Chapter 34: Eccentrics – Part 1

Chapter 34: Eccentrics – Part 1 AnnouncementEdited this chapter to use the English dialogue standard of using quotes. I started writing using quotes on chapter 36 so I will slowly update the other chapters to this standard.

Today is the 7th. Fis, day of Nature.

Alissa silently wakes me up before Ciel and Lina awaken. She silently leaves the room after that, I sigh as the blessing makes the world blander again.

My [Space Magic] increased by 2 (now 11+22). Productive theory class strikes again.

I wake up the naked beauties with a kiss. Lina smiles and gets up to help Alissa. I hold Ciel back and she raises an eyebrow.

"Feeling lonely, old man?" She asks.

"Not really, more like feeling that someone is not being honest."

Gify pops into my shoulder.

"Gih."

Ciel breathes in deeply and lets out a long sigh. She sprawls back on the bed and looks to the ceiling.

"I, uh... You changed me, Wolfy, and I'm getting scared," she looks at me and I see she doubts her own words.

"Ohohoh? You think it's bad?" I lay down beside her and play with her hair.

"No. Well, maybe just a little. I told you I wasn't depraved and now I can't see Alissa naked without getting horny."

"That doesn't mean you are depraved."

"But I don't love her, all I want is to... Fuck her," she lifts her arms in the air and drops them on the bed with a flop.

"And why is that bad?"

"I may be a follower of the Goddess of Love but I don't sleep around. It's why I was a virgin for so long, I don't really lack suitors," she smirks at me, then she frowns and her ears turn slightly darker as she sees that her words didn't have an effect on me. "It's just that I don't want to have sex without love."

"Isn't it just some other kind of love?"

"That's the thing I... I don't know. Ever since I met you my life never stopped changing, it's just scary sometimes."

I stroke my chin in thought.

"So that's why Gify doesn't nudge you or Lina forward, you might both be unsure of what you want."

"Gih."

"Lina? Wait you mean th-, oh..." Her mouth hangs open as realization kicks in.

"I don't know what she feels for you but she definitely shows some affection and some budding jealousy."

She covers her eyes with her hand and laughs. "You are loving this, aren't you?" She asks.

"Yes, deeply."

"That's enough teasing for me, you depraved old geezer. Let's go downstairs."

I give a peck on her fleshy lips and we get up.

Ciel sits besides Lina and pats her head, making the little girl beam with a smile. Ciel's gaze turns warm and we choke on tears at the sight of such a beautiful scene.

"Let's go meet Arantos," Ciel says.

Oh shit, moment ruined. She knows it, she's smirking at me.

There's an unusual amount of nature spirits on the streets. Gify drops from my shoulders and runs towards a group of bird-like spirits, then they start playing tag.

Gih.

Yeah, I still feel you.

Me, Lina, Alissa, and Ciel reach the temple. Ciel breathes in deeply when she sees the orphanage.

"Getting wistful?" I ask

She glares at me with the corner of her eyes.

"Now, seriously, do you miss this place?" Alissa asks.

"Of course I do, this is my home, my birthplace," she answers. "One of those children playing was me one day, until the priests discovered my healing affinity and decided to train me," she smiles nostalgically. "I once said that helping the clinic was boring, Arantos answered by bringing me outside and having me watch as they hunted goblins."

I lift an eyebrow. That sounds traumatic.

"I knew it then that I wanted to travel this dangerous world, but I would have to get stronger first," she continues.

Okay, not traumatic, actually totally normal for the people of this world.

"Arantos used to fight?" Alissa asks, incredulous.

"He's a mage, even someone like him can keep up. Though he used to only be slightly chubby, marrying made him get, uh, rounder," she smiles wryly.

"I'll definitely not become like that," I say.

"Hana won't let you," Alissa says.

Lina nods repeatedly.

We cross the orphanage and one of the children stares at us, wide eyed.

"Ciel!" He exclaims.

"Ciel?"

"Ciel...?"

"Ciel!"

"Ciel!"

"CIEEL!"

Oh Gods. A swarm of children run out of the orphanage and surrounds her.

She smiles at us wryly and starts to appease the mob.

"I'm only here to visit. I'm sorry, I have some business with Arantos, I have to leave," she says patting as many heads as she can.

"Awn..."

"Awn..."

"Noo..."

A minute later and with a few priestesses helping, the children are appeased. Ciel finally walks free and rejoins us.

"You really are popular," Lina says.

Ciel shrugs. "The other priestesses say I'm too soft," she says, "I guess I'm just not a cranky old woman who wants her own army of child soldiers.

"What? Child soldiers?" I turn my head to stare at Ciel slack-jawed.

"That's a joke," she gives me a withering look.

"Hyperbole, actually," Lina adds.

"Oh, right. It's just that in my world there's a small problem with child soldiers and I kind of took you seriously. Anyway, why did you say it like that? I didn't really understand the joke."

"Most orphans join the town guard when they come of age so most priests want to treat them like they are soldier trainees," Ciel says, "but children don't really have the discipline to behave like little soldiers."

"I did," Alissa says, "I was living by my own when I was 13."

"You, uh... You are kind of a special case," I say.

"Yeah, no one is trained to always wake up before your master so you can give him a blowjob," Ciel says with smirk.

Alissa shrugs.

"Just saying..."

"Say, Alissa, don't you want to go play with the children?" Ciel asks.

Alissa's posture stiffens and her eyes lock forward.

"If you want you should. I will be fine," I say.

Alissa looks at me with large puppy eyes that turn into eyes of worry.

"I will be fine," I repeat, I grab her hand and kiss it. "It's annoying to lose the blessing but I can deal with it, go have fun."

She bites her lips and looks back. She gives me a peck on the lips and goes towards the children.

"She likely didn't have much of a normal childhood," I say.

"What's unexpected is your calligraphy, it is enviable," Arantos says.

Logan strokes his puffy beard with a hint of shyness to it. He says, "Father is a librarian, he worked as a scribe and taught me a few things, I even have two levels in [Writing]. Eventually I got big and the guards taught me to fight."

Ciel comes back with a few books. She blows the dust away from one and Lina sneezes.

"Achi!"

"Sorry," Ciel says and pats the books away from her.

"That was so cute," I say.

"I would have to agree," Arantos says.

Lina keeps her head down and her ears redden slightly. I pick up a book and look at the index, a compilation of messages from the Gods, the basis of their teachings. Quite interesting.

"You are rather thorough in your research, Mr. Ryder," Arantos says.

"I enjoy reading," I say.

Arantos smiles and speaks, "I will leave you to your reading, until later. Pleasure to talk to you."

"Likewise," I smile back and we wave as he leaves.

Logan shows us a few more books and leaves while we copy some notes. I have to put on [Writing] to create something legible.

"My hand hurts," Ciel says and waves her hand.

"You can go play with Alissa if you want, it's fine," I say.

She smiles and continues copying.

A few minutes later another priest comes by. He's tall and has an average build. His face is rather long, with his blue eyes and wild black hair he looks somewhat handsome. Reminds me of a certain actor.

"Oh, Bitar, hello," Ciel says with a kind smile.

"Ciel, heard you will be leaving soon," he says, his voice is on the lower end. He comes with arms open wide.

She gets up and gives him a tight hug, he smiles warmly and hugs back. Me and Lina look at each other.

"Yes, I will be traveling the world," she breaks the hug and pushes him. Then with a little awkwardness she points to me, "This is my fiance, Wolf Ryder, and our slave, Lina."

"Oh?" He looks at me with a frown. "Oh, that Wolf Ryder?"

"Depends on what you heard about me," I say with a smile.

"The man who killed the Symbol of Hate and participated in the goblin village subjugation?," He says and raises and eyebrow at me.

"Yes that's me."

"Who also has a peculiar appetite for the other sex," he frowns again. Quite expressive those eyebrows.

"Not sure about that one but I have three other fiancees."

Now his eyebrows shoot upwards, high into his large forehead. He looks at Ciel and she smiles wryly.

"This is your fiance?" He asks and frowns again.

"We all have quite the interesting relationship, don't we, Lina?" I say before Ciel can respond. I tap her in the back and her eyes dart between me and Ciel.

"Yes, our family is quite united," Ciel says while narrowing her eyes at me.

Come on, you didn't notice it?

Gih.

I know, right? This dude...

"I would rather keep my eyes to a single person," he says, he looks up and gazes into the distance, "I could then easily give her the treatment of a princess."

"I quite like the big family we have," Ciel says and glances at Lina.

"You could have one with a lot of children," Bitar says, his eyebrows in a normal position for a change.

"It wouldn't be the same thing," Ciel says and chuckles.

It certainly wouldn't.

Me and Lina share another look.

"You said you would be traveling around the world?" Bitar asks.

"After this month we will go to the High Forest and look for a dungeon to conquer," Ciel answers.

His eyebrows knit in worry. "What!?" His voice echoes on the library.

"Shh...!" A scholar hisses at him.

Gihihih, guh gah gih.

No, I was never as awkward as someone like him.

"What!?" Bitar whispers.

"What?" Ciel asks.

"Why are you doing this!?" He hisses.

"Because we can, we are strong enough."

Getting the True Noble title will make my life, and destiny, much easier.

"You..." His mouth hangs open, "why do you have to go away? Why fight like this? You can always stay in Rabanara, to fight here and help the people of the town. You get the title and then what?"

"We travel the world," Ciel says calmly.

He hold his hands forward and his eyes open wide with disbelief.

"You..." He mutters.

"Bitar, please," Ciel says in the sweetest tone she can, "It's what I want. I'll be fine, I will be safe, we are strong enough."

"I will never understand you."

"Maybe you won't, maybe you will. I just have a different wish for my life."

Bitar glares at me and frowns at Ciel.

"I will be here for you when you get tired of all the death and danger."

"Bitar..."

He turns around and leaves.

Gih-ger.

Yep.

"You should reject him with certainty," I say.

"What?" Ciel frowns.

"'I will be here for you'. He's clearly in love," I smirk.

"He-he's not like that, he just cares too much for me," her eyes open wide in shock.

"Uh huh..." I look at Lina and she nods, "Denial."

"You...!" She glares at me and clenches her fist in anger, then sits down and continues writing furiously.

"Denial," Lina repeats.

"Not another word!" She hisses.

Gihih.

You too.

Announcement

Hall of Fame of Patrons.

The patrons who support Rupegia shall have their names sung by the bards for they deserve the glory and honor. Their names are:

Lord Andrew Meyers.

Lord SenilePenile.