Yelling that I was fuming with the unbridled determination to show each and every one of those bastards in my clan who all looked down on Hiro that he wasn't what everyone thought he was. And I wasn't going to stand here and let Hiro's name be dragged through the mud any more than it already had been, I was going to prove to everyone that we are just like everyone else, and we sure as hell aren't cowards!
Wait what the hell am I doing?... I'm trying to avoid dying, not get myself killed tryin to prove a stupid point to myself! Oh no, I'm already screwing myself over and it's only the first day! What the heck am I doing????
Hearing the sheer determination in my voice she let go, and as I was shaken from her strike and struggled to find balance as I stumbled before I could find my center of balance and catch myself. She threw a punch at me.
And as I was now centered as I had caught myself, I didn't even see it coming when suddenly a fist hit my chest.
But it didn't hurt?
She hit my chest lightly and as I looked to her as my heart and mind were racing, she cocked a grin and looked to me.
"So you wanna prove yourself huh? Then promise me you won't quit or back down!" she howled as the Phyric fire around her body had started flair up but not in anger, it was as if the fire was crackling with excitement "Like I said before I won't! And I don't need to promise shit to a bitch like you, because I won't back down! I won't quit!! And I sure as hell won't lose!!" I yelled still heated by the moment, but this was something he would do more than me, an I feel like he might actually be influencing my actions. Geeze, Hiro's gonna get me killed ain't he?
And.
After a ricochet of yelling back and forth like that, her grin widened and her fire faded, she looked to be calmer at the moment, and as I stepped back as her smile seriously creeped me out because our body saw it as unusual, I gulped and balled my fist as I now had a serious question about this tournament which might be what gets me killed.
"When is the tournament, and where is it?"
Saying that her grin faded and a stupid expression piled on her face as she just paused up, she didn't know did she? She then took out her phone and as she unlocked it and started scrolling around whatever was in there, she then looked up and said.
"It's in 3 months. And watch your mouth when speaking to me! Just because you're finally doing something important to the family doesn't mean you can disrespect your elder sister! Have some respect or I'll beat it into you!"
She yelled angrily at me as my speech towards her was very disrespectful, and I have to admit I sounded very obnoxious and unpleasant when talking to her which's so unlike me, but it's so much like him. . .
Ugh, our personalities really did mix, cursing just comes so naturally when speaking. . .Or maybe it's because he just really dislikes his sister. . .?
"I'm very sorry, sister"
This is the only other person that I'm going to willingly apologize to even if she's a bitch. Because I think that from my old family there was this saying from my pa that you only kowtow to your family and not the world.
You reach for the stars because that's where our dreams are held and the only one you should let look down on you is the sky. Whether those words are foolish or not I'm going to chose to go by those words.
To an extent, sorry papa. . .But I still don't wanna die.
Hearing me apologize she clicked her tongue and took a silver coin from out her pocket, placing it on the kitchen table and then grabbing her chip bag and walking away.
"Glad to have you aboard and all, but you might want to look for work soon, we may own this place but we still have to pay for utilities the first of every month, and it's usually a single gold piece for utilities alone not including other expenses"
When she says "we" I'm pretty sure she just means me...
Looking to the back of her with a blank face I couldn't help but feel like she was enjoying this as she walked past the kitchen counter and over to the living room which was connected to the room and plopped on the couch; turning the TV on and just sitting there.
. . . . .
Turning away from Mari my mind was flooded with thoughts as I had to carefully make full use of all of today.
Because I still don't know how that amulet ended up in Hiro's possession and who put it on him from the start.
Plus now since I'm not going to let myself be snatched up and carried off to shadowfell, which is going to break Hiro's timeline, shit I already broke his timeline by being here, so that's a check on the list. But since that's not going to happen we have a new problem.
Now they have a financial issue and I can think of a few places to find work for the summer. However, I doubt I could make a gold piece's worth of coin a month, at most 3-5 silvers if I work really hard and work multiple standard paying jobs.
But there's also an issue with that, you see I can speak the common language of these people but I can't actually read it.
When I looked at his phone for the date it was all in these unfamiliar characters, but somehow I knew what it said, that might be good because Hiro knows it and that means I can at least understand a handful bit of it. But it's going to be a problem for me if I can't truly understand this world's common language.
So that's kind of an issue, but with his knowledge of the common language and my ability to understand, it shouldn't be much of a problem for me to learn it.
I should be able to fully read and barely write in at least 2 months at max. Unless other things happen though?
Now onto another issue which isn't really much of an issue, the next chapter actually takes place 4 months after the first chapter when he's snatched up.
It's also when summer ends.
It might have seemed like I set it up this way, but I didn't when writing it, I rolled a d12 and landed a 4.
Anyways, other than this not actually being a novel and it scarily being real life, mostly all the side characters and important people start to appear and show up 4 months from now.
Alas, that's also where my life starts to get more hectic. But there's no point in thinking about it now, I need to focus on the problems at hand.
Like running into my and Hiro's ex-girlfriend Remi Tenya, I don't really care if we meet, but if I'm right and my and Hiro's personality and feelings have mixed, then I don't want to be a sad mess when I see her, literally she's the least of my worries... For now.
But other than that there's only one more issue and it's the most important, everything else is trivial compared to this.
Incubus cultivation, Hiro's birthday is in 6 days and if I get lucky and there are no mega supernatural disturbances, he should start his transition into an incubus.
And to make sure it goes smoothly I need to find a way to steadily cultivate my body so that it goes by smoothly.
However I don't know how to actually cultivate myself, and it can't be as simple as meditation so I'm going to have to find an Incubus, and since I know of only one in Nefumia, I'm going to have to find another because the one I know is currently in the Abyss. Long story short he was killed by his sister-kin a Succubus and respawned in the Abyss; the homeland of Demon kind.
. . . . .
Lost in my thoughts, there was a knock at the door but I was unable to hear, Mari called for me to open it but I didn't answer and after another loud knock she turned over on the couch and as she looked to the kitchen she saw me just standing there mumbling to myself and despite her wanting to throw something at me to bring me back to my senses and open the door, she heard another loud knock and she was annoyed now, so she turned back around and stood up.
Walking over and opening the door, "knock again and I'll break your fingers!" she said as she looked to who knocked and as she did she frowned as she saw that it was his close friends Peter Sephane and Tina Zarutoen,
Peter was a human male who practiced a skill called talking, he was very extroverted and because of that she seriously didn't like him because he never got the hint when she was trying to tell him to shut up and leave her alone.
Peter was decently toned as he had a decent body figure and as she looked at him wearing casual summer clothing she could see the light outlines of muscle definition on him. He was average in height for a human, his hair was long, brown, and messily curled, and he had soft brown eyes. He had an okay face, it wasn't bad but it wasn't decent as he had messy facial hair and it was a bit annoying to look at, but as she looked down she remembered walking in on him bathing on accident and she knew he was packing a large bro.
However, besides that thought making her slightly blush she thought of him as a dork and she found his overly friendly and extroverted personality annoying.
Tina was a human female who she knew to be very active and sporty, her body was very lithe and compact and from how she saw her she would truly believe if Tina had said that she was of the Ranger Martial-class,
However, Mari hated Tina with a passion and it wasn't because she was taller than her or that she was fitter; it was because she was envious. Tina was the opposite of Mari, Mari was pretty and mature but Tina was cute and seductive.
Mari had both boob and butt as she had a solid C cupped breasts and a plump butt, so she beat Tina there seeing as that girl had a flat butt and a solid pair of B cupped breasts. However, Tina was cute and her body enhanced it as that light figure was like adding a pinch of sugar to a cuisine and making it better. And if they were compared which they have been, Mari was hotter and more likely to marry, but Tina was naturally seductive without even trying and they'd all admit they'd cheat on her with Tina because she beat Mari in both Look, Body, and Personality seeing as she was kind to others and admirable.
It pissed Mari off just knowing that.
However she had some dirt on that girl in which made her grin.
But other than that Tina was a very lithe and athletic person, she had a great figure and a cute face. her hair was butnet and tied into a bun, and her eyes were a glossy brown. She was tall for a girl but not that tall as she was around 5'8 in height.
"Whatta you want?"
"We made plans with Hiro today but he hasn't responded to any of our texts? Is he home Mariah?"
Glaring at him as he called her that "it's just Mari... ugh, take him and go, he's in the kitchen" she said turning back around and heading to the couch as they entered the house.
Walking over to where I was as I was still deep in my thoughts, Peter snuck up behind me and as I was too deep in thought to realize he was there, he grabbed me from behind and picked me up,
"Ahh what the hell!"
I yelled unknowing of what was happening, and as I did he laughed "buddy get ready for a day of fun you're coming out with us~!" eeh? What the hell is he talking about! I don't even know who he is!
"Yeah, it's not good to stay cooped up at home all day, come on there's a fun event going on in district 4, and you can't say no, we already planned it all out"
My afternoon was ruined as I found it to be Peter and Tina who dragged me out of the house. I was so busy thinking about other stuff that I forgot that Hiro had spent most of the day with Peter and Tina today since he was heartbroken from the breakup and they were trying to cheer him up, so they took him out, and then they went back to Tina's house to watch a movie until nightfall.
After being pulled out of the house and practically dragged to the train station as I refused to go since I have way too many things to do, they ended up persuading me to come along, I don't know how they did it, I swear they used magic or something but I ended up going with them despite my plans to find a way to fucking survive tomorrow.
But I do have to admit it wasn't that bad as I was able to walk around district 4 with them, we played games at stands as if there was some sort of festival going on and we walked around easing my mind of most worries as I was dumbstruck by the beauty of Rosa Marine and its 4th district.
Walking around with Tina and Peter to my left I saw a man holding out flyers preaching about a conspiracy because some people were going missing and he was overall crazy but I grabbed one of the flyers as it had shown a drawing of the town in which we all live in.
The town Rosa Marine is a very large town that has a total of 6 districts, each district holds great importance as we are an agricultural town, we're known as the harvest town blessed by the fertility God hazeluraaha who had blessed our crop fields many years ago after the FALL... However what isn't said is that because of that, this town holds a big secret, the kingdom's military and slayers association are separate at the moment and this town has a reputation amongst the high council for the mass production of strong slayers. And those strong slayers are created from 3 academies including the college I'm going to be attending in 4 months, and those academies consist of brutal training in which they care not for the slayer's lives but instead the results that come from it.
Pocketing the flyer as I can use that as a map in case I get lost or need to go somewhere we walk and as I found something interesting, a honey stand, it sounds food related but its actually a game where you're the supposed bee and your job is to guess which flower is real and which is created by magic, it seems boring but seeing what you can do with magic is just amazing that I couldn't help but check it out.
I know I said magic can suck my dick earlier today but it's still cool as fuck to see!
"Hey, guys let's go to that stand! hurry hurry"
I got distracted, I forgot my objective, I got careless as I was having too much fun.
"He looks like he's having fun," Tina
"Told you he'd like it, hahaha" Peter
"Yeah, but he seems a bit too happy? Hiro usually has this wavey aura around him, it's like a shut-in flower with a peddle clipped. But this one is like a blooming flower, don't you find it strange?" Tina
"Hm? Your thinking too much about it?" Peter
As the others were talking in the background just watching as I ran up to the stand, I used one of the several cooper pieces in which Peter had given to me even though I hadn't asked. But in the same, he had given some to Tina to saying after that the next time it was all on her seeing I/Hiro had done the same during the last event they went to together.
As I ran up to the stand he used his flower magic and as he did it purely for the game, he told me to guess, he told me to pick whatever one I wanted and I fell for his trap, I picked wrong and as I did the magic flower sprayed me with a honey-scented powder, I sneezed and felt embarrassed as the other 2 laughed at my failure,
But what I hadn't realized at the time was something was in the powder, it made me hazy for a moment and as it took a few seconds to take effect I was already playing another game.
I lost again and as it sprayed me in the face with its powder, the powder smelled like nectar, and also something about this stand made me want to play again?
Putting another cooper piece on the stand I played again, he used his magic to make a new set of flowers, and as he did he said, "pick a flower and be wary because if you pick wrong again I'll have to spray ya~" he said in a kind sounding voice but his voice was filled with ill intent as he looked to me and each coin that I placed down.
Looking at the flowers, suddenly my vision had started to blur and as my eyes were half open I looked to the flower as my head was all fuzzy and I could feel my blood heating.
Looking at them suddenly the colors of everything had started to shift, my already blurry vision was messing with me and as I looked down at the flowers, it was as if everything had started tinting with red.
Looking up at the man it was as if I could see heat, there were many collars around him and as I looked back down, I could see that in every flower there was a bright orange color in all of them except one.
Shaking my head as that was clearly my brain messing with me I took a deep breath, holding onto the edge of the stand as I could feel my knees weak, "is it that one?' I pointed to the flower that hadn't any color to it.
"Ding ding ding, correct that's the real flower~!" he said in the same kind manner, and as his magic flowers had dematerialized leaving behind the flower that I had pointed out,
And as it was all that left he opened a drawer and pulled out a honey stick "Here's your reward for finding the right flower kid" he said holding it out,
And as he held it out I looked up at him, and as I did he flinched as he looked at my face, looking into my eyes as he saw that they were a bloody red, and as he saw them he uttered under his breath "A-A Demon..." he instantly recognized what I was.
Not able to hear what he said I reached over grabbing the reward as I really just wanted to take it and then sit down, but as I grabbed it he didn't let go.
Instead, he leaned in, and as he did he whispered,
"Excuse me, sir," he said as he then switched from kind to civil as he didn't call me kid or speak in a kind tone. Without waiting as he looked at me and saw what he had done to me as my breath was jagged, "If you don't mind can you tell me what fragrance you smelled when my powder sprayed you?" he asked coming in closer as his face was struck with a strong curiosity and seriousness.
And as he did and I backed away as he got way too close "Honey... No, Nectar?" I said answering the man as my mind had started slowly clearing and I could still smell both aromas, one stronger than the other,
And as I could smell the potent nectar from the powder that was on my facial hair, my member had started to swell and my body had started to heat up in a lewd manner.
"Honey and Nectar huh?...oh, an Incubus," he said softly but loud enough for me to hear him, and as I heard him my eyes broadened as he had just said what I technically was yet to be.
"H-Huh? D-D-Did you say, Incubus? W-What's that?" I said in a complete panic as my mind was still coming back to me, and as he saw by the sweat coming down my face that I was nervous and struck with anxiety, he chuckled and let go of the honey stick.
Reaching into his pocket and then pointing his hand out to me as he held a card, "you surprised me there, if it wasn't for the change in your eyes I wouldn't have been able to tell that you too are an Incubus" he said shocking me as he had just said that he too was an Incubus?
Stunning me I had no idea what to say, I didn't know how to react, I just froze up, and what does he mean by the change in my eye? there's no way he could have known that I was an Incubus, I haven't even awakened my Incubus blood yet?!
Not knowing what to say, he then opened his mouth to say "Take this it's my business card, sorry for drugging you with my spritz flowers. you know business is business and wat not~ Anyways if you have the coin I would suggest that you head to a brothel, I mixed a weak aphrodisiac in with my powders" wait what did he mean by he drugged me? And what does he mean by he mixed in an aphrodisiac!
"Wait you did what?!" I said losing my shit but as I did he puffed his cheek, grabbed the honey stick, and just shoved it in my mouth "calm down, it's nothing too bad, it'll wear out in a few minutes, so just sit down" he said leaving out all of what would happen because of the aphrodisiac.
And as he said that and it did help to calm my tangled nerves, he then said, "here take my business card, I haven't seen you around the nest before so it's good to see a new face around here. Anyway, I'm looking for incubi. If you're interested contact me, it's actually my number" he said putting the card in my hand.
After giving me his business card, my mind was still hazy and I was still sort of a hot mess, but before I could give him a piece of my mind as I was kinda mad that he was literally drugged me and admitted to it, both Peter and Tina had came to my sides, grabbing me because they were hungry and I was taking to long over here.
Being pulled away from the guy, I was about to crush his card and throw it as there was no way in hell I was ever contacting that bastard, just as I crushed it halfway I regained a fraction of my wit.
And as I did I pocketed it because holy fuck he was the answer to one of my problems, no he was the answer to 2 of my problems!
He's an incubus, I need an incubus to learn how to cultivate, and plus I think he was just offering me employment,
Unless he's trying to turn me into a male prostitute... No, even if I wanted to make quick cash, I mean coin, I'm not promiscuous at all.
I have no way on how I'm going to incubus, I don't even like showing skin when around people, I'm like the least promiscuous person here!
So as for prostitution as a job, it's something I'm going to have to heavily think about because it is one of the easiest ways to feed, and I do need to eat vitality to survive. . .But I don't think that its a job meant for me...
sigh, I might just have to find someone to become a stable food source for me, maybe a lover?... Ugh, this is going to be hard! I need to think about how not to die and how to stability feed myself as an incubus now!
This is really stressing me out!
Overthinking this I pocketed the business card and as I did I felt something hard in my pants?
And no it wasn't the swelling love rod, it was in my pocket, and as I grabbed it and pulled it out–
Holy shit it was the amulet... The amulet's been in my pocket the whole fucking time!