Chapter Fifty Nine
D R . O S I R I S : GOD OF KNOWLEDGE
Osiris was starting to see a trend appear.
He didn't like it.
"A-About that, can I ask you a personal question?"
".."
Aspen has become attached to him, somehow. All he did was answer the boy's question once.
"What."
"Are, is it true, um… do you really like guys?"
Aspen felt like he was going to throw up.
He was finding he really liked Dove.
And seeing her want him… But the other day it occurred to him. If he's gay then there is nothing to worry about!
"..that's it?"
Aspen nodded.
".."
"You know I've already said yes to this, right?"
"B-but I thought it was…"
"A joke?"
"…yeah."
"Do you have a problem with it."
The hairs on the back of his neck rose. The Prince's eyes were devoid of light.
"N-no, t-the girl I like…"
".."
"Go back to class."
The boy left.
"How did it get loose?!"
The survivors of the auction house massacre could only tremble as the Crown Prince paced.
Luella was off to the side, holding her head as the hangover began to kick in. They couldn't find who was responsible. It's been three days and nothing.
Their credentials have tanked. The trust they built for having the safest auction house was ruined by a rock.
"What of that new guild?"
"No, they haven't reached us yet, and they don't seem to look like they're headed this way any time soon."
"The Nox Kingdom?"
Luella thought about it.
"No, the treaty is too recent. Maybe in five years they might. History shows Kingdoms take 10-15 years before another war starts. It takes time for everyone to rebuild forces and regain control of their lands."
"That leaves Osiris…"
"…"
"We need to try something different this time."
"Agreed."
Somehow he became the school counselor.
"I-I, have you ever gambled before?"
Jasper found him somehow.
After Aspen's little stunt all the men Dove is sleeping with are coming to him for advice.
"Yes. Lost a house once."
"W-what, really?"
Osiris nodded.
"Almost lost everything. People will come and take your things if you can't pay. Then your life. I think here it would be.." He tapped his chin. "Slavery or death, I guess?"
The boy's face drained.
"I-I only played a few times, haha."
"Ladies also don't like a man with too much debt."
"…"
"Do you like rice cakes?"
News of a hunting competition sprung through the streets. It offered money, and an array of weapons and slaves as prizes. It was only open to nobility, but it was getting closer to his second appearance.
Osiris shivered.
He doesn't know too much about this one.
Bella wasn't a fan of it.
".."
Osiris decided to check on Kou and that mutt. He was bored and hungry. He also wanted to make sure they're getting along.
Osiris went to grab the door when he saw the closed sign.
".."
He'll come back another day.
Rogan was up next.
"So, does, uh, does my dad ever talk about me?"
Osiris was in the middle of setting up a minefield for his crew to train in.
"I wouldn't step back if I was you."
Rogan looked down and saw he almost stepped on his foot print. He could see them burning hot with orange mana melting into the ground.
"…"
"Thanks."
Osiris glanced at him.
"Your dad only talks about you and your mom when he isn't talking about magic."
Rogan slightly lightened up, but there was still some junk left behind. He smiled and scratched his cheek.
"Um, do you think he's proud of me?"
".."
What was he, a doctor? He never went to school to be a licensed therapist.
"Why do you think he's not?"
"…"
He may or may not have gotten caught with Dove in his room. She's known to have a fiancé, and now his father won't look at him the same.
"I don't know."
".."
"Did you do something to disappoint him?"
"…"
There it was.
"Look." Osiris planted a bomb on a tree truck. He made sure to add a bit of a kick to it. "Parents will always get mad when you do things they wouldn't do."
He turned to him.
"Do you regret it?"
"No!"
"Then why do you care?"
"…because he's my dad."
".."
"Right, I forget people have good parents."
"…"
"Don't worry too much, he'll get over it. It's not like you killed someone. Sleeping with a married woman is-"
"S-She's not married! Not yet…"
".."
"Give it two weeks and you'll be fine."
He received two packets of jerky two weeks later.
"Do you think size matters?"
".."
"N-Not like that, but." He motioned towards breasts. "I-I heard real men only like women who are."
He did another motion.
".."
"I-I, my dad likes to give me a hard time for liking elves." Mancio scratched his cheek. "He says I'll grow out of them, but."
"Bro, it's okay to like small tits, you know?" Osiris was losing his patience. "Just like you can like ass over tits or tits over ass. You can like dogs in this city, why should breast size even matter at this point."
"I-I, yeah it is kind of silly."
".."
"Sometimes parents can be wrong."
Osiris left the library before anyone else could find him.
".."
He was standing in an open field with Dove as she stuttered and tried to talk to him. He barely got away from her damn fiancé. Speaking of. He could see that purple ribbon poking from behind the tree.
"I-I-I…"
She was such a small thing. Tiny, skinny, a little tooth pick. She had to bend her neck straight up to look at him. He waited.
"I-um. What do you do if you want to be with someone, but can't?"
".."
She was a blushing mess. It reminded him of the first time a girl confessed to him. They were scribbling notes in the back of class. It was a cheesy one that asked if I'd date them, circle yes or no.
He wasn't even sure how to answer this without sounding cruel.
".."
"I-I know it's a bit random.. I just, I heard you give good advice so I.."
".."
He needs to do something to fuck up his reputation after this. His sooks were too good at it.
Osiris sighed and Dove flinched.
"It's okay to have crushes, you know?"
"B-But it's not just a crush.."
Osiris looked at her.
Dove falls in love with Osiris at first sight. Osiris falls in love with her after their second year when she partners with him when no one else will. Or something gay like that.
"Even if you fall in love with someone, it doesn't mean they have to fall in love with you."
Her smile dropped. He looked towards the ribbon hiding behind her in a tree.
"It's okay to like someone, it's even okay to fantasize about them. I do it all the time with Rogan's dad." Osiris shrugged. "But I also know it will never happen."
She was close to tears.
"Sometimes we can't help who we fall for, but we can control how we deal with it." Osiris looked across the yard and saw a few other boys peeking. "You can go off and ruin yourself in search of their love, or you can look around and see who else is looking your way."
"But what if no one is." Her voice cracked and tears fell. She covered her eyes. "I'm trying my best and my fiancé wants other woman over me, the other boys just want my body, I.."
Osiris went to touch her shoulder but stopped and dropped his hand. Right now it would just give her false hope. He stepped away.
"Then leave him."
That got everybody startled.
"W-what, but it's frowned upon!"
"Do you really want to be with someone who doesn't love you?"
He could now see Mancio has stepped a bit from behind the tree. He looked like he was going to cry.
"H-he loves me.. I think.."
"Just talk to him and the other boys, see who you like, don't worry about their feelings, they'll get over it."
Because clearly, as the adult, Aspen nearly or does cheat, they can find love again.
But it still hurts, doesn't it..
"Find someone who will love you without you needing to ask."
She sobbed harder.
Osiris left her alone in that field as the sun began to set. He wished her the best and hopes she gets out of this city before he gets to it.
Beset bounced happily in his hands as they strolled around town. They were headed to a motel for a very specific reason, so he thought giving her a good day would help with tonight.
"Do you want some?"
She nodded shyly.
He's had Beset since he was a teen. She's been with him through a lot of hard times growing up. He rubbed her ears as they grabbed a few fresh carrots from a vendor. Eventually night came and they headed to the hotel.
The further in the ghetto they went, the closer she snuggled him.
"There, there, we're here."
Axel walked past the clerk and went straight into room thirty nine at the far back of the hall, second floor. He opened the door and Beset looked confused at the man standing in the middle of the room jacking off.
He was covered in blisters.
She flinched.
He smelled sick.
"M-Master Axel, what-"
"Be gentle. I need her in top shape for tomorrow."
Beset clung to him as he started to hand her over. She was terrified. Axel felt himself caving. He pulled out of her grasp.
"Don't worry, it's curable, to females at least."
Beset's eyes watered.
"You have an hour."
Axel reached for the door.
"Axel?"
Axel grit his teeth and left the room.
Their new plan was to entice their brother with their favorite pet. Anything less, and they both knew the boy wouldn't touch them.
"…"
He heard her start to beg and cry.
Axel walked out the hotel and waited out back.
The disease is a flesh eating virus. It's harmless to females, but can cause some blisters to form after three days. Tomorrow was the hunting event. If his brother chooses her, he'll lose his dick and all his credibility he's worked up. He'll become an eunuch. Even if he wanted to be King, he can't. You need to be able to bare young.
Luella chose her youngest beast. She's still mad about her brother ruining her puppy mill, so she's aiming to ruin his reputation in a different way. They talked about setting her pup with a virus, but most in the world are lethal to men, and symptoms show immediately after infection.
Axel rubbed his eyes.
The image of Beset calling to him will haunt him for the rest of his life.
"…"
It's only temporary. Once the event is over, I'll cure her, and everything can return to normal.