A.N. - This took longer than intended to get out, and even so, this was intended to include a sex scene... but that scene is just short of 7k words now... and only about 2/3s done. So I'ma post this now. I could've spent more time refining it, but I just need to get this out and keep going with the story.

"Hold up."

"Huh? I didn't think this place had knives." Gabrielle said, still playing with her new coat.

"No, not that." I said with a shake of my head even as the rest of the small group I'd managed to gather came to a halt. "I thought I heard a familiar voice."

Thankfully, the actual mercenaries I knew of in the city hadn't taken long to find, hire, or convince to "try" the magical artifact 'armor' I could create for them. And they were likely going to be pretty useful when it came to force projection and managing weirdness going on in the future

Technically, I felt a familiar form.

It's real hard to forget tits like that. It's impossible to mistake the feel of a rack quite that size, warmth, or softness for anything else. But 'heard' was good enough.

"Thought you heard… who?" Gath'd, the crossbow-wielding anime-hair'd man asked curiously, "The assassin you mentioned?"

"You'll see if I'm right~" I said with some cheer even as I made a beeline towards the sensed figure.

I'd gathered Gath'D, a young man with a short purple bobcut who used a crossbow as a hunter, and Dargon, an old crotchety man with a glorious white beard who was a moderately skilled cleric. Two mercenaries for honestly pretty cheap, the equivalent of 300 and 500 dollars respectively for a month of service which was now going to be basically an eternity.

I was actually a bit surprised by how comfortable I was with that. Partially because I was still going to pay them and provide room, board, and literal immortality.

I think it was mostly 'cause they canonically were totally fine with my similarly named OG protagonist sexually enslaving good chunks of the nation and bringing in monster minions in the alternate Evil Route. So they weren't exactly "good" people.

So they'll fit right in.

Yup. I agreed with Koya with some cheer even with the little twist of my guts.

Though at this point, I actually could hear the delightful voice from this morning through the building as we approached the doorway, "Good day! How are you doing today? "

Quietly opening the door, I was treated to the delightful sight of Farah's curvaceous back, her tight, white, strapless dress so dangerously short that the lowermost curves of her wonderful ass tried to peek out from beneath it. She was near the counter of the small shop as the very large, noticeably european looking man in a turban nodded, speaking boisterously in broken egyptian, "Aah, big tittied mother come to visit, yes? Melons sweat like pig, hot day like this!"

I… is this a 'hentai world' thing? The fox-adjacent spirit in my soul muttered, Are we not understanding some nuance of the discussion…?

… I mean, her tits are at least the size of her head–

"Yeeeah…" the drawn out response from the former queen conveyed the same level of disbelief I felt as I entered the store. But she quickly became more pleasant and professional, "So has the new shipment arrived yet?"

"Yes! Big supply for big tittied mother, arrived!" His head bobbed energetically, surprisingly bright teeth gleaming in the light of the store, "You want large objects, vibrate with magic like swarm of horny bees, yes?"

Still don't know how she can look remotely proportional. Koya grumbled– It's not grumbling-!

Me either. I mused in admitted fascination as I moved into the store. Both in appreciation of a beautiful form, sexual attraction, and the knowledge that yes, I was going to tap that. Even without company bullshit. But c'mon, your rack was also fantastic.

"Ummm…" Delicately, she cleared her throat, the royal guard beside her very pointedly not looking away from the back wall of the shop as Farah said, "Yes, that would be me."

"Here you go!" the large man's jowls bobbed as he nodded furiously, lifting a large box from beneath the wooden counter. "Fun, promised!"

"Thank you!" Farah beamed, unslinging a pouch of gold from the simple but well crafted golden chain belt wrapped around her waist and placing it on the counter, "And here is the payment."

The former queen picked up the large box easily and turned, startling briefly before she looked up to meet my gaze with her own emerald one, the corners of her full lips already pulling up, "Jacob? Why, we meet in the most unusual places! How are you doing, young man?"

"Quite well." A teasing grin spread across my face as I gestured at the box in her hands. Made of a nice, pale, polished wood, it wasn't quite as broad as my shoulders, but it was certainly longer than Farah's. "If I may ask what brought you here?"

"Mm," she hummed pleasantly, eyes hooded as she let the fingers of one hand dance along the top of the box, "Just something to keep me warm at night, that's all. My daughter is lucky to have someone like Sebastilion or yourself to snuggle with after darkness falls. Myself, I don't have a steady lover yet." She looked down, eyes fond, "Not since my beloved husband passed away." Once more she looked up at me, eyes sparkling, "But I feel no sorrow, it was long ago and I'm happy and satisfied with how my life is now."

"I'd be quite happy to help in any way I can, lady Farah." I asserted warmly.

"Hmmm?" Her pleasant, intrigued little hum was like honey to my ears. "Then I'm counting on that… but I should be on my way-"

I pounced on the opportunity, at least to make the offer and show determined interest. I knew in the game you couldn't accompany her for mechanical restrictions, but here I could at least make the attempt. "We were heading back to the palace soon ourselves, your grace, if you'd like an additional escort."

"Oh, truly?" She glanced at my companions that had filed in behind me.

Gabrielle, in complete obliviousness, looked at me curiously, "I thought you were going to get some new cooking knives and outfits?"

I didn't pout at my smaller companion. I did not. I gave her a stern, disapproving look! Come on Gabrielle, wingman a little please!

Farah's giggle told me I'd failed, but it was a nice thing to hear as she looked to the taller brown haired woman, "Is that right…?"

Thankfully, good ole' ancient-ass Dargon came to my rescue, "Yes, your grace, that was his intent. Though the whippersnapper did immediately change course once he thought he heard your voice."

"Did he?" the busty woman asked with a purr, pressing the long box to her chest with a smile, "How sweet."

My face definitely felt warm, if in a good way, "Well, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to see a wonder of the world once more, lady Farah."

She beamed up at me, leaning forward and well into my personal space, "Why, I can't just deny such an earnest young man's request. Where were you looking to go?"

"Ah–" Oh fuck that's a view and needs to reboot-

Ol' Melvin's.

"Ol' Melvins, lady Farah." I said. .Thank you so much Koya.

"Oh, I'd be quite happy to accompany you four then," Farah said with a smile as warm as sands outside the city. As in searingly hot. "It's been a while since I've visited that district."

"We'd be happy to have your presence," I said, finally catching myself and extending a hand, "I can carry your purchase for you if you'd like?"

That had worked out well in excess of my expectations. I'd expected to just flirt and make a pass, to show my interest, maybe actually accompany Farah back to the palace. But to basically get a date out of it, chaperoned or not? Beautiful.

Oh my, I thought you knew better than to tempt Murphy, sir. Koya said in my ear with a giggle.

You hush.

"Oh thank you~" She said, handing over her ancient Egyptian magical vibrator, and I was able to tuck the box under my arm. "It's been some time since I've been to the western district, please, do lead the way."

-oOo-

"I was actually brought to Thebes as a slave dancer."

I'd been following Koyanskaya's prompts on questions. My own skill at 'getting to know people' relied too heavily on memes and shared media preferences. I was good at 'small talk', years of customer service ensured that, but that's different from making a connection or learning about people.

I'd set my mercenaries 'free' to improve their equipment before we met up tomorrow morning, but mostly for at least an illusion of privacy. Gabrielle though I kept along, as I didn't have a good way to find her in the city, and I needed to get her to my apartment to take care of the cats.

"Ah." I'd had to think on that one, but thankfully I was saved from having to come up with a response by Farah's giggle.

"Not what you expected, hmm?" Her smile was pleasant as we moved through the streets, having spent a few hours perusing the bazaars and acquiring items. I was out some money, but happy with my purchases of what were mostly interesting cooking utensils, local ingredients to use them on, and some minor magical items for myself to study later. "Of course, this was all a long time ago, even before I became the late Pharaoh's wife. I used to be one of the most skilled and appreciated belly dancers in all of Egypt. I entertained many men with my exotic moves. I fondly remember how my 'special' acts with donkeys or snakes used to catch their attention…"

The wistfulness in her tone was endearing, even if my mind immediately jumped to the lewdest of assumptions. Something entirely possible given the setting. "Ah, to be sure, do you mean dancing or 'dancing'?

She giggled even harder at the little wiggle I'd given to accentuate the innuendo, covering her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle it, "No! No, neither. Hehehe~ The donkey was more or less decoration on stage, though even he seemed to appreciate my moves. As a belly dancer, you didn't offend the public by enjoying yourself too much on stage. More… adult acts, were performed later in the privacy of those who could afford it."

"Which the prior Pharoah most certainly could."

"Yes. He enjoyed my dances and came to personally visit me on many occasions. He was always guarded by royal soldiers, but I didn't mind them watching." For as sultry as the phrasing could be, her tone was more wistful than anything else. "And one day, he couldn't resist me anymore. He paid a small fortune for my freedom, and asked me to become his wife.

"Entirely understandable." I agreed with the action with a grin, slightly shifting her own purchases slung under my arm, "And I haven't even had a chance to see you dance yet."

"Oh? And what would you have paid?"

That brought me up short. Stopping and looking towards the shorter woman, a sly smile on her face.

Oh she was dangerous.

"Mm. That's not a fair question, 'cause I don't think you're familiar with the monetary systems I'm more comfortable with, and I'm still not the best at the local ones…" I put my free hand on my hip with an exaggerated huff as we walked back towards the palace, trusting my tactile sense of the world around me to guide me, "But, to try and convert over? Based on the price of the inns and local foods and local material costs from what I've seen of the shops so far?" I rubbed my temple for a moment, "Using the prices I paid for my mercenaries as a sanity check on any services costs for a conversion rate…"

For all that the super rough conversion rate was 3 gold pieces per dollar, that was for stuff like food. When you consider that in a pre-industrial economy labor was cheap and materials were expensive? 15gp for a bed in an inn and a basic meal? 10gp for goats milk but 50 for good ale or a health potion. Basic iron weapons being in the realm of 1200gp. Chocolate being 150gp, really good apples being 250gp, ~5000gp for a month's service from bodyguards? Easiest peg would be goats milk since 'basic commodity', but the bodyguard's prices act as a rough estimate of 'personnel' prices over time… an honest answer was probably somewhere in the range of that of a car, several months worth of my current good salary. But to be flattering? Let's go with the price of a 'cheap' house.

"Mmm…" I mused, "Unlike the late Pharaoh I don't have the economy of Egypt to tap into, so I'd have to save up, but something around 200 to 300 thousand gold seems entirely appropriate for such a wonderful woman as yourself."

The sudden clanking and squeaks made me stop, turning to find that Farah's personal bodyguard Ali, as well as both of the ladies in the group had come to a hard stop to stare at me.

My smile felt awkward and sheepish, "... what? Did I do my math wrong…?"

"T-That's more than a mansion!" Gabby shouted, Ali nodding vigorously.

"... yes." I agreed. "That sounds about right. Because from what I've heard and seen, Farah here turns any place into a home." I smiled at the beautiful woman, who was gaping… and continued to look at me in shock long enough that the silence stretched to become uncomfortable, "... Farah…?"

"I... apologies. It's just that's… it's what he paid for me…" Farah cleared her throat quietly, brushing her long hair back behind her ear, "I know my original masters didn't actually want to sell me, even to the Pharaoh…"

"... I can understand that." I countered after a moment, smiling at her, "A woman like you? I wouldn't be surprised if someone had to fight off the gods themselves to acquire and keep you."

Farah sighed, her cheeks reddening once again, cupping her cheek, "Oh Jacob, how you make this mature woman blush with your kind compliments."

Ali and Gabrielle both pouted at me, but I had eyes entirely for the matriarch, "Then I am doing something right."

Gabrielle was adorable, amusingly klutzy, and actually a T4, but Farah managed to be more interesting than the dimensionally shifted woman. And wasn't that a pleasant surprise?

My tactile sense could feel the warmth to the older woman's immaculate skin as she looked up at me through lidded eyes,holding my gaze even as she began to walk once more, "I must admit, I appreciate your company, Jacob. Though Gabrielle and myself were brought here against our wills, I have yet to hear your story for being in Thebes."

Solid deflection. I had to admit even as I accepted the topic switch, following the former queen, "I actually came here for a number of reasons. Many of them because I was sent by my employers. They believe there are items and individuals of value here for acquisition and trade. Though my personal goals are closer to discovery, magical knowledge, and methods of healing."

"Oh? Your employers are hiring?"

"... of a sense." Damn. Bad topic choice. Koya felt utterly unapologetic. "My employers primary product are slaves."

"Oh! There's quite a bit of competition here." The voluptuous woman said with a pout.

Well… they were Egyptian. Apologies for the topic choice comment Koya.

I shook my head as we turned down a street on our way back towards the palace, "Oh, no. They're more… they focus on high end products, not volume. Extremely high skill and power slaves, not masses of unskilled laborers."

"Ah," she nodded, "Like I was."

And you want to turn her back into~

Yep! I agreed with Koya, even as my stomach squirmed. But I nodded, "Yes, though their focus tends to be on power and actionable skill rather than beauty, though the most popular ones are always the mix of both."

Farah looked at me curiously as we paused to let an overladen cart full of grains cross in front of us. "... if you have such powers from them as the portal that my daughter mentioned, what sort of slaves did you expect to acquire?"

My mouth opened, closed, and I looked away, struggling for just a moment.

Osira was the first to jump to mind, immediately followed by Farah and Opala themselves, as well as that pirate woman and several of the companions… but mostly the royal family themselves. But as dumb as I could be at times, I wasn't about to admit to Farah that I'd come here to sexually enslave her.

At least not at this point.

With a sigh, I ran a hand through my short hair, "Honestly? From their information, my employers believe that Osira is a powerful master of dark magic. With divine backing of some form."

Osira's mother inhaled sharply, emerald eyes boring into me for a moment before saddening, hands clenched together tightly, "And that's why you found out about her plot…"

For all that Farah was a former dancing slave, slut, and definitely a nymphomaniac that really enjoyed her animals? She was no fool. "Yes. Hitting it off with Opala and yourself was a pleasant surprise. I find myself very genuinely enjoying your company. But I was following the rumors of Osira's power and exile to likely enslave her."

"I-..." the matriarch of the royal family cut herself off, looking away, standing beside me in the street, still frozen in place, people gave us a breadth as they moved around our group.

As far as twisting the truth went, it was a mild one. You could call the video-game a rumor in this context.

"Who's Osira?" Gabrielle asked Ali in a hushed whisper.

"Lady Farah's' firstborn, exiled." The guardsman whispered back.

Suddenly, emerald eyes snapped back to mine, "And who's the buyer lined up for her?"

"There isn't one." I admitted. I'm pretty sure I was one of a very small number of individuals to intentionally come here. "My employer's magics are powerful. They can replicate people they get appropriate examples of, and it's the duplicates that are most commonly sold." Softly, feeling the smile on my face, I added, "And based on current trends, it's very likely I will want to keep her."

"It is at very least better than the alternatives. Especially if she has fallen into dark magics." The older woman returned my smile with a small one of her own before she began walking once more towards the palace.

By the way sir. Koya spoke up as I started to follow after Farah. It's after 5 your home time.

Ah…? I somewhat inarticulately thought back at her before it clicked, a glance at the gradually setting sun confirming it.. ... ah.

Time to call mom.

Thank you Koya-

"Mm? Sir Jacob?"

"I am no knight, Lady Farah." I countered, broken out of my internal conversation, emphasizing her title as a bit of sass even as I turned to her with a smile, "But yes?"

The little smirk on her face told me she'd picked up on it, but the voluptuous woman played with her interlaced fingers in what seemed to be an oft practiced motion in front of her that caused her arms to press her impressive bust forward, "You simply had a sour look on your face, I merely wondered what had brought that to your face."

"Merely the realization that I need to speak with my mother."

"The talk of your employers brought it to mind?" She teased with a bit of a smirk.

"Yes." I admitted with good humor, "Opala mentioned my communication device?"

The busty woman brightened, "That lets you communicate with your homeland?"

"Yes. I need to take a moment to do so." And then I had a brainwave. I looked at Gabby, "Actually, this is a good opportunity."

-oOo-

There was no way I was going to risk the revelation that I was on a 'date' or flirting with Opala's mom coming out. 0% chance that'd go well. Yeah, it was going to have to be a conversation at some point. But here and now? No thank you.

So I'd dipped into my pocket apartment without the extremely busty MILF, creating a portal on a dividing wall between districts to get there, letting the matriarch know I should be just a minute.

I took the time to get the more traditionally busty brunette accustomed to the house, and found a range of slutty outfits in the closet for her. The guest-room had automatically configured for the captured woman, and thankfully she only seemed eager.

Ron hadn't taken to her as easily as he had Opala, but she knew to leave him his food in whatever room he hid in and keep the much smaller and more accommodating Blue out of there for feeding times.

With that all handled in a reasonable timeframe, I pulled my phone back out and after a brief moment to gather my courage, called my mom.

The phone rang quietly several times before a terse voice picked up, "Yeah?"

"Hey mom." I said, watching Gabrielle played with the microwave and microwavable meals whose instructions were in a language I didn't recognize. "Still working?"

"Oh-!" Her tone immediately softened, "Yeah, still catching up on payroll."

"Because of Susan." I commiserated, knowing her frequent difficulties.

"Yes." She seethed for just a moment before sighing, "Still, things are going good? How'd it go with Opala?"

"Good." I said without hesitation, before correcting myself, "Very good. Awkward, still a bit of difficulties on my end, but with any luck we'll be able to work through them."

"Very good to hear." She agreed. Before asking, "Now, did you get me a picture?"

A cold, sinking sensation slammed into my stomach, and I accused my head-mate, ... you didn't remind me on purpose.

I have no idea what you mean Sir~ She smugged back.

"Not yet, sorry." I admitted.

"Jacob." I winced, hadn't heard that tone in a while. "I raised you better than that."

"Look, you don't take pictures of everything either unless it's spookybutt-"

"You take pictures of every meal you make and you didn't get one of Opala."

"Mom."

"Even for your contact list!"

"Mom! I was getting to it. I'm here on a job. Us hitting it off doesn't meaningfully affect or change that I've got to be at least a bit professional!"

"Professional enough to have dinner with her?"

"Mom," I pinched at my temples hard with the hand not holding my phone, face feeling hot in embarrassment and frustration, "It's part of the job. LIke, literally. Part of it is schmoozing."

She huffed quietly before she spoke again, sharp tone softening significantly, "I just want to see this woman you've hit it off with. You always struggled to meet people. I don't want to lose touch with your life just because your job keeps you away. I'm just excited for you."

"I know… I know. You know how I can get with tasks sometimes, they get lost in the shuffle." Because I was ADHD as fuck.

A small sigh came through the speakers, "... you're okay?"

I shot a glance at the beautiful bikini-clad woman eating at my table in my extradimensional apartment,

"... yeah, better than okay. As much as the job can scare me at times, I'm enjoying this." Power thrummed in my pattern, my skin buzzed like I'd downed half a can of pre-workout and it felt like all of my hairs had been set to 'sizzle'. All the while seeing better than I ever had even with glasses, hearing and feeling the bazaar all around me, and magical energies ready to coalesce with but a moment's focus… "... it's just a lot sometimes."

"I love you."

I smiled, feeling my stomach unclench at least a bit, "Love you too. Everything's good over there?"

"Work's still hectic, and your sister's doing what she can, but we don't have a space to move up there, or any hospitals in-network to consider moving your dad to. If your insurance comes through we might be able to, who are they with?"

"I'll check what's in the area." I deflected, half-scrambling, "It's in-house stuff so I don't know how easy it'll be to search."

"Check with your HR then." She suggested, "That should be the best starting point."

"Yeah. Mostly I'm just waiting for the stuff to kick in." Or to find proper healing magic that I could excuse. Dargon might work, but I hadn't run it by him or gotten a good feel for what he could do. Maybe the health potions on a drip feed? I'll have to test. "But I'll look into it, see if I can plan ahead a bit."

"Keep me up to date." Gabrielle looked at me in confused curiosity as I paced, "But I have to finish payroll."

"Will do. And may it go smoothly."

"And get me a picture of Opala!"

"Mom-!"

"Love you!" She crowed before hanging up.

… I couldn't begrudge her taking enjoyment where she could get it.

"Ugggghhhhhh."

Much.

-oOo-

"The bow?" I said, looking to the voluptuous woman walking beside me. I vaguely remembered her using a bow when she was younger or such, but I hadn't double checked given how fantastically I probably outpowered everything in the setting even this early on. "I must admit, I'm surprised. Your breasts seem like they would get in the way of drawing a bow."

"Oh, only if I try to draw in line with my arm," Farah said with a smile before demonstrating the stance with a little skip in her step, a dynamic thing that was more of a lunge. The full motion of drawing an arrow from her hip, nocking it, pushing the bow away and pulling back against nonexistent resistance with three fingers before her fingers snapped open to loose the imaginary arrow in a single continuous motion that was part of the leap to the side. For all that the motion made her tiny white minidress ride high on her thighs, my eyes were latched onto the way her hair flowed in the movement, the slender muscles of her shoulders and back tensing against the remembered resistance of the bow, and the sharpness to her eyes… All before she landed on the ball of a foot with a twirl and danced further along, swaying just a bit at the end of the motion and tilting forward before pressing an arm to her chest with a giggle, "Oh-! Oh my, I still have most of it! Though I've grown some since I last properly shot a bow…"

Green eyes met mine and I realized I'd been staring, clearing my throat into my hand even as Farah smiled slyly up at me, "Very graceful, yes. Even if pregnancy has… shall we say, adjusted your center of gravity?"

Farah giggled as Ali and I caught up, "You can say it made my boobs bigger, Jacob, I don't mind."

The lady and her personal bodyguard had waited patiently for me, and we'd resumed our movement towards the palace as the sun had started to make its way down towards the horizon, the stark shadows lengthening in the desert sun.

I chuckled, feeling my cheeks warm just a bit, "It felt crass to put it like that. I didn't want to take away from the smoothness and grace of that motion."

"Aren't you sweet~" Farah cooed, "I know it was ungainly–"

"Oi-!" I cut her off, startling her slightly, "You were graceful until the passage of time threw off your reflexes. The nocking of the arrow, the impeccable draw to the shoulder, all of it a singular motion with your repositioning. It was beautiful, and I wouldn't let anyone disparage your capability, even yourself."

The smaller woman's mouth worked silently for a moment before even her dark cheeks flushed a shockingly solid shade of red, looking away, "It's… been some time since someone has looked at me as something other than a queen or sexual being…"

My heart ached for just a moment, even as I felt Koya roll her eyes. "Farah…" I shook my head for a moment as I chuckled, "As amazing as your figure, as beautiful your face… it was not the bouncing of your boobs that captivated me, it was your grace, the smooth motion to draw and nock the arrow, the snap of your fingers to loose it without throwing off your aim, the curl of your fingers in your left hand to hold the bow in place just tightly enough… that was the enrapturing image. I never doubted your skills as an archer… but there's a difference between a royal who indulges in a skill and that of someone with passion and talent practicing something. And what I just saw was the latter… if, admittedly, out of practice."

Farah's chest swelled as she breathed in, eyes locked on mine with an intensity that had me looking away in embarrassment. "How kind of you to say…" Her voice was soft as she brushed some of her long black hair behind an ear. I looked back to her to find her smile just the slightest bit melancholy, "But I bet you say something like that to all the mothers, most of us are very sensitive with how we look."

"You have no reason to be." I countered with a snort, "I know saying that doesn't change how you feel about it, but you're absolutely gorgeous. I know you're, what, forty? Forty-five?" I waved off the specific number as unimportant, "But you look younger than me, maybe a well endowed twenty-five at the oldest."

The matriarch covered her mouth as she giggled, her other hand pulling the bottom of her dress back down in an almost schoolgirl-pose, a hint of pink tinting her cheeks, "Oh, thank you. It's always nice to hear such… enthusiastic admiration… Though I'm actually forty-two, I can assure you that my…" Her hand drifted from her mouth to rest atop her cleavage, fingertips tracing little whorls across the soft mountains of barely contained heaven, "... endowments are still quite soft to the touch."

Bright green eyes peered up at me through hooded lids as the voluptuous woman smiled, the corners of her full, pouty lips curling upwards.

Unfair. Entirely unfair.

"I–... ah–"

Doubt! Koya hissed in my ear, Say you'll want to confirm that later!

Chuckling, I broke eye contact for just an instant to gather my thoughts, and followed my coadjutor's suggestion in spite of the warmth I felt in my cheeks, "I believe I'd like the chance to, ah, confirm that myself at some time."

Her salacious smile only widened.

Thank yoouuu Koya!

A slight cough from behind me drew our attention to Ali, the guard looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"Ah, apologies." We were nearly to the bridge that connected the rest of the city to the palatial island, its sandstone and granite walls rising high over much of the city of Thebes. While there was some movement of people back and forth across the bridge and the streets around us, it was far less than the thoroughfares. "This may not be the best place for such a conversation."

"That is true, as the mother of the queen I do have an image to uphold." Farah murmured with a hint of a pout, looking around us even as she turned to start walking once more. Ali and I quickly catching up to her shorter strides, and she brushed her hair back to look over at me once I had, "Though, I must admit, I'm curious now. How old are you? I thought you were close to my daughters in age."

"I'm actually closer to yours. I'm thirty two." The way her eyebrows jumped up made me chuckle just a bit, raising my hands in surrender, "I know, I know. When I grow my beard out it's a lot more obvious, but it's hot here and I rather dislike the feel of sweat gathering in it."

That, and because of my time in the Chrysalis Grotesque being reshaped by the Exaltation process had really tightened everything up. I was never ugly, just not particularly attractive, and I'd always looked younger than I actually was. I had only just stopped being carded for things as my temples had started to aggressively go gray Reed Richards style before taking up this job. But with my hair a rich brown shot through with pink, cleared up skin, the pudge gone from my stomach, and the improved teeth and chin? I definitely looked young.

"I most certainly understand." Farah pressed a hand to her bosom once more, shooting a brief glare down at the mounds, "This deep cleavage of mine gets so hot at times, my breasts can become so sweaty. Oh, but at least we have plenty of springs to keep us cool." An almost serene smile crossed her face, "Aah, it's such a delightful sensation to step out of your clothing and slip down into a nice bath. Brushing your body fro top to toe, washing every corner of yourself carefully…"

"Farah." I interrupted with more than a hint of humor as we walked across the long bridge to the palace. The traffic was minimal, though we were a part of a small stream of people heading to and from the palace, various flavors of dignitaries, servants, civilians, and guards. "Didn't we just go over how this is not the place?"

She looked up at me with a pout, "Why Jacob, it's almost like you don't want to have deep conversations with me."

I laughed, feeling my face warm at the implications even as I grinned at her, leaning in to loom over her just a bit as I softly said, "Oh, don't mistake me Farah, I would do terrible, terrible things to you for many a night given the opportunity… but there's a time and place for such, and this is not that."

"You there-!"

The brightening of her gaze was undercut and we looked over at the source of the shout, finding a man, a knight by his armor and cape, with some very anime pale-teal hair looking at me. He was familiar looking, very European looking, though I couldn't pin it more specifically than 'generic caucasian.' now.

"Ah, yes?"

He drew his sword, a straight blade and pointed at me, his expression basically an angry sneer, "Are you accosting Lady Farah, villain?!"

Blinking in confusion for just a moment I couldn't help but chuckle, sharing a glance with Farah as I straightened out properly, holding up my hands in a non-threatening gesture. While I had zero question about my capability to utterly murderblender this man if I absolutely had to, that didn't mean I wanted to get into a fight with so little practice with my new capabilities. "That's… one way to put it. But hardly accurate–"

"Silence, peasant! I shall not allow such a knave to dishonor the Lady Farah!"

Wat.

"Uh… sir…?" I couldn't help the little sound of amusement I made, "I believe there's been a misunderstanding–"

"That is Sir Edward the 3rd to you peasant-!" He continued to take a tone with me, and a degree of volume as well, a space having cleared out around us on the bridge aside from Ali and Farah, traffic stopping as the man brandished the weapon.

"Sir Edward," I held his gaze, feeling my own ire rise at the continuous interruptions but strangling that feeling in the crib in favor of attempting to diffuse, "I am a guest of her highness and Lady Farah, and my words–"

"Teh! Do not try to deceive me, peasant!" He snapped at me, blade level and still in spite of the ire clear on his face, "If I can't meet with Queen Opala, why on earth would she or Lady Farah even want to see a lowly serf like yourself?"

Oh wow he knows nothing at all. I couldn't help but think, now starting to have a vague memory of him as a recurring 'jackass' antagonist of the game. The knuckles in my hand popped as I forcibly eased the tension in them and took a breath, gathering myself. Suggestions Koya?

Wait.

Before I could properly express my confusion or even stall Edward any longer, soft fingertips touched my knuckles, making my head turn towards Farah even as she spoke up, "It's the truth, Sir Edward the 3rd of Greece." Her gaze was as strong and unflinching as her spine, which given her bust was saying something. It was only barely softened by the polite and gentle smile on her face, "Jacob is a guest of my daughter, and was escorting me through the city today."

For all that Edward's face twisted like he'd just gotten a facefull of lemon before he smoothed it out, he didn't interrupt the former queen.

"He has proven a wonderful conversationalist and we have been quite casual with one another. I apologize for how things may have looked." For all that she had said such, her chin didn't lower a millimeter as she smiled, "He has been nothing but a gentleman to my daughter and I, and any appearance of impropriety was because of my own teasing."

While Farah didn't quite have the Authority to her tone that I'd seen Opala do, there was not a question about who was in charge in this scenario.

Sir Edward for his part looked like he'd been made to suck on the most rancid of lemons at Farah's words, an emotion he turned on me.

Not that I was particularly bothered, I just didn't really care about his opinion honestly.

Eventually though, the knight's sword made a soft swish as he lowered it, pointedly turning from me and towards the queen as he held the blade in a deferential position and bowed gently, "I apologize, Lady Farah. That such an uncouth ruffian could be accosting you clouded my judgment."

While I believed that about as much as I did that a greased and agitated pig would be easy to grab? I was just happy that the situation had been defused.

Farah bowed just the slightest bit, hands clasped in front of her as she beamed at the knight, "I appreciate the concern," she stepped closer to me, deliberately brushing a hand against my arm as she gestured at me, "But it's thankfully unwarranted."

"As you say, Lady Farah."

The former queen turned towards me with a happy smile, her rich skin and the gold of her tattoo glittering in the setting sun, "Now we should get going, it wouldn't do to keep my daughter waiting–"

"Wait-!"

Farah and I both paused at the sharp tone from the knight, looking back towards him.

The blade snapped back up, Edward's eyes fierce, "Your shadow has a tail!"

Blinking in confusion, I looked over at my shoulder at the stark shadow cast by the setting sun, seeing the big, very fluffy mass of darkness waving slowly around the legs of my shadow. "... oh… huh…" That… shouldn't have been possible, I thought I'd been using the Ebon Dragon's disguise magic which should be perfect. Apparently not. Right, gotta deflect- "Thought I'd fixed that. It always weirds people–"

"Have at thee monster-!"

I shoved Farah out of the way even as the man moved, "Oi-!"

Above- center- low- left- upper right- center- slow down damnit-!

Pain flared in my forearm as I frantically deflected the flurry of strikes. The man spouting off something but I was barely able to pay attention, backing away, I was definitely faster than he was, but he had a sword and was monumentally more skilled than I was, I was falling for basically every feint and having to hurriedly correct to deflect with more shroud-covered forearms.

"As a proper knight I shall not allow a monster to insinuate itself among the royal family! Come now monster-! Show your true form!"

The spike of panic faded as I slowly backed away, adjusting to his speed and the difference therein. The big thing was the absolute lack of hesitation and being planned several steps ahead, for all that I was faster, he wasted far less motion operating. He was scratching me with the almost certainly magic blade, which was managing to break through my sleeves and scratch my skin on top of the not insignificant impact force when he committed to a strike.

He might not be able to kill me with a strike, but I also wasn't in the mood to die by a thousand cuts-!

A feint-!

Twisting like a petal dancing in the wind, his sword danced around from one angle to another to strike, but it was a move I actually recognized from HEMA and stepped in.

Both arms going forward, my lead arm intercepted the blade as the cross-palm slammed into his chest- oh-shit-that's-crumpling!

I flinched from the attack even as the knight was sent flying backwards into the edge of the bridge with an aggressive and metallic *thud*.

He'd clipped my face in his counter, but I'd flinched because I'd felt his armor and what I'd interpreted as his ribs buckling. I'd felt that before, that bending tension of bones threatening to snap before when I was a kid and had nearly hurt an animal in my dumbassery. And, admittedly, I'd panicked.

I watched as the teal-haired man pushed himself back up even as I straightened out, feeling a trail of chill start to work its way down my cheek… I brushed the blood away with my knuckles, keeping an eye on the knight as he stood. I hadn't wanted my 'true' form to get out yet for exactly this sort of reason, but I'd deal.

… should've used my shroud. Fuckin' dumbass. Right.

It would've been appropriate for the 'mighty wizard', yes.

"What's going on here?!"

Guards had rushed over, led by a man in the bronzed royal guard armor.

"That's a monster in man's clothing!" Edward spat, pointing his sword at me, "Look at his shadow! He's been trying to get close to Lady Farah!"

The average guard's eyes swung to me with a fair bit of anger and indignation, though there was thankfully only wariness on the lead guard's face.

I straightened out, pinching the bridge of my nose, "I'm not entirely human, no, and my shadow gave it away. It's not something I like to bring up because people get weird about it." I shot a pointed look at Edward.

The royal guard gave me a look before turning towards the voluptuous royal, "Your highness?"

Farah stepped forward into the ring of people that had formed on the bridge around the fight, emerald eyes meeting the royal guards before finding mine, "Jacob. Does my daughter know?"

I shook my head, "No, it hasn't come up yet."

"Is it common in your homeland?"

"No, if anything it's even rarer and treated… more harshly. I've heard of people with what would be considered 'animal' features in my time here. Which is not…" I gesticulated briefly, searching for the words, trying to deflect and not lie but also frame things appropriately, "... if I did not transform like this, I would be considered far more of a freak in my homeland than I would be here."

Farah nodded before looking to Ali, prompting her personal guard, "Has anything he's done today contradicted that?"

Ali shook his head, "No, Lady Farah." His brown eyes bore into me, vitriol bubbling in them… but he bit it back, "While I do not like that he has hidden his nature, I have no doubt of his love of you and her highness."

I felt a surge of gratitude for the man, he could've made my life much more difficult there.

Farah gave another nod before looking at me seriously, "Jacob. I must ask that you show us your true form."

I didn't even try to hide the wince at that. This was a mess. Yeah, sure, I could just snatch and grab the appropriate ladies and dip but that didn't fit with what I wanted to do. "As you say."

It was just a moment of thought, of closing my eyes and feeling that darkness, that weave of shadow and deception that had been wrapped around me and releasing the tension therein like pulling at a knot. But the cool shadow that had pooled around me, that had hidden the most inhuman mutations of my exaltation from the world, fell away in the face of the setting sun.

I still didn't know why the Ebon Dragon technique had left a 'tell', but I'd figure it out later.

Once more I could feel the brush of the atmosphere against the fur of my overly long and fluffy tail and fox-like ears, my Shroud automatically adjusting for the additional limb at the base of my spine.

In spite of myself, the large mass of fluff that was my fox-like tail curled defensively around my legs, and when I brushed my hair back, I found that my ears had swept back. It took effort to make them stand upright once more and unfurl my tail behind me into a less defensive posture.

Gasps and some high-pitched noises came from the crowd, which I pointedly ignored to look to Farah who– ah… seemed to be vibrating in place…?

But instead of the voluptuous woman, it was the royal guardsman who'd taken the lead in the situation that spoke, honey-colored eyes narrowing, "And why was the queen not made aware of this?"

"People get weird about it." And I still wasn't super used to it myself yet. "And it's not like my species has any significant differences from humans other than the obvious." I gestured at the fox-ears atop my head and deliberately flicked my tail. "I'm guessing you or others hide freckles or scars or such. Same idea. It's just my additions are fluffier and my makeup is more magic based."

This didn't mollify the man much.

"Jacob." Farah's voice was a gentle chastizement.

"Sorry, I just… I'd hoped to have this come out in a more controlled and private fashion."

"And that is very understandable." Farah's voice was pitched such that it carried quite well as she approached me once more. Something I knew how to do, but she made the transition seem easy and natural in a way I didn't think I could've replicated, "It would reflect badly on the royal family if we were to cast you out after what you've done for us over such a minor deception."

"Are you okay?" She asked gently.

"Yeah, some cuts, but I'll be okay." I said, reminded of the pain and aches of the numerous cuts on my arms. "As I've said, I'm quite durable."

She nodded and held a hand over my arm and the slowly leaking cuts, murmuring a soft prayer to Sekhmet and Anubis, white and gold threads of light circling my arm as her hands glowed and I felt the cuts close.

Like a laser, I'd focused on the action, cursing myself internally for forgetting that she had such an ability. For not having my mage sight opened to properly study the spell. For gaping like a fish. For so many things. But what came out of my mouth was a soft, "I… was unaware you were a healer, Lady Farah."

"It is a helpful skill when dealing with scraped knees." She said warmly before nodding and moving over to the knight.

The teal-haired man might've been struggling to stand, but he still managed to hold his head high as the matriarch approached and made another prayer, holding her hand over his chest.

This time I paid Attention, the rivers of circuits of power snapping into focus, she spoke words in glorious gold and emerald sands in symbolic scripts that flowed from her mouth. Some I recognized, but many were unfamiliar to me. I recognized the actual words as a prayer, a beseeching of healing from the gods, their names elaborate symbols that shone in of themselves with complex colors, but far too much of it was simply new and I couldn't process any of it.

'Scraped knees' my ass though, because Ed's clearly labored breathing visibly eased. Though it didn't do anything for the dent in his armor.

"I thank you, Lady Farah, for your kindness." He bowed to the former queen.

Phantom hands rested on my shoulders, distracting me, Should have pressed to have him detained.

We still could…? I thought back, running a hand through my hair and adjusting it around my ears.

There was the sensation of Koya shaking her head, The moment's passed.

Eddy-boy had finished speaking with Farah, instead moving towards me. It was good to see that the guards were very carefully watching the man, though he'd resheathed his sword. Head held high, he sneered up at me, "Be grateful, abomination, of the Lady Farah's kindness staying my hand!" He clenched a fist at me meaningfully, "When next we meet, monster, I shall have proof of your vileness!"

I could only blink at him, "... ok."

That could actually be a problem if he catches you meeting Valerio. The Beast in my soul noted, hearing the implied 'and you can't silence him.'

Fucking damnit.

I did my best to strangle that sourness as I watched Edward sneer and walk away from the palace. For as declarative as that statement was, the knight walked gingerly away, hand covering the roughly palm-shaped dent in his breastplate. Still managed to keep his head held high as the crowd parted to allow him to leave.

"Jacob?" I looked down at Farah, who had approached flanked by the additional guards, "Are you alright?"

"Ah, yeah." At her prompting, I rubbed my arms, the detached sleeves, "You did good work."

Her smile was drier than the desert outside the city as she shot a look at my tail, "Not exactly what I meant."

I brought the fluffy thing up, glaring at the transition from dark brown to the soft pink tip for just a moment. It was a frizzy, fluffy mess and I'd have to actually brush and shampoo it. Not only because it was making the extremely fashion conscious Koya in my soul flinch to see it so messy, but also because it was bothering me. "I'll be fine. Just grumpy at how this came out." I paused, "I mean, I'll be fine provided torches and pitchforks don't start getting pulled out for me."

"I don't believe that's going to be a problem." Her smile warmed, in the reddening light as the sun dipped below the horizon. "Though I believe we were going to speak with my daughter."

"Yes, we were." It took a moment's effort and thought to grasp those petals in my mind, pushing them into my shadow and pulling it up over myself, twisting and weaving the illusion with my envisioned form, what I'd come to this realm originally as. The chill of my shadow burning as it settled over my skin as a liquid before melting back into its original shape.

Said shadow, frustratingly, still included the tail.

That's going to be something to figure out.

I turned back to find a pouting Farah.

"Uh… your highness…?"

Her hand grabbed my wrist like a cuff before she turned and began to move with purpose towards the palace once more, this time dragging me along at pace.

While Koya cackled in my soul, I could only think 'wat'.