Author's Note: Welcome back! I do apologize for the relatively late update; I could've sworn that Friday was on the 5th. Derp. XD Didn't help that I had to do two surprise 9hr shifts in a row, not gonna lie, lol.
I'll try to keep it consistently on the first Friday of every month that I upload a new chapter… with the exception of April. More on that later.
I hope you enjoy! :)
Volume Two: Walls of Meat
Chapter Three: Climb, the Goodest Boy
The Kingdom didn't build her roads with proper drainage in mind, especially when it came to back alleys. Such technology was quite expensive, resulting in many lakes and rivers forming within the city this time of year.
Within this soggy hellscape, dyed in ugly shades of brown and gray, was a little boy, six years of age, living in a knot of wood, mud, and wet rags masquerading as a house. It did nothing to protect him from the elements, and the pouring rain mingled with the ringing in his ears.
The boy shivered uncontrollably, his soaked body trying and failing to ward off the cold. He lay on his side, staring out at the world, reflecting on the misfortunes he'd endured.
His lips hadn't touched anything resembling food in two days; his body ached from the beating he'd endured at the hands of those drunkards; his home now lay tattered and trashed by someone who just wanted to see him suffer…
One after another after another crossed his mind as he went further back; as far back as he could remember. It was so bad, in fact, that the poor lad didn't even recognize it for what it was.
But, whatever it was, he knew that it would end soon as he closed his eyes. He couldn't even feel the cold anymore.
At the end of the day, death was absolute; it came for everyone, fortunate or otherwise.
Though only the tender age of six, this boy knew he was going to die… but at the same time, if he could do so painlessly, that wouldn't be so bad…
But then… he heard a strange noise. Willing himself to open his eyes, he was then taken aback by the very embodiment of beauty. The boy's addled mind couldn't quite comprehend what he was looking at; never in his life had he seen something so pretty!
A small, dainty hand then reached out and caressed his face.
Nestled deep within the Royal Capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom, also named Re-Estize, was Ro-Lente Castle. Her protective walls encircled a stretch of land measuring well over 4,500 square feet in size in a protective ring with twelve mighty guard towers―round in shape to better withstand bombardment, both magical and mundane.
In the base of one such tower was a bedroom. In here rested a young man with blond hair and a healthy, tanned complexion.
This young man was Climb, no surname―the beloved bodyguard of the "Golden Princess" and a source of envy for many a man in this kingdom.
Tossing the thick blanket aside, he stood up. Though it was summertime, the nights were still rather cold in this tower for some reason. He blamed the stone walls.
As Climb got up, he rubbed his eyes and noticed that his cheeks were soaked in tears. They were tears of joy, however.
"That dream again," he muttered. (1)
It was a memory from his childhood; the downpour from two days ago must have caused it to resurface.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he uttered a single word.
"Light!"
With that command, a small lamp hanging from the ceiling came to life, illuminated by an enchantment placed upon it―one that contained the spell Continual Light. The spell itself lived up to said name, needless to say, as it lit up the room.
Though not a cheap item to have, this lamp saved the castle's denizens a small fortune in the long run, as it had no material cost. It was also much safer than using fire as a lightsource as the castle itself didn't have very good air circulation, so every room therein had at least one of these lamps despite the steep initial cost.
The room itself, meanwhile, was sparsely furnished. The floor was made of stone with a thin carpet haphazardly covering the cold, hard surface. A shoddy wardrobe contained his weapons and clothes in addition to a full-sized mirror; a cheap, wooden bed lay behind him; a desk with some drawers lay off to the side; and there was a nearby chair with a barely-functional cushion.
In the corner, meanwhile, upon a cheap, wooden rack, sat his well-polished suit of white full-plate armor.
To a royal, these accommodations were nothing special; but to others of his station, it was only a step or two from nobility―yet another source of envy, as it was a testament to his special treatment. Most soldiers simply slept in the barracks, as one would expect, but he had his own private room.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Climb opened up his wardrobe and started getting dressed for the day.
Though he'd normally don his plate armor, he instead opted for a chain shirt over his regular clothes this time around―those being a tunic and simple trousers. Over the chain shirt, he wore a vest with many pockets.
Then, Climb looked himself over in the mirror as thoroughly as he could manage.
Even the slightest of faults would reflect badly upon his beloved princess, after all, so he made damn sure to prevent that from happening out of sheer habit by now. Given that she made Climb of all people her personal bodyguard instead of going to a noble family, it came as no surprise; such practices were rather frowned upon and the lesser nobility was unsurprisingly bitter about it, so of course they were constantly on his ass.
And thus, he devoted every waking hour of the day to proving to them, to everyone, and especially to his beloved princess that he was worthy of his station. (2)
After finishing his daily training and getting cleaned up, Climb entered a large chamber filled to the brim with other soldiers and a delicious aroma.
The latter made his stomach growl.
The chamber in question was a mess hall―the one that served the low-tier soldiers of Ro-Lente castle, specifically. The mess hall was just as big as the main hall that led to it, with many tables lined up somewhat neatly and filled nearly to capacity.
Climb quickly got in line, grabbing a tray along the way, as well as a wooden plate, cup, and bowl. He was served in an orderly fashion, given a large, steamed potato; some meat and vegetable stew; a bit of cabbage, pickled in vinegar; and a sausage.
Climb's stomach growled once more when the scent reached his nose. To him, this was some pretty high-end shit, right here. He'd never had such a luxurious meal before being assigned as the Golden Princess' bodyguard!
With his new meal in hand, Climb headed off to a more isolated seat so that he could eat in peace. No one here liked to sit and chat with him because they seemingly didn't like him. But he was used to it by now.
However, when he sat down, a small hand patted Climb on the shoulder. He turned to see a tiny woman that one could be forgiven to mistake for a child. Her small frame was wrapped in jet black cloth and a blood red cloak. Golden tresses peeked out from under the hood and her face was hidden behind a seemingly porcelain mask with a red gem in the center of its forehead. What color her eyes were was impossible to tell as they were eyes concealed behind a tiny slit.
Climb couldn't help but wonder how she was able to even see with that thing on.
He recognized the girl. How could he not? She was Evileye, one of the members of Blue Rose.
Well, one of the three he'd met so far. He had yet to be acquainted with Tia and Tina.
In any case, she and the other two were almost always in the presence of his charge, so Climb had long since become well-acquainted with this girl.
"Princess Renner needs to speak with you as soon as possible," she stated curtly before staring at him in silence.
An awkward silence.
"R-right," Climb muttered, before getting up with little hesitation. He could scarf down his food while getting ready. "I'll be right there." (3)
With Evileye still in tow, and now donning his mithril full plate suit of armor, Climb stood before Princess Renner's living quarters. He got here as quickly as possible, visibly struggling to catch his breath.
Once he did, the blond shifted awkwardly, resisting the urge to give Evileye a sidelong glance, before entering.
To do so without knocking first seemed scandalous, but it was what his Golden Princess desired.
It went without saying that Climb had resisted at first. It was improper, after all… but her insistence made him relent eventually. That said, though, he still refused to do so in the presence of the King, which she permitted.
As long as he continued to pander to her wishes when there was no 'risk'.
And so, he opened the door and stepped forth without a word.
"Heading south, you say," a familiar voice mused, soft-spoken and kind.
Climb recognized it immediately as the beautiful inflection of his Golden Princess.
The blond frowned, noting that she sounded troubled as he approached. Then, he stopped dead in his tracks and stood at attention, his back straight and narrow, when her gaze fell upon him, his chest puffing out by the slimmest of margins.
The princess and another woman were seated at a small table by the windowsill, seemingly having shared some smalltalk amongst themselves before he arrived, surrounded by three others.
As always Princess Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself was a striking, young beauty about the same age as Climb, with fine locks of gold and shimmering, baby-blue eyes. She was relatively small for a woman her age, but that only added to her charm, making her all the more adorable, though Climb dared not say such a thing for fear of seeming improper.
The other woman, meanwhile, was another that Climb recognized immediately, a green-eyed blonde whose beauty fell short of Princess Renner's in his humble opinion, though she was still quite attractive in her own right.
Very much so.
She was nineteen years of age and sported a very fancy, pink, one-shoulder dress, with those wild, curly tresses partially done up in a braid over her bare shoulder.
This woman was Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra. Though she didn't look the part right now with such prim and proper, girly attire, this woman was the leader of Blue Rose, one of the only two Adamantide-Ranked adventurer parties in the whole country.
As for the others, two women stood by the table, completely identical, save for the accents of their clothing. Both wore black and yellow, skimpy outfits clearly designed for ease of movement: yellow scarves; black, boiled leather breastplates; armored boots and sleevelets; matching headbands; and skimpy, yellow, loose-fitting leggings showing off their hips and riding low to reveal that they wore thongs underneath.
All of this was accompanied by matching, mesh bodysuits.
The one on the left had red accents in her outfit and headband with her hair tied back in a tight ponytail with a red ribbon. The one on the right, meanwhile, had blue accents in her attire and an identical hairstyle. The ribbon holding back her hair was also blue. Both girls were lean and small, but strong, with blonde hair and brown eyes.
Off to the side, meanwhile, was a very large woman… but not in the traditional sense.
No, this woman was tall, imposing, and built like a brick shithouse. Her biceps were the size of Climb's head, her chin was like a fucking anvil, and her chest was no longer that of a woman―now swollen with muscle to the point that it lost all semblance of femininity.
Climb immediately recognized her as Gagaran, another member of Blue Rose, making him wonder if the two girls were Tia and Tina. Before he got a chance to ask, though, the burly woman perked up and she waved at him.
"Yo, cherry-boy!" Gagaran called out, drawing a heavy blush from the boy in question.
Renner blushed and giggled, though Lakyus was significantly less amused.
"Gagaran! We're in the presence of―"
"It's fine," the princess assured, waving it off with a friendly smile. She knew the woman was only kidding around, trying to elicit one of those flustered reactions they both found adorable from her precious knight. To Renner's mild disappointment, said attempt had failed. Thus, she turned her attention to the solitary male in the room, smiling at him lovingly. "I'm glad you could join us, Climb."
"O-of course," the blond in question sputtered, bowing respectfully. "Ms Evileye said you needed to talk to me?"
"Not quite," Renner admitted. "I've just been rather stressed as of late and your presence helps very much in calming me down."
Climb couldn't help but blush at that.
Gagaran let out an amused chuckle upon seeing the boy squirm a bit, but said nothing for the time being. The paladin, meanwhile, kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to say something untowards.
Renner continued. "I would, however, like to hear your input on a situation; it has been bothering the noble factions quite a bit as of late."
"I… can't promise that I'll be of much use in that, but I'll try."
As one would expect, Climb's political savvy left much to be desired―not that he could be blamed, of course. He was, after all, a commoner plucked from the streets to become the Golden Princess' personal bodyguard.
In their eyes, it was adorable…
"That is all I could ever ask," the princess assured, her smile widening, causing his heart to skip a couple beats. Her attention turning towards the Blue Rose, the princess continued in her ever pleasant, kind tone, one that held a note of curiosity. "That said…" She gave him a questioning glance, "What do you know of the… fuss at our eastern border?"
Doman and his entourage looked oddly at the horde of undead lined up before them, forming a wall of bone and decrepit meat along the border with the Baharuth Empire. In either direction, they stretched as far as the eye could see, seemingly from the Katze Plain all the way up to the Great Forest of Tob. (4)
Viktor was also quick to notice what appeared to be an imperial fortress as well, sitting dangerously close to the plain's border. And that bothered him more than the undead!
Just… what the hell was going on, here?!
The undead creatures were primarily human skeletons with some zombies, quite a few visibly fresher than others, mixed in. A dozen or so undead ogres, seeming somewhat newly-raised from what Jaromir could tell at this distance, were also among them. The nearly entire horde stared blankly over the horizon, seemingly not even seeing Doman and the Wolfpack.
The exceptions were the aforementioned ogres, perplexingly enough. For some reason, they were turned towards the empire.
And then, when the wagon came to a stop at what appeared to be a safe distance, a horn blared, the sound seemingly coming from the fortress, and the bulk of the undead suddenly started to move… The Wolfpack flinched, readying their weapons and preparing to flee while Doman was frozen in place, but the foul creatures made no move towards them.
No, instead, they turned in either direction and marched in perfect unison to open up a gap in their ranks, more than wide enough for the wagon and its defenders to pass through. Once the way was cleared, the two hordes turned to face the kingdom's border once more and one armored skeleton on either side waved towards the gap in a universal gesture for Doman and his entourage to proceed.
"There is no denying it now," Jaromir commented, turning his attention to Viktor. "They are definitely being controlled. Crazy as this sounds, though, whoever's in charge doesn't seem like they want any trouble."
Or rather, no more than what they were undoubtedly causing by default.
"You sure about that, old man?" Vasyl whispered, looking more than a little uncertain.
"There's more than enough of them to wreak havoc on the countryside if they wanted to," Viktor pointed out, frowning thoughtfully. "Their numbers are comparable to what we saw in E-Rantel, though I don't see any more advanced undead among them."
"Those ogres seem to be pretty intact," Jaromir added. "A couple of weeks dead at most, perhaps? I'd have to take a closer look."
"So they're amassing an army, then?" Natalia asked. A concerned frown marred her pretty face.
"It's certainly possible." The cleric didn't like that thought one bit, either―nor did his older teammates. "To what end, though…"
Viktor frowned, eyeballing the horde, before turning to his client. "Doman," he called out.
The man in question jolted out of his terrified stupor. "Y-yes…?"
"Turn the wagon around in case we need to run," Viktor said, stepping forward with his shield in front. "My gut tells me we won't, but it's better to be safe."
"A-alright."
"You don't actually intend to get closer, do you?" Kashu asked.
"You need to get home," Viktor pointed out with a helpless shrug. "And something's off about this so my team and I will see if we can figure out what's going on. And if it's a trap, we're more than capable of pulling out… though a bit of help with that would be much appreciated if we need it."
"U-understood," the young man muttered.
An uneasy silence descended upon the party for a moment. Then, Viktor addressed his daughter.
"Nat."
"Yes, Papa?"
"Stay with the wagon while we investigate." Viktor turned to the horde and started approaching cautiously with his comrades in tow. "And be ready to cover our retreat, just in case."
"O-okay. Be careful!"
"We will."
And so, the four veteran members of the Wolfpack ventured forth. Viktor of course led the way with Vasyl watching their rear. Chuck and Jaromir, meanwhile, stood side-by-side―the former keeping his eyes trained to the left flank, bow and arrow at the ready, while the latter focused on their right with a casting of Turn Undead prepared.
The smell of death and decay was intense, but they weren't too bothered by it. Not initially. It got stronger the further they went, but the four of them ignored it as best they could.
As they passed through the gap, the Wolfpack quickly noted that this apparent wall of undead stood seven ranks deep, minus the ogres. Only two of them faced towards the Re-Estize Kingdom, though, seemingly doing so for the sole purpose of covering the archers' collective rear. Speaking of, there were two ranks of those, all skeletons, behind three ranks of undead armed with melee weapons―mostly maces and rusty axes with the occasional club mixed in. And in front of all that stood the ogres, each one armed with a felled, blood spattered tree.
And they were not the only thing the Wolfpack found on the other side…
Upon emerging through the gap, Viktor nearly toppled over as he tripped on something. And when he looked down, the seasoned adventurer was rendered utterly speechless. There, strewn about the sides of the road were the carcasses of countless imperial soldiers, left there to rot. Looking around, he didn't know how to react to the piles of dead soldiers.
"All relatively fresh," Jaromir commented. "A few days dead, perhaps? Certainly no longer than a week."
There were hundreds of them, too… possibly a couple-thousand! And every last one of them donned the plate armor of the Baharuth Empire's military.
"Imperial soldiers, ye be warned…"
Viktor perked up after hearing Chuck speak up and turned to see that the ranger had happened upon a large sign with the severed heads of what looked like some military officers lined up on pikes, given their headwear. Viktor didn't recognize any of them, but that was to be expected. He was no native to the empire, after all.
Perhaps Vasyl did?
In any case, the full message read as such:
"Imperial soldiers, ye be warned: your presence within the Re-Estize Kingdom will not be tolerated. If any soldiers of the Baharuth Empire are spotted nearing this border, they will be killed on sight."
Turning his attention to the rogue in question, Viktor gave him an expectant look. "What do you make of this situation?"
Vasyl looked around, humming thoughtfully. "All things considered, it would appear that a local necromancer has taken issue with the annual war?" He shrugged. "That's my best guess… it would be damn near comically out of character for any of the nobility to be behind this."
"Sounds about right," Jaromir chimed in.
"So, he's acting independently," Viktor concluded.
"Most likely," Vasyl agreed. "Assuming that I'm not mistaken, of course."
He was still human, after all. He'd definitely be looking into it for good measure, though.
The rogue then let out another hum upon turning towards the fortress. It looked to be perfectly intact, at least from this distance. He could see that the imperial banners were still flying, too. Sheathing his sword and dagger, the rogue then whipped out a spyglass and took a gander at the stronghold in question.
"No signs of life," he said, "but I'd bet my right nut that the fort over there is being used as his headquarters."
"Well, if it is someone taking issue with the annual war," Viktor sighed, "then it's not our business. We'll look into it later to be sure, but for now, we should get going before this necromancer loses his patience." (5)
Vasyl, Chuck, and Jaromir all nodded in agreement, and with that, they returned to the wagon. Of course, when they passed through the gap with Doman in tow, Viktor insisted that his darling girl ride in the back to be safe.
Thankfully, the undead paid them no heed and remained utterly unmoving until the Wolfpack and their clients were on their merry way, passing through the gap without issue. Then, once they crossed the border and left, the horn blared once more and two hordes met back up to close the gap.
"I've heard people muttering about that in the mess hall on occasion," Climb commented. "It's caused a lot of unease, I hear."
"Not surprising," Evileye chimed in suddenly, deciding to provide her own wisdom on the matter, despite having been quiet the whole time. "People have a natural aversion to the undead. Their existence is an apotheosis to humanity's way of life, even if the creatures are being harmless."
She would know…
"Are we sure they are, though?" Gagaran asked, wearing a pensive frown as she crossed her muscles for arms in front of her. "Sounds fishy to me. If anything, whoever's behind this is probably just building up his forces to try and take over the kingdom."
"That certainly would be more in character for a necromancer," Lakyus grumbled, looking rather worried, herself.
"Generally speaking, yes," Evileye said with a nod. Then she continued, sounding rather unsure. "Though if that was his goal, you'd think he would be more subtle about it..."
"Stranger things have happened," the paladin pointed out, almost childishly. Case in point, she of all people befriended Evileye.
"True; this whole situation is incredibly unusual." Evileye hummed thoughtfully. "It is more likely that this is being performed by a group rather than a single necromancer, given the distance between the Katze Plain and our southern border."
"Like the one that nearly brought E-Rantel to its knees," Tia added thoughtfully.
"I hear that was dealt with by a single adventurer," Renner mused aloud. "A relatively fresh one at that. What was her name again? I distinctly remember it being a feminine one."
She'd only heard whispers about that incident but didn't pay it much mind as the princess was more focused on other things at the time. Most notably a criminal organization here in the capital. She did file what information she was able to catch away for later, though, just in case it proved useful.
"Her name is Kushina Uzumaki," Tina stated dutifully, always on top of all the rumors. "According to reports, she was a new recruit in the adventurers' guild who almost singlehandedly put an end to the incident by charging into the horde and going for the organization themselves. She gained the moniker Kushina the Untouchable as a result of her actions; they say she danced around the undead like it was nothing and sustained no injuries."
"Sounds like my kinda woman," Gagaran crowed, very much liking the sound of that. "Kinda makes me wanna spar with her. See how 'untouchable' she really is."
"She's supposedly a magic caster, I hear," Lakyus commented, looking at the twins.
They nodded in confirmation.
"She is capable of 3rd Tier magic despite her age," Tia stated.
"Apparently, she specializes in fire magic in particular," Tina added, knowing just as much as her sister on the matter. "She's also rumored to have experience in dealing with necromancers."
Of course, that last part had yet to be confirmed from their perspective, but the two of them were quite familiar with how often rumors reflected the truth.
"We should most certainly fetch her, then," Renner concluded, with a beatific smile on her face as she regarded the adventurers in her room. "If these undead become an issue, which is quite likely, then her assistance would be valuable." Her attention shifted to the twins, and she addressed them. "Am I to assume that she is based in E-Rantel?"
"She is to our knowledge," Tia answered.
"She appears to have been resting in a nearby village after having dealt with that incident," Tina added.
"Seeing as she was instrumental in saving the city, so early in her career…'' Evileye chimed in, her words methodical, but not lacking cheer, "it's not hard to see why."
"Yeah, I can't say I blame her for needing a breather after that," Gagaran agreed. Hell, even she might have felt overwhelmed in the girl's shoes.
"I'm sure that Tia and Tina would be more than enough to get the job done," Lakyus stated, giving the princess a smile. "They need some time for just the two of them, anyway."
The two shifted in place, but said nothing.
"I'm sure they would." Renner smiled, finding some amusement in how the two reacted to being in the limelight. "Though I'd be hesitant to send them alone. While they are powerful, I'd still be concerned for their safety if it was just them. E-Rantel is rather far away, after all." Sher then turned to the twins and added, "no offense intended, of course.'
"None taken," they replied in unison. They did have their share of enemies, after all.
While the conversation was going down, Climb couldn't help but wonder if he should volunteer. He almost never got to see much of the kingdom and it would undoubtedly make his princess happy.
Gagaran noticed him squirming immediately and spoke up. "Something on your mind, Cherry-boy?"
"Um―''
"Speak up!" The mountain of a woman barked, but not unkindly. "Stand straight, shoulders squared! You need to be a proper man to safeguard your princess, after all."
Not-a-one noticed the narrowing of the Princess' eyes, and the cold fire that flashed in them for but the briefest of instants.
"I'd be willing to help if they need it," he said, his mouth acting before his brain. "But… well…" He started to fidget, his cheeks burning. On one hand, he wanted to make her happy, but on the other, he was her bodyguard…
The large woman let out a warm, amused chuckle, reading the boy like a book. "If it's the princess you're worried about, I'll keep an eye on her while you go try and impress her."
Both Renner and Climb turned bright red upon hearing that.
"Gagaran, would you please behave yourself?!" Lakyus complained.
The large woman glanced at her, then at the princess, and snorted.
"Bah―! You girls are too damn prudish. Why, back in my village―"
"She's a princess!" The paladin stressed that last word, hiding her face in her palm with a groan… which only worsened when the princess in question let out a giggle. "Gods, what am I going to do with you?" (6)
"In any case," Evileye interjected, lips twitching in amusement behind her mask, "it would be wise to fetch this Kushina girl and see if she'd be willing to help with this necromancer problem."
"We should also look into locating this 'hero of Carne Village' the warrior-captain mentioned in one of his reports," Renner mused aloud, once she got her giggling under control. "He apparently lives close by, so I'm sure he'd be willing to help… assuming he's not the one responsible, of course."
"So it's settled then!" Gagaran clapped her hands loudly, a jolly grin stretching her features, "The youngsters will go and fetch this Kushina girl, while keeping an ear open for the 'hero' and see if he's willing to assist." She winked at Climb, "And your dashing young knight will keep them safe, isn't that right?"
The poor blond struggled for a moment, looking rather flustered while Lakyus groaned at how crass the warrior woman was being.
Renner, meanwhile, expertly hid her silent seething at the sight of another woman riling up her boy toy behind that sweet smile of hers.
A couple of days later, back in Carne Village, a very flustered Enri simply couldn't help but feel rather… comfortable as Lord Kurama sat beside her rubbing her back with one hand with several of his tails protectively―almost possessively―hovering around her.
The other villagers were probably jumping to all sorts of conclusions… especially given how many times Princess Tayuya had quite openly―and loudly―entertained the thought of a certain fox-man ending up with a towheaded concubine by now.
But, at the same time, Enri couldn't bring herself to mind. So, she simply sat there in comfortable silence, enjoying the vulpine redhead's presence.
Of course, Tayuya was lounging nearby, leaning against the wall as she kept an eye on the villagers and goblins. Enri couldn't help but notice the "ogre" eyeballing her father from time to time and vice versa, something awkward clearly going on between them for some reason, but the blonde paid it no mind.
Their family matters weren't her business, after all… not yet, at least.
The thought made her blush.
After a while, Enri finally spoke, having finally gathered the courage to broach the subject that had been on her mind for some time now. "I… cannot thank you enough for being there for me," she said, turning towards the man beside her.
"Don't worry about it," Naruto replied, glancing away briefly before looking down and gracing the young woman with a patient smile. "It's the least I could do."
Tayuya meanwhile, sighed at that. Apparently, he still felt… responsible. Being the clever girl she was, the kijo was quick to piece together that Boss ended up somehow being a factor in this "Nfirea" person's death from the get go.
She didn't bother hiding the amused smirk that thought elicited.
Taking out rivals for his woman―as puny and paltry as they were―before he was even aware of them… The thought appealed to her and that smile faded slightly, becoming more conflicted. Truly, he was a good mate… an absolute stud that any self-respecting female would lust over… Schooling her features, Tayuya spoked up.
"Try not ta lose too much sleep over it," she called out to her father, drawing both his attention as well as Enri's, who suddenly shifted her focus to the kijo. "The kingdom's ta blame for that shit, anyway, 'cause they failed ta protect their citizens. If anyone should pay, it ought to be them."
Honestly, Tayuya couldn't fathom why he let that shit bother him… it was a good thing, damn it! In several ways!
Naruto smiled at his younger daughter, realizing that she could sense his unease. "Yeah, yeah," he replied, unconsciously squeezing Enri's side. "Sometimes, it just… can't be helped."
Enri, meanwhile, was silent, completely misinterpreting Tayuya's message. She frowned slightly, not wanting to think about it, but for some reason, those words just… stuck with her. She leaned onto Lord Kurama's shoulder, shuddering lightly when the man instinctively hugged her closer with his arm.
Her cheeks burned. It… felt so nice. And she of course noticed something shifting downstairs out the corner of her eye. Enri pouted childishly, still feeling insecure about her station. But, at the same time, he… clearly liked her despite that. Maybe one day… when she could muster up the will, she could invite him to her place for dinner, perhaps?
Oh, if only she knew what the near future had in store for her…
Tayuya's amused grin only widened at that, though it did falter when the kijo imagined herself in Enri's place… a more… swollen version of herself, to be more accurate.
Taking a deep breath, her cheeks starting to burn as she looked down at her still flat, well-toned belly with uncertainty.
That little… surprise Boss left in her flashed through Tayuya's mind. She wasn't going to get pregnant from that… right? She frowned. Well, if she was…
Tayuya turned her attention back to him, her mind made up. "Uh… Boss," she called out awkwardly, causing the youko to look at her oddly at the uncharacteristic way she did so. She fought down a minor blush, she was no shy maiden dammit! "When you're done, we… need to talk."
Naruto blinked owlishly at that.
"Sure." He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at her. "Is something wrong?"
She shuffled in place, "...Not really," she said, though Naruto was quick to notice how uncertain she sounded. "It's just… awkward."
"Can… Can I help?" Enri shyly offered, perking up at the conversation.
Tayuya stared at her oddly. "Uh… You mind pointin' us to a place Boss 'n' I can have that chat in private?"
Thirty minutes later, after Enri ushered her sister away, Naruto and Tayuya stood alone in the blonde's house. The youko cast Private Sanctum before giving his daughter an odd look as she whipped out her flute and played a little tune. When she did, the walls started to shimmer as more anti-scrying magic was placed for good measure.
Tucking the flute back into her sash, Tayuya then gave her creator a look that told him she meant business and started marching on up to him without a word… a smoky look in her eyes. The youko turned bright red, his trousers feeling much tighter as his daughter practically reeked of arousal.
Tayuya, in turn, felt her own cheeks burning as she could smell a similar scent coming off of her father in waves.
"Sooo…" Naruto began awkwardly. "You wanna talk?"
"Y-yeah," Tayuya muttered, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly, before it reignited with a passion. "About that time you busted a nut in me."
The lifeblood drained from Naruto's face… and ended up further downstairs as his traitorous cock approved of the first thought that came to mind, his eyes immediately drawn towards her stomach. "Y-you're not pregnant, are you?"
"Fuck if I know…" Tayuya averted her gaze, that reply barely louder than a whisper. "Too early to tell," she added, just a little more loudly. Then, she forced herself to lock eyes with her father, practically undressing him with her gaze. "B-but if I'm gonna have your kid, then… then I'mma do it on fuckin' purpose!"
Naruto's balls ached at that, the mental image of Tayuya with a baby bump proving far too enticing for his personal comfort as his cock threatened to rip through his clothes. The young kijo felt her nostrils flare as pheromones rapidly filled the room.
The youko's arms came up, moving to grab her sides, pulling her closer to him before hesitating. "Y-you sure?" Naruto asked, just to make certain this was really what his baby wanted, even as his loins protested the interruption, "I mean, we can still, y'know…''
With a rush of boldness, Tayuya's own hand reached out, cupping and groping her creator's sterner than steel erection through his pants. "Fuckin' positive," she growled hungrily; having had a taste of sex, she wanted more… and she wanted it fucking now!
She also delighted in how Boss shuddered at her touch, proving just how much hold she and her figure held over him despite his decidedly far more womanly wife… and soon enough, she started gingerly loosening his clothes. Then, without warning, she spun around in his embrace, grabbed his wrists, and made him cup her breasts.
They were not impressive, as Naruto's pettanko fetish ended up… surfacing during the creative process, but that was both a blessing and a curse as Tayuya had to physically stop herself from moaning like a whore at the sensation, their sensitivity a dozen fold compared to that creepy skank he claimed.
"I want tits." she growled, pressing her ass backwards against his cock and grinding against him. Looking up and over her shoulder, she smirked cockily. "Big-ass MILF tits. Fucking bigger than my head! You hear me?!"
Her father groaned.
So she decided to press her advantage, much in the same way she was pressing and rubbing her ramp against that impressive meat stick, "Big enough to feed a fuckin' litter of your brats and make that skank you call a wife die of envy!"
"T-Tayuya―Hnn… That's not―''
"I don't care how many times you have to knock me up, father," she growled throatily, for once using the familial expression to great effect, as her booty could attest. The man groaned, and his cock absolutely throbbed against her booty. "Even if I gotta make a brat with you every fuckin' year for the next five decades, my rack will make every woman in Nazarick jealous, so help me!"
Already, the two of them were grinding against each other, the youko's tails wrapping around his daughter, as the last vestiges of his resistance started to fade away. "If… if we do this," he warned, growling into his daughter's ear, "there will be no turning back. Are… are you sure you want this, Tayuya?" He nibbled at her earlobe, his loins aching. "To become my breeding bitch?"
The younger oni's whole body twitched at the wave of lust that washed over her. "Abso-fuckin'-lutely!" she growled back. "We both need this and you know it… Now stop pussyfooting already an' fuckin' fuck me!"
Tayuya let loose a surprisingly girlish yelp when Naruto tossed her to the ground, flipping her over and spreading the girl's legs. Neither of them quite knew when but the beast between his legs had already been released from its confines and Naruto was more than happy to take full advantage of it, lifting his daughter's dress and delighting at the sight of her unclothed loins.
That explained why the scent was so strong… not that he was complaining, of course. He eyed her lustfully, noting that the carpet matched the drapes, as well. He knew damn well that said detail was not at all included in her bio, but it certainly matched her personality.
"F-fuuck! What are you w-waiting for?" Tayuya shouted, her breath hitching the moment the head of his cock nudged against her lower lips, her whole face visibly aflush with embarrassment and covered in the sweat of anticipation, "You chickenin' out?"
"S-sorry," Naruto sputtered, momentarily regaining control of his lost… before squeezing her leg, and subconsciously rubbing his helmet against her slit. Then he took a long, hard look along her body and said, "I just couldn't help but realize how beautiful you are."
Tayuya twitched violently at that, her cheeks burning hotter than ever before. Then, just as she opened her mouth to retort, whatever scathing remark she had in store for him died on her tongue as she let loose a deep, guttural moan.
Naruto slowly sank into her, inch by delicious, excruciating inch, and delighting in the sound she made. He stopped half way to adjust himself, grabbing her hips, before pulling him towards him as he pushed in deeper and deeper with a low growl, until finally, he bottomed out inside his daughter, his hefty balls resting against her asscheeks.
Both redheads shuddered delightedly at the sensation and the youko wrapped his arms possessively around the ravenous kijo beneath him, intent on mating with her like the beast he was. Tayuya moaned lustfully before wrapping her own arms around his shoulders and back, as her fingers went and got themselves entangled in his hair. The youko pulled his head back, just enough to give him room to maneuver, and crashed his lips against her own in a searing, and ultimately possessing kiss.
And then, Naruto started to move. The very first thrust ripped a whorish squeak from his daughter as he just let loose, not bothering to hold back this time around. The second thrust had her throwing her head back and wailing in pleasure, and soon enough, she was trying to pull him in deeper as he started fucking her good and proper.
Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap!
The low thump of flesh on flesh and the squelching of Tayuya's dripping folds filled the room as the two oni mated with one another, fully consumed in their lustful passions and with full intent of conceiving a child. The inhuman, taboo coupling of father and daughter would have been heard for literal miles had it not been for the anti-scrying spells lining the walls in preparation for this forbidden act.
Tayuya simply couldn't handle it; this sensation, the passion she felt in every thrust, the… the discovery that Boss thought she was beautiful of all things… all of that and his clear and obvious intent to legitimately breed with her… she simply was not prepared.
Mashing her lips against his in another deep, hungry kiss, she squealed both figuratively and otherwise, the orgasm that washed over her wracking the dark-skinned kijo to the very fucking core, causing her whole body to shiver and shake. Naruto shuddered at the sensation of his daughter's inner walls clamping down upon him.
His eyes started to literally glow with a fiery passion, his lips latched against her own. He simply couldn't resist the urge to blow his load if his life depended on it; the thought of having a presumably-inbred child with her was just too enticing!
And so, he tightened his grip around her, yanking her legs up and coming down onto Tayuya and pinning her down in a full on mating press before slamming down deep into his daughter's babymaker one last time.
Tayuya could only gurgle and whimper at the sensation of Boss'... her creator's… her father's incestuous seed pouring into her loins. She pulled him closer, doing her damnedest to bring him in deeper, as a second orgasm washed over her.
They weren't done yet, though…
Naruto shuddered and growled, taking a moment to let the last drops of his orgasm trickle into his offspring. Then, with a roar of exertion, he pulled out. He needed more… he needed to feel her warmth, to feel her bare skin against his chest, to feel her womb wrapped around his cock as was proper!
And so, he flipped the still-reeling kijo over and started to strip her down.
Tayuya put up no resistance. She honestly couldn't if her life depended on it. Then, after a brief pause, during which she gathered enough energy to at least move, she looked over her shoulder and blushed harder at the sight of Boss' bare chest as he removed his gi.
No wonder all those whores wanted him!
Naruto then grabbed his sword… his actual one… and slipped it into his inventory. His eyes glowed once more and in that moment, Tayuya knew that she was not going to escape what he had in store for her.
She gasped, putting up no resistance when he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her back. Then, Naruto sank into his baby girl once more, this time from behind like a rabid beast. Tayuya wailed in pleasure, something about this position feeling so much better than either of the others they've tried. Her body acted on its own, her nice ass raising itself invitingly and her arms buckled, her chest pressing against the floor. She just laid there on all fours like a dog, like a bitch, as he sank deeper and deeper, her sensitive nipples grinding against the floor.
Naruto came down onto his prone daughter and shuddered, wrapping his arms and tails around her once more. Like Tayuya, he found this position to be so much better… so much more pleasurable… so much more… right. Like this was the natural state of them both.
His daughter, on her hands and knees, bowed before him with her ass raised, her chest now fully pressed against the floor. And he, her creator, her father, with his prick buried as far in her as he could go from behind… Yes, this was how they belonged...
And with that thought, Naruto started to move once more. His pace was relentless, but even, deep and powerful, meant to bring her pleasure and cause a quivering orgasm in his baby. Tayuya didn't stand a chance. Not even ten thrusts in, she came harder than ever before.
"D-DAAADDY~!"
The desperate, hungry wail she let out sent shivers up the youko's spine. Had he not already busted a nut in her, he'd have cum on the spot. He shuddered and kept at it, pounding his girl without mercy.
Poor Tayuya, meanwhile, was an utter wreck; she writhed and wailed beneath him, now in tears from the sheer pleasure she felt as yet another orgasm soon followed. Her claws dug into the floor, her inner walls clamped down hard and her juices gushed all over his balls and soon after her eyes rolled back glowing with lust as little hearts formed within them as she felt him cum inside her once more.
Naruto slammed into her one last time and roared in pleasure, nearly blacking out from how good it felt as he emptied his balls within the reeling kijo's ravenous folds. Both father and daughter swore they heard an audible thump from how hard his seed hit the very back of her womb, plowing straight past her cervix and filling her uterus in only one shot. Spurt after mighty spurt poured into her like never before, a stream of white falling from her lower lips, coating her crimson curls and forming a puddle between her knees.
…And then her father started moving again, cock pulling out of her before slamming back inside with enough force to make her ass ripple.
Tayuya, meanwhile, shuddered and sobbed in utter bliss. She had never been so happy… It legitimately broke her. No other man would ever suffice… precisely as expected from the man who created her, the one and only Supreme Being she considered worthy of the title.
"I… love you, Daddy," she whispered. Her declaration was barely audible.
And yet… it made Naruto shudder and falter, his dick throbbing happily…
"Love you too, my little hellion," he whispered back, making her tense.
She didn't mean to say that out loud!
Then, he started moving again, and Tayuya relaxed, raising her rump and nothing else.
Safe to say, they didn't stop for quite some time… Not while Naruto was fully intent on turning the kijo into his very first official broodmare. (7)
Elsewhere, Princess Mito, the young and cheerful blonde, hummed a merry tune as she hugged a basket full of supplies for the upcoming trip down south. With Serqet in tow for good measure, she happily returned to her mother's side in a large and luxurious inn, wealth and opulence displayed in equal measure for the sake of wowing visiting dignitaries. The room was large enough to accommodate all five of them and well decorated with all manner of fancy furniture and such.
It wasn't nearly as impressive as her personal sleeping quarters, but that wasn't saying much. She lived in a fantasy castle carved from a single, solid chunk of marble, for fuck's sake…
Ahem...
Mito was immediately greeted with her mother's bright smile upon her return and responded with an even wider one of her own.
The small redhead was currently cleaning one of her swords. The gladius being magical, this was entirely unnecessary, but Kushina felt the urge to do so regardless. She always did have some obsessive-compulsive tendencies IRL, so those traits of course carried over.
Looking down at the weapon, she couldn't help but wonder where the knowledge of how to do this properly came from, though… Outside of kitchen utensils, the woman in question had never held a blade in her damn life, let alone a sword.
'A side effect of my weapon proficiency, perhaps…?' That was her best guess at least; seeing how the NPCs all clearly came with every trait they had ingame and present in their flavor text, hence Serqet's apparent ability to summon scorpions at will, it seemed like a logical conclusion that she'd be similarly affected.
Or as logical as getting isekai'd into her avatar from a DMMORPG could be.
Shrugging, she sheathed the weapon and returned her attention to Mito. "Welcome back," she said warmly, "Had a good time, I take it?"
The blonde beamed at that. "I did," she chirped. "The people were pretty nice, actually."
"A little too nice in some cases," Serqet grumbled.
Kushina raised an eyebrow at that. A mirthful smile took over her features as she proved unable to resist the chance for some proper teasing… "Oh? No one I have to castrate, I hope~?"
"M-Mother!" Mito squeaked, her cheeks turning a bright red. "They were just being nice…"
"And excessively flirty," the rogue added flatly.
The princess' cheeks burned even hotter at that.
Kushina smiled darkly. "Well, we can't have that, now can we~?"
"MOTHER!"
The loli paladin couldn't contain her laughter. "Oh, lighten up, I was just kidding." Then, she flashed an impish grin. "That said, I'm not surprised that people would try and flirt with you… I did make you as cute as I possibly could, after all."
Mito's whole face turned a deep crimson red at that, steam now rising up from the collar of her dress.
H-her mother was such a tease! (8)
By the time they were done, Tayuya could barely stand, her knees trembling like she was supporting the weight of the world on her back and her insides full of warm, thick goop that sloshed back and forth as she moved while they got dressed, both too damn flustered to look each other in the eye once more… even as her eyes strayed traitorously towards his groin, a look of longing and desire already alight in them again...
Neither could believe they actually did that, but neither of them regretted it either.
Fortunately, by some stroke of unimaginable luck, the anti-scrying spells hadn't yet expired by the time they were done. Their animalistic roars of rutting would've certainly attracted some investigation otherwise… and maybe some monster hunters…
Taking a deep, calming breath, doing her best to ignore her burning cheeks… and the soreness, Tayuya then whipped out her flute and plated another tune. Arcane runes surrounded her and Naruto and a shimmer filled the room as her spell proceeded to clean the… mess.
It was a testament to how much they rutted that the spell took its time.
When that was done, an awkward, horny silence filled the room once more.
"I need a bath," Tayuya muttered. "I smell like a fuckin' whorehouse." She also needed some panties… the kijo could already feel another line of cum trickling down her thighs...
"Sorry," Naruto muttered, chuckling sheepishly. "I honestly have no idea what came over me." The smell did appeal to him, however… of course it would.
Tayuya bit her lip, a cloud of steam cartoonishly rising from her head once more from how hard she was blushing. The kijo then muttered hesitantly. "This is not a one time thing…"
Naruto shuddered, then placed his hand around her hip and pulled the girl closer to him. "No, it's not," he purred, kissing her on the lips and getting a cute squeak out of the usually tomboyish girl. Despite his initial feelings about this relationship, all those weeks ago, he simply couldn't bring himself to care anymore… not after that. "You and I are spending a week in Auraguard and making damn sure you get pregnant… just the two of us."
"Fumiko too," Tayuya grunted, giving her crater a look that left no room for argument, her cheeks on fire. "I could smell the sexual tension between you from here." That was a gross exaggeration, of course, but she knew the two were awkwardly trying to keep their distance.
Having subsumed herself in lust for the past hour, there was no way she would let her sister live without having a taste...
Naruto's empty balls ached at her words, already starting to refill. But he couldn't get ahead of himself… Fumiko was his daughter, too―his pride and joy, just like Tayuya.
He would never do anything to harm her…
"I don't think she's quite ready for a baby." he said quietly, his ears drooping. After all that happened, he was not ready to risk her in any way… any, whatsoever.
"She's ready to fuck you way more 'an you think; she's just scared of your relationship with her gettin' awkward after all the shit 'at's happened." Of course, Tayuya couldn't blame her for it. Even with all this being her idea, even she still felt a bit weirded out. "Sit down 'n talk with her about it. She at least needs 'at."
"...Alright," Naruto relented, his cheeks burning as he averted his gaze. "I'll do that."
And thus, the two demonic humanoids left the room behind either one in search of a hot bath...
Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap!
...And of course, said bath ended up being rather hot in other ways as Naruto simply could not resist the temptation to bend Tayuya over once again, especially when she had made sure to shake her booty at him the entire way there. Damn tease! (9)
Now in one of the luxury spas on the 9th floor of Nazarick, Naruto mated with his daughter right there in the hot spring, an act which could be heard by anyone nearby as the redhead didn't bother to muffle her whorish moans...
His mind was set on knocking her up with their incestual demonic spawn.
And of course, Tayuya made damn sure that he did so in front of Albedo and Shalltear by inviting her mother-in-laws to join, the two of them visibly hot and bothered by the lewd display, simply to spite them.
Shalltear squirmed and giggled, hands on her burning cheeks as she delighted in the "cruel and unusual" punishment Lord Kurama was "clearly" subjecting her to. It was what she deserved for failing to be a sufficient cocksleeve, after all. And yet, she was even more turned on than Tayuya and her father combined!
As for Albedo… She was the picture of envy at the moment, not because of what they were doing, but what that kinky, little kijo was spouting while they did… If anyone was going to bear the majority of Lord Kurama's offspring, to provide him with an army of young, it was going to be her!
Thus, a rivalry unlike any other was born in the halls of Nazarick.
Albedo looked down at her ample bosom and at Tayuya's flat chest, then to Shalltear, and wondered which one he found most attractive.
"Fuckin' shit, I… I'm already gonna cum again~!" Tayuya panted, looking utterly ragged as she leaned against the edge of the hotspring for support, getting railed from behind by her creator, her whole frame shaking with each monumental thrust of his.
Said youko merely grunted in an affirmative manner, but didn't relent in his pistoning of her quim. His balls were still bloated despite how many times he emptied them into her and he planned to drain every drop inside his lewd daughter, and anyone else he could stick his dick into at that moment, no matter how long that took.
The fact his wife and concubine were there, watching their copulation, only added to his arousal. He was going to mate with them too, just… after making sure Tayuya was knocked up and breed well and proper!
Claws digging into the gravel, Tayuya threw her head back and wailed. Naruto could only gurgle at the sensation of her inner walls clamping down on him, sending the youko flying over the edge with her as he slammed into his little hellion one last time and poured his seed into her ravenous babymaker, leaning against and pressing down at Tayuya...
And of course, Shalltear's eyes rolled into her skull and she came hard from the lewd display.
Wrapping his arms and tails around Tayuya, still pumping his seed into the reeling kijo, Naruto reached around, cupped her cheek, and silenced the orgasmic wails with a heated kiss.
Tayuya's vibrantly-glowing eyes rolled back and her whole body writhed in pleasure as a second orgasm followed immediately after the previous one, her juices gushing forth and coating his balls, making her loins all the more accommodating for his incestuous seed.
While their lord was still inseminating his own offspring in a lewd, heated display of carnal bliss, two maids garbed in little more than aprons entered the hotspring with refreshments… and aphrodisiacs.
The first was a short, orange-haired one with an eye patch. The pupil of her visible, green eye resembled the crosshairs of a rifle scope and she sported a jungle camo scarf, her headdress sporting a similar pattern. This was CZ2128 Delta, nicknamed Shizu Delta, the youngest of the Pleiades Battle Maids' Six Star Formation.
As her name implied, she was decidedly more mechanical despite the fantasy setting of Yggdrasil, though her stoic visage was the only visible hint at her true nature.
While her expression was utterly devoid of emotion, however, Shizu was the first to volunteer as one of the maids… servicing the Supreme One and his daughter when they returned to Nazarick with clearly and obviously lewd intent.
The second, meanwhile, was of course Lupusregina Beta, her ears still hidden under that ever present cap as she was otherwise garbed only in that apron, though Naruto had to admit that she looked pretty good with her hair down...
Lupusregina approached him, Shizu trailing behind her, her usual smile spread across her face. "Lord Kurama," she greeted, giving him some tea laced with very strong and special aphrodisiacs. "Those refreshments Princess Tayuya requested are ready." She made sure to hide her grin.
Special, mainly because they had no scent... not one that the youko could detect, in any case.
Lupusregina approved of the kijo's deviousness.
Naruto took a cup and swigged it without a second thought, still inside his daughter. Then, almost immediately, he felt his dick return to full mast, his balls tightening and expanding in rhythmic pulses as his breath went shallow. He growled hungrily, eyeballing the maid and moving to pull out of Tayuya, only for her to clamp down onto his dick and place a hand on one of his.
"An' where do ya think you're going." Tayuya growled, glaring at him over her shoulder and rocking her hips back and forth, coaxing him to remain stuck in her and continue with their fucking, "We're not done here, Daddy~!" No way was she gonna let him stuff some other girl while she was still bent over and conscious.
Her creator groaned and growled lustfully, his eyes hazing over with arousal. There was no time to think, no time to speak… all that mattered was fucking the sexy little girl and putting his babies in her. He grabbed Tayuya's hips and rammed himself back in, before cupping her face with one clawed hand and capturing his daughter's lips in another searing kiss, driven by mad lust.
The kijo met him eagerly, their tongues battling for dominance, the younger oni unwilling to back down.
Seeing her chance to get bent over and bred by Lord Kurama evaporate at Tayuya's instance, Lupusregina pouted. Albedo seethed, gnashing her teeth at the uppity brat but keeping her tongue in check, knowing her place.
Shizu was… Shizu, her expression unchanging.
Shalltear, meanwhile, was still in la~la land, reduced to a swirly-eyed heap, so she only continued to babble incoherently. (10)
And so, the heated, incestuous romp continued from there, the lingering pheromones leaving all who came here hot and bothered for the next damn year from all the semen spent.
Quite some time later…
Back in Carne Village, night was falling, and the village folk were gathered together with food and drinks.
Tayuya was also present once more, notably nibbling on quite a bit more meat than usual. She wasn't even close to pregnant yet, but her instincts were already starting to kick in. She considered it a good thing; it probably meant she had more brats on the way than nature strictly intended.
That was what the kijo hoped it meant, at least…
As for Enri, she sat beside the demonic woman with Nemu beside her as well, the blonde quietly nibbling away at her own meal, before sparing a glance at the kijo.
"Tayuya, you… uh, are you okay?"
The redhead blinked at the sudden question.
"Mwhaa?"
"It's just… you seem to be spacing out a lot."
"I'm fine," Tayuya grunted after swallowing her food. "Just thinkin' is all. Boss' been pretty busy lately 'n' I wanna see about arrangin' for him to have a break."
It wasn't entirely untrue… She wanted him to take a break, but one where he'd still be busy… in a different context. She still had to get her older sister involved in their new family time… as well, but that would take a bit of planning.
Unbeknownst to her, Boss was way ahead of her, being a man of his word.
"I see," the blonde replied. "I hope he's doing okay, then… stress can be very unhealthy, I hear."
Tayuya looked at her with a grin, "Oh, don't worry about that," she chuckled. "Boss has it covered very well if ya know what I mean."
Enri blushed hard at the implication, desperately hoping Nemu wouldn't ask. She didn't, thankfully, and soon after, the women descended into a comfortable silence.
Unfortunately for the blonde… or possibly very much so, said silence made her more… aware of the murmurs around her.
"I can't believe that poor boy is gone," one woman muttered, believing herself to be out of earshot, "He was such a nice lad, always eager to help around the village."
"Ms Emmot must've been devastated," another concurred. "To think the Kingdom would fail to protect E-Rantel of all places… so inexcusable."
Enri frowned at that. Even she knew how important that city was to the kingdom and that was saying something. It made her question just what the nobility could've possibly been thinking to let their largest trade hub end up in such a dire situation.
And of course, Tayuya was quick to notice Enri's reactions to those whispers, the wheels in the kijo's head starting to turn. Maybe she should ask that weirdo in the treasury if they have any Seeds of Resentment, sometime…? (11)
She was certain Boss would approve, too...
DMS Notes and Trivia:
1: Motherfukcer's undeniably a simp, but one that I tolerate for some reason. Not sure why. Guess it's a testament to Maruyama's writing that I don't hate this character, lol.
That's not to say that his writing is perfect, mind you, but no one's is.
AdV: I think I know why you don't mind… because it's clear from early on he's the princess' pet plaything… hence, you're not rooting for the dude who turns out a wuss, but for the sexy little devil toying with him.
DMS: Definitely a possibility… That woman is grade A yandere waifu material. =3
2: These two scenes were pretty unabashedly taken straight from the LN, but rewritten to be more reflective of my personal style. Gotta say, though, I liked the attention to detail and will definitely be doing my damnedest to learn from this experience in my writings. It was very immersive and I do hope I didn't take away from that too much.
3: Aaand it's here where we start diverging. A certain someone is having a little butterfly effect. =3
4: Hello, Doman; long time, no see, lol.
5: This would be a rather interesting conundrum for the Adventurers' Guild, seeing how they're a neutral entity. They will not get involved with anything involving international politics to preserve that neutrality and thus the ability to operate internationally, and this "necromancer" is clearly preventing the Imperial military from entering Re-Estize… but only their military… and it's still a necromancer. An interesting thought experiment if nothing else, as all shades of grey tend to be, lol.
6: She's totally the mom of their group when not being the chuuni… with Evileye serving as the backup.
7: Gotta say this lemon was very fun to write and the character interactions were just such a treat. The more fluffy bits at the end were added later and I absolutely adored them.
AdV: I mean, it is Tayuya… blessed be the fanfics that explored her more =3
DMS: Agreed.
8: Poor Mito… she's going to be fucked with so badly when Nazarick and the Cult finally meet. XD
AdV: I can't wait to write her and Tayuya's interactions… or just Tayuya's interactions with anyone. Dammit I love the fandom around her.
DMS: Indeed. She is quickly becoming best girl in this… assuming she hasn't already. XD
9: I am not sorry for the pun.
10: Shalltear truly is this story's version of Darkness… and I had way too much fun with that. XD
11: Hmmm… I wonder what that is… =3
Parting Notes: And that is another done! I was so sure this one would be late, too, because of our schedules not lining up for a while there, but I'm relieved to see it wasn't.
AdV: Don't get used to it. Classes start next week, lmao.
DMS: Probably for the best; I don't want the next chapter confused for a prank. If we do finish it in time, though, we'll see what time I post it, but I'mma shoot for one day early if possible.
Regardless, until then, I hope y'all have a good one, eh? :)