Chapter 103- Proposition to Ortlinde

Chapter 103- Proposition to Ortlinde

[Keeno POV]

With the three of us sitting in silence, I had time to fully observe the cat girl. She had short, shoulder-length black hair with two cat ears and a tail on her back that matched. She was petite, but not in a healthy way, like she had barely been given enough to eat. Not to say she was skin and bones, but still. Her most striking feature, however, were her eyes. They were like two rubies.

“U-uhm. L-lady Okami, why are you staring at me so much?” (Ortlinde)

“Just looking.” (Keeno)

“A-at what?” (Ortlinde)

“Your soul. You see, I think I’ve finally figured out something that’s been bugging me for a while, but I haven’t had time to really check until now.” (Keeno)

“I-I see? But please don’t look at me so much. I don’t deserve to be looked at by someone with eyes as pretty as yours.” (Ortlinde)

{Keeno, I like this girl, you should keep her around.}

‘I was thinking the same thing.’ (Keeno)

“Miss Ortlinde, you must have more confidence in yourself. If we feed you properly and get you some better clothes, then you’d be a stunning young woman and man, or woman would fall head over heels for.” (Emma)

“Eh!? But I was thrown out of my home because I failed to seduce men! I only managed to become a maid here after begging for the job for months! The only reason that disgusting pig wanted me was because I was the only one here nobody had touched yet! How can I be considered pretty when I’m facing two of the most stunning women in all the world!?” (Ortlinde)

As she tried catching her breath from her sudden outburst, Emma and I smiled at her.

“So, Emma?” (Keeno)

“Yes, my Lady, she is perfect.” (Emma)

“Miss Ortlinde, I have a proposition for you, would you like to hear it?” (Keeno)

At my words, she became meek and nervous again.

“Y-you saved my life, s-so I really feel like you should just make me agree.” (Ortlinde)

“My Lady isn’t like that. She’s from outside this accursed country where people are better than the ones here.” (Emma)

“Huh? There are other countries?” (Ortlinde)

“Yes, but we can save that conversation for later. For now, hear me out. I’d like you to join us, and when I say us, I don’t mean the rebellion, but my group of companions. There are nine of them for now, but that number will be larger in the future. We’ll take care of you like a family, but not one of those imitations from this place.” (Keeno)

“...” (Ortlinde)

“You’re probably thinking what we’d get out of this, aren’t you?” (Emma)

Ortlinde didn’t verbally answer but nodded slightly.

“My Lady has a soft spot for people like you. When she sees someone in a situation like yours, she can’t help but want to aid them or, in a sense, adopt them into her family. Though I’ve also recently reunited with her, from what she’s told me about her travels so far, and some of the people she’s met, I know for a fact things like this are going to become more common as times goes on. You may not specifically have a fancy title like I do, but you’ll still be considered family.” (Emma)

{She’s got your personality down, Keeno.}

‘Of course, she does, she’s a maid, they’re supposed to be near omnipotent.’ (Keeno)

{That’s...oddly accurate, at least for the most part.}

“H-honestly...I don’t see a real choice to refuse...and...I really want a family. If this is all a dream, I really hope I never wake up.” (Ortlinde)

“Welcome to the family, Ortlinde Okami.” (Keeno)

“...” (Ortlinde)

I got up from where I was sitting and walked over to where Ortlinde was sitting. I sat next to her and wrapped one of my tails around her. She leaned into the hug, and she started to cry, the reality fully sinking in. Emma joined soon after and we stayed like that for a while before Ortlinde finally calmed down and dried her eyes. I stood up from the seat and held out my hand to her.

“Let’s go meet Pram and Freya, they’re going to love you.” (Keeno)

Ortlinde took my hand, and I helped her up before all three of us left the room.

Chaos Realm:

...

Keeno: What?

Nothing.

Luna: Hey, Keeno, come here for a bit, we need to talk, you too, Amaterasu.

Amaterasu: Coming.

Keeno: What is it?

Luna: Getting straight to the point, you should make a Paladin order.

Keeno: Paladin?

Amaterasu: Why?

Luna: Because leaving all the work to Keeno’s Valkyries is too much. If you make a Paladin order with them at the head, then they can delegate tasks to them while they take care of more important things. You can both give ones that pledge their service to the two of you blessings and stuff, and if they end up betraying the order and consequently the two of you, then you can take them away.

Amaterasu: It’s a good idea, and it would allow me to assist Keeno’s Valkyries indirectly, though I don’t have any good ideas for members. Those knights that call themselves paladins in my service don’t count.

Luna: What are you talking about? There are at least two perfect candidates at the moment. You know, Sigurd and Ortlinde.

Amaterasu: Well, I still need to reach out to Fu and Moco about Ortlinde, but I think it can still work for Sigurd.

Keeno: Um...What’s a Paladin?

Luna: Think Einherjar, but not dead and eternally preparing for war.

Keeno: Oh...That’s a wonderful idea, and I could totally see Sigurd being one of them.

Luna: Then I’ll draft up a plan for you while you two look for members, I’ll give it to you next time Payto decides to let you both come here.

...

Keeno: Seriously, what’s up with him today?

Luna: Order yelled at him for messing up and making Astraea cry, so now he’s despondent due to both of those things.

Amaterasu and Keeno: Ah.