Chapter 180 Of Course.



"Thank you for your patience. Your rooms are now ready." The elder's assistant said. "Please feel free to use them however you like."

The meeting with the elder went on for quite a while during which Sam tried to learn as much as he could from the old fortune teller. Sadly old age was taking its toll on her body and she was forced to retire early that night.

With how much they learned and how much they still needed to learn it was decided that Sam and his company should spend the night in the sanctuary.

Two rooms were prepared with four beds each. Hearing that the Valkyries glanced at each other with the same thought crossing their minds, except for CS who just yawned and said she wanted to take a nap.

"I will take the night shift and look after Doctor!" Zero Three's hand shot up as she announced.

"What are you saying, Three?" Five said with a sigh. "According to the calendar, today should be Nine's turn, not yours."

"Nine isn't here though."

"Correct. That means, as the one who's next in line, it is my turn to guard Doctor during the night."

"There is no rule like that!" Three said. "Besides, we aren't in the base anymore! And this is a different world!"

"So?"

Sparks started flying as the two glared at each other. Sam watched the interaction with a bemused smile. Though they didn't mind having threesomes from time to time, the Valkyries still had some desire to monopolize him from time to time. Without his knowing they came up with a rotation where each one gets a night with him, but it appears Zero Three was trying to get ahead of the others.

'Well, not like we're going to do it in this situation…'

They were in a different world, surrounded by strangers without a clue when the enemy will attack. It would be disastrous if the Olympians barged in and found him balls-deep into one of his girls.

As he watched the two argue, Sam caught a glimpse of Nino in the corner of his eye. She looked a bit down, and with no sarcastic comments coming from her Sam understood she was still worried about what the elder said.

Seeing her like that made him feel a little bad, that's when a wild idea appeared in his head.

"Alright you two, cut it out." Saying those words, Sam placed his hand on Nino's shoulder and without a warning pulled her petite body toward him. "I've already decided that Nino will accompany me for the night."

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

The three looked at him in confusion and then exclaimed at the same time.

"EEEEEEEEEHH!!!?"

"What's wrong with you all…" CS was the only one who seemed indifferent to the situation, yawning as if to show her boredom. "There are four beds in each room, right? I don't mind sleeping on my own so…"

"D-D-Doctor! Are you planning on making Nino your personal Valkyrie as well!?" Zero Three asked in a fluster.

"Of course." Sam replied without hesitation.

To be more accurate, he planned on making all of them his personal Valkyries. It was just a matter of when and where.

"Um… Doctor?"

Hearing a timid voice Sam looked down to see Nino who was a blushing mess gazing at him with pleading eyes.

"What is it?"

"Um… well…" unable to keep eye contact she lowered her head before going on. "I'm… I'm okay, really… I can wait so… you should choose someone else this time…"

Normally she's always blunt and confrontational so seeing her acting all shy tickled Sam a little.

"No, I want you to be the one tonight." Sam said as he pulled her even closer. "I've been waiting for this for a long time, you know?"

The Japanese doll heated up gradually with each word that came out of his mouth. Three and Five went silent, watching with eyes filled with envy. CS who couldn't care less had made her way to one of the rooms and was already snoring on one of the beds.

After a couple of seconds, Zero Three's eyes shot open as a brilliant idea crossed her mind.

"Doctor! Wouldn't it be better if someone was there to teach her what to do?" The young Valkyrie said. "This is her first time after all. I'm sure she would be more comfortable if an experienced Valkyrie was there to guide her!"

"W-what are you saying!?" Nino retorted. "How can I be comfortable if someone else is watching!!?"

"Don't worry. It's only embarrassing at first, but you'll get used to it real quick!"

"Alright, Zero Three will be joining us then." Sam announced.

"Yes!" Three raised her arms in celebration.

"D-Doctor…" Five timidly raised her hand, her cheeks a little flushed. "would it be okay if I…"

"Hm? Well, we do have enough beds." Having had his fun, Sam decided to put an end to his little prank. "That said, I would feel bad if only CS is left out so you should stay with her."

"But…"

"Now now, there is no need to worry. Those two are more than enough. Not to mention the rooms are right beside each other, if something were to happen you can just teleport there, right?"

Three's excitement died down as the three Valkyries began to realize that they might've misunderstood the situation. As if to confirm their suspicion, Sam looked down at the Japanese doll and said with a smile.

"You don't need two more just to help you guard me, right?"

Staring at him for a while, Nino's face flushed once more as she finally understood he was messing with her the entire time.

~[]~

Since his body wasn't that of a human anymore Sam had no need for sleep. Still taking a nap from time to time was a good way for him to calm his mind and organize his thoughts.

A couple of hours after laying down Sam opened his eyes, having had enough rest already. There was still some time before the incident the elder warned them about so he decided to spend it giving their situation more thought.

"Hm?"

Just as he was about to get up he noticed something strange under his blanket. It was quite easy to guess what it was so he wasn't surprised at all when he saw Zero Three clinging to him as she wandered the dream world.

"I warned her, you know." A voice drew his attention, its owner being Nino who was sitting on the opposite bed. "She ignored me and sneaked in anyways."

"You couldn't sleep?" He asked.

"It would've been weird if I could." She replied.

The small lamp cast a dim light across the room. Nino was hugging her knees, a worried expression on her face. It's been clear that something was bothering her since the attack on the base, however after their meeting with the elder she seemed a lot more restless.

Sam released himself from Three's hold and walked over to the other side of the room. He expected the Japanese doll to flinch or show some kind of reaction when he sat beside her, however she remained still for a while, and just as he was about to tell her some reassuring words he felt her lean against him. It was quite the surprise, but Sam didn't let it phase him, pulling her toward him and slowly rubbing her arm.

"Is what the elder said still bothering you?" He asked.

"... Yeah…" Nino responded, her voice a bit lowered. "That and… something else…"

"Can you tell me about it?"

Remaining silent for some time, Nino recalled the events that transpired in the past few days. She wasn't sure if talking about it was the right thing to do, but at the same time she was afraid of the problems that might come from her not doing so.

"A few days ago I… I watched a video about Greek mythology like you suggested." Having decided to come out with it, Nino gathered her thoughts and spoke slowly. "The stories themselves were weird but… something seemed strange." Pausing for a moment, she hugged her knees even closer before continuing. "I don't know why but… the names… it was supposed to be the first time I heard them but… they all sounded familiar…"

"Really?"

"I don't know." She said with a shake of her head. "If I try to think about them nothing seems out of the ordinary, but when I'm not putting in the effort… I get this feeling at the back of my mind…"

"I see…"

For a moment he was about to ask her why she kept it a secret, but on a second thought he decided not to. He already knows that she didn't have any malicious intentions so there is no point in troubling her even more.

That said, he struggled to hide his surprise by this revelation to the point that he had to actively suppress his emotions. First the intruders from the other day seemed to recognize her and now she was telling him that she found their names familiar. It wasn't clear before but now he knew for sure that she has some connection with the Olympians.

"There are many ways to explain why you feel that way but..." Sam spoke after a short silence, though he feared that attempting to ease her worried was meaningless. "I'm sure it's nothing major. If it was then I'm sure we would learn why you felt that way at some point."

"... I… thought the same but… I'm still worried… there is also what the elder said? Don't you think it's suspicious?" She gazed at the bed on the opposite side of the room, watching Zero Three as her small chest moved with each breath. "The others were surprised when you chose me to be your guard for the night. I don't think they fully trust me."

"I… don't think that's the case." Sam said with a stifled laugh. "They just wanted your spot for themselves."

"... Really?"

"I mean, they were arguing about it even before I made my decision, right? Besides, nothing the elder said could be a reason to lose trust in you. She said herself that some things just get scrambled up with how old she is."

"I… guess you're right…"

Ever since Shizuru's betrayal Sam had been trying to make sure nothing fell off his radar, so much so that he was starting to have trust issues. Literally anything could be a sign of something and if he were to dwell on it he was sure he would lose his mind at some point.

Trying to find hints about the future in the present was a pointless endeavor so even if he found one he tried to not jump to conclusions, keeping it at the back of his mind instead of trying to use it to alter the inevitable future.

Nino definitely has some connection to the Olympians. Whatever that connection might be, and whether it'll play a part in the upcoming conflict, that was something for the future Sam to deal with once he has seen the full picture.

"... Thanks, Doctor…" As he continued to gently caress her arm, the young Valkyrie snuggled close to him, her lips curving up in a calm smile. "I might've been worrying too much…"

"Always feel free to talk to me if something happens." Sam said. "I'll always be there for you."

"That's good to hear. I think I understand why they cherish you so much."

When she thought about it, Nino felt a bit guilty for allowing herself to be comforted like that when Zero Three was right in front of them. She seemed quite eager to be with the man she loves so having him snatched by someone else, someone who isn't even his personal Valkyrie, would surely break her heart.

That said, though she might be feeling guilty about it, Nino couldn't help but enjoy the sensation. She had read many novels already so she knew the nature of the warmth slowly filling her chest.

Aware of her own feeling, the young Valkyrie felt some happiness as she decided to embrace them right away. Having seen how Three and the others fought for his attention, Nino realized that she would need to be more assertive if she wants to have more moments like this, even if it was somewhat embarrassing to do so.

"Um… Doctor?"

Nino moved away from Sam as she steeled her resolve. She turned to face him but in the end looking him in the eyes proved to be too much for her right now.

"Yes?" Sam, having noticed where this was going, answered her with a relaxed tone.

"Um… I… I was wondering if you were serious, you know… about making me your personal Valkyrie…"

That was it. Sam recognized the sign and immediately made his move, not hesitating for a moment. Nino silently waited for his answer, but by the time she noticed him moving it was already too late.

Leaning toward her in a single swift move, Sam placed his lips on hers stealing her first kiss.

The Japanese doll remained frozen for a few seconds. Once she realized that just happened steam exploded from her head as she went red to the tips of her ears.

"W-w-w-wha-!!!!"

Sam watched with a smile as she stuttered repeatedly. It was quite cute, reminding him of the time he flipped the tables on her after she tried to seduce him.

"You're so cute, Nino." He said, reaching out to pat her head.

"Y-y-you should've warned me first!" She said in protest, looking away with puffed cheeks.

"What? You didn't like it?"

"Well…"

It happened far too quickly for her mind to even register so she had yet to grasp how she felt about that kiss. Sam didn't plan on giving her the time to do it though. Now that he took the first step, he wanted to leave his mark on her so that any doubts she might've had about being with him would get erased.

He ran his fingers along her silky raven hair and caressed her cheek. He gently touched her rosy lips with his thumb then grabbed her chin, lifting her head up. Nino's eyes met his, a mix of fear and excitement filling them. She began to recall a scene from a novel she read a while ago, one that resembled what was happening to her right now, so she closed her eyes and waited.

Once again Sam leaned in and took her lips. The second kiss lasted much longer than the first one, and the warmth in Nino's chest got stronger and stronger. With a hand on her back he pulled her her delicate body toward him, and as she sat down on his lap the two continued to make out for a while. It was a strange moment that seemed to last much longer, and as more time passed the young Valkyrie began to wish that it would never come to an end.

"Hmm… I see how it is…"

Unfortunately good things must always come to an end. As she was enjoying herself a little too much, Nino forgot entirely about the other Valkyrie in the room.

With their lips finally separated, Sam and Nino turned around to see Zero Three staring at them with half closed eyes and crossed arms. She didn't seem angry or agitated, only a bit disappointed that she wasn't invited to the party.

"I thought we weren't going to do anything, with us staying in someone else's home and all."

Nino went pale, turning to Sam with wide eyes that seemed to ask what they should do.

Though it looked as if he was just caught cheating, Sam kept his calm and let out a sigh before extending his hand toward Zero Three.

"Are you going to join us or what?"

The young Valkyrie continued to stare at the, the tension in the room rising with each second. Sam wasn't about to give her the apology she was probably waiting for so he just lowered his arm and returned his attention to the Japanese doll.

"Well, suit yourself."

"Wait!"

As he moved in for another kiss Three instantly dropped the act, running over and jumping into his arms. She still gave him a pouty glare showing her anger at being forced to admit defeat. That look didn't last though as Sam took her lips and made her forget why she was angry in less than ten seconds.