The place I'm in... is the familiar forest area within my mind that seems to have expanded by quite a large amount. If I had to guess, I would say that it's about one hundred metres around. I'm starting to see some actual forest rather than the plains-like area with a few trees scattered here and there. The last thing I notice, is the current freeloader of this space, the self-proclaimed god, Entity. It's no longer wearing a kimono and is now clothed in a pair of blue jeans, a white undershirt and a light grey hoodie with it's hands in its front pocket.
[Entity] "Yooo~"
[Kai] "...what...what are you doing?"
[Entity] "whaaat~ I'm just having a little fun."
[Kai] "If a god could get high, in pretty sure this is what it would be like."
[Entity] "alright, alright, that's enough of that then. So, you didn't die this time... that's good."
[Kai] "were..your expecting me to die?"
[Entity] "after pushing your entire being to 175% with a power you only just got, it's surprising to say the least that you got off with just losing an arm."
[Kai] "yeah, I may have gotten a little too enthralled."
[Entity] "A little? You've permanently destroyed your arm. It won't regenerate."
[Kai] "What?! Why not?!"
[Entity] "You pushed your physical being too far. See?"
It held out his hand and a cracked, faded grey arm appeared in it.
[Entity] "this is your arm after that."
[Kai] "that-!..."
[Entity] "anyone else would have lost it forever, but... if you're willing to make a deal... I will give this back to you."
[Kai] "a-what kind of deal?"
[Entity] "simple. You see, in this world there are mortals that believe themselves the rulers. I simply want you to prove them wrong."
[Kai] "uh, and who exactly are these... mortals?"
Entity grinned mischievously as it continued.
[Entity] "12 chaos knights that serve 12 dark kings, 9 abyssal lords and finally the one who calls himself the void emperor. Convoluted, I know."
[Kai] "that's... a lot..."
[Entity] "no rush. Just know that until you've completed this task, I will not allow you to die. In your place, someone close to you will meet their end."
[Kai] "you-!"
[Entity] "or I could just take back the life I gave you. Would you prefer that?"
This damn thing!
[Entity] "well? What will it be?"
Entity gave a devilishly malevolent grin that stretched from ear to ear sending a shiver down my spine. If it was just my arm then I wouldn't have accepted but... damn it!
[Kai] "...I swore I'd do whatever it took to survive, and that hasn't changed, so I agree to your terms."
[Entity] "excellent. If there's one thing I can rely on, it's the weakness of the mortal mind."
Just you wait. It won't be that way forever.
[God] "here you gooo~"
It tossed me my arm and it vanished into thin air before reappearing attatched to my body once again.
[Entity] "Oh, and I'll tell you this now. The next time we talk will be once you've killed one of those incorrigible idiots."
With that, the world faded once more... no, more like I was kicked out by the freeloading figure that seems to think he'll keep me under his thumb forever. I can't wait to prove him wrong.
-
"Kai?"
Opening my eyes, I seem to be in some kind of medical room. It's certainly not the castle.
"Kai?"
Hm? Looking towards where the voice is coming from, Lucile is sitting there with tears brewing in her eyes.
[Kai] "Hey-"
The sound of hand hitting face echoed in the small room. Lucile slapped me.
[Lucile] "You idiot! Don't just run off like that you scared me!"
[Kai] "A-ah...I'm sorry.."
She reached her hand out towards my face once more and I braced myself for the inevitable slap however, it never came. Instead, her hand rested gently on my reddened cheek while her lips found my own. At first, my surprise stopped me from doing anything but after a few moments, I find myself reciprocating. My left hand on her cheek and my right hand entangled with hers on the bed. A little over a minute later, we both had to seperate for lack of oxygen. Her golden eyes sparkled as mine gazed back.
[Verren] "You're up!"
At the sound of Lucile's very powerful fathers voice we both quickly moved to opposite sides of the bed, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
This isn't good. Remembering what Entity said, it may be best if I just leave now and never come back... fuck! Who am I kidding. I can't do that. Maybe when I first came here but now... these people are my family, and Lucile is... something more.
[Verren] "did I interrupt something?"
[Lucile] "N-n-no father!"
[Verren] "alright. Lucile, I'm sorry to cut this reunion short but there is something I need to speak about with Kai."
[Lucile] "e-eh? Um..."
Lucile looked over to me worriedly but I quickly put a relaxing smile, or at least as close as I could get to that, on my face and she seemed to calm down before complying with her fathers wishes and leaving the room, looking back at me almost the whole time.
After she left, Verren's attention once more fell upon me.
[Kai] "so-"
[Verren] "what happened?"
[Kai] "e-eh? Wh-wh-what do you mean?"
[Verren] "I mean your arm. There was no way an injury like that would regenerate that fast."
Oh, it's about that. Phew, guess he didn't see what just happened.
[Kai] "well..."
Oh... how do I explain this to him?
[Verren] "does it have anything to do with the heavenly being protecting you?"
[Kai] "how did you-..?"
[Verren] "Astrid told me, when she had control of your body."
[Kai] "oh, right. Well... the thing is..."
[Verren] "it seems less like you don't want to tell me and more like you can't tell me. Is that the case?"
Hit the nail on the head with that one. If I tell him about Entity, who knows what it might decide to do. I can't risk that.
[Verren] "well, come with me for now."
[Kai] "eh?"
[Verren] "We'll continue our conversation once we've reached the hot spring."
Hot spring? Like the one in the castle or a different one? Regardless, I followed him. It didn't take long after walking through the wooden hallways until we reached the entrance to the hot spring. On the way there we passed by someone that looked oddly like some sort of goblin about the size of a 12-13 year old and, noticing my curiosity, Verren confirmed that it was actually a Hobgoblin, a variant and evolution of the goblin. I'll have to research about evolutions and variants at some point in the future since it'll no doubt come in handy, I mean, what happens if one day I come across some monster that's supposed to be weak but ends up taking me by surprise by being able to shoot lightning from its tail. I shudder at the thought of something really dangerous doing that, especially with the deal made with Entity.
Verren and I are now both rather comfortably bathing in the hot spring. Yeah, this isn't awkward at all... I mean, sure I've seen him naked before but this just seems, worse somehow.
[Verren] "now then, about our previous conversation."
[Kai] "Right, uh, ok-"
[Verren] "thank you for protecting Lucile."
[Kai] "I-wait, what?"
[Verren] "I pride myself on being the most powerful resident of the castle but I wouldn't have made it in time."
[Kai] "I-"
Huh? Now that I think about it.
[Kai] "you're right..."
[Verren] "so thank yo-"
[Kai] "it's too big of a coincidence."
[Verren] "what?"
[Kai] "think about it. The moment they attack, It's during a time that you're not in the vicinity, They tried to distract me and they knew exactly where Lucile would be."
[Verren] "are you saying-?"
[Kai] "yeah, I think you've got a rat in the castle."
Verren seemed to ponder the thought with a troubled expression.
[Verren] "hmmm... alright left hand. What would you suggest?"
[Kai] "eh? M-me?!"
[Verren] "I'd say that you've earned my trust at this point."
[Kai] "th-thank you. Um well... I'd probably recommend getting someone to search the castle for any signs of the rat, someone you can trust so, perhaps Seyird would be a good choice for that?"
[Verren] "hmmm, but Seyird is currently out searching for the culprit behind the contract and it would take about a week for him to get back after receiving the order to return."
[Kai] "then, perhaps send the message and when he gets back, I'll take over the search for the culprits."
[Verren] "that could be an idea, though this isn't just some plan to run from us is it?"
[Kai] "I thought you said you trusted me?"
[Verren] "hahaha! True, true I did say that. Alright then. What will you do for the week up to Seyirds return?"
[Kai] "Train. If Valentina ever comes back..."
[Verren] "oh, I wouldn't worry about that."
[Kai] "huh?"
[Verren] "she seemed quite adamant about training with you when she came crashing through the wall of the second story."
[Kai] "...sorry.."
[???] "it's fine. I'm that much more excited now!"
Uhhhh...
A female voice rang out from behind us. This time, I know the person has seen us so what the hell? Turning my head ever so carefully, yep, that's Valentina... in the male bath... in the nude... I quickly turn my head away, focusing my attention on the water. Yes, there is nothing here but the water. I am alone in this room, there is nobody else, I-
[Valentina] "I'll be hopping in now if you don't mind~"
I do mind! I very much mind!
She slid herself into the water right next to me before attaching herself to my arm.
[Kai] "ummm, Valentina-?"
[Valentina] "please, people who've seen me naked can call me Vale!"
Why is that a thing!?
[Kai] "...Vale... why are you in the men's bath?"
She gripped my arm tighter and I'm pretty sure she's now holding it between two, very squishy things attached to her chest. I began blushing profusely with the action, both in embarrassment and the fact that something else is happening that shouldn't be happening in a men's bath....
[Vale] "Awwww~ So cute! My little powerhouse student is blushing~"
[Verren] "Haha! I think he's doing more than that!"
[Vale] "Oh?"
Vale looked down towards the water.
[Vale] "So he is!"
[Kai] "kill me now..."