The noon sunlight shone on me through the windows of the master bedroom on the white phoenix.
Sitting next on a chair next to my bed was Lila. The moment she noticed I was awake, she stood up at once.
A soft blush immediately colored Lila's face as she began to recount the events of the previous night, her gaze fixed on her clasped hands resting in her lap. Her quiet voice echoed slightly in the large bedroom, contrasting with the silence of the early morning.
"Good morning, Master," she said first, her eyes meeting mine briefly before darting away. A soft, embarrassed giggle escaped her lips before she continued, "You... You had quite the night."
When I asked her about the details of the previous evening, she averted her eyes, a soft blush painting her cheeks a delicate shade of pink. "Well... After the festivities at the carnival, you... um... you got a bit carried away."
I raised an eyebrow at that, encouraging her to continue. After a deep breath, she finally spoke up again, "You brought back a group of girls from the carnival. They were... Well, they were all very excited to be here. You all started drinking and... things got a bit... um... heated."
Her blush deepened at that, her words trailing off into a whisper as she finally mustered the courage to meet my gaze, "There was an... orgy. You... you seemed very happy, Master."
There was an awkward silence following her explanation, the red in Lila's cheeks now spread down to her neck. The quiet hum of the ship's engines was the only noise for a moment before she cleared her throat and quickly added, "I made sure everyone left before you woke up... I hope you're feeling okay, Master."
"Where are the girls now?" I asked Lila.
Lila looked surprised at the question, but she quickly composed herself and responded with an understanding smile.
"They're not on the ship anymore, Master," she said softly, reassuringly. "I made sure of that. They left after... um... after everything had... settled down."
She hesitated for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. "I just wanted to ensure your privacy, Master. And your comfort. I thought you might prefer to wake up in a more... familiar setting."
There was a soft kindness in her voice, a consideration that came from her innate understanding of my needs and desires. Despite her introverted and submissive nature, Lila had always been perceptive, capable of predicting and reacting to situations with grace. This was no different.
"I hope that was okay, Master," she added, the sincerity in her eyes meeting mine. "I thought it was for the best."
A small blush crept up on Lila's face as she received the praise, she dipped her head slightly, not able to fully hide the smile that appeared on her face. "Thank you, Master," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper.
There was an unspoken bond between us, a sense of mutual respect and trust. In that moment, even though I had no recollection of the previous night, I was reminded why I had chosen Lila and the rest of the girls to be part of my journey. It was because they understood me, cared for me, and were always there for me. And that feeling was definitely mutual.
"I'm glad you think so, Master. Your well-being is very important to me," she said, her soft gaze met mine once again. "I'll always be here to take care of you, no matter what." The sincerity in her words filled the room, warming my heart. It's at times like these that I truly realize how fortunate I am to have her by my side.
As I slid into a pair of black slacks and a white shirt, I glanced at Lila who was now looking outside the window. The early morning light illuminated her features beautifully, lending her an ethereal glow.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked, breaking the silence.
Lila turned to look at me, a soft smile on her lips. "Just about how different life is now. All the adventures, the fights, and the victories...It's like we're living in a storybook," she confessed, her eyes sparkling with a mix of awe and excitement.
I chuckled at her comparison, finishing with the buttons of my shirt. "Maybe we are," I said, meeting her gaze in the mirror. "But as long as we have each other, it's a story worth telling."
Lila blushed slightly at my words, and nodded, her smile growing a bit wider. "Definitely worth telling," she agreed softly.
With that, I slid on my boots, gave Lila a last look, and stepped out of the room, ready to face whatever the day had in store for us.
***
As I walked into the cabin, the girls' faces immediately turned to me, an array of emotions flickering across their faces. Sera, with her tsundere personality, tried to mask her jealousy with a huff.
"I can't believe you would do such a thing! Shameless!" she exclaimed, turning her face away in a faux attempt to ignore me.
Kuroko, ever the feisty one, looked at me with a daring glint in her eyes. "Oh, well, seems like someone had quite a night! Don't forget who got you there, champ."
Aurelia, fiery and prideful, shot me a piercing glare. "You really are something, you know that? I can't believe you just went off with those... groupies."
The last one to speak was Lila. With her submissive demeanor, she simply said, "As long as master is happy..." although I could see a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Seeing their reactions, I couldn't help but chuckle. "You girls are truly one of a kind," I remarked, trying to lighten the mood.
Laughing, Kuroko leaned back against the cabin wall, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she looked at me. "Well, well, I've heard the legends, you know? They say the Sword Master was a huge playboy, had hearts breaking all over the place," she said, her voice dipping into a teasing tone.
"But I must admit, seeing it in person, it's quite a different story! Isn't that right, girls?" She gave the others a knowing look, her grin wide and mischievous, causing a round of laughter to fill the cabin.
Despite the jests, there was a lightness in the air, a sense of camaraderie that bonded us together. Sure, they might be jealous, but at the end of the day, we all knew where we stood with each other. And that was what mattered most.
I stood up from the cabin table, the atmosphere quickly shifting from teasing jests to the heavy weight of reality. I looked at each of the girls in turn, my gaze serious, sobering.
"I know we've had our fun and we've achieved a lot," I began, my voice steady, "but we need to be clear-headed about what's to come. A storm is brewing on the horizon. A war unlike any we've seen before."
Their laughter quickly died down, replaced with a sober silence as they listened.
"We've been fortunate enough to become some of the strongest beings in this world," I continued, looking at each of them, their faces reflecting the gravity of my words, "But we can't afford to let our guard down. We can't stop improving, growing stronger, pushing our limits. Not if we're to have a fighting chance in what's to come."
There was a pause, and then I added, my voice filled with determination, "I know we can handle this. I believe in us, and I believe we will not only survive but come out victorious. But we need to prepare. We need to become stronger, not just physically but also mentally. Are you with me?"
Q: Have you ever had a hangover?