NYUUUGH~ I'm awake. I've been thinking… We need another Chef. Mary's amazing, but if we're to get serious about our festivals; she's gonna need a paw. Cindy can cook, she's a Chef; but Cindy's too young. I don't want to ask children to work. I don't have it in me. They deserve a childhood, and I'd like them to have it. Those kids… They've gone through so much. Too much. I should also get them a Teacher. I'd do it myself but… Nah. Imagine me, teaching children~ A nightmare, I'm sure. The Witch of War, raising children. Janus… I shan't do it. I can't... Not this Cat. Nope!
Back on topic, I wonder how that paper's coming along~ I'll go and check up on that new Mousekin! The artisan~ Ugh! I'm excited. We've never had a Crafter in our ranks. It's definitely something to be amped up about. We can probably start a Paper business, and everything! Paper's in big demand around these parts, or so I hear~ This carpet is fabulous… I've spread it out on the beach, because I'm a redneck. I'm far too large to have slept on it… But the three wooden chairs are meow placed on top of it, and the platter was totally ditched right in the middle of them all… With the pans on top, and the bathtub off to the side. I really have no reason to keep sleeping in this humongous form… But I keep doing it. I can't help myself, sometimes I just want to be a freaking monolith of Cat empowerment. Even if it means sleeping on sand, rather than carpet. It can't be helped. I've decided that this little area of furnishings will be strictly for the Cat Crew. There are just enough chairs for Roah, Cetilla, and myself. The other members of the Cat Crew weren't notable enough to purchase chairs for. Kidding~ The merchant simply possessed three. Apparently, any more than three chairs crafted especially for Cats with large egos would have been a bad business move.
Another business we could probably start, would be a Punch selling business. Only the finest Punch would be served; we have one flavor. It's mystery red. Yosh… Meow, all we need are a TON of bottles. Thankfully, I'm in good with the Barkeeps of Nidallia. Georgia and I get along famously, I'll have you know~ If I keep buying ridiculous amounts of Alcohol to fund the festivals, I'll find myself with a plethora of bottles. As it so happens, there are at LEAST 3000 bottles crammed into one of the houses in Halloween. I'm not sure WHICH house, but they're there. They must be… I can't imagine that a bunch of drunken Beastkin walked off with every last bottle, so they must exist. Somewhere. Conrad! Figure it out! I believe in you. This is a task meant strictly for one of the most powerful and illustrious of Clansmen, obviously~ No one else could POSSIBLY locate those bottles! Nyah!
Wolrietta, find Wilson and a group of Monster Knights to fish in the Lost Kingdom for the night. Protect them on my behalf. Molag Dregora, you can handle finding and protecting the Monster Knights whom choose to fish in the Demon Kingdom. Not a SINGLE Loli is to appear from this mission, got that?! If she makes a move, escape at all costs… And don't allow any Monster Knights to perish in the midst of it all! Bring the Skeletons with you, they're probably bored. Benji, Con, Connor, Robert, Vivian, and Edward… You'll be on foraging duty for tonight. Get those Berries to Grenda. She wants as many Berries as she can get, stat! Scarecrows~ Banshees and Phantasms... Commence with Operation: Slay the Cyworctus! Bring Rei and Milton along if you wish. Christina! Check up on the Mousekin Artisan and figure out his progress on Luna's Paper. Luna! Gather a ton of the remaining Monster Knights and have them face the Tides of Tragedy! The Vampire Knights can join in, but strictly to keep you safe. Also, make sure Vana and Hugo are present; they're essentials for this task. Scarecrows! Ensure that every single Monster Knight is fed from Mary's meal~ Christina, find Cetilla and tend to her whims after you've finished with the Mousekin Artisan. There's no telling what she's up to, so report back to me if anything happens. Penny, take that new Pixie with you and find Grollicus. Keep an eye on him... It's frightening to think about how that massive Treant went under my nose and disappeared completely. I don't like it. Not one bit.
Wow… I actually gave an order to every single one of my Clansmen. This is a new look for me… I'm honestly beside myself right meow~ I've finally done it… I've finally made full use of my Clans(wo)mens' undying fealty. They're the best. I couldn't possibly have been doing this all without them~ Everyone fills a specific role. Technically, there's one final Clanswomen needing a task. It's Wendel. I've saved the best task for last. Wendel~ Play music for me. Yosh… Tend to MY whims and feed me the elegance of music!~ Moments later… A very particular Weeping Angel appeared with a dastardly smirk before bursting out into song. Ahhh… How wondrous~ She's singing 'T*g, You're It'... I never taught her this song, but I'm here for it. Sitting on an excessively elegant chair, I waited for the arrival of the Monster Knights. They should be here shortly. Chop chop!~ Those Sea Snakes won't slay themselves, you know~
On their arrival… I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lora had decided to join the Tragedy Troop. With her are Cycleo, Kendra, Lucius, Ben, Echo, and Jon. A fine group, if I might say. Feeling curious, I decided to ask Luna who had joined the Fishing troops. She simply shrugged, so I decided to wander on down to the gates and wait for them. Anyone bring the fee for exiting Reygid? No? That's fine. I don't care~ Oh! Molag Dregora's group is ahead of Wolrietta's… With him and the motley of Skeletons, are Trudy… Frey… And his daughter; Frieda. She's just a baby… So I understand his desire to bring her along. Wolrietta seems to have convinced Gillie, Matilda, and Pandianna to join her in her trip to the Lost Kingdom. It would appear that Wilson declined… Trouble in paradise? Yikes… I think I caught a nerve. Oops~
But seriously… What is Wilson doing? He's not in the Trajedy Troop… So? Now that I think about it… Chartreuse and Prussian are also unaccounted for. So are Roah, Rita, Rustle, Edgar, and Rosa… But Rita and Rustle are probably just spending time with the children… And Roah can do no wrong. Oh... Gluttatosk is also missing, so maybe Roah is off feeding the Land Shark? Rosa and Edgar are probably off handling some noble tasks related to Rosa re-attaining her home, so that's fine… I think maybe, Chartreuse and Prussian are whom I should be most worried about. Those two… They're quite new to this whole 'surface dweller' thing, so there's no telling just what trouble they might get into~ Hrmmm… Maybe they're with Cetilla? Christina, let me know if you find the Harpies with Cetilla. It's too dangerous for them if Cetilla's wreaking havoc again. Nyah. Now that THAT'S all settled… I'm beginning to feel as though I have nothing left to do~
It's a nice feeling, I could get used to it… But I'd never live it down if I had everyone else slaving away while I sat on my Broom like this~ I suppose I'll go ahead and check up on Mary for meow. Fish!~ Flying to the Wailing Keep was fine... It's definitely getting colder outside, though. I almost had a chill for a moment there. Swinging the doors open to my fabulous home, I found that some of the children were running amok. Apparently, they're playing hide and seek. Fun. I made sure to inform them to stay away from the portraits in the Dining Hall. They seemed confused as that would have been a terrible hiding spot, but it's best that they don't know. Walking into the Kitchen, I encountered Cat Crewomen Number 6. It's Mary, performing magic alongside a plethora of Scarecrows.
"Came to check in on me, have ya?" [Mary] begged the question with a smirk as she worked valiantly.
"That, and I'd hoped to be first in line for tonight's meal~" [Nero] shot back with a grin as he lowered his aviators.
"Oh? Should I whip something special up?" [Mary] asked before winking.
"UGH~" [Nero] groaned before exclaiming…
"Please~!" [Nero] begged while slamming two paws down onto a nearby counter as he leaned in to face the Catkin.
"Nero… If you're going to order me to sing for you… The least you could do is fly me with you…" [Wendel] grumbled after appearing from the Lantern.
"...I forgot." [Nero] let out with eyes wide as he glared at the Weeping Angel.
"You're the worst, you know that?" [Wendel] shot back with an exasperated expression.
"Your voice is fantastic, please continue." [Nero] beckoned with a smile. To which, the Weeping Angel rolled her eyes before beginning to perform 'Bl*ck Sheep'.
"Isn't she just amazing?" [Nero] asked while squinting his eyes as he faced the Catkin Chef.
"Oh, yeah… By far, one of my favorite Bandswomen." [Mary] sighed before opening a nearby oven.
"So~ What's on the menu for tonight?" [Nero] asked with a smile.
"For you? I was thinking roasted and lightly buttered Goldfish with a dash of persimmon… And stuffed full of pumpernickel." [Mary] confessed while raising a spotless Knife as though she were a Samurai.
...I've no idea how THAT might taste… But I'm here for it. I'm down to try new things. Hit me with it, Mary Sama!
"Thank you!" [Nero] let out with a mesmerized expression.
"Oh… You're very welcome. You've been great to us, and you usually eat the simplest of dishes… So I figured that I might as well spruce things up for you~" [Mary] confessed with a carefree expression.
"I'm glad that you enjoy it here with us. I was beginning to think that I might have been overworking you…" [Nero] sighed with a nervous smile.
"Well, you have. That festival was no joke… Thankfully, I enjoy cooking~" [Mary] explained as she began to slice through a Goldfish.
"If it's any consolation… I've decided to find another Chef to help lighten the burden on you." [Nero] declared with a solemn expression.
"It would be appreciated, thank you." [Mary] replied with a smile before continuing…
"Now get on with your tasks, I'll have one of the Scarecrows come and find you when it's ready~" [Mary] beckoned while stuffing the Goldfish with some bread.
"Alright... I'll get out your fur~" [Nero] shot back with a smirk as he departed from the Kitchen alongside the singing Weeping Angel.
Now… What next? Oh~ Rita's in the Foyer.
"Nero! Have you saw any of the children recently?" [Rita] begged the question with a frantic expression.
"Uhm… I definitely saw the Unicornkin heading up the stairs." [Nero] confessed with a sigh.
"Great, thanks." [Rita] replied quickly before scampering off through the left tower.
...The Unicornkin totally took the right tower. Welp… Rita will figure it out. Sooner or later~
"Big bad Cat man! Have you seen Rita?" [Cindy] asked with eyes wide.
"Up the left tower." [Nero] shot back with a tired expression. To which, Cindy grinned before vaulting into the Kitchen while being trailed by the two Snow Leopardkin twins.
...I'd better vacate the Wailing Keep. I can already tell… I'll be dealing with this sort of thing for HOURS if I stay any longer. Also… Big bad Cat man?! Is that my identifier?! To a child?! Janus… I certainly can't be the Teacher.
"I've just about HAD it with all these kids… What are you up to?" [Orianna] begged the question while leaning against the doorway to the Dining Hall.
...Oh. Orianna. I almost forgot about the freaking Lionkin Princess…
"That's a good question." [Nero] sighed.
"You've got nothing to do, either?" [Orianna] asked with eyes wide.
"I'm too good at shelling out orders~" [Nero] confessed with a nervous smile.
"That's not necessarily a bad thing…" [Orianna] grumbled while visibly thinking.
"I guess not…? Perhaps we could go swing by Clive's?" [Nero] offered the suggestion.
"That Clothing Store?" [Orianna] asked while tilting her head to the side.
"The very same." [Nero] replied while shrugging his shoulders.
"...Okay. Let's go." [Orianna] agreed to the proposal with a look of indifference.
"What have you been up to?" [Nero] asked while opening the doors to the Wailing Keep.
"I've been spending TOO MUCH time playing cards with your Monster Knights… And Leyla's been visiting me frequently." [Orianna] confessed while following the Halloween Cat.
"Leyla?" [Nero] begged the question.
"Leyla Greyjoy? She's next in line to be the Viscountess?" [Orianna] explained with a snobby expression.
"...Oh. Remind me, what exactly are the families making up the nobility of Reygid?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.
"Well… I'm the Queen of Reygid… Orianna Reygid. Next, we have Veronica Vellisroi; the Catkin Dutchess joined by her spouse... Roy, and their daughter Cetilla. All of whom, I believe that you're well acquainted with. Then... We have the Marquis, Ivand Bernardi; the Bearkin joined by his spouse… Matilda, and his son of the same name. I believe you've also met them. Down the line, would be Rosa Firemane; the Tigerkin Countess… Who you have DEFINITELY met. Further down the line would be Leyla Greyjoy, the Foxwoman Viscountess who hath been widowed; joined by her daughter of the same name, who you have apparently no understanding of… Lastly, is Victor Lellion; the Armadillkin Baron joined by his spouse… Mellizah." [Orianna] explained with a nonchalant expression before continuing.
"Also… Is she just going to keep singing like this?" [Orianna] begged the question while tilting her head to the side and pointing toward the Weeping Angel.
"If I have anything to say about it, yes." [Nero] shot back while side-eyeing the eternally sobbing Wendel.
"It's a festival regardless of where you go, is it?" [Orianna] asked with a sigh.
"Preferably, yes." [Nero] exclaimed with a grin.
"There's always so much emotion when she's singing…" [Orianna] remarked while glaring at the Weeping Angel.
"Well, that's because she's always dying inside." [Nero] explained with a calculating expression.
"...Does she ever talk about it?" [Orianna] asked with eyes wide.
"Her feelings? No. She's quite resolute in keeping her torment to herself." [Nero] shot back with a serious expression.
"I can't help but wonder what pains her so…" [Orianna] mumbled.
"It's probably the steady accumulation of the littlest things. Sometimes, she breaks at the tiniest of things, like doing ANY sort of work not involving music… So I'm leaning in that direction." [Nero] confessed his own speculations while shrugging his shoulders.
"I see… So this is genuinely the one thing that she's intent on?" [Orianna] begged the question while furrowing her eyebrows.
"...Probably. She doesn't even overly enjoy Safari Cards... I've yet to find another situation that she's moderately pleased with." [Nero] groaned as if at a loss.
"...But does she ever seem excited about performing?" [Orianna] asked with eyes wide.
"Oh. Yeah~ She totally smiles sometimes… Though it's a very weak smile… And she cries regardless. I'd like to think that they're tears of joy when she smiles, but I'll likely never know for sure." [Nero] explained while thinking back on his relationship with Wendel.
"...Huh." [Orianna] let out.
"Welp… We're here. Ready?" [Nero] asked while gesturing toward the doors to Clive's establishment.
"...Ready?" [Orianna] asked while raising an eyebrow.
"You never really know what you're going to walk in on with this place…" [Nero] grumbled.
"...What? It's a Clothing Store, isn't it?" [Orianna] asked with an exasperated expression.
"Yeah… But just to be safe… Avert your eyes while I scout the scene." [Nero] shot back with eyes wide.
"...What?" [Orianna] let out, still clearly confused.
Welp… Here goes~ Opening the door… Oh jeez… I was met with a brutal scene, indeed. It would appear that a Flamingokin Woman and a rare Moosekin Woman are currently fighting over a dress… While a rogue Veronica is standing above a ridiculously large pile of bath towels, and fighting with one of the nearby workers… She's pissed. She's absolutely livid, that she hath still not obtained a level 8 towel; despite her ridiculous pile of purchases. Yikes. It's my fault on this one… But the dress situation is absolutely none of my business. Clive should start hiring security, or something!
"Is that… Veronica Vellisroi?" [Orianna] muttered under her breath.
"Welcome back, Nero! Here to drop off another shipment?" [Male Worker] asked with an innocent expression, as he utterly ignored the situations behind him.
"Hoh~ Nero's here, huhhhh?" [Veronica] let out, with a crazed look in her eyes to match that sadistic grin of hers.
"...I suppose I can do a little bit of restocking, but I honestly just came to check in on things~" [Nero] sighed.
"Oh, Nero… What an opportune moment, why… I was just in the neighborhood buying more of these FABULOUS towels when I realized that I STILL hadn't obtained one of the luxury ones that Leyla was flaunting just a week or two ago… Be a dear and fetch me one, would you? Oh, Orianna; was it? How marvelous to see you again~" [Veronica] explained her situation before pulling the Lionkin Queen off to the side and rambling off into a full-blown conversation regarding the luxury bath towel scandal that she had previously been accusing the workers of inciting.
"She coming in here often?" [Nero] mumbled while side-eyeing the Dutchess.
"Every two nights, at the very least." [Male Worker] whispered with eyes wide as he also side-eyed the Dutchess.
"How many towels are left?" [Nero] asked as one of his eyes began to twitch.
"We've got plenty… But it won't solve the issue…" [Male Worker] shuddered.
"Do you think she'll destroy the establishment if it goes on much longer?" [Nero] quietly begged the question.
"Not if she's sober… But she's been drinking more recently." [Male Worker] explained with a terrified expression.
"...Right. I'll solve it." [Nero] declared with a look of determination.
"Thank you." [Male Worker] whispered before embracing the Witch of War for WAY too long.
U-U-UHM?! Is this a hugging moment?!
"...You're welcome." [Nero] muttered while still being embraced by the employee whom meow appeared to be at great ease.
"We'll be paid in two nights, right?" [Male Worker] asked with a relieved sigh as he continued to grasp onto the Halloween Cat
...I suppose it's nearing that time of the week, huh? Maybe he's just short on Coin right meow?
"...Yeah." [Nero] replied with eyes wide as he grew less and less comfortable.
"Thank you…" [Male Worker] sighed before tightening his grip on the Halloween Cat.
...LET ME GO! What is WITH this freakin Beastkin?! I know that I've been a positive influence on this store… But was it really that bad?! Oh Janus… More of them are coming… It's a group hug, meow…
"It's been so exhausting…" [Female Worker] groaned.
Business been picking up?
"And cold… Every time the door opens, it's practically unbearable…" [Female Worker #2] sighed.
Oh… So it really WAS cold...
"...Nero's warm, though…" [Male Worker] muttered.
I guess I'm a Fire type, so nyah… But still? This has definitely been a solid minute or two meow...
"...And muscular~" [Female Worker #3 or 1] grumbled.
...There it is. My new form… I KNEW I was built!~ It's been proven.
"...And reliably kind…" [Male Worker #2] mumbled.
Awwwww… They only know the good side of me, I guess. Wait… Who's touching my butt? Stop. Don't CLUTCH! Wh-Wh… I feel so violated right meow... NOT MY FRONT, TOO!?
"WUH?!" [Female Worker] let out after a particular Halloween Cat began forcefully shirking each worker off of his body, one by one…
...It was Veronica. She must have noticed the group hug and slithered her way in to wreak more havoc… She's making an 'oopsies' face… Totally. DEFINITELY an accident, coming from her~ I still don't know who touched my butt, though…
"Haaahh… I heard that Nero was warm, so I just HAD to confirm it for myself~" [Veronica] confessed while avoiding eye contact as a smirk began to emerge.
"...Right." [Nero] shot back while squinting at the Dutchess, before glancing across the room to find Orianna who was nervously shrugging as she held a dress up to her body.
[A/N: This Novel is hosted 100% for free on both WebNovel and RoyalRoad. All of the Chapters are free, and will forever be made free. If you are not reading on either of the aforementioned platforms, then you are supporting a scraper that saw fit to steal free work. Please stop, and support the original author with your views and comments. Thank you for any support that you lend]
"If it's any consolation… I approve. You may meow date my daughter." [Veronica] frivolously declared. To which, a round of gasps erupt from the establishment.
...Damn.
"The Dutchess of Doom will wed the Halloween Cat?!" [Flamingokin Woman] let out, accidentally releasing her hold on a particular dress. To which, the Moosekin Woman achieved a flawless victory and quickly flagged down a nearby worker to finalize her purchase.
Masterful...
"Does that mean that the Vellisrois will become the next Monarchy?!" [Bearkin Man] begged the question with a frantic look in his eyes.
U-Uh… Orianna's got a twisted look in her eyes.
"Precisely~" [Veronica] chimed in with a snide expression before nudging the Halloween Cat and whispering…
"So, about that Bath Towel…" [Veronica] whispered while side-eyeing the crowd.
"Nero?!" [Orianna] let out through gritted fangs.
"...You can have it if you make this entire situation diffuse by the time that I return." [Nero] muttered while side-eyeing the Dutchess.
"Very well~" [Veronica] groaned before continuing…
"But wouldn't it be easier to just wed the girl?" [Veronica] begged the question while raising an eyebrow.
"To think… Cetilla, a Queen…" [Foxman] let out, with a dazed expression.
"She's too young, for starters…" [Nero] shot back with a look of exasperation.
"What would happen to Orianna, though?" [Tigerkin Woman] begged the question while facing a nearby Turtlekin Woman.
"Pfft… She's of age." [Veronica] remarked with a grin as she glared at the crowd.
"I'd assume that she would be executed. Her family already caused great turmoil for him… I'm honestly surprised that she's lasted this long under his rule~" [Turtlekin Woman] sighed.
"Hardly." [Nero] muttered while rolling his eyes.
"..." [Orianna] seemed heavily distraught as she glared around the room, seeking sympathizers.
"She has an old soul." [Veronica] explained while nodding her head and squinting her eyes.
"A Lionkin has been ruling us for as long as I can remember, though…" [Flamingokin Woman] remarked while visibly thinking.
"Veronica… Do you want the Towel or not?" [Nero] begged the question with a terrifying look in his eyes.
"But Catkin have always been at their side, so it's not too far of a leap; if you ask me~" [Moosekin Woman] explained while happily strolling by with her new dress.
"...I'll settle for either." [Veronica] sighed before shrugging her shoulders.
"Oi! Give that back!" [Flamingokin Woman] screamed while pointing toward the Moosekin Woman.
"...Imagine facing Leyla again without one, though~" [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders. To which, one of Veronica's eyes twitched.
"Too late! I paid for it~" [Moosekin Woman] shot back with a proud expression as she drew closer to the door. To which, the Flamingokin Woman gasped before turning to a worker.
"That lowly Viscountess…" [Veronica] muttered with a hateful expression.
"Come to a decision? You've got until the moment that Moosekin leaves~" [Nero] begged the question with a smirk.
"...WAIT! I was speaking in jest… Obviously, it's Nero's choice whether to wed my daughter or not… And Cetilla's far too young to be making such a serious decision anyways~" [Veronica] exclaimed with a frantic expression as she blocked the Moosekin Woman from leaving.
"...I thought she had already come of age like two years ago?" [Moosekin Woman] begged the question while tilting her head to the side.
"Poppycock! She came of age to… To… To Become an Adventurer and gain vast power so that she might one day return as an exemplary example of what a Vellisroi Dutchess should be. She'll come of age for MARRIAGE in one year~" [Veronica] explained frivolously while attempting to save her own fur. To which, Orianna seemed heavily relieved.
"...Huh." [Moosekin Woman] let out. To which, Veronica expertly moved to the side in order to allow the Moosekin Woman to leave.
"I can't believe I got my hopes up like that…" [Bearkin Man] groaned before beginning to carouse the shop once more.
"Talk about a let down…" [Turtlekin Woman] grumbled. To which, Orianna seemed utterly dismayed.
"...A year? Seriously? That's the best you could do?" [Nero] begged the question.
"Sh! Fetch me my Towel." [Veronica] shot back.
"Yes, mam~" [Nero] sighed before turning toward the staircase.
Glad that I escaped that disaster… No offense to Cetilla… She's cute and all… But I feel like it would be weird. She's been by my side this entire time… She's dedicated, for sure… She's certainly strong enough to continue being by my side without being put in danger… She's proved that much, but she still seems like a little girl to me. I don't know… Am I being too harsh on her? Does she actually deserve my promise to wed? Would she even WANT it?! Perhaps… Maybe… But at the same time, probably not? We're so different, she and I… Opposites apparently attract, but do they really? I mean… Come on~ I'm intent with saving as many lives as I possibly can, while she's intent on slaying as many lives as she possibly can. How can that work? Then again… It's been working, more or less. Not meow. I'll sleep on it, and if in a few years… If in a few years, she seems to be genuinely interested in me; then maybe. Do I even HAVE a few years, though?! It would probably have been optimal for me to have a child after achieving Tier 10 the second time… Even if I take things slowly as I intend to, it won't be a few years. It would be less. Janus would give his blessing, considering that he wants me to wind up with a Catkin… But there are other favorable Catkin for this particular scenario, no? Veronica is most certainly not an option. She's literally married, and nearly impossible to deal with. She's worse than Cetilla, I think. There must be… There needs to be another choice. It feels scummy to use Cetilla as my backup plan… But how do I convince myself to sleep with what I'd picture as a child? She's literally a Loli. I'd feel way too gross. Our timelines… They just don't connect that way. Not. One. Bit.
An old soul… Now that I think about it… Cetilla doesn't really act her age. Seriously… Given her appearance, the way that her and I interact with each other on a night to night basis… Our chemistry is way too strong for her to be as old as she appears. Should I… Should I ask Roah for her real age? Perhaps she's way older than she looks?! That's stretching things… Unless… Unless… UNLESS SHE'S LIKE ME?! No... Could it be? Is Cetilla actually [From Another World]?! No… She was brought up by Nobles. She's genuinely from a Noble family. If she were like me… She would be an orphan, right? Wait… There are quite a few orphans living in the Wailing Keep… Is it possible that one or two of them are also [From Another World]? Janus… I need answers. Janus? Janus hasn't been picking up lately… It's been like two whole nights since I last heard from him. Is he busy? Do Gods get busy? Hmm… Welp, I might as well greet Clive~
"Eh?! Nero… You weren't expected to arrive for at least another two nights… What brings you?" [Clive] let out with eyes wide as he dropped his quill.
"I was just dropping in… But then I encountered Veronica…" [Nero] confessed while rolling his eyes before taking a seat.
"Ah… She's back?" [Clive] asked with a tired expression.
"Yep… Long story short, I'm going to produce more clothing… With the goal of producing a level 8 Bath Towel." [Nero] groaned.
"She got to you, huh?" [Clive] shot back with a knowing expression.
"Yeah…" [Nero] dejectedly admit.
"It's a shame… I was hoping to wring another few hundred Gold Coins out of her, at the very least~" [Clive] sighed.
"Got any rooms for me to make clothes in? She's expecting her luxury grade Towel by the time I go back down the stairs." [Nero] asked while lowering his aviators.
"Try the furthest room on the next floor. If you need, the room across from it should also be free." [Clive] declared with a solemn look in his eyes.
"Thanks." [Nero] grumbled before taking a stand.
"Shall I add these new pieces to the ledgers?" [Clive] begged the question.
"Nah… Don't add them until we finalize this week's sales. Anything that comes of this shipment should be kept hidden for now." [Nero] shot back while waving as he left the room.
And so… I began working. Wendel's been casually singing this entire time. It's usually a thankless job… But now, more than ever… I appreciate it, Wendel. Very shortly into the clothing production while aiming for level 8 pieces… One of the lesser Scarecrows appeared while harboring my food. It was delightful. I ate as I made new pieces. The meal was exquisite. Far better than I had expected, that's for sure~ Mary's a professional. I savored every last bite… But sadly, I finished the meal far before I had finished the room. I say that… But I actually obtained a level 8 bath towel before I had even filled the room up to halfway. I obtained three, by the time I filled the entire room… Which set me back a baffling 270000 MP, give or take. I'll figure out the levels of the other pieces another time… I don't have it in me. We probably wasted an hour and a half making these clothes… But I can't really think of it as wasteful, considering that it will help fund the next shipment. The Cat's Costumery shall live on! One of the Towels was purple, while another was blue and white… The blue was designed as ocean tides, making it quite fashionable. Exclusive, if I must say~ The third Towel was black but had orange jack-o-lantern symbols adorning it in a polka-dott fashion. I decided to keep that one for myself, give the purple one to Clive, and saved the blue one for Veronica. She can't complain meow, as she has one of the most beautiful towels that I have ever conjured~ She'll be the talk of the town!
Clive seemed overjoyed to have a genuine level 8 towel in his clutches… Veronica seemed heavily distraught by how long I had taken… But she quickly changed her mind after attaining the towel of legend. I told her that it was the Tides of Tragedy Towel. Exclusive. One of a kind. None like it, in the entire world. A Legendary Level 8 Bath Towel. Leyla's got NOTHING on her meow~ Orianna seemed happy to finally be rid of the Dutchess, but I still wound up having yet another overly long group hug before vacating the premises. My butt was not safe this time either… The culprit was still on the loose. Among us… Somewhere, within Clive's pack. I couldn't help but shudder as the hug prolonged, and I lost my dignity a second time in that very same night… After escorting Orianna back to the Wailing Keep, I bid her farewell… To which, she seemed quite confused. The night was still young, but my wits were at an end. I needed rest. I was mentally, and physically defiled. It couldn't be helped.
When I had returned to the beach, perhaps sensing my decision to sleep… Some of my Clansmen arrived to report their findings to me. According to Penny, Grollicus could not be found. It's deeply worrying. Christina claimed that the Mousekin had not yet finished crafting the Paper, but she also decided that she didn't overly mind spending time with him. They're friends, or something. She hasn't had the time to find Cetilla yet. The Scarecrows were successful in feeding all of the Monster Knights… Well done, Scarecrows~ Conrad explained that he had found the bottles. They were actually being stored in the house JUST north of the designated storage house. It wasn't difficult for him to find, so he ended up spending the rest of his time helping Benji and the others gather Berries. In fact, he's going to continue that effort right this instant. A hard worker, that Crowli~ The others are probably all still working… The Monster Knights still at the beach were upset that I had returned so soon, I suppose that they had desired more time to train… But they don't understand. They don't understand the torment that I've been submitted to… I NEED the beach! I can't take another moment of this insane night… Looking up, it would appear that it's a full moon. It's all starting to make sense meow… It's just one of those nights, I suppose. A stupid night. Let's try again tomorrow~ Good morning...
"Oh, hey Nero~" [Roah] greeted while strolling up to the beach alongside Gluttatosk.
...Damn. Just as I was about to nod off...
"Hey, Roah..." [Nero] grumbled.
"Sleeping in your Catkin form?" [Roah] begged the question with eyes wide.
"That's unusual... He NEVER does that~" [Gluttatosk] remarked while tilting his absurd head to the side.
"I'm not feeling it, you guys..." [Nero] groaned while rolling his eyes.
"What's the problem?" [Roah] asked while taking a seat on one of the new chairs, directly in front of the Catkin attempting to sleep fully clothed in an empty bathtub under a particularly fanciful bath towel.
"...I'm overseeing a new Kingdom, the Slavemasters are particularly upset with me, as is the Baron, Lianix won't stop harassing me about procuring a Legendary Lantern, Lily's onto us, Veronica's an absolute pain, someone in Clive's troupe is infatuated with me, Grollicus went missing, Cetilla's probably off wreaking havoc while dragging Chartreuse and Prussian along AGAIN, the Elven Council has been far too quiet, Wendel's run out of songs to sing, I haven't fully earned the trust of the people yet I desperately need the Blood of several Unicornkin, I'm about to willingly lose all of my power, and I just spent over half of my remaining MP conjuring clothing." [Nero] explained before removing his aviators to let them hang on the edge of his bathtub.
"...So there are more than a few problems." [Gluttatosk] muttered before turning to face the (Hob)Goblin King with an expectant gaze.
"It sounds to me like you need a night to relax." [Roah] sighed with a smile.
"...How can I possibly relax in a time like this?" [Nero] begged the question with eyes wide.
"Well... It starts with good Food." [Gluttatosk] proudly declared while gazing off into the distance.
"...Or a lot of Alcohol." [Roah] chimed in with a thumb held high.
"Or a lot of good Food..." [Gluttatosk] grumbled.
"That won't really solve anything, though; now will it?" [Nero] asked with a smile.
"Who knows? Luck may be on our side~" [Roah] exclaimed with a grin.
"Ask Cetilla, you'll find that luck isn't necessarily my strong suit~" [Nero] shot back before winking.
"We've come this far, who's to say that we can't go a little bit longer?" [Roah] begged the question while raising his eyebrows. To which, the Halloween Cat sighed...
"...Fine. Let's get smashed." [Nero] groaned as he began to raise himself up from the bathtub.
"What about the Tides?" [Gluttatosk] asked as he glanced off toward the Ocean.
"Luna! Call them all back... I've decided to stay awake a little while longer." [Nero] beckoned while leaning over the tub and touching his Lantern before begging the question...
"So neither of you have heard from Grollicus or Cetilla?" [Nero] asked while furrowing his eyebrows.
"Not a peep~" [Gluttatosk] replied, as if proud of his own ignorance.
"Sorry... I could try asking around later, if you'd like?" [Roah] offered while shrugging his shoulders.
"...They'll turn up, right?" [Nero] asked with a look of skepticism.
"Cetilla will, though Grollicus is a new addition to the Monster Knights... It's hard to say with him." [Roah] said with a dejected expression.
"Cetilla will definitely show up." [Gluttatosk] reaffirmed Roah's opinion while nodding his head.
"Welp... Only time will tell, I guess." [Nero] muttered.
"About the Slavemasters though... Since you're so against slavery, why not just kick them out?" [Roah] suggested with a carefree expression.
"It's an option... I could probably fly them off to a different continent..." [Nero] grumbled while visibly thinking.
"Has Lianix learned how to conjure Fish yet?" [Gluttatosk] begged the question with eyes wide.
"...No?" [Nero] shot back while one of his eyes twitched.
"Then why does she think that she deserves a Legendary Lantern to hang out with?" [Gluttatosk] asked once more, as if the Legendary Broom simply weren't Legendary enough to warrant a companion of equal stature.
"...With that frame of logic, I'm sure that she'll learn soon~" [Roah] laughed while patting the Land Shark on the back.
"...By the way, do you know Cetilla's age?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.
"She's around 15 years old, why?" [Roah] asked while tilting his head to the side.
...So she's not older than she looks, unless she's [From Another World]...
"Is she [From Another World]?" [Nero] asked once more.
"...She made me promise to never share her abilities with you." [Roah] replied with a dejected expression.
...She's truly a mystery. Why does she even care about it, though?! Abilities are abilities, yo! Just spill the details!
"What did Veronica do, anyway?" [Roah] asked with a smirk.
"...She wants me to marry Cetilla. And... She's got a very strange way of showing it." [Nero] remarked as his eyes began to twitch once more.
"Ouuuuuuuu~" [Gluttatosk] let out, clearly infatuated with the story.
"Marrying Cetilla? Will you?" [Roah] asked while tilting his head to the side.
"I don't know... Probably not, but I'll definitely need to sleep with a Cat of some sort down the line..." [Nero] confessed while shrugging his shoulders. To which, the Monster Knights began to appear.
"Calling us back so soon... Talk about abuse~" [Vana] chimed in with a smirk.
"I know right... I was JUST starting a new game of Safari Cards when I got the call..." [Kendra] groaned.
"We can still play here, you know?" [Cycleo] offered.
"Nah... We'd probably lose the Cards." [Kendra] said with a dejected tone of voice.
"I'm just happy that we get to train again~" [Jon] declared with a smile as he raised his Pistol.
"That makes you the only one..." [Ben] grumbled.
"Nah, I'm willing to come back and give it my all!" [Lucius] shouted from a distance as he ran on up to the beach.
"Echo's not coming?" [Kendra] asked with eyes wide.
"She said... That she would spend some time with Mary instead." [Lucius] explained while panting.
"Aww..." [Cycleo] muttered.
"She was weak either way..." [Ben] groaned as he began to walk closer to the water.
"Maybe... But she was the only other woman for me to spend quality time with... No offense to Vana or Luna, but you're both usually too far away to talk to in the heat of battle." [Kendra] groaned.
"None taken~" [Vana] sighed before turning to Hugo and beginning to speak with him.
"...I really don't know why I'm here... None of these Monster Knights are even of Halloween." [Luna] groaned while facing Nero.
"...I... You're here to report back to me in the event that anything bad happens." [Nero] declared with a nervous smile.
"...Can't one of the Vampire Knights handle that?" [Luna] shot back with a tired look in her eyes.
"I would be honored!" [Steve] declared while puffing his chest out.
"No! Let me serve you, Luna!" [Mick] chimed in with a smile.
"Luna... Trust me, I'm the most suited for the job." [Andy] exclaimed while flexing his muscles.
"...Nero?!" [Luna] let out.
"Do it together~ Perhaps, practice your performances while you oversee the battle!" [Nero] replied with a thumb held high, leaving the Vampires to their devices.
"Ready to go?" [Roah] asked with a grin.
"Yosh!" [Nero] declared while pumping a fist.
"Food awaits!" [Gluttatosk] happily exclaimed.
And so, joined by Wendel... The three amigos set out on a journey... Our first stop was Clive's. We needed Coins, and I'd be damned if we were about to travel without Gold. So, on arrival to Clives... I conjured a new Hallowed Gate... And beckoned for the Scarecrows to assist me. We were aiming to exchange 100000 Silver Coins for a total of 100 Gold Coins. It seemed as though it were going to take awhile... We were using buckets, so that's just how it was~ Time consuming. I ordered the Scarecrows to make a steady stream of revenue, explained the situation to Clive... And to save OUR time, we hastily ditched them so that we could travel to Nidallia. Nothing beats Human Kingdom Alcohol. They make the best stuff. It's been confirmed. For sure~
We travelled all the way through the Lost Kingdom while joining in on Wendel's singing. Roah was riding Gluttatosk... While Wendel rode on the back of my Broom. We weren't moving too quickly, but we weren't slow either. We're big deals, you know the drift~ On arrival to the gates leading into the Human Kingdom... I hastily explained that I had absolutely no Coins on hand... Was declined entry... Whipped down a Pumpkin Bomb or two... And found myself being granted entry. It was like magic! Looking back... I'm not very much better than Cetilla. Sorry... But absolutely NO small-fry Kingdom Knight or massive wall is about to stop me in my quest for Alcohol. It's just not happening. Not over a shortage of a mere 200 Silver Coins... Not tonight, or any other night. Nope.
Arriving to Georgia's took us awhile. I always forget the exact location... Or she keeps relocating. It's difficult to say... But I'd like to think that she's always relocating, and it's not just my own terrible memory. While we travelled and gained all of way too many looks from those whom we had passed by... I noticed that more than a few different citizens shut their windows as we strut down the streets. Not only did they shut windows, but one store in particular blew out their candles. It was a whole thing... They were terrified of us. Genuinely... Terrified. I blame Cetilla. This one's not on me. I don't think it's my fault, okay? I'm quite certain that I'm not a bad enough Cat to warrant this reaction. Roah's definitely not the issue... He's a walking, green beefcake... He's the modern version of the H*lk. Gluttatosk is questionable. It might be Gluttatosk. It obviously can't be Wendel... Her voice is too perfect for HER to be the one being feared~
"Hey, what's poppin', Georgia?" [Nero] greeted after slamming the doors open to the slightly familiar Tavern.
"Well, well, well... Come back for more?" [Georgia] begged the question after ripping out her hair-tie and whipping her curly brown hair as she flung herself down over the counter and propped herself up by an elbow.
"Always." [Nero] shot back with a grin.
"And who might these three creatures be?" [Georgia] asked while raising an eyebrow as she began to smirk before pouring five shots.
"Georgia, I'd like you to meet..." [Nero] began to introduce his companions before being brutally interrupted...
"Roah, Nero's fourth Cat Crewman and the current (Hob)Goblin King..." [Roah] introduced himself with a grin while flexing his muscles.
"Gluttatosk, Nero's fifth Cat Crewman... Commonly referred to as Land Shark, but actually a Drarke." [Gluttatosk] introduced himself while stretching his ridiculously sculpted legs.
"Wendel, Nero's Clanswomen... The Weeping Angel who will be singing for you on this fine night." [Wendel] introduced herself while extending her wings with a tearful expression before breaking out into song once more.
...Did they all practice posing? Actually... It's better if I don't know.
"Nero... You keep some strange company... I like them." [Georgia] confessed as she watched in admiration at Wendel's tried and true talent.
"Georgia... We need a break for the night. Can you point us in the right direction for one hell of a time?" [Nero] begged the question as he lowered his aviators.
"How much of a break are you hoping for?" [Georgia] asked with a smirk while leaning in closer.
"Nero here is stressed out about the Kingdoms that he's been running. We need a genuine escape." [Roah] explained while seeming quite serious.
"We also need a LOT of food. The good stuff." [Gluttatosk] chimed in with a fiery look in his eyes.
"I think I know JUST what you're looking for." [Georgia] shot back before gesturing for the motley to follow her.
"She's good..." [Gluttatosk] let out with eyes wide.
"She always knows..." [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders.
"She's the one that's been supplying our festivals, right?" [Roah] begged the question while furrowing his eyebrows.
"Hoh, yeah... Georgia's the real deal." [Nero] nodded his head as he confirmed the (Hob)Goblin King's suspicions.
"Woah... There's so much!" [Roah] let out, totally mesmerized by Georgia's backroom.
"This puts our festivals to shame..." [Gluttatosk] muttered.
"You think THIS is a lot? Just wait until you see the cellar~" [Georgia] shot back while puffing her chest out.
"There's a cellar?" [Nero] begged the question with eyes wide. To which, Georgia moved a rug... Revealing a hidden door in the floor.
Holy... Sweet Janus... It's incredible. This... It's probably the size of her entire establishment... AND THERE ARE TWO FREAKING FLOORS! I'm losing it. Georgia has truly blown me away this time~ Roah and Gluttatosk both seem lost. Wendel's totally fine. Singing, as always~ It's probably because she can't get drunk... But this is ridiculous. My evaluation of Georgia just went up 10 whole notches. She's reached Legend status. According to Georgia, this is where the magic happens. She can produce Alcohol down here, as well as hold MUCH more in storage. She actually... MAKES her Alcohol. Some of it, anyways~ With Magic. Magic. MAGIC! MAGIC BOOZE, BABY! YOSH~! Georgia's technically an Alcohologist. It's a real thing. A Class. I'm jealous. I want to run a beer empire meow.
"This right here... Really good stuff. If you're buying just for the four of you... Then only 8 bottles should be enough to get you sent." [Georgia] explained with a grin while holding up a large bottle and gesturing to a shelf full of them.
"How much for each bottle?" [Nero] begged the question.
"5 Gold Coins." [Georgia] shot back with a smirk.
"We'll take 9." [Nero] declared with a grin.
"..." [Georgia] tilted her head to the side in confusion.
"Wendel doesn't drink. She's simply here to sing." [Nero] confessed while shrugging his shoulders.
"..." [Georgia] tilted her head even further to the side.
"I figure... If two bottles aren't enough to get us all shit-faced... Then we'd better go with three." [Nero] explained before adjusting his cap.
"I like your attitude... But these WILL do you in~" [Georgia] sighed.
"What about the food?" [Gluttatosk] begged the question.
"...I don't have amazing food, though?" [Georgia] explained while raising her eyebrows.
"He'll eat anything." [Nero] explained while side-eyeing the Land Shark.
"...Anything?" [Georgia] let out.
"Anything." [Roah] exclaimed while nodding his head.
"Heh... Okay~ I've got TONS of bread and soup upstairs~" [Georgia] sighed while shrugging her shoulders.
"Tons?" [Gluttatosk] asked while squinting his eyes.
"Tons." [Georgia] shot back as she nodded her head.
"We're all in." [Gluttatosk] declared with fiery eyes.
"Then it's settled~ Georgia, my Coins should be here soon. I needed to get them exchanged first... But there are so many... It's just going to take awhile. I'll go check up on it right now." [Nero] confessed with an embarrassed look in his eyes.
"Eh... You're good for it. I'll take you at your word. You sound as though you've been having a tough time since your festival... So I'll loan you each a bottle for now. Pay me back in full before the four of you leave though, got it?" [Georgia] sighed.
"You've got yourself a deal." [Nero] replied with a smile.
And so... We all went back up the stairs and found ourselves seats near the counter. We're going to hang out with Georgia for a bit. While we test out the new drinks~ Georgia, perhaps feeling like splurging... Decided to join us, and grabbed a bottle for herself. Raising them high, we made a toast. To the finer things in life. Yeah~ We toasted to the finer things in life. Twas mighty fine~ While we made our toast, I secretly ordered the Scarecrows to keep exchanging more Coins; beyond the 100 Gold Coin goal. While we spent our time with Georgia, we wound up explaining our situation in Reygid. All about how a particular Halloween Cat assassinated the former King, leading to our rule over Reygid... And about how I had met the three creatures surrounding me to begin with. It all started in a small Goblin Village... What started as an innocent dealing between a Goblin Chief and one Halloween Catkin child to secure a Common Broom and an Iron Lantern... And how it led to a few cullings resulting in the rise of that particular Drake and Weeping Angel... Among other creatures, and about a revolution in Reygid leading to the masses of Scarecrows being freed from slavery... And eventually, to the attack against my home; which inevitably led to the King's untimely demise. Georgia was enthralled by the tales, and by the end of our bottles... Honestly, she had learned quite a lot about me and my ragtag group of companions.
So much, that she felt obliged to share her own story. The story of how one Waitress rose above her boss, murdering him in his slumbers... And wound up owning a Tavern and becoming one of the most notable Tavernkeeps of Nidallia. She even told us about how she fell in love with a man who went by the name of Terrence. He was an adventurer, with one HECK of a gut... A wicked jawline... And a heavy Coin purse to boot~ It was love at first encounter. The two went on to have a child... A son, named Terry. Terry took after his mother, having green eyes and brown hair. He too, became an adventurer; but alas... Terrence perished on one of his adventures. He died while travelling to the Dragon Mountains. Terry grew up, swearing to become powerful enough to one day go to the Dragon Mountains... To confirm his father's death. He even succeeded. He saved up a whole lot of Coin, and managed to procure some rather pricey armor that helped him to survive in those treacherous Mountains. He went with a party, but he was the only one to return with his life. When he encountered the Dragons... He sought not to slay them, but to learn from them. He simply wanted to know what happened to his father, but he never learned the secret. Georgia believed that Terrence simply could not handle the heat... And the Dragons agreed with her assumption, so Terry returned. He's still out there, adventuring to this very night; though Georgia has no idea just what he's doing exactly. He doesn't check in very often, but she has faith that he's still kickin'.
After hearing of Georgia's tale, one of the Scarecrows appeared to inform me that they had collected 150 Gold Coins... And so I decided to cancel the gate leading to Clive's. Replacing it with one in the streets in front of Georgia's Tavern... I promised to return shortly, and I did. Carrying two buckets filled with Gold Coins, I thanked the Scarecrows and cancelled my Gate. After paying Georgia 50 Gold Coins to make up for Gluttatosk's insane stomach and the remaining 6 bottles... We bid her farewell. She wished us good luck with our ruling of Reygid, and with our night. We wished her good fortune, and that Terry would soon return home. Georgia's good people.
"So, what now?" [Roah] asked before taking a swig of his second bottle.
"More food?" [Gluttatosk] suggested with a smile as he casually held his bottle in his mouth without drinking from it.
"...Want to go to a Brothel?" [Nero] begged the question.
"Will there be food?" [Gluttatosk] shot back while squinting his eyes.
"Most likely, yes?" [Nero] sighed.
"I'm in. You?" [Gluttatosk] declared before turning to face Roah.
"...I guess." [Roah] groaned before taking another swig.
"Ayyyy~" [Nero & Gluttatosk] let out before taking swigs of their own bottles.
"Have anywhere particular in mind?" [Roah] asked as he tilted his head to the side.
"Well... There's a place in the Savage Lands..." [Nero] suggested while shrugging his shoulders.
"Is it any good?" [Roah] shot back while raising an eyebrow.
"It's alright." [Nero] sighed.
"...What about Harpies?" [Gluttatosk] offered while tilting his head to the side.
"...What?" [Roah & Nero] let out.
"You didn't know? There's a spot in the Chasms where some of the Harpies like to mess around in exchange for food." [Gluttatosk] explained with eyes wide.
"...Sounds depressing." [Nero] muttered.
"Actually... Some of the Goblinas also do that for Hooch." [Roah] confessed while shrugging his shoulders.
"...How do you not have children yet?" [Nero] begged the question with a baffled expression.
"Eh? They use protection spells, obviously..." [Roah] explained while shaking his head.
"...Protection spells?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.
"Yeah, [Barrier] could probably be used the same way... But it's not as though you could be impregnated~" [Roah] explained with a smirk.
"...Maybe the Forest of Witches also has a Brothel?" [Nero] muttered while visibly thinking.
"It's possible..." [Roah] sighed.
"On second thought... They're probably too stuck up." [Nero] groaned.
"What about Reygid?" [Gluttatosk] asked with eyes wide.
"Doubtful... I feel as though I would have encountered it by now..." [Roah] grumbled.
"Guess that the Savage Lands are the way to go~" [Nero] declared.
"Why do I even need to be here for this?" [Wendel] let out, abruptly halting her performance.
"...You can leave if you want," [Nero] began to explain, but in the midst of his sentence... The Weeping Angel disappeared.
"...Talk about rude~" [Gluttatosk] sighed.
"Yeah that was pretty mean of her..." [Roah] muttered.
"Total buzz kill." [Nero] agreed while nodding his head.
"Then again... Do we really need to go to a Brothel?" [Roah] begged the question before taking a swig of his bottle.
"No one ever NEEDS to go to a Brothel..." [Nero] explained with a smirk before taking a sip of his bottle.
"Then how about a Casino?" [Roah] offered with a smirk.
"We've been through this... My luck is terrible!" [Nero] shot back with teary eyes.
"It's a full moon... Anything can happen~" [Roah] sighed while raising his eyebrows.
"Oh, hey... Look at that. It totally is~" [Gluttatosk] let out, as he finally realized.
"...Fine. Casino night..." [Nero] groaned before taking a swig of his bottle.
And so, we made our way back to Reygid. They've got a Casino. From what I can tell, it's a pretty popular place. Who knows? Maybe there will be strippers! Go-go dancers?! Maybe?! I don't know... I barely made it past the front entrance last time~ As we travelled, Roah decided to ride on the back of my Broom. Gluttatosk was running below us, though I kept pretty close to the ground; for his sake. I'm a good guy, after all~ We wound up running into a little bit of trouble at the wall leading back into the Lost Kingdom... But it was nothing that the Land Shark couldn't handle. He's grown up so fast... We all have. Then again... I think the Knights blocking our path were there to help rescue those previously burnt in the midst of a particular Pumpkin Bomb... So it wasn't as though we were facing an army or anything. Pretty casual stuff. Honestly... I don't fully understand why the Humans see fit to mess with us. It's probably just Cetilla's fault. She's to blame. It's been decided. The Cat hath spoken!
When we were passing through the Lost Kingdom... We decided to take a stop at the Delhn Lake. For old time's sake. We had a little bit of a water fight, but the Banshees and Phantasms TOTALLY took it upon themselves to spend time with us too. Betty, Milton, and Rei were the ones mainly speaking to us. The others haven't quite warmed up to me yet, probably. Rei was wondering where Cetilla went... But we didn't know. She was utterly dismayed to learn that Cetilla had gone missing, but it was mostly on account of how Cetilla didn't bring Rei along. She stormed off in a fit of rage. Milton did his best to console Rei off in the distance... While Betty started talking about how she had been surprised over our decision to NOT go to the Brothel. Betty gets it. She knows. She knows the joys of Brothels, and she's not ashamed in the slightest. She even offered to sing for us the next time that we went, and I needed to raise my evaluation of Betty. SHE'S willing to sing in Brothels, Wendel! Learn from Betty! While we dried off from Gluttatosk's incredible win in the fight... We spoke of the finer things in life.
"Nero, would you like to tell us more about your previous life?" [Roah] begged the question with a smile.
"...Oh. That's a good question... Honestly, I haven't thought too much about my past life in a very long time..." [Nero] replied with eyes wide.
"Was it terrible?" [Gluttatosk] asked while glaring off into the distance.
"I'm all here for this~" [Betty] sighed with a hysterical look in her eyes.
"U-Uhm... Where do I start?" [Nero] asked with a look of uncertainty.
"...The beginning, I guess~" [Roah] said while placing a hand on the Halloween Cat's shoulder, as if to reassure him.
"Well... I was a Human. Where I come from, other creatures don't talk. Drakes, Goblins, and Banshees don't exist at all... But it's not as though there aren't tales of them." [Nero] explained while glancing up at the moon before taking a swig.
"No Drakes?!" [Gluttatosk] let out, with a bewildered expression.
"None. Some believe that they may have existed ages ago... But it's all heresay. If they did, then it would make sense that the Humans had killed them all off." [Nero] replied with a weak smile.
"No Banshees sounds like a good thing... Being resurrected like this kind of sucks, if you ask me." [Betty] sighed.
"Haha... There's no magic, either. Everything was very plain, and oftentimes boring. Things were slower." [Nero] explained while watching the dozens of Banshees and Wraiths off in the distance.
"No magic, and a lot of Humans... Huh." [Roah] muttered with a frown before taking a swig.
"I was raised by my mother. It was a common thing, a lot of people went through it. My father hadn't died... But he just wasn't around. My mother worked a lot, to help afford us the life that we lived. She was probably tired, so we didn't spend as much time together as we wanted to. She was so tied up in trying to raise me while juggling her work, that the two of us never really got too close." [Nero] explained as a tear began to form in his eye.
"So you weren't friends?" [Gluttatosk] asked with eyes wide.
"I went to a school, and made my friends there. A few schools, actually... It felt as though I was always making new friends, as we kept moving every few years. Because we were always going to a new place, the friendships that I had made never amounted to very much. I tried... I would spend a lot of my spare time trying to strengthen my friendships, as if that would somehow ensure that I wouldn't lose them the next time that we moved." [Nero] explained before shrugging his shoulders.
"It must be weird to start in one place, and find yourself in a completely different one often." [Roah] muttered under his breath.
"Before I knew it, I was off on my own and working to afford myself a life as well. By that time... Whatever little time that I had previously possessed to spend time with my mother had disappeared. We were both busy... So rather than try to find time for each other, I started going to festivals where I could make new friends; potentially ones that might last... As I would no longer be forced into moving around." [Nero] explained while looking down into the sand as he ran a finger around in it.
"Did you..? Make new friends?" [Gluttatosk] asked with eyes wide before taking a swig.
"...Yeah. Most of them didn't amount to very much... Except for Anna. Anna and I had met each other at quite a few different festivals... It seemed as though we were destined to meet. Eventually... She decided to hold her own festival, and asked me to help her host it. We spent a lot of time planning it together, and it turned out to be an incredible night. I'll certainly never forget it~ The two of us decided to keep on doing it; every single year... On Halloween night." [Nero] explained as he looked up into the sky.
"...Halloween night?" [Betty] asked while furrowing an eyebrow.
"In my old life... The Holiday clans weren't a thing... But the Holidays still existed. Rather than a group of creatures, it was a single night or day of the year... Every year, on that particular night... Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentines... You name it. There were TONS of Holidays. They were special times, when people often celebrated in various ways." [Nero] explained with a weak smile.
"What happened to Anna?" [Roah] asked while tilting his head to the side.
"After awhile of holding our festivals together... The two of us got an offer to help host a couple's wedding. It went well, so the two of us began to work as Wedding Planners together. People would pay us to hold their parties, I suppose. We became colleagues, but remained as very good friends throughout it all. I don't know what she's doing... But I have a feeling that she's still out there, back in my old world... Planning more festivals." [Nero] explained with a smile.
"What about your Mother?" [Betty] asked with eyes wide.
"She's probably alive as well... I think... I think I died too soon." [Nero] muttered as a tear fell from his eye.
"...How did you die?" [Gluttatosk] asked with a confused expression.
"Not a clue... I didn't ask Janus, though I probably could." [Nero] sighed.
"Why not just ask him right now?" [Roah] begged the question with a smirk.
"...He hasn't been answering me lately. I think he's busy." [Nero] groaned.
"Wait a second... Were there Bandsmen in your old festivals?" [Betty] asked while squinting her eyes.
"Eh? Uhh... Sometimes? Mostly, no. We used something similar to Scaraoke machine monsters... They actually sang the words for us, though." [Nero] explained with a look of uncertainty.
"That's weird..." [Betty] muttered.
"Well, the thing is... All of the songs that the Scaraoke machine monster knows of... They were all songs that had been played at some of our old festivals. They were originally written by other people, who had practiced and honed their skills... Becoming quite famous in my old world." [Nero] explained with a smile.
"...Huh." [Roah] let out with a baffled expression.
"Wait. Who's better at performing them, though?" [Betty] begged the question.
"It's all about preference, probably... But I think that the Bandsmen have performed them admirably." [Nero] reassured the Banshee with a thumb held high.
"To think... Nero's like a total legend in terms of holding festivals~" [Gluttatosk] sighed before taking a swig.
"I wouldn't go that far~" [Nero] laughed before taking another drink.
"Just how many festivals did you even hold?" [Roah] asked with a smirk.
"I've lost count." [Nero] sighed with a nervous expression.
"Legend." [Roah] shot back while nodding his head.
"Screw off..." [Nero] slammed back while stifling a laugh. To which, all three Cat Crewmen drank.
"Betty, it's been nice; but we've got some Food to find in Reygid." [Gluttatosk] declared while glaring off into the distance.
"See ya~" [Betty] sighed before floating away to rejoin the other Wraiths.
"So, what do you want to play when we get there?" [Roah] asked with a smile while getting to his feet before extending a hand to help hoist the Halloween Cat up.
"...Dice." [Nero] replied with a grin before taking his hand and getting to his feet.
"Hoho~ Ditching Safari Cards?" [Gluttatosk] asked with eyes wide.
"Safari Cards are fine... But we can't play them with three." [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders before grabbing his Broom, Lantern, and buckets.
"We probably could..." [Roah] grumbled while furrowing his eyebrows.
"Want to make something up?" [Nero] asked with a smirk.
"Could be fun~" [Roah] sighed.
"At this point... We might as well just go to the Wailing Keep~" [Nero] shot back with a sigh.
"I wonder if Mary's still awake..." [Gluttatosk] muttered under his breath.
"THIS late in the night? Doubt it." [Roah] remarked while rubbing his chin.
"Never know... Echo was keeping her company~" [Nero] exclaimed with a smile before offering his hand for the (Hob)Goblin King to ride with him on Lianix.
"If you put it that way... She just might." [Roah] sighed before taking Nero's hand.
"She better be... I'm STARVING~" [Gluttatosk] groaned.
"You're insatiable." [Nero] shot back while squinting his eyes.
"I prefer the term 'invested'." [Gluttatosk] replied before taking a swig.
"Pfft... It's your appetite that almost caused our downfall in the Mummy Mansion, you know~' [Roah] remarked with a smile.
"Eh?" [Gluttatosk] let out with a confused expression.
"It's true. We almost didn't even make it out of there, if I'm being honest." [Nero] explained while nodding his head.
"If it weren't for the Scarecrows' valiant sacrifices... I don't think we would have." [Roah] remarked as the Broom began to move.
"Eh?!" [Gluttatosk] let out, absolutely baffled to have not been fully informed on the ordeal.
"It was a ridiculous battle... I thought I was going to lose my mind by the end of it." [Nero] sighed.
"Even though we didn't need sleep, it was still exhausting." [Roah] added.
"I worry about our inevitable return to that wretched place..." [Nero] groaned.
"We're going to return?" [Gluttatosk] asked.
"Eventually... Yeah. The Sphinx is still living, after all~" [Nero] sighed.
"Would it be okay if my Potamin Crabs came upstairs to hang out when we got back to the Keep?" [Gluttatosk] asked with eyes wide.
"Don't see why not..." [Nero] muttered.
"They're actually kind of cute." [Roah] confessed with a sigh.
"Really?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.
"Yeah, I like the way that they scuttle around." [Roah] explained.
"Wait until you see the new trick I taught them~" [Gluttatosk] exclaimed with a proud voice.
"...Eh?" [Nero] let out.
"It's a surprise! Don't ruin it by asking now!" [Gluttatosk] shot back.
...Did I just...? No... Wait...
"...Roah?" [Nero] let out with a frightened voice.
...It twitched.
"...Yeah?" [Roah] asked quietly.
"Would you... Happen to be turned on right now?" [Nero] asked with a frightened voice.
"Oho?" [Gluttatosk] exclaimed while glancing up toward the duo.
...It twitched AGAIN!
"AH~ Sorry... I didn't mean to... It's just involuntary, should go away soon on its own." [Roah] explained very quickly.
...BUT WHY IS IT TWITCHING?!
"...Maybe adjust it so that it's not poking into me?" [Nero] begged.
"Hah~" [Gluttatosk] laughed.
"Yeah, no problem! Sorry about that... It's just a natural impulse." [Roah] apologized before adjusting his rod.
"I'd bet it's RIGHT casual, too." [Gluttatosk] chimed in with a snide voice.
"...I understand that it's natural... But perhaps if you weren't sitting so closely and holding my waist so tightly... Then maybe it wouldn't happen?" [Nero] begged the question.
"I can't help myself... You both move so quickly... I don't want to fall off!" [Roah] explained with a nervous voice.
"Hey Nero... How big is it?" [Gluttatosk] asked while stifling his own laughter.
"Bigger than your hands, Gluttatosk!" [Nero] shot back with an irritated expression. To which, Gluttatosk gasped while facing the duo before running into a tree.
"ACK!" [Gluttatosk] let out as he began to be left behind.
"Sorry about that, Nero... You just... Have a really nice body, and I suppose that mine began to act on its own." [Roah] apologized with a sincere voice.
"It's... It's fine... I'd feel more comfortable if you didn't compliment my body in the midst of your apology, though~" [Nero] shot back with a sigh.
"...Right. It's mostly just how supple your butt is, though. I can't help but feel it when I ride behind you." [Roah] confessed with a sigh.
"YOU'RE NOT HELPING THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW BY OVER-EXPLAINING IT!" [Nero] slammed back with an exasperated expression.
"Sorry... I can walk, if you'd like?" [Roah] offered with a nervous voice.
"Honestly... This night can't get any weirder~" [Nero] grumbled.
"So... Yes, on the walking?" [Roah] asked.
"Nah, you're fine now that you've adjusted." [Nero] sighed.
"Oh, okay." [Roah] sighed before strengthening his grip on Nero's waist once more.
"Honestly though, this entire ordeal begs the question... Are you into men?" [Nero] asked while squinting his eyes.
"...Eh?" [Roah] let out.
"It's fine if you are... I don't overly care, I'm just curious; I guess." [Nero] explained with a calm voice.
"Goblins usually pursue whatever's most cute. Goblinas usually pursue whatever's most tough. Gender doesn't really play a huge role in the matter~" [Roah] explained before letting out a nervous laugh.
"...Am I cute?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide.
"Your new form has its perks... But your old form was better." [Roah] confessed with a nonchalant voice.
"...That's gross." [Nero] shot back while twitching an eye.
"How so?" [Roah] begged the question.
"My old form was the equivalent of a child..." [Nero] grumbled.
"Yet you never acted like one... Not even once." [Roah] shot back.
"You're telling me that you're into me?" [Nero] asked.
"Would that be so wrong?" [Roah] asked with a laugh.
"...I guess not? It's not as though you've ever made a move on me..." [Nero] sighed.
"Can I?' [Roah] asked with a casual tone of voice.
"No, thank you for your candor; though." [Nero] replied.
"Figured as much... You never seemed to be the type that was open to that sort of thing~" [Roah] sighed.
"Honestly... I've tried it, a couple of times in my past life... It's not the worst, but it's not exactly what I need right now; you know?" [Nero] confessed while watching the stars.
"You need a child... I can't give that to you, so I understand." [Roah] sighed.
"Thank you." [Nero] replied with a smile.
"But what about after you have a child?" [Roah] begged the question.
"Don't you think it would be incredibly rude of me to be with you and neglect the mother to my child?" [Nero] shot back while stifling a laugh.
"...Who said anything about neglect? Being with multiple creatures is quite common." [Roah] sighed.
"...Eh?" [Nero] let out with eyes wide.
"Did you know that Grenda and Cloaked Monk wanted me to join them?" [Roah] confessed.
"No, actually... I hadn't the slightest clue." [Nero] exclaimed with eyes wide.
"Sooo?" [Roah] asked.
"...We'll see." [Nero] sighed as he glanced up at the sky.
"I'd make sure to keep you, your woman, and child safe? I'd treat you all well~" [Roah] offered with a calm voice as he leaned his head over Nero's and looked down to meet the Halloween Cat's gaze.
"Roah..." [Nero] muttered as he gazed back into the (Hob)Goblin King's orange eyes.
"Yeah?" [Roah] asked quietly as he held firmly to Nero's waist.
"We'll see." [Nero] shot back with a tired expression.
"Can't blame me for trying~" [Roah] sighed.
"Ah~ We've reached the gates. Shall we wait for Gluttatosk here?" [Nero] begged the question.
"Sure." [Roah] agreed.
"He really slowed down after that tree, huh?" [Nero] asked while smirking.
"Did you see his face when he slammed into it?" [Roah] asked while stifling a laugh.
"I thought he might lose a fin!" [Nero] burst out laughing.
And so, Roah and I sat atop the gates while watching the stars and drinking more of our second bottles as we awaited the Land Shark's return. He put his arm around my shoulder, and I let him. Roah's one of my best friends... Just because he's into me, it doesn't change that fact. Honestly... If Roah's serious about becoming one of my suitors, then so be it. Roah, by my side until the day that I die... I can live with that. I'm more than a little nervous about actually doing the deed with him, though... He's HUGE! In my past life... I had never been on the receiving end. I don't really know what to expect, but pain is more than likely. It'd probably be beyond painful... But given all that he's gone through by my side... Given the fact that I probably owe him my very life... I feel as though he deserves a chance, at the very least. If he can stick around and be my friend beyond me having a child with another, and STILL want to be with me in that way... Without having already found himself a lover of his own to replace me with... Then who am I to selfishly reject him? If he intends to keep my child safe, as if it were his own... To dedicate his Kingdom to my crusade... Staking all of their lives in his quest to gain my favor... I can't say no. Not forever, anyway. Honestly, I DO feel safer having him around. I feel happier in his presence. I'd feel more assured to have him keeping my child safe, as well. If I die before my child, then he or she would be in good hands under Roah's care. I can genuinely say that he holds my trust. More so, than damn near anyone else in this world. Really... I don't know if I trust ANYONE as much as I trust Roah. He'd be a good father. A great one.
When Gluttatosk returned, he made some sour remark towards us; but was silenced at the thought of food. Yes. The sooner that we return to the Wailing Keep, the sooner that we can learn of Mary's status. Is the Chef awake, or nah?! Stay tuned to find out, Land Shark~ Making our way back to the Wailing Keep, we encountered a rogue Rudou; stumbling about in the streets. He was drunk as well, so we offered him a chance to come with us and join in our game of Dice~ He happily accepted, and so our Cat Crew grew one more tail. Roah got another hard one while we travelled... But this time, I stayed silent. He must have noticed my decision, as he strengthened his grip on my waist before leaning in to whisper in my ear... He thanked me.
"I can never get over how rem-arkable this Keep is... What's it called again?" [Rudou] exclaimed while stumbling on up to the Keep doors.
"The Wailing Keep~" [Roah] explained with a proud voice before kicking open the large black steel doors to reveal the extravagance of the Foyer.
"Y-You ever swing... From that Chandelier f-for fun?" [Rudou] asked with a haughty expression.
"Rita does, all the time." [Gluttatosk] sighed while seeming dejected.
"Why don't you...?" [Rudou] begged the question.
"I can't reach..." [Gluttatosk] groaned while seeming heavy distraught.
"Mary~ Are you awake?" [Nero] shouted while leaning into the Kitchen.
"She's not here..." [Roah] muttered.
"WHAT?!" [Gluttatosk] gasped while being lifted by the drunken Rudou beneath the Chandelier before kicking off of Rudou's face and running straight into the Kitchen before continuing...
"What do you mean she's NOT HERE?!" [Gluttatosk] screamed hysterically as he scanned the Kitchen for Catkin.
"I know right... Even I was starting to hope for a late night meal..." [Roah] grumbled while visibly thinking.
"Where could she have gone?!" [Gluttatosk] begged the question with a look of dismay.
"I know what to do..." [Nero] whispered while furrowing his eyebrows before continuing...
"Scarecrows! Find the 6th Cat Crewoman!" [Nero] beckoned while raising his Lantern. To which, numerous Scarecrows appeared from the depths of the Lantern; bowed... And then began to march away into the Dining Hall or out into the City.
"Woaaahh~ Watching them appear like that is always so mesmerizing..." [Rudou] let out while in awe of the orange flames erupting from Nero's Lantern. To which, Nero with a smirk.
"Nero, I can't thank you enough... With the Scarecrows on the job, she'll be found without issue!" [Gluttatosk] exclaimed with a look of excitement.
"Expertly done, if I do say so myself~" [Roah] chimed in with a smile.
"Awww~ Stop... You're going to make me blush, you guys~" [Nero] shot back while stifling a laugh before taking a swig of his third bottle.
"What's that?" [Rudou] asked while tilting his head to the side.
"Oh, this? Nero got them for us from Nidallia~" [Gluttatosk] replied before taking another swig of the bottle that's been casually hanging from his mouth this entire time.
"It's apparently quite high grade stuff, set me back 5 Gold Coins a bottle~" [Nero] explained before winking.
"C-Can I... Take a sip?" [Rudou] asked with eyes wide.
"Eh... Sure." [Nero] agreed before handing the bottle to Rudou.
"...Oh... This is amazing! Can we sell this?!" [Rudou] begged the question with a look of excitement after taking a sip and handing the bottle back to Nero.
"I don't see why not... But she doesn't keep very many of them at any given time, so it's probably difficult to get too much in one sitting." [Nero] confessed with a nervous expression.
"Nero? You were looking for me?" [Mary] asked after having appeared from the Dining Hall alongside Echo, the Geckokin.
"Oh... She was in the Dining Hall all along~" [Nero] sighed.
"We want Food." [Gluttatosk] bluntly explained.
"Please. He meant to say please." [Roah] chimed in with a nervous smile.
"Eh... You want to come help me fix that mongrel up something?" [Mary] asked while facing Echo.
"Nyeh... Okay~" [Echo] sighed while shrugging her shoulders.
"You're the best, Mary." [Nero] exclaimed with a smile.
"I know~" [Mary] sighed while walking back into the Kitchen.
"Oh... Are these the Children?" [Rudou] asked as he gestured into the Dining Hall.
"...Yep." [Nero] replied after taking a peek for himself.
"Sure are a lot of them, don't you think?" [Rudou] asked with a smirk.
"Yeah... I don't even know how many there are at this point." [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders as he began to walk into the Dining Hall.
"Agh! It's the big bad Cat man! Everyone, RUN!" [Cindy] screamed in horror as she pointed toward a particular Witch of War before a flock of children all began to hysterically scream as they made their way toward the basement.
"...Friendly bunch." [Rudou] said while stifling a laugh.
"...The best." [Nero] shot back with a tired expression.
And so... The four of us took our seats near the far end of the excessively long, middle table. I was in the Master Seat, obviously~ Roah was on my left, Gluttatosk on my right... And Rudou sat beside Roah. Thankfully, a few dice were left on the table. We decided to take two for our game. They were six-sided, and the rules were as followed... Rolling a 1 meant 100 points. Rolling a 5 meant 50 points. Rolling doubles on 1 meant 1000 points. Doubles on 2 meant 200, 3 meant 300... And so forth. The first Cat to reach 5000 points would be the winner... Although if you were to go over, then you would need to wait for your next turn. There was one more catch. If you rolled a 5 or a 1, or a double for that matter... Then you could roll again if you desired. If you failed on your second or third roll, then you lost all your points for that given turn. Also, if you wanted to start having your points recorded; then you needed at least 300 points to get on the board. It was a simple game, though we enjoyed it thoroughly as we awaited our feast. Rudou wound up winning, becoming the very first Dice King. Gluttatosk took second place, with a whopping 4750 points. It was a close match. I had 3600 points, and Roah finished with 2100 points; as he had terrible luck with getting on the board to begin with. Thankfully, Rudou happened to be carrying some paper and a magical Quill which never ran out of ink. It made keeping score MUCH simpler that way~ According to the Merchant, he ALWAYS keeps his Quill and at least one sheet on paw. Incase of emergencies. He's a Merchant, so I decided not to question his logic.
We were just about to start our second game, when Echo and Mary returned with the feast... Feeling festive, we decided to invite them to join us in our game; which they happily accepted. After filling them in on the rules, they picked up quickly. We had a wonderful time while eating our Fish and testing our luck~ Echo always liked to keep rolling, even if her points for that round were optimal... So she finished in last place, though we were all on the edge of our seats when she cashed in 850 with one turn. She even managed to roll snake eyes, and a double six... But those three turns wound up being her only wins. She finished with 2450 points. Roah wound up getting an eye catching 3600 points, and Mary had gained 4050~ Gluttatosk earned 4200, Rudou took 4650... And I actually won. That's right~ I WON! WHO'S THE DICE KING NOW, SUCKERS?!
By the time that we had finished our second game, night had come to an end... So I conjured a little bit of more Candy, and decided to spend some time counting my Coins while the others started the third round. Rudou offered to help me convert them to Gold Coins, which was an absolute godsend. Taking him to my Treasure Room, the two of us sat down and handled the funds. I added the remaining Gold Coins in my buckets to the piles, and by the end of it... I learned that we possessed a total of 1472 Gold Coins, and 440 Silver Coins. Not too shabby... Whatsoever. Also, I have 67 buckets. I was able to fit all of the Gold Coins into 17 buckets... And the Silver Coins fit into 5. Of all my buckets, only 6 of them have Candy... But I also have a large bag filled with Candy, so it's not as though I'm dry or anything. I decided to try and fill the empty buckets, but even after doing so... The bag still had a considerable portion of Candy left. Feeling relieved to have finally sorted out the inventory... I thanked Rudou for his help before the two of us walked through the Throne Room to rejoin the others.
"You know... I've almost finished selling all of the products obtained from our little trip to Monastazia... If you'd like, I can come by tomorrow night to give you your cut of the profits~" [Rudou] sighed.
"Eh? It's fine if you wait until you've finalized the sales." [Nero] said with a carefree expression.
"Are you sure? 1472 Gold Coins may seem like a lot... But you of all people should know that it can be gone in the blink of an eye..." [Rudou] asked while seeming worried.
"Sometimes, I think you may have forgotten that I've come from nothing... It's not as though I've always been wealthy... Even if I DO spend it all away, it's not as though I can't just earn it all back..." [Nero] shot back with a grin.
"Well, that's true... Your business with Clive is the talk of the Reygid, you know; everyone's heard of the wares that you've been selling. Why... Even I wear your clothes from time to time~" [Rudou] sighed.
"Diggin' the Cat's Costumery, huh?" [Nero] asked with a smirk.
"The... Cat's Costumery?" [Rudou] asked while tilting his head to the side.
"It's just what I like to call my clothing brand~" [Nero] explained with a slight giggle.
"It's catchy... Maybe you should have Clive put a sign up for it~" [Rudou] suggested with a smile.
"Hmmm... Maybe. I wouldn't want to take away from his name, though. If he hadn't originally owned the store, then I wouldn't have had the opportunity to sell him my wares~" [Nero] confessed.
"You're too modest. No one in their right mind would refuse to sell your clothes..." [Rudou] exclaimed while furrowing his eyebrows before continuing...
"Have you considered opening up a second branch?" [Rudou] begged the question with eyes wide.
"Yeah, but I don't really know where to sell them... The Humans in Nidallia haven't seemed very fond of me lately, and the Witches are still... Bitches." [Nero] laughed while shrugging his shoulders.
"Monastazia's a pretty good option, wouldn't you agree?" [Rudou] suggested with a smirk.
"It's not as though I dislike the idea of doing business in Monastazia... But honestly, with how things are meow... I wouldn't want to give their wealthiest of individuals any more power than they currently possess." [Nero] explained while furrowing his eyebrows.
"Oh? Hoping to stage another revolution?" [Rudou] asked with eyes wide.
"In the future... But I'm far too busy right now." [Nero] sighed.
"Can't be easy to lead the Lost Kingdom, AND the Beast Kingdom..." [Rudou] nonchalantly exclaimed.
"Yeah, adding another that's off the continent to my list so soon would just be reckless." [Nero] exclaimed while nodding his head.
"That's what I like about you... You're always thinking ahead. Like a true Businessman~" [Rudou] confessed with a smile.
"Don't flatter me~" [Nero] giggled.
"Speaking of thinking ahead... What do you intend to do with all those children?" [Rudou] begged the question.
"I'd like them to be taught... But honestly, their futures are their own to decide. I want them to have their own choices in the matter. I won't be using them as an army for the future unless they personally choose to enlist as Monster Knights." [Nero] confessed with a serious expression before taking a swig.
"How very admirable... And here I was, hoping that you'd put them to work~" [Rudou] laughed.
"That would be too ruthless..." [Nero] laughed.
"Almost as ruthless as the moment that you dropped the Monarch's head down those steps for all of Reygid to see~" [Rudou] added with a smirk.
"I'm not perfect... But I'm supposed to be representing kindness... I figure that I might as well do one or two good deeds along the way~" [Nero] sighed.
"And so you will. At the very least, you've kept to your word. The Princess lives, the children have been saved, taxes have been cut, and the slaves have been freed. The economy genuinely IS thriving... As all those Coins that the Nobles had in their clutches have begun to recirculate." [Rudou] exclaimed with a smile.
"Here's to hoping that it stays that way~" [Nero] exclaimed before raising his bottle to meet the flask that Rudou had been carrying and taking another swig.
"Ahh~ That stuff you had is great, but the cheap stuff down at the Adventurer's Guild is always refreshing..." [Rudou] sighed.
"Have you tried Goblin Hooch?" [Nero] asked with a smirk.
"Can't say that I have..." [Rudou] replied with a grin.
"It's great... Though they only accept food as payment." [Nero] nonchalantly explained.
"Food, huh? Sounds fairly easy..." [Rudou] muttered before continuing...
"Where might I obtain some?" [Rudou] asked while tilting his head to the side.
"Well, if you turn around and walk all the way back to my Throne... That Gate over there, it should lead you to the Goblins. Ask around for Grenda, and I'm sure that she'll be able to lead you to the Goblin Hooch Distillery. Thing is, if you want a LOT of it... You'll need to help feed the entire Village." [Nero] explained while pointing toward the Hallowed Gate.
"So if we were to ensure that their entire Village were adequately fed... We'd be able to procure enough Goblin Hooch to sell to the masses?" [Rudou] asked with a serious look in his eyes.
"Most definitely." [Nero] replied while adjusting his aviators.
"Sounds interesting... I might have to take you up on that... AFTER I taste the liquor~" [Rudou] exclaimed with a grin.
"You won't be disappointed~" [Nero] shot back with a smile as he side-eyed the skeptical Catkin.
"Nero!~ What took ya so long? I'm winning!" [Roah] happily exclaimed while waving to the two Catkin.
"Eh... We decided to walk back. What's your score?" [Nero] asked as he approached the far end of the table.
"3200~ Everyone else is near 2000, but Echo's at 900." [Roah] shot back while puffing out his chest.
"It's not fair! It took me AGES to get on the board!" [Echo] screamed hysterically.
"He's cheating, I'm almost certain of it..." [Gluttatosk] chimed in while glaring at the (Hob)Goblin King.
"It's all because he got two doubles..." [Mary] grumbled while crossing her arms.
"It's a shame that I'm not playing... Can't take my crown away if you don't beat me~" [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders. To which, Gluttatosk gasped before exclaiming...
"That's right! This ENTIRE game is just a practice round for the next match, anyways!" [Gluttatosk] screamed while glaring at Roah.
"Damn..." [Roah] muttered before taking a swig.
"What would you all think about holding tournaments for this game as well?" [Nero] begged the question with a grin.
"Uh-Do it." [Gluttatosk] shot back with a determined expression.
"I always lose Safari Cards... But this seems more fair." [Mary] exclaimed with a smile.
"It's pretty fun, I say; go for it~" [Roah] agreed while holding a thumb high.
"When are we even going to hold our next tournament? It feels like it's been forever~" [Echo] begged the question with a wry smile.
"I had no idea that you all held game tournaments... What are the prizes?" [Rudou] asked with a smile.
"So far... We've done them for fun. Honestly... I've been thinking about beginning to pay the Monster Knights. If I pay them all, and my Clansmen... Even a little... Then they can choose whether or not to put a stake in the tournament, and the winner can take all." [Nero] explained with a nervous smile.
"That sounds great and all... But wouldn't it be exceedingly expensive to pay all of the Monster Knights? There are so many..." [Roah] exclaimed while tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah... I don't know how regularly I'd be able to do it... But if we keep holding more festivals, then we should be able to afford it." [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders.
"...Wait. We can earn Coins from partying just like in your past life?" [Gluttatosk] asked with eyes wide.
"Actually... The last festival earned quite a lot on account of Mary's cooking, and the alcohol that we sold for Georgia." [Nero] confessed.
"No way... Seriously?!" [Gluttatosk] asked hysterically while facing Mary.
"It's true~" [Mary] laughed.
"If you're going to start adding wagers to the tournaments... Then may I also participate? It seems like a nice alternative to the Casino." [Rudou] asked while raising an eyebrow.
"Eh? I don't mind." [Nero] replied with a smile.
"Great, how much will we start with?" [Rudou] asked with a smirk.
"...I'll need to do some calculations. Can I get back to you on that one?" [Nero] asked before taking another swig.
"Sure." [Rudou] agreed while nodding his head.
"So... Anyone up for another round?" [Mary] begged the question with a grin.
"We totally never even finished this one... But yeah, let's start over." [Echo] exclaimed with a smile.
"You're just saying that because you're losing..." [Roah] shot back with a dejected expression.
"Vote on it?" [Echo] retorted while side-eyeing the Land Shark.
"Redo!" [Gluttatosk] declared while raising his head.
"Yep!" [Mary] happily exclaimed.
"...You all suck." [Roah] groaned.
And so, we all played another game together. We had a fine time, and finished our last bottles in the midst of it. Honestly... I can't remember who won. I'm not just saying that because I lost my crown to another Cat or anything, I just CAN'T seem to remember~! When we finished... We bid Mary and Echo a good night, before walking Rudou back to his Trading Company. Gluttatosk and Roah decided to join me in my trek to the beach, and when we got there... It seemed as though the Monster Knights had one HELL of a training session. Ben was wounded, all over the place. I'm pretty sure that he lost fur. One of Kendra's tails seemed bent, and I honestly don't even know how that's possible... But it looked crooked. Jon's wet... Like, SOPPING wet... Cycleo and Lucius seem relatively fine, though. They've made it out alive. Luna and the other Vampires disappeared, probably at dawn. Regardless, everyone seems happy that we've finally returned. They are meow free to return to their slumbers~ Or... Whatever it is that they usually do at this time. Nyah! Assuming my largest form... I began to sleep near the carpetted area. Roah and Gluttatosk took it upon themselves to huddle up next to me, so I guess this is a bro night... Through and through~ Good morning...