his desk. The emblem had a shield acting as a sword''s sheath while the sun shone on the back of it. It was the emblem of an order of knights that had never existed in the kingdom...or at least that is how things were in the present. Then, the door to his office suddenly opened when his mouth was turning into a dubious smile while looking at the pin. "PRINCE! WHAT MOCKERY IS THIS?! Why have you denied my request for aid for Illumbee Village?!" The man who entered without announcing himself and shouted angrily at the prince was Baron Cuhalin, the noble who oversaw the land where Illumbee Village was and other small cities here and there within it. He was well aware of the village''s woes and was actively looking for a solution, as well as looking for help in the meantime. But to his dismay, not only the king ignored his formal requests for almost 2 years, but he gave control over the matter to the crown prince which had been ignoring him too, until now. "Not only that, but you ban my forces from investigating the issue anymore?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR?!" "I''d suggest you cease from your prattling unless you wish those words to be the last." Said the black-haired maid cutting off Baron Cuhalin, not only with her voice but her killing intent as well. Her eyes were fiercely stabbing at the Baron''s figure, but he was not scared of her, no, he was responding in kind. "You think a girl that has never been in the Front can intimidate me?! Ha! Think again when you become a Dragon Lord!" The Baron scoffed at the maid while showing a confident and firm expression. Causing the maid''s expression to grow fiercer as she prepared herself, but the raised hand of the prince stopped her. "Now, now, it is natural for the Baron to react this way. So please, stand down, Mary. Besides, that is not the proper way to treat one of the heroes of the Draconic Front. But also, Baron Cuhalin, I ask of you to stop antagonizing my maid so that we may have a civilized discussion as fellow servants of the kingdom and its people." Said the prince with a diplomatic tone. His maid quickly calmed herself and fixed her stance while the Baron gave a last glance to her, before moving his gaze towards the prince. "Please, take a seat, Baron Cuhalin." The prince moved his hand accordingly and showed the Baron the chair where he should be sitting on instead of standing halfway towards the exit. "I am fine like this." Declared the Baron in a calmer, but still firm tone, causing the prince to just nod while maintaining a calm smile. "Very well then. Let us discuss the issue at hand. Based on the reports I have on the village in question, it seems that even with their hardships they are surviving through hunting and collecting in the nearby forest. The people are not sick, they are not starving for the moment and they have adapted to the situation, which led me to believe that they are simply going through what farmers call a ''rough patch''. That is why I refused to allocate not only the crown''s resources, but also stopped you from doing so with your own. To this day, your forces have not found either a cause, or a solution to the problem. And so, I deemed investigating this matter any longer as a misplacing of your force''s efforts and they shall be used for other matters of more importance. Where is the mockery in my rational analysis of the situation based on the evidence at hand, Baron? Pray tell." Said the prince while receiving a cup of tea from his maid and offering one to the Baron who rejected it strongly. Even more, he seemed to be holding back his anger after listening to the Prince. He had formed a fist with his right hand and his face looked as if he would pop a vessel at any moment, but then he sighed. "Then please, My Prince, is it true the information I received about an archpriest visiting the village from the capital with an escort made from your private forces?" Baron Cuhalin had gone to great lengths to not only confirm that information and more, but also hide it from the eyes and ears that may or may not be spying on him. He was a passionate man, and while some may say that he was also reckless in his way of behaving in political events, he was also cautious when it mattered. More so in battle and this was a battle where he had to use words. The prince raised an eyebrow when he heard what the Baron said but maintained his calm demeanor and even smiled fully. "Yes, indeed. I advised my father in doing so and even offered part of my forces as escorts as a sign that the crown and her holiness were concerned about their situation. After all, as you can see, I hardly leave this office. Let alone the castle. So, I thought that was a better use for them at the time." The Baron made a surprised expression that quickly turned into one of disappointment. He even shook his head while putting the side of his fist on his lips. "My prince...I know." Said the Baron in a serious, but saddened tone, while the Prince looked at him with a confused expression. "What do you mean, Baron?" "Do not play games with me, prince. I know about the archpriest saying it was all because of a curse the Goddess had placed." "Ah, tha" "And I visited one more place before coming here." The prince was interrupted by the Baron in a way that did not let him get a word in, for he would listen to the prince no more. "It was her Holiness'' cathedral." The polite smile on the prince''s face began to fade. "She asked the Goddess herself if there was indeed a curse on the land and she answered that there was none." "..." The Prince was silent with an empty smile on his face and eyes. "I omitted the part of the archpriest and your forces being involved, only mentioning that it was a rumor, because I had thought you were not directly involved, or worse, you were being used. But I see that I was wrong now. Your Mother...the Queen...would be disappointed in you, prince." The Baron looked at the prince as he would an enemy while the prince just kept smiling. "Mary, it seems the Baron is feeling unwell" The maid moved quickly while holding syringes in her hands. She intended to use whatever they had inside on the Baron but... "NGH?!" Something pierced the maid''s shoulder as quickly as she had gotten near the Baron, stopping her in her tracks. It was a transparent spear. "[Spirit Spear: Volg]. Like I said girl, come back when you become a Dragon Lord if you intend to hurt me." So he said as he thrusted the spear even deeper into the maids shoulder, causing blood to come out of it. "Gh!" The maid refused to acknowledge her pain with her voice and just glared at the Baron with her mouth shut while the prince was just there, sitting and watching. "The Goddess also said something else to her Holiness...fuh!" Nn! The maid was kicked on the stomach with enough force to push her to the prince''s desk, but she quickly reacted and twisted her body in way that let her evade it completely. The downside was that she crashed with the balcony door, cracking the doors glass, while the air inside her lungs left her. "A forcefully forgotten ghost of this kingdom''s recent past will come back serving a storm, bringing punishment to those who desecrated her name and to those whose plans have casted a shadow on this kingdom." The Baron made his spear disappear and started walking towards the exit but not before glancing at the prince again. "I shall pray for your soul, my princ!" When he turned around the prince was in front of him and had stabbed him with one of the syringes Mary had. The purple liquid quickly found its way into the Baron''s body, weakening him to the point of being on the verge of losing consciousness. He fell to the floor and realized that the prince that was seated on his desk was but an illusion, one that started fading slowly. The last thing he saw was the prince smiling and those dead eyes of a different color each. "Quite interesting what the Goddess said. Mary..." The prince called out to the maid, who stood up and walked towards him with her wounds already healed. "The Baron suddenly fell with a grave illness and so, he shall be staying in the usual place until he recovers. So, please take him to the guest room and make the appropriate letters. Ah, and send for our forces to capture or sabotage those whom the Baron was most likely to trust with whatever was his contingency plan. Knowing him, I am sure he had one. Also, call for the glazier and have the glass replaced." Having said that, he walked over the Baron and sat on his chair as if nothing had happened. "At once, My Prince." The maid quickly carried the unconscious Baron outside of the Prince''s office leaving said young man alone. He then took the iron pin that he was looking at before the Barons abrupt entrance and smiled dubiously. "The words of the Goddess can only mean one thing. I am going to see my dear big brother again! I can''t hardly wait...my dear elder brother, Erevain!~~" His tone would disturb anyone who was unfortunate enough to hear him, but he did not care and so he hummed happily while continuing with his work. __________________________________________________ Morning came quickly after such an eventful night. First, Erevain, then her telling me her secret and then the thing about the Goddess'' Blood. Just thinking about that is making me have a flashback. It is not because I''m still mad about not getting the flashback episode of Erevain. Nope, not at all. And so, our conversation about the Goddess'' Blood was like this _______________________________________________________ "...the Goddess'' blood?!" I immediately looked at Erevain for an explanation. "Yes, My Lord. It is one of, if not, the most, powerful gemstone in Arte and it is said to hold great power even in the size of a pebble." "Hence the name?" I asked confused. Like, why call it that if it''s just a glorified OP battery? Also, my isekai expertise was telling me that this thing was going to be a problem... "No, My Lord. The name comes from the legend attached to the origin of the stone. It is said that after its emissaries were defeated, the Evil God was weakened, leaving an opening for the Goddess who was fighting them to seal them. And she did, but at the cost of grave injuries to herself. The battle was of epic proportions as one would expect of Gods, they traversed the world pursuing and attacking each other. The Evil God had nothing to protect or care for, so he did not hold back while the Goddess had to, for the sake of the world she loves. If an attack of the Evil God caused a natural disaster, then she took it with her body. If an attack threatened a village, she shielded them with her body as well, and so she bled. She bled all around the world, for the world. And that blood was not absorbed by the earth since it held great power, no, instead it was swallowed by it, hidden in its depths until it turned to stone. That is why it is called by that name, My Lord." Yep, it was going to be a problem. So, I thought it was better to ask her but Is this true, Nerinne? "Zzz...sleeping with Ilya...try again in the morning...zzzz..." This Goddess... That was the answer I got But you know, I was sleepy too, so it was time for me and Erevain to go to sleep. Oh yes, she stayed with me. ______________________________________________ Some hours passed after that, and we are back from the flashback! As for the rest of my morning, well, we had some breakfast at the inn, which was delicious, talked with Sylvie a bit and then we went on our way to the forest. I also left our still unnamed Maid-Knight guarding the old lady who is holding onto the Goddess'' Blood. It seems Nerinne visited the poor newbie maid in her dreams and gave her quite the scare, because she was so obedient and submissive to the point I wondered if I was talking to the same stubborn person from yesterday. Dark Nerinne strikes again huh...scary... Ah, newbie maid also got the chance of showing some of her skills by setting up an alarm that will not only alert us if she needs help, but also show us what she is seeing like a live feed. That is certainly useful in those type of situations since we can plan accordingly. Ooooor just waltz through with my OP powers while throwing every bit of common sense out of the window because of isekai! Anyways, I''m currently in the forest being guided by a really motivated, but still silent, Luca, with the rest of the Maid-Knights following behind me. The off-limits area is our destination, of course. Meanwhile, Erevain is trying to act as if nothing happened last night, but every now and then I catch her sneaking a maiden-like glance at me before turning away embarrassed. She is being teased by Kris and Gabrielle right now. "So how was last night, Leader?" Says Gabrielle with a playful smile. "Oh yes, I heard you spent the night with our Lord. Are you a full woman now, heh?" Says Kris without sugarcoating it. Poor Erevain...although it seems she hasn''t told them that I am a woman too. Hmm, another thing to add to the list of things to do after we finish with the village. "S-Stop it you two! What happened last night is between our Lord and me!" Says Erevain cutely flustered. Aaaah friendship it sure is nice. Maybe I should have invested more time in those things instead of obsessing about being a high-level nerd back in my other world. ... Pfft! As if! I have no regrets! None! Why? Because I did it for love! For happiness! For waifu!! "Fufufu~~, I see that you are quite energetic this morning, my dear Auros. Did something good happen last night, I wonder?" Ah, nothing at all darling! Absolutely nothing happened that you didn''t plan for to happen! So? Did you enjoy the show you peeper of a Goddess? "Mhm~. Indeed, I quite enjoyed it. All those tasty expressions you made were magnificent my dear~~. Although, I missed the heart shaped pupils this time...but at the same time it makes me happy, because that means I am the only one who can make you reach that limit, fufufu~~~." Th-That is not something to be proud of!!! "It also means that you truly love me, and it makes my heart go doki-doki!" "...!" Not again! You are making me blush like this!! "Are you alright, Master? You suddenly turned bright red." "Ah...yes, Gabrielle. I am fine. Do not concern yourself." She nods and gets back to her position in the group. I can''t tell her that it is the fault of Nerinne for saying things like that so suddenly and making me happy. She might be a bit of a perv, and that may or may not be my fault, but she is truly my main heroine! "Aww, I love you too Auros." Then please answer the question I asked you last nig "Ilya says she loves you and misses you." ... Tell our cinnamon roll that Father is going to wrap up this village thingy as quickly as possible just to go back and give her a big hug! "I will, as for your question...it is true. A long time ago I did fight an evil god who wanted to either take over my world or destroy it. The idiot was too lazy to create his own world and the only thing he did was complain a lot. When he realized that I and the other gods were ignoring him, he started acting out. And he chose my world as his objective because I was ''too young and na?ve''. Seriously...and even after all the work those knights did, he still had enough power to almost kill me..." I feel myself starting to get angry just by imagining Nerinne being in that situation...that bastard... "It is fine, Auros. Do not make that fierce expression. You will worry your companions if they notice." Nerinne''s voice takes me out of these heavy emotions and...she is right, I might even scare them. I don''t want that. "Also, the fact that I am enjoying myself with you means that I beat him in the end, and he wont bother anyone else anymore." If the legend is right then you sealed him, right? "Yes, I did. I won''t tell you where for the moment since I do not see the point in doing so, but I will tell you that I am always keeping an eye on that place and if anything happens you will be the first one to know." Good, if that happens, I will make sure to show that idiot the power of the body we made together! I''ll also ignore the fact that we just totally raised a flag right now! "Fufu~~, as for the gemstone, it is indeed my blood that has taken a new form after years of being underground. So, of course it holds great power." Power that can be turned into a weapon if it falls in the wrong hands, right? "Fufufufu~~~ no, you dummy. It is still a part of me, it does not matter what form it takes I would never hurt the world I created. It disappears the moment the gemstone senses that it is going to be used for an incorrect purpose. That is also why some people doubt its existence to this day, that is why it can only be used as an instrument of good, of rightful change. To heal a country that has fallen ill with a plague, to purify a lake that has been polluted by greedy idiots, or to bring a new era of infrastructure that betters the lives of the people and keeps them in balance with nature." Aaah listening to Divine Grace mode Nerinne always heals me... "Stop inventing such things as modes for me! I will pull your cheeks when you come back!" Embarrassed Nerinne is fine too... "Mou! I am telling you something important and you start with those things...!" Hehe don''t worry I got everything. I can say that I''m relieved to hear that about the gemstone, since I thought that it would be another problem like the black mineral we are going to study right now. "That is indeed a problem, Auros. I did not create something like that, whatever it is, it is foreign to my design...you should be careful when near it." Is it related to the Evil God? I mean, I''ve had this feeling that that black mineral is tied to something bigger and the way I see it, it doesn''t get bigger than that. "I am afraid that it might be the case, but I do not know enough to make any conclusion right now, I will be learning more about it at the same time as you." Well, it seems you won''t have to wait much longer then, Nerinne. "We have arrived, right Luca?" I say so while looking at the paper thin, dome shaped, barrier that has presented itself before us. She said it wasn''t visible in her report, but I can see it clearly. Might be my OP senses, though. "Ye-Yes!" Luca gets surprised for a moment, says that, and then nods with confidence. "My Lord, we might encounter enemies once we enter the off-limits area, so please leave the combat to us." Says Erevain with seriousness in her face and confidence in her voice, there''s even some anticipation mixed in there. Heh, even she wants to test her new capabilities. "Hmph. Very well, I shall only observe. Do not disappoint me." I can''t wait!! "Never!" They say in unison. So awesome! "Then, let us enter." I say so as I intend to walk through the barrier, but the moment I touch the barrier, it breaks. It doesn''t make any sound whatsoever, but it looks like broken glass that is visible to anyone before dissipating. Well...that surprised me to the point I almost let out a little yelp... "Incredible, My Lord''s presence was enough to break the barrier." Says Erevain genuinely amazed while looking at me and the place where the barrier used to be while readying her longsword that was hidden. AlsoI swear I didn''t mean it! "As expected of our Master." Gabrielle nods in agreement with a smug smile and adjusting her gauntlets. I am glad you think highly of me, but this one wasn''t my fault! Who would''ve known that that would happen to it?! "Hah! Our Lord truly loves being direct, eh! This way the enemies are sure to come to us! This is going to be good!" Kris seems hyped. I can feel she is brimming with fighting spirit; I almost feel sorry for her opponents. She puts her hand on the handle of her anime big sword and easily pulls it off her back. Ah, I forgot to mention that her maid outfit reduces the weight of her sword to 0 when she puts it on her back. That is why she doesn''t need to carry it on her shoulders as she walks anymore. Nerinne thought of everything. Now, I summon my helmet from my personal space and put it on just to not be left behind on doing something. And Luca...is nowhere to be found, huh. The reason might be because of the people who started surrounding us just seconds after the barrier fell. That is most likely why the rest of the Maid-Knights were readying themselves too. I need to say something though... "They might hold useful information, do not kill them unless you deem it so. Even if you do, I won''t punish you for it." I am no hero of justice that puts others in danger just to keep everyone alive. Our opponents chose this path of being involved in the problems of the village, plus they already killed people and they know the consequences they might have to confront if they are ever caught. Of course, I won''t be doing mass killing or something like that. I have never killed someone. If I can talk it out, then I will, but if its combat then I shall leave it to their judgement and mine. It might sound weird coming from me, but I must be realistic when the situation calls for it. Although now that I told them that, they will not kill them. I hope I can convince them to redeem themselves by joining us, just like I planned to do with Erevain''s group if they were actually criminals. "As if Id let you...! Ha!" An arrow comes flying at me, but it is intercepted by Gabrielle grabbing it out of the air and returning it to whoever shot it. "Ack!" Someone lets out a pained voice and falls from a tree. "Please Master, take a step back." Says Gabrielle with a calm smile on her face as she jumps at one of the robed persons who started coming out of their hiding place. I do as she says, and I look around. There are already five unconscious enemies lying on the ground. "We are more than them! They are only four so kill them! We have to!" One of the robed men shouts that, he must be the one in charge of this group and he is getting nervous, desperate even. I would be too if my people started falling like flies one after the other and some even without knowing the reason. "Wait, they were supposed to be fiGAH!" And there goes another one. Luca is doing a terrific job here; she is just knocking them unconscious but that just shows that her lethal potential inside a forest is high. At least against opponents that don''t share my OP senses and instinct. "GUAAGH!" Three people go flying at the same time and do not get back up after touching the ground. "That''s all? And here I thought I could enjoy it! Come on! I''m right here!" Kris shouts at the three people she sent flying with her sword. They are injured, but nothing that Gabrielle can''t heal as she nods at me when I glance at her and point towards them. It''s so cool that even if I don''t say anything she understood quickly. So dependable! Speaking of which, she is just one punching everyone who gets near her. Maybe they thought she was the weakest because she wasn''t wielding a weapon? "Fire burn my enemies to cinders! [Great Fireball]" The leader of the robed guys just casted a spell but... "Moonlight and Earth, I beseech you protect me and my own! [Magic Shield]!" ...Erevain intercepts it with her own magic, creating a silvery shield that takes on the fireball as if it was nothing and that''s not all... "Hyyyah!" "Guh..." She moves quickly towards the caster and brandishes her sword, taking him down in an instant. This. Was. SO. AWESOME!! THEY LOOKED SO BEATIFUL FIGHTING WITH THOSE OUTFITS, I MEAN, EVEN WITHOUT THOSE BUT STILL!! It was an overwhelming victory. "This wasn''t even a warmup..." Says Kris apparently depressed but judging with how she was smiling during the whole thing she still had some fun. "Now, now, Kris. We have to be prudent, do not start with your usual attitude." Says Gabrielle as if she were scolding a little sister who still wanted to play. "We cannot let our guards down; they could be just the vanguard while our true opponents are readying themselves deeper in the forest." While saying that, Erevain grabs the robed guy nearest to her and drops him where the others were lying. "Luca tie them up and seal their magic. Gabrielle, heal the injured ones, but just to the point that they can talk, we cannot have them think that they can escape." As expected of the head Maid-Knight, Erevain is quick and precise with her orders. Umu, she is good. With that, all the robed guys were rounded up and carried with us to the place where Luca saw them when she came alone. Also, Erevain can use her [Magic Shield] as a platform to carry people so no one needed to physically carry them. A few minutes later we arrived at the place where they were mining the black mineral. "This is..." I let out some words seeing the decay of the surrounding trees. They were dead and dry; it was worse than what Luca reported and that means this happened overnight. And the whole place smells...like death. Even I know it and I dont have any experience with being in a place like this before. "My lord." Erevain calls for me and points at a modified mill that still has traces of the black mineral that was milled into powder. Along with some empty crystal bottles, whatever liquid, or chemical those contained is impossible to know now. Although, it is highly likely that it was what they used to dilute the effects of the mineral. So, I was right... "All...clear..." Says Luca returning from surveying the area and confirming what my senses already picked up. There is no one here besides us and the people the Maid-Knights defeated. That means it was an ''all hands-on deck'' type of situation. Welp. They are idiots! How do you plan on maintaining an operation like this if you all get defeated at the same time?!! You deserve to be the unnamed generic robed guys of isekais!!! "Master, there is still some black mineral in its original state here." Gabrielle points at a wheelbarrow full of it. Uwa...that''s a lot! "Gabrielle, stand back. We still do not know if it has any effect on us." I say while beckoning her with my hand and she does as I say. "Kris, you too, step back from the crevice." Our tanned warrior was checking how profound the crevice was, but it might be dangerous since it was the place where they were mining the mineral. "Kris, Grabrielle, question those people. Luca stand guard. Erevain, follow me at a prudent distance. I will try and grab one of these to study it." Yes, Master. I give them their orders and they answer at the same time again. Umu, so good. I walk towards the wheelbarrow and extend my hand. "..." If I''m honest with you, I''m kind of scared right now... "I am here with you Auros." Nerinne speaks up and takes care of my fear just like that. "...yes, yes you are." Let''s do this. I grab one of the black ores and...nothing happens. It is still releasing miasma, but it seems I am not affected by it. "Indeed...hmm, it must be because of your [Abnormal Status Resistance] being at its maximum. Also, if you pay close attention to it, your armor is rejecting the miasma. Just like the robes on those people and the outfits of the Maid-Knights." You are right, Nerinne. It can be that since you made my armor and those outfits then, that could be why it is rejecting the miasma. But thenwhy do their robes do the same thing? "In that case, they might be made from blessed cloth but that should be...no. Auros, ask them to check those robes. Tell them to look for the church''s emblem." Ok. "Gabrielle, Kris, look for the church''s emblem on those robes." They both look at me with a surprised face, but only for a moment. "At once, Master." Says Gabrielle checking from the back of one of the captured mobs. "Yes, yes." Meanwhile Kris goes for the front without a care in the world. Not even five minutes pass before they both talk to me. "I found one, Master." Says Gabrielle, clearly not liking that she did find one. "What''s the meaning of this, Master? Is the Church involved?!" Kris was genuinely shocked at the possibility of it. "Do not jump to conclusions, Kris. It is more likely that these are stolen." Gabrielle puts her hand on Kris'' shoulder and tells her that with a calming tone. Which is it Nerinne? Are they stolen? Or are we looking at a hidden faction of the church too? "No...it is none of those Auros. Blessed Cloth is a material I bestow to the head of the church. She then uses it as gifts in coronation ceremonies or the birth of some important people. She would not just forget to tell me that some were stolen from her personal chambers." Then that leaves one suspect, the ones who receive it. "Yes...that means that a King or someone close to them is behind these people. What are they thinking?" Nerinne... She is obviously saddened by this revelation. After all, something she made as a gift is being used to hurt the people of her world. "Auros...summon your holy weapon and try to purify this black mineral, please..." You don''t have to ask. "Come: Nern." I say so and my lance appears in my hand. "By the power of this holy lance, be purified!" The lance starts to shine in holy light and magical power starts spinning around it. "What?!" The mob guy''s leader shouts in surprise while the Maid-Knights are just admiring what is about to happen. I walk towards the crevice and thrust the lance inside it. Soon enough, a pillar of holy light sprouts from the ground covering the entire area. As quick as it happened, as quick it ended. I look at the wheelbarrow and all the black mineral there was now white and crumbling too. That means... "It means that the black mineral is indeed related to the Evil God. His energies corrupted some beasts and gave birth to the monsters that roam this world, even to this day. His blood brought illness and famine. When I defeated him, I made sure to purify the world from those energies and whatever remnants he had left, but it seems I was still too weak at the time. We need to assume that a quantity of his blood turned into this black mineral and that theres more of it. But worse of all, that someone knows it exists and is actively looking for it, using it. And in the worst case of all, I do not want to think what would have happened if whoever is behind this obtained my gemstone blood and corrupted it with that mineral..." So that is why I had this unshakable bad feeling about this... If what you say is true, then whoever manages to do that would be able to... "Wield incredible power to do whatever they want..." Don''t worry, we will not let that happen. You know, that right? "Yes, Auros." If we look at the silver lining, then it also means we already have a solution for the village''s problems. "YOU! YOU HAVE BEEN SENT BY THE GODDESS, RIGHT?!" Mob leader interrupts my attempt to comfort my dear Goddess with his generic shouts. Erevain and the others stab him with their eyes, and I signal them to stand down. "Yes, I am. Are you willing to talk?" He is scared but I intimidate him with my pressure anyway. "ONLY IF YOU FREE US AND MAKE THE GODDESS FORGIVE US!! PLEASE!! WE WILL TALK AFTER THAT!!" Are you kidding me?! "You are in no position to make demands like that. For all intents and purposes, you deserve divine punishment as well as your boss. Who do you work for? Why are you doing this? Why use the powder to try and move the villagers out of their village? Speak! Speak and I might use you as my servants to redeem yourselves in the eyes of the Goddess!" I make my intimidating aura even stronger and take the leader by the neck. Ruthless edge alter tone is in. "..." The generic leader is overwhelmed and faints, but that seems to have worked even better. Because I can see that one of the mob guys at his side is ready to talk, so I turn to him. "I-I...we don''t know...we don''t know who we are working for...we were just conscripted from a village at the other side of kingdom. They gave us training...gave us a map...these robes and told us to mine this...thing...! I knew it was wrong! I could feel it just by looking at it, but they said that they would destroy our village if we didn''t mine it!! They said that it was for the good of the kingdom!! That it was to bring an end to the war! That it was for a newGHAACK!" "No!" "...!" Nerinne shouts at what she is witnessing while Im left speechless due to the shock caused by what Im seeing. A flower of ice sprouting from his mouth. My instinct is telling me that if I dont act fast enough not just him, but all the captured guys will die from the same thing. Asphyxiation. I quickly extend my hand towards them and start my chant guided by the words that appeared in my mind thanks to my blessing and the instinct skill. "Ice heed me and stop. I am the King of Storms and you are unneeded. Disappear. Dissipate. [Ice Dispel]!" I clench my hand turning it into a fist, as if I were crushing the very ice magic that had started to affect every single one of them. And I hear it, the ice magic breaks and disappears from the throats of these guys. That was close...if I was late for only a second, they would have encountered a bad end... It really was too close?! Kgh! Kgh! "...?!" Why?! I stopped the magic, so why are they spitting this much blood?! "Gh" "Agh..." "Cff..." "Gabrielle, what is happening?!" I ask her with urgency in my voice, and she was already chanting a spell to figure that out. "Spirits of nature and light I ask of you, let me see what ails them, [Detect Wounds]!" Her eyes glow with a lime-colored light, she raises her eyebrows and then she...shakes her head. "The flower''s ''roots''...created massive internal bleeding...there is nothing I can do to save them...I am sorry Master...I am really sorry" No... What can I do? Maybe I could use healing magic...no...judging by Gabrielle''s chant I need affinity with the nature element too... I could try to use ice magic...slow their circulation andno I don''t have enough medical knowledge to do something like that...I might be totally wrong... Nothing...nothing comes to mind... Not even my instinct... So...I can''t save them...? Damn it I can feel that my emotions are showing on my face...I bet I look so frustrated...! "Gah...don''t*cough* make that face...yes...we were forced to do all of...this...because we were weak...but yer not...and the Goddess is with you...! Please...stop them...don''t let others...be used like us*cough**cough*!" It is clear that it is painful for him to talk but he still does it...even after what happened when he started talking before... "I...*cough* saw a maid...the one who*cough*! She brought...these robes...to the ones...who conscripted us...! They almost notice...I hid...! *cough**cough* She had...the coat of arms...of the King!" Says the leader that I had intimidated into fainting, with his mouth completely drenched in red. "Please...make them...pay...for making us hurt...our brothers..." They don''t have much longer... "Auros. Let them touch Nern. I need to talk to them." Nerinne... I understand. "Please, if you have the strength then touch the Holy Lance. Everyone, help those who can''t do so on their own." "Yes, My Lord." So, one by one their hands reach Nern. And so, time stops as the last touches it. Then, holy light envelops them and Nerinnes silhouette becomes visible to them, to each of them. She is face to face with everyone at the same time. They can''t believe their eyes; some are even crying... "Go-goddess?!" "Do not part from this world burdened by guilt, for you are now forgiven. Just as your brothers were hurt, you were hurt by the sickness that ails the kingdom...but know that your sacrifice has only brought its end closer. And please, know that you are and always will be loved by this world." She touches their faces like a mother who comforts their crying children would, with love. This is the Goddess of this world, its creator, and the woman that I love... "Please tell me your names..." The words come right out of my mouth...I try to take them back, but they smile at me... "Ben." "Jake." "Hans." They all tell me their names, and I etch them into my heart. "I vow that we will find whoever is responsible and punish them." I say so as I put my right hand where my heart is supposed to be. I''ve never done a vow like this, but I feel this is the correct way. "Thanks..." And with those words coming from one of them, the light of life that was barely holding on disappeared from their eyes. "Go and be reborn. Go and live. Go and be happy." Nerinne''s voice is both sad and hopeful. She turns to me and hugs me before time resumes. "...!" Gabrielle is astonished at what she has just witnessed. "Wha...?" While Kris is dumb founded. Looking at them and then looking at me again and again. "..." Luca doesn''t have words that can express her thoughts. "This ice..." But Erevain is the only one to react differently. She is pondering about something. Something related to the ice that "Something is coming..." I say while turning my head, alerted by both my instinct and my senses. It is a flying object, and it is coming at a great speed towards me. It will hit in no time and if I were to evade it, it would hit Gabrielle and Kris but...Im not the only one that can do something about it. "[Crescent Moon Slash]!" Erevain cuts the big icicle in half with her sword in a way that almost seems as if she is accustomed to intercepting this kind of attack, or at least that she knows of it, and then looks in the direction where it came from. Meanwhile, the icicle ''s parts go past us, striking the trees that are behind us with incredible force. Erevain''s eyes, her expression, her whole body, its a level of seriousness I have never seen before in a person, and it seems that the other Maid-Knights are surprised by it too. "It is her. Dragon Lord of The Eternal Winter, Bryn." My eyes go wide as she says that, and it is something that happens to the others too. But Erevain remains as she is, no, she is putting so much strength on the handle of her sword that it is shaking. Hmmso that is the one who made her know the power and ruthlessness of the Dragon Lords. I look at the place she is looking at and expand my senses. I can feel it. Her massive and cold mana. Like a cool and calm blue flame. And you know what? I''m still mad about what happened here, so let''s scare that Dragon Lord a bit. "I''ll be back in a few minutes." "My Lord, please let me" Erevain realizes what I am going to do and tries to take my place, but I interrupt her. "Do not worry, I will just talk to her. You will be the one to defeat her. Trust me." She looks at me, pauses for a moment, and nods. "Very well, My Lord. I shall take you on your word." I nod at her and start my chant. "Space heed me and take me to my destination, [Teleport]!" To be continued...(This chapter is dedicated to my best friend who passed away the day this chapter was originally uploaded. R.I.P my childhood friend, my brother, may you have multiple adventures wherever you are.) Chapter 24: Talking to a blizzard. Nothing serious. Shit got serious in the isekai...check... Bloody check... Damn it... ____________________________________________________________ On top of one of the multiple peaks in the mountain range that crosses through the Kyrie Kingdom, the cold winds blew with enough force to freeze someone to death in mere seconds, nevertheless, there was someone there. Yes, someone was standing at a cliff which had a view not only of the whole forest in the outskirts of the Kingdom, but also the burning mountain recently awakened. It was a woman dressed in an armor as beautiful as the snow that covered the place where she stood. One could easily confuse her with a knight of the highest order, a paladin, or even the equivalent existence of a Valkyrie in Arte. Her white hair had a tinge of blue so light that it was only visible when the moon bathed it with its light. Her face was beautiful, one could even dare to say that it was almost divine, and her cold melancholic expression just added to her mystifying looks. But there was something else on her head, those were her horns that had a feathered wing shape. They were in a position that many would think of them as a tiara or a headband. They were blue in color and their feathered pattern was perfect...almost perfect. One of her horns had a scratch not as little in size but not bigger than an index finger. Dragon Lords value their horns as much as their own lives. Their flesh may heal, but a Dragon Lord''s horn once cut never grows back, nor heals. Of course, scratches happen every now and then, and those are considered battle scars to be proud of, or simple proof of living an active life. But for the woman there, that scratch was neither something to be proud of or proof of her lifestyle. It was the only fault in her appearance, the cruel reminder of the fear she felt, and the shame she felt because of it. The woman who was standing there, unbothered by the cold as if it was a simple breeze, was a Dragon Lord. Bryn, the Dragon Lord of the Eternal Winter. She and her master felt a strange surge in magical power in the forest that was a place of interest for them. Although, for different reasons. Her master only told her whatever was necessary and nothing more. For when she had a plan, she would call it a game, a way to amuse herself in her very long life. Bryn was part of the current game that was in motion, acting a part in what her master called a play, a drama. And the place where the magical surge occurred was part of it too and so, she asked her to investigate whatever was happening there. "[Enhanced Eyesight]" Bryn said as she activated her skill. Her eyes glowed blue and her field of view was amplified, she was even able to zoom in to a certain distance, but it wasn''t enough. "[Draconic Sight] [Multiply effect: Sense] [True Vision] [Selective Hearing]" Her eyes glowed in different colors with each skill activation, a deeper blue, yellow and white respectively. Her ears glowed orange. With that she was able to not only zoom in completely to the part of the forest she was interested in, but her sight could also pass through any obstruction, like foliage, that could thwart her attempts, and lastly, she could listen in on whatever was transpiring there. There she saw her master''s puppet''s puppets going off script. Not only they had lost against the mysterious invaders of their workplace, but they had been successfully intimidated into talking. She tried measuring the power of these people, but it was strange...it was as if her vision was blurred the moment she tried to. There was something that acted like a veil, hiding their power, even from her. And when she tried to focus on the Black Knight that wielded a lance bathed in radiant light, a bad feeling slithered its way into her mind through her most basic instincts, but then, something took her focus away. One of the puppets had started talking about unnecessary things. Things that could ruin her masters play. "Truly pathetic...puppets should just be happy to be used by master and not bother her. Ice let your seeds bloom andbring them to that quiet place...[Ice Garden of Silence]." She extended her hand towards the puppets who were far away and activated her spell. Moments later, an ice flower began to sprout in the throats of all the puppets that were captured by those strangers. But then something happened. Bryn saw as the Black Knight extended her hand, an ominous power flowing through it and then... "N...?!" ...the connection to her magic was broken. Bryn shivered and felt what could be called a phantom pain as the backlash of such thing flowed through her. Still, she fixed her sight once more on the puppets and there she saw it, her spell was no more, the ice flowerswere gone. She couldn''t believe it even if she was seeing it with her own eyes. But that was truth. Someone... "...dares to break my magic...unacceptable...!" Her mana started to leak out as her fury grew, forming a visible icy blue aura that covered her and affected her surroundings. The wild winds roared even harder and the cold grew worse. And so, she focused on the one responsible, but the more she focused on the Black Knight, the more that bad feeling grew, and she concluded that it was someone that needed to be dealt with immediately. For she knew that that strange power that let them break her magic was dangerous. Even if the puppets just died after uttering a few words and touching the lance. Even if she found that last part strange and worth investigating. Nothing else mattered. If her master''s play was to be undisturbed, then she had to finish them quickly and in an unexpected matter. "[Enhance elemental magic: Ice], [Maximize travelling speed: Magic] [Enhance: Armor-Piercing] [Draconic Force] [Strength of the Eternal Winter] Oh Ice...make me a spearpoint that shall pierce the earth and heavens After she called upon several buffing skills, she extended her hand and chanted her spell. Then, the mana that recoiled around her flowed through it and created an icicle seemingly big enough to not only pierce through that Black Knight, but also crush them and everyone else there. ...[Ice Piercer]. Thus, she readied her aim, finished her chant, and fired it. Confidence filled her as she expected nothing but success, for the element of surprise and raw power were on her side. But something unexpected happened again. "...!" The black-haired woman that closely followed the Black Knight cut the icicle in half with an impressive speed. Once again, her expectations were shattered, but this time it carried a nostalgic feeling. She focused on the woman. Her strength was different. Her speed was different. Her body was obviously different. Then, why? "Why...? Do you remind me...of him?!" He had tried to cut her [Ice Piercer] too, but he had failed that time and had to receive the attack with his shield, something that broke it in the process. He was but a weak human who didn''t know his place as an inferior being and yet, he glared at her, unbroken. And as if fate itself decided to answer her question, the black-haired woman glared in her direction, almost as if she was looking at her directly, all the way to the peak of the mountain. But that was impossible, thought the dragon lord, she was a human and she didnt make use of any of the skills Bryn called upon to do such a feat. Even then, the face of the woman showed a tense and serious expression as she glared. And her eyes, her eyes were the same as him. "How...? Why is he...?" Her instincts screamed at her and her heart. It was him. The one who was fated to die by her hands while his kingdom burned. That is when she remembered that report of the disappearance of the bandit group where that man licked his wounds and how that had been only day ago. It was... "...impossible...this level of...change!" Indeed, only a day had passed. What matter of things are needed to make such change possible? She did not know. But in focusing so much on that black-haired woman, on her fated opponent, she made a terrible a mistake, for she did not notice the disappearance of the Black Knight. _____________________________________________________________ Teleporting. One would think it is instant. Say it and poof, you are there. Even I thought of it like that. But it seems that that is not the case in this world. Why? Because I am walking in what seems to be a hallway with a bright door at the end of it. Huh? Wasn''t I mad you ask? Of course, I am. I am mad that I didn''t notice that spell earlier. I am mad that even with my powers I was unable to do a thing to keep them from dying. I am mad because someone made Nerinne sad. I am mad because I misinterpreted what my instinct ''told'' me and relaxed after breaking that spell. I am mad because I was overconfident thanks to my ''knowledge'' of isekais. I.am.mad. But I am also an adult, not a sheltered teenager that grew up in a town so peaceful one can go to and from school without a care in the world. Of course, I''m not saying I grew up in a warzone or something like that. No way I could have lived the way I did if I had. But I did live in a place where I knew that death could come from just being in the wrong place at the wrong time... That is why I can turn all this frustration, anger, impotence and other emotions into action. Although that doesn''t mean I''m not grinding my teeth and making a fierce expression under my helmet because believe me, I am. And now, I am going to talk to the one responsible. A Dragon Lord. Yes, talk. Beating them is Erevain''s job. "I told you that you cannot just jump at a Dragon Lord, Auros!" Don''t worry Nerinne, I swear that I''m just going to talk and scare them a bit. I will not be attacking. I promise. "If you break your word, I will get really sad and angry, Auros." I know. I cross over the bright door and immediately feel the cold winds, but only for a moment. My [Abnormal Status Resistance] kicks in and I don''t feel cold anymore. A woman...I see... It seems she is distracted, let me announce myself. I release a part of my mana, saturating this entire space and encroaching her mana. Imagine a forest fire confronting a candlelight. That is what I''m doing. Pressuring her and making it difficult for her to move. I bet it is as if trying to move in a pool of slime or something like that. "...you!" She says while looking at me so fiercely that even her fangs are showing. She totally looks like a certain Valkyrie, even her name is similar... "You use a surprise attack but get angry at being surprised. Disappointing." I start walking towards her and she extends her hand. She is preparing to use a spell. "I have come to talk with The Dragon Lord of Eternal Winter, Bryn. Not to fight. That is the work of the woman who repelled your attack. I advise you to stand down." I increase the quantity of the mana I am releasing and add my intimidating aura, but that only makes her angrier. "There is no...merit...in talking to you! Perish for Master''s sake! Ice...rain down with freezing winds and piercing tears...[Hailstorm]!" The sky turns dark gray and the winds start blowing stronger, but I keep walking towards her. She can''t move the way she likes, and she knows it, that is why she is trying to move me instead. I can feel the first wave of icicles approaching, they are slower already because of my mana permeating the place, so I have enough time to reach her. "I lied when I told you I just came to talk..." I reach out to the armor on the base of her neck and pull her close. She is ''face'' to face with me now. "...I also came here to scare you." The icicles come closer to me and I get closer to her face, she tries to summon a weapon, but I don''t let her do so by grabbing her hand, applying just enough force so that she may not move it. Not to hurt her. "Who...ar?" "You may call methe King of Storms. Every storm is my subject..." I raise my hand towards the black, stormy sky and remember the sensation I had when taking control of and breaking the ice spell. "...including this one." "...!" She opens her eyes wide at my words. Disbelief filling them completely. "Hear me, storm of ice that darkens the sky for I am your King, and you, my subject. My will is law. My words are absolute. Obey. [Storm Subjugation]!" The winds suddenly change direction and now they are pushing Bryn instead of me. Forcing her even more to stay put. The icicles deviate just enough, changing their objective. If I wanted to, I could let her be hurt by what was her own spell, but I have my word to keep. "Enough! Cease your wailing and begone from my sight!" My shout reverberates through the area like a magical shockwave. The hailstorm''s raging winds let out a dying wail before stopping completely. The hailstorm''s black clouds disappear as if they had never been there in the first place, leaving only a blue sky. The icicles that were millimeters away from reaching us break in pieces and fall to the ground. The hailstorm is no more. "..." She is speechless at what she has just witnessed, but I am not. "Dragon Lord, Bryn. Your winter is no longer eternal, but your defeat is not mine to take. You already saw the one who will defeat you." "I will not...be defeated by that human...!" She is getting angry at what I''m telling her. Good, fear is deeper if it is presided by hope or anger. "I will only tell you this once. Stop your operations in Illumbee village and its vicinity. For I already seized what you are looking for. And if you do not comply, I will find you, your master too and I will kill you both. My eyes turn red and I give her a glimpse of my whole power by letting all my mana out to be seen. Her angered face turns quickly into one of deep disbelief and...true fear. I release her from my grip, and she stumbles. Almost falling to the ground. Her legs obviously weakened by the emotion filling her. "Tell that to your master and ah, yes, I will see you in the Kingdom." She raises her eyebrows lightly in surprise before turning back to her angered expression after hearing me say that. Although, she looks more like a cornered animal to me. "F-Fool! My master is the Dragon Lord of Violet Death...! The eldest of the Chosen Four...! You will die at her hands!" This woman...I am glad I did this... "Disappointing. Those words mean that you already gave up in defeating me. "...!" "Space take me to my destination. [Teleport]." And so, I leave her there in that lonely peak without a chance to respond. To be continued...(cue epic scene while ending theme is running) Chapter 25: Village purification and a girl’s decision. In the part of the forest where forcefully conscripted villagers used to mine the black mineral, four maids waited for their master''s return. Their Master had witnessed something that clearly angered her and had gone to talk to the one responsible. That was five minutes ago. The black-haired maid, Erevain, who was the right hand of their Master, stood beside one half of the big icicle she had sliced. It didn''t melt and was freezing the soil beneath it. The blonde and red headed maids were with her too. The blonde one, Gabrielle, felt chills immediately, realizing the great magical energies that went into making the icicle they were looking at. The red headed one, Kris, meanwhile was excited just looking at the results of Erevain''s swift response and the implications that came of repelling a Dragon Lord''s attack. Her whole body was burning up with the possibilities it opened in her mind. Luca was guarding the area, making sure no one else entered it. "I once tried to cut down an attack like this one...not only did I lose my shield, but my arm was completely broken. The worst of all, is that the attack was smaller...weaker." Said Erevain as she looked at the half icicle that was near her. "And now you can cut one this size in half! Ha! If that''s not progress, I don''t know what it is!" Kris patted Erevain''s back with her hand in a friendly manner while smiling fully. Gabrielle giggled a bit and nodded. "Indeed. I remember the time it took for me to heal that arm of yours to the point of being as good as new. Looking back now is as if you are a different person now." The three looked at themselves, now women and maids, and laughed for a bit. They were warriors that could laugh even after witnessing death and overwhelming power. Any warrior who wished to survive had to be like them. "Ignoring the obvious...it is true. Our strength, speed, endurance, reaction times, senses, everything is sharper. Better. When I saw the icicle approaching My Lord, my body felt filled with power and the assurance that I could do it. No...that I was meant to do it." Erevain looked at her delicate and feminine hand and made a fist several times as she remembered how her sword went through the icicle as easily as if it was butter. Then, she wondered for a second what could have happened that day if she had the strength she had now. The images of her battle against that Dragon Lord flashed through her mind but then she sighed and shook her head, realizing that it wasn''t the time to be dwelling on ''what ifs'' and the past. "Our Master did say that we had become beings capable of fighting Dragon Lords as our natural opponents. I had thought for a moment that it was meant as a metaphor, but no, it was literal. Quite the great Master we have." Said Gabrielle with an enchanting smile and a tinge of red in her cheeks showing the deep emotions she had. "Oh yes! Our Master sure is great! To be able to fight those bastards at their level is...! I need to train this body to its limits! I need to do what our leader did here without using a skill! That will be my immediate goal, heh. I just can''t help but be really excited about all of this!" Kris held her fists high to her head and jumped excitedly while hitting the air as if she was shadowboxing. She was like a kid who found something new to do. "We all have to train. Bryn is indeed a Dragon Lord of great power, but she also serves another Dragon Lord, one powerful enough to make her completely subservient to them. And we can''t expect our Lord to protect us if Bryn''s Master decides to attack us." That Master is the reason why I am alive today. If she had not called for Brynn that night and discovered I still drew breath...'' Thought Erevain as the memory of being at death''s door while seeing Brynn walk past her appeared in her mind...and she clenched her fist. """Yes!""" Exclaimed Gabrielle, Kris and even Luca who was surprisingly on top of one of the trees near them. Some minutes later their Master returned with her anger quelled and the desire to go back to the village. They all nodded and smiled at the person who had shown them a new path. ______________________________________________________ "One would be a fool to not expect something like this, but they do seem more afraid than I thought." I say while looking at the villagers that were gathering on the villages entrance. There are some curious looks here and there. But most are fearful. Still, it is obvious that they would be like that after seeing a pillar of light appear in the forest where all those things were happening, and even more when strangers such as us just arrived a day before. We are also carrying the bodies of Ben and the others, so there is that. I can see Sylvie talking to an old man. "That man is the Head of the Village, right, Luca?" I asked to my shy but cute maid. "Y-Yes..." She nodded nervously. I try to overhear their conversation a bit... Ah, Sylvie has been asked to approach us. Although she seems a bit nervous. "My Lord, you forgot to remove your helmet. It is making Sylvie nervous." Says Erevain realizing the reason. Oh... I seethere. I have taken off my helmet and smiled at Sylvie, telling her to come. She lets out a sigh of relief and comes to us. "I''m sorry Lord Auros! Is just that your presence changes completely with your helmet on!" Says Sylvie while bowing a lot of times but... Really? I mean it''s just a helmet. I just can''t see why would you say that...am I the one in the wrong here? Also, I can hear you laughing Kris! Don''t try to hide it with your hand! Geez... "Ah, please raise your head. My head maid has told me the same thing, so I try not to use it in towns, but it seems I forgot to take it off while we were on our way back from the forest." Erevain twitched a bit when I said head maid. Kris tried not to laugh even harder. Gabrielle smacked Kris on the head. Luca is fidgeting nervously and trying her best in stopping Kris from retaliating. Nice. These types of scenes really help my heart... Sylvie giggled at the comedy skit happening at my back and returned her gaze to me. "The village''s head asked to question you about what happened in the forest, Lord Auros. He said that that pillar of light must have been your doing since no one in the village is able to do that, and all of you are our only visitors now." Her tone is relaxed for someone ''questioning'' me, but I think the old man had the right idea in sending Sylvie. And really? We are the only visitors? I mean I didn''t see anyone else at the inn, but I thought it was only because they might be at another inn...hmmm...oh well. "Yes, that was me. Guilty as charged." I say so while releasing a light laugh. "Really?! What happened then?!" "...!" Wow! That sudden change in tone for her startled me... Her eyes are filled with curiosity too. "Do you remember when I told you I would do what I can to help your village?" She tilts her head, confused for a moment, but then her eyes open wide as she realizes what Im getting at. "You can''t mean..." She says so surprised, barely holding her smile. "Yes, I found a solution." I nodded while saying so. "Really? In this short amount of time...?" Her eyes are a bit watery now and she is holding her breath. I nod one more time. "Please go tell the others. I shall explain everything." Hearing that, she nods and runs quickly to the villages entrance where the villagers were gathered. The moment she tells them some show disbelief on their faces while others are hopeful. And so, we go to them. _______________________________________________________ After explaining almost everything to the villagers, I could hear the people cheering and crying of joy. I left out the bits about the evil god''s black mineral, the Goddess'' Blood and the Kingdom''s involvement for their safety. Because there are no good endings for normal people who have this type of information. Gabrielle also crafted a story about the people responsible being a group of criminals that used this MO, as in lying about the Goddess'' curse and poisoning the land, in other countries to seize the land, and that we were investigating them. And well, she is good. She convinced even those who asked why the church wasn''t involved and so on. Then, Erevain told them that the bodies we carried were of people of other villages in the kingdom that were forced to make the ''poison'' the criminals were using to kill the cattle and crops. She asked the Village''s Head to give them proper burial and he accepted. They are going to be buried in the church''s grounds. Nerinne was happy when she heard this. Me too. Now here I am, at the central plaza. This seems to be the best place to do the purification of the whole village. But I feel like I am going to do some sort of performance with all the people that are gathering here. I haven''t told them about the Holy Weapon, but they will know in a moment. So, let''s purify this village already. After all, the people have gone long enough without their fields and cattle. "I shall start with the purification of the village! Please, I ask all of you to not be scared! When I am finished, the poison that has seeped into your fields shall be gone!" Many people nod, others whistle, and others are even asking me to stop talking and start already. Everyone cant wait. My maid knights surround me in a way that they could react instantly if something unexpected happened. Well...except the unnamed maid knight. She is helping the old lady find a place to watch everything. Also, she looked at me just once, laughed to tears and then threw me a piece of cloth that had the stone inside. I was going to say that I could rejuvenate her with my skill, but she just cut me off, saying that she''ll think about it for some time before making that decision. The stone is currently in my bedroom back in our castle and it is being guarded by Ilya. She volunteered for the task...her earnest attitude really warms my heart. I love my daughter. Anyways, I rest the tip of my lance on the ground and start. "By the power of this Holy Lance, let this land ailed by poison be purified!" Heeding my words, not only does my ominously looking, black and red holy weapon has started glowing with a pure holy light, but magical power has also started spinning all around it, and with an intensity even greater than before. The eyes of everyone in the crowd go wide as they witness all of this. Well, everyone except the old lady, she has a smug smile for some reason... You know, I could swear her eyes glow from time to time... In any case, I lift the lance just a bit and then I let the tip touch the ground again. That is when a pillar of holy light sprouts from there and begins expanding all around until it covers the whole village, including the fields in their outskirts. Just like last time, as quick as it started as quick as it ends. But there indeed is something different than last time...the fields. They are now full of fully-grown crops waiting to be harvested. That was you, right, Nerinne? "Yes, they deserve at least this much for all the time they thought they had been cursed by me and endured without losing their faith." You did good Nerinne. "I...I could do more but..." You would need to materialize and that could make them a target. "Yes..." Then this is fine, just look at them. The people are cheering, crying out of joy and hugging the person beside them. It is quite the usual scene in isekais, but I find myself moved by it now that I''m here instead of just reading about it. You too, right, Nerinne? "Indeed. Seeing them like this...it always fills my heart with happiness..." Hm? The Village''s Head is coming here. "Who are you people?" He asks with teary eyes. I smile at the old man. "For you and for everyone. We arethe Knights of the Ever-Burning Will." The old man''s eyes widen before he starts nodding and crying out of happiness. "I can believe that...I totally can...thank you so much!" Says the old man while giving me a heartfelt handshake. And what comes next? A festival, feast and dance included of course! ________________________________________________________ I get up from one of the tables that were set up in the central plaza after eating a lot of this village''s delicious food and interacting with the villagers, giving a quick look around of the place before I left for my destination. Gabrielle is eating with a lot of the young women of the village, hunters and farmers alike. Giggling and having a good time. Kris on the other hand is drinking and having arm wrestling matches with a lot of the villagers, men and women. I can hear them say something about getting back their records, pride and even revenge, but they all look like they are having a lot of fun. As for Luca, she tried staying with me for some minutes at the beginning, but I let her go to the roofs when I saw that she was getting overwhelmed by the attention some villagers were giving her. Meanwhile, the unnamed maid knight said she was tired of taking care of the old woman and having her skill active for that much time, so she went to sleep early. I trust her and the pact spell I used, but I still checked on her with my senses, and Luca, to see if she was there. She was, she snores. Hard. Lastly, Erevain stayed by my side through this whole ordeal and is now following close behind me. She talked politely to anyone who approached her and didn''t touch the alcohol, although she enjoyed the fruit-juice they served her. So, now Im walking towards the inn, but there is someone waiting for me near the entrance. Its Sylvie. "What brings you here Sylvie? I thought you would be celebrating with your family right now." I say so with a slightly confused expression. "I was but I have something to tell you, Lord Auros. Would you please listen to what I have to say?" She looks at me with expectant eyes and her hands close to her chest. Remember that flag she set up yesterday? This is it. "Of course." She lets out a sigh of relief and then she gets all serious and bows. "Please, let me accompany you on your journey, Lord Auros!" She says so with all her strength. Yep, this is totally the flag. To be continued...(cue typical isekai festival soundtrack that is actually really catchy!) Glossary entry #15: Flag: We refer as a flag to clichs, tropes and more that one can use to guess later developments on a story thanks to their over usage. Like the let us get married after this war one where it is more than likely that the one who says thatwill die. That is what we call a death flag. Theres many other types, of course. Collect them all and you will get a free invisible dessert of your choice! Chapter 26: Sylvie’s test. "Please, let me accompany you on your journey, Lord Auros!" That is what Sylvie just asked me when I was leaving for my room at the inn, accompanied by Erevain. I already suspected something like this happening when we were talking to her yesterday, and now that we have taken care of one of the reasons that she had for not leaving the village, she is seizing the opportunity to do it with us. What should I do? Well, let''s ask her for her reasons first. "Can you tell me your reasons behind such question, Sylvie? We do speak with a more casual tone between each other, but it does not erase the fact that you met me just yesterday." I say that while trying to be the responsible adult hereand before anyone laughs, I really was a responsible adult back on Earth, yes?! I did my job perfectly, paid my bills, and so on. Me deciding where the rest of my paycheck went is totally fine! "I...I thought that if I accompanied you on your journey, I would be able to see and experience things no one else has. I also want to do something more with my life. You told the old man that you were the Knights of The Ever Burning Will for Goddess sake! After what you just did its impossible for me to not want to follow you...I mean...not only do you have a blessed weapon too, but you helped the village and just asked for more delicious food as your reward, nothing more. I can''t imagine someone like that not being trustworthy or evil. Also I...really, really, really felt that you were a great person after our first conversation!" Sylvie says her piece and man, that was a mouthful, she is even panting a bit now. She sure is doing her best though. You know? It really is surprising that Sylvie is the only one asking to follow me. Everyone in the village saw me using a holy weapon and perform what some people would call a miracle. Yet, aside from some questions about it here and there, no one brought up the desire of joining us. Maybe it would be fine taking her with us? "Are you ready to commit to our cause without knowing about it?" Erevain steps into our conversation with a serious expression in her face while saying that. Her black hair, which is slightly undulated, sways accordingly on the sides of her face as she moves. "Yes, those are all the benefits you might enjoy if you join us, but have you stopped for a moment to think about the negative aspects you might have to face? Our Lord indeed wishes to travel the world and see its wonders, but he also carries a heavy burden. One myself and the others accepted to carry. Are you willing to do the same?" She pressures Sylvie but...she is looking back at Erevain right in the eye. She really has some good eyes, this girl. "I...get that I don''t know your cause or the burden that Lord Auros has, Miss Erevain. But...! How am I going to know if you don''t tell me? Even if I already have an idea! You are probably doing this because you think I''m too young for whatever is that you are doing, but I still want to leave this village, do something different, something good, see something beyond this place! I am already willing to risk my life on the roads going alone, but I want to do it with you guys!" Says Sylvie while doubling down on her desire to accompany me, us, instead of being intimidated by Erevain. Although, I bet if Erevain had her past face it would''ve been a slightly different story, but I won''t tell her that, she seems to be easily affected when people say that she looked scary. But you don''t have to worry about that anymore, Erevain! You are a beautiful woman now! "Hmph, very well. If I were to tell you that we are to fight the Dragon Lords on our journey, would you still want to come with us?" Erevain says that as she steps closer to Sylvie with an imposing stance, but Sylvie doesnt step back, she actually steps forward with a...pouting face? "Hum! Miss Erevain, I might be a village girl, but even I know that there is that possibility by just looking at her Holy Lance! That thing screams ''I''m made to skewer some annoying glorified lizardmen''! And don''t get me started with that armor and helmet!" "Guh?!" Wha?! It does?! But it looks cooler than in the game! Are besto waifu''s armor and weapon uncool in this isekai? Did the changes we made to make it cooler go too far?! No, that can''t be, they are wrong. She is besto waifu! Maybe is it that there is some legend of a holy weapon holder ending a threat like that? "No, you are actually the first ever wielder of a holy weapon, Auros. The knights of the legends just used incredibly crafted weapons that had my blessing, but none of them were actually a holy weapon, even if some mistake them for it." Ok, Nerinne. Then why? "Maybe it''s your [Sublime Charisma]? It does position you in a place of someone that attracts others, people that are worthy to follow you into trials that would be impossible to beat through normal means. To reach for places no one else have reached before. Maybe she had a feeling that going with you implied something like that? To be clear, I like how you and the holy lance look too. But maybe we were thinking of ending the Dragon Lords a bit too much when making it, and now it gives off that kind of impression?" Oi, don''t lump me in the same group with you in that. I wasn''t going full ''kukukukuthis will surely end themkukukuku'' like you did every time that you tinkered with it. Heck, I could even see the ''menacing'' onomatopoeia on top of your head for a moment. "Now, now, we are a couple, and your girlfriend''s will is your own too. Do not try to escape from your responsibilities. So just accept it, yes, dear~~~?" Ahh...I bet you are doing a dummy face right now... Haathis girlfriend of mine... Meanwhile, Erevain glances at me, stops herself from nodding, and stays silent. "..." WHY?! "*ahem*Regardless of whether My Lord has indeed that kind of presence or not, it is still a dangerous path with many other threats. We might be able to put you out of harm''s way, but the possibility of the opposite happening is high. Are you still willing to join us?" Erevain cleared her throat before saying that hurtful thing and is keeping her ground with Sylvie being in danger if she joins us. "Miss Erevain, I think you didn''t hear me well. I''m risking my life anyway if I go alone. I prefer to risk it with Lord Auros and the rest of you, helping people while traveling the world." Sylvie shakes her head at Erevain who just sighs, closes her eyes, nods, and then looks at Sylvie with...WOAH! THATS A REALLY INTENSE GLARE! HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT NOW WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE?! "Eeek!" Poor Sylvie, she even let out a little yelp, but hey, she didn''t back up at all. Heh, she kind of reminds me of Erevain when I met her yesterday. Good times, heh. "No, I did listen to what you said. Specially, the part where you mentioned that you are a village girl. If that is the case, then...what can you offer to My Lord? To the Knights of the Ever Burning Will? All of us are trained knights and have experienced fighting on the frontlines. How can you be useful to us, besides a wish to risk your life and help people?" Erevain''s tone is different to the one she had been using until now. Before this, it was more of a strict teacher or an older sister trying to protect their young student or sister from doing something dangerous. But now she is a Knight through and through, asking a civilian who wants to fight her worth in battle. And hearing that, Sylvie looks at her and then looks down while clenching her fists in frustration. She is shaking... "I know...I know that I''m just a village girl...a daughter of farmers and I have neither an education beyond the average, nor formal training...I know it all too wellbut!" She lifts her head and looks directly at Erevain again with the same resolute eyes she has been showing all this time. "if you take me in, I will become strong! Teach me and I will show you just how much I want this! Miss Erevain, I''m sure there was a time you were weak too, right? A time when you needed to learn? Let me have those experiences that can make one strong too! So that I can be useful and earn my place!" She seems like she is pleading if you only hear at her words, but her face shows that she is demanding, not pleading. And yeah, it seems those two forgot about me, so I''ll stick to narrating... Erevain''s eyes widen for a moment and then she sighs. "I would be repeating myself if I told you about how painful those experiences tend to be, so I will not..." But you just did... "...I can see in your eyes that you are willing to go through them, and I know for a fact that your will is strong. After all, you kept plowing that field even when you were aware nothing would grow there. You did not give up. I hope you manage to do the same after what happens next." Erevain turns my way and nods. Wait...what do I have to do now? Sylvie is looking at me with the same question on her face. Meanwhile, my Maid-Knight has the proud expression of a job well done. Let''s see...help me here instinct of mine...do I test her with something? Yep, that feels about right. Then with what? Do I glare at her? Nah, that would be a repeat of Erevain''s then...ah! I see! "Sylvie, would you want to come with me even if I was a Dragon Lord too?" I ask her that with a serious expression on my face. So serious, that it can''t be more serious unless I write the word ''serious'' on my forehead with some black marker. She does a double take on me and starts laughing. "Hahaha...Lord Auros, why are you joking like that?" She says so after taking care of the tears that came out from her laughing. I get closer to her, and I bend down a bit so that I could be facing her. She gets slightly surprised and blushes. I''m sorry about this. "I am serious." I change my eyes back to draconic ones and make them turn red for dramatic effect. "...!" In response to that, her body stiffens up and her eyes open wide, completely surprised, the tinge of red on her cheeks disappears and I can detect that I shocked her. "Do you still want to come with me?" I ask her once again. "I...I...AAH!" She tries to say something, but she pulls her head back a bit and then moves it forward as if she is going to headbu "Eh?" *SLAM* "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ahh much better, hehe!" What the fuck?!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! THIS GIRL JUST HEADBUTTED ME AND NOW SHE IS ALL SMILES AND GIGGLES?!! OH GODDESS, SHE IS EVEN BLEEDING A BIT! EREVAIN IS...SHOCKED!! SHE LOOKS LIKE A STATUE! "She got scared with mebut not with My Lord...do I still look scary...?" Poor Erevain...she is murmuring thatbut...! "Why did you do that?! Are you alright, Sylvie?!" I ask while checking her head...phew...it''s just a small cut...nothing serious... "Hehe, that sudden change shocked me a bit, so I needed something to get me back to normal. And you were too close Lord Auros, I was getting really flustered too, you know?" What? "So, you are not afraid of me being a Dragon Lord? You still want to come with me?" She tilts her head, being a bit confused about my question. "Of course! No evil person would get that worried about some village girl getting hurt. Heheheh." This girl is really something I tell you... "Then I do not have any objection. Erevain?" I turn my head towards Erevain, and she shakes her head. "Me neither, that reaction was surely...unexpected..." She says while raising one of her eyebrows and making an awkward smile. "Really? I''m...so glad...uuuh..." Aww, she started crying. "Well, now that you know one of my secrets, I think it is fine if I clarify something else to avoid misunderstandings in the future." She tries to wipe away her tears of joy while nodding. "I am a woman." There I said it. "EH?!" Her tears are gone completely and now she turned into a statue out of shock. "WHAT?!" I can also hear Kris shouting and falling from her seat way over there...how the hell did she hear me? To be continued...(cue illustration of Auros showing how she looks without her breast plate to a shocked Kris, Sylvie and an overloaded Luca. All while Gabrielle is smugly taking a sip of her drink.) Chapter 27: Resolve. Toast. Lap pillow. Kris couldn''t believe me while Sylvie confessed to have had some doubts initially but defaulted to thinking of me as male. To think I had to resort to something I thought of in the middle of a rant... So, after showing what lies under my breastplate, as in boobs, to a shocked Kris and Sylvie, they both were embarrassed and apologized deeply. Ah, I also heard a yelp coming from the roof. That one must have been Luca. But going back to Kris for a bit. She was completely red and nervously looking for a way to refer to me. "I-I''m so sorry My LoLady no...Master!" Heh, she looked so cute while fumbling for words. Even more, she had already used Master to refer to me before, so I guess she was just that shocked. After a series of apologies later, I was finally able to go inside the inn. Which is where I am now. And Erevain, as expected, is close behind me. "Are you not going to enjoy the festivities anymore, Erevain?" I ask her while going up the stairs. "My place is right here with you, My Lord. And...I wish to check my equipment, meditate too. After the events of today, a confrontation with Brynn and her Master is sure to happen." I can see that Erevain is worried, anxious even, but theres also anticipation in her eyes. Also, she seems to know about Brynn''s Master even if I haven''t told her. "Indeed. The main scenario being the capital, and you in the center of it all, fighting against Brynn and whoever is on their side within the Kingdom. It might be someone close to you, close enough that you cannot see their true intentions. I know I should be asking this when we arrive at the capital and not here. But are you ready, Erevain?" Her eyes widened at the mention that someone close to her might be the one working with the Dragon Lords. "..." Shes now clenching her fists, clearly upset while looking to the side, as if remembering something she didn''t want to... I''m sorry, but that is something you don''t only find in isekais, it also happens in the classics that involve the drama of royalty. Brothers would fight amongst themselves, or their parents, for power. Heck, even in my world it happened all the time. I saw some cases when I was on the job. Just put a hefty inheritance in the middle of a big family and watch how those ''bonds'' burn in flames fueled by greed. Too real? Too real, my bad. But still...the chance of Erevain finding out that the sibling she was thinking of last night was not only responsible for what happened in this village but that they were also working with the Dragon Lords is high. Worst of all, my instinct is telling me that I am right. At least in the part of it being someone closely tied to her. Sibling or a parent either...or both... I need more information so that my instinct''s precision is higher with these things, I don''t want to be surprised again... Even if that just set up a damn flag! "In the years I spent in that forest with everyone...I do not want to admit it but...the thought that something was festering within the kingdom was there...deep in my mind...I did not know what to do. I did not want to know. So, I ignored it, all while growing accustomed with living hidden in the outskirts and helping the citizens that way. I told myself that I was weak, that I lacked the strength necessary to fix the Kingdom, all because I was not able to foresee what happened." Her fists tremble as she clenches them harder. "But...!" She raises her head and looks at me with eyes full of resolve, and even if there is a tinge of fear within them, the bravery she exudes overshadows it. "I do not have more excuses. Not now and never more. Even if I am not ready...even if I must face against my father...my dear brother or my dear sister...I shall confront the Kingdom''s corruption, and her with my eyes open and sword ready." I say it a lot and I''ll say it again. Erevain, you have my respect. Not only as a person but also as a nerd, a weeb, because that strength to do something even if that someone isn''t ready was what brought to my world many inventions, characters and stories. It brought change. "Well said, Erevain." Just imagining her speech with a good soundtrack gives me the chills! I''m a sucker for such things. "Thank you, My Lord. For helping my countrymen more than I could ever do and giving me the chance to fight for them again." Erevain says so while kneeling on one knee. Like the knight she is. She is a bit mistaken though... Got to channel alter here. "Raise your head, you fool." She looks at me confused by my words. "Do not thank me for something I did not do. You never stopped fighting for them or helping them. Even if your efforts went unnoticed, even if they were small, what you did was meaningful. It helped them go through this ordeal without people seeking to profit off them, like vultures. To keep living their lives with a semblance of normalcy. Do not insult yourself and the others by thinking otherwise." Her eyes widen at what I say and for a moment, she looks down. "I...but..." She says that, still doubting those words, but she also raises her head, wanting to believe them and I firmly lock eyes with her. "One butterfly moving its wings can create a storm on the other side of the world. Even the smallest of actions have great effects. What you did here these years, what we did here this day and what we will do in the future. All of it has meaning, all brings about change. Stand proud my right-hand woman because we are only just getting started." The saying was something like that right? In any case, I offer her my hand to her, and she takes it. She is still shaken, but it seems that she got the message. Man, this head maid of mine is cool, but at the same time she needs to be reminded of her value. "Let us finish here. It has been an eventful day and the time for us to go to the capital grows closer. Rest well, Erevain." I say so while turning around towards the door of my room. Although, I could swear I saw her make a light smile before I completely turned around... "Likewise, My Lord." She lightly bows and goes to the room right beside mine. ___________________________________________________________ At the same time when Auros and Erevain were talking. Gabrielle had approached Kris, who was drinking in a bit of a daze after getting to know the truth about her Master. "You are looking awfully smug right now. You know that Gabrielle?" Said Kris glancing at her comrade''s smile. "Oh my, and why would I be?" Gabrielle acted as if she didn''t know what Kris was talking about. "You knew." "About what?" Kris squinted her eyes at her while Gabrielle kept playing ignorant. She even twirled one of her curls with her fingers to complement the act. "Stop messing with me...I''m talking about how our Master is a woman..." "Ah, that. Well, I just followed my Master''s lead. She seemed to not care about it, so I did not see any reason to tell you." Kris rolled her eyes at Gabrielle''s words and chugged her drink. "Kah! That also means something else, that Erevain...did it with a woman as a woman...hmmm...that is kinda'' hot if you ask me..." Kris did not notice, but Gabrielle made a mischievous smile the moment she heard that. "Do you want to do it?" Said Gabrielle in an inquisitive tone. "HAH?!" Kris got startled and almost fell off her seat. "You heard me; do you want to do it?" "W-Wha-What are you saying?! M-Me w-with Ma-Master?!" Gabrielle just looked at the bewildered Kris and leaned closer, pressuring her for an answer. "I-I suppose if she were to call me...I wouldn''t be opposed...to...the...idea..." Kris said so as her tone went lower and lower and lower. All while also looking downwards, clearly embarrassed. But then Gabrielle suddenly got even closer to Kris, to the point that their faces and other places were almost touching. "I did not say your partner had to be Master. I am right here, no?" Kris'' eyes widened, and her face turned completely red. Which was something that not even all the alcohol that she drank had been able to do. "As a woman...mhm...you are really cute, you know?" Said Gabrielle as she licked her lips in a seductive manner. "W-What are you saying, you idiot?!" Kris jumped away as she said that while pointing at Gabrielle. "Pfft...ohohohohohohoho! I am sorry for the deception, but I could not hold myself back any longer, ohohohohohoho!" The blonde maid laughed to the point she was teary eyed. She tried to hide her mouth behind her hand but that only seemed to add a certain mocking flair to the whole ordeal. "You! Stop it! Your laugh has always been annoying as heck and now it sounds even more annoying! Noyou look more annoying in general!! Stooop!!!" Meanwhile, Kris actively tried to cover her blushed cheeks while still pointing at Gabrielle. "Aaah...thanks, Kris." Gabrielle smiled at her comrade with a pure and friendly smile. One that could make anyone else fall in love with her in an instant. Obviously, Kris was immune to that effect. It was actually irritating to her considering the situation. "Yeah, yeah, anyway...Master seemed not tired but fatigued..." Kris looked down at her reflection in her already refilled mug. "My, you noticed? I thought you were not so observant outside of the battlefield." Gabrielle seemed genuinely surprised by Kris''s comment despite the sarcasm. "Anyone who has been with our Leader long enough would be able to notice it quite easily." Said Kris picturing Erevain in her mind. To be precise, Erevain''s previous form and that fixed glaring expression of hers. If Erevain was happy: Glare. If Erevain was sad: Glare. If Erevain was angry: Glare. "I guess you have a point there." Gabrielle nodded in agreement as she had thought the same. "To have that much power and not be able to do anything..." Kris frowned, a certain frustration building up inside of her. "I can empathize with her, that feeling of frustration of not being able to save someone even though you are supposed to do it. No...I guess anyone who is a healer can empathize..." Said Gabrielle looking up at the starry sky as she let out a big sigh. "Anyone who tries to save someone and fails can relate...being too late or too weak..." The image of a burned down village appeared in her mind. The faces of all the knights showed the same pained and frustrated expression...they were too late to stop the Draconian forces... At that time, Erevain gave off the same underlying feeling Kris had noticed in her new Master. "Indeed. For our Master." Gabrielle''s expression showed that she was also reminded of that, but she held her mug high for a toast. Her expression was a hopeful one which made Kris smile and nod. "For our Master and our Leader too. Cheers." A third mug appeared out of nowhere. "Ch-Cheers..." It was Luca. "Wa?!" "...!" Kris and Gabrielle got startled for a moment, but they immediately shook it off and started laughing. "Let us keep up the good work." Said Gabrielle with a confident tone and smiling genuinely. "Yeah." "Mhm..." Kris and Luca nodded. __________________________________________________________ "Aaah today was...a really heavy day..." I say so while unequipping my armor with magic and it disappears as if it was made of smoke. I''m sorry, I''m too tired for fanservice so I''ll make it up to you later, yes? I undo my braid bun and let myself fall face-front on the bed...slowly and with care so I don''t break it, of course... Images of what happened today pass through my mind not letting me fall asleep, that and something else too... My chest makes it awkward to stay like this, face down on the bed. Ahhthat is one of the very few things I miss from being a man. So, I turn around letting my stretched left arm fall onto the mattress but instead it falls in something...softer? "Hmm?" With my eyes half-open I look at whatever it is that Im touching... "Ah...Nerinne...mmh." There I see her, that beautiful rose gold hair flowing down her head and those gentle golden eyes... She kisses me on the lips... It tastes sweet... "I wanted to see you in person, Auros. Come, rest your head on my lap." That smile, with just that I can feel all this heaviness leaving my body... I do as she says and start moving towards her... She is so warm and soft... I can feel one of her hands caressing my head, relaxing me even further... "What happened today was...unexpected, but I also think it was unavoidable given our objective..." She says so while looking at me, her smile not wavering but her eyes are showing concern. "I am sorry that you had to experience something like this so early in your journey, Auros..." She clears the bangs on my forehead and kisses it... Yes, her choice of words is right... This is a fantasy world just like the ones I read on so many light novels and manga... It has magic, swords, and so on, but it also has a worldwide threat looming over its shoulders... It is war...so it was bound to happen today or further down the line... "No...don''t apologize. I made my choice, I heard you when you said that I would need to fight...to be exposed to all of that, and I still think it was the correct choice..." I put my right hand on the side of her face and caress it softly. "After that initial wave of shock, frustration and anger, I was able to process everything better than I thought I would...maybe it is because I already died once. Now knowing what is on the other side and what comes next. Or maybe it was because of what you did there with them...telling them that they were forgiven, that they were not alone, that they mattered, andthat they were loved. Or all of that together...but it really helps. Erevain and the others help...Ilya helps and being like this with you...helps me a lot." Please, let this smile I''m making right now give you at least part of the warmth you''ve given me, Nerinne. "That is why I can keep trying my best at living this life fully, and enjoy myself at every chance I have..." Nerinne nods holding my right hand with affection. "Your smile...it also reaches my heart, Auros. It helps me too...and for you to say something like that...the pain might linger for long or for short, but the uncertainty of it is gone...as a Goddess I came to understand that too a long time ago. They will no longer be as they are, but their souls will still be here in a new form...and to talk about this with someone that is not a god is a welcome surprise..." She closes her eyes as her smile wavers...and she tilts her head slightly to rest it on my hand, not letting it go. As if seeking comfort and refuge... "...I came to expect and grow accustomed to people, mortals, asking me ''why?'', but you...you never asked him or me. It is so strange for me...even though I do feel responsible in a way...after all, I am still a Goddess...I created this world and breathed life into it...so why? Why am I letting this keep happening to them? To my beloved inhabitants of Arte. Why not stop this or make it as if it never happened? I have the power, so why?" I can feel that those questions weigh in her heart, to the point of crying. "You already know the answer, right, Nerinne?" I say so while wiping away the tears that started to flow down. "Because I love them...and my love is different from that of a mortal...maybe it is difficult to understand...but I love them so deeply...so strongly. That is why I let them struggle...so that they can live freely and truly enjoy those beautiful moments. If I were to remove that struggle and just give them happiness, then...I would be doing something worse than what he did on your world. Everyone would not be truly alive...they would be like moving dolls...and I do not want that...I would not be able to bear it..." I keep comforting her with my hand, just like she was doing minutes before... "That is why me and the other inhabitants of this world must defeat them, not just you. So, keep supporting us, keep supporting me, and I will support you until the end of our story. Because for me, you are first my heroine, my beautiful best friend and lover, my partner before being a Goddess." I mean it. My soul is pretty much yours to keep. "I think the same way Auros...although you are my heroine too fufu..." "I guess you have a point there...heh." We both laugh, reflected in each other''s eyes while the lights of the festivities shine on the outside. Thus, we stay like this for what it seems like a long time. To be continued...(cue sweet and sad obligatory piano and violin song of the soundtrack) Chapter 28: Isekai Villain Chapter. In a castle within the mountain range that crosses through the Kyrie Kingdom, a Dragon Lord was giving her report to her Master. "The King of Storms...they told you that that was their name?" The Dragon Lord of the Violet Death, Scath, said so as she squinted her eyes in an inquisitive manner. Her face was that of a young adult woman in her prime while her dark violet hair flowed straight all the way to her hips. She had four horns, all exquisite in a natural beauty, for they looked like the branches of an old and wise tree. Two of them, the bigger ones, adorned the top of her head, growing upwards in a hook-like manner with inverted ends and small bifurcations, like branches. While the smaller ones adorned the sides of her head, growing diagonally near her ears with many smaller bifurcations. They had the same color as her hair and had complex arcane-like designs on their surface, but those seemed natural instead of carved. In any case, despite all her years of living, that was the first time she had heard of such a name or title. As such, a certain tinge of curiosity could be detected on her voice as she asked her servant. "Yes, Master...they said to call them that..." Said servants voice was like a melancholic whisper that carried a certain coldness at the same time. She was Bryn, the Dragon Lord of The Eternal Winter. She recounted all that happened as she knelt before her Master. From the information the puppets divulged, to the presence of the Black Knight and its companions. As well as her confrontation with said Black Knight and its power. Her body still ached. And her Master had noticed, despite her best efforts to hide it. Her Master wasn''t angered or even disappointed, she seemed more aloof about the consequences of today''s events than anything else. Clearly, her interest lay elsewhere. Furthermore, the moment Bryn arrived before her and she noticed the state her servant was in, she ordered her to rest until night, as if the word urgency had no meaning for her. "The King of Storms never physically damaged you, they only pulled you towards them and immobilized your hand, but...having your [Hailstorm] taken from you and then dispelled, caused incredible pain to permeate your body. Yes?" Bryn nodded in shame. If someone were to ask her where the pain was, she would only be able to tell them that it was in every part of her body, and at the same time in none. The word phantom pain would be appropriate once again. "Hmmthose who have arcane knowledge would pose a hypothesis that what was hurt in this case was the soul, but others would counter with saying that it was a whiplash reaction caused by one''s own mana connection to the spell being severed. I hazard to say that it is a mix of both. After all, a soul without mana is still a soul, but one that received the world''s mana is called a spirit. That is the source of our mana. Magic being then an extension of our spirit creating different effects, called spells, in the world. If someone were to subjugate it and break it...the backlash towards the caster whose spell was broken would be proportional to the magnitude of the spell, and in turn, damage the spirit." Her words, full of the wisdom that she had acquired through the ages, quickly explained away what ailed her subordinate. Nevertheless...it still hurt. "Your [Ice Garden of Silence] was broken and you felt barely any pain, but when your [Hailstorm] was taken and broken. You said it felt like all your strength had left your body followed by a searing pain...correct?" Bryn nodded again, holding down her head in shame. Scath kept her hand near her chin while pondering. "Add to that a Blessed Weapon that can purify the Evil God''s Blood and enough mana to encroach a Dragon Lord''s to the point of immobilizing them, planting fear in their minds..." Bryn grinded her teeth in frustration as she listened to her Master''s words. To the truth that Black Knight had told her before leaving her on that mountain. "The King of Storms, what a troublesome yet interesting existence you are." Scath''s lips formed an amused smile as she said that. "It is obvious that the storm of a few days ago was related to you, as much as the Goddess behind it and that lance you wield." As she spoke, her gaze fell on her servant for a moment and found her frustration equally amusing, but not enough to hold her attention for more than that. Thus, she then turned to the window on her right and there, flying in the starry sky, she found a group of winged beasts looking for prey. "Such an unexpected development is to be welcomed. After all, living this long and discovering that life still has surprises for me puts me in quite the fine mood." As she finished saying that her eyes glowed with a violet for a moment and then, the winged beasts writhed in pain before they fell from the air, dead. "Bryn, I will leave to you those subordinates you mentioned and do enjoy yourself with that human you seem so interested in. You may find a true battle waiting for you. For my part, I shall have a closer look of their master when the time comes." "Yes...Master..." With that, Bryn clenched her fist anticipating that battlebut she was unable swallow her frustration. The words of the King of Storms ever looming inside her head. "King of Storms, you seem to know about my involvement in the play that is the Kingdom and took away some of the props I had been seeking. Things will need to hasten and be not as amusing. So, at least entertain me well as payment, yes?" Scath let out a small laugh as she looked at the moon while she dismissed her servant with her hand, for she needed no company to rearrange her play. ___________________________________________________________________ Or that is what would have happened if it wasnt for all the lighting in her room turning off the very moment the door to her private quarters closed, leaving Scath in the dark. But alas, she didn''t seem to care. Her expression showed that she was more than accustomed to that happening. "You lost the stone, Elder." Said a deep voice within the shadows of the room. "I believe I told you to refer to me as teacher or by name and not elder, boy." Said Scath annoyed and losing the smile she had moments before. "I am not that child anymore and you lost the stone that you promised to acquire. What shall you do?" The voice reproached her in a hard tone, but Scath was unaffected by it. "For me, you will always be that mewling child, no matter how threatening you try to sound. And that little stone is nothing compared with what lies under the Kingdom''s Palace. That is a true treasure." She looked at her hand, moving it casually, all without a single care in the world for the pressure the voice was creating around her. She even seemed bored. Even if all the lesser dragon lords in the area fainted due to that same pressure. "Seize it." Ordered the voice. "Oh, I will, but not in the way you so desperately want. Do not dare try and mess with my play now that it has become more entertaining. Or else, shall I remind you why is one of your horns missing?" Scaths expression turned cold for a second, easily breaking through the pressure the voice was releasing and asserting her own. A pressure filled with killing intent and the power to back it up. The shadows stirred. "Do not fail to make the Kingdom fall and take what lies in its ruins...elder." Said the voice before the lighting to Scath''s private quarters returned, signaling that the uninvited guest was gone and with that, Scath let out a tired sigh. "You always must have the last word. That is why you keep being just a boy, no matter how powerful you get. And now, there seems to be someone that can even surpass you. So, that arrogance of yours will soon become a weakness. Still, King of Storms, what are you? Are you like us...?" Her smile returned as she imagined what kind of scenarios would play out now. Then, she extended her hand towards a set of ancient looking books and one came floating to her. It was a grimoire, one that was surging with magical energy in a form akin to electricity, and on its cover lied what seemed to be the metallic skull of a horse. "...or something more? That name of yours, shall we test it a bit more?" A small laugh came out of her mouth as she enjoyed the night sky along with her thoughts. ____________________________________________________________________ Meanwhile, back in Illumbee Village, two people stood in the dirt road the led to the capital from the village. Said road had revitalized cornfields on both sides, their leaves dancing with the nightly breeze. If anyone saw them, they would be immediately thought of as suspicious people given that their little meeting was in the middle of the night. "Here is everything that happened in these two days, make sure it arrives well." Said one of the hooded figures as they gave a set of scrolls to the other. "As always, it shall be delivered without fail." Answered the other hooded figure, accepting the scrolls and quickly putting them inside a satchel. Of course, they were both extremely careful of not saying anything more than necessary, like to whom those scrolls were for. "See? I told you they were going to be here." ""...!"" But sadly, all that care was meaningless as the voice of an unknown female came out from the cornfield on right side of the road, surprising both hooded figures. Still, that was only for a moment, for they were quick to take out their knives, ready to deal with whoever got in the way of their mission. "Wow, is that the right way to treat one of your comrades in keeping an eye to the village? Dove? Rat?" The owner of the voice was soon revealed to be a slim brown-haired woman in a maid outfit as she came out into the open and let out such words while making an exaggerated offended expression. How did you know our codmph?! "Shut it. And you, none of our comrades looks like you." Said one of the hooded figures as they stopped their comrade, a man, from saying more than they should by putting their hand on their mouth. Meanwhile, the woman widened her eyes in surprise and then she remembered something. "Ah, right. Of course, you wouldn''t recognize me. Oh well, my job was to distract you so forget about anything I said. Night, night." With that, the woman waved goodbye to them, and while her words confused the hooded figures, that was only for a moment. For regardless of her words, it was clear that the woman was an obstacle that needed to be removed. "You are not goi!" As such, one of the hooded figures tried to attack her butthey failed to notice something. They failed to notice that their accomplice was already knocked out cold on the ground and worst of all, at least for them, their turn had come too. It was fast and precise. They fell without knowing what hit them. Specifically, who. It was another woman dressed in a similar outfit, one with a seemingly shy demeanor and her eyes were covered by her bangs. Luca, one of the Maid-Knights serving Auros. An hour before this, the unnamed Maid-Knight had woken up from her slumber and went outside of her room, knowing that Luca was keeping an eye on her. There, she told her about a certain meeting taking place. And after consulting with Erevain and Auros, a plan was decided. "Now, we just exchange these scrolls here with these ones that have false information about our general appearance, names and so on" Said the unnamed Maid-Knight as she took out the scrolls that were in the mans satchel and replaced them with the ones that she carried in one of her outfits hidden pockets, all while humming happily. "Done. With this Master can go to the capital without a hitch. Ah, just for context sake..." The brown-haired maid smiled as she casually took the coin sacks of her former comrades, almost emptying them, only leaving enough money for the one who must return to the capital for their plan to work. "..." Luca looked at her reproachfully...or at least that is what the brown-haired maid felt. "What? This way they will think we were after their money and not the information. You know, they were on a lonely road in the middle of the night. Shit happens." She shrugged, confident that what she said made perfect sense. In response, Luca sighed and started walking back to the village. "H-Hey, wait for me!" So, the unnamed Maid-Knight hurried to Luca''s side. Thus, another night went by. To be continued...(cue Luca figure pre-order ad. Get your own cute maid knight now for only $999) Chapter 29: Goodbye Illumbee village! "Are you sure this is what you want, Sylvie?" "Yes mom, this is what I want to do." Im witnessing right now the typical isekai scene of a family seeing off their daughter. Sylvie''s mom is holding her hands and her father has his hand on her shoulder, all while trying to hold back his tears. Heh, even her little brothers are trying their best not to cry while hugging her legs. The other villagers are here to see her off too. Some have already given her gifts like vegetables, dried meat and so on. One of the hunters even gave her a hunting knife to go with the axe her father gave her a bit earlier. This is all one heck of a check in my isekai things list too. Still, Sylvie wanted to do this quickly, but everyone convinced her to take her time, including me. She didn''t want us to lose valuable daylight, but we could arrive instantly to our destination, so that was one reason to convince her to take her time. The other one was...well...I couldn''t say goodbye to my parents and sister so...yeah. You get what I''m trying to say. In any case, I can feel myself smiling warmly at the scene. Why wouldn''t I? Considering everything that happened, this is a pretty good ending to our village of the beginning mini arc. Oh? Someone interesting is approaching me while Sylvie is still occupied. Its the old woman who laughed at me for no apparent reason and then gave me the Goddess'' Blood gemstone. "Every time some young''un leaves the village this happens. Some come back, some don''t. That''s as normal as life gets. And you, Miss Hero, are anything but normal." Damn. This old lady sure doesn''t beat around the bush. Let alone the fact that she doesn''t think of me as some sort of bishounen, like the other women in the village. "Hoh~~ the same I could say of you, old lady." I say so while glancing at her, she really isnt your typical old timer. Nope, she looks quite strong for her age, even more than some of the adults here. She even reminds me of Nana. Again, love ya, Nana! "Ah, so that blondie there told you about my light scuffle with one of the idiots that wanted our land. Heh." She looks at Gabrielle and chuckles. ''Light'', yeah, right! Gabrielle''s report said that you were covered in deep wounds and you still were able to blow that ''idiot'' up with your magic. "I may be too old, and my memory may be a bit faulty, but I don''t think blondie mentioned anything about the stone in her little story she told all of us yesterday." She gives me a suspicious look as she finishes saying that. "Nothing good would come if the rest of the village or anyone else were to know what you found. Right now, you are the only one in this village that knows about it and it should stay like that." I tell her that without any reservations and a serious expression. To which she responds by locking eyes with me for a moment until she laughs and shrugs. "Oh yes, the look in that idiot''s eyes when he saw it was as if he just found the solution to all his problems. Guess he thought he could take it for himself while his accomplices kept trying to take our land." Heh, those words and that tone of hers. Its obvious that she doubts Gabrielles story but is going along with it anyway. You know? I should use this chance to ask her a few things. "How did you find it, actually?" That has been bugging me since I read Gabrielle''s report. Because, well...how the heck an old lady can find something that is supposed to be deep underground? "That? I was stretching the old magic muscles for a bit. Created a big crater or two, can''t remember well. Something popped out. Weird rock. Shot it with more magic. Didn''t budge. Shot it with even more magic. Goddess'' Blood came out of the rock. You know the rest." She. Says. It. So. Casually. And I''m supposed to be the one making people rethink their common sense! Now, I know absurdly powerful old people are part of many isekais...BUT STILL!! "Seems they finished bathing little Sylvie with their goodbyes." Leaving me with those words, the old lady started walking back towards the villages entrance. Ah! I didn''t get to ask her if she wanted to accept my offer...hm? She stopped. "Hey Miss Hero, tell the Goddess that I might be taking you up on that offer after I put more thought into it, so I won''t be visiting her up there anytime soon. Also, take care of Sylvie, that kid has potential. I mean it." With that, she started walking again, just stopping once to tap Sylvie on the shoulder and give her the thumbs up. Stilljust how much does this old lady know?! "I think she was able to see your magic power and even my presence in your lance..." What? You sure Nerinne? "Yes, although that would mean that her [Magic Eyes] are more powerful than what Gabrielle thought they were. She is quite the amusing fellow...fufufu~~~." That is probably why she laughed at me, right? "Indeed. She seems to be of the type who laughs in the face of the absurd." Yeah, that makes sense. Oh, Sylvie is coming here. "I''m finished, Lady Auros." Says Sylvie now standing in front of me with a big smile. She started calling me like that after I showed her my ''big evidence'' of being a woman. "I am fine if you still want to call me Lord, Sylvie." Like I told Erevain when she discovered that I was a woman. I really don''t mind it now that they know. "No, no. I feel that would be like a step backwards instead of forward, so, Lady Auros it is." Sylvie shook her head and then smiled at me while saying that. "Very well. Last chance Sylvie, are you ready? Is there something you might have forgotten to do or take with you?" I tell her this just in case. But she again shakes her head. "No, not in the village, but...I have something to say to all of you." I raise an eyebrow to her words while noticing that Erevain and the other Maid-Knights have finished delivering the supplies they had planned to give to the villagers before I happened. Even if the villagers dont need them anymore, I think they were doing it for their own closure of the whole thing. _____________________________________________________ After we walked a good distance away from the village, Sylvie stood in front of us and is now trying her hardest to imitate how Erevain and Gabrielle introduced themselves to her. "I am Sylvie Lute. I know I am young, inexperienced, and uneducated for the most part, but I hope to be of help and grow into a useful member of this group. Please take care of me." I turn around to see the reactions of my Maid-Knights. Sure enough, they were smiling at her with welcoming expressions. "Welcome to our group Sylvie, let us see what this world has to offer." I mean it. Exploring this fantasy world is my main objective and if that makes Sylvie happy then that is even better. "You still have to go through some tests and training before you are a formal member of our Order, but...I look forward to your development and our time together. My Lord and I have great expectations of you." Erevain steps forward while talking with a strict tone but that softens as she finishes saying that and shows Sylvie a genuine smile. "I am glad to have you with us Sylvie, lets do our best from here on." Says Gabrielle with her hands together over her chest. Ahhso ojou-sama. "Don''t worry about the training, Ill toughen you up in no time, girly. No. Sylvie." Kris corrected herself and finished with...you guessed it...a full smile. "...welcome..." Luca tried her best, again. "Yeah, welcome and all that. Am I supposed to do that too? Because if I have to, it will be awkward without a name..." Ah, right. I was getting used to calling her unnamed Maid-Knight because it tickled my chunni side, but I guess it would be bad if she stayed like that. Also, cant you read the mood? Hmm, indeed. I look at the soon to be named Maid-Knight as I ponder what name would be appropriate. "Hehehe..." Meanwhile Sylvie, unaffected by her comment, reunites with us while giggling, ending her reintroduction. "You shall be namedSophie. Be sure to not disappoint me or her..." I say so at well, Sophie, while pointing at the sky with a serious expression. "Eeek! O-Of course, Master! I will never even dare to think of disappointing you or our beloved Goddess...! This Sophie here will do anything you ask her! Yes, yes!" Man, that was quite the change of attitude again... What did you do to her, Nerinne? "I just gave her a light scolding while urging her to reflect on her life''s choices. I am pretty confident of my convincing ability, my dear~~~." Yeaaah...I''m not asking you again. "Dear, I think I remembered something." What, darling? "That old lady from the village...she reminds me of a young caster that fought in the Draconic Front one hundred years ago. She was called the ''Magic Maniac'' because of her abnormal way of fighting. With those [Magic Eyes] I am sure it is indeed her." Eh?! You are kidding right?! "Why are you surprised? I told you that all the people in Arte had long lives compared to those of Earth." THAT IS NOT WHY I AM SURPRISED! "Hmmm...then why?" Maybe it is about the ''Magic Maniac'' part? Just maybe...NOT MAYBE, OF COURSE IT IS THAT PART! "Fufufu~~~ I know dear, I was just teasing you. You''re so cute when you react like that. She used to launch herself towards a group of enemies and when she reached the middle, she would start shooting powerful explosive spells. Anyone who got near her was either punched with her iron fist or vaporized by her magic. The total opposite of a normal caster that attacked from the back of the formation. She always prayed before and after doing that, only asking for the enemies to focus on her instead of the others. Although, I am not sure if that was because she wanted less casualties from her unit or because she wanted more enemies to shoot at with her magic..." Damn... That''s crazy...AWESOME...but still crazy. "It looks like she was getting ready to accept her old age and just live the rest of her days helping with taking care of her grandson. But it seems that is no longer the case with how she seemed after talking to you. I think she wants to enjoy taking care of her grandson a bit more before returning to the fight though." What a nostalgic feeling I just got... Kid enjoy being with your grandma. That is a blessing in and of itself, believe me "She will most likely tell me via prayer when she is ready, so I will notify you when that happens." Please do so, she will be helpful when the time comes to fight an army. "My Lord, the person who was following us just left." Says Erevain who was to my right. "Perfect, now we can arrive to our destination without problems." Why I haven''t summoned a door to my castle, you ask? Well, someone had been tailing us from the moment we left the village. As in one of those guys that Sophie mentioned last night, that Rat guy. Luca of course noticed them and told Erevain. I already knew because of my OP senses, but you know that already. So, we had to wait until they went back to the village to do this. "[Door]." Suddenly, a beautiful yet imposing wooden door appears out of nowhere, startling our new members. "...!" "Wha...?!" ___________________________________________________ Blah, blah, explanation to both newcomers, blah, blah, description of how they felt, blah, blah, going through it, blah. None of that matters now!!! NOPE! THIS IS WHAT MATTERS! JUST ENJOY! """"""""Welcome Back, dear Master!"""""""" SIXTEEN GORGEOUS MAIDS. EIGHT ON EACH SIDE. SAYING THAT IN UNISON WITH ALL THEIR HEART AND PURE SMILES!! AAAAH! THIS, THIS IS THE BEST! THE BEST I TELL YOU!! To be continued...(cue illustration of such glorious scene!) Glossary entry #16: Bishounen: Japanese term that pretty much means, a beautiful youth/boy, but their beauty is more on the androgynous side. They are graceful, with a figure that complements such grace and lack any facial hair. They can be prince-like, wild-like, and many more types that depend on the personal taste of those who create those characters or find them attractive. Theres even the mythical type of bishounen that has a chin so pointy that they could gouge out the eyes of someone with it. In any case, when put beside an average type of shounen-harem protagonist, they elicit a fairly unique yet common response in them, and that isthe desire for seeing the bishounen explode. And even more, for some mysterious reason, the story helps to justify such desire as they are usually revealed to be the villains or just normal human trash. Here we have Sophie in the same style as the others! Sophie: Chapter 30: Hello travel preparations! """"""""Welcome Back, dear Master!"""""""" SIXTEEN GORGEOUS MAIDS. EIGHT ON EACH SIDE. SAYING THAT IN UNISON WITH ALL THEIR HEART AND PURE SMILES!! AAAAH! THIS, THIS IS THE BEST! THE BEST I TELL YOU!! HMM! JUST LOOK AT LOUISE! THAT APRON IS PURE JUSTICE!!!! OOOOOOH!! ROXXYYYY!!! PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN MAID AND SMITH OUTFIT!!! HOT AS THE METAL SHE POUNDS!! NERINNE, I LOVE YOUR MODIFICATIONS THERE!!!!! BUT LET''S INTRODUCE OTHER BEAUTIES TOO!! HM?! LUCY WINKED AT ME!! THE BLONDE, SPUNKY AND JUMPY MAID THAT CAN NEVER BE MISSING!! YES! YES! YES! HER MAID OUTFIT JUST SCREAMS SPEED AND MOBILITY! IN CONTRAST WE HAVE MIKA!!! HER BOB HAIRSTYLE AND GLASSES GO SO WELL WITH THAT CASTER MAID OUTFIT AND HER STUDIOUS ATTITUDE!! OH! SHE IS GETTING EMBARRASSED! NICE!!! GLASSES GIRLS ARE JUSTICE!! AH! THE COOL BEAUTY THAT IS JULES!! THAT WONDERFUL DARK GREEN LONG HAIR OF HERS AND OVERALL SLENDER FIGURE GOES PERFECTLY WITH HER HUNTER MAID OUTFIT!! HER EYES ARE SHARP BUT THAT SMILE!! THAT SMILE!!! MMMM...APPROACHABLE 100%!! BERTIA!!! SHE LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL WITH HER SIMPLISTIC LOOK!! HER ORANGE HAIR LOOKS WONDERFUL WITH THOSE TWINTAILS!! SHE REALLY SCREAMS GIRL NEXT DOOR WITH HER LOOKS!! AND HER MAID OUTFIT LOOKS PERFECT FOR UP CLOSE COMBAT!! OH! SOMEONE IS APPROACHING! IS ERICA!! THE BLONDE SHORTHAIRED WARRIOR!! THOSE BLUE EYES LIKE THE SKY! THAT POSTURE FITTING HER SLENDER YET FIT FIGURE!! TOMBOYISH CHARM ON PAR WITH KRIS''!!! SO HOT!! NERINNE, THIS IS PARADISE!!! "On behalf of all of us here, you have our gratitude, Master. Thank you for helping in bringing an end to Illumbee''s sickness." Says Erica as she bows, and the others follow suit. "Uwaa...there''s more..." I can hear Sophie getting surprised and disturbed at this beautiful scene. Such a lack of culture. "Everyone is so beautiful..." I knew you would understand Sylvie! Aaaah...I wish I could enjoy this a bit more, but it is obvious that I have to say something now. "Hmph. Save the gratitude for when we have dealt with the one behind the sickness. Rise." I channel my waifu while saying that and start walking past Erica and the rest of the maids, and towards my throne, which is at the back of the room. There I can see Nerinne and Ilya waiting for me. They look at me with loving eyes as if saying ''welcome home''. Its quite moving for a sort of loner like me...but I can''t get too sentimental though. Got to maintain character. Meanwhile, the maids do as I say and stop bowing immediately. "But even so...this is a victory. Not mine alone, but of this Order. So, feel proud and be aware of your value. I have no need for those who decide to ignore that." Erevain, Gabrielle, Luca, Kris and the newcomers join the other maids in the horizontal formation they have taken to listen to me. Erevain and Erica step to the front as leader and sub-leader respectively. ""Yes, Master!"" They nod and say that in unison. So good!! Now with that out of the way, there is a certain misunderstanding that must be made clear. Immediately after saying that I unequip my breastplate with magic, leaving me looking exactly as my waifu''s famous nickname, ''The Under-Boob King''! !!!! Some maids are just surprised, some are flustered, others are gulping while getting more and more red, and still others have an I knew it! written on their faces. Heh. I''m glad that it wasn''t as widespread as I feared. Also, Gabrielle seems to be enjoying all of this since she looks kind of smug. Maybe she already knew? "As you can see, I am a woman. I care not how you refer to me, be it Lord, Lady, Master or even by my name. Do so at your own convenience. And for those who were having a bet about this, congratulations to the winners." I say so with a smug smile of my own. Why? Come on, it is obvious now with all those reactions that at least some had already discussed about my gender and a bet is not that farfetched. Like Lucy, that face of hers is brimming with happiness clearly celebrating while Mika at her side is showing a defeated expression. Classic, the studious introvert one lost to the cheery extrovert, heh. Hmmthey make a good pair though. "Erevain, give them a detailed report about the whole situation. That includes Sylvie, she is part of this now, even if she is just an apprentice. I shall be waiting in the meeting hall; there we shall discuss our next move." I say that while getting back into a more serious disposition. "At once, My Lord." In response, Erevain nods, bows lightly and turns around to face the other Maid-Knights. By the way, Ilya has been tugging at my hand all this time and with this I will have a bit of time to hug her a lot. Just wait a bit more my sweet cinnamon roll of a daughter! Ah! Almost forgot! How can I be leaving without saying this first?! "Before I leave, that...was a fine welcome. Good work." Hearing this, my welcoming maids eyes widen a bit before they turn to each other while giggling and then nodding, almost as if they were planning and agreeing on something. That is when they turn their gazes back to me and """"""""You''re welcome, Master!"""""""" HHHHHNNNGH!!! I-I mean...they exclaim that in unison... Such destructive power... I won''t be able to stay in character much longer if I stay here so I turn around and go to the meeting hall along with Nerinne and Ilya. ______________________________________________________________ "Fufufu~~~, I am glad that you liked your reward, my dear." That is the first thing Nerinne says after I close the door of the meeting hall. "You were behind this? When? You were talking to me most of the time." I say that while carrying my cute daughter on my left arm as if she is sitting on it, all while hugging me. "Multitasking, my dear~~~. That is one of the perks of having a Goddess as your girlfriend." Nerinne gets near me, caresses my face and then kisses me, before hugging me too. Ah...I love this... Obligatory fanservice shot of two pairs of soft ''things'' coming together. "Besides, Erica actually came to me and asked on behalf of everyone about what they could do to thank you for helping their people. She was a little nervous, but I was happy to see that she tried relying on me as another resident of the castle instead of a Goddess. So, I did my best." You know that she might just be obeying your wishes as a Goddess, right? "..." She stopped hugging me. She is looking at me in way that is scary... "Mou!! Let me have my bonding moment with them!! You cheeky protagonist!" Ouch! My cheeks! Stop pulling them!! "It hu-rtsh!!!" My face is going to get messed uOUCH!! I''m... "...shorry..." We hear a small, almost silent, giggle. "Happy. Ilya is happy. Seeing Mother and Father...like this...makes me happy." ""...!"" Our hearts just melted after hearing that and we both hugged Ilya even more bathing her in all our love. "You can pull you Father''s cheeks anytime you want Ilya!! Mother gives your permission!" "Yes! You can pull my cheeks!" After saying this, Ilya looks at me, I nod, and then she begins pulling my cheeks in a really cute and soft way while smiling... KAWAII!!! "Fun..." You can feel the happiness in her voice even if it still sounds a bit monotone. My volcano daughter can''t be this cute, BUT SHE IS! "Ilya, you''ve been doing a great job guarding the stone I gave you, right?" She nods at my question. "Yes...Father...helping you makes...me happy...too..." Did you hear that? She is such a good girl. "You are a good girl, Ilya." I pat her on the head, and she blushes to the point her pointy ears are red too. Her hair is soft as silk. "Yes, that is true, Ilya. You are a really good girl." Nerinne joins in the patting. Ah...this warms my soul... We kept spoiling our cute volcano daughter until Erevain knocked on the door. ________________________________________________________________ "I''m deeply sorry, dear Goddess!! I didn''t recognize you!! Please forgive me!!" Exclaims Sylvie while kneeling on the ground in almost dogeza-like style, just after I opened the door of the meeting hall. "My! Oh my! You did nothing wrong, Sylvie. Get up. Come, let me help you." Nerinne went instantly into Divine Grace mode and extended her hand towards Sylvie to help her get up. The Maid-Knights don''t know what to do, because that would mean trying to stop Nerinne from doing something and that is pretty much out of the question for them. Poor Luca, it seems that she still can''t handle herself well in the presence of Nerinne. Ah, Gabrielle is right behind her just in case she faints again. What a relief... "Ah! No thank you, I can do it alone, dear Goddess! Please let-" Sylvie tries to reject Nerinne''s help buuuut... "Nothing! Take my hand, now!" ...she is having none of that. You can almost see the vein popping up in her forehead even if she is smiling. Sylvie doesn''t have any option but to take her hand. Maybe she was reminded about what I told her? "Th-Thank you, dear Goddess..." "No problem, Sylvie. But please, Erevain must have told you about me and how I want to be treated. Yes?" "S-she did, dear Goddess. But is it fine...?" Oh, she is considering it? "My...whatever shall I do to convince you? Ah! Here!" Nerinne surprises Sylvie by hugging her. "Let''s be friends Sylvie!" Sylvie''s eyes go wide open and then she starts smiling. "Yes! If that is what dear Goddess wants!" Wow, it sure didn''t take a lot to convince her, huh? This kid is really good with stuff like this now that I think about it. She wasn''t scared of me when I showed her my true race and now, she is pretty much hugging back the Goddess of her world as if they had been friends all along. "Ah, Sophie. Do you want a hug too? Fufufu~~." "Hiih! N-No thanks, ma''am! I-I''m fine all the way b-back here! D-don''t worry about m-me..!" Now that''s just bullying, Nerinne... _______________________________________________________________ After that whole thing we finally managed to get the meeting started. "The capital is our next objective. There it lies the reason behind what happened, not only in Illumbee village, but also the villages that were under threat of being razed if those conscripted failed on their jobs." Says Erevain while standing at my right side. Nerinne is present in the meeting and is seating at my left with Ilya sitting on her legs. "Our Lord confronted the Dragon Lord of Eternal Winter, Brynn, and managed to confirm that her Master has a hand in all of this, to the point that they have someone within the royal family doing their bidding. And, as per the information given to us by Sophie, that person commands a hidden faction within the Kingdom, one named New Glory. Which includes a select group of high standing nobles and knights..." The expressions of all the Maid-Knights except Sophie are heavy to put it in one word. To put it on more, some are disappointed and frustrated, some are looking at Erevain with concern and others are plainly angry about all of this. "Our Lord and I will go to the capital, accompanied by a team of her choosing. Once there, we will search for the identity of those involved and put a stop to them. It is worth mentioning that there is a high chance that we will need to infiltrate the palace to do that. For that, My Lord, I suggest we divide ourselves in two teams, one will obtain as much information as possible while the other team will try to find a way to enter the palace to deliver punishment." She looks at me expecting my response to her suggestion but someone else raises her hand. Its Roxxy. Our resident maid blacksmith. I nod at her, letting her speak. "It''s almost certain that there will be a confrontation between us, and that Dragon Lord''s forces after we mess with''eir little plan, aye?" Her question is a bit on the obvious side, but she is clearly going somewhere with it. "Indeed." Her expression hardens at my words and then she takes out a piece of paper that seems heavily used. It looks like a list. "I need materials then, Master. Lots of''em." She says so with a serious expression on her face and hands over the paper to Erevain. "Our Goddess here gave us a true gift with these combat clothes that perfectly fit our roles and needs, but our weapons..." She looks downwards and clenches her hands as she continues. "...they are degraded to a point that...aye, they work, but I can''t trust''em. Not with the lives of my comrades or Master''s. I spent the last two days doing their maintenance, hoping to not bother Master with acquiring materials for new ones, but the years we spent in the forest have taken their toll on''em." I see, she is frustrated because she was driven to bring this up by the consequences of their previous circumstances. "I''m sorry everyone. I know those weapons mean a lot to you, just as much as they mean a lot to me, but I can''t, in my right mind, let you go into battle with''em." The other Maid-Knights look at Roxxy with expressions full of understanding and sympathy, no one questions her words. I have to say something here. I mean, this is the perfect prompt! "Three groups, Erevain. We shall act in three groups while we are in the capital. The third one shall go to procure a small quantity of every single material that is on the list. That is as much as we need thanks to the nature of this place. It shall provide the rest. Also, add to the list materials for survival kits and basic supplies, plus materials for blankets greatly resistant to cold. We might need to help civilians, so it is better to be prepared." Some of the Maid-Knights look at me surprised, probably not expecting that Id think that far, and others smile pleased, as if I have met their expectations. I catch Lucy going all ''that''s our Master!'' with a lone hidden fist pump. Erevain is part of the latter group too, although she also seems to have reached the same conclusion as me and was already finishing writing down everything that would be needed for those things. Roxxy''s expression is one of absolute relief, as if I have lifted a humongous weight from her shoulders. Although, I still have more to say and that could put it back on her. "Roxxy, you are mistaken in something. This is not a bother. This is one of my responsibilities as your master and part of the promise I made with Erevain. I do not want to hear from you thinking the opposite again. You will report to me and Erevain the status of the materials, weapons, and whatever project you intend to or have already developed, every week. Understood?" She nods in silence. "I want you to work on everyone''s new weapons as soon as you receive the materials. Take whoever you need as assistants to ensure that they are ready before the confrontation against the Dragon Lords forces. My instinct tells me that we have at most two weeks starting from our arrival to the capital, but do not count on it, there is a high chance that we will have only a week if they intend to hasten things. For we are against the master of Bryn, eldest of the Chosen Four, The Dragon Lord of the Violet Death." The second I say that title, the tension in the meeting hall becomes apparent. Only Erevain, Sylvie, Ilya, Nerinne and I don''t react like that. Erevain didnt because she already steeled herself in the village. The two youngest didnt because they honestly don''t know. Nerinne didnt because she knows that we can win. And I didnt because I trust her. "Erevain, tell me what you know of them." My voice ends the brief silence that had taken this room and she immediately follows suit, showing her fortitude. "At once, My Lord. Besides Bryn, they also command a legion of undead that are said to be summoned from one of the multiple ancient grimoires they own. But that is not all, they also command forces made up of tamed monsters and lizardmen commanded in the field by lesser dragon lords. Their magic beside those of the grimoires is unknown. That should be all the information the Draconic Front has on them after all these years, and I do not believe it has changed that much given that they rarely enter battle. That is also why information on them is so scarce. Furthermore, only a fraction of those forces staged a siege on the Kingdom a few years ago, and they were stopped not by the Kingdom''s forces, but by the order of said Dragon Lord as if they had grown bored with it. Lastly, the times they have entered the battlefield were times when total annihilation was an absolute certainty. Leaving behind only a battlefield turned into a bloody garden of violet flowers..." To be continued...(cue foreboding ending music with a certain already seen flashback playing instead of the usual ending video) Glossary entry #17: Dogeza: Do you remember all those times when an anime character prostrates on the floor with their head touching it? Yeah, those times when they seem to be asking forgiveness or a favor. Thats dogeza. Now, here we have Louise, Roxxy, Lucy, Mika, Jules, Bertia and Erica in the same style as the ones before! Louise: Roxxy: Lucy: Mika: Jules: Bertia: Erica: BONUS NERINNE! Thank you very much for reading! I hope you liked this chapter and the images! If you want to help me turn them into full blown illustrations, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit really helps support this dream and me! Chapter 31: Having a Goddess girlfriend and volcano daughter sure helps. The meeting hall stayed silent for a moment after what Erevain just said. "Hoh~~~, a bloody garden of violet flowers, you say? Then dealing with her will be quite an easy task." I say so full of confidence while some of the maids look at me astonished. Kris is laughing though. Ah, Gabrielle is pretty much back to normal from the tense state she was in. Also, I know that it sounds like I didn''t learn a thing from what happened in the forest, but what I mean is that I will not let her do something like that. If I can, I will break all her magic, if not, I will take her somewhere else. Lock ourselves in a separate space... "I just have to stop her before she tries to use that trump card of hers with some of mine..." My mouth curls into a hyped-up smile and...huh, so this is how it feels to be looking forward to a fight. "...do believe that I have a lot of them." After all, there are many things that I want to try out with magic and my knowledge...heh. Now, time to wipe away those still tense faces from some of them. "All of you are one of those. And I believe I told you to acknowledge your value. Have you not been training as I said you should?" The tension disappears from their faces slowly as they take in my words. "Are you blind to your new strengths?" Some start shaking their heads, answering me with a ''no''. "Was I wrong in counting on you?" With that little push their faces fired up. """Of course not, Master!""" And they strongly let that out in response. "Then do not dare show such tense faces again unless there is an actual reason to do so. But I shall be clear, I am not underestimating our enemy. I am simply not giving them the satisfaction of being feared in excess." I complement my words with a serious expression to drive the point home and it works. The tension in their faces is gone. Now we can move on. "Erevain, go on." "Yes, My Lord. Then, three teams are going to be the ones operating in the capital while the rest shall keep training and preparing for battle. As for the journey itself, we can arrive at the capital in five days via carriage." As she finishes saying that, Erevain puts a map on the table and marks the route we would be taking. With our speed we could arrive faster on foot though... Still, it is as you may be thinking, My Lord. Having personally experienced the speed we wield now; our arrival could certainly be a faster one if we were to travel on foot. But I advise against doing so, for that would be considered suspicious or at least worth noting, given our numbers, appearances, and the fact that we are strangers to them. As such, using a carriage, which is fairly common, is a better option. Did? Did Erevain just read my mind?! No...nah, of course not, she is just that good of a right-hand woman. Ah, instinct tells me that is correct. Thats a relief... I have enough with just one mind reading woman in my life... OUCH! WHY DID YOU HIT ME WITH YOUR ELBOW NERINNE?! It was a joke! It hurts! Can''t let it show on my face. Can''t let it show on my face. Can''t let it show on my face. It really hurts... "Indeed, well thought, Erevain. Do we have a carriage then?" Because if not, then I''ll have to make one and I''m not sure if it will come out alright. As in, not ridiculously foreign like a certain mobile game merchant thot queen''s. "We do, My Lord. It was part of the property that we procured from those who wanted to profit from Illumbee village''s situation. It is in good condition and only needs to be given the standard maintenance before the trip. It is currently in one of the warehouses within the castle." Oh, that is good. Also, she said warehouses, so there must be a lot, I guess. I need to properly inspect this place. Maybe add a field that doubles as training grounds and a place to leave the carriage instead of inside a warehouse. I mean, that Undead Majesty has an entire forest floor in his dungeon, one that even has a simulated sky and a day and night cycle. I don''t see why I can''t do that too? Ah, plan to get the base to more ridiculous isekai levels...check. "You can count on me taking good care of that carriage, Master. The things I need for its maintenance were already in it, so no problems there." Says Roxxy as she puffs her chest both proudly and with confidence. "Impressive, you seem to have quite the diverse set of skills." I say genuinely impressed, not only because that helps a lot, but also because having a blacksmith that doubles as a mechanic is surprising. Different specializations and all that. Now, please be the only remaining apprentice of a legendary blacksmith and I could check another thing off my isekai things list. I mean, having the prince(ss) of the kingdom and the heir of a legendary blacksmith at the same time would be really cool, right? That would also save time that would''ve been used for her introduction arc! "Nay...its not something that incredible. Pops used to say that if I just stubbornly focused on making weapons and the like, life would teach me other fields. Whether I wanted it or not. So, I took it to heart as much as I could. Even then, life ended up doing that anyway, hahaha!" She had gotten a bit red due to my compliment, but instead of being embarrassed shes taking it well, as you can hear with that hearty laugh of hers. Also, her father is quite right if you ask me. Please be a legendary blacksmith! "Your father sounds like a wise person, if not at least someone who lives his life fully." I say so sincerely. "Aye, that he is." Theres nostalgia in her voice and eyes as she says that, more so than pride. She misses him. In any case, lets move on. "With our means of transportation taken care of then, any ideas about how to enter the capital without raising suspicions? The palace too. While they shall not recognize us at once thanks to the swift actions of Luca and Sophie, it is safe to assume that they are still going to increase their security. If they do not, then they would be fools." I say that even if its obvious. We only changed our descriptions and names in those scrolls, but they will still know that we stopped their plot in the village, and us going to get them would be an easy conclusion to arrive at. More so with the loss of those they conscripted and a spy, plus disappearance of another one. "We could try" "May I?" Erevain was cut off by none other than...my darling. Nerinne. "O-Of course, Goddess." Says Erevain in a respectful tone despite being a bit startled by the sudden divine interjection. Everyone else seems to be paying absolute attention to her, to the point that I wont be surprised if no one blinks until she stops talking. "Fufu~~, thank you, Erevain. Those two things will not be a problem anymore. I just finished making the arrangements for your arrival and secured a way to get you all into the palace if the opportunity arises." Darling, you are being vague on purpose so that my instinct doesn''t spoil the surprise, that is so cute. Love you. She smiled! Ah, my heart! "Per agreement with the nations of the world, she still must live in the kingdom for two more years before moving to the next country, so that is quite convenient for us. She will leave instructions to the corresponding authorities and prepare your lodging." Says Nerinne with a confident smile. "She...? Would that be...?!" Erevain murmurs that to herself, but it has been immediately picked up by Nerinne and me. Sumanai. "Indeed, Erevain. I am referring to her, the current head of the church, Ludovica Aldert." Everyone''s eyes widen for a moment and then they nod as if that made perfect sense. And well, it kind of does? I mean the head of the church is supposed to be the one closer to god, or Goddess in this case. Nerinne being Nerinne, it would stand to reason that they would actually be talking to each other instead of only being a metaphor or a blatant lie. Although...you could argue that I am closer to Nerinne than her...sumanai, Ludovica...sumanai. "I just finished talking with her, she was more than pleased to help us and our cause. Even more so, she seemed relieved to know that we would be intervening. She also told me that the church started their own investigation recently, thanks to a noble who asked her about the village being cursed and then saying that that it was only a rumor. That''s understandable. Also, I can take that noble off the list of suspects then, because I am sure that no one involved would be idiot enough to tell the head of the church something like that and not expect the church to start an investigation into the matter immediately. That must have been their plan all along. Speaking of that noble, in some isekais some nobles oversee the land. So, maybe it was that noble? I know, I know, in my world there were things like that too, duh. You don''t have to look at me like that. "I told her to wait for your arrival before doing anything besides getting information that could help us. Your cover story will be the same as in the village, just like Gabrielle said, important people from a faraway isolated country. And if they ask where that nation is, just point here on the map." Nerinne says so while putting her finger in a section of the map where various mountains make something akin to a square and inside it there is an uncharted area with lost forest written over it. It seems to be just outside of both the Kingdom and the Empire''s territories. Wow, that is...wow. "Excellent." I say with...hmm? Why are you looking at me like that, darling? Wait, you want me to say it?! But that would totally be out of character! Please stop looking at me like that, Nerinne! It''s kind of embarrassing... Ahyou are about to pout, arent you? F-Fine, I''ll do it! "Excellent, m-my darling." There! I said it! And now I am all red in front of the Maid-Knights! Kris is trying her hardest not to laugh! Lucy too! "Fufu~~, that is the least I could do to help you, my dear. But there is something more I can do." She extends her hand and takes the list of materials that was on the table. "Moon tear? Oh my! That material is quite rare, and it is safeguarded by the Kingdom. Acquiring it could be a problem, no?" So asks Nerinne. "N-Nay, Goddess. It is safeguarded for its magic resistance properties, but...if one has the coin, one can buy a piece as a collector''s item or an expensive gift in some stores in the capital..." With that, Roxxy answers Nerinnes question, albeit nervously. "Ah, then that is good. Thank you, Roxxy. Please, call me Nerinne next time, yes?" Asks my darling innocently. She really wants to be treated as a companion...but hey, Sylvie already agreed to be your friend and Erica indeed went to talk to you, so there is some progress. Nerinne nods slightly at my comment as she continues reading the list of materials. "Firestone, Blaze Crystals, Obsidian, Ebonice, Sunstone and add some jewels for pocket change. Hmm...yes, I think we can cross these ones off the list." She says that while smilingbut why? "How?" I ask the question everyone wanted to ask, but no one was doing so. "Oh Auros, do not forget about our cute daughter here." Nerinne looks at her after saying that and she nods. Hmm...ah, I get it. "Yes...Father. Ilya...can help...want to...help...will...help." Aww!!! She just made the cutest smile I have ever seen her do since her latest cutest smile! Now she is joining her hands as if she is going to clap andoh! Her hair and eyes are lighting up and glowing in the same way lava does! All while her hands are giving off an orange glow that grows stronger as she separates them and thenpoof! Several rocks just appeared on the table! "These are...!" Roxxy quickly gets up in surprise as she exclaims that and then looks at me as if asking for permission, which I give her. Meanwhile, all the other maids are staring dumbfounded. She quickly grabs one of the rocks and looks at it closely. It looks like a ruby but with a constant glow of magical energy within. My senses also let me see the fiery aura surrounding it. "Theres no mistake, Master! This is a Firestone! Its purity is so high I can just tell without tools! And this one is a high clarity Blaze Crystal!! I haven''t seen one of these in years!!!" She says so as she grabs a second ''rock''. This one looks like an almost transparent crystal that has a reddish tinge to it but is subtle enough that its like an optical illusion. I then look at Ilya and smile at her. "Did...good...Father?" She asks me that even if she doesn''t need to. "Yes, you did, Ilya. You are incredible." I want to hug her so much, but I control myself and just pat her head. "Roxxy...happy...?" Aww...my shy daughter is doing her best! Luca! Learn from her! "Me? Aye! Thank you very much, kiddo! I will make you a cute hairpin as thanks!" Roxxy is indeed really happy and judging by how many different rocks were on the table, I can guess that they are the same as those Nerinne read aloud a few minutes ago. "I...have...bigger stones...of all these...if Roxxy happy then...Ilya will give them...to her..." Ilya, I''m so proud of you! I want to cry! Aye! Please! And if you can, I would like you to visit my smithy, kiddo! Hearing my cute daughters words, Roxxy goes full hype and tells her that, which in turn makes Ilya turn to Nerinne and I as if asking for permission. GODDESS, HOW CUTE OUR DAUGHTER CAN BE?! We, of course, give her said permission and with that, she agrees to Roxxys request. Maybe Ilya is on her way of making her first friend? _____________________________________________________ The meeting then went along quite fast. After that bit, we agreed in modifying the carriage so that it could go along better with our cover story and Roxxy would need a day to have that done. Nerinne also wanted the time to make more clothes for me and whoever else was coming. As for that... "The first team will include Erevain, Erica, Bertia and I. We shall meet with the people of the church and devise a plan of action." After I said that my gaze fell on the maids who were going to work with me for the first time. "I shall make it my duty to not disappoint you, Master." Ericas earnest tone was not just a front, it was like a vow. Curiously, the way she spoke there was like Erevains. "I will do my best! Be it healing or putting someone in their place! Just give me the order, Master!" Meanwhile, Bertia was pumped and looked ready for anything. "Umu, I shall count on you two." I said that as I nodded at them, moving on shortly after. "The second team shall be composed of Gabrielle, Lucy and Mika. You shall be in charge of procuring the rest of the materials on Roxxys list, as well as gathering any piece of information you can obtain from the merchants and vendors. Needless to say, any bit can be important. You shall rejoin us after completing these tasks. "Consider it done, my Master." Just remembering the endearing smile Gabrielle showed me as she said that makes my heart jump, she is such a top beauty. "Yeah! Don''t worry Master! With me negotiating and Mika here appraising, no price is set in stone!" Said Lucy as she put her arm on Mika''s shoulder and gave me thumbs up along with a wink. I seriously love her attitude. "I will be sure to bring you the best materials we can find master." The same attitude that Mika didnt share as she spoke in a more serious manner, but then she finished in the best way possible. As inSHE PUSHED HER GLASSES UP! SHE ACTUALLY DID IT! "Do so and with haste, Roxxy will need every additional second you can give her." Of course, I controlled my excitement towards such a classic thing actually happening and said that perfectly, which made the members of this second team respond with a hearty yes! in unison. "The third team shall gather information from every person of interest even remotely related with the area where Illumbee village is. You shall start from the nobles and go your way down from there. But only after we meet with the people of the church, for their information shall help us reduce the number of suspects, or at least to not interfere with each other. Luca, you shall be leading this team. Sophie, you shall join her, your skills will serve to notify us if anything of importance happens. Jules, you are joining them too. "Master, may I volunteer? I grew up exploring the capital and I know of its various secret tunnels and entrances." The one who said that was none other than the purple-haired maid right next to Luca. She is on the petite side, but not a loli! Understood?! Banhammer begone! In any case, thanks to her pull-through braid and calm expression she looked quite beautiful and had a certain air of maturity to her. Her name was Allegra, she was a scout like Luca. "Very well, your knowledge shall be quite useful. I look forward to see it in action." Fantasy capital filled with secret tunnels and such...check, ha! Also, Kris is staying behind because she wants to train seriously. She told me that back at the inn. "Thank you Master, I will show you that you can put your trust in me." Said Allegra with a satisfied smile. Her voice was so serene back then...I like it, a lot. "We...will doour best, Master!" Luca, you are cute already, but when you talked like that your cute points went beyond! "I-I shall not disappoint you, Master...Goddess...!" Sophie was quite nervous as she said that, so I turned my gaze at Nerinne and sure enough, there she was looking directly at her. NerinneI know you can hear me even as I narrate this little flashback, dont bully her at every chance you have. But I digress. "Hmm, I will do as you ask, Master. May I ask for some extra food as a reward after the mission?" Said Jules completely serious and with a look that complemented such seriousness. I bet that sharp gaze can intimidate a lot of people, but not me since it was nowhere near as scary or shocking as Erevain''s glaring face. Just don''t tell her that or she will get depressed. It also kind of turned me on, because of course, I love sharp gazes that remind me of besto waifu''s. "Of course. I shall even cook something for you if the result is outstanding." The ingredients are already here, and I can cook like any otaku who wanted to recreate the dishes that appeared in their favorite anime. Although, I did expand later to other recipes and thanks to that, I discovered the gloriousness of pulled pork sandwiches. So, knowing all that, I said such words with the utmost confidence. And the moment I did, the eyes of every single maid shined like stars, full of motivation. """"We will do our best!!"""" Every single Maid-Knight, except for Erevain, who seemed to be holding herself back, let that out quite strongly. Huh, now that I think about it, it seems that they took it as if I would give that kind of reward to everyonebut it shouldve been clear back then that I was answering to Jules request, right? Oh well, its fine. The more the merrier I say! Still, the meeting went quite well if I say so myself. And after finalizing the details, I was free to do whatever I want! You know what that means? A BATH!! BUT...! ONSEN OR WESTERN?! THAT IS THE QUESTION!! To be continued...(cue the most obvious answer in the world) Glossary entry #18: Sumanai: A way to say sorry in Japanese. Onsen: Traditional Japanese outdoor baths that appear in lots, LOTS, of anime. With lots, LOTS, of times being place for fanservice to occur. And yes, there''s even an isekai where the protagonist reincarnated as an onsen! Here we have Allegra in the same style as...you know already! Allegra: Thank you for reading! Chapter 32: Two weebs go into an onsen and… With the meeting over I was left to my own devices. Erevain and the other top maids, including Gabrielle, left to discuss things one more time while also going over the budget for the materials and such. After all, we just got a big increase in money thanks to Nerinne and Ilya. Sylvie and Sophie were grabbed by Kris, who didn''t go with the rest of the top maids, and taken to the training room without them having the chance to say no. Although Sylvie looked quite happy and promised Nerinne that they would spend time together once she has picked a room and so on. Seriously, that girl is really friendly. Sophie, on the other hand, looked as if she wanted to escape, but there was no way for her to escape Kris iron grip on her shoulder. Meanwhile, Jules went to the dining hall with Louise to check out the new ingredients that appeared here thanks to me eating at the inn. I can''t wait to eat what Louise ends up making with them. Lastly, Roxxy took Ilya and some of the maids to the smithy. My cute daughter looked a bit overwhelmed at first, but everyone was so friendly with her that she managed to beat her shyness. That''s our girl! And so...we are alone now, Nerinne. "Fufufu~~~, indeed. I am sure you already have an idea as to what we can do with this free time on our hands." "...!" I am locking arms with my divinely beautiful girlfriend while walking in one of the castle''s hallways. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill! I''m so happy! Also...I can feel them...! Oh yes, I can. And of course, you are listening to me and laughing! "My! Of course, dear! Although, I do this because I want to be close to you, listening to you reacting like that is just added value. We did spend all those hours together in my divine realm so I always long to be physically with you." I would feel myself blushing if I wasn''t already and "...me too. But you are always with me so that helps me manage that feeling." "Some people would not like having their girlfriends with them all the time or having said girlfriends read their thoughts, you know?" Says Nerinne while giving me a curious look. "Well, you''ve already seen my deepest desires and wishes. You even helped me realize a lot of them. Not forgetting that you also enjoyed everything that I showed you and considered me a friend by the end of it. You have seen me at my most bare state, my literal soul. You accept me even after all of that, soI accept you as you are." "You are truly quite strange...but that is one of the things I love about you, Auros." "Please, you also have your own strangeness to think about, but I too love that part of you." She unequips my shoulder armor with magic and rests her head on my shoulder. Yep, she can do that. I tilt my head in a way so that I can touch hers and we keep walking. Try telling me to explode! HAHAHA! Ah, we arrived. The baths. There are two very different entrances in front of us. One goes completely with the medieval-fantasy theme of the castle with a wooden door and everything. The other one, on the other hand, is different to say the least. Its as if someone just transported the entrance to an anime-style onsen and put it here without caring for the overall theme of the place. Heck, it even has a sign in kanji! Plus, a translation inside a parenthesis! It just says, ''eastern type baths''. Wow...that''s simple... "Fufufu~~~I will take that as a compliment." O-OF COURSE! For a moment I felt Dark Nerinne coming out... Time to decide. Western or... "Onsen of course, my dear~~." But...I was going to talk about the differences of both before reaching a conclusion...maybe ask my delusions which one to go to... "You can do that later; I have been looking forward to entering one of these with you since I saw them. So, onsen. Yes? Please?" I can''t resist that excited expression of yours...ok, let''s go. Even more so when you are literally pulling me towards it! And so, we entered the bath. ______________________________________________________ "Ooooh." I let that out as I marvel at the look of the place. "It really feels like we have been transported to another place altogether." Says Nerinne with the same expression as myself. "Yes, it all feels soauthentic? Look! We even have to take our shoes off before entering!" I know I sound really stupid, but can you blame me? "Indeed. It is quite the interesting thing. How exciting!" We both quickly unequip our greaves and sandals respectively, all so that we can use the slippers that are conveniently waiting for us at the foot of the step right before entering the locker room. "Ah, so soft and comfy..." Its like stepping on a cloud... "Yes, that is exactly how it feels..." Says the one with actual experience. Just like kids who discovered a new place to play in, or like weebs who finally managed to travel to the promised land, otaku prime, Japan, we excitedly began exploring the place while looking for our lockers. But "They are not here...so strange." I say while checking again from my side, I could see lockers for Erevain, Gabrielle, Kris and so on but not one with my name or Nerinnes. "Dear~~~, I think I found our locker. Come." ''Our'' locker? That sure is making me raise an eyebrow out of curiosity and of course, I immediately go to where Nerinne is andwow. Theres a big and luxurious Japanese-style sliding door right in front of us. And just as she said, on the top of its frame there is a metal plate with both our names and Ilya''s. "That means this is our private locker. I feel so much like a VIP now." I feel myself being filled by a sense of pride, even if all I did was give the ok to make this castle have this place. "Well dear~~, you are a very important person in a lot of ways and me too, Ilya as well. Ah, but this really makes me feel like we are a family." We are and that smile you are making right now is just gorgeous. "Fufufu~~~, shall I do the honors, then?" She says so as she prepares to slide the door open. "Let''s do it together." I go to her side and we slide the door open revealing a beautiful traditional Japanese room, one that would make any weeb start listing how it looks like the one that appeared in ''x'' amount of anime and manga. I''m barely holding myself back. I can already think of at least twenty...no...thirty five...hmm...fifty... "It''s certainly beautiful in a way. But it is strangely like that country''s too..." Huh? What did you just say Nerinne? Did you just confirmed that there''s an ''I can''t believe its not fantasy japan'' place in Arte? Did you? Because if you did, I so want to check it off my list of isekai things! "If you keep going down that hole your instinct is going to dump you in a place full of spoilers, my dear~~~." Crap let''s forget about that then until volume 5 at least. "Yes, and I just found the perfect thing to distract that mind of yours." She says while taking out two big white towels while her divine looking clothes start...disappearing...slowly... ...shot of chest...shot of thighs...shot of legs...praise. ...fanservice...good... ...gorgeous... ... "Fufufu~~~that was ''super effective'', yes?" I nod. "But dear, you cannot be the only one enjoying the show. So please Auros, do take that bodysuit off. And slowly so I can enjoy it." HHHNG... I-I mean...she says so while smiling seductively... And of course, I comply, so enjoy more fanservice. I start by undoing the hidden magical seams that are on the turtle-neck part of the bodysuit, with them going all the way down to my shoulders. Doing that, I pull downwards from the base of my neck and then take out one of my arms while feeling the jiggle of my now free chest. I follow going all the way down until I am completely nude...and being watched by Nerinne and her glowing golden eyes. She really meant it when she said she was going to enjoy it. Even if it feels slightly embarrassing, I shall not act in a way that makes me seem more like a tsundere. Nope, I will not! "Gorgeous." She says. Aaaaaaaaaah! I feel my mouth starting to tremble and my cheeks getting as red as a tomato! "Fufufufu~~~, I think you look more like a cherry though." THIS GODDESS!! ___________________________________________________ After that, we both grabbed one of the towels and covered ourselves with them, even though there is no one else here we both felt the need to do it for the sake of the experience. "Now, the main event can start!" I exclaim while opening the door to the bath with the necessary impact worthy of all the onomatopoeias of doing so in manga! "Onsen! Onsen! Onsen!" Exclaims Nerinne who is jumping excitedly behind me. "...!" Surprised weeb couple at the sight of the onsen is surprised. "Outdoor..." "...bath." Umu. We leveled up as a couple and we can now finish each other sentences. "Look Auros! A sakura tree!" "OHHH!!" I bet our eyes are like shining stars right now, all while admiring the outdoor bath that looks just like you can imagine, and how it has been drilled into our minds by so many manga and anime to this point. Come on, there was at least one anime two seasons away that pretty much revolved around a haunted hot spring inn. Anyways, there was a big and blooming cherry tree at one side of it. Of course, at our sides you can see the place where one must clean themselves before entering. It even has mirrors, shampoo, and all of that. You know, the whole ''taking a bath before the bath'' thing. "There is even a sky here!" I say while looking beyond the tree, it was still morning outside, so it reflected that here. My plans of making a training field with a forest included are becoming more and more real. "Auros, come sit!" Says Nerinne excited while having a bar of soap in her hands. Oh! That means! IT HAS COME! ONE OF THE GLORIOUS EVENTS OF AN ONSEN IN ISEKAI!! THE HEROINE WASHING THE PROTAGONIST''S BACK!! NERINNE IS NODDING WHILE GIVING ME THE THUMBS UP AND IS REALLY HYPED UP!! BESTO GIRLFRIEND RIGHT THERE! I do as she says and waste no time in undoing my braid-bun, taking off my towel and going to her. She starts with water of course. I can feel it going slowly down my body. "Is it cold, dear~~?" "No, it is actually perfect." "Fufufu~~, let''s start with your hair then..." She washes my hair and even my horns softly and skillfully. It feels so relaxing... "You are the best Nerinne..." "Now, now, say that after this dear~~." "Hmm?! HMM?!" I feel two very soft things, like marshmallows, touching my back. I can also feel the soap making everything more slippery than normal. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. "Hnn!" Ah what cute moan she just made...so hot...so good... Washing the back of the protagonist with her body for even more fanservice...check! WaitI feel like she just made a sinister grin, but that is just my imagination, right? "Fufufu~~~do not worry, Auros. I shall clean you up completely." "Ahn!" H-Her hands suddenly reached for my breasts making me let that involuntary moan out and she is now cleaning them. Mmnn! Thoroughly! Hannnh! "Oh my! They sure are big! Fufufu~~." O-Obligatory girl on girl in onsen line, c-check! It feels "Mhnnn!" Good...so mmmhn good...like finally getting to scratch an itch... But her hands don''t stop there, oh no, she goes for my armpits too, thighs, belly...everything is cleaned thoroughly while I try to keep myself from moaning even more. "Ahhnn!!" Until she finishes... "Hah...hah...hah..." My breathing is heavy but at the same time I feel so light and sparkly clean... "My turn, Auros." She says so while sitting on the place beside me, all excited and giving me the soap. "With pleasure..." As I say that, I smile, get up and go towards her. "I shall show you the incredible technique that I have developed after having to do my sister''s hair all the time!" With that, I give her the best hair wash of her entire life. Oh, but of course that''s not all... "What you did to me, I will do to you..." I whisper on her ear while pressing my soap covered breasts on her back, my hands already reaching for other places. "Fufufu~~~, I am counting on it." ____________________________________________________ Another fanservice scene later... Hey, don''t complain, you can already imagine how it went without me narrating it! We have both entered the hot spring and are relaxing while sitting close to one another. "Fuuh...this is good..." "Indeed..." I look at my breasts and...ooh, they do float. Not in an exaggerate manner but they do. The wind is blowing and the sakura tree''s leaves are moving almost hypnotically while some of the flowers rain down gracefully onto the surface of the water. "This would be nice while playing a certain mobile game too..." I seriously need my fix... "Even more so with the new years event that just ended on the Japanese server..." Says Nerinne sighing...WAIT, WHAT?! BUT IT WAS STILL NOVEMBER WHEN I MET YOU! "Time flows differently in the divine realm and here, so two months and a half have passed over there, even if you only have been in Arte for three days, dear~~~." She says so while playing with two flowers that were on the surface of the water. "But that means...MY LOGIN BONUS!! THE BANNERS! THE LUCKY BAG!! THE OP UNITS I WAS WAITING FOR IN THE GLOBAL SERVER!! THE NEW JAPANESE CHAPTER AND THE BANNERS TOO!!" AAAAHHH, I MISS MY FRANCHISE COLLECTION!!! SCRATCH THAT!! I MISS MY ENTIRE COLLECTION!!! While I''m having this breakdown that has me at the verge of tears, she just grabs one of the flowers, puts it on my hair while making a cool expression and pulls my face close to hers. "Fufufufu~~~do not worry, Auros. I have been logging in on your accounts all this time, I also pulled on every banner and the lucky bag on both servers. I also got you out of resource scarcity on both accounts as a bonus. Congratulations, you are the proud owner of six new six stars in the global server and five in the Japanese server. One of those even has a limit-broken ultimate, but I am not telling you about the latter group because of spoilers." My eyes widen. Nerinne looks as if she is shining. This...is this what true love feels like? "I love you." "Fufufu~~~~, I know. But before you ask, no, you did not get a certain Mesoamerican goddess. Sharing you with other goddesses is a big no. Fictional or otherwise." *shudders* *gulp* "I love you." .... To be continued (cue author crying salty tears for not pulling any five stars in the banners of his own favorite gacha. Also, equal the love...equal the fear?) (P.S. Uncensored version of the illustration can be found in the discord server''s +18 commissioned art channel. Illustration made by LARH and sponsored by Ayth, Maid Paragon Patron and a dear member of the community). Here we have Sylvie! Just pardon the school uniform, the clothing selection is very limited... Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter and thank you for reading! Chapter 33: Surprising tastes? And a volcano learning about minerals. You know, back in my original world and country we had these things called underground rivers. They were famous places for relaxation and ''bathing'' too, so I''m no stranger to this pretty good feeling that the onsen is giving. "But there are some differences that make each experience special, right dear~~?" Yes, darling. Those were relaxing but not much else, while this here gives me an otaku level of satisfaction and the hot water is just perfect... I feel like I''m turning into mush... "Now, now, do not slide down like that or else you will be fully submerged in the water, Auros." "Ah, sorry..." I''m sitting properly, see? "And you, Nerinne? Your thoughts? After all, you were the one who asked me to make this place in the castle." Also, I shall rest my head on your chest now. Ah, this is the best... "It is quite fun and relaxing indeed...the hot spring water, the soft blow of the wind and the leaves dancing. All of that just makes you forget about your problems for a moment and clears your head. Not forgetting the couple bonding ''events'', as you say, we just had, fufu~~." But that''s not everything right? "Of course, I am eagerly waiting for the full onsen experience when Erevain and the others join us! The amusing things that happen where there are more people is something I want to see! The manga of the Contracted Companion Competition route showed one quite fun. Although, I am not concealing my identity like that fox maiden, but that is an interesting twist in and of itself." We are so lewd that we started holding hands without realizing it, heh. Fufu Huhu I like it when we laugh together like just now. Still, I wanted to try it out first with just the two of us so that you could be you in your free time. No masks and no characters to maintain. Just the two of us relaxing before entering the next ''chapter'' in our ''story'' and in my ''route''." "You can bet that I''m going to beat it so fully that we will arrive to the true end right away!" Although, it''s funny. "What, dear~~?" "We are going to do something quite serious, but I can''t wait to see this great fantasy capital and all it can offer." I should be like those ultra-serious isekai protagonists considering every single option and making a ridiculous amount of back up plans. But instead I''m here relaxing and hoping to have my own ''wow there are so much different people here!'' type of moment when we arrive there. EVEN IF I''M IN A FREAKING ISEKAI!! OF COURSE, THERE''S GOING TO BE OTHER RACES!! WHAT ELSE COULD I EXPECT?!! "Fufufu~~. Well, Auros, are you not the one who constantly says that defying common sense is a trait for characters in the same situation as you?" Of course, you can''t have an isekai without defying common sense. "Then it is fine, after all, you are indeed taking things seriously in your own way. There is no need to force yourself to go even further than that, even if that is what common sense dictates. Take it from me, a Goddess that got involved with an accident and ended up liking human fiction so much that she lost the track of time while playing videogames with the mortal she now loves. That is not what a Goddess is supposed to be based on common sense, fufufu~~." Yes, you are right, even more so when that certain Goddess ended up being a complete fan of Batty-hime and maid outfits. "What can I say? I really love all those laces and frills, even more how they move when fighting or the elegance they exude when in wait for orders. It is so amusingly cute. And Batty-hime, lets just say I identify myself with a certain aspect of her." I look upwards to her the moment she finishes saying that with a playful smile forming on my face. "Heh, don''t try to be coy, you are admitting that you indeed have ''modes'' like her ''princess mode'' and ''slouch mode''." Bingo, Nerinne''s cheeks are getting red, hehe. "Shush, I do not have those kinds of ''modes'', I just act accordingly depending on the situation..." She splashes a bit of water on my face as retribution. Bashful and cute. Nice "Oh yes, my dear Goddess, its just as you say. Hahaha." We splashed water to one another while laughing for some minutes, even if its not proper onsen etiquette to do so. It''s my castle. I''ll do what I want. Sue me. "Ah! That reminds me, I already have an idea of which look you are going to have when you arrive in the capital, fufufu~~." "Yes? Please tell me that I am getting the obligatory COOL black trench-cloak! A LOT of isekai protagonists have one! It should be expected for me to have one too, right? Maybe with some silver accents like a certain swordsboy who dares to take the title of a certain berserk swordsman?" YES, I SAID THAT. FIGHT ME! Although, I must confess that that series was a guilty pleasure of mine. What? My taste is trash, you say? It took you this long to realize that? OF COURSE, IT IS! HAHAHAHA! Well, besides my waifus franchise of course. Also, I said ''was'' because I CAN''T BRING MY COLLECTION OVER NO MATTER HOW FRIGGIN HARD I TRY!! "No, that is not as amusing as what I have in mind." That grin of yours... "Then what do you have prepared for me...?" Don''t try to cover that suspicious smile with the points of your fingers! It just makes it even more suspicious! "Gothic Lolita, of course. The full outfit, including underwear and accessories too. Oh, I cannot wait to see your reactions." "FUCK YES!!" "Eh?" ___________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in another place of the castle... "Sorry if it''s hot in here, kiddo!" Said Roxxy as she showed her smithy to her Masters daughter, Ilya. "Nn...Ilya is fine...with heat. Ilyalikes it..." "I see, that''s great!" The girl seemed like a ten-year-old with characteristics similar to those of a Dark Elf, but it was clear that she wasn''t one. Her ears were a bit longer than those found on elves but not as long as her fathers. On the other hand, her eyes were like her fathers, looking draconic in nature, but the color was a deep orange instead of gold. Her hair color was that of a fiery orange but had the same mystifying shine and apparent feel of her mother''s hair. Her skin was of an ashen brown color, which was rare among Dark Elves but not impossible to find, so that reinforced the idea of her being ''like'' a Dark Elf but not truly one. Her clothes were a purple long sleeved blouse with golden embroidery, a violet neckpiece that had a noble feel, a pure white long skirt that reached her knees and purple children boots. Still, you could say that she was the daughter of some Dark Elf noble and everyone would just nod in agreement. Even then, however, she was quite the strange child, even for Roxxy. Yes, even she who had grown deep in the northern parts of the Kyrie Kingdom and inside one of its greatest cities, one that was built inside a mountain by the many races who lived in the Kingdom, a city that was a melting pot for all kinds of peopleand their eventual mixed children. Nevertheless, any sense of caution or nervousness within her were thrown out of the window for two simple reasons. Her parents, the Goddess of Arte and the High Dragon Lord that was Roxxy''s Master, with just the first, one would have enough to just nod and go on with their day without a single problem. But with those two it instantly became a non-issue that didn''t take more than the initial introduction to forget about. The second and most important reason is quite simple, she was a child. ''I can only see a pure innocence in those eyes and the usual child-like curiosity.'' That is what Roxxy thought when she first saw her. In any case, the others quickly acknowledged her as the daughter of their new Master and decided to act accordingly. Although, since most of them grew up in families where siblings were common, their attitude was that of doting and trusty older siblings. Something that seemed to have a good effect on her, for her shy attitude went away with them. "Woahthis place seems to expand whenever I come here, and it hasn''t even been a week." Said one of the maids that came with Roxxy to help, her name was Max. Or at least a shorter version of her name that fit her newfound appearance. Her chestnut hair was done in a low-below-the shoulder ponytail that went along with her gentle demeanor. "Indeed, perhaps Master did it so that we could work more efficiently?" Said another maid, Josie. Her sky-blue hair was done in a braid bun, like her Masters, but instead of having bangs on both sides of her face she only had a bang on one. She seemed more serious and disciplined thanks to her glasses, but her voice always carried a certain curiosity within, like that of someone who enjoyed asking questions. "Aye, that is the most likely reason, and it helps, because Ilya here said that she had bigger ''stones'' and if my guess is correct, we''ll need the space." Said Roxxy who seemed completely accustomed to her now bigger smithy. That, or she easily adapted to different places. "Where...can Ilya put...them...?" The little girl asked with her usual monotone voice that was still thought of as cute among the maids. "Hmm, right here. Max, Josie, Patricia, clear out these tables please. I will bring the tools needed to process the materials." Said Roxxy as she pointed at an area that had many worktables but not much else. It was the part where she would place the weapons that she was giving maintenance to and such. At that moment though, that wasn''t useful since they would be processing a big quantity of materials and even then, the tables were just going to be moved elsewhere so there was no problem if they were to need them. "Thanks again for the help, Ilya! You really are a life saver! When we get the ingredients, I will make you some cookies. My family''s recipe, you''ll love them." Said the third maid that was called to help with the tables, Patricia, as she cheerfully smiled at Ilya. Her curly hair was dark brown and flowed freely. And just as her smile, she had a cheerful personality. "Ilya likes...to be of help. Ilya does not...know...what cookies...are, but Ilya...will be happy to...accept them... Patricia was surprised for a moment before such words, but she quickly did away with such emotion and smiled gently at the child who said them. "Oh dear, then we will need to make sure to correct that. Am I right?" She turned to her fellow maids as she finished saying that, and just like her, they too did away with their surprise and smiled gently at their Masters daughter who did not know of cookies. "Yeah, that is something that we have to do as knights and dependable older brothe" "Sisters." "*ahem*older sisters, ahaha" Max, embarrassed by her small mistake, one promptly corrected by Josie, scratched the back of her neck as she let out an equally embarrassed laugh. Shortly after that, Roxxy came back with the tools they would need. "It is very convenient that this place has as many sets of tools as there are persons in the castle." She said that as she put the tools on the now relocated tables, which were at a prudent distance from Ilya. "You can start kiddo! Everyone else, get over here." All the other maids that were in the smithy, and others that had been beaten by curiosity and were just outside the smity, moved besides Roxxy and watched with great interest what was about to happen. "Nn...Ilya will..." After she nodded and said that she put her hands together in the same manner that she did at the meeting and her hair lit up once more. Following that, her hands began to produce an orange glow, one that grew stronger as she separated them and pointed them at the empty space before her, with that glow extending and covering such space. Then, something happened that left everyone inside the smithy completely flabbergasted. Big chunks of Ebonice, Obsidian, Firestone, Sunstone, and Blaze Crystals appeared on the floor of such empty space with a loud *thud*. Surpassing, and breaking, everyone''s expectations. "Turn me into a maid and call me Roxxy...that piece of Ebonice is taller than me..." Mumbled said maid. "Not just the Ebonice...all of them are just as big..." Said Josie, her mouth still agape, as she tried to process what happened. "Yes, its really shocking, but I got to admit that it is incredible too. Ilya, you are incredible!" On the opposite side of things, Patricia quickly got over her shock and started cheering on Ilya. "I was thinking the same thing! Well done, Ilya!" Max followed Patricia in her cheering and even started clapping. As for Ilya, she was embarrassed by all the cheering and started to feel shy again, but then she remembered what her mother had taught her about manners. And so, she mustered all her strength, turned around and bowed as her mother had taught her, for that was the proper way to accept such gratitude. Even more, a small yet genuine smile appeared on her face as she did. ''Father...Mother...Ilya wants to keep helping...because it makes Ilya happy...'' Those were her thoughts at that moment. ______________________________________________________ After everyone finally got the shock out of their system and started to work on processing the materials, Roxxy noticed that Ilya was staring intently at everyone and saw a great curiosity in her eyes. "You can ask me whatever you want, kiddo. That''s the least I can do until I make you your hairpin." Said Roxxy with a smile as she worked with both hammer and chisel in hand for breaking down the large chunks of mineral into smaller, more manageable ones. Of course, it would take a normal person a lot of time, people and even tools to do so, but Roxxy was already aware of her augmented strength. But that wasnt the only thing that helped her do what she was doing, her tools were special too. They were not only a gift from her father, but they were also her familys heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation and they were made of Mithril. Said metal was only beaten by Adamantite and Titanotite, thus being the third strongest metal in Arte. As such, she truly had no problem at all. As for the other tools, they were made of a strange alloy that seemed like black steel, but Roxxy couldnt place it completely. ''Master surely knows.'' That was what she thought when she saw them for the first time. "Ilya wants...to know...these stones purpose..." Said Ilya with eyes that only a child could have. "Their purpose, huh? Well that is quite easy to answer, kiddo. Let''s start with this one." She pointed at the piece of Ebonice ore that she was working with before she continued. "Ebonice here, as it is called, is used in weapons, armor, home appliances, engineering and well, it is used to make stuff, strong stuff. If we focus on weapons and armor, it is called a medium-high level metal. That means that it is better than a lot of other metals, but there are also many metals better than this one. Think of it being like the middle brother in a family with three brothers." Nn. Ilya paid full attention to Roxxy, never breaking eye contact with her even as she nodded. "It is used to make weapons for those with magic from a certain element. Here is a little tip my pops taught me when I was your size. To guess the element just look at their color. If Ebonice is black, then the element is..." She paused, waiting for Ilya to answer. The girl closed her eyes, pondering for a moment, and then the answer came to her. "Darkness..." She said while making an excited expression, even if her tone was still monotone and her poker-face just managed to change a bit. "Hahaha, that''s right kiddo! Ebonice is only good with darkness and so, weapons made of it excel when enchanted with that type of magic." "Oooh..." "Don''t worry the others are even simpler. Well, except for one." Said Roxxy as she winked at Ilya before making a signal to Patricia who was handling the Obsidian processing, telling her to throw her a piece of it. "Obsidian also works well with darkness, but since it breaks more easily in battle it is used for arrowheads or throwing knives." She said so while breaking the piece she had in her hand. She was still surprised at how easy it was to do so now though... Then, she took a firestone out of the pockets that her maid outfit had and showed it to Ilya. "The firestone, as it is called, is a stone that holds the power of fire inside of it. Put it in a bracelet, a sword, a staff, a pan, and the power of the fire you cast will be augmented by the power of the stone." Nn. Roxxy stopped and waited for Ilya to nod, which she did. She was truly was earnestly paying attention and that made Roxxy quite happy as she enjoyed teaching her. The blacksmith then caught a sunstone that had been thrown by Max right after storing the other minerals in her pockets. "Sunstone. Now, sunstones are really pretty, don''t you think?" She said while showing off how its crevices and its shining core that made it look as if a sun had been engraved in it. All of that while letting Ilya touch it. "Yes..." "One would think that they would go well with the fire element because of the color of its core but let me tell you something fascinating. They actually go well with the earth and nature attributes." Confused, Ilya tilted her head and Roxxy smiled warmly after letting out an innocent chuckle. "Aye, it can be confusing and actually, that is what a lot of people thought until someone was able to prove something incredible. You see, its core has the same properties as the lava that comes from the burning mountains, but in a magical sense. Lava, when cooled and after some time has passed, becomes a rich soil where nature thrives. So, in the same way, nature and earth magic thrives with a sunstone." Ilya, who had started listening to Roxxys explanation still confused, was amazed by the end of it, to the point that smile once again appeared on her face. She even hugged the sunstone. "Ilya...understands...well...now..." "You are quite the fast learner, Ilya." Roxxy said proud of Ilya. She never imagined though, that she was talking to the personification of a burning mountain and how much that meant to her. "Last but not least, Blaze Crystals are the core or heart of shields, bows and swords for knights who use enchanting as part of their fighting style, like Mystic Knights or Mystic Rangers. But weapons with a crystal as its core can be quite common too when there is an Enchanter in a team. Both being the case with us. However, Blaze Crystals don''t have their own magic power like firestones, but they conduct it quite easily and the more clarity a crystal has the better. So..." Roxxy then grabbed one of the crystals that were already downsized and put it in front of her face, making it look distorted in a funny manner. "If you can see me that means...?" "That it is...better..." Said Ilya as she let out a small giggle. "Correct! Now, as for its uses. A Blaze Crystal works exceptionally well with fire hence the name, but it also works well with other elements the clearer it is. That is why we are going to use it with some of our swords, daggers, shields, and even bows. Want to see how those are made too?" Ilya nodded excited at Roxxy''s question. "Then go with Josie over there, she''ll be glad to show you. I''ll join you in a bit." Said Roxxy as she smiled at Ilya. "Nn...ok..." Ilya nodded and ran off to the part of the smithy where Josie was. "Truly, just a cute and curious kid. Let''s do our best to give her a peaceful world where she can grow up in." Declared Roxxy from the bottom of her heart. To be continued...(cue announcement for the seiyuus of the newly introduced maids. Who do you think they are?) Here we have Josie, Patricia and Max! Josie: Patricia: Max: Thank you for reading! The other maids will have their images revealed when they make their proper appearance in the story! Chapter 34: A Goddess’ request and Maid-Knights’ activities. "We really spent a good amount of time in the bath, huh?" I say that as I finish doing my braid-bun and adding the dark blue ribbon Nerinne just gave me. "Indeed, high noon has come quite quickly. More importantly, how do the new clothes feel, dear? Fufu~." Meanwhile, that same girlfriend of mine asks me that, clearly having enjoyed watching me change into the new clothes that she made and enjoying it even more now that I have them on. By the way, we are back in our private locker room. "This was one of the outfits I wanted to use since I got this body but the breeze..." I say so as I try to look down at my legs and the long navy-blue skirt that covers them, but my breasts are in the way. Yep, I cant see a thing, well, besides these bags of joys and dreams that are ever so tightly enclosed by a white long-sleeved blouse, one that folds in all the right places, pulling my attention to them, and the navy-blue ribbon that is on the blouses neck, its laces resting right on top my chest. As you may have already guessed, Im using one of the sets of casual clothes that my besto waifu used in her games. It still feels kind of weird to use a skirteven if using my bodysuit could be considered weirder. I sway around a bit and feel how the skirt moves along with me, fluttering and pulling my attention towards it... This breezy feeling is quite strange for me... My breasts jiggle a bit too as I move, but the bra I''m using helps with that. Even though this body already helps to keep them in place naturally. "Now, now. An outfit must be worn completely or not at all. That includes the underwear and the tights." "Yeah, I can see that perfectly." Nerinne is wearing a perfect reproduction of Batty-hime''s ''princess'' outfit. Its obvious, but she looks breathtakingly gorgeous. "Thank you. I could say the same thing about you though. Fufufu~~~." "Hmph! Of course I do! BESTO WAIFU''S BEAUTY IS AN ABSOLUTE TRUTH! SHE CAN EVEN MAKE A LLAMA ONESIE LOOK GOOD!" I spin around letting the skirt float up a bit and then I make a pose that goes accordingly with my statement, planting my feet on the floor, putting one hand on my hip, and the other one extended in front of me while making a v sign. Heck, I even use a bit of light magic behind to drive the point home. "Fufufu...hahahahaha...hahahahahaha...stop...haha...stop...please...hahaha" I know I''m making a smug smile right now since I''m pretty satisfied with myself. "Yes...haha...that is indeed how you are, Auros. And here I thought I was going to enjoy some of your embarrassed expressions." "Heh, sumanai, but I wasn''t planning on doing that. COSPLAYING WITH THIS BODY IS A MUST." We both laugh for a bit after I say that. This is really fun. "Although why am I wearing the OG casual set and not the more popular Gothic Lolita?" I tilt my head as I ask that, my bangs moving along with it. "Patience dear, it is a virtue in all worlds. That, and I wanted to save it for when you are in the capital. Do believe me, you will love it." I CAN''T WAIT!! _____________________________________________________ "Ok Sylvie, show me what you got!" Yes, Miss Kris!! With a shout like that our little fight starts, all while I have my hands behind my back. You could say that Im quite cocky and normally, thatd be a good excuse to start a good ol'' rumble but...! That is all a front. For today at least. After all, today I''m in charge of playiI mean, testing the greenies that our good Master recruited. Haah! Hya! Ha! The one who is swinging an axe and a knife at me without any technique is a villager, no, former villager, named Sylvie Lute. "Haha. You look like some crazy farmer." And the idiot who is acting quite confident because of our matching outfits is the other, more bothersome greenie, Sophie. You see, if the Goddess seems to be bullying you, then that means you made some shitty life choices and have a personality that goes along with it. Plus, being detected that quickly by Luca...shows you''re crap as a spy. Don''t worry though, I''ll straighten her up in no time, Goddess. That''s one of my specialties, heh. Seems like these thoughts made me grin at her because Sophie just got the chills. Good. "Hya! Ha! Kindly. Shut. Up! HAH!" Phew! She really is trying to land a hit on me, nice! She also managed to keep her eyes on me while being annoyed by Sophie, thats good too. As for her attacks, none are landing. Why? Well, you see, I''m quite nimble and I like to show it at every chance I get. I can easily dodge her attacks one after the other, even with my handicap. That is of course, part of my combat style. Before I looked like this, I used to be considered slow due to my size and choice of weapon. That misunderstanding was a huge advantage I decided to make use of back then. Also, carrying that thing around all the time helped make me even faster without it. And thanks to that, I can do this... "See? This is why I told you there was no problem in letting you use real weapons instead of dummies! You. Can''t. Hit. Me!" Evading all attacks while provoking them even more. Just imagine how irritated someone can get when they can''t hit the ''obviously slow'' person of the group. In Sylvie''s case, I want to see if she can fall for tricks like this when her opponent is the one doing it and not just someone else. More so, since provoking your opponent is quite a common tactic and she will surely face it a lot of times now that she is with us. "And. I. Didn''t. Expect. To. Do. So! HAH! HYA! [Woodcutter]!" "Oomph! Now that was a nice one Sylvie! So, you were saving that kind of skill, huh?" "Ha...ha...ha...even so, you dodged it, Miss Kris..." "Of course, but that was a nice straight line you traced with your axe." [Woodcutter] is obviously a wood cutting skill, and everyone who lived in a village or just cut a lot of logs for the fireplace will have it. I have it too. It makes cutting wood easier, faster, and more precise, but it can also be used in combat while using an axe. It does tire you out though since its not a true combat skill. The word Mika used was...calibrated? Hmmsomething like that. Still, she didn''t fall for my provocation and actually tried to do a feint with her knife before using it. Sylvie''s looking good. "I''m really...weak...then. Right...ha...Miss Kris?" "Hah? You''re still going on with the ignorant weak village girl thing? Take that crap out of your head." "Ouch! My forehead! Uuu..." Poking her head to reinforce my point sure is effective. See? I can debate just like Gabrielle. "Everyone is weak when they are just starting that''s like a law. Well...maybe Master didn''t, but she is a clear exception...but, in any case, even I wasn''t always like this, you know?" "Pffft...that''s an unders" "Sophie, shut it or I''ll rough you up when your turn comes." Heh, glaring at her sure works wonders. "..." I get why she was going to laugh though, but Sylvie doesn''t need to know that, and we are sure not the ones to tell her. "Yes, but..." "But what? Are you going to say that youre a village girl and that is why you and I are different?" And she just nods... I want to sigh so hard but that is Erevain''s thing. I get myself real close to her, putting my arm over her shoulder and all that. "Let me tell you a little secret. I''m also from one of the villages in the outskirts. You know what that means, Sylvie? Come on, tell me." "No way. You are so strong and beautiful on top of that! There is just no way!" Mu-mu-mu-mu! I''ll ignore that last part for the sake of my composure! "Ha! Your face! You really can''t believe me! But it''s true! Little fishing village in the south of the Kingdom and all the tedious routine that implies. So, again, what does that mean, Sylvie?" "That you were a village girl like me, Miss Kris." She is technically correct, but at the same time it feelswrong. "And?" But if it helps her, then that is a checkmark in my book! "That I can be like you if I train hard enough?" "The second half of that was great, the first onemmm not so much. If you train hard enough and believe me, you will, I''ll make sure of it, you will become strong. But it will be with your own type of strength." Good, she is getting motivated again. "From what I got now; you have the showings of a good fighting sense. You tried to do a feint followed by a hard-hitting skill. That is good. In terms of weapons, why not stick to that combination for now? It will help you establish some bases with things you are familiar with and then we will move up with other options. But that is just my advice, you can choose whether to follow it or not." Still, she is basically learning from zero, so I think it would be for the best if she sticks to those weapons. And I must admit that I saw the glimmer of a good axe wielder the moment she used that skill, so I''m also doing it for that. "I will follow it, Miss Kris! Please train me well!" "Wha?! What are you doing h-holding m-my hands like this?! I understand!" This girl! She acts way too friendly! "Heheh." "Also, stop calling me ''Miss Kris''! It''s just Kris or Instructor if you must..." "Okay, Kris!" She finally let go of my hands... "Sophie, you''re up and with you I''m not putting my hands on my back." "What?! But I didn''t say anything just like you told me!" "For one, you are supposed to have some training already. Two, I didn''t like you being so full of yourself just because you have the uniform." I take my stance and Sophie immediately takes some steps back. "Come on! Yes, it was training, but its not like the one you and the others had...! I mean you are...!" "What?" Seriously, this idiot. She is supposed to be a spy but she has this loose of a tongue... "Ah, shit." "Yes, that sums it up perfectly." I am really going to straighten her up. _________________________________________________ "This meat is quite delicious." Said Jules while wolfing down a steak with some potatoes and carrots mixed in. "To think that Master was such a fan of meat to the point of having so many different cuts of it. I still get surprised every time." Meanwhile, Louise cooked more food as she said that, and it was not just the one dish. There were many dishes being prepared at the same time and she attended to them all as if they were nothing. "Mhm...it has been a long time since I''ve seen you doing your thing in a kitchen, Louise. *chomp*" Jules finished with her current dish and started eating a new one, a soup with a light broth and various types of legumes. "Yes, cooking in the forest has its charm and I like a good challenge every once in a while, but...nothing beats a good kitchen and treating you all to a good meal." The memories of their stay in the forest resurfaced in her mind as she spoke, turning her smile into a heavy one. That caused Jules to stop eating and focus her sharp gaze on Louise instead. "Your food was delicious back there too and you helped us a lot, so don''t be too hard on yourself. Ensuring we always had three meals a day, even when we were low on supplies, is something that we are all grateful for. But not only that, seeing you make the best out of our situation kept a lot of us going." And as such words left her lips, Jules smiled warmly at her friend, making a certain heaviness go away. "You''re just saying that now because I look like this." As she said that, Louise put one of her hands on her hip and used the other one to show herself. Then she let out a small laugh. Jules did the same. "HahaI was being honest. Although, it is a welcome bonus that the recipient is a beautiful woman now." "Oh you! Dont try to be cool with me. Also, you are not getting double dishes again today." "Tch...heh." "Do perform well in the mission please, I want to taste Master''s cooking since she knows these ingredients better than me." Louise had been operating via educated guesses using her knowledge on ingredients of Arte and finding points in common with the ingredients found in the castle''s kitchen. Things like potatoes and carrots were easy to identify, as well as meat, but other things were difficult to her. So, she was glad when ingredients she knew started appearing in the kitchen storage. "I will, my gut is telling me that Master can show me a whole new world of food." Her eyes shined as she drooled at the prospect of tasting such foods. "Hahaha, you never change." Louise made a full smile and got back to her cooking. _________________________________________________ "Did you make any progress?" Asked Allegra to Luca with a concerned smile, like the one an older sibling would have as they help their younger sibling with something. They were in Luca''s room, sitting on the bed side by side. "...not...so much..." Luca shook her head while looking downwards. Her hair moved accordingly showing a bit of her eyes. Then she tried to hide her face by cradling her arms around her knees. "Hmm...that is fine, dont worry. You just have to keep taking those little steps and you will be able to talk with other people normally." Said Allegra while patting Luca on her head, startling her. "...!" "I can''t imagine how it is like to have so much to talk about to the point that it makes you unable to speak well with others, but I can understand having something to overcome. And what do we do about it?" Allegra turned her face towards hers, even if Luca was still hiding it. "..." At first there was only silence, but Allegra waited patiently, as she always does with Luca. "...we keep...trying our best!" Luca raised her head as she said that with everything she had, and Allegra smiled warmly. "Exactly." "Allegra..." "Yes?" "Let''s be...useful to...Master." "Of course." They both nodded at each other. "Besides, with our cuteness victory is assured. We will claim Master''s reward without a problem." "Huh?! W-wha..?! I-I''m not...cute...!" "Mhmm, yes you are." Luca started ''hitting'' Allegra while completely flustered. Meanwhile, Allegra ''defended'' herself from such ''attack'' as she laughed. _____________________________________________________ The day passed quickly giving way to the night and its stars. Almost everyone was in their rooms, either sleeping or just resting. But not all. Some tried to assault the kitchen, only to be met with disappointment and the presence of Louise, who seemed to appear out of nowhere to guard it. And others trained, gave maintenance to their equipment, or simply prepared for their upcoming mission. But one place in the castle shined the brightest that night. It was the smithy. The sounds of the work being done filled its walls, with only one person being responsible for it. Roxxy. She was doing the carriage''s maintenance while thinking of the weapons she would start forging after it. "I could put some Blaze Crystals in Luca''s new daggers now and that way she can go to the capital with new weapons. But...I could wait until Gabrielle and her group get the Shadow Crystals and that way Luca could get a much better weapon overall...what to do? What to do? Hmmm" After she murmured that to herself, she put her hand on her chin and kept pondering. At least until she was interrupted. "That is quite the conundrum you have there, Roxxy." "...!" Indeed, she had been so focused on her own thoughts that she couldnt help but get startled at the voice that suddenly replied to her. But there was no way she wouldn''t recognize whom the voice belonged to. "G-Goddess! I''m sorry, I didn''t notice you coming in!" "Fufufu~~. Do not worry, I was just on my nightly stroll through the castle and I got curious when I saw the lights on. And please, its Nerinne." "I-I...aye...sorry, it''s just difficult to do that, but could we compromise on Miss Nerinne for now?" Roxxy scratched her head out of nervousness but breathed a sigh of relief the moment Nerinne nodded. "That is a good start. Thank you, Roxxy." She smiled at Roxxy in a satisfied and innocent manner. Such a compromise meant a lot to her, after all. Meanwhile, Roxxy seemed to want to say something but didnt know how. "I believe you are asking yourself what you can do for me. Am I right?" ! Roxxy''s eyes widened for a moment and then she nodded. "Aye...I will do my best fulfill it." "Perfect, because I was curious if you do requests." "Eh?" Roxxy was dumbfounded by what Nerinne said and all that it implied. "I want you to put this..." She said so as she took out a lock of her hair that she had previously cut through unknown means, at least unknown to Roxxy, and put it on a table nearby. "...in the weapons you forge for everyone. This will let them grow in power with all of you. And while they will not be holy, they will be blessed. Can you do it?" Roxxy was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by the request of the Goddess before her. The implications of using the Goddess hair as material for the weapons, with it being a question of should instead of could. The mere question of how to actually handle it. Those thoughts appeared on her mind one after the other. But then something else came, another thought, the result of actually going through with it. One that resulted in a question. What kind of weapon could be born from it? That question alone silenced the others. It nurtured a feeling that every living being had. Curiosity. Even more so, her curiosity as a blacksmith. Roxxy wanted to know that. She wanted to see what was at the end of the tunnel that was suddenly in front of her. This was a chance that only very few have had in their lives if the legends were true. And she was at the starting line of one of such legends. As such, her heart already screamed the answer to her and her hands trembled in excitement, reinforcing such answer. Thus, she knew what she had to do. Roxxy then mustered all her strength to give the Goddess an answer. "I wouldn''t be able to keep calling myself a blacksmith if I rejected the request of my life. I''ll do it." "Excellent. Thank you very much, Roxxy. For this and for taking care of Ilya. She told me she had a lot of fun." Nerinne smiled fully as she spoke, not as a Goddess, pleased with her request being heeded, but as a person and a mother. Something that made Roxxy relax around her, at least a bit more. "Nay, thank you, Miss Nerinne. For your trust and I vow to not disappoint you." Said Roxxy as she knelt like the knight she was too. And so, another night passed. To be continued...(cue the next illustration commissioned by one of our Maid-Paragons in Patreon, Schoookie, and made by LARH. After all, our adorable volcano deserves her goodnight kiss!) Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982, Anon 3, Aravir, Big Ounce, Anon4, Thistles Dragon, Cinder, and Salinthrous! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 35: The day has come! To the capital! *Yawn* "M?om...m?om...sleepy..." Ah...good morning everyone...did you sleep well? No? Too much backlogged anime or mango? You lucky bastards... In my case, as you can see, I''m just waking up, so I''m sorry if I sound a bit...sleepy still... No fanservice though...I''m wearing a besto waifu shirt and black panties right now... Hmm...well, that counts as fanservice I guess? Also, I just noticed but there''s some weight on my chest... Haha no, I''m not talking about my breasts. "Hmm?" "zzz...father...soft...zzz..." So cute...Ilya is using my chest as a pillow... I can''t possibly think of moving right now... Nerinne is holding my arm too...I''m pretty much trapped unless I want to experience divine punishment... But you know? Waking up and being like this, it''s not that bad. One beautiful girlfriend to my side, one cute little daughter on top of me and me with besto waifu''s appearance...well technically it''s my appearance now, but you get the point. Life is good. Still, today is the day, right? We''re leaving for the capital of the Kyrie Kingdom, which is Erevain''s home and where she will have to confront the sickness that is hurting her land. So isekai. It will take us 5 days to get there using the carriage. Of course, I look forward to whatever is going to happen while were on the road. Maybe a merchant being attacked by maids? I-I mean, bandits. Yes, bandits. Hahaha, I guess I''m still more sleepy than up... Or perhaps we''ll encounter a Princess in need of help? Maybe an envoy from another country? The isekai possibilities are as limitless as there are isekai web novels online! Although, I don''t think we''ll have every single type of encounter on our journey. And I totally didn''t raise a flag just now. "Oh, but you did, my dear~~~." "...!" G-Good morning, d-darling! S-Since when did you wake up? "My, you know, it is a bit difficult to stay asleep when you can hear the thoughts of someone who seems to be aware of what happens, but still shouts in her monologue. Fufufu~~~, guess who?" D-da-darling...I-I think that it is too early in the morning to be making that kind of scary and me-menacing face...! "Hmm?" A-also...you wouldn''t want to wake up our little girl, right? "Hmmm?" I-I love you? "Hmmmm?" I-It was me...sorry? "Divine Chop!" OUUUUCH!! "Don''t move or you''ll wake up Ilya dear~~~." BUT YOU JUST SHOUTED! Wa-wait..! No more! OW! OW! OW! IT HURTS! I''m even getting teary eyed... "Now, now, there''s still some hours until daybreak so try to sleep a bit more or at least think more silently." B-but how could I do that? I''m supposed to narrate... "Just click on skip then...zzz..." And she''s back asleep just like that...this goddess... Guess I''ll do that then? Skip. ______________________________________________________ "Good morning, My Lord. I hope you had a good rest." "As much as I could...and good morning to you too, Erevain." I managed to sneak out of the room thanks to Ilya moving and Im now outside. Of course, I cleaned myself in my personal bathroom before. You can already imagine what happened when I saw myself in the mirror using the clothes that Nerinne made for me yesterday. Erevain seemed pleasantly surprised by my attire too, to the point where she turned a bit red when she first saw me, but it seems that she is not going to tell me her thoughts. Perhaps it''s just a crush or something deeper...did I start her route too? What? Stop acting like a dense brainless harem mc? Ha! You got me there! Yeah, after that night I''m sure I started her route but even then, she must tell me. I do like her though so there''s that. Nerinne seems to like her too, I meanshe encouraged the whole thing. By the way, we are walking to the dining hall for some breakfast. "Anything to report?" I ask with my usual tone. Man, not even a week has passed, and I already do it unconsciously. Perhaps I unlocked a new skill? "Sylvie showed the signs of someone apt with axes and a knife, but otherwise, she needs to learn the basics. Sophie, on the other hand, has proper training with a short sword and a dagger, but she is not at a satisfactory level. Still, Kris shall be training both in those aspects before moving on to magical training, which Mika and Josie shall oversee. Umu. "Next, the processing of the recently obtained materials is going smoothly and Roxxy is already making schematics for the new weapons. She told me that it is likely that she shall start working on the first ones by tomorrow. Lastly, the carriage''s maintenance was finished overnight, so it is ready to go." Wow, she is fast, like really fast. I wonder if she wants to taste my food that badly or something else motivated her. "Good. There shall be a reward for her efficient job performance." More than pleasantly surprised, Im impressed and my tone while saying that reflects that. "She has been crafting weapons for us since the beginning, so I can attest to such performance, My Lord. And, if I may speak my thoughts freely, I would hazard that the chance to work with such great quality materials is reward enough for her." Yeah, I can totally get behind that. I mean, there was an occasion when I had to travel to Japan because of work and on my vacation time. I''m sure a lot of people would be mad at that, but for me it felt like I had pulled five SSRs in the same ten pull. My boss did apologize, though. He did so by reimbursing me my lost vacation days and letting me stay a few more days in Japan. So, I must follow his footsteps! I hope you are doing fine, boss! "That may be true, but a job well done deserves an appropriate reward. That is only fair. Any advice on what a good reward for her could be, Erevain?" Erevain seems to ponder a bit and then nods. "Then something from her birthplace would suffice. She...no, everyone, has been separated from those places for years now. That would surely serve My Lord''s purpose." I raise both of my eyebrows hearing about that. That''s...its easy to forget with how they act now, but they were exiled and lived in that forest thinking they would never be able to go home for such a long time Yeah, that works. "...that is a perfect idea Erevain. That could very well be the best reward we can give them in this moment." She widens her eyes a bit and then I can perceive a faint smile on her face. "Am I right in assuming that the capital would have those ''somethings'' from everyones birthplaces? If so, add them to a separate list of things to be procured but only us shall manage that." "It is as you assume, My Lord. And, of course, I will arrange it so." Hmmthis is a perfect moment for a push on her route. "It shall be our secret then." I combo that with a cool smile aaand...we have a blushed face! "Y-Yes, My lord..." Such a cute and bashful expression...it needs a good finish. "Erevain, with you at my side we will be able to accomplish many things. You are as dependable as you are gorgeous. Thank you." "...!" There she goes, red as a tomato! Doki, doki, heartbeat for you! "N-Not as breathtaking as you...My lord...in so many ways..." "...!!" That''s...! Doki, doki for me too...?! And with less words?! Am I that weak at this?! Ah...I''m red now huh... Well played, Erevain. Well played... As if! I-It''s a tie this time! And so, we entered the dining hall as two tomatoes. ______________________________________________ Some hours after that, Nerinne, Ilya and the maids were waiting for us in the newly created garden. I spent a good part of yesterday making said garden after the bath and let me tell you, creating a garden is freaking hard... Nerinne had to help me and it turned into a nice couple activity. Oh well, it also ended up being a good first step towards the forest floor I want to make so that is nice too. Anyways, it is time. The carriage we are going to use is a modified version of one that moves without the need of horses via magic and its ready for travel. The planning and preparations are all done. All that we need now to start this new journey is the totally expected speech. Get on with it? Ok, ok, you don''t have to be that impatient, you know? Let''s channel a bit of besto waifu here along with some of me. "Just a few days ago, none of you would have thought that youd be able to return to the Kingdom you swore to protect. A vow that all of you still maintain even after said Kingdom turned its back on you and now it is time to make good on that vow. We shall punish those who have betrayed your Kingdom and hurt your people. We will bring ruin to the plans of the Dragon Lord that is behind everything and we will show them that their foolish supremacy is no more, that they can be defeated, that they will be defeated." Oof...how about that? """"""YES, MY MASTER!""""""" Every Maid-Knight stand firm and proud while putting their right hand where their heart is as they exclaim that in unison. With a nod I give the word to Erevain and she steps forward from the formation before turning around to face her subordinates, her friends. "Everyone already has their tasks and responsibilities. I trust that each of you will perform them to the utmost of your abilities as it is expected, be it at the capital or here in the castle. We have taken the name of the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will. Let us show to those heroes that we are worthy of it! For our people! For our Master! For the Goddess!" """"""YES, LEADER!""""" They again answer with the same force, even Sylvie and Sophie are doing it with a genuine feeling. I look at my side and I smile at the Goddess who became my lover, my heroine. It''s your turn, Nerinne. She smiles back at me. "I shall be quick. For those who are leaving, punish those who can no longer be redeemed and do help those who can, but most important of all, win and return safely. For those who are staying, prepare for the battle that is to come, train hard but also take care of your bodies and minds. And never forget that you are not alone, I am here with all of you. But make no mistake my people of Arte, this is your story and you are the only ones who can end what threatens its future." """"""YES, MISS NERINNE."""""" Wow! What did I miss? No ''Goddess''? They are smiling. Ah...I see, this is their way of saying thanks to her for the chance of helping their land as knights once more. Roxxy''s smile is bigger than the rest though, so she is the one behind this, huh. Instinct tells me she is. Oh. You are getting teary eyed Nerinne. "Yes, I want to go and hug them but..." But what? Just do it. "I AM SO HAPPY! UWAAAA...!" """""Eh?""""" Aaand she did. My darling is a real softy, heh. Oh! A cute little someone is pulling at my skirt. "Father...take...care. Ilya...will...protect...home...and stone. So...don''t worry..." CU-CUTEEEEE!! I''M SO PROUD OF HER! "That''s my daughter! I will be back with a lot of gifts for you and of course, I will take care. Nothing will separate me from my cute Ilya! Never! I love you, Ilya." "Nn...Ilya...loves father too..." ______________________________________________________________ One teleportation away to the main road. We are now inside the carriage and on route to the capital. Sophie volunteered to be the driver almost immediately, so she is now in the driver seat outside. Ah, I forgot to mention another little tidbit about the carriage. I enchanted it with my spatial magic and so, its bigger on the inside than on the outside. That way we can all be more comfortable and not worry about space. "My Lord." "Yes, Erevain?" "As I promised, I believe this is the perfect time to tell you my, no, our story. Of course, if you so wish, My Lord. "Hmph, be done with it then." FREAKING FINALLY! To be continued...(cue new opening by Aimer?! Wuuuut?!! Also remember that when the flashback starts all the maids'' looks and names will be reverted to how they were before Auros used her skill on them. Some names might have slight alterations, but you will know who''s who since most of them have some really neutral names, female versions of male names, and others are just the short version of their names. For example: Lucyel=Lucy, Eric=Erica) Chapter 36: Once upon a time in the Kyrie Kingdom part 1. FREAKING FINALLY!! FLASHBACK TIME!!! Even Gabrielle and Bertia have ''It''s about time'' written all over their faces. Meanwhile, everyone else has an approving expression. "Now, that makes for an exciting story while traveling, yes!" Says Lucy with a big smile and a spirited tone, but Mika is looking at her quite reproachfully. "How can you say that? What happened to our Leader and us was terrible." "Hahaha, lighten up, Mika! Yeah, sure, it was all of that, but if that never happened, we wouldn''t have met our dear Lady Auros over there. Let alone talk with Miss Nerinne. So, it balances out, don''t you think?" And she winked at me again when she mentioned me, charming, aren''t you? Heh. "Y-Yes, I guess so, but still..." Mika, you don''t have to hold back on your words. That should be easy to understand since I''m not reprimanding Lucy for her familiar tone and so on. Come on! You are supposed to be the studious type! "Besides, it has many things in common with those novels you used to lend me, you know? Drama, action, suspense, tragedy, and if I may, likable characters!" "It may have all of that but...! You can''t compare it to those novels! You need to learn the difference between fiction and reality, or risk being called worse things than stupid!" Oi. Mika. That hurts. I can already imagine Nerinne rolling on the floor while laughing... I need to say something but... "*chuckle*Lucy might be right, Mika. It does resemble one of those stories you can find in bookshops." ...Erevain beats me to it. Her smile has a bit of nostalgia mixed in. "I-I''m sorry Leader is just that..." "I understand Mika. Do not worry." "I...very well, Leader." With that Mika stands down, but now she is being teased by Lucy with her telling Mika that it is her win and so, our bespectacled maid is pouting because of that. "Now, yes, this is the story of our circumstances as a group and mine as a person. It all started five years ago..." 5 years?! That''s how long they had been living where I found them?! ___________________________________________________ We were returning to the capital after completing a subjugation quest deep in the mountain range or the Titan''s Rest as how it is called in the Kingdom. At that time, we were a Knights Order called the Swords of Dawn'', and just like the other orders in the Kingdom, it was our responsibility to protect it and its people from many threats. Some being dungeons, monsters, beasts, or expeditionary forces of the Draconic Army. We also delivered supplies to those affected by famine, medicines to those affected by sickness and relief to those affected by natural disasters. And I was the one who led the Swords of Dawn. IErevain vi Kyrie, crown prince of the Kyrie Kingdom. Or that is what my name used to be. In any case, there was always a festival whenever we returned to the capital. You could see the faces of joy that the citizens had while thanking us in the name of their relatives that we had saved or for one of our deeds. Saying that I was just doing my duty as both a knight and the crown prince would be lie, for seeing my people happy brought happiness to me too. __________________________________________________ Those festivals also gave us a chance to relax after a quest. Although some of us relaxed a bit too much, like Kris, who was Kristoff back then. If it is alright with everyone, I shall use those names for the story. "Man, what a lively mood. It makes me want to get off the horse and hit the bar! Who''s with me?!" "You will do that when and only after we report to the King, Kristoff. Even then, you must pay Roxxargueraffe for the armor you just ruined. Seriouslybreaking formation and launching yourself at the mutated manticore. What were you thinking?" "Hey! Cut me some slack, lil'' Eric! I did manage to cut that thing''s head off! That''s something, right?! If I pay, I might not have enough coin to get drunk! Prince! My friend! Please!" "HaaaKristoff, that is the third armor you have ruined in just this month. Even if we are funded by the national budget, plus my own funds, there is a limit to how much armors made from top materials we can issue before it starts affecting the Order. Consider this a lesson in taking better care of your things, my friend." "Butbut...!" "Think of it this way, no broken armor means more coin to chug away. See? Easy to understand even for you, right?" "Who told you to butt-in, Gabriel?! Are you saying I''m stupid?" "Oh Goddess, no, of course not, Kristoff. What gave you that idea? Ohohoho!" "Stop it with that creepy laugh!!! You!! Forgettable-looking sucker!!!" "That''s funny coming from a muscle headed drunk!!!" "Those two...they rarely act composed with one another, right, Prince Erevain?" "Leave them be, Eric. That is how they have always been since our days in the academy. You should know that well." "Indeed, I suppose some things just do not change." And sometimes, Eric, things are fine like that. Yesthat was the kind of back and forth they always had, for better or for worse. Even from the beginning. I have known Kristoff and Gabriel since our time in the Royal Academy. And while I do not remember well who started it, I first met them as they were fighting each other. That time I tried to stop them as it was the very first day of the course, but it ended up turning into a three way fight soon after Kristoffpunched me in the face. I am ashamed to say this butI could not hold back after that. After some time, the guards tried to intervene too, but my parents stopped them as they were impressed with the two seemingly unknown young men who were not only able to keep up with me, but also put pressure on me in a fight. The fight lasted a couple of hours, with the three of us refusing to give in despite the state in which we were. Hehwe became friends, comrades, and rivals shortly after that. But there was someone else there, someone who had tried to join and aid me but was unable to. Eric. He was and still is, the youngest of all of us. But he has been with me through everything. Formally he was one of my personal attendants, but I consider him a close friend and a third younger sibling. He was quite capable despite his age. But I digress. Those festivals always had this nostalgic effect on us, except for one, Luca. "Luca is no longer here right, Eric?" "Yes, Prince. Still, he managed to stay with us half of the way." "Good, we have come a long way since the times he vanished the moment we entered the capital." "It must be Allegro''s influence, Prince." "Indeed." Back then, I did not know much about him, even with my resources. One day he just appeared in my office with enough evidence to put a noble in prison for the murder of another noble. I remember thinking that he seemed to have high enough education to be the son of said noble, but there was no evidence of it and him being his servant was certainly another possibility. That is until the subject of his expertise in stealth, infiltration and scouting came up into the conversation. I posited that it would still make sense if that noble oversaw land that would help in training his scouting abilities specifically, but they did not. Making Lucas origins quite the mystery at that time. Regardless of not being good with conversations and with people in general. Him joining us was his way of repaying me for acting on his behalf and imprisoning said murderer. And if I may say this, I was, and still am, happy to see that Lucas condition had been improving at a slow but sure pace after he joined us. Specially with the help of another member of our order. Thanks to that, it did not take long for Luca to become a full-fledged member of the order. Ahapologies, My Lord. It seems I veered off again. "The Royal Palace is in sight, Prince Erevain." "Yes. Yes, it is, Eric." In any case, if you were to ask any person that has been in the capital at least once, then you will most likely hear them say that all paths lead to the Royal Palace, and they are correct. Every single main street in the capital leads to the Royal Palace, which is at the very center at the city, making traversal through it fast and simple. As it should be. That is the place where those that keep the Kingdom going were, those who belong to the different departments of state, and I have a strong feeling that they still are there. Even if things might bedifferent in other ways. It is also the place where the King and the royal court shape the future of our people. Its beauty can only be equaled by the cathedral at its side. The place where my family lives orlived. Where I grew up. My home. _____________________________________________________ "The Swords of Dawn have successfully returned from their Manticore subjugation!" As always, we were welcomed into the throne room by the voice of the announcer and the Royal Knights who opened the throne rooms great doors at the same time. There, commoners, nobles of different ranks and the royal court, all waited for us to present ourselves before him. Before my father, Raphael Gert vi Kyrie. He had been a man of great feats in the Draconic Front and it showed in his physique. His glare when angered would make his foes stop in their tracks, not even monsters were immune to it. Many said that I inherited that trait, one that stayed affixed on me...even if they thought that I could not hear them. It may have created a complex within me, but there was so much work to do that thinking about it then was just a practice in wasting time. "My King, we have returned." We all knelt before him as it was expected, of course. Yes, even me, for I will always be a knight first and a prince second. Present circumstances notwithstanding. "Rise and be welcome, Swords of Dawn." Still, his words may have been the words of a King, but as we raised ourselves and I exchanged glances with him, I could tell what he really meant at that moment. Hewas glad that I had returned safely. He would then discretely shift his gaze to the throne beside his, as if telling its owner of my safe return. As if telling my Mother, Theresa vi Kyrie, the one who was Queen Regent until her untimely death due to sickness. Not only my father wept that day but the whole Kingdom and the nations did. That day Idid not just lose a Mother, nor the Kingdom a Queen, but the world lost a Hero. One that saved hundreds of thousands from the attack of a still unknown Dragon Lord. Sheshielded the entirety of a country''s capital from a cataclysmic attack with her Moon Light magic and reflected it back to its sender, ending the battle. Even if it came at the cost of herself retiring from the battlefields and the sickness that came as a side-effect of such a feat She had a gentle heart and an iron fist that she used to protect not only her people, but the innocent at large. Some even called her a Saintess. That was my Mother. "We have successfully subjugated the mutated manticore specimen that had been laying waste to the villages in the west." "As expected, and I can see that the only price it took was one armor..." At the time I could swear that my father already expected such a result by just seeing how unsurprised he was as he glanced at Kristoff while handling his beard. "...!" Something that had an immediate effect on Kristoff. Still, it was not as if my friend had been reckless. "Indeed, but that was a decisive action taken by his experience. Which led to him landing the decisive blow and decapitating said manticore." "Are you sure, Crown Prince?" "Indeed, My King. It is as I say." "Very well, I trust you already made proper arrangements." My father knew Kristoffs capabilities well as he used to be his combat instructor when we were in the academy, so he knew that I was not lying, but he still seemed to scold him with his gaze. And the strongest warrior in the order, at least arguably, could only try and shy away from his Kings eyes, as if scared of them. "Of course." "Then, let us continue with this meeting. Hilde." I mentioned my father sitting on his throne with no one by his side before, but there was someone behind him. The woman he beckoned then. "Yes, My King." Hilde Val, a prodigy that rose through the ranks of the Kingdom and became the second advisor to the King with such unparalleled intellect. Alchemy, arcane engineering, and social development, those were her specialties, all perfect to nurture the Kingdom in so many ways. Ways that brought better living conditions for everyone, from potions used to strengthen crops, to more efficient sewage systems and much better water purification enchantments. All by her hand. Along with that, her beauty seemed to pull many people towards her. Some described her as the morning sun due to her hair having that same color and her generally warm attitude towards anyone. If a child asked her about something, anything, she would earnestly look for the best answer to their question through teaching. She was, for all intents and purposes, an outstanding person. To the point that rumors of her being engaged with me never stopped appearing, but alas, I was not interested in such things at the time. Besides my preferences for a partner falling somewhere similar yet still somewhere else, there was too much work to do to even consider taking seriously those rumblings or propose something like that. Those people should have worked more if they had that much time on their hands. "There is a public health project I am working on that needs the poison glands that are inside the manticore''s tail, if intact it could mean that the project could be completed and implemented in four years instead of eight. Crown Prince, I ask of you. Have you managed to obtain its tail undamaged?" She was not exaggerating when she spoke of cutting in half the development time of one of her projects, because in her case, everything was calculated to that point. "It is not only intact, but it was already processed with the greatest of care by the best people in my Order. Gabriel, Allegro, you may present her the materials she asks for." Back then we used special storage bags enchanted with spatial magic to carry important materials and in that occasion, it was not different. And as a second layer of protection, said materials were in flasks enchanted with conservation magic. As such, presenting them to her went smoothly. "This tail...it is perfectly dissected. The glands have been extracted but are intact and in perfect condition. The poison too. Impressive. This work alone has saved me precious time, how can I repay you both?" Even with her fame, both of my men were surprised at hearing those words then. After all, they knew that asking for a reward beyond their salary was an offense to their duty as knights, but there was nothing they could do before the earnest Hilde. They simply had no choice in the matter. Even then, they turned to me for approval which I gave. "Then, I would ask for books on alchemy, for I want to expand the methods I have available to heal the body when and if my magic fails." I already knew about Gabriels request by then, since he had indeed been reading books on alchemy and asking Allegro about the subject in a few of our journeys and his free time. Even more I was planning on procuring more of such books for him, since him becoming a better healer all-around was beneficial to all of us. "Granted, please come to my lab later. I shall give you various tomes that will prove useful to you, I will also provide you with a portable alchemy set." And as always, Hilde went above and beyond with her response. "Then, what about you, Meister Allegro?" "Can I ask for a small sample of the mutated manticore''s poison? It would be useful for my own research." "Granted. I have always appreciated your cooperation when it comes to the study of poison, I only ask of you to share any data you obtain as well as your thoughts about this one in particular and I shall do the same. I also have come around some new detoxifying agents that you might find interesting, I will add a batch of those as well." "Much appreciated, Arch Meister Hilde. And of course, you will be the first one to receive the report plus my notes." Even then, there was a subtle difference in her tone every time she talked with Allegro. It was a certain type of respect, one only reserved for one''s peers and she considered Allegro as one, even if he was an academic rank lower than her. The reason for it can be illustrated with the inverse of the saying ''too much of a medicine becomes a poison''. Many medicines in the Kingdom were developed with the help of poison in at least some stage. That was why Allegro''s various papers regarding the study of various poisons, their treatment, and their uses became integral in the research and development of new and improved medicines. It was also not strange for Allegro to leave our headquarters after being summoned by Hilde who needed his expertise. Even then, Allegro decided to join our order with an active role in the field instead of progressing his academical career. He was, and still is, not only useful as a scout, but he also helps Luca and is adept at processing monster materials and ingredients. "The rest of the manticore shall be distributed following the appropriate protocol as always." Said protocol involved one of us, Eric at that moment, with providing the one in charge of receiving the materials with the storage where we had them and, if already processed, they would take them to either be valued and sold, or used in crafting and research. "If you are finished, Hilde, we shall pass to more urgent matters." I could see it in his face as Hilde went back to stand behind him, he had news to give, bad news. "While the Swords of Dawn were away on their quest, I have received reports of a Draconian expeditionary force. This time their objective is the capital. Worst of all, their advance has been unimpeded and fast. A siege is on the horizon." I can remember every single detail of that moment. Those in the throne room who were ignorant of such a thing let out gasps, equally surprised and fearful. The tension was almost palpable. And I knew what I had to do. We all did. "Then we shall be the ones spearheading the defense force, My King." There was no doubt in my voice, that was our duty after all. But in hindsight, that could be considered the first step towards my downfall. To be continued...(cue more seiyuu''s announcements for the new characters!? Waittheres someone familiar here) Chapter 37: Once upon a little brother in the Kyrie Kingdom part 2. "Then this shall be all. Let us all resume our duties." The tension in the throne room did not leave even as my father made his exit. But that was to be expected, draconian forces were coming then and that was not going to change. Still, it was not like fear had paralyzed those at the top of the country, not all. They all had their roles and they stuck to them as everyone started to prepare. We also had our role butit was also one that needed us at our best. And so, I dismissed my subordinates so that they could rest after the long journey we had just returned from. But they did not do so before relieving some of the tension that was in my heart. "Where do you think you are going, Kristoff? Leave sneaking around to those who are not walking muscles." "Please Kristoff, don''t make us have to carry you to the forge." "Wha?! When did you?! Oi! Let me go!" First it was Kristoff and his failed attempt at sneakily running off without paying his dues. One that was frustrated by both Gabriel and Bertiam, as they grabbed him from the back of his neck and dragged him to Roxxagueraffe''s forge. "I''m off, Prince. Do not worry, I shall find Luca." The second was Allegro leaving to search for Luca. Yessometimes some routine is what the heart needs. The rest went either to our headquarters or their own homes there in the capital. Meanwhile, Eric and I went deeper into the palace. "Let us go, Eric. I want to speak with my Father in private." "Yes, Prince." Hm? I seem nostalgic? Is that so, My Lord? Then I suppose that I cannot help but feel like that even by the remembrance of walking through those halls filled with memories. Just as I felt every time that I returned to the palace. Many people who worked there would greet me and I would do so in kind as I walked in the company of Eric. There were many that had been there since I was a child, but there were also others who were recent additions to the palaces workforce. "The gardens are blooming nicely, My Prince." "Indeed, they are, we are lucky to have arrived at this time to see them. The people in charge of them should be proud." That time we even stopped for a moment to admire the sight that were the gardens, for the walls on our right gave way to arcs that let us bask in it. Colors such as vibrant reds, soothing blues, warm yellows and stimulating purples could be seen in it, along with the expected greens. And at its center lied a fountain encircled by moonlight roses, my mother''s favorite flowers. They bloom on nights when the full moon adorns the sky and baths the ground with its silvery light, hence the name. "I can almost see her tending to them..." "My Prince?" "Nothing, let us move on." Those always gave me pause and that time they also turned my inner thoughts into an involuntary murmur. Nostalgia can do that to a person. In any case, there was not much distance from my father''s personal office despite what someone might think. Formally, it was at the top of the palaces main tower, but he had another office near the gardens area. Just like me, the view of the gardens helped bring tranquility to his mind. So, it didnt take too long for us to be greeting the guard outside of said offices door. "Good morning, Sir Serg. I have come to speak with the King in private." "Ah, dear Prince, you are sight for sore eyes. I am glad that you have returned safely." Sir Serg was always the one to guard my father''s office when he was inside, and I hope that is still the case. Not only because he was a respected elder among everyone in the palace, one who had served there the longest of times, but also because his smile was always warm and caring. Some of the workforce even considered him a grandfather and would go to him whenever they needed advice. Even I did that sometimes while I was growing up. "As for the King, I am sorry to say but he is occupied right this moment, Miss Hilde is speaking with him. Still, knowing the King''s senses he is surely already aware of your presence. So, could I ask you to wait?" "Of course, in the meantime I shall take in the view of the gardens some more." As me and Eric did so, a familiar presence approached us. "Dear elder brother, you are back." It was my younger brother and first advisor to the King, Licht vi Kyrie. He would always quickly forget etiquette and hug me tightly, and that time was not the exception. He had always been quite attached to me and I did not mind, he was my little brother after all. "Mmhm, I am really happy that you are here, dear elder brother." In my case, I would always pat his head for a moment before separating ourselves. And while I may have thought of spoiling him more, he was already a year older than Eric by that time, so I had to be stricter with him. "What are you doing here, dear elder brother?" "I am waiting for Father to finish talking with Miss Hilde." He seemed confused as he asked his question, but then he raised an eyebrow in surprise when I answered it. Something that was quite rare for him to show. "Hmm, that is strange. Father is supposed to be free right now." "What do you mean Licht?" "Ah, nothing, dear elder brother. It seems I mixed up Father''s appointments. Do not worry about it." "That is unusual for someone such as you, Licht. Your memory has always been perfect as far as I can recall." While it might sound like a compliment, one that always made my brother smile fully, it was also something that I took as fact. "It makes me happy that you think that way of my capabilities, dear elder brother. It really does. But it is just that there are so many things in my head right now. There''s a new project for the city regarding the shifts of the gatekeepers. Were also prototyping a new type of carriage that could help in public transportation. Theres the surge in prices of avian meat in the markets too. And lastly, the selection and training for a new knight''s order. Ah...oops." "Why was I not told about that?" There were four Knights Orders in the Kingdom five years ago. The Swords of Dawn, the Gale Arrows, the Twilight Shield and the Royal Knights. Before the Swords of Dawn could be founded, all the people in charge of the orders were notified and had to give their approval. It was not a simple process where an order could be founded at a whim. So, being made aware of such breach in protocol affected me in a certain manner, so much so that I startled both Eric and Licht to the point that they jumped back. "...! M-My Prince!" "...! De-Dear Elder Brother! P-Please calm down! I-I was not supposed to tell you about that so please do not ask or tell father...trust me! W-When the time comes you will know! So please, stop glaring like that! It''s scary...!" I truly did not mean to scare them, but I must put emphasis on the fact that I did find it vexing to find out about a new knights order like that. But Licht asked me to trust him, so I did. That was the least I could do as his brother, even more as I noticed the bags under his eyes. One could easily forget that he was still young due to how capable he was and most likely still is. I thought then that if his unusual behavior was the result of a lack of rest, then he must have been overworking himself. As such, I had even more reason to leave the subject alone, at least momentarily. Going with that also helped to soften my gaze as both Eric and Licht showed some relief on their faces. "Haaavery well. I shall trust you Licht, but only if you promise me that you will take some time to rest. It is clear that you have been overworking yourself to the point that it is affecting your memory. And you should not have those bags under your eyes at that age either. Leave looking scary to me, after all it seems that I am a natural at that." Even if it pained me to say so, I tried to a make a joke at my expense to make away with any tension left but it backfired. "D-Dear Elder Brother...!" Licht got emotional at such attempt. So much so that he quickly hugged me tightly again with tears in his eyes. "I will make sure to sleep properly from now on! No more staying up until dawn checking the budget for the tenth time or trying to predict market trends! So please, dear elder brother, do not bully yourself for my sake! Uwaaa...!" "Haaawhat am I going to do with you?" I couldnt do anything else but pat his head until he calmed down. He really was a troublesome little brother. Meanwhile, Eric just watched us with a wry smile on his face. ____________________________________________________ Father''s talk with Hilde took half an hour to end, time that I spent with my brother and Eric, so it was not a waste. After all, rest is important too if one aims to do their utmost at anything. Still, that ended as Hilde made her exit from my Fathers office and she was approached by my brother. All while I entered said office after announcing myself. ____________________________________________________ As Eric remained outside of the Kings office waiting for Erevain, he ended up overhearing a certain conversation, even if he did not want to. "I wanted to discuss with you something about two things in our projects, Miss Hilde." "Oh, of course. Please, My Prince and fellow advisor, tell me what troubles you about our current projects." "First, the shifts of the gatekeepers and their planned transportation for the rotation of their placement. I think it would be best to use a normal carriage, that way they can use the time to rest while going from one gate to another instead of using our prototypes there. After all, well rested gatekeepers can work more efficiently." "Even if that were to hinder our response time and leave the gates unguarded at the change of the shift?" Hilde seemed confused and couldn''t comprehend why the prince would think of something like that, but the prince shook his head at Hilde''s question. "That will not happen. The guards already patrol the areas near the gates more frequently since its common protocol to do so and, if we place barracks down the main streets that face the gates, we can give them the prototypes to ensure an even quicker response to any threat that may come to happen in that time." "Since it would be going in a straight line instead of circling on top of the capital''s walls..." Hilde''s expression slowly changed as she came to understand the prince''s point. "Exactly. We could also add something like a siren''s cry to warn the citizens that the prototype is coming through and that there is danger where the prototype is going." Hilde''s eyes widened as she wagged her finger in an approving manner. "Prince, that is a great idea!" "I am glad that you think so." "Then what is the second thing you wanted to discuss...ah! Pardon me! It would be better if we discussed things in my lab or your office, yes?" Hilde, embarrassed, turned beet red and Licht laughed a bit but shook his head before he answered her question. "No, it is alright. As my father says, looking at the gardens calms the mind, so I do not mind talking here. But do forgive my play on words though." Hilde giggled at such play of words. For Eric that was witnessing such exchange, it was as if the crying kid that was overly attached to his big brother had never existed and he could only see the Genius Prince talking to the Prodigy as equals. "The second thing I mentioned is about the new locking mechanism that we have installed in the gates of this city. I have noticed that said mechanism would unlock itself if one were to use water magic to apply a certain amount of pressure to it and that concerns me. "Ah, yes, that is indeed so. But that can be also be considered a safety measure to quicken evacuation in case of emergency and no one being there to open the gates. Even so, it needs at least three people''s worth of ability to hit it from the inside with the right pressure, so there is no need to worry. Besides, the whole point of it is keeping threats out, unless you think there are threats inside the capital too. Perhaps someone that can do what I mentioned by themselves? Do you, My Prince?" At that moment, Eric felt Licht''s gaze fall on him but only for an instant before such sensation vanished. "No, I do not. And it seems that my elder brother is right, I may need to take some time to rest since I might be overthinking things." "Hmmm...granted. It is just as you say, My Prince. To be more efficient one needs to rest." "Indeed. Although I barely see you resting, Miss Hilde, and you always seem well-rested. How does someone do that?" "I am sorry, but I cannot disclose that information, My Prince. It is as they say, a maiden''s secret." Hilde said that with a playful tone as she put her right index finger on top of her lips and winked at Licht. They both laughed after that. And while Eric acted in the way that would be expected of a royal attendant, he still prayed to the Goddess for them to go to another place to discuss such important manners. ___________________________________________________ "Father." "Son." "There is something about that expeditionary force you did not mention in the throne room, am I correct?" The moment I asked him such question he looked at me in the eye with his sharp gaze, not surprised but thoughtful. Of course, I did not feel intimidated at all; it may very well have been that I was used to it because I used to see the same thing in the mirror. "Would you be willing to wait until you have a good night''s sleep before telling you?" "I am afraid that I cannot accept that, Father." "Hmph...very well, my son. But do not blame me if you cannot sleep after hearing about this, because Goddess knows that I did not." "What is it that it even robs you of your sleep?" "What else, my son? A Dragon Lord, of course. That expeditionary force is not a simple one, a Dragon Lord is commanding it." "...!" "The capital is in serious danger of being utterly destroyed, my son." To be continued...(cue to scene with said expeditionary force approaching and the super ultra-mysterious silhouette of the dragon lord, you will never guess who it is! The surprise will leave you ice cold!!) Chapter 38: Once upon a father in the Kyrie Kingdom part 3. A Dragon Lord was coming. That is what my father said to me then. And I could not ignore the feeling that it had a motive beyond destroying the capital. But I had no evidence beyond that feeling. My father thought so too because his eyes told me that. There was no need for words. At least until I broke the silence that had invaded the office. "How many people know of this?" "Those in charge of the Orders, your brother, Hilde, and soon the rest of the court will." "Then I can assume that preparations are already well on the way." As with any approaching battle, training needed to be intensified, evacuation plans needed to be drafted, provisions counted and more. "Of course, my son. Hilde and your brother are already taking the necessary steps on the logistics side of things." Back then that was reassuring, even if I already knew of their capabilities. Because thanks to them I was able to focus on another matter of equal importance. "Father, when?" "If they maintain the pace and route they have now, they shall be on our doorstep in less than two weeks." The route that my father showed me on his map then was a route that seemed to strangely avoid any villages and major cities. Completely unlike any other expeditionary force that came before it. Such route spoke of an attempt to focus all their strength in reaching the capital withoutdistractions. But that also worked on our favor. "Then we can assemble the Knight''s Orders and the National Army and intercept them before they reach the capital. Even more so, we could mount a pincer attack on both flanks while distracting them with a frontal assault. Furthermore, I am sure that the Alliance of Nations will also provide reinforcements after knowing of a Dragon Lord''s involvement. The Demon King of the Zenji Kingdom would even teleport some of their troops here as an immediate act of support." I was truly confident in that plan for the nations of the Goddess races were, and still are, all united against the threat that the Dragon Lords pose. All offer support to the others and their soldiers fight as one, shedding blood as brothers. Even now, there are people fighting in the Draconic Front which lies in the land now known as the Lost Continent. A place that is a reminder of how much we have lost and the supremacy of our enemies. The Kingdom of Fairies, Faerum. The Beast-man Republic, Aiolia. Such places are among those lostthose that are no more. And the toll of those particular events would have been larger if not for the intervention of the Demon King, who, while aided by the Goddess blessing, used his spatial magic to teleport away the citizens of those nations. But that was not all, the Demon King, whose kingdom had been blessed with ample land, immediately provided refuge and that same land to those who lost theirs in a complete act of selflessness. Our Kingdom and the other nations did the same and doing so reinforced our sense of unity. Actions that the GoddessMiss Nerinne, smiled upon, providing continuous years of good harvests for our lands. As such, I felt that if we made the right choices there, we could have made the Dragon Lord lose its interest in attacking the capital and caused it to return to where it came from. After all, thinking of beating or killing them was just arrogance and ignorance, and as such, making them leave out of boredom was the best choice in that situation. At least, until I met you, My Lord. "Father, just give me the order and I shall coordinate everything." Still, that was why I earnestly tried to ask father to let me take care of things butwhat he told me in response shocks me even to this day. "I shall not do such a thing and we shant take those measures, my son. We shall confront them here and push them back. That already has been decided." "But why? I do not understand, Father. Waiting for the enemy to arrive and engaging them in a defensive battle with the Capital at stake is madness. Not making use of our trusted allies when being against a Dragon Lord is, again, madness. When was this decided? Who proposed this?" As the crown prince and the leader of a knight''s order, I knew that I could not lose my composure, even if it was frustrating to hear a strategy that bordered on suicide. Even more so, one that came from my own father. "I did, Erevain. I, the King, did. Those orders are final and cannot be changed. You do not need to understand them, you only need to follow them. Or" "Or what, Father? I am the Crown Prince by my Mother''s authority. I can contest your authority if I consider that your orders are in detriment of the Kingdom as it is her will and law. So, I" Just remembering those words that I told him reminds me of the bad taste that they left in my mouth back then, for I am still not someone who throws around their power and position to get things done. ButI am afraid that I could not let such reckless plan be without reminding him. Even if that meant to oppose the same father that was glad for my safe return. Nevertheless, it was something that I could do for the Regents of this world are chosen by both deeds and blessings. One cannot be a Regent without one of those. Deeds can be heroic in nature, but they can also be done outside of the battlefield. One must bring change, help those who are going to be led and improve their lives. While blessings are simple, the Goddess must simply deem you worthy of said power and title. Mother was a Regent. Father was not. And Iwas one too, albeit mine was a special case for I did not, and still do not, know what I have done or was going to do to be considered the next King of the Kyrie Kingdom. And so, that is why I was the Crown Prince, instead of a simple Prince like my siblings. As for why, when I was a child, Mother and her Holiness asked Miss Nerinne if I was worthy of such title and she, in her omnipotence, peered into the river of time and said yes. She gave no prophecy, no hint as to what the reason would be, even when her Holiness asked Miss Nerinne, she answered that she only ''looked'' for the answer to that question and nothing else. Even so, life took an unpredictable turn and Mother gave my father the authority to act as King while on her deathbed. That was to be until I was of age to succeed the throne and with a set of rules put in place. One of those said rules was that I held the right to contest the power of the King if I judged it to be in detriment for the Kingdom and its people at any time. I truly never thought that there would be a time when I needed to exercise that right, but alas, I was proved wrong. "So, I urge you to reconsider before you force me to take action and use the full extent of my position." I still remember how my fathers face twisted in silent anger and his glare I did not want to see it then butthat glare was the one he showed to his enemies "We are done here. You are dismissed, Erevain." Of course, such thing was useless as I already mentioned, no matter how scared I was of it when I was a child, and that only served to fuel his anger. Even with all of that happening, I still wanted to clarify something to my father before I left. Something important. "Father, I love you but this...this cannot be." "..." ______________________________________________________ "My Prince, I do not think that is a good joke." "Because it is not a joke, Eric. That is what my Father''s strategy seems to be." Eric was as shocked as me after I filled him in on the details of my talk as we moved to our next location in the palace. He even suggested that we assembled a meeting with the whole order. Which was what we were going to do but...not that day. "We shall discuss this with everyone in a few days. I cannot rob them from their families and their well-deserved rest in such a short time. Even more so, because there will be no other chance to do so after we go through with that meeting." The plan for that day was to go to my personal quarters in the palace and meet with my second attendant, but we were nonchalantly stopped by someone. "Oh? Whatever are you talking about? It sounds important, mind if I join in?" His name was Ulthane Reignitz, a high ranked soldier and next head of the Reignitz noble household, known from his rashness and lack of concern for his own men or himself. The scar that crossed his right eye was proof of it. Even then, he commanded a whole troop of people loyal to him. Some would compare him to Kristoff, saying that they were similar. But such thing could not be farther from the truth. Unlike Kristoff, Ulthane did not care about anyone in his troop and he would not volunteer to train someone, even if there was a need to do so. He would not earnestly train them until he was sure to have reduced their chance of falling in battle, letting them remain ignorant of the ways of the battlefield and lacking technique, thinking that they either lived and learned on their own or they died like fools. And in the fight against the mutated manticore, he would not have been the first to notice its enhanced speed and much less act like Kristoff did then, taking the blow that was meant to surprise us. No, he would have let some of us get injured and others killed as a way to distract the manticore and attack it. That was Ulthane Reignitz. "Do not approach the Prince in such a familiar way. Know your place." "Right back at you, attendant. Or is it that you think that you are like a brother, an equal, to him just because of how much you stick to him? Pffft...give me a break. You are nothing more than a noble turned servant." As one would expect, Eric did his job as my attendant and put himself between me and Ulthane. But as it is with people like himhe did not back down and tried to provoke him, even if it was a cheap attempt at it. And while Eric and I could ignore his words, I could not let him disturb the work of the people in the palace. So, I intervened. "Haaado you have business with me, Officer Reignitz? Because if not, I need to keep going." As his gaze shifted from Eric to me, his demeanor changed, abandoning his seemingly intimidating and confrontational disposition, and replacing it with one seemingly more friendly, outgoing even. After all, he knew the difference between us and that intimidation would not work on me, let alone any other provocation. "No need to be so cold, Prince. It was just my luck that I coincided with your highness on the way to a meeting. But that can lose all its meaning depending on your answer right now." "To which question?" While I did know of what question he was referring to, I did not say so to make him cease and desist with it and he was well aware of that, but he ignored my intentions anyway. "Let me and my men join your Knight''s Order. I am sure that we can be of use. Not only will you have more men to handle more tasks, but you would be able to stay in the capital and not be blindsided by anydevelopments. It vexed me but I was not surprised that he seemed to know all about the matters that concerned me. Still, it did not matter, he wasnt getting a reaction from me. Haayou already know my answer, Officer Reignitz. You and your men were already tested and were found not worthy. You cannot join the Swords of Dawn." The smile that he showed after seemingly grimacing at my response only gave me a bad feeling, one that I would learn to be correct later. "Aaah, oh well, it was worth a last shot at it. That helps a lot in many ways, your Highness. You have my gratitude. Now I must attend to my meeting since it will be quite important. See you later, prince." He even tried to push me aside with his shoulder, but he ended being the one pushed since his strength was inferior to mine and I did not budge. And so, he left us frustrated with not even having that victory, walking on through the hall we came from. "That insolent oaf." "Stop it, Eric. Let us not waste any more time or energy with him. Mary is waiting for us." "Yes, My Prince. Apologies." In hindsight it was obvious with whom Ulthane was meeting, but back then I could not think that he would do something that foolish right after our conversation. In any case, there was someone waiting for us since we had arrived. My second attendant and childhood friend of both Eric and me. Mary. And she deserved to be aware of the situation. To be continued...(cue new ending by Myth & Roid! FUCK YES! INJECT THAT RIGHT INTO MY VEINS!!!) Chapter 39: Once upon a childhood friend in the Kyrie Kingdom part 4. Something had changed while I was away. Something that had made my father think of such mad strategy as the path we needed to follow. There was a part of me that considered a third party being involved, someone that was manipulating everything behind the scenes. But back then I could not think of someone like my father being manipulated. After all, his mind and heart did not waver even after experiencing the bloody chaos that is the Draconic Front. He was a good King and a good man. So, I really wanted to believe that he must have had a reason. I wanted to put my trust in him, even if I had threatened him with my own authority. I wanted to believe in him. Not only as a son, but also as a Knight. But then there was Ulthane and what he hinted at... He was loyal to the Kingdom, but my impression of such loyalty was that of someone loyal to the place that let him do as he pleased in the battlefield. It would not have surprised me if he betrayed a superior just so that he could get a better position and even more freedom to do whatever he wanted. Thus, giving someone like that control over a bigger position or a Knight''s Order was nothing but a foolish act. My father must have known that and yet everything pointed in that direction. Of course, I was not planning to stand with my arms crossed and do nothing about it. Not at all. I remember being deep in thought as we went to my personal quarters, pondering about the steps I was going to take and even then, my paths were limited. As such, I focused on what I could do. First, I was going to assess the state of the other orders and see if they knew about that new order without breaking my promise with Licht. Second, I planned to try and obtain their support against my fathers suicidal strategy, even if I did not need them for exercising my authority. Lastly, I needed to talk with my brother and Miss Hilde. After all, it was difficult for me to imagine them not opposing such strategy with all the effort they had put in developing the Kingdom and the Capital. But, even then, I needed confirmation. "My Prince, I am sorry to bother you when you are deep in thought, but we are almost there." "It is not a bother Eric; I was just making a clear list of what we have to do. We have a severe and limiting lack of information that needs to be dealt with. Was I too na?ve in not leaving some of our members to keep an eye, as they say, on everything here?" "I do not think so, Prince Erevain. After all, we have never encountered a reason to suspect our surroundings and the people within them. It is something that is still difficult to process, even for me. Furthermore, leaving to subjugate the mutated manticore with less members would have proven to be more difficult. Kristoffs imprudence notwithstanding. "Indeed, there is no use thinking on what ifs, for what is done is done. At that moment that was the right course of action. This time shall be no different, we shall deal with it as we do with everything. With our utmost effort." "Yes, Prince Erevain. We will!" As we discussed such matters, it did not take long for us to leave behind the last set of stairs and step into another large hallway, and there, at the end of it, a black-haired young woman in maids clothing waited outside of my private quarters. It is tradition for a member of the royal family to have at least two attendants. One who is a general assistant and another one who is a bodyguard. Although, that tradition stops being enforced when the one being guarded surpasses the combat capabilities of the one guarding them. In my case, that young woman was the one who had acted as my bodyguard until I was strong enough. At a glance, she looked like any other human of the same age as mine, but she was not human. She was a half-ogre. She would look the same even if my hair lost all its color due to age. But most importantly, she was a gentle young woman, one who would gladly provide assistance to anyone who asked, and she would do so with a smile on her face. She was caring, energetic, honest, directand many, many other things. She was my childhood friend, my first friend, my sparring partner, my rival, and more. She was Mary. I trusted her the most, that was why she was the one guarding both my quarters and a very important person to me. She welcomed us with a full smile, just like she would always do. "Welcome back, My Prince, Eric." "We are home, Mary." "Big Brotheeeeeer!!!" "...!" And that time there was someone else who welcomed us, someone who could not wait any longer inside my quarters and jumped out to hug me tightly. All as her obvious accomplice, Mary, giggled. She was someone who was a very important person to me. She was a little girl with checkered white and black hair. My little sister and the princess of the Kingdom, Euphemia. ___________________________________________________ "So, why are you not in school, Euphy? Do not tell me that you escaped from class just to come see me." After we entered my quarters, I found out that Mary had already prepared some tea and a light lunch for all us. We immediately partook of it, despite the circumstances and tried to enjoy it as best as we could. Of course, Euphemia enjoyed it the most, as she happily listened to my brief recollection of the battle against the manticore while she ate. Sheshe really found my stories quite enjoyable and was always eager to hear them, even those that were heavy in nature, she would take them in as the necessary parts of life. ''Be it happy or sad, I want to know'', she said that to me once. Even so, she was still a child, one that would get startled when questioned about a bad deed. "N-No, o-of course not, Big Brother! Hmph! How could you think like that of your lovable and cute little sister?!" She was always like that, pouting and acting as if she was offended just to try and hide her guilt. Meanwhile, Mary would use the chance to tease Eric, which generally involved treating him like a little kid, feeding him and rustling his hair. "Then, do tell me how you are here?" "D-Do you promise to not be angry and pat my head before I tell you?" In any case, my little sister was also quite smart and knew very well that I could spoil her even more than Licht due to her age and she would make use of that at every turn. Goddess, I have been blessed with quite the troublesome siblings. That is what I thought at the time as I felt part of the tension in my heart vanish. "I promise to not be angry, but I will only pat your head after you answer me." "I suggest you take that deal, Euphy. Erevain is quite scary when angry, right?" Having finished with teasing Eric, Mary interjected in her usual nonchalant manner as she giggled. Still, it was fine for her to say such...things...and use our first names. As I mentioned before, our relationship with her was deeper than just Master and Attendant. With Euphy even viewing her as an elder sister. A fact that was reinforced with her always assisting Euphy in her little schemes, such as the one of that day. Naturally, I already had an idea as to what happened, but Euphy needed to take responsibility for it as well as someone else. "See? He is already lightly glaring at me. Scary~. So scary~." She was not scared. She was having fun, but she was also doing so to help Euphy admit what she did. "...! B-Big Brother! Do not make that s-scary face! It was my plan! Please! Do not turn Mary into stone!" She said so with tears in her eyes. It...was indeed painful to have a face that can do that to one''s siblings but... Turning Mary into stone? That was not something I could do. So, I wondered why my sister believed something like that and I reached the obvious conclusion. Mary had been telling her strange things again. Something that made me want to speak with her in private at a later time. "Do not worry, Euphy. I am not turning Mary into statue or something similar. I can assure you." I smiled at her while cleaning off her tears as I tried to reassure her, and it worked. "Brother Licht was rambling on about a lot of things while walking in the halls and-and...he then said that you were coming back today. So, I sneaked out of my room when I sent Charles and Sistina for treats before I had to go to school and thenI ran here. I-I asked Mary to let me hide inside...she said yes...but! But! I was the one who did it! Mary is innocent, yes?!" She really tried her best to protect Mary from whatever verdict I was to reach, all as she looked at me with her big silvery eyes, which were trembling. There was no way for me to be harsh on her. Still, I had to do my duty as her brother. "Yes, and I am happy that you wanted to see me so much, to the point of going through all those tribulations, but you need to apologize to Charles and Sistina. Making them run around the palace looking for you, like they are probably doing now, is not good, Euphy. Understood?" I patted her head after that. "Yes, Big Brother...heheh...I love you..." "I love you too, Euphy." Hehthere is no doubt that she was my sister since she managed to outrun her two attendants with ease while also sneaking around the palace. After all, she did enjoy playing hide and seek with Mother. ____________________________________________________ Shortly after we finished with our lunch, we heard someone knock on the door. It was Charles, one of my little sister''s attendants. He was there to pick her up and take her to the rest of her classes. But before she left, she pulled my hand and looked at me with great concern, which took me by surprise. "Big Brother..." "Yes, Euphy?" "Brother Licht is trying way too hard...he needs to rest..." "Indeed, but do not worry about that. I already made him promise to take some time to rest and not to overwork himself." "But...but...there is something worrying him. I could see it when he was rambling in the halls...he was saying something like ''everything needs to go like this or else...'' and ''no, no, it needs to be perfect or I will not be able to...''. His eyes were scary but desperate too...as if it were something that scared him. Big Brother..." Back then I speculated that my Fathers mad strategy was weighing down on my younger brother too and so, he needed to rest with even more reason. But my priority then was Euphy who needed both comfort and reassurance. That was natural for a child like her and it was even more natural for me to comply. After all, it was my duty as her elder brother. "Euphy, I will take care of Licht. I promise that I will help him deal with whatever it is that is worrying him. You have my word." Thank you She hugged me so tightly then She was so little but at the same time she was so strong I could not let anything happen to her. I needed to protect her future and everyone elses from what was coming. Such was my conviction. Please Goddess, watch over me as I do so. __________________________________________________ "I see. You will have to forgive me, Erevain, but...what is your father thinking?! Is he mad?!" After Euphemia left, we told Mary everything and her reaction went as expected. Even with her referring to the King as mad. "I am still lacking in information to reach such conclusion, but I do understand why it gives that impression." "What are you going to do now, Erevain? You are aware that after you told him all of that he will be wary of you, right?" "Indeed, that is why I am telling you to be vigilant and careful. I cannot ask you to do anything else since it would be a predictable and foolish move on my part. I even hazard to guess that you were put under surveillance from the moment all of this started to gestate. In any case, I am planning to summon all the members of the Swords of Dawn to a meeting where I shall inform them of the situation. But I plan on having two people know beforehand so that they can collect more information." "Hmm, that is good. Then I will sharpen my senses so that I can casually overhear things while I do my rounds here. If I find out something important, I will contact you, My Prince. Also, don''t worry. Those idiots following me do not know of the full extent of my capabilities. They might think I am just standing there, but I can hear them quite clearly despite their active skills." Mary would always refer to me with my title instead of my name whenever she was serious. It is also worth mentioning that she was worthy of being a knight, just as Eric, but she decided against it, with her reason being that she did not want to leave Euphy without her elder sister. "Mary...please, take care. We do not know what is happening, do not do anything that could put you in danger." "Aw, are you that worried about me, Eric? I''m so moved that I could kiss you! Come here!" "Wha?! Unhand me! S-Stop!! Do not kiss my forehead! Aaah! Why did I say that!" "You are so cute!" Witnessing such exchange filled me with nostalgia once again, even in front of the unknown. Still, I could not forget the danger in which we were in. "Mary, one last thing. If something happens to me" So, I tried to tell Mary my most important request, but her finger stopped me from voicing it. "Yeah. I will take care of your dear little siblings. You don''t have to say it." "Thank you." __________________________________________________ And so, four days passed. After a conversation with Miss Hilde deepened my suspicions, I could no longer trust her. I also gave Allegro and Luca the task of collecting information about my father''s strategy, the new Knights Order and the state of the possible involvement of Ulthane in it. Meanwhile, Eric and I met with those in charge of the other orders, gauging their willingness to support my decision in revoking my father''s orders, all under the pretense of preparing to deal with the Draconic threat that was approaching. The response was positive even with the Royal Knights. Thus, with all of that done, there was only one thing left. Summoning all the Swords of Dawn to our headquarters and take a course of action. But when we were in the middle of that meeting someone interrupted as they opened the doors with haste. "Elder Brother!! Elder Brother!! It is terrible! The expeditionary force...! Its approaching Ryze Village!!" "Calm down Licht! But! You are the advisor to the King, a Prince, and my dependable brother. You are not one to be easily shaken. Breathe." Even as I managed to get him to do as I said, his eyes still showed the desperation and dread that filled him, and it took him a few minutes to somewhat recover. But that was enough, for we needed to know more about the news he had brought so abruptly. "Good, now to the matter at hand. The route they had taken was supposed to be one completely free of villages on their way. Yes?" "I-It is as you say, Elder Brother. But one of the scouts under my supervision just arrived and he reported to me that they are at a day''s distance from the village. It seems they took a detour for the sake of arriving even sooner to the Capital..." "And the village is on the way yes. What are the King''s orders on this matter, Licht?" His answer would have been crucial in how I was going to deal with father butLicht shook his head, which surprised me. "Telling you was my priority, after what he thinks of doing I..." For moment I could see concern, dread, and desperation in his eyes, but it disappeared as he seemed to have made up his mind and hardened his heart. "I ask of you this Elder Brother...go to Ryze village and help them! I will make sure that Father sends reinforcements while we prepare a proper strategy. And if not...I will do it myself." Licht was clearly pained by his own request, but his eyes were full of determination. Meanwhile, my knights were just waiting for my orders. They were already prepared to go into the battlefield even against a Dragon Lord. All while knowing very well of our chances against it. That is how they were and still are. And I knew very well what I needed to do. I knew it in my heart. Thus, with a prayer to Miss Nerinne, I made my choice. "We ride to Ryze." _______________________________________ And that was what sealed my fate. To be continued...(cue ultra kawaii design of Euphy!! Plus, Nendo figures promotion images!! Only for $199.99!! Plus taxes! Plus shipping! And limited quantities in sites we know have bots!) Holy Fact: Ogres in Arte are more like the Oni than western Ogres. Still, there are some differences unique to Arte''s Ogres that shall be seen when the time comes. Here we have Mary: Thank you for reading! If you want to help me bring art to this story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit counts! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele and Anon! Thank you for your donations! Chapter 40: Once upon a Foolish Prince in the Kyrie Kingdom part 5. Three days before Licht''s request I found myself in Miss Hilde''s laboratory. The reason was simple, I had decided to make that one my first stop because I had noticed that Miss Hilde''s presence around my father had increased. Thus, I thought that she could be a good source of information that could help me elucidate as to what was the reasoning behind my fathers strategy. And of course, as I said before, her position towards it. "Ah, Crown Prince. To what do I owe the pleasure?" At first, she seemed surprised at my sudden and unannounced appearance in her workplace, but she quickly recovered and even smiled warmly at me. "There is something I wish to know. May I have some of your time?" "Of course, Crown Prince. Do you wish for information on the public health project I mentioned? Trying to implement a vaccination campaign and make the vaccine at the same time is quite an interesting subject. Or is it about the rumors about our engagement? Because even if I try to deny those claims they keep surfacing. I can only offer my deepest apologies." And just as her smile, every word that left her lips was warm and welcoming, even as she bowed deeply and apologized. Anyone else would have probably wished to just stay there and listen to her talk about whatever she wished, but that was simply not the case for me. "Please, raise your head. Those rumors affect Miss Hilde too, there is nothing to apologize for. And I trust that Miss Hilde and Prince Licht are capable to handle such project. Alas, that is not why I am here." "I believe I have an idea as to what that is, Crown Prince. Is it the King''s plan to engage in a defensive battle against the Draconic Expeditionary Force?" As she did as I told her and let out such question, I saw it clearly in her eyes, she knew of what I wanted to talk about all along, but she still brought out that conversation about those rumors. That also meant that she knew all too well about my intentions. "Indeed. I am going to be direct about this. Who proposed that plan? Was it you, my brother or was it really the King?" Of course, she was not surprised at all by my questions or their implications. Still, she shook her head lightly in response to them. "Goddess no, Prince Licht and I had nothing to do with it. I suppose I can say that we were as surprised as you when the King approached us with said plan and left us with the logistics and preparations of it. I have even been trying to dissuade his Highness whenever I have time to speak with him but to no avail." "So that is why your meetings with him have increased then." While I am not fond of looking for reactions in such a roundabout manner, I still did so then, saying such thing intentionally. And it worked, she raised one of her eyebrows ever so slightly, showing that the fact that I had been keeping track of her was unexpected for her. "Of course, I have worked so hard to improve our people''s lives just to see it all vanish by the sudden change of attitude in the King!" Not only that, it surprisingly made her raise her voice and slam the table with one of her hands while letting out an important bit of information. "What do you mean with ''sudden''?" A piece of information I was deeply interested in, to the point that my gaze sharpened as I asked about it and that made her calm down immediately. "Apologies for my abrupt loss of restraint. I meant sudden in that one day he was considering a sound strategy and then another day he abandoned it for the current one. Without an explanation as to why." "I see. That is all. Have a good day." I intended for that to be all, but as I walked towards the door, Miss Hilde stopped me. "Crown Prince..." "Yes?" "I am in no position to make requests but...please watch over Prince Licht. He might be pushing himself too hard and that may lead to him in making mistakes in judgement. That is not something this Kingdom can afford." Her words seemed to imply that my brother was going to make a mistake that would hurt the Kingdom. Was she trying to make me wary of my own brother? Or to divert my attention? Such were the questions in my head at the time. "I will take that into consideration." As I walked away from the area of the castle where Miss Hilde''s laboratory was and returned to my quarters, I was reunited with Eric. Or should I say, we were. "Luca, what are your thoughts? Did she speak the truth?" He appeared from behind me as if coming out of a fog made of darkness. Which was, and still is, one of his stealth related skills, [Shadow Fog Cloak]. It makes him virtually undetectable as long as he keeps to the shadows. "...not...quite. Some parts...felt acted...rehearsed. Too mixed with truths...difficult to tell where...truth and act...start..." "That means she was on guard from the beginning and tried to divert my attention towards my brother while hiding something." "To think that one of the King''s advisors would hide things from the Crown Prince, is she ignorant as to the real authority that My Prince has?" "It does not matter, Eric. Be it a sense of loyalty towards my father or something else, we cannot trust her." Such was our conclusion; such was our oversight too _____________________________________________________ and while I know that now, back then remembering such conversation as we rode to Ryze Village only filled me with a bad feeling. All as the sound of our horses going at top speed melted with the surroundings. The journey itself felt eternal, even when the route we had taken was one that would let us arrive to Ryze before the Draconic forces, although just barely. "Oi, Leader! Was it wise to leave Lil'' Licht on his own back there?! Euphemia too!" "I trust him to do his job! And both have their attendants and Mary watching over them! That should suffice! Besides, all of us are necessary if we are to buy enough time to save the villagers and wait for reinforcements!" Kristoffs worries then were more than justified Hehand regardless with how I responded, it felt as if I had ignored what happened and done the same thing again After all, I took all the Swords of Dawn with me to Ryze. Not even one of them stayed in the capital. And worst of all, I could not shake the feeling that I was going to be taken by surprise again when we retuned. To think that the place that I considered my home would become such a place "Even so Leader, this could clearly be a trap!" "The information could be wrong, who is to say that that scout wasn''t manipulated?!" And of course, others also had their doubts and worries, like Allegro and Gabriel. They also implied that my brother might be involved with those same words. And while I thanked them for not saying it, I knew. Still, just the thought of that being the case made me feel nausea The idea of being betrayed by Licht, the little brother I saw grow upwas something that kept me up at night, more than the Dragon Lord that we were about to confront. The thought of him being someone that wanted the people of the capital to suffer a similar fate as those in the Lost Continent was I could not come up with a reason as to why. Or maybe...I did not want to... Maybe I was just too stubborn Maybe I still am Nevertheless, I knew that I at least needed to hold on to what was certain. "Yes! I know! But we cannot take that risk! Our duty is to act even if there is only a chance to save our people!" And that was our duty. "Aye! Even if it were a ruse, we must go if there''s people to be saved! That is what I made those weapons for, ye fools!!" So agreed Roxxargeraffe from all the way back in the Orders carriage. "If it is a trap we are in trouble, if it is not, we are in trouble too! We will deal with it either way!" So did Lucyel from his horse. "Agreed! It is just a matter realizing which will be the battlefield, Ryze...!" "...or the Capital! Right?!" Joseph and Maximillian too. Everyone shared the same opinion in one way or another. "Trap or not! We''ll follow you anywhere!" "By the Goddess, you finally say something useful Kristoff! Even if it''s obvious!" "Oh, shut up Gabriel!" I could even hear them laughing at those two and their usual back and forth. I did not know if they were doing it knowingly, but they helped ease the tension that had been building up from the seeds of mistrust that were planted since I told them everything. "As the leader I shall take responsibility! If it is a trap and we come back to unforeseen consequences, I will not let you be affected by them! This I swear!" In that moment I decided that, even if it happened and my fatherthe King or Hilde used our absence to further their plans, I would stop them. "You will owe us quite a lot of beers and food!!!" """"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"""" "*sigh*Indeed." With our morale restored we kept riding to Ryze. _____________________________________________________ "I-It cannot be..." When we arrived at Ryze Village there was neither a trap nor an opposing force to face... It was death. Just death I do not know when I did it, but when I came too, I was already off my horse and walking into the razed village while gritting my teeth. Houses were destroyed and burned along with the crops. "My Prince..." I did not answer to Eric''s concerned voice as I kept looking at the village How could I? The more I walked, the more destruction I saw. The central plaza was full of burned corpses along with others in worse states. Such macabre display could only be thought as fine by the monsters that are the world''s enemy. Wewere too late. The enemy was long gone. But even then, I knew that it was not a time for me to be shocked. "Luca, Allegro, Jules, Maximillian, form teams and look for signs that could tell us which route the enemy took since we did not come across with them on ours." """"Yes, Leader!"""" I could not afford to lose more time. We could not. "Everyone else...prepare for our departure. Gabriel, Bertiam, use your magic to help the horses regain their stamina and enhance their speed to their limits. As for the others, help me give the fallen something resembling a proper burial." ""Yes, Leader."" Their deaths were regrettable, a loss that could have been prevented but they were not meaningless. Such was my train of thought while I created a common pit for them with my Earth Magic. "Please, forgive this Foolish Prince for not being here to protect you and for doing this." I softly floated down their corpses there with a platform created by my Moonlight Magic, just like the others did with their own respective magics They at least deserved that instead of being just thrown there. And then I sealed the pit. Shortly after, I could feel my comrades behind me, waiting. And so, I knelt before those lost and they followed suit. "Goddess, you who loved them in life, please love them in death. Grant their souls rest in your embrace and guide them to a new life, so that we can meet them again in this life or the next. Love be unto you." """""Love be unto you.""""" After a moment of silence, we all raised ourselves, and I faced my men. "I have come to a realization, even if the cost of it was as heavy as this. We...I...have been deceived from the very beginning." No one there was surprised by my words. They could clearly see the signs as well as me. "The King lied." I looked at Luca and the rest. They nodded, confirming what I was about to say. "The enemy is already at the capital. He lied to my face about when the enemy was to arrive. He lied to my face about the route they took and sacrificed this village just to have his way. I could feel anger starting to seethe within me, even now I can feel itbut I held it down. My words could not be stained by it. "We will ride to the Capital." """""Yes!""""" "We will drive the enemy back." """""Yes!""""" "And we will punish the King and whoever else is involved in such madness!" """""YES!""""" Even if I was to die to make it so. _________________________________________________ While the Crown Prince and his Order rode at top speed to return to the capital, the guards patrolling outside of it encountered a terrible fate. "Th-They''re here!! So-Someone sound the alGAH!" Three skeleton warriors butchered the first one with ease. "Hiii!" His partner tried to run but... "...m-my leg! Why I cant?!" something grabbed his leg with monstrous strength. It was a tongue. The tongue of a reptilian monster. One that was ridden by a lesser dragon lord. "G-Goddess...please! AAAAAAAH" *KER-CHOMP* One that pulled him into its fang-filled mouth and reduced him to bits and pieces in seconds. Others were stomped. "GHI!" *CRUNCH* Pierced by arrows. "REINFORCMENTS! SOMEONE CALL FOR!" *KERTUNK* Skewered. *KERCHUNKCHUNK* "gUGGHHhmbrbs..." Burned with magic. *FWOOSH* "Hyaaaaaahahahwaaaa..." Frozen. *FSSS* "!" Yes. It was especially cold, that wailing and bloody night. To be continued...(cue ending sequence with scenes of Erevain and his men riding towards the capital to find it...BLACK SCREEN with little credits below) Chapter 41: Once a bloody time in the Kyrie Kingdom part 6. It was strangely cold that night. That was what many of the lookouts thought while they patrolled on top of the Capital''s walls. Walls that had been built to stop a siege but had never seen action before. After all, the Kingdom''s location was far from the Front and those commanding Draconic Forces tend to get bored before even getting there or get intercepted before coming close to the Kingdom''s main cities. That was why many of the Capital''s guards always let out a sigh of relief whenever they heard news of the Front. Glad we''re far away. That was what they would always think. Such thoughts were natural, of course. Even if they were still concerned about the war, they could not deny the fact that such distance away from the action gave them a sense of security. But then again, life is always full surprises. Some strange, like the weather changing from a warm summer night to one of an imminent winter. And others...like a certain dreadful silence. One that was soon broken in the worst way. They did not know who, but someone shouted, and they were but the first. "U-UNDEEAAAD! UNDEAD SIGHTED!" Indeed, that was only the beginning, for more shouts and reports came in from all the gates as they turned into desperate cries. A chorus of massacre. "MONSTERS!! M-MONSTERS ARE APPROACHING THE SOUTHEAST GATE!! "LIZARDMEN ARE COMING OUT IN DROVES TO THE NORTHEAST GATE!!! "WHAT IS THE MILITARY DOING?! WHERE ARE THEY?! WE NEED THEM!!" "THE KNIGHTS?! WHERE IS THE TWILIGHT SHIELD ORDER?!" "LE-LESSER DRAGON LORDS!! THERE ARE AT LEAST TWENTY!!! WHY?!" "HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THE GALE ARROWS?! COME ON!! WE ARE DYING OUT THERE!!!" THE PALADINS!! WHERE ARE THE PALADINS?! "GODDESS PLEASE GRANT US YOUR HELP!!" "THE SWORDS OF DAWN! DAMN IT! WHERE ARE THEY?!!" "CROWN PRINCE!! WHY IS THE CROWN PRINCE NOT HERE?!" If one with sharp hearing managed to filter out that chaos, one would be able hear the cries of those who were unlucky enough to find themselves outside of the Capital''s walls. Those who were either patrolling before everything started or as those who tried to repel such advance with what little numbers they had at hand. Still, the guards were clearly not prepared for it all. They were doing their best for sure, but it wasn''t near enough. They could only serve as an obstacle that took mere seconds to be dealt with. Even then, it was not because they were weak. No. It was because their enemies were far stronger than normal. They were overwhelming. "Th-They are using some sort of greater enchanted weapons!! Anyone cut or pierced by them is frozen from the inside instantly!!" Such was the information procured by one of the scouts who managed to navigate such chaotic place and survive. All so that he could relay it to his superiors. It was a feat that even among such chaos the lines of information were still functional. Even so, knowing that only made it more difficult for them to fight. ________________________________________________ "The situation has worsened almost immediately, your Highness! The citizens are afraid! Some are even trying to get out of the capital by crowding the emergency teleportation circles!!" Said one of the members of the Royal Court. He was an elderly man who oversaw the Capital''s daily operations. "Fools! How dare they distrust his Highness! Only he can activate those circles! They need not be afraid!! The army is already assembled and on its way!" Exclaimed another of the members of the Royal Court. He was an older looking beast-man with strong features and bear characteristics. He oversaw the army. "And the Knights Orders?! What are they doing?! With all the resources we allocate to them they should be the first ones on the field!" Another one of the members of the Royal Court joined in. She was a middle-aged woman with an intellectual air around her and a business centric attitude. She oversaw the economic matters of the Kingdom, its treasury. "If I may, the Gale Arrows are already mobilizing to the position that is most lacking in firepower. Meanwhile, the Twilight Shields are doing the same for the place that is most vulnerable to a breach." And among such loud voices, one person spoke out in a calm and collected manner as she answered the womans question, it was Hilde. Such levelheadedness showed that she was one of the few in complete control of herself and didnt show any sign of fear or anger, unlike the other members of the Royal Court. "And the Royal Knights? The Swords of Dawn?! For Goddess sake, the Crown Prince said they would be spearheading the defense!!" Exclaimed the elderly man again, baffled and confused at the absence of those who had pledged to be there. The Royal Knights have already been deployed with orders for them to not let any enemies enter the city and to exterminate those who already did. For that, they have divided into those who are stopping enemy forces from climbing up the citys outer walls and those who are moving within the city. As for the Swords of Dawn Hilde paused as she reached that part and turned to glance at the King who had been looking out the window during his subordinates whole discussion, his sight fixed on the outside of the Capital and the battlefield that it had become. And while he was showing his back to his subordinates, none of them needed to see his face to know that even before such desperate scene, he was calm and yetthere was something else about him. An anger so carefully controlled and tempered that it made it difficult to even call it that. "They abandoned us." Said the King with a heavy voice having turned to face his Royal Court, shocking almost everyone with such news. "W-What?" "T-That is not possible!" "Th-The Crown Prince...he would not do that...that is not who he is" Almost everyone was in complete disbelief, but the King simply ignored their reactions and continued. The Swords of Dawn left a day ago. Not only they did so with haste, as if they knew something we did not, but they did so only after hindering the trust the other orders had in me. Leading to this sorry state of affairs. It is clear now what they knew that we did not. Andperhaps, they were allied with our enemies from the beginning "No..." The elderly man trembled in despair, and he would''ve fallen to his knees if he wasn''t already seated due to his age. "How could they..." The woman still showed some disbelief, but a burning anger began to appear in her eyes. Meanwhile, the middle-aged beast-mans disbelief remained strong, he simply could not believe such things from the bottom of his heart. How could he? As the one in charge of the army he had interacted with the Crown Prince numerous times and moreover, he knew Erevain since he was a child. "is his Highness sure of it? Is there any proof?! Crown Prince Erevain has led an honorable life! What moves him is his people! For the love of the Goddess, his values are the same as his Mother''s, the Que" "Silence! He and his Order betrayed this Kingdom! Even if we are to ignore the matter of the Knights Orders, they still disappeared when they are most needed! They left us as if giving up on us! And they did so while leaving us exposed to their new master! The King shouted, his anger no longer held under control, but only for a moment, as he soon looked down and glanced to the throne beside his. do not assume that it does not pain me as a father, as someone who watched him grow, because it does, and you have no means to know how much. But the facts do not change, they are not here. They are deserters. Traitors. Liars. The lowest of criminals. Any power and authority that they had is gone, forgotten. And the Crown Prince...Erevain vi Kyrie is no more. As of this moment he is but the Fallen Prince, the worst traitor. You would do best to understand that and relay that information to everyone." "But that would destroy the morale of" The King raised his head and glared at the beast-man intensely. He seemed to resist it for a moment, but he lowered his head in the end. "All is not lost my fellow members of the Royal Court. A new Knight''s Order has already been prepared to take the place of the Sword of Dawn. At first it was planned as one that would support the now deserters, but their leader has bravely volunteered to take their role of spearheading the defense of the Capital." Said Hilde with some pride and hope in her voice, although it seemed to leave a bad taste in the mouth of everyone else in the room except for the King. "What?! That was supposed to be in the early stages of planning! Who oversaw such development?! There is a due process that is needed to ascend to Knighthood! They need to be found worthy!" Exclaimed the middle-aged beast-man once more. I deemed it necessary for that process to be sped up due to the pressing circumstances. Something that the King gave me his approval for. As for the qualifications of those who comprise it, Sir Ulthanes troop already had top-notch training and great achievements in service of this Kingdom. Thus, it was just the logical choice. If there are still concerns, let me assure you that they have been armed with the best weapons and armor for their job too. The Bulls of the Zenith will do their task of bringing a new glory to the King and the Kingdom. Said Hilde maintaining her seemingly warm smile, even as the fires of battle raged behind her, illuminating the room they were in with a red lighting. "Any objections?" The voice of the King permeated the area. No one answered back. ______________________________________________ Licht observed the battlefield from atop of the tower where the royal chambers were located. With his hand on the glass, he looked at every nook and cranny of the battle taking place, studying the situation, and nodded after arriving at a favorable conclusion. "Good. With him goneI only have to take care of my dear sister before everything ends. For I can be the only one." He had not been by his Father''s side in the emergency meeting because he had work to do, work that was more important than such meeting. For it was for the sake of his plan. He then turned around, grabbed a bag that seemed to contain various things inside because of its full appearance and walked towards the door of his room. Or that is what he would have done, if not for said door suddenly bursting open, broken by something that had been thrown at it. Something that went all the way to Licht''s feet. No, someone. It was one of his attendants. His bodyguard. Of course, Licht was surprised by such a sight. But he quickly focused on the single injury that his attendant had. Such injury looked to a be punch in the gut, but his clothes around the area were burned to the point his skin was visible. That is when a menacing female voice came from outside the room. "Oi, you brother-loving prince. Can you repeat what you were prattling about just now? I didn''t quite catch that." Licht immediately turned to see who it belonged to and smiled at the sight of the woman that was now kicking the remains of the broken door as she made her entrance. Furthermore, she also dropped his other unconscious attendant on the floor while the scene behind her showed that the people keeping an eye on her had been knocked out too. None were able to stop her. She was a black-haired young woman. One that wore the maids uniform for attendants of the royal family. Her eyes shined with a bloody red. Her face was adorned with a pattern of a vertical third eye made of red mana floating right in the middle of her forehead. On the left side of it, a horn could be seen sprouting, one that had the color of her skin on the base, but it darkened gradually from there to the tip. Her hands were enveloped in what seemed like demonic gauntlets made of the same mana and style of the pattern that adorned her head. She was a certain half-ogre attendant, one that he knew very well. "Ah, Mary. Please do hear me out, I promise you that it will be quite enlightening." And yet, Licht was fearless as his heterochromatic eyes lit up while he walked towards her with a dubious smile on his face. _______________________________________ "Please Princess Euphemia, stop that. The Capital is under attack. We cannot let you out of your room." "Please Princess, I know you want to help but being here helps your father and your brothers." Said Charles and Sistina respectively as they stood in front of the door, stopping the little Princess from leaving her room. "How can you tell me that?! Big Brother is fighting out there and Brother Licht must be working too much just to keep everything under control! I must do something too!! I can use my magi" ""NO!"" The response from both attendants to the Princess words was a strong one, so much so that Euphemia instinctively jumped back. "Perish the thought Princess! You know very well that you cannot use your magic until you are at least fifteen!" Said Charles as he scolded her while wagging his finger. "But...but...." Before such rejection Euphemia could not help but to start sobbing and crying. "Princess..." Seeing that, Sistina tried a different approach and crouched to match her height. Then, she wiped off the princess'' tears and spoke. "...I know it is frustrating. I too have a brother fighting out there, remember? But he would be sad if I just abandoned my duty and went to the battlefield. So, we have to do our best in the roles we are given, Princess. And right now, we must stay here until the danger passes. After all, you do not want to make your brothers sad, right, Princess?" The sobbing princess shook her head as to say no but still looked sad as she hugged Sistina. But such thing did not last as someone knocked on the door. "May I pass? I am a hurried brother here to give a task to his little sister." Said an androgynous voice coming from the other side of the door. "Ah, Prince Licht, of course." Said Charles as he immediately opened the door. Following that, Prince Licht entered the room while carrying a full looking bag but someone else was with him too. "Brother...Licht...and Mary...!" She was still sobbing but her attitude changed instantly as she laid eyes on her brother and the maid, to the point that she stopped hugging her attendant and quickly ran towards them, hugging them tightly one after the other, and they responded in kind. "How is Big Brother? Is he alright? Can you tell me. Brother Licht?" Licht smiled at her in a loving manner and patted her sisters head as he spoke. "Dear Elder Brother is fine, I can assure you, Euphy." Euphemia''s face lit up with happiness when she heard that. "So, so, so, what task did you come here to give me?" She said as she jumped from excitement. "Yes, yes, here look at this." He said so while crouching and taking out a strange crystal from the bag he was carrying. Charles and Sistina seemed to know what the crystal was for, and the moment they saw it, their expression hardened. All as they started to slowly position themselves behind Euphemia. "This here is a teleportation crystal. You break it with both of your hands, and it sends you wherever its twin brother is. Yes?" Euphemia nodded, perfectly understanding her brother''s explanation. "This one''s twin is in a place far from here, it is in the capital of the Elven Kingdom of Deamis. There you will find a school that will teach you so many things, you will become more knowledgeable, more powerful and more capable." As she listened to her brothers words, Euphemia''s smile faded slowly for she started to understand what his brother was implying. She tried to step back while shaking her head, her tears making an appearance once again, but she was stopped by Charles and Sistina. They looked at her with sadness in their eyes but also resolve. "No...I don''t want to go to a place far from here! I want to stay here! Here! With Big Brother, Brother and Father!! And with Mary!! And with Eric!!" As she shouted, Charles and Sistina grabbed her by the shoulders and did not letting her go. Then, they started walking towards the center of the room while pulling her. "Mary...! Help! I don''t want to leave! I will stop sneaking out! I will stop eating treats at night! I promise I''ll be good! Please!" Before Euphemias desperate cries, Mary covered her mouth to hide her sobbing while holding off her tears. "I know that you will become a great Princess, Euphy. Someone that can even surpass us. I am sorry for doing this, but this is the best way I could think of. Andit is fine if you hate me even if it saddens me to think so." As he said that, Licht proceeded to break the teleportation crystal, but Mary stopped him and grabbed it along with the bag. She then walked towards Euphemia and kissed her on the forehead. That was clearly a violation of all and every rule of etiquette for attendants, but she didn''t care, and the other attendants ignored it right away. "Listen to your elder sis here Euphy..." She started wiping away Euphy''s tears as she said that. "...promise me that you will be strong." "But...but...you are crying too Mary..." Mary made a trembling smile and nodded. "Dummy, how many times have I told you that crying and being strong are not mutually exclusive? Let it all flow out. Cry for all the time you want but start moving when you finish crying. Keep building yourself, remaking yourself and don''t be afraid of making a mistake, just keep moving. That is what being strong means. Do you promise me that, Euphy?" She nodded in tears seemingly giving up in resisting. "Good." Mary then gave the bag to Charles and broke the stone, leaving it on the floor. Soon, a magic circle appeared where Euphemia and her attendants stood. "I already made all the preparations, so you do not have to worry about anything, Euphy." Said Licht taking a step back. "Will...will I see everyone again...?" Said Euphemia in the middle of her sobbing. "Yes, but that will be when the right time comes." Said Licht reassuringly. "Just promise me one thing..." And after making their promise, Princess Euphemia of the Kyrie Kingdom disappeared in an instant, leaving her room in silence. "Everything is going perfectly. Come Mary, we still have work to do." Said Licht as he turned around and walked past Mary while showing a dubious smile. "Yes...Master." With that, Mary gave the room, and the memories that it held, a last look before leaving it and locking the door. ______________________________________________ We rode as fast as we could. Perhaps it was their instinct, but the horses seemed to know that it was an emergency and gave their all. And with a combination of enchantments, healing magic, and incense, we were able to get to the Capital in less than half a day. We knew what to expect when we arrived, but...seeing it with your own eyes it is something that burns itself into your mind. And it shouts at youtelling you that those expectations were wrong. That things were worse But even then, our bodies moved instinctively when we saw our people in the verge of being annihilated by the enemy. I shouted my orders and they followed them. Even my close friend who I ordered to stay behind and leave the battlefield to search for answers. ThenI threw myself in the middle of an attack made by the enemy and an escaping group of Knights bearing an emblem that I did not recognize. It seemed to have a bull in it. But that did not matter. For what I had in front was...is...the biggest threat I had ever encountered. And it was cold, oh so cold To be continued...(cue epic colored illustration plus little photos of the seiyuus of Sistina and Charles!) Chapter 42: Once upon a Dragon Lord attack in the Kyrie Kingdom part 7. "This is..." There are no words to describe what we saw as we arrived at the Capital. The nightmare that unfolded before our eyes shouted at us that our expectations, however terrible, were naively wrong. "Goddess..." As the Capital grew closer and closer, we could hear the cries and roars that filled the battlefield grow louder. "Shit..." The Capital''s forces were being overwhelmed; such thing was clear to us. "DAMN IT!!" And it made the fact that we were tricked into leaving it even more frustrating. Kristoff''s shout was more than enough to reflect the feelings of the entire Order, but it also served as a wake-up call to those who were too absorbed by what we were seeing. The other Orders were doing the best they could to cover the weak points left by the military and the guards. We could see the Gale Arrows unleash their deadly volleys of projectiles and magic, clearing groups of monsters and lizardmen foot soldiers with ease. But the numerical advantage of our enemies made those efforts seem almost meaningless. Meanwhile the Twilight Shields were spread all over the battlefield, providing much needed defense to the gates and the soldiers alike, but...they were being spread too thin. They were barely advancing. Then I saw even more undead and lizardmen advance towards the capital, which meant that our people would be annihilated if that continued. "Form teams and go where you are most needed! Cover those retreating and back up those struggling! Disrupt the enemy and drive them back! We are The Swords of Dawn, fighting against nightmares is our specialty! FOR OUR PEOPLE! GO!" """YES, LEADER!""" I immediately shouted my orders, and everyone entered that rainy battlefield with haste. "I will see you in the battlefield, Leader!!" Exclaimed Kristoff before going off on his own. "Do not worry Leader we will act on our better judgement! [Quickstep]!" Said Gabriel as he adjusted his gauntlets and left with a quick movement skill. By that time, Luca was already gone with the rest of the scouts and were disrupting the enemy in various places of the battlefield. With Eric and me being the only ones left. "Eric, I must apologize for taking you off the battlefield, but you know what to do." "If those are my orders, I will gladly obey them, My Prince! I will find answers!" "May the Goddess watch over us!" And so, we both went to our respective battlefields. _________________________________________________ It was a bull. A bull with a small sun on its forehead, as if towering before it. "[Enhance Constitution]." That was the emblem of those who were escaping from the attack of the one in charge of that nightmare. "[Enhance Strength]." A Dragon Lord. "[Enhance Shield Skills], [Enhance Defense], [Enhance Resistance: Ice]." Its attack froze the surroundings as it went on its way. "[Triple Effect: Body], [Triple Effect: Resistance], [Shielder''s Will], [Mystic Knight''s Trance]." It was an attack that I knew it would cause great damage, regardless if it failed to hit its target directly. "[Mystic Fortress]" Thus, I needed to intercept it and in doing so, I would not only save those who were escaping from it but also stop the damage from spreading past me. "Moonlight, I beseech you! Cover me, shield me, grant me your radiance, [Moonlight Veil]!" For that I would use every skill and spell I had available, even those that would put a burden on my body, for there were not enough precautions to take against such a being. "Mighty earth I beseech you! Grant me your protection, let your strength flow through me, [Earth''s Bulwark]! With that, I prepared to jump from my horse and past the escaping knights. "Moonlight and Earth, I beseech you! Dwell within this shield and let me become the border from which no attack shall pass...." Thus, I jumped with my Moon Tear Shield in hand, which shined as my spell took effect and landed just in time. ...[Astral Barrier]!" As I held my shield up, my barrier deployed with a shine only equal to that of the moon in the sky. Its size was similar to that of a section of the capital''s walls. And the ice blast crashed with it. "NNNGH!" I could feel myself being pushed back almost immediately by it, even if the barrier seemed to be dispersing the blast. I glanced at my back and the knights were gone, they kept running without looking back or offering assistance. I see, they plan to leave me here as a decoy to secure their escape. That is what I thought then Such despicable acts were unbecoming for a knight but...even then, it was my duty to stop that attack, lest see that battlefield be turned into an icy tomb for everyone. And most important of all, I needed to get as much time as possible for all of us. "NN...!" Still, the ice blast soon became more, and they kept coming, to the point that I could feel that my barrier was losing strength. Moreover, my surroundings became colder with every second, to the point that it did not take long for me to see my breath. Then, as my barrier got even smaller, the grass beneath me started to freeze. I could not let that go on. "Hnnghann!" So, I put all I had in my legs as I started to push back the attack, even if barely. "Moonlight and Earth! Hnnngah! I beseech you! Nnnngh...! Grant me the strength to reflect that which assails me, [Astral Reflection]!" Then, I used what was left of my barrier, making it shine brighter than before as it released a pulse of moonlight that reflected all those ice blasts back to where they came from. And suddenly, the scenery before me changed into a pure white one as the entirety of the forest where the ice blasts were coming from became completely frozen. Many enemies were caught in the blast as they were coming out from the forest, falling to pieces instants later. But even those many were not enough All while I could feel my consciousness wanting to leave me due to the sudden and heavy loss of mana, but "...guh...hah...hah...hah...I cannot...fall. Not from the cold...nor from this now heavy body of mine..." ...for it was coming. I could sense it... The Dragon Lord was near... So, I willed myself to focus, to fix my stance, to ready my shield and to unsheathe my sword. "Human... Abandoned by your own... In the brink of collapse... And you still dare to confront...me?" "...!" For her to appear so suddenly like that...! Teleportation?! Or was its pure speed?!! Those questions went through my mind as the shock of her sudden appearance filled my body. Still, regardless of the answer, I immediately jumped back while guarding myself with my shield. "Such a pathetic creature that you are...surrender yourself to the cold..." The cold worsened as she spoke, making ice appear on my surroundings. But [Moonlight Veil] protected me from suffering a similar fate, while the voices of my people still fighting shouted the same answer as the one in my heart. "I refuse." "What...?" Before her question, I pointed my sword at her and looked into those cold eyes as I stood my ground. "I am telling you that I will not surrender myself to the cold. I am telling you that I will not let you pass Dragon Lord!" "Haa" "...nngh!" She sighed and with a flick of her hand she summoned multiple icy spikes under my feet. I tried to quickly move out of the way, but some of them managed to pierce my legs and my right arm. My defensive spells and skills helped, but the damage was still done... And the sudden surge of pain in my leg made me lose my footing, if only for an instant, which... "Gah!" ...left an opening that she used to strike me with an ice boulder. Her attacks were so quick...it was like they were appearing out of nowhere... "..." Furthermore, she kept attacking me mercilesslyagainand again...and again. Sometimes I managed to dodge by guessing where the attack was coming from but only barely. Other times I would block them despite being pushed back by the sheer force of it. But that came with the price of my body being hurt by the mere impact. Again, I was saved every time by the spells and skills that I had put in place and the healing enchantment on my armor, but that was close to running out... As for what came next, I can remember it quite clearly, my thoughts, my feelings, everything is carved in my heart. __________________________________________ "Nnn..." Not good... I almost fall to the ground... I cannot let myself do that... If I do so, I die... Worse of all, she has not used a single skill or a proper spell... Even so... "...I will not...hah...let you pass for as long as I am standing, Dragon Lord!" "Freeze..." "Hmp! Wha!?" I''mfreezing over?! "Pathetic...know your place, lowly creature. What you endured amountsto me taking care of a pebble in the road. Your magic...is just a bother that barely extendsyour miserable life. Reflecting my whispersis neither a feat nor proof of your strength. Do you see? With a wordthat feeble veil of yours has been overcome and...you are nothing but another piece of ice now. Stay there as your city falls..." "..." ... ..... .......s-s-so ........c-co-cold. ..........so...cold.... .............I can barely.....feel....my body.....let alone....move....it.... ..............healing enchantment......last charge....is gone.....now....veil is next..... .................is this....it?.....is this my limit?......its getting difficult.....to stay awake..... .....................need.......to.........close........my.......eyes for....a moment.................................... .....................................................................no..................................................................................... ........no......no!.......NO!.......I cannot let......this.....be........my end........I cannot fall here...... ............................................I WILL NOT FALL HERE........................ ................MOVE BODY OF MINE!............. ..............MOVE!........ *tremble* "Hmm?" ...MOVE!.... *tremble* *tremble* *crack* "!!!!!!" *crack* *crack* *CRASH* "GRAAAH! Hah....hah....hah...where....haah....are you....hah....going....Dragon Lord...? This....hah.....pebble...is still....standing....haah....and in the way...." "Human. I am not fond of toying with insignificant beings...your mockery only brings you closer to your inevitable...death." _________________________________ Even if she said so, she was forming an icicle the size of a child to attack me with. Meanwhile, my body was still numb. Moreover, the veil''s time was almost up, and I had not enough mana to cast it again. Thus, I needed to make it count. __________________________________ "Be impaled...human." I can see it! I can cut it! "[Crescent Moon Sl" "Foolish Human." "ash?!" It dodged my blade?! Where?! On my left! I have to bloc! *KER-CHUNK* "AAGH!" It pierced my shield...my arm...cannot move my arm...but.... "...you missed...hng...I am still standing...!" "..." Killing intent! Where?! She is! "GAHG!" "To be piercedby my enchanted spear. You will fall with this...human..." It pierced....my stomach.... I can feel itslowly freezing me...from within...but I stillhave strength left! "No! Gn...! I will not! Haaaah!!" _______________________________ I brandished my sword and attacked her with a downwards slash, but she evaded it by jumping back with ease and taking her spear with her, stopping my death sentence for the moment... ________________________________ "You would still uselessly try to fight me...human?" "Yes...! I will...!" "...very well..." Gnnthis overwhelming pressure! Its...worse than before...! This is...! "...keep standing under my pressure, for you are to witness that which is above you...a shred of my power...the power of the Dragon Lord of Eternal Winter..." _________________________ With that started her chant. "Ice take my form and be a blade... She did not silence me because she believed that I had run out of mana and stamina, and she was right. I did not have enough mana to use it in any spell and my body was indeed on the brink... "...come around me and end the life of my enemy in a swift..." But that did not mean that I was powerless... Even if my eyesight was failing me... Even if my hands were numb... Even ifmy blood painted the ground red... "...gracious dance..." I had one last skill that could be useful even if it had a high chance of killing me in that state. "[Ice Blade Dance]." "Come!" I needed to time it right for it to work. So, I focused everything on my tired senses and the world slowed down. I could see her ice-made copies approaching me with their swords instead of spears. More... They were in front of me. Closer But not close enough. Now! Until they were. "[JUGGERNAUT''S WILL]!!" The ice copies'' swords cut through my armor and into my skin as the skill activated. Soon, the clash between them destroyed the copies and created a white explosion with me on the center. "...!" And as the fog started to dissipate, the Dragon Lord was surprised to a standstill as I glared at her, still standing. "RAAAH!!" Not letting that chance go, I pushed the ground below me with all the strength that the skill had bestowed on me and brandished my sword once more. Still I knew that my sword was not enough to kill her, so I targeted something that I could cut down and put what little mana I had left in my sword. As for my target My target was one of her winged-shaped horns. "[CRESCENT MOON SLASH]!" My sword moved accordingly but... *THUMP-THUMP* ...ah, my time is up. All my newfound strength left me as I...fell. My sword barely grazed her horn, leaving only a small mark on it. My knees were the first to touch the ground, followed by the rest of my body. I could swear that I heard Kristoff shout my name, but I did not have the energy left to even open my eyes. So, I thought what I thought would be my last thoughts ___________________________ It is fine... This is a good death...on my terms...not hers... I believe in all of you my...Swords of Dawn... My friends... I know that you have already managed to force the enemy into a stalemate... I hope...you did... If not...Goddessif you can hear the plea of the Foolish Prince that you deemed worthy of the crown...then please...activate the teleportation circles in the capital...let my people escape...let my sister escape...my brother...my friends and comrades...even...yes...even my father... It is ironic that the skill I used in the end...was one he taught me...[Juggernaut''s Will] a skill that lets you become an unstoppable force by turninglethal damage taken into pure strength for a brief time... But it seems that my body was far too damaged to even make full use of it...heh... "...Master...I..." I can still hear that...dragon lord''s voice...why is she still here? "Master...is satisfied? Then we shall retreat at once..." To be saved...by the master of this dragon lord...is it luck or a blessing in disguise? Then that means I can leave the rest to you... Aah... Sothis is how it feels liketo not have more work to do... It is...warm ... To be continued...(cue highly stylized ending scene from the POV of Brynn that fits the ending theme like a glove! The new, and totally not invented by me, hit song by Myth & Roid: Freezing Cold Fear!! OH GODDESS YES!!) (Maybe I''m being too much of a fan of them? Maybe...hmm...) Chapter 43: Once upon an escape in the Kyrie Kingdom-the end. "Uwaaaaa...! So, Leader was thinking about us in those moments...! Uuuuu...Leader....uuu..." Lucy surprises all of us by crying just as Erevain finished telling me her story or at least the part concerning her. Ah, she started hugging Mika. "It''s alright you idiot...it''s alright..." Aww Mika is comforting her with head pats. So sweet and cute. I look around and everyone is looking at Erevain with teary eyes or trying to hold back their crying. "..." Heck, even I am trying my best! Edge Alter does not cry in front others. Edge Alter does not cry in front of others. Edge Alter does notAAAAH I WANNA CRY SO FUCKING BAD! "Leader..." Erica is looking at Erevain with an expression that looks like she is going to start crying at any moment. Look! Even her lips are trembling! "*sob*" Even Gabrielle is having a hard time maintaining her usual smile! "I apologize, My Lord. It seems I have dampened the mood with my story..." No! Don''t lower your head! It isn''t bad! "...but I do not understand, everyone. I remember that I told you all of this sometime after it happened. Did I not? Why are you reacting in this way now?" Asks Erevain as she shoots a curious gaze at all the other Maid-Knights who are in the carriage. By the way, I can hear Sophie sobbing in the pilot seat and saying ''so...so...that is why...uuu...'' and to think that she was so eager to tell me all about Erevain just a few days ago. "Huh...? Isn''t it obvious? *sniff* It''s because...it moves our hearts...*sniff*when a woman is saying those things about us...*sniff*with that voice...*sniff*and those loving gazes you showed while doing so...*sniff*...its too effective! Uwaaaa...." Lucy, you are so right. "Eh?" Don''t be so confused, Erevain. You made such beautiful expressions while telling your story that I burned them into my mind next to Nerinne''s and Ilya''s expression folders... Of course, everyone is nodding agreement. And now, Erevain is turning beet red. Adorable. Oh! This is a good prompt for bonus points in her route! "Erevain..." I quickly move and take her delicate hand, pulling it towards my face gently. "M-My Lord?!" ThenI kiss it. "...say the word and I shall make it rain fire on that foolish father of yours and his accomplices." And add a cool gaze for more doki doki. "...!" Mission accomplished! NOW GIVE ME GEMS! I mean... Erevain is so red that if this was a manga, she would have smoke coming out the top of her head. So cute. Hehe, I won this time! "N-No...My Lord. That would put others in danger and...I do not wish for retribution. It happened five years ago, so I had time to process all those emotions into something useful for the situation we were in through the years. And I protected my people regardless of what happened after. That is what mattered the most." My instinct tells me that you are saying the truth, but you are still making a heavy smile...while holding my hand tightly. Yes...telling me that story would still make some of those feelings come back even for a little bit. Right, Erevain? Aaah, such a precious and righteous heroine... Then, the only thing I can do is give you a warm expression. "*ahem*" Right! Everyone else is here! I personally do not care, but Erevain lets go of my hand quite quickly when she notices that. "Ahhh! Come on! Way to ruin the moment just because you''re jealous, Gabrielle!" "My goodness, whatever do you mean? Can you say that again?" "Eeek! Mika protect me!" "Eh?! W-What are you saying you idio?! Wait, do-don''t try to hide under my cape!!" Wow. Gabrielle shot quite the scary look at Lucy without breaking her smiling ojou-sama expression for a second. There goes another name to the list of people I do not want to make mad. Current #1 place is taken by Nerinne, of course. "Oh my, why are you saying that dear~~? I am but a simple Goddess full of love, not someone to fear, right, dear~~?" Hahaha...did I say that? I meant #1 in my heart and soul, of course! "Fufufu~~I am glad to know that, my dear. You too hold that place in mine." My heart can''t take all these sudden changes from fear to love... "Hmmm?" Nothing! _______________________________________________ There is still a part of the story I want to hear though. One that is obviously missing. What happened after the battle? How did they manage to save Erevain and hide in the forest? "Is My Lord wondering about what happened after I fell?" I widen my eyes immediately in surprise to Erevain''s comment. She is really good at reading me in these types of moments or do I become that easy to read? "Hmp*cough*! Indeed, it is something that has been on my mind." YES, I MANAGED TO STOP MYSELF FROM ANSWERING AS A TSUNDERE!! "Then, please My Master, let me and Erica tell you what happened in the battlefield and the palace. And, of course, about how we ended up in exile." Says Gabrielle while softly putting her right hand on her chest and lowering her head, showing that it would be an honor to do so. Something that Erica does as well. "Very well but be quick about it." "As you wish, Master. Please Gabrielle tell your part first." Says Erica with a polite tone. "Worry not, My Master. This is more of an epilogue to the story than another chapter if we were to put it in literary terms." AhhGabrielle really knows how to push all my right buttons when it comes to an ojou-sama type, and not only with the way she talks, but in the way she acts in general That flair And so, this beautiful ojou started with her part of the story. ________________________________________________ We were certainly surprised the moment our Leader used a skill as powerful as the [Astral Barrier], but that surprise turned into tension the moment we noticed with whom he was fighting. The Dragon Lord of the Eternal Winter. A certain muscle-headed warrior wanted to go immediately after noticing that, but I stopped him. "What are you doing, Gabriel?! That''s a full-fledged Dragon Lord right there! He needs all the help he can get!! His barrier is barely holding on!!! Let me pass!! RAHH! [Headsplitter]!!!" "And what?! Do we leave the soldiers and the other knights who need us unprotected?! To let them die without being healed?! Don''t be stupid! Think for a moment!! The second we leave this place to go and help Leader, our people will lose all the ground we''ve gained! [Bone-crushing Palm]!" It is not wise to have a heated discussion in the middle of a battlefield with a comrade, even more so when one is being swarmed by undead and lizardmen, but I could not let him abandon his position. Even if I wanted to do the same thing. The fight then intensified when the forest in front of us turned white and a part of the enemys forces was lost to the icy blast. It is not that they grew desperaterather, they wereelated. "What do you want me to do then?! Let my friend die?! Hes your friend too!! Get down! [Cyclone Slash]!!" "Umph! He is! That is why I want you to trust him!! And if he dies, he does so with honor!! He is holding off a Dragon Lord by himself just to buy us time to turn this fight in our favor! Even a stalemate will do while that thing is with him! You know that!! Get back! [Exploding Palm: First Form]!!" "GigigGYAAA!" *SPLOOOORSHION* "SHIT! SHE IS PLAYING WITH HIM! COME ON!!" "STOP! LISTEN TO ME, KRISTOFF! WE CAN''T GO! LOOK! LOOK AT HOW MANY WOUNDED ARE TRYING TO RETREAT! IF WE LEAVE, THEY ARE DEAD! OUR OTHER HEALERS ARE OCCUPIED! IF I DON''T HEAL THEM ON THE WAY, THEY ARE DEAD! AND THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK ARE DEAD TOO IF YOU LET THESE BASTARDS GO TO THEM! YOU ARE FREE TO PUNCH ME IN THE FACE IF HE DIES PROTECTING HIS PEOPLE AND US! BUT...YOU. ARE. NOT. LEAVING! GOT IT?!" "GNDAMN IT ALL! [GREAT CRUSHER]! Myhe was, and is, a hotheaded, battle junkie, drunk but never heartless. Never heartless. After that, we fought so many enemies that I lost count, but we were advancing steadily. And for a moment, we were scared when we saw Leader frozen for brief period of time that seemed to last an eternity to us. But we kept fighting and helping those who were retreating. Even some lesser dragon lords fell to our rushed attacks. Yet, whenever we looked, Erevain received an attack that could have been his last. But he did not fall. Not until he did... We both saw it. "EREVAAAAIN!!!" It was also then that I felt an overwhelming killing intent emanate from that Dragon Lord, one that even surprised her own forces. I thought for a moment that Leader must have done something that made her furious, but then that killing intent suddenly vanished and she left, taking her forces with her. It was certainly something difficult to believe, but at that time there was something more important to pay attention to than trying to figure out why that happened, and that was trying to feel Leaders life force. ButI was so focused in doing so that I was blinded to what was happening in my surroundings, that is until Kristoff made me aware of it. "GET OUT OF THE WAY! WHY ARE YOU BLOCKING MY PATH! THAT''S YOUR CROWN PRINCE RIGHT THERE!! WE CAN STILL SAVE HIM!!" That is when I turned around and saw the same soldiers we protected, and even healed, pointing their swords at us. Thatwas unexpected to say the least. But that was not all, Knights that belonged to the orders were also among those blocking Kristoffs path. "I am sorry, but we cannot let you go." "Sorry? They are traitors!!" "Yeah! They left just in time to not be here when the attack started and arrived conveniently when it ends! Despicable!!" "You thought you could just swoop in and be the heroes?! Well you''ve got it wrong, you scum!!" "Cease with those accusations! That is but one side of the story! They saved some of your lives!" "Shut up! My brother died in the first hours of the attack! Where were they then?!" That is some of the things they said. Our people. The ones we always fought to protect. They were obviously blinded by the mass of feelings that come out after such battles, but even then, I cannot say that I was not...irritated. But for Kristoff it was worse. He was mad, desperate, and filled with disappointment. To makes things worse, he personally knew a lot of the people shouting those things at us. Go to enough bars in the capital and you end up making a lot of acquaintances. He shouted their names. Told them that those things were lies. But no one believed him. The King himself had made it known that we had abandoned them, betrayed themsabotaged them, and he did so right in the middle of the battle. Shattering their morale and leading to the bloody chaos we arrived to. We were branded deserters and traitors who even allied with the Dragon Lords but were discarded, just as we supposedly did. "The crown prince is dead? Serves him right for trying to curry favor with those monsters! Ptoo!" "THAT''S IT! YOU''RE DEAD!" "NO, KRISTOFF!" My, myI barely managed to stop him when one of them spit on what happened to our friend. It was clear that it was an attempt to provoke us and lead us to make our situation even worse. I knew that well, but I cannot deny that I also felt an urge to bury my fist on that knights chest. A knight that had an emblem I did not recognize on his armor, one whose face felt familiar and then I remembered, he was one of Reignitz men. That trash. Sadly, as a result of me stopping Kristoff, the punch that was reserved for that fool went to my face. Hard. It made me almost fall but he stopped me from falling. "That''s worth double, you annoying bastard." After that, they took our weapons, seemingly sealed our magic, cuffed us, and took us inside the capital. There we were reunited with the rest of our comrades, except the scouts, who disappeared the moment they noticed something was wrong. And those bulls...they made us walk to one of the plazas near the gate we entered. "Everyone! Look! And listen! These are the traitors who abandoned you in your hour of need! They thought they could play us! Letting things get worse, get bloody and tragic! Then they would appear and conveniently repel the siege! All for the sake of glory! Oh, the greed of them! But this world is just even in surprising ways! As for the greedy Fallen Prince! He died at the hands of those he sold us to! Hahaha! Come and see the shameful faces of those he left behind!!" Those were Reignitz'' words fanning the flames of ire in the citizens hearts and spreading the King''s lies. That trash that only fought in the places were the weakest enemies were. Meanwhile, the citizens that saw us...said many things. There were cries of anger, sadness, disappointment, and disbelief. Even the families of our comrades that were born in the capital were present. Some were forsaken...others ignored, and others still believed in them. But it was like our hearts were being constricted... And that was what the King and Ulthane wanted It was their attempt to break our spirits, one that was painful, but sadly for them, that was not enough. Because we knew the truth. What hurt us more than anything was seeing our people consumed in this fabricated turmoil. When we arrived at the plaza, there was a cage in its center. It was clearly made to humiliate us even further. We were thrown in there one by one. I was the last one. And the moment one of the bulls I had saved got near me, I did something that I am not proud of doing as a healer. "Light and nature, take away the blessing you gave...[Open Wounds]." "Agh!" There he fell on the ground as all the wounds he had suffered in battle opened at once, along with their respective pain. Ohohohothat surprised the other bulls quite a bit, for my magic was supposed to be sealed. But they made a very simple mistake, one they would have not if they had been something more than trash, and that was that we healers are particularly resistant to sealing magic. After all, we are always being targeted by spells of that nature in the battlefield. Of course, they pointed their weapons at me after that, but none got close. They wereafraid. "You know who I am. You know that what I give I can take. I will go inside the cage as you wish, but the moment you try something elseyou are dead." A healer is one who saves lives, but there are always two sides of the coin and healing magic is no different. The bulls just stood there trembling and pointing at me with their swords until I entered the cage. "Wow, you stop me from punching one of those bastards, but you just casually go and open all his wounds. Thats just great. Just great" "Save it, Kristoff. Yes, I did it, but inside the capital where they can just go and have him healed by another healer. Although...it will take some time thanks to the side effect of that spell." "You''re the worst." After that, we waited. Waited for our comrades that were not in the cage to do something. Ah, yes. In hindsight that was quite petty of me, but please do not tell Kris I said that. Your turn, Erica. ________________________________________ Thank you, Gabrielle, and yes, it was petty of you. Please abstain from doing so again. We cannot sully our Master''s reputation with such acts. Now, as Master asked me to be brief, I shall be as brief as possible. When I separated from everyone, I entered the capital using one of the secret tunnels that the Royal Family has access to. And I was made aware of our status as traitors from the voices of the surface that would echo in there. So, I kept to the shadows even inside the tunnel. Even if stealth is not my specialty, having knowledge of said tunnels made me able to traverse unnoticed through the capital. First, I went back to our headquarters and grabbed the spatial storage bags that were there. Specifically, those that contained various things that could be useful in a situation that called for an escape. A conclusion that I got from the things said by the Royal Knights who were guarding the entrance to the headquarters, unaware of its secret entrance. Then I went to the palace, but I was stopped by none other than Licht and someone I never expected to be there Oh, it seems that today my dear Elder Brothers attendants are fated to meet with me. Could it be bad luck? What do you thinkMary? "..." "Hmm, you do not have to be so silent. After all, you helped me take care of Euphy back there, did you not? With her gone I can move on with my plans much more easily." The words he said while making thatsmile, were words I could not believe. That I did not want to believe Let alone what they implied. And yet Ishamefully let myself be angered by them. Even if I knew that he wanted exactly that. "What did you do, Licht?!" "Prince Licht for you, Eric. Now more than ever. And I did the same thing I did to my dear Elder Brother; I took care of them. But I have a more important question, how are you here? Were you not escaping from the imminent siege on the capital?" "You know that is not the truth! You were the one who asked Prince Erevain to go to...my GoddessYOU! You were behind this!! You lied to us and sent us to Ryze Village!! Why?! Why would you betray your brother?!" "Surely you jest. I would never betray my dear Elder Brother, but I guess it is a matter of perspective. And well, even if you were to try and denounce me as the terrible master mind behind your unfortunate circumstances, need I remind you of your status...traitor?" He was right, I was without options in that matter. For no one of importance would believe the word of someone branded as a traitor. Nevertheless, he was clearly involved, but I...I still wanted to believe that Mary was not. "Mary!! Are you going to let him do that?! The PrinErevain is fighting!! He threw himself at the attack of the Dragon Lord commanding the enemy!!" "..." "Our friend!! Your best friend!! The one you" "..." "Say something!! I do not want to think about it, but he might die tonight!! Are you going to let him die a traitor?!!" "..." "ENOUGH! My dear Elder Brother is not going to die. You will do best to not say more foolish words." In hindsight, that was the first time I had seen Licht truly furious, incredibly so. As was I. "Haayou are of no use. Mary, take care of him quickly since Father is waiting. He must be all agitated because of the teleportation circles suddenly activating without his permission." "Do not dare show your back to me unless you are ready for the consequences. Water hear me and maim my enemies [Water BlaGUH!" I tried to attack him, but Mary appeared suddenly in front of me and struck me hard enough to leave me without breath. But speed was never one of Mary''s fortes... It was as if the Mary that had been beside Licht had been an illusion all along, and the real one was waiting in front me, I just could not see her. "I am sorry..." That is the only thing I heard before I shamefully lost consciousness for a brief period of time. After that, I was being carried by the Royal Knights to the cage Gabrielle mentioned, but the scouts made their move and freed me. They had raided the place where they had our weapons and half of them were waiting outside of the capital with them. That meant that they arrived at the same conclusion as I did at the time, we had to escape. As for Gabrielle and the others, they did not have to wait long for us. We took out the bulls that were guarding them and freed them. All while the oaf that is Ulthane was nowhere to be seen and if he had been there, I... "I know at least 40 ways I could''ve taken us out of that cage with only my necklace! Idiots! They let me keep it just because I told them it''s a family heirloom! Ha! All my family''s heirlooms are tools of the trade!" "We know Roxxargeraffe! Less talking and more running!" In any case, there was nothing left for us to do but run. We did not even stop to fight those who tried to block our path. We did not need to. The bulls were weaker than us. And...some citizens helped us. They threw themselves at the bulls, even some of the guards fought them or fought other guards who were trying to help them. It wasnice to see that some people still believed in us. Then, when we arrived at the gate, we found it locked tightly but... "Water, flow freely and show your wrath! [Disastrous Torrent]!" ...I exploited a weakness in the locking mechanism that I had overheard in a conversation at the palace. Even if a servant is not supposed to use such things for their benefit. Still, that must have surely vexed Licht since he was the one who talked about it almost in front of me. And I was fine with that. The gate opened and we kept running. Meanwhile, the civilians that supported us kept stopping our pursuers from following us, be them guards or knights, they were effective. For even the bulls did not stoop so low as to attack civilians. Of course, they could not if they wanted to establish themselves as trusted knights of the Kingdom. Thus, we ran until we arrived at the place were Leader fell and what we saw surprised us. He was covered in Moonlight Roses, heavily wounded and on the brink of death, but...somehow still alive. Needless to say, we all cheered for a moment while the healers did their job, at least enough so that we could be able to move him. In the end, we entered the forest and kept going deeper until we were so far from the capital that no one would be able to find us. That is how our exile began. ________________________________________ "To think that we would be seeing the capital again after so much time has passed from that...I thank you, Master." """"Thank you, Master."""" To be continued (cue collage ending of their 5 years of "camping"!!) (And that''s a wrap! The flashback arc is done! With this we''ll return to the isekai shenanigans!) Chapter 44: Isekai road trip with cute maids, yay! Aaah flashbacks! Don''t you love them? Just when you think you''re done with them... ...you get more! Such an isekai thing to happen. But man do I hate it when they do it with monthly manga! That is why no more for this trip! And the capital too! Got to live in the present too, you know? I mean, with such a nice scenery that said present provides...who would want to reminiscence more? I''m in an isekai for Darling''s sake! I can peek out the window and find some mystical looking white deer running through the prairie! I wonder how it would taste... "Dear, are you really that much of a glutton?" Hmmm, yeaaaah? I mean in this body I can eat as much as I want without worrying about it. So, I can enjoy all the isekai food and pulled pork sandwiches I want! Plus, I also keep myself faithful to besto waifu''s character! Umu, I am a genius! "Fufufu~~~, I wonder." Hey! Eating lots of isekai food is a staple for these types of stories!! Its part of the isekai law!! Right beside me cooking my world''s food and making every one that tastes it say that it is vastly superior to anything of this world!!! Although, I do not know if that one only refers to Japanese food... Should I also try and do the obligatory ''I need my white rice!'' remark? That one would indeed need to come after eating isekai food, but before going along the second law I just mentioned though. But wouldn''t that mean that I was predisposed to not like the isekai food that much? Since the seemingly obligatory isekai line nothing can compare to a dish of simple white rice! also exists too... Umu, umu... "Master really is beautiful..." "Hmm?" Oh, it seems Lucy is mesmerized by my beauty. Well, I am indeed doing the ''gazing at the window with a light smile'' pose while being bathed in sunlight, which results in my golden hair and eyes standing out even more, also my skin, and overall figure. Umu, Lucy you have good taste. I feel so happy, someone else appreciates my and besto waifu''s beauty. That is a win. Although, most of the credit really goes to Nerinne. A round of applause please! "Fufufu~~ please dear you will make me blush! Translating a character design in 2D to a real-life body was a fun challenge! The face was tough though, so I do feel a little proud when someone praises your beauty, but you also deserve credit since its your actions and interactions that show true beauty!" Oh you~~. To imagine that you did all that in what just looked like a simple flash of light. You are so awesome. "You too, dear~~." No, you more, darling~~. Hm? I got sidetracked? Ah, yes. The scenery that the present provides. Of course, there is another beautiful scenery right here. I''m sharing a carriage with a big team of Maid-Knights loyal to me! All mingling with each other, laughing and looking out at their windows with expectant eyes. This type of scene says isekai in a sweet, asmr voice that fateful fans should know very well...just remembering that voice actress sends nice shivers all over me... But enough monologuing, I must answer Lucy''s praises. In an edge alter way, of course. "Hmph, while I do not accept empty compliments, those from the heart deserve an appropriate response. Thank you, Lucy, you too look beautiful and I like your personality too." I say so while smiling at her. Lucy seems surprised at the fact that I heard her praise and is now blushing while smiling fully at me. "That''s great, Master! See, Mika? I told you I wasn''t being a bother to Master. She even likes my personality!" Says Lucy as she pokes Mika''s cheek playfully. "That''s just Master being kind! She is our Master so you should be more polite! Master, please do not spoil her! She needs to act more proper!" Ah! Is this fabled ''class president/morals committee character style'' scolding?! It feels so nice! The weeb in my heart is dancing in happiness from getting to experience this! She is even wagging her finger at me!!! This is clearly a check!! Yes, a check on the isekai list! Right in the companion interactions tab!! CHECK! I so want to break character immediately but that needs to be slowly!! "Um? Aren''t you the one being impolite and improper right now, Mika? I mean you are scolding Master." Says Lucy making Mika freeze up in realization of what she was just doing. "Eh?! A-AH! I deeply apologize, Master! I-I got carried away while scolding Lucy...again..." Wha-What?! Why did you stop?! Don''t apologize! I was burning it in my mind you know! And don''t lower your head so fast, you might get hurt!! "Wai*ahem*! There is nothing to apologize for. You were acting on your good judgement because, in the end, you care for your friend. That is a commendable trait, one that must be always nurtured and not discouraged. So, raise your head, Mika." I say so using a calm voice so that my point of not being mad gets across. "But Master..." "Goodness Mika, you should listen to Master. She is telling you that she likes that part about you. Raise your head and be thankful for the compliment. Is that not the polite way?" Says Gabrielle as the always dependable ojou-sama. I think she deserves a reward too. "I...yes. Thank youMaster. I might get carried away in the future, so please take care of me." She says so while pushing her glasses up and trying to hide her embarrassment...HOW COULD I SAY NO TO THAT?! "Of course, as I said before, you can count on me." _________________________________________________ Some hours after that little exchange with Mika and Lucy we got off the carriage after finding a good spot to eat a meal and stretch our legs. It is a little bit outside of the road just besides a running river. For anyone wondering for the bathroom, I just asked Jules to set a tent and I used my powers to connect it to the bathrooms in the castle. I mean, I am all for the isekai road trip and camping experience except for the bathroom part. Heck, I''m game for the bathing in the river fan service scene with all the Maid-Knights! Just imagining the ''fufufu''s'' and the ''kya kya''s'' make me want to jump right into it! But watering the daisies in the out and about is a big no-no for me. Eh? You''re saying that I''m already kind of a pervert so doing it outside shouldn''t be that much of a stretch?! What the heck are you saying?! I''m a fine and well-educated person! An adult!! I never did it outside as a man! Why would I start doing it now as a woman?! Anyways! That''s that! Every maid is now occupied setting up the camp or the table or the kitchen utensils. Yes, we brought a table, chairs, and all of that. It was a set they already had for these type of occasions. I was surprised when Gabrielle brought it all out though. I mean, I had seen their base camp but seeing how fast and efficiently they were setting it all up was really cool. I tried to help but... "Ohoho, how could I let My Master handle these menial tasks? Do not worry, doing this is not a bother, dear Master." Said Gabrielle laughing lightly while covering her mouth with the tip of her fingers. She seemed quite eager too. Maybe she took it as me doubting their abilities? Although, I have to admit that it is really hot when she calls me ''My Master''... "My Lord, please leave it to us and enjoy the scenery." Then came Erevain with that and Erica nodding in agreement close behind. I then tried to help with the cooking side of it but... "A Master should only wait and not worry about these things. So please Master, leave the cooking to us!" Said Mika already preparing a soup with the supplies we had in our luggage. She seemed to have taken what I said to heart and she''s fine scolding me now. Ah, its nice so there''s no problem. "Yeah! Besides, Master, we haven''t done anything yet to deserve the reward of Master cooking for us! Please, leave this to us for now! We may not be as good as Louise, but my grilling skills are still quite good if I do say so myself! Oh, and I cannot wait to taste Master''s cooking, so I''ll be the one taking that reward!" "I-I will be the one!" Said Bertia as she pointed at herself with a confident smile, followed by Mika putting more effort on her soup. As for Luca and Jules, they went to the forest to hunt. Despite having meat in our supplies, Jules said that she wanted me to taste the meat of one of the beasts that live in this area. I wonder if it''s that mystical looking white deer I saw earlier... And now Im walking towards Allegra and Sophie, who are fishing in the nearby river. "Hoh~~, I did not take you for one that enjoys fishing." "Yeah, yeah, I''ve been told lots of times that my personality doesn''t match one of a fisher, but I like to do it." Sophie seems slightly irritated by my comment, but I can see that she just made a light smile there at the end. "For me it is something that I learned to do mainly for the sake of my research, but then I found it quite enjoyable. I would spend the hours away fishing at some lake even after gathering enough specimens." Says Allegra with a relaxed expression on her face, her eyes fixated on the water. Also, if she is talking about her research then I guess that means she was fishing for poisonous fishes and such? Is she doing that right now too?! "This river has some nice tasting fish Master, so look forward to them." She says so as she turns her eyes in my direction and smiles warmly. Did she read my mind?! But... What can I say after that? Nothing more than just waiting like a good Master, I suppose... ______________________________________________________ "This soup is delicious, Mika. The broth is quite rich and the vegetables, this...uruns...really go well with it." "Thank you, Master. I am glad that you liked it. There is more if Master wants seconds." What a satisfied smile she has right now! Nice! Its really good! Who said isekai food is bland and absolutely needs soy sauce?! I''ll fight them! No matter how many they are! Like, she made a really good soup with broth made from the bones and some of the meat of the bovine animal that Bertia was using for her dish. Then she added some seasoning, some vegetables from my world and these uruns. Uruns! Isekai vegetable! Its like a mix of a potato and a carrot but tastes sweeter. But not like a sweet potato, there''s some difference. Believe me, I have a PhD in Potatology! There''re also potatoes here but uruns are more common. Truly an isekai! Sometimes something simple like this is best, you know? As for sitting arrangements, well, I am on the right side of the table, in the usual VIP spot you can imagine. At my right I have Erevain and at her side is Erica, followed by Mika, Lucy and Sophie. At my left I have Gabrielle and at her side is Bertia, followed by Jules, Allegra and Luca. The table is large enough for all of us to be comfortable. "Master, don''t forget about the grilled meat I made! If Master liked the broth, then Master will love the meat even more! I promise!" "Interesting. I shall trust your word, Bertia." I am already drooling for it just because of the smell thanks to my senses... If I had an ahoge it would be dancing... Without further ado, lets dig in. ... HNNNGH! ... Yep, I just had a foodgasm. This meat is so tender and juicy! She wasn''t joking when she said she was good at grilling! Darling, are you sure you don''t want to join us?! "As much as I would like to...I cannot put everyone at risk by being out in the open like that. It might attract unwanted attention." But I could set up a barrier with my spatial magic just like you did on that night at the inn. "I...took a risk that day Auros because I really wanted to see you. I am able to take a physical form and be with you in your personal space due to a technicality, but let us not push my luck. I promise you that one day we will eat together out in the open and even with Ilya." Then I will work hard to make that day come faster. Be it beating the Dragon Lords or finding a place you can feel fine being there. "Fufufu~~, I know you will." Umu, trust me. ... This meat is really, really, good... I need to properly praise it. So, here you have it the ''poker faced thumbs up praise'' signature edge alter praise!! Plus, some light magic for anime flair! "It''s good, Bertia. So good." Bertia''s eyes have lit up and shes making a really big smile while letting out a joyful voice. "I knew that Master would like it! After all, I had a feeling that Master was a comrade on the path of meat!" "I do not know about that, Bertia. I believe Master follows a wider path." Says Gabrielle with a confident expression. She is also right. "Indeed, I follow a path where I shall taste all that is tasty in this world for that is one of my objectives in traveling throughout these lands." I say so with an honest and serious tone "Ooooh, as expected of Master! That is truly a goal I can get behind! I''ll be glad to follow you on that path!" Look at that, Bertia is quite excited, shes giving me the feeling that I really got a follower and if this was a school manga, she would be calling me ''anego'' or something like that. Hmm, maybe, ''Master-sis''? That sounds oddly satisfying...is it a new fetish?! Also, Gabrielle is nodding quite satisfied with that as if saying ''see, Master never disappoints'' or something along those lines. Jules seems to want to interject but shes finishing her fourth plate of soup and is now going for the meat It seems I have a rival when it comes to gluttony, huh? "Master, please look forward to the doorim that we hunted. It will be ready for cooking by dinnertime." Says Jules with a smug smile and a proud look in her eyes while cutting a piece of meat. "Yes...doorim is good...Master..." Says Luca in her highest whisper. She already knows about my senses, so she is happy when I nod at what she said. So cute, cute and cute! Ah, the doorim is indeed that mystical looking white deer! And they hunted a big one!! I so wanted to eat it... Also, it seems to be a predator that attracts some people, animals, and even monsters with its pure white color, and then it kills them with wind magic that comes from its antlers and eats them. I asked if it was a monster instead of an animal but nope, it is considered an animal. Like, Nerinne, what were you thinking when you made them?! They are scary! "Fufufu~~, nature takes so many different paths, my dear. That one ended up like that after evolution, so technically it is not my fault. They could have been herbivores, but they do share a habitat with monsters, so they had to adapt." That...makes a whole lot of sense... "I shall look forward to it then." I nod at Jules while I try to grab more meat with my hand but Erevain smiles, grabs my hand, puts it back where it was and then serves me the meat. "My Lord, grabbing the meat with one''s hands is not proper table manners for one such as you. So, please do so with the proper utensils or just ask." I have to say, she is quite bold and direct when it comes to these things. From telling me that I look like a villain with my helmet on and now this... I can really feel her royal discipline coming out of her right now. "I...yes, Erevain. I will take your advice to heart." She smiles warmly at my response. "So, you are going to grill that doorim, right, Jules? That is the only way to bring out its flavor you know?" "Hmph, no. I am going smoke it of course. That is but the true way to bring a good flavor to a prey one hunted." "Hah?! What are you saying?! Haven''t we talked about this lots of times?! If you smoke it, it will dull the flavor and dry the meat!" "That is only if someone like you does it, no hunter that respects themselves would let that happen. You''ll see, Master will praise it even more than the meat you grilled." "That''s rich coming from someone that is already on her third serving!" Wow, when the heck did she stuff her mouth with all of that...? "That''s that and this is this. Also, more please." "Ah, here...wait! Why am I serving you! Do it yourself, you...you...meat duller!" "So uncool, there''s no need to give bad service." Seeing those two bicker around like that, plus all the other Maid-Knights enjoying themselves, I can''t but let out a small chuckle. This is nice, you know? Very nice It reminds me of "What is on your mind, My Lord?" Says Erevain while tilting her head with a genuine look of interest in her eyes, her beautiful black flowing hair moving along with her. "I was only thinking that this is truly a pleasant moment. It is warm." I can feel a smile appear on my face while saying this, since that is how I truly feel looking at all of this. "Yes, it is, My Lord. I too find it pleasant." Ah, there it is again that loving and warm gaze, it is not only directed at them but at me too. Isekai road trips sure are the best. To be continued...(cue sweet ending song for all those wholesome feels!) (Do tell me in the comments which one fits!) Glossary entry #19: Ahoge: That weird strand of hair that some anime characters seem to have on top of their heads. The one that, for some mysterious reason, reacts to their emotions taking various shapes and even wagging like a tail. Anego: A way to say Elder sister in Japanese. It is used in manga sometimes by delinquents to refer to the female leader of their gang. BEHOLD! AN URUN! Thank you for reading! Chapter 45: Demon Lords are good and Foolish Princesses are nice too. It was quite the nice meal we had there at the side of the river. We stayed there for a couple hours and then went on with our journey. Nothing important happened in the afternoon besides some talks with the maids. You would think that I would be bored without internet and my smartphone, but talking with the Maid-Knights was entertaining... WHO AM I LYING TOO?! I NEED MY GACHA GAME!! PLEASE, NERINNE!! "Sorry dear~~. No can do. I cannot materialize our stuff in the castle without it turning into divine devices and such since they had been in my divine realm all this time. Also, that level of technology could spell some problems. Please understand, dear~~." Oi, you just want them for yourself a bit longer, right? You are enjoying seeing me in this state, right?! "Fufufu~~~." Don''t ''fufufu'' me!! Give me my smartphone!!! "The beautiful Goddess you are trying to contact is not available. Please try again later. Beeep." You''re there! You even said beeep!!! "..." Come on!!! ___________________________________________ "I told you, give me the doorim meat! You are going to waste it with that smoke!" "No, my gut is telling me that you are going to ruin it with your grill." "...stop fighting..." Bertia and Jules are going at it again while Luca is in the middle. But she is being completely ignored. "Hah?! Your gut?! That unfillable void is telling you things?! Are you that hungry?!" "Hmph, you do not understand the coolness of my gut." "As if! Now give me the meat, Jules!" "No, I cannot." "...I am taking...the meat...bye..." They are so into it that they haven''t noticed Luca''s absence, nor the meats. "Ah! Look! A flying fat boar!" "Where?!" Jules you are drooling! Also, flying fat boar? Do they really exist? "Hahaha, got you! Now the meat is...!" "Tch, you...!" "...!" "...!" ""WHERE IS THE MEAT?!"" Well, it is being cut into fillets beautifully by Luca and put in a makeshift woodfire oven. Seriously, where the hell was that thing in the luggage?! "W-Wait! No! The meat!" "Why Luca? We hunted it together..." "You were...fighting too much...took it...fools...go bad...no understanding." ""Eh?"" They both were confused by Luca''s irritated words. "She probably was trying to say that you were fighting too much so she took the meat instead of leaving it with a pair of fools that would leave it to go bad before reaching an understanding. Yes?" Luca nods at Allegra''s interpretation while she preparing more fillets with some leaves she seems to have collected while she hunted. At least that is what my instinct is telling me. Its night now by the way. We set up camp on a prairie on the side of the road. The Maid-Knights are preparing everything for dinner at this moment too. Well, except Sophie, she has obligatory nightly training sessions with Kris back in the castle, so the plan has me opening a door to it for her every night and morning. The face she made when I told her that was a bit funny, but I also felt bad for her. Maybe it is similar to the sensation a parent has when leaving their children at school for the first time. She kept looking back at me with pleading eyes until she went through the door. Its just a bit of training so I don''t get why she would be like that. I mean, Sylvie is going through a more intense training every day and she seems to be fine. At least that is what Nerinne tells me. Oh well, Jules and Bertia are sitting near the firewood oven looking depressed, but also hungry. I mean, the smell is quite delicious from here, so I understand. Allegra is cooking the fish she and Sophie caught too. She is putting a strange powder on them...I really hope it is not poison based seasoning... I mean, I am resistant to it, but that does not make it ok for me. I think. "My Lord, is it really fine to not set up an anti-monster barrier?" Says Erevain who is by my side, preventing me from sneaking away and trying to help. "Hmph, as if we would need it. The moment I set a foot on this place, I let my killing intent tell all the monsters to leave us in peace or else. Even the strongest ones are ignoring this area." "Ah, as expected of My Lord. No monster would be able to resist that pressure." She says so while nodding with her hand on her chin. "Oh, but I do know of one who did even when I put more force into it." She widened her eyes for a moment, but she has now realized of whom Im talking about. "I am merely too stubborn for my own good." She lets out a small wry laugh after saying that, even her head leans a bit forward as she does so. "Yes...some would say that way of being is foolish." "Indeed, My Lord." Now it is a heavy smile, huh? Just let me finish though. "But I think that it is fine to be a fool in those sorts of occasions. To challenge an obviously overwhelming enemy with no chance of success and still have hope in making one, is the trait of those that can be called...protagonists or more commonly, heroes." Erevain looks at me with some confusion in her face. "That...could be true. But..." "You are no hero?" "That is right, My Lord." "I beg to differ, you confronted Brynn in a way not many would have done. You did it so that your people could have a chance of surviving. That is heroic. Even if you did not win, that does not matter, you fought when others tried to escape. You protected while others schemed and betrayed. And you would do it again if given the opportunity, correct?" "..." She starts looking upwards towards the starry sky as I continue. "Just like a fool, but a hero, nonetheless. Yes, just like a kid fighting against a god king." As I say that, I can feel some emotions gathering within her, but her expression was as calm as the scenery reflected in those eyes. "Even if I still find it difficult to believe that my own little brother betrayed me and did something to our sister? Even if I refused to see what was literally in front of me, My Lord?" She indeed seemed to refuse the idea too strongly back then. To a point it didn''t let her sleep. Probably, because deep down everything fitted so well if her brother was also involved. And so, she focused her attention on her father and Hilde. "I ask of you this, why not? Did I not mention that you were a fool? Fools do what fools do, not trusting your siblings should be common sense in a world where nobility schemes against themselves for power. Not doing so is foolish, but...this is not a world where that is supposed to happen. Since you are not rotten like a bunch of those birthed by that sort of world. Erevain seems intrigued by my words, but she doesnt say anything and just lets me continue. What you have told me is that this is a world where power comes to those who enact change and keep moving the world forward on the right path with the backing of the Goddess. It is more than likely that petty schemes among royal siblings looking for power amounted to nothing, even to the point they disappeared as they became unnecessary. As such, it was not common sense not trusting them and furthermore, betraying each other was something unthinkable. Certainly, a world of fools. As I say that, my lips begin to form a smile. A confident one. A genuine one. One from the bottom of my heart. But that is fine. If you still love and hope that your brother is a good person, then do so. The same applies for your childhood friend. And if you want to believe that your sister is fine, then do so too. I shall support you." Even if your brother sounds like a yandere brother-con, you can count on me! And my instinct is giving me a good feeling about your sister, but I need more time and precise info to feel comfortable discussing that. "HahaI am really a foolish prince, no, princess...but this foolish princess will accept her Lord''s offer. Thank you, My Lord Auros..." Aaah, that smile is a nice one. Just as thosegorgeoussilver eyes in which I could get lost at any time. "But there is something that caught my interest, My Lord." hmm? What could that be? "What could that be, Erevain?" "That world My Lord was talking about...it seemed as if My Lord knew of it well. Was it like that where My Lord came from?" Umu, she is sharp. But... "That is... a story for another day, Erevain." I say so with a wry smile as I start walking towards an already set table with the food served too. "Heh, I guess so, My Lord." She laughs while following closely behind. Am I cool or what? ___________________________________________ HNNNGH! THIS DOORIM IS SOO GOOD!! LUCA YOU DESERVE 2 THUMBS UP!! "This is...just great...Luca well done." I say so trying to maintain my character, but my smile is making it quite difficult. The meat is so tender, juicy and fresh! There''s no bad odor in it too! On the contrary, it gives off this sweet fragrance! No doubt it being the fault of the leaves Luca used! "I am...glad that...Master liked it." Says Luca with a blushed face. Have I told you that she is cute? "...it is good..." "...more please..." Bertia and Jules seem to be still depressed but at the same time are moved to tears by how good this meat is. Heh, maybe they''ll learn after this defeat not to fight when Luca is with them? "Please Master, try my fish. I promise that they will be to your liking." Says Allegra as she approaches me with a full plate. Hmm, they are covered in a brownish layer...that must be the powder she was using... Oh well, I can''t mistrust her just because she works with poisons, that would be quite prejudiced of me. "Very well, thanks for the food." I grab the fork and the knife, letting them do their job when... *crunch* I hear something quite familiar... I quickly cut a piece and bring it to my mouth. *crunch* *crunch* *crunch* No way... This is crispy fried fish!! But how?! There''s no stove to bring the oil to the temperature to fry the fish and its brownish cover. I mean there''s magic, but I didn''t see anyone but Allegra cooking the fish and she was cooking them in the same campfire. "It is quite good, Allegra. Pardon my asking, but...how? There is the firewood oven but no stove to make the oil''s temperature high enough to get this level of crispiness." Allegra raises both of her eyebrows in surprise and nods before she starts her explanation. "Yes Master, it is as you said. But I used something different to get the same result. Can Master guess the secret ingredient?" Her overall calmness is kind of different from Gabrielle''s and her smile is really soothing. She has that something that makes you just relax with her around. But... I see where this is going. I raised a flag earlier, didn''t I? "Something derived from poison is my answer." She widens her eyes in surprise before her smile grows bigger and nods a bit more strongly. "Yes, Master. That is the correct answer." "HaaAllegra..." It seems that what Allegra did here is not a rare occurrence, judging by Erevain''s sigh and her massaging of her noses bridge with her right hand. Gabrielle is also shaking her head while facepalming. "My apologies, Leader, but it was the only way to make something tasty for Master." "Hmph, it is indeed tasty so there is no problem. But I am curious as to what it was." I mean, there is no way she would use something dangerous or make a mistake since poisons are her specialty. "Ah, it is just a derivate of the poison that belongs to a certain monster that is said to burn its victims from the inside. The poison actually raises the temperature of its victims to dangerous levels, thus giving such sensation. I just took the part that raises temperature and added it to the oil I had spread on the fish. It boosted the temperature to one similarly obtained with a stove. I call it the ''insta-crisper''!" She says while making a cute movement with her index finger and a smug smile. And that name is...well...to the point? "You know Mika, Allegra''s naming sense is kinda cute now that she is a woman..." "I...surprisingly agree, Lucy. Back then it was justweird." I think I just heard something kind of hurtful to Allegra. "I think it is a good name, self-explanatory and to the point." I say so with a smile and that only served to make Allegra happier. "See? Master understands the deep philosophy behind the names I use by just hearing one of them. Hmph." Ah, she heard them too, but that was quite the cute response she gave...with a bit of chunni which is nice! I have been blessed with so many cute maids! ___________________________________________ The night went on and everyone kept sharing stories or fond memories. I kept to only listening or answering when asked until someone mentioned the Demon Lord. "Hooh~~, to hear of the Demon Lord as a hero is still interesting since many times, they portray him as the villain of the story..." I says so in a low voice, but it seems Gabrielle has heard me and is now surprised. "It is, My Master? That cannot be true since the Demon Lord has done quite the number of feats in the name of the Goddess." That is good. I like more those types of isekais with a good Demon Lord, so I am kind oflucky? Well, Dragon Lords aside that is. Haha... Although I want a bit more of confirmation. "For curiosity''s sake, the demons have never tried to fight against the other races? Maybe in the past?" "Hmm, I do remember a certain story." Says Mika while pondering with her hand on her chin. "Then please Mika, do tell." "Ah, yes! Of course, I will, Master. It is one I heard from my magic instructor in the academy, he was a demon and he used to tell the class stories about his home country every now and then. There was a time when a faction in the Zenji Kingdom tried to convince the Demon Lord to wage war against the other races given their vast lands, great resources, and overall power. But they were quickly dealt with when the Demon Lord threatened to increase the taxes on alcohol and outright ban it in festivals if they kept up with those thoughts. No one else brought up something similar after that ever again." No way...I can already see how that scene might have played out...seriously this world... "Pffft...heh...saved by alcohol. That''s...hahahaha...a good one..." Really, that is just... "Hahahaha, yes! They really do love their alcohol, Master!" "If only dealing with the Dragon Lords were that easy...maybe after beating them well take all of their alcohol too. Heh..." """Hahahahaha!""" Crap, I went and said that but it''s just...that funny! Lucy started laughing with me and then everyone else. "Hahaha...besides...haha...appearance wise Master looks more like a villain anyway...hahaha!" "Oi." Lucy, come sit next to me and say it again. "..." I turn my gaze at the others and...they immediately look away! These maids!!! JUST WHY?!!! I''M NOT EVEN WEARING MY ARMOR!! To be continued...(cue Mika and Lucy''s invisible nendo figures announcement!! Pre-order the 2-pack for an exclusive limited-edition invisible poster!!!) I know I''m late, so have 3D Erevain as way to make it up to you guys! Think that her special head-maid outfit looks something like this, mainly the upper part. In any case, thank you for reading! If you want to help me commission LARH some Erevain illustrations, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 46: Capital on sight! But first…is that a carriage in danger?! The days passed by quite quickly and before I knew it, we were now in the last stretches of our road trip. We passed through some other villages but avoided big cities though. Why? Because I am sure we would''ve been pulled into something else if we did. Even if we are not opposed to helping out. Heck, that is something I would do to the best of my ability even without my promise to Erevain. I cannot disappoint Nerinne. I mean, I am not heartless, but as I said before, I am no ''hero of justice'' either. I cannot save everyone...well, dealing with the dragon lords technically ''saves everyone'', but you get my point! And...with the threat of Brynn and her master looming on the horizon we had to prioritize. Even if I say that, we did help various villages along the way, not only those we stopped at by night or those we visited to buy more ingredients so I could taste them. By the way, Louise must be quite happy with all those ingredients now appearing in the castle''s kitchen, heh. In any case, in one of the villages people were sick and the vaccines still had a week before arrival. So, Gabrielle, Allegra and Bertia shined that day by quickly diagnosing and identifying the sickness, all while treating everyone''s pain with either magic or alchemical concoctions. It seemed to be a common sickness in the Kingdom, one that looks similar to smallpox, but instead of just weakening a person physically this one also drains their mana too, giving them the symptoms of sudden mana depletion besides all the other physical symptoms. Allegra was glad that it was this one and not the lethal, more difficult to cure, version of it. Maybe that was the sickness Hilde''s vaccination campaign was trying to cure? My instinct was telling something along those lines. After some hours Allegra and Gabrielle came up with a remedy that would help the villagers endure the week. "I could have made a medicine to cure it, Master. If only I had a week, my lab, and the notes I left in the Capital..." That is what Allegra said to me when we got back in the carriage, her expression was filled with frustration, but she got a bit better after the other maids and Luca reminded her that the vaccines were already on the way. Still, I must see Allegra''s lab, or something similar, to give her one in the castle. Because if I try to make one with just my isekai knowledge and preconceptions, I might make something quite flashy but useless. I also detected some strange minuscule traces of foreign mana in the body of the villagers, it was so small that I thought it could be just something natural in this world. But then my instinct gave me a bad feeling, so I tried and broke it. That also meant that it must have been related to one of my affinities to be broken, but it was so small that I was having trouble identifying which. Oh well, better safe than sorry I say. Then, we passed by a group of bandits trying to raid another one of the villages along our way. As if we were going to let that happen. Erevain and Erica quickly took care of all of them and ended up being named ''Magical Maids'' by the children who witnessed the fight. And they were also bathed in requests by those same innocent children. I am so setting up a magical maid team cosplay event so that Ilya can have some fun when we return to the castle! "I wonder if Magical Maid Erica will marry me? Hahahaha!" "To be older than me and saying such childish things!" "Hey! I am not old, Erica!" "Hmph, please speak louder grandmother Lucy. Your voice seems to be cutting off because of your age." "Grrr...dummy..." Lucy obviously took the chance to poke some fun at Erica, but she was having none of that, hahaha. It seemed that they were not that compatible with each other in that aspect. I too tried to poke fun at Erevain telling her that I would have an outfit for her that would make her seem more like a magical maid but... "If that is what My Lord wishes for me to wear. I would gladly wear it." How could I poke fun at her with that response and the wholesome expression she showed?! Just like a princess... "Fufufu~~, that is indeed your weakness, my dear. I should know." A-Anyways...the bandits were tied up and given to the villagers. That way they could claim the reward for them and in return for everything they gave us some wool, other similar textiles, and some nice food. It was kind of surprising to still find bandits at more than halfway towards the Capital, but Erevain told me that most patrols usually have to stop in every village on their way and that ends up causing this to happen. One would think they would invest in more patrols, but I guess that in a world where everyone is able to use magic, it is expected of them to at least try and defend themselves from things like bandits and such. Well, that is it for what happened in the other days of the road trip. What? This is a flashback? No! I am just giving you a quick summary of some things I thought you might find interesting! Eh?! That I should have asked Erevain to do something like that then?! How could I do that!! She would have gotten depressed! I''m sure of it!! Just...let''s move on... __________________________________________ "Capital in sight, everyone!" So shouts Sophie from the pilot seat. That makes all the cute and gorgeous maids jump from their seats immediately and go to the windows. Well, except Gabrielle, the ever-composed ojou-sama. It seems that she thought of the same idea I had. "Here, Erevain. There is no need to hold back." I say so as I move aside to let Erevain use my window to see the Capital. "Please My Lord, I cannot take your seat just for..." I put my index finger on her soft lips silencing her. Causing her to be surprised. "Shh, just do it. You deserve it." I give her a cool smile and signal her to take my seat again. She silently nods and goes to it putting her face near the window. They have been waiting for five years...I can wait a bit more to see it. "Lucy! We are homewe really are home!!" "I told you we were going to come back some day, Mika! See!" Mika has tears in her eyes as well as Lucy. They are even hugging each other out of joy. "It''s just as I remember!" "Maybe a bit bigger..." Says Bertia and Jules respectively. One louder than the other though. "I hope my lab is still standing..." "No...worries Allegra...remember...it is hidden...secure..." "Oh, I am the one getting head pats now? Thank you, Luca." KA-WA-IIIII!!!! Allegra was clearly worried, but Luca reacted quickly and is now comforting her with headpats... Give me some too, Luca! "Leader! I can see the palace from here! It is still beautiful!" "YesErica. Yes, it is. We are back...we are finally back." Erica has grabbed Erevain''s hand in her excitement, she is clearly overjoyed. As for Erevain...I can see a smile on her face even from where I am, but also something else. A tear, just one passing dripping down her cheek, one ever so small but so filled with her emotions. What a moving scene... Or at leastIT WOULD BE IF IT WEREN''T FOR THE SOUNDS OF BATTLE THAT IM PICKING UP WITH THESE EARS OF MINE!!! AND GUESS WHAT IT IS?! MONSTERS PROBABLY ATTACKING A CARRIAGE AND THEIR ESCORT! I JUST HAD TO GO AND RAISE SOME ISEKAI FLAGS JUST BEFORE WE LEFT, RIGHT?! "Amm...Master, I can see a carriage up ahead. It is being attacked by some really big monsters. I suggest we take a detour." Says Sophie totally wrong...by my Darling...is she really suggesting leaving those people to their fate? Did we not just helped in every village that needed it? "We are not taking a detour. We are going to help, Sophie. And you are going to fight too." "Wha?! B-But I''m still in training! There is no way I can beat one of those!!" "Strange, I remember hearing you not wanting to go to train every night. I even heard you once saying that you did not need it." "...you misheard, Master. Hehehe...I love my training..." "Ah, perfect then. Consider this part of it." "...! Yes, Master. Uuuwhy is this happening to me...she really is a villain..." "I heard that." "Eeep!" This maid...when she acts like this, I find it hard to protect her from Nerinne''s bullying... "Hmph, it seems we will have to get off the carriage one last time before arriving. Who wants to take care of the one''s responsible for ruining the mood?" Of course, the maids had already seen what was happening and were currently awaiting orders. And they are smiling now that they heard my words. "There is no need to ask, My Dear Master. Am I correct everyone?" Says Gabrielle with her sweet voice. """""Yes!!""""" Everyone answers without a single doubt...except Sophie...she is still trying to sit this one out, huh? "Good. What are we fighting, Erevain?" "Savage Spriggans, My Lord. They are not to be confused with those of the Fairy Race of the same name. These are monsters born of dark spirits taking control of the surrounding nature and twisting it into their image. They are a vicious breed of monster." Says Erevain, who already changed gears and is completely focused on the matter at hand. "Eeek! I knew they looked familiar! Why do I have to fight that?! I''m a spy!! Not a monster hunter!!" Meanwhile Sophie is...Sophie... "I will leave it to you then, Erevain." "Of course, My Lord." "Show me how you fight my Knights of the Ever-Burning Will!" """"Yes!"""" "Nooooooo!" _______________________________________________ "Lucy, attract their attention!" "On it, Leader! Lightning dwell in my feet and let my steps be swift, [Lightning Step]!" Erevain is quick with her orders and Lucy speeds towards the Savage Spriggans with her legs covered in GOLDEN lightning. If you know what I mean. By the way, Im watching everything from a certain distance, all while also keeping an eye on the carriage. I mean, I would not let it get stolen regardless, but Im not letting another flag to happen! Also, I could very well end this with my mere killing intent or intimidating pressure, but I wouldn''t be able to watch my beautiful Maid-Knights fight that way, right? "Gabrielle, Bertia, attend to the escorts and protect the carriage!" "Very well, Leader. Let us go Bertia!" "Alright!" ""[Quickstep]!"" Oh, so they both know the same skill. I wonder if its because they are both close combat healers? "Luca, Allegra, look for their structural weak points, then exploit them and expose their hearts!" "...yes Leader...Darkness cover me...misdirect them...guide their eyes...elsewhere...[Shroud of Deception]..." "Consider it done, Leader. Nature and Darkness fool my objective and let me be unnoticed, unheard, unseen, [Lurker''s Trance]." I bet those are some impressive stealth skills, but with my OP senses I can still see them quite clearly...sumanai. "Jules, support everyone from a distance and disrupt the monsters'' attacks! Mika start enchanting everyone''s weapons with the fire attribute and the moment you see the Spriggans'' hearts strike them with your magic!" "Mhm!" "Already on it, Leader! Oh, Jules is moving in quite the acrobatic way while shooting her bow. She is evading the projectiles the Spriggans are shooting at her. Wait, are those seeds?! Are they using bullet seed?! Is this Pok*mon?!! Fire, dwell on the blades of those fighting with bravery, grant them your power and your warmth, [Flame Enchant]!" Meanwhile, on Mikas side, her cape and skirt flutter just as a big red magical circle appears beneath her feet and sends embers into everyones weapons, giving them a light red shine. So cool! "Erica, Sophie, with me! We are confronting them directly! We are to damage them while everyone else is doing their part! The moment their heart is exposed, we finish them or move on while Mika uses her magic! And remember, be always aware of your surroundings, they can use roots deep underground to attack! Understood, Sophie?!" "Hiih! Yes! Yes! I got it! I got it!" "Do not be that nervous, Sophie. You are with us. We will not let you die." "That is not very reassuring at all..." Not even Erica''s words of motivation and cool face are enough to make Sophie stop with her attitude but...she is still following Erevain and Erica into battle with weapon in hand, so theres that. And she is using a...short sword. What? That is not very spy-like, you say? I thought the same thing when I met her and disarmed her. No pun intended, heh. Anyways, there are four S.Spriggans, that is how I''ll call them for now, attacking the carriage. They are not that intelligent though. After all, they arent surrounding the carriage and instead they are all in the same area. Thus, making it easier for the Maid-Knights to attack them. Hmm, now that I look closely, all of the escorts are elves... ELVES! ELVES EXIST HERE! ELF MAID-KNIGHT WHEN?!! WILL SHE BE THE BUSTY TYPE? THE PETITE? "Fufufu~~, you are fine either way, right, dear?" YES!! Ahem...sorry I got a bit excited there... The carriage is layered with magic upon magic...lets see...what if I focus my senses and instinct on it for a bit. Just a bit more force...there! It went through! "...!" Oh! It seems it was disguising spell, a misdirection one, and a counterintelligence one. All on top of each other. How do I know? Well, that is what my instinct is telling me. Also, because after focusing on it I was able to see through those spells and wow, that is one heck of a carriage. It has royal envoy written all...DAMN IT WITH THESE FLAGS!! That means that there is someone important in there. But there is no need to tell the Maid-Knights, they are doing a great job as it is. "Hey! Here I am!" "GROAAARGH!" "Oops, missed me! Hmm? Ah!" "GROAAAAARGH!!" "Uff, that was close! My turn! [Cross Slash]!! Take this too! Lightning pursue and pierce my enemies, [Chain Lightning]!!" Oooh!! Lucy is moving all over the place with amazing speed while provoking the S.Spriggans. Although, they almost catch her right there because she was making fun of them. But she dodged it and has countered it not only with a sword skill, but also with a classic spell that affects the four S.Spriggans! Hmmand yet, I cannot see much damage in their wooden-like bodies except for a tiny hole "Fire, enchant these arrows with the power to bring forth destruction! [Explosion Enchant]!!" "[Eagle Eye], [Sharpshooter], [Quadruple Shot]." *BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM* OOOH! THAT COMBO BETWEEN JULES AND MIKA!!! Not only are they perfectly synchronized with each other, but they also took advantage of the holes left by Lucy''s attack! With that, they have managed to deal some nice internal damage to the S.Spriggans, to the point that two of them have smoke coming out of their mouths and other parts of their bodies. There''s also cracks all over the outer layers of said bodies and "[Eviscerate]" "[Bolt Barrage]!" "GROAAARGIIIIIH!!" "GROOARRGIIIGIIAAH!!" Damn this is so cool!!! Luca and Allegra just attacked those two weakened S.Spriggans at the same time!! Luca thrusted her daggers through the cracks and kept going at it mercilessly until those cracks became even bigger and deeper! I can even see the glowing dark green heart of it! And now Luca has disappeared once again...at least for the enemy, heh. Allegra, on the other hand, used two hand crossbows to repeatedly shoot at the cracks on the other S.Spriggan before disappearing too, and those things must have hit hard since those cracks have also worsened but...wait for it...wait for it... There it is! I knew it, those bolts were laced with some kind of quick acting poison that is eating at that S.Spriggan''s wood-like skin and is turning it purple! Erica is now closing the distance on that one while activating some skills. "[Enhance Strength], [Enhance Speed], [Enhance Sword Skills]." Oh, she is stacking buffs! But not so fast, Erica! Some ominous roots are sprouting from the ground and are going for you! "[Hidden Slash]! Go! Just kill that thing already! I don''t want to fight anymore!" Huh? Did Sophie just move in front of Erica and cut all the incoming roots in one swift attack? She did! I''m so proud! She is being useful instead of just whining!! She looked so cool too!! It was like those quickdraw type of attacks with the sword!! I wonder if she would be even more useful with a katana then? "Why do I feel like someone is saying hurtful things about me?" Oopssorry, Sophie. But I am really glad and impressed, so keep at it! Or more like... "watch out, Sophie!" "Do not get distracted, Sophie! Oh Moonlight, I beseech you, strike with your radiance that which is my enemy, [Moonlight Blast]!" *FWOOZZZZ* Erevain reacts quickly to the S.Spriggan that was about to hit Sophie...and...dammit I can''t hold it in!! SHE JUST SHOT A SWORD BEAM!! I CAN''T FRIGGING BELIEVE IT!!! A SWORD BEAM!! PILLAR OF LIGHT AND ALL!!! IT WAS FAST AND kind of small...BUT STILL!!! EREVAIN YOU WONDERFUL WOMAN!! WaitTHE S.SPRIGGAN IS GONE!! SHE VAPORIZED IT!! "[Fencer''s Spirit], [Mystic Knight''s Trance], [Thrust Blitz]!" WHAAAT?!! ERICA JUST TURNED THE OTHER S.SPRIGGAN INTO SWISS CHEESE!! *KERTZUNK* AND THERE GOES THE HEART!! "This is..." "Indeed, Erica. That is the power that our Master has given us." "No way, I can do that too?! You should''ve told me sooner PrinLeader..." Heh, Sophie almost calls Erevain ''princess'' and Erica is now glaring at her, hard. Recklessly using ones power is as much of a mistake as getting distracted in the middle of battle, Sophie. So, focus on bettering yourself and learn from your mistakes, that is the only way you will reach the potential I see in you, the one you showed while covering Erica. Or do you wish to be a failure of a Knight in this second chance you have? "I...understand..." Wow, that is quite the effective way to stop her from doing something stupid down the line. And well said, Erevain. "Everyone! Get back! Mika is going to use one of those!" "Understood! Lucy, Luca, Allegra, behind me! Moonlight and Earth, I beseech you, [Magic Shield]!" "Fire bring forth destruction in the form of a great pillar, [Burning Pillar]!!" Now that is what I call fire magic!!! Following Jules warning, Erevain has cast a shield big enough to protect themselves and the royal carriage from the heat of Mikas fiery pillar, which just erupted from a magical circle right beneath the other two S.Spriggans. Before this, those same S.Spriggans had been distracted by Lucy with her quick attacks and Jules with those exploding arrows from earlier. And of course, the S.Spriggans were, well, cooked...to ashes. Man, that was so cool. Just seeing every maid do their part in perfect coordination is just...wow. But the MVP is Erevain for sure! I want to shoot a sword beam too!! "Fufufu~~, you know you can, dear. But if you do, you can say goodbye to the whole area." I know... OP protagonist getting sidelined in combat because of being OP...check...so sad... "Aw, do not worry, my dear. You will have your chance, I am sure." Yes... Now that the battle is finished, I can go to them. Of course, I just used my skill to hide my horns, ears, and humanize my eyes as always. Let''s see who we saved!! To be continued...(cue amazing battle soundtrack song!! Amazing animation and overpriced 2 episode blu-rays!!!!!) (Thank you for reading!) Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 47: Of fleeting reunions and Gothic Lolitas. ""Spirits of nature and light hear my pleadings, [High Heal]!"" "Nng..." "Gratitude be upon you..." "Ah...thanks..." "Beautiful..." "Angels..." Gabrielle and Bertia had rounded up all the escorts and provided first aid to them while everyone else was fighting. But now that the battle ended, they could focus completely on healing them with their magic. It doesnt take too long to hear their words of gratitude and relief, besides some compliments of course, heh. "Ehehe...no problem, it is our job as healers so..." Bertia laughs awkwardly while healing her part of the elven escorts. "Marry me...oh smiling maidenfor words are insufficient for these feelings to be conveyed in" "My, if you have strength to say such things, then you must be fine, right? Meanwhile, Gabrielle promptly shoots down the elf who has proposed to her via poetry with such words and he is now silent. How cold... How nice! Nevertheless, I am currently walking towards my Maid-Knights while maintaining a dignified expression, one worthy of my waifu and my cover story. "I should have restrained myself...I did not know that our power was this great..." Says Erica still a bit shaken after pulverizing one of the S.Spriggans with that ultimate looking skill. "No, it is my fault for desiring to test all of you in this combat. I needed to see if you had become accustomed to the power residing in your bodies while we were at the village with My Lord. That is why I did not ask any of you to hold back." Erevain not only says that to Erica, but to all the Maid-Knights, as they are all standing in the usual horizontal formation, except for the healers and, obviously, her. What a good sight. It certainly gives off this knightly feel, but at the same time it also gives off this maid waiting for their master'' feel. "I mean, I trained as Master asked, but I was still surprised when I was able to keep my [Lightning Step] spell up for all the battle! It was awesome! Being able to move like that and without ending up like a log afterwards is amazing!! Although, I did think it was a bit strange for you to ask me to get their attention, Leader. So, I thought it was something like a test! How did I fare? Did I beat Mika?!" Look at Lucy, she is all hyper after the battle. I guess it fits with her magic being lightning and all. "It is not a competition, Lucy! Besides! I know I did better than you and you know it!" Mika really doesn''t like losing, huh. Still, she looks quite cute when she makes that annoyed look. I have to say that this feeling of lightness that fills my body still surprises me, even after training. It is cool too. Says Jules while moving the arm with which she was holding her bow and yeah, I agree with her. Seeing her easily do all those acrobatic movements to dodge the S.Spriggans seeds made me think of her as one with the weight of a feather. "In my case, I was not as surprised. But that is because I have been studying my body in depth since Master asked us to train and get used to it. I can say that it is indeed a big leap from our past selves. With what Allegra is saying, I can totally imagine her having an entire notebook filled with notes of herself and comparing that data with how she used to be. It might be an interesting read for a nerd like me, so I will ask her if she can give me a copy. "It is weird...really weird...but I think I will try to do my best from now on." Nice Sophie, I am glad you said that because it also acts like a good prompt! "That is what I wanted to hear Sophie; you did good despite your initial attitude. Keep working hard." "...!" She gets surprised by my praise but then she quickly makes an awkward smile and nods. "Yes, Master. I''ll really try..." "Good. Also, well done everyone. You did not disappoint and are more than worthy of praise. I am truly glad to have you with me. As I say this, I smile to them and they seem happy, some are even blushing as I turn to them. Now come, we cannot leave Gabrielle and Bertia waiting by the carriage." """"Yes, Master!""""" Ah, this is good. I love it when they do that. We walk towards the carriage and there we find our healers, all while the elven escorts behind them are forming a wall in front of said carriage. I must admit that they are really dedicated to their jobs, even after what happened to them. They justgot up after being healed and resumed their activities as normal. "We are done, My Master. All of the escorts have been properly healed and their leader is speaking with the one in charge of them." "Good work, Gabrielle, Bertia." "It was nothing, My Master." "No problem, that is our job as healers, Master!" Bertia is blushing while giving me a thumbs up. She is so cute too. Gabrielle, instead of cute she just looks gorgeous. Like wow... Oh, someone is coming out of the carriage. They are an elf wearing a similar armor than the one the escorts are wearing. It screams ''elvish'' armor with all that green and leaf patterns. But this guys looks slightly better with its golden hues. So, yeah, it is their leader. He looks exactly as you would expect from an elf, pointy ears, clear skin and blond long hair. Although some of the other elves have chestnut hair and even red so there is some variety. He stays silent for a bit while looking at me. As he does, his face begins to turn beet red and his legs are starting to shake, but he quickly tries to calm himself. Man, my [Sublime Charisma] and [Royal Presence] skills are doing their job quite well. "My name is Fen''Ru-el andI am in charge of these people. I suppose you are the master of these maids?" He asks with a respectful tone despite his choice of words. I guess he is just doing his job by being cautious. "Indeed. You may know me as Auros." I say so while I do a traditional noble greeting bow, just like the ones Erevain does. Then he bows...deeply...like 90 degrees deep...and fast... Is his neck alright? "Then, you have my deepest gratitude, Lady Auros. Not only for risking your people''s lives to save us, but also for healing my comrades." "It was nothing, raise your head. Everyone is safe and sound, that is what matters." I try to sound a bit gentle but at the same time as my besto waifu. He does as I say and steps aside from the door. "Very well then. My contractor also wishes to give his thanks personally." A human man steps out of the carriage as Fen''Ru-el speaks. He looks old with his white hair in both his head and mustache, but at the same time he has this other feel about him with his slick black formal suit, monocle and perfect posture. Yes...like a butler. "...!" Hmm? Erevain and Erica seem slightly surprised and agitated for some reason, but now that they have noticed me glancing at them and they have reigned themselves in. "Let me introduce myself, Lady Auros. I am Charles Bastion. I saw everything from inside the carriage and I am truly grateful to you and your attendants for aiding us. Their strength is truly something to admire. How can I repay this incredible favor?" Says Charles while doing a butler-like bow...wait...Charles? Where have I heard that name? Nerinne? "In Erevain''s story, dear~~." Yes! That was one of the attendants of her sister, right?! "Fufu~~, yes." And judging by Erevains and Ericas reaction, then that means... "That another flag that you set has come true, fufufufu~~~." ... I REMEMBER I SAID ''OR'' NOT ALL AT ONCE!! Chotto a minute...that means that Erevain''s sister might be in there. Should I do something? Instinct is in favor of that and I bet they could be useful in the now obvious part when Princess Euphemia does her homecoming event. "We were just at the right place in the right time. As I told Mister Fen''Ru-el, all that it matters is that you are safe and sound." He shakes his head at my words. "I am afraid I cannot accept that. Please, let me repay you for the lives that you have saved." Here I am trying to sound all heroic and selfless, but he is not going to back down, huh. Ok then, lets go with a bit of alter cunning. "If you insist, then I ask of you to return the favor when the situation calls for it. Because I have a feeling that we will be seeing each other again in the Capital, Mister Charles." I give him an honest smile while he sharpens his gaze as if trying to guess my motives but...sumanai...you are not getting a thing. I maintain my smile for a few moments and his expression changes to a respectful smile. "If that is what Lady Auros wishes, then I shall comply." "Excellent, then I hope that your master is satisfied with this too. Everyone has their own circumstances, so I can empathize with her for not greeting us. Please, give her my best regards. Have a good day." "...!" Erevain reacts to my words and I nod lightly, confirming her thoughts. As I start walking away and pass just beside one of the windows of the carriage, I catch a glance of a teenage girl with black and white hair moving quickly towards its door. I can hear the voice of Charles and Sistina, the other attendant, as they try to stop her but to no avail. "Wait!" A certain girl''s voice makes Erevain stop in her tracks before I or anyone else does. I turn around and there she is. Euphemia, Erevain''s little sister, now a beautiful teenager with the clear aura of a princess to her. Erevain turns around too and I can see a faint smile on her face. She is trying her best to hold back her emotions. "Even if I am not able to tell you my name, I swear upon it that I will return the favor. So please, can you tell me who she is?" Oh, I didn''t expect her to ask about Erevain so directly. Then...what shall I do? _________________________________________________ "Thank you, My Lord. For letting me take care of my sister...if only to talk to her for moment. Even if brief." We are back in the carriage. Everyone was surprised by the sudden appearance of Princess Euphemia, who was believed to be missing and even dead... But obviously the person who was most affected was Erevain, her once elder sibling. "There is no need to thank me. I put my trust in your good judgment, not only for the sake of the mission but yours." Indeed, I decided to let Erevain answer her sister''s question of ''who'' was she. And Erevain managed to hold herself back and told her that she was my head-maid, born and raised in the same country ''I'' come from. As in the ''me'' of the cover story that we made up with Nerinne. She seemed not too keen to accept that and wanted to push a little more though. I guess because of the Moonlight attribute magic that Erevain used, but in the end, she just said, I see... and again promised to return the favor before saying her goodbyes. As for why Erevain used that cover story, it is simple. She came to the same conclusion as me after noticing the strange circumstances of her entourage and reappearance. Her sister had come in secret and with an objective in mind. She was probably risking her life doing so and revealing her identity to her might bring unexpected problems. So, she let her go without knowing she had just talked to her elder sibling. Using my instinct, I had the feeling this was the safest choice too. One that gives Erevain and Euphemia the chance of truly meeting again soon. "Even so...thank you, My Lord. Because if we had not met at that road, I would not have been able to see and talk to my little sister once again. And she has grown up to be such a beautiful young woman. But most importantly, she looked healthy and strong, and still with the same fire in her eyes. I am truly glad. Says Erevain with a pure and joyful smile. __________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in the carriage of Princess Euphemia... "Princess, what you did back there was dangerous! If that person were to have spies stationed in the vicinity our plan of infiltrating the city would have been ruined!" Exclaimed Charles in his usual scolding tone. "Princess, you know we have been planning this for a year." "I know, Charles, Sistina. And I am sorry, but...she...that woman...she just looks so much like mother and...she even has the same magic attribute as her, but most strange of all...she sounded just like Big Brother when she chanted her magic..." Silence reigned in the carriage for a moment after that. Even if her attendants tried to deny it, they couldn''t, for they thought the same. Furthermore, the meeting with that woman had brought to the surface many emotions sealed within Euphemia. Emotions that caused the little girl in her heart to come out for a moment. "Big Brother...I miss you..." ____________________________________________________ We are here. As in, we are on the way towards one of the Capital''s gates. I can already see the line of carriages that we''ll have to wait on though. "Dear, are you ready? I will equip you with the outfit that I have prepared for your arrival in the capital." Ah! Yes, the Gothic Lolita! LET''S DO IT NERINNE! I CAN''T BE HAVING MY BESTO WAIFU''S BODY WITHOUT SOME NICE GOTHIC LOLITA!! "Fufufu~~~, there it goes dear. I hope you like it." Ooh my clothes are shining! Heh, everyone is surprised. Aaaaandthere!! *poof* Ooooh!! It is identical to the besto waifus Gothic Lolita outfit! It looks so cool! It is mainly black with some white in the dress, black stockings, boots, frills near the wrists and I can also feel the black bow on the back of my head. Aaaahit feels so nice and soft to be using it, Nerinne. So comfortable too... It doesn''t even feel tight in the chest area at all, regardless if it looks like it with them being this big. Also, this perfume smells quite nice even if it is a bit...familiar? And I can feel the softness of the under dress with my nude buttche Wait... WHY I AM WEARING A THONG?!! To be continued...(cue fanservicy illustration of Auros in her new outfit! Pre-order now for the limited invisible poster version and get an invisible Auros mousepad!!!) 3D Auros in a Gothic Lolita dress? 3D Auros in a Gothic Lolita dress!! She and Erevain were done in V-Katsu! Hope you liked the images and the chapter! Thank you for reading! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 48: Welcome to the Capital!! Please beat some sense into us!! WHY I AM WEARING A THONG?!! "Fufufuhahahahahahaha...! Yes! Your face...! Your face dear...!! You are making a delightful expression!! Hahahahaha...ahaha..hahaha...just looking at your trembling lips and blushed face is...!" YOU DUMB GODDESS!!! I WAS ONLY GETTING ACCOSTUMED TO SKIRTS AND NOW YOU PUT A THONG ON ME!!! "I-Indeed....hahaha...I swear it was just for the outfit...hahahaha!" Yeah right... It so weird... I am seated right now but the feeling of my naked butt cheeks is still there...ah...just being conscious about it makes it worse... "..." Erevain and the rest seem to want to ask me why am I making this kind of expression but how can I tell them? ''Hey, your Goddess is a big perv that likes seeing me make embarrassed faces and for that, she just put on me a dental floss level thong...which I bet is black...'' "Do not go saying those things about me! I have an image to maintain! Dummy Dear!!" Then don''t go putting thongs on me without any warning!!! Now I will have to walk through the capital like this! I am bound to be seen!! That is how fanservice works!! What? I shouldnt be ashamed because I already show myself a lot for fanservice? Even if you are right, you are wrong!! Those times I did the fanservice out of my own volition!! In controlled spaces too!! "Do not worry, dear~~. No one but me will be able to see your underwear, even if you were to cross paths with a brain-dead protagonist that seems blessed by the god of lucky pervert moments. Not myself by the way." Ah so you found my stash of To Love...wait...what did you say before that? "Hmm? That I am the only one able to see your underwear, dear~~." That is...somewhat reassuring but... "Well, I am letting my beautifully dressed lover go to her first crowded city, a Capital, nonetheless. Of course, I would take precautions against perverts that might want to take a look at my dear''s ample and soft goods covered in alluring black lingerie!" Well that is nice to hear...but I am not going to be looking to end up in ecchi accidents and such, you know? "Fufufu~~~, so cute, so sweet, so na?ve, my dear Auros...so na?ve. You are ignorant to the ways of this world. There is no need to end up in such accidents when you have a skill that lets you see through clothes or the equivalent spell." Wha...? "That is why all the clothes I make will counter anyone who tries to do so with a light punishment...kukuku...yes only light...do not worry...I will only make them see a dream where they are in the place of the one being watched..." I can''t say if this one is Dark Nerinne or Pervynne... "Do not call me Pervynne!!! Mou!! Cowros!!" Hey!! "A-Anyway...I already enforce this to repeated offenders, although a small percentage ends upliking it for some reason. The point is, that I am the only one that can see through your clothes and look at your alluring self in new lingerie at any time I want!!" I am redder now... "Besides dear, with your luck being the way it is, I do not think that you will end up in accidental ecchi situations so be at ease." I suppose so... Hey Darling... "Yes, Dear~~?" Did you notice that you went back to your normal way of speech just now instead of the more formal one? "Whatever do you mean, dear? Fufufu~~, if I do so, it is because I love you, dear. I love you so much, so just be calm and enjoy the Capital, yes?" Why am I getting a bad feeling about this? "Shush dear, remember no instinct based spoilers." _______________________________________________ After giving the Maid-Knights a more believable story than what just happened things got a bit boring as we waited in line to get in. It feels like just waiting to log into this new online game and the thing seems to take forever. "Good, the Royal Knights are the ones guarding the gate and taking care of the flow of people instead of the gatekeepers. For them to be this obvious Says Erevain while looking through the window at the armored people patrolling on the side of the line and the gate. Yeah, I let her stay in my place. So, I will have my first look at the capital when we reach our stop and get off the carriage. And of course, I''m going full ''This place is full of different people!'' and ''Oh this is really a city in a fantasy world!'' just you wait!! Ooops got to enter the dialogue. "It means that all is going according to plan." I really wanted to say keikaku, but they wouldn''t understand... "Indeed, My Lord." Erevain nods while turning around to face us. "Be happy, Sophie. The thing you did in the village has now turned into a useful tool for Master." Says Gabrielle while looking at the pilot seat with her usual smile, but it seems that she startled Sophie instead of making her happy. "...! I-I just did what I thought was good at the time. Now the credit goes to Miss Allegra and Miss Luca, yes, yes! A-After all, they were the ones doing all the work in this trip! Yes!" Says Sophie nervously. Poor girlmaybe I should give her another massage? "My, you do not have to be so humble, Sophie. After all, the idea was still yours." "Ahaha..." Sophie lets out a wry laugh at Gabrielle''s words, which might or might not be her teasing Sophie. Regardless of that, what Gabrielle said is correct. Luca and Allegra have been intercepting and manipulating the reports of the spies dispatched to the villages we have visited. Just as Sophie suggested and did at Illumbee village with the help of Luca. So, if they were smart enough, they would notice that we were coming to the Capital and take the appropriate precautions. Either covert ones or more obvious ones. And they seem to have gone with the latter, heh. "They are expecting the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will that are mentioned in the reports." "Group of...males...with...strange names..." Says Allegra and Luca with mischievous smiles on their faces, and everyone lets out a small laugh at the irony of such words. Yep, I came up with that and the strange names. Japanese, English, German, Chinese, Spanish, etc... All weird names from my world. Guess which ones. So yeah, they are not looking for an important lady and her maids. *knock* *knock* Oh? It seems that our turn to be checked has finally come! After all, the one knocking is a Royal Knight along with their partner who is waiting by their side. "Well met, travelers! This is a regular checkup, so please, open up!" Says the Royal Knight, his armor is mainly steel colored, although it may not be steel, with some red and gold hues here and there. It seems tough, but it isnt something that Erevain and the rest can''t deal with. "Of course. Please, wait for a moment." Says Erevain while getting up and putting her hands on the doorknob. "Remember everyone, smile." I say so while making a gentle and charming smile, and everyone follows with their own. As expected, Gabrielle has it down to the last molecule. And Luca looks so cute! I bet she is going to charm someone! Meanwhile, Jules looks kind of...menacing? But it seems that she is just trying too hard. With that, Erevain opens the door, letting the sunlight enter even more and showing the inside to the Royal Knights. "...!" "...!" And weve got a critical hit! Just look at how surprised they are at the scene that is in front of their eyes! Yes, yes, yeeees...fall into the pit that is the maid fetish... "G-Good morning..." "Pardon my mumbling partner, good day fine ladies." Heh, even if you say that, you are as red as your partner right there. "Good morning good sirs. Do you wish to enter and check our belongings, or will you check our luggage at the back?" Says Erevain acting perfectly as my head-maid. Having heard her story, I guess that such thing is easy for her due to growing up with two attendants and a little sister. She is probably emulating how they acted in front of others. Even if the Knight''s eyes are not on her and instead, he is checking out the rest of the maids. "...!" Ah! There it is! This ''proper'' talking knight got charmed by Luca! Ha! You are man of culture! "N-No w-with this orb we can! Queen Theresa?!" "..." The ''mumbling'' knight is now kneeling after seeing Erevains face, he has even dropped the orb they were going to use for the checkup. "What manner of stupidities are you shou! Queen Theresa?!" "..." And another one goes... Poor Erevain, she didnt even have the chance to clear the misunderstanding with the first and now theres two Royal Knights kneeling in front of her. "Goddess no, please stand up, kind Knights. It is but a misunderstanding." Says Erevain while getting off the carriage and helping both Knights to get up. They are still a bit shocked though. "My name is Eresh, I serve My Lady as her head-maid and I am truly sorry to say that I am not Queen Theresa. But I wish I could be at least half the woman she was." Says Erevain with a heavy smile on her face and slightly looking down. Do not worry, Erevain. You are your own hero, even if you are still not completely convinced. Still, she is pretty much saying the truth except for her name. As you know, using her real name could be problematic, so I thought of an alias for her to use while we deal with everything here in the capital. That means she has a false name and a true Name... Hehehe...my inner chuuni is dancing in joy. Anyways, the Knights have noticed Erevain''s heavy smile and that seems to have done the trick. "N-No, we are sorry..." "Indeed, we apologize for our behavior. We did not seek to make you uncomfortable." "Then, all is forgiven." I say so while coming out of the door. "...! I-I thank you for your forgiveness, milady!" "...! Such magnificence! I-I mean, yes, thank you for your forgiveness! Heh, their reaction shows that my [Royal Presence] is working fine. "Please, use your magical item to continue with your duties." I say so with a smile and they quickly straighten up as if I was truly their superior. ""At once!"" With that, they activate the orb by injecting their mana into it and it releases a light in a way like that of a scanner, which scans the carriage and us. Maybe the white light will turn red if they detect hidden weapons or whatever they are looking for, but that wont be a problem for us. After all, my and the maid knight''s weapons are hidden in a separate space. All thanks to the enchantment in their outfits and in my case, my magic. Even then, their outfits also block any kind of appraisal-like ability on them while my power does the same for me. That means that that orb needs to be at least more powerful than me to manage to get anything at all. "As expected, everything is in order." Says the ''proper'' talking Royal Knight with a satisfied smile on his face. "T-Then please, can you provide us with your name or i-identification papers?" Says the other Royal Knight. "Ah, yes. I must be on your list...you may call me, Auros Argento." The eyes of both Royal Knights go wide. "T-That''s...!" "Lady Argento! Yes! We were notified by her Holiness'' Paladins! We should stop wasting your time! You may pass! I apologize again for the trouble!" "W-Welcome to the Capital!" _______________________________________________ "We have arrived, Master! And wow, this inn looks fancy! I bet the beds are really soft!" Says Sophie as she stops the carriage right at said inns special parking spot for it. As for the inn itself, it looks more like a fancy mansion than what I would expect of an inn. Its pure white fa?ade is adorned by the color gold of its window frames and the metal work of the balconies. But that doesnt matter! This is it! We are finally getting off for good! Of course, the Maid-Knights go first, as per Erevain''s and Erica''s instruction of what is proper protocol, and there it is! The always loved double row of maids awaiting their master!! One that immediately attracts the attention of other people as they gather around, marveling at the beauty of my Maid-Knights! As it should be! Then, I step out of the carriage and...! "This is truly a city of another world...so much different people..." Elves, dwarves, beast-men, even kobolds... Wow... Nerinne, this is...this is why I told you... "Yes, dear~~. This is what you have come to explore, to enjoy, and to save." I know I have said it before but...wow it is beautiful... "And I will be always happy to hear that, my love." This is obviously a check. Not only on the isekai list but on my new life''s list too. Thank you, my love. "Fufufu~~~, you are welcome." Nowbefore I keep with this beautiful moment, theres something that I need to do. So, I close my eyes, expanding my senses and instinct to cover the entire capital. I won''t be taken by surprise again. That is why Im looking for a certain mana trail. She is not going to do the same trick again on my watch. Thus, the world turns completely black for moment... But then... "...!" Small icy blue ''flames'' appear on my mind''s eye, and they are everywhere on the capital or more specifically, on everyone. "Dear, they are..." Yes, just like the ones inside those villagers... That annoying ice cream lizard!! She has seeded everyone with her spell!! How?! You know what?! I don''t care! I am breaking every single one of them! I mumble the chant in an inaudible voice and crush all those small ''seeds'' of her mana at the same time. No one will notice except for her, but she knows that she cant do a thing against me. And if she tries, well, that would be quite the short arc, you know? But Erevain would still kick her butt. Ok, now that we are done with that lets continue with our usual programming. I walk past my maids while marveling at what my eyes are seeing and then I turn around to face them, all as I can feel that Im smiling fully and sincerely as I do. "We are here." "Indeed, My Lord. We are." Says Erevain with a warm smile on her face, just as everyone else. Hm? Something is approaching at high speed... Lets turn around to look at what it is. "A carriage?" And it has stopped right behind me. "I cannot wait anymore! You are coming with me!" Says a female voice at me while opening her carriage''s doors and... "eh?" "Ah, that smell! Yes, it is you! Come here!" "My Lord!" """"Master!"""" "We are sorry, but she is going with her." "Paladins?!" Exclaims Erevain at seeing them...huh? Wait, are those paladins surrounding them?! No, more importantly...who the heck is this woman and why is she easily carrying me while?! "Hyan...!" Groping my breasts?! Hn! "Wa-Wait! Where are you t-touching?!" "Ah, so soft!" "I''m telling you! S-Stop! Ahn!" "Go, go, to the cathedral!!" EH?! WHAT ISWHAT IS HAPPENING?! "Ereeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!" "My Loooooooooooord!!!!" To be continued...(cue air shot of the carriage speeding through the roads as the credits roll!! Who do you think is that mysterious woman?!) Glossary entry #20: Keikaku: Japanese word for plan. It is also part of one of the enduring memes in the anime community, referenced it many, many anime and manga. Chuunibyou or its shortened version used here, chuuni: It is a title given to those who have been blessed by the logos of the ideal world, one that crowns those who become aware of their true essence in their early teens, be it via their recently awakened evil eyes or perhaps their incredibly impossible yet absolutely true backstory. Indeed, they are those who have dared to go beyond the masses and see the world in a different manner. Yes, they are you at thirteen when you thought you could use the sharingan and more. Thank you for reading! Don''t forget to drop a heart if you liked the chapter and tell me in the comments if you had chuuni delusions at that age! Chapter 49: Cathedral, my love!! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! "*sniff* Ahhh, this smell. THIS SMELL IS...!" "Eeek!" SOMEONE!! I KNOW THIS IS RICH COMING FROM ME BUT HELP ME GET THIS PERVERT OFF OF ME!!! And these clothes! I can feel her in these clothes too! "EH?! STOOOOP!!!" SHE IS TRYING TO UNDRESS ME!! Waitnoshe is notshe is rubbing herself on them STILL!! I can''t use my powers to get out of this because I do not want to attract that kind of attention and I have an idea who she is, buuuut...!! "No way I am stopping! You were late to arrive, so this is a just remuneration!" "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! I wonder if the tights and the underwear are like that too DON''T TRY TO LIFT MY DRESS!!" "Then, I will go for the chest!" "Of course, you should go for the chest! Its the best! I meanno!!!" GAAH!! NERINNE!! DIDN''T YOU SAY THAT THESE THINGS WOULDN''T HAPPEN TO ME?! "I said accidents, dear~~." NERINNE?! "I mean, she had to use her resources to get you inside the Capital without a problem. She even promised to obtain a high-quality inn for you to stay. So, I wanted to return the favor in a way." WHAT WAY?! "Oh! They are softer and bigger than mine! Of course, they are! Mine are superior! Although, yours have a nice shape and size too. Really? Thank you for the compliment, almost no one compliments my appearance, you know. No prob! Wait, thats not what I wanted to say, dammit! Aaahthe smell is more intense! This is heavenly!" "And stop sniffing me!!" She really is just choosing when to listen to me, huh?! Nerinne, whats her deal?! "You see...she is one of the mortals closer to me and that has made her develop a certain...liking to me, dear. Whenever she prays, she asks me to descend and do many activities with her. Like sharing a cup of tea, playing boardgames, sharing a bath and even having a sleepover. Oh, and now that I mention it, there was that one time when she spoke of enjoying some skinship while breathing heavily. THAT IS SOMETHING WAY DEEPER THAN JUST ''LIKING''!! "But I have my duties and the rules, so nothing like that ever happened. Then, after convincing her of letting me repay the favor, she said that she wanted to spend some time with you as a reward. She also asked me to put a bit of my essence on you and she would be satisfied. Ah, but dont worry, despite everything, she is a good girl! Yeah, mhm, riiight. Alsothat perfume That is why it smelled so familiar!! "Indeed. I genuinely think that it is a fair trade, my dear. After all, you get to experience some ecchi moments with someone in a nun outfit, which is something that is on your list. And she gets to be with you for a bit. It is as you say, a win-win scenario, right? But it seems your little detour to help Erevain''s sister made her alittle impatient." Oh, of course. Then, as a fellow pervert, I might as well enjoy it! "See? I knew you would understand, dear~~." AS IF!! Well, I doBUT STILL! A LITTLE IMPATIENT?! SHE IS PANTING! HER EYES HAVE THAT DOUJIN SHINE!! AND WORST OF ALL SHE IS DROOLING! "Oh, chosen hero! You shall endure it then! For the sake of this holy quest!" Dont try to act as a proper goddess now, you pervert heroine!! "We have arrived your Holiness." "Ah, that''s a shame and I was just getting comfortable." "Using my breasts as pillows, a part of me approves but...grrrrr. Now I know how a certain shopkeeper lich felt like..." "Heeeh~~? You know a lich that is also a shopkeeper? That sounds interesting! Neee~~, you shall tell me all about it in bed! Chandler, prepare the teleport seal to my chambers." "At once, your Holiness." "No way! I am getting off thi!" "[Teleport]!" Whyyyyyyyyy?!! ______________________________________________ "..." I am now in a luxurious room, one that is filled with what I believe are artistic interpretations of Nerinne''s appearance. It seems she was not kidding when she said that some only managed to see her as pure light with eyes, since there are some paintings that depict her that way. Although, there are others where she appears as a woman and yet, they don''t have that much of a resemblance except for, you guessed it, the eyes. Anyways My hair is thankfully not a mess. But I cant say the same about my clothes, they are pretty much ruffled Nothing some magic cant fix, but still. And I she stopped trying to see my underwear back in the carriage, so no problems there. Hm? ''But Auros, wouldn''t you enjoy having an H-scene with the nun of nuns of this isekai? It seems out of character for you to be this reluctant...'' you say? Oi. I am not that thirsty of a weeb! Ok, maybe a bit, but that is not the point!!! Besides! It all depends on the context! Context!!! If she had appeared and introduced herself in her ''Holiness'' mode, showing that distinct air of a holy onee-san with a soft and pious voice, thenumu, that would have been nice. Like, imagine this. After talking and doing what we had to do for the day, we would have gone our own separate ways for the night, but then a knock on the door would disturb my nightly preparations Then, I would open the door and find her looking at me with eyes full of desire, making me just squirm at the classic gap-moe! In her soft voice she would tell me all that she wanted to do to me and then...! Then...! Then, I would have accepted right away!!! No questions asked! But nope! It didnt go that way! "..." Ah, by the way...WHY THE HECK AM I BEING USED AS A BESTO WAIFU BODY PILLOW?! You know what? Im just going to get free from this paralyzing spell and teleport out of here. So, without further ado, mana of mine, please overwhelm this pitiful spell. "Hm? Oh no, you don''t! We still have some time!" "Well, I decided that there is no time left!" "That is not for you to decide, Lady Auros! Oh, Goddess hear my prayers..." Don''t you hear her prayers, Nerinne!! "...and restrain the one reflected in my eyes!" No! Do not restrain me!! I repeat! Do not restrain me you Goddess!!! "[Holy Restraint]!" STOP IT WITH THE LIGHT SHOW!! I CAN TOTALLY SEE YOU!! "Fufufu~~~." THIS GODDESS!!! DON''T YOU!! STOP IT WITH THAT SMUG SMILE!! *BZZZ-TIN-CLICK* OH, YOU DIDN''T! PERVYNNEEEEE!! "There! You wont be able to break out from this, no matter how strong you are. After all, this is a spell with the power of the Goddess infused in it. NowIm going to enjoy this. Ah...I give up... "Hmm?" "What? You seem to be surprised." Says the blonde woman that is justhugging me tightly, and nothing more. Well, she did have her face fully buried in my breasts before she spoke and now, shes peeking out from them. Also, did I mention that she looks like a tanned gyaru? A gal? Because that is how she looks. "Well, I was just wondering if you were going to be doing anything more besides hugging me. If you catch my meaning..." I am still a bit out of it, so I may, or may not sound edge alter enough, but I don''t care... Her eyes widen in complete and genuine surprise before she starts shaking her head quickly...all while it is still buried in my breasts. "Goddess, no. I would not commit such crime and offense to the Goddess'' teachings. Carnal love is only for those willing." That is the holy onee-sama tone I wanted, but it loses all validity with her being where she is... "Then, why play around with my breasts?" "Skinship, teehee~! "That dummy laugh does not suit you!" "No? Strange, it is well liked among my acquaintances..." "What are you doing looking that dejected while buried in my breasts?! You should be happy! They are the best breasts besides the ones of the Goddess!!" "...!" Ah crap...I said that out loud, didn''t I...? "You...! You...! You have been with the Goddess?!" "Stop holding me that tightly!! I am not going to run away you know!!" "Tell me! Tell me! How does she look like? Does she really have that divine voice that melts your heart when hearing it? Is she soft? Does she really smell like this? *sniiiif*" "Don''t start sniffing me again!!!" This woman!! Aaah!! I want to move, but I can''t!! These things tying my hands and feet are tight too!! Althoughthe image of my besto waifu being restrained like this while being sniffed at...hot...aaah so hot... And with a tanned gyaru nun Oh yes Wait! I can''t get aroused by that right now!! Let alone awaken to a new fetish!! "Is sheis she alright?" Huh? What is this sudden change in her mood? "Is she crying more? Less? Is she hurting?" She is...truly worried. Likereally worried. "I...we...we are trying our best fighting the Draconic menace, but I do not know if we are truly doing well or if she is protecting us from a darker truth. But maybe I am mistaken. MaybeI am worrying too much. After all, I am but a mortal. Even if I am the closest to the Goddessno, I guess I am the second closest now Sumanai. "Sorry about that." She shakes her head, again. She really is not coming out of there, is she? Well, I wouldn''t come out of there too if I was in her position, so theres that. "No, you do not have to apologize for that. It actually makes me happy, since that means I have someone that is more or less like me. And that also means that the Goddess has someone that can be that close to her. I thought that was going to be me, but if she is happy, then I am happy too. Its just that every time I talked to her, I could not help but feel that there was a certain sadness in her voiceand evenfrustration. Why do I feel that I just NTR''d this woman? It feels...dirty... What? NTR is life? You evil monster!! I thought we were friends!!! Still "..." Those thoughts have been worrying her that much, huh... "Oi, didn''t I say that you should be happy while being buried in my breasts?" She peeks out from them again and she tries to smile, even if her eyes are a bit teary. Now, I get it. This is why you did all of this, isnt it, Nerinne? You should have just told me... "Haaayou leave me no choice then. Hear me and be marveled!" She looks at me with expectant eyes...and I can also feel her breath in my cleavage... "The Goddess, Nerinne, she is really beautiful. She has rose gold hair that reaches all the way down to her hips. Her proportions are perfect, and her eyes are a lighter tone of gold compared to mine. Her skin is creamy white, but sometimes she will show herself with a tan that makes her look beautiful, like a sunset." Her overall expression is starting to lighten up again as I say this. Good. "Her voice is just...truly divine. I am eternally grateful of being blessed with listening to her for life. I can honestly tell you that I will never get tired of her voice. No matter how many years pass." She nods excitedly while making my breasts jiggle...but lets not mind about that and just continue. "Yes, she is soft. Her hugs are warm, her caresses are entrancing, and her lap pillows are unbeatable. Also, she indeed smells like my perfume..." *sniiiiiif* And there she goes sniffing me again!!! If this keeps up, Im really going to awaken to something I dont want to be awakened to!!! "A-And she is alright. She is doing her best too. Yes, she is worried. And yes, she has cried. She is hurt when she sees her people die or suffer, but she is also laughing and having fun. She is someone who can act like a complete nerd at one moment and be the complete image of a Goddess in the next. There, she is really smiling now. "I do not know if things are going well, but I do know that they will get better from now on. I have given my word to the Goddess and I intend to keep it. So, as I said, stop it with being sad. At least enjoy it." She looks me in the eye and then she startslaughing? "Hahaha...you pass. You completely pass." "Eh?" "I apologize, but I was testing you. I wanted to see who was the person that the Goddess had chosen. Even if that is more than enough qualification. And you have passed with flying colors. Because even after all the things I did to you, you never resorted to violence or intimidation. You never even got furious, just annoyed and you even complimented me. And all of that is quite surprising, since you are powerful enough to break through my paralyzing spell and even force me to use holy magic. SoI am totes pleased to meet you at last, Lady Auros~! I am Ludovica Aldert~. Although, I believe you already know about me. Yes, she is saying all of that while still using my breasts as pillows... This head of the church... "Then, does that mean you can stop with this?" "Hmm? Do I? I mean, it is really comfy here. So softand warm. Ahhso nice. And the smell too. You also just gave me permission to enjoy it, so I will. "Why do I feel that that talk about the test was just a part of it and you only really wanted to smell the Goddess'' essence...?" "Mmm...I think I am going to take a little nap here. Tell me all about that lich shopkeeper when I wake up..." "Oi. At least get these things off! I wont leave! Hnn! W-Where are you squeezing?!" "Zzzzzz...." "Oi!" Dammit! Squeezing my butt too... Being used as a dakimakura by the female head of the church...check... I am so getting my revenge, Nerinne... To be continued...(cue ad for Auros H dakimakura and Non-H dakimakura!! Pre-order the 2-pack now and get an Erevain plushie as bonus!!) Glossary entry #21: Gap-moe: A nun being actually lewd. A seemingly lewd person being the purest. The toughest, meanest looking person being someone with a heart of gold that loves kittens. That contradiction, that going out of character, that is gap moe!! Gyaru: Japanese slang for Gal. They are usually depicted in anime as outgoing girls that have bleached hair and tans, although the neither are absolutely necessary and sometimes their skin naturally tanned. They use make up, have manicured hands, and never follow the uniform code of their school. They are sometimes the bullies, but sometimes they arent. Sometimes they are frivolous girls, and sometimes they are actually hardworking girls with a simple desire to express themselves. NTR: An unholy genre of manga that only true villains and heretics enjoy. If you know or see someone who enjoy it, get the flamer, the heavy flamer and proceed to purify them. Besides that, NTR stands for netorare, a term that can be said to mean cheating adultery and so on. It usually depicts someones significant other being stolen by another person, be it by the classic ways ormind break. Truly unholy. Dakimakura: Body pillow with a pillowcase that has an anime girl on it, one that usually is in different positions for each side. Depending on the pillow, such positions can be lewd or wholesome, as well as the level nudity such anime girl print has. Heres a protip, dont buy themused. Ludovica in the carriage be like: Aaaand that''s it! We have caught up with the RoyalRoad version everyone! First and foremost, I am very thankful for the warm welcome my story and I have gotten here in Scribble Hub, it really has blown me away. Thank you. Now...starting tomorrow I''ll be uploading one chapter daily. I know this change might be a bit sudden, but I ask for your understanding and I promise that the chapters will mantain the same level of quality you have been enjoying! Once again, thank you for reading! Chapter 50: Bathing this Capital with blessings (shady plans)! My Lord...has been taken. And by the head of the church, no less. It was quick, but I was able to identify her the moment she stepped out of her carriage to take My Lord with her. That blonde hair, that tanned skin and most importantly, that youthful face. She still has the same appearance she had when I was a child, which is normal for someone that has been blessed by the Goddess and entrusted with such responsibility. But even then...why would she do that? She was instructed by the Goddess herself to help us in our mission, but what she did a few moments ago could only be called as counterintuitive. Even more if one wishes to establish a good relationship between the Church and us. Still, I am not afraid for My Lord''s life, even if that sounds badly as her servant. I know her power and I know she is not at risk. She has not resorted to use said power either. She probably concluded that if she were to use it, she would not only hurt civilians but also bring unwanted attention to herself and thus, that would compromise our mission. I am her right hand and as such, I must try and predict her thoughts at times like these, specially these, so that I can be of use. Moreover, with her relationship with the Goddess it is entirely possible that she also knows who that woman is. Thus, I believe that they must be establishing a strong and reliable bond that will ensure a productive cooperation at this very moment. As expected of My Lord, she has already thought of everything in the present and even in the future. I shall aim to play my part in her plans perfectly and show her that she can trust me with the movements of said plan. I shall do so continuously, earnestly and with discipline. That is what I need to do for My Lord Auros. For the woman that has showed me not only a new path, but also a new perspective on life. I shall devote these feelings in my heart for that. _________________________________________ "Once again, we deeply apologize!" This is the second time the leader of the Paladins has bowed in apology for surrounding us when My Lord was taken. And while he has not told us his name, we already know it, for as fate would have it, he was someone we knew in ourpast life here. His name is Julian Gardos. It is a welcome surprise to see how much he climbed up the Paladin ranks in the five years we were exiled. Back then, we knew him as Kris Paladin friend and sparring partner. One that she constantly invited to our headquarters to have her matches and thus, he became a usual guest of ours. If Kris was here, he might have recognized her just by looking at her sword and how she handled it. That is how much they fought each other back then. Her Holiness wanted to speak with Lady Argento immediately after she arrived. So, when all of you and Lady Argento arrived late, she started to worry and thathaaaaffected her patience. We had our orders and as you might know we cannot go against them. Even if said orders left us in this awkward situation..." He might try to downplay it after such a sigh with his wry smile and the casual rubbing of his neck buthe looks tired, truly tired. Much, much different from the energetic man that fought almost daily with Kris. And even then, those bags under his eyes show me that he is even more devoted to his job than in the past. "So please, can you tell her to stop bathing us with killing intent? She is starting to scare the newbies..." "...I-I''m not scared! It''s just that...I-I don''t want to be near her...thats all!" "Ye-yeah, what he said..." Of course, they are referring to Gabrielle She always surprises me with her ability to release such a heavy killing intent while maintaining that smile of hers. "My, did you not know that pointing at someone is considered bad manners?" And there she goes emitting even more killing intent If this continues it might cause a misunderstanding. "HaaGabrielle, stand down. I empathize with you, but Mr. Paladin here just explained the situation. There is no need to take that kind of stance against them, even more since we are going to start working together. Remember, our actions not only affect our Master, but also Her." "Indeed, I apologize." With that Gabrielle''s killing intent has vanished in an instant and I can hear Julian release a sigh of relief because of it. "But I think we should be compensated for making us worry and stand out like this. Do you not think so too, Head Maid Eresh?" "That is certainly true." Our original plan for the day was to settle down and exchange information with her Holiness, but now that has obviously changed. If her Holiness is taking her time with My Lord, then we shall put her paladins to good use as compensation. ! Oh? To think that Julian would get startled by meeting my gaze. I wonder what he thinks it is that I will ask as compensation. "Then please, help us with the luggage." But alas, it is something as menial as that. Although, I hope that the smile I am wearing now helps address any other fears. After all, I am not scary anymore. ____________________________________________ I see that her Holiness spared no expense in our accommodations. The suite that has been provided to us is equivalent to an entire floor of this high-class inn. It has enough private rooms for all of us maids and, of course, a main room for our Master. It also has a dining hall and a living room. And as expected, it also had expertly hidden surveillance spells, but Luca and Sophie just took care of them. Such spells are used to acquire information on the people that make use of the room and then it is sold to an information broker. Of course, us taking care of them will not inquire any reaction from the inn''s staff. After all, if such thing were to happen, they would be admitting that they wronged their clients rights to privacy and thus, that would sully their names in the industry. Taking that into consideration, it could be considered as a bet. One where they would accept the result quietly, be it winning or losing. "Phewwe finally finished. Theres the traveler''s saying ''one''s home is in the luggage'', but you girls and your Master took it to another level..." He and his men are clearly tired after doing such, but they did a good job, considering the speed in which they finished. "It cannot be helped; it was a long journey from Master''s homeland. As her team of maids, we need to make sure to cover all her necessities. Even those that cannot be predicted." Julian seemed surprised when I said so, but for us it is common sense. Indeed, I do remember My Lord being surprised by the woodfire oven we had at hand. But that is just one of the things we had prepared to make her journey as comfortable as it could be. That is one of our duties. "I-I see. You girls do seem to be that devoted not only to your work, but also to your Master." "My, of course, she saved us and put us on a new path. So, offering our devotion is but a natural thing to do. Now, please join us in the dining hall and take a seat, for the tea is ready to be served." Indeed, its refreshing scent has reached us already. And we certainly cannot forget about offering some hospitality to those who we are going to be working with. "What she said! Master is great!" Of course, Gabrielle is not the only one doing so, as Bertia is helping her serve such beverage. "I have tasted the best food ingredients with her, that is enough reason for me." Meanwhile, Jules has already taken a seat and is having a taste of the snacks made by Erica. Still, it is nostalgic hearing that, since that was also her reason to join us when we were a Knight''s Order. "Serving a fun, cool and beautiful woman is the best! I''ve had so much fun that I cannot think of leaving her. Right, Mika?" "Would you please not lump those motives unto me, Lucy? But yes. It has been quite the interesting experience." Alas, with Jules appetite those snacks are not fated to last long, but Lucy and Mika are already serving a second and third plate of them before that happens. "Serving Master has been the best research opportunity that I have had in quite some time. It is also helping my friend with her problems so, yes, I would do my best for Master. She would too." Mhm As always, Allegra is correct when it comes to expressing what Luca thinks. "We might not have been lost, but she gave us a new purpose. One that can fill our hearts and brings good to others." I am glad to see that my comrades agree with my words. "You could say we are the same then. Some of us Paladins come from the orphanages that the Church manages after being taken in by her Holiness and her circle. I do not mean to say that we had unfortunate lives, or that we needed to be saved, since the orphanages follow the tenets of the church and so, we grew up loved by the people that took care of us. But she offered me, and many of us, a path where our actions could bring change and help others." "Then yes, we are the same. But Mr. Paladin, would you not introduce yourself?" ?! Hahahaha! I did not mean to surprise him as much with my words, but I could not resist to point out such thing. Meanwhile, his men are laughing at him because of it. Still, it seems that they have a good relationship with him for them to do so, as Julian has only reacted in an embarrassed manner and not in a reproachful one. "Ahaharight! My manners! It may seem that I left them in the cathedral, but that is surely not the case. My name is Julian Gardos." We know, but it is something I had to do. And now, it is the turn for his men to introduce themselves before we can start discussing important matters. __________________________________________ "And that is all that we uncovered while we were investigating Illumbee village." "Lying about a curse being made by the Goddess, a hidden faction within the Kingdom, misuse of the blessed cloth, forced conscription of villagers and their subsequent forced labor under threats leading to their death and to finish all...cooperation with not one, but two named dragon lords..." Julian looks at me, searching for confirmation or maybe he hopes that I dismiss it as a joke. I can already imagine his reaction if I were to tell him about the Evil God''s blood, but My Lord asked us to keep that a secret since that could cause undesired situations to happen. I concur with such judgement. "That is the truth." He is taking it better that I expected, shaking his head and massaging one of his temples with his hand. "And that second Dragon Lord is the Violet Death." This time he is not even looking at me, but at his own reflection in the tea. "Indeed." !!! That simple word made all his men tense up, just like it happened with us back in the castle. "Her Holiness had told us to investigate about a fake curse and a hidden faction, but...this is way worse than I imagined..." "That is indeed true, but that is why we are here. For our mission is to punish those responsible. Now, has your investigation rendered any results? Do you have any suspects?" I hope these questions can help him regain his focus and it seems to have worked, as his gaze is back on me again. of course. Maurice. Yes! With that, Julians subordinate takes out five scrolls from his satchel. Scrolls that have an enchanted seal on them, but Julian utters a certain word in the old language of the Church and such seal disappears. "These are the people that are suspects of being part of ''New Glory''. Plus, one we can now add thanks to your information. But I would prefer to wait for her Holiness and your Master to be here or for us to move to the cathedral before sharing that information." "That won''t be necessary." "...!" "My Lord. Your Holiness." """"Welcome back, Master."""" Indeed, My Lord has just appeared before us with her Holiness Ludovica at her side. The Paladins are quite surprised by it, but, strangely, we are not. It is as if we could ''feel'' that our Master would teleport back here. One example being Gabrielle, for she started brewing tea for two more people just a few minutes ago. Or Lucy, who just finished serving two more dishes of appetizers right before our Master made her appearance. As expected of the very real bond that ties us with our Master. ______________________________________________ "I see..." After finishing myahemwork as a dakimakura for the head of the church And telling her about that shopkeeper Lich too... I managed to convince her to teleport here where my Maid-Knights and her Paladins are. I mean, I didnt want her to use me as a plushie while we came here via carriage. In any case, now I am reading these scrolls that are pretty much the equivalent of dossiers in this world, full of information on people that are suspected to be part of New Glory. Four men and one womanoh? Said woman is part of the royal court...heh. That was to be expected with the whole ''hidden faction'' within the kingdom and the king doing stupid things. Man, this sounds like it can be quite the long game of cat and mouse. You know, the whole trying to get definitive evidence and proof before capturing them all and making them talk. ... Yeah, no. Let''s go with the OP way. "Hmph. Luca, Allegra, Jules, Sophie, the paladins have done their job. Now it is our turn. Bring these people here, I shall make them talk." "...!" Heh, Sophie got startled because of me saying that I would make them talk. She is probably thinking that I am going to do to them what I did to her...and she is right. Hehe...I can''t wait to massage the information out of them... "Wait! Lady Argento, that would be most imprudent! If we just take them this whole operation could fall apart!" Says the leader looking Paladin all nervous. "Hoh~~~then do you suggest we take our sweet time with a siege on the horizon?" "That''s..." "Nothing to say then? Good. This is not the time to go through the proper procedures and such. It is time to bring an end to this festering wound in the Kingdom." "..." "Besides, my maids are the ones who are going to do the job. They are unknown to them. As such, even if they were to discover them, it will take time for them to pinpoint who we represent." I say so putting my alter tone to shine while also letting my instinct guide my words. "Julian, you should listen to Lady Argento. She is someone sent by the Goddess herself, we can trust her methods." """"T-the Goddess?!"""" So exclaims every Paladin after hearing Ludovica''s words. Of course, she is using her ''divine onee-san'' way of acting... Such a chance for gap-moe...lost...so sad... "Indeed, the Goddess has sent me to punish those who would use her name to abuse and hurt their people. Now, my maids you may go." "We...will not...disappoint...Master..." Whispers Luca with a smile, even when there''s a lot of people here. It is obvious that it has taken all her effort to do so. "Of course." I smile back at her. "Just as Luca said Master, consider these people already captured." Allegra is sure showing me a calm smile while saying that. But I can see it in her eyes...she is already planning everything for a successful capture. So cool. "Can I get some food on the way back? Of course, I won''t forget Master''s portion." "Yes. Bring me something good, Jules." Jules is really a glutton...but she is nice. I can''t wait to see what food she brings. "I-I will do my best and free myself from that hellish training! Yes!" "Heh, let us see if those are more than just words then." Of course, Master! You can do it Sophie! Show me that you are not just the mascot of the Maid-Knights! With that they leave the suite. "That is a nice confident smile you have there, Lady Argento." So says the gal-looking head of the church who is seating beside me... "Of course, I have an absolute trust in everyone''s capabilities and in them. They will accomplish their task." "Heeh~~, then I can''t wait to see what happens next! The Goddess has sent me a really interesting friend, hehe." WHO IS YOUR FRIEND, YOU SNIFFER NUN?!! "No...if the Goddess sent you, then that means we should be super best friends! Teheee~~." Calm down...calm down...sip the tea... Repress the urge to karate chop her...resist...resist... There... To be continued...(cue announcement of Ludovica''s seiyuu, can you guess who?!) (50 REVISED CHAPTERS! WOHOO!) First, just a heads'' up, I have changed a few things in the previous chapter to make it a bit more fun and less awkward. If you do not want to reread it, it is fine, it doesn''t affect this chapter. Now that that is out of the way, as a celebration for such a milestone, here you have some nice fanart of Erevain, Allegra and Luca, done by HeliumGasSong in wattpad and our discord (link in the comments)! Erevain: Allegra and Luca: Thank you all so much for reading! If any of you want to send me fanart, you can do so via the story''s discord or you can ask for my gmail via inbox! And if you want to support me and the story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit helps and I promise it''s not going to go to gacha! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 51: Maid Express! Capturing suspects was never this easy! With Luca and the rest of her team taking care of their targets, its time to talk about the last suspect. But not before I take a sip of the nice tea Gabrielle brewed. Ahh, she sure knows how to make a good tea that even I, of the coffee faction, can enjoy and praise. Ok, lets continue. "So, is the last suspect who I think it is? After all, barring that detail, I cannot think of any other reason to not mention him in the list of suspects. While I say that, I put my teacup down and turn my gaze to Julian, who has now raised his eyebrows in surprise. He probably didnt expect us to know, but we know. And now he is looking at Ludovica, a.k.a. the Gal Head of the Church, asking for permission, which she gives. Although, looking at him, I can see that he is still cautious. Even after his boss told him about me being sent by the Goddess not too long ago. Or maybe he just doesn''t want to get in troublesome situations? "We have good reason to believe that Prince Licht is related to New Glory and that he is responsible for the disappearance of various nobles. The latest of those being Baron Cuhalin." "..." Hearing Julians words, Erevain not only raises an eyebrow but also seems to besad. Meanwhile, the other maids react a bit more strongly. I can see that Gabrielle''s usual smile is gone while Erica has a frustrated expression, one that she is trying her best to reign in. Worst of all, there is still a glaring absence in those suspects. Is it that they are not counting them because they already confirmed it? Or is it the opposite? My instinct is leaning towards the former, but I still must ask the question. After all, that is not the only strange absence that is irking me either. "What about the King and Miss Hilde? Are they not suspects? Given what happened five years ago, it would be foolish not to suspect them. Or is the Church so gullible that you just swallowed whatever story they spewed?" Not only do I apply some of the usual pressure to my words, but this time, Im adding some real anger to them, one that is also shown in my sharpened gaze. !! Of course, that immediately startles the Paladins. So much so, that one of them has instinctively reached for his sword and is about to pull it out, or that is what I would say if not for Julian strongly stopping him with his hand. "Oooh~~, so you totes knew about it, Lady Argento." So says Ludovica, killing the tension with her playful demeanor and showing how unaffected she was by my pressure despite being the closest to me. She is no pushover; I''ll give her that. "Hmph, of course. So, are you going to answer my question?" "Weell~~, I should, right? Grrrthis smug gyaru We did not mention the King or Miss Hilde becausethey are not considered suspects. They are confirmed to be part of it. Oh, she has turned serious. But I suppose that is not the question you want answered since you already knew that, yes, Lady Argento?" Nope, I was mistaken, her smile is back and is now a devilish one as she asks me that. Even her eyes are smiling like that. Seriously, there is not a bit of piousness in the smile of this gal nunonly this shrewdness... I can totally hear you Nerinne! You are giggling in the background while murmuring ''she reminds me of someone fufufu~~''! This Goddess... "Then, stop it with the games and talk." I say so coldly, getting her startled by my lack of reaction to her smile She even looks a bit dejected. "Muuu~~you are no fun...fineee..." Her expression changes from that of a playful, teasing gal to that of a responsible and serious adult. Finally "We did not do anything at that time because we were not able to. As simple as that. It all happened so fast and so sudden that when we were about to act, everything was already over. Including the escape of the Swords of Dawn from the Capital, which was something done even at the risk of worsening the situation. Some of the Maid-Knights look as if they want to say something in response to that, but they are holding themselves back. "Even before that, the King made sure of disseminating misinformation to the public while the attack happened. And even if part of the populace didn''t believe him, it ended up turning into the ''truth'' since there was no one capable to object." I shoot her a ''seriously?'' look and she lets out a wry laugh before continuing. "Yes, even if I am the Head of the Church, I was incapable of objecting. That is because I cannot put myself in a position where every other country in Arte starts distrusting us after we oppose one King. Even if he is a dumb nut... I see. It is no wonder why she looks so frustrated now. But she is not finished. Me doing so would upset the balance between church and country that we have enjoyed for many years now. Thanks to the unification of the worlds values and general beliefs that many people worked hard for, including the Goddess herself. One also done to avoid meaningless wars and focus on whatever real threats the future had prepared. As she says that, I can see that Julian not only is looking down, but he is clenching his fist in frustration too. A frustration that seems more personal than just not being able to help as a Paladin. And I only chose not to risk that balance after deep thought and considering every other option. Of course, I even considered consulting the Goddess, but I cannot abuse my power. We mortals should at least try to solve our problems ourselves before asking the Goddess. That is one of the obligations that comes with our freedom. And confronting the King and New Glory was not something that would bring more good than harm. Even if it was supposed to be the right thing to do. That is why..." !!! Ludovicashe just got up from her seat and is now bowing deeply to me. Surprising everyone. "I apologize for having to make the Goddess bring you here so that you may clean up the mess I helped create." This gal...don''t act so mature and responsible like that. You''re making me feel like a villain...or worse, Im starting to believe in this serious image of yours... "Do not bow so easily. You are the Head of the Church, so act like it. But you are sorely mistaken if you think I came here to clean up your mess or anything like that. So do not misunderstand." She does as I say, raises her head and... "Heheh." SHE JUST CHUCKLED! SHE IS!! TOO CLOSE! "Neee, neee~~, Lady Argento. You are not being honest, right~~? You want to help me too, right~~? Because we are super best friends, right~~?" W-wait where are you drawing circles with that finger!! Paladins!! Look at her!! Do something!!! Why are you blushing and looking away?!!! Then, Erevainwait Why are you smiling as if you are witnessing some wholesome scene?!! AAAAAAHHHG! GIVE ME BACK THE SYMPATHY I JUST WASTED, LUDOVICA!!! "Fufufu~~. Oh Auros, you are such a tsundere. So cute." NOT YOU TOO!!!! I AM NOT A TSUNDERE!! "Hehehe~~~, what a cute friend I have." THESE TWO!! NOW I SEE WHY THEY ARE SO CLOSE!! "Now, now, dear~~. Calm down. You might say that you are not there to help her, but you still stayed with her and answered the questions that were eating away at her. That is what friends do." You...! I was bound and unable to move! "Details, details~~. Besides, the spell stopped working shortly after she fell asleep and you still did not leave her. All because you were worried about her. Deny it all you want, but you cannot lie to me, dear. Fufufu~~~." ... Fine... But I am not a tsundere!! "Whatever you say, dear~~~." ...!!! _______________________________________________ Meanwhile, outside of the luxurious inn named The Moon''s Lullaby, a group of maids gathered as they discussed their plans with various opened scrolls on hand. "I...will take...two...closest...no problem..." "Translation please??" Despite one of the maids trying her best to speak up with her whisper-like voice, the other one could not understand much of what she said and asked such question with an annoyed tone. !! And yet, such annoyed maid was quick to avoid the eyes of the one she could not understand the moment she felt that they were on her, even if said eyes were hidden by bangs. Their names were Luca and Sophie. Ufufu.. Meanwhile, a purple haired maid giggled delighted at the exchange, her name was Allegra. Beside her, a green haired maid had somehow gotten her hands on an apple and was eating it without a care in the world. Such maid was known as Jules. "Luca said that she would take care of the two objectives that are closest to one another and that it should be no problem." Nn. Satisfied with such an explanation of her whispered words, Luca nodded happily. While Sophie, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "And you got all of that with what she said?" Of course. With enough deductive reasoning, one just needs to consider the context, current theme of conversation and, of course, their knowledge of the person in question. It''s even easier when said person is a friend too." As she finished with such words, Allegra smiled warmly at Luca and she paid in kind. "I feel like you just said that I''m dumb in that first part." Bearing certain suspicion, Sophie squinted at Allegra, who was smaller than her, but said purple haired maid just laughed and shook her head. "Goddess no, I am a firm believer of different types of intelligence. Some are good at math, some at art, others at fishing and so on. Which also means that everyone has something where they could be considered as dumb. So, what I am trying to say is that you are smart but in something else." "Tsssss, that''s got to hurt." Said Jules as she patted Sophies shoulder and looked at her with sympathy. Of course, all while she was still eating an apple. "I-I''ll take that as a compliment! Hmph!" So exclaimed a pouting Sophie as she turned her head in a dramatic manner. With that said, I will take the woman of the Royal Court. Is that alright?" "Yeah, no objections from me. N Allegra asked such question as she grabbed the scroll that corresponded to such target from Lucas hand and showed it to her fellow maids, with both Jules and Luca giving her approval. One with words and the other with a thumbs up. All while Sophie did not answer at all as she was still pouting. If I remember alright, you had some beef with her, right?" If one sharpened their ears, one could hear Jules repeating the word beef at a much lower volume shortly after she asked such question. Furthermore, she even drooled as she did so. "Mhm, you could say that. I mean it was quite frustrating when she denied me some much-needed funds for my research." "Ah, I understand. I would already be tightening the ropes on her if she had done the same to me but with food. "..." "..." "..." While everyone seemed to be speechless at Jules response, their faces had this glutton written all over them. "Well, I will take this one since it is near of some good food stalls." With that, Jules grabbed the corresponding scroll from Luca, took another bite of her apple and left while waving goodbye at her fellow maids. "Then, Ill take this one. Lucky for me, its near where I used to live." **staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare** Said Sophie, who instead of receiving the corresponding scroll, received a stare from both Luca and Allegra. "I won''t mess it up! Geez, have some faith in me!" "..." "Well, just do not forget to call us if things go wrong." Said Allegra as she gave Sophie and Luca a nice smile and then left, giving the former the scroll that she needed as she walked past her. The other two maids left the place shortly after that. ___________________________________________________ The Rupee noble household''s home was one of the biggest buildings in the Capital and not because the owners of such building were making a statement of their opulence. No, on the contrary, they noticed that they had too much free space and turned it into the headquarters of their multiple enterprises, with even some stores at every outside corner of the place. Meanwhile, on the roof of such building, there was a garden and what could be said to be a modest house for such a successful merchant and noble family. One of the people taking residence there was a middle-aged looking woman with an intellectual air around her. Lorelei Rupee. Not only was she the current Head of the household, but she had no apparent need, or want, to give said position to her yet to be chosen successor. Furthermore, she was also the one in charge of the economic matters of the Kyrie Kingdom, a post that she had worked hard to obtain. As for her build, she was on the thin side of things, with not much to say about curves on either side. And although it was irritating for her to admit, she was already having problems with both the quantity of the grey hairs that were appearing on her head and the wrinkles on her face. Maybe it was due to paranoia, but she also started to notice how it was getting harder for her to wake up in the morning in comparison with a few years ago, despite her not changing her usual sleeping hour. It was not that she hated the idea of being old per se, no, not at all. What she hated was the idea of not being able to work as much as she wanted due to her age. She did not want to end up as her father and grandmother, taken off their position as Heads because their ages did not let them work the hours their responsibilities demanded from them. Nevertheless, she was still in her seventies, so she still had ample time. Time she was going to use to work, just as she was doing that day. So, having finished reading another budget proposal and putting it on the appropriate pile, she glanced at the towers of documents that were neatly organized on her desk and grimaced. "The unfinished pile just keeps getting bigger and bigger..." Her words ended in a sigh as she took a document from said pile and began to work on it. Requests for funds, market value updates, tax reports, resource allocation, wages of public servants, projects of both advisors, the Orders maintenance costs, etc. Those were some of the things she had to read, answer, read the response, answer again and so on, until everything was done and finally moved to the ''finished'' tower. Still, she liked numbers, she liked business, and the uses of money. Yes, she worked hard for the good of her people, but she also wanted some glory for her. She wanted her efforts to keep the Kingdom going to be recognized. Maybe even taken as achievements by both the Kingdom and the Church. She wanted to leave a mark in history. Maybe not as the central figure, but as one of the people involved. She wanted to hear something along the lines of ''without her none of this would have been as great.'' That is why she jumped at the opportunity to join the King''s endeavor. "Let us make history together, Lorelei." That is what the King said to her when he revealed everything to her. "Still...five years have already passed, and everything is going steadily as well. If there are no obstacles, we are going to be able to retrieve that thing in no time." She said to herself while her voice was drowned out by the continuous sounds of movement in her office. Normally, she was able to tune out the many ''with your permission''s and ''if you excuse me''s that came from the flow of maids entering and leaving her office. Maids that usually added more documents to the unfinished pile. Yet sometimes that was not the case and a headache would show its ugly face in her itinerary. And that day seemed to be one of those. As such, she massaged her temples trying to prevent it. But then, something interrupted her as she did so, a different yet familiar sound. It was the sound of someone placing a tray on the tea table of her office, one that had a teapot and a single teacup on it. "Hmm?" Finding it strange as she had not asked for tea at such hour, she looked at the one who had started serving her tea. It was a purple haired maid she had never seen before, but that was not that surprising in and on itself. After all, there was that endless flow of maids going in and out of her office, delivering documents coming from different houses and state offices. So, there were always new faces as new maids took over from other maids that had either been moved to another area or were simply indisposed at the time. "If I may, the tea mix I am using has a relaxing effect that helps relieve stress and prevent headaches." Lorelei raised an eyebrow the moment she heard that, interested in said tea. One that had a light violet color. "My master had sent this mix as a gift in appreciation for Miss Lorelei''s hard work, but as I noticed the way Miss Lorelei massaged her temples, I could not help myself and used a bit of it. I apologize if it''s a bother." The purple haired maid tried to bow apologetically but was stopped by Lorelei as she both shook her head and motioned her to stop. "No, no, it is fine. Thank you, I would very much like to drink some of that tea." With that, the maid smiled and brought her the teacup, from which Lorelei immediately took a sip. The tea had a faint sweetness to it and a refreshing fragrance. It did not take long for her to feel its effects. It could even be said that she began feeling them from the moment she swallowed it, for she felt more relaxed and without that pulsating sensation in her head. Moreover, the tea and its effects feltfamiliar. "Ah, it is quite nice. You know? It kind of reminds me of a tea a certain person used to prepare for me every time he wanted funds for his research. Mind you, that was a bit sweeter, while this one tastes like an improved version of it." She didn''t know why she was telling that to the maid, but she was feeling like all her body had been rid of an incredible weight, so it was fine. "Then that makes me glad because it took what? Five years to improve it?" "...?!" Lorelei was surprised by what the maid had said. So much so, that she almost spilled her tea. Numerous thoughts began doing the rounds inside her mind, thoughts related to a certain knight of the Swords of Dawn, but her rational brain kicked in almost immediately. ''You are being irrational, that person is not here. If we were to just barely consider it, then she could have been his maid or assistant now on another job. Yes, she might be trying to get me to sponsor her via guilt or she is just playing a distasteful prank.'' With that in her mind she regained her composure If you consider that we lived in exile in the depths of a certain forest after being branded as traitors, then it is quite the excellent result. If I do say so myself." But it was gone the moment she heard that. Her eyes then wandered to the door and saw that it was closed, a gaze that the maid noticed. "No one is going to come through that door, Lorelei. I made sure of it." "You...? How...? Why...?" She couldn''t believe what she was seeing, her eyes were showing her a young, purple haired woman, not more than twenty-three years old. Not the man that was arguably the oldest member of that forgotten order. But those mannerisms... That way of talking That posture Those eyes They were all telling her a name... "Meister Allegro...?" She said so still in disbelief of her own words and the maid smiled. Said smile was one so gentle and kind that it even reminded Lorelei of her own niece, and yet she could only feel dread seeing it. "It is just Allegra now. A maid in the service of my Master." Hearing that, Loreleis blood went cold. She tried to summon whatever little mana she had, but it was useless. "Please Lorelei, you know me. I am meticulous when it comes to planning for something, even a funds request. Because I always try to cover every corner." Allegra started closing the distance towards her while she said that. Her hands touching Lorelei''s desk as she went around it. "The tea that I just gave you has but a little side effect. One that I noticed when I was trying to improve its taste and medicinal effects. It weakens one''s magic by just a little for over an hour. Of course, it is something tolerable for most people, but what would happen to those that already have little magic to begin with?" "...!" That is when Lorelei truly became aware of her situation. She had never trained her body nor her magic. ''Why?'' Her younger self asked. ''I have enough with running the family business'' She told her father at that time. And because of that, she couldn''t do a thing to save herself from the maid. Her emergency magical artifact needed magic, even if little, to work, and with it weakened to the point that it was unusable, that option has been sealed. She had no escape. So, she took a deep breath and spoke. "What then? Are you going to kill me? Poison me? What happened to you is regrettable, but as you can see the Capital and the Kingdom is better than ever." She said with a piercing gaze. "Even then, I did not take part in the plan. I was as surprised as anyone else when the King announced your Order''s betrayal. If you want revenge, then I am ill-suited." Ufufufu Allegra laughed while putting her closed hand near her lips and shook her head. "Goddess no, kill you? No, I will not do that even if..." In that moment, Allegra took out a crossbow bolt from seemingly out of nowhere and when sunlight shone on said bolt, it revealed its purplish glow. The glow of being laced with poison. That made Lorelei to swallow saliva in fear. "...reasons for that are not lacking. You say you did not take part in the King''s plan to get rid of us, but you did not oppose it. You even joined him. The same King who left his own son to succumb in battle against a Dragon Lord while branding him a traitor." Allegra softly caressed Loreleis skin with the bolts tail as she said such things. Cold sweat flowed from Lorelei''s forehead while her breathing lost any semblance of a calm rhythm. "Then you took part in a plan to defame the Goddess, telling villagers that their woes were caused by a curse casted by the Goddess herself." The maid gave the bolt a quick turnaround, its point was facing Loreleis skin instead of its tail. "...! That...! It was!" "Shhh...I have not finished, Lorelei. Because you also did something as unforgivable as that curse and that was cooperating with not one but two Dragon Lords." "That is nonsense! We!" "Yes, I know you do not know, but it is true. You have unknowingly been used by the master of the same Dragon Lord that attacked this capital five years ago. Violet Death." "...!" "Those are all good reasons, but I was asked not to do so even if it was only implied. And about poisoning you...there are so many ways that I could have done so already. After all, poison can be ingested..." Lorelei looked at the teacup. "...smelled, and even by just touching the skin..." As she said that, Allegra tried to put her index finger on the base of Lorelei''s neck, but said woman tried to back away, to which Allegra laughed. "...but there is another way, one I found most interesting when I was able to use it..." Allegra then suddenly moved so close to her that she was at a whisper''s distance from her ear. "...and that is words. Just like that beast that can kill with its roar. [Poisonous Words:..." "...!" The moment she heard that, Lorelei''s body became tense and all her blood vessels became visible and colored with a strange purplish color. "...Sleep]" Lorelei''s world faded to black. To be continued...(cue ad for Allegra and Luca plushie set!! Pre-order now and get and exclusive invisible pillow!!) Holy fact: In Arte humans have much longer lifespans. Once they reach twenty-one years of age, their appearance will remain largely the same for fifty years, in which they are considered as young adults. Middle age comes as they go into their seventies, and only reaching old age fifty years after. Still, there are many variables that can either halt, slow down or accelerate such aging process. The most important being how well trained and healthy is a persons mana. I apologize for the delay, I think I will be taking a day of tomorrow/today? Need to rest. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and if you wish to support me and the story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit truly helps! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 52: Invitation for infiltration! This happened four years ago. In a day of a certain month, out of nowhere, the King summoned a certain group of three people to a location that was held in absolute secrecy. For that, they were escorted through a series of dark tunnels that lied beneath the palace. Of course, they obviously did not know the reason why, but it was more than clear that it was important. Extremely important. If not, then there would be no reason for such level of secrecy. In any case, the tunnels kept getting more and more difficult to navigate as they continued their descent, which made them glad that they had someone guiding them. Then, after having descended even more, one of them noticed that the once plain walls of the tunnels were replaced by ones with markings on them. Not only that, but the tunnels themselves felt different. As if they were much, much older. Indeed, it was as if they had gone into a different set of tunnels. Curious, one of the people summoned looked back and confirmed that that had been the case for a while. As they advanced, the markings grew more and more complex until they turned into a carved mural with strange symbols and figures. None of which they had ever seen before. "It is as if the carvings are telling a story." Said one of them in awe. "That is because they are." Said their guide in a matter-of-fact tone. "But we''ve been having some trouble deciphering anything more than that. For example, the symbols there are not in any of the books of the great library and our scholars have yet to find any reference to them..." Their elven guide then suddenly stopped, putting an end to her explanation and illuminated the wall that blocked their way, for they had seemingly found themselves in a dead end. "In any case that is not why you have been summoned here; this is." The guide put her hand on the wall as she covered it in mana and pushed a particular part of it. Soon enough, something clicked, and the wall moved, revealing what could be considered a secret chamber or more likea massive cave. It even had a lake of fresh water and the usual stalactites here and there. And on its deepest part, those summoned saw various excavation equipment and people. But none of that was what took their eyes in astonishment, for that feat was achieved by a massive door that looked as if it was coming out of the rock wall of the cave. Which was the case, as those summoned there quickly noticed that parts of it were still covered in rock, indicating that it had been excavated fairly recently. Furthermore, it had the same mysterious symbols and figures found on the walls behind them. Although, they gave the impression that they acted as some sort of seal for the door, as they were arranged in a way that formed a circle right in the center of it. "It is good to have you here, gentlemen." Said a female voice that almost startled the dumbfounded men. It belonged to one of the advisors of the King, Hilde Val. "This is..." Said one of the men as it found himself unable to hold back their amazement any longer. A reaction that made Hilde smile, but rather than her providing any explanation about the place, she preferred to let the man that had arrived beside her talk. The King. "Impressive, right? That is the door to making history. For what lies behind it is a power that shall bring this worlds woes to an end. Baron Sven, Baronet Locke, and Baronet Greese. Are you willing to joining me in the path that shall bring this kingdom to a new glory?" With that, the King waited for their responses as Hilde provided them with even more information, information that shocked them, information that filled their eyes with the same strong belief that the King had and so, they knelt before him as their answer. He smiled. _________________________________________ After I managed to get that gal off me, the conversation was able to get back on track and now Erevain has asked about the general state of the Kingdom. Hehe *poke* ! And now this gal just poked my ribs! Seriously, this gal just likes to get all touchy feely with me at every chance she gets!! Dont you see that Gabrielle has been emitting all that intense pressure since you started doing it?! Heck, even Mika and Bertia are doing so too!! As to Erevain, she seems calm about it. Probably because she knows her at a more personal level due to her past. But still... Character who gets touchy and teases the protagonist...check... "The Knight''s Orders suffered many losses in the attack of five years ago. The Twilight Shields being the ones who had the most losses while the newly created Bulls of the Zenith had the least. Of course, they did I concur with Gabrielles angry murmur right there. That meant that there was a need to appoint and train those who were worthy, but...even to this day those numbers have not increased that much. And, sadly, it is not because there is a lack of talent, but a lack of people. A sense of distrust was born that night. Distrust of the king, the knights and the one named as ''Fallen Prince''. While Erevain seems calm, the other maids are not. They are trying to hide it, but I can see that they are angry and saddened. That is why the citizens were not that eager to volunteer then, even after being found worthy. Instead, those people volunteered to enter the Churchs forces. And it was all because of a misunderstanding. What kind of misunderstanding? So asks Erevain. Well, many of them believed that we were involved with the miraculous activation of the teleportation circles that night. Sadly, we were not. And we declared it so. Many times. But that did not dissuade them, for it was also believed to be the divine intervention of the Goddess. Of course, they had to deny it. If they didnt, that balance that Ludovica mentioned could have been in danger. Furthermore, they were being honest about it. So thats nice. In any case, that distrust and lack of manpower is what has led to the state that the Kingdom is still in. Monsters on the roads, bandits raiding villages, patrols being ambushed or just too slow. Not to mention an increase in the spread of diseases due to the late arrival of medicines needed to effectively curb said spread. Lastly, the Bulls of the Zeniththey cannot fill the void they left, and it shows in their results." Julian cant show any more frustration and disappointment than what he is showing right now, and he wasnt hiding it in the first place. "Tchthe king can say all he wants, but the bodies that are left in the wake of their ''tactics'' or ''well thought retreats'' speak for themselves. Fools" A paladin scoffs like that and Julian signals him to mind his manners before continuing. It has gotten to the point that we as the Church have offered our help to the Kingdom, but even then, it will still take years to get things back in order Some of the Paladins nod at Julian''s words while others shake their head showing their frustration. All while Erevain maintains her calm and collected expression. She probably already had an idea of how things were going to be in the Kingdom. And with everything we have seen on our way here, it isn''t difficult to believe that. I mean, it is indeed strange to have four monsters like the S.Spriggans that close to the Capital. So, perhaps that is why she doesn''t seem shocked or angered. Also, I think that she might be happy because the prayers she made five years ago were heard. Which begs the question... How was Erevain still alive when they found her? Was she somehow kept alive by the moonlight roses that covered her? Because that little detail from Ericas part of the story is pretty much screaming that. Sodid you do it, Nerinne? "Fufufu~~~, I thought you would never ask, dear. It is simple, the one who blessed her with that attribute was moved by Erevain''s battle and judged her worthy of saving." The one who blessed her with that attribute? Nerinne...I didn''t take you as one of those who refer to themselves in third person... It''s kind of...creepy. "You dummy dear!! I am not talking about myself!! I am not one of those pompous gods!!! Mou!! I was referring to one of my administrators!!" Aaah, yeah. Riiight, administrators... "I am not lying!! I am not creepy!! That girl saved her!! I mean it!!" Hahahaha! Ahhit feels so good teasing you like this. "...dummy dear..." Then, who is that ''girl''? "Hmph! Now you will have to wait!" Hey! Come on! Tell me! "No, that is what you get for teasing me. Fufufu~~." Fine...I''ll use my instinct! "That is cheating! And you will spoil yourself of a very nice surprise!!" I don''t care. "It is really nice. I mean it dear. It will be a ''check'' as you say." You...! Using my ''no spoilers'' principle against me! Fine...I won''t use my instinct! But I better go nuts with that surprise! "Hmm, well dear. Knowing you, I think you will. Fufu~~." Well see about that. Anyhow, I glance again at Erevain and she seems to be pondering about something. She is probably thinking about what she is about to say and how is she going to say it. "I see, thank you, Mr. Julian. It is indeed frustrating to see this once shining capital covered in the shadow of such problems. All brought by the foolishness of its head. I...am saddened, but at the same time I am confident. Confident that this will end with the measures that we started to take today. Our cause is just. The Goddess is with us. And we will change this saddening situation." So declares Erevain with a fiery determination in her eyes, one that spreads not only to the Maid-Knights, but also to Julian and the other Paladins, because all of them have the same look in their eyes. Good. Of course, I need to say something too. Hmph, as expected of you, Eresh. Well said. Now, there is no need for me to say who our main targets are, we just need to deal with them. And for us to do that, we need a way to infiltrate the palace. So, do you know of one, your Holiness? If not, we can make one. We have the power and the means to do so. Hearing my words, Ludovica starts to ponder while tapping the side of her mouth with one of her fingers. Meanwhile, the Paladins seem confused at my words. They probably think that Im crazy. Oh well, it is obvious that they would think that. After all, anyone with common sense would know that that place is well guarded. But, sumanai, I will follow isekai law and blow common sense away. One way or the other. "Ah! Since we are super best friends, then we should call each other with our first names! No honorifics too!" This gal... "Just answer my question..." I say so in an obvious exasperated tone... Nuh-uh~. Aaaand she just says that with a mischievous smile on her face, all while wagging her finger at me in a ''no'' motion. "I will, but only if you call me Ludovica. Please? Hehe~~~." "HaaaaLudovica." Yeah, sorry, but thats all you get. "Muh...you really are no fun. Even if you did call me by my name, it just feels like its a bother..." YOU THINK?! "But since you did call me by my name, I will tell you. With that, she pulls out an envelope from her robe-covered chest and smiles smugly at me. She really is a gal There is no need to make a path into the castle when you have an invitation." Ludovica winks at me while pointing at the seal on the envelope, a seal that has the same emblem as the one on the flag of the Kingdom. ___________________________________________ "A ball? What is Father thinking?" Said Prince Licht while he worked on various documents in his office. "...maybe it is to find you a marriage partner, Prince Licht." His maid, Mary, did not answer his question immediately, but did so after she finished reading one of the documents she was organizing. "There is no time for things as ridiculous as that. Not only is the Church already looking into the Illumbee village case, but now theres also those knights that keep appearing in the reports. And they seem to be making their way to the Capital, which is most troubling. Yet, after knowing all of this, he decides to throw a ball? Finding himself frustrated about such situation, the prince leaned on his chair and stared at the ceiling for a moment, trying to comprehend the actions of his father. "The Church doing their move was a risk I accounted for, but those knights...they could ruin everything I have been working on." "...with one of you down it seems likely." Said Mary coldly, making the prince laugh wryly. "Yes...Hilde''s sudden illness is another thing I did not account for. Still, for her to collapse like that is more suspicious than worrying." At that moment, Prince Licht remembered how his fellow advisor collapsed right in the middle of the morning meeting. He remembered how hard she tried to stop herself from screaming due to the intense pain and she managed to do so until she lost consciousness. "Nothing seemed wrong with her before that happened. Even more, she has never given any signs of even catching a cold. No matter how hard she pushed herself or how many sleepless nights we spent working on one of our projects, she always appeared fine, well-rested and healthy. Could it be related to her secret? Or could this be the work of someone? But who? No...with the name those troublesome knights took and the prophecy Baron Cuhalin gave us, I can already guess who. After all, he has people with him that are capable of causing something like that." With that, he opened the special drawer in his desk and pulled out a certain metal pin. "Are you here already, dear Elder Brother? Was that your doing? I wonder what face you made when you saw the state of this Kingdom. Will you be enraged at me? Disappointed? Or will you simply let that storm you are supposed to bring with you raze everything?" He smiled dubiously as he talked to the emblem on the pin, blushing with every word that left his lips. "But I am sorry, dear Elder Brother. I must do something before receiving your righteous wrath. But do not worry. If I am to die, it will be by your hands." His smile widened as he said that and then he let out silent laugh. Meanwhile, Mary looked at him and shook her head ever so slightly as she sharpened her gaze. _______________________________________ Master has given me another mission in which I cannot disappoint her. She has entrusted me, Allegra, Jules, and Sophie, with capturing people suspected of being part of the hidden faction that has been cooperating with the Violet Death. They are responsible for lying about us and forcing us to escape into the forest. Still, I liked living in the forest. That is my home field. I like the relative peace it gives to the ones who know how to live there. I like the greens, the browns, the grays, and the colorful animals that can only be found there. It is simple. It is nice. The capital is not. Too much noise. Too many smells. Too many people. It gives me what Allegra calls as ''mental static''. Where if I lose focus, all the sounds around me will fuse into one deafening hiss. That is why I always stick to the roofs. These hard and deteriorated rock roofs. Of course, no one will notice me while I climb up the walls of the nearest building. This hard sensation in my hands is not something I missed, but it is still nostalgic. Nostalgic of the times I climbed these walls frequently. When Allegra would try to find me, and I tried to make it difficult for her. It was fun, it helped me focus. Now that I have reached the roof, I am greeted by a view of the city that someone else might find beautiful. Allegra is one of them. She always says that my love for the forests is the same as her love for cities. Testaments to the ingenuity of the races that is how she sees them. But the roofs also provide me of something else...a vantage point where I can locate my targets and decide the best route to take when and after I capture them. So, I run, fast, faster, jumping from roof to roof, silently evading with ease any lookouts for those who still rely on them. Im also covered by my [Shroud of Deception], which not only fools the senses of those weaker than me, but also interferes with detection magic or detection-based skills. And thanks to Master and the Goddess, this spell is even more powerful thanks to my uniform. At first it was strange being a woman and using this outfit, the new sensations, a certainabsence, the breeze and other things that make me embarrassed when I think of them. But now it feels as if this has been the body I was born with. It all feels natural. When I jump, I know exactly how much force I need to put on my legs and feet. When attacking, everything flows into place without worrying about being slightly off because of my different center of gravity. "..." There. I can see it. The area where my targets live, Griffith Street. A place where the nobles who work in the Kingdom''s offices live. Because one of the privileges that Nobles have, is having their workplace near their homes. Although, that was by design because it was done with work efficiency in mind. And that was something that one of the previous regents thought about when designing this area. It is here, in this street that is full of white, ostentatious houses, were I can find my two objectives. One oversees the reserves of materials needed for weapons, armor and so on in the Capital. He used to be the assistant of the old man who was in charge back when I was a knight. That old man He liked the forest too. He always talked about retiring to a family cottage in a village near the forest. Even if I never answered his questions, he always talked to me and seemed to know that I was listening attentively. I hope that he is alright. Meanwhile, his assistant always seemed eager to do more, urging the old man to name him his successor. He would even risk his life in order to gather materials on his own. An impatient fool. His name, Locke Boid. As I move closer to the roofs of the surrounding buildings, I can see near an alleyway one of the false sewers that this Capital has. False sewers are access points to a web of tunnels beneath the city. To the uninitiated, it is a labyrinth left by those who built this city where one can enter and never come out. But for those that have authentic knowledge of them, then it is one of the best ways to traverse the city unnoticed. Some even connect to houses and buildings. There are so many different paths that no one has been able to completely map them, not even Allegra. That is my exit route. My second target is the man who oversees the production of the equipment for the Orders, the guards and the soldiers. His name is Sven Lugh. He is a stern looking man that hasnt changed much in all these years, except for his children growing up. I remember that he used to take his baby girl with him when he made his rounds checking on Roxxy''s forge and the other smithies. He would usually talk with Roxxy about blacksmithing techniques and how to optimize production. He also got mad every time Kris destroyed her armor in battle. It was as if one of his veins were going to pop. I wonder what could have happened for him to join something as vile as "New Glory". Still, I hope he isnt part of it... He seemed like a good man. My targets live in the same row of houses, one on each corner. So, I go for the farthest one first. Given the nature of their jobs, they are in a constant flow of communication, either magical or written, so I have to be quick and precise. I am already inside Sven''s house and as the information suggested, he is still here. His children already left for school and his wife has her usual patrols as a guard. Also, there are not many maids in this house, which makes it easier for me to knock them out and leave them in separate rooms and not worry about another one waking them up. That way they will only attract the unwanted attention of the guards after they wake up. But by then, I will be long gone, and Master may even finish with them too. After all, when it comes to stealth operations, even the act of alerting the enemy of what happened is a valuable tool. That is what grandpa used to say. Master realizes that too and I know that she has something in mind for that. "These Bulls are asking again for weapons made of adamantite?! Are they crazy?! It will take an order like this up to a year to be completed! Even more if our reserves get depleted by these idiots!!" Good he is distracted. I sneak behind him and use my enhanced strength to knock him out with a chop to the back of his neck. I need to talk to the King about this! He cant keep letting theGUH?! Of course, I catch him immediately and place him carefully on the floor. A week ago, I would have needed to use one of my subjugation skills, but not now. In any case, I grab all the documents in his drawers and even those on his safe, storing them in a separate space with one of my uniforms abilities. Then, I carry Sven on top of my shoulder and cast [Shroud of Deception] on him too. That way no one will notice him. His weight is not a problem for me thanks to my enhanced strength too. With that, I exit his house through the back and jump to the roof with ease. I then run and jump to the roof of Locke''s house, leaving Sven there before entering it. With the force that I hit him with, he will not wake up for a few hours or unless someone uses a stimulant on him. Matilda, is the soup done yet? Yes, Ill start with the servings in a bit. Coraline, master is going to need some tea soon. I know, Im already brewing it. Have you finished cleaning the basement, Davida? Of course. I see. Locke has more maids in his house, which makes knocking them out and hiding them more difficult, but that is not a problem. I sneak through the house and ''mark'' each and every one of them. Then, I just wait for the right moment when all of those ''marks'' are lined up in way where I can use my skill. "...!" There! [Foxhunt] ?! ?! ?! My body moves instinctively at high speed, knocking them out one after the other in quick succession. A?! Ma?! In?! Just when one is going to scream or alarm the other, they get knocked out too and so on until every maid is down. This skill puts a burden on my body the more ''marks'' are taken down. Even more so in enclosed spaces like a house, where one must even run on the walls or jump to evade other objects while being ''pulled'' to the next mark. But as I am now, I feel that I could mark up to 20 people before feeling any effect. Coraline, wheres my tea? This target is inside his office too and is calling out to one of the maids. Coraline? Now he is coming out to see why she is not going to him. Coraline, are you lazing around agaiNGH?! The moment he comes out I knock him out with a punch to the face. But it seems that it did not fix his annoying face, a shame. After leaving him on the floor, I take all the documents I can find in his office and store them just like before. With that, I do the same thing I did to Sven and then I go to the false sewer while carrying both. Of course, I wait until the street leading to the alleyway is empty of carriages and many people. One can never be too cautious in open spaces. The tunnels are dark and humid for the most part. Still, some have magical torches like the ones the Royalty has knowledge of, though they are a small percentage. But ever since I joined Master, I am able to see in the dark without a problem. At first that surprised me because I thought that I had used one of my spells that has the same effect, but that was not the case. I can even use it at will, which makes it easier for me to sleep when Allegra is reading in my room. I run while carrying them both, using my knowledge of these tunnels until I find the one tunnel that has a stylized ''A'' carved on its wall. That is Allegra''s signature and that means this tunnel will lead me to the area near the inn where Master and the rest of us are staying. Master Auros, I will never fail you. So please keep trusting me and treating me the way you do. "Because...you are nice." To be continued...(cue over complicated map of the tunnels that is totally not the author just throwing spaghetti at a piece of paper and then tracing it) Sorry for the delay! I wasn''t feeling so good since sunday, that is why I took a day off. But I feel better now. Please look forward to it! Thank you for reading! If you wish to help me commission some cute Luca art, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! You will get all of the updates and the final product when it''s finished! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! See you tomorrow! Chapter 53: Nobles and Merchants are weak to Maids. After planning what we were going to do at the ball, the conversation has moved to other matters like good stores for the materials Gabrielle and her team are going to get for us and so on. with that said, in the spirit of avoiding any suspicions, I suggest that we return to the Cathedral until we hear back from Lady Argento before or after her interrogation of the suspects. Yaay! That is a great idea, Julian! Please, take her with you already!! She. Just. Keeps. Sticking. To me!! "Non, non, non~~~. I am staying here, Julian. I want to see Auros in action! Yes~~." No! Shoo! Shoo! Don''t look at me with those eyes as if they had turned into stars!! "B-but your Holiness, you have other responsibilities for the day..." Just give up! Look at poor Julian trying to convince you! "Mmmm..." Come on, show me that you are more of a responsible adult than a perv gal... "...just move any important meetings to the afternoon and attend to the other ones in my stead, Julian. I trust you~~~." ...or not. I am an idiot for even having the slightest hope of it, arent I? "Fufufu~~, no, dear. That is just the way she is. Besides, Ludovica always works earnestly. Even after all this time. So, she deserves some free time from time to time. No pun intended. Still, is it really that bothersome for you, dear?" ...no, it''s just that...its difficult to maintain my character with her... "Fufufu~~~, I see. Then, just take it as a challenge. One where you will be fine even if you fail. After all, you have been showing parts of your true self to the maids slowly, so I think there is no problem. Besides, you do not want to admit it, but you do resemble each other in some ways." Ugh...and you say I am the shrewd one. "Fufu~~, what can I say? Learning has always been part of being in a relationship." Ok, I''ll tell her that she can stay...but please, no moreperfume. I don''t want her to go nuts in front of the maids. Because I don''t know what Gabrielle or Erevain would do if they see that. Just look at Mika too, she looks as if she is going to explode at any moment and start scolding Ludovica. "Oh my, that is true. Very well, dear." So, you were planning to use it! "...teehee." ... Haa Let''s get this over with. "If you are capable of taking care of those matters in her stead then I do not mind her staying..." "That''s...yes I can do so since I have the authority..." I am sorry, Julian... Her Goddess wants to spoil her...so please endure... "Yes! I knew that Auros is the one destined to be my super best friend forever! Nee~~, nee~~, we totes have to be together!" She says so while hugging me and rubbing her cheek against mine... She also keeps adding more words to the ''friends'' thing... Am I actually in a gal plus nerd mango? _____________________________________________ "Porkopork skewers! Take your porkopork skewers! Made with the homemade sauce you all have known for generations! Hey lady, buy two and I''ll give you another two!" "Then I want four." "Ohoho! Quite the eater we have here then! Here you have it eight porkopork skewers! It''ll be twenty kyrs!" "Here." "Thank you very much!" *chomp* "Delicious." Yes, it is I. Jules, the hunter maid. I am currently walking through one of my favorite places in the capital. The food district. It is not named like that, but that is the name I gave it. Here, there is food and ingredients as far as the eye can see. I remember having eaten at every stall before and that was my pride, but...I can see that there are new stalls now. Things can surely change in such few years. *chomp* Mmm No problem. No problem at all. That only means that I must eat at those new stalls now that I have time. I should store Master''s portion before I go to those though. *poof* Cool. This uniform is truly convenient, food can be stored within its storage space and it will remain fresh and hot. This body is convenient too. Getting discounts means that I can get more food. And they give them to me while trembling in excitement! I am beautiful and I know it because I am my type! *chomp* "Mhm! Mhm! There is nothing truer than that Hmm?" *sniff* That smellits "Fried Uruns with tree cream! Fried Uruns with tree cream! It is tree cream right out of Deamis! Nuff'' said!" Tree cream... *gulp* We hunters can make it by finding Mil trees in the wild, or by Mil farmers, of course. But the one made by the elves in Deamis has always been the best. It is one of the products they are the proudest of. Of course, I am already at the stall. "Give me six. Please." "Ah! Y-young lady, you startled me. Here you have them! It will be sixty-six Kyrs." "Here." "Thank you for your patronage! Have a nice day!" *chomp* "Delicious and creamy." I would be lying if I said that I did not miss this place. I am a hunter, I like the wilds, but I also like the cities. Specially this one Still, they provide many different things that the wilds can''t. But they need each other. We need each other. That is why we help in taking care of the monsters that mess with the habitats with their corrupting presence. That is why we also purify those already contaminated areas and do our best to restore them. And, of course, we make sure to hunt those who try to abuse the forest. Because that is not cool. Meanwhile, the forests provide us of valuable resources. Food being one. Still, we must never take more than we need. Something that is simple to do since the rest can be obtained by either trade or even magic. *chomp* Mmmah. I should store Master''s portion again. I am now a maid, so having my Master in mind is to be expected. Where was I? Yes, food. The forest is full of ingredients for those who look for them and sometimes, only for those who are strong enough. For example, hunting a doorim is not an easy task. That is why there are no stalls selling meat skewers with doorim meat...regrettably. For that, one needs to go to a fancy restaurant or hunt one. *chomp* Ahhtruly delicious. I sorely missed this city''s food. "Coming through! Step aside, Miss! Please!" Hmmthere seem to be not only more stalls, but people too. Its been getting crowded with lots of people buying things in bulk. But that is good. It actually helps me with my task. After all, it is I, the hunter maid. And I am hunting. "Hoho~~, doing my routine stroll through my district is always refreshing. I knew that rising the prices just a bit via tax wouldn''t hurt. Miss Rupee was worried about it, but just seeing this amount of people shows that I was right. Nothing changes and we get more funding. Maybe I should rise them a bit more?" I will never understand those people who talk to themselves in murmurs, just like my target is doing. Are they lonely? They should make friends with someone by inviting them to eat. That always works. My target, Boris Greese, seems to have succeeded his father in his position as this districts overseer. His father was someone who would put money out of his own pocket to make sure prices stayed accessible to everyone. While Boris seems hungry for rising them more. "Thats not cool... The higher the prices, the less people that can enjoy the food of this place. The less people who can enjoy the food, the less sales the stalls get and not to mention the less the farmers and hunters get to sell in general. Can''t he see that they are buying more because they are afraid that prices might get even higher? I don''t like it. Hell feel my retribution while I complete my mission. I move with grace through the crowd where Boris is and get behind him. I am a maid. I look normal being behind him, who is a noble and a merchant. That is why the following is also very normal. Smoking is better than grilling. "Hmm? Gah!" As he falls for my masterful distraction and he begins to turn, I punch him in the gut, just letting him get a small glance of someone beautiful before fainting. I am merciful like that. Some people are looking at us now while others just keep moving. Still, there is no need to worry. I am a maid. "Oh, master~~! Are you alright? Don''t you worry! I''ll carry you home! Your favorite maid is strong! Please, let me pass!" The people immediately open the way for me since my acting is flawless if I do say so myself. After all, I am a hunter. Melding with my surroundings is key. And that means, that sometimes, one needs to act. Be it using one''s voice to trick a flying fat boar or a crowd. I walk to one of the secret entrances to the tunnels that is in this district. My old shortcut for when I wanted to arrive here faster because of hunger or because my father needed ingredients quickly. I am Jules, the hunter maid, and I shall bring both my prey and delicious food to my Master. __________________________________________ "I am hooome! Meh...as if someone were here..." Said Sophie as she entered a small, humble house within one of the multiple alleyways of the area where she used to live. "Still, what a drag...Im gone for a few months and there is already this level of dust..." The place didn''t seem abandoned, but it showed that no one had taken care of it for said short time. "Oh well, it doesn''t matter anymore since I won''t be living here again any time soon." With that, she closed the door and went straight to the main room. "I''ll just take a few things that I left herelike these papers, my savings, this fishing rod too, and of course..." All the things she took disappeared from her hands and went straight to the storage space provided by her uniform. She then crouched and lifted the loose floor tile that was in front of her, revealing the presence of a big hole hidden under the floor. "...this. Family treasure or bothersome decoration, either way, I can''t leave it here." She said so as she took out a large something from the hole, something that was covered in a beige cloth and tied with a golden rope. Whatever that something was, it promptly disappeared into Sophies storage just like anything else before it. *creeak**click* "..." That is when Sophie heard something, it was both the characteristic sound of the old floor tiles creaking as someone walked on them and the main door closing. Someone had entered her home and locked the door behind them. Two people, to be specific. And it didn''t take long for her to feel the cold metal of a dagger on her neck, a clear sign that those people were not friends of hers. "..." The one who held such dagger was another woman, she had white hair and wore a dark-colored brigandine armor. "Move in a suspicious manner and that will be the last thing you do. Understood?" Said the woman as she waited for Sophie to nod and she did. "Good. Now get up slowly. And so, Sophie did just as she was told, not showing any sign of resistance. Turn around. Once again, she obeyed the one threatening her. However, what such white-haired woman failed to notice was that Sophie was calm, too calm. You will be answering his questions." Said the woman as they moved to the living room. There, Sophie saw a bald, bearded man with a scar on his right eye and a towering height. He had a large build, with strong arms and fists covered in gauntlets. His brigandine armor was black with some metallic gray here and there. All in all, he was clearly an intimidating person. Lets start with an easy one. Who are you lady? His voice matched well with that idea but instead of looking afraid, Sophie...smiled. Well, well, I was going to look for you, but here you are. Thank you for making my job easier. Indeed, she smiled because the man in front of her was important to her for a couple of reasons. One being that he was the one that may as well serve to free her from the hellish training she was experiencing. For he was her target. As for the other reason To be continued...(What is that mysterious ''treasure''? Could it be that the upcoming Sophie figure has spoiled it in the ad? YES IT HAS!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA! DON''T YOU LOVE IT WHEN TOYS SPOIL THE STORY?! HAHAHA...) (Sophie centric chapter coming up!) Glossary entry #22: Mango: Meme slang for manga. Used more in some countries/forums than in others. Gal plus nerd: A theme used in romcom manga where a gal (gyaru), an outgoing girl, meets/pairs up/loves/etc., a nerd, an introvert. Thus, leading to funny situations between them thanks to their different personalities. Of course, there are some that have twists. Like the nerd being actually quite forward and honest with his desires/feelings and the gal being actually a prude that gets embarrassed with such talk. Man, I love Jules. She is just a blast to write, or to rewrite in this case, hehe. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Please look forward for the next one! If you want to help me commission some nice Jules or Sophie illustrations, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit helps! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Thank you for reading! Chapter 54: Sophie’s revenge. Sophie had chosen the mans scroll for a couple of reasons. Reasons that had nothing to do with the location of said target being near her house nor her desire to get some things from there. No. She chose that mans scroll because his capture would help her get out of the hellish training she was going through in the castle. But most importantly, it could be said that that man was responsible for everything that happened to her recently. Something that the maid believed fervently as she remembered how she met the man in her living room. It was a time after a certain Dragon Lords attack, after an Order was forgotten and the fall of a prince. Back then, the maid known as Sophie was no maid nor was named Sophie. She was not even a woman. She was a he, and he was a guard, a new guard. He was a young man who had arrived at the Kingdoms Capital with the desire of a fresh start and leaving his past behind. His appearance was rather unremarkable, if only a bit roguish due to his hair and strange laugh. But such things would always just fade into the background of a city so rich in its variety of inhabitants. And he was fine with that. Just like he was fine with the routine and his uneventful rounds. But life is not just that. It will never be just that. And such a reminder came in the form of the strange disappearance of weapons and pieces of armor from the guards armory of his district. At first, it was just thought as an error made by the one in charge of taking inventory, but as things continued to disappear, it was clear that the guards had a thief among them. Of course, the man who became Sophie was not of enough rank to be part of the investigation, but that failed to dissuade him as he felt sure that he could find the culprit. For he had certainexperience. Let us just say that his roguishness was not for nothing. Butas it happens to those who stick their heads in matters that they are not supposed to, he found himself in the worst possible situation. After all, a new guard being found inside the armory way into the night could only be seen in a certain way, right? Furthermore, one that managed to avoid the measures taken to guard the armory. Truly incriminatingand convenient for the one who had been waiting there. He had hoped to catch the culprit, but, in the end, the one caught was him. And by someone far worse than whoever was said culprit. So, as he hid in the shadows of the armory, he heard something and went to take a look. "?!" Sadly, he was knocked out as soon as he did. "Wake up." "Hrnn...where? Who?" Shortly after, he was woken up by the voice of the one who captured him. Still, everything was hazy for a moment, making it difficult for him to realize the severity of the situation in which he found himself. Oh, where are my manners? I am Count Alessandro Vicci. I oversee this Kingdoms intelligence agency. The young man could not see it well, but the bald bearded man even did the typical bow as he introduced himself. Although, it was clear that he did it more to amuse himself than anything else. "Hm? Intelligence? Waitwha?! In any case, it didnt take long for the young man to regain his focus as the severity of the situation finally began to dawn on him. !! What the fuck is going on?!" And when it fully did, not only did he realize that he wasn''t in the armory anymore, but he also saw and felt the ropes that tied him to a chair. That is when the Count spoke once more. "You could call it a...personal talent hunt. Its sort of my hobby." "Hah?!" Of course, the man who became Sophie was understandably confused by the Count''s words, let alone the with the whole situation, and the Count grinned at such reaction. He grinned as he circled around the tied young man and stopped behind him, firmly putting his hands on his shoulders. "You see, I was looking to make a tool from the idiot stealing stuff from this district''s guards, but then someone with a bit more potential showed up. And I just couldn''t resist to take them for myself. Thats you by the way." "Gn...aa...nh...!" Pain coursed through the young man''s body as the Count''s grip on his shoulders became stronger and stronger. To the point that he felt that the man''s fingers would pierce his skin and break his bones. "Haa! Haa...haa" But then, the Count suddenly stopped and released his shoulders from his grip, prompting the young man to gasp for air as the pain had made it difficult to even breathe. "Heh." The Count chuckled before such scene and ruffled the young man''s hair for a moment, soon stopping and positioning himself in front of the young man once more. "Let''s cut to the chase. Work for me and I''ll make this stuff about you stealing from the armory go away. Youll walk out of here innocent and all." "...?! B-but I didn''t steal a thing! I was there trying to catch the real culprit!" At that moment, the young man''s eyes went wide in both surprise and confusion. All as he desperately exclaimed what was the truth. "So?" But the Count did not care. "Even if that''s the truth, that no longer applies to you." "Tch! Even if you arrest me, I''ll just tell everyone the truth! I have my alibis for the other days things disappeared! Witnesses too!" So declared the young man and the Count...just laughed. "Hahahahah! Hahais that so?" "Gh?!" And when he stopped laughing, he proceeded to bath the young man in an intense killing intent, one that immediately made him start to shiver. One he hadnt felt in years. "It seems that you are misunderstanding something about my offer. So, let me explain. What I offer you is the difference between leaving this place alive as an innocent subordinate of mine or as a guilty corpse." "...!!!" The man who became Sophie could see it in the Count''s eyes, it was a look that he knew very well, the look of someone who was really going to kill him. But then such look vanished as the Count saw that his very real threat had gone through and grinned once more while he patted the young mans shoulder. "But ok, let''s imagine that it is like you think. I throw you into a cell and you tell everyone the''truth''. Who will believe you?" He asked as he began to pace around the room. "Just think of your position. You were found inside the armory at night. You, a new guard who just arrived at the capital a few months ago." "How?" "Please, I like to do my homework before doing my talent hunts. I investigated all the guards in your district and that obviously includes you. Now, don''t interrupt me again or I''ll break your knees." "...!" "Heh. You have no friends and no family to speak of. And most importantly, you have no connections and no power." "..." Then, the Count pointed at himself as he leaned closer to the young man. "What can your word do against mine? The word of a Count of this Kingdom. Furthermore, I can easily make my word the truth." "..." He was right and the young man knew it. But the Count was not finished. He wanted to make things clear, he wanted him to know how he saw him. "Besides, do not lie to me you little shit. You planned to arrest the thief and then take with you what they stole, right? I can see it in those trashy eyes of yours. Like those of a stray dog. You are lucky I picked you up." "..." He smiled as he looked into the eyes of the young man who could only glare at him in frustration. "So? Which is it? ''Jail''? Or a well-paid job under me? And do not worry, you will still serve the Kingdom in a way, if that is any consolation." "I..." With that, the choice was obvious. Nothere was no choice to begin with. The story was already crafted. He did not want to be in jail for a crime he did not commit, let alone be killed and be blamed for said crime. So, he chose. He chose the only option available. He chose life and freedom over death and defamation. At first, the man who became Sophie was afraid, afraid of what might be the things that would be asked of him. But he instead received training, not that of a guard but that of a spy. A verythorough training. One given personally by the Count, one thathurt. In any case, his job was to keep an eye on the people he was pointed to. Relaying every bit of information that he was able to get from them with his particular skills. Of course, that information was used for various things including blackmail. There were times where he was asked to steal things too, making him laugh at the incredible irony of the situation. One that hit in many levels for him. But he did not care more than that, he was free, he was alive. That is all that mattered. Then he got accustomed to it and even enjoyed it in a way. After all, the man kept his word about it being a well-paid job. With that, he was able to leave the inn where he used to live and buy a humble house in the Capital. Which was an achievement for him who had lived a difficult life up to that point. You could say that he had even developed some sort of loyalty thanks to that, but in truth, he was afraid. He did not want to be considered useless and a loose end. Because that meant death. "One more job." That is what the Count said to him out of nowhere one night. "After seeing it through, you can kiss goodbye to this shady stuff, Dog." Dog, that was his codename. He had heard it so much that he even believed that it was more real of a name than his actual name. Until it wasn''t. Until he wasnt a he anymore. She became Sophie, a maid in the service of the woman who had captured her in the village she had been dispatched at with others. She left everything she had been born with behind. That being her name, her body and sex. Of course, her job as Dog too. After all, those were indeed hindrances to her newfound freedom. And just as her new Master said, a new life awaited her. But even after coming to terms with her new circumstances, only ''suffering'' awaited her. First, there was her position among the other maids. She was deemed to have the same rank as a complete newbie and her skills as a spy were called into question thanks to the crazy standards her superiors had. Plus, her involvement with what happened in that village did not help. And so, every night before going to sleep, and every early morning, she was subjected to a hellish training with a boorish person that had muscles for brains. Even if she was pleasing to the eyes. Try not to get hit. She would say that before launching a barrage of attacks at her with a massive sword. She could feel it, that woman, Kris, she was not holding back at all. If she was hit with even one of those, she would be dead or at least very, very, very, badly hurt. But not satisfied with that, Kris would shout at her every little thing she did wrong followed by even more attacks. Every time, Sophie gave her everything until she couldn''t move. She had to. Even then, the ''suffering'' did not stop even in her dreams. Why? Because every night the Goddess visited her in her dreams, scolding her about all the bad things she had done and their consequences while using her as a dress up doll. "Oh! It''s the Magical Girl Sophie Quartz!!" The Goddess would say such things while making her do strange poses and say strange phrases. "I-I''ll slay all t-the evil d-dragons with the p-power of l-love and j-justice!" All at the same time something called a ''theme song'' played in the background. A punishment that made her aware of certain parts of herself she had never wanted to know. For at some point, in that strange dream world where time flows differently, she realized it. She liked...dresses with frills, ribbons, and many colors. She even started to enjoy the whole Magical Girl thing. To the point that she would sometimes find herself playing with the frills of her maid uniform while humming the theme song. Something that freaked her out. After all, it was beyond embarrassing. It made her red to the point of looking like a tomato. As such, she really wanted the ''suffering'' to stop. And then, a certain thought appeared inside her mind. ''If only I had never met the Count.'' Indeed, she cursed the day the Count put her on the path where she ended up in such ''suffering''. And that same Count was now in front of her. Alessandro Vicci of the Vicci household, a household that always kept their position as overseers of Kingdoms intelligence agency. Be it because of their achievements or because of their administration itself. Alessandro used the former to keep the position and Sophies experiences supported that claim. But all that information in the scroll did not matter to Sophie. No She only had one thought and one thought alone in her head. ''Im so lucky.'' __________________________________________________ Minutes before their uninvited entry at a certain maids house, Alessandro Vicci had been alerted about someone who had entered the home of one of his secret tools. The one tool that had managed to escape the disastrous failure that was the Illumbee villages operation. Yes, the one who completely disappeared a mere day before such long running operation fell apart. And he was the only one, for the Count had killed the other tool that had let that happen, Rat. But that of course did not fix a thing. That was merely the logical step to take after what happened. A useless tool should be disposed of. Simple as that. "So, he returned, that ungrateful Dog. I will squeeze the life out of you after I make you spill the reason for your betrayal." Such was his declaration as he got up from his seat and took a brigandine armored woman with him. Cat. Still, the failure of that operation weighed heavy on him. After all, he feared that the King and the rest of New Glory would see him as useless. That meant that he needed a win. Something that could ensure his own survival. That was why he had been doing everything to find those who took the name of the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will. ''Dog might have information on them. His disappearance and their appearance timings are just too close to be coincidence.'' That was his line of thought. That was why he was surprised when he saw a brown-haired maid inside the house of that man, of Dog. He immediately ordered Cat to immobilize her and bring her out of the room so that he could ask her some questions. "Lets start with an easy one. Who are you, lady?" He asked as he released a terrible amount of killing intent upon the maid, but something baffled him. The womansmiled. Well, well, I was going to look for you, but here you are. Thank you for making my job easier. Said the maid with a calm tone and a roguish smile, one that vexed him. Still, he decided to play along with the maid. "Oh? And why is that?" "What? Are you blind? Oh, right...you kind of are. Well, as you can kind of see, I am dressed as a maid. That can only mean one thing, right? Said the maid as she mocked Alessandro. "Haa...Cat." To which Alessandro sighed, facepalmed and signaled to Cat with the other hand. "Answer the question." Cat pulled the maids head backwards as she said that with a more threatening tone, exposing the maids neck and thus, making it easier to cut. "Ok, ok, no need to get that rough! It''s a pain to style my hair every morning! I bet its the same for you!" Hearing Sophies words, Cat turned to look at the Count and he nodded, giving her permission to stop pulling the maids head like that. "Talk. Now." Said Cat as coldly as possible. "My Master asked me to look for you, Count Vicci. She wishes to speak with you. If you know what I mean." Alessandro raised an eyebrow at that. Of course, someone trying to capture him and interrogate him wasn''t that unexpected since his job warranted that kind of risk. Either from those not part of New Glory or the Church. But how did they come up with his name? Why him? After all, he had done everything in his power to cover his tracks, and yet that was not enough. "But why are you here?" "Mmm, take a guess." Sophie shrugged as she answered the Counts question, another thing that irked him. And then, he realized something. If the maid spoke the truth, then her being in the house of Dog could have been part of her plan to lure him out instead of her looking for him. That not only implied knowledge of the house being under surveillance, but also knowledge of the reason why it was under surveillance. Thus, if coupled with the disappearance of Dog, then all his questions seemed to have been answered. He had fallen right into the maids hands. With such realization in his mind, his eyes widened, and he looked at the maid. She still had that roguish smile on her face and a confident look in her eyes, which only vexed him even more. For he felt that he was being mocked by her. As such, anger started to boil within him. But instead of reining it in, he clenched his fist, walked towards the immobilized maid, and punched her in the stomach with all his strength. *SLAM-CRACK* "AaAaaGh! He wanted the maid to scream in pain, but the one who screamed was him. Myhand?!" Confused he looked at his hand and found his gauntlet to be broken along with all his fingers. Of course, he was unaware that the maid''s uniform was as hard as dragon scales. In any case, while the pain was not unbearable, it was still shocking enough that he instinctively stepped back. Furious, he looked at the maid once more and she "Ke...ke...ke...kehahahahaha! She laughed. But she did not stop with just that. I was so waiting for that! Hmph!" Gn?! Noticing that Cat was shocked by what happened too, Sophie did not miss such chance and headbutted her with the back of her head, causing Cat to release her as she staggered. Ha! NnyAGH! Sophie then quickly turned around and kicked her with the sole of her foot. And she did so hard enough to make Cat fly all the way back to the main room, specifically its wall, one that cracked as Cat crashed into it. *thud* A moment later, Cat fell to the floor, having lost her consciousness at the time of impact. Then, Sophie turned her attention back to Alessandro, who was speechless at what transpired before his eyes. After all, the maid before him had not used any skills nor spells, but she was still able to use that much force. From where in that delicate and feminine body was such strength coming from? "What? Cat got your tongue?" Said Sophie as she stuck out her tongue and pulled her cheek down, mocking him further. "You, biiiitch!!! This is nothing!! One hand is enough to teach you a lesson!! [Enhance Strength] [Shadow Brawlers Trance] [Dark Crushing Fist]! RAAAH!!" Alessandro screamed as he launched himself at the maid with his other fist in tow, but the maid didn''t move. "Keke..." *thomp* "W-what?!" Alessandro expected his punch to at least connect, but his expectations were broken once more, and it utterly baffled him. She had caught his fist with her bare hand. Nnn!! Kekeke And no matter how much strength he put in such fist; she did not budge. "Oooh, Count Vicci. You were just too slow, too painfully slowand Im sorry, but it is time for me to release my frustrations on you. After all...IT. IS. ALL. YOUR. FAULT!" "W-wait! *CRACK* GUH!!! *thud* Needless to say, she did not wait for him and she kicked him right in that ''place'', in that ''partner'' she lost when she was transformed by her current Master. Yes, right there. And she did so by using the same amount of strength that she had used on Cat, or perhaps a ''bit'' more. The pain made Alessandro''s eyes to roll back as foam to came out of his mouth and he fell to the floor unconscious. "Aaaaah~~. That felt so goooood~~." Said a blissful Sophie while holding her cheeks with both hands. "I hope that with this you can understand my feelings, Count Vicci." Of course, the Count did not listen to Sophies words for he was too occupied being a twitching unconscious man on the floor. But then, her expression turned a sour as she realized something. Something that she did not like. "Keh, now I will have to thank Kris for her training in controlling my strength. Meh, no problem. Anyways, I hope Master recognizes my usefulness when I bring these two to her." With that, Sophie walked towards the unconscious Cat and carried her on one of her shoulders as if she were a potato sack, all while carrying Alessandro on the other one and left her house. ___________________________________________ Some time later, Sophie found herself walking through the tunnels under the city, but there was a problem. "I am lost..." Said Sophie completely dejected. *sigh* "[Transmit sense: Eyesight] [Transmit Voice] [Connect: Hearing] [Receptor: Allegra] Amm..." "Ufufuyou got lost in the tunnels?" There was not even a need for Sophie to say anything before Allegra giggled and figured out the reason of her call. "Yes..." "Do not worry, it can happen to anyone. Really. Besides, I did tell you to contact us if anything went wrong. Also, we are comrades, regardless of any pranks or jokes we put you through for being a rookie." "Thank yoHey! Then what about Sylvie?!" "Hmm, you should take a turn to the right." "Don''t change the subject!" "Then go straight until I tell you." "...ok." It didn''t take long for Sophie to find her way back. To be continued....(cue double faced poster of Sophie''s blissful expression and Magical Girl Sophie Quartz! Pre-order now and get a shiny version!!!) Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed giving it a good rewrite! If you liked the chapter please drop a heart! Also, what do you think are the lyrics for Sophie''s themesong that Nerinne wrote? Tell me in the comments! And if you want to help me commission an illustration of such...painful moment, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit helps! See you tomorrow! Chapter 55: Torture? Who needs it? I don’t! Noon has arrived here in the Capital. We just finished having lunch and we are now talking mostly about daily life stuff. Like how life is in my castle and so on. "Leader, Erica, Bertia, I leave Master to you." "Of course, Gabrielle. You can focus on your task without concerns. Lucy, Mika, you know what to do." Says Erevain with a tone deserving of the title of head maid. Wanting to not waste any more time, Gabrielle and her team are leaving the suite to go and buy the materials that Roxxy urgently needs. "If any problem arises, I will trust your judgement in how to deal with the situation, Gabrielle. But if it''s something that you cannot handle, return to this place immediately. Your life is more valuable than the mission. That goes for all of you." I say with a serious look on my face. After all, I can''t be having a mind-controlled maid so early... The undead majesty anime had a really great fight at the end because of that though... No, wait, I don''t want to have a mind-controlled maid at all. Sorry, but I hope to never check that box off the list. And poor bastard who dares and tries to make that flag happen. Anyways, Lucy has gotten a bit red because of my words and now she is winking at me while giving me the thumbs up. "No problems, Master! If it comes to that, then no one will be able to catch me! Even if I were to carry these two! No matter how heavy they are! Gh!" Ouch! Gabrielle and Mika hit Lucy on the sides with their elbows right when she mentioned their weight. "Ooooow...." If this were a manga, then her soul would be coming out from her mouth right now...and its so funny that I cant help but chuckle. "Huhuthen, I shall take your word for it, Lucy." Hearing that, Lucy recovers immediately and shes now beaming with motivation. Yes, Master! ? "Master! What did I tell you? Do not spoil this girl, she cannot be saying such things...but she is right in one aspect. If something outside of our capabilities were to happen, we will hurry here. And...I know it is not our position to say this, but please take ca" *poke* ! Mika was about to say something important just now, but Lucy has poked one of her cheeks and now shes angry. "Ahahahaha!" "Come here!" And now, Mika is trying to catch Lucy, but to no avail. So cute, those two are just so cute. Even more so Mika, she was getting red while trying to tell me to take care... I see, so this is the charm of the ''class president'' type... Aaah so warm... I want to hug her...no...I want to see her completely say it! That will surely have more impact! "My, rest assured Master. We will finish our mission while taking care that something like that does not happen. That aside..." Says Gabrielle with her usual ojou-sama smile and tone, all while walking towards me and *kiss* "eh?" "...I will make sure to cherish those words and return to you, My Master." EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH?!! GABRIELLE JUST KISSED ME ON THE CHEEK?!!! "*ahem*...yes. That is what you should do." I just said that while trying my best to look calm b-but Am I blushing?! Am I blushing really badly?! Like a tomato?! Worse?! AHHH! Calm down, my heart!! A gorgeous blonde ojou-sama maid just kissed me on the cheek, how could it be calm?!! Well, yes, I am technically dressed and look like an ojou-sama too, there is also my cover story...BUT YOU GET MY POINT, DAMMIT!! Keep it cool, keep it cool...focus on narrating...yes narrating... Gabrielle is blushing too, but it is not out of embarrassment, no, it is out of joy. Why? Because she is showing me a truly warm smile, one that even extends to her beautiful turquoise eyes Oh, she has shifted her gaze to Ludovica, whom she smugly smiles at before doing a light bow, grabbing the shocked statues of Mika and Lucy, and leaving the suite while saying the following: "With your permission, My Master." HNNNGH! You just had to add the cherry on top, Gabrielle! "Nu..." Arerere...? Was Erevain lightly pouting just a second ago? She moved her head, so I didn''t see her face clearly though... *staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaareeeeee* Why do I feel like I''m hearing a certain staring onomatopoeia? "Hmm?" Ludovica is staring at me...with ''those'' eyes... She looks like a cat readying itself before pouncing at its prey...was she really that affected by Gabrielle? "If she can do that, then I can too~~." NO, YOU CANT!! YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR WAY WITH ME! I quickly put my hand on her face and then I start pushing her back. "Mu~~. Why do you reject my friendly love, Auros?" "Because I already had enough of your ''friendly love'' for today!" Crap!! I just let out something out of character!! This is why I didn''t want her to stay here! No wait...that still sounded like something my waifu would say, yes, yes, let''s go with that! "Fufufu~~." And of course, you are enjoying this, Nerinne!! "How would I not, dear~~? Seeing the new heroines'' actions and reactions is truly amusing. Add to that, all those cute expressions you make, and it fills my heart with warmth." You!! "Besides, I am the first heroine, so getting to see who ends up being coronated as the second one is pretty exciting, fufufu~~." That''s... Hahahaha, aah, that is so you, Nerinne... You are the best. "Fufu~~I know, dear~~. That is why I am your main heroine." Indeed, you are. __________________________________________________ It hasnt been that long since those shenanigans, but something surprising just happened. Something involving the chimney of our suite. Can you guess what? ... Ding! Ding! It moved and revealed a secret passage!! That is just so cool!! I mean, that is a check from whatever side I see it! Allegra had already said that there were secret passages and tunnels but seeing one with my own eyes is awesome!!! You know what is even more awesome? That we are on the second floor!!! Truly isekai!! And of course, the first one to arrive is Luca. She is carrying two unconscious men on her shoulders like its nothing and it isnt. Then, we have Allegra arriving second, but thats only because she is literally behind Luca. So, let''s say that it is more of a tie. In her case, she is carrying an unconscious woman like a princess. Said woman has a fearful expression on her face even though she is unconscious. Is she having a nightmare? "Oh, that was fast. I thought it would take them at least until sunset, but your maids are quite impressive for returning this quickly and with three of the suspects no less. Not to mention that one of them is also part of the Royal Court." Says the gal with an uncharacteristically non-gal tone and speech. Heck, even her overall attitude changed. So, this is her real ''work face'', huh? Holy onee-san is probably more for the public then. "Master..." Master. Luca and Allegra look at me while waiting for my instructions, but hmm... They look quite cute saying it together like that, so... Nice combo!!! Ok, with that out of the way, lets say something. "First and foremost, you both did a great job, Luca, Allegra. Just as I expected." "...glad to be...of use..." Luca smiles as she says that. "It was nothing, Master." Allegra also smiles. My heart! They are so cute!! But I can''t keep admiring their cuteness just like that, I have a role to play too. Pun intended, heh. "Take them to the extra room, I have already enchanted it, so no sound shall come out of it." And of course, no sound will bother our neighbors in the floors below and above either. After all, I am a polite and responsible adult; it would be bad manners to bother them with all those sounds. "Bertia, help Luca with one of them" "On it, Master!" Bertia smiles cheerfully while smacking her own right bicep as if showing her strength and then goes to take one of the men Luca was carrying. While I believe that it will not take long for the others to arrive, leaving the passage unguarded would be foolish. Therefore, I shall leave guarding it to you, Erica. "As you wish, Master." With that, Erica nails the maid-like smile as she bows and proceeds to stand near the secret passage. Which is even cooler if you consider that we are on the second floor of the inn. Yes, I said it twice because I like it that much. Ah, so isekai... Well, before we go and do our thing, I must tell something to this gal beside me. I''ll use my full alter tone just to drive the seriousness of the point home. "Ludovica." "Yes?" And she answers me not intimidated by my tone at all. "If you pretend to truly be a friend of mine, then you need to be ready to accept the truth about myself." I sharpen my gaze while saying so and she still does not look intimidated. Not one bit. "Ah, but of course. I swear that I am not lying. I genuinely believe that we were fated to be friends, so no matter which truth it is, I shall accept it." She says so with a smile full of honesty and not an ounce of playfulness... "Hoh~~, very well. Come with me." I say that butshe can really make that kind of mature expression if she wants to, huh? Meanwhile, Erevain is smiling at us again with ''Ah, it is nice that My Lord and Her Holiness are friends'' written all over her face. "Eresh, follow me." "As always, My Lord." She nods to my words and with that, we all go into the extra room. Let''s call it the EX-Room just to scratch my chunni itch, heh. The EX-Room looks like the other rooms in the suite, it has this luxurious medieval fantasy style with golds and whites all over the place and intricate wall reliefs. Of course, it is smaller than the main room, but you could say that it has the same size of a double bedroom in a traditional 3-star hotel of my world. What? No five-star hotel? You crazy? Why would I spend that much money on a hotel?! I wouldnt even let my boss put me in one! After all, I prefer that money to go the figure fund! Besides, a three-star is a happy medium between quality and cost just as the silvers in BND. Although, there are certain low stars that do pretty well too...ah, we are getting sidetracked! The bed is big enough to be called a ''prince size'' and there is even a beautiful tea table with some chairs, which is where Erevain, Ludovica, and the rest are going to be seating during my interrogation. And this is my first time doing it with an audience, so I''ll do my best! Of course, Luca, Bertia, and Allegra have already tied our guests to their respective chairs. So, all I need is for them to wake up. "Allegra, will you do the honors?" I say that as I turn my gaze to her, and she does a light nod before answering. "Of course, Master. It will only take a moment." Saying that, Allegra makes a calm smile and takes out a small flask from her storage space. As she opens it, my nose immediately picks up the strong scent of the liquid inside, a stimulant. And so, she puts the flask near the noses of each of our guests and they quickly start to wake up. "...oeh?! First, the middle-aged man, Sven. Wha?!" Then, the young-looking man, Locke. "ah!" And lastly the middle-aged woman, Lorelei. Thank you, Allegra. My pleasure, Master. With that, Allegra bows lightly and returns to her place with the other maids and Ludovica. By the way, I can see that our guests have gotten past their initial surprise and are reacting very differently to their current situation. Going by the previous order, Sven seems to be assessing it, Locke is clearly outraged, and Lorelei looks very scared. Also, her gaze seems to cycle between Allegra and me. "How darHIIIH!" Locke was about to shout some clich noble line, so I shut him up with my edge alter glare and a bit of pressure. And it feels so good... Who thought that making a haughty noble-type go ''hii!'' would be such a satisfying isekai check? CHECK! Also, Sven seems surprised by the pressure and he is now sizing me up. "Hmph, I shall skip the pleasantries and go straight to the point." A pressure that I keep emitting as I start circling around them. I am the High Dragon Lord of the Goddess and I have been sent to bring punishment upon those involved in a certain scheme. One where those conspiring betrayed their brethren. One where even the name of the Goddess was desecrated. And you, members of New Glory, are part of those. "Such thing!" "That''s...!" "Lies...!" Of course, none of them are believing my words. Just look at them, disbelief, distrust, denial, all that fills their faces, regardless of which emotion is greater in each of them. And I blow all of that away as I slowly reveal my true nature to them with my skill. First, my ears become longer than those of elves. Next, my eyes abandon all trace of humanity and turn draconic. Finally, my crown of horns appears, adorning my head. By the Goddessyou "Nononono!" "A Dragon Lord...that works for the Goddess...that can''t be possible...and yetbut" Sven is stuck looking at me while Locke is trying his best not to. Meanwhile, Lorelei is looking downwards, seemingly trying to escape reality. As for Ludovicashe just smiles at me as she normally does. She even waves hello with her hand. That kind of...makes me happy? Im not telling her though. Anyways, I return to my more human form and approach the guests. "It does not matter whether you believe that part or not. For I might as well be a powerful illusory mage, at least if that makes it more palatable for you. But be not mistaken, you have been captured and you shall tell me everything you know about New Glory." "then you might as well start to torture me because I will not betray my Kingdom. Not even if a Dragon Lord threatens me. I still hold the values of her Highness in my heart and those of my wife too." Says Sven firmly with that stern expression of his. Still...''her Highness'' as in Queen Theresa and not the King, huh? Oh boy, you just exposed yourself as the one who will be the first to talk. "I-It was the right thing to do! It was!" "Shut up! This is the reason why I thought you were unfit for the role...! And you! Dragon Lord or not, I am not betraying the King! Theres nothing you can offer me that will make me do that!" Huhuhuthank you, Lorelei. Not only did you recover quite quickly, but you have helped me stablish the talking order. From the easiest to theeasier. As I said, I''ll go for Sven first, but I will transform Sven and Locke at the same time. Why? Because their new forms come in a set of course!! Will you be able to guess from which isekai I based their new appearances? What? You don''t read that much trash as me? Pfft! As if you can believe yourself! Ha! "Hooh~~, we will see about that." I give her a ''challenge accepted'' type of expression and then, I walk up to those Im going to transform and put a hand on each of them. Of course, they try to back away but its useless. "[Shapeshifting Touch]." ?! The light of the skill envelops them, molding them into the shapes I had already visualized and disappears shortly after, revealing their new forms as it does. "This is...?!" "Wha?! My body?!" They immediately notice the new additions to their bodies, their new voice, and the oh so alien emptiness down there. Yes, they are now women. !! Meanwhile, Lorelei''s eyes widen in surprise so much that it wouldn''t be out of place if they break through her glasses. "You! Why am I a woman?!" So exclaims Locke, who is now a woman with white hair in a bob cut with light-red bangs that cover her left eye, which is as red as the other one. "Youwhat are you planning to do to us now?" Sven seems to be trying to remain calm, but her blue eye tells me another story. Yes, I said eye. Why? Because she is now a woman with black hair in a bob cut with light-blue bangs that cover her right eye, which is also blue. Also, she looks identical to Locke save for the placement of the bangs and, most importantly, the size of her chest. She is smaller in comparison to Locke. "Just this. [Pleasurable Hands]." "Hyaan?!" Ah, what a cute moan she just let out because of me caressing her exposed neck. She even surprised herself. Oh, she is now trying to get away from my hand, but she should already know that such thing is useless. And even if it wasnt, I dont think shed be able to even fall from the chair with how much her legs are trembling. Anyways, my hand is now just close enough to her neck for her to feel its presence, but not enough for it to be actually touching her and even then, thats sufficient to get a jolt out of her. "...!" "I want you to ask yourself something while I do this to you. Why all the secrecy? Why has the king not invited the Church into his plan? I mean, if it is something that will bring an end to the war, the Church would surely help. Then, why keep it hidden? But most important of all, why did he need to brand his own son as a traitor to further his overall plan? I can see it in Svens eyes as I ask her, my questions are questions that have been in her mind for a good while, specially that last one. Also, time''s up! Have you guessed it? No? Yes? Well, too late if not, because they are the black and white twins from that certain isekai!! In adult versions, of course. No bans for me!! What? It would have been better if they were the gold and silver twins? My friend, I may have forgiven you for that NTR thing, but please don''t say foolish things. Who wouldn''t want to massage adult versions of those black and white twins?! Hm? I think Lorelei is staring at me again and Uwaa...she is giving me the ''disgusting'' type of look. Ill ignore that and use the chance to refer to her and Locke. "Feel free to think about it too. After all, is that not suspicious? Why would he need to go to such lengths? Was his plan something that his son would never accept? A forbidden power? Or maybe something worse? Just remember, he was the same son raised by Queen Theresa and he was someone who shared her values. So, I ask again, is that not suspicious?" While Lorelei is listening to me, her gaze moves towards Allegra and keeps it there for a few moments until she seems to have realized something, something that makes her turn her gaze to Erevain andhuhshe has turned pale. Maybe she has mistaken Erevain for a Queen Theresa that is back from the dead? Hmm, oh well. Moving on! I use my instinct and locate the parts where Sven and Locke need a massage the most. For Sven its the neck and for Locke its the lower back. With that, I wiggle my fingers while smiling mischievously at Sven. "Shall we begin?" "You! No matter what your devious skill does, I won''t reduce myself to moan like that again! I have a wife! I will not falter!" "I accept that challenge." I say so while maintaining my smile and putting my hands on the back of her exposed neck. Then, I begin to apply pressure with both of my thumbs. Just the right amount of pressure, mind you. After all, the point is not to hurt them, but to give them a supreme massage that will make them talk. "Hy! No! Mmmh~!" Oh, she is biting her lip...hot! Let''s see how much she endures. _______________________________________ Five minutes have passed and "Hyaaaaan! Too good...! It feels so good even though I am married!!! I am sorry my dear wife, but your massages have lost to hers!!! I give up!! I do not care about the king nor his strange plan!! He and his bulls are the reason for my stress!!! And I already suspected him too!!! What kind of father does that?!! Th-that is whyI will tell you everything!!! So, please stop it!!" There it is. Haahaaamnn The ''my neck no longer hurts like hell'' kind of ecstasy. And with that, her stern look is gone, replaced by a refreshed and relaxed one. Seriously, I am surprised at how she was able to move her head with her neck like that. It felt as if I was trying to soften rock... In any case, time to turn my gaze to my next target. Locke. "You are next." "...!" Oh! She got startled! Cute! "I-I..." And now she has turned to Lorelei as if asking for help. "Don''t you dare betray the King. He gave you that position because he trusted you. Or are you going shame him too?" "Heh." I cant help but chuckle at those words. Nor I can stop myself from saying the following: "How can you shame a fool and a coward? But alright, let us proceed." Hearing that, Lorelei glares at me intensely and sadly for her, thats all she can do. And she knows it. Her body language and my instinct tell me that she has already given up on escaping and is adamant on ignoring Allegra and Erevain for some reason. I already mentioned what I thought about her fear of Erevain, but Allegra...what did you do to Lorelei? Well, she most likely deserved it, so the question is more out of curiosity than anything else. Also, it seems that no one has noticed that the Head of the Church is in the audience. Is it her doing? Yes...she is using some sort of stealth skill...huh, interesting. Also, I feel that she is doing it so that she doesn''t cause problems with my work. How considerate of her...but I digress. While keeping the ones on her wrists, I remove Lockes bindings and carry her to the bed, laying with her back facing the ceiling. Then, I lift part of her shirt, as in just enough to reveal her lower back so that I can put my hands on it and start. "Mnya!" Mnya?! So cute! And look! Everyone has cu-cute! written all over their faces too! And why wouldn''t they?! It really was cute as heck!!! Let''s press her again, but now with my two thumbs applying just the right amount of pressure. I really hope it isnt just a one-time thing... "Mnyaa!" It wasn''t! Forget Sven, Locke-chan is where it''s at!!! "My, you seem to be suffering from quite the back pains. Too much deskwork, I presume?" I say that while adding a tinge of the alluringness a certain type of queen has and...oh man, I think that her cute moans have awakened something within me... "I-I do not know what you are talking about..." I press again. "Mnya!" And again. "Mnyaa! Mnyaa!" And again, and again, and again, and again. "Mnyaaaaan! Ha...ha...ha..." She is trying to hide her enjoyment of the massage, but her blissful smile betrays her. "Should I repeat the question?" ! She gets startled and shakes her head energetically. "No! I will answer! I am stuck to a desk for so many hours a day that my back started hurting!! At my age that is not normal!! I so miss the times when the old man was in charge! I used to sneak out to the nearby forest just so that I could stretch my legs and gather materials! Now I can''t do that because I have to..." Oh, she was about to let out something she shouldn''t. Let''s give her a push. "If you do not want to tell me it is fine, I will just go to Lorelei." "...!" Locke-chan is now looking at me with the eyes similar to those of a child that has been robbed of their candy. Not that I have done that mind you, so stop it with the murmurs!! "...no...I will not talk because... you have not finished; my back still hurts...." "Hooh~~, then let us continue." After a couple of minutes, Locke-chan went full ''munya, munya~~'' and fell asleep after saying that she will tell me everything she knows. _____________________________________________ Two down, one left. With Lorelei I am going to do something a bit different though. So, with that in mind, I approach her and then, I crouch so that we are at the same level. And she wastes no time to glare at me through her glasses. "No matter how much you massage me, I will not betray the King. I will not throw away years of work, of sleepless nights, and invested capital just for that. Be it poison, brute strength, or magic, do whatever you want to me, but I will not talk." "I know." I say with a serious tone. "That is why I am going to appeal to the other, more prevalent, side of you. The merchant. ! Now, now, do not be that surprised. As in, I read your scroll. Also, its incredible what can fit in a single scroll. I know a lot about you. Hearing my words, her gaze sharpens, and I do the same. "As such, I know that you are a merchant first and foremost. Doing business is what makes your blood run. And I am willing to bet that that is what you want to keep doing for the rest of your days. That is where my offer comes in. An offer that I believe will be an attractive one for you." There, I piqued her interest. "After all, the more time goes on...the less time you have to work..." Ah, I can see a bit of hope in her eyes. That makes me smile. "If you are willing to work for me, then I will rejuvenate you." "...!" "You have already seen my proof of concept, so you know that I am speaking the truth. What is your answer?" "I-I..." Of course, I will not let her think about it. It is now or never. "57 years..." So thats how many years she wants off her, heh. Thenlet the haggle begin. No pun intended! "20." I fire back. "50." Hmm she really wants that much off her, huh. "27." But she should know that that is not how negotiations work. "Nnn...42." Now, thats more like it. "30." "38." "36." Plus, a look that tells her that that is my last offer. "...fine, I accept." "Excellent, I knew you would come around." I smile at her, satisfied with the result, all while putting my hand on her shoulder. "..." She seems to want to say something, but I will not give her the chance. "[Shapeshifting Touch]." The light of the skill envelops her, and I let my instinct guide me through the process of rejuvenating her and...oh, what is this? My instinct is telling me that some parts of her body should be one way, but that it would be more effective if make them a bit different. Interesting. If thats the case, then I will follow my instinct. Then, the light of the skill fades and I ask Bertia for a mirror, which she brings with haste and I put in front of Lorelei. "Does she remind you of someone?" "...!" She is immediately greeted by the reflection of a gorgeous young woman with an intellectual air around her. Like a teacher that is young but has a mature charm. "I...thought you said 36? What...?" She says that as she tilts her head while she studies her own face And indeed, I gave her what she wanted. She is now 57 years younger and technically only 20 years old. "Consider it a long-term investment while the other changes are your welcoming bonus." "Other changes? Wha...!" She looks down and she notices that her breasts are slightly bigger while her waist is just a bit smaller. And when I say that I mean it, Im surprised at how much difference those little changes do. "Before you ask, just think as a merchant. What is one of the things a merchant needs to know best?" "...! What their clients need, but also what they want..." "Exactly. Now, I have done my part of the deal, so I suggest you do good with yours." "yes." AhhI can''t help but smile at the sound that. Three down, two to go. To be continued...(cue surprise cameo illustration of the MC of that referenced isekai walking completely lost through the capital while Auros goes full fangirl on him!) Thank you very much for reading! I''m very sorry for the delay! I was just too tired yesterday and couldn''t focus at all. I''ll try to make it up to you guys with another chapter later today! Besides that, yesterday was the second anniversary of this story and I want to thank you guys because even if my time in SH has been short, you have been very welcoming and warm to me and this story, thank you! On that same vein, I noticed that the story is trending here! Wohooo!! In any case, please look forward for the next chapter and if you want to support me and the story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! See you later! Chapter 56: A change in seiyuu that sealed his fate. Now that we have sealed the deal with Lorelei, we can proceed tooh? Erevain is approaching me. "My Lord, Jules and Sophie have returned. They are waiting outside." "Ah, I see. Then, have Allegra and Bertia watch over Miss Lorelei and Miss Sven in the living room while I entertain our newly arrived guests." "...!" "As you wish, My Lord." Heh, Lorelei not only got startled when I mentioned Allegras name, but shes now looking at me in confusion. Did she think that Id trust her enough to leave her alone in the living room or something? Ha! As if! Besides, she wouldnt be alone since Erica is there but still. Erevain calls over Allegra and Bertia and they proceed to free Lorelei and Sven, with the former not only jumping from her chair the second shes free, but also making some distance between herself and Allegra. Meanwhile, my cute purple-haired Maid-Knight just giggles at her actions, and she does so in a way that makes it seem as if she were seeing some cute little child or animal doing them. In any case, she leaves the room with a scared Lorelei shortly after. Sven, on the other hand, walks out of the room with a blissful smile on her face and a cheerful Bertia by her side. If this were a manga, Sven would probably have flowers popping around her head with how much of a bundle of bliss shes now, heh. "My Lord, one more thing. What should we do about her?" "Munya~~...zzz..munya~~~...zzzzz..." Of course, Erevain is talking about the sleeping Locke-chan. "Leave her be, she shall not be waking up any time soon." "Very well, My Lord. Luca" With that, she signals Luca to put the new guests under her interference spell, the one that makes it so that they may not be able to use magic. I said it once before, but I''ll say it again, Luca''s magic sure is convenient. [Shadow Mist of Interference], that is the name of her spell. It does as the name implies with a shadowy mist coming out of Lucas hands as soon as she finishes her chant, one that then covers its targets head before disappearing. Yep, I said that last bit it as if I had put air quotes on it because the mist is still there, it just turns invisible. The mist seems to mess with their targets chanting and thus, doing what I said earlier. Think of it as a special version of a silence spell. Nowcarrying the new guests, I can see Jules and Sophie. Also, Jules seems to be eating something resembling a caramel-covered fruit with her free hand. Although, I am not sure enough to call it an apple since even the smell is kind of different...so yeah. Meanwhile, Sophie seems...happy, proud, and even satisfied...like way too much. Its as if she is going to start jumping and humming all happily at any moment from now. Her cheeks are red, eyes seem refreshed, and heck, even her hair looks shinier. Did fulfilling her task made her that happy? Also, is that a woman on her other shoulder? I mean, there was only one woman in the scrolls Ludovica''s people provided, so who is that? "Master, I have returned. Here is the prey you requested. Most importantly, the food I have brought will not disappoint you, Master. It is good." Says Jules with a proud shine in her eyes. "Fufufu~~, Jules is quite the amusing maid." Yes, she is, darling. I like her honest way of expressing her priorities. "Indeed, just like you, dear~~." Heh, yes, you could say that. In any case, lets reply to her. "Hooh~~, then I shall trust those words and enjoy it after we are finished with this." She nods at my words while giving her candy fruit another bite and then goes to put the man she captured in one of the free chairs. By the way, Sophie is already finished with that since she did that while I had my little exchange with Jules. Also, I swear that I heard her humming a bubbly song while she did that. Likeit felt almost anime-like, you know? But I cant pinpoint it. "You seem awfully happy, Sophie? Am I correct in assuming that it is because you had no problems while completing your task? "Hii! I approach Sophie and bring her back into reality by whispering such questions into her ear, startling her. O-of course, M-master! I had n-no problems! She stutters here and there as she answers my question with a nervous smile. Still, do I have to say it? "Haaaare you sure, Sophie? No problems, at all?" Seriously, it is obvious that this girl is at least hiding something. "..." "Sophie..." I start staring at her, and I seriously feel like a parent waiting for their child to confess that they were the ones who broke grandma''s vase or something like that. Also, Nana wouldve destroyed me if I did something like that. Back to Sophie though, she is trying to evade my gaze by looking at anything but me. Is she seriously not going to confess? Have I done something to her to warrant this distrust? I do not think so... And I can feel that Im starting to shake my head in disappointment "Wa-wait! Or not, because Sophie just exclaimed that. I...ugh..." She groans, looks at the ceiling, at the floor, at me, and then she takes a deep breath as if preparing herself. I-Is she going to do it?! She is going to take responsibility?! "...I got lost in the tunnels on my way back here..." Hm? That doesnt sound so bad. I mean, I bet I would get lost too if I didn''t have my instinct and so on. "...I also went to my house before going to look for my target..." Ok, thats not a problem either. Because, well, it is indeed the hometown of some of the maids. It would be rude of me if I were to not let them check on their houses and all. So, yeah, no problem. Besides, I bet that Jules did something similar by going to buy food before capturing her target. If I were to scold her for that, then I would also need to scold Jules, and I do not have the heart for doing either. "Aw, you are such a softy, dear~~." And proud of it, darling. "Fufufu~~~." Heh. NowSophie has stopped talking, so I will say my piece. "Hmph, ve" "I-I''m sorry Master but that is not all...I...I...I chose this person because I know him..." ...but then she interrupts me with that, all while looking away and grabbing her left arm with her right arm...which in turn makes her shapely chest stand out more. A-anyways...thats a surprise. One that could be considered a problem since she did not mention it to me, her Master, the moment she realized that such person was among the suspects. "You know him? How?" "H-he wasmy boss..." "...!" Hearing this, Erevains eyes widen for a moment, her expression changing into the one youd expect. She is angry at Sophie. And if not for me signaling her to stand down with my gaze, she wouldve said something by now. "Go on, Sophie." While my tone has turned serious, Im not adding any type pressure to it. After all, I want her to speak to me and not give reason not to. yes. Iwanted to take revenge on him, so I didntmention him that time at the village. I-I mean, I thought Master would get to him once we got here regardlessand that turned out to be true more or less..." "And?" I move one step closer and while she gets startled, she doesn''t move. Its as if she is accepting whatever is going to happen to her. "I-I just wanted to be the one to get him...you know, Master? I felt it would help me close a cycle in some way. Thats also why I went to my house to take a few things "So, closure." "Y-yes..." She bows deeply before continuing. "...f-for what is worth, I-I am deeply sorry for not disclosing that information. I-I am willing to receive any kind of punishment...even if that means being locked inside Master''s castle..." Shes saying that from the bottom of her heart and I dont even need to look at her eyes to know. Her entire body language is telling, no, shouting at me that Even my instinct agrees. Still, I should be mad. It is within my rights to be. And yet...I can''t help but smile... Yes This is probably how my parents felt when my little sister learnt to take responsibility for her actions. Ahhh, Nerinne, darling, Sophie has grown up! "Indeed, Auros, dear! I am so proud! At last, my sessions with her have yielded results!" Oh, Sophie seems to want to say something. "...amm...Master...why do I feel that you are thinking something rude?" "Hmm, I wonder?" "...!" I put my hand on her head and lightly pat her while saying that. "It is fine, Sophie. I understand. You had your reasons to do it and I cannot fault you for wanting closure on that chapter of your life. After all, that is also a part of the reason we are here..." I glance at Erevain in a way that pretty much says right?, followed by a warm smile. Her eyes widen once more before she smiles back at me while nodding in agreement. Besides, you did more than just fulfill your mission. After all, you went as far as also capturing one his lackeys. As such, there is only one thing that I can say. Congratulations, you did a great job, Sophie. "...!" Not believing her ears, she immediately raises her head and finds confirmation in the warm smile that Im showing her. One that has no filter nor roleplay in it. One that is just a genuine warm smile from the bottom of my heart. "M-master...! That means...!?" Her face practically tells me that her question is ''am I forgiven?'' and I immediately nod. "Yes, you are forgiven. Master! Thank yo" But be sure to tell me next time or things will bereally different." I say that while applying a bit pressure in that last part to get the point across. "...! O-of course, Master! Then, that also means...!" ''That I have shown my worth and Im free of needing to train?'' That is what she is probably thinking. Oh, Sophie, Sophie, my sweet summer child. Time for your punishment that is not punishment. "Yes..." Hope fills Sophies eyes as that word leaves my lips. "...you are still in training." ! Lips that soon become an evil smile as I finish the sentence and crush her hopes! Muahaha! "...uuu...yes...I understand..." And with that, I believe that she has given up entirely on getting out of training. Which is good because I cant do that without Kris approval. After all, she is the expert. I can also say that Erevain found this funny, since she was trying to cover her mouth in a ladylike manner just a moment ago. Ludovica too. Meanwhile, Luca has been watching over the sleeping Locke-chan, who is cutely curled up like a cat. Did my massage do something to her mind? Nah, thats probably just how she sleeps. Anyways "Stand firm, Sophie. After all, you could consider what is going to happen next as part of your revenge." "T-that is true, Master!!" Of course, thatd lift her spirits, heh. "Wake them up, Luca." Luca does as I say and wakes our new guests by slapping them. I also use my instinct to pinpoint in advance where they need to be massaged. The guy that Jules brought needs it on his thighs. The white-haired woman needs it on her feet and...Sophie''s former boss needs it on his hand...wait...nope, he actually needs healing on it... Ignoring that, he looks quite intimidating. I mean, if I had found myself in a dark alley with someone like him back in my former world, I would have been really scared. Also, I bet his voice is as intimidating as his appearance. Maybe he sounds like that monster hunter from the mobile game? Yeah, I could picture that. Oh, and he is the first one to wake up completely, huh. As he looks at his surroundings, he immediately notices Sophie and his face twists in anger. No, he looks furious, like murderously furious. "You biiitch! How dare you kick me in the?!" """""PFFFFFFT...!""""" WHAT THE HECK IS THAT SUPER HIGH-PITCHED CUTESY ANIME GIRL VOICE?! Hahahahaha and everyone had the same reaction to it!! "My voice?! Is this my voice?! It is!!! Noooo!! YOU BITCH I''M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!!" """PFFFFT...AHAHAHAHAHA!""" "DON''T LAUGHT AT ME, YOU BASTARDS!!!" Oh, I so know who I am going turn him into. Guess who. The other one too. I mean, if it is about massaging thighs, then theres only one option for any cultured connoisseur. So, burn in jealousy my fellow weebs!!!! Wait...what is this bad feeling that I''m getting while looking at this high-pitched guest? To be continued...(cue announcement of the TRUE seiyuu for Alessandro Vicci!!) Holy Fact: The song that Sophie was humming is an original song written by Nerinne, that is why Auros didn''t recognize it. Thank you for reading! With this chapter we''re back on track! I hope that you enjoyed it! Please look forward for the next chapter! If you want to support me and this story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Every bit helps! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 57: Defenseless thighs and Hard Knuckles. "Aaahn! Yes! Right there!! Please!!!" "Hooh~~, please...?" I say so whispering to her while grabbing her delicate chin with one of my hands and softly turning her face towards mine. "Please...Master!! Massage these defenseless thighs of mine!!" Her wavy black hair styled in flanking twin tails sways as she exclaims that with a blissful smile. "With pleasure." Pun totally intended~. "Ahn!" Ahh, this...this is it...I have accomplished something many had desired since meeting her back in the novelization... My hands right now are massaging some soft yet firm, plump yet balanced, absolute, and full of justice thighs! Eh? W-what? You want a weird description, just like in the novelization? O-ok...it is as if I am massaging the finest of... hams a-and...fish? a-and...I''M SORRY I CAN''T!! YOU''RE TROLLING ME, RIGHT?! YOU WANT TO RUIN IT FOR ME, RIGHT?! BECAUSE YOU''RE JEALOUS!! DON''T CLICK YOUR TONGUE, YOU BASTARD!! WELL, NOW I WILL ENJOY IT EVEN MORE JUST TO SPITE YOU!! Yes...as I softly apply pressure on her thighs my fingers seem to be absorbed by them until they offer just the right resistance... "Yes! Yes! That spot! It always hurt there after the accident!! Mmnah!" Her voice is perfect too...it is music for my ears... "I can see that. Now, tell me...what happened?" I whisper in her ear again, making my voice sound more alluring...which arouses me even more... I mean, this is my waifu''s voice after all... "I-it happened...in the caAhnve! I-I had gone to d-deliver...mmhn! I had gone to deliver suppliesand then, one of the rocks on the ceiling broke and fell on me and others...anh!" "The cave where New Glory''s solution for the war is? That door? Am I correct?" "Y-yes! Amnnh! Yes, Master!!" She is being quite open, you say? Indeed, she turned out to be the fastest one to talk. It started after I touched her thighs when she finished transforming and I said my initial piece. You know, the reason why they were here and so on. She mentioned that there is a cave below the royal palace and that it can only be accessed by using a specific set of old tunnels. And even then, they need the help of a guide. Said guide is provided by the king every time they need to go there. She also told me that the guide would answer her questions about the tunnels every time she asked and that is why she came to know various things about them. Like how those tunnels are older than the other tunnels that go under the Capital. Like how they believe that the Kingdom''s founders encountered such tunnels and decided to make a whole network of them. The guides theory was that the tunnels were a safeguard against intruders, protecting whatever is still inside that massive door. And that the tunnel network we have today is just a product of other architects and engineers adding even more tunnels throughout the Kingdoms history. Although, she says that they werent so sure if they were made with the same purpose in mind. Heh, its quite convenient that the guide sounds more like a tourist guide than a member of a shady faction, but Im not complaining. Still, all of that made me think about a couple of obvious things. What is behind that door? What relation it has with the evil god''s blood they were mining back there at Illumbee Village? Yeah, such questions. Questions that only the last boss of this arc can answer...when they start their monologue, heh. After that, she asked me in such a...fine...way to massage her that I could not resist. So, I carried her to the small two-person sofa that this room has and started. First, her back was facing the ceiling, so I could see that shapely bottom move while I massaged her thighs...aah...glorious...no wonder the MC was so...fixated...on it... But now, I turned her around so I can see her face while saying many hot things! Oh, the lines I made her say! "Master...!" But this one is the best! Every time she says that it makes me feel all tingly and hot!!! My hands keep going up and down on her thighs, applying pressure with care and precision. So...nice... Its just as one of my favorite doujins...yes...ah those were the times... In the doujin she fails to call upon the vanilla one, but something happens, and she ends up bringing my waifu out of the sands of time. Hentai doujin shenanigans ensue and their positions end up being reversed! Aaah!! And I am recreating one of the scenes of it!! All in a sweet and family friendly, pg-13, massage!! With her being an adult version of her of course, because bans are not nice and more importantly because she is hotter that way!! Don''t like it? Fight me! If I could, I would be making anime ecstasy expression #48 right now, but I can''t!! I have a character to maintain!! Ive also been controlling myself so as to not to start breathing heavily or show myself that excited since Im being observed by Ludovica, Erevain, and the rest of the maids. At least those who are not keeping an eye on one of our guests or are currently outside doing their job. But every time she calls me like that...it just hnnngh!!! Time for the finisher!! "Maaaasteeer...!! Ha...ha...ha...it no longer hurts...it no longer hurts!! I will be able to take longer walks through my district without shamefully having to take a seat every now and then...! Thank you! Big-Sis-Master, I shall pay this debt with my loyalty!! I do not care if I am stuck in this form forever!!" Greese says so as she jumps towards me from the sofa, wanting to hug me, but the bindings do not let her do it, so she settles with grabbing my hands and shaking them in an exaggerated manner. Also, I could swear that her eyes were hearts just a second ago. Still Big-Sis-Master...huh. I like it. Also, someone beat you to it, Bertia! I bet she just went ''Gah!'' in the living room...hehe.. "Pathetic!! You betray the King and the Kingdom just because she managed to make the pain go away?!! You disgust me!! How could you even call yourself a noble!! Even worse!! You are fine abandoning your identity!! Do you even have any pride in your name?!!" "PFFT....!" "STOP IT!! DON''T LAUGH!!! AAAGH!!!" So exclaims Sophie''s ex-boss, Alessandro, in a high-pitched, cutesy anime girl voice, which I did not have any hand in making, hahahaha! And judging by Sophie''s continuous laughter and smug expressions towards her, she is the most obvious suspect. What did she do to her? Nowait, I think I know. And it hurts to think about it, even if I dont have that anymore. So, lets get back to narrating. She is furiously trying to break out from the ropes that bind her. And in doing so, the chair she is tied to keeps shaking, moving from one side to the other. Ah, yes, I said she. I went with a petite form for her since she is already quite the fun character on her own, so adding that mouth of hers to the body of a petite noble-looking adult woman just makes it funnier! And it is not because I was getting so distracted by the desire to massage those absolute thighs, that I forgot which character I was going to use as base... Yeah...not at all... WHAT?! YOU TRY FOCUSING ON SOMETHING WITH SUCH THIGHS NEAR YOU AND TELLING YOU TO MASSAGE THEM!! "Please, it was certainly fun to work with all of you. And I wont deny that I took pleasure in beating the Lorelei Rupee on obtaining more funding for the cause. Plus, some more money for me to invest in the businesses I like is never bad! But!! I am selfish!! I will always put myself before other things!! With my loyalty always going to the one that is more beneficial to me! I do not care about pride and such nuisances like that! And if a small image change is all I need to be with the most beneficial person for me, then so be it!" "..." "..." "..." Uwaaa...she looks and sounds so proud that it makes it seem as if she is saying good things about herself, but they are not good things... Well...at least she is honest, I guess... Meanwhile, Alessandro is looking at her with a face of deep disgust and Erevain is...not that far from doing the same. Clearly for different reasons, but still. As for Ludovica, she looks as if she is enjoying the show thanks to that bubbly smile of hers. It wouldn''t be strange if she was eating popcorn or something like that. Wait, is there popcorn here? "Hmm, maybe? Corn is not that common in Arte, dear~~." Oh, I see. I''ll make some popcorn for everyone when I get back to the castle then, I''m sure they''ll love it. "Extra butter for me, dear!!" Hahaha, yes, duly noted. You sure loved them after I asked if we could get some snacks while we were on our waifuism marathon. And hey, while a soul doesnt need to eat, habits never die. Well then, let''s move on to this girl here. She seems to be the most loyal out of the bunch here, but maybe I can plant the seed of doubt in her mind with the right words. So, I start approaching her and she backs up by shaking the chair. Although, I''ve been having this bad feeling about her all this time...it has something to do with her speaking...instinct is telling me that... "Don''t touch me you freak! You want me to talk, fine, I''ll talk! So, what if we desecrated her name?!" Wait! You shouldn''t say that! I''m raising my hand as if trying to stop her, but... "She has the power to end the war with the flick of her hand, but she doesn''t do a thing! So yes! We used her name to stop the villagers from snooping around! At least that way she was useful! And we''ll do it again if it''s necessary for our plan!! That mineral and what it brings to the table is that much worth it!!" D-don''t! "SO, SHE JUST NEEDS TO SHUT UP AND WATCH HOW THE KING BRINGS A NEW GLORY TO THE WORLD!! AND ALL WITHOUT NEEDING A BLESSING OR SO CALLED ACHIEVEMENTS!! FOR THAT ILL TORTURE! KILL! AND MAKE TOOLS OUT OF ANYONE!! "...!" Chotto a minute!! Kuku Ah crap... "SEE?! NOTHING HAPPENS!! NO DIVINE PUNISHMENT!! NOTHING!! SHE MIGHT AS WELL BE A USELESS GO?!" ...so this is what my feeling was about... ...you went and said the ''U'' word... ...you just don''t say the U word... Haa...let''s just play along... "Hooh~~, why don''t you finish what you were saying?" I say that but I already know the answer. Girl...you fucked up. Hard. There is a pillar of holy light above her head. And she is trembling in fear because of it. Heck, even I am feeling the chills... "N-no...! No! No! No! Why now?! Why me?!! The one atat fault i-is t-the King! N-not me! Not m-me!" She exclaims as she looks at the pillar of light that is slowly descending towards her. "Kukuku...Auros dear~~, I am taking this naughty child. It seems she is in dire need of a severe scolding." Y-yes, of course my d-dark darling A-anything you want... "Wha?! No! I''ll talk!! I''ll talk! I''ll apologize too!!" She exclaims so as the light reaches her and starts swallowing her. "You just showed us that it is too late for you..." "N-no! How that bastard Greese can be fine and I can''t?!" "Because she can still redeem herself if given proper guidance. You, on the other hand..." ...are already too far gone to be redeemed. Something that I knew deep down given Sophies fear of her when I interrogated her back in the village. A fear so intense that she could feel it even when sharing a room with a Dragon Lord. The light has already absorbed her all the way to her hips and shoulders. Right now, it looks like her head is attached to a legless and armless body, but just think about it as a type of teleportation in slow motion. "Cat! Cat! Help me!" "..." Her white-haired lackey isnt moving at all, and it is not because she isnt awake. No, she is awake, and she has been watching everything up until now. She is just ignoring the desperate pleas of her boss. Something that has made said boss quite furious. "You, ungrateful beast!! I will!" Whatever she was going to say, she cant say it anymore because the light has finished taking her. Leaving the chair that she was tied to completely empty. Divine Punishment "Kukuku..." I do not want to know what Nerinne means with ''severe scolding'', just nope. "AaAah...!" Hmm? Sophie is completely pale, and she is trembling terribly! Why? "W-will that happen to m-me too...if I...if I...?" Sophie... If you fail? If you lie? Is that what you want to say? That used to be her boss, so she probably saw herself reflected on her... Even after I just patted her head, told her all those things, and congratulated her for her job. Even after all of that Her fear is more deeply rooted than I thought...she probably didn''t realize that too... And now she is getting like that... I need to do something. I''ll act as a big sister here and help her calm down. No problem, I used to be a big brother, so my onii-chan power is big. And so, I grab her hand and pull her towards me, hugging her softly and with care. "That is never going to happen to you. You are Sophie. You are one of my precious maids and comrades. That shows that you are not rotten inside, you can do good, you are doing good. B-ButIm notIm not like the othersIm So? You do not need to be like the others. You might complain and might find training to be a drag, but you still do your best. And that is all that matters, Sophie. So, free yourself from those thoughts. Free yourself from those chains. "I-I...can I reallydo it? Yes, you can. I know it. thenI guessIll tryMasterIll try and do my best..." Despite saying that, she is still sobbing It really shocked her... She has buried her head in my chest and Im now patting her head to calm her down. Ah, so nice...I didn''t know being an onee-san felt this nice and warm... "Who are you?" I ask her. "I-I am Sophie. Master''s annoying maid..." She lifts her head showing me a good roguish smile. "Good." I of course answer back with a warm and caring smile, duh! Silence reigns in the room for a minute or two before Sophie separates from me, that is when my gaze falls on Cat. She wouldn''t be someone that holds the same info as her boss, right? It wouldn''t be that convenient, right? I am not that lucky...or am I? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, hehe... She looks back at me and produces a set of tiger ears on top of her head... Her hair color also changes from a uniform white to one that has black stripeswaitwha? A tiger-based demi-human!!! She looks so...beautiful and cute at the same time!! "I know everything of importance that he...she? Her ears just twitched! She also just tilted her head and it''s so adorable! ...what they knew. Since I thought that they would try to dispose of me sooner or later, I was planning to go to the Church with the information, but I would prefer it if I could work for you and use that as proof of loyalty." So...so...cute...fluff...I want...no...need...to...buut! "..." She seems to be telling the...truth in everything so there is no problem but...fluff...I-I mean... "I will also let you touch my ears and tail whenever you want." "Deal!" So, I say immediately. Because...ANYONE WHO LETS ME FLUFF THEM IS A GOOD PERSON!!! LUCKY!!! BEASTGIRL SSR CHEEEECKED!!! Got the info too! _________________________________________ With that the interrogations came to an end. We collected and cross-referenced all the information that the guests provided to us and gave the Church one heck of a strong case for when their turn to act comes. We also updated our plans and gave our new additions to the team their own tasks. Some, like Sven and Lorelei, returned to their old forms to take care of them while acting as if nothing had happened. Of course, when Lorelei''s job is done, I will rejuvenate her again. After all, she''ll need it for what I''m planning. As for Sven, well...it would be quite shocking to his kids if he stayed a woman, right? Also, his wife might get just a teensy bit angry. Locke-chan and Greese decided to stay in their new forms and work for me that way. It seems that they have enough wiggle room or power to pose as either half-sisters of their former selves, or protgs thrown into the responsibility by their eccentric guardian. Meanwhile, Ludovica returned to her gal-self after the interrogation and stuck to me during all the process I just summarized. And she only left when Julian came to pick her up...like a kid... All while saying this: "I had lots of fun today, Auros! To think that I would see a divine punishment today! That just reinforces what I already believe with all my heart~~. Our super friendship will bring suuuuper good things, fuuuun things, haaaappy things to the world! Yes, yes~~! So, we shall be Super Best Friends Forever~~~!" Ah, did I forgot to mention that she was buried in my chest while saying it? Because she was. But she is gone now... "Some peace at last..." I say so while fluffing Lyra''s tail. Yes, her name is Lyra. Her tail is soft. _______________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in an alley within the merchant district. "W-what the hell are you?! That armor was made of adamantite!" Shouted a man who was crouching while holding his unconscious partner in his arms. Said partner''s chest plate had cracks on it. Cracks that surrounded a dent in the form of a fist with pieces falling here and there. "My goodness, is that true? Such a flimsy thing might as well be made of paper...but you should be grateful that that is not your friend''s chest." Said the gauntlet-wearing blonde maid with a perfect smile, brandishing a fist that fit said dent. Gabrielle. To be continued....(cue illustration of Lyra! Just two of the transformed will be turned into maids!! Which ones will be?!) Thank you for reading! Today we have a nice fanart sent and made by fia in the story''s discord server! AND IT''S BEAUTIFUL AND WHOLESOME!! Ah! My heart! Just look at Nerinne and Auros! So good!! Once again, thank you for reading! I''ll be taking a break today/tomorrow! Please look forward for tuesday''s chapter! If you want to support me and the story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi, it really helps! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Chapter 58: Manners maketh man… No manners maketh punched man… "So peaceful..." I am currently waiting for Erevain and the rest to tell me that the food is ready. That is why Im sitting on one of the living room''s sofas, fluffing Lyra''s soft tail as she lightly purrs. Also, she is staring at Sophie with her cat-like eyes for some reason. Sophie is sitting on the sofa in front of mine by the way. *staaaaaaaaare* "...mmm...why are you staring at me?" The staring is clearly bothering her and making her nervous. As for me, I just keep enjoying the fluff. It is soft like a well-kept cat''s hair. My lil'' sis had one, that is why I know that. When I still lived with my parents, that cat used to sleep inside of my manga closet a lot, so I ended up buying a her a bed and putting it there. Huh? How did I keep the cat''s hair from contaminating my manga? Really? Are you actually a faker? Or just a noob? I did it with special plastic coverings and special illustrated boxes for each series, of course!! It surprises me that you don''t know...just look for the plastic coverings online...geez... "You are Dog, right?" So asks Lyra to Sophie out of nowhere...huh? Dog? What a strange and sudden question... "Wha-wha?!" Aaaand now Sophie''s reaction to it is even stranger...hmm. "Well, Master here did turn Baronet Greese and Count Alessandro into women. So, I thought that might be the case with you." "That''s...." Sophie is looking at me as if asking me what to do. But then again, I do not get this...Dog? I mean, she is right on the gems with Sophie being gender bended, but what does that have to do with Sophie being a dog or just Dog? My instinct should tell me, but I am focusing more on the fluff because this day has been tiring and it heals me. "Also, you seemed to know where everything was in Dog''s house. Even the secret compartment in the floor that I did not find when I checked your house." ! Hearing that, Sophie quickly gets off from the sofa and points at Lyra "You checked my hous?! Ah..." ...and then she stops herself, realizing that she just admitted to being this ''Dog''. "Victory." Says Lyra with a relaxed expression while doing the V sign with both of her hands. I then look at Sophie and ask... "Dog?" ...while tilting my head and making a deadpan expression. "Ugh...that...used to be my codename, Master..." "Oh." Now I get it, so that is why Alessandro called Lyra ''Cat'' instead of Lyra...wait... *staaaaaaaaaaaaaare* "Wha? M-master, why are you staring at me? I-it''s kind of scary..." "She was called ''Cat'' and has feline ears and tail. So, I am waiting for your dog ears and tail to come out." I say that with completely serious expression, and she gets flustered. "Haah?! I-I don''t have those! N-nothing will come out!!" "Oh...and here I thought I would be able to complete the set." "W-what set?!" Sophie looks cute when she gets like this but...need more fluff... "Ears." "Yes." I turn to Lyra and ask for her ears and she quickly lies on my lap. I then start fluffing her ears while hearing her purring and looking at her even more relaxed expression. "D-don''t ignore me, Master!!" So shouts the maid who doesn''t have dog ears despite being called ''Dog. Master, I will tell you about myself now Okey... We both totally have a blissful expression on our faces. Nothing can disturb us. Hey! Nothing. Lyra Zardi. That is my full name... Her voice seems nostalgic as she says that and its clear that she holds dear such last name. Something that I cant say for the rest of what she tells us. She is 19 years old and she was ''saved'' by Alessandro at an early age. The Count took her in after that and saved her a second time from the strange sickness that had been threatening her life until that point. Then, training started Alessandro trained her in secret, separate from any of histools. Training that ended a few years before the creation of Sophies specific group. As inshe was already active when Erevains fall happened. As for her role I would do any task he gave me, from organizing and archiving information to taking care of things in the capital when others were away She was like Alessandros hidden assistant. But that recently changed as she was ''asked'' to take the responsibilities of another agent who was fired, for Alessandro didn''t have the patience nor time to train some new arrival. I think you can guess what happened to that agent though... "...with the Count my instincts didn''t tell me to follow, just to endure and look for a way to survive. But...purrrr...with you, my instincts told me to follow...purrrr...that I can relax and stop acting...purrrrrrr...that warmth can comepurrrrrso I chose to do that...purrrrrr...." She says that while rubbing her head in my hands, asking for more fluffing. I, of course, oblige to that honorable duty. Stillacting, huh? What could she mean by that? Could it be how her personality seems slightly different than what she showed before? Like that victory bityeah, that was probably her real self coming out. Which implies some thingssome dark thingslike, could it be that the Count forced her to act in a certain manner? That seems very, very possibleeven without instinct telling me so. Hmmoh well. Just like she said, she can stop now. Alsoshe cute. She fluff. Me keep. Oh, someone is coming. I bet its Erevain coming to tell me that the food is served. That reminds me that I will also be trying out the food that Jules brought. Can''t wait. _________________________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in the bustling streets of the merchant district, three gorgeous maids made their way through the various stores and stalls. "Haha! It feels good to be back here! Right, Mika?" Said the spunky maid to the bespectacled one beside her. "It indeed does, Lucy. I certainly missed the streets, the sounds..." "The bookstores and libraries too, right?" Lucy winked at her with a smile that was a mix of uber positivity, playfulness, and cheerfulness. That smile enchanted any passerby that was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it, but it instead made Mika seemingly annoyed. "I was going to say the people, but yes, the libraries and bookstores too..." As such words left her lips, one could see a slight bashfulness behind such annoyed fa?ade. "Oh! Maybe we can buy some books and other stuff after completing the list!" So exclaimed Lucy her great idea, one that was sadly doomed to be shot down by her friend. "You fool! You can''t be spending Master''s money on other things besides the ones on the list!" Mika''s hand went straight to smacking Lucy''s head, but she evaded it with a playful laugh as she circled around her friend, her skirt fluttering as she did so. That left some other passersby blushed and with their mouths agape, while others went a step further and tilted their heads, trying to catch a glimpse of what was under her skirt. "Ahahaha! I don''t think she would mind, Mika. You''re just too stingy." "What part of me wanting to respect Master''s money is being stingy?! Also, don''t move around like that. People are trying to see what is under your skirt." "Hmm?" Lucy tilted her head to the right for a moment, as she genuinely seemed to not know what she was taking about, but then her eyes widened as she remembered. "Right! I forgot I was using a skirt!" "How can you forget something like that?!" "Ahahahaha! Sorry, Sorry. It''s just that it feels so easy to move with it that I...just forgot. Tehee~." "You...! We are ladies now! So, you should act like one! You can''t be showing your pa-pa-pa...!" As Mika embarrassedly stuttered trying to utter such word, Lucys smile changed into a teasing one and moved closer to her. "Panties?" "....! Don''t say it! It''s indecent!" "Ahahahaha! Mika, you are all red! Hahaha!" Enjoying herself, Lucy laughed loudly as she hugged her stomach and even closed her eyes, inadvertently giving Mika a chance for revenge. "There!" And so, the bespectacled maid smacked her laughing friend on the head. "Gak! Oww! I bith muh tong thoo..." Said the now teary-eyed maid who had her tongue out. "A-anyways, we can''t be using Master''s money for things that aren''t on the list. Right, Gabrielle?" As she said that, the maid pushed her glasses upwards like she always does and turned to where she thought her other friend was, but she wasnt. "Huh? Gabrielle?" "She isth oveth there..." "Ah, yes. I see her. Also, stop talking like that Lucy, you didn''t bite your tongue that hard." Lucy had pointed at a stall where a dwarf woman was selling her wares, there were weapons such as daggers, swords, and even crossbow bolts on display, but her main merchandise wasn''t weapons but crystals. One of such crystals, a Shadow Crystal, attracted Gabrielles attention the instant she saw it and had no problem separating from her fellow maids to try and obtain it. Something she was in the middle of as her fellow maids laid eyes on her. "...and what if I propose a trade?" "That''ll depend on what you have and...if I need it." Ohohoyou will after I show you what I intend to trade with. As the conversation between dwarf woman and the blonde maid went like that, the other two maids observed their friend carefully. "Hey Mika..." Whispered Lucy. "What?" "Have you noticed that Gabrielle adapted quite quickly to the being a lady thing?" "Thing? That''s not...haa" The bespectacled maid facepalmed and sighed before continuing. "...but yes, I did notice. Her way of moving and speaking is similar yet different." "She also flirts naturally with some shopkeepers and theres ''that'' too..." "Yes...''that''...she was quite bold with Master. I don''t remember her being like that..." They whispered to one another, focusing more on their conversation than on other things. "Could it be that she was always like that, but we didn''t know it?" "Hmm" With such a question in their minds, they both imagined the Gabrielle of the past acting as the one of the present and that brought awkward expressions upon them both. "That..." "...wasn''t good." Both maids shuddered by what their imagination showed them. "There is something that didn''t change though, Mika." "Hmm...what, Lucy?" "Her laugh." "Ah." "It was kind of creepy." "Yes..." "My, my, what a relaxed pair we have here." "Ga-Gabrielle!" "When?!" The two maids jumped in surprise as the third maid appeared behind them, seemingly out of nowhere. "Ohohoho, you were so immersed in your little girl talk that I finished acquiring an excellent Shadow Crystal, and I even had time to...listen to you both." Her usually seemingly closed eyes gazed sharply at them, which caused the two maids to shiver. "Ahaha...haha...since when?" Asked Lucy with an innocent looking face, perhaps trying to appear more childlike and thus obtain mercy. "I-I apologize." Mika, on the other hand, lightly bowed, hoping her apology would free her from the impending punishment. "Since you got...imaginative." At that moment, both maids gulped and started to back away from their friend. While such thing happened, two knights wearing black armor where passing through the streets. They both had heavy armor that was engraved with the emblem of the order they belonged to. Some people moved away the instant they saw them. Others would start whispering bad rumors about them between themselves. "I heard that they abandoned a merchant caravan when things got bad..." "That''s nothing, I heard they took too long to deliver medicine to a village and the situation got worse...then the leader put the blame on the village head..." "Uwaa...what is the King thinking?" Others would glare at them as if they were seeing trash walking through the street. And finally, still others would treat them normally and even with respect, but the majority''s opinion was quite clear. The knights didn''t care though. They walked proudly, with their chests so high as to let anyone know to what Order they belonged to. Their air of superiority was so thick that one could choke on it. That''s when one of them noticed a group of beautiful women dressed in maid uniforms and tapped his partner''s chest, giving him a head''s up. Hehe With that, they both made a salacious smile and walked towards them to have a better look of their bodies. And so, they passed them...but not before one of the knights quickly touched the butt of one of the maids. It was the behind of the blonde one that had her hair done in curls. It was just a light touch, one could even pass it as an accident and an apology would suffice, but it was intentional, nonetheless. He knew it. And she knew it too. She turned around and managed to lock eyes with the knight that did it. As such, the knight got nervous for being caught. But for his surprise, she smiled at him in a seductive manner. "My, Sir Knight. If you want to touch you just have to ask~~." Said the maid with an alluring tone, coupled with her body movements that emphasized her body''s features. The knight smiled as if he had won the top prize in a contest and quickly moved towards the maid, only to be stopped by her delicate hand on his breastplate. "My goodness, aren''t you an eager one? Shall we go to that alley then?" Her voice only more and more seductive as she spoke and pointed at a nearby alley, blowing away any sense of reason from the knight. "Show me the way, luv''." Said the hungry, hungry man while his partner didn''t know what to do. "Oh dear, what are you doing over there?" She said as she looked at said partner and then to her companions. She then smiled devilishly which made the two maids widen their eyes and shiver once more, dreading whatever their friend had in mind. "My lovely friends will entertain you too, of course. So, please, follow us~~." "...!" "...!" "Can''t say no to that, can''t I?" Said the partner of the knight as he looked at the two maids in front of him while licking his lips. Meanwhile, the said maids had ''You can absolutely say no!'' written all over their faces, but the other knight didn''t care. And so, they went to an empty alley near them, one that was between two big buildings, making it covered in their shadows. A perfect place for men and women who can''t control their desires. Upon their arrival, the blonde-curled maid pressed herself on the knight''s breastplate, looking at him with desire and making her big breasts more noticeable. "Now, how should a repay such a dirty knight for that surprising touch? Before we..." She exhaled seductively unto the metal and then looked at the knight again, her eyes seemed full of arousal. As for the knight He was already on the verge of grabbing her and pushing her down, but the foreplay had him charmed to the bone. "I know! I shall hit this brave dirty knight once, before he uses his...sword. Ohoho..." Hahaha Her laugh at the end gave away what she really meant with ''sword'', and the knight nodded while breathing heavily. "Then do it, luv! Hit me once!" "My, such an understanding knight!" She then closed her delicate hand, turning it into a fist. That is when something seemed to start covering it before... "[KI STRIKE]!" she uttered such words. All as she liberated overwhelming amount of pressure that not only startled the charmed knight, but also his partner who had been trying to flirt with the other maids...and failing miserably. "EhGUH?!" There was nothing he could do but blurt out something a mere instant before the maids attack landed. And when it didhe felt the impact on his chest, his ribs, his spinal column, and even though he was using his armor, the pain was so unbearable that he fainted right at that moment. *CRASH* *thud* All before such attack sent him flying into the alleys wall. "What?!" So exclaimed the other knight as he went towards his unconscious partner. And as he reached him, he noticed something that made him go pale "W-what the hell are you?! That armor was made of adamantite!" Shouted the man who was crouching as he held his partner in his arms. Said partner''s chest plate had cracks on it. Cracks that surrounded a dent in the form of a fist with pieces falling here and there. "My goodness, is that true? Such a flimsy thing might as well be made of paper...but you should be grateful that that is not your friend''s chest." Said the gauntlet-wearing blonde maid with a perfect smile, brandishing a fist that fit said dent. Gabrielle. "Did your mothers not teach you any manners?" She towered over the scared knight as she asked such question, her smile never going away. "Aaah! You...you...! You don''t know who you are messing with! We are knights! The Bulls of the Zenith!!" "My, my, but I do know." Gabrielles gaze grew even more intense, but her smile remained as she looked upon the faces of those knights before her and remembered. She remembered the knight who fanned the flames of the others who called them traitors. She remembered the knight who spat on the news of her friends apparent death. Thus, the pressure that she was giving off only grew even more. So much so, that it made the knight hallucinate a smiling monster slowly approaching him. "Then...then...then...why?!" "You touched something that doesn''t belong to you and I do hold a grudge about five years ago." "Wha...? F-five years ago...?" Such response only added even more confusion to the storm of emotions that the scared knight was experiencing. "My, I spoke a bit too much. Please, Sir Knight. Go to sleep like your friend." "N-no!" With that, he dropped his partner and started to back away, crawling on the floor, for his legs had stopped responding out of the fear filling him. But he didn''t find the solace of escaping, but the crushing reality of the alley''s wall and the sudden appearance of that...smile. "[KI STRIKE]!" Before everything painfully faded to black. ______________________________________________ Gabrielle looked at the two unconscious knights before her and murmured. "This is not enough. You do not deserve to be called knights. Let alone walk with the authority of one." She then walked to one of them and grabbed him from his leg, throwing him on top of the other one. "Spirits of light and nature, take away your blessing, let them know not of warmth but pain, let them know the value of what could be lost, let them know the true fear of...death, [Cursed Healing]." The moment she finished such chant, a muddied and sinister green light slithered its way towards the two unconscious knights, entering their bodies. "Ugh..." "Gghh..." The unconscious knights groaned as the light released an ominous aura that completely covered them before it disappeared. "No more healing for you two. Enjoy being broken." She said while smiling, satisfied. _________________________________________________________ The other two maids who were looking at their comrade felt as if something had clicked in their minds. "That is also something that didn''t change, Mika..." "You are right...Lucy..." Their faces showed a nervous smile on both. They were grateful to the Goddess that they were comrades and friends of Gabrielle and not her enemies. They thanked the Goddess, multiple times. "My, what are you doing just standing there you two? We have a list to complete and a Master to satisfy. So, let us go! Ohohohohohoho!" Gabrielle walked past them while laughing heartily as if nothing had happened. And so, the maids continued their shopping quest. To be continued...(cue illustration of the shopping trio doing their best at obtaining the materials!) Holy fact: big cats can do purr-like sounds, jaguars, lions, tigers, all of them can do such purr-like sounds if petted. There are videos online if you want to see for yourself or...if you are lucky then your local zoo has that one rescued specimen that is more habituated to humans and lets you pet them. That was my case years ago and it was surreal. Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, don''t forget to drop a heart! Also, do tell me which maid did you like the most in this chapter down in the comments! As always, if you want to help me commission some art of Gabrielle and the rest, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! And with yesterday''s news, I''ll add this, please don''t translate my work without permission. See you tomorrow! Chapter 59: Something’s happening? Wow, took you long enough. A day after the arrival of a certain person and her maids to the capital. Prince Licht walked through the big hallways of the royal palace, followed closely by his personal attendant and bodyguard, Mary. He had received one worrisome report after the other, to the point that he needed to inform his father, the King. If one were to look at his face, one would not be able to guess his real emotions, let alone whatever was in his mind. And what was in his mind were questions, lots of questions, and a certain feeling of suspense. For he felt as if he were seeing someone preparing to pull the rug from under him and he could not do a thing about it. Nevertheless, his stride was fast and focused, he did not even bother to give his usual greetings to the people of the castle and they, having known him since he was a child, figured out that something serious had happened, so they did not take it to heart. Furthermore, they even wished him well. When he arrived in front of the door of his father''s office, he did not announce himself nor knocked, he simply entered. "Father we have a...!" In that moment, he was left speechless by the person who was there, someone who was not supposed to be there. "Ah, Prince Licht. I apologize for yesterday." Hilde Val, the other advisor of his father. She was supposed to be in one of the palaces rooms resting and getting medical attention. And not beside Lichts father. "But...how? You collapsed yesterdayyou were in a lot of pain and none of the medics nor the healers knew what was happening to you...and you are...alright?" Prince Licht was clearly baffled by the seemingly healthy-looking Hilde and she smiled, letting out a small laugh before she turned to the King. "My King, I think I should tell him." The King, who was looking outside his window and had his back towards Licht, nodded. "If that is what you wish, then do so." Said the King in an uninterested tone, all as he kept looking at his kingdom through the colored glass of the window. The roads, the buildings, the movement of the people, everything. His face certainly looked older even if it had been only five years, for the pressure and stress he endured had taken a toll on him. Well, anyone would get stressed if they were against a literal God or Goddess in this case. Having to think of every single step to avoid her undivided attention, let alone her punishment, was tiring... He knew what he was doing. He knew that it could be considered heresy to use such sinister power. What he did not know was that she already knew. Every single night he told himself that his deeds were for the good of the world. That he was doing a hero''s work by taking the risk upon himself and maybe, just maybe, he would be forgiven by the Goddess after showing the results of all his sacrifices and hard work. Doing so would get him the recognition he deserved and not only as the husband of...or the one not chosen... No...that is not right... He shook his head, putting those selfish thoughts in the back of his mind. He was doing it for a new glory, one brought by him, yes, but one for the entire world. The one who opened his eyes was his advisor. Hilde Val. She had looked at him just once and with that, she managed to discern the truth within his heart. Not only did she do that, but she also showed it back to him. And said: I will help you attain it, My King. For a time, he was full of doubts and he even berated himself sometimes just for letting himself think about it. It would cost so much. He would tell himself. "A life under two shadows, one expired and one that keeps growing is much worse". But then she would say such thing. He felt disgusted hearing her reducing them to simple shadows, but her words were filled with truth. So much truth. Was it so bad to want to be something more? After all, he had endured many battles and saved many more lives. He had walked beside a Saintess in her heroic path. And if it was not for him, said Saintess would have died before doing her miracle. After that, he became a king and shouldered part of the great responsibilities that weighted on the Saintess, all while she paraded around. But he still was overshadowed. He was still behind them. And why? Why werent his actions recognized when he had done so much? Why the Goddess didn''t consider him? Were those actions not enough? Even a baby was more worthy than him... If so, he only needed to do something bigger. Something worthy of the recognition he deserved. Hilde opened the door for that. Her vast knowledge even seemed more than someone her age could attain, but she was heralded as a prodigy among the scholars of many places, including the Nerinum Magic Academy, so it was to be expected. She had brought his attention to things he would have never thought to exist. Like a certain mineral that could hold similar power to one of legend if treated correctly. Yet, that was but one of the things she had shown him. There were more. So, he kept quiet and waited for the right moment, all as he silently prepared the stage. Indeed, he had been preparing even before his eldest son returned to the capital. And he also knew that he would be an obstacle. He was too similar to his mother in some ways and to him in others. The good ways. Of course, he was his own man before such similarities, a man that would probably try to stop him the moment he knew of his plans. So, he had to cut him off. His younger daughter too...but for another reason. He wouldn''t be able to go through with it all if she were to look at him with fear or even worse...hate. It would break him. Simple as that. But his middle child...he was different...he knew. Even when he had kept it well hidden. He knew and he offered his help. His mismatched colored eyes gave off that ruthlessness needed for what he offered to do. The King, Raphael, wouldn''t admit it to himself, but more than surprised, he felt intimidated by that. After all, it took for him so much time to convince himself to do those sacrifices and then his middle child jumped right in without a second thought. It sent shivers down his spine. Even to this day, Raphael takes much care to not fall into the glow of those eyes, for he cannot be sure of what lies behind them. That is also why a part of himself does not trust his own son, even when his work is valuable. Valuable enough to keep him close. "An old sickness?" "That is correct, Prince Licht. I''ve had this sickness since I was small. That is what led me to become an alchemist and a researcher. I''ve had it under control over the years, but it seems that it became resistant to my medicine and I had a relapse. Moreover, this was not the first time...it sadly happened once before, a week and a half ago. I thought that I had enough time to make a new medicine, but I was mistaken. She laughed wryly before continuing. I had told his Highness about the sickness when I was assigned as advisor, but I refrained to do so with you. In part, because I did not want to be taken as someone unreliable, someone that could fall sick at any time. But mostly, because I did not want to be a cause of concern to you and distract you from your duties." Her voice was soft and caring as she said that, but Licht seemed to be still in disbelief, even after listening to her. "Are you alright now?" He asked as he sharpened his gaze and was only met by a warm smile. "Yes. While my second relapse was a surprising one, I was already working on a stronger medicine with my people before it happened. And they completed it while I rested." Suddenly, she covered one of Licht''s hands with hers and showed an even warmer smile. "Thank you for worrying about me, Prince Licht." "It is nothing. As long as you are alright. That is all that matters." Almost any man would get flustered when being held by such beauty in both physique and intellect. Even more so, thanked. But not Licht, his expression softened, and he smiled back at her, but neither his eyes or tone showed any sign of being moved by her or any other of such emotions. It was but a calculating smile. Even then, one could also say that many women and men, due to his incredibly androgynous beauty, would also be charmed by his smile. Which also seemed effective on Hilde, but only ''seemed''...at least that is what Licht''s heart told him. After that, the King asked them both to be seated. "Then, what is it that brought you here, son?" "Yes, we have a problem. The Knights of the Ever Burning Will are already inside of the capital." The King raised an eyebrow at that and then sharpened his gaze before turning to Hilde. She shook her head. "What evidence do you have of that, son? We have stationed the Royal Knights on all entrances to the Capital, even the hidden ones, and the guards are actively looking for them using Count Alessandro''s information. There have been no reports of them being seen. Not even" "Alessandro is gone." So interrupted Licht with a deadly serious expression on his face. "what?" "..." The King and Hilde looked at Licht in a way that said, ''you better not be joking, for your sake.'' But Licht was unaffected by those stares...it even felt nostalgic in a way. "It is as I said. Count Alessandro Vicci disappeared yesterday, taken by who his closest subordinate says was a man with a similar description to one of those in the reports. Meanwhile, she was badly hurt in the struggle before it and lost her consciousness not long after." Indeed, Alessandro''s closest subordinate, a white-haired woman, had appeared in Lichts office a few hours before and gave him such news. She was covered in bandages and was clearly unable to do her job anymore. And knowing about the Count''s way of''acquiring'' and training subordinates, he did not press her to keep doing so. Instead, Licht thanked her for her service and even gave her a purse full of coins as a reward. Her honest smile as she received them was at least a good way of balancing the sourness of the news. "He is loyal to the cause; he will not talk. He will die before doing so." So declared the King with confidence. "But that still does not explain how they entered the Capital, your Highness." Said Hilde pointing out something important. "The tunnels." And the King smiled as if he had known all along. "Yes, Father. They may very well be using the tunnels as their way to move through the city undetected, even by our forces. After all, our best efforts have only yielded a partial mapping of one sector of the tunnels, not counting the ones we already had knowledge of." As he listened to his son, King Raphael had his hand on his chin as he pondered about something. "Hmm...then that means they know how to traverse the tunnels and they are most likely trying to gather as much information before confronting us. "But now that we know, it will be more difficult for them, your Highness. For we can keep all our members under surveillance with the help of the guards and the Bulls." Said Hilde in a calm and collected manner, without the urgency that such situation would call for. "That is going under assumption that they haven''t taken others too." Said Licht as his serious expression did not waver. "Son, this is not the time to be doing this dance of yours...just say everything at once." Said the King clearly irritated by the way the Prince revealed little by little the information of what had transpired the day before. "Very well, Father. Yesterday, Baronet Greese and Locke left their posts to their protg and half-sister, respectively. And they did so before leaving the Capital. For Baronet Greese to do something as unexpected as that...is expected, regrettably. We all know of his eccentric demeanor and it is plausible that he just up and left, seeking something more beneficial and interesting" The King nodded with an annoyed look on his face as if saying ''Yes, that sounds like him. "On the other hand, Baronet Locke''s demeanor is one of ambition. And while he recently showed signs of the common stress that comes with the responsibilities given to him, his way of working always had the improvement of his rank as a goal. This time, Hilde was the one that nodded at Lichts appraisal of said noble. Still, he indeed has a half-sister, four half-sisters to be precise. Two of them are studying abroad and the other two are in other cities of the Kingdom. As such, it is likely to be one of them, for she had the seal corresponding to Locke''s household. Yet, for him to just leave...I do not see him doing so. That is unless there was an offer that would fulfill that ambition. But then again, Baronet Greese may have taken Locke with him on a whim..." **sigh** Father and son then sighed and shook their heads at the same time, recognizing the incredibly high possibility of that being the case. To which Hilde let out a small giggle. "The timing of it. That is what bothers you, right, Prince Licht?" "It is as you say, Miss Hilde. The timing coincides too well with Alessandro''s disappearance. They might have been taken by them and are currently being interrogated. Their households then gave the responsibilities to the best suited within them, at least until a real replacement is chosen through the system. We should use more resources to find these knights before they interfere, Father. I can even deploy my own forces if needed." Such was the offer of Prince Licht, but the King shook his head, his long white hair moving along as he did. "No, it does not matter." "What?" Of course, Licht was nothing but baffled. "The preparations for the ''Grand Opening'' are almost ready. So, what we must do is clear. We shall use more resources on that and bring it to its completion before they can do something about it. After that, any threat they might pose shall become pointless." Said the King firmly to his son. "Father, you should not underestimate them. Even more so when there could be people we know as strong among them. Or are you going to tell me that the name they took is not obvious enough?" I disagree, Prince Licht. Despite their interference with the operation at Illumbee Village, there is not too much else to go on about their strength. Considering that dealing with forcefully conscripted villagers is nothing but an easy task, let alone the mundane ones they did on the other villages. And while yes, they might have a way to counter the effects of the pure mineral, we must consider the possibility of them operating in the way they do because they lack the strength to do so in any other way. Hilde dismissed Lichts worries with that argument, although she did so in a way that seemed as if she was attempting to calm the Prince. Of course, said Prince tried to say something, but his father stopped him with his hand. "Son, no matter what you may think. Your brother and his order are gone. Hilde''s spell told us as much. As it tells us every year. They could have returned at any time during all these years, but they did not. You must accept it, they are gone. As for the name, it comes from a legend, one that is popular in the Kingdom and the rest of the world. Thus, it could be any one child that grew up with it and thought that highly of themselves and their group. With that said, my stance on the issue remains the same." While Licht kept a perfect expression before the words of his father, that was not the case inside his mind. ''That is where you are wrong, Father. My dear Elder Brother is not dead, no matter what Hilde''s spell says. No matter what you say. The Goddess gave a prophecy, and he is already here. I can feel it.'' There, he berated his father for the notion that he flaunted with relief in his eyes. A notion that started just a few weeks after a certain Princes Fall, five years ago. It was then that he asked Hilde to use a certain spell, one that let him know of the status of those connected to him by blood. And in his paranoia, he would repeat the same spell every year just to confirm that his eldest son was dead. For if he was, then his order was as good as dead too. Licht subtly sighed before resigning himself to move on to another matter. "One last thing. Her Holiness received an important guest, one important enough that she has been seen coming out of the inn this guest is staying at. Both the King and Hilde showed themselves intrigued as they listened. The guests name is Auros Argento and she seems to have come from an unknown country to us, but not to her Holiness. Of course, I already put her under surveillance to acquire more information on her and whatever her goals may be. And judging by her Holiness response to the balls invitation, Lady Auros will also be in attendance. "Argento, huh. Could it be that mercenary? No..." The last name of said guest seemed to remind the King of someone, to the point that such a mutter escaped his lips in the middle of his pondering about them. But he stopped that train of thought and shook his head. "...I am afraid that I do not remember anyone with that last name, not even from the Front." "Neither do I, your Highness. But it is indeed strange for there to be a country not known to us. Even more so with her not coming to greet the King of the nation she is visiting." Hilde was clearly amused by the peculiar circumstances surrounding such guest. "It cannot be helped. If her Holiness herself is the one who invited her, then it is a matter of the Church. Besides, I suspect her attendance to the ball will be for the purpose of introducing herself to Father. As such, it would be wise for us to be covert for now and wait until then to act publicly." "Indeed." Agreeing with his son, the King nodded. After all, there was no need to risk having more contact with the Church than what was needed. "With that said, I shall resume my duties. Miss Hilde, if I may, there is something that occurred yesterday. It is about two knights of the Bulls afflicted by a powerful curse..." The conversation went on for a few minutes before Prince Licht took his leave from the King''s office, leaving said King alone with Hilde once more. "Is he still useful?" Asked the King with a cold expression on his face. "Yes, your Highness. He is. If it weren''t for his many contributions, the people''s sentiments would be in a much worse state than they are now. He is loved by the people after all." "Hmm, not for long." "As you say, My King." ________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in one of the many hallways of the palace. "Hilde is hiding something..." "And the sky is blue, Prince Licht." Despite her maintaining an expressionless face as she walked, Marys sarcasm at the Princes comment was as clear as day. "And Father keeps being as blind as he was five years ago. His overconfidence will be his doom. Even after he heard me speak about a curse that can only be casted by those apt in the dark side of healing magic, like Gabriel. Even after that, he was the least bit preoccupied." "Water is wet too, Prince Licht." Once again, Marys sarcasm was the only response Licht got. Furthermore, I think that Miss Hilde has failed to realize something in her various attempts to charm me. Something that is especially important. "Pray tell, Prince Licht." "Her smile might look warm, but her hands are cold. Even more so after her ''relapse''. It must be related to her ''secret'' and if I am right, then the chance to enact my plan looms ever closer." Said Prince Licht with a smile on his face. To be continued...(cue Auros resting on the sofa while fluffing Lyra, enjoying a chapter were they do not appear...AND IT IS HERE THANKS TO FIA! CHECK BELOW MARY!) IT''S SO ADORBS!! THANK YOU, FIA!! Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you want to support me and the story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Please do not translate my story without my permission. See you tomorrow! Chapter 60: Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. Good morning. How are you? Good? Good. Enjoying the anime season? Besto girl is Miku? Who? Me? I''m glad you asked. I''m great. Refreshed, even. Why? Well...yesterday when I was undressing, I caught a glance at myself in the mirror and found my waifu. Ha! What a surprise, right? Not only that, but she was also wearing this incredibly alluring black bra and a quite daring dental floss thong. That was just...so good...I couldn''t control myself. One thing led to another and let''s just say that I slept like a log after relieving my tension so much. So much Have I said that I love this body? Yes? Too many times now? Sumanai...NOT! I love this body. A lot. Heh. Anyways... I am currently having breakfast with everyone in the suite. Mika was the one in charge of making it and boy did she deliver. She made an omelet with various herbs, well-cooked sausages of an animal called beeftain, and a fruit salad with various isekai fruits, obviously. Also, yes. Beeftain sounds like short for beef captain. I made the same remark and Jules gave me the thumbs up. It seems that that was the reasoning behind the name. According to Jules, their steaks are juicy, soft and seem to melt in one''s mouth... I want to eat that!!! If the sausages are already this delicious, then I can already imagine how the steaks are... I feel like I''m drooling just thinking about it... Once again, all thanks to Mika. When I just woke up, she asked me for permission to use a bit of money for buying some ingredients and she came up with this. "This is truly delicious, Mika. You did an excellent job." I say so with full honesty and smiling satisfied. "Thank you, Master. I am glad that you liked it." She looks proud but also happy. Of course, Erevain is at my right and Gabrielle at my left. "Excellent table manners, My Lord. Full marks." Says Erevain with a satisfied expression on her face. Also...YES! FINALLY! She has been teaching me how to eat like a noble of the Kingdom since this trip started and you already know this, but she is quite strict! She would grab my wrist every time I did not use the right utensils and then she would take the one I was using while giving me the correct one. By the way, the utensils are just a bit different from Earth, but it does make me mess up more than I would like. Which is my fault, of course. Then, there is the whole order in which one needs to eat things. In short, one goes from soft to hard. Fruits being regarded as either the appetizer or the dessert depending on which fruits are used and mixed... Let me say this though. I seriously don''t understand isekai''d people whining about things being different in their isekai. It is another world, of course there will be different things!! Why not be versatile? That would show how much open you are to other cultures... And what is the point of being in another world if you just want things to be like in your former world? I mean, it''s not like you were transported to an utterly alien world, there are quite a lot of similarities. I just ate a freaking omelet with sausages for Nerinne''s sake!! Heck, there might even be a mysterious country that is literally your country but with a fantasy seasoning! Ah...sorry, I ranted a bit... It''s just that every time that Erevain taught me about etiquette, my mind would remind me of many web and light novels I read. Especially the ones where the protagonist refused to even hear his companions out on these little things... I don''t know why someone would be like that, but...I, for one, found it quite interesting. So, hearing her say that ''excellent'' makes me want to jump out of my chair but... "Hmph, as if I would be beaten by something like this." ...I must keep my edge alter cool in moments like this. "Indeed, My Lord." She smiles at my response. Ah, what a nice smile she has. "Next, is ball etiquette. That includes how to make an entrance, how to approach the other guests, and of course, the dance itself." """"""...!""""" Everyones eyes are on Erevain now that she mentioned the dance. Hmm? Someone is holding my left hand? Gabrielle?! "Dear Master, I will be honored to be your practice partner. And of course, I am also open to be your partner at the ball." Wowher turquoise eyes are staring directly into mine while she is smiling with great warmth and...affection. She is serious about this... I should respond to this in a non-idiot mc kind of way. Ok! Here we...? Hmmmmmmm?! Someone is now holding my right hand?! Erevain?! And she is looking quite serious too!! Her cheeks are also lightly red!! Wait! Is this the fabled...?! "There is no need for that, Gabrielle. I will be teaching My Lord to dance appropriately, so it is safe to assume that I will be her dancing partner. In both practice and the ball. Besides, I must always be at her side. Thus, it is but a logical conclusion." IT IS!!! THE OH SO COMMON SCENE OF TWO HEROINES FIGHTING OVER WHO WILL BE THE MC''S DANCING PARTNER!!! THEY ARE BOTH GRABBING MY HANDS SO SOFTLY YET STRONGLY!! THEIR FEELINGS! ITS THEIR FEELINGS! THEY ARE SO INTENSE THAT I CAN ALMOST SEE THE SPARKS FLYING!! THIS IS A CHECK!! ISEKAI TAB, CHECK!! COMPANION TAB TOO!!! Ahh, it must look so good from the outside too, but being in the front seat is awesome!! Meanwhile, everyone else is watching us without even blinking, only slightly moving their heads to follow whoever is talking. "My goodness, you are painfully mistaken if you think that you are the only one capable of teaching my dear Master, Leader. Or have you forgotten that my grades where higher than yours in dancing class?" So shoots Gabrielle with a confident smile. "Oh, but I am indeed the only one. After all, my position as My Lord''s right hand deems me as the most qualified to do so. And no, I have not forgotten. I do remember someone at the academy practicing day and nightbut always alone. Which did not change that night at the graduation ball." Daaaaaaaamn!! "Tsss...smoked..." Don''t make it worse, Jules!! Even though you are right! I''m kind of scared to see how Gabrielle looks now, but I have too!! And she is...smiling? "Oh dear, what a good joke coming from someone who was stood up that night because that someonescared the poor girl off with just a look." Co-co-co-combo breaker!!! I-I mean...that must have hurt. "Terrible...Leader''s dark past was used as a weapon...if only I had been a woman at that time..." Erica how nice of you...but I don''t think that helps now... "It seems someone is asking for a rematch after all this time...!" "My, My, not just asking! And that muscle head is not here to butt in too...!" T-this pressure...! And yetLuca and Allegra are just shaking their heads going all ''not again...''. Jules is looking at them all excited while eating from Sophie''s fruit salad like it is popcorn... Sophie seems to be mocking them, but I can see that her hand is trembling from the pressure these two are emitting. She also hasn''t noticed Jules stealing her food. Erica has resigned herself to watch intently...to the point that I want to tell her to just watch normally, lest her eyes fall off. Mika seems mad and disappointed, like the good class president she is. Lucy, on the other hand, is laughing. Meanwhile, Bertia is torn between supporting her superior in healer duty, Gabrielle, or her overall superior, Erevain. So, she is cheering on both! Now that''s dedication! But I can''t let this get out of hand After all, with the power these two now hold, it would be easy to destroy this inn. So!! It is time!! Time for the non-idiot mc action!!! I shall use my own version of an old EX-rank spell from my former world. Now! I quickly grab hold of the hands that are touching mine and pull them towards me with a precise amount of strength. "...!" "...!" Both women are obviously taken by surprise with such a sudden action, taking them out from the clash of pressures they were having. Where am I pulling their hands, you ask? Please, what else would a non-idiot mc do? **kiss** ""...!!!!!"" What else but kiss the hands of the beautiful women that are fighting for her and then following that with a serious expression before unleashing the EX-rank spell. Ahem...! Now! "I choose both." Boom. !!!! Their faces heat up immediately. EX-rank spell, [why not both?] modified version!! "The night of the ball I shall be accompanied by my more than capable right hand, whose beauty shines as a starry night." "...!" I turn to Erevain and look at her in the eyes as I say that. Then, I turn to Gabrielle and "As well by my dependable and strong healer, whom not only can be on the way of becoming my left hand, but also whose beauty is as serene and warm like the sun in spring." "...!" say that, locking eyes with her. "Understood?" I ask with my full edge alter tone. Then I look at them once more and they are...red. "if that is what My Lord wishes, then as a capable right hand, I do not have any objections. It will be my greatest joy to dance with you, My Lord Auros." Her smile...!! SoPrincess-like!! Her voice is so full of endearment too! Ahhhshes justmy heart!! "My, such a greedy Master I have, but...that is fine. As a dependable healer and someone who will become your left hand, I too, have no objections. Let us have an unforgettable night, My Dear Master Auros." She is looking at me with those warm and affectionate eyes again...such intense feelings...and the ojou-sama tone!! My heartagain!! I must calm down or Ill be blushing in no time! One Ilya plushietwo Ilya plushiesthereahem I will respond to them when the time comes. After all, I can''t act dense after doing what I just did. "Erevain, Gabrielle, it will be my pleasure." I say so while giving a warm smile to them both. _______________________________________________ After all those sugary things we managed to move on. Although, we are all still in the dining hall since it''s the only place where we can have a meeting with everyone seating. "Hmph, so we have four days before the ball." I say while raising my teacup as Im about to take a sip from it. "Yes, My Lord. We also have the invitation to the cathedral that Her Holiness Ludovica extended to us for the day before the ball." As you can see, we are talking about what we are going to do now since part of our schedule has already been cleared. After all, we have successfully acquired enough information for the Church to denounce the King without a problem the moment we make our move. Still "Haaaof course. Then, we shall take care of everything else before that day." Having to see that holy gal so soon is just...I''m already tired... I need my fluff...but Lyra is probably doing her thing at the palace with Erevain''s brother, or she already finished with that and is now sabotaging New Glory''s information network. In that regard, Lorelei and the rest are working to subtly block and weaken New Glory''s resources, which shall slow them down. However, judging by the information we have obtained, we can theorize that they are nearing the completion of their plan, My Lord. Even if Lorelei does not seem to be sure of it." Says Erevain while holding the leather-bound notebook in which she has her notes. And indeed, that is what we asked Lorelei, Sven, Greese and Locke to do. They are not part of the King''s inner circle, but they still have important positions. Positions that can make a one day''s work into a two day''s work or even longer, all by manipulating said resources and their flow, or more like a lack of them. Heh. Anyways... "They will also try to hasten their plans after knowing of Alessandro''s disappearance. For my instinct is telling me that your foolish father is also underestimating us." All that right there is my instinct talking. Like, it became crystal clear the second we got the info. That idiot. He probably thinks that he is the hero of the story, quite the clich justification for those easy to manipulate. Violet Death couldn''t have asked for a better toy... "Haathat can very well be the case, My Lord. Knowing him, as a warrior and a person, he will double down in thinking that arriving first to his goal will make us irrelevant." As she shakes her head and sighs, she makes clear her disappointment and resignation towards her father. "Then, before we can slap that foolish father of yours, I need all of you fully equipped with your new weapons. And for that, we shall obtain the last of the materials. Is that not right, Gabrielle?" The reason behind those words is simple. Yesterday, the shopping team came back at sunset with most of the materials on the list. Yes, most but not all. There was a problem. "Right, my Dear Master. Sadly, we could not obtain moon tears, titanotite, chimeric leather nor manticore leather yesterday. Those working in the stores where we could obtain them told us politely that our Master must be the one to do the transaction." Mika and Lucy nod as she says that, with one looking a bit irritated while the other lets out a wry laugh. "My, it was quite clear that they desired to forge a connection with the person who is able to buy such materials, but they then made it very obvious with these." Says Gabrielle as she gives me some luxurious looking scrolls, which I open and read immediately. "Hmph. It is not a good first impression to inconvenience a potential client, even if they send these lavish apologies and personally penned invitations to their stores." I say so while giving Gabrielle back the scrolls. I wanted to burn them to add some edge alter flair, but we might need them to confirm my identity with these merchants. So, no burning today. But I digress. "With that, we have our first order of business. We shall be going to the merchant district to obtain the last materials Roxxy needs." Everyone nods as I declare that, even if it is just pointing out the obvious. "After that is done, Luca''s group shall move on their own, looking for an alternative way to access either the ancient tunnels or the cave itself." I say that and Allegra gives quite the reassuring look and smile, as if saying ''you can leave it to me''. "Of course, there is also the task of obtaining as much information on the people invited to the ball as possible." My gaze moves to Luca, Sophie, and Jules, as I continue. "If they had a pet in their childhood, I want to know it. If they sneeze at the sun, I want to know it. If they are torn between investing in someone else''s business or make one of their own, I want to know it. Understood?" "Yes...Master" So whispers Luca while the others nod. "Good. Anyone else want to add something? We do have time." I say so completely serious...although I felt a sense of dj vu with those last orders... Also, I spent part of last night...obviously before doing ''that''...geez... Again, I spent part of last night getting to know all the materials the shopping team did manage to get, which means that Roxxy now has an unlimited supply of them back at the castle. Heh, I bet that she is already working on everything that needs those. Ah, Allegra is raising her hand. So, let''s signal her to speak up. There. "I would like Master and the rest to accompany me to a certain place before we separate to attend our task." I raise an interested eyebrow at her suggestion. "Of course, Allegra. Tell me where." As I say that, her eyes widen a bit, and she smiles fully. Almost as if she thought that I was going to say no. "Thank you, Master. It is...my laboratory." Ooooh...interesting. 4 days before the ball...(cue illustration of Roxxy going crazy over the mountains of materials!) 60 chapters! Let''s goo!! Thank you so very much for reading! I hope that you have enjoyed the story up to this point and I want to do something that I was supposed to do in chapter 50, but I forgot! So...time for a popularity poll! Vote for your favorite character (save for Auros and Nerinne) of the story up to this point! The winner will get...an all new short story at the end of the volume and will be sketched by LARH! Edit: Poll has been closed now. For the winners, please check chapter 65! In any case, here''s glorious Erevain fanart by HeliumGasSong from our discord! I call it "The faces of Erevain"! Once again, thank you for reading! If you want to support my work and me, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi, it will really help. Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Please do not translate my work without permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 61: Come one! Come six! It’s Sophie’s roulette! Maid parade included! "Oh, so pretty..." Murmurs... "Who is she? Do you know?" Even more murmurs. "Those are a lot of maids She could be someone important..." "She must be a foreign princess or queen; my heart is telling me so...!" So many murmurs. "Those maids are not bad either...!" "What are you saying? Just look at that chest...!! The master totally beats the maids...!!" Heh. We sure are grabbing all the attention today. That, of course, is to be expected. After all, I am walking through the streets of the merchant''s district surrounded by my gorgeous Maid-Knights. All walking with finesse and grace. Some, like Lucy, are even actively charming onlookers by winking at them. Now that I think about it, she has potential to be the idol type of the group. Yeah...she wouldn''t look half bad with that look! Anyways, back to the bystanders! There are some who look at us with pure curiosity, others with surprise, awe, and even some reverence, but there are those who are just enjoying the show. Hehe...for those who are doing so, I give you my blessing!! BASK IN MY (WAIFU''S) BEAUTY!! BASK IN THE BEAUTY OF MY MAIDS!! FALL INTO THE MAID FETISH!! BE ENCHANTED BY THE GOTHIC LOLITA FETISH!! JOIN ME!!! JOIN ME IN SUCH CULTURAL APPRECIATION!!! BECOMEONE OF US! "Heh." I cant help but smile at all of this. Yesterday, I stayed in-doors. But now, now I''m walking through the streets of an actual isekai city. I know I said it before, but it is so cool!! You can see that lots of things have magic imbued within them, like the lighting inside the stores, the fountains, the clocks, and even entire buildings!! Not to mention that I can''t seem to find any sign of discrimination against other races. No, seriously. Likelook over there. Theres a dwarf with his elven fianc choosing a wedding dress in one of the stores. Not far from there, we can see two bros, a human and a beast-man, enjoying lunch together at a stall, wait, no, they are on a date. The one tending the stall being quite an energetic Kobold. There are also kids of different races playing and laughing together. It makes me happy that Nerinne was clear on her message about love and that it wasn''t ignored. Hm? Oh! A little orc girl is approaching me. "For you, Miss. You''re very pretty." She just gave me a flower! Her smile is so cute! I want to hug this cutey!! But I must keep my edge alter cool. Still, you already know my policy for heartfelt compliments. So, I crouch to her size and make a flower from my castle''s garden appear in my right hand and I do so in a stylish way, like a classic magic trick, all to marvel her. "Woow!" A thorn-less red rose. "This one is for you, little girl. For you are beautiful too and I am sure you will grow to be even more beautiful. Just like this flower." I smile warmly while giving it to her. I show her the same smile I would show to my cinnamon roll of a volcano daughter. Even if besto waifu was a character that acted mean to kids, I just can''t. That is something I wouldn''t emulate at all. And besto waifu isn''t like that either. After all, she loved her son very dearly. "Oooh, it''s so red! Look mom!" Ah, she smiles fully and radiantly, full of that innocent joy that is unique to kids. She then runs off to her mother, who looks very happy for her daughter. The mother then looks at me and nods in thanks. I do the same and wave goodbye to the girl. "Thank you very much, Miss! I''ll take care of it forever!" She says while waving with her arm. Meanwhile, the people who were looking at us from the start seem quite happy with the scene. "You are truly kind to children, My Lord." Says Erevain who is walking a step behind me to the right. "Hmph, of course. If there is something certain in life, it is that children are the future. We should cherish them, nurture them, and not hurt them. This is something I believe in with all my heart." No lies there. No roleplay there. That is what I think. "I concur, My Lord. Giving children the opportunity of having a peaceful childhood was one of the motives that moved me when I was Knight. A motive that has not changed now, rather, it has grown stronger. Says Erevain while looking warmly at a group of children who are playing inside a fountain, as in throwing water at each other. Still, I imagine that she was also burdened by that while on exile, but no need to mention it now and dampen the mood. "And that is what we shall do. You can have my word on that." "I know, My Lord." As we continue walking, I get to see many stores, products, and people, until we stop at one of our destinations for the trip. Although, I have to say that we arrived rather quickly to this big and luxurious looking store. Like, the whole place screams ''high class''. Also, a butler looking person just opened the door for us, beating Mika who was about to do it. "Please, be welcome to my Master''s humble store. It is clear that you dear Miss are the Master of the ladies that came yesterday. After all, I can see such charming young ladies within your group, and it is obvious with a presence such as yours. As the scroll said, my most sincere apologies on behalf of my Master and I for the inconvenience." Says the actual butler while guiding us through the store. The inside of said store is red with gold accents everywhere. Imagine a jewelry store, but one that also deals with magical gems, magical jewelry, and rare minerals. Heck, it even has a floating crystal chandelier. So cool!! "It was my idea to do such a thing, given that we need time to prepare such order as per government protocol. Butler is still talking Oh! Theres even a Moon Tear on display andyep, its just like I imagined it. It is silver colored with a shimmering glow that is not unlike the glow of Erevains Moonlight Magic. Nice, very nice. Also, I decided to take this chance and prepare a meeting between my Master and you, dear Miss. Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience. Now, please, take a seat, dear Miss. My Master shall arrive shortly while I bring your Moon Tear order." After saying that, the butler does a light bow and leaves the room. By the way, we are now inside a private office on the second floor "Eresh, do you know this person?" I ask her because I have a feeling that she does know them. "Indeed, My Lord. Lord Baltfault is one of the few people that has a royal permit to sell Moon Tears, even if only in a small quantity. He is a man that can only be described as self-made. And he is what you would expect of a merchant of humble origins. Good with his workers and better in business." *click* Speak of the devil Lets do this, even if I feel that this is just the start of a long day. ____________________________________________________ Man, that took too long... Like seriously...dealing with three different top-merchants sure is tiring. It felt as if I was back in my job back there... The first one, Baltfault, was a deer-based beast man. His horns had the appearance you would expect from a stag. His personality was the best of the three, though. Polite and to the point. With him it was a simple hello, money exchange, moon tears given, small talk, some tea and cookies, and bye. Which I appreciated and fixed my bad impression of him and his store. But then, regrettably, it balanced out with the second. Lady Solmi was a...dwelf? Lets go with that since theres a lack for a better word. After all, she is pretty much the mix of a dwarf and an elf. Yep, remember the couple that was buying a wedding dress? Well, their child would look like her. Pointy ears, small stature, not that rough looking but also not that lithe...like a mini half-elf? That sounds about right. Solved a fantasy mystery, at least for me, CHECK! A-anyways...Lady Solmiwaswellshe pretty much wanted to know from my date of birth to how much toilet paper I use with all her questions. She seemed marveled with my and everyone else''s clothes though, so I did brag about my girlfriend a bit. We got the chimeric leather and the manticore leather from her. Finally, the third one...a human... But man, oh man...this guy was the worst. Not only did he made us wait to ascertain his superiority, but also tried to play me with the price. That is an absolute no-no. So, I sicced Mika and Lucy on him and they ended up reducing the price in half of what they had agreed on yesterday. Lucy''s haggling skills and Mika''s appraisal skills sure are convenient and terrifying to their victims. That''ll teach him! Titanotite, GET!! ________________________________________________ We are again walking through the streets of the capital, having almost left the merchant''s district and we are being followed. I can hear their steps on the rooftops, and I have also seen those ''normal citizens'' that ''coincidentally'' are always in the same places as us. "Hmph." You know, I noticed the second they started keeping an eye on us, but I think that we will need some privacy before we go to Allegra''s lab. Heh, I think it is time for an ironic role reversal for a certain maid. "Sophie." I signal her with my hand to come closer and she does. "W-what is it, Master?" "Have you noticed?" Yes, instead of asking Luca, Allegra, or Jules, I am asking Sophie. Why? Well, I wanted to test her a bit more. Hey! I am not bullying her! On the contrary! I want her to shine!! So, don''t go saying things like that!! She made a pact with me back in the village, so her senses are enhanced like everyone else. She was also trained as a spy, so she should be able to know when she is being spied on. And she knows, just look at those eyes and the roguish smile she is showing me while nodding. "Three on the rooftops and three on the ground. Prince Licht''s agents most likely, Master. They have been spying on us since daybreak." She is quick and precise, which tells me that she is not lying. Well, my instinct too and her body language. Regardless, she is right. "Hooh~~. Then, make them stop doing that." I did not ask if she could. I did not intimidate her. I only shoot at her challenging smile. Her eyes widen and her smile turns devilish, accepting my challenge. "Kekeke...that will be an easy one, Master." Says Sophie with complete confidence and not an ounce of her usual nervousness. Also, what a weird laugh. "You already know of my skills being ones that can transmit what I see or what I say to others, Master. But that is not all. They have another use that Ive been practicing with that troll Kris and the others. Pay attention, Master." "Pfft..!" While I nod to Sophies words with a show me kind of smile, Gabrielle is trying to hold back her laughter by covering her mouth with her hand. She is probably laughing about Kris being called a troll. Still, I''m really glad that Sophies training is bearing fruits. Even more so, ones that she is confident about. Ah, just so you know, we haven''t stopped walking. Allegra is leading the way and she is probably waiting for the spies to be dealt with. Oh, Sophie is starting. She just closed her eyes, and I bet that she is sharpening her senses to focus completely on those spies. "There are six. So, let''s call each with a letter, A to F. [Sense roulette: Sight] [Connect: Sight] [Sender: A to F] [Receptor: A to F] [Sense roulette: Activate] ..." Her body emits only a faint transparent glow as the skill activates, and I can feel that I was only able to see it because of my OP senses. Which means that even her skills act in a stealthy way while activating. "...done." With that, she does a small clap and not even a moment passes before we can hear a small commotion in the streets. *slam* "Aaah! What the?! Hey! Someone fell from the roof of that building!" So shouts a passerby that barely dodged the falling spy. What? Whe?! *slam* Whats going on?! And another one goes. *slam* Heres another one! Someone call a healer! And another one bites theyou know the rest. Meanwhile, those that were already on the ground have started to walk erratically while crashing into stalls and walls or falling to the ground. Almost as if theyre "Guaauarghh....GUAARRHUGUAGUAUGA...!" *RAINBOW* Eww, one of them has started vomiting... "Kekeke...see that, Master? I made them see what the other was seeing and kept changing it quickly like a roulette! That will mess anyone up!" So smugly says Sophie with quite the satisfied smile. The other maids are either surprised or impressed. With Erevain being part of the latter group, along with Gabrielle, Luca, Bertia and Allegra. While former group has Jules, Erica, Mika and Lucy in it. "Urrgh...bwoaruaaruaagh..." *RAINBOW* Ugh, another one... "Yes, I can see that." "Huh? W-why do you look disgusted, Master?!" Oh, it showed? I just don''t like vomit... Sumanai. "Nothing. Good job, Sophie. How did it feel to be on the other side of things?" "Master, you are changing the subject...but it was fun. And yes, the irony is not lost on me Master. I bet you thought of something rude like that, right?" This maid... Seriously. Am I that easy to read? "Allegra, how much longer until we reach our destination." I say that while ignoring Sophie completely. "D-don''t ignore me, Master!" Says the ignored maid. "Not long, Master. We just have to enter this alley right here" Says Allegra with her relaxing voice. _________________________________________________ After walking a bit more we found ourselves at a ''dead end''. In a predictable isekai this is where the poison user would say that she was a traitor all along and have us all poisoned. But this is not a predictable isekai! Because having reached the wall, Allegra now turns around, faces us, and taps the point of her right foot on the floor three times. Or more like she taps that specific tile. *tremble* Oh! The floor is trembling a bit! A hidden staircase has appeared! If she had been one step further, she would''ve fallen, but it is clear that she knows her stuff. "This tunnel will take us directly to my laboratory, Master. I do not think we would have been able to enter from what used to be my house, so I apologize." She bows lightly as she finishes saying that and I can hear some sadness when she mentions her house. Man, it must suck to have worked so hard to get the house that fulfills your needs and then get exiled... "There is no need to apologize, Allegra. If this is the best way to reach our destination, then so be it." Like, I''m going into a secret tunnel! How can I say no to that?! "I am glad you understand, Master." She smiles while saying that and what a beautiful smile that is. "Very well, we should separate into two groups here in case they send more spies." So I say preparing the stage for Erevain to take it from here with the following: "Gabrielle, take your team with you, along with Jules and Sophie. Make it so that the spies only report another day of visiting stores." "As you wish, My dear Master, Leader." While saying that, she bows like an ojou-sama, holding the sides of her skirt. Then, she raises herself, gives me a warm smile, nods at Erevain, and exits the alley. All those mentioned follow her, except Jules who turns to me. "Master, let us meet at the ''King''s Glare'' pub. They serve a great Beeftain steak." There is only one thing I can say to this glutton of a maid when she mentions steak. "Yes." I give her a thumbs up with my edge alter deadpan serious face. "Mhm." She gives me a thumbs up with an ''as expected'' kind of smile before running off after the rest of her group. And we? Well, we start descending into the tunnel. When the last of us is fully inside, the access closes and several magic torches activate, lighting up a reeeeally long tunnel. Which seems to go straight for a bit, but then it sharply turns right, making it seem like an inverted ''L''. Wait...Jules did not tell me where the pub is... "There is nothing to worry about, Master. Everyone here knows how to get to that pub! Also, I hate to admit it, but Jules is right! They do serve an excellent Beeftain steak there." Says Bertia with a complicated expression on her face while drooling a bit. Also...SHE ALSO READ MY MIND OR WHAT?! "Yes, we would eat there every now and then. Usually after returning from our regular training when there weren''t any missions. The steak served with mashed uruns as a side dish was what I used to order." Says Erevain with a nostalgic look on her face. "I personally prefer the Beeftain stew. Ah, such a delicacy, even more so in winter." Says Allegra with the smile that comes out when remembering something tasty and an exaggerated hand motion. "The fried...uruns and fish are...good too..." Says Luca in a whisper. I, of course, nod at her like always to tell her that I heard her perfectly. She smiles. "I find the mixed juice they make to be quite the refreshing one, I hope they still serve it after all this time. Ah, I hope the same for their steamed vegetables and horned rabbit fillet with herbs, its my favorite dish." Says Erica with a nostalgic look on her face. And so, this is how my maids have made me quite hungry while we walk through the tunnel that will lead us to Allegra''s lab. I so want to taste that steak now... Also, Nerinne, I miss you. Come back... To be continued...(cue DRAMA CD ANNOUNCEMENT!! FIND IT IN THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE NEXT ANIME VOLUME!!! ONLY FOR 145$ PLUS SHIPPING!!) Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you liked this chapter! If you did, don''t forget to drop a heart! For those who read the previous chapter before I updated it, the winner of the popularity poll (which is going on both here and in RoyalRoad) will be featured in all-new short story at the end of this revised volume and will be sketched by LARH! Yes! The same LARH who made the cover! So, go vote if you want to read and see that! Here are the top 3 as of right now: But don''t be disillusioned if they are not your picks, the poll will be up until next wednesday, so everything can happen! In any case, if you wish to support me and my work, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi, it will really help! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Please, do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Have a nice friday everyone! Chapter 62: Allegra’s lab and a special chair. "We have arrived, Master." So says Allegra as she stops in front of a wall and puts her hand on it. The tunnels we traversed were quite crazy. I can see now how anyone could get lost while traversing them. So many turns to the right and left... Although, the completionist gamer inside me is screaming, demanding me to explore the other tunnels to ''light up the map''... And I really want to do that! This is practically a dungeon under an isekai city!! Why the heck wouldn''t I want to explore it?! I would do it until I get that satisfied feeling that comes with that ''100% map exploration'' achievement!! "The path of knowledge is filled with poison, study so that you can prevail over it and find the truth." OOOOOOHH!!! ALLEGRA IS RECITING SOMETHING SO COOL!!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!! THE WALL LIT UP WITH STRANGE PURPLE SYMBOLS AND IS MOVING!!! STAAAAAAAIRS!!! IT''S AN UNDE...hm? Hmmm? I thought for a second that it would be an underground lab, but the stairs seem to go upwards, not downwards. Oh, well. "This way, Master, everyone." She says that before she starts going up the stairs and we obviously follow after her. "I can see that this entrance is not the one from the past, Allegra. Are there more?" Asks Erevain while looking back at the now descending wall that let us in. Allegra nods with a cute ''mhm'' mixed in. "That is correct, Leader. This entrance is one of two that I thought I would never have to use. In hindsight, it certainly was worth the trouble of finding a home with these many ways of going in and out. This one in specific..." She stops at a wooden door that reveals the inside of a fake closet. It has spiderwebs in its corners and it is clearly dusty, but it doesn''t seem eroded at all. Strange. "...is directly linked to my laboratory. It was supposed to be used in case of an emergency." She opens the closet doors while saying that and her laboratory comes into view. Although, the room in general is a bit dark and the smell of dust covers the air as one would expect of an abandoned place. It might be a bit dusty, but that will cease to be the case in a moment. She snaps her fingers and then everything lights up. Likeeverything. All thanks to the magic pulse coming from the chandelier on the ceiling. Said pulse leaves everything squeaky clean as it passes throughout the place in a matter of seconds, taking care of the dust, the smell, the spider webs and so on. "Welcome, Master. To my humble laboratory." She bows while presenting her lab to me with a motion of her hand and let me tell you...IT IS INCREDIBLE!! Imagine an alchemist''s laboratory but with even more fantasy in it! And of course, there''s tons of equipment here! Some of it is similar to the equipment used by chemists back on Earth, like test tubes and so on. But most of it not so much, or more like just nope. There''s one that looks like a blender, but it has weird markings that mean ''to separate and another has markings that mean to bind. Yeah, thats Nerinne''s blessing in action. There are also shelves with lots of samples inside of flasks, all meticulously organized and categorized. Books are obviously here too, with various shelves being full of them. Magical artifacts like the chandelier are also present throughout the lab. And I bet that they have functions of similar importance to it. Thats why I must burn all of this into my mind so that I can recreate it in the castle...wait...maybe I should ask her. "Hmph. This laboratory certainly has your signature on it, Allegra. Would you like for me to recreate it in the castle? I could also make an enchanted door there that can bring you here anytime you want." "...!" Hearing that, Allegras eyes go wide in surprise, surprise that is soon replaced by the excitement that is welling up in them, just like that of a little kid when told that they are getting a new toy. "Master..." Hmm? Oh, Luca just gave me the thumbs up while nodding lightly and smiling. "Is that true, Master? Is that really true?!" ! Woah! Look at thatAllegra has not only grabbed my hands, but she is holding them quite close to her chest. All while shes looking up at me with such a joyful expression So beautifulif there is a time for that glittery shoujo effect, then...this is it. "Of course. What is your choice?" I say that as seriously as I can, and her eyes light up even more. "Then I wish for Master to recreate it in the castle." Huh. Now, thats interesting. I thought that she would ask me for the teleportation door. I need to free one of my hands from her soft and nice grip just so I can say this properly. There. "Do you not have any lingering attachment to this place? It is but an easy task for me to link a door to it." What do you do when you say lines like that? You make magical power of that attribute swirl on your hand, of course! In this case, the attribute swirling on my hand is the space attribute, which makes it seem as if the space around my hand was distorting. Yes, just like in one of those funny mirrors. Flexing!! It is essential! And yeteven after seeing that, Allegra shakes her head. Even if I do, it is not about attachment, Master. My laboratory is a place where I put all the tools I need for my work. If Master can recreate it in the castle, then that would still bring me great joy. For I would be able to be of use in more ways than before. Including helping those that are sick in a more definite mannerlike those villagers Ahof course. She was still thinking about the sick villagers and how she was unable to help them beyond making the symptoms bearable "Besides..." As she says that, she lets go of my other hand, walks towards a big desk, her desk, and takes out a...HOLY THIGHS OF NERINNE! THAT IS ONE HECK OF A THICC NOTEBOOK!! *slam* "Everything I did in this place is inside this handy notebook. It is the proof that I worked in here for several years. It is proof that this place did its job. All the failures. All the victories. It''s all in here. So, in a way, this lab is moving with me." Yes, I understand that feeling very well. I mean, I do not know if I have said this before, but I am from another world. Yeah. Surprising. Heh. Leaving what used to be my world could be called hard, but my memories of it came with me. So, in way, Earth came with me. "Hooh~~, that is certainly true, Allegra." Allegra nods and giggles at my response before turning back to that notebook. "Curiously, this notebook here was one of the reasons I had to come here. The second one was because I wanted to show Master this place. I do not know if it still matters, but...I brought Master here to show that I trust you. This was my sanctuary, a place where I could make use of the abilities I shaped over the years. I was worried that Master would not think much of it, but those worries have been utterly destroyed with your offer." She smiles once again as honest gratitude fills both her eyes and voice. Also, do I look like a person who wouldn''t care for the important things of her comrades? Don''t. Don''t answer that. "Allegra, I want you to know that I care about what is important for you. And I have been planning to give you a laboratory since that time at the village, but I did not have enough information to do so. As in, I had no idea how to make one. But let''s leave that out. Still, I can promise you this, I shall always act in a way that is worthy of your trust." "...! Master She looks even more teary than before and! "Master, you are the best!" "Eh?!" She just jumped over the desk and is not to grab my hands again! NOPE! IT''S A HUG!! A WARM HUG!! NICE!! She is hugging me! She really is hugging me! Her slim and petite body is quite different from Erevain''s and Nerinne''s, but she is beautiful in her own way!! There is justice here too!! Ah, she smells nice too... But I can''t lose control over this and hug her like I normally would. SoI gotta hug her lightly and then let her go...even if I still want to hug this beautiful maid for a bit longer. Never mind, she let go on her own "I apologize if I surprised you, Master. I tend to overreact when I get excited." She steps back and bows apologetically as she says that, to which I shake my head. "There is nothing to apologize for, Allegra. Now, shall I teleport everything to the place that will be your new laboratory? Yes! With that, she nods excitedly while smiling. Meanwhile, everyone else has been just chilling on the sofas or reading, so this will end quite quickly. Also, I did not see Erevain pout when Allegra hugged me. Soooo, she doesn''t see her as a rival, huh. Interesting. _______________________________________________ Nerinneeee? Hellooooo...are you there? No? What are you doing? I just want to know if you are fine. Take the time you need. Just talk to me when you can. I miss you... _____________________________________________ So, this is it, huh? We are now in front of a medium sized pub. Well, I say we, but Luca and Allegra are not here since they must explore the tunnels. And when I asked them about what they were going to eat, they said that they would buy something at a food stall. So, theres that. But Ill still order the stew for when Allegra returns to the inn, as well as Luca''s fried uruns and fish. Can''t leave them out, can I? "..." In any case, the pub has its name displayed on a hanging sign right above its entrance. Said sign has the drawing of a glaring beer mug with a crown. I must admit that such glare kind of reminds me of Erevain when I met her *????* And of course, I can hear the ruckus from inside! They even have isekai-like music!! Here comes another check on my list!! Eating at an isekai pub!! Oh, but this isn''t the only one!! I plan to do this in every major city of this world!! Yes!! "The King''s Glare pub, My Lord. The name is indeed tongue in cheek, but it is certainly a place I would recommend." Says Erevain with confidence and a bit of a wry smile. "What are we waiting for, Master? Let''s go!" Meanwhile, Bertia can''t wait to enter and tries to run in, but... "Bertia, there is no need to be so rash." ...Erica stops her by grabbing her from the shoulder and pulling her aside, regardless of how much Bertia comically struggles. Following that, she opens the door for me while saying the following with a smile: "After you, Master." "Thank you, Erica." With that, I nod and walk past them, finally entering the place and what I see is just what I expected. AN ISEKAI PUB!!! SO MANY RACES!! MUSIC!! PEOPLE DANCING, EATING, AND HAVING A GREAT LAUGH!! THIS IS AWESOME!!! Wait...what is that way over there? THATS?! IT EVEN HAS AN INFO BOARD!! WITH BOUNTIES ON IT!!! "Pfft!" AND THE NAMES!!! HAHAHAHA THOSE ARE THE ONES I USED FOR THE FAKE KNIGHTS!!! I WANT TO LAUGH SO HARD!!! BUT. I. CAN''T!!! *INTENSE WELCOMING GLARE* Ara, ara...I can feel that someone is directing an intense welcoming glare at me. Oh, it''s the bartender, a bald man with an epic mustache that screams ''mustache among mustaches''. Also, that is one heck of a glare. "My Lord, that is something the owner does to everyone that comes here for the first time. He has no ill-purpose." So whispers Erevain into my ear, which is sooo nice. "Hooh~~, then I shall respond in kind." Because I, as the holder of the edge alter glare, can''t leave another glare enthusiast hanging. LET''S GO! *INTENSE GRATITUDE GLARE* I shoot. "...!" *INTENSE SURPRISED GLARE* *INTENSE CHALLENGING GLARE* He shoots back, first surprised and then shining a challenging smile. People are starting to take notice of it too, and I can feel more and more gazes being directed at us. "Hey, hey, the owner is challenging someone!" "Hahaha, sorry, Miss! But the owner is as good as the one in the name of the pub!" Our audience has started doing audience things. But I shall focus solely in smiling and accepting his challenge. *INTENSE CHALLENGE ACCEPTED GLARE* He nods. *INTENSE GLARE MAX POWER* Ooh, going full thrust from the beginning!! Very well!! I will show you my ultimate too!!! *EDGE ALTER GLARE MAX POWER +1* We both stay like that for what it seems to be hours, but it is most likely that only seconds have passed. "Gah...I give. That was one mean of a glare, young miss. Excellent, heh..." So says the owner, accepting defeat as he raises his hand, shakes his head, and lets out a satisfied chuckle. UMU!! NO ONE CAN DEFEAT THE EDGE ALTER GLARE!! Stillthere was so much culture in that glare. This world is truly full of wonders. "You are not bad yourself, old man." I say that before walking to the bar where he is and shaking his hand. "What?! Come on! It didn''t look that intense!!" Oho, it seems we have a skeptic from the audience coming over. And he is quite the burly looking man, one that has ''troublemaker'' written all over his face and body. Lets blow that skepticism away, shall we? "As if a miss like this cou?!" *EDGE ALTER GLARE* "EEP!" Look at that, he just got on all fours and he did it so fastso naturally And his posture...he looks just like a human chair...ahhhn...this is...this is... "Stay like that." "...!" The human chair nods nervously as I approach. "My Lord, you do not have to." Says Erevain with her stricter tone, clearly guessing what I''m about to do. But...ahh...it''s here again...my side that has recently awakened... "I only see a chair, my dear Eresh. And chairsare meant to be sat upon. So, I sit on this soft and fleshy chair while crossing my legs in a sensual manner. Can''t have you go into a fanservice diet, can I? Huhuhu Nowtime to make things clear to mychair. "Chairs do not move, so you better stay with this elevation until I say otherwise." "Y-yes!" "Hooh~~? Yes, what?" "YES, MA''AM!" Aaaahn, it feels so good... To be continued...(cue sexy illustration of dom Auros!!) Thank you very much for reading! I''m sorry for the delay, but I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! The character popularity poll is still going and it will be "open" for five more days! So, if you haven''t voted, please do! Your favorite character still has the chance to win! Here is today''s report on how the poll is going: While it might seem to be just a copy and paste from yesterday, there has been some movement with Luca, so much so that she is closing in on Erevain when it comes to total votes. In any case, if you wish to support me and my work, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi, it will really help me out! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon and Anon2! Please, do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 63: A good steak and a surprising reunion. Right now, I am enjoying a nice, cold, and sweet mixed juice as the waitress writes down our orders and Mr. Bartender tends to the drinks of the others. Yep, I said juice. I don''t drink alcohol, unless it is a very special occasion. In any case, were all sitting here at the pubs bar, which is pretty large. Although, team two hasn''t arrived, so we are not that many to worry about running out of space. Of course, once they do arrive, well move to one of the bigger tables. "Hmm?" The mixed juice inside my glass just swayed a bit. That should not be possible since my hands are quite steady when holding things. How else would I be able to build my garage kits of besto waifu?! Which leaves only one suspect. My chair. "I believe I told you not to move. My drink swayed for a second." "Hiiiih! I-I''m sorry! I-It will not happen again, Ma''am!" "Hmph. We shall see." I say that with my dom-edge alter tone as I cross my legs in a sensual manner once more. The left leg being now on top of the right one. Ahhnso nice. While I already knew that besto waifu works great as a dom, acting it out is just on a whole different level of good. "Oh, my, my. I let you out of my sight for a little bit of time and you are already engaging in that type of play, dear~~?" "...!" That divine voice that almost made me spit my drink! Nerinne! "The one and only, dear~~." You...! What were you doing that you couldn''t answer my calls? I missed you, you know? "Oh, I apologize, dear. It seems that I put almost all of my attention in scolding that naughty child." Wasnt ''multasking'' one of your good points as a Goddess? "Fufufu~~~, it is, dear! Its just thathere, I shall explain it this way: Imagine that I am a farming an event and reading a light novel at the same time. What happened is that I got too focused on the light novel, dear. Hmph. I understand. "Oh, are you still mad, dear~~? Even after a Goddess apologized to you?" Hmph. Even after I was actually farming on your two accounts while scolding that child? Hmm? No. I won''t let you think that it is all forgotten. Hmph. "Aw...even if I were to tell you that I was farming both the second part of that comedy event and that event in the Japanese server? You knowthe one you usually get stuck on due to how challenging some of the fights are. That is...no! You cannot tempt me to forgive you like that! "My, my...that truly saddens me. I even spent quite some time rolling the gacha just to get you that victorious samurai and that farming King of Kings. But I seethat is just not enough Nnnnnnnnnnnn...fine! You are forgiven you lovable Goddess!! I can''t be that cold hearted after all the things you just said. "I knew you would understand, my dear~~." But... "What, dear~~?" That Kings event in the Japanese server usually has two six stars featured on the banner. Not just him, darling. Could it be that you forgot to mention the other one? You knowthe new unit. "Oh. It was no one of importance, dear~~~." Darling, you made this instinct. No lies please. "Mou! It was just some goddess! So, what if she is illustrated by our favorite artist?! Or that she has different animations per limit break, including her ultimate attack! I told you! Auros is mine! No other goddess can bless you!!" You...! An SSR illustrated by them?!! One that is unique to that point?! And you did not roll for it?!! Wait... What was that last part about other goddesses blessing me? "Dummy dear! I told you already! Sharing you with other goddesses is a big no! Fictional or otherwise! But why it had to be a goddess?!" No, no. I get that, but you said something about a blessing... "Ooops! AmmII said nothing of the sort, dear~~." Nerinneeee... "Can you wait?" No. "..." You will only make me more curious if you keep silent like that, Nerinne. "Aaah! Mou! Fine! Listen well, for this is the knowledge of the Gods! Souls usually forget everything when they go through the reincarnation system, but sometimesthey do not. Those souls end up carrying vestiges of their previous life, which usually manifest through dreams. They can be a foggy memory of some event, a name, an idea, and other things like that. Within that group there are some that remember the Gods of their world." Umu. "The thing is...they remember them as that, gods. What is even more strange, is that they tend to find others who remember that name, forming a group little by little. Said group then is set to rekindle their past worship in their new lives. But they need something else besides that notion for it to truly take root in their hearts and those of others. Something like asolid foundation? Mhm. For context, Yawue wore many masks and forms to try andcorrect his mistakes. In doing so, he created many pantheons with only himself as the actual god behind them. But sometimes..." One of the Gods those people remembered was put beside those? "Exactly, dear. They would add them to the pantheons of the places where they lived. By the time we as gods became aware of such thing, no one took it to heart. We all just thought of it as part of the unpredictability of life. And so, many of Earths gods are Yawue in disguise, but there is a small group of them that actually exist and look over their own worlds." Aaaaaand she is one that appears in the game? "Yes... I see. I want you to understand that our names are part of us. When someone utters our name in another world, we notice. Some just raise an eyebrow, but others are more carefree and reward them with a very light blessing. Nothing major is gained, just something mundane. Like finding a coin on the sidewalk or barely passing a test that you were sure to fail." Or getting the SSR with their name in the gacha? "Yes." But I don''t think I have done that...I mean... "You have, dear. In one of your accounts you got one in just one shot, right?" No way so "SHHHHH! DO NOT SAY HER NAME! I do not want her looking this way!" Ok. Ok. My bad... Then the goddess that just released is... "Entirely fictional and just another of Yawue''s disguises, dear~~. I just do not like you getting all excited by another goddess..." Aww...jealous Nerinne is cute...I bet you are pouting too. "..." So cute. Umu. Umu. I''m good with that answer. Thank you, Nerinne. Also, now I can''t get the image of a crossdressing Yawue out of my head... But! You are the only Goddess who can get my heart and soul, so don''t worry about it, darling. "Auros, you...I love you. Anyway, I think that fifteen minutes is enough punishment." Hm? "I am talking about your chair, dear~~." Ah, right. Yeah, looking at him right now it does seem that way. "Hmph, you have done well. Bring me a real chair and stay out of trouble. Understood?" I say so as I get off my fleshy chair and help him stand up. "Y-yes, Ma''am! One chair coming up!" So he exclaims while immediately running off to get a chair and bringing it to me. H-Here, Maam! He has even cleaned it to the point that I can see my reflection on it as he presents it to me. Good. With that, I nod in approval and sit. "I will also apply for the Paladins tomorrow morning!! "The paladins? Oi wai" Good night, Ma''am!!" Aaaand there he goes... Just when I was about to tell him that he didnt need to do that "Fufufu~~, it will be good for him, dear." I hope so. "Here it is, esteemed client. The best dish of the house. The beeftain steak with the boss'' secret sauce, an extra for winning the glaring match. And for the lady on the right, beeftain steak with mashed uruns and gravy." "You have my gratitude." "Much appreciated." Both Erevain and I smile gratefully at the waitress, who quickly puts our food on the bar and only leaves after saying the following with a smile of her own: "Please, enjoy!" One thing though. It was only for a moment, but she looked quite surprised when she saw Erevain. It was to the point that she was about to say something, but she reigned herself in. I think everyone can guess the reason for her surprise at this point, right? Good. Anyways, I can see that everyone already has their own dishes. So, without further ado, lets dig in! *sniff* "...!" HHHHNNGHH!! WHAT IS THIS SMELLGASM?! JUST SMELLING IT IS MAKING ME EVEN HUNGRIER!! LETS GOOOO!!! I GRAB THE KNIFE AND THE FORK WITH MY FULL HANDS AND! "My Lord do not forget your table manners. And I did not push the issue any further, but it is not proper etiquette to use other people as chairs in public, My Lord. Even if it is for punishment. Please, reflect on your actions." Uwaa...Erevain just stopped my right hand with incredible strength and is looking at me with some scary strict eyes... "right, of course. Thank you, Erevain." "No need to thank me, My Lord. I am just doing my duty." Ahahaha...she looked quite scary...even if she has that beautiful face... "Fufufu~~~, as expected of the second heroine. The earnest princess that takes her role very seriously. She will make a great wife." Wowowowowow! Don''t you think that you are going too fast!? Were still in the first volume! We are not getting axed to start talking about marriage this early!! StillErevain in a wedding dress... "...!" Aaahmy face is getting hot just by imagining it... "Fufufuhahahaha!! You are so red right now, dear!" THIS GODDESS!!! I''ll just eat my steak then! Hmph! ___________________________________________ DELICIOUS!!! ITS SOFT!! ITS JUICY!! ITS MELTING IN MY MOUTH!! SO GOOOD!! AND THE SAUCE!!! THIS.DAMN. SAUCE!! ITS THE BEST!! IMAGINE IF I COULD USE IT IN MY PULLED PORK SANDWICHES!!! I WOULD REACH THE NIRVANNA OF PULLED PORK SANDWICHES!! BELIEVE IT!! "My Lord, do you want to try the mashed uruns?" Eh? Did Erevain just offered to share some of her food with me?! Is this that event?! "Hooh~~, can I? If I remember correctly, sharing food with others is not proper etiquette." "Indeed, My Lord. But that is only in fine dining establishments and this is not one. We are in a pub, My Lord." "Ah, yes." Wait...then what the hell was that before?! "Here, My Lord." She takes a bit of mashed uruns with her fork and then moves it towardsmy mouth?! AHHH! THIS IS REALLY THE EVENT WHERE ONE OF THE HEROINES FEEDS THE PROTAGONIST!!! SHE IS EVEN BLUSHING!! MY HEART!! No! Get a grip, Auros!! You cant get all tsundere or flustered!! Maintain your edge alter character!! Maintain it! "Hmph. If you insist. Aaah..." She really is feeding it to me with her forkOH! ITS GOOD! Even more so because of Erevain! "How was it, My Lord?" "It was fine, but I want to make it clear that I did not enjoy it more because of you." AAAAAHHH!!!! IM BLUSHING SO MUCH RIGHT NOW!! WHY DID I SAID THAAAAT?! AH! HOW COULD I FORGET?!! MY BESTO WAIFU IS A TOTAL TSUNDERE!! "Heheof course, My Lord." SHE GIGGLED!! ERE GIGGLED WHILE SAYING THAT!! "FUFUFUHAHAHAHAHA!" OF COURSE, YOURE LAUGHING YOUR ASS OFF, NERINNE!! I WANT TO TELEPORT SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY!! BUT THE FOOD HERE IS SO DELICIOUS!!! ___________________________________________ Ooof...there...there...ah... I''m fine now. Yes...fine... Man, that really was a surprise bond event... Now Weve already finished eating and were waiting for team two right now. And if youre asking yourself why Im sitting alone at the bar, its because Erevain and Erica went to watch over Bertia, who is having some hand-wrestling matches over there. Although, my dear head maid is glancing at me every now and then just to make sure that I''m fine and not being bothered. So cute. She still worries about me and does her job properly, even if she knows that I can pretty much blow up this whole Capital if I wanted to. "You will not do that, right?" Of course not, Nerinne!! I am not a villain!!! Anyways, now that I give this place a better look, I can see that theres many heads of monsters and beasts mounted on the walls. Oh, there are even some doorim antlers! Nice! Not only that, but there are various pelts on the wall too. Hmm...now I''m curious. "Did you hunt those, old man?" I ask Mr. Bartender, who is currently cleaning a mug. "Only some alone, young miss. I hunted some of the others with my son when he was a child. And the most impressive ones are those that he hunted on his own when I had no more to teach him." Oh, that is a nice story. Father and son bonding through something they share a liking to. I...did not have that with my father. Hewell, lets just say that he had other things to do. But I did with grandpa, so I kind of understand. I hope your watch is in the hands of my sister. She''ll take care of it. I promise. I love you, Gramps. I hope you are happy wherever you are now. "Like the doorim antlers over there?" I point at them as I say that, and he chuckles. "Heh, yes, exactly those, young miss. Do you want to hear the story about them?" "I''d be glad to." I can see in his eyes that such story is one he holds dear. Theres no way I can say no. "You see, my son could be described as carefree. He liked eating delicious things and hunting with me. Everything else would go over his head most of the time. So, when he told me that he would enter the trials for a certain Order, I was surprised to say the least. Hmmsomething about his son sounds familiar... He left the house for about 2 months, since that is how long the trials tend to get. And I didnt hear from him during that time. No letters. Nothing. When he returned, he did so while carrying that doorim on his shoulders. He was full of cuts and panting. Now, you might not know how difficult it is to hunt a doorim, but it is. Only highly experienced hunters dare to try it because they are not only agile beasts, but theyre also very powerful." He makes me another mixed juice as he says that, and he does it masterfully. "I almost let a mug fall to the floor from the shock that caused me. I ran to him, trying to scold him, but he just smiled proudly while I shook him. And then he said it ''Dad, I got in. I was found worthy. I hunted something delicious to celebrate!''. Heheh I can help but smile at the sight of Mr. Bartender chuckling and shaking his head, showing just how fondly he holds such memory. Oh, my boy. There were cuts all over his face and body. His bow was broken. And his knife was a mess. But he still said all those things as if it had been as easy as serving some water. That night, we ate almost everything on the doorim and my boy made the biggest smile I had ever seen him make. That moment I realized that my dear late wife and I had nothing to worry about, for he was happy." His eyes only get even more filled with love as she says that andAAAAH! I WANT TO CRY!!! BUT I CAN''T!! I HAVE TO HOLD THESE TEARS BACK! HOLD THEM BAAACK!!! "that is a really moving story, old man." "Its just one of the best blessings I have been able to experience in this place, young miss." He says so with a big, warm, fatherly smile as he looks at those antlers. "May I ask a question?" "You want to ask where my son is, right?" I raise an eyebrow in response to him pretty much deducing my question and he chuckles. "Heh, a lot of travelers ask the same thing after listening to this story. He... He pauses for a moment before continuing, his expression becoming a bit more serious but also hopeful, all while never losing that fatherly smile. Some say that he is dead after what happened here, but I do not think so. He is alive and he is having the time of his life out there, eating and hunting. Yes, he might be facing some difficulties too, but...he is alive. I can feel it. It is not like when his mother fell in battle at the Front. I did not feel that...void. Not then andnot now." He says so while putting his fist where his heart is and lightly tapping it, showing that such feeling comes from the bottom of his heart. Also, I think I know who it is, but...I want to hear him say it. "Old man, what is your son''s name? I intend to travel to other countries, so I can help look for him." ! His face lights up as I say that and he immediately nods, his eyes brimming with hope. "His name is Julius, young miss. But everyone knows my boy as...Jules." Bingo. And as if it were scripted for an anime cliffhanger, the door to the pub has opened and through it, team two has entered. Which includes a certain hunter maid named... You guessed it. Jules. To be continued...(cue roundayou know the rest) Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and I apologize for the delay! Now, onto the poll report! Well, no surprises here again. But, now it is Erevain who is moving once more and is closing in on Gabrielle! So, who knows? Perhaps there will be a change before this ends! Speaking of Erevain...here it is an epic fanart of her by fia from our discord server! I call it "Erevain [Crescent Moon Slash]"! SHE LOOKS AMAZING!! THANK YOU FIA!! THANK YOU!! If you want to send some fanart, you can do so by going to our discord server and uploading it to the fanart channel! Or you can ask for my gmail and you can send it there! In another news, I just launched my Patreon! There you will be able to support me and the story! You will not only get your name on every chapter, but also at the end of the volume in the "special thanks" section and even a personal message! Plus, a little surprise will come your way via email! It might be a bit spicy! And thank you beforehand to those who choose to support me, it really helps! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2 and Ayth! I will be taking a break today (monday), so see you all tomorrow! Chapter 64: Who says that a Father’s love is lesser? This is AA CHANNEL! Tension. Drama. Top notch narration. And more...today in Reuniting(?) Families: Kyrie Capital edition!! I am Auros Argento, your well-endowed host and number one fanservice giver. We are here. We are live. All from the King''s Glare pub! Team two plus Jules has just entered the pub! And Sophie, our lovable and easy to bully newbie maid, is nowhere to be found! But with the marvelous power of this hosts OP SENSES we can easily locate her! Solets seemhmthere! She seems to be at the suite and is drawing what looks to be a map! She is probably supporting her Senpais, which are still exploring the tunnels in the Capital''s underground! Everyone! Let''s give her a round of applause!! Hm? She seems to have noticed? Strange. Let''s move on then! As you have heard in our interview with the owner of this fine establishment, he is Jules father. You could see the love for his boy not only in his eyes, but also in the bravery he shows by still displaying mementos of his boy all over the pub. And furthermore, he still speaks proudly of him, not caring if his boy was marked a traitor. It is clear that he does not believe all of the foolish Kings fake statements. Now, dear viewers. What do you think it is going to happen now? Will she simply ignore her father? After all, she knows that she would not be recognized because of her current appearance. Will she act nonchalant and go straight to the point? As in, will she reveal everything without a second thought? Or... "Old man. I''m hungry. One Forest and Farm special, please." ...that. All while raising her hand as if to say hello. "Fufufu~~~ she never ceases to amuse me." Indeed, Nerinne. If this was an anime, dear viewers, I would''ve fallen from my seat in an exaggerated manner. "..." "..." Jules dad seems to be as speechless as I am, dear viewers. What kind of way of saying hello to one''s father is that? "One of yours, young Miss?" He says while raising an eyebrow and glancing at your Gothic Lolita of a host. "Indeed. All of them, actually." "Oh. Heh." He raises both eyebrows this time and chuckles while shaking his head. "I am sorry, Miss. Maid. But that special is only available when we have doorim meat and we don''t right now." Hearing that, Jules gaze sharpens before she starts walking towards us. Meanwhile, the rest of team two is being signaled by Erevain to join her at the bigger table she has taken. It is obvious that our dear head maid understands the context of what is happening and the others too. So, they all quickly go there. Well, all except Gabrielle, who turns my way, bows, and smiles endearingly before joining the others. The camera might not show it dear viewers, but she had gratitude in her eyes. All the maids do. It is obvious why, right, dear viewers? And course, they are trying to act as normal as possible, but they cant resist to glance at us every now and then. Nowback to our main star since she has pretty much arrived. "I know. That is why I brought some." Hm? She just put something on top of the bar Its a wrapped wooden box...and the smell OH! That is the meat she and Luca obtained while we were coming here! It seems she stored some with the super-efficient storage capabilities of every Nerinne brand outfit! That means the meat is as fresh as if it had been harvested just minutes ago! All thanks to our sponsor for today''s episode! Nerinne brand, divine quality is but expected! Nerinne brand, your fetish! "Buy now and you will get a blessed necklace with your order. Fufufu~~." What are you waiting for?! Oh, Jules dad has unwrapped the box and is now opening it! "This is...! Wait..." Hm? He seems to have noticed something while inspecting the meat. Not only that, but his expression has gone from surprised to deadly serious in the span of a second. "This way of cutting...it is..." He is now looking at Jules, who has a smug smile on her face as if saying ''praise me, give me food. "...and that appearance...exactly his type. Now that I think about itover there too...like the queen! So that''s how it is..." Jules dad murmurs that to himself, but we can hear him too thanks to this hosts OP SENSES. Privacy? What is that? And he was not only looking at Jules while murmuring that, nope. He was also looking at the other maids, specially at Erevain. She has been getting many similar reactions out of many citizens, but those scenes have been left in the cutting room and will be released in the Blu-ray version of this season! Please look forward to it, dear viewers! "Hahaha! Very well, Miss. Maid! One Forest and Farm special coming up! And I''ll make this one myself! Excuse me young Miss. Oh! Jules dad himself is going to be doing the cooking!! Oh my darling! If my steak, which was already glorious, and was given a five-star review in my instakilo account, then this might go past that!!! Rona! Im cooking! Tend the bar in my place!" Yeees~. "How was the steak, Master?" So asks Jules while sitting beside me at the bar. All while her father has already left for the kitchen and has been replaced as bartender by a cute and buff waitress whos a dog beast-kin. She is already preparing drinks for some guys who just arrived and is out of earshot. But I digress. "Your words were entirely filled with truth. It was truly delicious." I, of course, show her my typical thumbs up and she responds with a proud nod. Cool. "This place was your home, am I correct?" Oh yes, this well-endowed host needs to go straight to the point as one who is acting as an edge alter. And our hunter maid doesn''t look surprised at all. "Yes, Master. It was." She looks around the pub with some nostalgia in her eyes before her gaze turns back to me. "But now it is not. Thats Master''s castle." I am honestly surprised by her clear as crystal honesty. "Is there something you want to do here, Jules?" "Eat." "Oh." I do not know what else I was expecting with that question. "For me, this is the best place to eat in the capital. I wanted Master to eat here at least once before our true hunt starts. Everyone else too." Her cool beauty act is usually broken by her proud or smug smiles, plus her piercing gaze, but that is not the case right now. She really looks as that one cool beauty that is completely honest. If someone pops up in your head by hearing that, then dear viewer, you are quite the cultured one. "What about your father? Do you desire to return to your previous form and speak with him? I can do that for you. No time limits." If that is what she wants, then I won''t deny her. "There is no need for that, Master. Im cool." She says so full of confidence. I see. _________________________________ Some minutes have passed since that, and Jules dad has returned from the kitchen. "One Forest and Farm special! Enjoy!" "Mhm!" She doesn''t utter a single word before she starts eating from the big plate her father has put before her. Said plate has big steaks of both doorim and beeftain, which are surrounded by steamed vegetables and bathed in secret sauce. And IT SMELLS SO GOOD, DEAR VIEWERS! THIS HOST IS GETTING HUNGRY AGAIN JUST AS HER BESTO WAIFU!! "Here, young Miss. I prepared a portion for you too. It is not a common occasion where I can prepare this special and it will be bad manners of me to not offer you a taste." "...!" Jules dad!!! You are my favorite person in the capital by far!! "Fufufu~~, you are so easy to win over, dear. But that does look delicious." It must be!! I grab the utensils and...! Shivers go down my spine!! It''s Erevains gaze!! I bet she is looking at me! SoI grab the utensils gracefully and the abyssal type gaze disappears. Time to dig in!! HNNNNGH!! ________________________________________________ Ah...it was delicious. It was the best. "Mmmmm! Delicious!" So exclaims Jules with a big smile while still chewing the last piece of doorim steak she had on her plate. All as her father watches her with joyful eyes, eyes that make it seem as if he is about to cry, but he doesnt. And you, young miss? Did you like the Forest and Farm special? Instead, he just turns to me and asks that. "It was the best meat dish I have ever tasted, old man. Delicious." I say so with a most satisfied expression on my face. "Then this pub''s purpose has been fulfilled, young Miss." He does a proud motion with his hand while saying that. Then, with incredibly perfect timing, the music started once again, and the place lit up in a celebratory manner. Yes, just like in the light novels, dear viewer. ___________________________________________ An hour later, we received a report from Sophie, telling us that a way to the cave had been found, and that meant we had to leave the pub. As all of us walked on the street, Jules stopped for a moment and looked back at the pub one last time. There, she found her father standing beside the pubs entrance, waving at her. And she waved back at him before running off to reunite with us. With my senses I was able to hear what her father said at that moment, and I bet she heard it too. Why? Huhuwell. Because Jules had a big smile on her face. I was right in never believing all those things. Keep being happy my child. No matter how you look, a father always knows. I will always be proud of you. I love you. That is what he said. There is no need for more, right, dear viewers? 3 days before the ball...(cue beautiful illustration of Jules'' family!) Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it! And if you are hungry for more, then head over to my patreon! Which has been updated after some very valuable feedback! There you will find your first bite of "Waifu Bites!", a short story monthly series set in the world of "In another world as my waifu"! This first bite has this for a title: Im a mother?! Yes! Nerinnes first meeting with Ilya! And patrons from tiers 2 and 3 can vote to choose the idea that will be adapted in the next "Bite!". Not only that, but tier 3 patrons will be recieving alternate versions of select chapters too! See you there! In any case, the last day of the poll is upon us! Here''s the report: While Luca''s boosters seem to have dried out, Erevain''s are still going strong, but Gabrielle is not letting up! Still, there''s enough time for things to change! So, if you haven''t voted, go and do so! Remember that the winner will be sketched by LARH and will get an all new short story at the end of the volume! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa and Ayth! You will find links to the story''s discord and my twitter in the comments below! Thank you for reading once again, and see you all tomorrow! Chapter 65: A day in the life of Sylvie, the apprentice Maid-Knight. Back in the Castle of the Ever-Burning Will, a new day started for a certain village girl, for she woke up at the sound of someone knocking at her door. *yawn* "Mmm...so sore...five more minutes..." Still, that was clearly not enough. For the girl yawned, sleepily let out such words and buried herself in her pillows once more. How did a village girl who usually woke up by daybreak turned into someone that sleeps past that? The answer is quite the simple one. It was all thanks to the training she was going through. Indeed, it was a training capable of leaving her body more sore than entire seasons of tiling the fields or tending to the crops. Every single muscle in her begged for rest and she was happy to oblige. So much so, that she completely forgot of the person behind her door. A person that waited no more. *SLAM* "...!" A person that slammed the door open, surprising the girl. But that was not all. "Wake uuup, Sylvie!! It''s time for your morning run!!" So exclaimed the woman as she grabbed the girl''s feet, which were sticking out of the blankets, and pulled her. The woman had brown skin, red hair, and was wearing a maid uniform. One unique to her. "Hyaaa!! G-Got it! I got it! Stop pulling my feet, Kris!" In response, the girl quickly clung to the headboard of her bed with all her strength, all while exclaiming that. "I wouldn''t be doing this if a certain greenie had woken up on her own!! Now up, up! " Said Kris as she let go of Sylvie''s feet, motioning with her right hand to compliment her words. Following that, the girl sprung up from her bed while raising her hands. "I''m up! Im up! Now, let me change!!" Certainly, she was in no way dressed to engage in physical activities. After all, Sylvie was still wearing her usual pajamas. ''They may look really plain and not cute, but they are comfy!'' Such were Sylvies thoughts about her pajamas as she was about to take them off. "Ah! I-Ill wait outside." Seeing that, Kris got flustered and started to turn towards the door, clearly not wanting to stay there while Sylvie changed. Something that said girl noticed. "Hm? You don''t need to leave Kris. We are girls, right? I have nothing you haven''t seen before on yourself. "Ahahaha...what are you saying? Kris laughed awkwardly at Sylvies words as she turned with the intentions of telling her to stop fooling around, but instead she found a dejected Sylvie looking at her with a hint of envy. ...actually, you have more than me in certain areas..." Such were her words while comparing her chest with Kris''. Where are you looking at, you!?" Something said maid realized as she followed the direction of Sylvies gaze, immediately covering her chest with her arms as she did. Still, her bashful reaction was suddenly interrupted by Sylvie, who had begun to take her pajamas off. "You...! Wait until I get out at least!!" With that, Kris started walking towards the door once again and without knowing that her curious reactions had given Sylvie an idea. One that made her smile playfully. "Could it be that you are actually a pure maiden, Kris?" Asked Sylvie teasingly, stopping Kris in her tracks. "Who''s a pure maiden?! I am the farthest from!" Irritated, Kris turned to face Sylvie a third time, but was stopped once again by the view of Sylvie unbuttoning her pajama''s long-sleeved shirt. "There goes another button." Sylvie smiled as she did that, declaring with it that her teasing of Kris had just begun. And her victim was aware of it. "Ha! Pure maiden, as if! See, I am looking at you change with no problems whatsoever." Ill just continue then. With that, Sylvie unbuttoned her long-sleeved shirt slowly. All as she glanced at Kris, who uselessly tried to act strong, but was betrayed by her own ''confident'' smile. It was twitching. Something that almost made Sylvie burst out in laughter. Meanwhile, Kris was trying her best to not look away. After all, she was called a pure maiden and that had hurt her pride as a former male. Yes, she was a woman now. Yes, she had accepted that. She had accepted such thing to the point that she no longer reacted to looking at herself in the mirror. Her ''new'' body had become her ''own''. A process that started shortly after her match with her Master. But that was still not the case with looking at other women, or with being told beautiful, or with the many other things that seemed to bring out a certain side of herself. One that she thought she had buried back at the village where she grew up in. Yes, a side that belonged to a child who lost all bravado the moment the other side took initiative and made advances. That was the type of woman Kris could not deal with back then. One that teased, one that got too close, one that moved in an unreadable way. Still, Kris had learned to deal with that side of herself after going to the academy and reaching adulthood. But just deal with it. She had not gotten rid of it completely. So, there were times when that side of herself would come out and be noticed. And now she was being teased for it, again. Just like Gabrielle had done so before, not too long ago. Not only that, the one teasing her was someone she was training, a greenie, and a teenager. How could she call herself her superior after being that easily teased by her? As such, she wasn''t going to lose. "And another one." "I was just leaving out of simple politeness!!" "One more." "A-also its because you are fifteen. Girls your age are normally touchy about privacy!!!" "Here comes the last one." "Ahahaha, see? I-I''m still here!!!!" "Now off it goes!" With that, Sylvie threw her pajama''s long-sleeved shirt away and something within Kris erupted. "Uoooooooo!" "Eh?!" Confusion was the only reaction Sylvie could muster before Kris rapid movements. Movements that were over in an instant as Kris stood right in front of Sylvie, staring at her with a piercing gaze. Furthermore, she was also grabbing her by the shoulders. Then, Sylvie realized that something comfy was covering her. "...!" It was her long-sleeved shirt. Kris had not only caught it, but she had also put it back on Sylvie with an unbelievable speed. Leaving Sylvie as if she had never taken said shirt off. "Sylvie." Said Kris in a clearly intimidating tone, making the girl shiver. "Y-Yes!" "You are going to run double the distance today." "Y-yes, I will!!" "Battle training will have double the intensity." "O-of course." "And..." As Kris said that, she let go of the girls shoulders, but only to raise her arms at her. "Eek!" To which Sylvie closed her eyes in fear of her punishment. That''s when she felt it. A pressure on both of her cheeks. She then opened her eyes and indeed, Kris was grabbing them. "...this will be your punishment." "Feh?!" Kris then started to pull them upwards, downwards, and outwards, only stopping until they were red. "Ow..." After that, Kris left the room without saying a word, but Sylvie knew that she didn''t want to be late ever again. ________________________________________ "Come on, Sylvie! One more lap! Or are you going to give up?!" "Never!! Ow..." As if I would throw it all away after almost three weeks of training! I am Sylvie Lute! I chose this!! Giving up is out of the question!! Even if my cheeks still hurt!! "Then keep running! Miss Nerinne made this field, you cant let it go to waste!" "I know!!" I really know. Nerinne created this big field under the castle a couple of days after Lady Auros left. It even has a forest surrounding it, which makes me a little homesick. When I asked her why, she said that it was a surprise for Lady Auros, and she asked us to keep the secret. She also said that Lady Auros was the one who was actually going to make this place Just how powerful is Lady Auros? HmmI feel the answer to that is something crazier. SoI wont think about. Running like this makes me remember when Nerinne gave me a tour of this place. She seemed like a girl my age getting all giddy about the gift she was going to give to her partner. Only to then get all worried in the middle of it. She asked me if Lady Auros was going to get mad at her since she went and made this place without her. I told her that Lady Auros would obviously like it, so she didnt need to worry. Even if I dont have any experience in relationships myself! She asked me to be her friend, so that is what I will be! And as her friend, I will support her! Still Haha The finish line is close... "Nnnand finished!!" Finally, some restI''m so tired that I just threw myself to the grassbut I dont dislike this. After all, Kris said that this is to improve my stamina. Yesdespite all the work I did on the fields, my stamina for combat was low And yet, I cant deny it I mean, I just need to remember how tired I felt after using [Woodcutter] in that testing match But with Kris'' training that is changing. I am changing. I am getting stronger. And I will get even stronger so that I can fulfill everyones expectations! "What are you doing resting on the grass, greenie?!" "I-I finished." ...please let me rest a bit more... "Didn''t I tell you that you needed one more lap?" "Y-yes and I did run another lap around the field." "Ah, sorry. I misspoke. I meant to the whole place." "eh?" D-did I hear that right? The whole place? I-Is she still mad about this morning? "Get up. Now." She is still mad... "Don''t worry, I''ll be right behind you, Sylvie." Oh no. Not that smile... Not that big sword... "3..." "!! I''m up! I''m going!!!" "2..." "Im running, Kris! See?! No need for that kind of training today!!" "1...here I goooooo!!!" "Nooooooo!!!" I really dont like this part of the training! Evading attacks while running is not fun at all!! "You know the rules, Sylvie! Try not to get hit!! Ahahahaha!!" "YOU ARE CLEARLY ENJOYING THIS MORE TODAY!!!" "It''s just...whatever you call it? Hmmm...ah! Its just some skinship! We are girls after all!!" "I AM SORRYYYYY!!" _______________________________________________ "Ha...ha...ha...[Head Splitter]!" "gROwlgh!" Of course, battle training comes after that crazy lapand it is not sparring! Because no Knight looks like the Brute Bear that is slashing at me! For Nerinne''s sake! I just plunged my axe into its head, and it shook it off like it was nothing! "Nice progress, Sylvie! Youre now getting the timing right consistently! Keep at it!" "If I don''t, I''ll be minced meat, Kris! And what happened to the usual dire wolves, Miss Max?!" I was already getting used to them! Not counting Nerinne, shes the only one who can summon the beasts I need for my battle training. That is why I asked her "I''m sorry, but Kris told me to take it up a notch." Instructor Kris!! "GAAAAAOOOORGH!!" AAAH!!! THIS BRUTE BEAR IS SCARY!!! "Are you sure she was ready, Kris?" "She needs to be. Life will throw you into a fight whether you are ready for it or not. Also, it is good for her. Getting too used to an opponent is bad for a warrior''s growth. You should know that Max." "Yeah, I do. Watching her reminds me of the time when you trained me." Haha, yes! I still remember that time when I threw you into a pack of dire wolves. It was full a moon night, so they gave you quite the fight. Ahahayou say it so casually Kris...but yes. In hindsight, that was a good learning experience." "Of course, it was! It also helped you add more beasts to your summons! And yet, you looked really angry, Max. You even summoned lots of them into my tent when you returned." "Hmm, I wonder why." "Erevain got angry because of the destroyed tent, you know? Anyways...greenie has not noticed it, but shes been showing signs of awakening a trance skill." "What? This early? Are you sure, Kris? Didn''t you say a few days ago that she needed some more time to even awaken to her class? How can a skill that reinforces the traits of said class come before it?" "Then, Ill ask you this. Have you seen a three-week newbie evade a Brute Bear''s attacks like her?" "Now that you mention it...no. Right? Thats her potential as a Skirmisher coming out. Huh, you sound too sure about that specific class. Why? Heh, thats because some of that class skills are already showing up. I see. So thats why youve been pretty excited about training her recently. Still, Roni will get her if she just keeps doing the same thing. He is smart. Well, we can always count on a certain someone if it comes to that, right? Its not like shes been keeping an eye on Sylvies training for nothing, heh. If only she did it without hiding behind the nearby trees, teehee~. Tchshut up. Hahahaha! Those two they are not just casually talkingthey are laughing?! Im fighting for my life here! ''Up a notch'' she said! Up a notch!! "And this is supposed to be itOOFF!" This brute bear! He almost got my head! That''s it! I''m mad!!! "[Opportunistic Acceleration]!!" I used to get dizzy when I started using this skill but now...! GaOor?! "Haaaa!!" It can be used as it should be!! Leaving you wide open!!! "[Leg Chopper]!!" gAORhG!! There goes your leg with my axe! GrrO Yes! Stumble like that!! With that, your heart is... "[Heart Stab]!" ...mine!! GrAOoOrG!! GrAOoO!! I need to keep pushing my knife in! "Nnngh!" Come on! Come on! Stop struggling! "Graaurlgh!" *fwiiiish* Finally...he disappeared "Ha...ha...ha...ha..." I''m beat... *sniff* I stink... Haaa. I will never tease Kris again... "See?! That was a nice axe and knife combo! I knew you could handle it, Sylvie! "It was a great fight; you should be proud, Sylvie!" They are both clapping as if I was part of some show... I thinkI think Ill do a bow. Because why not? "Yay me!" ______________________________________________ After some rest, a well-deserved bath, food, and weapon maintenance, its now my favorite part of the day. The sparring training! Huh? Why is Ilya here? "Hello...Sylvie..." "Hello there, Ilya. Amm, why are you here?" "Big sister...Kris...asked Ilya...to..." "Kris?" What business does she have with Nerinne''s and Lady Auros'' daughter? Moreover, why here in the field? "Yeah, I asked lil Ilya to come here. Shes gonna help me show you something as a reward." "Sosparring is cancelled today?" I mean, I really want to spar with Kris because I always learn so much from fighting her. She really is a great teacher and opponent. Despite hermethods. "That will be your choice after seeing this. It is something I''ve been training for in my free time. O-Ok? Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Ilya, shoot when I tell you." Shoot? "Yes...big sister Kris..." Eh? Ilya seems to get it perfectly...has she done this before? Wait...why is Kris running that far? "Ilya!! Shoot!!" "Sylvie...get back..." "Eh? Ah...yes?" I don''t know why, but I will follow her advice and get back a bit. "Shooting...big lava ball..." What did she justA REALLY BIG LAVA BALL IS COMING OUT OF HER FINGER!! "Go" SHE JUST SHOT IT AT KRIS!! "Kris!!!" I have to help her!! That thing is too much!! "Ilya let go of my hand! I have to help!" "No...Sylvie...wait. Big sister Krisis going...to be...fine. Promise..." "Really?" Nn She really seems to be telling the truth. But... "Look..." "AHAHAHAHA! THIS IS IT! NO SKILLS! NO MAGIC ENHANCEMENT! JUST A PURE, SIMPLE, BRUTE STRENGTH SLASH!! ORAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHH?!!!!!" She just...! She just...! SHE JUST CUT THAT LAVA BALL IN TWO?!! She is crazy!! Kris is crazy!!! But!! "Big sister...Kris...is awesome..." Yes, she is, Ilya!! I want to do that!!! Oh, she is coming back! Ah! "Theres a fire!!" "Don''t...worry...Sylvie...Ilya will...make it go away..." *fwoooiiiiiish* *poof* Sheshe just raised her little hand and all the lavaand the fireit just went into it... Her hair is glowing too Also, there is no damage to the field...it''s like it never happened... Ilyashe is as outrageous as her parents... Well, my instructor is like that too. Just look at her, she looks like she is having the time of her life! "How about that, Sylvie? Are you going wake up late again?" "No!" "Are you going to abandon your training?" "No!!" "Are you going to postpone the sparring match after seeing that?" "Absolutely not!!" "Ha! Just what I wanted to hear! Let''s go!" "Yes, Instructor!!" I will become as strong as her! Lady Auros, Miss Erevain, NerinneI won''t just fulfill your expectations!! I will blow them away!! 1 day before the ball...(cue illustration of Kris slashing that lava ball!! Also, who was that mysterious maid?!) Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you are hungry for more, then head over to patreon! There you will find the first bite of "Waifu Bites!" in which you''ll get to read Nerinne''s first meeting with Ilya and vote for the idea that will be adapted for the next bite! Also, if you just want to support me and the story, you can also do so via Ko-Fi! Either way, it will help me keep writing Auros'' shenanigans! With that out fo the way...let''s check the results for the first Scribble Hub-RoyalRoad character poll! First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who voted! And if you couldn''t, don''t worry! There''s going to be one more poll when this volume ends! Now here is the winner with a total of 53 votes between both sites...GABRIELLE! "My, my! To think that I would be the one to be chosen by so many of you, dear masters. I am truly thankful to all of you. I swear to not squander your support and to keep delivering victories againstLeader dearest. Ohohohohoho! Next we have the runner up with a total of 49 votes between both sites...Erevain! First and foremost, thank you all for your steadfast support. For all you kept pushing forward regardless of how things seemed. I shall carry your valor in my heart, and I swear that I too will never bend the knee. As for you, Gabrielleshe who rests on her laurels is bound to be surprised. And in third place with a total of 35 votes between the two sites...Luca! thank youfor yoursupport! Idomy bestandnotdisappointanyof you! As for the fourth and fifth place...they were Ilya and Sophie! Thank you once again to those who voted! As you know, the winner will be sketched by LARH and will obtain an all new short story at the end of this revised volume! Please look forward both things! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa and Ayth! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 66: Going to a cathedral in an isekai. Can you guess the check? Yesterday was a busy day for the Maid-Knights. The stealth team was occupied gathering info on everyone who will attend to the ball. Meanwhile, the shopping team went back to the castle to get their new weapons and practice with them. Lastly, my team had a meeting with our collaborators, Lorelei, Sven, Locke-chan, Greese, and Lyra. I fluffed Lyra''s tail and ears of course. In any case, she reported that the sabotaging of New Glory''s information network was going as planned. Heh, distribute some logical half-truths and perfectly crafted fake reports here and there and misinformation will spread like wildfire. That is true no matter the world. I mean, anyone who has lived with internet long enough knows about this, courtesy of the abundance of fake and incorrect information. You know, like your ships. Unless they coincide with my own. If thats the case, then they are true, of course. Besto Waifu x Barbaric Healer FTW! Still, if the information is not the same at several levels of the organization, it will cause terrible misunderstandings and its overall efficiency will drop. Then add that we already have sabotaged their supply lines with the help of Lorelei, Sven and Locke-chan and thatll drop further. But thats not all, oh no, not at all. Their funding is also being bled out stealthily by Lorelei and Greese, who are doing it in the same clever ways they used to obtain said funding for New Glory. Except the extra-taxes. Those will be left alone, regrettably. At least, until after we finish with all of this. It will sure raise some alarms if we do it now. Besides that, all the pieces we need are in place now. New Glory will fall. And its head will help me do that. After all, the King will keep being foolish and will try to brave through these obstacles, further destabilizing his enterprise. Man, nothing says ''I''m being manipulated by the true villain'' like a sudden decrease in intelligence. Like, this guy is supposed to be the same person that handled the kingdom pretty well before doing all that crap. Oh well, that makes things even more isekai so it is fine. And just in time for the ball. But that is only part one of the climax. At least, that is what my instinct is telling me. "Fufufu~~, I am already working on the dresses you and your companions will wear that day." Don''t forget yours, darling. Even if you are not able to go, physically we can dance in my castle. No. We will dance. "Auros...indeed. That is certainly true, dear. Then, I will also make one for me and Ilya." Perfect. Back to our little summary, the prince has stopped sending spies to keep an eye on us after that first set of spies got the roulette treatment. He probably thought that what happened was a warning of some sort and was prudent enough to leave us alone until we showed our hand. Poor, poor prince, he doesn''t know that our hand was already all over this place the same day we arrived. Heh. Those two will surely be surprised. But I have this feeling that he will be forced to send someone when we go to the cathedral. And that is all on my part, Nerinne. "Fufufu~~ then it is my turn, right dear?" Yes. I need you to tell me something. What is behind that door? "That...I cannot tell you." Huh? Why? "While I have a strong suspicion of what it is, I cannot confirm it since Im unable to see behind that door." You cannot see? Oh...if my instinct is correct, then that means... "It is as you think, dear. It means the evil god''s influence is strong there." ____________________________________________ After that morning talk with darling, she gave me what I would be wearing for the day. So, I''ll put it on after using the private bath of steam censorship. Yes, the steam is moving to conveniently cover those areas. No, it''s totally not me playing around by mixing ice magic and fire magic to see if I can replicate steam censorship. Not at all. Look, its doing it as I wash my breasts, slowly, seductively, and gratuitously fan-servicey. Now, follow my hands as they move to my stomach and even lower. The soap dripping all over my body in an oh such ecchi bath scene way. Then, lets go for the closeup shot of my thighs and the rest of my legs. Next, we go for the buttocks and thehuhusteam-chan has conveniently decided to cover that one area. You want to see? Hehe...sorry. Finally, we conclude with the armpits that I know some of you like so much and my head, specifically my hair and horns, letting the water rinse away all the soap on it and the rest of my body. "Ah~~, that was a nice bath..." So, how was this fanservice dose? Eh? You want fanservice of the maids too? If its just me it will get boring, you say?!! It is already getting boring?!! YOUUUU...!!! YOU ARE RIGHT!! I TOO WANT MORE FANSERVICE WITH THE MAID-KNIGHTS!! I promise! It will happen!! I will make sure of it!! Ok?! Ok. Now, after I use some magic to dry myself and I start putting the underwear on. Of course, it is a dental floss black thong...again... It still feels weird... I suppose that Ill grow accustomed to it...even if that thought had never crossed my mind in my whole life before this. "Life is full of surprises, dear~~. One day you are buying the figure of your waifu wearing a thong and then next day you are the waifu wearing a thong. ''Full circle'' I believe that is the term you use." ... I should say that you are wrong, but I would be lying in my case... Although, this bra is something else, it really accentuates my chest. It makes me want to grope them...oh, I''m already doing it. Hnmm~~. So soft... W-wait, I can''t get into that kind of mood now! I need to get ready for the appointment at the cathedral...and You know what? Now that I think about it, I should take all the time I need. "Dear~~~, do not make Ludovica wait...lest you want a repeat of last time." "...!" Ugh...yeah...I dont want that. "I thought so. Ah, I do have some perfume too. Would you like to put it on, dear?" Hahaha, no. "Fufufu~~, it was worth trying." You cheeky Goddess. "Moving on, dear. You should praise me. Look at what I have prepared for you." Oh, lets see. For that, I exit the personal bath that is in my room and theres something materializing itself on top of the bed. They are clothes and...YOU BESTO GODDESS OF A GIRLFRIEND!! THE EDGE ALTER FORMAL DRESS!! JUST LIKE IN THE MAGNUM EVENT ART!!! "Praise me more, dear~~." OF COURSE, YOU CUTEST DARLING!! "Fufufu~~, I chose this one because of the occasion. You are not going to Ludovica''s chambers or teleporting in. You are going in through the main door at the behest of the Head of the Church. That is why the important Lady Auros Argento needs to look the part. Also, I knew you wanted to use a trench coat, so I factored that in too." I''M SO HAPPY THAT I WOULD HUG YOU!! But you can''t materialize here So, I''ll just summon my lance and hug it! "Come! Holy Lance: Nern!" *poof* Huuuuuuuug! There! "Fufufuhahaha...dear, you dummy...hahahahaha." Sorry if you expected some fanservice of me putting it on, but I can''t wait!! You should know why, right?! Let''s go!! OH! YES! THIS FEELS...SO GOOD...SO RIGHT...SO ISEKAI... MY TRENCHCOAT QUOTA FOR BEING AN ISEKAI PROTAGONIST HAS BEEN MET!!! CHEEEECK!!! ALSO, I LOOK FIERCE AND TIGHT IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES!! UMU. SO HOT. Just looking at myself in the mirror is arousing... Like my tightly enclosed chest But I must hold on! We have work to do and one more plan to put in motion given that certain development. And I know the right person to do it. _____________________________________________ "Allegra." Now that I have come out of my room, greeted everyone, and had some breakfast, I can do what I had in mind. And for that I call for one of my dear Maid-Knights. Oh, by the way, the shopping team just returned, and they brought the new weapons for the stealth team, Bertia''s and Erica''s, besides their own. The only exceptions were Sophie''s and Erevain''s because Roxxy said that those will take more time. Which is interesting if you ask me. After all, in the report Sophie gave me after returning from her morning training, Roxxy said that Erevains was going to take a bit longer to make just because of the moon tears properties and how they need to be forged. But in the case of Sophies, she said that it was going to a be a challenge. Just that. I tried to use my instinct but Nerinne told me the ''S'' word and I desisted. Anyways, Allegra is here. "Yes, Master? Is there anything you need? Ah, also, those clothes really suit you, Master." I KNOW RIGHT?! THEY LOOK SO AWESOME AND FEEL SO GOOD TO WEAR!! AhemI meanso says the purple haired maid standing in front of me. Still, Allegra is quite the cultured one indeed. One thing though... It is kind of funny just thinking how tall I look besides her...well...besides any of the maids. "Thank you for the compliment, Allegra. I have a job for you, but you will need to leave your team for it. Is that a problem?" I mean, I could simply order her to do it, but she has other responsibilities. As in, continuing with the information gathering. "Not at all, Master. I know I can leave it to Luca and the rest to fulfill your orders regarding information gathering." Her braid sways lightly as she shakes her head while saying that, her voice is full of confidence and her eyes show that calm warmth usual for her. "Hmph, very well. Then, I need you to go to your laboratory and create an airborne poison. Said poison needs to cover a big area and knock out everyone inside it for an hour. It must be colorless, odorless, quick to take effect, not leave any traces and dissipate quickly. And of course, it must bypass any resistances that some people may have." !! With every condition I set for the poison Allegras eyes grew shinier and shinier, and shes now clearly excited. Like, she might jump me at any time. Wait...looking at her legs I can see that she is holding back the impulse to do so! So cute! "To make use of my skills and laboratory this quickly...! And with such a tall order!! As expected of my trusted Master!! The possible recipes are already flowing through my head! Master is sure referring to that place, right? Of course, where else would it be? Master also probably wants it for today, right?! That is obvious too!! With which am I going to start? Rambue beast poison mixed with Lacine flower dust and Svarick mushroom? Or..." This girl is so excited that she is already gone to her own world and even answering her own questions! Nice! As a weeb I can sympathize completely. "Fufufu~~, I vouch for that claim." Yes, you would. "The question has a clear answer, but I shall make it anyway, can you do it?" "Ah Master, of course I can~~~. I ask my question firmly, and Allegra gives me an answer in a tone of voice so ASMR, that I feel a certain seductive ogre has graced me with her presence. Even with the same smile to boot!! Poison is truly my specialty after all~~~." Her ASMR power is sooo high!!! I can''t make some ''hnnnngh'' type of face here in the living room, so I have to use all my power to hold myself back. "*ahem*Good. Take this." With that, I use some spatial magic to procure a thing I had thought of making in my castle for some time now. A[Key]. One that has an intricate shape with a gem on the part where you grab it, andyou guessed it, its black. It is enchanted with my space magic and tuned to my castle. Which means, that they can use the [Key] to create a [Door] to any parts of the castle. How did I enchant and attune this thing, you ask? Well, I just let my instinct guide me through the complicated parts, but the gist of it is that the process is like bathing the object in my spatial magic and then paint the place you want it to be attuned to over it. Yeah, kind of weird, right? Well, its magic so it should be like that, right? "Allegra, I have attuned this [Key] to where your laboratory is in the castle. As such, you can reach your laboratory at any time you want. Of course, you can return to the place where you used it too." I put the key on her hands and look at her in the eyes before continuing with the following: "Do not lose it. Ever." "Not even in my death will they be able to take it from me, Master. This, I swear." She nods as she holds the key close to her heart and says that. Looking at her eyes, I believe her. ________________________________________________ Ok. Here we are. The Cathedral. Ludovicas playgroundI mean, base. What am I doing here? I do not know. "Fufufu~~ dear, I have been reading many of the novels that leaked out of your soul. Even those that dont have anything to do with the series we like so much. Yes, I know...you were quite vocal about Kono***ba... What can I say? I dont like the u word. Anyway, in those novels theres one thing many churches are known for and it is something that you can do in the churches of my world too. Something besides healing, dispelling curses, and so on, of course. Then that would be... "Being able to see your stats and those of your companions, dear~~." Ah...EEEEEEEEEH?!!! WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?!! LET''S GO!! To be continued...(cue chibi drawing of impatient Ludovica looking at the clock!) Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you are hungry for more, then go over to my patreon where you will find the first bite of "Waifu Bites!" in which you''ll get to read Nerinne''s first meeting with Ilya and vote for the idea that will be adapted for the next bite! Also, if you just want to support me and the story, you can also do so via Ko-Fi! No matter how big or small, your support truly helps me a lot. LARH is already working on Gabrielle''s sketch! It''ll go live first in my patreon and then here! Edit: LARH''s sketch of Gabrielle is now live on my patreon! She looks wonderful! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa and Ayth! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 67: IT CAN’T BE AN ISEKAI WITHOUT STAT SHEETS!! Something. Something. Stealth team gathering info. Something. Something. Allegra went to her lab. Something. Something. Something. Gabrielle''s team is with us now. Something. Something. Something. My team is here too. SomeAAAARGH COME ON!! DO I HAVE TO SAY ALL THAT?!! WE ARE AT A HAIR''S BREADTH OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISEKAI CHECKS!!! THERE YOU HAVE YOUR CONTEXT!! NOW, LET''S GET TO THE GOOD PART!!! Eh? Do I really have to describe it? Really? It is just a cathedral with the typical pseudo-european-gothic architecture with a bit of fantasy seasoning...you know like the rest of the city. If you have seen one, then you have seen them all. It doesn''t have anything special. "Fufufu~~, I do not know if I should feel offended by that." Ah! No! It does have something special! It praises my lovable girlfriend! Even if there is not even one image of her true appearance... Seriously. The ''bundle of light with eyes'' interpretation of her is the most popular. So much so, that is even carved in the doors, the arc of the door, and so on. I really feel sorry for the inhabitants of this world that will never know her true beauty, because she is that beautiful. "Much better, dear~~." Phew... Now, can I get to just skip this and go straight to the stats? No? WHY ARE YOU LIKE THAT?!!! YOU WANT ME TO DESCRIBE THE OVER THE TOP WELCOMING WE ARE RECEIVING RIGHT NOW?! FINE!! """""WELCOME LADY ARGENTO! MAY THE LOVE OF THE GODDESS BE UNTO YOU!"""""" HA! YOU HAVE NO IDEA! I mean... THERE ARE TWO ROWS OF PALADINS, ONE ON EACH SIDE, HOLDING THEIR SWORDS UPWARD AS THEY SHOUTED THAT! I DON''T KNOW WHERE, BUT I AM SURE THERE IS AT LEAST ONE OF YOU WHO HAS THIS FETISH, SO ENJOY!! THRE IS EVEN A RED CARPET FOR DARLING''S SAKE!! There you have it...we are getting the VIP treatment and letting even more people catch sight of us with all the attention this is drawing. Good. Goooood. I can already hear some of the people admiring my and the Maid-Knight''s beauty. I would love to linger here a bit more, but I shudder when I think what will Ludovica do if we make her wait any longer. Let''s just walk through it at an adequate, but fast pace. "I hazard to guess that her Holiness is receiving us with this high regard to further reinforce our cover story, My Lord. Not only for the people of the capital, but for those in high positions that are looking from afar. With this it will be almost impossible to doubt you, for doing so would mean doubting her Holiness and in turn the Church, My Lord." Walking a step behind me and to my right, theres Erevain. She looks as composed as always, carrying herself in a dignifying manner while we walk towards the big wooden door at the end of this red carpet. She truly exudes not only the air of a leader but of a noble too. And yes, if they see that Im being treated this way by the Head of the Church, then many people will immediately accept that we have an important position. Some might get a bit curious, but they will not get anything else besides the information that we have deliberately leaked about us. "That must be the case. But even if there was no such thing as that cover story, this is the appropriate way to receive my dear Master. If they knew our true identities or Master''s, this welcoming would be grander in a way." Gracefully walking a step behind me, but this time to my left, we have the gorgeously smiling Gabrielle. Of course, such a way of doing so fits her. She is also holding both of her hands near her stomach, just like some high-class women and maids do. And the air she exudes is enough for anyone to have a lasting impression of her. "I agree in the aspect that this situation is most convenient for us as it shall give us more public exposure. Something that will truly help us in tomorrows ball, given that Master is a mostly unknown person. But I disagree about the rest, Gabrielle. That would only cause Master to waste time being drowned in protocol." Says Erica, who is covering my back. She is also walking in a dignified way, but the way she carries herself drives home the image of a loyal and capable maid. Even more so than Gabrielle or Erevain. Which is obvious considering that that was kind of her job even before joining me. Well, a butler, but yeah. She is also right, there is no way that arriving to the capital and declaring myself as one sent by the Goddess wouldn''t bring me annoying things as consequence. Like political posturing and so on. I prefer it this way. We can act without having the eyes of everyone on us, in that kind of way at least. Moving on, Mika and Lucy are in the back of the formation, and they arewell, just look. "Hello~~! Good day to you too!" "Lucy, stop doing that! There is no need!" "Eh, but why? Helloooo~~!!" "Lucy!" Yep, theyre doing their thing. Lucy is waving her hand to some of the children looking at us and Mika is trying to scold her while not looking her way, but to no avail. And a slightly annoyed Bertia is in the middle of them. "Master, why do I have to be between these two...?" So she asks lamenting herself. Sorry Bertia, I thought you could act as a barrier to stop their adorable antics, but I can see that wasn''t the case. Anyways, I would describe how beautiful is the entrance to the cathedral, or how even the floor has beautiful designs on it, but I really, really, just want to go to the place where I can see the stats of everyone! "Patience is a virtue, dear~~~." Says the Goddess who got furious after her favorite character didn''t show up after one hundred ten rolls in the gacha. "You...! That was not my fault!! It is the gacha''s fault for not giving me my Batty-chan!!" Heh. Oh, we are finally about to enter the proper cathedral. I nod in gratitude to the paladin who opened the door for us, and I enter first, with the Maid-Knights following behind me. The interior of this place looks as you would expect, except for the part where the religious idol and the person giving the service usually is, the podium so to speak. It is not elevated. As in there are no steps to separate the religious idol and the priest from the crowd. They are all at the same level. Also, the religious idol is coming from the very floor instead of being above it with a base, giving the impression that it is growing from the ground. Or, if we are to get a bit symbolistic about it, that it is a part of the world. "Of course, dear. Only an egocentric god would require a couple of steps to reinforce their superiority complex or ones who have low self-esteem. My people know that I am their Goddess, they know that our positions are different, but I have no need to further stablish myself as above them. To separate myself from them in that manner is something I will never seek. After all, I love them." I know. I can see it in the murals. Things you actually did. Like your fight against the evil god. The purification of an ancient plague. The bestowal of the blessing that let the Demon Lord teleport the people of the nations that were falling against the Dragon Lords and so on. I am glad there are no great floods or locusts'' swarms... "Fufufu~~of course not. Those type of punishments are so old and ineffective. Many Gods even shared their experiences using those and came to that conclusion. It was also shown to have the opposite effect." OofI have a feeling that Yawue was there...man, that must have been awkward... "He was actually the acting head of that investigation; he truly regrets his actions and used that regret to teach other Gods in what not to do. I find it commendable if you ask me, dear." That does sound like a good way to redeem himself. Good job, Yawue! Oh, theres a mural of you teaching the races magic and such on the other wall. "Fufufu~~, that was such an interesting time. The people''s curiosity and imagination really took on a physical form back then." Yes, I bet it was. Oh, I can also see the tenets you told me and more. Love anyone. Love them seriously. Love them passionately. Love them loyally. Love them through forgiveness. Love them through redemption. Love them. "Yes, dear. Love will always be what moves this Church." Good. I truly despise those isekai Churches that only serve as deaf one-off villains. Even worse, the old fat ugly popes who run them. Oh man, if they were here, I would''ve made it my first priority to pretty much destroy them and block any kind of future volume with them as villains... Ugh...just remembering the things they do, like the clich heroine kidnapping, make me want to roll my eyes so hard. "Oh my, my, then I must feel relieved that my church is nothing like that. All thanks to the efforts of Ludovica and the ones who came before her. Of course, I did have a hand on it, but they deserve most of the credit. They really wanted to help me achieve this and that is something I will always be grateful for." I am glad you say that darling but... it also makes me feel a bit guilty. "Why, dear?" Well, I am your girlfriend...and they do not know so... "Oh, you dummy. There is no need to feel guilty about that, dear. Everyone has personal things that you do not need to discuss with everyone. Even a Goddess has those, you know? And as Yawue said, the perception of our relationship from the point of view of the Gods is that it is normal. Not that I would care about their opinions though, fufufu~~." Yes...I suppose its just me getting a bit starstruck by all the things in the cathedral. But hey, you could say Im dating the besto idol of this world! That is cool, right? "Fufufu~~indeed, dear. Oh, I do know how to sing, so maybe I will give you some service as your reward for this stage clear~~~." OH! YES!! Also, we are now in front of Ludovica, who is wearing her official clothes, which make her actually look the part. But there is no big hat or something like that, it is more about the incredibly intricate design that her robe has and the holy aura it gives off. It is mainly red with white and gold in some parts. It feels similar, yet weaker, to my holy lance. So, I guess it must be made from blessed cloth in its entirety. She is currently using her ''work face'', so she is making a solemn expression. "l bid you welcome to this humble cathedral, house of our beloved Goddess Nerinne, Lady Auros Argento." Let''s just maintain the expression I have right now and follow the non-existent script. For that, I will bow respectfully and speak with a formal tone without a single bit of familiarity on it. You could even say that I will sound cold too. Well, it is all to show that I am aware of her position. "Thank you, yourHoliness." "Guh..." Hm? Did Ludovica just twitched when I addressed her in that way? Was she expecting me to call her ''Ludovica'' in this official-type event? This gal...letslets just continue "*ahem* Thank you for this reception. I am humbled that your Holiness deemed a person such as myself worthy of something as important as your time. Now she is trembling...wait! Don''t tell me! She is trying to hold back from jumping at me in the way she does?! ! Crap, I instinctively put my right arm over my tightly enclosed chest! Let''s just make it look like a respectful salute! There is a bit of an audience here, so I must quickly correct any mistake I make. Said audience is some priests, the usual paladins, and a group of civilians that was permitted entry. One that obviously has spies from New Glory mixed in, heh. "Oh, there is no need to say that. After all, it is proper for me to receive my guests in this manner, even if it is a simple formality." She says so while clearly trying to hold back her usual gal-like smile. But the smugness in her eyes give me an idea of what is going inside her head. I bet she is thinking something like ''Nee~~, nee~~, this what I can do, are you impressed~~? Praise me~~~. Yeah, something like that. I, on the other hand, respond to those eyes with a cold gaze and smile. "Even then, I am thankful for such formality and for your Holiness agreeing to take us to such important ball. I truly look forward to meeting the person in charge of the magnificent place that is the Kyrie Kingdom." That is true. I mean, we would''ve attended even without invitation, but it is nice to have one. That way we can meet that foolish king and his lackeys without needing to go the stealth way. "Yes, that is our subject for today. As my guests, the King of this nation has refrained from asking for your presence before him, but it is expected of me to introduce you to him and the rest of the important figures of this nation. After all, they have proven to be great allies in our endeavors and the fight against the common enemy that are the Dragon Lords. And they will most likely be great allies for your nation too." Man, this seriously is just a show for the spies, but she is truly selling it. Well, except at the beginning with her twitching. She doesn''t look like it, and she sure didn''t give me that impression, but she is indeed quite smart to do this. "That is what my nation seeks, as we are finally able to give our support to the Draconic Front and all the nations who have allied themselves to fight in it. We shall not be bound by the isolationist views of our past anymore. Views that forced us to only care about our borders and not about our brothers...something that I most regret. Thus, we shall shed blood together in the same battlefield and show the Dragons Lords the meaning of fear." How about that? "Fufufu~~, it sounded fine, dear. The spies are even taking notes." Heh, I''m glad it sounded believable. I used a bit from a novel I read with some ad-lib here and there. "Perfect, Lady Auros. Please, let us move to my private chapel so that we can commemorate this event in communion with the Goddess." She moves her hand as she says that, showing us the way to a hall at her left. "As you wish, your Holiness." Sorry spies, the show is over for you and you know it. Oh, but do try to infiltrate the private chapel of the Head of the Church. I won''t reject scaring some of you since it is fun. _______________________________________________ We walk a little a bit and as I thought, the spies have given up on following us due to the sheer number of paladins guarding the area. Well, I also gave them a little scare with a healthy dose of pinpointed intimidating pressure just a bit ago. Still, if Sophie had been here, she might have used her roulette, but... "No vomit in my cathedral, dear. Or I will get mad." ...that. In any case, we have arrived at a place that can pass as another simple room from the outside. But that ceases to be the case as the doors open before us and an altar is the first thing that greets us. Not only that, but it has a strange looking crystal ball on top of it. Also, the place doesn''t have any windows, so it is lit by magical torches that turn on as we enter. Besides that, it really does look like a small chapel. And as one would expect of a place like that, theres a carving of Nerinnes bundle of light with eyes on the wall behind the altar. Nowgiving a closer look to the transparent crystal ball, I feel like saying the following from the bottom of my heart: Please tell me that crystal ball is the way to see the stats! Please tell me that crystal ball is the way to see the stats!! "It is, dear." YES!! "Aaah~~. Meanwhile, the Holy Gal starts stretching as if she had done some great physical labor, but we all know she didn''t. That sure was tiring...but tricking those spies and giving you a bit more of legitimacy will work wonders tomorrow. Riiiight~~, Auros?" Aaaand the gal tone is back...great... "Hmph. I shall admit that it was a good move, Ludovica. But that cannot be the only reason we are here. Right?" I already know the answer to that question though. "Heeeh~~, straight to the point I see. Yes, it as you say. I invited you here today because the Goddess asked me to show you something. She said that you would be quite excited, so I totes said yes!" As she says that, she starts walking towards the altar with the crystal ball. "Although, I wanted to play a bit with you before doing this, but..." *STARE* *STARE* *STARE* Her words stop abruptly as her gaze falls on Gabrielle, Mika, and Bertia, who are completely vigilant and look ready to move the moment Ludovica tries to jump on me. Thank you, girls!! "it seems that some of your maids have mistaken our beautiful super friendship with something else. Such a misunderstanding...is totes bad~~~. So, I will give them a good impression of me today, yes~~, yes~~! Now, raise your hand if you know what this is." She says so while pointing at the crystal ball and every single Maid-Knight immediately raises their hands, which causes Ludovica to giggle. Hmmthis is surprising for me, I imagined that only Erevain, Erica and Mika would raise them, but it seems I was wrong. "Heeeh~~, then please..." Before continuing, she looks at each of the maids and then her gaze falls specifically on one, all while never losing that friendly smile of hers. "...Miss Mika. Tell us what it is." Hearing that, Mika takes a step forward, pushes her glasses in the classic way, and starts. "That is a crystal of revelation, your Holiness. If infused with blessed power, it can reveal information about themselves to those who touch it. That information can be either already known or things that one ignored. It can also be used to see who is worthy of becoming certain classes, like a Knight or a Paladin. In that case, the result will appear as a light blue writing floating above the crystal." "Correct~~~." Says Ludovica with a cheerful tone. Also, that''s our class president-type Maid-Knight for you! Her strict, disciplined, and studious aura is not for nothing! "The Goddess told me that something exciting for you will happen when you touch it, Auros. So, come on and touch it! I want to see it too! Yes~~~, yes~~~!" FINALLY!!! "Hmph, you do not have to say it twice. But I need to ask for permission first! So, I turn around and ask the following while facing them: My comrades, do I have your permission to look over your information?" Yes, I mean, it is considered bad manners to do so without permission in most of the novels I have read. Even if the protagonist almost always keeps doing it despite that. That''s funny because its not as if there isn''t something similar in our world. Wouldn''t you get mad if someone looked inside your phone, your private documents, your e-mail and so on? It''s like that. So, asking for their permission before the fact is important, even if I am all excited about it. I am a respectable adult after all! What? Stop laughing every time I say that!! It''s true!! Its funny because I overhear when people murmur to themselves? Well...yeah it is a bit hypocritical, but I''m only human...no...well, you get the figure of speech. Also, overhearing someone is sometimes unavoidable, op senses or not. "Of course, My Lord. There is no need to ask." Says Erevain with her princess-like smile. Ahh "My, it is as Leader says. I am an open book for you, my dear Master." Says Gabrielle with an ojou-sama smile and tone. Ahhtimes two The rest nod and give me permission in their own ways too. "Thank you." I say with full honesty before turning around once again, quickly walking towards the altar where the crystal ball is. The crystal ball starts glowing softly the moment my hand starts getting closer to it and when I finally put my hand on it, the light grows more intense, covering it completely. All as the ball turns from completely transparent into a pure white one. "I knew it! Auros is totes like me!! No one else could activate it without a chant except for me, but now...! I''m so happy!" Yep, she does look quite happy about that, to the point that her eyes are a bit teary out of joy...and of course, she is already hugging me. "..." Oh well, I''ll let it slide since she looks so happy and I''m getting what I wanted. Now crystal show me the stats!! *TSIN* "This is...!" All the pact-tattoos that are hidden throughout my body have started to shine with a white glow too! And now the Maid-Knights'' information is passing through my mind at an absurd speed! Its like I am reading everything as I download it all at the same time! I guess that someone of this world would get overwhelmed by something like this. But for me, a nerd that farmed in multiple accounts, worked on a thesis, and cared for Nana at the same time, this is nothing!! "...!" All this info!! Their skills, their spells, everything!! THIS IS IT GUYS!! THIS IS THE ISEKAI CHECK THAT WAS MISSING!!! I AM BARELY RESISTING THE DESIRE TO WRITE THIS ALL DOWN IN THE TYPICAL ISEKAI FORMAT!! Why? Because it is bad that is more efficiently served as information in your brain instead of a clunky video game interface separated in tabs. One that makes said information needlessly slower to access with either a touch interactive interface or by thought. How am I to show that this is an isekai if the status screen is invisible?! Oh! Just thinking about it is making it appear that way in my mind! NNNN...FUCK IT, LET''S DO IT! I immediately summon some pen and paper from my personal space, and I start writing everything down. The first one is Erevain! Strength: BS Intelligence: A Agility: CA Mana: BSS Endurance: ASS Constitution: BSS Passive skills: Leadership: A Royal Presence: A Strategist: A Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: CSS* (SSS with a full moon) True Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: ASS Combat Enchantment Enhancement MK: AS*(SS with a full moon) Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Moon Enhancement Steadfast Guard: A (NEW!) Combat Magic Enhancement MK: BS* (SS with a full moon) Mana Regeneration: S (NEW!) Defense Magic Enhancement MK: ASS* (SSS with a full moon) Sword Technique: B Shield Technique: A Saintess Mana Control Technique: B Abnormal Status Resistance: S Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Glaring TerrorHidden Glaring Terror: S ???? ???? Active skills: Enhance Constitution: BS Shielded Moon Fusillade: ASS Enhance Strength: CA Crescent Moon Slash: BS Enhance Shield Skills: AS Shield Bash: BS Enhance Sword Skills: BS Shield Charge: A Enhance Defense: BS Full Moon Slash: AS Enhance Elemental Resistance: CS Mystic Counter: AS Triple Effect: CS Mystic Fortress: ASS Shielders Will: ASS Juggernauts Will: CA Mystic Knights Trance: ASS Unique traits: Unaging (Race). Unbreakable Will. Moonlight Attribute Magic. Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight. Blessing for the worthy: Future Regent. Blessing of Nerinne. Blessing of the Moon Spirit. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Earth Attribute Magic. Moonlight Atribute Magic. Astral Magic. Spells: Magic Shield Moonlight Blast Moonlight Veil Collapse Earth Earths Bulwark Astral Barrier Astral Reflection One blessed by the Moon, Crown Prince, Regents Firstborn, Child of the Saintess, Saintess Trainee, Survivor of the Saintess Training, Son of the White Glaring Terror, Black Glaring Terror, White Glaring Terrors Trainee, White Glaring Terrors Training Graduate, Steadfast Warrior, Juggernaut, Shielder, Mystic Steadfast Warrior, Unattainable Prince, Rival of the Red Scourge and the Pain Bringer, Knight, Mystic Knight, Knight Leader, Fallen Prince, Traitor Prince, Bandit Leader (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lords Right Hand Woman, Second Heroine (Goddess Decree), Head Maid, Head Maid Knight, Leader of the Maid Knights, Princess Maid, Knight of the Moon Spirit, Queen Lookalike, The one who stands against the Eternal Winter, Fated Rival of a Dragon Lord, The one who did not bend against the absurd, Holder of EX-Guts, Beauty among beauties. Moon Spirit, huh. So that is the administrator you talked about, darling. The one who saved Erevain. "Indeed. The Spirits are my familiars, and they help me maintain the world. Each magical attribute has one, but other aspects of the world do too. In time, you will come to know them. Specially the Moon Spirit, she is a curious one. Oh? Now that sounds interestingwell, all of them do. Cant wait to meet them. Fufufu~~, I knew you would say that dear. Heh, thank you for not letting me spoil myself back at the inn. Still, that was tiring to write by hand...and I still have five more to go... Be careful what you wish for, dear~~. But I know that you can write down all those stats! How was it? Ah! Ganbare~~! Yeah, yeah...lets do this! To be continued...(cue Auros rapidly writing down the other sheets while the others watch in curiosity) Glossary Entry #23: Ganbare: A Japanese word that can be translated to Do your best! Go for it!, it can also be used to wish someone good luck. Although, it will probably not get you that unit in the gacha that you want so much. I already had images for the stat sheets, but then I realized they would end dark mode readers, so I decided to redo them here...ahahaha...sorry for the delay. Anyways...thank you for reading! I bet you can already guess whose stat sheet is next, right? It is no coicidence that her sketch is coming out tomorrow too! Please look forward to it! Also, don''t worry, the next stat sheets will come at the end of the chapter. But don''t discard them so easily, you might miss out on some interesting bits and perhaps...even bonus super short stories within them. In any case, if you are hungry for more, then head over to my patreon! There you will find the first bite of "Waifu Bites!" in which you''ll get to read Nerinne''s first meeting with Ilya and vote for the idea that will be adapted for the next bite! The one winning right now is "''I''ll make maids out of you!'' Erica''s crash course!". Also, if you just want to support me and the story, you can also do so via Ko-Fi! Either way, it will help me keep writing Auros'' shenanigans! This chapter was brought to you by: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa and Ayth! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 68: A meal with the prince?! With a high chance of needles?!! NOPE!! "Done." Ha...that was tiring...on the mind... I really miss the convenience of writing things on a keyboard rather than by hand Of course, I only wrote down the stats sheets for the Maid-Knights that are here. As for the rest, Ill ask for their permission later. I mean, their info is already in my head, so I did read bit when it all flowed into my mind, but I refuse to access it completely and write it down until I have said permission. For those curious, I made a floating solid space ''block'' to act as a table instead of using the altar. "Nee~~, nee~~, let your super best friend see what you wrote down! I totes want to know since there were so many lights and you looked so serious while writing!" Says Ludovica, who didn''t stop hugging me all this time and she has now casually squeezed herself under my arm. The reason? She couldn''t reach the top of my shoulders. She did try and in a rather...cute way...but gave up. "Hmph, there was nothing unexpected. The crystal of revelation fulfilled its purpose. Nothing more. Nothing less." I say so while grabbing the sheets of paper and accommodating them nicely. "That still makes me curious!! Nee~~, neee~~, I did a good job today; can''t you consider showing it to me as a reward?" She is shaking in expectation like a little kid...this gal...she probably is way older than me and she is acting like this... Well, that bit is fine by me since Im a weeb familiar with the young-looking old lady type of character. Even one of my waifus was a member of that type. Of course, that was before finding true wisdom with besto waifu. She was a certain vampire with a voice you just wanted to kiss and a really long name. Can you guess it in a shot? Heh. But sadly, I can''t find that charm on Ludovica... "Nuu~~, I feel that you are thinking something very rude, Auros." "No, I was not." How the heck is it that they can do that?! Erevain does it. Sophie does it. Now Ludovica too. I really don''t think that I am that easy to read! Or am I?! GrrI better put her attention elsewhere, so lets turn around and ask my Maid-Knights for their permission to show this gal their info. "Do you mind if I do it?" "I know you don''t mind, right~~?" So says Ludovica while trying to look cute by smiling and winking, but that is only making her look more and more like gal to me. Heck, I can almost see the gal-like filter that she would use if she were to take a selfie while making that pose. "I do not mind, My Lord. Her Holiness is someone that can be trusted, even if she is somewhat quirky." Eresh~~~, I so knew you wouldnt mind! Overjoyed by Erevains response, Ludovica exclaims that while trying to go and hug her, but I stop her by pulling her from the back of her robes neck like a puppy. Yep, that means she under my arm again. "My, I do mind, but if my dear Master wishes to do so, then there is no problem." Says Gabrielle with an apparent smile, but I can clearly feel her hostility towards Ludovica. Although...it feels like the same hostility that she showed to Erevain not too long ago. So, does that mean that she considers Ludovica as a rival? Nonononononono, no! She is nowhere near that position!! You can rest easy, Gabrielle!! Forget about what happened when we arrived!! It is not like that!!! She is only a pervert and maybe, just maybe, the one to fulfill the ''wacky friend'' position! Nothing more! "Rude." AGAIN?! HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?! ALSO, STOP TRYING TO PINCH ME! IT JUST TICKLES!! I AM NOT GOOD WITH TICKLES!! "PFFT!" CRAP! !" THAT SHINE IN HER EYES!! "Heee~~~, a weakness!! HOLY TICKLE BARRAGE!" NOOOO! STOO! "PFFT! HAHA! NNNHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ST-STOP HAHAHAHAHAHA!" THIS GAL! SHE IS TICKLING ME ALL OVER MY TORSO AND RIBS!! "STOP! HAHAHAHHAHA! NOOO! HAHAHAHAHA!" "THERE! Ah! Ehehe! Got the papers~~~!" She used the chance my reeling of laughter gave her and took them! "You...!" Grrnot only am I still holding my stomach, but since she made me laugh to tears my face is all red now Lets justlets just look at how my maids are reacting to this Lucy, Erica and Erevain look happy. Erevain even looks beet red. Did she like to see me laugh? I think so, judging by the so you can make that kind of face too look she is giving me now andahhIm getting even redder now, so lets move on to the next maid Bertia looks...jealous? Ah, but in the aw that looks fun kind of way. Meanwhile, Gabrielle is clearly annoyed, although I commend her for not reacting violently. Even if she has never done so in front of me, it is still commendable. Making Master laugh before me, but...nnn...she looked so adorable... She is also murmuring that. Now, that, is an internal conflict. Although, it also makes this more embarrassing for me...I''m glad that I cant get any redder than I currently am. Mika seems irritated but is clearly holding back her desire to scold Ludovica. "Now let''s see~~. Umm? What is this? Aurooos~~, why can''t I read any of this?" I cant help but smile at the look of confusion that she is giving me now. Heh, because it is written in a language I only know, of course. A logical precaution to take when valuable information is in physical format, as you would understand. All in case it is stolen. I say so while fixing my posture, crossing my arms under my chest, and giving her a smug smile as revenge! So sweet! "Eeeeh~? But...but...my blessing is supposed to help me understand all the languages of the people of Arte. I even studied them all very hard despite of my blessing...so how come there is one I don''t understand?" Muahahaha! She looks so confused! Just like a kid who opened their Christmas gift thinking that it was surely a Gameboy Advance, but it was damn pair of socks inside the box of a Gameboy Advance!! That was a bad joke, Nana!!! "Fufufu~~, your grandmother sounds quite fun." She was, she really was. Anyways, I can''t tell Ludovica that it is precisely because the language I used to write the stats in is not from this world. Normally, Nerinne''s blessing lets me subconsciously write in the language of the receptor, but if I focus, I can still write inlet''s say, English. And that is what I did. Still, it must be weird to hear her speak in English while saying that she doesnt understand it, but dont worry, that is just another isekai thing. Now, if that language turned out to be so OP for written magic or enchantments, then that would be and isekai check! Wait...it is not kanji based, so maybe not? Hmm... Oh well, time to move really quickly and take back the stat sheets from Ludovicas hands. There. "Aurooos, you are so mean...I thought we were friends..." She says so while looking at me with puppy eyes... "Dear, do not bully Ludovica more than necessary." But it is necessary! "No, it is not. Besides, I know it is a repeat of before, but you do think of her as a friend deep in your heart. After all, you act more relaxed with her." ... Finee... "We are friends, Ludovica. But I think it will be better to wait after we finish with what is happening in the capital before telling you and showing you everything." I say so while hitting her softly in the head with papers, in an obviously endearing way. "Nuuu~~~, you promise?" She is looking up at me now... She also looks cute... NO! Take that out of your head! Ah, I''m already looking away while putting one of my hands on my forehead...I give up...it seems this tsundere reactions of mine are instinctual... "Y-yes, I promise." "Ehehehe, then it is fine, Auros~~." She says that with a big smile on her face. ________________________________________________________ After that promise with Ludovica, we discussed with everyone about the time and place where we will meet before going to the ball. We also confirmed the dress code and so on. But then we were interrupted by someone knocking at the door. It was a paladin, and he had a letter for me. Sadly for Ludovica, that same paladin was also there to take her to her next appointment. As such, she had to say goodbye to us right there in the chapel and missed the chance to see what the letter was about. As for us, we are now walking towards the Cathedrals exit. "An invitation to a meal with Prince Licht, My Lord?" Says Erevain with a surprised expression. "Indeed, that is what the letter is." "May I, My Lord?" I nod at her question and give her the letter, which she immediately opens with care, her expression turning serious as she reads it. "It was written by Mary, but this is indeed Prince Licht''s seal..." She is referring to her brother like that as a precaution, but Mary is a different case because not many people know her name. Which is normal if you think about it. Just ask yourself, how many people in your city know you by name? It''s like that. And no, I am not referring to your online name like Nyancat69 or something like that, heh. "Hmph, he is most probably planning to ascertain my motives for being here and such. Although, I cannot dismiss the possibility of him trying to pressure an answer out of me. As useless as that may be. I say so as I fix my gaze on the opened wooden door of the Cathedral or more like on the black-haired maid that is waiting there. "My, my, such a rash move for someone who I thought to be moremeticulous. He has truly changed in a disappointing way through the years I see." Says Gabrielle in a concerned and even sad tone. She has been Erevain''s friend since they were studying, so I guess she knew Licht in a more personal way. "No, he is capable of using any option available. Even if those options are terrible, like!" Erica, who was in the middle of talking, falls silent when her eyes catch sight of the black-haired maid I mentioned before. She has gone wide eyed and is now clenching her lips. I can even feel her dormant anger slowly waking up. "...Mary." She whispers that as she starts clenching her fists andthis can be bad if we dont do something about it. "Erica." "Erica." So both Erevain and I do just that, and immediately call out to her while putting our hands on her shoulders, making her snap out of it for the most part. "I...apologize, Master, Leader. I thought I had moved on, but..." She looks down as she says that. "There is no need, I understand how you feel in this very moment, Erica. I do. There are so many questions I would like to ask her and some not in an acceptable manner..." So admits Erevain with a heavy look in her eyes. "Feelings like those will always leave mark even if we think they are gone, you are not at fault." I say so with complete honesty. "Thank you, I...will do better." Then, she looks at both of us before saying that and nods, to which we answer with a nod of our own. With that done, I look again at the maid who is waiting by the entrance and she is looking back at us with those red ruby eyes of hers. Its clear that shes studying us. Stillthats MaryErevain''s childhood friend...the one who changed sides and is now helping the apparent traitor of a brother she has. I say apparent because I did tell Erevain that I would support her in her belief that Licht wasn''t able of betraying her. Even if I think that Licht is a yandere brother-con. Also, she might have regained her composure now that we are about to reach the entrance, but Erevain did have a complex expression on her face just a moment ago, one made of a bundle of feelings that hasnt left her eyes completely. All as her gaze is directed at Mary. "Good afternoon, esteemed Lady Argento. My name is Mary Ibaaru and I am his Highness'' personal attendant. I have come to take you to the meeting place where the meal will be held." Says Mary after she respectfully bows. She is also looking at me in the eyes without showing any sort of reaction. Just like she did not show any reaction to Erevains resemblance of Queen Theresa. "Good afternoon to you too, Miss Mary. But I must say that sadly, with this being such a sudden invitation, I will not be able to present his Highness with the gifts from my country that I had prepared, for I do not have them on my person right now. Will that be a problem? So I say while sticking to my cover story. "Not at all, his Highness, the Prince, knows that his invitation was a sudden one, so those parts of the protocol shall be ignored for today." She shakes her head lightly as she says that, always maintaining a proper tone. "Will one of my maids be able to accompany me or is this a more personal invitation?" I would like to bring Erevain with me but... "The Prince indeed wishes for a more personal meeting. Even I will be dismissed when the Prince arrives to the meeting place. It is all to ensure a friendly environment for the conversation that will take place." ...that is what I was expecting. "My, my. Then I do not see why one of us cannot be standing in wait wherever you will be doing so. After all, you should understand that far from protocol, it is but common sense for our Master to have one of us at hand. Be it for menial tasks or...protection." Ok, I did not expect this sharp stab from Gabrielle. And yes, she is still smiling, but she has opened her eyes and those...those are not smiling. But again, Mary shows no reaction other than glancing at Gabrielle for just a moment. "Indeed, I do understand such concerns and my Master does too. That is why he has instructed me to leave the premises in their entirety the moment he arrives. His words being...''as a sign of absolute trust between our nations, let us enjoy a true conversation in equal conditions''." "Hooh~~..." ''I''ll risk myself, so you risk yourself too'', huh. But going by everyone''s image of him, he is not that arrogant to go with just that. No, he clearly has something else planned. And I want to see it. "Very well then. Gabrielle, Eresh, everyone, please return to the inn. I shall summon you after the meal ends." I say so while turning around and facing them. "Of course, My Lady. We shall be waiting for your summons. And we wish for a successful meeting between both parties." So says Erevain after seeing the glow of interest in my eyes and probably deducing that I will not budge, all as she bows in a proper manner and everyone else follows her lead. "This way, Lady Argento." Says Mary motioning at a carriage with her hand. And so, we both get inside of it. __________________________________________________ It has not been that long since we got inside the carriage, but Mary, who was looking out the window, has now turned her attention to me. "If I may, one of Lady Argento''s maids looked as if she had seen a ghost when she saw me. Was she alright?" If one only went with her words, one would think she is saying them with some concern in her tone, but there is none. She is also clearly referring to Erica. So, I smile at her, all while feeling how my eyes are starting to glow and change color slowly. But I quickly hold that back and speak. "She is alright, thank you for your concern. Although, I do not think it was a ghost, but more like an ogre." Her eyes widen just a small bit with my words. But that is not all, one of her hands also twitched lightly, it is most likely her instinct telling her to form a fist, but she has successfully held back. "Has she never seen an ogre before?" She asks with a tone just a bit more intense than before. It is still barely within the borders of proper, though. Huhu I giggle lightly and shake my head. "On the contrary, she grew up with one. She was like a sister to her, but then that same sister betrayed her, leaving her alone to be captured by lizardmen. I do not want to think what would have happened to her if my head maid had not found her in time." Her eyes widen a bit more and I can also sense a bit of nervousness coming from her. Still, she is quite good at hiding her emotions for the most part, even if her body language is starting to betray her. "That is a truly woeful story. I apologize, Lady Argento." "No need." Oh, but even if you apologize, you are now curious, and no matter how much you try to bottle up that curiosity, there is something opening that lid. Your guilt. Come on, ask me the question that is now stuck in your throat. Try and seek for an answer to that which ails your heart. "...Lady Argento...if I may ask a question..." Hook, line, and sinker. "Of course." I say maintaining my smile, one that even reaches my eyes. "If Lady Argento were to find that ogre, what would be your plan of action?" "Oh, that is simple. I would listen to her reason and if it is something done for the greater good, then I might spare her life. But if not, I would end her life right where she stands." I say so while liberating a small quantity of intimidating pressure, which puts her in a more alert state, but my words do pierce through her combat instincts and she immediately lowers her head lightly. "Yes...that would be the proper way to act in that case. After all, she did betray those she considered family..." A heavy smile forms on her face as she says that. And I believe that we will not talk anymore for whats left of the way. _____________________________________________ The place where the meal will be held is a luxurious restaurant near the palace. It seems Erevain''s brother asked to have the whole place for himself because I did not see anyone else. And all the staff was in the kitchen, holding a meeting. At least that is what my OP senses told me. Which means that was the case. But I digress. I was guided by Mary to a private room where there was a table, two chairs, and a teapot with perfectly timed ready-to-be-served tea. And so, she served me said tea and left the room with the expected polite words of the Princes soon arrival. But I know she was lying. Why? Because the tea I am currently drinking is poisoned. My instinct is telling me that it is meant to make me sleep. It doesn''t have any effect, though. Thanks to my OP [Abnormal Status Resistance]. Mary is also probably waiting for the tea to take effect as she is currently just outside of the room. She doesn''t know that I can even hear her heartbeat. And so, I wait... And wait... And wait a bit more, until the door to the room opens once again and Mary enters the room whileWHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE?!! SYRINGES?? SHE IS TRYING TO DRUG ME?! EVEN AFTER ''POISONING'' ME?!! THEY ARE TOO BIG! FUCK, NO! JUST NOPE!! "You are feeling unwell, please rest." CONTRARY TO YOUR WORDS YOUR FACE IS NOT SHOWING ANY CONCERN! NO, DON''T COME CLOSER!!! I was going to do this escape silently, but now I need something to calm myself down...man those things are really scary... Seriously, I could have teleported away before she even entered...what an idiot... Do not make any unnecessary movements, it will only take a moment. AAAH!! I''M DOING THIS!! I''M SO GLAD WE ARE ALONE!! I immediately get up from my seat and jump back a bit, surprising her. Then, I activate my [Pleasurable Hands] skill and focus it on my two biggest fingers. "Way of the Heavenly Fingers..." I start one of my ultimate technique''s chant that I thought about while letting my imagination run wild some time ago. I concentrate on my speed and go towards her. "...!" I bet that she thinks that I just teleported. But that is not true. Time slows down. The world becomes empty. Even black and white. All as I focus my instinct solely on her, looking...for...that...one...spot. There! Right in the middle of her back! "...[ONE STRIKE TO REACH THAT PLACE]!" I strike at that single point with my two fingers and move farther behind her. Meanwhile, she turns around and begins talking as if nothing happened, but "Hmph..." Three "...that..." Two "...was..." One... "...useless..." Zero... "HNNNAAAAAHHHN!!" *thud* And there it is. She lets out a loud moan before being completely and utterly overwhelmed by the pleasure and faints, falling to the ground in an instant. Phew This is much better than anything you were trying to do to me...even if I would''ve been immune to it and those n-needles wouldn''t even be able to go through my draconic skin... Or I could have simply teleported at any time... WHAT?! I AM SCARED OF NEEDLES!! DON''T LAUGH!! To be continued...(cue illustration of a chibi Auros scared of needles!) From Auros'' stat sheets: Gabrielle''s Profile Race: HumanHigh Human. Gender: MaleFemale. Age: 24 years old. Rank: ASS Subclass: Alchemist (Intermediate) Stats: Strength: ASS Intelligence: B Agility: AS Mana: BSS Endurance: BS Constitution: AS Passive skills: Leadership (Healer): A Noble Presence: A Humanoid Body Understanding (Combat & Healing): A Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: S (NEW!) Flower of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: BS Healing Aura: AS Rapid Healing: DSS Potion Making: C Rapid Stamina Recovery: BS Fighters Instinct: A Mana Regeneration: S (NEW!) Combat Healing: ASS Martial Technique (Palm & Fist): A Weaponized Body (Refined): A Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Forgettable Face: (REMOVED!) Ki Sense Active skills: Enhance Endurance: BS Enhance Healing: BS Enhance Agility: CA Ki Strike: ASS Enhance Martial Skills: AS Exploding Palm (Forms 1 to 5): ASS Enhance Defense: BS Bone-crushing Palm: AS Enhance Elemental Resistance: DS Ki Counter (Area): AS Triple Effect: CS Fist of Destruction: ASS Fighters Will (Martial Arts): ASS Unleash Limits: S Martial Healers Trance: ASS Unique traits: Unaging (Race). Recognized by the Sage: Perseverance. Full Spectrum Healing Magic. Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight. Blessing of Nerinne. Ki Sense. Blessing of the Spirits (Healer): Light & Nature.* Spells: Inspect Wounds Regeneration Cure Wounds Degeneration Open Wounds Fortify Body Heal Weaken Body High Heal Blessed Healing Over-Heal Cursed Healing Traitorous Blood Precise Healing Titles: Son of Eryn, Nomad, Child who climbed the Titans Peak, Survivor of the Titans Peak, Sages Untalented Disciple, Unwanted Rival of the Sages Inheritor, One Recognized by the Sage, Rival of the One Blessed by the Moon and the Red Scourge, Social Phantom, Curse Healer, Dark Healer, Pain Bringer, Bloody Healer, True Healer, Knight, Healer Knight, Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lords Left Hand Woman Candidate, Healer Maid, Head of the Healer Maid-Knights, Top Healer of the Maid-Knights, Ojou-sama, Noble Lookalike, One who peeked into lifes intricacies and was not corrupted. *Blessing of the Spirits (Light and Nature): This type of blessing is different than that of Erevains. Healers need this type of blessing to be Healers. If not, they can access spells of both attributes, but not the combined magic for them, which is Healing magic. **Dark side of Healing Magic: It is more of a figure of speech, a way to categorize, than it is actually involved with the Dark attribute of magic. Healing Magic is Healing Magic, but many healers are only able to access a certain spectrum of it. Be it purely heals or buffs. More advanced Healers can use both heals and buffs. And a few can go beyond, to the other side, where the hidden principles of healing magic and life are revealed. What can be given, can be taken. Thank you for reading! I hope that you liked the chapter and the stat sheet! Now...as promised, here it is LARH''s sketch of the winner of the first RR/SH popularity poll! Gabrielle! LARH really nailed her! Thank you so much, LARH! She''s gorgeous and it fits her victory speech so well! I hope that you like it as much as I do! If you are hungry for more story, then head over to my patreon! There you will find the first bite of "Waifu Bites!" in which you''ll get to read Nerinne''s first meeting with Ilya and vote for the idea that will be adapted for the next bite! The one winning right now being Ill make maids out of you! Ericas crash course!. Also, if you just want to support me and the story, you can also do so via Ko-Fi! Either way, it will help me keep writing Auros'' shenanigans! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth and Knight_Redundant! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. I''ll be taking a break for tomorrow/today and monday. I need to work on some IRL stuff. So, see you on tuesday! Chapter 69: The Goddess’ Request II. A scolded maid. After needles, some fluff. In the castle of the Ever-Burning Will, the people were active as always. Some maids trained from daybreak to sunset in the field. Some did so in the training room. Others kept preparing the supplies they would need for the incoming battle and still others looked over their Master''s curious child while fulfilling their responsibilities. But there was no place more active than the smithy. For no matter if it was day or night, one could hear the sound of metal being shaped. It was an unending symphony that sang about the birth of tools that would be used to wage war. Oh, and they were not some ordinary weapons. Not at all. The Blacksmith Maid, Roxxy, and her helpers, Josie, Max, and Patricia, were making weapons that could clash against those who were the enemies of the world. The Dragon Lords. ________________________________________________ Aye I knew that this was gonna be a challenge. So much so, that if I was still the old me, I dont think I wouldve been able to do it. But I still accepted it. After all, my friends needed better weapons, and Master went along with my request. Giving up was not an option. We had been up day and night trying to come up with alloys that would let us create durable weapons, ones that could endure our new strength, but also ones that were compatible with their user attributes. Even more so than that...it was the curiosity of what the weapons would turn out to be what kept me up at night. I wanted to see it...touch it...make it...that peak of forging! I knew I could trust my friends in helping me with everything. Even if Max had to go to help in that newbie''s training, she would just finish there and come back. Aye, no matter how tired she already was, no matter how tired they all were. They stuck with me like the smell of this place. But we were not alone in our task. Heh, I dare say we had the best person we could''ve asked for help. The Goddess herself. OrMiss Nerinne like we call her now. She didn''t actively do anything sides'' giving me that lock of her hair, nor she directly told us how, but she gave small hints whenever she appeared in the smithy. To be honest, she sometimes scared the shit out of us with her appearing so suddenly in the place... Just like when the kiddo dipped her hands in molten metal and began using it as clay Thankfully, crazily, she was okbut uswe were not okpoor Josie even fainted Kiddos eager to learn though and Ill gladly teach her everything I know, just like I taught Josie, Patricia and Max. Still, the things the Goddess saidthose things were burned into our minds after thinking so much of''em... Things that sounded like nonsense to those uninitiated in the craft of forging and handling metals. Things that sounded like less nonsense to those who were initiated in the craft of forging and handling metals. Things that sounded like an itch to those much more experienced. Aye, it felt like that itch that one cant scratch, like a word that is on the tip of the tongue, one that I couldn''t remember until I did, and everything was clear after that. Nay, it was even better than that. I was even able to see our destination. With that, metal kept being fused with more metal until their proportions and their most compatible partners were found. Then we prepared the crystal cores that would let enchantments and magic in general be used more efficiently with the weapons. Next, I opened with the deepest care the bag that contained what Miss Nerinne gave to me, a lock of her hair, and I made sure to just take and use a single strand of it per weapon. I even fashioned a set of gauntlets for this task alone, for I could not let my hands touch it directly and risk harming it. Even if that was but impossible, I decided to take as many precautions as possible with it. After all, it was a material that no one else had handled except in legendsif those are true. And now I know they were... Even if using it was as simple as just dropping it into the molten metal that would be poured into the mold where the crystal core rested. Molten metal that obtained a faint blue glow after Miss Nerinnes hair was mixed with it. That was her way to impart her blessing to the weapons soon to be born. It would also make said weapons grow with their users, just like the blessed weapons of the Knights of legend. But to bring such weapons into reality, there was another step I needed to follow while I gave them shape with my hammer, and that was to think of the one who would become each weapons wielder. I needed to visualize them as best as I could, their personalities, their ideals, their essence, and then I needed to pour all of that into the metal. As I did that, I sometimes overheard Josie and Patricia say that the metal seemed to move on its own. Like the weapons were helping me in giving''em their best form, moving past the basic shape the mold had given them and making themselves as unique as their wielders. I say aye to all that. I felt it too. The weapons pulse...it was almost like they were alive... Nayperhapsperhaps they are Still, even if it was a hard process, it also was beautiful, even moving with the warmth they gave off, and thanks to all of it I was able to finally understand the origin of what Pops and others call the weapons voice. Even more so, I felt like I was in the middle of a concert given the sheer diversity of the weapons we had to make, each with their own tones and quirks. After all, not everyone used a sword. And I can safely say that everything has been going well this couple of days, most of the weapons have been finished and they have turned out to look as if they were the stuff of legends. At least, that is what the child inside of my heart told me every time. And every time I would tear up too, because it felt like I had reached that place...a place where I was now a part of those legends that I love so much... For me this was enough...I can confidently say that I can trust the lives of my friends to these weapons. Not only that, but their power is also something that can truly be felt by only looking at them. A power similar to our Master''s weapon but different in magnitude. In any case, the order is almost finished. We only need to forge Leader''s sword and shield, but we must wait until tonights new moon to do that, given the nature of moon tears. Because weapons made from moon tears can only be forged under a new moon. Many blacksmiths and scholars have come up with theories about why that is, but regardless of them, it is a fact. Still there is someone else that doesnt have a weapon already made. One of the newbies, not the village girl, but the other one. Sylvie''s weapons have already been made and will remain in storage until she becomes a full-fledged member of our Order. That is until our Leader gives her the pass, our Master makes the pact with her and most importantly, until the Goddess considers her worthy. Still, we all agree that it is a matter of time more than anything else. She just gives off that feeling. In Sophie''s case, the Goddess has told me to wait until she said so. She even asked for me to put certain words in my report that gave me shivers with what she was hinting at... ''Challenge'' that is the word that made me swallow my all after hearing her say it. Was all this not a challenge for her? Because it was for meahaha And so, I waited. That is...until today. I am now facing Miss Nerinne, who has come to the smithy once again. "Good afternoon, Roxxy. I hope I am not being a bother." "Nay, Miss Nerinne. It is never a bother; ye have helped us in many ways." "Oh, but I only said some little things. You were the ones who did all the work." "Aye, but those words were enough to put us on the right path. I thank ye from the bottom of my heart." "Oh my, Roxxy, you will make me blush! But there is still something I need to apologize for and that is for making you wait. I myself was waiting for her to reclaim it and store it before bringing it here. Andhere it is." Miss Nerinne is holding something in her hand, something cylindrical or like a stick covered in a beige cloth and secured with a golden string. Nay...the more I focus on it, the more I can feel it... Aye...these shivers in my hands...it is the same as the weapons we just made... But...it is deeper...older...much oldera great elder compared to the newborns we made...what could it be? A weapon? An artifact? "It is time, Roxxy. Inside of this cloth lies Sophie''s weapon. I would not have asked you to wait if I thought she was not ready to even take it out of its sheath, but that girl has taken some good steps forward during these days. And I think that she will now be able to make her ancestor proud." "Huh? A-ancestor? Miss Nerinne..." That is so much information for me...I was right about that thing inside being old, but Miss Nerinne is talking about worthiness too... That has a deeper meaning...even for someone that prefers to be in the smithy than the library...the legends I love speak of it...the church too...and she is speaking about an ancestor of Sophie...so is that like my mithril tools?! Sophie had something like that as her family heirloom?! "Ah...but the poor thing has not even seen the light of day nor been caressed by fresh air in such a long time...so much that it has deteriorated. May I use this table, Roxxy?" "Eh? Ah! Aye! Of course, Miss Roxxy! I-I mean, Miss Nerinne!" "Fufufu~~, I am sure you are overwhelmed by all of the things I have said. But do not worry, what I am about to show you will be in your language and all those questions will be answered. So, come now, let us see what is inside, Roxxy. I know that you are curious~~." "A-aye...I am, Miss Nerinne. Ye have let me see things that I have only dreamt of...and no Blacksmith on Arte would deny this feeling..." Indeed...it is that strong of a feeling that Im already moving towards the table without noticing it. And so, I see how Miss Nerinne pulls on the golden string, opening what now I know to be a bag and pulls out something that is no stick. It is a sword hidden within its sheath. It isbeautiful. To the point that no Blacksmith would be able to add anything to it and that is because anyone would know that it has reached its peak. Whoever made it...aye...whoever made this was one who could be considered at the top...that place any Blacksmith aspires. And Im such an idiot for thinking I had reached that place after forging those weapons...I still have much more to learn before thinking of that! "Fu~~, such a nostalgic feeling...seeing it again...that person truly surprised me when they showed it to me." Miss Nerinne is looking at it as if it was an old friend. Not only that, but she is also tracing her fingers on it with the same loving care... II want to touch it too. I want to study it and try to find even a speck of its creator''s technique... "You want to touch it too, right?" "...!" "No need to be so surprised, Roxxy. It is all in your eyes and hands fufufu~~. Do not worry, you will have plenty of time to touch it. After all, you will be giving it it''s overdue maintenance." "Wha?! Miss Nerinne are ye sure?! I might''ve been able to make those blessed weapons with the help of Josie and the rest, but I''m not sure if my skill is enough to try something like that! I am already entranced by its sheath! I can''t even imagine its blade!" How could I face its creator if I somehow ruined it?! "Oh, but you will need to, Roxxy. If you are not able to, then you will not be able to forge that sword and shield that are tied to the moon. You should already know that that metal is quite...tricky. But I will not leave you with this outrageous task without something to start with. So, just use what I gave you and wake it up. I know that you can do it." "...!" Wake it up? Whatwhat does that mean?! That sound! The Goddess is unsheathing the sword! She has stopped halfway and!! "This is the...!" _______________________________________________ Meanwhile, inside one of the private rooms of a luxurious restaurant near the royal palace, Prince Licht was finishing drinking a freshly made tea. And in front of him was his attendant, Mary. She was looking down at the floor while clenching her fists in clear frustration and anger. "You failed, Mary. The plan was to take Lady Argento off the board before the ball and until the rest of the plan was enacted. Her presence truly brings an unexpected element, one that we do not need. You know that, right?" Said the Prince as he rested his cup on the table. All while his androgynous voice had a certain tinge of intensity to it. Nothing related to Lady Argento had worked. His spies had failed disastrously not once, but twice now after their retreat from the cathedral. And that is not counting his other operatives, casters specialized in information gathering from afar, casters who remain unconscious after receiving a strange shock in the middle of their efforts to ascertain Lady Argentos power. The last words they uttered being ''static...too much...static...''. And now not even Mary was able to succeed. Thus, it was obvious that he was also clenching his fists in frustration. This stranger had entered the Capital of the Kingdom, received guest treatment by the Head of the Church herself, and they were even invited publicly to her private chapel. A place that not even he had seen in his conscious life. After all, being there as a baby didnt count. He did not know if that woman was aware of what that meant, but she was being treated as a Regent, a Queen, and yet she found no problem in walking casually through the merchant district or gifting flowers to children that approached her. There was not a single level of caution coming from her. Yesshe was strange in all manner of ways. Even her very appearance gave Licht a strange feeling. "I-I did not fail...all was meaningless from the start. The poison did not work on her...at all. Then she...then she..." Mary stopped herself as she bit her lip, clenched her fist even further and her legs trembled. "I would say that I find that difficult to believe. After all, that was a big dose of sleep-inducing poison left over by Meister Allegro in the academy''s laboratory. But after everything that has happened...beating you and leaving undetected...I no longer know what to believe." Said Prince Licht while remembering how he found Mary. She was unconscious but without a single injury, not even a scratch. Right in the same room they currently found themselves in. Furthermore, there were no traces of a fight, which meant that she had beaten Mary in one swift and precise movement, something that spoke of that woman''s strength. But there was something he was still curious about. So curious that he could not help but ask again. "How did she actually beat you, Mary?" Indeed, the Prince had asked before, right after finding her and trying to help her stand up, but she ignored him and rejected his hand. She had been dodging the question ever since. "Ask again and I will crush them." "...!" The prince felt a shiver go down his spine as he heard Marys response, one that was full of anger, just like her eyes. He wasn''t easy to scare, but the fear he was feeling there was an instinctual one. One that all men would feel after hearing those words, which were followed by the crushing motion that Mary did with one of her hands. He did not notice it, but he had already closed his legs even more than he already was as per proper sitting manners. As if he was protecting that which Mary was referring to. "*ahem*Moving on, we have to think of her and her maids as people that are not only strong, but irregular. After all, for them to guard someone like that, they must be strong too. And if we say that, then their country must be powerful too. Just how did they stay hidden from the rest of the world for this long?" Said the Prince completely abandoning the subject of Mary''s defeat, not wanting to be turned into a Princess because of it. "Worst of all, but not surprising, we just gave her confirmation to all the suspicions of us that she already had. Furthermore, with her leaving you here instead of taking you, it speaks of her not needing whatever information you could have given her. That in and of itself is dangerous, for it speaks a lot. There is nothing here for us other than to rethink our strategy involving her. Which also means that we will need to handle our interactions with her at the ball with great care. But on the bright side, this incident in particular can stay a secret." At that moment he thought something else. ''Could she be involved with my dear elder brother? And if soin what manner?'' ________________________________________________ "Purrr...Master seems stressed...purrrrr..." Says Lyra who was coincidentally already in the suite when I teleported in. Alsoof course, I am stressed! Those needles were scary!!! That is why I need healing! "Hmph. It is nothing." I say so while fluffing her ears. StillI can''t shake off the feeling that I''m in the closing scene of an anime episode after not appearing in most of it. Hmmm... Oh well, lets keep fluffing these ears. To be continued...(cue illustration of the prince and Mary! Cue bonus illustration of Ilya dipping her hands on molten metal and giving everyone a heart attack!) Thank you very much for reading! Im deeply sorry for the delay, but I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you want to see that little bit with Ilya be turned into a chapter, you can go to my patreon and vote for it to be the next Waifu Bites! chapter! Also, if you just want to support me and the story, you can also do so via Ko-Fi! Either way, you support will go a long way to help me keep writing Auros shenanigans! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth and Knight_Redundant! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow/in some hours! Chapter 70: I have a brain; therefore, I do this. After I finished my healing session with Lyra and she left to continue working, I went to tell everyone what happened in the supposed meal with Erevains brother. which is why I deeply apologize, Erevain, Erica. I chose not to bring Mary with me because it was too risky given the circumstances. My lord Master Yes, Im lowering my head. And yes, it was too risky since the staff had already heard her scream and if she disappeared it would have been way too suspicious. After all, everyone knew that I was the only other person there. I have no doubt that Licht wouldve used that to mess with us. Please raise your head, My Lord. It was the right choicea public accusation of kidnapping would have not only affected us, but her Holiness too as the one who welcomed us into the Capital. Regardless of how useless it would have been, there is no need for it. Not with how close we are to dealing the decisive blow. As for Erevain might seem calmeven reassuringbut I can see it in her eyesshe is hurtnot because of mebut because of "...Licht...Mary..." She is hurt to the point that she is clenching her fists with enough strength to make them tremble while looking down at the table. "...it pains me to think of them as enemies but...considering their actions now and in the past. I cannot keep believing in their innocence just for who they are. I need to look at them in the eye and question them about everything. And if they are guilty...then I...I..." Yet more than hurtmore than the wounds that might be resurfacing in her heart, she is afraid of what she might need to do Butshe wont be alone then, nor now. "Then we will be with you, Leader. Doing what needs to be done." Something that Gabrielle makes clear with her words and her hand Erevain''s on shoulder. "Indeed. You will not be alone, Erevain. But remember something, hope dies last." Something that I too make clear with my words, all while grabbing her fist, opening it, and holding her hand. "I...yes, My Lord...and thank you, Gabrielle." Says Erevain looking up at us. "We will find our answers, Leader...so that we can truly move on..." So says Erica...and yes, she took it badly too... Just look at her expression, it has written Why? all over it. "Licht played us then...and tried to poison Master now. He needs at least a corrective beating even if he is innocent. I''ll hold back, I promise, Leader." Says Bertia with a smile. Still, I don''t know if saying that you are going to beat him up will help Erevain, but I can see that she is saying it for her sake. "Haha...yes I...think so too." Oh, Erevain chuckled at that! Good job, Bertia!! "Um, I always found him a bit weird. Like he was thinking too much about something, just like Mika!" Says Lucy with her usual cheery smile and spunky attitude that could either be out of place or soften the mood even further. "You! This is a serious matter! Even if his eyes did give off that image of thinking on something far away in a creepy manner! You can''t say that! And what is that about me being weird?! I am not weird!" But you already did say that Mika... "Ow, ow, my ear, Mika stop pulling it...it hurts...also you already said it..." "...! Oh, no! I''m so sorry Leader!!" "Owowowowowow! You''re tearing it off! Masteer heeelp mee!" Mika! Your grip! It clearly got stronger after you got nervous! "Mika, let go of her ear." "Ah! Yes, Master!" "Thank you Master...*sniff*my cute ear *sniff*..." They really know how to drain all the tension... "You two...I cannot even...haaathank you, everyone." And it seems that they did have that effect on Erevain, even if only a bit, shes a little better now. Erica too. That makes me glad...because I was close to thinking that I shouldn''t have said a thing...really "No, dear. That wouldnt have been right. You have a no secrets promise with her after all." I know, darling. Even if I had thought that before telling her, I would''ve still told her. I can''t hide something like that. Well...I did omit how I dealt with Mary, but that is not something essential. Erevain and everyone else knows that I defeated her quickly. That is enough, right? I will tell her eventually or if it ever comes up... "Fufufu~~, looking for legal gaps within promises is not a good habit, dear. But I will give you a pass this time because some of them already figured it out. Even if they then threw that thought away almost immediately. Still, I think you should do something a bit more shocking in the general sense, lest that turn into the first thing they always think of when it comes to you dealing with someone." ... I don''t want that! _____________________________________________ "It is ready, Master." Says Allegra after suddenly coming out of the secret tunnel in the living room, all while holding a small spherical glass container in her hand. AlsoYES!!! TIME TO TRY OUT THAT SPELL I WAS THINKING ABOUT!! *ASMRSTAAAAARE* And Allegra looks just as excited as me, to the point that her eyes are pretty much telling me to ask her about what she is holding. So, I shall oblige. Heh. Ah, also, it has been less than hour after the sun went down, so it is practically night. Just in time. "Excellent, Allegra. Where there any problems?" I ask that and she shakes her head lightly as she starts. "None at all, Master~~. There was only the challenge and the fun of brewing this since I had to mix the properties of various poisons~~. Like the one that comes from the Gralif flower, which is odorless, but it only gives stomachache. Or the poison that belongs to the Bir frog, which is quick to take effect, but it can kill a humanoid without the appropriate resistance or antidotes. So says Allegra while pulling out samples of each poison the moment she mentions them and storing them away when moving on to the next. So, just like I did with the insta-crisper, I used my equipment to separate the properties needed and used another poison as the base. The hardest step was maintaining the efficacy of the poison while making it airborne instead of one that needed to be ingested or injected. But after a process of trial and error, I managed to brew one that had a perfect balance between all the characteristics that Master requested. Of course, the second it touches the skin it will start acting too. Ah~~~, this was quite the day for me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Master~~." Yep, she just said all that with her ASMR voice. So, you can understand if I tell you that I have been doing my best not tomelt while listening to her. And boy, do I want to melt with that voice of hers I mean, I did pay attention. After all, I can guess which piece of equipment she used for her work. It was most likely that weird magical artifact-looking thing that had the strange symbols that meant ''to separate''. Kind of obvious, right? Nowshe did mention the insta-crisper, so I need to ask her about something very important. "There is nothing to be grateful about, Allegra. I knew that your abilities were more than enough, and you fulfilled those expectations. Besides that, how is it called?" I say that in my usual edge alter way of talking. Felt I havent mentioned that in some time now. Anyways, knowing her naming sense, I bet it will be something along the lines of ''insta-sleep''. "Fulfilling those expectations by experiencing a good challenge brings happiness to me, Master. And I was waiting for that question! Knowing that Master understands the intricacies of my naming sense, I can presume that Master already thought of one. Like, ''insta-sleep''." "Hooh~~, indeed." I say in complete honesty. I mean, pretty much read my mind. She giggles while nodding. "That was one of the options, yes. But I decided to name it the ''quick-sleep''. It sounds better and less derivative. Right, Master?" The moment she finishes saying that all the maids facepalm at the same time. And amm... "It is...nice...right, dear?" Yeah...she just changed a word for another one with the same meaning, but...yeah...it is kind of nice if you think about it. "Hmph, as expected. It is better, Allegra." "I knew that Master would understand~!" Of course. Nowlet us get ready. Yep, now that the educational is finished, its time to get ready and enter the tunnels. Why? We''ve got a cave to reach. ____________________________________________ "We have arrived, Master." So whispers Allegra while coming out of the narrow hidden tunnel she found a couple of days ago. Unlike in the ones that Greese mentioned, there are no strange symbols here. Although Allegra said that such absence is probably due to a cave-in that happened when the tunnel was under construction. Back when she and Luca discovered it, they had to use their enhanced strength and some corrosives to deal with the rocks blocking the way in a silent manner. At least until it was good enough to go through but not that open that it would be immediately noticed. And yesthere was a moment I got stuck because of my boobs being too big... Erevain noticed and tried to act as if she hadn''t...but her ears had a tinge of red... And Gabrielle looked as if she wanted to help but didnt know how and was a bit nervous because of it Both were so cute Still How embarrassing... Laugh all you want. "Fufufu~~ well dear, it was quite funny. You even had to make them smaller to go through. Fufufufu~~~." It felt kind of good in its own way...you know how they say...less size more sensitive nip...wait...no!!! I''M SORRY BESTO WAIFU!! I JUST DIDN''T WANT TO SLOW DOWN EVERYONE!! I LOVE THE ORIGINAL SIZE OF THESE GLORIOUS BAGS OF HOPES AND DREAMS!! I MEAN IT!! DON''T BE ANGRY!! "FufufufhahahahahahahaI think...hahashe would be embarrassed, dearhahaha" M-Moving on! As we all come out from the tunnel and hide ourselves behind some rocks, I can ''see'' all the people working here as well as the massive door with my OP senses. Some people carry rocks, some use pickaxes to scrape away at the rocks, and others use precise magic to do both things. They also seem to have been working on reinforcing the cave''s structure by installing pillars in strategic places. Heck, they even made something like a net to catch any falling stalactites the moment they fall. Which is probably a measure they took after the incident Greese mentioned. One thing I must say is that this is nothing like what I expected from a villain''s operation. Likethere are no whips, no chains, and there are no slaves of any kind here, not even relatable criminal ones. Such...isekai heresy!! Where is my slave with a sad background story?! Instead, this gives the image of a normal operation. Heck, there are even some workers taking a break at the eatery they have set up for themselves, and others are just snoring away in their personal tents. Just like a normal full-time job... Don''t you worry, snoring man. Your coworkers will soon follow you into the dreamlands and you''ll have the best sleep youve had in decades. Anyways, this cave is big, like big enough to fit a street of my childhood neighborhood. It even has a lake. And man, I so want to bathe in it. The water looks so fresh that I just know it would feel good on my body. You know, I used to take a dip in underground rivers at least once every vacation period I had. All to cleanse the gacha salt and stress from work. It was sooo good... Ooops, can''t get distracted with nostalgic feelings. "Erevain." I whisper while giving her the ok with a nod. Which is me telling her that no one has noticed us. Why am I doing that? Because Allegra is our only scout right now and she is busy prepping the ''Quick-sleep'' for deployment. So, I volunteered to help with that or more like, I said I would do so with my edge alter tone. Also, that name really rolls off the mental tongue, huh. "Everyone, we have already discussed My Lord''s plan while coming here, but there is no harm in reminding you of it. It is simple, we wait until the poison takes effect and take out of commission those who manage to resist it. Understood?" Says Erevain to all the Maid-Knights that accompany us. Them being Erica, Gabrielle, Mika, Lucy, Bertia and, obviously, Allegra. As for Luca and Sophie, they are still gathering information about the ball''s guests. """"Yes."""" Everyone says so in their loudest of whispers. "I am ready, Master." Says Allegra with a confident smile and a hand-crossbow on each hand. Said hand-crossbows are loaded with a special type of bolt that she made while working on the poison. It is a type of bolt that can pierce hard rock while not making much noise. But that is not what makes them special. No, what makes them special is the delicate plastic-like ''bubble'' that will break on impact and release the poison into the air. Poison that will spread quickly throughout the cave since it will be shot at four different locations within it for maximum efficiency. Not only did she make the stuff, but she also made the way to deliver it. She really is impressive, right? Now, I''ll just deal with the cave''s surveillance spells since it obviously has them. And those seem to be quite the rage here in the capital going by what Luca and the rest have told me. Which is yet another similarity with my former world. After all, big cities have cameras pretty much everywhere, while small towns have little to none. Just like Illumbee village. But I digress. "Space, bend to my will, obey me and surround this area with a lie of normalcy, [Liar Space]." As soon as I finish that chant, a faint pulse comes out of my hand, which makes its way throughout the whole cave, covering it in its effect. Anyone who is keeping an eye on this place will just see everyone in the cave acting as normal, regardless of what''s about to happen. And you probably already guessed it, but this spell is based on that tactic of looping a video of an empty hallway in the security monitors of a bank, safe, etc. You know, like in heist films or in some anime. The guards think that everything is alright, but everything is actually getting stolen. Heh. "Now." Hearing my whisper, Allegra nods, takes aim, and shoots at the places that she had already thought as best for the poison to spread. Something that I can see with my senses as the ''bubbles'' break and release the poison. Also, while not as outrageous as mine, everyone''s [Abnormal Status Resistance] is high enough to not be affected by the poison. And now we wait. "So, dear~~. What are you planning to do? Are you going to try and go inside? You know that that could trigger a secret boss fight, right? Like Reaper-chan in the portable version, dear. That was a hard one" Heh, you say ''hard one'' but you still aced it. "Fufufu~~, of course! But it took me more moves, dear! That is more than enough." Oh yes, of course, its not like it took me like five times to get it right But to give an answer to your question, darling. It is a surprise! So, no peeking into my thoughts when I start! "But I as Goddess do not like surprises, dear~~." Yes, I know. I just thought that it is nice to surprise your lover every once in a while. I mean...I really like the face you make when surprised. It''s really cute. "H-how am I supposed to refuse now that you made me blush this much, Auros?! Besides, you are already surprising me with those lines you...harem protagonist!" Wha?! But...but...I was just being honest!! You looked really cute when I surprised you back then in heaven! "Again! You...! Surprising me twice in a row! I promise! I promise! It makes me really happy, but Ilya is going to start worrying if she finds me looking so red!!" You are so cute, darling. "Mou!!" *thud* *thud**thud**thud**thud**thud**thud* *thud**thud**thud**thud**thud* *thud**thud**thud**thud* Oh! Talk about making good on its name! ''Quick-sleep'' indeed! Everyone in the cave has fallen deeply asleep, except for me and the maids of course. "That poison is truly worthy of its name. Well done, Allegra." I say so while standing up since there is no longer a need to be stealthy with everyone taking a nap. "I am glad you think so, Master. It has even surpassed my expectations by one minute." Says Allegra with a satisfied expression on her face. "That speaks volumes of your ability. Well thenErevain, everyone, there is still the possibility that someone might come here, so be on the lookout." Why? Because that is something that happens almost always when the protagonist is doing something in a stealthy way. Be it looking for something in questionable drawers or having a wholesome moment with the girl they like instead of the ''annoying'' first heroine who ends up winning at the end. Someone is bound to interrupt them most of the time. So, let''s do this quickly. "Of course, My Lord. Everyone." With that, everyone nods and start walking in different directions. They are probably going to do a full check of the place before regrouping where I am. Or more like, where Im going to be, as in the massive stone door that I am quickly approaching and "Uwaa...I already knew that it was massive thanks to my senses, but seeing it up-close is something else..." It''s so grand, mystical and clearly something that you will not see in another place except here. And that that is pulsating from its center feels oldancientbut it is weakreally weak Not only that, but my instinct is telling me that it will not be long for it to be broken if left like this. Maybe one more night or two...hm? "Oho...look at that..." Theres some strange pickaxes and maces over there, a few meters to the right from where I am, and they are emitting a familiar black aurait is dim, but it is still there "Dear, that is..." Yes, it seems they have somehow processed the evil god''s blood and turned it into tools...then what if I focus... "...!" Nerinne...all the tools in this place are the same! They must have learned of a way to turn it into tools and use them safely, just for this! Which means that they were simply extracting more of their main raw material when we arrived at Illumbee Village!! "Making them use those tools...yes the effects on their bodies are minimal, but I cant say the same for their souls if they keep up. I shall bless the innocent workers with protection, but...I will not forgive the ones who put these tools in their hands. Them doing this has given me even more reasons to end the dragon lords..." Calm down, darling. Your ''dark mode'' is coming out... I promise that what I will do will help you feel better. "...fine, dear." ___________________________________________ I pass my hands along the crevice of the door and I can feel a bit of what is inside. It feels... "Sinister and disgusting." Exactly, Nerinne. Hmm? There seems to be something written right on the center of the door. Lets check it out. I summon a large ''space block'', putting it beneath my feet and making it levitate with me on top it. Yep, I am practically on a magical elevator! It is so cool! Ding! Second floor, strange symbols, and carvings! Time to let my blessing do its literal magic. It says: ''Let this be the eternal seal which bans you from this world. No more shall you bring sickness and hunger to the people. No more shall you spread the plague that is your gospel. Sleep eternally, Akramax, Emissary of the Evil God.'' That sounds familiar... Waitwasn''t there something like that in the story Erevain told us back when they first entered the castle? "It is, Auros. And this isyesit is indeed his mana. This sealing spell belongs to one of the original Knights of the Ever-Burning Will...but why did I not know of this being here? Was he being considerate of his Goddess?" Waitwaitwaitweren''t they supposed to have killed the emissaries? Even the last one died defeating one of them, right? Or is this a case of legend being grander than reality? "I am afraid that that is the case, dear. Yes, some knights managed to kill some emissaries, even in exchange for their lives...but other emissaries were just too powerful to be killed. Thus, they resorted to sealing them...even if that incurred a great cost for some of them. I seebut why did you not know this one was here? Because the evil gods influence interferes with my divine senses due to the clash of divinities. Knowing this, the Knights always told me where they had sealed its emissariesexcept for one. The one that had been sealed while I wasfighting the evil god in another place. I was too injured, and I had to rest in my divine realm after the fight...which is why I think he was being considerate and took it upon himself to guard this seal. Ah! So that is why!" What, darling? It seems as if something just clicked for you. "It is exactly that, dear!! He survived the war and asked to live the rest of his days as a villager in a piece of land he had found a liking to! That dummy! That village was right here!! He named it Kyrie Village!! And whenever I asked him through the Head of the Church or divine messages, he would always say the same thing! ''Don''t worry. The seal is fine, no one will find it. Not even by accident. I made sure of it.'' Of course, it was fine! He was living above it the whole time!! Muueven if he was being nice, I feel like I have been played with!! Hum!!" C-cute...Nerinne pouting is cute... "Deeear." A-anyways, that means that Mister Founder of the Kyrie Kingdom pretty much created a Kingdom that would inadvertently protect the seal when they protected themselves. "Yes! And he also probably introduced to his successors the weird tradition of adding more tunnels to the underground of it. Which made the place more and more difficult to reach as time passed! That dummy was always so good at making other''s do his job and tricking people!" Heh, he sounds like someone I could be friends with. "Dear!" Or not! Amm...but it seems the seal is running on fumes now...which is most likely the work of Bryns Master, Violet Death, through the King and the tools we just saw. And I really dont like to say this, but if I purify them, they will know we were here so I can''t do that. I''m sorry, Nerinne. "No, I understand, dear." Thank you. Then all that is left is to figure out what the dragon lords want to do with the emissary. Do they really want to wake the emissary up? Or perhaps it is something else? Likethey want to break the seal because they have a way to siphon its power and use it for themselves. I say that because those two are the most used options in isekais and my instinct is telling me that it is one of the two... Man, I hate lacking information in these moments... "But we can figure that out later. Darling, I''m starting. No peeking." See? I even said it out loud, so you know I''m serious! "I know, dear~~." Good. Let''s see. Darling is the cutest heroine of them all! I want to marry her and have lots of kids with her! "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING YOU DUMMYYYY AUROS?!!!" WHY ARE YOU STILL PEEKING ON MY THOUGHTS, HUH?!! "Ah!" I knew you would try and just stay silent to trick me! "Ehehe~~." Dummy laughs do not suit you, Nerinne! "Mou...fine..." Ok. My instinct is telling me that this time she did fulfill her promise. So, now it is my turn to fulfill mine. It is simple, I was letting my imagination run wild and came up with it at the same time as the [Liar Space] spell. It is also something that I would''ve loved to see used in many isekais. So, let us reinforce that seal as the first part of this. Shall we? "Come! Holy Lance: Nern!" I summon my holy lance and let its holy radiance show. Got to be flashy with this, of course. First, I take a mental photo of the seal, which will come in handy later. Then, I let the lance''s blade touch the part where the core of the seal is, lending it the holy power of the lance and part of mine. With that, white-gold and black-red energies flow into the seal, reigniting its own shine, which is a deep hue of blue, and repairing any damage it had. When that happened, the faint sinister feeling that was flowing out of the door vanished. A clear sign of the seal''s total recovery. A seal that will now last pretty much forever thanks to the power of the holy lance and my mana. What? You want hard quantities? Come on! It is just an outrageous amount of mana and holy power! I am an OP isekai protagonist, I have enough of both to spare! And I am about to do something even more outrageous! "My Lord, what are you planning to do?!" So exclaims Erevain as she sees me floating in front of the door while clad in my stormy mana. The rest of the maids are also there with her and have the same question in their eyes. "Just watch!" I say so with a firm tone before I move close enough to the massive door and I touch it with my hand. "Space, bend to my will, obey me, take that which is in front of me to space like this. A reflection. [Mirror Space Transport]." My mana starts swirling as cracks begin to appear in the space surrounding the door. No, not cracks, mirrored angles. All reflecting each other to infinity as more and more appeared while sounding like a million crystals being moved on top of each other. Until everything in the cave turns like this for a moment and thenit stops. Silence reigns as I look behind me and everyone is gone. I am alone in this mirror space. "...!" The structures, the tents, the beds and so on, everything is here except for the people. As the name implies, this is a mirror space which is identical to where I was seconds ago. And I just transported the whole sealing room to it. Even if it looks like it has not been moved at all. Why I didn''t take it to the castle? I wanted to try out my spells, of course!! Yep, it was totally not because my instinct warned me that suddenly taking the room to a completely different place might break the seal. Nope, not at all. Hm? You are asking if the heist movies and anime reference were about this? Yes, it means exactly that. Well and a certain super-hero movie...heh. So strange for me to be referencing a super-hero movie, right? Oh, well. I just stole the villain''s objective and put it in a place they will never be able to access. And even if they do, the seal is so strong that the backlash from meddling with it will most likely kill them. I mean, it would be stupid for me to know where the source of a possible problem is and just wait for the villains to wake it up or something, right? Why not move it while they don''t suspect it? Outrageous enough for you? Overkill? Isekai, man. Isekai. Now unto the fourth part of the plan. "EEEEEEEH? THERE IS MORE?!" Of course, my cutely surprised darling! Theres more! To be continued...(cue cutely surprised chibi Nerinne!) From Auros'' stat sheets: Kris'' stat sheet Race: Human High Human. Stats: Strength: ASSSSS (NEW!) Intelligence: C Agility: BS Mana: CA Endurance: B SS Constitution: ASS Passive skills: Rallying Warrior: A Strong Presence: A Battle Technique Understanding (Instinct & Experience): A Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: S (NEW!) Savage Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: ASS Battle Hardened Body (Optimized): AS Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Obsession of Strength (Growth): S Relentless Berserker: AS Berserker enhancement: A Mana Regeneration: A (NEW!) Damage for Damage: ASS Sword Technique (Dragon-cleaver Sword): A Absurd Strength: A (NEW!)* Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Teacher of Warriors Monster Slayer: A Active skills: Enhance Endurance: CA Enhance Strength: CS Enhance Agility: DB Ox-Punch: ASS Enhance Sword Skills: AS Head Splitter: ASS Enhance Damage: BS Cyclone Slash: AS Enhance Elemental Resistance: ES Great Crusher: ASS Triple Effect: CS Relentless Charge: ASS Warriors Will (Dragon-cleaver Sword): ASS Break Limits: S Berserkers Trance: ASS Berserker Barrage: S Unique traits: Unaging (Race) Obsession of Strength (Growth) Absurd Strength* Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary) Blessing for the worthy: Knight Blessing of Nerinne. Unblinded Berserker Spells: Rock Defense Stone Throw Tremor Stomp Earth Enchant Split Earth Earth Catapult Villager, Youngest Glaive Sibling, Only boy among sisters (former), Glaives only son (former), Sisters Hairstylist, Sisters Masseuse, Sisters Skincare Assistant, Sisters Training Partner, Sisters Live Bait for fishing, Sisters Prank Target, Sisters Dear Brother (former), Glaives Undying Love, Scarred Kid, Survivor, Guilty Survivor, Self-taught Swordsman, Champion of the Capitals Academy Entrance Tournament, Holder of the Strength Scholarship, Delinquent looking, Fight Inciter, One who dared to challenge the Pain Bringer, One who dared punch the Crown Prince in the face, Rival of the One Blessed by the Moon and the Pain Bringer, Student of the White Glaring Terror (Former), Warrior, Knight, Berserker Knight, Sisters Missed Brother (former), Sisters Missed Sibling, Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lords Rookie Instructor, Berserker Maid, Warrior Maid, Leader of the Warrior Maid Knights, Top Warrior of the Maid Knights, Beast of the Battlefield, Red Scourge, Scarred Warrior, Drill Sergeant, Instructor, Terror of the Rookies, Saintess Headpatting Target, Saintess Promise Keeper, Tanned Warrior, Anime Sword Warrior, One who will look at the Absurd and fight it. *Absurd Strength: A skill obtained by one who was already blessed with Monstrous Strength via a Pact with a High Dragon Lord and still trained to go further. Truly absurd indeed, fufu~. Thank you very much for reading! I know that I sound like a broken record, but Im sorry for not uploading a chapter yesterday, I was too tired. But here it is! And one more is coming later! Also, thanks to the support of my Patrons and those who have donated to my Ko-Fi, I can now announce that the first official illustration for the story is in the works! It will be for an unreleased chapter, but dont worry, well get there sooner rather than later! If you want to be a part of this effort to bring art to the story, then head over to my patreon or Ko-Fi! Either way, your support will go a long way! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth and Kinght_Redundant! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all later! Chapter 71: Surprising a Goddess is bad for villains. Behind the door of the sealing chamber, various lines of magical power glowed strongly all over the walls. They were intricate and interconnected with one another, almost like veins that were carved into the stone. And if they were veins, then the center of the sealing chambers door was the heart, for that is where the core of the seal was. A core that was not only revitalized, but also was stronger than ever as it pulsated with incredible power. Power that flowed throughout those veins in the same direction. A floating black sphere at the center of the room. Such place had the appearance of a mausoleum, but that was not a place to let the dead rest, no. It was a place that held an Emissary of the Evil God. All the veins convened at the floor beneath the floating black sphere, creating a pillar of light that covered the spere completely. That pillar of light was a weak one before it was revitalized, so much so that it even had started to go on and off. Something that disturbed the sleep of the being inside of the sphere. It made his mind stir with memories of his last day awake. He was Akramax, the Emissary of the Evil God that brought the gospel of hunger and sickness to the imperfect world ruled by a na?ve Goddess. Yes, that was what his God had made him see. A world where a Goddess tries to be close to her people was imperfect, filthy, warped. A God must stand above, a God should treat its creations as mere bugs with only one purpose in their lowly lives, worship. A God should ignore their pleas and find pleasure in their disgrace. A God should always show them that hopelessness is a bottomless pit by pushing them further and further into it. And so, giving them longer lives, the blessing of magic, preemptively taking care of the petty reasons that could start wars and offering a helping hand at crucial moments. Those were acts unbefitting of someone called a God. Thosewere true sins. The people of Arte needed to know of true, horrifying struggle. They needed to suffer, to fear and be bathed in blood until they were either dead or devoid of hope. But they did not give up when he and his fellow Emissaries tried to bring such unholy gospel to them. When they tried to spread the absolute truth that their God had showed them, they resisted! They fought back! They rejected their true essence as simple cattle! How dare they reject the wisdom of his God?!! And if that was not enough, the na?ve Goddess then fought his God as the Emissaries fell one by one to those Knights chosen by her. Yesshe dared to raise her hand against someone that was clearly superior to her. They who wanted to correct her mistakes. They wanted to show her the true way. She even dared to fight him in an unjustly and cowardly manner by taking away those who helped him stay in her rotten world. As per that pathetic divine law, no outside gods may lay foot on another''s territory. Of course, his God had wisdom on his side and knew that he could go over and stay if he used his Emissaries to take root in that world. To anchor him and his gospel. But the opposite was also true. Every Emissary that fell weakened his God and his presence in the world. How could Akramax dare to inconvenience him like that?! That is why Akramax fought to the bitter end against the Knight that had confronted him. And that Knight made him furious!! His eyes, his voice, his way of moving, everything of that Knight looked as if he wasn''t taking him seriously. He even dared to yawn in his presence and complained about how tired he was! He even brought out some alcohol and dared to ask if he could have a few drinks before their fight. That damn Knight! He was like that, yet his strength was up to par with him! And the blessed weapon he wielded was something not to scoff at too. A sword that looked so simple, that it could even be mistaken as a cheap oneby those who do not make weapons that is. Not only that, but its sheath seemed to be of simple leather too. Truly, it was a weapon that reflected its owner''s personality. But it was still a blessed weapon as much as the feared and renowned Rainbow Sword. A weapon whose name has been lost to history. And as his God''s fight raged on in the heavens, the oceans, the mountains, and a certain gatekeeper city, Akramax'' fight raged on in a valley, one that ended up in them breaking the ground''s surface and being dropped into the unknown. Indeed, they fell into a massive cave where Akramax unleashed all manner of unspeakable ailments towards the Knight, but he was too fast, too agile, and his weapon never stopped protecting him too. But no matter how many times the Knight slashed him, he would regenerate, showing how foolish of a task it was to try and kill him. He was like some of his fellow Emissaries, for he would come back for as long as sickness and hunger existed. And the Knight knew that too. He knew that very well. So much so that he never intended to kill Akramax. No, he had planned to do the next best thing. So, he pushed Akramax deeper and deeper into the cave without him knowing, only to realize it when it was too late. That is when the Knight held his sword closely and started a powerful chant, one that called out the name of said weapon and thenit happened. Threads of deep blue light started to surround Akramax and slithered their way through the walls of the cave. The lines of light then made two great slabs of rock move as if they were alive and positioned them in front of the Knight as part of great double door. As Akramax looked around, his cave-like surroundings began to transform into a mausoleum, one that was filled with that Knight''s magic. He was going to be sealed. Thus, Akramax was forced to humiliate himself and acted in desperation. Just before the seal was complete, before the great slabs of rock completely locked him in, he shot one last but great ailment at the still casting Knight. One that the Knight was not able to evade, buthe kept casting his sealing spell. And soon enough, Akramax was surrounded by a pillar of light that robbed him of his humanoid form and turned him into a black sphere as he was forced into a permanent sleep. Waiting. The ailment he had shot at the Knight was one that would rob him of his ability to use mana correctly. For he would end up expending his own life force at the same time. All in hope that the ailment would be quick enough to kill him while he still casted the seal. But Akramax, in his desperation, did not realize that even if sheathed, the Knights blessed weapon would protect him from that ailment. Even so, that ailment was still within him. And if he and his weapon were ever separated, then the ailment would take a hold of him and kill him the next time he used magic. With his sleep disturbed, Akramax senses were able to pick up on something. An essence impossible for him to forget. The essence of his master, the Evil God. It was faint but he could feel it scraping away at the seal. ''Not much longer...just a bit more...I will be free...'' Such were the thoughts of Akramax. And so, some time passed, and his patience started to run out. He could feel that it was almost time, just a bit more and he would be able to once again roam through the world spreading his God''s words. So why not give it a little push from the inside? Yes, that was what occurred to him. And so, he mustered up all the power he still had and started to push back at the seal. His spherical form twisted, forming something that resembled an arm and tried to strike at the weak pillar of light that had been surrounding him all this time. But that is when it happened. A wave of not one, but two outrageous powers surged through the magic veins that covered the mausoleum and in turn, to the ones under him. Thus, the pillar of light found itself revitalized and sent a great backlash to Akramax. He screamed. "AaaaaaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!" The agony was unbearable. The part of himself he had used to strike at the pillar of light was gone. Nothing had remained of it. No trace at all. But not only that, the damage had reverberated all the way to his mind and soul. And it was simply too much. They broke. The being once known as Akramax was gone. With his mind and soul broken, he was nothing more than a mass of corrupted power without a will. Even then, said power had also been affected by the energies that struck its former owner. It was weakening by the second and one day it would disappear in its entirety. Such was the fate of Akramax, broken and now sealed in a mirror space with no chance of his power ever coming out and being used to hurt the world. Somewhere in Arte his fellow sealed Emissaries felt his loss Somewhere in Arte the sealed Evil God felt a slight shiver Both stirred if only for a moment. _________________________________________________ Hmm...I think I had heard a scream earlier...but it seems it was nothing. Man, that would be creepy here. Imagine being completely alone and suddenly hearing a scream. Scaary...it could be that my mind is playing games with me due to all this silence, so let''s finish up and get out of this mirror space. "Space, heed me, obey me, lock what is in front of me in this space, may it never be moved or accessed, [Locked Space]!" I can hear the space around me groan before transparent chains appear from the ground and ceiling, forming various ''X'' like patterns in front of the massive rock door. They shine strongly for a bit and then they disappear. "Good, I think that is enough. [Door]." I summon a [Door] to my personal space, I headpat and hug Ilya, and then I teleport from there to the cave where everyone is. As I appear in the cave, I find that everyone is looking at me with eyes full of amazement and confusion. "Of course, they are!! What you did left me speechless, dear!!" Ah, so that is why I did not hear from you past that initial reaction and that question, darling. "That is obvious!! You...you...! Are you aware of what you just did?! Moving the entire sealing room to another space identical to this one, and then even locking it in that same space! That is...! Why did I not think of that?!! That is how surprised I am, Auros!!!" But I did take this burden off your shoulders, right, Nerinne? No Dragon Lord or King will be able to use that emissary for anything. "That is...yes. Thank you very much, dear. You fulfilled your promise. I do feel better now." Just what I wanted to hear, darling. "Fufufu~~." ______________________________________________ "My Lord, what just happened?" So asks Erevain, but looking at everyone''s faces I can see that they share the same question. "There was an Emissary of the Evil God sealed behind that door. The seal was too weak and could break at any moment. As such, I deemed it necessary to..." Their eyes widen as they listen to everything that I learned with Nerinne about the door, the seal, the Emissary and of course, what I just did. "As expected of My Lord...even abnormal expectations will be blown away by My Lord''s power." Says Erevain with an expression of surprise on her face, one that also has a hint of resignation and acceptance. As if she just let go of whatever little common sense that she had been using to measure me. I know that I wanted this kind of reaction, but it feels weird... "But there is also the matter of the Great Founder of this Kingdom and this being the place where he sealed an Emissary of the Evil God. Most importantly...this is the first time I hear about him being a Knight of the Ever-Burning Will. That is something that puts a new perspective to the tales everyone grew up with. I hazard to guess that he erased himself and his charge from history by propagating the tale of the last knight dying while killing the Emissary..." She says that while in her usual pondering pose. "Not just that, Leader. That gives a whole new meaning to the existence of this Kingdom..." Says Erica while looking at the gaping hole I left when I transported the entire sealing room. "No, I do not think so Erica. The Great Founder never stopped serving the Goddess, Miss Nerinne. He kept protecting this world from that threat and built a village that would in time turn into a Kingdom that kept his will. The will to protect others from those who seek to harm them...no matter what the reason was and that will had been central to the Kingdom until now..." Erevain''s expression turns into a glare for a moment as she continues. "Which makes what my Father was trying to do by freeing that thing even worse. Regardless of him being manipulated by Violet Death and Eternal Winter..." She looks at the hole too and walks towards it, stopping right at the place where the door used to be. "I will stop my Father from dirtying your last will any longer, Great Founder. This I swear." She says so by putting her fist on top of where her heart is supposed to be and speaking in a solemn tone. She really looks like a great leader and one that could be named the future regent. "Master, Leader, I apologize for interrupting, but we have twenty minutes before the effects of the poison wear off. The one''s in charge of this place will most likely take it as a natural gas leak and keep working. But that reason only holds if the poison''s effects remain under this timeframe. Any longer would leave side effects and thus, traces of something else happening." Says Allegra in her calm tone. "I presume Master has a way of dealing with that hole too, right?" She asks while pointing at it. Which is obvious, because if we leave it like that then all of her efforts to create a traceless poison would be for nothing. "Hmph, of course. Erevain, please step back from there." I say so in my edge alter tone and move towards the hole. Erevain nods and steps back. Ah, also, darling. Write a letter to the Dragon Lords with a bit of the feelings you have towards them. "Kukuku...very well dear...kukuku" Wow, instant dark Nerinne and I just said ''a bit''... I raise my hand towards the hole, but then I look back at Mika since I can feel her gaze quite strongly. Her eyes are burning with questions, so much that if this was an anime, her glasses would be shining. "Mika, tell me the question that is burning inside of you, right now." I say so with a confident smile and she reacts to it by getting startled for a second and moving her glasses up with her left hand. "Y-yes! I-If I ignore the startling implications of there being greater spatial spells than [Grand Teleportation] and [Grand Gate], then it would be a question that has been on my mind since Master mentioned the mirror space''s appearance! Where is the reflection of the sealing room that got replaced with the one here?!" She lets out that question with all her heart. And hey, its obvious that for her, a caster, what I just did blew up everything that she thought it was possible with the space attribute. Even more so given her studious nature. And I''m about to reinforce that idea with what Im going to do now. "Right here." *snap* I say while snapping my fingers and making the reflection of the sealing room appear right where the original room was. """"...!"""" All the maids are left agape because of it, but Mika is the one who is more shocked than everyone else. If this was an anime, then her glasses would be broken from the shock. "N-no chant...no spell...just snapping her fingers...was Master holding onto it this entire time? Ahahaha...hahaI know nothing of magic...all those years...all those books. Now I know hownow I know how you feltJosieahaha" She says so in a trembling voice! Wait, Mika! I know it was shocking, but don''t go into an existential crisis!! Mikaaaaaa!! "And here we go! Come back, Mika~~!" That is Lucy trying to make Mika snap out of it by poking Mika her cheeks, but to no avail. "Then how about here? Ehehe~~." "Hyan! What? What was I saying? And w-what are you doing p-poking m-m-my bre-beast!" So exclaims a now embarrassed Mika while covering her shapely medium sized breasts! And yep! Lucy poked her right breast right in the ''special button'' and made her come back like that! Also, that was a really cute voice, Mikaaa!! Oh, she hit Lucy on the head. "Ow! I did it because you were on one of your shocked fits! If what Master did shocked you to that point, then wouldn''t that mean that there is much more to learn? That should be exciting for you, Mika!" Says Lucy with her spunky smile and her usual wink. Mika smiles and nods. "That''s right! If Master''s actions make no sense, then it is my duty to make sense out of them! To map out this outrageous, strange, and nonsensical new world of magic!" Oooh she is all hyped up now! I should be happy about that! Even if some of those words were a bit sharp!! "Yes! That is the Mika I know~~!" Says Lucy sharing her friends excitement. "Master is amazing! She looked so cool while doing that! It makes me want to follow her even more!!" With how Bertia is saying that, I can''t wait to tell her that she can call me Master Big Sis! I bet it would sound great! "I finished, dear~~~." Good, then let''s put an end to this. I move towards the massive doors and open them with my brute strength. "My Lord..." Says Erevain while readying her sword with a cautious expression on her face. "Do not worry, Erevain. There is nothing inside, it is just an empty structure." I say so while giving her a reassuring smile. Still, I bet that she knew that, but the cautious part of her still made her say it. Anyways, a cloud of dust appears as the door opens, revealing it to be a double door. I then summon to my hand the letter that Nerinne wrote and a shiver goes down my spine the second it gets there. Heck, I think everyone just felt it. This letter has a really bad aura to it! It will be the perfect replacement for the emissary! "Hey! Those are just my honest feelings!!" Exactly. NowI summon my pen and paper and start writing a letter for the King while I walk inside. "This is...incredible..." Says Erevain in awe with the place. "Was this made by the Great Founder?" Asks Erica to our dear class president type. "Yes and no, there are some grand sealing spells that can even change the terrain where the seal takes place. This is most likely the case here. So no, he did not build it, but yes, he made it. Or at least the original one." Says Mika giving a nice bit of exposition. As we arrive at the center, we can see a couple of steps leading to a circular platform. "It must be here where the emissary is sealed in the original." I murmur looking at the place and then I summon a pedestal from the castle, placing it right there. "These letters shall be here to receive the King and whoever is manipulating him in person." I say so while leaving the letters on said pedestal. As we get out of the sealing room and I''m closing the doors, Allegra reminds me that we have ten minutes left. Remember that I took a mental photo of the seal and its state? Well, let''s just say that it makes me glad it was light magic. I let my instinct guide me and I manage to reproduce it at least on the door. Man, it was kind of hard doing all this precise control for it to be exactly in the same weak state. But it is done. Now no one will be able to notice the difference! ''Operation Villain thingy switcheroo'', success!! And if that sounded lewd to you, then you should cleanse your mind you pervert!! With that let''s teleport out of here! Yay! To be continued...(illustration of the sealing room''s interiors!!)(Also, guess what the letter says in the comments below!) From Auros'' stat sheets: Luca''s sheet Name: Luca (LAST NAME UNKNOWN)* Race: Human High Human Gender: Male Female Age: 23 years old Rank: ASS Class: Shadow Scout Subclass: Assassin Stats: Strength: CA Intelligence: B Agility: ASS Mana: BSS Endurance: A SS Constitution: CS Passive skills: Sound of Silence (Movement & Actions): AS Vanishing Presence: A One with the Forest (Traversal): AS Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: S (NEW!) Unseen Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: DS Spell Up-keep (Body): BS Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Humanoid/ Beast/ Monster Understanding (Weak points): S Tireless Scout: AS** Shadow Scout enhancement: A Mana Regeneration: A (NEW!) Ambusher: ASS Dagger Technique: A Tracking: A Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Greater Sensory Information Processing (Details): SSS Active skills: Enhance Strength: CA Dagger Thrust: AS Enhance Constitution: CA Shadow Fog Cloak: ASS Enhance Dagger Skills: AS Eviscerate: ASS Enhance Weak Point Damage: BS Precise Strike: ASS Enhance Elemental Resistance: ES Foxhunt: ASS Triple Effect: CS Downward Thrust: ASS Assassins Will (Dagger): ASS Shadow Takedown: S Shadow Scout Trance: ASS Unrelenting Shadow Assault: SS Unique traits: Unaging (Race). Greater Sensory Information Processing (Details). Interference Magic. Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight. Blessing of Nerinne. Beautiful Voice. Combined Magic: None. Unique Magic: Interference Magic. Spells: Shroud of Deception Shadow Mist of Interference Dark Ball Barrier Deceiver Flying Needles of Darkness Confusing Shadows Shadows Grasp Shadow Dummy *Last Name Unknown: When the individual does not know their own last name, even if I know, it is not my place to reveal it. **Tireless Scout: Said skill and its class specific variants, like Relentless Berserker, are passive skills born from the combination of the passive skill Stamina Regeneration and passive skills that enable their user to keep doing an specific action regardless of stamina limits. The result is a passive skill that shares both effects but strengthened further when doing said actions. Thank you very much for reading! Here is the other chapter just as promised! I once again apologize for not releasing yesterday and I hope that you enjoyed them! If you are still hungry for more, then head over to my patreon! There you will find the first chapter for "Waifu Bites!", which tells the story of Nerinne''s first meeting with Ilya! Plus, tier 3 patrons will receive all the updates from the upcoming official illustration! Also, if you just want to support me and the story, you can also do so via Ko-Fi! Either way, your support will help a lot, really! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth and Knight_Redundant! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 72: The Gaze of the Violet Death. While Auros finished with her nightly activities within the cave that contained the sealing chamber of an ancient enemy, Violet Death felt a shiver go down her spine. "...!" It was even stronger than the one she felt some weeks ago when the ominous storm rained down upon the now burning mountain. "What...?" Such question broke the silence that reigned over the library that served as her personal space, all as she moved her gaze in search for what had caused such feeling. Furthermore, she had not noticed it, but her hand was trembling as she uttered that question in her silent and lonely library. Of course, she already knew that the reason behind that shiver was nowhere close to her, but she still did so for it was like an instinct deeply ingrained within her. After all, something being utterly broken and practically erased from existence was not something she got to feel every day. No...it was an occurrence even more rare than that. For she was able to hear, even if faintly, that beings scream of sheer agony. But the shock of such occurrence did not last long, having been replaced by a desire to know the reason behind it. A task that she was more than capable to complete since she was one of the oldest Dragon Lords. She was not only wise and knowledgeable to an unbelievable level, but she was also more attuned to the energies of the world. Such attunement was like a sixth sense and while it was not something that could let her pinpoint the exact reason behind her bad feeling, it indeed gave her a little push in the right direction. Which was more than enough for someone like her. So it is that human capital again. She murmured as she passed her fingers over a map of said place. I give it to you, King of Storms. At first, I thought of you as amusing, a new and unexpected character in my play, but you gained my attention when you destroyed Brynns wide net of [Ice Garden of Silence] in one stroke, causing her to suffer another magical backlash and leaving her without the strength to report back for two days. Indeed, Scath had been looking forward to ''play'' with the strong surprise that had appeared in her boring life. But that amusement turned into attention when the last thing she heard from her deeply close servant was a painful groan as she collapsed, leading to a cut in their communications. With the help of her knowledge in magic, both Dragon Lord master and servant shared an active magical connection where one could see and hear what the other sees and hears. But they needed a stable mana supply for such connection to work. She even had placed Brynn in an advantageous position where she could both see the ''play'' unfold and guide everything to the goal she had in mind through it. But the King of Storms cut that connection when they broke one of Scath''s carefully crafted steps to destroy the capital in one fell swoop. One where she would use her servants spell to kill everyone in the Capital. Yes, and she would do so the moment that she grew bored of the grand battle that would ensue when her armies appeared on its doorstep. Just like five years ago. ''A good prelude needs a good follow up.'' That is what she thought at that moment. But just like her servants spell, that plan had been broken. "You did good on your word and went to the capital. You even did that to Brynn knowing fully well that we would immediately know it was you and could launch an attack at that same moment. That confidence..." Scath did not grind her teeth in frustration while saying that. On the contrary, her lips began to form a smile as she continued. "...you may actually have the strength and power to challenge me...no..." Looking at her still trembling hand, she corrected herself before making said hand stop with the other. "you do. Thus, you no longer have my attention, but my interest. It is clear that you are behind all of the inconveniences that have been happening since then. And doing so while having such power is but a mockery, a taunt, for you desire to see what I will do. How I will respond. Very well." After Brynn was able to report back to her, she told her that the tools of her kingly toy had started to act up or malfunction. Resources and materials were late, which made processing of the evil god''s blood more difficult. Their forces were also falling into chaos due to misinformation taking root within their intelligence network, leaving them blinded and confused. It could be said that the organization called New Glory was falling apart just before arriving to the finish line. Although those were minor inconveniences for Violet Death. After all, the whole charade that her servant was putting up was but a simple form of entertainment. Something to spice things up. Adrama. Yes, she enjoyed watching it all unfold. She enjoyed seeing how humans and the like would fall and dance for her without knowing. And the emotions that a good conspiracy could bring up helped her go through the boring days of her ancient existence. Although, in the end, the only things she needed from it was for it to be entertaining and that the main puppet reached its goal by breaking the seal. But even then, the Capital was already sentenced to death. Drama or not, that place would fall to the cold blades of her armies or her power. Her servant would then siphon and store the power of the emissary inside one of her grimoires and then, she would present it to her in the curtain call of her play. With that, the other Chosen of the Dragon Lords would be silenced, and she would be left to her own devices for some time. That is what she desired above all else. Even more so now that she was interested in someone. Someone that had made her smile in anticipation. "I shall oblige. Do make it worth the effort." With that, her mana started to swirl around her with a violet hue as she walked to the center of her library. That is when a lesser dragon lord entered to give their daily report, but turned the second he felt said power and, most importantly, the mood his Master was in. He even gesticulated a perfectly clear no before quickly turning around and leaving. ''A wise choice.'' So thought Scath, because he would have been killed if he had done the opposite. She then extended her arms to each side and various grimoires started flying towards her. They all had ominous auras, were covered in runes, and had various attributes coming out of them. "Come, grimoire of the eternal vigilance! [Panopticon]! Let me gaze upon my enemy!" One of the various grimoires then floated in front of her at the height of her torso and opened itself, its pages turning rapidly and stopping right where its wanted. She then put her right hand on its pages, feeding the hungry grimoire with her mana, and activated its power. A power that brought forth a change in Scaths immediate surroundings and on the grimoire itself. A change in the form ofeyes. So many eyes. It was as if Scath was inside a sphere made entirely of ethereal eyes, all looking crazily at every direction. Not only that, but the most ominous eye of all had appeared on the cover of the grimoire, one that had a slit white pupil and a black sclera. "[Abyssal Gaze]!" So exclaimed Scath as the many runes written on the pages of the grimoire came off the paper and started slithering their way from her arm to her eyes. Then, when said runes reached their destination, Scath''s eyes changed into ones that had a white slit and black sclera right before her sight was transported to the Capitals air view. An air view that quickly changed as the spell took her to her target, but something strange began to happen as her sight got nearer to the place where the King of Storms was. "Something is trying to stop my gaze..." She murmured as she tried to keep going forward but kept being pushed back, giving her the sensation that it was something akin to a barrier. "If you think that I will be stopped by this, then you are horribly mistaken." Indeed, such thing only served to mildly annoy her as she fed even more of her mana to the grimoire and broke through whatever was stopping her. So, having dealt with that, her sight moved as a predator hunting for its prey, quickly and silently. And it did not take long for a certain building to come into view, one with a pure white fa?ade that was adorned by the color gold of its window frames and the metal work of its balconies. "So, this is where you are hiding, King of Storms." She smiled as the spell took her gaze to one of the balconies that the building had. A balcony where she saw two women being bathed in the magic light that illuminated the balcony. One was embracing the other in a comforting manner as she spoke of something that surprised the other. And as their embrace ended, their features became clearer. One had short blond hair and was dressed in a simple night robe with embroidery that looked like flowing water. Something about that robe made Scath feel uncomfortable, but she quickly shifted her focus to the woman''s face and demeanor. Her features were finite and delicate, she could be even considered attractive, but something seemed familiar to Violet Death. It was as if she had seen this woman before in her royal drama, but she could not place her within her memories. But that did not matter, she was not her objective after all. Her gaze then turned to the second woman on the balcony. A woman with pale skin, almost as white as wax, and her eyes were as golden as her hair. But more than that, her skin, eyes, and hair, all seemed to glow while bathed in the magical light. It was surely a sight that could make a prince fall in love at first sight. Furthermore, the way she carried herself was clearly regal and she was surrounded by an aura that perfectly complemented that. She was wearing a fine night robe, black as the night, and adorned with red embroidery. And she felt again that strange sensation while looking at it, but something else took her focus away from that. That something being her spell reacting to the woman she was seeing. "So, it is you." Indeed, that was her enemy. The King of Storms. Even if static suddenly filled her field of view when she tried to gauge her strength, she knew. That woman was the one behind everything. An apparent human who was conversing carefreely with her subordinate. "That form of yours can only be a disguise. Someone with your power must be the same as me. A being that was remade by reaching the peak in power." Still, even with the power that Scath had clearly declared her to have, she did not know that her opponent was watching her from afar and that was a chance that the Dragon Lord was not going to pass. "Reveal your true form to me while trying to survive this." In that moment, Scaths irises began to glow over her then fully black sclera as the multiple runes within them lit up in a fiery manner. And the same could be said about the runes that seemed carved on her horns, runes that were actually natural. A trait that made her unique among her kin. Then, the whole library was bathed in the violet light that her mana was releasing. "Blade from the forgotten dimension that rests within my eyes, bring death to those that I gaze upon, [Reaper''s Gaze]!" The moment she finished her chant, a scythes blade appeared from an extradimensional gap and slashed at the regal woman. "What a disappointment..." So scoffed Scath as she looked at the woman not reacting at her attack. And her being unable to do something about it had made Scath lose any interest on her. After all, the King of Storms was as good as dead. "...nnngh! What?!" Or at least that was supposed to be the case. But it was not. Not at all. Instead, something grabbed hold of the blade. A strange, floating arm, one that had an alien design never seen before by Scath. It was clearly divine due to its energies, but at the same time it felt like nothing related to the Goddess that was their enemy. She knew her well and that was not something of hers. But that was not all. The woman she had attacked was looking upwards...no...she was looking straight at her. The woman''s eyes, which had gone from golden to an intense red, glowed strongly as the arm holding the blade started to apply pressure to it, making it tremble. She then uttered just one word. "Soon." A word that she was somehow able to hear Scath despite her spell only involving sight and nothing more. That is when the arm''s pressure grew in strength and the blade cracked along with Scath''s right iris. The pain agonizing but she resisted it. "Nnnngh! You...! Nnngaah!" But as the blade and her iris cracked even further, the pain became unbearable for her spirit, forcibly cutting her connection to the grimoire, causing said object to close abruptly and fall to the ground. It also made her spell vanish as she lost sight of her target. She almost dropped to one knee after that due to the pain, but she stopped halfway as she covered her right eye with her hand. After all, there was something much better filling her mind. "Hnngh! HaaKing of Storms, in all my years I have not encountered a being more clouded in mystery than you. Not even my eyes were able to force your hand and reveal your true form. That strength...I wish to experience it firsthand! Will you bring an end to my long life and bring an end to this play?!" Yes, what filled her mind more than pain was true excitement. One that she had not felt in literal ages. Her life was truly at risk at that moment. That is what she felt when that strange arm grabbed hold of the blade. Her strength had been absolute for such a long time that she had forgotten that feeling and had grown aloof towards direct confrontations, for they had turned boring. But that was no longer the case. And so, she remembered what the King of Storms had said. "Soon...yes, yes. It shall be sooner than you think, King of Storms." She breathed in as those words left her lips, for she was getting ready to make an announcement. "Heed me my subordinates! Tomorrow we fight!" Her voice was heard all around the castle and her armies stirred in thirst for the blood that would be spilled. "The climax for this play has begun, oh King of Storms." Said Scath with a smile on her face. To be continued...(cue illustration of Scath, The Violet Death!) (Alternative title for this chapter: Don''t cry, you haven''t been forgotten Scath. I think...) From Auros'' Stat Sheets: Allegra''s sheet Name: Allegro Frangipani Allegra Frangipani Race: Human High Human Gender: Male Female Age: 44 years old 22 years old (Physically) Rank: ASS Class: Master Alchemist Variant: Poison and Medicine Subclass: Scout Variant: Double Hand-Crossbows Stats: Strength: DA Intelligence: S Agility: BS Mana: BSS Endurance: A SS Constitution: BSS Passive skills: Sound of Silence (Movement & Actions): BA Intellectual Presence: S Master Alchemic Understanding (Poison & Medicine): SSS Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: S (NEW!) Poisonous Flower of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: CSS Poisonous Constitution (Blood): SSS Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Master Alchemic Crafting: SSS Sleepless Alchemist: AS Raw Material Processing: S Mana Regeneration: A (NEW!) Tracking: A Hand-Crossbow Technique (Double Wield): A Underground Navigation (Tunnels): S Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S (SS if poison) Teacher of Alchemists Soothing Voice: A Monster Slayer: A Close Quarters Crossbow Combat: B Active skills: Enhance Constitution: DB Enhance Strength: CA Enhance Agility: CA Bolt Barrage: ASS Enhance Hand-Crossbow Skills: AS Blood Bolt: ASS Enhance Poison Damage: ASS Cross Shot: ASS Enhance Elemental Resistance: DS Round Shot: ASS Triple Effect: CS Evasive Fire: ASS Scouts Will (Hand-Crossbow): ASS Rain of Death: S Master Alchemists Trance (Non-combat): ASS Poisonous Words: EX* Unique traits: Unaging (Race) Poisonous Constitution (Blood) Poison Magic Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary) Blessing for the worthy: Knight Blessing for the worthy: Master Alchemist Blessing of Nerinne Poisonous Words Magic: Nature and Dark attribute. Combined Magic: Poison Magic. (Can use her own poisons as catalysts for a reduced mana cost) Spells: Poison Shroud Paralyzing Spikes Sleeping Fog Lurkers Trance** Toxic Fog Deadly Touch Poison Blast Titles: Capital Born, Son of Frangipani, Son of Construction Workers, Accident Survivor, Lost Child, Underground Tunnel Survivor, Underground Tunnel Child Explorer (Unauthorized), Problem Child, Poisoning Survivor, Poison Aficionado, Strange Child, Academys resident Poison Maniac, Disruptor of Family Tradition, Holder of Alchemy Excellence Scholarship, Novice Alchemist, Poison Tester, Poison Modifier, Teachers Interesting Student, Honorable Graduate, Alchemist, Poison Maker, Antidote Maker, Medicine Maker, Hunter of Poisonous Organisms, Scout, One who has taken many poisons within their body, One who reached the first peak of its research subject, Meister, Master Alchemist, Poison Meister, Best Friend of the Ghost of the Battlefield, Knight, Alchemist Knight, Scout Knight, Oldest Knight of the Order (Former), Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lords Personal Alchemist, Alchemist Maid, Scout Maid, ASMR Maid, The Purple Death, Weird Name Maker. Nerinnes Divine Glossary Corner: *Poisonous Words: It is said that those who reach one of the three peaks of Alchemy will be able to influence the world around them in ways akin to their research subject. This skill is a product of that. An immeasurable skill that makes the sound of ones voice (and the phenomena behind that sound transmission) into a poison of varying effect. Said effect can be whatever the skill user desires, but it is limited to their own knowledge and educated guesses. Which is not much of a demerit knowing who is wielding the skill. It can cause minor effects, like a headache, but it can also cause death if the user wants. The only true demerit of this skill is that its user needs to be at a whispers distance of its victim. Then againshe has that covered too, fufu~. **Lurkers Trance: A trance that is not a trance skill but a spell. A custom spell made by Allegra for combat purposes. Since her true trance is a non-combatant one, she concluded that she needed to cover for that weakness. By taking advantage of what nature and darkness magic offers, she was able create a spell that reinforces her stealth capabilities. It might not be as powerful as a true trance, but it is still a convenient spell to have at hand. Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it! And if youd like to read more, then head over to my patreon! There you will be able to read the first bite of Waifu Bites! which tells the story of Nerinnes first meeting with our adorable volcano girl! Not only that, but tier 3 patrons will get all the updates of the first official illustration for the story! And if patreon is not your thing, but you want to support me and the story, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Not only will your support go a long way, but you will also receive a thank you package! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant and Schoookie! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 73: A conversation in the starry night and the form of His blessing. Now that we have returned to the suite, Mika has been drowning me with questions about my magic and so on. "Master, how were you able to pinpoint a different space? Which mystical language you used in the latter half of your spell? I was able to follow the ancient Spatie that was used by the predecessors of modern spatial mages, but then the rest sounded like gibberish to me... Yep, lots of questions Was it a language older than Spatie or an original one? If it was an original one, then how does the structures of power behave within your language? Does it have a number system too? Is it easy to learn? Is it based on a unique Dragon Lord language instead of Draconic? Is that space under Master''s full control? Does it only contain that area, or is it actually a mirror image of Arte? And..." So...many...questions... And she is clearly not stopping any time soon... Help... Lets look around for any maid to aid meah, Lucy! Aaaand she just looks back at me, smiles, winks, and leaves. All as if saying, ''enjoy yourselves, hehe.'' Grrr No one else is coming Allegra is in her room, briefing Luca, and the rest of the scouting team on how the operation went. She looked especially eager to tell Luca about the poison. Also, Jules and Sophie brought dinner for everyone. And this time its from a restaurant that Sophie liked. MeanwhileI am still stuck here. "Fufufu~~~, look at it from the bright side, dear. You did manage to remind everyone that you are more than your''massages''." Yes...that is good, but now Mika wants to know everything about it... Should I tell her that I just imagine, point, and shoot? "Oh no. You shouldnt tell her that unless you want to plunge her again into a crisis, dear. I did tell you that comments like those can give heart attacks to people, right? Well, I am partially to blame because I told you about the true essence of magic and gave you the perfect tools to use it. Even then, you surpassed my expectations, dear. I cannot fault little Mika for being curious. So, do hear her out." I know...but I want to eeeeat... "I await your answers, Master! Please, do not be concerned for my ignorance and dump it all on me! I shall take all the notes needed!" *THUD* "...!" FOR DARLING''S SAKE!! THAT IS ONE BIG NOTEBOOK!! TAKE IT OFF THE TEA TABLE! IT IS GOING TO BREAK!!! *CREAK* IT''S CREAKING! IT''S CREAKING!! RESIST, TEA TABLE-CHAN!! She leaves me no choice!! I will use my instinct and mental agility to craft some good answers for her!!! All while doing my best impression of the undead majestys legendary mumble!!! If he can make it work with that genius demon, then I can make it work with this cute class president of a maid!! "Hmph, then listen closely for I am not repeating myself until I have finished. Understood?" I say so with my edge alter tone. Also, Gabrielle and Bertia are now here and are serving us some freshly made tea and snacks. One thing though, they are not saying a thing. It seems that they are respecting Mika''s time or maybe they just are curious too? "Of course, Master! I wont interrupt even if what Master says creates more questions within me! I have come to expect that given Master''s mind-numbing ability!" Oi. I know that you are excited, but could you use kinder words for this sensitive Master of yours? "...then first..." _________________________________________ Ahhh...that was tiring... She would just go on and on and on with her questions And when I thought that we were finished she justmade even more questions Anyways After that I had dinner with everyone, talked with Erevain and Gabrielle for a bit, and then I went to my room where I took a nice, relaxing bath. Then I put on the fancy night robe that Nerinne made for me, which obviously emphasizes my breasts and overall figure, and launched myself at the bed. Back first, obviously. "But that Mika...seriously..." I sigh while resting one arm on my forehead. She didn''t fill that giant notebook, but she did use a good chunk of it. LikeI said a single sentence and she filled three pages... When I mentioned a sensation or a sound, she filled five... And don''t get me started with the concepts of space that I have used...ten or more pages were violently written on by her when I mentioned them... As a nerd she has out-nerded me...and I bet that she has out-nerded you too In my case, I never reached those kinds of numbers while taking notes on a class...not even in college. I did when I was working on my thesis, but that was a different thing Still, I swear I could see smoke coming out of that poor pen and paper... And I know that I dont say this often, but I am glad that I am a nerd. Heh. Because thanks to being one, I was exposed to some scientific concepts that I was able make use of in my explanation, regardless if that was not my actual area of study. Also, with the help of my instinct telling me where I could do it, I was able to use sci-fi to fill the blanks. If she can actually make sense of any of that and comes up with some crazy ultra-powerful arcane theory, thenI would also give her a hug and a reward of her choosing for being such a hard worker. Also, that would be a CHECK for ultra-powerful things being born by the knowledge of the isekai protagonist. "Fufufu~~, indeed. If she manages to do that, then she more than deserves it. But dont think that is that difficult to do that, dear. Because while magic ceased to exist in your former world due to the fall of the other races, humans replaced it slowly with their science and their attempts at comprehending the laws of the universe. One day science will be undistinguishable from magic'' that is the saying, am I correct? Fufufu~~, if only they knew how much truth there is in those words for their world...so much time and knowledge lost...so many advances..." Those are a lot of shocking revelations of my former world...like I am about to do a Mika here and start asking questions nonstop! Races?! Magic?! "Oh my, I think I said a bit too much, dear. But as the incredible Goddess that I am, timing will be always on my side! So, let''s leave this conversation for later or better yet, until you forget!" Huh?! Why?! "You have a visitor, darling!" A visitor? There is no visi *knock* *knock* "Master...are you awake?" That is...Erica? Does she need to report something? And you lovable Goddess, I am not finished with you!! I''ll make you tell me!! "Fufufu~~, I''ll be waiting. And if we end up ''fighting''...I will gladly ''eat'' you up again, dear~~." "Thats...!" This Goddess...! Saying those things so casually!! "Master?" Oops, she heard me. "*ahem* Yes, I am awake, Erica. Is there a problem?" ! Oh, she got startled by my voice. "Eh? Ah! No, no, there is no problem. I-Iit is just thatammI was thinking ifif I could talk with Master. O-of course, only if it is not a bother and I am not disturbing Masters rest." Hmm...she must not be used to making requests to those above her or am I just that unapproachable? At least I don''t think so. I mean, we all have been having good times when eating and such. Oh well, lets make it clear to her anyways. "It is not a bother Erica; I am used to being awake at night. You can come in if you so wish." I say so with a warmer tone just so that my point can get across. "N-no, I cannot...entering Master''s bedroom at such hours could be misunderstood by Leader and Gabrielle...and I do not wish to be in the middle of that crossfire. Could we talk in the balcony instead, Master? It is a new moon, and the sky is clear, so we will be able to see just how many stars truly adorn it." That is quite the specific reason...but it is a pretty obvious one after that little''debate'' those two had a couple of days ago... Also, I do want to see those stars. "I understand, go ahead." Yes, Master. And there she goes. I can even hear her as she passes by the living room, pulls back a certain pair of curtains and opens the balcony''s doors. As for me, its time to get up from the bed and put my comfy slippers on. Hmmdo I do my hair again or just leave it down? Mmmm...nah, down it is. Lets go. _______________________________________ What I am seeing now could leave anyone without breath for a moment. Erica looking at the sky while wearing a blue night robe with embroidery that looks like flowing water. Not only that, but she is being bathed by the pale magic light that illuminates the balcony, which makes look even more beautiful. Her slim but fit figure can be seen through her robe as an alluring shadow, that shows just enough. All while the bottom of her robe flutters because of the wind. The look in her eyes has a tinge of both sadness and nostalgia it, and her smile is small but heavy. It doesnt take long before she notices me and turns around, leaning with her back on the balcony''s handrail. "I know that I was already forgiven, but...I apologize for my behavior at the cathedral." She says that as she takes her eyes off the stars and looks down. "It is just that... after I lost my parents to the war, she became like a sister to me...nonot likeshe was a sister to me" Her eyes begin to look a bit teary as I get near her and lean right beside her on the handrail. She then laughs wryly while shaking her head before continuing. "When I was crying about my parents, she would always hug me before throwing me to the other side of the room...haha. I would ask why, and she would say ''you need to be strong! Keep crying but get up! And if you can''t get up on your own, I''ll help! I will always help! So, what''s going to be?'' I sometimes got up on my own...other times, I asked for her help...and sometimes she would just lay there with me until I got up oror I asked her..." Her voice is breaking up, but she is holding back her tears. I can also feel something strange out there...but it''s faint...is it a spy? No, Luca would''ve taken care of them... It is also getting closer by the second... "Ahbut that is not to say that the king and Queen Regent were not nice to me. On the contrary, they were more than nice. They took me in whenwhen my parents, their war siblings as they called each other, died in battle. And while there are many reasons for me to hate the king nowhis embrace at that time was sincerejust as his tears for my parents and the Queens too. Erica glances at the palace as she says that. Or more like at the palace of the past As for Leaderit might be surprising to hear, but while he has always been sincere and caring with me, we barely saw each other at the time. After all, I had my attendant training, and he had his classes as well as many other responsibilities. SoMary was the only one there with methe only one thatdidnt treat me like I preferred some time alone. She would appear on my bed, in the kitchen when I was there...even in the bathroomshe was there until my sobs became laughsuntil color returned to my world Her hands have turned into fists and are shaking...no, all her body is shaking... "I already trusted and loved her as my sister by that time. She was someone to look up toto rely onshe was family. And that sentiment only grew when Leader was able to join us freely. By thenwe trained together, laughed together, ate together and more. It was my job, but it didnt feel like that at allit felt like home. So why? Why did she do that? To me? To Leader? Erica Was I the only one who thought of her like that? Were we the only ones who thought she was a close friend? Was she laughing behind our backs all that time? Just how long...!? How long was she planning to betray usandand break our hearts like that?!" One moment I am listening to her and the next I am embracing her while caressing her head, which is at the height of my chest. "M-Master?!" YesIm consoling her, just like Nana taught me...when grandpa died. I justI just couldn''t control myself. The second I saw a tear coming down of those eyes I moved... "Shhh...it''s alright, Erica. IuuuIjust want to knowuuu Let them out Becauseuuuif its like Master told us andshe looked burdened with enough guilt to think ofdeath as a punishment for her actionsthen why? Why did she do it? Uuuwhy did she not tell us if she was being forced? Why didnt she trust us?! Why is she still doing Lichts bidding?! Uuu She looks up at me, tears flowing down her cheeks, and asks me that Ido not know the answers to those questions, but I do know that there is hope to be found in things not being as black and white as they once seemed." Something is definitely getting nearer and nearer...no, it is already here, observing us... The King...no. The Prince...no. Brynn...warm. Then...! "Dear...!" *FWOOSH* *CLANG* Eh?! She made her move just when my instinct was telling me that it was her! I was preparing myself to evade it, whatever it was...but...! A violet blade came out of nowhere and was clearly trying to cut me in half! But surprise, Violet Death!! It seems you activated my trap card!! Or more like my blessing card!! Yawue''s Blessing! Your extradimensional attack has been blocked and grabbed by the arm of aSTAND....A STAND?!! WAIT! HOL YOUR HORSES!! DID YAWUE GIVE ME A SOMETHING LIKE A STAND AS THE BLESSING AGAINST EXTRADIMENSIONAL ATTACKS?!! IT EVEN HAS THE LOOK AND FEEL OF HIS DIVINE REALM!! NO WAY!! WAIT AGAIN! THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO WEEB OUT!! Its time to look right where my instinct is pinpointing me and say just one word to her while I break her spell with my BLESSING! That is the protagonist way to go!! *CRACK* *CRACK* And since my eyes are already glowing red, let''s give her the edge alter glare while breaking that blade a bit more just to go even further. "Soon." I say while injecting more strength to my BLESSING until Violet Death''s presence vanishes as does her spell. "Master...what was that?" Asks Erica who has a rapier made of water on her hand. She must have made it with her magic... and it looks really cool. Also, she was ready to fight even after all of thatshe is strong. "That...was Violet Death giving her greetings." To be continued....(cue Auros doing those poses with Nerinne!) (An invisible plushie to whoever finds the typo that is actually reference!) Holy Fact: Auros automatically speaks in whatever language is most effective for her spells thanks to Nerinne''s blessing and her instinct. Thank you for reading! I''m sorry for the delay, but really wanted to tinker a bit more with the chapter before releasing it! In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please look forward for the next one! Also, thank you all so much for making this story hit ''Trending'' once again and in third place! Really, thank you everyone! And if you wish to support me and the story in another way, then head over to my patreon or my ko-fi! Your help will truly go a long way! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, and Schoookie! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all later! Chapter 74: Getting ready for the ball. "Violet Death?! And Master stopped her strange attack with her own strange attack...?" Exclaimed Erica baffled by the identity of the one who interrupted our talk and how I dealt with it. Also, it is not strange, it was my BLESSING. Heh, yeah, I am thinking that word in all-caps to keep the reference. Heck let''s make that its name. What? It doesn''t have the name of a band or a popular song? Well...yeah...but I still feel that it is a good name. Allegra much, you say? Hey! That''s not fair! Anyways, theres something Im curious about. "How did her attack look to you, Erica?" "It was like a moving distortion, Master. Similar to the ones Master creates when using spatial magic. It was moving at an incredible speed too, so I am not sure if I would have been able to perceive it before I joined Master." She answers immediately while making her water rapier disappear. Alsothat means that Im the only one capable of seeing that blade, huh. Not only that, but it would be a troublesome attack for the Maid-Knights if she were to put more power into it. Of course, assuming everyones perception is the same as Ericas... Is the Violet Death nearby, Master? We could mount a counterattack if that is the case." And with those firm words I see no sign of the vulnerable side that she showed me moments ago. "Hmph, there is no need for that. As I told you, that was a mere greeting from her. She is telling us that our actions have been noticed and that she will be dealing with us personally. As such, it is most likely that she is preparing to attack this place as we speak." I say so as I close my eyes, put one of my arms under my voluptuous chest, my other arm in the typical chin-holding position, and nod while looking extremely confident in my words. Because I am. My instinct and my isekai knowledge are backing me up after all. "Then what Master said when we were making our travel preparations is true...she has hastened her plans to attack." Erica has opened her eyes widely in surprise and I smile at her with confidence. "Indeed, that is why we do not have to do anything besides having a good rest. For our battle preparations have been under way since that moment." I say so as I start walking back to the interior of the suite, followed closely by Erica. Back then, my instinct had told me that she''d attack the Capital between the space of one to two weeks after our arrival. And now it is obvious that everything we did was what brought that result. "I shall take Master''s advice then and go to rest. I...thank you for listening to me and...for what you did, Master." She says that as we walk through the hall leading to my bedroom. While doing so, I carefully, and naturally, evade a certain ''empty'' space. Shortly after that, it doesn''t take long for us to reach my bedroom''s door. I then turn around and put my hand on Ericas shoulder in an affectionate way. "I will always be open to lend an ear for my precious comrades. So, do not hesitate to ask me again if you so need to or want to." After that, I smile warmly at her, to which she nods and smiles back. "Ah! Master, should I tell everyone what just happened? Or should I wait until tomorrow?" And I was waiting for that question! Time to do an anime style exit! I look towards the ''empty'' space that we passed by a bit ago and smile, startling said empty space for a moment before it quickly calms down. "There is no need for that, Erica." As I say that, I start turning around slowly and grab my bedroom''s doorknob. "After all, everyone has been watching us since the very beginning. Huhuwith it being casted on so many people, Luca has quite the useful spell, dont you think?" "eh? With that, I smile at the dumbfounded Erica and point at where she should be looking at before entering my room. How was that?! Now comes the funny part!! Will they stay hidden? Will they be scolded? Or will she be embarrassed? To discover that, I obviously stick my ear to the door and wait. Even if I dont need to due to my senses! What? Even then, its impossible for me to stick close to the door because of my boobs, you say? HA! You lack imagination!! I am leaning completely on my side instead of just my head! Oh! Its starting!! ____________________________________________ While Erica was confused for a moment at her Masters words, she still turned around and looked at the place her Master pointed at. Then, she focused her senses, which were much sharper than they ever were before her change, and something clicked within her. "This sensation...Master was right..." It was then that such murmur left her lips as her expression turned into a deadpan, for she was not amused. "Luca, we have sparred together long enough for me to recognize that spell. Come out." Not only that, but the air around her made it clear that she was angry, even if she spoke at the ''empty'' space in a monotone. And in response to it, the ''emptiness'' disappeared, replaced by various women in nightwear that suddenly appeared in its place. Some had nervous smiles on their faces as they tried to avoid Ericas gaze. Some laughed in both embarrassment and nervousness. And others simply cleared their throats before trying to act as normal as possible. Indeed, none were nonchalant about. Nonesave for one. Gabrielle. Or at least it only seemed that way, for there was indeed an apologetic feeling in the way she said ''hi'' with her hand. In any case, Ericas gaze immediately fell on the one she had called out, and said bang covered maid promptly pointed at the woman beside her. "It...was...Lucy''s...idea..." So said Luca in her clearest whisper possible. "What?! That''s not true!" Startled by such whispered declaration and Erica''s gaze falling on her, Lucy immediately exclaimed that while she raised her hands and shook them. "*staaaaaaaareeeee*" But none of that worked as Erica''s intense gaze remained locked on her. Something that only increased her fear and nervousness as Lucy became smaller before it. "I''m telling the truth! It wasnt my idea!" Still, Lucy tried again to declare her innocence, but she only received silence and a raised eyebrow in response. One that clearly spelled really?. And so, seeing that she was not being believed, Lucy proceeded to resign herself to her fate. "Ahaha...ok...ok...yes it was my fault but...! I only said it as a joke! It was Leader''s decision to actually do it!" Or not, for she shifted the blame to Erevain, who coughed out of surprise. "I...*ahem*...yes, it was my decision. But I want you to know that I only gave such permission because I knew the rest would have done it anyways. And knowing Lucy and Bertia, they might have interrupted you by making some noise. So, I swiftly tasked Luca with helping us in preventing that." Said Erevain as she clearly tried to give her own spin to something as simple as her wanting to join in the peeking, all while having Ericas gaze was fixed on her. "Oi, are you saying that I can''t be stealthy, Leader?!" "My, who was it that almost made a flower vase fall when we were moving?" "Guh!" Bertia, who seemed offended by Erevain''s words, got her question quickly shot down by Gabrielle''s retort, which made her immediately look away in shame. "..." Seeing that, Erica simply shook her head and moved on to the maids that were left. "I just joined because I wanted a late-night snack." Said Jules as she looked towards the kitchen. "I go where Luca goes." Said Allegra as she hugged a cutely embarrassed Luca from behind. Meanwhile, Mika was nowhere to be seen and as such, Erica assumed that she was probably the only one dutifully sleeping. With that, Ericas intense gaze subsided, and she smiled at everyone, making almost all the maids present let out a sigh of relief. "I am glad that you unders" "Leader. Everyone. You are the worst." """""...!!""""" But it had been too soon for them to let out such a sigh, for not only did the well-mannered and loyal Erica interrupt Erevain with such coldly delivered words, but it was the first time that she had said something like that at all. "Good night." Thus, everyone was terribly shocked, for none of them were expecting that. So much so, that they all looked like statues as Erica walked past them and went to her room. And of course, none of them knew nor noticed, that their Master enjoyed every single moment of it all. To the point that she laughed herself to sleep shortly after everything had ended. ____________________________________________ Meanwhile, inside the royal palaces royal chambers, the King stood on his balcony, looking at the moonless sky. "Tomorrow will finally be the day I bring a new glory to this world." The gaze of King Raphael turned sharper as he let out such words. He did so in a way that made them seem to be directed at someone or something in the starry sky. Yes...perhaps such words were meant for his deceased wife. Perhaps they were meant for the son that he believed to be dead. Or perhapsthey were meant for the Goddess that seemed to be ignoring that place. Indeed, that is how it seemed, but that was not the case. Those words were for himself. They were his way to reaffirm the path he had chosen. They were his way to prepare himself for what he was going to do, for there was no going back once he did it. "Indeed, My King. Despite the recent inconvenience caused by a bubble of natural gas, the workers report that the door will be ready to be opened tomorrow night without any problems. Such were the words of his advisor, Hilde Val, who entered his royal quarters unannounced and without knocking. And indeed, while it was somewhat surprising for the King to hear that the whole working crew had been knocked out by natural gas, that ended up being thought as the culprit for there were no traces of poison or magic. Something that even sounded logical given that they were working in an underground area. "Hilde..." In any case, the King did not turn around to face his advisor and even ignored her lack of manners, preferring to keep looking at the starry sky as he spoke. "Your presence here must mean that the preparations for tomorrow''s ball are complete. Am I correct?" "Yes, My King. Not only the vehicle that shall take everyone to the location of the main event has been finished, but the blackening process on the Bulls and My Kings weapons has been successfully completed too. As she said that, Hilde put a storage ring on the small table that was close to her before continuing. As such, there is practically nothing left to do. Other than wait for your signal tomorrow, of course. And when that happens, not only everything shall go according to plan, but everyone shall finally see the fruits of your labor, My King. You will obtain the recognition you deserve." Said Hilde, whose voice was full of confidence, just as her smile. But even after all of that, the King still did not grace her with his gaze. Instead, he turned it to the capital that was before himand beyond. "Hmph. Those phony knights tried to stop us with their meager sabotage and subterfuge, but in the end that only amounted to be on the same level as a mewling child. And now that everything has been but completed, this world will see a new glory and there is nothing they can do to stop it from happening. So declared the King with great disregard for those he was talking about, but also with great confidence in his plan. "As it should be, My King. May a New Glory be onto you." And with that, Hilde left the Kings royal quarters. _______________________________________________ Meanwhile, inside Roxxy''s smithy in the Castle of the Ever-Burning Will. "I-I did it...! It''s awake!! Nnngh...but I can''t stop to admire this legend in my hands, even if pains me! Aye, there is still work that needs to be done. Said Roxxy, the Blacksmith Maid, as she carefully sheathed a certain ancient, blessed weapon and carefully placed it in a special wooden sword stand. Then, she turned to the friends that had been helping her. Friends that were all sleeping in a corner of the smithy. Max, Josie, Patricia! Wake up! Sleeping break is over! Prepare the Moon Tears!! We have a sword and shield to forge and only one night to do it!!" .!! Y-yes!! With that, it did not take long for the usual melody of the smithy to be ''played'' again. Neither her nor her helpers noticed, but they were being watched by Nerinne, their Goddess. And she had a satisfied smile on her face. Thus, the night gave birth to a brand-new day. One that would go down in history as the birth of a new age of legends. To be continued(cue illustration of the Royal Palace) From Auros'' stat sheets: Erica''s sheet Name: Eric Fontanela Erica Fontanela Alias: Erica La Fonte. Race: Human High Human. Gender: Male Female. Age: 20 years old. Rank: ASS Class: Mystic Knight. Variant: Rapier. Subclass: Fencer. Stats: Strength: CA Intelligence: A Agility: BSS Mana: BSS Endurance: BS Constitution: CS Passive skills: Leadership: B Noble Presence: A Strategist: B Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: CSS Dancing Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: BS Combat Enchantment Enhancement MK: BS Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Moon-reflecting Lake: S* Flowing Sword Dance: A (NEW!) Combat Magic Enhancement MK: CS Mana Regeneration: S (NEW!) Self-Enchantment Enhancement MK: ASS Sword Technique (Rapier): A Fontanelas Bloodline: S** Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Way of the Royal Attendant: B Active skills: Enhance Endurance: CA Enhance Strength: DB Enhance Agility: CA Heartbreaker Thrust: ASS Enhance Sword Skills: AS Triple Thrust: AS Enhance Speed: BS Charging Thrust: BS Enhance Elemental Resistance: BS Dance Form (Evade & Counter): AS Triple Effect: CS Mirage Stab: AS Fencers Spirit: ASS Thrust Blitz: SS Mystic Knights Trance: ASS ???? Unique traits: Unaging (Race). Moon-reflecting Lake*. Fontanelas Bloodline**. Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight Blessing of Nerinne. Undying Loyalty. |}|}| Magic: Water Attribute Magic. Combined Magic: None. Unique Magic: |}|}| Spells: Water Blast Water Blade Water Sword Summon (Rapier) Savage Wave Water Enchant Perilous Swirl Misty Shroud Water Step Water Skin Disastrous Torrent Water Clone Titles: Noble Born, Only Son of the Fontanelas (former), Doted Child, Inheritor of the Fontanelas Bloodline, A Parents Pride, Orphan, The Queen Regents Entrusted Child, Trainee Attendant, Charles Butler Apprentice, A Half-Ogres Rough Care Target, Marys Friend, Survivor of Charles Apprenticeship, Crown Prince Attendant, Crown Prince Friend, Bond Brother of the One Blessed by the Moon, Bond Brother of Three Eyed Half-Ogre, Grade Skipper, Perseverant Fencer, Apprentice of the Proud Swordsman, Crown Princes Sparring Partner, Marys Sparring Partner, Young Knight Candidate, Young Knight, Knight, The Young Sub-leader, Erevains Second in Command, Mystic Knight, Knight of the Raging Sea, Knight of the Still Lake, Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, Only Daughter of the Fontanelas, High Dragon Lords Most Experienced Maid, Fencer Maid, Mystic Maid Knight, Sub-Leader of the Maid Knights, One who reflects the Moon, |}|}|. Nerinnes Glossary Corner: *Moon-reflecting Lake: A unique passive skill given to one who shares a deep bond with our princess who is the One Blessed by the Moon. And so, Ericas water attribute abilities are enhanced whenever she fights close to our princess, the One Blessed by the Moon. Not only growing in damage, but also sharing the properties of Moonlight Attribute Magic, albeit weaker. Truly a reflection on the still surface of a lake. **Fontanelas Bloodline: In Arte some bloodlines pass on certain magical traits mixed with the usual physical ones. Ericas bloodline is known for being only able to use the water attribute, no matter how great their overall magical potential is. However, their progress and growth in the usage of water attribute magic is faster than the average persons. Not only that, but the Fontanelas have made a great fountain of knowledge with each generation. Letting them learn all sorts of water attribute unique and variant spells that are pretty much made for them. It is also said that the Fontanelas can bring forth the strength of the natural disasters of the legendary age. Although, such a feat has claimed the lives of many Fontanelas throughout history. Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! And if you did, please drop a heart on it! Now...here we have a very cute and beautiful piece of fanart made by DavidDehGoo! One that I dub "Morning Luca"! She looks so...BEAUTIFUL!! Don''t you think so?! Thank you so much. DavidDehGoo! You rock! And if you want to send some fanart, you can do so by uploading to our fanart channel in the story''s discord server! In any case, thank you so much for reading once more! If you want to support the story and me, please consider either donating to my Ko-Fi or subscribing to my Patreon! Your support will really go a long way, no matter how big or small! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, and Schoookie! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all on wednesday! I''ll be taking tomorrow off to focus on volume 2 work! Chapter 75: A ball awaits. Dresses arrive. Mouths are left agape. In the room closest to a certain someone''s, when the sky was close to be painted in the colors of a new day, a black-haired maid was still dreaming. She dreamt of the past. She dreamt of bygone days much earlier than a certain Order. She dreamt of days even earlier than her days in a certain academy. She dreamt of a time when things wereif not simpler, at least much different. She dreamt of her childhood. She dreamt ofhalcyon days. Yeseven if those days were full of lessons, trials and challenges put before her by her parents. And the reason was simpleshe was happy. She was happy learning everything she could from those lessons. She was happy facing the impossible trials set by her mother in her training. She was happy taking on the challenges made by her father in his training. She was happy playing around with her childhood friend in the gardens of the palace, reenacting the legends of the Knights she looked up to. She was happy taking care of her little brother and telling him such legends every night. Indeedit was a time when she did not have to worry about the innocence of her brother nor her childhood friend. And of course... "We are almost there, my son. You can do it." "Yes, Father! Hnng...!" ...it was a time when her father was that. A father. One who would sometimes take her on small journeys outside of the Capital, regardless if that meant skipping classes and kingly responsibilities alike. And the scene that her dream showed her was one of those journeys, one where they were climbing up the skirt of one of the smaller mountains in the Kingdom after having dealt with some monsters. There, her father had reached the spot where they would both camp and take in the vista that it provided. Meanwhile, the child that was Erevain was only a few meters away, climbing up the path that his father had taken, carefully grabbing each ledge, and making sure that his footing was sure. And as he got close enough to his goal, his father crouched and looked at him in the eye. "Do you need a hand, my son?" "No." So answered the child that was Erevain as he shook his head. And indeed, he did not need it. His hands were not trembling, nor were his legs tired. After all, it was not his first time climbing and his body was already well conditioned enough by his parents training. Still, his father did not move and neither did Erevain. "Do you want one?" "...yes." Before such question, the child that was Erevain looked at his father and then looked slightly down as if pondering about it for a moment before looking up once more and smiling at his father as he said that. "That is the right answer. Here." Hn! Up you go. With that, his father pulled him up with ease, but he did not put him on the rocky ground he was standing on, no, he brought him all the way up his shoulders and sat him there, causing Erevain to smile even more. Do you know why it was the right answer, my son? Because there is no shame in asking for help, father? Close, very close, my son. The child that was Erevain could not see it, but his father was smiling proudly as he said that. Still, such sentiment could be transmitted through his voice just as easily. There is indeed no shame in asking for help but wanting helpthat is something that takes a certain kind of strength. The strength to know that there is no need to do things alone and that there is nothing wrong in reaching out, even if you can do things on your own. Hmmbut isnt all of that contained in what I said? Hehahaha! Perhaps it is, my son. Perhaps your father just wanted to say something profound when faced with this incredible view. Or at least something that sounded profound. Dont worry, father. It was profound. I will keep it in my heart. You do that, my son. Because no matter whether you are a king or a farmer, being able to reach out to someone is something invaluable. Nowhow about we take this view in. Yes, father. With that, they both stayed silent for a couple of minutes before the child that was Erevain broke the silence. Fatherdo you think I will be a good king? Iwell, I am afraid that the Goddess might punish me if I say no, heh. But even then, I cannot say, my son. Why? Because that is up to you and only you. But I dont knowthat is why Im asking I see, so you dont know. Then let me ask you thisdo you love what you see here, my son? Do you love the forests that bless this Kingdom? Do you love this mountain and the other mountains that cross this Kingdom? Do you love the valleys? The sea? The lakes? The villages? The cities? The people? Do you love them, my son? ! Yes, father! Yes, I do! The forests give us lots of blessings! Berries, wood, meat and more! The mountains give us minerals and refuge! The valleys give us good soil for farming and guide us to fresh water! The sea blesses us with fish, algae and more! The villages, the cities, they bless us with providing a place for our people! And our people are the Kingdom! Well said, my son. Then, theres your answer. A king that loves is much better than a king that does not. But that is not all there is to it. No? Confused, the child that was Erevain tilted his head to the side as he asked. No. While a king that loves is much better, if they do not have the strength to carry that duty and the willingness to do so because they want to, then that love has no floor to stand on. ThenI wantI want to be strong enough, father. That, my son. That is the best answer. Dont worry, I have a good feeling that you will. Thank youdad. I love you. And I love you, Erevain. Always. In that moment, just as the sun completely set in the dreams horizon, the black-haired maid opened her silver eyes and found herself back in the present. And as she looked at the ceiling of her room, she raised her arm as if reaching out to somethingsomeone, but then she closed her hand and brought it close to her heart, all while she grimaced in a certain manner. Fatherwhat happened? So said Erevain in the faintest of voices. ________________________________________ This is it. Today is the day of the ball. Today is the climax for the first volume. Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge. The essential mission to advance through the Nerinne route! And the Erevain route! "Fufufu~~. Indeed, dear. It is also the climax for the Maid-Knights as former knights of this Kingdom." Yes, it is also the time for Erevain and Erica to confront their past and the people in it. For Erevain it is her father, brother, and childhood friend. Not only that, but there is also her fated enemyEternal Winter. And she will surely make an appearance. That title in Erevain''s stat sheet pretty much guarantees it. As for Erica, it is the childhood friend who became a sister to her. Lastly, we already have the surprise for the King in place. "Oh, and that despicable Violet Death is already preparing her armies, dear. She has even gone from using just her mana to using the world''s to foster her numbers with more undead and monsters. She clearly does not care about me being able to see her doing that. She is quite confident...kukuku...I can''t wait to see that confidence crushed...kukuku..." Easy there, darling! It is still too early for you to go dark! "Ah, I am sorry, dear. It is as you say, I cannot let myself be distracted. After all, I still have to give your dresses the last touches." That sounds more like you haven''t decided which one you want me to wear out of the possible million dresses you''ve already made. "Oh my, is it that obvious? I did access the internet of your world to look for some base designs, but I was having so much fun making yours and your dates'' that when I came too, I already had too many of them." ... I was joking... "You were? Oh dear." Pfft...hahahaha you...dork of a Goddess. "Hey! You dummy, at least praise me for my hard work..." You are right, darling. Great job. I can always count on you. "Fufufu~~ indeed. Ahhh, it was such nice pastime for these few days while doing everything else. So many different dresses I want you to wear. Fufufu~~, although I am keeping some for our private time together because they are too...good. And I want to be the only one to see the expressions that they will paint on your face." Darling, I don''t know if this was your objective, but I still felt a shiver go down my spine. Heck, I even covered my chest unconsciously...oh no...I''m already red...this damn imaginative mind of mine! It is so nice and hot imagining besto waifu with all those fan servicey designs but...! No! One of the reasons for wanting this body is cosplay! I can''t be embarrassed! I can''t back down on that! Put whatever you want on me! You shall not see me embarrassed, darling!! Look, I am even making the pose of ''come at me'' to show you how serious I am! "Fufufu~~, we''ll see, we''ll see. Still, I have narrowed the dresses down to two." Oh! Then, do you want me to try them on? "Yes, that will certainly help in my decision, dear." Great, there is still time before breakfast so let''s do this, Nerinne. "Sending them to you now, dear. Do use the underwear that comes with the dresses too, dear. It is all part of a set." ...more thongs? "Hmm, how did the saying go in your former world? Ah, right. You bet your beautiful white and solid bottom that they are." Why am I not surprised about this anymore? *fwoosh* Aaaand here they are, appearing on my bed in a flash of blue light, while preparing myself for another day of using a thong. What? I should have gotten used to it by now, you say? I know! And it is indeed being easier for me to use them! That freedom of movement! That allure! But it is a matter of principle now!! Hm? Wait...these two dresses seem familiar... "Oh, so you noticed. Indeed, I did say I used some of the ones I found on the internet of your world as a base. These are the end products of two different lines based on two of those dresses. I maintained the essence to give tribute to the beautiful mortal who thought of them and gave me inspiration. Come on, dear! Try them on! I already sent Erevain, Gabrielle, and someone else their dresses, so try out yours too!" Yeah, yeah, it almost feels like you are physically pushing me even if you are not technically here! Also, what is that about an extra person? "Come on, dear! That can wait! Hurry! I spent so much time making them that I really want to see you in them!" Ok! Ok! Look! I am taking off my night robe! Geez...nothing can''t stop you when you are like that... "Right back at you, dear. Fufufu~~." Heh. I can''t argue with that. _____________________________________________ "Master, I deeply apologize but...! Please, let me accompany you to the ball too!" This is the first thing I see after coming out of my room for breakfast, Erica bowing deeply and making a petition that a certain Goddess already knew about. "Fufufu~~." Oh, also I am wearing my normal outfit and not the ball dress right now. If you were wondering about that. Hm? What color is my underwear, you ask? Heh, black and red, of course. But I digress. "Hmph, have you asked Erevain and Gabrielle about this?" I glance to the end of the hallway as I say this and see that those two are there. "Yes, I did, Master. I would not have brought this to you if I had not." She says that with her head still down. "Is that so." I look again at the maids and they nod. So, they agree to her going. Good. Thinking back to yesterday''s night this must have been an obvious development for me, an isekai addict...but I was too busy laughing with what happened next to think about it...heh... Oh wait, so that''s why they agreed! Ha! "Very well, I do not see the problem with you accompanying us. But let me be clear, Erica..." My edge alter tone becomes a bit more intense as I continue, just enough to emphasize what I''m going to say. "...you cannot be acting up while we are there. It is a given that Mary is going to be there, so control yourself." "I will not shame you like that, Master. I swear." So says Erica while looking me in the eye after raising her head. I can also see that Erica''s hands are no longer trembling in frustration like last night. "Good. If that is all, then let us have breakfast." With that, I walk past her and then she follows close behind me, the other two joining her shortly after. Meanwhile, the rest of the maids, plus Lyra, are already at the table. Yeah, Lyra pretty much acts like a cat than a tiger, coming and leaving the suite at any hour. But I do not have a problem with that. Why? Fluff, of course!! "Ah, Erica." I just remembered something. "Yes, Master?" "Do not worry about the dress you shall be wearing tonight; it must be already in your room. That is the same for you two, Erevain, Gabrielle." I say while glancing at my sides. "It will be an honor to wear a dress made by the Goddess herself. I shall do my best to do so with the pride and gracefulness it deserves, My Lord." Says Erevain with her cool tone. Ahhh, I can''t wait to see how gorgeous she looks with it!! "My, indeed. I cannot disappoint you, my dear Master. This beauty of mine is yours and only yours. As such, I am grateful to the Goddess for giving me the chance to show it to you in such gallant event. Of course, I too shall endeavor to act with the finest of bearings." Says Gabrielle with a look full of anticipation and an honest smile. "A-a d-dress made by t-the Goddess?" Heh, and that cute mumbling is from Erica. She has a mix of fear and surprise in her voice. You get what you ask for, Erica. __________________________________________ "Everyone today is the day when all of us shall face our first true battle against the forces that wish harm upon our world as the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will. Today we shall show Master Auros that her trust in us is warranted. That we are worthy of walking the same path as her. Erevain started our post-breakfast meeting with those words and man, they are already sounding epic. She really has a talent for it! Some of us shall be inside the capital''s walls while others will be on the battlefield. Even so, remember. Remember that we are connected. By our past, by our oaths, and our shared future as sisters in this reborn Order. Ohh! She used sisters!! Nice!! We shall not let a single monster, undead, lizardman or Dragon Lord touch this city and its inhabitants. Because that is our duty as Knights, our responsibility as those blessed with power and...most importantly, because this place was our home even if our last memories of it were sour." I am totally inspired by her words! And the others are too! "As you all know, our Lord foresaw this and ordered everyone in the castle to be prepared for battle at any time. Thus, when Violet Death''s forces are located, we shall take action. Everyone who is not at the ball shall be teleported to the battlefield by our Lord. So be prepared. Everyone nods as she says that. Kris shall be there and take command until either me, Erica, or Gabrielle arrive. Next, you all know your roles. Luca, Allegra, Jules, use the chaos of the battlefield to your advantage and take as much high-ranking heads as possible. That goes for the other scouts who are training in the castle too. We need that opposing army to fall into chaos. Luca and Allegra nod at that while Jules gives Erevain the thumbs up. Bertia, you will join the rest of the support unit with Louise, Roxxy and the rest of the healers. Take care of any wounded, be it us or soldiers from the Kingdom. Save and protect as much as you can. When Gabrielle arrives, you shall join her in the offensive as always. The rest of you shall move as Kris tells you too. We shall not let a single enemy standing. Be it foot soldier or Dragon Lord. Understood?" """""YES, LEADER!""""" And there it is! Everyone saying that in unison! So good! Also, I am glad that I asked Sophie to transmit this to the people of the castle, so theres no doubt that everyone is on the same page now. That is why even they answered with that when Erevain finished. Ah, speaking of Sophie, she has a ''what about me?'' expression on her face. I look at her and smile. "...!" Now she just got startled and her expression is pretty much saying shit, I shouldn''t have made that face!''. "Nowthere is one of you that was not mentioned right now by Erevain, Sophie." So I say firmly while still looking at her. "Y-yes?!" And she quickly responds with her usual fear. "The reason behind that is simple. You have an important role in all of this. It is the role that will either make you a full-fledged member of the Knights of Ever-Burning Will or keep you in the status you are right now. Such role involves you overseeing the communication between everyone while on the battlefield. And it should be needless to say, but it is one of the most important tasks one can have. I know that you are able to do it. But do you think that you are up to the task?" I cant make a more serious expression than the one Im making right now. Her skills, her former class, they always seemed to me like they were specialized in live information relay or at least they were aiming up to be that. And even if she did not have the power to do so before, our pact should have given her that push. Hm? Am I so sure about this because I read her sheet, you say? Nope, I have not seen her info yet, but I do not need to. My instinct, and the look Sophie is giving me now, tells me all that I need to know. There is no doubt in her eyes. No weird laugh too. She is as serious as me now. She knows that this is the mission she was waiting for. "I can do it, Master. I will show you." And her tone while firmly declaring that, is just as serious. One that I haven''t heard from her, but one that I''m proud of hearing now. "Master, can I accompany her?" Hm? Lyra? She is raising her hand andvolunteering? She should have heard what we are up against, right? So, she should understand that this is not going to be a simple skirmish, the stakes are high. HmmmI have a feelingand I could gauge her strength with my senses but let''s ask her. "By now you should be aware of what we shall be facing. So, I shall ask you directly. Are you strong enough to accompany Sophie on the battlefield?" Hearing that, she abandons her human form, in which she was while having breakfast, turns back to her beast-kin form. Then, her eyes begin glowing as well as the white and black stripes on hair and tail. Of course, it doesnt take too long for her mana to manifest as a powerful aura that covers her completely. Said aura is a of clear white color with black stripes just like her. I can also feel the attributes of darkness and ice dwelling within her. Could this be the usual for white tiger beast-kin? Or more like snow tiger in this case? "I am as strong as the Paladins guarding her Holiness. I promise, I will not fall in battle that easily, Master." Hmmthe Paladins guarding Ludovica should be plenty strong. After all, Kris did say that plenty of Paladins were a death sentence for those that confronted them. She also said that a Paladin kicked her ass every time they sparred so...an elite of those guys should be even stronger, huh? "Indeed, dear. They pass through many trials to gain the advanced class of Exalted Paladin, an elite as you say. Although their name is shortened to Paladin for convenience. So, Kris might have been sparring with one but never specified. And this girl is telling the truth. She does have the equivalent strength of one. I see One thing though...that damn Count...what manner of harsh training did the bastard forced her to do? Yesthe training to achieve that level of equivalent strength is no less than despicable, with no regard for the person''s life. But that Count is already being punished by me, dear. So, look at it from the bright side. If she were to make a pact with you, she would be one of your strongest members." Indeedand yeah, she can''t hurt or force her to do something anymore. On the bright side, I can see in her eyes that she genuinely wants to help. Who am I to reject her honest wish? And it is also quite convenient at that! After all, I always thought that I would be making a pact with her after finishing all of this. "Hmph, very well then. This shall be your trial too. Survive this. Fight shoulder to shoulder with her and you shall become a full-fledged member too. And let me be clear, not only me, but the Goddess is watching you too. So do your best, Lyra." As I finish saying that Lyras ears and tail stand up, showing her surprise before bowing. "I will." With that, Lyra puts her arm over Sophies shoulder, rests her head besides hers, and makes the V signal with her fingers. "Cat and Dog team for the win. Yay." "...!" This girl...! If I wasn''t in serious mode, I would''ve burst out laughing!! Or died of cuteness!! Her almost dead-pan face and almost monotone way of talking while doing all of that are too strong!!! "Keh! I told you to stop calling me like that, you cat!" And now Sophie is trying to get Lyra off her face by pushing her, but Lyra just glues herself to her again. """""Pfft...""""" EVERYONE IS TRYING NOT TO LAUGH TOO!! "Heh..." "Hahaha...haha..." Bertia and Lucy are about to lose it! Aww man, what a way to take away all the tension...heh. ________________________________________________ And so, the hours passed, and the night came to the Capital, filling the sky with beautiful stars once again. It was then that a group of five women walked through the halls of the Royal Palace. The place was adorned with various decorations that gave a truly eventful feel to the place, including a beautifully made red carpet that led the guests to the hall that would be the venue for the night. Said carpet had rows of guards on each side and they all respectfully saluted the woman who was leading the rest. "Your Holiness." "Good evening, your Holiness." Salutes that were like that and so on, and so forth. And it was obvious why, for Ludovica Aldert was the one who they were saluting. Furthermore, she was taking her valued guests to be formally introduced to the noble society of the Kyrie Kingdom. Although, that is not to say that there were not any commoners in there. Because there were. Those with great achievements would always receive an invitation. There was also a lottery for any citizens of each territory and their family to win an invitation. The reason behind this was simple, it was for the nobles and royals to not lose touch with their citizens. They were not there as simple tokens, no. They were there as important guests, ones that must be heard and treated with respect. There was no discrimination towards them. For doing so would be to dishonor both the law of the Kingdom and the Goddess. After all, nobles were but civil servants in the Kyrie Kingdom. They were not above other citizens. Their jobs'' scope was the only difference. The Goddess also spoke of never seeing oneself as above others or seeing others as lesser if one was a noble. For only through humility and knowledge of whom they really serve can a strong country be built. And her words have not been proven false... Even if there was dissatisfaction towards the King on the capital, the other nobles who oversaw the many cities of the Kingdom were loved by their people and they have never lost touch with them. "We are here, Lady Argento. I hope that you and I have a fructiferous night." So said Ludovica to the woman that was beside her. A benefit only given to Regents or people of equal standing. "Hmph, I assure you. It will be." Such were her words as a confident smile adorned her face, all while the doors to the hall opened and the lights bathed their whole selves, their entrance being preceded by the voice of the announcer who had already started. "...her Holiness, Ludovica Aldert! Her guests, Lady Auros Argento, Miss Eresh Kur, Miss Gabrielle Aeryn and Miss Erica La Fonte." And the moment they all stepped in; it was the moment everyone was left agape by the beauty of Ludovica''s guests. Of course, said Ludovica had a smug smile on her face as she saw such reaction. A reaction that left no space for murmurs, nor people walking to greet them, they were all just admiring in silence. Yeseveryone simply watched as they moved inside the venue. It was then that the woman named Auros Argento smiled and said the following: "Very well then, time to work." To be continued...(cue illustration of almost everyone in their dressesNO, REALLY! SCROLL DOWN!!)(UP NEXT: AUROS FINALLY DISCOVERS THE REASON FOR ONE OF THE LONGEST MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN EARLY CHAPTERS!! SO SHOCKING!! SO SURPRISING!!) Without further ado, Auros, Erevain, Gabrielle and Erica in their formal dresses by HeliumGasSong from Wattpad and our discord server! Thank you so much to HeliumGasSong for bringing them into reality! If you liked this chapter, then please drop a heart on it!If you''d like to support the story and me in another way, then please consider subscribing to my patreon or donating to my ko-fi! Your support really helps! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, and Schoookie! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Thank you for reading! See you all tomorrow! Chapter 76: To make an entrance and clear a misunderstanding. "Hmph. The sun is setting. It is time." So I say as I look from the balcony at the hues of orange that have started to paint the sky. "Yes, My Lord. The time has come for us to do what we came for and I can safely say that everything is ready, for all the preparations are in order and our comrades are prepared to move at a moments notice. Erevain, who is at my side, says that with a certain expression on her face. One that has some anticipation mixed in with her usual cautiousness, but theres something else in that mix "Indeed, but...are you ready, Erevain?" I have asked her this question multiple times already, but she is about to face the rest of her family for the first time after everything that happened. Heck, she will most probably fight them. And that, coupled with that which she is trying to hide, is making me ask that. "I am, My Lord." She turns to me and as she says that she produces a reassuring smileone that doesnt reach her eyeswhich makes me reach out and hold one of her hands. Then, I look at her in the eyes, not with pressure or intimidation, but concern. I mean, if you were to tell me to fight Nana because she is doing something terrible and stupid, it would still be hard for me... Heh, and not just because Id be afraid of her wrath, which is a very good reason. It would just be difficult for me. Yes...even if I went through what Erevain did. So, imagine how she must be feelingnoscratch thattheres no need to imagine, her strong front has crumbled away and now theres a complex expression on her face... Haaathat look is cheating, My Lord Huhuperhaps but I do not mind using it if its to help you. II cannot deny that there is a knot in my throat made of all the uncertainty that has built up over these days...but then I remember how my Father is going against both my Mother''s last words and the last will of the Great Founder, the tragedy of Ryze Village, the siege, Illumbee Village, the Evil Gods bloodand that knot disappears. Her gaze turns into a glare as she declares the following: He is no longer the father I used to knowhe is a stranger. But that glare softens as she turns to look at the palace before continuing. As for Licht and MaryI still want to believe that they had a reason to do what they didone that I want to try and understand. Because I want tohope that they can still redeem themselves. But for me to ascertain that, I cannot stay holed up in a forest playing bandit, nor I can stay in My Lords castle. As she is about to make another declaration, her glare turns into an expression full of conviction. I must go and talk with them, be it with my voiceor my blade. With that, she interlocks her fingers with mine, turns to me, and smiles "Last but not least..." It is a smile full of endearment. "...I must be by your side, My Lord. And pardon me for what I am about to say but...even if My Lord did not have that absurd level of power, I would have still wanted to be by your side while doing this." So warm... So gorgeous "And she pretty much confessed too, dear~~." I know! Don''t point it out!! I was trying to focus on her smile to stop myself from getting red!!! "Too late, dear~~." AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?!!! "*ahem*Hypotheticals are just that, hypothetical. Absurd power or not, you are by my side now and I would not have it any other way, Erevain. As for what needs to be doneit shall be done. With that said, I know I declared it so before, but will you give me the pleasure of dancing with you before we fight our respective Dragon Lords?" I know that I am saying this while being all red! I know! But I am still making my best non-idiot mc face right now!! A cool face!! And before such things, Erevains eyes widen a bit before giggling in a very feminine way. "I would be glad to do so, My Lord." ________________________________________________________ A bit has passed since my balcony talk with Erevain and Im now standing in the suites living room, in front of all the Maid-Knights that have come with me to the Capital. Furthermore, Erevain, Erica, Gabrielle and I are about to teleport to Ludovica''s guest room in the Cathedral. Why? Wellit is Ludovica''s invitation, so we must arrive with her. Hmm? Where is the fanservice scene of us changing clothes? Haha! You do know that getting ready for a ball implies make-up too, right? At first, I thought no one here would know how to do our makeup, but then I thought to ask Erica and yep, she does know how to do makeup. She said that a royal attendant must be prepared for any eventuality. Buuuutthen she said that she was too out of practice and didnt want to risk messing up. Which led to her apologizing a lot, but I told her it was fine. Still, if only I had bought that special edition real size statue of besto waifu, then I could have gotten some practice and done everyones make up. But...they were sold out in mere seconds...so sad... And so, my lovely Nerinne is going to take care of that mid-teleportation. As in well be ready to marvel to everyone at the venue in a poof. Yep, she is that good. "I am that good indeed." Heh. Now "We already discussed everything that needed to be discussed in the morning, my Knights, so I shall be brief. I have high expectations for each and every one of you. When Violet Death''s forces arrive, I shall communicate with you through Sophies skill and teleport you to your relevant positions." So I say with my edge alter tone to the maids and Lyra. Of course, this is also being transmitted to the maids in the castle. "Before we go, would anyone like to say something?" "Me!" Hearing my question, Bertia immediately exclaims that while raising her hand and doing a small jump. "Yes, Bertia?" "Go get them Master!! Everyone!!" Heh, this girl is so simple, but she just knows what to say and I cant help but smile before declaring the following: "We will." With that, those who are coming to the ball nod and get close to me as I start the chant for the teleportation spell. Man, to think that the week that seemed like a month or more of waiting has finally come to an end. Kept you waiting, huh? _______________________________________________ The night seemed to have quickly fell upon the capital of the Kyrie Kingdom. It was as if the planet itself could not wait much longer to bear witness to the things that were about to happen. Things that could very well be said to have been put in motion the moment a group of five women began to walk through the halls of the Royal Palace. They had entered without a single problem thanks to the woman leading the group and of course, their invitation. But that did not mean their entrance was uneventful, for one of the ladies caused quite the reaction on some of the guards. "T-the QUEEN?!" "QUEEN REGENT?!!" QueenTheresa "No...it is not her but..." Some would kneel while saying the name of the deceased Queen Regent in a nervous manner, while other, older guards, would tear up knowing that the woman in front of them was not their beloved Regent, but someone remarkably similar to her. "Thank you, Miss. For letting us see her once more, at least if for the instant that we mistook you for her." That is what one of the guards, an old but still strong looking man, told the lady with a smile after the tears had dripped off his face. A smile that the lady paid in kind and more, for there was a unique warmth to it, one that was not like the Queens and yet it still felt familiar to the old guard. "There is no need to thank me, it makes me glad that she is still loved to this extent." Someone privy to her heart would notice the tinge of nostalgia that her eyes carried when she spoke to that guard. A nostalgia unique to those reuniting with someone they had not seen in years. And that was not the only one, for other guards said similar things to her as she and the other ladies made their way to the hall that led to the venue, only stopping when they arrived there. The place was adorned with various decorations that gave a truly eventful feel to the place, including a beautifully made red carpet that led the guests to the hall that would be the venue for the night. Said carpet had rows of guards on each side and they all respectfully saluted the woman who was leading the rest. She was wearing a formal attire worthy of someone with her position, it was nothing too risqu, but one could still appreciate her gorgeous feminine figure molding said attire. One that had the colors of the Church, as in red with white and gold accents here and there. "Your Holiness." "Good evening, your Holiness." Such were the salutes she received as she kept walking through the hall with her guests. And it was obvious why, for the one who they were saluting was none other than the Head of the Church, Ludovica Aldert. Furthermore, she was taking her valued guests to be formally introduced to the noble society of the Kyrie Kingdom. Although, that is not to say that there were not any commoners in there. Because there were, from those with great achievements, to those who won an invitation for themselves and their family in the lottery of their respective territories. All so that nobles and royals would not lose touch with their people. As such, they were not there for the sake of appearances, but as guests of honor, worthy of being heard and respected. Just as any other citizen of the Kingdom. And of course, such views meant that there was no discrimination towards them. Not only that but doing so would be against the law of the Kingdom and the very Goddess of their world. That would also mean that those who did so had lost sight of what they were and the nature of their duties as nobles, for while the name was indeed such, they were but civil servants and they were certainly not above other citizens. Be it before the law, the religion, or the Goddess. Their only difference being the scope of their job. Furthermore, that same Goddess, in her wisdom and desire to squash petty reasons for wars, spoke against that specific folly. You who are noble, shall not betray the virtue that gives name to such title by seeing yourself as above those you serve or worseseeing them as lesser. For that is a folly that begets the ruin of a country. And on the contrary, only through humility and knowledge of whom you really serve can a strong country be built. Such were her words as passed to the Head of the Church of the time, and her words have yet to be proven false... Indeed, even with the dissatisfaction towards the King that permeates the Capital, for such foolishness was not something that the overseers of other territories shared. Instead, they listened to their people, were with their people, and thus, they were loved by them in return. "We are here, Lady Argento. I hope that you and I have a fructiferous night." So said Ludovica to the woman that was beside her. A benefit only given to Regents or people of equal standing in such kind of events. And the smile she showed at such woman could be seen as a gracious one, but just as with her words, there was a deeper meaning behind it that the other lady understood and agreed with. This was the night where everything they have done would bear fruit. "Hmph, I assure you. It will be." Such were the ladys words as a confident smile adorned her face, all while the doors to the venue opened and the lights bathed their whole selves, their entrance being preceded by the voice of the announcer who had already started. "...her Holiness, Ludovica Aldert!" As all the guests bowed respectfully at the Head of the Church, the announcers gaze fell on the ladies that accompanied her for a second and he found himself almost speechless. But only for a moment, for his training had prepared him well and he immediately regained his composure. "Her guests, Lady Auros Argento, Miss Eresh Kur, Miss Gabrielle Aeryn and Miss Erica La Fonte!" And so, they all stepped in and everyone was left agape by the beauty of Ludovica''s guests. Of course, said Ludovica had a smug smile on her face as she saw such reaction. After all, she was clearly proud of them, just like the Goddess she represented. There were no murmurs, no people walking to greet them, just an admiring silence. Yeseveryone simply watched as they moved inside the venue. Some had their eyes set on the black-haired woman with the gorgeous and almost shining, white and silver A-line off shoulder formal dress, shaken by her resemblance to the deceased Queen Regent. "Is that the..." "No, she resembles her, but she is not her..." "Indeed, the resemblance is uncanny, but those of us who knew the Regent can feel it...the air around Miss Eresh is different...not bad, but different." "Oh." Those were the words of some of the nobles who could help but break the silence. Others were looking at the blonde woman who had her hair done in graceful curls. Everything about her gave the air of a noble or the future head of an important merchant household. "She must be the Head of her Household..." "That is quite obvious if you ask me." Her green dress had a more classical feel to it, one that exhaled the dignity of the woman wearing it without hiding her assets. And still others directed their gaze at the youngest looking of the ladies, a short haired blonde woman who wore a sea-blue short dress that emphasized mobility but did not lose on beauty. And even if her neckline was covered, unlike her companions'', her shoulder-less attire complimented her fine but fit figure. "Could she be the younger sibling of one of them?" "Hmm, she could be their attendant...her bearing is similar to that of one." "Now that you mention it, her bearing does look like that. But for her to come without her uniform implies that she is highly trusted and in a high position herself. "Yes, but we have to agree that regardless of that she is as beautiful as the others." "Oh, certainly." Indeed. That is what could be heard from a group composed of female nobles and female commoners. But of course, most of the attention fell on a certain someone. She was like a black hole, pulling the eyes of everyone at the venue towards her. "A Queen..." "What is this sensation..." "Such beauty...such a noble bearing...no...royal..." "She must clearly be the Regent of her country..." "Her dress is...certainly different but it feels so right..." Big *gulp* Yes, black as her dress which contrasted beautifully with her pale skin and golden hair. One that could be considered daring by those who took the classical standards to heart. While others would call it as the only dress that could make justice to the woman wearing it. And many more felt that it was revolutionary, taking aspects of what was known and adding them to those not so known. It was then that the woman named Auros Argento smiled and said the following: "Very well then, time to work." _____________________________________________ The moment I saw her, I was speechless. The raw beauty that had charmed me back then at the village was perfectly represented in the dress that she was wearing. To the point that I even wanted to ask her for her hand right after the teleport. That was the first person that had awakened such thoughts within me. And I know it deeply in my heart that she will be the only one. Many before her tried to enter my heart, but it was not meant to be, regrettably for them. That is not to say that there was something wrong with any of my marriage candidates, or with the citizens that I had established a closer relationship. Or with her whom I was the closest It was but a simple matter, my heart did not beat in that way for them. Not as it did back then at the village, nor as it does when we talk, when she holds my hand, and certainly not as it is beating now that the lights of this royal venue bath her pale skin. She is the woman I want to spend my life with. Serving her. Fighting for and with her. Loving her. And I know that I am not the only one. My close friend thinks the same as me. And the very Goddess of our world is already her declared partner. Her first. But all of that does not matter. If the Goddess is her first partner. Then I will be her first mortal partner. Something that might have been her design, for she helped in creating the situation that kickstarted these feelings of mine when she gave me that nightwear at that time. And it that is the case, then I will seize that position. Which is the same position Gabrielle desires. But this is a fight that I will not lose against her. Hmmit seems that My Lord already started mingling as these were crossing my mind. I had taught her what to do and what not to do, yet I cannot help but still be surprised by how well she is doing everything. Not only that, but the air around her has changed. It is the air of someone with experience in talking with figures of power, and a new side of her that I find...sublime. It is as if she has put a mask over her whole being before greeting every guest by their last names in a perfect show of etiquette, all while gracefully moving as she always does. "To think that we would return to the palace like this, Leader..." And pulling me out of the charmed stated I found myself in is my close friend and someone I consider a younger sibling, Erica. "Indeed. Just how many times did we practice dancing in this same place...? Heh, I can almost see our child selves being corrected by Miss Mirna..." YesI can see and feel that those memories have almost brought a nostalgic smile on our faces...if it were not for the presence of two people in them, Licht and Mary, turning what was sweet memory into a bittersweet one. "Haaabut enough reminiscing, Erica. We must follow the plan and mingle with everyone until the King makes his move." "Yes, Leader." ________________________________________________ It has been, what? An hour? Well, I have been mingling with the guests for about that time. And let me tell you something, wearing this dress feels quite nice. Yes, yes, I know...I should be feeling more embarrassed, like with my Gothic Lolita outfit. But that one now feels as if it was training for this one. In any case, my darling wasn''t kidding when she said she based her designs on some of the dresses found on the internet. The one I am wearing seems like a mix of edge alters ball dress from the game and the one from a certain celebratory fanart. As in, it is black with silver embroidery in the lower part of the dress. And while it also shoulderless, I am covered by a fluffy scarf. You know, one of those luxurious fluffy scarfs. Which is also black, of course. But she also took elements of the fashion native to her world, as I can clearly see now through what the other guests are wearing. The result is a dress perfect for my body. Too much cleavage, you say? Heh, I don''t mind showing this much cleavage since I know there will not be any accidents and ''falling over'' if you get what I mean. This dress was made by Nerinne after all, so it has magic that keeps everything place. I also dont mind because I love my chest! Then again, this is fan servicey enough. The other Maid-Knight''s too, right? Youre welcome for that. Although Erevain''s white and silver dress shows just enough of her cleavage to be alluring, it is not as much as mine. Still, everything in her gorgeous figure is emphasized in an elegant way. She truly looks like a Princess... As for Gabrielle, she is rocking that isekai ojou-sama look perfectly as always and that dress just elevates her even further. So magnificent Meanwhile, Erica looks quite elegant with a hint of tomboyishness. Yes, I know the irony of that term, but it is the image that fits her perfectly. That said, Erevain and Gabrielle are pretty much tied for most beautiful heroine of the night...because they are both making my heart go doki doki with every expression they make while mingling with others. As in my heart is going crazy for themthey are just that breathtaking Speaking of heroines, I do hope that what I told Erevain was a good response. "Hmmas far as responses go, dear. That is a seven. A ten being a full direct proposal and a zero being a dense harem protagonist non-response, fufufu~~." Damn, Ill need to be clearer then. But that will have to be after we are done with everything else here. "Do not worry about that, dear. After all, she has to do her part too. Now, the next person who you are going to meet has a child and if he asks, you can talk about Ilya. You just need to remember to say that she is a magic child." Ok, darling. Just one thing, what is a magic child? "In short, it is way to procreate for those that can''t have children naturally. Be it because of sickness, fertility issues, because they are a same sex couple, or because their races are just too different. It is a process that involves the constant mixing of the parents'' mana and blood inside a specially blessed artifact. And while it might sound similar to what gave us our cinnamon roll, it is quite different, dear~~." I was just thinking that! It really does sound similar! But ok, time to keep mingling. Thank you, darling. Re-entering work mode. Or more commonly known among weebs...social mode. "Ah, Lady Argento. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Baron Fergus Thach; I oversee one of the cities of this Kingdom on its northernmost border. The city of Mountain Heart." Says the nobleman with a mustache not so spectacular as Jules'' father, but still quite cared for. Having a quick glance at him, I can see that Luca''s report was accurate. His body is being supported more by his left leg than his right one due to an injury that he suffered back in the time when he fought in the Front. About his personalitywell, let me give you a bit of context. Healing magic cannot cure injuries completely if a certain amount of time has passed and no healing potions have been administered. Unless it is a high-level healing magic...with healers capable of using it being quite rare and needed around their country or the Front. This is going by what Gabrielle has told me in my talks with her. What does that have to do with his personality? Well, he is the type of man that would rather choose that permanent effect on his body than taking the valuable time of a powerful healer. He is also the father of quite the creative child, if those wrist buttons have anything to show. "The pleasure is all mine, Baron Thach. To meet the famed Shield of the Mountain is but an incredible honor. Her Holiness speaks highly of you, Baron Thach." I say that with an incredibly polite tone, but only after I do the traditional noble bow for women with my dress and he is now prompting me to shake hands amicably. Yeah, entering with Ludovica had this effect on the people. Instead of just doing the bow and going from there, people have asked me for a handshake, which symbolizes wanting to start a friendly relationship from the get-go. At least that is what it means in Arte. So, I of course shake hands with Baron Thach. Which is also a nice prompt. "Oh, those wrist buttons. They are clearly brimming with love." I say that while I act as if I just noticed them. "Hoho, indeed. They were made by my dear son. Alexander. He is ten and is learning to make his own arrows, so he made these buttons while practicing with the wood. When I saw them, I knew that I had to take them with me to everywhere I went." Awwwhe is looking at those buttons with so much pride and love, thats nice. "How heartwarming, Baron. He must be such a good child. And to be practicing in making his own arrows at that age...he must be quite advanced already." A smile appears on his face as I say that, and I can feel the question coming. "Yes, he got that from his mother, Syln. Hes had a bow in his hand since the moment he was able to grab something. I have to admit that I would try to give him a shield from time to time, but it sadly did not work. Still, it fills us with pride to see him practice so earnestly. Even more so...that smile he makes when he manages to reach a goal in his training is invaluable. And he is at the point that his mother has entrusted him to make his own arrows. Which is quite the responsibility if I may add. After all, a good arrow can be the difference between life and death. Ah, but enough about me. Do you have kids, Lady Argento?" Right on cue. "Indeed, I do. A cute little girl, Ilya, she is around the same age as your son, Baron. She is shy at first, but she grows closer to anyone quite easily after some time. That makes me really glad since she can have fun with others. Every time I am at home, she must be sitting on my shoulders. And that little smile she makes when she helps in the castle is enough to melt one''s heart. I cant help but smile as I tell the Baron more about my cute cinnamon roll of a daughter. Oh, and talentwise, she is quite skilled with fire and earth magic. She once created a boulder so big that it shocked all the maids watching her and then she cleaned up the place after that, which only furthered their shock. It makes me proud that she is that earnest at that age. And recently, she has been quite interested in the work of our resident blacksmith too. Heh, that curious part of her personality is adorable." And look at that, the Barons eyes show that he is genuinely enjoying our conversation. Luca, your mention in the report about his love to talk about his son and being a parent was spot on. That and Nerinne just now. "Ah, just hearing about you and your daughter makes me want to invite you and your family to Mountain Heart, Lady Argento. I am sure that my wife and son will be glad to meet your partner and Ilya." Great! I really want to visit that place!! And not only because it is another isekai city, but also because Lucas report said that Roxxy is from there. "My wife and Ilya will be quite pleased to meet your family too, so I might make good on that offer." I say so with a warm smile and... "Wife...you... meanie Auros...saying that all of a sudden...again...and so casually..." Ah. _______________________________________________ Man, that was a nice conversation. We even decided to formalize the visit later, which means that I now have invitations to every single major city in the Kingdom. Quite the good catch if I say so myself. After all, part of my goal has always been exploring the world and that includes its cities. Also, gotta give it to Nerinne''s teachings, the Baron didn''t react at all when I mentioned that I had wife while being a woman myself. As for the magic child stuff, it did come up but it was him asking for advice on their care because his sister was expecting one with her own wife. Ididnt know what to say, but Nerinne bailed me out from that one and told me some not that commonly known advice. Which was nothing too shocking, more like the knowledge a soon to be grandmother passes on to her children. And so, time to keep mingling. _____________________________________________ "Lady Argento, I believe that it is due time for us to talk." So says the person that has approached me from behind while Im talking with some female nobles and commoners. Hmmyou know, let''s call them citizens since I can''t see that typical, and horrible, noble-commoner isekai dynamic here. Anyways, their voice sounded quite androgynous. Much more than mine...even if I do not think that mine is like that but...some people think that. Like seriously, I need to turn around not only because it is proper etiquette, but because I want to figure out if they are a man, a woman or just androgynous. "..." Ohohuhuhuwould you look at that. I dont need to figure out anything now since the person who is behind him pretty much tells everything I need. Well, that and the fact that the people that I was talking to have left as if to give us space. Behind him, you ask? Yes, him. Its quite obvious since my beautiful eyes are looking at a certain maid who is trying to avoid my gaze. Mary. Which means that this incredibly androgynous person in front of me is Erevain''s yandere brother-con of a little brother. "HuhuI completely agree, your Highness...Prince Licht." I say so while responding to his cold smile with one of my own. But that is not important... What is important is... IS HE REALLY A MAN?! INSTINCT TELLS ME THAT HE IS! THE HECK?!!! Wait... SO, HE IS THE REASON WHY EREVAIN WAS SO ADAMANT ABOUT ME BEING A MAN!!!! HE EVEN LOOKS LIKE A CERTAIN WAIFU WITH THAT CUTE CYCLOPS HAIRSTYLE OF HIS!!! LIKE, COME ON!! IF I COULD MENTALLY DRAW, YOU WOULD TOTALLY SAY THAT HE IS A WAIFU! But seriously, its so clear now! If I had grown up with a brother like this, I wouldve been like that that too! Although, it is cute how Erevain still calls me ''My Lord'' as a hidden endearing way of referring to the whole misunderstanding and me. Something that no one has realized yet, heh. To be continued...(CUE POSTER OF THE 5 LADIES WALKING THROUGH THE RED CARPET!!) From Auros'' stat sheets: Bertia''s sheet + bonus story! Name: Bertiam Brooks Bertia Brooks Alias: None for the moment. Race: Human High Human Gender: Male Female Age: 22 years old Rank: ASS Subclass: Brawler Strength: ASS Intelligence: C Agility: AS Mana: CS Endurance: B S Constitution: ASS Versatile Disposition: A* Charismatic Villager: A Humanoid Body Understanding (Combat & Healing): A Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: S (NEW!) Brawling Angel of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: BS Hermit Trained Body: A Rapid Healing: A SS Healing Aura: BA Restless Brawler: BS Brawlers Guts: B Mana Regeneration: S (NEW!) Combat Healing: ASS Martial Technique (Tonfas): A Rallying Delinquent: A Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Meat Griller: A** Monster Slayer (& Eater): A Elder Caretaking: S ???? Enhance Endurance: CA Enhance Healing: BS Enhance Agility: DB Focused Strike: ASS Enhance Martial Skills (Tonfas): AS Hermit Flow (Forms 1 to 5): ASS Enhance Damage: BS Head Cracking Swing (Single & Double): AS Enhance Elemental Resistance: ES Revolving Counter: BS Triple Effect: CS Grappling Brawling (Techniques 1 to 6): ASS Brawlers Will: ASS Demon Hermit State: S Martial Healers Trance: ASS Unaging (Race). Recognized by the Hermit: Humbleness. Versatile Disposition*. Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight. Blessing of Nerinne. Blessing of the Spirits (Healer): Light & Nature. Inspect Wounds Regeneration Cure Wounds Fortify Body Heal Mana Transfer High Heal Blinding Flash Detoxify Light Blast Purify Light Ball Stasis *Versatile Disposition: After extensive mental and physical training under the funny old man known as the Versatile Hermit, Bertia, the holder of this passive skill, has achieved a state mind where she can adapt to any situation in a manner of instants. Be it in combat or in daily life, she wont put a mental burden upon herself and shell use that energy to accomplish any goal that occurs to her. It is said if holders of this skill find themselves in a life-or-death situation where they are disarmed and must take an unknown weapon, they would be able to wield it proficiently enough to save their own lives without having any previous training. **Meat Griller: A specialized cooking passive skill obtained after many years of grilling whatever ingredient she need or wanted to consume. Even monster meat. She knows by instinct when the grill is at its perfect moment to grill on and knows instinctively when to take out said food, bringing it close to perfection. In general, those who have tried dishes made by someone who holds this skill can attest the deliciousness they can bring out. Those include me, fufu~. Bonus short story: The origin of the ''Dunce'' title. Oi Old Man, Im back. Ah, I was wondering when you would return. What? The Capitals too uptight for ya? Nah, teachers told me I needed martial arts training. So? They also told me you were aHermit was it? Tchthose idiots So yeah, train me. IVE BEEN TRAINING YOU SINCE YOU WERE A LIL FART YOU DUNCE! NOW, BRING ME MY SOUP! eh? Those weird arm movements of yours were a martial art? Haaa The end. First and foremost, sorry for the delay! I had to deal with some unexpected IRL things. In ny case, thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it! If you want to support me and the story, please consider subscribing to my patreon! Not only will you get access to "Waifu Bites!" a short story monthly series set in the world of "In another world as my waifu", but you will also get access to other exclusive content like Auros'' very first design, early viewing of the upcoming first official illustration, and the Isekai Lab where I show some of the big edits I have done to released chapters and my reasoning behind them! Plus, a couple more rewards for tier 3 patrons! Like a personal message at the end of the volume in the ''voice'' of their favorite character! Your support will truly help me keep writing this story, commission more art, and helping my family. Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, and Schoookie! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 77: A friendly conversation with a Prince. A few minutes before a certain royal encounter, in a different corner of the ball''s venue, a white-haired woman with a bob-cut that covered one of her eyes with a red colored bang found herself drinking amongst a group of women. She was wearing a white and pink dress that complemented her hair color and emphasized her figure. Although, it was a bit too tight for her, which made her try and wiggle her bottom discretely every now and then. Some would say that she should have been already accustomed to those types of clothes given her age and status. But what they did not know was that there was no way for that one woman to be accustomed to a dress like the one she was wearing. Or dresses in general, to be precise. After all, she had been the man known as Locke Boid for most of her life until something happened just a week ago. She met the Absurd, Auros Argento. The same woman who was mingling with both nobles and citizens of the Kingdom like normal, with none of them being aware of the great power she held, nor her true identity. Just the memories of her encounter with her made her shiver...and not in fear, but in longing. Yesfor the pleasure, the relaxation, and the weightlessness that she had felt then were unforgettable. That time the Absurd interrogated her had been the first time that she had not felt the crushing presence of stress inside of her body and mind. Not even the forest that she used to visit when going for materials seemed to give her the same level of release that the Absurd''s massage had given her. "Are you alright, Baronetess Boid? You were shivering." And having noticed her shivering, one of the women who were accompanying her to the ball said that. She was a blonde woman with her hair tied in an elegant and over the shoulder braid. Furthermore, she also was as young as her. But most importantly, she was the head of her household, one that had lost its eldest son in a certain event. "Ah! Yes, I-I am alright. It was just a sudden cold feeling, nothing more. Thank you for your concern, Countess Pyr." So said the red headed woman to her companion with a reassuring tone and a courteous smile. But that same companion seemed to have not believe her for she squinted her eyes in suspicion and pulled her closer to her, even checking her temperature with her hand. "Really? Y-Yes, Countess Pyr... Alright, but I have already told you that there is no need to be so formal with me. After all, we share similar circumstances, and have we not established a friendly relationship throughout the week, Sarah?" Yes, Sarah. That was the name that replaced her previous one after her change. As for the reasoning behind it, there was none. It was just the first name that occurred to her. Still, hearing Countess Pyr say it to her throughout the week had helped her reinforce the fact that that was indeed her new name. Even if the Countess appearance in Sarahs life had been nothing but sudden. Indeed, she appeared in the Boid''s household home the very moment that it was made known that Locke Boid had disappeared and that a hidden half-sister would take his place. Not only as a noble, but also as a provisionary head of the family. Something that the other half-sisters, who were not of age and/or in other places, such as different cities and countries, did not object to. Furthermore, said sisters trusted their brothers decisions, for he had been the one who raised them after being left orphaned by their father. They also were not surprised at all about the fact of having a hidden half-sister, as they already knew of their deceased Father''s inclinations for having multiple romantic partners. As such, them having one or two unknown half-siblings was not all that surprising. And Locke knowing about them as the Head of the Household was not a surprise either. Nevertheless, Countess Pyr never missed a chance to talk about her dislike of the situation. "Seriouslyone is living their life peacefully while taking care of their own responsibilitiesstudying, training, and suddenly, there is a title, a household headship and all the responsibilities they ensue. And why? Because our elder brothers had to up and disappear from the face of this Goddess-given world..." There she was...starting again a rant that Sarah knew all too well by now. It was clear that Countess Pyr felt a sense of camaraderie towards Sarah due to their apparently similar circumstances, which was why she had been supporting her ever since they met for the ''first time. "That''s..." In any case, Sarah tried to stop her from ranting by nervously motioning with her hands, but Countess Pyr simply continued after she took a sip of her alcoholic beverage. "Please, do tell me when the stress starts to build up, I will tell you ways on how to deal with it. That way you wont become like your brother who was an always angry, stiff, and never satisfied, kind of person." !! Those words hit Sarah like a punch in the stomach, so much so that she even twitched before replying to them. "D-Do not worry about that Myriel...my brother left so many instructions and completed jobs that it is as if he was still here. So, I have not felt any stress..." Awkwardly, Sarah shook her hands in a ''calm down'' kind of manner once more as she said that. All while Countess had no idea just how true were Sarah''s words, but how could she? "Well, that must be nice...my elder brother had to be an idiot and a knight. And when he went ''poof'' five years ago he left so much work to be done..." In any case, she always talked about her older brother and how he had always been an idiot that even managed to turn his then sweet and innocent attendant into one that had no patience for his antics. "..." And as she continued to rant, Sarah noticed that Myriel''s cheeks were slightly red, which meant that the drink had already affected her. It also meant that she needed to help her stop drinking, for it would be quite the shameful thing if she was in a worst state when the King arrived. Yes...that was also when everything would be set in motion according to the Absurd. It was then that she gave a look at the rest of the venue and her eyes met with a certain woman that was clearly enjoying herself. A woman with blue colored eyes, long wavy hair, and an alluring golden dress. She nodded at Sarah as if to say hello to her before turning once again to the people that seemed to be courting her. She was the now Baronetess Greese, another one who shared the same ''boss'' as her and as Sarah was able to see, she was loving every moment of it. _____________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in another part of the venue, a certain blonde woman with curls found herself surrounded the many people. Not only that, but it was quite the diverse group of people. Is it true that Lady Argento is the Regent of her region, Miss Gabrielle? What is Lady Argentos relationship with her Holiness, Miss Gabrielle? From scholars and nobles who desired to know more about the Absurd I heard she already visited Lord Baltfaults store; would you be so kind to suggest my store to Lady Argento? I am sure that my wares will pique her interest. Oh! In that case, please tell her of my pub, Miss Gabrielle. Im sure that she and all of you will enjoy many of our dishes, they are just as good as those of the Kings Glare pub. I guarantee it! to merchants and pub owners who desired to have the Absurd as their client Your skin looks so beautiful, do you use a special product from your country, Miss Gabrielle? and of course, curious citizens of the Kingdom. Still, those were just some of the inquiries she had been receiving since she started to mingle with the balls guests. Furthermore, it seemed that the guests saw the blonde woman in the green dress as the most approachable of Lady Argentos companions, judging by how they were grouping up around her. In any case, she maintained her usual smile as she bathed in the irony of the situation that she encountered herself in. Mywhat a turn of events, from feeling like a ghost, to getting this much of the attention. But most importantly, to think that a day would come when I felt comfortable enough with myself to be in this kind of event and not leave in the middle of it. As such thought crossed her mind, she could not help but glance endearingly at a certain woman in a black dress. Something that only lasted a moment for she then proceeded to answer all the guests questions in order, her tone always being polite and even warm. While her position does indeed carry some responsibilities that are similar to those of a Regent, it is not my place to divulge any specifics on the matter. For that, I sincerely apologize, Professor Luminare. So said Gabrielle to the older woman who asked her such question. Not only was she a professor of the Capitals Academy, but she would never know that she was talking to one of her former students. Hohohooh no, please. I am more than satisfied with your response, Miss Gabrielle. After all, it is not an everyday occurrence that a new country appears out of the woodworks like this. I am truly lucky to be living at such a time. And it is truly a pleasure to meet you. Said the sweet but curious elder professor in a tone that could only be described as grandmotherly. One that brought a certain nostalgia to the woman before her, a nostalgia that made said woman smile warmly at her. My, it is I who is blessed to meet someone as good of heart as you, Grandmother of the Academy. Not many teachers have gone as far as you when it comes to taking care of your students. And not just that, the Orphanage project that you lead is truly a labor of love that I shall always support. As Gabrielle said that, she complemented her words by putting her hands where her heart was supposed to be, showing such honest and heartfelt praise that everyone around her could not help but skip a beat. Oh dear, that is too much praise for this old heart of mine but thank you. It is just a way for us Professors to help in this sort of times. The old professor smiled as she said that; her impression of the lady before her having gone from good to excellent. And after some small talk, the Professor left, and Gabrielle moved on to the next person and their question. Her relationship with her Holiness is something that I am not permitted to talk about in full scope, but I can assure you that it is a good and solid relationship. And we would not be here if it were not for her support. I apologize if that is not enough of an answer to your question, Count Tule. Gabrielle bowed lightly in an apologetic manner as she said that to the person who was at her right, a man wearing a formal military attire, while always maintaining a courteous and respectful tone. Count Tule was a former member of the Royal Knights, and one that had served many years before Gabrielles time as a Knight. Gabrielle acted that way towards him not because of his title, but because she was paying respects to a Knight that only retired after his body was not able to perform as he wanted. There is no need for an apology, Miss Gabrielle. You are merely following orders and not saying more than necessary is a good quality to have. Said Count Tule with a sympathetic tone and an equally sympathetic expression that one would not expect from someone with such stern-looking face. He left shortly after as he spotted some of his former subordinates and went to them. Gabrielle, meanwhile, proceeded to accept the written invitations that were being given to her by an elven store owner and an ogre pub owner. I will make sure these invitations reach Lady Argento. I know that she will be glad to visit your store, Miss Fiore. And your pub, Mister Pol. That is all I needed to hear; I sincerely thank you, Miss Gabrielle. Same goes for me! I cant wait to have you all in my pub! With that, Miss Fiore and Mister Pol bowed politely, which Gabrielle reciprocated, and left for the bar. And so, Gabrielle continued mingling with the rest of the people that surrounded her, all while always keeping her smile. Yes...even when a certain someone arrived at the venue. Even if she desired nothing more than to bury her fist into that certain someones face. _____________________________________________________ Unlike her Holiness'' guests, that certain someone was not so well received amongst the many people attending the ball. His stride was prideful. His chest was high in confidence. And his gaze was beyond arrogant. Many guests shook their heads in annoyance, simple disgust, or ignored him completely as he passed by them. Still, some people did approach him and praised him for his efforts, but they were few and far between. While others clearly talked to him out of obligation. Perhaps they were members of a related Household or family members of his subordinates. Either way, they wanted nothing more than to be done with the pleasantries and get away from him. All in all, despite those exceptions, he seemed to repel the people around him and he knew it. He knew it very well. But he did not care about that, nor he cared about those who were forcing themselves to talk with him. After all, he was convinced that when the time came, they would go to beg him for his help. And so, with an undisturbed arrogant smile, he kept walking as if making his rounds. All while showing off his lavish formal suit, one that had a fine embroidery of bull on its back. He was Ulthane Reignitz and his gaze was fixed on the beautiful foreigners that had been brought to the ball by her Holiness. First, he looked at the woman in the silver dress and while he found her attractive, something about her bothered him, so much so that he moved on to the next one. Such woman was the one in the green dress, whose figure was more than pleasing to his eyes, to the point that he found himself smiling while he undressed her with his eyes. Still, it did not take long for his gaze to move on to the woman in the sea blue dress. One whose younger looks and slim figure made him unable to keep himself from thinking of being...rough with her. But then again...there was someone else that deserved all of his...attention. She was the woman that Prince Licht had started talking to. "I think it is time to listen to my father and look for a wife, heh." So he said as he salaciously looked at the woman''s bountiful figure and licked his lips, all while he imagined the things he would do to her. Roughly. Plentifully. "Lord Ulthane, will you listen to me for a moment?" That was when he was approached by someone he knew pretty well. Someone who was the reason for his ''honorable'' position and his main benefactor. "Of course, my Lady. Anything for you." Such was his immediate response, for he knew that hearing her out would be worth it for him. ________________________________________________ Uuuuugh...I just felt some disgusting vibes coming from somewhere... "I believe that there is no point in acting as if nothing happened, Lady Argento. You are an unexpected element that is threatening the grand scheme of things here in the Kingdom and I will not apologize for wanting to remove you from the board in a secretive manner. No matter how devoid of honor that might be." Daaamn, Erevain''s little brother is saying some really serious things without even blinking. He''s also smiling in a really...dubious manner. Although, I could say that the same goes for me, since I am also smiling while hearing all of this. Still, I bet that from the outside this seems like a friendly chat between me and the prince. So, let''s keep it that way. "Hoooh~~, this is quite the direct approach for someone who has tried to spy on me ever since noticing my presence. I do have to ask though. How is your little information network, hmm? Losing not only so many eyes, but also the head must have made things quite...chaotic." While his eyes do turn sharper in response to my words, he is not intimidated by the sudden surfacing of my edge alter tone. Heh, could this be a family thing? Not only that, but he has been trying to size me up with those eyes of his. All to try and figure out my strength and maybe any weakness. And I bet he is having a hard time doing it. Even with those eyes that are brimming with mana. How do I know that? My OP senses, man! Pay attention! Didn''t I ''see'' the mana of a certain ice cream lizard? Hm? Does that mean I have the same eyes as the old woman in the village? Hmm...I don''t think so, even if the effect is kind of similar. I mean, hers is more of a unique skill and mine are just my eyes. Oh, and now the Prince has let out a small and seemingly innocent giggle. All part of his act. "So, you were behind that too. I see." So he says while tilting his head, making his bangs sway lightly...and Seriously...this guy...I swear that if he calls me ''Hero-senpai~~'', I''m going to get weak in the knees...he just looks so much like her...that knight kouhai But I can''t stay silent, so let''s continue... "Indeed, since this conversation seemed to be about admitting what one has done to the other, I thought it was fair to reward your honesty. Besides, it is not fit for a prince to spy on a suite full of ladies." "I promise that peeking while you bathed was never my intention, Lady Argento." As he says that, he shakes his head lightly and take two cups from one of the maids acting as waiters. "Would you like one, Lady Argento? Mind you, it is not alcoholic since I prefer my mind to stay sharp, but I can assure you that the taste is top quality." He says that while offering me one of said cups which contain a champagne-colored beverage. It smells like a mixed fruit juice and yep, there is no alcohol in it. "I will trust your judgement regarding that then." I, of course, take the cup and drink its contents with propriety. Still, he already knew that I wouldn''t refuse a drink directly offered by him in public. "I am glad to hear that even after that tea." With that, he joins me in drinking said beverage and keeping appearances. By the way, nothing was added to my drink, its normal. "Hmm, so you understand that poison has no effect on me after trying once. And here I thought you would be as stubborn with it as you were with your spies." He giggles again at my words, perfectly selling the act that he is enjoying this conversation. "Surely you jest, Lady Argento. If a poison made by the Poison Meister himself cannot affect you, then there is no need to try any further with that course of action. That is also the reason for this direct approach of mine. Now, I have three questions for you." The moment that last bit leaves his lips, his expression turns from that dubious smile to a serious one. "Hooh~~? And what might they be, Prince Licht?" "How much do you presume to know? What is it that you seek? And what will it take for you to leave? Those are the questions that I need answers for. For I have come to understand that there is a need to take unexpected measures, such as these, when nothing else works." He doesn''t know it, but I can notice that he is weaving a great amount of mana in a really ''silent'' manner. His control over it is quite precise. I have trouble thinking that anyone other than me and the Maid-Knights could notice this. He is clearly preparing to use something big while he makes time with those questions of his. Of course, I could stop him right here and tell him that it would be useless, but then it wouldn''t be isekai enough without him realizing his weakness firsthand. So, let''s oblige him with those questions and play along. "Hmph, very well. I shall tell you what I know...Prince." With that, I lean forward a bit, getting just close enough to him to whisper into his ear. Something that Mary tries to stop me from doing, but I give her a good old nice edge alter glare, plus red eyes, and she stops in her tracks. And so, I smile and start. "I. Know. Everything." "..." Damn, I sounded really seductive and badass right there! Nice!! Meanwhile, Prince Licht turns his head around a bit, just enough so that our eyes meet, and nods ever so slightly in silence as if telling me to continue. "I know what is in the ''basement'' behind that door. I know about your little family drama. Your foolish father. Your betrayal and hers. I even know parts of your country''s history that no one here knows about. Your New Glory. Ilumbee village. The so called ''curse of the goddess''. And everything in between. Of course, I also know about five years ago and Ryze village..." With that, I back away and look at him while keeping my smile. His gaze is even sharper now and more intense than ever. If looks could stab someone, his would be it. "I knew most of this even before arriving here. The people of Illumbee village were very welcoming of me and my convoy. And one of those conscripted miners saw your little maid giving the blessed cloth to the one in charge of them." Mary''s eyes go wide when she hears that, to which I giggle before continuing. "Huhu...then one of New Glory''s spies told me even more things. So much that if I had to put a figure on it, then I would say that one third of the information on all of this was obtained before I even arrived. Then, I obtained another third the very day I set foot here. Yes, that single day when you were completely unaware of me, Prince. As for the last third well...you will know soon enough." Aaah, it''s so satisfying to lay it all out on him. The schemer types always show some good frustration...even more when someone else tells them that their information wasn''t only theirs. Also, my instinct pinged me when I mentioned the part of what is behind that door and this country''s history. He was more surprised at me knowing those things than everything else...even if those reactions were fairly small... "Will you tell me that it is impossible to know all of that? That you alone should be the one to know about this country''s true purpose? What was it, an old looking book in the royal library? A secret room with a journal?" "..." Oh, look at that. Instead of letting his emotions go up to his head, he has let them out of his body by slowly breathing in and out. He is smart. Really smart. Because only someone like that would be able to have such control over their emotions. "Haa...so, you even know about the Great Founder''s Journal. I must admit that I did not expect you to know about it. Not only that but you even know about its contents...I see that not even this palace is out of your reach then." I seriously didn''t know about it, Prince. I was just going through the isekai clichs. Also, nope, no one infiltrated the palace. Darling, I so love isekai misunderstandings. "I will reserve any comment on the rest until after you answer my other questions." Is it fine to tell him all of that, you ask? Of course!! He might think that he is getting so much info out of me, but, in the end, he will not be able to do a thing about it. His only advantage is gone. He has no more time for schemes, nor the forces to enact them and he has even less methods to try and deal with me. He is cornered with no way out; he just doesn''t know it. Yet. "Hmph, the other two are quite simple to answer. I seek to punish those who defaced the Goddess'' name for their schemes and those who have betrayed the world by cooperating with the Dragon Lords. I shall not leave until that has been taken care of, Prince. Of course, that also means that I will be stopping your and your father''s plans." Man, how much time has passed since I said that? It feels like months. "Then, I suppose that that makes you one of the so-called Knights of the Ever-Burning Will that have come to this capital, correct? Not only that, but there might be members of a certain fallen order within your ranks, for that is the only way for you to know of my involvement in what happened five years ago. Could it be that my dear elder brother is with you? No, I cannot get my hopes up. He would have confronted me by now if he were here...so you probably have him waiting in another location, right?" Oh, you have no idea. Also, did I not pay enough attention, or did he completely ignored the part of me mentioning Dragon Lords? Also, his tone when he said ''dear elder brother'' was creepy...so creepy...like man he really has ''yandere brother-con'' written with neon-colored letters on the top of his head. "...there is also the matter of that person who looks so similar to Mother. Is it an attempt to provoke me or Father? Either way, I must say that it is a low blow that one...for a moment I had to squash that childish urge to run up to her and embarrass myself. Father will not take it this kindly though." Again, you really don''t have any idea...also, are you really not going to mention the Dragon Lords? "In the end, I do know that my actions are worthy of punishment. But then again, the only one who can punish me is him and I apologize, but I cannot have you meddling with my plans any longer. Not when they are about to come into fruition after such a long time and great pains." And Erevain will indeed be the one doing that...hmm? Oh, he is about to use whatever he was charging. I thought hed use a bit later, but as my raised eyebrow says, color me surprised. Also, it''s official, he did not care one bit about the Dragon Lord bit...that could only mean that he already knew, right? Oh well, it doesn''t matter since we will be dealing with them regardless. "So, I am afraid that I will hold on to you for a brief time. Do not worry, it will be just enough to finish what I started. And there is no need to be surprised. You are a threat. Your Order is a threat. Your connection to the Church and the Goddess is threat too. This is but the logical conclusion. After all, I mentioned from the beginning that I would take a more...direct approach." There is no chant. There is no spell name. Just his irises glowing, yes, irises, their glow is that strong. Then I feel it. All the mana he had been weaving starts flowing towards me as if to entrap me in a strange cocoon. Speaking of which, his mana''s color is strange, it is as his hair, pink with white but I can only feel the light attribute in it. Perhaps its a highly specialized unique type of light magic? In any case, he has trapped me inside the ''cocoon'' but...it will not last long. See? Its already melting away before my natural flow of mana, [Magic Resistance] and [Abnormal Status Resistance]. There, its gone. But he doesnt know that...heh...it is time...hehe... "..." First, some silence mixed with a vacant look in my eyes to make him think that it worked. Why? Well, in most isekais, spells that are shot from the eyes are either charms or mind control spells. So, the typical vacant eyes are good to trick him into believing that it worked. Haahaa See? He has relaxed to the point that he has let himself to show how clearly exhausted he is after using whatever spell that was. "You...did it your Licht..." Girl, it didn''t work, but you still should have more faith in your Master. Because that look on your face shows that you really didnt expect it to work. "Yes...it was a great gamble...but it worked..." Oho, arent you getting a little too close to me? Could it be that youre trying to steal a kiss? Sorry, but Im taken. Ok, ok, Ill stop joking around, he got close to me to confirm it worked by looking at my vacant eyes. "Now not only she but her knights arein the palm of my hand...no one will be able to interrupt me...I wonder what dear elder brother will do about it..." Ding. This is prompt alert services. Your enemy has dropped his guard due to ''victory''. Press 1 to use that prompt. Press 2 to wait for the next one. 1. "Hooh~~, I wonder about that." I say so with a full smile that reaches my now red colored eyes as I look down at him. "...!" "...what?" While Mary is speechless, Licht''s managed to let out that delicious question with eyes wide in surprise and incredulity. "You thought that you could have me on the palm of your hand, but it never occurred to you that...you were already dancing on mine." "Nn..." Heh, hes managed to reign himself in and is now showing that fake expression of his. All to keep other people out of this. But the eyes he showed a few seconds ago and his silence is more than enough to make one thing clear. He now understands that he is cornered and with no way out. Hm? Two people are approaching. Better wrap this up. "Prince Licht, recognize that your mistake was terribly underestimating the strength of your opponent. You have lost. No, that is not it, we were never even in the same playing field." "You...ignorant fool...you do not know the consequences that meddling with my plans will bring...I" "Ah, I finally found you, Prince Licht. And here I was getting worried that my dance partner had stood me up." A third voice has interrupted Licht while he was about to engage in the typical defeated villain speech. Of course, I do not think of him as a villain because of my promise with Erevain, but he sure acts like one. As for that voice, it belongs to a woman. She is wearing a sunny orange dress that has a classical feel to it and her hair has a similar tone. If you want a shorter description, then you are in luck. ''Sunny girl''. That fits her. "Oh my, where are my manners? I am Hilde Val, second advisor to the King and Prince Licht''s partner for the evening. There were some matters I had to attend to, so I regrettably could not welcome you with Prince Licht. I deeply apologize, Lady Argento." She says that while smiling warmly and bowing politely. Also, am I the only one that feels kind of weird after hearing her speak? It feels all so...scripted? Practiced? Well, you could say the same for me. You are already doing that, I know. But it still feels kind of weird. My instinct is agreeing with me too "You are not the only one, dear~~. I could use my omniscience to figure out why but..." Spoilers? "Spoilers." That''s a no then. "There is nothing to apologize for, Miss Hilde. Everyone has their responsibilities. Besides, I have been deeply enjoying my conversation with Prince Licht. Although, I hope his Highness thinks the same." I say so while I turn to him and man, do I really want to laugh now... I feel like I am now just throwing salt in the wound, heh. "*ahem* Of course...it has been quite the enlightening conversation." Wow, he handled it really well. "Ah, I am glad. I did overhear something related with strength, though. Did his Highness ask about the strength of Lady Argento''s country? Because that seemed to pique the curiosity of the man beside me." Hilde does a motion with her hand and the man beside her makes a step forward...and...uuuuugh...this guy is the one giving off the disgusting vibes... Like...Im all for fanservice and not covering my cleavage, but...he is a ''no service'' type of person... "Good evening, I am Ulthane Reignitz. Leader of the Bulls of the Zenith. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Argento." Ah, the idiot fake knight of Erevain''s story. The same that said all that crap to the citizens when the King betrayed Erevain''s Order. That. Same. Bastard. I smile. Forcibly. Really. Forcibly. "The pleasure is mine." Not. Now I get what some cosplayers feel... "Please, if Lady Argento was discussing the strength of her country, then I would like to offer an idea. One that would benefit both countries perfectly and serve as good entertainment for the night. A duel." "Lord Reignitz, are you aware of what you are saying? To have a duel in the middle of ball is preposterous." Says Licht clearly baffled by the idea. "Oh, but it is not. Lady Argento made claims of such strength in the house of the Goddess and in the presence of her Holiness. But, with all due respect, she has not provided proof of it. What better time to do it than here? After all, every person involved with the maintenance of the country is present. This will serve to dispel any doubts that they might harbor about her strength and will also help Lady Argento in the future negotiations. It is just as the old saying goes, actions are better than words, Prince." So he says with an arrogant smile. He is also clearly planning something. It is like he is wearing a shirt that says as much. "Miss Hilde, I am sure you agree with me that that is not a good idea." Says Licht turning to his advisor partner and she tilts her head, probably confused as to why hed think that. "But I do? His reasoning is sound." And look at that, Licht is taken aback by that response and now he has turned to me. "Surely Lady Argento agrees with me then?" Damn it. I really don''t want to bully you more than I already have but... "I agree too, actually. It is true that there might be doubts about our strength and a duel sounds like a good idea to clear them." "... Hearing that, Licht is now speechless and Ulthane has started to laugh. "Ha! That is what I wanted to hear! Everyone!! Listen to me! Lady Argento has accepted to provide a special entertainment for the night!! But also, to provide earnest proof of her claims of strength in the name of entering the Alliance of Nations!! There shall be a duel!!!" Wow...this dude just did a 180 and I am not surprised at all...that is clearly his real personality... Also, the guests seem to have mixed reactions to his announcement. Some are surprised but eager to see the duel and others are just baffled by such thing. Of course, my Maid-Knights lose no time and start approaching my location, just like the many guests in the venue. "And the ones who will be fighting are...!!!" To be continued...(cue typical Lucha Libre poster with shadowy figures) Place your bets for who is going to be fighting who in Tuesdays chapter!! Yes, no cliffhangers right before the battle, I PROMISE!! Thank you for reading! If you liked this chapter, please dont forget to drop a heart on it! And if youd like to support my story and me, you can subscribe to my patreon and obtain access to more content, from Waifu Bites! to early access to the commissioned art and alternative versions of select chapters! Your support will truly go a long way! NowId like to say that theres some spicy fanart to share, but I cant share it here since it istoo spicy. But you can go check it out at our discord server in the NSFW channel, if you are +18, of course (do be honest please). Link in the comments below! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, and Schoookie! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all on tuesday because I need to work on volume 2! Chapter 78: YOU THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE WHOLESOME DANCING?! THINK AGAIN!! With Ulthane screaming his lungs out for his announcement, everyone at the venue has come to where we are. So, we are pretty much surrounded by the typical ring of people. I can also see that my Maid-Knights are approaching me, but it is difficult for them to move with so many people blocking their way and they cant just jump over them. Well, they can, but thatd be rude, heh. "And the ones who will be fighting are...!!!" Knowing his kind, it will obviously be him... "...from the Kyrie Kingdoms side, heh, who else but me? I, Lord Ulthane Reignitz, shall gladly and proudly take that place." Called it. Seriously... This guy is even bowing and waiting for a round of applause but...no. Also, everyone else shares my ''ugh...this guy...'' kind of expression except for the few that look quite marveled. Hmm? You are asking why I accepted the idea of the duel in the first place? Well, to beat him up, duh! How could I forget the way his Order and him treated my now Maid-Knights? And if I am not the one chosen to fight him, but I bet he will choose me, then more reason for one of my Maid-Knights to do so. It will serve like a good warm up for her. "And from Lady Argento''s countrywell, how about the Lady herself shows us her country''s might?! Right?!" Called it, again. "Are you mad, Lord Reignitz?!" "Yeah! How can you ask that of an important guest?!" "What are you trying to do, you Mad Bull?!" Wow...the nobles and citizens are saying all those things for me. Even in front of Prince Licht and Lady Hilde. I guess this Kingdom has this level of freedombut most importantlyitkind of makes me happy... "Who dared to call me ''Mad Bull''?" """""...!""""" So says Ulthane while making his gaze sharper before looking around and projecting his killing intent towards everyone. Some are unaffected and even angered by it, mainly those who have clear battle experience, but the ones that fit the civilian category have been rendered completely silent. He looks furious. It is obvious that he does not like that title. Not one single bit. When I find whoever called me that, I will show everyone what a Mad Bull really is. He says that as he cracks his knuckles and neck, pretty much threatening the people he is sworn to protect...what a piece of crap. And look at that. Neither Prince Licht nor Miss Hilde seem intent on doing anything about it. Even if one of them seems like he wants to. you know what? I am going to beat this clich of a big muscled arrogant guy into the ground, all so that he may reflect on his actions... "OHOHOHOHOHO!" ...that ojou-laugh! "Huh? Miss Gabrielle, right? What is it that you find so funny?" Says Ulthane to our resident ojou-sama, who just literally entered the fray by causing the crowd to part and let her go through, all while not only nailing the ojou-sama laugh, but the complimentary ojou-sama laughing pose too. 10/10. She is now in front of Ulthane, who is looking at her with both confusion and vexation. "My, my, my! Your arrogance, of course! That is what is making me laugh, you so called Knight! Not only do you threaten your people, the reason behind your oath! But you also think that you are capable of dueling against my Dear Master. OHOHOHOHOHknow your placeMad Bull." OOOOH SHE JUST USED THE OJOU-SAMA TECHNIQUE NUMBER TWO!! OJOU-LAUGH CANCEL!! GOING FROM A MOCKING OJOU-LAUGH TO A SERIOUS THREAT OR PROVOCATION!! SHE IS A NATURAL!!! NOT ONLY THAT!! HER EYES ARE IN FULL DISPLAY WHICH AUGMENTS THE IMPACT!! "...!" OH! THERE''S THE POPPING VEIN OF ANGER!! HES ABOUT TO LASH OUT!! "You...insolent...! Nnn...hahaHAHAHAHAHA!" Eh? """""Eh?""""" Everyone was probably expecting the same thing as me but...there he is...just laughing... "HAHAHAHA...if...hahayou say so with that much confidence, then does that mean that you are enough to beat me? Me? A Knight Leader?" He says that with a really dirty smile... Oh, now I get it. "My, there is no need for pointing out the obvious." His objective wasn''t just me... "Heh! Very well! I like feisty women who are up for a good fight!" ...but my Maid-Knights too...seeing as how he just licked his lips... My fellow weebs and nerds, is it fine to call him disgusting? I mean...we do lewd many characters in so, so many ways...and you could even say that I am the pinnacle of those...but this guy is beyond that. So, is it alright? Yeah? Great. Disgusting. """...!""" Ah, crap. I made the ''disgusting'' face and scared some people without noticing...although other guests are doing the same. "But! How can I fight just a simple attendant? After all, you referred to Lady Argento as your Master, correct? That wont be as interesting and we cant have that, can we? Ah, theres also my honorable position to consider. So how about we make it even more interestingLady Argento. Ugh...he is looking this way. "Hoooh~~, you better make it something worthy of looking down on my dear Gabrielle." I say so while looking down on him without any reserve. After all, he is a big guy but...only for a human. Not me. "That is one mean look you got there, Lady Argento. But working for the King has made me quite resistant to those kinds of looks. Which is a shame, really, but that is more of a bed-talk topic. Heh." I so want to see Gabrielle punch this guy... "Anyways, I propose two new conditions! First, a bet! Upon winning we may claim one of these things! For me, the hand in marriage not only of the one I beat, but also of yours, Lady Argento!" Aaaahhh...so this really is what he was planning...what was I even expecting? Something a bit smarter? Nah... Hm? Am I going to act as a concerned princess then? The heck will I do that! Neither me nor my besto waifu would ever act like that!! NO! DON''T YOU DARE MENTION THE MIND BREAK AND NTR DOUJINS!! DON''T YOU DARE!!! "You...! You are despicable! How can you manage to dirty the honorable title of a Knight like that?!" "Love earned through a bet is but void! There is no way the Goddess is going to accept that union! We sure not, Lord Reignitz!" Again, the guests are fast to recriminate him. What do you think, darling? I might get taken away. "Fufufu...hahaha! You jester! You can beat him with your pinky finger, so do not say things like that! Fufufuhahahaahh" Heh, sorry. I had to try. "Hmph. And for us?" In ca" "Lady Argento...! You do not have to do that!" Right when that idiot is about to reply to my question, a familiar face interrupts him as he enters the fray and approaches me. "Baron Thach, it is fine. My dear Gabrielle will not lose." I say so while showing him my most confident smile and yet, he doesnt look the least bit dissuaded. "That may be, but I cannot permit you to risk your family life for something as low as the machinations of someone like him." He says that with a strong and serious tone, never taking his eyes off mine. Nice. Still "Baron, look at my dear Gabrielle''s eyes. Do you see any doubt in them?" "...!" He does as I say before his eyes go wide and he stays silent for a moment, only turning back to me after that. "I...apologize. It seems that I have disrespected her will as a warrior and yours, Lady Argento." Heh, I knew he would get it. "It is nothing. Not only your sincere concern is more than enough to balance any offense that might have caused, but it is something to be valued." These veteran types have the knack to instantly identify that ''will''. After all, they see it in the mirror every day. Also, I meant every single word I just said. "If Baron Thach understands, then I will proceed to answer your question, Lady Argento. In case that you win you will have my Order''s full support in any endeavors you may partake. Be it inside or outside the Kingdom." Hmm, it surprises me that Ulthane didn''t interrupt our talk, but his offer still sucks. He must think that I do not know all the things his Order has done and has not done. Seriouslyits like he is offering me a broken fake besto waifu figure and hyping it up as original and new. "What is your last condition then?" "Oh, I will tell you, but only if you accept the bet, Lady Argento." He smiles disgustingly...again... Man, do you want me to lend you some doujins? That could help with those vibes of yours... "I believe my dear Gabrielle talked about there being no need to point out the obvious?" I say with a face that clearly expresses my annoyance. "Heh, yes, I do remember cutie here saying something like that. Then the other condition is that there is going to be a fight before mine! It would not be good entertainment if everything ends too quickly after all. And that one will have...hmm...who can give a good show?" He is turning around while looking for someone within the guests. "Forget it! I am not fighting for you!" "Me neither!" "Pfft, as if!" Aaand he is rejected every single time he lays his eyes on someone. That is until... "Ah! Of course! You! Former maid and sparring partner of the Fallen Prince! The Three Eyed Ogre!!" ...his eyes fall on Mary. "No, I refuse in her name." Prince Licht answers immediately while putting her behind him. His uncovered eye shows a sincere desire to protect her. Sohe can also act like that, huh. That is good, it at least shows that he cares about her. Maybe he is not that ''evil''? "No, Prince Licht. I actually think that it is a good idea. Mary here is quite strong, and she can surely stand on her own against many. Besides, things might get complicated if the King were to hear about this from Ulthane. After all, her situation is aspecial one, remember?" "Miss Hilde..." Wow, he is mad at her. And I get why, I mean, how can she say that when she also backed Ulthanes idea? Which means that while she has only mentioned Ulthane, shes telling him that she can also make things complicated. As for Mary, she looks quite frustrated...her head is hanging, and I can see that she is biting her lip. I guess shes had it hard since in the eyes of the foolish king she was the maid of a traitor. He probably punished her in some shape or form just to keep his lie consistent. Also, seeing that Licht is her Master now...maybe he asked his father to let him keep her as his servant. Thus, keeping her close to him instead of her leaving the palace and telling the truth. Maybe he even convinced him not to kill her? Hmm...instinct is muddy on this one...I was correct on ''something'', but it is not telling me on what...I again lack information... Hmm? Erevain is glaring at Hilde andCRAP SHE IS INDEED GLARING AT HER QUITE INTENSELY! CALM DOWN! WITH THAT FACE SOMEONE WILL FIGURE OUT YOUR IDENTITY!! LOOK!! YOU ARE SCARING LOCKE-CHAN!! SHE IS ABOUT TO CRY! "Tch...I will do it, Prince Licht." "Mary...are you sure?" Licht is clearly surprised by that answer and Erevain seems to be calming down a bit too...phew "Yes." She says that with eyes full of conviction. "Haavery well." Licht moves away as he says that and lets Mary go towards Ulthane''s side. "That was a good choice, Mary." "..." Aaaand Mary just ignored Hilde completely. Ouch. "Perfect!! Then all that is left is who is going to fight her." Hmm, I could send Erevain...who is looking at me with an expression that says ''I am ready if you want me to fight'' but... "I will." ...Erica had already been moving to Gabrielles side the moment Mary was mentioned. So, I give Erevain a look and signal her with my hand to wait. This is not her time to fight. She nods. "Oh, Miss Erica. Are you sure? You look a bitfrail. So, it might not be a good idea for you." His words may sound concerned, if not condescending, but he is clearly ecstatic about it. His face is practically screaming ''easy win!!''. "I am grateful for your concern, but it is unneeded." She says so in a cold tone and then turns to me. "Master, may I?" "You already volunteered, and I did not object. So yes, you may fight her, Erica." Seriously, talk about asking for forgiveness instead of permission. "Fufufu~~, in this case its more like asking for permission after doing it instead of forgiveness, dear." Indeed. Oh well, this was pretty much going to happen sooner or later. "Then the fighters are set!! Let us go outside! The garden that adorns this venue shall be our arena!!" The waiters are surprised by this and have quickly turned to Prince Licht and Hilde for permission, which they both give. With that, the waiters have begun moving, starting by opening the doors towards the garden. You see, the venue is a very big salon with windows on both sides, but those on the left side also act as doors towards a garden. And said garden has an open enough area that is perfect for the duel that is going to take place. One that the waiters and even the staff that were behind the scenes are quickly preparing by setting appropriate tables, chairs, and even canaps for everyone to enjoy. Now that is impressive. This level of quickness and no hesitation! Now I get why the Maid-Knights have been so efficient at being maids even without the proper training!! They were emulating the perfected work of these people!! Any hotel of my world would kill for just one of these maids and butlers!! Like, wow!! "Fufufu~~, I am proud to say that the maids and butlers of Arte are top of the line! But do you want to know something even more impressive, dear?" More impressive than what I''m seeing? Yes, please! "They are not even using their Royal Attendant active skills." NANI?! "Fufufu~~. Ah, dear, they are calling for you. It seems the area for the parties involved in the duel has been finished." Oh. Yes, I can see that...and I can also see that they already turned the garden into a perfect outdoors salon... Excuse me. Hmm? The butler that just walked past me...he had a familiar scent...let''s focus a bit...oh! There is a maid with monochromatic hair too! So, they are here, eh! Interesting! Let''s just keep doing our thing then. I don''t want to disrupt them. So, as we walk to the garden, I can see that Erica is completely focused on the duel. There is no doubt in her body language, nor a single ripple in her mana. Her heart is beating calmly as well. If I were to use an example, then it would be...yes...the calm surface of a lake. __________________________________________ After everyone got to their seats and the Head Butler gave the ''okay'', Baron Thach volunteered to be the referee as he would be a neutral party. No one objected. Then, as it had been agreed upon, the first match would be between Erica and Mary. She has looked human since I met her, so I am curious to see this ''Three Eyed Ogre'' aspect of her. Wait...do all the races, except for elves and dwarves, have a human form? "No, dear. In the case of Demons and their sibling race, the Ogres, only the half-bloods can turn into the race of the other parent. In Lyra''s and other beast-kin''s case it is more of a power-saving mode than another form." Oh, interesting. I''ll ask Mika to buy some books about all of that...I really need to learn more of this isekai! "Fufufu~~, she will be happy to hear that, dear." Ah! It is starting! "Miss Erica. Miss Mary. Step forward, please." Says Baron Thach in a solemn tone. He is truly taking this seriously. Meanwhile, Erica and Mary are now facing each other very closely. "Let me remind you that this is an honorable duel. Even more so, it is a duel between two countries who wish to establish friendly relations. As such, this shall not be a battle to the death. The rules are simple. Make your opponent bend the knee or make them unable to battle, as in losing consciousness. I specify this because I do not want clever excuses..." He says that last part while looking at Ulthane reproachingly and he scoffs at him. "...am I clear?" "Yes, Baron Thach." Says Mary while not losing eye contact with Erica. "Indeed, Baron Thach." Says Erica while doing the same. "Very well then, assume your positions at your pertinent sides and wait for my signal." They both nod at his words and they go to their sides. Erica is on the east side of the arena and Mary is on the west side. Meanwhile, Baron Thach is at the north side of the ''arena'' and we the audience are at the south. Take these directions from my point of view, of course. Also, Gabrielle and Erevain are seated at my left and right. "..." "..." Aaaaah, the tension can be cut with one of my claws!!! If this was a cartoon, I would''ve done it by now!! "Prepare your weapons or stances! Healers, be at the ready!" So exclaims the Baron. "I sympathize with your story, Miss Erica. You do not know how much I do, but...!" Says Mary...wait...what is that? Oh, is this the transformation?! Her mana is turning into a vivid and fiery red! A horn is also popping from the left side of her forehead! She''s also grown fangs!! Wait! That mana is covering her hands as if they were gauntlets! Forget about the western Ogre, she looks like an Oni!!! The mana is also coalescing on her forehead and...ah! A third eye! The mana has turned into a red third eye! It is like a floating, fiery tattoo!! It all has that same Oni-like style! Her eyes look bloody red too!! "I cannot let myself be defeated once again! Not if I want to hold on to that title..." She mutters that last part and I guess no one would hear that from the sound of her fiery mana...well, except for me that is. In any case, maybe she is referring to her title as Erevain''s sparring partner? But that would imply that she still cares about her...hmm... Well, I cant forget the guilt she showed back then in the carriage Man, this is really strange...Mary and Licht Perhaps Erevain''s hopes were not misplaced? "So, you will have to forgive me for going seriously right from the start!!" With that, her transformation finishes, and while the civilian guests are tense after seeing her, everyone else is calm. Erica too. Also, I am glad I told her about me telling Mary that story. If not, that exchange would have been quite awkward. "I just have one question for you." Says Erica while gracefully weaving her blue mana, which moves like flowing water, as she starts her chant. "Oh Water, arm me...[Water Sword Summon]." Thus, her mana materializes into a fountain of water, which comes out of her right hand before she makes an elegant yet firm move with it. One in which she moves it downwards to the right and that is when the water takes the form of a gorgeous rapier. The same rapier I saw her summon not too long ago. Of course, that means that she is not using her old weapon, nor her new weapon. The former because it might get recognized and the latter because it might cause a scene since it is a Blessed Weapon. "For what reason would you betray your family?" Mary''s eyes widen in surprise at Erica''s serious question. Meanwhile, the rest of the audience are confused by this, even Hilde and Ulthane are showing confused expressions trying to figure out why such a specific subject would pop up. But there comes Licht and he masterfully explains the situation to them while erasing any chance of them suspecting Mary. He is pretty much telling them a short version of my fake story about Erica, which I guess Mary told him. "..." As for Marys answer to that question, she seems to have decided to not say anything. "If silence is your answer, then I have no more doubts..." With that, Erica proceeds to do a version of the traditional fencer salute to the opponent, the audience and referee. How do I know that? Have you guys not read ''I will teach classical fencing in another world and lead a tranquil life!''?! You have not?! Pfft...isekai noobs. That is why I know!! Of course, hers is a style that is similar to what I have seen, but it is still one of Arte. "...I will defeat you in one strike that you will not be able to see coming." She says that while firmly putting herself in the Arte equivalent of the ''en garde'' position. And once again, only silence comes from Mary as she takes a battle-ready position. All while their mana begins to cover them. Mary''s mana is wild and with a vibrant red color. Erica''s mana is calm and with a clear blue color. You could say that it reflects their natures. They are now staring at each other''s eyes, clearly engaging in that glorious image battle! I wonder if there will be a time where I will be able to do that? Well, I will live for a long time thanks to this body, so I suppose that I will. But I digress. Mary''s face seems to twist a bit every now and then. Which more than likely means that she is losing on those image battles. On the other hand, Erica seems calm and collected as she stares at Mary. Speaking of handsI can feel Erevain''s hand reaching for mine and I hold it, quickly interlocking fingers with hers. It was obvious that she was going to be like this. She is not nervous. She is not afraid. But she is completely focused on this duel. She hasn''t even blinked once since they stepped forward. She wants me to be with her even in that state. And here I am. This is something serious, so forgive me for my sudden change in tone. "Begin!" The second Baron Thach says that Mary charges at Erica with an incredible speed for someone that hasn''t made a pact with me. "She has improved her speed, but..." So mutters Erevain as we see her get closer and closer to Erica who is not moving at all. All while the fiery mana on Mary''s hands becomes stronger as she''s about to attack. "Face the inescapable grasp of the Ogres! Fire that vests me, I will take what I desire! [Burning Ogre''s Grasp]!" So exclaims Mary as her right hand grows, no, her fiery gauntlet is the one growing and turning into a giant burning hand that has opened. One that is clearly meant for crushing someone...into unconsciousness at least. "...Erica has improved in everything. She did not rest in all this time. She kept training and training with one purpose and one purpose alone. That was to not be defeated in the same way. And now thanks to My Lord, she has changed even more." Says Erevain at the same time as Mary completed her chant. And now, her fiery hand is as close to Erica as it would get before being able to touch her. But that is when it happens. Erica inhales and exhales in a perfectly calm manner while she sharpens her gaze and focuses on her. "[Dance Form]." Softly whispering that, she takes a single step forward, just one, and uses the point of her rapier to softly brush the giant hand aside as if it were as light as a feather. She then takes another step, but now one lightly to the left and moves her sword gracefully towards Mary''s legs, making it seem as if she has traced the infinity sign on them. But that''s not it, she has actually moved Mary''s legs with her rapier in a way that it would mess with Mary''s footing and cause her to fall. And at the speed she is going...that will probably hurt. Yet that is not all, she then takes another step forward while turning her rapier''s blade inwards, making the rapiers handle the one now facing her opponent and she proceeds to thrust it right on Mary''s stomach. "Gah?!" And immediately following the dry sound of the impact, Mary''s fiery hands and eye disappearno, they have been snuffed out. Of course, the air within her lungs is gone too. All as an expression of both surprise and confusion paint her face. Her eyes seem to scream ''what happened?'', a sentiment shared by most of the people in the audience. The reason? Only a few were able to see what Erica did, and even fewer saw it clearly. It was like a dance, even if it was a three-step one, and it was beautiful. "..." And now Mary''s eyes have become filled with nostalgic calm as she is supported by Erica in a way that looks like she is hugging her. She is doing so because Mary''s legs were about to give out and it is clear that she has just a few moments before fainting. Still, to not immediately after that is proof of her strength. "Ah...I don''t know whybut you really remind me of him...of my little brother...ever since that day in the cathedral..." She whispers weakly in between heavy breaths. Only Erica who is close to her and us who have enhanced senses can hear her. "You won...so...here is your answer...I would do everything...for the sake...the good...of my family...even if that means...betraying them...even if they hate me...as long as they are alive...then I" With that, her body finally gives out and she faints on Ericas arms and doing so just before she was able to finish what she was going to say. But her smile at the end tells us enough. Yes...more than enough. "Miss Mary is unable to continue! This duel goes to Miss Erica La Fonte!" Our first victory out of two. We should be happy and showing that happiness. But this bittersweet feeling covers us. It covers Erica, who tightly holds her for a second before giving her to the healers. And she does so not with the intent of supporting her but embracing her with that love she had hidden deep inside of her heart. It covers Erevain, who is holding my hand tightly while looking at the unconscious Mary, all as she uses the side of her other hand to hide the fact that she is clenching her mouth. It covers Gabrielle, whose usual smile is gone, all while looking at Licht for an instant. She is probably trying to figure out if he is to blame for Mary''s circumstances or if he is in the same situation as Mary... And of course, it covers me as I confirm once again that, as in my other world, things are not as black and white. All in this moonless night. To be continued...(cue illustration of Mary and Erica ready for the fight as their interconnected mana shows the sweet memories of their shared childhood in the palace) Thank you very much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it and look forward for Gabrielle''s fight! And if you want to support me and the story, then you can go to either my patreon or ko-fi! Either way, and no matter if it is big or small, your help will truly help me keep writing this story! On the fanart side, Lord Femboy, who has made the spicy fanart in our discord, just recently adapted the very first part of the first chapter into a comic! So, if you want to see it, head over there and drop a heart on it! And for those wondering when is the next stat sheet coming out, it''ll come out in a couple of chapters, don''t worry! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie and sumdudeguy! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all later/tomorrow (depends if I finish revising another chapter before the day changes!)! Chapter 79: Such a sheltered-looking girl is no match for a bull, right? RIGHT?! The man known as the Shield of the Mountain was able to see all that transpired in the duel given his close proximity. After all, he was the referee, and yet he was as surprised as many people in the audience. Although, such surprise was not one of ignorance his surprise but the opposite. For he, as many of the nobles in charge of the Kingdoms territories, had battled in the Draconic Front for a time. And in all those years of fighting against the races and monsters subservient to the Dragon Lords he had only seen once such beautiful, yet ephemerous style of fencing. It belonged to a man of the fairy race that was called the Proud Swordsman. His movements would resemble a dance and a monster fell every time he thrusted with his rapier. Sadly, the Baron only saw him a few days before receiving the injury that made him retire from the battlefield. But many years later he heard that the same man had been teaching fencing to a certain attendant in the capital for a short time before leaving on a journey to improve his form. ''Could it be...?'' Such was the question that crossed his mind when he saw how Erica La Fonte defeated her opponent. ''Did he find Lady Argento''s country and taught Miss Erica there?'' Indeed, that was the theory that formed in his mind, for it made more sense that the alternative. That being such certain attendant returning to the Capital with an all-new appearance and serving an entirely different country and Master altogether. But that was not all, he was also impressed by the way Erica La Fonte had acted. She had ample opportunity to injure her opponent, but instead she decided to strike her opponent with the handle of her sword while using just enough strength to deprive her of her consciousness. Aside from that, Prince Licht''s attendant did not suffer any injuries as per the healer''s report. That spoke more of who she was as a person than any conversation could ever hope to do. Not only him, but all the other nobles and citizens who had fought for their lives or for others, be it in the Draconic Front or in any other place, arrived at the same conclusion. There was no doubt that she was worthy of being a Knight, for in that brief duel she had shown the qualities of oneunlike others who''ve had the title and position for half a decade and have only dirtied it. Something that also made the eyes of many to turn towards the other women who accompanied Lady Argento in both wonder and curiosity. ''If Miss Erica, the youngest of them, is capable of that...then that must mean those two could be even stronger. No, not only them, but Lady Argento as well.'' Such was the thought that passed through the minds of many of the guests, accompanied by a certain sense of trepidation. ''If Lady Argento was not this open minded and kind, then something terrible might have happened.'' So thought Baron Thach as his eyes wandered towards the one behind everything. Lord Ulthane Reignitz, the one who would inherit the Reignitz Households Headship as soon as his father decided to retire. Baron Thach had interacted with him as much as the other nobles and found him unworthy of his title as Knight. Not because his position was obtained in the middle of a terrible time for the Kingdom, around suspicious circumstances, and an unorthodox track record. Nor because he had been deemed unworthy by the Goddess multiple times. No. If that was all, then the Baron could have seen him as someone who had tried hard enough, even if through unusual methods, to reach a goal. To show the Goddess through hard work that he was indeed worthy, so much so that even the King thought the same. After all, stories like that were not uncommon and served as great motivation for many. Which gave birth to a certain saying among those that have experienced such a situation. Those worthy to be a Knight face ten trials, the unworthy face eleven, the first one being the hardest and most rewarding. Such Knights who prevailed over their unworthiness are respected and admired by it. For they did not give up, and instead worked hard to make themselves worthy and accomplished it. Being recognized by the Goddess because of it. Butsuch was not the case with Ulthane. Not only did he dirtied his position as a Knight by abandoning some villages to monsters, but he also objected to tasks that did not involve battle as the central objective. Like delivering medicine to sickened villages, towns or even cities. And of course, patrolling highways was also deemed too simple of a task for his Order. Furthermore, if his Order accepted those, they would arrive past their expected date, turning what should have been an easily remedied situation into one that could have already claimed lives. Or in the case of patrolling, they would simply scare away monsters and beasts without risking their lives hunting them down and ending them. Giving way to their proliferation and eventual attacks on the nearby villages or towns. Lord Ulthane would also boast about his Order being the only one that did not take any losses from the sudden Dragon Lord attack that happened five years ago. And he was right...but not because of honorable reasons or because of their might. No. It was because they engaged in the same tactics they use in the present. Dishonorable retreats disguised as tactical ones, abandoning allies and civilians alike, and using those allies as bait to either counterattack or flee. As suchhe was not a Knight. He was mad for battle, but only for battles that he knew he could win. He had not a single shred of honor. Not in the field, nor in the arena. He would even kill his opponents if given enough leeway to do so, while using that twisted logic of his and Miss Hilde''s name to escape any sort of punishment stronger than the equivalent of a slap on the wrist. In short, Baron Thach and many others disliked him and his Order like none other. Adding insult to injury was the fact that they were replacing an Order that had been dubbed among the veterans as the new generation of heroes of the battlefield. Many wept the day that Order fell and disappeared, so much potential lost to the murky waters of what happened five years ago. That was why he hated the way he was feeling. In a way he was feeling grateful to Ulthane, for he had given him the chance to see with his own eyes such beautiful display of strength. And while Ulthanes logic might have been twisted, it had indeed accomplished its objective. It had showed everyone the strength of Lady Argento''s country. No noble or citizen there were able to doubt it after Miss Erica''s display. And in only a few minutes the next duel would take place and thus, it would give everyone another glance at the great potential that an alliance with such a country could bring to the battle against the Dragon Lords. But Baron Thach was still concerned about what Lord Ulthane could do. Would he surprisingly fight with honor? Or would he try to do something unbecoming of a Knight? There was only one way for him to find out. __________________________________________________ "MasterLeader, I..." Erica, having already returned to our side, is now looking at us with a heavy expression on her face after Erevain and me hugged her. We did not care if anyone was watching. Her emotions were in flux. She thought that she was going to finally reach some closure, but then Mary dropped that bomb on her. It is obvious that she would be in this state. Even now after said hug. "Say no more, Erica. We understand, we heard it too. All the time that you spent looking for the answer to that question was worth it, Erica. And while is not a complete answer, it is a start, a true start. All while showing us how strong and loving is your heart. Well done, Erica. I am proud." My voice softens as I say that while smiling warmly at her. "Master..." Her eyes widen with my words before Erevain gets a little closer to her. "Ericano one but you could have made Mary say that. Not even me. And now we know that there is more to what happened five years ago than what we thought. You accomplished that. With that, Erevain puts her hand on Ericas shoulder before continuing. Fighting against someone you care about is more terrifying than fighting against your worst enemy. Believe me, I have some experience. And you did it not only in such a valiant way, but also in a truly beautiful one. Your teacher would be proud. For I know that I could not be prouder myself." Says Erevain with a smile that fits her words, which makes Erica tear up instantly. "Leader...that is not trueyou could" Erica was about to say something along the lines of ''you could have done it too'', but Erevain has stopped her by putting her forehead against hers in an affectionate way. "No, I do not believe that I would have been able to do what you did. After all, Mary only has one little brother in her heart. Someone that is capable of making her be fully honest. You." "LeaErevain..." She murmurs that in a very, very low voice, and we resume our hug. No one except us is able to hear it, but she has begun to cry Her heart can finally start healing from those old wounds Even if its one step at a time. _______________________________________________________ Some minutes later after that! We are officially out of serious mode everyone! Erica is much better now! She is also being interrogated by her newly made fans and veterans alike. I thought she would be a bit nervous answering all those questions, but not at all, she is answering them with her usual courteous and polite attitude. "Fufufu~~, I am proud of her too, you know? When she was face to face with Mary, her heart was in the middle of a battle between the forces of the resentment that still lingered and the love that still shined within her. In the end, her love for Mary won. She has grown into a fine person and even finer Knight. I knew that I was not mistaken in giving her my blessing for being one, even if she was younger than anyone else in the trials." She would be quite happy to hear that from you, so do tell her when we return to the castle, darling. "I shall do it! Although, I hope she does not faint like Kris when I praised her strength yesterday... She was muttering things like ''my strength was praised by the Goddess...I can die peacefully...'' and I do not want that to happen with Erica..." Hahahahaha! "Hey! Don''t laugh you dummy! I got really worried!" Sorry...sorry....just imagining that scene made me laugh instinctively. Like, I was imagining Kris on the ground while her soul was coming out of her mouth all anime style...heh. "Miss Gabrielle! Lord Ulthane! Please, enter the arena!" Oh! It''s starting! I am so excidisgusted...dammit, Ulthane!! You had to start sending those horrible vibes again!! "Ha! I cannot wait to make you and your master my wives!! I will make sure to provide the Reignitz Household with a new generation!" New Generation... NOOOOOOOOOPE! NOPE! NOPE! GYYYAAAAAAAH! I IMAGINED IT!! I IMAGINED IIIIT!!!! WHYYYYY??!!! QUICKLY!! I NEED SOME MIND BLEACH!!!!! SOMEONE!!!! "I only apologize for the suddenness, but..." *KISS* "...not for the feelings behind this, my dear Master." Yes. An unexpected kiss on the lips by Gabrielle works too. CHOTTO A MINUTE!!!!! JUST...!!! AAAAAAAHHH!!! I''M SO RED!! I AM TOTALLY LETTING OUT SMOKE RIGHT NOW!!! """"""...!"""""" OF COURSE, EVERYONE IS WATCHING!!!! AND EREVAIN HAS TURNED INTO A STATUE!!!! "Heeeh~~~." SHUT UP, LUDOVICA!!! STOP IT WITH THAT SMUG LOOK IN YOUR EYES!!! I CAN CLEARLY SEE YOUR SMILE EVEN IF YOU TRY TO COVER IT WITH YOUR HAND!! ALSO, THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN YOUR OWN SPECIAL AREA!!! EH?! NO! GABRIELLE DON''T YOU CARESS MY CHEEK NOW! DON''T! "Fueh?!" WHY DID YOU DO IT?! I JUST WENT ''FUEH''!!! I CAN SEE IT! THE VERY LAST SHREDS OF MY MANHOOD ARE FLYING AWAY NOW!!! THEY ARE EVEN DOING THE FACE IN THE SKY THING!!! "My, what a cute and unexpected reaction. I am now filled with motivation to teach that Mad Bull his place. So, I will be going now, my dear Master." THE WORST BEST THING IS THAT SHE LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL WITH HER HYPED-UP SMILE AND RED CHEEKS WHILE SAYING ALL THAT AND LEAVING!!! SO COOL AND BOLD OJOU-SAMA!!! AAAAAAH!! "*ahem*Y-yes, silence that insolent fool." I managed...to say something...maybe I also managed to save some face... Let''s look around...aaaand everyone has ''cute!'' written all over their faces!! Even Erica!! And Ulthane too!! DAAMN IT ALL!!! "FUFUFUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! I-I-Iahahahahaha! I wanted to be the one that made you go ''fuehhahahahabut it was still good! Gabrielle has won some good heroine points! HAHAHAHAHA!!" This Goddess!! "Maybe I should totes try and caress your cheek, Auros." Says Ludovica, who is now sitting in Gabrielle''s place... "Don''t." I of course give her an immediate and cold response. "You are no fun at all..." She says completely dejected. Seriously, my lovely Goddess and her representative sure love capitalizing on chances to tease me... "*ahem*Miss Gabrielle. Lord Ulthane. Step forward, please." Ah, sorry about the commotion Baron Thach... "I already said it, but I shall repeat it for good measure. This is an honorable duel, one that is between two countries who wish to establish friendly relations. As such, this shall not be a battle to the death. The rules are simple. Make your opponent bend the knee or make them unable to battle, as in losing consciousness. I specify this because I do not want clever excuses. And for the good of this Kingdom, I shall not tolerate them. Am I clear?" Oh, he is now glaring directly at Ulthane, but he is focused on someone else. "Yeah, yeah, heh." As in he is completely ignoring him in favor of looking at Gabrielles cleavage. I am so going to enjoy watching this fight. "Of course, Baron Thach." Says Gabrielle while smiling at the Baron. "Then, please assume your positions at your pertinent sides and wait for my signal." They both nod and obey his instructions. To be quick, they are in the same positions as Erica and Mary. "So?! What will be your weapon, Gabrielle? Do not worry I will not be put off by whatever you choose, heh. It might even get me in an even better mood." Nerinne can''t you just throw a lightning at him? "Fufufu~~, as much as I want to do it, there is no need." I had to try... "My, I do not remember giving you permission to speak to me so casually. You truly are like a Mad Bull blinded by his own heat. So, I will have to put you down with...this." With that, she shows him her beautiful and soft hands. "Pfftahahahahahaha! What are the hands of a sheltered lady going to do to me?! But if that is your choice, then it is fine by me!!" I really do not want to narrate him, but...he just took out a pair of brass knuckles from his pockets and put them on. They have an isekai-fantasy design and are made of some black metal. Not the music genre, man. An actual mineral. How would you even make a weapon out of a music genre? Also, he is doing the typical ''pumped for a fistfight'' arm and neck movements. "This ''sheltered lady'' might surprise you." Gabrielle, on the other hand, traces half a circle with her left foot before resting it diagonally behind her right one in a front stance, her beautiful dress swaying as she does that. Then, she firmly places her footing on the ground and assumes a combat ready position as she raises her arms high enough to protect her head while not blocking her sight. Or that is what I would be saying, but instead her upper body is in a confident ojou-sama pose, with her resting her chin on the back of her right hand and resting her right elbow on the back of her left hand. All while her chest is emphasized by her left arm being under it. But besides that, she has indeed assumed a front stance. Imagine it being like the one in Taekwondo or Hap Ki Do. You don''t know those martial arts?! Have you not read any martial arts manga?! Seriously?! Isn''t that a phase for almost all weebs?! Was that just me?! There is also the ''I used martial arts to beat the Demon Lord and now I am teaching the demon army in another world!!'' manga!! WHAT?! NOT EVEN THAT ONE?! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?! Wait...don''t answer that...sorry...that was uncalled for...don''t get depressed...sumanai... A-anyways...she is obviously trying to provoke him or maybe that is the traditional fighting stance for her martial art? No way, heh. She is clearly telling Ulthane that he is beneath her. Yep, a total provocation. And now their mana has started to cover them. Ulthanes seems to contain the earth attribute, but it is quite muddy, living the impression that it''s dirty. Not corrupted, mind you. Just dirty. And it is moving slowly around him, like mud. On the other hand, Gabrielle''s mana is of a light green colored variety with dark green on the edges. And those edges must be the traces of her ''dark'' side of healing magic, but it is completely merged with the rest. Just like a well-done shading with green as the color, giving it a uniform feel. Lastly, it pulsates with her on the center. "Begin!" So exclaims Baron Thach. The first to move is obviously Ulthane, who immediately lunges at my bold ojou-sama before shouting the following: "Show me what you can do, Gabrielle!!" And Gabrielle is not moving at all! She is even in her ''closed eyes and smile'' state as Ulthane gets closer and closer to her right and is getting ready to punch her. "Haashe has him now." Says Erevain while shaking her head after letting such a sigh. "Elaborate, Eresh." "Ah, yes, My Lord. As you know, Gabrielle is a Martial Healer. She engages in close quarters combat as her principal means to do damage. So, it is not wise to attack first in a fight against her, for in doing so one ends up giving her the control of the battle. And getting close to her to attack first is the worst case of that. Says Erevain, clearly talking from experience. "As simple as prey throwing themselves into the predator''s mouth then." I say so while still looking at the battle. "Although, she has always been quite bold when she decides to make the first strike..." She murmurs that, obviously referring to the kiss...ah...it is still difficult, but I am not losing this prompt! So, I get close to her and whisper to her ear. "Now, now, you have done much more than a kiss, so do not be so shaken." HNNNGH! MY VOICE SOUNDED SO HOT RIGHT NOW!!! I LOVE MY WAIFU''S SEIYUU!! And Erevain instantly blushes, smiles, and simply nods. Great!! I could feel Ludovica''s gaze all over us though... "If you are not going to move, then I shall oblige! [Bone-Breaking Fi!" *SLAP* "Gah!" Huh? """"""Huh?"""""" Did Gabrielle just slap him? Everyone had the same reaction too... *SLAP* "Ngah!" She IS slapping him, with both sides of her right hand and he can''t do anything about it! Any of his attempts to counterattack are being stopped by Gabrielle without a single care in the world! As in she is casually pushing his massive arms away with the tip of her fingers! "I thought I already told you to not speak to me so casually. But, very well, I will make you understand." *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* "Nnguh...!" Daaamn that last one must have hurt...give him more!!! "Not only have you been disrespectful to the guests..." *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* SLAP* His face is getting redder by the second and don''t get me started with his cheeks. They are getting so inflated that he is starting to look like a hamster full of food. "...but you have also threatened them. A Knight who threatens those who are at the heart of their oath, just like the Goddess, is nothing but a sham." *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* "A pathetic piece of muscle who dared abandon the sick and those in need." *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP**SLAP* *SLAP* *SLAP* SLAP* "And worst of all, someone who dared to even think to put his filthy hands on my dear Master Auros! Your hands will never be able to reach such a woman! Not her body! Not her ideals! Not that kind heart of hers! And not her mission!" *SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP* "Guaagh!" *crash* Now that is the mother of all slaps if I have ever seen one, and I have!! Like she just sent him flying to his side of the arena with that slap! Not only that, but he fell face first into the grass! This reminds me of the slap-a-thon that Nana gave to an idiot who entered our house looking to steal things...when the cops came in, they felt sorry for the dude... Well, I do not feel sorry for Ulthane though. Also, she really is quite bold to say those things about me... "Excellent." I say so in a voice just loud enough for Gabrielle to hear, to which she turns my way and smiles warmly. "Ugh..." Of course, he wasn''t knocked out... Dude, she just slapped you into oblivion. It is obvious that you can''t win... "My, what a bothersome piece of trash. Know your place and stay down." *thud* Gabrielle shakes her head and walks leisurely towards Ulthane, who has been trying to get as she says that, but his arms just gave out and have left him on ground. "Hm? Oh dear, it seems it was nothing." With him seemingly unconscious, Gabrielle turns around and starts walking back to her respective side of the arena, all while everyone else is waiting for Baron Thach to finish the duel. "Lord Ulthane is unable to battle, the victor is!" Remember that I said seemingly? "You...you...! YOU BITCH!! YOU''LL LEARN TO NEVER SHOW ME YOUR BACK! [SAVAGE RUSH]!! [ENHANCE STRENGTH]!!! [DOUBLE EFFECT: ENHANCMENT]!!!!" That is why. He was faking it. Worst of all for him, Gabrielle knew that. She expected it. Heck, I bet she planned for it to happen. Baron Thach seemed to know too since he is not stopping Ulthane. He probably wants Gabrielle to teach him a lesson. "[CRUSHING EMBRACE]!!" So shouted Ulthane with his arms wide open and ready to do what his skill implies. He looks like a savage beast about to pounce on its prey. But "[Quickstep]." ?! Gabrielle disappears from his sight the second before he can catch her, making him look as if he just embraced the air in a silly way. Thentwo slightly muscular feminine arms appear behind him and grab a hold of him from the base of his stomach. "You reek of filth, so I will be quick and use one of Bertia''s moves..." Gabrielle''s footing changes to the one referred to as horse stance or mount stance in martial arts. Hmm...something like that...can''t remember the specific term...regardless, she is starting to lift the muscular man in an apparent feat of strength. Weird, this looks as...wait.... "Huh?! Wha?! What are you doing?!" No way. NO WAY. SHE IS GOING TO! "It is a perfect move to put you where you belong. You Mad Bull." "[BONE CRUSHING FIST]!! [BONE CRUSHING FIST]!!! Wha?! No damage?!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR ARMS?!!" He just punched Gabrielle''s arms to try and free himself, but...MUDA, MUDA, MUDA!!! As init was useless!! "Haaa!" "Noo!" *SUPLEX SLAM* """"""""""....!!!!!""""""""" SHE DID IT!! SHE JUST USED A GERMAN SUPLEX ON ULTHANE!!! NO, AN ARTE SUPLEX!!!! NOT ONLY THAT, ULTHANE''S HEAD IS FIRMLY BURIED UNDER THE GRASS AND HE NOW LOOKS LIKE A HUMAN RADDISH! "Pfft..." "Shhh, you cannot laugh...hahaha...he is still a knight...hahaha..." "He deserved it..." That is what the guests are saying while Gabrielle has returned to her respective side and smiled at the Baron, practically saying he is done, to which he nods. "Lord Ulthane is unable to continue! The victor is Miss Gabrielle Aeryn!!" So he exclaims and Gabrielle bows to the audience, causing them to applaud her for a moment. Man, that was incredible. "Fufufu~~, see? There was no need for me to rain lighting upon Ulthane. After all, it would have only ruined such a fun conclusion." You were absolutely right, darling. *thud* Ah...he fell over. ____________________________________________________ After calling Erica over, Baron Thach has started with his closing words for this two-part duel. "With two victories, Lady Argento''s side have won this sudden competition! Their strength is real and there is nothing more for me to say than wish for a long lasting and friendly relationship between our nations!!" With that, the guests immediately start to applaud at Erica and Gabrielle. Heck, even Erevain, Ludovica and I are doing so too. This was truly fun. Although, I am sad that the rest of the Maid-Knights couldn''t see this... But I will be sure to tell them with absolute detail!! After all, narrating is one of the fortes of this twisted mind of mine!! Now, lets look at Hilde and Licht. Heh. Licht is still wide eyed at what he just saw. It is obvious that his expectations were completely blown away, even if he is doing his fake smile-thing. While Hilde is...quite calm actually...unnervingly so...there is no surprise in those eyes of hers... No signs of blown expectations or even expectations met...nothing... Hmm...there is something familiar on her now that I focus my senses... "Miss Hilde, the King is coming." ...and I hear something way more interesting coming out of the maid that just approached her. Which is something that makes her stand up and walk to the central part of the arena where Baron Thach is. "I hope that everyone enjoyed this surprising and beautiful display of strength between our countries. And as a continuation of this, I am proud to announce that the King is finally arriving to the venue. His Majesty, of course, has summoned Lady Argento to be the one with whom he will share the Wine of Alliance. Something that his Majesty is more than glad to do after receiving word of what just transpired here." Everyone has started to clap again, but this time at me. They are truly happy for the alliance that is about to be forged. Which of course means that we are going to officially join the efforts against the Dragon Lords. "Lady Argento, do you accept this summon?" Says Miss Hilde looking straight at me and I smile. "It is a great honor that I am proud to accept." Oh yes, I cannot wait to see this idiot. To be continued...(cue illustration of Gabrielle doing an Arte Suplex!!) (Bertia''s fighting style confirmed?!) Thank you so much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it! If you want to help me keep writing this story and bring more color to it, then please consider subscribing to my patreon! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie and sumdudeguy! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Nowtime to sleep for me! Chapter 80: Gotcha! You mad Raph? The maids and the butlers scrambled to put everything in order before the King arrived, quickly dismantling the impressive preparations they had done less than an hour ago. The garden tables, the chairs, the luxurious garden awnings, the canopies, all of it was taken back to where it came from. Doing so as fast as they had assembled it all. Of course, while such thing was happening, the guests re-entered the venue in an orderly manner and resumed their mingling while they waited for the King. Furthermore, the air around them had changed, or perhaps improved is a better word, for a clear liveliness could be seen on all their faces. Not only everyone had been witnesses to incredible and surprising feats, not to mention the confirmation of an impending alliance, but a factor of annoyance for most of the guests had also been removed via a humiliating loss. Indeed, Lord Ulthane was no longer present in the venue as his consciousness did not return even minutes after the battle. Some said that it was most likely due to the overwhelming shock of his defeat. While others said that they overheard something about the healers having trouble healing him. In any case, he was gone, and the people were happily talking with the outstanding foreigners that had brought such a lively environment. Meanwhile, Prince Licht watched from afar as he looked after his maid, Mary. While she had woken up some minutes after the last duel, she was still under the physical burden that the mana cost of ''going all-out'' incurred. And even if she was still able to stand, Licht insisted in her remaining seated until she was in a better condition. Much to her shame as an attendant. It is in that watching from afar that the Princes gaze fell on Lady Auros and her companions, but something grabbed his attention almost immediately. ''Where is that woman that looked so similar to my mother? Did Lady Auros dismiss her to prevent something going awry with Father? No. She would not do that. I am sure that she is planning something.'' Such was what he thought as he scoured the venue with his eyes and found no sign of the woman named Eresh Kur. ''She must have disappeared when all the guests were entering the venue. But to be able to do that while being the center of attention...is that woman''s power like mine or is it something else?'' So he pondered, trying to guess the capabilities of said woman. After all, his expectations had been thoroughly squashed with the performance of the other two women. Thus, he already knew that they were not ordinary people, but...to that level? It bordered on a whole world of difference and already went into the realm of the truly unique. If so, then how strong was the woman who held off fighting in the duels? Eresh Kur. Or perhaps she was not a fighter at all. Maybe she had other specialties. Still, no matter how much Licht thought about it, he came back with nothing. And as the Royal Knights lined up to make a path for the King, he decided to simply watch and adapt to whatever was going to happen. Of course, that also meant that if he deemed it necessary, he would not hesitate to leave the area immediately. All for the sake of his plan. ____________________________________________ The King of the Kyrie Kingdom, Raphael Gert vi Kyrie, walked down the hall that led to the special entrance of the venue. His every step was watched by Royal Knights holding their swords up in reverence on both sides of said hall. One would think that such type of solitary walk was unfit for a ruler, but that was one more of the traditions of the Kyrie Kingdom. For the King was always to be the last to arrive but also the last to leave. Being the last to arrive meant that rulers always prioritized their work and the maintenance of the country over festivities. And unless those two were the same, the rule would apply. But once there, the ruler was expected to watch over their guests until the last one left, since they too were their subjects. In the balls case, such rule had only been a way for him and New Glory to get everything ready for the Grand Opening, with the balls ''official'' reason being a superficial one, yet one important enough to warrant the presence of everyone involved in the maintenance of the country. And so, the protocol to be followed was set, even if the presence of the foreigners that were Ludovicas guests called for a welcoming ceremony. But the King decided against doing it and he could not deny that it was in part to punish them for not appearing before him the very day they arrived. After all, he felt as if he was being looked down by the one who brought them, the Head of the Church. ''But all of that shall change today.'' So thought the King as he passed through the adorned special door and entered the ball''s venue, announced not by the announcer, but by his advisor, Hilde Val. "His Majesty, Raphael Gert vi Kyrie, has arrived!" And with such words complementing his entrance, he made his way through the venue as all the guests bowed respectfully, including his son Licht, whom he glared at if only for a moment. While he had been a useful tool throughout the years, his recent streak of failures had not gone unnoticed. To the point that his failures could be seen as partly responsible for the chaos that had taken over New Glory''s information network, the resources lagging behind, money disappearing, and live assets becoming unusable after trying to obtain information on a single woman. Lady Auros Argento. A woman whose servants were able to defeat a knight leader, even if unworthy of the title, and the maid capable of fighting toe to toe with his deceased son. Those were the same women that waited at the end of his path alongside the Head of the Church, all so that they could formally greet him. "..." Of course, his gaze immediately focused on the pale woman in black and grew sharper as he tried to gauge her strength. But "Nn..." static covered his sight for a moment, causing him to subtly look away before quickly recovering and acting as if nothing had happened. Still, the more he looked at them, the more he got a certain feeling from them. Confidence or perhapsarrogance. ''After the Grand Opening such confidence, such strength shall be meaningless. For nothing can compare to what is behind that door.'' Such were his thoughts as he was sure that if they were any threat to him, then he would be able to deal with them after obtaining what was behind that ancient door. But until then, he would play along and go through the tradition of drinking the Wine of Alliance with Lady Argento. As its name implies, it is a tradition that symbolizes the establishment of an alliance, be it between two countries or one new country and a representative country of the Alliance of Nations. Of course, there were negotiations, meetings, and paperwork to be done after that, but beyond it being merely symbolic, drinking said wine meant a positive start for all of that. And so, the King finally arrived before them. "Love be unto you, King Raphael. I would like to introduce you to Lady Auros Argento. She hails from an isolated country which just recently decided to leave such ways behind and support us with the fight against the Dragon Lords. And she is the one who helped bring about such development. So said Ludovica Aldert in a solemn voice after doing a respectful bow. As the Head of the Church, she held power comparable or even above a country''s Regent and as such, she was the biggest threat to New Glory. Not only that, but she was an untouchable enemy. For threatening the Church was not just foolish, but suicidal. In short, they would be squashed as simple insects if they tried. That is why he and Hilde decided to act in secrecy, something that had worked over the years untilit did not. And such thing could be traced back to another of his sons failures, for Licht was the one that convinced him to use a curse from the goddess as a cover story, one they would provide to the inhabitants of the village near a mining spot for the Black Mineral. Something that proved to be a great mistake when the Baron who oversaw such territory caught wind of it and even confronted Licht on it, but not before asking the Head of the Church herself about said curse. Thus, putting the Church in a clear path to suspect and investigate them. While Licht tried to hide it by abducting Baron Cuhalin, his spies had notified him the moment it happened. But then againwithout the failures that led him to speed things up he would not be as close to achieving his goals as he was now. "Hm. I see. Then, I am grateful to you, Lady Argento. I cannot presume to know what you went through to change the ways of your country, but the result is one that shall benefit the world and shall save countless of lives." Said Raphael as he looked upwards at the tall woman. And as he did, he could feel that he was talking to an equal, a ruler, a Regent. Even if he was not worthy of that title, he considered himself one, for he knew deep down that he deserved it more than anyone else. Of course, the womans eyes showed no fear, no doubt, before the gaze of the King. Furthermore, her eyes only showed absolute confidence as she looked back at him and smiled in a courteous manner. "I am truly pleased by those words, your Majesty. But I just did what I had to do for the good of my people and the world. For if we have the strength needed to support other nations in this ongoing war, then it is our responsibility to do so. As such, we thank you, your Majesty. We thank you in the name of our nation for taking part in protecting these lands throughout the years and in doing so, protecting us too. We hope to return the favor tenfold." So said Lady Argento as she too bowed respectfully, which her servants did immediately after. Still, the King could not figure out if those words held any actual meaning or if they were simply an act. And he could not care any less about it. For in his case, it was all but an act. "Please, raise your heads. I have heard that these two ladies provided proof of your country''s strength to everyone in this venue. So I can trust your word of returning the favor in such a way. Still, I regret not being able to witness the duels. Perhaps I would have even volunteered myself as a way to make these old bones wake up." So said the King in a humoristic manner and laughed, with many of the guests following suit. As for Lady Argento, she only smiled. "In that case it would have been an honor to duel the Juggernaut King." "Maybe I shall take you up on that, for I too am curious about the result of such a duel." So they said to each other as they locked gazes and released a very subtle amount of fighting spirit. Not only that, but the warrior side of the king was genuinely curious about such a fight. Still, those were simple desires, nothing more, nothing less, and as such, they were easily squashed by his conviction of seeing his plan go through. "But now is not the time. Now is the time for celebration." With that, he signaled both Hilde and a beast-kin maid to step forward. The former carried a beautiful bottle of wine while the latter carried a tray with two beautiful glass cups, which she immediately gave to the King and Lady Argento. "It is time to establish an Alliance in good will. One that will give a positive outlook to any formalities that will come later." Said Hilde as she began to pour the wine into those beautiful glass cups, its rich aroma spoke highly of its quality while its dark red color filled the transparent glass, only stopping after reaching the perfect amount. The King then raised his glass and began with the traditional speech. "I, Raphael Gert vi Kyrie, welcome Lady Auros Argento and her country to the Alliance of Nations. As both political allies and as a family, one that shall laugh together and shall bleed together. And in doing so, it shall build a better future for all. One built in trust and faith in each other. Thus, do you accept to drink from my cup, as I would accept to drink from yours?" Not only was Lady Auros not surprised by the Kings words, but it was clear that she was more than aware of the protocol involved in such ceremony, for she gracefully raised her glass at the perfect time and began with her part of the speech. "I, Auros Argento, pledge myself and my country to the Alliance of Nations. As both a political ally and family. One with whom I vow to laugh together and bleed together. All for a better future built in trust and faith. As such, I will accept your glass, as I would accept it from a brother. And I offer you mine as a sister would." With that, the King and Lady Auros exchanged cups and drank from them, raising the empty cups at the same time with their eyes set on the guests. Thus, the ceremony ended with a round of applause from everyone at the venue, giving way to the dance section of the festivities... Or that was how it should have happened. "Everyone! I have an announcement to make!" But it did not, as the Kings voice called for everyones attention from the deepest part of the venue, where he stood with Hilde at his side. Yet, there was someone missing, someone that was also supposed to be by his side at that very moment, his son, Licht, but he was nowhere to be found. Thus, he thought of calling for him, but trashed the thought immediately, for that son of his would not matter anymore after what was about to happen. "Could it be that the King has reconsidered his position towards the Bulls?" "A marriage announcement?" "For whom?" So murmured the guests as they tried to guess what the announcement could be about. But it did not take long for their questions to be answered as the King began to speak. "Five years ago, we faced a dark time as a Kingdom. A Dragon Lord attacked our Capital, one of our Knights Orders betrayed this Kingdom, and we lost so many good people to both things. As such, I took to heart the need of finding a way to end this...terrible cycle of violence. The King seemingly spoke from the heart as he looked down with an expression that showed a certain heaviness to it, even griefbut then he raised his head and turned to the woman beside him. And so, with the help of my trusted advisor, we endeavored ourselves to reach that goal. That which would let us enter a new age of peace, a New Glory! So he exclaimed with complete confidence on such goal, but he immediately lowered his voice as he continued. But said path was full of dangers and deep mysteries. So, I gathered those who I considered apt for the job and those who were not actively protecting our lands to build the path to it. Of course, we could not have focused on completing such task without one thing, one very valuable thing. And that is the work of my trusted Barons and Counts who oversee and protect these lands, for which I shall always be eternally grateful. With that, he motioned towards the group of veteran warriors who had been deemed worthy and turned into those overseeing the lands of the Kingdom, like Baron Thach. Meanwhile, many of the guests had faces full of intrigue and curiosity, except for a very select few who were smiling proudly without any reservation. Almost making it too easy for a certain Head of the Church to mentally mark them. "And now we can all bear witness to the fruits of that labor!! A power that will overwhelm those who seek to destroy us! Come with me! To a New Glory!!" It was then that a magical circle appeared on the venues floor, one that was large enough to cover the entirety of it, taking everyone by surprise, and that seemingly included Lady Auros and her people. Something that made the King smile, for if someone of her alleged caliber was surprised by something so simple, then he had nothing to worry about. Thus, with no time to react past the initial surprise, everyone was swallowed by a bright light. _________________________________________ "What is the meaning of this, your Majesty?!" So exclaimed Baron Thach as he and everyone else looked around at their newfound cavernous surroundings. Not only that, but their attention immediately went to the massive double door made of rock that towered before them. It had strange symbols carved on its surface and an intense negative aura emanated from its seams, which made many people instantly shiver. "Calm down, Baron Thach. This here is what I was referring to when I spoke moments ago. For behind this door lies the power that I mentioned. And the time to open it has come. Do it, Hilde. "Yes, your Majesty." With that, she left the King''s side and moved towards the door. There, she put her hand on its rocky surface and hit it with a simple pulse of mana. For some, that was an anticlimactic way to open it, but for those more skilled in the perception of mana that was plenty, for the mana emanating from the door itself was as weak as a candles light. Thus, a simple pulse of mana was more than enough to snuff it out. And it did as the faintly glowing symbols disappeared the moment the pulse reached them at the center of the door, causing it to open in an outward manner. All while it groaned as if it was a giant waking up from a deep slumber. "Oooh..." "What could be in there?" Perhaps an artifact? No, maybe it is a powerful weapon. You cant discard it being a key item too. Those were some of the things that the people that had been transported there said as they saw everything with great interest. And while something sounded a bit off, the King paid it no mind as he turned around, and started walking towards the opened door, but not before saying one last thing to everyone. "You will do good to stay still until we retrieve that which will bring us salvation." In that moment, members of the Bulls of the Zenith surrounded the teleported citizens, nobles, and guests. We are here to ensure everyone is safe during this important event. So please, dont do anything that will put at risk that safety and obey the Kings orders. But dont worry, we will evacuate everyone if theres sign of a collapse. So said one of the knights to everyone. Her face was hidden behind her helmet and her weapon was already drawn, just like the rest of them. Furthermore, their weapons emanated a strange but faint black aura, which a couple of women noticed immediately. In any case, the knights were clearly expecting some resistance, but, strangely, no one resisted. Instead, everyone looked at them with pity, as if they knew something they did not. And that was correct, for they were not aware of their Leader''s humiliating defeat. After all, they were already inside the cave when that happened. Nevertheless, no amount of pity would save them from the fate that awaited them. "Hey! Didn''t you listen to the King? Stop moving or things will get messy ladies!" A fate that was sealed the moment a certain group of women stepped out from the crowd. Apainful fate. ______________________________________________________ Meanwhile, inside the sealing chamber, the King and Hilde found themselves walking through a cold and dark hallway, which was only illuminated by the magical torches they were carrying. The place was not as large as the King had imagined, but that was alright. After all, that meant that he would get what he deserved even sooner. And he was right, for it did not take long for them to reach a mausoleum. One where the negative aura grew much stronger as they got closer to the pedestal on its center. ! It was then that Hilde noticed something that made her start walking faster while wearing a confused expression. Alarmed by that, the King did the same and quickened his pace. Thus, as the light of their torches slowly reached the pedestal, they quickly noticed what was on it and what was not. There was no powerful weapon, no incredible artifact, no great source of power There was nothing like that "What...?" There was only what had baffled Hilde and left the King speechless. A set of letters. One was pitch black while the other was pure white. And they could not comprehend why they would find something like that there. Indeed, it was somethingabsurd. Just as absurd as the feeling that made Hilde take the pitch-black letter. It was as if she knew with absolute certainty that it was addressed to her. Nn!! And the moment she opened it, a great shiver ran through all of her being, instilling a great fear that even reverberated on her very soul. But then she quickly shook her head and made a wrathful expression as she began to read the letter. That is when a growling, guttural voice resonated within her mind and said: Be afraid. Be very afraid. For the King of Storms will crush you all and I will be there, watching every moment of it. "This is...!" So uttered Hilde visibly shaken and trembling. Seeing that, the King quickly took the remaining letter and read it. What do you call a King who has not realized that he has been robbed of that which he seeks right under his nose? A Royal Screw-up, of course. Enjoy being salty, your Majesty. With love, Lady Auros Argento. P.S. Look behind you. The contents of the letter hit him like a well-placed gut punch. Furthermore, his blood started to boil as he remembered Lady Auros eyes when he met her. That was the root of her absolute confidence back then. She had been toying with him and he was none the wiser. Her arrival. Her timing. Her mere presence. All became suspect in his mind. How long was she looking down on him? How long was she mocking him? She not only stole from him the power that was rightfully his after so much waiting, but she even took the time to write letters mocking him and place them inside the chamber. His hands shook as all his rage was about to burst. Then he imagined her, laughing at him, telling him how inferior he was, how unworthy, howpathetic. That was it. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" So shouted the King as he crushed the letter in a fit of rage. And as he was blinded by such rage, he did not notice that his advisor, Hilde Val, was gone without a trace. Nothat was not it. He did not notice because his focus had been grabbed by something else. Someone else. Indeed, for in his rage he turned around and what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. An impossible figure clad in a beautiful white and silver dress. A figure that blew away all his rage and filled him with incredulity. "T-Theresa?" So he said as the apparent ghost of his once wife walked towards him. To be continued....(cue illustration of such moment) Thank you for reading! I apologize for the delay; I had some problems while revising the chapter and it took me more time to hammer them out. Still, I hope that you enjoyed it the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it or tell me in the comments below! Now...183k views?! WHAT THE HECK?! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! YOU DIDN''T JUST PASSED VOLUME ONE''S VIEWS ON WATTPAD, JUST FLEW RIGHT OVER IT!! But seriously, thank you. It has been quite a difficult time for me but the support you guys give me, your comments, your hearts, everything, it helps me keep going and sometimes they are only thing that brings my days joy. So, thank you so much for reading and enjoying Auros'' shenanigans. If you wish to support me in my endeavor to bring color to this story and help me keep writing, please consider subscribing to my patreon! There you will get exclusive content like Waifu Bites!, Isekai Lab, and alternative chapters! You can also support me via Ko-Fi! Either way, your support will help me greatly! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy and pokio! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 81: King Nothing and The Fallen Prince(ss) Ten minutes before a certain pair of letters were opened. Mere moments after King Raphael decided to enter the mysterious room with only his advisor by his side. A big group of people were surrounded by knights who wore adamantite armors and wielded swords that emanated an ominous but faint black aura. And yet, no one was a bit intimidated by them. Instead, they were being pitied by them. Something that greatly confused them. Furthermore, they even told them things like you should rethink your life choices, young man and you should try and join another order, kid, and so on, and so forth. Thus, they did not notice the three women who had their eyes fixed on the opened door, nor they noticed when they smiled. _________________________________________ Ahahaha! Here it comes! That idiot king is going to open the letters when he gets there!! Of course, I am focusing all my senses on him just so I can hear his reaction in real time! Man, it was so hard trying to not laugh at him when I met him! I had so many things I wanted to tell him too!! And all that confidence that was oozing out of him was incredibly funny!! Hnnngh, that will only make his reaction even better! "Fufufu~~, careful, dear. Youre entering queens mode. If you dont calm down, it will show in your face. And you dont want that, right? Ah! Right, right! Thanks, Nerinne! One thing though, not counting him, that ceremony was nice. Did you implement that, darling? "Just in a way. I only told them the idea of sharing pain and happiness as one would share food and drink with their family. They then made the ritual of alliance based on that." And yet that idiot couldnt care any less about any of thatseriously. Also, I thought I would be able to dance a bit with Erevain and Gabrielle, but he went straight to the main attraction, huh. He really is too hasty, but oh well, that worked for us too. "Indeed. I cant wait for that girl to read my letter...kukuku...she will be quite surprised...kukuku..." Darling, now it is you who is entering another mode... "Oh my...you are right. You have quite contagious enthusiasm, dear~~." I don''t think that is the case but...anyways, we have a plan to follow! First! I must clear Erevain''s playing field! And that meansno distractions allowed! "Gabrielle, Erica, it is time." So I say as a confident smile appears on my face before I start walking out of the crowd. "My, I was eagerly waiting for those words, my dear Master." "To be frank, I did not expect Master to use such a simple yet absurd method to start all of this, but it is fitting." Of course, Gabrielle and Erica are but a step behind me, with the former being to my left and the latter to my right. And as you can see, Erica was surprised when I told her the plan, but I am glad she understood why we let the King come here and open the fake sealing room. Becausewell, if my beautiful Maid-Knights fell because of a tragic yet fake request to go somewhere, then it is only fitting for the King''s fall to start in a similar manner. "And I am still surprised that Master has a liking for things such as poetic justice...will I face a similar consequence for my actions, I wonder." There goes Gabrielle talking in that flirty ojou-sama tone of hers...so nice... "Hmph, it is only proper for me to give an adequate response to such...transgression. But I shall leave the details up to your imagination." How''s that?! I sounded so seductive, but still edge alter, right?! Hahaha! I''m the best! "My, whatever shall I do with this anticipation?" Nnngthat smile of hers as she says that.so good Also, we are now fully out of this crowd. And of course, the Knights that have said crowd surrounded will not like that. "Hey! Didn''t you listen to the King? Stop moving or things will get messy, ladies!" See? Oh, and not only that, but all the knights in front of us are now pointing their swords at us. "Hmph, if you were to know who you are messing with, all of you would be begging for forgiveness. Here, let me show you." With that, I slightly raise my right hand, snap my fingers, and make all the teleported guests disappear. "Wha?! What did you just do?!" So exclaims the same knight, utterly confused. All while the rest of the Knights quickly surround us and point their swords at us too. "One more step and we will skewer that white skin of yours!" "A shame for the other two, but they will get it too!" "Come on! Try us! These weapons can kill anyone with just one cut!!" "It will also be a painful death, so go ahead and try something if you dare!" "It doesnt matter what you just did, this is true power!!" While most of the knights are saying those things, albeit with some variation between them, others are showing themselves a bit hesitant via their trembling swords, and it is probably because of what I did, heh. In any case, lets do this. "Gabrielle. Erica. That is all I need to say for them to nod in complete knowledge of what I want them to do. And so, they use their superior speed to disappear right before the eyes of the knights and take care of all of them. "[Exploding Palm: Fourth Form]!" ?! Gabrielle appears right in front of the knights on my left flank while unleashing a palm strike with her right hand. But, as the name of the skill implies, it is not a normal palm strike, the force that is building up on it and its surrounding air surface make it seem like an unavoidable attack. *BOOM* Which it is. The moment it hits, it sounds like a balloon popping but louder, all while it produces a shockwave that starts from the point of contact in which her palm ended and grows outwards from there. The poor knight on the receiving end instantly goes flying, but he is not alone. Everyone who is beside him also receives damage from it and goes flying as well. Think of it as one of those attacks where the MC punches the villain, and his fist is carved onto the wall behind them out of the pure pressure and force of it. Something like that. *CRASH* """"GAAAG!""""" And there it is, they just crashed into a wall of the cave. Their armors are cracked, their ribs are obviously cracked, and they are clearly unconscious. But these ones are just Gabrielle''s victims. As for Ericas "Oh water blast them away, [Water Blast]!" "GUBBBUBUBUARGB!" *SLAM* Well, you could say that they got lucky. Instead of a hard, explosive palm, they only received highly pressurized magical water, so they are in a better state than their friends. Nah, just kidding, they ended up pretty much in the same state after the [Water Blast] slammed them into another one of the cave''s walls. I mean, water can both be like concrete and hit like truck-kun in the right conditions. Now imagine adding magic and her pact-given OP stats to that spell and well...you get my point. With both sides now free of knights, my maids focus on dealing with those behind me while I smile at those lucky enough to be left, as in the ones who are in front of me, and say the following: "Sowhat were you going to do again?" "...hiii!" Eee! Ahhh!! *thud* Ok.... They just fainted, foam coming out from their mouth and all... I mean...I tried to smile smugly to change things up, but did it still come off as intimidating? Oh well, at least Im glad that no one wet themselves. The smell wouldve been bad for my sensitive nose. Anyways, lets move on. "As expected of both of you. Well done. As for your next task...go and heal them, Gabrielle. But just enough for them to survive." "As you wish, my dear Master." "In that case, I will help move them, Master." I nod at Erica''s suggestion and they both go to the unconscious knights. I mean, we could leave them as is, but I do not know if some of them were forced to join the Order throughout the years and so on... Besides, my instinct is telling me that some of them can be redeemed. So, let''s give them that chance. "I am glad you sincerely think like that, dear~~." Well, I''m an adult, I do learn from my past experiences...like with Ben and the other conscripted miners back at the village... I dont want to repeat that mistake. "Now..." While saying that, I raise my left hand, which is covered with dark attribute mana and ''pull'' a certain ''shroud'' off someone to my right. Someone that I had hidden for the sake of shock value. Hm? What? How can I cast Lucas [Shroud of Deception], you ask? Nah, it is not that one. It is based on it, yes, but it is different in that [Shroud of Deception] deceives as its name implies and pushes away the attention of onlookers. As beautifully described by Luca when I asked her about it. Written response, of course. Meanwhile, mine is the [Shroud of Emptiness], which tells the onlooker that they are just looking at an empty space, to nothing, nada, etc. Effectively turning someone invisible. Why did I do it? Come on! I already told you!! Shock Value! Why would we waste the chance to shock the King even more by capitalizing on Erevain''s resemblance to her mother? So, instead of revealing her ''upstairs'' it is better to do it here. Don''t you think? "...you can go, Erevain." She nods at my words and *KISS* ...KISSES ME?! "Thank you, My Lord Auros." "..." WHAT THE HECK?! IS THIS ''KISS YOUR MASTER ON THE LIPS'' DAY AND I DIDN''T GET THE MEMO OR WHAT?! I MEAN...SHE LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL...WITH THAT PRINCESS SMILE OF HERS...AND THOSE EYES! HNNNGH! EYES THAT WERE SO FULL OF FEELS AS SHE LEFT RUNNING TOWARDS THE FAKE SEALING ROOM!!! Hnn I''M SO REEEED!!! QUICKLY! BREATHE! *inhale* *exhale* Ah...much better... "Fufufufuhahahaha, that speechless expression of yours was so sweet, dear! 2x1 days are a boon!" And of course, you are enjoying it!! Geezheh Oh, Gabrielle and Erica are returning from healing and moving the idiot''s knights. "It is done, My dear Master." Says Gabrielle, smiling as she usually does. "Is Leader already in there?" So asks Erica and yes, she and Gabrielle already knew about hiding Erevain as part of the plan. "Yes, she is. In the meantime, I shall make a new teleportation circle here just in case Violet Death attacks while we wait for Erevain and we need. Thus, that shall allow Erevain and whoever she is carrying to return to the palace. They both agree with me doing that and start watching out for any possible knight reinforcements, all while I put myself to work and weave incredible magical energies to practically create a videogame fast-travel point, heh. But ok, like some godly bald elf said in a certain RPG videogame...Im sure you have questions. So, I shall answer them while I do this and wait for the King''s reaction. First! The people who disappeared were OP illusions of my OP light attribute magic. How did I make my illusions talk, you ask? Simple! I used my super speed to move behind each talking illusion and I voiced them by using my [Shapeshifting Touch] skill to mimic the voices of the corresponding guest! The change of seiyuu was painful...but necessary. Where are everyone else then? Also...making a teleportation circle that only responds to Erevain is taking longer than I expected... As for your question, Ludovica confirmed our suspicions of the King doing something at the ball and one of her spies told us about the teleportation circle beforehand. I, as an OP space attribute user, seized control of it when it activated and tweaked it just a teeny tiny bit. Thus, making it only teleport a select group of people and not everyone while still being flashy. Which means that it only teleported the idiot King, Hilde, Erevain, Erica, Gabrielle, and me. While the rest were left confused by the sudden lightshow. Oh, but thats not all. Right now, those same people must be hearing all about New Glory from Ludovicas mouth, along with Loreleis previously agreed-upon public confession, and a nice dessert of testimonies by Greese, Locke-chan, and Sven. Plus, a public showing and live reading of all the documents from the Churchs investigation and what we obtained through Lyra. What does that mean? Well...that New Glory''s fate is as sealed as brand new besto waifu figure! At least in the political part, heh. And...! Oh! They are at the pedestal!! OOOH! HAHAHAHAwait...Hilde just went ''poof'' as in she literally disappeared after reading Nerinne''s letter...how did she... ?! HAHAHAHAHA!! ''WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!'' AHAHAHAHAHAHA SUCH A CLASSIC RESPONSE!!! HAHAHAHAHA TAKE THAT, YOU IDIOT!!! AND NOW! BOO!! I mean, I wanted to do some type of long letter mocking him about everything and so on. But then I got a feeling, not just via my instinct but also in my soul. That feeling told me that simple is best. So, I still mocked him by turning him into the joke. Heh. UMU, Im a genius!! Also, that perfectly timed P.S. and Erevain''s arrival was a total coincidence. I did not make this whole plan around that glorious moment, not at all. Or did I? Hehehe "Master, you seem happy." I hear Erica''s voice behind me, and I proudly nod at that. "It is because I am, Erica. That King is about to receive the punishment he deserves." _____________________________________ A certain woman came out of a magically appearing icicle in a lonely hallway within the Royal Palace. She had hair like the morning sun and a dress that combined perfectly with it. Hilde Val. While a very specific desire almost took control of her when she detected a certain person entering the sealing chamber, she managed to hold herself back and left using her magic. After all, there was something else she needed to do, and she would never put her desires over her objectives. Even if that desire was revenge. And as she turned her gaze towards the direction she was going to take, her eyes turned into an icy blue. "The place has been emptied...there was nothing left of the Emissary...only letters...and one was written by the Goddess herself. The King of Storms tricked us..." She looked at what she had in her hand as she said that in a cold yet furious voice. It was a crumpled, pitch black piece of paper that had words written in a sinister color blue. *shivers* And no matter how much she tried to control herself, the shivers that she felt by just looking at the letter never stopped. Thus, the only thing she could do was look away, so she did. Then, she nodded as if she was listening to someone else. "Yes...I shall acquire the other objective then...Master Scath..." So she said as she went deeper into the strangely desolate hallway. ______________________________________ As an absurd being weaved magical energies to manipulate space itself, a King who thought himself strong was suddenly being pushed back by the mere appearance of someone. "T-Theresa?!" So exclaimed King Raphael, former husband of the chosen Queen Regent of the Kyrie Kingdom, Theresa vi Kyrie. She had died in front of him and their children. But it was not sudden. Noit was an incurable illness, one that was caused by her exploits...specifically, the one that got her the title of Saintess and Hero. Indeed, for protecting an entire nation''s capital from a Dragon Lord''s attack is nothing short of a miracle, but to then reflect said attack back to its sender was something that could be considered madness. But she still did it. And she paid for it. She paid dearly. For her power, her mana, was never the same after that, it was failing her. Some times it would suddenly go haywire, causing her a great deal of pain, while other times it would be depleted rapidly, bringing about a great degree of exhaustion. She was supposedly retired from the battlefields because of it, but she always traveled to nations and places that were coincidentally in trouble by Draconic expeditionary forces. ''Im there just for moral support. That is what she would tell her husband with that smile that always charmed him. He sometimes just laughed at that. Yeah, morale does indeed go up when you beat the crap out of the enemy commander. Sometimes he would say that. But sometimes it was just not enough, and he would be rightfully angry. ''Why do you keep doing it?! Today it was one of your barriers suddenly failing! Tomorrow one of your spells could blow up in your face!! Why can''t you understand that?!'' Indeed, he would exclaim that, but behind all that anger there was only a man full of concern for his loved one. And of coursehe would sometimes cry. ''Why...? Look at you...my beautiful moonlight rose...you knew your personal barrier failed and you still covered those warriors. I know that the scars are your pride...I love them too...but you can''t keep being reckless...we can''t lose you...I-I can''t lose you...pleasedont do thatto me'' That is what he would say as he held the hand of his love while she was being treated by healers after another of her escapades. He knew he could not stop his stubborn wife. After all, that was one of the qualities that had enamored him so deeply. But that stubbornness was what kept her going too. Her duty kept her going. Her sense of responsibility kept her going. The embrace of her husband whenever she returned kept her going. The eyes of her eldest son as she told him the stories of her feats while she trained him kept her going. The eyes of her middle son as she listened to him talk about how well he did in class, about what new thing he learned, or that light in his curious eyes whenever she told him something he did not know. That kept her going. And the eyes of her youngest daughter as she watched her laugh and discover the world step by step. That kept her going. Until her bodyfinally gave out. But not before entrusting her husband the future of the Kingdom they both loved. "This is impossible...you...you died! You died before me!" Yet that promise was broken the moment he was corrupted by his own hidden envy. Oh so simple envy. Not one born from that tragedy. But one that was already there, growing in the back of his mind since his wife was named Regent. One that never wondered if his wife could have been saved if he had been the Regent. No. And chances were that history would have played out the same in that case. That was why it was simple envy. One that got worse every time someone else was recognized and not him. An envy that was freed by the well-placed whispers of a certain person, and it ran through him like both sweet nectar and poison. And oh, he knew it. He knew it very well. He knew how patheticand disappointing that was. That was why he could not help but step back as that woman got closer to him. For he was now face to face with that broken promise. "You are not the man I once admired, nor the one I lovedand not the one I knew." Said the woman in an oh so similar voice to that of his beloved, each word piercing his heart... No. Something was wrong. Her voice was similar but not the same. There was something to itor more like a lack of somethingthat sweetness that always grabbed his heart. With that, he stopped moving and looked closely at her, his veil of regret having been lifted by such a small detail. And yeshe was correct. Her everything was similar but not the same. She looked more like a daughter of him, but instead of resembling both, like Euphemia, she resembled her mother more than anyone else. That is when he remembered it...a strange report that he had thrown out as a simple rumor or just coincidence in an obvious emotional response. ''There is a woman in the capital that closely resembles the deceased Queen Regent'' that was the headline said and now he knew it was true. Thus, anger boiled within him once again as he glared at the woman with those eyes that could stop even monsters and bathed her in his killing intent. But she did not flinch at all. No "Those eyes only worked on me until I started seeing them in the mirror every day." she stepped forward instead and continued walking towards the king. And as she did so, her clothes began to change. Finite silver magic particles covered her and revealed the clothes of a high-ranking servant, but at the same time they held some noble appearance. Such clothes were black with armored accents that shined in a silver grey. Meanwhile, the King injected mana into one of his rings, a storage ring, and made a pitch-black great sword appear in his glove covered right hand, which he immediately pointed at her, its blade emanating an intense sinister mana. "I shall only ask once. Who are you and why do you wear that face?" It was clear that he was seething in anger, and yet the woman was once again unfazed by such thing. "My Lord gave me the name of Eresh Kur, but..." As she said that, the woman made a longsword appear seemingly out of nowhere, and in a swift motion she pointed its silver blade at him. One that he recognized immediately, for he had watched over its forging and he knew its every angle. It was the sword made for his first son. "...you knew me as Erevain vi Kyrie, Father." So declared the woman in a solemn tone. And no sign on her eyes could denounce her as a liar, which made the King''s anger even greater. Too great "...! [Crushing Fang]!" So great in fact, that he immediately attacked the woman with his great sword, unleashing what was supposed to be a right sided circular slash, one that was immediately followed by a two-handed downward thrust that imitated the descent of a beast''s fang. It was one of his strongest skills, capable of immobilizing his opponents and finishing them off in one fell swoop. But the woman did not move to evade it. She did not need to do so. *CLANG* For she simply blocked the King''s right sided circular slash with her sword, thus stopping the rest of his attack from happening. The King then tried to follow through and crush her defense, but she did not budge at all. It was as if his great sword had been trapped between two unmovable objects. "Nnng..." The woman then took two steps forward as her sword kept the King''s in place and grabbed him by the collar with her free hand. "...you!" That is when her opponent freed one of his hands in an attempt to free himself, but it was useless as she immediately threw him like a ragdoll to a nearby wall. *SLAM* "Gah!" *thud* "Get up, Father." Said the woman as her eyes turned into an intense glare that was quite similar to his. Too similar Indeed, those eyes...they were familiar to him, but that just could not be true. It could not! "Get up. Or is this the extent of your conviction? Where is the strength that you needed to betray Mother''s promise and the Kingdom? Where is that strong will that let you condemn Ryze Village to death? Where is that unwavering heart the let you brand such good men as traitors? Tell me, Father." "Stop spouting such obvious lies! You know nothing! Nothing! They were nothing more than mere tools for a better future! All of them! Fire pierce my enemies! [Fire Spear]!" So exclaimed the white-haired man as he got up while he extended his hand and fired one fiery spear after the other at the woman. "It is not a lie. None of it is, Father." And said woman evaded those with ease as she said that. "I only have one daughter and she is nowhere near this Kingdom! You are an impostor trying to stop me from reaching my true fate!! A better fate for everyone!! Fire pierce and skewer those who dare stand before me!! [Great Fire Spear]!!!" But the King was not done, and he unleashed spears that were bigger and burned more vividly as they flew towards their prey. Seeing how they were getting near her, the woman put her other hand on her sword''s blade and started her chant. "Moon I beseech you..." "That chant...!" All while man''s eyes widened as he listened to the woman. "...let your radiance dwell within this sword. [Moonlight Enchant]!" With that, the woman''s sword was suddenly covered in a silver light and her wielder immediately proceeded to cut down every singly fire spear in quick succession. None of them remained. And the King could not believe what he had witnessed. "That sword, that attribute, those chants...to think that you would go that far to try and disturb my mind! To shake my will!! But that shall not work! It is but a desperate attempt to stop me!! [Juggernaut''s Charge]! [Charging Fang]!!" Thus, he charged at the woman with a great boost to his speed and with his great sword ready to impale her. "Haait is anything but desperate, Father. Moon and Earth, I beseech you, protect me, [Magic Shield]!" *CLANG* Once again, the King found himself being stopped by an immovable wall. One that was made of silver light but was as hard as a mountain. And the King was the one to feel the impact of his own attack all over his body, specially in his arm and shoulder. "You have already been stopped, Father. New Glory''s secrets and heinous acts are being revealed to everyone right this very moment. The forced conscriptions. The fake taxes. The starving of villages. No one involved in them will be able to escape. My Lord and Her Holiness did not waste time in preparations to make sure of that." So said the woman as she pushed the King back with her [Magic Shield]. Her tone was solemn, her eyes were full of conviction, and her glare was never vanished. Meanwhile, the King wanted to deny that woman''s words. To deny the fall of what he had built. But the fact that he was being pushed back like a weakling was something that he could not ignore. Which also made the fact that he had been robbed of the power that he had been promised even more clear. If Lady Auros could do that, then what could have stopped her from tearing everything down? From raining destruction upon him and his ilk Nothing. Nothing at all. Just as his efforts were nothing. His organization was nothing. He was nothing. A King of nothing. But he was not going to give his opponent the pleasure of seeing him despair. He was not going to look down in defeat. No. Not at all. He would only do so in death. And until that time came, he would glare at his opponent and fight with all he had. So, he attacked again, and again, and again. "This is but a courtesy that My Lord has extended to me...a gift for me to move on. For everyone who was betrayed to move on." And the woman glared back at him as she kept pushing him back every time and returning him to his starting position, further reinforcing that his attacks had amounted to nothing. ''She is strong.'' Meanwhile, the King kept telling himself that. No matter how much time had passed since he had been in a battlefield, he never let his body deteriorate. So, he was confident in his strength. He knew with absolute certainty that he was still at his peak. And while the great sword he wielded was still the one he used back in the day, it had been enhanced, blackened. For it was bathed in the powerful Black Mineral. One that can bring death but also power if refined. Of course, that was difficult to achieve, and his great sword was the only weapon where the mineral used was pure. The other weapons and tools only had different levels of diluted mineral. Just enough to do their task. So then why? Why is it that he cannot beat her?! The pesky emotion that is frustration reared its ugly head within his heart. He was even close to losing himself in it. Then again...letting himself be swallowed by his anger and frustration would only result in defeat. And if he were to have even a slight chance of beating her, it would be by letting all those emotions out rather than letting them wreak havoc within him. *inhale* *exhale* If he defeated her, then maybe not everything was lost. If he defeated her, then he could retreat and work again from zero. If he defeated her, then there was a chance to defeat Lady Auros. Such thoughts passed through his mind as the grip on his great sword got tighter, his footing became firmer, and his fiery mana started to move in a more controlled manner. He was a King, not a mindless warrior, if he felt anger, he would control and focus it. If he was to be frustrated, then he needed to change his tactics. A simple answer only achieved by his years of experience and firm identity. He was the rightful Regent of the Kyrie Kingdom, even if the Goddess never recognized him. He would not be beaten by some woman wearing the face of someone of his past. But he needed time. He needed an opening. That is why he would act once more, just like he did in the ceremony, and put on a play for the woman. "Soin the end it is a simple and childish case of revenge. If you were truly who you claim to be, then I would be disappointed in you. To bend the knee to someone else just to fulfill that childish desire is pathetic. And if you truly are my son, then playing dress up to defeat me just soils your pride even more, ''Erevain''." Thus, he tried to provoke the woman as he kept building up his mana. And even if he referred to the woman by the name of his son, it was obvious in his tone that he did not believe it. There was even spite on it. "Haaa..." But the woman simply smiled heavily as she sighed and shook her head. Something that prompted the King to see his eldest son''s image over the woman''s, for even her mannerisms were like his son''s... "It would have been easier for me if that were all there was to this...but it is not, Father. After what happened...I should have been burning with anger and resentment towards you, towards Licht, and everyone else behind that. But I was not...I was simply...aimless." As she said that, the woman put down her sword, but the King understood that that was a feint. Something to lure him in. Something that Theresa used to do too... ''Could it really be?'' And that made such question appear inside his mind, if only for a brief moment for it was thrown away almost immediately. That was because it did not matter if she truly was his son. His sacrifice, his death, his removal was but necessary. He was an obstacle, one who would never expect being betrayed by his own family. So, if the woman in front of him truly was his son, then he only needed to finish her off for good. "I had to ensure our survival in the forest where we hid, and we even protected a certain village to maintain some sort of...normalcy. But that was a desperate attempt to hold onto our pasts...my past...that is. A wry smile appeared on her face before she continued. At least until My Lord came to our lives. I do not know if it was fate or if it was a simple whim of hers, but everything changed after that. And this form I took is the materialization of the new path I walk now, Father. This is not dress up...this is me. This is the me who is no longer lost. ButI am still the same person who once shared a laugh with you while looking at the sunset in that mountain. Her glare disappeared for a moment and a nostalgic look in her eyes took over. "..." Meanwhile, the King was silent. That one memory was as clear as day in his heart. They had ''escaped'' from Theresa, the palace''s staff, and the Royal Knights, and went on a little subjugation and hiking trip. ''Let''s go toughen you up a bit, son. It will help for when your mother decides to spar with you. And after that, well go to one of my favorite secret spots to camp. It has a great view, you will see.'' That is what the King said that time. He even made his son swear that he would never tell anyone else about it. And knowing how serious his son was, he would take that secret to the grave. "At that timeI looked up to you, Father. To your desire to never back down once you started to fight for something...to that old but earnestly taken care of great sword of yours. Back then it almost shined as bright as the sunset...but even that great sword has been tainted by your ambition." With that, the woman pointed with her longsword at the great sword that the King was wielding. "Father...I am disappointed, but most of all...I...I am saddened." As she let out such words from the bottom of her heart, her eyes had a single tear coming out of them. Fatherdo youwant a hand? Indeed, those words were truly from the bottom of her heart, but they still fell on deaf ears. "It is useless. No matter what kind of sentimentalism you seek to trigger with those words, I shall not yield nor will I abandon my objective. Regardless of you being Erevain or not." So the King said while he finished with his preparations and pointed his great sword once again at the woman. Not only that, but there was nothing but killing intent in his glare once more. She was no longer someone to be listened to, but someone to be defeated and killed. "I know. That is why I shall make you understand with my blade." And with the nostalgic look on her eyes gone, the woman disappeared from the King''s eyes as she said that. "...?!" "[Crescent Moon Slash]!" "[Juggernaut''s Trance]!!" As the woman appeared in front of the King and made an upwards semi-circular slash, the King was barely able to react by protecting himself with the fuller of his great sword. But even then, the strength of the woman made him feel the impact all over his body. And that was with one of his most powerful skills in effect. The trance that fully realized the essence of his class, a tank with both great defense and strength. Yet his feet were about to be taken off the floor but... "[Hard Counter]! [Maximize Strength]! [Maximize Defense]! [Break Limits]!! HAAARG!!!" ...the King activated all those skills, firmly nailed his feet on the floor, and pushed back the woman''s blade before going for a counter by slamming that same fuller on the woman''s right side with all his strength. "Nn..!" The woman''s face twisted as she blocked the attack with her blade, but found her blade being pushed back and the King''s attack connecting. The impact felt dull for the King, but...he did not stop there. "[Guard Breaker]!! [Leg Slasher]!! [Pulverizing Barrage]!! [Great Crusher]!!" The King seemingly overwhelmed her mercilessly with his flurry of attacks. And as soon as she blocked one, the King launched another one and one more after that. He was like an unstoppable force. His pitch-black blade''s aura reveled in the violence of it all and grew stronger. Making the blade seem heavier and more dangerous. "Hnng..." There. His last attack had pushed back the woman to the position he wanted and so he unleashed his magic. "Fire, burn my opponent in a world of never-ending blaze until they turn to dust! [Tortuous Fire Sphere]!! With that, the King extended his right hand and fire started come under the woman''s feet, encapsulating her in a fiery sphere that roared savagely. "Return to the state you are supposed to be in, son." So said the King as he watched the fire rage on. "Ha...ha...ha..." And it did not take long for his breathing to become ragged, for he had used most of his mana and stamina mere moments ago. He was even using his weapon as support while he activated his ring to get a mixed potion that would refill his mana and stamina back to normal levels. But then, as he was about to drink it, a small silver glow appeared to be coming from within the sphere. "[Full Moon Slash]!" In that moment, the woman''s enchanted longsword came out of the sphere as she cut it in half, effectively freeing herself from what seemed a fiery death. "...!" The King tried to drink as much as he could of the potion as he hastily tried to prepare himself, but he was too slow, for the woman was already in front of him, knocking away his hastily raised great sword with the back of her left fist and thus she broke his guard with that. Then, with glaring eyes that showed no hesitation, she swiftly changed into a stance that was clearly for thrusting her longsword and unleashed her skill. "[Shielded Moon Fusillade]." Thus, the woman thrusted her longsword into the King repeatedly and in quick succession. "NNGAGH!!" She thrusted at his shoulders. She thrusted at his arms. She thrusted at his legs. Indeed, she thrusted and turned the Kings extremities bloody red, to the point that the white gloves he was wearing were no longer so. That skill would normally be used with a shield, hence the name, for it leaves one unable to move while using it, but she did not need to worry about other people attacking her from behind. After all, the woman she loved, and her close friends had already taken care of them. And so, she thrusted one last time, seemingly bringing the fight to an end, but the King would not let it end like that. "[JUGGERNAUT''S WILL]!!!" Screamed the King as blood came out of his mouth. Thus, all the damage he had received in those mere seconds was turned into incredible strength and speed. So he gripped his sword and swung it with everything he had left but... "...!" ...the woman was expecting it and moved even closer to him, to the point that their foreheads almost touched each other and then... "Ha!" ...she headbutted the King. *BAM* "Gugh!" The dry sound reverberated through the sealing room''s halls. *thud* And the King fell to his knees. He tried to reincorporate himself, but it was useless, the effect of his skill had left him. Not only that, but his mana was so low that he could not even use his storage ring anymore. Seemingly unable to do anything else, he looked at the woman in disbelief for his loss. For he truly believed that he had prevailed over her just a moment ago. "You taught me that skill, Father. There is no surprise in me expecting you to use it." Said the woman as she looked back at him with a bit of blood coming out of her forehead, which proved that he had matched her strength with his skill if only for a moment. But that wound quickly closed itself and disappeared completely, surprising the King. "You...hahaha...you were holding back all along...hahaha...how despicable of you...but I guess I am worth that much..." He said between heavy breaths. His nose was a mess, and he was bleeding everywhere. But then he noticed somethinghis great swordit lied in front of him, bathing in his blood, making its aura and inherent mana grow more sinister. "You have lost, Father. Everything you have built has been brought down. And you shall never reign again. Still, I have avoided your heart for all the years we spent as a family. But you are not forgiven. That is something only the Goddess can give you. Now, I shall bring a healer to stop your bleeding and make it so you can face the charges of the Kingdom and the Church." So said the black-haired woman as she turned around. "If you are my son then..." He began to mutter as he forced his hand to move and removed his gloves. Gloves made of blessed cloth. All while his eyes were set on his pitch-black great sword. "...I believe I taught you...to wait until...the enemy used...everything..." He then reached for the handle of his sword and the moment one of his fingers touched it, the sinister aura of it quickly slithered its way towards him, and with nothing blocking its corrupting and lethal qualities anymore, it burrowed inside his arm. The woman, feeling those terrible energies grow stronger, turned around once more, and looked in anger at the scene that was taking place. "You would corrupt yourself for the sake of a lost ambition?! You are damming your soul for no reason, Father!! Why?!" Thus, the arm of the King swelled in an unnatural manner, his skin turning gray and an excruciating pain coursing through his veins. But even then, he stood up, his hand seemingly melding with his sword and brandishing a monstrous arm. All while he looked at the woman with black eyes. Eyes where the glow of reason quickly disappeared. "Hahaha...how could you understand? You were found worThy minUtes after being BORN...! While I was igNOred, tIMe and timE aGaiN! A SIMPLE SUBSTITUTE!! FOR YOUR MOTHER AND YOU!!" So he screamed in a guttural voice as he walked slowly towards the woman. The sinister aura had completely mixed with his own, which made the King twitch and move in a strange manner. "WHY NOT ME?! IS IT PETTY TO ASK THAT?! SO, WHAT?!! I...honestly thought THAT I WOULD END THIS WAR...and show that Goddess that I was worthy like no other...I WOULD GLADLY SACRIFICE ANYONE FOR THAT...Ryze Village, the patrol soldiersYOU! I WOULD''VE KILLED YOUR LITTLE BROTHER TOO, IF HE HADN''T OFFERED HIMSELF TO BE A TOOL! AND OOH...he so sweetly manipulated you...MAKING EVERY SINGLE PIECE FALL IN PLACE!! But now I must do it again...SO DIE, DIE, EREVAIN!!" With that, the King jumped at Erevain, swinging his great sword with his monstrous arm. "You truly are not the Father that I loved..." In turn, Erevain let out one single tear from her right eye once more. Then, she quickly muttered a chant and her [Moonlight Shroud] appeared around her. But there was something different that she did not notice...her pupils were shining too, and with an intensity never seen before. Her sword also started shining as if enchanted, even without her using the spell. And so, she jumped at the monstrosity that was wearing the skin of her Father. "RAAAORGH!!" "Haaaaaaah!!" The same monstrosity that tried to cleave her in half, but it never could. "GARG!" For Erevain''s blade swiftly pierced its heart before he had the chance to do so. "HAAAAAAAAAAH!" And she kept going, screaming as all her feelings and memories about her Father ran through her mind... *SLAM* ...until she had practically nailed the monstrosity to the wall. Having not given it time to recover, the monstrosity ceased any movement, looked down, and dropped its weapon, which broke into pieces as it fell to the floor. Seeing all that, Erevain clenched her mouth as she took her sword out of the chest of her once Father, swung it to the side to take out the blood, and sheathed it in one swift motion. In doing so, the Kings body fell onto her and she caught him. She then fell to her knees and embraced it. She knew that if she did not kill her Father, he would have killed her. Or at least tried to do so endlessly. She knew that even if corrupted, the words he shouted were true due to his actions. She knew all of that. But all she could see in her heart at that moment was that sunset and her father''s proud smile. In that momentErevain cried, letting it all out. She cried not for the monster that her Father had become, but the man who once was. Furthermore, that moment seemed to stretch out for hours, but she knew she had to go back to reality. The warrior within her told her that it was enough crying. While her conscience told her that there was more left to do. Lastly, the energies that connected her to the one she loves, and those who have always been with her, told Erevain that she was not alone. And so, she stood up and stopped her tears. Then, she placed the corpse of her Father in a way that made it seem as if he was resting peacefully on the floor. Thus, the sealing room that looked like a mausoleum had truly turned into one. With that, Erevain left. Only looking back once before leaving her Father to rest. ________________________________________ Oh...Erevain... I need to... "Auros, you have to be strong. Not only for your sake, but for everyones too." I know, Nerinne... But still...fighting someone you care about is more terrifying than against your worst enemy.'' That is what she said... I just hope that someday I can be as brave as her. "In some ways, you already are, Auros. I would know sin!" Nerinne? "They are here. Violet Death and her armies are here, Auros." ...! To be continued...(cue illustration of Erevain holding her Father) Thank you for reading! If you liked it, please drop a heart on it! And if you want to support me and the story, consider subscribing to my patreon! Were you surprised by the reveal of a certain ''sunny girl''? Did you see it coming? Do tell me in the comments below! The main clue was in the names though! Now, as you noticed, this chapter was longer than the other ones, that is why it took me this long to revise it. And the ones that are coming next are if not this long, at least similar in terms of density. So, please understand if I cant publish these incoming chapters in a daily manner! Ill try my best though! Although, Ill be taking two days off this time, to work on volume 2! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio and greatred! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all this Wednesday! Chapter 82: Teleporting Enemies. Siblings reunited. Part 1 of 2. Minutes before a King fell, a certain servant communicated with her Master as she gazed to where she was going to go. I seeof course she did. And while it is a shame about the Emissary, we can now confirm that the King of Storms is connected to the Goddess." A smile crept up in the face of said Master as she received what should have been considered as shocking news. Furthermore, she spoke as if victory was but a fact. "Regardless, what she has done shall be undone by her death. And it is then that we shall obtain our boon. In the meantime, proceed with the other objective, Brynn." But those were only words, for she knew in her heart that her path towards victory was finally obscured, uncertain. That was the reason for her smile. One that remained as she turned to look at her forces and found them ready. Lesser Dragon Lords, Wyverns, Undead, Monsters and Lizardmen. All of them were commanded by those Lesser Dragon Lords bathed in her power and that of her personal servant, which gave their scales the unique coloration of violet and white. And while they kept the lesser prefix and their horns remained smaller than those of their Master, they were still the closest to become full-fledged Dragon Lords, thus they held considerable power. As such, no ordinary veteran would be able to best them, let alone a normal knight or soldier. Then again, they were all kneeling before her, waiting in excitement. After all, it was the first time in centuries that they had seen their Master be eager for battle. And they did not have to wait too long, for Violet extended her hand as if waiting for something to be given to her and one of her commanders immediately presented her a barbed spear. Her barbed spear. One that seemingly looked like an old and dried wooden spear until she took it, and a violet aura began to emanate from it, scraping away at such appearance and revealing its true form. A dark violet ominous form which had the shapes of many dragons carved onto its shaft. Moreover, it looked ready to take the life of the one that would be its opponent. Thus, with everything ready, she summoned a grimoire from her personal space, her library. It was a grimoire that seemed elegant at first glance, for it had a mainly black body with fine metallic edges. But if one were to look closer at it, one would discover that the black part was not truly a color, but a void and the metallic edges were but the teeth of said maw. Moreover, space itself seemed to warp around it as it floated into position and opened itself for its Master. Then, she put her hand on top of its pages and fed it her great magical power, bathing the area in a violet hue. "Grimoire that knows no distance, [Spatiophagos]! Let me befall on my enemy in an instant! [Grand Teleportation]!" With that, she and her army disappeared in a flash of violet light. ____________________________________________ At the same time as such call between Master and Servant, Prince Licht was grateful to himself for leaving the venue when he did, as he watched everything unfold from a hidden room in the palace. A room that he had found years ago by accident and no one else knew about. Among the things he found inside of it, there was a chest that contained a map of the hidden side of the palace, a weapon, and a journal. Said journal was the one from where he learned the true purpose of the Kyrie Kingdom and what lied under it. Of course, knowing how useful such room could be for him, he quickly turned it into his secret base and refuge. Not only that, but he had even installed in it many crystals enchanted with high grade surveillance magic, which let him monitor everything that happened in every single part of the palace. Be it the secret vault or the King''s chambers, there was no place he could not see. At least that was the case until a few days ago, for the surveillance spells in the underground cave had been utterly broken by some unknown force. In any case, Licht could safely say that his father''s plan had gone awry, and it was not because of his own plan, which did involve making his Father''s fail, but because of someone else''s plan. The same plan that had forced him to make a gamble in the mere moments of his Fathers entrance. Such gamble was to either stay at the venue and try to salvage what he could of his own plan, or to leave the area and just let whatever Lady Argento was planning for his Father happen. He chose the latter and it paid off. For when the King activated his teleportation circle, it did not work as intended. Instead of teleporting everyone to the underground cave, it only teleported the King, Hilde and...Lady Argento''s group. Which made it quite clear to Licht that Lady Argento was the one behind such thing and that that was only the first part of her plan. Indeed, as its second part started immediately by the hand of the Head of the Church. Or perhaps it would be more fitting to say by her voice rather than her hand, for she revealed everything related to New Glory to the guests. Something that also showed Licht that Lady Argento was not bluffing when she told him that she knew everything. And that was not all, she also was obviously behind Lorelei Rupees public confession, as well as the testimonies of two Baronetesses and the mountain of evidence that Her Holiness had. Thus, sealing New Glory''s fate. Following that, some guests and staff revealed themselves to be Paladins, who proceeded to arrest every single member of New Glory in the venue. In a way, it was pitiful, for they did not have any time to react, let alone put up a fight. After all, they were utterly disadvantaged against the Exalted Paladins of the Head of the Church. Still, that also meant that no blood had been spilt, preventing the birth of a cycle of revenge and hatred created by said blood. "This ball ended up being the silver platter in which my Father gifted New Glory''s members to Lady Argento" So murmured Prince Licht as he acknowledged how foolish his Father had been to put everyone in the same place. "He was so sure that he was going to win...he never realized that Lady Argento had already seen through him...just like she did with me." A wry smile appeared on his face as he said that, but it disappeared almost immediately, for one of his surveillance crystals had picked up the presence of another group of Paladins within the palace. They were searching for him. "What are we going to do now, Licht?" Asked Mary, who was clearly tense about the whole situation. "We are safe here since they will not find this place. At least not for as long as it matters. So, we will wait until we can enact the rest of our plan. Besides, she should be looking for us too after seeing what is happening. And if she is as perceptive as I hope her to be, then she will find this place." "Licht...I''m having a hard time believing that the rest of the plan will work at all." Before such words, Licht turned to Mary in anger, and found her genuinely concerned, which made him look down. Then, he proceeded to breathe in and out, letting out such blinding emotion. "You know that New Glory was never the main objective of our plan, and while I understand how frustrating it feels to see it fall not by our hands, we must focus on what we can still do. We must focus on our true objehm? In that moment, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention, so much so that he went silent. No...it was not something. It wassomeone. "...ice-based traversal? There should not be a spell like that...unless..." So said Licht, clearly surprised at what he had seen. At least before he began to ponder about it. Meanwhile, Mary was speechless, for she had seen it too, a person coming out of a suddenly appearing icicle. A personthat was familiar to them. But that was not all. "Licht, the place that hall leads to is..." "Change of plans, Mary. We are going. Now." So declared the Prince with a clear tone of urgency as he sprung up from his seat and went to the old looking chest that was in the room. "What about ''we will wait until we can enact the rest of our plan''? Too prudent for you now?" Asked Mary with a tinge of her usual sarcasm. "As I have learned throughout this week, nothing goes completely according to plan no matter if that plan took five years of work or a mere minute. I can only hope that we can encounter her while we are moving towards that place." With that, he opened the chest, revealing a simple looking sword with a simple looking leather sheath and grabbed it. "Ok, then what if Miss Sunshine over there opens that vault while we are trying to arrive there? Asked Mary as she grabbed a strange looking red sword that was hanging on the wall. One that looked more like a big sized triangular knife than a sword. At the same time, Licht proceeded to pour a bit of his mana into an old rune that was carved on one of the rooms walls, revealing a secret tunnel, which they entered immediately. Not only that, but they started dashing towards the place their objective was trying to reach. She wont be able to. That specific vault will take time to open, regardless if it is her. Even more so without my Fathers key since she will have to deal with my countermeasures. And forcing it open with magic is also out of the question, for it is made of Moon Tears in its entirety. "Ah, right. She is going to get old before breaking into that. That said, I always thought that you went overboard with that. No, you go overboard with every measure you take, but specially that. Also, stop it with the creepy smile." Before Marys snarky words, Licht sighed and shook his head. But his eyes showed that he was relieved to see that Mary had returned to her normal self. Even a small, normal smile appeared on his face before it vanished as he replied. "Anyone would do that if they knew what that Black Mineral really is. Which also means that we need to stop whatever she intends to do with it. So said Licht as both continued running, but not before changing tunnels just in case the Paladins that were looking for them were also inside the tunnels. Silence reigned for a moment before Mary spoke once more, doing so with a serious tone. Have you thought why your Father is not with her? Perhaps "He stopped being my Father since what happened five years ago. So, whatever happened to him down there is...nothing but the consequence of his actions." With that, silence reigned once more as they traversed through the hidden side of the palace. A side composed of a web of tunnels and the desolated halls that connected them, making it seem as if the palace had its own private labyrinth. Of course, it was not like the workers would get lost inside the palace or something like that. The ''usual'' palace was simple and easy to traverse, but its hidden side, on the other hand, was quite the conundrum to figure out. Unlesssomeone had a map of it, like Licht and Mary. Said map was an old one, and as such it did not show that which was added after its creation. But it still provided them with more than enough information for easy, unimpeded traversal, so much so that they arrived at their destination quite quickly. "Cold..." And when they did, they found it to be unusually cold. So cold that Lichts breath was more than visible as he let out such word. "Licht, over there." Meanwhile, Mary, who seemed unaffected by the cold, gave the area a quick look and found what she was looking for just as quickly, which she pointed at as she called out to the Prince. It was a single, faintly glowing icicle. An icicle that was coming out of one of the walls further down the hallway. But that was not all, for instead of melting and disappearing, it had frozen the area surrounding it. Of course, both Licht and Mary immediately walked towards it with the intention of figuring out more about it, specifically, the mana it was made from. "This mana...as I suspected...Hilde is a servant of a Dragon Lord. The same one who attacked the capital five years ago. That must be why she had so much unusual knowledge such as the location of the sealing room and the power of the Black Mineral...Evil God''s blood..." Said Licht as his eyes widened at the confirmation of his years of suspicions. "Eternal Winter..." At the same time, Mary grimaced angrily as she said that. Not only that, but her ire was strong enough to cause her eyes to change from human to those of an ogre. It was then that "I finally found you...! You know how difficult it is to lock on to your mana trail after years of not seeing you and with only vague memories of it?! You are lucky that she is with you! ""...!"" a female voice came from behind them, which startled them and made them turn around as they reached for their swords. Something that they stopped doing when they realized who she was. "Euphemia "Euphylook at youyou are all grown up" And so, Licht and Mary looked at Euphemia, who was dressed as a maid, with eyes so full of love and joy that no other emotion could come close to it. They were the eyes that only true family could make. "Indeed, I did grow up, big sis, brother. Eyes that Euphemia showed back at them, along with the warmest of smiles as she continued speaking. Although, you would not be this surprised if you had not forced me to live in Deamis for your crazy plan to work, brother. A plan which I now doubt. Anddont think that Im not mad at you for what you made Big Brother go through. Even if you made sure to plan everything so that he would survive long enough to be healed by his men. So, Im beating you up after everything is done, understood, brother? "..." "..." It was at that moment that they both understood that the sweet, innocent, and playful child they knew had become someone that could intimidate them with a light change of tone and a beautiful smile. "I...understand Euphemia, but now we have no time." So said Licht, shaking off his little sister''s intimidation. "I know. I can see that there is someone related to Eternal Winter here. Their mana trail is similar to one of her subordinates...its Hilde, right, brother?" As Euphemia said that, her gaze went from the icicle to the hallway, following what she could see as a faint, icy blue cord, which showed her the path its owner had taken. A path she was more than intent in following as she started walking past Licht and Mary, who soon followed her. "You sound like you are ''acquainted'' with a subordinate of Eternal Winter." Asked Licht clearly curious about his sister''s words. "Hmm. Let''s just say I had a strange time while coming here." Mary and Licht could not help but raise an eyebrow before such words, something that caused Euphemia to giggle. "Euphy, why are you so relaxed? Even if we have Licht''s plan, she is still a servant of a Dragon Lord...it will not be easy, we might even die..." So said Mary with a tone full of concern. "Oh, I know. Believe me, I really do. And even with all the training I did while coming here, I am still sure that I am not strong enough to beat one on my own...not without my magic...and that is...complicated. But...! If everything fails, I am sure that Big Brother will not let us die." As she said that, she jumped forward and turned around while making a big, confident smile at them, to which Licht shook his head. "I do not think so; he is probably in another place awaiting orders...that woman is likely planning to only use him after the dust settles." Licht tried to bring his sister back to reality with such skeptical words, but rather than working, they made her laugh. "Heheif I am right, then you two will be quite surprised at how close ''he'' is." While Mary and Licht were both intrigued and confused as to what she was implying with those words, they did not have time to say anything about them. After all, they had arrived at their destination. One that invited them in as its massive wooden door was open, revealing the room where the vault was located, and standing at the center of said room was woman with hair like the sunrise and fair skin. "Oh, it seems I have been discovered. And by the Prince no less! Did you wish to dance with me that badly, Prince Licht? Hm? Is that Princess Euphemia? My, you surely have grown to be a fine lady! Your beauty stands out even in that outfit. Your Father would have liked to see you...its shame that he is not here. Now, if only the last of you siblings was here...that would certainly be..." """...!""" A sudden surge of killing intent filled the area the moment Hilde Val spoke of the eldest sibling of Licht and Euphemia, her voice even turned deeper for a moment. "...but alas, I will wait patiently. Now, I suppose you are here to stop me from taking the rest of the Black Mineral with me?" And then, it vanished as her voice and attitude seemingly returned to normal. "You are correct. But we are also here to get rid of the Dragon Lord''s servant that has been behind everything since the very beginning." With that, the three of them stepped forward. Mary transformed into her ogre form as she pointed her triangular blade at Hilde. Meanwhile, Euphemia summoned a pair of scepters from her storage bracelet. Flames danced on top of one them while space contorted on top of the other. And lastly, Licht firmly grabbed the handle of the simple looking sword that he carried, unsheathed it, and pointed its blade at Hilde, causing her eyes to widen a bit as her gaze fell on it. "To think that you would even bring a blessed weapon...and an old one at that. Oh prince, you really intend to kill mehehe." After such amused giggle left her lips, Hilde smiled eerily as the human light in her eyes began to slowly disappear from them "Very well then, I shall show you how utterly inferior you are...all in a...shortdance." turning icy blue as she closed the massive wooden door behind them with a flick of her finger and froze it completely, all while releasing an intense pressure and killing intent. And as such things assailed them, Licht, Mary, and Euphemia knew that they only had one shot at beating herjust one. Thus, they charged forward. _______________________________________________ Meanwhile, inside one of the suites of a luxurious inn, a group of maids waited for their Master''s signal. One of them was a serious looking woman with straight dark green hair and a piercing gaze. The word ''cool beauty'' would pop up in the mind of anyone who saw her as she was looking at the horizon from the balcony of said suite. All as the wind blew softly, making her hair sway lightly. Then, her eyes grew sharper as something grabbed her attention. "Hey, are you listening to me?" So asked the slim brown-haired maid that was with her in the balcony, prompting the cool maid to turn and stare at her. "...!" The cool maids stare was so intense that it ended up making the brown-haired maid nervous, and then the former finally spoke. "What were you saying, Dog?" "Keh! Listen to others when they are talking to you, would you?! Also, don''t call me that!! It''s Sophie! SO-PHIE!!" Said Sophie clearly annoyed at the green-haired maid, who tilted her head lightly. "But why? Lyra calls you that." "That...! She is only saying it to tease me as revenge for beating her in a fight! Wa-wait! That''s not the point! I was asking you if you would be able to detect the forces of Violet Death with you being a hunter and all!" So exclaimed the still annoyed Sophie while she moved her hands in a manner that looked as if she wanted to strangle the hunter maid. "Really? Because it seems like a friend nickname to me. Aren''t we friends...? We have been eating together..." With that, the hunter maid''s expression turned sad and hurt, or at least that is what she thought it looked like. "What is up with that face?! Its creepy!! Stop it! But in reality, it was a face that made Sophie shiver, so much so that she tried to not look at the hunter maid. We are friends, Jules! We are friends! There! I said it! So, stop it with that face!!" Yet, that proved to be useless, for the hunter maid followed Sophie''s line of sight with her swift movements, just like a puppy. A very strange looking puppy. One who smiled satisfied when she listened to those words. "To answer your question Dog, yes. After Master gave me this incredibly cool-looking body, my senses have become sharper. If there is a sudden change in the scents that come from the city or the forest, I would notice it. Even more with the wind blowing towards us!" Sophie twitched a bit when Jules called her ''Dog'', but she immediately gave up in trying to make her stop as that was not important, whatever had caused her to stop talking and make a truly serious expression was. "What is it, Jules?" So asked Sophie even if she knew that there was only one possible answer. "The wind..." With that, Jules ears and eyes began to glow with a wild green color as she focused strongly on the forest near the horizon, for something was going on over there. "The wind?" "It stopped...no...it was stopped!" Sophie''s eyes widened at Jules'' words but then something else took her attention. The clouds. "Jules, those clouds! They don''t look normal!" ! They were black clouds that stood out even in the moonless sky and they were all moving in the same direction. A direction that Jules quickly followed with her gaze to the same location she was focusing on and then she saw it. That unique magical glow that she had grown accustomed to see thanks to her experience as a Knight and most recently, her Master. Spatial Magic. "They just teleported here!" So exclaimed Jules as her expression turned fierce. And almost as if reacting to her words, the crests that symbolized their pacts with their Master started shining, prompting them to quickly turn around and go inside the suite, where Luca and the others were already waiting for them. "This is...the signal..." Her shy expression was gone, and instead she had the expression of someone in charge. "Get ready...for teleportation..." Her voice was still as low as always, but for some reason it carried more weight than ever. "Got it." Jules nodded immediately and joined the other Maid-Knights, and Lyra, in the already made formation. "Sophie..." On it. Meanwhile, Luca only needed to say Sophies name for her to understand what she meant. The time had come for her to carry the burden of the extremely important role given to her. To show her Master and everyone that she was worthy of that trust. That she was indeed Sophie, the Knight of the Ever-Burning Will. And she was not going to fail. ''I was never able to use this skill before, but now...!'' Thus, with such confident thoughts in her mind and a smile on her face, she started. "Kekeke...everyone! I will be stablishing the communication relay now! [Great Parallel Transmission: Ever-Burning Will]!" Suddenly, a kaleidoscopic aura enveloped Sophie''s head and then it concentrated on the sides of it, taking the form of something unknown to any of them, for such objects did not exist in their world. Alas, their Master would have described them as a '' set of kaleidoscopic fantasy headphones and microphone''. Said things then appeared on every single one of the Maid-Knights, even those that still waited for their teleportation inside the castle. The strange apparatuses stayed there for a moment before seemingly disappearing, but they all felt as if those things were still there. "With this I have connected everyone! If you need to communicate with someone just say their name and you will be instantly connected with them! I know that it might be distracting at first, but I''m confident that this will help us coordinate with more efficiency!" So said Sophie with a certain tinge of excitement in her voice. Meanwhile, everyone else looked at her with eyes that resembled those of an elder sibling who was proud of their little sister. "Keh! Stop it with those eyes!!" Even the ones in the castle had the same expression despite her complaints. Moments later, several magical circles appeared under the Maid-Knights, for their Master had begun to teleport them to the battlefield. Thus, the battle that would become legend drew near. To be continued...(Cue illustration of Licht, Mary and Euphemia, ready to fight against Hilde Va) (Is she really just a servant or something more? WHAT A MYSTERY!!!) Merry christmas everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter! Thank you all for the joys, the comments, the support, everything! I''m blessed to have you as my readers! And as a christmas gift, here''s Santa Auros by none other than LARH! He wishes all of you a merrry a christmas too! Also...SHE LOOKS AMAZING! If you want to support me and the story, please consider subscribing to my patreon or donating to my ko-fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio and greatred! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all tomorrow! Chapter 83: Separated by Ice. Reunited by Ice. Part 2 of 2. "They are here. Violet Death and her armies are here, Auros." ! I know that my instinct told me that she would attack today but still...I can''t help but be surprised. "She teleported her whole armies here, dear. That is why it might be surprising for you." I can''t deny that I am nervous but...! As you said! I have to be strong! Even if that sounds too clich! And it is a check for the isekai list!! I have promises to keep and I will not cower away! "That is what I wanted to hear, Auros." I can feel that I am making an expression full of conviction right now and that is good. I focus a bit and I send the preemptive signal to all the Maid-Knights through their marks. This will let them know to get ready. Also...Erevain is coming back. She changed into her maid-knight outfit while fighting with her father...I see...she did not want to fight him while dressed for a party. She wanted to fight him in her combat clothing as a form of respect...regardless of him deserving that or not... "My LordI...did what I had to do. I apologize for not being able to bring him alive, but hemy Fatherhe was too far gone...even before he corrupted himself with the Evil God''s Blood. There was no other way it would have ended...and I truly lament that." She says that with a complex expression on her face and her eyes are showing that she is not going let out more tears. Corruption with Evil God''s Blood...? Indeed, I did ''see'' with my senses that he had suddenly changed before she finished...but I can''t think about that right now... I have to say something. I can''t just stay silent even if it is difficult for me. "Erevain, there is no need to apologize. Not to menor the Goddess. Your actions were never motivated by revenge, nor selfishness, but from your sense of justice and love. Things that had been planted by your parents long ago and nurtured by you. Your Father may have lost his way and the light that guided him, but the embers that he gave you long ago are..." I point at her heart as I say that. "...here, burning with intensity. His reasons might have been selfish, but if there is something that can be salvaged from all that, is that yes, it is time to show the people of this world a new path. Will you add your light to mine and show everyone the way?" This is the best that I can say with the little time we have. I know, I knowit is a bit cheesy, but it does come from the bottom of my heart. I am also making a really soft and warm expression right now, you know? "Haha...yes, it will be an honor, My Lord Auros. Andthank you." Ah...she truly is as strong as she is beautiful... I am glad that my words are able to make her smile like that. But...this sweet moment will need to be cut short. Because we must go. SoI signal Erica and Gabrielle to return with my hand and they do so with haste. "Then let us be off, for Violet Death has already teleported to the vicinity of the Capital and is approaching it with haste." I say as I turn my expression into a serious one, and just like flipping a switch, Erevains does the same. "My, what a killjoy and here I was eagerly waiting to dance with My Dear Master..." Says Gabrielle while approaching us with Erica beside her. "...but I am glad that you are alright, Erevain." "I am too, Erevain..." The tone of Gabrielle and Erica is sincere, and their words carry nothing but true care for Erevain. "Thank you, Gabrielle, Erica. It gives me strength knowing that you and the rest are with me. And now we have to fulfill our duties my friends." With that, Erevain turns to me and nods, to which I nod back before teleporting us back to the venue. _______________________________________________ "Ah! Its Lady Argento!" "Lady Argento!" "Miss Gabrielle!" "Miss Erica!! Miss Eresh!!" Appearing right where we had left, we are back at the venue. Although, you probably already guessed that because of the guests reactions. And among them, theres Baron Thach with a face full of relief. Seriouslyyou are a good, genuine man, Baron. Still, there are those who have remained silent and are even looking at us with despair. Those are New Glorys members, who are cuffed and being watched by Ludovicas Paladins at a corner of the venue. Hm? Why am I here, you ask? Well, I cannot leave to the battlefield without warning everyone about the attack. Furthermore, I can tell with my senses that there is not much time before history repeats itself. "Lady Auros, I see that you have returned safely. And..." Ludovica comes to us and tilts her head, as if looking for something orsomeone. "...I see, punishment has been given then. May his soul be purified by the Goddess so that we can meet again in this life or the next..." With a solemn tone and lightly bowing her head in prayer shehmm? Did she just turn a bit to face Erevain while saying that? Strangebut I have to tell her something, so lets leave that for later. As such, I signal her to come closer and she does. "Yes, super best friend?" She murmurs that while excited and curious. Also, I would like to retort to that, but she did a good job, and shell be working a bit more so let''s give her that. Now "Our unwanted guests have arrived." "...!!" Ludovicas eyes widen as her expression understandably changes from excited to serious. "You know what to do but trust that I will not let them win." But even then, I can only see complete and absolute trust in her eyes as she nods at my words and starts moving. "Everyone! Heed me! The Goddess has warned me of an imminent attack on the Capital!" *gasp* One doesnt need to listen to their nervous chatter to know that the people in the venue are losing their calm. Well, at least those who are not veterans and so on. Still, its probably due to their trauma from five years ago. Thankfully, the Paladins are quick to calm everyone, some even go as far as to talking one on one with those most affected before moving on and asking everyone to lower their voice as Ludovica speaks. Meanwhile, I start searching for a certain person that has been on my mind ever since I met her. Hilde Val. It is obvious that she is the puppet that Violet Death had been using to manipulate the King. After all, she abandoned him right after discovering that there was no prize to be had inside that mausoleum. There is also Nerinne wanting to see her reaction to the letter while entering ''dark mode'', which already implied some things. "Hey, dont use me as a clue!" Sumanai, heh. But it wasn''t just that. The way she disappeared feltfamiliar to me. To be precise, her mana. When I met her there was no mana to be seen. Which now that I think about it, that could have added to my feeling of strangeness regarding her. Moreover, the whole thing about her not being surprised about the strength of Gabrielle and Erica made me suspect her even more. But getting back to the mana bit, when she disappeared it was too small...too diluted to be of the one I was suspecting. That made me think that she might be a servant of the person her mana reminds me. After all, if I can make pacts with other people, then that means that other dragon lords could do so too. Right? There are some cases like that in isekais and not only that, but also about those same people inheriting a fraction of the power of their masters. Soas I expand my senses looking for her, my mind''s eye catches something deep in the palace. Something that throws that theory out of the window. A blue icy flame One that clearly belongs to a certain ice cream lizard! Hilde is no servant of hers, she is Eternal Winter! That...! How did she manage to dilute her mana like that then?! "There are ways, dear. You just dont know of them and they never occurred to you, which is why your instinct was foggy about her, limited to that ''strangeness'' as you say. But it did push you to want and focus on her, and once you did that seriously her disguise would have fallen apart. Yes...I guess I''ll need to study and keep trying to get back my isekai library! Now "That is why I will be using my authority to assume direct control of the Capital''s forces in this pressing time!" As Ludovica continues doing her part, I pull Erevain aside and tell her the following: "She is here in the palace." "I understand. I shall take care of her and join you in the battlefield when I finish, My Lord. This I swear." There is no more for me to do other than accept the feeling behind those eyes and words, that intense conviction of hers, and see her off in the way that responds best to it while showing my trust in her. "I shall take you on your word then, for this is a battle that you and only you can fight. So I expect you to be victorious and return to my side, Eresh." She nods as we lock gazes with each other. Sensing the overall situation, Gabrielle, and Erica approach us discretely. Not to interrupt, but to see Erevain off too. "Do not die, Eresh. We still have work to do andscores to settle." Says Gabrielle in a serious tone, one that shows again how much she cares about Erevain. "Leave everyone to me, Eresh. I will not disappoint you." And immediately after that, Erica says that, showing her readiness to assume her role as vice-leader. Erevain smiles at them, nods, and says the following: "I share the same sentiments, Gabrielle. And you are more than ready, Erica. I know that you shall not disappoint me." Just as Erevain is turning around, a kaleidoscopic aura covers not only Erevains head, but theirs too, and then it transforms into a set of fantasy headphones and microphone. Which looks awesome by the way! But it disappears in a few seconds, or more like just kind of disappears. Its Sophie''s skill and she is talking through it. Telling that she believes in the efficiency that live communications can bring to the table. We all smile, proud of how much Sophie has grown. With that, Erevain leaves in a dash. I could''ve offered to teleport her, but she would''ve told me to not use my precious mana on her. "Now that everyone agrees, my first action will be to deploy Lady Argento and her people to the battlefield. They will buy us all the time we need to prepare our forces." So says Ludovica with the confidence of a true leader. And thats also my cue to enter buuut "I apologize but I have to object to that, your Holiness! We have indeed seen the strength of Lady Auros'' people but deploying them alone against that Dragon Lord and their army would be suicide!" Baron Thach...seriously, you are great, but let me show you something. "Come! Nern!" Something in the form of my holy weapon, its holy shine, and a bit of my own power too. !!! And so, with the exception of Ludovica and the Maid-Knights, everyone has been left agape. "It shall not be suicide, but a crushing defeat for them, Baron. For we are the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will and we shall show them that their time is over. With that, I start focusing on every single Maid-Knight, which causes all the pact-tattoos on my body to become visible and start glowing with intensity. The same can be said for the one that is on the Maid-Knights'' bodies. "Space, heed me, obey me, take those connected with me through the sacred pact to the battlefield that awaits us, [Rallying Teleportation]!!" I blink and I am once again in this familiar ''hallway'' that connects where I was to where I am going to. But this timeI am not alone. My Maid-Knights are here too. And we all start moving towards the bright door at the end of this hallway. The door to the battlefield. This is it, Nerinne. There is no turning back now. "Indeed, Auros. I will be watching over you now and forever. I love you." I love you too. ___________________________________________ As I run throughout the hallways of the place that used to be my home, I feel myself being pulled by something. Noguided by something. I believe it is the connection my opponent and I share. A fate to fight one another. I hazard to guess that for her it is about finishing what she started five years ago. That is, to kill me. As for me, it is about confronting my future. Yes After facing against my father...I have come to that realization. If he was my past, then...Eternal Winter is a representation of my future. She is my trial. A trial to see if I am worthy of walking alongside the woman I love. To see if I am worthy of the duty that I shall shoulder. If I am to be beside her in her quest to rid the world of the threat of the Dragon Lords, then I cannot let history repeat itself. For me to share a future with her, I shall defeat Eternal Winter and return to her side. But even if I am stronger after being blessed by her pact, I shall not underestimate Eternal Winter. She is an opponent whose strength I must respect and act accordingly. "Here..." I can feel it, the force that is guiding me has grown stronger after entering this hidden tunnel. And while its existence does surprise me, I cannot let myself be absorbed by that emotion, lest I lose my focus and find myself lost in the middle of these labyrinthian tunnels. "Halt!" That voiceit is a Paladin I know as both Erevain and Eresh. Her Holiness'' attendant, Julian. "Miss Eresh? What are you doing here inside the tunnels? Has something gone wrong with the plan?" Since he knows about the plan that My Lord and Her Holiness made for this night, it would be no problem for me to explain the situation. But that would lead to him and his team to try and join me. And I cannot let such good people die. "No. Everything is going as planned. But there is something I must take care of alone. So, if you will excuse me." He wants to know more, I can see it in his eyes, but he should also see in mine that I will not tell him. And so, he will do as he now usually does. Sigh and scratch his neck. "Aaah...understood. Knowing your Master''s relationship with her Holiness and the Goddess, her orders are my boss'' boss orders..." Just like that. "...but do capture the former prince if you find him, will you? We are looking for him." I simply nod and keep going. My brother...what matter of reasoning has been going through your head through all these years? Father saw you like a disposable tool, one that offered itself to be used. But why would you do that? Why would offer yourself? Mary''s words make me think that maybe you did it all for our sakes... Yet, if that is the casethen why did you not trust us? Why did you not trust me? NoI must focus, even more so now that I am out of those hidden tunnels. Because here, in the lonely hallway I find myself walking, I can feel a familiar cold One that I could never forget. "This is..." And what is now in front of me confirms my beliefs in the purpose of the strange force that has been guiding me. An icicle that instead of melting has frozen a large part of the surrounding area where it rests, including part of the floor and the ceiling. The means that this hallway will surely lead me to her. Looking at my now unsheathed longsword, I cannot help but remember that I was supposed to receive my new weapons from Roxxy in the battlefield. But that will not happen now. Then again, something is telling me that it is nothing to worry about... This same force...gives me the feeling that they will come to me... I shall trust that feeling and keep dashing to the end of the hallway. Hm? I can hear somethinga battlea losing battle. Not only that, but the cold has gotten much stronger now. The walls, the ceiling, the floor, everything is covered in a layer of ice. Ice that is most thick on the frozen door that now towers before me. One that would be impossible to open through normal means given the properties of her ice. "Now Mary...!" "Haah! Face the unescapable grasp of the Ogre, fire that vests me I will take what I desire! [Burning Ogre''s Grasp]!" "Oh prince, that is not going to cut it, you know?" "I know! Euphemia!" "Yes brother! [Scepter Fighter Trance] [Eight Scepters Elemental Formation] [Kaleidoscope Assault]!!" "The Great Founder''s blade shall bring your end now! [Mirage Thrust]!!" Those voices...! I must get in! They are fighting an opponent they cannot hope to defeat with their strength!! "Oh, moonlight I beseech you, strike with your radiance that which is my enemy, [Moonlight Blast]!" There, the door has been turned into a cloud of icy dust by my spell. Icy dust that goes away and reveals a scene that makes my blood boil. "So, you have arrived...human..." Her voice has changed into the one I know, one that is carved in my mind, even if the woman before me looks human. A human that I know too. Hilde Val. Eternal Winter. They are one and the same. "These siblings of yours...thought they could kill this doll of mine...with their feeble strength and weapons..." Euphemiashe is holding Euphemia from her head while having a sword coming out of her chest as if it was a nothing... Meanwhile, Mary is almost frozen completely in a pillar of ice... And Licht...he is being grabbed by the neck... "I had to keep the human charade as they pointlessly fought...but...credit is due even to inferior beings such as these... Enough. to be able to pierce this doll''s body is... I WILL NOT LET HER KILL THEM! unexpected...I!" "[Crescent Moon Slash]!! [Gibbous Moon Slash]!!" Moving at great speed, I unleash my attacks and cause both of her arms to fall, freeing my siblings, who I take as I immediately jump back to where I was. But I know this is just the beginning of our battle, for it is as she said. That body is a doll that does not bleed at all. A doll made of ice. "Big brother...it is really you...I knew I was right..." "That cannot be true...that woman...! She was...she was playing with me...to that point?!" So Euphemia recognized me at that time? If this were a different situation, I would be moved... Meanwhile, Licht is understandably shaken...but that is not what matters now regarding him. "Licht. Answer me this in one word." What matters is what I intend to ask him. All while I am not taking my glaring eyes off that doll. "Did you do it for our sakes? And wisely so, for something has pushed out the sword that was buried in her chest. To protect us despite the price?" No, not just something, but two pale hands. The same hands that have now emerged from the chest of the doll-turned-ice statue, for she is crawling out of it. "I...yes." My Lord, you said once that heroes and fools are the same. "Then there is nothing more that I need to know. And while I still do not believe that I am a hero, if it is foolish to follow my heart and believe his words, then I shall keep being a fool. I may look different, but I shall protect you with my life! For I am Erevain vi Kyrie! Now come, Eternal Winter! Let us resume our fight!" To be continued...(cue illustration of Erevain facing Eternal Winter!! Also, an ad for the Eternal Winter chibi figurine!!) Holy fact: The following omakes are not canon unless you want/think of them as being as such! Omake: Wait, does that mean that she would have left me to die if I had said no?, thought Licht as shivers ran down his spine. He was grateful for telling the truth. Omake 2: With Erevain having placed them on the floor, a certain brother-con only needs to look a bit up to see under her skirt. The question iswill he dare to do it? Will he not? Will he use what little mana he has left to create an illusion of him not doing so while actually doing it? Such were the things he was pondering. And as if reading his mind, Euphemia was watching him disgusted while adding another reason to beat him up. Omake 3: I never thought this would happen with Big Brother/Erevain but...we are matching outfits!, so thought both Euphemia and Mary while looking at Erevain, which made her twitch a bit. Thank you so much for your patience and reading! I hope that you liked the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart and/or comment down below! If youd like to support the story and me, then you can subscribe to my patreon or now via paypal.me! And you will still get benefits like your name in the special thanks section here and a thank you package! One that includes something spicy! Maid Paragons, an alter-chapter with a completely different fight scene is waiting for you, so check it out on my patreon! In any caseHERE COMES THE SUPER FITTING FANART THAT WOULD LOOK PERFECTLY IN PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHAPTER! THANK YOU SO MUCH, fia! YEP, THAT IS EREVAIN BEFORE THE FROZEN DOOR!! AH, BUT THERES MORE! CHRISTMAS ILYA BY fia TOO! SO ADORABLE! AND THERES MOAAAAAAR!! THIS TIME FROM DavidDehGoo!! HEEEERES.AUROS!! SHE LOOKS INCREDIBLE!! Thank you so much to fia and DavidDehGoo from our discord server for creating such beautiful and incredible fanart. And if you want to send yours, you can do so by going to the fanart channel and uploading it there! Believe me, I will gush about it as hard as with these! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio and greatred! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please look forward for the next chapter! Chapter 84: What part of King of Storms” you don’t understand? The calm before the storm. No words could be truer than those. The border between the forest and the valley that leads to the capital would become a bloody battlefield once again. The screams of battle would fill the air and magic would sear the skin of everyone who dared cross paths with their opponent. Growling, roaring, hissing and whispering, all could be heard coming from the teleported armies as they kept their advance towards Capital. They were the armies whose full might was feared by the allied nations of the world. They were the armies thought to be unstoppable if said might was truly unleashed upon the world. They were the monstrous armies of the one known as Violet Death and they stopped their advance with just a movement of her hand. She whose four great horns had natural runes brimming with power was who led them. She who had dark violet hair and fair skin was the point of the formation...no...no one dared to walk in front of her. For they knew that their place was behind the one they knew to be the oldest and wisest among those Dragon Lords known as the Chosen. One whose might was only truly matched by one other. And even then, the battlefields where she appeared became mass graves at her mere glance. Meanwhile, her armor seemed more revealing than practical with its deep cut open front, which showed a fair bit of her skin. But armor was nothing more than fashion for Dragon Lords, for their scales were harder than any armor could hope to be. Yes, even if those scales looked like simple skin. And in her case, it had a deeper message. No, not just a message, but a statement for her enemy. She was taking her seriously enough for her to not appear in her usual clothing, but in such battle-ready outfit. In any case, even if she had ordered her armies to stop, she kept walking towards the center of the soon to be battlefield. Her pace was confident. Her irises glowed with many runes within them. And her mana slowly covered her, making itself more and more visible by the moment. Then, a grimoire appeared before her. It was old, ancient even, with its cover depicting the skull of a horse and its back depicting a humanoid one. It was surrounded by an aura made up of black clouds and lightning that constantly lashed out at its surroundings. "Grimoire that brings forth the primordial storms of a forgotten age and their destruction, [Wilmarion]." She said as the object in question floated into position and opened itself, waiting to be used. That was one of the grimoires that she had prepared for her fight against her opponent. The same opponent that had managed to ruin her entertaining play. An opponent that was already there, for mere moments ago she and her servants had appeared in the grassy plain that was between her armies and the Capital. She was an unparalleled beauty with pale skin, almost like wax, golden hair, and equally aurous colored eyes. And while her servants were not at all far behind in terms of beauty, there was something else that grabbed the attention of Violet Death, and that was their incredible amount of power despite being humans. Interestingcould they really be? Not only that, they were wielding blessed weapons, and none were wearing armor but customized maid dresses. Yet even those gave her the feeling of not being simple clothing. The power imbued in themI want to know more Indeed, such thoughts appeared on Scath''s knowledge hungry mind after simply glancing at such humans. But not now. Now Of course, it was easy for her to control those desires since her main objective was in front of her. The woman who had come to a battlefield...in nothing more than a formal but daring dress. No armor. No battle clothes. Worst of all, she still had the appearance of a human. As if Violet Death and her armies were not enough to warrant that woman to abandon such form. Something that instead of vexing Scath, only deepened her interest, one that was already piqued by the one thing that showed that womans readiness for battle, a black and red lance. One that gave off an ominous feeling to all who looked at it. A fitting weapon for the likes of her. Someone who had enough power to harm her. But the path to victory was uncertain. Many unexpected things could happen, and someone might even need to swallow their words. Those were the firm beliefs in the heart of such ancient being as she and her opponent reached the middle of the plain, both stopping their advancement. "I am the Dragon Lord of the Violet Death, Scath. You may name yourself the King Storms as you set ablaze my play and create unexpected obstacles, but you are still a mystery to me, one that I seek to unravel today. For not only shall I see if such title holds any truth against those who bring the storm of the beginning and the end, but I shall also make you abandon that form and reveal yourself to me!" So exclaimed Violet Death as she put one hand on her grimoire while using the other to point at her opponent with her barbed spear. All as the light of her violet mana illuminated the moonless night. A night full of black clouds that grew bigger and bigger as they circled around her, filling the ears of everyone with an orchestra of wind, thunder, and lightning. Almost as if signaling the start of the battle and yetboth armies still waited for their Masters orders. Indeed, not even the most savage among Violet Deaths forces dared to attack the seemingly outnumbered ''humans''. Because they knew that first blood was to be taken by her or risk death. And so, their opponent finallyspoke. ____________________________________________________ "Hoooh~~, that is quite the confident declaration, but I shall only assume my true form when I so desire, for a King is not a being who proves themselves to others. A Kingis. Still, I permit you to try and force me. Unleash that which you seek to unleash. Huhuyou shall only be adding to my strength. So I beckoned to Violet Death, for I shall prevaaaail!!! Pfft...hahahaha...man, I don''t know why Mr. Undead Majesty hates roleplaying like this?! Its fun! I mean, Im trying my hardest to sound like my waifu and not make a fool of myself in front of the Maid-Knights. I am indeed nervous. And yes, I am taking this seriously, but in my own way. Whats that? Why Im not in serious mode then? Because ''serious mode'' is for more personal things. Lastly, no. I am not underestimating her and her villainous hotness... "Dear, Dragon Lords like her are not valid heroine candidates, even if they look physically attractive...and are wearing such fanservicy armor, understood?" I know! They are evil and have done lots of horrible things! I am not going to fight in a way that I can turn her into the next heroine! I promise! "Good." Although, you can waifu her if you want, my weebs. I am not going to judge your tastes. EXCEPT IF YOU ARE INTO NTR!! THEN I WILL JUDGE YOU!! HARD!! AND NOT IN THE DOUJIN WAY! Anyways, why am I not in my armor? Wellcool factor, of course! Just keep watching!! Also, her mana is getting massive!! "If that happens, I shall recognize your title and fight you accordingly." Heh, look at her smile as she says that. She has high expectations for the fight. So, lets move on and get there. "Hmph, do as you must." With that, I turn around and return to my side of the battlefield. Meanwhile, she stays there, waiting for me to reach my destination. Yes, I am showing her my back, and she could use this chance to attack me with everything she has, but I know that she will not do it. One, because she is not that stupid to take the obvious bait. But most importantly, she will not do it until she obtains the answers she wants in a satisfying and entertaining manner. That is what her eyes told me as I spoke with her. She wants to know. She wants to know so badly that she will not let her army move until she does her thing. And thats good. Let Luca and the rest scout the whole area where your army is while you do. In any case, I have arrived to where everyone is and have turned around once more. Now I have my Maid-Knights close behind me. All of them, except Erevain. On my right I have Erica, who is finally wielding her blessed and gorgeous rapier. The Lyrium, she called it. For its handle resembles the beautiful and elegant flower it derives its name from. One that is only found in lakes rich with mana. On my left I have Gabrielle, who is now wearing her blessed gauntlets, the Abristmavs. Going by what she told me, that word represents the two paths a healer must walk on to be recognized as one. The path that involves the protection of others and the path that involves the protection of one''s self. At first glance, rather than looking like the bulky gauntlets she had, they look like the elbow length embroidered silk gloves of an ojou-sama. But if someone were to look closely at them, they would notice that they are indeed armored and shock absorbent, sharing the same principle as my skin, which looks and feels like human skin, but it is made of strong scales. Beside her you can find a smiling and hyped-up Kris, who, as always, is carrying her blessed anime-sword over her shoulder. This ones easy to describe. Remember her former sword? Just add a bit more shine to it, some runes on its fuller, and that''s it. Ah, and its name is Cleaver. Yep. Kris really goes for the simple things. I kind of missed her, you know? Ah! Violet Death has started her chant! "Heed me oh bringers of primordial ruin! Accursed from a time long forgotten!! You who dared!! Wake from your slumber and ride once again! Let those who hear your march fear your thunderous coming!" Ooooh! Even more black clouds are coming from all around!! SPECIALLY FROM THE SKY BEHIND HER!! OOOOH!! THEY REALLY ARE STORM CLOUDS!! JUST LIKE THE CATASTROPHIC HURRICANES THAT RAZE MY FORMER WORLD EVERY SIX MONTHS!!! GIVE OR TAKE!! THE WIND IS PICKING UP TOO!! BUT...IT IS NOT AFFECTING ME!! NOR MY MAID-KNIGHTS!! WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? WINK, WINK. Magical barriers, duh. Wait...there is something...something inside the coming storm... THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE THE STORM!! *KRA-KA-THOOOOOM* "Make the winds scream in agony as you bend them to your will!! Make the thunder roar in pain as your arrival grows near!! Make the lightning lash out in anger, in hate for being used by you the lowest of the unworthy and take down any who dare cross you!!" This is Edgy Mc Sharp, and I approve this chant. "You who filled this world with your ravaging floods at the beginning of time, I summon you to give a start to its end!!" *KRA-KA-THOOOOOM* *EDGY NEIGHING* ARE THOSE HORSES??!! OH, MY GODDESS!! IS SHE SUMMONING THE WILD H?! "[GRAND SUMMON: PRIMORDIAL STORM-RIDERS]!!!" ... Seriously? The book has a cooler name than the summon! *THOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM* DAMN! THAT WAS ONE HECK OF A MAGIC PULSE!! AND A FRIGGING LIGHTNING CAME OUT OF THE GRIMOIRE AND REACHED THE CLOUDS!! WAIT! THE CLOUDS!! THEY ARE TAKING THE FORM OF A CAVALRY!!! THEY ARE LITERALLY TURNING INTO COOL, EDGY LOOKING ARMORED KNIGHTS AND EVEN EDGIER HORSES!! ALL WITH RED EYES!!! SOME EVEN HAVE LANCES!!! THE KNIGHTS NOT THE HORSES!! JUST LIKE MY WAIFU!!! AND THEY ARE ALL COMING AT ME!! TEN OUT OF TEN I WOULD...TAKE. THEM. FOR. MYSELF!! "..." HmmI can feel she is looking at me. "Has their power left you speechless, oh King of Storms? Is your title only a lie to hide your true nature? There is no shame in admitting that one is just playing a character. After all, life is but a play." Ohhhsuch confidence. Heh, she might be saying that with the confidence of someone who thinks is going to win, but she is still keeping her full guard as someone who might die at any moment. She might be the first person in this world to be this cautious while confronting me. Well, I did make one heck of an impression on her servant so there is that. But no, I am not speechless you grape flavored lizard. I am concentrating while looking at those Primordial Storm-Riders of yours. Letting them know of my presence. The presence of the King of Storms. It is not just a nickname, you know. It is a title that was given to me ever since we were making this body. So it must be obvious by now, but it does hold power. "Hmph." With that, I move my lance and plant it right in front of me, all while making the de facto kingly pose of my waifu. Then...I really let them know of my presence by releasing some pressure and mana. "Kh...! This pressure...! How was she holding this back?" So gasps the Grape Lizard-chan, but I can hear her clearly even with all this thundering. *KRA-KA-THOOOM* *KRA-KA-THOOOOOM* *EDGY NEIGHING* A thundering that grows in intensity as the riders speed up and charge towards me. Their effects and design should totally use the cgi+handrawn mastery of uf**able!! What are you doing, Master?! Blow them away!!" Mmmmif I respond to Sophie, I will lose cool points. That is a no-no. So, lets press ignore on that call. "Master?! You are ignoring me, aren''t you?!! FINE!!" Sumanai. "The time for unveiling your truth has come! Go my Riders!! Show me her true form!!" Aaand she does the classical ''pointing at my enemy dramatically'' as the rider''s go past her. Nice! Oh! The gallop of their horses truly sounds like thunder! Not only that, but they sear the ground as they make their advance. And the winds they bring really feel like they could rip the Capital from the ground. They are truly part of a primordial storm One that is capable of shaping the world''s landscape. But even then, both my Maid-Knights and I keep ourselves completely still. Not even Kris is lifting a single finger. They are all just looking at them approach without saying anything. They trust me. And I will show them that they are right in doing that. How? Well, Ill show them by doing nothing but look at the one who seems to be their leader. The one who has the edgiest looking armor, so much so that it would make a chuuni blush and let out a tear from their evil eye. Their helmetsheads? They have a black skull made of the same metal as the rest of their whole armor. And in that skull, there are a couple of red lights acting as eyes, lights that burn with intensity. Maybe they are cousins of the Undead Majesty? They are closer now. Close enough for me to do what I want. SoI stand firm, breath in, and I let out just one word. "Kneel." One word with both the edge alter tone and glare at full power, all while I rest my hands on the now upwards bottom of my lances shaft and unleash some of my stormy mana. Mana that manifests in Red lightning that overtakes theirs. Deafening thunder that silences theirs. And winds that blow away theirs. "What...? They stopped?!" Yes, Grape-chan. They stopped. Their lightning stopped. Their thunder stopped. Their wind stopped. Their primordial stormwas completely stopped. *SUBMISSIVE NEIGH* The horses are the first to obey my will, kneeling before me in a synchronized manner. Following that, their respective riders get off them in unison, planting their feet on the ground and standing so straight that every drill instructor in both worlds would do a proud slow clap while shedding a tear. Although, they are not actually touching the ground. Their ground is the stormy clouds that come out of their feet. But I digress, for the leader of the Riders has gotten off their horse, and instead of planting their feet like the others, they have taken two steps forward towards me before kneeling. And all the riders follow suit. """"""""""""...!!!!!!!!!!!!"""""""""""" I can feel the flabbergasted stares of everyone... "HA!" ...and thats Kris'' laugh. But yeah, everyone besides her is staring in disbelief or surprise. From the lizardmen and Dragon Lords with little horns, to some of my maids like Sophie, who has resigned herself to laugh awkwardly at the situation while muttering ''Why was I even worried? Hahaha...she makes no sense... Oi. I can hear you; you know? But you do get points for being worried about me, good Sophie. Now "..." "..." I look down to the riders'' leader without saying a word and said leader doesnt say a thing either, but they are doing something else instead. They are taking off their helmet, revealing adrumroll please! A metal skull!!! Turns out their helmets are open from the front and the skull is their actual face!! Come on! They look just like the Wild Hunt of so many games!! Oh, the leader is turning their head slightly andthey are looking at my Maid-Knights "M-Master...! Why is that armored skull l-looking at me?!" So asks a nervous Sophie as the leaders shifting gaze falls on her. Sorry, but I can''t say a thing now, Sophie. So, just endure it. Maybe they think you are cute, you know? "They are looking at all of us, greenie! Stop bothering Master!" Thank you, Kris. "..." *glow* Also, it seems the riders leader is done with whatever it was doing, because they just lowered their head again, but only after their eyes shined brightly for a moment. Wait, no, something else is happening *fwooosh* Huh, the stormy clouds coming out of their feet are now also coming out of their mouth and they have started to cover their head completely. Eh? Chotto a minute...is that...hair? WHITE HAIR IS COMING OUT...OI! SKIN TOO! ICY BLUE SKIN!! IS THAT A...?!! OOOOOOOOH!!! POINTED EARS!!! THEY HAVE POINTED EARS!!! THE CLOUD COVERING THEIR FACE IS DISSAPEARING!! NO WAY!! NO FREAKING WAY!! THEY ARE A ''SHE''!!! THE RIDERS'' LEADER TURNED INTO A WOMAN!!! A BEAUTIFUL ONE AT THAT!! "My...King..." HHHHNNNNG AND SHE HAS A VERY COOL SOUNDING FEMININE VOICE!!!! "I...Bellary...Point of the Storm-Riders, swear eternal fealty to you." The moment she says that, all of the still skull faced riders start changing too... YEEEEESH!!!!! THEY ARE ALL WOMEN!!! Wait...did they look at my Maid-Knights and thought that I only took in women as my servants and comrades? Is that why they are doing this? """"""My King...""""""" AAAH WHO THE HECK CARES?!! THEY ALL LOOK BEAUTIFUL!! I SHALL CALL THEM STORM ELVES!! THEY ALL LOOK SO FIERCE YET AT THE SAME TIME SO REFINED...! NO! THEY ARE SUBLIME!! JUST LIKE A STORM IS NOT BEAUTIFUL BUT SUBLIME!!! """"""We swear eternal fealty to you...""""""" Itkind of feels like dj vu now, doesn''t it? "What is this? Bryn had mentioned about taking control of a spell...but this...this is preposterous...to give them back their" As Violet Death says that in utter disbelief, Bellary turns and extends her hand at her, which causes the grimoire that Violet Death was using to float away from her rudely and into Bellarys hand. "...! What?!" "This no longer belongs to you." Daaaamn!! Now I feel like the bully who takes other people''s toys....and destroys them, apparently. Because seemingly not satisfied with her cold declaration, Bellary has now covered the entire grimoire in lightning, reducing it toa ring? "My King...pleaseaccept the Ring of Primordial Storms as binding proof of our loyalty." Oh my. Darling, it seems you will not be the first one to put a ring on me! "Fufufu~~, how funny, dear. But that is not a Joining ring, so it does not count!" Hahahaha! I know, just wanted to tease you. "Hmph, very well. I shall accept it." I extend my right hand to her and she treats it with the utmost respect, slowly sliding the ring on my index finger until it rests perfectly on it. Hmmnow that I look at it, its really cool!! It looks like a metal horse skull!! Ooooh! It''s glowing!! "With this, we are bound to you, My King. Give this one the order and we shall bring ruin to your enemies." And that is the prompt I was waiting for! So, I turn towards Violet Death and smile. "What part of King of Storms you did not understand, oh eldest one?" Take that!! "...! Ha...hahahahaha...! Hahahahaha!" She is...taking it better than I thought...I guess... "This has never happened to me before in my long life! Yes! You certainly are who you claim to be!!!" So she exclaims as she makes motions with her hand and another grimoire appears before her. This one is enwrapped in flames that have the same color as her, violet. "But are those humans strong enough to survive this?" The way she said humans, that knowing expression of hers, and the amount of mana she is building uptheres no need to doubt, she knows what my maids are, and she is about to unleash an attack powerful enough to wipe them all out. Which means that she is an eldest that is not only powerful but knowledgeable. Yet Does this lizard really think that I will just stand here? I already gave you a free pull at the gacha, you are not having another one. "Grimoire which condemns souls to a fiery nothingness, [Falmma]! The feast is served..." I apologize but I will break the rules of anime fighting and attack while she is chanting. Is that alright with you? Hm? Mister animator says it is alright because that means he can take a break with the effects? Is that right? Oh, my sweet summer child. Taking my lance off the ground, I walk past the Riders, and point it at Violet Death and her armies. But there is no holy light for her, just my ominous black and red mana flowing through it and spinning, creating a powerful whirlwind of mana that soon envelops my lance. It is then that the primordial storm in the sky resumes its movement, putting its eye above me as its clouds start to spin too. "...burn the land, burn the magic, burn it all..." And she keeps chanting despite all of this. You think you are going to finish before I do? Sorry but no. "This is the roar of a world that rejects you! [NERN]!!!" _________________________________________________ At that moment none who watched could believe what they were seeingor listening. The one known as the King of Storms by those in the battlefield and Auros Argento by those watching from the Kingdom, released a massive black and red whirlwind of pure mana through her lance. *FFSSHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAARRGH!!!!* A whirlwind whose roar sounded as if it truly had come out from the deepest depths of the world itself. But that was not all, not at all. For the ground groaned, trembled, and evaporated as such power passed through it. !! And Scath''s eyes widened as such monstrous power came closer and closer towards her while she was in the middle of chanting. All as one single thought appeared in her mind. There is no time. Yet, all seemed to slow down before her. Yes...that was the adrenaline rush that appeared to those who were about to be killed. Something that made her smile grow bigger, for that was what she wanted. She wanted a fight where her life was threatened to that point. But she was not going to just stand there and die. No. She was going to fight that opponent of hers until her true end was achieved. Thus, if she were to survive, she had to abandon any thought of attacking and try to take defensive actionssurvival actions. Teleport? No, there is no time for me to call on the power of [Spatiophagos] once more. Indeed, there was not. Can I evade it? No, the whirlwind is massive enough to be unavoidable...and it will surely wipe away one third of my army when it connects, if not more. Indeed, that seemed to be nothing but a sealed fate as such catastrophic power grew ever closer. ''There is only one choice...I shall salvage this chant and invoke another of [Falmma]s spells! Certainly, she had greater spells, let alone skills and equipment. But she had no more time to invoke them. So yes, she was better off using what was already there. "...burn it all to defend me! [FLAME SHIELD OF DEVOURING]]!!" With that, violet flames came out of the grimoire and created a sphere around her. Such fiery sphere would not only protect her by consuming all the mana that clashed with it, but it would also grow stronger the more mana it consumed. As such, her safety was nothing but ensured. But then why? Why did she feel that it would not be enough? A feeling that only took a mere instantto be proven right. "Ah..." That was the only thing she was able to say before her shield broke. A shield that was able to turn any spell into more energy and grow stronger. A shield that had endured attacks of even the strongest of foes back in the ancient age. That same shield had popped like a mere bubble leaving her to receive the full brunt of the attack. Thus, she was sent flying, and as she felt like her everything was being torn apart, it dawned on her. ''It was simply too much mana...'' Her shield was unable to endure because it had gone past its limit. In other wordsit had burned itself out. Which meant one thing and one thing alone. She had made a grave mistake, one that could indeed take her life. "GAAAA!" "RETRE!" "SPACE BRI!" The screams of those unlucky were immediately silenced as they were evaporatednoconsumed by Auros'' attack, leaving no trace behind. And as the whirlwind teared through Violet Death''s army, even the unfeeling undead felt fear. Not only that, but just as she had predicted, a third of her army was lost in that instant. From above it looked as if a titan had scooped up the middle part of it and created a gigantic crevice that separated not only the rest of Violet Death''s army, but also the forest behind it. Those who were being protected by such absurd being, took refuge in the fact that they were not her enemies. Then, silence came. All as the one who had brought on that massacre lowered her lance as its ominous black and red light began to dim. Meanwhile, her Knights and Riders all had a newfound respect for her. She was truly a being above them. But that could also be said of the being their Master was glaring at. Indeed, there, in the lonely crevice, one would think there would be only nothingness, but they would be wrong. Someone remained. Someone who stood up with the help of a barbed spear. Her violet armor was torn in various places. Her white skin was riddled with spiral bruises. Her horns were cracked and almost breaking apart. Her blood rushed down from her forehead and painted the ground beneath her. Her hand trembled as she motioned with it and made another grimoire appear before her, one that gave off a green light. She was Violet Death. She had survived. And she did so not through magic, nor through skill, but through the strength of her whole being. "I am not...the eldest one...for nothing...ha...King of Storms..." So she said in what could not be more than a whisper, knowing full well that her opponent would be able to hear her, and she smiled as someone who was not giving up. And before such wordsthe King of Storms smiled. "...ha...grimoire which grants salvation to those dying...with the stolen essencehrnnof the undying[Vitarix]. Restore me...turn back thehnntime in these wounds...[Phoenix Heal]" With that, the green light of healing came out of the grimoire and proceeded to do its job. Still, even after kickstarting its Masters regeneration its progress was slow, which showed the extent of the damage she had suffered... That is when the King of Storms started walking forward. She called upon those in control of her forces. The same short haired blonde woman Scath had seen before and the leader of the riders she had just obtained. "Erica, I leave those on the right to you and the Knights. Bellary, you and your riders shall prove themselves with those on the left." "Understood, Master." "Your will is our will, oh King of Storms" Thus, they both took their forces and with a war cry they advanced in the direction ordered by their Master. "KNIGHTS OF THE EVER-BURNING WILL!! HEED ME!! THIS IS THE TIME WE EARN THE NAME!! THIS IS THE TIME WHERE WE SHALL CARVE A NEW PATH FOR EVERYONE!! A BETTER FUTURE!! FOR OUR FAMILIES!! FOR THE INNOCENT!! FOR OUR MASTER!! FOR THE GODDESS!! FOR THE WORLD!!!" "UUUUUOOOOO!!!!" So exclaimed the one named Erica with the might of a true leader and those very Knights answered with a scream that shook the ground. As for the Riders *KRAKA-THOOOOOM* they let their thundering gallop do the talking. But Violet Death would not be left behind. For her army had come with the same purpose as her. And so, she breathed in and let out a roar of her own. "HAVE YOU ALL LOST YOUR WILL TO FIGHT?! THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! THE TRUEST BATTLE WE HAVE EVER HAD!! THIS IS NOT A ONE-SIDED MASSACRE!! THIS IS THE BATTLE TO END ALL BATTLES!!! ATTACK!!" A roar that resonated through the battlefield and shook the minds of her army back to their collective senses. RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRGH!! And they answered with the same intensity. After all, their Master had survived the attack of the King of Storms. She had survived the absurd, so why were they just standing there? And so, they advanced too. The monsters tapped into their dark and evil origins, breaking through their limits and changing their forms into truly abhorrent ones, for the time to reap pain and suffering had come. The wyverns took flight and prepared their most destructive breaths, eager to lay waste to the battlefield. The lizardmen charged as they awakened their [Draconic Origin]s and became greater than before, their scales taking a violet hue. Lastly, the Lesser Dragon Lords assumed their most powerful forms and immediately became more draconic in appearance. Their bodies swelled and they covered themselves in armors of ice, violet flames, or a combination of both. Scath then looked again towards the leisurely advancing King of Storms but...she was gone. "You have done well to endure my opening attack, Violet Death." "...!!" Yet, she was close. Closer than she could have ever thought. She wasright in front of her. Not only that, but her fist was already moving towards her stomach. And the only thing Violet Death was able to do was look at her, baffled. One thing she did notice, however, was that the King of Storms was now clad in a pitch-black armor, ominous in its design and with glowing golden eyes that looked as those of a living nightmare. "As a reward, I have donned my armor." "Gaaaah!!" The strike connected fully, breaking her focus, snuffing out the light of healing covering her body, and sent her flying upwards, so much so that she went past the clouds from the sheer strength of the attack. But that was not all. Not at all. Her attacker was close by. Close enough to grab her by the head midflight. "You...!" The King of Storms ignored her growl and started weaving her mana in preparation for a spell. Of course, Violet Death tried to free herself from the Absurds grip, but no matter how much strength she put in her free hand and struck the Absurds, she did not budge. All as they reached their maximum height and started their fall towards the ground. "Space, heed me, obey me, take who is in front of me to a space like this! A reflection! [Mirror Space Transport]!" ?! She had never heard of a spell like that, let alone seen what was happening in front of her eyes. It was baffling. It was absurd. Space itself was turning into mirrors reflecting reality to infinity. While the sound that passed through her ears was like countless pieces of glass turning on top of each other. No matter where she looked, everything had turned into infinitely reflecting mirrors. The entirety of the sky, the horizon, the mountains, the Capital, all was swallowed by the absurdity she was witnessing. And then...the voice of war was nowhere to be found. There was only pure and deafening silence. She tried and tried to expand her senses, to listen to anything, but not even the wind caressing the leaves of a tree made a sound. It was unnatural. "Nngh!" It was then that Auros'' grip on Scath''s head grew stronger, causing her to clench her teeth as she tried once more to free herself. "Fire, obey me, give me a descent worthy of that which comes from the beyond! [Meteoric Fall]!!" With that, both the King of Storms and Violet Death were shrouded in a ball of fire that accelerated their descent. Not only that, but the fire was searing Scath''s skin. "To be able...gah! To burn me! A Dragon Lord! I was already cautious of...nngh...you, but to think I was still underestimating you!!" Yet, there was no fear in those words, there was only eagerness, the same eagerness that adorned her smile. Thus, they descended in a trail of flames, just like a falling star. Then, they reached the ground and caused a blinding explosion that took out the whole mirrored forest. And when the dust settled, two could be seen standing right at the center of the crater. One was the King of Storms clad in her nightmarish armor. The other was of Violet Death, whose torn armor was now replaced by a new one, a true one. It had burning runes all along her extremities and in the middle of her breast plate, and while it was not of the light variety, it let her utilize her mobility as if she were still wearing the other one. Of course, it was of a deep violet color. "Hoooh~~, impressive of you to free yourself at the last second." Said the King of Storms, her voice distorted by the helmet...or perhaps that was her true voice. And indeed, she had done as the Absurd said. In the last moments of their fall, she had retracted her legs as if to assume fetal position and then she used the Absurds breastplate as a platform, pushing with all her strength as she invoked two skills. It was simple yet effective given the speed they were going at. "[True Draconic Force] and [True Draconic Armor]. You are the only one that has made me invoke both of these skills at the same time...just to free myself from your grip. And what you did to my army is more than enough proof that you have brought me here to thisdesolate world, just so that you could fight without reservation. You truly are destruction incarnate, are you not, Auros?" She had heard such name from the ears of the servant that had infiltrated the palace, Bryn. Still, Auros did not show any surprise at hearing her name being said by her enemy and instead, she simply changed the form of her Holy Weapon from a lance to a red and black sword. "Hmph. You knowing my name is meaningless. Your query too, for I am destruction incarnate only to your kin and those who follow you." With that, she pointed her sword at Scath and in response, she readied her barbed spear and summoned another one from her personal space. "Yes, I can feel it not only in those eyes of yours, but also from the aura that blessed weapon emanates. It has clearly been made with the purpose of slaying me and my brethren. Truly a weapon to be feared." So said Scath, almost hearing the voice that belonged to the killing intent that came off from the sword. A voice that had a strangely familiar and feminine tone. "This? A blessed weapon? Oh, eldest one, it seems the years have taken a toll on your sight, for this is not a blessed weapon...HA!" In that moment, Auros made an upwards slash with her sword, breaking through Violet Deaths the sudden double attack and forcing her to jump back at the last moment to avoid the Absurds blade. Her talking to Auros had obviously been a distraction. *crack* ! And as she landed back where she had been before attacking, her armor started to crack right where it was grazed by Auros'' blade, making her eyes widen in surprise. Not only that, but a drop of blood fell on the ground as she looked at her now cracked armor, followed by tinge of pain. She immediately touched her right cheek and felt the warmth of blood coming out of a small vertical cut. "It seems I am mistaken...that is not a mere blessed weapon." "Indeed, this is a Holy Weapon. The first and only of its kind. All to end the threat of your kin." "I am honored then. Since that tells me that we are finally worthy of the Goddess'' attention." "Hmph. Not for long." The King of Storms then made her mana run through her sword, covering it completely and making it seem like it was made entirely of that said mana. "Hahado not get so conceited, Auros. These spears...they are not so ordinary either." And just in the same way, Violet Death''s mana started to flow through her spears, covering them completely and making them seem as if they were made of an overflowing violet mana. "I shall show you the power of the one who slayed all the Dragon Lords of the ancient times! [Dracanathos Spears]!" Thus, with her spears releasing an ominous pulse, Violet Death jumped at her opponent once again. __________________________________________ I have never been so grateful to my past self for adding [Eternal Arms Mastery] to the list of skills I wanted when I reincarnated. And of course, [Thunderous Instinct]. Because I have lost count of how many times I would have died here if not for those. Well, and my other powers too. Seriously. But thats normal. After all, I was just your normal weeb with a job just a few weeks ago. Well, almost a month but seriously...what? If I did not die from overworking, then I am not a true ''worker weeb isekaid''? The heck?! I am literally fighting against a humanized dragon while wielding a holy sword! I am a worker weeb isekaid! Anyways. Her mastery over her spears is flawless. There are no superfluous moves in the way she attacks, which means theres neither dramatic nor aesthetic ones. Why do I specify? Because that puts the weight of making this fight flashy and cool for an anime on my shoulders! "Haah!" With an upwards slash, I let out a mana shockwave that cuts beyond my reach. "Too slow!" She evades it and tries to thrust her spears at me but...! "Hmph!" I free my right hand and shoot a mana blast from it! "...nngh!" With her being too close, she has no other option than to block and take damage from it, which she does. Still, that doesnt stop her. On the contrary she pushes through while wearing that smile of hers and we start exchanging blows once more, all as we start moving at higher speeds, trying to one up each other. Going faster, faster, and faster! And before we notice it, we are on one of the mirrored mountains, far from the mirrored version of the battlefield. But that doesnt stop us from fighting and we start unleashing skills at each other. "[Unavoidable Spear Strike]!" "[Mana Wave]!!" Heck, my instinct is even guiding me through the usage of skills I did not know I had! After all, I haven''t checked my own profile...I have been occupied with those of the maids... Violet Death just jumped back after evading my skill and now she has jumped upwards. She is about to do somethingwaitshe is actually doing a flashy move!! And look at that! The mana on both of her spears is getting stronger! "Perish! [Rain of a Thousand Deaths]!!" Yes! This is what I was talking about!! Not only has she thrown both her spears at me, but those spears are dividing into copies identical to the originals and those are dividing even more, and more, and more!! Until it is truly a rain of death coming at me! Which is my prompt to make a passive skill active!! "[Thunderous Instinct]!" With that, I can feel the surge of full combat awareness course through my mind as I swat away at some of the spears while carefully evading, blocking, and parrying others with my sword. Flashier. Then, I grab one of the spears before it touches the ground and drown it in my mana before throwing it back at her. It explodes but doesnt get her as she intercepted it with another spear before it could reach her. " Haha! To try and harm me with my own weapon! [IMPALING GARDEN]!!" In that moment, the spears that have already fallen start burrowing into the ground and come out from under my feet. Flashier! "HAAAH! [RUINOUS SLASH]!" The mana covering Nern becomes bigger as I unleash such skill at Violet Death and the spears between us, creating a flying mana blade that looks straight out of a manga named after a cleaning product. Mana blade that she evades gracefully before we start sliding down the mountain, making a trail of snow as we exchange different projectiles from blades of my mana, to fireballs of our distinct colors and her spears. FLASHIER!! LET''S MAKE THE ANIMATORS CRY!! I strike the ground and run at her, leaving behind an explosion of snow and rock. But that is not all, for I increase my speed and go even faster than I thought I could before jumping at her. "I will not let you get closer than this, King of Storms! And it seems that you have forgotten about something! Legion of Blades from the forgotten dimension that rests within my eyes, bring death to those that I gaze upon, [Reaper''s Legionnaire Gaze]!" Her eyes let out a strong shine and immediately after, hundreds of invisible blades come down at me as I get closer to Violet Death. But there is nothing to worry about for I have myBLESSING! Which immediately cause hundreds of otherworldly and divine arms to appear from my back and stop each and every one of the incoming blades, holding them in place andbreaking them! "GAAAAGH!!" She recoils as her right eye starts bleeding, something that makes clear just how painful it must be for her, but Im not planning to give her time to regain her bearings. "Haaa!" "Ngh!" So, I charge and unleash a downwards slash at her, which she defends against by doing a cross guard with her spears, but of course, my strength is overpowering her. And that is not all. "Darkness, heed me, obey me..." "You...! Untraceable Blade from the forgotten dimension..." burst forth from that which is bound to all you who know naught of boundaries pierce it all "[Shadow Spikes]!!" "[Ghost Blade]!!" We both shout at the same time and...! "Nnngh!!" "Dear!!" What is thissearing pain in mychest?! "Creating spikes...from my own shadow to impale me...I only know another one who would use the same tactic..." It hurts!! "Dear!! Endure it!!" It hurts but...! "You truly are stronger than them, though... *cough* Ah...you have damaged me to the point that I am even spitting blood. Not to mention thathnnyou were able to destroy one of myrunic eyes. Yesthis what I seekand with you being unable tostop my blade from piercing yourheartthe path of victory is truly obscured for both of us now. I wonder who will be the one to end the other..." This is part of what I''ve signed up for...! I am not someone afraid of pain!! Besides, for my waifu...for methis much...is nothing, Nerinne!! ''Tis but a scratch!! One which is already healing with my OP regeneration!! So lets do this! "I congratulate you for finally wounding me, oh eldest one! For that I shall grant your wish!" Thus, I start taking off my helmetand let go of my human form...revealing my true nature. "...! You are...! Revealing the crown of black horns that adorns my head. The crown of the one above us...! My draconic red eyes. The High Dragon Lord?!!" My pointy ears toobut that doesnt sound as dramatic so forget about that. "But that is supposed to be...a legend! A summit to climb for! No...it cannot be you...! If so then...!!" And finally, for the first time in all her fight with me, I can see fear in her eyes. So, lets make her go deeper than that! "For a moment I thought that I would not find an excuse to use this skill, but I shall reward your efforts with it, oh eldest one!" Everything starts trembling as I stop holding back ALL my mana and pressure. "...!" Which are so overwhelming that even the silent mirror space has started to make a crunching sound as my mana fills this whole place. "[MANA BURST]" Thenall my mana becomes ignited, covering my body and my surroundings in its flames. It not only strengthens me beyond my absurd limits, but it also causes the rocky ground around me to break, float up, and disintegrate with every step I take. I have become what she had said. Destruction incarnate just for her. And she knows it. To be continued...(Cue illustration of Auros activating Mana Burst) Thank you for reading and Im deeply sorry for the delay! It took more time than I thought it would take, but I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart on it and tell me in the comments! If you want more, you can go to my patreon for Waifu Bites!, alter-chapters, and isekai lab! If you dont like patreon and you still want to support me and the story, you can do so by donating by paypal or ko-fi! In some community news, Im planning to do a stream where everyone can meet LARH and ask him some questions, so if you are interested in it, do tell me in the comments! Now, heres the fanart for today! Nern in both forms by unnamed from our discord server! Plus, Nerinne''s Holy Symbol behind the lance form! Dont they look amazing?! The detail and thought he put into them is so good! Just look at how they adapted Nern''s shaft! And I love the cleaver shape they gave to the sword form; it makes it look brutal! Thank you, unnamed! And if youd like to send some fanart, just go to the discord server and upload it in the fanart channel! 10/10 I will gush about it! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred and eeleater! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 85: Winter’s Fear and Fearless Moon. At the same time as a primordial storm bended the knee and a holy lance made it as if the world itself roared, a fated battle was taking place deep in the royal palace of the Kyrie Kingdom. I may look different, but I shall protect you with my life! For I am Erevain vi Kyrie! Now come, Eternal Winter! Let us resume our fight!" Exclaimed the former Crown Prince of the Kyrie Kingdom, who put herself between her family and the Dragon Lord that was crawling out of a certain ice dolls body, Hilde Vals body. Said ice doll fell apart as the one controlling it fully came out and filled the room with her killing intent and mana, overwhelming everyone in the room except Erevain. "...ack...thishnnmana!" "...how?! How did you manage to...nnghfight that, Big Brother?!" "...this is a...nn...Eternal Winter?!" Mary, Euphemia, and Licht were baffled as to how Erevain had been able to resist such crushing presence five years ago. How was Erevain not completely paralyzed by it back then? How did she push forward against the being that was now before them? And while its suffocating presence gave the illusion that they were before something of great proportions, she still had a humanoid figure, one which resembled her doll in appearance. But if one were to look at her closely, one would notice that even then her beauty could be said to be in another level. Indeed, such beauty could be described as otherworldly, or almost divine, and it extended to her armor, which was as white as the snow that began to cover the room with her mere presence. Her hair was a cold white with a tinge of blue. Her icy blue eyes had a draconic shape and inhuman glow. Her horns had a feathered wing shape and were positioned in such a way that they gave impression of a headband or a tiara, and they were almost immaculate. Indeedalmost, for there was a scratch in one of them. "Your form has changed...but your recklessnesshas not, Fallen Prince..." So said Eternal Winter as spite filled her melancholic voice and painted over her cold expression. Such was her hatred towards Erevain that even her fangs were showing very, very clearly. "You still believe that you can...match my power? That you can do...more than this?" With such words having left her lips, she traced her hand along her scratched horn and the intensity in her eyes grew deeper. Not only that, but the cold got worse as the crunching sound of the room freezing made its appearance. Even thenErevain ignored it all, the cold, the crushing presence of a Dragon Lord and her killing intent. She ignored it all as she pointed her silver blade towards her with eyes full of resolve and firmly declared "I do." Then, after locking gazes for a second *crickcrickrcrick* "...! Haa!" Erevain turned around with an absurd speed and slashed at the many ice stalactites that sought to impale her siblings who still lied on the floor. "When...?!" Exclaimed Licht, shocked as to how he did not notice such incoming attack until Erevain thwarted it. But that was simply the opening salvo. For moremany more came after that and not just stalactites. Unending icicles. Treacherous spikes. Crushing ice boulders. And evenprotruding ice pillars. They came from the floor, the ceiling, the sides, all with one intention and one intention alone, to destroy Erevain. Thus, before such merciless assault, said target moved around the room as she evaded, parried, destroyed, and blocked it all. Even doing so while protecting her siblings from the crossfire. And yet...despite having used all of that, Eternal Winter had not chanted a single spell nor activated any skill. Furthermore, she had not moved a single step from where she was standing. The only thing she was doing was flicking her fingers and following Erevain with her eyes. Nothing more, nothing less. That is until "Freeze...!" she said that in a sigh that seethed with intensity. This time Erevain had her full attention. This time she would freeze her completely. This time would be different. *crack* *crack* *crack* *CRASH* "What...?" And yes...it was indeed different, but in the way she was expecting, for the moment the ice started covering Erevain''s body it cracked and broke down, which left Brynn in utter disbelief. "You...resisted it...alone?" Indeedher ice was resisted. HER ICE. And that made her heart tremble. After all, her ice was an ice that could freeze every inferior being with ease. It was an ice that was difficult to escape from even for those of her kin who shared the same hierarchical position. It was the same ice that bestowed upon her the title of Eternal Winter. ''Your winter is no longer eternal...'' Yetthe mocking words of the King of Storms resonated within her mind as she tried to process how a mere human was able to resist her ice. That was what brought her heart over the edge and freed what she had been holding inside it. Something that was anything but cold. "NO!" Anger and denial filled her roaring voice as she clenched her teeth and extended her hand with force. "Big Brother...!" So exclaimed Euphemia as saw Erevain being surrounded by floating icicles of varying sizes, which waited for their master''s order and she gave it in the form of her closing fist. "DIE, FALLEN PRINCE!" Thus, all the icicles descended upon her at a blinding speed but... "I refuse! [Full-moon Slash]!!" ...she slashed them all down with the same blinding speed before she kicked the ground, cracking the frozen floor, and jumped towards her opponent. "[Moonless Slash]!" Then, as a faint silver aura began to envelop it, she gripped her sword with both hands, and swung it at a speed that made it seem as if her blade had disappeared, unleashing a powerful diagonal slash. *CLANG* "...!" In response, Bryn, who had not moved at all since the combat started, jumped back instinctively and even summoned her enchanted spear to defend herself, which fed her anger as she realized that she had done such thing. "I suggest you stop treating this fight as if I were the same from five years ago. I told you then and I shall tell you now, I shall not surrender myself to the cold." "SILENCE! YOU, INFERIOR BEING!" Before such declaration, Eternal Winter launcher herself in anger towards the glaring Erevain, brandishing her spear with the intention to impale her. ''This human dares to...! Dares to...! DARES TO TRY AND FIGHT ME LIKE AN EQUAL?!'' Completely absorbed by those thoughts, she did not notice that her opponent had been chanting while positioning her left arm as if covering herself with it. "...protect me [Magic Shield]!" *CLANG* "[Mystic Counter]!" In that moment, not only was Bryns spear perfectly blocked by Erevains [Magic Shield], but a strong magical pulse was released at the Dragon Lord. A pulse that contained not only the same amount of force of the attack blocked but doubled it and added the Moonlight attribute to it. It was so strong that it shook the whole room, breaking the shell of ice that had been covering the walls and even cracking the ice pillar where Mary was trapped. As for Bryn, she was both blinded and strongly pushed back by it. "Ngh...!" ''I AM BEING PUSHED BACK BY A HUMAN?! SHE!! SHE!!'' And as anger filled her thoughts more and more, she found it difficult to refocus. She tried to fix her stance quickly and launch an attack of her own, but something else was coming for her. Someone else. For Erevain had molded her [Magic Shield] in the same shape her destroyed moon tear shield once had, wielded it like it, and "HAAH! [SHIELD BASH]!!" hit her with it, strongly. THIS STRENGHTH...!? "Nnhn...!" Thus, staggering Bryn and breaking her guard, and that was what Erevain needed to unleash her next skill on her. "[SHIELD CHARGE]!" And she showed no hesitation, nor restraint, in doing so as she rammed her with the entirety of her shield and sent her crashing into one of the room''s walls. *SLAM* "Gah!" That one hurt her. That one managed to make it through her defenses and hurt her. ''How dare she...! She is but a human! A humaninferior!!'' Then, as she was trying to remove herself from the wall, Erevain appeared right before her, [Magic Shield] ready, sword enchanted and prepared to be thrusted. ''Impossible...IMPOSSIBLE!'' "You are not going anywhere Eternal Winter! [Shielded Moon Fusillade]!" And so, Erevain unleashed a merciless barrage of attacks upon Bryn. Attacks that penetrated her armor and even pierced her skin, painting Erevains sword in a tinge of red, and causing Bryns mind to spiral further down into complete denial. ''NO! NO! NO! NO! THIS CANNOT BE!!'' Her arms, her legs, her chest, and even her neck received damage and started bleeding. And in the middle of it all *crack* neither of them noticed that something else was happening too *crackcrack* Erevains sword had started to crack. _____________________________________________ ''Erevain is overwhelming her.'' Thought Mary as she fought her own body''s wish to lose consciousness. The cold that had trapped her was shaving her life away by the second. ''It all happened so fast...'' Their plan to distract Hilde Val long enough to kill her with a blessed weapon had worked...but, to their dismay, she did not die. Instead, she turned the tables on them. Swiftly. Decisively Overwhelmingly. One moment they were launching another joint attack and in the next Mary found herself almost completely trapped inside an ice pillar, watching how Hilde Val put the lives of Licht and Euphemia into her own hands, for she only needed to clench each of those hands to snap the neck of the former and crush the head of the latter. But then Erevain arrived mere moments later and while her new form surely surprised her, it also shed light on something that had been bugging Mary. On something about the woman that she fought. The woman named Erica. Her sword style was pretty much identical to the one her ''little brother'' earnestly practiced every day and night. A sight that was held close in her heart, just like the rest of her memories of her little brother. As such ''If Eresh Kur was actually Erevain then...Erica might actually be Eric...I mean the name is...'' Then it all clicked for her. The girl''s reaction to her. Lady Argento''s story. The strange sensation she had when close to Erica. Everything. She had fought the one she had betrayed, and she had been none the wiser. But instead of feeling vexed...she felt at peace. Indeed, she felt like that for she had been left uninjured even after what she did. She was still loved, and even if she knew that she did not deserve it, she was happy. That was why there was no way in hell that she would give up and go to sleep. She had to talk to her. She had to be honest and confront her. She had to take responsibility. And as she kept looking at Erevain overwhelm Eternal Winter, she noticed something. Something was moving inside the icy floora silhouette. Moreover, it looked just like she had seen Hilde Val do before coming out of an icicle. Worst of all, it was going towards Licht and Euphy. "...! ...!!" It was then that she tried to warn Erevain, but her voice failed her. She tried to move, but her body failed her. But she was not giving up. On the contrary, it was she needed to light the fire inside her once more. ''I can''t keep being a prop! I need to break free!! Licht and Euphy...!! I must save them...!! Come on!! If Erevain fought her five years ago then that means I can at least free myself from this!! Burn! Dammit!! I have the blood of the fiery ogres!! Are you telling me that a piece of ice is stronger than the fucking blood of the fiery ogres?! COME ON!! GET OFF YOUR ASSES YOU BLOODY ANCESTORS OF MINE AND LIGHT ME UP!!!'' Thus, as she struggled within the ice, her skin was slowly turning red and heating up. ____________________________________________ At the time same as a half-ogre thought of a ruined plan, Bryn found herself within the recesses of her mind, denying reality as time slowed down. Something that made the barrage of attacks that she was suffering seem unending. She could see what was happening but did not believe it. She could feel the pain, but she ignored it. She could feel the blood running down her body, but she denied it. She had seen the power of the woman before her when she cut one of her spells in half. She knew that and yet she confronted her in the same way she would have confronted any other human. She refused to accept it. She refused to accept the possibility that fighting once again against her could lead to more than a scratched horn. She refused...her own fear. For when she saw her spell being cut in half...she felt that fear once more, even if for an instant, and it started a chain reaction within her. That fear made her usual cold and focused heart into something else. Something that needed to be held back. ''I have been so blind...'' She was not herself. ''What am I doing...Master Scath?'' She asked at her memories of her Master while she, for the first time in the whole battle, truly looked at the fearless eyes of her opponent. ''A true battle? Hmm...that is a good question, Bryn. In my whole life I have battled many beings, from the first of our kin, who were my brothers and sisters, to Grand Monsters and Beasts. And even so-called Sages, Hermits, Saints andHeroes. Back then she could see it in her Masters eyes, each of those mentioned had left everlasting memories on her, they had been strong enough to be worthy of the benefit of being remembered. Still, the thing that differentiates them from common to true battles...is simple, but it will probably be difficult for you to understand. The fearless eyes of the opponent, the rush one gets when the path to victory is obscured and...the embracing of one''s fear of death. It was then that her Master looked at her with eyes that seemed to hold tinges of pity, disappointment, and interest. Much unlike her usual aloofness. And judging by your expression I was right. But no matter, it was to be expected. After all, you are young, and you have been unopposed since you ascended to that form. Still, give it time and you shall find someone that will put you in that position, whether you want it or not. When you do, it will not matter who you are fighting against but the battle itself. And the only path that will lead you to victory will be the one where you break any preconception you may have and use everything. Her Master''s wisdom shone within her mind like the sun coming out after a nebulous day, for she finally understood the meaning behind such words. ''You are truly wise...Master.'' Thus, her mind was finally free of the toxic cycle of denial. She believed what she was seeing. She acknowledged her pain. She stopped denying her bleeding. She accepted her fear. And in that moment, as she felt like a weight had been taken off her body, she slowly but surely weaved her magical energies. Moreover, she was now aware that Erevain was trying to outpace her [Health Regeneration] and make true damage before using something bigger to finish her off. So, she made a plan to forcefully stop her and create the brief chance that she needed to break free. Such plan consisted of manipulating the pieces of the ice doll that were left and sending them towards Erevain''s siblings, forcing her to stop her attack and save their lives. With that, she waited for her plan to work, but something unexpected happened. *CRACK* *CRASH* The half-ogre woman that she had trapped in an ice pillar broke herself out of it and jumped at the place where the pieces were moving. But that was not all. Her arms and her legs had turned pale red, and vapor was emanating from her. That made something clear. The ice pillar had not only been broken by her sheer strength, but also melted by the intense heat that she was emitting. "You keep attacking her, Erevain! I will protect these two for as long as I can!" So exclaimed Mary as she grabbed the doll''s pieces and crushed them with her hands. Still, she knew that she would not last long in that new form of hers, for she felt as if she was being cooked alive from the inside. ''This must be my angry ancestors punishing me for calling them names...'' Such were Marys thoughts on the reason for that. "Mary...I am sorry..." "Save it, Licht. You fucked it up...but you tried. And Euphy, come on! Move! If I can, you can! I know that you have potions in that bracelet of yours! Use them! Or are you still that little girl?" "Haha...that is the Big Sis that I love...hn! You know well that I have been trying all this time...!" As Euphemia was finally able to move, even if slowly, she managed to summon some potions from her storage bracelet and started drinking one of them. Then... "Very well...[Great Draconic Force] [Strength of the Eternal Winter]." ! ...a wave of power suddenly emanated from Bryn, which not only pushed Erevain back, but threw her to the floor, all while also affecting the others. "I...acknowledge you as an opponent...I will no longer disrespect those eyes of yours...Erevain." And as said opponent stood up, she found a fully healed Eternal Winter looking at her. Her stance did not show any openings and the way she was holding her spear told Erevain that Bryn was finally taking their fight seriously. But that was not a good thing at all, for that meant that she was going to face the full might of a Dragon Lord. Worst of all, in an enclosed space where her family was present. Thus, she was the most disadvantaged of the two. And she had realized that from the beginning. That was why she had tried to defeat her as fast as possible by outpacing her regeneration and dealing true damage to her body. But now that was clearly not possible. Then again, true trials were never that easy and she knew it. "[Shielder''s Will] [Mystic Knight''s Trance] [Mystic Fortress]." As such, she did not waver before such trial and instead she walked towards it, towards Bryn. And Bryn walked towards Erevain. One step. Three steps. Five steps. Their battle resumed. Erevain''s sword slashed and parried away Bryn''s spear, while Bryn thrusted her spear once again and moved it perfectly, fully making use of her reach. Sparks flew as the sound of metal clashing against metal filled the area. It was truly a battle of technique where stopping for one second could mean heavy damage. Not only that, but any of those blows could kill even a veteran knight and Erevain''s family knew it. Even if they were healed now thanks to Euphemias potions, there was no place for them in that battle, which frustrated Euphemia greatly. Still, she did not take her eyes off it, waiting for a chance to help. And Licht was doing the same, all while making his brain come up with anything that could help his brother...sister...win. Mary, on the other hand, did not have time to do that, for she needed to defend those two from any attacks that came their way. Furthermore, that fact that Erevain was not reacting to those attacks showed that she trusted her. She would not betray that trust, not again. Back to the fight, the attacks from Bryn became faster and Erevain responded in kind. It is so strangebeing able to keep up with a full-fledged Dragon Lord is something that I only knew from legendsand yet, that is what I am doing. Such were her thoughts as she kept slashing, thrusting, and parrying in a certain pattern. That is until ''There!'' ...an opening was created by tricking Bryn into following that very same pattern, making it impossible for her to block Erevain''s next attack. She knew it and still tried, for that was what her heart was telling her. Yet, Erevains blade came down with amazing strength and connected with Bryn''s shoulder, cutting into the skin, but before it could go any deeper... *CRACKCRACK* *CRACK* *CRASH* ...Erevain''s sword broke into pieces, which not only shocked her, but also made her lose her balance for an instant. An instant that Bryn was not going to ignore. "Hooo...!" And so, she shot a ball of concentrated icy blue flames from her hand, flames that were not a skill nor a spell, but something natural for her as a Dragon Lord. What was once her breath when she was just a Dragon, was now something that she could shoot out of her hand at a lower input. But she knew that that was not enough for Erevain. After all, she had resisted her ice. Thus, she kicked her right in the stomach. "Nnnh...!" But despite receiving the full brunt of it and being pushed back towards her family, Erevain did not fall, for she kept herself standing by nailing her feet to the ground through sheer strength. "You fought...well...Erevain. If that sword had not brokenI would have been injured enough for youto finish me. But alas, this has taken far too long...no more whispers...no more dances...my cold flames shall be the end for youand your family. But will you use the same thing as then, I wonder...?" With that, Bryn''s mana started to swirl around her gracefully and the rooms temperature began to drop sharply. "Oh breath of mine...bring everything to a standstill...cease the dancing of life and..." "That chant...! Everyone! I shall protect you!" In that moment, realizing what was about to happen, Erevain readied herself to do everything she could to stop it from hurting those behind her. "Big Brother!" "Elder Brother!" "Erevain!!" Those who called out to her as they felt the impending danger, but they did not do so out of desperation or wanting salvation, they did so out of concern. After all, regardless of everything that happened, they already had lost her once. They did not want to lose her again. "...turn everything into a field of pure...white death, [Fimbulvetr''s Breath]!" But such wishes meant nothing to the Dragon Lord before them as a magical circle appeared in front of her face and her cheeks cracked open, revealing a more draconic maw. Following that, an icy blue glow started to make its way up Bryn''s throat to the interior of her mouth and thenit was shot forth. A torrent of icy blue flames that became a gigantic dragons breath as they passed through the magic circle and flew towards its targets. "Moonlight and Earth, I beseech you protect me!! [Magic Shield]!!!" In response, Erevain not only stretched her [Magic Shield] to the point that it could protect everyone effectively, but she also casted such spell multiple times, putting each shield on top of the other and creating somewhat of a layered barrier. And yet, she knew that it was not going to be enough, for she could see the effects that such merciless breath was having in her surroundings. Or more likethere was no sign of them. Indeed, there were no traces left that would tell someone that such place had been a room until a few moments ago. Even the vault that Bryn sought to open disappeared on top of layers upon layers of ice. Thus, the room was not a room anymore but an icy cavern. One whose freezing cold was already reaching Erevains family despite her blocking the brunt of the attack. "C-cold...damn...!" "So...c-cold..." "Come you two! I will keep you warm!" Of course, Mary was not going to just let them freeze, and as such, she embraced both Euphemia and Licht, trying with everything she had to keep them warm. Even if that meant forcing her body to maintain a state she was barely holding onto. Furthermore, Erevain was being pushed back. "Nnngh...!" At that point it was the worst-case scenario for her. For while she felt that she could survive the attack even if it hit her, the othersthe others would not. ''If only I had a shield...!'' Indeed, if only she had a shieldthen she could have used her strongest defensive spell [Astral Barrier]. But said spell needed a shield to act as the physical medium from which her mana would materialize it. Without it...the results could be even worse than what she was experiencing now. Even then, she knew that she was being closely watched by Bryn, who was seemingly completely focused on releasing her unending breath. But no, she was waiting. Waiting for Erevain to try and use something that would leave her open to be annihilated by her spear. Thus, the moment she started a longer chant, Bryn would move and use that opening. Still ''It does not matter...! I shall take the risk...!'' "Moonlight and?!" she did it anyways, or at least she tried before time slowed down for her. It was different than the adrenaline rush she had experienced multiple times. Yetit felt strangely familiar. Like she had experienced such slowed down world once upon a time. Haayou truly are too selfless and stubborn for your own good...Erevain. But that is one of your good points too. It was then that a strange feminine voice resounded everywhere and nowhere at the same time. A voice that made the familiar feeling within Erevain grow stronger. ''Whoare you? Why do I feel that I know you?'' So asked Erevain, but her lips did not move at all and neither did her body. Who indeed? To think that the Knight that I chose, the Knight whose life I saved back then forgot about me. That pains me... It was then that Erevain remembered that night five years ago. The same full moon night when she found herself between life and death after her fight with Bryn. Indeed, something else happened after that, something that had been a hazy memory until now, someone called out to her back then and she called herself ''Moon Spirit...?'' She said in a surprised tone. Oh, so you do remember! I am glad that my Master''s lover did not tell you about me and let you remember on your own! But enough of that, I have taken the liberty of asking for a favor to my sister, the Time Spirit, and she has agreed to slow everything down for a moment. All so that I can apologize. ''What? Why? I should be the one apologizing for...'' Shhhlet me finish. I do not want this to take too long or the favor Ill owe will be bigger! *ahem* As I was saying, I apologize for making you wait. It is just that I cannot help but be finicky about blessed weapons born from Moon Tears, and I could not give my approval until I was sure that they were perfect! That is why you had to wait this long! So, when you hear me clap and everything goes back to normal, just summon them and ah! Use that! You can endure it now. I promise. Good? Good. See you! ''Wa-wait'' *clap* *clap* Sudden was her entrance and sudden was her exit, leaving Erevain no time to reply before the world returned to its normal speed. But instead of wasting time questioning what happened, she decided to trust the words of the Moon Spirit. Thus, she planted her feet on the icy floor, took a deep breath, and shouted from the top of her lungs. "COME, OH GREAT MOON, FILL ME WITH YOUR POWER AS YOUR LIGHT FILLS THE SKY..." And as Erevain predicted, Bryn launched herself at her. But it was too late. "...[MOON DESCENT]!" For a pillar of bright silver light burst out of a magical circle beneath her feet, covering her completely and protecting her family from the last torrent of freezing flames. Not only that, but it also made Bryn jump back at the last moment. And as the light faded away, it revealed the figure of Erevain clad in an armor made of moonlight itself, one that hovered over her combat clothing. But that was not all. In her right hand there was a blessed longsword and covering her left arm there was a blessed shield. The former had runes burning with moonlight in its fuller and had an exquisite silver shine. Meanwhile, the latter looked as if someone had made it out of all the phases of the moon, giving it a layered appearance. And just like with the longsword, it had runes burning with moonlight, but these ones were right on its center. Furthermore, Erevains pupils were glowing with a never seen before intensity and her black hair was now a pure, shining silver. Lastly, she did not know it, but a full moon had suddenly appeared in the sky, making her Knights'' morale go through the roof, for they knew what it meant. "Beautiful..." Euphemia gaped, giving voice to what they were all thinking. "I see...so this is what I saw a glimpse of back then...come!" Said Bryn as she readied her spear, a smile appearing on her face for the very first time. Thus, Erevain obliged, stepping forward with fearless eyes and the conviction to defeat Eternal Winter. And so, they danced again. To be continued (Cue illustration of Erevain in her [Moon Descent] form!!) (Up Next in IAWAMW Z: What the hell are the maids doing while these epic battles are playing out?! Their duty, duh!! Expect to read about the rest of the maids that were just in the background too!) Thank you for reading and for your patience! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please drop a heart, and tell me down below! If you wish to support me and the story, please consider subscribing to my patreon, buying me a ko-fi, or donating to my paypal! Your support really helps, a lot. Now, before we go to the art section of today/tonight. Theres a bit of news, or more like complementing one that was already mentioned! And that is, the stream where you guys can get to meet LARH and ask him questions, it will be on the 5th of this month! So, if you want to join in, do join the storys discord server! Speaking of discord, we are having a live read this Sunday! Yes, that includes me doing the voices of all characters and sound effects! So, if you not only want to listen to me, but also have the chance to choose which chapter I will read, do join us this Sunday! And without further ado, heres the art! First, LARH gifted me this amazing sketch to celebrate the new year with all of you and wish you the best! In any case, Auros looks so good! I love it!! Lastly, we have a very comfy New Years Nerinne by fia from our discord server! She looks so gorgeous and warm! And thats all for now, if youd like to send some fanart, just go to the discord server and upload it in the fanart channel! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred and eeleater! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all in the next chapter! Chapter 86: A maid’s duty is the same in the battlefield! Years ago, in some place close to the capital of the Kyrie Kingdom, a strange scene took place. Hmmit makes me happy to see that you three have improved this much. A black-haired woman stood victorious and unscathed before three gasping armored teenagers. Furthermore, she was wearing but simple clothes that offered no protection in combat whatsoever and wielded a mere wooden sword in one of her hands. As for the teenagers NnhaharighthaIcant.hrnnsee that One had cinnamon colored skin, red hair, and a scar on his left cheek. He was also using his massive sword as support, keeping himself standing. .[Heal]dont.talkyou oafyoullhrnnmake itworseha Magically healing him and himself, was another teenager. He had white skin, blond hair, and seemed to have his eyes closed despite being very much awake. Not only that but he was even looking at the womans direction. Hanhthe factnghthat weare still conscioushahais proof enough. Youwent harderhaon us halfway throughhhnright, Mother? Lastly, the teenager who was taking point in their clearly defeated triangular formation, had hair as black and skin as white as the woman she had referred to as mother. His hair even shared the same undulated look to it. Still, while the woman seemed to have gentle eyes, the teen could only show a glare. And that was despite his voice showing no hint of anger, aggression, or any other emotion that could trigger it. In any case, the woman met such glare head on and rather than being intimidated by it, just as many would, she smiled and laughed. Hahaha, so you noticed. As expected of my son. All these years sparring with me have made you so perceptive to my little strength adjustments. Indeed, she smiled, laughed, and spoke with no reservation whatsoever. Something that extended to her emotions, as she showed pride, gentleness, and love with no problem. Could itbebecause it was always followed bypain like this that youhad no choice butto learn to perceive those, Erevain? That iscertainly a way tosee ithaha Myhnnpain is feeling painugh Thats what youget for charging innnlike a brute. Heydont just say that to me, Erevain did it too! No, what I did wasteamwork. You were going to charge at her anyway, so I used you as distraction to flank her. Ha?! Thats not teamwork you bastard! And you got punched immediately so stop looking so smug! No, no, I agree with Erevain. It was a good tactic. How about we use it again? Ah, but do endure a bit more for the sake of the team, Kristoff. Good. I was thinking the same thing, Gabriel. So, I too sincerely ask you to endure more for the sake of the team, Kristoff. Oi, you two are asking to be punched, huh? And the woman could not help but keep smiling as she witnessed such exchange between her son and his friends. For beaten up as they were, none had lost their motivation and they clearly showed no signs of wanting to give up. Easy there you three. If you start fighting against each other, I will feel lonely and join in without holding back. !! Hahaha, it was a joke! Dont look so terrified! The time for fighting has passed anyways. Ill be rewarding your efforts now. But how? Hmm The black-haired woman pondered about such thing for a moment before coming up with the only reward she deemed valuable enough. One that made her smile with confidence. What are you planning to do, Mother? And while her son was the only one to voice them after noticing that smile, his friends shared the same doubts about the nature of the reward, which they showed by looking warily at her as they nodded along with Erevains question. Oh, it is nothing to be apprehensive about, you three. I will just be showing you something that will hopefully help you all at the same time. ? Sadly for her, those words only helped deepen the teenagers suspicions. After all, their previous experiences with her way of teaching had made them overly cautious of her. Haaajust watch, alright? Giving up on convincing them to not be wary of her, she proceeded to ask them that and the three of them nodded in silence. Good. Now !! In that moment, her mana spiked and surprised the three of them, making their eyes go wide and even paralyzing them for an instant. Then, she spoke to each of them. For you, little Kristoff, I will show you strength. yeah! First, she spoke with the redheaded one, who threw his doubts and caution out of the window the moment the womans words reached his ears. Truly showing his priorities. For you, little Gabriel, I will give you a chance to improve that sense of yours. So be sure to not be blinded and keep your eyes on me. If you can. Then she spoke with the blond one, who could only fully open his eyes in response. But that was more than enough, for doing so implied that he had accepted the womans challenge. And for you, my dear son, Erevain. I will show you the strongest moonlight spell I know. Burn it into your mind and make sure to master it. Because just as I did, someday you will need it to protect others. I shall! And finally, she spoke with the black-haired one, who so confidently made such declaration while looking at her with the eyes she was so proud of, eyes full of an unwavering conviction. Thenmoon, great moon, come Thus, she proceeded to make good on her word and they never forgot. __________________________________________________ They used to be the protectors of the Kyrie Kingdom. They used to be hailed as heroes by many. They used to be one of the Knights'' Orders of the Kyrie Kingdom. They used to be the Swords of Dawn. But all of that changed that night, five years ago. A massacre that could have been prevented did occur. They were too late to stop it and too late to help more. A King who betrayed everything pinned the blame on them. While a Crown Prince, their Leader, protected everything from a freezing death all by himself. And they almost lost him. But that was not all They were dubbed traitors and cowards. They were forced to escape their home and go into hiding. Thus, they became exiles. Yet, life had quite the twist prepared for them. After all, they were now in the same place that saw them fall. Fighting not only a Dragon Lord but also serving one. And most important of all, this time they were not late. This time they would not be betrayed. This timethey would rise. "KNIGHTS OF THE EVER-BURNING WILL!! HEED ME!! THIS IS THE TIME WE EARN THE NAME!! THIS IS THE TIME WHERE WE SHALL CARVE A NEW PATH FOR EVERYONE!! A BETTER FUTURE!! FOR OUR FAMILIES!! FOR THE INNOCENT!! FOR OUR MASTER!! FOR THE GODDESS!! FOR THE WORLD!!!" "UUUUUOOOOO!!!!" So exclaimed the one named Erica with the might of a true leader and those very Knights answered with a scream that shook the ground. They had been entrusted with dealing with one third of a Dragon Lord''s army...and they could not be more motivated about it. The words of their subleader fanned the flames even higher after seeing the display of power of the woman they called Master. The woman that gave them such opportunity to fulfill their oath. The opportunity to go full circle with what happened five years ago. And sothe night was not going to be a cold one nor a bloody one. At least...not for those on their side. "Mika, Josie, ground those wyverns! Louise, cover them while they chant! Evangeline, stay with them just in case!" """"Yes!"""" As everyone charged towards their side of the opposing army, Erica relayed her orders. Orders that, due to the surprising circumstances of the opposing armys arrival, had to be changed on the spot from the ones that Erevain had prepared, but as shown by the immediate response from everyone through the communication skill that connected them, they trusted Ericas orders completely. _________________________________________ Thus, they put them into action. Starting with Louise, who quickly positioned herself in front of her two Caster comrades, Mika, and Josie, while readying both a massive, blessed shield that could pretty much fully cover anyone smaller than her and a blessed double-edged battle axe. Both had an appearance that seemed to mix various designs into a perfectly balanced one. "Chant without worries, Mika, Josie! Nothing is getting past us, [Shielder''s Trance]! Earth, provide me with your strength to protect those who I care for, [Earth''s Bulwark]!" With that, a brown glow covered her completely as she firmly planted her feet on the ground, and nothing would be able to move her unless she wanted to. But most importantly, no attack would be able to get past her, for she was one of the Maid-Knights tanks apart from being the cook. And anyone whos luck is shitty enough to get past Louise is getting their heads smashed in by me. Also, if you get hurt or need mana, just say it. I need achievements to get Master to pick me for whatever comes next, heh. Said the woman who stood close behind Louise while glancing at her comrades. While her hair was mainly black, some of her front bangs had either warm red or ghostly white hair. The bags under her dark green eyes and her rough tone made her seem like a problematic person, but both the smile full of camaraderie and the caring eyes that she showed to the two casters were enough proof of her true colors. She would not let anyone hurt them and if someone tried, they would kiss the business end of her blessed Warhammer. And if her comrades got hurt, she would heal them with haste, for that was her duty. She was Evangeline, a Fierce Healer of the Maid-Knights. "Ready when you are, Mika." "Then let us take those wyverns down, Josie." After that exchange they both raised and pointed their blessed staves at two of the wyverns that were about to release their devastating breath upon their comrades and began their chant. "Darkness, I ask of you, tear through my enemy''s flesh and rid them from this world..." "Light, speed through the sky, bore into my enemy and cease their life..." Then, two magical circles appeared in front of their staves. One black for Josie. One white for Mika. ""COMBINED MAGIC"" That isuntil they merged into one and became much bigger. ""[ALBAGRAM BLAST]!!"" *ZUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON* A black and white blast came out of the magical circle and not only did it hit the wyverns, but... "GAAAOORRR!" "GYAOOORR!" ...disintegrated them completely. "GRRRAAAAOURGH!!!" Enraged by the sudden loss of its brethren, a third wyvern shot a massive fireball at those who killed them. But "No, that is not going to cut...it!!" *BLAMNN* "If you want to cook us, I suggest you use more heat!" Louise blocked it completely with her shield before throwing such comment at the angered wyvern. "Louise, don''t give cooking advice to the wyvern." Interjected Mika as she shook her head. "Im grounding it." Said Josie while pushing her glasses slightly upwards in aclassic manner, as a certain absurd person would say. "Waitit seems that someone else already has that covered. Dammitshe is still that crazy even as a woman...seriously" Grumbled Evangeline while slightly grimacing. And indeed, someone was going to take care of that poor Wyvern. _______________________________________ While Mikas group was getting ready to take down those wyverns, Erica kept issuing orders to the rest of the maids. "Scouting team! Report!!" One of the changes that the plan had gone through was that the scouting needed to be done much faster for obvious reasons, plus another thing. Sam here, we just finished scouting the area surrounding Violet Deaths armies and evacuating the patrollers in the vicinity. In any case, the one that answered to Erica was a woman with cinnamon colored skin, clear green eyes, and light brown hair, which was done in an elegant ponytail so that her hair would not mess with her accuracy. Nextwith Masters attack elegantly dividing the battlefield in two, only those able to fly can move quickly between the zones. But with the Riders taking out those coming from theirs, thats not something we need to worry about. Andalrightwe are now in position to take out their strongest casters and healers, as well as the commanders of those groups." Said Sam as she pulled the special string of her truly elegant, blessed bow, poured mana into it, and created four mana arrows imbued with the lightning attribute. But only for a moment, for she then added the darkness attribute to them, and the lightning attribute arrows were soon painted black, making their crackling sparks both wilder and soundless. All as she targeted two Aged Lizardmen Flesh Menders and two Elder Liches. And close beside her, Jules was doing the same as she targeted another group of Aged Lizardmen Flesh Menders and Elder Liches. Although, her mana arrows were imbued with the nature attribute instead and were giving off a green light. "Do it!" Ordered Erica with no hesitation, condemning those enemies to death. """"On it."""" _________________________________________________ Most of the Lesser Dragon Lords that acted as commanders of the enemy forces were supposed to be in the rear of their formation, but were now instead fighting in the frontlines, for they had been inspired by their Masters words. Still, that was only for those whose abilities relied more on brute strength rather than magic. And those who did rely more on magic did stay in the rear. Although, that did not make them any less dangerous. "Fire, bring ruin..." "Earth, impale those..." After all, there were many spells that knew naught of distance. Just like those that they were already in the middle of chanting. Spells that could also prove to be devastating if unleashed, judging by how much mana they were weaving into them. Too bad that they did not notice the two maids who were getting dangerously close to them from behind. Allegra and Luca. And how would they? After all, their stealth spells and skills had been absurdly enhanced by the pact they made with the being who was easily fighting against the oldest of Dragon Lords. It was just a matter of seconds before not only them, but all the scouts took everyone out at the same time. Three...Allegra got close enough to her target, one jump and she would be on their shoulders. Ready to use her...words. Two...Luca was already in position and had her blessed daggers ready. One...Jules and Sam finished their chants. Zero...they all made their move. Luca and Allegra jumped at such commanders at the same time. "...destroy those inferio!" "...make the field into a!" Both Lesser Dragon Lords were not even able to finish their chants before... "[Poisonous Words: Death]." "[Precise Strike]." ...Allegra''s voice slithered its way into the first one''s ears, her face being at a whispers distance from her targets... "Gurgh" *thud* ...and Luca''s blessed daggers found their way into the second one''s brain... "G" *thud* ...ending their lives with ease. And the moment those two fell, was the moment that Jules and Sam shot their arrows. "...[Crescent Blade Arrow] [Quadruple Shot]." "...[Mana Clash Arrow] [Quadruple Shot]." """""!!!!!""""" Jules targets were vertically cut in half the moment the arrow she had shot them with pierced them and it turned into a large, green crescent blade that was infused with the power of the nature attribute. Meanwhile, Sams targets, as in the other two Elder Liches and two Aged Lizardmen Flesh Menders, were hardly able to react before they too were struck by arrows. But those were made of black lightning and said arrows immediately caused their mana to go haywire before they imploded. Thus, the targets of all scouts were dealt with in just a few moments. "That black lightning arrow of yours always makes me lose my appetite...and thats not cool." "Yeah right, give it a few minutes and that stomach of yours will be growling..." Before Jules words and unhappy expression, Sam said that as she shook her head. "Lets...continue..." And with Luca''s order they all disappeared once again, looking for the next chance to strike at more high value targets. _________________________________________________ While Erica made her way through the lizardmen, undead, and other foot soldiers, she kept assigning teams to deal with the various threats of the opposing army. Of course, she made quick work of everyone who crossed paths with her, and she did so without even needing to use any skills or spells. Furthermore, she was not alone, for in her vicinity there were other maids. Strong maids. Maids who could very well be called the paragons of their respective classes within the Maid-Knights. Kris, who was the top warrior, and Gabrielle, who was the top healer. And if that was not enough, both Lucy and Roxxy were close too. And so, with such maids around, one thing was certain. No enemy would survive if they got close to them. "GUUUOOOORGH!!" Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the battlefield, one that rang in their ears and caused the ground to shake. Erica immediately turned around and saw a black chimera making its way towards them from the left flank. Knowing that it would be a problem if not dealt with quickly, she looked around for the team of Maid-Knights who were closer to said flank and proceeded to relay the following: "Max, Patricia, Kara, Bertia! Take care of that chimera on our left flank! But be careful, it might not be the only one that is mutated!! Ha!!" "GN!" Not only that, but she also dodged the spear of an Awakened Lizardman and thrusted her rapier right into its chest, killing it with that single attack. "Mutated? It will be fine. We have Ziggy with us, and she will take care of those, teehee~. I just ask everyone to not get scared when I summon her, ok?" So answered Max without a single hint of tension whatsoever, furthermore she was quite confident. "Ziggy?" "Don''t worry about that, Erica. It''s just one of the beasts she can use now! We''ll be fine!" So exclaimed Bertia cheerfully, sharing the confidence that Max had. Also, her group was already charging at the flank they had been assigned to. And that was when a black and white blast tore through the air, utterly disintegrating two of the three wyverns that were in the sky. While a third one, who was clearly enraged, shot a massive fireball towards the place the blast came from. _______________________________________________ "Wooaah!! HAHA! NOW THATS WHAT I''M TALKING ABOUT!!" Exclaimed Kris as she cut down many undead and awakened lizardmen by simply swinging her absurd looking sword in a semicircular manner. Furthermore, there was no need for her to use a skill as her brute strength was more than enough to do the job. In any case, seeing such display of magic only motivated her even more. To the point that when she looked at the remaining wyvern, a fire was lit inside of her, one that manifested through her smile and her eyes. She wanted a piece of the action, and she wanted it now! "Oi! Lil Erica! I''m taking down that other Wyvern!" Thus, she shouted that as she prepared to jump at it from where she was. "Just don''t take too long! And stop it with that nickname!" Answered Erica, knowing full well that she could not stop Kris once she was set on doing something. "Don''t worry...! It will only take a moment!" With that, Kris ran a bit and jumped at the flying beast, all while doing what would normally be an impossible pirouette with that sword of hers... "TAKE THIS!! HAHAHA!!" "GUOAORRG?!" *TUUUUUNNNNK* ...and cleanly slicing the Wyvern''s head off with it. But that was not all, in that moment, as gravity did its thing and she began to fall, she looked at the enemies below her and smiled once again. """...!!!""" It was a smile that sent shivers down the spine of every enemy that saw it and made them want to flee the area immediately. And they trieduselessly. *SLAM* Indeed, for as soon as they were able to force themselves to move, Kris landed on top of the biggest one of them by piercing its chest with her absurd sword and nailing the now corpse to the ground, all while the Wyverns lifeless body fell to her side and crushed those unlucky enough to be under it. "HAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS GREAT!!" And so, with such a shout, she struck fear into the hearts of the remaining enemies around her, including the monsters. As for her fellow maidsthey found it a bit embarrassing. "My, she really is a muscle-headed idiot...hm?" One of said fellow maids was Gabrielle, who shook her head as she said that before something approaching caught her attention. "I concur, your comrade is mistaken in feeling elated by killing something as low as a Wyvern. A mindless beast unlike us, even if it was raised by Master Scath. Nowyou might be strong enough to be able to walk leisurely in this battlefield as you do, but that stops now, human." That something was a Lesser Dragon Lord that easily towered over Gabrielle. He was wielding a massive axe in each hand, while looking at Gabrielle as if she were an insect ready to be squashed. Furthermore, not only were his scales violet and white, but most of his body was clad in an armor made of ice. Meanwhile, his wings were covered in violet flames, making them seem as if they were made of such flames. Thus, it was clear that he was an important subordinate of both Eternal Winter and, most importantly, Violet Death. He was a Commander. "My, whatever shall I do now?" So said Gabrielle sarcastically, maintaining her smile and seemingly closed eyes. "Simple, accept death." Such was the response of the Commander, making it clear that he was going to end her. Then, he raised both of his axes and roared at Gabrielle before... "[SAVAGE CHOPPER]!!" unleashing a flurry of attacks upon her. Attacks that would kill many in just the first swing, but to the Commanders surprise, she had evaded all of them. With ease. "To think that you can evade this!! Good!! [SOUL FIRE EVISCERATION]! [WINTERS EDGE]!!!" "My..." Gabrielle''s opponent, impressed by such a feat, smiled just as his Master would before facing an opponent that could prove worthy and immediately went all out against her, causing his axes to be enwrapped by intense violet flames and freezing blue flames as he used his strongest skills to not only end the maid before him, but erase her from the face of the planet. "YOU ARE MINE!!" And so, with such a shout, he descended upon the unmoving Gabrielle. Indeed, unmoving. For instead of evading like she did before, she planted her feet on the ground, assumed her characteristic front stance, breathed in, and readied her fist. "...what a bothersome lizard. "WHA?!" [KI STRIKE]!" *BAM* *CRASH* GAH! Gabrielle then evaded both attacks at the very last moment and struck her opponent, blowing away his ice armor and burying her fist right in the center of his now bare chest, all while using enough strength to cause a shockwave that was able to be seen and heard the moment her fist met with her opponents body. "GERgh...h-how...can this be...?!" Utterly baffled and reeling back, the Commander barely managed to say that as he was finding it more and more difficult to breathe, but he only did so after being unable to hold back the blood coming out of his mouth. The painoh the painit was so unbearable that he did not realize how hard he was hugging his own chest because of it. Not only that but his knees were trembling so much that it was only a matter of time for him to fall and thenhe did. Finallyhe looked up at Gabrielle. His eyes were full of confusion, fear, anguish, and despair. And as he was swallowed by those emotions, he noticed that his wounds were not healing properly, which pushed him even deeper into such emotional pit. The strength he was so confident aboutthe power he had been entrusted withmeant nothing against the human before him. Something that he could not believe nor understand, even after seeing his Master be pushed back by the maids Master. Indeedsomething must be wrong with the maid before himnowith all of them, he was sure of it. "W-what...are...you?" Thus, wheezing and drowning more with every word that left his mouth, the Commander asked that with a feeble voice. And before Gabrielle gave him the answer he sought, she fully opened her eyes and gave him the coldest of stares. One that was devoid of any light, any mercy, anything bututter rejection. "As My Dear Master said, we are the response of a world that rejects you. [Exploding Palm: First Form]." Thus, with such cold words having left her lips, Gabrielle firmly struck the Commanders face with her palm and walked away. "Gurgh!! *CRUNCH* W-what?! *CRACK* What did you do to?! *SWELL* GGYAARGH!" *SPLOOOORSHION* "You should really tone it down with that palm of yours, you know?" Said Kris as she approached her while more monsters, lizardmen and undead went at them, charging to their death. "My, and why is that?" Mildly curious as to why her friend and rival said that, she glanced at her as she casually evaded the charge of an Awakened Lizardman and his mount. "Because it is a pain washing my hair afterwards...HA!" GRAH! "GYUNN!" Said Kris as she cleaved in half not only such lizardman but also said mount. "My, I never thought of you as someone who would care about that regardless of sex...[Exploding Palm: Fourth Form]!" *BOOOOM* """GYAAAARGH!!!""" So said Gabrielle as she sent flying an entire group of awakened lizardmen, undead, and even some monsters. "I grew up with six older sisters!! Caring for my hair has been carved into my being!! "HUMAAAAN!!!" TAKE THIS!! ?! With that, Kris once again made her blessed weapon live up to her name as she charged at and cleaved in half an incoming Lesser Dragon Lord Her brute strength was simply too overwhelming for her poor opponent, who realized it far too late. "Ohohohoho! True! I do remember you talking about that in the academy! It is even funnier with how we are now! Ohohohoho!" "Agh! Stop it with that laugh! You dampen my mood!" With that, they kept making their way to Erica, who had gone deeper behind enemy lines while they wereoccupied and was now at the center of the battlefield, unleashing a giant swirl of water with one of her spells. ___________________________________________ "Those two are just showing off! No fair!" So exclaimed Bertia, who had two awakened lizardmen in chokeholds, one with her arms and the other with her legs. They were flailing their arms around, trying to free themselves from Bertias technique, but found themselves unable to do so. Thus, they started gasping for air until... *crack* ...Bertia applied a bit more force and they did not need to anymore. At the same time, a woman with long white hair and eyes that showed no hesitation, proceeded to use her blessed twin longswords to slice off the legs of a spider-like monster, a Tarantera, in the span of a single breath, and then she jumped up while enchanting her longswords with lightning attribute and plunged them into the thorax of the Tarantera, discharging such element and frying the monster until it ceased moving. There, as she stood on the burnt corpse of her now defeated opponent, she gazed down at Bertia with that unhesitating gaze and proceeded to go help her up. "Are you not showing off by not using your blessed weapons to beat enemies? "Ha? But these guys are small fries! Besides, you were also trying to show off by killing the spider-thingy in the way you did, Kara!" Said Bertia as she pointed at the Tarantera''s carcass, which was still twitching here and there. "...! T-that is...I-Iawawa" Embarrassed by her friend revealing the truth behind her actions, Kara avoided Bertias eyes for a second as her seeming fa?ade of seriousness crumbled and gave way to the real, nervous face of the other Mystic Knight of the Maid-Knights, Kara. Something that made Bertia flash a teasing smile at her, having enjoyed poking fun at her friend. "Awawaah! R-Regardless of that! Its our duty to cover Max until she finishes her chant." Said Kara as she avoided more teasing by shifting the focus back towards the task they had been entrusted with while looking at their still chanting friend. "Yeah, and the Black Chimera is sure taking its sweet time to attack us." So said Bertia as she looked at the Black Chimera which was circling around them, clearly waiting for something "That is because chimeras are very sensitive to mana. So maybe it senses that Max is going to summon something worth the wait?" "Hmm, yeah. That sounds about right." They both nodded in agreeance, completely forgetting about what was happening around them, if only for a moment. "Hey! Don''t just stand there talking so casually! HYAA!! [KNEE SLASHER] [GREAT THRUST]!!" Indeed, for as Patricia thrusted her blessed greatsword into the chest of a gorilla-like monster, a Garagan, her shout pulled them out of such relaxed state. "Patricia...!! You were here?!!" Exclaimed Bertia, genuinely shocked. "Don''t go forgetting about me!!" Shot back Patricia, annoyed. Meanwhile, Max was standing on top of a magical circle that had appeared as soon as she began her chant. Her mana was dancing around her like the wind and any enemies that went past her comrades met with the bad side of her Guardian Beast. One who they were barely able to see before they met their end at the hands of her lupine maws, for she remained hidden within the wind itself. "...your name is Ziggy, come! [GREATER BEAST SUMMON: WHITE MANTICORE]!!" As soon as Max finished with her chant, the magical circle started spinning and a big silhouette appeared behind Max, one different than the one of her Guardian Beast or the Brute Bear she had summoned before to help a certain apprentice. And as it materialized, its form was completely revealed. Its body was that of a large lion except for the tail, which was that of a large scorpion, and the fact that it had wings similar to those of a dragon. But that was not all, for instead of having a beastly face, it had a human-like face and to top it off, a female one. Yet, the rows of sharpened teeth and more bestial expressions took away any human semblance from it. Lastly, its whole body was covered in a lustrous and immaculate white fur that almost shined by itself. Her name was Ziggy, Max''s white manticore. "GRARYAAAAARRRR!!!" "GOOOOOOORGHSSSSSSSSMEEEEH!!!!" Before the manticores fierce roar, the chimera roared back with all its heads, as if accepting a challenge and began running towards her. "Go, Ziggy! And I am sorry for not being able to summon you until now..." "Rrrrrurrr~~." Hearing the words of her Master, Ziggy patted Max''s head with her wing as she made such endearing growl and then left to fight the Black Chimera. "Wait...did that manticore just smiled...?! THAT''S NOT IT!! IT''S THE MUTATED MANTICORE, RIGHT?!! RIGHT?!!" "AWAWASINCE WHEN DO YOU HAVE A CONTRACT WITH IT?!!" Such were the questions with which Bertia and Kara assailed Max while grabbing her from the shoulders and shaking her. Something that did not bother Max at all, for she was overjoyed to know that her summoned beast had no bad feelings towards her. "GIRLS, CAN YOU START FIGHTING PROPERLY NOW?! MOST OF THE MONSTERS ARE TARGETTING US FOR SOME REASON! So exclaimed poor Patricia, who was dealing with more and more monsters at the same time, all while seemingly needing to babysit her teammates too. _________________________________________ Meanwhile, having moved deep behind enemy lines along with Erica, Lucy and Roxxy were fighting against a Lesser Dragon Lord and a Blood Skull Warrior, respectively. On Lucys side, the Lesser Dragon Lord tried to overwhelm her with a combination of physical and magical attacks, but by using her characteristic [Lightning Step] she evaded them all, leaving behind a trail of lightning every time she did, and immediately countered by annoyingly poking at her opponent with her lightning enchanted blessed sword. "Agh!!! You little...! [DRAGON''S BREATH]!!" Vexed by such tactics, the Lesser Dragon Lord tried to surprise her with his breath attack, but it too was evaded. "Ahahaha! You missed again! Now it''s my turn! [Lightning Thrust]!" "Gagh!!" "While we are here, lightning strike at my enemy, smite him with your fury, [Lightning Smite]!!" With that, lightning seemingly came down from the moonless sky and impacted the Lesser Dragon Lord, not once, not twice or thrice, but four times. "Gah...ha...damn human...toying with...! Wait...you are not...!" All while Lucy still had her sword inside the Lesser Dragon Lord''s body, surprising said opponent as the lightning did not seem to harm her. And that was the case, for instead of harming her, the lightningempowered her. "Hey look! No chant! [Lightning Blast]!!" "NOOOOO!" *TZZZZRAAAKAAAAAS* Thus, a blast of lightning erupted from Lucy''s sword and, with no chance to defend himself whatsoever, the Lesser Dragon Lord took the full brunt of the attack, tearing his body apart and sending whatever remained flying. "Kikikikiki..." Beckoned the Blood Skull Warrior, pointing its bloody red sword at Roxxy after catching a glimpse of what had happened to his comrade. "Nay, you will suffer no toying from me. But that does not mean that I will be fighting honorably. Fire, come and dwell within my weapon, [Fire Enchant]." And as if understanding what her opponent had said, Roxxy let out such words and readied her massive double handed blessed hammer, which was now enchanted with the fire attribute. The opponent before her was an undead who fought in many battles and bathed itself in the blood of its countless victims, evolving as its bones absorbed it all and turned blood red. Meanwhile, its armor and weapons were ones taken from its strongest victims, and some say that through the bathing them in the blood of said victims their essence is trapped within them, giving such undead access to their skills and techniques. Yetthat all meant nothing to the Blacksmith Maid of the Maid-Knights. "After all, that poor armor is pretty much telling me where to strike. And as Pops used to tell mefaulty armor is like a living skeleton, all ye need to take it down is a hammer and a good swing! [ARMOR BREAKER]!! *CLANG* *CRACK* "KIIIK...?!!" To think I would be fighting those two things combined...seriously Pops, are ye a prophet?! " With that, Roxxy kept making more and more cracks on the armor of the Blood Skull Warrior, all while said opponent tried its best to both attack her and evade her attacks. But the blunt force of the maids hammer was nothing to scoff at, for the Blood Skull Warrior could already feel parts of itself being broken by the mere impact of those attacks. Thus, it made it clear that receiving one of those attacks directly would most likely end its...un-life. At the same time, Erica was dealing with her own opponent, who, just as Gabrielles former opponent, was a Lesser Dragon Lord with violet and white scales, a Commander. Buthis power was greater than that one, for he had a more humanoid form and height. Still, as they fought it was clear who had the upper hand, for Erica began to push him back more and more, to the point that she was able to start chanting a powerful spell while she was at it. "...drown him in your fury, [PERILOUS SWIRL]!" A spell that unleashed a massive swirl of water from the tip of her blessed rapier, which swirled chaotically towards its target. Yet, instead of faltering before such immense spell, the Commander did not lose his calm and jumped back as he weaved his mana in preparation for his own attack. "Coldness that has blessed me, come out and bring this world to a standstill! [WINTER''S BLAST]!!" One that involved wrapping his arms in icy blue flames and releasing a constant torrent of them from his hands, which clashed with the water swirl that threatened to swallow him whole andmanaged to freeze part of it. But "HAAAH!!" Erica was not going to let her attack be frozen completely and so, she poured more mana into it. Thus, the swirl became bigger and bigger, but the same could be said about the Commanders icy flames, for he too poured more of his mana into his own attack, so much so that for those watching from the castle it looked like a clash between natural disasters. They were both marveled andscared by it. Yet, they could not take their eyes off it. "I have been entrusted this battle!! I shall not disappoint that trust by losing to you!!" And as if responding to Ericas declaration, something stirred within her as her pupils turned deep blue and began to glow. Nonot just her eyes, but her whole body was encased in such faint glow, one that gave off a watery effect. Then, it spread to the [Perilous Swirl] she was unleashing and made it more chaotic, moreprimal. Thus, its strength increased exponentially, breaking through previously frozen parts and almost reaching the Commander. "Nnn...I say the same, human!! Raaah!!!" So exclaimed the Commander as he made a fierce expression and held back the invigorated [Perilous Swirl] with his icy flames, but even then, he was being pushed back. And he knew it. "...! [Draconic Force]!!" With that, he invoked a last-minute empowering skill and froze a large part of the [Perilous Swirl], seemingly tipping the scales in his favor, but *CRACK* a large crack appeared right in the middle of such frozen mass of water *CRACRACRACRACRACRACRACRACRACK* followed by more, and more, and more, and more, until *CRASH* ...it was too late "GUBUBUBURGH...!" and he was swallowed by Erica''s spell, along with anyone else who was behind him, the primal currents tearing their bodies apart and whatever remained was left on the ground as the spell, having fulfilled its job, vanished. And something that remained was the Commander, albeit incredibly injured. He looked at the starry sky and before he could say something, he began coughing out bloody water, showing that the damage to his body had even reached his strong, draconic lungs. But it was fine, he knew that he was not going stand up ever again. Thus, he used what little strength he had left to speak with his opponent, who quickly approached him after seeing that he was still alive. "Sheathe your weaponhuman...no*cough*...you do not smell like one... *cough*you are something else. That is the*cough*only thing thatcan explain your*cough*strength. AaahMasteryou were right...*cough*this was a true battle...and thisthisis a truedeath" With that, the Commanders life expired. After closing her opponents eyes and confirming that Kris and Gabrielle were back and covering her, Erica proceeded to communicate with one more team. "Sophie, Lyra, Maevis, Gail, is everything alright at the rear?" Indeed, the one part that did not change from Erevain''s plan was that Sophie needed to remain at the rear to avoid any problems that could affect Sophie and in turn, the communication skill. "Keke! Yeah, no problems from this side, sub-leader Erica. We are working together with Mika''s team as you ordered, so any enemy is quickly being dealt with!" "Good, your communication skill has proven to be quite useful, Sophie. In my humble opinion, at least. But are you sure that you can maintain it for a long period of time?" Ericas concern was more than valid, for it was possible that maintaining such powerful skill would prove to be too taxing for Sophie, regardless of her pact. Even more if one were to add the inevitability of combat and the multiple distractions found in the battlefield. "And let you all return to using colored flares for communication? Keh! I can maintain it for as long as I am conscious, and I am not planning on taking a nap right now! Trust me!" Yet it seemed that those concerns were unfounded going by Sophie''s confident tone and the eyes she had been showing since their mutual Master, entrusted her with the task. "I will wake Dog up if that happens." "Hey!" Interjected Lyra nonchalantly, much to Sophies annoyance. "We can deal with anything that happens here, Erica. So, you can focus on that other thing that is on your mind. I mean...I know we got too into the whole ''maid'' thing and fused with the background, but we will not disappoint. Right, Gail?" "Mhm! Yep!" That is when the other two maids who were with them joined the call, one was Maevis, the Maid-Knights second tank and the other was Gail, the Maid-Knights last Martial Healer. The former had her blue hair tied back in a ponytail while the latter had her cherry pink hair done in double buns. "I am counting on you." """Yes!""" With that, Erica finished her call and looked at the still massive army that they had to deal with. Her gaze sharpened slightly as it fell on the many undead that seemed to outnumber the other races under Violet Death''s command. "My, you have noticed it too. Right, Erica?" So said Gabrielle, who approached her after dealing with some undead. "I see that you as well, Gabrielle. The monsters, the lizardmen, and even the Lesser Dragon Lordsthey are all dwindling in number, but not the undead. The Undead not only seem to just keep coming, but their numbers are increasing. We defeat one and two more appear in other place Erica kept looking at the battlefield as she said that, and while the situation did not seem dire, it was indeed giving her a bad feeling. "Perhaps it is somehow related with Violet Death. Maybe a delayed spell?" Said Gabrielle as she fully opened her eyes once more and read the flow of Ki in the area. The reason for that was a simple one. Undead give off an ''absence'' of it, so it was easy for her to locate an undead in the middle of many living beings, who emit ''Ki'' or life force. Such ease comes from that absence looking like an ''empty space''. Thus, Gabrielle saw that those empty spaces had increased instead of diminishing despite the combined efforts of the Maid-Knights. And even on the Rider''s side, the undead had similarly increased. "Certainly...but if that is the case, then we only have to deal with them until Master ends he!" In that moment, something grabbed her attention to the point of making her abruptly end her sentence. No. It could be said that everyone stopped fighting for a moment and looked up to the sky. A sky that was moonless no more. A full moon had appeared out of nowhere and only three people knew the reason behind such surprising happening. "That is...!" "My...!" "HAHAHA!! THAT BASTARD FINALLY DID IT!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! YEAH!!" Indeed, they knew the reason very well, for they had seen a certain person try and try again to use it, but to no avail. Still, that was not the case anymore. As such, their expressions were of surprise, happiness, and excitement. "Erevain used that spell...!" "My, Eternal Winter must be in trouble then." Thus, one would expect of them to relay such reason to the rest of their comrades, but Erica and Gabrielle seemed to be more than fine with just letting everyone figure it out by themselves. After all, it was quite obvious who was behind it. And certainly, some of the Maid-Knights had already figured it out, which raised their morale as high as it could be. Yet, there was someone whose morale had gone higher than that, someone who was obviously unable to hold her excitement. That someone was indeed none other than "LISTEN TO ME, EVERYONE!! THAT IS OUR LEADER RIGHT THERE!! SHE IS GOING PAST HER LIMITS AND BRINGING THE WHOLE DAMN MOON WITH HER!! HOW ABOUT WE DO THE SAME AND CLEAN THIS MESS UP!! AFTER ALL, WE ARE ALREADY DRESSED FOR THE JOB!! AHAHAHAHA!" Kris, who shouted that from the top of her lungs. They all laughed and shouted in agreement. Even Erica and Gabrielle let out a chuckle while shaking their heads. They used to be the protectors of the Kyrie Kingdom as one of its Knights Orders. They used to be hailed as heroes by many. They used to be the Swords of Dawn. They were now the Knights of the Ever-Burning Will. They were now the comrades of a High Dragon Lord. They were nowMaid-Knights. And they had some cleaning to do. To be continued...(cue illustration of all the rest of the maids making combat poses and looking stylish!) From Auros stat sheets: Max and Mikas sheets Name: Maximilian Giors Max Giors. Race: HumanHigh Human. Gender: MaleFemale. Age: 23 years old. Rank: ASS Class: Beast Summoner* Sub Class: Fighter Variant: Metal Claws Stats: Strength: BS Intelligence: B Agility: CA Mana: BS Endurance: B SS Constitution: ASS Passive skills: Guardian Beast: A** Teasing Presence: A Beast Understanding (Caretaking & Subjugating): A Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: S (NEW!) Fanged Lily of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: ASS Battle Hardened Body (Optimized): AS Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Blacksmithing: C Unyielding Fighter: AS Fighters Instinct: BS Mana Regeneration: S(NEW!) Beast Summoner Enhancement: ASS Fighter Technique (Metal Claws): A Enchantment & Support Enhancement: CA (S if spell used on Summoned Beast) Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Beast Contract: A Beast Subjugator: A Active skills: Enhance Endurance: CA Enhance Strength: DA Enhance Agility: DB Ripper Assault: BS Enhance Metal Claw Skills: AS Beast Combo (Varied): ASS Enhance Beasts Skills: BS Throat Ripper: BS Enhance Elemental Resistance: CS Wild Heart Grasp: BS Triple Effect: CS Beast Intimidation: ASS Fighters Will (Metal Claws): ASS Break Limits: A Beast Summoners Trance: ASS Beast Channeling: BSS*** Unique traits: Unaging (Race) Guardian Beast** Beast Channeling*** Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary) Blessing for the worthy: Knight Blessing of Nerinne. Magic: Nature Attribute Magic. Wind Attribute Magic Combined Magic: None. Spells****: Beast Summon Nature Enchant Triple Summon Wind Shield Pack Summon Wind Blade Greater Beast Summon Vine Trap Wind Enchant Vine Whip Wind Step Ripping Thorns Constriction Titles: Gartoz City Born, Second Son of the Giors Family, Doted little brother, Big Sisters only love, Mothers Little Blacksmithing Assistant, Beast Attack Survivor, Imaginary Pet Talker, Strange Child, Good Student, Boy with the Unexpected Class, Ironic Class, Beast Summoner, One Bestowed with a Guardian Beast (Wind Wolf), Beast Studies Graduating Class Member, Beast Subjugator, Knight Candidate, Fathers Fighter Trainee, Fighter, Big Sisters Escapee, Knight, Summoner Knight, Big Sisters Tracking Objective, Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lords Instructor Assistant, High Dragon Lords Blacksmith Assistant, Summoner Maid, One of the Onee-sans Three, Illyas Second Big Sis, Blessed Weapons Assistant Blacksmith. Nerinnes Divine Glossary Corner: *Beast Summoner: A rare class to appear in those whose families have retreated from villages near beasts habitats and into the cities where the chance to create a connection with beasts is greatly reduced. Only those born with a great affinity for the class could be said to be able to obtain it in those circumstances. A beast summoner, as the name implies, is a person who is able to summon beasts to aid her in battle. The summoned beasts are beasts that have been subjugated by the person or beasts that entered a voluntary contract with the summoner. These two cases still enter in the same category of [Beast Contract], given that some beasts will only accept a contract after being beaten in battle. Beasts who established a contract with the summoner while alive are summoned with their own bodies. And for those who that doesnt apply, they are summoned in reproductions of their bodies. These are vessels made of mana where their essence can be placed. Summoners use more frequently the latter given that there is no real loss, apart from mana, if the summon is killed. While Live Summons are stronger and overall, more valuable, given how difficult it is to form a contract with one, but the risk of losing them in battle and thus, turning weaker, relegates them to a more last resort use. Of course, each summoners practices differ from person to person. **Guardian Beast: Those born with great affinity for the Beast Summoner class are usually born with a Guardian Beast, which grows with them. The form of the Guardian Beast is determined by various factors, but it will always be able to protect its Master from harm. The Guardian Beast could be said to be a sort of lesser spirit beast, given that they do not have a physical body (unless given one through summoning) and they reside within their owners. Their nourishment is their owners mana, but even then, they could be considered an extension of their owners body or will. Still, if given food, theyll eat it up like any other beast. Including treats! ***Beast Channeling: A skill that lets a Beast Summoner channel the essence of one of their contracted beasts through their body. It normally takes the form of an aura that manifests the beasts characteristics on the persons body, like a tail or a couple of cute wolf ears. But it is not a skill without risksas Max would know. ****Spells of the Beast Summoner class: When a beast is summoned the chanting depends on said beast. That being the case, it means that the same spell has varied chants. Name: Mikael GranMika Gran Race: HumanHigh Human. Gender: MaleFemale. Age: 23 years old. Rank: ASS. Class: Caster. Sub Class: Enchanter. Stats: Strength: DA Intelligence: A Agility: DA Mana: ASSS Endurance: CS Constitution: CS Passive skills: Magical Synergy (Double team): ASS* Vigilant Disposition: A Spell Language Comprehension (Ancient & Modern): BA Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: BSS Magical Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: S (NEW!) Appraising Eyes (Knowledge): A** Rapid Healing: S (NEW!) Enchanting Synergy: ASS Stamina Regeneration: A (NEW!) Studious Mind: A Loquacious Caster: ASS Knowledge of the Absurd: EX*** Staff Technique: C Multi-cast: ASS Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Attendant Arts (Cooking, cleaning, etc.) Monster Slayer: A Active skills: Enhance Enchanting: BS Levitate: BS Enhance Agility: DA Knee Breaker: CA Enhance Damage: ASS Staff Bash: CA Enhance Duration: BS Staff Thrust: CA Enhance Elemental Resistance: ASS Magic Trap: BS Triple Effect: ASS Magic Barrier (Personal): ASS Enchanters Will: ASS Mana Bolt: BS Casters Trance: ASS Mana Burst (????): LOCKED**** Unique traits: Unaging (Race). Appraising Eyes (Knowledge).** Knowledge of the Absurd.*** Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight. Blessing of Nerinne. Mana Burst (????).**** Magic: Air Attribute Magic. Fire Attribute Magic. Light Attribute Magic. Combined Magic: Radiant Fire Magic. Radiant Wind Magic. Albagram (Light+Dark) Magic: Only possible with comrade (Josie). Spells: Fire Enchant Radiant Fire Enchant Explosion Enchant Radiant Wind Enchant Wind Enchant Group Enchant Light Enchant Light Blast Second Blade Enchant Great Wind Blade Burning Pillar Wind Torrent Great Fireball Great Light Blades Light Pillar Ripping Whirlwind Radiant Fire Blast Radiant Wind Blade Twin Radiant Tornadoes Albagram Blast Titles: Battlefield Born, Baptized in Mana, Only Son of the Gran Family, Greatly Loved Baby, Platoons Baby, Orphan of the Front, Platoons survivor adopted son, Adopted Child of the Pyr Branch Family, Earnest Child, Studious Child, Self-taught Reader, Self-taught writer, Necessity Learner, Not a Prodigy (Self), Child of Potential, Innocent Child, Sweet Child, Good Friend of Myriel, Myriels confidant, Attendant of the Future Head of the Household, Playmate of the Future Head of Household, Tutor of Myriel, Tutor of the Future Head of the Household, Grade-Skipper, Apprentice Mage, Mage, Apprentice Enchanter, Enchanter, Apprentice Caster, Caster, Tri-caster, Uptight Boy (former), Serious Boy (former), Sore Loser, Future Head of the Household Loyal Friend, Future Head of the Household Best Friend, Inseparable Friend of the Failed Future Head of the Household, Synergist, Forger of Bonds, Caretaker, Bookworm, Novel Fan, Rival of the Dollmaker Genius, Rival of the Johannes Inheritor, Friend of the Dollmaker Genius, Friend of the Johannes Inheritor, Valedictorian of the Magic Academy, Surprising Knight Candidate (self), Knight, Caster Knight, Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lord Magic Researcher, High Dragon Lords Magic Student (?), Maid, Strict Maid, Glasses Maid, Caster Maid, Class President. Nerinnes Divine Glossary Corner: *Magical Synergy: Magical Synergy and its variant, Enchanting Synergy, are passive skills that can be obtained by those used with working with others as a team. Many Casters obtain a version of these naturally after years of work within a Caster platoon, where combining magic with others is commonplace. But there are more specialized versions of it that can be obtained through similar means, like this Mikas version, which I dubbed double team. Obtained after years and years of being the comrade of a certain person, their mana has become completely adapted to each others and meshes with the highest grade of efficiency and compatibility. It also increases the efficiency of synergizing with people that Mika holds similar bonds with. But only in teams of two. **Appraising Eyes (Knowledge): A passive skill born from the large extent of the Mikas knowledge in diverse subjects. It does not reveal the stats of other people like the artifacts of the church, but it can provide educated guesses and deductions if used on a person. If used on an object, however, it can determine the real value of said object and even find alternative functions if the holder of the skill has the pertinent knowledge on the object. A high rank in this skill implies that the holders pool of knowledge is bigger than the average and whose opinion could even influence the market prices in appraised goods. Just like it happened to the goods of a certain merchant who was rude with my dear Auros. ***Knowledge of the Absurd: Knowledge on magic obtained through observation and later taught by my dear, it holds the key for concepts that could revolutionize the principles of magic, and thus bring forth more powerful magic. With Mika still deciphering it, the extent of the change this knowledge could bring is still unknown, making unmeasurable through proper means. Either way, the result will most probably break the worlds common sense, just as the one who originated it. Sorry, dear~~! ****Mana Burst (????): A mysterious skill that has appeared after the pact with my dear. Some would say that it is a manifestation of her power. But maybe the principles of this skill were always there and it only needed the push necessary to come out. Its true name is still a mystery though, and with that its effects. I wonder what it isfufufu~~. So here they are: Kara! Evangeline! Sam! Maevis! And Gail! They are the last 5 of the 20 "bandits" transformed by Auros way back then! You''ll be seeing more of them along with the others, I hope you come to like them! UP NEXT: AUROS VS SCATH ROUND 2!! Sorry for the delay, it has been quite a hectic week for me, both IRL and with the story. Still, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you did, please drop a heart on it and tell me in the comments below! And if you want to support me and the story, please consider subscribing to my patreon for some extra content! In any case, our first streaming with LARH was a success! Everyone had fun and he gave loooots of art advice while making an awesome sketch of Auros! YEP, THIS ONE!! AH! And if you want to see the uncensored version and check some of the advice LARH gave, then head over to the storys discord server! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred and eeleater! Thank you very much for reading! See you in the next chapter! Chapter 87: The one who is above Dragon Lords. A High Dragon Lord. A being only known through the legends of my brethren. Even I do not know who came up with such a concept, less to whom the credit goes to for starting the legends. Perhaps it came to them in a fever dream or...in a nightmare? Or could it be that it came from one of my kin who could see into the future? In hindsight, that could very well be the case. After all, future-sight is something that some Dragon Lords do develop...but it could always be another reason. Still, I do know that such concept is a simple one to arrive to. After all, we Dragon Lords are considered as the beings above Dragons. ''Beasts'' of the highest order. Wielders of terrible power and strength. Revered by the countless tribes of those who share similarities with us but are not of us...directly. We who have left our more draconian forms and ascended to forms that resemble those of the other races. Leaving behind the massive form of a...''beast'' to become ''humanoid''... Smaller, yes, but filled to the brim with power that could even shape the world to our desires. Then it stands to reason the possibility of this being only another stop on a larger mountain to climb. Maybe there is something...something greater that would only appear if one of us was able to reach that peak. One that could take that next step. To ascend one more time. How would that being look? Would they become something entirely different? Would they only change in terms of power but be indistinguishable from us? Even then, the questions kept piling on and on. How would that being appear? Could it be that it is not a peak that can be reached, but one that is simply born into? Or could it be a peak that everyone could reach? How? How? How? Legends upon legends kept surfacing among the lesser ones in their attempts to answer that... But they were not alone Even among us...the first of our kind, we too started to wonder about that and...to act upon it. And so, it all reached the most logical conclusion that my brethren could think of. That even I could think off. Ascensionthrough strength and blood. ''The one who shall stand above us, must be stronger than all of us.'' That was the reasoning we all arrived too, one that I now scoff at. But not one that I regret. We fought between ourselves. We killed between ourselves. We spilt so much blood amongst ourselves that even the Goddess tried to speak with us, dissuade us from the path that we had taken. ''You have grown in an unpredictable way, a beautiful way...do not waste that by killing your siblings...with your power you can be a force of good for the world...and'' She was genuinely concerned about us. Even if her words are difficult for me to remember Sometimes there are words that were not there the last time I remembered them and some that should be there are not. But that is what communication with the divine isfor others did not even understand that and only got a certain feeling from such interaction. In the end we ignored her because we knew that she could not force usnoshe would not force us to be how she wanted. Not even if she was worried. The blood. The death. The violence. We chose all of it. And so, the consequences were ours to deal with. We wanted to know. We wanted to see. Most importantly, we wanted to be the one. Of course, there was one who desired that the most over all the rest. I wanted to know. I wanted to see. I wanted to be the one. So, I fought and killed my brethren. So, I took and feasted on their essence. My power grew stronger because of it. My knowledge became larger because of it. Then my hunger for all of that also became bigger. As such, it was inevitable that I would find myself being the wielder of a pair spears made from the bones of one of my nestmates. A brother if I were to use the terms of the races. Dracanathos Spears I named them. Spears that had been twisted and transformed after being bathed in the blood of many, many Dragon Lords. A perfect representation of who I was...who I am. As the centuries passed and after I killed the last of the now known as Ancient Dragon Lords, I understood something. My power had become greater, yes. My knowledge had become larger, indeed. But as I grew bored of battles...my hunger, my path had lost its meaning, for I had concluded that the paththe choice we made was incorrect. I had killed everyone, and I was not the being of those legends. There was no peak to reach...only the varying strength that is normal for nature. I had power that could be said to be above many but... Where I was...it was nothing more than an empty summit. But...even as I was living proof of the contrary, the next generations kept believing in that peak. They kept believing that it could be reached. Many came seeking to challenge me. Many came seeking my knowledge. Many came seeking my advice. Many came to kill and feast on me. Their oldest. Their strongest. Only one was able to reignite my hunger for battle, my best student, and as fate would have it, a fellow ''Chosen''. The one who came out of the abyss and now sits on the throne of that kingdom of his. Xetant. Our battle might have been close, and in different circumstances he might have won, but that does not change the real result. He lost. And I lost what little interest I still had in my brethren. Thus, I wandered the lands, seeking for stronger foes... Foes who, in the end, fell one after the other. No matter their titles, their power, they all ended up the same. In that sameness, my boredom grew as I already knew the result of every battle before me. There was no fear. There was nothing to gain. There was nothing to feel. That made me seek entertainment in other ways. ''If strength is no longer entertaining, then maybe knowledge...'' So, I looked for even more knowledge. And as I went deeper into that well, I changed once more. Knowledge turned into more power...until I too could clearly see the path that knowledge could take. More centuries passed and I took another youngling with me, it was a strange whim for me to have but no one could oppose it. She was...is...eternally loyal, to the point that I cannot see her ever betraying me. Even before our pact she was still like that. No matter what order I gave to her, she would do it. To think that she was partly the reason that I started to find plots and plays as good enough entertainment for me. I desired to see if she would defy me, defy what I planned out, but she did not. And so, I turned my gaze away from her and manipulated others. I relished in them following the script I made for them and enjoyed it even more if they somehow defied it. But then again, all of this was simple arrogancenoignorance. For as I look with fear and awe at the absurd being before me, I once again have arrived at a realization. The legends were right. We were right. But at the same time...we were wrong...we were so terribly wrong. The power to be above all of us is something that it is not reached... It is not something that is achieved through blood and strength. Destruction Incarnate... It simply is. ________________________________________________ *CRIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH* The mirror space cried at the release of such absurd power, one which was relegated to a simple...skill. And the mountain where two warriors stood trembled before it. On one side, one could find a Dragon Lord clad in violet armor, she was breathing heavily as her opponent''s mana was encroaching herdrowning her. Her wounds were profound and were healing very slowly given the amount of damage she had taken before. Her armor had cracks and she was even having difficulty holding on to her spears. But she was not looking downoh no, she was looking at it right in the eyes. It was clad in a black, nightmarish armor. It was adorned by a crown of black horns. It was looking down at her opponent with red eyes full a power that filled the entire space surrounding them. It was a High Dragon Lord, and her power knew no bounds. "Hoooh~~, are you speechless, oh eldest one?" Her voice resounded throughout the whole area. "Is this not what you wished for, oh eldest one? To gaze upon my true form? To unveil the mystery around me?" She extended her arms to the sides as if to illustrate the massiveness of her power. "..." And she did not get any response from her opponent, Violet Death. So, she kept walking towards her, and each step disintegrated the ground around her. "You said that the path to victory was obscured for both of us after you managed to scratch me." Those words could be taken as a simple act of strength, but ''An extra-dimensional blade to the heart is a simple scratch to her...haha'' Violet Death could not help but feel small compared to her. Those words could even be taken as mockery with the intent to provoke the opponent. "Nn...!" But no, Violet Death knew that they were simple facts. ''The King of Storms has no need for things like that...not now...'' She thought as she started to bite her lip without noticing. "And then you wondered which one of us would be the one to end the other. Tell me, oh eldest one, is the answer to that question still in the dark?" So asked the Absurd, just as one of Scath''s fangs pierced the skin of her own lips, making her bleed and feel pain...pain Scath needed to snap herself out of such silence. A silence made of fear, frustration, and sublimity. "I know!" Thus, she roared such declaration as her eyes widened, filled with a reinvigorated intensity that extended to her hands, with which she once again gripped her spears strongly and with the full intent to continue fighting. As such, she did not lose any more valuable time and "HA...!" threw one of her spears at Auros face. But Auros simply avoided it by tilting her head out of the spear''s way. The spear disappeared before even touching ground, only to reappear in Scath''s hand shortly after. It should have been clear to Scath that such an attack was doomed to fail from the very beginning and that was indeed the case. But she still did it, for in the brief instant that Auros'' attention was taken by the spear, Scath jumped back and created more distance between her and her enemy once again. "I know it." She said, pointing her spear at the King of Storms, who stopped walking and did not show any intention of moving anymore. "The life that shall end today is...mine." That...was merely a fact of the matter. She knew more than anyone else that her power would not be enough to bring her victory. She then lowered her spear and looked up at the mirrored sky with a certain emotion reflected on her eyes. "Are you surrendering then, oh eldest one?" Scath looked at the moving clouds, the many stars, all of it, as she listened to her opponent''s question and... "Hehehahahahaha..." ...she laughed, genuinely, wholeheartedly. "...oh King of Storms, this is the first time in ages that I truly laugh." So she said as she turned her gaze to her opponent while wearing a heartfelt smile. "How could I surrender when I am feeling like this, King of Storms? No, the only thing that it makes me want to do is indulge in this burning desire of mine." "Hoooh~~, what is it that you desire now, oh eldest one?" Hearing that, the eyes of the King of Storms grew sharper as curiosity both filled them and her voice. "I wish to know, oh King of Storms. I wish to know how my whole being fares against your power. I wish to know how far it is the peak that you represent. And if extinguishing my life is the price to pay for that knowledge...then so be it." With that, Violet Death''s mana started to swell and even if it was not gaining ground against Auros'', it still was a great quantity of it. One that did not seem to match with her current state. "I see...then I shall grant that wish too. Dragon Lord of the Violet Death, Scath, show it to me. Your whole being. I shall not stop you." So beckoned the King of Storms and in that moment, a violet magical circle appeared beneath Scaths feet. "COME! CRYSTALLIZED FORMS OF MY POWER!! ARTIFACTS THAT I CLAIMED WITH BLOOD!! I SUMMON YOU ALL, LET US BECOME ONE ONCE MORE!" As she started chanting, a dimensional rift opened and what came out looked like an old wooden door, one that was shaking, barely holding back the incredible magical power that emanated from whatever was behind it. Then, the runes on the cracked horns of Scath started burning with intensity. Just as the ones she had in her remaining eye. They burned with a flame that was of a ghostly violet color, and while it seemed weaker, it was much more powerful. Meanwhile, the King of Storms stood there in her regal stance, observing everything. There would not be any interruptions from her as she had already said that she would grant her wish. Thus, interrupting her would mean going back on her word. And that would be a grave offense to her...character. "LET GO OF YOUR ANCHOR AND OPEN, MY LIBRARY! RELEASE MY ESSENCE, MY KNOWLEDGE, AS I OPEN MY VESSEL FOR IT TO RESIDE WITHIN ME ONCE MORE!" It was then that the door opened and released a torrent of grimoires of all shapes and sizes. The mana they emitted was so varied that many would find it difficult to identify them all in a short time, let alone figure out what each of them were able to do. In any case, they all started circling around Violet Death at a ridiculous speed and then "[TRASCENDANT FORM]" they all went inside her at the same time. Following that, her body started shining in all the colors the grimoires were emitting, resulting in a blinding rainbow-like light, which was nothing more than the terrible amount of mana that had suddenly sprung forth from her. And as the blinding light died down, Scath stepped forward, revealing a completely restored body and armor. Even her horns had returned to normal...no...they were now burning with that same ghostly violet flame. Indeedeven parts of her armor were incased in such flames. But there was no time for the King of Storms to meticulously look for any more changes in Scaths appearance, for the moment she finished taking that step forward, she disappeared from her eyes. "..." Only to reappear right in front of the still unmoving King of Storms, her humanoid cheeks cracking like porcelain as she opened her draconic maw widely and a magical circle brimming with power appeared right in front of her mouth. "[BREATH OF THE VIOLET DEATH]!" No chant needed, she shot out a massive torrent of soul blazing flames at point-blank range, one so massive that it reached the mountain''s peak and yet...the King of Storms did not move to evade it. "...!" She took it all and the only thing she did was turn her gaze at Violet Death, which prompted her to jump back once again, for if she had not done so, she would have died right there. At least that was what her instinct was telling her. Furthermore, she realized that her soul blazing flames did not have any effect on Auros because her mana not only was too thick but was more powerful than her flames. Still, she did not waver before such realization nor was she planning to stop after just one attack. Thus, she planted her spears on the rocky ground, raised her arms "[ARMS OF DURG]" and called forth one of her most powerful pieces of equipment, which descended towards her in the form of lightning. Said lightning then wrapped up her arms and took the form of a pair of massive golden gauntlets before she kicked the ground and lunged at Auros. "[DURG JUDGEMENT]!" She roared as she punched Auros with a right hook to the face, but againAuros did not move an inch. She did not do so to avoid it, nor did her head move when such fist landed on her left cheek. Not even as the gauntlet released a great shockwave that made the entire mountain tremble and crack in some places. And not done, Violet Death then punched her with a left hook, but it was just useless. "Hmph." "...! [TITANUS SHIELD]!!" But then Auros swatted at her with the back of her right hand, doing so with an absurd speed, leaving Scath with only one option and that was to block it with another of her powerful pieces of equipment. One that appeared before her as soon as she called it forth. It was a massive shield that seemed to be made of the most solid material in existence and could even defend someone from the attack of a colossus, but then again that meant nothing before the King of Storms. "NNNGH...!" And that includes her hand, for when it reached said shield, it immediately reduced it to pieces, leaving its wielder to be sent flying to the side and into a cliff face of the mountain, from which she immediately fell, landing on the snowy, rocky ground. But again, Scath was not done. "[SURTS CLEAVER]!" Thus, she immediately stood up, kicked the ground, and charged at Auros once again. All while brandishing a massive sword made of lava, which she used to slash down at the Absurd, only to be... *CLANG* *CRASH* ...stopped in its tracks and immediately broken by the holy sword that her opponent wielded. And such clash created an enormous shockwave that deepened the cracks all over the mountain. Barely avoiding the full force of said shockwave, Violet Death pulled out her wings and flew upwards, quickly gaining altitude as she weaved her mana just as quickly, and when she reached the height she wanted, she raised her right arm and created a ridiculously big fireball, big enough to be considered catastrophic. "[GRAND FIREBALL]!" And with that, she proceeded to let it fall on her opponent. But Auros was having none of it, for she raised her own right hand at the incoming massive fireball and released a simple pulse of her mana. *ZZZZZZZWIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT* *BOOM* A pulse that teared through the fireball and made it explode before it even got close to her. Having moved the very moment she unleashed such spell, Violet Death not only managed to avoid the explosion of it, but she also was already in the middle of releasing her next attack. One that involved an ancient looking bow that seemed to be made from an abomination of old and arrows that seemed to be alive. "[GRAKSIS BOW]!!" In that moment, she released a massive volley of hungry arrows upon the Absurd. Arrows so strong they could make a hole in the chest of a true colossus and come out from the other side. But as they reached their target, they *CRASH* ...broke on impact and disintegrated. But Violet Deaths attack did not stop there, she immediately teleported right above Auros, summoned another ancient weapon to her hands, a massive one, and swung it down at her. "[TITANUS HAMMER]!! HAAAAA!" Only for it to suffer the same fate than a certain cleaver did before the holy sword of the Absurd. It was broken. And as its large pieces fell on the mountain, it shook it again, and again, and again, until its already cracked and weakened surface gave out, fell apart and turned into a landslide. Yet the King of Storms did not move at all. Why would she need to? If Scath''s attacks were being dismissed like that, then what could some falling rocks could ever hope to do? Clenching her teeth at such conclusion, Scatch kept going while evading the falling rocks. She tried an axe that could even pierce the hard shell of the Torturious, a grand monster. Broken. A staff that contained the power to cut space itself multiple times and rearrange it in horrible ways. Broken. A set of twin swords that controlled gravity itself. BROKEN. Artifact after artifact met their end at the face of Auros'' holy weapon or her destructive mana. But artifacts were not Scaths everything. She still had her magic. So much magic So many spells Thus, Scath began to weave her mana once again, preparing her next spell, and as she did so, she heard something that both sent shivers down her spine and made her eyes go wide. "Come, darkness that is born in the death of a star..." The King of Storms was chanting in a language she could not understand and yet...she could not help but be invaded by a terrible foreboding feeling. "If her mana is enough to destroy a grand fireball then...!" Such feeling grew worse as the Absurd started to focus all the dark attribute mana she was weaving into one single point. The tip of Auros'' right index finger, which she was pointing at Scath. "...darkness that bends space in your sheer density..." *CRIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH* And in in response to the terrible power Auros was bringing into existence, the mirror space cried in pain. "[SPEAR OF EVERLASTING LIGHT] [GRAND SICKLES OF PRIMORDIAL WINDS] [SPACE DEVOURING MAWS]!" Meanwhile, Scath began to call forth various long-range offensive spells, which began to form a vertical ring around her as they waited to be unleashed. Not only that, but they were all spells of the highest tier she knew. darkness that dilates time itself Another pulse of dark attribute mana was released, and the small ball of darkness was compacted even further. *CRIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH* And once again, the mirror space cried, but this time it even trembled before such terrible power. "[SERPENT OF THE PRIMORDIAL WAVES] [NATURE''S GRAND SMITE] [TITAN''S FIST] [TRUE DARK] [REAPER''S FINAL SCYTHE] [VERMILLION POISON CLOUD]" With that, she called forth even more long-range offensive spells, which joined the others in the vertical ring around her as they waited to be set loose on their target, showing just how much mana she still had. "...darkness that consumes all light..." A last pulse of mana was released and then, before the widened eyes of Auros, the spell was ready. Thus, there was only one more thing to sayto dofor both of them. And they did. "[GRAND FIRE OF THE DRAGONS] HAAA!!" "[Black hole]." For they both unleashed upon the other the spells they had called forth. "...?" And just like with the chant, the name of the spell eluded Violet Death as it was in a language she did not understand. But that was the least of her worries, for the small dark sphere began moving towards her and the more she looked at it, the more she could not believe what she was seeing with her only good eye. She who had seen dimensional rifts. She who could manipulate space itself. She could not understand what she was seeing. It was a pure and perfect darkness. One that feeds on everything and leaves nothing. It was then that she knew that all her spells would be useless. And sure enough, they were consumed by the small ball of darkness the moment they got close to it. Even the spatial attribute spell she used was not only bended but broken and consumed like the others. "...!!" And then she noticed it. The pull. The terrifying and unavoidable pull that thing had. "Nnng...!" No matter how much she tried to fly away, it did not let her go. "[TELEPORT]! WhAAAGH?!!" So, she attempted to teleport away, but she was met with a terrible backlash as her spell was distorted by her proximity to the ball of darkness. Furthermore, as she got closer and closer to it with no hope to escape, the pull itself teared through her, stripping her of parts of her armor and even one of her horns. And as she gazed at the ball of darkness that would bring her death "...haha...so this is how much I amount to...very well..." she smiled, closed her eyes, and waited for the black hole to be done with her. Something that would not take long, for the sheer force of it broke through the rest of her armor, torn her scales apart and destroyed the rest of her horns. The pain was unbearable. Yetshe was at peace. After all, she had already accepted her death. "...?" But then the painsuddenly ceased, as the force that was pulling her disappeared. And when she opened her eyes, not only was the ball of darkness gone, but she found the King of Storms beckoning at her. "Is that all?" Her voice resounded over the cries of the trembling mirror space, which did not have much time left before its collapse was but a certainty. "..." Of course, Violet Death was confused and speechless before the Absurds words and actions. Not only did Auros stopped such absurd spell as if it were nothing, but she also stopped it before it killed her. Could it be that that was her plan all along? To toy with her like that? "...why?" She muttered. "...why?!" She shouted. "...WHY?!" She roared. She had accepted her death. She had used her strongest artifacts, she had thrown the most powerful spells she knew, and yet they all were meaningless. So why did she stop? Why is she asking that question?! "I ask you again, oh eldest one. Is that your all? Is that your whole being?" The King of Storms beckoned once more; her sword having changed once again into a lance before she pointed it at her. "It is allI do n" "No, it is not all. Can you not hear it? Those spears of yoursthe souls that reside inside it are screaming so." "When...?!" Violet Death had not noticed it, but the spears she had left planted on the rocky ground of the mountain had returned to her hands, and they had been there since the moment she closed her eyes and waited for her end. Moreover, the aura they were emitting seemed to have wrapped itself around her arms, holding on to them. But thenone of the spears turned into a ball of red light and melded with the other one, making themselves one. Its violet color was now gone and instead it took on a boney white wrapped in a violet hue. Such form was in no way an increase in its power, but the materialization of the latent will within it, its everything, one that also contained the will of its wielder to keep fighting. Even if she had already accepted her defeat. "Ha...yes, I see..." Thusas she gazed at her spear and its aura, she understood. She had slayed many with those spears. Their blood had fused with them and changed them. As such, it would not be farfetched to think that the essence of those beings still lingered within them. And they were not going to let the one who slayed them accept death so easily. Knowing this, Scath smiled as the fire in her heart was reignited. "INDEED! THAT WAS NOT ALL!!" So she loudly declared as her expression turned fierce and she pointed her spear at the King of Storms. And before such declaration, the King of Storms smiled and nodded. "Good. Let us finish this." With her lance pointed at Violet Death she flew up. With her spear pointed at the King of Storms she flew down. Both of their auras made it seem as if they were two shooting stars that were about to crash with the other. Scath''s aura burned brightly. Auros'' aura thundered loudly. "AUROOOOOOOS!!" "SCAAAAAATH!!" They both screamed each other''s names as they thrusted their weapons at each other. And the first one to reach its target among the massive sparks of two clashing mana was Scaths spear, but the mana that covered her opponent was just too thick to pierce through. "HAAAAAAAAAA!!" Yetshe still pressed on with everything she had. ''More...!!'' *crack* Even her thoughts were solely focused on that, so much so that she did not notice what was happening to her spear. ''MORE...!!'' *crack* *crack* Or perhaps she knew and still pressed on until *clang* she managed to pierce through such thick mana and scratched the surface of Auros'' armor. But... *CRASH* ...that was all her spear was able to do before it shattered into pieces. *KERCHUNK* "Gagh...ha" *CRIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHZAAAS* And soon enoughher chest was pierced through by Auros'' lance and the shockwave that followed made the mirror space collapse. As she saw the bizarre image of a world falling apart like a broken mirror, blood came out of her mouth, filling it with its ferrous taste, and while the pain was there, it was strangely lesser than what she imagined it to be. After that, everything turned hazy for Violet Death as she felt how her strength and her consciousness left her, and in those last moments awake, she felt someone carry her. Then it all turned to black for her as they returned to their original space. ___________________________________________ It is done. I...have killed Violet Death... Even if she is still barely breathing while I carry her in my arms...I know that she will soon die because of me. And as I undo my [Mana Burst], return to my human guise, and descend slowly to this mountain''s base, I can hear her faint heartbeat... I lay her down on the ground...softly...because there is no need for more pain, nor will I disrespect my opponent like that... She...the one whose appearance I chose...would not act like that... Nor is it something that...I desire to do... It is strange...I have killed a person... I always imagined that one would be screaming after doing something like this...or maybe that I would be fine after witnessing death back in my world...but... I am not... So...this is being in shock...huh But maybe...doing this...narrating thing I do...is also helping in a way... Maybe it is...helping my mind process it.... Maybe that is why...whyeven if I am silent from the outside, I can still do this here...in my mind... I I could have let her die...by being absorbed into the black hole but...I could not condemn someone to something that very well be an eternity of pain... It is also too...detached... But I wonder...why do I feel like this for her...when I did not feel like this for the part of the army that I killed Was it because I talked to her? Because I...enjoyed our fight...? Is it because she looks...more human than her soldiers? Did I truly fell into the clich of''they are monsters and monster-looking demi-humans, so it is fine''? Is it? Manthat justification...always made me gag...but now... Goddess... "Dear... I...I am sorry..." No...don''t apologize Nerinne...darlingI chose to do this... It is natural for me...to feel this...I think...after all, I was never in a war... But they have...they marched with the intention to fight and die... Erevain and the rest too... Even her...just look at her...even with that gaping hole in her chest, she is at peace... She was prepared to kill...and be killed... That is why...I know that I have not done something evil... That is why...I must also steel my mind...and my heart... Because if Erevain and the rest...can still laugh, loveand live, then I must learn from them... Their strength... This is all part...of being part of a new world... "But...! It was my fault...! You can shout at me...you can resent me...!" No... Don''t worry my lovely goddess, my lovely Nerinne...I will still be myself...I still love you... I would never resent you or hate you...for the love of...we even have a daughter...how could I come to harbor those feelings towards you? No I will only be stronger...because in this short time...I have come to love this precious world...and I want to make it peaceful for you...for Ilya...for Erevain and the rest... I promised you...and I will not break that promise... After all, Nana might come back from the dead to beat me up if I do so...heh... ''Never back down from a promise, you hear me? More so if it''s a promise you made to a lady. Or so help me God, you will know the true meaning of pain. Yeahthat is what she would say So...even if it is clich...I will become stronger in heart...so please...stay with me...never leave me... "Auros...I will never leave you...ever...I love you!" I love you too... "Ga...ha...ga...ha..." She is awake...? "It seems...this...ancient...body of...hrnn...mine...still has...a speck...of life left. King of Storms...noAuroswould you listen...to my last words...?" She can barely speak, let alone move, and yet she has done both things to look at me while she speaks "Of course." There is no way I could deny her... "When...I am gone...two of...my grimoires will...summon two...grand monsters to the battlefield...an undead from thennghgodly war...and a true...colossus. They will lay waste to thebattlefield unless you stop...them..." Why is she telling me this? She could have simply left that unsaid and cause more damage... "Ah...are you wondering why...Im revealing my last plan...to you...? Ga...ha...! Hahathat is...simple...you have...defeated me...and as the ancient...draconic traditions dictate...my all belongs...to you. You can feast...on my soul for power...as I did...or use my body...to...ga..ha...ga..ha..." I raise my hand signaling her to stop talking. As for her wordsI would never do what she is saying...but if she is willing to listen to me then... "I understand but...the only thing I wish for you isis for your next life to be a sweet and innocent one. A life where you can marvel at the world before you and not hurt it...that is what I wish..." Her eyes widen at my words if only for a moment... "Heh...hehahahaha...ha...a sweet and...innocent life...huh...I see...I see" And just like that...she is gone...the light of life has abandoned her eyes... She has died while having a smile on her face due to my...ridiculous wish... But it is fine...she really looks at peace... And I really want her to go to that next life in peace tooso I free the holy light of my spear and... "Let this light cleanse your soul, let it guide you to a new life...one that I hope can fill you with happiness...to fill you with love..." ...say that. As I feel her soul leave her body behind, I also notice a surge of magical energy back at the battlefield... Her summoned grand monsters are coming...and while the Maid-Knights might be strong enough to deal with them...I need to be there... But I cannot leave her body like this... So, I plant my lance into the ground and let my instinct guide my words... "Earth Spirit...if you can hear me...I ask you this favor...take her deep within youand let her rest be undisturbed" The earth responds to me and it buries Scath slowly, respectfully. Until her body disappears completely and all that is left is a patch of earth with...a lone violet flower on top of it. "Thank you..." In a way that flower is more for me than for her... II turn around, not before glancing one last time...to the flower...and leave... goodbye To the battlefield...to my comrades... ____________________________________________________ Before Auros teleported away, she did not notice the small ball of violet light that floated close to her, barely touched the back of her left hand, and disappeared. To be continued...(Cue Illustration of Auros and Violet Death launching themselves at each other one last time!!) Name: Lucyel Pyr Lucy Pyr. Race: Human High Human. Gender: Male Female. Age: 23 years old. Rank: ASS Class: Mystic Knight. Sub Class: Noble Swordsman Noble Swordswoman Style: Pyrs Household Style. Stats: Strength: CS Intelligence: C Agility: ASS Mana: BSS Endurance: B S Constitution: BS Passive skills: Charismatic Swordswoman: A Spunky Presence: A Battle Technique Understanding (Instinct & Experience): A Knights Oath: A Magic Resistance: CSS Playful Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!)** Physical Resistance: CSS Magical Synergy (Double team): ASS Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Combat Magic Enhancement MK: BS Still-less Knight: AS Combat Enchantment Enhancement MK: BS Mana Regeneration: S (NEW!) Electric Aura: CA Sword Technique (Pyrs Household Style): A Monstrous Speed: A (NEW!) Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Electric Mana Recharge: BSS* Monster Slayer: A Active skills: Enhance Endurance: BS Enhance Strength: CS Enhance Agility: EB Cross Slash: BS Enhance Sword Skills: AS Lightning Thrust: BS Enhance Damage: BS Aura Discharge: CS Enhance Elemental Resistance: CS Paralyzing Round Slash: BS Triple Effect: CS Pyrric Slashing Assault: ASS Noble Swordswomans Will (Pyrs Household Style): ASS Break Limits: B Mystic Knights Trance: ASS Pyrs Household Style Form (Zurat. Kurat & Burat): S Unique traits: Unaging (Race) Electric Mana Recharge* Monstrous Speed Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary) Blessing for the worthy: Knight Blessing of Nerinne. Magic: Lightning Attribute Magic. Combined Magic: Spells: Lightning Step Lightning Ball Lightning Enchant Lightning Lash Chain Lightning Lightning Smite Lightning Blast Titles: Noble Born, Capital Born, Inheritor Baby, Baby of Expectations, Grandfathers Pride, Grandfathers Cheer, Carefully controlled baby, Early Educated Child, Early Trained Child, Future Head of the Pyr Household, Future Head of the Household, Child of Heavy Expectations, Parents Pressure Target, Doting Brother (former), Myriels Cheerful Brother (former), Nightly Capital Explorer, Parents Escapist Annoyance, Tutors Bane, Good Learner, Problem Student, Devilish Boy (former), Parents Bother, Myriels Concern Target, Playmate of Mikael, Grandfathers Swordsman Apprentice, Grandfathers Sparring Partner, Owner of Grandfathers Recognition, Grandfathers Proud Inheritor, Noble Swordsman, Grandfathers Undying Love, Mikaels Tutored, Magic Swordsman, Mikaels Patience Drainer, Cheerful Winner, Mikaels Best Friend, Failed Future Head of the Household, Mikaels Inseparable Friend, Synergist, Forger of Bonds, Taker of Care, Novel Fan, Graduated Member of the Magic and Swordsmen academy, Surprising Knight Candidate, Parents Spite Target, Knight, Mystic Knight, Laughing Lightning, Bandit (Fake), Unknown Supporter, High Dragon Lord Flirter, High Dragon Lords Spunky Maid, Maid, Friendly Maid, Idol Maid. Nerinnes Divine Glossary Corner: *Electric Mana Charge: A passive skill that lets Lucy recharge her own mana with Lightning Attribute Magic. It can also empower her by permitting the use of chant-less spells with improved damage. It also provides resistance to damage done by Lightning Attribute Magic as it converts it into her own mana. The limit of how much she can take is delimited by her mana capacity and the skills rank. A high rank in it implies that it can even take on spells of the Great tier. And thats great! **Playful Beauty of the battlefield: This passive skill and those similar are ones that empower those who fight alongside my dears Maid-Knights, and only them. Because no Maid-Knight is empowered by this type of passive skill, just their allies. As for what it empowers, it depends on the owner of the skill, who in this case is Lucy. Her passive skill enhances both the Lightning Attribute Magic of those allies and their speed while using sword-related skills. Not to mention that her cute smile is already more than enough enhance the morale of everyone, fufu~. Bonus short story: My cheerful grandsondo not crygrandpa is just going back to the Goddess But! Shhsmilealwayshave funmy bolt of happinessI can leave my teachings to youenjoy them Grandpaa.! Even if those idiotic parents of yoursdontI will alwayslove you" Once again, I apologize for the wait, but I hope that you enjoyed the conclusion to Auros battle with Violet Death. I had lots of fun writing it and revising it. If you did enjoy it, please drop a heart on this chapter and tell me in the comments below! Furthermore, if youd like to see the sketch of the storys first illustration, which adapts a part of the end of Chapter 84, then head over to my patreon where tier 3 patrons can access it! Plus, more extra content! Besides that, well be having a little character Q&A in the storys discord server this weekend, so if you have one or two questions you want to ask about or to your favorite character, do join us in the Reading with Author channel when it happens! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater and ChaTY! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 88: Fly to the moon and see how you fall. This power... This power could easily overwhelm my brethren... Not only her appearance has changed, but so did the mana that surrounds her... It is purer... And the pressure she is emitting is equal to mine...if even slightly bigger... As we dance once again, I can feel it... This woman has truly become a vessel for the sheer power of the moon... The moment she slashes at me, a secondary blade made of silver light comes right after... If I were to lose focus, I would be cut by them... Her weapons are blessed weapons...armaments made to deal with those that threaten the world... Armaments made with the purpose of killing me...and my brethren now... Her previous longsword was able to cut into me due to her brute strength...but that is not the case anymore... I can see it clearly...the sword she is using now can cut through my scales with ease by itself... As for her shield...I will not be able to destroy this one like I did with the other... To think that she owned these weapons...that means the Goddess truly desires our defeat... And then there is her magic She has no more blind spots to be exploited, as her chant-less spells frustrate my surprise attacks by summoning shields to cover her openings... One by one, my thrusts and icicles are blocked and countered... Meanwhile, my enchanted spear screams at me... Demanding me to unleash my power... One that brings destruction... One that lays waste to the battlefields we fight in... But to do so in this place would mean to put in danger my Master''s objective... That is why, I have engaged in this dance of mere technique once more... So that I can weave my mana and change our scenery... To take us to a place where I can extend my wings... A place where I can truly dance... A place where I can honor this true battle... A placewhere I can tip the scales. I apologize, Master. For I am about to interrupt my mission to fully dedicate myself to this combat. Because if I remain in this place, the mission cannot be fulfilled. I, Eternal Winter, shall open the door to that which all Dragon Lords obtain after their ascension. To fight there is to expose oneself... To fight there is to truly recognize the other''s threat... To fight there is to face death...because if I lose there then death is the only thing that awaits for me... Let us go now... ____________________________________________________ *clang* *clang* *clang* *thumn* *thumn* *thumn* Bryn and Erevain clashed against each other in a fierce battle where their attacks made the whole area tremble every time their weapons clashed with the others. To those with untrained eyes, it would seem as if Erevain had the upper hand. But those witnessing the fight knew that that was not the case at all. Yes, her power was greatly enhanced by the spell she had invoked. It could even be said that she was now in a realm equal to that of a Dragon Lord, a realm that she was already at a hairs breadth of reaching. Yet, Erevain had not been able to damage Bryn at all, for her guard was impenetrable, as she was taking Erevain completely seriously. And whenever the silver-haired maid baited her into attacking so that she could use [Mystic Counter] on her, she would stop her attack at the last moment and pull her spear away from her shield, following up with a wave of blue flames and making Erevain cut through them with her sword, all while her now silver hair swayed with her rapid movements. "[CRESCENT MOON SLASH]!!" "Ha...!" Of course, the secondary blade made of moonlight attribute came soon after Erevain used such skill, but even that attack missed its target just barely, for Bryn avoided its path and immediately resumed their clash. It was a deadlock and Erevain knew that she had to break it, one way or another. And she had to do it quickly, for she did not know how long the power of the moon would reside within her, which meant that with every minute that passed, the chances of said power leaving her grew bigger. But, as if aware of that, Bryn jumped back, creating quite the distance between them. ''Is it her breath once again? A spell?'' Those were the questions that raced through Erevain''s mind as she readied herself by imbuing her shield with mana. This time she would use her strongest barrier to block whatever her opponent was going to unleash and even reflect it back to her. Yetnone of that happened. For Bryn did not unleash any attack despite the incredible amount of mana she was weaving and instead, she started to spin her spear, which puzzled Erevain. "What is she trying to do...?" And as she murmured that, she imbued mana into her blessed longsword... "[MOONLIGHT BLAST]" ...and shot a beam of silver light right at Bryn, hoping to stop her from doing whatever she was about to do. But she did not stop. No, instead she spun her spear even faster, taking the full brunt of the attack with it, but rather than damaging Bryn, the attack seemingly disappeared on contact, swallowed whole by the spinning spear, which baffled Erevain. "Wha?" "[Door]." "...!" However, such bafflement did not last long, for she immediately realized the implications behind that word. For oneher attack did not disappear, it was sent somewhere else. Knowing that, she quickly ran towards her family, making sure that she was with them before the inevitable happened. And the moment she reached them, a torrent of white fog came out from Bryns spear, filling the entire room and robbing everyone else of their vision. Even Erevain, whose eyesight was enhanced, was having trouble looking past said fog until it was blown away by the freezing winds of their new surroundings. "...! A tundra?!" So exclaimed Euphemia, voicing everyones thoughts about the scene that was now before their eyes, one that consisted of ice and snow as far as the eye could see. Save for the sky above their heads, of course. "Teleportation magic...? No...it felt different..." Murmured Licht as he tried to get up, not wasting time in trying to figure out how they were sent there. "Magic or not, we are not in the palace anymore...ha...ha..." Said Mary as she struggled with the exhaustion caused by the power she had awakened to, a power that was now gone. "Indeed. This is her personal space." Said Erevain as she glared at the faraway spear-wielding woman that was walking leisurely towards them. "Personal Space?" Asked Licht, who was intrigued by Erevain''s words. "All Dragon Lords have one. It is a place where they can isolate themselves from the world, a refuge. But it also serves as a personal storage or in this case...a personal battlefield." Her voice was completely serious as she spoke, there were no lies in her words and yet, Licht could not help but feel that Erevain knew more than what she was letting on. "How do you know all that?" "[Moon Sphere Barrier]." Despite having heard Licht''s question, Erevain only glanced at him for a moment before deploying a sphere-shaped barrier with them inside. And she did so without taking her glaring eyes off her opponent. "This barrier is strengthened by my current state. It shall protect you from any attack and the cold. Do not leave it under any circumstance. This is an order as your Elder Sister, understood? "..." "..." "..." I promise that I shall take you out of this place." With that, Erevain left the barrier, held her shield up, and started running towards Bryn at top speed. As she ran, she thought it was strange that no one answered to her words, but she could not imagine that her family was just too focused on a single thought to answer. A thought that they all had at that moment. One that carried a varying degree of surprise, bewilderment, and joy, respectively. Elder sister...Erevain really changed...huh. _____________________________________________ "[SHIELD CHARGE]!" "[Fimbulvetr''s Breath]!" As Erevain charged towards her, Bryn unleashed her gigantic dragons breath once again, but that did not stop her opponent, for she ran through the torrent of freezing flames without a tinge of fear in her eyes, protected by a moonlight barrier coming out of her blessed shield, whose runes burned with the same intensity as such flames. Of course, such attack was only the opening shot, for Erevain was soon assailed by a deluge of countless icicles coming from all sides, trying to impale her and stop her charge. She did not stop. Then the cold itself tried to stop her by encasing her feet and legs in a thick layer of ice, only to be outright resisted once again. She would never stop. She ran, and ran, and ran some more, making her way through everything while looking like a silver comet. And when she was about to reach her opponent, rather than completing her charge and ramming her shield on her body, she jumped and brandished her blessed longsword. "[MOONLESS SLASH]!" Thus, she made a diagonal cut as she fell, cutting into Bryn''s figure or at leastthat is what she thought. "A mirage?!" Indeed, for the Bryn that she had cut disappeared like a simple illusion, all while a small laugh could be heard in the cold wind. "This is my domain...Erevain..." So said Bryn as copies of herself not only started to come out from the icy and snowy ground, but they also started to appear out of the cold air itself. "Everything you see hereis an extension...of my power...my being..." Furthermore, all the copies were wielding their own enchanted spears, which were identical to the original except for one thing, they were covered in icy blue flames. "what you can see...and what you cannot see..." Thus, as Bryn continued speaking through the wind, they all charged at Erevain and she fought with every single one of them. Some swung their spears in long arcs, adding more strength to their attacks and creating a trail of icy fire that acted like a secondary attack. "...is my weapon..." "[FULL MOON SLASH]! [MYSTIC COUNTER]!! [SHIELD BASH]!!" Others swiftly thrusted their spears at her while creating small, icy blue explosions with the point of their spears, seeking to either break Erevain''s guard or to make her lose her balance. "[MOONLIGHT BLAST]!! [MOON COUNTER SPHERE]!!!" And when two gigantic hands made of ice and multiple blades that appeared out of the freezing air sought to crush and stab her respectively, she destroyed the former by shooting a beam of moonlight attribute mana at them and protected herself from the latter by creating a special barrier, one that immediately wrapped said blades in moonlight and reflected them in all directions with triple the force, destroying many of the closest copies in the process. However, staying still for too long was not an option for Erevain, for as soon as the last of the blades was reflected, gigantic ice boulders began to fall towards her, but thanks to her enhanced speed and agility she evaded them all while still dealing with Bryns copies. And if that was not enough, the air became colder and colder, making breathing difficult for Erevain, as she felt the cold trying to invade her very lungs, and that same feeling prompted her to activate her [Moonlight Veil], which not only stopped such invasion before it happened, but it also did something, something new. Indeed, for the spell had been improved by the power of the moon. As such, many spheres appeared around her, protecting her, and releasing waves of moonlight at the enemies that attacked her, further reinforcing her defensive capabilities. Yet the copies kept coming, the attacks kept coming, and if one were to see such battle from the sky, one would see a woman fighting against an encroaching army on her own. Knowing full well that she would eventually exhaust herself if she kept fighting them in the way she was doing so, she decided to abandon her more defensive stance and held her sword with both of her hands. Her mana surged as she did that and all the copies lunged at her with the intention of stopping her from doing whatever she was about to do. "[GREAT MOONLIGHT WAVE]!!" But it was too late, for Erevain thrusted her sword into the ground and a pillar of silver light burst forth, one that soon expanded throughout the whole area, destroying every single one of Bryn''s copies as they broke like the ice dolls they were. "Where is she...?" And after unleashing such devastating attack, Erevain began to look for her opponent but found no sign of her, which prompted her to ask herself such question. *TREMBLE* *CRACKCRACKCRACKCRACK* *CRASH* That is when the icy ground trembled, cracked, and broke. "...!" Something was coming. Something big. And it was comingfrom below. *CRAAAAAAAASH* "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAORRRRGHHHHH!!!!" Then, a massive, roaring dragon broke through the icy ground, its maw wide open and reaching for Erevain, who tried to leap away from it with all her strength, the rows of sharp draconic teeth barely missing her as she gained quite the altitude. "It is not advised escape into the air when facing a dragon...Erevain..." "...!" Surprising her opponent, if only for a moment, Bryns voice came out of the dragons mouth, as she proceeded to extend her wings and followed Erevain into the air, which made such silver-haired maid wonder if the dragon was the real Bryn or another doll. The dragon''s scales were white with hues of icy blues and light purple here and there. Her horns looked like feathered wings even if they were as solid as they came. Lastly, her eyes were icy blue, and were clearly fixated on Erevain. ''I managed to escape her jaws thanks to the strength I now wield and Mother''s mana training, but doll or not'' "...this is bad." So said Erevain as she felt that she was reaching her limit regarding how much altitude she could gain, even despite her using controlled mana blasts to propel herself. And hot on her trail, the dragon was ready to shoot a massive breath at any moment. "Indeed, it is badbut only if I let it stay like that." Thus, with eyes full of resolve, she stopped propelling herself and began to fall headfirst towards the incoming Dragon. !! Her family, who were watching from afar, were shocked and baffled by such reckless action, but Euphemia was quick to break out from the speechlessness brought forth by those emotions and proceeded to shout the following: "Elder BroSister!! You can do it!!!" Then, the others followed. "Is she going to...? Elder Sister, that is...!" Licht figured out what was on her sisters mind and was left speechless once more. "COME ON!! SHOW IT TO ME!! SHOW ME YOUR LEGEND!! YOU IDIOOOT!!!" And Mary let all her feelings out in an incredible shout. Still Any normal human would be absolutely and utterly terrified if they were in Erevains place. Any normal human would be smart enough to not do what Erevain was about to do. Any normal human would have given up long before. But she was neither normal, nor just human anymore. She was something else, something more. She was the one who faced the Absurd and did not bend the knee. Thus, she raised her shield and called forth one of her most powerful spells, just as the dragon shot her massive breath. "GYYYAAAAAAOOOOOOORRRGHHH!!!!" "[ASTRAAAAAL BARRIEEEER]!!!!!!" With that, a massive wall-like barrier came out of Erevain''s blessed shield and as the runes from said shield burned the brightest, a pulse of silver light traveled through the barrier, changing its simple appearance into one that resembled Erevain''s hovering armor. Normally, the barrier''s purpose was to simply serve as the absolute border that would not let any attack pass. But Erevain planned to give it another application. A reckless application "I shall be using one of your tactics, Kris." And soErevain kept falling towards the dragon, whose breath began to be repelled and reflected right back at her by the improved [Astral Barrier], which meant one thing, and one thing only, Erevain had become an unbreakable, falling wall that was not only about crash with the dragon who was her opponent, but also crush her between the barrier and the ground below. The dragon''s desire to catch Erevain had backfired on her and now she had no way to escape. *SSSSLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMM* "GYYAAAAORG!" The wall first hit her head, shutting her mouth and damaging her neck in several places. Then the rest of her body found itself slammed into the wall, sealing her fate. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" In that moment, Erevain stored her sword away and put her right hand on her back, her palm facing the sky, and she shot a great blast of mana that pierced through the hail clouds of Bryns personal space, revealing a blue sky as she propelled herself and the dragon into the ground. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" All as they looked like an asteroid made of silver shining light. *CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH* Thus, they reached their destination and caused not only a shockwave that shook the entirety of their icy battlefield, but many large pieces of the icy ground were sent flying from the crash site. But that was not all, for a blinding light suddenly appeared and then... *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* ...a deafening explosion was unleashed, one that was infused with the power of Erevains Astral Magic and sent waves of destruction throughout the whole area. "GYyYYAAaaAArAAHGh!!!" An explosion which was soon followed by a painful scream that was heard across the tundra, a scream that could only belong to a certain someone. Bryn. And as the icy dust settled, only one person stood at the center of the crater left by the crash and the explosion. With silver hair shining as brightly as ever and an overflowing power that covered her body in the form of a serene aura, it could only be her. Erevain. Yetthat did not mean that her opponent had been vanquished. Not at all. For Erevain looked up and there she was, floating at a certain altitude in her Dragon Lord form. Armor in pieces. Horns cracked and broken. Wings ripped in some parts. An arm hanging and clearly broken. Blood trickling down her forehead. And a pained expression to go with her ragged breathing. "Grrr...you...you truly are...my fated one...EREVAIN!!" So she exclaimed as she raised her spear with her only working arm, pointed it at her fated opponent, and began to pour in it all the mana that she still had. Thus, her enchanted spear began to let out an icy blue shine as its metallic visage was slowly scraped away and its true form was freed, one that was made out of the purest ice-cold mana. Its mere release caused the winds to blow wildly once again, filling the recently cleared out sky in spinning clouds that heralded the formation of a hailstorm much, much stronger than the one that was there before. Ohbut it was not just forming. Nonot at all. It was descending. Yesit was descending towards the one who was its master, vesting her as it reached the peak of its might. Meanwhile, the ice on the ground began to break and ascend towards her, covering her one good arm in an armor worthy of being called transcendental. With that, she was ready. "ETERNAL WINTER THAT DWELLS WITHIN ME! I SUMMON YOUR PERILOUS WINDS!! I SUMMON YOUR ABSOLUTE COLD!! BRING DEATH TO THE ONE WORTHY OF BEARING WITNESS OF YOU!! [WINTER''S FALL]!!!" And as Erevain gazed at the catastrophe that was coming at her, she took a step forward, summoned back her sword into her hand, and brandished it in the same way she would as to perform a double-handed downwards slash, leaving a trail of beautiful silver particles while doing so. "I concur, Eternal Winter." Her overflowing yet serene mana responded to her and flowed into the blessed longsword, so much so that it now seemed like it was made of it, and its blade grew and grew until turned into one that reached for the heavens. Noit was far more than that. It had turned into a blade that connected two astral bodies. Then a magical circle appeared beneath her feet. In its central ring one could see the moon going through its various phases as it circled around Erevain, and in its external ring one could see another celestial body...Arte. When the moon reached its full state, it aligned perfectly with such planet, and in that moment, Erevains glowed with intensity, for her spell was set. "[ASTRAL...." At the same time, Bryn descended upon Erevain, enchanted spear in hand and a plan in her mind, as she had guessed where her fated ones attack would land, and so she would use the clouds that vested her to trick her opponent before unleashing her real attack and ending their fight once and for all. But for that to work she needed to do it at the very last moment. "...SLASH]!!!" Thus, she let the magical blade come down at her. And as she was about to evade it ....!!!!!! something happened. Master Scath?!!! The presence of her Master, the one she could always feel through the pact that connected them...disappeared completely. No!! It was that moment of distraction, that void she felt, which doomed her as the blade fell upon her and the rest of her personal space. This timethere was no explosion. This time it all simply shined platinum for an instant and then it all turned to black. And before they knew it, Erevain and her family were back in the frozen room and out of Bryns tundra. "..." Still, Erevain looked around, hoping to find a dying Bryn or her remains, but she was nowhere to be found. She then tried to focus on the strange force that had guided her to Bryn, but before she was able feel anything "Leader! You hear me?! It''s Sophie! Something is happening on the battlefield!! Something bad!! Im sorry if Im interrupting you, but I thought you needed to know!!" ...her comrade''s voice called out to her through the communication skill and relayed such message. Seeing that her empowering spell was still active, she made a choice. "I hear you, Sophie. I shall be going to the battlefield." She was going to use such power until its time ran out. "Good becauseKEH?! KRIS WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!" Hearing that, Erevain smiled, shook her head, and sighed before turning to her youngest sibling. "Euphemia, watch over these two...I want to have a talk with them later." So said Erevain as her eyes fell on Mary and Licht. "No, Elder Sister. I am going and they are coming with us." "..." "..." "..." Euphemias words surprised not only Mary and Licht, but also Erevain, for she had never truly opposed her eldest sibling, and yetthere she was. But that was only part of the reason why Erevain was surprised. Indeed, for as she looked at her sister''s eyes, she realized that her eyes were not those of a child anymore, but the eyes of a warrior who was not to be denied the right to protect her home and her people on the battlefield. She knew that leaving her there would be to reject all the things she went through to be as strong as she was. Because for her to fight even what was assumed to be a mere servant of a Dragon Lord, she needed a brave heart, more so when knowing that the chances of success were slim. To think that you would show me such conviction. You really are not the same Euphy I knew So thought a proud Erevain as the whole palace was shaken by the presence of the terrible monsters that had been summoned to the battlefield, and she had only one answer to give her sister. One that she would give her with a proud smile on her face. "Very well, you can come with me." ! And that "that is what I have wanted to hear since I was a child Elder Sister...I shall not disappoint you!" Thus, they went to the battlefield. To be continued...(cue illustration of Erevain pushing a massive dragon back to the ground!!) Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, do drop a heart on it and tell me in the comments below! Not only that, but well be having a live reading of it over at the storys discord in two hours from now! So, join us if you want to have some Tuesday bonus fun! In any case, if youd like to support me and the story, you can do so by joining my patreon where you can get some more extra content, like Auros first design, Waifu Bites!, Isekai Lab, Alter-Chapters and more! Of course, if you do not like patreon but you still want to support me, you can do so by donating to my paypal or Ko-fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal and NAEON! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all next chapter! Chapter 89: As two battles end, another one grows bigger…literally. On the other side of the battlefield, as the winds roared and lightning fell, the Riders kept smiting their enemies with ease, for nothing could stop them. After all, they had been summoned to deal with someone much more powerful. That meant that anyone else was simply too weak to challenge them. Their numbers, their spells, their strength None of that mattered before them. For against those that are an incarnation of a primordial storm, those things were equivalent to a child fighting against the wind itself. *NEEEEIIIIIGH* And as they galloped through the battlefield, wreaking havoc, and bringing death to all, their horses neighed, relishing in the crunching sounds of those crushed beneath their thundering hooves, for they were unlucky to stand on their path. "[DRACONIC BREARGH!" "[DRACONIC TORRENBRH!!" "[DRACONIC WAIGAHG!!" "Pointless." Coldly declared Bellary as she impaled, not one, nor two, but three Lesser Dragon Lords with her lance and threw their bodies to the side. "And yet...the undead have started to outnumber the living." Then, stopping for moment, she surveyed her surroundings and said that as the right half of her face returned to the guise of a metallic skull and with an intense red bead of light as an eye. An eye that could see many things including that which is curse ofunrest. And she saw many From bone warriors, ghouls, and liches, to types of undead that were not in the battlefield before. Bone Chimeras, Red Liches, Fiery Blood Skulls, and even Black Skulls Berserkers. All were undead only found in legend or, in Bellary''s case, her memories of an ancient time. "So, she truly seeks to unleash that thing here... It could have been effective in bringing ruin to this land, but nowour King will not stand idly before it, nor her forces." With that, the right half of her face returned to its new normal as she tapped her horse''s side... *NEEEIGH* ...and went back to killing just as her subordinates were doing, for her King demanded that her enemies were to be lay waste. Thus, it shall be done, regardless of what happened. _______________________________________________ Meanwhile, at the Capitals main plaza, most of Kingdoms forces prepared to enter battle as they waited for the rest to arrive there. As for the civilians who usually filled such place and its surrounding streets, if they were not helping with carrying things or delivering weapons, then they were staying at home, just as the guards had asked them to. No one disobeyed. And why would they? The fate of their home was in the balance, no petty reason was enough to risk that. "We cannot let our esteemed guests be the only ones to be protecting our Capital." So said a blonde woman with elegant armor. She was the current head of the Pyr Household, Countess Myriel Pyr. Yes! It is as you say, Milady! And behind her, expressing their agreement in an energetic manner, a large group of people could be seen. Such group was made of people of different races, all bearing said households emblem and colors on their armors. They were the company of soldiers that the Pyr Household specially created in response to the battle that took place five years ago and its consequences. Thus, seeing the Knights Orders weakened state and the real possibility of another siege attempt, the current head of such household took it upon herself and used her resources to give training to whoever wished to defend their capital. Those who were not worthy to be knights. Those who had never held a weapon or used offensive magic before. Those who hated their weakness and wanted to be stronger. Retired mercenaries that felt that they could have done something back then but did not and were seeking atonement. Casters from a certain magic academy that were not in the Kingdom when such battle happened. Bards who wished to help and to maybe, someday, not only witness but be part of a battle worth a thousand songs. And more, so much more. All were welcomed and trained. That was Myriel''s idea. To give everyone the chance of learning how to protect their Capital and their way of life. And her actions obviously pleased her parents, as they took it as a perfect way to gain achievements and maintain their position as nobles. Nobles that preferred the safety of deskwork rather than being involved with the protection of the country and its citizens, to the disappointment of the now defunct elder of the family. What her parents did not know was that her actions were a big middle finger to them. A shout coming from the heart of a girl, a woman, that was hurt by loss. "We cannot let more sacrifices that break up families happen..." So murmured Myriel Pyr with a nostalgic tone as the image of a certain young man appeared in her mind. ''You disowned him for wanting to protect others and not be tied down to a desk. You were happy when he was branded traitor...for it justified your rotten ways. You even burned all evidence of him being related to us...and pushed the headship unto me...but he was right! Even if he was an idiot!! As those thoughts continued, her gaze grew fiercer and her hand reached out to her neck, grabbing hold of the locket hanging from it He inherited Grandpa''s noble spirit! For a true noble is one that not only signs papers for the people, but one who bleeds for them! So, stay there in your mansion, drinking wine and telling your equally rotten friends how proud you are of me, for I have a feeling that when the dust settles, many things will change for good in this Kingdom. And you will not like them.'' and squeezing it with the strength of her resolution. It was then that someone who, having overheard her murmur, decided to approach her. "Indeed, Countess Pyr. I cannot let Lady Argento endanger her family life much longer." So said such person as he positioned himself beside her, the Shield of the Mountain, Baron Thach. He was not only wearing heavy armor, but it was branded with the emblem of the Knights Order he had brought with him, the Order of the Twilight Shield, whose members did not take long to join the ranks of the forces that were about to march into the battlefield. Yes, the Orders were weakened, but they were not gone, and they did not let all those years go to waste. They were training, motivated by the memories of that battle and the mockery those fake Knights constantly made of their title. And who better to lead them into such redeeming battle than one of the Orders former heads? "Those are indeed some nice words to say, Baron. But you saw the same thing as all of us at the venue, Lady Argento and her maids are no weaklings. Anyway, here, I had this...I mean, my teacher had this in his safe. I hope it satisfies your request for a good shield." In any case, the Countess had no time to respond to his words, for not only a woman with long and wave black hair quickly joined the two of them while saying that, but she also easily handed over a massive shield to the Baron. Something that caused them to raise an eyebrow in both curiosity and surprise at the seeming strength of the slim young woman before them. "Thank you, Baronetess Greese. And I apologize for this suddenhmm?" But as the Baron took the shield, he realized that it was incredibly light, to the point that his surprise was redirected there. "Surprised? It was custom made by a certain team of dwarves that specializes in both the most solid shields and the best lightweight enchantments. My teacher got it made when he was in the dwarven capital. Truly, an interesting product, right?" Said Greese with a foxy smile and look on her face. "Indeed, it is. And I can see that your teacher''s liking for all things ''interesting'' has been passed on to you..." Meanwhile, before such all too familiar smile, the Baron could not help but say that, for she truly reminded him of the now missing Baronet Greese. "As for what we saw in the palace, she is indeed a force to be reckoned with, one that I shall be forever grateful to have on our side." Yes, those who were in the palace had been able to watch the battle thanks to both the oracle skill of the Head of the Church and the relatively higher viewpoint that the location of the venue provided. And when they saw Auros release the power of her lance, not only did they shudder, but many emotions like fear, awe, gratefulness, and relief went through their hearts. Of course, there was also a desire to know more about her power and what she talked with Violet death. But sadly, there was no way for them to listen in on such conversation, nor on whatever Auros invoked before using her lance, for they were too far to do so naturally and Ludovica''s skill ''conveniently'' only showed visuals. Thus, rumors of her powers began to spread. One of them was that she was a summoner of some sort, perhaps one whose summons were tied to her lance. Seeing as the Riders that descended from the storm were obedient to her. And as it is always with rumors, things could only reach the level of half-truths or plain falsehoods, but even those put her well above everyone else in terms of power. And I now understand why her Holiness was the one who brought her. For not only is she a blessed weapon wielder, but she and her maids are the Knights of Ever Burning Will that have been helping our villages too. " With that, the now three of them kept reminiscing about what little of the battle they were able to see before Ludovica stopped using her oracle skill and ordered everyone able to mobilize. Meanwhile, others among the forces ranks talked about the moon and how it had suddenly appeared in the sky. One thing they noticed was that they did not feel threatened by it at all and instead they felt safe. "Not to mention the moon, for it to suddenly appear like this... It reminds me of Queen Theresa. Could it be...?" As Baron Thach looked up at the moon, he was overcome with nostalgia, for he had seen firsthand the power of the one who was also called the Saintess, he had been protected by her barriers back when he was a mere Shielder in the Order he belonged to, he had fought under her direct command after he became the head of such Order, and he witnessed how she called upon the moon and it bathed her in its power. All those times he felt itthat safety. The very same safety that filled him now. And as he began to ponder about it, he remembered the presence of a woman eerily similar to the Queen at the balls venue and as he wondered if both things could be related, he was interrupted by the sound of people marching, which made him and those beside him turn around and see who those people were. They were none other than the Paladins of the Church and the rest of the Orders arriving at the central plaza and its surrounding streets, with the only ones absent being the Black Bulls, and for obvious reasons. Not only was the Head of Church not going to give them the chance to escape by letting them fight, regardless of how much they screamed their desire to do so, but their members had been captured and jailed until further investigation was done to separate those who had full knowledge about New Glory and still cooperated, and those who simply followed orders but knew nothing. "Attention!! Her Holiness is about to speak!!" Thus, the voices of the crowd were all silenced by the announcement made by Julian Gardos, the right-hand Paladin of the Head of the Church, and their eyes fell on the armored woman who was the point of the formation. "Thank you, Julian, everyone. She was wearing an armor similar to the one of an Exalted Paladin, but it had a few differences, the biggest one being that rather than just being at the center of her breastplate, the Goddess holy symbol expanded throughout her whole torso. As all of you can hear, a great battle is taking place at this kingdoms doorstep once again. And so, she began to speak. Everyone at and around the central plaza could hear her every word without problems, yet she did not seem to be shouting at all, and she was not, for that was the work of another one of her skills as Head of the Church. [Crowd Voice]. It enabled her to be heard by everyone in a certain area, which was perfect for her job. "And I know that the sudden appearance of the moon has taken everyone by surprise, but that is only a sign that the Goddess is with us and that Queen Theresa did not leave us before entrusting her shine to someone. That someone is the women who are bravely fighting for us out there, who will never stop fighting for us. But that someone is also us. And because of that, I raise this question to you all. Are you going to let them fight alone?" So asked Ludovica to everyone in the combined forces of the Kyrie Kingdom and her Paladins. """""""NO!""""""" And they answered loud and clear. Then, with the will of the Saintess and the love our cherished Goddess Nerinne on our side, let us all march! Let us show those who are fighting right now that the time they bought was worth it!! Let us show everyone who schemed and betrayed that their acts were unnecessary!! That we can all march to a new glory without them!! That the people of this Kingdom will face the terrors of war without fear in their eyes!! Because we love!! We love the Kyrie Kingdom!! We love its people!! We love this world!! And our love shall make us stronger!! Now, to the battlefield and love be unto you all!!" """"""""""""LOVE BE UNTO YOU! LOVE BE UNTO YOU!! LOVE BE UNTO YOU!!!!""""""""""" Thus, they all started their march towards a battlefield that was only growing fiercer. __________________________________________ "Sub-Leader Erica! Luca reports that blood red Liches have suddenly appeared in the deep parts of the battlefield! She says that they seem to be as strong as that Lesser Dragon Lord you just fought!" So exclaimed Sophie through her communication skill as she quickly gazed at the whole battlefield from where she was. Thanks to the meaning behind the sudden appearance of the moon and Kris speech, the Maid-Knights morale was more than high. Monsters and Lizardmen dropped like flies before them, while the remaining High-Ranking Lesser Dragon Lords, Commanders, and their lower ranking brethren changed their approach and began fighting the Maid-Knights with both precaution and even teamwork. Yet, that only served to delay their deaths, not avoid them. After all, merely adopting teamwork was but useless before Knights who have fought together for years. One could even say that it was but an exercise of desperation. "Those are Red Liches!! A type of undead only mentioned in legends and diaries that date back to the Ancient Age!! For those to suddenly appear...!" Baffled and having overheard what Sophie had said, Mika let such words out. At the same time, she and Josie were shooting [Mana Bolt]s at a big group of Skeleton Warriors who came out of the ground beneath them and easily destroyed them one after the other. "RAAAAAH!! [DRACONIC CRUSHING FALL]!!" But of course, those were not the only opponents they had to deal with, for a Lesser Dragon Lord had them on their sights too, and rather than making their way on foot, they leapt towards them from deep in the battlefield and turned themselves into a projectile of pure draconic might. "Incoming!" Immediately noticing it, Louise exclaimed that as she readied her blessed shield, planted her feet on the ground, waited to receive the Lesser Dragon Lords attack in its entirety. "Oh no, you don''t! But someone had a problem with that. Louise, launch me!" Someone that readied her blessed warhammer and jumped on Louise''s shield as she said that with a fierce expression on her face, Evangeline. "UP YOU GO!!" And Louise proceeded to do what her friend told her to without any doubt whatsoever. After all, she deeply trusted her teammate and friend. Kiss my warhammer you overgrown lizard!! Thus, Evangeline flew towards the incoming Lesser Dragon Lord with one intention and one intention alone, to do what she had planned to with her blessed warhammer since the beginning of the battle. [HEAD SMASHER]!!" "?!" *CLAAANG* *CRUNCH* With that, the Lesser Dragon Lord had no time to react before the incoming Evangeline smashed his head in with her warhammer, forcefully stopping his skill and sending his corpse flying to the side, where it fell on top of another wave of skeletons that was on its way Mikas and Sophies location. Meanwhile, Evangeline smashed those who had the misfortune to be where she landed, which was a bit farther into the battlefield. "Aaah, that felt quite cathartic if I do say so myself." So said Evangeline as she massaged her right shoulder carefreely before she began to make her way back to her team while breaking as many of the enemies that stood before her, undead or otherwise. _______________________________________________ "Keh, the undead are just...!" "Can you regroup with Mika''s team, Sophie?!" So asked Erica to Sophie through the communication skill, as the latter was in the middle of dealing with the various Warrior Skeletons that were around her, kicking them away one after the other. "Keke, I would love to! But these skeletons just keep coming out of the ground!! Annoying!!! Haaa!!" Kiii! Vexed, Sophie let that out as she did a roundhouse kick and sent three Warrior Skeletons flying at the same time, who broke in pieces the moment they crashed with others that were quickly approaching. Bones coming to Dog. Shouldnt that be the other way around? And joining her in such bone breaking brawl was Lyra, who not only kept her now usual poker-face while teasing one of her new friends, but also as she fearlessly slashed at many skeletons at once with her claws. Said claws were made of the concentrated ice attribute mana that covered her hands and forearms in an aura that looked like snow tiger themed gauntlets. "You...!" "Focus, Sophie! If they are targeting you, then there is a chance that something has figured out your role as the one in charge of the communications!" So exclaimed Erica as she stopped Sophie from starting her now typical back and forth with Lyra, as it was not the time nor place for that. Although, she actually found them funny, for she thought that those two were really like a dog and a cat, but she would never say that out loud. "I know! But there is nothing worry about; these are only skeletons andwhat? Crap! Max is saying that the Black Chimera her Manticore just killed turned into an undead!" Immediately relaying the new information that her comrades gave her, Sophie continued her fight against even more Warrior Skeletons, evading their attacks and breaking them with her enhanced kicks and punches. "Yes, I am seeing something similar here. The Blood Skull that Roxxy defeated just got up again and it is now covered in flames. If what Mika says is true, then the undead here are getting more and more powerful..." Said Erica as she watched Roxxy duke it out with the now Fiery Blood Skull Warrior, whose broken weapon and armor had been replaced by ones made of bloody flames, which were proving to be far more resistant to the Blacksmith Maids attacks. Still, that did not seem to matter much, for the smile on Roxxys face was still there and such confidence seemed to extend to her weapon, as its glow was far from being overshadowed by the flames. *tremble* *tremble* This is? ? It was then that Sophie and the rest of her team felt something strange beneath their feet, the ground was trembling more than when the Skeleton Warriors were about to come out from it, and that could only mean one thing. "Something big is coming from beneath! Jump!!" Hearing Sophies shout, Gail, Maevis, and Lyra immediately jumped out of the way, and just as they did so, the ground where they had been standing exploded as that something emerged from it. "Sophie?!" Silence was the only thing that came from Sophie''s side of the call, but that was not because the skill had been deactivated. No, it was because of something else. Something that Erica managed to see from where she was. A massive Bone Serpent. One that had broken their formation and was targeting Sophie with its massive jaws that burned with purple fire, a fire of rot and decay. Erica wanted to go to them, but two bone chimeras suddenly jumped before and blocked her way. "This is no mere coincidence. Someone or something is clearly pulling the strings..." So she said as she looked at the Bone Chimeras that were now circling her, not knowing that there was a river of bones flowing beneath the ground, and that the increased numbers and strength of the undead were merely the side effects of its awakening movements. It was waiting. Waiting for the power it needed to truly wake up. ____________________________________________ "Keh! You are not turning me into your snack! Be happy to be the first one to feel the power of my blessed weapon!" So declared Sophie as she activated the storage power of her outfit and retrieved the only weapon inside it. After all, Roxxy had told her that it was ready, and that the Goddess had put it in there for the sake of convenience. And as she pulled it out, Sophie remembered such words with joy and surprise, for the Goddess had done something to help her and not to bully her. She felt that she had finally been forgiven by heruntil she saw it. "WHY IS THIS THING HERE?!!" "HSSSSSSSS!!!" And when she did, not only did she go wide-eyed, but her shout resounded throughout the battlefield. For what she now had in her hand was nothing but her family''s heirloom. The same thing she considered a simple decoration. A superbly crafted decoration. "WHY GODDESS?!! DON''T YOU THINK THAT THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO PRANK ME LIKE THISAAAH!" HSSSSSSSHAA! Her shock had been so great that she forgot about the Bone Serpent and most importantly, its quickly approaching jaws. *CHOM-TUNK* "HHHHHSSSS?" But something went wrong when the Bone Serpent tried to fully close its jaws. *CHOM-TUNK* "HHSSSSS??" No matter how hard it tried fully close them, it just could not do it. The reason was simple, Sophie had managed to place her family''s heirloom right in the middle of its jaws and the thing was not budging. Not only that, but the second she did so, the purple flames inside the Bone Serpents mouth disappeared. "ROXXY! DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?!" So exclaimed Sophie as she kept her family''s heirloom in place, which caused the Bone Serpent to both lose its calm and thrash around with its tail. "KYAA...?! DON''T GO SCREAMING ON PEOPLE''S EARS WHEN THEY ARE FOCUSED FIGHTING!!" "Kya?" "*ahem*...that ''thing'' ye say IS yer blessed weapon!! I tried so hard to wake it up, so ye better not be using it to stop the maw of a beast from closing or something like that!!! Haa!! [ARMOR BUSTER]!!" "..." "YE BASTARD!!! NAY!! YE FECKIN'' FOOL!!! UNSHEATHE IT!! NOW!!" Sophie''s silence told the Blacksmith Maid everything she needed, and she shouted in response to it, all while she was being attacked by the flaming bloody sword of her opponent. "BUT I HAVE TRIED TO DO THAT SO MANY TIMES!! THE DAMN THING NEVER WORKED!! NOT EVEN ONCE!! IT''S JUST AN ANNOYING DECORATION!! ALSO, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF MY COMRADES COULD HELP ME HERE!" Despite her making use of it to keep the serpent in place, Sophie also found herself forgetting about her incredible strength for a moment due to the shock over her weapon, which made her try and look over the Bone Serpents head while shouting that, all in an attempt to see why her comrades were taking so long to help her and she quickly got her answer. "Dog, be considerate." Said Lyra while sitting like a cat on top of another Bone Serpent, who looked very annoyed by it. "What the...? THERE ARE MORE?!" Indeed, there were more. She had been so focused on her family''s heirloom and the serpent in front of her, that she did not notice that more had come out from the hole the first one made. There were four. One per team member. One of them kept slithering around and evading the attacks of the heavy tank, Maevis. "I''m really sorry to say this after telling Erica not to worry, but as you can see...ahmehehe" And that made her say that while letting out an almost childish nervous laugh, all as she tried to hit her respective Bone Serpent with her shield rather than her spear, for it was not that effective against its bony body. "Mhm, sorry!" Agreeing with her friend, Gail said that with her cute voice while she kept trying to kick her own Bone Serpent. Both could easily destroy their opponents if they truly wanted to, but...they were both quite the curious ones and Sophie''s heirloom had already caught their attention back when they were helping in cleaning the smithy, even if they did not have the chance to see what lied inside its sheath. ''UwaaaI''m sorry, Erica! Sophie! Butbut I really want to see it! Roxxy was so strict about it that I can''t resist it!!'' ''I''m losing my patience. Yep. I want to see it. Yep. Come on. Yep.'' So thought Maevis and Gail, as their eyes shined with curiosity while they stole glances at Sophies family heirloom. "Just unsheathe that weapon dammit!!!" Vexed, Roxxy shouted that through the skill after she once again avoided one of her opponents attacks and immediately countered by hitting the undead right on the stomach, or where it should be, with the bottom of her blessed hammers handle, causing it to reel back and leave itself open for her following attack, a devastating downwards smite that not only pinned the Fiery Blood Skull Warrior to the ground, but it also crushed it to pieces, seemingly destroying it for good. "Its not going to work!! The Goddess is playing with me again, I tell you!! Also, can you say something else than ''mhm, yep'', Gail?!!" "Tch...!" Before Sophies retort, Roxxy only clicked her tongue but Gail... Gail was angryso much so that if one were to use the words of the Absurd, one would say that her anger vein had become more than visible. "Oh, come on! Just do it, you stubborn maid! I have been with Miss Nerinne all these weeks and I can fucking tell you that when she does something, she does it with a purpose!! She taught me how to style my hair in buns and that was the push I needed to go all in on my search for cuteness!! So if she put that damn thing in your storage, then its because she thinks that you are ready for it!! Now do it!! And don''t ever critique how I talk again, or I will cutely kick your ass!!!" "..." "..." "..." "..." """"..."""" With a voice that had turned raspy and clashed with her cute appearance, Gail let out her angry response, leaving everyone completely speechless. Even the Bone Serpents were surprised, so much so that they stopped rampaging because of it. "Ok then...I''ll try." Said the bewildered Sophie as she put her other hand on her family''s heirloom and proceeded to try and unsheathe it. "See, nothing is?!" *click* *FZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON* """"HSS?!"""" """""Kiki?!""""" With a click, the sheath opened just a little bit, barely showing its ancient and beautiful blade. That is...if a blinding prismatic wave of light had not been released by it. A wave of prismatic light that annihilated all the Bone Serpents and Warrior Skeletons that surrounded Sophie''s and Mika''s team. Nothing was left of them, not even ashes. The all simplyvanished from the face of the planet. "..." And before such unexpected display of incredible power, Sophie was left agape, as well as her team and Mikas. ''Could it be...?'' But that did not last long, for Mika immediately began to ponder about something as her eyes fell on the surprised Sophie and her weapon. It was then that a voice full of smugness and vindication came through the communication skill. A voice whose owner was clearly relishing the moment, no matter if she was fighting what seemed to be an undead that just kept reassembling itself every time it was defeated. "Told ya." So said Roxxy, satisfied. But sadly, her words fell on deaf ears, as Sophie was completely focused on what she was holding in her now trembling hands. Nothat was just a trigger, for Sophies eyes showed that she was going through a whirlwind of emotions that could not be limited to just surprise and incredulity. Indeed, her unsheathing of her familys heirloom had stirred something deep within her. Something thatshe had buried. ''This thing...why am I able to...'' Something that immediately formed a knot in her throat and began to take away her breath. ''Am I...am I really forgiven? Are momdad...I...is this'' That something wasmemories. Memories of two smiling adults with their faces covered in shadows. Memories of a certain night. Memories of a lonely and dark house. Memoriesof blood on the floor, a human whimper, the door of a certain room creaking open, a bloody hand peeking out of it. Panic. Two more hands, her hands, taking the heirloom, running, running as fast as she could. Never looking back. Never stopping. Even if her path got twisted. Even if she was twisted. "Oh-oh..." And before Sophie fell deeper into such well of memories, Lyras voice brought her back to reality, taking her eyes off her familys heirloom and turning to see what had caused such reaction from her fluffy comrade. "Sub-Leader Erica, are you seeing this?" The answer to her question was obvious, but she still felt the need to ask. After all, two massive magical circles had appeared in the sky above the battlefield and were descending quickly. Furthermore, there were two grimoires right at the center of those circles and they were equallly filled with a titanic amount of ominous power. "Yes, I am. One was made of bones and the other was made of pure rock. Everyone, if you were still not fighting seriously, I believe that soon will be the time to do so." So said Erica, letting everyone know the seriousness of the situation. "Mika, what do you think about this?" And as such, she could not afford to be in the dark about whatever was the purpose of such circles, even if it was obvious that it was something bad. Thus, she asked the one maid who had the highest chance to know exactly that, all while she kept her gaze on the circles, which she could do without worries due to the Bone Chimeras not being able to reassemble themselves after what she did to them. I will omit the details and go straight to the point. Those magical circles are ancient versions of those used by summoners like Max. And judging by the mana being used, those grimoires are summoning something big. Worst of all...taking all of that into account and the sudden appearance of all these legendary undead, I can''t shake the feeling that we might have in our hands a couple of Grand Monsters." So said Mika having used her [Appraising Eyes], her arcane knowledge, and the state of the battlefield to unveil as much as she could of the circles purpose. And hearing through the communication skill was "Grand Monsters...huh? HAHAHA AIN''T THAT GREAT, GABRIELLE?!" Kris, who exclaimed that as she crushed with her feet the head of a Black Skull Berserker like it was nothing. "...run wild, [Traitorous Blood]." "Gurgh...what..gaaaargh...wha---gah!" "Burb...you...!" Meanwhile, Gabrielle unleashed her spell upon the two Commanders whose fists she was currently stopping with her seemingly delicate hands, turning their own blood against them, and making them bleed profusely from every orifice on their bodies until they died in a pool of their own blood, a blood was no longer red but dark green. "My, only you would consider that a great thing. But then again, I too am curious." And as if responding to both of Erevain''s rivals, one of the magical circles shone even brighter and from its light a gigantic being started to form. "A colossus...?" A being that the baffled Roxxy could not help but recognize as its body finished materializing and revealed itself to be entirely made of rock. Not only that, but it had a rough humanoid shape, and its body could be described as armor-like. Furthermore, it had intricate, glowing designs carved all over said body. Indeed, such was the being that had inspired the dream project of many blacksmiths, the golem. Be it in the stories told to their children or in the real world, golems were almost always the product of someone who wondered if a being like that could be made and tried doing so. Of course, the dimensions of both were very distinct, but the mystery surrounding these beings made of rock was something just too alluring. Meanwhile, the other grimoire released a sinister pulse of mana that traveled through the whole battlefield and back. "Its pulling the undead towards it...? Mika, what thing might that be?" So said Josie as she turned to Mika for answers. Because even if she called herself a scholar, she knew that Mika had more knowledge than her on many areas. Mika thus began to ponder and as she saw not only the undead, but also the corpses of their vanquished enemies be turned to bones and pulled towards the grimoire, something came up in her mind and she made an expression full of seriousness and urgency. It was a long shot. A name that she had seen in an old book in the Magic Academy''s Library. But as bones began to come out from the ground and forced her comrades to avoid them while they still fought against the remaining living opponents they had, said name simply refused disappear from her mind. "A Bone Legion..." And so, that name escaped her lips the very moment all those bones began to construct a massive bestial body. ''...if I am right, then Sophie''s weapon might be what we need. But I have to look at it from up close before saying anything.'' So thought Mika as she turned her gaze at Sophies group, who were at a reasonable distance from hers. _________________________________________ At the same time as such bespectacled maid thought of the identity of one of the Grand Monsters, Sophie proceeded to contact the leader of their Order, Erevain. Even if that meant that she could be distracting her while she was occupied with her own battle. It was then that the ground trembled as the Colossus took its first steps in the battlefield while holding what looked like sword in one of its hands. Furthermoreit was looking for somethingsomeone. It was looking for its prime targets. Those who dared and killed its Master. And to find them it would lay waste to everything in its path. *GROOOOOAAAN* Common sense would dictate that such being would be confronted by a group of powerful people. Common sense would dictate that no one could just fight one on one with it. Common sense would dictate that even if confronted by a group of powerful people, the chances of survival were slim, and escaping was advised. But common sense was simply absent from in the mind of the cinnamon skinned, red-headed woman, who was walking towards the colossus with a ridiculously big, blessed sword on her shoulder. She was smiling. Fearless and excited. And her whole body trembled with the desire to fight. One could think of such stroll as reckless, for she was still in the middle of a battlefield and it stood to reason that those of the opposing army would not miss the chance to try and attack her. But that was not a problem, after all she had her friend and rival covering her back with ease. No one was getting through her. Moreover, said friend had a sincerely excited smile on her face. And the reason behind was quite simple, just as her other rival she wanted to see Kris surpass her limits more than anyone else. "...KEH?! KRIS WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!" So screamed Sophie through the communication skill. "Just watch, greenie." And Kris answered with that as she brandished her sword and breathed in until her lungs were full. "OI, YOU BIG CLAYDOLL!!!" "ROOOOOONMM..." Such was Kris roar at the Colossus, one so loud enough that her voice reached the ears of everyone in the battlefield and even the colossus itself, for it turned its head in the direction of her voice, all as its body groaned and dust fell from its joints. Its eyes were hollow and dark, and as it looked down to the human ant that had screamed, she screamed again. "COME ON!! SWING THAT THING AT ME!! OR WHAT, YOU SCARED?!! WANT ME TO CALL YOUR MASTER??!!" "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!" It could not speak but it could understand words. It knew its master was dead and yet the human ant dared to say that. It was angered. It would crush that human ant. And so, it raised its sword. "YEAH!! JUST LIKE THAT!! COME ON!!!" She raised her sword too. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!" It swung down its sword and... *CLAAAAAAAANG* ...the blade stopped and it did so right before it touched the ground. No. It was stopped and the impact released a shockwave that reverberated around the area. "No way..." Said Sophie as she looked at the person stopping the whole strength of a Colossus with the fuller of her ridiculously big, blessed sword. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! LET''S DO THIS!!" The woman whose strength was praised by the Goddess herself. The top-warrior of the Maid-Knights. The Red Scourge. Kris. And as someone obsessed with becoming stronger, she would never hesitate to take on the strongest foes for herself. Thus, her smile grew bigger. Fighting against a mountain...she was going to enjoy it. ___________________________________________________________ Meanwhile, the Bone Legion''s body was about to be completed. Erica and the rest of the maids could not afford to stand in awe and resumed their fights, but urgency could be felt among them. After all, they wanted to take care of those Grand Monsters before they did any actual damage to the capital. Sophie shook her head as she freed herself from the shock of what she had just witnessed and looked at the massive undead that was deep behind enemy lines. Having not stored away her familys heirloom, her grip on it tightened as a certain feeling grew inside of her. One that came from deep within her, so deep that even she did not know where. One that she wanted to comprehend. Thus, she swallowed her saliva, her fear, and truly looked at the massive undead. And then it all became clear. She needed to beat that Grand Monster. "Dog..." "I told you that" And when she was about to reprimand Lyra, she stopped midway as she saw her smiling at her. "...those are good eyes." Said Lyra from the bottom of her heart. "...! Ye-yeah..." So answered Sophie a bit shaken by her words. "What are we waiting for? Let''s go then!" "Mhm, yep!" Of course, Maevis and Gail did not waste any time and joined in, giving Sophie a friendly pat on the back before they started moving towards the massive undead. Lyra soon followed too as she walked past Sophie with a smile on her face and fearless eyes. Sophie then looked at her familys heirloom one last time, nodded, and joined her team. Not long after that, Mikas team joined them too. Lastly, with their own battles finished, the arrival of their Master and Leader was but a matter of time. And as the forces of the Kingdom marched towards such absurd battlefield, the legend of the Maid-Knights grew. To be continued...(cue illustration Kris confronting the Colossus, like the good soloist she is!!) First and foremost, I apologize for the delay, this one has been one of those that I really wanted to nail, so I took my time. I hope it was worth the wait and that you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, do drop a heart on it and tell me in the comments below! There will be no post release live reading this time, sadly, I need to go to sleep! But before I go to dream about maids, we have lots of fanart, and I mean LOTS of it! And what a better way to start than with the form that those on the discord have forced me to take! Yes, the form ofMaid Mamaas drawn by one of our dear artists from there, Fia! So yeah, this shall be my pfp until further notice, heh. Doesnt she look GORGEOUS?! AND THAT NERINNE PEN LOOKS SO ADORABLE!!! THE LIGHTING AND THE COLORS TOO! OH MY GOOOOD!! Ah, but we are not done with Fia! Not at all! Theres more!! Do you like Luca? Do you like Sucrose from Genshin Impact? If you answered yes to both questions, thenBEHOLD!! SUCROSE LUCA!!! What else is to say but ask for some insulin after all the sweet cuteness of Luca!! BUT WAITTHERES MOAAAAR FROM FIA! YES! FOR SHE ALSO MADE THE ONE AND ONLY GABRIEEEELLE!!! AND SHE LOOKS GLORIOUS!! SHE EVEN HAS HER BLESSED WEAPONS!! NUFF SAID!! Thank you, Fia!! Noware you prepared for some BEAUTIES?! BECAUSE P?RTER HAS US COVERED WITH NOT ONE BUT TWO BEAUTIES!! AND THEY ARE AUROS AND NERINNE!! I love, LOVE, his art style and the clothing choices he made are just NNGH!! AND THOSE POSES TOO!! Thank you, P?rter! DID SOMEONE SAID FLUFF?! BECAUSE DAVIDEHGOO HAS BROUGHT HER AND YES, HE DREW THE ONE AND ONLY LYRA! JUST LOOK AT THOSE EARS! THOSE EYES! AND THAT CUTE SMILE!! SHE IS SO ADORABLE! Thank you, DavidDehGoo!! Last but certainly not least, we have HeliumGasSong!! And she brings us CUTENESS, MORE CUTENESS AND AMAZINGNESS! WHY SO MUCH CUTENESS?! THIS IS WHY!! GAIL AND MORE GAIL!! MHM, YEP!! By the way, the second Gail is done in Revue Starlight style, and let me tell you that she pretty much nailed it! As for amazingnesswellheheEVANGELINE WITH A BERET IS HERE!! AND SHE LOOKS JUST AMAZING!! THE COLORS, THE EXPRESSION, THE BERET! EVERYTHING LOOKS AMAZING!! Thank you, HeliumGasSong! And that was it, I hope that you liked this deluge of fanart and if youd like to share your fanart, you can do so by joining the discord server and uploading it to the fanart channel or uploading it to imgur and sending me the link via inbox! In any case, if youd like to support me and the story, you can do so by joining my patreon where you can get some more extra content like the first part of the Second Bite of Waifu Bites! And a teaser for the first official illustration! If you do not like patreon but you still want to support me, you can do so by donating to my paypal or Ko-fi! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON and AnimeFreak1982! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. See you all next chapter! Chapter 90: The Red Scourge’s strength and the Princess’ Magic. As I walk through the valley of...no...sorry...just trying center myself...through being comical... Let me start again, is that alright? Yes? Take my time? Hey, that is quite nice of you. I knew that I could count on us weebs being there for each other when it counts. *ahem* As I walk slowly through the ''hallway'' that connects the two spots where I teleport from and to, I can feel the heaviness in my heart slowly disappearing... Although I can feel myself stopping every now and then too... Just to think...to process... Maybe it is an effect of this quiet and tranquil place... A place where time flows differently since I do appear ''instantly'' on the other side. It doesnt matter if I walk or run here... I wonder just how much time have I spent here...? Anyways, I walk forward again, if only just a bit... Maybe it is an effect of my inhuman body? No, I am not in the same case as the Undead Majesty. "Besides, I made sure that that would not happen, Auros. Your body might be of a different race, but your mind is yours, your heart is yours...you are you. That, I swear." I know, Nerinne. If that was the case it would''ve kicked in when my emotions where at its peak. But I know you considered all of this when you told me there was no problem in doing this. So maybe it is something else... Maybe its that she was at peace? Maybe its that I know that there still work to do? No...I think I know... It is simply the fact that I have accepted what I''ve done...that I have accepted what I will do and that I know that death is not the end... I cannot get tired of saying this, but knowing what death truly means and what comes next can really help...I guess...for there is no feeling of being lost... Or not in the traditional sense...I am not doubting...I am not denying...I simply jumped through all those stages? No. Maybe they are happening all at once? Maybe. I know where I am, I know my destination and who I am... I killed Violet Death. She was in no way innocent. Her army too. And in doing so, I both have rid the world of someone that had harmed so many innocents and saved all those she would have harmed in the future. I protected this world because I love it and I want to know more of those I have met here. There is no turning my back on those facts. My choices. My reasons. Even then, she died in the way she wanted to die. She died peacefully and seemingly with no regrets. If I am to give up because of it, I would be disrespecting our fight. I would be disrespecting the character whose form I chose for my body. I would be disrespecting the feelings of all the Maid-Knights, of Gabrielle, of Erevain. I would be disrespecting the feelings of Nerinne. I would be disrespectingmy own feelings. I can''t have that... I can''t just stop... So, I''ll keep saying it...until it becomes true! Until I make it true! I must be stronger and in order to achieve that, I need to keep moving! I need to keep living this life I have been given! I need to keep the parts of me that make me who I am intact and add more to them! I need to grow!! Because even if I am an adult, there is still much to learn! "And I want to learn! I want to live! I want to help! I want to laugh! I want to cry! I want to see!" And as I keep repeating these words, I notice that I have almost reached the end of this ''hallway''. Also, I have come to realize something. I was wrong. This weight is not disappearing. It will probably never disappear. I am just picking it up and carrying it rather than letting it weigh me down. Because that is my responsibility, not as a hero, not as me interpreting my waifu, but as a person who grew up with a grandmother who hammered a moral compass into them. Someone who taught me to take responsibility for my actions and carry their weight. No matter the world...those lessons will always be with me and nothing can take that away. Not even a lazy amnesia plot. This I swear to you Nana! So, lets take a deep breath and There. "Time to go." And so, I step through the white ''exit''. ______________________________________ Five minutes earlier, when her Master was burying Violet Death at the base of the mountain after their fight, Erevain was running towards the battlefield. And following close behind was her family, who were inside of a floating [Magic Shield] shaped like a wagon large enough to hold them. Its speed was the same as hers, so it made Licht and Mary a bit afflicted with motion sickness. "..." "..." Furthermore, they were keeping silent in fear that if they opened their mouths something would get out or even worse, get in. But there was something that made both feel quite confused. Euphemia was surprisingly alright. Indeed, she showed no sign of having motion sickness or any discomfort whatsoever, even as Erevain jumped and leaped from the roofs and walls of the capital at a great speed. She was even casually talking to Erevain and in her innocent tone one could see that she was making up for the lost time. "Elder Sister, can I ask you something?" "Of course, Euphy." And Erevain was more than happy to oblige. Moreover, she was overjoyed at the fact that she was able to talk to her little sister as that, siblings. No need for an alias and made up backgrounds. Although she feared that her question may be about the fate of their father, but if that was to be the case, she had already resolved herself to answer honestly. "Lady Argento, you love her, right?" "...?!!" Yet, her worries were proved to be unfounded with Euphemias question. One that she made without an ounce of subtlety and took Erevain completely by surprise. "WhaGH?! *COUGH* *COUGH*" "..." A surprise that extended to Licht, who in his attempt to voice it found that his fears were founded. As insomething got in. Meanwhile, Mary only listened attentively. "...is it that obvious?" Euphemia smiled warmly as she saw the tip of Erevains ears turn beet red while she asked that. "Even if it is easier to read you now, the eyes you show to her are something that I have never seen you show to anyone else." As Euphemia said that, her voice was filled with happiness for her elder brother, now sister, but she could not deny that there was a bit of envy mixed in there. But it was not an envy fueled by the desire to receive such romantic feelings from her eldest sibling, rather she was envious of the closeness her eldest sibling seemed to have with her Master. Regardless of such feelings. A closeness she had lost due to being separated for such a long time. She knew it was immature of her to feel like that, not to mention improper for a princess, but then againshe could not help it. After all, deep down inside her heartshe was just a normal girl. One that felt sad at seeing a rainy day and one that felt happy whenever she found a better leather for her hidden armor. She also wanted to ask about something else, but with her now sister being easier to read, she had gotten the answer to that question without even asking directly. ''I shall wait until she decides to tell me.'' So thought Euphemia about such subject. "At first, Idid not see her in that light. But when I truly saw her, I simply knew that I wanted to be with her. And that has not changed ever since. I want to know more about her, about the burdens she carries, about that hidden side of her that one can only catch glimpses of, and so much more. But I also want to follow this person who did not hesitate to help the innocent and felt hurt for their deaths. This woman who has vowed to carve a path for a better future with eyes full of honesty." So declared Erevain with the only expression that would fit such words, the expression of a person in love. "..." Licht was surprised and clearly jealous, but he understood that his elder sister''s feelings were genuine. He also was in no position to object given all that happened. "..." Mary, on the other hand, had a saddened expression, if even for a moment, before closing her eyes, smiling heavily, and shaking her head. ''After what I did and what happened, this feeling is...this feeling is a just punishment. Besides, I could never compete with that...'' That is what went through her mind as she looked down. "I see, then she is indeed a good match for you, Elder Sister! That makes me happy!" Said Euphemia as they got closer and closer to the battlefield, and what seemed like a tower from afar started to look more and more humanoid in form as they did. "Thank you, Euphy." "Hm? For what?" Asked Euphemia a bit confused about Erevains sincere thanks, all as everyone realized what it was that they were seeing. Licht and Mary wondered how would Erevain''s comrades be able to deal with such a thing. A thing thatweirdly enough seemed to be fighting against something below it. Meanwhile, Erevain and Euphemia thought that since they were already going there to fight, there was no problem in continuing their talk while they got there. "For not treating me any different despite what happened and my change." So said Erevain as she prepared her sword and leapt with all her strength towards the battlefield from one of the Capital''s ramparts. "Oh, that? Why would I do that, Elder Sister? What happened was not your fault and I do not blame you for it, not a single bit. And you are you, no matter if you use a suit or a dress!" Causing Erevain to giggle, Euphemia said that with a big smile on her face and love in her voice. And she did so as she let her mana flow freely, which looked as if it was ecstatic about doing so and moved around quite vividly. With that, their light conversation ended and thus they gave the serious matter they were approaching their full attention. "Elder Sister, I am going to use my magic against that colossus. You do not have any problems with that, right?" So asked Euphemia with a more serious tone, even if such question was really a mere formality, for she was already weaving her mana. "It is alright, you are fifteen years old now so there should be no problems. Besides, I want to see it Euphy. Your strength." With a proud but serious tone, Erevain said that, sending Euphemias motivation right through the hypothetical roof and causing her to smile eagerly as she started her chant. "Being that is bound to me, I ask you to come..." And as that was happening, Erevain glanced at Licht and Mary. "Mary, you have done enough, just rest. And please, do not escape." Mary''s eyes widened a bit at the look of concern in Erevain''s eyes before she nodded without showing any signs of wanting to refuse. After all, there was no reason for her to escape. "Licht, if you see any monsters or undead doing something suspicious near you, use your power to stop it. And do not even think of escaping." Licht immediately nodded at his elder sisters words, for he felt that even if he tried to escape, it would be useless. And with that, Erevain willed the wagon to descend in a safe area close to the battlefield. It was then that Erevain''s ears caught something. They caught the sound of someone''s excited laugh and metal clashing with something incredibly heavy. Some would probably think of such sounds as nothing more than them mishearing, but in Erevains case She knew very well who was behind those sounds. "Kris, you truly are mad." ___________________________________ As the path of two people converged, one Maid-Knight dared a mountain to hit her... "MY TURN!! ORRRAAAAA!!!" ...and pushed it back. "ROOOOOOOOOMMM Indeed, for the arm with which the colossus was wielding its sword was suddenly thrown upwards by the absurd strength of Kris, leaving said Grand Monster utterly bewildered and quite open to Kris incoming attack. "TAKE THIS!!!" So she screamed as she swung her sword upwards with all her strength. Obviously, the sword itself did not meet with the colossus body, but that was not what Kris had intended anyway. ''Kris, youcrazy muscle head!'' Thought Gabrielle as she saw it. The result of Kris'' strength. *FUUUUEEEEEEESHHHH* *CRASH* *CRACRACRACRACRACK* "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOMM??!!!!" A result that materialized as she cut the air in a way that it turned into a massive blade, one that in turn cut into the colossus rock-hard armor-like skin, which pushed the colossus into a deeper state of bafflement, but it also made it consider that human ant as a threat. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT!!!" Not only that, but the human ant was laughing, which angered the colossus. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!" And in its rage, it swung its sword at her again... *CLANG* ...only to be stopped all the same. She then pushed it back and countered in the same way she did before, slashing at the air with her absurd strength and creating yet another massive blade, one that carved into the colossus torso like the first one and caused the cracks on it to both deepen and take she shape of a rough X. But this time the colossus did not stop in utter bafflement and continued attacking Kris with its sword, slashing down at her again and again and again. Surely common sense and logic would dictate that the maid would not be able to withstand such furious flurry of colossal attacks and yetnot only did she withstand them, but she was matching each and every one of them with attacks of her own, causing the ground to shake with each clash. *FUUUUUUEEESSSHHHHHH* "ORA!! ORA!! ORRRAAA!! IS THAT ALL?!!!" Moreover, she also kept creating blades of wind pressure that flew unimpeded towards their target and created more and more cracks on its targets body. And with every attack, the colossus could not help but wonder why Why it was being so difficult to crush its opponent? Why was someone so small able to challenge and inflict so much pain to it? Whywhy was its arm growing weaker and weaker with every attack? Why? Why? Indeed, such were the questions of an angered and deeply confused colossus, who felt an increasingly worse pain run through its sword wielding arm and hand every time its sword was repelled by the humans. Almost as ifas if the colossus were attacking something harder than itself. That was impossible. It must be. But then *CRACKCRACKCRACK* "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUMM as numerous and deep cracks covered its sword wielding arm and hand, it felt it, that maddening pain, the worst it had ever felt, even in that fight, and it could not help but let out such a deafening wail. One that was not only filled with such sensation, but also fear, confusion anddespair. And so, having been blinded by such overwhelming emotions and sensation, it stopped swinging its blade with a with a rudimentary technique and started to swing it at the maid in a manner reminiscent of a child throwing a tantrum, and while those desperate swings were indeed much faster than before, the Red Scourge still blocked, repelled, and matched every single one of them. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SAY GOODBYE TO THAT..." *CLAAAAANG* *FUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEESHHHHHH* "...ARM!!!!" *CRACKCRACKCRACKCRACKCRACK* *CRAAASH* "ROOOOOOOOOOOUUUUMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!! ROOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!" That isuntil she did not need to. Thus, for the first time in ages, the cries of a colossus could be heard all throughout the battlefield and beyond. Cries that even overshadowed the sounds made by its own arm as it fell apart, turning into many large pieces that rained down upon nearby allies and enemies alike, and while the former were crushed beneath them, the latter used their superior speed to leave the area with ease, including Kris. Even then, the anger of the colossus was much, much bigger than whatever anguish it was going through, and so, having located the one who had hurt it so much, it raised its massive foot and attempted to squash Kris with it. And what did the maid do before such thing? Did she ready her weapon and prepared herself to push back an even greater part of the colossus? Did she invoke one of her empowering skills? Did she begin to move in hopes of avoiding it and create a chance to inflict even more damage to her opponent? Nothe maid did not do any of that. Not at all. "TRY IT! I DARE YOU!!" "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMM!!!!" The maidthe Red Scourgeshe simply nailed her weapon on the ground, smiled at the sight before her, and shouted that from the top of her lungs, fanning the flames of rage that burned within the colossus and making it not just want to squash her anymore, now it wanted to completely erase her from the face of the planet. "That idiot...!" Seeing that, her friend, her rival, quickly dashed towards her friend in hopes of helping her in whatever way she could, but then she felt it and stopped her advance. Indeed, she felt the reason behind Kris ridiculous actions. The reason behind her current smile. She feltthe presence of those who were approaching the battlefield and understood. "[Ruinous Slash]." And then, such feeling became a reality as a certain someone appeared seemingly out of nowhere, said that with a cold and regal voice, and proceeded to wrap her ominous looking holy sword in her black and red stormy mana, creating a massive blade with which she cleanly cut off the colossus leg at knee height. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!" Yet instead of falling upon the battlefield like the first of its lost extremities, it simply disappeared. Or ratherit was teleported to a deserted location by the same person who had cut it off. She was Kris'' and Gabrielles Master. The Absurd. Auros Argento. But that was not all, for as the colossus cried in pain and lost its balance, it failed to notice the other two people who were fast approaching it. And they did so from up high, falling from the great altitude one of them had gained with her mighty leap. One who was clad in a shining silver aura so strong that it painted her hair with the same color. One whose combat clothes were covered in a hovering armor made from that same aura. "[MOONLIGHT BLAST]!!" *CRACK* *CRASH* "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!" Onewho gathered her mana onto her brandished blessed longsword and shot it at the colossus in the form a silver beam of light, which not only increased the pain it was in, but as it landed on its chest, it made a hole on it, exposing its core, itsheart. It was beating like any other heart but rather than being made of flesh and blood, it was a crystal that emanated a rapidly flashing orange light from deep within, making it clear that the colossus was in complete distress. And just as the silver-haired woman was close enough to the colossus, a chanting teen girl with black and white checkered hair appeared behind her. "...your name is Aelux, I entrust all of my mana to you, so fight for me! [BLESSED FAMILIAR SUMMON]!!" With that, the girl''s white colored mana swelled and became as massive as the falling colossus, and not only that, but it also quickly took a humanoid form and threw a punch while it was still materializing. In the brief instants that it took such attack to land, both the familiars hand and its still actualizing body became covered in an armor that while plenty unique, it still resembled the designs of the church, and in the center of its armor one could see her summoner, floating inside what looked like a gem, eyes brimming with power. Thus, the familiars fist flew with an incredible speed and strength towards the now open hole in the chest of the colossus *BLAM* "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!" *CRASH* and it went right through it, causing the colossus to release its loudest wail yet as its heart was forcefully pushed out of its body and was currently in the hand of the massive familiar, a hand that was now coming out from the colossus back. But even before such legendary scene, there was something else that caught everyones attention, from the Maid-Knights and the Riders to the Capitals approaching forces, something that surprised all of them even, and that was the fact that the colossus heart was still beating. Thus, the colossus wailed and tried to break free from the familiars grasp, no matter the pain, the lost limbs, or that its very life was literally in the hands of its enemies, it tried and yetthat would not come to be. *CRUUUUSH* "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" Because in the end, it did not even matter, for the familiar crushed the colossus'' heart in the very next instant. What no one knew was that the grimoire that summoned it was inside its now destroyed crystal heart, or to be precisethe grimoire was its actual heart. And as the colossus started to turn into mana particles and disappear, revealing its nature as a non-living summon, Euphemia''s familiar also started to vanish. "Thank you, Aelux. This was not bad for a first time...but I guess my body not being in top shape is at fault. That cold is surely to blame..." With that, the familiar disappeared as it nodded at Euphemia''s words which surprised her. She then started to float down to the ground and was caught by her elder sister, who was using a [Magic Shield] as an elevator. There, as she remained on her sisters arms until they both reached the ground, she proceeded to ask her the following: "How did I do, Elder Sister?" "You did very well, Euphy. I am proud of you." "Elder Sister..." Erevains heartfelt words made Euphemia truly happy, happy enough that her eyes became teary and her voice gave out, for it was at that moment that her deepest and greatest frustration finally disappeared. She was no longer the weak child that was sent to another place to be protected. She was now someone that could help her sister in battle, someone that could defend her home from harm, someone who could fight. And as they walked towards the woman clad in a nightmarish black armor and the one that had been fighting the colossus, Euphemia wiped the tears off her eyes and let out smile filled with both great joy and confidence. _______________________________ "Yo! Long time no see, Master!! I could have handled the colossus fine on my own, but I guess I''ve had enough fun!! Hahaha!!" So said Kris loudly with a big smile on her face after waving hello to the Absurd, who took off her terrifying helmet and smiled back at Kris. "I can see why Nerinne praised your strength Kris, it is truly amazing. You are amazing, Kris." Said Auros showing complete honesty. "And I''ll keep getting stronger, Master!! All so that I can fight you for real!!" "Hmph, I shall look forward to that day then." Hearing Kris words and seeing her challenging expression, Auros said that with an expectant smile, as she imagined how epic and montage worthy such a battle could be. "That shall only be possible when you are able to beat me, Kris." So declared the silver-haired woman who approached them both. She was accompanied by a teenage girl who was dressed as a maid for a reason no one there knew. "Ha! I know!! After all, beating a Dragon Lord like Eternal Winter tops fighting a colossus...hm? Hmmm? That hairEuphemia?! Is that you Lil'' Euphemia??! That would mean that that familiar was yours...!! Who would have thought you had that strength within you, Lil'' Euphemia!! Hahaha, thats incredible!!!" Kris, who recognized her friend and rival without a problem and answered to her words, got her attention taken away by the teenage girl that was beside said friend, for she seemed familiar to her. And after realizing who she was, she could not help but proudly and happily pat her head as she talked to her in an overly familiar manner, impressed by the power she had shown. At first, Euphemia was confused as to who was the redhaired woman who was patting her head, but then she noticed two things: the ridiculously big sword that was nailed on the ground besides the maid and how she spoke with both her and her now elder sister. "Could you be...?" Thus, such murmur escaped her lips as she began to wonder if her thoughts about that persons identity were right. It was also then that "AH! I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE, PRINCESS EUPHEMIA!!" ...Kris realized that there was no way Euphemia could recognize her as she was now and as such, she was no different than a complete stranger to her. One that was being overly familiar with her, a princess. And that prompted her to quickly bow and ask for forgiveness in the politest tone she could muster, even if it was a bit loud. But then "Could you be...Kristoff?!" "Eh?! You can recognize me?!" Euphemia exclaimed that while looking at Kris face closely or more like the scar that was on it, surprising Kris. Euphemia then approached her and started checking Kris out with more familiarity, which made Kris feel a bit embarrassed, especially when she looked at her chest. Gabrielle joined them shortly after and Euphemia was at a loss for words after discovering who she was. Meanwhile, Erevain smiled at the scene and approached Auros, who was also enjoying the wholesomeness of what was happening. "Eternal Winter shall not be a problem anymore. As such, I have returned to your side, My Lord Auros." "Yes, you have, Erevain." Erevains words combined with her enthralling appearance and her smile took Auros breath away and made her heart flutter for a moment, yet she managed to control herself and such response, even if it was not in her usual regal and cold tone, but rather it was a soft and warm tone. Then they both gazed at each other longingly for a moment that seemed longer than it was until "...*staaaaaaare*..." "...*staaaaaaare*..." "...*staaaaaaare*..." ...they both got beet red after feeling the stares of Kris, Euphemia and...Gabrielle. "*ahem*...should we assist them, My Lord?" Said Erevain as she turned her gaze at her comrades who were dealing with an unending sea of undead. Despite the maids being powerful enough to fight Dragon Lords and having blessed weapons, those overwhelming numbers posed trouble. Why? Simple. They kept coming. Destroy one. Two took their place. And even worse, the powerful ones simply reassembled themselves. Such unrestful horde truly honored its name, Bone Legion. And doing the same as her right-hand woman, Auros turned her gaze towards that side of the battlefield, sharpening it as she fixed her gaze on a member of a certain team, one who was carrying a superbly crafted weapon with a gorgeous red sheath. Sophie. And she smiled. "No, we shall not interfere. If I do so it would mean that I do not trust Erica and the rest to solve this." Having said that, she still made sure that every maid felt her presence, making it clear that she was back but she was not joining them. "Besides, reinforcements are about to arrive. So she said as she looked at a certain point in the distance, one where the forces of the Church and the Kyrie Kingdom could be seen getting ever closer to the battlefield. Thus, the last act of the battle that would become legend was about to begin. To be continued...(cue epic illustration of Kris fighting and the other three doing their attacks!!) (Up next: Who shall bring light to the forces of evil?!) Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and Im sorry for the delay, a lot of things have been happening in my life and I also used a couple of days last week to focus patreon stuff, which may or may not be a song about making maids out ofwell, you know. In any case, the time has come FOR OFFICIAL ILLUSTRATIONS!! YES!! TODAY IS THE DAY THAT THIS STORY STARTS ITS PATH TOWARDS AN ILLUSTRATED FUTURE!! THANKS OBVIOUSLY TO LARH, MY KO-FI SUPPORTERS AND MY PATRONS! AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO START IT THAN WITH AUROS HAVING ACTIVATED HER [MANA BURST] AND WALKING TOWARDS VIOLET DEATH!! Yes, you will find the first illustration at the end of chapter 84 and the other, the Nightmare version at the end of Violets monologue in chapter 87! Plus, if you want to check out another couple of versions, including an incoming helmeted one, you access them by becoming a patron! I hope that you liked them! And the next has already been decided, so please look forward to it as much as the next chapter! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON and AnimeFreak1982! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 91: The Legend of the Maid-Knights At the same time as the colossus got closer and closer to its defeat, the rest of the maids fought against the overwhelming numbers of undead that the Grand Monster known as Bone Legion had brought forth with its power. Undead whose numbers it bolstered even further by killing all the beasts and monsters that were supposed to be its allies. Thus, the only living enemies that remained in the battlefield were those strong enough, like the High-Ranking Lesser Dragon Lords, or Commanders for short, and some Awakened Lizardmen. Sadly for them, it was not their fate to remain like that, for they were being hunted down by Lucas team, to which they fell one by one. "Reveal yourselves, you cowardly inferior beings!!" So roared a Commander as he looked around for a sign of those maids in the middle of such hectic battlefield, all while he and his companion kept fighting off the undead who sought to add him to their ranks. "Urgh!! It was then that a bloody crossbow bolt pierced his companions neck and made her let out such pained voice. It...hurts!! But that was not all, for a mere instant later all her veins turned visible and she felt as if her entire body was being eaten alive from the inside, causing her to fall on the ground and cry out like that as purplish tears trickled down her face. Still, she tried to resist. Still, she tried not to give those inferior beings the satisfaction of hearing more of her pained voice and as such, she covered her mouth with enough strength that her claws pierced her cheeks. Where...?" Seeing that, the Commander once again looked around, but this time he poured everything he had into his senses, hoping that by doing so it would locate those who had killed his companion. Yes, killed, for he knew that she was as good as dead. After all, their healers had already been exterminated and the liches who could have casted [Delay Death] on her were ignoring their orders since the Grand Monster appeared. And finally, he could see that his companions draconic healing abilities and resistances were simply not working against the poison, as she was getting worse by the second. "Here..." "Wha?! That was when he suddenly heard a voice close behind him, so close that the word its owner uttered could have been whispered right into the Commanders ear. He immediately turned around, swinging his massive axe with enough strength to cut in half whoever was behind him, only to find nothing but his faint shadow... No one? "[Shadow Assault]." "...!" ...and the one who leapt from inside of it the very moment his surprise became an opening. He was not fast enough to counter or even react before that someones blessed daggers pierced his heart and ended his life. "Let''s keep...moving...clean up..." That someone was Luca, who disappeared once again into the darkness after she said that. And having dealt with their own targets, her teammates were right behind her. Their current task? Finish off all those enemies that remained living. ______________________________________ Meanwhile, in another part of that battlefield, weapons clashed with colored bones and rotten flesh, with weapons cursed and taken from the corpses of their victims or made of their own bones, with armors set on fire and cloaks drenched in darkness. Of course, magic was involved in such ferocious battle too, for spells flew from every direction possible, coming from both the bone staves of the unrestful ones or the feminine hands and blessed staves of those fighting them. It was truly a rain of many spells. Of fireballs that exploded on impact, darkness that sought to blind and silence, ice blasts that turned enemies into icy pieces, lightning that jumped from enemy to enemy, balls of curses that would drown their targets in indescribable suffering, and more. So much more. Even then, only one thing posed a problem to the Maid-Knights and that was the pullulating numbers of the undead. Because while their blessed weapons were effective against them, that meant nothing if the ones they felled were replaced by two more. Even worse, that was only for the weak undead, for the most powerful of them would instead reassemble themselves and continue their attack as if nothing had happened, all while showing no trace of the damage that had felled them before. Yet, that was not the worst, for rather than simply reassembling themselves, some undead combined with others amid such process, which led to them turning into a much, much more powerful undead. So, they would come from underground, from the sky, and from every single side one could lay eyes on. There was simply no escaping such sea of undead. And deep into said sea, the Bone Legion towered over them all, summoning more and more undead and releasing powerful attacks at those who sought to confront it directly. It was a threat that no ordinary army could hope to deal with. It was a being whose near-forgotten legend was written in blood and suffering. And to fight it was not to court death but something worse, much, much worse. Yet, there they were. Steadfast and unwavering. Maid-Knights. Erica, Roxxy and Lucy. They stood before such menace to life itself and not only did they push forward while destroying the powerful undead who guarded it, but they kept unleashing attack after attack upon the Bone Legion. Attacks that came in quick succession. Attacks that fit perfectly with each other. Attacks that showed just how polished their teamwork was. "...[SAVAGE WAVE]!" "[BLAZING REND]!!" "...[LIGHTNING SMITE]!" Indeed, for as Erica summoned a great wave that carried more than enough force to break the Bone Legions legs, let alone the walls of any city, Roxxy jumped at their massive enemys head and unleashed a powerful skill with her double-handed blessed hammer on it, powerful enough to send the Bone Legion crashing into the ground and leaving it wide open to receive Lucys mighty lightning in full. A lightning whose damage was enhanced by the presence of water. "KIKIKIKROOOOOOO!!" And that caused the Bone Legion to release a deafening wail as its massive form came undone and all the bones that composed its body fell all over the place. It looked and sounded as if they had struck down a simple bone statue rather than a Grand Monster. Still, some would certainly be impressed and relieved since it looked like such threat had been dealt with. But the Maid-Knights were not celebrating such victory. On the contrary they were still on their guard as they reconvened with one another. "That was not enough." So said Erica with a serious expression on her face as she looked at the many bones on the ground and found them to be already slowly moving towards the bulk of bones left by the Bone Legion. "I really thought that maximizing Lucy''s damage could give us some results, but that wasnt it. Im sorry." Arriving to Ericas side was Roxxy, who said that while never taking her eyes off the mountain of bones in front of them. "Ahahaha, whats up with those long faces girls? It was worth trying! Besides, were only supposed to stall it so I can say that were doing a great job!" Meanwhile, Lucy appeared behind them in a flash, gave them a big hug, poked their cheeks, and said that with her usual spunky attitude. "Indeed, but not being able to truly damage it is surprising to say the least." Offering no response to her cheeks being poked by Lucy and looking like she was pouting while she spoke due to that, Erica let out such words as she and the other two saw how all the bones started reassembling and rearranging the Bone Legion''s body. "KIKIKIKROOOOOOORG!!" And as it rose once again, roaring at those who felled it, the Bone Legion showed itself in a different form from the one it previously had. Its four beastly-looking legs had turned into eight legs that had different shapes besides those beastly ones. Some seemed to be monstrous, some draconic and the last pair were disturbinglyhumanoid. The same could be said of its head, for it combined draconic, humanoid, and monstrous aspects. Lastly, it had various bone tails that moved like whips, which it used to immediately and mercilessly attack the Maid-Knights without pause nor quarter, for they even followed them as they tried to avoid them. "HA!" *THUNK* Or at least that only applied for those who did not need to counterattack or defend themselves from them, something that Roxxy needed to do as she was not as agile as her comrades. Although, it looked more like she was waiting for the tails to get close enough so that she could nail them on the ground with her hammer. On the other hand, Erica simply parried those attacks as they came, while Lucy outran them. "KIKIKIKIYOOOOOORGH" Seeing that its attacks had no effect, the Bone Legion roared once again, created barbed bone pillars that burst out from the ground all over its surrounding area, and began shooting sharpened bones from its mouth as projectiles. Both were meant to instantly impale its three attackers, but the Maid-Knights proved to be much harder to kill yet again, as they used their strengths to overcome such terrifying attacks. In Lucys case, it did not matter if those projectiles were meant to kill even those who were said to be the fastest in Arte, for they were as easy to evade as anything else by just raising her speed. "Here we go again!" Something that she did as she said that, never losing her spunkiness. _________________________________________ Meanwhile, in the middle of the battlefield, another team of Maid-Knights did everything they could to destroy as much undead as possible, for they were in charge of taking as much pressure off the shoulders of another team and another thing. "[Hermit Flow: Second Form]!" That team was led by Bertia, who used one of her martial skills to move through a big group of undead as she kicked, punched, and used her tonfas to strike at them in one swift motion, causing them to fall in pieces one after the other and not rise again. Even those that were in the vicinity also found themselves destroyed as she kept moving around and attacking more undead. "How is that path going, Kara?!" "Less asking more bone breaking, Bertia! She''ll do it! [Bladerang]!" And she was not alone, for she was being covered by Patricia, who, after exclaiming that, threw her great sword at the undead that were in Bertias blind spot. Said blessed great sword then started quickly spinning in the air like a saw, destroying every undead in its path before returning to Patricias hand, rather than just slamming against the nearest undead and staying there. "Earth move to my will, push back those who try to get close, and carve a path through those who stand against us!! [Earth Wave]!!" Having finished weaving her mana and chanting, Kara proceeded to do the other task they had been charged with and casted her spell by planting her blessed twin swords into the ground, causing said ground to swell and create a wave that went in a straight line from two sides, her front and her back. Said wave stopped at nothing as it parted the sea of undead by crushing and sending flying all who were in its way, only stopping when both of its sides reached their desired destinations. For the front side, it was right at the feet of a certain team of Maid-Knights. Meanwhile, the back sides destination was right at the feet of the Bone Legion. And with that a path that went straight through the battlefield had been opened. "There! It''s your turn now, Mika!! Everyone!" So exclaimed Kara through the communication skill. ____________________________________ The moment Mika''s and Sophie''s team regrouped was the moment Mika came up with a plan to deal with the Bone Legion. Said plan was the one they were following now as they ran through the path created by Bertias team. "Keh! You sure about that Mika?! Is this thing really that ''Rainbow Sword''?!" And as they did, Sophie asked that in disbelief and a tinge of cynicism. "It must be! [Mana Bolt]! Kikik! *FWOM* It fits most of the old legends'' descriptions!" After Mika saw the power Sophies family heirloom displayed when it was unsheathed, gave it a good look, and crossed referenced it with everything she knew on the subject, Mikas suspicions could not help but turn into a logical conclusion. Of course, undead would still try to stop their advance in the middle of their conversation just as they would to any living being. Of course, they would still get destroyed by the Maid-Knights as soon as they tried, just like the undead who was blasted away by Mikas [Mana Bolt]. "KIKIKIKIKIKIK!! KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIK!!!!" *CLANG* A few instants after that, a large composite undead tried to crush them beneath its multiple fists but found its attack blocked by two large shields. "You are not stopping us!! Hoou!!!" One belonged to Maevis, who immediately pushed back the composite undeads arms with her brute strength, which created an opening for her incoming comrade to use. "[Shield Slam]!!" And used it she did, for Louise slammed the large composite undead with everything she had and sent it flying to the other side of the battlefield. "That would also explain why the undead are so focused on you! [Caster''s Trance]!! [Radiant Fire Blast]!!!" Continuing their conversation, Mika said that as she destroyed all the undead that had started to block their path and those on the vicinity. "No, it doesn''t!! [Hidden Slash]!!" Meanwhile, Sophie shot back with such words while she took care of some undead that were coming out of the ground by kicking them and cutting them down with her old sword. The legends say that the rainbow sword was the blessed weapon of the Leader of the Knights of the Ever Burning Will! And she used it to slay the Emissary of the Evil God that created the first undead! The Emissary of Death and Unrest! That sword has been the sworn enemy for all undead ever since! They hate it with all of their being! Literally!!" And just as Mika had said, regardless of how all of them kept running and running towards the Bone Legion, their advance was still slow due to all the undead who were intent on breaking through their formation and exterminating Sophie, or in getting her separated from the group. """"GRHOOORUUGH!! RMARUUNN!! [BURNNNN]!"""" "Water dwell within my shield and protect us!! [Aquamarine Barrier]!!" "Earth reside in my shield and aid us!! [Osmeric Barrier]!!" There were also Red Liches who would appear and try to burn Sophies soul with their cursed spells, only for Maevis and Louise to cast their own spells with which magical barriers emanated from their respective shields. Maevis'' barrier was blue. Louises was brown. Thus, such cursed purple flames clashed with their barriers and for a moment they seemed to be more powerful than them, but in the end the barriers held up without a problem. Because they ended up being more powerful than the flames. "Darkness, sharpen yourself and unleash your piercing might upon my enemies! [Dark Blades]!!" And this time they left the counterattacking to Josie, who called forth four blades made of darkness and hurled them towards the still attacking Red Liches, breaking through their barriers instantly and piercing their bodies. The Red Liches turned to dust moments later, but of course that was not the end of it, for Black Skull Berserkers appeared just as that happened and were charging at them with the clear intention of reducing the Maid-Knights to nothing but grinded meat. Still, they were met with the same kind of resistance. """KIKIKIKIKIKYOYUUUU!!""" "Merciless ice. Keep them still. [Entrapping Ice]." A resistance that did not come from a Maid-Knight but from Lyra, who slammed her right foot at the Black Skull Berserkers after she finished her chant, causing ice to burst out from where her foot landed and instantly move towards the feet of those undead, freezing them and keeping them in place. Of course, Lyra had not gone through the pact with the High Dragon Lord that fluffs her tail, so she was not able to hold them in place for more than a few instants. "[BONE BREAKER RUSH]!!" "[WIND BREAKING KICK]!!" But those few instants were all that Evangeline and Gail needed to end them. The former used her warhammer to crush them one after the other, while the latter used her own legs to create a vacuum blade to cut through many of them at once, not unlike the one used by Kris but in a smaller scale. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" It was then that the life of the Colossus ended in one last resounding cry, announcing its defeat to everyone, all as Mikas team got closer to their objective. *CROCK* *CROCK* *CROCK* Something that the Bone Legion could already feel through all its being and as such, it tried to end them by making barbed bone pillars suddenly appear beneath their feet and shoot countless bone spikes at them. And it did so just before it received the next wave of attacks coming from Erica, Roxxy and Lucy. [Casters Trance]! [Dark Displacement]! "[Ripping Whirlwind]!!" *FWOOOOOSH* But neither Josie nor Mika were going to let that happen, as the first one quickly called forth a solid dark fog that latched onto everyone, including her, and moved them out of the pillars way, giving the second one the space she needed to unleash a whirlwind strong enough to reduce those pillars to bits before they shot said spikes. And as them, none of the Maid-Knights would let their comrades fall. Something that was clear to Sophie as she gave a quick glance to her surroundings and saw how everyone was fighting, all as she gripped her familys heirloom so hard that her hand was shaking. Subleaders team will distract and stall the Bone Legion. Meanwhile, Bertias team will create a path towards it while taking care of as much undead as possible. Lastly, we will use that path to quickly bring Sophie to it and let her unleash her weapons full power on it. Indeed, they were all trying their hardest to make that plan work. A plan that was burned into Sophies mind, for they were all counting on her. They trusted her. And she was not going to let all that go to waste. ''Rainbow Sword or not, we are destroying that thing!'' So thought Sophie as Mika''s whirlwind dissipated and they resumed their advance. *KIKIKIKIKKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKIKI* But they did not go too far before a massive group of undead appeared before them, and they emanated an aura stronger than all the others they had confronted. "There are so many..." Said Sophie bewildered by the mind-numbing quantity of them all. Not only that, but the path was blocked completely, and her comrades were already fighting against them. Again, no matter how many of them they destroyed with their magic and their blessed weapons, they just kept coming. They were a legion in the most literal sense. A nightmare. One that seemingly had no end. """""...!!!"""" Then they sensed it. The presence of their Master. She had returned and was making herself known to them. But she was not going to aid them. The emotion that they felt through the crest that connected them was not that of her abandoning them though, on the contrary, what they felt was absolute trust. Trust that filled their hearts with even more resolve. But it did not provide them a solution for their problem with the numbers of the undead. That is, until another sworn enemy of the undead arrived. "Finally, I get to help my best friend~~." So murmured such enemy of the undead as she smiled devilishly for a moment. She was the one who was leading the forces who were just arriving at the battlefield. "*ahem* Oh, Goddess! Hear my prayers and lend me your power! Let me cleanse this land from those who twist the concept of death! Grant them rest! Bring them peace! [BLESSED TURN UNDEAD]!!" With that, a massive magical circle appeared above the entire battlefield and bathed it in an azure blessed light. The light of the Goddess, Nerinne. "KIKIKIKROOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUORG!!" And before such light, the Bone Legion and its army roared in pain as they burned in an azure fire that rejected their very existence. The weakest of the undead were immediately turned to ashes, while those that were slightly stronger lasted a few seconds before also turning to ash. On the other hand, the most powerful among them managed to avoid such fate but were now severely weakened. "Oh brave women that have fought for us! I free you from your duties of holding back the tides of the unrestful ones! Focus on those among the living and that which threatens us all!! And we shall do our part!! Advaaaance!!" And so, the voice of the one behind such massive spell resounded through the whole area. It was the voice of Ludovica Aldert, the Head of the Church. """OOOOOOUUUUU!!! LOVE BE UNTO YOU!!!""" Thus, the entire forces of the capital let out such war cry and charged at the severely weakened undead army. Their numbers were not as big as the enemy''s but that did not matter, they were going to defend their homes and help those who were fighting for them. Seeing that, Mika and the rest did not lose any time and destroyed the now weakened undead that were blocking their path. "[LIGHT BLAST]!!" "...[ICE BLAST]!!" "[DARK BLAST]!!" Specifically, Mika, Lyra, and Josie, who unleashed their spells on them and cleared the way. That meant one thing and one thing only. Sophie''s path was clear. And her comrades knew it. "You can do it, Sophie." So declared Mika with a confidence born of trust. "Show Master that her choice in not interfering was the right answer. That we can do this." Said Josie with eyes full of expectations for Sophie. "Go, Dog." Lyra gave her the thumbs up and said that with a tone full of warmth. "We have not shared much, but I trust you Sophie!" Flashing a sincere smile Maevis said that. "Mhm, beat it!" Gail pointed at the Bone Legion in a cute manner right as such words left her lips. But they were not the only ones to see her off """"""GO, SOPHIE!!!"""""" for the rest shouted that through the communication skill, including Kris, Gabrielle and Erevain. Hearing all of that, feeling all of that, Sophies eyes began to get teary as she started to move forward. "Sophie, this is it. Go and become a Knight. Go and becomea legend." And it was then that she heard the voice of the one who gave her the chance to be something more in her life, the voice of her Master, Auros Argento. She could feel it, her Master trusted her completely and absolutely. Not buts, no nothing. "Yes!!" Thus, Sophie gripped her heirloom, placed it near her heart, steeled her gaze, and nodded with force as she exclaimed that. And so, she dashed off to confront the Bone Legion. To be continued.... (cue kekkai sensen op HELLO WORLD! as the opening of the next chapter! Why? Well, you''ll have to read it!!) First and foremost, thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. Now, I apologize for the delay and for slowing down in the chapter releases. But as some of you may already know due to having already read my post in my profile here or because you are in the discord, I have been through some very rough and stressful weeks and that has made it difficult for me to keep my earlier pace. Still, Ill try to stick to a weekly schedule for the next chapters, starting from this one. So yeah, I have not dropped the story, nor I plan to do so in any shape or form. You can trust me on that, I love this story a lot and content is still being made. Like I said, Waifu Bites! just had its third chapter release, theres a new illustration in the works and I havent stopped revising this chapters. Lastly, if you can and want to support me be it via paypal, patreon, or ko-fi, I will really, really appreciate it, as it will help me buy groceries and medicines. In any case, theres no fanart this week! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982 and Kevin! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 92: Hello World! Here I am! "KIKIKIKIOOOOOOOOOOOOOORGH!!!" Keh, Im running once again, huh. Running, running, and more runningthats what Ive been doing ever since I can remember. My parents and I would just go from place to place without looking back. From small fishing villages in the outskirts of a certain island in the east, to the big cities of the mainland. Never stopping. Always moving. Staying at the same place for a long time was always out of the question. Kehit really was a pain. Hiding our faces, using fake names, not interacting much with othersall of it. I never had any friends because of that too. But ''why would I bond with someone when Im just going to leave like any other time? Its not worth it.'' That is what I thought at the time. My parentsthose twokekethey always told me to at least try and make some, that I just needed to be careful. But then I would call them hypocrites because they did not make any friends either. Theyd always show me a worried expression when I answered with that...but they also stayed silent because it was the truth. And now that I think about itmy skills I couldnt create bonds with others, so I got skills to connect with others. Keke...what good joke of the Goddess! Hilarious. Anyways, I was still a dumb brat back then. I didnt understand why we moved so much, let alone why we took all those risky routes and even crossed continents, all while refusing anyone who tried to help along the way. Justwhy? Kekeke...of course, I got tired of that crap. So I decided to be a little shit about it and started asking why all day long. I would just ask again, and again, and again. And every time I asked, theyd just give me that worried look, never an answer. I got tired of that too. So tired that I...stopped talking to them out of spite and if I did talk to them, I would only spew the worst kind of things at them. So much venom would come out of that mouth of mine that I would gladly punch myself now. Keh! Dad did that when I made Mom cry that one time. And I deserved it alright But back then I got so angry that I simply escaped into the city we were living in for the time being. I knew that we had to move again in a few days, and I did not care. I did not care so much that I intentionally lost myself in that city. Kekeke, I was so lost that I had to resort to steal to get food. That isuntil my Mom found me. She was truly worried to say the least, so much so that it was clear that she had been crying for days... ...I really want to punch my past self... And yet, even after seeing her like that, I refused to go with her until she told me why. ''Why is it that were moving?!'' ''Why can''t we have normal lives?!'' Until she answered the questions that I shouted at her She knew that if she wasn''t honest, I would simply run away once again and so...she pulled it out. Something that was wrapped in a beige cloth and tied with a golden string. She untied the string and showed me what was inside the cloth. That beautiful red sheath with prismatic waves all over it. ''This is why...our family''s legacy...our responsibility...our inheritance...your inheritance.'' She said that between sobs... She then got close to me and whispered the rest. Someone from our family tried to do something...something unforgivable with it And because of that, someone wanted it and was hunting us. When I asked her what did we do...she said she didn''t know I would''ve called bullshit on that...on all of that...but her shaky voice was anything but bullshit I gave up then and went back home with her. I was an idiot. I fucking hate myself for forcing my mom to do that in such place. Exposing that in the middle of the city...they obviously caught our scent there... I surely would have... I should have known! But I didn''t, because I was a brat! We left that city and found a small remote village after traveling on foot for some time. Nice. Calm. And it had plenty of rivers to fish on. The only thing that bothered me were a couple of brats. They would always say that my face didn''t look like that of someone who likes fishing. Keh! Do I need to look like an old man or something?! Still, even if those brats were annoying, that was the only bad thing. Really, those weeks we spent there weregood. We even managed to laugh together without any annoying remarks coming out of my mouth. I was bonding with them. One day, II was fishing with my dad when I just asked him if he had ever unsheathed that sword. I don''t know why I asked him that, but I blurted it out and that is a fact. I remember that he was surprised for a moment, but then he spat on the ground and shook his head. That is what he would always do when he was frustrated. But instead of staying silent after that, he actually told me. ''No. Never could. Never will. Nor your Mother, nor her Mother and the one before. That thing thinks we are cowardsand more than unworthy. And maybe that is what we are. But what can we do? Whatever was donewas done and those bastards are unrelenting...too strong...running is the only thing we can do.'' He then realized that he was saying more than he wanted and simply shut up. I wanted to know who those ''bastards'' were but didn''t ask. Lucky for me...shit happens. Unlucky for me...shit happens. That day I stayed there, fishing well into the night. I should have realized that something was wrong back when Mom didn''t come to get me. But Ididnt. So I just returned home when I got hungry. And when I didI found the door wide open and the magical torches off... That is when I finally realized that something was wrong... I got in and...there was blood...and it just took a little glance to the side to see whos blood was. It wasmy dad''s... Hehe was lying there with multiple holes in his body... Almost as if something the size of a fist had pierced him repeatedly everywhere And hehe was dead... I wanted to scream but my survival instincts kicked in and shut me up. But my eyes kept looking at him... The only expression on his face was one of worry... I remember wondering if that worry was for me, but then it hit me...if my dad was there then...where was my mom? I still couldnt move due to the shock, but I didnt need to move to find where she was, because as soon as my eyes fell on the closed door of their room, I heard a voice coming out from it "The Guild demands it, child. Give us the Knight''s legacy, for you do not deserve it. You are not worthy. Just as you are not worthy of your name." That voice...that damn voice!! So full of himself...so full of whatever thing he believed in... He killed her after saying that...he must have realized that he wouldn''t be getting anything from her... Then the door creaked open, and I saw his bloody hand coming out of it... I panicked... I fucking panicked... I don''t know why or how, but when I realized I had grabbed the heirloom from where it was hidden and leapt out of the window... I ran and ran and ran. I ran until my feet were bleeding. I ran even more after that. I only stopped when my body gave out. KehI was lucky to not be eaten by some beast or some monster then. In hindsight...maybe the heirloom had something to do with that... But back then it did not matter. I never looked back. I locked off these memories inside my mind, discarded my name, and I simply kept running. Even then...the guilt I felt...the disgust I felt for myself was still there... My idiocy killed my parents. I killed my parents. I abandoned them. That is burned into my mind. Yet I tried to run away from that too...I can''t even remember their faces now... That feartwisted my path... I didnt want to die...I didnt want to look behind me... I was afraid Afraid of them. The Guild. My Parents. My name. Death. So, I kept running, I entered cities, towns, villages, I even lived in a cave once... I stole. I lied. I disappointed. All so that I could keep moving. It was a shitty life. But I was doing a good job because The Guild was not able to find me...maybe because they expected me to live like my parents...small houses...temporary jobs... Not being some thief who slept on the streets, under bridges, tents and so on... It got to the point that I thought that I was free of them...that maybe I could try doing something different. Maybe something less shitty. Decent. Honorable even. So, I picked one of the farthest countries in the continent I was in and went to its capital. Kehthat was just me thinking that if I was going to do it, then why not go big while I was at it, right? Maybe use what I learned through everything in other ways. But as always with my life... Shit happened...again. I should have expected that. Tried to be a guard...got almost framed and killed for a crime I did not commit... One that I wanted to wholeheartedly stop! But maybe that saying is true and our eyes reflect the kind of life we have led, because that fucking Count pounced at me the second he saw me Trashy eyeslike those of a stray dogI hate that bastard, but he knew And then it was either death or work for him. I, of course, started working for him. That time of my life was full of shit, shit, shit aaand more shit. All of it was shit. There was even a point where I was close to thinking of my codename as my real name... Of course, even more things happened after that... Illumbee Village... Got turned into a woman... Master Auros... The Goddess... M-magical G-girls.... Kris'' terrifying ''training''... Suffering...all that suffering... But it hasnt been that bad. Got revenge, got a place to call home, a person whom I can count on...no...many people now... Keke...really...to think that my life needed that drastic of a shift to get better... Life really has a twisted sense humor, right? Just like the Goddess, kekeke. It is ironic too! After all, Im running right now. Im running towards a thing called Grand Monster. The Bone Legion. Im running while I can barely hold back my feelings. Just like that time, but instead of fear pushing me, it is something else, something good. Ke...Im almost crying as I pass those who have come to trust me... I am their comrade. A shitty person like me is being trusted with something so important... Keh...I was even found worthy by this bloody thing in my hand... So, I run. As always. "KIKIKIKROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORG!!" But now, I am done running away. "Keh! No matter what you throw at me!! You are going down bony!!" Now I am running forward! No matter how many scary barbed bones you throw at me! Why?! "...[WATER BLAST]!" "...[LIGHTNING BLAST]!" "KIKIKIKIKIROOOOOOOOUUUOOOORRG!!!" Because I''ve got comrades covering me now!! And Im not stopping! Ill kick the ground and jump as hard as I can just to get at that ugly face of yours!! "HERE IT GOES!!" And Ill get this thing, my heirloom, my inheritance, my curse, my blessing...right in the middle of it!! Fuck my fear of heights! Time to unsheathe this rainbow sword and unleash its power! And for that I guess Ill just focus on it and the chant will come to?! *????* Waitthat song! THAT DAMN CUTE SONG! WHY IS IT PLAYING IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW?! No way GODDESS, YOU KNEW ALL ALONG?!! WHY...!? WHY IS THAT SONG THE CHANT...?!! NnnnaahhhI DON''T CARE ANYMORE!! COVER ME IN ALL THOSE COLORS!! GIVE ME SHINY WINGS!! TURN MY OUTFIT INTO A FRILLY RAINBOW COLORED ONE!! TURN ME INTO A MAGICAL GIRL OR WHATEVER! I DON''T CARE! "BRING COLORS TO THE WORLD, END EVIL WITH WARM REDS AND CALMING BLUES! PURIFY THE CURSED WITH WHITES AND YELLOWS THAT BRING PEACE!! GREENS THAT MAKE ONE SMILE IN HOPE AND PURPLES THAT BRING GOOD LUCK!! BRING DOWN THE RAINBOW OF THE PUREST FORM OF LIFE!! BRING THE LOVE!! PRISMA!! QUARTZ!! RAINBOW!!" *CLICK* *FFFFZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNN* !! Mom, I did it! Its out! This rainbow-colored blade Dad, its beautiful! Mom. Dad. This is for you. I am sorry. Please, look at me now. This is for you. I love you. Thank you. "...[MAGICAAAAAAL COLORFUUUUUL RAINBOOOW THRUUUUST]!!!!!!" *KEEER-TUNNK* *CRACRACRACRACRACRA-CRAAAAACK* "KKIKIKKIKIKKIKKIKIKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" *FFFFFFFFFFZZZZZZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN* "KEKEKEKE!! EAT MY RAINBOW YOU BONY PAIN IN THE ASS!!!" "KIKIKIKIKOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUURRRGH!" *FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHH* YES, DESINTEGRATE AND DISSAPEAR LIKE THAT! YOU SEE THAT?! IM FINE DAD! IM MORE THAN FINE MOM!! YOU CAN STOP BEING WORRIED!! "LISTEN WELL AND BURN IT INTO YOUR MIND!! I AM SOPHIE KALPHAR!!!!! A KNIGHT!! A KNIGHT OF THE EVER-BURNING WILL!!!!" AND IM NO LONGER AFRAID! NOT OF MY NAME! NOT OF WHAT HAPPENED! AND NOT OF YOU! YOU GUILD BASTARD!! IM NOT HIDING ANYMORE!! "THAT IS WHO I AM!! SO HELLO EVERYONE!!! HELLO ARTE!!!" ____________________________________ And so, the Bone Legion disappeared in a massive flash of prismatic light, one that filled the hearts of everyone with warmth and created smiles all over the battlefield. Indeed, they all felt their hearts being filled with such colorful emotions. Thus, that nightthat battle would come to be remembered as The Battle of the Rainbow Moon, for a rainbow not only appeared in the battlefield, but also in the sky where the full moon had suddenly appeared. That night the kids of the Kingdom watched in awe to the once in a lifetime spectacle that appeared up in the sky. Their parents on the other hand, felt something past awe, past marvel, past sublimity, they felt hope. A hope they had never felt before. That night a battle started against the forces that easily razed countries. That night a battle ended with those same forces completely defeated. That night was one of monsters that defied comprehension and those who beat them. Knights dressed in clothes of servitude led by a woman worthy of being called a Queen of Queens, a King of Kings, a Regent of Regents, one who struck down even the strongest of the world''s foes. They were maids, yes, but their feats made it clear that they were more, that they were worthy of more. Worthy more than anyone of being called Knights. The Knights that held the line and fought against an unending sea of enemies. The Knight who faced a mountain alone and took its arm. The Knight who unleashed a warm and beautiful rainbow as she destroyed an undead calamity. The Knight who fought against the incarnation of unending cold and won, doing so without anyone but a few knowing that it happened right under their noses. And the Master of such Knights who fought against the strongest of enemies and returned with only a faint scratch in her armor. "Maid-Knightsmhm! It has a nice ring to it~~!" With that, the Head of the Church bestowed them with such a name as the camp for the night was being prepared. Those who fought beside them and saw as a single maid ran towards the monster. Those who were healed by them. Those who were protected by them. They all agreed. They truly seemed like those who would take care of everyone and clean the mess that the war had turned into. Leading everyone to a different path. One that would lead to a new and glorious future. Nurturing the world just like a loyal maid nurtures their Master. Word quickly spread after that thanks to the people of other countries who were there and those who watched from afar, piquing the interest of many. Nonot just their interest, they had their full attention now. From Emperors to Demon Kings and more. Some desired that power and wanted it to be brought into their borders, for they would rightfully point it into the most righteous direction. Some took it as the start of another age of legend, of their prayers having been answered, and they were grateful. And others, like those who threatened Arte, knew that their time as unopposed forces had come to an end. But that is a story for another time. After all, when a battle ends there is clean-up to do and celebrations to be had. ________________________________________________ Then againwe cannot move on without addressing a certain group who had been watching the battle from the very beginning, all from somewhere so hidden that it might as well be a place that does not exist and through a spell powerful enough to reach the Kyrie Kingdom while transmitting everything in great detail. Yes, a group so hidden that all who know of it are either part of it or are dead. The only exception beingthe boy who ran away. Now this is very, very interesting. Not only has the Knights Legacy found someone worthy, someone who is not from the Guild, but a girl who names herself Kalphar! Hahahaha! Oh my dear, dear friend, have the years already taken a toll on your sight to the point that you mistook her for a boy? After all, we both know that there is only one person left in this world who carries the blood of that Knight. The blood they dirtied. So said ahooded person whose face was hidden behind an eyeless and mouthless wooden mask and whose voice was always changing, and they did so while turning to the person who was with them. ...so you have stopped running, child. NoSophie Kalphar. An old man who ignored such remark and stared at the face of the colorfully dressed girl showed in the spell as he said that. Heh, I have a good feeling that we will be seeing more of her, her friends, and her interesting Master when we send our regards to the blind Head of the Church, for we cannot overlook her failures as such. Thus, a night full of color and hope had the tinge of something dark brewing under it. To be continued...(cue illustration of Sophie screaming her lungs out while destroying the Bone Legion in a great and magical prismatic flash!!) (Soundtrack of this chapter: Kekkai Sensen first opening! Or the one of your choice, of course!) Thank you for reading! If you liked the chapter be sure to drop a heart on it and tell me in the comments below! Up Next: Someone is getting officially knighted, oath and all, plus given lots of love! Guess who? She is also getting a stat sheet too. And thensomething that was supposed to happen, but a certain creep interrupted! Please look forward to it! And if you want that end message illustration to become true, plus some nice extra content and helping me out, then go to my patreon and vote for it to become the third official illustration! Yes, thats right! Im leaving the choice for such illustration to all my patrons and the other options are good too, including a lewd one, so choose wisely, but most importantly, choose the one you want the most! NowTIME FOR SOME FANAAAAAART! AND LETS START WITH FIAS SKETCH OF THIS CHAPTERS PROTAGONIST! SOPHIE!! BUT THERE''S MORE!! MINI COMIC OF THAT "CUE ILLUSTRATION OF..." FROM CHAPTER 59! SO, HERE''S AUROS SITTING ON A SOFA WHILE FLUFFING AURA, BY FIA TOO! MAGICAL GIRL SOPHIE LOOKS INCREDIBLE!! THE 4KOMA LOOKS COMPLETELY ADORBS! THANK YOU, FIA! NEXT LORD FEMBOY PROVIDES US WITH AN AUROS IN A PROM DRESS AND HAVING SOME BASEBALL FUN! PLUS, HIS ITERATION OF MAID MAMA! SO GOOD! ALL THREE! THAT HOT DRESS! THAT SHARP SMILE! AND THAT SMUGNESS ON THAT MAID MAMA! THANK YOU, LORD FEMBOY! AND LASTLY, WE HAVE DAVIDDEHGOO WITH HIS ITERATION OF MAID MAMA TOO! SHE LOOKS AMAZING! AND SHE IS MY PFP NOW, HEH! Thank you so much to everyone! If you want to send some fanart, just go to the storys discord server and drop it on the fanart channel! You can be sure that I will gush out at it and love the heck out of it! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982 and Kevin! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 93: Let onee-san reward you with a hug and a Knighting! Epic isekai battle that ended with an aurora adorning the sky, check. Person who created said aurora screaming her lungs out "KEKEKEKE I DID IT!! I DID IT!!! WE DID IT!!" ...and doing so in the place where the massive boss monster she slayed used to be, check. Heh. Comrades walking towards the rest of the group to celebrate...well, that one is in progress, as we are doing just that right now. "My King." "Hm?" Someone behind me? A blueish elf...blueish elf...she is calling me King...AH! Bellary! Of course! It''s not like I forgot about her! Not at all! She is also kneeling again! "Stand and follow us, Bellary." "As you wish, My King." Having waited until I turned around and resumed walking, Bellary stands up and joins us. Erevain is at my right as always, her now beautiful silver hair...which makes her look simply breathtaking...has yet to return to normal. It seems the duration of her spell is a bit more prolonged than she thought. Anyways, continuing with our formation, Erevains sister, Euphemia is right beside her, followed by a relaxed Kris. Meanwhile, on my left, theres Gabrielle and now Bellary who is next to her. And now that Im focusing on Bellary againdid you know that her footsteps sound like a mix between breezy and crackling? Because they do. Although, that isnt that weird considering the stormy clouds coming out of her feet. Wait...does she even have feet? Now I want to ask her... "She has feet, dear." Ooooh! Thanks, Nerinne! Nerinne? "I am proud of you, Auros. You took that step forward, that takes strength." What are you saying, darling? I am the protagonist, right? I can''t give up that easily! Heh...I would normally just say that, but that is not the case here. I don''t care if I am saying the same thing again, but it helps me, so please endure it. Seeing them fight Seeing Kris, Erevain, Mika, and the rest fight for their people despite what happened gives me strength. Seeing Sophie do what she did...inspires me. After all, she had been dealing with her own burdens since we met back in the village. I could see it in her eyesjust how she was being eaten from the inside by them. How theyhow they even took her attachment to her very name. And yet...there she was, screaming that name, screaming that she is here, showing the world not only that beautiful and brave scene, but also that she has stopped running from her past and has embraced both her present and future. Showing me that...I can do it too. Our circumstances might differ in magnitudes, yes, but still, that''s how I feel. Because, like everybody else, she really is just like the Knights in the legends and stories of my world. She gives me hope. They give me hope. And you too, my love. Hearing your voice and knowing that you are here with me heals me. That is why I can''t give up. That is why I will keep the vow I made to myself in the space between spaces and keep moving forward while carrying that weight, my burdens. "You...I want to embrace you so much right now, Auros!" Me too, Nerinne! I can''t wait to see you in the castle! But this chapter of yours and Erevain''s route is not finished, right? "Fufufu~~, indeed. The closing event is coming, dear. But before that..." We need to share our victory with everyone, right? "Yes." Great, because I think Bellary can help with that. "Let us speak as we walk, Bellary. What is it that you wish to inform me?" "Yes, My King. We have laid waste to the part of the army that our King entrusted us and the undead that remained have all but vanished thanks to that ancient power." Says Bellary in that nice but strong feminine voice that she has. By the way, now that the battle has ended and there is more silence, I can notice that there is a light echo to it. It''s pretty cool. "As expected, you have proved yourselves. Thus, as of this moment, you are my Wild Hunt, my Riders of the Storms, my path shall be your path. Let us walk it together." I glance at Bellary while saying that and she does a respectful nod beforehm? Did she smile for a moment or was I imagining it...? "It shall be our pleasure, oh King of Storms." Umu. I respond with a respectful nod of my own and...wait...where are the rest of the riders? And her horse? Lets ask her that. "Now, tell me, where are the other Riders?" "They are with me, My King. We concluded that only one of us needed to maintain corporeal form." "Hooh~~, fascinating. Then the rest are in spiritual form waiting to be called, I suppose?" "Correct, My King." She nods once again as she says that. Although, her expressions are difficult to read beyond her respectfulness...maybe its because her face had been a skull until very recently? But my instinct is telling me that there is something else she wants to tell me, but she is holding back. "If you so wish, you can assume spiritual form too. I shall call on you whenever I need your presence." "...! Yes, My King. I shall take my leave then." Color me wrong but before she lowered her head in reverence, said that, and disappeared in a humanoid shaped stormy cloud, she showed a clear expression of surprise. Also, that humanoid shaped stormy cloud just finished flowing into my Ring of Primordial Storms, whose eyes are now glowing as if telling me that my Wild Hunt is this close to me. Still, I wonder why she wanted to leave. "It has been a long time since they were summoned into this world and an even longer time since they had flesh. So, she and the other riders probably want some time to process it all. And its all thanks to you." Wait darling...are you implying that I gave them flesh? Arent they the ones who did it? "Fufufu~~ yes, they are. Still, what I am trying to say is that they are most probably trying to get re-accustomed to having a form like that. You did see that Bellary had trouble speaking at first, right?" Aaaah, ok. I get it. I guess having to relearn how to do all those little things takes time and getting used to. And if thats the case, could it be that she didnt want to make some weird expression in front of me? "Correct, darling." I see. Still, I wouldnt mock her or get angry if that were to happen, but I understand, and Ill respect their wishes! With that said... "They did well, never showing fear even before such a nightmare and then they ended it swiftly. I am proud of them." I say that while looking at the group of Maid-Knights who are celebrating their victory, and who we are getting closer to. "Indeed, My Lord. I am glad that they were able to do what they could not five years ago. It brings a true feeling of closure to my heart and I hazard to guess that it is the same for them." So says Erevain while showing a smile and look that is both proud and warmand as she glances at meshe captivates meahshe really is incredibleErevain But "My, it is to be expected. How would we waste a second chance to show ourselves that we can do it? And it makes me quite happy to see that no innocent lives were lost in this battle. That being my one biggest regret from five years ago." with an expression of genuine relief as she says that, one that fills her beautiful turquoise eyes, Gabrielle too isbreathtaking. And as her eyes meet with mine, I can see it through themthat strength of hersthe strength needed to be what she is Because if being a doctor takes a certain type of person, then imagine what it takes to be a healer, to be someone who literally has the power to save the lives of others That very strengthit takes hold of my heart and never lets it go. "HA! Well, thats all well and good, but none of this wouldve been possible without our absurd Master! I mean, who would''ve thought that Id be able to duke it out with a Colossus! Just imagining what else I can fight now makes me feel pumped!" Says Kris...oi, what was that part about absurd? "My, for a moment I thought you were about to say a sensible thing, but of course, you had to ruin it with that muscle brain of yours." Yeah! Tell her Gabrielle! "Haaregardless of that ''absurd'' part, I share similar sentiments to those of Kris. We owe this victory to our Master. Without her taking us out of that forest, none of this would have happened. And now that we have finished this, we truly have a future ahead of us." I...well yes, I took you out of that forest. And we made a pact...but all of you fought...this victory is yours...ah, I''m getting a bit red... Oh me, oh my, now that you say it like that, I cannot help but to agree, Leader. "Hahaha! Youre so obvious, Gabrielle! You just didn''t want to agree with me outright! Hahahaha!" "Oh, shut it! If you hadn''t talked about fighting, I would have agreed with you, Kris!" Heh, who wouldve thought that seeing these two do their thing again would make me feel this happy. I mean, weve only been part of each others lives for nearly a month, yet I feel as if it has been longer than that... AhhseriouslyIm totally smiling right now. Hehehe Hm? you three never change. Kris and Gab bickering, Elder Sister trying to mediate and failing, and me watching youit really makes me feel that I am back home. Hearing Euphemias nostalgic-filled words, Kris, Gabrielle and Erevain chuckle and nod bashfully, as if admitting those charges. "I guess so..." Mutters Kris a bit embarrassed. "My, that might be the case..." Mumbles Gabrielle a bit embarrassed too. "..." Erevain simply smiles. "Lady Auros." Lastly, Euphemia has now turned her attention to me. "Yes?" I respond with an approachable tone, the same one I used when we met for the first time. "Please, take care of them. They are important people for me. Also, I entrust my Elder Sister to you. Be sure to make her a happy bride, yes?" """"...?!!!"""" This girl is blunt!!! Like, really blunt!!! I wouldn''t be surprised if her second name was Emily!! What...? Too normie of a reference? But she has appeared in some nerd films! "E-Euphy! You cannot just say that! F-forgive her, My Lord!" Embarrassed Erevain!!!! SO CUUUUUUUTE!! MENTAL SCREENSHOT! MENTAL SCREENSHOT! AlsoPROOOMPT!! "If that is what she desires, then I shall do so." How could I not say that when I''m witnessing such cuteness?! And such a good prompt too! """...!!""" And of course, Kris, Gabrielle, and Erevain are completely shocked! "Fumu, I am glad that we have an agreement then, Sister-in-Law." """""....!!!!!!!"""" THIS GIRL!! __________________________________ After getting flustered by the bluntness of a teenager, we have arrived at the part of the battlefield where everyone else is, and the mood is quite nice. After all, they are still in the middle of congratulating Sophie. "Uwaah! You were so cool, Sophie!! Going fwoosh and fzzoon! And so many colors!!" Yep! Yep! It was amazing! So say Maevis and Gail while enthusiastically acting out the corresponding actions to those sound effects with their arms, all while an almost child-like awe shines through their eyes. "Kekeke, right?!" And Sophie does not mind at all, as she is clearly enjoying herself. *poke* "Hii!" Then Lucy enters the scene and pokes Sophie on the sides at the same time, startling her. "Congratulations, Sophie! What you did was amazing! Be happy!!" "Then don''t poke me!" "Ahahahaha!" Heh, that Lucy is always playful. Hm? Why does Roxxy look like she is about to hit Sophie on the head? *tonk* Ow! Aaaand she did it. Why did you do that, Roxxy?!" "If I tell ye again that ye can do something, ye do it. Ye hear?" Hmm, I guess something happened. "Keh, yes, yes...I hear you" "Hehe, good." Oh well, whatever it was, its solved now since Roxxy is now smiling. But their little moment ends up being that, little, as the rest of the Maid-Knights start rubbing her head, patting her on the back Listen well and burn it into your mind!? GAAAHH! STOOOOP!! Hahahahahaha!! teasing her about what she shouted, like Lyra is doing, and so on. They are so into it that they haven''t noticed us. "And I never posed like!" Oh, Sophie did and...hm? "KEKEKEKE, DID YOU SEE IT?! I DID IT MASTEER!! I DID IT!!" She is jumping at me! Ah! My onee-san senses are tingling! Shes coming for a hug! """"""...!!!!""""""" And at the very same time, the rest quickly turn to face me, welcoming me with their smiles while watching this wholesome moment unfold. Here she comes! And since she did a good job, I will catch her in the most rewarding way! So, I quickly unequip my breastplate with magic, send my holy weapon to my personal space, and extend my arms, leaving myself ready to receive her into my warm and soft embrace! Come to onee-san, Sophie!! I shall pamper you a bit!!! *SOOOOOFT* *HUG* "...!" Thus, I catch her gently and pull her towards my ample bosom, which surprises her. "Yes, I saw it. You were truly inspiring, Sophie. You have no idea how much. Very well done." So I say with my edge alter onee-san tone while fully hugging her. Im even patting her head. It feels good to act like a proud onee-san and telling her how I genuinely feel. "Does that mean...?" In response, she looks up at me with almost puppy-like eyes as she asks that, and I smile warmly at her before telling her the following: "Did I not say so right before you did such incredible feat?" "...!" "Your hand." "Keh?" Having separated from her, I extend my hand to her and ask for hers, which surprises her and paints her eyes with a tinge disbelief that says, is this really happening?, even after what she shouted. "Everyone, ceremonial formation!" "Keh?! What is...? Everyone...?" And after getting adorably startled by Erevains perfectly timed exclamation, our still surprised Sophie cant help but let out such words as she watches everyone get in said formation. A formation where they are standing in a horizontal line while raising their weapons and keeping them close to their chest, giving what Im about to do the official feeling it deserves. But instead of everyone wearing serious expressions on their faces, they are all smiling proudly at Sophie. "Whats there to be surprised about, eh? You passed, greenie! And with flying colors, heh!" So declares Kris while showing a big, proud smile to Sophie, and just like Erevain, she seems to have realized what I am about to do. "Kris...!" Aww, she hated her training but look at her now, she is so moved by her instructor''s words, and it is through them that she finally accepts that this is really happening. As such, she quickly gives me her hand and I grab it with care before looking her in the eyes and making a serious expression. "This may seem as a mere formality since the pact has already been made, and you have rightfully claimed the title." I put my other hand on top of hers as I continue with the following: "But this shall make it official." Master And Sophie, unable to hold back her feelings anymore, starts to tear up. As for meman, am I proud of her. "Indeed, dear. To think this is the same girl I had to scold every night. She really has walked a long way to finally reach this point and I couldnt be happier too." You should tell her. "Oh, I will, dear. You can be sure about that." Good. Oh, Erevain has stepped forward from the formation and is now looking at me as if asking for permission for something, to which I nod. Even if I do not know what she is going to do. But my instinct is telling me that its fine. "Our fire is the one that lights the way for a peaceful future. And as Erevain starts by saying that, she is followed by A fire that provides warmth in the cold night where all seems lost. Erica One that burns those who seek to harm the innocent and the world. Gabrielle A fire ignited by unbreakable bonds. Kris And our fire will neverabandon you." and Luca. "Will yours?" Erevain then turns her sword upside down and offers to share it with Sophie, all while asking that with a serious expression. I see...so this is the oath of the original Knights of the Ever-Burning Will. I guess they all know due to the legends and not just because Erevain really admires them, huh. "Never." I, of course, let Sophie go and after drying her tears, she puts her hand on the swords handle and declares that with a now unshakable conviction. Then Erevain turns to...me? Nani? Wait...she wants me to end it? But you are the one who knows how to end it! Not me!! Aaaah, but I can''t make them wait! "Fufufu~~." Don''t laugh, you Goddess!! Ok! Here I go! Don''t you fail me instinct, shonen knowledge! "Then, from this day forth, Sophie Kalphar, you are a Knight of the Ever-Burning Will. May our flames burn together as one!" So, after walking towards them, I put my hand on the swords handle too and exclaim that with as much confidence as I can muster. Please be the right words. Please be the right words! """"""AND THEY SHALL NEVER BE EXTINGUISHED!!""""" Phewthey were the right words ErrI mean, so exclaimed everyone else before storing their weapons, breaking formation, and coming towards us. Some immediately hug Sophie, while others have started clapping andoh? The pact crest on Sophies neck has started to faintly glow, with a veeery familiar figure appearing from said glow. And she is now right beside Sophie with a proud smile on her face. Although, Im the only one who can see her. "I am proud of you, Sophie. And I know that your parents would be proud of you too. But most importantly, be proud of yourself. You did this. You arrived at this point by your own choices. Never forget that. Never regret that. I look forward to your future, oh Rainbow Knight. Fufufu~~." Hearing that lovable Goddess words, Sophie''s eyes widen, and she looks around for her, but she is nowhere in sight. Thus, she looks at me for confirmation of what she just heard, and from whom, and I nod. In turn, she looks down a bit, probably embarrassed by that Rainbow Knight title, before looking up again and showing a smile like no others. One that is filled with true happiness. You have surpassed all my expectations, Sophie. And I know that you will keep doing so. Says a smiling Erevain as she pats Sophie on her shoulder. "Of course, Leader! I pro!" "Come here!!" "Keh!!" And Sophie is more than happy answering to those words, but the moment she does, she is caught from behind by Kris, who is not only hugging her now, but shes also lifting her with such hug. "To think you really had it in you! Hahaha! I got to admit it, there were moments I doubted you, but you proved me wrong!! And now look at you! A full-fledged Knight! HAHAHAHA!" "Can''t...breathe...!" Oi, Kris! You are hugging her too strongly!! Can''t you see it?! She is even trying to free herself from your hug!! "Aw, don''t be like that! Let this instructor give you some love!!" "Gaah..." KRIS, HER SOUL IS COMING OUT OF HER MOUTH! SOPHIEEEEEEE!! "Hm? Ah! Sorry, sorry!! I kind of got too into it, hahaha." You think?! Also, yes, put her down like that. Haaahaaahaaaa Let her breathe. What? Why do I not say or do anything about it? Have you forgotten that I have a character to maintain? Besides, it also helps with my duties as narrator! Huh? There is another narrator? What are you talking about? Hey, don''t just look away and tell me!!! "My, even for things like this you are brute. Move aside." "Oi!" Anyways... Kris complaint from being pushed aside by Gabrielle falls on deaf ears as she ignores her and offers Sophie a hand to help her up. "Here." "Thank you..." "It is of no bother. You are now a fully-fledged member of our Order, of our family. I swear that I will never let you die. Be it inside oroutside of battle." As expected of someone that is quite honest with her emotions, she means every single word she just said. And yes, I really like that side of her. "Just like Gabrielle said, Sophie. We got your back." So says Kris as she rests her right elbow on Gabrielle''s shoulder. But most importantly, she has finally called Sophie by her name! "I...swear that I will do my best too. And...thank you, Kris. And of course, she noticed that which is why she is trying to use a more formal tone to thank Kris properly. Your training..." I say try since Kris is starting to smile all smugly because of that. Will Sophie resist feeling annoyed by it and finish her formal thanks? "Keh! You did help but come on! It was terrifying!!!" "Pfft...!" Crap, I almost laughed! "Fufufufufuhahahaha! Sorry dear, but it is indeed funny, her formal tone lasted quite little fufufufuhahaha!" Yeah...laugh away while I can''t... "Hahahahaha! But it did help! And thats all that matters!" Kris kind of has a point there... "Sophie..." Ah, its Luca. She is extending her fist...? Wait is that...? "Keke, yeah, you don''t have to say it. I think the same." IT IS! THEY JUST DID A FIST BUMP!! "Good..." Smiling Luca is kawaii Luca. "I look forward to working with you, Sophie. I have so many ideas for that skill of yours that I can barely wait~!" Of course, the one that comes after Luca is Allegra. Also...she is in her ASMR alchemist mode! "Keh?! I should be happy, but I have a bad feeling about that..." Don''t worry Sophie, you will not be the test subject...I hope. "Dog, here. Berry cupcake. I bought them to celebrate your knighting. I am happy for you my cool friend." Aww, Jules'' eyes are shining with friendship as she says that. She is also giving Sophie food. "Kekeke, thank you Jules. But how did you know I liked berry cupcakes?" So asks Sophie before giving said cupcake a bite. And yes, they do look like the ones in my former world. Oh, it seems they are pretty good since Sophie is going yum! right now. "I am a hunter, so I am good at observing. When we went to buy food, you were always glancing at them. So, I bought some when you weren''t looking." Says Jules very proud of herself while giving Sophie the thumbs up. "Of course, I bought enough for everyone." With that, she pulled out even more cupcakes from her dress storage and started handing them out. "Here Master." "Thank you, Jules." Let''s see...YUUMMY!!! SO SOFT AND THE BERRIES ARE SO SWEET!! "Keh?! Wait! What are you doing?!" "Up." "Yep, going up." "Ehehe, don''t worry. We''ll catch you!" Oh! Lyra, Gail, and Maevis caught Sophie off guard, and they are now carrying her with the clear intention of celebrating her knighting by tossing her up in the air. Classic! "But I don''t want to go up!" "Too late." "Mhm, too late." "Up you go!" "Nooooo! And there she goes. C-catch me!" And there they caught her, but it seems they are going to throw her again. "I am staying with you, Dog. Cat and Dog team forever." "Count me in, yep." "Me too, it sounds fun!" So say Lyra, Gail and Maevis as they throw her again. "Keh! I don''t care, just don''t drop meee!!" Could she be afraid of heights? I mean, she would be ok even if they drop her. Wait, didn''t she jump quite the height to attack the monster? "Dear, your skin is harder than titanotite and yet you are still afraid of needles." Guh...you are right Also, her chant and attack name really were like those of an actual magical girl. Nerinne, do you have something to say about that? "Do I whistle or simply evade the question?" You cheeky Goddess...Ill have you tell me what you have been doing with her! "Fufufufu~~~." Anyways...Lyra did a good job and I think she would make a great addition to the Maid-Knights. What do you think, darling? "Fufufu~~I agree, dear. She is worthy. Besides, separating those two might be out of our hands now, as she seems to be quite attached to Sophie." Yes, she is. Then I will make a pact with her when we return to the castle, since doing it here might raise some flags I do not want raised. "Which flags, dear?" Ah, you knowthe usual isekai things. Infiltrating the Order for power. Trying to kidnap someone to get me to make a pact with them by threatening to kill their hostage. Or my favorite, trying in a very roundabout way to tap into my power without making a pact with me. That one might result in a big boom, so better not try my luck, and raise that flag. Also, poor Sophie, she has been going up and down all this time. "Ok. Ok. That''s enough, girls." Oh, its Evangeline. "Ke...thank you..." "Don''t mention it. Now, you got the title. You got us. You got Master. Don''t go fucking it up, understood?" I don''t know why, and I know this is random, but I feel that Evangeline would look really good with a beret. "Yes, I am done...with fucking up for the rest of my life..." Says the poor Sophie while she still trying to regain her bearings. "That shitty, huh? Good, that means that you know the true value of all this." While Sophie only nods at Evangelines words in silence, its giving me the feeling that Sophie knows exactly what Evangeline is referring to. In any case, after sharing that little moment, Evangeline lets Sam take it from there. "I saw you from afar. What you did was truly elegant. Still, that weapon you have...master it. Make it yours. You already have the attitude, so just put in the hard work, alright?" "Kekeke, you bet. I am not letting this thing think it can go ignoring me ever again. I''ll make it work hard for all those years it wasn''t of help." Looking at her now sheathed Rainbow Sword, Sophie says that. Also, someone is approaching. "I can see that your private celebrations are going well, my best friend forever~~~." Geh...its Ludovica...and her Paladin Julian. "Hey! Don''t make that Geh...it''s Ludovica'' face! We are best friends, right?!" Crap, she read my mind. "No, I did not read your mind! I''m your best friend so I can read you quite easily!" This gal priest...I cannot beat her... "Haais there something you need then, best friend?" She worked hard, again, so I''ll give her some service. Again. "I was totes about to invite you to the after-battle celebrations now that the camp is ready, and I still am! Everyone wants to see the Maid-Knights and the Villain of Villains, the Nightmare of the Dragon Lords." Oh, a classic after battle isekai party! Count me inwait. "Oi. What is that about ''Villain of Villains'' and ''Nightmare of the Dragon Lords''?" "Those are your titles, my best friend! Everyone agreed after seeing how you look in combat! Also, are you not going to say something about the title of Maid-Knights? It was my idea, and it has become quite popular in the camp." Oi. OI. WHAT THE HECK?! AND I SPECIALLY WENT INTO THE MIRROR SPACE SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDN''T SEE ME LIKE THAT!! AS IN NOT SEEING ME AT ALL!! "FUFUFUFUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! THATS GOOD, DEAR! VILLAIN OF VILLAINS!! NIGHTMARE TOO!! THEY FIT SO PERFECTLY!! FUFUFUFUFHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" "Hmph, I already referred to them as Maid-Knights in my mind, so you were not the first. In any case, let us return to the matter of calling me a ''Villain'' and ''Nightmare''. Yes?" "Eeeek! You are making a pretty scary face right now, super best friend!!" "P-please, Lady Argento! Calm down! You are even scaring me! And as an Exalted Paladin that is not supposed to happen!" To be continued(cue illustration of Sophies Knighting! Cue bonus illustration of Lyra doing various poses while imitating Sophie and said maid dying from embarrassment!) Canon Omake #1 On the way to the camp. Side A.: "Dear, are you going to the camp like that?" Hm? How? Look down, dear. Ah! I''m still in Underboob King Mode! AhahaI didn''t notice since I am too used to being like this. Thank you, darling. I''ll put the breastplate on. "Fufufu~~, no problem, dear." Canon Omake #2 On the way to the camp. Side B.: Maid-Knightshehe, yes, it was quite obvious that My Lord thought of something like that. Hahahaha! Well, it fits, so I aint mad. I like it too! And since Elder Sister and I are matching outfits, it looks like Im a Maid-Knight too! Just like Elder Sister! Having heard Ludovicas mention of the title Maid-Knight, as well as Auros response, Erevain, Kris and Euphemia said that, with older two smiling at the youngest one. From Auros stat sheets: Sophies Profile Name: Race: Human High Human. Gender: Male Female. Age: 23 years old. Rank: C A SS Class: Swordswoman Magical Sword-Girl* Variant: Rainbow Sword Sub Class: Sensory Spy Stats: Strength: C S Intelligence: B Agility: C A SS Mana: C A S Endurance: C A SS Constitution: C A S Passive skills: First Magical Girl: EX** Untrustworthy Presence: A (GONE!) Loyal Disposition: A (NEW!) Espionage Technique Understanding (Instinct, Training & Experience): B Knights Oath: A (NEW!) Magic Resistance: SS (NEW!) Prismatic Beauty of the battlefield: S (NEW!) Physical Resistance: D B SS Red Scourges Special Training (Body): A (NEW!) Rapid Healing: A (NEW!) Undeads Hate (Rainbow Sword): S Tireless Information Transmitter: A S Simultaneous Skill User: A Overflowing Magical Rainbow: S (NEW!) Survival Instinct: A Magical Sword Technique (Rainbow Sword): B Polyglot: A Dragon Lord Slayer: SS (NEW!) Abnormal Status Resistance: S Rainbow Aura: S Undead Slayer: SSS (NEW!) Legacy of the Rainbow Knight: S (UNLEASHED!) Active skills: Enhance Endurance: C A Sheath Bash: B A S Enhance Agility: C B Hidden Slash: B A S Enhance Sword Skills: A S Hidden Clover: C B A Enhance Constitution: C A Transmit Sense: A SS Enhance Elemental Resistance: E S Transmit Voice: A S Triple Effect: C S Connect Sense: A SS Sensory Spys Will: B SS Receptor: A S Magical Sword-Girl Trance: A SS Sense Roulette: SS Unique traits: Unaging (Race). Magical Sword-Girl.* First Magical Girl.** Pact of the High Dragon Lord (Voluntary). Blessing for the worthy: Knight Blessing of Nerinne. Recognition and Repentance of the Rainbow Sword.*** Divine Trial Overcomer Magic: Combined Magic: Unique Magic: Rainbow Magic (NEW!) Spells: Magical Colorful Rainbow Thrust Titles: Born on the road, Unwilling Nomad, Child of the Kalphar Family, Child of the Rainbow, Descendant of the Rainbow Knight, Target of the Guild, Gloomy Child, Brat, Survivor of the Kaltrak Pass, Trekker, Cross Country Child Walker, Continent Traveler, Villager, Islander, Strange Child, Parents Concern Target, Parents Resilient Love Holder, Early Language Learner, Boy Thief (former), Weird Fisher, Fathers Last Thoughts, Mothers Last Thoughts, Parents Undying Love, The One who ran away, The One who escaped from the Guilds Grasp, Pursued by Shadows, Runaway, Coward (Self), Vagabond, Vagrant, Thief, Liar, Betrayer of Trust, Lost Target, Guard, Forced Spy, Sensory Spy, Dog, No Name, Unnamed Maid-Knight, Maid-Knight in Training, Divine Trial Examinee, Goddess Scolding Target, Goddess Bullying Target, Goddess Magical Girl, Goddess new Rainbow Knight, One with reignited innocence, High Dragon Lords Examinee, High Dragon Lords Imouto Maid, Red Scourges Trainee, Graduated of the Red Scourges Training, Knight, Maid-Knight, Magical Girl, First Magical Girl, Magical Sword-Girl, Prisma Quartz Magical Girl. Nerinnes Glossary Corner: *Magical Sword-Girl: Fufufu~, this is a new one! It is the combination of the Magical Girl and Swordswoman Class that can only be obtained by acquiring a certain Blessed Weapon, a Divinely Chant, Special Training, and the will to go through with the transformation. Specially the last one, fufufu~. **First Magical Girl: This one is also a new one! Both a Title and a Passive Skill, it identifies Sophie as the first in Arte to be recognized by me as a Magical Girl. Its immediate effects are the creation of the Magical Girl Class, an enhancement to all of Sophies attributes, the corresponding trance, and my favorite, a change to the Sophies attire when using said abilities. ***Recognition and Repentance of the Rainbow Sword: I am sorry, but this one I cannot reveal, as it is not my place to do so. But I can tell you this, the Rainbow Sword is never going to forsake her current wielder, Sophie, and no one will be able to separate them. That is the Rainbow Swords will. Thank you very much for reading! Im sorry for the delay, this one took a bit longer than I want to admit! Still, I hope that you enjoyed it! If you did, then please drop a heart and tell me in the comments below! And if you want to support me and gain access to extra content of the story, as well as Waifu Bites!, please consider subscribing to my patreon! Speaking of which, work in the second illustration has already started and I cannot wait to show it to everyone! In any caseTIME FOR FANART! AND THIS TIME IT IS A 4-KOMA BY PORTER! AND IT IS AMAAAAAAAAZING!! SEE?! DIDNT I TELL YOU?! ITS SO GOOD! PERFECTLY ADAPTED TO THE FORMAT AND THAT LITTLE BREAK OF THE 4TH WALL WAS ADORABLE!! AND THE CHARACTERS LOOKED EVEN MORE ADORABLE!! THANK YOU, PORTER! If you want to send me your fanart, you can do so via our discord server! There you share it in the fanart channel! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982 and Anon3! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 94: Isekai celebratory feast manners!! Mika’s shocking secret!! "And now, a toast in honor of the ones who brought this legendary victory! Lady Auros Argento and her Maid-Knights! Hello, perhaps you are wondering what am I doing in front of a massive crowd of people that is raising their beer mugs and toasting to the words of my self-professed best friend forever, who Im standing right beside while holding a beer mug of my own. Well, the answer is simple! For the victory feast, of course! Its impressive just how fast they set everything up! Like, there are enough tables, seats, food, and drink for everyone! Heck, we even have our own VIP table! By we, I mean me, the Maid-Knights, Ludovica, and Julian. Ah, and theres music too! Courtesy of the awesome bards that also volunteered to fight! But if all of that was not enough to describe how lively this feast is, then let me tell you what my OP senses are picking up. I can see and hear people laughing, talking, dancing, and simply enjoying this beautiful night. A night that could have ended in tragedy...but did not. And the fact that we did this, that all of us did thiswarms my heart. Really. It makes me quite happy since that shows me that we did good, which really helps. But... "LONG LIVE THE MAID-KNIGHTS!" "COLOSSUS CRUSHER, YOU ARE MY IDOL!!" "RAINBOW MAID, I LOVE YOU!!" "IM COUNTING ON YOU, NIGHTMARE OF THE DRAGON LORDS!!" "VILLAIN OF VILLAINS!! YOU ARE TERRIFYING BUT KEEP IT UP!" """"""VILLAIN OF VILLAINS!! VILLAIN OF VILLAINS!! VILLAIN OF VILLAINS!!""""""" ...as you can see by myvein popping and my slighttwitching, Im feeling a tad...annoyed at the moment. "Tehee...I did try using your name, but it seems that the title already cemented itself..." "You think?" "Im really sorry, best friend! I totes am~~!" "It is difficult to believe you with that smile of yours...Ludovica." "Nee~~, nee~~, dont be so stiff. I was just excited when I came up with it. I totes didnt think that things would get like this~~~." THIS GAL!! SO SHE IS THE ONE WHO...!! "My Lord, if I may, there is nothing that can be done but to accept it. Titles such as those are not that uncommon to obtain after battle. Even I have a couple of them." "My, despite having some reservations of my own, I must agree. Simply accepting them and moving on is the best one can do with those titles. And the people seem happy, even if they are using words such as ''terrifying''." "Yeah, Master. Don''t sweat it." These three...Erevain, Gabrielle and Kris... "Hoooh~~, I see. Still, let me ask you three something. Do you girls find my new titles...fitting?" """...!""" DON''T LOOK AWAY, YOU MAIDS!! "Kekekeke! They sure do, Master! Kekekeahahahaha!" This Sophie... Oh, that reminds me... "Is that so, Magical Girl?" "Wha?! Ma-ma-magical girl?!! Ho-how does Master know about that?!" Hahahaha! Take that, Sophie! Im so loving that shocked face of yours right now! And of course, Im totally not going to answer her question. Rather, Im going to ignore her now by just looking at the crowd. "No, Master! Answer me! Don''t ignore meeee! How do you know about thaaaat?!" Hahahaha! So cute! "Magical Girl? Nee~~, nee~~, that sounds cute~~! I totes think that it will be very popular! Yes~!" "Nooooooooo!!!" Muahahahahahahahahaha! Sweet revenge!! "Fufufhahahahahaha you are so mean, Auros! Fufufuhahahahaha!" And yet, you keep laughing... Like, you haven''t stopped laughing since Ludovica went to get us. "Fufufuhahaha...I can''t...stop...even if I...hahahaha...know that I have been laughing too much...fufuhahaha! Its just so funny...fufufufu..." Weeeell, its fine. Laughter is indeed known to be a good medicine and I do feel a bit better now... Could this be part of the reason why Ludovica did this? Because there is no way that she didn''t plan this. "Hahaha...yes, she is quite the perceptive one...fufufufu~~. She most likely thought that all of you would need something like this after the battle...hahaha..." Seriously, this Gal beside me... Ah! I forgot to mention that all of us are already sitting. Sumanai. Anyways, the ones serving the food are also some of the volunteers. Although, they havent served us since we asked them do it until everybody else had food on their tables. Also, I had to stop Louand just when Im narrating about it... "Louise, this is the second time. Take your seat." "But Master, I just want to go check on the cooks." "And?" "And...maybe help them a bit." "And?" "And maybe use a bit of the ingredients I have stored..." She really is a nice girl with her humble and onee-san-like wish to go help those who are cooking a feast that is to celebrate her and the rest of us. But... "The cooks already said that if they need any help, they will gladly ask you." ...she already got rejected when she went right to the camps kitchen the moment we arrived. "But..." "Louise, I want to help too, but we must respect the desires of the cooks. You know that that is the proper way. Even more so when it is their way of expressing their gratitude towards us." "Uuu...fine." As expected of our class president maid, Mika! Perfect assist! Still, poor Louise, now she looks a bit dejected. *sniff* *sniff* Also, the food is coming! "Food is coming." Wow, Jules food radar is as strong as mine! As expected of my any-time meal partner!! And just like we both announced, the volunteers bringing our dishes have arrived! There is so much food!! There is even classical isekai meat!!! I want it! Me grabbing!! *smack* "...!" Erevain just smacked my hand! "Manners, My Lord." "Yes..." Uuuguess I''ll stick to using the utensils...uuueating isekai meat in the classical way will have to waihm?! "Man, thish meat is shoft!!" "Right?!" AAAAH KRIS AND BERTIA ARE DOING IT!! IM SO JELOUS!!! "Yesh! Sho good!" AND EUPHEMIA IS DOING IT TOO?!! WHY AREN''T YOU TELLING HER ANYTHING, EREVAIN?! "*smile*" SHE ONLY SMILED AT HER!! YOU ARE SPOILING HER!! Hehe." AND NOW EUPHEMIA IS SMILING ALL SMUGLY AT ME?! I WILL NOW CUT MY MEAT SLIGHTLY FASTER TO VENT MY FRUSTRATION!! "I understand you, Auros. Julian also gets angry if I eat like that." "...!" Could this be...?! Is she really someone fated to be my friend...?! Did she just use a version of ''I feel you, bro''?! "Of course, since its tiring to remind you of the expected manners that come with your position..." Says Julian with a...really exhausted look, overworked man'' kind of exhausted look... Im sorry that you have to deal with this gal... "Muu~~~, why did you have to say that Julian? I was just about to make my bond with Auros deeper!" I guess that is true, but do you need to pout because of it? "Bonding over not practicing proper manners is not a good influence for both My Lord and you, your Holiness. Please, listen to Sir Julian more." "Aaah, thank you Miss Eresh!" And now these two are bonding... "My, so strict. You should let Master relax for a moment, Leader." Yeah! Tell her Gabrielle! "Times like this are when manners matter the most, Gabrielle. And even you are keeping your manners despite saying that." That is because she is an ojou-sama! Her ojou-sama power doubles by doing it!! "Why do you want to eat it with your bare hands, dear?" I mean, the meat is still great even if I don''t eat it with my bare hands, but...! It is a matter of principles, Nerinne! Of romance! If you go to an isekai and there is isekai meat, then you need to eat it while holding the bone in your hand!! "Ah, yes. That does seem to happen a lot in the novels you left in my realm." Don''t remind me...I miss my collection so much... "Here My Lord, I served you soup." Mmm...it smells good... "Ah, thank you, Eresh." "It is my pleasure, My Lord." Aaaah that princess-like smile... "...*staaaare*..." ...and Gabrielle''s stare. I know you want to serve me food too, perhaps even go for the feeding event, and I too want to be served and fed by you, but the Gal sitting beside me is, well, sitting beside me. So, we cant do it. Sumanai "Master, have you tried the wine? It is quite good. Although, it is a few years before being perfect in my opinion." "Mhm, yep." Wow, I thought Evangeline was a bit rougher when talking, but she is surprisingly well-spoken when she wants, huh. Also, Gail is drinking wine and beer back-to-back... I bet some people in my former world would have had a heart attack because of that. Also...that is quite the gap moe with her cute appearance and all! Nice! "Hahahaha!" "Tch, why are you laughing now, Kris?" "Because you always start talking like that when it comes to wine, Evangeline. It''s so weird, hahaha!" "Oh, piss off. If Im weird, then youre something else. Fighting that Colossus like its nothingyou madwoman. And thats not all, youre also chugging beer like its water." "Haha! What can I say? Fighting that thing was a great workout!" "I bet, heh." Evangeline might seem like she doesnt get along with Kris, but she has been smiling all this time while drinking her wine. Anyways, this soup is gooooood! Its a hearty broth of some sort with lots and lots of isekai vegetables! Even then, it kind of reminds me of a dish Nana used to make! And you know? I think I should try the wine. "Didnt you say that you dont drink, dear? Did you change your mind?" Technically no, but I have remembered something that makes it a non-issue. "What, dear?" Well, I remembered that I can''t get drunk and so on thanks to this body, darling. Oh, now that you mention it, thats certainly true, dear. But that also makes me want to see you drunk, fufufu~~. Shall I give you a taste of my divine wine? Or maybe some candy~~? Great, now I have to be careful with what I drink and eat in the castle... "Master, this meat is smoked. Do I cut a piece for you?" "Of course, Jules." Ahhhit smells good... "Dog, is it really fine for me to be here?" "Keh, stop asking already. Just eat, no one is telling you otherwise. Here, stuff yourself." Awww, Sophie is being kind to Lyra by serving her food. Good Sophie. Also, shes doing so while being a bit of a tsundere! "Uwaah! Sophie is so nice! She is saying that you are already part of the team, Lyra! Because yes you are!" "I didn''t say anything of the sort!" Hahahahahaha! Maevis just exposed Sophie and she reacted like a bigger tsundere! "Dog, you are warm. I like you." "Keh?! J-just...eat..." SO CUTE. THIS DOG AND CAT DUO ARE SO CUTE!! ALSO, DID I JUST HALLUCINATE SURPRISED DOG EARS ON SOPHIE FOR MORE CUTNESS?! YES, I DID!! "UmmAllegra, c-can you pass me the sauce, please?" "Of course, Kara. Here." "T-Thank you." "You know, I made a sauce that might be spicier. Want to taste it?" N-no thank you, my tolerance is still not high enough to enjoy your saucesI-Im sorry. Strange, Kara has been eating many of the spicy dishes that have been served to us and yet she is saying that. I wonder just how spicy are Allegras sauces then, maybe they are beyond the spitting fire level? Oh darling, instinct is leaning towards yes "Ufufu, do not worry, Kara. It is fine. O-Okey. Allegra Oh? Do you want to taste it, Luca?" "...yes." !! SO BRAVE. Karas expression is telling me that she totally shares this thought of mine! Hmm? My OP ears are picking up something far awayhissing? Could it be? "Hm?" "You just picked up something, right, Jules?" "Yes, and Master did too. It''s a monster, Sam." "Indeed, it is a bit far from where we are now, but it is coming here." I confirm Jules words as our gazes sharpen while looking in the monsters direction. And having heard us, all the maids have stopped eating and are now waiting for orders. "Shall we go?" Says Sam as she prepares to summon her blessed bow, but I signal her to stop and let me listen to something. HmmI see. "There is no need for any of you to go, as some of the scouts that came from the capital and were on watch duty already noticed it." Yep, that something was the far away chatter between said scouts, and so I signal all the Maid-Knights to continue eating. But not before I say the following: "Although, Countess Pyr is the one who is going to take care of it, and she was quite adamant about it." "...!" "...!" Hmm? Did Lucy react to that? Mika too, huh. Interesting Now, let''s see what this monster is... Hmm...big red snake...it doesn''t feel that strong but just to be sure... "Jules, the monster seems to be a large red snake." "Hm, might be a Vipred. No...if it was part of Violet Deaths army, then it might be a Scarnake." "...!" "Lucy, wai!" *fwooiishtststs* Whoa... Lucy just up and left. She even used her [Lightning Step] without a chant. And with that being the chase, then it must be something quite serious for her. Ok, instinct, tell me something Ah...I see, how could I have missed that while reading her stats?! "Master I need to go where Lucy is going." With more than clear urgency painting her expression, Mika says that while quickly standing from her seat. "You may go, but let Lucy do what she needs to do." "That is..." She seems worried... "Do not worry, Mika. It will be alright, believe me." Having risen from my seat, I put my hand on her shoulder and say that in a reassuring manner. "Besides that, remember this, it is your choice." "I...yes, Master. Then I shall take my leave now." With that, she leaves to where Lucy is going. "Was that alright, My Lord?" "Of course. You more than anyone else should know. Erevain''s eyes widen for a moment before she smiles and "Indeed, I do." says that. After all, Lucy and the Countess are... ______________________________________ A few hours ago, as the battle raged on against the strange group of humans, one monsters instincts told it that those humans were not prey and that they would end it if it confronted them openly. That was why the monster chose to do something different from its kin. It stayed back while using its camouflage ability to hide and waited for those humans to drop their guard. No matter what happened, the monster did not enter the battlefield, not even when the undead attacked its kin, for it instead moved farther away and waited. It waited until the sounds of a certain party came and told the monster that its prey had dropped their guard. Thus, it slithered quickly towards their nest, seeking to attack and feast on them when they least expected it. Oh, and they would surely be delicious. Such were the thoughts of a being fueled by an insatiable hunger. One that blinded it to the fact that its camouflage was not perfect, which led to the monster being detected by the scouts who were on lookout duty. Those, mind you, who were unlucky to have pulled the short end of the stick, literally. And after detecting the monster, they quickly informed the leader of their company, the Countess Myriel Pyr. And she, to their surprise, decided to go and take care of the monster on her own. But not before ordering the two scouts to enjoy the festivities, for they had done a great job. One could say that that was a reckless course of action, but the scouts knew of the capabilities of the Countess. Thus, they conceded and let her go confront it without problems, for they genuinely thought that a simple Vipred would and should be easy pickings for her. Yet, they had made a crucial and potentially fatal mistake. A mistake that many hunters and mercenaries make due to the extremely similar appearance of both monsters. Indeed, as it was but the simple, yet deadly matter of the shades of red that colored their scales. And it was sadly not the monster they thought it was, but something worse. Something that was full of joy to the fact that food was delivering itself to it. "I had a feeling that something would come and try to ruin the party. Just like it always happened in the novels that Mikael would lend to me." So said Countess Myriel as she unsheathed her sword, the same sword that her grandfather had made for her when he was still alive. Some would say that the weapon was old and needed to be replaced, but those were fools who were ignorant of the amount of care she always poured into that weapon. In any case, as the Countess assumed her preferred stance, the grass around her flattened as if something had begun to circle around her. "Can you at least show yourself? Your presence is quite obvious by just looking at the grass and the floating red spots." Of course, even if she said that, the Countess knew that the monster could not understand her. After all, a Vipred had low intelligence...but that was no Vipred. "HSSSSSSSSS!" And so, seemingly paying heed to Myriels request, the Scarnake showed itself while raising part of its body, clearly towering over the Countess. "...! Thismight be a problem. Having realized what the monster really was, the Countess could not help but feel fear. Yet, it was only for a moment, as she swallowed such crippling emotion and steeled herself, all as her eyes became as sharp as her blade. Still, in the name of the Pyr Household, I shant let you disturb our celebrations! Thus, she let out such words as her battle cry. Words that were full of pride for what her name meant to her, and that was not her toxic parents, but her grandparents and in some part, her elder brother. [Zurat]!" Thus, she charged forward and unleashed a skill that made her sword and body move as one, doing so in swift but seemingly confusing movements, which the Scarnake tried to follow with its eyes but failed, for it was more than they could handle, and that created an opening for the Countess to attack. "HAA!" "HSSSSSS!" An opening that she did not miss as she thrusted her sword into the Scarnakes lower torso with everything she had, piercing through the Scarnakes scales, and even drawing blood, but "No..." ...in the end, the muscles of the monster were much, much harder than she thought, and her sword got stuck in them. "HSSSSSSSSSSS!!" Of course, the Scarnake did not give her any time to pull out her sword, let alone jump back, as it immediately went in to strike at its prey with its large maw and its terrible fangs, and its prey was unable to do anything about it, for the monster was justtoo fast for her. It had won "[Kurat]!" ...or at least that was what the monster thought in the fraction of an instant that it took a mysterious figure to enter the fray in a flash of golden lightning and unleash their skill, slashing downwards and upwards at it. Yet the figure did it so fast that it seemed as if both slashes had been done at the same time. "HSS!" And that also meant that the Scarnake had no time to react before it died as half of its body was turned into three fillets. Yahahaha! Like a hero of old! Swift as lightning! Strong as even more lightning! I have a come to save the night! And now some advice for this sweet little girl! Myriel, youre still too hasty! Dont take on things by yourself without even knowing whats really ahead of you! Thats bad! Bad, Myriel! Yahahahahahaha! A certain feeling formed in the heart of the Countess as she saw from whom such words came from, causing her already surprised expression to deepen. Her savior was none other than one of the Maid-Knights that had fought for the Capital. Specifically, one who shared the same blonde hair as her, but instead of having it properly tied and styled like the Countess, the Maid-Knights was simply wild, which perfectly complemented the spunky attitude her savior gave off. Something that added more fuel to the feeling that had formed in the Countess heart, making it grow stronger and stronger. "Y-you..." "Hm? Arereree~? Could it be that you can recog" And as she looked into the green eyes of the woman in front of her, she was unable to hold back such feeling any longer. "Who are you?! I mean, I know that you are one of the Maid-Knights, but who are you?! Why do you know the Pyr''s household sword technique skills?! Where did you learn them?!! And why is it that you irritate me this much just with your voice?!!!" That feeling was annoyance. A very, very deep annoyance. "Yahahahaha! Yep, thats just like you, Myriel. Still, got to go! Bye! Ahahahahahaha!" Faced with such barrage of questions, the Maid-Knight did not answer any of them and instead she cheerfully said goodbye before running back to the camp while laughing. "W-waaaaait!! I am not finished with you!!" But rather than just being left behind with her mouth agape at such happening, Countess Myriel decided to run after the maid, and she ran for quite the time until her target suddenly stopped. "Ha...ha...ha...I...ha...told you to...ha...stop..." So said the Countess as she tried to catch her breath, lowering her head in exhaustion. "I apologize for my comrade''s behavior, Countess Pyr." Yet, in place of her savior, the Countess got a response from the one who caused said person to stop, making her raise her head and look upon the new person that was before her. She was a bespectacled maid, one who was grabbing the blonde one by the face with an iron claw. "Owowowowow..." She too seemed quite annoyed at her. "..." "My comrade here should have escorted you back to the camp instead of running away like she did, which is something that she should know given her training. In any case, do not worry, I shall reprimand her appropriately." "Ahahaha...but I knew she was going to run after me. That should count, rigowowowowow!" "No, it does not." Before her comrades foolish words, the bespectacled maid declared that as she increased the strength of her iron claw. "..." "Hm? Countess Pyr? Are you alright?" Having been speechless from the moment she saw the bespectacled maid; the Countess finally spoke when said maid asked such questions. "Mi...Mikael?" And her words were ones full of shock and hope, just like her overall expression. "Wha!? *cough* I mean...I do not know who is that person you are referring to." In a useless attempt to cover up her momentaneous loss of composure, she not only said that with a nervous tone, but did so while looking away, which did not help her at all. "YouI was the one who forced you to cross-dress that one time when we were kids! So do not lie to me! Goddess, you look as cute as back then!! No, even more!!" With a bit of red on her cheeks, Myriel exclaimed that as she pointed at the now flustered maid. "That''s...! I..." "That happened? OW! PLEASE LET ME GO!" Still, the flustered maid kept looking away as she grew more and more nervous, which, to the misfortune of her comrade, also caused her grip strength to increase further. "You are also using the same glasses I gifted to you back then! Ah! You are still using them even after all these years! That makes me so happy!" A great joy filled Myriel for a moment as she realized that, but she quickly pulled herself together and digressed. "No! That is not important now! Why are you cross-dressing?! Why are you a Maid-Knight?! Why are you even here in the first place?!! Also, where is my idiot brother?!! And why is that maid so annoying?!!" Thus, Myriel shot question after question while the blonde maid kept twitching in pain, unable to break free from her comrades grip. "It''s not cross-dressing...." So muttered the bespectacled maid. "How come it is not, Mikael?! These ones can only be fake!" With that, Myriels hand went towards the maid''s chest and groped it. *squish* "Hyan!" "Eh?" Then she groped it again. *squish* Nnh! Eh? And again. *squish* "Hyan! S-stop...Myriel...th-they are sensitive..." "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH?!!!" So exclaimed Myriel shocked by the realistic softness and elasticity of the maid''s breasts, which confirmed one thing. They were as real as hers. And that meant that the bespectacled before her was a woman. "Butbutbut you even smell the same! Your voice is almost identical! And the mole!! You still have that small mole in the lower right side of your neck!" "...!" "..." While the bespectacled maid was more than surprised by how deep the Countess knowledge of her went, the blonde maid had already gone limp after failing to break free from her friends grip. A certain someone would even say that her soul was coming out of her mouth. "''My choice''...I see. Master knew this was going to happen. She really is impressive..." Muttered the bespectacled maid as the words of her Master appeared in her mind, words that she intended to follow. "Please, tell me it is you, Mikael! I lost both of you back thenand it hurt, it hurt so much. Even living in that house was never the sameall those memoriesall those days that I hoped you would welcome me home like you used toand not finding you there. And if that was not enough, I had to take care of everything while seeing your names be tarnished like that!! I do not care about what turned you into a woman, just pleasetell me that I am not wrong! Tell me that I did not lose my closest friend that night! So pleaded Myriel from the bottom of her heart, and yet, even then, her eyes still showed an incredible strength. And of course, her words reached the hearts of both maids. "Hey, I think its fine. Master would not be angry. She is not like that." "I know." The bespectacled maid said that as she let go of the blonde maid that had returned from the depths of unconsciousness to give her opinion. "You are right, Myriel. It is me. But at the same time, I am not. My name is not Mikael anymore, it is Mika. So, hello again for the first time." With that, Mika bowed as she did a formal salute, which, as per proper manners, Myriel needed to reciprocate. But she had no time to worry about such trifle matters and immediately went to hug her. "I do not care about that! I only care that it is you! You! You cannot know how happy I am!! You were branded a traitor, exiled and then they told us you were dead!! This is a miracle!!" So she exclaimed as a single tear of happiness flowed down her cheek. And then, she realized something. Something that even made her stop embracing Mika. "Wait, could this mean that Lucyiel is also alive?!" That. She even grabbed the maid from her shoulders as she asked that. "Yahahaha! That''s me! Now I call myself Lucy though! Aren''t I cute??" Said Lucy as she did a cutesy pose and winked at her sister. "..." "..." In response to that, both Mika and Myriel simply approached Lucy while ominous shadows covered their eyes and grabbed her. "Be serious for once!" Mika did so by the top of her head. "So that is why you were so annoying!!! You idiot brother!!!" And Myriel did so by the cheeks. " Aiyaa~~, thish should be a happy reunion, right? Your big brother might be now a shishter, but Im back!" "Yes, you are right! Now I can let out all the stress I have been building up thanks to you!!" Said Myriel as the grip on her sisters cheeks grew stronger. "*gulp*Mika, help me." "Please endure, Lucy." Said Mika with an ominous smile on her face. "Ahahahaha...ha" That night, Mika, and the Countess returned to the camp looking strangely refreshed. Meanwhile, Lucy returned with literal red cheeks and letting out small whimpers. But even then, she was smiling. _________________________________ Aaah, this has been quite the night. I did things I never thought I would do and those are now a weight I will carry forever. But I also saw the smiles of the people I was able to save by doing those things. I ate with them, drank with them, and even told a couple of jokes that could fit my edge alter role. Who could have thought that I would be able to have some much fun? And in the absence of my novel collection! If it has been that fun, why am I waiting by a tree that is a bit far from the camp, you ask? Well, I was asked to come here. By who? Well "You are here, My Lord Auros. I am glad." by the now silver-haired beauty who is wearing the dress she had at the ball. And not only that, but her hovering armor has now become part of it, making her look even more mesmerizinglike an angel "..." And Im speechless...just what do I say? Nope, no idea. Im not dense, nor brain dead, so I can guess her reason, but...nope, not a single word is coming out of my mouth and she is getting closer and closer. Come on! Say something! Just look at her eyes! She is here not in the role of my right-hand woman but as a heroine! So say something and summon that dress!! "I believe I have a promise to keep. If so, come." YES! I SAID IT! ALSO, IM NOW WEARING MY DRESS! AHH SHE GIGGLED AND IS NOW SMILING AS SHE EXTENDS HER HAND!! "Then, shall we dance?" SHEEEE SAID IIIIIIIT!!! To be continued....(CUE AD FOR SILVER EREVAIN AND AUROS BALL DRESS FIGURES!) (UP NEXT! WELL, YOU CAN ALREADY GUESS IT, RIGHT?!) Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did while revising it! If you did, do drop a heart on it and tell me in the comments below! Nowtime to talk about a couple of things! First, the second illustration is being drawn as we speak, and the first and second update is already available to all tier three patrons! The chapter that corresponds to it is a secret though, so please look forward to it! One thing I can say though, is that LARH is really giving it his all on this one! Next meme! ErrI meannext thing I need to talk about! Do you guys remember that I mentioned a poll for the third illustration? One that was for all patrons? Well, that one ended in a tie between the wholesome option and the lewd option! So, to decide which of those options will be the winner, I have decided to hold a second poll that will be available to everyone in my patreon! So, go and bring an end to this epic battle of wholesomeness vs lewdness! The link to it will be on the comments below! And thats it for meAS IF! CHECK OUT FIAS AMAZING SOPHIE FANART! ITS FINISHED NOW AND IT LOOOKS SO GOOD!! JUST LOOK AT THOSE FOLDS! THE EXPRESSION! AHHHH!! I LOVE IT! THANK YOU, FIA! If you want to send me your fanart, you can do so via our discord server! There you share it in the fanart channel! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982 and Anon3! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Chapter 95: Dancing in the moon-less night. Having returned to normal after the end of such raging battle, the wind caressed the leaves of the many trees that filled the forest as gently as a caring mother, making them softly dance in response. And they did so not in silence but to the tune of the natural orchestra that could only be found there, one provided by the insects, nocturnal birds, and other beings that called the forest their home. It was there where bonds would be strengthened and not in a royal venue like some had thought. But that was alright, for life simply likes it when sometimes things do not go according to plan. Because sometimessometimes something better awaits. ____________________________________________ "Then, shall we dance?" SHEEEE SAID IIIIIIIT!!! EREVAIN TOTALLY SAID IT!! THIS IS HAPPENING!! "Indeed." Not wasting any time after my perfectly done response, Erevain extends her right hand to me and I grab it in the way she taught me. Delicately and with propriety. What? Im the woman of the duo, you say? Heh, things are not like that in Arte. There is only the one who invites to dance and the one who is invited, regardless of gender. In any case, while taking a small step towards each other, Erevain puts her left hand on my right arm, and I put my right hand on her left shoulder blade. Not her waist, mind you, but her shoulder blade. You wouldn''t believe how difficult it was to deal with that when she was teaching me! And with that, we start our nightly dance, all as the moon that Erevain brought forth with her spell baths us in its light. How do I know it was because of her spell? Well, its pretty obvious already, add my instinct to that and profit. Now Onetwothreefour Yes, this dance is eerily similar to the kind of ball dance we are all accustomed to see. But it has one difference, at least the one I can think of with my little knowledge about dancing. And said difference consists of where we go. What I mean, is that rather than doing so in a circular manner, we are moving in straight lines while also doing sharp turns here and there, which makes it look as if we were drawing a big square. It is also why we count to four. "One...two...three...four...you are doing well, My Lord." "That is because I had a good teacher, Erevain." "Ah yes. Although, I heard that she can be a tadstrict." As Erevain playfully says that, we go seamlessly into the second phase of the dance, where we go inside of the square we traced and ''draw'' a circle with our movements. "Heh, indeed. She can even be overbearing sometimes. Hearing this, Erevain raises her eyebrows for a moment and then her expression becomes a bit sad, but Ill change that quickly with what Im about to do and say. Butthat is part of her charm. So, I smile as I pull her even closer to me without missing a step thanks to my instincts help and continue right where I left off, all while looking right at those beautiful silver eyes of hers, causing her to blush. Also, me being taller than her means that she is looking upwards while Im looking downwards...wait...isn''t this kind of like The Beauty and the Beast?! "HeheI see. Then is there anything else you find likable about her?" She giggles and smiles just like a maiden before asking that and turning things up a notch in terms of dancing speed. Heh, this is totally her having some payback. Seriously, that seemingly innocent but actually not-so-innocent personality of hers really shines there and I love it. Oh yes, indeed. There are many things I find likable about her. For example ?! Of course, I respond in kind and use some of the moves from my world to take her by surprise, and I do it by using my instinct to perfectly integrate them at the right moment. What moves, you ask? You know the one where the person leading the dance leans forward and the person being led leans backwards while having their faces be extremely close? Like inwhat was ittango! Yes, tango! That one. Im doing that now. Or more likewere doing that now. "I love that strong heart of hers." So I whisper into her ear with an oh so alluring, yet heartfelt tone, before I pull her back to our normal position and we keep dancing. "I love her humility and her selflessness." She listens to me intently as I say those things and I cant help but keep looking at her eyes while doing so, eyes that seem to almost shine under the moonlight. "I love how she can be both a person who is earnest and disciplined, and a person who knows when it is time to relax and simply laugh." I have been watching her more and more ever since that night at the village... Yes, it was quite strange for it to start like that but...yeah... "I love how she dotes on her little sister and how she kept hoping for the innocence of her brother and close friend." There is a bit of heaviness in her eyes as she looks away for a moment "I love how foolish she is, and do not get me started on how much I love how direct she is sometimes, being very effective at making my heart flutter." yet she still gets closer and closer to me, until we are dancing so close to each other that its a miracle how we havent stepped on each others toes. "It seems I got more than I asked for..." So she says as she stops looking away and lets me see her gorgeously blushing face again. Hooh~, is that so? And here I had much more to say. Then again, let me ask you the same question. What does the teacher like about the student?" I know we are dancing around the subject by not referring to us as us, but...I think its fine, right? Also, pun totally intended. Heh, very well then, My Lord. I shall start with this ?! In any case, she chuckles, nods, and most importantly, she takes the lead back from me, making me dance at her pace once again. Not only that, but she has done so by using some moves she did not teach me back then! And she is using even more now! I feel like a doll that can only move how she wants! "I love how she is genuinely interested in everything that goes around her and what is taught to her." She starts and...I already know that I will end up so red... "I love how she accepts my advice and never minimizes the knowledge of others." Of course, since you all have more experience than me in many, many things... I love how she is someone whose word is her bond, never straying from the promises she made to me, and not just out of obligation or duty, but because that is her honest desire. Something that she made clear to me when she immediately accepted to do things such as helping people she does not know." She noticed thatahhhI can feel that my smile is beginning to tremble! "I love how she holds great power and yet, she is kind, much kinder than others..." And now it feels as if she is staring into my heart as she says that "She is so kind that she even respects the wishes of those that were her enemies." I...that is... "I love how she truly believes in even those that think themselves lost and in those that think themselves as lesser." Red...Im getting so red right now... "I love the you that is seemingly harsh and cold, the you that is daring, and the you that is beneath those... That you who only comes out briefly and gets excited by the smallest to grandest things with an almost child-like awe, thoroughly enjoying all of them." ...nncantnarrate "Hehe, now we are even, My Lord Auros." THIS PRINCESS! WAS SHE TEASING ME?!! WAS SHE USING THE FACT THAT I SEEMINGLY AM A TSUNDERE TO MAKE ME THIS RED?! "I-I suppose so..." DAMN IT! I LOOKED AWAY LIKE ONE!! "..." "..." Aaaand now there is silence... I mean, we are still dancing, and we are enjoying ourselves, even if Im looking at the moon right now...ahaha. So, this not an awkward silence but...still... I don''t like silence...at least not in this situation... Sohm?! She justshe just rested her head on my chest! No, not directly on my breasts, she is taller than that, so her head is on top of it! In any casethis positionthis slow pace If only there was some music... Ah! Im a weeb, so I can make music with my voice! After all, we always practice our opening songs or endings for that one karaoke time that may never come!! We pour sweat, cringe, embarrassment, and tears to match even a fraction of the hype those songs instill in us!! Even if our voices suck!! Specially, if our voices suck!! BUT!! IM CHEATING NOW!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!! WHY?! BECAUSE I HAVE THE VOICE OF A PROFESSIONAL SEIYUU!! ONE THAT CAN SING TOO!! And the moon has reminded me of a good song! One that I know like the back of my hand! The opening song of besto waifus game! ?...May the night be witness of our bond...? "...!" ?Be it fate or chance, it matters not? ???? For a moment she seemed surprised by my sudden humming and singing, but now she is delighted by itso much so that she has started humming. And so, I continue to sing as we dance. We both lead. We both concede. We push. We pull. And when the lyrics end, we lean close to each other and we kiss. *SHINE* Then, as we began to separate our lips, the effects of Erevains spell ended and the silver light that both painted her hair and vested her began to vanish while shining, slowly turning into the many small, floating pieces that fill the air around us. Like fireflies. Meanwhile, the moon is disappearing slowly, giving way to the stars, and letting the sky become moonless again. As for us, we are embracing now... I can feel her warmth and she can feel mine. "That song...it was beautiful." She says that as we gaze into each others eyes once more. Also, you heard that, Sensei? Your music is considered beautiful even in another world! It doesn''t get better than that! "It was written by a certain person from where I come from." And of course, I need to at least mention that I didn''t write it, unlike some isekai protagonists that just let people assume otherwise. "I seethen they should feel proud that their song has reached even these parts through you, My Lord Auros. "I simply desired to accompany such delightful dance with an appropriate song. I am glad that you found it appealing." Good, that did not sound like tsundere, right? Right?? Also, we have stopped embracing each other. "My Lord...no...Auros..." "...!" She just called me by my name!!! No honorifics!! "After everything that has happened...I have reaffirmed what I desire to do. I wish to share my life with you. Not only as a Knight, but as a woman, as a simple person. That is to sayI love you." .....!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE SAID IT!!!!! And I of course need to say something back! As an adult I cannot play the misunderstanding card to escape from this situation. We have already kissed, and it should come as no surprise that yes, I do harbor feelings for her. Nerinne wants this too, as she has been pushing for it... Still...is Erevain truly fine with that? But just before I can open my mouth and ask that, Erevain puts her hand on my lips. "I know that I am not the only one who harbors feelings for you, Auros. And I am also aware that the Goddess desires this too, for she knows that someone such as yourself would attract others. After all, she is your soul partner." Hearing those words, I thought there would be pain, maybe even jealousy, but there is onlyacceptance? "And I agree. It would be foolish of me to think otherwise. That is why I shall become your first mortal bride. I can never hope to be victorious over the Goddess, but against other mortals, I shall prevail." NA-NANI THE SHOCK?!!! A-AND B-BRIDE?!! THIS PRINCESS IS THE SAME AS HER SISTER!! NO...IT HAS BEEN THE OTHER WAY AROUND SINCE THAT NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE!! IT ALL FITS!! WAIT...HAS MY COMMENT BACK THEN WITH EUPHEMIA AND HER COME TO BITE ME IN THE ASS?! AND IN A GOOD WAY?!! "But..." Eh? There is a ''but''?! "...I find those who do not fulfill their promises, not worthy of my love." EH? Have I broken a promise? "That is why, with this..." *kiss* "...my turn has ended. And so, I shall return on my own. Meanwhile, please wait here, Auros. Ah, but one last thing, would you call me Ere when we are alone?" "..." And just like that...she left... She drops all these bombs...she kisses me againasks me thatand just leaves the moment I nod...I feel strange... Also, yes, now that I think about it, I did make a promise... IF I DANCED WITH EREVAIN JUST NOW, THEN IT MEANS THAT SHE IS COMING NEXT!! ______________________________________________ As Auros was left in the forest to wait, two women crossed paths with each other. The black-haired one was returning, for she had said and done what she wanted and needed. As such, her turn had indeed ended. "As per our agreement, it is your turn now." "I know." Meanwhile, the blonde one was going to the meeting place, for there were things that she not only wanted, but needed to say and do. Thus, her turn was only beginning. _____________________________________________ Five minutes after Erevain left me speechless, I see her arrive. Gabrielle. And Im rendered speechless once again. How could I not? Just look at hernot only is she wearing her ball dress, but she has also created many small orbs of light around her, whose glow only enhance that breathtaking beauty of hers and, of course, her ojou-sama appeal. In short, she looks stunning. And while she doesn''t need those orbs to see thanks to our pact, it is clear that that is her way to set the tone. I mean, Erevain had the literal moon to help with that, so it stands to reason that Gabrielle would try to do something like that tooand man was it super effective. Still, since this is no longer a surprise, I can be a bit calmer. Although, I wont lie and tell you that I won''t get red when she starts expressing her feelings... "My dear Master Auros, I presume you already know why I am here." "I do. So, shall we?" And just as if we were still in the royal venue, Gabrielle does a formal, bow and all, and I respond in kind while extending my hand to her. "Yes, let us dance, My dear Master Auros." With that, she grabs my hand with no hesitation andwowthe light orbsshe just made them multiply and circle around us with a flick of her other hand. Also, this golden light is so soothing...warm too... "This light has a calming effect, My dear Master Auros. Although, it is not a spell, but rather something basic for us healers." Noticing that Im glancing at the orbs of light, Gabrielle says that, which makes me turn back my gaze to her andI see, she has taken a different dancing position than Erevains. Thus, following her lead, I assume my own position, and we start. Gabrielles way of dancing is more direct and daring, to say the least. Our strides are firm and long, and there is no ''square'' being traced but a ''diamond''. "Making these orbs is one of the first things we learn in the Healer''s course. After all, having a calm patient is important." She continues her explanation as we get so close to each other that our bodies touch and then we push each other away while still holding our hands. "It also helps soothe the heart of sensitive warriors..." That...! "...warriors such as yourself, My Dear Master Auros." She...how...? Ah...she let go of one of my hands...and she is getting closer... "But there is no need for you to say anything, My Dear Master Auros." She is caressing my face...and her beautiful turquoise eyes are gleaming with genuine care for me... "Not right now. But when you feel ready to talk about it, know that feeling such emotions do not make you any less of a worthy Master." As she says that, she gracefully turns around while holding on to my other hand...making my arm go over her and changing our dancing position into one where Im embracing her from the back... "That only means that your power is not the one guiding your hand, but your kind heart. What has been cultivated there has bloomed into something beautiful and I would not like it in any other way." Slowly swaying to the right and left, we both hold on to each other tightly and dont let go while she continues. "I want to tell you that we are here, that I am here. And I would still be here for you even if my feelings were different than the ones that lie in my heart right now, I am sure of it. Just as I am sure that the Goddess thinks the same." "Gabrielle..." I cant see it from where I am, but Im sure that Gabrielles calm smile is still there. "And there is another thing I wish to tell you, My Dear MasterAuros..." With that, she looks up and I look down, gazing into each others eyes as she starts. "I love you. I love the sensible warrior that you are. I love how you act immediately to save the lives of others when it is needed, like when we arrived at the capital and you dispelled that strange spell. I love how you would do so slowly if that means that only those responsible will be hurt. I love the true concern that you showed when those that we thought as enemies were dying and the respect you showed when we gave them proper rest. While I already knew it, to think that she has been watching me to the point of knowing what I did with Bryn''s spell...it makes my heart jump a beat... "But most important of all...I love you because you took all of us out of the hole we were in and gave us a new life. Or in my case...a life I wished. I have lived my life always looking for who I really am, trying to understand what I want to do and what I want to be. This strange feeling of never belonging, never feeling complete...did not go away even after finding a family in those three and the Order. That is why I still felt alone, and I would find myself alone, a ghost, so to speak...but now that feeling is gone. I feel alive. This appearance, this voice, this path, it feels right...that is why, I love you." I see...so she was...I can''t half-ass this and this is different than with Erevain. I can''t stay silent. "Ever since you started your approach, I have found myself pulled towards that honesty of yours, for it is as if you wield your heart in everything you do. I...did not meet the you from before, but the you who is with me now is a woman that has made my heart flutter. A woman whose actions, while not wholly unpredictable, still manage to surprise me and bring about sides of myself that are somewhat embarrassing. Yet, I cannot help but wish to see more of you. There, I said it. The feeling I have for her is different than the one I have for Erevain and yet...not only do I hold them dear, but I have fallen in love with them Aaaah...should I explode? Hm? When did Gabrielle turn around? And her face is coming closer... "My, then be sure to watch me closely, Auros..." *kiss* "...for I hereby declare that I shall be the one to claim the place of your first mortal wife. The Goddess is someone I cannot beat but beating Erevain is another story. Uhuhu~, who would have thought that our little rivalry would even extend to this? But, strangely, I am happy for this development. After all, no one is more worthy of being my rival than her." ... AGAIN WITH THE BRIDE THING!! ARE WE GETTING AXED?! IS THAT IT?! ALSO, SHE GIGGLED BEFORE KISSING ME AND GAVE ME SUCH AN OJOU-SAMA LINE!! AHHH MY HEART!! IS THIS THE POWER OF AN ISEKAI?!! "That is all I had to say for now, my dear Auros." So says Gabrielle as she separates herself from me. I will be going first, as there is one last lady that you wish to dance with. Am I correct, my dear Auros? This ojou-sama...of course she knew "Indeed." Thus, we smile to each other and then she goes back to the camp, leaving me alone in the forest. And while I can start things immediately, I will of course wait until she is far enough from here. ___________________________________________ Meanwhile, in a place separated from the camp, three women dressed as maids approached two figures. One was a woman who was dressed as a maid too. The other was an androgynous man dressed in a fine suit. Both had stayed in the same place where they were left before the fall of the Colossus. No matter what happened, they stayed there, watching until it all ended. Licht, Mary, it is time. We need to talk. So declared the black-haired woman at the center of the three who arrived, Erevain. No more acts. No more lies. Justthe truth, please Mary. Pleaded the short-haired blonde woman at Erevains right, Erica. You need to tell them why you did what you did, brother. You too, big sis. Said the youngest maid with the checkered hair at the left of Erevain, although that outfit was simply a disguise for her, Euphemia. In response, Mary looked at the three women in the eye and nodded with no sign of reticence in her face, making it clear that she was ready to take responsibility for her actions. Very well. Meanwhile, Licht said that as he locked eyes with his now elder sister and a dubious smile began to form on his face, for he was finally going to obtain the answer to the question he has had for over five years. What will my dear Elder Sister do after I tell her everything? And so, he started. It was" Or so he thought. You? But thenhe noticed that a certain someone had appeared behind Erevain and he could not help but let that out in surprise. Oh, please, dont stop talking because of little young me~~. I was the one that helped your mother deliver you three siblings into this world, so I feel that I need to be here in place of Theresa and hear what you have to say. So, go on, Licht. Yes~~? ?! It was Ludovica Aldert, the Head of the Church, and a close friend of the Kyrie siblings deceased mother. You knew about Elder Sister?! While everybody else was shocked silent by Ludovicas words, Euphemia was able to ask that even if she was as surprised as them. ! Furthermore, Erica got startled as Ludovicas knowing gaze and smile fell on her for a moment, practically telling her that yes, she knew about her too. Heeeh~, what is so difficult to believe, Euphemia? As I said, I helped deliver you three into this world. I knew she was Erevain from the very moment I looked into those eyes, clear and filled with goodness, just like your mothers. Now Licht, please, continue. Licht did not even need to see the frightening glint in Ludovicas eyes to know that despite her seemingly light tone and playful attitude, the Head of the Church was not playing around. There was a reason why the Paladins were so strong, so swift in their actions and why there was no separation between the Clergy and the Paladin Order. And that very reason was in front of him. She was not only the highest-ranking member of the Clergy, able to commune with the Goddess in a way alien to most, but she was also the strongest Paladin in Arte. She wassomething beyond an Exalted Paladin. If Licht were to even show the intention of attacking her, things would be over before even beginning. Still, that was only if she were there to fight. But luckily for Licht, her being unarmed meant that she was indeed only there to listen. Yet the overwhelming pressure that she was bathing them in Nnnalright. It all started meant that his and Marys fate would be decided right there. ____________________________________________ I think thats enough waiting, so time to summon my lance. "Come, Holy Lance Nern." While it has instantly appeared in my hand as always, I need it to be floating in front of me, so I do that with a bit of spatial magic. "What are you planning to do, dear?" Heh, would you be so kind to let me show you instead of reading my mind, darling? "Fufufu~~, oh dear, another surprise? Aw, but Im sorry to say that even if Im not reading more than what I need to communicate with you, Gabrielle might have spoiled the surprise with her comment." Ha! You may have a point right there, you lovable Goddess but...! *fwooooosh* Im not opening any [Door]s right now, am I? "That mana...you...no way, Auros..." Ah, I love that surprised voice of yours, Nerinne. And I really wish for you to enjoy it, so Im glad that you are not looking into what Im about to do. "I...may have seen that its something good and that you wanted to surprise me, but I stopped there. Still, to be able to do this...!" Heh, well, as the people from my world use to say. "We humans are always looking for ways to cheat the system!" With that said, lets do this!! "Space, heed me, obey me! Bring a piece of the place that is my right and transform it as if it were both a bubble and a fine cloth! One enough to contain and dress the one which I desire to be with me!! [Dress for Heaven]!!" Yes!! The other spell that occurred to me when I was working on the Mirror Space one!! The faint cloth acts as a bubble that covers my lance in its entirety and makes it as if it were in my personal space rather than here!! Why?! Because if thats the only place where you can be, then I shall bring a part of that place here, my lovely Nerinne! "A-auros...!" Now come! My heroine! My Love! "Yes!" With that, the lance shines and it takes the form of a beautiful woman, the same beautiful woman that is Nerinne! And she is wearing a beautiful rose-gold dress along with a gorgeous veil that goes perfect with it! "You really...! You really are the one...Auros!" She jumps at me the moment the shine dies down and of coursewe share a kiss as we embrace each other. I really missed this warmth, this softness, this scent of hers. "And I missed yours, my love." Well, a promise is a promise. "Fufufu~~, but would you be able to keep up with my pace, Miss ''I just learned to dance''?" Oh, now it''s on! And so, we dance a dance so similar, yet different from those that I was taught. It is as if all those dance moves were there and at the same time they were not. A dance that only we could dance. Its so good and yet...I feel as if I need to say something as we dance. "But why, dear? There is nothing left to say as we have already said it." Yes...but still... "You really dont like silence, dont you? Ahahamaybe? Hmm, alright. Then I shall tell you two things, dear. One to reaffirm something I already said and the other is for me to enjoy." I can already guess those two. "Fufufu~~, indeed. The first is that I am not a mortal but a Goddess, and for me the purest act of love is to let you live a life that also involves mortal love. Those two, and the others that may come...are fine by me if you can love them too." I can only speak about Erevain and Gabrielle right now, but I have already fallen for them, so you can be sure that I can love them too. I know. And I know that the love you have for me, and the love you have for them is different and yet...it will become just as gorgeous. Like a garden full of different and colorful flowers. Such a precious thing. Such a beautiful thing. So, be free to nurture it and make it grow, make it bloom! Because I too want to see that love! Of course, I will never lag behind! After all, Im the first heroine!!" This Goddess...going from divine grace to weeb grace...you really are lovable. "Fufufu~~, of course. And now, the second thing. Please Auros, can you sing that song again for me?" "Gladly." I could never say no to this voice, to these eyes, to this woman. ?...May the night be witness of our bond...? And so, I sing. ?Be it fate or chance, it matters not? And so, we keep dancing to the point that it feels like we are softly floating in the air. "?...For you are here. Kiss me...?" Me and the Goddess who brought me to this world. This beautiful other world. To be continued in Epilogue 1: The Pyrrhic Bet. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING UP TO THIS POINT! Not only that, but also thank you for your understanding and patience. It took me a bit more to revise this chapter as I sadly had to cut the song that was originally in the chapter and invent a new one ahahaha In any case, I really, really want to thank each and every one of you for following Auros shenanigans up to this point and look forward for what comes next, for there is still more of volume! Besides that, the battle between wholesomeness and lewdness has ended in a tie! And an awesome patron and friend, Ayth, has offered to sponsor the commissioning of the second option! That means that we are getting both the wholesome and the lewd options illustrated! Thank you to everyone who voted! Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982, Anon 3 and Aravir! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Epilogue 1: The Pyrrhic Bet A day after the Battle of the Rainbow Moon, Auros and her Maid-Knights returned to their castle. Of course, there were still things that needed to be done in the Capital, but for Auros who wielded spatial magic as easily as she did, distance was nothing but trivial. Meanwhile, in the Kyrie Kingdom, there were already talks of a parade, honorary titles, and even the institution of a yearly festival to celebrate such historic victory against the enemies of the world. A victory that had felled two especially important Dragon Lords, Eternal Winter and the eldest of the Chosen Four, Violet Death. And if the Head of the Churchs report of the battle was not enough confirmation of it, then what happened shortly after said report got to all the relevant people surely was, for the Goddess herself crossed off the crests that represented the slayed Dragon Lords from the Allied Nations lists of targets. Thus, no one was able to doubt that report after that divine confirmation. After that, not even a day passed before lots and lots of letters from all the members of the Allied Nations found their way into Ludovicas personal quarters, all saying the same thing: We respectfully request for Lady Auros Argento, Nightmare of the Dragon Lords, and her Maid-Knights to visit our country after all their matters with the Kyrie Kingdom are resolved. Furthermore, we would be honored to provide the proper accommodations for them to rest after such heroic battle. The elven country of Deamis, the Demonic Kingdom of Zenji, the Empire of Rosar, and more. They all wished for such heroes, and villain, to visit them. And why would they not? Their power, their resources, their being, they wanted to ascertain all of that for themselves. "Non, non, non~~. You are all being too hasty! My best friend forever has other things to do before visiting any of your countries. And even if I do not know what those things are, I totes cannot wait to see what she does next! Yes~~~!" So said Ludovica as she got up from the fairly comfy sofa she was resting on, left all those important letters on the nearby tea table, and began undressing while she went straight to her personal closet. As she did, her cinnamon-colored skin was bathed by the sunlight that filtered from the skylight in the ceiling, tracing her gorgeous figure and making her hip-reaching light blonde hair shine with an unblemished luster. "And I totes have a good feeling about the special dinner that Auros invited me to! So, I must wear my best clothes! Yes~~! Maybe I will even have a fateful encounter! Or maybe the Goddess will descend! Aaaahn! That totes would make me go so cray cray!! Yes~~!" Alas, it was fair to say that the shine of the joyful anticipation she felt at that moment overshadowed that luster by far. Still, if she wanted to have her fun, she needed to take care of a few things first. One of those things was choosing the outfit that she would wear to that event. "Maybe I should wear the dress I had made to match Auros'' black dress!" With that, she excitedly pulled out a Gothic Lolita dress out of her closet. It had bountiful frills, laces, and ribbons, and it clearly resembled her best friends dress. Although, instead of being mainly black with some white, Ludovicas dress was of a pure white with some gold and blue linings here and there. Besides that, it was indeed just the same as the dress she got so acquainted with when she met her dear best friend. "Mhm! Yes~~! The tailor was so proud of it that not using it now would be disrespectful for him too! As for the matching lingerie, it must be...here!" Ludovica rummaged through her closet''s drawers for a moment, pulled out the set of lingerie that was included with the dress, which came with a thong, and put it on before putting on the rest of her now chosen clothes. "Auros looked so cute in hers! But I am not losing either!" Fully clothed now and with eyes brimming with the same increasing excitement that permeated her body, Ludovica nodded in confidence at her own words after spinning around and striking a pose in front of the body mirror that was close to her closet. Also, she was quite proud of how good she looked in her new dress despite her real age. "Non! Non! Non! Those thoughts can fly away! Yes~~! I am an eternal 21-year-old! Yes~~!" Indeed, her skin was fair and tender, her face was youthful and free of any wrinkle, and gravity seemed to not be doing its work on the parts that it normally would. All thanks to the incredibly well-trained body and mana she had nurtured throughout her whole life. But that was not close to being a trait unique to her or her occupation, as anyone could achieve those very same results if they only put in the necessary hard work. Alas, not many in Arte did, to the dismay of their Goddess. "Hmm...but to think that she predicted that they would be my plus two and wrote it on the invitation..." Having finished with her clothes, Ludovica began moving to her dressing table to do her make-up, all while reminiscing about the contents of the invitation that she had gotten just the night prior, one delivered via the spatial magic of a certain someone, of course. It was then that another someone knocked on her door. "Your Holiness, it is Julian, I have the two of them in my custody now and they are dressed as you asked. Shall we go and wait for you in the teleportation hall?" So said her personal aide and her right-hand man, Julian Gardos. "Yes~~." "Very well." With that, Ludovica wasted no more time and continued doing her make-up. And as she did so, her usual smile turned into a complex expression. "Those two...the path they walked was so dangerous. Any misstep and they would have truly fallen. And all for love. It really saddens me..." As she said that, the memories of a certain confession flooded her mind. ________________________________________ A confession heard only by a certain group of people that was far from those who were celebrating the end of the colorful battle that had just taken place. A confession that had already been interrupted by the arrival of Ludovica herself, who exchanged a few words with those present. Specifically, with two of the three Kyrie siblings there, Euphemia and Licht, the latter being bathed in Ludovicas pressure as she asked him to continue. Nnnalright. It all started five days before you returned from your mission to subjugate the Mutated Manticore, Elder Sister Sohe did, but not before turning his gaze to the person whose reaction to such confession mattered most, Erevain. I was investigating a number of irregularities that had appeared in the various reports I usually received. The numbers for certain things like money and crafting resources did not add up, as they were strangely changed. Yet, it was all very subtle. So much so that if it were something that happened once, I would have thought of it as a simple accident. Someone made a typo, someone did not rest enough, someone did not check their math, simple accidents like that. Sadly Licht then paused, let out a sigh and shook his head before he continued. that was not the case. There was a pattern to itand that told me that someone was behind it. At first, I thought that someone was the Dragon Lords rather than the allied nations, as the latter were not ones to use those methods. Not even the Empire, whom we have had some heated debates over the years, would do something like that, as they have always been quiteupfront about their qualms, any qualms. So, as I would always do, I decided to consult with Father on the matter While Ludovicas expression remained unchanged, Erevain, Erica, and Euphemia, grimaced as Licht told them how the King strongly dismissed everything about the irregularities. Of course, that only served to give such inquisitive prince a feeling that something was afoot and prompted him to secretly delve deeper into the matter. That led to him tracing everything back to his Father and not the Dragon Lords as he had thought. Or at least he was my best suspect. The one that could make all the other pieces fall in place. Of course, I refused to believe it. That isuntil I received another strange report, one from Ryze Village. At first glance it seemed perfectly normal, but there was something off about it, and as I read it, that feeling only grew stronger. It was just too clean, too normal, like it had been made to be like that on purpose and that could only mean one thing. Someone did not want eyes on Ryze Villlage. ! ! Hearing that, Erevains and Ericas eyes widened slightly as they glanced at each other and then back to Licht, who nodded, confirming their suspicions. When my people arrived there, they did not find a losing battle, but a massacre taking place An injured scout told my people that both the soldiers and the Knights stationed there had sent countless reports about the incoming draconic forces, pleading for reinforcements to Father and yetno reinforcements were sent. And that was because they were ignored. So said Erevain as anger, frustration, impotence, and more, painted her expression and permeated her voice. Meanwhile, Erica could only clench her fists in silence, and she did it so strongly that her fists were shaking. Yesand I would not have known about any of that if not for the sacrifice of most of the people I had sent. But that is not all, for as luck would have it, the day my surviving agents returned was also the day that I received another report from Ryze village. One that was much, much different than the one they gave me. One that certainly could not have been written by the dead village head. That is when I knew for sure that Father had betrayed usand then everything else fell in place. Before such confirmation, the prince of back then was not only shocked but terrified, and just like his heart, the image he had of his Father had been completely and utterly crushed into pieces. Yeteven in that state, he kept going, delving deeper and deeper into the abyss that was the investigation of his fathers betrayal. Regardless of how painful it was for him every time he discovered something else. Regardless of how desperate he grew as he still wished for none of it to be true. But it was. And so, he kept going, searching and using every resource at his disposal to try and unravel it all, only stopping when he realized something. Something that involved those who were important to him. While back then I was yet to fully understand Fathers objective, much less his plan to stop the Capital from falling, I knew one thing for sure. He needed you out of the picture to achieve it, dear Elder Sister, as it was obvious that you would never support his actions, and he knew it. Just as he knew that you would try to stop him. Of course, both Euphy and I were also a problem for him, so he needed to cut us out too. And he was going to use the siege to enforce that death sentence. That was why I made a choice. Licht, whose gaze had momentarily turned to his youngest sibling, once again looked at Erevain in the eyes and said the following without regret nor hesitation: I was going to save you both and I was going to do it by joining him and taking care of you in a way that would let me do just that, even if my Fathers plan failed and the Capital fell. Even ifnothing would be the same after that. Thus, with a clear goal to reach, he overworked his mind almost to the point of breaking to come up with as many plans as he was able to. Plans that accounted for every eventuality he could think of and had as many contingencies as possible. As for thinking about how the Capital could survive such a siege I did not care. At least not at that moment, as I had to save you both. And if I was to achieve that, every second mattered. Indeed, there was nothing more important to him than that. So, when the time came, I enacted my first plan and I used Ryze Village to take you away from the Capital long enough that even if the Capital was destroyed, you would be alright, Elder Sister. You would bealive. You f! In that moment, Erica, letting her anger get the better of her, attempted to grab Licht by the collar, but Licht, you fool! Erevain was quicker than her and did it, causing Licht to... Heh ! smile, which only intensified the emotions that were swirling inside both maids. Something that manifested in Erica raising her fist and Erevain tightening her grip on her brothers collar. But then the former was stopped by the hands of Ludovica and Euphemia, who held on to each of her shoulders, and Mary, who shook her head at her. Thus, Erica closed her eyes for a moment, regained control over her emotions, and nodded. She had accepted it. That was a moment between Erevain and Licht. Not hers. No matter how strongly she felt about the whole ordeal too. Yes, you could say I am a fool, butI did it for you and Euphy. You should have told me! Trusted me! We could have done something! Together! Pain filled not only Erevains voice, but her expression too. A pain that had been inside her heart for five years, a pain that threatened to take her voice away, but did not, for she would not bend the knee to it. No. You would have died. And that was out of the question. Yet, Licht was unfazed by it and shook his head while he said that with absolute confidence. And so, Erevainreleased Licht from her grip as she looked down, her face covered by a faint shadow. But as always, things never tend to follow the plan perfectly. And sometimesthose deviations can come knocking to your door rather strongly. Fixing his collar as he continued, Licht began to tell them about what happened when the siege started. About the forces being in disarray and more, but most importantly, he tells them about his encounter with Mary and how she thought that he was truly helping his father in branding Erevain and the Order as traitors. It was then that Mary interjected. When I confronted him, I was met withproof. Proof of everything the King had been doing up until then and his plans to get rid of the people I care for Erica grimaced as she looked at Mary and imagined what went through her head at that moment, the desperation she surely must had feltand the heartache that followed from both the choice she made and the consequences of it. Licht then asked me to help him save those very same peopleyou! How could I say no to that? I just could not bear the pain of knowing and not doing anything about it! Even if that meant being hated! Even if that meant betraying you! Its fine! In response to Marys teary eyed but resolute declaration, Euphemia embraced her, and once againsomeone else was quicker than Erica. Its fineI already said that I do not hate you for it! So exclaimed Euphemia with tears in her eyes. Meanwhile, Ericas eyes began to be filled with tears as she nodded, making it clear that she too did not hate her. Furthermore, as Mary responded in kind, hugged Euphemia back, and extended one of her hands towards her, prompting her to join in, she was unable to control her emotions any longer and let it all out without reservation. How? How could I hate youafter listening to that? And stilloh GoddessI resented you for all these yearswhile youyou Forgive me Ple! You idiot! I should be the one saying that! Not needing to hear any more than that, Mary stopped the sobbing Erica from saying anything else and pulled her into her embrace with Euphemia. Thus, both their heads now rested on the shoulder of the person they considered their big sister, all while the three of them kept crying. Before such a scene, Ludovica simply gave them a pained, yet happy look for a moment, and then turned her gaze back to Licht, who picked up where Mary left off, explaining that, while he was indeed the one to blame for Euphemias travel to Deamis, such was not what he told the King. Instead, he told him that it was her servants, Charles and Sistina, who, following their duty to protect her, carried out such sudden relocation in the chaos caused by the siege. That way Father had to accept that she was no longer an obstacle for him, even if her fate was exile rather than death. Still, I believe he was fine with that since he always had a soft spot for Euphy Dad In that moment, said princess showed a saddened and pained expression, the clash between her memories of her loving Father and his horrible actions turning into a knot in her throat. She knew he was unforgivable; she knew he had become a monster, a traitor to all he taught her, and a traitor to her beloved Mother. She knew she should hate him. Yes, she knew all thatand yet she could not help but feel such conflict, suchgrief. but I digress. Euphy would be safe and well taken care of in Deamis, so there was no need to worry about her, while you would return in a day or so, ready to try and stop us, but you would sadly, and luckily for me, find yourself shut out by Fathers machinations, your Fallen Prince status, leaving you no choice but to either fight in such state, and most likely cause a very unneeded civil war that would weaken the Kingdom further, or exile yourself until a better chance to fix things appeared. And knowing you, dear Elder SisterI knew that you would choose the latter, giving me all the time I needed to prepare and stop him. While Erevain continued to listen with her head down, Ludovica slightly raised an eyebrow, somewhat impressed by Lichts craftiness and understanding of the big picture. Yet, it was only somewhat as it took more than that to fully impress someone like her, a person who had literal world unity and balance as one of her responsibilities. There was no bigger picture than that, at least not in a mortal sense. Of course, this was all assuming that the Capital would still be there when you returned that first time. And if it was notI made sure to at least leave you with everything I knew through a certain insurance I had prepared beforehand. But thenyou returned far too quickly and complicated things for me, Elder Sister. Why? I was even forced to move on to my contingencies and more importantly, I was forced to go from certainty tomaking a bet. Indeed, it was a longshot, a bet that no one would want to make, for it was so risky, so close to impossible, that it was almost the same as if asking for a miracle. No. It was exactly that. Because while it was painful for Licht to accept it, he knew very well that Erevain would go and fight against that which threatened the lives of everyone, the Dragon Lord. Even if that meant certain death. As such what else would you call betting everything, including my plans to save you, on you surviving that encounter, even if barely? Because that is what I did. And let me tell you, dear Elder Sister, while every second that passed was a living hell for me, I would make that bet again if I had to, for you were going to survive and I was going to save you. So he declared, showing a faith in his elder sibling that bordered on a certain strain of madness, and showing that he was the kind of betting young man that would be called either a hopeless fool or a lucky one. And speaking of bets with high risk, that was not the only one he made back then, as the plan he had made to save his now elder siters Order rested on the fate that would be brought by the end of the battle, the siege. Luckily for him, such bet paid off, as the sudden withdrawal of the draconic forces meant that he had a clear path. To have us by the neck, only to leaveI was honestly baffled by that result, but that worked for me. He knew that the Knights were going to be arrested and promptly executed after a quick trial, that isif the Knights did not escape. But your Knights were not ones to sit and wait for that to happen. No. Your scouts would see what was happening and immediately prepare an escape plan for the Order as a whole. And just as he had predicted, the moment some of the Knights were arrested, the scouts hid themselves before freeing their comrades and escaping. As for EricEricaI was genuinely surprised to see that she was not among those who were arrested, and instead was in front of me. Something that needed to be corrected, even if it pained us. So I had to do it, Erevain Still embracing Erica and Euphemia, Mary interrupted Licht and looked up at Erevain as she said that with a painful smile, which crumbled immediately as she lowered her head towards Ericas, touching her forehead with her own. Eric Your words back thenI could feel myself wavering with each one. And it pained meit pained me so very much to do that to you, my EricIm sorryIm so sorry Mary Her tears were honest. Her broken voice was genuine. She was speaking the truth with a clear pain and regret that could only belong to the deep wound in the heart such thing left. Indeed, while it may seem hard to believe, it wasdifficult. We both were so close to telling Erica everything, but I could not do that, we could not do that. The escape plan needed her for it to work. After all They both threw away their last chance to explain themselves in exchange for better chances on saving Erevain, and in turn, all of them. They damaged a deep bond for the sake of another. I had intentionally leaked to her a weakness in our gate system, one that Erica could exploit. Things needed to happen like that if I wanted them to reach you in time, as you were most probably barely holding on to your life. Erevain clenched her mouth as she listened to Licht, her emotions becoming clearer and clearer. "I never asked you to save me...I was fine with dying there fulfilling my duty...protecting those I love..." Muttered Erevain through her teeth. "I know. But I was not fine with that." "Nor me you moron." So declared Licht and Mary, both as serious as they could get, and, in the case of the latter, even angry at Erevains words. "..." Erevains response to them? Silence. A certain kind of silence. From there the story went as he predicted, the Knights escaped and were on time to heal a barely living Erevain. With you truly gone, I was able to shift my focus back to Father and the Kingdom, and the first thing that I needed to understand was the reason why the siege stopped in such a convenient way for him. And it did not take long for me to discover that Hilde was a servant of the Dragon Lord who organized the siege. Sadly, the fact that she was Eternal Winter, another Dragon Lord, eluded me until this day To think that there were many times when we were in the same room and neither did Julian nor I were able to detect her true nature. She really managed to deceive us all and that is troubling, yes. While I can hope that the arcane knowledge that let Violet Death hide Eternal Winter died with them both, I cannot be complacent about this, there is much work ahead of us. We as the Church need to be better. For the Goddess sake and ours. So thought Ludovica as her mind showed her all the times she interacted with Eternal Winter in her guise as Hilde, prompted by Lichts words, and while the others did not notice it, her eyes were showing quite the serious glint. The very next day she gave the best Arcanists the Church had at their disposal access to the most ancient of the Churchs archives and a mission, to find that which will prevent a mistake like that from happening ever again. Be it spell, artifact, scroll, or grimoire. As for their findingsthat shall be left to the future. Either way, I was able to figure out what she was really after thanks to a certain discovery I made, and if I wanted to save the Kingdom, just like I saved you, she needed to be stopped. For that I did many, many things I am not proud of, but they were things that needed to be done. Like kidnapping those who were too close to discovering the truth and those who had already done so and were about to reveal it, even if they were nobles like Baron Cuhalin. Almost as if the mention of such Baron were a cue from Licht, Mary, who stopped embracing Euphemia and Erica, proceeded to give Ludovica a list of their kidnapped victims and a map with their location, which she pointed at. They are here. It is a house that Licht owns under another name. My role was to capture them, take them to the house, and impersonate them using letters. Meanwhile, they were kept in a state of stasis caused by a drug made from Muksis poison. It has no side effects besides some numbness and a simple use of [Detoxify] will wake them. So said Mary with a complex expression on her face, there was regret yes, but there was also a clear acceptance of her responsibility. We stole them away from their families, their dutiesbut that was necessary. Father had to be stopped. But he and Hilde were enemies that I could not beat with simple subterfuge and sabotage. No. He would only double down on everything and march through because that is who he was. So, I needed to do something that even he would not expect. A mistake. Thus, Licht recounted the reason for the plan that birthed the curse of the Goddess, a plan that involved using his people to give a reason for the strange happenings in Illumbee Village. Convincing Father was simple enough, he knew well the power that the Goddess name holds, and how it would make people simply accept things and stop asking questions. Of course, it was risky, but I convinced him that the risk of the Church finding out would be minimal. At no moment did his tone change from an unapologetic one as he admitted to committing sacrilege in front of the Head of the Church, who only smiled in response. And it worked, for a few years at least. Father was confident that his plans would not fail. That victory was coming. Hilde too. I needed that. I needed them confident and their plans sailing. Erevain slowly raised her head and gazed at Licht as he said all of that, unable to stop herself from clenching her hand and turning it into a fist. I mentioned Baron Cuhalin before. He is the one that oversees the land where the story of the Curse of the Goddess was spread. But he is also like a dog, once he gets the scent of something wrong, he will pursue it until it is dealt with, or he is stopped. Yet, he is also more careful than people give him credit for. And so, he told the Church just enough for your Holiness to start an investigation. That was my mistake. Ludovicas gaze turned sharper after hearing those words, but before she was able to say anything someone else spoke up. Lichtyou must have known that letting him do what he wished without opposition would bring harm to many. To our people in the villages who were close to their operations, to the people they forced to carry them out, and the people that tried to resist. So much pain, so much grief was causedand for what? With her voice seething with anger, Erevain asked that, but she did not wait for a reply FOR WHAT, LICHT?! for she asked again, louder than before, her gaze twisting into the fiercest of glares. A glare that caused a shiver to run down the spines of Mary and Euphemia. Meanwhile, Erica and Ludovica remained calm. As for Lichthis smile only grew bigger. For the plan, of course. It was all but a necessary sacrifice to save the Kingdom. *SLAM* That was it. No one was able to see when she did it. But she did it. Erevain had punched Licht in the face, and he was now on the ground, covering the side where he was hit, all while a metallic taste filled his mouth and blood trickled down his chin. And that was not all, as one of his ears could not stop ringing and everything around him seemed hazy. But none of that was what surprised Licht. What surprised him was that he was still alive and conscious, as he had seen firsthand how strong his Elder Sister had become. Just how much did she hold back while still acting on her emotions? Such was the question that was in his mind. People died and not in battle, Licht. They were just trying to live their lives peacefully and you let Father ruin those lives. And allfor the plan So said Erevain with a pained, saddened, and disappointed expression that made something stir within Licht. He had thought that he was ready for such thing, he even wished for ityet that was not the case. That expression of hers, her voice, her eyes, all of it, it was more painful than the punch he had just received. It felt like a million needles were piercing not only his heart, but his very soul. Even more so, the pain was increased tenfold by Erevains similar appearance to their Mother, a Mother that would have been as disappointed and saddened as Erevain was. He could feel it. He was sure of it. Still He could not just take that. He could not just accept those saddened eyes while lying down. So, he did not. He mustered all his strength and stood up. You have to understand! If I had done something to stop himanything! I would have entered a useless cycle of small battles! And I needed everything to go as he wanted to win the war! At what cost?! Youyou bloodied your hands too much, Licht!! Too much!! I know! But I needed them at the doorstep of victory, so that I could take him and Hilde down as they dropped their guard! There was no other way! None, Erevain! None! Erevain understood it then. She hated it, but she understood. Licht truly believed that doing what he did was the only way. Still, she had nothing but complicated feelings swirling inside her. Feelings that made her wonder Feelings that made many paths appear in her mind Butthose were just what ifs, simple illusions. You wanted us to investigate. Ludovica said in a sudden, yet expected, serious tone. Of course, Licht was not surprised by it at all, for he had indeed admitted to using the Church to further his plans. Yes, your Holiness, that is when I took Baron Cuhalin out off the board. He had played his part. You see, the mere idea of the Church catching their scent pushed them to hasten things, and then the idea of them being able to hide from your Holiness eyes helped that confidence grow even stronger. It was all for creating that chance. But that is when my plan was thrown off by the appearance of an unknown factor. Licht, having already calmed down, said that, wiping away the blood on his chin with the side of his hand before continuing. Lady Auros Argento and my dear Elder Sister. If I was trying to do everything with a scalpel, then what she did was use a hammer and a bell to surprise all of us while we were sleeping. But in the end, she did a better job at saving the Kingdom than me, so much so that saying anything more is irrelevant. With a defeated smile and a self-deprecating tone, Licht looked down and uttered such words, marking the end of his confession *clap* Nee~~, nee~~, what an incredible story! Yes~~! or so he thought, but Ludovica had other plans and clapped once, forcefully grabbing everyones attention, before saying that and she was not done. You were so focused on saving your siblings that you never even thought to ask for my help back then. Non, non, non~~. Bad Licht~~! Bad! Indeed, for she made all the tension go away with her sudden return to a light tone and her casually wagging her finger at Licht like she was scolding a little kid. But are you able to provide me with proof, yes~~? After all, the words of a conspiring, manipulative, and sacrilegious prince are not to be simply trusted. Non, non~! She said as she waggled her finger at Licht once more. Her words might have been hurtful, but, in the endthey were the truth. He had conspired. He had manipulated. He had committed sacrilege. All for the benefit of his plans. Even if Ludovica had a certain relationship with him, regardless of how indirect or direct, it would not be enough to warrant trust. His word had no value in the eyes of the Head of the Church and Ludovica Aldert. And as Erevain looked at Licht with a concerned expression There is proof. Euphemia spoke up. When I was teleported, my brother and big sis Mary gave me these In that moment, her bracelet lit up and many books, dossiers, and scrolls appeared on the ground, surprising Erica and Erevain. To put it simply, it was the proof Ludovica had asked for. they were in a bag. His insurance. Sistina and Charles had already agreed with brothers plan and knew about this. Brother kept sending more of them throughout the years and my attendants stored them away. They waited until I was old enough to understand their contents and the actions of my Father before giving them to me. And when that day finally came, I also understood why he made me promise something so strange as never becoming like him. He did all those terrible things and gathered so muchall to protect us and the Kingdom. Even if he knew that he would be no different from Father in the eyes of many. But he is wrong. ?! The moment such firm declaration left her lips, Euphemia reached out for and pulled Licht into an embrace. One that Mary became part of soon after, with Erica following closely. He did what he thought was rightand thanks to him I am here. Alive and well. That clearly surprised him as his eyes widened before he started sobbing. And then ?! Youfoolsjust why someone else joined in that surprised Mary and Licht, but not Erica nor Euphemia. That person was Erevain. She knew it too even with all that proof their circumstances would never be the same again. She knew that they would surely be separated again. That they would most likely never share their times of joy and sadness, nor they would hear the voice of each other as close as they were at that moment. That was why that embrace was important. That was why no matter what whirlwind of feelings went on inside her heart, she would not let them go. Yesbecause at that moment they were all together once more. They werea family. __________________________________________________ As she stopped reminiscing about that night, Ludovica had already finished doing her make-up and was now grabbing all the letters that she thought her best friend needed to read, those expressly addressed to her, and lastly, a certain piece of paper that was on her desk, one that had her signature and seal on it. It was a document of special importance for those who were there that night. It was the verdict that she and the rest of the Church reached. The verdict that the nobles of the Kyrie Kingdom approved after reviewing the case and evidence presented by her and the accused. It was a long, painful day that one. The nobles were baffled, for the Prince was loved by many of them and the people... Some were disappointed, some were rightfully angry, and others empathized with the accused. Even some among those of the awakened nobles found themselves understanding Licht after seeing the full picture. Baron Cuhalin being one of them. But in the end an agreement was reached. The sentence both powers agreed on would be carried by Ludovica herself. Their fate was sealed. Of course, the main instigators, the...cause of everything, the Traitor King and the two Dragon Lords had already been dealt with the harshest of punishments. Death. What she was judging was the reaction towards those actions. The tragic, yet still punishable acts of people that had no apparent choice but to get involved. To getstained. To darken themselves willingly for the sake of others... They knew that even if they won, they would lose... "Nothing will be the same for them..." Her usual smile disappeared as she looked at the contents of it once more and then looked up at the painting that was hanging on the wall, a painting of a black-haired woman raising her silvery shield to protect the innocent. "I am sorry, Theresa. Not only did I fail to fulfill my promise to you, but I also must punish one of your children and the girl you saved back then. If only I had been more observantif only he had come to meno, they made their choice knowing the consequences, just like you did when you protected all those people. Heheyouyou really gave birth and raised quite the selfless children. All four of them." And so, she smiled again with both nostalgia and heartache before looking away, storing the document in a storage bracelet and walking towards the door. "Goddess, bath them with your blessings of love...for they might still be redeemed." With that last prayer, she exited her quarters. Shortly after, the allotted time came and the [Door] to her best friends personal space appeared, whisking not only Ludovica away, but also the two people who were closely following behind her, and while they were in handcuffs that had runes inscribed on them, their attires were what one would expect of people invited to a special dinner. Those two people were Mary Ibaaru and Licht vi Kyrie. Today was the day they would hear the verdict on their crimes and the sentence that would seal their fate, but not before sharing a meal with those who were their family. That was the only thing Ludovica was able to do for them, for the woman who died upholding the values of not only the Church, but those of the people...and the dear friend with whom she shared many joys. ____________________________________ Meanwhile, deep inside the forest area of Auros personal space, a small child wearing a bunny hoodie seemed to be looking for something inside a small cave near a lake, all as she was using one of her incandescent hands as a torch. "It is...fine. Come...do you want to play with...Ilya?" So she asked to that which was hidden in the shadows before her, extending her small hand and smiling. The shadows stirred as something, no, a little someone moved towards the girl and held her hand, answering with a "...yes." To be continued...(cue Ludovica figure ad! Only for $999!) (The volume cannot end before we see this family''s issues get completely resolved, right? But before that, Auros is...cooking something? UP NEXT: EPILOGUE 2: REVERSE ISEKAI COOKING AND ????) Hello everyone! Im back! While Im still recovering from the tendonitis that afflicted both my arms and have a really clear limit as to how many hours I can work (write/use my hands), I was finally able to finish work on this epilogue! I hope that you liked it and are looking forward for the next epilogue! Oh, and this next one is very, very special! So Ill do my best to bring it to you as quickly as I can while tending to my limits! Also, I know this comes later, but I really need to thank my patrons and all who donated during this time, you, all of you, are my literal heroes, as you stuck with me even with the forced hiatus and saved my hands from tendonitis. I will always be eternally grateful to you. Thank you. Thank you so much. I say this not just as an author, but as a person, really. Thank you. NowITS TIME FOR SOME NEW ART! AND OFFICIAL ART AT THAT!! COMMISSIONED TO LARH BY ONE OUR DEAR MAID-PARAGONS IN PATREON, SCHOOOKIE!!! AND MAN, JUST LOOK AT NERINNE AND AUROS LOOKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD AND READY FOR A VERY NICE AND FUN NIGHT AT THE CLUB AREA IN THE CASTLE! OR ARE THEY JUST PLAYING DRESS-UP?! Welpit seems thats actually the case! HAHAHAHAHA!! NERINNES FACE IS SO GLORIOUS!! AND AUROS LOOKS SO ADORABLY EMBARRASSED!! LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE HAVE MY FAVORITE OF THE THREE! THE FIRST CONTENDER FOR THE MOST FRIGGING WHOLESOME OFFICIAL ART OF THE STORY!! AUROS, ILYA AND NERINNE!! MY HEART!! MY HEART CANT TAKE IT EVERY TIME I SEE IT!! THAT SMILETHAT SMILE IS SO PURE! MOST PROTECC! Haahaahaphew. Thats it for today, next epilogue well have all the fanart you may have missed if you arent in the storys discord! Speaking of whichtheres going to be a live reading of this chapter in 2 hours to celebrate the storys return and my tendons improving this much! Hope to see you there! Just remember to read the rules of the server if you do join us!! In any case, if you want to support me and this story, you can do so by subscribing to my patreon, or donating to my paypal or ko-fi! Normally I say that you guys have no idea how much you help me out, but, once again, your support saved my hands, literally. Thank you. You are not just patrons or donators; you are my heroes. Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982, Anon 3, Aravir, Big Ounce, Anon4, Thistles Dragon, Cinder, and Salinthrous! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Epilogue 2: Reverse isekai cooking and a new arrival. "Master! Is this much salt alright?!" In the middle of a very busy kitchen, Mika exclaims that as she gives me a soup spoon of broth to try out. Said broth is a mix of beef broth, chicken broth and shrimp broth, and it is the base for my pseudo-ramen soup! Yes, pseudo-ramen! "Mmm! Perfect! Now crush the garlic clove how I taught you and throw it into the broth! Then, after it starts to boil, throw the noodles in and lower the fire!" "Yes, Master!" With that, Mika goes to do as I told her, and I immediately crouch to check how a couple of dishes are doing in their respective ovens. And oh yes, the pulled pork and the cochinita pibil are doing just fine! Having multiple ovens rocks! You can just do these kinds of dishes at the same time and not have to worry about oven space, cooking temps and times! Who would have thought that the path to having a perfect kitchen was dying and going to another world?! Hm? Why cochinita pibil? Simple! Nana liked it. She used to make some every now and then and I sometimes helped her. One of those times she told me that Gramps once tried to woo her with a worldwide buffet, but that it was kind of ''meh'' and she ended up correcting him on a few things. Heh. You see, Gramps used to be a cook, so he collected lots of recipes. It was his obsession along with pocket watches. And that is where his idea of the buffet came from. I think he would have loved teaching me when I was all crazy about making anime food back in college. Sadlyhe passed away long before that. But hey, at least I can say that I used many of his recipes for those anime dishes or just to cook myself something tasty. I know that wouldve made him happy too. And I was able to bring those recipes to this world thanks to my memory. So, sumanai if it looks like Im cheating, but I wanted everyone to taste lots of delicious things!! As such, Gramps, I''ll be using your idea!! Ah! Sorry! I got too into it! Well, as you can guess by now, Im acting as a chef! After all, I did promise my Maid-Knights that I would cook for them if they did well. And they sure did! At first, I was making everything on my own, but the ones that can cook really wanted to help and their eyes were all lit up with excitement when they asked, so I couldn''t say no! How could I? They look so cute after all!! THATS WHY I AM NOW THE APRON-SIDE-BOOB KING OF THE KITCHEN!! SO HOT AND ITS NOT THE STOVE! Oh, but don''t try this at home my fellow weebs and nerds. I have draconic skin harder than titanotite, so no oil burns for me! "Master Sis, I cut these vegetables like you asked! Should I also cut this chicken and the...su-ri-mi?" Thats Bertia, I gave her permission to call me that last night and she was really happy! "Umu! Good job pronouncing it correctly too! But also start cooking those vegetables in the pan, then throw in the diced chicken and season it with this black sauce!" "On it, Master Sis!" The black sauce bottle that I just pulled out from my bountiful cleavage and threw at Bertiawhich she caught easilycontains soy sauce, of course! After all, I dont need any filler arc to find rice or soy sauce, heh. Why? Because I can create them here in my personal space, duh! Also, just like the mix of broths, those veggies, chicken, and surimi are for the pseudo-ramen! Its a recipe that I invented when I got tired of cup noodles in my early years of college and there was no restaurant serving ramen! That also implies that there was no miso to buy, so I had to improvise!! Nana then helped me fine tune it when I made some for her on one of my visits! Yeah, I tried living in the college dorms for a while, but I moved back home during the last year. Anyways, the pseudo-ramen has broccoli, purple onion, potatoes, surimi, and chicken! Sometimes I would add carrots too, but just sometimes. After all, I was in college! So, I was broke for food, never for waifu, only for food. Kids, don''t follow my example! My fellow adults, we are already deep inside the abyss, so at least let''s enjoy it! "Master, I put theumm...miso? I put that inside the pot as you wished. I also finished cutting the pork belly meat and themmmna-ruu-too?" Thats Louise! Also, listening to her trying to say those things is so cute!! "Good! Then go back into making those noodles, you were almost finished with them anyways!" "Yes, Master! I am so happy that we can cook together!" Awwwmy heart! Louise is truly beaming with happiness. Also, yes, thats true ramen. After all, I did get a job some time after college, and with some cooperation between weebs we were able to get some nice miso and noodles! Of course, all of us were only interested in that, so there was not much bonding after we got them, but that is fine now. I have Ere, Gabrielle, the rest of the Maid-Knights, and last, but certainly not least I have Nerinne. Speaking of my divine darling, shes looking for Ilya right now. Our cinnamon roll said that she was going to explore and play a bit, but it has been an hour since then and she has not returned. Of course, Nerinne and I know where she is, but we are still worried about the reason why she hasnt returned. Even then, we don''t want to pry with our powers because...what if she is making a surprise for us?! I don''t want spoilers about that!! And Nerinne doesn''t want them either!! "Master, the Kasseler is almost done smoking. It smells good." And coming out from the smoking room as she says that with a cool smile on her face is Jules. Also, it seems that German has some similarities with the Kyrie Kingdom''s language, Kyr, so its easier for her to pronounce that, unlike Japanese. But how are we making Kasseler when it needs to be wet cured for at least 48 hours, you say? Hah! Remember, my dear holly weeb, I have spatial magic!! I enchanted one of the fridges so that in the space inside it time would run faster! Umu! Aren''t I a genius?! "Hmph, just you wait and taste it. It is something quite good." Making the perfect hand sign to accompany my words, I smile back at Jules with confidence. "I am getting hungrier just thinking about it, Master." Yep, no need for words, that drooling face of hers says it all. "Master, the Lumpia are ready. Should I start with the sauces?" "Very well, I shall leave the sauce-making to you, Allegra. Ah, but do not forget the vinegar sauce, it is a must for the Lumpia." "Of course! I wont! Making all these new sauces has been really interesting for me, so I would not dare to forget about one! To think there were so many tasty combinations between Masters ingredients and ours! Even more those that achieve tastes that I was only able to achieve with some ingredients derived from poisons!" Heh, look at her go, I knew that putting Allegra in charge of making sauces was a good idea. Also, yes, she used her ''Insta-crisper'' or a variation of it to help cook the many Lumpia, and other fried foods. Like some arancini and the fried calamari that will go with the tomato and herb seasoned sauce she is making now! "The...Raspebeller...are coming out...too..." Says a smiling Luca while showing them to me and man, do they look good! These Maid-Knights really are talented! Also, did I already say that I love my big kitchen? Because I love my big kitchen! We can all work on many dishes and not have any space problems! Ahhhits so nice. As for the rest of the maids, they are doing other jobs. Like setting up the tables as one really big table, bringing the tablecloths, taking care of the drinks and so on! For example, Gabrielle and Evangeline went to the capital to get some more drinks that I dont know of, so that I can make a big stock of them later. Meanwhile, Kris is using her strength to make some good ol mashed potatoes, a dish that we have in common. Of course, theres mashed uruns too! Uruns being this world''s potatoes in popularity as a crop! "Oi, Master, that ce-vi-che thing reminds me of something that I used to eat in my village! Are you sure it isn''t from there?" While I would love to answer Kris question, I cant help but think that it doesnt matter, for the hungry look she is giving to the nearby bowl of fresh ceviche tells me that it doesnt matter. Ah, she has a spoon now! She is reaching for a spoonful of it but! *smack* "Focus on your dish, Kris!" the ceviches guardian, Sophie, stops her by smacking the back of Kris hand with a wooden spoon! "Come on, Sophie! I just wanted to taste it a bit!" "Nah, you will wait like everybody else!" Heh, it always makes me happy to see how Sophie gets along with everyone. As for why she is the ceviches guardian, well, she said that she knew how to prepare fish dishes, so I let her take care of the ceviche. Although, its not that difficult to make if one follows the recipe. "Kris, be patient." "Yes, yes, Master..." "It looks good, Sophie. Well done." "Kekekeof course it is. I learned to make lots of things on my travels! This is nothing!" Smugly smiling Sophie is smug. Moving on. "The...Lasa-gna, mhm? Its almost ready. Yep." Making an ok sign with one of her hands, Gail says that and manages to perfectly pronounce that dishs name! Also, the pink kitchen gloves she is using are really, really cute! "Excellent, just remember to cover it when it is time to take it out from the oven. We do not want it to get cold." "Mhm, yep, Master!" In this dishs case, I preferred to use mil cheesethis world''s cheeserather than mozzarella or provolone, since it REALLY is tastier than those! Heck, its tastier than most cheeses I remember! But of course, there is one tray with those two cheeses, plus parmesan, and one cheese-less! That way everyone can try them out! Hm? Why not just make one following earth''s recipe and nothing more? Umm, because people in this world only consume cheese that comes from the ''milk'' of a tree and not cows? It may be too heavy for them or not that tasty. So, I got to be mindful. And before you ask, Nerinne told me that in terms of doing actual harm to them there is no problem. She literally makes all the food that could pose problems good for consumption by blessing it, which meansno bathroom emergencies here. Nerinne really is convenient! Anyways, while everything is going perfectly, our guests could arrive at any moment so we must have at least more than half of the dishes ready before that! "Dear, I am sorry to interrupt you while you are enjoying yourself in the kitchen, but...you need to come here. Now." Ok...that did not sound strange and foreboding at all... "I apologize, but I must leave. Nerinne is requesting my presence. Though, I shall return as quickly as possible." Telling that to all the Maid-Knights helping in the kitchen, I remove my apron and magically change into my OG Angelusia outfit. "Don''t worry, Master Sis, we have your recipes to guide us! But before you go, can I start with the steaks?" Yep, you just need to see how excited Bertia looks to know that grilling the steaks is probably what she wanted to do the most. And why wouldnt she? There are many cuts of meat that she has never seen before since they are from my world. "Of course, I shall entrust those steaks to your capable hands then." "Leave it to me, Master Sis!" Heh, she really is beaming with excitement! "Agreed, leave it to us Master." Allegra joins in while nodding and working on various sauces at the same time. "Master can leave the kitchen to me, I promise that all these dishes will be properly done and served! I swear it on my pride as a cook!" And of course, we cant forget about Louise, whose motivation levels are going through the roof! Man, it really is contagious! The rest give me a thumbs-up and/or nod at me before focusing on their dishes again. AhhhI so can''t wait to see all these dishes! [Teleport]. ___________________________ And were here now, the castles forest area. Yep! It has forest area now! And let me tell you, I was so surprised when I first saw it! Seriously, Nerinne is so cool for making it! Likecan you hear that? Thats a waterfall! She really thought of everything! As for my cinnamon roll and my bigger cinnamon roll, I can see them from where I am now, they are near the lake where the waterfall is. They look so cute together. A mother and her daughter. Hmm? There is also another presence? Itsthere...hiding behind that tree that is close to them... "Ah, dear, you are here." "Father..." So beautiful...these two are so beautiful...and my cinnamon roll has just come up to me, grabbed my hand, and is now pulling me as if telling me to hurry up! So cuuuuute!! My cute Ilya is wearing a super adorable bunny hoodie too! I want to hug her so bad!! "Dear, is there something you want to talk about?" "Hm? What do you mean, darling?" Also, why is your face practically telling me that you don''t believe me? "Fufufu~~, that is the exact reason, dear. Last chance, is there something you want to tell me?" "Ahmmm...I really don''t know what you are talking about, darling." "Kukuku...I see...Ilya dearie, you can bring her." "Yes...Mother..." Hmm? ''Her''? Wait...that presence over there? "You...can come out...now..." "II can...?" "Nnn." Wait. Wait. Wait. What was that other super kawaii voice that can compete with the super cute voice of my dear daughter?! WaitIlya just extended her little hand andanother tiny hand has grabbed hold of it! No way...! A little girl?! A LITTLE GIRL WEARING AN AGE-APPROPRIATE GOTHIC LOLITA DRESS?!! Gotta clear that up always! She also has dark violet hair...draconic eyes...baby horns...and a cute tail covered in violet scales... Man, that is a lot of violet. Hm? *CLICH LIGHTBULB* VIOLET?! She is...Scath?! That''s...! But...! NoI guess I did tell her something along these lines...but I never thought it would actually happen!! Aaah! She is also coming towards me with Ilya! "Father...this is my little sis...right?" LITTLE SIS?! AND AAAAAHH!! SHE LOOKS SO EXCITED!!! EVEN IF HER FACE IS THAT OF AN ALMOST EXPRESSIONLESS KUUDERE!! AAAAAH SO CUTE!! "...*stare*..." Shemini-Scathis staring at me really hard with those violet eyes of hers... Wait... Does she...remember? Oh no. Oh no. Nononononono. I have to say something... "I..." Ah...there is a knot in my throat... "Papa." "Eh?" "Papa!" "EH?" "Papa! Papa! Papa!" "EEEEEH?!" "...!" KAWAIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!! SHE IS HUGGING MY LEG!! SHE IS HUGGING MY LEG WHILE WAGGING HER TAIL! AND LOOK AT THOSE PUFFY CHEEKS OF HERS!! CUTE! CUTE! CUTE! THAT KNOT IS GONE!! VANISHED BY ADORABLENESS!! WHAT IS THIS CUTE NEW DAUGHTER OF MINE?!! BECAUSE YES, SHE CALLED ME PAPA!! SO, I AM HER PAPA!! IF YOU DON''T LIKE IT, FIGHT ME!! "YES, I AM YOUR PAPA!! NOW, UP YOU GO AND YOU TOO MY CINNAMON ROLL!" Im now carrying my girls on my arms, each on one of them. Hihi Heehee.. And they are hugging me now! Ah, so healing... "Papa! Papa! So happy!" "Father...Ilya is happy too. Ilya is a big sis now...Ilya promises to take care...of little sis..." DID YOU HEAR THAT?! ISN''T THAT SUPREMELY CUTE?!! SO MATURE! MY LITTLE GIRL IS SO MATURE!! COME ON NERINNE! JUST LOOK AT THESE CUTIES!! Nerinne? *twitch * "Aaaah! I cannot hold back anymore! My Ilya is so cute! I am so proud! Mother is so proud!!" Woahtalk about changing your tune! So you were just pretending to be mad at me, but now you are unable to keep that up, eh darling. Well, if I was in your shoes, I too would launch myself at us and start rubbing my face with Ilyas, the act be damned. "Ilya...is happy..." Awwso cute. Hm? A cute little someone is poking my cheek. "Papa, Papa...nuuuu..." Ah! She is pouting! Is she jealous? mmm Oh, she has stopped pouting and is now cutely pondering about something. "...what is my name, Papa?" AWWWWWWWWW!!! ARE YOU SEEING THIS?! NO, ARE YOU RECORDING THIS?! YOU BETTER BE RECORDING THIS!! SHE JUST ASKED WHILE TILTING HER HEAD AND PUTTING ONE OF HER FINGERS NEAR HER MOUTH! KA-WAAA-IIIIIIIIIIII! Wait... Did she just ask what was her name? "Is your name not" "That is not the case, dear." No? But isn''t her name Scath? "Darling, you know what happens after someone passes away, yes?" Umu. As I say this, Nerinne takes Ilya from me and is now carrying her on her left arm. "Well, the one you are holding is, indubitably, that woman''s reincarnation. As in, her purified soul is now in her next cycle of life. But she is a different person now and so that name no longer holds any meaning." I understand... But...wouldn''t she be a baby dragon then...? Or even another being altogether? "Indeed, but that is only for normal cases and as you can see, this is not." Then? "Your words, dear. They had a great impact on her in those last moments, even more so since her soul is technically yours." But that doesn''t explain this... I mean, like I said, I did tell her to live an innocent life but... "You didnt do anything that would warrant such development? Dear, her soul felt attracted to that pure wish of yours, so much so that it wished for it too. And thus, a sort of pact was established. The girl you are holding now is the result of said pact, of said...wish." I see. "Papa?" Heh, I see now. I really must take responsibility for what I said then. "Indeed, dear." You look happy. "Fufufu~~..." "...why would I not be happy when the one I love is so happy that she is crying tears of joy?" What are you... "...saying?" "Papa, don''t cry." Ah...she is wiping my tears with her little hands... How come I didn''t notice? "That is normal, dear. When joy overwhelms us, it simply happens." Yes...I guess you are right... Looking at this innocent girl in the eyes, I understand too. She is there, yes, but she is no longer the one I fought. This is her new chance at life. And this is chance I must and am embracing tightly. "Papa?" Ah, this little heartbeat...I-I... "I promise. I promise that I will give you a sweet and innocent lifeCelesia!" "...! Yes, Papa!" I really will... I swear it on my own new chance at life. ____________________________________ Five minutes... Just five minutes after that heartwarming scene and... "Why Celesia? Why wont you let me to hug you?" ...Nerinne is now being rejected by Celesia. "Bleeeh! I don''t like Mother!" "Gah...!" Nerinne just turned into a statue due to the shock and mental damage... "Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama." ...and now she is muttering that. "Why dont you call me Mamaaa...?!" "Mother is not Mama." "Gyun...!" Oof...she now looks like she just received a gut punch with that cold tone from Celesia... *thud* aaaaand she is down. "Mother..." Ilya, who Nerinne had put down before her fall, is poking her now with her index finger. HmmI think I should intervene. "Celesia." "Yes, Papa?" Aaaah, so cute! Her face lights up every time I call her! *ahem* That is not the point...now. "Why do you dislike your mother?" "I don''t know." Huh? She...doesn''t know? Could it be that even if she is a new being, her compatibility with Nerinne is still low? "Then...why don''t you try playing with her? I know that you will like her. She is very fun, and she can teach you lots and lots of things." "No." *twitch* Umm...did Nerinne just twitch? Anyways ".can you do it for Papa?" "...! Mnnn....no! No! No! No! I don''t want to play with her, Papa! I dont want to!" *twitch* *twitch* *twitch* She dislikes Nerinne so much that she is throwing a tantrum?! "...I think I am returning to the heavens..." "Oi! You are the Goddess; you can''t do that!!" This dummy... "Celesia. Listen to me." I say with a bit harsher tone. "...! Yes, Papa?" Just a bit, nothing intimidating at all, just enough to take her out of her tantrum. "I won''t ask you to play with her again. Nor I will ask you to call her Mama. But she is your mother and as such, she is hurt when you say mean things to her. Nu She is pouting againso cuteah! No, focus! Let me put it this way, would you like it if I said those things to you, Celesia?" "...! No...I would be sad..." Heh, there. This is something that always worked with my little sister, so I thought that it might work here. Im glad I was right since instead of going the ''this is your mother, and you should respect her!'' route, I took a route that plants and nurtures empathy. "Exactly." With a proud nod, I say that, and slowly put her down on the ground. Now, when we make someone sad, we apologize. We say sorry to them. Do you think you can do that, Celesia? If so, go. "..." With that, Celesia looks at me and then looks at Nerinne, then back to me and then back to Nerinne. This would be the perfect moment to start a certain deodorant ad, but I shall hold it in! Anyway, Celesia then starts walking towards the knocked out Nerinne and... *pomf* ...sits on her stomach? She looks cute, but she shouldn''t do that! But...she already decided to go to her, so if I do something I might ruin the moment. "I am sorry...Mother...so stop being sad..." That was good. She said sorry "...! Yes! Mother is no longer sad!" ...and Nerinne''s back as if nothing had happened! So much so that she now caught Celesia in a big hug! "Nuuu...!" And Celesia is not amused. She is puffing her cheeks too...so cuuuute! "Ilya...wants hug too..." "Come to Mother, Ilya!" Nn *hug* Awwwnow thats a wholesome scene! From one side we have the cute kuudere volcano daughter and from the other side we have the...huh...actually, Celesia is red...hahahaha so that''s how it is! She is a tsundere like Papa! I-I mean...she is just a tsundere! Ahahahaha! And now its time for me to join in, of course! *hug* "Isn''t this good, Ilya, Celesia?" So I ask to my girls we are all enjoying this big family hug! "Ilya is...happy...Father is back...missed Father, missed these hugs..." "Aww Ilya...dont worry I am back now and I promise that we will spend more time together." "Nnn!" So cute! "Nununu...I am happy too...this hug is warm Papa, M-Mother, Big Sis. This is a family...yes?" "Of course, it is Celesia!" This girl, I am going to fill her heart with lots of love. "Yes...little siswe...are..." Of course, I will also give Ilya even more love! "Indeed, Celesia. You sweetie!" And Nerinne, well, she will get even more forms of love. "Fufufu~~." Heh. But...before that, I need to do something that I haven''t done, so I separate from them just a bit and... *kiss* "...!" *kiss* "...!" ...kiss my two cute daughters on the forehead. They are quite surprised by it, and their cheeks are red. "We love you, Ilya, Celesia. Never, ever forget that." I pat their heads, say that, and smile at them from the bottom of my heart, it is to the point that I feel my eyes getting teary again. Nana, I wonder what you wouldve said if you were able to meet these two? "Nn...Ilya loves...Father and Mother too...veryvery much. To be like this...is like a dream..." "I love Papa too! Mother...too...but I love Papa more! But, but, I am happy!" I guess you wouldve had a really big smile on your face, right? I mean, my heart is melting just by listening and seeing them, their joyful words, their smiles, their warm and innocent eyesmy daughters. Your great grandkids, Nana See? I am making good on my promise The promise I made to you whenhm? It seems the [Door] has opened. I seewe finished here just in time then. "Darling, my adorable daughters, we have guests and lots of food to eat. So how about we get going?" "Nnn...! Ilya...is hungry...wants to taste...Father''s cooking!" So precious! "Me too! Me too!" So precious times two! "Me three~~." So precious times three!! "Let''s go then!" And with that said, I teleported us back to the dining hall. __________________________ "As you can see, everything is alright, Master!" "Hmph, ''alright''? This is beyond alright. Everything is already dressed and served. Well done, everyone." Showing quite the satisfied smile, I tell that to both Louise and the rest of the Maid-Knights who helped. "It was nothing, Master Sis!" "Kekeke, yeah, this was a breeze!" The first to reply are Bertia and Sophie, who are putting even more food on the table. Master already did something as rewarding as teaching us how to cook food from her land, even cooking for and with us, it was only proper for us to try and have everything ready before your return. Says Mika while pushing her glasses upwards as always! And I will never get tired of her doing it! "Mhm, the only thing left are the desserts, yep!" That Gail, always cute, not only is she is taking care of the desserts now, but she is also protecting them from others that might try to eat them. Oeeeeee. Like a smiling Maevis...who is lying on the floor...unconscious...and with some cookie dough on her cheeks... "...so much food...to choose..." On the other side of the kitchen, Luca says that while helping with the cleaning of dishes and the kitchen itself. "Yes, Master sure is spoiling us with all of this." Beside her is, of course, Allegra, who is also helping with the cleaning. Although, the kitchen is already sparkly clean, so they are probably just about to finish. Andoh! Speaking of finishing! Sylvie is giving the dining halls decor the finishing touches with some big crowns of flowers! Now that I look closely, there are crowns on both the table and the walls! But theres more! There are also flower wreaths on the cealing!! This is just...wow!! I mean, not only is the food ready as I said, but also the dining hall looks perfect for the occasion! "Sylvie, did you make these?" I, of course, make my way to her and ask that. Also, if you look at a certain corner of the room, youll see the table where the drinks are, drinks that range from juice to beer and wine. But thats not the wow part, no, the wow part is that the cups are arranged like a pyramid! Fancy! "Yes, Lady Auros. Do you like them? Im not that good at cooking and my table arranging skills are subpar given that Im a villager so...I tried adding a bit more color to the place in the only way I know of andah! I took these flowers from the forest! I''m sorry if that was not permitted!" "You worry too much, Sylvie, these are beautiful. Right, dear?" Nerinne here saying pretty much what I was about to say while smiling at Sylvie. I still must answer though. "Indeed, these are more than worthy of enlivening the dining hall." I mean, can you make something as amazing as this? Because I cant. What? You can? You even made a plant sculpture of your waifu?! Teach me your ways, oh succubus cosplaying weeb!! "Ilya...thinks they are beautiful...Sylvie sis..." So affirms my cute volcano bunny daughter. "..." And while my dragon lord daughter is acting shy, her eyes are completely taken by the crown of flowers thats still in Sylvies hands. Truly the face of a little girl who is seeing something for the first time. "Thank you, Ilya and oh? Who is this cute girl beside you?" Noticing Celesia, Sylvie asks the question that all the other maids clearly have on their minds now, as their eyes are burning with curiosity. "She...is Celesia...Ilya''s little sis..." "Ah, your little sister! She is so cute." Wow, Sylvie took it well. "As expected of Master..." "Indeed." "Kekeke, she does look like her..." The rest of the maids too...? And here I thought that theyd be more surprised and """""LITTLE SISTER?!""""" There it is. "L-lady Auros, when did you...?" Wait, Sylvie... "So dragon Lords can make children that fast?" Oi, Allegra stop it with that amazed look! "Hahahaha! Way to go, Master! Who is the mother? Miss Nerinne or...Erevain?" HAAAH?!! WHEN DID EREVAIN COME INTO THE EQUATION?! """"""...*STAAAAAARE*..."""""" COME ON! STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!! WaitI need to calm down, someone is opening the door. "Is everything alright, My Lord? I heard a commotion." OF COURSE, IT HAD TO BE EREVAIN OUT OF EVERYONE! "Hi! I heard someone say little sister!" EUPHEMIA, YOU ARE ACTING WAY TOO RELAXED NOW! "Mama!" NAAAAAAAAANIIIII?!! DID CELESIA JUST CALLED EREVAIN, MAMA?!!! "...?!" *hug* "Mama...heeheehee...Mama..." SHE DID IT AGAIN!!! SHE IS EVEN HUGGING HER!! """"""MAMAAA?!"""""" THE MAIDS ARE AS SHOCKED AS ME! "..." NERINNE IS A STATUE...AGAIN! "So cute!" RIGHT, EUPHEMIA?! SHE TOTALLY IS!! "Could this child be...?" """""""""""...*STAAAAAAAAAAARE*..."""""""""""""" Everyone is staring so hard right now... Please, Erevain...say something that will stop this misunderstanding from growing bigger... "Could this child be the product of our kiss that night, My Lord?" Yes, I totally just fell and got up in anime style at super speed and thats because THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATS NOT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!! WHAT IS THIS?! A COMEDY WEB NOVEL?!! DON''T ANSWER THAT!! """""""KISS?!"""""""" DON''T LOOK AT MEE!! ALSO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOOKING SO MAIDENLY PROUD RIGHT NOW, EREVAIN!! Wait again, the door is opening widerhm? HAH? GABRIELLE WAS BEHIND EREVAIN ALL ALONG AND SHE ALSO TURNED INTO A STATUE?!! ALSO, EVANGELINE!! CATCH THOSE BOTTLES!! "Oof...managed to save the wine." NICE SAVE! "PFFTHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! GA-GABRIELLE IT LOOKS LIKE LEADER WON NOT ONLY THE BATTLE, BUT THE WAR!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Glad that someone is having fun with this...seriously...Kris... Stop it before Gabrielle "HAHAHAHA!" *slam* "GAH!" *thud* Oeeee. What just happened? One second Kris was laughing and the next she is lying on the floor unconscious... Alsowas Gabrielle this close to me? "Master..." "...!!" SCARY!! THAT VOICE SHE IS MAKING IS SUPER SCARY!! DON''T DO THAT! IT IS ALREADY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO MAINTAIN CHARACTER!! "...why...why does she have a child?! We kissed too!! There must be another one, right?! Right?!" "There is nooooot!!! Children don''t just appear from kisses!!!! That''s impossible even for someone like me! She is a bundle of cuteness that comes from a wish of mine!" """"""""...""""""""" Crap... I just said something absurd out loud, didnt I? "Aurooos, your best friend Ludovica is here~~! Yes~~!" THE PERFECT OPENING JUST ARRIVED! "Ludovica!" "Yes?!" "Cover your eyes, hold your breath and don''t move!" "Yes~!" "*snap*" YES! I JUST TELEPORTED MYSELF AWAY WITH NERINNE AND LUDOVICA WITH ONLY A SNAP OF MY FINGERS! _________________________ A moment after Auros teleported away, Gabrielle turned her attention to Erevain, who was now holding the little girl in her arms, and before she could say anything, Erevain made the following declaration with a straight face: "Wish or not, she is mine." "Mama! I love you!" Meanwhile, the overjoyed little girl exclaimed that while rubbing her face with Erevains endearingly. "That means I am an aunt now! Thats great!" Immediately accepting the new addition to her family, Euphemia said that quite happily. "*ahem*Where can I drop a disgraced unconscious prince?" "..." But Euphemia was not the only other member of the Kyrie family present, as shortly after that, Mary entered the dining hall while carrying Licht, who had fainted from shock after witnessing the newfound motherhood of his Elder Sister. After getting no response from the still shocked maids, she dropped him on the floor. "Kekekekekekeke...really, living with Master is such a fun thing." And the sound of that seemed to be what the shocked Maid-Knights needed, as Sophie began laughing, unable hold it back any longer, and soon enough, everyone else in the dining hall followed in the laughter. "Pfft...a-ahaha-and the feast hasn''t even started yet! Hahahaha!" Patting Sophie on the back as she said that, was a laughing Bertia, who even had a couple of tears going down her cheeks. UfufuMaster really is that much needed touch of randomness that keeps life fresh. Hiding her mouth with the side of her hand as she giggled, Allegra joined in with such words. "Yes...she is...great." Along came Luca, who said that with a sweet smile while tilting her head slightly to the right, causing her bangs to sway and letting her green eyes be visible for small moment. "Ohohoho! My, my, this goes to show that I still need to train myself to expect the unexpected with her, but no worries, I will prevail." Last, but certainly not least in any way, as her hearty laugh would let anyone know, was Gabrielle, who, with a lightened mood and smile full of conviction, made such a declaration. But that was just counting the maids at that moment, for someone else spoke up "Father...might not...say it...but Ilya knows...Father is happy to have you all with her...you are Family...Father loves...all of you...Ilya loves all of you...too...Celesia...will too..." *********doki-doki********** She was an adorable little girl wearing a bunny hoodie and she moved everyones hearts with her heartfelt words and following little smile. "For Papa!" *fwoosh* ! *fzzoooooon* *poof* Oooh! And her little sister was not left behind, as Celesia exclaimed that with every ounce of joy and love she had for her Papa, and materialized something in front of her, a floating coloring book with crayon-drawn flames as a cover, which created a beautiful spectacle of violet flames that did not burn anything at all after it lit up. Not only was everyone in the dining hall surprised by it, but the little Celesia was surprised too, implying that she did not know how that happened, yet was still enchanted by the lightshow she had inadvertently created, for her tail swayed from right to left fairly quickly. "That is no coloring book...that is a grimoire...! And those violet flames! Could she be...?" Meanwhile and as expected of her, Mika''s mind quickly connected the dots and realized something. "A wish...! I see, so she is..." In that moment she was about to say who she thought the child really was, but then she looked at the child once more, at her innocent eyes that were just as true as Ilyas, and instead made a small smile and muttered the following: "Expect the unexpected...yes, those words fit perfectly for Master." Thus, the now knowing bespectacled maid simply enjoyed the lightshow with the other Maid-Knights and guests and vowed to keep the secret to herself. _________________________ Ok, ok, I need to calm down. I need to bring Nerinne back from her shock. And I need to go back to the dining hall too or the food will get cold. Buuut! I broke character and said something absurd! How can I face them now?! Erevain and Gabrielle seem to know about my hidden side but...what about the others? Was my acting that bad that they all know about that side of me? No! I know my besto waifu perfectly! My acting was top-notch!! Top-notch I tell you!! Aaaaaaaah, but still!! Now all of that doesnt matter, does it?! Ahahawaitwhat was I doing right now? "Mmm...mmm!" Ah, Ludovica! Nerinne! RIGHT! "Wait for a bit." Just so you know, I teleported us three to one of the castles spare rooms. "Let''s put Nerinne over here...ok." And now Im placing my darling turned statue here, near this rooms bed, with her back facing it, so when Ludovica inevitably pushes her down she will fall on the bed. Now, a question. What can bring someone out of their shock and pleasantly calm you down at the same time? Good. Old. Revenge. "You can now open your eyes and breathe, Ludovica." *gasp* "Thank you, Auros, I was about to reach my..." *sniff* *sniff* "...limit...! Is she who I think she is?! IS SHE?!" Woah! Thats the same face she had when she kidnapped menoits worse. Good, ehehe. "Yes, indeed. She is the Goddess Nerinne. Although, she is a bit shocked due to what happened in the dining hall. As suchhow about you bring her back from it? Do I have to tell you that Im saying this with my biggest evil grin, because I am. "I TOTES WILL! YOU ARE NOW TIED FOR MY BESTEST FRIEND FOREVER!!" Aaaand with that, she has jumped at Nerinne. Also...tied? Who am I tied with? Oh, well. No matter. "Nn? ...hmm?! Ludovihyan?! Wha-what are you doing?! Whe-where are you touching?!" Yep, straight for the holy breasts. "Aaah! Goddess! I can finally meet you! Smell you! Touch you!!" "Wa-wait a second! I knownn! I know I told you we could play whenhiih! When we eventually met! But this is not the moment I was referring to!! Ahn!" Heh, now you will get how I felt back then!! Now, time to go before I get involved too! "I will leave you to it." DON''T SAY THAT I JUST RAISED A FLAG BY SAYING THAT! "Auros! You..." Huh? The door is locked, but how? "...kukuku...you thought I was going to let you leave? If I am getting...nnnh! If I am getting it, then you are getting it too!" NOPE! NOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPE! COME ON!! OPEN UP! OPEEEEEEEN!!! CRAP! THE DOOR IS NOT BUDGING EVEN IF APPLY ALL MY STRENGTH!! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!! "Kukukuku..." THAT SHINE IN HER EYES!! THIS GODDESS IS USING HER POWERS!! IN MY SPACE?! THAT''S CHEATING!! "Oh, shush andget over here!" THIS...FORCE...PULLING MEE!! "Noooooooooo!!" To be continued...(cue family illustration of Nerinne, Auros, Ilya and Celesia! Also, bunny Ilya!) (UP NEXT: EPILOGE 2.5: A taste of another world and the fate of the Kyrie family!) AND THAT ILLUSTRATION IS REAL NOW!! WOHOOO!! ARENT THEY PRECIOUS?! AND CELESIA LOOKS SO ADORABLE!! AND BUNNY ILYA!! AHHHHHHHH!! MY HEART! LARH DID IT AGAIN!! Ever since the idea of seriously illustrating the story was in my head, I always thought of this moment as one of those NEEDED to be illustrated and Im so happy that thats the case. Still, Im so sorry for taking this long to reveal the second illustration, but with everything that happened, my tendonitis and now my moving to another house, it ended up taking this long. Once again, I sincerely apologize. Nowthis wouldve never been possible without the support of my patrons, thank you so very much! As always, you will get the unfiltered and un-watermarked version, along with the progress images for Maid-Paragons! Lastly, if you liked this illustration or his art for the story in general, please be sure to go to Larhs twitter and make him know! Really! Im sure hell appreciate it! You can also leave a comment down below as always! Moving on, its time for some FANAAAAAAART! UP FIRST IS LORD-HOLLOW WITH HIS AMAZING ITERATION OF AUROS ARMOR AND NERN IN ITS SWORD FORM TOO!! AND MAN, IT FRIGGIN ROCKS!! THAT HELMETHNNNNGH!! SO GOOD! AND THE COLOR SCHEME TOO! PERFECTION! Thank you, Lord-Hollow! I have always loved your amor designs and this one is amazing! NEXT IS FIA FROM OUR DISCORD SERVER!! SHE HAS TWO FANARTS FOR US TODAY!! FIRST, THIS ADORABLE 2-PAGE COMIC OF ALLEGRA AND LUCA!! LOOK AT THEM THEY ARE SO CUTE!! DOESNT LUCA MELT YOUR HEART?! AND NOW WE HAVE FIAS VERY OWN ITERATION OF AUROS ARMOR!!! AND MAN, DO I LOVE THAT MASK-LIKE HELTMET AND THE OVERALL VALKYRIE-FEEL OF IT!! ALSO, THE COLORS LOOK SO GOOD!! I LOVE IT! Thank you, Fia! Your fanart is always amazing, adorable and now pretty, pretty cool!! SPEAKING OF ADORBS! LOOK AT THIS CHIBI AUROS FROM COOCHIE MAID OF OUR DISCORD!! AHHHH I SO WANT TO HUG HER! SO ADORBS!! THAT EXPRESSION! THOSE CHEEKS! SO CUTE!! Thank you, Coochie Maid! As always, Im a fan of your art and Im always happy to see you draw Auros and the rest in your style! LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, OUR DISCORDS VERY OWN MOD AND LONGTIME READER, DAVIDDEHGOO BRINGS US HIS ITERATION OF EVANGELINE IN HER CUSTOM OUTFIT! AND SHE LOOKS BAD-ASS AS HECK!! I LOVE, LOOOOOVE HER HAIR, THE BELTS, HER GLOVES! OH WELL, ALL!! Thank you, DavidDehGoo! Im honored to see how much you improve with each drawing you make and I hope to continue being able to see that! And thats it! I hope that you liked the illustration and the fanart! As I said in the past epilogue, Ill try to release the next one as soon as I can, but Ill be taking care of my health so that my tendonitis doesnt come back. Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982, Anon 3, Aravir, Big Ounce, Anon4, Thistles Dragon, Cinder, Salinthrous, and Byronhunter! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter and thank you for reading! Epilogue 2.5: A taste of another world and the fate of the Kyrie family. Mrpandopool First of all, welcome back to "In another world as my waifu", I am sorry it took me this long to return, but I had to wait until I was sufficiently recovered, and I am now. But I literally owe that to all the amazing patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support truly made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. And for those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to almost the entire Gabrielle Side Story right now (Chapters 1 to 4), including their preview versions where you can see how the each chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, and more! Now, onto the chapter! "*ahem* Without further ado and having explained the whole situation...let the feast begin." Standing in front of everyone in the dining hallhair a bit ruffled and filled with a feeling of having lost something important inside that room Isay that Haa What? I sound a bit out of it? Heh...yeah... What happened in that room, you ask...? Welljust look at Nerinneher eyes look just as lifeless as mine On the other hand, Ludovica is almost shining with that ear-to-ear satisfied smile she is making right now *shivers* Theres your answer... She really was holding back when I first met herthats for sure Moving on... Everyone is seated wherever they like... As such, you will find some of the guests right beside some maids, but it all makes sense once you know who invited who. """""""Yes! Cheers! For Master! For Miss Nerinne!""""""" In any case, responding to my words and raising their respective drinks, all the Maid-Knights heartily exclaim that in unison, including Lyra and Sylvie, of course. A pact is coming for the former while the latter needs more training before she is ready for it, but that is just a matter time. I just know it. """"For Lady Argento! For Miss Nerinne!""""" And with just as much heart as my dear Maid-Knights, some of our guests, as in Ludovica, Euphemia, Locke-chan, Greese and Countess Pyr, raised their drinks and let that out. For Locke-chan and Greese, I invited them as a reward for the good job they did. Meanwhile, Countess Pyr was invited by both Lucy and Mika, and there was no way I was going to say no to them inviting her. "..." Now, I said some of our guests because Licht, Mary and Lorelei have chosen to stay silent, which I understand. After all, you just need to look at their faces to see that they feel like they should not be here. Though, Lorelei, who is now rejuvenated and wearing a maid uniformCper our agreementCalso seems to bescared? "Here, try this out, Lorelei. Master calls them calamari. They resemble the Korkis from the Kingdom of Zenji''s fishing region. O-okay Ah! Wha?! I made the sauce, so please, do tell me if it is good. I-I will Mmmand the Lasagna smells good. That reminds me, Master even went out of her way to use Mil cheese in one of them. So do try it out too." "Y-yes..." So weird. She accepted to serve me and got what she wanted, so there should be nothing to fear...right? I mean, Allegra is even caring for her right now, serving her food, recommending her some dishes and being very nice to her overall. Oh well, she is eating now, so maybe she was just nervous. I thought that a person as interesting as Lady Argento would have quite the partner, but to think that such partner is someone with a charisma and presence such as yourself, Miss Nerinne. I can only say that my already great interest has done nothing but double! Literally! "Oh dear, thank you for the compliment, Baronetess Greese. I am glad that I am able to match my dear in your very capable eyes." "Hmph! That only means that Miss Eresh has a tough rival to beat, but I am confident that she can do it!" "Fufufu~~~, that remains to be seen, Princess Euphemia. Uuuuu Hm? Countess Pyr? Are you alright? You seem a bit under the weather." "Ah! I-I apologize for making you worry, Lady Nerinne. I am alright, its just that I was a bit overwhelmed by the knowledge of Princess Euphemia being the one who finished off the colossus. Oh? And why is that? Imay have treated her as if she was another one of the Maid-Knights back in the post-battle feast "A-anyone would have made that mistake since the Princess was dressed like a maid...I mean I sure did..." "Fufufufu~~, you are quite the honest couple of girls, Countess Pyr, Baronetess Locke. And I believe such honesty shows that you are quite trustworthy too. Do you not think so, Princess Euphemia?" Nerinne seems to be implying something with how she is phrasing thingsbut lets not think about that right now, I dont want my instinct to spoil whatever she has in mind, and she just nodded to that. "Indeed! And I already told you that I do not take offense on that. After all, I was playing a role. Besides I consider being confused for a Maid-Knight as a great honor, hehe!" And of course, Euphemia glances at Erevain while saying that. She really admires her older sister with all her heart. Ah, if you are wondering why Greese, Euphemia, Countess Pyr and Locke-chan seem to be acting quite normal with Nerinne here, then heres the answer for you. Ludovica and I managed to convince Nerinne to not reveal her true nature to them. So, they only think that she is my partner right now. As for her name, that is not a problem since parents naming their children after her is actually quite a common thing in Arte. You know, like in some countries back on Earth people would name their son Jesus and their daughters Mary, and so on. And if you are wondering about the reason why am I in my human form, then I can tell you that it is because of Erevains family. Although, I did discuss it with Erevain beforehand. Lastly, Im using an illusion rather than [Shapeshifting Touch] to make Celesia look human since I think the latter is too invasive for her. But yeah, back to Nerinne, it was quite the...amm...tough negotiation...for her. As in Ludovica sure knows how to be very convincing... Though that reason is only valid for three of the four I mentioned, as Nerinne has a different reason for Licht, Mary, Euphemia and Lorelei to not know about her real naturefor now. She said that they needed to know, but that it will be in their due time. Although, I can already guess why. For Lorelei its quite simple, she is already serving me, so it is inevitable. In Licht and Marys case, they are awaiting their verdict, so it must be related with that. And in Euphemia''s case...my instinct tells me that it is something good, but nothing more. ""For Papa/Father!"" ""...!!!!"" DID YOU SEE THAT?! NERINNE! OUR LITTLE GIRLS RAISING THEIR JUICE CUPS WHILE SAYING THAT?! Ahhhhh, of course, I did, dear! They are so adorable! Also, Celesia is still seating quite close to Erevain. Gack! Yes Aww, don''t be like that, darling! She loves you too! Im sure of it! She is just a bit tsun-tsun with you. I know...butbutuuuit still makes me sad There, there, let''s eat. That will raise your spirits! You are rightthis is the first time I will taste your homemade food so I cannot be depressed! That''s more like it! Ahhh, having telepathic conversations like this one is quite convenient for the sake of keeping character!! More so after that earlier slip up... Although, now that I think about it, this might be a little confusing to you since she is beside me and it could be taken as if she just said that out loud. Hmm, nah, that is just me thinking as if this was an isekai webnovel. Still, if that was the case, then the author could put it in italics or something like that to differentiate it. But that is just me talking nonsense. Heh. Moving on. I can feel how a certain nostalgic knot is starting to appear in my throat while my lips have started to slightly tremble as I am greeted by a scene that I havent seen in what feels like a lifetime ago "Maevis, can you pass me that sauce?" A big table. "The red one, right? Here you go, Kara!" Thank you. Lots of food and drink on it. Ok, who here wants to hear about the time Leader was swallowed by a Great Grass Frog?! Dont you dare, Kris. Andpeople who all think of each other dearly, laughing, eating, drinking, telling tales of great stuff, funny stuff, and embarrassing stuff. "Ooooh! This is good! Patricia, you should really taste this soup!" "Ra-men, right? Hehe, you seem quite entranced by it, Max." "Its just really rich! The other one too!" "Shouldn''t you be a bit more prudent, though? I thought you said you were going to do small servings so that you could try all the dishes, yet you are already on your second servings..." Their faces, their voices, they truly fill my heart with a certain nostalgia. And just as if it was biding its time to be checked off the list of emotional bits, the obvious image of my whole family eating at the dinner table appears superimposed to this scene before it takes over for a moment and takes me back to Earth, back to the house I grew up in. I know I said my thanks back there in Nerinne''s divine realm, but...Nana, Gramps, Nat Father, Mother... Thank you. I have a new family now, but I will never forget those times I spent with all of you. The good, the sad, the bad That I swear. "Dear, come, sit. The food will get cold if you just keep standing there. And I know that it will be tastier with you accompanying us." "Miss Nerinne is right, My Lord. We cannot fully enjoy this food without you." "Why, I very much agree. So, which one of these soups do you want, my dear Master? I will serve you whichever you like." AhhI love them...I love them so much Did I just smile, you ask? Yes, I just did. After all, I am truly happy here. "A bowl of each, Gabrielle. It has been some time since I had both." "My, aren''t we hungry, my dear Master? That is good. Then a bowl of each it is~." And just as always, Gabrielles smile is breathtakingly beautiful. "My Lord, while this is a more casual setting, I ask you to remember your manners." "Oh, but this is food from where I come from, Erevain. It has its own set of manners to follow when eating it." "! I-I seethenwould you mind teaching me?" Gah! My heart! MY HEART IS MELTING!! So cute, so FRIGGING cute!! She looks so cute now that I caught her off-guard and turned the tables on her! Not only that, but this scene is even cuter because Celesia is sitting on her lap and eating adorably! AHHH, HER YUMMY! FACE IS PURE SWEETNESS!! "Of course. Just pay close attention to me." Ohh, I so want to see what face she makes when I tell her that slurping the noodles is a thing! "Fufufu~~, Im glad that you are having fun, dear. This food is very delicious too. Now I see that you are quite knowledgeable in other things besides you-know-what." "Heh, it gladdens me that you find it delectable, darling. Please, do try out the Lumpias with the vinegar sauce, they are quite good." Also, look, look! Ilya is eating one already! KAWAIII! Aaaah!! Celesia too!! NOW THEY LOOK LIKE TWO SQUIRRELS EATING!! I want a camera! I need a camera! "I have you covered, darling." YES! THAT IS MY CONFIDENTLY WINKING GODDESS OF A GIRLFRIEND! USING HER POWERS TO PHOTOGRAPH OUR ABSURDLY ADORABLE DAUGHTERS!! "Crunchy...crispy...soft...yummy...sweet sauce...more yummy..." SO CUTE! MY ILYA IS SO CUTE! SHE IS EVEN MOVING HER EARS UP AND DOWN DUE TO THE DELICIOUSNESS!!! "Tasty, Papa! This is really tasty, Papa! I like it! Spicy sauce!!" AAAH! CELESIA IS SO CUTE TOO!! SHE JUST RAISED THE SAUCE BOTTLE WHILE SHOWING A SHINE OF INNOCENT AMAZEMENT IN HER EYES! AAHHHH!!! "Will you give Mama one, Celesia?" "Yes, Mama!" AAAAAAAH EREVAIN ACTING SO MOTHERLY IS SO BEAUTIFULAND HOT!! Heh, Licht was staring very intently just now, but MaryCwho did not stop eatingCcasually poked him in the eyes and told him to stop doing so. He is now rolling out of pain on the floor. "*crunch*Oh, it is quite delicious!" RIGHT, EREVAIN? "*crunch*Mhm! You were right, dear! It is quite good with vinegar sauce!" "Indeed, and the best thing is that you can eat more than one and barely feel them." I should know, Im already on my fourth one! This vinegar sauce is justoof! Allegra did a really good job! Both with the Lumpias themselves and the sauces! "My, if I did not already know of My Dear Master''s appetite, I would have felt quite offended with you being full before I brought you your bowls of soup." So says Gabrielle while serving me said two bowls from a rather largeCand perfectly carried on one handCtray. One has pseudo-ramen and the other true ramen. She has also brought bowls for Nerinne, Ilya, Erevain and Celesia. Everyone else are serving themselves. "Oi! Master! This ceviche is good! So fresh! And it goes perfect with beer too!!" Heh, that Kris...oddly enough that comment of hers is on point. "Well, in some places of where I am from, they do add beer to it when making it." ''Some places'' as in... ''a certain country, with a certain variation of the dish.'' But there is no need to say that now. "Hahaha! Really?! That sounds great! Next time you gotta make it like that, Master!" Huhu, duly noted, Kris. "Oh! And tell you what! Maybe I will try to make the one from my village to make it a fair exchange! You up for it, Master?" "More than that. I am looking forward to it." "Heh, good." Really! I can''t wait to try it out! "You did a good job, Sophie. Just as I knew you would." I say so while turning to the one who was in charge of making it. "Kekeke, of course! You did well in entrusting it to me, Master! Im quite good with fish stuff! Also, these sandwiches are perfect!" "Hooh~, is that so? Then let me tell you that those are my favorites, so I am glad you enjoy them that much, Sophie." Nn! Heh, she just nodded at me while having a mouthful of pulled pork sandwich. Ah! Her cheek has a bit of sauce on it! Thats a perfect chance toand Lyra just took it! She is wiping it away and Sophie is all embarrassed now because of that! So cute! With that saidONTO GLORIOUSLY SLURPING RAMEN NOODLES!! *GLORIOUS SLURPING SOUNDS* "S-so it is fine even if I do those s-sounds?" OH YESS!! EMBARRASSED EREVAIN!! I DON''T CARE IF THIS IS A TRAP TO LOOK CUTER!! BECAUSE IM ALL FOR IT EITHER WAY!! "Indeed." "V-very well, My Lord...then" *t-timid slurping* HNNNNNNNNNNNNGH SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! "Big Sis Erevain looks so cute..." "Yes..." "So weird...yet so cute..." Euphemia, Licht, and Mary are all enchanted by her too! Oh! And look at that, Mary seems to be trying out the Cochinita Pibil! I hope she likes it! I couldnt cook it the traditional way, but I am confident in gramps instructions of how to prepare it in an oven! *GLORIOUS PRO SLURPING* Getting back on the ramen track, my divine darling, the otaku Goddess, is slurping those noodles like a pro! And I so love your smug smile while you do so! Fufufu~~. *Surprisingly Good Slurping* "Hooh~~, you are doing it very well for what I thought was going to be your first time, Gabrielle. It is almost as if you have already eaten ramen before." "My, I assure that this is indeed my first time eating this, my dear Master. But I must admit that we had a similar dish in place I grew up in. Although, the soup back there is traditionally served cold." "Hmmthat sounds interesting. We might visit that place in our travels, so be sure to tell me where the best place to eat it is when the time comes." Having said that, time to eat this really soft piece of pork belly! So good! Louise, what a good job you did! "Of course, my dear Master." Her smile is sincere, but...there is a bit of heaviness in her voice. Maybe something happened in her past that is tied to that place? "Master Sis! Master Sis! Please check out the steaks next! I believe I grilled them to perfection! They are juicy! They are soft but not too soft! And the seasoning is just right! Aaaah, soo good!!" Yep, she is right. I can tell she did grill them to perfection with just a look. And seriously, for Bertia to do that with so many different cuts from many different countries...she really deserves that A rank in [Meat Griller]. Heck, I think everyone in my world would be quite proud. Regardless of country. "No, Master. You should try the Kasseler first. The person who came up with it not only was cool, but they knew their stuff too, and I believe that I did good by them. Truly, a new world of tasty food has been opened to me... So, Master, take some before I lose control..." ! I really should take her up on her offer because she is clearly holding herself back from doing her usual ''flash-eating''!! And yep, I can see it and smell it from here. That rich aroma that can only be obtained by the dish being perfectly smoked and it also looks so tasty! Of course, Jules too is the holder of a rank A specialized cooking passive! I bet she will be quite excited when I teach her more smoked dishes from my world! AhhhIm so glad I can eat so much! Another thing to love and thank this draconic body of mine!! ____________________________ And so, we spent a couple of hours like this. Eating, laughing, and overall enjoying the company of everyone. Nerinne and I also got to see that Celesia can summon magical coloring books! Although, she cant control them very well, as the one she summoned ended up teleporting her dessert to some random place. That would have been cute by itself already, if a bit sad, but then as our adorable little daughter was about to cryILYA CAME TO THE RESCUE LIKE A GOOD BIG SIS!! Not only did she comfort Celesia by patting her head, but she also started giving her pointers about how to control her powers and gave her half of her own dessert! Nerinne, Erevain and I were so proud and moved by our daughters, that we of course gave them half of our desserts too, which they accepted with beaming eyes and smiles on their faces. Ahhso wholesome And like that, there were many good, funny, and wholesome scenes throughout this feast. Like Kris putting spicy sauce on Sophies food when she was not looking and Sophie doing the same but with Kris beer and using Allegras special spicy sauce. Or Allegra feeding an embarrassed Luca in the mouth and Lucy trying to do the same with Mika, but in a teasing manner and boy does an embarrassed Mika look cute!! Ah, and how can I forget the epic battle between Patricia, Evangeline, and Bertia for the last Australian meat pie, which Josie ended up winning as she used her magic to pull it towards herself in the last moment, surprising the other three. Really, it was so goodbut all of that had to be cut short. Not by something unexpected happening, but by the request of Licht and Mary. The reason? They couldn''t keep enjoying the feast without knowing their fates. So, we left the dining hall and went to another room to clear that up once and for all. ________________________ And that is where we are now at. By the way, this is just one empty room of many that the castle has. Although, we already have plans for some of them. In any case, the people right in front of me are Mary and Licht, with Erevain, Euphemia and Erica being but a few steps behind them. At my right we can find Nerinne. And at my left, Ludovica, who has just stepped forward, pulled out an official looking paper from a storage bracelet she has. She is currently using her work face, as in, she looks quite serious. "One last chance, Mary Ibaaru, Licht vi Kyrie, we can all return to the dining hall now and do this after we enjoy the festivities to the fullest." "Thank you, your Holiness, but simply sharing the table with my siblings for that much time was enough for me. I wish to hear the verdict." While Licht is clearly grateful for Ludovicas concernCwho expressed it while still keeping her serious tone and expressionCits clear that he has already steeled himself for what is coming, even as he bows respectfully and politely to her. "I have always thought that I was fortunate to have lived this life. When I wat at my darkest, I was saved and taken in by the Queen, when she didnt have to do that. And then I was blessed with having people like Euphy, Licht, Erevain and Erica in my life. So, thank you, your Holiness. Thank you for bringing us with you and letting me share a table with everyone like we did in the past. It made everything worth it. But I can''t stand not knowing what is going to happen. Thats why, I too wish to hear the verdict now rather than wait. Mary tries to do the same, speaking with gratefulness from start to finish while also keeping a strong look and a resolved smile, but as she glances at her loved ones, she cant stop those strong eyes from tearing up. "Very well. Still, seeing their resolve, Ludovica cant do anything but accept it and move forward with the reading of the verdict. So, she does just that. I, Ludovica Aldert, Head of the Nerinnus Church and Grand Commander of the Paladin Order, in the presence of the Goddess, shall read the verdict and following sentence to the accused." I would normally make a joke about the Goddess being literally here, but not this time as this is serious. "Licht vi Kyrie, Mary Ibaaru, on the charges of betrayal to the Kyrie Kingdom and the people of Arte as a whole, you both were found..." Even as there is a very palpable tension in the air, they both look pretty calm. Most likely because they are already prepared for the worst. Meanwhile, behind the accused, Erevain is holding the hands of Erica and Euphemia at the same time, or more like they are holding Erevains hands. None of them are blinking at all. And neither am I. After all, this is also a consequence of our actions, a just one, yes, but still a consequence. We cannot, must not shy away from it. "...not guilty. After much, much deliberation by all the parties involved in this process, your actions were not considered a betrayal to the Kyrie Kingdom and to the people of Arte as a whole, as your acts were not done in cooperation with the Dragon Lords or other threats of equivalent or worse danger. Despite that, Licht vi Kyrie, the crimes you committedCactively and by neglectCare not light. Sacrilege alone would warrant one of the harshest of sentences..." Licht is simply standing there, taking Ludovicas words as she lists every single one of his charges, and nodding, accepting them wholeheartedly. He really is unafraid. He is ready. As for Mary...she looks puzzled. I guess she cannot understand why Ludovica is focusing solely on Licht and not her too. "...and ending with trying to use the Church for your own ends, even if it could be considered for the good of the people. Of all these crimes. You are found guilty." Erevain...I am sorry...even if you show me those strong eyes now, I know that it is still painful for you. Euphemia, you can cry here, no one will judge you. Believe me. The sentence for these crimes is life in servitude of the Church or until you repay your debt with society at large and the Goddess. You shall be stripped of your title, your authority, and all your assets. Lastly, your magic along with your skills shall be sealed and restricted for as long as this sentence is in effect or as long as the Goddess deems it so. "Brother...!" "Licht...!" "How...why?" Everyone is surprised after hearing that, even Licht. None of them seem to have thought that he was going to live and to be honest, not even I. "The death sentence was avoided as your actions were done under extraordinary circumstances brought on by the traitor King and an infiltrated Dragon Lord. Both are facts that the Church and many Nobles of the Kyrie Kingdom failed to realize and respond to back then and in the present, to the point that it took the intervention of another party backed by the Goddess to bring this matter to an end. As such, the Church and the Nobles of the Kyrie Kingdom have agreed to assume part of the responsibility for the consequences such circumstances have brought on." That is...a surprisingly rational explanation... I mean, she is technically right...she pretty much had her hands tied between acting against the King or maintaining the delicate balance of trust the other countries have in the Church...so she couldnt act, but still, she did not act and that is a fact. And many of the nobles only realized what was going on just yesterday, let alone knowing how deep the problem truly was. That is not something that can be overlooked, nor it should be. After all, it shows that they were not prepared for this sort of situation. But for them to accept that in court...that inabilityis quite surprising... That wouldnt happen on Earth *thud* "That is...I was sure that...Goddess...even after everything I didyouyou still forgive me?" Licht just fell to his knees and is looking upwards, not to the ceiling but to the realm way beyond it, wondering, asking...that. He truly was ready to die and not dying was quite the shock to him. Still...do you Nerinne? Do you forgive him? "..." Acting mysterious now, huh. Ok, then I''ll just assume that this is a way to show your love...since that is what moves you. Forgiveness is, in the end, a form of love too. And he is still receiving punishment...to live in a world of magic without it, that truly is punishment. But he is still alive. He can still be better. He can move on. Right? "*nods*" Look at me acting all philosophical because you wanted to not say anything. Geez In any case, Erevain, Euphemia and even Erica have expressions of relief in their faces. Yes, even if it is like that. He will live. Thus, they will not have to go through that horrible pain. "Mary Ibaaru." Then, Ludovica pulls all of us back from such feeling with that, practically telling us that this is not over yet. "As per the evidence presented by both Princess Euphemia vi Kyrie and the former Prince, Licht vi Kyrie, you are found not guilty for the crimes of..." "Wha...?" """...!""" While Mary is baffled by the verdict and Euphemia and Erica are trying their best to hold back their tears of joy, ErevainCwho is keeping up with that strong front despite the clear relief in her eyesCseems to be expecting something. "...for we have concluded that you were following the orders of the former Prince, Licht vi Kyrie, and as such, he is the one that holds responsibility for those crimes. Still, it is true that you willingly chose to aid the former Prince five years ago. Thus, you are offered the following choice..." ""...?"" Euphemia and Erica seem confused about that last part but... "..." ...Erevain is not. This probably is what she was expecting. "You can either prove to everyone that your loyalties have always lied with the Kingdom by serving Princess Euphemia from this day forth, although in a limited capacity for a yet to be determined period of time or serve a reduced sentence in servitude of the Church, where you and your magic will be strictly surveilled." """...!!""" Mary, Erica and Euphemia are all surprised by this turn of events. Ah...Euphemia''s eyes are full of hope... And why wouldnt they? The choice is almost not a choice at all with how obvious the answer should beand yet that other option is still there, and I have a feeling about it. "Now, what do you choose for your sentence?" I bet this must be difficult for Ludovica too, as I don''t think that one can get used to doing things like this...the weight she is carrying in her heart must be huge, but she still carries on For all her''faults'' she is really strong too... "May I speak freely, your Holiness?" Huh, seems like Mary wants to say something before giving an answer. "You may." Now with Ludovicas permission, Mary proceeds to turn towards Licht and...smile? "Was this the last of your plans, you idiot? Do you really think that I will just let you get away with it? I made a choice that night. And I kept making that choice every single night. So, no. Like all your other plans, this one can fuck off too." "Mary, please...this is my apology for everything I made you do...do not waste it...please" Everything of Licht is clearly pleading to Mary to choose the obvious option, the one that would let her make up for the lost time, the one that would let her reunite with those she thinks as family even with whatever restrictions she may have to face, but she... "Watch me." ...is not having it. At all. "...! No...please...!" "Mary...no...!" "..." Of course, Euphemia and Erica are begging her to not do what she is clearly going to do. All while Erevain ismaintaining that strong front of hers, saying nothing, and just watching. "Have you reached a decision, Mary Ibaaru?" "Yes, I have, your Holiness. Let us hear it then. I choose to serve the Church." "So be it. The" "Noo! I cannot accept this! Mary! Why do you...? Why do you choose to leave me behind again?! Why?!" Oh...Euphemia... "Please, Mary, sister, do not do this... Wewe can be together again. Please...I want to get back those years...I want to get back those years I spent resenting you...! We can finally talk again...I...!" Erica... They both have gone towards her and shehas turned to face them, to receive them, and their feelings, all before smiling and wiping the tears off their faces with a loving look in her eyes. "Shut up! Both of you! ""...?!"" Woah! Now thats a sudden shout! One that worked too, as they really did shut up! Now come here!" !! But that is not all, as Mary has used their shock to pull them to her and is now hugging them tightly. Lastly, Erevain issmiling? "Listen well you two! This is my last lesson as your Big Sister! When one does something bad, even if the law says you did not or a certain idiot uses their dastardly tongue to pin all the blame on himself, you take responsibility for it. Why? Because that is the right thing to do. And that is what Im going to do now. That is what I want to do now. Besides, it is not like we are not going to see each other again, right? You can be sure that when my sentence ends, I will be already by your side. Got it?" Her voice is truly full of love for the two that she considers her siblings. "Y-yes..." "I-Iunderstand..." And having no choice but to accept Marys wishes, Euphemia and Erica try their best to smile back at her as they say that between sobs Good. Now With that, Mary turns to Erevain while showing her a fond smile, one from the bottom of her heart. Thank you, Erevain. Thank you for respecting my decision, even when you knew what I was going to choose. Thank you for holding on to the hope that you were so clearly holding on to, you stupidly loyal idiot. Also, try and be for them at least half of the Big Sister I am, wont you? I love you. I love you too, my dear, dear unruly first friend. And I swear that I shall not only try, but I shall do more than that, I shall do my very best for them. So she says that as she puts her right fist where her heart is supposed to be and dedicates a bow to her, one of respect, one for an equal, one for a true friend. These twoeven in the feast they did not act that close, but maybe...maybe their friendship is just deep enough that there is no need for that. ____________________________ "With that, this reading of the verdict and sentence is adjourned. Do you approve of it, Goddess?" Wait...you are revealing her now?! "Yes, if that is what all of you have chosen and agreed to, then I do not have any objections." And you are playing along?! """G-Goddess??!""" Of course, Licht, Mary and Euphemia are shocked by this very sudden divine revelation, so much so that they have turned to Erica and Erevain, clearly asking with their looks of utter disbelief if what they heard was true. In response, they both nodded while showing them a sympathetic smile and a look that said, weve been through this too. I guess that reaction brought some memories, heh. "Yes, I am the Goddess of Arte. And of course, if they still dont believe it, you can leave it to the goddess herself to dispel such doubts. How, you ask? Well, by doing what seems to be turning into a routine if you ask me. Yes, that is why you all felt strange in my presence. ?! As inusing her divine grace mode and easily reading their minds and hearts. Just like she is doing now, to the now even greater surprise of Euphemia, Mary, and Licht. No, I am not here to punish them further. ! Thats probably Euphemias thoughts. Yes, I am reading your minds for the sake of efficiency. ! This one is Lichts. No, I never wished for this to happen. !! And thats Marys. Sheeshshe is pretty much doing it to me all day long, but is still a bit intimidating seeing her read so many people at once. Truly, this situation was brought about by the free wills of your brother and Mary. And they know this very well. Still, while I cannot tell you when, heed this, Euphemia, and you too, Erica, you will see each other again. You can be sure of that. There, thats a side of Nerinne I really, really love. She never wastes a chance to comfort someone. Even if she is unable tell them everything, she has told them more than enough to truly hope. AhI love her so much. And to answer your last questionsLicht. I do, but do you forgive yourself, Licht? Now that both of your goals have been accomplished and the weight of those actions hangs on top of you...can you do it? Perhaps that shall be one of your trials from here on. As for you Mary, they will be alright, you have my word." Yet, despite everything Nerinne has said, none of them have said a thing. """...""" Instead, they are justlooking at her. Still, if you see past their shock, past their minds still processing the truth of the lovable being in front of them, you can see once again that those last answers were the ones they truly needed. "Now, as you know, the Kyrie Kingdom has been left without a Regent or a substitute, and that is not something that can stay like that." Darliiiiing, what are you implying? You better not make me King... Pleasedont make me King OR Queen. "Good thing is, there is someone worthy of being a Regent amongst those who are here with us." Darling. No. "No, it is not Lady Argento." Phew "It is not Erevain either, Euphemia. She has actually resigned to her Regency to share her life with Lady Argento, correct?" Smiling, Nerinne turns her gaze to Erevain, and everyone else immediately follows. Even me. "Yes, that is correct, Miss Nerinne. That is the path I have chosen." And true to her indomitable self, Ere nods and declares that with so much confidence that Im having a hard time trying to not blush and smile. Even more so because of the small blush and smile Ere is confidently showingI love her so much Meanwhile, Euphemia seems confused since she knows for sure that Ludovica, Licht, Mary, and I can''t be the one, which would seemingly leave Erica and her as the candidates. Seemingly. "Erica is also not the candidate. It is you, Euphemia." Ah...so this is what you were talking about with Erevain this morning...aaaand you just nodded. "What?! That should not be possible! I have been outside of the Kingdom all this time and I have not done anything to deserve that! I am sure that there are many people out there who are far worthier than me, the one who has done the least, Goddess! Even if I helped Big Sister against the Colossus...I should not be the one andI do not have the desire to rule..." At first, I thought that she was confused, I mean, anyone would be if they were in her shoes, but while that might have been the case for a moment, she is clearly being honest about herself. Or at leasthow she perceives herself to be. "Euphemia, you are not worthy just because of your actions in the battle against the draconic forces of Violet Death. You are worthy for your actions on your way here. ! That! You know what I am talking about, do not play coy about it." But I was not the one who defeated that Commander...! I had to be saved...again! He...!" Saved? Commander? As in one of those powerful Lesser Dragon Lords? Did she fight one on the way here? Also, hmmm? She is holding onto something that looks like a pin...can''t make out the design since her hand covers most of it though... "Yes, it is certainly true that you did not slay it. But what you did holds much more weight than that, Euphemia. "I..." You inspired that person, that vagabond, to move past his trauma, to act, and put his life on the line for you. You, Euphemia, have the potential to be a great Regent and your brother, Licht, knows it. He probably was the first to notice it. That is why he sent you to Deamis and not any other country. He wanted to nurture that potential in the place where you could have the knowledge of millennia in your hands while being as free as possible. A place that would make you bloom." Unable to say anything, Euphemia has slightly turned is now looking for someone to tell her something, anything, all as her gaze moves from Mary, to Erevain and to Licht. And the one to speak up is "Euphemia, you are brave, you are strong, and you have so much to offer to the Kingdom we love. I know that you can do it. But it is your choice." a confident Erevain, who does so while approaching her little sister with a smile that is both reassuring and encouraging. "Big Sister...that is not fair...it should be you...it should beI only wanted to help you...not take your place...!" But the response Euphemia gives her is one given between sobs and hits on her chest, all while said little sister is looking downwards. "Oh, my dear Euphy, but you are not taking my place. Come onlift your face..." Euphemia does as Erevain says and looks up to her, revealing her teary eyes. "...you are taking your place, for you are worthy of it. Even worthier than me, even if that is just me speaking as your sibling." With a loving smile and a warm look in her eyes, she fixes some of Euphemias loose bangs of hair before moving on to carefully rubbing her cheeks, wiping the tears away, and pulling out something out of her storage space. "And do not worry, with this [Key] you can visit me here at any time. Be it day or night. I see, so that is why she asked me to make one for Euphemia Yet even after she has said that she still looks at me for one last confirmation and, of course, I nod. I mean, why wouldnt I? The purpose of it doesn''t change. If you want help, advice, a place to rest from everything or even if you just want to see me, never doubt about coming here. I will always be here for you. And so, Erevain grabs Euphemia''s hand, places the [Key] on her palm and closes it with care before "So be the person you want to be. That is the most important thing you must do now." ! kissing her on the forehead and saying that warmly. "Euphy, I told you this back then, but I will say it again. Become someone better than us and shine, shine brighter than everyone else." But Erevain is not the only sibling with warm words, as Licht has gotten up and has told Euphemia that while hugging her. "This Big Sister can vouch for you. Your heart has always been in the right place." Joining in on the hug and the warmth, Mary comes in with that. "I do not know what your future holds, but I know that your Mother would be proud of you, regardless of your choice. Like always." Lastly, but not less loved, Erica also joins the family hug. Everyone And just as Euphemias eyes start to tear up again, moved by the support of her family, she closes them strongly and shakes both her head andwhat was stopping her. "I have decided! I do not know if I will be able to be meet your expectations, Goddess! But I, Euphemia vi Kyrie, accept this charge! I accept the Regency!" Now she is showing some good conviction right there. And Nerinne is very pleased about that. "Good. Then from this day forth, just like your mother before, you are to be the Regent of the Kyrie Kingdom, its Queen. Please, help it heal and bring the change I know you are capable of." Yes, the people of the Kyrie Kingdom deserve that. For those lost. For those who remain. They deserve a new beginning. __________________________ With that, the fate of not only the royal family, but also the Kingdom itself was decided, turning the feast into a private celebration for Euphemia''s future coronation. And now free from the suspense of not knowing their fates, Licht and Mary seemed to be able to enjoy the feast more than before. Mary was even laughing openly and teasing Erica, just like the latter told me she used to do. Meanwhile, Erevain and Euphemia played together with Celesia, who was incredibly happy about having an auntie like her. As for Licht, he observed all of them with a kind smile on his face while eating some dessert. Of course, the rest of the maids and guests had a good time too. Well, some had a bit...too much of a good time... Kris, Evangeline, Bertia, Greese...and Nerinne...just to name a few... I guess that the only thing left to say is...CUE THE ENDING WITH FUNNY IMAGES OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FEAST!! _________________________________ Auros may think that there was nothing left to say, that with that the end of such chapter, of the arc involving the family of her Fallen Prince(ss), had been reached. But what she did not know was that just like for Euphemia, the end was but the prologue of another arc for those who found themselves back to where their fates were decided. Your holiness, what are we doing back here? Even more so in the middle of the night. I thought that all proceedings regarding our sentences were finished. Yeah, what is going on, you Holiness? Are we not done? ... So asked Licht and Mary, but Ludovica did not answer, nor she had any need to. She just smiled Fufufu~, yes, those proceedings are finished. For your mortal-given sentences that is... ...!!! ...while the GoddessCwho suddenly appeared before themC provided quite the clear answer with an expression that bordered on the sinister side, one that caused even the stalwart Licht''s blood to turn cold. "Oh, but there is nothing to fear from me. I already said that I forgave you and that is the truth. But just as soon as that almost sinister expression appeared, it vanished, and the Goddess usual demeanor returned. The sentence I bring you is more of anopportunity and a trial rather than a punishment. One where you who ruined so many lives may find redemption. !! The moment the Goddess said that, the eyes of both Mary and Licht went wide in both surprise andhope. Are you interested? Even then, she asked them that. Yes. Me too. And their response was more than obvious, it was immediate. Fufufu~, good. Then, let me explain. Given the particular skillset of the both of you, you are going to look into the activities of a certain organization that I cannot keep an eye on as much as I would like due tocertain circumstances. Ludovica shall give you more details about them after we are finished here, as she will be supervising you two directly. But never forget this, her eyes are my eyes. Both Licht and Mary instantly nodded at Nerinnes completely serious delcaration, clearly understanding what the Goddess implied, she was watching them, always. Still, as with every trial, and specially this one, there are many, many risks involved. It is safe to say that your lives will be endangered at times. Most of times. So, before I ask you again if you wish to take this trial, let me tell you this, there is no need for you to do more. Those who love you have already forgiven you. I have forgiven you too. Still, do you wish to take this chance? Yet, once again, said Goddess tone quickly changed, going from one filled with seriousness to one filled with a concern and love not so different than that of a mother as she posed that question to them. Yes, Goddess. I we do. Yet, once again, their answer was immediate and filled with resolve. Resolve that made the Goddess smile from the bottom of her heart Then step forward and give me your hands so that we may seal our pact. before extending her hands at them and theyCwho had been kneeling since the Goddess appearedCstood up and did as she said. Ngh!! Gnh!! The moment they did, a nigh-unbearable pain ran throughout their bodies, one that burned, one that pierced, one that crushed, and so much more, all at the same time. Of course, both Licht and Mary were surprised and asked what such pain was, even when they already had a feeling about the origin of itor at least they would have if the pain was not that overwhelming. This is the pain you have caused. This is the debt that lingers in your soul. This is what you must face if you wish to pass this trial. Nn!! Gh!! Still, not letting go of their hands, the Goddess revealed the origin of such pain just the same. You who are part of my beloved people, do you still believe that you can be redeemed? The question, just as the pain, proved to be heavy and excruciating, but even as their bodies and their very souls were filled with it, they did not scream, they did not bend the knee, for doing so meant that their conviction and their resolve to take responsibility were brittle, fake. They were not. They would not, as they made their choice and that included the horrible weight that they would put in their hearts. A weight that had turned into pain now. And so, wearing the same conviction they marched into the darkness with, they tightened their grip on the Goddess hands and took a step towards reaching the light. We do not know.unghif there is true redemption for us but.nngh but wed like to try. I see. Then, from today on, you are my Black Maid-Knights. eh? *FWOOSH* With that, the Goddess herself gave her own sentence to them and opened up the next chapter of their story, all as their bodies were swallowed by light and the silhouettes of their clothes began to change. Will they cross paths with their heroic counterparts? Will they be together again with their family? Such thing is very likelyafter all, the bonds that tie them are strong enough to be called fate, but as for when and how AmmGoddessshouldnt I be abutler? Alsomy chest feels strangeI do not know if heavier is the right wordand this skirtits too that is truly better left to the future. Oh shut it, Licht! We both know you have no problem crossdressing. Im still waiting for you to give me back my white dress by the way. You know, the one you always used to sneak out of the castle as the mysterious beauty in white. EH?! H-HOW DID YOU? Please, I was your maid, I know all the contents of your closet like the back of my hand, even the hidden ones. Thats part of my job. I-Istill! I am telling you that there is something weird with my body its likeits likeits like I have been turned into a girl like Elder Sister! Even my voice sounds higher! Really? You look and sound the same to me. Couldnt it just be the outfit being too tight in some parts? ! T-thesame?! Thats!! As such exchange between Licht and Mary went on, another started between the Goddess and her closest priestess, as the latter went to the formers side and poked her in the arm in a friendly fashion before "Nee~nee~, Goddess, are you sure we shouldn''t tell Auros about this? Or Erevain? Euphemia?" asking her that. "Fufufu~~, yes, I am sure. It will be much easier for Erevain if we do not tell her, as she would not have to lie to her little sister, who she loves a lot. And not telling Euphemia will keep her safe and give her plausible deniability if the worst happens. Since she is going to be a queen now, the less external things she has to worry about, the better. Besides, I know that just like me, you would hate to see Theresa''s daughter get involved in the darkest side of things, right?" "I...yes. If it is possible, I do not want her to see that side of keeping the world united...at least not yet. So said Ludovica in both a serious and concerned tone while looking at the bickering black maids. Still, what about Auros, Goddess? I thought you wanted to have her by your side at all times, including these times." "Mou...what kind of clingy girlfriend do you take me as, Ludovica? And I already told you to stop calling me Goddess, we already got too close for that. Heheh, no can do, you will always be my Goddess~. Haaaeven if you are right, this way she will not have to break the promise she made with Erevain about not keeping secrets, and...I think she will enjoy it much more if its like this. She will probably go OHHH! YES! YES!! THIS IS THE BEST! SECRET BLACK MAID-KNIGHTS!!. Or something like that. And I cant wait to see how she reacts, fufufu~~. " "Heeeeh~~, you really looked like a maiden in love just now, Goddess." "Well, I am a maiden in love! And so, amongst the giggles of a young Goddess and the Pontifex of her religion, a night of arrivals, festivities, and new beginnings went on. To be continued.... (Cue Licht trying to undress to prove their point and Mary stopping them) (UP NEXT: EPILOGUE 3: SUPER EXPOSITION DUMP!! NOT AT ALL THE GLORIOUS PROMISED FANSERVICE FILLED EPILOGUE!! NOPE!) (Thank you for reading! What happened to Euphemia on the way to the Kyrie Kingdom? Well, you will have to read the upcoming side-story for that!) (Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Yes, I know some expected the guillotine to do what it does best but...Nerinne has always preached of redeeming those that can be redeemed, for there is love in forgiveness and second chances. A sentiment that can be traced back to her goodbye speech in chapter 35 and throughout the story. Of course, that only applies to those that can be redeemed, the ones too far gone well...they do need to die. After that, their souls are treated like any other soul in the system...unless they turn into a bundle of cuteness because of a wish. Heh.) Mrpandopool We are back and this timelets hope it sticks! I mean, like I have already been posting, Im recovering well and slowly working to be able to write for 5 hours. Although right now I can only handle 2 hours and a half, and another half an hour if things are alright, and believe me, the community over at the discord server has really been making sure that I dont go overboard! At one point I was even punishedahahaha And, well, as you probably might have guessed by now, this means that my update schedule will no longer be weekly, even if I really didnt want to change it. New chapters will now release when they are ready. Im really sorry for this and not being able to give you a more precise/solid update schedule, but Im sadly not able to give you a proper estimation, nor I want to in case I relapse again, which can still happen even if it is unlikely. What I can and want to do is promise you that Ill try to have them ready as soon as I can and that Ill keep doing everything in my power to recover completely and return to my weekly schedule. Anyways, theres lots going on and well, at least for this chapter there will be no fanart, as there is a lot to catch up on but next chapter Ill throw in lots of it, so look forward to it, or join the discord and check out all of them at your own pace! AS IF! HERES SOME OF AMAZING ART THAT CAME IN DURING THIS HIATUS! FIRST, WE HAVE THE WINNER OF THE BANNER CONTEST!! CATFROMVAT AND THEIR INCREDIBLE FANARTS, WHICH INCLUDE HIS WINNING ENTRY FOR THE CONTEST AND THE FIRST EVER FANARTS OF SOME CHARACTERS LIKE LUDOVICA AND BELLARY! NEXT, WE HAVE FIA, WHO NOT ONLY GOT WAS SECOND PLACE IN THE BANNER CONTEST BUT HAS ALSO KEPT PUSHING OUT GORGEOUS FANART AFTER GORGEOUS FANART! CHECK THEM OUT! DAVIDDEHGOO COMES RIGHT AFTER AS THIRD PLACE IN THE BANNER CONTEST WITH THIS WARM AND WELCOMING ENTRY! PLUS, OF COURSE, HIS #1 MAID, LUCA! OF COURSE, THIS WOULDNT BE A FANART SHOWCASE WITHOUT THE ONE AND ONLY LORD FEMBOY AND HIS INCREDIBLY GOOD ART OF JOSIE, SAM, AND ROXXY! WHICH IS THE VERY FIRST FANART FOR THEM! LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE NEWCOMER, OPHILIA AND THEIR AMAZING FANARTS OF EVANGELINE, AUROS AND THE VERY FIRST FANART OF NONE OTHER THAN KRIS!! Now, if you want to look at more art, like Erevains official character sheet, do join us in the discord sever! Not only are the live readings back, but we have also made a Guild Wars 2 guild and we are planning to play some more stuff like visual novels and Halo Infinite! So if you want to join in and play with us, you are more than welcome to do so! Once again, thank you so much for reading, for sticking with the story for so much time, and for sticking with me, you are the best, you are a blessing and I as we near the third anniversary of the story (5 more days), I hope to never inconvenience you like this again. Love you all. Truly. Epilogue 3: The immediate future…and the promised fanservice! Mrpandopool AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU TO ALL THESE WONDERFUL PATRONS FOR PRETTY MUCH MAKING ME ABLE TO WRITE AGAIN: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: REALLY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! IF IT WASN''T FOR YOU, THIS THIRD ANNIVERSARY WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH, MUCH DIFFERENT!! AND IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO JOIN THEIR RANKS, KNOW THAT I''LL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR HELPING OUT THE STORY, MYSELF, AND MY FAMILY! NOW ONTO THE CHAPTER! It has been a few days after the...interesting feast we had here in the castle. Don''t worry, the food was a great success! A super success! Everyone liked it! "My, one would think that they would be all muscle, but look at you, Kris, they sure are big and supple." "S-stop staring at them, Gabrielle! Y-you have your own! Geez!!" "Oh dear, aren''t we flustered now? Ohohohoho!" "Aaaagh! Stop it! You know I dont like that laugh of yours! Of course, some dishes were more favored than others by different people, but that is how life is! Even more so, that is one thing Im very happy to not check off my isekai list. You know, the one about all the food of the MC''s world being liked by everyone with the same intensity? Yeah, that one. "Dog, you are cute. Can I touch you??" "K-keh?! What are you saying youyou Cat?! Of course not! " "I will let you fluff my tail." "No!" Like, for example, Kris loved the ceviche, but Evangeline preferred the lasagna over it. Meanwhile, Kara loved the spicy chicken with veggies we made more than the pulled pork...grrr...heresy "...?! Awawa...what is t-this chill?" ...ahemI mean, everyone can like what they want. Really! Im just glad that everyone loved the food in general! Although, when the time for desserts came things got quite wild... "Ufufudoesn''t it feel good, Luca?" "Mhm. Head massage...hair wash...relaxing..." "Hehe, you look so cute with your hair pulled back. And I am sure you would look even cuter if you opened your eyes "Soap...eyes...no good, Allegra." I suppose you are right. There were lots of different cakes, sweet breads, ice creams, gelatos, chocolates, puddings, sweet rice porridges, cookies, churros, and many more. Yet, they were all gone in just instants. Even Mary and Sylvie used speeds I never thought they were capable of to just get ahold of some of them. Though, there was someone who was left out from this part of the feast, and that was Maevis. As part of her punishment by Gail for the cookie dough incident, she was not permitted to have dessert. She cried while watching us eat. It was...pitiful to say the least. Stilland I hate to say this because I do feel for hershe brought it upon herself. Even Lucy resisted the temptation to do something like that because she knew that Mika would do something similar to her. She liked the crme brulee by the way. Moving on, Ludovica, Celesia, and Sam fought for the same Sacher torte cake. Yeah, you heard that right, not for a piece of it. They ''fought'' for the whole cake. My adorable Celesia won, but she still shared the cake with everyone in the end. She is such a good girl. Cute too. "Bertia, can you pass me the soa?! Oi! Youryour!!" "What? Oh, my towel fell! Hehe, like what you see, Evangeline?" "Tch...you! Just...pass me the soap...!" "Hahaha, you don''t have to make that scary face, it''s just a joke!" Of course, I didnt miss out on eating various desserts, but as Nerinne, Erevain, and Gabrielle were quite set on feeding me themselves, it ended up being quite embarrassing... Also, Nerinne seriously loved both the rum and almond fruit cake and the cassava cake. She was having so many repeats that I had to stop her before she devoured the whole thing. Haashe even threw a fit telepathically, saying that I could just summon more, which is true, but still And don''t get me started on her bringing out her divine wine much later into the feast and giving a sip to some of the maids and guests. Amongst those fortunate or unfortunate enough were Bertia, Evangeline, Max, Greese, and, of course, Kris. Greese and Bertia were completely out after that one sip, while Max managed to resist until she got a whiff of the second one and fell. As for Evangeline, she actually was able to down another two whole sips before commenting on how fucking good it was and then falling. Lastly, Kris did what we all thought was impossible and drank the whole cup at once, she then started laughing before fainting with a big smile on her face. Now, I said it was unfortunate because you can imagine how bad the hangover was for them the next day. Lets just say the words divine punishment were uttered more than once and with no rebuke. Seriously... Anyways, going back to the sweetness, Ilya loved the cookies me and the maids baked, specially the orange cookies, as in the fruit not the color. She looked so cute eating them while wearing her bunny hoodie!! Meanwhile, Erevain loved the cheesecake with chocolate crust and strawberries on top. Like, she really LOVED it. The face she made when she ate it was just so beautiful! It screamed delicious! "Huh, now that I look at ye better, ye look quite fit but modest, Erica." "Hm? Well, this is how I imagined I would look if I had been born a woman, Roxxy. Is your case not the same?" "Haha, ye ask that knowing how I looked before. Nay, its actually a mixed bag. Ye see, I grabbed what I wouldve looked like if the coin had fallen on the other side, mixed it with a pair of nice hands that can caress someone softly but also handle a hammer just as well, and put it all into a solid medium frame body with radiant, welcoming features. This is the end-product. If ye ask me, I think I did a good job with the little time we had. "For a moment there it seemed that you were talking about a weapon." "Oho, but don''t ye agree that these bodies are weapons in many ways?" "Certainly, there is some truth in that." In Gabrielles case, she took a liking to the apple strudel with hot cocoa on the side, so much so that she ate at least six big pieces of it. For Gail, Licht, and Roxxy, the puddings were their most liked ones, to the point that they were pretty much single handedly responsible for the ones on the dessert table disappearing so quickly. With Countess Pyr, Mika, and Josie the several flavors of ice cream were their top choice, while Max and Patricia loved the gelato. What about Erica, you ask? Well, not only did she love the tiramisu, but she seems to be on the bittersweet side of things when it comes to desserts in general. On the other hand, Louise loved the churros, even more when I told her that it was alright for her to add chocolate to them. "Are you not enchanted by my beauty, the cool beauty of my type, Sam?" "...I would be if it wasn''t you inside, Jules. Now, can you not bring food here? We are in Master''s outdoor bath. Its not something elegant to do." "Oh, but its only a light snack. Perfect for these occasions. Also, you look almost as good as me with your hair down." "Gee, thanks for the compliment then...but in my opinion, I look more refined than you who only stopped at ''cool'' and didn''t dare to venture beyond." Locke-chan, Lyra and Luca loved the sweet rice porridge. Seriously, a touch of cinnamon was all it needed to make them go ham on it. But they were not the only ones, as Kris and Kara were doing the same with the gulab jamun, eating them one after the other until there was only one, and Kris ended up challenging Kara to a drinking contest for it. Of course, I made more appear right then and there and saved Kara from that losing battle. Lastly, Sophie, oh dear Sophie...remember when I said that I saw Mary and Sylvie using a speed I didnt know they were capable of? Well, Sophie was part of that battle. The prize being the trays that held cupcakes and brownies. It was truly a battle of speed and wits. "Uwaah...so nice, this water is so nice, right, Gail?" "Mhmmm, on point, Maevis." "Also, look, look! They float! It''s just a bit, but they float! Do yours...ah...sorry." "M-m, don''t worry. I like them as they are." "You also liked thighs more, right?! "Mhm, yep!" Oh, what is that? That I should already acknowledge where I am? Is that what you are saying? "My Lord, this outdoor bath is quite relaxing...how do you refer to it?" "Onsen, Erevain, its a type of bath from Auros''...homeland. One thing though, I thought you would be more embarrassed about being in the nude." Homeland...heh, yeah, as in world. "Not at all, Miss Nerinne. There are similar shared baths in the capital, so I grew accustomed to this early on. Besides...My Lord has already seen everything, as I am sure Miss Nerinne knows." "Fufufu~~, indeed." Back on topic though. You are telling me that I should acknowledge that Im in the onsen with all the Maid-Knights? That Nerinne is sitting on my right while Erevain is on my left? Or that Gabrielle is slowly but surely walking towards me in a really hot way while clearly having something daring in her mind? WELL THEN, I SHALL DO SO!! BECAUSE ITS TRUE!! ITS ALL TRUE!! AS PROMISED!! A FULL-ON FAN SERVICE SCENE WITH ALL THE MAID-KNIGHTS!! FREE OF ANNOYING LIGHTS OR VAPOR CENSORSHIP!! AND NO MINORS IN SIGHT!! WHY?! BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL PLAYING IN ANOTHER PLACE!! As in, Sylvie is currently playing with Ilya and Celesia in the forest area. She volunteered to do so since she was the only one who had already taken a bath. Thank you, Sylvie! Also, Lorelei didnt want to join us, so she went to the other baths. Oh well ANYWAYS, YOU SHOULD THANK SYLVIE TOO! THANK HER A LOT! WITHOUT HER, THIS SCENE WOULD HAVE BEEN FAMILY FRIENDLY!! BUT YEAH!! HERE IT IS!! SO MUCH HOTNESS! SO MUCH CUTENESS! SO MUCHBEAUTY!! A BREAST MOUNTAIN RANGE!! A THIGH PARADE!! A FEET GALLERY!! AN ARMPIT PARADISE!! A NAPE FESTIVAL! AN ABS BUFFET! A BACK EXPO! AND A BUTT HEAVEN!! NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND!! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?! "Come on, Mika! You don''t have to be embarrassed! Didn''t we have shared baths back in the Order''s base?" OH! LUCY IS TRYING TO BRING MIKA IN!! BUT SHE IS NOT BUDGING!! FURTHERMORE, SHE IS TRYING SO HARD TO LOOK AWAY! "T-that is not the s-same as this! Being fu-fu-fully nude, with other women...its s-so....so embarrassing! A-also! Cover yourself! That is no way towah!" She slipped! "Fueeh!" Mika slipped and...! *pomf* "Hyan!" She fell on Lucy!! Her towel also fell along the way! "AhahahaI know Im cute Mika, but to jump at me like this...my heart is not ready for it yet, you know?" OOOOOOH WHAT IS THAT OBVIOUSLY FAKE YET SUPER CUTE MAIDENLY PURE FACE THAT LUCY IS MAKING WHILE SAYING THAT?! SHE IS EVEN LOOKING AWAY TO BOOST THE EFFECT!! "Eh? AAH! I-IM SO-SORRY!! MIKA IS BLUSHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!! OH, OH!! SHE IS SO FOCUSED IN TRYING TO APOLOGIZE THAT SHE HASNT NOTICED THAT SHE IS RISING HER HEAD! SO SORR!!" AND THERE IT IS! SHE FINALLY SAW ALL OF US!! AHAHAHAHAH!!! SHE IS SO RED!! Hm? Ara? Is she focusing on little ol me? Oh, nice, very nice, you have a good eye, Mika. Waitthats not itah, I see, I seeehehehe Since I still have the towel on, she is focusing on me while trying to slowly walk away... Ahit would be a shame if a certain Goddess would pull on it with the hand that she has underwater and the krakens are released, ruining that plan. "Fufufu~~~." *towel off* *bOOboing* Oops. "....!!!!!!!!!!!!!" HAHAHAHA, SUMANAI, MIKA!! I COULDNT HELP IT!! AHAHAHAHA, SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE IS ABOUT TO BURST!! HAHAHAHAHA!! I BET THE SCENE IS REPEATING ITSELF OVER AND OVER IN HER MIND!! AAAH, I WANT TO ACTUALLY LAUGH WITH MY MOUTH, THOUGH!!! "...so big...gah" Mika.exe has stopped working. She is now in autopilot and is being led by Lucy to get her hair cleaned. "Oh my, that was quite the well-timed accident, my dear Master. But I suppose Mika does need to grow accustomed to seeing all of us like this. "Hmph, I do not know what you are talking about. Why, of course you do not, my dear Master. Ahthis position is quite comfortable by the way. Obviously! You are now sitting on my legs with your head resting on my chest! Thats arguably the best place possible! If you can''t be on either side, be on the center! So smart of you, Gabrielle! Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy the view from here and the feeling of your body over mine. Ahhso goodso firm yet softstill I gotta say something so "Heh, it certainly should be. Nodding at my words, Gabrielle glances at Erevain and makes a smug smile, but not any kind of smug smile, no, one of victory. And Erevain counterattacks with an unshaken smile andOOF!! I MEAN, A VERY DARING ADVANCE TOWARDS ME AND MY LEFT ARM! SHE IS HUGGING IT AND I CAN FEEL EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING!! THIS PRINCESS!! SHE IS GETTING BETTER AT THIS!! *DIVINE HUG* YOU TOO, NERINNE?! Fufufu~~. THIS GODDESS!! DID YOU JUST PUT MY HAND ON YOUR INNER THIGH?! GNNNNN SO SOFT!! My Lord HNNNNN!!! AND NOW EREVAIN IS WHISPERING IN MY EAR?! My dear master NNNNNNNGH! AND GABRIELLE IS LOOKING UP AT ME WITH THOSE GORGEOUS EYES OF HERS FULLY OPEN AND FILLED WITH LOVE WHILE MAKING SURE I FEEL HER SHAPELY BOTTOM IN A VERY DISCREET MANNER?! This is ...PARADISE!! A GLORIOUS PARADISE!!! ISEKAI SAIKOUUUUU!!! __________________________________ Aaah...so refreshed... I feel so refreshed now... So much softnessand so varied And the asmr If we had been alone in the onsen, I would haveno, lets stop here, I dont want to get turned on right now Ahem After having a really good time in the onsen, we are all now in one of the meeting rooms inside the bath''s facilities. Yes, it has a meeting room. S, we are all sitting on the floor. Ja, it has sliding doors and tatamis. Hai, Im a weeb that walks the thin line between it and being a massive weeb...nah, I go back and forth repeatedly like a madwoman. You know it fully well by now. Heh. By the way, we are all using the proper yukatas, which means one thing and one thing onlycleavage fest. Yeeeeeees, hehe. Also, more posters and merch designs! Youre welcome. Now, back to the room, in the center there is a big table and on it, theres a map. Thats going to come in handy in a bit, so dont forget about it. "First, I want to congratulate all of you, once again, for a work well done in the Capital." I say with a serious, yet proud edge alter tone. "My Lord, I think that I speak for everyone here when I say that none of what happened here would have been possible without you taking us out from the dark pit we were in and Miss Nerinnes support. And for that, we sincerely thank you. So says Erevain before standing up and bowing deeply, with the rest doing the same immediately after and """"""""Thank you.""""""""" saying that in unison. Everyone...I cant help but smile for a moment, butwe still have things to do, so I immediately make that smile disappear and move on. "Hmph, then let us look towards our next step as an Order. In a week from now we are to attend the coronation ceremony of Erevain''s sister, Euphemia, as per the invitation of not only her, but also the people of the Kyrie Kingdom." As I say that, I put a beautifully adorned already-opened invitation on the table, one that states what I just said and is literally signed by ''The People of the Kyrie Kingdom''. The story behind it is kind of funny, as the people kept telling Ludovica on her morning service to contact us and invite us to the ceremony, it got to a point that she stopped what she was doing right there and then, and wrote the letter with everyone who was in the morning service at the time, turning the thing almost into an arts and crafts project, which is why it is beautifully adorned with lots of different drawings and stuff from those same people. And now that I think about it, it really suits Ludovica to do something like that, given her gyaru side Then, she came here and delivered the invitation while saying ''I already promised everyone! So you totes need to come!''. Also, Nerinne gave her a [Key] back at the feast... I guess its revenge...but also for security reasons? I guess? "Indeed, My Lord. And I personally thank you for accepting to attend. There is no need, Erevain. Invitation or not, I was going to make sure that at least you were able to attend. It is your younger sisters big day after all. ! Thank you, My Lord She blushes and smiles lightly as she says that with a softer tone, a heartfelt tone, but just as I did a few moments ago, she too makes such smile disappear before continuing with the following: On the subject of invitations, we have also received them from all the allied countries. They are all formally requesting our presence. It is highly likely that they plan to ask for our assistance with problems that cannot be mentioned in these sorts of communications and prefer them to be discussed face to face. Right...those...they were completely filled with nice and polite language, and I sure want to explore the world and see its wonders, butmy isekai senses couldnt stop tingling when I read themspecially the one that came from the Rosar Empire, which pretty much means that we should visit them next The thing is I don''t want to! I have a strong feeling that they will really be like the typical isekai clich empire! Well, except the slavery since Nerinne banned it... Although serving the Church sounds similar... No, it is not Dear. Really? Yes! Mouserving the Church as a criminal sentence means that they have committed acts that can only be forgiven by penitence and redemption. In simpler terms, they did a bad thing, so they now must do a good thing of equivalent scale, value, and must really mean it. They are not tortured, mistreated, or hurt on any way, shape, or form, as it would be hypocritical of those that follow my teachings to act like that, and I have been very clear about that. Those who serve in this way are given appropriate quarters, food, and even payment for their work outside their area of expertise. Like helping with the maintenance of shelters, public housing, hospitals, and so on. If it is their area of expertise, then it is considered part of their redemption. Of course, some of the people decide to not receive any payment as part of punishing themselves. Like Licht. In that case, money is deposited in a savings account, and it is given to them at the end of their sentence, which helps them get back on their feet. The penitence comes in the shape of having their magic monitored or sealed, with the worst offenders even having their skills sealed. They also cant leave of their own free will until the end of their sentence, or they redeem themselves. Most people redeem themselves after some time and change for the better. Those that do not, keep trying until they do. Wow...that...was a lot of telepathical expositionit felt like a wall of text was just downloaded into my brain, but I guess it is my fault for saying such an ignorant comment... Indeed, it was, dear. Ouch...you are right, but ouch... "And we have the Dragon Lords to be concerned about too. One of their Chosen has been slain, they will not stay quiet about it." So says Erica, joining the conversation completely unaware of what just happened to my poor, innocent mind. In any case "They shall not be a problem, Erica." I say that with confidence while slightly raising my hand to take back the mic, so to speak. Of course, everyone reacts to my words with either puzzled or outright confused expressions, and that is all to be expected. After all, they have seen what the dragon lords are capable of doing for less, so this should cause a very strong response from them and yetmy instinct is telling me that I am right. Why? Well, keep listening. "Erevain." Yes. She nods after I turn to her, showing me that she already knows whats on my mind without actually reading it, then she faces everyone, ready to explain what I meant. "We have slain one of their Chosen and through that, we have delivered to them their first true defeat in this war. A fool would simply respond by throwing a stronger force at their enemy in hopes of defeating it. But let us remind ourselves of the following facts, there is no stronger force for them to throw at us for now and they are not fools. We know this. Violet Death, their oldest, their strongest, underestimated us and was defeated. They know that they cannot afford to repeat the same mistake. So, they will try to gather enough information about us and then..." "...crush us." I interject, slowly turning my hand into a fist to illustrate the pointand look cooler. Also, I feel kind of happy that we are finishing each other''s sentences. Anyways...got to talk now. "For that, they need ways to make us take action and I can assure you that they shall use the next country we visit for it. That is why we shall make them wait, we shall make use of that cautiousness and take care of something else in the meantime. Something of equal importance." With that, I pull everyones attention to the map on the table. It is a zoomed-in map of a certain area outside of both the Kingdoms and the Empires territories. One where various mountains make something akin to a square and inside it there is an uncharted area with Lost Forest written over it, sounds familiar? "All of you should already know the importance of this area, as it is the place that Nerinne here designated as the location of our nation. As such, exploring that area will be our next goal. But that is not all, we shall also make a base there. And if there are people living there, then we shall take them in or establish a cooperative relationship with them. As for the main reason for all this, Nerinne shall be the one to tell us." So I say, passing the metaphorical mic to Nerinne, who lifts her head from my right shoulder where she was so casually resting on and smiles at everyone before "In that uncharted area you will find the sealing chamber of an Emissary of the Evil God." !!! dropping that bomb like it''s nothing and making everyones eyes go wide in shock. Oh and she is not done. Worse of all, its seal is weakening due to the constant resistance of the particular Emissary sealed inside it, one whose wrath has kept it awake all this time. And it is thanks to that weakening that its influence has started to leak out and corrupt the dungeon that one of the previous Knights of the Ever Burning Will created to protect the chamber. I had my reasons to not mention this before, but one of them is that the risk is low for now, as there are still a few years before the corruption reaches the outside and the Emissarys seal is broken. If that last part sounded as if she was answering someones question to you, then you are right, because some of them probably asked that in their minds, judging by the surprised expressions they made just as she said that. Also, for those wondering, this Knight did tell her where the sealing chamber was, so she is able to oversee it by focusing on it unlike the one under the Kingdom, which was kept secret from her. "Having said that, with the matters related to the Kingdom almost settled, I ask you to chart the area that was lost in time for you, purify the dungeon and take the sealing chamber away from this world." So she says as she goes full divine grace mode for a moment and yesthat last part was meant for me. I mean, it is quite the effective measure if you think about it. Even if that thing were to break out from its seal, they would still be inside a cage that is inside another cage. The cages being the [Locked Space] and the [Mirror Space]. Simply put, there is no escaping. ALSO, A DUNGEON! ISN''T THAT AN ISEKAI CHECK?!! YES, IT IS!! AND IM SO HYPED ABOUT IT!! "The Knight that sealed the Emissary of the Evil God and created the dungeon left someone there to guard it as its first line of defense. They are still alive, so pleasereach out to them, as they shall be of great help in this mission. With that, she turns to me, as if telling me say the other thing with her eyes and I oblige. "The base that we shall build there will enable us to respond to anyone trying to free the Emissary in a more immediate manner. Of course, that same Emissary would be long disposed of, but they do not need to know that." Heh, Kris just chuckled at that. Evangeline too. "It shall also serve as the first step for something much, much biggerthe nation we have told everyone that is there. And for that, we need a city. OH YES! WE ARE DOING THAT ISEKAI CLICH!! NATION BUILDING ARC INCOMING!! LETS GOOO!! """""...?!!!""""" Heh, they are quite surprised at that...waitthey are actually shockedso much so that some have turned into statuesoh dear. I think you just broke whatever little remained of their common sense, dear~. UuuI didnt mean to "Fufufu~~, Ludovica is already aware of this plan, and she shall provide assistance for it, but first..." Yes, Nerinne, do your thing, that will pull them out of their shock! "...I ask this of you, oh Knights who bear the same name as those who fought beside me, Knights of the Ever-Burning Will, do you accept this quest and the dangers it implies?" Oh yes, its working! Some are starting to glance at each other before smiling and "hehahahaAHAHAHA!! Ya got it, Miss Nerinne! And that goes everyone here! No need to ask!! Hahahaha!!" there it is!! Well said, Kris!! I CANT WAIT FOR THIS ARC! BUT FOR NOWROOOOOOLLL THE GACHA! I MEAN, THE CREDITS!! _____________________________ At the same time as such a meeting took place, deep in a cavern located in the white mountains where Violet Deaths castle could be found, a Dragon Lord could be seen pouring massive amounts of mana into a magical circle. Its horns had a strange dark luster to them and were similar to those of a buffalo. Meanwhile, the small scales that could be seen below his chin were of a very dark grey color, like graphite. He also seemed to be quite the powerful Dragon Lord and yethis expression was one of exhaustion, with bags hanging under his weary eyes, and sweat dripping down his face. Not only that, but as he continued pouring even more mana into the magical circle, his breathing turned heavier and heavier, to the point that he had to hold back a coughing fit before... "Argh! I have been doing this for days now!! Come out, dammit!" he screamed that, clearly frustrated by not having the results he wanted from whatever he was doing, but then he mouthed a very annoyed and relieved finally as the magical circle started to spin around. Nngh! Sob-bloody c-c-cold!! Sadly for him, his frustration and annoyance was far from over, as a freezing wind began to pour out from the spinning magical circle immediately after, and while being in such mountains meant to be exposed to an incredibly harsh cold, the cold he was experiencing was something much, much worse, for it was enough to instantly cover all his surroundings in a thick layer of ice and fog. Gah! My eyes, dammit! I really, really hate doing this!! But the cold was not the end of it, as a flash of light followed right after it, one so bright that it managed to completely blind him for a moment, much to his chagrin. "Kaff...kaffhngn" Still, as both his vision returned and the fog created by the sudden drop of temperature began to clear out, he was able to see something, no, someone, right where the magical circle had been. Someone who was now down on their knees, coughing heavily, clearly having problems to breathe. Although that was not going to stop the dark horned Dragon Lord from going off on them for all the trouble they put him through. Indeed, it would not. "About time! You know how hard its to take our kin out from their damaged spaces?! Too bloody much!! Now get up you waste of it!! I said get up!! Not only did you fail to obtain both the amount of Blood we need and the Emissary, but you also lost to a human! If I was in charge, I would kill you right here, but Master has need of you! So you now belong to him! To Master Xetant! The Leader of the Chosen! And consider yourself lucky, because he shall provide you with the power to avenge your fallen failure of a Master, that old hag Scagurgh?" And sohe did, he let out his frustrations on the still down someone and more, uttering things he truly should not have said. That isuntil he was stopped cold by the icicles that had suddenly pierced his chest, leaving him to look down at them in confusion. ''When...?! I?! How?!'' Having lost his cool completely, such were the only things that were coursing through his mind as his entire body began to freezefrom the inside. "Avenge...her? There is nothing...to avenge...hnn. She fought...a true battleand lost...haa. MyMastershedied ongnnher terms. Shewasfulfilled and thatbrings mejoy." As this someone filled the now quiet cave with their pained, melancholic voice, the eyes of the Dragon Lord trembled in terror, for he could feel it, the ice making its way towards his mouth, and worst of allthe maddening absence of any feeling on the rest of his body. "Ion the other hand...was not even able to die...so pathetic of menghh. Even after losing in my own...true battle...Idid notdie. TheyCnoshe stood up, regardless of how much her legs trembled or how hurt they were. Then againshe did not die in our first encounter either... Then, she willed herself to start walking, regardless of her doing so limply. AhyesMaster had a term for thishnghit was friable tie. Heh...it fits..." With each frail step she took, she got closer and closer to the now frozen Dragon Lord. I shallbecome strongerto fight her againto break itand for that And the moment she got to him, she placed her hand on his frozen head and crushed it without even glancing at it. "...I do not need...him or his disgustinghelp to do so..." The rest of the Dragon Lords body followed suit soon after that, cracking and crumbling into pieces as she walked past it. One of her horns was gone. The other was missing its upper half. Her right arm hanged from her shoulder, broken and healing very, very slowly. Her armor was in tatters, pieces of it falling with every step she took, leaving most of her torso completely exposed and putting in plain viewa large vertical scar that went from her left shoulder to the very end of her stomach. Her lance was broken, its tip having lost half of its beautiful and powerful blade. But she was still alive. And her eyes were now filled to the brim with a strong conviction, one that burned brightly for the sake of her goal, even in the blizzard that was her heart. "Until...we fight again...oh worthy opponent of mine...Erevain" Such were her last words before she disappeared into the eternal winter of the mountains. _____________________________ Meanwhile, in a grandiose government office in the Rosar Empire, a group of six people could be seen waiting for someone. The place had an architecture that would remind a certain self-proclaimed protagonist of the Roman Empire of her former world. Although, it was not completely identical, as the influence of magic and other resources only found in Arte bathed it with enough difference to stand on its own. For example, the lighting came from walls themselves, or rather from the beautiful carvings on them, which formed a design that if followed it led to a majestic rose-like pattern in the cupule of the place Of course, such carvings were not the only things on the walls, as both the flag of the Empire and the coat of arms of the Emperor also adorned them. Regarding the colors that dressed the place, reds, golds, and whites were the most predominant, as they were a clear tribute to the faith of the Goddess and the Goddess herself. The floors were so lustrous and unblemished that one could clearly see their reflection on them. And carved on the magnificent pillars that supported the ceiling, there were moving figures, perfectly painted with a texture that resembled that of oil paintings, those figures told the glorious history of the Rosar Empire. A history its citizens were not permitted to forget nor ignore, as the place they were in, the ground they walked in, all of it, was supported by the strong pillars of the past. Such was one of the ways of the Empire of Rosar, one of the oldest countries of Arte, which was only matched by the elven kingdom, Deamis. Truly, it was a place that oozed majestyand might from any angle. I really hope this job is going to pay nicely! Everyone back at home would be very happy! So said one of the six people who were still waiting for someone, a muscle-heavy person who at first looked like an intimidating adult, with a scar that went all the way from his forehead to his chin, but his voice and the gleam in his eyes put both his age and attitude in doubt. Regardless of that though, he was carrying a massive axe on his back that was still dwarfed by his own size. "Hshhhhof courssssse the pay isssss going to be good. Thesssse guyssss don''t call ussss unlesssss it issss something big, like you." Answering to his words, was another member of such group of people, a disturbingly scrawny woman, one that many would underestimate as weak, feeble, and sickly due to her almost emaciated complexion. Her hair, which was supposedly black, looked dead and dry, only adding to sickly image. But the way she was sitting on the couch made it that she had no openings, at least to those who knew what to look for, thoseexperienced in battle. Thatand the couple of custom bladed scepters that were strapped to each of her legs. "Hey! You know I don''t like it when people make fun of my size!" So exclaimed the scarred young one with a tone that showed that he was both annoyed and hurt by his comrades words. "There they go again, aren''t you going to stop them, babe?" Leaning on the wall close to the sofas of the waiting area, an elven roguish-looking woman with red braided hair, a bow and a quiver on her back, and daggers on her hips, said that as she watched her two comrades start fighting with each other, pointing at them with her chin to the human woman who was next to her. A woman that was clearly annoyed not only by how the elf referred to her, but also by her flirtatious demeanor in general. An annoyance that she made very clear with the cold tone she used as she "Psht, why? I don''t care about them. I only joined you because I thought my brother could be in the Empire and that it would be easier to find him this way while also making a living. And for the nth time, Im not your babe. Besides, theyre not going wild, theyre just butting heads as always. They know the Boss will scold them if they push it past that. she said that while only giving a passing glance to her fighting comrades, who were indeed butting heads, with the big one trying to push the scrawny one off the sofa, but the latter was not having it and was pushing back. It was truly quite the childish fight. One that did not even merit the attention of the guards posted all around the place. In any case, the human woman had brown eyes and light brown hair, which was tied in a ponytail that went over her left shoulder. As for her weapon, or weapons, of choice, they were on her hands, as they were a set of lean, yet armored gauntlets with four retractable claws placed at the back of her hand, their tips being able to be seen through the exit holes located there. Meanwhile, the guard that protected her forearm had something engraved on it, a drawing of two birds in the same nest, with the bigger one protecting the small one from a strong wind, and on the chest of each one there was a letter. The bigger bird had a C on it while the smaller one had a M. "Oh, come on, Carol, babe, don''t be like that." "Tch...there you go again." Even more annoyed at the elf, Carol decided to leave her side and go to one of the sofas, but of course, the elf followed right behind her, not helping with her annoyance. "GrrrIm getting reaaally impatient here. Boss knows I hate Imperial State buildings, so why is she taking so long?" And sitting on one of them, was an impatient and clearly irritated male Kobold that could not stop tapping the floor with his right foot, all as he said that while snarling at the sight of some passing guards. "Not even twenty minutes have passed since she entered the Sentinels office, Gran. Please, relax, it should not take that much longer anyway." So said someone leaning on the back of that same sofa while never taking their gaze off the massive marble doors that were at the bottom of the lobby they were in, their voice was as androgynous as their entire body, their skin was a lighter shade of green and their hair looked like leavesno, they were actual leaves, for that person was a dryad. A couple of minutes later, the massive marble doors opened and a woman who seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties came out, proving the dryad right. The woman had dark brown curled hair, cinnamon skin, and dark brown eyes. And while her well-built figure shined through her formal imperial clothes, they were gone in an instant, as she immediately equipped her clearly battle-tested heavy armor with magic, letting out a sigh of relief immediately after, clearly finding such formal clothes asphyxiating. And just as her armor, two big, curved swords had appeared on each side of her hips, hanging from a belt. As for her overall demeanor and expression, it could be described as intimidating yet strangely open, seeing as how she mouthed or waved hello to many of the guards and personnel she passed by with a friendly attitude. Walking beside her was an old but strong looking man dressed in clothes that denoted quite a high military ranking and he was not fazed at all by the complete lack of etiquette the woman had showed. Instead, he just kept talking calmly with her after chuckling once, thinking popular as always, heh. After all, not only was she more than worthy of being exempted from such formalities, but such was usual with her. Anyway, it did not take long for them to reach the waiting area and the group that was there, and when they did, the old man handed over two things to the heavily armored woman as he said the following: "Here is the first half of the payment as previously agreed and the second half will come when the mission is accomplished, as always. First was a heavy bag of coins, so heavy that it would serve well as a weapon Now, since I lost the coin flip with your Boss here, I shall be the one briefing you on the details of your mission." Heh. and second was a map, which the now smugly smiling woman passed to the dryad, who proceeded to hold it in a way that everyone in the group could see, all while the old man activated a magical tool that prevented any sound and clear image to leave a certain area around it, making them all look like a silent mirage. Then, after confirming that it was working, the old man started with his briefing. What you are seeing now is the area where our Wargs, Summoners and Priests have confirmed to be the place where an Emissary of the Evil God was sealed back in the Age of Legend. Something our long spanning records also agree. !!! Oi, oi, oi, that true?! The fuck?! Calm down, Gran. Let Sentinel Garcs here finish before you go off. But Boss! Gran. Grrrfine. Grans outburst was more than understandable, as opening with such kind of information was bound to shock everyone and it did. Still, Sentinel Garcs was not over yet, just like the groups Boss had said. As I was saying, it took some time, but the records are there. And as you all know, our motherland of Rosar is one of, if not the oldest and largest country in Arte. Because of that, we have the Goddess-given duty of guarding those sealed within our lands, a duty we proudly take on, regardless of who is on the Emperors seat. Still, after the events that transpired in the Kyrie Kingdom and some strange feelings of dread they have been recently having, our Emperor has decided to take a moreproactive approach. Everyone on the group already knew where such briefing was going, and it was showing on their faces, but the Sentinel still had to say it. Thus, your mission is simple, chart this uncharted land, this Lost Forest, find the sealing chamber, and check its status. If it is a worst-case scenario, you shall be a part of a larger operation to secure it at a later date. And he did, just as everyone expected. That is Butif you were to find her country before reaching the chamber, then you are to return immediately and report your findings. Emperor''s orders." until he said that with an extremely serious tone, emphasizing the already obvious importance of such orders. Wait a second. So we are not actually looking for that chamber, but for thatNightmares country, huh. Its just that it wouldnt look very nice on the report if the other thing was put as a secondary objective, right? Thats strange, because you didnt mention that in our little talk and waited just after I took the money to say it. Kukuand now that I think about it, its very convenient for you to have lost the coin flip, almost as if you lost on purpose. Oh, please, it is not as if I used a modified coin for our little game. Now that would be quite dishonest of me and inappropriate of someone in my position, right? You are being quite ballsy here, old man. Ha! Do remember that Im still a Sentinel, try and punch me, if you dare. With that, both the groups Boss and Sentinel Garcs glared at it each other while clenching their fists, the tension increasing as neither of them seemed to back down, and yetnone of the other members of the group seemed too preoccupied, ratherthey all seemed strangely relaxed. And the reason for that was "Ha! You got me good this time you old fox!" "Heh, what can I say? This was the only way to get you to do this. Besides, I wanted to get back at you for that time when you left me alone in front of the whole Senate. Hahaha, sorry about that one, you know I hate being stuck in those clothes for hours. Yes, I sure do. that such exchange between their Boss and the Sentinel was usual occurrence as those two were close friends. Anyways, formalities being formalities I still must ask you the following question. Do you accept this mission, Honorary Sentinel and Titanotite Rank Adventurer, Natalia Silver?" Then again, the old mans tone changed as he asked such question, gone was the shrewd and somewhat swagger-y friend and in its place was the man worthy of his rank, a man who followed the will of the Empire. Before such question, Natalia glanced at her group, her party, gauging their expressions and looking for any sign of them disagreeing with what she was going to say. There was none. Not even from the Kobold, who simply went do whatever you want when he felt Natalias gaze fall on him. And so, she grinned and looked back at the old man before raising two fingers at him. "Two things. You know damn well not to call me by that name when I am on the job. I am Argent. Second, adventurer is just a cute name for the kids to call us, we are mercenaries. And this Silver-Gold Mercenary Company never rejects a job after receiving the money, Sentinel Garcs. So yes, we accept." With that, Natalia gave the old man a firm handshake, a very firm handshake, which he reciprocated. "Ammthose were three things boss." Said the big guy, sheepishly interjecting. "What did I tell you about interrupting when adults are talking, Thomas?" "Eeek! Im sorry!" _______________________ Unaware of everything that was happening in the lands outside of the natural rampart that were the mountains isolating their home, a certain creature descended from the heavens, landing in a clearing in the middle of what could only be described as a sea of trees. The creatures scales had such a lustrous shine and vivid color that they not only stood out even amongst the many shades of green found in such place, but it could be said that they could easily be mistaken as gemstones, asjades. Meanwhile, their wingless, serpentine body was both graceful and strong. Truly, they were an exemplar variant member of their race. They werea dragon. And behind them was a massive gate of stone carved into the foot of the mountain itself, a gate with the symbol of the Knights of the Ever Burning Will. My Riderplease endure. Help is on the way. To be continued...in Volume 2: DDD Gift. (This is it! We have finally reached the last Epilogue of volume onhm? What? "Epilogue #???????}"? This isAH! RIGHT! THAT ONE! Sorry about that, but it seems we have one more left! And not only that, but the first half of this epilogues title is a hint for next one! As for what its aboutwelltheres a very evil elephant in the room yet to be addressed, right? Heh. Anyways, you can also look forward to Auros stat sheet finally releasing with that epilogue and after thatOMAKES, AND NOT ONE, BUT TWO SIDE STORIES! LETS GOO!!) Mrpandopool Aaaaaand....HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY AGAIN!! I mean...ahem...we are back again with another release! Before anyone asks, no, I did not overwork myself to release this new epilogue as fast as possible, its just that I finished working on the previous one while I was still not done with all the other stuff I was working on (Gabby Side Story and New Vol 2 chapters) and so, I decided to just move on to the next chapter until finished all of that other stuff since I wanted to release something for everyone when I returned from my forced hiatus. So yeah, this chapter is 100% overwork free. But do you know what this chapter is not 100% free of? Thats right, ART!! HERE WE HAVE EREVAINS CHARACTER SHEET! COMMISSIONED BY ME TO LARH!! LITTLE HOLY FACT HERE, THOSE WEAPONS? I MADE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN!! ALSO, GLARING EREVAIN IS HOT! AHAHAHA!! OF COURSE, THIS STORY IS ALSO NOT 100% FREE OF FANART AND THATS ALWAYS GOOD! SO JUST LIKE LAST TIME, HERES MORE OF THE AMAZING PIECES THAT CAME IN DURING THE HIATUS! FIRST, WE HAVE MORE OF CATFROMVATS INCREDIBLE FANART! THIS TIME, I BRING YOU THE FIRST PIECES HE SENT AND MAN, THAT ARMOR FOR AUROS LOOKS SICK!! ALSO, BELLARYS OTHER SIDE IS PERFECTLY PICTURED HERE! NEXT, WE HAVE MORE OF FIAS PASTEL-FILLED ART! WHICH TODAY IS FILLED WITH AUROS X NERINNE AND ONE OF THE SERVERS STICKERS FEAUTRING SYLVIE!! MEANWHILE, DAVIDDEHGOO GRACES US (AND THE DISCORD SERVER) WITH THIS ADORABLE KARA EMOTE! OF COURSE, WE CANNOT FORGET ABOUT LORD FEMBOY AND HIS GORGEOUS ART! MAY YOUR HEART TURN TO MUSH WITH THIS ADORABLE LITTLE LYRA, OR BE REMINDED OF SUMMER WITH THIS HOT AUROS IN THE BEACH! ALONG WITH EVEN MORE AUROS BEING HOT JUST BECAUSE! COMING RIGHT BEHIND HIM AND BRINGING MORE OF HIS AMAZING ART, WE HAVE OPHILIA! NOT ONLY SHOWING MORE OF EVANGELINE, BUT THIS HE ALSO BRINGS JULES AND BRYN WITH HIM! MARKING THE FIRST EVER FANART FOR THE LATTER!! AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE RETURN OF A VETERAN IN FANART OF WAIFU! HELIUMGASSONG IS HEEEEEEEEERE! AND SHE BRINGS US A WAKING UP AUROS IN A COW ONESIE!! And thats it for today, I hope that you enjoy each piece and like always, if you want to see more fanart, join us in the discord server (invite in the comments below!)! Just be sure to read and follow the rules! And if you have fanart you want to send but don''t want to join the discord, you can always upload it to imgur (or any similar site) and send me the link via inbox here! Now, Ill try to work as fast I can while taking care of myself to bring you the next epilogue as soon as possible! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please look forward for the next one, and thank you so much for reading! AS IF!! IT''S THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY, SO YOU GET A SAPPY LETTER!! BUT HERE''S A TL;DR : HERE''S FOR MORE YEARS OF WAIFU!! OF AUROS! OF MAID-KNIGHTS! AND THIS AWESOME COMMUNITY!! THANK YOU ALL!! Three years Three years of In another world as my waifu. Three years of laughs Three years of romantic scenes Three years of shenanigans Three years of Auros Three years of maids. Three years of this story being part of my life. Three years of you being part of my life. Truly, this year has been quite crazy for the story in some ways that I never expected. And I was just about to start speaking about all the bad things that happened in the year, but I think we all have had enough about that. After all it''s not as if I haven''t mentioned it before. So instead of that I will be focusing on the good, on the great, on the amazing, and on the lifesaving. The good is that is that the story is now not just the one but three sites, reaching even more people than I ever imagined, and making the community grow to a point that I''m always amazed at. Publishing on sites like a scribble hub, royal Road, and tapas, has been the best decision I have ever made for this story. I mean, we are just so close of reaching a total of 1,000,000 views thanks to it and that just leaves me completely speechless. Thank you so much for reading the story, no matter where you read it. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for your hearts, your likes, and your votes. Thank you really, thank you. Ah, but that is not just why it has been the best decision I have ever made in regards of the story, no, it''s also because through that I was able to meet great friends, great people, blessings, who valued my work so much and with such intensity that they pretty much forced me to open a patreon. Something that without their push, I would probably be still thinking if my story is worth it for such thing. And I''m really, really glad that they pushed me towards that, because it ensured that I would be able to help my family when we most needed it and also when I most needed it. To all my patrons I say this, and I do it from the bottom of my heart, not as an author, but as a person, thank you for feeding my family, for saving my hands, and for saving my life, as writing is what gives meaning to mine. Oh dear, there I go again, and here I didn''t want to mention that. Still, it is a very important part of what happened in this year and I can''t just act as if it didn''t happen. another thing that did happen was the incredible growth for discord server and in turn, it''s community. A community field with people that I can confidently call my friends, people who always make me laugh and add joy to my days. Be it with their messages of support. Be it with their teasing Be it with their jokes and memes Be it with their questions about the story, if there are any. Be it with their art. Be it just by joining in to the live reads and having fun. And so much more. There is also the arrival of new chapters all around, from volume 1 to volume 2 and even a new Side Story about the date between Auros and Gabrielle. That is, at least for me, an achievement in and of itself, as it served as proof, proof that I had recovered enough and proof that I could still write the story I love, so, so dearly. I beat the crap out of that writer''s block, and it felt good, so freaking good. Believe me, I still get giddy every time I read the new batch of chapters for volume 2, which I hope are being enjoyed by those reading said volume. And don''t get me started on that heart melting, sugar overdose of a Side Story. Because man, I didn''t know I could write something so wholesome. You will see. And lastly, can you believe that we are so close to a total of 1,000,000 views? Because we are. Heck we may have even reached it by the time I''m publishing this. And that''s, again, that''s something incredible, even more so for a novel that I uploaded for a dare. Heres to many, many more years of shenanigans, maids, fantasy, love, and this lovable weeb, whose story has taken us to another world. Love you all. Epilogue #??????Ⅸ??▆?: The Godess’ Vision. Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the entire Gabrielle Side Story right now (Chapters 1 to 5), including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, and more! Now, onto the chapter! The Ends of the World. Lands of primordial storms and ice that have never been fully explored due to such harsh environment. As their name implies, they are located at the ''end'' of the world in both the north and south, its poles. It is rumored that a certain Dragon Lord was born in one of these lands and was found there by one of the very few beings powerful enough to explore it. But that is not the rumor nor legend that matters now. No... There is one far more important than that, for those merciless lands are the place where the Tower stands. Be it in the north. Be it in the south. The Tower has always been there. Both reaching at the heavens and piercing right through the deepest of depths. Its existence is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures of the Nerinnus Church and in some of the worlds legends from the Legendary Age. It is a place like none other in Arte. Whereas most of the world and its very countries follow the way of love and warmth, even if it is in their own ways, there is none of that there. Not in its dead design, nor in what lies inside. And that isa dungeon. Yes, a dungeon of insurmountable size and form, which defies the mind far beyond the breaking point. A dungeon of infinite traps that more than that, are the divine machinations of the Goddess, capable of taking multiple forms just to stop whoever dared to enter. A dungeon of an endless number of guardians, all ready and willing to die over and over again to keep that which is trapped inside from ever being freed orbreaking free. Indeed, as they are not just guardians, they are jailkeepers, for the Tower is a prison made by the Goddess of Arte and its purpose isthe incarceration of the greatest transgressors in the history of the world. It is there that the one who dared to try and take over her world is sealed. The one who was so close to killing her. The worst transgressor of all. The Evil God. They dared to defy the Divine Law set by the Divine Council and invaded the world of another God, or in this case, Goddess. Doing so, not only invited chaos and death upon her world. It invited war. War like none other. A war among Gods. And to take the world from the Goddess hands, the Evil God deployed their Emissaries, twisted beings made on their image with only one purpose, to spread their unholy gospel, their''Words'' throughout the lands of Arte. The more they spread, the more the Evil God became anchored to Arte, and sadlythere were many. Words of sickness and hunger. Words of blood and wrath. Words of nightmares and suffering. Words of corruption and pain. Words of death and unrest. Words of powerlessness and hopelessness. Words of...hate. And while its Emissaries besieged the world with them, the Evil God set their sights in corrupting the very heart of the world itself. The composite core of the planet. One both magical and physical. If the Evil God had accomplished such act of defilement, then all would have been lost. The Goddess would have lost her world and her life, for without the former there would have been no chance for her to avoid being consumed by the Evil God. Such brutality was to be expected of Gods, as they are beings who do battle not only in the physical plane, but also the ontological one where the battlefield is one of being and where the one with the strongest self is victorious, either absorbing the loser or turning them into nothing. The reason as to why the Goddess fate would have been such a grim one was simple, she was and still is, a Young Goddess, and the one she was facing was anything but that, they were an Old God. The scope of their powers is simply too different. Young Gods, for the most part, are limited to their sphere, to their jurisdiction, they can see everything inside such territory of theirsas long as it is theirs, that is, for anything that is of an Old God would prove difficult to see with their powers, even if it is inside such realm. Of course, there are exceptions and ways the Young Gods can use to see such things, the simplest one being focusing their godly sight after being informed of the location of it, like a certain Goddess has done before. But even thenthat is a testament to the power that the Old Gods hold. And make no mistake, they are powerful. Truly and almost absolutely. Regardless of their powers being essentially the same as those of those of the Young Gods, for as previously stated, the scope at which they exert them is different, and in the case of the Old Gods, it is much, much greater. Firstly, Old Gods are not limited to their own realms, their own spheres, they can see into the realms of others with as much ease as they would with within their own jurisdiction. Secondly, not only can they interfere with those territories, but they can also descend upon them, even if there are some conditions. Just like the Evil God did. All so that they could take Arte from the hands of a Goddess they had deemed beneath them, imperfect, na?ve, and more, and then crush it in front of her broken self before consuming her. Still, let us remember that a war consists of two sides and the Goddess was not going to stand idly by while her beloved world was taken from her. Oh no. Of course, she was not going to do that. So, she raised her voice and called out to all of her created, her children so to say, in what was both a cry for help and a call to arms, a call to fight beside her. And they all answered, loudly. They offered their very best and those beyond that. They offered their young and their old. Their strength and their wits. Their power and their creations. Their faith and their hope. Their love. They offered it all to the one that had never ignored them, to the one that was always there with them. They offered it all and moreto her. And before such response, she was nothing but moved, so much so that she shed tears of joy and had no second thoughts about giving strands of her holy hair to arm those brave enough to face the Emissaries, those with a will so strong that it would burn forever. Ah, but that was not everything she did, as she also used her blessings to arm those who led the young and old nations of that era, empowering them in ways that would enable their people to put up a fight against the Evil Gods hordes of monsters. And lastly, she used her voice to guide the one that represented her in Arte, making sure that her will was transmitted as clearly as possible from then on. A will that told everyone what was needed to win such godly war. Something that lied in the most important of the conditions that an Old God needed to fulfill to descend and remain on a world that was not their own. Such condition was that an Old God needs something to anchor them to that world, be it an artifact, living beings, or something else like their Gospel, and in the case of the Evil God those anchors were his Emissaries and their words. Thus, if the Goddess and her people were to win, they needed to destroy such anchors, as that would weaken both the Evil Gods presence in the world and the Evil God themself to a point where they could be defeated. And that became the plan. A simple, yet risky one, for the odds were already stacked against a Young Goddess like herself, let alone her people. But she and her people still went through with that plan, raising their weapons against those very odds and coming out on top. Indeed, they did. For her Knights, accompanied by the armies of all nations, dared to look at the tapestry of fate and how it showed the supposed end of their world, and theyset it on fire with their will alight. The battles were bloody, terrifying, and sometimes they pushed everyone to the brink of madness as the Emissaries brought forth calamities upon calamities with ease. Yetthe flame in the hearts of those fighting never wavered and instead they lunged into such abyss, bringing down Emissary after Emissary. Be it sealed or slain, none escaped such Knights. They did not let them. Regardless of the cost being their own death or something much, much worse. And every time one of the Knights fell, the Goddess wept in silence as she fought, sadness, frustration and pain filling her heart. Meanwhile, every time one of the Emissaries fell, the Evil God was subjected to such backlash of energies that it made them twist and wail in true pain, all as their strength and presence weakened with each broken anchor. Something that the Goddess wasted no time in taking advantage of, making the physical side of their godly battle turn from one-sided to evenly matched. Of course, such battle was still of titanic proportions, as the battling gods traversed the world in flight like blue-white and black comets, clashing and colliding with each other before taking the fight to the oceans. There, they tried to drown the other in what seemed to be never ending waters and perilous depths, yet none let out their last breath in that watery abyss. Instead, their fight continued until they took themselves out of the oceans and into the land, where divine armaments were called and used to try and cut each other open in a battle that defied the imagination. Mountains fell and were born anew as either of them were thrown into and through them by the other. Canyons were formed and abruptly closed as they tried to crush one another. Space itself was cracked open by the sheer weight of the magical energies they exerted against each other. And more, so much more. Yet, even amongst all the destruction and chaos that her battle with the Evil God brought, the Goddess protected every single one of her people, teleporting those in the vicinity of her fighting to safety, not caring one bit about how much would she bleed by focusing on that rather than the Evil Gods attacks. And bled she did, for she received many attacks while doing so. But again, she did not care. After all, she was fighting for her people, and no amount of pain would stop her from helping them. Of course, it was not as if the Goddess did not pay back the Evil God for such attacks and soon enough, it was not just her who was full of injuries. Indeed, for as the battle raged on, the Evil God found themselves bleeding profusely, their divine blood seeping into the ground they stood on, just like her. That enraged them. That made them even more brutal in their attacks. Unleashing curses and more upon the world to try and make the Goddess waver. But she did not. She stood her ground. And she fought the Evil God into a deadlock they could not break through, no matter how hard they tried. Then, as the breathing of both gods became ragged and their legs started to shake, it happened. The last of the Emissaries fell. The unrestful one was put to rest. Thus, there were no more anchors left. And the backlash from that made the Evil God experience a kind of suffering that was completely and utterly incomparable with everything they had felt before. It is said that the wails they let out that day were able to be heard all over the world and that their echoes still linger in the deepest of caves and canyons. Finally, the Evil Gods defeat was at handbut it did not come in the way an epic would desire. No, it was not a defeat through death at the hands of the Goddess. Because sadly, the Goddess had sustained terrible, weakening injuries in the battle too and she did not have the strength to slay an Old God like the Evil God, even if they were already in a truly weakened state. That is why she instead did as some of her Knights and sealed the Evil God in the only place that could contain them. The Tower. There the will of the Goddess is focused and given form. There even the power of the Divine Law reinforces the seal that binds them. Therenothing is supposed to get in. Not even the dying screams of Akramax, Emissary of Sickness and Hunger. Even more so since they were coming from another space altogether, amirror one. But get in they did. And the Evil God stirred from the pain that their death brought upon them, lashing out in a half-awoken state for the same number of days that it took for many events to happen in the world outside of the Tower. Like a certain colorful battle, a feast that welcomed a miracle, and a meeting that served as the first step to a nations birth. Fortunately, the power the Evil God exerted upon the seal was not enough to break it. Unfortunately, it was enough to make a crack on it, and through it a side of them, an Aspect of them, oozed its way out. The Aspect from which Akramax drew his power. The Aspect of Sickness and Hunger, Languor. Its form was not a humanoid one but that of a black ooze, one that was almost like miasma but in a liquid state. Still, it knew that it needed to hurry and reshape itself before it was too late. Before the Goddess who trapped its Whole was aware of its escape. But of course, said Goddess gaze had never left the Tower in the first place. ________________________________ "...!" Hmm? Dear, I hate to say this but something very bothersome has come up. Really? Yes Awwand right when were watching our girls and Sylvie taking classes from Mika and Josie Now thats bad timing I know...! Mouu! That annoying, lazy, evil idiot!! They are getting in the way of me taking more photos of my girls in class!! Annoying, lazy, evil idiot Ah, the Evil God. Wellit is about time he did something. After all, isekai law tends to act like that. Then I want to beat up the idiot who wrote that law! They should learn not to be so inopportune! Haabut there is no use in crying over spilt mil now, I suppose... I must go. Do you want me to go with you, darling? I can mobilize the Maid-Knights too if you want. No, dear, theres no need for that. It is only a small problem; I can deal with it on my own. I do want to ask something of you though. Anything. Fufufu~~, I knew you would say that. Can you cast [Dress for Heaven] on me once again? Of course. Let''s just go to our room to do it. That way we will not worry anyone. But first... I have to say goodbye to my girls, yes, and I already did, dear. ...right, telepathy? No, dummy. I just waved at them. Ah. "Fufufu~~~." Following that lovable giggle and me waving goodbye to everyone too, we leave for our room where I cast [Dress for Heaven] on Nerinne. Stillthe Evil God Dont worry, Auros. I will be alright. I promise. I knoweven my instinct tells me that but you cant help but feel worried? YesI feel that even if you will be alright, it will not be ok Man, I am starting to sound like a certain protagonist... "No, no, dont think that. I understand. So, how about this? If there is even the smallest sign of things not going well, I will call you to my side, Auros. I swear it on my name." Grrr... "what a convenient way to make me not follow you without permission in a clich way. Fine Fufufu~~, it is a promise then. With that, we kiss as we embrace each other tightly for a moment before letting go and exchanging gazes, her confident golden eyes trying to reassure me, just like her smile. She then places her hand on my left cheek and " I will be back shortly." says that before disappearing. There was no chant. There was no spell. She has just teleported as naturally as it would be for a Goddess. Evil Godif you dare to harm even a strand of her hairI will truly turn into a Nightmareyour Nightmare. Come back safely, my heroine. ____________________________________________ It was instantaneous. One moment she was in the castle with her beloved, the next she was in the Tower. Specifically, she appeared in the room outside of the Evil Gods sealing chamber, right where the cracked seal was. And most importantly, she appeared right as the now free Aspect of the Evil God began to take a more humanoid form. Not only that, but she was right in front of it and was wearing an outfit that belonged to a character her Soul Partner liked. But why did she change her clothes to that? The answer was simple. Clothes of such obvious mortal design would only anger the Aspect. And she knew that. That is why she was wearing them. "YoU...NErinNe...nA?Ve RoSelowlyGoddess!" Proving her right, Languor slowly formed a mouth and wasted no time to express their anger towards Nerinne in the divine tongue, all while their mass began to increase and flow upwards, almost like a black fountain, stopping at a height that matched Nerinnes. Then, their form began to change into that of a humanoid, with their ooze-like body turning into skin, hair, and everything else as they continued to vilify the Goddess. YoU fILthything! You dare appear before me reeking of cattle?! Of mortal?! Is there no remaining trace of respect for your position in that empty head of yours?! However, that was not all, for their pitch also changed, going from a deep and distorted, guttural one, to a clear, female one, which matched their new form. The form of a woman. Bah! Why do I even ask?! Not only do you still seem to be using the minimum of your [Omnis], but you have lowered yourself even more, you maggot! Truly, you are a foul waste of divinity! Each strand of her hair had both the color and the hardness of copper, while her skin was far from unblemished, being of a rotted gray and having blisters all over. Meanwhile, her ears were slightly pointed, and her lips were as pitch-black as her eyes. And worseto lay with a mortalsuch a disgusting thingdid you not learn anything from what happened to Scarred G!? *KER-CHUNK* "GURGH!! As an incredible pain filled her body and black blood dripped out of her mouth, Languor looked down at her chest and then up at Nerinne, her eyes making it clear that she truly could not believe what had just happened. Nerinne had pierced her right through the chest with a lance, a lance that a few instants ago had been but the Goddess right hand, and she was unable to see it, let alone react to it. GnN!! GaRgH!! Of course, the Aspect immediately tried to take the lance out of her with her hands, but it was useless, no matter how much strength she seemed to apply. Thus, she came to a dreadful realization. Not only was she so weak that she was helpless against the Goddess, but the Goddess herself had intentionally angered her to make her attack even easier to land and now it was impossible for Languor to free herself. She was truly and utterly at her mercy. You!! Meanwhile, Nerinne smiled as she watched the Aspects expression become twisted in anger from both that truth and the pain. Then, she spoke. "Oh, that is a new form for you. I wonder what might have caused itor who, that is. Fufufu~~~." Nerinnes giggle and tone truly did not match her actions, but it sent quite the clear message to Languor. She was not just at Nerinnes mercy. Nerinne was toying with her. So much so that she was even letting Languor use its omniscience to look into the mortal whom she had a relationship with, fueling Languors wrath even more. "HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME LIKE THIS?! YOU!! A PUTRID PIECE OF DIVINE FLESH THAT NOT ONLY LAYS WITH A MORTAL BUT HAS BIRTHED A DEMI-GODDESS OUT OF IT!! OHHH, I SHALL RELISH THE MOMENT WHEN I CRUSH THAT LITTLE DREGS SKU" Those were unwise wordstruly unwise words, for they did nothing but wake up Nerinnes darker side. "Holy Weapon of Promised Destruction: Nern. Release, [Seal Thirteen: Divine Destroyer]." A side that did not wait for Languor to finish talking before unleashing upon her a pain far worse than what she was already feeling. One that would make her wail. "! NNNHHHHYYYYAAAARGH!! THIS LANCE?! YOUAAAAAAAAAGHGHHHHHIIIAAAAAAA!! THIS PAINN...!! A GOD-SLAYER?!!" And wail she did. She could feel herself being torn apart from the inside, almost as if something was eating at her very essence and leaving nothing behind. Furthermore, black blood began to come out from her ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. The same eyes that were fixated on the lance that was still piercing her chest and for a good reason. The lance had changed. It no longer looked like the black-red sinister one the Goddess before her had used to pierce her but a few minutes ago and yetit did not look like the spiraling gold holy one either. Ratherit could be said that it was a combination of those two forms, as it shined golden like the latter while retaining the sinister frame of the former. No, nothis lance was already beyond what could be considered sinister, it was heretical. And the red power that filled the lines engraved all over it was proof enough of that, as that hungry power was but distilled deicide. In other words, it was the power to kill Gods. "YOU FORGED A GOD-SLAYER AND GIFTED IT TO A MORTAL?! HAVE YOU GONE MAAAAARGHH!!!" Painfully silencing Languor, Nerinne pushed the lance even further into her body, drowning the Aspects very essence in even more of such anguish, one that was only comparable to the anguish her Whole felt when the last of the Emissaries fell. "No, I have not gone mad. I trust my love. The moment I fell for her was the moment I knew I could trust her with my eternal life. This Holy Lance is but the proof of that trust and love, one that was reciprocated shortly after when she entrusted her very soul to me. She is my Soul Partner, my true beloved, and that girl is our dear daughter. And I am not letting you touch even the air around her nor my other daughter. Not now. Not ever. Sobegone!!" *FWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH* "GYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!" "Begone and be destroyed!! Make the you still inside the seal suffer in true pain as a part of their core vanishes from existence!!" With a fury that could only be born from the love she has for her loved ones, Nerinne exclaimed that as she used the full power of the lance on the wailing Languor, riddling the Aspects form with cracks that shined with a red glow that grew brighter and brighter the closer her utter demise got. Thus *CRACK* what? Something *CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK* Something is wrong *CRACK-CRACK-CRIIIIIIIIISSHHHH* The space-time continuum is cracking before mynothis is already beyond that This is "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHNNNNNNNNNAAAAAHH!!! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS!! NERINNNNNNNNHHHAAAAAARGGGG!!!" *CRASH* "This is...!" a full rupture in space-time. A phenomenon like this cannot happen from natural causes, it simply cannot, and that implies intent or ratherthat the fault lies on another party. Some would perhaps say that a God would be the only capable of causing something like this and they would be rightbut not in the way they think. A God can indeed manipulate time and space, that is one of their abilities after all, but such interventions do notcannot cause this kind of damage since their omnipresence and omnipotence helps them exert such power throughout the entirety of time and space in a uniform manner, alleviating any strain in the space-time continuum and preventing such ruptures from happening. Unlessand this is but mere speculationsuch God was struck by something that truly damaged them when trying to do such a thing Thus, such divine energies would run amok throughout the space-time continuum and thusthis. And sadly, seeing what is before my eyes I believe this is close to the truth The reason being the being that is at the center of it all The Aspect. Languor. And someone else. Someone who is both not her and her. Someone whose body has replaced Languors entire backside due to the rupture opening right where she stood, turning them almost into a sort of conjoined being. Thus, only half of the being standing there was Languor while the one on the other side washer Whole. The Evil God Truly and wholly. Yet, this was not the end of times scenario that the presence of a freed Evil God would imply, for there were no black skies, nor there were raging mounts of flesh corrupting the land, or anything like that. Instead ""GYYYYYYYYYYYAAAARRRGHHH!!!"" there were screams. Screams of agony that came from both Languor and the Evil God as they were pierced by a certain god-slayer lance in their respective sides of the rupture. They screamed as they uselessly tried to remove it but instead their hands were burned by the deicidal energies coming off from such weapon, which only increased their anguish. Furthermore, the ones wielding them not only did not permit it, but they also pushed the lance even further into their chest, causing them to look at the ones behind such pain with a hatred that could only be described as eternal. And there, reflected in those hateful eyes, we can see the faces of the ones that have earned such grudge and they are not the same. Yes On Languors side it was Nerinne. But on the other side the wielder of such heretical weapon was A-Auros? her beloved. And she was far from alright. Her crown of horns was but a shade of what it once was, for it was now cracked, broken, and with some horns missing entirely. Blood painted her face as she was bleeding profusely from a wound in her head that was not healing at all. Her left eye was nowhere to be seen as it was sealed shut and she did not seem to be able to open it anymore. Her left side in general seemed heaviereven more so with her left arm hanging lifelessly from her shoulder. And if that was not enoughher armor, which looked different than the one the Goddess knew, lied in pieces all around her. Only her sabatons and one of her greaves remained on her, even if they were also damaged. "W-what happened to you, Auros?! Why are you like that?!" "..." "So-something is wrong! Why can''t I hear you?! Despite Auros immediate reply, her voice was unable to reach her beloveds ear on the other side of the rupture, unlike the screams of the suffering Evil God. Moreover, it is highly likely that the same could be said of the sound coming from Nerinnes side, and as such it is probable that Auros guessed correctly what her beloved had said rather than she being able to hear her. If that isnt working, Ill reach you like thisAuros! Auros! *KRSSSSSSHHHHHHHTT* ?! Why can''t I reach your mind?!" Having come to the same conclusion, Nerinne immediately tried to reach out to the Auros before her through her telepathy, but a sort of static sound was the only thing that came back to her, making her exclaim that in both worry for her Soul Partner and frustration over such dreadful thing. Still, she was not going to give up that easily. ThenIll use everything! *FWOOOOOOOOOOOOSH* Thus, she did as she said and stopped holding herself back and used her godly powers, her [Omnis] in their entirety, her eyes burning with blue-white divine power. Her omnipotence. Her omnipresence. Her omniscience. Everything. She used them all without a second thought. And yetnothing. She could see nothing, much less obtain any information about it. It was almost as if what lied on the other side of the rupture was another world altogether. One that was outside of her grasp. Thus, she could only see what was right in front of her and nothing more. That being Auros and everything else in the ruined room her Soul Partner was in. Everything. Every single thing. And as she tried to get ahold of even the smallest amount of information about the world on the other side of the rupture by looking closely at such everything, something caught her attentionno, it pulled it quite strongly while filling Nerinnes heart with a certain sentiment. That thingit was somehow familiar to her. It was something with which she shared a deep connection. Even when she was sure that she had never seen such thing before. That something was a sword. A broken sword whose shimmering pieces lied on the floor just like Auros armor. And the more she looked at it, the deeper the sadness she felt, leaving her confused as to why she was feeling like that. But then, the reason became apparent as her gaze finally reached the swords hilt, one that had an orange gem One that had the face The faceof a girl. No! No, no, no, no! NO! It cannot be! NO!! Rejecting what she had just realized about the sword with everything she had, Nerinne shook her head as sorrowful tears escaped her eyes. Yet, not wanting her beloved to be taken by sorrow, Auros began to write something in the air with Light attribute magic. ! Something that immediately pulled Nerinnes attention from the sword to her once again. {This is just a bad dream, My Heroine. A clich of the isekai law. Nothing more, nothing less. Thats why lets finish this so that I can wake up and see you in that cosplay. Everything will be alright after that. Trust me.} Such was the message her Soul Partner had written and as she finished reading it, a trembling smile appeared in Nerinnes face. Youdummy! How can youhow can you say that and make such smile when everything I see is In that moment, Nerinne looked into her beloveds eyes and saw the strong belief and conviction that was behind such message and so Noif you say it is a bad dream, then I shall believe in you, my love. she, a Goddess, swallowed her sorrow, her fear, and more, and put all her faith in a mortal, her Soul Partner. Let us finish this thing together, Auros!! With that, both nodded at each other and released the power of the lance at the same time, increasing the number of glowing cracks in the bodies of both Languor and the Evil God, all as their screams caused the rupture itself to tremble. "NERINNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...!" "AUROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS...!" Then, the deicidal red glow reached its zenith, and both Languor and the Evil God mustered everything they had to beckon "I SHAAAAAL BE FREEEEEEEEYAAARGH!" "I AM ETERNAAAAAAAAAAAL! I AM INE!" ...that before they exploded in a flash of red light, releasing a shockwave of divine energies that permeated Arte for a moment before disappearing completely. Still, that shockwaveI could feel wrath in ithatredwas it truly caused by them succumbing to the lances power or is there more to it? "Auros...!" "*smile*" In any case, with the cause of the rupture gone, it too started to disappear along with the Auros on the other side of it, who left Nerinne with a smile and one last message. "See you in a minutefufufudummyyou are such a dummy" One that Nerinne read out loud as she put her hands over her heart before swallowing the sobs that had started to rob her of her voice and declaring "I promise that when that bad dream comes and you wake up from it, I will show you this cosplay...Auros..." that with a brave smile. All as her words echoed throughout the now empty room. After that, Nerinne restored and reinforced the cracked seal that had led to the Aspects escape with a dose of the god-killing energies of the lance and returned to her beloveds castle. When she arrived, she made sure to kiss Auros deeply before tightly embracing her and her daughters. When asked about what happened, she only responded by saying ''a bad dream''. Meanwhile, the Evil God inside the seal was drowned in an indescribable pain until they lost their half-woken consciousness because of it, falling asleep once again. Most important of all though What sort of fate awaits them? What sort of events could have led to the paradigm that was on the other side of the rupture? Could it be that what just happened is but the start of such things? Or perhapswhat happened now is what prevents such paradigm from being born? And what was the Evil God of that side trying to achieve before the rupture occurred? Sadly, all of that is something only the future knows. Because not even an Old God like I, Yawue, can see it clearly. And that...is truly worrying. To be continued...in the future. Auros'' stat sheet: Name: Auros Argento Race: High Dragon Lord Gender: Female Age: 0 years old (Body) 24 years old (Soul) Rank: EX Class: Holy Hero (Holy Lance/Sword) * Sub Class: Arch-Knight of Destruction ** Stats: Strength: EX Intelligence: EX*** Agility: EX Mana: EX Endurance: EX Constitution: EX Passive skills: Mental Corruption (Isekai): EX*** Crushing Destructive Presence: EX Sublime Charisma: EX Heros Oath: A Magic Resistance: EX True Nightmare of the battlefield: EX Physical Resistance: EX Royal Presence: EX Super Rapid Healing: EX Universal Riding: EX Unending Destruction: EX Thunderous Instinct: EX Unending Mana Maelstrom: EX**** Underwater Breathing: EX Universal Weapons Mastery: EX Absurd Strength: EX Dragon Lord Slayer: EX Abnormal Status Resistance: EX Ritual of the High Dragon Lord Pact Incarnate of Destruction: EX King of Storms: EX King of Primordial Storms: EX+ Divine Tongue Mastery (Divine Protection of Nerinne): EX Magic Language Mastery (Divine Protection of Nerinne): EX }}|Slayer: EX? Castle of the Ever-Burning Will (Personal Space): EX The 13 Seals of Impending Wielder of Nern: EX Extradimensional Guardian (Divine Protection of Yawue): EX Divine Mantle of Luck (Divine Protection of Yawue): EX Character Emulation: EX Active skills: Pleasurable Hands: EX Mana Burst (Destruction): EX Mana Pulse: EX Mana Wave: EX Ruinous Slash: EX Shapeshifting Touch: EX Unique traits: Immortal (Race & Holy Weapon) Holy Hero* Mental Corruption (Isekai)*** Arch-Knight of Destruction** Blessing for the worthy: Holy Hero Blessing of Nerinne Eternal Love of Nerinne (???) Divine Protection of the Gods: (Nerinne & Yawue) Otherworlder Incarnate of Destruction Father of the Flaming Mountain }}|: Ilya Father of the } Dragon }| : Celesia Earths Spirit Favor King of Primordial Storms Magic: Fire Attribute Magic. Ice Attribute Magic. Light Attribute Magic. Darkness Attribute Magic. Space Attribute Magic. Combined Magic: Unique Magic: Holy Attribute Magic. Lightning Attribute Magic (UNIQUE RANK UP) Primordial Lightning Attribute Magic. Spells: Holy Purification Liar Space Ice Wall Grand Gate Teleport Locked Space Greater Teleport Shadow Walk Rallying Teleport Storm Subjugation Primordial Storm Subjugation Grand Teleportation Meteoric Fall Mirror Space Transport Shadow Spikes Silent Room Black Hole Dress for Heaven Great Illusion Holy Weapon of Promised Destruction: Nern Roar of the Worlds Rejection SEAL 7: T SEAL 8: SEAL 1: SEAL 9: SEAL 2: SEAL 10: SEAL 3: SEAL 11: SEAL 4: The SEAL 12: SEAL 5: All the SEAL 13: Divine Destroyer SEAL 6: R Ring of Primordial Storms Summon: Wild Hunt Titles: Otherworlder, Accidentally Killed by the Gods, Otaku, Nerd, Waifuist, Lucky Wink of . Nerinnes Glossary Corner: *Holy Hero: A classic both in my dears collection and in my world. The class of Hero is one that I, Nerinne, give to that special individual who is worthy of it from the beginning or by other ways, like overcoming various trials and tribulations, and of coursetaking on the Grand Quest of saving the world. Just like a my dear did in the way of the promise she made to me, fufufu~~. Ah! But that is not all! My dear is not just a Hero, she is a Holy Hero, fufufu~~. Her class is a unique variant that can only be achieved by wielding a Holy Weapon. And as of now, only one person has wielded a Holy Weapon and that is my lovely dear. **Arch-Knight of Destruction: Dont look at me like that, dear. I didnt give you this class to tease you, you earned it on your own, I swear, fufufufu~~. Besides, isnt this a cool class? Just look at this amazing description I made for it: A unique class given to a nightmarish Knight that can bring forth unimaginable destruction through any medium, from weapons to magic. The powers of said being are beyond those one would expect to wield in their lifetime. If one turns into an enemy of said Knight, destruction is nothing but assured. See? Pretty cool, right? Fufu, I knew youd like it. ***Mental Corruption (Isekai): Now that I have your attention, dear, I should tell you about this. Normally, Mental Corruption variants only appear when someones mind is altered to the point that its framework is fundamentally different to that of a normal person, and that is the case with you, dear. After all, you said it yourself, you consumed so many isekai stories that your thought processes ended up turning into a novel-esque narration. But that is not the only effect your particular variant of Mental Corruption gives you. Yours also gives you the ability to better process situations that couldammhow do I say thisbreak the mind of those considered normal or situations that are just difficult to process in general, like the stressful ones. There are also situations like meeting and interacting with Gods, using magic, dying, reincarnating, keeping ones memories from a previous life, being transported to another world, having a different body andno, I think that is enough for examples. Somoving on, since this variant doesnt affect your daily life in a negative way, theres no need to consider it a malignant passive skill like the other variants of Mental Corruption. In conclusion, you dont have to worry about this passive skill, dear. You are alright, you just see the world in your own way and that is fine. Yes? Good. I love you too. ****Unending Mana Maelstrom: The absolute super cheat version of Mana Regeneration! What? You want me to say more, dear? But theres nothing else to say, dear! Your mana just regenerates at such an absurd speed that it pretty much seems as if you never used it in the first place! Ah! You made me say more! Dont laugh you dummy! Mouu!! Mrpandopool So, this is itWE HAVE FINALLY REACHED CHAPTER 100!! WOHOOO!!! SO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE I STARTED REVISING VOLUME 1 AND STARTED UPLOADING TO SCRIBBLE HUB AND ROYAL ROAD THAT IT ALMOST FEELS JUST LIKE WHEN I FIRST UPLOADED THIS VERY CHAPTER IN WATTPAD 3 YEARS AGO. AAAAAHHHHHHH AND THAT FEELING IS GOOD!! Ahemanywaysyou can think of this chapter as the sort of after credits scene for the whole main volume. And whereas the other epilogues are about closing volume 1, planting the seeds for volume 2 and perhaps volume 3ehehethis one is a seed for much, much later and I hope we are all there to see it realized. Then againwill we actually see the events that lead to that future? Who knows? Maybe Nerinne and Auros just prevented such things from happeningwell see. Still, you might be wondering where the Maid-Knights are, what or who is that sword, or if the story in general is going to be falling into a more dark and edgy tone from here on. And wellwe cant have a story if I just spill the beans, right? But I can tell you that I will not be changing the essence of the story that I love to write and rewrite so much. And like I said before, I hope you are still reading this story when we eventually get to this part. Besides that, there are still many major isekai tropes I want to turn into volumes and of coursethere are still many places in Arte that I want to take you all and so much more! So please, look forward to it! AH! Im speaking as if this volume is done nowahahahahah, no, not at all! We still have the OMAKES!! GABRIELLES SIDE STORY!! AND ANOTHER SIDE STORY THAT WILL BRIDGE THIS VOLUME WITH VOLUME 2!! SO YES!! THERES STILL LOTS AND LOTS OF STORY LEFT HERE! Although, please be patient as Im working as fast as I can while taking care of my health. Nowlook at these!! Here we have the base/meme images of the new maids that have either joined Auros or that have chosen to serve Nerinne and Ludovica, who also gets her a base image!! Lorelei Rupee: Licht vi Kyrie: Mary Ibaaru: Ludovica Aldert: Before we go into the fanart sectionHERES THE NEW ILLUSTRATION FOR THE STORY MADE BY THE ONE AND ONLY LARH!! AND SPONSORED BY AYTH, A MAID PARAGON PATRON AND A DEAR MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY! LOOK AT IT! NERINNE AND AUROS IN THE ONSEN!! IT LOOKS SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!! THE SAKURAS! THE POSITION OF THOSE DORKS!! EVERYTHING IS SO GOOD!! YOU WILL FIND THIS ILLUSTRATION IN CHAPTER 32!! AS FOR THE UNCENSORED VERSION, YOU''LL FIND IT IN THE STORY''S DISCORD SERVER BUT YOU''LL ONLY BE ABLE TO VIEW IT IF YOU ARE +18! AND THAT IS NOT ALL, IF YOU GO TO MY KO-FI RIGHT NOW YOULL SEE THAT A NEW GOAL HAS BEEN SET AND IT IS FOR A NEW ART STREAM FROM LARH! EVERYONE WHO DONATES WILL RECEIVE THE PIECE LARH WILL BE WORKING ON STREAM VIA EMAIL OR DISCORD INBOX! SO IF YOU WANT TO THIS STREAM TO HAPPEN, PLEASE GO INTO MY KO-FI AND HELP LARH OUT! With that out of the wayonto the fanart lands!! FIRSTCAN YOU HEAR THAT?! HASHIRE SORI YO?! KAZE NO YOU NI?! TSUKIMIHARA WO?! PADORU PADORU?! YES!! PADORU AUROS AND NERINNE ARE HERE AND THEY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO US BY NONE OTHER THAN LORD FEMBOY!! AND IF THAT WASNT ENOUGH, HE ALSO MADE ANOTHER AMAZING STICKER FOR THE DISCORD SERVER IN THE FORM OF AN ADORABLE SOPHIE ABOUT TO CRY FOR BEING TEASED!! NEXT, A NEWCOMER TO THE FANART SECTION, SENPAPI AND HIS PIXEL ART OF NERINNE ALONG WITH AN SMUG VARIATION!! AND NERINNE LOOKS SO AMAZING LIKE THIS AND SO SMUG TOO!! HMM? DID SOMEONE THINK THAT FIA WAS NOT GOING TO BE PRESENT THIS TIME?! WELL, IF THEY DID, THEY WERE WRONG BECAUSE HERE WE HAVEKRIS!! YES!! KRIS MADE BY FIA AND SHE LOOKS SO INCREDIBLE THAT IS JUST HNNNNNGHH!! AND IF ONE PARAGON MAID WASNT ENOUGH, HERE WE HAVE DAVID WITH HIS IMPROVED ITERATION OF LUCA!! AND SHE LOOKS PERFECT!! SERIOUSLY!! WOW!! LASTLY, WE HAVE MORE FROM OPHILIA!! AND THIS TIME WE HAVE NERINE LOOKING FOR SOPHIE!! NERINNE POSING WITH A TEENAGER ILYA!! SO GOOD!! SO AMAZINGLY GOOD!! AND PLEASE, DO TELL OPHI AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COMMENTS IF YOU LIKED THEIR ART!! OF COURSE, THANK YOU, LORD FEMBOY, SENPAPI, FIA, DAVID, AND OPHILIA!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! AND THATS IT!! SEE YOU NEXT TIME!! THANK YOU FOR READING AND I LOVE YOU ALL!! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. VOLUME 1 OMAKES! Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the entire Gabrielle Side Story right now (Chapters 1 to 5), including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, and more! Now, onto the chapter! Omake 1: A normal thing for women. Hmmyou know, Ive been thinking about something, darling. "Oh? And whats that, dear?" Well, if you think about it, its been a little bit more than a month since I came to this world and "Thats right, dear! I totally forgot about that with everything that was happening! Still, let me cook you something special to celebrate!" Really?! I cant wait to try out your cooking, but... "But?" You see, as I said, it has been a little bit more than a month since I reincarnated here... In thisfemale body. SoammmI was wondering iferrwellif I was going to experience what every woman goes through every month. Or could it be thatahahaman this is embarrassing Take your time~~. Yes Could it be that its different because of my race? Ah, its not as if Im looking forward to it or anything like that, Im not, even more so since all my female coworkers seemed to just hate itbut you know "Fufufufu~~." Hey! Don''t laugh! Aww, but youre so adorable! I cant help it! Fufufufu~~. A-Adorable?!! Stop it! Dont make me blush even further! Fufufuhahaahahaalright, I wont laugh anymore, dear. Grrrwell see about that AhemanywaysI havent felt anything yet, but Im still curious! Sothats it. Thats what has been on my mind. "Then, you have nothing to worry about, dear." Really? "Yes! The women of this world came up with so many ways to deal with it in the past that it has become a non-issue by now. They have pills and potions that can completely turn it off when needed and without any drawback. Theres even a great variety of spells to deal with any of the symptoms since everyone experiences it in a different manner. And they are all available for free in many of the Churchs temples, stores, and hospitals, just like any other of the supplies needed. Phew "That isif you belong to the people of the races." Eh? Wait "For Dragon Lords...well" This bad feeling... "good luck laying non-fertilized eggs, dear! Just remember to push!" HAAAAAH?!!! E-E-EGGS?!! P-PUSH?!! THAT HAS TO BE A LIE! EVEN IF IT MAKES SOME STRANGE SENSE!!! "Fufufufu~~, I will leave you to it, dear." HEY! WHERE ARE YOU DISSAPERING TO?! NowaitWHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! NERINNE?! NERINNEEEEEEEEE!!!! END ______________________________ Omake 2: Add mental damage to that damaged goods list. "Ah, there you are, Master. I wanted to consult you about something and if I may ask, could you come with me to the library? It will make things easier. Hm? Mika? If I remember correctly, she was supposed to be in the Capital buying books to fill the library, right? Oh well, this just means that she has returned from that already. "Of course." In any case, since I was just having a little stroll through the castle halls, I see no harm saying that and accompanying her to the now growing library of my castle. And so, after a short stroll where we exchanged some small talk about books in general, we have reached the castles library. By the way she likes to read books about historical drama in her free time. "I wanted to ask this because if what Eternal Winter said is true and Violet Death was indeed the oldest of the living Dragon Lords, then that means that there are numerous legends that could be attributed to her." "Umu. That is certainly very plausible." So I say as I watch Mika bring some really thick books from the shelves that are a few meters away from where Im sitting and puts them on the table in front of me. All of them have titles referring to the legends of Arte like Legends of the Ancient Age and before or The Legend Compendium: Dragon Lord Edition and so on. Im so reading those tonight! Theres nothing better than reading the legends of an isekai while being in the isekai! "And within those aforementioned legends are references to old artifacts and powerful weapons that if proven real would be invaluable in so many ways. As such, my question revolves around those, Master. For the sake of adding to not only my pool of knowledge but the worlds, I would very much like for Master to tell me if Violet Death used any of the following artifacts or weapons." That should be easy. After all, she was screaming their names every time she summoned them. "Hooh~~ very well." With a slight nod and a smile full of interest I respond to Mikas words, and she nods before grabbing one of the books and opening it at a certain page without needing a bookmarker. "Before we start, I would appreciate it if Master could also tell me the state they were left in after the battle. That is, if she used them of course. "Of course." Come on! Shoot! I want to see that amazed face of yours when I tell you those legendary weapons did exist! "Then, lets begin, Master. First, here you can see the legendary lightning artifacts said to have belonged to an ancient elemental being. The Arms of Durg." "She used them, and they have been destroyed." Immediate response, of course. "Guh!" Hm? "Is something wrong, Mika?" She looked as if she had received a gut punch, is she alright? "I-I am fine Master...let''s just move on. N-next is the shield of a legendary Titan from an age long gone, one that could nullify all attacks. Titanus Shield." "She also used it and it was destroyed too." "Gh!" Again? Not only that but shes now even biting her lip "Do you wish for Gabrielle or any of the others to come see what is wrong?" "Hahaha...no, no, it is nothing Master, really...n-nothing..." It sure doesn''t seem like nothing... "Really?" "Yes, yes. Where were we? Ah, yesthe third ancient objectthis one is the sword of a being of legend said to have lived inside a burning mountain deep in the Lost Continent. Its nameSurt''s Cleaver." "Destroyed like the other two." "Ghh!!! Master!!" "...!! Yes?!" Woah?! She looks furious! What did I do?! "Do you have any idea of how valuable those ancient objects were?! Not just historically speaking, but even arcane-wise and in terms of forgotten crafting techniques!! They are objects that are beyond being treasures! Eeeeeeek! Im soooorrryyyyy!! Master, you are going to write a paper about the importance of ancient weapons and artifacts as an apology or I will be very mad!! Understood?!!" "Y-Yes! Of course!" She already seems very mad to me, but Im not pointing that out at all! Nope! Still, this really wasnt the reaction I was looking for... So scary END ___________________________________ Omake 3: His revelation TheREALGOD0001 has joined the forum chat! AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Welcome! I''m one of the admins of this forum! As you can see this is a community made up of those who love all things anime, comics, games, manga, and everything in between. Well, we have food-porn too, but that is on Tuesdays. Lol. As a welcoming ritual of sorts, we ask three questions to the newcomers. Don''t worry, these are mostly for fun and gauging interests! Are you up for it? =3 NYANKO69: No need to be shy~~, nyan. We won''t judge you~~, nyan. DEFEnselessTSUN: Right, unless you don''t like Tomoe-chan. Then I will judge you with all the wrath of gawd!! Heh, gawd. Lolololol. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Don''t worry, this is just how this weeb acts here. TheREALGOD0001: It is fine. I will answer the questions. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Perfect! First, how did you find this forum? TheREALGOD0001: I know thehmmm"Ghost Admin"...was it? NYANKO69: EdgyBREASTS-senpai?! No way, nyan! DEFEnselessTSUN: Where the hell is that uncultured bastard? He has not posted in here for months! Not even in his spam thread, the waifu thread! AbsoluteTHIGHS784: What they said...and I am sorry to ask IRL stuff in here, but is he alright? It is not normal for him to not post here or abandon his admin duties... TheREALGOD0001: Ah. I do not know if he would be mad at me for telling you this, but since all of you seem genuinely concerned about him...I shall tell you. He... AbsoluteTHIGHS784: He...? NYANKO69: He, nyan? DEFEnselessTSUN: Come onnnn! TheREALGOD0001: He is working abroad, in a place where theres no internet. But do not worry, he is happy, he has a very, VERY, capable girlfriendCno I guess they are three now...and two beautiful daughters. He also has a house of his own, is debt free, and he even has maids. Truly, you do not need to be concerned about him anymore. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: NYANKO69: ^._.^ DEFEnselessTSUN: O_O AbsoluteTHIGHS784: THAT FUCKING HARDCORE BASTARD OF A WEEB WENT NORMIE?!! NO!! HE WENT FULL HAREM MC?!! NYANKO69: EXPLODE, NYAN! HE SHOULD EXPLODE!! DEFEnselessTSUN: AAAAAAH!! I WANT TO BE HIM SO MUCH!! MAIDS?! HE HAS MAIDS?! FFS!!! I WANT MAIDS!!! I WANT THEM TO CALL ME MASTER!! I WANT TO ORDER THEM INTO DOING LEWD THINGS!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH DAMN YOU!! TheREALGOD0001: Erm...so about the other question... AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Right...sorry about that. Would you take part in a plan to take control of the world if your fantasy waifu or monster girl was discovered to be real? TheREALGOD0001: Now that is quite the coincidence! I came here to ask about something similar! But...plan to take control of the world? AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Muhuhuhuh! Glad you asked! You know how many of us nerds after managing to overcome the crushing depression that is being aimless after college end up in good positions by coincidence? Of course, not all of us but some do and that starts a chain reaction! They seek those who think alike and thus the cycle starts! That is not to say that they are presidents or kings or CEOs, well that last one is the exception, a member of the forum is using his company to fund Cat-girl Research. DEFEnselessTSUN: A man of the future! AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Anyways! Those super big positions are normally taken by the people who went out to parties and paid us to write their thesis! Those whose parents kickstarted them! And more!! The normies!! We, meanwhile, do all the work! We are their assistants, their people of ideas, their accountants, their system managers and so on. They might get all the credit while lazing around like the normies they are, but we do all the work! WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE BANKS!! THE MONEY OF EVERYONE IS BELONG TO US!! IT COULD BE SAID THAT WE ALREADY MOVE THE WORLD!! MUHUHUHUHUHH!! So, if something like an elf community was discovered somewhere in the world, we would enact the plan and protect those ELVISH WAIFUS AND HUSBANDOS!! NO EXPERIMENTATION BY NON-NERD SCIENTISTS THAT ONLY WANT MONEY! NO SLAVERY BY OLD STOOGES THAT SHOULD EXPLODE FOR EVEN CONSIDERING SLAVERY!! OR WORSE!! ORGAN HARVESTING JUST SO THOSE BASTARDS CAN TRY TO LIVE LONGER!! GO DIE ALREADY YOU OLD GHOUL!! YOU ARE ON YOUR SEVENTH HEART ALREADY!! TheREALGOD0001: That sounds...not possible and biased? I understand the power of change nerds can bring, I really do. I have seen it myself. But thatis that not dangerous? Even talking about it here on the internet could be dangerous, right? AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Ehhh, don''t worry about it. All the agents that are in charge of watching these types of forums are full members of this one. So, we get no flak from that side. Also, we have members in high places. Likethere are ones that are converting their bosses to waifuism or getting them to attend DnD sessions. We even have one member that managed to convince the president of their country to gift them a signed and very official letter of him ceding control of the nation to our member if fantasy races were ever discovered alive. DEFEnselessTSUN: LOL. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Our member said that his presi-boss did it as a birthday present for all the times they saved his ass, can you believe it? Lolololololol. Of course, it is a joke but still. It is kind of fun to role-play a secret society and so on. After all there is no way fantasy races actually exist. NYANKO69: Right, nyan~~! My banker boss is so dumb with his passcodes that he makes me carry around a handwritten book with all of them, nyan~~! Is it safer against hackers that way, nyan~~? Yes, kinda, nyan~~! But I have so much control over the systems that I could make a million moneys disappear without a trace every weekend, nyan~~! This is way more complicated than it sounds, nyan~~! So it just happens in my imagination, nyan~~! TheREALGOD0001: That is...yes, it should remain in your imagination, never in reality...because he would know it was you... DEFEnselessTSUN: Heh, love it when noobs get all common-sense with Nyanko even with all those "nyans". AbsoluteTHIGHS784: You reacted in the same manner, Defenseless... DEFEnselessTSUN: No, I didnt. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Yes, yes, you did. DEFEnselessTSUN: Nope. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Whateverso, you in, RealGod? TheREALGOD0001: Seeing as it is an innocent, even if a little extreme, role play, yes. DEFEnselessTSUN: WELCOME TO THE MAID CULT!! ASJKLABLKAEAYTHAKFKJFNA! AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Dammit, Defenseless! I have told you lots of times that this is not a cult and that thats not the name of our secret society! DEFEnselessTSUN: WHY NOT?! WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY MEMBER HERE A MAID! THAT WAY I CAN ACHIEVE WHAT THAT EDGY OPPAI LOVER DID IRL!! WE ALL CAN!! AHAHAHAHAHA!! AbsoluteTHIGHS784: YOU ARE DELUSIONAL!! THAT IS NOT WHAT THE WAIFU SOCIETY IS ABOUT!! NYANKO69: Sorry about these two, nyan~~. They are always like this when it comes to this little roleplay of ours, nyan~~. TheREALGOD0001: It is of no problem. Furthermore, I got the answer to the question I wanted to ask here, so my gratitude is at hand. I shall respond with full honesty to the next question. AbsoluteTHIGHS784: Wow, what a change in tone...so formal! Very well! Heres the last, most important question of them all! Who is besto girl?! NYANKO69: Yes, who is besto girl, nyan~~? DEFEnselessTSUN: Come on noob, tell us! TheREALGOD0001: Hmm, you know he asked me the same thing back when I last saw him. I thought it amusing to not tell him but show him that I knew the answer. But as I gave my word to you, I shall tell you all the answer I did not give him. After all, what could go wrong? AbsoluteTHIGHS784: A flag. NYANKO69: That''s definitely a flag, nyan~~. DEFEnselessTSUN: Soooo much flag... TheREALGOD0001: The one who is best girl is _____________________________________________ A few days later, after such interaction took place, I have come to a realization It seems that what I, Yawue, said in that forum has caused some unintended stir in my world... It has even grown to the point that it is on national news. "This is Bob Kronika!" "And I am Darcy Taypee." "And this is NCC NEWS! The first news of the night issomething is happening amongst the otaku community...? Seriously? Are we really reporting on those weirdoes? Alright. Something is happening amongst the otaku community. Some even call it a revelation from God himself. Yes, you heard that right. A revelation from the Big Guy in heaven. It seems this originated in the chat of a certain forum whose name we cannot disclose for some unknown reason. The answer to the question of ''Who is besto girl?'' of a certain member has been considered so shockingly true that everyone who has read it can only think of it as an absolute truth, as gospel even. This has caused an uproar all over the world, as people from different walks of life find themselves agreeing with that answer. Even people completely unrelated to the otaku world have accepted it after hearing it just once. With people saying that they feel it all over their beings that it is right. That it gives them a sense of faith and clarity so overwhelming that it makes one feel as if God is behind those words. Even I am feeling that as I read who is besto girl right in the teleprompter...damn, she really is besto girl...that" Hmmhow unexpectedhe does seem overwhelmed by it. I am truly sorry about this happening, but I am also quite curious at the same time. "It seems Bob here is experiencing some issues. That is normal, the word of our Lord is sometimesoverwhelming. In other news, biologists have found what looks to be ruins under Germanys Black Forest. They did so while looking for the reason as to why that same forest remains as one of the few green areas in our polluted world. What is interesting hereis that the archeologists and historians that arrived there after such discovery was done gave one of the strangest preliminary conclusions for the origins of such ruins. And that is my dear viewers, that they are of Elven origin. Thats right. As in elves. According to them, underground scans reveal structures like those of elven cities shown in the popular ancient novel The First True Crusade'', an old text found in Jerusalem back in the 1980''s. It is believed to be one, if not the oldest fantasy story ever written, with even highly detailed illustrations of structures and cities of various races believed to be just fantasy. But now...maybe there is some truth behind it all? For more on this, well have a live interview at eight with the three leads of this archeological project, the lead archaeologist Naomi Polo, lead biologist Ogeid Zendm, and lead historian Kalios Argento! Please look forward to it!" ArgentoI seeso the death of his son just served for him to focus even more on his work and leave his remaining daughter to grieve alonenoconsidering the subject of this, perhaps this is him grieving and honoring him in some manner Either wayI cannot judge him as my sins are greater than hiseven in that aspect But I digress. If this is the future that ended up surpassing every other possibility, then let us see if my hopes can be realized in this century. Oh world of mine, a new chapter in your tale is about to begin. To be...continued? Mrpandopool Oh Yawue...maybe you shouldn''t have said that? Oh well, it would be interesting to see what happens from there, don''t you all think? Please tell me if you liked these omakes, they are just three funny shorts that I wrote for fun in between some chapters back then! Theres one more of them in the storys discord and theres also a new Bonus Bite available for patrons to read!! So you can go and check those out if you want! THEN YOU CAN COME BACK LATER IN THE DAY AND READ THE FIRST CHAPTER IN GABRIELLES SIDE STORY!! FANART SECTION AND THE LIKE WILL BE THERE INSTEAD OF HERE!! STILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!! PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO GABRIELLES SIDE STORY! I CANT WAIT TO SHARE IT WITH ALL OF YOU! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado en la historia en general. See you all later in the day! GSS Chapter 1: A sweet and flowery start. Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the rest of Gabrielle''s Side Story right now (Chapters 2 to 5), including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, and more! Now, onto the chapter! And head''s up, GSS means "Gabrielle''s Side Story"! Back when I lived in that place hidden in the mountains with him, the sage, and the rest of his apprentices, mysiblings in a way, I saw a glimpse of the truth that became somewhat of a dark passenger in my life. Whyit was inside that cave of dark light where I understood that I was not whole, that I was missing something inside me. Still, no matter how crushing that truth was, I was not going to let it chain me down and beat me. I was not going to let it win. Uhuhu...I was not going to let it stop me from moving forward, of course not. So, just like him, I always smiled no matter what I faced. Be it from inside or from outside. Or at leastI tried to, but sometimes my emotions would break through that ever-smiling mask of mine. Myit actually happened more times than I would like to admit, but that is alright. I am not just that mask after all. What I feel for them, for my siblings, for my sisters, my best friend, and my rival, is real. Sadly, that only made me more aware of that empty space inside me, of that estrangement within and with me, of thatwrongness. And I never stopped trying to correct it, trying to find the answers to the questions that it made me ask myself every day. I knew that I was not completely me, but who am I? What do I want to do? What do I want to be? Where do I really belong? Why do I feel so alone when I am surrounded by the people I care about? People I love? Why do I feel never truly seen and never truly there, like a ghost? Why do I feel soinsincere? My, they were quite the bothersome questions, but...ohohoho! To think that the answer to them would arrive in such an unexpected manner! Goddess, not even in my wildest dreams I would have thought of it happening like it did. And that it would happen when not only me, but all of us were at our lowest. But I guess he was right in saying that it is always darkest before the light shines the brightest. And what a light that was, a light that she brought forth after we met her and made a pact with her. She told us to imagine and something deep inside me answered, loudly. It painted an image with its screams, an image that I did and did not recognize. It was like something that had always been there and yet I had never truly seen it until then. After that, the light blinded us, wrapped us in a soft embrace, filled us with a certain warmth, and when it faded awayI finally felt it. I felt it so clearly that I could not hold back my tears. I was so surprised That which was missing from mefrom my heart That missing piece It was there now. I was whole. I was there. I felt truly alive. I no longer was a ghost or someone living behind an ever-smiling mask. No. No more. Here, with her, with them, I I can finally and truly... Smile. And my goddessI never want to stop smiling like this. I heard that you two decided who would accompany me by flipping a coin andwhoever managed to strike the other first before said coin fell to the floor. I want to keep feeling this warmth that fills my chest whenever I see the person in front of me, her. My goodness, do not say it like that, my dear Master. While we may have gotten atad serious, you make it sound as if we brutally attacked each other in that small window of time. Rest assured, it was more like a tap. HehI do have some reservations about thatmainly due to that part of the castle suddenly shakingbut I suppose that I can play along since it was something you both agreed to. As such, my golden clearing, Gabrielle, would you accompany me to an outing in the capital just the two of us? I want to keep being able to reach out to her like this, to hold her hand, and feelright. Oh me, oh my, I would think that my answer is quite obvious, my dear Auros. But yes I want to keep I would love to loving like this _____________________________________ Thus, both master and maid went on such an outing, on suchdate, but they did not do so while still being tied to those roles. No, not at all. Instead, they just went as two people, two women, eager to spend some time with each other. They were both dressed casually and beautifully in clothes both chosen and made by the Goddess herself, and she made sure that the colors she used for each outfit complemented the other, giving the impression that they were meant to go together. Meanwhile, their gorgeous and fresh hairstyles were done by different hands, with the Goddess only helping one of them, as the other left such a task to one of her best friends and rivals, a certain redhaired maid, who rose to the challenge as readily as if it was an actual fight. After all, having a chance to compete against the Goddess in something, let alone hairstyling, is not an everyday occurrence, and such redhaired maid was not going to miss that chance. It was truly an aesthetic battle of epic proportions, so much so that there are not enough words to describe it and to even attempt to do so would only be a disservice. With that, it would be best to leave it to the imagination of those who were sadly not there to witness it. Regardless, with their preparations done and having left the castle that is their home, both women giggled and laughed as they made their way through the Capital, whose people, while excited to see them, decided to keep their distance as they could easily read the mood. Well, at least most of them, as the Capitals children could not hold themselves back and ran up to them, greeting them in the innocent excitement usual for their age. Some kids even asked the tall Auros to carry them, and she happily obliged, easily carrying up to five kids at one time, regardless of their race and physique, with two on each arm and one on her shoulders. Then they played pretend and imagined themselves fighting a monsterwho was played by Gabriellewhile riding on the back of a dragon, completely oblivious to the fact that they were already riding one. But while it was fun, and the kids surely wanted to play more, it was not meant to be, as their parents called for them and told them that it was enough, for the two heroic ladies must have places to be, and they had homework to do. So, after a collective aww, playtime came to an end, and the kids said goodbye to their heroes, thanking them for playing with them and saving the city. And just as those parents had said, Auros and Gabrielle had indeed places to be. Thus, they left for them after waving goodbye to the kids. Their first destination? The Food District. Auros, here, try this. Very wellmm! So, how is it? delicious, truly delicious. The bread cone is soft and has a buttery flavor that just makes you want more. And this fillingmmmthe mil cream is already plenty tasty, but it is even better with all these fruits and berries in it. What is this? Uhuhu~I am glad that you like it. That is one of this Kingdoms traditional desserts, the graflen. It uses the specialties of various parts of the Kingdom as ingredients. For example, the special mil cream used for the filling comes from Gails hometown. And it is also my favorite dessert. In that case, you have quite the good taste, Gabrielle. My, of course. Although *kiss?* "...?!" "...you are not that far behind. !! Th-thats!! Ohohoho, my, I jest, I jest! You had some cream on your cheek, my dear Auros. So, I thought it was best to take care of it." "I-I see*ahem*...l-let us go eat more delicious things." "Yes, let''s." There they enjoyed the various food stalls that the Food District had to offer, with both never missing a chance to feed each other and enjoying their subsequent expressions. Normally, one would need to pay quite a bit to have such a buffet-like experience with the food stalls, since expenses would pile up even if those offerings do lean on the cheap side, but, of course, there were no stall owners greedy enough to charge them and they happily told the couple that things were on the house. And when the couple insisted on paying them, they would reject such notion with words as I wouldnt be here making porkopork skewers if you gals hadnt protected the capital. So, please, these ones are on me! Besides, I already get plenty of coin from the green one, so dont worry about it, hahahaha! Indeed. All the stall owners would state the same reasons if given such a chance. The exact same reasons. Thus, they enjoyed such a tasty experience free of charge. Although, a certain green-haired maid had her expenses and comings and goings checked the day after, but that is a story for another time. In any case, satisfied, they left the food district and went to the next stop on their date. Or ratherstops. My favorite spots in the capital? Yes, I wish to visit the places that you hold dear, Gabrielle. Regardless of them being something grand, like the Cathedral, or something mundane like your favorite bench at a park. I want to see that which made this place feel likehome to you. Or at least, as close to. My, my, I see that you are taking your desire to see more of me very seriously. Why, I cannot say no to that then. But having me work as a guide in our outing will not be cheap, my dear, dear Auros. Hooh~, is that so? Oh yes, very much so. You will have to call me Gabby for the rest of our outing and perhaps even after. But I will leave that to you, uhuhu~. Huhu, we have a deal thenGabby. Thus, Auros was taken on a bona fide tour of the capital by Gabrielle. And, of course, they never stopped locking arms as they did so. First, Gabrielle took Auros to a place that she always made sure to visit in spring, as it never failed to fill her with a certain awe. Such place was one of the Capitals multiple parks, and when they arrived there, Gabrielle felt once again such awe, but she also felt both joyful and relieved, for the many flowerbeds that painted said park with many, many colors were still there after her five years of absence and they were all blooming, almost as if to welcome her back. Wow Beautiful, is it not? Yesits breathtaking.so many flowersso many colors...I have never seen something like this beforesomething so magical? Exactlymagicalbut how did you know? Because that is exactly how I felt when I saw this place for the first time. It was like the planet itself was showing me the beauty I was not able to see when I lived in the mountains. Why, that place, thattemple was quite dull if you ask me, filled with the cold hard greys of the stone and the whites of the snow. It was nothing like this. Iunderstand. I too lived in a place more filled with cold hard greys than anything else. Color like this...specially like this, wasnt something one could come by that easily. My, then I suppose the next thing I thought back then fits rather well with you too, Auros And what is that, Gabby? I am glad to be in a place where I can see something like this. Fitting, is it not? Yesyes it does. More than you can imagine. Much, much more. Of course, Gabrielle was not the only one in awe, as Auros was more than marveled at the otherworldly beauty that presented itself to her in shapes and colors she had never seen before. To the point that she even dropped her usual mask as she spoke from the heart, her human heart. And seeing her loved one like that only made Gabrielle even more joyous, so much so that there was no need for her to say anything more, for the smile she was making while looking up at Auros was more than enough. Thus, they strolled through the park, taking in on its beauty while the sounds of nature and those created by the people there became a natural melody, enlivening each of their steps. Artists, children, young ones, elder ones, all contributed to such melody, a melody of living. One that was more vibrant than ever as they had not only successfully dodged a grim fate, but they were also filled with more hope than ever before. A hope that such strolling couple had helped create. And they could not help but smile at the sight of that. Of course, it was only a matter of time before their stroll ended, and it did with Gabrielle indeed taking Auros to her favorite bench in that park. Huhuhuhahayouarent you quite the cheeky one? Ohohohowhat can I say? We were already here, so I had to. Suffice to say that the both of them shared some more innocent laughs before sitting there and cuddling until they both felt that it was time to move on to their next stop. *kiss* Thank you for bringing me here, Gabby. Thank you for being here with me, Auros. But they only did so after they shared a kiss and expressed their gratitude to one another from the bottom of their hearts, all while holding hands and interlocking their fingers. To be continued(cue illustration of Auros and Gabrielle strolling through the colorful garden) Mrpandopool Happy holidays!! I hope you liked this gift in the form of a double upload for today!! Thank you so much for your support, everyone!! Thank you so much for reading the story, enjoying its characters and everything! Truly, I cannot express how grateful I am to each and every one of you! You, all of you, are a gift. A wonderful, joy-inducing, gift. Thank you so much. Look forward to whats coming, because its plenty! NOW, TIME FOR FANART!! FIRST, WE HAVE LORD FEMBOY WITH A GREAT CROSSOVER!! KIRBY AND AUROS!! AND KIRBY AUROS, WHO IS SO FRIGGING CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! AND WE ALSO HAVE EVERYONES FAVORITE POPE, LUDOVICA! NEXT AND LAST FOR TODAY, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PIECES FROM THE FANART VAULT THAT WERE MADE BY OPHILIA!! HERES HIS DESIGN OF THE ONE AND ONLY EVIL GOD!! PLUS, EREVAIN GOING INTO HER MOON DESCENT FORM!! AND THEY BOTH LOOK INCREDIBLE DONT YOU THINK?! PLEASE TELL OPHILIA AND LORD FEMBOY IF YOU LIKED THEIR ART IN THE COMMENTS BELOW! AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH LORD FEMBOY AND OPHILIA FOR THEIR FANART!! IT IS INCREDIBLE AS ALWAYS!! AND THATS IT FOR TODAY!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! SEE YOU NEXT TIME!! AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. Love you all! GSS Chapter 2: A tour through a lane of memories. Good and Bad. Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the rest of Gabrielles Side Story right now (Chapters 3 to 5), including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, and more! Now, onto the chapter! After such sweet and flowery start, Gabrielle kept taking Auros to her favorite spots. One was a small library, which was manned by an old beetle insectoid man, who greeted them warmly the moment they entered. He truly looked like a balanced mix of an old man and a beetle, with his beard being actually part of his exoskeleton, one that showed his age with all the small layers it had. While the Royal Academys library is quite expansive, this place has some fairly rare medicine tomes that helped me with my studies back then, so I used to come here fairly often. And the fact that there are no crowds here was something I really appreciated. Hooh? And here I thought that you thrived in crowds, my lovely clearing. After all, you handled yourself more than well in the ball, so much so that the crowd immediately made way for you the moment you spoke up. Huhu~, it is as you say, Auros. I do not dislike crowds, on the contrary, I very much enjoy being in that sort of situation. But back then it was more of a matter of me being able to focus more easily here than there. I see. So said Auros as she and Gabrielle walked around such librarys halls, the unique scent of well-preserved, yet old books bringing nostalgia not only to the latter... This placeit reminds me of my Fathers office. but also, the former. Oh my, this is the first time since we met that you mention any of your parents. Do you want to talk about him? Hmph, there is not much to say Preferring to talk about Gabrielle or herself, Auros was about to change the subject, but she found herself pausing for a moment as she turned to her date and saw the genuine interest that filled her expression, an interest to know more about her as a person. As such, she gave up on changing the subject andCletting herself be taken by the nostalgiaCwent with the following: ...but his study was like this place, with many, many shelves filled with old books and him seated in the deepest part of it, working or just...immersed in those old pages just for the fun of it. As she said that, she could clearly see the figure of her father at the end of the hall she and Gabrielle were walking in, looking for the next book he was going to throw himself into. And there, right beside him, was a small Auros, looking up at their father like any other kid would, with an innocent love in their eyes and a desire to have fun with such parent in their heart. If he was there that is Or at least that was the case for a time, but just as the figure at the end of the hall, such thing faded away and gave way tothe complicated feelings the years might pile up on someone. what was the first story I ever read in my life that pulled me in and did not let go until I finished it was in that study. You could say that it was the first time I went into another worldor as much as a book would let you. Heh, now that I remember, he would sometimes find me reading that one and he would take the book off my hands before reading the rest of the chapter to me while trying his best to do the voices of all the characters. Surprised that she spoke of that certain memory without thinking, Auros could not help but raise her eyebrows and show a complex expression on her face, as such seemingly innocent memory served as a reminder of both presence and absence. But then My, that sounds a lot like what you do with Ilya and Celesia. Although, you go a step further and even try to act out the scenes. To a varying degree of success, if I may, uhuhu~. that complex expression slowly disappeared with what Gabrielle said and the memories such words brought forth, even if those were recent, that happiness was more than real, and it held more weight in her heart than those other feelings. Thus, she smiled and nodded before replying. Yes...but enough about him. Today is about you and me. That saidI promise I shall tell you more about him and the rest of my family when the time is right, Gabby. Very well, then I shall hold you to that, Auros. After all, it stands to reason that I would be quite interested in the people who shall become my in-laws, ohohoho! Huhu, I love that sureness of yours. Now...what was that about my varying degrees of success? It is almost like someone is questioning my acting skills without showing hers first. My, my, is that a challenge? Because, if it is, then I have no other choice but to accept. It is, so you better be prepared for the next story night. Oh, I will. Now, let us keep moving. There are more spots I want to take you before we tackle our second objective. And just as how he greeted them, the old beetle insectoid man warmly said goodbye to them when they left, wishing them a good day. The next spot Gabrielle took Auros to was a magically floating bridge, which hovered over one of the many waterways that were in the capital. At first glance, and contrary to what the excited Auros would think, the bridge was as normal as the other magically floating bridges that were all around the capital. It had no special characteristics to speak of or anything else that would make it unique in the eyes of those who lived in the Capital. Yet, such bridge still held enough significance to Gabrielle that made it just that, unique. Erevain, Kris, and I would always cross this bridge when we were on our way back to the academys dorms after training with the Queen. Memories of such times appeared in Gabrielles mind as she began walking up the bridges steps and towards its railings, her beautiful dress and gorgeous hair swaying softly with the wind, further enchanting Auros, who followed close behind her. We would normally lean here to catch our breath, or we would sit on those steps and wait until the pain went away. My, there was even that one time when Kris was so tired that she fell asleep and fell over, ohohohoho! Even Erevain could not hold it in and laughed through the pain with me. HuhuhuI wish I could have seen that. And what happened to Kris after that? While Auros wanted to ask just what kind of training Erevains mother put them through, she already had a not so vague idea thanks to Kris own crazy training style, and as such, she went with the other question that was on her mind. She woke up right when we were about to help her out, but she then realized that her sword was missing, and if it was not for the passing merfolk who helped us look, it would have been lost to the current. I see, then that was quite a fortunate moment for her. So said Auros, hoping that her going internally crazy over the confirmed existence of merfolk waifus was not showing on her face. A certain maid pun was even mentioned in her mind, but there is no need for it to be mentioned outside of suchnever silent place. At any rate, as they locked arms once again, they both decided to enjoy the view that the bridge provided for a bit, with the clear waters below giving Auros her first peek at the many aquatic races living in Arte and their day to day lives in the Kyrie Kingdoms Capital. Merfolk. Fishfolk. Scyllas. Jellyfish-kin. Nymphs. Aquatic demons. And more. They all went on with their lives just like those on dry land did, but of course, those who noticed the couple on the bridge could not help themselves and either waved or said hello to them in their various voices, thanking them, and even inviting them to their businesses in the special district where most of the aquatic races lived. Others, like a couple of fun-loving mermaids and a...bountiful scylla, did not stop there and even tried to ask out the couple, but they suddenly felt a chill run through their bodies, which stopped them in their tracks, and made them wonder if the water had suddenly turned colder. Strangely enough, Gabrielles hold on Auros arm had become stronger at the same time that happened, surprising Auros, who also felt a certain chill, but since Gabrielles smile did not change at all, there was no way those two events are related. Indeed, such thing was just not possible. Either way, bridges are meant to be crossed and that is what they both did not long after that, resuming their tour. Thus, their merry walk took them to the outskirts of the Royal Academys training facilities. A place that truly looked the part, with whites and golds in every awe-inspiring building. And of course, it had not only various fields teeming with students, but also various arenas and everything else needed for the growth of the next generation. Despite this, instead of looking around like Auros, Gabrielles eyes immediately fell on one specific building, one that may not be the biggest, but could be said to be one of, if not the most important. That building was...the Great Arena, otherwise known as ...Theresius Arena. My, my, it is good to see that the place where Erevain, Kris, and I always had our sparring matches still stands. I thought for sure that that foolish king had demolished it since it was named in honor of the one person he betrayed the most, the Queen. But I suppose I was wrong. What should we do? Do you want to go in, Auros? I certainly do but Oh me, oh my, yes, I see your point very well. Then, shall we make our escape while we still can, my dear Auros? Following Auros subtly pointing at a group of incoming students that had locked in on thema group that kept growing by the secondGabrielle said that before flashing a playful smile. Huhu...you took the words right out of my mouth, my lovely Gabby. A playful smile which Auros responded in kind. And so, while Gabrielle did hold a certain desire to enter such nostalgic place, and Auros certainly shared such desirecoupled with an overall wish to see part of a real isekai academy from the insideboth decided against going in and even getting any closer, for it would certainly turn into a major fuss that would take more time than what they wanted to spend there. After all, they wanted to keep enjoying their date rather than letting it turn into an official event, like being roped into giving a surprise lesson in combat or magic. Or as Auros put it in her mind, a...mini-academy arc. Thus, they left going into the Great Arena for another time and promptly ran away while giggling with each other, barely giving any time to the still growing group of excited students trying to reach them. However, their giggles diminished as their little carefree or maybe...careless run took them to a certain place without noticing. ! Traitors get dead, get forgotten...? Wait...is this? Perhaps...it was simply fate, as such place was the one place in the Kingdom that still gave Gabrielle mixed feelings, even after the five years that had already gone by. yes. Even after she and her sisters accomplished what they could not back then. It was a place that was not only abandoned and in disrepair but was glaringly damaged and vandalized by a certain group of bullheaded someones. Indeed, it had been purposefully left in that state as a clear message from a certain mad bull to all who saw it. One certainly approved by a traitorous king of nothing. ...this is A place that had felt more like home than her dorm in the academy, just as her flashing memories of the place reminded her, and yet not her, nor any other of the Maid-Knights tried to visit it even once in all their stay in the Capital. ...the headquarters of the Swords of Dawn. Home" As Gabrielles smile disappeared at the look of it, Auros immediately did what she needed to do, what she could do, and that was putting her right arm over her partners shoulder, pulling her into an embrace from the side, and making use of her own height to kiss her on the head before asking the question that Gabrielle needed to be asked. "Do you want to go inside? yes. I know that Luca and the rest made sure to grab whatever was truly of value for us back when they took the provisions for our escape. And I know that anything else is most likely long gone by nowcourtesy of that order of phonies. YetII need to see. Say no more. Lets go. And, having received such answer, Auros stopped embracing Gabrielle, took a step forward, turned around and held out her hand towards her date, who nodded, smiled, and grabbed hold of it as she too took a step forward before they began walking towards the ruined gate of her former home. Of course, not wanting to be interrupted by anyone, including the guards, Auros deployed one of the spells she had created recently to hide their presence from any prying eyes and that spell was the [Shroud of Emptiness]. Thanks to its effect, no one would be able to see them opening said ruined gate nor moving the broken doors to the actual building. Indeed, at most people would see nothing but an empty space and think the wind was the one responsible for those things. *tighten* Neither of them said anything as they went past the burned garden, the destroyed fountain, or the doors threshold and there was no need to, as Gabrielle tightening her grip on Auros hand said more than enough. I still remember that day when Erevain brought Kris and me here for the first time But such silence was already fated to be broken, for Gabrielle could not let it continue to be her only response to what she was seeing, and so, as both her and Auros stopped in the entrance hall, she decided to confront the sad scene before her with her joyous memories of the place. Thus, the dilapidated entrance hall became what it was five years ago in the eyes of her heart, the first view into a place that was beautifully designed and yet was still proper for a Knights Order. The cracked walls wave way to unblemished ones. The two broken arching sets of stairs that led to the different wings of the headquarters were replaced by ones polished and with their vibrant carpet in the middle. The destroyed banner of her former Order was once again hanging proudly on the wall. And so on, and so forth. But most importantly, there she was with Kris beside her, Erevain before her, and Erica beside Erevain. she told us that she was going to establish a new Knights Order, an Order where the duty and the desire to help others was one and the same, and that she wanted us to join her and Erica in going through the trials to do so. As she said that, she remembered how she felt back then, she was surprised, skeptical, and even doubtful, but not of Erevains words, oh no, rather she wondered if that was what she wanted to do. Myshe really took me by surprise with such a speech, but she was not done. She then told us that there was no one else she would want by her side than us three when she did so. And Gabrielles words about that memory were charged with such a clarity that Auros felt almost as if she was there, watching everything through Gabrielles eyes. of course, Kris being who she is, rose up to the challenge without a second thought and stepped forward immediately. Meanwhile Idid not. For a moment I let what weighted on my heart to stop me from stepping forward, from moving forward, but a voice deep within me at the time reminded me that I could not permit that to happen or else I would never be able to move on. And that is true, as I would have never forgiven myself if I had let some bothersome doubts prevent me from saving lives, from joining them. SoI said yes. With that, Gabrielle, who was still tightly holding Auros hand, began moving again, guiding her beloved through the place that had been her home and more of her memories. Why, one could say that that was when the Swords of Dawn were bornbut there cannot be a Knights Order without Knights, right? So, after many trials, we founded the Order, and it did not take long for this place to go from empty to full. Memories of the good days, of the bad days, and the days that just were mundane, for those too are worth remembering. Memories of the first day of the Order. Memories of Maevis and Lucy running off to the barracks off to both get first pick on what would be their rooms from then on and to save a spot for those who would be their roommates, them being Gail and Mika respectively. All while, Kara ran after them, trying to remind them that such behavior was improper for a knight. Memories of those nights when yet another battle between Jules and Louise was fought for the fate of the food in kitchen. Memories of her going to the garden to pick up Kris, whoCafter a night of drinkingCdecided to sleep under one of its trees. Memories of her seeing Roxxy toiling away in her smithy with a smile on her face and plenty of work to do. Memories of Max taking care of the Orders mounts and her own summons. Memories of herself and Erevain joining a lone Evangeline drinking wine at the furthest table in the dining hall and drinking with her despite her protests, for they both knew that that day was a special day for her in a way. Memories of the many sparring matches she had with Erevain, Kris, and the rest of her sisters in the training groundsand the clean-up after that. Memories of the day when Princess Euphemia had almost the whole Order looking for her in a game of hide and seek that had taken too long, only to discover that she had coerced Luca into helping her by threatening her with making her wear cute girl clothes and then take a stroll through the main plaza, all through her secret princess powers. Memories of their meetings in the meeting hall, of those nights reading away in the library, of mementos of missions they used to hang on a very special wall, of embarrassing and funny moments that took place there. And so much more, to the point that when they noticed, Gabrielles tour through both the base and memory lane had taken back outside. But this time they found themselves behind the main building and before what could be described as the remains of an unfinished building. One that had been left to the elements for far too long and was now far into the process of being reclaimed by nature. Climbing plants coiled around what would have been the main pillars of the structure and many types of weeds and other flora covered so much of the would-be floor that it was barely recognizable as one. And in the face of this, of what this specific structure meant, and what was going to be, Gabrielles smile faded away once again as she turned her free hand into a fist and squeezed hard. Frustration. Anger. Grief. Sadness. All those emotions and more began swirling inside her. But before they could drown her heart completely, AurosCwho had obviously noticed everythingCimmediately pulled her into another embrace, a full embrace, taking Gabrielle by surprise for a moment, which made her eyes go wide before she accepted such comfort completely and buried herself in her beloveds warmth. Erevain had plans to expand the Order. Big plans. My, she wanted to bolster our numbers to a point where we would be able to have at least two teams in each major city of the Kingdom posted permanently. And this building was supposed to be the first step of that plan. Can you imagine, Auros? All the people we could have helped at a faster rate? Auros, who kept tightly embracing the speaking Gabrielle, simply nodded in response to that. But just like what remained in our base, those plans, those dreams, were destroyed that day when we were betrayedwhen we were forced to escape Gabrielle My, but that does not matter anymore because just as we, as I have gotten new dreams and people to live for, I also a have a new place to call home. So she said as she too tightened her embrace and looked up at Auros with glassy eyes and a warm smile. "Indeed.no matter what happened, what they did to this place and to the dreams tied to it, no one can take the joyous memories you have of it. Nor will they be able to do this to your new home or dreams. I, we will not let anyone do that to our home. Let alone force us out of it. Right, Gabby? Uhuhuwhy, but of course. And poor fools those who try to. Well said. Thank you, Auros. Anytime, Gabby. With that, they moved on. To be continued.(cue illustration of Gabrielle standing in front of the ruined headquarters with all her memories painting the sky) Mrpandopool Aaaaaaaaaand we are back!! What? Are you surprised that the next chapter came so quickly? Well, its the power of overworking myself and ignoring the pain! AHAHAHAHAHWAIT, PUT THOSE FISTS DOWN!! I WAS JUST KIDDING!! PLEASE DONT HIT ME!! Ahemyeah, that was just a joke, as many of you know if you read the patreon bit, Ive been working on the side story for quite a while, and the chapters are pretty much done, so well have a bit of stability in releases for around a month. In any case, the new year quickly approaches, and I must once again thank you all. Thank you to my patrons who have stuck with me and supported me throughout the year, in both the good and the many, many bad times, I truly, truly appreciate it and I will never get tired of calling you all my heroes. Thank you to all my Wattpad readers, who had to wait a year for new chapters after I burnt out and developed a writers block, and then my tendonitisahahabut I hope that this side story and the new chapters have shown you that what I said last year still holds true, Im not going anywhere, the story is not going anywhere, wellif I may permit myself to hope, then the story is not going anywhere but up, heh. Thank you so much everyone, thank you for so much for reading this crazy story of mine, for liking the characters, the crazy shenanigans and the ridiculousness of it all, thank you. Thank you so much for being the one constant light in my life, you are amazing, and I love you all. Happy new year everyone! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! GSS Chapter 3: A tea. A mirror. Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the rest of Gabrielles Side Story right now (Chapters 4 to 5), including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, illustrated character sheets, and more! Now, onto the chapter! As they passed through various streets and their various twists and turns, Auros could not help but wonder where Gabrielle was taking her next. Fortunately, she did not have to wait too long to figure that out, for when they took another turn a certain house came into view. Its front was adorned by many climbing plants, which covered most of it with their big leaves. At first glance, it gave the impression that it was yet another building that had been reclaimed by nature, but as Auros gave it a closer look with her enhanced sight, not only were all the plants perfectly trimmed and cared for, but there were also various wooden tables in its front yard, and most importantly...there was a very beautiful and handmade sign hanging on the door with words that gave her the answer she needed. Not only did the sign reveal that the house was a teahouse, but also that it was open for business, and soon enough they found themselves walking through its front yard and to the door. I wanted to save coming here for last, but there is no better place to wash away whatever tiny traces remain of thesourness than here. And since the other spots are in the merchant district, I believe that coming here first would be better, as it would be easier to visit those spots while we take care of your business there, my dear Auros. Umu, that is alright by me. After all, sharing a cup of tea with you, my lovely Gabby, in your most favorite place sounds perfect. My, my...then let us go inside. With that, they did just that, causing the bell hanging on top of the door to chime as they did. Wel! And inside there was a gorgeous insectoid woman of the butterfly varietyor as they are most commonly known in Arte, a Papillionwearing an attire proper of the one tending to the teahouse. While her body was certainly humanoid and even had very similar curves to it, she had one more set of arms, which were smaller and more insect-like, as they were covered in a very thin exoskeleton and the hands connected to them only had three fingers each. Besides that, she had light orange skin, light lilac hair done in a bun, a set of butterfly-like antennae on top of her head, and of course, a beautiful pair of wings. Said wings were as colorful as they were intricate in their pattern, which was unique for each individual of the race, just like humans and their fingerprints. In any case, while Auros once again tried to hide her excitement about the appearance of another waifu and maid type, the Papillon womanCwho should have welcomed them right as they enteredChad suddenly found herself at a loss for words, raising her eyebrows in joyful surprise as her gaze fell not on Auros but ratherGabrielle. Or better said, the equivalent of her gaze, as she in particular was blind and relied on her antennae to see. Among the various things she was able to see with those, mana was one of them. Specifically, the usually invisible mana that covers all living things in Arte, the silhouettes that it draws, and most importantly, its ripples. Furthermore, she had learned to read such ripples. welcome, dear guests, to my humble teahouse. I am the proprietress, Danaus Plaexipus. Please, choose whichever table you wish, I shall bring your tea shortly. Still, she refrained from saying anything about what she discovered that had her so surprised and joyful about and proceeded to welcome the two women like she did with any other customer, with a warm welcoming tone and smile. And so, doing just as she had told them, Auros and Gabrielle went on to pick a table that was near the center of the teahouses indoor garden, which had a very beautiful tree growing in its center, and they immediately took a seat in front of each other. As they waited for their tea, the latter admired the rustic and natural beauty of the place with a look of nostalgia and a smile filled with relief, for she was glad that the place was just as she remembered. Meanwhile, the former did what she would always do since her arrival to such a fantastical world, she took in all her surroundings with an awe so pure and a joy so innocent that no act could completely stop it from showing through her eyes, even if it took the form of a near missable glint. Then, while she did so, she realized something, something that she immediately began to wonder about, and in looking for an answer, she began to very subtly glance at her surroundings. She thought she was doing a good job at hiding the whole thing. And she certainly was, for no one should have been able to tell what she was doing, given that she had indeed a certain uncanny mastery over her expressions and movements. Unless, of course, that person was someone who always paid attention to her and had become able to read the extremely quick and subtle tells that she still gave away without knowing. Gabrielle was one of such people. And she found Auros simply adorable, so much so that she could not help but want to bring up the thing that she thought was what her dear date was wondering about, all while feeling a certain warmth fill her before turning into a giggle and more. Uhuhuhuare you perhaps wondering how the proprietress would bring us our tea despite the lack of a menu and us never ordering it, my adorable and dear Auros? Again?! Surprised by Gabrielle having seemingly read her thoughts for a second time in their date, Auros let that out, which caused said young woman to let out another giggle before answering her. I can see them, my dear Auros. I can see those little expression changes you do and that glint in your eyes that shines with all the excitement you have for everything you see. Wha...! My, it should not even be that surprising to you by now. After all, we did have our little conversation that night. I can see you, Auros. I can see you just as well as I can hear those little changes in your voice whenever you are holding back your other side from coming out. Thats ...a terribly adorable aspect of you. One that, why, I love so very, very much. As the sunrays came down from the teahouses open ceiling and bathed Gabrielle in their mystifying luster, making her seemingly shimmer, she said that with her jewel-like turquoise eyes open and filled with just as much love as the smile she was showing to Auros. In other words, filled to the brim with it. Hnnnngh...!!! I love her. I love her...so freaking much! And while said womans inner narration went on like that Just...just...tell me ...the romantic damageif one can even call it thatshe received was just too much for her, and thus she was only able to externally react like that before crumbling onto the table, a muttering and blushing mess that had gone far beyond beet red and into steaming hot red. A certain peeping Goddess even added the special effect of steam coming out of her beloveds head for her own amusement, something that the date had already provided plenty of. In any case, after hearing such sheepish demand, Gabrielle leaned forward a bit as she rested her head on her left hand and moved her right one towards Auros forehead, where she began to play with one of her dates bangs, gently moving it while tracing a circle with her index finger. Then, as Auros looked upwards, the smiling Gabrielle tilted her head to the side before saying... My, why tell when you can taste~. ...that with a playful smile. And with an almost uncanny timing, the proprietress arrived with their tea the very next moment, serving it with a clear level of mastery that Auros was certainly mentally describing as something that would make all followers of the way of the tea tear up in pride, doing so without making any other sound and using her second pair of arms to serve them some clearly homemade pastries to accompany their beverages. Of course, Auros also realized something via her so-called weeb sense and it had her going mad in her now very usual manner. This lovable ojou-sama!! She was so much of a regular, of an otaku of the place, that she has the serving time down to a T!! And she timed this little attack of hers perfectly! Hnnngh!! That just makes me love her more!! Praise! Praise the lovely Gabby!! Not only that, but such thing could be confirmed by just looking at the proud expression Gabrielle was making as the proprietress finished serving them, which is when Auros noticed something else. The proprietressshe seems way too happy. Likenot in a customer service happy kind of way, but showing actual genuine happiness. I wonder whats that about. Either way, just as she had arrived, the proprietress left without making any other sound besides telling them to enjoy their tea. Go ahead, Auros. Try it. Very well butthis tea...it looks somewhat strange with the color it has. And this smell...it smells sour. Perhaps I should add some honey to it before I drink it? My goodness, do not dare to do that. You should try it like it is. Trust me, I am sure that it will taste perfectly. So, Auros, take a sip. Please. ...alright. Seeing that doing so clearly meant a lot to Gabrielle and that she was truly looking forward to it, Auros took a sip of the tea. So...how does it taste? Hmm...it is a bit sour at first, but after that initial taste, the tea slowly reveals a certain sweetness to it. However, there is no clash of tastes, rather...the sourness enhances the sweetness. Hearing that, Gabrielle showed a knowing smile to Auros and said the following: Would you say the sourness acts like a mask that hides the true taste of the tea, its sweet side? ...! Indeed! It is just like thawait...no way Ohohohoho! Yes way! Such is the answer, my lovely Auros! That is the very theme of this teahouse, and I am so glad that I brought you here. Fun. That was the only word needed to describe Gabrielle as she said that. She was having just so much fun. Huhuhuhaha...you got me, Gabby. You really got me. This is...wow. Just wow. A tea adaptation of me. That is something even I never thought of. And Auros was having that much fun too. I never thought so either, but then I found this place. Why, in hindsight it is obvious why no matter how many times I came here, I always felt truly at peace here. Even then, there is more to the teas the proprietress makes Thus, she explained to Auros the process involved in making such unique teas and the role of the proprietress in such process. In short, the proprietress is able to get a glimpse of the many sides a person hasCincluding those that the person in question is not aware of or is consciously hidingCthrough her ability to read the ripples of their mana and this in turn becomes the information she uses to find the best blend that not only best represents the client, but also provides them with a satisfying tea to drink. One thing to note though is that that she can only see the information related to a persons personality, not their power. Because oh my, if she could, she would have most likely fainted the moment we entered this place. Right, Auros? GhhIyesthat would have been most likely the case Huhuhuin any case, while some do figure this out, others do not. But I can assure you that both would say that it was quite the good tea to drink. And if they do not, then they simply do not know enough about tea itself. So she declared proudly before taking a sip from her own cup of tea in a perfect ojou-sama manner, or at least that is how Auros would describe it. Now I see why you were so insistent on me trying the tea first. My, but of course! I could not let you ruin it by adding honey to it! Heh, you call me adorable, but you are being quite adorable right now too. If I am to be honest, seeing you pout like you just did is melting my heart. ! Oh me, oh my! Is that right? Huhuit is. I see. Good. Very good indeed. After sharing such honeyed moment, both women fell silent, but it was not an awkward silence, ratherit was a wholesome silence as they both gazed and giggled at each other while drinking their tea and eating some of the pastries that were on the table. May I try yours? Of course, even a silence like that was meant to be broken, and so the one who the other to the punch by saying what the other also wanted to say was none other than Auros, all while mentally screaming IM NOT MISSING THIS PROMPT!!. ! Uhuhuonly if I can try yours too. Of course. Thus, they both exchanged teacups and took a sip from each others tea, with Gabrielle being the one who So? How was it? asked that first. And Auros *cough-cough*its too spicy, not mention too hot, and way, way too sweet. Oh, shush, you!! earned herself a love punch on the shoulder from her giggling and blushing date with such a response. You are lovely, Gabrielle Aeryn. My, my, so are you, Auros Argento. With that they giggled, drank, and ate some more until they ran out of tea and the proprietress happily served them more. They were truly enjoying themselves. So much so that they simply never seemed to run out of things to talk to. I am curious, how is the tea where you come from? Well, I would be remiss to deny that there is quite the culture around it, or rathercultures, to be precise, all with their own unique ingredients and blends, as well as ceremonies around it, and even ways of serving it. Truly, the day would be over if I were to try and list them all, heh. My, my, it is like here then. I suppose so. Well, except the whole tea adaptation of someone, that is pretty unique to this place, I can assure you of that. Uhuhuthen perhaps you could call that a victory for us. Perhaps, heh. Having said that, Auros then leaned on the back of her chair and looked up at the sky through the open ceiling and let out a nostalgic giggle as a certain memory came to her mind. Heheyou know, my grandfather, Gramps, was the one who introduced me to tea. He would make the weirdest and most out there blends you could think of and make me try them out. And guess what? He really knew how to make them work, they were tasty and refreshing. Plus, it was like were doing experiments and for a kid like me that was incredibly fun. ... Gabrielle simply listened to Auros talk with a warm smile from end to end, her eyes beaming with love for the person reflected in them and of how she once again had opened up to her, this time even without her asking. Ah, but my grandmother, Nana, would always tell Gramps that he ought to stop using me as his test subject or else. Although, she would normally say that in morecolorful manner. You really love them, do you? Still, seeing the shine in Auros eyes, Gabrielle could not help but ask such question and Auros, of course, gave her an immediate answer. I do. Theywere the best. Nanashe would have loved you. And perhaps she would have also asked for a match with you just for the fun of it or to tease you. ! Oh my! Really? Heh, yes, she was just like that. She wasamazing in so, so many ways. My, the eyes you are making now tell me more than enough. Huhugood, because you shall have no more anecdotes from me for the rest of the day. Ohohoho! We shall see about that! And so, with conversations like that, their time in the teahouse went on and ended, but not before they tried once again to pay after themselves and this time it was different. Although, not in the way one would expect, and that is because of what the proprietress did after refusing the couples payment right before they were about to leave. ! She held Gabrielles hands warmly, grandmotherly, and most importantly, joyfully, surprising the young woman, who Welcome back, little one." "You...you noticed" "Of course, I did. I always had hope that I would see you again and to think that when I finally did, I would see you this happy, this true to yourself, thisloved, I could not stop myself any longer, I hope you forgive me for holding your hands like this. It is alrightthis place gave me peaceit was my refuge. You saw me before I could even see myself andyou would always share a cup with me in my worst daysyou would listen to meyou would talk to meyou would be there. That is whyI too am happy to see and be seen by you againDana teared up just like her as she responded to both her words and her feelings with her own, all while Auros remained silent, respecting their moment. Some minutes passed and the couple found themselves leaving the teahouses front yard, they were holding hands as they walked, and one of them, Gabrielle, was carrying a small handmade wooden box which held inside some very special tea leaves, her favorites. They were, of course, a welcome back gift from the proprietress, which the young woman happily accepted. Alas, that was not entirely the reason behind the particular smile she was showing at that moment, a smile that Auros obviously noticed, and just like Gabrielle did in their conversation, she could not help but say the following: You really love her. I dowhy, you could say that she ismy own Nana. I can see that. After all, the eyes you are making are telling me more than enough. Uhuhuwell countered. Heh. With that, they went on to the merchant district. To be continued(cue illustration of Gabrielles I see you scene) Mrpandopool AND WE ARE BACK ONCE AGAIN WITH MORE OF THIS WHOLESOME DATE OF A SIDE STORY!! ARE YOU ENJOYING THE SWEETNESS?! ARE YOU HAVING FUN?! DO TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!! AND AGAIN, IM NOT OVERWORKING MYSELF!! SO PLEASE, PUT DOWN THOSE FISTS AND STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!! For those interested, I actually decided to take a three week break from writing to rest my hands properly and start the year well rested, next week Ill be resuming work on everything properly (dont worry, Ill still take care of myself, and I will not be writing past my normal writing hours, I promise). Last week was the start of this new year and even more so, this new year is the year of the tiger soLARH WENT AND NOT ONLY MADE A CHARACTER DESIGN SHEET FOR LYRA, BUT HE ALSO MADE THIS AMAZING SKETCH OF HER!! DOESNT SHE LOOK ADORBS?! SO FLUFFY TOO!! AND THAT LIL BELL SHE HAS!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! AND THAT POSE!! SO FRIGGING CUTE!! CANON LYRAAAA IS SHO CUTE!!! YESS!!! For those wondering about the character sheet, that one is available right now for all patrons first and it will be released in the storys discord and here a couple of weeks after. Paragons (third tier) get exclusive access to the work in progress version of said sheet along with a couple of sketches of unused dresses for said character sheet. In any case, LARH sends his regards to every single one of you for your support of the story and me, and of course, for liking his art too!! He and I have lots of plans for this year (plans I talked about a bit in last weeks live reading and may do again in this weeks), so look forward to them. Moving on, I would like to thank my patrons once again for their continuous support, as I was able to buy my sisters much needed medicine thanks to it. And believe me, the face she made when she saw it was one that makes so very, very grateful to all of you. You are no longer just my heroes, but hers too. Now its time for a section that everybody likesTHE FANART SECTION!! AND TO KICK THINGS OFF WE HAVE A VETERAN OF THIS SECTION! HELIUMGASSONG!! SHE BRINGS US THIS ADORABLE SANTA MAEVIS!! ISNT SHE CUTE?! I LOVE THOSE PURE AND ENTUSIASTIC EYES OF HERS, YOU CAN TOTALLY SEE HER TAKING ON THIS ROLE FOR ILYA AND CELESIA! NEXT UP WE HAVE LORD FEMBOY AND HIS BEAUTIFUL TRIO OF GABRIELLE, EREVAIN AND LUCA IN QUITE THE NUN OUTFITS!! AND MAN ARE THEY SEXY AS HECK!!! ALSO, LUCA LOOKS SO CUTEAND THICC! LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE HAVE OPHILIA AND FIA!! WHY DO I MENTION THEM LIKE THIS, YOU ASK? WELL, BECAUSE OF A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT WAS BORN IN THE SERVER!! THE SCRIBBLE CHALLENGE! A CHALLENGE WHERE THEY GRAB ONE OF THE MASTERFULLY DRAWN SCRIBBLES I WAS ASKED BY THEM TO MAKE AND THEY MAKE A PIECE OF FANART WITH IT! ON FIAS SIDE WE HAVE THIS GORGEOUS AUROS AND JOSIE!!! PLUS, THE SCRIBBLES SHE USED FOR EACH!! I SO LOVE BOTH OF THEM, ONE LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THOSE CLASSIC FINAL FANTASY ARTS AND THE OTHER LOOKS LIKE PERFECT INTRO ART FOR JOSIE!! THAT DETAIL WITH THE FLOATING PAGES WAS SO*CHEFS KISS* GOOD! ON OPHILIAS SIDE WE HAVE AUROS SPORTING AN INCREDIBLE WHITE ARMOR AND MAN, OH MAN, OH MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN IT LOOKS FRIGGING COOL!! LOVE THE CREATIVITY THEY SHOWED TO IMPLEMENT THE SCRIBBLE! ITS AMAZING!! AND WHILE NOT USING THE SCRIBBLES, OPHILIA ALSO MADE THIS GORGEOUS EVANGELINE AND NERINNE! PLUS, THIS JULES WHO SEEMS TO BE JUDGING YOU PRETTY HARSHLY!! WHAT DID YOU DO?! And thats it for today!! Thank you to Helium, to Lord Femboy, to Fia and Ophilia for their amazing fanart!! Its really incredible!! And if you think the same, please tell them in the comments below!! Once again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you for reading and please look forward for the next chapter!! Love you all! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! GSS Chapter 4: Promised rewards? It’s shopping time! Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the last chapter of Gabrielles Side Story right now, including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites, updates of the next illustration and early access to it, illustrated character sheets, and more! Now, onto the chapter! After some time, the happy couple was able to arrive at their destination with no trouble whatsoever, as they found no more sour surprises on their way to the Merchant District from the Tea House. On the contrary, the only surprises that appeared were those of gratefulness, for a couple that consisted of a dryad and an earth attribute attuned demon could not hold themselves back and presented them both with gifts, all as they told them how they had just moved to the Kingdom to start a family and that it was thanks to Auros and her Maid-Knights saving the city that such dream did not stay as just that, a dream. The gifts they presented to them were both made on the spot by the couple, the dryad conjured up a matching set of flower crowns and the demon created a matching set of gem bracelets. And of course, they happily wore them, with each of them putting said objects on the other while in the middle of flustered and playful giggles. Yestheir stroll to the merchant district was full of such surprises, continuing to show Auros how the people of the Kyrie Kingdom were and how beautiful the world she had come to was. Truly, for with every turn they took, there was something that surprised her, that amazed her, that left her in awe, thatinspired her. Be it a building that had parts of it floating, or the architecture itself showing her that things were not as easily classified as typical gothic European-isekai-esque as she had previously thought, for some places were truly the stuff of fantasy. And of course, the incredible variety of people walking, floating, and even flying all around her. All as a certain goddess poked fun at her for falling into a certain clich she had made fun of not so long ago, causing Auros to blush in embarrassment and W-well, can you blame me?! Im a weeb now living in a fantasy world! Of course, I would still get like this! Hmph! mentally respond to her like that. The words adorable tsundere were spoken shortly after and the usual mental back and forth between such couple of Goddess and Mortal girlfriends started. That isif Gabrielle, sensing that something was going on, even when that should have been impossible, intervened. Doing so by letting go of Auros handCwhich surprised herCand immediately yanking the high dragon lord to her side, not only locking arms with her once again, but also completely grabbing her attention by giving her a good feel of the side of her chest. But that was not all, as she opened her eyes in very particular manner and looked upwards, not towards the sky but to the metaphorical place from which the Goddess of that world peeped on them and said Miss Nerinne, I do not mind you watching over us, but please refrain from grabbing Auros attention too much. It is our date after all. that. Somewhat scaring Auros, but most importantlyone would think that the Goddess would be mad at such words, yet this Goddess was not. Far from that, she was ecstatic as she told Auros how the look on Gabrielles face gave her thegood kind of shivers and how she was awarding her with 5 second heroine points for what she did. On a side note, ErevainCwho was playing with Celesia at the timeCsuddenly felt threatened for some reason, causing her loving gaze to turn into a glare that inadvertently scared her dear daughter and made her cry, which in turn brought her to tears. Lots of hugs and reassurances ensued after that but let us digress. Do you have the list of rewards you wanted to acquire for everyone, Auros? Hmph, who do you think I am? Of course, I have it. Here. As they arrived at the merchant district, Auros answered to Gabrielles question in her seemingly cold tone and took out a piece of paper from her cleavage, or at least she made it look like that. The truth was that she simply teleported the paper from her personal storage while doing such motion. Still, her partner found that amusing enough to giggle and not comment on it. Sadly, we are missing one person in that list. My, let me guess, Erevain. Indeed. Haathat is just like her. She is as likely to have forgotten as she is to think that just doing her duty is reward enough. Huhuno, I do not think that was the case here. Judging by the way she spoke when she gave me the list, I am quite sure she wanted me to surprise her. Ahhshe truly is adorable. So said Auros as she made a loving smilewhich was the wrong move Uhuhuis that so? !! for she showed once again how much common sense she lacked, but this time it was not a common sense unique to this world, and instead it was one shared between worlds. One that also showed how inexperienced she was in the matters of love or, to be more specific, courtship. Such common sense wasnot lovingly speaking about someone else when you are already in the middle of the date with another person. Even more so when that person practically told a Goddess to back off for a similar transgression not so long ago. Of course, it was of no surprise then that Auros felt quite the intimidating pressure coming from Gabrielle right after, even when her expression did not seem to change at all. II deeply apologizeGabby Uhuhuit is fine, Auros. Since it is your first offense, I will forgive you. Then again, one can safely say that she would make sure to not commit such blunder ever again after that. E-erramml-lets gow-we have many stores to visit and little time before sunset! Yes, lets~. With that, they started their journey through the merchant district. Their objective, find and buy all the items in Auros list, items that would serve as the rewards that she and Erevain had planned to give to all the Maid-Knights after their mission in the Kingdom. A task that Gabrielle graciously accepted to help with after beating ErevainCplay of words intendedCin their little game to decide who would go with Auros. For Roxxy, they went to a store that traded with products from the Kingdoms city of Mountain Heart, Roxxys birthplace, and bought a package of things that she had previously mentioned missing. Like some local sweets, snacks, sauces, beer, a special pillow that is only made there, some bedsheets made from the soft fur of the Sleepy GoatsCa common beast that lived alongside the people of such cityCand other things like a book compiling the most recent events that happened there. Plus Auros, this too. I believe even Miss Nerinne would approve. Hooh~, yes, I think so too. Uhuhu~. Huhuhu~. acting on Gabrielles suggestion and totally looking forward to seeing Roxxy in it, Auros also bought her Mountain Hearts traditional dress, accessories included. If we were to describe said dress with words from Auros former world, then said dress was quite similar in form to a Swiss traditional Heidi dress, though it had its differences, one being the number of designs carefully sewn on it, designs that showed just how proud the citizens of Mountain Heart were of the melting pot that their birthplace was. Some of those designs belonged to the dwarves, some to the fairies, others to the humans, and still others to the demons, elves, and more. Yetthey all complemented each other perfectly. This is so well made. One can clearly see that it was made by quite the experienced hands. Indeed, it also seems like it would be quite comfortable to wear. You know, Gabby, I have an idea. My, I was just about to say the same thing. The couple ended up liking the dress so much, that they bought more of them and even went ahead to try them on Ooohh!! So pretty marveling the staff of the store and those who were lucky enough to be there at the time. And yes, there were dresses for Auros size, which was a relief for her. Then again, such thing was to be expected, as half-giants, ogres, and orcs were known to have body types that can resemble hers. Having had their fun at such store, they went to Artes equivalent of a game store for the reward that belonged to a certain maid who was fond of games, Lucy. Said reward was a bundle of different board games and magic games, many which were released in the 5-year period the Maid-Knights were in exile. Nn!! Uhuhu~. Of course, Auros was barely able to hold back her desire to peruse every single one of the products in such store, wanting to know everything about Artes boardgames and most exciting of all, Artes version of videogames, the aptly called magic games. VideogamesvideogamesVIDEOGAMES IN AN ISEKAI!! THIS IS A CHECK! AN UNEXPECTED BUT SO WELCOME ONE! I WANT THEM! I WANT THEM AAAAAAAAAAAALLL!! Waitcould there beCOULD THERE BE RPGS HERE?! AND VISUAL NOVELS?!! AHHHH I NEED TO LOOK FOR THEM! Ah! But I cant! I cant go full gamer weeb right nowand not because of GabrielleI am sure she would accept that side of me toobut because I have a character to maintain with everyone elseso sadand yesI know I played myself. Dont poke me when Im downyou evildark weeb All by the tune of such thoughts. Still, she was able to buy one magic game, stating a certain curiosity for them as she did so, and the one she bought was afantasy magic game. Although, once she read the description on the back of the box, she could not help but Fantasy?! This is Sci-fi!! ?? let that out, confusing Gabrielle and the rest of the people in the store for one awkwardCat least for herCmoment. After all, what is fantasy in a fantasy world but normalcy? And if that is the case, then would sci-fi not be the best to fill that void and be named as such? In any case, among the games included in such bundle was a horror board-magic game hybrid where the participants would be dropped into their worseCyet still family friendlyCnightmares if they did not clear the many fun and embarrassing challenges found in the squares their pieces could fall into, all after each roll of the dice, and a dancing magic game with over one hundred songs, which included both new hits and all-time classics, both were perfect, family friendly fun games for parties and more. Although, in the not so far future, the Goddess, the Villain of Villains, and the Head Maid-Knight, almost died after seeing their daughters play the dancing game, so perhaps it would be best to put up warning labels on the latters box, explaining the dangers of cuteness overdose. Moving on, some may think that Mika may come right after Lucy, and they would be right, so much so, that the couple did not even have to walk that far at all, for the store that sold such bespectacled maids reward was just on the other side of the street, and such store was, of course, a bookstore. Once inside, and after greeting the staff, they went straight to the sections where their buying targets were and grabbed them with smiles on their faces. Such targets were a collection of all the new volumes of Mikas favorite novels and both miscellaneous and specialized encyclopedias. Every. Single. One. Auros, are those? For the castles library. I thought that since we were here already, why not go ahead and add more books to it. And in that regard, choose whatever books you would like to add to it. All books help, one way or another. From those that teach us how the world works, to those which hold stories that can make us laugh, cry, and reflect. My, I did not take you to be so much of a book lover. I am, actually. Is thatbad? No, not at all. Ill be going to look for those books then. I knew that you would say that but stillthank you And so, after such relief-filled murmur vanished into the air, unheard by everyone, except for an smiling high human, they bought quite the quantity of books for the castles library, including various tales for Ilya and Celesia to enjoy, bestiaries for Jules, and newly published research on poison and medicine for Allegra and the healers in general. One thing that was not in their purchases, however, was novels specially bought for a certain Prince(ss), for Auros Hmmyeah, this would be the expected gift and while she would accept it happily, I do want to surprise her. I really want to see what kind of lovely face she makes when she sees it thought that when was about to grab some of them but stopped herself. Their next stop involved the rewards of not one, but two maids and those were, Gail and Louise. Not only was it because the store they went to was one of the best in regards of kitchen utensils, but also because said store was one owned by someone from Gails hometown, Vivliene, and they proudly sold plenty of products from such place. For Gail are the cute cookie molds, some Elder Puzzlewood wooden spoons, a cute mithril baking tray and pans set, an orc-made pastry brush, wooden pastry tray, and a wire rack. And if possibledragon claw kitchen scissors and pastry blender. Thatsis there even My, but of course. Many dragons still think of us as food, so using their remains to help us make our own food is just another way for us to punish them. I-I see I-I mean, there many isekais with mithril cooking utensils but dragon kitchen scissors and pastry blendersthats a first! But most importantlyso cold! The eyes she showed while saying that were so cold! Kowaaaaiiii!!! So scaryyyyy!! Anyway, why dont I go and get Louises gift while you take care of Gails? That way we will be able to move on to the next store in no time. And do not worry, I already memorized what she wanted so you can keep the list. Ehahyes, yes, alrightsee you at the Vivliene ingredients section From cold to sweet in an instantmy heart cant take these sudden changeseven if its as OP as me Shaken, the Nightmare of the Dragon Lords who many considered to be fearless, went about getting everything Erevain thought the Cute Maid-Knight could ask for, even if she hid the state she was in well. Meanwhile, Gabrielle went about happily doing the same thing but for the main cook of the Maid-Knights, Louise, whose part of the list mentioned better cooking utensils than the stainless-steel ones the castle had, utensils that in her case were more general in their use, like mithril pans, pots, dwarven frying nets, a set of dragon claw and tooth cooking and butchering knives, and more. All before meeting up at the place where they would get plenty of Vivliene bred and harvested ingredients, from unique types of berries, fruits, vegetables, and even sugar, to the citys famous sweet cream and Puzzlewood oil, the latter being one of the best oils to cook with as it was not only very nutritious, it also partially seasoned the food with a very unique, yet tasty flavor all on its own. Though a certain poisonous maids concoction could be said to be at the very top when it came to frying, something said maid was very proud of. Either way and luckily for our shopping couple, none of these purchases would even make a dent in their funds, for even without the well-deserved discount all merchants gave to them, they had plenty of change thanks to Auros sweet and adorable volcanic daughter, who provided plenty of extremely pure fire crystals and other minerals of similar quality, which some could even call invaluable. Leaving the shop with everything that had been listed for those two cooking maids, Auros and Gabrielle immediately went to their next stop, a brewery run by an ogre and a dwarf, one that not only offered quite the variety of alcoholic drinksCboth brewed in house or importedCbut also plenty of the best and rarest ingredients that would go with it, which of course included an ample selection of meat, ranging from the usual to the rarest. Such was the place where they would buy the rewards of three maids, Kris, Bertiaand Evangeline. I get it from Kris and Bertia, given that it is plenty clear those two would enjoy the beer and the meat together and respectively, but is it truly alright for us to reward Evangeline solely with bottles of wine from various places? Should we not try to look for something that is from her place of origin? And in that regard...where is she from? It is not listed here My, my, that...is not something for me to say, Auros. Give her some time and I am sure that she will tell you on her own though. Umu, I see. Then I shall not press the issue anymore. Mhm~. As for her reward, why, trust me, she will be quite happy with such a varied supply of wine. Even more so with the rare ones we can now obtain. Heh, is that so? Then let us try and get the rarest of wines to compensate her properly. Uhuhu, that is a great idea. It was said that when the rough talking maid received her reward and saw what it was, she almost fainted after loudly screaming "THE FUCK?! THESE ARETHESE ARE!!", but she did not as that would have meant dropping the bottles. Still, what happened next, the epic pursuit and battle between the alcohol loving maids who wanted her to share, and she who did not want to, is a story for another time. In the case of Luca and Allegra, their rewards were even easier to obtain than the other ones, given that for the former there was not even a need to buy it at all. I see, a treehouse with an alchemy lab in the innermost part of my castles forest area. Hmph, that is simple enough. *snap* Done. Indeed, there was no need to buy it, as with a snap of her fingers such treehouse silently appeared in the best place possible, it even had a perfect view of one of said areas lakes and waterfalls. My, that was fast. And here I thought that we would need to take a detour to find the best materials to build it. Heh, there is no need for that. After all, the best materials for it were already available there. As for Allegras reward it was quite the obvious one, for it consisted of the newest alchemy equipment available for purchase, plenty of poisons and venoms, along with samples of both venomous and poisonous organisms, and poisonous minerals, all to replace those that had decayed over the years Allegra had not been able to return to her lab. Ah, but that was not all since the list also mentioned pretty clothes for both her and Luca to wear. My, Erevain really knows Allegras likeswell, perhaps a little too well? Hm, I suppose that is to be expected of our earnest Leader. Huhuindeed. Still, what should we get first, Gabby? The equipment or the clothes? Why, both of course. If we take this road on the left, we can not only arrive rather quickly to the clothing street, but there are also stores who deal with that sort of equipment and samples along the way. We might even be able to buy the rewards for both Max and Maevis too. Hooh~, then please lead the way, my dear Gabby. It will be my pleasure, Auros. With that, they crossed to the street Gabrielle mentioned and immediately began going from store to store getting everything they needed for Allegras alchemical side of her reward, and along the way they were indeed able to buy the rewards for both Max and Maevis. For Max they obtained various brushes and other tools for the grooming needs of her summons. Plus, plenty of toys and treats for all of them. It is safe to say that the tiger beast-kin owner of such store was very, very happy to see all their stock in both toys and treats go, even more so when Gabrielle mentioned for whose summons all that stuff was for. Oh! Yes! I heard that one of you summoned a White Manticore, right?! I can totally see someone that amazing having plenty of other summons too! Please, do come back whenever she needs more of anything! Ill be sure to have plenty of it stocked! Such was what they said, their eyes filled with admiration for such Maid-Knight, which in turn made Gabrielle think My, if only they knew about the other thing Max was very passionate about. I wonder if they would still admire her with such intensity, uhuhu. that. As for what is that other thing, well, this is not the place to reveal such thing, so let us digress and talk about what the couple got for Maevis, and that was a certain couple of magical artifacts. The first one when turned on would project Artes starry night sky on whichever surface one desired, with the most common one being the ceiling of ones room, while the second one was a camera? This is a camera! I didnt know this world already had cameras! Sugoi! Arte just keeps amazing me! I really love it! indeed that. Although, it was slightly different from the cameras found on such surprised self-proclaimed protagonists world, as in they did not take a still picture but rather it captured the whole moment, granting movement to the magically printed final product. Hm? You look quite surprised, Auros. Are there not any mementorias where you come from? Ah! Ahem! Hmph, yes, of course there are, I was just surprised at the quality of it. I seethen, how about we try it out? And so, Gabrielle immediately took such artifact from Auros hands, made it float with a bit of help from her light attribute magic, and used her nature attribute magic below her feet to match Auros height before *kiss* Wha! *SNAP* kissing her on the cheek and taking the magical picture, all in a matter of seconds, perfectly capturing such moment and the blushing that came after. With such demonstration of its capabilities, they bought not one, but two of those magical cameras. The one that contained said photo and another one for Maevis. After that, they arrived at the aptly named clothing street in no time LADY AUROS! MISS GABRIELLE! I KNEW THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK! PLEASE, COME, COME! I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY MAKING SO MANY CLOTHES FOR YOU ALL SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU CAME TO MY STORE! COME IN, COME IN! I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE THEM!! which just how much it took for a certain overly enthusiastic and very familiar dwelf to welcome them in such an eager manner. AhLady Solmi A dwelf who is one of the very few people in Arte capable of being too much for Auros herself to handle, a group that Ludovica Aldert was of course part of. Oh me, oh my, it seems her enthusiasm has only grown since then. Still, it seemed that Lady Solmis attitude had no effect on Gabrielle whatsoever, as she seemed anything but troubled. Do we really need to go that store? My, of course we do. You might not know it, but Lady Solmi is one of the best in what she does. Why, I am sure that we will be able to get quite the cute clothes for Allegra and Luca in her establishment. Besides, I am curious to see what kind of clothes she made for us. Are you not? I cannot say that I am not curious Not only is the trying on different clothes a must for date events and an obvious check in the waiting, but I also really want to see Gabrielle in different outfits! Just imagining her in the is making my heart flutter!! ButLady Solmilast time I bragged about Nerinne, but I could just feel it, if I gave her any more than that inch, she would have swallowed me whole!! StillGabby in different outfitsLady Solmi interrogating meGabby in different outfitsLady Solmi interrogating me So, as she was in the middle of such great philosophical dilemma, Auros glanced at Gabrielle, who looked up at her and smiled HNNNNGHHHH! GABBY IN DIFFERENT OUTFITS AND HAPPY IT IS!! causing her to finally come to a decision, swallowing her reticence towards Lady Solmi and letting herself be pulled by Gabrielle towards the store. haaI just hope she does not try to interrogate me like last time. At least most of it. Let me say it again! Im so glad that you have returned to my store! Even more so after what you did! I promise that all the clothes I and my people have made are worthy to be worn by heroines such as you! And while I would absolutely love to ask you all about the new clothes you are wearing right now !! Shivers ran down Auros spine as Lady Solmi said that while glancing at her and licking her lips, to the point that the Nightmare of the Dragon Lords was even preparing herself for the worst, which meant another interrogation from the dwelf, but this time I have heard that you have been going all around the district buying many, many things! And most importantly, you seem to have plans for later and I dont want to interfere with those. So, what brings you here today, Lady Auros, Miss Gabrielle? I promise that I will be able to deliver! ?! the dwelf who seemingly was quite enthusiastic about promising things did not do that, and instead acted a little bit more like a normal, respectful merchant, which surprised Auros. Although, she was able to get ahold of herself fairly quickly to answer Lady Solmis question. *ahem*we are here to procure some dresses for two of my Maid-Knights, Luca and Allegra. They were here with us last time. The former has dark burgundy hair, and the latter has lilac hair. Ah! The shy one and her big sister! Yes, I remember them! I made various dresses for them, they are upstairs, but they will need some adjustments since I could only make educated guesses about their measurements. If you can give me their measurements, I will have them ready in no time! Hmph, I see And so, without missing a beat, Auros immediately materialized a little black notebook on her left hand and nonchalantly opened it on Allegras page in the first try. In there, one could find more than just her measurements, one could find all the data she had on said maid, from her skills, spells, explanations of them, and her personal notes about her. Said notebook had for title The Maid-Knights Official Handbook written in English with gold letters on its black leathery cover. Allegras measurements are Then, after telling Lady Solmi Allegras complete measurements, she moved on to Lucas page with the same quickness, clearly showing that she knew where both pages were from memory. Lucas measurements are That was something that the smiling Gabrielle obviously picked up on and understood in a certain way, making her look at Auros rather intently as everything happened. Perfect! Like I said, my people will have them ready in no time! But while we wait, please try these dresses on! And I wont accept a no for an answer! I had them brought down here while you were coming to the store! This is Oh my Oh, and theres more of them! Just give me a minute! I will bring those while you change! Having taken such dresses from her assistants and left them in the couples hands, the dwelf excitedly ran towards her personal workshop in the last floor of her store, leaving Auros and Gabrielle alone for the moment, with everyone else being too starstruck to approach them. Thus, the young blonde woman took advantage of the situation and I wonder how you got all our measurements and why is it that you know each page by memory. !! Erm whispered that in the direction of Auros ear, taking her beloved by surprise. But her assault did not end there. Could it be that Miss Nerinne gave them to you? Or perhaps your eyes are that hyperactive, hm? Thats!! Not at all, as her words kept hitting every nail on the head. May I see that notebook of yours, Auros? And then she finished with such question, one just in name, as it was clear for Auros that it was more of a demand, despite of her seemingly warm smile. Here Thus, having no option but surrender, Auros surrendered her little black notebook to Gabrielle, who then began looking through its pages without noticing that a certain giggling Goddess was making it possible for her to read it by showing its contents in the common tongue rather than English, which made her soul partner go of course youd do that! Youlovable troll!, and while she seemed to get more and more bothered by what she was reading, she was actually just teasing her date, as she could not deny that seeing her nervous was not funny. Even more, what happened when she reached her page would not have been possible if she was truly bothered or worseangered. !! This isoh me, oh myuhuhuI seeyou havethis much She blushed, closed the notebook, gave it back to Auros, and then hit her on the shoulder before you are forgiven. seemingly leaving for the changing rooms, but not before slightly turning and telling her that, the red on her cheeks still not disappearing, landing with such cuteness what Auros would call a critical hit on her heart. Still, what did Gabrielle see that caused such reaction on her? To answer that question, we only need to speak of the images she could not stop recalling as she closed the curtain of her respective changing room, or if we are to be specific, the content of them, as it was something rather simple but at the same time sweet and adorable. There, on the pages that were dedicated to her, were hand drawn hearts acting as a frame for both her name and a list of things Auros loved about her, a very extensive list, one filled with things that were already known to her, and other, small things, that she did not know that Auros loved, much less noticed. I love how she plays with her curls while working or thinking Myshe really knows how tostrike at my heart. Like that one. Such was what ended up landing quite the critical hit on Gabrielles heart. In any case, with Auros coming out from her cuteness-induced shock and going into the changing room beside Gabrielles, both lovebirds began changing into the dresses provided by Lady Solmi. Of course, Auros did so slowly, as she, even after such wholesome thing happened, did not miss the chance to provide her weebs with what she calls fanservice, proudly taking off each piece of her clothing in a way that would make it as alluring as possible before showing off her lingerie with the same pride and ending with a bit of a tease, as she was seemingly about to show off her bare breasts to them, but she then used her long bangs of hair to cover them while making a smug smile towards the inexistant camera. As for why she would do something like thatthere were apparently two reasons. First! As it is tradition when trying clothes in any anime, not just iskeai, ones hairstyle needs to change to go along with the outfit being tried on! That is partially why I let my hair loose! The other reason was so that you were focused on me and not on my dear Gabby! After all, the time for that fanservice is not hereyet. Oi, dont tch! me you weebs! You will be grateful to me when the time comes! Youll see!! Reasons she masterfully explained in her inner narration. In any case, it did not take long for either of them to put said dresses on, and just before they were about to come out of their changing rooms to show them off, Auros told Gabrielle to not fret if her hairstyle changed, that it was for fun and that it would surely please the crowd that was already forming in the store. My, then let us give them quite the show. Heh, with you and I, Gabby, it shall be way more than that. Nerinne, youre up! With that, Auros and Gabrielle came out came out of their respective changing rooms. OOOOOOOHH!! And there they are! Wearing two of our best creations, which were solely made for them! For Lady Auros we prepared this one, Her Royal Darkness! My people and I poured everything we had into making it so it would represent those three words perfectly! After all, it needed to compliment Lady Auros herself, whose presence is nothing but royal, while also showing off that certainly fearful dark side she takes on when going into battle! Thus, that is why we used black and dark purples as the palette for this sleeveless dress! Oi. Kyaaa, Lady Auros look over here! No, please, over here! I am your greatest fan!! You look gorgeous!! Please make me yours!! No, me! Im fine even as a chair! Meanwhile, for Miss Gabrielle we made the aptly called Her Smiling Spring! Taking some nods from the beautiful elven fashion with its silhouette and their mastery over the greener palettes and embroidery! Perfectly fitting the smiling healer who helped save many lives, doing so with a warmth that resembled spring itself, but also the confident and refined woman who did not doubt to confront that trash we all know as the Mad Bull! Miss Gabrielle, oh Miss Gabrielle, smile this way! Marry me!! And me!! Wait did their hairstyles change? Yeahnow that you mention ithow did they do that? Fools! Nothing is impossible for the Nightmare of the Dragon Lords! I bet she is a masterful user of the unique hairstyling magic!! Oooohhh!! And they came out to not only the commentary of the already-there Lady Solmi herselfCwhich rubbed a certain Nightmare the wrong way with the one about herCbut also the cheers of the crowd that had indeed formed inside the store, all as they proudly showed off the dresses they were wearing by doing multiple poses for everyones delight. Up next we have a pair of dresses from our Elegant at any time! collection, Kyrie Heroines Edition! Because elegance is a way of life! OOOOOOOOHHH!! Lady Auros in wine red looks so good!! How can she pull of looking so elegant while being so daring!! Hopes and dreams! Hopes and dreams!! Ahhh Miss Gabrielle in blue!! I want her to marry me even more!! The dress is clearly there to accentuate her natural elegance, but by the Goddess, its so good!! Of course, such was but the beginning of what turned into quite the parade of beautifully made clothing and perfectly matching hairstyles. You know it! I know it! We all know it! When its about purity, innocence and a puppy love bathed in the warmth of summer or a flowery garden, this dress is the one that is always there!! From our Essentials collection, Sweet Heroine edition, a classic reborn!! Maidenly White!! AAHHHHH SO BRILLIAAAAAAAANT!! Such innocence!! Lady Auros looks so pureit thought that was impossible butahIm crying THAT INNOCENT SMILE! THAT HAIRSTYLE!! THE FRILLS!! MY HEARTS CANT TAKE THIS!! LADY AUROS IS TRULY POWERFUL!! Come on girl, get ahold of yourself! We are orcs, we can endure anyAGHH WHAT AM I SAYING IM ABOUT TO FAINT TOO!! MISS GABRIELLE!!! PLEASE, SMILE AT ME!! Kyaaaa!! Let me be your ogre darling, Miss Gabrielle!! Take me to a walk through the gardens of love, Lady Auros!! All enthusiastically preceded on by the one behind all the designs, Lady Solmi. What? You thought we were done after pulling out such a classic? Hahaha! Well, then you are colorfully wrong! Because we are far from done! Now, hold on to something because our heroines are about to show us that they can be as cute as they are fierce! And they are going to do it with a palette ranging from lush pink, aqua, and lime green, to the trifecta of blue, orange and red! I call these and the other nineteen that are waiting to be worn, the Colorfully Cute Heroine collection! CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Ahhhh, I so want to hug them!! Just hug them?! I want to be beside them! They look like they are having so much fun! Lady AurosMiss Gabrielleribbonsmatching braided pigtails And that dressso puffyI can die in peace now Yes YOU CANT, YOU IDIOTS, THERES MORE LEFT! THEN I WONT! One that only kept the crowd cheering and asking for more. Oh, oh, oh! The following ones are very close to my heart! For I designed them all right after I met Lady Argento for the first time! Such style, such presence! I needed to create something that could match that trench coat and suit ensemble while being true to our style! So, I thought why not a trench gown instead of a trench coat? And from there an epiphany hit me almost as if the Goddess was guiding me! I needed to create something not just for Lady Auros herself, but for all her followers! This is what came of it! I call them all Stylish First Second Meeting! .!!!!! Everyones speechless but I cant see why. I mean, theres no way thats a trench gownthats just a dress. Heh, you idiot. Hah?! You said something, tiny?! Yeah! I said youre an idiot, you dog! Just wait and see! Now, judging by the reactions of some of you, it seems that our trench gown did its work very well! That is, disguising a more serious outfit under one that is quite colorful and casual! Showing the perfect duality of these magnificent women! So, Lady Auros! Miss Gabrielle! Please show everyone what I mean! Hmph, of course. My, it will be my pleasure. **click** **SWOOSH** !!!!! I tried my best to make the suits like the one Lady Auros was using when we met, but once I started, I couldnt resist to look towards the fine tailoring of our dear friends of the Demonic Kingdom when adding elements that I was sure would fit our lovely Nightmare and Smiling Healer the best! SO COOL!!!!! SEE, WHAT DID I TELL YA, DUMMY?! AHAHAHA! LOOK AT THAT! SUCH A COUPLE OF FINE SUITS!! You were right, darling! Sorry for being impatient! AAAHH, MISS GABRIELLE LOOKS SO SLICK TOO!! For Lady Auros those elements can be seen in the gold lacing for the vest and the moving embroidery on both her enchanted-buttoned shirt and her pants, all in perfectly form-fitting package made with materials that accentuate the figure while never being too tight or too loose! Take me, Lady Auros! Just take me!! And me, I dont mind! Four is also a good number!! As a demon, the only thing I can say isdaaaamn! She looks so good!! In Miss Gabrielles case, some of those traits are found in the enchanted skirt which changes from an underskirt that fits the trench gown to a form-fitting one that complements the suit! Of course, it also has a fine jade lacing job for her vest and moving embroidery for her skirt and shirt! All while being easy to move on despite its appearance! AhhMiss Gabrielleshe looks so handsome and pretty at the same time*faints* Fi! Ahh! Wake up! Yesshe doesIm so glad we have the same name*faints* Not you too, Elle! SorryFelshe is just tooAH SHE IS SMILING AT US! SHE IS?! AHH MISS GABRIELLE! WE LOVE YOU! Something that not only Lady Solmi was happy to oblige to, but Auros and Gabrielle too, as they were having lots of fun seeing the reactions of the crowd and of each other, marveling at how beautiful the other looked with each dress. Now, let us move on to the classic of classics in another way! Yes, it is time for a flash of the past that is still relevant today! Im of course speaking of our kingdoms very own traditional dress! YEEEEEESSS!!!!! I was waiting for this one! They look incredible! No way! They even have the traditional hairstyle! That one takes 3 hours to prepare!! I heard someone mention hair styling magic, I bet thats it! Yeah, that makes sense! Ahh, its making me want to go use mine too! But of course, we are not alone in this world! We share it with all of our siblings from the Allied Nations! And thanks to that we have come to know and love many, many things, including their traditional clothes! So, here we have our heroines in Zenjis very own traditional dress for the Carnival of the Souls! WOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!!! Fuck yeah!! Zenji represent!! If only our King could see ya! Hed probably turn even redder! Ahahahaha!! Just red? Hed ask them for their hand! I know I would! Well, now that would be quite the thing to see! They look incredible, and the attention to detail on the dresses, the colors, all of it! They even have the appropriate flowers!! You have always been a stickler for the details, but they do look stunning! Even more so with that traditional hair and make-up combo! Please visit Zenji, Lady Auros, Miss Gabrielle! You will love it! Yes, please do! You can even stay at my familys house! We have lots of space!! Next up! From the New Kingdom of Fairies, Faerum, we have something that it would be a sin not to include here! Their incredible traditional dress! Or as we all endearingly call it, the Elemental Dress!! WOOAH!!!!! FIRE AND ICE?! LADY AUROS CAN WIELD BOTH?! Both sidesthey are nurturing each otheritswow Lady Auros looks majestic! To think that she could pull off one of my countrys toughest dresses! Her mana control must be incredible! Yeah, but look at Miss Gabrielle too! Have you seen a nature dress bloom that much? She looks just like our Ever-Spring Maiden! Ohwait, are those Light Blooms too?! Oh my Goddess! They are!! If Miss Gabrielle ever goes to Faerum at the time of the Spring Jamboree, then any Ever-Spring Maiden candidates will have to watch out for her! It doesnt matter if shes a healer or not, Light Blooms are not a flower that appears to just anyone! You knowI may be a beast-kin, but with everything you two are talking about, wouldnt these two be the perfect candidates for the Ever-Spring and Summer Maidens, respectively? YOU ARE RIGHT!! Wah?! LADY AUROS! MISS GABRIELLE! YOU MUST GO TO FAERUM!! And if we were to describe the traditional dresses they used with Auros words, then we could say that the Kingdoms dresses were similar to Germanys traditional Dirndl Dress, while Zenjis dresses were similar to the Mexican Catrinas colorful attire. Although, of course, with their own differences to those, differences that could be found in longer sleeves and skirts, magically changing colors, moving designs, and more, just like Mountain Hearts traditional dress. Meanwhile, Faerums elemental dresses were unlike any from Earth, as they were truly the product of a world as magical as Arte. They brought out the elemental attributes that lied within each person and gave them form through a special cloth, the form of a dress. This was then maintained and nurtured by the wearers own mana, which added a level of uniqueness that could not be underestimated, so much so that there were many unique variations even within the same elemental groupings. Not to mention how difficult it was to wear one of opposing attributes or how uncommon it was to manifest a very, very rare type of flower in one of them, things that only spoke very highly of the people capable of such feats. In any case, as the show went on, both young women came up with a game, one where they tried to see who could charm the other the most. Be it through their poses, their expressions, or with their sheer beauty. Something that only made the crowd even louder and happier. As for the winner Huhuno matter what you wear, you are breathtaking. Uhuhumy, and here I was about to say the same. well, let us just say that it was tie until the very end. An end that came with the expected words from Lady Solmi to Auros and Gabrielle after they showed off their last dress and the crowd dispersed. Thank you for going along with this and for trying all of the dresses I gave you, Lady Auros, Miss Gabrielle! It meant a lot to me and my staff! Hmph, no need to thank us. The dresses you and your staff made were truly a delight to wear. Right, Gabby? Indeed. It was truly an unforgettable experience, Lady Solmi. One that I am very grateful for. Ahhhhh! You dont know how happy it makes me to hear that! To hear you both say that! I could hug you right now! And she did, taking the couple by surprise, if only for a moment, as they then turned to look at each other, giggled, and hugged Lady Solmi back. After all, it was very clear that the joy she was feeling was nothing but genuine and there was no way they would not respond to that positively. Sorry, I couldnt hold myself back. My, it is alright, Lady Solmi. Heheheah! Here are the dresses you asked for! Are there any other dresses you want to buy this time? So asked Lady Solmi after signaling a couple of her staff to give Auros two wooden boxes containing the dresses meant for Luca and Allegra, boxes that were enchanted to keep the dresses in the best of conditions. As for the response Auros gave after thanking those two members of the staff, it was Hmph, do you even need to ask? I am taking all of them. Even those meant for the other Maid-Knights, no matter how many they are. !!! O-of course! Of course! Ill have those ready as soon as possible! I just need their exact measurements to make them a perfect fit! both surprising and expected, shocking Lady Solmi and her staff, and confirming what Gabrielle already thought was going to happen. So, after giving Lady Solmi the measurements she needed, and her telling them that such dresses would be ready for pick-up in a couple of days, Auros was given the boxes that contained the dresses she and Gabrielle had tried on. Boxes that disappeared with a snap of her fingers as she stored them all in her personal storage, surprising Lady Solmi and her staff even more. With that done, the couple exchanged goodbyes with Lady Solmi and her staff and exited the store, happy with what they got and the fun they had there. Finding themselves once again in the still busy streets of the merchant districts Clothing Street, they began to walk aimlessly for a few moments, arms locked and looking at the now reddish sky with a smile on their faces. My, it seems our little fun took more time than expected. Well, it is as they say, time flies when you are having fun. And speaking of flying, should I carry you and use my speed to reach the remaining stores, Gabby? While that is quite tempting, there is nothing to worry about, Auros. I know the perfect route that would let us buy all the remaining rewards before it is time for dinner. Hoooh~~, then I shall continue to rely on you to lead the way, my lovely, lovely guide. Uhuhuof course. But do know that I will be expecting quite the tip at the end of our date. Hmm, I am sure that I shall come up with something satisfying by then. I am sure you will. Now, our first stop will be... With both little time left and more things left to buy, they went down one of the many turns found in the clothing street and continued their hunt, going from store to store and buying everything that was on the list. In the end, it was just as Gabrielle had said, the route she had picked had enabled them to obtain all the things they needed. Well, almost all of them, as there was still a couple of maids without a reward. One was Erevain, whose reward Auros had failed to find yet, as she really wanted to surprise her. Another was Patricia, whose reward they were about to buy, as they had just entered the perfect place to get it. A store that specialized in dioramas, statues, and the supplies needed to make them. And those very same supplies were what was written down on the list as her reward, something that took Auros by surprise. A welcome kind of surprise. I didnt know she liked to make stuff like this! Should I show her that I have some experience with that too? That way we can have some nice Master and Maid quality time! Perhaps even something beyond that! No, not that kind of quality time you pervs! Go cleanse your minds! I meant wholesome and friendship buildingCpun totally intendedCquality time! Wait, is that?! There, as she kept adding things to her multiple baskets while looking forward to deepening her bond with one of her maids, something grabbed her attention, so much so that she did not notice that such loud whisper had left her pink lips. The thing that had taken her attention so suddenly was behind the stores counter and inside a glass cabinet that was mounted at the very top of the wall, a place truly reserved for what could only be the most important item in the store, and that item was a highly detailed statue of a certain legendary Knights Order that she came to know of very early in her time in Arte. Hoho! Pardon my intrusion, Villain of Villains, but I can see that besides yer combat might, ye also have quite the good eye! Thats a very, very special statue of the Knights of the Ever Burning Will. And as she found herself moving towards it, entranced how incredibly detailed it was and the great craftsmanship of it, a dwarf suddenly approached her while stroking his large and well-kept beard. Well, the Order that came before yers at least. Hooh~, then does that mean that no one else rose up and took their mantle before us? Oh-ho-ho, no, there certainly were, but many of them were either swindlers trying to get ahead by using their name or people underestimated the weight that came with it. The weight, huh. Aye, the duty, responsibilities, and all that. Ye and yer own are the real deal though, I should know, me and mah trusty hammers were right there in the frontlines with the Kingdoms forces, I even got to see that colorful lass do her thing. And let me tell ya, that was really something. Heh, indeed it was. Thank ye, really. Ye see, mah husband passed away a hundred years ago, this store is the only thing I have left of him, we built it brick by brick. He even made the counter and all of these shelves. Wowto think this place had that kind of history. And I can see how much this store means to himjust look at the eyes he is making right now and how well-kept is everything, from the shelves, to counter, and the very walls It might sound foolish, but I wouldnt be able to bear losing this place to some overgrown lizards who think they can have their way whenever they want. So, thank ye again. it was nothing. It gladdens me that we were able to protect this place and all the memories it holds. And, if I may, I am sure that your husband is proud of you too for doing your part in that. ! Moved by the dwarfs genuine words and filled with a joy only experienced by those who help others, Auros could not help but smile and say that from the bottom of her heart, surprising the store owner with such heartfelt tone. Iayegah, look at me getting all sappy! Where was I?! Ah, the statue, right. That thing is one of ten in the world. It was made by expert craftsmen of this kingdom and the Demonic Kingdom of Zenji. Its one, if not the rarest, piece of modern paraphernalia of those Knights. Hoooh~~? Picked yer interest even more, aye? Verily so. Oh-ho-ho! Good, good! But thats not all, right? Let me guess, as a sculptor yerself ye want to know what is made of and how, aye? Hmph, was I that obvious? Ha! Not at all, I just have a knack to know when one of my people is near me. Ye know, those of us who are very, very passionate about something. Then you should know best not to keep me in suspense. Heh, then just for ye Ill take it out from its cabinet and give ya a full tour of the making process. Thus, Auros happily waited for the dwarf to grab the statue while Gabrielle watched from a distance at first, happy to see another side of her date, but then she of course joined her date at the counter, for doing anything else was unlike her, and Auros welcomed her with a smile on her face. Oh, glad yer joining us, lass. I was about to tell yer Master all about this statue, but first let me thank ye for saving this city and helping heal those who were injured in the battle. My, there is no need, it was our duty, and we were happy to help. Geez, you lasses are truly the real deal, huh. Even yer Master said something similaranyways, lets get on with this With that, the owner started his tour of the statues crafting process, explaining how it and its nine sisters were made of a special titanotite alloy created by a very special sculptor of the Demonic Kingdom of Zenji, how it took the craftsmen two years to come up with a viable design before even starting on making the mold, and how there were of plenty of discussions between historians, experts on the legendary Order, and plenty of artists who only made that task even harder. Let me tell ya, those basterds just yapped and yapped and yapped around the clock, telling us this thing is off or the horse of the Builder should be more majestic and other stuff, as if the ones making the bloody thing werent fans themselves! Bah! Just remembering that bit makes me angry! Iperfectly understand your feelings. Of course ye do! I can see it in yer eyes, yeve made lots of statues of the thing you love. !! Hm? Is that true, Auros? Can I see them? Please? IIahm *INNOCENT OJOU-You will show me, right?-STARE* *INNOCENT DWARVEN-Ye will show me too, right?-STARE* AHHHHH, WHAT DO I DO?! WHAT DO I DO?! I CANT SHOW THEM ANY OF MY STUFF BECAUSE ITS ALL SCULPTURES OF MY WAIFU! THEY WILL SURELY THINK IM CRAZY!! OR WORSE, A NARCISSIST!! AND I HAVENT HAD THE TIME TO MAKE SOME STATUES OF THE MAID-KNIGHTSAHHH WHAT CAN I DO?! MAYBE I CAN CHANGE THE SUBJE *INNOCENT OJOU-Please?-STARE* *INNOCENT DWARVEN-Please?-STARE* AS IF! JUST LOOK AT THEM! THEY ARE BOTH STARING AT ME LIKE THAT! Also, I never thought a dwarf could make that sort of cutesy face, BUT STILL! Such was what went on inside the head of Auros as she desperately tried to figure out what to do, but in the end the stares of both her date and the store owner were too much to bear, and so *INNOCENT OJOU-Pleeease?-STARE* *INNOCENT DWARVEN-Pleeeease?-STARE* GAAAAAH! THATS IT! THEY WANT TO SEE ONE OF THEM?! ILL JUST MAKE ONE OF THEM! WE ARE IN THE PERFECT PLACE FOR IT, AFTER ALL! EVEN IF I THINK THAT USING MY SUPER-SPEED FOR THIS IS CHEATING! ahemvery well. But instead of merely showing you one, I shall make one right here, right now. "...Auros, I might not be an enthusiast like you, but I think that would take too much time." It shall not, I promise. "Heh, if yer that confident, then be my guest, take everything ye need and show me how serious ye are. If ye manage to do it, I''ll consider selling this baby to ya." "Hoooh~~, so you knew of my intentions towards it." "Oh-ho-ho! Of course! Any shop owner who respects themselves know when a customer wants something. Though, it seems to me that ye have more reasons to want it besides being one of my people." "Heh, indeed. I am not of the habit to explain myself to other, but you see, I believe that this statue would be the perfect surprise gift for someone dear to me, and I am ready to blow you away for it." "..." "Ha! Spoken like a true Villain of Villains! Then go! Show me yer skill! Show me that passion my sister in fandom!" "Hmph, then heed this warning of mine, if you blink you shall miss it!" And so, Auros went all around the store, gathering tools that were similar to those she knew, reading the manuals for those she didn''t know at an absurd speed, and grabbing all the materials she would need to create the statue she had in mind, from paints to a sculpting clay thatCafter a small mana infusionCcan become similar to Earth''s resin in appearance and feel, but sturdier. Then, Auros put everything on the counter and began doing her magic, creating one new garage kit by hand, from the very first stage of the process to the last, giving form to the clay, adding all the details, polishing it, infusing it with mana, priming it, painting it, and more, all at super speed. She even made an incredibly detailed base for it, using some of the supplies sold at the store to give it a texture similar to grass on the sides. !! This is!! All as the store owner and Gabrielle watched it all come together in awe before Thereit is done Auros said that but a few minutes after, putting her signature under the base, which marked the end of a crafting process that had taken less than half an hour, not at all close to the estimations of both Gabrielle and the store owner, just as she had promised. The end product was a statue of herself with the Maid-Knights that went with her to Illumbee Village, Erevain, Gabrielle, Kris and Luca, and the base even resembled the road they took to arrive there. Oh my, is that us? We look so wellbut that placement of Leader and Ineither of us are ahead of the other, hm? Now thatis a tad disappointing. !! By the Goddessthis craftsmanship and this styleits good! Hathank you While she was not physically exhausted, she mentally was, as having to come up with something like that and craft it at the speed she did was not an easy task at all. Im never doing this againlots of things could have gone wrongand I wouldve loved to play around with posing a bit more. AlsoIm sorry Gabby, but I couldnt bring myself to put either of you ahead of the other! Sumanai Villain of Villains, nay, Lady Auros, I must admit that ye have impressed me! This is an already incredible piece made only better by how little it took you to make it. then it is time for you to fulfill your promise and sell me this statue. So said Auros as she turned to the legendary item that had started it all, but AHAHAHAHAHAHA!! SELL IT?! NAY, NAY! IM NOT SELLING IT!! AHAHAHAHAH!! ! !! the dwarf burst out laughing while shaking his head, his words shocking both Auros and Gabrielle. Or more like, shocking Auros, and slightly irritating Gabrielle, for it as it almost seemed as if he was making fun of her dear date, and that was not something she could permit. Fortunately, the former noticed that quickly and immediately told the latter with her hands that it was alright. Ahahahahahasorry, sorry, but I couldnt help but laugh even if I had prepared myself for it. I see, but still, you promised Nay, I promised that I would consider it. And I have, the answer is nay. Its very valuable to me and not in the monetary sense. Said the dwarf, interrupting Auros as he raised his hand. How so? Ye see, I was one of the Kingdoms craftsmen that made this statue and its nine sisters. It was purely a passion project for me, but the days I passed making this thing with the others makes it difficult for me to give to someone else. Yeah, I cant beat that. After all, Im the same, I wouldnt be able to sell any of my statues unless it was an extreme emergencyand even then, it would be hard to part with them. Iunderstand. And hearing the owners explanation, Auros did the only thing she could, she lowered her head in resignation, and said that, giving up on obtaining such statue. Woah there! I did not say that I wasnt willing to sell ya something else! Something that that dear person of yours might like even better. ? This guydont tell me Puzzled, Auros looked up at the dwarf, and he smiled a smile unique to those who are about to reveal something incredible. I just have a question for ya, Lady Auros. How much of a fan she is? Thatwellhuhuhushe is the very reason why we took that name, actually. That is how much of a fan she is. Ha! That much?! Pardon my language, but damn! I guess I should thank her for that then! After all, it made very happy to see people fighting under that name once againanyways, that is what I wanted to hear, so wait here for a moment. And so, after such exchange, the owner left to the back of the store, and the couple were left to themselves for a moment, giving Auros a chance to I am sorry, Gabby. I know you said that I try and apologize for going out of her way to get something for another girl when she was already in the middle of a date with one, but this time Gabrielle interrupted her by placing her index and ring finger on Auros lips, sealing them. It is alright, Auros. There is no need for you to apologize in this case. Why, she might be my rival in many ways, but she is also one of my best friends, and if there is someone who has done more than enough in this mission to deserve a reward it is her. Gabby Besides, I think a statue like this will look quite lovely in her office. Do you not agree, Auros? It was only after making such question that Gabrielle freed her dates lips, but even then Auros simply smiled to her warmly and nodded rather than saying anything. After that, it only took a couple of minutes for the owner to come back, and he was carrying something that left Auros unable to form a complete sentence. !! Thatsdo not tellit is Aye, its what ye think. This here is one of the prototypes we made back then. We sadly had to take the Builders horse out of the final version because of material limitations, but we still managed to make this one. So said the owner as he placed the even bigger statue on the counter with great care, it was almost identical to the other one, with all the Knights of legend present in it, like a certain maids ancestor, but there were some differences in their poses and the presence of a certain equine. So, how about it? Ye want it? You cannot be seriousif that one holds so much value to you, then this one even more so! Besides, this thing is invaluable! Shocked by the dwarfs words, Auros was unable to hold back as she said that, not noticing that she was raising her voice. Hahahaha! Aye! Thats true! But if ye see it in another way, then this thing has no value at all, as it is merely a rejected prototype. You and I both know that is not true! Ahhh shut it already! Here I am trying to offer ye something nice and yer yapping! Besides its not as if Im giving it to ye for free! Auros, you are raising your voice a tad too much. ! Ahapologies, I got too excited for a moment there Ayeme too And thank you, Gabby. My, it was nothing. Having calmed themselves down after Gabrielles timely intervention, both Auros and the owner cleared their throats and got back to the point. Sohow much are you asking for this prototype then? Im not asking for money. Then what? Im asking for this. So said the owner as he pointed at the statue Auros had made but a few minutes ago. I want that statue. The fact that ye, the Villain of Villains, heroine of the Kyrie Kingdom, made it, and signed it, already makes it as valuable as this prototype. So, its actually quite the fair trade if ye ask me. Hmph, that is indeed true. So, do we have a deal? Auros smiled before such question and after giving a last look at both statues, she nodded and We have a deal. said that. Great then! That lass is lucky! Im sure shell love it! Yes, I think so too. Having secured Erevains reward, they paid for the supplies that were meant to be Patricias own reward and left the store after exchanging goodbyes with the owner, with the owner making Auros promise him to come back whenever she made other statues, as he wanted to see what other beauties she made. Hmph, it seems we finished just in time. Yes, but it is sad that we did not have the time to visit any other of my favorite spots. Indeedand I apologize for that, Gabby. I did not know it would take this long. Oh me, oh my, what are you saying, Auros? While it is a bit sad, we had lots of fun and I got to see other sides of you I did not know about. So there is nothing to be sorry for. Besides, it is not as if our lovely date is already over. True, we still have that dinner reservation in the restaurant that Jules recommended. And perhapsa stroll under the moonlight after that. Perhaps in that garden we visited first. I am sure it looks even lovelier by night. Mhm, that is certainly true, and I would love to do that. With that, the Gabrielle and Auros walked off towards a certain fine restaurant, all while the former rested her head on the latters arm. To be continued(cue collage of all their activities in the merchant district! Why? Because I cant choose!) Holy fact: Artes videogames work in a magical manner rather than a technological one, functioning with unique, custom variations of certain spells. Like in the board-magic game, each square is enchanted in a way that if you dont answer the question, it will cast a modified [Nightmare] spell on you. Mrpandopool AND WE ARE BACK WITH MORE SWEETNESS!! DID YOU ENJOY THE SHOPPING?! THE FASHION SHOW?! AUROS SHOW OF SKILL?! DO TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!! I think this chapter was the longest for this side story and that is becauseI couldnt help but expand upon on the fashion show. At first it was going to be a quick summary of said show with the description of one or two outfits and thats it, but then I justkept adding stuff, stuff that was fun for me to write and it also gave me a chance to showcase a bit of the other countries mentioned in the volume through the clothes. Speaking of fun, I had lots of it writing about the rewards for each maid. At first, I really was going to make it so theyd go for each reward, butyeaaaaah that wouldve made the chapter waaaay too long and also I was already not feeling it by the time got to the 7th maid. That is why I went by grouping some and so on. It even felt more natural for me that way. Also, I really enjoyed writing that selfie moment and the crowd in the fashion show going nuts! I also managed to sneak in some volume 2 foreshadowing here and there, some more obvious than the other but still. (If you guess correctly, youll get an invisible Ilya plushie! Guesses should be posted with the spoiler tag, of course!). Moving on, theres no official art or fanart today, but there is some news about the former! Sophies design is currently being worked on and let me tell youITS GOOOOOD!! LARH ONCE AGAIN MADE ME CHOOSE BETWEEN AWESOME, AWESOME, AND MORE AWESOME! SO IT WAS A HARD CHOICE WHEN I CHOSE AWESOME!! Patrons in general will get to see it as soon LARH is done, and Paragons (tier 3) will get to see these very choices Im referring to (plus whatever else comes before the finished sheet) too! So, if you want to see these pieces before anyone else, do consider joining my patreon! Not only do you get to see this before anyone else, but you also get to read the Waifu Bites spinoff, the last chapter to this side story, and you get to help me and my family out a lot! As for everyone else, dont worry, Lyras sheet will be coming after two more weeks and Sophies will come later (its not ready yet, so I cant give an ETA, I sincerely apologize for this). In any case, thank you very much for reading!! I hope that you liked this chapter and please look forward to the innocent and pure sweetness of the next chapter! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. Love you all! GSS Chapter 5: Dinner and… Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is now fighting against a health condition of her own, and my grandmother who is sadly now fighting against COVID while suffering from emphysema. I am truly worried for her and the costs of her medicines, and most importantly, oxygen, are piling up. If you can, please consider joining, even if its just for a month, I want to help her even if its just a bit more, for her, for my mother who is unable to help in this way, and for me because she is a very important person to me. This grandmother is the one I took as inspiration for Auros Nana, and she has always supported me and what I do. So if you can, please help me help her. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the last chapter of Gabrielles Side Story right now, including their preview versions where you can see how the chapter evolved until their final version, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites (and its 6 bonus chapters), updates of the next illustration and early access to it, illustrated character sheets, and more! Now, onto the chapter! Welcome, Lady Auros, Miss Gabrielle. It is nice seeing you again and in better circumstances" Having arrived at the place where they would share a romantic dinner, the couple were greeted by a three-meters-tall, blue-skinned ogre wearing a fine suit and holding a couple of menus that had a fine leather cover. Furthermore, the ogre seemed to know the couple, judging by his words. Oh my, what a surprise. So this is your humble pub, Mister Pol? AhahahaI may have downplayed it a bit back at the ball, but for me this will always be the small pub I started with. Umu, that is a commendable mindset to have, Mister Pol. And, if you were wondering, Gabrielle did not fail in delivering your invitation to your establishment. Of course! I never doubted it to be otherwise! I just needed one look to know that she was quite the dependable person. Why, you are going to make me blush, Mister Pol. Hahahaha, Im simply being honest, Miss Gabrielle. But let us not dwindle here, please, follow me. And know them he did, as he was not just one of the balls guests who had approached Gabrielle with an invitation to his establishment, but he was also one of the several people that Auros saved from being forcefully teleported by a certain traitor king. Honestly, I was waiting for a chance to pay all of you back for what you did back then. Saving us, saving the city, Miss Gabrielle here kicking that Mad Bulls ass, heh, everything. So, when Miss Jules came to make the reservation, I knew that this was going to be my chance to start with the right foot and like we do in Zenji, I was not going to hold back while doing so. With a smile on his face and a tone that showed just how much he liked what he was doing, Mister Pol proceeded to guide the couple through the lively restaurant while saying that, diners greeting him left to right as he did. Some would tell him that the food was as great as always and were not afraid to recommend some dishes to the couple behind him, that is until they realized who they were and got starstruck. Meanwhile, others had the opposite reaction, and instead of being starstruck, they were unable to hold themselves back from the very beginning and immediately got up from their tables to thank the couple for their deeds, and among them there were those who had children, children who did not waste any time to go and say hello to their new heroes, hugging them with the innocent love a child has for such figures. All while the restaurant staff worked in the background, never losing focus, and doing everything they could to ensure every diner had an excellent night in the establishment, showing Auros that it was not just the palaces staff who were incredible at their jobs. And here we are. Mythis place is beautiful. Yes, itcertainly is. Hahaha, Im glad you like it. This place is normally as busy as the base floor, but I did away with the extra tables for tonight since I wanted to provide you with the peace and intimacy you have more than earned. Such scenes repeated themselves until they arrived at the place where their table was located, and that place was none other than at the center of the restaurants very own roof terrace, which was beautifully decorated with arches covered in flowers that let out a certain warm, yellowish glow, perfectly setting up the mood for an intimate dinner. And of course, I personally will be tending to you for the evening, both as your waiter and the chef. Not only that, but the terrace was also equipped with its own open kitchen, which would provide the couple with a view of the chef and the food that was being made. Motioning with his hand to the table, Mister Pol helped the couple take a seatCwhich they thanked him forCbefore he pulled out the couple of menus under his arm and asked Now, may I interest you in the menu or would you prefer my recommendation? that in a more formal tone, showing that his work as both waiter and chef had started. So, Auros motioned at Gabrielle with her hand, telling her to go first, and she obliged. HmmmI shall leave the choosing to my very wise date. Although, not in a way that Auros expected, as she said that with a playful smile. Ohhh, I see how it is, eh. Alright, if you want to play, Gabby, lets play. A smile that Auros answered to with one of her own, holding such thought in her mind before Then, in the words of a dull man who became wise, surprise us. she said that with gusto. Hahaha, very well then! Leave it to me! And those very words brought a smile to Mister Pols face, so much so that he could not help but give a hearty response to Auros before he went to the kitchen, put on his chef jacket, and got to work, immediately bringing the kitchen to life with the many sounds and scents involved in the preparation of the couples dinner. And while that was certainly something worth watching, it could not compare to the vista that opened before Auros. One that shined under the light of the night sky. One that filled her eyes with nothing but beauty. I will never get tired of this view My, and here I thought you would be more interested in looking at me. From where I am seated, all I see is you. Perhapsyou are the one not looking at me? ! Uhuhuoh dear methis is the second time you have struck my heart like this Hehwait, second time? When was the first? Thatis a secret. Hooh~~, really? We shall see about that, huhuhu ! Oh myas expected of that bolder side of yours, Auros. And it was due to that vista that such lovely exchange took place, one that took a turn for the daring as Auros smiled playfully in a not-so-innocent manner and leaned forward while she gently caressed Gabrielles leg with her exposed right foot, having made her shoe disappear for a moment with her magic. A move that was more than welcome, judging by Gabrielles own not-so-innocent playful expression. Sadly ! you will need to be bolder if you desire to make this lady confess, hm? A move that just as she stated, was not enough. Furthermore, not only did she pay Auros in kind as she said so while leaning forward, but her smile had turned into a fully seductive one by the end of it, making her intentions quite clear and causing Auros mind to go haywire in a way that could be reduced to a continuous HNNNNNNGHHHHHHH OJOU-SAMA GOOOOOOD!! train of thought. It was so effective in fact, that Auros even considered jumping at her right then and there, but fortunately she perished the thought immediately, still having some decency in her. In any case, soon after that, Mister Pol arrived at their table easily carrying a silver tray with their first dishes and a bottle of what would be their drink for the night, which seemed to be quite special since the bottle itself looked majestic. Im sorry if I took too long My, perish the thought, Mister Pol. It was not too long at all. Hmph, and even if it was, we have been enjoying ourselves so much that such thing is meaningless. heh, very well. Then, without further ado, here are your first dishes. With a smile on his face caused by the couples words, Mister Pol went ahead and proceeded to put the first plate down on Auros side the table. First, we have Pale Treeshen filets for Lady Auros. The dish consisted of four round and thinly sliced white filets bathed in a special kind of dressing oil with a mix of grounded herbs, making it look quite a lot like a carpaccio. Hooh~~, how curious Still, the moment Auros saw such dish she was both surprised and very, very interested, as the name of the main ingredient and the very clear ripple in each of the filets implied that they came from something that should not produce meat. A tree. Noticing this, Mister Pol laughed softly before he explained his reasoning behind his choice for Auros dish. Ive heard from my fellow peers that you enjoy meat and vegetables equally, so I thought you might also enjoy one of the best representatives of the group that lies in the middle, the Platials Pale Treeshen. It being quite the common sight in the general region of Zenji and some regions of the Empire, its noted to have a great versatility as an ingredient, and believe me when I say this, it is absolutely delicious no matter if you cook it or not. Back home we even have a saying that goes no one is a bad cook when it comes to the Pale Treeshen, hehe. Still, I hope you enjoy it, Lady Auros. Oh, judging by the smell I sure shall. And for Miss Gabrielle we have Being pleased by Auros words and her clear eagerness, Mister Pol nodded happily before turning to Gabrielle and placing the plate containing her first dish on her side of the table. Oh my A dish that immediately brought out a reaction from her as he did. Sea Serpentaquila tartar, whose soft flavorCcomplemented by the juice of the citric Parpla fruitCI believe should be to your liking. And it should also serve as a great example of this kingdoms fishing region gastronomy. Believe me, the people over there go to great lengths to get their delicious ingredients, no matter if that means fighting a flying sea serpent. I could even say that they give my home countrys fishermen a run for their money, ahahaha! UhuhuI think I can imagine that quite clearly. Just like he did with Auros, he then explained the reasoning behind his choice, which this time had him taking Gabrielles and Auros cover story of being people from a hidden country into account, completely unaware that she was actually quite familiarized with such region and its dishes, not only because she had been a citizen of the Kingdom, but because that region was none other than the home of one of her best friends. The strongest Maid Knight in terms of brute strength, Kris. As for the dish itself, it was just as Mister Pol had said, a tartar, one made up of a near transparent meat marinated in a mix of water, Artes equivalent of vinegar, and shallots, along with some herbs and seasoned with a special citric sauce. Regarding its presentation, it was set up in a cylindrical manner with a slice of the Parpla fruit carefully placed beside it, giving the dish quite the fresh look. As for the drinks *fwiiish* *tink* And right after he was done with his explanation, Mister Pol grabbed the two glass cups that were on his tray and put them on the table before grabbing the majestic bottle that was also on the tray, easily uncorking it with his fingerCa feat of precise strength on itselfCand pouring its contents into said glass cups with the grace of someone experienced in serving wine. the best wine we have, Evermillion Fruit Wine. Goodness graciousis this truly alright? ? Realizing what kind of drink it was, and being honestly surprised by it, Gabrielle asked that in disbelief while Auros slightly tilted her head in curiosity, for it was the contrary in her case, she knew nothing about such drink. Hahaha, yes, of course! I did say that I was going all out, right? This is just part of that. Now, please, enjoy. Your main dish will be done shortly. With that, Mister Pol retreated to the terraces kitchen, leaving the couple alone to eat their food, which of course they began to do. This is strange, but in a good way, it has the texture of the jicama but instead of being hard, its soft. At least, in a meaty kind of way and it tastes fresh, like it literally gives you an effect similar to that of mint but with a pinch of saltiness. And that must come from the dressing oil mixed with herbs that Mister Pol used, which is not heavy at all, its more like it complementsmmno, that is not the right wordit melds, yes, melds well with the filets juices. Likereally well. I gotta give some to Gabby, I think shell like this ! As Auros prepared to feed Gabrielle one of the filets she had found strangely delicious and raised her gaze from her plate, she was surprised not only by a smiling Gabrielle already leaning forward, ready to do just that with her own food, but also because it was clear she had been waitingCand joyfully watchingCwhile Auros enjoyed her first taste of such dish, which made her blush. Uhuhuyou were so focused with that filet that you did not notice me moving. I Shush now. Open wide. aaa Auros obliged, sheepishly and unable to say anything back to Gabrielle, as she was completely and utterly right. Soon enough, the Sea Serpentaquila tartar filled Auros mouth along with its taste. So embarrassingwhile I did detect her, I indeed was paying far more attention to the food and she is looking at me again! AND OF COURSE, I IMMEDIATELY LOOK AWAY LIKE A BLOODY EMBARRASSED TSUNDERE! AHHH!! I WANT TO SMASH MY HEAD ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW! MAYBE THAT WAY ILL STOP BEING THIS WAY!!! Okokcalm down mefocus on the foodfocus on the fact that while they share names, this tartar is nothing like the one from earth. Why? Because once you start chomping down on the meat, it literally turns into a mellow sort of broth, which then enhances the bittersweetness of the jui'' Sohow was it, Auros? ! Idid it againdidnt I? Yes, I didand she clearly knows it! Just look at her smile! L-lets justlets just answer her question *ahem*it was good. Like mine, it is a perfect dish to open ones appetite with how light it is. Oh? Then, may I? Hm? Ah! Of course! With that, Gabrielle gracefully opened her mouth and was fed by Auros, who was finally able to recover as she watched her date happily eat the filet, which in turn made her smile sweetly. Ahhshe really likes to keep me on my toes but man, I really am lucky Such were her thoughts as her eyes never left her date, the eyes of someone truly in love with the person before her. And that is how they spent the rest of their time with their first dishes, talking, laughing, and sharing their food with one another until the wine was the only thing left. But that was not bad, not bad at all. On the contrary, it was good. It was...an opportunity. After all, what is more romantic than sharing a glass of wine with someone you love? Even more so, when such wine is as magical as the night was shaping up to be. Indeed, for the wine that had started as red in color and tame in taste slowly changed in both respects as the couple took their first sip, turning yellow in color and more bodied in taste. Hooh~, now this is quite the interesting drink, isnt it? I could even say that I have never tasted a wine like this before. And I mean it! Theres obviously nothing like this back on Earth! Well, I never drank wine back thenbut who cares?! A wine changing its taste with every sip one takes sounds crazy, even bad, but just like the tea from beforeit just works! The flavors flow seamlessly to the next in a way that isahhh so good!! Although, it might give a heart attack to some wine enthusiasts from over there. Then again, its isekai wine! And in a world like Arte, magic was sure to seep into it! So deal with it! Auros reactions to it were the expected ones, as she once again found something more to love and be amazed about the world that she found herself in, a thing that indeed could only be offered by such a magical world. Uhuhu, I wholeheartedly agree. Evermillion Fruit Wine is not something that one is able to drink every other day. Why, I can even say that this is my second time ever drinking it and it is as good as I remember it to be. And I am not as enthusiastic about wine as Evangeline. Meanwhile, Gabrielles were not, as she surprised Auros with such declaration, so much so that she could not help but ask her the following question: Is this truly your second time to ever drink it? My, is it so difficult to believe? Even with my shared past with the others, it is not as if we had many chances to enjoy a luxury amongst luxuries like this one. Luxury amongst luxuriesinterestingthen, let me ask you another thing. How difficult to obtain is this wine? Hm? I would say that it is very difficult, Auros, as the Evermillion Fruit is quite hard to cultivate, making the wine from it very rar! Auros you! Oh goodness! You! Ohohohoho!! And it was then, as Gabrielle was stating how difficult it was to obtain the Evermillion Fruit Wine, that Auros made a smile, one that clearly meant well, not anymore, something Gabrielle immediately picked up on, stopping in her tracks, and becoming flustered at the absurdity of it, but never doubting it because she knew that the woman before her was not kidding. She had already seen her use her power to will ingredients and even prepared foods into existence back in the castle that is their home, so there was no reason for her to not be able to do the same with what was arguably one of the most difficult to obtain wines in Arte. Ohohohohoifohohoif Evangeline hears this, Auros, she will probably faint on the spot. Ohohohoho! Huhuhu, then it shall be our secret until the next time she is rewarded. "Oh my...I wonder what the feat shall be to match the reward." "Well, we shall see what the future holds." "In more ways than one, I hope." Then let us toast to that, Gabby. And alsoto a better future. Why, yes, to a better future. *clink* Thus, with such a hopeful toast serving as the perfect first dish for the heart, they kept enjoying themselves and the romantic dinner that Mister Pol provided to them. A dinner that included a made to share main dish, whose main ingredient reacted in a very particular manner when infused with the mana of people in love, making the saying the best seasoning is love something very literal. A dinner that truly surprised Auros with the dessert, for she thought that she was going to enjoy yet another type of fantastical sweet, but that was not the case as she was greeted by a traditional sweet of the Demonic Kingdom of Zenji, one that was as spicy as it was sweet, and it was very, very sweet. Of course, just like with all the other stops they made in their date, the time for them to move on came unexpectedly fast, but they at least did so very satisfied and bearing tasty gifts for everyone else back at the castle, all courtesy of Mister PolCwho had them made while the couple enjoyed their dinnerCand immediately delivered via Auros spatial magic. And so, with a stomach full and a smile on their faces, Gabrielle and Auros did as they had planned and took a nightly stroll through the streets of the kingdom, aiming to reach the very gardens they had visited at the start of their little tour. As they did though, Auros could not help but notice that they were not the only the couple doing such thing, with many other pairs and more enjoying a lovely walk under the night sky, holding hands, locking arms, flying together, carrying the other, and so on, and so forth. Truly, love was in the air. And it was then that something suddenly appeared in her mind, a little yet insidious thought that made her Haha What? laugh while shaking her head, which of course piqued Gabrielles curiosity and prompted her to ask that. Oh, its nothing, Gabby. My, its clear that it is not nothing, Auros. Come on, tell me. Itshmmhow do I say itI was thinking about love. Oh me, oh my, the fearsome Nightmare of the Dragon Lords is thinking about love? Why, this makes me even more interested, uhuhu. Ahahastop it, you beautiful spring maiden Sharing a giggle with each other, a slightly embarrassed Auros interlocked fingers with Gabrielle and pulled her before continuing. its just that where I come from there is this idea that relationships, that love, has a certain order, a certain set of steps that must be followed and if one doesnt, then it is not normal, it is rushed, and maybe even not real. My, my, and judging by those words, you did not follow them. Exactly, but I immediately realized how dumb that idea was, seeing how happy I am and have been ever since I came to this place, and that is despite not having followed them in that order. And what are those steps, pray tell? They must be quite effective if they managed to put all that is love in such a box. Well, I suppose those steps involve going through many misunderstandings, many failed and interrupted attempts at confessing ones feelings, outings where neither of the two are able to communicate or one fails at making the other realize what they feel. Thus, staying stuck in that sort of repetitive limbo until an axe comes to take them out of it or a natural end to that phase does. Then and only then the relationship is allowed to advance to the next step, from the kiss to the rest. Goodnessthat sounds so sad and painfulwhy waste so much time? Do they not realize that life is fleeting? That monsters, dragons, or even a magical catastrophe could take it at any time? That they might lose their loved one when they least expect it? If even one of them is so sure about their love, then why not try and communicate it clearly? Why not try again right after being interrupted? Why stay in that Limbo? I do not understand Gabrielles voice never wavered as she talked in a tone that came from the bottom of her heart, she meant every word she said and every word she was about to say. being stuck in place where you are not able to be true to yourself nor your feelings, your lovethat is not living TrueI cannot imagine that night when we shared our feelings going any other way, much less going according to those steps Of course not! Even if we ignore everything else, we are warriors who have accepted to risk their lives fighting against the enemies of the world. Doing something as foolish as not being clear with ones own feelings in the now is unthinkable. After allthere is no assurance that our next mission might not be the lastfor either of us In that moment, being halfway to the gardens, Gabrielle stopped and moved right in front of Auros after letting go of her hand. Doing so to That is why I will never stop saying this. Even if I may not know the truest way to go about love, I do know this to be true, I love you Auros Argento and that is not going to change." declare that with such confidence, such genuineness, such pure, honest, love, that nothing but Gabrielle occupied Auros senses, as if they were the only inhabitants of the world in that ephemeral moment and of course, Auros could only do one thing when faced with such strong sentiment. *kiss* She took a step forward and kissed her. She kissed her for a moment that felt like forever for both of them. She kissed her while both held each other tightly. She kissed her and then "And I love you too, Gabrielle Eryn. And I will keep loving you even after our story ends. she declared that before they resumed their kiss. Hmn Nnh Or kissesas the warmth of romance gave way to the fire of passion and rather than continuing their stroll towards the gardens, Auros carried Gabrielle into the empty alley that was on their right while still kissing each other, for that was the perfect place to summon a [Door] and go through it with little to no detection. And go through they did. Thus, while their night in the kingdom had ended, their night together was just starting, and that made the one behind the heavens rejoice and celebrate, painting the moon goldenjust like her eyes. To be concluded(cue illustration of Auros and Gabrielles hopeful toast!) (NEXT UP: HANDHOLDING! GLORIOUS, WHOLESOME, AND VERY PURE HANDHOLDING!) Totally not canon omakes!! 1# An unexpected out of character response: Well, I suppose those steps involve going through many misunderstandings, many failed attempts at confessing ones feelings, outings where neither of the two are able to communicate or one fails at making the other realize what they feel, staying stuck in that sort of repetitive limbo until an axe comes to take them out of it or a natural end to that phase does. Then and only then the relationship is allowed to advance to the next step, from the kiss to the rest. What a load of bullcrap. Eh?! #2 Cheesy Auros is Cheesy: Now, now, from where I am seated you are the view, and the view is breathtaking. Oh my, I knew you were brave, Auros, but to use such a line Why, that takes bravery to a whole other level. Eh?! #3 Totally out character Gabrielle cheese: My, are you a thief? Because you have taken those words out of my mouth. *sudden Kris appears suddenly* Gabrielle, the mil cheese farm sent a letter, they say you need to give them back all their cheese. AHAHAHAHA!! *runs away laughing* You! GET BACK HERE YOUU MUSCLEHEAD!! Mrpandopool Wait dont you think that Auros view about love has become corrupted by her weebness? Oh well, at this point what hasnt been corrupted by her weebness? Were back with more of this sweet and lovey dovey side story!! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! If you did, do tell me in the comments below! In other news, Ive started to write once again after a month-long break to rest my hands and so on! Patrons have already gotten a couple of new and adorable Waifu Bites! Bonus chapters and Im already revising the first chapter of the next and last side story for this volume. Oh well, Ill let you know when were closer to it! Nowtime for the art!! AND THIS TIME, HERE WE HAVE LYRAS CHARACTER SHEET DONE BY LARH!! DONT YOU LOVE HER EXPRESSIONS?! I DO!! AND EVEN IF I SAID IT LAST TIME, LARH REALLY MADE HER SHO ADORBS!! CANON LYRA IS SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! If you want to see more of these character sheets, please consider joining my patreon! Youll be able to see the newest character sheets before anyone else and youll also help in the creation of more! Like Sophie''s...which is OUT NOW IN MY PATREON! And thats it for today!! Do tell me if you enjoyed the chapter in the comments below and thank you so much for reading! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! GSS Chapter 5.5: …a passionate, joyful night. Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing and get medicines for both my grandmother and sister. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is fighting against a health condition of her own, and my grandmother who has beaten COVID but now has developed an infection that might get her hospitalized (besides from the emphysema she was already suffering from even before COVID). It is not all bad news though, thanks to a donation from one of you, my grandmother no longer has to worry about her oxygen and that is something I will always be grateful for. So, again, your support truly makes a difference, not only in my life but also in the lives of the people who are important to me. Thank you. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the next story illustration (and its uncensored version if theres one) and character sheets, work in progress images of said illustration and character sheets, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites! and its 7 bonus chapters, and more! Now, onto the chapter! Hnm Nnm We havent stopped kissing each other, not even to take our clothes off now that we are in Gabbys room, and that is because I just made them disappear. Mmnn Hnmnn We can feel each others skin touch ours, her breasts coming in contact with mine, releasing jolt of pleasure that only serves to increase the heat that is filling both of our bodies. Mnnah! Haa! Of course, not wanting anyone else to hear us, I immediately cast [Silent Room] on this place as we fall onto the bed. Hahahaha Ohohoho And for a moment, we stop kissing, laughing at each other as our now messy hair tries to get into our mouths, but we dont let it. We move it out of the way, and wesimply look at each other. At our faces. At our oh so close bodies. At our everything. And we find it beautiful. Why do I know what she thinks? Because I can see it in her eyes, in her smile, and in the way she is reaching out to me, to my face, wanting to pull me closer, to kiss me more, to embrace me tightly, just how I want to do with her. So we do it. Auros Gabrielle We reach out and fulfill each others desires. We pull each other closer. Hnm Mnm We kiss. We embrace the other tightly, letting her shapely and perfectly sized breasts press against mine once again, feeding the pleasure that is coming from somewhere else, ournmn! Ahmnmour genitalsmnmm Hmn! Hmnm! Hmnm.! Mnnm! Mnhm! Mnnn! ..as we have interlocked our legs in a certain manner, amhnnnpleasurable manner. One where we are using each others legs to grind ourselves toMnMnM! Climax! One that weMNmNHnwe are fast approaching, as the intensity with which we do it increases the better we feel. AnHNnd! We feel goodNmNmn! HnMnaHhnyes! so goodhNmNMMso much so that I cant help myself and I stop kissing Gabrielle only to AhNm! bite her on the base of her neck, that beautiful, white, neckand in response she just embraces me even more tightly, all while the intensity of her grinding grows AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! As for me HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! I do the same. This pleasure isthe HnMNMM! THE BEST!! THIS HEAT INSIDE ME! THIS AHNHMMM! THIS FEELING OF ALMOST MELTING ON EACH OTHER!! I LOVE IT!! OURNHMMNHIPS KEEP GOING FASTER AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! FASTER AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! AhNM! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! HnMNA! UNTIL WECHNMNM! HNMNAmNnNIm! AHHNMMMmnNnNme too! UNTIL WE!! AaAAaAHHNnNHnhHA..! NhmMnNMNNHnhHaAH! climax "Ha...haAhNmMMmm" "Ha...mNmhNhmnNMnn" and we climax again mMhHMmm nnHnMhNm and againtwitching and arching inwards until haha Hahhah our bodies relaxand what is left is that pleasurable afterglow and the conversation that comes with it "That feltgood..." "Uhuhu...yesvery. That biteI did not know you were one to do so. Perhaps, I should have expected it? HehI can assure youme being a dragon lord has nothing to do with it. Really? Well, be that as it mayI liked it. Oofthe face she is making nowthat provocative smileits making that itch inside me return and with a vengeance Huhuis that so? Yes, but it made this feel a little one-sided, dont you think? That is whyuhuhu ? This ojou-samanot only did she just push me a bit so that Im lying fully on the bed instead of resting on my side, but she is now on top of me too, letting me see her full naked body even better, and she is so hot But still.what is she planning? I shall make you feel much, much betterAuros." Interesting... "Hooh~~, and how will you do that, my lovely Gabrielle?" "You will seebut I need to ask you a couple of things first" Ok...my curiosity about this is certainly increasing "...and those are?" ...so I ask that while I sit on the bed and begin kissing her body, from her chest to her stomach. "...first I need you to look me in the eyes while answering" "...done" Correction. Something that I was doing but now I''m resting my head on her perfectly sized chest while looking up at her. "...uhuhu...no Auros...I want to see your face completely when I ask you this " "...very well" Correction, again. I was resting my head on her perfectly sized chest while looking up at her, but now I have pulled from said chest and leaned a bit backwards, fulfilling her request. "Good. This way I will know if you are lying for my sake or acting strong...and this is no time for masks now...it is a time for us...yes?" "...alright. Is this better, Gabrielle?" So I say while letting go of my Edge Alter tone completely and letting my tone, my voice take over "Much better, Auros. I love this voice of yours so much. Why, I would love to hear you speak with it all day" "...!!" Hearing her say that is so embarrassing...I''m blushing so hard right now... "...but I digress. First question, are you comfortable using magic for sex?" "...! That''s...I" Oh mydid I take you by surprise? !! Errahmmy-yesyes, you did. Ohohohogoodness! You are so adorable! !!! F-Fool! I-Its not as if I mean to! GAHHHHHH!! STOOOOP!! I know communication is essential in this, but I was virgin until not too long ago! Of course, Im going to be surprised if you are that direct!! AND OF COURSE, I DIDNT TELL YOU ANY OF THIS BECAUSE I NOT ONLY TURNED COMPLETELY RED, BUT I ALSO LOOKED AWAY WHILE SAYING THOSE TSUNDERE THINGS!! Ahhyou are so full of surprises, Auros you too My, but of course. Im still so redahhhhhI need to calm down Still, I want you to know that it is alright. There is nothing to be embarrassed about and there is no wrong answer here. You can be honest. And she immediately notices that and helps me do just that with her words and soft tone. "...I...to be honest...I have no experience with it...I have never used it like that " She calms me down enough to answer her, honestly. "I see...would you like to try?" "I...yes" "Uhuhu...then let''s go to the second and last question...do you trust me?" "Of course I do" "Then...lie down completely and relax I do as she says and lie down completely on the bed before taking a deep breath and relaxing as much as I can. Although, I do have to admit that Im experiencing that strange reticence one has when doing something outside of what they are used to Don''t worry, this will not hurt...it will only feel good, very good. I promise." and once again, Gabrielle calms me down right away, having clearly noticed what I was feeling. I will start now, alright? Yes *fwosh* I nod and she makes a small orb of light attribute mana appear on the palm of her hand. Itsdifferent from the ones she used back then when we had our dance. For one, its not moving freely and instead its being gently pushed by Gabrielle towards ? towards ?! .my womHNMN?! AHNM?!! This is what we callmana insertion. Only those who have a good control of their mana can do this without it simply being absorbed by their partners body. NMNMHHNOT MmnMNMnmMY WOMB! B-B-BELOW IT! INNHNNSIDE MY V!! AHNNMN!! AHNNMN!! And in turn, that allows them to control it however they like while still inside. They can not only make it denser, but they can also make it move AHNNMN!! AHNNMN!! AHNNMN!! MOVINNGHH!! and even make it so it touches every single sensitive spot at the same time while doing so. AHIINNMN!! AHIINNMN!! AHIINNMN!! AHIINNMN!! AHIINNMN!! FILLINNGHH ME!! Uhuhubut that is not all, as us healers can go a step further and even add a certainaphrodisiac effect to it on command. Like this. !!! AHHHHNMMNAAAHHH!! AHHNMM!! AHNMMMMN!! CUMMING!! IM CUMMING REPEKUHH! REPEATEDNNHMMNGH!! MINNGHGHH!! BLANK!! Oh me, oh my, it seems it was quite effective. And here I was worrying you might resist it completely and I would need to something else to complement the pleasure you are feeling now. AHHHHNMMNHHH!! AHHNMM!! AHNMMMMN!! AHHNMM!! I CAHNMMMNNT FOCUHHNAAAH!!! TOO MUGNHHMMMM!! Then again, I suppose I can still do that. After all, these bouncing breasts of yours have always been pretty alluring to meso much so that I just cannot seem to resist wanting to IS SHE? W-WAIT! IM TOO SENSITIVE RIGHTAAHHHNNNMM! SUCKINNNHHNMMMN ON THEM!! SHE GRABBED THEM BOTH AND IS SUCKING ON THEM WHILE STILL MOVING THE MANA SHE PUT INSIDE ME WITH HER MIND OR WHATEVER!! AHHHHNMMNHHH!! HAHHNMM!! AHNMMMMN!! HAHHNMM!! AHHNMMM I CANT STOP IT!! IT FEEL SO GOOD! MY HIPS ARE MOVING ALONG WITH THE MANA, MY LEGS HAVE TRAPPED GABRIELLE, AND I CANT STOP MYSELF FROM MOANING AND MAKING SOME PLEASURE FILLED FACE! EVERY THRUST I FEEL INSIDE ME JUST FILLS ME WITH SO MUCH PLEASURE, WHICH IS MULTIPLIED BY WHAT GABRIELLE IS DOING TO MY BREASTS, I CAN FEEL HER TONGUE PLAYING WITH MY NIPPLES BEFORE SHE STARTS TOHIIINH!! SUCK ON THEM AGAIN! HAHHHHNMMNHHH!! AHHNMM!! HAHNMMMMN!! AHHNMM!! MNNNAHH!! AHHNMNNM!! BIG!! SOMETHING!! CU!! MMMMMMMMNNNNNNGGGGGHHAAAAAAA!! HNNHHGHAAAA! HHANMM!! HAAH! C!! HAANM!! HAaAnmM! hHhaAanmhaa Imy mindit really wentblankhnm! Stilltwitching! Jolts of pleasure!! Everything down there feelsso wet Uhuhu And Gabrielleis now lying on top of mestaring at me with those turquoise eyes of hers while smilingand Im so sensitive now that even just the feeling of her bodyhnmMnis keeping the pleasure from going awayand thats "so, Auros, how did it feel?" "...good...ha...ha...hmNnHMn...so good" yesit felt so goodso good that II want morehnmnm Oh myso you want more? But then, what about me, Auros? thathnnmmcan be arranged *fwosh* *fwosh* !! Auros you Yes I just made two orbs of light attribute mana appear right above ushnnmnand yes they are just like the one you used, Gabrielle. You should already know that Im quite good when it comes to magic, huhuhu. But that is not all Not at all [Pleasurable Hands] ?! This is?! HnmMn?! Im now gently caressing Gabrielles back while my skill is active, tracing my fingers all throughout her spine, sending waves of pleasure all throughout her body and then I Come here *kiss* start kissing her before making the orbs float right MNNNMM!! HNNMMMN!! IN!! MNNNMMNAH!! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! HMMNNAH!! HNAH! HMNAH! HMMNAH! Of course, as INhMMNHNstart imitating what GabrielleAHnmhndid with the orbs, we stop kissing each other, our moans refusing to be held baAHNMNMMMN! GOOOOD!! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! HMNAH!! HMNAH! HMNAH! HMNAH! SO HNMNNNN!! GOOD!! THE PLEASURE FILLS US AS WE NOT ONNHnHnmNNLY EMBRACE EACH OTHER TIGHTLY!! BUT THAT DOESNT LAST LONHNNHG, AS THEHNMNmNnmNnNNMMOVERWHELMING PLEASURE ROBS US OF ALL STRENGTH AND GABRIELLE FALLS RIGHT BESIDE MEAHHNMM!! BUT THAT IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE BECAUSE THAT WAY I CAN USE MY RIGHT HANNMNND TO PLEASURE HER THERE FROM THE OUTSIDE! AUROS.HAAAHAHNMNNMAUROS! HNNMMNMNM! GABRIELLEAHHNMMNM.!! AHHNNNMMM!! AND SHE IS DOING THE SAME WITH ME!! SHE IS EVENNNNGHH USING THE SAME APHRODISIAC EFFECT SHE USED BEFORE, JUST LIKE I AM USING MY [PLEASURABLE HANNNMNNDS]! OUR FINGERS GOING FOR THE SAME SPOT, THAT PART ONNHHNMNLY MEANT FOR PLEASURE AND WE HMNAAAHHH!! HMNAH! HMNAH! HMNAH! AHHNNNNM!! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! PINCH IT WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNNNNT OF PRESSURE, LEAVING LIKE THAT FOR A MOMENT WHILE I MAKE THE MANA INSIDE US GO FASTER AND FASTER! ITS ALMOST AS IF WERE IN SYNC WITH EACH OTHER! HMNAH! HMNAH! HMNAH! HMNAH! HMNAH! HMNAH! AUROSIM!! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! AHNM! METOO!! WE BOTH CAN FEEL IT! ITS COMING!! SO WE !! !! LET GO FROM PRESSURING THAT AND WE HNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGHAAAAAAA!! HAAAA!! MNNNNMMAAAAHHHH!! AHHHHHHNNNNNHNNHGHHAAAHH!! HAAAA!! AAHNNNNNGHHHHHH!! REACH THAANNNNGHHHAAA!!! MNMNmnNmnmNAHahaaahaaaNnNM. AHHNnHnmnNmmhaaaahhmMnm we reached that placewe reached it with such intensity that everything is fuzzy nowour breathing is equally ragged, and we are covered in sweat Haahaa Haaahaaa HeckI could swear that our breath is visible right now. That wasamazingAuros Hahayeahbut we are a mess now My, my, that is just proof of how much fun we have, dont you think? Heh, truevery true Regardless of all that, however, we turn to look at each other and we start talking just like before. Now, hug me while I rest in my favorite place And that is right between my breasts? Of course. Did I not tell you that I adore them? I do remember you saying something like that, yes. Uhuhuthen there is nothing else to explain. Well, I guess not, heh. There, you even get a kiss on the head. Uhuhuthank you. You are welcome. Although, I would love if we traded places some time, you know? Why, I will always welcome you into my bosom. You only need to ask. Really? Then can I do it now? Oh no, I am quite comfortable right now, so I cannot give you that pleasure. Ah, so its like that, huh. You are quite the pervert. My, I do not know what you are talking about. I am just not holding back anymore. I can finally live as I want, so I will live with no holds barred. Do you dislike that? HA! As if! I love it. Keep making me swoon and blush as much as youd like. After all, if you are happy, I am happy. I shall take you on your word then, so you best be prepared as today was just a taste. Heh, then I cant wait for the main course. __________________________________________________ After that, there was no need for words, we simply decided to savor the moment and each others company for what seemed for hours but were just minutes. Still silence did reign in the room. Auros That isuntil now that Gabrielle has called out to me who is still hugging her. Yes? I say softly. I am happyI am truly happy So am I And so, with a genuine smile on both of our faces, we slowly fall asleep. The end. (Cue all maids wearing their new dresses for a group photo the next day, and in the very center, Gabrielle, with a shining smile that made one thing very clear, she was truly enjoying her life) (Next up: LAST SIDE STORY OF VOLUME 1! OH AND BE SURE TO READ IT BECAUSE VOLUME 2 PICKS UP RIGHT AFTER IT!) Mrpandopool AND WE ARE BACK!! DID YOU LIKE THIS PURE AND WHOLESOME CHAPTER?! ONE FULL OF HANDHOLDING AND JUST HANDHOLDING!! YEAH, ITS NOT AS IF CERTAIN IMPORTANT MYSTERIOUS PATRONS KEPT POKING ME FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THIS TYPE TO BE MUCH LONGER! NOT AT ALL! AHAHAHAHAHAHA..hahahaha A-anywayslike you saw in the parenthesis bit, the next side story is going to be the last bit of content for volume 1! Despite some stress related breaks, Ive been taking due to my grandmas situation, the first chapter is already in the process of being revised. So please look forward to it! Ill try to release it as soon as I can while taking care of my hands! Also, I forgot to mention another thing that will come after the next side story ends and thatsTHE NEXT POPULARITY POLL! YES! FINALLY!! AND IF THINGS GO WELL, I HOPE I CAN PROMISE YOU THE SAME DEAL THAT WE HAD IN THE FIRST ONE! MEANING THAT THE WINNER WILL NOT ONLY BE SKETCHED BY LARH, BUT THEY WOULD ALSO GET A SIDE STORY! JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS WINNER, GABRIELLE!! Moving on, its time for fanart! And this time we have a slew of fanart made by none other than our dear Ophilia from the discord server!! AND MAN, ARE THEY GOOD!!! FIRST, WE HAVE THIS ADORABLE EREVAIN WHO LOOKS QUITEembarrassed? Sad? HmmLETS GO WITH ADORABLY EMBARRASSED!! SHO CUTE!! THAT EXPRESSION IS JUSTOOF!! NEXT WE HAVE THIS FIERCE AND GORGEOUS KRIS IN BOTH COLOR AND GREYSCALE!!! AHHHH SHE LOOKS FRIGGING COOL!! OPHI TRULY NAILED HER HERE!! COMING UP AFTER KRIS, WE HAVE NONE OTHER THAN MIKA!! AND MAN, SHE LOOKS SO BADASS HERE!! SHOWING THAT CASTERS ARE NOT PUSHOVERS AT ALL!! I MEAN, LOOK AT THAT COOL HEADED EXPRESSION, JUSTHNNNGH!! PERFECT! OF COURSE, THIS WOULDNT BE AN OPHILIA FANART SECTION WITHOUT SOME EVANGELINE AND OPHI DELIVERED ONCE AGAIN WITH A GORGEOUS EVANGELINE! AND THIS TIME OPHILIA DREW HER OUT OF A SCRIBBLE THEY MADE!! AND JUST AS ALWAYS, SHE LOOKS AMAZING!! AND LASTLY, WE HAVE OUR LOVELY AND VERY, VERY HOTLY DRAWN AUROS!! THIS TIME OPHILIA DECIDED TO GIVE HER QUITE THE MUSCLE TONE AND PHEWSHE LOOKS DAMN GOOD!! But, what do you think?! Did you like Ophilias fanart? Do tell me in the comments below!! And thank you so much for your incredible fanart, Ophilia! You are amazing! In any case, thats it for today! I hope you liked the chapter and, again, please look forward to the next side story and the readathon! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! ESS Chapter 1: Time to go to sleep…but not before a bedtime story! Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support literally made a difference, as without you it would have been literally impossible for me to continue writing and get medicines for both my grandmother and sister. For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my sister, who is fighting against a health condition of her own, and my grandmother who has beaten COVID and now is fighting the infection it left her with (and winning!! More info at the end of the chapter). And that is besides from the emphysema she was already suffering from even before COVID. It is not all bad news though, thanks to a donation from one of you and the continuous support of my patreons, my grandmother hasnt needed to worry about her oxygen or her meds during this time and that is something I will always be grateful for. So, again, your support truly makes a difference, not only in my life but also in the lives of the people who are important to me. Thank you. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the next story illustration (and its uncensored version if theres one) and character sheets, work in progress images of said illustration and character sheets, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites! and its 10 bonus chapters (with one more already in the making), and more! Now, onto the chapter! And head''s up, ESS means "Euphemia Side Story"! *yawn* M?omm?omsleepyyy Hm? AH! Why are you here at this hour?! Huh? You just arrived? Wait...you weren''t here while I was doing all the important stuff in the Kyrie Kingdom? You weren''t? Aliens confused you? What? Are you telling me that I painstakingly narrated the entire alliance ceremony with the Church up to the tiniest detail and you weren''t there? Because of aliens? Really?! What videogame was it?! Oh well...what''s done is done... But stillIm sorry to tell you that compared with that there is not much to narrate here. I mean, Im just on my way to my room after eating some light dinner... Haa seriously...my social batteries are drained... Heckeven my body feels drained Huh? What am I wearing, you ask? Welldo you remember the trench gown outfit that I bought from Lady Solmi a few days ago? Yeah, the one that I tried on in the date with Gabrielle. That one. But manif I can be honest with you, I just cant wait to take it off, put on my chibi-waifu shirt and forget about wearing anything down there besides my panties, which are black by the way. You''re welcome. Anyways, opening the door to my room now. "Oh, there you are. Welcome home dear." "Father...welcome..." "Papa! Youre back! Welcome, Papa! Welcome!" Aaaah sho cuuuuutemy whole being is being healed right nowthis welcomesho goodsho, sho good Furthermore, my gorgeous heroine of a Goddess is seated on the bed with our two cute and very happy daughtersAND THEY ARE ALL WEARING ONESIES!! ONESIEEEEEES!! KAWAAAAAAAIIIIIIII!!! Nerinne is in a fox onesie! Ilya is in a bunny onesie! And Celesia is in a dragon onesie!! THEY ARE ALL SO ADORABLE IM ABOUT TO MELT!! But! I need to answer to their warm and loving welcome, so lets do that with a big, loving, and warm smile. "I am home everyone." FatherIlya missed you I also missed you, Papa! And right when I finish with my answer, my cute daughters jump off the bed and run towards me with their arms wide open, wanting to hug me. I missed you too, my sweet honeybuns. I, of course, crouch down and hug them both. This. This right here. This warmth is something that I never want to lose. And I will protect itprotect them with everything I have. In any case, after staying like this for a bit its time to lift them up and carry them on my arms! Now, up we go! Uphihi Up! Up! Hehehe look at those smiles, they love it just as much as I do, if not more, hehe. "So, do you want to tell me why you two adorable cuties are still up at this hour?" So, I ask them as I kiss little cheeks and walk towards the bed. "We...wanted to wait...for Father..." "Yes! We wanted to hug Papa lots and lots before sleeping!" AHHHH SOMEONE! SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!! MY HEART CANT TAKE MORE OF THIS SWEETNESS!! "Fufufu~, there you have it, dear. Although, our little dearies dont seem to be that sleepy even after they did what they wanted to do, dont you think? "Yes, they certainly dont look sleepy at all. I mean, just look at themCyes, againCthey are hugging me quite energetically, rubbing their cheeks with mine, and their joyful eyes show no sign of sleepiness. I really dont want to put my two cinnamon rolls on the bed, but I need to change my clothes if I want to hop on the bed with them, so I do that and take off my clothes with magic instead of undressing manually. Hey! No ''Aww, shucks'' you pervs! This is a wholesome scene! Not a fanservice one! Besides! Im technically in my underwear now, so just screenshot away! Ok. Ok. Fiiiine Herehave some bouncy fanservice as I take off my bra and put on the shirt IN SUPER SPEED! DONE! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! And you seem to be just as full of energy now, dear. Even when you entered the room looking like a tired salaryman coming back from work. Huhuwhat can I say, darling? Our adorable daughters have that kind of restorative effect on me. I mean, whose energy wouldn''t be completely restored with all this sweetness?! So much sugar!! "Fufufu~~true and true. Now dear, I see that you are done changing, but arent you going to follow this nights theme? Do you really want to be the only one without a comfy onesie?" "Father...we have tomatch..." "Yes! Papa needs to look like us!" Gnnna three-way attack of eager looks! How could I hope to resist?! Oh well, not that I planned to resist in the first place becauseOF COURSE I WANT A ONESIE! "Done~~." Huh? OHHH! IM WEARING A BLACK WOLF ONESIE NOW!! IT EVEN HAS A TAIL! But... "when did you?" "Fufufu~~, oh dear, do remember that I can use my powers here. So, do you like it?" "I love it. A lot." Its so soft...this onesie is so soft... "Good~. Now come here, I believe I have a solution for our little problem." Im all ears. Both physically and mentally, heh. Spiritually too! Anyways, I do as my darling says and I hop on to our recently expanded bed, which is now big enough for the four of usCplus another two lovable people, if you catch my driftCand sit on it while crossing my legs. And thats when Celesia crawls towards me and sits in the empty space left in the middle of said legs. Hehehe! She is very proud of snagging such a VIP seat. Hihi Meanwhile, Ilya decided to do the same but with Nerinne. "How about a bedtime story?" So says my smiling darling as she plays with Ilya''s fake bunny ears. "Hooh~~ that sounds interesting. Dont you think, Ilya? Celesia?" I respond while playing with Celesia''s fake dragon wings. "Unn...Ilya wants to hear...the storyMother..." SO CUTE! SHE IS LOOKING UP AT NERINNE WITH EAGER KUUDERE EYES!! "Nuuuu...I-I too want to hear it...Mo-mother! B-but its n-not because I want to listen to M-mothers stories or a-a-anything like that! Nu!" AAAAAHHHHH SO CUTE!! MY MINI-TSUNDERE!! MY MINI-TSUNDERE IS SO CUTE!! "Fufufu~~, very well. But before we start, we need one more person here. "Huh? Who, darling?" Nerinne smiles at me and then she looks at Celesia, who starts to ponder about it until "Mama! We are missing Mama!" ...she says that in the cutest manner. "Ding, ding! Correct!" And my lovable Goddess softly claps at Celesias correct answer while smiling and winking in a charming way as she says that. "So, can you bring her here, Celesia?" "Yes!" Hehe, she looks so happy about going to get Ere. Lets accompany her so that she doesnt go alonewait, why is my violet princess weaving her mana? "Bookie that moves things! Come! Come! Come! [Spateh!" Ah, she bit her tongue... "You can do it, Celesia!" "Ilya...knows you can..." "Go for it, Celesia!" Hearing Nerinne, Ilya, and me cheer for her, Celesia puffed her little cheeks in embarrassment, making her look like an adorably angry squirrel. Ah, but that doesnt mean that she has given up! Because she is weaving her mana once again! Aaaaaaand "Nuunununuuu...! [Spatiophagos]!" SHE DID IT! SHE SUMMONED HER MAGICAL COLORING BOOK!! Also, not only did Mika surprise me with the fact that she knows that Celesia is Violet Deaths reincarnation, but she also told me that she thinks Celesias library of grimoires turned coloring books is like an inheritance from her previous self. Which shouldve been impossible, at least going by Nerinnes words that she is a different person now and so on. Then againshe also said that Celesias case was not a normal one And then theres Scath to consider too. After all, she said that all that she was belonged to me, and that library was hersso could it be that she gave them to Celesia to fulfill those words in a more roundabout way? Noperhapsperhaps the library itself followed its master regardless of them technically being a new person? Haaathis is so confusing...seriously. Anyways, whatever the reason, I love my little violet princess, and it seems that she just found the page that contains the spell she wants to use. And yes, if she doesnt want to use a random spell from her books, she needs to look for it, at least until she completely masters each book. "Bring Mama here! Now! Now! [Teleport]!" What? You expected some poetic chant? Nah, wait for her to grow up a bit before that. Maybe her chuuni phase? Hehe. Still, the magic circle is not appearing beside the bed, huh. Where could it be? "Dear. Up." Up? UP!!! The magic circle is on the ceiling! "Kyaaa!" And Ere just fell right out of it while letting out such an adorable scream! *POMF* Of course, I immediately get up while taking care of not hitting Celesia and catch this falling princess in no time, and I do so with a princess carry. "M-My Lord?! Wha?! Where?! Goddess?!" And as expected, Ere is very surprised by it all, asking all of that in her shock. "Calm down, Erevain. Our little Celesia teleported you here, but it seems that she still needs more practice regarding her magical circle placing." So I say as I slowly put Erevain on the bed, right beside Celesia, I say while putting Erevain down on the bed and beside Celesia, who immediately hugs her. "I-I am sorry Mama... I will p-practice more tomorrow with Miss Mika..." Awwwshe looks sho shorry... Even her tail is down. And her eyes are all teary AHHHHHHH I WANT TO HUG HER NOW! BUT I CANT! Sniffsniffanywaysseeing all of that that, Erevain quickly gets her bearings and smiles warmly at Celesia while hugging her back. "It is fine, my violet twinkle star. You have only discovered something you need to improve on and what do we do when that happens? Wewe work hard to improve! Exactly. So, work hard and make Mama and Papa even more proud, yes?" Motherly Erevain ishnnnghso good!! Im just cant enough of her!! "Yes, Mama! Yes!" Awwww!! "Now, My Lord, Miss Nerine, pardon my asking butwhat are you wearing?" "The same thing you are wearing, fufufu~~." "Wha?!" Yep. Nerinne just used her powers to put a white dragon onesie on Ere, surprising her andoi. Nerinne, why a white dragon onesie? "..." Don''t ignore me while using that smile of yours! Its way too on the nose! No, its just plain obvious!! Youre referencing Eternal Winter with it! This is See?! Even Ere seems to have noticed it! "Yay! Mama matches with me!" "I-Indeed, it seems I do." I love you, Mama! Buuuut I guess its alright since Celesia is quite happy to see Ere like that, and the reassuring look Ere just gave me now while putting on her onesies hoodie tells me that she thinks the same. Alright, if she doesnt mind, then I can move on to say that she looks really frigging cute!!! Like it actually looks very go *clap* And Nerinne just interrupted my praise of Eres cuteness with such a clap. May I have everyones attention, please? The reason why Celesia brought you here is simple. I wish to tell our daughters a bedtime story. One that I am sure you would like to hear too." Erevain seems a bit confused by Nerinnes words, but I can also see a glint of curiosity in her eyes. Ah, by the way, Im now sitting right between Ere and Nerinne. Meanwhile, Ilya is now sitting in the same VIP place as Celesia before Ere came, as in the empty space left in the middle of my crossed legs. No. I am not going to explode. You are the one whos going to explode with all this fluffy onesie cuteness! "Still, if I may ask, is it truly alright for me to intrude in your private time like this, Miss Nerinne? I know that you cannot be with My Lord physically outside the castle so..." Oh Ereyou truly are earnest and respectful to a fault, even after being given a onesie you still ask that I so love that about you. "You do not want to intrude in our precious time together when you and Gabrielle have Auros for most of the hours in the day? Is that what troubles you?" "...! I-Iy-yes...that is my concern" "Fufufu~~, you are so sweet, Erevain. No wonder Auros is always thinking about how much she loves you. She even did so right now. Thats! Amm Oi! Stop using my thoughts for surprise attacks like that! Even if surprised blushing Ere is adorable as heck! Fufu~~, very. Anyways~, there is nothing for you to worry about. While you and Gabrielle look over Auros physically and in many other ways, I do so too from above and on my own ways. You could even say that I am technically the one who spends more time with her. Thus, you can think of this as a sort of compensation for that. But truthfully, I just wanted to share this story with you because it is one that I am sure you would like to hear. So says this first heroine of mine as she smiles at the still adorably blushing second heroine in a divine grace-mode kind of way, but she ends up looking a bit silly because of the onesie. A cute kind of silly, of course. Still, it seems that both those words and that smile had an effect on Erevain because she is now smiling at her. I seethen I shall stay, Miss Nerinne, as I cannot reject such an honest invitation from you, and I would be lying if I said that I was not interested in hearing that story. Furthermore, Iwould be happy to be here with everyone !! ACK! MY HEART!! MINE TOO!! SHE IS SO PRECIOUS!! TOO PRECIOUS!! SHE WENT AND SAID SOMETHING SO WHOLESOME WHILE STILL BLUSHING!! AND THAT SMILE FROM THE BOTTOM HER HEART!! HNNNNNNNGGHI''M MELTING!! STOP REMINDING ME OF IT OR ILL START MELTING TOO, DUMMY DEAR!! JUST MOVE ON BEFORE WE TURN INTO PUTTY BECAUSE OF HER PRECIOUSNESS!! R-RIGHT! "Ahemperfect. *fwoosh* Oooh! Nerinne just made a mist-like screen with her powers! And that meansshe is going that way with the story! Heck yes!! Then without further ado..." There it is! The mist has started to show images in a very specific style! As for the contentsthey are images of a country in the middle of a great forest. Noit is a country that is part of that very same great forest. The Elven Nation of this world. Deamis. let us begin. ____________________________________ Our story begins in a Kingdom that some say is the oldest in the whoooole world~. Whether that is true or not, I cannot say, fufufu~~. But that is neither here nor there, as that is not what our story is about. What our story is about, however, is the princess that lived there for the past five years. When she first arrived there, she did nothing but cry. She cried and cried and cried. She cried for an entire week. Locking herself inside what was to be her new room for the entirety of her stay. Why? Because she was separated from her family, my dear Ilya. She was sent away even when she wanted to stay, even when she wanted to help them. Yesshe wanted to help her dear, dear Big Brother in the battlefield. She wanted to help her dear, dear Brother in the palace. She wanted to carry a small bit of what they carried. No matter how small. She wanted nothing but to help. But she couldnt. Why? Because her magic, the only thing that would let her help those she loves, was not something she could use. At least not back then. But most importantly, my adorable Celesia, she was only a small child at the time. As small as you two cutie pies. So, she cried. She cried as her heart was filled with frustration, uselessness, and impotence. Feelings that appear whenever we cant do something we want to because we either lack the strength to do it or the knowledge. Imagine this, my dearies, imagine that you want to help Father protect something, but you cant, and you dont know how. It feels bad, right dearies? A murky feeling that makes you want to cry? Aww, my cutiesits fineyou are studying and practicing your magic, focus on that, so when and if the time comes you will be able to help. But always remember that everyone is doing their best to make it so that time never comes. Nowwhere were we? Ah, right, fufufu~~. While they were worried, the princess personal attendantsCCharles and SistinaCfelt that letting her cry was the best they could do. And they were right, for when the dawn of the eighth day came, the princess, Euphemia vi Kyrie, emerged from the room, eyes filled with determination instead of tears and declared: "I have cried enough! Everyone is doing their duty back home! Father, Big Brother, Brother, and Big Sister! I want to help them! I want to be there with them! But if my duty is here, then I will do it! Charles! Sistina! Please, help me be better! Help me become someone that can help my family!!" Of course!! Moved by the determination she showed, her personal attendants swore to the themselves that they would do everything they could to help the princess reach her goal. And so, time passed. But the memories of the events that had taken her to that Kingdom turned into the dreams that she had the whole while. And that is only counting the times when she remembered said dreams. Were they nightmares, you ask, Ilya dearie? Some would say that yes, at least in a way as they were dreams of that parting, always filling her with the feelings that were in her heart that day. But they were not nightmares for the princess. No. Instead, they were what motivated her. They were that something that inspired her to keep moving forward, and it was born the day of that strong declaration. And wielding both that seemingly endless source of motivation and her firm determination, she entered the Royal Academy of Deamis to become one of the best students that had ever enrolled there. Gone was the princess that ran away from her classes to look for candy and in her place was the princess that ran away from her classes to go to the library. Fufufu~~, there is nothing to be embarrassed about, Erevain. At least her objective changed. And let me tell you, she devoured every book that caught her eye. See that pile of books on her left? Those are the books she had already read that specific day. Those that could make her stronger. Those that could make her wiser. Those that could make her more capable. Those that could make her better. She read them all. That of course grabbed the attention of all the teachers, specially an oldCperhaps even ancientC teachers, as they were taken aback by the sight of someone so young being so focused on her goal and so determined in her actions to accomplish it. And it was those things that began to pull people towards her, people who wanted to help her, people who wanted to see her reach the goal that burned brightly in her eyes, people whowanted to be her friends. Yesshe was not alone, Erevain. Far from it. She even made friends with one of the Princes of Deamis and many other talented and not so talented people, the latter being of those whose hard work was enough to match the former. All nurturing her, just as she nurtured them. She was, and still is, someone that inspired others with that incredible conviction of hers. Of course, academic knowledge is not everything. But do not use that as excuse to not study, dearies~~. What I mean is that academic knowledge was not the only thing Euphemia needed to pursue to reach her goal, she also needed enough strength to fight beside her dear, dear Big Brother. Thus, fueled by that desire, she underwent a rigorous training under none other than one of her very own attendants, Charles, formerly known as the Iron Gentleman. And from the solid foundation that were his martial arts, Euphemia began to build her own fighting style, her own strength. Every time she fought against someone else, be it friend or rival, that strength was nurtured and refined. Until "Haaah! [Wave Breaker Strike]!!" *SLAM* "Gah!" *CRACKCRACKCRASH * "Prince Lomiel''s barrier has been broken! Prince Lomiel is unable to continue! Princess Euphemia wins!" Hahaheheit was a good fight, Lomi!! Heh, ''twas indeed, Euphy. she was able to fight against her royal friend with only her body as her weapon and win. Yet, she still felt that it was not enough. After all, her Big Brother was her shining goal~. Her shining hero~. A Knight of the Kingdom that wielded the light of a unique attribute for the good of others. Fufufu~~so, yesif she wanted to reach him, she could not stop and settle on the peak she had reached. She needed to go beyond it. And for that, she was missing something. Something to cover for her inability to use traditional magic. Something that her other dear attendant, Sistina, had been tirelessly searching for ever since the day Euphemia stopped crying. And thanks to the incredible pool of knowledge that Deamis has, she found it. Scepters. More so, an old and unique variation of them that was used a long, loooong time ago. These scepters would bind themselves to their wielders mana and would let them use attributes theyd normally not be able use. If they sound like the wands you learned about today in class, dearies, its because these scepters are their grandpas! But while wands have limited uses and can only let their wielders use a very limited range of spells, these scepters had neither of those limitations. The downside wasthat using them put a great burden on the bodies of their wielders, exhausting them much, much quicker than when using magic normally. Thus, people slowly stopped using them in favor of other weapons or other types of scepters. "Princess, if you can master these, I am sure that you will be able to fight beside your brother." "Then there is nothing left to say, right, Sistina? Lets do this!" Then again, there was no normal way for Euphemia to use magic from the beginning, and since she was already used to experiencing great burdens thanks to her training, they seemed to be a perfect match with her. So, she quickly started using them in her training, and as she grew accustomed to them, her fighting style not only improved, but evolved. She learned how to fight even more efficiently as she became keenly aware of both her stamina and mana by training with the scepters, and in turn she became able to manage them in combat with a precision that matched that of a veteran of many battles. And of course, fire, water, air, earthall those attributes, all those ways approach things, were now available to her thanks to those scepters, with she adding more as her strength grew. Light, darkness, nature, and even space, she added them all without hesitation. Even when she knew that the burden on her body would become greater with every scepter she added. She did not care, she was set on mastering them for the sake of her goal, and she was going to do it. So, she just kept training. Eventually, all that hard work paid off as she became able to wield them all at once, awakening the things that crowned her as a full-fledged warrior. Her Class and a trance skill. And that meant that she had done it. She had finally obtained the strength to fight beside her dear, dear Big Brother, and the knowledge to help her Brother. She was ready to help her family. It was then that her attendants deemed her to be ready and gave her the letters and documents that her brother had given her that fateful night, plus some more that he had sent over the years. Things that contained the truth. Things that filled her with the same emotions she had felt that night when she arrived at Deamis. Nothey were more intense. Her loving Fatherwas a traitor. Her dear, dear Big Brotherwas missing. And both her Brother and Big Siswere dirtying their hands to save the Kingdom. All as she lived peacefully in Deamis Frustration. Uselessness. Impotence. They all threatened to take her once again, but she was different now, and instead of letting those emotions turn into tearsshe used them once again. She used them make her motivation burn brighter than ever. Why? Because her family and her Kingdom needed help and she was going to go and help them. Just like her dear, dear Big Brother would have wanted. Even if that meant facing and stopping her own Father. But if she was to do that, she was going to do it right. So, she took a hard look at herself and concluded that if she only returned with the strength and knowledge she had now, it wouldnt be enough. After all, if she was to be successful along with her Brother and Big Sis, then the Kingdom would need to be cared for until a new Regent was chosen. And that responsibility would fall on them. Politics, city administration, agriculture, economics, and more, they were all subjects she had already delved into and studied in full, but she decided to go deeper, to obtain real experience, and with the help of her friends, and a certain old teacher, she did it. She mastered them just like she mastered her scepters. All so that there was no doubt in her mind that she was more than capable of not only helping her Brother, but also that she was capable of bringing something to the table. Sadly, that also meant that her time in Deamis was coming to an end. Both she and her friends knew it. And while they were saddened, they knew they couldnt stop her, nor they wanted to. They wanted to see her accomplish her goal and return triumphant, so instead of letting the departure of her friend be a sad memory for her they threw her the grandest of goodbye parties. One where everyone whose life was touched by Euphemia participated, bathing her with love and good wishes. And amongst those who attended was none other than the Regent of Deamis, that ancient trickster of an elffufufu~~. He had been the old teacher that helped her along the way, his true identity hidden behind one of the many disguises he uses to spend his days. Oh, and not only that, but that old elf knew everything thanks to his nosinessermI mean, thanks to the wisdom he had acquired throughout his long life, which blessed him with very accurate insight andforesight. Not unlike your Fathers instinct, dearies. At least, in some ways. So, he assigned a unit of trusty escorts to her, all very well trained, earnest to the core, and eager to see their mission completed. Officially, such action was only a token of his gratitude for Euphemias friendship with his great grandson. But unofficially, he knew that those with great potential always encounter many trials, and he had foreseen that his unaware student was not going to be the exception to that rule, so he couldnt help but want to lend her a hand. With that, after five years of living there, the Princess, Euphimia, left the elven country of Deamis. And while her eyes were filled with tears from leaving her friends behind, they also burned brightly with determination. She was coming home. But not before that old elven Regent was proven right. ___________________________________ "Now, I think we will leave that part for tomorrow''s night, as part of our audience is already asleep, fufufu~~." "Zzz...Ilya wants...cookies...zzzZZz...Father...hug...Zzzzz..." "Zzzzz...Mama...Mother...love you...ZzzzZ...both...lotslotsnever...leave...ZZZzZ..me...ZzZzZz" Sho cuteour daughters are sho cutethey are sleeping while holding handsand of course, Ere and I totally agree with what you said, Nerinne. Even if we only nodded because we cant take our eyes off Ilya and Celesia, heh. Fufufu~~dont worry, dear. I understand that very well. After all, I cant take my eyes off them too. They are just so cute!! Yeswe truly are blessed with these bundles of joy. Also did you hear what Celesia said, Erevain? You cannot leave her, so you are not leaving. I lean in and whisper into her ear before pulling back and showing her a roguish smile. "...! I...yes For a moment she is surprised but then she smiles warmly at me before turning to Celesia and I could not possibly leave her after she said that...our daughter is too precious to me after all." countering with that while playfully touching Celesias hairmy heartmy princess heroine is so wholesome "Fufufu~~, then let us all sleep now. If today was anything to show for, then tomorrow will be quite the busy day for you two." Thatstrue You didnt have to remind me, Nerinnenow I can feel the mental exhaustion coming back and making me sleepier Anyways, time to turn the lights off with a snap of my fingers after getting into the bed andwell, you know the rest. *snap* Goodnight my lovely, lovely family. _______________________________________________________ Meanwhile, in some faraway place outside of the perception of everyone in that room, someone was planning something bothersome as she watched them through a window. Kaka! Tis not something bothersome, Yawue! Tis but the contrary! Although, it seems I need to take my time to do this, seeing as I could not invite her outright. But that is of no problem as I can always make more time for mine self. Kakakaka! Haaa To be continued...(cue illustration of everyone listening to Nerinnes story while in their onesies!) Mrpandopool Hello again, once again!! First and foremost, I would like thank you all for your patience as I know firsthand how it feels to read a story you like and then BOOM! No more chapters! Id love to do this in Royal Road, but there is currently no way for me to do it right now without RickRolling everyone into thinking theres a new chapter when its only a small progress update. When that changes, Ill be sure to do it too of course! By the way, I actually felt that BOOM! No more chapters! thing recently with a fun little story called Project Magical Monster Girl (Project MMG for short) by Warhawx (link in the comments below along with another cool story, Thabians Grey becomes Light: The little joys.). But I digress, today I also bring good news about my Grandmothers health, last week not only was she finally able to speak again, but I also was able to speak with her!! She was so grateful for the support and well wishes that all of you sent her! But that is not all, she has become able to walk again, albeit just a few steps but that is already a great sign! Lastly, she can now be without her oxygen machine for three hours straight! All in all, she is recovering, and I have all of you to thank! Really, thank you so much! You are the best community I could have asked for! NowTIME FOR SOPHIES CHARACTER SHEET BY NONE OTHER THAN LARH!! YES! ITS HERE! AND WHILE ITS A SIMPLE ONE, I STILL THINK THAT IS A VERY NICE PORTRAYAL OF SOPHIE! IF YOU ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT, JUST YOU WAIT TO SEE HER IN ACTION (JOIN THE DISCORD AND YOULL SEE IN A FEW DAYS!!)!! BELIEVE ME, THIS DESIGN ROCKS!! I REALLY LOVE THAT FACE THAT SCREAMS LITTLE DEVIL, EVEN MORE SO WITH THAT SMUG SMILE IN THE EXPRESSIONS! HER HAIR IS ALSO PRETTY COOL SINCE IT LOOKS LIKE DOG EARS! HEHEHE! STILL, DO TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW IF YOU LIKED IT! OF COURSE, THAT IS NOT ALL THE ART WE HAVE FOR TODAY AS WE ALSO HAVE SOME FANART!!! WE HAVE A DOSE OF STRONG, A DOSE OF HOT, AND A DOSE OF ADORABLE CUTENESS THAT WILL MELT YOUR HEART!! SO HOW ABOUT WE START STRONG AND START WITH KRIS DONE BY NONE OTHER THAN OPHILIA!! LOOK AT THAT! LOOK AT THAT BACK! LOOK AT THOSE ARMS! THE HAIR! THE EXPRESSION! EVERYTHING! SHE LOOKS SO FRIGGING HOT AND AWESOME!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH, OPHI!! NOW! LORD FEMBOY, NOT SATISFIED WITH ONE DOSE OF FANART SENT TWO OF THEM!! ONE HOT AUROS, SO HOT THAT SHE IS SWEATING! AND AN ADORABLE ILYA WHO IS READY TO GO TO HER BLACKSMITH CLASSES!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOVE HOW LORD FEMBOY DRAWS AUROS AND HERE ITS NOT EXCEPTION, I LOVE HOW HE DRAWS AUROS FACE AND EXPRESSION AND AAAAAAHHH I LOVE EVERYTHING! AND THIS SUPER INCREDIBLY ADORBS ILYA IS JUST SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! SO CUTE THAT SHE EVEN EARNED THE LARH SEAL OF APPROVAL WHEN I SHARED THIS PIECE WITH HIM!! I MEAN, JUST LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF LITTLE DETAILS THAT LORD FEMBOY WAS ABLE TO PUT IN THERE! THE CARROTS, THE STUFFED BUNNY, HER LITTLE ANVIL AND MORE!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!! In any case, thats it for today! I hope you all liked the fanart from today! And if you did, please tell Ophilia and Lord Femboy in the comments below! Of course, I also hope that you liked this new chapter, which marks the start of the side story that will bring us into Volume 2! So I hope you look forward to the remaining chapters!! Lastly, Ill try to release the next chapter as soon as possible while taking care of my health! In any case, thank you so much for reading, for your support, and for enjoying this story! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Love you all! ESS Chapter 2: 1001 nights…minus 999. Mrpandopool Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to all the patrons and donators listed here: Maid-Paragons (Tier 3): Maid-Knights (Tier 2): Maid-Squires (Tier 1): Donators: Truly, thank you, your support keeps making a very real difference in me and my familys lives! It is thanks to your support that I was able to get out of my tendonitis flare up and continue writing! That means that this chapter wouldnt have been possible without your support! So again, thank you so, so much! For those who might consider subscribing to my patreon, know that your money really helps, not only me, my health, and the story, but also my family in general. Not only have my patrons helped with getting medicine for my sisters condition, but they have also helped me obtain the things my grandmother needs to deal with her own condition. So, again, your support truly makes a difference, not only in my life but also in the lives of the people who are important to me. Thank you. Of course, you wouldnt be joining for nothing, as youd gain early access to the next story illustration (and its uncensored version, which is confirmed) and character sheets, work in progress images of said illustration and character sheets, the Spin-Off Waifu Bites! and its 10 bonus chapters (with one more already in the making), and more! Now, onto the chapter! *yawn* M?omm?omsho weirdwhy am I sho tiredhaa Hmm? Eh? AGAIN?! Why is it that you are now only coming this late?! Huh? New anime season? Not just that, but a new season of that certain Undead Majesty anime?! Waitdid they already get past that lizard documentary volume? Yes?! Its already way beyond it?! Seriously?! ManI so wanted to watch everything that happened after that!!! The novels are so good!!! Well, I guess now I know what my darling and I will start with in our next divine realm anime marathon!! Stillyou being here at this hour means that you missed my tour through the food district with Bertia and Jules And guess what, the walk Gabby and I did through it in our date was not enough to cover the whole place, so you missed lots of different restaurants and stalls Likea lot. Haaand I really tried my best to describe all that new isekai food for all of you, you know? It was so hard trying to come up with comparisons between some of Artes ingredients and those that you could think of as their Earth counterparts. Let alone those I just didnt know how to classify! Although, that was a nice problem to have, since I was literally trying new things! Thats an isekai for ya! Heh. Of course, we ended up eating a lot, so much that Im thinking of skipping dinner altogether and going straight to my room Yep, thats it, Im totally not skipping dinner because we just finished said tour likefive minutes ago. Mhm. Im totally not completely and utterly full for the first time since I came here. Not at all. I swear And it is certainly not because Ive been feeling more tired than usual when I shouldnt at all because of my draconic body Ahahaha Putting those things aside, it wouldve been nice if I had taken Ilya and Celesia with me, we visited many different places that had lots of amazing sweets and desserts, which Im sure they wouldve loved. But, you see, I want them to learn a bit more about everything before taking them to the outside world. Specially Celesia, since I dont want her to suddenly summon one of her coloring books and cast some spell that might ruin her fun or worsecause an accident. Still, seeing how my dear cutie is giving her all in her classes, Im sure that shell be able to control that very, very soon. And that means that next time Ill be able to take my girls with me!! Ahh, I so want my little princesses first trip to the outside world to be as trouble-free and fun as possible! After all, first experiences matter a lot! And Ill be damned if its not a happy one for them! Hmph! As for actually bringing them to the outside worldwell, in the case of Ilya, my instinct tells me that I only need to cast my [Dress for Heaven] spell on her. Meanwhile, I only need to cast a small illusion spell on Celesia to hide her draconic features and shell be able to look human. Hmm? Why not use [Shapeshifting Touch] on her like I do with myself, you ask? Good question author weeb whos crossplaying as a magical monster girl! The answer to that is very simple, its because I think that using [Shapeshifting Touch] on her would be too drastic since she is still little. Either way, soon theres going to be nothing stopping the personification of a volcano and a mini-dragon lord from going for a stroll with their dear Father! Muahahahaha!! Oh! Maybe theyll finally make some friends their age!! Ahhh, that would be so good!! And an instant check in my isekai list too! Why? Because my little girls have everything to be main characters of course! And all child main characters have their trusty band of friends! She is almost here, Erevain. Just remember, say it like I told you, fufufu~~. "Ve-very well...I shall do so." "Father...will be surprised..." "Yes! Surprised! Surprised!" Hooh? What did my long and pointy ears just hear coming from my room? Could it be the sweet voices of Nerinne, Ere, Ilya, and Celesia? Yes, yes, they were! Now, what kind of surprise could they be planning in there I wonder, hehehehe. I cant wait to see it, so I better speed up and reach my room! Also, I just remembered, but Nerinne is telling the next part of the story tonight. Huh, could that be the real reason why you are here at this hour? If thats the case, then less reason to keep you and my dears waiting! Lets go inside! "We-welcome home...dear. Do you wish to hear the story, a bath, ordo you want tohug me?" "..." ...MENTAL DEEP BREATH TO CALM DOWNCALM DOWNCALMAS IF! HNNNNNGGHHHHHH!! BLUSHING. ERE. IS. SO. FRIGGING. CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!! I SO WANT TO JUMP AT ERE RIGHT NOW AND HUG THE HECK OUT OF HER ONESIE WEARING SELF! DAGA! BUT! I dont want to end up being dominated out of nowhere like last time by this wolf in literal sheeps clothing! A-at leastn-not tonightahaha Ahemand yeah, she is wearing a sheep onesie tonight! THATS WHY SHE LOOKS CUTER THAN YESTERDAY! "Fufufufu~~~." And of course, this was all planned by you my darling, Nerinne!! You, bear onesie wearing Goddess!! "Father...were you surprised...?" "Papa! Papa! Did Mama surprise you? Did she?!" DAWW!! MY DAUGHTERS ARE CUTER TODAY TOO!! ILYA IS WEARING A BABY CHICK ONESIE, WHILE CELESIA IS WEARING A BABY SHEEP ONESIE!! AND THEY ARE ALREADY COMING TO HUG ME!! I WILL NEVER GROW TIRED OF THIS! TIME TO SCCOP THEM UP AND GIVE THEM A BIG HUG WHILE RESPONDING! Yes, I was completely surprised, my dearies! She looks so cute that I even was speechless for a moment. "Thatst-thank you...My Lord. Itgladdens me that I left such impression on you." AAAAAAHHHHHH BASHFUL ERE PLAYING WITH HER HAIR WHILE SAYING THAT!! QUICK SOMEONE MAKE A GIF OUT OF IT!! 1000000 OUT OF 10 WOULD BE IN THE TOP TEN BEST ERE REACTIONS!!! Now, as much as Id love to just stand here and marvel at Eres cuteness, I need to carry my daughters back to the bed, so I start doing that. "Papa! Papa! Miss Mika told me that I did a good job in class today! Yes! Yes! No more baddie places for circles! No! No!" Hoooh~~, is that so? Yes, Papa! Yes! Did you hear that?! She fixed her mistake in just a day! My daughter is obviously a genius! Just like her Papa! Thats amazing, Celesia! Im so happy and so proud! Now, here is your reward!" *kiss* "A kiss in that cute little forehead of yours! Keep it up my little light!" "Ehehehe...thank you, Papa! I will! I will!" Just look at her, she is sho cute with those puffy cheeks and innocent smile of hers. I love her very, very much. "Father...Miss Josie...praised the enchantedbracelet...that Ilya made as a project inMiss Roxxys fun fun class...look...its shiny shiny and pretty" Aww, my cinnamon roll is so proud of the bracelet she made and is now wearing that not only are her eyes shining, but she is also proudly holding up her little arm high enough so I can get a perfect view of it! And look at that! This enchanted bracelet looks so beautiful! ...! Wait...isn''t this ebonice?! As in one of the metals she has access to thanks to her volcano form? By my darlingit is! But didnt Roxxy say that it takes a bit of technique to make things with it...? And what is it with this immense power Im feeling from it?! Did she really make it?! I just glanced at Nerinne, and she nodded! So that meanswow! Just... "wow! That bracelet is awesome, Ilya! Well done!! Im so proud of you too my twinkle star! And that means, you also get a reward! *kiss* "Hihihithank you...Father...Ilya is happy...so happy..." Ahhhh, that little smile always melts my heart! I love Ilya sho much too! Sho, sho much!! And imagine this, if my adorable daughters keep improving like this...just how much potential do they have? My bet is on A LOT! Duh! They are MY daughters after all!! It only makes sense that their potential would be nonesensical!! Ahahahahaha! "Ahhhh! Im really, really proud of you two, my honeybuns!" Ehehehe! Hihihi YES I AM A VERY PROUD PAPA RIGHT NOW!! THUS, I HUG THEM AGAIN AND TAKE THEM TO THE BED! To see My Lord not keep up appearances whenever she is with her daughters is always such a welcome sight. So says Ere with a warm smile on her face while watching me put our adorable daughters on the bed and kissing them on their cute little foreheads once again. "Fufufu~~, that is because there is no need to do so. Right, my dear?" Nice prompt pass there, Nerinne! Thank you! Exactly. Although, it is not as if its only with my daughters, my dear Ere. After allyou are here too, are you not? "That is...! That is certainly true...Auros...and Ivery much like that." HNNNNGH!! DOUBLE DOSE OF BASHFUL ERE IN ONE NIGHT!! I DONT KNOW IF MY HEART CAN TAKE IT! EVEN MORE SINCE SHE CALLED ME BY MY NAME! BUT EVEN THEN!! THIS. IS. JUSTICE!! Hahahastill, lets continue before I meltsoright, my onesie, I havent talked about that. Thanks to a certain someone magically changing my clothes right when I entered, Im already wearing my onesie for the night, which isa cow onesie seriously, Nerinne? Whatever do you mean, dear? I just kept with the theme~. Riiiiight, and you calling me Cowros that one time had nothing to do with it, huh. Not at all, dear. You could even say that I completely forgot about that and how funny and fitting it wasjust like the onesie, fufufufuhahahaha! You!! HaaIll stop here and sit on the bed to keep things moving, but Im going to make you blush so hard in front of everyone that theyll think you are the Goddess of tomatoes! Mark my words! "Mother...the story...Ilya wants to know...what happens...next..." "Mother! Hurry! Hurry! The princess was going to be in trouble, right?! Right?!" DAWWWW!! THEY ARE SO EAGER FOR THE REST OF THE STORY THAT THEY ARE SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF NERINNE AND ARE CUTELY PULLING AT HER!!! QUICK!! A PHOTO! I NEED A PHOTO OF THIS! If I may, I wish to know what happened next too. As her elder sister, I want to see more of what made Euphy into the incredible young woman that has made me so proud. This might sound very redundant, but Ere is so, so proud of Euphemiaand why wouldnt she? Last time we saw how she overcame so, so much, all for the sake of helping her family and fighting beside Ere, and she managed to do it. You could even say that she did not bend the knee to the trauma of what happened, even more so at such a young age. Instead, she rose up to the challenge and worked hard to reach her goal. So yeah, of course Ere would be proud of her. And I bet that Euphemia was proud of herself too. After all, what is that if not one heck of a personal achievement? Although, I still havent forgiven her for being all smug to me because she was able to eat isekai meat with her bare hands and I was not "Fufufu~~~, very well, the wish of my beloved audience is my command." Heh, its adorably funny to see Nerinne bow all regal like that while wearing the onesie. Of course, Im also glad that you are enjoying yourself, darling. Of course, dear. One must enjoy the tales one tells to make others enjoy them just as much. Or so the saying goes here~. Now let us begin once again. With that and a sure smile, the mist-like screen came flowing out of Nerinnes hands once again and is now showing something in a very specific art style. It was a path. One that cut right through the elven forests and lead to the expansive and luscious green valleys that are the outskirts of Deamis. _______________________________ This time, our story begins a few days after Princess Euphemia left the capital of Deamis, along with her trusty attendants and the very capable escorts that were sent by the elven King. Nowwhat do you think happened in those days my dearies? Did the Princess and everyone else encounter some meanie beasts and monsters as they made their way through the forest country? Something worse? Or perhaps they enjoyed a very peaceful journey filled with everyone getting along and telling stories of their own? Fufufu~, I see, I see. You both think they encountered trouble because of what I said last time, hmm~? Well, they didnt. Yes, you heard that right, dearies. They didnt. Awwdont say that, Celesia! That hurts mothersniffsniffI didnt lie to you! I promise that youll soon see why I said that last night! I swear! Ahembut before that, we need to know how the Princess and her entourage managed to stay out of trouble. In the case of encountering meanie beasts and monsters, the people of Deamis are quite good at making travelling routes that dont go across any dangerous beasts territories and relocating any that find themselves there. Of course, if they are unable to do that or if the beast is considered a danger, they would instead hunt it down. Something that is the norm for monsters in general. And you can bet your sweet little smiles that that Old King had his people clean out the route the Princess was going to take. As for the baddies that would like to threaten the Princess, like bandits, or people who were specifically targeting her, like the henchmen of the eeeeevil woman controlling her traitorous Fathers forcesother measures were used to help deal with them. For bandits and the like, the mere presence of the escort forces was more than enough to convince them that trying to rob them was not worth the trouble. But that was not going to be enough to dissuade the henchmen of the eeevil woman, her fathers advisor, and one tasked to push him deeper into the abyss by her own master. All for the sake of their goal. All so that he would redouble his efforts to inadvertently free an ancient evil. And what a better way to do so than to hurt the daughter he still loved enough to feel that his conviction would waver if she ever were to know what he was doing and told him that she hated him for it. Yesshe was a cold, cold woman who would even do that just to follow her Masters whims and desires for a more entertaining play. Of course, it was not as if that Old King of Deamis knew specifically about this through his keen insight and even keener foresight, but again, he didnt need to. Him knowing that the Princess would face trials in her way home was more than enough. Thus, he and the escorts resorted to trickier methods to deal with situations like that. Misdirection. Not only had the escorts disguised themselves as mercenaries, but they had also disguised the magical carriage as one that belonged to a merchant that owed that Old King a favor. A merchant that was known to travel to the Kyrie Kingdom around that time of the year. That way anyone would think that the one inside the carriage was not the Princess but the merchant and his entourage. And that was not all, because if any meanie tried to peek inside the carriage with magic, they would find themselves unable to see a thing thanks to the strong spell casted by one of the casters in the escort team. With that, the Princess and her identity were thoroughly protected. No evil henchmen would be able to know if their target was there or not. Hm? What is it, Celesia sweetie? Does that mean that evil meanies can look into your room? Fufufu~~, yesthat means that evil meanies can look into your room, get inside andTICKLE YOU LIKE THIS! FUFUFUFHAHAHA! Gah! Dont say that Mother is one of those meanies! Im not! Mou I just couldnt resist tickling a very cute sheep Even more so one that laughs so cute~! Ackdont hate me! I wont do it again! Sniffsniff A-Anywaysits not as if the escorts were leaving everything to chance and the preparations I mentioned. They were all very proud of their abilities and they showed that pride in how they handled themselves, always paying attention not only to the road ahead but also to every single one of their flanks. Luckily, they were in the best position to do that as most of them were sitting on the carriages roof, which gave them a very nice view of their surroundings. And that included the last patch of forest that they would be seeing before reaching the territory of the Kyrie Kingdom. hm? From it, a very light, almost imperceptible crunching sound mixed with a whistling one grabbed the attention of one of the escorts archers, making him suddenly stop talking with his comrades and turn in the sounds direction, bow at the ready. He then noticed the birds flying away from deep in the forest and thought that maybe it was just a group of beasts fighting for food or maybe a group of hunters doing their thing. But then again, why was that sound getting louder by the second? Morebooming. What is it, Leglas? Of course, the archers sudden change in demeanor alerted his friends and made them all stop talking, save for the one who whispered that question to the archer. I dont know, Gur, besides the birds from over there suddenly flying away theres this strange sound coming from the forest. It was light at first but now its increasingly getting louder, like something is?! ?!!! That is when they all saw it. Trees falling in the not so far distance. And not in a natural manner. No, my dearies. They were being blown away. Fwiiiish! Boom! Crash! All while those sounds grew louder and louder. Worst of all, they all realized that it, whatever it was, was coming towards them. Fast. LEADER, SOMETHING IS COMING! immediately turning to the front of the carriage, the one who the archer had called Gur shouted that to the carriages driver, the leader of the escorts, an elf named FenRu-el. Got it! Princess, everyone, I apologize but things might get a bit rou?! So he attempted to say but before he could finish his sentence FWIIIIIISSSS-BOOOOOOM! a sudden explosion cut him off! Just like that! UIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIR!!! And right after it but just as deafening, a roar made the ground tremble and the carriage shake, a roar unleashed by the one behind everything as it finally made its entrance! Announcing not only the end of the calm, easy journey of our dear Princess, but also the arrival of trouble! And fate would make it double! But lets not get ahead of ourselves, dearies! Instead, let us focus on the one everyone in the carriage was looking at and with good reason! It was a ferocious beast, one so vicious and savage that all who laid eyes on it instantly felt a shiver go down their spines. It was also very big, easily towering over everyone there AND the carriage itself. It was known as the nightmare of many inexperienced hunters and unexpecting explorers, one of the greatest dangers that live in the forests, where even monsters fear it. It had white, silvery fur, and branch-like shining horns, brimming with wind attribute mana. It looked like a white stag, but it was something much, much, much worse. It was a DOORIM! UIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIR!!! !!! And as if responding to the shout of the archer, Leglas, the Doorim roared once again, making it clear that they were not seeing things. Leader! The Doorim is! The Doorim was real, and it was seemingly running towards the carriage. You dont even have to say it, Gur! Im making this thing go as fast as it can! Theres no way Im letting it reach us! That of course called for the driver to speed up, and he was doing just that, even when it didnt seem like it. Dammit, whats a Doorim doing here?! This is nowhere near their usual territory! Maybe it wanted a change of scenery?! A snack?! How should we know, AlphiNott?! The point is that its here and its coming for us! You are right, Ghyllen, its just that it doesnt make any sense for it to be this far out without a reason Guys called out one of the casters, his face showing concern over whatever he had realized. What, Sols?! I think I can see the reasonso said that same caster, Sols, as he pointed at a faint silhouette mere meters in front of the running Doorim, one still caught within the dust cloud raised by the beast. Meanwhile, looking from inside the carriage, was the Princess and her attendants, Charles and Sistina. Ive read about them in books and in class, but to think that they have this vicious of a presence If I may, My Lady. Doorims are, for all intents and purposes, apex predators shaped by the merciless conditions the introduction of monsters birthed by the Evil One caused in their habitat. They are not to be trifled with unless thy strength enough or thou art an experienced hunter. And this one seems like it wont stop until we are either blown away or its lunch This last one, Sistina, was more than right with what she said and yet she had been wrong in one very important detail. The target of its ire. In other words, who was this meanie deer angry with, dearies? I ask because I am sure that no one in the carriage did anything to make it angry, right? So, who? Thats right, Ilya sweetie! If they were not the ones who made that meanie deer angry, then the only one left was HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! PLEAAASE!! HELP ME!! !!! the man who had been within the dust cloud and nowCafter running out of it with everything he could and seeing the carriageCmade its presence known with a pleading scream. One that reached the ears of everyone. The man not only looked genuinely desperate, but he looked like a haggard vagabond, with torn up clothes and plenty of cuts and bruises filling his skin. Leader, what do we do? This might be part of an ambush! I know! Curses As FenRu-el tried his best to think of a course of action as fast as he could, the same happened inside the carriage, with the Princess clenching her fists and sharpening her gaze with worry and a certain desire. A desire to do what she thought was right. One that a certain person here knows very well. After all, they had a hand in instilling it in her, fufufu~. In her case, she wanted to jump out of the carriage and save that man. But just as she was going to do it, she was stopped from opening the carriages doors by Charles white-gloved hand as it firmly held on to her wrist and was not letting go. Pardon me, My Lady, but I know that look in thine eyes and I cannot permit thee to go. The chances for this to be a ruse are but incredibly high after all. But Charles, trap or not, his life is in danger! He might not even know that he is being used! I knowCtruly, I know. But My Lady, even if they might be using him as unknowing bait to lure thy personage out, I cannot permit thee to go. Specially because it is not farfetched to think that the people we desire to stop know of thy personality. So, please, take a seat, My Lady. I The Princess couldnt respond to that. He was right. He was so right that she could only look down in frustration as precious seconds went on. Furthermore, she knew that Charles was not going to budge. After all, she knew that Charles was a man that not even the deepest parts of the Draconic Front managed to break. His demeanor, his mindset, even his grip was all like iron, exuding this hardness and coolness forged in the fires of ample of experiences where being led by emotions couldve ended very, very badly. And the eyes he was showing her told her that this one might turn into one of those situations very, very quickly. So of course, he was not going to let her go, not when keeping her safe was his number one priority. Yetbesides Iron, the title Charles had earned in his time as both butler and warrior had also another word in it, and that was Gentleman. These two aspects spoke of a man that while he was calm, collected, and highly disciplined, he was also extremely loyal to his Master. So even when he expected his same level of discipline from all his studentsCsomething that our dear Erica might attest toCregardless of them also being his Master, he could not help but desire to nurture the traits that made his Master worthy of his loyalty. And when he was faced with the resolute eyes that Euphemia showed as she looked up at him, well, he was seeing one of those. One that resonated deep within his heart and memories. Memories of seeing a certain Saintess escape from the castle to help yet another village in danger, another battlefield, another person in need, all despite her sickness. Memories of seeing a certain young man off as he went to the Front to face the trials needed to become worthy of being a paragon, a leader of Knights. alas, thy personage truly resembles the Queen and the Crown Prince. And perhaps a little too much on the side of the Queen and hergood-hearted recklessness, for I know that thou shall jump out of the carriage the moment I let go of thee. Regardless of the danger. Yeshe was not heartless. On the contrary, his heart has always been in the right place, but perhaps that was what prompted him to be as disciplined as he was. That way he wouldnt be blinded by it. That means! Our dear Princess expression lit up as she heard those words, thinking that she had gotten his blessing. But No. It doth not mean that. she hadnt, fufufu~. But that didnt mean that Charles was done talking, something he clarified by raising his hand as Euphemias expression seemed to darken once more, and what he said as he turned to the small, opened window showing the carriages driver on the other side blew away both that murky emotion and the frustration she had been feeling. Butit certainly doth not mean that this is a situation where no one else is willing to help that young man. Am I correct, Mister FenRu-el? ! Heh, it seems that you have read my mind, Mister Charles. To be truthful, leaving that man to such grim a fate would leave a bad taste in the mouth of me and my subordinates, but I was not sure if youd feel the same way, given the risk wed have to assume. But now I am glad that all of you do. Indeed, we do, Mister FenRu-el. Of course, if thou hast need of reinforcements or healing, me and Sistina shalt be glad to assist. And if the man ends up being troublesome once inside, thou hast my word that I shall dispatch him in a swift manner, and we shant hold it against you and yours. !! Our dear Princess was very surprised at this development, if a bit embarrassed. After all, she really thought that everyone was going to prioritize the mission instead of helping that man. And while that was the rational thing to do, she was happy that everyone wanted to do the right thing instead. But most importantly, she was grateful, and she needed to express that. Thank you, Charles! Mister FenRu-el! Everyone! I know theres no need for me to say it, but I still will! Please, save that man! And so, she did. Heh And theyCnow with a smile on their faces and no hesitation in their heartsCreplied to her in the best way possible. You heard the Princess, everyone! Gur''Enel! Leglas! AlphiNott! Ghyllen! Sols! We are saving that guy and stopping the Doorim from reaching this carriage! You got it, Leader! They answered. They answered to the Princess heartfelt plea not only through words, but also through what came next. First, FenRu-el immediately hit the magical brakes and stopped the carriage, masterfully making it drift in a way that made its right side face the incoming Doorim and the man, giving his people the best position to deal with the beast and the man the easiest way to get into the carriage. Thentheir battle against the Doorim started! And it started with a bang! [PRECISE SHOT]!! The archers let loose their mana clad arrows from their bows. [SOARING MANA BLADES]!! The one warrior besides their fearless Leader cut the air with their mana clad swords and shot various mana blades from them. [GREAT FIREBALL] [GREAT LIGHTNING BALL] And the castersthe casters unleashed their strongest explosive spells above and below the Doorim, who was too focused on its prey to notice everything coming at it before they fell on it. And fell they did. TUNK!! SLAAASH!! BOOOM!! UIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII?! ?! Such were the sounds that filled the air, shook the ground, and silenced a certain beast mid-roar as it was drowned in the light of the magical explosions that came right after the arrows and blades reached it and knocked it on the ground. Of course, the Doorim was not the only one taken by surprise, as the man was just as shocked since he had begun to think that he was not going to be saved. Good thing that he was lucky enough to chance upon our dear Princess carriage, right dearies? Fufufu~~. In any case, he was immediately pulled out of such shock by none other than FenRu-el. HEY!! YOU!! HURRY AND GET IN!! WELL COVER YOU!! so he shouted at the running man as he stood on the drivers seat while signaling him to get inside the carriage. Y-YES!! shaking off his surprise, the running man stumbled with his words, but not with his feet as he kept running, and now he was doing it faster than before, putting more than his everything in every step he took, for each and every one of them put him closer to safety. To surviving. To living. KEEP FIRING EVERYONE!! A GROUNDED DOORIM IS A DOORIM NOT USING ITS MAGIC!! Hahaha..ha! So he ran and ran and ran some more! He ran the hardest he ever had in his life! All while FenRu-el shouted orders and magical and physical projectiles kept raining upon the Doorim that had been pursuing him, pinning it down where it once stood. Now, I wish I could tell you that the man managed to get into the carriage shortly after that and that the Doorim was stopped right then and there. But that is not how this went. No, my dearies. After all, if it was that easy to bring down a Doorim, they wouldnt be so feared by hunters. Doorims are really, really strong. Doorims are stubborn. But most importantly. Doorims are smart. uuu Smart enough to know that someone else was trying to take away its prey from it and to act as if it was down to give them a good look, to ascertain those who would dare to do that. And once it did, the fires of his ire encompassed all who were reflected in its eyes. It was not going to let them take its prey. It was going to rise. And rise it did. UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRR!! OOMPH!! With a mighty roar, mightier than the one that it had let out before, it rose up from the ground while unleashing a shockwave of wind attribute mana all around it, hitting the running man with its full force and almost toppling the carriage. !!!! But that was not all, for the Doorim made itself very clear right after that, even without needing to speak. Your attacks are now useless, and nothing can stop me from getting my prey now that was its message to all as it showed itself clad in a barrier that could only be described as a spherical vortex of wind. A very loud and clear message. Now FenRu-el and his subordinates needed to change their tactics and they needed to do it fast, but there was another matter. One even more important than that. The very reason why they were confronting the Doorim. HEY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! CAN YOU GET UP?! GIVE ME A SIGN! ANY SIGN! The man who had been running away from the Doorim was not getting up after being hit with the full brunt of the Doorims wind shockwave. And so, no matter how many times FenRu-el shouted, no response would come back to him. Yetthe elven leader still got a sign, a sign that kept him from thinking the worst, a sign that he thanked his keen eyesight for being able to catch. ! Thank the Goddess Slight movements. he is still alive Those that people sometimes make when unconscious and in pain. but. that didnt mean that the man was out of danger. Quite the opposite in fact, the danger that was the Doorim was getting closer to him. Worst of all, there was something in the Doorims slow approach that caused a chill to go down FenRu-els spine. Dammit It almost felt as if the Doorim was intentionally taking its time to enjoy what seemed to be the last stretch of its hunt and its victory over them. But if that was the case, then our dear angry deer forgot about a little something. After all, if FenRu-el and his subordinates were brave enough to get between it and its prey once, whats stopping them from doing it again? No, Im not letting you get him now that we decided to save him. That simply is not in this journeys itinerary. Everyone! Cover me! Im getting him! Armed with that very same bravery, FenRu-el exclaimed that as he jumped off the drivers seat and unsheathed his sword, all while his sharp eyes moved between the man lying on the ground and the towering Doorim. We got you, Leader! And just like him, his subordinates also jumped off from the top of the carriage, arms in hand and hearts ready for round 2. Thus, FenRu-el ran towards the unconscious man while his subordinates charged at the beast and resumed their assault on it, hoping to take its attention away from their Leader and the man. As for the Doorim it strangely stopped its slow advance and just stood there. It just stood there letting its mighty wind barrier take it all. Arrows. Slashes. Spells. The Doorim just welcomed it all while it watched as FenRu-el got closer and closer to the unconscious man, its prey. It knew that the man was trying to take its prey again and yet it was doing nothing. I know you cant hear me now, but dont worry. I got you now. We got you. So hold on and well get you patched up in no time. Hrrnngh Yes, it didnt even flinch when FenRu-el finally managed got to the man, put him on his back, and started running towards the carriage. Strange, right dearies? Well, FenRu-el and his friends thought the same, but even then, they couldnt just waste the chance that the Doorim was providing them by not moving. Some, like the warrior AlphiNott, thought that maybe it was even a lucky break, while others, like the caster Sols, thought that maybe the Doorim had become wary of another surprise attack. Whatever it was, there was only one thing they could do now, and that was to get the man to the carriage and get out as quickly as possible, nothing else mattered. Even if the Doorims sudden change in demeanor was indeed bafflingand worrying. So worrying in fact that it gave a certain battle-experienced butler a bad feeling, a very bad feeling, for he saw the Doorims attitude for what it was. That Doorimits change in demeanor spells naught but trouble. What do you mean, Charles? Tis biding its time, Sistina. Just like a predator would before taking care of its prey in one fell swoop. Worst of all, this one is confident that it can do exactly that. Thus, I suspect that it might use something much stronger than the shockwave it used before so declared Charles as he watched everything unfold through one of the carriages windows with a grim expression, the reflection of FenRu-el and his subordinates showing in his monocle. And hearing this, our dear Princess took a deep breath, sharpened her gaze with conviction, and made a declaration of her own. Then we will help them by stopping the Doorim before it does that. My Lady But Princess No. I cannot simply stay in here while others are fighting, Charles, Sistina. Not anymore. I have a duty and I plan to see it through without me being put aside so she strongly declared at her servants, but not as the tantrum of a reckless child Master, but as a young woman who had worked hard to obtain the strength necessary to back up her words. All so that the night that happened five years ago wouldnt repeat itself ever again. And so, our dear Princess and her butler locked eyes, neither of them blinking for a second, neither of them backing down. My Lady, thy I am not asking for permission, Charles. While the words were still in his mouth Euphemia cut Charles short before activating her storage bracelet and calling forth a majestic looking scepter, one that had water swirling all around the blue, crystal-like sphere that it had on top. Prithee harken, My Lady. I was but about to say that thy personage shouldst change if thou care about not dirtying thy dress in the fight. Ah! Yes, of And that I shall be going too. !! Really? Errahemalright! Surprising Euphemia with his words, Charles got up from his seat, adjusted his pristine, white gloves, and turned to the Princess with a look that asked her if she was ready. He had always been strict with her when it came to matters related to combat. If he didnt think that she had a chance against her opponent, he would simply become the wall that would stop her from trying until she was ready. Yet, here he was, not only letting her fight, but he was going to fight beside her. And while that was supposed to be expected from a royal attendant, this meant that Charles believed that she could do it. That he believed in her strength. Thus, with a smile on her face and fire in her eyes, Euphemia nodded strongly at her butler before quickly unbuttoning both sides of her custom-made dress collar, causing the entire dress to fall off and reveal what had been underneath it all along. An amazing looking enchanted light armor, one that had various magical runes engraved all over it, and most importantly, one that had a certain emblem etched very, very close to her heart. The emblem of the Swords of Dawn. The emblem of the Knights Order her dear, dear Big Brother not only belonged to, but led as their prime Paragon. The emblem of the Knights Order that had been branded as one of traitors to the World by the Kingdom they served, the Kyrie Kingdom, their home. The emblem of the Knights Order the one that came to be known throughout the lands as the Fallen Prince belonged to. Despite that and more, she wore it with pride, for she knew for a fact that those words of betrayal and that title were nothing but lies. And even if she didnt know what she knew, shed still believe that they were lies with all her heart. So dry your tears, Erevain, and watch how your dear sister fights fueled by the values you inspired in her. Sistina. You do not have to say it, Princess. I am ready to treat that mans injuries as soon as Mister Fen''Ru-el arrives with him. Now go! And may you both return uninjured! Thank you, Sistina! We will! With that, our dear Princess and Charles left the safety of the carriage and leapt into battle! Some would say that the elves should have said something against their charges joining the fray, but in truth, they were thankful as they too could feel it. The dread that came before something very, very bad was about to happen. Mister Ghyllen. Mister Sols. I shall take care of the barrier. Meanwhile, I ask of you to ready your spells for when the barrier falls. The Princess shall deliver the finishing blow after that. Got it! Alright! Thus, when Charles and Euphemia approached the casters in the rear with his plan, they were relieved and immediately focused on seeing it through, starting their respective chants while Charles and Euphemia used [Quickstep] to practically disappear from where they were and appear right where they needed to be. For the Princess that meant appearing around the Doorims left flank, not very close, but not very far either, waiting for the right moment to attack. UiIiIiiIrrr As for Charlesthat meant appearing right beside the running Fen''Ru-el and in front of the unmoving Doorim, who growled at him the moment they locked eyes with each other, bathing the butler with a massive wave of killing intent. Yet, it did not affect him one bit. Keep moving, Mister Fen''Ru-el. We shant let harm befall you. I shall take you up on that then. Instead, he glanced back at Fen''Ru-el and with a polite smile he said his piece before turning his gaze back again to his opponent. Nowlet us pop that bubble, shall we? With that, he sharpened his gaze, reaffirmed his stance, and turned his hand not into a fist that could blow everything away, but a knife. One that could even cut the wind itself if used correctly. Hmph! FWOOM!! So his hand went as he raised his arm and swung it down like one would do a blade! UiIiiIir?! """"...!!?"""" Strongly! Quickly! And thenPOP! The Doorims mighty wind barrier was no more, cut in half by Charles white-gloved hand! Leaving both beast and elven escorts baffled by what happened before their eyes! After all, it had been so sudden, fufufu~. But he had done it, just as he said he would. Which meant that it was their turn, and they did not waste it. My Lady! Gentlemen! Tis time to fell this beast! How could they when even Charles himself beckoned them? UUUUIIIIIiIiIiIiIiiiiiiiII! "...bring it forth oh power of fire...[EXPLOSION]!!" burst from the skies and judge the land[THUNDEROUS PILLAR]!! KABOOMM!! KRAAAKATHOOM!! UuUuUuuUuUuUIIIiIiI!!! Thus, the elven escorts released their attacks upon the Doorim! And they did it just as the beast tried to unleash whatever it was planning to unleash, stopping it in its tracks! First, Ghyllens explosion impacted the Doorims belly, sending it flying upwards just to be immediately slammed back into the ground by Sols lightning spell coming down from the sky! [TRIPLE SHOT]! [PRECISE SHOT]!! [MANA SLASH]! FWIISH! FWISH! FWISH! SLAAASH!! IIIuUuUUuIiIuiiiU! Even then, it quickly tried to get back up and gather up mana in its horns, but it couldnt as Gur''Enel and Leglas quickly took its mobility away by targeting its legs with their arrows, all while AlphiNott disarmed it by slashing away its horns just as they had begun to shine once again, preventing the Doorim from doing what all beasts do when cornered, an all-out attack for survival! One that would certainly hurt if unleashed! Good thing AlphiNott put a stop to that, right dearies? Crap!! UUUUUUUUUUUUUIIII!! Sadly, that wasnt completely the case, as AlphiNott was only able to cut one of the two horns The Doorim, that angry, stubborn deer managed to move its head away from the blade just enough to save one of its horns, showing once again that even hurt and immobilized Doorims were not to be underestimated. And so, the Doorim continued its gathering and weaving of mana, now imbalanced and going wild due to the absence of one of its horns. To the point that the strong wind currents it was creating were not only hurting those around it, but alsoitself. But that didnt matter to it. Not anymore. It was just going to blow everyone awaystarting with the old man that was right in front of it, refusing to move away no matter how many times the wild winds cut him. Yet, the Doorim forgot about a certain someone who had been waiting for her chance to finish things. And for that very reason, that moment, that chance, was now. Wasting no time to seize it, our dear, dear Princess started moving towards the Doorim, caring not for whatever cuts the winds blemished her skin with or the pain that came with them, just like her teacher. As for why deariesfufu~~, you already know why! She was not going to let Charles and everyone else be hurt! Nu-uh! Of course not! And she wasnt planning to let everyones work go to waste! M-m! No, my lovelies! She wouldnt! So, there was no way that she would miss her chance to stop this meanie Doorim! And she did not! "[Elemental Blade: Water]! Haa!!" FWIIISTZIIIIINNN!! So went the watery blade that burst out of the blue gem at the top of Euphemias scepter as she let her mana flow into it!! Its length was short, but dont let that fool you, dearies! That blade was sharp enough to even cut through metal with it! UUUUUUUUUUUUUIIII!! And so, as the Doorim raised its head, let out a desperate roar, and was but moments away of blowing everything and everyone away, the Princess watery blade found its target on the Doorims neckand pierced it. With a thud, the Doorim fell to the ground and returned to the cycle of reincarnation. It had not been a painless battle, it is true, but it was at least a quick end. Now my dearies, I show you all of this so that you can understand that sometimes there is no other way but to fight to protect yourself or someone else. But that does not mean that one should disrespect the life that was ended for another to live, even more so in the case of beasts. Yes, they might be wild, scary, and some, like the Doorim, very, very dangerous. But they are still a very important part of this world, and they do what they do to survive and keep on doing whats their role in nature. That is why after checking that everyone was alright, our dear Princess and her escorts put their right hands over their hearts and prayed for the Doorim with their eyes solemnly closed. They prayed in thanks for the nourishment it was going to provide in their journey, and they promised to use everything it had left behind. That way its death would have a meaning beyond saving the man. That was the elven way of showing respect to a fallen creature of the forest. One of the things of their culture that Euphemia took up as hers after living for five years in Deamis and from such a young age. After that, having begrudgingly left the processing of the Doorim to her escortsCmuch to the relief of both these and her butler since they couldnt have their charge do such a taskCour dear, dear Princess and the latter decided to go check on the man they had rescued. There they found Sistina, who was quite the capable Healer, already tending to the mans many wounds, from the ones caused by the Doorim and others. Looking at the man from up close, the image of him looking like a haggard vagabond was only reinforced. His black hair was disheveled, his unkempt beard had dirt in it, and his upper clothesCwhich were put aside by SistinaCwere now even more torn than they already were. One thing that immediately grabbed their attention though was the prosthetic left arm that was attached to his shoulder, but they made no comment about it. Even then, Charles raised an eyebrow the moment he saw it, seemingly noticing something. What that was, however, well know soon enough, dearies. How is he, Sistina? To be honest, he islucky, Princess. Its clear that this man hasnt received medical attention in quite a while, and he was making do with salves and stitches for the deeper wounds. You can hazard what happened with those after he was hit with that shockwave They all openedtis not an uncommon fate for those who end up deep in the lands past the Draconic Front where healers are not enough orabsent. Oh no It is as Charles says, Princess. All these wounds he had stitched up opened at the same time, but do not worry, I was able to properly treat them all before they became a threat to his life along with the wounds from the shockwave. That is why I said he was lucky, if he hadnt crossed paths with us thenwellit could have been the Doorim or an infection down the line, but I dont think he would have made it to wherever is his destination. thank the Goddess we were able to save him then. And you, Sistina, thank you so much. It is nothing, Princess. The Goddess and her spirits of light and nature gave me this blessing for a reason, but I am still glad to be of use so said Sistina to the relieved Euphemia with a gentle smile on her face. Meanwhile, Charles had a more serious look on his face, a pensive one. Indeed, tis a relief to see this man hale. Yet, I doth wonder what manner of circumstances bringeth a man to such sorry of a state? More so when there are many a settlement between here and our recently felled beasts territory so wondered Charles aloud as he looked at the man lying in the carriage, his question making Euphemia and Sistina wonder the same. Hrrngh And it seemed that they would have their answers very soon as the man slowly began to regain consciousness. nnghh Slowly opening his eyes, the man groaned and grimaced for a moment as his sight adjusted to the daylight once again. Then Where?! The thing! Its Easy thereyou are safe. The beast has been slain and your wounds have been treated, but you have been through a lot, so its better if you dont try to do sudden movements for now. he remembered what was happening right before everything went to black for him and that made all the fear and desperation return for a moment. Once again, he was scared. Once again, he wanted and needed to run away. But Sistina gently stopped him from doing that by softly placing her hand on his chest as he tried to get up, bringing him back to the safety of the present. II see he paused, looking at himself and his surroundings, confirming everything that Sistina told him and of course, noticing the mustached old man with a monocle and the young woman with checkered black and white hair that were standing close to Sistina. Are you the ones who saved my life then? Thank youammso he asked awkwardly, eyeing everyone with a nervous expression as he wondered how to refer to them, something that made Euphemias healer maid giggle. Hehe, Sistina, my name is Sistina. And I healed your wounds, yes, but the ones who made that happen and rescued you from the beast over there are the elves taking care of its remains and these two people here so she said as she motioned towards the escorts and then to our dear Princess and her Butler, the former group pausing what they were doing to turn and happily wave at the man, causing him to wave back and smile at them in gratitude before returning his attention to the latter group. There is no need for thanks, for My Lady and all of us here just decided to do the right thing. Still, tis good to see you awake, Ser. My name is Charles, and My Lady here is Euphemia. Hi! It is a pleasure to meet you! And I am so glad that you are fine! It-It is a pleasure to meet you tooall of you Not caring about appearances, our dear Princess joyfully grabbed one of the mans hands and shook it, taking him by surprise for a moment before he replied and smiled back at Euphemia, albeit awkwardly, before turning to Charles. And M-Mister Charles, ifI may, I still think that I need to thank you for what you did Hmmthen dost thou mind me asking thee some questions, Ser? asked Charles in a way that seemed as if the thought had just occurred to him, yet both Euphemia and Sistina could not help but stare at him with suspecting eyes, thinking that he intentionally had said what he did to lead the conversation to such suggestion. N-No! Not at all! Please, ask away! Ill try my best to answer them, Iits the least I can do as thanks for saving my life. One that the man was happy to go along with. Fufu~~, such a crafty move. Then again, if its for the safety of his Master, Charles didnt mind using those kinds of tricks. And so, ignoring the stares of both his Master and his fellow servant, he began with his questions. In that case, let us start with thy name, Ser. Can thee tell us? My name? Ah! By the Goddess, where are my manners?! Y-Yes! Of course! I-I should have started with that! AhemI am Kori Toh, atraveler so to speak. Ser Kori it is. Y-Yesah! Wrong handsorry. Here Having slightly, and slowly, raised himself with Sistinas help, Kori tried to shake hands with Charles, but stopped as he realized that he had reached out with the wrong hand, his prosthetic one, and immediately pulled it back before extending the other one, something that made Charles raise an eyebrow once again. To mind shaking a prosthetic hand is but the height of oafishness, a lack of basic respect towards ones fellows. Thou hast naught to worry about such a thing from me, Ser Kori. Truly. Eh? Oh! N-Nonono! I-I wasnt i-implying that, Mister Charles N-Not at all! Iplease, its justits just how I am Still, I-I truly apologize Hm, I understand. Pay it no mind then since I did not take offence in that. Here. Reassuring Kori, Charles shook his hand firmly and respectfully, showing him that there really was no problem. That made it easier for Kori to respond in kind instead of showing his nervousness and inner turmoil through the trembling of his hand. Oh dear, thy grip is quite the familiar one, Ser Kori. Art thou a retired soldier, perhaps? If that is the caseprithee, may I know under which nations banner you fought? Perhaps thou hast not yet retired and serve under a different banner now A certain Kingdoms mayhaps? Ah, but these art just the idle musings of an old veteran that cannot help himself but be curious about such things, for there is a chance that I may have fought beside thine elders once upon a time so asked Charles in a seemingly casual manner but the glint in his eyes was anything but casual. Furthermore, he didnt seem like he was going to release poor Koris hand any time soon. A-A soldier? K-Kingdom? Hahahaha, no, no! Not at all, Mister Charles! As I said before, I am just a traveler. Nothing more andnothing less. Charles grimaced at Koris response. Although he was not angry, but ratherdisappointed as Kori had lied. And that meant that things were going to get a bit harderfor Kori. Ihave trouble believing that Ser Kori. That specific model of prosthetic hand is given to the soldiers of a certain island nation after losing a limb in the Draconic Front. Thats! How did you? Did I not mention it? I am an old veteran. I served for 75 years to be exact. I am privy to this knowledge because of that, because some of my comrades received those at the end of their deployments so said Charles as his tone became more and more serious andcold. !! Kori was so shocked that his eyes opened wide. Nothing had outwardly changed from Charles demeanor, but Kori could feel it, that coldness, the man in front of him would have no qualms with dealing with him if he was deemed a threat. Meanwhile, Sisitina glanced to our dear, dear Princess, asking her with a look if she was alright with Charles going further as he was clearly going to do and she answered with a wink and a smile, telling her maid not to worry. Indeed, our dear, dear Princess was planning to step in the moment she felt that it was enough. Thus, the interrogation continued. Ser Kori, I was truthful when I mentioned my liking for conversing with young soldiers and veterans. And thanks to that I am quite well informed with these and many other things. So please, Ser Kori, I suggest thee be more truthful about thy background. For both of our sakes. I-I Fearful of him as he was now, Kori thought of telling the old man not only the truth, but everything about himself. Yetthe fear he felt was nothing compared to the feeling of shame and disgust he felt towards that very truth and himself, feelings that intensified as a barrage of hazy images flooded his mind. Memories of his past. Evidence of a shameful truth. His truth. And all that turmoil was immediately reflected on his own demeanor as he started to look down in shame without even noticing it, and when he did notice itthose emotions only became worse. I do not want to talk about that time of my lifepleaseSir CharlesI beg of youI am just a traveler now. truly, if our circumstances were different, I would not press thee anymore, as I know very well that this long war canchange even those most steadfast. So not wanting to look back at those memories is more than understandable. But Koris inner turmoil gnawed at him to the point that he had force the words out of his mouth to answer to the old man, but even then, Charles heart was not moved. Butthat is not the case here. I cannot afford to take half measures with someone who appeared out of nowhere with a Doorim in pursuit right when our carriage was passing through. Tis a risk I simply cannot take. W-what? Indeed, Charles heart proved to be as hard and cold as iron, for thats what the situation at hand called for. He couldnt risk himself to feel for a potential enemy, at least not until he confirmed he was not one. And so, he moved one step closer to Kori while still firmly holding his hand, but that was more than enough to make him more intimidating in Koris eyes. Even then he felt that he had to say something, that he needed to clarify things. So he tried. InnI swear that I was just looking for food and herbs to treat myself. I-I guess I entered thatthingsthat Doorims territory without noticing because then it appeared out of nowhere and started attacking me! I tried to run away, t-to make it lose my trail butI just couldnt! No matter how many turns I took! I-It just kept coming after me! But I swear on the name of the Goddess that I did not intend to harm anyone! Anyone! He tried to explain himself. To show that he was not someone who would do something as hateful as to try to ambush others or whatever else Charles was thinking of. Using the name of the Goddess in vain is grave sin, Ser Kori. Indeed, it is. And quite the bad one, dearies. Still, Charles doubting words made the shaken Kori feel a certain anger. An understandable one. After all, who was he to doubt him so? He didnt know him. He didnt know everything he had gone through. I am not using it in vain, Sir Charles. I see. So, that anger became the firm tone with which he answered to the butler, leading to them falling silent as they stared at each other while sharpening their gazes. That is enough, Charles. And before either of them could say anything else, our dear, dear Princess intervened, breaking the silence with her own words and their long, long handshake with her hand. Very well, My Lady. But what is thy judgement? Following that, Charles stepped back and moved behind our dear princess, his intimidating demeanor disappearing immediately as he asked that. He is innocent. "Are you sure, My Lady? Our opponents would have no problem spouting such lies. In fact, they have done so already, as thou knowest. Indeed. But Kori is not part of that group. Hoh? May I inquire about My Ladys reasoning for such conclusion? Euphemia nodded and smiled before turning to Kori and giving Charles his answer. His eyes, Charles. They are the eyes of a person who was left behind and is desperately trying to find a way out from that dark place. ?! Surprised to the core, Kori became speechless as a knot began forming inside his throat, but just as he thought that he couldnt be any more surprised, our dear, dear Princess grabbed hold of Koris prosthetic hand and held it tight. Neither of her attendants stopped her, as they had understood the will of their Master and intended to follow it. Furthermore, Charles could be seen smiling in approval of Euphemias judgement. I sincerely apologize for this interrogation. We had to make sure. Nowlet me introduce myself again. Properly this time. I am Euphemia vi Kyrie, Princess of the Kyrie Kingdom, and there is a way out, Sir Kori. She knew. She knew it all too well. Thatdark place. That is what Kori felt from her words and the genuine, empathetic smile she was showing to him. He felt that so strongly that he couldnt help but shed a tear. ______________________________________________________________________ Aaaand thats it for tonight, my dearies~. What? Nuuuuu! Butbut! Fufufu~~. Yep, this time our cinnamon rolls are not only still awake, but they are going through something that all weebs have experienced in their lives! And thats a chapter being so good that you are shocked when it suddenly ends, and you cant help but want to watch the next episode NOW! I mean, just look at them! Ilya is absolutely shocked and Celesia is about to throw a tantrum! Sho cute! But also, also!! THEY MAKE ME SHO PROUD!! Yesh! Because what else can you expect from our daughters than them getting this hyped after such a battle scene took place! Their very first battle scene!! Even more so when my lovable Goddess of a partner and first heroine showed it in such an amazingly done anime style instead of the usual realistic filter! You shouldve seen it! My little lights were going Ohhhhhhh! Ahhhhh! and Papa! Papa! That was awesome! Awesome! and so much more!! SO CUTE! And that is not to say that Ere wasnt into it, oh no, she was! A lot! She teared up for a moment and after that I even heard her murmur Euphy looks incredible like that. Heh. Just a bit more and youll be one of us, Ere! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Well, maybe that was just her sister-spoiling proud elder sister sidebut still! Hm? A little someone is pulling at my onesie! Papa! Papa! Tell Mother to continue the story! Huhuhuh, I want to, but I cant, Celesia, my little light. Staying awake past bedtime is very bad after all and as luck would have it, it is almost time for us to go to sleep. Indeed! Staying awake until 6 am reading manga and watching anime is bad! Very bad! Good thing I never did that! No sir! Aha-ha-ha! And Nerinne is totally not looking at me with a shit-eating grin calling me out on that! Nope! Fufufu~~, besides, dont you have classes tomorrow, dearie? Yes And you wouldnt want to be sleepy sleepy then and miss the awesome things Miss Josie and Miss Mika teach you, right? I wouldnt, Motherbutbut Daww, Celesia is getting teary eyed Dont worry, I got this, dear~. How about this, dearie. Lets talk about what you two learned from todays chapter of the story and if you arent sleepy by the end of it, Ill consider going for another chapter. How is that, Celesia? Ilya? Yes! Yes! Nn Nice one, darling! Both Celesias teary eyes and Ilyas shock are gone now, replaced by excited nodding, and shining eyes, heh. And this offer is also valid for you, Erevain~. So if something grabbed your attention, dont hesitate to ask about it, fufu~. Of course, Miss Nerinne. I shall do so. Good~. Ere, who had been watching our little exchange with our daughters with a smile on her face, seems more comfortable here than yesterday. Heck, you wouldnt even think that she wasnt sure if it was alright for her to be here. Im glad since she is as important to me as Nerinne. Gabby too. Now, who wants to go first? MeMotherme And our adorable cinnamon roll of a volcano daughter raises her adorable little hand in response! You wouldnt guess it by her kuudere voice, but it only takes one look at her gleaming eyes to know that she was eagerly waiting for her dear mother to ask that question. Ilyalearned that to takeand give backrespectfullyfrom natureweneed to be gratefulto beasts for theirnourishment and thatif we mean to takewe need a good reason. WowI know that she is also a volcano and that that might make her more attuned to nature by itself, but still. What Ilya just said while putting her hand over heart as the elves did is something that I believe everyone must learn and for her to have nailed it this way at her age isamazing. I guess her spending some quality time with our resident Beast Summoner, Max, every now and then also helped her get this better grasp of what respecting nature while living alongside it means. Waitshe is a volcano, so wouldnt that count as self-respect too? That is a very good thing to have learned, dearie! Very good indeed! And you, Celesia? "Mmm" "What''s wrong, sweetie?" "Mother said that the angry deer had a roleso what is my role? Do Ihave one?" Now thats one heck of an existential question to ask while tilting your head in such an adorable way my inquisitive bundle of joy of a daughter! Like, two daughters and both dropped answers that are justwoah. Aww~~, thats a great question! But what do you think? That II have a role? Fufufu~~, yes! You have a role, sweetie! Thennu?! But that is for you to discover and choose, just like I chose to poke your adorable little nose~~. Nuuuu!! Fufufu~~, no one else can tell you what your roles is or choose it for you, dearie. Not even me. Alright? And again, my divine darling handled it perfectly, just I knew she would. As for why Ere and I didnt chip in, well, I guess its because we thought the same thing. Celesia is a bit tsun with Nerinne, so if theres an event to up her dere points with her, we are not ruining it by butting in! Even more so if Celesia is the one who initiates it like this time! Then Now lets see what Celesia has to say! Then I want to be like Papa and Mama and Big Sis and M-Mother and and Aunty Euphy! Because today I learned that it''s better to try and save people, than not doing it! Like Aunty Euphy did! Yes! Because because when I saw that no one was helping Kori, I felt bad and lonelyand I didnt like that! Nu! Abandoning someone is bad! Bad! And when they turned around and saved him, I felt very happy! Happy! Aunty Euphy is awesome! Awesome! Like Papa and Mama and Big Sis andandM-Mother! PROUD SMILES! PROUD SMILES EVERYWHERE! HECK, IM EVEN TEARING UP! NERINNE AND ERE TOO!! AND ILYA IS BLUSHING WHILE HUGGING CELESIA! Ahhh! Not fair, Ilya! I want to hug Celesia too! I love you two so much! Wah! Nuuuu!! HihiIlya loves you too, Mother AND NERINNE NOW HAS GONE FOR THE HUG! AH, SUCH A WHOLESOME SCENE! MAH HEART! But reallyknowing what I knowshe really isah, there I go again, saying the same things just like a broken record. Celesia is Celesia and Im proud of the big heart she is nurturing with everything she has. Anyways, lets bring this to a close since bedtime is closing in! And I do take my role as parent seriously! Even when Im an incorrigible weeb! Ahem, and did you two learn anything else from the story? So I ask while getting closer to Nerinne and them and patting their heads. Yes, Nerinnes too. Fufufu~, as you sould! Mmmah. That we cant useMothers name in vain becauseshe gets mad. and scary! Very scary! N-Not that I was scared! Nu! Ack! Oh darling, thats a crit in the heart. Buuuuut, you did show a scary face when narrating that part and poor Celesia here got startled by it. She immediately tried to hide it by puffing her cheeks and looking away though. Stillthat was so mean, darling I didnt mean to scare her like that, dummy! Its just that I hate it when people do that so I cant help it! Mou Hehehe, I know, I know. You are sho cute too. And speaking of cute! Dont you think that I forgot about Eres turn! And you, Ere? Do you have something to ask about? Yes, MyAurosI do. Ahhhh, Ill never get tired of her calling me by name! And that little moment when she was about to say My Lord but corrected herself while lightly blushing made her all the more adorable! It is about Sir Kori, Miss Nerinne. This may be speculation on my part butcould it be that he is the vagabond that you mentioned back when you acknowledged Euphys worthiness for the throne? ah, that. Fufufu~~, yes, but I shall refrain from saying anything more for the sake of the story. Now thats a fast recovery! You wouldnt even know that this Goddess giggling in such a mysterious manner was but another emotional critical hit away from being KOd! Shush! Heh. Still, its nice that this familys motto is being kept, that isNO SPOILERS! **yaaaaawn** Anyways it seems our little ones need to sleep now. Fufufu~, yes. That seems to be the case. Indeed. !! Hearing what me, Nerinne, and Ere just said, Ilya and Celesia try to deny it while shaking their head No...Father.Ilya can still *yawn* Big Sis! Dont let the yawnies win! We promised to stay up late to hear more of the *yaaaawn* but a second wave of cute yawns betray their words! Ah, such heartless villains are the yawnies that they didnt care about their adorable promise! Furthermore, they are so powerful that. *Yaaaaaawn* Not you too, Papa! Im sorry, my dear Celesia butthey got me toothe yawnies So I dramatically say while falling on the bed, beaten, and very sleepy. Nuuuuu! Fufu~~, I believe this is their win, dearie. Come, lets go to sleep now. ButbutM-Motherthe story Hmmit seems that Celesia still has some fight in her left but Now, now, my violet star, we agreed with Miss Nerinne that we would go to sleep if we were sleepy after telling her what we learned, right? here comes Ere with that! ! YesMama So let us make good on our word. Ok Nice one, Ere!! GoodnightFatherMother GoodnightPapaMama Goodnightlights of our hearts. And with such a synchronized send off to dreamland from us three, I turn off the lights with a snap of my fingers. Goodnight to you too my dear weebs, wherever you are. ___________________________________________________________________ Once again, in some faraway place outside the perception of everyone in that room, a certain someone was still trying to enact her plan through the same window she has been watching them. A plan that will surely end up badly for her. Kakaka! You are so fun, Yawue! There is no way this can end up badly for me! Our dear, dear friend will even thank me for this! You will see! Nowtonight was a dud, but I am getting better at this with every try. Just you waitI shall invite you here soon enough. Kakakaka! Do not say that I did not warn you To be continued(cue illustration of everyone listening to Nerinnes story while in their onesies!) Mrpandopool Im back! Again! For a third time! And I know this might be getting old, but that doesnt make my following words mean any less, thank you so much for your patience. I know its been some time since the last chapter was uploaded and sadly the reason for the delay was the one all of you already know, which is my tendonitis. I sadly had a flare up of it, which led to me needing to slow down. As I said before, Id love to post these small progress updates and so on in Royal Road too, but theres still no way for me to do so without Rickrolling everyone into thinking that theres a new chapter. So, again, when that changes, Ill be sure to do it! Besides that, lots of things have happened since the last update, LARH finished his little project that involved Sophie and Lyra (which youll see in a bit), work on the fourth illustration is well under way, a little other waifu project with him and someone else may come to fruition, my phone died, almost got my bank account closed due to bank shenanigans, I replaced my phone (Patrons as always being mvps!), and I joined the ranks of the Final Fantasy 14 cult! Heck, we even made a Free Company! The Auros Maid Company or AMC! The FC and me are in Crystals Diabolos server and if youre looking for an FC, wed be happy to have you! I also need people to help (and teach) me clear Refulgence Savage for the dyable chest pieceI NEED IT! I NEED IT FOR MY GLAM! HAAAALP! Errrahemin any case, lets talk about the chapter before moving into the art and fanart section! At first it was supposed to be just another revision, a task easy on my hands. Buuuuuuut like the first part, that was not going to cut it, not at all. No matter how hard I tried to stick to that it just didnt work, so I did the best thing I could, I just erased everything and rewrote the whole chapter from the ground up, which is also another reason why it took me this long. Even then, I had to do this rewrite like three times because of certain parts, but in the end it all clicked. And what you are reading is the version Im proud of, so I really hope that you enjoyed it! If you want to see some of the differences between this rewrite and the old version, you wont want to miss the next Isekai Lab blog post in my patreon! But suffice to say, I added plenty of extra bits, extended some scenes and once again, added a completely new scene in the end! Just who is this person who is able to both perceive and talk with Yawue in his narrator mode? Well, youll see! Moving onITS TIME FOR THE ART! AND FANART!! FIRST, WE HAVE LARH WITH NOT ONLY HIS VERSION OF A CERTAIN FAN FAVORITE FANART OF SOPHIE AND LYRA, BUT ALSO THE PROJECT HE WAS WORKING ON! WHAT IF WAIFU WAS A MAFIA STORY?! WELL, HERES A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE! COMMISSIONED BY ONE OF MY DEAR PATRONS! SCHOOOKIE!! AND THIS MASTERPIECE IS ONE I MADE WHEN IT WAS MAID DAY! TRULY, MY GENIUS FOR ARTS KNOWS NO BOUNDS! GOING INTO THE FANART SIDE WE HAVE FIA WITH THIS ADORABLE ADDITION TO STORYS DISCORD SERVER STICKER COLLECTION! EBONKELINE! NEXT WE HAVE OPHI WITH ARTS OF AUROS, EVANGELINE, SOPHIE AND JULES!! ALL OF THEM CUTE AS HECK! LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE HAVE LORD FEMBOY WITH THIS STYLISH AUROS! SO GOOD!! AND THATS ITFOR NOW! SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! AND YES, THERES GOING TO BE ONE! THIS STORY IS NOT DYING! ILL KEEP WORKING ON IT WHILE TAKING CARE OF THESE HANDS OF MINE! Once again, thank you so much for reading, for your support, and for enjoying this story! Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso. Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aqu y en la historia en general. See you all next chapter! Love you all!