Devilla​

Abigail desired to date me. Abigail desired to date me. Me! No matter how many times or ways I repeated it, it failed to make sense in my head. It was too foreign a concept for me to wrap my mind around.

Lucy's stubborn misconception of me was one thing. She'd only seen the good I had to offer, so far… No, she was choosing to focus solely on the good and overlook what I'd hidden from her. She lacked an understanding of who I truly was, though. An understanding that Abigail, of all people, should have had! When had I ever caused her anything but trouble? What had I ever done to deserve her affection or insistence upon my worth?

I'd practically forced her into working for me, not to mention bedding me, all while withholding crucial information from her. I'd eventually informed her of my secrets, of course, along with my plan to leave the tower behind - and she'd called me stupid. She'd stood up to me and had convinced me to alter my plots.

What's more, she'd even taken it upon herself to remain active in my life, handling some things on my behalf. Even when my seemingly small request led her into a web of politics and lies and Nivera, of all people, she'd persisted in my name. She'd helped me without expecting anything in return.

She'd called me her friend. I'd thought it was the best I would ever get from her. It was far more than I deserved.

Yet now she apparently wanted to date me…

"Is everything alright?" Lucy asked from behind me while working an arm under my body to pull me in for a hug. We were currently sleeping together, as we often did, her naked body pressed against my own for warmth. Her breasts against my back, two weighty reminders of everything I'd gained and everything I could lose. Her love, her affection… it was already more than I deserved, yet now she was pushing me to seek even more?

"Why are you so invested in seeing me and Abigail together?" I asked, unable to resist. Though I wanted to treat it as a simple curiosity, my voice came out far more accusatory than I'd intended. Enough so that I flinched, worrying how she'd react.

"It's not really that I want to share you," Lucy told me in a surprisingly chipper tone. I could practically feel her smile across the back of my neck. "It's just that I don't see a reason not to? I'm pretty sure you'd push me towards anyone who you thought would be good for me, too…"

"Yes, but in my case it would be to ensure you still have support and love after you inevitably give up on me," I confessed. I would have shaken my head, were I not afraid of tickling her nose with my hair. "I understand the concept of polyamory. I might even be polyamorous myself. I certainly feel as if there's room in my heart for the both of you… or at least there would be, were the terror of potentially losing either of you not threatening to rend my heart asunder."

That was the problem, wasn't it? I didn't want to lose either of them. Ridiculous. I didn't deserve either of them, yet I was somehow certain that both would lecture me for thinking that way… Lucy would tell me that there was no 'deserving' anything when it came to love, only receiving it or not. Abigail, meanwhile, would insist that it wasn't my choice who she devoted her feelings towards.

"Both of you are wonderful," I admitted aloud. "Yet I have an easier time seeing you with one another than myself…"

"Well, I did ask her out," Lucy informed me before giving me a little squeeze. "For after her date with you, I mean. Maybe we can all date each other!"

'Or you could dump me for her' was my immediate thought, but the words didn't leave my lips. I was certain the thought would anger Lucy, who would insist yet again upon her affection for me… affection I did believe to be genuine, but which I could not see lingering as she grew to know me better. No matter how much I wished otherwise.

"I just… don't want to lose either of you," I admitted at last. "You, who has helped me, held me, and believed in me. Abigail, who was first to greet me after I gained access to my past life memories. She supported me, stood by my side, and made me feel as if I wasn't alone in this world… If I were to lose either of you, I'm not sure what I'd do… how I'd handle it."

"Don't think about that!" Lucy told me, though it sounded less like an order and more like a plea. "Just think about how happy we can all be if it works out! Isn't that worth aiming for?"

"Bringing the two of you joy would be enough for me, even if I wasn't involved in it…" I felt Lucy tighten her grip around me and quickly added, "But I suppose it would be better if all three of us could achieve it together somehow."

"Hmm… I know you don't really think it's possible, but… I'm going to convince you otherwise! You'll see for yourself that you can be happy, and that others can be happy to have you around!"

"For my presence to bring something other than misery… I suppose that's a fantasy worth working towards, if nothing else."

"You've already succeeded! Look how happy you make me," Lucy insisted, somehow cuddling even tighter against me. I swear, she must have been squashing her boobs against my back.

Not that I was in any mood to back away…

"Fine," I uttered at last. "Fine. I'll go on a date with Abigail and see where it leads us…"

"And then I'll go on a date with her, too, and see where that goes!"

"If that will make you happy… then so shall it be."

Maybe they'd both figure out they were better off without me, or maybe they'd end up dating one another and cutting me loose. Maybe I'd get to stay a friend, or maybe they'd decide it too awkward, preferring to never see me again.

Or maybe, some small part of me whispered as I fell asleep, just maybe we could all be happy together in the end…


The next day came far too quickly. Not that I was dreading it, per se, but knowing that I had a date later that very night… Well, it was a bit nerve wracking, to put it lightly. Nevertheless, time kept on marching. I ate breakfast with Lucy, helped to put away the tent in my Empty Bag, and then scooped her up in a princess carry so that I could fly us towards our mysterious destination.

Lucy still hadn't told me where we were to have our date. The date that would directly follow my date with Abigail. Right before Lucy's date with her…

To distract myself, I eventually ended up focusing on something else that had been bugging me. Namely, my vision. It still bothered me that a mere lantern had ruined my night vision that one time, when I now knew that no such impedance should. Flying had reminded me of something else, though - during my first true long distance fight, I'd noticed that I could spot details fifty feet below me, to the point of being able to make out individual leaves on trees. While I wasn't entirely sure how impressive that was compared to what harpies and the like could manage, it seemed remarkably better than my day to day vision. Why?

Only one idea came to me, an easily testable one. Namely, I tried focusing on the trees I was flying over - and the world seemed to slow before my eyes. Suddenly, I could make out the leaves below me with ease, even spotting what looked to be a beetle atop one. Then, with the thought of returning my sight to normal, time snapped back to how it always was and the world blurred below me once more.

That… probably proved my theory correct. My senses - or at least my eyes - were not only highly adaptable, but incredibly responsive to my desires. My desires or unconscious expectations, if I had to guess. My eyes had misbehaved because I'd been thinking like a human, expecting myself to have human limitations despite all evidence to the contrary. Yet because I'd expected it, it became my reality…

I wondered what else that applied to. The ability to slow my perceived time was an obvious boon, but what about my other senses? What about my strength? If I was only ever as strong as I wanted or needed to be, then that might be the true reason I'd never struggled with accidentally breaking things, unlike Lucy. What about my durability? Was it possible for me to will myself to be frail? I had no intention of testing that out, but… it would probably be best to assume I was tough enough to handle anything, while preferably trying to avoid everything. If I feared an enemy's might too much, I might accidentally give it power over me, yet if I recklessly accepted an attack… I shuddered to think of the results. If nothing else, I'd receive endless lectures from Abigail for risking myself without certainty or necessity.

For now, I decided to experiment with something much safer by increasing my hearing range. Reducing it was… probably possible, but would be difficult to test. Lucy was focusing hard on keeping an aerodynamic wind shield around us to help us move faster and block out the sound as we flew. Increasing my hearing range, meanwhile, let me hear those same howling winds again. Much too loudly, in fact, as I'd naively tried to press the limits of how far I could push my hearing. It was enough to cause a mental overload so bad that I almost dropped out of the air for a moment.

"Eena?" Lucy called out after I'd straightened myself out. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I informed her, my cheeks bright red. "I was merely paying for hubris, so to speak… are you alright, though? I should have known better to experiment with you in my arms."

"I'm fine," Lucy promised, "but what were you experimenting on?"

"My senses… I've discovered that I can manipulate how intense they are to some degree. I… went a little too high on the… hearing…" I paused. I'd been so focused on how overwhelming the sounds had been that I hadn't really processed them. It was only looking back on that unpleasant memory that I recalled a very different sound from the roaring winds. What it was, I couldn't tell you. I hadn't really processed it, after all. I just remembered hearing something different at that moment.

"Hold on," I told Lucy, heightening my hearing again as I began to lower us to the ground. I was more cautious this time, but perhaps unnecessarily so. The normal sounds of nature were not nearly as overwhelming as the wind had been… Still, I went slow, only finding what I was looking for after several seconds as a result - the sound of someone cursing up a storm, as they clashed against… something. Something that screeched.

"There's someone fighting up ahead," I warned Lucy, placing her firmly on the ground. I then - after only a moment more of hesitation - removed my high heels. "I don't know how far. We'll have to hurry…"

"You might want to carry me then," Lucy said. Her face had shifted to a more serious expression, one full of determination, yet I noticed the way she blushed faintly when she added, "You know, like you were before? I'm pretty sure you can move faster than I can…"

"Very well," I conceded after a moment, placing my shoes into the Empty Bag and scooping her up into my arms once more. I began to run. The rocks were at first uncomfortable against my bare feet, but by focusing a little I was able to turn down my sensitivity to it, knowing that nothing the ground had to offer could actually damage me in any meaningful way.

The rest of my body, however, was hard at work dodging through branches, even as I tore through the underbrush. I didn't care what scraped against me, but I didn't want Lucy to experience such a rough ride. Even if her skin was too thick to be broken by a mere branch, getting whacked by one still felt very unpleasant in my experience.

Eventually we closed in on the problem, bursting free of the forest and finding ourselves upon a paved road. A wrecked carriage was in the middle of it, tilted to the side. A girl stood in the doorway, kicking and punching at any of the small monsters that got close to her.

The leader of the pack wasn't going to allow that for long, though. Some distant part of me knew that. Knew that she would be in danger if this continued. That the monster was already moving towards her and I really needed to do something. In fact, Lucy was already calling my name for that very purpose. Squirming in my hold, trying to get free, wishing to go face that abomination.

It had four legs, covered in grey fur. Whiskers poking out on either side of its elongated snout. Two massive and sharp front teeth. A naked tail that swayed back and forth.

It was a rat. A giant rat. Surrounded by what had to be at least a hundred of its tinier brethren. A hundred rats.

A hundred.

A hundred and one if you counted the leader.

And Lucy wanted to go fight that? To enter their midst?

She would be safe. She would be. I knew that… and yet… the mere thought of letting her walk into danger, no matter how scared I was… No matter how many rats there were…

I tightened my grip around Lucy, wanting to tell her that it would be okay. I took a step towards the abominations, determined to face them this day.

Then the lady in the carriage punched a rat with enough power to send it flying right towards my face.

I wasn't… entirely sure what happened after that. There was screaming, I think. A lot of it. Some of it probably came from me. Other than that, though? Nothing. Just… darkness, as if I'd closed my eyes and locked the world away.

I obviously hadn't, though, because of what I found when I opened my eyes - which is to say, nothing. A massive crater of 'nothing,' where a portion of the road had simply ceased to exist, leaving only a smooth concave imprint of dirt behind.

I noticed that a wheel of the carriage was splintered - though whether it was me or the rats who did it, I could not say. The woman inside of it seemed fine, at least, even if she was gaping at me.

Lucy was safe, too, in my arms and hugging me. And speaking. She was trying to tell me something.

"-right! You're going to be alright!"

"I… am alright," I informed her, my voice monotone as I stared at the destruction I'd wrought. "But I think… I really need to work on my phobia in the future…"

"....That's… probably a good idea," Lucy agreed after twisting her neck to get a look at what I'd done. "But you didn't hurt anyone, right? Except the poor rats…"

"Poor rats?!" I questioned. "And what exactly did I do to the 'poor rats?'"

"I think you might be better off not knowing," Lucy replied, not quite meeting my eyes. "I'm not really sure, myself… You must really hate them, though."

"They're a terror," I confessed. "Left over from another life…" Jacob had lost some of his hearing to an ear infection after being bitten by one. Ever since he'd had a phobia of them. One I'd apparently inherited… I wondered why that had sunk in so deeply when other things had not. Perhaps because I had no real experience with rats in this life? So my image of them came completely from him…

Regardless, I had something else to deal with in the present. The aftermath. The woman from the carriage - a girl about my own age if I had to guess - was currently stomping towards me with a manic grin on her face. Another girl was following shortly behind, this one wearing a skirt and delicate looking shoes compared to the former's choice of trousers and heavy boots.

"Yo!" the first woman called out to us after stopping a few feet away. "My name's Grell and that was awesome! We have got to arm wrestle!"

A picture from my friend Lulla, featuring Devilla, General Sallina and Nivera~!

There's not likely to be an update this week, as I get Patreon back up to two chapters ahead. Still, that doesn't mean I can't post at least something.

Devilla​

"Is that a no on the arm wrestling?" Grella asked when I stared blankly at her.

"My Lady," the girl behind her said, "you mustn't introduce yourself with such requests. It only makes it harder to lure strangers into a dark room where you can strongarm them into fulfilling your barbaric fetishes."

"You make it sound like I wanna do a lot more than arm wrestle her!" Grell protested, turning around and putting her hands on her hips with a pout.

"My Lady's heart rate spiked upon witnessing this unknown Lady's display of power. What's more, your face is flush, your breath rapid, and your palms sweaty. I am of the firm belief that my Lady does, in fact, wish to do a lot more than 'arm wrestle.'"

"Damn it, Dyona, what have I told you about monitoring my heart rate without permission!? Not to mention ruining my chances of snagging a hottie… or calling me your Lady when we aren't near anyone important!"

"My Lady, it would seem you have failed to notice the woman currently held sweetly in our savior's arms."

"Um… Hi!" Lucy said, waving happily - if a little embarrassedly - from her current position. I moved hurriedly to lower her only to be met with disappointed puppy eyes when I did. A moment later, though, she was smiling at the newcomers. "I'm Lucy!"

"Lucy…" Grell asked, pinching her chin and tilting her head to one side. "Lucy… Lucy… Do I know a Lucy?"

"You study her portrait nightly, my Lady, constantly claiming that you will conquer her and then sweep her up into your arms?"

"Come on Dyona, you know I do that with all the pictures of hot women I own. Is she the one with the legs from Crownick?"

While Dyona sighed, kneading her forehead with her hands, I took a moment to evaluate the duo in front of me. The first of them - Grell - was… puzzling, mostly on account of her peculiar fashion sense. The baggy trousers and boots she wore seemed almost designed to cover her up and make her look tough. Her shirt failed to complete this look though, especially around the chest, where her buttoned blouse seemed to be almost straining against her breasts. Combined with her slender limbs and long blonde hair, I couldn't tell if she was actually tough or merely halfheartedly trying to look the part.

Her companion, meanwhile, had an almost demure look about her. One mismatched with her viperish tongue. She wore black shoes, a black dress, and had a white ribbon tying her long black hair in a ponytail. If we were in the tower, I'd have assumed she was a maid. I didn't know if humans allowed such loose takes on the uniform, though.

"Um… Actually, I'm the Heroine," Lucy said eventually, choosing to grant relief to poor Grell who was still making blind guesses.

"The Heroine!?" Grell demanded before turning to glare at her companion. "And you couldn't just tell me?!"

"My Lady was so ardently challenging her memory that I couldn't bring myself to interfere," Dyona proclaimed while placing a hand against her chest. "Do you wish to punish me for my impertinence?"

"And have you spit in my food again? Right in front of me, too… So disgusting..." Grell shook her head before turning her attention towards us. "Anyways… Uh… Greetings, your Heroine-ness! My name is…. really long and rather unimportant! Just call me Grell!"

"Dyona, your Ladyships," her companion said with a deep curtsy. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Eena," I replied simply, glancing Lucy's way for guidance. She, however, was focused entirely on Grell.

"You look familiar…" she said.

"I shouldn't be," Grell replied. "My family has made very sure we've never… I mean… Uh… Quick! Dyona, say something distracting!"

"Shall I confess my undying love for you?" Dyona asked with an arched eyebrow. "Perhaps my everlasting devotion and desire to remain by your side?"

"Something believable, Dyona!"

"I won't press if you don't want me to," Lucy promised, placing a hand on her chest. "As long as it isn't something that would harm us, anyways?"

"Hah! Even I'm not dumb enough to harm the Heroine! Or her companion, for that matter."

"Girlfriend, actually," Lucy informed them, reaching out with her hand to grab mine.

A blush touched my cheeks as our fingers began to intertwine right in front of these strangers. I knew it was likely no big deal to Lucy - a simple romantic gesture - but to me it felt as if something terribly intimate was being done in public. All the same I enjoyed the contact far too much to pull away.

"Oh?" Grell asked. "Is that jealousy I hear, Heroine? Don't worry I would never steal your woman from you!"

"She'll just scheme about how she can bed you both," Dyona chimed in.

"I don't really do jealousy," Lucy admitted before Grell could react. "And Eena's free to sleep with whoever she wants! Personally though, I think I want to keep sex to people I feel things for."

The way she squeezed my hand at that last bit sent a new rush of red through my cheeks. At the same time, though, her words confused me. What did sex have to do with love?

…Well, I suppose I knew the answer to that. At least, I knew what people on Earth would have said. That love and sex are intertwined and that it's worth saving yourself for someone you have feelings for… Personally, I just couldn't understand it. Yes, sex was better with emotions - undeniably so, at least for me - but even random flings would still be sex. Yes, I suppose there was a higher chance of something going wrong, but by and large it still felt good. Just because I'd pick one over the other didn't mean I saw a reason not to indulge in both.

At the same time, though, if Lucy was abstaining…

Lucy squeezed my fingers again as if she knew what I was thinking. Perhaps she did. The bright smile on her face was certainly easy enough for me to read - it was reassurance to do whatever I thought right.

Still, I shook my head. "My bed is full enough, for the time being. I certainly wouldn't mind a session or two at a future date - if we hit it off… Though, speaking of that, there's still the small matter of how long we'll be in each other's company. I can't help but notice that there's a few things missing from your carriage…"

Like the horses. And half a wheel.

"Sorry, my brain's just imploding from the idea of the Heroine getting laid," Grell said. "I mean, you two aren't married, are you?"

"I believe your family would have informed even you about such momentous news," Dyona said, frowning between us. "Perhaps the Heroine means she's saving herself?"

"Either way, if my family got ahold of this kind of info, it…" She froze. "Uh… wouldn't be meaningful in any significant way?"

"I already promised not to press," Lucy reminded her. "Though I don't think I can avoid being curious at this rate. I still won't push, though!"

"Our thanks, my Lady," Dyona said, bowing again. "And to you, too, Lady Eena. Your concern for us is appreciated. We shall be fine without assistance, however - I'm sure that Lady Grell can simply carry our carriage the rest of the way towards Gour."

"Like hell I can!" Grell protested.

"Oh?" Dyona asked, arching an eyebrow. "Did you not say not two hours ago that you could reach the city faster walking? Surely you weren't positing leaving our carriage behind to accomplish that, were you?"

"T-That's…" Grell stuttered, shrinking back a little. "I mean… I keep saying I'd have been happier on a horse…"

"My Lady. Did you not promise me a proper vacation? One where each part of my body could rest?"

"Well… Yes…" Grell admitted, hanging her head low.

"So surely you should be able to carry the carriage and me to Gour. Yes?"

"Well… I… Wait. Why would I be carrying you?!"

"Who begged me to include her on my hard won vacation?" Dyona retorted, narrowing her eyes.

"Um… If it's not too much trouble, maybe we can help?" Lucy suggested. "Me and Eena are on our way to Gour, too!"

"We are?" I asked, curiosity caught. "Come to think of it, you never actually told me our destination…"

"Well, I was going to keep it a secret," Lucy confessed. "But… Remember those skewers we bought on our first date? I wanted to take you to where they were made - the city of Gour!"

"Is that so?" I asked, recalling the conversation in question. "Does that mean you wish to show me some new cultures?"

"Kinda?" Lucy said. "But I also just thought it would be a really good place for our next date! It's also known as the City of Cuisine, after all!"

"...Cuisine? As in… different dishes? New types of food? Things I haven't tried before?!"

"Maybe they'll even have stuff made with potatoes!" Lucy suggested with a twinkle in her eyes. Part of me couldn't help but wonder if she was teasing me… but even if she was it hardly mattered.

An entire city devoted to cuisine…

"Are you going for the Dragon Feast Festival?" Grell asked, interjecting herself back into the conversation with wide eyes. "Maybe we could all go together!"

"I'm not even sure what that is, but I believe my date with Lucy will be a private affair?"

"Well, sure," Grell agreed, "but the festival lasts for days! We can hang out during one of them, right?"

"...Perhaps," I agreed, glancing Lucy's way.

She, of course, smiled. "Maybe! Especially if we're all going together, anyways… I bet if the three of us work together, we can lift the carriage and Dyona without any trouble!"

"...Well, I suppose I might have something to do with the damage to their wheel," I admitted, eyeing the reason why I hadn't suggested merely pushing the thing. It wasn't as if I couldn't lift the thing with a single hand if need be.

"I think it was already broken from the rats," Grell told me. "Though hey, I won't say no to good company on the road! Especially when it's two beautiful women and we're all going to be feasting together!"

"Speaking of, is anyone going to inform me of what this feast is actually about?" I asked. "Or do you intend to keep me in the dark, until it's too late for me to refuse?"

"Well, it's mostly just a really big feast!" Lucy told me. "It's based entirely on food stalls and outdoor cooking, though! Everyone makes the best, most delicious smelling things they can!"

"An interesting idea," I confessed, trying not to salivate at the mere idea of such deliciousness. "But what does it have to do with dragons?"

"Well, supposedly one came down the mountain hundreds of years ago, drawn to the scents of the town. It was still small back then, just starting out! And the whole place could have easily been wiped out! But instead, they managed to turn it aside by bribing it with some of the food that drew it to the town in the first place! They satisfied it so well it left without harming anyone! So now the city celebrates every year, making a feast so big it could satisfy a hundred dragons!"

"An interesting story," I remarked. "If true…"

"It's a children story," Grell declared. "Real dragons would never play so nice… but that's exactly why I'm going! If one really gets drawn down to town, I wanna give it a beating!"

"And here I thought you merely wished for my continued company during this vacation," Dyona sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't think it would be a very good idea to fight one," Lucy warned. "I'm told even late stage Heroines struggle with them…"

"Is that so?" I asked. A late stage Heroine was supposed to be about on par with a Demon Queen. Strong enough to kill one, at least. If a dragon could kill them… Well, the very thought of such destructive power sent a shiver down my spine.

"Don't worry!" Lucy said. "Dragon attacks are really rare! At most they usually scoop up a cow or something in passing… I think humans are too small and flighty for them."

"But if a dragon was going to come down, it would totally be during this feast!" Grell declared. "You do see them from the city sometimes, you know?'

"Through telescopes, perhaps," Dyona countered. "They mostly stay in the mountains."

"Mountains which are practically right next door!" Grell pointed out. "And they do come down sometimes. Rarely. You know, to snatch a cow or whatever. Or they might even come to visit the city! You remember the stories about dragons taking human form to mingle with the people in town, right?"

"More children's tales," Dyona stated matter of factly. "All I can say is that we are unlikely to see any dragons this year."

"Bah, you'll see!" Grell scoffed. "You'll all see! And then we can all go punch it!"

"Well, first we have to get there!" Lucy pointed out. "So why don't you get in the wagon, Dyona?"

The woman in question froze for a moment before turning to look at Lucy. "Ar-Are you serious?"

"You're on vacation, right? So let's go! I'll help Grell carry it!"

"I suppose I might as well help too," I offered, shaking my head. "Let's hurry. With luck we can make it to the city by nightfall."

If possible, I'd prefer a solid inn room to hide my teleporter circle rather than a tent perilously close to strangers.

Even more than that, though, I had to admit that I was looking forward to the festival. To the feast. I just hoped with all my heart that despite the holiday's name - and Grell's multitude of flags - it remained a feast only for humans.

…Well, mostly only for humans, anyway…

Devilla​

As predicted it was a trivial matter for Lucy, Grell, and I to pick up the carriage, passenger and all. In fact, I'm fairly certain that Lucy could have handled the entire matter by herself. Not that I was boorish enough to suggest such a thing - after all, we were only carrying it as a favor to our new…friends? Acquaintances? Whatever they were.

For several hours we walked, occasionally talking - or perhaps it would be better described as responding to Lucy's chipper questions. Little of note was discussed and our travel went unimpeded until we came across a tree in the middle of the road.

"Is there any chance this isn't a trap?" I asked, wondering whether I should move to lower the carriage. Holding it up was rather trivial, but fighting while carrying it with one hand was another matter entirely…though I suppose I could always just hold them down with magic while Lucy went and tied them all up.

"I don't think so," Lucy said. Her normal cheer was nowhere to be found, replaced by something more… resigned. "There are no roots on the tree, so I think it was chopped down."

"It was dragged for a bit, too!" Grell noted. "Whoever did it must have been pretty strong, don't you think?"

"Would my Lady please not focus on the potential 'hotitude' of the local bandits?"

"Hey, how did you know what I was… uh… I mean. I'm just thinking about the logistics of fighting them? Yeah!"

There was no immediate response from inside the carriage, only a chilling silence. After making Grell fidget a moment or two, though, Dyona did eventually speak again.

"Yes, well, that… matter… aside, I would have expected someone to have attacked us by now, no?"

"You're right," Grell confirmed. "Most of the bandits I've beaten up were pretty quick to attack us…"

"Do you think they might be waiting for us to put the carriage down for some reason?" Lucy asked.

"Or perhaps the sight of three women actually outright carrying a carriage warned them off trying anything?" Dyona suggested, sticking her head outside the carriage. "Also, does anyone else smell food, or is it just me?"

I frowned, sniffing the air. At first, I detected nothing, but as I gradually upped my sensitivity I finally caught onto what Dyona had smelled. The girl must have had an unusually good sense of smell to have detected it, but when I traced the smell I eventually found…

"Is that pork?"

It was lying on the ground, muddied by footprints and surrounded by the trampled stalks of weeds. Whoever had been eating it had apparently taken off in a great rush.

Perhaps Dyona's words were correct, then?

"We could go after them," Grell suggested. "It would probably mean leaving the carriage alone, but it isn't like there's anything of value in there."

"Other than all our supplies you mean?" Dyona asked.

"I mean, I can just hunt for food if we really need it, right?" Grell suggested.

"Assuming you can track it," Dyona replied. "Speaking of which, do any of you have the tracking skills to find bandits?"

"A little," Lucy said. "But not much… Usually I only go after bandits that are pretty well established in the area, to the point where everyone knows where their hideout is."

"You've gone after bandits before?" I asked, questioning my ears. I'd been worrying how she'd handle fighting a human opponent, but apparently she already had.

"I've managed to avoid killing anyone, so far," she told me. "I mean, most people don't want to fight the Heroine, you know? Sometimes a few bandits will even gang up on any of their own who try it. I'd like to think it's because they believe in me and what I represent, deep down - but they might just be afraid the goddess will strike them down and send them to some sort of super hell if anything goes wrong. Other times the leader will challenge me head-on, to try and bolster the men, but when they go down everyone else just gives up or scatters. I know it might not always go that way, though… Still, I want to do whatever's in my power to make sure everyone survives! Even bandits can have their reasons, after all! And while that doesn't make what they're doing okay, it's still important to try and understand them! I mean, I'm supposed to be the Heroine for everyone!"

"A good sentiment," I agreed with a small smile. I only hoped it would never be tested too harshly.


In the end, despite Lucy's optimism, her tracking skills weren't up to the task of finding the bandits - at least not fast enough to catch up to them when all signs pointed to them sprinting away at full tilt. As such, we had little recourse but to move on and report the attempted ambush to the city when we reached it. Of course, we also took care of removing the log from the road, carrying it deep enough into the forest that it wouldn't be easily pushed out onto the road again.

Even with that diversion, though, the day went far too fast. Before I knew it, night had fallen and we were setting up tents. While Grell and Dyona began to pull out ingredients for a proper dinner from their carriage - something I was very happy to see, if only for Lucy's sake - I begged off to my tent early, telling everyone that I wasn't feeling well.

Lucy knew the true reason for it. I had a date to keep, and despite my nerves not even this unexpected meeting of ours was going to keep me from it.

Abigail​

Okay. Deep breaths, Abby. You can do this. You have a plan! Or at least sort of a plan? I mean, the closest I could come to a plan, anyways, without actually knowing a ton of what Devilla did or didn't like…

Well, that wasn't entirely true. I knew one thing Devilla liked, and I wasn't afraid of abusing the hell out of that for at least the first part of our date. She liked food. Potatoes, obviously, but even more than that she loved anything unique. Stuff she hadn't had a hundred times before, so that she didn't know exactly what it was gonna taste like before she even put it in her mouth. A side effect of her perfect memory, I guess?

I don't know. All I knew for sure was that Devilla was going to have an appetite and that I was going to fill it. I took a deep breath, straightened out my skirt, faced the summoning circle, and-

"Gah! How long have you been standing there!?"

"Since you started taking deep breaths… the first time. Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

I hesitated a moment, wondering one, whether she knew how adorable she looked while doing that, and two, how to say things in a way that didn't end with her blaming herself for everything and calling our whole date off.

I wanted to say something witty and tactful and perfect for reassuring her and me both. Instead what came out of my mouth was, "So I'm nervous. So what?"

"I'm glad I'm not the only one," Devilla admitted with a smile on her lips. It made her look even hotter, somehow, but it was gone a moment later. "Does that make me terrible? Taking pleasure in your pain?"

"It makes you normal, idiot," I argued back with my hands on my hips. For once I wasn't on the clock as a maid and I wasn't going to hold anything back. "Stop looking for excuses to feel bad about yourself during our date. If nothing else, it's going to make us run late."

"Run late?" Devilla asked. "Are we adhering to a schedule, then?"

I waved my hand in a wiggly kinda-sorta gesture. "I called some old clients of mine, a few people with specific skill sets I thought might be useful to you."

"What do you mean useful to me? I hope you aren't solely considering my needs during our date." Devilla questioned, tilting her head again. This time she had an adorable little frown on her face, and…focus Abby!

"Yeah, no, I'm not you," I retorted with a scowl. I wasn't even entirely sure why I was scowling, though. She'd just asked a question! But the whole date thing had me nervous and when I was nervous I got extra prickly I guess. Thankfully Devilla didn't seem to take it personally, just giving me a curious look. "I couldn't figure out anything for the second half of our date, alright?! I set up a meeting with a weaponsmith. I figured you could… I don't know, get a sword or something? I mean, stories about adventuring always involve swords and sorcery, and you've only got half of that down, so…"

"A blade?" Devilla asked, arching an eyebrow. "A thoughtful gift, if not exactly romantic…"

"Yeah, well, it's practical and I'm a practical kind of gal," I countered. "And maybe I kinda sorta wanna make sure you stay alive. Not that I think anything's actually a threat to you, out there, but… A weapon couldn't hurt, right?"

"I suppose not," Devilla admitted with a little smile on her face. Which, again, was sort of adorable, but also kinda weirdly infuriating? Just a little bit. Like, she knew something I didn't and she was trying not to gloat… that sort of feeling. Why the hell I found any part of that adorable was beyond me, though.

"We can worry about it later, alright?" I said, deciding to push the conversation along. "Right now we've got a different appointment with a chef I know. She offered to clear out the restaurant for me, but I told her we'd just need a quiet corner table. And a special menu."

"A special menu?" Devilla asked, again doing that arched eyebrow thing.

"Yeah. That's half of how I'm paying her - she's got some experimental recipes she's been meaning to try and I figured you'd be up for something a bit weird, so… Yeah."

I looked away, wringing my hands a little. Maybe this was a bad idea? I mean, trying to date your boss was pretty much the definition of a bad idea in most cases, but in this case I thought it was fine, but now-

Devilla's hands enveloped mine and squeezed.

"Relax."

"Easy for you to say," I grumbled at her, "you're the one who's acting all cool under pressure for once."

"Actually, I suspect myself to be at least as nervous as you are," Devilla admitted, shaking her head. "The mere idea that you might wish to date me still sends spikes of excitement and fear through my heart. The knowledge that I've done nothing to deserve it - and the understanding that you apparently think otherwise - has me practically quivering. None of my fear is directed towards the events you've planned, however. I'm merely scared that you'll find yourself… unsatisfied at the end of it all."

"Yeah, well, let me worry about that," I told her. "I'm the only one who gets to decide whether you're worth my time, alright?"

"So long as you allow me to decide for myself whether what you have planned is a match to my taste. I've cornered the market on hasty self-criticism, you see, and I won't have you stomping all over my territory."

I smiled. I couldn't help it. Her attempt at cheering me up was… cheesy, and kinda crappy considering it made me worry about her, instead, but… She was trying. She was always trying. Maybe that's part of what I liked about her. The fact that she was always trying to be the best person she could be, even while talking about how shitty that person was. Which was infuriating, honestly, but also weirdly endearing. Focus, Abby, focus!

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Come on, let's get going."

Abigail​

"Mmm!" Devilla moaned, loud enough I was actually worried about overheard. If I'd known she was going to make so much noise, I would have taken her somewhere a bit more private… but then, again, it wasn't like she was being disruptive or anything. Just enjoying her food. "You know, when you told me the menu would be experimental I must admit to having some concerns, but when I saw what they were experimenting with…"

"Yeah. My friend might have left that bit out, actually, but… glad you liked it, I guess?"

I probably should have seen it coming. Of course the restaurant's experimental dishes were going to involve salt and potatoes - you know, the two new culinary ingredients Devilla had brought back to the tower? I was just glad they had a few new options for us to try like fries with strips of meat, melted cheese, and various spicy peppers.

"Liked is an understatement!" Devilla told me with a smile. "The sheer variety of things they did with potatoes today…!" She was practically buzzing with excitement at all the new types of potato based treats she got to eat.

"Yeah, I have no clue how you fit all that in you," I admitted, shaking my head. "Does everything you eat just go straight to your tits and ass? You must have eaten half your body weight devouring all that food."

"Well, you did say that our review of the food was part of the agreement with your friend," Devilla pointed out. "If I'd stuck to just one or two dishes, like you did, I imagine she would have had some complaints."

"Probably," I admitted before eyeing Devilla. She was wearing a very short black dress today that showed off her legs while clinging to those curves of hers where it seemed like everything she ate went. It was probably a good thing since it kept people from studying her face too closely. Even with her brown hair dye and horned illusion in place I was still a little worried someone might notice the similarities between 'Eena' and the face on our money.

"Look, I gotta go settle the bill, so I'll be back in a bit. Try to stay out of trouble, alright?"

"Are you sure that you don't want my help?" she asked. "I do keep some of our coinage on me for emergencies."

"Yeah, no. This was my idea so I'm going to cover it," I said, shaking my head. Partially because it was my idea, but also because I really didn't want her tagging along for this next part. Not because I was doing anything bad, but just… Well, I wanted to keep my upcoming conversation private.

Prostitute-client confidentiality wasn't sacred or anything, but discretion was appreciated. I mean, the whole reason most people came to brothels was so that they could experience their favorite kinks without judgement! Devilla already knew my specialty involved dominating people, so… Yeah.

Leaving Devilla to finish the some potatoes she was still longingly eying, I walked over to the kitchen door and knocked.

"Come in!" A high pitched voice welcomed me inside where I was greeted by the sight of Cheela cooking six meals simultaneously, somehow managing to coordinate all her tentacles to handle all the various cutting, mixing, and cooking tools. She was a tentacle girl, her lower body split into eight limbs. She'd told me once to think of her like an octopus that could live on land. Not that I really had all that great a grasp on what an octopus even was.

"Hey Cheela. I'm here about uh… other part of my bill. Does next weekend work for you?"

"I take it that means your date enjoyed the food, huh?" Cheela teased, somehow finding the time to give me a cheeky wink despite all the food she was managing.

"She liked it, yeah. Personally though, I'm getting a little tired of potatoes popping up everywhere I go…"

"What can I say, they're the next big thing! Or they will be once I figure out exactly what I can do with them." Cheela shrugged.

"Well, you already had us fill out little papers with our thoughts after every dish," I pointed out. "Not part of what I agreed to, by the way… you're lucky my date enjoys raving about potatoes so much."

"Hey, a girl's gotta get feedback where she can! You're the one who wanted a last minute table. You're lucky we usually keep one reserved. Y'know, in case anyone important comes in."

"Yeah, well, I appreciate it," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head.

"Appreciate it or not - you're the one paying for it!" Cheela reminded me. "Next weekend, yeah? I can get your special?"

"Just like you used to," I promised, giving her a small smile.

"Good enough for me!" Cheela replied, cheerfully. "I never thought I'd get another night with my dearest Mistress after you left the brothel."

"I do still take clients from time to time, you know? Moonlighting when I'm hungry."

"Something tells me you won't need to for very long. Assuming this girl's worth all the trouble you're going through for her?"

"I wouldn't call dominating a girl or two trouble," I countered, rolling my eyes. "Anyway, I'll see you next weekend, alright?"

"Looking forward to it, Mistress!"

…The things I do for Devilla… I shook my head and walked back to fetch her so that we could move onto the next part of our date. Her little pout at not quite getting to finish all of the potato dishes made me smile. Hopefully she'd enjoy our next stop just as much.


"A smithy?" Devilla asked with wide eyes.
"I told you I was bringing you to one," I reminded her, crossing my arms and poking her stomach with my tail. "Or did you already forget, miss Perfect Memory?"

"I didn't forget!" she hurried to assure me with a pout. "I just… Well, I've never seen one before! And when I think of the fact that you brought me here to have a weapon forged… I'm feeling oddly elated, I suppose."

"Yeah, well don't get too excited, alright? It'll probably take all night for her to actually make the thing, so you won't be seeing the results until at least tomorrow morning."

"Of course," she said. Totally cool and composed on the surface, as always, but only on the surface. The sparkle in her eyes and the little skip she did as she reached for the door told a different story. One I was much more inclined to believe. It would good to see her so excited over something I planned, at least.

The moment Devilla opened the door hot air rushed out to greet us. I have no clue how hot it was, but if someone told me you could cook an egg with it I'd believe her.

"Beth?" I called out, putting a hand to my mouth and projecting as loudly as I could.

"Come in and close the door!" yelled a raspy voice. "You're letting all the heat out!"

Devilla entered without a second thought. The heat probably didn't even bother her. It took me a moment to screw up my courage and step into the sweltering place after her.

"You really like it hot, huh?" I half-complained, closing the door behind me.

"You know it!" came the reply as the owner of the smithy rounded a corner in the hallway and came into view.

She was an orc - big, green, and muscular with a couple small tusks poking out of her mouth. Orcs tended towards big, pronounced muscles as a species and Beth was no exception, her nearly seven foot frame sculpted from pure muscle.

"So," Beth said, "what are we working with?"

"Working with?" Devilla asked, doing that adorable head tilt of hers.

"She means materials," I said quickly, knowing that Devilla's education was surprisingly sparse in some areas. "Orcs can work with any material as if it were metal."

Orcs' wild magic made them natural smiths - which wasn't to say that every orc went into that line of work, or anything, but… Well, while not every orc was a smith, pretty much every smith was an orc. I'd heard it hadn't always been that way, but considering how precious metal was in the tower compared to wood, or even cast off monster girl bits, it was easy to see why smiths that could only work with mundane materials would struggle. In an orc's hands things like shed scales and clipped claws could be used to create anything from basic utensils to powerful weapons.

I didn't know how good Beth was, but she made enough money to afford me and tip well so I figured she couldn't be a complete hack. She'd also been more than willing to keep her smithy open a little late for us in return for a night with me.

"Would have thought that was common knowledge," Beth said, frowning a little as she turned to me. "What sorta client did you bring to me, girl?"

"A good one!" I replied defensively. "She just… didn't do great in school, alright? She had… trouble with some of her teachers."

"I apologize if I've caused offense," Devilla added. "The truth is, I've simply never had direct need of a smithy's services before."

Beth grunted, then shrugged. "Well, no skin off my back, I guess. Still waiting for an answer to my question, though - what materials did you want to use?"

I glanced at Devilla, who in turn arched an eyebrow at me. This… wasn't going as well as I'd hoped.

"I kinda thought you'd have something on you," I admitted. "I mean, you're the one who's been going on adventures, right?"

"I wasn't exactly scouring the lands for monster materials," she replied with a thoughtful frown. "But I suppose I do have some things that could be used as forging materials."

Out of her bag came two blood red horns, eerily similar to the one Bailey had on her head. It was a chilling reminder of what she'd done the night she'd met Bailey… but if Bailey didn't mind it, I sure wasn't going to make a fuss.

"I also have some of these." She pulled out a seashell. When Beth and I both gave her confused looks she shrugged and started explaining. "It's my understanding that the inner layer of these shells, the nacre, is extremely durable and can handle a lot of force without breaking. I thought they might be useful in forming a handle. Perhaps even a blade? I'm thinking a dagger and a sword would be nice."

"A dagger and a sword, huh?" Beth murmured while looking at the shell. She was focusing on the iridescent bit that Devilla had pointed out. "I'd need a lot of shells then."

"I have a lot of them," Devilla promised, pulling out handful after handful from her bag. "I'd planned to bake the lot of them at some point, but I ended up snacking on quite a few of them when bored."

"Raw?!" I asked, more than a little horrified.

Devilla just nodded, though. "For some of them I'm fairly certain that's how you're meant to eat them."

A loud, raucous laugh interrupted us, drawing our attention back to Beth. "A dagger made of shells? This should be an interesting challenge. I like it!"

"Perhaps this will be a good addition," Devilla said while smiling at her and reaching into her bag yet again. This time she pulled out a handful of diamonds, and it took all my willpower not to immediately face palm and drag her the hell out of the smithy for attracting so much attention. "I think the dust of these could be useful, or perhaps you could simply forge them wholesale? I'm not entirely sure how your abilities work with gemstones."

"Same as with anything else…" Beth replied, obviously more than slightly taken aback by the absurd materials Devilla kept taking from her pack. Beth carefully took them from Devilla's hands. "Don't know who'd be crazy enough to ask me to smith a weapon with diamonds, but… Alright. I'll see what I can do…" She shook her head before glaring at me. "Fallen only knows how you've managed to snag such a bigshot, but I hope you're still going to be available for what you promised?"

"We can find a timeslot during the weekend," I assured her, ignoring Devilla's curious glance.

"Out, then," Beth said, pointing towards the door. "I've got work to do."

"Of course," Devilla said, giving Beth a small nod and turning towards the door. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

Beth grunted, and I thought that was going to be all of it until she added, "Feel free to tell her what the deal is, Abigail. No need to let paranoia ruin what seems like a good relationship."

"Yeah, well, I was probably going to have to do that anyways with you being so obvious about it," I grumbled at her. "But thanks for the permission, I guess."

"You know, I actually wasn't planning on asking," Devilla told me as we left the smithy. "Though I must admit to being somewhat curious."

"It's fine, nothing dramatic or anything. I'm just sleeping with her in return for her doing a custom rush order. Nothing to worry about."

"...I suppose not…" she said after a moment. The pause caught my attention, though.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I asked. She didn't have a problem with me sleeping around or anything, did she? I knew she'd mentioned her past life had been human, and I really hoped she wasn't about to tell me that came with some sorta weird sexual hangups.

"It's fine," she tried to assure me, but I could still hear the uncertainty in her voice. "It's just…"

"Just…?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't regret pressing the issue.

"I just hope that you aren't putting yourself out on my account. It occurred to me that you never did quite tell me why you left the brothels to work as a maid for me, you see… It must have been a step down for you no matter how much working for me paid."

"You're worried something in the job didn't agree with me?" I asked, checking to make sure I had my facts straight. When Devilla nodded in response I let out a laugh as the tension eased out of me. Of course she was worried about me. That's what Devilla always did - worry about everyone but herself. Usually worrying me, and I guess everyone else now in her life, in the process. "I'm fine with sex work, Devilla. That's not why I quit."

"Then why?" she asked. Then she hurriedly added, "Not that you have to tell me, if you don't wish to, of course! I wouldn't dream of pressing the matter!"

"It's fine," I replied, sighing as I massaged my forehead. "It's… not like it's some great secret or anything. Honestly, it was just… work drama, I guess. Some of the girls thought Mom was showing me 'unfair favoritism' or something. Maybe they were right? I did get first pick on a lot of the newer clients… Mom always insisted it was because of my skills, though. That the clients just liked me."

"You don't sound particularly convinced," Devilla pointed out, arching an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "I don't know. People don't normally 'like' me. And Mom… she can be a bit much sometimes. I'd like to think I worked for everything I got, but… Well, either way it was creating a lot of problems for her. A couple girls even quit in protest."

"So you left?" Devilla asked.

I nodded. "Pretty much. I go back sometimes still, for the meals - lust just tastes better when it's directed at you, y'know? - but for the most part I've retired from it. I took a job as your maid because the pay was good and they promised on the job training." They also offered letters of recommendation for your next job after you were inevitably fired, not that I would ever tell Devilla that. It was a good way of breaking into the business for people with no real contacts in the industry.

"You still go back sometimes? I suppose that means I haven't been keeping you well sated. A failure on my part, considering our initial agreement…"

"You've been busy saving the world," I pointed out dryly. "And could you maybe not actively look for ways to twist what I say into some sort of stab at you? I'm trying to have a good time with you here, you know. Plus I… I mean… It doesn't exactly feel good to see the girl I like being bad mouthed by anyone. Even herself."

I was aware of the faint blush on my cheeks as I admitted that. Putting it into words was embarrassing.

It wasn't anything compared to the blush on her face, though.

"Yes, well…" Devilla murmured so quietly I almost couldn't hear her before clearing her throat. "That is, ah… I suppose… we should carry on to the final part of this date?"

"The final part?" I asked, now arching an eyebrow at her.

"The part where I make sure you're well fed," Devilla replied with a teasing smile. "I might have failed my duty as an employer, but I will make sure you are begging for release before I'm done with you."

"..." I considered telling her that her lust didn't exactly do the trick for keeping me fed for some reason, but… Well, I decided to simply sigh and shake my head.

I'd tell her eventually. It was sort of important information. No way was I going to knock that radiant smile from her face right now, though. Instead, I took her hand and led her towards the nearest window. It was time for us to return to the 101st floor.


My bare back crashed against Devilla's bed sheets as she pushed me down. I was naked, my clothes abandoned on the floor, right next to Devilla's. Despite the firmness of her opening act, though, she seemed almost hesitant to crawl into bed next to me.

"Something wrong?" I asked teasingly. "Do I need to get up and pull you in?"

"No, it's just… Well… You aren't going to declare that I need to be on the bottom again, are you?" she asked with an adorable pout. "Because I can top, you know!"

"I'm sure you can," I replied, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. Even if Devilla couldn't tell the difference, it was the principle of the matter. She was being sorta vulnerable right now, and I wasn't going to make fun of that. "But you always focus on everyone else when you're on top. Which is why I think you should give up the position for the time being…" Saying so, I snaked my sinuous tail around Devilla's body, and smacked her ass with its spade.

"Eep!" she squealed, jumping half a foot into the air. Before she could recover, I sat up, grabbed her hand, and yanked her into bed with me, sending her body crashing into the huge mattress.

"Abigail?" she asked, eyes wide as I began to crawl over to her, putting my body above hers."

"Yeah?" I asked, tail swaying playfully from side to side now. I tracked the way her eyes moved with it, a smirk on my lips.

"Are you perhaps… playing things up to hide your own nerves?"

I froze. Not for long, but still long enough that Devilla knew something was up.

"Sex with someone you care about can hit quite differently, in my experience," Devilla went on, sitting up. "There's no shame in feeling nervous about such an act. No matter how experienced you may be in matters of the body, I fear neither of us can claim to be more than amateurs when it comes to the heart."

"Alright," I admitted. "So maybe I am scared. So what? It doesn't change the truth. You suck at taking care of yourself, and I'm topping."

"If that is what you so desire," Devilla said, "I suppose I could allow myself to be pampered."

"Pampered, played with…" I shrugged, before giving her a teasing smile of my own. "One of the two."

"And here I thought I was the brat," Devilla replied, laughing a little. I didn't join in.

"You aren't, though," I said, quite seriously, looking her in the eye. "Not anymore. Maybe not ever - I don't even know anymore… and don't try and tell me how terrible you were, because I know just as much as you at this point. I'm just saying you… you know… deserved better?"

"I believe everyone in this tower deserves better than they've got," Devilla replied in a serious tone of her own. "But it doesn't excuse my sins."

"What sins? Being a scared little girl who didn't know how to run a country? Being isolated by the people who should have been taking care of you? Never getting socialized properly? You were set up to fail, Devilla. So stop blaming yourself for everything, and let others take the damn responsibility for once."

"I don't know if I can," Devilla said, staring down at her hands. "I still don't understand why everyone is so insistent. Why do people argue against the norm for the sake of someone like me? Saying that it was the mistakes of others that lead to my own, as if that somehow miraculously makes things better for the people I hurt. The people I failed. The people - my people - blame me for everything… I was a failure of a princess, and if not for the ritual going wrong I'd have been a failure of a queen. Yet you all act like I'm worth something… Like I was worth something even before the rite went wrong. I don't think I'm capable of understanding why, to be honest. If I didn't know you all as well as I do, I'd think this was all some sort of cruel prank."

"Devilla…" I didn't know what to say. Here we were, lying in bed, about ten seconds from having sex, and she was spilling her heart out to me. Opening up, naked and vulnerable before me.

If I screwed up now, would I screw her? Probably. Depending on my reaction, I could make things a lot worse. In fact, I could imagine all sorts of responses that would hurt her - laughing, shaking it off, making a joke. I just couldn't figure out any that led forward.

Except for one, anyway. One way I knew better than any other. So I leaned down and gently kissed her thigh, then looked her in the eye. "I don't know how to answer all this. I'm not some sorta… I don't even know what sort of person would have all the answers! But there's one thing I do know, and that's that I like you. That I want to have you in my life. So if you're willing to test the waters with me on that…" I slid my hands between her thighs, gently encouraging her to open up.

She did. Opening her legs just as easily as she had her heart, and staring at me all the while - with this look, somewhere caught between fear and hope and wonderment. Like she couldn't understand how this was happening. Why this was happening.

…I wasn't entirely sure myself. I didn't know if this was the best way to answer her fears. I just figured that sex was what I knew best, and if there was any way for me to share the complicated feelings in my gut, this was it.

So, with that in mind, I slowly lowered my head to Devilla's slit, gently swiping it with my tongue. She tasted… well, to be honest, she didn't taste much different than all the other girls I'd tasted. Which wasn't to say there weren't variances - there always were, sometimes even with the same girl - but it wasn't anything special.

The way she reacted, though? The little tremor that went up her body, the way her thighs started to contract only to hold in place as Devilla fought to keep control… Again, it was nothing I hadn't seen before. Yet somehow it was special. It felt good knowing that I'd created that reaction, and that Devilla trusted me enough to let it happen.

I pushed a hand against her shoulders, urging her to lay in the bed properly again as I lowered my head to her center again. She obeyed, and I continued to gently lick her core, trying to get her nice and wet. Then, ignoring the whimper that came from Devilla's mouth when I parted, I shifted my attention to her breasts and slipped a nipple into my mouth. Finally, just as my teeth began to nip the tip of her tit, I maneuvered the spade of my tail up and into Devilla's center.

She let out a gasp - and then an even louder one, as my tail began to gently pump, twisting and contorting itself to press flush against Devilla's walls, stimulating her even as I reached down between her legs with one hand to start teasing at her clit. I didn't need my eyes to find it - I knew exactly where to look, and with well-practiced ease I began to tease it from its hood, play with it, and make Devilla moan.

"You're worth all this and more to me," I whispered, only to blush at the cheesy line.

Devilla looked like she wanted to respond - either with a snappy comeback, or something just as sappy - but I didn't give her the chance. I twisted my tail inside of her, curling the edges up and over to create a slightly more phallic shape as I pumped myself in and out of her, teasing at her clit all the while.

"You're going to come for me," I whispered. Normally I'd have to maneuver closer to her ear, but with Devilla's senses? I could probably murmur into her boobs and she'd hear. The best bit was, afterwards, I could go right back to sucking at her nipple, teasing at her clit, and even using my spare hand to squeeze her other breast. I timed another nip with a pump from my tail, making her cry out in a blissful mix of pleasure and pain.

One of Devilla's hands shifted, from gripping the bed sheets to reaching towards me. I grabbed her wrist and pinned it.

"Naughty girl. First round's mine," I teased, kissing her wrist before returning to my duties. My tail pumped, my lips kissed, my teeth nipped at her flesh, and before long I had her back arching as she screamed. Then, and only then, did I stop playing with her. Instead, I moved up to kiss her somewhere new. Somewhere we hadn't touched since Devilla's bold move, back when this all started.

I kissed her on the lips.

Devilla​

I woke up the next morning to find Abigail in my arms, her tail wrapped around my thigh. I hesitated a moment before choosing to wake her with a kiss upon her forehead.

"Mmm…?" she murmured in her sleep, her tail squeezing my thigh a little before loosening up as she stretched her arms towards the ceiling.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," I told her, giving her a small smile as she blinked the sleepiness away. "I hope you don't mind the chaste kiss, but I thought it best to ask before moving on to more… intimate areas."

"You've been spending too much time with humans if you think I'd mind that," Abigail replied. I got the distinct sense that she was rolling her eyes at me. Not that I could ever hope to prove it.

"They're actually not as repressed as you'd think." I informed her. "At least, not compared to those on Earth. I suppose it's that world that's influencing me, more than anything - my past self was always told to ensure consent before touching anyone inappropriately."

"And you think kissing me on my tits is inappropriate?!" Abigail questioned me in shock. "Why? It sounds like a pretty good way to start the day to me!"

"Not everyone thinks like that, Abigail," I warned her before frowning. "Or at least not every human thinks like that. I don't think…"

"You don't think?"

"Well, it's not as if I've held a survey in this world, or anything, but so long as I don't know I think it's best to err on the side of caution."

"That's…" Abigail paused before sighing. "Probably smart, I guess? It just seems like a pretty big deal over nothing to me."

"But it might be important to the other party," I warned her. Of course, I had no idea how high or low the risk of that was among demons. To humans - or at least the humans of Earth - sex was considered something intimate, almost sacred. To us demons, it was simply a fun activity. Consent for it was little different than "consenting" to a game of cards. Yet, despite that, I couldn't deny that forcing one was far worse than forcing the other. That was enough of a reason for me to consider asking prior to acting the best policy.

"I guess," Abigail conceded with a shrug. "Guess that means I should be asking you what you're okay with, then?"

"Pretty much anything, so long as it's pleasurable," I informed her. "Though I would hope you'd avoid starting anything you're unable to finish."

"Why wouldn't I be able to finish?" Abigail asked with a teasing smirk on her lips. She reached for me as she spoke, but I caught her hand and shook my head.

"I have to get back to my tent before the others discover my absence," I told her.

"Right… The others. Grell and Dyona, right?" Abigail asked, no doubt thinking back to one of the discussions we'd had over dinner. She was as up to date on my adventures as anyone. "I don't think you need to worry about Grell, but Dyona sounds like the sort who might cause trouble."

"I think she has too healthy a respect for 'the Heroine' to start anything… It's Grell who concerns me. If she did somehow notice something, I fear she's liable to blurt it out without a second thought."

"Blurt it out to who, though? Grell and Lucy are the only people with you, right?"

"Until we reach the city. Grell is keeping secrets about her own identity - poorly, I might add, - and while I'm hardly in a position to judge her for it, I can still be a little wary of it when it comes to this."

"Fine, fine," Abigail sighed before waving me away. "Go back to your girlfriend."

"My other girlfriend, you mean?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. I tried to sound confident, but when Abigail's only response was to blink at me I couldn't keep the blood from flushing my cheeks. Apparently my body's adaptability had some annoying limitations. "I-I mean, if you're willing to accept such a label. I'd understand if you'd rather not-"

"No!" Abigail interrupted. "I mean, I just… didn't expect you to come out and say it like that. Isn't it a bit early?"

"It might have been our first date, Abigail, but it's hardly our first meeting. While I may have never dared to think of you in a romantic light before, I have known for some time that I want you by my side. I treasure your presence in my life, Abigail. I want it to continue whether it be as lovers or friends."

"So what? You want to be my girlfriend so that I'll stick around by your side?"

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a factor, but the main reason I want you as my girlfriend is because I care about you," I told her, trying not to flinch. I knew that Abigail meant no harm. This was just her response to the same uncertainty and fear I myself felt - the worry that things might be ruined and that our current happiness would shatter. "I don't entirely know my own heart when it comes to you. I know I treasure you. That I rely on you. That I care for you, and that I want you to remain forever by my side… It's a type of love, I'm sure, yet as for whether it's the love you seek… I'm still too inexperienced to say."

"Inexperienced?" Abigail demanded. "What about Lucy?"

"You think I haven't suffered the same problems there?" I asked her. "My desire for her presence is only matched by my fear of losing her, and yet at the same time some part of me wonders if I'm not just using her to make myself feel better until the day she abandons me. Another part of me even thinks that it's fine if I am. Surely I'll receive my comeuppance in due time when she sees through me and tires of my parasitic presence."

"...Devilla…"

I closed my eyes. The pain in her tone, the pity in her voice - I couldn't face it. "I am the worst person I know, Abigail, no matter what everyone says to the contrary… and yet, despite it all, you both see something else in me. Something I desperately want to believe is there, if only for the sake of those who put up with me on behalf of its presence."

"Devilla," Abigail said, again, a bit more firmly this time.

"All I'm saying is that if you're willing to put up with me… I'd be honored to be your girlfriend. Whatever pain might come down the line is worth it."

"Devilla!" Abigail all but screamed in my ear, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me a bit as my eyes flew open. "For the love of Luci, stop using the fact that people fucking care about you as a reason to hate yourself more! Love isn't something you have to earn, and it sure as hell isn't anything you need to pay for with an 'inevitable' breakup or whatever other misery you seem to think you deserve! You are allowed to be happy!"

"But-"

"No buts!" she interrupted. "You want to be my girlfriend?! Fine! We're girlfriends! I love you! You… maybe love me! And we'll figure out the rest together! Alright?!"

Somehow, her pitch black eyes seemed to be telling me that there was only one answer she would accept. "...Alright."

"Good!" She released me, letting out a deep sigh. "Now go back to your other girlfriend, and try not to depress yourself or anyone else by dwelling on how you think you totally deserve to die alone and miserable, alright?"

"It's more that I deserve to live miserably, actually, but… that's… not really any better, is it?"

Abigail's glare was more than answer enough, and after a brief hesitation I hugged her tightly before jumping onto the teleportation circle to teleport away, certain my face was flaming red once again.

Abigail​

Devilla could be… exhausting, sometimes.

…Okay, maybe more than sometimes. Like, all the time. I mean, the whole reason we'd gotten close in the first place was that she'd exasperated me to the point I couldn't maintain my professional facade. Our relationship, if you could even call it that back when we were just maid and employer, started with her being a horrible brat of a boss, changed when she chucked everything I knew about her out the window, and then somehow grew to the point where I found myself missing her fat ass the moment she went and teleported out of sight. Back to her girlfriend.

Her other girlfriend.

"...I need a drink. A strong one," I muttered to myself. I was seriously considering getting one, too. I mean, sure, I was technically on the clock, but it wasn't like I actually did anything when Devilla was away. Outside of maybe meeting with Nivera and Chloe, anyways, but they were currently busy sorting everything out with Mellany for her to usurp Alira's position and influence.

Unfortunately, I was a little too professional to start drinking on the job… especially since Devilla didn't actually keep any sort of booze in her bedroom and I preferred to stay in her bedroom during work hours if not otherwise busy. Mostly because I'd start to feel guilty if I saw any of the other maids actually having to work for their pay.

In my defense, though, the work I did do was way above my pay grade even after the considerable raise I'd gotten from becoming Devilla's personal maid.

A squelchy knock at the door dragged me out of my thoughts and made me sigh.

"Speaking of work above my pay grade…" I muttered to myself. I shook my head and patted my cheeks a few times before opening the door with a fake smile on my lips. Remember Abby, you are a professional! "Sylvanna. How great to see you." Totally professional.

"Really?" the foot tall slime asked me, beaming. "It's great to see you, too!"

"Because it means you don't have to see Devilla?"

"And because you are such a hottie!" the mini-slime agreed with frantic head nods. "Even if you are, like, totally a big dummy who actually likes Devilla for some reason."

"Right…" I muttered, opening the door wider to let the tiny slime in.

"You're naked!" the slime noted as the door opened. "Wait… Were you having sex with someone? Who?"

"I wonder," I muttered dryly, wondering just how stupid the little slime had to be to not figure that out. "Look, why don't you just tell me what you came here for so that we can get this over with?"

"What I came for?"

"Yes… The thing that brought you to my door?" I asked, gesturing to the entrance she'd come through. At the same time I started to pull on my panties. They were the same ones I'd been wearing last night, unfortunately - I probably needed to start storing clothes in Devilla's room if I was going to be sleeping over this often. Something to talk about later.

"But this is Devilla's door?"

"Not the point!" I snapped, snatching my breast band off the floor next.

"What was the point again?" she asked, her hand on her chin.

I sighed, deciding not to dignify her with a response until after I'd gotten my maid's outfit on. Maintain your composure Abby, you can do this…

Thankfully, right as I was reaching for my stockings, the mini Sylvanna smacked her hand into her palm "Oh! Right! I know what I'm here for!"

"Let me guess," I said, "you want to know about Devilla's progress with the depetrification spell?"

"Uh-huh!" the mini Sylvanna nodded. "Big-me said she wanted to know if Devilla was keeping with her part of the a.. ag…. agg? Uh……. Deal! Right! The dealy thing they made! Which was… important?"

"The deal's still on," I replied, rolling my eyes at the idiot slime. I guess this was better than dealing with the full bitch, though, if only just. "Devilla's sorta figured out a way to depetrify people, but-"

"Then she can depetrify the other slimes!?"

"But it's not foolproof, and she doesn't want to risk all the slimes on her experiment succeeding. She's still working on getting the real depetrification spell so that she can do it right, though, okay? So tell… big you that, alright?"

"Oh, I don't have to tell her anything!" Sylvanna said cheerfully. "She'll know for herself when she absorbs me and gets all my knowledge!"

"...Right, because that's not existentially terrifying, or anything."

"It's fine!" Sylvanna promised, cheerfully as she headed for the door. "I mean, we're all Sylvanna! So long as we keep our memories sync… Syn... Sin… Uh…."

"Synchronized?" I suggested. At least mini Sylvanna could be amusingly dimwitted.

"Sink…sink-ron… Yeah, that!" Sylvanna agreed before stretching an arm up towards the doorknob. "Anyways, thank you, bye bye!"

"Wait!" I called out before she could leave. "I wanted to ask you something. About General Doll - do you know where she is?"

"Uh-huh!" Sylvanna informed me. "But I'm not supposed to tell anyone about it, so I won't!"

"Wait!" I called out again before she could slip through the door. "Devilla wants to talk to her."

"But I don't know where she is!"

"You literally just told me you do," I reminded her.

"That must have been a different me!"

"That's-" I started, only to stop when she closed the door behind her. Instead, I just let out a sigh. Hopefully Devilla wouldn't need Doll any time soon, because I sure as hell didn't know how I was going to drag the information out of any Sylvanna. …Maybe the mini ones were just as infuriating as the big one, after all…

"Maybe I can ask Chloe for help with it…?" I mused, deciding to get up and exit the door - only to stop when someone knocked.

"What now?!" I griped, flinging the door open. Where I expected to find a one foot slime, though, I instead found several feet of kitsune. "Chloe?"

"Hihi!" She grinned at me. "I'm here to help you with your date!"

"Aren't you a bit late for that? I saw Devilla last night."

"Not that date, silly!" Chloe chided me. "That one was always going to go fine! I'm here for your other date!"

"Wait, what?! How did you-"

Chloe held up a finger to interrupt me, closing the door behind her. "Know you were going out with the Heroine? I didn't, but it wasn't exactly hard to guess, you know? Lucy's the sort who wants to have it all, right? To make everyone happy? And you're too unsure of yourself to say no and potentially make things awkward with Devilla, sooo… When's the date?"

"...Tonight…"

"Great!" Chloe squealed in excitement, before pulling out a pair of red and black dresses out of thin air, and holding them up one up in front of me. "Let's get you ready! By the time I'm done, you're going to knock her dead with how pretty you'll be!"

Devilla​

I arrived in an empty tent, Lucy having apparently already packed up her bedroll. Exiting myself, I stretched my arms towards the sky and let loose with my best impression of a yawn.

"Eena!" Lucy called out, hurrying to embrace me. "You're awake!"

"And you're already dressed," I remarked, noting the armor that once more adorned her form. It was rather hard to ignore, what with my body being pressed against it. "Did I truly oversleep that much?"

Lucy shook her head. "It's not that!" she promised me. "I just smelled Dyona's cooking."

"Cooking?" I asked, belatedly sniffing the air. My nose quickly caught the scent wafting from the campfire where Dyona was cooking slices of what almost looked like bacon on a pan she held over the blaze.

"My Lady makes a point of procuring fresh ingredients whenever possible," Dyona informed me without lifting her gaze from the makeshift stove. "It's part of why we travel by carriage. She hates travel rations."

I swore I saw a flicker of a smile on Dyona's lips as she said that last part, but it was gone too quickly for me to be certain. Even reviewing the memory left me unsure if I was looking at a sign of affection or just a random twitch of her lips.

Regardless, it was nowhere to be seen a moment later when a yawning Grell walked out of the carriage. "What's for breakfast?"

"Fried pork rations and eggs. You're free to eat the first while we await the latter - assuming you wish to show off your gluttonous side in front of our guests, that is?"

"Bah, they've already seen plenty of it yesterday," Grell remarked. "And I'm sure Eena here won't mind. The Heroine said you have a good appetite too, yeah?"

"I enjoy food, if that's what you mean," I replied. "Though I would hardly describe myself as gluttonous…"

Lucy giggled at that for some reason before plopping down on the ground and gesturing for me to sit besides her. "Come on! We can snuggle up together until breakfast is done being cooked."

"As lovely as that sounds, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least offer my help making breakfast."

"You can cook?" Lucy asked, looking at me with surprise.

"A little. Abigail taught me."

"The offer is appreciated, My Lady, but I can assure you that I have things handled," Dyona replied. "Why don't you sit down with your girlfriend? I'm sure the Heroine missed you during your brief absence, seeing as how she was out here half an hour before you."

I froze briefly at the mention of absence, only for my posture to thaw a moment later when Dyona clarified. For a moment I thought she'd been suggesting she was aware I wasn't around last night.

"Well, if you insist," I agreed, shaking the worry off and settling on the ground next to Lucy and leaning against her. Though I wouldn't exactly call it cuddling, what with her armor in between the two of us, I would certainly call it a pleasant way to spend time before breakfast. Even if I couldn't feel the warmth of her flesh, simply knowing she was next to me provided a warmth all of its own.

From there the day passed in much the same way as the previous had. We ate a simple meal, waited for Dyona to enter the carriage, and then picked it up so that we could continue towards the city.

It was a straightforward, if slightly boring, journey and thanks to our efforts we had the city in sight before nightfall. We did have to pick up our pace a little in order to make it to the gates before they closed.

"Are you doing alright?" I asked Grell as the guards waved us through. They'd been a bit bewildered by the sight of three girls carrying a carriage, but they didn't ask any questions after noticing Lucy. I suppose such feats of strength were expected from the Heroine and her companions.

"I'm fine!" Grell insisted.

"You certainly don't look at it," I pressed. She was panting, drenched in sweat, and trembling faintly. The run had taken a surprising amount out of her, despite the ease with which she'd previously helped us.

"It's nothing," Grell insisted, flashing me a grin. "I'm just low on magical power, is all - used most of it enhancing my muscles."

"Enhancing your muscles?" I frowned. "I wasn't aware that was something one could do." In fact, the only people I knew of who could do that were-

"It's because I'm from a blessed bloodline! I'm able to use my magic to reinforce my muscles! It's definitely my favorite way of using magic! Not that there's anything wrong with doing fancy tricks, but there's nothing quite like just punching problems away, you know?"

"My Lady-" Diona called out from within the carriage. Whatever she was about to say, though, it was too late.

"So that's where I know you from!" Lucy exclaimed before slapping a hand over her mouth. "Uh… I mean… Sorry? I won't tell anyone!"

Grell slumped - a gesture I didn't exactly appreciate, considering we were still carrying a carriage, but which I could forgive under the circumstances. "Crap... I forgot you'd be aware of this sort of thing…"

I merely shrugged. "I won't ask, though I'll admit to assuming your true identity has something to do with the origin of such a bloodline?" Blessed bloodlines were usually a 'highborn' thing according to what I'd been told. It would make sense for Lucy - or rather, the Heroine - to know a thing or two about them.

"Nah, it's fine… The Heroine's the main one I needed to hide from anyways… Dad's going to be pissed if this gets back to him…"

"It won't!" Lucy promised. "I'll keep your secret! I don't really get why it needs to be a secret in the first place, though…"

"Because I'm a screw up," Grell answered with a shrug. "An utter failure of a noblewoman. I mean, have you met me? I'm basically a diplomatic incident waiting to happen."

"That's-"

"It's fine," Grell interrupted. "Seriously, I really am fine with it. I definitely prefer the life of an adventurer to that of a noble lady anyways."

"But what about your family?" Lucy pressed.

"What about them?" Grell asked.

"My Lady visited her family just last week," Dyona remarked, leaning out of the carriage window. "They're on remarkably good terms."

"Oh, that, Right," Grell agreed. "We're actually way closer than when I actually lived there. We used to fight all the time, and not the fun sort of fight, either. The whole becoming an adventurer and hiding my real name thing was my… Well, Dyona's idea actually."

"I was rather worried about your position in the household if things continued as they were," Dyona said. "Which in turn would affect my position as your maid. Besides, I'd always wanted to see the world. Now I can be paid to look after you in the process."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Grell replied, rolling her eyes. "You only stay with me for the money."

"Just as you only stay with me because you couldn't survive on your own. It's a fine arrangement, don't you think?"

"I think we're here," Grell replied, tilting her head in the direction of a large inn. "Let's park this thing and get rooms, alright? Hopefully they'll have four."

"Three," Lucy corrected. "I'll be sleeping with Eena!"

"Is that… allowed?" Grell asked.

"Of course!" Lucy declared. "Or at least it should be. Why shouldn't a girl sleep with a girl she loves?"

"You mean… in the same bed, right?" Dyona asked cautiously.

"Among other things!" Lucy said. "I'm sure the Goddess wouldn't mind, though! I mean, why would she give me such strong urges if she didn't want me to give into them?"

"To… test you…?" Grell offered. "Maybe?"

"I'm pretty sure you're committing blasphemy," Dyona remarked drily.

"Probably!" Lucy agreed casually. "I'd get a really angry letter from the church if the Grand Patriarch found out, too! I guess we both have secrets we want to keep from spreading, right?"

For some reason, neither Grell and Dyona seemed able to muster a response to that.

Lucy​

"You're ready, then?" Eena asked me.

"I am!" I promised. Not for the first time, either. That was fine, though! I knew Eena was just nervous - I was a little nervous, too! I mean, this was only my second date ever, and I was doing it without her. Plus, I was going to the tower by myself! If anything went wrong, I'd be in big trouble…

It was fine, though! I knew that Abigail would have my back, and I was sure I could rely on Eena's family if things got bad. More importantly though, it was worth the risk. I would never get close to Abigail if I didn't put myself out there and I was determined to at least try and see if the three of us could all find happiness together!

Besides, I sort of wanted to see what life was like in the tower. What the people there were like. I knew in my heart that they were almost the same as humans, but I still wanted to see it with my eyes so that when I stood in front of other humans and told them I believed in demons I would have firsthand experiences I could share… More experiences than sleeping with or dating them, that is, though that was also an important part!.

Obviously I was going to be telling Abigail everything I was thinking! It wouldn't do to sour our relationship by keeping secrets after all, and while I didn't really think of it as sinister or anything like that, I knew that keeping it quiet might make it seem like I had an ulterior motive to going out with her.

"Alright then," Eena said before reaching out to grab my hands and plant a kiss on my lips. "Have fun on your date."

"I will!" I promised. I then started picturing Devilla's bedroom. I could feel the teleportation circle seeking out my holy magic, just like she'd told me it would. I gave it access and was whisked away to the tower.