Author's Note: Sorry I'm late. Job hunt took up a lotta my time this week as I had to attend three interviews, only to learn that the guy who'd been interviewing me wasn't informed of the six guys they'd just hired.

And just to add insult to injury, I was told that long hair was not allowed... by a woman whose ponytail was longer than mine and that men, specifically, aren't allowed to wear earrings. Ha, ha, equality. -_- On top of that, they told me I had to shave, stating that face masks wouldn't suffice, because the hair might fall out around it and into the food... despite the fact that literally no one in the whole building was wearing a hair net.

Needless to say, I told her to have a nice day after that. Grooming standards are one thing and fine for the most part, but no one likes a bullshitter. My previous job was in a cake factory, so if hair in the food is a legit concern, I know what the precautions are!

Bleh... three days of my life wasted. Oh, well. On with the fic!

Chapter Thirteen: Enter the Cult of the Purple Smurf

In the Baharuth Empire, located just west-of-center therein, was the city of Arwintar―the nation's capital. It was here, as one would expect, where the famed "Bloody Emperor" resided.

Leinas Rockbruise, an elite knight of the empire, shifted uncomfortably as she stood before the chamber of her liege. She knew exactly what he was doing in there… and whom.

The woman in question had cold, blue eyes and long, thick, golden tresses mostly done up in a loose ponytail in the back with a fringe that covered half of her face. A black circlet helped keep that fringe in place for reasons she'd rather not share. The black armor she wore beyond that accentuated her feminine curves while also providing the best protection their technology could provide.

Sighing in annoyance and forcing down her blush, she entered the chamber.

Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord el Nix, just as she thought, was currently in the middle of… ensuring his legacy as it were―one of his concubines pinned down beneath him in a full-on mating press. Fortunately, given his erratic pace and shallow breath, it would appear that he was almost done, so Leinas waited for him to finish.

And soon enough, the emperor slammed into the poor girl beneath him. Leinas tore her gaze away when his balls visibly contracted as he shuddered in relief, groaning into the girl's neck. Waiting just a little longer, Leinas cleared her throat and elicited a surprisingly girly yelp from the emperor as he spun around and tried to cover himself.

"My utmost apologies for the intrusion, Milord," Leinas said, bowing deeply, "but I have urgent news."

Jircniv looked at her, revealing himself to be a blond with violet eyes. He and his concubine exchanged an awkward glance and then the emperor readdressed his elite knight. "Uh… R-right, then," he muttered. "I'll just be a moment. Wait for me outside."

"As you wish."

"...So, what was it you needed to tell me?" Emperor Jircniv asked, now in his royal garb of black, white, red, and gold.

By his side was an old man with a long, white beard, his mane combed back. This man was garbed in the robes of a wizard and he carried a mage's staff with him.

Similar to how Gazef Stronoff was renowned for his martial prowess, there was no mage more famous than this man―the "Tri-Arts Caster", Fluder Paradyne, a magic caster of the 6th Tier.

Few in the world, let alone the empire in particular, could boast such a thing. Hell, most mages died before ever managing to learn a single spell of the 3rd Tier!

"Right," Leinas muttered awkwardly, bowing before the emperor. "I have two things to report. First, the undead of the Katze Plain seem to have begun acting… strange. They're amassing along the border and have begun attacking our soldiers, but… only our soldiers… and only if our forces start approaching the border. They seem to completely ignore merchants and passing civilians."

Jircniv and Fluder exchanged a troubled glance.

"It would seem the Kingdom has employed a necromancer to keep us out," the old man commented. "That would be the most logical conclusion."

Still though… this was strange.

"Curious… The royals have much to gain from the annual war," the emperor mused aloud. And it was true… in the short term. It was a quick and easy way to amass glory and political favor… and he was more than happy to exploit their shortsightedness on the matter, while he bleed their nation dry in preparation for Re-Estize's inevitable conquest. "It's unusual for them to be acting against it… let alone in such a way." Perhaps they're starting to wise up?

But still… a necromancer? Why the hell would they employ one of those for such a task?! (1)

"We are still looking into the matter," Leinas told them, looking apologetic. The knight clearly wished she had more answers, if only because Leinas was just as confused and troubled by this revelation.

"I'll see to it that some of my acolytes assist in that endeavor," Fluder assured.

"Much appreciated," Leinas replied with a bow. "That aside, though, there's… the other thing I have to report… It's so strange, though, that I'm having trouble believing it, myself."

"Speak up, now," Jircniv urged. "What is it?"

"A large, white castle has seemingly appeared off the coast of Adria," the knight replied. "We have no idea where it came from or how, but the reports claim that it did so overnight."

Now, that was an interesting development.

"Really, now?" Jercniv asked. "I suppose I should look into that. Get away from the court for a bit."

"If that is your wish."

As Uzumaki Kushina emerged from within the keep, she looked around the patio and saw that the castle furnishings were where they belonged and nothing seemed out of place… save for the distinct smell of salt air.

The raised platform in question connected the armory behind her to the ramparts and was built to serve as a resting area for the castle's defenders―purely for RP purposes, as the NPCs simply weren't able to to be programmed with such complex routines… not by their guild, at least.

The floor was of stone, made possible by the vaulted ceiling that held it up. The gargoyles lining the sides ensured that rain wouldn't be an issue and the battlements did the same for any cheeky, little shits with ladders. The single door that led to this patio was also heavily reinforced.

This was all thanks to Sir Shadicus Pendrake―a former guild member and hopeless otaku for anything and everything even somewhat related to medieval Europe… and could often be heard screaming about crenellations!

He was also an architect IRL and absolutely loved building castles in any game that would allow it... and putting in as many crenellations as he could. Needless to say, he'd been the one they'd entrusted with the construction of Godhaven. Of course, he didn't do all of the work, but he was responsible for overseeing the operation… and he did not disappoint. (2)

Looking around, the battlements and ramparts also seemed to be completely untouched. So, she approached the castle wall to see that they were indeed surrounded by ocean. Peeking over the edge, Kushina hummed thoughtfully. Apparently, they'd taken a chunk of the mountain with them, but not much. What Godhaven now rested upon could generously be described as a large hill, given its apparent size.

Then, the redhead perked up, hearing a pair of large wings fluttering, followed by a light thump. She looked to see a vaguely familiar face doing something very strange to her.

The woman in question was Nyx, one of the six level 85 NPCs of Godhaven.

Since the Cult of the Purple Smurf was a relatively small and casual guild who didn't invest too much real-life money into the game... for the most part, they were stuck with the usual 700 total-level cap for NPCs and they made the most of it.

Also, it was worth noting that even a level 85 NPC was still a threat to a level 100 player if they weren't careful. That being said, Mito was the only one at level 100 as the previous guildmaster had allowed Kushina to make the first NPC of their guild, back when The Mighty Shroom was still their base.

Thanks to her minmaxed build, she was also the most useful of the lot they had at the time, even allowing them to put up a respectable fight despite their opponents. So when that base was lost in a raid by the infamous Ainz Ooal Gown, Mito was recreated and the guild decided to strike a balance between quantity and quality from there. (3)

As such, the remaining NPCs of their new guild base were also significantly minmaxed in comparison to their predecessors. This led to six of them being level 85―the remaining 90 levels having been allotted to one last NPC who served as their "captain" for RP purposes.

Also, as the name of their new guildbase would imply, these seven NPCs were all themed after gods―or rather goddesses―of various folklores.

Specifically western ones as those in the guild found them more interesting…

To be even more specific, Nyx herself was modeled after the primordial Greek goddess of nighttime. She was also the only heteromorph among them―a fallen angel, as it gave her quite a few nice perks as a crowd control and support caster.

She had dark skin; purple hair; long, pointed ears; and eyes of pure moonlight. Though her eyes were closed, Kushina could see the white light peeking out. Her wings sprouted from her lower back and were black and purple, while her body was covered in glowing, white tattoos.

Another weird thing Kushina noticed, however, was that said angel wasn't in the maid outfit she'd been left in last time the redhead saw her.

Instead, she was in her battlegear―that being a skimpy halter dress modeled after a roman toga, along with a winged circlet, several matching necklaces, and golden bangles. Finally, an ornate mage's staff was propped against her shoulder. These items were all Divine Class gear that her creator had changed with some cosmetic items to be more on theme with her character.

Heelz4lulz was so proud of her, too, having sunk a month's salary into his creation.

Kushina was then taken aback for what felt like the thousandth time today when the angel spoke up, looking up to her with a troubled expression.

"My queen," she said, "what appears to be a warship has approached Godhaven. The captain is demanding to speak with you. Shall we lay waste to these mortals for their insolence?"

Her tone was decidedly unsettling… and for some reason, Kushina felt compelled to smite Nyx for it.

The redhead frowned thoughtfully, ignoring the impulse, and stared at her for a moment. Right… Nyx's Karma Rating was -300, so she was quite thoroughly evil, but at least not extremely so. Ahem.

"Hold off on that for now," Kushina told her, ignoring her instincts and going straight into Guildmaster Mode, as it were. "We apparently just… popped up in another world? I'm not sure yet, but if that is the case, it's safe to assume that the locals are just panicking."

The fallen angel frowned for a moment.

"...As you wish," Nyx replied after said moment, bowing her head respectfully.

"Tell them that I will be there momentarily. Am I to assume that they're near the barbican?"

"They are, my queen."

A thought occurred to her. If both Mito and Nyx were… brought to life for lack of a better term, then did that mean the others were, too?

"...Is Andraste there, too?"

"She is, my queen."

'Well, that confirms that,' Kushina kept the frown tugging at her lips from surfacing and nodded; it was a safe bet all of the NPC's were alive now. That would… take a bit of getting used to, besides the obvious issue of being stuck in a game-turned-alternate-reality… All those adventuring shows she enjoyed IRL did not prepare her for this! "Alright. I'll fetch Mebuki, then, and be there in a bit."

As soon as Nyx acknowledged her orders and flew off to relay the message, Kushina let loose a dejected sigh. Though she'd long-since given up on the search for her baby boy, the redhead couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the implication that she would undoubtedly never see him again.

"I wonder how he's doing," she muttered to herself, before leaving the patio to find Mebuki.

Meanwhile, back in Nazarick, Shalltear Bloodfallen let loose an uncharacteristic yelp as her back hit the wall. Then, when a clawed hand slammed against said barrier beside her head, she flinched.

Off to the side, unbeknownst to either as they were both lost in the heat of the moment, a pair of mismatched eyes stared in shock at the exchange, unable to look away.

Naruto put a finger beneath the vampire loli's chin and urged her to look up at him. Shalltear obliged and her cheeks burned when their eyes met.

Knowing he needed an outlet for his darker urges, not just his sexual ones, the youko hoped she'd suffice. He didn't want to think about what he'd have to resort to if that wasn't the case.

"L-Lord Kurama…?"

"I said you'd be rewarded," he purred hungrily, his lips now a hair's breadth from hers. "And I never go back on my word~!"

The poor thing nearly fainted on the spot when he stole her breath with a deep, ravenous kiss.

Piece by piece, Naruto slowly peeled away the loli vampire's frilly garb while he was at it, kissing a trail down to her throat and making her toes curl in the process… and soon enough, the girl was stark naked. Shalltear squirmed uncomfortably under his hungry gaze when he pulled back to eyeball her, feeling much like a rabbit in the presence of this ravenous fox demon.

The grin he then flashed her sent a hot shiver up Shalltear's spine.

"I don't see why you feel the need to pad your bra," he said, cupping her cheek. "Especially for me," he added, diving it to lick and suckle at her neck, ripping a deep, guttural moan from her as she absolutely melted from the contact, the vulnerable throat being a rather… intimate region for her kind. "I have a bit of a weakness for the petite ones~!"

He'd never told anyone that before, except for Peroroncino. Not even Albedo was aware. Hell, not even Momonga-senpai!

One of Naruto's ears turned to the side as he heard someone shifting uncomfortably, but right now he was just too damn horny to care. He kissed a trail up to her mouth and pawed Shalltear's tiny breasts, drawing a whimper from those full, luscious lips.

Then, he pulled a yelp from her, lifting Shalltear up and pinning the vampire loli to the wall behind her with his tails, wrapping two around her wrists and holding them above her head while spreading those legs in preparation for what was next.

"I'm not just gonna make you my concubine," he growled, pulling back as his demonic side started to leak out. His eyes glowed more vibrantly and a devilish grin spread across his face. "I'm gonna make you my bitch~!"

His hands trailed down to her hips and then…

Shalltear's jaw dropped and her eyes rolled back as she let loose a strangled, pathetic groan. The feel of his girth splitting her in half was like none other she'd ever felt before.

Meanwhile, off to the side, Aura Bella Fiora bit her lower lip and she collapsed, her trembling knees unable to support the poor girl. Not even realizing that one of her gloves were missing, a hand absently slipped into her trousers as she covered her mouth with the other.

Naruto shuddered at the feel of Shalltear's tight embrace when finally he bottomed out inside of her, her body impeccably moulding itself to his needs. He hadn't at all expected the vampire loli to be so warm of all things, considering her undead nature, but the youko was not at all complaining.

Poor Shalltear didn't have any time to adjust before Naruto started to move. His pace was mercifully slow at first, but that generosity was short-lived as he was pounding her like a bent nail soon enough.

And the little pervert wouldn't have it any other way…

He was like a rabid beast, a dog in heat, mating with his bitch. His rapid thrusts churned her insides in ways she'd never experienced before… and it felt so damn good~!

Shalltear threw her head back and wailed in pleasure.

Naruto grunted in exertion, feeling her inner walls clamping down hard, but he powered through it as best he could. Despite his valiant effort to make this last just a little longer, however, the youko slammed into her and shuddered not even three thrusts later.

Aura, meanwhile, squeaked into her hand, toppling over and twitching violently as she reeled from her very first orgasm.

To think it felt this good… no wonder Lord Peroroncino was an addict!

Naruto let loose a sigh of relief as the last vestiges of his orgasm trickled out inside of the vampiric loli. Though he wasn't done with her yet, he pulled out with a strangled groan and let Shalltear fall to the ground.

And then, Aura's heart skipped a beat as his gaze fell upon her, his ears having picked up the sounds she'd made.

She went utterly stiff in both fear and anticipation. Was he… was he going to come here and take her, too?! Would that thing even fit?! She… she wasn't ready… She needed a moment. She needed to prepare herself!

Then, Naruto's eyes rolled back and he let loose a guttural moan as Shalltear dutifully took his still-hard dick into her mouth the instant she recovered from his pounding.

Seizing this opportunity, the elven loli snatched up her missing glove and scurried off to get the fuck out of there before her innocence was lost… and to take a very cold bath.

Needless to say, when Albedo caught wind of the state he eventually left Shalltear in, a certain youko was… unable to leave his quarters for a while.

Kushina stood atop the barbican with Mebuki in tow within the hour. The redhead absently took note that they were apparently surrounded on all sides by sheer stone, save for a small ramp leading towards the drawbridge―much like they'd been in Asgard. Then, she addressed Artemis and a black-haired woman with red eyes.

The latter was a notably tomboyish human, donning an earthy, green dress under her mail hauberk and breastplate. She wore a simple, standard halfhelm with nose guard under her hooded bearskin cloak―the lightly-stuffed bear's head serving as its hood. Though typically donning a sword and shield, this woman was currently armed with a longbow since those weapons weren't very useful at assailing people from long range.

Upon seeing her holiness, the esteemed Queen Boudicca arrive, the woman bowed deeply in respect.

This was Andraste, Guardian of Godhaven and captain of the watch―based on the Brythonic goddess of war and victory. Incidentally, the real world Boudica, the one who burned down Londinium, hailed from one of those tribes―the Iceni, specifically.

"Sorry for the trouble," the paladin told her.

"It was no trouble at all," the warrior assured, mannerism respectful and tone a slightest bit worshipful. "I live to serve you, my queen."

Kushina nodded at her, before approaching and looking over the crenellations to address the ship―or rather, its captain specifically.

The man in question was a burly chap with a scar across his face and a scraggly, black beard. He wore a white bandanna under his frilly hat and was mostly garbed in black and blue. He didn't know how to feel about this scantily-clad girl in red, barely if at all in her adult years, appearing to address him, buthat look in her eyes made it clear that she meant business… and despite being well over 150 feet away, he could practically feel her presence. So, he decided to break the ice himself. "I take it yer th' one in charge, then?"

"I am," she replied with a nod. "My name is Boudicca, queen of this castle." Given that everyone in Godhaven knew her as Boudicca, save for Artemis, the red-haired oppai-loli decided that name would be more… convenient. "My apologies for any distress its appearance may have caused," she continued, looking down at him from their height, "but my home has been… relocated without my consent and I'm looking into who might be responsible and why… and especially how."

"Tha' s'me mighty magic, then."

"Mightier than anything I've ever seen, indeed," Kushina replied. She was still coming to terms with it herself. But life had taught her the need to adapt.

"If anyone'll help ye, it'd be th' Tri-Arts Caster, then," the captain told her. "Knowin' him, he's prolly heard o' yer arrival so it's only a matter o' time 'fore he pops up."

Kushina turned to give the others a questioning glance and they all shrugged. None of them had ever heard of someone with that title. She then returned to the captain. "I'll wait for him to do so, then. Would you mind assuring the local townsfolk that I mean them no harm until then? I apologize for the inconvenience."

"No promises 'at it'll do much, but I'll put in a good word for ye."

"Much appreciated."

With that, the captain took his leave and Kushina addressed Andraste. "Gather everyone else and have them meet us in the great hall," she said.

"As you wish, my queen."

Before Kushina had even reached the room in question, she was intercepted by a worried-looking Mito waiting for her in the bailey. Just seeing her being so animated made her heart clench.

"Is everything alright, Mama?"

Kushina held back a tide of emotions at that. It was just so sweet and heartwarming!

"It's… as alright as it can be, given our situation," she said with a motherly smile. "I'm not sure how to react to it in all honesty, but we're not in any immediate danger or anything. It's just… incredibly strange."

She wasn't the guild leader for nothing, though; Kushina prided herself in being good at her job. Granted, a guildmaster in an MMO was nothing in comparison to a queen, but the loli could see at least a few of the skills she'd gained being transferable. And she was a quick learner. Hopefully, she'd adapt quickly enough to be effective.

"If you're sure…'' her daughter murmured. Then, her lips tugged into a smile. "I believe in you, Mama."

"Believe me, I will do my damnedest to make the best of this situation," Kushina assured, her smile widening, draping an arm around her baby girl's waist and tugging her closer, basking in the touch ― in the presence ― of her faux-child turned reality. Of course, the size difference was another thing that would take some getting used to. It wasn't as… real in the actual game as it was now, but she'd deal with that later. Pushing those thoughts aside, she returned her attention to her baby girl. "Now, then," she said, "we have a meeting to attend to. Let's head to the great hall, shall we?"

"Of course, Mama."

The ginger paused. "Oh, one more thing," she said. "In the presence of outsiders, you are my elder sister. I'm in charge because you abdicated the throne. That'll be easier to believe than the truth."

"If you say so..." Mito muttered. She looked rather unsure about that.

And so, the mother and daughter entered the main keep.

The great hall was one of the largest rooms in all of Godhaven, lying beyond the equally-large ballroom, a waiting room, and the entry hall in that order.

Two large thrones now sat at the very back on a raised platform, both chairs seemingly of obsidian and padded with purple crushed velvet. The one to the left was occupied by Mito while Kushina sat in the one to the right. A banner bearing the sigil of the guild hung proudly above them.

Two more chairs, also grand in appearance, flanked this platform, each one with a small, black marble table in front. Artemis laid claim to the one on the left and Mebuki was on the right.

And soon enough, the seven remaining NPCs of Godhaven entered with Andraste in front.

The black-haired, red-eyed woman was now in a very different outfit, though―that of a modest maid's uniform reminiscent of Victorian England. It was to be expected of her role as not only was she the captain of the watch, but also the housekeeper of Godhaven.

Of course, she wasn't the only maid among them. Aside from Mito, all of Godhaven's NPCs doubled as maids, maintaining the castle in the guild's stead.

First came Nyx, standing to her left.

She was the head nurse, in charge of helping Mito tend to the sick and wounded, thanks to her being not just an angel, but an illusionist and sorceress who specialized in hypnosis. She also doubled as the housemaid in charge of the solar and Mito and Boudicca's bedrooms in particular… as well as the hard-to-reach areas of Godhaven, thanks to her natural ability to fly.

Her maid outfit was more of a halter dress, much like her toga, leaving the woman's back completely exposed so as to accommodate her wings… or rather, that was her creator's excuse.

Mebuki was far from the only pervert in their guild at the time, after all…

In battle, she was their primary crowd control specialist. As one would expect from a mage, however, she was quite thoroughly a glass cannon, so Nyx's main defense was her ability to fly―abusing the hell out of Godhaven's large and spacious interior.

Finally, on top of all that, she was the head nurse and Mito's assistant in healing the sick and wounded and providing therapy when needed, at least according to her lore. Ingame, she obviously never had to do any such thing.

Further to the right stood Morrigan, the "token loli" of Godhaven's NPCs, modeled after the celtic shape-shifting goddess of trinity, fate, war, and sovereignty... among other things.

She was a fae-touched―a half-faerie―and also quite heavily inspired by several classic loli characters from the days of old. Her raven hair was partially done up in pigtails with straight bangs and she had glowing, blood-red eyes.

She served as the housemaid in charge of the vault, library, and solar as well as the store room maid and librarian. Her attire was relatively modest, though the dress itself was rather short to show off her garters, attached to the thigh-high stockings by little, skull-shaped buttons.

In battle, she was a classic, glass-cannon blaster caster.

Finally, the last one on that side Sekhmet, the token furry of Godhaven, modeled after the Egyptian lion-headed warrior goddess who protected and, once they were dead, presided over the souls of Pharaohs.

Instead of a human with a lion's head, however, she was a straight-up furry—a leonin, specifically, albeit with luscious, black locks done up in an egyptian-style bob. Said race was a lion based demihuman and she was also the only one among them without any footwear at the moment, due to her paw-like feet.

In combat, she was a rogue/warrior hybrid, specializing in assassination, flanking maneuvers, hit-and-run tactics, and backstabbing. When the situation didn't call for the choppy-choppy, however, she served as the stillroom maid, assistant cook, and scullery maid. She was also in charge of keeping the kitchen and dining room nice and tidy.

To the far left, meanwhile, was Serqet―a second rogue modeled after an Egyptian deity. To be more specific, she was based on the scorpion-tailed goddess of nature, medicine, magic, and venoms.

So, of course she'd be a rogue―specifically of the poison-master archetype, though she ironically didn't have any magical prowess to speak of. Much to her creator's chagrin, he simply couldn't figure out how to make that viable, so the magical traits one would expect from a character based on Serqet were relegated to her flavor text.

Her maid's outfit was also among the skimpier ones, showing off quite a bit of thigh and midriff―the loose top ending just below her breasts and showing off quite a bit of underboob if one were to look at her from the right angle.

This was because she doubled as one of the courtesans. Aside from that, she was the assistant housekeeper, helping Andraste maintain the areas in Godhaven that weren't assigned to someone in particular.

Speaking of, standing between her and Andraste were the remaining two NPCs―Flidais and Hidone.

The former was based on the Irish goddess of cattle who was renowned for her beautiful hair. She served as the guild's cook, gardener, dairy maid and, last but not least, a courtesan.

In combat, she was a classic druid/ranger, much like Artemis―her animal companion being a falcon. Her job in that context was to provide ranged support and serve as a secondary healer.

As for the woman herself, she was a tall and shapely redhead with blue eyes and freckled cheeks. Her long, curly hair sported an almost ethereal shine to it and they reached down to her rear.

Her maid's outfit was also the most modest among the three courtesans, though that wasn't saying much. It showed off some cleavage and the long skirt had slits running all the way up to her hips to provide freedom of movement while displaying her thighs, but it was otherwise fairly traditional.

Hidone, meanwhile, was the headmistress―or head courtesan―and laundrymaid. She was also the housemaid in charge of most of the bedrooms―being the one responsible for someone's sheets getting sullied, more often than not… according to her backstory. This shit didn't actually happen ingame for obvious reasons.

She was based on the daughter of Eros, the Greek goddess of sensual pleasure, enjoyment and delight. So it came as no surprise that she was perpetually high-spirited and horny… and currently leering at Mebuki...

In combat, she served as the guild's lovely bard, in charge of buffing the party and providing secondary heals and crowd control. And for role-play purposes, she served as the castle's diplomat… due to her generous bosom and sensual tongue.

Needless to say, she was created by Mebuki.

That aside, Hidon herself was a gorgeous, busty blonde with deep, violet eyes and all of her curves in the right places. Her outfit was also of course the sluttiest of the lot, being a low-riding miniskirt and small apron, the straps of her thong peeking out, a midriff -baring top, and thigh high stockings with high-heel boots. A pair of gloves and a black ribbon tied in a manner to resemble rabbit ears finished the look.

This outfit was apparently inspired by a famous classic video game character, but Kushina couldn't remember the name to save her life.

Once the seven of them were lined up in a neat little row, they all bowed in unison, dutifully greeting the holy queen and their other two goddesses, as well as Princess Mito. (4)

Kushina, Mebuki and Artemis all felt rather odd seeing the NPCs acting so… alive. This would take some getting used to for all of them.

"Right, then," Kushina muttered before addressing the women now gathered before her. "As I'm sure you've all noticed by now we're not in Asgard anymore… and that bothers me. Not so much the new location, but how we got here. Did any of you notice something off before Mebuki screamed bloody murder?"

The woman in question laughed nervously to herself, still a bit embarrassed… and weirded out by the fact that she was now a girl.

The seven maids all exchanged glances, all looking uncertain, before their leader responded.

"I'm sorry, my queen," Andraste lamented, "but we are as lost as you are, if not more so."

"It's fine," the paladin muttered with a sigh. "If nothing else, we might find answers when this 'Tri-Arts Caster' guy pops up." Then, she perked up. That gave her an idea. "Speaking of information, though… I think we should make use of that city on the shore. Try and extract as much from it as we can. Until we're sure that they won't panic, though, anyone who can't pass off as human should stay in the castle."

"Ooh, me! Me!" Hidone raised her hand and shook it while bouncing on the soles of her feet, "I wanna talk to them!"

Kushina couldn't help but find that adorable. Mebuki clearly shared that sentiment, giggling happily at the display.

"I'm all for it," the latter chirped.

"I'm certainly not opposed," Kushina replied, "though I'd prefer to assemble a team for that. Safety in numbers and all." Hidone was a bard, though, so of course she'd be a member of that team. Pushing those thoughts aside for later, Kushina then turned her attention to Flidais. "I'd also like to build a dock… so, would you happen to know Move Earth?"

"I do, my queen," the druidic maid responded with a bow.

"Good," the paladin chirped. "That makes things easier. I'll entrust you with creating an outcropping to place it on, then!"

"As you wish, my queen." That should be simple enough. She could probably get that done in only a few minutes, in fact.

"I'll lend a helping hand," Artemis chimed in, her posture straight in her seat. "I'd feel guilty if they did all of the work."

"Y-you are too kind," Flidais sputtered, taken aback by that. Their gods and goddesses had never offered to help before! How should she respond to such a thing? Was it improper to accept? Should she insist that she can do it herself? The druidic maid looked to Andraste, practically begging for advice on the matter.

The housekeeper was similarly at a loss.

Kushina noticed immediately. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh… w-we…" Andraste cleared her throat. "We live to serve you, our goddesses," she said uncomfortably. "With all due respect, it'd be improper for us to let you trouble yourselves with such mundane tasks."

''..." Kushina stared at the fidgeting housekeeper, needing to take a moment to figure out what to say. But, she recovered quickly enough. "You're selling yourselves short," she said. "You're not just our servants, but the children of our kin. We'll gladly pick up the slack while sending some of you out to scout the town; there's no sense in letting you get overworked, after all."

Upon hearing that, it was Andraste's turn to be at a loss once more. On one hand, it felt almost blasphemous to let their goddesses trouble themselves with such things… but on the other, how much they clearly cared was just so heartwarming!

Then, her train of thought came to a crashing halt as the ever-bouncy Hidone's eyes lit up like a pair of christmas trees, and she turned her eager gaze to a leering Mebuki. "Oh! Oh! Will you come with me then, Sugarmama?"

''..."

For a moment, the hall was filled with naught but silence as Kushina gave the elf in question a flat look.

"Seriously, don't you fucking dare touch Mito-chan."

Mebuki chuckled awkwardly, withering under the paladin's gaze. Oh, the questions that would be raised if she ever read Hidone's profile…

Turning her gaze to the headmistress, Kushina sighed heavily. "Not initially," she said. "We don't know if elves exist in this world yet and what their relations with humans are like if they do, so, for her own safety, we'll have to wait before letting her leave the castle."

"...as you wish," Hidone replied with a disappointed pout.

"That being said," Kushina chirped, feeling slightly malicious, "you and the other courtesans can feel free to make her very happy before leaving…" If that damn pervert was going to make her creation so obviously… kinky, then Mebuki was going to reap what she'd sewn.

Meanwhile, the elf in question suddenly felt… unsafe when Hidone, Serqet, and Flidais all eyeballed her like a slab of meat.

One week later, it went without saying that Jircniv wasted no time in seeing this castle for himself.

The instant he'd entered Adria with his knights and Fluder in tow, the Bloody Emperor made a beeline for the port and he simply could not contain his surprise.

The castle now sat atop a small islet that simply hadn't been there before, resting upon a hill in the center. The structure itself was of pure white with roofs of deepest black. Its deep violet, darkwood drawbridge was currently lowered, revealing a black metal grate, which was also raised. A wooden structure facing the city's shoreline was also under construction from the look of it.

"It looks marvelous." Jircniv commented, unable to contain his envy. The castle put even his to shame!

"That it does," Fluder agreed, trailing behind the young Emperor, marveling at the architecture in the distance. "I cannot help but imagine what kind of sorcery was used in its construction. It simply had to be made by several magic casters."

"Fifteen, in fact," a cheerful, feminine voice called out.

As they all looked to see who it was, the elderly mage staggered at the sight of a shapely blonde with violet eyes skipping towards them. She was garbed in red, a loose, midriff-baring top and baggy leggings like those of an entertainer of some kind. She was barefoot and a pair of bangles and a golden circlet finished her look.

Her presence was like nothing he'd ever felt before… she was practically a walking font of magic, a maelstrom of arcane power!

He didn't even notice the others approaching, unable to tear his gaze from her.

"Plus ten others," she added. Then, her tone became rather somber. "Most of them left, though…" Then she perked right back up again, "But our queen remained! And so did my sugarmama!"

While most of the entourage were left… confused about the woman's odd choice of words, one of Jircniv's knights, a large man with sandy brown hair was more concerned with the Tri-caster's wellbeing as he approached the elderly mage. "Master Fluder, you feeling unwell?"

"Just… overwhelmed," he replied hesitantly, snapped out of his stupor. "This girl… her magical talent… it's leagues beyond even my own!" What was this magic he was sensing?! Could… could it truly be 7th Tier? Possibly proof of an 8th?!

Those words caught the others by shock and surprise, "Master, you must be mistaken."

He opened his mouth to say something. But, before the Tri-Arts Caster could commit, one of the newcomers, annoyed at the attention slipping away from her, approached the Emperor. The knights moved to stand in her way and started to draw their swords, but Jircniv raised his palm and stopped them.

"We mean you no harm," behind her, the black-haired woman assured, raising her hands defensively. She had red eyes and was garbed in a simple, green dress and brown tunic with matching boots. A sword was on her belt and she had a center-grip shield strapped to her back.

Alongside her was another scantily-clad girl with tanned skin, black hair, and honey-colored eyes. Her dress was white, translucent and very skimpy. One would be forgiven for assuming she was a harlot were it not for the dagger and… what they assumed to be a strangely-shaped sword on her belt. She also wore quite a bit of gold, making them wonder if she was some kind of royalty.

Was she the queen the other girl mentioned?

Regardless, this woman wore bangles, a gorgot, and a circlet, all sporting a scorpion motif. She was also… dangerous. Though none of the knights knew how, they could just… smell the blood on her hands, for lack of a better way to put it.

"We noticed that you were eyeballing our home," the tanned girl said, before turning her attention to the soldiers in the crowd. "And the entourage. I also couldn't help but notice how the people seemed to make way for you." She turned to face Jircniv. "Or someone among you in particular, perhaps?"

"R-right," Jircniv muttered, unable to help but feel unnerved by her. He regained his composure rather quickly, though, and carried himself with all of the grace one would expect from someone of his station. "I am Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord el Nix of the Baharuth Empire. It goes without saying that I took notice of your home appearing so close to my territory."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "Quite a small procession for an emperor," Serqet muttered.

"Now, now," Andraste lectured, "there is no need to be rude."

"They are all I need," Jircniv said with an amused smile. "After hearing such fantastical news, I simply had to see it for myself, so the rest are still catching up."

"We apologize for the intrusion," Andraste said with a bow. The other girls followed her lead. "Our queen is still trying to piece together what happened and sent us to investigate the town. We were told that someone called the Tri-Arts Caster would be able to help us solve this mystery."

The emperor and his entourage all looked at Fluder.

"Uh… right, then," the elderly mage said awkwardly. "So, I am to assume that you are not here of your own volition?"

"Indeed," Andraste replied. "We hail from the land of Asgard. About a week ago, our queen's castle was… relocated without her knowledge or consent."

"How frightening…" Fluder mused aloud. He'd never heard of such a place. "Even the mightiest spells I know aren't capable of such a feat. It truly sounds like the magic of the gods." He practically salivated at the thought of being able to reverse-engineer such a spell.

"Any help you can provide would be much appreciated," the red-eyed woman assured. "Of course, we won't expect for you to do such a thing for free."

Fluder looked at Jircniv expectantly and the Emperor hummed thoughtfully before nodding.

"I'd like to discuss this with your queen, then," the blond said.

"Very well, then," Andraste replied with another respectful bow.

Within the hour, Emperor Jircniv and his entourage hopped on a boat with the three women and they landed on the islet soon after.

Of course, Hidone sent a message to her mother and the others, informing them that they were on their way with the emperor in tow.

And when they entered the great hall…

Fluder fell to his knees when he laid eyes upon her. Something warm streamed down his cheeks as he trembled like a leaf, unable to tear his gaze from her.

This girl in red… she was nothing short of a goddess in the flesh!

The knights and Fluder's students swarmed him, fussing over the Tri-Arts caster and doing their best to tend to him.

Kushina stared at him with a worried frown and turned to what looked like a pale-eyed dark elf in a skimpy maids uniform. "Nyx, you mind calming him down? He looks about ready to have a heart attack."

The dark-skinned woman stepped forward, her eyes disappearing as she blinked, replaced by pits of white light as her tattoos started to glow.

"Soothing Wave!"

She clapped her hands and a shockwave of pure magic enveloped the chamber. Once it hit Fluder and the others, they all calmed down significantly.

Nyx's eyes and tattoos then reverted back and she returned to the Queen's side, her job done.

"I hope that helped," Kushina called out.

"It… it did," Fluder sputtered hesitantly, still reeling from the initial shock.

This woman was leagues ahead of even that girl… she simply had to be a practitioner of the legendary 9th Tier! A goddess even! If she truly was, he'd renounce his faith on the spot and worship her, answer only to her!

Even if she wasn't though, he simply had to do whatever it took to attain even a fraction of her power!

"Good," Kushina chirped, before turning her attention to the apparent ruler of the Baharuth Empire… and not at all liking the look he was giving her baby girl.

It wasn't lewd or anything. Just honest to goodness infatuation. But her gut told the redhead that this man was not to be trusted with her daughter.

Never underestimate a woman's intuition…

She cleared her throat.

Jircniv flinched and turned his attention to the redhead who was expertly hiding her disapproval. He had the decency to look sheepish… or as much as an Emperor could without losing too much face in front of his subjects, "Oh how rude of me," he admitted. "My apologies; her beauty is so stunning that I forgot my manners."

Mito turned bright red at that.

"Right," Kushina grunted, ignoring his blatant attempt to kiss her ass. Oh, she knew boys like him well enough… to well, unfortunately… and quite intimately in a handful of cases. "Forgive me if I am too forward, but I'd like to get straight to business." When the emperor gave her a smile and understanding nod, she continued. "As I'm sure you've heard, my castle was somehow moved here without my knowledge or consent and I want answers. Of course, I won't expect you to help me for free; my treasury is quite full and my servants and comrades all have various skills that they could put to use. The same goes for my sister." She gestured to Mito. (5)

"Ah, yes," Jircniv replied. "Your subjects told me as much."

"I would be more than happy to help you with this mystery," Fluder chimed in as he stood up, suddenly looking very eager and animated. "I am very curious, in fact. I am prepared to devote myself if needed." The light of worship, and unrestrained desire for knowledge and magical power shone in the old man's eyes.

Jircniv thought nothing of it. The mage in question was always eager to study arcane mysteries and the like. "Perhaps we could make an arrangement of sorts," the emperor said, doing his best not to stare at Mito. The pure, innocent beauty and the shy smile she sported had enthralled him, But, to stare would be improper. He was the ruler of his nation, after all, and thus had an image to uphold. "Since this mystery seems like a rather simple task, I won't ask much."

Kushina hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe we can offer some information in exchange? Where we come from has some… slightly more advanced technology that I'm sure you'd find quite useful."

"That proposal sounds amiable. May I first inquire as to what kind of technology you speak of?"

The redhead took a moment to think about it. From what she'd seen, this land seemed to be in its equivalent of the Medieval period. What could have the most immediate impact…?

"The first thing that comes to mind has to do with agriculture… though I'd like to know what farming is like here first; I'm not sure if you've discovered it yet or not."

"I'll have someone speak with you on the matter shortly, then," Jircniv assured with a friendly smile… before his eyes were drawn towards the lovely princess again. His smile widened, but then, he caught himself and tore his gaze away.

The younger blonde noticed his lingering look. Her cheeks warmed up and she offered the charming monarch a demure smile when he glanced back at her, suddenly shy.

Kushina's brow twitched at the sight.

Andraste
[Guardian of Godhaven]

Race:
Human

Racial Classes:
None; humanoids don't have them.

Job Classes:
Warrior: 15
Barbarian: 15
Swordswoman: 10
Swordmaster: 5
Berserker: 10
Warlord: 10
Commander: 10
Weapons Master: Sword and Shield: 15

Total Level:
90 (Job)

Character Stats:
HP: 100
MP: 0
Physical Attack: 90
Physical Defense: 100
Agility: 50
Magical Attack: 0
Magical Defense: 100
Resistance: 40
Special: 70

Karma Rating:
400 (Extreme Good)

Nyx
[Angel of Darkness]

Racial Classes:
Angel: 15
Fallen Angel: 10
Winged Mage: 5 (6)

Job Classes:
Sorceress: 15
Necromancer: 10
Shadow Mage: 10
Master of Shadows: 5
Illusionist: 10
Master of Illusions: 5

Total:
85 (30 Racial, 55 Job)

Character Stats:

HP: 80
MP: Limit Exceeded
Physical Attack: 30
Physical Defense: 30
Agility: 90
Magical Attack: 100
Magical Defense: 50
Resistance: 80
Special: 100

Karma Rating:
-300 (Evil)

Hidone
[Mistress of Pleasure]

Race:
Human

Racial Classes:
None; humanoids don't have them.

Job Classes:
Bard: 15
Songstress: 10
Master Songstress: 5
Sorceress: 15
Diplomatic Sorceress: 10
Master of Diplomacy: 5
Seductress: 10
Master Musician: Harp: 15

Total Level:
85 (Job)

Character Stats:
HP: 60
MP: 100
Physical Attack: 10
Physical Defense: 40
Agility: 50
Magical Attack: 100
Magical Defense: 40
Resistance: 40
Special: 100

Karma Rating:
50 (Neutral ~ Good)

DMS Notes and Trivia:

1: While not confirmed to my knowledge, I'd imagine that necromancy is rather taboo in most cultures.

2: Fun fact: the floors and roofs of castles tended to be made of wood because vaulted ceilings were needed to create stone ones and those were a bitch to make in the medieval period, which of course resulted in them being less common... though I'd imagine that they'd be more common in a setting with magic, depending on what it's capable of.

Also, yes, Sir Shadicus Pendrake is a background OC inspired by Shad Brooks from Shadiversity, as can be surmised by the CRENELLATIONS! The name is inspired by Spartacus and King Arthur Pendragon.

3: Well, that's bound to result in some interesting shenanigans. XD

4: Spyash2 deserves most of the credit when it comes to these NPCs if I recall. He was quite a bit more familiar with various folklores than I was at the time… and probably still is to be honest, at least when it comes to Europe. I've been catching up, though, thanks to the homework I'm doing for an original project.

I'm mostly responsible for Nyx and Sekhmet, myself, and for the research on maids, the various specific types here are, and their specific roles… and for basing Hidone's attire on Shimakaze from KanColle when I realized that we forgot to describe her and Flidais while editing this chapter. XD

AdVictoriamCustodes, however, certainly helped and is also why Hidone's here instead of Aphrodite. He too is far more familiar with that subject than I am, even after all of the homework I've done so far. Definitely looking to close the gap, though.

Not sure when that original project will be ready, but I'm making good progress.

AdV: I'm also responsible for Andraste. I remember looking at Dragon Age wiki at the time and suddenly eurekaing that the discount-Joan-d'Arc's name 'Andraste' is the same as the latinization of the patron goddess of none other than Boudicca. So yeah… Hidone and Andraste :3. Maybe some ideas / inspirations for one or two more of the set, but nothing concrete.

DMS: Ah, yes, I wasn't sure if that was you or Spy, lol. It had been a while.

AdV: I forgot about Andraste as well, to be honest. For some reason Dragon Age popped into my mind again and it all hyperlinked xD. Mind you this chapter's 10 months old at the time of this edit… opened in May 2020 xD. Some things are bound to escape memory.

5: Needless to say, someone's been a naughty MILF. XD

6: As I've said before, if Skeleton Mage is a racial class, then it makes sense for similar, much broader variations to also exist… and I can think of a number of ways a winged magic user would be quite interesting. =3

Parting Note: And that is the final chapter of this volume! It's been pretty fun, but it goes without saying that the story will continue… =3

Not sure when I'll be posting it, though; I'mma be taking a break from doing that so that AdV and I can ensure quality control, but I'm hoping to start in June. We shall see.

AdV: Expect the next one to make Icha Icha blush!... now that I think about it, we need a Jiraiya in this story :P.

DMS: We have a Darkness who was created by a lolicon version of Jiraiya… and now a lesbo Jiraiya with Mebuki being a thing, lol. But, we shall see. Anything's possible. =3

AdV: Oh yeah… forgot about her. Ahem… Um… instead of adding Jiraiya, make Darkness's MILF Tsunade?

DMS: Again, anything's possible… though we'd have to add a second Darkness to go down that route. XD

AdV: To quote a certain MC I both loathe and… well, really just loathe in his canon.

"OPPAI!"

DMS: XD

In any case, I hope y'all enjoyed and I'll start posting more chapters again as soon as I can! :) The Mirran's first volume, meanwhile, is not done quite yet, so the next chapters of that will be posted on the 7th and 21st of next month if you're curious.