Author's Note: I wanted to have this out sooner, but alas, life got in the way; a change to my work schedule threw us off just a bit and we needed to adjust.
AdV: Plus I had finals for this semester at uni. Just two more semesters to go and that masters' degree is mine!
DMS: Such is life, lol. In any case, we hope y'all enjoy! :)
Volume One: Walls of Meat
Chapter Two: Arwintar
On the night of the wedding, right as their father started his 'honeymoon' with that damn succubus, in a shared bedroom with Private Sanctum and several other anti-scrying spells up for good measure, Fumiko and Tayuya sat side by side in awkward silence, neither looking forward to this conversation.
The racket their new stepmother was making didn't help… Their bedroom wasn't, but might as well have been right next to their maker's own sleeping quarters based on how loud she was screaming…
Tayuya could sympathize… in jealousy… damn noisy bitch.
"Sooo…" her sister began awkwardly, resisting the urge to start rubbing her shoulders and arms or look away.
The silence returned with twice the awkwardness.
"Ahem… uh… You…''
Tayuya gave her a flat look, its meaning was along the lines of 'spit it out already!'
''...You had sex with Papa…" Fumiko eventually managed to blurt out, letting her hands fall into her lap, her cheeks on fire.
The redhead felt her own cheeks burn in turn, but ignored it. She had no regrets. "Yup," she grunted, blunt as ever.
And like that, the deafening silence returned yet again, lasting for what felt like a damn eternity. It drove them crazy, but neither of the girls knew what to say. For all of their forwardness and general lack of fucks to give, the two of them were still the creations of a man not known for his social skills.
Tayuya was the one to break it this time.
"He's really fuckin' big," she said, a slight grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"I… I w-wasn't going to ask about that," Fumiko sputtered, her cheeks tinting as her imagination took to the information like fish to water.
Her sister responded with a flat look.
"Bullshit."
The pinkette twitched violently, her cheeks ablaze. Her sister smirked.
"He thinks ya have nice tits, by the way."
...And that just made it worse, a cloud of steam rising from Fumiko's head as she appeared to have a damn seizure, her heart suddenly hammering in her ears.
And again, the silence returned for a time. The redhead stared at her sister, looking mildly amused. Truth be told, she kinda needed that. Then, after a moment of thought, she spoke again.
"...You want him too?"
Fumiko forced back the urge to wince, hastily parrying the question. "M-my relationship with him is awkward enough." She wrung her hands awkwardly.
"That's fair." The redhead frowned thoughtfully. One aspect in how that relationship got awkward in the first place still… befuddled her. "So… How did you end up swingin' on 'at chandelier?"
"Fuck if I know," Fumiko muttered, frowning in confusion wth a helpless shrug. "I was hammered like you wouldn't believe after two shots… maybe three… I can't remember."
"...Not surprised. We can't hold our liquor for shit. 'At's why I avoid it."
The one-horned kijo pouted childishly at that. "If I knew he'd see me naked again because of it, I'd have―"
"Done it anyways, I bet."
"N-no, I―"
"YES, YES, YEEES! OH, FUUU-HU-HUCK~!"
Fumiko's retort died on her tongue when the orgasmic wail of their new stepmother rang throughout Naruto's living quarters once again… which just so happened to include the bedroom she and Tayuya shared at the moment.
The kijo sisters both turned bright red at that, one of them frowning in jealousy, another awkward silence soon following.
"HAAA~!"
Their father, meanwhile, sent shivers running up the sisters' spines.
Composing herself after a moment, Tayuya gave her sister an impish grin.
"...Yes, he really is that good."
Fumiko blew up like a kettle.
"I WAS NOT ABOUT TO ASK THAT!"
The redhead snorted, again.
"Bullshit." (1)
The next day, with a very happy and limping succubus left in his wake, several lesser vampires and their mistress in much the same condition, Naruto returned to Carne village.
In the village square, a familiar half-circle of unfathomable darkness swirled into existence, much to the shock of a certain mage in the area. Courtesy of Tayuya, Naruto entered the village directly from his private living quarters through a casting of Gate. And of course the kijo in question was in tow, alongside Enri, Nemu and the three goblins that followed her around like a troupe of ducklings.
Also with him was Lupusregina Beta in her guise as Regina while Naruto himself had already assumed his own alter ego of Kushina, knowing the adventurers were back.
Ninya just stared in awe at the display, unable to believe her eyes. While she'd heard of portal spells before, they only existed in legends and fairytales… or so she thought.
"Oh, hey, there!" Naruto called out, giving the mousy caster a friendly wave and giggle, putting on a surprised act. "It's been a while!"
"It… it has," Ninya muttered, clearing her throat as she composed herself… and tried to stop gawking.
Naruto let loose an amused chuckle at that and approached in a slight, excitable rush. "I hear you and the others have been looking for me." he said, a hand on his hip when he slowed them. Then, his smile turned sheepish, his cheeks legitimately flushing a bit at the thought. "Wanted to check on a friend, I hear."
Truth be told, he was still taken aback by Peter's words from before, though it was definitely a pleasant surprise.
"Uh… right, indeed." Ninya floundered for a moment longer before finally managing to get her act together, "I mean, yes… Yes, we have."
Canting his hip, the pseudo blonde cocked an eyebrow as another grin washed over his face.
"Well, I'm here now. What'cha need?"
"We… mostly just wanted to check on you, admittedly," Ninya said, slightly overwhelmed by their friend's vivid personality. "Make sure you were okay, y'know? Your… grandfather assured us that you were, but we wanted to see for ourselves." It felt so weird calling someone who looked so young her grandfather to be honest.
He didn't even look old enough to be her father!
…
Ninya shook her head to dislodge those thoughts. Why was she jealous?! She wasn't even in her prime yet!
Naruto, meanwhile, just took a moment to admire the brunette's alas, all good things must eventually come to an end…
"Oh, my dearest Kushina~!"
"Oh, no…"
As the object of Naruto's torment approached, arms spread wide to give "Kushina" a big ol' hug, Ninya extended a leg and caused the lovestruck ranger to fall flat on his face, eating grass and dirt. Naruto couldn't help but enjoy the spectacle far more than he should've; though his face was utterly blank, that little voice in the back of his head was laughing its ass off… and thinking of ways to bring out Ninya's inner mischief out to the surface, now that he knew for a fact there was a prankster lying in her heart, asleep.
Tayuya, meanwhile, just rolled her eyes while Lupusregina quite openly displayed her amusement… quite loudly at that.
"We just met back up with her," Ninya grunted, poking the man with her toes. "Please don't scare her off."
Naruto let loose a hearty chuckle, tapping his fingers against his hip. "It'll take a little more than that," he said with a wink, voice as cheery as ever. "Thanks for keeping him in check, though."
Ninya gave "Kushina" a friendly smile, though it noticeably faded when she looked at Enri, who caught the expression and was left slightly confused. This in turn, caught the attention of Tayuya and Lupusregina and well…
Before anyone could speak up, though, Peter and Dyne joined up with them. The former approached while the latter helped a pouting Lukrut back up to his feet.
"So," Peter began, turning to face their disguised compatriot, "I take it those demihumans have been dealt with?"
"Yup," Naruto chirped. "Turns out they were relatively harmless." Of course, that was not at all saying much when compared to the denizens of Nazarick, but yeah, they were… "Most of my time was spent negotiating with them, to be honest."
"That's... good to hear," Peter said, the smile dropping slightly.
Naruto was quick to notice that he sounded a bit off, though. A brief pause soon followed.
"Sooo," the youko muttered awkwardly. "Can't help but notice that you seem a lot more bummed than you're letting on."
Upon hearing that, Enri looked incredibly nervous. Did that mean they came back with bad news? Was Enfie okay?!
"...I can't hide anything from you, it seems," the warrior sighed. By now, the lot of them knew just how perceptive "Kushina" was for someone "her" age, but still, they were all hoping to delay this just a bit longer.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Tayuya grumbled impatiently. "Speak up, bitch! What happened to 'er friend?" she demanded, hiking a thumb at Enri.
"And especially you," Ninya chimed in with an exasperated sigh. Hiding anything from the ogre-woman was… challenging to say the least. Not because she was incredibly insightful―though she certainly had a keen sense―but because she had all the subtlety of a damn earthquake! Lady Tayuya would always pry what she wanted out of them… and make a damn spectacle out of it too, seemingly out of spite.
"I'm afraid we do indeed have bad news," Dyne spoke out, sounding grave but stalwart. "It would seem that your friend was used as a living sacrifice during the ritual responsible for that undead invasion. I'm sorry Miss Emmot."
Naruto expertly hid his irritation, feigning concern flawlessly as he placed a hand on Enri's shoulder. 'Oh, damn it,' he thought. 'If I knew that Hentai-Hair was her friend, I would have tried to rez him!' (2)
"Bah! You're just being a pansy. Why bother saving someone who can't save themselves, ha?"
His eyebrow almost twitched, but the false-blonde decided to ignore his avatar's consciousness.
That said, though, even if they hadn't burnt his body with the others, it was too late now. Bringing him back with Wish upon a Star would raise awkward questions that he didn't want to deal with… nor did he want to waste such a precious resource.
"Look at it this way: now she has no man to turn to but us~!"
Naruto ignored his avatar's comment and the gleeful cackle that followed.
...even if a part of him―not Kurama, but Naruto himself―was secretly delighted.
"I… I need a moment," Enri muttered before walking away, her now-concerned sister and goblins in tow.
"Poor thing," Naruto muttered after a moment of staring at her… and her ass. He legitimately meant it, too… he liked that girl. Of course, he wasn't sure if a relationship would work out between them, especially with his urges being a factor, but to claim that Naruto was unwilling to take a crack at it would be a lie.
"Looks like we're sticking around for a bit longer. I don't think she deserves to be alone after this." Lupusregina observed. Not that she cared, of course, but she had an image to uphold as "Kushina's" travel companion.
"Yeah," Naruto said, "not that I mind, though; I'll gladly help if I can." Turning to the Swords of Darkness and bowed apologetically. "Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll join up with you later."
"It's fine," Peter assured, his face warming up with a simple smile. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"Take as much time as you need," Lukrut added, seemingly less dramatic at first… but then he just had to continue. "Distance makes the heart grow fonder."
Ninya promptly whacked him with her staff.
"Can I kill'im?" Tayuya grumbled.
"What're you asking me for?" Naruto asked, giving her a childish pout. "Grandpa said no." He was also very quick to notice, however, that she was a lot less inclined to jump down the ranger's throat than expected.
'Please tell me it's not because I fucked her…' Oh who was he kidding? Of course it would be something nonsensical like that. His daughter just needed a good fuck to loosen up and lose her hair-trigger attitude.
It made perfect sense!
The implied sarcasm had all rights to be palpable…
"Tell him that I appreciate it when you see him," Peter told him with a halfhearted, awkward chuckle.
Naruto nodded, flashing the warrior a bright smile. "Will do."
While their conversation continued from there, Tayuya decided that now was as good a time as any to start heading in the direction of Enri's hut.
Waiting for a moment, lest she provoke the redhead, Ninya couldn't help but voice her thoughts.
"Sooo," she commented awkwardly. "I can't help but notice that your aunt seems much… calmer."
"What of it, bitch?" Said "aunt" did not sound amused, turning to give the disguised girl a flat look as she shouted at her.
"S-sorry!" She could've sworn that woman was out of earshot!
"Damn straight!" Her words delivered, Tayuya then returned her attention elsewhere, to something far more… interesting, and walked away. "Fuckin' pansies!"
Naruto was amused to note she copied Kurama's insult.
"She's as chipper as ever, I see." Peter muttered to himself.
"I HEARD THAT, BITCH!"
The warrior winced at that.
"...You'll get used to her eventually," Naruto assured, visibly holding back a grin; he did make her act like that for a reason, after all… and found the thought of her roasting everyone to be hilarious, even if it had only been implied before. Needless to say, he wasn't disappointed upon actually seeing that trait in action. No, he was cackling in glee at the awkwardness that she caused. "So, what're your plans for now?"
"We'll be heading back to E-Rantel for now," Peter replied. "Money's getting a bit low, so we should probably pick up another quest soon."
"I'll head back there soon, myself," Naruto commented. "I'll be sticking around here for at least a few days, though, so if money's too tight, don't feel forced to wait for me. You've gotta eat, after all, and I gotta make sure my friend'll be okay."
"Of course," the warrior chuckled warmly.
"Is there anything you need before we go?" Lukrut asked.
"I'm good, thank you," the pseudo-blonde answered politely.
And with that the Swords of Darkness said their goodbyes before leaving for E-Rantel.
The fluttering of massive wings and a melodious, cheerful humming filled the great hall of Godhaven as Nyx flew up to dust the statues above, depicting her gods. She of course tended to the statue of a male elf first, that being her creator, and gave it a thorough cleaning before moving on to the Ones who Stayed, starting with God-Queen Boudicca's statue.
On the floor beneath Artemis looked up at her with a warm smile. It was so endearing to see how much the NPCs loved and revered them in all honesty. It would of course take some getting used to, but it still put a smile on her face to see them so… sentient.
So full of life… and love for their creators.
"Oh, Lady Artemis!"
The redhead perked up at that and turned to see Flidais approaching with a look of mild surprise.
"Oh, hello," Artemis replied. "What brings you here?"
The NPC in question seemed to flush for a moment, glancing towards Nyx. With Andraste now absent, it fell upon the resident Angel of Darkness to serve as the substitute housekeeper.
"I-I merely meant to report I've finished my tasks," she sputtered, starting to fidget. "I was… p-pleasantly surprised to see you here."
Artemis smiled at that. It was a sweet, soft smile. Heartwarming to those who bore witness to it. Nigh motherly, aimed square at them.
Poor Flidais flushed harder, her fidgeting becoming rooted to the spot as the goddess' smile did critical damage to her rapidly hammering heart. Then, she flinched upon hearing a familiar, feminine giggle… a giggle that promised no end in torment in her foreseeable future as Hidone was very quick to realize why the courtesan milk maid was so flustered, though she mercifully didn't comment.
Better to milk the situation for all it was worth by teasing her and making not-so-blatant implications…
Turning her attention to Artemis the blonde then bowed. "I, meanwhile, came to see if you needed anything." she said with an impish grin. "Of course, I'm sure dear Flidais would be more than willing to provide as well~!"
The druidic NPC turned bright red at that, unable to even deny her.
Artemis, meanwhile, also blushed at the implication, knowing full well what Godhaven's head courtesan was getting at. "No need at the moment," she said evasively, not noticing the wide-eyed stare from Flidais, nor the cheshire grin on Hidone…
Unbeknownst to the isekai'd woman, those last few words would later bite her in the ass…
Quite spectacularly, as it were… (3)
Meanwhile, back in Nazarick, the newly rebranded "Queen" Albedo felt immeasurably awkward as she sat within the Throne of Kings, instructed by her love to keep it warm while he was gone.
She of course obliged, but still felt so… out of place.
Like a peasant in a royal ball…
She did her best to avoid showing it, though.
Albedo cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. The almost painful throb of her loins made a smile tug at her lips.
She felt her cheeks flush at all of the memories from her honeymoon. She wouldn't trade them for the world…
Taking a deep breath, the succubus steeled herself as she saw someone enter.
Right on time at that…
Demiurge gave her a respectful bow as he addressed her. "I have come to issue my report, my queen," he said, voice tinged with reverence.
Again, Albedo's cheeks burned.
"W-well, I suppose I am now," she muttered, feeling shy and awkward, shuffling around in the throne.
It was to be expected, now that she and the Last Supreme One were now married, but still… That was going to take some getting used to.
As were several new aspects of her relationship with Lord Kurama…
She took a deep breath and cleared her throat.
''..."
A moment of awkward silence followed…
"...Go on."
The demonic man stared at her for a few silent moments before doing as instructed. "Our project in the east is going as planned," Demiurge stated, pushing back the glasses on his nose. "Everything is on schedule and the first 'wall' is being erected as we speak."
Those Overlords from Ashurbanipal predictably came in quite handy to say the least.
"And the ogres?" Albedo asked, looking up at him.
The devilish man grinned at that. "It turns out that they have made for some lovely additions to our Lord's collection."
Albedo chuckled at his enthusiasm.
"What of the humans?" She almost sneered at the word, but held back; her love did not loathe the vermin for some reason… He even wanted to mate with one, though she couldn't possibly fathom what he saw in her.
Perhaps a lingering side-effect of having once been one? Should she be worried about that? Could it potentially make him too trusting and endanger their beloved lord?
She pushed those thoughts aside for another time, returning that attention to the Floor Guardian before her. "How has this 'empire' responded?"
The grin faded into a thoughtful frown. Demiurge crossed his arms and drummed his fingers, his tail swishing languidly in his musing.
It reminded the succubus of her husband… especially considering she'd never seen that sort of mannerism in the demon before.
"We have seen no activity so far, actually," he replied.
"How strange," Albedo mused aloud. "You'd think we'd have provoked some manner of retribution after seizing that fort…"
"Indeed," the demonic businessman responded. "It is very out of character for that emperor to be so…" He trailed off, perking up. "I stand corrected," he announced. "I've just received a report from our scouts. A task force has been spotted approaching the fortress."
"Deal with them swiftly, then," the succubus ordered; this was much more in line with her duties as the Guardian Overseer, a position she still technically retained. Being Queen of Nazarick didn't change her duties; it just gave her more authority to accomplish her tasks. "Inform me the instant something goes awry."
Demiurge bowed again, visibly glad to see Queen Albedo back in her element. "Of course, my queen. By your leave." (4)
A few days later, in Arwintar, a large caravan heralded the emperor's return.
And of course, he had some guests.
Kushina and Mebuki stared out the window of the carriage, the former being rather taken aback by the sights. The city was absolutely massive, stretching into the far distance without an end in sight, and looked like it had been plucked straight out of classic Europe.
"A few cultural differences here and there," Mebuki commented, looking bored at first appearance as she leaned against the carriage window sill, but her eyes were practically gleaming with the glow of a shut-in nerd getting their best dreams laid out. "But definitely high medieval in terms of tech."
"'High medieval'?" Andraste asked, echoing the words in confusion.
"The name of a time period in our history," Kushina clarified, which was technically true… for Europe. Mebuki seemed to be right on the money, though; this place looked like the Roman Empire, at least as far as those vid-dramas presented it. Had Rome itself not fallen to the Gauls and the empire not been shattered, they could see it looking like this 500 years later of the Byzantine Empire was anything to go by. "It's almost jarring how much this place resembles Rome."
"Was Rome important to our people?" Mito asked innocently, and rather curiously; having been born and raised in Godhaven, she didn't know all too much of her mother's culture and where she came from.
Any comment, no matter how small, might help her grow that much closer to Mama.
"It was an empire on the other side of the world," Kushina explained. "It fell several hundreds of years before I was even born, but was very influential, so I guess you could say it was important." History wasn't her strong suit, but she knew a little bit.
Plus, it was basically impossible to play a fantasy MMO and not be immersed into European culture to some extent, and through it, European history.
"Oh…'' Mito pouted cutely, "I'm sure we had places just as amazing, right Mama?"
Kushina chuckled at that, giving her daughter a pat on the head, smiling softly at her pride and joy. "Yes, we did. Remember, though: you're my sister when we're not in private. My beautiful, somewhat-awkward, big sister."
Her daughter looked almost flushed. It was adorable.
"O-of course, Mama."
"It is quite difficult for many to fathom how great our goddesses are," Serqet reasoned. "If what they're capable of gets out too abruptly, these people might deem them a threat." Not that it would be an issue for their pantheon to make playthings of them, but Warrior Queen Boudicca in particular was a benevolent goddess, a righteous champion of the innocent, so it was easy to see why she'd want to avoid that if at all possible.
"Okay..." It was obvious from the tone of her voice that Mito wasn't all that enthusiastic about playing a charade.
Kushina's smile widened as she gazed at her second child fondly, "How 'bout this? Once we get back to Godhaven, I'll see if I can make you some ramen, sweatie."
"M-Mama, you mean it?" Mito's eyes lit up like a pair of chandeliers as she looked back at her creator.
"Yes, I do," the redhead giggled. That reaction was just so adorable!
"O~kay!"
Kushina and the others shared a warm smile at that. Then, they perked up as the carriage came to a stop. There was a knock on the door and then it was opened, revealing the welcome that awaited them.
Two lines of imperial guards flanked the path with a few more keeping the crowd in check, many curious faces looking into the carriage, wondering what manner of guests the emperor had brought with him.
Internally, Kushina deadpanned.
'A small welcome, he said,' she thought, gazing at the crowd before leaning back inside.
Really, she was the guest of a true-to-blood emperor of all things. She probably should've expected something like this.
Letting out a sigh, she gestured for Serqet and Andraste to go first. Given that they insisted on being the bodyguards, it made sense.
They did precisely that without question, starting with Andraste.
The crowd eyeballed her for a moment, thinking little of her as she seemed to just be a warrior. A beautiful warrior, but those were dime a dozen in the Empire. It was easy to assume that she was the bodyguard of the next girl to emerge, whom they thought was some type of royal until she stood to the side as well. Mebuki came out next, her sharper hearing picking up some interesting reactions to a dark elf "of all things" being in Arwintar. Next came Mito, who also heard some odd reactions.
Did this empire have bad relations with the local elves? That was certainly what it sounded like. At the same time, though, she couldn't help but blush at some of the things she heard. To most, her beauty was so innocent and pure that it stole their breaths away.
Finally, taking a moment to steel herself, her cheeks burning, Kushina emerged in all her half-naked glory, her bountiful bosom barely restrained by her attire despite her stature. Needless to say, as one would expect, her outfit got some rather mixed reactions, once everyone got over the sight of Mito's purity.
While some of the more conservative women were aghast at her shamelessness, there were plenty more who sounded amazed or even inspired. Most men, particularly the younger ones, either gazed at her appreciatively, or fought the urge to drool. The older ones were put off by the thought of a "little girl" being dressed like that, but kept it to themselves. These were guests of the Bloody Emperor, after all, so it was unwise to be disrespectful.
Mito, Serqet, and Andraste approved of some reactions, but not so much of others. The look Andraste in particular directed at a nearby source of the latter conveyed her opinion on said matters quite effectively, until her queen spoke up.
"Theirs is a different culture," she said. "Pay them no mind."
"As you wish, my queen," the warrior responded, doing her best to comply.
Fortunately, Jircniv quickly took her mind off of that as he approached, flanked by a familiar group of guards.
"I hope the trip was comfortable enough?"
"It was," Kushina replied, giving him a polite smile as the crowd quieted down. "That said, though, I need to stretch my legs for a bit. Would you mind if I explored this city while you prepare for our meeting?"
The emperor returned her smile with a much bolder one.
"Please, your highness." he said smoothly, keeping his eyes on her own and not an inch lower, despite having to look down at her. ''Nothing would make me happier than for you to see the greatness of my domain for yourself."
Kushina fought down a small blush. Despite the bad first impression, the young emperor was starting to win some approval points from her, and dammit if she hadn't been a lonely woman for the past few years.
Not that she'd admit this out loud… Not ever!
"Verywell, then," she declared, straightening up and showing the grace one would expect from nobility. "Much obliged."
Meanwhile, back in Carne, a certain human-turned-youko felt rather inclined to check on Enri, seeing how she started growing on him ever since he first got here. So much that he hated seeing her hurt, despite his moral compass going whack the longer he 'lived' in this world.
Of course, he had Tayuya keeping an eye on her, but she wasn't the conversing type… or the comforting type… or mortal caring type.
Hell, if anything, she was literally the worst person for the job, save for maybe Demiurge or Albedo. But, despite that, he could tell that she was doing her best… in her own way.
Thus, Naruto emerged once more from a Gate provided by Shalltear and was greeted with the sight of the village square. A familiar face immediately caught his eye. Leaning against one of the buildings, arms crossed while she gave him a well-hidden look that almost made him pop a damn boner on the spot, was the aforementioned daughter, Tayuya.
He… didn't deny looking her up and down like a piece of fine meat… but he stopped at that.
For the moment…
Naruto approached and a brief, awkward silence followed. Even now, neither of them could really believe what they'd done… and yet, neither of them regretted it. Naruto had never really given the incest is wincest idea any thought… partially because it was one fetish that Peroroncino didn't have.
But after their little tryst… right before his wedding, no less… well, his opinion on the matter was quickly inclining towards 'YES!'.
"Uh… hi," he muttered, sounding even more awkward than he felt.
Tayuya felt her cheeks burn as she averted her gaze with a pout. She wanted more… her core ached for more… but now was not the time. "...Hi, Boss."
Another silence followed.
"So… how is she?" Naruto asked, figuring that, as the 'adult', he should be the one to take the plunge.
"Depressed as fuck," Tayuya grunted with a scowl. "Apparently this 'En-fee' kid was a very close friend o' hers. Some villagers were even placin' bets on when he'd stick his dick in her." She scoffed, "Sounds like a limp dicked, little bitch, but ya didn't hear that from me."
Naruto had to keep himself from twitching at the cackles of his… other self. Kurama approved.
Of course he approved.
"...I'll see what I can do for her," Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "I have no experience with this kinda thing, but I'll definitely do my best."
Tayuya frowned at that, her scowl turning slightly more concerned. It was a look only her father and sister would ever see… and her little ones, once she had em. "It ain't your fault."
The youko chuckled nervously. His daughter read him like a book as usual. "I… feel like I could've saved him, so helping her through this is the least I can do."
The aforementioned daughter, meanwhile, gave him a flat look.
"...Boss, let's be real," Tayuya whispered, taking a quick look to make sure no one was close enough to hear. "You want her. That loser would've been in your way, even if only temporary." She shrugged dismissively, not even entertaining the idea the boy could've matched her maker in seducing Enri's panties off. "Way I see it, this all works out in the end… so don't beat yourself up over that "woulda, coulda, shoulda' horseshit. It ain't healthy."
Naruto blushed at that. He certainly couldn't deny that, but it also made him feel like the villain of a netorare doujin.
…His game avatar, unsurprisingly, approved. What was he, a 'fox of culture' or something?
…but still, the thought of doing that on purpose appealed to him far more than he cared to admit.
Fuck, he was really starting to think like a demon.
"I uh…'' he cleared his throat, "I… will not disagree with that statement," he admitted, earning himself an amused, knowing grin from the kiyo. "But I still feel bad for her."
The kijo shrugged. "That's easy to fix. Go on and be your usual annoyin', charmin' self."
Naruto quirked an amused eyebrow.
"Charming, you say…?"
Tayuya raised her nose with a huff. "Charmingly irritatin' and dense as fuck." She rolled her eyes at that last part.
The youko needed the laugh she pulled out more than he realized. "I'll do my best," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Tayuya nearly jumped out of her skin on contact. "Thanks, by the way."
His daughter's cheeks burned a pretty crimson as she pouted. Truth be told, Tayuya envied the blonde far more than she cared to admit at the moment. "She's in her hut, right now," the kijo pointed out, looking away. "I'll cast some privacy spells. Just in case."
Now it was Naruto's turn to feel his cheeks burning, his ears drooping in embarrassment as he chuckled nervously. He wasn't here to try and stick his dick into Enri, of course, but if Albedo, Shalltear, and Tayuya were anything to go by…
"...Much appreciated." He felt… conflicted about that. He legitimately liked the girl and wanted to help her, but in a more… innocent fashion. At least for now.
Kurama, unsurprisingly, protested this opinion. Naruto did his best to shut him out.
He wasn't opposed to starting a relationship with her, but he at least wanted to feel like he wasn't taking advantage of her!
'...But why?'
His avatar sounded honestly confused as he asked that. It was a little sad, in all honesty.
"Because she's a friend, damn it! At least reserve that kinda thing for people who deserve it!"
Fortunately, before his inner self could retort, Naruto was met with a rather… pleasing distraction.
Aura Bella Fiora squirmed as she felt Lord Kurama's gaze fall upon her. The elf's cheeks burned and she shrunk before the look she gave him. It didn't help in the slightest that Princess Tayuya seemed to approve. The princess' subtle, knowing grin sent shivers up her spine.
Of course, Mare was in tow, but seemingly unnoticed… not that he minded. Being as shy as he was, the elven boy honestly preferred it that way.
There was a long silence as Naruto took a moment to reign in his hormones. This girl clearly wanted him… He could literally smell it. This adorable, very underage elven maiden wanted to mate with him… but right here, right in the middle of Carne, would… complicate his future plans? Yeah, that would suffice.
'PANSY!'
…Ahem.
Pushing that aside for later, he also noted that they seemed concerned about something, though… a weirdly fortunate distraction. Did they find something?
"So…" Clearing his throat, Naruto composed himself and addressed the twins professionally, like a boss waiting for a debriefing. "What's wrong? You two seem tense. Is there something I should be worried about?"
Aura took a deep breath, forcing down her blush and ignoring her burning loins as best she could before replying.
"We're… not sure?"
"S-something seems off… a-about a n-nearby part of the… the forest," Mare sputtered, shy as usual but seemingly unbothered by the Supreme One eyeballing his sister so lustfully.
Naruto was rather pleased to note that, truth be told. The people of Nazarick were his family, so he didn't want to make any of them uncomfortable.
"...Agreed, though anyone else is fair game."
"W-we don't know wh-what, though," the shouta added, unknowingly derailing the Supreme One's train of thought. "It's n-not like anything we… we've felt b-before."
"That's concerning…" Naruto muttered, a worried frown marring his features. "What can you tell me for sure?"
"It feels like something is… growing," Aura elaborated. She immediately regretted her wording, her eyes trailing towards a certain someone's junk. She pushed those thoughts aside and continued, even as the tips of her ears grew hot to the touch. "I-It's too faint to pinpoint where, though, and we can't tell what exactly it is." (5)
"Very concerning…" Naruto's frown deepened, his fox ears standing up straight in alertness. "Guess I know what we're doing next, then…" Given how close the forest was to Nazarick, he couldn't really ignore this one. "I'll be making plans when I'm done here," he said. "Gotta check on Enri real quick. You two wait for me in the throne room."
Both elves bowed and replied in unison. "As you wish," they said.
Taking that as her cue, Tayuya whipped out her flute and played a few notes, a black speck appearing in the air beside the twins and her father before swirling and expanding like a mist. It formed a perfect half-circle, opening a gateway into Nazarick.
And with that, Aura and Mare took their leave, much to Naruto's visible relief.
Once the Gate closed, however, Tayuya spoke up. "Seriously, of all the chicks in Nazarick, ya' chose the creepy skank an' the creepier undead loli." Tayuya mimed gagging at him through her glare, "Why not someone ain't fuckin' creepy? What's wrong with that elf-girlie? If fuckin' Shalltear can take yer dick, she can too." Although she'd be lying if she wasn't curious how Shalltear managed that one… Tayuya had barely managed to fit around it, and she was like half again the vampire's total size.
The youko only gave her a sheepish chuckle; as much as he wanted to, Naruto simply couldn't offer a good response. It was… complicated. And embarrassing.
An awkward silence soon followed and Tayuya sighed in annoyance.
"Well, whatever," she grumbled, averting her gaze and rubbing one arm. "So long as Fumiko 'n' I are there ta watch your ass, I guess it's fine."
Naruto smiled at that, reaching up and ruffling the kijo's hair around her horns, eliciting a blush and groan, "Love you too, my little hellion~!"
''...Fuck you too."
The youko chuckled warmly at her whine and pulled her into a hug. Tayuya squawked and her cheeks burned even hotter at the warmth and contact. It didn't help that she could feel something shift near her leg.
"Alright," he said, resulting in her going utterly stiff. He hesitated, realizing how she interpreted that. Hurriedly withdrawing before things could get too heated, Naruto continued with an awkward and sheepish grin. "L-let's go check on Enri, eh?"
"R-right," Tayuya muttered, visibly relieved and disappointed. She wanted more, but now was not the time. The last thing they needed to do was lose control and start rutting in front of everyone in the whole damn village… exciting though that may have been, she wasn't ruled by her libido quite yet.
Plus, her reputation as a badass bitch would probably take a hit if everyone heard her moaning whorishly and crying out for her daddy.
And thus, Tayuya accompanied her father to Enri's hut.
It didn't take long, the two of them slipping into a comfortable silence along the way. Once they were there, though, the father and daughter found a concerned Jugem talking to Nemu before the front door.
"She's still really sad," the brunette muttered with a pout.
"Losing a friend is tough," Jugem sighed, patting the girl on the shoulder. "But the Capt'n's a strong woman. I'm sure she'll bounce back eventually."
"I hope so," Nemu muttered. Then, she perked up upon feeling a hand on her head and looked up to see Lord Kurama ruffling her hair.
"I'll do my best to make that happen," he assured, flashing her a charming smile.
Jugem visibly did not approve.
He didn't trust "Lord Kurama" as far as he could throw him. But, at the same time, he cared about the captain's wellbeing.
"Shouldn't be too hard," Tayuya chimed in, tallying up another noose around the goblin's throat for when she could finally remove him… it would be oh so satisfying to finally give him his comeuppance. She grinned just thinking about it… which didn't do her any favors in Jugem's book, considering the circumstances. "She just needs a shoulder ta cry on 'n' some encouragement, for the most part. One visit ain't gonna cut it, though; girl's way more hurt than she lets on."
"Like I said, I'll do my best."
This kinda thing wasn't his strong suit, but he meant it.
The kijo humored him with a smile, looking at him through half-lidded eyelashes.
"Mmmhm. I'm sure ya will."
Naruto chuckled at that and steeled himself before approaching the door. Out of sheer habit from his old life, he knocked. There was no answer.
"Enri," he called out. "It's Kurama. I… wanted to check on you."
He was startled by a loud thump, followed by the sound of someone scrambling off the floor. Soon thereafter, the door cracked open before slowly swinging the rest of the way to reveal Enri's disheveled form.
She had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, her hair was down and a mess, and the blonde herself looked like she'd been through hell. Shrinking under his worried gaze the poor dear did her best to make herself look somewhat presentable.
"S-sorry, I-uhm―"
"Enri," he interrupted calmly, yet worriedly. "Want to talk?"
Enri let her hands fall.
"I-I… yes." Then, she whispered, almost desperately, stepping aside. "Please?"
Naruto nodded with a gentle, apologetic smile and entered without another word.
As he did, Tayuya closed the door behind him. Then, she whipped out her flute and played four notes that caused the hut to glow briefly.
Leering at the goblin eyeballing her suspiciously, she shrugged. "Anti-scryin' magic," she grunted. "Just in case."
Nemu blushed at the implication, her young mind quite visibly jumping to all manner of conclusions, much to the kijo's amusement.
"What do you mean 'just in case'?!" Jugem demanded.
Tayuya grinned menacingly.
"You know damn well what I mean. Try 'n' stop me, bitch."
While a certain kijo took great pleasure in causing a mass panic attack among Enri's goblins, her big sister sighed grumpily as she emerged from a familiar swirling blackness.
Fumiko did not look forward to this…
It was the first time she'd arrived to start issuing progress reports to the new Queen of Nazarick.
Fumiko did not care about debriefing that skank; she'd much rather talk to her Papa given half a choice. Not only because he was who he was, but because he's the Supreme One. Their leader, one and only.
But, Papa was a humble man who knew his limits… and proper distribution of responsibility was one of the many aspects of a good leader. It was one of many lessons Lord Touch Me had taught him, apparently.
Him and an old man he met long ago named Sarutobi. She knew not when this happened, only that it did, and that Papa respected them both tremendously… thanks to Papa himself telling her all about it. It had been their version of 'bedtime stories', long before they ended up in this world.
That being said, Papa insisted that he needed a… secretary.
"That's all she is," Fumiko reminded herself, ignoring a certain vampire's questioning look as she made her way to the throne room.
And almost had a conniption upon seeing Albedo in papa's throne like she owned the place. She twitched violently, almost homicidally as she… took a moment to calm herself.
A long moment.
A very long moment…
"A glorified secretary…"
She didn't even notice how… uncomfortable Albedo seemed, thrust into that seat by the man who belonged in it.
Nor did she notice the two elven twins discussing something with that skank her father called a wife.
Fumiko growled, fingers twitching for her weapon. That creepy woman had no right to be there! Or to be beside Papa in status!
Fortunately, before the kijo could do something rash, she felt someone tugging on the sleeve of her armor, and found herself spun around to stare down at the short-statured vampire with a confused blink.
"Bwuh?"
"Now, now," Shalltear said, her tone calm and… infuriatingly motherly, "I'm sure Papa would not approve of you losing your temper like that."
Fumiko huffed and looked away.
"I understand that it is a… shocking sight," the vampire added, eyeballing her lover's wife. "But I can assure you that she is even less comfortable about it than you and I are combined."
Fumiko grunted.
"That's Papa's throne."
"And that is why." Shalltear smiled up at the kijo, reaching up, cupping a cheek, and coaxing Fumiko to look her in the eye. "Rest assured that she knows her place."
The pinkette's eye twitched violently and she looked away.
Meanwhile, the succubus in question was aware of their presence, but focused on the two elves who'd returned far sooner than expected.
"...I can see why he's so troubled," Albedo muttered. "If there is anything my love finds unsettling, it's uncertainty."
She didn't notice Fumiko's pout.
"Where is he right now?"
"L-Lord Kurama is in… in Carne Village," Mare responded. "He wanted to ch-check on her."
"Ah…'' He was back with that human pet. That ticked Albedo off for some reason, and her reply came out less pleasant than intended. "I see."
"He… appears to be taking longer than expected," Aura chimed in.
Unfortunately, that only added fuel to the fire that was Albedo's ire.
"Th-that said…" the elven girl continued. "If you… wouldn't mind, I'd like to check on something while we wait."
"Oh?" The newly appointed queen gave her an odd look, still displeased, but not with her
Aura blushed, and looked down at her feet.
"I-it's a present for Lord Kurama," she muttered. "I… want to show him my gratitude…" In a way that doesn't risk complicating things.
The sheer, awkward innocence of that statement made Albedo visibly melt.
"Of course," she cooed at the smaller woman, "My beloved is deserving of all gifts and affections we can grant him." She waved her hand with a giggle, a knowing look in her eyes as she leaned back into the throne, "Go on, I shall not keep you occupied needlessly in that case."
Aura ducked her head and nodded, before hurrying out of the throne room with her ears on fire. Truth be told, she needed the distraction.
Sparing the retreating elf a warm chuckle, "Queen" Albedo then composed herself as she addressed the only actual royal in this room right now. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Princess Fumiko, what do you have to report?"
For some time, back in Carne, Naruto and Enri stood in awkward silence soon after venturing further into the hut, neither one being quite sure what to say at the moment.
Until Naruto decided to go about it with the same sort of subtlety he had in his real, past life―that is, none at all―and, with one short stride, embraced the young woman into his arms.
She stiffened on contact and then relaxed. After a moment, she then let loose a whimper and started sniffling. Eventually, a sob wracked Enri's frame and the dam broke as Lord Kurama rubbed her back.
Naruto held her close, wrapping his tails around her protectively.
…and suddenly realized he had no idea how to deal with crying girls. This had never come up in his life before!
"Uh…" Naruto began awkwardly.
Tilting her head back, Enri stared up at him for a long moment through tear-strained, puffy eyes.
''..."
''..."
A silence followed.
A deafening one that was soon broken by Enri's despondent chuckle…
''...Lord Kurama," she muttered. "You're not very good at this, are you?"
"Guilty as charged," he replied sheepishly, pulling a hand away to rub the back of his neck. "But, it's the thought that counts, right…?"
Enri stared up at him oddly for a moment, a hint of disbelief peeking out from behind the sad visage… and then, she proceeded to mutter under her breath.
"Huh?"
Enri flinched, seemingly startled, not having expected him to hear anything.
Naruto stared at her with a squint… holding back a grin.
"What was that?"
The redheaded youko knew exactly what she said, his sharp hearing ensuring that he would. He was a fox demon, after all. Foxes were generally known for their hearing. His more mischievous side also got the better of him in that moment; he wanted to see her more lively and animated… and if he could do so by embarrassing the cutie just a little bit, all the better for it! She had the most adorable reactions!
"I…" Enri muttered nervously, glancing away and ducking her chin into her shoulders, ''...I said you're so… normal," she shyly admitted. "More… casual and… well, approachable than I expected."
Naruto faked blinking in surprise… the smile that followed, however, needed no pretending.
"That's very kind of you," he told her, scratching a cheek.
Still, fact of the moment was, he had a crying girl in his hands and no idea how to go about 'uncrying' her.
Then suddenly, an idea sprung to mind.
"Enri. How much do you know of my friends?"
"I'm sorry, I don't…''
"Don't be shy now," he chuckled, "give it your best shot. I'm sure the others bragged about them quite a bit during your visit."
"Uh.. well…" Enri began, fidgeting. "I know that they're all very dear to your… subjects," she said. "They're the ones you… erm… conquered the 'tomb' with."
He nodded.
"Yeah… they are."
Enri stood silent, unsure of what to say when it became clear he was mulling his next words over.
She could feel the air around Lord Kurama shift and become more… weighted.
"And now, they are gone." the redhead said softly, solemnly, giving her a weak grin, "And I'm never going to see them again."
''..."
"They were my friends,"he explained, "My closest confidants. We were… we were a family, like siblings in some cases. Touch Me-senpai was like the uncle I never had. He was kind, but stern and he did his best to keep everyone together. Momonga-senpai was like a big brother to me. He was the one who guided me and helped me become the leader of Ainz Ooal Gown. Then there were Bukubukuchagama and Perororncino. They were actual siblings who might as well have adopted me into their family." A nostalgic grin spread across his features. "All of them were dear to me… all forty of them. I could go on for hours."
Enri remembered the names Touch Me and Peroroncino, the former being Lord Kurama's predecessor… apparently the armored guy depicted in that stained glass window back in the chapel. The latter, meanwhile, was the "man of culture" who created Shalltear, though she knew nothing else about him. She didn't even have any hints on what he might have looked like.
Her mental image was that of a suave and dapper vampire lord, tall and wisely bearded, something Naruto would've found amusing, had he known.
"But, they're all gone…" Naruto muttered. "They left the tomb before I ended up in this world."
His tone made her frown in sympathy. She could tell that the subject struck a nerve.
"But!" Suddenly, his face brightened, though there was still a hint of sadness. "I don't let that drag me down. I've got my girls, and all of my people to live for. Like you have Nemu… and your village, Miss Captain of the Watch." He added that last part teasingly, still finding it adorable that she ended up in such a position.
Enri's cheeks flushed as she ducked her head in embarrassment.
Naruto let out a warm chuckle as he continued once more. "And is it too hard not to believe that one day in the future, you'll find someone you love just as much, or even more so than your friend… and catch his eye?" He shrugged, "Life is too short to dwell on the bad stuff too much."
He failed to notice the intense stare Enri leveled onto him… intense, and slightly disappointed.
Mainly at his density.
She sighed, melting back into his arms. Glancing upwards after a moment, she idly noticed that his face was melancholy… and the girl was overcome with a need to reach out and comfort him…
Only for those intentions to quickly start becoming… less than pure as the thoughts of his wife and concubine came to mind. Jealousy mixed with desire, combining with her grief…
Thus, the situation they were in, which seemed so innocent before, dawned on her. They were alone… in her house, the bed not even an arm's length away from them…
It would be so easy, too… all she needed to do was "stumble" backwards and…
Enri caught herself before her hand―and mind―could wander any further and withdrew from his embrace with an embarrassed squawk, her face flushing at the lewd thoughts she'd just had.
No, no, no, she wasn't a 'home-wrecking harlot'!
She was a good girl! She was!
She turned away, her cheeks burning hotter than ever before as the poor dear sputtered incoherently at his clueless look.
"S-sorry," she whispered. "I d-don't know wh-what came over me…"
Naruto just stared at her… and in typical, Naruto fashion, his mouth reacted before his brain. "I'm sorry, but that was adorable."
A loud poof soon followed as a cloud of steam rose from the blonde's head.
In that moment, it took every ounce of her self control and his for them not to fuck like rabbits right then and there… something Naruto's inner self quite vocally disapproved of. The pheromones were coming off of her in fucking waves! All he needed to do was nudge her, and he'd be balls deep inside her and putting a baby in that belly without care in the world or a single word of complaint from those moaning lips!
And yet, he resisted.
Despite feeling just how right it would be… he didn't want to take his girl when she's mourning. His morals, despite stooping low, were still hovering above that threshold… for now.
If nothing else, though… Enri did feel better.
"I… cannot thank you enough," she told him. She meant it, too… "B-but, I need some… privacy."
For entirely different reasons…
Naruto knew exactly what those reasons were… mainly because of his nose, yet he didn't show it, even as he felt a grin tug on his lips. He chose to spare her the teasing and embarrassment this time, in light of the conversation they'd just had.
Instead, he only offered her a warm chuckle that sent hot sivers up the blonde's spine. "Alright," he said, "In that case, I'll be heading back to Nazarick for now. Just let Tayuya know if you need me again."
"I… I will."
Naruto nodded at that, looking satisfied for now. Thus, he took his leave without another word.
Eventually, when the charming "nobleman" finally left, Enri let loose the breath she didn't know she'd been holding that whole time. Her cheeks burned, her whole body felt hot… especially between her legs… she was shaking like a leaf from whatever he did to affect her…
Enri toppled over, hitting the bed with a loud thump, and started squirming. Never in her life had she felt so… hot and bothered… She squeaked, jolting on contact upon realizing that her hand had trailed down. Another hand on her mouth, her eyes wide with shock, she squirmed again.
Did she just…?
Yes… yes, she did… The blonde felt her cheeks burn even hotter. Of course, this wasn't the first time she'd touched herself by any stretch; Enri Emmot was a healthy teen, after all, but the thought of doing so to a married man… It was so scandalous!
Yet. her hand trailed down once more… This wasn't the first time she'd done that, either. She had her limits like everyone else… and his wife and concubine were quite vocal on the wedding night…
The entire wedding night…
Meanwhile, back outside, Naruto was greeted with his daughter's… conflicted pout. He felt his cheeks burn as he chuckled sheepishly.
"I'm somehow both relieved and disappointed," Tayuya grumbled, sniffing him to be sure. When it was confirmed that he didn't stick his dick into Enri, her pout became more pronounced.
"By what?" Nemu asked, looking up at her with wide and curious eyes.
Her innocence was adorable… and neither Naruto nor Tayuya could wait for the day that it was taken. The former was less honest with himself about it, of course, but the thought very much appealed to him far more than he cared to admit.
'Shalltear, you'd better be ready for when I get my hands on you…'
"...You'll understand when you're older," the kijo muttered, aware of the burning eyes of promised death leveled onto her by the stinkin' goblin though not actually giving a damn.
Of course, the girl wouldn't be much older if she had anything to say about it, but older nonetheless… just old enough to become fertile.
Oh, did she have plans for them both…
"That being said," Naruto commented, diverting Nemu's attention before she could press her curiosity, ignorant of his daughter's match-making schemes, "she appears to be feeling better now. The poor girl just needs a bit of time to…"
He was then interrupted when, suddenly, they all heard a muffled squeal that sounded suspiciously like the words "Lord Kurama" emanate from within Enri's hut.
Followed by a relieved sigh.
Jugem's cheeks burned, as did Naruto's―both men knew damn well what that was. Nemu and Tayuya, meanwhile, felt their eyes drawn to an incriminating tent in the youko's trousers.
One of them stared in fascination… and the other licked her lips… and not quite in that order, much to a certain redhead's well-hidden interest, and downright cackling glee.
"That being said," Naruto squeaked, plastering on his best polite grin, "I… suddenly feel the need to pay Shalltear a visit. Have a nice day."
Not too long after departing from the imperial palace, Kushina and her entourage were of course rather quick to make a beeline for the bazaar. Seeing how Yggdrasil currency was established off the bat to be… not quite worthless here; it was still gold, but not worth as much as it should be, since nobody could tell where it came from.
Ahem… upon realizing that, the Warrior Queen of Godhaven made sure to have some old trash items they still had lying around on hand to sell.
It wasn't much, just a few low-tier magic weapons and such, but they weren't likely to need much.
Doing her best to ignore the eyes upon her, she went for what looked like a weapons shop, where she was greeted by the sight of a balding man in his fifties or so, looking to be fairly well off. He seemed pretty likely to have some gold to spare.
The old man, a local named Seymour, looked rather surprised to see a little girl walking up to her stall. Even more shocking was that she matched the description of this "foreign warrior girl" everyone had been whispering about for the past half hour or so!
Composing himself, the man greeted her with a polite smile. "Oh, hello, young miss, what can I do for you?"
Kushina smiled and raised a hand, drawing surprised looks from many an onlooker by reaching into what looked like a black hole that just appeared before her hand and pulling out an ornate sword. She gave the weapon one last look and nodded. Yeah, this would do.
It was a Sword of the Ashtongue, a low-tier magical weapon with fire properties, usable by anyone above level 25. In Yggdrasil, it was only worth about 2 gold and 5 silvers if you sold it to a vendor, though on the auction house, it was pretty consistently worth at least 10 gold, seeing as the item wasn't available in any store and could only be either looted or bought from other players.
That said, it would be a good place to start on seeing how much their stuff was worth. That way, they could potentially see how they stacked up to the denizens of this world. This was what she hoped to achieve, at least, and Serqet's presence would ensure that she didn't get scammed.
"I've come from a far away land, so my purse is feeling rather light," she said, putting on what she hoped was a charming smile. "I'd like to alleviate that by selling this."
"Verywell, then," the man replied, looking rather charmed by the young lady's mannerisms. "Let us see what we're working with, shall we?" Then, he caught the redhead by surprise by casting a spell that was undeniably from Yggdrasil. "All Appraisal Magic Item!"
What followed next was the last thing Kushina had expected…
Seymour's jaw dropped and he nearly fell over, looking about ready to have a heart attack from what that spell had revealed. He could sell everything he had twice over and still only have less than half the money that thing was worth!
"F-forgive me, but how did you get your hands on that?!"
Kushina raised an eyebrow at the reaction. "It's just a…"
Serqet interjected, stepping forward to speak, her financially senses and instinct tingling. "As my queen said, we're from very far away. She was also a high-ranking adventurer in our homeland before taking the throne." Seeing the man's reaction, she wasn't about to let them know the item in question was more or less junk in their eyes.
Seymour's gaze rapidly shifted from one woman to the other as he struggled to calm down. So this girl was a queen… and a child prodigy from the sound of it. Did that mean she was the Naked Queen of the Marble Palace he'd heard so much about?
He didn't believe at the time that she existed, but this girl certainly fit the descriptions… Composing himself, Semour bowed his head politely. "M-my apologies if I was too informal, your highness."
Kushina waved him off with another gentle smile, feeling slightly perturbed by how quickly people of this world were willing to grovel at her feet upon finding out about her 'queenly' status. Though she'd be lying if she said a part of her didn't feel good at it, "No apologies necessary, good man. You did not know, and I did not advertise it."
"Qu-quite," the man replied. "I was just... Taken aback by the sword."
"Understandable. So, how much for it?"
"A rather large amount, judging by his reaction," Andraste chimed in.
"T-tens of thousands at least," Seymour replied. "About 110,000 gold if it's in good condition. More than I have in my humble establishment, I'm saddened to admit."
"That much…? I just looted it off an elder lich…" To Kushina, that was like any other Monday and her voice reflected it… much to the utter shock of the nearby townsfolk.
"With all due respect, your... highness," Mebuki giggled, quickly picking up on the reactions as she sensually walked up to Kushina, making poor Seymour feel his pants tighten considerably in praise, "...an elder lich is a lot scarier than you think it is to anyone who's not… well, you."
Of course, Mebuki was more than capable of taking one on herself at her level, but she made sure to avoid giving off that impression in favor of propping the oppai loli up. "Warrior Queen Boudicca" was to be their leader, after all, and as such, was to hold up the image of the strongest.
Of course, she… he… Mebuki was quick to notice the "strapping, young men" all around the city and Kizashi did his damnedest to keep it from showing how horrified he was by his character's… interest. She was horny―incredibly so, and if he didn't do something soon he'd bet Mebuki would be… leaking as it were.
He wasn't interested in sausages, damn it! He liked asses and tits! Not junks!
Ignorant of the dark elf's horrified sexuality crisis, and quite fortunately so at that, Kushina got the hint and decided to switch her approach before she could give the poor man a heart attack. "Again," she said, twirling the sword and resting it upon her shoulder, "my purse is rather light, so let's start a bid." Her grin turned impish as she turned to the crowd. "Initial price is one gold! Any takers?"
The ensuing scramble to buy her sword would've made the ol' stock markets of New York, London and Tokyo before the age of the internet proud.
While a certain redhead struggled to keep up with the mad dash for the sword she sought to sell, a certain youthful elven maiden busied herself with processing the pelt of that rodent.
Of course, she wasn't alone in this endeavor.
While she proved more than enough to handle the skinning and preparation of the materials, Aura was no tailor. So, she commissioned the help of some maids in Nazarick.
In a private room, fiddling with a dress dummy that was built precisely to Lord Kurama's measurements, was one of the Head Maid's assistants, Virgo. Randomly wearing a bikinified variant of the standard Ainz Ooal Gown maid uniform, as she tended to do on occasion… for some reason, and a shackle hanging from either wrist, the pink-haired maid hummed a cheerful tune as she worked.
She was a fairly pretty and innocent-looking thing despite the shackles, her blue eyes shining as she cheerfully assisted Aura in her endeavor to make Lord Kurama a new coat.
But if there was anything one would quickly learn after a while in Nazarick, it was that her denizens were quite often not at all what they seemed. Hell, one could say it was more common for them to be the exact opposite!
''So, Mistress Aura…'' pausing in her work, the maid turned a playful gaze at the smaller elf, who was busying herself with some paperwork for another fort, "Is this to be your dowry to Lord Kurama upon your betrothal?"
Aura squeaked, those papers flying everywhere as she nearly jumped a foot in the air.
"Feel free to punish me if I'm wrong."
The elf only sputtered in response.
The maid's eyes suddenly held a glint in them, and her playful smile turned predatory, "Might I recommend a revealing bikini to replace any would-be wedding dress you wear? I can make you some myself if you so wish… and I hear that Lord Kurama would enjoy it… quite thoroughly~!"
"N-n-no need for that r-right now." The poor girl's cheeks felt like they were on fire as she forced out some semblance of a coherent sentence.
Unfortunately for her and those poor cheeks, however, Virgo had no intention of letting the topic go.
"But you do plan to offer your hand in marriage, right, Mistress Aura." Despite being worded as such, it was not a question.
"Th-that's i-in the far future… Very far!"
Somehow, Virgo doubted that. (6)
And if their lord's limitations were anything to go by, she was right to feel that way…
Immediately after emerging from the Gate Shalltear had provided, entering the Catacombs she called home, Naruto wasted no time, pulling a squawk from the vampire in question by grabbing her ponytail and yanking her closer, forcing her down to her knees and angling her head back. With his other hand, he undid his trousers to free his raging boner, making her lady bits quiver as he pulled back and stoved his dick down her throat.
Shalltear put up no resistance, nearly creaming herself on the spot. Her knees shook and buckled and eyes rolled back in utter bliss as she let him have his way with her, her throat tightening and constricting around his pistoning length.
Naruto moaned in degenerate delight, looking down and suddenly picturing a certain brunette in Shalltear's place, those doe-like eyes looking up at him as if to ask if she was doing a good job. That mental image was what did him in.
When her master let loose a pleasured roar, letting loose down her throat, Shalltear gurgled pitifully, writhing and twitching at the realization that he got off so soon… that he was using her as an outlet, as naught but a cumsock to keep his sexual urges in check after someone else got him rhiled up.
It was the only explanation; she knew his limits quite intimately at this point… and that thought nearly made her faint from sheer pleasure.
The pheromones flooding his senses sent Naruto into a sexual frenzy that rivaled the one Albedo had elicited with her confession. He couldn't contain himself to save his life.
Pulling out from her gob, Naruto grabbed Shalltear by the collar of her dress with a growl of lust that sent shivers up her spine and pinned her against the nearest wall. Grabbing onto her and holding the loli vampire in place with his tails, he latched onto her neck and started peeling those clothes away.
A fat hickey was left in his wake and a trail of kisses soon found its way towards her unclothen breasts. Still flat as a board, but he looked forward to making them swell up one day from the babies he put into her… if he could.
He still wasn't sure… but he'd be damned if he didn't try! (7)
The mental image of Nemu flooded his mind once more, imagining her small, shortstack body swelling with one of his children, followed by one of Tayuya, of Aura, Enri, and Albedo… and one of the loli in his grasp, all of them with baby bumps.
Naruto growled and started kissing another trail down, this time to Shalltear's bare mound. Spreading her thighs he gave her a lick. He was still inexperienced in orally pleasing a woman, but Shalltear was eager to start coaching him when they became lovers… and he took her lessons to heart.
And as a result, he knew her weaknesses…
The long, drawn out licks, the attacks upon her clit, the even pace… it drove her insane; she came almost immediately, her eyes crossing over as she gurgled in bliss.
And when she did, Naruto stood up at full height, looming over the prone vampire, and dropped his trousers entirely. A tail wrapped around her ankle, pulling Shalltear into a better position, and he came down onto her like a ravenous beast. He laced the fingers of one hand with hers, taking aim with the other, and soon enough, the thump of their standing mating press filled the Catacombs of Nazarick, making many a Bride jealous of their mistress.
But not for long; as it turned out, their lord's appetites couldn't be quenched by one set of holes alone…
Eventually, Kushina's arrival to Jircniv's court was heralded with much aplomb.
Stepping inside the throne room, flanked on all sides by curious nobles, the redhead truly felt like she'd never seen anything so opulent and unnecessarily extravagant in her life. It was like she'd stepped into a fairytale in all honesty.
Some of this must have shown on her face, because one of the nobles, a rather round man with portly cheeks, snorted.
"Bah, she's no noble blood. Look at her, ogling our wealth like a country bumpkin."
Unfortunately, the poor bastard chose the wrong woman to say that in front of as Serqet gave him a sickly-sweet smile that promised a world of pain and waved her hand. The instant she did, the man was literally covered in large, black scorpions and surrounded by vipers, all of them hissing with their maws exposed.
"Would you mind repeating that~?"
The silence that followed was nothing short of deafening.
Both Kushina and Mebuki were taken aback by that, seeing how the Serqet shouldn't have been capable of such a feat. Sure, her flavor text said she was, but it was just that: flavor text! Next to Jircniv, Fleuder was also similarly shocked as he had sensed no magic from her up until the instant she waved her hand… and as suddenly as it appeared, her talent seemingly vanished.
Taking the opportunity to compose herself, Kushina turned to the rogue with an air of authority one would expect from her station. "I'm sure he knows better now, Serqet. Leave him be."
Serquet pursed her lips. "...As you wish, my queen." Casting one final glare at the man, her familiars vanished like dust in the wind, crumbling into sand before disappearing entirely.
Seated on his throne, Jircniv sighed, withholding the urge to cradle his head.
His purges had left the court with nobles who were of… less than intelligent demeanours at times. Dumb, but loyal to the state and himself. "You all would do well to remember that she is from a far away land," he called out. "A bit of culture shock is to be expected, I'm sure."
"That it is," Kushina added. "This empire of yours is very different from my own country. The way you all dress is quite alien to me, no offense."
"None taken," Jircniv assured with a charming smile. "That too is to be expected, I'm sure. Just as your customs are unlike ours." For all his reputation, Jircniv was a skilled diplomat and full of charisma. If that sort of thing could be ranked, he'd have an A+.
"...Quite," The red-haired loli sighed. "In all fairness, I am far more of a fighter than a queen, but my big sister lacked the leadership skills for that role, so she abdicated the throne." Kushina gestured indicatively towards Mito, who fought down the urge to blush and squirm as everyone's attention centered on her. Mother's amused glance towards her did not help at all! "She is also very shy as I'm sure you can tell," the redhead added with a graceful, amused smile, drawing some chuckles from some in the crowd, but most remained silent. "But she does make for an excellent advisor."
"I see," the emperor commented with an inquisitive look. Clearly this girl was a prodigy indeed… especially if those whispers about what went down in the bazaar were true. "Well, in and case, I do hope you feel welcome here… despite the loose lips of some." His gaze turned to the portly noble disapprovingly, before returning to the red-haired loli. "Though I must admit that your attire makes me rather curious about your culture."
Thinking on her feet, Kushina uttered the first excuse that came to mind, rather gracefully at that. "Where I'm from, only those of high standing are allowed to flaunt themselves, much like myself." she said, indicating towards her risque clothing with a smirk. It felt liberating, and empowering, to strut around dressed like she did; she'd not have the courage nor the spine to do the same back in her old world, "Some don't despite that, like my sister for obvious reasons, but to show off is seen as a sign of both confidence and authority in my homeland." (8)
Oh, she'd never spewed so much bullshit in her life at once, let alone with a straight face… even if some of it could be technically true… still, it was hard not to let the crack show in her visage.
This was fucking hilarious.
"I see," Jircniv replied, taking the explanation hook, line, and sinker. "Out of curiosity, what manner of warrior are you specifically? It is quite rare for one with martial talent to also have one for magic to such a capacity."
"I am a paladin," Kushina replied.
"Excellent!" The emperor smiled at that, having expected as much. "In that case, I think I have decided on our arrangement if you wouldn't mind."
The court started whispering among themselves.
"Do tell," Kushina replied, raising an eyebrow. "You would like me to fell a troublesome demon, I take it? A horde of undead, perhaps?"
"It would be closer to the latter," Jircniv told her, appearing more serious. "A nation we are at war with has seized a fort of ours at the border and appears to have employed a necromancer to ensure that we cannot launch a counter-offensive."
"With all due respect," the redhead replied, "that sounds like something any low-level paladin could deal with if it's just one." At least, that's how it would be in the game. It made her question how much her skills translated to this world.
"The horde is quite massive," Fluder added in, not looking particularly bothered at the deaths that came of it. His fascination with her ladyship far outweighed anything else. "We sent a legion to cull it, but we lost contact with them upon their arrival."
"As such," Jircniv added, leaning forward and steppling his fingers, "we want you to investigate the matter and deal with them if possible."
Kushina frowned at that. "If it's as bad as it sounds, then that's not just a necromancer." Even a level 100 specialist would need some help to amass those kinds of numbers if the mental image was anywhere near the truth. Even if this was another world, she was sure a Legion had more than two zeroes in its manpower. "Where I'm from, one man having such a level of dominance over the living dead is unheard of."
"Bweh~!"
Meanwhile, back in Nazarick, one Shalltear Bloodfallen lay face-down, ass up, in an unconscious and thoroughly-undignified heap. She wasn't the only one, either; no less than five of her Brides were present and reduced to a similar state: unconscious, stark naked, covered in hickeys, and seeping from their loins.
As for Naruto, he let loose a sigh of relief while making himself presentable, his balls thoroughly drained from that orgy. He'd honestly lost count of how many times he went back to have a bit more fun with Shalltear's small, unconscious form after asserting his dominance over her pets.
Though not entirely cured of his lust for Enri and Nemu, he was at least no longer tempted to go back and make a certain brunette miss her first period. Having his way with an unconscious vampire loli was especially helpful in that regard.
…
Naruto sighed again, this time in exasperation, as he dragged his palm down over his face. He was developing another fetish, wasn't he?
"It sounds like you're dealing with a small group of overlords, at least," Kushina concluded.
Either that or a literal army of necromancers… or maybe a few-dozen low-to-mid-tier elder liches? It was hard to tell. She needed more information… and Jircniv was more than happy to provide.
Like the crowd in the bazaar, though, Kushina had to admit that the reactions her words got were quite telling. That and Fluder's reaction to just laying eyes on her for the first time raised a lot of questions. Did that mean things scaled differently here? Just how powerful was she in comparison to the fat guy or those black-clad knights whom Jircniv always had in his presence? Was she stronger than them? Weaker?
One way or another, she clearly had a lot of learning to do…
DMS Notes and Trivia:
1: Someone wants more than she lets on, lol.
AdV: I mean that's quite obvious lol.
2: I mean… let's be honest, here. XD
3: The poor dear, lol. This scene was added in editing and quite a treat to write, I must say. =3
AdV: It was totally not done for future girl-on-girl lewds, we swear~
DMS: XD
4: This scene was also added later, while we were editing Chapter 7, because I realized that Albedo and Shalltear would be treated differently by the other NPCs of Nazarick as a result of the wedding.
And that, my fellow aspirants, is why pre-production is important.
AdV: It also certainly won't be the last…
DMS: Indeed… It's why I like to finish a volume before I start posting.
AdV PS: Those words came back to haunt us. So many new scenes… They alone delayed this by two weeks xD.
DMS: It was only one week, but yeah, the ones with Enri were quite the beast to tackle after they basically wrote themselves in what felt like one hour, lol. It was originally just one before we broke it up.,, and twelve pages long on its own. We even nicknamed it Scenezilla.
AdV: Yes, but that's not the only scene we added xD and broke up…
DMS: They alone were a beast to tackle, I meant. The others were paltry by comparison, but numerous, lol.
5: Hmmm, I wonder what that is… =3
6: Virgo was… ahem, "borrowed" from Fairy Tale at AdV's behest, since I'm not as familiar with that anime. I don't tend to watch a lotta shounen specifically.
AdV: Seemed perfect fit for a 'maid'... and to be honest, I'm not much of a FT fan. Could never make myself watch it past the… uh… time travel event. Acnologia or whatever he's called. Not when the plot always boils down to Power of Friendship! Boooring!
DMS: Fair enough, lol. Never got into it because I share the sentiment on that last part.
AdV: I honestly thought it wasn't as bad as people made it out to be… but nope. That's legit all there is to that IP.
DMS: Yikes, lol.
Also, after we wrote this scene, AdV started referring to Hamsuke as Kemosuke. Poor girl… she's so abused in this, but at least it's brief. XD
AdV: I did? Is that meant to mean something lol?
DMS: I distinctly remember it because I was laughing my ass off. I have such a childish sense of humor, lol.
That all aside, I very much like how this scene gave Aura a bit more character. Between the Floor Guardians, she feels like the most neglected one in canon. Such a shame, too, she's easily among my favorite characters in the series.
AdV: And that's why we're preparing many a lewd idea for her.
Like say… Bunny and Big Bad Fox… lmao.
7: Not canonical to my knowledge, but that seems like it would be true. Also for those who are unaware, a dhampir is a half-vampire.
AdV: Considering the sort of… cultured people who would like this story, I'd be surprised if anyone didn't already know. I swear, dhampirs are more common than vampires in 'cultured' media xD.
8: Not gonna lie, this is possibly the best excuse I've ever come up with for half-naked warriors. XD
AdV: We tots have to use it in some oneshots… Snu-Snu!
DMS: Agreed, lol.
Parting Notes: And with that, we are done! I've gotta say, this one was a doozy, but incredibly fun to write, lol.
I'm hoping to post one chapter a month until we've edited enough to get ahead of that schedule and start posting twice a month like last time. We shall see how successful we are in that regard, all things considered. XD
Next update, I'll be shooting for the first weekend of March. Hope to see ya then! :)