Chapter 3: Princess of Luck
Issei woke up in the home he had bought, thanks to the money Eris had given him. Until he got up and dressed in the clothes Issei had on him since he didn't feel like wearing his school uniform was such a good idea.
He went downstairs to see YunYun cooking something. He smiled at her work while Chris was snoring on the couch, and she cradled a bottle of some expensive wine in her hand.
"Uh…..What's with Chris?" Issei asked as YunYun giggled at him.
"Chris found the wine cellar, and let's say she got a little drunk."
"Seriously? How is her liver still good?" Issei said while recalling what happened yesterday since Eris, or Chris if he wanted to call Eris by her adventurer name, became an official member of their team, which was due to an interesting meeting with Eris's and Aqua's mother.
Flashback.
"So wait, this little assassin is actually your daughter, Eris, the Goddess of Luck?" Issei asked while pointing to Eris, who didn't say anything due to the glare she received from her mother.
Arania smiled as she nodded her head and placed her tea cup on the table in front of her.
"Correct. All of the Gods of this world have a human form they can transform into so they can interact with humans in our world." Ariana said before using Magic to create images in the air that represented the Gods, which amazed Issei.
"I am the Goddess of all Creation, created by the Lady Gaia herself." Issei was shocked by this before Ariana continued. My children were born of my flesh and blood and given powers to help this world and the inhabitants of this world."
"So similar to Gaia and God, you created the others like Eris and Aqua?"
"Indeed. Eris was created to spread good fortune to others and to control the balance of Luck. Some have bad Luck, and those who have good Luck determine one's fate." Ariana said before continuing with the other Gods.
"Aqua was meant to be able to cleanse the muckiest waters and purify tormented souls so they could finally rest in peace."
"Wouldn't that have been your oldest daughter's ability? The Goddess of Night Lunaria could've been her purpose?"
"No. Lunaria's purpose is to protect the minds and dreams of others but also guide the lost souls to their final resting place. In a way, Lunaria is our world's version of Hades."
"That does make sense, and her counterpart is the Sun and Light, giving hope and light to those who are lost, right?"
Correct." Ariana said before continuing. "Now I do apologize about my daughter Eris since she's had a problem with her oldest brother, Lucifer, the God of Monsters, ever since he declared war on humans for what they've done to his wife and child when all he desired was peace."
This surprised Issei before Ariana began to explain by creating an image of Lucifer, who seemed to be a kind person despite being hated for who he was until a maiden approached him. The two began to love each other.
"Woah. But that doesn't explain why the Demon Generals would want the powers of the Gods in the first place?"
Ariana looked saddened by this question but replied. "As Arnes, Wolbach's colleague, said, the humans broke the camel back since they were the ones who killed Lucifer's wife. In the end, it was them who began the war when all Lucifer desired was peace, but I blame myself for allowing heroes of other worlds to come here since they are the ones responsible for killing Lucifer's wife. Only his daughter is alive, and she is in control of her father's army since Lucifer is in a coma due to sacrificing his Godhood to save his daughter's life and nearly died."
W-Wait, so you mean to tell me that Lucifer's daughter is the real person in charge of the Demon Army?"
"Correct. That's why she despises the other Gods, including me since we allowed the heroes to appear in the first place, and all we did was cause more harm than good.
Issei pouted somewhat. "Damn, I was secretly hoping I could've met the Demon of Lust."
"...She would've liked you, Issei. She really would have liked you since you and she were a lot alike. Perverted but had a kind heart inside of you that wanted to see the good in others, like how Lucifer's wife, Rin, wanted to give Lucifer a chance since she saw there was more to Lucifer than others thought."
"The way you talk about her is as if you knew her. Did you?" Issei asked, but he didn't hear anything from her for a bit until he heard a heavy sigh.
"I'm afraid you are correct. I did know her, even their daughter, when she was a little girl. I babysat her when she was just a little girl, and she was so much like her parents. They named her Eve, and she was so sweet, kind, and caring. She learned what it was like to live alongside Demons and such, but I showed her the wonders of the other side with humans since Lucifer was worried about her not being able to make friends when she got older. Lucifer and Rin wanted her to enjoy both sides of the world, but…one day that day happened."
Ariana said that the image changed to Rin suffering as she was losing blood so quickly, and Lucifer was protecting Eve in his arms with his horns out to show his demon side.
"Rin was poisoned by a rebel group that was trying to kill Lucifer and his daughter since the rebels saw them as nothing but monsters that had to be killed if they grew too powerful, but other members of my children's cults tried to kill their 'heroes' as well, but they didn't listen and….that was the day that Lucifer and Eve lost all faith in coexistence."
"But what happened to the Old Demon of Lust?"
"That's the thing. The Old Demon of Lust was the Queen, and she passed on her personal Sound Magic to Eve before she succumbed to her Death. The Queen had asked Eve not to hate all humans, as not all of them were bad, sadly she broke her promise due to Eve hating how the heroes were praised as wonderful beings that embodied Justice and such, but all she could see were hypocrites and liars who only saw their new lives as a way for glory and fortune."
The images then change to Eve growing up as she becomes more bitter and cold-hearted towards humans while taking care of her father in his coma state and her people.
"Although Lucifer supported Rin's wish after the day she died, both the father and daughter knew that if humanity never changed their views on monsters, then there was no way for peace to happen between the Demons and Humans, so if they had to be seen as the monsters and villains of the story-"
"They decided to become what people saw them as." Issei finished before Ariana nodded her head with a sad expression.
"….Correct. Know that Lucifer wasn't a wicked person and actually was the only one out of all of his siblings who treasured life more than even Lunaria. He understood life and Death and how terrifying it was, but he helped others accept it as they knew their time had come while also encouraging and saving those who were down on Luck and a dark path by giving them joy and light."
Issei looked at the table as he thought of this new information. "So….it was because others feared them even though others accept them?"
"I'm afraid you are correct. Then again, that's the way we are. His siblings feared that Lucifer would do something to declare war, but….they were wrong. The very same heroes we created, the same ones who swore to protect both sides, betrayed their trust, and destroyed the peace we tried to forge with Lucifer and his people."
"….Do…Do you think there's a chance we can help them?"
"I wouldn't hold my breath. Peace is the last thing both sides would ever consider." Eris said, for the first time since the conversation started, that she had many regrets in life, and this was one of them.
Issei nodded before he slammed his fist onto the table, a scowl gracing his face, shocking Eris before he spoke. "Why can't humanity just accept those that are different than us?! Is it truly so fucking hard?!"
[Oh? Don't you remember your world and the war with Khaos Brigade we're in? Did you forget the reason why we're training? To become stronger and aid your comrades in our world.] Ddraig said before Issei replied to his partner.
"I know, but…a war here due to people not accepting peace. Why?"
[I asked myself that same question when I had my body and when I was trapped in the Boosted Gear. It's in our nature. Some accept peace. Those who wish for war. And others who want to watch the world burn. That exists in any world whether we like it or not.] Ddraig said.
"It just... it just sickens me, Ddraig."
[I know, partner, I know.]
"It's normal to hate war." Issei turned to see a person approach them, and it was none other than Aqua, much to Issei and Eris's surprise until Ariana explained that she allowed Aqua to ascend her in a dream-like form since she is technically still banished from the Gods Domain. "You seem to forget us Gods also fought in our fair share of wars, and not one of us enjoyed it, not even Lucifer-Nii."
Issei was surprised by this side of Aqua since he thought she was just a brat before Aqua sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"Issei Hyoudou. I want to grant you a blessing, but I cannot in my weakened form since this is just the beginning of my punishment for my stupidity and childishness. After Lucifer hated us along with Eve, I became a recluse and just drowned myself in alcohol, but in truth, I blamed myself since I was the one who sent those 'heroes' to our world, but all I did was cause a war. I deserve all I have coming my way."
Aqua said as she sat down in front of him as she summoned her staff. "I was the second weakest among my brothers and sisters due to my power being simple Water spells. Granted, I can boost and heal others from the sidelines, but in combat, I'm awful since my spells are only water magic and aren't that good against demons unless I use my God magic to make it Holy Water. Still, since I can't access my God magic, my Magic is now simple Water magic."
Aqua said as she cried into her drink before Eris patted her sister's back and hugged her sister in her arms, which made Issei see the Goddess in a new light before asking.
"Hey….Did you know Lucifer's Daughter and Wife?"
Aqua pondered the question and nodded. "Kind of. The three of them were such a wonderful family, and Lucifer was actually a big softie underneath the dark exterior. He's really nice since his wife managed to bring it out while Eve was their pride and joy—a Half-Demon child with both of their gifts. The woman was a healer who actually loved Lucifer despite the rumors and stories she heard from ballads and others. Lucifer was always a loner due to others fearing him, but she wasn't scared of him; in fact, she actually loved the Darkness and wanted to learn the real truth about Lucifer, so one day, the two married in secret and had a wonderful marriage until that day came and ended the kindness that resided in my older brother. Her name was actually Rin, and she was the Sun to his Moon."
Issei nodded solemnly. "But there's no way to change his mind now, is there?"
Aqua shook her head sadly. "That's right. Me and my siblings tried to talk Lucifer out of it, and then he started calling us traitors for siding with the very people who killed the only woman that would ever love him. That's when I started to become depressed and lazy and would drink away my sorrows for the loss of the man I once called my brother."
"So that's why you were acting that way."
"Yeah, and now I realize I should've never acted that way. Now look at me. I'm a useless ex-Goddess of Water with an inferiority complex. I should've never pushed away my family while I was grieving." Aqua said, which made Issei feel sorry for the poor Goddess before Ariana tapped his shoulder.
"Which is the other reason why I wanted to speak to you. I know you already have a blessing from Solarius and Lunaria, but if you want to use the other's blessings, then you must kill the other blessed heroes that my sons and daughters have already blessed." Ariana said before Issei looked at a special mission before him.
Destroy the false heroes of the world.
Number of Heroes: Five.
Hero of Water:?
Hero of Fire:?
Hero of Earth:?
Hero of Wind:?
Hero of Monsters:?
Do you accept?
Issei was surprised by the hero of monsters before accepting it.
"Who is the Hero of Monsters?"
"That would actually be the person who killed Rin, since Lucifer may have been the God of Monsters, but Rin was given the power to be the Heroine among monsters since she cared for them since her original Magic was Sound Magic that was meant to soothe many monsters and people while also uplifting them with songs. Eve was able to obtain the powers of her mother's Magic, but the blessing that Lucifer gave to Rin wasn't able to move to Eve due to the rule that if a person with a blessing from the Gods was killed, then the one who killed the Blessed Individuals gained the blessings." Ariana explained before Issei gritted his teeth at this piece of information.
"I understand, but please don't punish Eris too harshly since she thought I might've been like the other heroes." Issei pleaded for Eris, which shocked the Goddess of Luck before Ariana pondered this until she sighed.
"Very well. She'll remain in the world but will lose her Godhood so she can understand how it feels to be human, and she'll only regain her Godhood if she values the life of monsters and demons. Do you accept this punishment, Eris? If not, then I'll make it worse." Ariana said before Eris shakily nodded her head before Issei gained a new member for his party.
The Thief Chris.
"As for you, Aqua, the rest of your punishment will begin when you wake up. This is so the human you mocked and ridiculed will have better gifts to defend himself and for you to learn a lesson in humility and compassion." Ariana said as Aqua yelped before being sent back to the world.
"Good luck, my children, and forgive this foolish mother for not being able to save her grandchild and son," Ariana said as she sent them both back to the world as well.
End Flashback.
"Being a Goddess must give her a good body. Anyway, we should work on getting some jobs that we can take on before that Demon General comes knocking on the door." Issei said before YunYun came back and produced a letter
"Actually, speaking of missions, we got a letter in the mail," YunYun said before Issei opened it and saw that it was a quest.
"Visit the Princess of Luck at the castle? It says here that if she really likes us, you'll be welcome back anytime. They really made this into a mission even though she sent a letter to us yesterday?"
"Probably to make sure we weren't getting special treatment."
"Fair enough," Issei said before hearing YunYun speak about the Princess's bodyguard since she was an...odd woman.
"How so?"
"From what I heard, she has a weird ability that allows her to strengthen herself after she speaks an oath, and there are rumors that she's into the princess," YunYun said while Issei's eye twitched, he had a bad feeling about this odd bodyguard.
"Great. So basically, the Princess has an obsessed and perverted female bodyguard who basically enjoys her company and wants to fuck her? How fantastic." Issei said as he shook his head as YunYun looked at him.
"So, should we take the job?"
"Well…I'm not so sure." YunYun said, nervous since she didn't want to have to deal with the annoying guard.
"Well, it's either we meet the Princess, or we do sewer cleaning of rats and cockroaches," Issei said before YunYun slammed her hand onto the table, making Eris sober up and let out a frightened scream.
"Let's go meet a Princess!"
Issei couldn't help but chuckle at how fast YunYun made her decision since he knew that YunYun hated going into the sewers and was terrified of giant bugs.
The two ate the breakfast YunYun made, and it was amazingly good; even Eris said it was good, and she was half awake as she fell asleep on the table with the bottle near her. YunYun put a pillow underneath the ExGoddesses head as she smiled at her.
"She looks cute like this." The Crimson Demon said until Eris snored loudly as Issei replied.
"Uh…I'm not so sure about THAT being cute, but physically, yeah, she is cute. It almost reminds me of Koneko but a bit….older. Anyway, we should leave her here and head to the guild. I'll leave a note for her." Issei said as he wrote a note for her before putting it in her bottle. The duo left the mansion to the guild until YunYun sighed at the sky.
"You know. This war has really taken a number on not just Belzerg but also in other countries. I'm concerned about this war since we lost many of our greatest heroes when Lucifer was fighting us with his generals."
"Speaking of which, how strong are the Generals?"
"They are capable of clashing with the Gods and are not to be underestimated," YunYun said, surprising Issei since he knew that the Demon Generals would be strong enough to face a God. However, Issei thinks that they might be strong enough to face a Blessed Hero since he thinks the Gods are much stronger than the Blessed Individuals.
"I thought that once the Gods were killed, it went to the Princesses?"
"Well, the problem is that not all of them have a prince or Princess to use their power, so if they die, then their power goes to the killer. That's why the kingdoms are on high alert to protect their Gods and Royalty. Luckily, the Kingdoms are separated, so it's not easy to get to them unless the Royalty Family Members allow others to approach them at the other Kingdoms."
"I see, but this also made me realize. How the heck are we going to get to the castle?" Suddenly, Issei and YunYun heard what sounded like neighing outside.
"Was that a horse?"
"Oh! It says in the letter that we'll be picked up the moment we accept it. Must have a Magic Contract on it." YunYun said before the duo headed to the carriage and showed the invitation.
The duo got on the carriage and were brought to the castle, which impressed the duo of adventurers until they eventually approached the castle.
Later...
The front door was opened, and a servant came out of it and saw the invite. "Ah, thank you for accepting the invite. Come in, and we'll head to the palace immediately. The Princess can be impatient at times." He said as he helped Issei and YunYun in until he guided the carriage to the castle. Both adventurers were in awe of the massive castle as they saw a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed woman wearing Crusader armor, and a little girl was standing next to her.
She was a young teenage girl who had skin as unblemished and clear as porcelain, blue eyes, and straight, long blonde hair, free flowing for the most part but partially braided on the right side of her face. She had the air of class and delicacy and, for some reason, looked a bit older than she actually was.
Around her head, she wore a green headband decorated with grapes and leaves. She also wore a long white dress with cleavage, a blue ribbon on the waist, a blue skirt, and white pantyhose.
She had a smile on her face as she closed her eyes and introduced herself as both Issei and YunYun were escorted out of the carriage as she introduced herself.
"Hello, Adventurers of Belzerg. My name is Princess Belzerg Stylish Sword Iris. I am the Princess of Luck blessed by Eris, the Goddess of Luck. I thank you for accepting my mission. Please come with me and Darkness, my temporary bodyguard. My normal bodyguard, Claire, is out at the moment due to my orders to help prepare for the Demon General that is approaching Beginners Town. We'll be going to my chambers." Iris said as she led the two towards the entrance. She asked while looking at the entrance.
"You just wondered why the Princess is a teenager, didn't you?" Iris said while Issei and YunYun were whistling innocently, and the Princess huffed at this. "Annoying. I'm 16! Practically an adult."
Issei deadpanned. "Where I come from, you need to be 21 to be classified as an adult and 18 to date."
The Princess ignored him as Darkness spoke to him. "Trust me, normally she would inherit the throne at 18, but due to the losses of her parents, she had to take over. She did not get to enjoy her adulthood or her childhood due to the war. So she focused all her energy on solely being the Queen of Belzerg."
Issei winced at that. "That's... incredibly unhealthy. My King has to focus on more than one thing, and I have to remind her not to overwork herself constantly. She focuses too much on her Peerage, on her schoolwork, and on being the Heiress of her Clan." Belzerg seemed surprised by this.
"A woman going by the title of King... how interesting. Please, tell me more about this King of yours, Sir..."
"Issei. Issei Hyoudou."
Belzerg nodded as she sat on her bed and listened to Issei's stories of him and his life with the ORC back in Japan. The little girl was amazed by the species from his land. She was envious of the life Adventurers had while also enjoying YunYun's interactions with Issei until the stories ended with a bit of lunch in the dining room.
"Honestly, I envy you both. I wanted to be an Adventurer and leave the Royal life behind me since my father was an adventurer until he married my mother and became King. I wanted to explore the Kingdoms and see the world, but I knew I wouldn't be able to happen due to me being the next in line after my mother and father passed away in the war." Iris said as Issei and YunYun paid their respects to her mother and father while Darkness was close to them, keeping an eye on Iris and Issei.
"I'm amazed by your world. It's so amazing. I wish I could see it one day."
"Me too!"
Darkness said as Iris nodded while she looked at Issei and asked. "Excuse me, Issei Hyoudou, if I asked you to be my husband, would you marry me?"
Issei had a spit take as he drank some tea one of Belzerg's servants had made, while YunYun's face flushed red.
"EHHHHHHHHHH?!"
Issei coughed a little before he violently cleared his throat. "I-I cough beg your pardon, Princess?!"
Belzerg nodded as she replied to his question. "Well, the marriage law is when one turns 16, and since I'm looking for a husband, I wanted it to be you. I'm so amazed by your stories and wish to learn so much more about your world! If you marry me, then I might also be able to visit your world one day after the war is over."
"Uh….but in my world, one can't get married until you are 21."
"But we're not in your world, so what's the problem?"
Issei shuddered lightly. "I'm eighteen, and you're 16. Also, you are a princess. I'm not exactly comfortable with marrying someone who is two years younger than me. No offense to you, obviously, as you are very attractive for a Princess."
"See? You even said so yourself, you find me attractive. I truly don't see what the problem is?" Iris said that she enjoyed her conversations with Issei and didn't want to lose him.
Issei tried to reason with her as Darkness tapped her Princess's shoulder. It's best to wait until after the war to think about marrying someone.
"But Darkness, I want him as my husband. Mom and Dad married when they were 16, and I want Issei to be my husband." Iris said as she leaped into Issei's lap and closed her eyes. She leaned in to kiss his lips until YunYun picked her up.
"That's it!" YunYun grunted as she moved the Princess away before YunYun looked at Issei's shocked face. "Don't just stand there like an idiot, Issei! You needed to stop her; otherwise, you'd be labeled a cradle robber."
"R-Right. Thank you, YunYun," Issei said as Isis pouted on her bed and looked at the two of them.
"Why won't you marry me? You say I'm attractive, and you told me a lot about yourself. What's the problem with marrying me?"
"Uh…You are two years younger than me."
"So? I'm still eligible to be married, and you're just older than me. Age is but a number."
Issei winced as he mumbled. "So is 911..."
Iris pouted more at this until Darkness patted her back. "Okay, calm down. Now, don't you think we should perhaps move on to something else?" Darkness asked as Iris sighed.
"Okay…Mmm…..Why don't you fight Darkness? I'd like to see how you both fight against my bodyguard."
YunYun nodded with a smile. "That's a great idea. Why don't we take turns, then? Issei can fight Darkness first, then I'll fight Darkness, and then you can watch me and Issei spar."
Iris smiled at this idea as she led them to the backyard.
"Holy crap! This is your backyard? It's so freaking huge!" Issei said as he and YunYun were shocked by the size of the backyard until Belzerg led them to a battle arena of sorts before the Princess sat on the commentator's chair.
"You are both allowed to use any technique you desire. I want this to be interesting, so please don't disappoint me. Now, first, we have the Ruler: Issei Hyoudou, also my future husband." Iris said as she mumbled the last part to herself.
"Wait, what was that?"
"And my bodyguard, Darkness of the Belzerg Kingdom."
Issei looked closely at Darkness until he noticed something almost immediately. While Darkness seemed extremely calm and ready for battle, her eyes showed something else.
Darkness's eyes showed excitement, impatience, and... LUST?!
'No! Please tell me she didn't max out her Defense! If so, she might be like Akeno!'
Darkness drew her sword as she charged at Issei and swung the sword, but….
'How the hell did she miss me when she was right in front of me?' Issei asked himself as Darkness sliced around Issei as she was trying to hit him but failed until Issei punched her in the chest and sent her back a few inches. Issei shook his hand as he felt it swelling.
"What's your body made of? Steel?"
"Nope. My Magic is actually my Defense, so prepare yourself. Continue to pummel me with your fists! You can't harm me!"
Issei sighed as he summoned the Boosted Gear. "Ddraig, boost my fists by times 10."
The Dragon did so, but as he punched Darkness, the woman smiled at the rain of blows. Her armor stood strong but slowly began to crack. Darkness smiled at the feeling until she felt her armor shatter.
"I…I can't….hold back…ANYMORE!" Darkness yelled as she had a golden-like aura around her as she had her sword out and clashed with Issei, but what shocked him was that Darkness almost cut him with her sword as he looked to see her moaning in joy as she lifted her sword with a smile of bliss and joy.
"Thank you for beating me like I was just a piece of trash. Oh, that was so good!~"
Issei's jaw dropped. "WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUCK?!"
'SHE'S WORSE THAN AKENO; SHE IS SO MUCH WORSE THAN AKENO!'
"Ohhh~! Please hit me again. Beat this meat-sack as much as you want~!"
Darkness said before charging at him with her sword until Issei rolled out of the way. Iris giggled at this.
"Oh yes. Darkness has a unique magic called Masochism Strengthening. The more damage she takes, the better her swordsmanship becomes. At first, she's a Shield, but after taking many hits, she's a real Crusader with low Defense. Wonderful, no?" Iris said before Issei shouted at the Princess.
"Oh yeah, but you forgot she's a masochist!"
"So her mother was the Leader of the Royal army and also a masochist, but you don't see me saying she's worse than someone else."
"That's because she is worse than someone I know! The Queen of my King's Peerage is a Sadomasochist, meaning she's a mix of a sadist and a masochist! But in my opinion, a plain masochist is the weirdest thing!" Issei shouted before making a personal note in his mind. 'Outside of sex, that is.'
Iris rose a brow at this before sighing. "Your world is strange."
"That's…..true but-Woah!" Issei yelled as he got away from Darkness, slamming her sword on the ground as she smiled at him.
"Hit me! Hit me like the bitch I am!"
"Okay. Try this. Dragon Shot!" Issei yelled as Darkness was covered in the blast; she was on the ground but blushing and moaning like she was in Heaven.
"Mother….I've achieved Nirvana."
Issei then watched Darkness's body tremble violently as she moaned out loudly, making him blush profusely. 'D-Did she just orgasm?!'
Iris declared the match over and had her servants take Darkness to the nursing chambers as she bowed to the two. "Thank you. Darkness doesn't get many people to fight her, and her Magic makes it hard for her to have a great time. When she's in her Defense Mode, she's a lady of nobility and status, but when Darkness is in Attack Mode, she shows her other side."
Issei managed to calm down his raging hormones while Ddraig laughed his head off. [HAHAHAHAHA! Ah, does this bring me back! Before I had you, Issei, I had a partner who had a harem filled with masochistic women. Most of them were either Werewolves, Amazons, or Bulky Knights, but this Knight takes the cake! HAHAHAHAHAHA!]
Issei groaned at this as he and YunYun had a battle, and Iris was amazed by the spectacle until the end of the day came. She led them to the front gate, where the carriage was awaiting them.
"I thank you for entertaining me. It was my day off, and it was nice to be in company. Tell me, how'd you like to come back whenever you feel like it?"
Issei smiled with a nod. "I definitely wouldn't mind coming over again, and sparring with Darkness was actually fun. But thankfully, I'll know what to expect next time."
Iris nodded before she took a chance and moved swiftly. Iris jumped at Issei before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him with a smack dab on the lips. Issei's entire body went white, while YunYun's jaw dropped.
"B-B-BELZERG-HIME?!"
Iris smiled at him as she gave YunYun a sack of money. "Come anytime. Oh, and there's a present for both of you in there. See you later, honey!" Iris called out while walking away from the two as Issei woke up.
"Uh….YunYun…Did I…..just get kissed by a 16-year-old girl?"
What happened next was something Issei would've never expected. YunYun had a violent red aura flowing around her body, and her bangs shadowed her now red-glowing eyes.
'She... SHE TOOK AWAY MY CHANCE AS HIS FIRST KISS!'
YunYun cried tears as she hugged Issei. "Issei! Please tell me you're not marrying her! She's younger and smaller than you, plus the wedding would be awkward! Since you're a teen and she's a tiny adult!"
"C-Calm down. I'm not marrying Iris. I'm not into little girls and granted, that kiss took me by surprise, but we should head home and continue this."
"Okay. Oh! And she said there were presents for the both of us as a sign of thanks for the day."
Issei nodded as he and YunYun got into the carriage before being taken back to his mansion.
Iris smiled at them before heading back into the castle to see Darkness back on her noble side.
"You lied to them about Claire, didn't you?" Darkness asked, which made Iris pause her steps before sighing.
"So what if I did?"
"You and I both know where she is, and we both know her obsession for you is on a whole other level ever since that demon child came and offered Claire the power to have you to herself."
"...I know, but Claire was always there for me when I was a child, and a small part of me hopes that Claire can be saved, but if push comes to shove, then can I count on you to put her to rest?" Iris asked, turning to look at Darkness before the Crusader nodded her head.
"Absolutely, Your Highness."
Thus, the pact was renewed with the Princess of Luck and Fortune wanting to save her former bodyguard if there was even a chance to save her.
Once they got back inside, Eris suddenly tackled Issei. "I-Isshei-Shama! Yhou're bhack!"
Eris gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek before kissing YunYun, and she smiled happily at the bust she was feeling. YunYun blushed at this.
"Uh….I'll take her to the bath."
"Good idea," Issei said as he saw the two leave before counting out the Eris and seeing two small boxes in the bag. One was for him, and the other for YunYun.
Issei opened his and saw that it was a necklace of sorts with the royal family symbol on it, as did Eris.
'This necklace is your key to entering the castle as guests of honor. You are the first I've given them to, but only show them to some. It'll cause some problems if someone takes them from you. Love your wife, Belzerg-Chan! P.S. I have put a nice photo here for you. Take a peek. You know you want to.~'
Issei grabbed the picture before slamming it down on the table and used his other hand to cover up his sudden bloody nose.
"MAOU WHY DO YOU HATE ME?!"
[Huh. Is it wrong to say that a 16-year-old princess has a better body than the Neko Rook?] Ddraig asked as Issei groaned at this before he saw the gem in the necklace shine a bit until he heard a voice.
{Hello, Issei. I'm glad the necklaces work. It's me. Ariana.}
'Ariana, do you have a secret vendetta against me?'
{Um, no, why?}
'Oh, no reason, JUST THE FACT THAT THE PRINCESS ERIS BLESSED, WHO IS YOUNGER THAN ME BY TWO YEARS, WANTS ME AS HER BETROTHED!'
He heard silence until he heard Ariana giggle. {Ah, yes. Well, that's due to the way she was raised. Her parents met when her father met her mother when she was a princess at the age of 15. They dated for a year and actually got married, and when they spoke to their daughter about it, she took it to heart. Also, it's because one of my daughters was seen as a kid due to her size, so she made it a law that those who are 16 and older are considered adults.}
'That is seriously weird, Lady Ariana! I'm 18, and she is two years younger than me!'
{You do know that she is 16, and weren't you interested in dating when you were seventeen? And didn't you also have romantic feelings for a certain Neko, who was a freshman when you were a sophomore?}
Issei was silent at this before nodding, which made Ariana giggle at his submission.
{Now I understand your concern since the Princess is naive, but she does have a good heart. I dated her for a year, and if you fall for her, then why not go for it?}
"It just... but I... that is..." Issei stuttered while Ariana smirked at Issei from her viewing room until she heard Issei groan and concede defeat.
"Alright, fine! But I'm not going to do anything sexual with a 16-year-old."
{So hugs and kisses, basically?}
"Pretty much."
{I see. Very well. Have a wonderful evening, Issei, and thank you for being in this world. You'll be the last hero this world needs.} Ariana said before ending the talk.
Issei nodded and went to have his bath. However, little did Issei know that a certain Crimson Mage was feeling very insecure about herself due to Iris kissing Issei. When Issei opened the doors to the baths, his face flushed red when he saw YunYun waiting for him while only wearing a towel. "Y-YunYun?! I thought you finished already!"
YunYun yelled at this as she turned around. "I-I was only about to get out."
"O-Oh! Sorry."
"I-It's fine," YunYun said as she looked down for a moment before asking him. "Hey….Issei…..Can I….ask a favor?"
"Um, sure YunYun. What is it that you need?" Issei asked, which made YunYun blush even more. She was very close to shying away, but her desire was basically screaming at her to speak her mind.
"Could you…close your eyes."
"Uh…Sure." Issei said as he did so until YunYun kissed his lips and moaned as she leaned into him while using her tongue to try and penetrate his mouth, which he then opened as he had his tongue wrestle her own as they explored each other's mouth and kissed with their lips mashing against each other until they separated due to the need of oxygen.
The two panted heavily until YunYun smiled with a red face. "Thank you, Issei. G-Goodnight!"
"Y-Yeah! Have a nice night!" Issei said as the Crimson Demon left with a flustered face until Issei sat in the Water with his face red. "Damn. First Belzerg and then YunYun."
[Hmm…Not bad for mates. They have great power and aren't too shabby. They are almost like Asia and Koneko in their unique way.]
'What do you mean?'
[YunYun is innocent and a little possessive like Asia, but less so than the said nun. As for Belzerg, she's blunt like Koneko and like the Nekomata, and she doesn't take the word no for an answer. No offense to Asia and Koneko, but these two are far better than them in terms of mates.]
'But Koneko still hates my guts like the tsundere Loli that she is .'
[That proves my point, partner.]
Issei just bathed in the bath until he was done. He got out to see Arnes practicing her Magic outside the mansion and was in awe of her serious face, unlike the arrogant face he saw when they first met.
"It's hard to imagine her as the woman we saw her as before."
[Well, people tend to hide their pain in many ways. I mourned my partner's Death until I had my newest partner. Everyone mourns in their unique way, and I believe you should rest. That fight with the masochist really took a lot of energy out of you, even with my boosts. That woman's body is so tough I almost mistook her for an indestructible wall.]
Issei chuckled and decided to do just that. As Issei got to his room, he was greeted with a sight that made his eyes soften. YunYun was lying in his bed, sleeping softly and wearing black pajamas with red accents. Issei smiled lightly before Ddraig spoke up.
[It seems you'll be sleeping with your company partner tonight.]
Issei nodded to his partner as he got into the bed with YunYun. Then, YunYun hugged his right arm in her bust. She sighed happily while Issei blushed at this.
'Wow. She even clings like Asia.'
[….Not bad. Almost larger than the Half Fallen Queen.]
'Seriously?! Wow….Night partner.'
[Goodnight, Issei.] The Dragon said as Issei let sleep take him while he cuddled with YunYun, knowing that they'd soon have to make their move against the Demon Generals.
At the Abandoned Castle near Beginners Town.
"So the troops are ready?" A voice said before the henchman nodded as they replied to their commander.
"Of course, Lord Beldia. We are ready, and thanks to the information that the girl provided, we'll be able to catch them by surprise." The henchman said before the commander smiled back.
"Excellent. Now go enjoy yourself for good attack in a few days, and once we have Beginners Town, we might be able to get information on the whereabouts of those Heroes." The commander said as the henchman thanked them before running off, which left the commander alone. They smiled under their helmet and took it off to reveal a face underneath the helmet.
The face had beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair with a blue lock. Their hair was short and mostly free-flowing, with the exception of a single braid on the right side of their head; they had side-swept bangs that covered their right eye.
"I have to admit, to think this girl was so naive and stupid to think that Lady Eve would ever trust a stupid human with the position of General under the Demon army. It was so easy to sway her with the false promise that she'd be able to take the Princess with her due to her obsession with the brat. However, it gave me the chance to curse her and have an actual body that I can use to get rid of my weakness as a Dullahan." The General said as they smiled at their bust and copped a feel for it.
"I will admit that this woman was annoying with her delusional behavior and attitude, but it was so much fun breaking a pathetic wannabe of a real warrior." The General said that since the person was actually Beldia, a Dullahan who was undead and served the Demon King Lucifer, Eve took over and decided to give the generals a boost of power. Still, Beldia wished for a body to counter the weakness he has to both fire and holy magic, which the Princess was more than happy to oblige by giving him such a suitable body that allowed him to keep his skills as a warrior.
The new General went to a window at the castle and smiled at the town before their eyes.
"And once we have the powers of the Goddess of Luck, then we'll be able to move forward with our plan to recreate this world into a paradise for us. After all, Lady Eve wishes to recreate the world for a world where demons can be free from these foolish humans." Beldia said as they were looking forward to the upcoming battle along with the opportunity to face a new Ruler.
"This will truly be fun."
Scene!
Now, I know some will wonder why I chose Claire as Beldia's body, but it would work well with her personality and obsession with the Princess and reveal Eve's plan for the future.
I hope you enjoy it and be prepared for the fun is about to begin!
Also, if you have ideas for the warriors that Issei will face and kill, then let me know in the comments or PM. Ta-Ta!~