AN: Hey, long time no see.

I spent a very long time on this, partly due to burnout and lack of motivation, but I tried my best. Hope you like it.

Yeah, and btw, it's wholesome smut, so don't read it if you're not into that.


A Vacation in Chaosflame

"Oh, Tanza! You've grown so much!"

As Subaru stepped off the carriage that had brought him back to Chaosflame, he ran up to the little servant and lifted her up in his arms laughing enthusiastically while she remained absolutely stoic.

It had been little more than two months since the civil war in Vollachia ended with the siege of its capital, Rupghana, and Subaru had returned to Lugnica. For two months, he enjoyed life like he always had. It was like the days after the Kremaldy Sanctuary all over again, maybe even better with the inclusion of Rem and (though he would never admit it out loud) Louis.

His return was a blur of excitement in his mind, and he would argue that it was probably one of the best moments he had ever shared with the camp. When he walked through those doors into the manor, the adventure he had started when he first went to Priestella for simple negotiations came to a majestic end.

Then, for the next days, the excitement slowly died away as his life returned to normal.

He was back to training with Clind. He was back to helping out the maids once in a while. He was back to teasing Otto every chance he got. He was back to playing five-dimensional chess (with time travel) against Roswaal in every interaction they held with one another, even simple ones like the latter asking him to pass the salt. He was back to holding Beatrice in his arms as he fell asleep at night. He was back to fawning over Emilia whenever she had some free time from her studies.

So…what was it that compelled him to return to Chaosflame? What was it that pushed him to ask Otto for a ride to Vollachia, right to a Divine General's home?

Subaru could say, with all certainty, that he despised Vollachia's ideals. He would never in his life agree with their "might makes right" mentality, and he would never understand what went on inside Vincent's head whenever he generated a coherent thought. The average Vollachian was an enigma he was not ready to solve.

But Yorna Mishigure was not the average Vollachian.

The black-haired boy would always wonder how he went from loathing her based on the then-deposed emperor's words to respecting her commitment to her city to…genuinely loving her. Such a change should be studied by the most renowned of scholars all around the world.

Sure, the many, many, many, many, deaths he suffered only served to increase his attachment to her, but he was willing to…overlook that.

After two months of being back to his normal life, he proposed his idea of a vacation to Otto and Frederica. While Subaru paid a visit to Yorna, the two of them could enjoy the sights of Chaosflame (which were not very pretty at all, but he had to make them sound good as a selling point). He played on the fact that they had become a couple recently to offer some time far from the noisy manor.

It took him some days to convince them, but they agreed in the end.

During their travel to Vollachia, Subaru wondered what made him want to see Yorna again so much. Of course, he loved her and disliked being a country away, but something else was nagging him.

Although he spent most of the carriage ride (which was days long) wondering what it was, he discovered it just as he arrived in Chaosflame and saw a one-eyed man break a bottle against a lizard woman's back before she lifted him up and threw him against a wall with such strength that the building shook.

A part of him, a significant part, missed the chaos.

Yes, his escapade in Vollachia was far from fun, and he would never go through it again if he had the choice to, but this part of him drew him back. Something in him just could not bear the Miload manor any longer. It felt as if everyone other than him had changed while he was stuck in the past…or maybe it was the opposite?

Every day for those two months, he walked the manor's halls like he had longed to when he was fighting a war for someone he barely knew, and yet he felt out of place. One day, Beatrice outright asked him what it was that made him seem so gloomy, and he failed to put it into words then, but he could do so now.

What compelled him to return to Chaosflame for a little vacation was his feeling of inadequacy. He blamed himself for having high expectations, yes, but he had really hoped something would change when he returned. He returned from the war a changed man, but everything around him seemed to remain the same.

This vacation was an act of cowardice, really. He had placed the expectation that something, anything, would happen when he returned on his friends without their knowledge, and was then disappointed when they failed to achieve it. He was once again leaving his friends behind, but this time he was leaving willingly.

And now, he stood at the base of the Crimson Lapis Castle's stairs, holding Yorna's most faithful servant in his arms like a plushie.

Tanza looked him in the eyes with her typical impassive glare. "You should reserve your excitement for someone who will return it, like Lady Yorna."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to greet her too!" he replied enthusiastically, holding the deer-girl higher in the air. "First things first though, how's my favorite Vollachian ankle-biter been!? Missed me!?"

"If I had missed you, I would have tried again," she deadpanned.

In response, Subaru gave a nervous laugh. "You and your jokes, Tanza…"

Strangely, she smiled. "You are aware of what I am capable of."

"Of course," he said, nodding as he put her down on the floor again and turned to where Otto and Frederica were parking the carriage. "Hey, do you think I can bring some guests with me?"

"How lowly of you to bring unannounced guests," she hissed, shaking her head. "Of course, as you are Lady Yorna's weakness, she will agree to host them for however long you are here for."

Waving his hand, the boy spoke, "It'll only be a week or so, don't worry. We'll be out of your hair sooner rather than later!"

"Is that so? Be aware that, should Lady Yorna wish it, I would destroy your carriage to prolong your stay."

Subaru really wanted to come up with some witty retort, but he had seen Tanza break a dragon's neck with her bare hands, and he was really not looking forward to being her next kill.

Otto hopped got out of the driver's box and helped Frederica hop down, then looked at Subaru and said, "Mister Natsuki, this is the place, right!? I'd hate to have ended up in some warzone!"

With a laugh, he said, "This whole country's a warzone! Chaosflame is just a lot more…explicit when it comes down to it! Don't worry, no one here will hurt you unless you…what was it?"

"Unless Lady Yorna orders it or a threat to the entire city is present," Tanza finished. "Although, despite that, bar fights are rather common."

The merchant sighed, relieved. "Well, it's not like we're here for the bars, right?"

Frederica and Subaru just gave him the look until his shoulders drooped.

"Who am I kidding?" he spoke to himself. "Of course I'm going to visit a bar…"

The blond maid, who stood beside him, patted him on the back as Subaru turned to Tanza and said, "So, mind if I go in? My back kinda hurts from the trip and I wanna lay down somewhere."

Again, the little servant smiled, but this time she said nothing as she looked up to the castle's gates…which were at the end of a very long staircase.

"I'd forgotten how much I hate this part," Subaru mused, wiping his forehead of nonexistent sweat. "I mean, Otto's gonna hate it even more. He spends all day sitting down…I'm not sure he'll make it to the to-"

The aforementioned merchant's voice interrupted his. "Frederica, could you please help me get up? My legs are cramped right now…"

"Of course!" the maid giggled. "Just…step here, and I'll carry you!"

As the mean-eyed boy watched the two of them, Tanza chuckled maliciously. "I would be willing to throw you up there, if you so wish. Your strategy for dealing with Madeline Eschart could work again."

"I'm good," he croaked, coughing into his hand to clear his throat. "Let's get going. The sooner we're up there, the sooner I can take a rest."

The ankle-biter nodded, and they all began ascending the Crimson Lapis Castle's stairs step-by-step.


Subaru would never agree with the Vollachian mindset, but he could approve of their taste in beds.

His room, which Tanza led him to when they entered the castle, was rather spacious and comfortable. While it was smaller than the one he used in the Miload manor, it was still spacious enough for him to walk around comfortably. His bed could easily fit three people on it, and he even had a small bookshelf filled with a strange assortment of books, most of which he had never even heard of. Hell, he even had an amazing view of the city from a small balcony!

It was a lot to take in, and so he decided to do the most rational thing at the moment and nap.

As he tucked himself in and rested his head on the pillow, Subaru thought of how strange Chaosflame felt this time around. Yes, it still sounded like a battlefield, but there was an air of…calm this time. Maybe it had something to do with Olbart Dunkelkenn being dead. That had to be it. Now there was no one to terrorize him and compare the city's people to those of his village.

Try as he might, he could not bring himself to feel pity for that cruel old fart. He got what he deserved, him and Todd both.

So, then, why did the latter still haunt him?

Make no mistake, Olbart got what he deserved…but did Todd deserve the same fate? Subaru had seen the orange-haired soldier set a whole forest on fire just to kill a singular mabeast. He had seen Todd slaughter countless innocents for a mere opportunity to catch him off-guard.

Deep down, he accepted that the soldier was a bad person, but then again, Vincent had been just as ruthless at times. He would not just forget the fact that "His Majesty" sent him to die as collateral damage in Ginunhive, knowing full-well that everyone in that room could be killed or – at least – severely injured. Now that he thought about it, liking Vollachia was sort of difficult given that most of its inhabitants were ruthless sociopaths who would sacrifice anyone to win even a scrap of reputation or glory.

And still…as much as he would have liked to punch that black-haired arrogant prick in the nose for all that…he could not get the image of a bloodied Todd wheezing his last breaths through a sliced throat.

Subaru was unsure if he would ever get that sight out of his mind.

Vollachia was a cursed place. All the death he saw…experienced, even…it could not simply vanish from existence.

Without meaning to, he buried his face into the pillow, enjoying its comfortable and plush texture. He just wanted to take a nap, damnit, why did he have to reminisce on every single horrible thing he experienced in this God-forsaken country!?

A deep breath. If he was going to take a nap, he needed to think positive! Having nightmares was a no-go!

Slowly, he began to relax.

One Puck, two Pucks, three Pucks…

Wait, last time he counted in Pucks, he got sent into a hellish loop in the manor! There had to be an alternative!

One Roswaal, two Roswaals, three Roswaals…

Okay, yeah, maybe Roswaal was not a good substitute.

He groaned and clutched the pillow a little tighter.

One Tanza, two Tanzas, three Tanzas, four Tanzas…

The teen gave a muffled chuckle. Just the thought of there being more Tanzas was a little worrying, especially given her level of devotion to Yorna. What if the Divine General had a whole army of them, like the Ryuzus?

As he laughed to himself, relaxing on the bed after long days of travel, he felt a weight beside him and on his back, which was accompanied by a soft warmth and a delightful hum of contentment.

Two arms wrapped around his torso as their owner said, "You're clearly enjoying your stay thus far, aren't you?"

In response, Subaru turned his body to be laying down face-up, looked into Yorna's blue eyes, and smiled. "The trip was boring, but this really makes up for it."

She leaned down and planted a kiss on his forehead before giving him a soothing smile. "It's a surprise to see you here, but it's most definitely a welcome one. If your trip was uncomfortable, take a minute to rest. I've got things to do, unfortunately. We can talk more later."

"Hm, later?" he whined with a joking tone. "Why not right now? It's the perfect time for a little heart-to-heart, right?"

The Divine General sighed and laid down on the bed with him, putting her head on his chest and hugging him with a tight embrace. "I really missed you, dear…but now's not the time. That detestable Kafma is in my office, crying about how His Majesty wants his Divine Generals at arm's reach. They're both insufferable."

"Didn't you want to marry Vincent for a long time?" the teen pointed out, gently scratching behind her ears. "I agree with your comment but…"

"No, no, don't you tempt me with ear scratches," the fox laughed. "Today's a busy day and you're making me want to stay in bed!"

"Then do it!" Subaru replied, chuckling. "C'mon, Yorna…we can take a nap together, and Tanza can deal with Kafma."

Yorna pulled back with her gentle smile still on her lips. "Not today, no…if His Majesty gets his way, I'll have to leave Chaosflame and go to Rupghana. I refuse to do that."

His response was a defeated sigh. "Really? Ah, then never mind…go do what you need to. Sorry to keep you held up…"

"Don't give me that sad face, you'll make me feel bad," she cooed, leaning toward him and brushing her nose against his. "I promise I'll make it up to you later. Take a nap, now, and we can spend all night talking if you want."

A nod. "Yeah, I'll do that. My back kinda hurts from the carriage ride. Before I sleep, though…good night kiss?"

Still keeping her kind grin, the fox put her lips to his and kissed him tenderly, like she was afraid being too forceful would hurt him. He responded by putting his hands to her cheeks and pushing his lips against hers, seeking more of her affectionate touch. It was proof of her love, proof like this, that he so craved. Every touch, be it a simple hug or kiss, gave him a sort of joy and calm that he could not find anywhere else. It was like a guilty pleasure for him.

In Yorna's embrace, he could let himself be weak and not worry whether she would think less of him for it.

After a couple seconds, she pulled away, and Subaru protested with a weak whine. Even if he understood that she had responsibilities, a part of him wanted nothing more than to stay with her as much as he could, as if her mere presence would bring immeasurable joy to his life. The other part of him, slightly more rational, realized his craving was tiptoeing the line between love and obsession, but he ignored it.

"I'm sorry," the fox whispered with a hint of sadness. "Today's not a great day. It's only midday, so…sleep for a little while, rest. We can spend all night together and make up for this."

He was going to respond, but ended up yawning at the thought of actually restful sleep. Otto was a good man, and it was nothing personal, but carriage rides were horrible for those who actually valued their sleep schedule.

While he stretched his arms and yawned again, Yorna shook her head, making all her hair ornaments jingle. "Come on, you're tired. If you can't sleep or find yourself bored, feel free to wonder the castle. I'm sure you'll find something to do."

"Mhm," was all he replied as his eyelids grew heavier, which earned him a smile from the Divine General.

She brought her hand to his nose and gently pinched it before pulling away and standing up from the bed. Slowly, she gripped the bedsheets and pulled them over him, tucking him in. Finally, she nodded and turned to leave, clearly pleased with her impromptu cuddling session despite its duration.

"Yorna?"

Subaru's voice made her stop, and she looked at him with a slight hint of worry.

With a final yawn, the black-haired teen smiled and said, "Thanks."

Her expression turned from worry to satisfaction, and a teasing smirk appeared on her face. "I promise to make it up to you, so just rest for now."

He was going to say something witty in response, but the allure of sleep was too much to ignore, and he decided to close his eyes for a little while…and rest.


When Subaru woke up, he felt a lot better.

Sleeping on a comfortable bed was a good way to get energy back, after all.

He took a peek to the balcony and saw that the sun was still out, which had to mean that it was early afternoon. If Yorna had been busy earlier, then she was probably still dealing with Kafma right now.

With that in mind, he hopped off the bed, stretching his legs and taking in the wonderful feeling of not having a backache. Seriously, Otto needed to learn how to avoid bumps in the road.

Putting on his shoes (and tracksuit, of course), he wandered out into the castle's halls.

Subaru had to give the Vollachians another point for their architecture: the Crimson Lapis Castle was a beautiful place. From within, the building was truly majestic, a residence worthy of kings. He had heard that the Crystal Palace, the emperor's home, was even more luxurious, but he doubted it. Surpassing this castle would be an impossible feat for most architects…unless some deity had created the Crystal Palace, in which case he could see how the emperor would have an even more amazing residence.

True to its name (and quite unsurprisingly), the inside of the castle was completely crimson in color. Some hints of other colors adorned the hallways, but it was mostly red. It was a massive contrast to its owner overly-flamboyant and colorful appearance.

The only sound in the colossal halls was that of his shoes stepping on the floor. Thankfully, there was light coming from some artificial crystals that hung on the walls and ceilings, and the windows helped by letting sunlight in. The thought of being alone in a place so massive and empty was…disconcerting.

"Man," he said to himself in awe. "Where did she get the money to build all this?"

Vincent had warned him that Yorna was only out for money and fame, but she already had both of those things. Besides, she had explained that all this was for a dream of hers, one in which Chaosflame was only the first step. What said dream actually was, he did not know.

After a couple minutes spent just walking around aimlessly, he stumbled onto a spacious room that resembled a kitchen. Everything was neatly put away and stored in the cupboards, and all the countertops were completely spotless, even shining…all except one, which had crumbs on it.

Crumbs? Why were there crumbs in such a clean kitchen? Surely, Yorna's attendants would have noticed them and…

Before the teen could finish his thought, a faint crunching sound came from within the room, echoing thanks to the lack of noise. Slowly, he lifted his foot and stepped on the floor, making sure he had not been the cause of the sound.

He did not hear the crunch when he put his foot down, and instead waited for a couple seconds until it came again.

A smile appeared on his face as he spoke, "Alright, I know there's someone in here! Whoever it is, I promise leniency on you if you confess to your actions!"

Silence, then one of the cupboards slid open to reveal a young girl in her early teens hiding within. Her cerulean dress and a small pinkish bowtie she wore on her neck were both filled with crumbs. She had her head bowed and was sitting awkwardly, probably because her horns made fitting into the cupboard a bit difficult. On her left hand, she held a glass jar of what seemed to be cookies, and she had one of them on her right hand, although half the cookie was missing.

Neither of them spoke until the girl swallowed and pouted, looking like a sad puppy. "We dragons are sorry…"

"Aww, Madeline," Subaru responded, shaking his head in disapproval. "You had me worried there for a second…how'd you even get here?"

"Kafma," the dragonkin pointed out as if it was obvious.

He stepped toward her with a scolding sigh, kneeling right in front of her hiding spot and stretching his hand out. "I guess there's another Divine General here, then?"

She put what remained of her cookie in her mouth and handed him the jar. "Yorna?"

As he stood and put the jar on the countertop, the black-haired teen chuckled. "Of course, Yorna lives here. I mean, did you bring anyone else? If you did, please tell me it's Cecils or Arakiya."

Madeline shook her head. "It's…Mogro."

"Mogro?" he inquired. "I heard a bit about him. 'Steelman', right? He sounds cool!"

"Everyone has cool nicknames," the girl replied, scooting toward the cupboard's door so she could get out. "He's boring. They're all annoying."

Once again, he knelt by the cupboard, this time reaching in to grab the dragonkin and gently pull her out. "C'mon, now…I'm sure you like at least one of them."

The Divine General whined as he lifted her up, but she offered no resistance. "We dragons can't stand Groovy. He's irritating. The only one worth listening to is…"

"Is…?"

"Is…Yorna…"

A beaming grin appeared on the teen's face. "Really!? Lookit you, admitting you don't hate everyone! I'm so proud of you!"

"No!" Madeline half-yelled, flailing her arms weakly. "No! Don't you tell her that! You're going to tell her we dragons said that!"

"Of course I am!" he said, lifting her up higher. "Oh, this could be the start of a great friendship!"

He laughed while she complained, swearing that she would never ever become friends with a fellow Divine General no matter what. While she rattled on, he smirked, stood on his tiptoes, and lifted her up to the top of the highest cupboard before leaving her there. When she realized what he had done, she looked down at him with an adorable glare.

"Hey, now," he shrugged. "You're on timeout until you admit that you wanna be friends with Yorna."

Madeline sighed and looked down from the cupboard before muttering, "Not again…"

"Come on," the teen snickered. "I'll put you down…if you admit it."

"No!" the dragonkin responded, crossing her arms and looking away. "We dragons will tell His Highness of this disrespect!"

Subaru scoffed in an overly-dramatic fashion. "Vincent owes me a lot; he'd be willing to turn a blind eye to this! Come on, just admit it!"

Letting her shoulders droop, the little dragonkin raised a fist in weak defiance before mumbling, "We dragons will never be friends with that fox…but perhaps the deer would be acceptable…"

As the teen was about to reply with some witty remark, an emotionless voice came from behind him, saying, "How surprising. To think I got here just in time…this is truly priceless."

Step-by-step, the voice's owner, a short deer-girl in a kimono, stepped beside Subaru, looking up to where Madeline sat. While the dragonkin blushed and shook her fists in cute rage, Tanza bit her lip to stifle a guileless smile that threatened to overtake her self-control.

"I…admit I am surprised," the servant spoke, her voice betraying the chuckle that was being held back. "And to think Lady Yorna merely wished for me to get some food…today only keeps getting better, I see."

Madeline covered her face with her hands. "No! That wasn't supposed to…gah!"

"Now, Tanza," Subaru interjected, placing his hand on her head. "What do you have to say to your newfound friend?"

There was a moment of silence before she giggled ever so slightly and replied, "I would be willing to accept her friendship, given that she does not try to have a dragon eat me…again."

From atop the cupboard, the Divine General crossed her arms. "Fine…"

Subaru grinned as he reached up to bring the dragonkin down from the cupboard.


Much to the young man's delight, the two girls became friends rather quickly.

After Tanza got some candies and delivered them to where Yorna was still meeting with Kafma, she returned to the kitchen with news that the lady of the castle was going to be involved in these negotiations for the rest of the day, and as such, she had been given permission to take the day off.

As a way to build friendship between the two of them, Subaru decided to teach the two girls how to play Othello using an assortment of items found in the kitchen.

Madeline chose the white "discs" (which were actually toothpicks), and Tanza chose the black ones (which were measuring cups). It took a couple minutes for both of them to fully understand the rules (and for Madeline to accept that she could not just take pieces off the board for no reason), but after a half hour, the two of them were playing on their own, with him having to step in only once in a while.

An hour passed, and Tanza held the lead by two victories as she once again possessed more black discs than the dragonkin had white ones. With a smug "hmph," she set about to removing the pieces and starting over again.

"I can see that you lack experience as a commander," she mused as Madeline stared at the now-empty board as if disbelieving her defeat. "No worries. A board game is a better teacher than a battle."

The other girl scoffed. "How quaint. War is the most effective teacher of all."

Tanza nodded gravely. "War is a cruel parent, but an effective teacher indeed."

The two of them were sitting on the kitchen table as Subaru watched from a little farther away, leaning against a countertop. "Come on, you two, do we have to talk about war all day? Don't Vollachians have some sort of pastime other than killing each other?"

"His Highness likes board games," the Divine General said, nodding fervently as she helped put the pieces on the side of the board. "He always wins, though. It's no fun!"

"His Majesty used to spend hours playing against Chisha Gold," the deer-girl added. "I fear such games have…come to an end."

Subaru nodded. He remembered Chisha Gold from his two encounters with the man, and the latter played the part of emperor very well. Still, he would shed no tears for the impersonator. He got what he deserved.

Shaking his head to dispel the memories, he looked at the half-empty jar of cookies and asked, "Say, do either of you want cookies? There's some left."

Tanza snickered. "Yes, some are left. I wonder who took the others, though."

While Madeline pouted, he brought the jar to the table and fetched a couple of napkins.

Today was a lazy day, truthfully. He had traveled all the way to Chaosflame just to see Yorna, and she was busy with work at the moment. It sucked, but he could bear it for a little while. He much preferred a boring day over one spent fighting assassins and what not.

Besides, watching the two girls play Othello was an alright way to pass the time. He was not going to bother Otto and Frederica, especially since he promised them free time for themselves (and somehow managed to convince Roswaal to get them a vacation).

Just as Tanza was going to begin a new game on the board (which he made out of a big napkin), a voice came from the entrance to the kitchen. "Playing. Curious."

A massive brown-green figure stood outside the open doorway. Its frame was so big that the top of the doorway cut it off at the waist…if the thing even had a waist to begin with. Its stick-thin legs and massive hands were all that Subaru could see.

Once again, it's intimidating voice resounded through the room. "Madeline. Game. Distraction."

Tanza sighed as the dragonkin stuck out her tongue. "Stay out of this, Mogro! We dragons can't stand Kafma at all, so let him negotiate by himself! Aren't you supposed to be there too!?"

There was a very awkward pause as Mogro formulated a response. "Negotiation. Abort. Emperor. Dissatisfied."

The deer-girl shook her head. "Mogro is quite the laconic man. He does not like to strike up conversations, as you can see."

From where the Steelman stood came a sound like metal cans rubbing against each other before he spoke, "I. Conversation. Excellent."

Subaru whistled. "Well, that wasn't how I expected to meet this guy…"

"Tactician," the giant said. "Greeting. Emperor. Regards."

"Yeah, hi to you too, big guy," he whispered.

Mogro made a sound like a gear whirring at high speed. "Playing. Shatranj. Inquisitive."

Madeline chuckled. "This isn't Shatranj! This is…um…"

"Othello," the teen added helpfully.

"Ofello!" the dragonkin repeated proudly.

A pause, then Mogro spoke, "Othello. Peculiar. Participate."

He saw Tanza pale as she realized the meaning of his words. "He does not fit through the door…he would shatter it…"

Subaru thought quickly. "Alright, uh…Madeline, get the board, I'll get the pieces, and Tanza will take us to…somewhere Mogro can fit. That way he can play."

"Agreed," Mogro spoke, slowly stepping away from the doorway.

Finding a place for the Steelman would prove to be…a daunting task.


In the end, they settled for the Crimson Lapis Castle's front stairs.

Subaru, with bated breath, watched as Mogro gently lifted a measuring cup and placed it on another part of the board with his stiff hand. When he placed the cup down, the teen sighed with relief.

"I am forced to concede my victory this time," Tanza uttered with a hint of amazement. "Mister Hagane is…a proficient player, and a fast learner."

There came a metallic noise from the Steelman. "Victory. Finish. Retire."

Madeline puffed her chest out with pride. "That's right, you big…thing. Get out of here so others can play!"

Slowly, the giant turned to her, giving the little dragonkin a glare that spoke more than he ever could, then simply turned back to the board-napkin. "See. Kafma. Question. Duration."

The servant girl nodded. "Please do so. The sooner these negotiations are finished, the better. It's afternoon, and they began in the early morning…how does mister Irulux talk so much?"

"Practice," Mogro affirmed. "Unsure."

Tanza set the matter aside and focused on restarting the match. She moved the pieces off the board and left them to one side. To accommodate for the Steelman's height, they laid down the board on one of the steps in the stairs. Either of the girls would sit on the step while Mogro would just lean forward to reach. It was awkward, yes, but it was the best they had.

As the giant stepped away from the board and let Madeline take her place to compete against Tanza, Subaru heard footsteps and giggles ascending the stairs behind him. He turned to find his two Lugnican friends coming his way, both of them so focused on one another that they had not yet noticed the strange scenario playing out in the middle of the stairs.

Frederica was the first to see it as she turned her gaze from Otto to the steps ahead, and it took her a second to process what she was seeing. "Oh! Ah, we're not interrupting anything, are we?"

The black-haired teen just waved his hand. "It's fine, you guys. We're just using the stairs right now, so take care to not disrupt the game as you go up. These three seem to like it a lot."

"Is that Othello, mister Natsuki?" the merchant asked, pointing to the makeshift board. "The pieces aren't exactly the same…but it seems to be it, right?"

"Of course the pieces aren't the same, dude," he teased, putting on a mean smirk. "We had to improvise! You think Yorna keeps board games just scattered about?"

Tanza raised a finger without even looking at him. "Lady Yorna has a game room in the castle."

"Okay, sure," he conceded. "Do you expect me to find it?"

"You could have asked," she replied, fighting back a smile.

The beast maid turned to her boyfriend. "You were good at this game, why not try a match? Surely, it'll be fun!"

Otto put a hand to his chin and nodded. "Alright, I will. Who would I compete against? Mister Natsuki?"

With a toothy smile, Frederica pointed at Mogro and said, "Him."

"Challenge," the colossal Divine General uttered. "Amusing. Play."

The ashen-haired young man seemed to deflate. "You too, Frederica? You're putting me in a bind here…what about you, mister Natsuki?"

"Yeah, you're gonna have to beat Mogro," the teen nodded. "If he wins, we'll take him home as new Head of Internal Affairs."

The Steelman made a horrific metallic sound. "Business. Dashing. Apparel."

After looking around for anyone sympathetic to his plight and being disappointed, Otto let his shoulders droop. "Fine, fine…I'll try my best."

Frederica patted him on the back and smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I have confidence that you'll win."

Otto ended up losing.


After a couple more rounds of Othello, the sun began to disappear into the horizon, and the sky turned orange as dusk inched ever closer.

Subaru only noticed the passage of time when Kafma Irulux, one of the newer Divine Generals hired after the civil war, came out of the castle practically fuming and yelled at all of them to get out of his way. He stormed down the stairs, muttering to himself, as they all watched him go.

It was Madeline who said that, as much as she would love to stay a while longer, Kafma was technically in charge of their group, and if he left for the capital, they had to leave too. When Tanza offered transportation, she declined: her power was to command dragons, and getting one of them to fly her to Rupghana would not be an issue.

Mogro could just…dig his way back, apparently.

When the two of them left after a lengthy goodbye, Otto said that he best get going too. Chaosflame had to have at least one restaurant, and he wanted to take Frederica out for dinner.

Since they left, Subaru and Tanza were the only ones left, and…it was kind of awkward.

"I hope you do not mind if I return this to the kitchen," she said, picking up the various items they had used to play. "As for the napkin…you may keep it. I doubt the rest of the staff would appreciate having a used napkin around."

The teen bowed his head as he picked up the napkin. "There are other staff members? You're the only one I've seen so far."

She nodded. "It flatters me that you think I can attend to the whole Crimson Lapis Castle by myself. I am honored."

"It's true, though!" he insisted. "How come you're the one always hanging out with Yorna? Where's the rest of the staff?"

"Lady Yorna believed that my appearance – cuteness, if you wish to use her words – would be good for public relations," the deer-girl replied with a self-satisfied scoff.

Subaru looked at her. "Uh huh…next you'll tell me that you're this city's official governor."

Somehow, Tanza managed to widen her grin. "Only in emergencies or similar cases, of course."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Why did I not see that one coming?"

Instead of responding, the ankle-biter kept picking up the various kitchen items she needed to return. About half a minute passed before she spoke again.

"You should go see Lady Yorna," she said out of nowhere. "Surely, after such a demanding day, she would love to see you for a little while."

Much to her surprise, he replied with, "Nah…I'd hate to bother her…"

The servant stared at him, flabbergasted. "Are you dumb? Go see Lady Yorna, and I will finish cleaning up here. I will even discard the napkin, just go."

"Go where?" he asked, a bit surprised by her sudden forcefulness. "The castle's huge, I'll get lost in it!"

"Three doors to the left of your room," came Tanza's response. "Lady Yorna gave you a room close to hers on purpose."

Yeah, that made sense, he thought. After all, as the lady of the castle, she would be the one whose word was law. Getting him any room would have been a piece of cake.

He was brought back to reality by Tanza gently flicking him on the arm. "Are you going or what?"

"Yeah," Subaru spoke, feeling more confident. "Yeah, I'll go! Thanks, Tanza, you're a lifesaver!"

"Indeed, I am," she smiled. "Take care to repay that debt to me. My help is not free."

But Subaru did not hear her, as he was already running up the stairs to the castle.


"Oh…you're here, hm?"

Yorna's office was gigantic, and it made Subaru feel a little…small, by comparison. It was right next door to her room, and it did a good job of flaunting its owner's wealth: books, couches, and all sorts of beautiful and flamboyant decorations adorned the room.

The Divine General herself sat at a majestic desk, which was covered in papers and – more strangely – her hair ornaments. She had taken them off at some point, most likely.

Yorna herself seemed exhausted. She rubbed her eyes frequently and could barely manage a smile without revealing how fatigued she felt. Her hair, usually held in an ornate bun, was let down, and flowed down her back like a white-and-gold cascade. When he walked in, she looked at him with half-lidded cyan eyes for a couple seconds before attempting a grin and yawning.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," the fox muttered, putting her head on her arms and her arms on the desk. "I can't even say I remembered you were here…but I'm happy you came. Had fun?"

He walked up to one of the couches, a rather large one, and sat on the end closest to her. "Yeah, I guess so. Taught a couple people how to play Othello."

While she stretched her arms, she spoke, "Really? You'll have to teach me, too…I'd love to learn…"

As her voice grew lower, the black-haired teen said, "Hey, Yorna…hey. You're really tired. Here, I'll walk you to your room. Some sleep will do you good."

A frown appeared on her face as she stood and stretched her legs. "Ah…but I'd promised to spend some time with you, didn't I? Maybe…I can get you some dinner…none for me, because I feel a little…sick, right now."

He stood, too, and made his way to where she was. "It's alright, I don't feel li-"

His sentence was cut short as she pulled him in for a tight hug, bringing his head to her chest as she gave a soft yawn. It was an adorable gesture, and a rather comfortable one, so he returned the hug, prompting her to plant a kiss on the crown of his head and giggle.

"I barely even talked to you, dear," she whispered in a melancholic tone. "You came all the way here to see me…and I barely even paid attention to you."

Subaru brought his forehead to her neck and sighed. "Don't worry about it, I understand. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble because of me, you know? Come on, let's tuck you in."

The fox whined. "I want to stay like this…a little longer."

He obliged and stayed silent, closing his eyes and listening to the ambience. He could feel her heartbeat, hear her breathing, listen to the commotion that was so commonplace in Chaosflame. Truthfully, he really liked it. This was just a peaceful, tranquil moment for the two of them to share. It was proof they did not even need words to convey how they felt about one another. A warm hug was a great way to send that message.

Tenderly, Yorna brought her hands to his head, using her thumbs to scratch him behind his ears, which felt surprisingly nice.

"I love you," she murmured. "Knowing you came to see me…just to see me…it makes me so happy."

With a hum of contentment, he replied, "It's nothing. I really wanted to come see you…but I also did this for myself, I think."

"How come?" the Divine General asked.

"I felt…weird in the manor," Subaru explained, feeling like he was admitting to a sin. "Life went back to normal, and it was what I wanted, but it felt wrong. How do I put it…like everyone else was the same and I had changed. You know those people who have dreams about their daily lives and it's super accurate but it feels off? It was like that, almost…surreal. The first week and a half, everyone acted like I was some big shot that managed to solve a civil war by himself. Heh, Garf even kept asking me for stories about Vollachia…but after that, it all went back to normal. Something about that…bothered me. I needed a minute away from everything. God, I'm such scum…bothering all of you to get me back to my friends just to ditch them two months later and come running back."

He felt Yorna stop scratching behind his ears and hold his head with more strength. She pulled away from him and moved his head up so they were looking at each other, then kissed him.

Like before, her kiss was gentle, caring. If a hug was enough to convey her love, then this went above and beyond in doing so. For the few seconds that it lasted, he let himself push his worries away and focus only on her.

When she pulled away, she smiled and said, "What's the problem with that? You deserve some time for yourself…and I'm all too happy to provide it. Here, come on…let's go somewhere more comfortable."

Although he wanted to reply with words, all he managed was a dumb nod and an "uh huh," which made her smile widen. Stepping away from him, she reached for his hand and slowly pulled him with her as she strode to the door and into the hallway. He went along with it as his mind was not really thinking. Besides, more time with Yorna was something he would not say no to.

Hand-in-hand, the fox walked alongside him as they made their way to her room. Sure, it was literally a step away, but it was a nice gesture. Subaru appreciated it all the same.

In less than a minute, they were in the Divine General's room, which was…well, he could see why they had named her "the flamboyant." The whole room was the same shade of crimson as the rest of the castle, but the bedsheets were a dark blue, the pillows were each a different color, and even the closet door was some weird shade of yellow. It looked like a rainbow had been brutally disemboweled here.

With his free hand, he rubbed his eyes. "Man…no offense, but this place hurts my eyes."

"Tanza doesn't like it either," she chuckled. "I don't know why…it's a perfectly fine bedroom, isn't it?"

"Yorna, your choice of colors is an insult to everyone with sight," the teen sighed.

She laughed again and pulled him toward the large bed. "Come on…if you're asleep, you won't notice it."

Once he was near the bed, he promptly plopped himself down on the mattress and groaned with relief. The fox was quick to do the same, laying down beside him and laughing jovially as she put her arms around him and leaned in to kiss him on the temple. He grinned at her constant pecks, and responded by seeking her hand to hold it.

One thing led to another, and now Subaru inexplicably found himself back in the Divine General's tight embrace and with his head on her bosom.

Yorna had laid down with one of her pillows under her head as she delicately squeezed his body, being careful to not go overboard and use her Soul Marriage's power on him by accident (he would not really complain, and it would be a Return by Death he might just enjoy for once). One of her hands was on the back of his head, pulling him closer, and the other was on his back as she slowly traced a circular motion with her palm. With him fully trapped in her grasp, she took the opportunity to lean down and rest her head on top of his.

As he adjusted his body to try and get a little more comfortable, Subaru uttered, "This…is really nice…surprisingly nice. Thank you…"

"Anytime," was her response, which was followed by a soft and delighted hum. "I mean it. If you ever feel down for any reason or are just looking for a little cuddle, tell me. I don't care if it's late at night or early in the morning…all you have to do is ask."

The offer sounded divine. "R-really? You'd do that?"

Her laugh filled him with warmth. "Of course. If anything, you should be complaining about it. I'd have expected you to protest my clinginess…"

"Not at all!" he rebuffed, bringing his head closer to her chest. "I like it…heh, I could say it was worth the trip."

"Are you still conflicted about coming here?" she asked, her voice taking a soothing and almost motherly tone.

The black-haired young man whined. "Yeah…I am. I just left everyone behind, ran away, after trying so much to help them…it feels wrong."

"It shouldn't," Yorna whispered. "Your friends are great people, from what little I know of them, but you have your needs too. Remember what I told you? About placing yourself first?"

With more frustration than he expected, he responded, "It's not so easy! I've bled for these people, I love them…and I'm just running away from them! Worse, I like being away from them! Some part of me is just nagging me that this peace and quiet is what I want, and I hate to admit that it's true! I…promised to be there for them, and I want to break that promise…"

Her hand caressed his scalp as she said, "But that's perfectly fine. I ask Tanza for some time alone whenever I need it. She understands that I love her, but she also knows when I feel like taking a break from everyone. Truthfully, I'm flattered you came to me when you wanted to relax, but I get how you're feeling."

"I…don't know," he muttered, feeling his emotions bubble. "I don't want to stay here, and whenever I'm at the manor I feel like everything's wrong, like everyone wants to see 'Subaru their old friend' because they wouldn't understand 'Subaru who came back from Vollachia,' you know!? It's like…it feels like everyone's stayed the same, everyone except me…"

She kissed the top of his head. "It's the monotony. You're conflicted because you hate the chaos of Vollachia but feel wrong in the peace of Lugnica. You love your friends, and I get that, but they tire you out at times, right?"

The warmth of her embrace, the tender feeling of her hand on his hair, it all made him feel…cared for. In a way, it reminded him of the time he overworked himself once, trying his hardest to earn the twin maids' trust in his first week at the manor. Yorna's embrace was as comforting as Emilia's lap pillow had been back then, and it had the exact same effect on him.

"I can't put it into words," he complained. "It's…things just irritate me at times. Some things I used to love just…feel bland. I used to love making fun of Otto, but now I just kinda go along with it. I used to be careful around Roswaal, but now just hearing his voice makes me want to spit at him. And…and Emilia…"

How could he put it into words? How could he explain his guilt at loving someone else, at being with someone else, after he had spent more than a year waiting for his answer, proclaiming his love at every opportunity? How could he tell Yorna that his feelings for Emilia had changed without making her feel like she was just a substitute, someone to shift his love to for a little while?

"I get it."

Her voice was calming on a level he could not believe. It felt like she had eased off every burden he had. All it would take was a headpat and a nice whisper in his ear to get him to break down crying against her chest. Hell, if she kissed him on the cheek and asked nicely, he would probably get himself killed trying to break the horrid taboo that forbid him from mentioning his deaths.

"I get it," she repeated, whispering in a gentle voice. "What you have to do is pick what's better for you. Don't stick with something just because it's what you worked hard to get, stick with it because it helps you, because you like it. Pick what you want to pick."

A pause.

Slowly, she tightened her hug as she said, "And, whatever you choose…know that I'll be on your side. Always."

Everything, from her voice to the warm hug to his stress, it all coalesced at that moment. Subaru could barely hold himself back from crying into her chest, and he decided to let it all go. Without care for anything else in the world, he cried into the fox's chest as she spoke calming words and cuddled him. In the midst of his sobbing, she even wrapped her legs around him, pulled him close, and wrapped him as best she could in her tails. It was difficult, and not really effective at all, but he did not even notice it.

He let himself cry, though it was not as if he could stop it anyway. While she ran her hand through his hair, he let the tears leave his eyes as he hugged her with all the strength he could muster. It must have been a pathetic sight, he thought, but what did he care? Finally, for once, he could do something for himself. At long last, he could be miserable with someone to comfort him, someone to tell him his tears were nothing to be ashamed of.

After a couple of minutes, he began to calm down, his body exhausted from releasing all the feelings he had bottled up. "Ah…ah…Yorna…I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it," she replied, nuzzling against his head. "Don't worry at all. I'm here for you, for anything you might need. Cry as much as you want, laugh as much as you want…I'll be alongside you all the same."

"Mmm," was all he managed in response. "You're…like a…therapist…but better."

"I'll take the compliment," the Divine General mused. "Do you want to sleep now? I'd have no problem staying up with you a little longer...or leaving you to sleep."

Although he adored the position he was in, he found that sleep was not even on his mind. "I'm…not really tired. Can I…stay like this? If it's fine with you, of course…"

A nod. "Of course it is. Stay as long as you want. Tell me if you want water or anything to eat, though."

With her consent, he once again rested his head against her chest. Neither spoke, and the silence was…enchanting. He could hear and feel her breath and heartbeat. Her tight snuggle contrasted with her unbelievably fluffy tails, which tickled him when he shifted. The only thing he smelled was her fading perfume, which was flowery and addicting.

Given that his mind was completely devoid of thought, he was not really thinking about anything when Yorna said, "You know, dear…if you want, of course, we can do more than just cuddle."

He gave a squeal of surprise. "What are you saying!?"

"Nothing," she chuckled. "I'm just letting you know that, if you want, then perhaps I can keep my promise from earlier today. It's not right for me to let you just run around the castle and not pay attention to you, especially when you came all the way here because of me."

"You've already done more than enough," he responded, and then sighed. "I don't mean in a bad way! It's just…"

Letting go of the back of his head, she put her hand on his cheek and softly caressed it. "Are you worried? Scared? Whatever it is, tell me, and I promise to help you overcome it. A relationship in which one does all the work is a poor relationship. I don't want you to carry these feelings inside you when you know I'm here to help."

He felt her hand's caress, indulging in it. "I just…I don't know. I'm not sure. I…love you. I really do…but I'm worried about my friends. What if everyone hears about this? I mean, Emilia is already at a disadvantage just for being a half-elf, so what if someone finds out about this and uses it against her?"

The fox giggled. "My, thinking of another woman when I'm holding you in my arms? You truly are the worst…but to answer your question, yes, that is a very real possibility. Of course, though, there are measures available to respond to such a scheme."

"Such as?" he inquired, then looked at her with surprise. "You're not gonna invade Lugnica, right!?"

"What gives you that idea?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "No, no, what I meant is that His Majesty holds a significant amount of power over Lugnica. It would be easy for him to just…leak a little misinformation and protect your camp."

A pause. "Why? Why do we have to play politics to justify our relationship?"

The Divine General let go of him and gently pushed him on his back before kissing him on the cheek. "Because some people really don't have anything better to do than meddle in others' relationships, but you shouldn't be the one worrying about this. No, you shouldn't be worrying about anything right now. You came here for a vacation, and that's what you deserve. My offer still stands, too."

"Are you…serious?"

"I am."

Subaru looked her in the eyes, and he found that she really was telling the truth. It was up to him to decide whether he wanted to…"further" his relationship with her or not. On one hand, he felt bad enough having just up and left his friends in the manor so suddenly, even if it was for a little vacation. He felt even worse for allowing himself to fall in love with a Divine General of a rival country while already being in love with a candidate for another country, which could get out of hand very quickly and maybe even escalate tensions to…

His thought process was interrupted by Yorna kissing him as she placed a pillow under his head. "Don't be so hasty. I can wait a little for you to decide, dear."

On the other hand…

On the other hand, he genuinely loved her. He felt completely at peace whenever he was with her. He never wanted to leave her embrace whenever she hugged him. He could not get that night during the civil war out of his head, the same night she told him that he deserved to be loved too. Worst of all, no matter how hard he tried, he could not shake the feeling that he wanted to be with her however he could. He could not shake the bitter feeling that he had spent far too long suffering for far too little, and that maybe this was his reward. He could not shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he would be a giant fool to pass up an opportunity like this.

His friends, his family, had not changed, but he had. Maybe…they needed to accept that.

Once again, Yorna leaned in to kiss him, and this time, he returned the gesture. When their lips met, he pushed against her with little strength, but with enough vigor to convey the message. After a couple seconds, she pulled away with a satisfied grin.

"Can I interpret that as a yes?" she giggled.

With a smile of his own, Subaru replied, "Yes, you can."

Her excitement was evident as she once again hugged him tight, bringing his head to her chest. "Aw, thank you, dear. I'm going to make good on my promise, then."

"Ah, just…one thing," he muttered with a nervous chuckle. "If we're really going to…do this, then can we take it slow? I'm not really experienced with this, heh."

"Of course, of course," the fox nodded, carefully sitting on his hip. "Here, why don't you start?"

As she smiled teasingly, Yorna grabbed his hand and slowly brought it to the top of her kimono, on her shoulder. He grabbed the cloth and looked at her as if asking for permission, and she nodded again. Taking a deep breath, he slowly pulled it down.

He managed to pull her kimono down to her elbows before she clicked her tongue and squeezed his cheek with a pout. "Your hand is shaking, dear. If you don't want to…"

"It's fine," he mumbled. "Just…a little pressure, you know?"

"Yes, don't worry," was her reply. "Would you mind if…I took the lead? There was something…I kind of read about…and…"

Subaru chuckled, letting go of her kimono. "I understand. Just don't break my back, okay?"

With a devious grin, the fox responded, "I will try not to."

She gave him a soft kiss on the tip of his nose and chuckled to herself before kissing him again and again, all over his face. After that, she put her forehead against his and sighed with contentment.

"I missed you," she whispered. "I don't want to be away from you, in a different country…so I'm going to make the most of what little time we have."

Carefully, she stood from his hip and sat down cross-legged next to him, patting her lap. The young man did as instructed and laid down on her lap, smiling blissfully as she ran a hand through his hair.

For a little while, the two of them remained like that, taking comfort in each other's presence. Then, with a little hum, Yorna stopped patting his head and placed her hands on her chest, grabbing her kimono for a moment before pulling it down, exposing her breasts.

She took a second to pull off her sleeves completely, her smile turning a tad nervous. Finally, when she was finished, the Divine General looked back down at Subaru, who was still laying on her lap and unsure of what to do next.

Silently, she watched as he raised a hand up to her bare chest and stopped before touching her, glancing up with a look of uncertainty.

With the most soothing voice she could muster – although one with a tinge of nervousness – the fox spoke, "Well…what are you waiting for? Still a little shy? Don't worry, then…that makes two of us."

"That's…reassuring," he confessed, mumbling bashfully as he placed his right hand on her now-exposed bust.

Subaru had to admit that, as a former-NEET (turned international hero, mind you), this was not the first time he had been exposed to the concept of sex…although it sure was much better than anything he could have imagined. Feeling Yorna's soft skin in his grasp as he gently fondled her breast was something he could not properly describe in words.

And it was more than that. There was a feeling in his stomach, something very similar to the "butterflies" he had heard so much about. It was something beyond mere lust, something that grew stronger whenever she patted his head or kissed him or hummed, whenever she moaned gently at feeling his touch. Of course, the idea of performing such an intimate act with a beautiful woman like her was not something he alone believed in, but this was different, like what mattered more to him was more than just her beauty.

He would, to the best of his knowledge, classify the feeling as love. It was not shameful lust that brought him here, it was love, the one he held for the Divine General, the one he had come to discover after so much time with her (unfortunately, he was the only one to remember most of that time). What he felt was a sort of peace, like the one found after surpassing a great challenge.

"You're…awfully quiet," she teased, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Mesmerized by my beauty? You wouldn't be…the first."

It took him a second to realize he was being spoken to. "It's not that…I just have a lot on my mind…"

She placed one hand on his forehead and another on his stomach. "Don't worry about anything right now…leave that to me."

He was going to reply until she began playing with his hair, delicately caressing his scalp. As a pleased hum escaped her lips, she slowly leaned her body toward him, intentionally putting her breast right next to his face. When he realized her intention, Subaru felt his face literally heat up, which was accompanied by a timid giggle from the Divine General.

After an awkward second in silence, he slowly turned his head toward her tit and put his mouth to her nipple, eliciting a sound between a hum and a moan from the fox, who kept stroking his head.

"Hah, that's…not half-bad," she mused with a weak voice. "Keep it up…"

Those words were all the encouragement he needed. With some fluttering pride in his heart at earning that praise, he began to lightly suck, which made Yorna's smile twitch ever so slightly as she moved her right hand to the back of his head, keeping him in place. Still, her grip was soothing, caring. She was trying to avoid forcing him in any way, and he could tell.

Feeling her nails delicately scratch the back of his head and his nape, Subaru closed his eyes and allowed all his worries to slip from his mind.

Seconds passed, with him suckling on the Divine General's chest and her moaning meekly while she caressed him. For what seemed like the first time in an eternity, the raven-haired youth could completely relax, could put himself in another's hands knowing that nothing beside just the two of them mattered. It was a sense of intimacy he had only ever imagined before, and now that he finally experienced it, he never wanted it to end.

Her voice, although weak, was comforting to him, especially when paired with her caress. "There…you're doing good..."

A snicker escaped her lips as she leaned a little closer to him.

Even with his eyes closed, he could picture her grin as she whispered, "Hm…good boy. You've earned this…you've more than earned it."

She kept humming as she stroked his head with one hand while her other slid down to his pants' waistband. Hooking her thumb on it, she gave it a slight and uncertain tug. When he made no objection to it, the fox pulled on it, lowering his pants gradually until they were around his knees.

Knowing that he was in his underwear was more than embarrassing to Subaru, but her gentle touch helped him relax. He could tell his face was probably crimson right now – probably even redder than the castle they were in – but he felt no shame from it as Yorna ran her hand up and down his thigh in a consoling manner. In fact, apart from the embarrassment, he felt joy at the fact that she was willing to go this far with him.

Her hand slid up to the top of his boxers and stopped there for a short while before pulling them down slowly.

There was a short moment of silence before the fox half-purred and calmly traced the length of his erection with her fingers while he gave a light shudder.

Apparently satisfied by his reaction, she chuckled to herself and firmly grasped his dick, softly stroking it up and down. Her touch, tender yet solid, made him almost shiver from pleasure. In return (and partly out of some sense of shame for being in such a position), he stopped suckling her tit and pulled away, which caused her to whine in disappointment.

"Aww, really?" she complained, her hand still caressing his head lovingly. "It's alright, dear. Just relax and let me spoil you for a little while…"

After what felt like such a long time, he opened his eyes again and met her gaze, making sure to spend a second or two just taking in her radiant smile and slight blush. "Yorna…"

"Yes?" she grinned, purposely speeding up her hand's movement on his dick. "What is it?"

Subaru managed to half-groan his response. "I…I love you…"

Yorna bit her lip as her face turned redder. "Look at you, saying that…aren't you just the most adorable little…"

She sighed.

"I love you too," she finally proclaimed, shaking her head and laughing sweetly while one of her tails moved to rest against his cheek.

He sighed and nuzzled his face against her fluffy tail, enjoying the calmness and intimacy of the moment. It was perfect.

Bit by bit, thanks to her gentle stroking, a strange feeling began to grow within him, one of insatiable lust and need. His light groans of pleasure became more frequent and louder, prompting her to speed up her hand's motions. It was only a few seconds later that he felt the very same feeling bubble up and send him over the edge.

He tried to call Yorna's name but only managed some unintelligible sounds and shallow breaths as he came, staining her hand (and some of the bed) with his seed. While he felt the bliss of orgasm recede, the fox pushed him to her chest and kissed him on the forehead, making joyful whimpers and hums as she did so.

"Ah…a-ah," he mewled, his breaths slowing down. "Yorna…"

She lightly scratched the back of his head. "Shh, shh…you don't need to say anything. Take a minute to…relax…"

Subaru did as ordered, taking a couple deep breaths and focusing just on what he could feel at the moment: the warmth of her skin, the tenderness of her caress…

"That's it," she cooed. "Yes, that's it…rest for a minute. Mhm…good boy…"

"Ah…"

She giggled and kissed the top of his head. "There, there. I hope I was able to…meet your expectations."

He only managed a dopey nod.

"I'm happy, then," the fox sighed. "You deserved this…it's alright to be spoiled once in a while, you know?"

"Yeah," he whispered.

With nothing more to say, the two of them remained as they were for a little while, basking in one another's company. Subaru took the opportunity to slowly regain his composure, taking deep breaths as he laid his head on Yorna's lap. Truthfully, he was a little tired. He kind of just wanted to fall asleep on the bed while snuggling against her. It certainly did not help that she was lulling him to sleep with her headpats.

Suddenly, she stopped running her hand through his hair and patted him sweetly on the cheek. "You look tired, dear…want to take a bath and call it a day?"

The young man looked away from her as he responded, "I…kind of…uh…"

She pinched his ear playfully. "Well, now. Don't be ashamed to speak your mind."

"Would you mind…if we…did t-this again?" he finally asked.

Pushing her finger against his nose, the Divine General said, "Now? I'm perfectly fine with it, but give me a minute to…well, clean up."

He blushed at her comment, prompting her to laugh sweetly.

"Don't worry about it," the fox smiled. "It's to be expected that we'd get dirty. I'm going to fetch myself a towel…do you want one too?"

Subaru nodded and sat up so that she could stand. Once off the bed, she stretched and yawned before lazily strolling toward her closet, which she opened to reveal a variety of colorful (and garish) outfits along with some other items of clothing. She grabbed a small towel from a neat pile, wiped her hand with it, and got another one, which she tossed at him.

When he caught it, the young man said, "You know…I'd hate to inconvenience whoever's gonna clean these."

"I'll clean them," she proclaimed, puffing out her bare chest with pride and grinning smugly. "I love my staff, but there are some things that…I would much rather keep between us. Wouldn't you agree?"

A nod. "When you put it like that…I guess it would suck to be the one cleaning up this…mess…"

She crossed her arms. "Exactly, which is why you're going to be helping me out."

"Aw," he complained, pouting for added effect. "Sure, alright…but I wanted a vacation, you know?"

"Yes, yes. You'll get to relax, of course, but I won't just let you sleep all day either. That's no way to live."

"I once met someone who just laid on the ground all day and complained about life. She would really disagree with you."

Yorna shook her head with a smile that showed off her pointy teeth. "Someday, I will meet that person, and we'll have a very interesting conversation."

He chuckled and was about to respond when she turned around and began to undo her kimono. For a second, he looked at her in confusion, then looked away with a surprised squeak. Yorna, meanwhile, looked at him over her shoulder with a puzzled expression.

A second passed before she understood, her smile turning almost sheepish. "Hm…would you rather I kept my dress on?"

"It's…fine," he muttered, still facing away from her but glancing at her out the corner of his eye. "Whichever you prefer."

She shrugged, intentionally letting her kimono fall a bit down her arms. "In that case, I hope you don't mind me taking it off. After a long day of…Kafma, wearing this feels like carrying the castle itself."

Her smile wavered and fell while she slid the ornate garment off her body, sighing in relief. On the bed, Subaru turned his gaze back to her, taking in her appearance. With another tired shrug, the Divine General cast off her dress and let it drop on the floor around her feet, then she yawned and stretched her arms.

It was the first time he had ever seen Yorna wearing anything less than her nightgown…and it was exciting. She was always very attractive, of course, but now that she stood in front of him practically naked save for her white panties, he could confidently say that "attractive" did not cut it anymore. He took in the sight completely dumbstruck, like he could not believe such a woman was really in front of him: in contrast to his admittedly-normal looks, she was like a goddess.

"Admiring the view?" she teased, putting her hands to her hips and leaning forward, a smirk and a blush on her face. "I am rather proud of my looks, you know. Feel free to stare as much as you want, heh."

And stare he did, at least for a few seconds before he finally said, "Y-you're…really b-beautiful…"

Turning back to face him, she bit her lip, shook her head, and blushed harder. "Look at you, saying such a thing…you're such a flirt, you know? I'm not surprised you had so many girls falling for you in Lugnica."

In spite of himself, the young man chuckled, embarrassed. "Believe me, I wasn't trying to do it…"

"Ah?" the fox grinned, taking a couple steps and sitting down on the bed beside him. "So, this is all unintentional? I know quite a few people who wish they could turn as many heads as you do, and to think you're not even trying…"

"It's not even like that!" he protested, laughing and leaning on her arm. "Yorna…you're making me sound like a model, jeez. Only thing I've got that stands out is my hair, and even then, Vincent pulls it off better than me!"

She turned and hugged him, bringing his head to her chest. "Please, His Majesty? He's been wearing the same coat for eight years now. That man has no sense of fashion."

"Mmm…he still looks be-"

"Better than you? No way. I'll admit that he does have that…uh, aura of royalty, but trust me when I say you're much cuter. Besides…I much prefer being with you…never in a million years would His Majesty allow me to cuddle him like this."

"Then…why did you want to marry him?"

A pause. "I…really thought he would drop dead someday and leave everything to me…that way, I could have expanded the dream of Chaosflame."

"What dream?" he asked with genuine interest.

She sighed and took a second before replying, "Chaosflame is a haven for demi-humans…if I led the empire, I could make a dozen more cities like it. Maybe, for once…those poor people could find a place to call home."

Yorna tightened her embrace, and he nuzzled against her. "That's a nice dream…I hope I can help you accomplish it."

He felt her lean down and plant a kiss on his head. "Thank you. Thank you, dear."

Once again, she began tenderly scratching the back of his head, and he spoke, "Hey, Yorna?"

"Yes?"

"I missed you a lot," he said, looking up into her eyes.

The Divine General did not respond with words, and instead brought her hands to his cheeks before leaning down again and kissing him. He was surprised for a moment, then returned the kiss with passion, slowly pushing Yorna onto her back until she was laying down on the bed.

Now, he was on top of her, doing what his instincts told him. He began kissing her cheek, then moved down to her neck, leaving a trail of light pecks that made her giggle quietly. With care and vigor, he moved down her body, constantly bringing his lips to her skin and internally smiling at her reaction.

Once he reached her navel, he stopped and looked up at her, wearing a dumb smirk on his face. "Shall I do that again, my lady?"

"N-no need," she exhaled with a smile wide enough to display her sharp teeth. "You're…quite the romantic, aren't you?"

Resting his head against her tummy, he replied, "I try to impress."

That made her snicker. "You…are doing…a very good job, then."

Subaru kissed her stomach again and grabbed one of her legs, slightly lifting it up as he moved to kiss her inner thigh. After that, he lowered his head down to her crotch and placed a final kiss on her wet panties.

Yorna hissed quietly. "Quite the…gentleman, aren't you…?"

When he was going to respond, she stretched out her hand. He took it, after a moment's hesitation, and she pulled him close to her again, wrapping her arms around his torso in a tight embrace.

With a mischievous grin, she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Now, let me do a little something for you…"

And, in one swift movement, she flipped their positions, dropping him onto the bed as she sat on his waist.

It took the young man a second to process what happened, and then he chuckled. "Heh, I wasn't expecting that."

"You weren't?" she teased. "That makes this a bit more fun, then."

She brought her hands to his cheeks and caressed them, taking a moment to look at him, to commit his face into memory.

"Is there something on my face?" he asked with a trace of worry.

The fox put on a serious expression, as if considering the question. "Yes, there is…it's your beautiful eyes."

When he blushed, she pinched his nose and laughed, which in turn made him giggle too. As they laughed, Yorna put her hands on the sides of his face and brought her lips to his, kissing him with passion and care. That was something he loved about her: how she always treated him gently, like she was scared of hurting him.

Truthfully, he found it adorable.

She pulled away from him slightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, then pecked him lightly on his forehead and slowly scooted her body downward until she sat right above his crotch.

"Mhm," she whispered into his ear. "You look a little nervous…want me to stop?"

"N-no," was his response. "But…today's been…quite a day…"

A soft moan escaped her lips as she inched down one last time and teasingly rubbed his erection with her ass. "It really was quite a day…so what say we finish it off like this? Just the two of us, enjoying a night with each other…"

The young man groaned. "I…really missed you."

She leaned backward and put her right thumb to his lips. "I missed you too. Knowing you're in another country…so far from here…it brings my mood down whenever I think about it…which is why I plan to make the most of every day you're here."

He could practically see the love and lust in her gaze as she slid her left hand down his body, then brought that same hand to her crotch and slid her panties to one side, revealing her damp slit.

Without another word, she captured his lips in another kiss – one much steamier and longer than the last – and slowly lowered herself until the tip of his dick grazed her entrance. She hesitated for a moment, then took his length in with a single swift movement, moaning softly into his mouth.

Subaru was amazed by the feeling. The warmth and tightness made him feel a sort of pleasure he had only imagined in the past. It was bliss, and combined with Yorna's embrace, it gave him a feeling beyond the classic "butterflies." It was, as best as he could describe it, pure and unconditional love.

His thinking was cut short by the Divine General pulling away from their kiss and panting lightly, her lips curved upward in a lustful and pleased smile. "Ah…I had…this isn't like I…imagined…"

A heavy blush spread across his face. "That makes two of us…"

She shifted her body a little bit, trying to find a comfortable position. "How's it feel…? Does this…make up for earlier…?"

"You…didn't have to," he mumbled, grabbing her hands and entwining his fingers with hers. "I…have I told you how much I love you…?"

"I can guess," was her reply. "Now…what say we prove…this love to one another?"

With that, she moved her body up and down, each movement sending jolts of pleasure to his mind, washing away whatever else he could be thinking of. His thoughts, his whole focus, was just on the person responsible for making him feel this good, the woman who showered him with boundless love and asked for nothing in return.

It was a fleeting and stupid thought, but he really wondered…what had he done to deserve this?

Suddenly, Yorna let go of one of his hands and caressed his cheek lovingly, a simple gesture that brought immense warmth into his heart.

"Ah…know that…look," she spoke, cupping his cheek. "You…ah, you're…"

Her smile fell, and her expression turned caring, concerned.

Brushing her thumb against his lip, she uttered the words, "I…love you…"

A guileless smile formed on his face, and she hugged him close to her chest, nuzzling against the top of his head as she mumbled half-inaudible words.

He let go of her other hand and returned the hug, then rested his forehead against her collarbone and whispered, "Yorna…"

The fox hummed joyfully. "I like that."

"Hm?" he inquired, confused by her comment.

In response, Yorna kissed the top of his head and said, "My name…I like hearing you say it."

The young man's face wore a massive silly grin. "Heh…I love you, Yorna…"

This time, she gave a delighted squeal upon hearing her name, and once again nuzzled her face against his hair.

For some time, they remained joined like that, reveling in both the pleasure they derived from each other's bodies and the soothing comfort their words gave one another. Their caresses conveyed more than words ever could. Every few seconds, they would moan one another's names or share a kiss for as long as they could.

Eventually, though, the overwhelming sensations became too much for Subaru. A powerful feeling began to bubble within him, a sign that he was close to his limit.

As best he could, the young man said, "Yorna…I'm…"

The fox said nothing in return, instead choosing to steal his lips once again and speed up her hips' movements. For a few moments, their sex became rougher, a sudden change from their slow and caring acts from before. She kept up this new pace for a while, constantly locking lips with him as if driven by a basic need.

It was one of her kisses that sent him over the edge, and he felt a wave of relief and pleasure run through him as he reached his climax, ejaculating inside his lover, who continued to pepper him with smooches all over his face.

A couple seconds later, though, when his euphoria died down, he found himself struck by a sudden wave of exhaustion. Panting, he separated from Yorna and laid down on the bed, managing to form a smile as she laid beside him.

Then, a thought crossed his mind. "Ah…Yorna, we…kinda forgot…"

She looked at him with a puzzled expression, raising her eyebrow in confusion.

"Well," he mumbled, looking for the best way to say it. "I…forgot to…use protection…"

"Ah, that's it?" the Divine General replied nonchalantly. "No worries. There's some…medicine for this sort of stuff…there's also water magic, though…I am unfortunately not skilled in it."

"Does that mean…?"

"I'll take care of it…don't worry. We should have some lying around…"

She slung her arm over her eyes and took deep breaths for a couple seconds before giggling.

With a teasing voice, the fox said, "Well…I think that bath is sounding like a great idea right now…"

He sighed.

"I agree."


The bath was surprisingly nice.

Vollachia apparently took its "might makes right" philosophy a little too seriously, granting its high-ranking commanders and nobles every luxury they could afford. As such, the Crimson Lapis Castle was a lot fancier than the Lugnican manors Subaru had seen in the past.

Apart from the…unusual interior decorating (which he had to admit was not the best), something that stood out to him was that the castle had individual baths, which came as a great surprise after living in two of Roswaal's manors and seeing that both only had two baths each.

So now, he was enjoying the warmth of a nice bath with Yorna, who sat behind him in the bathtub. At first, he had thought it would be uncomfortable to share a bathtub with someone else, but it was actually kind of nice. Besides…she was having fun.

"Mmm," the fox hummed, twirling a strand of his hair in her finger. "Your hair is really soft. How'd you make it like that?"

"I didn't do anything," he replied smugly. "It's all thanks to the Natsuki family's genes."

She chuckled and let go of his hair, wrapping her arms around his neck in a loose embrace. "I'm jealous of your family. It takes me half an hour to get my hair done…and that's with Tanza's help…"

There was silence for a moment before the young man asked, "Dumb question, but…do you also have to groom your tails and stuff?"

When he turned to look at her, she sighed and answered, "Yes. It takes a while too."

"Wow…I'm lucky I don't have to do that."

"You're very lucky that you are cute enough to avoid having to spend the whole morning getting ready to go out."

A genuine smile formed on his face as he added, "But you're cute too!"

It took a moment for Yorna to process the comment, and when she did, a heavy blush adorned her cheeks as she grinned. "Ah…I wasn't expecting that…"

Having successfully teased her, Subaru grabbed one of her hands and intertwined his fingers with hers. She gave a delighted squeal at the unexpected handholding, tightening her hug and putting her chin atop his head.

The two of them remained like that for a minute, taking in the silence and warmth. It was a nice, peaceful, relaxed moment, probably the only one Subaru ever had in Vollachia.

Then, the Divine General spoke, "Subaru…do you mind if I ask you something? It's about why you came here."

"Oh…what is it?"

"Well," she muttered. "You…said that you felt different in Lugnica, but…you're not planning to stay here, are you? Permanently, I mean."

"No!" he responded, a little too agitated. "I mean, no…t yet? I don't know. I never expected to feel…off in the manor, but I still want to be with my friends…I can't just get up and abandon them forever."

She nodded. "I understand that. You deserve to be with your friends first and foremost."

A pause. "Yorna…if…what if, when the royal selection ends…"

"No," she interrupted, shaking her head. "I can't leave Chaosflame, and I refuse to make you leave your friends just to come over here."

"I was going to ask something else," he pouted. "What if…we set a schedule of sorts? Like a…uh…what's it called…oh, yeah, shared custody!"

She stared at him, bewildered. "Like…a divorce?"

"Yeah!" was his enthusiastic response. "Exactly!"

Yorna thought about it for a couple seconds, then smiled mischievously. "So…in this scenario, I'd be like your m-"

"Please don't," he interjected. "Please…don't finish that sentence."

"Ah," she whined, frowning. "Killjoy."

He laughed and she shook her head.

"So, then, how long are you staying here?"

"Probably seven days or so. I told everyone that it would be a short vacation, you know?"

She squeezed his hand. "That's fine. Maybe next time you can stay a little longer."

A nod. "I'll try."

There was silence for a short while until Yorna pulled back and then planted a tender kiss on the back of his head.

"If you're not staying for long, then we'll just have to make the most out of every day, right?"

Subaru found it hard to argue with that, so he just smiled and nodded.


Bonus:

Tanza hated stairs.

That was just about the only thing she disliked about her job. As the Crimson Lapis Castle was absolutely massive and had several floors, she was often forced to climb stairs several times a day. If this had been any other job, she would have called it unethical and an exploitation of workers, but she could suck it up for now. She loved Lady Yorna more than she hated walking up and down stairs, so it canceled out!

"Do you know how disrespectful this is to His Excellency!?"

She had to take back her previous claim: there was something – or, rather, someone – she hated more than stairs. Kafma Irulux was loud, petty, and a complete eyesore (brown and green did not mix with the castle's colors), and he very much did not respect Tanza at all. That last part irked her to no end. Men greater than him had made that same mistake and wound up dead.

"Hey!" he yelled at her, despite the fact that they were in the same room and less than two meters from one another. "You heard me, didn't you!? Tell me, if it was His Excellency here, would you seriously treat him this way, huh!?"

She stared into his soul with the same stoic expression she always wore. "You should be careful when disrespecting Lady Yorna's hospitality, Kafma. She is merciful enough to forgive you, but she is not here at the moment."

His face contorted into an expression of subdued rage, which gave way to disbelief and fear. "Ha…as if! I came back to speak to her, not some child she found on the street!"

Tanza smiled politely and walked toward him, which prompted the Divine General to take a step backward in terror. "In that case, I shall tell her to come here. Kindly wait in this room until she arrives."

Once she was close enough, the ankle-biter suddenly kicked him in the shin, making the older man fall to his knee while biting back a yelp. With that, she made her way to the door and left to go look for Lady Yorna, leaving behind the gravely-wounded Kafma, who she swore had mumbled "Not again" when she stepped out.

Freed from having to listen to the insufferable man's ramblings – something she could confidently say was cruel punishment even by Vollachian standards – the girl strode calmly to the nearest set of stairs. She knew where Lady Yorna was, and she would make good on her statement: she would, at least, tell her about Kafma having come back to be annoying once again. Her Lady could decide what to do with that information herself.

Step-by-step, she ascended the seemingly endless flight of stairs, counting each floor with increasing irritation. Sometimes, she really despised the castle's size…

Eventually, though, she found the door to the castle's roof. It was scarcely used, as no one ever had any business on the roof (only someone like Olbart Dunkelkenn would ever want to go to the roof, and that was only because he was crazy), but today, it was Tanza's destination.

The moment she opened the door and stepped onto the tiled roof, fighting against her damned instincts that told her to look down, the ankle-biter found her Lady sitting cross-legged and taking in the sights. Laying on the floor next to her, with his head on her lap, was Natsuki Subaru.

"Ah, Tanza," the Divine General called out without even looking at her. "If you came, I take it there's something important to discuss?"

The girl sighed and walked over to her, sitting on the side opposite to where Subaru was. "Yes, Lady Yorna. Kafma Irulux is back. He wishes to speak to you."

Lady Yorna grinned with a smile brighter than the sun shining overhead. "Oh, him. Yes, I know about that, which is why I came up here in the first place."

"I see," the deer-girl mumbled, amazed at her Lady's cunning.

"Don't get me wrong," the other said, pausing to smoke from her pipe. "I wish His Majesty no disrespect. As it just so happens, however, today is Subaru's last day in Chaosflame, and I have literally no interest in spending the day dealing with his inane demands."

Nodding, the young servant spoke, "A marvelous idea indeed."

There was a pause, and Subaru stirred, but remained laying down. Tanza wondered why he did that, and then realized that he was asleep. In her defense, though, he did not look like he was sleeping; he looked dead.

The fox ran her hand through his hair. "Well…I'm going to stay here until he wakes up. He didn't get much sleep last night, unfortunately. After that…I wanted to take him and his friends out to eat at a restaurant down by the market."

A pause. "Um, Lady Yorna, if I may…"

Although she did not finish the sentence, the older woman understood and patted the free side of her lap. "You may."

Tanza's smile widened and she laid down on her Lady's free side, resting her head on the latter's lap. It was a bit difficult to accommodate her antlers without accidentally stabbing the two of them, but she managed.

Once she was laying comfortably, Lady Yorna patted her head. "You can take a nap too, if you wish. I'm sure Kafma will understand."

The ankle-biter was going to respond, but instead, she merely yawned. Maybe a nap would not be so bad.

With that in mind, she closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to come.