Each sunrise was always a magnificent spectacle, and having the chance to enjoy this splendid moment with two beautiful women by his side was what one could call "pure pleasure"—the icing on the cake, as the saying goes.
Cliff sat next to the two young women, glancing occasionally at one in particular—the one with brown skin and two horns on her forehead, a reminder that she was not entirely human.
Unlike Dahlia, who embodied a gentle and graceful beauty, this one exuded a wild charm. Her well-defined muscles, generous chest, and prominent curves spoke volumes about the rigorous training she had endured to achieve such a perfect physique.
"She's the perfect description of a milf," he thought, smirking at the notion.
However, his enjoyment was short-lived as everyone around him began to wake up.
Before he could register it, he found himself surrounded by a large crowd, with Cain and Akumu already present. Their suspicious gazes were fixed intently on him, but Cliff shrugged it off.
When Rakahn finally appeared, he clapped his hands, signaling the crowd to lower their voices. He did not want to be disturbed by the hum of their whispers.
As Rakahn walked forward, his gaze scanned the crowd, curiosity growing as he noted how they parted in two and the murmuring ceased as he approached the center.
His expression darkened when he realized the cause.
"Sire, allow me to explain," Cain begged, bowing before Cliff.
"Explain? Oh yes, do I really need an explanation?" Rakahn retorted, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Calm down, man. The weather is nice this morning, right? And I'm in a good mood. Let's hear what he has to say," Cliff interjected, shooting Rakahn a questioning look.
The elf glanced at him and nodded, turning away from the horned beauty. Cain lingered for a moment, then took a deep breath.
He explained that during the ogre invasion, the Dhakat clan had protected them at the cost of their lives, and it was thanks to them that they managed to cross the forest to reach this place.
"So why would you want to hide that from me?" Cliff asked, perplexed.
He understood that despite the enmity between the clans, they needed to unite in times of crisis. It was only after the three extinguished clans were wiped out that they decided to enact a law during a gathering known as the "Grand Assembly."
"It's a bit complicated to explain, sir," Cain replied, scratching the back of his head. "It's just that the war between the Dhakat clan and the Orleth was the bloodiest ever."
He paused, a dark glint appearing in his emerald eyes. Cain lowered his head before continuing.
"It escalated to the point that I and the head of the dwarven clan had to intervene. We ended the war, but we couldn't prevent retaliation. Sir Rakahn may very well want to attack the lady, so we had to take precautions by hiding her."
"Precautions, you say?" Rakahn barked, clenching his fists in an attempt to contain his anger. "It's because of them that my clan suffered hunger, and because of them our numbers dwindled. It's because of them I lost my brother," he continued, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Whoa! This isn't going to be easy to convince him."
Cliff felt himself being pulled into his own selfish desires, almost forgetting why Rakahn had sworn loyalty to him. He had promised to help, yet he did not want to allow the young woman to be devoured by Rakahn's flames of vengeance. Even if an order would suffice to spare her, thanks to the pact of the soul, he could never go against Rakahn's will. Cliff wanted to maintain a certain relationship with him.
"All this for a pair of buttocks? When did I sink this low?"
Lost in thought, Cliff searched for a way to diffuse the situation, watching Rakahn and Akumu bicker amongst themselves. Strangely, it made him nostalgic, recalling times when his two former comrades would argue while he tried to separate them.
"In any world, huh?"
His reverie was abruptly cut short by a strong vibration emanating from the ground.
"Oi, what's that?" he asked.
"It's a wave master. We're about to be attacked," Dahlia replied, standing next to him.
"I didn't even notice she was there!"
"A wave, huh?" Cliff mused, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Now, here's something I can deal with."
A grin spread across his features as he contemplated a solution. This situation had arrived at just the right moment.
"Well, it wasn't too early!"