Amphere Harrison
"D-Damn!" Richard exclaimed with a sharp intake of breath, his heart pounding in his chest. "Reina saw my portal!"
The atmosphere in the men's bath was charged with mischief and anticipation, located about fifty meters away from the women's bath. The majority of the boys present had mischievous intentions, eagerly voting for Richard to open a portal just to sneak a peek at the girls. Among those in favor were General Holster, Rudolf, Richard himself, Gaz, Cleru, and me. It seemed like everyone wanted to satisfy their curiosity.
Each of us had our own rather perverted objectives. Rudolf, being single, saw this as a golden opportunity to indulge in his single life to the fullest. Gaz, with his typical teenage fascination, hoped to catch a glimpse of Airi's newly matured figure. Cleru's curiosity centered on the princess's appearance. General Holster, on the other hand, seemed more interested in checking on everyone else, except his wife. As for me, I couldn't deny that I was tempted by the idea of seeing Exceria or Airi through the portal.
"Oh, crap!" General Holster exclaimed as a rift in the dimensions appeared right beside him, revealing his wife Iris. To everyone's surprise, she seemed to be emanating a strange and intimidating aura, as if she had discovered her husband's mischievous intent.
"You seem to have a hard time controlling that second head of yours, darling. Maybe it's time to cut it off~" Iris's words carried a deceptive charm, but her sarcastic smile suggested a deeper underlying message. Before the General could attempt to make a light-hearted joke, his wife delivered a scathing retort that sent him into momentary panic.
As Reina's portals brought the other girls into our hot spring, they all entered gracefully, each holding a towel to maintain their modesty. It was an opportunity for an enjoyable gathering, but the situation had spiraled into an awkward mess.
"I can't believe you're doing this to me, Cleru!" The princess, though trying to conceal her emotions by bowing her head, couldn't hide her clenched fist betraying her anger. Before Cleru could come up with a suitable excuse, the princess acted swiftly, launching herself forward and delivering a forceful punch to his face. It was a move she had aptly named the "Princess Punch," and it spoke volumes about her frustration and indignation.
Meanwhile, an intense silence enveloped Richard and Reina, the tension so thick that it seemed to raise the temperature around them. Richard's body was drenched in sweat, not due to the hot waters, but because of the figurative boiling water that seemed to be poured over his head. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as Reina, with a swift motion, opened a portal and swiftly drew her short sword from hammerspace. From that moment on, history would be made.
On the other side of the chaos, Kyrie tirelessly searched for Rudolf, who had managed to elude detection by hiding underwater for the rest of the day. The situation at hand was much more serious than any of them could imagine, involving risks that Rudolf couldn't afford to take, especially with his impending wedding. Yet, thanks to his mechanical arm's transformation into a gas mask, he could safeguard himself from potential harm.
Amidst the commotion, Gaz faced the wrath of Duchess Corasell's scolding. Her voice resounded, accusing him of disgracing his race, expecting better from an ex-Arcadian with a sense of honor. Gaz, nonchalant in response, turned away, expressing his sole interest in Airi's figure, dismissing the Duchess entirely.
The Duchess, fuming with anger, couldn't hold back her outrage and frustration, as if steam was literally pouring out of her ears, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Exceria found herself in an unexpected situation. Blushing, she addressed someone with sincerity, holding her chest as she spoke. "You could've just asked me instead," she said, indicating that this person held a special place in her heart.
The guys in distress couldn't help but mutter about Amphere's apparent luck, while the girls continued to punish them, taking control of the situation.
Suddenly, an outburst from above echoed through the tumultuous scene, a voice familiar to all, but perhaps more so to one individual in particular.
"AMPHY!!!" The exclamation cut through the chaos, bringing attention to the missing Airi and a sense of urgency to the unfolding events.
Airi gracefully glided above with her Chimeratech wings, accompanied by Jasmine, the shrine priestess, who appeared flushed and captivated. Their intentions seemed clear – they were here not to catch peeping toms, but to indulge in some voyeurism themselves.
"Catch me if you can! Totally!" Airi declared mischievously as her metallic wings dissolved into thin air, propelling her forward at an incredible speed, breaking the sound barrier.
In the midst of the chaos and confusion, I found it impossible to catch up with her. The splashes of water and the disorderly scene obscured my vision, leaving me constantly caught off guard. In an instant, everything happened too fast.
Before I knew it, I found myself colliding with Airi, and my face ended up inadvertently pressed against a rather sensitive area between her legs. The sensation was incredibly soft and the aroma, surprisingly soothing. My hands accidentally grasped two soft objects, and Airi emitted the most pleasurable moan I had ever heard, leaving me bewildered. In the blink of an eye, we both ended up submerged in the hot green waters, struggling to catch our breath. The experience left me utterly overwhelmed, and I eventually blacked out.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself back at the inn of the hot springs. The bright white bulb hanging from the wooden ceiling indicated that it was already nighttime. My head throbbed with pain, leaving me feeling even worse than listening to hours of congressional debates.
Next to me, a stunning scarlet-haired dragonoid sat alluringly, clad in a white kimono that revealed hints of her skin. Once again, I noticed the cute butterfly-like ribbon adorning her hair. Despite having seen it before, this time, I found myself truly appreciating its charm. Her crimson eyes captivated me, holding a beauty that seemed to transcend the world around us.
"So you're awake now," Airi spoke with a hint of irritation in her sarcastic tone. "I heard from the others that all you guys tried to peek on the other girls."
"Well, you tried to peek on us too," I replied nonchalantly, scratching my head. "We're all just in the same boat."
Airi's sarcasm intensified, her eyebrows furrowing with anger. "Ho ho ho," she retorted, clearly not amused. "Were you trying to peek at Exceria's big breasts?"
"N-No!" I stammered, sensing that things were about to get serious whenever Airi dropped her characteristic 'Totally' in her sentences.
"Well, Exceria seems quite fond of you. She's willing to give her love to you. I'm sure you feel the same way for her too, especially since you unlocked her Dracaryx on the first week," Airi pressed on.
"O-Of course not!" I protested, trying to shake off any insinuation. "We're just bound together because of the Eye of Deus, that's all!"
"What about Duchess Corasell?" Airi's anger appeared more evident now. "She's been clinging to you ever since you got that Black Phantom costume. And now that you're co-authors of the bill, it looks like nothing's going to stop you from marrying her."
"She's just a child! I mean, I'd prefer someone closer to my age bracket, at least! And by the way, it's Corasell, not Carousel," I corrected her.
"How about the princess?" Airi continued, crossing her arms in front of her. "I heard you made a deal with each other."
"Cleru and Princess Elkyria are in love with each other, so I don't want to interfere with that!" I exclaimed, trying to make my feelings clear. "I don't have the slightest romantic interest in the princess. My only goal was to seek her approval for the bill."
Airi's jealousy was apparent, and she continued to curl her eyebrows in frustration. "What about your fan club? There are so many girls chasing after you nowadays."
"Why are you bringing up random girls?" I protested, immediately regretting my outburst as I saw Airi finally snap.
"Because I love you!" Airi pushed her face forward, her emotions pouring out. "I confessed my feelings to you a long time ago, and you're still here, unable to give me an answer. Not even a simple yes or no! I've dedicated my entire life to you, constantly pursuing your love without any progress! And now I..."
"I love you too, Airi," the words slipped out of my mouth before I could even think about it.
"E-Eh?" Airi's face turned a deep shade of red, and her once terrifying aura faded away.
There was a long, tense silence. I had spent months preparing for this moment, and all I got was an 'Eh?' in response.
"W-Will you r-repeat that again... totally?" Airi stammered, seeking confirmation.
Without hesitation, I repeated the words, wanting to make sure she heard them loud and clear. "You're the only girl for me, Airi. You've been by my side from the very beginning, through thick and thin, through hardships and celebrations. You have never left me, and you've always been there to save me. That's why I love you, with all my heart and soul."
As our lips met in our very first kiss, a surge of warmth and tenderness enveloped us. Airi's lips were delicate and tender, igniting a desire for more. It was a moment I had longed for, and it felt like a dream come true.
However, the magic of the moment quickly faded as Airi revealed a hidden recorder she had concealed on her breast. To my disbelief, she played back the very words I had just spoken during our intimate moment.
"You're the only girl for me, Airi. You've been here on my side from the very beginning. Through hardships and celebrations. You have never left me. You always saved me. That is why I love you, with all my heart and soul."
Airi couldn't hide her mischievous grin, enjoying the fact that she now had proof of my feelings for her. "I'll keep this as evidence for my victory in the love war against Exceria and Duchess Corasell, totally!"
Feeling a mix of emotions, I couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated. It seemed like Airi was using this situation to her advantage, and I felt like I was being played.