Why? Why did a simple execution have to go so wrong?
Aram groaned in frustration as he paced to and fro in his personal quarters, wondering how a routine anti-monster scouting expedition turned into one of the greatest embarrassments of his life.
Just when I finally get my first independent command, a Lilim just has to barge in and ruin everything! If these imbeciles took their job seriously, this breach of security would have never happened! Now I have two guards missing, and instead of reminding this town of the consequences of frolicking with monsters I look like an incompetent idiot! I'll be lucky not to get sacked in the coming days!
A knock on the door interrupted his personal diatribe. Aram pushed down his feelings of frustration- it would only lower morale if his command saw their leader so stressed out.
"Come in." he responded in a commanding tone.
The door swung open to reveal Tellack, the only other hero stationed at the fort. And my best friend. The auburn-haired mage was carrying a letter in his hands.
"Evening Captai-"
"You can call me Aram now", he interjected. "We're both off duty."
"Oh, alright. Evening Aram." Tellack replied, his expression a little brighter. "You look pretty annoyed."
Oh, I guess I didn't hide my frustration as well as I thought. "Of course I'm annoyed! We've been here for less than 3 months, and in that time one of the most powerful monsters out there just barges in and steals a prisoner right out from under us!"
"Hey, calm down a little. You were up against a Lilim, a monster even the greatest of heroes struggle to even stand up against. You should be lucky to be alive. Hey, you even managed to fire a parting shot at her! That's more than most heroes can manage!"
I guess that's true, though all I did was hit the prisoner. Hopefully he bled to death.
Aram looked back at Tellack. "Even so, I don't think the rest of The Order will see it that way. They're probably already sending a replacement."
Tellack then offered Aram the letter in his hands. "If you really want to redeem yourself, this might interest you."
Aram examined the letter. It appeared to be an official missive from the Holy Capital. He opened it and read:
Heroes of the Chief God!
For too long we have sat by idly as the servants of darkness chip away at our borders, devour entire populations, and threaten the light of our Goddess herself! Even Lescatie, the jewel of our faith, has fallen under a dark cloud.
But no longer! The time to strike back and restore our Goddess' light has arrived! I call on all those capable of fighting to gather in the village of Dehlia to join the faithful soldiers of our Order for a holy campaign, one that will allow us to encircle Lescatie from the East! May the Holy Goddess protect you in your sanctified struggle!
-Supreme Pontiff and Sovereign of The Order of the Chief God, Callicstus IV
Aram carefully reread the letter to make sure he did not miss any details. Then he turned back to Tellack.
"A campaign to encircle Lescatie? Tellack, this is perfect! I knew this Pope would be the one to finally turn the tide!"
"I knew you would be excited." Tellack replied. Then his face grew thoughtful for a moment. "Though the part about coming from the east of Lescatie confuses me. East of Lescatie is Steylian territory. From what I remember, they've declared their neutrality in this war."
"Tellack," Aram interjected, "Steylia may not recognize the authority of The Order nor that of the Mamono Lord, but there's rumors that monsters are allowed to live within their city walls. Even if they don't know it, they're compromised. We'll be doing them a favor."
"It still doesn't sit well with me." Tellack responded. "And attacking Steylia requires us to go through its southern desert. But since it's obvious that you've made up your mind to join, I'll come along."
"Excellent. Tell Lieutenant Capron that he's in command of the fort. And prepare the horses, we leave in an hour."
As Tellack rushed off to fulfill his duties, Aram began packing his things, a small smile on his face.
Finally, we can take a step forward in ridding this world of monsters.
[]
Alex slowly opened his eyes as the morning sunlight peered through the bedroom window. Or at least, what passed for sunlight in this Dark Demon Realm.
Man, she was particularly ravenous last night. Good thing she decided to end it early for some extra cuddle time, or I doubt I'd be able to stand up right now.
He turned to his side and noticed with a pang of loneliness that his lover had already woken up and left. She only ever did that when she had a pressing issue to go deal with.
It's only been a few weeks, and I already feel incomplete when she's absent. The books were right- after you've been with a monster once, you're their prisoner forever. Though if prison felt this good, I'd be a routine offender.
It had been about five weeks since Druella and Alex became a united human-monster couple, and with that came so many changes he could barely keep track of them all.
Their first night was an utterly mind-melting experience that left Alex a dazed but smiling mess when it was all over. The pleasures and sensations he felt were nearly impossible to describe in words, it was almost terrifying at times. Druella did provide some words of reassurement and encouragement the first few rounds, but by the end her insatiable side took over as she milked load after load out of him. Near the end it felt like time itself had ceased to have any meaning, as if the only things left in the world were him and her.
And that was only the first night. Since then, Alex and Druella have had sex nearly every evening, along with some mornings and afternoons as well. He was still surprised at how long he was now able to last, though Druella's abilities as a lilim probably had something to do with that.
It was overwhelming, true, but recently the lilim did start giving him a few opportunities to take the lead for a change. And at the end of every session as he drifted off to sleep, the sweet words of love she whispered in his ear as she held him close made it all worth it.
God, I am truly ruined now. But I already can't picture myself without her. Is this love? I'm not quite sure yet.
So far, he did not believe that he had fully transitioned into an incubus just yet. He did notice a few changes- more energy, greater physical strength, larger…equipment, but nothing to his mentality. Druella did mention that it might have something to do with his unusual mana, but that was something that required its own investigation.
Sex wasn't the only thing they did. Druella did play a role in the daily governance of Lescatie, and Alex would sometimes stand to the side and watch the proceedings. Mamono politics were a lot simpler and, dare he say, more efficient than human politics, but he still learned new things every day.
There were also the war councils where Druella would sit with other monsters to discuss operations against The Order, mostly with members of the Radical Faction given that they all wore her red eye emblem. Alex was allowed to attend those as well- for someone who loved reading about military campaigns and figures, it was like a dream come true.
The other members of the council never protested- in fact, they all accepted him with open smiles. In general, the majority of monsters in Lescatie were quick to accept him as the husband of Druella herself, though a few would sometimes try to pry some lewd gossip out of him. Queen Francisca and Dark Hero Wilmarina treated him like a brand new family member, and they appeared happy at the fact their mistress had finally found someone for herself. That was one aspect of Alex's new life that he greatly appreciated- the sense of community.
Finally, when there were no petitioners to meet or campaigns to plan, Druella and Alex did get to enjoy some intimate time alone to enjoy each other's company. A walk through the castle gardens, attending a street show run by a traveling troupe of Apsaras, eating at a restaurant run by a culinarily-inclined hellhound (though it did take her three attempts not to burn the steak he ordered), all those little moments helped drive home that he wasn't just Druella's lover, he was her husband.
I wonder- if she's the daughter of the Mamono Lord and therefore a princess, does that make me a prince? Wait nevermind, I don't want to give myself any funny ideas.
Alex got dressed and left the room to search for Druella. Eventually, he found her in the throne room conversing with Queen Francisca.
"Ah, Alex my love, I was just about to send someone to fetch you." Druella turned to him with a smile, though it looked almost somber at the edges.
"Good morning Alex." The Roper Queen gave Alex a gentle nod, her tentacles swaying about her.
"Good morning to you too, Queen Francisca." he replied while quickly stepping out of the way of a particularly adventurous tentacle. "Both of you seem pretty deep in conversation, is there something going on?"
Druella spoke first. "Alex, today I will be departing to the Steylian Empire to engage in some undercover work. The Order is gathering a large army on its southern border, and all signs point to an invasion. I'm having Francisca look after you until I return."
"Wait, you're going without me?" Alex spoke up. "Why can't I come along?"
"Please don't make this harder than it has to be." Druella replied in an almost sad voice. "Steylia is a turbulent country whose politics can shift at the whim of its ruler, and danger resides at every corner. I cannot put you at risk by bringing you into such a place."
I don't think so, Druella! I sense adventure, and you're not leaving me out of it! Besides, I'd rather not be alone with Francisca longer than I have to.
"Druella" Alex started, "I accepted your offer of marriage with the full knowledge of the dangers it might bring to my safety. Keeping me locked in here isn't going to do me any favors- in fact, it'll just leave me less prepared when danger does show up. If you allow me to come along, I'll avoid getting in your way and assist you in any way I can. Besides, I can already tell you won't last a week without me."
That appeared to do the trick. Druella hesitated for a moment, as if trying to find a rebuttal, but eventually she smiled.
"My my, I never expected my husband would have such an adventurous streak within him! Very well, stay by my side and you may accompany me throughout my time at Steylia."
I knew that last part would seal the deal! "I look forward to it, Druella!" Alex exclaimed as they both left to prepare for the journey.
"Aw, what a shame." Francisca said to herself as both of them left the throne room. "I enjoyed seeing him squirm around me!"
[]
Druella advanced through the halls of the Imperial Palace at Litanopol, capital of the Steylian Empire. Alex followed close behind, dressed in the garb of a Steylian merchant.
For this reconnaissance mission, Druella had taken the appearance of Eudokia, a Steylian merchant-woman wealthy enough to be allowed entry into the Imperial Court. The real Eudokia was currently in Lescatie busy making love to the caravan guard she always had a forbidden attraction towards, but fortunately nobody in Steylia knew that yet.
As both of them approached the throne room, they could already hear a fierce argument raging throughout its ornate arches and iconographic domed ceiling. As a guard led them to the side of the room, Druella carefully observed the participants in this ongoing debate.
"My Emperor, The Order has never violated our neutrality, and they will not do it this time as well. This army amassing at Dehlia is clearly only there for security reasons!"
The first man to speak appeared to be in his late twenties, pale with short black hair and a thin mustache. Druella looked in deeper- as a lilim, she had the ability to sense desire within humans, which is how she first discovered a certain Hero in Lescatie still pining for a childhood friend. This human, however, only appeared to desire power.
Bleh, how typical.
"Lord Phokas, 30000 men and growing is a little excessive for 'security', is it not? And who are they trying to be secure against? The Southern Sand Dunes?"
The second man was bald, with a soft face lacking in any firmness. His eyes, however, were sharp. He wore long gold robes, with a golden bracelet on his right hand.
A Court Eunuch, Druella realized. Poor thing, how dare they mutilate him just for the sake of limiting his ambitions! If I decide that conquering Steylia is the solution to this crisis, I'll be sure to repair him!
The man named Phokas gritted his teeth for a second in anger, then continued. "With the takeover of Lescatie by monsters, of course they're going to be fully mobilized! And we should be as well! As a matter of fact, I propose that we detain the residents of the Mamono Quarter until we can be sure of their loyalty!"
Murmurs rang through the throne room at this declaration, but the figure sitting on the golden throne in front of them raised a hand, and all went silent.
The eunuch responded in a soft voice- "If The Order wished to prepare against hostilities from Lescatie, wouldn't they station their armies in countries directly bordering the former theocracy? The warriors of the Chief God may have had their issues with planning at times, but they are not that militarily incompetent."
Phokas looked like he was ready to strangle the eunuch. Then he turned to the figure sitting on the throne.
"Come on now, brother. Surely you do not believe that The Order would dare attack our great Empire?"
Druella took a good look at Andron, Emperor of Steylia. He was tall and well-built, with a swarthy complexion and a medium-length brown beard. A golden circlet adorned with rubies rested on his brow, and he looked rather tired of listening to the two men argue.
I can sense that he desires peace above all else, but is willing to resort to war if necessary. Fufu, I can also sense that some of the ladies in this courtroom have their eyes on him. That is an opportunity I should keep in mind.
The Emperor spoke up- "Phokas, brother, the monsters in Litanopol have all sworn oaths of loyalty to Steylia. Arresting them would be tyranny. Besides, I have already decided- the presence of The Order's army is a direct provocation against us. Chamberlain Ionnes, send a letter to The Order demanding that they move their forces away from the border. In the meantime, put all available field units on standby."
"As you wish, my Emperor." The eunuch names Ionnes trudged out the room, while a pissed-off Phokas followed close behind. The Emperor sighed in his seat, then noticed the newcomers in the room.
"Ah Eudokia, I did not expect you to return so early! What brings you back to Steylia?"
"Only a desire to see home, my Emperor. This is Andros, my new assistant merchant."
Druella/Eudokia introduced Alex/Andros, who was busy gawking at the lovely ceiling art until he noticed that the whole court was staring at him. He quickly straightened himself and bowed.
"Honored to serve you, my Emperor. Apologies for my rudeness."
"Do not worry about it, young man." The Emperor did not appear to be offended- quite the opposite really. "Besides, all the gold used to build this palace would have been wasted if there was no one to admire it."
If only all human monarchs could be this easygoing. We would have conquered this continent in a century.
"My Emperor, there is one other reason I am here. I have heard disturbing rumors, that of an upcoming invasion along with tensions in the city. Are they based on truth?"
"Unfortunately, yes." The Emperor had a tired look in his eyes. "The populace are agitated about the news of an Order army on our borders, and the growing darkness in Lescatie only adds to the tension. Pro-monster and anti-monster factions have already scuffled a few times in the streets, and the situation is not improving."
So it's true. Druella thought to herself. Steylia allows human-monster couples to settle in their city, but a large portion of the population still holds a heavy mistrust against them. Steylia will have to be fully monsterized before The Order arrives, that is the only way to hold them off.
"Thank you for the information, my Emperor." Eudokia/Druella bowed. "Fear not, I assure you that regardless of what happens, Steylia will remain whole."
With that, both Druella and Alex left the throne room, ready to return to their lodgings in the city. Though Alex seemed reluctant to fully part from the palace.
"Holy crap that throne room was beautiful! It makes the Hagia Sophia look drab by comparison!"
"Hagia Sophia?" Druella inquired. Her dear Alex had a tendency to reference peoples and places from his original world, and all it did was confuse the lilim.
"There's this lost civilization in my world with similar architecture to the Steylians, and the Hagia Sophia is a church that remains as one of their best-preserved buildings. It's thousands of years old, but here everything is in its prime!"
"Fufu, I can see that you're enjoying yourself, my husband." Perhaps bringing you here was a good idea after all.
When Druella first claimed Alex nearly a month ago, she never expected how much she would grow to cherish this young man from another world. True, he was inexperienced, but that left more room for him to grow. And as he let out his first load inside of her, she finally realized just how much she was missing out on after failing to take a husband for centuries.
This hunger, this desire, this love I feel, it can only be satisfied by him! To be connected in body and soul, this is true contentment! I will never let anything happen to him!
When Druella was with Alex, her desire to spread her mother's dream and monsterize any and all human women faded into the background, replaced with a desire to be with her husband. To hold him, kiss him, feel him. Alex was right, she wouldn't have lasted a second without him here.
Though there is one thing I certainly did not expect. I heard other monsters mention how they find the essence of their husbands to be delicious, and Alex's is no different, but there's something more to his as well. I feel so energized after feeding on him, like I have enough power to take on The Order single handedly!
Once we return, this will need further investigation.
[]
As Alex and Druella returned to the villa formerly belonging to Eudokia the merchant-woman, he could not help but feel elated after the day's events.
Steylia is more amazing than I thought. The painted icons, the colorful robes, the Emperor- it's like I'm walking through the Byzantine Empire at its prime!
As soon as they were indoors, Druella dropped her glamor spell and returned to being her usual winged self.
"Alex, after observing events in the throne room and conversing with the King, I have come to a decision on Steylia."
"Wait, really? Already?" Alex looked over at her quizzically. I almost forgot, this is supposed to be a business trip.
"Steylia is in grave danger from within and without. Its monster residents and their husbands are under threat from anti-monster factions in the city, and the army The Order has stationed at the border will surely attack the Empire at any moment. Therefore, we must hurry if we are to monsterize Litanopol before it is too late."
…That's your solution?! You're going right for the nuclear option?
It was at this moment Alex remembered just who exactly he was married to.
"Um, Druella? What if the Emperor manages to fight off The Order on his own? Wouldn't that calm the people down a little and avert any crisis?"
"Unfortunately, no. Many are already spooked with Lescatie on their western border. The tension would submerge, only to rise up again in the future."
Spooked about Lescatie huh? Jeez, I wonder whose fault that is…
Besides, wouldn't monsterizing Steylia prove both The Order and the anti-monster groups right? That Phokas prick at court was definitely looking for some kind of reason to turn the Emperor against the city's monsters, and Druella would be offering him one on a silver platter! Even if the mamono takeover is quick and efficient, who knows how many casualties might still happen! But what can I do? What alternative solution could I provide?
I need time to think.
Alex took a deep breath. "Hey Druella, is it okay if I take a walk in the city?"
[]
It took large amounts of convincing, pleading, and promising, but eventually Druella permitted Alex to wander through the streets of Litanopol. She also forced him to wear a special ring, one that he could use to call for her were he to encounter any dangers during his trek.
Ah, and don't forget the failsafe system- if the ring is taken off by anyone, it immediately activates a mana marker that she can use to find me!
The city appeared to be divided into several quarters, with monsters and their husbands sticking to their own Quarter and seldom venturing into the others. At the center of it all was a thriving marketplace, with shops and stalls all lined up and peddling their goods to potential customers. It was also the only place where the locals and monsters intermingled with one another.
Alex inhaled and allowed his senses to get a feel of the market. There was a distinct scent of cooked meat and spices in the air, he could hear loud haggling between merchants and their customers, and he observed as a lamia purchased a finely-woven tunic for her husband.
And is that scent- it smells like souvlaki! Thank god there's an MGE equivalent of Greek street food!
Upon closer inspection of the crowded market, however, he noticed a few more things- while some people completely ignored the monsters walking among them, some would turn and give suspicious looks. A few even had expressions of utter hostility.
Most monsters, meanwhile, appeared to be entirely indifferent to the range of reactions they were generating among the crowd. Some, however, looked around almost in fear, clutching their husbands' arm a little tighter.
Unlike Lescatie, Litanopol was not a harmonious metropolis. It was a city with a divided people, where any increase in tensions could light up a powder keg of resentment.
Okay, I was wrong about this place resembling Byzantium in its prime. It's more like Constantinople in the late 12th century, with Latin merchants moving into Constantinople and provoking resentment from the local residents. Good lord, I really hope it doesn't end the same way.
Alex shuddered at the thought. All that tension eventually erupted into the Massacre of the Latins, the crappy Angeloi dynasty, and the Fourth Crusade.
Damn Venetians. I just hope that "Andron" isn't short for "Andronikos".
"Hey, your dog just stole one of my meat skewers!"
Alex interrupted his little historical rumination and looked up to see what the commotion was about. A merchant in a white apron was confronting a couple, a werewolf and her husband. Both appeared to be a little confused, but the husband stepped before his wife in a defensive stance.
"Just what are you talking about, she was with me the whole time! And don't you dare call her a dog!"
"Oh, then how do you explain this!" The merchant held out what appeared to be a tuft of fur, and pointed at the werewolf. "I knew you monsters could never be civilized! You're all just brutes sneaking into our city to cause havoc!"
Now the werewolf looked like she would tear the merchant apart right then and there. "Hey, this is my city too! And I don't steal! If you don't back off though, I'll show you just how much of a brute I can be!"
Before any actual fighting could start, a group of city guards arrived at the scene. They separated both parties and began to investigate the commotion.
Jeez, this is worse than I thought. Good thing the guards were quick to respond.
Then he noticed something in the corner of his eye- a man wearing a gray hood leaving the scene at a fast pace. As he turned around a stall corner, he dropped what appeared to be an empty skewer.
There was one other peculiarity about the man- he carried a small bag with him. Alex could barely make it out, but there appeared to be tufts of fur jutting out of the top. Fur that looked just like the tuft the merchant had held up.
Curious, Alex followed the man. As he went through the market, he watched as he provoked further instances of human-monster confrontations. A rock hit a man in the head, causing his ogre wife to look around with an apocalyptic gaze. Another instance of framing a monster for theft, this time a werecat. And finally he knocked over a column of stacked pots at the same time a minotaur walked by, causing the store owner to rant about monsters having no sense of their surroundings.
Alex continued to follow this rabble-rouser into a side street, where he then ducked into a doorway and observed as the hooded man met with another hooded figure.
"Did you finish causing some havoc in the west side?"
"Yep, and you?"
"No merchant in the eastern market is going to serve monsters for a good while. Let's report back to Lord Phokas, he'll want an update on the operations."
Those bastards! They're intentionally flaming up human-monster tensions, maybe with the goal of starting a riot! I'll tell the nearest guards all about this!
Before he could leave his doorway, however, a hand went over his mouth and dragged him right through it. Before he could react, the door was shut, leaving him in a dimly lit room.
"Stop squirming!' His captor whispered in a feminine voice. "If you promise not to scream, I'll let go of you."
Alex nodded, and his mystery captor let him go. As he turned around to face her, he noticed a few key details- green hair, long pointy ears, and a pretty face free of any blemishes.
An elf? That's good- monsters don't kill, so at least I won't be tossed in the gutter later. But what does she want?
"Who are you, and what do you want from me?" he asked in a mildly angry tone.
"My name's Alia" the elf responded calmly. "As for what I want from you, I've been following you for the past ten minutes. I'm just a little curious as to why Lady Eudokia's new assistant merchant was following some of Lord Phokas' men."
"They're trying to provoke a riot! I would have had them arrested if you didn't interrupt!"
The elf turned her head and gave him a skeptical look. "How gallant, but did you ever stop to think that it'd be your word against the word of the employees of one of the most powerful men in the city? This would only end in your arrest, not theirs."
Alex tried to find a rebuttal, but couldn't. Damn, she's right.
"Okay, I guess you're right. Thanks for getting me out of that situation. But it doesn't change the fact they're trying to put humans and monsters at each other's throats! You're one, don't you care?"
The elf was silent for a moment. Then she spoke up- "If you're serious about trying to stop Phokas, come with me. My employer only told me to observe you and Lady Eudokia, but this might interest him enough for a personal meeting."
Well, this is getting interesting. So her employer is someone who probably wants to keep the city peaceful. I know Druella won't appreciate me going with strangers to unknown places, but maybe this could lead to something better than a full-on mamono invasion?
He looked back at Alia and nodded. "Only if you guarantee my safety."
The elf almost smiled at that statement. "Fear not, my employer does not kill. You have my word on that."
Cool, maybe this will all work out.
"However, you will have to wear this. I apologize, but we do have to maintain security." Before he could react, Alia had sprung behind him and pulled a blindfold over his eyes. He could no longer see anything.
Oh man, Druella is going to be so pissed at me later, Alex thought to himself as the elf led him away.
[]
Author's note: And thus begins the Steylian mini-arc, where Alex will discover the harder parts of being married to Druella, and try to end conflicts in ways that won't end in rapturous invasion!
