On his way to go bug Clyde, Seth whistled as he walked down the hall. Voices speaking lowly caught his attention. The only two people that exited the main room was the leader and that Ming chick. The voice that spoke sure as shit sounded nothing like the pretty dark-haired girl.
"Mmmm, you smell great and I think a little wild sex is down my alley," said the newcomer. "I think I'll plug ya with my stinger? How does that sound?"
That was all the confirmation the young man needed. He burst through the door and immediately unleashed his skill at the mutant girl that wasn't Ming.
[Your party has entered combat!]
[Seth activated Honing Fire Wave.]
The blast of fire smashed and engulfed the hornet, exploiting its weakness. Ming danced away completely unharmed, eyes glaring at the purple flames of the defeated enemy.
[Battle completed. Victory! Reward: 1000 EXP and $1000.]
"Are you okay?" Seth said.
"Y—yes and thank you," Ming said.
"It's no problem," Seth said. "Can't have our prophet going through that right after you just saved Clyde's life."
Ming nodded then held out a hand.
"You're Seth, right?"
"The one and only, dudette," Seth said, accepting the handshake. "Best man on the team." He put his fist to chest. "Now if we can just get Leader-dude to acknowledge it then I'm in."
"Leader-dude?" Ming laughed.
Seth shrugged.
"Someone needs to give him the nickname. I tried to convince Alice, but she kicked me in the shin."
Ming laughed harder.
As the two walked down the hall, talking and Seth…just being Seth, Natalia smiled. Opportunity at last.
"Hmm…if I can get those two together, I'll have one less nuisance to deal with," she said. "Then it'd be me cuddling into his arms, regardless of form." She giggled to herself. "Plan Seth X Ming, commence."
"Let me in on that."
Natalia spun to see Kitome strolling toward her.
"No way," Natalia said. "You're not even in this, so why do you care?"
"In what?"
"The harem—oh never mind, you're a dense dummy-head anyway," Natalia said, stuck her tongue out then bolted as the angry magical girl chased her. "Haruuuummiiiii hellppp. She's bullying me."
**
"Psst."
Clyde snapped awake. The attendant giggled….no, that was Harumi. She poked his cheek.
"Your Daiginjo sake, cute snorer, sir," she said in a butler-like manner. He slightly groaned.
"I don't snore," he protested.
"Maybe not normally, but you sure were just now." Harumi chuckled. She poured him a small cup of sake then some for herself. A fruity, maybe nutty flavor tickled his tongue as the slightly chilled drink went down. He wasn't a sake expert nor a drunk, but that...tasted quite good.
Suddenly, there was a thumping sound behind the duo. He turned to see…Ruri, bowing face to the floor. In her normal form.
"I'm sorry!" she cried.
"It's cool, you're—"
"No! There is no excuse," she said. "I'm supposed to be the princess, the example. Yet." She sniffled as tears fell from her face. "I can't control the urges. What Alice and Harumi did only serves as a temporary stop-gap, but sooner or later…"
Harumi pulled Ruri into a hug, allowing her to cry. Clyde used that opportunity to get out of the spring, dry off, and put his robe on.
"I said it's fine," Clyde said. "No harm was done." He almost moved in to pet her, but halted. His hand somehow landed on Harumi's head.
[Talent, main character stuff: head pat.]
Clyde almost missed the glimpse, but for a second there, Harumi looked as if she stuck her tongue out in a similar fashion as Hellhound form Ruri. Imagination for sure. She did seem to sag when he removed his hand, as if disappointed.
"Not good enough," Ruri said, wiggling out of Harumi's embrace. Clyde secretly wished he was there. "Please name your penance."
"Let's go talk things over with Yusuke," Clyde said. Her eyes widened then narrowed.
"I swear all men are the same," she snapped. "They act as if they know everything." She walked up to Clyde, glaring up at him in defiance. "I told you that I've imprinted—when I first laid eyes on you. I tried and failed to hide it. Besides, Yusuke doesn't see me as anything beyond a friend. Having sex with that reaperess."
"So you had feelings for him right?" Clyde continued. "Imprinting not meaning shit. Just re-imprint." He held up a hand to forestall her. "I don't care how it works. We're going to see him."
She tried to protest, but Clyde talked right over her as he dressed. "I don't want to hear excuses. This will be good for you, square out of your relationship problems. Just talk with him. He clearly likes you."
As they reached the end of the hall, Ruri grabbed his arm.
"You will not push me away," she said.
"No idea what you're talking about," Clyde lied. The hellhound tried to speak, but the young man once again continued right over her. "Everyone listen up. I'm about to take Ruri to go make-up with Yusuke. Harumi and Toru will be coming with me. The rest of you continue as is. Go knab Sazuki and get her into the training with Kiko. Melody, you and…" he paused and noticed Seth and Ming laughing. Natalia served them sake. She used her magic to make sure they were sitting as close as possible. "Never mind. Seth, you will be in charge of catching Ming up. In fact, the protection of Ming is your sole responsibility."
Ming looked as if she wanted to protest, but Natalia didn't give her the chance.
"That's a great idea," she said. "As expected of our team lead, seeing potential in all of us. Seth would make a great teacher and knight in shining armor for our little prophet." Clyde nodded. "And I'm coming along too. I'm your right hand, remember?"
"But—"
"No buts," Natalia interrupted. "You can't just give a girl a super staff and then not utilize her. I'm your right hand and personal mage. And it is my duty to protect the leader at all times. If he goes down, this Viper or whatever wins. Plus, our team will inevitably fall apart without him."
"Now listen here," Alice tried to protest, but the loli just spoke right over her.
"Don't try to be all life mate this, life mate that, Lady Alice," she said. "My protection of him keeps you out of danger. You're the head of House Hades—and soon, you'll have to tend to your duties. All of the servants await your return. You can't just throw it onto Tear and Melody."
Silence. The loli climbed onto Clyde's shoulders. "Lady Alice, your safety is very important to me. Very. So, let me take the bullet for the both of you."
"Not that any bullet could pierce my shields," she added smugly.
Something sounded devious in that tone, but the young man couldn't argue. The loli had a point. That didn't mean he had to like it.
"Do you really have to get on my back every time?" Clyde said.
"Of course, pervy nii."
"You watch a lot of anime for someone making a bold claim at being my right hand," Clyde said. Natalia hugged his neck.
"To Yusuke's—away!"
Ruri once again tried to protest, eyes burning of indignation, but Clyde ignored her. Her hellhound companions looked confused, but said nothing. Chika was seated between two, sipping a small cup of sake. She smiled warmly at Clyde.
He selected the group he wanted to make the trip then Jumped.
On his way to go bug Clyde, Seth whistled as he walked down the hall. Voices speaking lowly caught his attention. The only two people that exited the main room was the leader and that Ming chick. The voice that spoke sure as shit sounded nothing like the pretty dark-haired girl.
"Mmmm, you smell great and I think a little wild sex is down my alley," said the newcomer. "I think I'll plug ya with my stinger? How does that sound?"
That was all the confirmation the young man needed. He burst through the door and immediately unleashed his skill at the mutant girl that wasn't Ming.
[Your party has entered combat!]
[Seth activated Honing Fire Wave.]
The blast of fire smashed and engulfed the hornet, exploiting its weakness. Ming danced away completely unharmed, eyes glaring at the purple flames of the defeated enemy.
[Battle completed. Victory! Reward: 1000 EXP and $1000.]
"Are you okay?" Seth said.
"Y—yes and thank you," Ming said.
"It's no problem," Seth said. "Can't have our prophet going through that right after you just saved Clyde's life."
Ming nodded then held out a hand.
"You're Seth, right?"
"The one and only, dudette," Seth said, accepting the handshake. "Best man on the team." He put his fist to chest. "Now if we can just get Leader-dude to acknowledge it then I'm in."
"Leader-dude?" Ming laughed.
Seth shrugged.
"Someone needs to give him the nickname. I tried to convince Alice, but she kicked me in the shin."
Ming laughed harder.
As the two walked down the hall, talking and Seth…just being Seth, Natalia smiled. Opportunity at last.
"Hmm…if I can get those two together, I'll have one less nuisance to deal with," she said. "Then it'd be me cuddling into his arms, regardless of form." She giggled to herself. "Plan Seth X Ming, commence."
"Let me in on that."
Natalia spun to see Kitome strolling toward her.
"No way," Natalia said. "You're not even in this, so why do you care?"
"In what?"
"The harem—oh never mind, you're a dense dummy-head anyway," Natalia said, stuck her tongue out then bolted as the angry magical girl chased her. "Haruuuummiiiii hellppp. She's bullying me."
**
"Psst."
Clyde snapped awake. The attendant giggled….no, that was Harumi. She poked his cheek.
"Your Daiginjo sake, cute snorer, sir," she said in a butler-like manner. He slightly groaned.
"I don't snore," he protested.
"Maybe not normally, but you sure were just now." Harumi chuckled. She poured him a small cup of sake then some for herself. A fruity, maybe nutty flavor tickled his tongue as the slightly chilled drink went down. He wasn't a sake expert nor a drunk, but that...tasted quite good.
Suddenly, there was a thumping sound behind the duo. He turned to see…Ruri, bowing face to the floor. In her normal form.
"I'm sorry!" she cried.
"It's cool, you're—"
"No! There is no excuse," she said. "I'm supposed to be the princess, the example. Yet." She sniffled as tears fell from her face. "I can't control the urges. What Alice and Harumi did only serves as a temporary stop-gap, but sooner or later…"
Harumi pulled Ruri into a hug, allowing her to cry. Clyde used that opportunity to get out of the spring, dry off, and put his robe on.
"I said it's fine," Clyde said. "No harm was done." He almost moved in to pet her, but halted. His hand somehow landed on Harumi's head.
[Talent, main character stuff: head pat.]
Clyde almost missed the glimpse, but for a second there, Harumi looked as if she stuck her tongue out in a similar fashion as Hellhound form Ruri. Imagination for sure. She did seem to sag when he removed his hand, as if disappointed.
"Not good enough," Ruri said, wiggling out of Harumi's embrace. Clyde secretly wished he was there. "Please name your penance."
"Let's go talk things over with Yusuke," Clyde said. Her eyes widened then narrowed.
"I swear all men are the same," she snapped. "They act as if they know everything." She walked up to Clyde, glaring up at him in defiance. "I told you that I've imprinted—when I first laid eyes on you. I tried and failed to hide it. Besides, Yusuke doesn't see me as anything beyond a friend. Having sex with that reaperess."
"So you had feelings for him right?" Clyde continued. "Imprinting not meaning shit. Just re-imprint." He held up a hand to forestall her. "I don't care how it works. We're going to see him."
She tried to protest, but Clyde talked right over her as he dressed. "I don't want to hear excuses. This will be good for you, square out of your relationship problems. Just talk with him. He clearly likes you."
As they reached the end of the hall, Ruri grabbed his arm.
"You will not push me away," she said.
"No idea what you're talking about," Clyde lied. The hellhound tried to speak, but the young man once again continued right over her. "Everyone listen up. I'm about to take Ruri to go make-up with Yusuke. Harumi and Toru will be coming with me. The rest of you continue as is. Go knab Sazuki and get her into the training with Kiko. Melody, you and…" he paused and noticed Seth and Ming laughing. Natalia served them sake. She used her magic to make sure they were sitting as close as possible. "Never mind. Seth, you will be in charge of catching Ming up. In fact, the protection of Ming is your sole responsibility."
Ming looked as if she wanted to protest, but Natalia didn't give her the chance.
"That's a great idea," she said. "As expected of our team lead, seeing potential in all of us. Seth would make a great teacher and knight in shining armor for our little prophet." Clyde nodded. "And I'm coming along too. I'm your right hand, remember?"
"But—"
"No buts," Natalia interrupted. "You can't just give a girl a super staff and then not utilize her. I'm your right hand and personal mage. And it is my duty to protect the leader at all times. If he goes down, this Viper or whatever wins. Plus, our team will inevitably fall apart without him."
"Now listen here," Alice tried to protest, but the loli just spoke right over her.
"Don't try to be all life mate this, life mate that, Lady Alice," she said. "My protection of him keeps you out of danger. You're the head of House Hades—and soon, you'll have to tend to your duties. All of the servants await your return. You can't just throw it onto Tear and Melody."
Silence. The loli climbed onto Clyde's shoulders. "Lady Alice, your safety is very important to me. Very. So, let me take the bullet for the both of you."
"Not that any bullet could pierce my shields," she added smugly.
Something sounded devious in that tone, but the young man couldn't argue. The loli had a point. That didn't mean he had to like it.
"Do you really have to get on my back every time?" Clyde said.
"Of course, pervy nii."
"You watch a lot of anime for someone making a bold claim at being my right hand," Clyde said. Natalia hugged his neck.
"To Yusuke's—away!"
Ruri once again tried to protest, eyes burning of indignation, but Clyde ignored her. Her hellhound companions looked confused, but said nothing. Chika was seated between two, sipping a small cup of sake. She smiled warmly at Clyde.
He selected the group he wanted to make the trip then Jumped.
