Hello everyone! Wasn't expecting me to update so soon didn't ya? Well, I did. And now that it's done, I can finally relax! So, here's the you guys for being such good and patient readers!
Here's to Demonoid for helping me out and beta reading for me!
And another to Old Man from the SGO server, for also helping me out!
From now on, I will only be replying to questions from people who review with accounts. The reason is simple…I don't want to bloat the chapters with replies, not anymore.
And I don't own anything except some stuff
Chapter 6 – Elves, punches, shops, and more elves
Walking towards the two Elves, I managed to hide the lustful grin while I eyed their bodies. So sinfully curvy that it can make most men drool and attached to their bodies are really beautiful faces. I wonder if all Elves, no matter what species, are exceptionally beautiful?
Don't get me wrong, there are other women here that are beautiful with equally sinful bodies, but they don't hold a candle against the two Elves in front of me.
Anna smiled as she said something to Grace that I couldn't catch before entering a room. Leaving me alone with the sexy dark elf as I sat down.
"That was amazing." She breathed out as she turned towards me, giving me an appreciative smile. The people in the tavern didn't even stop having fun as they all laughed and danced. I could only respond with a simple nod because if I break the little stoicism I have left, the lecherous grin I am trying to suppress will burst.
'I should probably get a scarf or something to cover my mouth with.' I thought to myself as I put my flute on the table.
"Thank you, it's amazing what harmony you can bring with some music." Grace's smile widened as she went behind the counter and grabbed a clean tankard before filling it with ale from a barrel.
She walks towards me and places the tankard on the table, hands on her hips "On the house." I blinked as I grabbed it before lifting my gaze towards her. "Is it okay? I don't want to ma-" She just shook her head as she turned her gaze towards the crowd of customers.
"Don't worry about it. In a world ravaged by war for centuries, even a moment of peace like this is enough to make everyone's spirits brighter. People often forget that swinging a sword isn't the only option they have, but bringing home the small comforts that help people forget their woes. So, thank you. It may not have seemed like much but you have done these people a great service nonetheless. Besides," a sly grin adorns her face, "Anna does this all the time."
Humming, I took a look at the foaming golden liquid before lifting the drink towards my mouth to take a 's slightly sweet with the usual aftertaste of ale. Licking the foam from my lips, I nodded at the taste.
"It's good."
"If you think that's good, then wait until you get a taste of this. On the house!" Anna announces herself as she puts a wooden plate in front of me. Grace just chuckles as she grabs a fork and knife before handing it over to me.
My eyes widen briefly as I stare at what is.
A decent sized slice of beef sat in front of me, still steaming and it looked great. But I am a bit hesitant about this. Without spice and such to enrich the flavor, I'm worried about the bland taste I'm about to experience. But, seeing as it would seem rude to reject it, I can only go and dine in despite my protests.
"Thank you," I muttered as I stabbed the fork into the meat and sliced off a piece. Mentally preparing myself to make myself look pleased before taking a bite.
My eyes widened briefly as I tasted flavor coming from the piece of steak I just put inside my mouth. Chewing for a few moments before swallowing, I looked down at the steak in front of me in bewilderment.
Anna seemed to notice as she leaned forward, giving me a very generous view of her cleavage. "As thanks for the performance you did. I made this just for you, salt is hard to come by these days since nobles buy them out. But a few merchant friends are all I need to grab what I can." She gave me a playful wink as she giggled.
This in turn caused the massive globes beneath her, admittedly tight shirt, to jiggle enticingly.
I gulped as I quickly turned my gaze towards the food in front of me. No need for any complications, she's married and she loves her husband…
But since when has marriage ever stopped me from getting what I want? And what I want is this fine woman before me.
Will I do a dick move and NTR his husband? No, I won't. I just need to find a way to…get him out of the picture.
In a way, I'm doing her a favor. But not just her, but for all the heroines in this world. What I will do is better than what Vault has in mind for them.
Olga won't be forced to turn herself into a mindless breeding sow.
Kaguya won't be anally impregnated by bugs.
Claudia won't be thrown away like a used rug.
Do I even need to mention everything that will happen to all of them?
Compared to what will happen to them in the future if I let things run the way they are supposed to, what I'll do is more merciful.
Said mercy will just be a result of me being a selfish guy who happens to be extremely lustful.
But that's for the future. Not now. I move to cut off another piece before a realization comes to me.
"Salt?" I blinked in confusion as I turned my eyes towards her. Really? I thought salt would be a staple food here. Then I remember this is a medieval hentai, not my old world where things like salt and pepper are a common household spice. The blond Elf just nodded.
"Salt is pretty expensive and very rare since nobles usually buy them out before other people can even get a look at it. Salt is needed to preserve foods that are sent to the frontlines and the leftovers are used for a noble's needs instead of a commoner's. " She sighed as she held her hands with a shrug.
"But what can we do? The nobles have the money to buy it with no problems. And even if I can manage to get some from the merchants, I use it sparingly." She huffed as she leaned back and crossed her arms under her bust which, for obvious reasons, made me drool. If they saw it, then I just attribute it to enjoying the meal that much.
"I see…" I muttered to myself, my mind running through different ideas. That one legendary item that I thought was useless…it's actually a goldmine?! Who would've thought that the gag items I got in a rage would turn out like this.
Several thoughts began running in my mind.
How many sacks can I fill in an hour?
If I start selling now, how much can I earn?
How many can I sell without breaking the market for salt?
Where can I go to store all of it for sale?
I managed to restrain a grin from forming as I took another bite of the steak, savoring the taste. This is a really big deal for me, the only food I had that's worth being happy about is the soup I had earlier, and even then, I was pretty unsatisfied with the food I had earlier.
Turning towards Anna, I let out a sigh as I swallowed another piece.
"I will have to pay you back sometime soon." I chuckled before taking a sip of ale. "And it seems that I have forgotten my manners, you may call me Alain."
"Anna Florence and this is my friend, Grace Campbell." To emphasize the friendship, she walked over and gave Grace and gave her a hug. What I got to enjoy were those soft marshmallows that I will soon claim to press into each other and… DEAR GOD HER NIPPLES ARE ABOUT TO SLIP OUT. I sincerely hope that my nose isn't bleeding, otherwise this is gonna be tough to explain.
The Dark Elf just huffed playfully but she returned the hug and briefly made eye contact with me before turning to Anna.
"I can introduce myself, Anna."
Anna just nodded with a small smile before going on to attend to another customer who took a seat in front of the bar.
Looking at Grace, I barely hold myself from getting a hard-on from the amount of sideboob I'm getting to ogle at. Her nipples are criminal with how much of a tease they are being. Close enough to see the outer ring, but not enough to see the actual nipple itself. Oh Grace, when I get my hands on you, we need to correct that...with much skimpier clothing. Even with my cloak, I doubt I can walk properly with a boner straining through my pants.
'Oh, I can't wait to taste them.' I smirked to myself before using [Observe] on her.
Grace Campbell
Level: 7
Title: [Barmaid]
Thoughts about you: Thinks that you're cute, curious
[Grace Campbell – 75/100 Reputation]
Her reputation with me is quite high already. Probably because of my performance earlier and let's see what Anna's is like.
'[Observe]'
Anna Florence
Level: 8
Title: [Ian's Wife]
Thoughts about you: Thinks that you're great for business, thankful
[Anna Florence – 80/100 Reputation]
'[Ian's Wife], not for long.' I thought to myself with an internal sinister grin.
"So, do Bards come here often? With how everyone acted, it's like no one played here, ever." I commented with a glance towards the customers. Grace sighed as she shook her head. "With how dangerous the roads are these days, only merchants escorted by mercenaries come by." She replied with an easily noticeable frown.
Yeah, from what I can remember, one of Vault's men has his eyes on her. And not the good kind either. The Kuroinu, or the Black Dogs, are a really big and powerful mercenary group. But at the same time, they are mostly comprised of thugs and young men seeking fortune.
In other words, the majority of them are just fodder in a war.
The only reason why they're still around is because of Vault and his lieutenants such as Kin and Hicks.
Without them, then the group will likely end up as just another group of men who have nothing to do but be a noisy group of idiots.
Without the chain of command, then calling them as a mercenary group is just a joke. They'll act more like rabid dogs without an alpha. Pun intended.
"Except for me, I guess. I actually live here." I informed her with a chuckle. She blinked several times in confusion as she looked at me with a questioning gaze. "Really? I have never seen you around before." I just shrugged as I took another sip of ale. "I rarely come out of my house, there are people that help me out with my needs, but that's just about it." This isn't a lie. I never needed to leave the house unless necessary, plus everything was always delivered via the servants. And those who do know me are nobles and a couple of Princess Knights.
"I see," She hummed as she looked deep in thought before looking at me. "I've always been around the village helping people when I could, and I don't think I have ever seen you before. I guess you must've been quite the private child." I chuckle as I hide a smirk under my hood.
'Trust me, you and I will explore many things together. I'll be sure to give you many, many adventures…after all, the best way to adventure is to ride.' I chuckle as I close my eyes in thought.
One such thought is running through my mind.
'How do I deal with the guy who has eyes on my Grace?' I thought to myself as I took another bite of my food.
I can have Esdeath deal with him for me, it will be simple and easy. But then again, Esdeath is pretty recognizable.
I can have Ōkami hunt him down for me. With my perk [The Wild's Best Friend], I can tame a pack of wolves and have Ōkami be the alpha. Then I can use said pack to get rid of the guy. But another problem lies with how skilled he and his group are.
Currently, the majority of the Black Dogs are nothing more than thugs that only know how to swing a weapon wildly, I still have to be careful.
Vault, Kin, and Hicks are the big dogs in the company. Who knows if there are more?
I don't want to risk Ōkami dying on me.
I have several other options bu-
BAM!
My eyes widened in pain as I felt a punch land on my cheek, leading me to fall off my seat and down onto the floor.
"Alain!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing as they watched the scene in shock.
Looking up at my assailant with a glare, I barely managed to hold back a hiss as I held my cheek that was punched.
That fucking stung like a bitch.
He has unkempt hair and a face that a mother would only love. He wore worn-out sleeveless leather armor, marking him as a mercenary. And from the way he's holding Grace against her will, then I can take a guess that this is the guy I was planning to get rid of.
Tasting a bit of iron in my mouth, I frowned.
'Guess I have another reason to get rid of him.'
"Thought you could talk to my woman, huh?!"
'Oh? Anger issues directed towards me for talking to his woman? Yeah, definitely the bad guy.' I thought with a snarl as I spat out a bit of blood from my lips.
'[Observe]'
Morgan
Level: 10
Title: [Black Dog Mercenary]
Thoughts about you: Pissed that you dared to talk to Grace
Wiping my mouth with my sleeve, I calmly took a deep breath before exhaling softly. Usually, when people get annoyed, they breathe noisily through their noses. Best to keep myself calm.
"I was having a nice chat with Grace here, and you just went in and punched me. Quite rude, don't you think?" I muttered out loud enough for everyone to hear.
I want to hit him back. But thanks to my perk [Harmless as a Fly], I can't do shit. The best I can do is do some damage control, but even then, I don't' think I ca-
Oh…
My eyes widened a bit as I saw everyone in the bar looking absolutely pissed, and I am not talking about drunk pissed, I am talking about 'get the fuck out of here' pissed.
Hell, some of them are even starting to take out their swords.
"Huh?! Grace is my woman! No man gets to talk to her other than me!" He roared as he held Grace closer to him. An action that made her yelp as he roughly held her by her arm.
This made me narrow my eyes in anger before quickly calming down.
'Throwing a fit when someone talks to the woman you have eyes on? How fucking petty. It's like talking to someone who is extremely insecure about themselves.'
I can't do anything to hurt him, but I can damage his pride if I want to. The crowd is on my side based on how I can see some of them barely restraining themselves from stabbing the guy. If what I can guess is true, then Morgan is not well-liked around here.
I can see why.
And since he hit me, a Baron's son, not that everyone knows it…well, I can already tell that my father…no, Esdeath will be furious about this. She is a yandere, and one of the many things yanderes hate is having the love of their life be hurt by someone.
Add in Ōkami, then I will have no problems here.
"Talk, you little shit!"
Sighing to myself, I stood up and dusted myself off, making sure to do it calmly as to not let my anger show its ugly head.
I'm a Bard, better act like one.
"I worked so hard to make this place livelier, and look at what you've done," I mutter with a shake of my head before giving him a hard stare.
He blinked as he gave me a snarl. "What're you looking at?!" A little bit of spit left his mouth, almost making me take a step back in disgust. But, for the sake of looking unphased despite being punched, I can't show anything like that.
I have to stay calm and stare at him for as long as possible.
Just enough for him to lose himself in order to throw another hit in.
"Well?!" Again, more spit.
The guy really needs to learn how to control himself, he's spitting all over the floor.
Instead of replying, I just continued giving him the hard stare.
It looks calm, calculated, and most importantly it gives off the feeling that I am very unphased as to what is happening.
I have to show my charisma here.
He gulped a little loudly, a sign that he is starting to look nervous.
Seconds pass by as he starts to sweat, his nerves getting to him.
People like him are usually very confident when it comes to bar fights, but that's only because they're doing what everyone else does in a bar fight, fight, or get knocked unconscious. Me? I am doing neither of those, which is why he is starting to get nervous.
He is so used to being in bar fights that the fact that I am remaining calm on the outside gives him an unsettling feeling.
Finally…
"Stop staring at me you little shit!"
He lost the rest of his cool as he pushed Grace away from him, making her yelp in pain as she landed on the floor hard.
'Okay, that is so uncalled for.'
He put his hand in his cloak to bring out a knife.
I blinked as he did an overhead swing.
Glancing to my left, I smirked as I saw a man with a beard nearby standing up quickly before grabbing Morgan's arm and punching the man straight to the face.
The mercenary let out a noise of pain with a mix of shock before he fell on his side, nose bleeding and hopefully losing some teeth in the process.
Ah…looks like the guy is out for the count…
Ironic that he is a mercenary that looks tough but can't take a single hit from a man.
Shaking my head, I quickly went over to Grace and gave her a hand. I offer up my hand like a gentleman to help her up. She blinked before smiling at me as she grabbed my hand, giving me a moment to marvel at how soft her hand is despite working as a barmaid.
It's really soft… can't wait to have those hands all over my cock…dammit not the time. Help now, horny fantasies later. I try to be careful as I pick her up since I think Morgan squeezed a bit too tightly. I can already see a bruise form around her arm. That fucker. Alright it's decided, bastard doesn't get the noose, he's getting an ass raping from Esdeath until he begs for death to escape…and then receive a vehement denial because he deserves more from her harming my woman.
[+5 Reputation with Grace Campbell!]
Grace Campbell – 80/100 Reputation]
[+5 Reputation with Anna Florence!]
[Anna Florence – 85/100 Reputation]
Turning towards the man who stopped Morgan from hurting me, I gave him a nod in thanks. He replied with his own nod before turning his attention back to the unconscious mercenary.
"Aye matey, there are standards even we follow. Striking the one who went and gone raised everyone's spirits... Not even my former crew would stop so low to strike the bard." The bearded man with a pirate-like accent grunted as he popped his knuckles.
Slowly, the customers grabbed Morgan and unceremoniously threw him out of the tavern.
The man grinned as he turned towards me.
"On the high seas, ain't nothing better than a good song and a barrel of rum to keep morale high when sailing about. Music be what kept my boys from jumpin' into Jones' Locker." He looks at the downed Morgan. "A braggart he may be but, but unfortunately one needed. Too few to defend this dainty village when the orcs come a knockn'. But this can't be allowed." He looks back at me. "So, laddie, why don't we pretend this didn't happen? Best on dwell on one sour moment." His grin widened as he held my shoulder and turned to the crowd of customers before bringing out a tankard from out of nowhere.
"The night is still young, and there's still plenty to drink!" Everyone roared in approval as they all lifted their drinks to lift the spirits for everyone.
Blinking for a few moments, I let out a chuckle as I put my hand over my cloak to subtly take out a small bag containing 10 gold coins. I thought this would be too little considering how much the system has been giving to me in quests, but man am I surprised to see what people are paying, copper and silver are valid currencies from what I see. Damn the gamer really is broken even if I got jipped on my [Harmless as a Fly] perk. Ha. Now the idea of a salt business is guaranteed.
"As thanks for standing up to me tonight, the drinks are on me!" I let out a wide grin as I held the bag, getting everyone's roar of approval.
Quest Completed!
[Getting to know the land]
Objective: Go and explore the village your family rules over!
Bonus Objective 1: Act your class and perform in a tavern
Bonus Objective 2: Dance while performing
Secret Objective: Treat the customers
Rewards: 1,000 gold, 2,500 exp, 1 gacha coin
Bonus Reward 1: [Oaksong Violin]
Bonus Reward 2: Perk [Charisma E Rank]
Secret Reward: 10,000 gold, 10,000 exp, and an Affection Crystal
Looking at the rewards, I barely kept myself from shaking in excitement. But not now, stats and loots later, fun in a tavern now.
Grace smiled with a shake of her head as she looked at Anna. The owner of the tavern just sighed with a fond smile as she grabbed more empty tankards in preparation for the long night ahead. Reaching for my tankard she looks at something else. Her eyes widened as she finally realized what she was looking at.
"Oh no…" Blinking as I looked at Grace, I saw her looking down with a worried expression. I blinked in confusion before following her gaze and…
"You have got to be kidding me…"
On the ground, broken in two pieces with a few shards spread out is my flute…my now broken flute…
Sighing in annoyance, I pinched my nose as I exhaled to calm myself. 'I was just getting used to it too…' I thought bitterly.
While the loss isn't that much of a big deal, that just means that I am limited to using my lute for now. 'Well, I still have plenty of money, I can just buy a better one.' I thought to myself before blinking as I felt a tap on my shoulder.
Turning to the person who tapped on my shoulder, I blinked as an old man dressed in a kimono bowed towards me. Must be from Thorn. Huh, you would think he would stand out even here, but I guess I was focused too much on Grace's Chest to even notice him.
"Thank you for your wonderful performance." The man said with a slight accent as he stood up and grabbed something from his back.
It looked like a three-stringed banjo and on the other hand was a wooden handle with a triangular shape.
He then smiled as he presented it to me as if giving it to me.
"I don't know if this is a proper substitute, please accept this. This is known as a Shamisen and the pick is a Bachi, think of it as a gift for your beautiful music." My eyes widened as I used [Observe].
[Shamisen] [Rarity: Uncommon]
A three-stringed guitar whose name literally means "three strings". This particular instrument is a beloved piece used by many of Kaguya's people.
[Increases effectiveness of songs by 12%, ?]
Raising a brow as I held out my hand before looking at the man with an unsure gaze.
"Are you sure about this? I am not sure if I should take it." The man just shook his head. "Oh do not worry, young man. I have plenty back home."
"Well then, thank you very much." I bowed, copying what he did. He just laughed as he put the Shamisen and Bachi and as well as a book into my hands. 'Hmm, the spine is not leather-bound, but rather held together by a series of strings. Neat.'
Looking at it, a bit worn out, but still pretty readable from what I can see with the cover.
"It took me a long time to have this translated, this is a book on how to play the Shamisen. With how bright you look; you will master it in no time! If you need me, I am just sitting around here, somewhere." He chuckled with a smile as he went to take a seat.
I take the time to look at the thing. The best way to describe it is basically a banjo with 3 strings on it. And the Bachi looks more like a comb than a pick. To be honest, while I really do appreciate the gift, I don't know how many Eostians will want to listen to this. The best I can get outta this are those interested in other cultures, music lovers, and Easterners. But that is still a selective group, the only people I personally know would appreciate it the most would be Prim and Ka…gu…ya…
'…'
Old man, I don't know your name or where you came from, but I swear to you, after I conquer this world, I will make it so that whatever time you have left in this world will be spent in nothing less than luxury and have you reincarnated to be a winner in your next life.
Next day
Grace
Grace exits the bath, humming to herself as she wiped her hair with a towel. Should anyone see her, they would receive a preview of heaven. Bearing not even a towel to cover her modesty, she walks towards the mirror without a shred of embarrassment. Why would she? The only 2 people who would go through the door are Anna and her husband Ian, and the young man is too shy for his own good. Ah, love. They look so happy together. Too bad things in private are not as passionate. Hehe, Anna confided in her how she had tried to tempt Ian, but he would always back out. She could see how secretly frustrated she was becoming at the lack of action between them. She wished her friend luck in that regard.
With that out of her mind, she looks at herself and what a normal person would see is a body of perfection. However, should they look closer, managing to best their instincts at leering upon her body, only one flaw exists. The bruise on her right arm where Morgan grabbed her still remained. She frowned from the memory, any attempt to move her arm now stung every time she lifted it up. But it was after that a small smile graced her lips as she remembered after the ordeal, Alain offered to pay for the medicine to help ease the pain. Anna in jest asked if he was willing to pay for a potion and when he said yes, she was both touched and worried. Potions are rare in a community like theirs. It wasn't as if you can't get a potion in the cities and nearby settlements, but out here in the mountains, potions are as rare as spices. They needed to be imported and used in the most critical of moments. This led them both to believe Alain was telling the truth about never going out, or the price didn't bother him, so she didn't look too deeply into it. Anna seemed a little suspicious about it but she believed in the best of people. Personally, she hoped he was telling the truth about the former, it's rare these days to find decent men these days. The reminder of the joyous occasion last night was a comfort to her.
But it was ruined thanks to Morgan.
'Hmph. He thinks he owns me and can decide who I'm allowed to talk to? Never in a million years. Speaking of which, I have to thank Goose for finally giving that bastard his just desserts. I always respected him for holding it in, but I'm glad he took a stand this time.'
Anna wanted to thank Alain more, especially since he went and played his newly acquired instrument with the guidance of the old man, but he left just as soon as she had time to go and personally thank him.
'Who knew that beating into it like a drum would produce such amazing music.' She giggled to herself, remembering how well Alain played the instrument.
His method of playing the instrument certainly was unorthodox. She wondered why she never heard of his music before. It's quite ear catching.
A morning breeze flew in and attacked sections of her vulnerable damp body. Shivers tingled her body as she decides to finish drying and grab her clothes.
While the outside is quite cold with how early the day is. Looking at the beautiful surroundings made her feel warm. The farmers working early, traders and merchants setting up shop, the occasional children who happened to wake up early starting to play.
That last sight sent a tinge of pain through her heart. Sighing to herself, her thoughts shifted to a more melancholic tone.
"I wonder how things would be like if he was still here? To be held by him, to have our own children. How would my life change if he didn't die?" Closing her eyes, she took a shaky breath and exhaled before slapping her face lightly.
"Come on now, Grace! It's a beautiful morning! Vanquish all your negative thoughts!" She chastised herself before letting out a bright smile.
Knock knock!
"Grace, are you up? We need to go now before people buy out all the best ingredients! Ian can watch the place for us, as usual." The Dark Elf chuckled as she went to the door and opened it, revealing her friend carrying an empty basket.
"What are we waiting for? With the money we earned last night, we can buy more than usual!" The two Elves went outside, ready to start the day by buying out all the best ingredients for their humble tavern.
Abhainn
21,190 gold
That is how rich I am right now…
And my stats?
Name: Abhainn Óran
Race: Human
Class: Bard
Title: [Noble Heir]
Level: 8 [97%/100%]
HP: 1100/1100 [Regenerates 13 per second]
MP: 700/700 [Regenerates 10 per second]
STR: 5 [LOCKED]
END: 20 (10)
DEX: 15
INT: 15
WIS: 16
CHA: 35 (45)
LUK: 29
Points: 0
From a single quest, from level 2 to 8.
While my STR is a very sore subject, the rest of my stats are good. So far, my progress has been pretty fast paced, all things considered.
There is also the violin I got.
[Oaksong Violin] [Rarity: Rare]
A violin made from enchanted oak wood. It gives off a serene feeling when being played.
[Increases effectiveness of songs by 25%]
[Will summon spirits that will dance around the user when played]
A very Bard-like item if I'm being honest, but it definitely fits my aesthetic.
The gacha coin I got also got me this.
[Mask of the Virtuoso] [Rarity: Legendary]
The mask of Jhin, The Virtuoso. It does well in catching the attention of the crowd, captivating them, and in their awe, a barrel of a gun and in the next second, a spray of blood. All in the name of art.
[Everyone's attention will be on you]
[Increases effectiveness of violins by 30%]
[When the user is performing, everyone will be captivated for 4 seconds]
I love this.
The design for Jhin's mask is so graceful despite the scratch marks on one side, and it does well in hiding the face. When I got this, I almost went full-on fanboy on this.
And then there's the effect that will certainly help me out if in certain situations.
Then there's the item I got from the secret objective.
[Affection Crystal (Small)]
At the height of joyous occasions can its merriment be crystallized. Crush to add +5 affection to anyone you think of... no you can't have an orgy of your harem to farm more of these crystals and harvest their pleasure. That's just bad manners.
…Damn. Guess the system knows me too well. There goes that option. But this is something I better save for the moment. So far everyone I want is already on their way. Maybe save this for Grace. Maybe Anna. Decisions, decisions. Oh well, thoughts for another time. Right now, I am walking around the village, wanting to see what it's like in the morning and as well as seeing if there is a place where I can build my salt storage. While my inventory can be my salt storage, building one is better since others won't question me about it.
Last night, I explored the rest of the village, and it is prospering quite a bit. Honestly surprising since this place is under a Baron's rule. But because this place is located near some mountains and as well as a river, then the number of natural resources around are bound to be plentiful.
While some things still need improvement, the village is doing pretty good in all honesty. And speaking of last night, that taught me a lesson to always have someone accompany me. I am now being accompanied by both Ōkami and Esdeath, who is currently wearing her own cloak to hide her identity. She didn't like it at first, but when I told her that anyone who attacks us is free to be punished by her, she forgot her previous irritation and her signature smile spilled through.
Ōkami was loving every second of this trip because he was enjoying the walk and the chance to meet new people. He got some looks from the villagers. But then again, it's not every day you meet a wolf acting like a regular dog.
Like last night, I am wearing the cloak I borrowed, but this time, I have a scarf to hide my smug smile and any lecherous grin I make should I meet a woman.
Ōkami panted happily as I scratched him behind the ears. It's early in the morning and yet I can see some bustle and hustle around the shops.
'Where can I find a place to store my salt?' I thought to myself as I glanced around the area.
Everywhere I look, the space is either too small or doesn't fit with how out of place it still, I want my salt storage to be easy to access and, most importantly, safe. The salt storage will be easy to access so it can be sold immediately.
And seeing as how rich I am right now, and how I am the Baron's son; I can easily hire some guards to keep an eye on it. Salt is a precious luxury item for the nobles, I can sell them at high but reasonable prices among the commoners.
After all, people are envious by nature. And because of that envy, I can use it to my advantage. I just need to make sure that I keep [Salt, The Saltiest Saltshaker] safe. Last night, I barely kept myself from salivating when I pictured myself as the richest person in all of Eostia.
But while imagining myself becoming the richest man alive by selling only salt, I know that just selling salt will not help. The problem lies with the fact that I can potentially, absolutely, 100% destroy the worth of salt in the market.
It's a given with how much power I have over it right now. So, I'll need to be cautious and slow down when it comes to selling salt. No need to crash the market with salt, as funny as that would be. A round of giggles interrupts my inner musings. I turn to where the noise came from and…
"Hmm?" I raised a brow as I recognized two pairs of curvaceous Elves.
From what I can see, Anna and Grace are shopping for what seems to be ingredients for cooking. 'Well, given how they run a tavern it's natural for them to buy ingredients in case they cooked a lot last night. How diligent. '
I hummed a happy tune as I walked toward them, Ōkami just following behind while Esdeath just stood nearby. Time to reacquaint myself. Once I'm a few centimeters away from them, I gave Grace a light tap on her shoulder to catch her attention. She jumped slightly from the touch.
"Huh?"
She turned around as I gave her a smile. Oh wait, she can't see it because of my scarf. I pull it down momentarily so she can see my face. Her features light up in recognition.
"Alain!" She gasped lightly, catching Anna's attention after paying the trader.
Ōkami barked once, surprising Anna. He seemed annoyed that he was being ignored. I just chuckled as I gave Ōkami a headpat.
"Sorry about that, Ōkami loves meeting new people." In response, the wolf panted happily as he sat down.
Good boy.
'Note to self, get Ōkami some beef jerky after getting my business with salt all sorted out.'
Looking towards both Elves in the eyes, I nodded towards them.
"Good morning." Anna held a hand on her chest, causing me to glance at it for a split second before returning my gaze upwards.
"Good morning." They both replied at the same time, causing me to chuckle as Ōkami seemed to whine as he looked up at me restlessly. I blinked before sighing with an understanding smile.
"Go on, there's a bush over there." Ōkami barked happily as he walked over to a nearby bush to do his business.
"Smart boy, isn't he?"
I just chuckled as I turned towards Grace.
"I've had him since he was a pup. Had to train him so that he doesn't go around and leave his marks around the house." They both laughed softly at my joke.
It's weird having to never train Ōkami personally but at the same time having the memories of 'me' training him. It was a really odd experience for me, but I got used to it though. A few moments passed as I continued talking to Anna and Grace, unfortunately, I didn't manage to increase their reputation with me. Anna seems to be eyeing me a bit more than usual, but in a suspicious way unfortunately. I hope I didn't give her cause to think negatively of me. In the end I'll still make her mine but it will be longer. But that's fine, I can wait anyway.
It's really about the waiting game when it comes to Anna and Grace. The rewards will all be worth it anyway.
'Mmm, vanilla and chocolate.' I hummed to myself as I gratefully but carefully drank in their curvy bodies. It really gets me going whenever I look at the delicious eye candy in front of me.
It's very…arousing.
'Oh, I can't wait to mark them all over.' I barely stopped myself from letting out a lecherous growl. "Alain? Are you okay?" I blinked as Grace stepped closer, looking at me deep in the eyes. My eyes almost wandered around her body, especially towards her nipples that are peaking through her clothing.
I wonder what would hap-
"You!" My eyes narrowed as I heard a familiar voice behind me, and based on the fact that I can hear some stomping sounds and the fact that I have a feeling of déjà vu, then I can easily guess that this is the same guy who punched me last night.
'What's his name again?' I wondered to myself as I quickly but calmly turned around just in time for me to see him reel in a punch. Wow. This idiot still hasn't learned his lesson from last night.
Both Elves behind me gasped as Morgan did a straight fist. The people around us can only stop to stare as, from what they can see, a member of the Black Dogs is about to punch a total stranger… again. I kept my eyes on him, his face twisted into an ugly snarl.
But I didn't dodge…
After all, why do I need to dodge when somebody can stop it for me? Immediately, the air grew cold as a trail of ice formed around Morgan's feet before encasing it, stopping him in his tracks. The people around the market grew silent as they followed the trail of ice, leading towards Esdeath, she saunters towards us and takes the time to remove her hood, revealing her beautiful yet terrifying visage for everyone to see.
Growl~!
Ōkami ran to my side, growling and snarling at Morgan's attempt to hurt me. But that's not important. Right now, everyone is watching as Esdeath made her way towards the panicking mercenary.
"Why is she here?!"
"Esdeath!"
"She caught him in the act, about damn time."
The crowd muttered amongst each other while Esdeath kept walking.
And let me just say this: Morgan is fucked. She looks fucking pissed. And that is terrifying…and hot…it is very flattering that she is angry on my behalf, which is a given since she is in love with me. But still, Morgan is fucked because, for one, Esdeath caught him about to hurt me, two, she is a yandere, three, she is a sadist, four, she is a yandere.
Did I say yandere twice? Yes, I did. I can't help it because I am both terrified and attracted.
…Nope I'm actually just terrified but the thought was there for a moment.
"Thank goodness." I heard Grace behind me sigh in relief. I pulled my scarf off before giving Morgan the smuggest smile I can make. I told you fucker; you are going to pay. Now all I have to do is enjoy the moment.
Glancing towards the crowd, I felt something inside me flare as I pulled my hood back, revealing everyone my white hair in all its shiny glory.
Time to play the noble.
"Not once, but twice." I sighed loud enough for everyone to hear, this caught their attention as I held a hand on Ōkami, holding him back. I'm really lucky that all it takes is my hand on him to prevent him from attacking. I wouldn't have been able to stop him even if I tried. He really didn't like that someone tried to attack me.
"Last night you hit me, today you attempted another hit, but this time failed thanks to Esdeath." I gave her a thankful nod which she took in stride.
"If it were my father, he would have your hand be chopped off and fed to the dogs." That got everyone's attention while some cringed as they held their hands.
Anna's eyes widened as something seemed to tick in her mind, while Grace held her mouth in shock as she made the same realization as the High Elf.
"In the name of my father, Baron Calarus Óran, I, Abhainn Óran, sentence you to prison until I can think of a better punishment for you." Everyone in the market looked at me in bewilderment as I turned to Esdeath.
"Take him to the castle dungeons. He won't be seeing the sun for a long while."
Seemingly realizing how truly he fucked up, Morgan swallowed his pride as he gave me a pleading look. "W-Wait! That was a misunderstanding! I thought you were harassing Grace! You know how rare Dark Elves are these days, right?! I was just trying to protect her!"
I raised a brow before sighing in disappointment.
'Is that really the best excuse he can give? Pathetic.'
"That doesn't justify the fact that you hit me last night, the Baron's son. Then you were about to do so again earlier. You reap what you sow, mercenary. Take him away, Esdeath. Before I decide to let Ōkami drag him to the dungeon." I coldly stated while Ōkami growled louder, scaring the mercenary and as well as some villagers.
The message was clear for Esdeath.
Have fun entertaining our guest. A gift for you.
"Yes, my lord."
With a smile that reached to her eyes, Esdeath bowed formally as she formed a chain that uncomfortably wrapped around Morgan's neck before breaking the ice and dragging him away. His pleads of mercy fall on deaf ears. Oh, he even pissed his pants.
I sigh as I give Ōkami a comforting pat.
Looking at the two Elves, I decided to add a bit of charm to myself.
I put a hand to my chest and gave them a slight bow.
"My name is Abhainn Óran, I apologize for the late introduction."
"N-No! It's our fault for not recognizing you sooner my lord!" Anna bows with Grace bowing a second later. In Anna's mind, it explained so much. Why she never heard of him before, the gold coins he used to pay for the drinks, and how casually he was willing to buy a potion for Grace. Now it all made sense to her. Unaware of her inner turmoil, I just chuckled while shaking off their attempts at being formal.
"It's fine, I was the one who went into your tavern last night unannounced, after all. It was the perfect place to practice my music without thinking about bias. Now then," I turned my attention towards Grace, said Dark Elf went still for a moment as soon as I looked at her.
"Last night was fun, but I do have some concerns." Anna blinked as I turned towards her.
"One of them is Grace herself. What happened last night could happen again."
"What do you mean?"
"I am expressing my concern towards you, Grace." She blinked in confusion as I took a chance and gently held her hands against my own, causing her to blush lightly. "Last night, when that man hit me, he was holding you against your will, and in that single moment, I can tell that you were in pain. Deny it all you want, but he held onto you roughly." I narrowed my eyes.
"Even if he is now being dragged to the dungeon, I still worry that in the coming days, someone will have their eyes on you, and in that process, you will be once again subjected to harsh treatment. As the heir to this land and as it is my responsibility, that I cannot allow." I frowned a bit in distaste. "Unfortunately, no matter how many times we arrest people like him, even if we manage to catch them in the first place, there will always be a Morgan. So why don't we come to an agreement? As heir to this land, I would like to present you an opportunity."
[+5 Reputation with Grace Campbell!]
Grace Campbell – 85/100 Reputation]
[+5 Reputation with Anna Florence!]
[Anna Florence – 90/100 Reputation]
Clearing my throat as I let go of her hand in favor of reaching out to her, I looked her in the eyes and said my piece.
"Grace Campbell, I offer you to serve me. You will be my personal maid, serving me and me alone. In return, I promise you will be safe under my wing and that your services will be properly rewarded." When given the offer, Grace has a face of bewilderment. That bewilderment soon became conflicted, possibly weighing her options on how to respond.
Seeing this, I carefully lifted my scarf above my lips, I can't afford to give her any reason to doubt my offer is a sincere request to help her.
"Of course, you do not have to take my offer right away. I am willing, albeit reluctantly, to wait for your answer."
Anna and Grace look at each other as if talking telepathically. Well, I can certainly understand why. They are friends, after all. It's only natural that they are worried for each other. Grace is more worried than Anna, I think.
"If it makes you feel better, this will certainly help Anna more than you think it would."
Grace blinked as she seemed to lean on my words.
This made me smirk as I mentally thanked the rewards last night. Specifically, the perk I got.
[Charisma E Rank]
A composite skill consisting of a person's charm and as well as the natural talent to convince someone or a small group of people to do something for you. In addition, whatever said, for no reason will those who listen are willing to trust them, despite never meeting or knowing them.
As of now, this is currently the most broken tool at my disposal. It allows people to trust my word no matter what. Perfect for a Bard such as I.
"Those under my house's service have all been treated well and if you do not believe me, then perhaps meeting with them will illuminate you." I look at Anna as I continue my talk with Grace. "Morgan himself might have been caught, but his men are still at large. Should you choose to accept, Anna may join you under my protection as well, since retaliation is a possible consequence."
Grace looked down in thought for a bit while Anna looked at me with worry. She probably didn't think about such a thing. Sow the seeds of discord, and make yourself the solution they need. Now to wait for the harvest.
"In the end, it's your choice."
Finally, after a few moments, Grace looked up at me with a somewhat conflicted smile. "Can I think about it? I need to gather my thoughts." I nodded, mentally clicking my tongue at how I have to wait. Can't say I'm not disappointed about it. But no matter, with how hard she's thinking about it, it'll only be a matter of time before she accepts.
And when she does…oh I can't wait to personally…train her to suit my needs.
"You have plenty of time Grace. There is no need to rush, this is a big decision, after all." After saying my piece, I took a few steps back and bowed my head slightly.
"Have a wonderful day, ladies."
And with that, I turned around and left, leaving Grace to think for herself and for Anna to support her Dark Elf friend.
Ōkami followed me, panting happily as I scratched him behind his ears once again.
'Time to play the waiting game…' Glancing at a random shop, I blinked a couple of times before quickly walking away.
'Or I can take a look at the Gamers' Shop.' I quickened my pace as Ōkami followed after me.
Time to take a look at what's in store for me.
But first, I need to go and take Ōkami back to the castle.
Inside the castle
After leaving Ōkami to the maids, I went inside my room and locked it. Since time will not even slow down while I'm in the shop, I need to make sure I keep myself hidden.
It won't be fun trying to come up with excuses as to why I suddenly appeared out of nowhere, after all.
"Let's go to the [Gamers' Shop]."
Immediately after saying that, the surroundings around me changed for a split second.
I blinked as I looked around.
Various items of high-quality hang around me. I felt the greed inside me roar in excitement the more I look at the items around me. Ranging from weapons, potions, gems, books, and animals. Hell, there are even aphrodisiacs I can use.
…I'll be looking into those next time, but first I need to get the storage for my salt.
"This place has it all," I muttered in awe.
"You got that right!" I turned around and gaped as I saw a girl with red hair tied to a ponytail with a beret that matches the color. Her slightly reddish eyes full of mischief and her pink glossy lips sporting a sly grin.
She is wearing a black leather cuirass that covers only the chest area, a tight red and white blouse that reaches down her thighs, strapped to one side is a leather pouch and the other is a purse, and underneath her blouse are her arms accompanied with fingerless arm sleeves
To her lower half, she is wearing black thigh-high socks with a pouch strapped to each leg and a pair of boots that reachup to her knees.
And to top it all off, she also has a red cape. Man, she really loves red.
This appearance just screams "merchant".
And not just any merchant. With the red hair and the signature pose of her index finger placed between her chin and her lower lip, I can easily and confidently say that I know this girl.
"Anna?!"
She giggled as she gave me a playful wink.
"Got that right! Welcome to the Gamers' Shop, Abhainn!" She cheered as she spread her arms as if showcasing the shop itself.
I sigh to myself as I approached the desk where she's at.
"So, what's Fire Emblem's poster girl doing here?"
She hummed to herself with her signature pose as she playfully looked up, as if thinking of an answer. Snapping her fingers, as if she got an answer, she looked at me.
"Each bit of information about me will cost you!" She playfully let out her tongue while giving me the 'pay me' gesture with her fingers.
'Note to self, never tell Anna how much gold I have right now.' Rolling my eyes, I chuckled as I turned my attention towards the items around the shop.
'Classic Anna.'
Seemingly going to her merchant mode, Anna leaned on the desk and gave me a wink.
"So? What can I do for you today?"
Humming in thought, I turned to her.
"Do you have any way for me to get a building? I need it to store some items to sell later." Her eyes gained a shine as she gave me a wide grin before holding out her hand and out of nowhere, a book appeared.
"We have plenty! Have a look!"
She put the book down, and as soon as it was put down, the book opened by itself and started turning page after page.
"We have plenty high-end storage facilities, easily capable of storing thousands of items while others can store millions." The book stopped turning, stopping on a very big and very expensive-looking building. I cringed inside as soon as I saw how many zeroes it had for a price…
Yeah, not happening.
I stopped myself from gulping loudly by faking a cough.
"How about something smaller first? One that I can upgrade to fit my needs." Anna blinks before looking down at the book, making it turn pages quickly before settling on a smaller but still relatively big building.
"This one can hold a maximum of a thousand items, depending on how big it is, then you can store most things in it. It's upgradable but if you want it to be able to upgrade itself then you'll have to pay extra." I frowned for a bit before my eyes widened slightly at the price.
"For a price of 2,000 gold, it's not a bad deal, don't you think?" I nodded as I smiled before looking at Anna. "That'll do." The redhead clapped her hands together before the book closed.
"If you want, I have another deal for you!" She cheered as 3 papers floated behind her.
Oh boy…
"If you want, you can buy a worker from another world! You can specify who it will be and they will end up in the shop, already knowing what to do!" I hummed in interest, she seemed excited.
'I don't see any price tags, so maybe that's around 50,000 gold or even 100,000 at mo-'
"All for the price of 500,000 gold!"
'Never mind…this is Anna, she overprices things, don't forget that Abhainn.' I mentally berated myself while keeping my cool.
"If that doesn't suit your fancy, then you can buy a group of workers straight from the shop! These guys will be loyal to you always and since they are literally made to work for you, then they won't mind dying while working!"
She said that all too cheerfully…I know that each Anna is different yet the same, but geez…
"Each group comes in 30 workers, bringing that up to 90,000 gold!"
Again…overpriced!
"But let's say you have no interest in either of those things and want to do things the old-fashioned way." She didn't lose her cheer, which still worries me. "This is a contract that you can use to hire people!" Looking at the paper she was pointing at, I raised a brow as I took a closer look at the contract.
"Only 1 gold per contract!"
My eyes widened significantly as I held myself from nearly jumping about in joy.
'So cheap!'
"Now you might be wondering why it's so cheap, but that's because this is the riskiest option as opposed to the other two I mentioned." She held a finger on a blank spot on the contract. "With this, you can set conditions for your workers, but at the same time they can choose not to fulfill any of these conditions." She gave me a wink. "But since this is the Gamers' Shop, this contract is magic in nature! If any of the conditions are failed to be met by a worker, the contract itself will be null and void."
She giggled playfully before giving me a wink.
"If you don't feel like handing these contracts yourself, I can do it for you! For an increase in 30% in payment, of course!"
'Hmm, if I buy 50 contracts, I will have to pay Anna with 15 gold, not a bad deal.'
"And let me add a special deal for you!" She leaned in playfully. "Since this contract is magical, I can add in a little bit of magic in your facility!"
"Oh? Do tell." This is getting interesting.
She grinned. "I can have your contracts connect to your workers which will allow them to work in your storage facility. If they do something they shouldn't have done in the contract, then the contract is null and void. If the one who violated the contract tries to enter your facility, then they will be denied with a barrier. This is also applicable to people who don't have your permission to enter."
I mirrored Anna's grin with my own.
"The deal will be 500 gold!"
Immediately, I clasped her hand with my own.
"With you finding the workers for me, that's a deal!"
"Good! That will be a total of 2,565 gold." I blinked for a moment before chuckling as I took out a sack containing the exact amount.
"That was a quick calculation."
She just giggled as she grabbed the sack and kissed it.
"It runs in the family."
Nodding with a chuckle, I took a look at my inventory and took a note that I still have 18,625 gold.
"The building you have purchased is located near the village your family rules over. With the Gamers' Shop, even reality will bend over. I will also go and find some people to work for you later on." I gave her a nod in thanks.
"Now then, anything else?"
Looking around me, a thought occurred to me. While the system said I can easily play any instrument, I have been getting used to this particular instrument…
"Do you have a flute? One that can help me a lot." Anna gave me a grin as she made a few hand gestures.
After a few moments, a lot of flutes came out from different directions, and when I say a lot of flutes, I mean a lot of flutes.
Ranging from different colors, shapes, sizes…
'Is that one shaped like a penis?!'
I shake my head at that.
Anna seemed to notice it too if her giggles were any indication of it.
Looking at each flute, I used [Observe] on every single one of them. And all of them are either useless, cursed, or expensive.
'The number of godlike flutes that have a price tag containing many zeros in it…' I frowned as I looked through every single flute.
Meanwhile, Anna is just sitting on her chair, filing her nails while occasionally looking up at me.
I have been here for minutes already, while it's not much, I still have to consider the fact that time hasn't stopped back in that hentai world.
What if someone came looking for me while I'm here? There's certainly going to be a lot of explaining about that. And while I know that it'll happen someday, if not soon, I'd rather not deal with it right now.
Stopping in my tracks, my eyes widened as I held on a wooden flute with some gold accents to go along with its vintage look. It has a smooth texture, a really nice feel to it, it's light but it feels really durable.
'[Observe]'
[Lucky Wood] [Rarity: Legendary]
A flute carved from a trunk of an enchanted tree said to bring luck, and if it wasn't lucky enough, then the magic was enhanced by a Leprechaun.
[Increases luck of user by 5 once a day when played]
[Luck buffs will be removed if not played once in a day]
[Luck buffs scales 5 per level]
Quickly looking down at the price tag, I felt a smile creeping up to my lips as I stared at it.
5,000 gold, with my 18,625 gold leftover, that'll leave me with 13,625 gold.
Holding it up to Anna, I mentally opened my inventory and dropped a sack containing exactly 5,000 gold down her desk. Giving me a wink as she grabbed the sack, she sighed in satisfaction as she stood up.
"Pleasure doing business with you! The exit is that way if you were wondering." I blinked as she pointed to her side, it's an ordinary door.
I nod as I put [Lucky Wood] in my inventory.
"I'll be sure to drop by again soon!" I called out to her as I opened the door.
She just blew me a kiss before waving.
10 minutes later
Bark!
I chuckled as I watched Ōkami ran around me.
Right now, I am in the forest nearby. The reason is simple, I don't want anyone to disturb me while I'm playing my new flute…and I also felt like going to the forest.
Thanks to my perk [The Wild's Best Friend], I don't have to worry about wild animals attacking me. And even if any did, I don't have any doubts that Ōkami can protect me by himself.
I have full confidence in him.
Why wouldn't I when he's such a good wolfy?
Stopping near a river, my smile widened at how appropriate it is.
"My name means River, so I play near a river, isn't that right, Ōkami?" He replied by jumping on me to lick me several times in the face.
"Hey!" I chuckled lightheartedly as I gently held Ōkami by his snout to push him back playfully. Wiping my face, I opened my inventory and took out [Lucky Wood] before taking a deep breath before jumping on a decently sized flat rock just sitting beside the riverbed. Seemingly knowing what I'm about to do, my wolf companion settled down a few feet away from me.
Looking around, I took in the nature around me, and in an instant, I already have something in mind. It's simple enough but also very appropriate given how I'm in a forest.
Smiling at my guard, I exhaled slightly and blew into the mouthpiece
?
Red eyes closed as the figure took in a shaky breath. The figure is a woman with tanned skin, blond hair, and most importantly, her ears are pointed.
Her state of dress is no different than that of a Shield Princess. A crop top that does the extreme bare minimum for modesty, a mini dress, a shrug hangs off of her shoulders extending but not reaching her elbows, and a pair of gloves to compliment it. The only saving grace is that she is wearing a long cape that reaches her knees.
Just below her navel is a black tattoo.
The lower half of her body fares a little better. Thigh-high socks with equal height boots strapped to her corset. Her womanhood is covered by a thin black thong. She begins to reach for a pouch strapped to her hip with one hand.
She relaxed slightly as she sat on a rock. "It's him…it really is him…there's no doubt about it." She muttered to herself as her other hand held the knot that tied her blond hair. Looking up at the skies, she flashed a small smile as she remembered the scene she saw earlier this morning. She was simply there for scouting. She hated being near humans, but for her lady's sake she was willing to bear with it. It was when she heard the sounds of an ugly roar she to turned to see that ugly human started squawking, and toward something she never expected to see. Or rather, someone.
'Even after all these years, I still can't forget about you…'
She opened her pouch and grabbed something small and reddish. Raising it to the sky, she gave a soft smile as she looked at it. Such a small fruit yet it brings immense joy every time she looks at it.
"Those defiant green eyes, the melodious harmony his flute sang, and the warm gentleness he had shown to that Dark Elf…" Closing her eyes as she placed the precious fruit to her lips, her mind wandered to what she saw.
'He didn't dodge that human's punch…even though he saw it coming, he didn't try to move.' Her eyes opened slightly as she opened her mouth to welcome the sweet fruit.
'It's not because he was scared, no, he was way too calm at that moment…' Chewing, she allowed herself this one bit of solace as the sweet flavor of strawberry filled her mouth. 'He didn't dodge because he didn't want that Dark Elf to get hurt…he is willing to take it. Just like he did with me…' She closed her hand and moved it to her chest, nostalgic of that single moment in time.
"Abhainn Óran, to see you after so long..." Her smile widened as she remembered the past... from her dark history where her one white light was a small boy, his flute and a simple pouch of fruit.
"To think that I would meet you again while my queen gave me this mission…" Her eyes widened in realization as she gasped, holding a hand to her chest, a conflicted expression on her face.
'My queen gave me a mission to scout for places to send those despicable monsters to…' She gritted her teeth as she felt a heavy surge of emotions boiling inside her. 'Maybe I can save him during the confusion? No, with the way he acted I doubt he would appreciate what I did…the thought of him hating me... it's unbearable!'
The knot inside her chest tightened, the sweet taste of strawberry in her mouth suddenly started to taste bitter, and she felt torn on what to do.
Does she report to her queen and risk the life of the one who saved her in the past?
Or will she turn her back on her queen just this once?
"Dammit…why are you here?" She closed her eyes tightly, feeling her heart clench.
Hot tears threatened to fall down her ruby red eyes as she took a shaky breath.
"Don't cry!" She hissed to herself as she gritted her teeth. "I just need to go ba-" She stopped as her ears perked up.
A soft and melodic tune. It feels calm, soothing, and most importantly, it feels nostalgic. Her eyes widened as she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Standing up, her ears picked up another sound.
In an instant, she felt calm, the soothing melody tugged at her heart, letting her know that this is the very same tune she had heard all those years ago.
Back when she was scared, this melody was played for her, calming her down from her fears and giving her the courage she needed to finally escape the hellhole that caged her.
Alongside the melody of the flute being played, she can hear countless forest animals moving.
Hoot!
Looking up, she saw a group of owls flying towards the source of the music reverberating throughout the forest.
Yip!
"What the?" She blinked in shock as she turned around and her eyes widened as a fox ran in between her legs. Then the fox is followed by more animals, this time differing in size and species. "Why are they going there?" She muttered in shock, only to stop as her shock grew even more.
What she saw was a deer running alongside a wolf.
'Impossible…deer would never travel near wolves like that.' She thought as she looked towards the direction where the music was emanating from.
All around her, animals made their respective noises as they all moved towards the source of the music. In Chloe's mind, the source is without a doubt Abhainn.
Without even realizing it, she started to walk alongside the animals, and not a single one of them moved away from her.
Hearing the sounds of running water, she looked ahead and saw a small clearing. Already, she can see many animals gathering around a figure, listening to him playing his flute.
Looking at him, he doesn't seem to mind. He seems to enjoy the company of wild animals. Wolves, rabbits, birds, and even bears. The animals all lay down near him, enjoying his music.
'Everything looks so peaceful.'
Pulling his lips away from his flute, he smiled as he scratched the ears of a fox, causing it to lean closer to him, obviously enjoying the attention.
'His smile is shining.' A blush crept towards her cheeks as she kept her eyes on his lips longer than she could have imagined.
A wolf pup ran towards him, its tail wagging in excitement as it jumped on his lap. He chuckled as he gave the pup an affectionate headpat, causing it to bark in excitement as it jumped him and began to lick his chin.
He chuckled once again, almost bringing her down her knees at how smooth it sounded.
He then began to hum the tune of what he played with his flute. It sounds so smooth, so silky. Just hearing it makes her feel like she's been wrapped with his voice alone.
His voice, so soft and silky, yet she can hear it so clearly. It might be thanks to her ears, but it's like she's near him.
And finally, it stopped.
The various animals around him started to let out their noises of comfort as if thanking him. Her heart aches, she wants to reach out to him, to talk to him, and if possible, she wants to hug him, to have him hold her while whispering sweet nothings to her ears.
Like the last time he did it. Opening her lips, she was ready to call out to him, to call his attention to her.
Just one breath, one word, one name.
"Ab-"
"Chloe?"
Her eyes widened as she heard him call out her name. He turned to her and seemed surprised, not expecting a person to be nearby. But then she replayed what he called out.
'He remembers me!'
Looking at him, she saw his eyes widen as he looked at her with his vibrant green eyes. Feeling her heart flutter about, she gave him a sweet smile as she held her chest with both hands.
"Abhainn…"
And that wraps the end of the chapter!
Wooh! 12k words! This chapter was really fun to write! Special thanks to Demonoid from the SGO server…which I never actually posted the link for…I am dumb, I know.
discord .gg/wd3tUYWVCd
There we go!
Special thanks to Everpeach, for being the good ol Moral Supporter…kek…
Now I will see yo-
HONK!
What the?! Honkus? Oh yeah…I did promise to write a special for you!
Honk!
Yeah, yeah, I know. Just give me a second.
Lying on his back is Morgan, a bruise on his cheek, a broken nose, and caked with dust and dirt from the ground.
Honk!
A honk reverberated through the air as a familiar figure walked towards the downed man. The menacing sight of webbed feet, the cold soulless eyes of the beast, and the bloodthirsty beak that has tasted the blood of many victims…
Honk Honk!
The goose straightened its legs and spread its wings and keeping it that way as if doing a pose while staring down at Morgan.
It seemed as if it was asserting its dominance…
Then, the goose walked towards the man, hopped on his chest, got in position and…
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!
Howled to the night sky…wait…how do geese howl when all they do is honk?!
As the sound of it's honking echoed throughout the village, Honkus looked into the night skies…waiting…
Honk! Honk! Honk!
Looking behind him, an army of geese ran towards him, all with their wings spread as their webbed feet crash against the dirt.
Within few moments, the man known as Morgan is surrounded by an army of geese.
Honkus looked around and seemingly nodded before hopping off the man.
The crowd of geese parted ways for the Wise Goose of the Pond, knowing that should they be in his way, they will be met with his wrath.
After walking a few feet away, the superior goose looked at his fellow geese, narrowed its eyes and…
Honk…
In a frenzy, the geese quickly approached the downed mercenary. Hearing the footsteps, Morgan woke up and his eyes widened as a goose reeled its head and…
"What th-AAAAAH!" He screamed in pain as the goose pecked out one of his eyes. One of his eyes are now pierced and poked out by the beak of the goose that first attacked him.
Horror filled his body as he heard the sounds of honks around him, as if mocking him. Looking at the one goose that pecked one of his eyes, he looked at it pleadingly.
"Please…"
HONK!
His plea went unheard as the geese jumped on him, pecking on him relentlessly.
The pecks went on, pecking him and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again.
The beaks of the geese thunders down with relentless, merciless, soul shattering fury, pecking and pecking into supple soft spots into his body until it erupts in a shower of blood.
"AAAAH! HEEEEEEEELP!" He held a hand out, desperately calling out for someone, something to save him.
But none came.
For the fury of geese are inescapable.
HONK HONK HONK HOOOOOONK!
The Wise Goose of the Pond looked at the army of geese relentlessly pecking at the man. Blood for the Blood God, indeed.
Honkus, The Wise Goose of the Pond has done his first ever achievement.
With a roar of honks, the beast sets off to find yet another victim.
Meanwhile, in the tavern, the crowd noisily enjoys the sounds of Abhainn's music.
'Better not get in Honkus' way…'
And that is done!
See you degenerates in the next chapter or in the server!
Ciao! Peace!
