Chapter 105: Delinquent and The Witch's Vulnerable Heart
Ryuji and his group left the dungeon after a while once he finished the quest and collected dozens of goblin ears for their proof of subjugation. He held Yumiko's hand while she pranced around. Her mood seemed great while singing and dancing.
I don't think a peaceful future awaits me. Somehow, I feel like I will miss the quiet days soon enough.
However, there was a problem with the sudden change in Yumiko's race. Beastkin didn't have multiple tails, and most humans would know this, so it made things difficult. Ryuji wondered how they could deal with this truth when Yumiko just shot her buttocks, and one of her tails turned into smoke, vanishing.
"Well, It seems we worried for no reason." Ryuji couldn't help but swallow his breath, a feeling of relief while Liana's face looked a little moody, but also her aura became distant after everything that happened.
The only other one who appeared relieved was Sariel. She felt like her Master now had more of a reason to accept her, with Yumiko also being a monster. Then, the future became safer because Sariel taught Yumiko she could hide her tails. With this, she believed Ryuji wouldn't toss her aside so easily compared with before.
The Succubus promised herself never to lose, especially to the human princess who called her several insulting words.
"Say, why does everyone care so much about having multiple tails? Seems stupid that something so important is linked to one's power." Ryuji didn't want to question their culture so much, but it did feel a bit stupid.
Liana's lips pouted as she poked Ryuji's shoulders. "Stupid... It's important because female beastkin are thoroughly linked to real animals through some strange evolution in the distant past. However, they can only adapt and evolve through a logical path; they cannot become magical creatures and beings just willing it to happen."
"Is that so?" Ryuji pretended he understood it, but he didn't believe he could force it even if he tried. Though, thinking about his abilities and the magic in this world... it seemed quite plausible.
"Anyway, we should head back. We have been constantly busy lately, and the practice Alan is doing won't let you mess around for the entire night. I really need a bath and my bed..." Liana's voice became drowsy, her movements lost a lot of their energy, and she rubbed her eyes while yawning. "Why does my body feel so drained?"
"Hahaha! That's because you are a human-"
"Shut up!"
Liana zapped Sariel's tail, but the two girls seemed to get along. Well, the fact Sariel already admitted Ryuji wouldn't touch her in such a short amount of time seemed to cause both girls some relaxation as it let them focus on other things.
***
The journey back to the city felt much shorter, with Sariel covering her body in magic to make herself invisible while clinging onto Ryuji's back, much to the jealous chagrin of the Princess forced to walk ahead of them with her face mask covering her nose and lips as they returned to the guild with both quest sheets and the bags of their proof.
Ryuji tossed the bags of goblin ears on the counter with a proud smile while Yumiko took the sack of magic cores from the slimes and both sheets they took for the guild.
"It seems you managed to succeed in such a short time; thank you for the hard work." The receptionist began to list their names and seemed to weigh each ear, core and other items they handed over.
This caused Yumiko to grow a little bored as she looked towards the bar, the taste of the ale still on the tip of her tongue.
"Let me go into the back and secure the rewards and convert them into money; that's what you desire, right?" The receptionist chuckled before walking into the back of the guild, where Ryuji assumed their vault or other such stuff was stored.
His first time in a guild felt strange, but coming back after completing his first quests made Ryuji feel different; he didn't hesitate and took a table while ordering a beer for himself and Liana; the succubus would just have to make do without for now.
"Yes! We're rich again!" Yumiko cheered before using her index finger to drink the foam from the ale while sitting on Ryuji's lap. "Now we can spend the entire night enjoying each other!"
"Calm down, there are other things to consider..." Ryuji thought about the current issues that cropped up. He couldn't feel it was because of coincidence. He felt like the world was trying to force his identity to become exposed. Is it the gods? He thought while sipping on the ice-cold beer of Yumiko, who started eating some of the fresh bacon sandwiches she ordered.
"Ah... don't steal my beer!"
"I thought you were all mine, so isn't this beer mine, too?"
"No.. that's different!"
This wasn't a private place, so he put those thoughts to the back of his mind and watched how the princess looked at her plate, the huge sandwich with bacon, sausage, egg, and a thick crust on it.
Ryuji didn't mind the rowdy place; he leaned back, waiting for the guild receptionist to come back to call them; it seemed another would take her place when she became busy organising things.
He looked out the window and enjoyed the sight of the red-coloured sun slowly setting over the city while people seemed to head back home or to their inn. "Are you doing alright, Lia? Do you need help cutting the sandwich up?"
"Hmph! I'm not that useless... But, if you insist!" Liana's attitude became strange earlier than anyone else; Ryuji knew she learned his secret quite early on, yet desperately tried to hide the feelings and worries in her chest. He could still feel her worried gaze on him from time to time and realised that the princess might just be one of the softest and caring women he knew.
The sun dipped over the horizon, and Ryuji's mind was about to wander when something else caught his attention. "It seems you're not completely useless." A familiar voice caught Ryuji's attention, and he turned around with Yumiko in his lap. It was Alan, who looked a little nervous, though he wore a strange outfit to hide his identity. He probably came for the princess...
"To think you cleared two quests with the princess within a few hours..."
"Is that something special?" Ryuji knew little about the system here, but he expected things to be at least a little harder, so it was surprising.
Alan realised he was blabbering a little too much and felt strange about explaining everything in such a public place. "Let's talk back at the mansion. Ryo is making tonight's meals, and he seemed excited to meet you again."
"Eh, can I? I thought I would be living with the princess now." Ryuji's words caused the princes to turn bright red before Alan slapped the back of Ryuji's head. "Idiot, you are my friend, and what's wrong with inviting you over? She won't mind you coming back with me sometimes, right?" Alan then poked Ryuji's chest and followed up "Or will you let Yumiko stay in that room all alone!"
"Yeah, Yeah... Damn, Alan always giving me work and things to do."
"Ahahahahha!! Just come; I won't give you a new quest or mission, just a night together, okay? Then you can start tomorrow's training and hate me even more!"
"Idiot..." Ryuji noticed that Liana and Yumiko watched him with strange looks whenever he spoke to Alan, "What's wrong?" He wondered why the pair showed the same look and slight smirk at him.
"You just seem cute when speaking to Alan..." Yumiko muttered.
"Yeah, you show many normal emotions and look like a normal, cute guy.
"I am a normal guy--"
"No, you are not!" The pair both yelled while downing the last of their beer and standing from the table. It seemed Alan collected the money earned from their quest, though it only came to four silver and fifty copper.
That wasn't too bad in Ryuji's mind. The dungeons were huge money and dangerous situations. In contrast, quests seemed safer for a lower return.
"You can go on ahead, Yumiko. I will wait with Alan for Liana."
"Heh~ Making me walk all alone, how mean!"
Ryuji flicked her nose, causing her to cover it with her hand while staring at him with eyes full of annoyance because she knew Sariel would be with her and that he was worried Alan might sense something like Liana. "Can you go with her, Sariel? Keep any men away from them, thanks."
"Master~ the first request you made... maybe it should make me jealous of another woman, but I will forgive you."
The succubus' sensual body appeared from thin air, making Ryuji choke on his spit as she wore nothing at all, but when he looked around, nobody else looked in this direction. "Since you looked so troubled? Master~ only you can see me, fufu." Her pink garden was so neat and alluring that he pushed her away and rushed back to Alan. Otherwise, he felt he would have to taste her.
Our compatibility seems too high...
Sariel giggled at Yumiko's hate-filled stare and didn't mind the fox as she enjoyed Ryuji's reaction to everything. It was evident to her that he wouldn't cast her aside as long as she didn't act too haughty or make stupid demands and instead tried to get to know those around him first. In reality, Sariel was pleased because she felt intimidated by Ryuji in honesty...
and so it felt like a dangerous thing to her to tease or annoy him.
"Really, they're gone..." Liana sat down with a sigh and turned her gaze to Ryuji, who held out his hand for her.
"Ah... I hope you'll come tonight. Though I don't have that right, without you, I don't think things will be as fun." Ryuji didn't realise Alan stood a few steps away while listening to their conversation, his jaw open wide and shock painted on his face as he chanted the words 'The witch blushed!' 'The world is going to end' jokingly.
While Liana felt Ryuji's honest feelings and words reached her heart, which is what she feared... "I..." Liana felt frustrated.
Her heart and soul wanted to act as she did earlier in the day, imitating Yumiko and flinging herself towards him. But back then she thought he might just be a demon, but the demon king...
This man would become her father, mother and even Alan's enemy one day and she felt her insides churning, like someone put her inside a mincing machine.
Of course, her deep familial love couldn't be compared to the small budding feelings in her chest, yet... They felt intense, and she feared losing this chance as she looked up at him with wet eyes, tears of frustration seeping down her cheeks.
"Eh? W-wait a moment, did I say something strange? Are you angry? Did I offend you?" Ryuji was surprised while grabbing her by the arm and wiping the tears with his thumbs as people stared at them while the guild became silent. "Please tell me; I didn't mean it! I just want to get along with you since you are important to me."
"Idiot!" Liana didn't care about the people watching, and her face grew more determined as she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear with a hot breath that travelled into his body like lightning. "You will regret this... I am a high-maintenance woman."
From the moment she touched him, the black lightning assaulted his body, and Ryuji remained unphased. Instead, he hugged her tighter, only knowing the emotions she showed were the same frustration his mother would often show when close to her end.
Thus, Ryuji took every word she said to heart and seriously. "I'll never regret this, neither will you. Lia."
This action caused Alan to look stunned, his little niece and her face like that.
How could he not understand those feelings?
Then, his best friend endured the curse she suffered from with a smile, wiping her tears away with a tender gaze. It became a complicated and difficult thing for him to watch, his eyes closed for a moment, while considering the best action.
Yet he couldn't... Only difficulty and challenges would be waiting for them both.
"You two..." Alan muttered, realising that one day his brother might really become his brother by familial ties.