A year has passed...
A month before my departure to the academy. Stephanie has already gone ahead before me at the academy. Our separation was so tough that I got scolded for doing it 'excessively' weeks before she left. Right now, I'm cooking myself some breakfast, as Clara was having a sparring session with Adelle right in the garage.
Beside me, a little girl with red hair and dark-skinned with glistening cat eyes, wearing a cute cat pajama, swaying her feet back and forth. "The grey mist♫ Hide♫ Hide♫ I'll hunt you♫ The great cat♫ Blood♪ Ohh—Master! Master! Eat!"
"What a creepy song..."
How did she even become like this? Simple, since Tsuki's old memories were completely wiped out, as in literally; that could be the reason her personality was like that of a child. It also affected her transformation, resulting in her being a child. Another responsibility on my plate.
"Meat! Meat!"
"I already told you to be patient about it, Tsuki. Plus, you already ate the bread that I just bought recently. That's still not enough?"
"Nooo~! I'm still hungry!"
"How come I became a parent now? My spirit familiar turned into my daughter... Oh, responsibility..." I muttered under my breath. From behind, a voice scolded me. "But she's cute."
"Yeah, yeah, I know that, Adelle." I looked behind me and saw Adelle soaking in her sweat. "You guys just recently finished?"
"I did. I'm going out later after lunch to grab something from my old apartment. I'm still preparing my stuff back at my house... Want to accompany me?"
"Ohhh~? Did I hear another invitation from the Sword Princess herself once again? You're getting too spoiled recently~"
"S-Shut up. Are you in or not? Plus, you're at fault too. I can't even drink any blood because they taste dreadful now. So, take responsibility. Claude."
"I know, I know. As your man, I will take responsibility, as I'm a man of responsibility. If you want, I will take full responsibility for taking our child!"
Upon hearing that, Adelle spewed out water from the cup. "Pfffffft—! What are you saying?!" she shouted with a beet-red face and grabbed my shirt.
"Hey, I'm just kidding around. I can't even imagine having a child right now. I'm even having a hard time taking care of Tsuki."
Adelle was not taking her eyes off my face, giving me the daggers. At that moment, a sudden thought came into my head. The fact that our relationship with each drastically changed just after that one accidental night. I've never had any thoughts of establishing a romantic relationship, but instead, just letting it flow of where it will lead me. From how it ended up, I would say I'm more than satisfied with how it went.
With our eyes staring at each other, I unhesitatingly pounced on her lips and explored every tiny bit part of her curvy figure, and slowly went down to her supple legs. However, we got interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door. "Haah... Okay, I'm answering it..." I said in disappointment.
Adelle crouched on her knees, covering her entire beet-red face like always. "Auuuu—I did it again. I got carried away again... Noo..." she muttered to herself.
Looking at Adelle, even I'm not sure if this is her true self or the cold-hearted woman who embodies the title 'Sword Princess'.
When I got in front of the door, opening it; I saw a familiar woman, golden hair pairing it with her intimidating azure eyes, staring deeply into my eyes. I could see her superb curves; narrow waist, meaty thighs, and her endowed breast emphasizing it with her arms crossed below it. Moreover, her accented long pointy ears and demeanor. I inwardly thought to myself. 'Holy smoking body!'
"Long time no see, Lily." I stiffly said.
As soon I greeted her, her fist was already nearing my stomach. Sensing the malicious intent behind her fist, I unconsciously teleported behind her. Then my feet were frozen in place, with Lily turning her head around slowly. "Where are you going?"
From just the tone of her, I'm getting cold feet. I could see my life flashing right before my very eyes. Lily dashed towards me, stealing my lips, and her arms circling around my neck. Closing my eyes, feeling the warmness of her lips. "Mm! Mm!"
"Ehem—!"
Separating our lips together, I looked behind and saw an angry-looking Avrell Blanch, the Askar kingdom's second-prince; Lily's brother. He got similar striking features of the hair, eyes, and demeanor. He's an extremely handsome elf, which is a well-known feat. of male elves throughout rumors and stories circulating around everyone. After coughing, he separated Lily and me away from each other, going in between us. "Father prohibited you from any kind of skinship with each other. You." He pointed his hands to me.
"Yeah?"
"Hands off. Let's go Lily if you don't want Father to scold you again." He scoffed.
"Huh?"
"Yes, dear brother... See you later, Claude. Brother and I are staying in an inn near here. He's helping me with the preparation for the academy. Wait, I forgot. My brother's name was Avrell Blanch. I told you about him. And brother, this man is Claude."
"Hello—" As I was about to raise my hand, Avrell interrupted me. "No need for an introduction. I already know him. He's the despicable man who took our dear little sister away from us. And, I will never ever shake hands with you. You filthy—"
"Avrell."
The cold voice of Lily sent a shiver down my spine. Watching Lily's dark eyes darting towards her own brother was not something I expected. However, on the opposite side, Avrell wasn't bulging and continued looking at me scornfully. Blaming me for why Lily was acting this way. "I will not retract my statement. I'm resolute about it."
"Avrell—"
Wrapping my arm around Lily's delicate shoulder, I pulled her to my body and told her brother. "It's fine. I'm not really looking forward to meeting you, nor have the plan to please the whole family unless Lily wanted me to. However, there's one thing I want to say. She's mine."
Avrells shuts his eyes off and rubs them with his hand. "Why it has to be this man..."
"Sorry~♪"
"Claude. You're just making it worse."
"I know. But I can't help it. It became a reflexive response whenever someone would bad mouth me. I'm pretty sure you of all would understand because you're partially the one who started that."
"Really now? You're blaming me? After a year of separation, you're going to treat me this way?"
"Sorry... I didn't mean to..."
Lily pouted and averted her gaze away. While exchanging words to each other, Lily's brother continued watching our exchange. Completely ignoring his existence. "Hey, please forgive me... I didn't expect you to be upset by that. I thought you would go along with it, like our old bantering."
"That's all in the past. Let's go, brother." The sudden shift of her mood prickled my fragile heart. Lily removed my arms around her shoulder and pulled my shirt closer, whispering. "If you want me to forgive you. Leave them. I know all the antics you've been causing throughout the years. I expected you to take responsibility, but I just left you for a year and look at what happened."
Racking my thoughts out. I feel like I've been played by Lily herself. And initially, I responded with. "I don't know if you're just playing with me or serious. But sorry, but I can't. Be mad all you want. I'm firm with my decision."
"Suit yourself. I hope nothing bad will happen." Lily smiled deviously.
From how she responded, it pushed my buttons. "What do you mean by that? Even if I have a romantic feeling for you. I won't tolerate your actions if you want to harm them." I furrowed my eyebrows and said it coldly, emitting a cold air around me. Our eyes are staring deeply at each other. Lily responded with a smile. "Okay, I'm satisfied. Was that enough for you, dear brother?"
"Yes, yes. That's good enough. Stop playing around anymore, dear sister." Avrell clapped his hand.
The cold air around me dispersed, completely confused about what's happening; however, I got a glimpse of what's happening base on what they just said. I slammed my palm on my face and said. "Don't tell me you're just playing a prank with me?"
"Yep! A little prank~♪ I got you, hehehe~♪ Actually, I challenged him into a sword sparring match and won against him~!" Lily flashed a radiating smile and also gave the peace sign to me.
"Okay...?" 'Honestly, I find it stupid and not funny at all. But despite that, I'll just act along the way for her sake.'
"I apologize for what I said earlier. I didn't mean those at all. I'm actually grateful to you, Claude. During Lily's difficult time where we can't stay right at the side of our own little sister, you were there for her. I'm indebted to you. You're the reason why she changed and became more thoughtful of her own actions. However, I can't say for sure about our older brother and father. They're pretty wary of you." Avrell said, changing every bit of impression that I have for him.
"Oh... Um, apology accepted. And that's understandable on the side of your brother and father. If I may guess, did they hear the rumors about me?"
"They did."
The rumors that are circulating around the guild were about me being a playboy who eyes every beautiful woman in his way and makes them his. From time to time, some women would approach me with the intention of sleeping with me, but I rejected all of them. I may be a pervert, but I won't sleep with a stranger.
Whether they're beautiful or have everything I like... I'll probably get to know them first... Nevertheless, the rumors are completely false! It all began because of Adelle's presence and change of demeanor whenever she's with me. Adelle would act like a cold-hearted person in front of anyone, but whenever she's close to me; she's like a puppy seeking attention from me.
However, I still didn't expect this. I've been deceived!
"Ah yeah... I can't blame them if they did believe that. Even you would believe it because of them." I pointed back to the women in the living room; Adelle, Clara, and Tsuki were all peeking at us from the inside.
"Yeah, I did. Are they part of your...?"
"They do... Except for the kid! Okay!? She's my spirit familiar!" I panicked.
"Sure, you do. There's nothing wrong with it. In some tribes, they treat it as tradition, so I don't mind. And if I remember, it's normal too in the aristocrat society to preserve the bloodline, or what I heard from my classmates. But nevertheless, it's probably cultural. I'll go ahead and wait for you, sister."
"Wait a fucking minute! It's fucking not! This bastard! I'm not a lolicon! She's really my spirit familiar! She can shape-shift!" I retorted and screamed at the top of my lungs. However, Avrell ignored me and walked out of the front gate. "God fucking damn it. I can't believe I'm going to get branded like this..."
"Lolicon? And spirit familiar? I thought you already had one. The woman named Diana." Lily asked, innocently.
"Ignore the lolicon part. For the spirit familiar... How do I say this... I picked her up while on a mission because she's lonely that needs love and care, plus, she's so cute. Once you see her cat form, your Fenrir would be outmatched."
"You're still upset over it...? It's stupid to ask you in the first place. You don't give me any discrete answer whenever it comes to what's inside of you. Just leave it. But I can destroy you now~♪"
"You sound like a person with loose screws."
"Coming from you. So, what do you think about my act earlier? Isn't my acting improved?"
"Uhh... Yeah... You fooled me big time."
"Hehehe~"
Later on, Lily went back with her brother to the inn where Lily would stay for a month because the king prohibited Lily from living with me. We had lived together before, so why? When Lily left, I accompanied Adelle to get something to eat and go to her apartment. The expectation that I have skyrocketed because of my perverted thoughts.
"You're having some indecent thoughts about it, don't you?"
"You know me well~♪ Hahaha..."
"Princess Lily must be a pleasant surprise for you earlier."
"She did. But I did expect it since she told me about coming back. Yet, I'm baffled by her appearance now."
"As the rumors said, the word beauty embodies her perfectly."
"You're also the same."
"That's on me... Curse you, Claude."
"What? I can't tell the truth now? You're still not used to it? I've been telling you that all the time, almost every single day. Get used to taking compliments."
Then Adelle lowered her head and had begun muttering some words under her breath. "Un—... Yo—..."
Walking in the busy street, my eyes caught sight of a man who seemingly wandering around the building of the apartment of Adelle. The man was wearing an obnoxious tattered black cloak, carrying a string bag over his shoulder. He got short black hair; raven eyes matching his hair; good looking above-average face; two sheathed swords hanging over his waist. At just one glance, I could identify the man in front of me. It's Shin Morino, the protagonist.