Date posted: 12th January 2022

Hey everyone, I put a poll on who is best girl on my profile to gauge interest of who should be the main focus love interest. Yes, all of them will get together, but I want to see who to focus on first. So go check it out and vote!


Chapter 9: Business Plan

"I've got a plan, John."

"You always got a plan, Dutch."

- Red Dead Redemption

The darkness was a cloak of lead thrust upon their shoulders: heavy, suffocating. It came at them, gnawing at their throats. Its domain ancient and primordial, the power of magic leaking through the stone and earth like a miasma. It detected intruders and reacted with malice and malevolence.

A match was struck, a blazing star born. Light upon light! The darkness was chased away, hissing and snapping, crawling back to whence it came. The intruders breathed a sigh of relief as the friendly flame came to be and they loosened their grips on their weapons. They could see what was in front of them - but not the danger that lurked. They went forward, one foot in front of another, into the unknown.

The tomb's walls were made of cyclopean bricks, bigger than anything human hands could make. It was said that Lord Aincradius' giant friend and battlefield comrade, Baro the Bricklayer, made such buildings; his handiwork graced Aincrad's greatest temples, forts, and palaces. But he was not only a mighty warrior and a great builder, but also an adept mage, masterful in the art of wards. The massive bricks had the lightest shimmer of power. When one of the intruders accidentally bumped into a frame, she was thrown back, as if barreled over by a horse. This made them even more weary of their steps.

The leader of the group clenched his staff with white knuckles, the swordswoman had her rapier out, the brawler had balled her fists, the slayer had a crossbow nocked. All of them were on edge, eyes alert, heartbeats racing, save one: the merchant, the only one unarmed andstrangely enough, was the most at ease. Neither the encroaching dark nor the shimmering magicks seemed to bother him. The bodyguards gave their employer a curious look at his composure.

"We're almost there," said the old man. Even his soft whisper of a voice seemed to echo throughout the tomb. When he spoke, he could see his own breath.

They arrived at the decorated arch where two rusting brazier lay dead. With fresh firewood and the spark of flint and steel, the darkness was once again chased back and the intruders stopped shivering.

One of them inspected the arch - its bronze long faded, figures of a bygone age. The most notable was the Bricklayer himself, towering above all, but the rest had been lost to time - a triumph for a hero long faded by the passage of time. The old man shook his head at the arch. "We haven't been down here in decades and the darkness itself has corrupted it."

"What is down here, exactly?" asked the swordswoman.

He merely smiled, it contained no warmth. "You will see."

They traveled further, lighting more braziers, replacing molded torches with new ones.

Finally, they reached the end. The hall was massive and the sheer grandness of it made the intruders' heads spin. So tall was the ceiling that not even their torches could bring light to them. Ahead, two sets of great stone doors, thrice as tall as any man. The bronze slabs of inscriptions and wards had been vandalised with disgusting black gunk, the darkness given form. The large chains that held it, long rusted. The doors themselves would not have looked out of place guarding the holy Black Stone, had they been in their prime.

"This, my friends, is the cell of the …"

The old man choked back at the name but willed himself to spit it out. "Conotocaurius."

The tone was but a whisper and the entire tomb shook.

"This isn't a tomb," said Argo. "This is a prison."

"Yes. And it is getting weaker everyday."

"But … why?" asked Sinon.

"That is a tale, long and ancient. Stay awhile and listen."

Long ago, when Aincradius walked the world as a mortal man -

"Wait, hold on a sec!" Kirito raised his hand. "Not to be a bother old man, but can we do this like, outside? Somewhere with actual light? These silks aren't going to protect me from this cold."

"Well, uh … of course." The old man seemed surprised at being interrupted, as if it had never once happened to him before. "Sadly, we don't have much refreshments for you."

The merchant smiled. "That's not a problem."


"Is this … Vendya tea?"

"Of course. Spices and herbs have been coming out of the 60th Floor these days. I'd be crazy to not get in on that."

They were only the 16th Floor and the Clearers had already been moving to the 17th. It was however not uncommon for players who ran businesses to stay on lower floors. The alchemy centre was on Floor 4, which had an abundance of ingredients and reagents. NPC merchants had no such travel limitations, unlike players who needed to clear each floor to advance to the next one.

Sunset had fallen on Fort Eternal Vigilance. The five sat on rickety and old chairs, the cushion in serious need of a wash, and the coffee table that the tea was served on had chipped edges.

Vendya tea (it was actually just chai tea) was served in pretty porcelain cups. The tea was made over the solar's fireplace, which was well used and in desperate need of cleaning. This wasn't the first time the caravan had rested in an old building or ruin; this ruin just happened to be occupied by someone.

The longer they stayed, the more apparent how run-down the fort was. The wooden floors were bare and had holes in them, some hastily patched with wooden planks. The tapestries on the wall had rotted, the shelves of scrolls had collapsed on themselves. The only thing that retained its old glory in the room was the desk itself, beautiful redwood and had likely belonged to many a lord or commander. It reminded Asuna of her grandmother's home in a way. If the old man was ashamed of the state of his office, he didn't show it.

"Ah this is some very good tea. Hadn't had any since last winter. Where was I. Oh yes. Ahem Stay awhile and listen …"

Kirito said to the girls, "Pay attention, this is important."

"I dunno, I'm not a fan of lore dumps," said Sinon. Kirito shushed her.

Long ago, when Aincradius walked the world as a mortal man -

He travelled the world as a sellsword, lending his aid to any who had the coin. This was long, long ago, when the castle we know as Aincrad was a world in itself and countless nations and tribes were ruled by petty tyrants and warlords; where sorcerer-kings ruled with their legions of undead and orcs.

Aincradius had many companions: Baro the Bricklayer, Olga of Viek, Jagannath the Invincible, Hawkeye Helena, and most importantly to our tale, Wicasa the Wise. He was our order's founder. A mighty mage of great renown and hailing from one of the tribes of the plains. His weather making proved invaluable when Aincradius led his Silver Shields to unite the world under his banner.

But one of the mightiest foes Aincradius and his companions faced was a being called the Conotocaurius - Devourer of Nations. Some said he was the prince of a weak kingdom, who sold his soul to demons. Others say he was no man at all, but a fraction of a great evil from the Outer Dark. But reading between the lines of the Annals, he may have been a great dragon. Regardless, he was master of magic and a threat to all the kingdoms. Many a nation fell under the iron sabatons of his vatborn orcs.

But after one of the greatest battles of the Unification, they defeated him. But they could not kill him, such was his power. They sealed him away in many parts, one of which you all faced below with the aid of the Bricklayer. Aincradius and Wicasa chose the 17th Legion, and renamed them as the Eternal Watch.

And so we stand, still guarding Forever watching over the evil that is the Conotocaurius, dreaming of conquest once again.

"And so ends our tale."

The solar was quiet save for the crackling of the fire. It was Sinon who broke it. "Wished this game had cutscenes. Can I get some more tea?"

"Did you pay attention at all?" asked an annoyed Asuna.

"Sure. Something about Aincradius and his wizard buddy fighting magicians or orcs or whatever." Not waiting, Sinon poured herself some more. "Wow, boss. This is some good stuff."

"Thanks! It was quite expensive. Glad you liked it."

"I can't believe this, no respect for oral history." Asuna turned to Argo, who was lightly snoring in her chair.

The old man seemed not to mind. "And that is the illustrious history of the Eternal Watch. Not so Eternal anymore, I'm afraid."

"Who are you exactly, old man?" asked Sinon.

"I am Tupi, the Watch's Steward. I take care of the daily operations around the fort."

Asuna smiled. "Nice to meet you, Steward Tupi."

"As I am the eldest and most experienced warrior in this fort, I am also the Commander of the Watch."

Sinon nodded. "It's good to know we have a veteran in this fort."

"And I am also the fort's blacksmith. No one here knows how to work iron."

Kirito blinked. "You really are undermanned, huh?"

Tupi tugged at his grey beard. "And also the carpenter. And woodcutter. Oh, and I also like to fish, but we have no official fisherman role, but I like to think of myself as one."

The players were silent. Argo was still snoring.

"And the hunter, though I'm no good with a bow, but I am with traps. And the master of arms, though not many people have any interest in wielding a spear. Oh, and the recruiter! Tried to recruit some fresh blood for the Watch last year. Apparently they wanted to be paid. Preposterous! Is joining the Watch not noble enough of a goal?"

They made a face at the last bit.

"I also keep the Annals of the Watch up to date. But I keep running out of vellum, they're quite expensive you know, and have been writing them on leaves and etching them in stone. But don't worry! Old Tupi's got the memory of an elephant!" he said, tapping his noggin.

"How old are you?" asked Asuna.

"I'm a young sprig of forty-five!" said the man who looked to be seventy and missing half his teeth.

"The fort is … quite small … and in the middle of nowhere," said Sinon.

"Yes, that is by design. Far away from civilisation, from any trade routes. Once, it was the honour of all tribes to be posted here. Granum kings, Khorossan sultans, Nadyah rajas, sent their young here to be trained. They even sent us donations in money and materials. Champions and chiefs alike seeked to join our ranks. We had the finest soldiers, mighty weapons and invincible armour. Our very presence was a deterrent to any warlord seeking to cause trouble.

"But that was a lifetime ago, and even when I was young, the place was already falling apart. Families moved away, seeking better lands and fortunes. Once, when you gave your oath, you would be with the Watch forever. So people simply stopped … making oaths."

"And the wards keeping the Conotocaurius in place, it's getting weaker, right?" said Asuna.

Tupi gave a bitter sort of smile. "Oh yes, and it's only a matter of time. We've no soldiers, all the young men are off making their fortune elsewhere. We are not a military force, only a small village of old people and children. So here I sit, waiting for the beast to escape and kill us all. Here I stay, a failure of my order, and the memory of Wise Wicasa."

The room descended into heavy silence again, only to be broken by a loud yawn.

"Aaaah! I needed that nap. Oh, did you guys discuss something interesting?" asked an awakened Argo.


They had billeted one of the barracks which Lisbeth had worked hard to make into some place livable (including killing a dog-size spider and its hatchlings, much to her chagrin). It was nothing a few hours of work couldn't fix.

The mattresses were hay but the fort's inhabitants, they could hardly be called soldiers, had lent them some clean linen sheets. A few wooden planks and whacks of a hammer here and there and they had a few usable beds. Kirito, as always, had his own bed from the rest of the girls covered by a curtain, lest the women's lustful eyes feasted upon his lithe manly form. Women only want one thing and that was eye candy.

Alona, Ser Reginald's wife, had graciously volunteered herself to keep an eye on the Robber Knight and took some pleasure being his gaoler in the fort's dungeon (an actual dungeon for criminals, not the fantasy term for dungeon). Most of the other families didn't stay within the fort and had homes and farms they tended to. The fort was however home to the carpenter's shop, the smithy, the grain mill and a large oven, which made the fort a form of communal building. Some lived near the river making their livelihood as fishermen.

In short, the fort was undefended. No wonder it was easily taken by a bandit gang that even any competent Clearer guild could defeat. Sinon had taken it upon herself to set up perimeter defenses. Defenses, in this case, were spikes in ditches outside the barracks, wire traps, and six crossbows pointed at the door. It was a good thing none of them needed to pee; it would have taken a few minutes to disarm them all.

It was nine p.m and they were all still awake. They sat around the barrack's only table by candlelight. Lisbeth was in her own bunk, snoring peacefully from the day's work.

"So! I take it after this, we're going to head to the 17th floor?" asked the Rat. Argo had traded her leathers for a loose and flowy nightgown; the rest of them were dressed similarly.

"Negative. We're staying here and solving their evil wizard problem," said the CEO.

Argo blinked. "But, that's where I need to go. I have to establish contact with my spy network and stuff."

"Well, feel free to go. No one's keeping you here. The Kirito Corporation shall endeavor to let its board members pursue their own goals."

Sinon was waxing her hornbow. "That's right, feel free to go. I'll keep Kirito here company." The last word was said huskily, as if daring the other girl to say something.

Argo's whiskers scrunched when she frowned. "That's fine. I can rely on my other underlings for running the network."

Asuna, who was sharpening her dagger, sighed. "Anyway, this seems a bit … unprofitable, Kirito. There's barely anything here."

"It's true. I scouted the rest of the fort. There was nothing to loot!" said Argo. Asuna looked aghast at the idea of stealing from the already destitute NPCs.

Kirito held up a hand. "Hold on, girls. Don't worry, I have a plan!"

He gave them his elevator pitch. None of them bought it. "Really, that's your plan?" asked Asuna.

"Yep! We'll establish long form profit by investing in this fort, and the money will go to us when we get back to the road!"

Sinon scratched her chin. "I dunno, it seems … hard."

"So is going into dungeons fighting monsters but none of you have a problem with that."

"Killing and looting is easy. It sates my ever growing bloodlust and desire to kill everything. Sitting around and helping a bunch of farmers, doesn't."

Asuna held up a finger. "First of all, Sinon, that was terrifying. What the hell is wrong with you?" She held up another. "Secondly, there's so much we have to do! Fix the walls, recruit men, make a road, find mages …"

"And we'll have to feed them all too," said Sinon. "That means farming or hunting ..."

"And I'll have a hard time keeping up my info broker job!" said Argo. "This is … a lot."

Kirito was losing them and he knew it. Had the girls were under his employ, they'd need to go with what he told them. But no, these were now his partners and he must rely on his secret weapon: Plan B.

As the three girls discussed among themselves, Kirito stood up, excused himself, grabbed his toiletries, a candle and climbed out the window. He refused to use the door and engage with Sinon's booby-trapped crossbows. The girls didn't acknowledge his departure at all, and continued to talk about the business plan.

Five minutes later, they were still discussing.

"There's a nearby quarry north of here. Except nearby is like ten miles, and hauling tons of rock is going to be hard without draft horses," said Asuna. She was already jotting down notes on a wax tablet.

"I shall haul those stone blocks."

"Argo, those things weigh a metric ton," said Sinon.

"Worry not, slayer-chan. I am ripped and strong." To emphasise this, she did a double biceps pose, popping sixteen-inch biceps. Her nightgown was, of course, sleeveless, much like the rest of her daily wear.

"Yeah, you're strong, but can you do that all day, back and forth, for ten miles?"

"You underestimate my muscles. You are both weak and skinny. Come, and take a journey with me on the Path of Whey."

"Why are you talking like that?"

"That's how I talk to myself to hype myself up," she continued. "Your arms are too skinny, Sinonon. And you lack upper body strength."

"My arms are perfectly fine, beef-head. My STR attribute is the second highest in this party!"

Asuna sighed. "Anyway, if my math is right, this will cost about … yeah, no. I don't think that's within our budget."

"Hmm, making money is a lot harder when it doesn't involve violence," said Sinon. "Hey, where's Kirito?"

A figure climbed through the window. "Ah, that was a refreshing shower! Nothing is nicer than bathing by a well in the middle of the night!"

Sinon smelled him before she saw him, her stronger than normal sense of smell picked up the scent of lavender. As he reached into the light, her heart jumped up her throat.

Kirito had grown out his hair. It was not as long as Asuna's, but much longer than Sinon's and Argo's short haircuts. It was long, reaching his shoulders, and soft, the lamp's light reflecting in his wet hair. He was only wearing a towel around his waist. A very slim waist. And his chest was wet, showing off the contours of his torso and flat tummy.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Well, back to the discussion at hand. I'm sorry girls, but I can't do this alone."

His voice had become higher pitched, and he had widened his eyes just a bit. He grabbed onto Asuna's calloused hand.

"Asuna, my first hire. My loyal bodyguard. You're not just a good sword arm, you're incredibly smart. Sometimes I feel I'm weighing you down. It feels like that if you weren't, you'd be out there, leading your own guild."

Asuna gulped.

"You're the one with me the longest in this game, I can't do it without you. Can I rely on you, my shining knight?"

Asuna began giggling nervously, twirling her own hair. "I-I-I-I … wouldn't want to be anywhere but here, Kirito-kun. I am your blade."

"Thank you." Then he went to Sinon, the lavender smell was even stronger up close.

"I know we haven't been together long, how long has it been?"

"Sixty-three days." Sinon remembered because she was just shy of getting her second monthly wage back in Mankhlar.

"And, despite that short time, you've been an asset to the corporation. Fighting legions of guardsmen, sneaking into a prison, all for little pay."

"What can I say, I'm a killer for hire. Real badass," she said, trying her best to keep her voice level and failing.

"Please Sinon, you don't need to put on that tough girl act. I know for a fact, you are a very kind person."

At that moment, she realised that she was feeling more than just lust towards her employer. There were butterflies in her stomach. Her pink cheeks were a sharp contrast to her blue hair.

"And it all started when you shot me in the face a long time ago."

"Yeah, good thing it didn't ruin your pretty face." She bit her tongue at the comment. He was really pretty.

"So, are you with me?"

"I am your bow," she said, repeating Asuna's own words. "Damn, that sounded cheesy," she muttered under her breath.

Lastly, he turned to Argo. The Rat wasn't looking at him. "Nice try, Kii-bou. We've dated for a year, don't think I don't know what you're doing."

Kirito leaned over the table, both hands on the table. She smelled the shampoo on him. But Argo was made of sterner stuff and she was able to resist the charms of her ex-(current?) boyfriend. She folded her arms and refused to meet his gaze.

He leaned in and whispered something into her ear. Neither Sinon nor Asuna could hear what he said. Argo's face, a mask of stone and impartiality, went completely red.

Argo slammed her fist on the table, making the lamp jump half an inch and nearly tipping it over to her side. The bang was loud enough it made Lisbeth sit up in her cot, mumble something, and return to dreamland

"How dare you, Kii-bou. You can't just do that!"

"I can and I will."

Argo's red face was a mixture of anger and something that the two girls can't figure out. Wait, no, it was horniness. The other two were quite familiar with the emotion themselves.

"No. This idea of yours isn't going to bring us the profit or help with Clearing the game."

He trailed a finger on an arm, tracing it over the veins of her bicep. Up to her round broad shoulder, and touching her neck. Argo felt like she was on fire. He's still got it.

"Pretty please, Akiko-chaaan?" he said in his most girlish voice.

The long hair, the shampoo, the fact he was in a towel and nothing else, it was too much. Argo's defenses were shattered like a cannonball to a castle wall.

"Fine. We'll go with your harebrained scheme," she said with the venom of a child being denied sweets.

"Thank you!" said Kirito, switching from Seduction Mode back to Merchant Mode. "Now if you'll excuse me, it's been a long day and I need some shuteye. We'll discuss the plans with the Steward first thing in the morning."

With that, Kirito sauntered to his corner of the room, and closed the curtains. They could hear the sound of him putting clothes back on.

"I'm going to crush his pretty little head between my thighs," said Argo.

"Gonna peg him real good," said Sinon.

"Oh my God. Can you two please shut the hell up!" said an exasperated Asuna. She came to the realisation right then and there. "That utter slut! He seduced us! That was his plan all along!"

"Oh, you think?!" said Sinon.

"That's the thing, Asuna!" Kirito called out from behind his curtains. "I've always got a plan."

Defeated, the girls retrieved their own toiletries and climbed out the window to take cold showers.


It was noon the next day. Players and NPCs gathered in the courtyard to receive their visitor. Ser Reginald came through the gates with two squires, decked in dull mail and plate, and a modest sallet minus the visor. His squires, despite their lower status, dressed much more fashionably, their own breastplates shining and blinding in the sun. The older Granumite had gone native, unlike the younger ones who were sent here by their families. The archers that trailed them were natives who wore padded armour and kettle helmets. They brought along the Kirito's Corporations mules and cart, a difficult task considering the state of the road; or more accurately the lack of it.

Ser Reginald handed his helm to one of the squires and went to embrace his wife, the huntress pecking her husband on the cheek. He nodded to the merchant and shook his hand. "Well met, merchant! You've done Fort Arrowhead a great service."

Kirito bowed. "It was of no issue, milord. I couldn't have done it without my girls."

Every other girl in attendance, save for Lisbeth, liked how he said the last sentence.

"Ah, and who is this? The lord of the fort?"

Tupi had bedecked himself in his finest clothes: the old steward wore handsome deer hide robes embroidered with coloured porcupine quills. He wore a headdress, the symbol of his office,with eagle feathers trailing down to the small of his back, looking not too dissimilar from a lion's mane. In his fist was a curious looking staff with some shiny gem embedded into it. From afar, he looked like a man of authority but on closer inspection, they would see his robes were missing a few quills, the feathers did not all belong to eagles, and his moccasins were old and worn.

Despite this, Tupi held himself with a nobility that masked his outfit's deficiencies. "Well met, Sir Reginald. Welcome to Fort Eternal Vigilance. Come and have lunch with us."

"I shan't say no to that!"

They had their meal in the solar. The old tapestries were replaced with thick curtains, hiding the old plastered walls' worst bits. The coffee table was tucked away and in its place was the best dining table that the fort had, polished with turpentine and covered with a lovely white sheet. The fireplace was scrubbed clean with vinegar, water, and elbow grease. The head of a bear hung above the fireplace which Argo had found during her morning jog. Nobody deigned to ask where she actually got it; they knew better to do that.

They found some old chairs in storage, still in good shape. Kirito spent the morning with Lisbeth to carve some decorations into them and reinstall the cushions from the old chairs to the new ones. They were bereft of decoration and now sported floral designs. Fresh flowers were plucked and put into clay pots, decorating the window sills, bringing colour to the hall. The solar had been transformed from something of a ruin to something any lord would take pride in.

Lunch was served: roast turkey served with gravy and mashed potatoes, courtesy of Asuna's impeccable cooking. The squires dutifully served their knight, cutting the turkey and acting like servants. The girls, having no such chivalry expectations, and technically of equal footing as their CEO, enjoyed lunch alongside Tupi and Ser Reginald.

The men spoke for most of the conversation. They discussed the battle that took place and Kirito praised his bodyguard's fighting prowess. No detail was spared, a curious tactic given Kirito didn't do any fighting at all. They all raised eyebrows as Kirito spoke of how "Sinon pierced three bodies in full mail with a single arrow!" or "Lisbeth caved entire skulls with a mighty blow of her mace!" Or how about "Asuna unsheathed and resheathed her rapier, killing a man so quickly before he noticed!" and "Argo football tackled everyone off the ramparts like a mad bull!"

"The last one was true though - oof!" Argo almost spat out her wine at Lisbeth's elbow in the kidney.

When the lunch was finished, they were then served a dessert of cornbread pastries and Vendha tea.

"Fantastic feast, Lord Tupi! You have such fine staff, and such fine manners!"

The old man paused for words. For the head of a noble order, the entire event seemed to be completely new to him.

"Thank you, Ser Reginald. But alas, I did not invite you here to merely hand over the robber knight."

At the mention of the bandit, the knight laughed and gave his wife a kiss. "Yes, Alona has told me of the tale. Ah, I remembered when she dropped a brick on my head. That's how we first me, you know."

As curious as Kirito was of that story, he got down to business. "Ser Reginald, this is not just the end of a simple contract. Lord Tupi and I have plans for this fort and I hope that you could assist us in this. But first, I must ask you to dismiss your retinue." The knight did so.

The conversation took a somewhat downer of a turn when they mentioned the evil wizard with the power of a god down in the earth. Reginald took it all in with a poker face expression.

When it was done, he finally finished the rest of his tea. "I see. This is … more complicated than we imagined."

"We thought about keeping it a secret from you but we cannot do this alone. Argo, if you please?"

The Rat took out a sheet of vellum from a pocket. "Ser Reginald Warwick, thirty-nine years old. Knighted on the field by Ser Riordan after the Battle of the Deer Men age twenty-five. Served in King Aedan's court for ten more years and given command of Fort Arrowhead at age thirty-three. Married to Alona, daughter of the chief of one of the more influential Orage tribes at thirty-five. A veteran man–at-arms and trusted by the Noble Council to serve Granum's interest in these lands."

The knight merely smiled. "Ah, you are more well connected than I thought for a simple merchant."

"I could just take my caravan and go. Leave all this behind. And in what, three more years? Ten? You'll have an evil wizard marauding these lands, like the sorcerer-tyrants from the days of Aincradius. Perhaps by that time you could raise an army and you've already become Lord Marshall of King Aedan's realm. But in my opinion, ser knight, prevention is better than the cure."

Reginald pursed his lips. "And what if I don't care what happens?"

"First of all, I doubt you are that cruel of a man. Secondly, I'm 100% sure your wife will stab you in your sleep if you do that."

The knight let out an uproarious laugh that seemed to shake the room. Alona shot a wordless grin at the merchant.

"Hah! I like you merchant, and Lord Tupi here seems like a good man. When I was young, I too was told the tales of Wicasa the Wise. Very well, you have my help. When do we start? What do you need?"

Kirito placed a wax tablet on the table.

"I need men. Lots and lots of men."


A bit of a short one this month! But it's either this or you waiting a lot longer for the next update. Next chapter is for Sinonon and if you haven't checked that, you really should! It's frankly stronger, romantic-wise, than MP with its harem antics.

Conotocaurius is actually a real word for a real world figure. Perhaps you can figure out what it means. Or you can Google it, that's probably what you're gonna do.

By the way, if you're Native American or First Nations, please do contact me. I have plans for the upcoming chapter and want to get it right. That, or join the Disord server and call me up.

discord .g g/ ncsKD8z8s7 (remove spaces)

And be sure to check the poll. No promises, but depending who has the least votes, probably will get more of a spotlight. I actually expect Argo to win but hey, maybe you can prove me wrong. How are you actually enjoying the romance? Do you want more of it, less of it? Who gets more of a spotlight? That sort of thing. Til next time.