Chapter 103

I started the morning with a bath with my three favorite ladies.

The bathhouse had quickly become a household favorite. The water was warm - maybe a little cooler than my ideal - but still wonderfully pleasant. The slow trickle of fresh water and the drainage kept it clean even with several people using it throughout the day. Maintenance was simple - a quick brushing of the stone floor and walls every few days and boiling the water with magic once every week or two.

The bath began with a little washing and quickly devolved into groping, kissing, and the sort of affectionate chaos that happens when four people share warm water and very little clothing. By the time we finally climbed out, our fingers were wrinkled and our hair plastered to our heads - but we were all smiling and ready for the day.

Breakfast was delicious as usual. Plenty of meat for the ferals, what fruits and vegetables we had on hand, and now eggs from our new chickens.

Elise’s absence didn’t surprise me. She only joined us occasionally, and when she didn’t it usually meant she’d become engrossed in something in the library.

“Is Brinja okay?” I asked, noticing the absence of the elven girl.

Mirri nodded. “Yup. She just had something to do before breakfast, so she’s running late.”

That was unusual, but if Mirri knew about it then it was probably fine.

After we finished eating, I fixed a plate for Elise and stepped to the demesne. I tried to make sure someone brought her food whenever she missed a meal. The mana in my demesne seemed enough to sustain her, but I wanted her to get used to eating. Not only would it help with nutrition, she genuinely seemed to enjoy it.

I supposed going fifteen years without food makes everything taste incredible.

When I entered the library, Elise wasn’t immediately visible. Normally she’d be sitting at one of the tables or browsing the nearby shelves.

I set the plate on a reading table and wandered deeper between the rows of shelves, peeking down each aisle in search of the white-haired void mage.

The library had grown.

The first time I’d entered it, it had seemed large - rows of empty shelves waiting to be filled. Back then there were fewer than a thousand books, mostly things I’d read on Earth, though there had been room for tens of thousands.

Now the library held well over two hundred thousand volumes.

The room had warped to accommodate them. The left wall had somehow pushed outward another thirty feet or so, the other walls adjusting to match. The space was no longer a single floor either. It now rose three stories high, a broad spiral staircase winding through the center with balconies and alcoves scattered throughout for reading and quiet contemplation.

Rolling ladders ran along the shelves so someone could reach the top rows nearly fifteen feet up - though they were largely unnecessary. The library responded to intent. If you wanted a book on the top shelf badly enough, it would either appear lower or drift gently into your hands.

Even so, it took me a few minutes to confirm that the library was, in fact, empty.

Before I could decide what to do next, the doors below opened and quickly shut again.

I leaned over the balcony.

Elise stood near the entrance, looking around as if searching for someone. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her cheeks flushed as though she’d been running.

She wore a different dress today. Still white, but the sleeves were wider and looser, drifting softly with her movements instead of hugging her arms. A narrow white belt cinched at her waist, and the neckline was trimmed with delicate frills. A small red rose had been embroidered on the front of the dress - placed in such a way that it subtly drew the eye.

Her hair had changed too.

Normally it was bound in a simple, but neat braid. Today it fell mostly loose, with two small braids drawn back from her temples and joined behind her head, forming a thin braid that ran nearly to her hips.

That had Brinja written all over it.

Our eyes met. I smiled. She blushed instantly.

I made my way down the spiral stairs.

“You look lovely today,” I told her.

“D-do you think so?” she asked, touching one of the braids self-consciously.

“Absolutely.” I gestured toward the table. “I brought you breakfast.”

“Thank you,” she said softly. “That was kind of you.”

“Come,” I said, pulling out a chair for her. “Eat. I’ll sit with you.”

She nodded shyly and took the seat. I pulled her chair out and let her settle in before taking the one across from her.

I had no idea if that sort of thing counted as polite in Morentis. Or Arvellia. Or among the orcs or goblins. I’d have to read up on it at some point. All I knew was that when I’d pulled Jennifer’s chair out back on Earth, her friends had practically swooned and complained that their husbands never did things like that.

Elise took a bite of food and her eyes lit up. She tried to eat slowly and politely, but her delight betrayed her. Her feet tapped under the table as she ate.

“Any plans for today?” I asked.

She looked away slightly. “Just the normal care and maintenance of the library,” she said quietly. After a moment she added, “What are your plans?”

I sighed. “Busy day,” I admitted. “I’m going to check the villages and make sure the Bloodchildren aren’t causing problems. After Serah finishes her classes we’re going to scout the orc army and see if they’re still determined to march on us.”

I **** a small smile. “I probably won’t have time to work on the forge today. If I have a little spare time later, I might come back and read.”

“You carry heavy burdens for us,” she said softly. “I may not say it often, but I am thankful. You have given me much, and I feel I have given you little in return.”

I reached across the table and placed my hand over hers.

She jumped slightly, then flushed a deep pink.

“You contribute plenty,” I said gently. “If it weren’t for you, a lot of things would have gone very differently. And people would have been hurt. Or worse.”

I rubbed my thumb across her knuckles. “You’ve taught me so much about this world. Magic. Metallurgy. History. You’re a never-ending font of knowledge.”

I smiled. “You destroyed Brand after the Myrddin corrupted him. If you hadn’t… the world might be facing a full-scale invasion right now. Ashie, Mirri, and Serah might be dead. Yveth too.”

I squeezed her hand lightly. “You helped me rescue Lilae. You’ve saved lives more than once. I can’t repay that. All I can do is try to show kindness where I can.”

She looked terrified. Truly terrified. Before I could ask what was wrong, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed me.

Hard.

Her lips smashed against mine so abruptly our teeth clicked together. Her eyes squeezed shut and she pressed so firmly I had to shift my weight to keep from falling out of the chair.

The kiss lasted two heartbeats. Then she pulled away, face blazing red, breathing hard and refusing to meet my eyes.

“S-” she started. Then she stopped. Her fingers touched her lips as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just done. “I-I am sorry,” she blurted, turning to flee.

I caught her hand and gently pulled her back. My arms wrapped around her.

Her embarrassment turned instantly into panic.

I lifted her chin with my fingers and kissed her again. This time it was gentle.

She froze, completely stiff, eyes wide as my lips rested softly against hers. My hand moved lightly to the side of her neck while I closed my eyes and brushed my tongue against her lips.

I pulled back slightly, loosening my arms enough that she could step away if she wanted.

She didn’t.

I leaned in again. My tongue reached her lips just before mine did.

Slowly, cautiously, her lips softened. They parted a little. I kept the kiss tentative, inviting rather than demanding. After a long moment, she answered. Her tongue touched mine. I made a quiet, pleased sound.

Gradually she began mirroring my movements - hesitant at first, then more confident as we traded slow, gentle kisses.

My other hand rested at the small of her back, careful and respectful. We kissed like that for several minutes.

Finally I pulled back. “Thank you,” I said softly. Then I kissed her again - quick and light. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” I smiled.

She smiled back, blushing furiously and looking everywhere except at me.

“I need to check on the villages,” I said. “But I’ll be back later.” I leaned forward and rested my forehead against hers for a moment. “Maybe we can pick this up again.”

Then I stepped away and left the library.

* * *

I checked in with each of the villages, inspecting the walls, speaking with the guards, and chatting with the goblins who lived there. Snagfield had been having trouble with their gate, so I lent a hand getting the hinges mounted and the frame properly aligned.

So far, the Bloodchildren hadn’t caused any trouble. A few guards had spotted them lurking outside the walls, but the goblins had wisely avoided provoking them. Without shouting or thrown stones to stir things up, the Bloodchildren mostly kept their distance.

There had only been one close encounter.

Outside Mudcross, one of the Bloodchildren had wandered up to the walls and growled at the guards posted there. For nearly an hour the standoff held - an uncomfortable stretch of silence broken only by the occasional snarl from the forest side of the gate. Eventually the young man lost interest and drifted back into the trees.

That alone was enough to reinforce the idea that the walls had been a good call.

Over the past weeks I’d become something of a curiosity in the villages. Being the only human in goblin territory already made me stand out, and the fact that my magic far outstripped Grams’ - at least in anything that wasn’t healing - didn’t help matters. Add in my habit of appearing and disappearing at will and the fact that the matrons spoke with me regularly, and I had somehow become a minor celebrity.

I joked with the men, played with the children, and politely turned down advances from the women.

It made me wonder what life would have been like if I’d been born here instead of on Earth.

Back home I’d never been propositioned once. Here… well, if I didn’t show some restraint I could probably have sex until it killed me.

The strangest part was that my life had become so absurdly good that I could turn down voluptuous shortstacks practically throwing themselves at me because I already had three incredible girlfriends waiting for me at home.

Maybe four soon.

Elise was still a wildcard. This morning had made it clear she was interested in me, but she was also inexperienced and painfully innocent. Possibly even more so than Ashlara had been, which still boggled my mind.

For most of my life I’d been the clueless one in relationships. I hadn’t been a virgin when Jennifer and I got together, but I’d only been with two other women. And one of those… well, I’d known at the time it was a pity fuck, and that knowledge hadn’t made it any easier to swallow.

Now I was somehow the experienced one. The one with enough confidence to take the lead, to guide things, to make sure my partners actually enjoyed themselves instead of everyone awkwardly stumbling through the dark.

And I liked it. I liked knowing I could leave a woman satisfied. That women might actually want to stay with me - not because I was a safe option, but because I made them happy. Not just in bed. In general.

Once I finished my rounds and confirmed the villages were safe, I stepped back home. It was early afternoon, and Serah was finishing up with the children.

Thae apparently had questions about dragon reproduction. Serah was explaining it with clinical precision while the others listened with varying degrees of fascination and embarrassment. I lingered nearby, listening in out of curiosity myself.

When the lesson ended, I walked over and kissed her. “You’re amazing,” I told her.

She tilted her head slightly. “What makes you say that?”

I smiled and shook my head. “Everything.” I kissed her again. “Are you almost ready?”

“Yes,” she said with a warm smile. “Let’s go outside the gate. I’ll need to undress.”

So that’s what we did. About fifty feet beyond the gate, she slipped out of her dress, folded it neatly, and handed it to me. I tucked it into one of the inner pockets of my multicolored cloak.

Serah was breathtaking as always. Her pale skin seemed to glow faintly under the sun, smooth and flawless. Her breasts were modest in size and anything but average - beautifully shaped, soft curves crowned by pink nipples that stirred a familiar heat in my loins despite us standing in the open. Her long crimson hair moved gently in the cool breeze, and a small patch of neatly trimmed hair of the same color rested above her womanhood.

Her amber eyes met mine calmly. She had absolutely no shame standing naked before me.

She rolled her shoulders. Her body began to change.

Her frame lengthened and broadened as her posture shifted. Wings unfolded from her back while ruby scales pushed through her skin like blooming armor. Her neck stretched, her face reshaping into a long, elegant snout as a powerful tail extended behind her.

In moments, the beautiful woman I loved had become the majestic red dragon I loved.

She stretched like a great cat waking from a nap, then lowered her head so I could climb on.

I straddled her neck and ran my hands through the thick crimson mane that ran from the crown of her head down her spine to the tip of her tail.

Once I was settled, she leapt into the sky. A powerful beat of her wings sent us soaring upward.

The children shouted their goodbyes as we circled the keep several times, climbing higher and higher. From that height, the land spread out in every direction.

And what I saw made my stomach drop.

I urged Serah higher for a better view. Not one army marched toward us, but four.

To the west, the hordes of the Iron Nation advanced - two or three days away at most. The forests and hills would slow them, but even from the air I could see their numbers. Thousands. More than we could hope to defeat.

If we were lucky, they would attempt to siege the keep rather than storm it. With access to the demesne, the crops there, the ability to hunt elsewhere and conjure water, we could potentially outlast them.

To the south, the Arvellian army marched. They were still on the plains, but their numbers dwarfed the orcs. At least five times as many soldiers - cavalry, infantry, and likely battle mages among them. If they chose to attack us directly, our walls wouldn’t last long.

They should have intercepted the orcs farther west. Why meet here? Unless they weren’t here for the orcs.

From the southeast came a third army. Smaller than Arvellia’s but still massive - perhaps fifteen thousand strong. Their banners bore a circle of runes surrounding an open book. Morentis.

I had no idea why the wizard nation had mustered an army, why they had entered Arvellian territory, or why Arvellia hadn’t tried to stop them. The only explanation that made sense was cooperation - either against the orcs…

Or against me.

The final army approached from the east. They were nearly as large as Arvellia’s ****.

I had Serah fly closer so I could see their banners clearly. Their soldiers were lightly armored and many rode horses - more cavalry than the other two armies combined. The plains stretching eastward meant they would travel fast despite their distance. Their standard showed a red field marked with two golden eyes.

Iilvarion.

I had never been there. I knew no one from there. The only reason I recognized the banner was because I’d seen it in one of Serah’s history texts. And yet they marched.

I had spoken to the Iron Nation, asking them to return home. That had only angered them.

I had asked the queen of Arvellia to withdraw her army to avoid provoking the orcs. She had nearly thrown me out of her palace for the suggestion.

Morentis already distrusted me. They had asked Elise to spy on me ‘for my own safety.’ When she stopped reporting to them, they probably assumed she had been compromised. Had that convinced them to march?

Iilvarion… I had no explanation at all. The only logical conclusion was that they had come as allies to one of the others.

Serah and I landed back at the keep only minutes after we’d left.

This had just become far more complicated. And I needed to figure out what the hell was going on.