My Life with an S&M Maid

by Curiosity44

Anime worlds are fun as a story, but what happens when that story becomes your reality? Join Dante on his journey through a world full of adventure, romance, immortals, magic, magical beasts, oh, and a S&M maid, can't forget that one. Join him as he takes the world by storm as the Ouroboros Potioneer! The snake who grasped eternity. . Slight AU Fairy Tail, starts years before canon

8. Magic Beasts, Potions, and Connections 2

[CHAPTER NOT EDITED THROUGH GRAMMARLY. WILL BE EDITED AT A LATER TIME.]

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"Somebody speaking."

'Somebody thinking.'

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, or any other anime/novel/manga/fanfic that I may use.

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Chapter 6: Magic Beasts, Potions, and Connections Part 2

The interrogation was smooth.

Councilman Rashad wasn't even a mage so he couldn't resist the truth potion and spoke honestly.

He was apparently both blackmailed and bribed. Blackmailed because the Phenex head got to him by threatening to tell his wife about his two side lovers and bribed because the deal was smoothed over with a nice sum of jewels.

The man gave out everything he knew, the messengers he would meet, how he contacted the Phenex head, when certain checkpoints had to be done, and surprisingly, he even knew where the poison came from.

The fact that the poison was supplied by one of the magic council members, councilman Leiji, to the Phenex and that Rashad had previously known that Leiji supplied such a poison was both a double blow to Toma.

The man might have been the human torch for how much he burned with anger and fury at the moment.

Before he could explode in public and make an order that he might not be thinking through, Kama and I managed to rush him into a private office with the same silencing magic on the door as Hisui's room.

"I'LL STRING THESE BASTARDS UP!" (Toma)

Kama, Virgo, and I just stood back in our own thoughts as the diminutive king of Fiore paced back and forth and shouted curses and vulgarities about what he would do to everyone involved.

I looked at Kama with a raised eyebrow in an unspoken question and he shook his head.

"He's not usually like this, it's been a very busy time recently and the stress probably got to him. He is in fact fiercely protective of her highness. Ever since the queen died, she has been the center of his world when not dealing with matters of the state, and even then, he would put her first if necessary." (Kama)

I nodded at that and leaned back against the wall to enjoy a conversation with Virgo on designs she was making for the interior of our home in our minds while we waited.

Surprisingly, it took a whole hour for the man to run out of steam and sit down.

"Da…*cough* Katakuri, I apologize for having you see that. It's been a stressful time." (Toma)

I just waved my hand in acceptance and sat down across from him while pulling out the mead from earlier and pouring everyone a drink.

"Don't sweat it, I understand the need to vent. I prefer combat with magical beasts but pacing and cursing for a while isn't a bad method as long as you're in private of course. Can't have the king be seen to lose his cool like that." (Dante)

Toma accepted the glass thankfully but Kama and Virgo both declined so I shrugged and poured their drinks into mine and Toma's with telekinesis and stored the extra glasses.

Toma hummed in agreement at my words and seemed to ponder on his thoughts while twirling his drink.

After a few minutes I broke the peaceful silence.

"Penny for your thoughts your majesty?" (Dante)

He looked up at me and looked like he wanted to say something but stopped to look at Kama for a moment.

"Katakuri, do you mind allowing Kama here to know of your master? I find it would be easier to talk to you that way. I trust the man with my life, you have no need to worry about his loyalty." (Toma)

I turned my eyes to Kama at that and saw him nod resolutely to me.

"As long as my king doesn't command me to, your secrets shall be taken to the grave." (Kama)

I nodded at that and released my transformation much to everyone's amusement aside from Kama who looked like he took another blow to his pride in his abilities, but I managed to reassure him and get him to take the drink he declined a few minutes prior.

After calming down and giving a short explanation on my identity, he seemed to have a lot of respect for me in what I managed to accomplish at such an age.

We spent some time talking and I managed to make the two men feel like they were speaking with a grown man versus a young teen.

A bit later, I got Toma back to the topic at hand.

"I'm just trying to push away my anger and think logically about the next step. That bit of amusement at seeing Kama's shocked face definitely helped haha." (Toma)

"My lord, I believe anyone would be shocked by that!" (Kama)

We all chuckled at that.

"Toma, if you would allow, I believe I can offer some council with your issues." (Dante)

The man had told me to call him Toma in private settings, so I wasn't going to stand on ceremony. He may be a king but that doesn't mean I consider him MY king.

Toma made a gesture for me to go on.

"The way I see it, without having the knowledge on any of the economic issues that may come as a result, you need to deal with three main things. The Phenex head, the magic council member Leiji selling lethal and uncommon poison to any buyers, and the magic council itself.

First, the Phenex head, I can deal with if you're interested in having him removed quietly and efficiently. If you want to make any moves after that, it's on you, however, since I don't enjoy cleanup work. I think you need to make an active move against them, or they will continue to grow like a tumor. Especially if they discover their plan failed, they will begin making drastic moves to cover their tracks, fight, or run.

I can infiltrate their location, find out who was involved in the scheme, and remove them quietly and get out without raising any alarms." (Dante)

Toma pondered on that for a moment before giving me a sharp look.

"You're asking for permission to assassinate in my kingdom?" (Toma)

I shrugged.

"I think it's necessary, don't make the mistake in thinking that I believe a kingdom can be ruled without bloodshed. To be a king, you will always have opposition at points of your rule, it's impossible to have a clean rulership in the light and dark. I am simply offering to get this issue out of your hair." (Dante)

Toma seemed to age before my eyes as he responded.

"*Sigh* For one so young, you are wise beyond your years. I do not enjoy the act of taking life, I was never able to become a mage much to my disappointment and I am not one for the martial path as well. My skill and genius lay in the economy and I always did my best. I know I am a bit softer hearted then some of my fellow kings and queens of Ishgar, but I want to believe all life is sacred.

Unfortunately, you are correct in that to be a ruler comes with bloodshed. My transition from the noble system to the one we have now wasn't as clean I would have liked. My late wife, bless her soul, and I faced many challenges on the road to having a firm hold of the country." (Toma)

He didn't look at me as he spoke but stared into his cup with eyes that were looking into the past, recalling memories of times long since passed before he refocused.

"Before I give you my answer Dante, what is the price for your services? Don't think I can't see you want something." (Toma)

I smirked at that.

"I do have a price but how about I finish giving my advice before we get to that." (Dante)

Toma nodded.

"Aside from the Phenex issue, you have the issues with the magic council member Leiji and the council itself. We have already seen what one of them was doing today, and considering their reputation across the entire continent, despite being ONLY a Fiore based organization, I am willing to bet much more of it has already been corrupted. (AN: THAT'S RIGHT BITCHES! I've said it before, I'll say it again, in this fic, the council is FIORE based. It's actually in the wiki that the council is supposed to answer to king Toma. And even so, do you really think all the kingdoms of Ishgar would collectively allow some pansy ass magic council to oversee them and be a threat? Yeah, no, not every ruler is that fucking stupid. In this fic, the council belongs to Fiore and is under Toma's rule.)

I am willing to bet you are not the fool others believe you to be by ignoring the rumors going around about them." (Dante)

Toma winced at that.

"Indeed, I am keeping tabs, but I am simply too busy with the kingdoms rule. And I have no mages under me I can delegate to watch over the mages of the country. I formed the council at the start of my rule to oversee a part of the kingdom I was too busy to deal with and have no experience with and they grew complacent in their positions and began to subtly try and place themselves above me.

I was going to simply let things play out but not anymore, it's time I remind them where they stand and perhaps do a bit of cleaning house." (Toma)

"Actually, that ties into my advice here. This is a prime opportunity for you.

I know there is no stopping you on arresting Leiji for selling the poison. But I would say you should hold off on bringing the hammer down on the rest of the council.

We both know the council has been corrupted. But if you come in full force, the roaches will hide their misdeeds and clean up their trails as best as possible.

On the other hand, if you come for specifically Leiji and go away, they will feel as if your wrath and attention is focused on that single issue and do everything to incriminate Leiji more to avoid your eye.

It would be the perfect time to begin an investigation into everything they are up to.

Of course, this will be a long term plan. It could take up to a decade to catch all the loose ends and follow their trails but if you do this, you would be able to clean your nest in one big sweep versus having a cancerous century long fight against them." (Dante)

Frankly, I didn't want Toma making too big of moves because although I know the timeline has been affected, I would prefer things stay close to home for the time being.

It's not that I care about making canon stay the same, I just care about the big points so I can use my future knowledge to my advantage. For example, if I know that Oracion seis is going to be aiming for Nirvana, I can make a move long before then to prepare for when they arrive.

It's the same thing now, I plan to deal with the council by making a giant net and having all the annoying factors removed so they can't bother me. If Toma started directly attacking, it's no telling how much trouble the loose ends could make.

"You are one scary guy Dante. If I knew you wouldn't decline, I would offer you the position of being my court mage, but I will simply have to settle as having you as my ally and friend. I believe your idea has a great deal of potential behind it. I have ignored this tumor for far too long in my kingdom and I wish to remove it before I allow my daughter to succeed me. This plan needs a lot more details and steps but very well, it shall be done." (Toma)

I smiled victoriously at that but Toma's next words made my eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

"And don't think you're getting out of this Dante! You came up with this plan, you're playing a role in it. If I have to deal with all the god forsaken paperwork, you can play a part." (Toma)

'Damn, I was hoping to not be involved. I'm busy with my own stuff damn it.'

Still, I relented.

'I guess it's better to be involved in this and being able to stay on top of the situation.'

"*Sigh* fine, fine. Let's make a plan then." (Dante)

Toma gave a victory sign and I threatened to take the bottle of mead back to get some revenge.

Seeing the small man have tear filled eyes wasn't pleasant so I stopped.

'Who wants to see a small old man cry? Give me a crying beauty and I would feel happier with the scenario.'

It seemed my thoughts were louder than I intended because I felt a tap on my shoulder and choked on my drink when I saw Virgo with teary eyes.

'Is this better master?' (Virgo)

Toma and Kama gave her confused looks but I just coughed and pushed her face away with one hand.

'Thank you for your efforts love, but I will deal with you later for that one.' (Dante)

'I'm looking forward to it, m-a-s-t-e-r~.' (Virgo)

I shivered when I felt her lick my hand and quickly recomposed myself.

Ignoring the byplay with Virgo and Toma and Kama's curious looks, I pushed on with plan making.

It took a bit, but we managed to get a rough game plan in order.

"Good, let's go with this then and we can refine it as we go along." (Toma)

Kama and I nodded and relaxed back into our chairs.

"Now, Dante, it's time to hear your price. I know you wish for friendship with the crown but what else do you want. You have done a tremendous amount of service for me today. As long as it doesn't harm my kingdom or family, I will fulfill any wish of yours that is within my power." (Toma)

I put my thoughts in order and spoke calmy.

"I have three minor requests." (Dante)

Toma nodded.

"One, I am hoping I can have your protection should the magic council attempt to make a move against me. This won't affect our plan, but I want to be able to delay them for another decade at least before I will use their interest in me to make a move. I just need you to keep them off my back since their greed is already being pointed at me." (Dante)

He agreed without pause.

"It will be done, if they try to get to you despite my orders to leave you alone, immediately contact me and I will handle it. Of course, if you have actually been doing something illegal and they have evidence, I will listen to what they say. I know they are corrupt, but they still do a moderate amount of proper work against law breakers. What are your other two requests?" (Toma)

Reaching out my hand, I requiped a special gold lacrima card and handed it to him.

"What is this?" (Toma)

"This, my friend, is a premium VIP client card. Unlike a regular VIP, who gets a silver card with my lacrima number and available working hours to make custom requests or orders, premium members have other benefits.

The gold card is similar to the silver one in that it will receive updates from myself on current potions for sale, security numbers to use during calls, and a fingerprint scanner so only the user can access it. It will vibrate when any new information is sent and can project it onto a surface. I got the design from the bank of Ishgar's debit cards.

The changes from silver to gold begin there.

First off, all premium members will know my identity. They are friends or allies I personally decide to trust so they will be eligible for more of the high quality kind of potions. You will have access to a second communication lacrima number which allows you to speak to me through a live video and we can speak of anything you need including home visits, non-potion related jobs, or more of the… unfriendly side of potions. Of course, I only offer this to those I trust but I still won't ask for the reason they need it, it's a right of the customer.

Also, premium members will have access to auctions for rare and hard to come by potions that I decide to sell for a variety of reasons. If there are left overs, I will auction it to regular VIP's.

I am working on a special privilege for premium members but the item necessary for it is still being developed.

I am offering this position to you along with my request. I hope you can recommend my services to the other royalty of Ishgar. Having the backing of multiple nations would be very welcome to me since I enjoy traveling and ingredient gathering takes me all over." (Dante)

Toma became ecstatic at hearing the benefits and was smiling from ear to ear while playing with the card.

"That's not an issue as well. I can't promise they will all be easy to work with or that they will contact you, but we have conferences from time to time over a special continent wide communication lacrima. It was a system that was put into place long before my time to make sure the Ishgar stays united from outside threats and can offer assistance to each other when necessary.

As for one of the benefits of a premium VIP, if I need to call you in, how long would it take you to arrive? This isn't just for your services but if there is an emergency I would feel relieved knowing I have a reliable ally to call on." (Toma)

Filing away the interesting bit of the royalty being connected, I responded.

"It depends where I am at the moment but if I am in my territory, I can be here within a few hours." (Dante)

Toma raised an eyebrow at that.

"Territory? If you don't mind me asking, where would that be?" (Toma)

I shrugged and told him. He already holds a few of my secrets and it's not like many can do anything about it.

"I will avoid giving you specifics, but I will just say that we are neighbors to Crocus." (Dante)

It took a minute before that message clicked to him.

"Neighbors? But the closest town is…. Wait! You don't mean in the danger area do you!?" (Toma)

I smirked.

"One hell of a secure location huh?" (Dante)

Toma and Kama both gave me stunned looks.

"That's an understatement man, I've thought this before but now I gotta say it, you have a pair of steel ones on you. To make it inside and choose to live in such a place." (Kama)

Toma nodded at that.

"I agree, if I didn't know you, I would think your insane." (Toma)

He seemed to think of something and gave me a speculative look.

"You know, if possible, can I ask that you keep me informed of any large changes that happen in those mountains? It's been an annoyance that I can't keep a constant eye on that location. I periodically send S class mages in to check it out but it's not much of a solution." (Toma)

I nodded.

"Sure, if it's something that could be a risk to the capital, I'll let you know." (Dante)

It's not really any issue for me. I understand his worry though. The natural fog around the mountain is swarming with insect colony magic beasts like the ants I fought through. If a big change occurs, they could decide to swarm out into the juicy capital full of food.

"Now, your last request?" (Toma)

My eyes lit up at that.

"Ah, yes. The third minor request is simple…. I wish to do a little… excavating of fossils so to speak within the capital. Do you mind?" (Dante)

I was debating on this for a while. When I arrived in Crocus, I didn't plan of letting anyone know I was going for the dragon skeletons but this event with Toma had me reconsider. It might be best to let the man known in case of any special circumstances. Besides, there are literally hundreds of skeletons and no one ever used them in canon.

Toma looked puzzled for a moment before it clicked, and he gave me a serious look.

"Your information gathering skills are truly frightening. Can I be assured that nothing dangerous will result from your… excavation?" (Toma)

I gave him a nod at that.

"It's for potions, nothing more." (Dante)

Toma held his look for a moment before releasing his tension.

"Very well, I will have Kama here show you the most direct route. There is a path from underneath the palace to that area." (Toma)

"Thank you my friend." (Dante)

Toma just waved his hand.

"The royal family has had access to the area for over a century when it was found and hidden. I know not how you discovered it, but it's not like we have any use for it.

But Dante, I must warn you…. I have personally had a look down there with a few trusted subordinates and we all confirmed something… strange." (Toma)

I gave him a weird look at the face he was making.

"Strange?" (Dante)

'Isn't it just a dragon graveyard?'

Toma nodded.

"The… fossils… all belong to the same species but… there was something else down there… something that frightened us when we came upon it's centuries old remains. We never discovered what it could have been, but I warn you to be careful with whatever you plan on doing. I would prefer a reliable ally and friend does not suddenly get taken from us so soon." (Toma)

On the outside I gave him a thankful calm nod but on the inside, my mind was ablaze.

'Something else? Is this an AU world or something? Even if I caused a butterfly effect, I've been here for what? Only two years. I couldn't have had any effect on something that happened over four hundred years ago.

If there is something else, this has to be an AU version of the world. Well, that, or the canon crew simply never bothered to check carefully. The place was used for one episode before being forgotten.'

Still, I thanked Toma and decided it was time to go. Toma saw us off at the door and Kama showed Virgo and I to the passage.

"Just keep going straight, this tunnel is meant for royalty so there aren't any traps or other branching paths. To get out, pull the lever on the right side of the path at the entrance to the cavern, it will open up a path to the surface on the far side of the coliseum for a short time before closing itself." (Kama)

I grunted in acknowledgement and held out my forearm.

"Thanks for everything Kama, give me a call if there's ever an emergency." (Dante)

Kama smiled back and hit his forearm to my own.

"Anytime man, you have done a lot of good today, the same offer goes to you, I'll be there if you need me and it doesn't get in the way of my duties." (Kama)

With a final nod, Virgo and I made our way down while the door to the palace closed behind us.

The path was lit with glowing green crystals and continued on an inclined straight path.

"Well, that was fun master. A bit different from how this day was planned." (Virgo)

I chuckled at that and put an arm around her shoulders as we walked.

"Tell me about it. While I wouldn't wish the situation with Hisui happened, I'm thankful for it. I couldn't have hoped for a better opportunity to befriend Toma and now we don't have to worry about the council in the short term." (Dante)

Virgo leaned into me and nuzzled slightly into my neck. We were alone so she didn't mind showing physical affection.

"Mhm, I would have simply punished any fool who tried to target you, but this works as well." (Virgo)

I mentally shivered a bit at that but kept my calm exterior.

'I didn't mind her words before, I thought they were mainly jokes, but now that I know how intense her punishments are for non-friendlies, even I can't help but want to clench my cheeks.'

We walked in silence for a while, enjoying each other's presence in the interestingly romantic location.

A calm walk snuggled up in an underground space lit with the glow of hundreds of shining crystals created a nice mood between us. And Virgo loves to be in her element, so she was almost beaming at the moment much to my amusement.

In this moment, I felt closer to Virgo than I had before. For the last two years, she was always with me, supporting me, filing my life with her presence, her scent, sight, and sound. I knew I was already at the point where I couldn't imagine life without her and frankly, I was tired of holding back because of fear or rushing things. I knew she already claimed a place in my heart for herself, it just seemed to finally click into place during the walk.

Who knows what the reason was, but I guess this was the 'moment' I had been waiting for. I felt my memory flow back to earlier today at the flower stand and how the nice woman had asked me what I wished to tell Virgo through the language of flowers. 'Gratitude' and 'Unforgettable' was the message I wanted to convey.

'Heh, I guess I just couldn't fully see myself before this.'

"Were here master." (Virgo)

Virgo's voice broke the trance like state we were in. In a moment that felt so short in comparison to how long it really took, we arrived at the end of the path.

'I'll give her the flowers when we get home.'

Before our eyes, the tunnel we were in opened up into a massive cavern with an overhead ledge extending from the tunnel to allow us to see the entire space.

'Huh, so this is where Arcadias and Yukino came in from in canon.'

Putting that thought aside, I stared out at the majestic sight that filled my view.

Dragon skeletons lay as far as I could see in my line of sight. Even as just bones, they held a power to them that screamed of their might.

"I remember the age of dragons; it was a chaotic time, but they were interesting beings." (Virgo)

I hummed at that.

"Hm.. did the celestial spirits have users among the dragons?" (Dante)

Virgo laughed at that.

"Haha, no master, we are only used by humans. Long ago, an unfortunate war between two races pitted us spirits against each other, forced to follow our laws to serve our masters. When the war was over, the spirit king declared humans as our chosen race for they were not only the most numerous but the most likely ones to call on us for aid.

We have learned much from our long years on Earthland." (Virgo)

I listened closely at that. Virgo sometimes talks about the past and its fascinating to hear of the things she had lived through.

Still, I knew she didn't enjoy the memory, so I put a rubbed her head a bit and changed the topic.

"Come on, let's get started so we can go back to OUR home." (Dante)

Virgo's smile at hearing that was a beautiful sight to see.

"Mn." (Virgo)

~Line Break~

Time flew while we worked. There were hundreds of skeletons down here but unfortunately, due to time and possibly their elements or other reasons, not all of them were able to be used.

My magic sense came into play by helping me see which bones were still able to be used because of the mana still lingering on them. Dragons, especially in this world, were creatures of magic after all.

Still, even a single skeleton was massive, so we gathered a great haul.

I chugged mana potions one after the other as I filled space vials with skeletons and labeled them before storing them in my requip space.

Thanks to their size, it took a lot out of me to stuff them in a space vial but thankfully, they didn't require any mana to upkeep once they were stored.

It was a while later when I came upon a sight that made the hairs on my body stand on end and my eyes widen.

A large pit in the chamber had a pile of skeletons, all broken up like they were shattered by a blunt force, piled on top of… something else.

It was long, serpentine, and it's bones were black as night compared to the white looking dragon bones. And the amazing thing was even after all these years, it retained its shape much better than any skeleton should have been able to.

But the thing that set my senses off was the feeling it gave me. It was like I was staring at a sleeping primal beast, something that screamed of facing an alpha predator. And that's saying something when you're standing amidst mountains of dragon skeletons.

'Holy shit! What the hell is that thing? It's making me wary even though it's been dead for at least four centuries!'

Carefully approaching it, I sensed it with my magic sense and to my honest surprise, I felt nothing.

The dragon bones sang with lingering mana, but this black skeleton was a blank slate.

'What the hell is this?'

'Virgo, please come here.' (Dante)

'Right away master.' (Virgo)

Virgo soon arrived and even her eyes widened at the sight.

"What do you make of this?" (Dante)

Virgo took a minute to respond.

"I'm a little shocked to be honest. I haven't felt such a presence in many millennia. This force, even from a skeleton, is one I would only feel from a primal beast, long before the age of man. But I know not what this one is or how it could be here. They should have long been extinct with dragons being their latest descendants." (Virgo)

There were a few points in there that got my attention.

"Primal beasts? And what do you mean dragons are descendants?" (Dante)

"Master, I am not an expert on this subject, and I am only going over what I can recall but primal beasts are ancient creatures.

In the beginning, many creatures were born from mana itself with powers that could rival gods. They breathed in ethernano and stood at the apex of the world.

But they were not immortal, as beings of energy, they either died after leaving descendants or left for other worlds. I am unsure of what exactly happened back then. I was quite young at the time.

But I do know that their descendants became known as primal beasts, creatures that procreated and lived as kings.

The wars they held with each other back then could reshape continents.

But as all things, with time, they died out one after the other with their descendants being different.

The latest ones I can recall were the dragons, they hailed from the ancient god serpent, I believe it was called… ah! Yes, it was the winged serpent, the Targaryen." (AN: WMW fans unite!)

I was fascinated by her tale.

'I never knew there was so much lore behind the scenes. Perhaps this really is an AU world? Who knows? The author of Fairy Tail was probably desperately trying to avoid anyone asking the IMMORTAL celestial spirits questions about history.'

"Thank you for sharing that Virgo. So, you think this skeleton belongs to another type of primal creature?" (Dante)

Virgo nodded.

"I can't say what it was, but this feeling definitely belonged to one of them, I wouldn't mistake it." (Virgo)

"Good, were taking it. I'll try and study it from the safety of our home. Perhaps you can take a broken piece of bone and ask around in the spirit world for more information?" (Dante)

Virgo agreed without issue.

"It shall be done master." (Virgo)

I thanked her and gave her a hug before she flashed away with a human arm sized piece of bone back to the spirit world while I started working on storing the skeleton.

It took more effort that the dragon skeletons to fit in the space vial only because it's skeleton was much longer than the dragons. The vial works more on mass than whatever it is your trying to store.

It also fails on living organisms but doesn't seem to apply to plants I harvest. If it's removed from its source, a plant is fair game.

Two mana potions later, I finished storing the skeleton as had to jump away as a large dust cloud cropped up from the bones and rocks that fell off of where they used to rest.

Wiping off dust from my clothes, I decided to call it a day.

'Well, that should be enough. I have a few dozen skeletons and they should last me a long time with their size. And this mystery skeleton is an interesting result as well.'

Looking over the remains of the cavern, there were still plenty of useful bones left mixed among the useless ones, but I had enough, and frankly, I was running out of mana replenishing potions.

I worked on a final job of storing a bunch of glowing crystals for back home and allowed my thoughts to wander a bit.

'What caused all the dragons to die in this specific location? Were they holding a meeting when Acnologia attacked? Was it a stronghold? Did Acnologia have the curtesy to pile their bodies in there to bury them from history?'

The story just didn't add up for so many bones to be here. Dragons were creatures who could fly and seemed to love doing it.

'Why would they all be so deep underground? Was there a continent shift or a massive earthquake that caused an open battlefield to be taken so far underground like this?'

My eyes turned back to the pit where I found the black skeleton.

'Or perhaps there was another reason? What if something else had lived down here? Something primal, something the dragons considered an enemy. Could it have been the catalyst to a three way deathmatch between it and the two separate sides of the war?

I know Acnologia was said to have been the one to finish them all off by that dragon spirit in canon, but it makes no sense for them to have been fighting down here when it all happened.'

Looking up at the glowing crystals along the walls, I decided I had enough crystals and stored the vials while pulling out my journal and writing down my thoughts.

I titled the page: 'Theories behind the mystery of the dragon graveyard. What really happened?'

Finished with that, I took one last look around before requiping a piece of parchment I had prepared that morning.

I didn't bother with the exit Kama told me about, I had a much faster return method.

I funneled mana into the formation on the parchment and it glowed before spreading to my body and I was gone in a flash to appear in the courtyard before my house.

'Fucking hell! I know I only recently managed to copy the teleportation formation from the bank, but that shit is uncomfortable. It's like the description of portkeys from Harry Potter.'

Taking a few breaths, I made my way up the stairs and into my home.

'Ah, finally home, that was a long ass day.'

Taking off my boots and coat, I threw some logs in the fireplace and go it going. Just as I sat down, I felt my key warm up and Virgo flashed into the room and landed directly on my lap with a large smile.

"I'm back master." (Virgo)

I chuckled at her entrance.

"I can see that. Welcome back Virgo, was your search fruitful?" (Dante)

Virgo nodded but frowned slightly.

"Yes and no. I found someone who knows something but that someone is the spirit king. And he wants to speak with you about it." (Virgo)

I raised an eyebrow at that.

"Now?" (Dante)

Virgo shook her head.

"No, he said it's not a rush but to come within the week. He seemed actually relieved when I told him about the skeleton we found." (Virgo)

That got me curious, but I shrugged and put my arms on Virgo's waist.

"Well, if it's not an emergency, then we can go later. It's been a long day and I'm tired." (Dante)

Virgo's eyes gained a glow similar to the fire going on behind her and lighting the room in an orange glow and she began to lightly grind her hips into my own.

"If you're tired, allow your maid to take care of you." (Virgo)

Titling my head a bit, I didn't reject her advance as I had been doing for the last two years.

'If I was waiting for the right mood, this is it. I think I've waited long enough.'

Before answering, I pulled out the bouquet of pink carnations from my requip space and held them between us. Virgo's eyes widened in recognition of them.

"I was meaning to give this to you earlier, but the time wasn't right. I was asked by a nice woman at a flower booth what kind of flowers I wanted to give to any woman in my life and I told her that I wanted something that could represent that the person was someone I was endlessly grateful to have met and that no matter how much time passes or what happens, they had left an unforgettable memory in my mind." (Dante)

I raised a hand to stroke the side of her head.

"And of course, the color pink had to be there, for it's the color of the beautiful hair belonging to that woman." (Dante)

Virgo took the bouquet with a trembling hand and leaned into my hand on her face. To my surprise, a few tears fell from her eyes.

"I want to thank you Virgo, thank you for coming into my life, thank you for your support and care, thank you for patching me up when I get too wild in my fights and experiments, thank you for assisting me in all my projects, and thank you for allowing me to get to know the real 'you' behind all the masks you were forced to wear for unworthy masters.

You have claimed a place in my heart, and I think I can finally say, I love you." (Dante)

Virgo sat frozen and she stared at me through the bouquet of flowers while tears fell down her cheeks.

I didn't move aside from continuing to stroke her face with my thumb and staring into her eyes. I said my piece, right from the heart, and whatever she responds with, it was my job to accept it.

A minute later, she found her voice and raised a hand to hold my own that was on her face and affectionately rubbed her head into it.

"Oh Dante….my master… You truly are a special man. I have lived a very long time; I was born with the stars of this world when the world formed. I am the personification of the constellation of stars that make up Virgo.

I have seen many things. Experienced more than you can imagine. I have even felt love on a number of occasions. But nothing I have ever felt before can prepare me for the emotions that travel over our bond.

I have felt your love for me grow. I did nothing but what I wanted to do and decided from the beginning to show you my true self to see how you would feel and we blended together like a wonderful melody.

I have seen you and you have seen me. Magic is a wonderful thing; it allows beings to share bonds deeper than those without it could imagine." (Virgo)

She placed the flowers to the side without looking away from my eyes and placed her hand over my chest where her key laid.

"I told you before, placing my key over the location of your magic core is a symbol that any spirit would be honored to have. It shows unconditional trust and gives us direct access to your magic and creates a direct link for us to share thoughts and emotions.

No one has ever done such a thing for me before. No one has from day one, offered me such trust and kindness, such care and compassion, and no one aside from my fellow spirits has ever tried to truly get to know me.

I have said it long ago when we formed our contract, and I will say it again. I am yours, my master. In mind, body, and spirit, I belong to you until the day our contract is terminated.

But even beyond that, I shall always love you." (Virgo)

Leaning forward, I pulled her closer with the arm around her waist to held her flush against me, and our lips connected.

The glow and sound of the fire, the warm leather chair beneath us, the feel of home that we carved out with our own hands, and the presence of each other blended together in harmony and exploded like a volcano of passion.

Our emotions for each other spread like fire on dry wood across our bond and ignited into an inferno.

Before I knew it, I found myself pinned onto the carpet next the fireplace with my shirt long since torn off and a half naked Virgo straddling my hips with such a predatorial look in her eyes, she could have given that black skeleton a run for its money even if it was still alive.

"Now." (Virgo)

Her voice came out in a low growl and her nails dug trails into my chest.

"You are not running away from this!" (Virgo)

Despite her seriousness, I couldn't help but laugh.

She got thrown off by my reaction and wasn't prepared for me to flip us around.

"Eep!" (Virgo)

With her now pinned beneath me, I smirked and spoke into her ear.

"No my dear, it is you, who is not running away any time soon." (Dante)

The fierce smile she sent back sent a shiver down my spine.

That night, we bonded deeper than I thought I could ever be with another, we bled our emotions raw, we felt each other, in mind, body, and soul, and we may have broken quite a bit of furniture along the way.

But it was night we carved into each other so deeply, we would remember it clearly even a millennia later.

Flashback end.

Coming back to myself inside my lab, I smiled fondly as I remembered that day.

'So much happened in a single day that it even surprises me now.'

Many thing were set into motion that day, and I am thankful for every one of them.

Looking over at the only empty section of wall in my lab, I gained a thoughtful look. Walking over, I tapped a few points and poured my mana through to allow a hidden door to slide open.

Inside was a small space, just big enough to allow one person inside with a curved table taking up the space that held a few special vials in containment.

I stared thoughtfully at one of them. A blood red colored potion.

Relationships aside, something special was gained that day.

The black skeleton opened a special door of opportunity to me. One I was hesitant to enter.

I reached out for the potion but paused and shook my head.

'Another time perhaps.'

Turning around, I locked the door again and moved back to the center of my Pac-Man style table.

'Constitution potions for now, enough for a month at least. A few dozen more, and I might be ready for that potion. At my current state, my chances of survival is only around fifty percent.

I might have taken that chance if I was alone, but I have friends and loved ones now. No need to risk it just yet.'

While throwing those thoughts to the back of my mind, I focused on my work.

That blood red potion will have its time. The terror that black skeleton once brought to the world will one day be reborn. A legacy unclaimed will have its heir.