《Monstergirl Rancher》


 Chapter 1 - Eviction Notice

    "Interesting."


    Noah sat within a field of golden hay, his back against a lonesome tree at the centre of the expansive field. His hand on his chin, gently stroking the faint, scraggly beard forming there.


    Looking around his surroundings, Noah searched for any signs of familiarity. Yet never once in his life had he ever been to such a sprawling field. Not even his grandfathers fields were as large as this one. Even the house far in the distance looked much more like a mansion than a farmhouse.


    The sun was just about rising it seemed.


    "How did I get here?"


    He squinted, tilting his head to the side as he began to think.


    It had been a normal day, just like any other, wakeup, get breakfast, run off to work, come home, game, eat, sleep and repeat. Except, now he could replace the repeat with wake up in the middle of a random field of hay.


    Truly a strange occurrence.


    Placing a hand on the ground, Noah used it to help push himself up to his feet. The speed of which sending a slight breeze wafting against his skin, drawing his gaze down to his chest noticing that his clothing looked like that of a beggar, ragged and falling apart at the seams. His own hand caked in dirt and grime as if he hadn''t had a good bath in weeks.


    "Right, great. I''ve reincarnated into a homeless bum. Perfect." He groaned, why couldn''t his new life just be simple. Get reincarnated as some rich kid with a good family. Instead, he''s a hobo in a field of grass.


    "Haa¡­" he sighed, letting his arms slump to his side. Of all the suspected reincarnations he could get, homeless was lowest on his list of wants.


    "No point lingering on the thought," he grumbled lifting his eyes to the house in the distance, contemplation in his eyes. "Might as well see if I can get some help."


    ***


    Liora held her arm over her eyes as she lay atop her bed. A single leg pulled up while her other lay flat atop the bed.


    The days had been tough on her since her husbands passing and her daughter leaving them years earlier, leaving her to be the only one to take care of their sprawling farm. Most of which was slowly beginning to deteriorate from the lacking care it was getting. At most she was able to keep just under a third of it alive and well. And even that was growing tiresome.


    She wasn''t a farmer like her husband, she didn''t grow up on the farm, she barely knew how to harvest wheat let alone grind it into usable flour. Hell, even sowing seeds was a nightmare to her. All she was supposed to be a housewife taking care of their daughter and cleaning the house. Not a farmer.


    From beneath her hand, tears began to trickle out of her eyes like they had every day the past three months. Her lips trembled and her teeth ground together, trying her utmost not to let her weeping burst forth.


    It was a hopeless endeavour.


    There was no way she wouldn''t weep in this empty home. She was alone with nothing left to her name. Her furniture sold, her paintings gone, her mementos thrown to the wind for just a few measly buckles that kept her paying her taxes just long enough to keep the fields and her home hers for another month.


    But it was all running out. When harvest came and she couldn''t bring in even half of the expected yield for the kingdom, they were going to rend it from her hands and send it to auction. The land was just too expansive for it not to be put to use. Especially considering they had long since trying to pry it from her husbands hands even when he was alive.


    It was honestly a little relieving that they hadn''t come to take it yet.


    But it was only a matter of time before that happened.


    Sniffling, Liora pushed herself up, wiping down her reddened cheeks of her tears. The faint scent of wine lingering on her lips wafting into her nose.


    Her head slowly tilted to look at the pile of empty bottles besides her bed. Even her husbands collection was rapidly dwindling to her wasting body. She scanned each and every bottle for even the dregs of the ruby sap.


    Soon finding that at the top of the pile, a relatively new brew of Algen gr.a.p.es and Rosethorn nectar wine with just enough in it to give her a slight buzz.


    Only problem, it was far away, and she didn''t want to get up.


    Crawling on her bed, she pushed her upper body over the edge, a single hand kept on it to keep her stable while the other reached out towards the bottle. Her fingers flaring and stretching as she stretched her body out. Her leg even raising to help her stretch a little further.


    "Nnn, come on, just a little more," her fingers were just millimetres away by now. Just one more push and she would have it.


    Leaning even more, she pushed her balance to the limits. Straining it to just feel the cold glass against the tips of her fingers, "Yes-yes-yes," she nibbled on her tongue, lips quirking up as the bottle shifted at her touch, pulling it into her palm.


    "Yes!" she celebrated much too early as not moments after her fingers locked around the neck of the bottle her balance disintegrated. Her hand that rested on the bed slipping from beneath her, sending her crashing into the pile of bottles.


    "WAH!" She screamed in surprise, bottles flying around her. Luckily, none shattering from the impact. But some leaking their remnants over her body, layering her glossy red hair a shade darker. Dripping down her face as she sat down.


    Collapsed on the ground on her belly, Liora remained unmoving.


    She disgusted herself. How had she fallen this far? How could she let this happen to her. She had taken to drink like a fish to water not weeks after her husband died. And now look where it left her.


    Hunched on the floor, curling into a ball a weeping mess of a woman who would never again feel the warmth of another man or the touch of her own daughter.


    She was too old for any sane man to want her again. Her b.r.e.a.s.t sagged; wrinkles formed on he body by the day. Her hair was losing its shine. All of this only growing more pronounced as her stress mounted day after day.


    Wrapping her hands around her head, Liora curled tighter into a ball, a heart wrenching scream forcing its way from her body, scraping against her throat until she started squeaking.


    She wanted it to end.


    She wanted to go back to be the woman she once was.


    She wanted a hero.


    Just then, hollow knocking resounded through the house. Ricocheting through the hallways, up the stairwell, towards her mess of a room.


    *sniff*


    Liora, wiped weakly sat up, her eyes blankly staring at her doorway, the thick odour of wine attacking her nostrils. "Who?¡­" she mumbled as more, louder knockings came from downstairs.


    She didn''t want to bother, whoever it was could just go away She wasn''t in the mood to see anyone right now. She was too much of a mess.


    But they just would not stop. The knocks grew to thunderous bangs that turned to the shouting voice of a woman.


    "LIORA! I KNOW YOU ARE HOME. GET DOWN HERE OR I WILL PLASTER THIS NOTICE TO YOUR DOOR!"


    Liora shivered, her eyes trembling at the familiar voice of Rhule. The one person she wished to never see again. Liora felt her soul leave he body in that moment, but her body still reacted, pushing itself to its feet, hobbling over the mess of bottles, dripping behind a trail of wine droplets.


    Her feet creaking against the floorboards of the stairs leading to the entrance hall where she could see the hourglass shaped silhouette of a woman standing.


    Liora''s hand hesitated just above the handle. She knew what was coming. It was inevitable.


    May as well just take it now.


    Pressing the handle down, Liora pulled the wooden door open towards herself, feeling the rush of fresh air filling her lungs soon followed by a strong floral odour coming from the elven beauty.


    Her hair thick and l.u.s.trous, dyed a faint pastel purple atop a layer of glistening olive skin. Her bosom practically bounding loose from her half-buttoned tunic, much the same as her h.i.p.s in her pencil skirt.


    "Liora my dear. How good of you to finally show yourself. I see you have been hitting the bottle again," Rhule''s head tilted up along with her lips into an arrogant sadistic grin, taking pleasure in Liora''s dishevelled appearance of wine logged hair and nightgown plastered onto her skin from the ruby liquids.


    "Rhule¡­ I take it you''re here to-"


    "Give you the notice of eviction? Yes, I am. And I am so glad to finally see you leave." Rhule smiled evilly as she handed an envelope to Liora. "I''m not going to waste time. You have six months to collect enough buckles or this little farm goes bye, bye."


    Liora''s hand froze mid-air, just about to take the envelope from Rhule''s hands, "w-what do you mean by that? This farm is going to auction isn''t it?"


    Rhule''s grin sent worry coursing through Liora, it maliciousness, it''s utter sadism.


    "Of course not," Rhule pushed the envelope into Liora''s hands. "The king wishes for this land to be turned into a military stronghold. As have the many kings prior. Now with the last of the Rostrea dead and gone and the only child with blood ties to the name a runaway. This land falls back under the kingdom''s control."


    Liora''s skin paled more and more, "n-no! You can''t do this! This farm has been in Harv''s family for generations! You can''t just tear it down!" She shouted.


    "Of course, we can," Rhule cruelly smiled, "there''s no one left for the deed to fall to. You hold no blood with the Rostrea, and your daughter is off screwing some no name adventurer forsaking her father''s name and will. Unfortunately," Rhule scowled, "we still cannot just throw you to the pigs and take this land. While you may not be of blood. You are of name. And that gives you time. Six months to be precise before we take this dirt stack off your hands and into the kingdoms."


    Liora''s hand raced to tear open the envelope, pulling out the letter within. Her eyes growing red while her legs wobbled and buckled beneath her. Her fingers clenching tight on the paper causing it to wrinkle.


    "Si-six months?... This, this can''t be right?" Her body shook at the sight of the preposterous writing. Continuing to read through the list, only growing paler by the second, "I-I there has to be another way!" she shouted, desperation to her voice, "this-this is too much! I can''t harvest this much alone!"


    "And that is my problem how?" Rhule scowled, "either you scrounge up the hay. Or this little shithole kicks the bucket." Rhule bent over, bringing her head just above Liora''s letting her breathe in the thick floral perfume she wore, "have fun. I will be seeing you soon Liora. And when I do. It will be the last time I ever, have to look at you."


    Rhule turned on heel, her h.i.p.s swaggering side to side as she walked down the pathway, through the crumbling picket fence, the gate hanging off the hinges. Stopping just besides a dirty boy with a scraggly beard who was approaching the building.


    Rhule''s eyes wandered over the boy from tip to toe, his dirty brown hair. The grime that layered his skin and rag clothes. His beard that made him look like the ballsack of a werewolf. Snorting in disgust before storming off down the road towards a horse drawn carriage where her driver was waiting for her.


    "F.u.c.k you too," Liora could just barely hear the boy say as Rhule entered the carriage. Hopelessly staring into the distance, barely taking in the very boy making his way towards her.


    "Ma''am, are you all right?"


    Who knew that such a soft, worried tone would be all it took for Liora to break down and throw her head back, tears streaming down her cheeks as she screamed to the heavens.


    ''WHY!? JUST WHAT DID I DO TO ANGER YOU!?'' her mind roared to the malicious gods above, the ones who took everything precious to her and would continue to.


    Such was her pain that she didn''t feel the boy wrap his arms around her, one hand pressing into the back of her head, pushing her face into her shoulders. Her own hands rocketing up to grip handfuls of his hole ridden shirt.


    Continuously weeping, uncaring for the powerful stench of sweat the boy exuded.


    "Shh, shh¡­" she found comfort in the gentle caresses of his hand stroking her back and massaging the back of her head. Letting her bawl her heart out to him.

 Chapter 2 - Introductions

    The interior of the farmhouse was barren, to say the least. The walls were stocked with voids where picture frames had once hung. Scr.a.p.es on the wooden floor showing that furniture had once stood there causing slight bumps to form in the flooring over the years.


    If felt more as if this was a house just being moved into. He was half expecting to see dozens of opened boxes with all her knickknacks within just waiting to be unpacked.


    "I''m," she sniffled "sorry you had to see that," the redhaired woman said as she handed a glass of water to Noah just as he finished wiping his face down with a wetted towel.


    While it didn''t do much to rid himself of the more deeply inset grime, it did enough to help him look at least less like a bum when looked in the face.


    "It''s alright," Noah softly smiled to the woman, thankfully taking the glass before downing half of it, quenching this bodies thirst. "It''s never good to hold in your tears." A sombre, knowing expression took to him.


    He had enough experience with his own tears to know just how true it was. No matter how strong he tried to act, he would only end up breaking down days, weeks maybe even months later. And by then he would only be a depressed wreck were it not for his own supporters getting him out of those tough times.


    Liora wiped her nose with the back of her hand while seating herself across from Noah. Her dinning room table being the only amenity in the dinning room apart from a set of glassware, and even then there was only enough for two people.


    "If¡­" She sniffed, "if you don''t mind me asking. *sniff* Why do that? I¡­ you don''t even know me and yet you comforted me."


    Noah tilted his head to the side as he thought about it, soon his lips curled softly. "I don''t like seeing women cry."


    Liora mouth fell open just slightly, her tired eyes widening a little before she let out a self-deprecating snort, "I''m no woman." She whined, "I''m just an old hag on a dying farm now."


    Noah rose his brows, eyeing Liora up and down, not seeing what part of her could be accounted as a ''hag.'' If anything, he would call her mature with plump curves with just a bit of fat around her belly add that in with her soft, angled face and plump lips giving her a very mature, and dare he say, attractive atmosphere to her.


    "Ma''am, you are far from a hag. Trust me, I''ve run into enough in my life to know what they look like. You are the furthest thing I''ve ever seen from a hag. Too pretty, you see." He winked at her.


    Liora looked thoroughly dumbfounded. It had been so long since someone called her pretty, and it came from a dirty boy while she was layered in wine and tears with her clothing still stuck to her body.


    She wasn''t pretty. That''s just how she felt.


    "Thank you for saying that," she mumbled, "but you don''t need to lie to me. No one would find me attractive anymore. Not with my body like this¡­" she pinched her belly and looked down to her sagging chest. "I''m too old for compliments like that."


    "Why would I lie?" Really, he had no reason to, compared to some of the younger girls he''d seen back home, she''d probably be stepping over them on a bad day and they''d separate like the red sea, get on their knees and start chanting her name on a good day.


    "I truly do see you as quite the beauty miss. Yes, you may be on the more mature side and pardon my French, but I find that quite s.e.xy. You''ve got this more experienced feeling to you than others and picking between the two, I''d go for you any day of the week."


    Liora once again looked flabbergasted by his wording, albeit, the flabbergasting didn''t last long before her pale, freckled skin grew beet red and steam practically burst from her head "S-stop that!" She stuttered raising her hands to cup her cheeks. "I''m not something to be picked by anyone anymore. I''ve had my time." She''d be lying to herself if she said the compliments from this stranger didn''t cause her heart to beat a little faster.


    "I''ve done everything I''ve dreamed about and more. My time is up." Noah could see the sadness buried deep within her eyes. "Now I''ve just got to wait until I pass by the old crook road and join my husband in death."


    Noah could only frown, "Is that what you really want? To just die?"


    Liora lifted her eyes to him, the weakest smile he''d ever seen plastered on her face, "I''ve got nothing left. I have nothing. In a few months I won''t even have a roof over my head. No sane man would marry a used woman like me, not at my age, not when I''ve already birthed a child. Death is the only thing left for me."


    Now he was truly feeling worry for her. All he could feel coming from her was the prelude to a terrible event. One that he''d kick himself for if he ever let happen.


    "You still have time don''t you? To harvest some of the wheat?" he''d overheard a little of her conversation with that haughty elf girl. Though he didn''t have much of the context for what it was about.


    Liora shook her head, "I¡­ I can''t cut that much, I''m¡­ I''m not a farmer, I barely know how to work a sickle let alone a grind stone¡­ Even¡­ even if I could hire someone, it would take too long. I just can''t afford it," the last few words caused Liora to slump into her seat, eyes growing moist once again as tears began to flow freely.


    "I can''t do it¡­ I never wanted this¡­" her hands rose to her face and covered her eyes, her paled lips trembling on the verge of weeps. "why did this have to happen? I did everything right. And yet I''m punished like this?" She began to talk to herself, letting her arms fall to her sides staring off through the wooden ceiling into the sky above. "What do I tell Harv?..."


    Noah had his own issues, no doubt. And many questions he wanted answered, none more pressing than where he was and who''s body he''d found himself controlling. But he could just not let this stand, her before him was a woman on the verge of breaking down completely.


    His own issues could take a backseat for once.


    "Is there truly nothing you can do to save this place?"


    Liora lowered her eyes to him and shook her head, "nothing. This farm''s doomed to be destroyed and my husbands legacy with it. I''ve sold everything of worth just to keep taxes up. The rest my daughter took with her."


    Noah''s cheek twitched at the mention of her daughter taking their parents money and running off with it. Just what child does that?


    A terrible one, that''s who


    His teeth ground together, he refused to believe that there was nothing to be done for her. He tilted his head to look out the window over the shimmering waves of golden crop that expanded far into the distance. ''There must be something here.''


    "Do you know if there are any precious minerals on the land? Things a prospector could dig up and sell to help with the staffing?"


    She shrugged, "my husband tried before¡­ all he found was dirt, worms and a spring far that way that he uses¡­ used to water the crops." With a loud sigh, Liora slumped deeper into her seat, "this land is old¡­ It''s been picked clean by Harv''s parents, grandparents and all those before them. All that''s left is fertile soil."


    "What about swapping to a different crop? Something fast growing and valuable."


    "I can''t, I don''t have the seeds and the only fast growing crops out there need some special compost to even grow in the time I have left¡­" she trailed off at the end, looking to Noah with a weak smile. "There''s nothing I can do. And there''s nothing you can do. Thank you for acting like you care but please¡­ stop¡­ my path down the crook road is already determined. I''m not going to pretend it isn''t."


    "But-"


    Liora shook her head to silence him, "don''t. Nothing you say will change anything." Both went silent, Noah still wanting to say something, but finding nothing coming to his lips.


    "Let''s shift away from this depressing topic, why don''t we?" Liora force a smile to her face and forced herself to sit up straight. "Why don''t you tell me about yourself? What brought you so far into the boons and left you looking like you decided to tackle a goblin swarm?"


    He didn''t say anything initially, just taking in Liora''s forced happiness before letting out a sigh. "I don''t actually know where I am. Can''t remember much of these last few weeks," a lie, "Just wandered around before finding myself asleep in your field by a big tree. When I woke up I saw your house in the distance and decided to come see if I could get pointed to the nearest village."


    Her head bobbed along with his story, "I see. You were displaced by the war then? I hear things are getting heated on the fronts. Probably why they want the farm so bad¡­" she added in mumble.


    ''War? So, this isn''t a peaceful time, great.''


    "Yeah. It''s¡­ it''s bad. I¡­ I don''t want to talk about it." He acted his best by gripping his arm and squeezing down hard on it, pretending to have actually seen the aftermath of this apparent war going on.


    "I understand. Please don''t force yourself to remember. I know how terrible it must have been for you." She softly spoke.


    He felt like sc.u.m for tricking her like this but telling her he''s a soul from another planet high jacking some random guys body wasn''t an option just yet. He''d rather not have the first person he met think of him as some loon with a screw loose.


    "If it is alright with you," she rose her voice, "there are plenty of empty rooms in this house. If you want you can stay in one of them. It may not be for long, but it will at least help you get back on your feet." Inwardly she added, ''and I''ll at least have someone to talk to¡­''


    Noah already had his response formed in a blink of an eye, "are you sure? I don'' want to intrude."


    "Oh, don''t be." She waved her hand dismissively, "I may be wasting away. But I can at least take care of someone in need when they find themselves on my doorstep."


    ''I''m not the one in need.'' Noah thought adding in, ''you are,'' just after


    "Then if it''s alright with you. I will be intruding for a while," he bowed his head towards Liora who just grew a soft smile, the tiredness in her eyes never changing even a little.


    "It is perfect for me¡­ Right! How rude of me, I never got your name! I''m so sorry." She seemed genuinely distressed about that.


    "Ah," Noah exclaimed, realizing his own folly, "Noah, my name is Noah Arcturus."


    "Mmm, mmm," Liora hummed whilst nodding along. Her hand raising to pat her chest sending a ripple through her ample chest, "I am Liora Rostrea. It''s a pleasure to meet you Noah." She just smiled and kept her squinted eyes looking at him.


    "Same, ms. Rostrea."


    Liora frowned at the added ms. But said nothing to dissuade him from using it. She was old enough for a boy to be using that on her, even if it made her feel older than she was.


    ***


    Noah sighed as he pushed himself into the bathroom of Liora''s house. She had kindly offered to prepare him a bath, even going so far as to refuse him when he said he''d been stuck with the dirt for so long that it could wait a while longer while she got herself cleaned up.


    But he quickly sucked those words in when she looked absolutely offended by the notion of letting him stay so dirty in her house while she only had a few stains of her own wine covering her body. Which, he argued, was worse than what was possibly a few weeks'' worth of dirt and grime.


    And this was her house.


    He leaned more to the ''it''s her house, she has dibs on the bath,'' side of things but when she forced the kicked puppy look on him, he had to relent, there was no way he could argue the fact.


    Scratching his new beard, Noah looked around the relatively spacious bathroom. The bath itself over twice his size while there was ample room to walk around outside of the water. On the floor to the side was a small wooden bowl reminding him of something you''d find at an onsen back on his world.


    The steam had begun to rise from the water surface, creating a layer of fine steam fog within the room that was slowly escaping through a window at the top of the room that lead outside.


    He found it curious how Liora had gotten water in here, he couldn''t see any taps or piping, nor any heating elements and yet when he dipped the tips of his fingers in the water, it felt warm to the touch.


    Figuring out the technological stage this world was at was going to take a while. They didn''t have any electricity from what he saw, so they weren''t modern, not by any means. And the horse drawn carriage only furthered that notion.


    Lifting the bowl, Noah scooped up water from the bath and poured it over his head, feeling the refreshing warmth coat and wash awy the upper layers of grime. He didn''t see any soap either so he was only going to get so clean from pouring water over himself and scrubbing himself down with his hands.


    Running a hand through his hair, Noah winced as he pulled against knots. God he wished he had shampoo. He was not going to enjoy such coarse hair.


    He may be a man but that didn''t mean he didn''t appreciate the finer things in life, like a good, herbal conditioner. But hey, who was he to complain. He got a new landlord that ticked all his boxes and was even kind enough to take him in when he didn''t even have anything to offer her.


    With his body now mostly cleared of the larger chunks of the dirt and sweat--enough so that it wouldn''t dirty the water for Liora¡ªhe decided it time to finally let his body soak in the warm encompassing waters, slowly lifting his leg over the side of the large tub letting his toes go first before lowering his leg, bringing in the other not long after before letting himself descend into the lukewarm waters.


    "Haaa¡­" he sighed finding his eyes shutting while his head leaned back against the edge of the tub.


    He wasn''t tire or exhausted, not by any means. But who wouldn''t do the same when in such luxurious comfort.


    Though that didn''t last long as his eyes opened to the ceiling above. ''Just how did this happen?'' he found it genuinely curious. Of all the people to find themselves high jacking some blokes body in another, more than likely fantasy world, he found himself to be the last candidate to even be considered, and yet, here he was.


    He wasn''t killed. He didn''t feel like he died. And he most certainly wasn''t hit by the most popular form of world travel, a truck.


    Snorting to himself he thought, ''yeah, I''m more concerned with the why was I brought here? I wasn''t summoned.'' He doubted his summoner would have just tossed him to a random field far away from themselves. If they did, they were a true, una.d.u.l.terated, idiot.


    Soon his thoughts came to fall on the event with Liora, her debt and fast approaching deadline by which to pay the exorbitant sum. How utterly hopeless she looked. He wanted to help her, but how could he? He barely knew anything about this world and how money was earned here.


    He did have some experience gardening all things considered. Only that was for simple potted plants an entire field the size of a city was another monster in its own right. How Liora''s husband had dealt with it, he didn''t know.


    It didn''t seem they had any workers or farmhands. Which he found weird for a farm with a size like this. But then again, from what he heard this was a family run venture, they likely didn''t want any outsiders messing about on their land.


    Sighing once again he muttered, "no point worrying about it now¡­" and shut his eyes once again, letting the water open his pores and release the more deeply ingrained dirt that just a simple rinse couldn''t get rid of.


    He really hoped Liora was going to change the water when it was her turn¡­


    <div class="SnapLinksContainer" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; display: none;"><div class="SL_SelectionRect"><div class="SL_SelectionLabel"></div></div><svg class="SnapLinksHighlighter" xmlns="w3.org/2000/svg">


    <rect width="0" height="0"></rect> <!-- Used for easily cloning the properly namespaced rect -->


    </svg></div>

 Chapter 3 - A Students Meal

    With his body thoroughly soaked and scrubbed free of dirt, Noah decided to finally exit the bath. His hands held the sides of the tub and pulled himself to his feet with a stiff groan and popping bones.


    "Gah, did this guy not know how to stretch once in a while?" He grumbled to himself as he rolled his neck with even more sharp pops.


    Stepping over the side of the tub, Noah''s foot came to fall on the chilly stone flooring, a deep contrast to the warmth of the water. But he couldn''t complain much, he knew just as well as any how poorly wood and humidity went together, that was just asking for mold to start growing. And it wasn''t as if this world has discovered concrete just yet, or, at least he thought so.


    Stepping through the steam filled bathroom, Noah reached his hand out to the handle of the door leading to the changing portion of the room where he had stripped down and placed his raggedy clothing. A thought that made Noah cringe.


    ''should have asked if there was anything clean I could borrow¡­'' he thought as his fingers found the handle, hooking the tips into the groove and slid it open. Frowning when the top part came off the rails and got stuck.


    ''This place is falling apart,'' he sighed as he jerked the door back into place with both hands and slid it out of the way.


    Pushing his way into the room, Noah failed to notice the woman knelt down by a wooden block laying down various pieces of neatly folded fabrics atop it. Her head having risen to him, eyes flaring open and cheeks burning bright as he eyes travelled along Noah''s body, lingering just a bit longer on his lower half.


    Noah looked left and right before his gaze fell onto a small towel just barely smaller than his chest hanging onto a small hook on the wall.


    He was about to reach out and pry it off the hanger when he her a thud and a swiftly repeated, "aba-ba-ba-ba-ba," that fully drew his attention to the woman now fallen onto her butt staring up at him from the ground. Steam pouring from her head while hands covered her eyes. Fingers parted just slightly letting her peek through them.


    "Right. Sorry, didn''t expect you to be in here." He calmly said, his beard just barely concealing his own faint blush. A hand reached to cover his exposed manhood, the other going to grab the towel to provide a better wall to hide his manhood. Were he at all being honest, he really should have expected it, this wasn''t his first time in such an oriental bathroom that had a separate changing room to the actual bathroom. So of course, Liora would enter into the changing portion.


    Liora didn''t respond at first, too fl.u.s.tered for her mind to even work properly. "N-n-no i-its my fault," she quickly rocketed to her feet and turned away from him. Her hands lowering to her chest feeling her rapidly beating heart. "I- you were bathing I should have knocked to let you know."


    Wrapping the towel around his waist, Noah rolled the two sides together to keep them from falling. Inadvertently finding his eyes falling onto Liora''s plump derriere that nearly peaked out from beneath her now dried nightgown¡ªstill stained with red markings of wine all over it.


    Noah gulped, even under her loose gown her could tell just how meaty and full it was, to the point that the gap between them was small enough that he could barely see it without straining his eyes. He couldn''t comprehend how she believed herself to be a old hag with curves like those.


    "It''s¡­ It''s alright," he forced a chuckle while scratching his cheek awkwardly.


    Silence befell the two. One unable to pull the form of Noahh''s near skeletal body from her mind, particularly his manhood that caused her own body to quiver in excitement. A feeling she had long since lost since her husband first fell ill.


    "I-I''m going to prepare a meal for us," She charged towards the door and threw it over. "you look about my husbands size¡­ maybe even bigger¡­" she added in a mumble and not seconds after did a loud slap ring out as her hand met her cheek.


    The sound loud enough that Noah bounced up high, "Liora? Are you o-"


    "I''m fine." She stopped him. "I-I''ve left you a clean change of clothes. Please tell me if they fit. If they don''t I should be able to do some alterations." She didn''t give him time to respond when she practically lunged for the door and sprinted down the hall leaving a void in the steam leaking from the bathroom door.


    Noah''s shoulders slump to his side, "this is going¡­ well¡­" he hissed to himself. Letting his feet bring him towards the pile of fabrics, gently pulling up the top piece up. A thin green tunic. Nothing special or fancy, but as a shirt it was passable. His only gripe being the coarse fabric rubbing against his fingers. A fact he was going to have to get used to. If this world was sometime in the medival era they certainly didn''t have access to the machinery needed to create the truly luxurious¡ªin this worlds standard¡ªclothes he was used to.


    Beneath that was a pair of brown pants in a simple one colour scheme with a leather belt to top it all off. The only things he missed were socks and most importantly, underpants. Which he was certainly glad he didn''t get; he couldn''t live with the idea of wearing someone elses underpants.


    Swiftly putting his foot through the leg hole, Noah lifted the pants to his h.i.p.s, just about to slide the belt through the hoops when a thought came to his mind.


    ''This world does have underwear¡­ right?''


    ***


    If awkwardness could have a physical manifestation, it would be a widowed woman seeing you n.a.k.e.d and being unable to look you in the eye after and was doing her utmost to seem as stalwart and not steaming red in the face as she slurped up some form of wheat pasta.


    Noah couldn''t help but feel a bit apologetic for letting that happening, he really should have been more on guard. ''oh well¡­ nothing I can do about it now,'' he sighed internally turning his focus to the meal before him.


    And from what he recalled of his world, it was essentially ramen in its most basal form. Thick noodles in a bone broth topped with various small vegetable and an exceedingly thin slice of meat. So thin that he feared he''d tear the translucent thing to shreds just trying to pick it up with the chopsticks she''d given him.


    ''Come to a new world. Eat like a starved student¡­'' he chuckled to himself pausing when he noticed a slight inconsistency with that thought, ''¡­with a bit of money,'' no way a student could afford afford all the things Liora had tossed atop the noodles.


    While not an expert at the art of chopstick-fu, he had enough experience to be able to lift up a good portion of the tender noodle and brought them to his lips. Chewing on the broth filled pasta tasting an almost beefy taste from it. But it wasn''t quite beef. There was something else about it, it was more potent than any beef broth he had had before. So much so that he noted a slight, almost gamey flavour to it.


    "Mmm," he hummed swallowing what he could, "delicious. What''s the broth made from if I may ask? It doesn''t taste quite like cow." It was the best he could come up with to break the ice formed between them.


    Liora visibly jumped hearing him speak out of nowhere, her eyes shooting to him which in turn caused her to envision him n.a.k.e.d, once again sending a burst of red-hot steam from her head.


    "It-it''s minotaur," she squeaked.


    "Minotaur?" Noah muttered, "like, cow people?" gods he hoped he didn''t inadvertently become a cannibal. But knowing his luck, it probably did.


    "N-no," Liora stuttered, "Minotaurs are a type of monster found around the kingdom. They''re just large cows that walk on two legs. They look nothing like humans," her voice laced with nervousness, unable to keep her eyes on Noah''s bearded face.


    "So, I''m not a cannibal? That''s good," didn''t alleviate the fact he was still eating a bipedal humanoid creature. Even if he hadn''t seen it in person he could still remember the various images he''d seen about the labyrinth living minotaur from mythology.


    Liora nodded her head with a slight, "Nnn." But saying nothing after, returning an awkward silence to them with the only sounds being that of their slurping of noodles.


    The silence was killing him and his attempt at breaking the ice failed.


    He needed a new way to alleviate this awkwardness between them. Annoyingly, he came to the conclusion of just talking about what happened with her upfront.


    Which he was not dumb enough to admit was like pouring oil onto a already towering flame.


    "Uh, ma''am. I''m sorry for earlier. I showed you something unsightly due to negligence on my part. I hope it doesn''t change anything between us. Especially considering we barely know each other I hope it doesn''t colour me in a bad light." Noah laid his chopsticks down, lowering his head in a bow towards her.


    Liora, not having expected that from him just blinked rapidly, pale yellow noodles dangling from her lips coating her chin in broth. Now she was feeling guilty for acting like this just because she saw¡­ she saw a p.e.n.i.s after so long.


    Her eyes softened as she thought, ''I''m a grown woman. I shouldn''t be so embarrassed about a p.e.n.i.s,'' even in her mind her own voice cracked and sent a spiral of red down her neck.


    "Please don''t be." Liora bit down, severing the noodles in half and resulting in those that hung from her mouth to fall back into the broth. "It¡­ it was just an over reaction on my part. I shouldn''t have entered the changing room without informing you. Even then I could have handed you clothing before you got in the bath. So, I am sorry for having no forethought about this."


    Noah didn''t like it that she seemed intent on taking the blame, "No, It''s my faul-"


    "Stop that!" Liora barked surprising him. "This is my house. Therefore, what happened was an oversight on my part. Not yours. I entered the changing room while you were bathing. How were you to know I was there? So, don''t go attempting to take any fault in this. If anyone is to take the blame, it''s this old hag." Her steaming head had disappeared, replaced by a figurative puff of smoke from her nose refusing any attempts Noah had of turning it to his blame. "So no more of this. Am I understood?"


    Noah instinctively found himself nodding his head with his tail tucked between his legs.


    "Good," Liora hummed happily. "Now let''s finish up. I need to get into the fields for a bit before nightfall." Just as Liora was about to lift up a chopstick full of food to her mouth she paused, her expression turning depressed, "no¡­ it''s pointless¡­" she mumbled almost illegibly to herself.


    Almost.

 Chapter 4 - A Worthless Encyclopaedia

    Noah scanned the room he had found himself within. It wasn''t particularly large, nor was it small. And it held a difference to the rest of the house, one immediately noticeable upon entry.


    Shelves, a small table, paintings on the walls, knick-knacks on shelves along with a single wide-open lockbox with nothing in it but a small necklace with a single rectangular crystal on a brown string.


    Reaching out to it, Noah was about to pick it up when from behind him he heard, "it was my daughters." The suddenness of the voice causing him to jump and spin around to face Liora. Slung over her arm a neatly folded blanket which she laid down upon the single persons bed against the wall. Her hair shiny and wet from her own bath


    "Sor-"


    "Don''t you say that word," she snapped at him and silence him. With Noah silenced she gave him a vibrant smile, "I brought a blanket; thought you might need it." She said as she slowly walked up besides him. Her hands raising to gently pull a necklace from the box, saying nothing for a bit as she held it before her, her thumb stroking over the small pillar necklace with a loving smile.


    "I made it when I first gave birth to her," she rubbed the crystal as if polishing it''s purple tone with her thumb. "I found this gem in some rock Harv cracked open tilling the soil. I had a friend in the city who was a gemcarver, she offered to cut it into something nice for me as a gift for my new baby."


    "I got it back not long after I finally gave birth. It was this beautiful red back then," she held the band, letting the pillar hang loose while holding it up to the setting sun outside casting a slight violet hue over her face. "I don''t know what happened to it, but it lost its colour when Eleanora left with her boyfriend years ago."


    Noah stood mutely, unwilling and unwanting of interrupting her while she was in such fond remembrance.


    Placing the necklace back into her hand, Liora gave it one last look before gently lowering it back into the lockbox. "I could never find it in myself to sell it or anything in this room," Liora chuckled to herself.


    He could see a pain in her eyes as she continued speaking, "Idiotic, isn''t it. Thinking my daughter would want to come to this dead farm while she''s living the life amongst the wilds. Hunting monsters, delving dungeons. I haven''t even seen her in¡­" she paused to think, "fi¡­five years now? Has it really been that long?"


    "Gods I miss her voice. I hope she hasn''t been harmed at all¡­" she spoke to herself making Noah feel like he really shouldn''t be eavesdropping on her.


    Noah shifted his weight a little, but enough that a creak came from the flooring that was loud enough to wake Liora from staring at the opened lockbox and lift her head to Noah. "Oh, sorry, I was rambling to myself there." She said flipping the lid down and latching it.


    "It''s alright, I don''t mind." He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    Liora giggled into her hand, "why thank you for being so patient with this old hag, Noah''s cheek twitched but saying nothing in turn.


    Liora looked around the room with a weak smile, "There isn''t much to do so late in the day, but there should be some books in the chest for you to read until you''re tired enough to sleep." She told him, nodding to the chest next to the bed.


    "If I had been smarter I may have kept a few of the games you could have played." Liora crossed her hands over her belly, "I won''t bother you anymore." She said making small steps towards the opened door, turning her head back to him with an expression that caused his breathing to hitch from just how sore it looked. "If you need anything, I''ll be in the room down the hall. Have a good night."


    Noah''s mouth fell open, wanting to say something to her but finding only a dull whine escaping him as she shut the door behind her leaving him staring conflicted at the door.


    "Ugh¡­" he groaned slumping his arms down to his sides. "In time Noah, In time." Mumbling to himself he found himself falling onto the bed, bouncing a little from its surprisingly modern fluffiness, his hands coming to rest behind his head while he stared up at the ceiling.


    He pitied Liora, she was such a kind woman treated so poorly by the world, doing her utmost to survive who was now being pushed to the edge with no way of backing away.


    He wanted to do something, help her, give her a way out. But what could he do? A nobody. A soul inside a stolen body with no knowledge of the world.


    ''Excuses.'' He may be a nobody, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t help. And he could very well just start learning the ways of the world simply. He looked to the chest besides the bed where Liora said some books may be.


    And books, is where he could start learning of the world.


    ''If I can even understand the language¡­'' He could understand Liora just fine, so he must be able to understand it.


    Pushing himself up, Noah got off the bed and knelt before the chest. His hand gripping around the handle at the centre of the chest and pulled it open with a dull creak. Inside he could see a collection of not just books on one half, but various objects on the right, all tightly packed together in what looked like a variety of wooden boxes or just plainly tossed around with nary a thought of where they landed.


    He''d be lying if he said curiosity hadn''t gotten a hold of him. And that curiosity definitely didn''t lead to him prying out one of the wooden boxes from the centre of the right half of the chest.


    He knew it was inappropriate to pry upon another''s stuff, but when his fingers found the seam and hinge of the box, he still flipped the box open. And what he saw left him agape, slowly shutting the box and pushed it back into it place in the chest. Bringing his arm to rest over his knee while staring blankly at the collection of at least eight.


    "Wood cannot be good for that," he muttered. "I mean, what if she got a splinter?" he shivered, just the idea of having a miniature shard of wood pushed into places they don''t belong was disturbing.


    Shaking his head of those horrible thoughts, he turned his focus onto the various books, reading through their titles one by one before concluding, ''while the characters are different, I can still read them.'' He reached out to a particularly thick book titled ''An Encyclopaedia on Monsters: Volume 1.''


    While not particularly informative to the ways of the world, it would certainly give him a decent basis about what''s out there, and using Liora''s little mention of a goblin swarm earlier, he was certainly expecting not to see things he was familiar with, at least, in the reality of their existence.


    Pulling the red bound book from the chest, Noah flipped it over and tilted his eyebrow up when he saw the cover of a lewdly clothed woman with her hands interlocked at the centre of her chest with two large bug eyes and two fan like antennae coming out of her head, poking through a mane a silvery hair.


    "This is a p.o.r.no, isn''t it?" which made sense considering this was not the type of picture someone drew for an encyclopaedia.


    Noah''s eyes skirted left and right, returning to focus on the moth like girl. Finger pinching the hard cover and pried open the book. Raising his brow even further when he was greeted to not a foreword or an index. But by a creature, one he had already seen before.


    A human¡­ woman, dressed in nothing in a neutral pose showing of her front and backside with a relatively modest amount of curves to her, behind her in small a male ill.u.s.tration with pants on. ''I can see what the writers priority was.'' Noah chuckled, letting his eyes roam over the writing that took up parts of the side of the page.


    [Human]


    [Sapience: Yes]


    [S.e.x: Male/Female]


    [Nature: Depends]


    [Diet: Everything]


    [Favourite Food: Depends]


    [Special Abilities: Hardy, Adaptable.]


    [Arguably the most common of the sapient species to be found throughout the continents of Estra. Honestly, there''s really not much to talk about. If your reading this your likely a sapient, therefore you know what a human is. Arrogant, thinks little about consequences, gets killed a lot, etc. Slow births, slow growths, fast adaptation and ingenuity to new situations. Really, if you run into one (and you will) feel free to kill them, gods knows there''s enough of them.]


    And that just left Noah blinking incomprehensibly at the last bit he read. ''well f.u.c.k you too,'' he shut the book and read the cover for any indication of a writer. Finding nothing, he flipped it over to the back, finding a back shot of the half-n.a.k.e.d mothgirl from the front page, her portrait ending just at her but crack. But also finding a name right where the crack was.


    "Well f.u.c.k you too, Ali¡­" he felt an oncoming headache from this word mess, "Alikavamata Teraphainitun. Jesus and I though Arcturus was a mouthful, f.u.c.k me." He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing it to alleviate the throbbing pain.


    Opening his eyes, he read through the name again, only to wince at it, "guessing they aren''t human then," with a name like that, he had no doubt.


    Sighing, Noah stood up with the book still in hand and made his way back onto the bed to keep reading through it, no matter how much the writer had already irritated him.


    "You may annoy me Alika¡­" he stopped mid name as he had forgotten the rest of it, "you know what, Alika sounds good to me. Well, Alika, you may annoy me, but I can at least still learn something from this.


    ***


    Noah groaned as he rubbed his face with his palms. The An Encyclopaedia on Monsters: Volume 1, lay tossed to the floor besides him. Something he had done in frustration after numerous irritating remarks and comments about the monsters the write was writing about.


    Unprofessionalism, thy name is Alika. Not a single sentence throughout the various chapters on the monsters held any form of actual decent information that wasn''t some rambling of whoever this Alika person was.


    Every other sentence was written in such a way that it seemed like it was just tossed together by someone who knew nothing about speaking coherent sentences that made sense. And yet, somehow this book had found itself published, to what type of reception, he had no idea.


    But what he did know, was firstly that the monsters in this world were for the most part more humanoid than he first expected. And secondly, he could do so much better and he wasn''t even a writer.


    Noah pulled his hands from his eyes to find his room growing darker by the minute as the sun set outside. A yawn soon escaping him. "I got so pissed off, I''m tired," he snorted sending a scathing glare towards that kindling of a book.


    Reaching his hand to the blanket he''d bundled up next to his body between him and the wall, he threw it over his body, ready to shut his eyes and let sweet slumber take him.


    Only, were there not a loud crashing noise that caused to jump and sit up, heart beating rapidly from the shock. "What the fu-" he paused hearing what sounded like sobbing following the crash. He didn''t need a degree to know who that belonged to.


    And he certainly wasn''t going to sit around while Liora was weeping her heart out.


    Throwing his blanket off, Noah quickly got to his feet. His strides long and swift towards his door, flinging it open on a trip to the shut door down the hall where the weeping only grew stronger.


    ***


    *********


    ***


    Please do note, I do not consider these chapters as the final version. I am treating this free release of the story as a first draft that I will rewrite sometime after finishing the first book with the intentions of releasing as a full blown with ill.u.s.trations and all that. So expect boring chapters or typos.


    I''m not a planner so everything that happens is random and I may forget stuff as I haven''t made a series bible just yet.


    So yeah, a bit of a forewarning for the future.

 Chapter 5 - Drunken Cries

    Liora''s cries wrenched against the strings of Noah''s heart. How freely she was letting all her emotions out even more so than after she got the news of her imminent eviction from her husbands home.


    It physically hurt Noah to hear her like this. Lifting his hand to her door he gave it sever soft knocks just loud enough that hopefully Liora could hear it over her cries, though in the end it seemed as if all she could hear was herself.


    "Liora, can I come in?" his voice rose hoping that words may get to her but just as the knocks, all that came from beyond the door was Liora''s piercing wails.


    ''I can''t leave her like this.''


    "I''m coming in, okay?" a pointless question to ask when his hand was already twisting the bronze door handle and pushed the door open into her room. Immediately finding himself recoiling back from the pungent fruity alcoholic stench bursting out of the room and up his nostrils alongside the banshee like cries of Liora.


    Covering his nose, Noah looked around the room. The dozens upon dozens of empty wine bottles strewn about the floor, the stains where wine had leaked out of the bottles onto the floor, even a few dark splotches on the lower portions of the wall.


    And at the centre of it all was Liora, surrounded by a minefield dirty green glass. Fallen to her knees on the ground just besides her bed with her head facing the sky as if to scream to the gods above pleading for them to end her horrible life.


    "Liora¡­" he could only mutter at her pitiable appearance, her eyes puffy and her hair frazzled and a mess, her nightgown hanging half off her shoulder coming to show off one of her b.r.e.a.s.ts. A sight Noah may have found himself intently focused on were it any other moment.


    But now was not the time.


    Pushing his way through the field of glass bottles, Noah slid his feet across the ground not risking the possibility that he may step on something and find himself making a swift and likely deadly meeting with the floor.


    Arriving before her, Noah''s eyes sharpened noticing a brighter red splotch running down Liora''s right arm, blending in with the pungent liquor and a golden fluid that had acc.u.mulated into a puddle around her.


    Lowering himself onto one knee he ignored the feeling of his pants leg soaking up those blended fluids and reached out to Liora''s arm. Gently lifting her arm rotating it enough to let him see the torn bit of fabric running down from her elbow down to her wrist.


    "Shit," he grit his teeth, he didn''t need a medical degree to know what she''d tried to do with that broken and bloodied wine bottle laying on the ground by her other hand. Even if her pressed his hand over her wound he''d barely be able to cover half the cut.


    Though luckily for him it looked like she didn''t get very deep, certainly not deep enough to cut the vein. "Good, good, I can work with this," didn''t mean she wasn''t loosing a lot of blood. But it did mean he could help her.


    Looking around the room for anything, Noah frowned. This place is too dirty he needed her out of here and to the bathroom to clean and dress the wound.


    "Liora," he pressed his hand over her bloodied wrist trying to get her attention by lightly shaking her body. "I need to get you out of here, okay?" all she did was keep weeping. "Come on, let me help you up okay?" he hooked an arm around her waist, giving her little options but to let him lift her to her bloodloss and alcohol induced wobbly legs.


    "Leeefv meh alhone," she bawled to him, "lhet mhe dhai."


    "I''m not going to do that." It was slow going as he walked through the mess of her room and into the hallway hearing only slurred grumbles of wanting it to just end and missing her husband.


    As he hobbled down the hall to the bathroom a trickle of red drops followed behind him, some, often most of the dripping onto his moving legs dying his own feet and pants in the crimson ichor.


    "Nearly there." He muttered moving his hand¡ªstill holding Liora''s wrist to the changing room door handle.


    "Nhooo lhe m ghooo." She drunkenly slurred.


    "Still not going to do that. I''d only join you and drag you back to the land of the living." He hooked his finger onto the sliding door and threw it open, finally getting Liora into the humid, stone floored room. Helping her up to the tub before lowering her down besides it, her head coming to slump weakly against the tub resting on her hip.


    Noah slowly lifted his hand off her wrist, telling her, "I need to get a better look at the cut so I''m going to lift your sleeve up, okay?" she didn''t say anything but sniffles and whimpers.


    Slowly rolling the bloodied and torn sleeve up her arm, Noah winced getting a proper look at the cut. The line was jagged and hesitant. A signifier to her fear of doing the unforgivable. The only bit of relief he got was that it indeed looked only skin deep, maybe even piercing deeper in a few spots where she may have put in more force.


    "Oh, Liora," he shook his head. Finally separating the laceration from his view to search the bathroom for whatever it was that filled the bath with water earlier, but finding nothing at a first glance.


    "Don''t have time for this. Liora, where did you get the water from?" he asked.


    Liora''s hazy eyes shifted lazily to him, her eyelids showing a sign of flickering shut. "Nnn¡­ vhatr sthene¡­"


    Drunken slurs were one thing to puzzle through, though Noah had more than enough experience with it to guess she said something about a water stone. "Okay, a stone. Magic world. Of course water comes from stones. Where is it?" he mumbled to himself, raising his voice to ask her at the end.


    "Ihn bafvvv¡­"


    "In the bath?"


    "Nnn¡­"


    Placing a hand on the side of the tub, Noah pushed himself up just enough to peer into the half filled bath. ''theres already water?'' he thought eyes roaming the clear liquid stopping on a blue ball buried halfway in the bottom of the wooden tub.


    ''Didn''t see that earlier,'' he thought. Wasting little time he lowered his hand into the water, the blood that covered it coming off his hand turning to a red cloud in the water.


    When his hand pressed against the orb, Noah scowled. It wasn''t budging even a little. He''d have to deal with this old water to clean her. A risk he didn''t want to take but would have to anyways.


    Grabbing the wooden bowl, Noah filled it with the water, catching just a little of the pink cloud of blood circulating through it. Holding it over her arm, Noah said, "this might sting," and slowly tilted it down letting water pour down in a stream, running down her arm collecting her lifeblood before trickling to the ground. Slowly but surely revealing a cleaner picture of the wound.


    While he didn''t have sutures to stitch the wound up, he did have b=plenty of fabric, dirty or not, it would have to do for now. Gripping the bottom of his shirt, he pulled it off his body, tearing it into small strips.


    He''d have to bind it tight to help halt the flow of blood. It''d be uncomfortable but it was necessary to help her, at least until he could get a proper doctor to treat her.


    Placing the beginning of the green strip of fabric on her wrist, Noah kept it pressed down with his thumb. Letting the fabric fall over her wrist before grabbing it from the bottom, lifting it up and throwing it over just a bit further up the cut.


    Continuing to bind it in a silence between the two. Only sounds being the sniffles and small coughs from Liora. "You didn''t have to go this far Liora."


    She didn''t respond, not even reacting as he tugged on the makeshift bandage to tighten it even further. Though her eyes did remain open, if just barely.


    "I know you feel the world is against you. But doing this would just remove something beautiful from the world. No matter what you think. No matter if it feels like the sky is falling around you. This isn''t the way to go. What if your daughter came home and learned you died like this? What would she think?" his voice though soft was still passionate.


    "I may have known you for just a few hours, but you deserve so much more." Bringing the bandage around one final time, Noah tightened it pushing the last bit under the previous wrap, pulling it through between the gap and pushed it through once again in a very poor, but hopefully effective way to keep it from coming undone, at least until he could scour through the building for anything better.


    "Haa¡­" he sighed exhaustedly looking down at Liora''s weak body. Blood and other fluids causing the bottoms of her nightgown to stick to her body. "need to clean you up," checking the bandage to make sure it wasn''t loose. He pushed himself to his feet, quickly backtracking to the changing room to grab a few of the clean towels he''d seen in the drawers


    When he returned to her side, Liora''s head bobbed in his direction, "Harf¡­" an anaemic smile came to her lips, "yhu lhuk sho yhang." She reached trembling hands out to Noah who took her hands in his and lowered them down to her lap.


    Forcing a smile to his face he told her, "I''m going to take your clothes off."


    "Nnn¡­ bh ghenthl," she bobbed her head in something he could liken to a ''go ahead'' gesture, even if she was hallucinating him as her husband and not, well, him.


    ''Don''t think naughty thought, she''s drunk and hurt,'' Noah had to reason to himself as he pulled the hem of her nightgown up but getting stuck as it got caught against the wall she was leaned against. Noah pulled her onto him letting him pull the rest of the gown of her body, bunching up around her neck.


    When he laid her back, Noah involuntarily gulped at the sight of her plump b.r.e.a.s.ts that flopped to the sides. ''Nope, no, out with the thoughts.'' He shook his head bringing reason to his hormonal body.


    Noah didn''t want to lift up her arm for fear of loosening or making her wound worse. So instead he went for the second-best option, tearing her thin gown from her arm with a single sweeping motion before lifting up her uninjured arm to finally pull the gown off her completely, leaving her for all intents and purposes n.a.k.e.d before him. No underwear, just a thick forest of red fur hiding her lady bits.


    With her now n.a.k.e.d, Noah did his best to keep his running amok emotions in check as he dunked the cloth into the bath water, Noah to preoccupied to notice that it had risen higher up the sides of the bath.


    Noah brought the wettened cloth out of the water and wringing out most of the water before beginning to slowly rub it up and down the more noticeable patches of red on the right side of her body. Often dipping the cloth back into the water to clean it just a little before continuing to clean her.


    Then came the part he was most nervous of, her lower extremities. "This is so wrong for a man to be doing," he grumbled placing a palm against Liora''s inner thigh.


    "Mnn¡­"


    Quickly pulling it away when she let out a drunken m.o.a.n. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Please don''t m.o.a.n," he whined but pushed through his reddened cheeks, returning his hand to her inner thigh, forcing her legs apart with little effort.


    Finding himself pausing when he caught clear sight of the matte red forest gone stringy from when she''d wetted herself. Beneath the forest he could see the faint heartshaped outline of her lower lips.


    He wasn''t a trained doctor, nor was he a pure individual. So seeing a woman n.a.k.e.d in a pose like this certainly drew out a reaction from him. Though acting on it would definitely not be warranted.


    "God," Noah began to pray, "I may not be religious. But forgive me for this." Bringing the hand with a clean, non blood covered towel down to her groin. Starting just beneath her belly button and moving in downwards strokes towards her crotch.


    "Hnn¡­"


    Throughout the initial process drawn soft whines from the mature woman.


    ''I''m going to hell after this.'' He could only reason as he stroked the towel through her pubes, feeling and ominous and hard bulge against his fingers.


    "Ahn!" A shiver coursed through Liora and Noah nearly pulled his hand away. But kept it there wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible.


    "Haa, haa, nhaa. Nhoooo, stahp theashing mheee~"


    If Noah''s heart was beating any faster, blood may have started pouring from his nose.


    "Mnn~ ohhh~"


    ''Nearly done, nearly done, nearly done,'' he chanted again and again, the only thing keeping him sane enough to stop stroking her downstairs and begin wiping her legs down after washing the cloth.


    "Nhoooo, dhon shtaappp~"


    "Sorry, but I''m done," he let out a relieved sigh, tossing the towel to the side with the other one. Flinching as he remembered he''d have to dry her off as well.


    "F.u.c.k."

 Chapter 6 - The Following Morning

    Morning light shimmered through the opened glass windows lining the wall of Noah''s room. The wave like radiance pelting down and over the sleeping Liora''s body. The curtains fluttering in the winds causing the light to strike against Liora''s shut eyelids, slowly and abruptly rousing her from her sleep with her eyes scrunching up irately.


    Soon they began to flutter open alongside the noises of the wind and the sound of glass clanging against glass coming from outside.


    As Liora''s eyes opened to stare up at the familiar ceiling above, she felt a blend of light-headedness and nausea. The nausea being something she was much to used to over the passing months since her husbands passing. The light headedness, not so much.


    "Ohhh¡­" she groaned raising a hand to shield her eyes from the irritating sun. Her other hand helping push herself up until she was seated on the bed with the blanket that she had been under falling from her body. "What happened?" Normally she would feel at least a bit perkier even with a hangover, but today she just felt more exhausted than ever before.


    Lowering her hand from her face once she became used to the beams of light, she looked around her surroundings. Confusion crossing her when she saw not her own chaos incarnate of a bedroom, but one neatly organized with many a furniture lining it.


    "Why am I in Ellie''s room-!? Ah!" Liora winced as a sudden surge of pain ricocheted through her right arm, knocking against every nerve in her arm before blending in with her hangover headache. "Ow-ow-ow," she whimpered racing her left to hold her painful right. Feeling not flesh nor the soft fabric of the nightgown she had gone to bed with.


    No, what she felt was a roughness of fabric she would never find herself wearing. A roughness only Harv could ever deal with. But there was something else, it wasn''t just a rough fabric, there was a dampness to it. Though she wouldn''t think about the dampness for long as the moment her hand pressed onto the fabric she cried out in pain and pulled her hand away.


    Liora''s eyes trembled while her expression soured looking down to the green fabric tied around her arm. It didn''t take her long to see the dark red splotch saturating the fabric. "W-what?" she gulped noticing that the red stain had also leaked through onto the bedcover she was atop, it even stuck to her hand where she had touched the bandage.


    "D-did I?" her nausea took a back seat in place of her fear. "I-I-no nonono. I-I wouldn''t. I-I-I''m not-" she clenched her hands into balls, bringing them close to her chest, whimpering fearfully to herself.


    Of all the ways to find yourself upon the Old Crook Road, taking your own life was the worst. It was tantamount to falling into an abyss of pitch-black darkness for all eternity, never touching the ground, never seeing the light. It was a crime that rended you from the path you were to tread on the Crook Road. Leading to an eternity of loneliness where not even you family on the other side would be able to come to your aide, nor would one find themselves ever seeing their loved ones again.


    Such a crime was it that even the true monsters of humanity, locked up in the ferrous prisons would find themselves forced to live through their self-inflicted wounds. No matter the crimes one commits, a cruelty in the abyss was not something one deserved.


    Tinkling of glass against glass from outside woke Liora from her hyperventilation. Dragging her eyes to the billowing curtains and sunstained windowsill. It was an unnatural sound, not something she would hear within this farm. No bird crafted noises of crashing glass. So what was it?


    No¡­ who was it? Her saviour perhaps?


    Liora lifted a hand to her head and groaned, she felt she was forgetting something, someone. But who? Her mind was so addled in pain and nauseous dizziness that formulating a coherent memory was proving taxing for her.


    Placing her hands onto the bed, Liora slowly shifted herself until she could let her legs hang over the side of the bed and plant her bare feet on the ground, letting her blanket fully come off herself before she attempted to push herself up.


    "AH!"


    Liora screamed at the top of her lungs, collapsing back onto the bed, her left-hand racing to grab her injured right while her body curled into a shivering ball from the agony of her having strained the muscles in her arm.


    From outside she heard a loud crash of glass and hard stomps soon followed by the slamming of a door and even more stomping noises that grew closer and louder as their originator stormed up the stairs towards her room.


    "Liora!" Through the door burst a brown haired and scraggly bearded boy. Panic in his tired eyes that hung with many a dark sack.


    "N-No¡­ah?" Liora mumbled through heaved breaths just barely able to look up from her hunched position to see his bare-chested form quickly racing to and sliding onto his knees before her.


    "Are you okay? Does it hurt? Wait no, of course it does." Noah worriedly sped through his words, placing his hands on Liora''s shoulders to gently push her back down onto the bed, "Lie down, you shouldn''t be up." He didn''t give Liora much of an option as she just ended up wordlessly listening to him and soon found herself back with her head on the pillow and legs thrown back onto the bed.


    Liora''s watery eyes looked to Noah as he pulled the blanket back over her. "D-did I¡­ Did I try to?"


    Noah solemnly nodded his head, a soft saddened smile taking to his lips, "yeah." He wasn''t one to beat around the bush and letting her fester with the hazy uncertainty of what happened last night would just be cruel. So he may as well be as gentle as he could be while telling her what happened.


    "No-why? I-no, I-I wouldn''t? Would I? I¡­" Liora''s hands sn.a.k.e.d out from beneath the blanket to cover her eyes, her hands shivering as tears began to stream down in trails down her cheeks.


    "Liora," Noah softly reached out to her, being as gentle as he could be as he lowered her hands down to get them back below the warm confines of the blanket. A few small red fingerprints stuck to Liora''s face from where blood had stuck to her fingers when she touched her bandage.


    "It''s alright, you''re alright," he patted the blanket down, straightening the creases Liora had made with her awakening. "You''re still here," he gave her a soft, warm smile marred only by his unkempt facial hair. But that didn''t seem to affect Liora as just the softness to his expression was enough to calm her down enough that her breathing calmed to just a low hyperventilation.


    "you-you saved me?" she whined out.


    "Mm, yeah, I did," he nodded.


    "Why? Why help me? I''m¡­ I tried to do that¡­ you-you didn''t h-"


    "Yes I did." He interrupted her, "and I''ll do it again and again until you stop trying." He watched amusedly as Liora''s eyes widened slightly. A chuckle escaping his lips, "if you want to know why. It''s because you don''t deserve such a sad ending. You''ve still got a few chapters ahead of you Liora, they just haven''t been written yet. Any good story needs a happy ending." While not the most apt comparison, he hoped that Liora got what he was trying to convey. And by the way her lips trembled and her eyes shook with tears, she did.


    "I-I don''t I don''t have anym-"


    "You do. And I''m going to make sure of it," Noah stroked a finger over Liora''s cheek bringing a stray hair back over her ear. "So stop saying that, else I''m going to get annoyed." Noah began to rub away the red dots on her cheek where her bloodied fingers left their prints.


    "Bu-"


    "Ah!" Noah hissed to stop her.


    "I don-"


    "Nah! Zip. It." He popped the p and accentuated the t. "You do. Stop arguing." Noah placed his hands on his knees, forcing himself to his feet.


    Liora''s mouth hung open but Noah''s slitted eyes thoroughly silenced any form of complaint from her.


    Huffing through his nose, Noah gave a single large nod. "Now, before I let you get some rest. Could you tell me which way to the nearest healer?" Doctor seemed much to advanced a word for this world, and healer seemed to be the generic fantasy term for them from his memories.


    Liora''s eyes widened once again. A healer? She couldn''t afford one. Not anymore. "I-I don''t have any money. I-I can''t afford one."


    "Did I ask if you could afford one?" Noah rolled his eyes, "that''s not something for you to worry about, Liora. I''ll figure something out. Now which way to the nearest healer?"


    She wanted to retort once again, yet once again unable to do so. She could tell Noah was being unrelenting and would refuse any words she had that would so much as denote even a slightest inkling of not wanting to be properly healed.


    "In¡­" Liora whined a whine that made Noah think of a hurt puppy, "in the village¡­ forty minute walk down the road." She relented with watery eyes like Noah had kicked her. Making him feel an inexplicable sense of guilt.


    "Good. I''ll be back as soon as possible then. So you just rest. Okay?" Noah took small backwards steps to the door way, keeping his eyes on Liora, who''s lips were wiggling as she was still not too pleased with him going out to get a healer she couldn''t pay for. "Okay?" he repeated to get a quicker response out of her.


    "I''ll¡­ I''ll try¡­" she whimpered.


    Noah grinned brightly and nodded his head, "right. I''ll be on my way then. He turned pointing his skeletal back to her, his head tilting back to her, "Oh, and Liora¡­" He got her attention, "I''ll follow you down to hell and drag you back whether you like it or not. So don''t go trying that again." He didn''t wait for her response as he turned back towards the hall, hand raising to grab the door and pull it closed behind him. Only to not pull his hand away fast enough and squish his fingers between the door and its frame.


    "MOTHER F.U.C.KER! OH YOU F.U.C.K.I.N.G BITCH!"


    Liora winced hearing him cuss out the world hearing hard thumps from beyond the now shut door likely due to Noah stomping down in pain.


    "Goddammit," she heard a final irate grumble and softer foot falls that halted not long later, "right¡­ I need a new shirt¡­ ow¡­ f.u.c.k."


    Liora snorted, lower lip trembling soon falling into a loud laughter, "There''s some in the bathroom, top drawer! Harv always forgot to take a clean pair with him!" Liora called out to him through her own laughter.


    "Thanks!" She heard not five minutes later after a set of thumps came from Noah descending the stairwell.


    When she heard the front door shut and rhythmical whistling, she knew Noah had left the house and was making his way to the village.


    She tried to stay in the bed, she really did. ''I need to tend the crops¡­'' she thought, frowning as finally the first memory of the previous day resurfaced. ''there¡­ there''s no point¡­''


    Liora''s head sunk deeper into her pillow, just blankly staring to the ceiling of her daughters room.


    "Why''d he take me to his room?" she mumbled to herself, feeling a sudden breeze wash against her that pierced even the thin blanket. Now that she thought about it, why was her nightgown so fluffy?


    Liora raised her hand up, lifting the blanket up so she could peer down at her n.a.k.e.d as the day it was born body. "I''m¡­ n.a.k.e.d¡­" she mumbled lacking any comprehension behind her own words. At least, until she lowered the blanket back onto herself and drew her left arm up to her face, chomping down on it while screaming as her entire face burst into a scarlet hue and steam began to rise from her.


    "He saw me n.a.k.e.d¡­" she wasn''t sure how to feel. He saw her n.a.k.e.d, yes that was embarrassing to her and made her want to scream even more. But he didn''t even react when her b.r.e.a.s.ts were hanging free. "I''m really not beautiful anymore¡­" Liora curled herself into a tight ball as if to comfort herself and keep her body warm.


    ***


    ************


    ***


    I''ll probably be releasing these chapters around once a week every Tuesday while I build up a decent backlog, say I get to around 30/40 chapters I''ll probably start doing an every other day, every 3 days release. And once I have book 1 finished It''ll definitely be every two days.


    ___


    Also, feel free to suggest some types of monstergirls and whatever resource they could produce (not completely necessary but I can use it for like, a theme each book which in this books is primarily revolving around forest monsters.)

 Chapter 7 - A Village Stride

    The village was for all intents and purposes, a village. Who would have thought? Not Noah, that''s who. He was half expecting to see some soldiers running about or a giant wall to protect the place from any dangerous fantastical creatures.


    Yet there was none of that, there were a few much smaller farmlands just outside the village and a good few dozen huts built up around the place. It was actually kind of disappointing how normal and small the place looked. Even the smell of freshly tilled soil blending in with the remnants of the various families cooking their meals filling the air were as villagey as he''d ever remembered.


    "Gods this brings back memories¡­" Noah reminisced as he walked through the streets of the village. It reminded him of his grandpa''s home back, well, home. He hadn''t visited him much these last few years what with school and work taking up all his time. Though now that wasn''t a particular issue anymore.


    In the end he couldn''t see this village as a particularly wealthy part of the country with just how rural everything looked.


    The walk to the village had taken about as long as Liora had said, he guessed. It was hard to tell how long without any form of accurate time-telling like a watch or a mobile phone. Something he found himself strangely not missing. Normally he''d have his headphones in just listening to music as he walked. But now without them he had been forced to just listen to the chirping birds, the croaking insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind that crashed against each other like the coming and goings of an ocean tides.


    Even more surprising and jolting to him was when he saw a squirrel, albeit a particularly large one with saber teeth. But still, it was a squirrel, he saw another five of whatever those were and that was about five more than he''d seen in the last ten years of city life.


    It shocked him just how much seeing a simple saber toothed squirrel had affected him and made his heart pump. Was it fear? Most likely. Seeing a squirrel swoop down on a peaceful and cute rabbit and tear it throat out and begin dragging it into a bush was just not a sight you didn''t find ''not scary.''


    ''I need to find that healer,'' Noah brought his stride to a halt in the centre of the street. His head on a swivel looking left and right across the various villagers going about their own lives. Most being woman while a few of the more elderly were men. ''Strange¡­'' he considered seeing one of the many women pause and look towards him with a curious look for a few seconds before going back to whatever daily tasks she was busy with.


    "Um, excuse me, Ma''am!" Noah jogged up to a woman carrying a bucket of water in front of herself.


    "H-hmm?" The woman''s head jerked, and she turned around to look at him. Her lips parting slightly while tilting her head a little, "yes?" she asked.


    "Sorry to bother you. But I''m looking for the healer. You wouldn''t happen to know where I could find them, would you?"


    The woman rose her brow to him curiously but nodded, nonetheless. Her head bobbing down the street, "Caina''s normally helping out in the tavern. It''s the big building in the square."


    "Right, thank you," Noah bounced on the ball of his feet while backing away from the brunette woman down the street. "Thanks, ms!" Noah waved to her and sped off in the direction she guided him in.


    "Huh," the woman exclaimed, "strange boy. Wonder why he didn''t have any shoes on?" she thought about it before shrugging and continued walking down the street towards a little ramshackle house on the outskirts. Its shingles falling from its beams, its door hanging from its hinges.


    "Mora! I''m home," the woman laid her bucket down on the ground but got no response. "Are you tired, Mora?" She walked down the cracking wood walls towards a broken doorway, odd crunching noises and wet squelches coming from said room.


    Bringing her hand to the door frame the girl curled her fingers around it, pulling herself into the room.


    "Mora?"


    __________


    "The Banshee''s Bellow? That''s about as ''tavern'' as they come," Noah chuckled to himself as he read the hanging sign outside the Banshee''s Bellow tavern''s front door. Only thing that could make it more tavernesque would be if they called it the Bannered Mare and put a little horse figurehead on the roof.


    Though around these parts getting a sculpt like that was likely to cost a pretty penny, or buckle as it was.


    It sat about a single story high with a particularly elongated design taking up enough space where two, maybe three huts could be built. The front entrance and archway taking up spot on the side of the rectangular building far off on one end with a variety of small half pill shaped windows cut out of the wood logs used to build it up. All having a set of shutters with simple iron hinges so the rooms residents could get some shuteye even when morning light came.


    When he finally pushed into the tavern through the sturdy doors his nose was immediately assaulted by a rich and fragrant smell of sizzling meats and a thick aroma of some form of ale. Perhaps even a mead from how sweet it smelt.


    The room was long running what he guessed was at least half the buildings size just for the tavern portion. The back was likely to be the kitchen, maybe a few rooms for the workers or for renting out. While not packed by any means there were still a decent few woman dotted around chatting with other woman with a few groups of widely grinning men against the far walls scanning of the crowd of modelesque girls.


    One, a particularly petite one was holding a metal platter over her chest, while chatting with one of the men''s groups dressed in a type of medieval tavern wench garment with a white top, red dress skirt and a navy corset overtop that. Her short, dirty blonde hair held in a miniature ponytail with a little bang on the right side of her face.


    "Welcome! Take a seat and I''ll g- Hand off the goods!" the same tavern wench noticed his appearance and turned away to deal with him. A decision that lead to her slamming her metal platter against a particularly frisky mans head after he decided to snake his hand up to her butt and give it a tight squeeze.


    Noah flinched watching the mans head rocket backwards from the wenches attack before his still body stopped it mid track sending it careening forwards and down, planting his face firmly into a wooden bowl, splattering whatever food was in it across the table, himself, his friends and magically, not the wench. "Hmph! When will you f.u.c.kers learn! This bitch ain''t in heat! I ain''t a part of the menu! So stop with all this f.u.c.kin gropin and shit!" the wenches expression contorted in just milliseconds to that of tormenting demon as her roars shook the very foundations Noah found himself standing up.


    "Ah mean, if I like ya, than maybe. But ya''ll f.u.c.kers ain'' getting and snatch from thisin with those grubby f.u.c.kin mitts!" She huffed irately drawing out giggles from the girlish groups and laughter from the men who were far enough from the man who graciously got to become the new dent in her platter while his friends looked thoroughly terrified from the wenches berating.


    "THAT GOES FOR ALL YA''LL!" She stomped her foot down just hard enough that Noah could feel it¡­ if her were standing right next to her, with his head right next to her foot. Because good lords was he expecting the floorboard to crack from just how much strength she previously had to knock a man out and carve his face into plate metal.


    Yet no, what he got to hear was a soft *whomp* followed by a soft, "ow¡­ my foot¡­" from the wench who began a light hobble towards Noah.


    ''What just happened?'' he asked no one but himself watching with an awkward expression as the wench got closer to him.


    "Sorry about that. These guys don''t know how to keep their hands to themselves. Sometimes they just need a good walloping to get the message across." She swung her fist as if she were punching someone.


    "I, uh, I see that. You certainly left a mark," it bothered Noah how defined the mans face was in the platter. It looked as if sculptor had sat for hours and sculpted each and every pore on the mans face. There was even a bit of hair definition from what he could see.


    The wench tilted her head in confusion, following his gaze down to the face shaped platter where her own grew a shade paler. "Oh f.u.c.k." She cried holding the platter out before her, "not another one. Uncles going to kill me."


    ''Another one!? How many times have you done that!?'' more than enough for her to say ''another one''


    "A-nyways," the wench hid the platter behind her back and nodded her head in the direction of an empty table, "why don''t you take a seat over there mr. no-shoes and I''ll get you something nice to eat." Whatever accent she had from her tantrum just as gone with the wind as her angered expression which now took the form of a brightly smiling teenage girl.


    "No-shoes?" Noah looked down to his feet, wriggled his toes and realized, "right, don''t have any shoes." His boots from yesterday could barely be called shoes considering he was walking with less boot than underwear he currently had on.


    None. He didn''t have any underwear on. And it was chaffing him like hell.


    "Don''t have shoes? That''s just, weird."


    Noah snorted, "I''ve had a weird day. Listen," he decided to get on with it, not wanting to waste any time as he wanted to get back to Liora as soon as possible, "I''m looking for the healer? I heard she''d be in here. Canea I think it was?"


    The wench giggled into her hand, "I don''t know any ''Canea,'' but I do know Caina if that''s who your looking for."


    "Yeah, that sounds about right."


    The wench nodded profusely, "well lucky for you, you''re looking at her!" She jumped placing her hands on her h.i.p.s and posed a superhero pose.


    "Oooohhh," Noah heard a soft womanly call from somewhere in the the hall, "someone''s trying to impress the new guy~" they teased.


    "Wha!? No, I ain''t ya grungy whore!" Caina bolted and turned on heel searching for whoever said that with a slight redness to her cheeks, "I''m bein a good f.u.c.kin wench! Ya whore!" Laughter both male and female filled the room much to Caina''s irritation


    ''this¡­ this is the healer?'' something told him this wasn''t a particularly ''official'' title she had gotten and more of a¡­ suggestion? yeah, that sounded right.


    Venting steam out of her nose, Caina turned back to Noah where her expression immediately returned to normal, "sorry bout that. The ladies like teasing me every now and then." She tilted her head up to look him in his eyes from her chest heighted perch below him.


    "So, what''s it Caina can do for you?"


    Noah''s brow rose at her third person question. "I need a healer to treat a cut."


    Caina nodded with shut eyes, "Mmm, mmm, can do, show me where it hurts and I''ll get right to mending you. Just let me get my sack from out back."


    "Oh, its uh, it''s not for me. I was actually hoping you could come back with me. I didn''t want to risk bringing her with while she''s still weak, and tipsy." He added as an afterthought.


    Caina frowned, her eyes sharpening, "a home visit is it? I can do it. But you''ll have to wait, I''ve still got an hour left before lunch is done."


    "I''d really rather not leave her to her own devices for longer than I already have if at all possible."


    Caina''s frown only grew larger until she dropped her head and sighed, "give me five minutes to tell Uncle I''m gonna be gone for a bit. How serious is the injury?"


    "Not very deep but its in a¡­ sensitive area," a gash along the fore arm would certainly count as a sensitive area what with the ulnar artery being located right there.


    "Riiiight,"Caina shook her head and turned her back to him, "I''ll be back in five," she said making quick but wide steps towards the bar where a elderly woman was hunched over slowly but meticulously drying the same wooden tankard he''d seen her drying since he came inside.


    Not even seconds after Caina''s disappearance into the backrooms did Noah''s leg start twitching leading to his foot impatiently tapping against the floor. It had already been a good hour and a half by his estimations. Which was an hour and thirty minutes since he last checked up on Liora.


    Almost exactly five minutes later did Caina re-emerge from the backrooms now carrying a thick satchel under her arms and lacking her navy corset. Noah letting out a breath of relief as she approached him. "Right, lets get to walking."


    He couldn''t agree more.


    <div class="SnapLinksContainer" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; display: none;"> <div class="SL_SelectionRect"> <div class="SL_SelectionLabel"></div> </div><svg class="SnapLinksHighlighter" xmlns="w3.org/2000/svg">


    <rect width="0" height="0"></rect> <!-- Used for easily cloning the properly namespaced rect -->


    </svg></div>

 Chapter 8 - A Discussion on Corpse Growths

    The walk back to the farm had just begun when Caina''s grumpily grunted Noah''s direction, "I would have appreciated being told we were leaving the village."


    Noah chuckled, "sorry, didn''t cross my mind. Was more focused on getting a healer."


    Caina''s eyes narrowed and burrowed into Noah''s side as they continued step for step down the flattened dirt road that wound through the forest that surrounded the village and by proxy Liora''s farm.


    "I can see that," she hissed. Her irate expression faltering before she let out a sigh, "haaa¡­ so what''s wrong with the girl? She dealing with internal pain or something more prompt in nature?" she decided that perhaps in place of being annoyed getting an idea of what her patient may have would help her prepare the necessary treatments for it.


    Noah bobbed his head to the side, his toes digging into the dirt as they walked, a fact he became all to aware of after Caina so kindly reminded him back in the tavern. "Definitely more prompt. She''s got a, uh, cut, a big one."


    Cain nodded already thinking about the balms she''d need to stop the bleeding and help with the sealing of the wound, but she needed more information than ''it''s a big cut.''


    "Can you go into more detail? How big exactly? Do you know the depth? Any sign of corpse growths? Where on the body? Chest? Back? Legs?"


    Noah processed her request, drawing a blank at ''corpse growths.''


    "I''m sorry, but what are corpse growths?"


    Caina frowned, sending him a look as if it were the most idiotic question she ever did hear. "You''re not very read, are you?" Noah flinched, even he knew what that meant in context of another world.


    She just called him stupid. And he couldn''t retort because in terms of this world he was just that, stupid.


    "Sorry, memories hazy over the past few weeks and beyond. I barely remember much of my past let alone stuff like ''corpse growths'' so if you could just humour me."


    "Amnesia?" she questioned with a raised brow.


    "Yeah," Not completely accurate but it worked.


    Caina sighed, "can''t help with that," she shrugged glancing her eyes over the depths of the forests, "corpse growths, its this horrible disease that those with open wounds tend to get. The area of the wound will progressively get worse and start releasing ichor while sometimes the skin may even start turning black and die. Apart from cutting the limb off, there''s nothing I can do about such wounds. I just don''t have the equipment on me to deal with that type of thing. So, she have any of that? If so I''ll start sharpening my bone saw."


    Noah flinched away, a bone saw was the last thing he was going to let this girl take to Liora''s arm. ''Sounds like she means an infection,'' he concluded, still not glad with the insinuation of amputation that just made him want to sprint back to ensure no infection happened to come about.


    "From what I saw, no, there wasn''t any infection. But that was hours ago when I first bound the wound. Which, thinking about it used the shirt I had on at the time," he lifted his hand to his lips and press his knuckles to his lips, "that thing can''t have been very clean."


    Now it was Caina''s turn to look confused, "Infection? What in the world is that? And what does a shirt being not clean have to do with this?"


    ''Right, medieval times. Hygiene and sciency words aren''t prominent here.''


    "Infection is what you called corpse growths. Just another word for the same thing." Caina rose a brow but said nothing in response. A word for the same thing was hardly anything she needed to care about, though infection¡­ it certainly sounded better than corpse growths. That would just be another thought for later.


    "The fact that the shirt I used for Liora''s bandages not being clean or sanitized just increases her chance of getting an infection." He grumbled, now finding he wanted to race back to the farm to get it off her and reclean the wound with whatever Caina had in her satchel of many things.


    "Why would that be?"


    Noah''s head flew Caina''s direction, searching for any signs of her pulling his leg, and yet all he saw was a genuinely confused and curious girl.


    "Its not like cleanliness has anything to do with gaining corpse growths."


    ''I''m sorry what?'' cleanliness had everything to do with not getting an infection, it was literally the only way apart from antibiotics that would help prevent getting one. But once again, medieval times leads to medieval means of thought. "Caina, if you don''t mind me asking, how does someone develop corpse growths?"


    Caina frowned, chalking Noah''s idiotic question up to his apparent amnesia, this was a simple thing everyone knew. "Considering you are dull in the head," Noah twitched, being called stupid was one thing, but dull? Really? "I will tell you. Corpse growths are a curse of the goddess of pestilence, Parminal. Formed by a curse she placed upon the world in the form of an ambient miasma that forms around those with untreated wounds. Slowly seeping into the wound before manifesting as a putrid yellow ichor that fills the wound, slowly eating and destroying the skin in an effort to kill those who are taken by the plague. Cleanliness means nothing to an ever-present miasma."


    It was about as accurate as he had expected, maybe a little more so. He could see the initial signs of them understanding what bacteria was, and they certainly had the essence down of a wound infection. But they lacked an understanding of pus and what its purpose was.


    He was no doctor, but he knew that pus was just evidence of the body sending white blood cells and various other things to fight of the infection. It certainly wasn''t something that ate the body. Dead cells certainly couldn''t eat anything.


    Perhaps he, even with his trivial knowledge of modern medicine could help these people learn something new about medicine, even if it were just simple things like hygiene standards and the various ways a disease could be transferred from person to person.


    He doubted he could become anything like a saint or whatever the term this world used and have his word travel world or kingdom wide. He was not a person seeking for such popularity. If he could help the few around him, that was more than enough.


    "Thank you for the explanation¡­"


    "Welcome," Caina quickly replied.


    "But I have to disagree with this idea of an ever-present miasma by some higher being the reason for someone becoming infected."


    Caina''s steps halted while Noah kept walking, only stopping once he notice her not besides him and turned to face her. Seeing an irritated expression on her face, "And what do ya know!? Ya ain'' ever had the training! Don''t you come round and spout some shit about knowing something ya ain''t studied for."


    Noah was left a blank at her sudden and thick accent.


    "I spent years studyin for my badge! You ain''t got shit!" Caina lifted up her left arm and showed off a small teardrop pin with a small blue sapphire at the centre of it on her wrist. "So shut yer mouth about knowing stuff you. Don''t. know. About!" Steam vented from Caina''s nose as she stormed past a befuddled Noah.


    Had he known she''d take him commenting on it he would have shut his mouth.


    And yet, he already opened it. May as well keep it going.


    "Look," Noah shook himself awake and sped up to her side, keeping pace with her, "I wasn''t questioning your belief. I just meant to add my own thought on it."


    "Ya? Then it''s a stupid thought, so just shut yer mouth, because ya don''t know shit about medicine especially when ya can''t remember your own past."


    "I agree." Caina stumbled over her feet, normally when someone tried to act like they knew something, they were just c.o.c.ky bastards trying to impress her and get into her pants. Saying he agreed with her about knowing nothing about medicine was a first.


    "I''m no healer, I have no training and no experience. I barely know my potion from my poultice. And I may not have many memories of my past life, but I do remember a few concepts. Things that go against this idea of this miasma being the reason for infections. I didn''t mean to offend you. And I''m sorry I did. I just thought to maybe start a conversation with you and learn from it." Noah lowered his head to her, "once again, I am sorry for offending you in the way I did. I didn''t mean to act like I knew more than you did."


    Him being so kind to her after her outburst was putting a dampener on the whole anger thing she had going. Caina scratched behind her ear, unable to look at Noah, "no, I over-reacted," she grumbled apologetically, "back at the school everyone kept acting all high and mighty like they knew everything cause they were noble born while I put effort into my studies. Doesn''t help when I run into people who think they know everything about things they don''t know about."


    Noah was all to familiar with those people, the arrogant thinking themselves omniscient, constantly flipflopping from one bout of internet googled knowledge to another with barely a thought to questioning a professional themselves.


    Silence befell the two as they continued their walk. Said silence remaining between them for minutes on end until finally Caina up and said, "If you don''t mind, I''d like to hear whatever it is you think is the cause of corpse growths. I''ll try not to get annoyed."


    ''Try being the operative word.'' Noah snorted. She seemed to genuinely want to listen to him now that she didn''t think he was trying to be a know it all. "From what I remember," Noah pinched his chin to think, "infections- or, well, corpse growths as you call them. Are something gained through certain bacteria entering a wound where they will begin to grow and multiply within the body. The body will then start trying to fight off the bacteria creating the pus which itself doesn''t cause the wound to worsen¡­" Noah cast a glance to Caina, realizing that some of the words he used were beyond her.


    "Bacteria are what I guess you could compare to this miasma of yours. Question, is there only one type of miasma, or are there multiple?"


    Caina hummed to herself, "there''s just one. Is that not so for this ''bacteria'' thing you are speaking about?"


    "Not in the slightest," he shook his head, "bacteria is more of a collective term than anything. You know how snakes have poison in their fangs?" he waited for Caina to nod, "now imagine that poison floats through the air, is invisible and comes in hundreds of thousands of different variations each having their own different attributes, either good or bad. That''s a stripped-down version of what bacteria is in essence. I can go a bit more in depth into it, but my word is hardly law on this topic. Really all you need to know about it is that certain bacteria feast inside injuries and will breed within said wound forming an infection."


    He could see suspicion and doubt in Caina''s face, what he said about a flying poison seemed ridiculous to her, why would a poison fly through the air? How was that to do any harm. That wasn''t to mean she didn''t believe him somewhat; she had heard rumours of mushrooms forming clouds of toxic mists. But those were mushrooms, not whatever a ''bacteria'' was.


    "This bacteria is alive?"


    "Yes."


    "Then what does it look like?"


    That was a question he was not prepared for, how was he supposed to explain an amorphous blob of sickness without a book on hand that actually explained it better than he could. "I don''t know. They''re smaller than the eye can see."


    "Smaller than the eye can see? That''s just idiotic. Why would there be creatures smaller than what one can see? That just seems pointless and inefficient." She huffed a breath.


    Noah could just shrug, he didn''t have any way to magnify and get a proper look at bacteria for her to believe her, so he''d just have to settle for word instead. "I can''t prove it, but that''s how it goes." He lifted his head, swivelling it around beginning to notice the trees thinning out and a thick golden hue forming between them. They''d spent longer talking than he thought, they were close to the farmhouse. Just ten, maybe twenty more minutes before Liora could get her treatment.


    Caina didn''t say anything, just stewing with the idea of miniature creatures in the shape of rabbits and boars breeding within wounds to bring about corpse growths. ''No¡­ that''s just stupid.'' She sighed. Why did she even give him the time, it was just ridiculous an idea.


    Just as they were about to pass into the beginning of the golden fields of wheat, a soft rustling from a bush behind them drew both their gazes to turn around, now realizing there, along with the rustling of the bush was a slight buzzing noise.


    It didn''t take long for Noah and Caina to realize what it was. And what it was caused them both to widen their eyes in surprise, "a Saborian honey bee¡­ those shouldn''t be this far away from the mountains?"


    Indeed, twas a honeybee, that hovered a foot off the ground. Shaped like a young girl with two large black compound eyes in place of human eyes. Atop her head were two large segmented antennae, starting as black at the bottom but gradiating to yellow the closer it got to the tip of the antenna.


    Her¡­ it''s? entire body was layered in plates of shiny dark chitin with bright yellow, frizzy fur peaking through across various parts of her body, acting even as her hair albeit her hair grew much longer and resembled almost silk in its consistency with a thick ring of white fur running around her neck like a scarf.


    Even from her back he could see a bees abdomen with overlapping segments of yellow, black and browns with a sharper point on the end. But most unnervingly for Noah was the fact that the girls entire lower half, her legs specifically were of three separate and well-defined segments, her upper leg, going to her knee being the femur. Then from her knee to her ankle forming the tibia, growing progressively thinner and thinner before it formed into a third nearly curved and nearly as long metatarsus that finally ended in a slightly curved and pointed tarsus with two small claws on the end of it.


    Were she not floating a foot off the ground, Noah may have very well mistaken the girl for a cosplayer, every part of her screamed it. And yet he knew he''d be utterly wrong.


    The insectoid girl hovered around the pathway for a few seconds looking around her, even wandering its compound eyes over Noah and Caina for a few seconds while its translucent wigs rapidly fluttered to keep her off the ground and floating across the path and into the forest, ignoring both the people who were just silently watching it.


    "That was an interesting sight to see. Shall we keep walking? I don''t want to keep this patient waiting for much longer." Caina didn''t wait for his response and just turned on heel, already predicting that the pathway into the field would lead to wherever they were going.


    Noah was still dumbstruck by the sight of the Saborian honeybee. It looked so human, but it wasn''t. It was female, that much he knew from its wider h.i.p.s and the noticeable bump on its yellow, n.i.p.p.l.e-less chest. But its added segmented body parts and bug-eyed eyes shut that thought off almost immediately.


    He had been expecting it, especially after reading through the monster encyclopaedia, how most if not all the monsters within were humanoid in one way or another. And now he had the evidence to prove the case.


    "This world is f.u.c.k.i.n.g weird." He mumbled to himself taking step after step backwards, staring into the distance where he could see the silhouette of the little monster girl. Turning on heel to catch up with Caina who had put a good distance between them while he was stuck in bafflement.


    ***


    ************


    ***


    Yeah, so i''m going for the literal interpretation of MONSTER-girl. Not just human girls with simple things like an added abdomen or half spider. I mean all the works, eyes, jaws and all that fun stuff. I just find the more monstrous looking ones more fitting with the world I have envisioned and honestly, more interesting.


    I don''t blame anyone who finds it a turn off. But hey, we all have our own kinks.


    ***


    ********


    ******************


    Early chapter cause I feel like I kept you waiting long enough.


    Okay, so update on Patre-on. Those in the $10+ range get access to all chapters of Monstergirl Rancher early aswell as any other stories I produce in the future, but those in the $3/$5 tiers will get access to an additional chapter every time a new one gets released on . Essentially meaning those in the $3-$5 do actually get a small perk every week.


    Another added bonus, I''ve decided to shift the releases from once a week, to twice a week. Which I can either do on the same day, or spread across the week on tuesday and thursday/friday. I''ll put that up to you guys to decide upon


    ***


    danbooru.donmai.us/posts/3543184


    This is about as close but not exactly what I was thinking the Saborian Honey bee would look like. And with the size of this ones ''assets'' this would instead be considered the queen while the soldiers and workers (Which appeared in this chapter) would be smaller.


    I''ve made a new category on the discord where all monster girl species will get their images posted (all of which are unnoficial until I can either afford, or draw my own ill.u.s.trations for them.)

 Chapter 9 - Treatment

    "I''ve heard about this place," Caina said as they grew closer to Liora''s house. Her eyes wandering over the ocean of golden wheat. "Isn''t it owned by the Rostrea''s?" Caina tilted her head to Noah and asked.


    "Yeah. They do," for now. "You know them?" he returned with his own question.


    Caina shrugged and said, "not really. I''ve just heard that they were an old family and owned a large part of the region. Not very well liked from what I heard."


    Noah frowned, "what do you mean?"


    "Nothing much really. Apparently the owner, Harv, refused to let anyone who wasn''t a part of his family work in the fields even refusing to let anyone hunt or gather in the forest. People are just waiting for the king to take this place back sometime so they can go spelunking in the depths." Caina nodded her head into the distance where a thick wall of large deciduous trees. "Hear there''s some valuable things in there, some rare stuff even." Caina snorted derisively "next thing you know people are hunting dragons and taking their scales. Idiots."


    Noah lifted his head following Caina''s gaze, if there''s something valuable in there, something that could help Liora. Maybe he could find it for her.


    "You don''t sound like you believe them."


    "Ha!" Caina threw her head back, "Course I don''t, everyone treats the place like its some untapped well. You saw all those men back in the tavern?"


    Noah nodded.


    "Yeah? Well those guys are all here waiting for this place to become free game."


    "Why don''t they just come now? Why wait so long?" it wasn''t as if there were any guards stopping them.


    "Rumours and legends mostly. Uncle said the Rostrea''s are a family that made some demonic deal with some demon. So long as there''s a Rostrea alive and the farm is under their name, the demon will get rid of any trespassers. Load of superstitious crap if you ask me. Ain''t no one seen a demon in hundreds of years. Not a chance there''s one out here in the middle of nowhere."


    ''Demons, great.''


    "And they believe that?"


    "F.u.c.k no. But none of them want to risk it if there is one." Caina rolled her shoulder to get her bag into a comfier position. "That being said, there was one lad who thought himself brave and wanted to get some extra buckles for his sickly ma. Barely got halfway into the village forest before scuttling back to his ma with piss in his pants and a new scar on his face from running into a branch he thought was a werewolf''s claw." Caina unabashedly began to chuckle at the boys expense.


    "There''s also the issue of the land being private ground," her laughter died down. "so, anything found out here that ain''t collected by a Rostrea is stolen goods. Trying to sell it is like asking to have your head laid on a slab just waiting to roll."


    As much as he agreed stealing stuff from the forests was bad, but execution? That seemed a little far. Especially when proving something from a forest was from that specific part of the forest would be a mission in its own right.


    By now they had come to the fence surrounding Liora''s house, its gate still hanging off its hinges and squeaked when Noah pushed it open, stepping out of Caina''s way to let her pass him by before shutting it behind her.


    "That''s a lot of bottles," Caina looked to the pile of bottles besides the gate, bending down to pick one of the bottles up. Noah''s eyes unconsciously travelling down to her bottom where her dress outlined her butt, even going so far as to outline her actual crack. "Algenian blue, from the¡­" she flipped the bottle around, "Night era," she whistled as if impressed, "nice." She tossed it back onto the pile to continue her walk to the front door. Giving the two story, near manor sized building an impressed whistle like she had the wine.


    "So, you gonna let me in?" She turned back to Noah who was already walking past her.


    "One second," he gripped the handle and twisted, hearing a soft click as the door slowly began to open with him entering after it, Caina just behind him, curiously looking around the insides of the hall only to find herself disappointed by how barren it looked.


    "Liora''s upstairs," Noah said shutting the door behind him. Placing his left hand on it to bolster himself while lifting his legs one by one to sweep the dirt off the bottom of his feet with about as good a cleaning as he could without bathing himself.


    "Right," Caina just snorted, not waiting for him as she began to ascend the staircase. A serious expression forming when she noticed several dried splotches of red on the stairs themselves and even the landing of the second floor. "You never said what her injury actually was, I know it''s a cut, but where is it?"


    Noah hesitated but quickly followed after Caina stopping just in front of her and causing her to stop her walking herself, "listen, I know I asked you to come out here. But I do have a small request. When you head back to the village, please don''t tell anyone about Liora''s condition. If what you said about people waiting to raid the forests is true, then its just a matter of time before they come to the house and try something."


    Caina''s eyes turned to slits, "I may not be that tight a lipped person. But I don''t just go around chanting about what I do every day."


    Noah sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Didn''t mean to insinuate anything. Its just, Liora, she tried to take her life and cut her arm open. I just don''t want to worry that anyone may try to break in here thinking they could get a payday."


    Caina''s lips fell open a small, "Oh," escaping her while her expression soured, "then you don''t need to worry about them. I can promise you I won''t say anything. Now I am to assume this Liora is in the room behind you?"


    That question was quickly answered not by Noah but by his name, "Noah¡­ Is that you?" a noticeable tremble to Liora''s voice muffled by the door. She sounded weak, weaker than this morning.


    Noah turned on a dime and charged the door at hearing her voice so weak. Practically tearing the dilapidated door from its hinge. "Yeah, yeah, it''s me," the room was in much the same condition its was before. But the person he had laid down in the bed, hers was much worse. Sweat trickled down her forehead and her skin grew a sickly pale. Worse still he could see a bright red splotch on the right side of her blanket.


    A weak smile took to Liora''s tired face¡ªmore tired than even Noahs¡ªwhen she saw him, "it''s a little cold¡­ isn''t it?" she giggled in delirium. "Sorry¡­ I''ll stoke the fire in a bit¡­"


    ''Oh that''s not good.'' His own internal monologue sounded hoarse even to himself.


    Before he could even rush to Liora''s side, Caina had circled him, moving in wide and steady steps. Reaching her hands out to tear the blanket from Liora''s body. Her eyes twitching when she saw the true unfiltered sight of Liora laying atop a crimson bedsheet, her entire right arm dyed the same colour that even stuck to the side of her n.a.k.e.d body.


    "Jesus," Noah muttered at the sight.


    "I need to stop the bleeding¡­" Caina muttered to herself falling to one knee and taking Liora''s wrapped right arm in her hand, frowning at how the makeshift bandage was untied at one end and had come loose. Noah could see annoyance in her eyes at the sight of it, likely from the poor worksmanship but she said nothing, only beginning to unwrap the bloodied bandage to get a better look at the full extent of the wound that ran down the entirety of her forearm.


    "No corpse growths, but¡­" Caina shot her head in Noah''s direction, "I thought you said it wasn''t deep, I can practically see the bone." While she berated him she brought a hand to her satchel, throwing the flap open and began to ruffle through it, soon bringing out a small glass vial filled with a yellowish white fluid in it.


    "It wasn''t! It must have opened while I was gone!" he reasoned, his eyes noticing another splotch of red not with the others, one on her left hand, on the tips of her fingers and beneath her nails. "F.u.c.k. She was scratching." He had dealt with enough injuries in the past to know just how bad scratching a wound, especially one as untreated as Liora''s was, was.


    "Doesn''t matter if she was scratching it or not. It''s still deep." Caina hmphed focusing back on Liora. "I need you to hold her arm steady for me. Make sure she doesn''t try to close it."


    Noah didn''t even bother hesitating as he dropped to his knees, taking Liora''s arm from Caina.


    "Mmm¡­ your so warm Noah¡­ hehee," Liora giggled to herself with flickering eyes threatening to roll into the back of her skull.


    "I know I am. So just keep those eyes open for me, okay?"


    "Heehee¡­ no promises¡­ I''m sleepy¡­"


    Noah''s teeth chattered rapidly; she was not in a good place. "Can you hurry it up. Please?" he shot his gaze back to Caina, just seeing her bite down on the wooden cork of the vial, popping it of with a single jerk of her hand. Spitting the cork to the side before pouring the yellowish fluid directly into the open wound, starting at her elbow and working down to her wrist. Slightly pulling apart the two sides of the open wound to let the liquid properly fill the bleeding gap.


    It didn''t take long for Noah to notice the viscous liquid seeming to evaporate and disappear into Liora''s wound forming a strange white film over the opened to the air muscle fibres. "That will staunch the blood for a few minutes." Caina placed a bloodied hand on her chin and cracked her neck in both ways. Grunting at the sudden relief she got from doing it.


    "Now for the annoying part. You can let her go. But I need you to hold her down. This part''s going to hurt," Caina''s hand returned to her pouch to pull out a small silver container she twisted open to reveal a bright red balm inside, already showing use from the various strokes going through it. Bringing her Middle and index through the crimson balm, she turned her eyes to him, "like, a lot. Just make sure she doesn''t bite her tongue off."


    He didn''t like the idea of Liora going through pain after what happened to her. Giving her more just seemed like a terrible idea. "Do you have anything to lessen the pain?"


    "No. Now hold her down." Noah''s cheek twitched. He didn''t have much choice but to listen to the professional. And so he released her arm and raised to his feet, placing a knee atop the bed while leaning over her, his arms on her shoulders.


    "Nnn¡­" Liora''s deathly face bobbed side to side before locking on Noah''s face, "you make me fuzzy inside¡­ hahaa~" she giggled goofily, saying things she wasn''t thinking about. "do my boobies look old?"


    "I hope she doesn''t remember any of this." He muttered with a slight blush to his cheeks.


    "Trust me, her deliriums going to be the last thing she remembers after this." Caina brought her balmed finger to the top of Liora''s wound, pausing just above it, "make sure she doesn''t move too much. I don''t want to do any more damage than I have to."


    "What do you mean, do more da-" Caina pressed her fingers into the top of the gash, pressing the balm against the sides of it.


    "AHHH!" Liora screamed, her eyes bolting open while she began to struggle beneath Noah. Her legs kicking and her arms struggling against their restraints of Caina holding her right hand and Noah pressing her other down.


    "STOP IT! STOP IIIIIIT!" Her lungs shot words out, her eyes growing bloodshot as tears poured freely. "IT HURTS IT HURTS! PLEASE STOP IT!" Noah could only grit his teeth while Caina continued stroking her finger up and down the length of the gash, the balm seeping into the muscles of her arm


    "It''s okay, Liora, look at me," she didn''t hear him, her screams of agony drowning him out. "She''s nearly done. You''re nearly done aren''t you?" he turned to whisper to Caina.


    "With the first layer? Yes. Still have another two to go."


    Two layers of screaming.


    ''Hold on Liora. You''ll be alright.''


    He hoped.

 Chapter 10 - Pulse

    How horrible could one man feel trying to help a woman get better?


    The answer was pretty, Noah felt pretty bad trying to help Liora. Barely through the second layer of whatever it was Caina was smearing on the inside of the wound and she had passed out foaming at the mouth with her eyes rolled to the back of her skull.


    Noah could only grit his teeth and panic for a moment as he placed his fingers over her neck to check if she were still breathing and hadn''t had some heart attack from the pain. And true to his hopes, he could feel it a soft, but slow thu-thump, thu-thump of Liora''s heart as it pumped what blood was still in her body around.


    "I believe one wound is enough. You don''t need to strangle her," Caina said with a icy tone as she pulled her fingers from Liora''s arm. Already proceeding to pull out what looked like several leather belts from her bag.


    "I''m not strangling her. I''m checking her pulse." He responded.


    "Pulse?" she questioned confused at the word.


    Dumbfounded, Noah blankly stared at Caina as she lifted up Liora''s arm pulling a belt under it and up to just below her elbow. ''How does she not know about the pulse? Just how backwards medicine wise is this world?''


    "Her heartbeat, I''m checking her heartbeat."


    Caina raised a doubtful brow, "And¡­ you are doing that by strangling her?"


    "I''m not, ghaa¡­" Noah palmed his face, "I thought you were a doctor."


    Caina tilted her head at the foreign word, saying nothing to ask about it.


    "Okay," Noah lifted his head to look Caina in the eyes, "you know your heart beats, right?"


    "Of course, I do. I likely know more about the human body than you do."


    "I f.u.c.k.i.n.g doubt it at this point," he grunted getting an annoyed glare from Caina who grew a little tickmark on her forehead. Her hands working quickly as she looped the end of the belt through the buckle and promptly tightened it until it squeezed down on Liora''s arm where Caina then began to press and massage the skin around the wound to move it together and seal with the belts keeping the two sides pressed together.


    "Anyways, do you know about veins? The hollow tube that your blood flows through?" she nodded, likely at the description and not the word. "Right, so in your body you have lots of different veins, some big, some small, some that move blood around the body and some that bring the blood back to the heart." He explained while Caina tightened another belt just a few centimetres down from the other, continuing to massage the skin to get it properly sealed.


    ''I need to figure out how to suture because that''s going to hurt when she wakes up,'' Noah''s thought process halted for a second seeing the crude tourniquet.


    "In your wrist and neck there are particularly important veins that when you put your fingers against them you can feel someone''s heart beating. Which should be really obvious, because as we see with Liora, you already know about the importance of these veins!" he held his left arm up and pointed to his wrist with his right index. There was no way someone would think about cutting their wrists, if they didn''t know how vital the veins in it were.


    "Lower your voice. She''s sleeping," Caina huffed, tightening the final strap around Liora''s wrist. Eyes wandering over the four others she''d put on her as well as checking their tightness to ensure they didn''t go loose before returning all her supplies to her bag and shutting it.


    "While your little speech about these ''veins'' has been interesting and about being able to check someoneS heartbeat without cutting them open to see the heart beating was¡­ fascinating to say the least. I''m going to need to experiment before I believe anything that comes out of your untrained mouth."


    Noah''s cheek twitched, Caina was swiftly finding herself as one of his most hated individuals from just how annoying she was. "Go right ahead," he scowled. Eyes wandering to Liora for a second to see her face scrunch up likely feeling a painful tightness in her arm as she slept.


    He needed to calm down, Caina was just doing her job. Sucking in a deep breath, he held it for a few seconds before slowly letting it out, "haaa¡­ okay, okay. Let''s just forget I said anything," he was growing increasingly tired and it was only midday. "Is that everything? Liora''s going to be fine?"


    Caina snorted and rolled her eyes, "fine, is one way to say it. She''s going to have lingering pain for the rest of her life, but nothi-"


    "What do you mean ''lingering pain?'' I thought you treated the wound?"


    "I did," Caina, displeased with Noah interrupting her, hissed at him. "But Ignis balm isn''t something that just goes away. It closes the wound, yes, but that doesn''t mean it doesn''t have side effects."


    "What are they." It wasn''t a question, it was an order, he wanted- he NEEDED to know, "and how do I get rid of them."


    Caina''s squinted at him before saying, "every time something cold or cool touches the scar she''ll feel some pain, the colder it is, the more painful. Also, keep as much water on hand for the next few months, she''s going to be drinking it like a fountain." Caina threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder and stood up from her knees to face him.


    "Also, if the wound opens up again, just bind it and it should close within a few hours. And you don''t get rid of it, not without some high end stuff, and from what I can see, you can''t afford it," her head swivelled looking around the room she guessed was his as the trail of blood outside led to another room, likely where her patient was initially before being brought here due to her bed being covered in blood.


    "And that brings up another issue, my payment."


    Now that was a very big problem considering there was nothing here but wheat and a rotting house, even if he somehow knew where Liora stored her money, he wasn''t going to just give it away, it was all she had left to pay for food in the village.


    Noah''s expression fell to an awkward guilt just rubbing the back of his neck trying to think up some way to pay her. "I don''t have any money," he said.


    "I guessed as much." She grumbled, her shoulders slumping along with her hunching forwards growing a tired look in her eyes. "Let me wash up wherever it is you wash up and just give me something, anything so I can at least say I got a trade for my services. I can''t be bothered arguing this with you."


    That was a terrible idea, he had to think especially considering the bath was likely still coloured a fine red from when he''d washed up Liora last night and would likely be doing once Caina was gone. And that just brought up another issue ''Shit, the bed,'' of the two beds he knew were in the building, his was now soaked to the bone in blood while Liora''s was in a bloody, pee smelling room. ''I can just move it to another room,'' he thought.


    "Hello?" Caina waved her hand in front of Noah''s face to get him back to reality.


    "Oh, oh, right, its on the bottom floor, just follow the¡­. Blood trail," he mumbled.


    "Thank you," Caina nodded, swiftly circling around him to leave the room, stopping in the doorway to look back to him, "please find something by the time I get out. I''d like to get back to the tavern and not have to send an adventurer to loot this place for my pay. You''re having a tough enough time as it is, Mr. no shoes." She grinned, giving Noah a wink as she turned down the hallway leaving Noah staring blankly at the doorway, hearing soft thumps of her boots hitting floorboards as she descended the staircase.


    It was hard putting a finger on exactly what Caina was. She was definitely annoying to a degree with how haughty and know it all she seemed when it came to her occupation. But lump that in with her small size that barely reached Noah''s chest and her kinder side, she actually seemed like a halfway decent person. ''Maybe it''s just her work face then,'' he reasoned. Maybe if he caught her outside of work she''d show more of her kinder side.


    Breaking his view from the doorway he turned to look down at Liora, her body in a state much like it was yesterday, layered and caked in red ichor. He was going to have to bathe her again, twice in barely half a day. Were it not so thickly present on her body he would have likely just gotten a wet towel and warm water to wipe the sweat off her body. But where there was this much there was no choice.


    ''Yay¡­'' he may sound like he''s not excited, and he wasn''t. Were it any other form of bathing someone, he would have been. But here before him was an injured woman, and that type of bathing was not high on his lists of to do''s to do with her. It was just an awkward time being stuck with a woman as truly beautiful as Liora while having to hold back any male, hormonal urges that popped up in him.


    Shaking the thought from his head, Noah decided to distract himself with something much more important, figuring out just what the hell he could pay Caina with. Of everything he could think of, there was only one thing that seemed to hold any form of value, Liora''s daughters necklace, the crystal pillar enclosed within the small lockbox on the chelf across from the bed.


    ''No, I can''t use that,'' it was one of the few things Liora had to remind her of her daughter. Not to mention she had made it herself when her daughter was born. Just the sentimental value of it was enough to deter him from bringing that thought up again.


    ''Maybe a book?'' he turned towards the chest where all of Liora''s daughters books were held. His feet bringing him to kneel before it, throwing the lid open to see his haphazardly thrown atop ''An Encyclopaedia of monsters'' that he wished to throw into a pit of fire from just how much the writer annoyed him.


    Picking the book up, he lowere it onto the ground besides him, doing his utmost to avoid the rightside of the chest where the various ''instruments'' were housed within their wooden cases. Reading through the various book titles one by one for anything that look so as remotely rare.


    ''How to Kill 101,'' ''A traveller''s guide to the stars,'' ''Karma sutra,'' ''Death of a King, the History of a Dying Kingdo-''


    Noah''s mind drew a blank for a second and reversed his view onto one particular title, "what the f.u.c.k is that doing here?" a good question he wasn''t sure he wanted answered. ''You know what, no, let''s just not think about it.'' Soon he read through the rest of the titles but found nothing of particular interest.


    ''Gods, there really isn''t anything I can give her,'' that when his eyes inadvertently fell to the collection of wooden boxes. ''I could give her¡­'' could he? Could he really? Gift a girl one of ''those?''


    ''I mean, whats the harm? Ha-ha-haa¡­'' there was a lot of harm, harm that would leave him unable to look Caina in the eyes if he saw her again. But, then again, he had nothing. ''Maybe, maybe there''s one not made of wood?'' then he could at least act like she could sell it off for its base components.


    Pinching the longest of the boxes, he wriggled it out from its tight confines and held it up before him, flipping the lid open to see the same wooden object he had seen last night. And there he remained knelt, staring at a phallic piece of wood he unironically and jokingly named morning wood in his demented mind.


    ''Jesus what is wrong with me,'' he shut the case and groaned, slowly placing it on the ground besides him while reaching out to pull out another box and inspect its unholy contents of a slightly smaller, more stubby wooden p.e.n.i.s.


    ''What the actual f.u.c.k am I doing with my life that I''m looking through a dildo collection?'' whatever it was, it wasn''t right.


    As he picked up the third box, Noah felt a weight, whatever was inside this one was much heavier than the other ones. And if he was lucky, weight equalled value.


    And so, he flipped open the lid and there before him, laid within a velvet red cloth was a single, solid metal, intricately detailed toy with veins and all engraved upon it. Of the previous two, it was the thickest but sat somewhere between the first and second one in length, leaning more towards the first one.


    It would have to do.


    ''F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell.'' He shut the case, returning the other two to the chest alongside the wortheless book before shutting it. Just in time to hear soft thuds from downstairs. ''She''s going to turn my face into a sculpture,'' he whined internally, making his way to the doorway and down the stairs to meet up with Caina.


    Pausing when he saw her, her white blouse soaked with water becoming just a bit seethrough and letting him get an interesting view of her chest just barely able to see the pink ring of her a.r.e.o.l.ae. Her hair hung loose with water dripping down onto the floor around her.


    "You do know there are towels in there, right?"


    "Yes," she nodded, "all of them are covered in blood." For some reason she didn''t sound annoyed.


    "Yeah, sorry about that."


    "Oh don''t be," Caina shrugged, "I''m used to not having a towel, I''ll dry off on the walk back to the village. That for me?" she bobbed her head towards the case in Noah''s hand.


    Noah lifted it up, nervously contemplating if he should actually give it to her, "Yes?" he squeaked out a question.


    "Great, hand it over and I''ll bug right off," Caina held her hand out to him with palm up ready to take the trade from him.


    ''I really shouldn''t be giving this to her,'' he thought, ''f.u.c.k it. I don''t have anything else,'' Extending her hand to her, he lowered the end of the case into her palm letting her close her fingers around it and pry it from his hands, bouncing it up and down to feel the weight for a second before opening her bag and placing it inside.


    ''Oh thank god she didn''t open it.''


    "Well, that''s all I presume? Or do you need me to give you a check up?"


    "No! I mean, nope, I''m, I''m all good." He crossed his arms and nodded, forcing a nervous smile to his face.


    "Then I will be right on my way," Cain bowed her head to him, pinching the sides of her dress and bending her knees into a small curtsy. "I thank you for your patronage, may your roads be ever paved with fortune and health." When she was done with that spiel, Caina straightened her body and grunted, "I hate doing that¡­" in a voice just barely audible to Noah.


    They said their final goodbyes not long later. Leaving Noah standing just outside the doorway of the house, staring off into the distance as Caina disappeared beneath the slight incline the house was built upon.


    ''That''s one thing done¡­'' he sighed, turning to look over the fields of hay. Just what could he do to help Liora now? He wasn''t a farmer, so caring for this place was out of picture. He could try to pre-emptively harvest it and hope he gets enough to help Liora afford somewhere small in the village or somewhere else. His vision soon came to focus on the forest, if there really was something valuable in there and he could find it first, maybe that would be enough to save Liora.


    "I need to focus on one thing at a time," he could go prospecting some other time, right now he needed to take care of Liora, get her cleaned up and get her into a room that didn''t reek of iron or urine.


    With a single step backwards, Noah shut the door behind him. Separating himself from the outside world just seconds before a small, white flower pierced through the ground of the lawn, its petals curved back with the centre of the petals covered in numerous wine-coloured speckles. In just the few seconds it appeared, the flower fluttered in the direction of the house, but soon shrunk down, the petals twisting and wrapping around one another until it began to sink back into the earth, leaving only a small separation of dirt and grass where it once had sprouted.

 Chapter 11 - The Lonesome Tree

    Worry was one thing Noah had in spades since yesterday after Liora had her arm treated. Not once since had she awoken or even showed a sign of even waking. Not after he had washed her unconscious body¡ªwhich was a nerve-wracking experience he wasn''t prepared to feel twice in the same day. And certainly not after he had spent thirty minutes dragging her bed out of her room and into a clean one while she lay on the floor atop most of the clean sheets Noah could find.


    Even now with the sun rising into the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, Liora was still asleep with soft, rhythmic breaths. There were many a reason for his worry over her, for one, she hadn''t eaten or drunken anything for over a day. An issue he was all to busy with figuring out how to remedy if she didn''t wake up by midday.


    Noah robbed his hand over the right side of his face, letting out a small yawn while smacking his lips together. His own sleep had been¡­ lacking, to say the best of it. He had fallen to sleep, no doubt about that. But what rest he did get was practically worthless as he only felt more tired than when he went to ''bed.'' If sitting on a chair by the dinner table and kicking his legs up onto the table could be considered a bed.


    Noah''s eyes drew to the ceiling beams above, his mind blank of thoughts allowing the dull ache of his hungry stomach to borrow its way to the surface forming a low rumbling noise. Food had been such a forgone thought that he hadn''t even had the idea of having breakfast lunch or dinner. So in terms of starvation, he was likely in the same league as Liora was.


    Bringing his feet off the table, Noah stretched his body. Loosening his aching muscles and popping his stiffened bones. The worst one being his jaw which jerked to the side before realigning leaving him with a shortlived, dull pain in his left most cheek.


    "Ow¡­" he groaned rubbing said cheek.


    He had much to do today, and his tiredness would not stand in the way. Starting off, Noah pushed himself to his feet, his back snapping straight as he turned to the sink in the kitchen only lacking an actual faucet or piping of any form apart from a small, blue stone atop a curved piece of metal. Which he guessed was a faucet? Depends on if they called whatever this was a faucet or not.


    He''d come to figure out through his own experiments that this little stone on the curved piece of metal acted like those automatic faucets with some type of sensor sensing when he placed his hand beneath it. Thus, causing a thick stream of water to form from nothingness. The stream clear and undamaged by any grating or filters he''d seen back on his planet that ended up causing the stream to fill with air bubbles turning it a whitish colour until it could settle in the sink or in a cup.


    Cupping his hands beneath the stream, he collected enough of the water that he could splash it into his face to both clean himself and wake himself up.


    Sighing as he felt the room temperature water clash against his features. Even soaking part of his fringe causing it to stick to his face. ''I should check on Liora¡­ Then I can go figure out what to do for the rest of the day¡­''


    Collecting another handful of water, her threw it into his face again. Proceeding to stroke his wettened hands through his hair, ruffling it to cover the strands with water to make it at least somewhat more presentable to an unconscious lady.


    Just as he was about to turn away from the sink, he noticed the cups she had filled with water two days ago upside down besides the sink drying out. ''She needs water,'' she actually needed many thing, good nutrition and no debt being two of them. But water was certainly something he could deal with now of all times until he could cook something up for her.


    It didn''t take long for Noah to find himself clambering up the staircase and subsequently towards the room he''d placed Liora in for the time being until he could properly wash out the stains in her floor.


    Pushing open the door, Noah quickly strode towards where Liora was laid down upon the floor atop a mattress, having to kneel down to get close enough to her. Her lips pale, lacking their previous redness from the days prior. The same to be said about the rest of her skin. He knew it was from bloodloss, but that would take some time to properly rectify itself and come back.


    Her hair laid around her, almost framing her head. Having a glossy red sheen to it from the multiple days of collected oils her body was releasing. As much as he wished to have given her a proper head to toes scrub, he wasn''t going to go that far.


    Kneeling besides her, Noah place the glass of water down besides her. Taking a quick once over, over the blanket covering her body.


    ''She looks so normal,'' he sighed. What did he expect? Her to be screaming out in agony? No, right now all she looked like was a simple woman sleeping. You wouldn''t even be able to tell that the lower part of her right arm was covered in leather straps and had a bright red scar running down the entire length of her lower arm.


    Noah''s head nodded along with the thought of, ''she needs to drink something,'' even if she didn''t look thirsty from a rudimentary glance over a day and a bit had passed since her last time drinking a non-alcoholic beverage.


    Leaning forwards, Noah pressed his left arm under Liora''s back, snacking it under her until he could grip her shoulder and lift her body up enough that he wouldn''t be tossing water over her and enough that the blanket fell to reveal her ample bosom to the world.


    His other lifted up the glass, slowly pressing it against Liora''s lower gently tilting it up to pour a small stream of water into her parted lips. Luckily it seems even in sleep she seemed to recognize what the cool fluid entering her mouth was as her throat began to work, swallowing the water sending it to her stomach.


    "Good girl, keep drinking," he mumbled words she couldn''t hear. But it made him feel even just a little better not being trapped in silence.


    Halfway through the cup, Liora''s throat suddenly stopped, her chest heaving as she sputtered out whatever was in her mouth. Noah quickly retrieved the cup. Pulling it away from her so she didn''t get any spittle into it, even if that wasn''t a particular issue, he could just clean it out or get another cup for her then.


    The sputtering lasted only a second before she returned to her normal, slow breaths. "No more, huh?" he muttered a worried tone. It wasn''t a lot of water she had drunken. It certainly wouldn''t be enough to keep her hydrated but there was nothing he could do if she didn''t want it. If he had an IV bag or something, maybe he''d feel a little better. ''no point thinking about that now. She''s had some water. That''s enough for now.''


    Noah gently lowered Liora back onto the bed. Glancing to her bust where a small blush climbed his cheeks which he quickly shook away by pulling up the blanket to cover them up and keep her warm.


    He gave her one last once over, ensuring the there was no spillage of blood on her arm¡ªwhich there wasn''t, thankfully enough¡ªbefore pushing himself up to his feet after pushing the cup a bit away from her so if she did wake up and begin moving around she didn''t accidentally knock it over.


    "I''ll be back soon, Liora. Stay strong okay?" she may not be able to hear him, or even understand him if she could. But still, they were words he needed to say.


    Making his way to the doorway of the empty room. Noah entered the hallway, his eyes falling over both the left and right halls. Catching sight of the dried, dark red stain leaving a trail across the floor. Evidence of what had happened barely two days prior.


    ''This is so screwed up,'' Noah grit his teeth, making long strides towards the staircase, feeling he needed some fresh air and sun to help calm himself and maybe help his bouts of tiredness.


    The farm was in much the same state as it was yesterday, golden as an ocean of honey unaffected by the woes of this abode. Simply sucking water from the ground and devouring the nourishing nutrients it harboured.


    ''What am I going to do about this?'' Noah wondered as he wandered up to the outermost layer of wheat, his hand stroking through the hard bristle like heads filled with dozens of small capsules where the grains themselves were encapsulated.


    They came up to his chest, reaching just below his shoulders. Was that hight normal for wheat plant? He was unsure. He was unsure about many things. Currently like what he could do to just pass the time between his check ups on Liora and general care taking of her.


    He glances over the ocean of billowing gold, his lungs filled the sweet, almost perfume scent of the hay. Far in the distance he could just barely see the very tree he''d woken up laying against. While the leaves themselves weren''t noticeable from so far away, he could see a soft, pink smudge of the leaves all blended together.


    ''Cherry blossom?'' Noah tilted his head curiously. Finding his feet striding through the bristly plants. The silhouette growing larger and clearer the closer he got. It wasn''t a particularly unconscious decision he made; he''d always held a love for cherry blossoms. Of all the trees he found them one of the most beautiful. He''d never got the chance to see them blossoming back home, or even see one so up close. They just weren''t trees you found where he lived.


    As he got closer, he noticed a large ring of earth around the tree blank of any ring, instead replaced with glaringly green grass and various white and red flowers forming the outline of the ring, strangely not a single one were sprouting from the grass.


    Noah stepped over the ring with nary a thought. His eyes wandering over the grey almost white wood of the cherry blossom. Soon falling onto the thin canopy of thin clumps of pink blossoms and a few green leaves dotted upon each of the hundreds of branches that blew majestically in the wind.


    "Beautiful¡­" Noah muttered offhandedly, drawing closer to the tree where he reached his hand out, pressing his palm against the rough, undamaged bark of the tree. It looked so out of place within the field, even more so in the ocean of green trees that surrounded the farm.


    So out of place that it felt almost mystical.


    Leaning forwards, Noah shut his eyes and pressed his head against the tree. Not with any force, just gently laying his head against it with eyes shut. Just listening to the wind as it rustled the cherry leaves and swept him up in the sweet scent of nature.


    ''I missed this smell¡­'' memories from back home, his grandpa''s farm popped into his head. He recalled running amok in the fields with Georgie, his grandpa''s beagle. Only to collapse after hours of them both popping in and out of the fields with Georgie collapsing atop Noah, turning his face into a slobbery mess


    He''d be lying if that very scene wasn''t one of his favourite, and most hated memories. Georgie had been so active that day, like nothing was wrong. Noah would even say he was more active than he''d ever been before.


    Maybe that''s what he wanted, to give Noah the best, most fun day of his life before he went to sleep for the last time.


    Noah turned, placing his back against the tree and slid down onto his bottom, lifting an arm to cover his watering eyes. "Goddammit, look at me getting all sentimental over something that happened a decade ago." His voice trembled, it never got better the memories. No matter how long passed he''d always become a sniffling mess.


    Wiping down his eyes with the back of his wrist, Noah sniffled and pinched the bridge of his nose to stemy the flow of tears. "Hoo¡­ calm down Noah. Your old enough now. No need to cry over him anymore." That didn''t help.


    Opening his eyes to the waving branches bequeathed in pinkish blossoms, Noah suddenly felt his tiredness coming to take him. ''Ten minutes should be fine¡­'' he yawned, his eyes flickering shut, quickly finding himself falling under the influence of sleep.


    All whilst he felt himself wrapped in a soft embrace as soft hums filled his ear.

 Chapter 12 - The Dryad

    A melody of soft, bell like tunes lulled Noah in his sleep, draining him of his fatigue minute by minute as the melancholic aria swept across his body like a warm mildew wind. His body wreathed in what he could only imagine was an ocean of the finest down the world had to offer.


    Slowly, Noah''s mind began to waken after what he felt was hours of calm, dreamless sleep. A small blessing after the last two days he had. He was able to deal with it calmly initially, but seeing Liora in that state twice, one due to his own negligence was something he feared he would be having nightmares over.


    But no, nothing. Not even a memory came to him. Which was either a good thing as it meant he could calmly deal with whatever came at him, no matter how terrible it was. Or a bad thing as it meant he was a borderline sociopath who struggled with empathizing. Which he did not believe himself to be.


    The aria grew clearer the closer Noah drew to the waking world until finally he could hear it almost perfectly. The bell like melody strewn with soft chirpings of birds and buzzes of insects wings all perfectly pulled together to form an orchestral refrain, sapping away at his worries.


    With his eyes soon coming to flicker open, Noah came to see the originator of the bell-like humming. Their face covered in a dark grey, bark textured masked shaped to the form of a woman''s face. Framing her head were numerous leaves in the form of her hair with pink blossoms of the cherry blossom tree he had found himself falling asleep under dotted around and over her body.


    "Who?" He muttered aloud, only now realizing that his singer had two curves on their chest. ''A woman?'' it was then when the woman tilted her head down to Noah that he came to the secondary realization that this woman before him, wearing a grey bark mask and bark like skin layered with numerous thick and thin vines was letting him use her thighs as a pillow.


    They weren''t soft per se, but they certainly weren''t hard. There was firmness to them that gave way to a pliable texture buried beneath a harder outer shell.


    Noah''s eyes soon came to meet with this woman''s pure, dark pink eyes, lacking any sign of a pupil or iris as if she were wearing purely single coloured lenses that blended her sclera in with the rest of her orbs. The orbs themselves were surrounded by rough, natural looking carvings of a woman''s eye lids and eyebrows but lacking the obvious detailing of hair apart from a small groove in the mask that tilted curiously as she looked down at him.


    ~You''ve awoken.~ The masks brows tilted up while the large, pure pink eyes disappeared behind barken eyelids. The woman''s voice was soft, almost unnoticeable from how soft it was. Strangely enough, Noah noticed that her jaw didn''t seem to move, not a single bit as she spoke even behind the mask.


    "Uh, yeah. Who¡­ are you? If you don''t mind me asking," he tilted his head down to look over his body seeing various vines wrapped around his body, "and why are there roots tying me up?"


    ~I was worried that you may startle and fall when you laid eyes upon me. Most people do.~ A downtrodden tone came to her voice.


    ''Fall?'' Noah reassessed his position, swivelling his head this way and that way, seeing branches and leaves around him but no green grass, in fact all he could see through the separations in the branches was pure, golden wheat. Just barely able to see the floor atop which he was laid, which itself was a dull grey bark much like what the woman''s mask was crafted from.


    "Why would I panic?" Why wasn''t he panicking, that was the question. One doesn''t just wake up, tied up, and not start panicking at least a little bit and yet here he was, as calm as ever.


    ~People have come to grow fear of me and my people.~


    ''Why would I fear her?'' he questioned himself looking over her one last time, her bark skin and the interweaving vines lining her body, the way her faceless mask blended perfectly into the rest of her body. The long, light pastel pink, hair formed of many thousands of thin vines perhaps just a few times thicker than human hair, with various pink blossoms within them.


    "O-oh. You''re not human, are you?" a stupid question.


    ~No. That is why people fear me after all.~ Sadness overtook her pink hued eyes, which seemed to glow with a soft misty gloss. ''they fear I would devour them to sate my hunger.''


    Noah racked his brain searching for whatever monster this girl may be, his first stop the useless book of monsters, but finding nothing of worth. So, he resorted to his second¡ªand probably should be first choice¡ªof his past worlds knowledge.


    "You''re a dryad, aren''t you? Your species aren''t exactly the flesh-eating sort." It was a gamble as she didn''t seem to have the appropriate maw to tear at his skin. In fact, the mask seemed to lack any holes where the nostrils were nor did it seem there were any holes for the mouth. Was she breathing through her skin? Did she even need air? Or was she just getting all her nutrients from the tree she was anchored to.


    The woman''s eyes widened, her brows raising in surprise before falling to what he could amount to a giddy expression as her eyes slanted to slits, brow grooves slanted up. ~yes. I suppose that is what you diadras call us. We do not particularly consume flesh, as you said.~


    "Diadras?" he questioned confusion to his voice.


    ~Ah,~ the woman''s head jerked a little, ''I seem to have misplaced the word for a moment. Diadras, it means ''human'' in my peoples language.''


    "You have your own language?" perhaps he should be more concerned for his viney shackles and not be questioning the woman who was giving him a lap pillow about her peoples language.


    ~Indeed. Though it has been many a long year since I last spoke it with my people.~


    Noah was about to ask why until he recalled how lonesome this tree stood within the field. Her grove was gone, leaving only her alone far from the other trees where other dryads may reside. He didn''t need to ask why she didn''t travel to the forest in search of her people. Dryads, if they were the same as they were back on his world, they were locked to a specific tree, and trees didn''t move.


    "Uh, right," Noah tried to move his arm, but was unable to. "Do you mind taking these vines off, I''m feeling a little cramped," he tried to move his arms but they were firmly locked at his sides.


    The dryad looked over Noah''s body, seeing his arms attempting to wriggle from her vines, ~oh yes. One moment.~ She lifted her grey vine wrapped arm, pointing the bottom of her palm to the shackles holding Noah down. Just seconds after she raised her hand did Noah feel a writhing sensation coming from all across his body as the vines loosened and began to squirm. The ends of them raising up and snaking through the air towards her out held hand. Piercing into it only to continue their squirming as the sound a wood grinding together filled the air. Only disappearing when the final vestige of her vines had entered her body.


    "T-thanks." He said with a pale face, just imagining how it would feel having what looked like meters of vines burrowing into his body.


    Stretching out his arms and legs, Noah swiftly rid himself of the lingering sensations of her vines from his body before slowly raising himself up and off her thighs. Turning on a dime to face the dryad, finally getting a good picture of her form.


    It was strange to say the least. Were it the middle of the night and she were bathed in darkness he would easily mistake her for a regular human. Perhaps with a few unusualities to her. Like for instance her lower calves lacked the usual muscle definition. Instead being replace by trunks of grey bark ending with her feet that he would liken to stumps as well themselves.


    Then came the rest of her body, the larger portions of which were formed from singular plates of the same wood that even seemed to define a pair of C-cup b.r.e.a.s.ts that lacked any form of n.i.p.p.l.e or apparent softness. Her belly seeming to be the only acceptation as a few vines formed a swirling pattern that seemed to denote something of a belly button on her. The smaller parts, specifically her fingers and the joints across her entire body held the same collection of interweaving vines, some even holding a slight pinkish aura within them.


    For some reason, Noah found an inexplicable blush raise to his cheeks when his eyes wandered to where a normal woman''s genitals would be. A fact he was much to common with after having dealt with Liora the past two days.


    Low and behold, there, nestled within the gap of her thighs were two small mons that pushed in a little to form a small upside down heart where Noah could see a few wisps of pinkish colouration coursing through the vines forming the majority of the outer portions of her crotch.


    ''She''s a tree Noah. Get your head out of the gutter.''


    The dryad tilted her head as Noah slapped his forehead. Her tilting down to let her pink orbs wander over her body. Wondering exactly what he''d seen on her to cause him to slap himself. ''Is there an issue with my body?'' she asked lacking any form of irritation one may expect from a woman asking such a question to a face palming man.


    Noah''s head shot up, rapidly shaking, ''No, it''s nothing. Just thinking something to myself." He crossed his legs burying his hands between them to push down the rising erection building in his pants. Now was just not the time for his hormones to go unchecked, even if there was a n.a.k.e.d tree lady before him. Not that he could even do anything with a tree¡­ Could he?


    ''She doesn''t look that bad¡­'' he contemplated onceing over her body once again. Though she certainly lacked the regular, human softness¡­


    colouration¡­


    texture¡­


    face¡­


    hair¡­


    everything¡­


    She wasn''t hideous. No, quite the opposite, she held a foreign appeal to her, even if that appeal was borderline dendrophilia¡­ scratch that, was dendrophilia. But for some reason Noah didn''t seem to mind it that much. And because of that, and his pent-up hormones he could feel his pants growing tight.


    ''No! naughty boy! Down! Down!'' he quickly screamed to his p.e.n.i.s. But it wouldn''t listen. ''Goddammit. Why do I have to be into monster girls¡­'' he grumbled. A curse they were, and one he would seldom wish to throw to the wind.


    ~Are you alright?~


    Noah jolted, nearly falling onto his back had he not quickly pulled his arms back, placing his hands upon the bark flooring centimetres away from the apparent edge where he could see the circle of grass and the outline of white and purple flowers. Infront of him, just barely a few feet away from him were the two pink orbs of the dryad girl who had crawled towards him while he was dealing with his inner dendrophile.


    "Yeah, I''m fine." No, he wasn''t, his pants were tight, and he was uncomfortable. Especially when such a strange set of eyes and a faceless face was staring at him. "Still thinking to myself," he diverted his head away from her while pulling a hand up to push down on the tent he was pitching.


    The dryad tilted her head curiously, having caught sight of Noah''s arm moving and followed it down to his crotch, lingering on the fabric mound, ~you are aroused?~ It came out as less of a question and more of a statement.


    Noah grew a red blush, unable to look to the dryad as he put just a bit more force into his hand to push it down. "I, uh, I''m sorry."


    The dryad shook her head, pushing herself to sit on her knees, her hands over her bark lap. ~It is alright. I am in fact honoured that you find this body arousing. Whenever I showed myself in the past I was treated with fear and hate. Few have found this body to their liking.~ She lifted up her arms showing off the wood of her body. ~You Diadras find those lacking in similarities to you, fearsome.~


    Noah turned his eyes to her just in time to see her hands which he now was noticing lacked a digit, the pinkie it seemed, back onto her lap. Her head lowered to a pitiable degree. "I don''t find you scary if that''s what you mean," Noah sat up and scratched his cheek. "A little unusual, yes. But that''s because its my first time seeing a dryad. I actually find you, uh, quite attractive." He awkwardly scratched his cheek.


    The dryads eyes flew open, an expression of surprise filling them that soon shifted to a strange one as her leaves rustled and the vines in her joints began to move. Herself squirming at his compliment as she gained what he was guessing was a happy glint to her one tint eyes.


    ~Thank you. That is the first time someone has called me that.~ her eyes wandered back to his erection. ~May I have your seed?~ Was what came from her.

 Chapter 13 - A Lesson on Dryads

    "You¡­ want my what now?" Noah didn''t really need the repeat, he knew exactly what she meant. There wasn''t exactly many types of ''seed'' he could provide. But still, getting asked to provide said ''seed'' to a woman¡ªor tree as it went¡ªwho he only met less than ten minutes ago, was a bit of a rush. Even if he was suffering with an erection.


    The feminine tree girl nodded her bark head, saying ~may I have your seed. Ah, do you not know what I mean by seed?~ she questioned going into an explanation not seconds later not giving Noah a chance to respond, ~I believe your species call it ''s.e.m.e.n~ she said with what he guessed was quotations considering her masks lips didn''t move a single time as she spoke.


    Blank was what Noah''s mind was. It was one thing knowing what she meant but getting such a happy explanation of what human''s called seed was another. Noah''s jaw fell open, a soft squeak coming from his throat before his mouth shut only to open once again, unsure of what to say.


    ~I will not push you for your seed if you wish not to provide it.~ the dryad said after seeing his perplexed look. Her leaves rustling sadly while her body seemed to shrink in on itself letting out creaks and cracks as her wood and vines squeezed in like she wished to sink back into her tree.


    Noah flinched at how saddened the dryad looked, a twinge of guilt building up in him. "it''s¡­ it''s not that I don''t want to¡­" when he was pitching a tent, there was no way he wasn''t willing. "It''s just what your asking is a very intimate thing not just done between complete strangers," ignoring the fact that p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es existed which was literally done between strangers.


    ~I see,~ her body expanded back into its pervious size, her wood letting out a relieved groan. ~then would you wish for me to become your¡­ what was it called¡­ ''marriage?'' I believe it was.~ she ased shuffling on her knees.


    ''Does she mean wife? How would that even work?'' Noah thought.


    "That''s, that''s also something done by couples," Noah groaned, explaining all of this would cost him a few too many braincells right now. "Look, I don''t even know your name, if your even have a name in the first place-"


    ~Serris.~ she responded, pausing Noah mid speech.


    "Oh, you actually have a name. Do all dryads have names?" she shook her head.


    ~I was granted my name long ago by a dear friend. Though they have long come to feed my roots.~


    ''Please tell me she means they were just buried beneath the tree and not that she actually dragged them down and ate them.''


    "Right," Noah coughed into his hand, "Serris, I''m Noah," he bobbed his head to her getting a tilt of hers in return.


    ~May I have your seed now that we are no longer strangers?~


    And, that was a quick return to the conversation of seed leaving Noah with his mouth shut firmly, just staring at the bark covered girl. ''I''m being offered s.e.x, why am I being so reluctant to do it?'' it wasn''t as if he was a v.i.r.g.i.n. He may not have been popular back home, but he certainly wasn''t completely extradited from society, only mostly. Which only seemed to grow worse when he was unabashedly kicked out of his own family ledger for certain reasons he didn''t wish to get into.


    "Serris, do¡­ why do you want my, a, uh, seed," he forced the word to come from his lips with a slight flush to his cheeks and a twitch to his pants.


    ~I wish to fruit.~ she answered turning her head up to the canopy of pink and white blossoms, ~I have been blossoming for long. But never have I born fruit. I wish to finish my cycle so that I may lose my leaves and grow.~ Noah raised a brow also turning his eyes to the thousands of petals overlooking him. Their sheer calming beauty as they swayed in the wind.


    "What do you mean by that? You make it sound as if you haven''t been growing, but with the size of this tree wouldn''t that mean you are?"


    Serris slowly shook her head, lifting her arms up to show off her body and the wriggling vines in her joints. ~We dryads, as you diadras call us. Do not grow with our bodies¡­~ Serris''s eyes brows slanted down into a look of ponderance, ~my body, the one you see before you. Only grows as my body we are upon blossoms and bears fruit. While my body we are sat upon will grow with the winters.~


    ''Asymmetrical aging?'' Noah looked down to the bark of the tree he was sat upon, lowering a hand onto it, ''so its something like being in a coma, but not entirely. Her body, the tree will keep growing, while her soul, or the manifestation of the tree will remain stagnant and immature being left behind as her main body grows older.''


    "What happens if you fruit then? How does that affect you? Physically? Mentally? Or does it affect both?" it was actually quite an interesting prospect, just how does a manifestation of a tree, work? How does it live? How does it feed? Breathe? Even breed?


    Noah froze at the last one, ''right, she essentially wants me to breed her¡­''


    ~I will grow and so will my body you see before you. I do not fully understand what you mean by those other two words. I have not heard of them prior to this date.~


    ''oh great.'' He rubbed his temple, "Physically is like, do you grow bigger once you fruit or do you stay the same. Mentally is more well, mental, do your thoughts grow more mature." He felt that she was already pretty mature in that department as she sounded like a decently rounded grown woman.


    ~I see,~ he hand rested on her lap, her emotionless face tilting down before raising up to face Noah with an answer. ~I believe once I have grown enough my body will undergo a change that drastically shifts my appearance into one more to the likeness of a diadras and allow me to step outside of my body for short periods of time.~


    That was oddly more specific than what he was expecting, but also strangely informing. "Interesting," Noah pinched his chin and nodded, "so it''s a type of evolution then? You turn from a dryad into something else then?"


    Serris''s head tilted before nodding, ~Yes. When I was first seeded, my progenitor was a tree mother. Ah, a ''hamadryad'' I believe you call then.~


    ''So there''s also a caste system I''m guessing?'' he pondered to himself, looking over Serris''s body once again, lingering on the soft, pink glow of her heart shaped wooden vulva was. Having to swallow the spittle in his mouth. "And now you want me to help you become a hamadryad then?"


    She nodded, ~I would much appreciate it.~


    "Why¡­ why me?"


    ~I¡­~ Serris froze mid-sentence, brows lowering to cover part of her upper singular coloured eyes, ~I am unsure¡­ I simply saw you and wished for you to be the one to make me fruit.~


    Noah heard various beeping noises in his head, ''does¡­ does a tree have a crush on me?'' and one at first sight even. A part of him felt a bit of pride that a tree would have a love at first sight scenario with him. But now came the true decision.


    Did he actually give her his seed?


    Noah felt the tenseness in his body slowly melt away, the stress from the last few days being sapped from him bit by bit until he turned his head back, looking into the distance at Liora''s home where she was still resting.


    He couldn''t stay away for long, he didn''t even know how long he''d been asleep with Serris. Maybe Liora was already awake now. But something¡­ something deep inside him told him he was wrong, that Liora was still sleeping soundly in her bed in that empty room.


    When he turned back to Serris, Noah grew a sharp look to his eyes. "If you don''t mind it being me, I will happily provide you my¡­ seed." He gulped as Serris''s entire body perked up, her leaves and flowers rustling while her vines squirmed around her body, even the ones making up her belly button were spiralling.


    And though her face remained emotionless and unmoving, her brows tilted up and her eyes widened in pure glee. ~Thank you Noah,~ Serris said, pushing up to her feet¡­ stumps? Without even placing her hands down onto the tree to assist her in raising herself up. Letting Noah see that she was actually quite tall, maybe just below his own height.


    "No problem," Noah gave her a smile and stood up as her feet clunked against the bark of the floor as she strode up to him. "So, how does this work?"


    Serris lifted her hands up, pressing them onto Noah''s shirt, pressing into his chest. His pants painfully keeping his erection from coming free from their confines. Hand curling to Serris''s h.i.p.s, clenching in on the rough, bark texture that made up her body.


    ~I believe you diadras call it ''s.e.x''~


    ***


    ******************


    Right so, I''ll reiterate this for everyone. But this is not the final version of this chapter, nor are any currently released chapters on patre-on or here, the final versions. Once I finish this book and get to going over it, editing it, adding/removing/tweaking, those''ll probably be Patre-on exclusives for a bit. But no promises on that front.


    Also, writing of this story is going very slowly, I''ve got enough chapters to keep up with the 2 per week release on tuesdays for this, next week and the week after next week but I''ll be swapping between 2 per week and 1 per week depending on how many chapters I can really get done on this while working on TCB (and another project that doesn''t really include ''cultural research'' (because holy crap ''cultural research'' is draining on the mind and having 2 stories where it plays a big part is tiring.)


    I''m really not going to rush things so this could very well change as time goes on, but I''ll be informing you all if something changes.

 Chapter 14 - Serris 1

    Not a second after she said that did Noah hear crunches and crackles behind him. His head turning just enough to see out the corner of his eyes the bark flooring split, letting dozens of vines of various thicknesses to squirm up, interweaving and pressing together forming a flat structure to the size of a king sized bed. Once the vines had halted in their construction of the bed, did hundred, perhaps thousands of small buds crack free from the bark. Sprouting up and unfurling into the same blossoms that encompassed the canopy above him. Finally forming a large bed of pink blossoms.


    "That is cool," he muttered under his breath, in just a few minutes, Serris had formed that construction.


    ~Cool?~ Serris asked, pushing lightly on his chest to get him to waddle backwards onto the bed of flowers, collapsing onto it with his hands holding him up. It was amazingly soft, like the finest bed he had ever had the pleasure of sitting upon. So soft was it that he could barely even feel the hard vines below as if they had been completely replaced with her leaves and blossoms.


    "Amazing, it means amazing," he answered for her, sweeping his hand through the pink petals feeling their velvety softness against his palms. Pinching one of the flowers at the base, Noah plucked it off the bed, hearing a starteled.


    ~Ah!~ come from Serris causing him to jump and drop the blossom.


    "Sorry, did that hurt you?" he should have guessed that she would feel him quite literally tearing a piece of her body off.


    Serris shook her body and ruffled her feathers. Noah''s eyes inadvertently glancing across her teenage looking body. ~It didn''t hurt. It was more of a surprise. I wasn''t expecting for you to pluck one of my blossoms.~ she looked down at Noah with a soft eye smile.


    "Still, sorry about that," he gulped as Serris drew closer to him, looming over him as he sat atop the petal bed.


    ~Do not be. My blossoms are often blown off throughout the year. I am accustomed to the feeling.~ That still didn''t make it any better that he caused her even a small bit of pain from plucking her blossom. ~If you wish, I can pluck a few for you to return to your abode with once we are done.~


    "You don''t have to," Noah shivered, feeling something slither up his pants leg, drawing his eyes down there to see his very pants bulging as what he was guessing was one of Serris''s vines.


    ~It is alright. I will grow them back soon. Plucking a few should be no issue.~


    "Ghh¡­" Noah grunted as the vine found it way to his shaft, it smooth texture squeezing around the base of his c.o.c.k. Slowly squeezing and loosening at the very hilt while Serris came up closer to him, leaning over him while bringing her hands to the button of his pants. Fumbling around and struggling to undo it.


    ~What a strange contraption¡­~ she mumbled to herself right as she got the button undone, letting the fabric fall open revealing a second. ~you diadras produce strange things," she said undoing the second one, already seeing the pale, engorged base of Noah''s c.o.c.k with a thin vine wrapped around it.


    "You don''t know the half of it," Noah thought back to the literal thousand year gap of technological advancements between this world and his home one. If she saw a few of those things, she''d truly find human contraptions strange.


    When she got the final button undone, she moved to pull down Noah''s pants. Hooking her vine fingers around his waist and slowly drawing them down. Once it was far enough down, from within the confines burst forth a thick and veiny rod, it head engorged and excited to finally be pleasure like it had longed for, for so long.


    When it was released, Serris paused, staring with an enamoured gloss to her eyes as if she were recording each and every inch of the thick meat stick before her.


    ~it is quite a sight,~ Serris said, separating a hand from his pants and rose it to the underside of Noah''s c.o.c.k. Pressing her middle and index finger against it. Flinching back when it twitched at her touch. ~do mens p.e.n.i.ses all look so strange?~ she turned up to Noah who had a slight grin to his face.


    "I wouldn''t know," he responded, "I don''t really look at other men."


    ~hmm,~ she hummed pressing her fingers back onto the underside of his shaft, stroking them up and down it. She looked so curious to its shape that it was causing a strange glee to well up in Noah''s chest at having his member so thoroughly engrained into a woman''s mind.


    Minutes seemed to pass as Serris analyzed and stroked the underside of his p.e.n.i.s. That was a few minutes to long as Noah was growing a small frown, he didn''t mind it but he was really wanting to get to it. But Serris, she looked so entranced.


    ''She does know how to have s.e.x right?''


    "Uh, Serris, what are you doing?" he decided to just go ahead and ask.


    Serris lifted her head, her eyes falling onto him, or, at least he guessed they were since there was no pupil or iris to show where exactly she was looking.


    ~Having s.e.x. Am I not doing it right?~ she tilted her head cutely, her groove eyebrow raising in the centre.


    ''She really doesn''t know,'' his lips quirked and shook his head. "Not at all Serris," he chuckled. Patting the blossoms besides him, Noah said, "here, you sit down, and I''ll show you what s.e.x actually is." Serris kept her eyes on him for a second before nodding, moving her hands off him and removing her vine from around his shaft. Quickly lowering herself onto the bed next to him, hands crossed over her h.i.p.s, just watching him as he pulled his pants off completely as well as removing his shirt from his still near skeletal body.


    With himself now completely declothed, Noah turned his focus onto Serris. Stroking a strand of vine off her hardened cheek. She actually had quite soft features with plump, albeit lips with slightly convex cheeks that gave her a young look to her.


    ''This will be the weirdest thing I will have ever done in my life,'' Noah''s lip quirked on one side.


    Lowering his hand onto Serris''s thigh, she cast it a curious look as he pulled her legs apart with a gentle touch. Trailing his hand between her legs, pressing into the bark making up her vulva, finding it actually surprisingly pliable and soft, almost like actual skin.


    ~Mmm. What an unusual feeling¡­~ Serris mumbled.


    ''Okay, she has some type of nerve structure then,'' Noah jotted down somewhere in his mind. "What does it feel like?" he brought his fingers into the slit, parting the unusual labia letting Noah feel a stickiness exuding from her p.u.s.s.y.


    ~Nnn¡­ mmm¡­~ Serris let out soft, subdued whines, ~It feels¡­ I do not know how to describe it, hnn~


    "Pleasurable?" Noah asked, bringing himself further onto the bed, separating his finger from her vulva only longe enough that he could pull her between his opened legs, pressing his c.o.c.k in between her well-defined wooden ass cheeks. Only to return his fingers to stroking the inside of her vulva''s walls.


    ~Haa¡­ nnn¡­ I believe that is what I a feeling¡­ Pleasure¡­ It is quite¡­ mmm¡­ enjoyable.~


    Noah chuckled, pulling his finger out of her snatch to press into either side of her labia and part them with a soft squelch as her literal nectar began to seep out of her crotch. "I wouldn''t be doing this if it wasn''t enjoyable for you," Curious, Noah lifted his other hand to Serris''s b.r.e.a.s.t. Circling a part of what he was guessing was the tip of to test its firmness and see if Serris would have any reaction.


    Lo and behold, she did as when his finger circled the tip of her b.r.e.a.s.t, a shiver coursed through her firm but pliable body. ''Also has nerves in her chest then,'' he commented stopping his circling to press the b.r.e.a.s.t into his palm and squeeze it. The mammary while somewhat solid was much like the rest of her body and had a very slight elasticity to it making him feel like he was touching more of an sculpture with a silicon cover over it.


    ~haa-nnn-hnn-~ Serris panted as Noah''s hands continued exploring her chest and p.u.s.s.y. The voice mismatching with her unshifting expression and unblinking eyes.


    Noah gulped as his fingers spread Serris''s labia once again. His c.o.c.k now painfully erect and grinding against Serris'' ass. He was done with foreplay and now he wanted nothing more than to bury his c.o.c.k into her p.u.s.s.y and relieve himself of his pent up hormones.

 Chapter 15 - Serris 2

    Feeling his heart beat out of his chest Noah decided it was time to go all the way with her. With a nervous gulp, Noah pulled his hands from her chest and p.u.s.s.y, placing them on her h.i.p.s to whisper. "I''m going to put it in now."


    Serris''s leaves and flowers ruffled, feeling the twitching shaft pressed between her carved ass cheeks. She didn''t say anything, but Noah could just feel her desire wafting off of her from the rich fruity fragrance of cherries wafting off her body.


    Chewing his lip, Noah placed a hand atop Serris''s back, the other helping to push himself up onto his knees while pushing Serris forwards until she got the hint that he wanted her to get on all four atop the bed of pink.


    Serris turned her head back to look at Noah when she found herself in place with her ass pushed out towards him, a slight concave arch to her back the caused her hair of leaves to cascade off her shoulders and hand off her body.


    ''This, holy,'' Noah was incapable of forming a coherent thought at the sight of the unusual woman bent over before him. Her plump, wooden derriere pushed out; cheeks already parted through design, enough for him to see the puffy luminous pink slit leaking a thick translucent pink nectar.


    ''It''s like cosplay,'' he could only think to himself as his p.e.n.i.s stood pointing skywards. Twitching as he breathed in more of her thick cherry fragrance. ''If cosplay was real life.'' To think he, a modern-day man would find himself buck n.a.k.e.d about to ram himself home inside of a literal mythological creature. A personification of nature with the body of a woman.


    Reaching both his hands out, Noah abruptly pressed them onto the two cheeks before him, feeling their solid pliability against his palms.


    ~mmm¡­~ Serris let out a soft m.o.a.n in response.


    As Noah pressed and massaged the rump of the nature spirit he came to notice another abnormality of her body, she didn''t have an asshole. He stroked his thumb over the area just above her perineum feeling only the roughness of her carved body but no hole.


    It made a strange sense of sense to him. As far as he knew she didn''t seem to have the need of such an organ. Yet she still had a puffy v.a.g.i.n.a that was just begging for him. ''Why am I thinking about this?'' he questioned to himself eyeing the slit waiting for his introduction into it. ''I''ve got other things to do.''


    Removing his hand from her right bun, Noah brought it to the base of his hardened member, gripping it lightly to push it down and push it towards the cherry nectar releasing orifice. Gulping as he felt his tip press against the firm labia, slowly parting them.


    ~nnn¡­~ a ruffling ocean like sound came from Serris as he pushed the tip completely into her insides. Her head pointed forwards just feeling the new invader into her body pushing in deeper.


    ''Weird. This is so weird.'' Noah commented chewing on the inside of his cheek. She was tight and slick, not particularly warm but she held a comfortable coolness. But that was not what he was talking about, as he pushed his shaft in halfway he could feel them, thin tendrils twisting and coiling, undulating as they wrapped and tightened around his body like a collection of living strings.


    "Hooo¡­" Noah let out a sharp breath, pausing in his pushes to get accustomed to the strangulation around his p.e.n.i.s that he could just tell was trying to squeeze his seed from him, even if it meant it was beginning to hurt. Flinching at a particularly tight coiling vine, Noah said, "Serris, can you loosen up a bit. It''s starting to hurt."


    Her brow rose in confusion, inwardly focusing on the various dozens of vines within her body that was wrapping around Noah''s manhood. Noticing that the flesh inside her was just a bit thinner than outside her. ~oh, I apologize¡­~ the tightness lessened, ~Is that better?~ she asked tilting her head back to him.


    "Y-yeah, it is," he licked his lips, taking a second to catch himself before deciding he had had enough of half assing this. Sucking in a breath, Noah prepped himself for the final push that would push the remaining half of his member into her body.


    In time with his outwards bound breath, Noah thrust his h.i.p.s forwards. Pushing through the nectar covered tendril until he entered a small, empty chamber free of any vines. "Guu¡­" Noah shivered. The home thrust having had the vines scr.a.p.e and carress his glans.


    ~Hnghk!~ Serris let out a surprised sound, her hands clenching, grabbing a fistful of her flowers while her back arched even further as she felt Noah''s c.o.c.k break into the deepest parts of her body. A place she knew of and felt was important to her being but could never understand the use of.


    Both remained unmoving, revelling in the foreign feeling of each other''s bodies. One of flesh and blood, the other of vine and bark yet intertwined at the h.i.p.s.


    "I''m¡­ I''m going to move," Noah didn''t wait for Serris''s response as he pulled his h.i.p.s back, slowly unsheathing himself until he was half out of her once again before thrusting in with a wet squelching noise.


    ~Ahn,~ serris m.o.a.ned at the thrust. ~ha-nhaa,~ and kept m.o.a.ning as schlups and fwops filled the canopy of her tree from Noah''s repeated slow claps of his p.e.n.i.s dozing into her honey pot, slapping his ball against her p.u.s.s.y.


    ~Haahn- This-mmm, this is s.e.x? Nnn~ she questioned, her pinkish eyes watery and moist, glistening as her body let out soft creaks and rustles of pleasure.


    Noah was too focused on staring down at where his c.o.c.k was disappearing into the cozy pink hole before him. Pullling out covered in a sticky pink fluid only to be pushed back in.


    His thrustings grew faster bringing Serris''s m.o.a.ns to a higher pitch until he could feel it, a tightness in his balls and the bulging of his p.e.n.i.s. He was close.


    Serris herself could feel Noah''s member growing, longer, thicker. Pressing deeper into her body until she could sense it near her core. The part of her belly nestled in her lower stomach where her vines originated, where her life remained.


    As Noah''s tip grew nearer to the sack of life, Serris grew increasingly more sensitive as if Noah''s c.o.c.k reaching that part of her body in an attempt to pierce into it was exactly what her body yearned for. Yet not once did he ever press against it with his thrusts.


    "Serris, I''m c.u.m.m.i.n.g," Noah shivered, clenching his hands down onto Serris''s cheeks, pulling his h.i.p.s back until only his glans was left inside her. Ready to trhust forwards at a moments notice.


    Serris sensed something within herself, the pleasure, the desire. The strange feeling welling in her body as if something big was coming. It had been small when Noah had first penetrated into her depths but as time grew on and his thrust grew more powerful so too did the sensation. Was this what Noah was about to do? C.u.m.m.i.n.g? Was she c.u.m.m.i.n.g? Was this powerful urge welling in her body this c.u.m.m.i.n.g? She would soon come to learn exactly what that entailed.


    With a single powerful thrust, Noah buried his c.o.c.k to the hilt in her body, pressing further than he had ever gone before feeling himself knock against something on the other side of the empty chamber of her w.o.m.b. But he didn''t process it at the time as he was to focused on the feeling of his s.e.m.e.n shooting out of his p.e.n.i.s, filling up that chamber with his milky essence.


    ~AHHHHAAA~ Serris''s brows shot up, opening her large eyes even further, her entire body arching as her ruffling leaves grew louder. The vines of her p.u.s.s.y tightening and moving in motions as if to milk Noah''s member of the vital fluid it was shooting against her core, covering it in a fluid that could rival her nectar in terms of stickiness.


    By the time Noah''s climax had come to an end a minute had already passed, a minute of pure pleasure that left him panting exhaustedly. Pulling his h.i.p.s back, Noah soon pulled his shaft from Serris''s honey pot with a wet pop. His c.o.c.k still erect burst up, sending another spurt of s.e.m.e.n over Serris''s grey back and onto parts of her hair before falling back onto his back.


    Staring at the sight of Serris''s body shivering while a thick stream of a frothy mixture of pink and white trickled out of the opened p.u.s.s.y before him. Squirting out once as Serris unconsciously clenched her stomach sending a spurt out of her and onto the bed that seemed to absorb his s.e.m.e.n in just a few mere seconds, more vibrantly coloured blossoms sprouting up where it landed.


    Serris brought her butt onto the bed, a hand snaking between her legs to collect a handful of the frothy pink fluids leaking from her before holding it up before her face. ~this¡­ is seed?~ she mumbled, watching as a small sprout appeared from the centre of her palm, twisting and turning before forming into a large blooming blossom. ~so much energy¡­ I''ll surely be able to fruit with this.~

 Chapter 16 - Return

    Noah stepped off of the small staircase Serris formed for him to get down from her treetop abode onto the soft grass surrounding her tree. Turning back to see her following him down stopping just on the last step while the others were engulfed and reformed into an undamaged tree trunk.


    "I''ll, uh, come back sometime later," he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, glancing down to Serris''s crotch where there was still frothing fluids coloured a milky pink hue dripping down her inner thighs


    ~that would be nice. It was fun speaking with you Noah.~ Serris nodded her head and ruffled her leaves. Brows tilting up in a happy display.


    "If you don''t mind," he would be lying to say that there wasn''t a secondary motive behind that.


    ~I will not,~ she answered covering her belly with her hands, ~I do not get to properly speak with diadras often so do feel free to come speak whenever you may wish. I will also be happy to collect your seed should you wish it.~


    Noah gulped, how could he not? The woman he just had s.e.x with was offering herself up to him whenever he wanted. That wasn''t something that just happened every week. "I, think I''ll take you up on that offer." He chuckled with a slight blush.


    ~Please do. I quite enjoyed that emotion. ''C.u.m.m.i.n.g'' you called it? I wish to experience it again when my body has absorbed the nutrients from your seed.~


    Noah''s cheek twitched, hearing her strange phrasing and her sentence in and of itself causing him to gulp. "This is probably a stupid question," who was he kidding, it most certainly was, "but can you get pregnant?" in all fairness he did just fill what he assumed was her w.o.m.b with his s.e.m.e.n, being worried he may have some tree shaped toddlers running around in the future was a concern now.


    ~Preg¡­nant?~ Serris tilted her head in contemplation, raking through the memories stored in her branches for what he meant before coming to a certain memory of a red-haired woman with a bloated belly sitting beneath her branches. ~ah.~ She nodded in understanding, ~no. We dryads do not bare children in our manifestations. Nor would I be able to form a child with the form before you. I am simply to young and harbour to few nutrients to form one.~


    Noah let out a relieved breath, patting his chest, ''thank god. That''s one less thing to worry about for now.'' he sighed.


    ~Of course, once I have fruited a few times and become a tree mother I will be capable of forming a sapling that will form into a new dryad.~


    "Right. And how many times do you have to fruit for that to happen?"


    Serris''s brows tilted down in contemplation, ~I do not know. From what my tree mother once told me and my sisters it is different for every one of us and differs depending on the age of our main bodies.~


    ''Curious,'' Noah pinched his chin and began to think. Hehad come to find Serris''s species quite the curious thing when compared to his own. A race entirely formed of trees. As unusual as they were.


    A snapping noise and a small squeak brought Noah back from his thoughts, raising his head to see Serris with a long curved branch covered in dozens of petals and bulbs in her hands. Raising into the canopy was another branch with a piece snapped off.


    With the branch in both her hands, Serris gave it a quick once over before nodding and holding it out to Noah, ~you seemed interested in my flowers so I wish for you to have this.~


    Noah was left mouth agape, "did-didn''t that hurt?" he questioned.


    ~mmm, a little,~ serris shrugged, emploring him to take the branch of blossoms from her hands. ~I have had larger broken during storms.~ she looked up to a large, ~this is my thank you for allowing me to have your seed.~


    Noah''s mouth opened, wanting to retort that she didn''t have to. Yet he shut his mouth and reached out to her with his palms up. Gently taking it from her, feeling its surprising weight as he lifted it from her hands. "Thank you, I''ll treasure it." Though he had no idea what to do with it, he could at least put it up somewhere.


    ~If you wish for another. Do ask, I have plenty to offer.~


    "No," he shook his head, "this," he closed his hand around the branch, just barely able to get his fingers to touch around it. "This is already enough. I''m not going to ask you for more." Especially if it hurt her giving it to him.


    ~If that is what you say,~ Serris lowered her hands to cross over her stomach once again. ~It was nice speaking with you Noah. I hope to see you again in the future.~


    His brow quirked, she made it sound like she was expecting him not to return. "You will," he gave her a soft smile, "I''ll see you soon Serris." He stepped back, turning on heel holding the cherry blossom branch diagonally before him. Crossing over the small circle of grass now seeming to lack those unusual white and wine flowers that formed the outline. Though Noah once again didn''t notice them.


    Stepping into the field, Noah turned back to Serris, seeing her body slowly sinking back into her tree. Noticing he had stopped, Serris lifted her hand up and gave him a short wave before sinking fully back into the tree leaving no evidence of her or what they had just done.


    Remaining in place for a moment, Noah just muttered, "I actually had s.e.x with a dryad¡­" and it was really good.


    A grin formed on him as he turned back to the field, stepping across the straw on a trek back towards the farm house with the sun now just getting over the noon mark.


    But there, surrounding him within the ocean of gold, hidden beneath the straw small bushels of white and wine flowers were hidden, all gently blowing in his direction. Stroking against his feet as he passed them by, leaving on him small golden particles that sunk into his skin before the flowers themselves sunk below the earth, leaving the land in its golden l.u.s.tre.


    From a birds eyes view one would be able to see that the wheat separated in a circle nearly twice the size of the patch of green, radiating out from Serris''s tree as the centre. The flowers only thinning and parting to let Noah pass them by unnoticed on his travel back to the farm house.


    ***


    Noah sighed as he stood up from the floor of Liora''s room. His shirt tossed to the side and in his hand a bloody rag he''d been using to try and wash off the blood off the ground finding little success as it seemed the vital fluid just seemed to stain the wooden flooring.


    Though through persistence and a small bit of OCD, Noah had successfully gotten most of the stain out leaving him with only perhaps a few untainted towels that he could use to help dry Liora off when she had a bath or when he washed her of sweat.


    Feeling a sharp and painful grumbling in his stomach, Noah lowered his hand to cover his belly. Over two and a half days had passed since he last ate anything so he was absolutely famished. ''Liora needs food,'' of course his thoughts immediately wandered to Liora, the woman unconscious in the other room and had been throughout the entire day as he mopped and scrubbed up the speckles of blood and tossed the now useless mattress out of the window into the front yard to figure out what to do with later.


    Wandering his way through the newly cleaned hallways of the house, Noah made his way down the creaky steps until he found himself in the kitchenette. Onceing over the entire thing, the few cupboards hanging off the walls the half a dozen cupboards on the floor, even a few drawers where he expected the utensils to be.


    ''There must be something here,'' Noah moved to the rightmost set of cupboards and pulled them open only to be met with nothing but a poof of dust before moving onto the next, which once again held a whole lot of nothing.


    ''shit, how can she live like this?'' after the fifth cupboard of nothing, Noah was feeling a bit of panic welling up inside him. What could he feed Liora if there was nothing but dust and nothingness around. It was horrifying, she looked so well, yet she live so poorly.


    Then there, in the sixth cupboard on the floor he found it, the very thing he had been looking for. Food. Albeit, dried, completely inedible pasta, but food nonetheless. Pulling the bag out he placed it down on the counter, staring down at it with a twitching cheek.


    While he did enjoy his pasta, having it with nothing but pasta water was not something he was going to subject Liora to if she woke up. Squatting back down, Noah peered into the confines of the wardrobe, seeing a few small wooden and clay containers dotted around with a few small sacks and bags in between them as well as another, bigger chest like container on the bottom shelf of the cupboard. All of which he''d have to go through to see if there was anything he could use within them.


    Of course him as a curious lad started with the largest and most curious of the objects, the chest. Pressing his hands either side of it, Noah lightly tugged it out of the cupboard, feeling that it had a decent weight indicating there was hopefully something within it. It didn''t have a latch or anything of the sort so opening it was as simple as pressing into the front of it and pulling it open.


    The moment he did, he felt a torrent of freezing air assault him causing him to involuntarily shiver. His breaths coming out as small puffs of white clouds as he stared curiously at the box laced with hundreds of thousands of interwoven shimmering silver blue threads forming a cloth linning around the entirety of the inside of the box.


    It was there he saw it, a thick slab of bright red meat and various half chopped vegetables linned up next to one another. ''These must be what Liora use last time¡­'' he thought reaching out to lift up a bright orange, half there carrot, the thin as frosty as a winters night.


    It didn''t feel completely frozen as it still had a small bit of pliability to it so he could likely chop it and the meat if that also hadn''t frozen.


    ''Why didn''t these freeze?'' the torrent of cold air coming from the box certainly felt below freezing. Yet it didn''t freeze anything. He turned a curious eye down to the portable minifridge box. Looking around for anything that may tell him what it was or how it formed. Yet all he could see were the interwoven strands of silken silver feeling a headache beginning to well up.


    "Really need to stop trying to figure this world out," he groaned returning the carrot to the box and lifted it onto the counter to search for a cutting mat and knife he could use to chop it aswell as a pan to boil water in.


    It was that thought that gave him pause.


    "With what fire?" he mumbled looking around the kitchenette for anything resembling a stove he could use.


    "Third drawer. It''s the big plate¡­" A tired voice answered him.


    His head shooting to turn around to spot the weakly smiling woman dressed in nothing but a blanket wrapped around her body to cover her modesty with a single, leather strapped up arm holding her up against the wall.


    "Hi¡­ Noah¡­"

 Chapter 17 - Delirium

    Liora''s body hunched to the side, her head coming to rest on the doorframe, sliding down it until she was laying on her hip, hearing rapid beatings of Noah''s feet against the floorboards as he rushed towards her. Practically sliding on his knees as he got closer to her.


    "I feel so weak¡­" She mumbled.


    "You shouldn''t be up," Noah said reaching a hand out to place it on her shoulder.


    Liora let out a soft huff, "this is my house¡­ I get up when I feel like it¡­"


    A sigh escaped Noah as he gently pulled Liora''s arm over his neck, wrapping his other hand around her body, clenching her barely covered body. The blanket she had wrapped around her already coming loose until it just barely clung to her body.


    "Not when your hurt, Liora. You need to recover. Let''s get you back to bed," he tried to gently raise her from the ground, which held a bit of difficulty considering he could feel just how week her body was after all the blood she was likely still missing.


    "I don''t wanna go to beeeed¡­."


    Noah froze mid rise hearing such a childish tone come from her.


    "My back hurts and I feel so boooored¡­"


    His head swivelled to face her, seeing her with teary eyes and a soft pout that puffed up her cheeks like a child not getting its way. It was a really cute sight on her more mature features, so much so it made Noah''s heart skip a little beat and made him really want to pet her head.


    "You''re delirious Liora, you need some rest," he softly chuckled, pulling Liora onto her feet with his hand held tight over her hip to keep her stable.


    "Nooooo¡­" She whined flutily struggling in his arms, "I wanna cook¡­" her stomach grumbled in unison with her words, "I''m hungry¡­"


    "I''m working on it," Noah replied to her as she leaned her head onto his chest, likely not realizing exactly what it was she was doing in her addled state, "I''ll bring you something soon, okay?"


    "Nyeh!" she blabbed, "my house Harvy¡­ I cook¡­"


    ''Harvy? Her husband?'' Noah shook his head at her case of mistaken identity, not taking it to heart.


    "Ah¡­" Liora mumbled out an exclamation, "no¡­ Harvy died¡­" she shook her head, and turned to look up to Noah with a weak smile, "sorry Noah¡­ I''m a bit¡­ out of it, it seems." Liora''s legs wobbled beneath her about to collapse from under her. But Noah, quick to notice this held her tighter opting that getting her up the stair was likely something he could do later once she got a more stable footing or fell asleep so he could carry her up.


    "Here, sit down," Noah lead her towards the dining room table, pulling out a chair for him to lower her down onto just in time for her blanket to completely unfurl and come undone, falling down her body, hanging over the sides of the chair. Not that she noticed it at the moment as she just sat down in a slumped position, head hung back, slowly blinking with her legs just slightly open showing off the slight fuzz of her nethers.


    ''I''ve really got to get her in some clothes¡­'' Noah''s eye twitched as pulled up Liora''s blanket folding it over her body to cover her back up before grabbing the other side and doing the same.


    "How are you feeling?" he kept his voice low as he asked knelt down next to her.


    "Like someone took a club to my head and dipped my arm in fire¡­" Liora lifted her un-strapped arm, lapping it over her eyes with a soft sigh. "my throat also hurts¡­"


    Noah rose to his feet saying, "I''ll get you some water then," quickly doing just that, handing the cup to Liora, testing if she at least had the faculties to drink herself.


    "Thank you," Liora shakily took the cup from his hand, only splashing a little water over her blanketed body before steadying it with her other hand, flinching as a small jolt of pain from bending at her elbow. Stretching the skin of the fiery red indentation cut into it.


    "Ow¡­" she whimpered releasing the cup to look down at her arm, opening and closing her hand with slow movements testing her own reflexes finding that she at least was still able to make a fist.


    As she wandered over the brown leather strappings and shiny silver buckles. She soon came to a pause at the bright red mark peaking out in the gaps between the straps. Red and slightly inflamed almost undulating with fiery wrath. Just the sight of it was enough to cause her insurmountable fear, the cup she held jittering even more fiercely, spilling most its contents over her body.


    "Don''t look at it," Noah gently gripped her hand with both his. Spinning her arm so her palm faced down leaving only the straps visible to her. Placing his hand atop hers, he brought it down onto her lap.


    Liora''s lips trembled as trickles of tears ran down her cheeks, staining her blanket with dark splotches of salted waters. "why?" her words fell out softly, lacking any heart to them.


    Noah''s lips parted turning his gaze up to meet her brick reds. Expression soon softening to a smile. "You already asked that. My answer hasn''t changed." He chuckled, "no matter how much you don''t believe it yourself. I think you deserve something better. Now no more of that self-pity. I''ve got to figure out how to cook." He sighed, giving Liora''s hand one last pat before backing away towards the kitchen counters. Digging into the drawer where Liora mentioned something about a plate he could use for cooking.


    "I-I can cook! You don''t need to-"


    "Zip. It." Noah hissed at her, silencing her in just a faint second. "You''re not fit to hold a knife, let alone be anywhere near a fire. Your just going to get yourself hurt even more." A huff came out of him as he finally found a single granite looking slab in the bottommost drawer. Finding it surprisingly light for what looked to be a good two centimetres of pure stone with a single, lighter coloured circle at the centre of it.


    Noah hummed as he looked over the slab once he''d placed it down on the counter. For all intents and purposes it resembled a portable electric stove top, if not a little larger. ''This is not technology of a medieval world,'' he''d noticed it with the faucet, but there was something about this world, the blending of modern appliances into medieval manners that just hinted at something other being at play.


    "Now¡­ how do I turn this on?" He mumbled looking over the top of the plate for any signs or designs of notches or switches he could prod to activate whatever heating element the slab held.


    Soon finding that on the right hand side there was what looked like a metal switch dug into the depths of the stone. ''this it?'' he thought bringing his finger over the switch feeling it give way to follow his finger with numerous clicking sounds, only stopping once it could no long move any farther.


    "Is it on now?" he questioned himself holding his palm over the plate to feel if heat was beginning to rise from it. Lo and behold he could feel it, the sizzling heat stroking against his hand, threatening to burn his flesh and ruin his love life. "that was fast¡­" he mumbled quickly pulling his hand back just as the rising heat stroked his eyes, threatening to dry them out.


    Turning the contraption off as a safety precaution for both him and the house, Noah began to search for a pan he could fill up with water and place atop the pale grey indentation of the slab.


    "There''s some broth in the onnaire¡­" Liora commented tiredly from the side. Wandering her gaze over the room soon falling onto a large grey branch laced with beautiful pink and white blossoms leaning against the doorway to the kitchen.


    ''Onnaire?'' Noah paused looking across the table, soon falling onto the refrigeration box, ''does she mean this?'' he moved towards it, glancing inside searching past the various cold ingredients for anything he may consider broth. Finding not long after a finger sized rectangle folded into a dark piece of cloth that looked to have been hastily shut from how crumpled the fabric looked.


    "Is this it?" Noah asked turning back to Liora only to find her absent from her seat, hobbling towards the doorway, reaching out to stroke her hands across the bark of the branch he''d brought in.


    Noah nearly dropped the block to rush to Liora to catch her incase she fell again, but stopped himself when he saw Liora pick up the branch, spinning it around in her hands, curiously inspecting it, soon pinching one of the blossoms off to hold it up to the light of the sun beaming in through the window. Marvelling at the translucent gleam it exuded, seeming to sparkle in the light.


    "I''ve never seen them this vibrant before," she beamed out a soft, melancholic smile. "at least one thing on this farm is thriving¡­" she leaned the branch against the wall. Feeling a sudden onslaught of dizziness leading to her stumbling and pressing her head against the wall to give her some grounding.


    "You''re really intent on getting yourself in trouble, aren''t you," Noah chuckled wrapping a hand around Liora''s waist, pulling her close to him while gently holding her arm to help return her back to the seat.


    When he returned her to her seat and returned himself to his cooking he could just faintly hear behind him, "I''m only good at getting in trouble¡­"


    Noah''s knife halted just a millimetre into a carrot at hearing that derisible sentence. The weight it held for Liora. The emotions of helplessness of despair. She needed a crutch, something to hold her up.


    ''I''m speeding up my plans¡­'' tomorrow he''d make his first trek into the forest. No more hesitating. He was going to find that one piece of treasure that could save this farm no matter what.

 Chapter 18 - Entering the Aldergreen

    It was early that following morning when the sun was just barely past its rising point that Noah had found himself downstairs pulling on a pair of boots, he''d been able to scrounge up with the help of Liora. As per the usual, they were hand me downs from the passed Harv like all his current clothes were.


    Liora herself was still upstairs completely unconscious sleeping off a night of restless sleep due to a certain blistering scar and uncomfortable squeezing sensation dashing her arm. He wasn''t expecting her to wake up any time soon. And that was time he now had to do a bit of exploring to hopefully find something of worth to help her out.


    Picking through the doorway and into the dawning farmstead Noah thought, "this is a stupid idea," his feet halting right outside the now closed door to palm his face. "I know nothing about these forest except there are women shaped bee''s in it. I don''t even know the terrain, let alone the threats. Ohhh, I am so gonna get lost." Noah grumbled and talked to himself, forcing his feet to stride down the porch and past the gate to roam down the path towards the wall of trees that was the Aldergreen forest. The name he''d learned after a bit of chatting with Liora yesterday.


    "I don''t even have a compass!" he turned to the sky, taking in the direction of the sun, "okay, so that''s east, I think." He pointed to the rising run with his right hand head searching around pointing in the direction he believed to be north, which was right into the depths of the forest and over the mountain ranges he could see over the treeline. "So, plan, keep going north, keep the farm to my back which is south, and I should be able to get back if I don''t get mauled by werewolves." If there were human shaped bee''s, why not human shaped wolves.


    Soon finding himself stood just inches from the imposing treeline which could possibly be his destination. Sighing out he psyched himself up, cheek twitching as he continued to think how idiotic and rash this decision was, but still, if it held a possibility of helping out Liora just a teensy bi it was a risk he was willing to take.


    Which was not something he had ever thought he would think, especially for a lady he knew for less than a week at this point. "You were so confident last night Noah, now you''re a coward," he snorted and shook his head. "Nope, that''s just the sane, rational portion of my mind finally coming out. Welp, it''s now or never." He cracked his neck, arm, and knuckles, stretched his muscles and groaned in pain for doing so.


    "Into the fray I go!" He animatedly pointed into the forest and stepped forth into the unknown.


    ***


    Exactly thirty, or well, what felt like thirty minutes later, Noah was left still. Standing in the middle of the forest, blankly staring at the canopy of green that left no gap for him to get a view of the sun. "Right, forest, no f.u.c.k.i.n.g sightlines to the sky¡­ I should have brought a bloody knife," using that he could at least leave markings on the trees leading him back to the farm.


    Turning around, Noah attempted to ensure he was still walking with south to his back but as the tree coverage was so thick it was hard to properly know that. "Why didn''t I think about bringing a damn knife! That''s like, forest exploring 101!"


    Kicking at dirt Noah continued grumbling to himself and continued his trek just a little deeper into the forest. Though mumbling things about how he didn''t even know what this supposed treasure was supposed to be. Was it inside a trapped ruin? Was it some metaphysical treasure like that nonsense about friendship? He certainly wasn''t hoping it was, there wasn''t much physical worth in such concepts. A gold bar at least could be sold for the buckles Liora was going to need to keep herself afloat for a bit longer.


    Clambering across the podzol soil, Noah''s boots swiftly became caked in mud and crumbling bits of aging leaves that crunched beneath his soles. The forest was silent¡­ for the most part, the wind would sweep the leaves raising oceanic noises from the canopy. Most unnervingly he found was the lack of any real sounds of life. No bugs, no birds, no deer, he hadn''t even witnessed one of those Saborian honeybees coming out of the woodwork.


    It was disappointing honestly


    "What was I thinking," his arms swung, often grasping the bark of a passing tree, not taking notice to the odd white and burgundy flowers that rose at the base of many of the trees and how they wilted and retracted deep into the earth whenever his eyes were not upon them.


    Gradually, Noah''s breath picked up, a strange shiver coming to course down his spine that sent every bit of hair on his hackles on end. His stride halted and he let out an unnerved grunt and shook his body. His head rapidly swivelling around, searching the forest depth for what it was that was rending his nerves to such a degree.


    His voice remained locked deep within his throat as a rustle came from the thick underbrush to his right and drew his full focus to the moving bush from which he could see two faintly glowing blue orbs. Noah gulped, his hackles on end as he stayed locked on the almost animalistic orbs.


    Now that whatever it was in the bush had realized Noah had noticed it, it began to move and step out of the bush. What extended first from the leaves was a large, dark blue fur clad hand. Descending from the tips of the hand were dangerous looking nails that easily cut into the earth as the creature pulled itself further into the opening in the treeline Noah was stood within.


    As more of the figure became clear, so too did more and more fur finally ending around the shoulder where it thinned eventually shifting into olive tinted skin that made up the main body of the beast. Noah found himself gulping at the sight of it, it was clearly a woman, or, it appeared to be a woman as much like her dark blue glad arms, fur rand down her sides and engulfed the entirety of her lower half leaving a U shaped opening that her blank, olive belly was left furless. The fur running from her groin down to her unnervingly wet and matted crotch was a tint lighter in shade. The darker hued fur also took her legs before ending in large wolf-woman feet also tipped in burgundy nails sharpened to a knife edge point.


    "I was joking about the werewolves¡­" Noah grumbled, his cheek twitching as he met the eyes of the woman who was clambered on all fours slowly moving to circle him in the clearing. As a bit of light flickered through the dancing leaves above and bathed the wolf-like girl in light, her blue eyes shimmered. Her face framed by her thick head of hair, messy and unkempt with strands flowing every which way from the waist length mane from which two-pointed wolf ears rose from the top of her skull.


    And while her awfully animalistic appearance and very sharp and dangerous looking claws was a unnerving sight. Noah couldn''t help but find his gaze wandering to the woman''s two ample b.r.e.a.s.ts, both full and fluffy and would most certainly feel good in the hand. Even the lighter hued pink n.i.p.p.l.es which stuck out like miniature mountains looked absolutely delectable.


    His wandering eyes were quickly pulled away when the woman let out a guttural growling noise and licker her scarlet lips glossy, drool trickling down her chin leaving small droplets across the ground. She looked hungry, and something about the combo of drool, rigid n.i.p.p.l.es and moist, matted crotch fur told him it wasn''t for food, but for something a whole lot more lascivious in nature.


    "Uh, h-hi. Let''s not get ahead of ourselves- ghg!" Noah lifted his hands up towards the wolf girl, a sign and attempt to seem not at all imposing to the muscled wolf-girl. Though it only seemed to bite him in the ass as the very moment his hands lifted, the woman lunged, her clawed hind legs dug into the earth sending her flying towards him.


    Luckily, Noah had what could be amounted to a decent bit of hand-body coordination from his gaming days and was able to send himself clashing with the earth to the side. Rolling across the ground and onto his back about to shoot to his feet and run, complaining internally how he had been an idiot to think exploring a forest would be so easy.


    As he came to learn the moment his hands clasped the earth and power was forced into his arms, wolf-girls weren''t so kind as to let their prey get away.


    When she had lunged and Noah had dodged, she was able to quickly land on all fours and spun around, once again pushing herself across the ground in a sprint to spring up and ram her full weight down onto Noah''s back, forcing him flat onto the earth where he tried to flail and spin around to hopefully push the woman off.


    He failed, completely. The woman was much too strong for his frail, skeletal body to handle. An example of her sheer power being when she gripped his side and flipped him onto his back leaving him airborne for a single second before landing back down with the dark skinned wolf girl straddling him leaving a portion of his pants a bit damp from her dripping wetness.


    He swallowed spit stuck in the back of his throat, "Uh¡­ down girl?" it was worth the try. Emphasis on the ''try'' as all he got was a starved grin that revealed large white canine teeth hidden right beneath her plump red lips.


    She wasn''t going to go down. But something was certainly about to go down.


    "I really should have thought this through¡­"


    *****


    *********************


    Holy shit, an actual new chapter finally comes out. Colour me surprised.

 Chapter 19 - Pinned down

    Pressed down hard into the dirt of the forest below the dark skinned, navy furred werewolf woman, Noah''s lip was twitching at a furious pace as he stared up at the slobbering, hungering beast pinning him down. Her drool trickling from her lip in thin drops that clashed againt his cheeks only to continue trailing down his face until it no longer could.


    Her lips were still flared open, her sharp canines a warning for him to not resist her or risk bodily harm in the form of his throat possibly being ripped right out.


    "I uh, don''t suppose I could get you a treat that isn''t me, huh?" Noah gulped and asked, doing his best not to seem threatening to the girl. It was good attempt he thought, though not thinking if she could even understand him. Unless this woman¡­ wolf¡­ has spent the better part of her life near humans and got to absorb language. Which, considering this was the middle of a forest right next to a farm where a single woman lived really made him doubt that point.


    Plus, it''s not as if he had a treat he could even distract her with. Nothing dog related certainly. Maybe she''d like some jerky? Who was he kidding, she would definitely want jerky.


    Suddenly a shiver ran down his spin as the woman''s hungering gaze trailed across his body, her expression morphing to a frown when she lifted herself up and peered in between their bodies to Noah''s groinal area. Narrowing her eyes to slits, the woman transferred one of her hands from Noah''s shoulder and onto his throat earning a gruff "ogh-" from him from the amount of unnecessary force she put into it.


    With her other hand¡­ paw¡­ claw? And a tilted head she removed it from Noah''s shoulder and let it trail between their bodies to where she was likely to be expecting a p.e.n.i.s but couldn''t see anything but the earthy tone of Noah''s trousers.


    "Oh, you don''t want to go down there," Noah tried to divert the woman''s attention but only got a snarl and bone crunching snap of her jaw just inches from his face that sent him pale and made her bosom bounce a very, very noticeable bounce. One that got Noah''s attention and made him gulp. It wasn''t every day he encountered a dark-skinned beauty practically n.a.k.e.d bar a literal pair of fur bikini panties which were still just as matted with the nectars of her l.u.s.t, if not more so now that she had the object of her desires in her grasp.


    Her paw wandered down and came to pat a little too hard on the crotch of his pants, the sudden spike sending jitters across his body and getting him to let out a gurgled groan. Seeming to realize she had caused him pain, the wolfwoman thankfully softened her patting though it didn''t last very long when her pats revealed to her a slightly hard lump in his pants. That of Noah''s slowly raising erection.


    Was he to blame for having one when those two, plump funbags were dangling just centimetres from his face. He certainly didn''t, ''just a natural reaction, just a natural reaction,'' he repeated in silence, knowing full well that get a chub in such a situation was not a regular thing.


    When she noticed the lump, her eyes sparkled a bright tone and she licked her lips. The throat crushing grip she had on Noah''s throat lessened for just a moment only for her to lift herself up and flip herself around until her damp honeypot lingered over Noah''s face dripping her l.u.s.ting juices onto him. Bringing along with the fluids the hot, steaming stench of musk which his body relished and only proved to hasten the speed at which his erection was rising until a bulge was abundantly visible.


    Noah gulped as he glanced up, his eyes incapable nor willing to part from the pink slit peaking through the l.u.s.t clogged fur. The woman''s bottom though thick with fur was still abundantly plump in shape and fullness. The hair albeit scraggly and unkempt, something her rapidly wagging tail was not helping to fix.


    Down below Noah could feel a soft breeze pushing through his rough fabric trousers, gently stroking against his member with a soft heat. Her face proving to be absurdly close to his crotch. He could only imagine the face she was making, likely her usual l.u.s.ting one considering her could feel wet drops clogging his lower belly.


    "This is so wrong," Noah mumbled, in the short time his mouth parted a drip of her nectar trickled out of her and onto his lip and into his mouth which was quickly swallowed with the taste of a sharp but earth tone. It was delicious, he thought at first though swiftly realized the wrongness of the thought considering what that dribble of lower drool had come out of.


    Glancing his head around, Noah went to move his arms about and thankful found she hadn''t thought to restrain them anymore as she was too focused on savouring his own musk that was seeping from the fabric. As he looked around he found that there was nothing in reach he could reach for to pry her off and with his free hands he brought them to the blue furred wolfs thighs, putting in a slight amount of force to see if he could even dislodge her with his own lacking strength.


    It failed, quite miserably¡ªor fortunately, depending on how you looked at the outcome.


    When he did try to push her off, she rolled her h.i.p.s and his hands jolted away in fear for the safety of his lower half which he found was personally much too close to the woman''s imposing maw. When his hands left and her rolling h.i.p.s and growl deteriorated, she did something else with them and suddenly she went from a kneeling sit, to a kneeling lay atop him. Her h.i.p.s pushing down hard onto Noah''s face forcefully pushing his nose and mouth through her matted fur and into her crotch.


    There was no arguing, there was no resisting, there wasn''t even a chance to gasp for breath as Noah''s face was slathered in her l.u.s.ting fluids. His hands curling into claws for but a moment before softening as he breathed in a powerful stench that made his mind grown hazy and made his erection grow even harder within its painfully rough confines.


    Slowly, both his hand rose to grip her h.i.p.s, his tongue unconsciously snaking from his mouth to lap at her juices and dig into the musky snatch offered so kindly to him.


    Feeling his tongue prodding her insides the wolf womans grunted happily and her h.i.p.s began to grind in small movements. Nothing that would dislodge her from her joyful position so close to Noah''s p.e.n.i.s.


    Though even as she enjoyed the feeling of his lapping at her p.u.s.s.y, she felt frustrated as well as her own object was still hidden behind this strange and damnable barrier of not-fur. She nudged it with her paw pads, nuzzled against it with her cheek and even teasingly bit it but nothing came out. No p.e.n.i.s for her to mate with. But it was there! She could feel it! She could see it! She could even taste it! Its delicious, addictive taste, one that no monster worth their mind could not fall for but it just wouldn''t show itself.


    To her there was only really one way to end this torment of want. And that was to tear away the fur the breeding stick was stuck behind and forcefully make it show itself. So with a harsh growl and pleasured whimper caused by Noah''s teasing suckles of her de-hooded clit, she flared her lips and opened her jaw, about to bit down on the fur and rip it away.


    But something happened as Noah sensing a terrifying event was just seconds from occurring panicked and spun his head up to escape her labium and cry out.


    "Wait!" His panic and shout sending her ears haywire spinning around and making her jump with enough force that she launched into the air and off of Noah. Spinning in such a way to land on all fours in a crouching tiger like posture. Her ass pushed up and tail curled slightly as she glared at her pray. Inwardly berating herself for falling for such a pathetic trick.


    Swallowing the remnant nectar stuck in his throat, Noah pushed himself up to a seated position and wiped away the rest from his cheek and face. Feeling as he did so the heavily heated skin that had turned red as his blood pumped like fire throughout his body.


    Glancing to the wolf girl who was still staring at him like a dog staring at a hunking piece of ham, he sighed in relief, "saved from that nightmare¡­ whooo¡­" As he took a moment to compose himself, his lower half twitched, his sensitive lower head scraping uncomfortably against the fabric and causing him to glance down to the large bulge he was forming.


    "I¡­ am one sick bastard for getting turned on from that," his cheek twitched recalling his many fantasies back on his original world about the very same situations. "Yeah, no, nothings changed." Cracking his neck for a bout of relief his attention was taken by wolf girl and watched as she once again began to circle around him like a predator about to pounce. Noting how she was stuck glaring at his face and drooling at his chub.


    "Welp," he shrugged and slowly began to raise himself from the ground. Once again taking in his surroundings, seeing a tree not far behind him that he could slowly back away to, letting the woman inch closer with every backwards step he took until he was pressing his back against it. Never once parting his gaze from her even as his hands lowered to his pants to unbutton them and drop them enough until his member, veined and towering gloriously burst free.


    Her eyes widened for a moment and her tongue came to slobber across her ruby lips. Sliding down the tree, Noah soon came to seat himself down. His legs parted enough that his member was still visible to the girl. Observing as she crawled towards him, her eyes now latched to his revealed member. Stopping right at the point where when Noah stared her in the face he could only see half of her own as the other half was covered by his shaft. The girl seeming to measure it with a dazed expression.


    ***


    **************************


    Was intending on releasing this on thursday but decided to just drop it now and give a rough idea for what you can expect releases wise.


    Currently, I am hoping to do at release 1 chapter a week. Not alot, I know. Don''t bite me. This is mostly just so I can start building up a backlog so I can have a bit of mental rest while I am working on my other projects. (Because I don''t know how to focus on one thing and that hurts me.) Eventually, hopefully in the next month or two I''ll start releasing twice a week but I really can''t promise anything.


    ***


    Also, for suggestions for monster girls i''ve added a channel on the discord called monster girl suggestions. If you have an image i''d advise going on there and posting it.


    Also, also, you don''t need to keep with the generic monster girl species like lamia or arachnae, or slimes and the what not. You can also suggest mythological entities that you think would make an interesting monster girl. Things like Yuki-onna''s, and general Yokai fall into this category. Hell, i''ve even had an idea to make like, a monster girl SCP foundation (In the story) that would deal with the more... ''enigmatic'' monsters.


    So seriously, go all out with suggestions and make them interesting. I''m game for all.


    ***


    Oh yeah, also got a world map up on the discord for the MGR world of ''Minas'' it''s barebones currently as I''m still working on it, but it gives you a general world shape.

 Chapter 20 - Kanyon Wolf [1]

    It wasn''t every day that a man got to see a woman clad in the shape of a partial wolf crouched between his legs longingly sniffing at his shaft like it was the best smelling thing in the world. Yet that was precisely what was happening with Noah and this wolf girl.


    Her eyes had glazed over and her lycanthropic ears had gone still laying submissively flat against her head. Her nose flaring every few seconds breathing in the thick musk of Noah''s phallic member. Completely enthralled by its potent scent.


    As Noah watched her with a slightly curled lip, the girl mouth parted, her tongue lulling free from her mouth came tremblingly against the underside base of Noah''s p.e.n.i.s. It twitching at the slick and warm touch though quickly becoming used to the feeling when she began to lick along the underside. Lapping up the thick energies she could sense leaking out of him.


    It was slow, at least initially with her meek kisses and pecks. Often times plastering her ruby lips across it before returning to lapping her tongue across it. One hand reached up for the head and gently pulled the sword down far enough that she could lift her head till she could kiss across its back.


    While not particularly extreme in the amounts of pleasure it was sending coursing through him, it was still a sight of perfection. The somewhat mature looking chocolate diva stuck worshipping his tainted body parts.


    The sight only growing even better when she trailed her tongue from the spine of his c.o.c.k to the underside of it. Further dropping until he could feel her tongue stroking against his testicle which so elicited a pleasure groan from him as she guided them into her mouth and began to suck. Almost as if she could taste the c.u.m welling up inside them and was desperately urging for it to come out and fill her hungering belly.


    Such a deplorable sight, he thought as he gazed down to her expression. Her eyes barely open as she stared up at him though his shaft hiding part of it. In her mouth she began to swish and tease the testicles earning a few grunts from Noah and twitches from his member.


    Moments passed as Noah watched her relish in her snack. And as what felt like the tenth minute passed of suckling and wagging of her plump, fur lined as and tail, she released the testes from the warm confines of her maw.


    Her mouth still lingering open as she lightly panted, her chocolatey cheeks taking on what Noah could assume was a blush for a woman of her skintone. As she panted she brought up one of her clawed and pawed hands, resting it dangerously atop Noah''s lower belly¡ªthe nails sticking ominously close to jabbing into him but not actually piercing him.


    Using her new leverage of Noah''s stomach, she lifted herself up, her tongue dragging along his underside before arriving at the lip of his glans where she began to dredge the tip beneath his foreskin. Happily collecting anything Noah hadn''t successfully cleaned out and lavishing in its thick taste of man.


    When she was happy with the cleanliness of his foreskin she moved onto the main course and brought her saliva wetted lips together atop the tip of his p.e.n.i.s. Starting off with a light suction to draw up more blood to further engorge the already heavily erect member.


    "Ohh, holy shit," Noah''s head thumped softly against the bark of the tree, his lower half shivering from pleasure.


    Pushing herself deeper, she took the entirety of his glans into her mouth, once again dancing and seasing around the sensitive nerve ridden flesh cleaning away any dirty taint on Noah''s body.


    Then, it happened, her eyes widened, pupils dilating as they locked onto Noah''s face. Her lips though pried open by c.o.c.k still curled at the tips while she dug her nails into his thigh and stomach and rammed her head down. Forcefully taking the entirety of Noah''s c.o.c.k into her throat and sending him gasping for air he was unexpectedly going to need.


    Quickly turning his head down he met with her predatorily amused eyes, unable to stop her as she rapidly lifted her head up and rammed him deeper into her tight gullet. Barely giving him a moment to breath as she added in twirls and twists of her head and wet gagging noise accentuating her every dip, barely louder then Noah''s own m.o.a.ns.


    He wasn''t going to stop her, it was much to pleasurable a feeling to ever stop. Though it gave him an unpleasant feeling of helplessness that he wished to cure. Lifting up one hand he brought it near her head, wanting to lay it down atop it and ''assist'' her in her powerful skullf.u.c.k.i.n.g. But when his hand came withing distance of her ears, they twitched and her eyes sharpened. Her thrusting bobs halting with him still buried deep within her throat.


    Then a growl escaped her, a warning for him to keep his hands away. He complied, letting out a hiss as her throat vibrated with him inside it which only furthered the intense pleasure of it.


    Happy he had gotten her warning, she returned to bobbing, gags and squelches, wet and violent. Noah was promptly feeling his ball clench, his shaft thickening even more in her throat, a sense she could feel herself. One that made her eyes sparkle expectantly as she pushed her ass higher, her tail curling up and wagging furiously like a helicopter as her throat f.u.c.k.i.n.g went harder and harder and harder until she could feel it. The feeling of s.e.m.e.n gushing through his urethra.


    Before it could fully escape his p.e.n.i.s, she rammed her face down, plastering her nose into Noah''s belly right as his h.i.p.s bucked up. His seed unleashing into her throat in thick, creamy streams swiftly being swallowed down into her belly where she absorbed Noah''s essence into her body like it was water.


    "Jesus, haa¡­ haa¡­ haa¡­" Noah''s h.i.p.s stopped bucking just a little after the last spurt of s.e.m.e.n escaped him. His body losing its strength as he panted out tired breaths. Exhausted from the powerful orgasm that had just wracked him.


    "Ghg-!?" Noah groaned out, his eyes bulging asynchronously as she lifted her head and began to bob along his shaft, once again her throat bulging as it pushed its way through her esophagus. Her eyes still hungering for more, more, more!


    "Wai-stop- hoooo, just-just give me a minute- holy shit-"


    He feebly pleaded the beastess to stop. But her tongue continued its assault, curling around bullying the shaft. Slurping and straining against the manhood. Endlessly assaulting the p.e.n.i.s until a second jetting of syrupy c.u.m was launched into her belly.


    Noah''s hands curled into claws, digging dirt between his nails as he furiously panted. His lower half twitchy and weak but not loosing out in its energy.


    Soon, when she seemingly felt content with Noah''s offering to her belly, she slowly lifted her head letting Noah experience the pain and pleasure of her oral tightness latching onto him with almost tearing strength. Until she arrived by his glans, giving it a long, wet suck that ended with a loud pop as she broke free from it.


    Her lower face now clad in strands of thick white jizz that she had been to slow to swallow, mixed with her gloopy saliva. Coming to seat herself on her knees, she stroked a paw along her face, collecting up Noah''s s.p.e.r.m which she began to lick off her finger.


    L.u.s.tily taking even her claws into her mouth to ensure they were properly cleansed of his s.p.e.r.matic fluid. When all was gone from her body, her expression sweetened, her eyes clamping shut while her paws came to cup her cheeks. Her entire body shaking, bouncing her ample bosom. The n.i.p.p.l.es of which were now looking painfully rigid.


    Opening her eyes, they sharpened as they locked onto Noah and his twitching, still erect member. A new hunger clearly becoming evident in her expression with the small puddle she''d formed on the earth beneath her p.u.s.s.y being evidence of exactly what that hunger was.


    "Im¡­ not getting a break am I?"


    ***


    *******************


    Made an Almanac of Monster Shaped Girls.


    Here''s the link.


    #


    (It''s in the comments for copy pasta ease.)


    ***


    I''m realizing I never gave a description for Noah''s appearance before so I''ll try to fix that in the upcoming chapters. But for now, he''s;


    Male, about 179cm tall. Light brown hair, green eyes. Currently skeletal, soon to be normal.

 Chapter 21 - Kanyon Wolf [2]

    She lunged up Noah, her nails coming to crack deep into the wood besides his head as she pressed her belly against his p.e.n.i.s, sandwiching it between their two bodies. The feeling of her fur addled groinal region rubbing roughly against his still sensitive nethers earning from him a slight groan and shiver.


    Her plump b.r.e.a.s.ts pressed roughly against his chest with her n.i.p.p.l.es sharpened to near knife points threatening to cut through his garb at any moment.


    She growled in an almost whining noise as she grinned l.u.s.tily with her glistening, saliva addled lips.


    Noah was left completely silent, twitchily staring up at her while his hands clasping at handfuls of dirt and grass. Still completely terrified at his possible demise for the much stronger, and much more armed woman pressing against him. Though also heavily aroused as his throbbing manhood was evidence for.


    With her eyes narrowing and a trickled rolling down her lip of saliva, she rolled her h.i.p.s up. Bringing his p.e.n.i.s from stroking against her crotch and against her labium, parting the two puffy pink lips as she immediately went into grinding against the underside of his c.o.c.k. Her clit acting as a an added bit of roughness to the slick warmth wrapping halfway around Noah''s member and scratching against his engorged glans which had long since been unsheathed from its foreskin covering from the previous face f.u.c.k.i.n.g she had given him.


    Unlike her previous initial genial beginnings of light licks and suckles across his c.o.c.k and balls. Her she promptly began to buck against him. Seemingly as if his c.o.c.k was already pressed within her slick, love juice oozing walls. Instead opting to lather him in more of the natural lube that was matting her fur and making Noah feel as if his jewels were being polished by a lint full cloth.


    Even though he wasn''t quite inside her, pleasure still swiftly coursed through him. Her bucking thrusts and yearnful whimperings acting like sugar to his ears. Only he was wanting for more, to penetrate into this¡­ bitches body and stuff her like she was so wanting of.


    Whether it was his just his male instincts pushing him to wanting to breed this prime female or just her own l.u.s.tfulness infecting him. He wasn''t sure, all he, and she by proxy wanted was to breed like the animals they were.


    Unclamping his right hand from the earth he brought it up and clasped her right furred buttcheek. Squeezing its soft plumpness while her fur itself felt slightly rough but still somewhat silky and gratifying to hold.


    Noah slowly began to lift her up, her more than willingly to take the hint and stroke her p.u.s.s.y up along his p.e.n.i.s before halting for a moment when she could feel his thicker glans separate and enter the shallows of her vulva. Meanwhile she had lifted her body enough that her plump, chocolate b.r.e.a.s.ts had come to practically bury the lower half of Noah''s face giving him a slight, if not memorable feeling of motorboating a wolf monster girl.


    Gulping down a lump of spit he began to lower his hand, finding that she, in her whines stayed put leaving him to wonder why she had stopped moving. If not for but a few seconds when her whine morphed to an almost cackle like growl and she rolled her h.i.p.s back and rammed them down, sheathing him to the hilt within her v.a.g.i.n.a. Deep enough that he could feel himself knock against some barrier deep within her body.


    Her cervix he thought behind the powerful m.o.a.n and bugeyed look he was left with.


    The wolf girl not doing much better as her back arched, her head thrown backwards with her mouth hung open tongue lulling out of one side unleashing a harsh, sharp howl into the winds of the forest as her entire body underwent jitters of a sub-climactic beginning.


    "Ohhhh-f.u.c.k," Noah''s voice sounded strained to him as her walls wrapped tightly around his member. Only growing more strained when she began to rock back and forth causing him to feel like her walls were clamping down even harder disliking of the idea of him even leaving her p.u.s.s.y without leaving it with its much-desired c.u.m.


    It was animalistic, there was nothing human about it. She rammed down hard while he began to thrust in upwards motions as if being sucked back into her body. The sounds of their slapping genitals, wet squelches and the m.o.a.ns of both man and woman echoing throughout the forest.


    Her claws had long since come undone from the tree and lowered to wrap around Noah''s neck as she leaned herself over him. Leaving the soles of her feet pressed on the floor continuing to squat f.u.c.k Noah out of his mind.


    Though she began their f.u.c.k.i.n.g with more harsh, animalistic noise, as they continued, they softened. Gaining a more human sound. To the point if Noah shut his eyes and ignored her beastly form, he would surely mistake her for a mere woman.


    Rapidly, as their harsh f.u.c.k.i.n.g grew more intense Noah was finding himself increasingly on the verge of orgasm, ready to send his spunk jetting through her insides and into her w.o.m.b for them to dance about searching for a viable egg to inseminate.


    She could sense it, he just knew it as when his balls tensed. She lifted herself up to the point he nearly came free from her. Her h.i.p.s rolling around and then slammed down. Noah''s back arching while her teeth came to clamp down across his shoulder nearly ripping through his shirt and piercing his skin.


    Her entire being quivering as Noah''s tip pierced straight through her deepest barrier, twitching as it sent bouts of seed deep into her body.


    They remained still, the wolf feeling her w.o.m.b shiver in delight as womanly satisfaction overtook her.


    Noah slumped, his body weak from three consecutive climaxes sapping away at his remaining energy like a heat sink in a computer. His head thunked against the wood, panting as sweat saturated his shirt.


    His partner in this s.e.x.u.a.l endeavour loosened her arms from him, gently placing them on his chest as she began to ticklishly lick his neck with her own pants escaping her. A far cry from the hound she had been not so long ago, now shifting into what Noah felt was a loving pup happy to get to lay in bed with its master.


    Sucking in a large breath, he lifted one hand and brought it to her upper back and lay it down atop her scapula and slowly stroked against her dark, sweat coated skin up through her mane of unkempt blue, ending on the back of her head to begin patting and scratching behind her ear. Noah feeling a slight jitter from one of her legs as he did so.


    Letting out a chuckle, he continued to scratch her. Enjoying the aftercare she was giving him and giving his own in turn.


    Her licking of his neck soon transcended and rose, rising to his jaw line and onto his cheek. Her tongue soft, though not as slick as a humans it wasn''t as bad as a cats.


    All of a sudden, she lifted her bottom and unsheathed Noah''s member from within her and turned off of him. Leaving him with his hand lingering in the air watching as she crawled off a bit from her. Far enough that Noah could see her belly tense and send a thick spout of white squirting from her p.u.s.s.y to form a small puddle beneath her crotch.


    She tilted her head back to him, her eyes soft but quickly morphing to her previous wild nature as she reluctantly tore her eyes from him and ran into the forest depths. Rushing towards the mountain range in the distance leaving Noah to sit there with his pants down and flaccifying p.e.n.i.s open to the air. Simply watching her escape with confusion at how she hurriedly dashed away after everything that had just happened.


    It gave him a strangely melancholic feeling. It felt off to just see her disappear. He knew she was a monster, something this world had in abundance. They could be surmounted to the wild animals even though true animals still existed like those saber toothed squirrels he''d seen on the way to the village days prior.


    Still, it felt wrong to see her go.


    "I''m really losing it, get pushed down by a woman and suddenly I don''t want her to go," he chuckled mockingly to himself, returning his groin into her pants and buttoned it up. Squinting uncomfortably at the wet feeling of his garb rubbing against his member.


    Lifting himself to his feet with a few cracking noises coming from his bones, he glanced to the nail shaped holes in the tree with his face going pale. "Maybe¡­ maybe I''m safer with her gone?" he mumbled and spun around on point searching for which way was his way out. Finding that after everything had happened, he''d lost his sense of direction and with the canopy blocking his view from the sky preventing him from helping set him straight.


    "Bark!" he jumped at the loud barking noise that caused him to shoot his head to the side to see the very same wolf girl stood on the cusp between the forest and the patch of dirt he was stood within. They locked eyes, both silent before she twisted her head to the right, her eyes still on him before pointing in the same way as her head as if to tell him which way to go before disappearing in the opposite direction in a hastened sprint.


    "Uh, thanks! I guess?" he scratched his head and faced where she had indicated. Linking furiously as he tried to figure out if she was actually leading him in the right way or was leading him astray. He was hoping not especially considering he was going to trust her.


    When he was about to make his way out of the forest, he paused, feeling a disturbance around him that drew him to scanning his surroundings once again. Though, not nervous to being lunged on as this was different feeling to that. It was more like something was simply drawing his attention.


    It didn''t take him long to discover exactly what that was. A small bush of ivory and burgundy rhododendron flowers stood in the centre of the small clearing he and the wolfgirl had done the dirty. ''That¡­ wasn''t there before,'' he thought feeling an ominous shiver course over him the longer he looked at it. Noticing how the pistils of the flowers extended and drooped to the puddle of white atop the earth as if drawn to it. A fact he soon realized wat true when the pistil touched the puddle and the puddle began to shrink being absorbed and sucked into the plant.


    "Oh, perfect. Plant''s drinking my c.u.m. I¡­ am getting out of here," he spun and not-quite-running sprinted away. Not wanting to be sapped literally dry when the flowers suddenly morphed into a hungry alraune or something along those lines.

 Chapter 22 - Unripened

    Noah''s hastened rushing through the forest and back to the farmstead had proven to be quite simple and less active than he had been fearing. Finding thankfully that nothing had opted to lunge out of the shrubbery to push him down and drain him even more than he currently felt.


    And as it turned out that wolf-woman''s guidance had proven accurate with him arriving at the sweet-smelling ocean of golden wheat of the fields surrounding Liora''s home.


    "Oh, thank god," he muttered breaking through the last of the treeline and into the field, practically hurling himself onto the bedding of gold to let his body detense now that he was in familiar surroundings and didn''t feel so lost.


    "I really need to start thinking things through¡­"


    His rest didn''t last long as he pushed himself onto his knees and forced himself up to his feet. Taking a quick look around to see where in the field he was, finding he had ended up with Serris'' tree between him and the house.


    When he noticed her tree, his nostrils flared breathing in a faint underlying tone of cherries circulating through the blowing winds which stroked the wheat into waves. ''Suppose I could give her a quick hello,'' he thought, he was out here anyways so he may as well before he got back to the house to collapse and fall unconscious.


    Striding through the field he soon came to a pause. Blinking furiously as he stared up at the branches of pink blossoms above. Noting that everywhere he looked were dozens upon hundreds of small green balls of soon-to-be cherries.


    "She''s actually fruiting," his words coming out strained as the realization that what he''d done was basically ''fertilize'' her in the female use of the word and now she was about to ''lay'' her seeds to grow more trees. "I really need to stop overthinking things¡­" didn''t help that he''d probably become the literal father to a bunch of trees.


    Approaching the grey bark of the cherry tree, he cast his eyes up into its canopy. "Serris? You there?" he didn''t imagine she could go very far but who was he to say she couldn''t go out on walks.


    Everything was still as he stood still awaiting some form of response. Simply listening to the rustling of the blossoms rubbing together up above. When what felt like a minute passed, he finally saw something shift as the grey bark before him twisted and began to form into light swirls that pushed out into a spike.


    The vines forming it churning as they thickened and began to form into the shape of a woman''s upper body. Her bosom more ample than he remembered, her face livelier than he recalled. Even her hair which had been like leaves and vines had turned and were currently turning, into a thinner, hairlike consistency. Of course, with a few of her usual pink blossoms and now a few of the small unripe cherries. Also, he noted, there were several ''sprouts'' pushing through the hair of her scalp forming a circular crown of raising twigs. Though still faint in appearance.


    ~Hello, Noah,~ her words still came out like an echo at the back of his mind, but now her face actually seemed to contort, forming her luscious grey hued lips into a slight, stiff smile. ~It is nice to see you again. Did you enjoy you''re time in the forest?~


    Noah chuckled, awkwardly raising a hand to scratch at the back of his scalp. "Oh, uh, yeah. I guess I did." Though the fun part was getting pushed down out of nowhere by a horny wolfgirl.


    ~I see, that is good.~ her lips only curled further, creating horrible cracking noises as the wood of her cheeks contorted to fit her expression.


    Taking a once over of her, he eyed the several changes to her form, "you''re looking different."


    Her head tilted cutely, lips taking a confused frown as she lifted her arms up to inspect them. Taking what he assumed to be a few blinks if she had any eyelids as she began to pat around her upper body. Incapable of checking her lower half due to it still being buried ithin the tree.


    Then what he assumed to be a sparkling excitement took over her as she began to bounce upon feeling the shoots coming out of her scalp. ~I really am changing! ~ for the first time since meeting her, her voice rose becoming almost childish in excitement.


    "You didn''t know?" he questioned.


    ~I didn''t. Ever since you offered me your seed, I have been resting to allow my fruits to properly grow and make use of the abundant seed you filled me with. ~


    Noah recoiled, a flush taking to his cheeks unaccustomed to hearing a woman say with such a pleased voice that he had ''filled her with an abundant amount of seed.''


    "So, this is you becoming a hamadryad then?" he recalled the chat they had before his¡ªfor a lack of a better word¡ªseeding of her where they spoke of the sort of cast system dryads had in place.


    Serris shook her head, ~no, I am becoming a treemother. ~


    His brow quirked as in that very same conversation she had told him how treemothers were just another word for hamadryad. "I thought you said treemothers were hamadryads?"


    ~They are. A treemother is a hamadryad but a treemother. ~


    That was likely to be the most confusing sentence he had heard in a while.


    Seeming to realize his confusion, she continued explaining. ~A treemother is simply the leader of her grove and the only one of the hamadryads to be able to seed new dryads. ~


    ''So, something like only the leaders of the pack mate?'' his cheek twitched, his own reference to packs of wolves not going unnoticed. The reasoning for it being more obvious than he wished. At least to himself.


    "So basically¡­ you''re going to be a mother?" the thought was slightly terrifying considering his previous fears of fathering a bunch of trees was just proving to be a reality.


    ~I can, ~ she nodded, ~and I would very much enjoy making a new grove of sisters. But¡­ ~ her gaze lingered on him, ~I do not have to if you would rather I do not. ~


    She was asking him whether he wanted her to basically give birth or not. ''Today is a weird ass day,'' he groaned out in silence. "It''s really not my position to say," he scratched at the back of his neck, "this is Liora''s land and I don''t think I can really stop you if you want start yourself a grove."


    ~You can if you want. I will listen to whatever you say. ~


    His mind paused, curious as to why she seemed to be pushing his opinion so heavily for this. "Why does it matter what I think? If you want to make a grove then go for it. I can''t stop you."


    ~But you can, ~ her cheeks quirked into a soft smile but quickly contorted to a nervous frown as she began to fidget her indexes against eachother, ~if you¡­ if you become my fruiter that is¡­ ~


    Her actions sent a nervous spike down Noah''s spine. That word of fruiter sounding ominously like something of a marriage proposal asking him to become her husband. "I''m sorry, fruiter?"


    ~Mhm. I would leave myself to exclusively accepting your seed for my yearly fruiting. In return I will offer you anything you may want of me be it my body or the fruits I grow. ~


    Aka, become her ''husband'' knock her up every year, and she becomes his exclusively. It was a strange, yet appealing offer.


    "That''s uh," one he wasn''t quite sure how to respond to.


    ~You do not have to answer me just yet. I have yet to bare my first fruits. When I do, please return to me then and answer me then if possible. ~ her head lulled, her expression softening while her luminous pink eyes narrowed halfway. ~The first of my berries should ripen by the weeks end. So if you wish to become my fruiter, please return then¡­~ her entire body trembled, shivering with a rustle of her hair as her wood creaked.


    ~I am sorry, but I am feeling quite¡­ tired¡­ so if it is alright with you. I will return to resting. ~


    "Oh, right, yeah, that''s okay with me." He quickly answered, "good night¡­ evening? Good evening?" he glanced to the sun which was just passing the midday point.


    ~Yes, ~ a giggling noise rose within Noah''s mind as Serris'' body shrunk and retracted into the tree. ~good evening Noah. It was a pleasure speaking with you again. ~


    Like that, Noah was left stock still staring at the bark of Serris'' tree. Blinking every few secnds as he processed the question, she had asked of him. Should he accept it, he would gain himself a treebased wife, one some might call a ''waifu'' though the usage of hearing himself actually think that made him cringe away. It was a cute word, but not one he could ever use if he wanted to ever take himself serious again.


    If he didn''t accept, he simply wouldn''t have a tree-based wife.


    To be absolutely honest with himself he was more than inclined to accept. Just the idea was enough for him but with everything going on with the farm and the arguable nature of Liora keeping it and his likely temporary residence here. He wouldn''t be able to see her all that often.


    "Haah¡­" he sighed, giving Serris''s tree one last look before turning on point to stride across the small circle of emerald gras and into the plains to make his way to the home. His confliction about Serris''s offer and the exhaustion of his intercourse with the wolf taking a back seat as his spine tingled with a sharp but dangerous fear that caused a tide of nervous sweat to raise and drench his garb.


    Mechanically he lifted his head, his eyes soon coming to land on the entrance into the house where Liora was stood cross armed. One hand rapidly rapping against the forearm of the other. The pose at which she stood accentuating her bosom as she sent him a cold, glare-like look. One that told him if he tried to run away, he wouldn''t get very far.


    "I think I''m going to need Caina after this¡­" he mumbled, mournfully passing by the fence gate to approach Liora with his head hung low.


    ***


    *******************


    My plan is to write at least 4 chapters a week, and I''ve also decided instead to release 3 chaps a week if I have them. So, sunday, monday and wednesday will be a ''maybe'' day.

 Chapter 23 - Pale faced revelations

    The only thing he could hear now that he was stood before Liora was the sound of her foot tapping rapidly against the wood. Her eyes boring holes through his body.


    "And where have you been?" she questioned, her voice rutheless and unflinching in its tone.


    "Just, uh, exploring?" he answered, his own voice lacking in energy to resist.


    "The fields?"


    He gulped his head jerkily shaking, "n-no, the forest."


    Liora''s eyes narrowed to slits. Her tapping foot halting and her rapping against her forearm stopping. Slowly, she lifted a hand up, travelling it through the air above Noah''s head. Him sensing the feeling of an impending slap prepped himself to nurse himself of the new-to-form bump.


    But thankfully he found that wound did not come as Liora''s hand softly came to rest on his head. Gently ruffling his tawny locks and bringing him to look up at her. Paling at her malevolent smile. He barely had time to process pain when her hand rolled down his cheek and pinched his earlobes to drag him into the house.


    "Ow-ow-ow-ow," he chattered stumbling after Liora''s swaying h.i.p.s as she dragged him through the house and into the dinning room. Throwing him into one of the chairs and walked around to the other side to seat herself. Crossing her arms once again when she did.


    "Do you have any idea how many monsters are in that forest!" she leaned forwards and nearly screamed out her words. "Hounds, pixies, dryads, fairies, alraunes, bees, wormlings, arachnae," she counted each one on her fingers. "Every single one more than willing to drag you to their hovel and have their way with you be that raping you into conversion or eating your intestines for lunch!


    ''Convert?'' his breath hitched, that word sounding ominous in meaning if what it meant was actually what he thought it meant.


    "Con¡­ convert?" he attempted to question though his word went unheard as Liora kept ranting.


    "It''s a miracle you even came back! I don''t know anyone in your state who could even resist a single pixie let alone the Kanyon wolves coming out nowadays!"


    He was guessing a Kanyon wolf was the official name for that wolf girl he''s encountered and spent a good hour screwing.


    "You are lucky to have escaped in your state Noah-" her voice staggered as she eyed his attire, noting its relatively haggard and dirty appearance and a few indented portions on his shirt in what looked like teeth marks. "Noah¡­ did you run into any monsters while you were in the forest?"


    He swallowed a lump, feeling fearful for what would happen if he said yes but just as terrified as to what would happen if he said no or kept silent and she saw through him, a thing he felt was inevitable with how stern her gaze was. "Yeah."


    Liora''s lips pursed shut. Her cheek lightly twitching for a few what-felt-like minutes before finally letting out a sigh and rubbed her face. Flinching from the pain doing so caused her arm. "Did¡­ you have s.e.x with one?" she questioned, her voice falling to a strangely soft but worried tone.


    Lifting his gaze to her, he could see true concern raised in her expression. Her entire body tense as she awaited his answer. It was such an expression that would stop Noah from lying even if he wanted to.


    Swallowing down a dollop of saliva, he parted his lips to answer, his face a light flush "I¡­ yes, I did." Not having had much choice in the endeavor.


    Immediately Liora''s expression went dark, the concern quickly morphing to panic and resignation. "Then we need to take you to the church to have you purified before you start converting." She lifted her uninjured arm and began to nibble on the nail of her thumb.


    A church, converting? She uttered both but neither figured anything into his mind though both were obvious. Churches were the basic holy land where nuns and priests resided to cure ailments and promulgate their gods teachings. In games they often took up the place of the healers and the supporters though how they factored in this world seemed to be along the lines of purifying whatever this conversion she mentioned was.


    ''I''m not going to turn into a werewolf am I?'' this thought quickly added to by the branch of cherry blossoms leaning against the wall not far from his vision, ''a tree werewolf?''


    "I''m sorry Liora, I didn''t know going into the forest would be so bad," he did, he was just too dense to realize that thinking it would be just like forest back home. Safe. "But what''s this about conversion? Am I going to turn into a monster then?"


    "Maybe," Liora threw her hand up to cast him a soft, tired smile. "It depends on what you had s.e.x with. Can you tell me what it was?" she asked.


    He was not used to speaking about his s.e.x.u.a.l endeavors, especially not with a mature lady like Liora, "It was a, uh, wolf¡­ girl¡­ woman, she had blue fur, dark skin, red nails."


    She processed his description for a few minute moments, scanning through her thoughts before locking firmly onto the image of one, "a Kanyon wolf then," she sighed out a relieved breath. "Then you should be fine. They aren''t a particularly corrupting species so it shouldn''t have gotten much Manos into your body. But back to what converting is¡­" she trailed off, pondering how she should explain it to the as-far-as-she-knew amnesiac.


    "Converting is for a lack of a better term enslavement to the monster. In us humans, we have a form of mana called Ethos, monsters thrive off of the stuff, it makes them stronger, keeps them alive, it basically makes us humans a delicacy and they can take our ethos through s.e.x. In the process they will fill up the emptied space of ethos with their own manos. I can''t really tell you much other than that, I''m really not a professional in the subject but from what I''ve heard from Harv and Ellie is that all monsters have their own unique form of manos which when it infests a humans body can start converting them into a monster as well. After that, they aren''t human anymore, their just another monster."


    Noah aptly listened to her short speech and to what she said following it.


    "But considering it was a Kanyon wolf, that shouldn''t be much of an issue. At most all you''ll need to worry about is her coming back next year for a second round or a few puppies coming to their papa."


    A mysterious ticking noise clicked through the room as Noah, blinked once and then twice. "I''m sorry, puppies?"


    "Oh yes, we''re getting into the breeding season for the Kanyon wolves. They''ve been crossing the mountain range looking for mates probably for weeks now. Actually¡­ now that I think about it, it should be close to the end of their mating season¡­" she shrugged and continued what she was saying, "unless you found and did the deed with one of the males, you probably got a female pregnant and now she''s heading on up the mountain to raise them up once they pop out."


    Noah''s face went pale, paler than when Serris had told him her own possibilities at know popping out miniature hers. ''I really shouldn''t have expected any less,'' he leaned his head back and slumped into his seat to stare blankly at the ceiling. A sight Liora found mildly amusing to say the least.


    "I should actually congratulate you a bit," Liora giggle into her hand drawing his gaze onto her.


    "And why''s that?"


    "Because, they''re also known to be a loyal species of monster. The females often return to their mates and stay by their side like dogs. Harv''s been trying to get one for years."


    He went blank, so he was now to expect the same wolf girl to come back in the future? ''wait, no, her husband has been trying to get one?''


    "Uh, Liora, if you don''t mind me asking. Why do you seem so calm that your husband was trying to find one?"


    She tilted her head his way with a curious frown, "Oh, they''re also supposedly really good herders. Harv wanted to get into ranching before he¡­" she trailed off for a moment, her demeanor sinking into a pit of depressional appearances, "before he died."


    "Okay, but wouldn''t that mean he''d be having s.e.x with a monstergirl then? You''re husband?"


    Her demeanour quickly settled down and perked up slightly as she gave him a straight nod and uttered, "yes, he would." The calmness of which went against Noah''s monogamous upbringing.


    "And that doesn''t bother you?"


    "No, not really. It''s just a natural thing after all. Especially with monsters. I don''t really mind," she shrugged. "I won''t lie, Harv was obsessed with the things. At one point I thought he was corrupting Ellie with all the spew he taught her about the glories of monsters," she snorted, "even introduced her to the works of Alikavarnata Terphainitun. By the old crossroads, I even think her leaving with her boyfriend was just a ploy for her to go around and find a few of those monsters she''s heard so much about." She chuckled, "though, I do hope she''s taking the proper precautions not to get pregnant or converted¡­" she mumbled to herself, tilting her head to the side letting part of her red locks fall over the side of her face. Her blowing it away when it flew into her plump red lip.


    ''Right, so, now I know s.e.x is really damn open here. But Liora gets fl.u.s.tered when calling her s.e.xy,'' a cruel, experimental look took to his expression. "Hey Liora," he grabbed her attention and locked it on him. "What about you? Have you ever wanted to have s.e.x with a monster?"


    A slight pink took to her cheeks though not overwhelmingly so. "Oh, uh, no, not really. I was raised under Artemia''s teachings. So I''ve never really had much of an interest in such things, that was really more of a hobby from my husband and daughter than me." She pressed her hand onto her chest forming a slight indentation into her ample bosom.


    "Then what about having s-" as he spoke, furious knocking noises came from the front door, quickly attracting Liora''s attention as she rose up and said.


    "Let me get that quickly." And slowly sauntered out the door leaving Noah to finish his sentence alone.


    "-ex with another man¡­ well that just broke the flow." He grumbled hearing the soft chattering of Liora speaking with another woman. This chatter soon halted and was followed by hastened stomps on a quick approach through the rackety hallways of the building to the dining room.


    Liora appearing in the doorway, her face scarlet, her lips sucked in and what appeared to be anger on her face as she held in one trembling hand an unnervingly familiar wooden box. The identity of its contents soon recollected when behind Liora walked in the dirty blonde-haired girl of Caina. The very same girl he''d given a bedazzled dildo to as payment for healing Liora.


    A bedazzled dildo that was now being slammed onto the table right in front of Noah. The box slowly opening to reveal the glistening object to him, Liora now looming over him speaking with a malevolent tone. "Of all the things you can give someone as payment, you give her my daughters s.e.x toy?"


    ''Note to self. S.e.x, not wrong, s.e.x toys, wrong.''

 Chapter 24 - The Gifted Object

    After returning from the treating the Liora Rostrea of her wound, Caina had been busy. A rogue''s gallery of mercenaries had come plundering through the Banshee''s Bellows. All making a pitstop to see if the rumours of the treasure in the Aldergreen held any truth. Most being sorely disappointed when they came to learn that every inch of the forest had been picked with a fine-tooth comb only for barely a handful to make it out. Whether they were devoured by the monsters that called that place home or simply got lost and perished, no one knew.


    Afterword''s the more realistic few would solemnly leave, making their way to the frontlines to see if they could get any buckles for assisting in the war. For whichever side was willing to pay the most, that is.


    This rogue''s gallery had left her exhausted, clambering to and from to kitchen the moment she entered the tavern. By the time she was finally done her feet ached and her n.i.p.p.l.es were rubbed red from chaffing against her sweat matted shirt which barely had a chance to dry after she''d washed herself off in the Rostrea home.


    When she did clamber into her room, she had practically thrown herself onto her bed. Clasping her pillow to her chest and pressing it between her legs, just moments away from falling right into sleep. Only to be awoken when one of the last remaining drunkards crashed sending his tankard to the floor with a loud enough noise that it reverberated through the tavern, jolting her awake.


    Her eyes blankly remained open, staring at the nightstand besides her bed where a candle was flickering, nearing its point of depletion. Its white wax dying its holder and the table in several layers of the stuff. Also, on the table was the wooden box she''d been given by Noah as payment for her services. Yet to have actually opened it and inspected its contents.


    "Haaa¡­ lets see just how worthless whatever this is, is." She had no confidence it held any value considering just how poorly the house looked with its barren walls and empty rooms.


    Sitting up, she reached out to the box and lifted it up, bringing it to her lap to finger and feel around it''s smooth woody texture and squeaky brass hinges. "Atleast I can use the box for something¡­" she mumbled, finally getting to the point of lifting the lid open to reveal the plush, velvet insides and the long, ornate and intricately designed p.e.n.i.s within.


    Caina promptly slammed the lid shut and glared at the box. "please tell me this isn''t what I saw it was?" she groaned and slowly began to reopen it. Pleading that it was not infact, a disembodied, jeweled phallus.


    "Good heavens above," Indeed, as it had turned out, it was exactly what she had expected. A long, thick and veiny example of male genitalia. "I¡­ am going to break my oath." The oath that she would never, not ever, never once in her life. Purposefully take a life.


    Letting out a sigh into her palm, she rubbed her eyes. A faint flush overtaking her usual olive skin tone as she continued staring at the object. "I do not want to do this¡­ why did he do this to me¡­ please tell me he know''s what this means."


    The world of Minas and the continent of Pregea and the kingdom of Morea by default, had its many fair shares of unusual customs brought about over its many years of existence. None moreso than the habits of the believers of Ascleminia, the goddess of medicine, healing and of course, the body. She was the goddess of all the Asclepia that crossed the world. The teacher who taught them about healing the ailing.


    An archaic story from over the oceans to the lands of Parlight spoke of a student of Ascleminia who on his dying bed severed from himself the source of his l.u.s.t. Preserving it in all its rigidity and gifted it to the goddess who accepted with open arms and proceeded to make use of it for thirty-one days and thirty-one nights before the student finally passed. Crying out to those on his deathbed how he could feel his goddesses love for him at every moment.


    Since then it had become an unusual tradition of Asclepia to gift artificial renditions of ones own beloved, to give them something to hold and ''love'' while they were out on traveling the world for their missions.


    It was a highly archaic tradition. One that was on the verge of being phased out as these healing missions gradually became unnecessary with the sheer amount of new asclepia being taught in the academies of every continent and thrown to each and every village around.


    Even if the gifter wasn''t an Asclepia, it was still a sign of ''love'' no matter what. And now that ''love'' had fallen into Caina''s hands. Worse yet, simply returning the article of ''love'' to its original counterpart was frowned upon. Asclepia were anything if not traditional and tradition trumped feelings. Meaning she was now stuck with a metal p.e.n.i.s and frustration as to what she should do.


    So, with a twitching cheek and a bundle of irritation and a mild hint of curiosity, she reached out to the jewelled phallus. Plucking it from its confines to twirl it around and inspect its each and every detailed vein and is more than engorged tip.


    "This is quite absurd," she mumbled finding it was ominously large for a male''s penile place. Thick as well. Curling a finger, she flicked it finding it gave no give and instead left a lingering sting on her finger where it made contact with the cold metal. "This isn''t actually his, is it?" She was certainly hoping it wasn''t.


    As her fingers trailed over the veins of the shaft she slowly found herself growing entranced, an itchy feeling raising in her womanhood that lead to her gulping down a thick globule of spit. Realization quickly came to her and she shot her hand away, dropping the phallus onto her bed while rapidly blinking at it. "What am I doing?" she clasped her hands to her chest. The thought of actually putting the thing to use having revolted her for exactly a second.


    Actually putting such a gift into use was tantamount to accepting the mans feelings.


    "I can''t no way, never," she spat out grabbing the rod to shove it back into its box and slam the thing shut. Only to pause at the box shutting stage when her door was thrown open a large man stumbled in sending her arms jolting, throwing the toy to the air while she stared in shock at the collapsing man who soon flattened himself on the floor with a drunken stench exuding off of him and corrupting her room.


    *Hic* Shurry mish, *hic* the man slowly lifted himself up to resstumble his way out of her room, screaming to the others in the tavern below, "Whon mer pinth!" leaving Caina clasping her dancing heart in horror.


    With her breath trembling, Caina lifted herself from her bed a made quick strides to the door to shut it and lock it like she had forgotten to earlier.


    Spinning around, Caina leaned into the door, gasping out breath she had been holding since her unwanted intruder had come in. "AHHHH!" she screamed letting herself skid down the door and seat herself on the floor.


    She hated it here. Who in their right mind would call being a waitress a tavern wench a nonstressfull job? Because, well, it wasn''t. Not when most of the patronage didn''t know about basic decency and the other part actively and persistently tried to get inside of her.


    Her head lowered, her eyes wandering over her plain room stocked with medical supplies and an unnecessary amount of blades just so she had something to reach out to and grab to shove into someone who decided they''d had enough of her resisting their pushes.


    "This isn''t right¡­" she mumbled curling her legs into her chest and wrapping her arms around them just moments from burying her face into them.


    She was trained, she was supposed to be some nobleman''s personal apothecary, not some generic healer in a backwater village on the verge of bankruptcy filled with treasure seeking fools who could barely escape from a slimes ass let alone one of the more dangerous monsters.


    A glint of light took her attention making her lift her head and glance to the now ominously enticing shape of the gifted member. Her cheek twitched, ignoring her traditions she thought, ''it would be better than my fingers¡­''

 Chapter 25 - Dancing Letter

    "Right, so, then, so long as you haven''t used it we should be fine then?" Noah questioned with hope uttering a voice in his mind as he glanced between the crossed Liora and the pinkish hued Caina. Nestled leaning against her leg a bag packed to the brim with what he was fearing to be most of her earthly belongings.


    His question sent a flurry of red deeper across Caina''s face while Liora simply clamped her fingers tighter around her arms.


    "There''s still the problem of you gifting my daughters toys, to a woman." Liora''s eyes narrowed to a dangerous degree and lingered long enough on Noah that he felt a thin trickle of sweat crease his brow. "Haa¡­" Liora eventually sighed, releasing Noah from her ominous glare as she expression softened to one of more confliction.


    "It''s not that simple Noah. Ascleminia''s children. They take these gestures very seriously, you can''t just return it." She sighed rubbing her hand over her face as she tried to think of what she was going to do now.


    "Actually, you can," Caina spoke from the side doing her best to keep as neutral a face as she could but failing wholeheartedly. "You need permission from Ascleminia herself and you gift it to her for her to love in place of yourself. But¡­" she trailed off, her cheeks sparking to red and sending an even wetter tide of nervous sweat across Noah''s body, "¡­it¡­ need''s to be unloved¡­"


    ''Aka, she needs to have not used it. Which I''m guessing she has¡­ f.u.c.k.'' Noah groaned, "and you¡­?"


    She nodded, earning her two sets of judging eyes. "I was stressed okay! Being a wench is a damned nightmare! I haven''t had a decent night''s sleep since I got here! And that was nearly a year ago! Not to mention being the only healer in a village of idiots means even when I do get the chance to sleep I can still be woken up to heal some damned brats broken arm or help a woman give birth! So yeah, I made use of your d.i.c.k to destress okay!" her passionate barrage ending with steam billowing out of her as she realised her tangent had been more verbose than what she wanted.


    Noah paled for the once too many time that day. Though finding himself not completely repulsed by hearing her say that. Even if that object wasn''t modelled after himself.


    Caina''s head practically rammed straight down knocking into the table to linger there while Liora and Noah recoiled feeling the pain for her.


    "Right¡­ so¡­ what now?" Noah questioned glancing between the two women.


    Liora''s fingers rapped along her upper arm, cheek twitching before muttering out after a sigh, "I can''t really say, this is something for you two to deal with now. I''ll give you two a moment to chat, I need some fresh air." She rose from the table and wandered her way through the hallway to the front door.


    Caina slowly pulled her head from the table to blankly meet Noah''s gaze, "what needs to happen now¡­ is you need to take responsibility for what you''ve done to me."


    "I haven''t done anything. I didn''t know about your customs, and I didn''t force you to use it. So at most, you can fault me for being ignorant." He quickly covered his bases.


    "You still gave it to me. And I''m still us-Uh, I still used it." Her words fumbled.


    ''Oh god, she''s still using it,'' Noah groaned and leaned his head back over the rest of the chair, exhaustion from the days events and revelations proving exhausting for him. ''It''s not even made after me¡­ wait, no? it''s not made after mine!''


    Realization coursed through his mind and he quickly shot his gaze down to Caina, "you said these gifts are modelled after the person gifting them right?" she nodded, "but that''s not modelled after me, so, doesn''t that make it void then?"


    Caina''s eyes fluttered as she pondered over his words, excitement slowly building up. "It, yes, it should¡­ I think? I don''t actually know," she whined. "I''d need to ask Ascleminia but I think that should-"


    As if by a notion of god, in from the window fluttered a piece of parchment that danced across the waves of the winds, spinning amongst non-existent air to land right infront of Caina.


    They shared a stare before she lowered herself to reading the contents of the note. Going pale as she did.


    "What does it say?" Noah questioned.


    "It says, uh¡­ that I need to¡­ uh," she stumbled over her words, "it says I need to make sure that¡­ that it really isn''t modelled after your p.e.n.i.s¡­"


    "She want''s you to compare me to a dildo?"


    Caina didn''t know the word dildo, but she couldn''t be bothered to question him about it for the simple reason of the second requirement. "I also need¡­" her voice low and barely notable. Noah wouldn''t have realized she had said something had he not seen her lips moving.


    "I''m sorry, what was that?"


    She sucked in a trembling breath, letting it out in a single squeaking motion, "I also need to prove that the phallus feels better than, or worse than your own¡­" she rammed her face into her hands just seconds away from screaming in embarrassment.


    Noah''s mind reasonably ground to a halt, "wait, doesn''t that mean we have to-"


    "Have s.e.x?" it wasn''t he who finished his sentence, nor Caina. But Liora who had wandered back in just in time to hear the last portions of their conversation.


    Both head rapidly shifted to meet with Liora, her cheek as twitchy as it had been since Noah''s return. Her gaze blank as she stared at Noah in what he could only feel as dark, dark, judgement.


    "Lucky you. But you aren''t doing it until we get Noah to the church." She continued while making her way back to her seat. Her words aimed more to Noah than them both.


    At this point, he was really wondering if this ''luck'' he was having with women was proving to be more of a curse, what with him knocking up a wolf girl, a tree, and now apparently having to get his junk measured to prove that the dildo isn''t his.


    Caina''s head tilted as she still steamed, "what? Why?" she asked with a trembling voice.


    "Noah went into the forest and had s.e.x with a Kanyon wolf. It''s nothing too bad but I would rather he not go around spreading manos"


    Caina''s mouth parted as she nodded along with what she said. "Oh, then, yeah. I''d also rather not do¡­ do¡­ ''that''"


    ''Great so, apparently I''m now patient zero for what sounds like an std. Perfect.'' He thought.


    "When are you planning on going then?" Caina asked Noah directly.


    He didn''t even know there was a church, how was he supposed to know where it was and how to get there?


    "I''ll take him tomorrow. I need to make a confession as well so we''ll slaughter two pigs with one knife then."


    ''That is one f.u.c.k.i.e.d up version of two birds, one stone. And I''d hope you can slaughter two pigs with one knife. It''d be a really shitty knife otherwise. Wait. No, stop getting distracted¡­'' A yawn suddenly assaulted Noah, ''I''m tired¡­''


    His apparent exhaustion was noted by the two women. "Noah, why don''t you go sleep. I''ll set something up for Caina. You are going to be staying here now, aren''t you?" Liora questioned having long since surmised Caina''s intentions after seeing the fatly packed bag.


    "If possible please. I sort of¡­ quit¡­ being a wench. I''ve got plenty of buckles saved up that I can use to help with any purchases and I still get my annual emolument. So I can compensate you for letting me stay here."


    "That''s not¡­ actually, yes that would be perfect, thank you." Liora quickly caught herself from being too generous. She could do with a decent bit of earning to save herself from going hungry. "Then why don''t you come with tomorrow and we can head to the market to get some food."


    While the two chattered about going shopping, something he was learning was a universal thing with women, Noah began lumbering himself towards his room to throw himself down onto his bed and let his exhaustion fade out of his body. Calming his aching lower half and preparing himself for the walk to wherever Liora was taking him tomorrow.


    The following morning though, he would learn that he had slept for far too little a time.

 Chapter 26 - Church of Artemia

    The church as Noah had come to learn the following morning, was not in Alder¡ªthe village which Noah had met Caina in¡ªinstead, it was in a neighbouring, much larger village of Redle. Which actually had something of a wall to block out the outer world from them. Hanging from the arches were banisters with an intricate woman firing a bow.


    The insignia he had learned was the sign of Artemia, the goddess of chastity and the hunt as well as being the goddess which made up the largest church across all of Minas'' continents. Especially in Parlight, in which is was practically the only thing in control of the kingship there.


    Noah had never really been one for religion. To him it was a bunch of nothing about foreign aspects of the world that no one could prove. Though, now within this world he was beginning to realize that perhaps those divine beings weren''t so fictitious at all.


    Or they were in his old world and weren''t here. He couldn''t tell and would never know considering he was currently and permanently not on earth.


    To get to Redle they had caught a ride on one of Alder''s mercantile carraiges that often made the hour-long journey out there to collect up enough food they could sell back home over the coming days.


    "I''ll be leaving round the third bell, so if you want a ride back, be here," the merchant said.


    "Thank you, but we''ll be staying here until tomorrow," Liora told him.


    She was dressed in a pleasant dress and tunic that covered the straps over her arm. Caina having inspected them during their ride back finding nothing wrong with the wound bar the expected uncomfortability and and heat constantly radiating off the scarring line.


    "Understood, take care," the merchant nodded to the three of us and struck his reigns getting the large, heavily muscled horses to start trotting off down the street.


    With him gone, Liora turned to me and Caina with a smile. "So, welcome to Redle. Shall we head to the church first and get Noah cleansed first before heading to the market?" she asked getting a quick nod and affirmation from both me and Caina. Liora taking the lead as she led us through the village pointing out the odd bakery or tannery where certain people lived.


    When he probed how she knew so much, she told him she was born in Redle itself. Moving out to the farm with Harv after they had met one fine evening not long after her father was cremated and had his ashes spread.


    It wasn''t quite a bustling village, the streets were relatively empty bar the odd woman wandering about between the buildings. Noah noting how few men were actually around, less so than in Alder itself and even then, there weren''t many. ''Now that I think about it, they all looked like travellers or merchants. Weird?''


    "Something wrong?" Caina had asked from his side.


    "Hmm? Oh, no, I''m just noticing there''s not a lot of men around." Her brow raised at him.


    "Considering most of them are on the frontlines keeping Kanyon from killing us all, that makes perfect sense."


    "Oh," he uttered, ''they''re all enlisted in the war. Makes sense.'' He just hoped they offered themselves and weren''t forcefully dragged into it like had been a habit back in his old world.


    "Glad I''m not there," he awkwardly chuckled.


    "I doubt they would even want you considering you look like a skeleton," Caina snorted. Her stride halting in tandem with Liora''s who had come to stand right at the bottom of the steps leading up to a large church building.


    ''glad to see architecture hasn''t changed,'' Noah quipped staring up at the large bell tower raising high over the skyline.


    "This is the church," Liora explained the obvious and began to ascend the steps with the two following just a step behind. Quite literally considering he was a stair step behind her.


    We didn''t say much else as we arrive by the wooden doorway which Liora grabbed the ring handle of and began to push open with a loud, reverberating creak. Letting Noah and Caina enter first.


    The hall was large and open with a regal red carpet running across the entire centrefold of the room and right up to the steps leading to a platform of a large stone statue of a woman. Though lacking in colour, the statue had beautiful, almost entrancing features with soft, plump lips curled into a smile and bright eyes that almost glistened in acceptance of all of Noah''s sins. The b.r.e.a.s.ts were large, though not to the degree of Liora or the Kanyon wolf woman. Her h.i.p.s wide and though he couldn''t see it from where he stood, he could tell her bottom was just as luscious as Liora''s looked when he ogled her. Her dress he had found to stick close to her body leaving most of her thighs open and one b.r.e.a.s.t hanging out with a slight raised point denoting her n.i.p.p.l.e.


    ''Artemia I''m guessing,'' he guessed correctly.


    Pulling his eyes off the statue, he looked around the pew less hall. Light beaming in from up high in the room where large and intricate stained glass windows. Lining the walls of the hall were several confessional booths. One of which opened and a man dressed like a mercenary stepped out with a smile on his face fiddling with his belt.


    ''I hope that''s not what I think that means,'' Noah''s cheek quirked, hearing a new voice speak up.


    "Liora, it has been too long." A large busted woman stepped towards us. The woman was tall and dressed in a black and white nun''s garb that clung to every piece of her more than abundant body. Accentuating the crevice of her bust and the knifepoint n.i.p.p.l.es poking through the garb. Her pale hands were pressed together above her chest, fingers interlocking. Her expression of softly shut eyes and curled plump lips beneath which was a small beauty mark on one side. All together putting a single thought through Noah''s mind.


    ''a milf nun¡­ Why do I feel like I should have slept for longer?'' a shiver of premonition coursed its way through him.


    "Mother Camilia," Liora pressed her hands together in a similar manner to the now named mother Camilia, adding a small bow of her head as well. "It really has. Things have been difficult these past few months since Harv''s passing so I haven''t been able to come as much as I would have liked."


    "Oh that is perfectly alright my dear." The aged nun smiled as Liora lifted her head and unlocked her hands. The nun keeping herse perfectly still and locked together, "I had heard of young Harv''s passing through the gr.a.p.evine. It saddened me to hear of such a man''s passing. Though, I can''t help but feel it was expected due to his frequent thoughts of monsters."


    Liora twitched, "Harv had always been careful mother."


    Mother Camilia frowned, her brows angling to a downwards angle, "perhaps, but it does not change the fact that he is an example of why you should not consort with monsters Liora. I advise you to leave that farmstead Liora. Escape that monstrous forest before they invade and you can no longer escape as a pure human."


    Noah could see Liora''s hand clench slightly, "I understand mother, I will think about it." she had no real need to think about it as she still had that ridiculous sum to pay in months or she face eviction.


    "That is all I ask. Now, what may mother Artemia''s teachings do for you and your¡­ companions," she eyed Caina for a split second before latching onto Noah at which she licked her lips hungrily with an expression Noah could only surmount to being reminiscent of the Kanyon wolf he''d encountered.


    "Oh yes, I have a confession I want to make and Noah here needs to be purified, he ran into a Kanyon wolf out in the forests." Liora explained reaching out to grab Noah''s shoulder and pull him forwards.


    Mother Camilia''s eyes widened showing off her rose diamond irises. A pleased expression taken to her.


    "I see, we would be more than delighted to offer our services to such a fine young man," Mother Camilia bowed her head to Noah.


    "Thank you."


    "No need for thanks my dear, it is our sworn duty to heal those afflicted by the toxic monster scourge. Sister Marlin, please take Liora to a confessional. Sister Tyli, please guide Sir Noah to the purification chambers. Hmm..." She turned to look at Caina as two similarly dressed girls appeared from side rooms. The only difference being they had veils covering their lower faces but seemed to eternally be smiling.


    "And what about you dear? Do you require our services?"


    "No, thanks. I''m doing perfectly fine," Caina strained a smile.


    "Then please wait out here while these two are taken care of."


    Saying that the shortest of the two girls approached Noah, gazing up at him with the same rose diamond eyes that mother Camilia had. Holding her hand out as if to say ''follow me'' and began to walk towards a back room while Liora was taken to one of the confessionals along the walls.


    Glancing back as they walked away, Noah felt his ominous premonition only growing stronger and stronger.


    ''Please god, don''t let this be what I think it is¡­''

 Chapter 27 - Hallowed Disrobing

    Led to the end of the church hall, the nun, sister Tyli pushed open an unassuming door hidden behind the statue of Artemia and led Noah deeper into the bowels of the church. Immediately entering into another room, one smaller but much more elegant in design.


    It was a primarily round room at the centre of which was another, smaller circular divot filled with some clear fluid. Water, Noah was hoping. Lining the stone brick walls were indentations within which were more statues of Artemia though holding small jars letting the flow of the water trickle in streams into small pools that led into the divot at the centre of the room through channels hidden beneath the stone flooring. Glancing to the ceiling, Noah noted it was more rounded than the main church halls.


    "So, what does this purification entail?" Noah questioned Sister Tyli, getting no response from the woman as she came to a stop halfway to the pool of water. "Sister?" Noah questioned, the girls back still to him.


    Hearing him, Sister Tyli slowly turned to face him, her pinkish hued eyes curled happily while most her face was still hidden behind her veil. She spoke not a word as she approached Noah, bringing herself close while her hands rose to Noah''s shirt to hook under the hem and try to lift it up over his head.


    "Whoa, wait-wait-wait, what are you doing?" Noah stepped away from her, breaking contact from her hands and pulled his shirt back down.


    She still didn''t respond with words but held her hands out to him with a calming gestures before indicating to the pool behind her. Seemingly signing that he was supposed to enter the pool and that he may prefer to do it without getting his garb soaked.


    "You want me to enter the pool? That''s why you were trying to strip me?" he asked.


    She nodded.


    "Do I have to?"


    She nodded again.


    ''Great.'' He thought with a groan. He couldn''t really stop it now, Liora really wanted him to go through this purification thingy. And considering the strange premonition he''d been having for the last few minutes, he doubted being n.a.k.e.d was going to be his biggest concern.


    Sighing, he scratched his head and asked, "can I do it myself or do you have to do it for me?" Sister Tyli simply shrugged, insinuating that it didn''t matter, he just needed to be n.a.k.e.d.


    "Alright then, I''ll do it myself then," Tyli''s eyes widened for a second before growing misty in disappointment and stepped back to let him do the stripping. Though quickly gaining an anticipatory glimmer to her. "Do, uh, do you have to be watching or can you turn around while I undress?" he wasn''t a prude, especially considering his encounters with Serris and the wolf, but still, stripping infront of a girl was still a strange idea to him. One he felt would rapidly be dissipating as his days on this world drew to weeks, months and eventually years.


    Sister''s Tyli''s eyes narrowed but kept their anticipatory glimmering as she shook her head.


    "No as in you have to watch or no as in you don''t have to?" he questioned.


    Tyli lifted her hand, closing all her finger bar her index.


    ''One, great. She ''has'' to watch,'' Sighing out once again Noah gripped his shirt and pried it off his body and haphazardly folded it before heading to lay it down on the floor when Sister Tyli held out her hands offering to take it from him. "Thanks," he muttered handing it to her with a strained smile. About to pinch his pants and undo the buttons he paused, ''she may have to watch me, but at least I don''t have to be facing her.'' Turning away from her, he undid the buttons keeping his pants from collapsing to the earth. The moment he did though, they began to droop and were abot to drop when he grabbed them. Twitching at the cheek as he contemplated his life to lead him into getting n.a.k.e.d infront of a nun.


    ''God this week has been nothing but p.o.r.no scenarios one after the other. Next thing you know some Demon Queen''s going to raid the farm and take me as her s.e.x pet,'' Noah shivered, ''why does that feel so plausible?''


    Shaking the intrusive thought from his mind he began to lower his pants.


    Stood not far away, Sister Tyli''s expression had turned to disappointment when Noah opted not to let her watch him in his entirety though still found plenty of enjoyment with ogling Noah''s bottoms as he stepped out of his boots and pants. Only turning a little to the side with his hands barely able to cover his p.e.n.i.s to further spin his head her way.


    "So, do I just get in the water now?" he asked.


    Sister Tyli jolted, awakening from the trance she had fallen into while staring hungrily at Noah''s penile area and rapidly nodded her head.


    Taking her by her actions, Noah sauntered to the edge of the pool. Doing his utmost to ignore the strange feeling knowing a woman even smaller than Caina was so happily staring at his ass. ''Is this what women feel like when me stare at theirs?'' he questioned in silence. Forcing the thought to the back of his mind as he descended a toe into the water to feel its relatively cool embrace wrap around the digit. Neither cold nor overly warm, but just right to make it comfortable.


    After feeling it he took the first of the steps down into the circular basin. Lowerng himself deeper into the pool until he was stood up to his belly in the water, at which point he was at its deepest parts. Letting one hand fall free of his junk, he travelled it through the water forming small ripples within it.


    His attention soon being grabbed by the sight of Sister Tyli coming to kneel and sit atop her knee''s on the edge of the pool. One hand indicating for him to take a seat on the stone chair built into the walls of the pool.


    He wanted to ask if it had to be there by her but he hand no doubts the answer would be yes. So instead he remained silent and compliant, slowly sloshing through the waters until he arrived before her and descended onto the stony bench. Further dropping into the waters as he did so, until he was just over his belly but right below his pecs in the water, leaving his upper back and head over above the precipice of the pool.


    Now sat, Noah was still unsure as to what was supposed to be happening. He had come to be cleansed but was being given a bath of all things. Though a very comfortable bath at that.


    Leaning down slightly, Sister Tyli reached a single hand into the water surrounding Noah. Cupping a hand she collected a handful and brought it onto Noah''s pecs, gently massaging it into his skin. Going higher and higher with every handful she did until his entire body bar his neck and head were glistening.


    "Hooo¡­" Noah sighed out feeling a strange tingling course through his body as Sister Tyli''s hands began to massage and press into his shoulders. Gently, but firmly loosening his muscles and sending sharp pleasurable tinglings through him.


    He felt his strain and exhaustion rapidly leave him. His arms that were still left to hide his manly bits had released and come to rest at his side while his head fell back into Sister Tyli''s lap. Eyes shutting at the almost hypnotic experience.


    ''Weird¡­'' he thought within the darkness that was the back of his eyelids. ''Is¡­ the water getting warmer?''


    ***


    ***********************


    Okay, so, even more questions for possible monster girls I could write for the future of this story (far in the future, I''ve basically already got all the Monster girls for the rest of this first volume and the next.)


    But I''ve recently been looking into the D&D wikia for monsters I could turn into girls. [Slight Spoilers for the next chapter] But the water in this case is a Monster Girl from D&D, an Ooze named an aballin.


    So my question, or request as it would more aptly be called, is for actual monsters. Let me know about your favourite game/movie/story monster, I''ll look into it and if I like it enough I''ll add it onto my list of monsters to write an entry about. And even possibly turn into a future encounter later in MGR or in another Monstergirl related story I could be doing in this same world sometime in the future.


    Oh and little sidenote, Creepypasta monsters and hell, even SCP''s are welcome.


    And to my friend who I already know has ''that'' image of siren head somewhere in your collection.


    Why the hell does that exist? I mean, seriously. I know Rule 34 and the whole ''if it exists, theres p.o.r.n of it,'' thing is accurate as all hell but just... why?

 Chapter 28 - Ablution

    It wasn''t just that, it wasn''t just the water getting warmer, but himself. He could feel a slight heat raising from his body running up his neck and onto his cheeks and ears. Then came the delicate motions of the water. Like a slowly running stream was stroking against his body washing away grime beneath grim, he felt his body be touched like he was at the hands of a professional masseuse while Sister Tyli''s small hands still massaged his shoulders.


    As Sister Tyli did this, she took the opportunity to gaze over his body, licking her lips beneath her veil as she landed upon his girthy manhood. Leaning back and continuing her massage and spreading of the waters purifying enc.u.mbrance, her gaze was soon taken by an unusual marking laid atop his left shoulder blade. She hadn''t noticed it earlier due to her lascivious lechery, but now that he was bare before her, the darkened mark of seemingly tattooed flesh sharpened to the likeness of a circle within a circle within a circle, each connected by small but intricate markings leaving the centremost circle to be filled with a golden pupil.


    Drawn to a halt at the marking, Sister Tyli''s eyes widened, her hands still while Noah still felt the pleasure of the encompassing pool. "Ohhh¡­" groaning out a pleasured sigh, Noah heard a click of a door opening and the sound of heels growing closer. Drawing him to open his eyes and glance to the approaching form Mother Camilia approaching. Her wide h.i.p.s swaying exaggeratedly with her ample chest rippling with ever bob of her body. Carrying in her hands was a small tray nestled between the two mounds upon which a pitched and a single regal looking porcelain cup was set.


    Upon her entering, Sister Tyli urgently pulled herself to her feet and powerwalked to the Mother whose expression for a split moment turned to annoyance that the Sister had left Noah, but said nothing as the girl stood on her toes to whisper something to her.


    When she did hear what Sister Tyli had to say, her expression shifted from annoyance to confusion, ultimately ending with her eyes sharpening to look at Noah and the small tattoo-like mark on his shoulder blades.


    "Thank you for informing me Sister Tyli. Return to tending to Sir Noah, we will continue the purification as intended. If the curse is worse we can call for your sisters assistance."


    ''I''m sorry, curse?'' Noah''s head jerked just a centimeter as he repeated the single word he''d processed from their hushed conversation. ''I''m not cursed¡­ am I?'' glancing over his body, his cheek twitched, ''I mean¡­ I am controlling someone elses body, so, maybe that is a curse?'' it was challenging to know fully, but what he did notice was how clear the water was, and how his manhood stuck out. And something else, something new.


    ''¡­?'' there, seemingly a reflection in the depths of the water was a head, though not of his own. It was faint, but reminiscent of a woman drifting through the clear, seemingly flowing waters. Dancing around his body while her streaming eyes gazed across his body, latching onto the flacid p.e.n.i.s drifting within the water body.


    Noah lifted a hand and rubbed his eyes thinking his mind was playing a trick on him, only, when his eyes opened not only was the water hued disembodied head still there, but it had drawn so close to his lower half that he could feel it drifting in the released currents of her every ''breath.''


    ''Please, for the love of everything that is holy, tell me I''m not sitting inside of a slime girl.'' He eagerly pleaded the gods who seemed so intent on putting him in these unusual circ.u.mstances. Slowly trailing a hand through the waters to the woman''s head, he came to touch and feel a slight more gelatinous texture. But this quickly disappeared as not a second after making contact with it did the silhouette fade into the background and left his manhandle to drift on its own course. ''Yeah, no¡­ that was definitely a slime¡­'' he paled and tilted his head up to Sister Tyli who was taking back her position to massage his shoulders while Mother Camilia came to seat herself on her knees right next to the girl, laying down her tray not far from the edge. A soft, almost aptly motherly smile on her plump ruby lips as she spoke to him.


    "How are you feeling sir Noah? Do you feel as if the taint of monsters has left your body?"


    Noah chuckled, "uh, yeah? I think so? Does that mean I can get out now?" while he may not be completely averse to being ''inside'' a slime girl, he was not entirely caught up with the mental faculties he required to completely accept the fact.


    "Of course you are sir Noah. But you would still have to suffer the effects of the manos taint within your body. This ablution only removed the taint from the surface of your body. We still have to purify the corruption raging rampant within your body."


    ''Bullshit,'' he could tell she believed that wholeheartedly, he on the other hand, didn''t. ''Just¡­ go with the flow Noah¡­ get it done with and you never have to come back here again¡­ hopefully.''


    "I understand, so, how do we do that?" he crossed his legs and moved his hands to hide his lower half from their view.


    Mother Camilia nodded, lifted up the pitcher and began to pour a faintly platinum liquid that glimmered like it was laced with mother of pearl into the cup she had brought with. "To purify ones soul of a monsters taint, you are to drink the waters of mother Artemia. It will wage a battle with the corruption and collect it within your body, after which you simply need to expel it and you will at last be cleansed." While saying this here eyes wandered over Noah''s marking with a sharpened glint of recognition. The stream of platinum drink thinning for just a spare moment before halting completely.


    Regaining her composure, she lifted the cup from the tray with two hands and offered it out to Noah who tenderly took it from her and stared into the faintly translucent fluids with apprehension. ''I''m guessing this is liquid Viagra then?'' he guessed.


    "So, I just drink this then?" he asked, just to make sure.


    "Yes. In one go if at all possible." Mother Camilia told.


    ''Oh perfect, just wanting to get me all up and ready at once then?'' with a twitching cheek, Noah gazed deeper into the seemingly endless abyss of platinum pearlescence. ''You know what, f.u.c.k it. Just, f.u.c.k it. I''m stuck on this world I might as well play by its rules. I just hope I don''t have a heartattack,'' releasing a harsh breath, Noah brought the cup to his lips and tipped his head back, letting the sickeningly sweet, almost lemony drink stream down his throat and into his stomach.


    "Fuaah," when the last drop was gone he felt a twitch jolt his head to the side as powerful shiver crawled their way along his entire body. "Thanks?" somewhat confused, Noah handed the cup back to Mother Camilia whose expression had brightened, growing an even stronger smile while the anticipatory smile crossing her features sparkled, watching him for a reaction.


    A minute passed, then another thirty seconds. By the second minute of silence still nothing had happened. He didn''t feel different, he didn''t even feel like he''d just chugged a drink without savouring even a bit of it.


    He felt like¡­ himself¡­


    Until about the fifth minute when suddenly he felt somewhere in his lower belly grow tense as a almost cyclonic vortex raged within a part of his body he didn''t even know existed. From all across his body it felt as if his blood was reversing within his veins, congealing into the vortex.


    He couldn''t say anything, nor utter a sound. On his through a muscle tensed, the same to be said across his body.


    When finally the swirling vortex weakened and power returned to his body he was left panting, gasping for breath as the collated ''ball'' of energy descended, trailing through his lower half, pushing painfully through his veins before arriving at his groin where it entered his scrotum.


    The moment it did, the pain disappeared to be replaced.


    Replaced with a powerful arousal that grew his erection to sizes previously unbeknownst to even himself while his testicles felt ready to burst at the slightest of stimulation.


    For Mother Camilia and Sister Tyli, their eyes sparkled like stars in the skies seeing the powerful reaction coming from him. Both came to raise to their feet just as Noah¡ªthrough his panting, asked.


    "When¡­ when you said expel, how¡­ how?" he knew the answer, in fact, he knew it the moment she had given him that cup. This was more a formality, one his arousal addled mind forced from the back of his thoughts.


    Rolling his head to look up at the two nuns, Noah watched as they simultaneously reached for the tops of their robes, stretching out the fabric and peeled it off their bodies. Revealing to Noah two beautifully n.a.k.e.d bodies of women, one mature and abundant, the other young and pert.


    "Why, through s.e.x of course." Mother Camilia answered prying her habit off her head to let a thick mane of greying black hair cascade down her shoulders.


    ''I f.u.c.k.i.n.g knew it.''

 Chapter 29 - Slit

    Swallowing down a large lump, Noah''s eyes were glued to the two now n.a.k.e.d woman stood off to the side. Each alluring in their own right. Mother Camilia who while appearing to be in the upper rungs of age still looked as spotless as a woman in her middle age. Her skin though smooth still held the faint creases of wrinkles around her eyes and forehead. Mother Camilia''s body itself was the most divergent of her age with wide, plump h.i.p.s and large b.r.e.a.s.ts tipped with bright pink n.i.p.p.l.es with faint bumps of the Montgomery glands on the end of her slightly hanging bosom.


    Most surprisingly for her appearance of almost porcelain skin were the two golden rings piercing through her n.i.p.p.l.es, from which hung ornamental teardrop gemstones. A slightly larger one even drooping from her v.a.g.i.n.a.


    Seeming to notice his eyes latching to her ornamentation, Mother Camilia beamed and slowly rocked her bosom left and right letting small ripples bob through them and getting her piercings to swing with an almost hypnotising allure to them.


    ''A really naughty nun¡­ this is so wrong, but oh so right¡­ I''m really f.u.c.k.i.e.d in the head, aren''t I?'' he and his erection both twitched as he forced his eyes off of Mother Camilia and onto the smaller Sister Tyli.


    Compared to Mother Camilia the girl was lacking in all departments, bosom size, bottom size and even in the accessory side. Lacking all of them. That wasn''t to say she wasn''t attractive in her own right, even if he had no idea what she looked like beneath the habit and the veil. Only about her faint, pinkish eyes that were sparkling with hunger as she stared into the water in the direction of his erection.


    Most notably Noah had found with her was the very apparent moistness of her groin¡ªwhich like Mother Camilia''s was shaved smooth¡ªso moist in fact that a glimmering stream of her wetness was trailing down her inner thigh.


    Mother Camilia was the first to make a move, descending the steps into the pool to come and stand just off of the centre on the opposite side of said pool with Sister Tyli following a step behind but skirting closer to Noah''s side.


    Lifting both her arms up and opening them wide, Mother Camilia spoke, "please stand sir Noah and we shall begin expelling the taint from your body."


    It was an offer only an idiot would refuse. And Noah didn''t consider himself an idiot¡­ on most days.


    Glancing to Sister Tyli whomst he could guess was smiling like a fool beneath her veil, he gulped and rose from the likely-a-slimegirl water. Feeling how it clung to him wishing to keep him within itself but quickly releasing to cascade like true water would. Noah stood, Mother Camilia licked her lips, unabashedly staring with intent at the shaft threatening to break the surface of the water.


    Taking but a single step forwards, Noah arrived at the centre of the pool, coming near the point of feeling the Mother''s b.r.e.a.s.ts against his chest. Hearing the slosh of water behind him, he quickly surmised that the Sister had come to stand directly behind him.


    The Mother stepped closer, her plump red lips curled up and her arms pushing beneath his own to hook around and close on his back. Actively pushing her bosom onto him and gently rolling them to let him feel the rigidness of her n.i.p.p.l.es and her piercings but also the etheric puffiness of her b.r.e.a.s.ts.


    Behind him, the same, but smaller feeling pressed into his back as Siser Tyli brought herself onto him, her hands stroking down his lithe belly and down to his thighs, caressing the inside of them for a few moments before moving to wrap one hand around his shaft and the other around his testicles, smoothly stroking and rolling the member.


    "Ohh¡­" Noah groaned as Mothe Camilia smiled angelicly, feeling as Sister Tyli while stroking his member, brought it between her slightly parted thighs, guiding it up and and against the soft slit and slick gemstone piercing. Clasping her thighs shut, a tightness came to encompass Noah''s p.e.n.i.s.


    They kept still, the only movement between the three being the slow movements of Sister Tyli''s hands stroking his shaft.


    "How do you feel sir Noah?" The Mother asked, her breath tickling against Noah''s lips from their closeness. "Can you feel the taint raising in your balls ready to be expelled?"


    He shivered in turn, something was so wrong about hearing a nun talk about his balls and him ejaculating but also even more arousing.


    "Not yet," he replied through ground teeth. He could feel something happening down there, though that was likely to be more a sign of the drink she''d given him than anything else.


    The Mother''s eyes creased, her hands pressing deeper into his back, "I see, then I shall hasten my efforts to deliver you from corruption." Extraditing her hands from beneath his arms, Mother Camilia began to descend, forcefully pushing his p.e.n.i.s to point down and rub against her belly. Her hands coming to stroke down his sides, finally finding their place on his cheeks while she came to seat herself on her knee''s, the water rising to her bosom leaving them floating like balloons. There nestled at the centre of her vision the object of s.e.x, filled with the taint of the unholy.


    Licking and biting her lips, Mother Camilia shut her eyes and muttered in a hushed tone, "in Mother Artemia''s name I accept this offering of taint and hereby free you of corruption." With that said, her mouth parted, opening wide, unnervingly so as a small seam seemed to split across her cheeks and she descended into the water, moving back enough that she could bring her unnaturally wide mouth to his tip as Sister Tyli kept it still and straight for her.


    Noah''s eyes widened, ''please tell me these nuns aren''t monsters as well?'' normal women didn''t have mouths like hers, but there was one creature he was aware of that did. The slit mouthed woman, the kuchisake-Onna, a Japanese Yokai that disguised itself as a beautiful woman with a particularly long mouth looking similar to that of a glasgow smile.


    And one had now just appeared before him. Hidden in plain sight with her widened maw pressing down steadily over his c.o.c.k. Pushing it deeper and deeper until both he and she felt his manhood knock against the back of her throat where she then clamped her lips shut, letting the seams disappear into nothingness with her original one pursed most way down his shaft, her nose barely above the water letting her breath. Remaining still for a few moments as she tilted a curious eye up to Noah.


    His own expression had barely faltered upon seeing the possibility of the Mother being a monster, though when her lips shut and formed a vacuum, he groaned. His c.o.c.k shivering within the warm and slimy confines of the woman''s mouth where her tongue was tenderly rubbing against the underside.


    Sensing his twitches, her eyes tilted amusedly and she began rock her head back and forth, lathering his p.e.n.i.s in her saliva and repeatedly knocking him against her throat, threatening to descend even further should she decide to press even further.


    Soft gags and sloshes of water began to fill the air as she did so, as well as the odd gasp for breath.


    "Holy shit," Noah''s hands naturally found their way to gripping handfuls of the woman''s greying locks, neither forcing or stopping her from gagging on his member.


    Unbeknownst to him, the other woman, Sister Tyli who was stood behind him had released his p.e.n.i.s ands testicles and lifted her hands to her veil and pulled it down. Showing off her own, much more noticeable slit mouth which itself was much more red around the lips and seemingly inflamed. Her normal human tongue pressed out of her mouth and lathered her lips from cheek to cheek in saliva and descended herself, dropping deeper into the water and brought herself closer to Noah''s bottom.


    Initially, the assault on one front had been threatening to bring him to the precipice, but when he felt the soft muscle of Tyli''s tongue stroke against the rim of his anus, he tensed and shivered. The nun''s tongue teased the spincter, threatening to push further but unable to do so as Noah''s muscles clamped to protect his rectal chastity.


    On the other side, gagging as she devoured his mast, Mother Camilia''s eyes narrowed. Noah''s p.e.n.i.s for the briefest of moment''s had lost part of its rigidity. A sign that something had gone off on the other side. Pulling one hand from his cheek, she poked Tyli and waggled her finger, informing her to halt her actions.


    The room billowed with the noises of water sloshing and trickling from the fountains in the wall. Sister Tyli pulled herself away, her eyes saddened by the order but not daring to resist nonetheless and stepped back to watch and learn the technique of her Mother.


    Continuing on, Mother Camilia pressed herself even deeper, her throat bulging as she remained in place, letting the tightness of her throat and the twirling of her tongue elicit more lecherous m.o.a.ns from the tainted man. Her tongue even pushing out from beneath his c.o.c.k to tease the balls not far away, sensing how the sack was tightening, ready to release its collect c.u.m into her gullet and allow her to feast upon the taint collected within. But it was not what she truly yearned for. Pulling her head back, she sucked a vacuum around his c.o.c.k, halted at his tip and pulled it tighter before finally releasing Noah''s p.e.n.i.s earning her a quick groan from the man as his p.e.n.i.s suddenly bounced and swept the water.


    Lifting herself from the waters, she swallowed and looked to Sister Tyli¡ªwho had pulled her veil back into place after her failed attempt at a rimjob and nodded to the side. The girl understanding her want, had her eyes sparkle and quickly spun around, pushed herself onto the bench and laid her hands down on the edge of the pool. Her plump, young bottom pushed out with her p.u.s.s.y pink and puffy from the minutes of prolonged s.e.x.u.a.l hunger coursing through her starved w.o.m.b.


    Looking to Noah, Mother Camilia smiled. His eyes were taken by the lump of starved s.e.x presented before him. Glued to the dripping p.u.s.s.y of her young Sister. Leaning into his ears with an illicit voice she whispered, "give her your p.e.n.i.s sir Noah. Fill her belly with your taint and breed her like the c.o.c.k starved beast she is." Every wrong word she spoke earning a bob of his c.o.c.k and a single large gulp from him.

 Chapter 30 - Expelling the Taint

    Noah stepped closer to the girl, her ass rising further as she turned her head watching with bated breath for the p.e.n.i.s to be rammed into her crevice. In his throat a lump was growing. Behind him Mother Camilia''s hands wandered over his chest, massaging his lacking musculature, one lowering to hold the base of his shaft and stroked across the water covered member she had just been sucking not moments prior. Noah reached out For sister Tyli''s ass and felt the give of her soft buttocks against his palms. Spreading her cheeks, he gazed to her dripping pink snatch that was utterly begging for his c.o.c.k as well as her anus which itself looked ready for use.


    "Pick whichever you want," Mother Camilia trailed the tip of her tongue over Noah''s jaw and whispered into his ear. Biting the lobe after she finished the rest of her sentence, "every orifice of her body is made for helping you expel the monsters taint. That cute little p.u.s.s.y, and even that tight little asshole." Her stroking slowed, urging him to push his h.i.p.s forwards with her own gentile push until his c.o.c.k lay sandwiched between the girls soft ass cheeks where Mother Camilia began to guide Noah''s p.e.n.i.s down, stroking against the sphincter and descending further towards the slick hole.


    Swallowing that growing lump in one, his c.o.c.k trembled in contact with the parting puffy labium of the young nun. A feeling Mother Camilia was perfectly able to feel against her digits and more than enough for her to know exactly which hole Noah wish to cleanse himself within. "You don''t need to wait, sir Noah. Sister Tyli is more than ready for you to empty your taint into her. She has long been yearning for it," the Mother whispered, "so spread open her p.u.s.s.y and shove you flesh into her, make her beg you to stop, break her."


    Noah''s mind though laced with desire for the woman was clear enough to comment how it was more than likely him who would be begging for them to stop considering how hungering they were for s.e.x. Gripping Tyli''s cheeks harder, the girl hummed, the first noise bar her heels hitting the floor he had heard since arriving within this church. Letting his h.i.p.s jostle and push, he opened the nun''s cunt, slowly pushing deeper and parting the slick tunnel with every millimetre of his meat. The girl in question arched her head back, her eyes sparkling with moistness while the faint outline of her lips in her veil curled and parted, releasing a puff of steam.


    "Come now sir Noah. Sister Tyli is not so fragile that you need to be so gentle with her," the holy devil whispered into his ear, urging him to hasten his penetration of the sopping woman.


    Mother Camilia''s hands leisurely reached out to Sister Tyli''s h.i.p.s and came to lay atop Noah''s. Slowly pushing herself forwards as if she herself was the ignition for Noah to dig his fingers in deep into the nun''s waist a ram himself to the hilt.


    "Haagh-!" for a single second the girls head bolted back, a gasp of stifled breath coursing from beneath her veil in the roughest likeness to a pleasured cry. Her walls clamped tightly around Noah''s c.o.c.k, strangling it in an attempt to milk from him his tainted seed. Noah remained still for a few moments, relishing the light undulations of the clamping walls of slick flesh while Mother Camilia tongued and pecked his shoulder and neck. Her own lips curled happily seeing the young nun''s p.u.s.s.y stuffed so thoroughly with Noah''s manhood.


    Bringing her hands to part from Noah''s she trailed them to Noah''s belly, setting them flat against his concave stomache. The plump lips that peckered his neck pulled away to raise and whisper once again, "can you feel it sir Noah? The p.u.s.s.y mother Artemia personally crafted for you to expel your tainted seed into? It''s tightness? It moistness? Can you feel her w.o.m.b kissing your c.o.c.k? It wants it Noah. It wants your c.u.m. It yearns for your seed." Her breath against his ear caused it to twitch, raising to his lips a trembling smirk and a glint to his eyes. Bringing her lips just a bit closer, she said, "give it to her Noah. Expel your c.u.m into her, expel into her the curse of a monsters taint."


    Her hands pressed into Noah''s stomach, guiding him to pull his h.i.p.s back and halt right as his glans was about to lurch free. "Pound it into her Noah. Let this gods whore feel every vein on you. Make her walls mould themselves around your shaft," with but a nudge, Noah''s h.i.p.s rammed ahead, ploughing into the girls p.u.s.s.y. The sloshing of the waist high water splattering around the three connected bodies as he pulled back again and pounded in again and again.


    "Hghk-haa-kuuu-" the nunlet cried out course noises, her arms long having given out on her leaving her flat on the edge of the pool, barely able to even keep herself from fully letting out her climactic m.o.a.n''s.


    "More Noah. Give her more. Your nearly there." Mother Camilia''s voice never rose past a devilish whisper.


    She was right, Noah could feel it, the ''tainted'' tightening of his balls, the feeling of s.e.m.e.n gushing through his p.e.n.i.s ready to rocket out and fill the girls shivering cunt.


    Mother Camilia gripped him tighter as he pulled halfway out in preparation for the final plunge. "C.u.m Noah. Fill this dirty nun''s belly with your batter."


    Her words the start to his final penetration, pushing deeper past her nectar laced walls and breaking ever so slightly through the final barrier of her body to spout his seed directly into her hungering w.o.m.b.


    "Ahhhh!" Finally, her back arched and she cried out an unstifled m.o.a.n as convulsions took to her body, racking her with untold pleasure. Feeling as Noah''s c.u.m puddle within her uterus, sloshing about as it forced its way through her tubes and to her eggs in search of a seed it could inseminate. Sadly to find nothing but a blockade of flesh sealing it off from the eggs of the nun.


    "Haa¡­Haa¡­Haa¡­" Noah panted, his entire body shivering as he languidly pulled his manhood free from the nuns tightened snatch. Letting out one final spurt over her back dying her already pale skin with a streak of his thick seed while a flood gushed from her depths, dripping into the waters they mated within but quickly dissipated, absorbed into the waters depths.


    Unbeknownst to the three, a change was taking place in the water. Its consistency became thicker, though not to the degree it clung like oil, nor became overly noticeable.


    Mother Camilia parted from Noah''s back, waded her way to Tyli''s side and stroked a finger over her back, collecting Noah''s c.u.m before bringing it to her lips to lick away the taint. Trembling at its sheer, euphoric, Ethos and Manos enriched flavour. A single trickle escaped her and threatened to run down her lip but she was quick to noice and sn.a.k.e.d her tongue out of her mouth, lapping it up with a bright smile on her face.


    Gazing to Tyli''s shivering rump, Mother Camilia nodded approvingly. She had done her task with fervour, successfully collecting Noah''s tainted seed within her. Sending a light pat to the girls behind, she said. "Well done Sister Tyli, now go." She smirked, casting a glance to Noah''s softening c.o.c.k with a pleased smile as it was a sign that his taint was all gone. The monsters curse had left his body to fill the Sisters w.o.m.b. Though, also saddened by the fact as it meant she herself would not get to taste the seed with her own lower mouth. At least, not today.


    Noah himself stumbled back a bit, entering into the deeper portions where his lower half ran through the waters, the seed and nectar of Tyli practically disappearing from his shaft as it rose into the waters.


    Sister Tyli spoke not a word, nodded on lazily pulled herself out of the pool. Her thighs clamped together to force her p.u.s.s.y shut and stop the seed from spilling out as she went to release it into the fountain for all the other sisters to relish in this evening.


    "How do you feel sir Noah?" Mother Camilia''s asked.


    He had no words for a few moments, his body still reeling. Eventually he did say, "light¡­ I feel light¡­"


    "Then the weight of the monsters taint has been lifted from your body." She stood before him, her b.r.e.a.s.ts still as plump and the piercings still a stark contrast against her skin. He gulped but found no hardness taking to his lower half.


    "Does this mean the rituals finished?"


    "Oh yes," she nodded and held a handout to the staircase, leading him to slowly make his way up the steps and to his garbs with Mother Camilia right behind him. Her leaning down grabbing his clothes first and handed them to him before getting her own and dressed quickly.


    "Uh, thanks," Noah, unsure of how to respond, said.


    "Absolutely no problem sir Noah," Mother Camilia bit her lip, a languid expression taking to her as she raised an index to her lip, "if you ever require our services again, please, come." She trailed her finger down to her bosom, descending onto the n.i.p.p.l.e pushing through her damp gown and even further down to her crotch, "next time, I will personally help you expel your taint."

 Chapter 31 - Linge

    After that, Noah had quickly made his way out of the cleansing chamber, skirted around the statue to where Liora and Caina were stood waiting for him. Mother Camilia having lingered by the statue to watch as he awkwardly chattered with the two women before making their ways out of the church and into the village.


    When they were gone, Mother Camilia''s eternal smile descended to a frown. Recalling the eye like birthmark atop Noah''s shoulder. A sign of something much worse than a meagre monsters taint.


    It was a sign of a goddess''s taint. A sign of observation. The ''she'', the mother of monsters, Typhania, had in interest in the man. He didn''t seem to know it himself else he never would have come to the church. Narrowing her eyes, she pushed back into the cleansing chamber and paused when she glanced to the cleansing pool. It was rippling with no movement of the winds nor undulations of the moon. As she grew closer, it began to bubble and soon three arm thick tendrils shot out to assail her.


    She kept calm and simply clicked her heel against the stone floor, sending a pulse of mystical powers coursing through the earth on a course to the basin itself. Filling several iron plates that glimmered with a red light. The shine grew stronger and heat began to exude from them, drawing the tendrils to a halt as they flailed about frantically alongside piercing wailing noises, the sound of a woman crying out in pain. The tendrils searched for the source of the heat. No matter what they did, they couldn''t find it nor destroy it, and before long the water began to bubble and evaporate, forcing the tendrils to snap and break apart, coalescing back into the pool. When they did, Mother Camilia clicked her heel again and the heat began to decrease into bearable levels letting stillness retake the waters.


    Walking to the edge, she gazed into the depths and met the visage of a young, translucent woman''s eyes. "Still yet to learn your place. Beast." She huffed and turned to face the doorway. Seeing it open with an elderly man stood there with a Cheshire smile on his face. He dressed in blacks and whites with the odd silver accent across him.


    Mother Camilia''s eyes turned to slits, "Father Linge. You know this room is only for me and the Sisters." She harrumphed and met the elderly man halfway, preventing him from drawing any closer to the cleansing pool.


    "Oh come now Camilia," her eyes darkened at the lacking of respect he held, "I simply wish to speak with you a bit." He stroked his beard, the sound of the hairs scratching against his fingers loud within the silent room.


    "Then we can do it elsewhere." She indicated for Father linge to leave the chambers, to return from the doorway he had entered from.


    "No, no, I won''t take much of your time. Simply a small question Camilia." Her eyes portrayed the sentence ''well then, get on with it.'' And he continued, "just now there was a woman, Liora I believe he name was. Not long ago she sinned and inflicted upon herself a grievous wound-"


    Mother Camilia scowled and lifted her hand, palm facing the Father. "Stop right there Father. You know I want to know nothing about this. What Liora has spoken within the confessionals is of no interest to me. Nor do I have any business knowing." Sours portrayed her pursing lips, "nor should you Father. Eavesdropping on those consecrated confessionals is sacriledge." An almost beastial growl escaped her as the line of her lips lengthened, raising across her cheeks, curling up to reveal along the sides of her face various jagged teeth previously hidden within her gums.


    Father Linge hummed and locked his hands behind his back, staring down the monstrous visage of Mother Camilia''s form. "Calm now Camilia. I was simply passing by, I didn''t mean to overhear."


    He failed to calm her completely, but enough that the rumble growl descended and her lips reconnected hiding her fangs but keeping the frontal, human teeth revealed. "I''m sure you were Father. Now what is it you want."


    The man was as trustworthy as a torn bag of sand was to not leak. He had come in from Parlight many months ago, sent by the heads the church across the sea to investigate a prophecy by the Grandmothers. The prophecy foretold of the arrival of demons, of monsters within Morea. That they would run free and none would be able to hold them at bay. It was a fearsome prophecy and one they would trust to no one bar the highest authorities within the church¡­ and the fathers.


    The Fathers themselves were an anomaly within the rungs of the church. Men consecrated by Artemia since birth, granted her blessing and raised to become the churches figureheads. They were abstinent, forbaden from intercourse bar singular special occurrences.


    "This Liora, she requires Absolution. I wish to give her it, with your permission of course."


    Those occurrences being just that, Absolution. The granting of the Father''s seed to forgive the woman of her sins and cleanse her body in Artemia''s light allowing her to raise and join her in her holy land of angels.


    "No. Absolutely not. You can forget about assailing Liora, Father."


    Mother Camilia had spent long enough within the church to know its ins and outs, the truth hidden beneath the surface. The Fathers, treated like kings partook upon the wine formed from the flowers of the mothers and sisters and the mass beneath them like they were wandering through orchards plucking apples from the tree''s with nary a thought to its ripeness or whether it had already been taken. They were the most despicable, corrupt individuals within the church.


    The Father''s paused, a saddened look taking to him, "I see¡­ a pity, a pity," he sighed, a helpless shrug taking him. "Then she shall live in sin," he spun around and with light strides, left the chambers and Mother Camilia alone, to stare at his back with hardened eyes.


    "Worse then the monsters," Camilia spat, her voice a hiss as she skirted deeper into the church. Entering through a door opposite the room and entered into a regal bedchamber. Her personal one where she took those who required extensive cleansing to spend nights and even days expelling the monsters taint. On one corner of the room was a desk, she seated herself behind it and took a quill in hand, tapped a firestone to life and began to scribble down words onto a piece of parchment.


    "We do not have the means to cleanse Typahnia''s curse¡­" she mumbled laying the quill back into the inkpot and rubbed her eyes. "Oh all the places a cursed should arrive, why here?" she grumbled. The lithe, almost bony form of Noah reappearing as an illusory form before her. He needed more fat to him, that much she knew, but it wasn''t as if he was terrible looking, dishevelled yes, but also passable within her eyes.


    Licking her lips, a hungering urge welled within her neathers. A desire for the mans c.o.c.k, for him to offer deliverance to her body. A moistness rapidly came to bare within her crotch, her p.u.s.s.y dripping with l.u.s.ting fluids while it felt as if soft hand dug between her legs and pried them open had also gripped her wrist and pushed her hand between them to stroke against her slit. The sudden oblt of pleasure caused her to m.o.a.n and jump. Eyes parting widely, she ripped her hand away, forcing the strange feeling away with sweat taking her skin to a faint glisten.


    A sharp light took her attention, there on her table on the table, on the parchment was the rough scribble of the same eye atop Noah''s shoulder. Typhania''s symbol. It blinked.


    "Damnable curse," Mother Camilia tore the paper from the table and folded it in on itself before stuffing it into an envelope to be sealed with golden wax and Artemia''s symbol. "Get here soon," she laid the envelope against her forehead and prayed that the mainland get her message soon.


    ***


    "Grrr¡­" Father Linge''s face contorted to rage as he stepped out of the cleansing chambers. Mother Camilia''s refusal to allow him the ablution was disgusting. "How dare she! Who does she think she is!? Some lowly mother thinking she can refuse my wishes?!" he hissed stomping through the halls of the church only to pause when a voice called to him.


    "Father Linge?" the voice was soft and womanly. He spun his head around, the rage he had dissipated into a soft smile and friendly elderly mans face.


    "Ah, sister Marlin." He nodded to the young sister, her silence broken.


    The nunette squirmed, clasping her robes with balled fists as she asked, "did mother Camilia allow the Absolution?"


    Internally the father scowled, angered she hadn''t but the appearance did not break the surface of his skin. "No, I''m afraid not Sister," he gently brought himself before her and lifted his hands onto her shoulders.


    "O-oh¡­" her head bobbed to a saddening degree, mist partaking her eyes threatening to tear and stain her dark veil.


    "No need for sadness dear. Now come." He pulled the girl into his chest, head skirting side to side to see if any other sister were nearby to see his actions as his hands clasped onto her back, "let us partake in mother Artemia''s holiness," his hands descended and roughly gripped the nun cheeks.


    "Ahhn~" she cried out a m.o.a.n, feeling intense pleasure as the Father mercilessly caressed her cheeks. "Yes, haahn~ father."


    ***


    ******************


    Before anyone gets up in arms. NO I AM NOT DOING NTR. NOT IF NOAH''S GOING TO BE THE VICTIM OF LOSING HIS GIRLS. Maybe if he''s taking someone elses girl but as I''ll say every time this comes up, only if the man whose woman is being taken is a piece of shit, or dead.


    Father Linge and this whole thingymajig is just plot and prep for future portions of book 1.


    Oh yeah, also, I''m predicting MGR will go on for roundabout 3 books total. Maybe more but right now I''ve got three large things I want to do with Noah and monster girl ranching and those are all more books sized plots¡­ mostly, I just know those and a few Monster girls he''ll be ranching in the future.

 Chapter 32 - Haggars Bar

    Not long after leaving the church Liora had led Noah and Caina through Redle, bringing them to a relatively modern¡ªfor the medieval esque word that was Morea¡ªtavern and bought for themselves two rooms for that night.


    The tavern itself was quite large when compared the Banshee''s Bellow back in Alder. Taking up a full two stories and fitted quite well with the wooden, rustic feeling that most the village held. Though it had on its lowest floor rough brickwork for walls that kept the warmth of the fireplace nestled comfortably around the building.


    "God I wish I''d found this place first," Caina said the moment they entered the place bustling with mostly women and the odd elderly man or mercenary.


    ''It is still weird thinking all the men are at war.'' Noah mused catching a few curt glances from the chattering women and a few envious glares from the healthy young merc''s as he''d walked in with two beautiful women.


    Scratching at the back of his neck, Noah and the girls walked deeper into the tavern, arriving by the bar where a tall, orc of a man was stood polishing tankards. The man seemed to be quite young compared to the other men around, more within the range of the merc''s dotted about. He had a thick beard and moustache that twirled at the ends but most noticeably was the large scar taking over the right side of his head and the dark eyepatch over his eye.


    Tilting a cold, hallowed eye up from his tankard to scan over the three newcomers. First landing on Noah sending powerful jolts of fear coursing through him as the man''s eyes portrayed something Noah wished he would never encounter in another man.


    Desire.


    When moving onto Caina the orc''s gaze softened to a kinder tone and when moving onto Liora he paused completely. Eye widening in disbelief before his lips curled up into a toothy grin.


    Slamming down his tankard as Liora''s expression also brightened, he bellowed, "Liora! Damn is it good to see you!" he leaned onto the bar right as she and her followers arrived by it. "How are you doing sister?"


    ''Sister?'' Noah thought.


    Liora chuckled but soon fell into a solemn frown, "I''ve been better. The last few days have been a bit of struggle, but I''m okay for now." She reached for her dully aching arm and gently squeezed it. Flinching at the pain.


    The man noted her pain and frowned, "what''s wrong, are you hurt?"


    Loosening her grip and pulling her hand away, she lowered her head avoiding the man''s sharp eyes. "A bit. I did something really stupid Haggar." Liora tightened her grip on her arm, ignoring the pounding pain as the now named Haggar''s expression turned worried, "I''m just lucky Noah was there to save me when it happened."


    Haggar''s eye turned half lidded and looked to the only male of the three, locking with Noah''s emerald''s and spoke directly to him. "You''re Noah I''m guessing?" barely waiting for Noah to even make a noise of confirmation as he didn''t need it to know it, "I don''t know what Liora did and I''m not sure I want to, but whatever it was, thank you for keeping her alive."


    "No problem," Noah replied trembling as the man''s gaze turned more fervent, ''keep your attention on her you gorilla. I do not swing that way,'' he uttered not a word, fearful that angering the man may lead to him being ripped in half, or worse.


    "Right, I should probably introduce everyone," Liora turned halfway and began the introduction. "Haggar, this is Noah, he''s staying at the farm for a while."


    "Good to meet you," Haggar licked his lips like a predator ready to pounce.


    "Uh, ri-right back at ya." Noah''s inched away from the bar, putting Caina between himself and the unabashedly ''hunting'' older man.


    Moving a hand to Caina, Liora introduced her, "and this is Caina. She''s the healer from Alder. She fixed me up proper and was accidentally engaged to Noah yesterday."


    Haggar paused, eye blinking between Noah and Caina with a hint of sorrow that his flower''s already been plucked. "Well now, only way I know you healers ever get engaged is with those p.e.n.i.s toys you all seem infatuated by."


    "We are not infatuated by ''p.e.n.i.s toys,'' they''re meant to be gifts of love with Ascleminia''s blessing molded to connect her children with their loved ones even over long distances," Caina huffed a slight redness to her cheeks.


    "Yeah, I''m sure you all ain''t just fond of diddling something because you''re bored and stressed out."


    Caina visibly flinched at the sheer accuracy of Haggar''s jab.


    "Anywho, Name''s Haggar. Liora''s unrelated brother. We''ve known eachother since my ma killed her pa and her pa killed my pa."


    A unison of four eyes blinked. "I''m sorry, what?" and two voices spoke as one.


    "Long story short, my dad was a soldier for the royal family and while escorting the then princess Fayne Morea, Haggar''s dad who was the leader of a bandit tribe decided to attack the carriage but died while fighting my father. Years later, Haggar''s mom found out my dad was still alive and ended up killing him after seducing him into cheating on my mom. When mom got home she found Haggar''s mom covered in blood and mom, being who she was, decided not to turn her into the guard and ended up basically adopting her and Haggar into our family. That was when we were, oh, I don''t know, five?"


    "I was ten, you were five. You clung to me like a slime to rotting flesh."


    ''That is not a pleasant idiom,'' Noah though but quickly got himself back on track. "Why would your mother just adopt the person who killed her husband?"


    "Oh my dad was cheating on her with half the maid staff and was repeatedly heading into the stables to have s.e.x with the centaurs which lead him into heading to the church to get himself cleansed and would repeatedly do that about five days a week when he wasn''t being sent out to deal with some monster or bandit camp." Liora said in one lengthy, unbroken sentence.


    Noah had seen the meme back on his homeworld, the blinking white guy one with the guy who took a double take. Because Noah felt exactly like that meme at the moment.


    "Ignoring the infidelity," which he was still getting conflicting vibes about considering how nonchalantly Liora took her own husband yearning to sleep with a wolfgirl, "I thought Artemia frowned on having¡­ s.e.x, with monsters?" he was still getting used to the openness of this world but was slowly coming to accept it and absorb their nonchalance.


    "Oh, she does. Father was disavowed by the church, grandma, granpa, uncle, auntie and just about anyone you can think of."


    "And he still did it? Wouldn''t that look bad for a soldier of the royal family?"


    "It did. He was disavowed by them as well. So he never got a title higher than Baron."


    It took a bit of processing for Noah to thoroughly process everything before his mind ticked and skidded to a halt, "wait, your dad''s a baron? So doesn''t that make you a noble?"


    She shrugged, "Not really. Mom took over the title after dad died. When she die''s it''ll be annulled and moms territory will be granted to a new baron."


    "Then¡­" a thought fizzed past, "couldn''t you ask for her help to keep the farm?"


    Liora snorted and shook her head, "heaven''s no. When I married Harv mom basically kicked me out of the family, told me to ''return when you gotten your head out of your ass and leave that fool of a man''."


    "But Harv''s¡­ gone, now. So, doesn''t that mean you could go back to her and ask for her help?"


    Liora paused, both physically and mentally. He wasn''t wrong, but there was still something, a feeling that doing so was wrong.


    "I¡­ didn''t think about that," Liora mumbled, a speak of hope rising in her eyes that was quickly doused, "but¡­ knowing her, she''ll want something in return."


    "Her daughter coming home isn''t enough?"


    "Good god no," Haggar chortled, "Ms. Ginsberg ain''t that type of woman. She loves Liora, but she ain''t an angel. Unless that lands got some type of worth to it, she ain''t going to do anything but watch on the sidelines."


    Liora''s expression darkened and Haggar pulled out a bottle of red liquid from behind the counter, swiftly pouring it out into four flaggon''s.


    "That bring''s me onto something else," Haggar looked to Liora, pushing the flagon across the heavy mahogany bar towards the three, "the hells happening to the farm?"


    <div class="SnapLinksContainer" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; display: none;"><div class="SL_SelectionRect"><div class="SL_SelectionLabel"></div></div><svg class="SnapLinksHighlighter" xmlns="w3.org/2000/svg">


    <rect width="0" height="0"></rect> <!-- Used for easily cloning the properly namespaced rect -->


    </svg></div>

 Chapter 33 - Marketplace

    "Shit Liora, that''s not right," Haggar exclaimed hearing the massive debt that had suddenly been lumped on his adoptive sister. "How do they expect you to pay that off?"


    Liora shrugged, her head hanging slightly, "they don''t," her voice came out slow and tearful. "They know I can''t pay it off and they can''t just kick me out so they went for the next best thing."


    Haggar''s expression softened to a faint anger, his singular eye narrowing to hold within it unending spite but quickly put it away to calm himself and say. "and here I was beginning to like this king," Haggar growled, hands that gripped the bar causing the wood to splinter. "I''ve got a few buckles saved up. It won''t be enough to save the farm but it''ll be enough for you to set something up, get yourself a nice cottage somewhere and settle down."


    Liora jolted, "what? No, no, I don''t need your money Haggar," she said, "especially if I''m going to go back to mom and try to get her to help. I''ve still got the farm for another six months so, I''ve got time to find something I can convince mother with."


    Haggar frowned, "still, take it. I''m in no rush to go anywhere and this tavern''s doing pretty well for me, so I''ll earn it back soon rather than later. Plus, I doubt you''ve got much in store now. If you don''t use it to get yourself a nice home, use it to at least keep yourself full and alive. That being said, do you want me to get you anything to eat? On the house of course," lifting his flagon of red¡ªas Noah learnt from his own flagon¡ªfruit juice, he downed it in one. "Morgan''s got the flames lit and recently got some fresh Parle cattle in."


    ''Great, a unis.e.x name. Please be a woman, please be a woman¡­'' Noah''s pleading mind paused upon a new plead, ''please be monogamous, please be monogamous.'' His fear for the orc having left him seated as far away from the man as he could with Caina between him and Haggar.


    Liora tilted to Caina and Noah and got shrugs from them both, "not now, do you think we could have it for dinner tonight? I want to head to the market now and get a few beds and stock up on food," she paused upon another thought and looked to Noah, he was still wearing her husbands old clothes that just barely fit him, "and get Noah some actual clothing of his own. He''s been wearing Harv''s stuff since he arrived."


    Haggar''s head bobbed in understanding and from beneath his counter he pulled out a sack of clanking buckles, dropping it on the bar before Liora, "use this." He said with a voice unrelenting and unwilling for refutation, "there''s about five thousand in there so it should be more than enough for anything you need to refill the house."


    "But-"


    "Nah, silence ye little sister of mine. Take it and enjoy, you''ve got two more mouths above your own to feed. You can do with the money," Haggar pushed the sack forth and crossed his arms.


    She stared at the brown leather bag strung shut with a red lanyard with a conflicted expression. Eventually sighing out, she took it in both hands and clutched it to her chest. Casting Haggar a thankful smile, "Haggar, you are a brute of a man but you''ve also got the kindest heart I''ve ever known. Thank you."


    "Don''t thank me for anything sister. I was planning to head over to Alder soon anywho, you just saved me a trip. Now, I think you''d better get to the market, shops''ll be closing up soon and I doubt you''d be wanting the leftovers."


    Nodding along, Liora agreed, "we really should, are you two ready?" she asked.


    "I''ve been waiting for you." Caina responded.


    "Anything to get away from¡­" pausing before he could say anything untoward, Noah corrected himself. "Yeah, I''m good." Still shivering from the fervent gazes the orc was giving him.


    "Then lets go," lifting herself from the stool she''d pulled up while chatting with Haggar. Liora gave her brother a swift goodbye and began to walk away with Caina and Noah following suit.


    "Noah boy!"


    Noah halted, spine tingling with fear as Haggar called to him.


    "If you''re ever looking for a good place to lay, I''ve been looking for a hire in the tavern. So feel free to come back anytime. I''ll pay you good."


    A shivering Noah gulped fearfully, not daring to turn and meet the heated mans eyes. Lifting one leg up, Noah practically shot for the door which Liora and Caina were already pushed through into the outer world of the bustling Redle.


    Its Victorian esque building bathed in the evening light reflecting the warmth down onto the streets where the inhabitants were meandering about doing their daily rituals.


    Catching up to the two, Noah brought himself next to Liora with a slight hunch to his back and exhaustion to his eyes. "Liora¡­ is Haggar¡­ gay?" he decided to ask the most pressing issue immediately and get that over with.


    "Gay?" she tilted her head unsure of the new word Noah was using.


    "Does he like men, like, as his lover?" he answered for her.


    She made a realizing expression and smirked, sending a teasing look his way, "a bit. As far as I know Haggar''s had both boys and girls. Currently though he''s gotten himself a cute husband, this little halfling boy named Morgan. So you shouldn''t need to worry about him sneaking into your room¡­ mostly." She turned away, refusing to look him in the eyes after her afterthought ending of her sentence.


    ''What do you mean mostly!?''


    ***


    After what felt like a good fifteen minutes of walking, the three had found themselves entering the outer rungs of Redle''s main square where a few dozen stalls of various focuses were set up. Textiles took up at least two from Noah''s initial scans. Then fruits, vegetables took up a decent six which wasn''t that surprising considering farming was likely to be a large portion of the villages marketry. Some of the more one off stalls included things such as jewelry and pottery.


    Noah and Caina''s head''s spun around inspecting everything they passed by.


    "Noah," Liora got his attention. When he turned back to her he saw her burrow a hand into the sack of buckles and pulled out two silver heater shield shaped coins and held them out to him. "There should be a shop a little down the way which sells some clothes. Why don''t you go and get yourself something to wear while me and Caina do the rest of the shopping."


    Taking the buckles Noah was thrown through a loop. Not because he was being sent to do his own shopping but because of the two silver coin. "Uhh¡­" he trailed off, "how much is this?" he said with a faint hue of embarrassment.


    Caina looked at him dumbly while Liora looked more amused than anything. "five hundred," she answered, "a silver buckles worth two fifty so two makes it five hundred." Digging around in the sack of metal clanks, she pulled out two more different shades and shapes of shield, the first was a small circular coin with an indented centre coloured with the sheen of bronze, "this is one buckle." She handed it to him to let him inspect it while she showed off the next, another bronze hued circular shield with two inwardly curving sides and a bright green stone at the centre, "and this is worth one twenty five." Like a patient mother, Liora laid the coins out to Noah and explained them.


    "There''s a few more for five hundred and onwards but I haven''t got any of them in here," she gazed into the sack finding indeed none of the more expensive variations of coin.


    "Got it," Noah returned the two bronze buckles to Liora and clenched the silvers tight so he wouldn''t misplace them.


    "Good, so, shall we meet back here when the second bell from now tolls?"


    ''And bell tolls are how people tell time. Fun.''


    "Yeah, I''ll be here," he said parting words to the two girls and watched them disappear down the ways, stopping at every stall to inspect their wares as they did leaving behind a confused about what to do Noah, on his own.


    Gazing over the crowd of women, Noah sighed, "I guess I better find that tailor then." And scratched his head confusedly.

 Chapter 34 - The Tailor

    The market place of Redle though quiet open had proven to be laden with distractions. Many of which came in the form of passing by women of various beauties. Blondes, brunettes, red heads. Young, mature, even a few nearing their later years but still looked to be in their prime.


    Some of the more curvaceous sorts even took to wearing more revealing clothes, low cut tops that their bosoms billowed forth from, slit thighed dresses that went all the way up to their h.i.p.s revealing a lack of undergarments¡ªsomething Noah was all too accustomed to in this world.


    In the ten or so minutes he''d been away from Liora and Caina he felt he''d walked into a crowed of hungry eyes, each scanning him like he was a prime cut of meat ready to be taken home and ridden. Something he truly didn''t want to do right now considering he was still reeling from his encounter with the nuns at the church.


    "Haa¡­ This world is going to kill me," already feeling an eighty-year-old ache in his back, Noah groaned.


    Continuing his trek through the square he would often stop by a few of the stands and take a peek at their wares. All primarily mundane in appearance but a few he''d found particularly interesting, like this hair ornament that could give someone''s hair a faint shade of a new colour. The woman who''d been tending the stand¡ªa cute young girl with shiny blonde hair and a few freckles¡ªhad even shown him its effect by pushing it into her hair, stroking the small colourless gem while mouthing something only for the gem to gush a shiny pink tone that melted into her hair turning it from its regal blonde into an unusual pinkish tone.


    It was an intriguing sight and a handy version of those hair dyes back on earth. Here though it was this more versatile, less permanent option to hair colouring allowing for more customization of ones appearance.


    Problem being, when he inquired to its price he was met with a slap in the face in the form of 1500 buckles. Which was a good three times what he had on him. The woman seemed to see his flinch and was quick on the uptake, quickly decreasing the price to a neat 1000, only for him to start saying ''sorry'' and ''I don''t have the money'' followed by backing away feeling like he''d just lead the woman on.


    She had looked saddened, at least until he was gone after which she scowled and moved onto the next prospective customer. Pushing Noah far into her archives of ''don''t bother with,'' filled with all the poor sods who couldn''t afford some cheap piece of metal and stone.


    As he walked, Noah soon came to pause before a small cottage like building, outside the door of which a sign hung with a spool of thread and a needle but no name.


    "If theres a tailor, it''s this place," he mumbled at the apt choice of signage and brought himself to the open wood and metal door, entering into a rustic shop room with a few olden mannequins with no heads, arms, or legs, were dotted around the walls. All wearing a different form of clothing. One¡ªthe smallest of the mannequins¡ªwas wearing a shortsleeved blouse topped with a red leather blazer and a set of booty shorts. Another was clad in an ankle length, straight green hued dress that dropped to half way down the mannequins bosom, and a brown corset strapped with black leather lace that would likely prop up a woman''s bust were it worn on a real woman.


    His boot falls echoed within the sparsely filled room, only one woman wandering about inspecting a few of the other mannequins while poking and pinching the dresses to test their fabric''s coarseness. Her head tilted Noah''s way and gave him a quick nod before returning to what it was she was doing.


    A faint flush took to Noah''s cheeks as when the woman turned her head, Noah came to see her plump bosom bounce, unfettered by a a top, leaving her two pointed, pink n.i.p.p.l.es wide open and glorious for him to gulp at.


    ''Why is she n.a.k.e.d?'' he knew the answer was likely to go far against his norms. But Noah was quick to distract himself and avoided gazing her way.


    Looking around the room, Noah found a question pushing its way into his mind, ''where are the mens clothes?'' as there weren''t any on display, anywhere.


    Heavy footfalls soon broke Noah from his thoughts, calling him to turn his gaze away from a particularly sheer, frilled bell sleeve top and onto an elderly, heavily wrinkled man dressed in a simple accoutrement of brown pants, white yellow tunic that hung loose around the wrist and was topped with a neat brown fronted and black backed vest. Carrying in his arms a folded bit of see-through fabric.


    "Here''s your dress Alicia dear," the man said earning the womans sparkling attention.


    "Perfect," she said quickly bringing herself before the man to take the dress in hand and pulled it on, covering her bosom with loosely hanging fabric that barely hid the pertness of her chest, "how much do I owe you?" she asked.


    The man chuckled and shook his head, "oh nothing dear. It was a small tear, nothing worthy of a price."


    The woman beamed, "really? Are you sure? you still had to work on it and I would feel terrible to deprive you of your time for free."


    The elderly tailor hummed and pinched his sagging, patchy skinned chin, "then, how about you bring me a nice cabbage then? Harvest should be right around the corner and Maria has been wanting to try out some new fermenting techniques."


    "Of course Ingvald. I''ll bring you the best one from the fields once they''re ready."


    The named Ingvald bobbed his head, "perfect. Then it''s a deal. Have a great evening Alicia. Give Hinge my greetings won''t you?"


    "Of course, blessed evenings Ingvald!" the woman left with one final saying, disappearing into the throngs of Redle with a bit of pep to her step.


    "Good lass," Ingvald nodded and tilted his gaze Noah''s way. "Ah," he exclaimed, "evenings young man. How can old Ingvald help you?" Ingvald crossed a hand behind his hunched back and asked.


    Noah strode across the shop floor to stop before the man, "I''m looking to get some new clothes for myself, most of what I''ve got is pass me downs and they don''t really fit perfectly."


    Ingvald gazed across Noah''s haggard and fray hemmed clothing, noting a few sags here and there and finding the form not fitting with Noah''s physique. "yes, I can see that. Come, come," Ingvald tilted his head to a counter like table, taking position on the opposite side. His eyes still analytically wandering over Noah''s form. "Is your current state prolonged or are you going to be getting a bit more fat to your bones?" he quirked a kindly smile.


    Taken slightly aback, Noah responded, "uh, probably going to get some meat back."


    "Right," Ignvald nodded scratching at his hip, "then you''ll want something to grow into once that comes about, won''t be too much of a problem." Turning on point, Ingvald drew himself away after logging his rough estimates of Noah''s shape and brought himself into a back room. Leaving Noah to glance around at the mannequins until Ingvald returned carrying what could be surmounted to a wicker basket bursting at the seams stuffed with garbs.


    Thumping the basket heavily onto the rough mahogany table, Ingvald pulled from it a light brown tunic and handed it over to Noah. "Try that on, let''s see how it fits."


    Noah nodded and cast a look around but found not what he was looking for, "do you have a dressing room I can use?"


    Ingvald''s brow rose an inch, barely opening his eye from its sagging skin cover. "No. Just do it here. Ain''t no one going to mock you for your dangly bits round here."


    ''It''s not people mocking my ''dangly bits'' that I''m worried about,'' Noah turned his head to the entrance way, just in time to see a short statured girl wander in casting an inquisitive look to the booty shorted mannequin.


    ''Haa¡­ just accept it Noah,'' he blanked out and moved to remove his shirt, replacing it with the tunic Ingvald presented. Finding it fit, though the shoulders were a little too large.


    "Try this one next," Ingvald dug through the basket, plucking from within a matte grey, silken blouse and passed it to Noah, letting him once again strip his top, feeling not one, but three feminine sets of eyes staring at his back with a slight heat to them.


    "Looks good," Ingvald nodded proudly seeing the blouse fit Noah perfectly. "Now, onto your pants," a set of sleek, brown woollen pants appeared in his grips and were held out to Noah.


    Noah took them, holding them with a twitch to his eye and a tilt of his head to the five woman, three of which were peaking in from the doorway, eyes hungry with anticipation.


    "You¡­ don''t happen to have underpants, do you?"


    Ingvald turned a curious tilt, "aye, sorry, ain''t got anything fancy like that on me. Ain''t much ask for them round these parts. If you want, you can commission a few and I''ll make em special for you."


    ''Wait. Underwear exists!?''


    It just wasn''t widely spread, apparently.

 Chapter 35 - The book store

    By the time Noah had finished fitting the clothes Ingvald seemed much too eager to have him model for¡ªwhether for his own amus.e.m.e.nt of Noah''s reactions or as a slight ''kind'' gesture to the increasingly large horde of women outside, Noah wasn''t sure. He wasn''t sure he even wanted to know the answer either way¡ªhe had left the store, pushing through the throngs of ladies both old and young, a few uncomfortably so only getting a few cat calls, butt pinches and whispers that he could come back with them and have a realgood time.


    ''Why is every woman here a pervert!?'' he inwardly screeched, twitchy at the eye. ''Is Redle just filled with a bunch of perverts? Alder wasn''t like this!'' it truly wasn''t, though he hadn''t spent much time there to really get a feel of the people. Bar Caina and Liora, the only people he''d so much as spoken to was Haggar and Mother Camelia, and one of them looked about ready to sodomize him and the other was a horny nun.


    After the ladies heard Noah repeatedly say ''no,'' ''sorry, no,'' and ''I''m busy,'' numerous times, their excitement began to dwindle and the crowd following him began to thin until eventually they all went back to their own business and left Noah on his lonesome to finally feel relief.


    His head tilted up to the darkening, raincloud filled sky. ''Oh screw you mother nature,'' part of him feared that an embodiment of literal mother nature was about to come bursting from the earth to drag him down and turn that expletive, into a reality. Luckily though that didn''t happen and by the first drop of rain descending to splash against his face, Noah heard the first bell since separating from Liora and Caina, leaving just one more to go before they were set to meet up.


    ''I should get there now, they''ll probably be wanting to get out of the rain,'' he thought, his paused stride still halted as he realized how passive all the other were, some only stopping to look up at the sky and scowl, others pausing to close their eyes and await the decent of rain. Only a few seemed to be actively rushing into cover to get out of the rapidly hastening downpour. Noah himself being one of these, having rushed to a small overhanging roof to watch as a sudden curtain rained down coating the earth a shade darked and matting the clothes of the men and women against their skin to hug their form and heavily accentuate the bosoms and bottoms of the more feminine formed.


    A minute later all the paused people unpaused and calmly went about their days, wandering between the stall picking out groceries and the like with an attitude uncaring to possible sickness. Noah was left completely confused, on earth, people treated rain like a nightmare, never once wanting to be stuck out in it but here all was calm¡ªbar the louder tone they spoke in to power past the raucous of bullets hitting the earth.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Noah suddenly jumped, his head tilting to the side to see a tall woman in thick purple robes besides him. Her hair an ill.u.s.trious pastel pink and tied in a lopsided bun as spectacles sat calmly before her brown eyes. She cast him a quick, sidelong glance and sipped from an elegant white and gold accented porcelain cup. The woman''s lips curled as she looked to the horde of matted women, a spark in her eyes sending a pang of nervousness through Noah as she followed up her question with, "those b.r.e.a.s.ts, those tight asses¡­ Ohh how I wish I could just lunge and have my way with those beautiful, beautiful tits." She licked her lips of a near dripple of drool, hungrily devouring the appearance of a woman whose white dress had turned a shade see-through showing off the light frizz of her crotch and the pink of her n.i.p.p.l.e.


    "Uhh," unsure of how to respond, Noah simply replied with the only thing he could think of, "yes?"


    She tilted her gaze Noah''s way and smirked, "what, you don''t find these taught ladies appealing?" she questioned.


    "No, I do. It''s just, I wasn''t expecting the question."


    She chuckled, "at least you aren''t a eunuch then."


    ''Those are a thing here?'' a feeling told Noah that eunuchs weren''t treated all that well in this world. Though apparently, they existed. "I''ve still got my balls, so, I guess, yeah. Not a eunuch."


    The woman laughed some more and gaze down to Noah with tilted lips. "So, tell me. What brings you to my store? There some bit of knowledge you wish to know? Have you got a question without answers I could possibly provide for you, or are you here for simple browsing?" Her three questions tilted Noah''s head more and more until he turned and gazed into the wide-open double door, seeing a collection of books dotting bookshelves and stacked across the floor.


    "A bookstore?" ''that could actually be quite useful,'' he mused. "Huh, I didn''t think there would be a bookstore here."


    "Eh," the woman shrugged, "I could have gotten a place in Estalder but all the people there are such prudes. It''s like they haven''t seen the majesty of b.r.e.a.s.ts." She practically sparkled, staring back at the crowd of dampened women''s bosoms.


    For once since arriving in Redle, Noah was feeling safe. And it of course was with the only overtly lesbian¡ªhe knew of¡ªaround.


    "Right. I actually just came here to get some shelter from the rain. I''m supposed to be meeting with some friends when the next bell goes." He told her and her expression didn''t go through any major changes.


    "That''s fine as well. Feel free to look around, though I''d advise against trying to steal anything. I''d hate to chop your hands off."


    Noah felt the comical tone of her voice was more to denote how casually she took the action and not that it was a joke. God, he hoped it was a joke. "Thanks, I guess." Noah cast a look around, not seeing either Caina or Liora then turned to the book shop, shrugged and decided perhaps he could have a look around. "I''ll do just that," he slowly backed away from the woman, hearing only an impassive hum from her as steam puffed out of her nose as a particularly buxom lady passed by, her dress sticking like glue to her every accentuating curve.


    The store wasn''t large, seeming to barely be larger than the tailor, though more packed from the wanton sorting of books and the amount of bookshelves. At the head of the room, close by the door was a counter and what Noah was guessing the cashier¡ªwhich in reality was just a heavy looking metal box. Looking to the shelve, he made his way down the first row, eyeing up and down at the various spines of the books, finding strange labels like ''His Royal P.e.n.i.s,'' and ''The Tightness of her Anus,'' to be the only ones with various states of disrepair from how much they''d been ''used'' for their ''cultural'' contents.


    "This¡­ isn''t a bookshop, is it?" Noah muttered passing a look across another book right at the end of the row, ''101 ways to break a woman''s mind and turn her into your eternal s.e.x slave. Volume 57.'' "It''s a p.o.r.n shop." He corrected, and something telling him if he tried really hard, he might just find the odd, actually informing book within this woman''s collection of e.r.o.t.i.ca.


    Sighing exasperatedly, Noah pushed into the second row with blank eyes, quickly scanning over the variety of oddly named, undoubtedly s.e.x based books. On and on he searched, finding nothing more then penile references and feminine expletives. "Jesus christ theres more p.o.r.n here then on the internet," an over exaggeration but he felt was an apt comparison in the moment. Sighing out, he pushed into the third row and ready the first title, instantly pausing when he noted the name ''The Monsters of Minas by Richard Gigante'' wasn''t directly a p.o.r.no title.


    ''Is this it? Is this the needle in the haystack?'' Noah thought and pulled the thick book from the shelve, shakily turned it over to see a modest, beautiful red leather cover and pulled it open to a random page.


    ''Caramel plunged his c.o.c.k deep into her seedbed, ploughing him until his c.u.m was released inside her w.o.m.b and fertilized the many eggs nurtured within her belly-''


    ''God dammit its p.o.r.n!'' Noah slammed the book shut, tempted to hurl the thing at the earth but refrained from doing so, instead opting to push it back into its place on the shelve and mechanically start striding to the door. Only to be met with the smiling face of the stores owner, her red lips curled into a smile and eyes lowered to half lidded states as she stared down at Noah, a now noticeable dark pink, nearing purple leather tail tipped with a heart shaped arrow falling from her behind swaying side to side.


    Noah''s expression feel as he realized the door behind her was shut and tightly locked. He gulped, took a step back as she took her own step forwards. Her smile only widening the closer she got, and the closer she did, the more her form would shimmer, and two horns would raise from her scalp and miniature pinkish purple wings would appear from her back.


    When he pressed himself against the opposite wall, the blonde-haired succubus was just a meter away. Her stride halted and she bowed her body, keeping her shimmering brown orbs locked tightly with his own, her breath rubbing against his lip filling his nostrils with a sweet, honey like smell.


    Then she said with a lick of her lips, "when were you first reincarnated?"

 Chapter 36 - Purple Hued Vixen

    Noah wished to retreat further but his steps could go no further but to press against the oaken wall while his mind was driven to a swift and sudden halt. The librarian''s now lilac tuned eyes locked onto his with what he surmounted as a desiring curiosity but only construed as addled l.u.s.t like all the other monsters had before her.


    He gulped, processing her last few words and found an incongruity with them that made his brows furl. "Did you just ask me when I reincarnated?" he said still pushing himself as far into the wall as his body could go.


    "Yes, of course I did," she said pulling her slowly shifting in shade head away and took a step away, her previously pale white skin rapidly forming to that of diluted periwinkle tone. Adding small red, jagged, claw like tattoos across her cheek bones and running down to end just before her sharpened chin. Her eyes still locked firmly on him. "You are a reincarnated person no?"


    He was, he just wasn''t sure how she knew that, "uhh," he trailed off unsure how to respond for a few moments, "I mean, I am. But how do you know that? I haven''t exactly told anyone that."


    "I can sense it. Not to mention you spent ten minutes wandering around my store and hadn''t begun masturbating. Which is just, not normal around here."


    ''People do that?''


    "Which means you are either from another kingdom or you have reincarnated and don''t know anything about customs, and considering you have Typhania''s mark on you, I''m going with reincarnation." She bobbed her head, reaffirming her choice as the right one. "So, when did you reincarnate? Quite recently I''m guessing," pressing a hand against her hip, she said.


    Noah''s mind was growing increasingly confused by the situation. Half was he expecting to be pushed down and forced to inseminate the succubus before him, the other half was filled with questions he''d likely be getting the answer to soon enough. "A week ago, I think?" there wasn''t exactly a calendar here so getting a proper date was a big no.


    She shrugged and nodded, her lips curling up glad she was as expected, correct.


    "I''ve got so many questions right now, but I''m just going to start with this. Who are you? And what are you?"


    She puffed her chest out, her bosom mostly hidden by her robes as she answered with a peppy tune, "I am Xisaya, and I am a succubus."


    He''d guessed the succubus part accurately enough, but now he also knew her name, and it was a strange one.


    "And," she softened her posture and eyed him with intent curiosity, "I''m also a reincarnator. Tell me, are those witch hunts still going on?"


    "You''re a what now," he''d heard her clearly but the tone she''d used, so nonchalant like it was some secondary thing made him nearly skip over it.


    "A reincarnator." Xisaya reaffirmed. "What, did you think you were the only one?" chuckling she continued, "there''s actually been a few. I knew another one, this cute petite little thing from a hundred years ago. Last I heard she was turned into the s.e.x slave for a clan of futa orcs in Algen. Can''t imagine that being a lot of fun for a girl her size. I would have loved to see that," a spark took Xisaya''s eye and she licked her pert plum lips giving them a faint glisten that sent a strange amalgam of calm and ''oh god she''s a pervert'' through Noah.


    "Okay," he paused trying to find the words for the situation, "alright then. What do you want? Do you want to milk me of my seed or something like that?"


    "What? No, why would I want a mans stinky c.u.m? I''d rather be drinking the delectable nectars of those cute honeys outside than gaggling on a shaft. I just thought it had been a while since I''ve had any proper time with another reincarnator that I may as well just help you out a knack and get you a bit more accustomed out here. Trust me, I know how confusing this world can be. And arousing, very, very arousing." She nibbled her lip.


    His eyes narrowed, He wasn''t sure he believed her or not but if it meant getting some answers, why not deal with the perverted purple succubus.


    "So, you want to help me and not, I don''t know. Drag me back to your coven to feed them, right?"


    "We''re not witches," she shook her head, "though I was hung for being thought of as a one before I was brought to Minas."


    He pieced her earlier question together with this new titbit and found a famed correlation, the salem witch trials. Just about the only time he knew of as being a primarily witch hanging point of history. Though often people falsely thought they involved burning people at stake. In reality, things were much more gruesome for some of the people killed.


    "Are you talking about the Salem witch trials?"


    Her brow rose, "I did live in Salem and there were a lot of trials, most of which involved arguable witches. So then, yes, most likely. Though everyone just called them the witch hunts. Why?"


    "Because that was like, three, four hundred years ago. Is that how long you''ve been here?"


    "Hmm," she huffed seemingly surprised at the revelation, "I was expecting less. No, I''ve been on Minas for say, one hundred and fifty-seven years now. I spent the first twenty as this ditsy little human girl in Parlight helping out with some war with the demons. Got captured and now look at me," she trailed her hands all across her body, pushing in her robes to accentuate her succuboidal feminine curves. Pausing at her chest to give her b.r.e.a.s.ts a quick squeeze and her bottom a reverberating slab that caused even the fabric draping over her rump to ripple. "I''m a bundle of pure, unfettered s.e.x energy." Her hand pressed her robe into her crotch, accentuating the form of her ample thick thighs.


    ''So, about a 1 to 3 ratio then?'' Noah quickly processed, ignoring the slight stroking of her fingers against her crotch, guessing he was likely to have been on this world for round about half a month to just bordering three weeks compared to back home. If Xisaya was to be trusted that is.


    "I can see that. I''m guessing you got corrupted then?" now fully coming to accept Xisaya''s rampant disinterest in the opposite s.e.x¡ªand her perverse nature, something he probably should have figured judging by her choice assortment of books¡ªhe calmed enough to push lightly off the wall but kept well away from the tail swishing and horn baring purple vixen.


    "Honey, does this look like corruption?" her tail sn.a.k.e.d around her with her hands coming to gently rub across the leathery, heart tipped appendage, trembling with a pleasurably contorting expression taking her from the near clitorial sensitivity of the appendage. "Fuuah~ no~ hnn~ this is a blessing~" she squeezed and caressed her tail until her h.i.p.s began to jerk and Noah heard a faint spritzing noise coming from her. Her teeth clamped tight, only letting out a guttural whine as her back arch and she climaxed.


    Noah went blank, had he the means of seeing someones perversion as a numerical level, he was sure it was passing a famed multiplication of nine with one thousand. Though he was quick to retort that had he not the energy to do so, he was sure to be popping a chub at the moment.


    "As much as I enjoy seeing women climax. Could you get on with this, I''ve got to meet up with some friends in a bells toll and I''d rather no be locked in a librarian with a horny, lesbian succubus." He''d much rather be locked in a library with two horny lesbian succubi who''d maybe let him join in but that was semantics. ''I am converting to debauchery by the day.''


    Xisaya blinked profusely as if to realize the actual reason she''d locked the door, "yes, I suppose I won''t keep you away from your conquests. That would just be rude."


    ''They aren''t my conquests,'' Noah corrected with a faint twitch at the strange form of premonition hitting him. ''Why do I feel like something tiring going to happen in the future?''


    Xisaya waggled herself to the side, sauntering with a few quick strides to her counter. Bent at the waist with her bottom pushed out--something Noah found himself staring at with how it conformed to her ''shape''¡ªand opened a trap door, disappearing into some bas.e.m.e.nt area where loud thumps, a cat screech and a billowing of dust escaped before Xisaya hovered herself out with her miniature wings furiously flapping, simultaneously wafting away the dust cloud as she made her way back to Noah, carrying in her arms a few books bound in ornate leathers of a brick red hue.


    Holding her arms out, she presented the books to him, "these are a few books I got from a friend a long time ago, he said I should give to another reincarnator after I was finished with them. And I finished with them a long time ago," she giggled while licking her lips to a shiny wet, definitely not insinuating something Noah knew she was insinuating.


    Noah looked down at the books then to his arm where his newly bought clothes were hung, pondering how much he was wishing he''d asked Liora for a bag of some sort. Sighing, he let Xisaya lay them down atop his forearms letting him read the title of the first book, "The Almanac of Monster Shaped Girls? That sounds like a rip off." He mumbled, "this isn''t like anything that Alikaf-Alikavarnata, person made is it?"


    Xisaya''s brow arched, "oh, no. Lord no, Klive actually know''s how to write about things. She''s just an high elf who can''t process she isn''t really ''superior'' to anything. I will tell you this, if you ever run into that prissy bitch, she loves being called a useless sow. That really get''s her off."


    He doubted he''d ever be making use of that, but it was information that only further proved his distaste for the woman.


    "Right, well, I''ll go through it then. Is that it?" he was hoping as he heard another bell toll announcing his time was up.


    "I guess," she noncomittaly shrugged, "have you met your deity yet?"


    "I''m supposed to be meeting a deity?"


    "That answers that," she mumbled, pondering if she should tell explain it to him, eventually shrugging and deciding they should do it themselves. "I''d just say, be careful with the church of Artemia, if they see you have Typhania''s mark on you they''ll get really antsy and you can expect an inquisition to come gallavanting by at somepoint."


    ''I just spent half an hour n.a.k.e.d, screwing a nun¡­ oh god f.u.c.k.i.n.g dammit.''


    "What''s this about a mark?" groaning he asked.


    "Nothing much really. Just a sign that Typhania summoned you, I''ve got one as well," she gripped the sides of her robes and began to furl it, hiking it up until she could present her bare thighs to him that turned into a gradiant of red beginning at her knees. Noah gulped as she turned her her leg and pulled on the plump fat to show off an eye-like tattoo on her inner thigh. "We''ve all got one, well, all of us who''ve been summoned by Typhania that is."


    "I see," he truly meant no pun by that, "and, what does this inquisition hold in store?"


    "Mostly just annoying paladins coming to cleanse you and all that. More often than not if you just screw them hard enough and break them a bit they go running off back home. I''ve actually got this cute munchkin in my room I''m playing with. Was all antsy when she found me, now she happily eats me out." She nodded hand on her cheek, proud at breaking the paladin.


    "Uh huh. Well, I''ll be sure to be careful then," Internally, he was preaching about how utterly f.u.c.k.i.e.d he was. And yes, he knew that was likely to be a literal statement. ''I really need to start getting used to this world.''

 Chapter 37 - Cream Porridge (Not that Cream you Perv)

    Exiting the bookstore with arms full, Noah paused and turned back to Xisaya, her form having returned to her original human appearance. "thanks for these, I guess," he said.


    "No problem. If you ever have more time in Redle feel free to pop on by, I should be here for a few more months at the least," Xisaya shrugged.


    "Should be? You''re leaving?"


    "Of course," she glanced around seeing no peeping ears were listening, "with the war going on I''m expecting Redle to get caught up eventually and considering how antsy Kanyon is with us demi''s, I have no interest in being strung up from a tree. Probably run off back to Grealira all things considered." She shrugged.


    Noah wasn''t quite sure about all of this world''s geography, its kingdoms and the like all sort of blended together for him. ''I really need a map,'' he thought. "Will do, if I''m ever back here that is," he mumbled and looked into the street seeing all the women clad in sodden, form hugging clothes, very few in dry dress as they''d only freshly come out of the stores and the like when the rainshower quickly dissipated.


    Taking a few backwards steps away from her, Noah made way into the street, "I''ll see you another time them." He waved and spun just as she spoke.


    "May your p.e.n.i.s be wet and your asses plump, till then Noah." The phrase drawing Noah to a sudden halt, hearing the door of her store creak shut and latch to a locked state.


    ''That¡­ please tell me that''s just something she says and not actually a phrase,'' he truly pleaded, feeling within him that it was just a quirk of Xisaya''s perverse mind, ''could also be a succubus thing¡­'' the shiver coursing his spine told him that was likely it.


    Noah shook his head, throwing the strange thought process away as he made the minute-long trek back to the meeting point but found neither Liora or Caina anywhere nearby. Likely still busy with their shopping or making their way back to him, though he couldn''t see them whenever he looked around the large marketplace, bustling with the inhabitants of multiple villages.


    Deciding to bide his time for a bit by wandering between the closer stalls. The first one he went to, he followed his nose to find and no sooner was he stood before a shaded stall where the faint crackle of a warming fire echoed and the soft pop of water boiling reverberated. The closer he got, he found his nostrils assailed by a pleasant, saccharin tone, the smell of something creamy but simultaneously sweet and honeyed with a slight addition of a blend of other spices.


    Stood behind the stall was a young woman, blue in hair from the familiar accessory he saw in it and eyes a bright and regal gold which looked more natural than anything. ''hair''s normal but eyes are more colourful?'' he questioned no one in particular as he approached the stall and looked across the low table and the baskets.


    The baskets held but a few bottles all neatly lined within a cushion of hay and sealed with a thin leather like film keeping the milky white fluids safely stored within without dripping out. On the table was nothing but a few wooden bowls and smaller ones filled with small, dried raisin sized red berries and another with a fine crystalline powder he recognized as sugar. At least he hoped it was sugar.


    "Good evening!" the thin girl bounced rising half a centimeter off the ground before landing back down, "can I get you anything sir?" she asked quickly launching into another sentence, "we''ve got some nice cream porridge boiling away if you''d like anything warm to snack on for a bit. Also got potato soup if that''s to your liking." Eyes sparkling all the way.


    His nose guided him, sniffing in the blended scents to realize there was a more savoury component to the smells, though he found himself more attracted to the sweet side of things. "how much is it?"


    Her expression sparked to utter happiness and she exclaimed, "just two buckles for a bowl, five if you''d like a bottle of milk to go with it." Noah could see the dollar signs flashing in her eyes, hungry for his money.


    He glanced to the milk and twitched, "where does it come from, the milk I mean?"


    "My uncles got a ranch up near Heine only a five hour ride by carriage away, so I can assure you everything''s still fresh and raring to go. Now, can I get you anything?" she sparkled.


    ''I mean, she answered my question,'' its just, not the right ''where'' he was talking about. "The porridge then," he looked to the bottle of milk again and shrugged, "hell, might as well take a bottle then," he dug through his satchel, plucking the five of the remaining bronze buckles he was left with after paying the tailor and laid them down on the table. The moment his hand moved away, the girl lunged, scr.a.p.ed them from the table and buried them into a bag where they clattered behind the stand.


    "Great, great, just a moment then," she spun to face the large grey cauldron and stirred it with a metal ladle before scouping a bowl full and held it out to him. "Here''s you go sir." Noah took the bowl with a smile. The porridge was quite thin from what he could tell, to the degree he argued to call it a real porridge like he was used to. The grains used to make it also weren''t milled as fine as he was used to, likening it more to rolled oats than anything. Lifting it to his nose, he sniffed it and found a clove and creamy smell, though was quick to furrow his brows when he noted how off it smelled. Not in terms of being past its due by date, but with how lacking in substance it was. Narrowed in eyes, he asked the girl, "you wouldn''t happen to have spoons would you?"


    "No sir," she was quick to respond, "ain''t got the buckles to afford them and pops never saw the point to carving some when you can just eat porridge and soup with a bowl."


    ''I mean, he''s not wrong,'' he shrugged and brought the bowl to his lips, blowing on it to cool the steaming off white porridge enough that he could tip a small bit into his mouth and taste just how off the porridge was. ''There''s no substance. It tastes like she used milk diluted with water and just ruined the fullness and richness of good milk.''


    Lowering the porridge, he moved to the bowls of additives on the table and asked, "can I use these?" getting a swift confirmation of ''go right ahead,'' from the girl and plucked from the first bowl a few of the red berries, tossed them into the porridge then a good pinch or two of the sugar, something that made the girl twitch a little but she kept quiet. He had after all payed already, and more than both the porridge and milk''s worth combined.


    With them added, Noah lightly shook the bowl to get them all incorporated into it and returned to tasting it. The disappointing taste of diluted milk was still there, and just a bit sweeter¡ªless so than he preferred but he kept himself from tipping that sugar bowl into it to fix that issue, he wasn''t that rude¡ªand the berries, they were just dried cranberries. Nothing special. All in all, it was a disappointing bit of food¡ªin reality he''d consider this more a drink from how thin it was¡ªhe didn''t blame the girl, but her ingredients. And as much as he tried to hide his disappointment, it still seemed to show on his face.


    "Is¡­ it not to your liking sir?" she gulped nervously.


    "What? Oh no, no. It''s good, the milk used is just a bit thin is all. Did you dilute it with water?" He could understand if she did, it would definitely mean she''d would have to use less milk and make more at the same time.


    She quirked her head, confused at his wording but was quick to surmise he meant something else, "no sir, I don''t thin it," she sighed, a saddened look partaking her expression, "the holstaurs at the ranch have been ill, their milk just ain''t what it used to be. Uncle''s hoping to get another one or two at the next fair up in Tallmire. Hopefully that''ll help the holstaurs fix up their milk."


    ''Welp, that answers the question of cow or human shaped cowgirl,'' Noah surmised, finding a bit of curiosity at this fair she was talking about. "What''s this fair about?" he questioned continuing to sip on his soup¡­ porridge.


    "Nothing too big," she shrugged, "there''s going to be a market and a few auctions for some monsters. Nothing like the fairs up in Klaae, no fish market or any special imports. Ain''t anywhere close enough to the sea for that," she chuckled.


    "Huh," he mumbled, throwing through the thought of buying human shaped creatures like it was nothing. As he thought that, his caught in his peripheral vision an approaching Liora and Caina. The bowl he was tipping into his mouth halted and his throat stopped swallowing the porridge, letting it build and eventually overflow across his cheeks. Ultimately ending with him sputtering as a drop ran down the wrong pipe sending him to swallowing the rest and coughing.


    "Are you alright sir?" worriedly, the girl exclaimed as Noah laid the empty bowl down and wiped his mouth down.


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m good," coughing out the last sputter of porridge. "Thanks for that," he gave her one last smile and reached out for a bottle, plucking it from the basket. Holding it up in gratitude to the girl before making his way to meet Caina and Liora halfway.


    The closer he got, the reason behind his sputtering only became clearer.


    Their entire bodies were caked in water, their hair matted into strings, Liora''s red locks flat and glued to her skin and gown, while Caina''s was parted at the front, pushed out of her eyes. Their clothes stuck so tightly to their skin that each and every curve was visible and utterly alluring to a boy his age.


    Forcing an awkward smile to his face and laying down the bottle of milk atop his other arm where his new books and clothes were dryly placed, he noted that both the girls were carrying with them a few wicker baskets stuffed to the brim with various things, fruits vegetables, and even a small box similar to the freezing onnaire he''d used to make Liora''s food a few days back.


    "I can see you''ve had an eventfull runaround," Liora''s lips beautifully tilted at the ends as if to accentuate their fullness while she glanced to his arm, "was Ingvar doing a sale? I can''t imagine you got all of that with only two hundred and fifty buckles." She mused, hoping he hadn''t stolen anything. Inwardsly, she knew he didn''t but having the confirmation was better than doubting him.


    "I got the books for free," he chuckled a response, "the store was overstocked and needed to get rid of a few copies, so I ended up getting this while passing by," opting not to reveal the succubus, he kept quiet about Xisaya and their conversation.


    Noah''s face had long since gone a slight shade of pastel red as he attempted his utmost to force himself from staring at the hugged forms.


    "Really? That''s good then. Shall we head back to the tavern then?"


    "Please," Caina grumbled, "I''m going to get sick otherwise¡­ Can''t believe you made me walk through that downpour."


    "Come now Caina, it wasn''t that bad. Don''t you feel lighter from it washing away the dirt?"


    "No. I feel wet. And not where it counts. Let''s just get back. I feel sick already," lugging with her, her basket, Caina strode past Noah and made her way down the street leaving Noah and Liora to watch her back. Noah''s eyes inadvertently running down to her rump where her skirt had creased into her crack, something Caina was quick to fix by pinching the fabric and plucking it free only for it to return to its place between the cheeks.


    Liora shook her head but smiled all the way, "shall we?" she asked looking down to his arm, and pondered, "do you want to put that all in here?" she opened up the basket for him, offering him reprieve from his added weight.


    "No, no, it''s fine, its not that heavy." He responded.


    Liora nodded then shrugged and closes the basket, her shoulders rolling for a little as she felt a slight creak from its weight. Nothing painful, but enough for her to realize her rapidly aging body was only getting older.


    Noah noted the slight, squeak of a grunt she let out, "I can carry that if you want?" he offered his hand out to take the basket from her.


    "That''s alright, it''s not that heavy," she winked at him. "Just a little stiff, haven''t gone shopping like this in a while," her expression suddenly turned dark and her lip trembled, "not since Harv passed. He always used to carry everything even when there was too much to carry¡­"


    His heartstrings were plucked and his lips were sucked in. He held a breath then let it out slowly, purposefully and bowed his knees just slight enough that he could reach out, grab the handles of the basket and took it from Liora. Her mouth opened in protest but Noah beat her to the punch, "I may not be Harv. But so long as I''m staying with you I''ll do whatever I can to help you, doesn''t matter what. Just ask it and I''ll try my best to help."


    He kept walking but Liora had paused in stride. When he realized this, Noah slowly spun around and his heart halted a bit. There, Liora stood, clad in sodden clothes, misty eyed and tears trickling down her cheeks. Her head bobbed and her lips turned to a solemn smile. She didn''t say anything, not for a few seconds, "thank you Noah."


    ***


    Yo, sorry about nothing yesterday. Took the day off for my birthday.

 Chapter 38 - Ranchers and Breeders

    At night, Haggar''s tavern began to bustle with the hustle of the village. Women and the few men all congregating within its walls to enjoy a few pints before sauntering a bit tipsily back home. Often there''d be a strange m.o.a.ning noise that echoed and drew the noise to a still for but a moment as eyes were turned to the newest dishevelled woman who was shivering while the person sitting next to or across from them only smiled giddily.


    ''People really do just do it in public,'' Noah blanked as he watched two women actively drooling over themselves while their hands crossed to each other crotches and began to fiddle with the other buttons. All the while he was ''calmly'' munching away at a shank of meat Haggar had dished up. Thankfully finding that there were animals shaped like animals shaped like actual animals and weren''t technically monsters. ''Wasn''t there a saber toothed squirrel a while back?'' he though thinking back to when he''d first made the trek to Alder to get Caina and encountered just that.


    Turning back to the girls sitting by his table, Caina had long since dried herself and dressed in something less soaked. He found it strange how much she disliked being dressed in wet considering not long ago she''d sauntered back to Alder after a bath with her clothing still soaked. ''I don''t get women,'' he shrugged and looked to Liora, still soggy all around, though not as drippy as she was when they first entered the tavern. Give her a bit more time and she was likely to dry off completely.


    They didn''t speak much as they ate, just keeping silent and enjoying the shank and the vegetables on the side. Noah was the first to eat, thoroughly enjoying the rich and nutritious meal, feeling it already empowering and fattening up his bony body and refilling his stores of ''energy.'' He was the first to finish, having done so by the time Liora and Caina were halfway through their plates.


    Not wanting to disturb them, he glanced to the basket lain against the side of their table, seeing the first volume of the Almanac of Monster Shaped Girls strewn atop his clothes and Liora purchases, the bottle of milk having somehow dug its way into the basket at some point in time. Parting his eyes from it, he checked on Liora and Caina, seeing they were still eating. He shrugged, he could just skim it quickly and get an idea about what''s in it at least.


    Reaching down for it, he plucked the red leather-bound book and flipped it over, finding no blurb on the back so that wasn''t going to help him. Pinching the front of the cover on the edge, Noah opened it to the first page of yellowish parchment and found a few short lines written at the centre in neat typewritten font.


    [Written by Klive Kalabic.]


    [Born on the 19th of December, 1996.]


    [Died on the 19th of January, 2013.]


    [Reincarnated on the 19th of Valus 1303 of the Minasian calender.]


    It was simple, if not curt and provided enough information to let Noah know that arrival on Minas was instantaneous and death related. ''At least I know I died. Somehow, did I die in my sleep?'' he pondered, he hadn''t felt ill when he''d gone to bed. ''Please tell me I didn''t sneeze and crack my head open on the floor.'' He truly hoped not, he couldn''t look himself in the eye if he did.


    Turning the page over, he was met with a larger font and bold text, below which was the regular sized writing.


    [Likely if you are reading this copy of my Almanac, you have been reincarnated. Currently, I have several dozen of this book circulating across all of Minas though how many have been claimed by Artemia''s church, I am unaware.]


    [Enclosed within its pages is every bit of knowledge I have been able to discover about the monsters that call this world home as well as information about several quirks to this world, organizations, countries, and the like.]


    [Protect this book with your life, whoever you are.]


    [It was a pain in the ass to write.]


    A decent opening, all things considered. Turning to the next page, it immediately went into describing the most mundane of creatures on Minas, the human. Basic things really, nothing of particular intrigue.


    Noah shot a look up from the book, the girls were getting to a quarter left of their meals. Deciding he''d rather just skim it for now, he held the book, slightly curling the pages and began to flick through them, seeing the hordes of words and the ill.u.s.trations that would show off their forms, their intricacies and strange additions of horns, claws, serpentine lower halfs and on and on. Up until the last portions of the book when the images faded away and the descriptions of the monsters was no more, instead falling into a new section about various things around Minas. One of which took his attention up right.


    [Ranching and Breeders]


    [The act of raising animals on large tracts of lands.]


    [Originally, on earth this was mostly done with cows, sheep, pigs, and so forth. To harvest from them various products such as milk, wool, leather, etc. Here on Minas, it is the same, but it is to be noted that there are two forms of ranching. One for animals, the other for monsters.


    [The first is for all the same reason''s as we did on earth, though the quality of provided resources is not as great as with the monsters. The second, the ranching of monsters is much more expansive, extending onto many species of monsters not otherwise considered livestock to us. An example would be the various dragon races who are bred for their eggs, scales, teeth, and more.]


    [Ranching can be quite a lucrative occupation if you so deem to do it, if so, you will be glad to know that I''ll have enclosed in writing the types of resource the monster will produce. BUT, I must inform you that Ranching is not a simple feat. For if you want the monsters to produce the best quality of resource, you will need to feed them fresh Ethos. Something which I''m sure you may have heard is a reprehensible thing due to Manos corruption and the risk of metamorphosizing into a monster. Luckily, as one of Typhania''s summoned children, that should not be a massive risk to you. (See ''Aspects of Reincarnation'' for more information on why that is.)]


    [If owning a ranch on your own is not to your liking, you may otherwise seek to become a breeder. As much as the name sounds obvious, the tasks of a breeder as I have discovered are more nuanced. In themselves, breeders, or at least people who claim to be breeders are rare. For people born within the boundaries of Minas that is. Their tasks are in short, to ''breed'' with livestock monsters to raise a new generation of monsters before the previous one can pass in full. But they also act as something much more complex, they act as the veritable wells from which the monsters retrieve their wanted Ethos. Essentially feeding them high quality grain to improve their delivered resources.]


    [But, as previously written, this is a rare occupation for a single wrong move can take the breeder to the point of no return and ultimately make them fall into the cascading enthrallment of metamorphosizing. After which, there is no turning around.]


    After that, the chapter ended and moved onto another form of occupation, and alchemist, though Noah didn''t move onto reading it as he shut his book at the clanking of Liora and Caina''s cutlery against their plates and turned to them. Both licking and wiping their lips clean of any residue before simultaneously sighing out in pure, una.d.u.l.terated pleasure at having their bellies filled and their hunger subverted.


    "You two look satisfied," he chuckled laying the Almanac back on the basket, pausing for a moment before pulling the blanket to cover up the book. The writer''s earlier statements to protect it with his life and even that comment about the church claiming them already putting his nerves on a slight bit of edge.


    "I haven''t had food like that in a long time," Liora sighed pleasurably.


    "Me either. Food back at the Banshee''s is bland compared to this. Gods I swear that place is only good for being a pain in my ass," Caina in turn grumbled, practically hissing like a cat at the thought of working in the Banshee''s bellow.


    He couldn''t right blame her, when he''d first met her, she''d permanently turned a mans face into a sculpture by impacting it with a metal tray. ''I hope he''s okay,'' he couldn''t imagine the pain or the concussion he must have had after he fell unconscious after that.


    "That''s good¡­" a shiver followed by a groaning yawn suddenly erupted from him, leading him to covering his mouth for appearances sake. Lips smacking when it passed, only, when it did a tide of yawns coursed through the room, one after another people began to yawn like it was a plague going around because people weren''t wearing masks or something like that.


    Liora too was struck by the plague, "fuaahh¡­ I think we should head to bed." She smacked her lips, "I''d like to get to the carriages before they leave in the morning." She stretched, an action that only drew Noah''s eyes to her buxomness.


    "Ohh, please, I can''t feel my feet," whined Caina rubbing her calves.


    ''You spent an hour walking between Alder and the ranch and shopping is what makes your feet hurt?'' Noah cast her a doubting look but felt his own lightly aching feet acting up. ''I''m not one to talk about that, am I?''


    "Great," with another tense stretching of her body, Liora extradited herself from her seat alongside Caina and Noah who plucked from the ground the first of the baskets while Caina reached for her own and took it to her shoulder. Following behind Liora, they passed Haggar, his look sending the gaydar in Noah''s mind haywire, screaming for him to stay clear, not because he disliked people who went that way, but because of the fear that the ''that way,'' may just be his ass whether he liked it or not. And Noah was sure, he would not like ''that.''


    Climbing a stretch of stairs into the second story, the three soon came to a stop at the end of the hall where two doors were settled across from each other, lacking any form of numbering to distinguish them. Liora reached out to the door on the left-hand side of the hall and opened it, pausing in the doorway blocking Caina from entering as she looked to Noah who was opening his own. Her focus Caina as she said, "you should stay with Noah and get this requirement from Ascleminia done."


    Both Noah and Caina jolted to a halt, their heads spinning to Liora, then to each other to see the same surprised look in each others eyes before finally falling back to Liora. Exclaiming in unison, "huh?"

 Chapter 39 - Comparing the Shaft

    Next thing Noah and Caina knew they were sat besides each other on the edge of the single two people''s bed. Still fully dress and nowhere near finding themselves nude, but their minds were in similar states of ''why are we in the same room?'' the answer being Liora, that''s why. Little had she told them about the rooms she''d booked being one single person''s room and the others a couple''s suite for the more debauched of individuals or for actual couples to enjoy. Something that they were not.


    The air between them had become so thick, the awkwardness so apparent that from the outside one would be capable of swimming through it. They hadn''t the faintest of how to speak to each other after Liora''s sudden revelation of their bedding status.


    Noah tilted and looked to his side, to Caina and so too did she until they finally met the other eyes. They held for a few moments before mechanically pulling away to stare straight ahead.


    "So¡­ what now?" Noah spoke, earing through the silence with a voice that echoed with a tremble.


    Caina stilled, jaw widening to open her mouth but all that came out at first was a sharp squeak, "I don''t know. This isn''t how I envisioned losing my v.i.r.g.i.nity." She mumbled moving a hand to wipe over her face.


    Noah hadn''t envisioned losing his v.i.r.g.i.nity to a tree, but that was a different thing all together. Licking his parched lips, Noah swallowed a thick globule of spit and asked, "how did you envision it?"


    She snorted, "not like this, not because of an accident because someone knew nothing about my customs, that''s for sure." A dower tone soon took her breath and she hunched over, "I wanted to find a nice man, someone I could love for eternity and I''d give it to him. Maybe even retire a bit and get myself a family going far away from a bloody tavern, that much is for sure." Now both hands came to her face to rub her eyes, "gods, why do I have to do it in a tavern?"


    A asymmetrical quirk took Noah''s lip as he glanced and saw tired bags of frustration forming beneath her eyes. "We don''t actually have to do it, not now at least." He was quick to reason.


    "What? And do it at the ranch where there''s jack all to sleep on?"


    Now that was something Noah couldn''t refute. The night she''d stayed with them, she''d taken Noah''s bed while Liora took the only other not blood soaked one leaving Noah to sleep on the floor with only blankets, pillows and stacked up clothing to give him comfort.


    "Well, you and Liora got a few beds ordered, didn''t you? We can wait till then."


    Caina''s head shook, "that will take weeks for the carpenters to finish. I''d honestly just get this done sooner rather than later¡­" trailing off at the end to look to Noah. Seeing his cheeks though still sunken were slowly gaining a healthier fatness to them and even his skin was gaining a better shade. She could see that before long¡ªand with plenty of food¡ªhe''d actually turn into quite the handsome boy. With that thought she quickly spun her head away and clasped a hand over her mouth, screaming internally, ''no, he''s a rude know it all who thinks he knows more than I do about healing!''


    Noah hadn''t noticed her sudden shift, instead becoming focused on the wall as he pondered what he was to do about this situation he''d found himself in. ''Why am I struggling to bring myself to just doing it? I did it with Serris, a wolf, and a nun and now I''m struggling to even reason about doing it with Caina.'' He knew quite perfectly why that was. Guilty conscience would be his answer. This whole debacle was his fault in the first place, had he not given her the instrument of pleasure none of this would have happened and she would still be working in the tavern. Though from how she seemed to distaste the place, Noah reasoned she didn''t particularly mind that last bit.


    As another terse silence came to billow between them, it took the amount of a few minutes before Caina was the one to speak up, her voice low, "there?? was another requirement apart from having¡­ uh, s.e.x." She mumbled, her olive cheeks shading a deep hue of red, "I may not want to do it in a tavern but that doesn''t mean we can''t do the first thing," she said digging a hand into her pocket to pull out Ascleminia''s decree, the letter upon which was written the requirements to annul their mistaken relationship. Unfolding it, she read across it to ensure she was getting it right. After swallowing a sticky lump, she spoke, "I need to compare you¡­ to the phallus."


    He recalled and only gulped hearing her crinkle the paper in her grip. Noah groaned and looked to the wooden box on the bed besides her. Liora having given it to Caina just before shutting her door behind herself. Where she was hiding the thing, Noah didn''t know. He didn''t think Caina knew either but still, they had it now, and Caina had her means of comparing p.e.n.i.s to metal.


    Just like that, the aura exuding from the room turned stale, "right," lightly squeezing the bed getting the fabric plush fabric to bundle up a bit, he said. "Shall we do that then?"


    It took a second for Caina to respond and when she did, all she did was slowly nod and begin folding the paper to return it to where she had kept it till now. Taking the box not a moment later and stared down at is crosswise grain while nibbling on her lip. She rose off the bed and turned to Noah to say, "get, get undressed." Her cheeks a spicy red.


    He didn''t say anything but to nod. Noah rose to his feet, kicked off his boots and began removing his shirt and tossed it onto the only off the ground place that wasn''t the bed, the stool right at the end where people could sit and have a.d.u.l.t things done to them. As he trailed to his pants, Caina''s face visibly grew redder and redder until he could imagine the noise of a kettle boiling and steam raising off her became clear in his minds eye. Unbuttoning his pants, he then began to descend them and stepped out of them, the temptation to hide his flaccid manhood was strong but he resisted the urge, though looking at Caina''s widened eyes as she looked onto it was not something he could do.


    The moment it appeared before her all Caina could think of was ''small,'' immediately followed by a surprised chirp when it twitched and grew just a smidgens larger. She gulped, licked her lips and let out a trembling breath, forcing her eyes away from his p.e.n.i.s to look up at his own uncomfortably red face, realizing he was just as embarrassed as she was. It calmed her, just a smidgens, but it calmed her.


    "L-lie down against the backboard," she stuttered.


    Noah slowly lowered back onto the bed and scooted against the backboard. His legs shut but opening enough that his nethers could dangle in a half raising state.


    A hesitant Caina brought herself to the edge of the bed, gazed to his p.e.n.i.s and flushed. Feeling a strange itch in her belly that she was quick to realize as desire, but she swiftly shook away that, replacing it with her goal of just comparing the two p.e.n.i.ses.


    Exhaling, Caina pulled from her feet, her shoes and nothing else. Instead, she descended onto the bed and crawled on all fours till she was between Noah''s leg. The alluring action of watching a girl her age with two b.r.e.a.s.ts along the c-cup range hanging like ripe apples was enough to harden him to a half erection.


    Knelt before him, sitting with her legs in an M, Caina stared down at the hardening member and shakily reached for the box filled with a shiny, heavily detailed metal p.e.n.i.s and pulled it free from its red velvet cushioning. The box tossed to the side while she held the artificial manhood in both hands, it hardness, its coldness, all familiar to her hand and her body.


    ''Just, just get this done, then I don''t need to do this again,'' she reasoned and hitched a breath, letting it out in a single, trembling go before steeling herself and lowering herself onto her belly, legs splayed behind her, not noticing that in doing so her skirt had hiked and revealed her pert and plump rear end, the sight only further hardening him.


    She watched as it twitched and jerked, thickening and lengthening, the tip engorging and veins began to show and soon it grew a slight upwards tilt. Though most pressingly, as she gazed upon it her reddened face paled a shade, ''it''s-it''s big.'' She thought, already knowing that the ornate p.e.n.i.s in her hand wasn''t to match his size. ''This, this isn''t normal,'' her mind raced, she had seen p.e.n.i.ses before, plenty in fact. In all their various stages, she''d seen them on the new born, young boys, teens, and a.d.u.l.ts. All she''d had to deal with when mothers would come to her to be their midwife or figure out why they weren''t getting aroused or some other issue. But none of them had been like this, his was almost unnaturally large for the people of Morea.


    She had heard from other Ascleminian''s who''d gone off to the other continents and kingdoms that over on Icorius on Algen''s shores there were groups of men said to be descended from monsters who had terrifyingly large members. ''Is he from Icorius?'' she questioned herself, not asking him directly.


    She blinked away a confused mist and cleared her mind with a few slow breathing exercises she was taught to do whenever she was dealing with something particularly horrific and soon brought the silver metal phallus to besides Noah''s own. Her eyes dashing between lifeless metal and healthy pink meat. Analysing every inch, every vein, he thickness, length, every curl it held and even to a degree, the girth. To do so she reached her free hand out and wrapped her index and thumb around the fake p.e.n.i.s, her fingertips overlapping and moved onto Noah''s member. Her hand slowly drew closer and under the eyes she could feel scratching at the back of her face, she pinched her fingers around it, her tips just barely able to touch.


    She knew long before then that there was no need to inspect it anymore, the answer was quite clear. The design just wasn''t to Noah''s shape. But even then, even after finding that out her hand didn''t part from his c.o.c.k, she kept it there unmoving for but a breath as a faint haze overtook her eyes and she slowly drew her hands half a centimetre up, causing it to twitch a fury and for Noah to audibly swallow.


    The noise enough to awaken Caina from her daze and rip her hand away with such haste that she pulled his p.e.n.i.s with before releasing and letting it spring back and collide with his belly. Caina shot up to her knees and threw her head to the side, "That, I think that will be enough. It''s clear to me that this isn''t yours. The hand gripping the metal shaft tightening till her fingers turned white.


    "That''s good," was all he could say bringing his legs up and pressed them together. In doing so Caina found her heart tremble disappointedly at losing sight of his manhood. ''Stop that!'' she screeched internally, "let''s, let''s go to bed," she crawled herself off the bed, not seeing as Noah practically melded beneath the blanket and attempted to reach for his pants.


    He stopped as, as he was doing so, Caina pried off her body her tunic, and her skirt descended to bunching up around her feet leaving her rump and perfect skin of her back open for him to see and enjoy.


    Stripped down, she plucked her clothes from the floor and folded then, only turning to place them on the bench at the head of the bed. Allowing Noah to catch sight of the light brown fuzz around her crotch and the pinkish tone of her erected n.i.p.p.l.es. She skirted around the bed and pulled open the blanket to lower herself beneath it and atop the plush and conforming feathered cushion. Laying on her side with her back to Noah as she tugged the blanket tight over herself.


    "Turn the light out please," she spoke.


    Noah lingered on her back for a bit, there was nothing more he could do, nor say and he blew out the faint candlelight that had been bathing the two the entire time and also turned onto his side, pointing away from Caina. The troublesome hardness still there, still yearning to be touched.


    ''Nothing I can do about it now, just let it go away naturally, and sleep.'' He reasoned to himself, eyes shutting to let himself slowly, over the course of an hour of restlessness, fall asleep.


    Besides him, Caina was having a similar struggle to rest herself. Rarely blinking as she stared at the wall separating her from another room where she could faintly hear muffled whimpers and cries of a couple going about it. Between her legs an uncomfortable moistness that stuck her pubes to her body. ''I can''t believe I''m getting horny about¡­ that.''

 Chapter 40 - Lies

    Sleep, though it took Noah, did not bring him rest. His eyes had shut, darkness had come, and he hadn''t reawakened what felt like seconds later back in the room he was sharing with Caina. Instead his mind remained in limbo, confusion evident as he looked around the dark void surrounding him.


    "Well this is an exciting dream," he mumbled with crossed arms and a hint of dissatisfaction. "Could at least given me a tree or something." Like that, a forest sprouted from the earth around him, they began as sprouts that cut through the soil into saplings, devouring the abyssian soil as seconds past and they grew higher, thicker, more luscious until they towered over him like grand and regal giants. "Huh," was all he could exclaim as the next billow of creation blared across the void turning the darkened flooring green with grass and the odd multicoloured flower.


    He could feel it against his feet, the ill.u.s.triously soft caress of mildew laden grass that one would often find in the mornings after the night''s precipitation had settled. So too with the dew did a scent as sweet as sugar come, bringing him to gulping down a large saccharin breath.


    Then came a rumble as the earth rose beneath his feet into a small hill overlooking the forest where the earth cracked and a torrent of water crashed, carving out the smooth contours of a river and a lake not two hundred meters from him. Not moments later did the trees on the opposite side of the lake shatter, forming a curtain of woodch.i.p.s and leaves that soon dissipated to reveal the familiar golden acres of Liora''s farmland. Her large farmhouse just a speck in the distance but its form perfect, lacking the disrepair Noah had known it for.


    "I''ve heard dreams are supposed to have some prophetic vision, but what the hell is this telling me?" he scratched his head confusedly. It obviously had something to do with the farmstead, maybe even a lake and a forest but he wasn''t quite sure what he was to do with that information. ''Do I want me to save the farm?''


    Just then, the air swept with it petals and leaves, bringing them to dance amongst the heavens and he felt a presence behind him. Urgently spinning Noah''s vision blurred, shifting hue and colour turning the world faint shades of brown and white. He gasped, his head halted but he found himself not in his dream, but in the waking world, staring up at the ceiling, blinking furiously as he tried to comprehend just what had happened.


    He lifted himself up and sat upright, looking around the room. His hand descended to his only to feel something plush against his palm drawing him to look down at his side where Caina was lain. Her hair slightly dishevelled into the famed bedhead style while the blanket cladding her body had descended just far enough to reach right above her olive tonned belly leaving both her b.r.e.a.s.ts out to the air. Her pert pinkish n.i.p.p.l.es at the precipice stuck out with a ring of a darker hued a.r.e.o.l.ae around them. And now, one of them was in his grasp, the soft flesh squeezing out between his fingers as he lightly squished.


    "Mmm¡­" Caina mummed in her sleep, her lips wriggling as Noah felt her n.i.p.p.l.e slowly grow erect in his palm.


    ''Please don''t wake up,'' Noah paled, the many memories he''d had of anime leading him to fear the inherent possibility of Caina awakening and sending an earth shattering slap his way. Noah''s hand didn''t move even as he thought that, instead it only began to squeeze and release the bosom, revelling in the softness. He gulped, licked his lips and his fingers curled into a claw and slowly followed the curves of Caina''s b.r.e.a.s.t before curling away all fingers but his thumb and index that delicately pinched her n.i.p.p.l.e.


    "Fuahh¡­" her face scrunched, and her body shook. Eyes clamping until she grew crows feet next to her eyes, no sooner did her eyes begin to blearily open and Noah tugged his hand away.


    Caina rubbed at her eyes and lazily raised into a seated position, lips smacking to wet her lips parched from the nights sleep. Her body then tensed, shivering away the stiffness of rest. With a yawn she felt a small gust of wind rush against her body, caressing against her every inch and teasing her sensitive and erect n.i.p.p.l.es and shivered with a tingle of electricity running down her body as she too felt an odd but slowly fading squeezing sensation against her left b.r.e.a.s.t.


    Caina turned her head down to said b.r.e.a.s.t then slowly lifted her view onto Noah''s whose lip was twitching, seemingly scared of her. "Groping a woman as she''s sleeping¡­ Next time at least ask me before you do it," she groggily pulled away her blanket and brought her feet to the cold wooden floor boarding, arms extending above her head in a stretch before fully raising to wander around to the bench and collect her clothing to dress herself, going tunic first and tying all the laces to get it into a corset like fashion before lifting her skirt up, tying its own laces at the side to keep it from falling.


    Noah was thrown through a confused loop. ''She didn''t hit me? The f.u.c.k? Were all those anime''s lying?'' he was quick to realize that in a world of s.e.x, touching a boob probably meant little, ''yeah¡­ maybe it''s just not as criminal as it is back on earth,'' he bobbed his head and agreed with himself.


    The sun billowed in through the glassen panes of the windows leaving a faint godray over the body of the bed. Noah followed it to the window to just see the sun just passing by the horizon leaving just enough darkness across the room to not make him squint in agony.


    A low knocking sound came from the door followed by the muffled voice of Liora, "wake up you two. We should head to the stables now," from opposite it. No sooner did Caina lightly hobble her way there while pulling her shoes on and opened it up. Here stood with a soft smile was Liora in the same garb she''d worn yesterday but now dry after the full night it had to dehydrate. "Thank you," Liora said stepping into the room as Caina turned around with another yawn, simultaneously scratching somewhere beneath her skirt, lacking any form of feminine beauty.


    Bringing herself to the bench, Caina dropped into it and began to rub her face. Doing her utmost to bring upon the clarity of the waking world but all she was beholden was the memory of Noah''s lower half presented before her as clear as day. The sight forcibly sending a stark redness across her cheeks.


    Pushing deeper into the room, Liora''s gaze soon fell to Noah still n.a.k.e.d and covered only by the blanket, though the noticeable but diminishing bulge he was holding also took her attention as she too recalled her own encounter with his p.e.n.i.s those many moons ago. Also earning from her a flush.


    "So," she forced away her gaze from him and onto Caina, "did you do it?" she asked, not a shameless bone in her body for asking if they had boned.


    Caina gulped and began to speak, "I, I can confirm it wasn''t modelled after Noah''s p.e.n.i.s." She said, trailing off a bit at the end, "his is bigger¡­'' in a tone just barely audible to both of them.


    A jolt shifted Liora to an awkward look between Noah and Caina, "and the other part. Did you two have s.e.x?"


    ''Why is this such a casual sounding conversation!? And why aren''t you asking me!?'' he screeched in silence.


    Caina''s head shook, "n-no. I''d rather not lose my v.i.r.g.i.nity in a tavern."


    "I see," Liora trailed a bit, gaining a slight frown that swiftly converted back into a peppy smile, "well, worst comes to worst you can do it in the fields or wait till the beds get delivered."


    Had Noah the capability, he was likely to have taken a spit take, ''why immediately onto exhibitionism!?'' the question only birthing the image of Liora n.a.k.e.d, gallivanting across the fields while a faceless man followed behind, soon pushing them over and disappearing into the hay popping into his mind. ''Get your head out of the gutter man.


    Caina didn''t utter a single word of reaction so Liora soon turned her focus onto Noah seeing his bare chest, his form a lot better than when he''d first arrived at her door¡ªthough still not quite perfect¡ªhe was on the right track. "You should get dressed as well, Noah, the carriages won''t wait forever," she said.


    In turn Noah jolted, tracking between the two girls. Caina with her back to him while Liora was still staring at him with an innocent motherly expression that just conveyed ''go ahead, get dressed. I won''t stop you.''


    "Uhh, yeah. Just a moment," he stared languidly at his dress settled on the bench right besides Caina, either way, he''d have to open up the barrier hiding his modesty to grab it. ''F.u.c.k it, they don''t care, why should I,'' ultimately, he sighed, forsaking his old world manners and extruded himself from the bed. Slowly rising to his feet to make quick strides to his pants. Not before feeling Liora''s eyes wander over him for a breath and lingered on his lowerhalf, earning a faint flush from the middleaged woman.


    His hast quickened and he brought himself to the bench, practically ripping from it his clothes though the added addition of Caina casting his crotch a sidelong look between her fingers provided a surprising nervous tingle across his back.


    Not a minute later he was fully clothed, embarrassed, and striding his way out of the room following behind Liora and Caina while Caina carried the lighter basket and him the heavier one where his own garb and milk bottle were stored. Eventually finding their way to the stables after a quick meal and a goodbye to Haggar, something Noah was all the gladder to be saying.


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Alrighty, so little project to add to the Almanac and as potential chapter endings, I want to write a few exerpts from the Almanac describing several things in he MGR world. I''d like to know what things you''re curious about, types of occupations, kingdoms, continents, origins of monsters and the like. Toss out your suggestions. Though I can''t promise I''ll be able to do them all.

 Chapter 41 - Panic in Alder

    Come evening that day, the three had long since begun their carriage ride back to Alder, having hired a small two horse carriage only big enough for them to sit huddled together while the coachman sat up front with the reins. He guided them down the compacted dirt road for a few hours until the familiar birch and oak trees that formed the outer rungs of the Aldergreen thickened. They were drawing near, an no longer than thirty minutes of drowsy waiting, did they see the first stone and wooden cottage of the village. The many houses billowing smoke from their chimneys letting out a faint herbaceous scent of the inhabitants preparing their morning meals.


    "Aight, at''l be fifty buckles ladies," the coachman brought the horses to a halt and turned back to leacherously eye Liora and Caina. The man was hideous, at least from Noah''s viewpoint, he dressed in dirt like it was a fashion trend and he harboured a face that could make even the gods revolt in disgust.


    "Here you go," Liora quickly plucked from her satchel a pair of small half sized buckles and dropped them into the mans hand without letting her own touch him. Even she felt a repulsion to the slack jawed and dishevelled man, and she took Noah in when he was covered in grime like he''d decided to become a pig for a week.


    The man took the buckles and parted his mouth about to ask something the girls and Noah didn''t want to hear. He still uttered them, though by the time they were spoken the three had long since removed themselves from his carriage and carried off their baskets deeper into the village. Leaving the man staring sadly and desiringly at both girls rumps before gagging at the sight of Noah''s.


    ''F.u.c.k you too,'' Noah commented just faintly hearing said gag.


    As they walked their heads wandered around the village and something unusual became clear to them. The streets were empty, completely devoid of life, but the noise of people scrambling to their windows to slightly push open their shutters and gaze out at the three let them know people were still around.


    "Everyone seems¡­ scared." Liora commented.


    "Did something happen while we were gone?" Caina furthered, just as concerned for the unusual actions of the people.


    "Looks that way," Noah added his part and was quickly followed up by the noise of a crack coming from the banshee''s bellow as a man was thrown out of its tavernous confines. The brutish keep marching out with face red and veins bulging screeched at the man.


    "Don''t you dare come back here you hear me? Else I will make you''re life a damn pain!" As the keep bellowed his head tilted to the three passerbys, "oi Caina! I''d advise you three get out of the village and quick. Damn monsters taken Mora and Gracia!"


    Caina jostled to a pause, "what? How did that happen?" she questioned urgently.


    "Ain''t the faintest. They hadn''t been seen for a few days, so Gaul went to check on them and found the house in shambles."


    "Are you sure it''s a monster? they don??t come near the village, not normally."


    "Damn sure I am, Jilly saw the monster dragging Gracia off into the forest just last night." the keep clutched at his hip, gripping tight at a curved blade hanging there as his eyes scanned the village for anything out of the ordinary before returning to the leather clad man still hobbled drunkily on the floor, barely capable of lifting himself up. The man was beneath him.


    "Is there anything we can do to help?" asked Liora.


    The keep''s head shook, "fraid not, got a dozen mercs all prepping to sift the forest. And unless you''ve got yourself a good blade hand, we don''t need to risk a lady like you. But you on the other hand," the keep arched his gaze onto Noah with a solid analytical stare. Noah in turn trembled, feeling a fear much like Haggar gave him though less on the terms of wanting to ''do'' him and instead for his usage as cannon fodder. "We could do with some more decent eyes if your up to it. You''ll be paid in full for your time if that''ll get you up to the task."


    "Uhhh," Noah hadn''t the idea of how to respond to the sudden proclamation.


    "Of course he''d be happy to help," Liora reached for his back and pressed him forth with a gentle push. Not giving Noah the decency to answer himself.


    The keep''s lips curled back to reveal a set of neat pale yellow teeth. He stepped one foot forth and gripped Noah''s shoulder and quickly dragged him into the tavern leaving his basket and the girls behind.


    Caina blinked at the panicked Noah then turned to Liora who was casting him a short, almost amused wave. "Do you think he knows how to hold a sword?" she asked.


    "Oh good gods above no. I''m hoping he''ll get some help in that department."


    "Then why did you send him to help them out? Wouldn''t he just be risking his life if an actual monster appeared."


    "Yes, he would. But he''ll be fine, I just have that feeling."


    ***


    Tugged into the tavern, Noah''s senses were assaulted with a dark and serious aura as well as the faint everpresent scent of meat raising from the half-eaten shanks the many adventurers who huddled around the tables were devouring with fervor.


    All eyes turned to the keep and Noah who was quickly dragged to the front of the hall where a plate of food was slammed down before him. "Eat up quickly, we''re planning to start in but a few minutes. Listen as you eat." The keep''s voice was low as he said this. He stepped away and turned to face the dozen or so men with a sharpened eye.


    "Alright! As you all heard, Mora and Gracia, two beautiful lasses of the village have been taken by a monster. I haven''t a clue what it is, but whatever it is, is sneaky, we hadn''t a clue they were gone for days and they were taken without much noise, so when you all run out into the forest you best be keep on guard for whatever it is could lunge out of nothing."


    "What do we get in return?" one of the mercenaries, a thinly built man clad in a light set of dark armour and a mask covering his lower face asked.


    "Hundred buckles for finding the lair, five hundred to bringing them back safe and sound." the keep was quick to answer.


    The room went silent bar the confused munching of Noah until another mercenary a man dressed in a thick brown cuirass spoke up, "what if don''t find them alive?"


    "Then you better be bringing me that monster bastards head."


    "Any clue to where we should be looking," a short, almost dwarflike man spoe with a rumble so brutal the floor vibrated.


    "None. All we know is the monster ran into the western parts of the forest, apart from that I haven''t the faintest where it could have nestled."


    A harsh and irritated grumble echoed from the side, "you''re joking right? that''s what, like, five hundred kilos of unmapped land? It could be anywhere. What''s to say it ain''t already taken the girls to its lair and is brutally converting them." the man who spoke was a dark eyed and well-built man with short black hair and a scar over his right eye.


    The keep gripped his fingers tight around the counter and growled, "I don''t. But I can hope. And what does it matter? Either way you''re all being paid a good seventy five for each day you''re out. Now no more questions. We''re wasting daylight." he cast a look to Noah who was half way through his meal then to Caina and Liora who''d taken perch off against the wall besides the doorway. "Form up teams! I don''t want a single one of you going about it alone."


    "Eat up quick now and get yourself a partner, it dangerous to go it alone out there." The keep dug a hand beneath the counter, gripped taught leather and placed an arm length, leather sheathed blade besides Noah, "I saw you hadn''t a weapon, you can use this."


    Noah stared down at its brown leather shell with a blankened look. He''d never touched a sword that wasn''t made of foam and yet now he was presented one of metal. If that wasn''t a wake up call he wasn''t sure what was.


    As he stuffed a mouth full of meat into his mouth and chewed, he wiped his hands dry over his shirt like he''d seen done at the tavern in Redle and reached for the blade. He felt its weight that made his arm shake, it was even heavier than he had imagined, but not so much that it was unwieldy.


    "You got a partner yet, bud?"


    As Noah was pulling the sword from the sheath to see its shimmering and polished metal, a low voice echoed besides him, drawing him to see a golden haired and well featured man with sharpened eyes looking down at him. He wore a set of hybrid armour with leather making up the majority but metal taking the places of his essentials and in places where it wouldn''t affect his movement. From his waist hung a thin scabbard with a red wrapping. The handle that protruded from it wrapped in a bumpy black leather that would fix any issues with sliding and finally pommeled with a golden pummel. The man held a friendly smile to his chiseled and handsome features.


    "No, not yet at least." Noah responded with narrowed eyes.


    "Great, neither do I. Name''s Jaafa, knight extraordinaire." he held his hand glove clad hand out. Noah took it and with trepidation and shook, doubting that the boy man was much of a knight, even less of an extraordinaire.


    "Noah."


    Jaafa took a seat, "you look out of your depth, you know how to wield that?" Jaafa nodded to Noah''s sword.


    "Not a bit," Noah laid the blade down and sighed, "never held a sword in my life."


    "I know how that is, gods do I know," Jaffa chuckled and tipped back a waterskin into his mouth, dowsing his thirst. "Listen, I''ll toss you a few tips if you help me find the ladies alright?" he spoke in a whisper.


    Noah arched a brow, wasn''t that the whole point of this excursion? To find the girls? But this boy, Jaafa seemed to have an alternative motive.


    "Any reason you''re whispering?"


    Jaafa nodded quickly and leaned closer, "listen, those ladies, I was in the process of courting them and bringing them to my regal estate where I have everything they could ever want in life. This monster has stolen them from me and my wives and I want to get them back to bring them to the place they belong."


    In but one fell stroke, Noah''s vision went blank as he realized exactly what type of man this Jaafa was. ''why do I have to be stuck with the pervert?''

 Chapter 42 - The Search

    "A bit higher," Jaafa spoke and Noah followed his words and held the tip of his sword just a tad higher. Both hands clutching the handle lightly but not so light as to let it slip free. That having been the first thing Jaafa had taught Noah during their uneventful few hours of scouring this portion of forest.


    Noah ended up being lumped in with Jaafa as both had become the only to have no partner. No one going for him, he understood, who would want a scrawny man without any sword handling to his name after all? Jaafa, he understood even more, it was clear from the pitying looks he had gotten that Jaafa was known as an undesirable around these portions.


    And while Noah did agree with them¡ªthe many and unending chattering of the man about his want of a castle full of buxom women having been the things to force that agreement¡ªJaafa was at the least knowledgeable about blades. At least, from Noah''s perspective as someone who hadn''t the faintest about how to use a blade.


    Jaafa took his place opposite Noah and lifted his thin, rapier like sword up, one hand pressed behind him, and said, "come."


    The next second Noah charged, with both hands he lifted the sword and brought it down over the slant eyed Jaafa. His eyes bolted wide as he stared at Noah and lightly skirted to the side and out of the swords path, his own brought up to smack that flat against Noah''s ass sending him stumbling forth, his blade falling to the sides as he came to collapse on all fours. Aching in his rear end and feeling a pure and una.d.u.l.terated hate for the knight wannabe.


    "Could you stop hitting my ass!" screeched Noah patting at his repeatedly sored area in the hopes of cooling the agony.


    "Not until you figure out how to wield a sword like a knight and not a barbarian."


    "You''re the barbarian here! You''re the one hitting my ass like I''m a baby!"


    "Aren''t you? You are about as skilled as one after all."


    "F.u.c.k you." growled Noah, the vein on his throat at full bare for the hateful knight to find amus.e.m.e.nt at.


    "No, I''d prefer not. Perhaps if you were a beautiful mix and lacked a man''s c.o.c.k. Then maybe. Now get yourself up, we''ve done enough training for now. It is about time we returned to finding the ladies. I can feel we are getting closer, their scent is strong around here," Jaffa''s expression contorted to a sickening level of lechery as he sheathed his ornate rapier and spun to suckle on a deep breath of sweet foresty air.


    "I''m going to f.u.c.k.i.n.g stab this f.u.c.k.i.n.g sword into your f.u.c.k.i.n.g ass you f.u.c.k.i.n.g f.u.c.k." Noah though finding the boy skilled with the sword couldn''t help but want to end his life. Having no doubts that his rump was to soon turn blue and grow with a welt from just how many times he''d gotten a sword shaped spanking had developed in him a darkness he hadn''t thought he would ever have. A dark willingness to murder.


    He lifted himself from the ground, patted his pants of dirt and sheathed his sword at his waist and came to Jaafa''s side. Soon, Jaafa glanced to Noah and muttered, "did you hear that? it sounded like a gust of wind."


    Noah paused, cleared his ears and glanced around like a radar seeking a signal but found nothing but the silent noise of forestry between the two and the wilds of the Aldergreen. ]


    "I don''t-"


    "Shh," Jaafa shot a hand up and slammed a finger into Noah''s eye. Noah fell back, gripped his face and wept with tears of spite and hatred while Jaafa''s ears twitched and nose sucked in a sharp breath, absorbing every drop of scent coursing through the winds. "It''s coming from this way," without looking back at the hunched over Noah, Jaafa strode into the forest, skirting between trees and shrubbery with skill and quickness.


    "Asshole, f.u.c.k.i.n.g asshole, f.u.c.k.i.n.g going to f.u.c.k.i.n.g stab you with this f.u.c.k.i.n.g sword," with one eye sealed, Noah lumbered after Jaafa. His readiness to tear his sword free and stab ''the f.u.c.k.i.n.g f.u.c.ker'' till he ''f.u.c.k.i.n.g died'' becoming ever more present in his mind.


    ***


    "Would you slow down already!" Noah called out and was ignored by Jaafa who simply kept hopping over every bit of terrain on a bullheaded rush into the depths of the forest.


    "We''re getting near my dear friend. I can smell beautiful Gracia on the wind, she is close!" Jaafa smiled like a lunatic and launched himself into a rocky clearing just before a cliff. In its side a crack large enough for a man to push themselves in and into a cave like area.


    Stumbling through the foliage, Noah came to a pause just besides Jaafa, "a cave?" he uttered.


    "Indeed," Jaafa claimed his sword from its sheath and held it at the ready, "take your blade and prepare yourself. Whatever monster has claimed the ladies is sure to be near now." As had become the usual, without waiting a breath, Jaafa pushed ahead and entered the dark expanse of the cave while Noah was left twitching at the eye.


    "It''s official, I hate this man. I really hate this man. I''ve never hated anyone as much as I hate this man now. F.u.c.k." Noah took his sword with head shaking and fell into a short jog to chase after him into the cavern. Though pausing at the entrance as he felt a shiver course along his spine that he was being watched.


    His head rocketed around and scanned the faint clearing with cautious eyes but found nothing but a gust of wind creasing the leaves into a oceanic song. "Ohhh, I know this feeling, ohhh, I better not get r.a.p.ed again." his patience with the man was already at the point of breaking, dealing with another monster wanting his ''milk'' was just to be irritating if anything.


    Noah spun and with cautious stepps rushed after Jaafa, hoping to sacrifice the bastard to the monster should it decided those girls weren''t enough for its urges. It took no longer than a minutes of pushing through the near dark and jagged tunnel before Noah found a light shimmering in at the end of it, "light at the end of the tunnel? perfect, I''m going to heaven. Let me guess, heaven as in orgasmic bliss?" his complaints echoed against the walls but were quick to fade away the deeper they ran.


    The light had come in from a cracked hole in the ceiling of a large and hollow expanse of a cavern and bathed one end in light, framing the form of a woman with her head buried into her knees. Jaafa stood just on the precipice of the light stared down at the woman with narrowed eyes.


    "Gracia?" he murmured as Noah drew near and the girls appearance became clear.


    Her hair was a faint shade of white, more ashen in hue with skin a pallor of death added with faint black squirming veins. She was n.a.k.e.d as far as Noah could see with her abundant h.i.p.s on view. As her head tilted up, her eyes shone with a pure, all encompassing whiteness, lacking all pupils or form of iris. Noah recalled her face and its soft proportions, though faintly, he recalled her as being the one to guide him to Caina all those days ago. Though he had never gotten her name before now and was able to put it to her face.


    Fear filled Gracia''s hollow white eyes as she jumped to her feet and pressed tight against the wall, now revealing her faintly ashen n.i.p.p.l.es and the white frizz of her nethers. "No! G-go away! I-I don''t want to die!" she cried out in fear at seeing the two born swords.


    Jaafa''s face went blank. He knew what her appearance meant, the fact she lacked her former human beauty of brilliant olive skin, and brown hair. She''d been corrupted by the monster, and now. Now she was nothing more than a monster herself.


    "Oh Gracia," Mourned Jaffa, his blade gripped tighted. "I''m sorry this had to happen to you. Come, let us end this before you lose your mind as well as your body." he took one step forth and Gracia pressed even tighter against the wall in panic.


    "N-no! Please no! I won''t do anything please just-just don''t kill me!"


    Jaafa shook his head, "no sweet Gracia. You know what happens to the corrupted. You become nothing but a monster yourself. You do not want that."


    Gracia dropped to her knees as Jaafa loomed over her with a merciless glimmer to his eye.


    "hey, calm down." Noah made quick to his side, his sword sheathed. "We can get her help, no need to kill her." he may not understand this world, but he knew murder was not something he wished to see. Not to a woman like her.


    Jaafa pulled his arm out of Noah''s grip and scowled, a dark look overtaking his expression. "She has become corrupted. There is nothing more we can do but offer her the release of death so that she may still enter into the crook back road before she loses herself."


    "Stop!" Noah now jumped before them, blocking Gracia from Jaafa''s blade. "Can''t you see she doesn''t want to die? So stop this!"


    Jaafa only narrowed his eyes and said, "move, or I will be forced to move you myself."


    Grounding his teeth, Noah knew he couldn''t challenge Jaafa. Still, he couldn''t let murder go about before him. No matter this worlds sickening customs. Behind him, Gracia stared wide eyed at Noah''s back. It was weird, no human should be protecting her, not a corrupted, a person who''s humanity was forsaken to become one with the leagues of monsters. It was wrong, yet it made her heart palpitate in hope that not all humanity was to hate her for what she''d been forced to become.


    Just then, a whisper spoke in the wind and a gust wind a mist had taken hold over the innards of the cavern. "You humans truly have not changed in millenia." A shadow appeared hovering behind Jaafa, a small form that brought its hands to either side of Jaafa''s head where many small and silhouetted tendrils extruded from its palm and burrowed into his ears without him capable of retaliating.


    Jaafa''s eyes rolled into the back of his skull, his sword dropped as convulsions took his body. His pants having tightened from a forced erection and were quickly soiled as whatever had been done to him forced him into climax. The figure pulled back its tendrils and Jaafa fell to the earth in a puddle of white while echoing in the mist was a faint feminine panting of over exertion.


    Noah gulped and reached for his blade but kept a hand out to separate the figure from Gracia. "And you, A shimmer of two yellow orbs appeared in the mist as without Jaafa the silhouette became clear. It was a young girl, petite in stature with long flowing tendrils falling from beaneath the large bulbous hat she wore. Her hair, he guessed. "you are strange. the blurry form drew closer but the mist never dissipated, only growing thicker to conceal her form, "not many humans would protect a thrall." she spoke while trying her best to hide her panted breaths.


    "I don''t know who or what you are, but I can''t let you take her," not that he could stop her.


    The girls form flickered leaving a void behind that was quickly refilled with mist. Noah was left confused and spun his head around only to be drawn to the sky when he heard the monsters voice.


    "You can''t stop me." wrapped in her tendrils, Gracia was held, her legs pulled apart with one squirming between them, stroking her crotch and others wrapping tightly around each her b.r.e.a.s.ts. The slimy feeling enough to make her squirm and whine.


    Noah spun to face the wall but indeed found no Gracia there, "wait!" he screamed but was too late as by the time he looked back up they were gone.


    "Shit." he groaned stroking a hand through his hair. The mist faded away, expelled through the crevice in the ceiling as if to follow the monster. Noah''s shaking head turned down to Jaafa, the boy twitching like in seizures, his eyes rolled into his skull as his pants were coloured a vile shade of white.


    "I''m not touching him."


    ***


    ****


    Starting on the 21st, I''ll be taking a break from posting on WN. Just to give myself a break from writing and to just enjoy christmas for a bit. Note, that does not mean I won''t be posting on Patreoon. In all honesty I''ll likely still be writing but I''ll be posting onto patreoon exclusively till sometime in the first week of january which will also let me work on both the backlogs for TCB and MGR (And to just fill up the patreoon tiers to the point I want them to be.. Who knows, maybe by then I''ll have figured out how to write multiple chapters a day and updates for both series will jump up a little.


    Likely restart Posts here on the 4th.


    Yes. I know chapter releases here are slow. If I can get to the point where I''ve filled up the Patroon to a decent degree (aka all tiers are full to the displayed number +10 I''ll probably release when I finish a chapter after that.)

 Chapter 43 - Blame

    "What now?! We''ve got a demon in the woods!" one of the villagers screamed, a woman, lanky with light blonde hair. Her face filled with fear at learning of Parc and Jaafa''s encounter with Gracia and the monsterized Mora. The description Noah had given the bartender having caused the man to realize the girl had become something known as a thrall, a slave to a demon. Whatever Mora had become though, they didn''t know, and Noah wasn''t about to pull out his almanac in such a public place.


    To say he was getting a little nervous about what had been written about keeping it hidden was an understatement.


    "I don''t know," the bar man clacked his teeth and cast a heavy look unto Noah. "You''re certain those were Gracia and Mora?"


    "I think so. I only met Gracia once, I think. She told me about where I could find Caina and that was days ago. But I never met Mora before. You''re better off asking Jaafa when he gets up." Noah responded, arching a look to Caina who was helping patch up a few of the returning mercenaries and Liora who was sat by his side, giving him a quick nod and a smile.


    The boy having woken up not twenty minutes after his unfortunate soiling. He hobbled his way behind Noah with his thighs clamped together and drooling like he''d found a new fetish. It was honestly a disgusting look for the boy, matted hair, dripping pants that would disgustingly squelch with every movement he made. Noah vowed he''d never meet the boy again, at least he hoped he wouldn''t.


    "Right," the tender of bars sighed and scratched his head helplessly before glancing to the crowd of addled villagers chattering away their fears.


    "We need to find them!" Another screamed slamming her fist onto one of the tables and rose up rage in her eyes, "we can''t let a demon stay alive, it''ll take our children! It will kill us all!" she argued earning a raucous of affirmations from the crowd.


    Noah frowned, ''how can they be so cruel? Even if their monsters now their still Mora and Gracia aren''t they?'' deciding to voice his opinion as the bartender calmed the crowd. "Is that necessary? I mean, not looking at Mora but Gracia, she was terrified of dying. We can''t just execute them."


    The eyes all came to look onto him and a lump swiftly grew in proportion as they glared at him. Some even falling onto Liora by his side with recognition.


    "Isn''t she that Rostrea?" one of the uttered.


    "The curse," another exclaimed.


    "Did it come from the farm?"


    Noah paused as he heard the voices echoing around him. A trickling of fear filling him as he looked to Liora who was just as confused as him.


    "All right! Enough, enough!" called the barman regaining control of the situation. "Listen here boy, monsters, demons, they don''t get a second chance. Once someone is turned into one, they hunger for human flesh. They want what they lack. Your ideology, while kind and perfect for humans, doesn''t work with monsters. If we let it go free, it will return. It will take someone. And they will feed it. Making yet another one. So as much as it sickens me to say this, but we do indeed need to find them and stop them before this village is doomed." His call rose applauds and cheers from the villagers while in the eyes of the mercenaries a dangerous glint appeared


    "And that is where a problem comes into play," he sighed while Noah looked around only to see hostile glowers sent his way, but not to him, but onto Liora who just as well began to tremble as she felt their eyes boring into her body.


    ''They can''t seriously blame her, can they?''


    "We don''t have the means to deal with a demon. Not one like this. You mercs are all fine and dandy but when push comes to shove your just a bunch of disorganized freelancers. No offence," most shrugged, not taking any, "I think we should contact the capital. Have them send in some soldiers to clear it out properly."


    "How, with the war going on they won''t have any to waste," someone spoke.


    "I don''t know, but we have to try. They can''t have left the kingdom unguarded. There must be a few soldiers they can send to us."


    "It''s worth a try, but what if they can''t?"


    "Then I say we either hunker down and prepare for a war our own, or we get out of here as soon as possible."


    In near an instant, screeches bellowed as the namesake of the tavern. "You are joking! I was born here! My daughter was born here! We''ll lose everything!"


    "That''s¡­ I''m sorry, but would you rather lose your daughter to the demon? Would you rather she become a thrall herself? Or god forbid you become one yourself?" that silenced the woman with a hiss of intaken air. "I''m sorry, I know this is a terrible choice but if there''s nothing we can do we''ll have no choice. Not until the forests are free of this scourge." The tavern went still and a dark aura billowed through its walls, "listen. We''ve had enough for the night. Why don''t you all return to your homes, lock your doors, seal your windows, clamp the chimneys, and clutch your children to your chests and get a good nights rest. We''ll meet again in the morning with clear minds."


    "No! Damn you! How can you tell us to just go to bed when a blasted demon is tormenting us all because of her!" A black haired, raven eyes woman spun and threw her hand out towards Liora.


    "What? I didn''t do any-"


    "You gave birth to a woman!" she screeched, her voice raking the crowd into storm. "We all know the legend! That the Rostrea''s made a pact with a demon, that they would sacrifice their men to feed it and now there''s no man left after Harv died! Because she couldn''t bare a boy now we are doomed.


    "Wait-wait-wait, you can''t be serious. Just because a demon appears doesn''t mean it has anything to do with Liora, for all you know it could have come from across the mountain range," argued Noah.


    "Shut your mouth outsider!" The same woman gripped a tankard and threw it, sending it arching through the air and towards Noah. He stood stock still as he stared down the flying pewter piece of metal with uncomprehending eyes. His reactions much too slow to avoid it before it clattered against his head and sent him reeling.


    "Noah!" Liora burst from her seat and dropped to herknees besides him as he clasped his head coated in red. "Oh god you''re bleeding." she spun around to Caina who was already shoving through the crowd towards them but was finding it difficult due to the sheer amount of people stuffed into the building.


    "Burn her! Give her as a sacrifice to appease the demon! She''s to blame for this after all! If only she''d born a boy!"


    The crowd roared, the woman cried out with fearing, determined eyes.


    Through reddened vision, Noah grit his teeth and clasped his head, "Liora we need to go now." he said as his vision swam between the aggravated villagers, noting how plenty of them were grasping knives and tankards like bats and swords.


    "What? But your head-"


    "Liora, we don''t have the time, get up and run." She wished to say something but as she looked around, she finally let the crowds hatred touch her, it brought a glisten to her skin and a gulp to her throat. Shakily, she rose to her feet and in no time, Noah was gripping her upper arm and dragged her out of the tavern and into the darkness encompassed village.


    "They''re running, stop them!" he faintly heard a voice and turned to see another tankard flying towards them, its contents spilling out across the dirt pathing. In a split second he glanced down and met Caina''s eyes as she too pushed through the crowds and began to chase after them with a mortified expression that they could be this na?ve.


    "Demon! It''s here! Run!"


    Then, out of nowhere, a familiar voice filled the air that silenced the crowd. They bolted apart, screaming for their lives not caring to check and see if the demon was actually there. They ran for cover, they ran for home. And so too did Liora, Caina and Noah, not stopping for even a second.


    Bursting through the outer fencing of the village, Noah took but a single glance around to see who their unlikely saviour was. Jaafa, stood there in a new pair of pants with a soft but cold look to his eyes gave Noah a single curt nod. Returning it, Noah saw him turn and renter the tavern before focusing on the full-on sprint to safety.


    ***


    ***


    Yellow, people, last chapter before I go on break till the 4th of january 2021. Hopefully the world won''t implode.


    I''ll be trying to get out a christmas special type of thing. It will be non-canon and I''ll hopefully get that done pretty soon and ready for the 25th.

 Chapter 44 - Peoples Falsities

    Noah was the first to be left panting like a dog barely a minute after the all-out sprint away from the village. Their stride slowed, came to a still and as he gripped his aching side, he turned his head down the path they''d just escaped down. The faint flicker of fire still visible but no villagers chasing after them.


    One of his eyes was flickered shut to stop the small tide of blood he''d been trailing from blinding him. "Noah your head," in the calm that had taken their panting forms, Liora had been drawn to his forehead where a gash was dripping his life out drop by drop. "Caina can you-" she turned to the healer and asked but was stopped by Noah speaking up.


    "No, she can do her magic back at the farm. I don''t want to be out here. Not at night." He said as he wiped clear his eye leaving a stain of red across his cheek.


    Liora looked about ready to retort but kept still, her head hanging as she began to blame herself for what happened to him. It wasn''t supposed to happen, how was she to know they would blame her for the monster? For her not having a boy?


    "At least let me cover the wound," Caina huffed and dug through her satchel, quickly pulling out a bundle of white cloth rags and waggled them about as if presenting them to him.


    Noah glanced around, peering into the depths of the abyss bathed forests, searching between the trees for the signs of any monsters scurrying about ready to lunge and drag them off into its den for nefarious deeds. "Fine," he licked his lip and lowered himself onto one knee and allowed Caina to quickly wrap the rags around his forehead, quelling the surge of blood that had been escaping him.


    As Caina tightened and knotted the rags, Noah turned a sidelong eye towards Liora to see her head hung and hand gripping into her scarred arm turning her fingers a pale tonation of white. Her nails just millimetres away from tearing through the still healing gash being held together by leather strappings and metal buckles.


    "Liora, stop that," when Caina was finished he rose upright and scurried to her side, grabbed her hand, and pulled it away. She jerked almost instinctively away from him but her didn''t relent and forced her to meet his eyes. "Don''t blame yourself. They''re scared and looking for anything they can latch onto to reason for their hardsh.i.p.s. You can''t blame yourself for their hysteria."


    "But what if its true? What¡­ what if it really is my fault? What if because I didn''t have a boy everyone is now being punished-" she was growing increasingly erratic, her breath hastening on the verge of a panic attack.


    "No, Liora. Just no. Correlation does not imply causation. Just because the events seem connected does not mean they are. They are na?ve, presumptuous. There''s no logic behind their actions, only panic. So don''t you dare blame yourself."


    "But-"


    "Don''t." His voice halted her to a squeaking stop, leaving little room for her to retort and argue. "Let''s just get back to the ranch okay?" he lowered his volume, gazed into her watery brick red eyes with a soft smile on his face.


    Her lip trembled then stilled, her head falling into a light bob though words seemed to be lacking.


    Turning back to Caina she also cast him a nod, agreeing that they should leave the dangers of the forest behind before something less than safe for their humanity appeared. And soon the three began a quick, but not so quick that they ran out of breath, walk back to the ranch.


    ***


    The journey back to the ranch had been thankfully silent, no sight of any nocturnal species of monster, not even a rustle of some birds in the trees fell upon their ears.


    The fields were an entirely different thing at night. Whereas in the morning they were this regal pasture of golden stalks, at night the clashed with a soft sea like song as the wind dragged them against each other. In the distance, Serris'' tree stood as a towering but lonesome pillar high above them all.


    ''I can deal with her later,'' it was nearing the end of the week when Serris had asked him to answer her request of becoming her fruit bearer. He''d have to figure that out and soon. Before then he had to deal with Liora first.


    A slosh of water not far away drew his attention to Caina who was washing her bloodied hands in the sink after removing his bandage and patched him up with a few ointments that halted the bleeding and helped accelerate the healing process. Nothing like the ignis balm she''d used to patch Liora''s arm up. He at least wouldn''t have to worry about any of the side effects Liora was dealing with.


    "Thanks," he said. "For not going along with those asshats in the village."


    Caina simply huffed and responded, "unlike them, I''m not an idiot. I at least know that demons wouldn''t attack a village first. They''d go for the ones who broke their deal."


    ''Charmingly put,'' Noah rolled his eyes and sighed as he came to seated himself by the dinning room table and wiped down his face. The faint wetness from the water he''d used to wash away the blood was still there are draining him of warmth. "Why do people have to be so antsy all the time?" back on his homeworld, people would get up in arms because planes left trails of condensation in their wake or when told there''s dihydrogen monoxide in their water.


    He knew it all came from a place of naivete, of lacking understanding in things. They didn''t know of demons, they didn''t know the dihydrogen monoxide was just waters chemical name and still they made mountains of molehills.


    "Caina," he spoke with a whining tone catching her attention, "do you think they''ll come here? hunt us down?" the prospect was fearsome, he knew how witches were treated in his world, crushed, hung, dipped in a lake and frozen to death. He couldn''t imagine that happening here, he didn''t want to imagine people hunting Liora down because of a misunderstanding.


    Caina''s hands halted in the water dyed red in the sink and frowned. "I¡­ wouldn''t put it against them. But do I think they will? No. They''re all too piss scared of the demon to risk leaving the village. I doubt even the mercenaries will try anything. They''re in this forest for their own gain, dealing with a demon is likely far more dangerous than anything they could be rewarded with."


    "That''s good to know," he just hoped it was correct.


    As silence took the two, he lifted his head and looked to the hall leading upstairs where Liora had climber up to move towards her bedroom after a bit of prodding by Noah. A nervous tick in his heart urged him to raise up from his seat and begin striding after her, "I''m going to make sure Liora''s all right then I''m going to bed."


    "Mmm, good night," Caina murmured, her voice left behind as Noah hastened up the stairs and power walked to Liora''s room. His knuckles coming to hastily rap against the wood with a ''ratta-tat-tat.''


    "Liora, you okay? Can I come in?" he asked pressing his ear closer to the door in the efforts of hearing something.


    "C-come in," a sniffling whimper came muffled through the door.


    He clutched the handle, twisted it and pushed the door inwards to see Liora sat on the edge of her bed fiddling with her night gown, fiddling with its strings in an effort to tie it tight but failing from how shaky her hands were. Her eyes bloodshot and tears having stained both her cheeks and her lap a shade darker.


    He paused, mouth half open as he found himself entranced by her full proportions barely hidden by the near sheer gown she was wearing. It was far from ornate, instead being a simple long sleeved gow that ran down to her ankles and wrapped comfortably around her body. At the b.r.e.a.s.ts, a window like structure that gazed over curvaceous crevice where her bosom was pressed together. Peaking just barely through at the precipice of each b.r.e.a.s.t were her n.i.p.p.l.es and her large a.r.e.o.l.ae that were just a shade darker. Further down, her crotch was covered by a taunting darkness.


    Noah shook himself sane and halted the twinge of arousal he was feeling and stepped towards the misty eyed woman who was growing increasingly frustrated that she couldn''t feel a loop through another loop.


    Lowering onto one knee before her, he reached out, laid his hands over hers and gently pried the strings from her fingers and nimbly went about tying them together. Her hands fell onto her lap, her eyes stroked to the red scabbed cut on his head. She lifted a hand, brought it to his head and pulled back his hair to see the full extent of the wound.


    It wasn''t large, not by any means, but it was still there and all because the people blamed her for something she couldn''t control.


    "No need, it''s just a small cut. I''ve had worse." he took her hand from his head and lowered it down, gently stroking the back of her hands in as calming a manner he could. "One time I was playing in the fields near my grandpas house and tried getting through an old fence. It had this rusted nail sticking out and I just cut a line straight through my thigh and down to my knee. I was bleeding like a fountain," he chuckled, head shaking at the olden memory of another world.


    "Still¡­" she sniffled, "if¡­ if I''d given birth to a boy maybe that wouldn''t have happened."


    "Liora. That''s a what if. So, what if you gave birth to a boy? Then what? When the demon came around wouldn''t you still be blamed? I mean, there''s rumours that your husbands family made deals with demons. They''d find someway to blame you either way. That''s just what humans are. They don''t care about logic, they don''t care about fact. If they see something and they think of another, they''ll connect them by the thinnest granule of falsities they can just to reason and comprehend it."


    Liora''s lips parted, eyes widened, she couldn''t find the words to respond as she stared into his vibrant, caring eyes. Her heart flickered a beat faster as she began to realize his chiselled features and heart achingly soft smile that drew her cheeks to a faint reddish flush.


    She sniffled once more and went to wipe her nose of her snivelling feeling just a bit calmer than before. "What did I do to deserve you?" she questioned.


    His head shook in response, his smile widening. "Nothing Liora. You did nothing to deserve me. And that''s exactly why you do." he laid his hands against her knees and lifted himself up with a creak to his knees. "Come on, lie down, you should get some rest." his voice now a whisper as he pressed his hands against her shoulders, guiding her down onto the bed. Her legs kicking up as he pulled her blanket over her and tucked her in.


    "Don''t let peoples rhetoric hurt you Liora. They don''t know anything. Now, good night." after sweeping a fringe of hair over her ear, Noah turned around and made light steps to the door, pausing in it to cast her another over the shoulders look before shutting it behind himself.


    In just a second of his parting, Liora clasped her hands against her chest feeling her heart beating like a marching army with the sound of banging wardrums so loud she could almost hear it reverberating through the room.


    <div class="SnapLinksContainer" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; display: none;"><div class="SL_SelectionRect"><div class="SL_SelectionLabel"></div></div><svg class="SnapLinksHighlighter" xmlns="w3.org/2000/svg">


    <rect width="0" height="0"></rect> <!-- Used for easily cloning the properly namespaced rect -->


    </svg></div>

 Chapter 45 - Goddess in the Head

    A familiar scene grew before Noah, a field of gold with the farmstead but a speck in the distance, perfect, undamaged. An echo of its once l.u.s.tre many years in the past, likely back to when it was first built. Once again, he stood atop a hill, a place where he recalled Serris'' tree to be yet she wasn''t here, nor there, or anywhere in fact. Not by the lack separating him from the farmstead and certainly not in the grand forest surrounding him. He would have noticed her many pinkish leaves glistening in them were she actually there.


    "This again?" he mumbled scratching at his head as yet again, petals and leaves were churned into the sky by a gust of wind.


    "Do tell me, are you going to suddenly awake again, or may we converse now?" as the debris twisted around him, a voice one sweet and soft and certainly womanly called from behind him. He spun around and was taken aback by who stood before him. The woman was tall, much more than himself or anyone he had seen these passing days. Her hair shimmered an ethereal light that made it resemble the golden pastures of wheat around. a few freckles dotted her cheeks, and her feminine aspect were modest and wrapped in a luxurious creamy sundress that connected with the earth, taking on a slight gradient of green as the grass wrapped around it, hiding her feet.


    She stared down at him with a calm smile as he found his entire being trembling at her sight, like an ant staring up at a lion he felt the urge to bow his head but something told him that doing such would only be an offense to her majesty. He gulped as she tilted her head and bounced ever so slightly causing her bosom to lightly ripple within its barely opaque fabric.


    In turn, her brow lifted to amus.e.m.e.nt and she giggled into her hand, "You humans have always been so meagre before us gods. It''s actually quite frustrating really, all I want to do is speak with you humans and suddenly your start grovelling. Artemia would be utterly ecstatic about that. So, if possible, do reign in your urges to bow. I''m a mere farming deity. Nothing special."


    He was pretty sure a deity was special no matter what. "So, you''re a god then?" his words coming out slow and broken as he processed the woman''s gravitational force attempting to drag him in and rip away his free will.


    "Indeed, specifically about agricultural endeavours. Farming, the harvest, breeding, fertility and to some, motherhood. Though in recent years the later have been forgotten as I have been deemed one of Artemia''s cohorts. Strange honestly, I side myself more with Typhania. No, actually I would say I''m more centralized within the spectrum of deities. I do prefer not to take sides as that has little to do with my domains." she spoke with her hands clasped over her lap, her expression never faltering from the red lipped smile of allure she was sending his way.


    "That''s¡­ cool?" he hadn''t the faintest of what to say, not to a god at the least. Then came a thought, a reason to his being on Minas, "were¡­ you the one to bring me here? To this world I mean."


    "Hmm? Oh no, as I mentioned. I''m a deity with an agricultural focus, bringing souls from another world is mothers strength. Neither I nor any of the other deities have such power. I merely bought your soul during the last auction."


    With a splitting of a second, Noah''s mind ground to a halt and he repeated, "auction?"


    "I haven''t attended many in the past, too much farming going on to give myself a break. Not to mention the constant flow of offerings being sent my way that I have to sort through on a millennial basis."


    "Wait no, you bought me?"


    "Indeed. you were actually quite cheap all things considered. Only a few hundred years'' worth of offerings. Nothing too exorbitant."


    Noah faltered, to think, his time on Minas was because he was bought during an auction and cheaply for that matter. ''Way to ruin my self-confidence.''


    "What do you mean all things considered?" he asked.


    "Oh, your soul is, or was, quite malleable, easily mouldable to receive a decent portion of a deities blessing. In all reality I should have spent a good few millenias worth. But apparently the others were all late to the party leaving only me and a few others. I was the only one who could afford to purchase a soul such as yours. Though, I did have to toss out a bit more to have Typhania assist me in granting you a body. That was also quite cheap actually, simply allow her to grant unto you her blessing alongside my own. Ah, now that I think about it, I should hasten our conversation a bit. Our time is limited after all."


    "Originally, I had been intending on meeting you earlier but the harvest festivals in Zesune had proven to be quite extravagant this year, so I have been away from Morea for the past few hours. I had attempted to contact you just a few minutes ago but you had suddenly awoken. That was quite rude you know."


    "Sorry?" was all he could say in response to the talkative goddess.


    "No need, it was my fault for attempting to contact you a few milliseconds before you awoke. Luckily though I have now contacted you a decent bit earlier, a few human hours if I do say so myself. Though I may be off, I do not often bring humans into my domain and when I do, its usually because I''m bored and a decent bit horny."


    Noah shivered, did he just get summoned by a goddess to sate her l.u.s.t? ''I mean, I''m honoured, but please no.''


    "Anyways, I suppose I should get onto why I have purchased you. I was hoping you could assist little Liora. Her husband was utterly ashamed to leave her like that. That and the fact abandoning Zoi would be a cruel thing to do. So, I was hoping you could act as a bit of a replacement to Harv. Tend to the farm, care for Liora, potentially raise yourself a new generation of children to take over after your passing." she went silent, something Noah was sure wasn''t a common event for the goddess.


    "So you bought me, to be a farmer?"


    "Indeed."


    "As well as to be Liora''s caretaker?"


    "Indeed."


    ''Does she only say indeed?''


    "Indeed."


    He paused, glanced to her honey eyes and smirking lips, "I really should have expected a goddess to be able to read minds¡­"


    "Indeed." she winked.


    Sighing out exhaustedly, Noah scratched his head and pondered over everything. After the last few days he had in this world, he was far from being surprised by much. "You know Harv?" he questioned her, "was he also reincarnated?"


    "No, he was born on Minas. Quite a lovely boy, the Rostrea''s have always been one of my favourite families though it saddens me to see their blood dissipating so rapidly. Had I the means I likely would have assisted young Liora in baring a more loyal child. Though considering her infertility that has proven to be a challenge."


    Noah''s mind jostled and the world went still. His eyes widening on the goddess before him. "She''s what? What do you mean infertile. She''s had a child before, a daughter." he argued, his voice raising to meet his shock.


    "Indeed, I am aware of young Eleonora''s existence. But, much like her mother before her, young Liora suffers a saddening malediction that rends away the bodies ability to bare another after the first."


    "Isn''t that cruel. How can that be. Were they cursed?"


    She shook her head, shoulders rolling into a shrug, "I am unaware. I have not observed the Ginsberg''s prior to young Liora''s engagement to Harv. But were I to make an assumption, I would indeed presume it a curse. From whom or whence I cannot right say. Nor do I have any business in saying so."


    "How can you say that!? Can''t you fix it, you''re a god aren''t you!?"


    Her head shook, "you make a mistake Noah. While indeed, I am a deity. I am deity of agricultural endeavours I do not have control over curses nor of maladies. Even had I such a strength, my business is not to fix every malpractice of the world. I tend to farms, I protect them as I can and grant them my blessing when I will. I do not meddle in human endeavours."


    "But you bought me. You''re already meddling with my existence."


    "Perhaps. But that is something else entirely. You are a soul from another world. You cannot exist without my being there to act as your matron. Should I abandon you, you will simply fizzle away into nonexistence and your soul will flicker away. Hence, I have no want of doing such a cruel thing. I would much rather see you exist long into the future of the world. I will make you a promise to never abandon you if that will make you more comfortable."


    Noah''s breath trembled, to think his life hinged on a gods want was terrifying. "Can I trust you?"


    "Young Noah. I am a deity. I see no reason behind the human action of ''lying'' nor do I see the point in betraying you, I would not have purchased you had I such intentions. Perhaps if Lyre had purchased you such would be an issue you would face, but not with me."


    Feeling the world twist around him, the fabric of trees and reality whittled away into a blurry mess.


    "It seems our time is up. Young Noah, I will likely contact you some time in the future, whence I do not know. Until then, I will cast you a suggestion. Should you wish to save Liora and the land, I advise you to seek the wealth of the monsters. You have plenty on your doorstep after all." Her figure began to blend with the void and a strange tiredness was tempting to steal his mind.


    And then, nothing, his consciousness faded into the nothingness of the world and for once, he felt his tiredness abate.

 Chapter 46 - Blanketed

    Warmth met Noah as his eyes languidly flickered open. The mist of sleep gradually fading in light tear like stains he was quick to wipe away. As he let out a tired yawn and stretched his arms over his head, colours cleared up, becoming more vibrant, livelier until he noticed a disparity. Something was there that wasn''t there when he went to bed.


    Wrapping around him was a light blanket, its fluff nurturing his warmth as he lay against the wall right besides Liora''s room. Having sat himself there for worry that she may do something dangerous. He had no doubts the idea was squirming somewhere inside her, whether she knew that herself or not, that he didn''t know. Pinching the blanket, a smile grew to his face and he thought back to that strange dream he''d just had.


    "The wealth of monsters¡­" he murmured. He had an idea what she meant, he''d after all read a short descriptor of an occupation that dealt with this ''wealth'' of monsters not a day earlier. "Ranching is it¡­ or did she mean breeding?" both seemed possible though the ''breeding'' idea still was a strange thought to him. "Wonder if the books have anything more about those¡­" as he said that, an ungodly shiver assailed his spine as he recalled something important, "we¡­ didn''t bring the baskets¡­ oh f.u.c.k I''ve had it for a day and I''ve already lost it."


    With a groan, Noah forced himself to his feet, collecting the woollen blanket by folding it in half, then half again and let it hang over his arm. Moving before Liora''s door he brought his hand up, ready to rap against the wood but hesitated as he didn''t want to wake her if she was still sleeping. Then again, he was worried about her and that worry trumped the guilt he''d be feel if he woke her up a bit early.


    Knocking thrice, he stilled for a breath or four awaiting a response yet heard nothing. "Liora?" he questioned with a voice just barely loud enough to reverberate through the wood. knocking again though slightly harder a thought came to him, ''maybe she''s already awake¡­'' it was a possibility as he hadn''t the faintest about when she''d come to lay the blanket over him. For all he knew it could have been minutes after he fell asleep or even twenty minutes ago when he was still chatting with that goddess.


    Yet his more worrywart side was on full display as he couldn''t slay that itch that something was wrong, that she might be hurt. Or worse. He knew it was a stupid thought, a worry though found in fact and testimony, it was still something he felt somewhere deep inside wasn''t something she would do. Not soberly at least.


    Holding his breath for a few moments, Noah finally opted to push open her door. Slowly, silently so as to not let it squeak and awake her if she was indeed still asleep. When it was open enough, he leaned his head in and spun it around, quickly taking in its visage in the morning light billowing in golden streams in from the window. Eventually arriving atop her bed, above which was the curled form of Liora. Clad only in her nightgown with a pillow stuffed between her legs and another crushed between her arms in a positively fluffy hug as she pulled it into her bosom. Her dress near inches from falling off her shoulders to free one of her mounds.


    She was still, chest raising slowly and steadily in her sleep. Noah sighed out in relief and inched his way inside. Attempting to not make much noise from the odd creaky board. His intent to arrive besides her bed and lay down the blanket atop her nightstand. Arriving besides her, he reached out the folded blanket and was about to set it down but paused when Liora stirred.


    She didn''t wake, no, instead she whimpered and clenched her pillows tighter as if to use them as a replacement for her lost warmth. Glancing to the blanket, Noah sighed and shook his head, "really, you have one blanket and you give it to me." unfurling it, Noah laid it over her, not daring to flap it for the noise and air pressure it would make could awake her. By the time he was done, Liora had found herself entirely clad from head to toe in the warmth she''d abandoned for him.


    "Honestly," he muttered giving her one last look. Her full lips, her pale freckled skin and the frazzling of her reddened hair. She was beautiful in maturity. Yet also strangely adorable in her rest. His hand slowly reached out for her and his fingers trailed slowly over her cheek, collecting a small fringe of hair and swept it over her ear, clearing her visage and letting him feel just how chilly her skin was. "God you are to beautiful to be calling yourself a hag," he sighed, his hand pulling away as he spun around and began his creeping back to the door. Only casting her one last parting look before smiling lightly and exiting the room. The door clicking silently behind him.


    Returned to the hall, Noah glanced to the left and thus started his secondary trek to the staircase, and descended into the entryway. Soon finding himself in the kitchen where Caina had cleaned his new wound and patched it up with some haemostatic cream.


    "Still there," he said after stroking a digit over the hardened scab.


    Searching the cupboards, Noah eventually came across a few glasses, enough for one, maybe two people and brought it to the sink. Pausing as he forgot how strangely things worked in this world. There were no nobs to the faucet. The fact there was even a faucet was amazing in itself though he knew the only reason for that metallic pipe was to act as a housing for the small blue stone that would expel water given some sort of effect.


    "How did I do this again?" he questioned, recalling the time when he''d cleaned Liora of all the blood. The image bringing a flush to his cheeks as so too came the nude image of Liora. The fuzz of her crotch, the fullness of her plump b.r.e.a.s.ts and her wide, accentuated h.i.p.s. "Jesus, get your head out of the gutter Noah." Quickly he realigned his thoughts and returned them to the faucet before him


    Atop the curled bend was a slight divet, within said divet was the faint bluish tone of the crystal-like stone that was also found within the bath. ''If I had the book, I could probably get a proper name for this stuff and how to use it.''


    Laying a finger over the divet, her pressed it like a button to little effect though. Blinking, he pressed it again, yet like before, nadda occurred.


    "Are¡­ you struggling there?" Caina''s voice echoed from behind causing a light spike of surprise to pummel him into jumping.


    Spinning to meet her half-lidded eyes, Noah awkwardly chuckled, "ahaha¡­ Yeah. I have no idea what I''m doing. I got the one in the bath to work and even that stove thingy, but I don''t really know how they work and how to reliably turn them on."


    Caina stood, cheek twitching. "How you don''t know something so basic, I do not understand. Then again, you say weird things like you know more than I do about MY job."


    ''She''s really hung up on that isn''t she,'' he thought.


    Approaching him, Noah instinctively moved to the side and listened as she spoke.


    "I''ll humour your idiocy for a bit." bringing her hand over the faucet she pointed to the divet. "This is the dimple, inside is waterstone¡­"


    ''Suprisingly unsurprising naming convention.'' he commented internally.


    Caina''s finger trailed down to the curled pipe leaning over the basin. "And this is the d.i.c.k."


    ''There it is.''


    "Excuse me?"


    "It looks like a d.i.c.k. Therefore d.i.c.k. I''ve heard it''s called a faucet as well, but everyone just calls it a d.i.c.k."


    "I mean¡­ sure? if you squint."


    "Anyways, do you know how to control your ethos?" she asked, and he drew a blank, "of course you don''t. Tries to act smart and knows jack all. How does that not surprise me. Alright, it''s not difficult. You think about doing something, and it happens." as an example, Caina placed her finger over the divet and suddenly water began to spew from the top of the¡­ ''d.i.c.k.''


    ''I cannot take this seriously with a name like that.''


    Shutting off the water, Caina indicated for him to try himself. Bringing his finger back to the divet he thought of what she''d told him and thought about water coming out. Within him a small twist of energy surged, raced up his arm and to his finger, seconds later water began spurting from the end.


    "That¡­ is easier than I thought."


    "Indeed. It''s a miracle you didn''t know how to do it in the first place. After all, even children know how to do it." Without much more flare, Caina filled a glass and tipped it up, downing it in three long gulps. Some of the water trickling from her cheeks to stain her blouse tight to her olive skin.


    "Haaa," sighing out, she laid down the glass and spun around to find herself seated on one of the chairs by the table where she''d laid down a book she''d found somewhere.


    Doing much similar, Noah too grabbed a glass but instead of downing it all, he only sipped.


    ''Knock, knock, knock.'' three soft noises reverberated from the front door drawing his attention.


    "I''ll get it," setting his glass on the table, Noah fell into a light jog and was quick to arrive by the door. Hesitating before opening as the risk of one of the villagers coming to finish the deed was a thought much to possible for him to be comfortable with.


    "I''m overthinking things. They wouldn''t knock if they were here to kill us," he shook his head and the door creaked open. Yet there was not a face there to greet him. Confusedly, he leaned his head out, spun it around inspecting the pathway to find only trees, grass, and hay nearby. When his gaze fell down, he was greeted though with a surprise, two wicker baskets stuffed full with all their purchases from the previous days.


    "Huh," he fell to his knee and quickly scurried through one of them, finding his books still hidden beneath his freshly purchased garb. Letting out a relieved breath, Noah gripped the handles of both and lifted them, casting one last look over the fields for whoever had been so kind to return the baskets to them.


    ***


    Upstairs, not long after Noah''s extradition from her room. Liora''s eyes bolted open, her lips sucked in and her skin went red. Steam threatening to billow from her head in a heated display of embarrassment.


    ''Don''t fall for him. Don''t fall for him.'' her mind repeated again and again and again. Tempting her inner self not to latch onto that beautiful comment as it was extraordinarily dangerous to her.

 Chapter 47 - The Cherries in the Tree

    Glancing out over the fields of gold strewn before him, Noah recalled that goddesses'' words. She was right to say there were monsters on his doorstep, the kanyon wolf in the forest and Serris being evidence enough of that. ''Though to argue semantics, technically its Liora''s doorstep. Not mine, I''m just a freeloader.'' he snorted glancing out over the billowing tree of greys and brilliant pink blossoms that was Serris'' canopy.


    It seemed larger, not by much but he could feel there was something different. Though the many miniature red orbs glittering about the branches of plump cherries filled with juices and flavour was likely another culprit of that.


    Stepping into the circle of green grass separating Serris from the hay fields, Noah knelt down and plucked a fallen garnet from the grass. Just before lifting it, pausing as he pondered why the grass was so short, almost like someone had recently trimmed it and yet none of the stems showed any signs of being cut. Almost like they had grown to a point and then simply halted, not wishing to threaten the ill.u.s.trious grey, near silver bark of the serrul tree they surrounded.


    Rolling over the glistening orb in his fingers, Noah inspected its every facet, the dimple from which a green stem rose only to end in a nub that separated into another from which another cherry was likely to have been growing, yet nothing was there. And its near perfect, waxy sphere that glistened like polished gemstones.


    And all he could think about as he stared down at it was, "bloody hell this is a big cherry." indeed it wa were he to measure it properly it would threaten the bounds of three centimeters in diameter almost as thick as his thumb in every direction.


    Turning his gaze upwards, Noah was greeted with the sight of hundreds, if not thousands more of these dangling gems. a dozen to a branch and everyone as big as the last, all uniform in size and l.u.s.tre. Perfection in drupe form.


    Then came the thought. The unholy thought. "These¡­ are my children¡­ oh god that''s a weird thought." Especially considering they were all edible. Twitching at the cheek, he glanced down the drupe fruit in hand, unsure of how to react knowing his ''children'' could be used to make a pie.


    "I really need to stop over thinking things. I will not last long here if I keep this up," tossing the fruit to the side, Noah approached the trunk, ready to call out to Serris but first thought back to what brought him here before her, a day before the week timeline she''d given him.


    ***


    "Hey Caina¡­" Noah broke the silence between the two. His book, the Almanac, laid to the side, pages down and hiding the short excerpt about a harvest goddess, one known throughout the world. Demetria. And glanced out the windows overlooking the farmstead.


    "Yes?" she questioned not looking up from her own book as she flipped it onto the next page. The quick scan she always did with new pages before reading them in full setting a twinge of anticipation for the raunchy scenes soon to come. Not that she''d ever exclaim that or settle the feeling they welled within her unmentionables.


    "How much do you think cherries would sell for?" it was a simple question, filled with the memories of Demetria''s passing words to him.


    "Depends on the type. But I''d say for a bundle I''d say about¡­ fifty, maybe a hundred buckles. Though have fun finding anyone around here who''d have the money to pay for those types of noble fruits. Plus, not like there''s many cherries growing around here. Only noble houses grow them. Why?" she asked.


    "Just curious." his fingers rapped across the counter. A thought filling him as he pushed off the counter and spun to her, quickly picking his book from the counter to toss it into the basket he''d freshly emptied and sorted into all the places he thought the ingredients should go. His bottle of holstaur milk entering the small onnaire to keep it fresher for longer. "I''m going to check something out for a bit. When Liora comes down just tell her I''m out in the fields for a bit."


    "Uhuh," her reaction dull and uninterested, "don''t get screwed by a wolf again. I don''t want to go back to Redle again."


    ''Do the wolves go into the fields?'' a shiver coursed him as he threw open the door into the outside world and slipped on his boots, ''wait¡­ what is in the fields.'' scanning the tips f waving golden stems, Noah swore he could see what looked like small rounded ears and long, red pheasant like plumes peaking from the top.


    "I have been risking my safety every time I stepped into the fields¡­ that''s not a comfortable thought at all."


    Luckily, monsters that called fields their homes oft were skittish and preferred to stray away from humans. That was the males of course, the ones that actually looked like animals and not like woman with animalistic features. Those apparently were more¡­ active in their seeking of meals.


    In otherwords, they enjoyed pushing down their meal when they least expected.


    "Well, hopefully these are all normal¡­ yeah, no. Fat chance."


    ***


    Pressing his hand against the rough bark of Serris'' tree he spoke, "Serris, are you there?" his tone soft but hopeful. When he could feel a twisting sense on his palm, Noah pulled away and watched as the bark twisted and grew with the soft, feminine face of Serris appearing to grow from the side.


    The mask of bark she''d had now more natural and less static. though still she didn''t blink her bright pink shining eyes but her lips, they parted slowly, something she was incapable of just days earlier.


    "I am here Noah," she said, her body still extruding from the trunk.


    She''d grown larger, became more mature in form and feature resembling a woman rounding the end of her twenties, perhaps early thirties with a modest bust soft bosom. Her rump just barely escaping the confines of the tree but her crotch fully doing so, showing off the familiar shimmer of pink that was her labium. Her skin itself still resembled the bark of the tree bust as it rose from the points she connected to the tree, it smoothed and slowly lost its grainy texture. Finally coming to resemble something of a real woman though with the odd crack revealing pinkish light around her arms and legs. Atop her head, peaking through the pink hair were several raising spikes that crafted a sort of crown atop her head. A signifier to her being a tree mother. Something further accentuated by the many dozens of small cherries lining her hair.


    "I was not expecting you quite yet."


    "I know, it''s just¡­" he scratched his head, "this is going to sound pretty cruel, but would¡­ you be okay with me selling your cherries?"


    "Selling?" she murmured head tilting as Noah attempted avoid glancing directly at her hanging b.r.e.a.s.ts, their softness having grown even more apparent though still lacking in the definition that would make up her n.i.p.p.l.es apart from a light pinkish circle at the precipice of the mounds. "As in offering my fruits for trade?" she questioned.


    "Yeah." the feeling of asking a girl to let him sell what amounted to her unborn children was not lost to him. "I won''t blame you if you say no."


    "I do not see why not."


    "But aren''t they like, you''re children?"


    Her brow animatedly rose, a fact Noah was still coming to realize was strange considering just days earlier she looked like a carving. Now though she had lips full and rich with a pinkish shine and a sharp, modelesque pointed chin. She was really quite pretty.


    "No. I do not see why they are my children. My people and I do not bare children. Our fruits are nothing, but seeds meant to be planted, they do not harbour the essence required to become the life of a tree nor the life of a dryad. They are simply fruits that nurture the land I am nestled atop. As I remember having spoken last, we spoke, if you so may, I will refrain from giving my fruits the life needed to raise my sisters and have done so awaiting your response."


    His lips parted if they weren''t really ''fertile'' did they meant they weren''t his? ''I''m overthinking again, aren''t I?'' that he was.


    "Have you decided whether you will become my fruiter or not?" she asked, voice soft and as melodical as it usually was.


    He''d been fearing that question. "I don''t know Serris. Things with the farm are complicated and I don''t know how long I''ll be here, and I don''t want to become your fruiter only to abandon you when the farms gone. That''s not fair on you."


    "I see¡­" her voice and form sunk saddeningly, and her eyes lost a glimmer that struck a cord deep within his heart, "that is a pity."


    Guilt, guilt is what he felt watching her shrink like that, "no don''t get me wrong Serris. I would love to become your fruiter," he flushed, construing the term as the dryad form of husband. "But before I can really say, I need to figure out how to save the farm."


    "And you believe selling my fruits may deem to do so?"


    He nodded, "in the beginning maybe. It depends really, I''ve gotten an idea on how I could do something to save it and it needs monsters like you. Monsters who have some type of resource I could possibly sell. But I don''t have the money to afford them and as far as I know you are the only one here, I can speak with and I know has something of worth. God, I feel like I''m treating you like an object with how I''m speaking."


    "My fruits, do you believe people will take them?" she questioned.


    "I don''t know. It''s more complicated than just people buying them. I have to think about price, storage, and all of that, and then where do I sell them? I know there''s some type of market going on in another village but how do I get them there before they go off? How far even is the village? I have to consider so many things and after what happened in the village yesterday, we''ve basically been cast away."


    Serris went still, looking to be pondering a thought until she eventually nodded, "you need not worry about my fruits being affected by rot, though the ones scattered about do not, I have the means of nurturing my fruits to be resistant to the plague of time." Guiding her gaze upwards, a branch slowly sn.a.k.e.d its way down, curling around before finally coming to halt between the two, dangling from its tip two of the same large cherries he''d taken from the ground just earlier.


    Reaching out, she plucked the stem from the branch and the two marbles dangled like conkers laying against one another. She held them in both hands and small worm like threads rose from her palms, they pierced through the wax skin and slowly they began to undulate with vein like structures.


    Noah was only capable of watching the unusual scene until the squirming halted and the threads severed from her palms. Snapping one of the cherries from the stem, she held them apart, "these fruits are what we dryads call the pistan¨¦, we fill them with our promises and we only gift them to those we deem our fruiters. I will be more than glad to offer you any of my fruits for you to trade with others, but I can only grow so many with the nutrients my roots can find in the soil of this farm. So, I ask of you to accept my request of being my fruiter, to provide me the seed I require to produce my fruits. All I ask of you is to one day allow me to lay my fruits and bear my sisters new life. For that, I will forever offer you my fruits."


    As she held out the white veined cherry, Noah felt a tug within him that lead his arm to heasitantly raising, "Serris, I don''t know if I''ll be here past a few months. Are you sure?"


    "I am." she spoke with determination leaving little room for him to argue, "when you leave, I will simply return to dormancy."


    He grit his teeth, he couldn''t imagine how long she''d been dormant, simply watching the world run by around her while she sat here, solemly, lonely. He wanted to help her. Lowering his hand if fell atop the out held cherry and he sighed taking it in hand, feeling the unusual wrinkles she had grown in its glossy covering.


    The brightest smile he had ever seen quickly rose and stole Serris'' face, her wholly pink eyes shimmering like stars as she clenched her own cherry to her chest.


    "Serris," Noah said rolling the orb around in his palm, already having an idea as to what she wished of him to do with it, "I don''t mind if you want to plant a few sisters. But¡­ before you do, can I speak with Liora about it. This is her land after all."


    "I do not mind, Noah. I am in no rush, so long as I have seed within me I can plant now or in one hundred years."


    "Thank you," a soft, if not weak smile took his lips and he glanced to the drupe fruit. "So¡­ I just eat this?"


    She nodded languidly and as her head rose to straight and so too did she bring her hands up, her own cherry to her lips and bit into it, swallowing the chunk without thought to devour the rest of it moments later.


    As he watched it, Noah stealed himself. ''if I''m making a promise, I better well keep it.''


    Bringing his own to his lips, Noah bit into it. There was some resistance but his teeth quickly severed it away, allowing an explosion of juice and cherry sweet flavour to assault him. His eyes bolted open as his senses fired on end until he was left wanting more. When all was gone, Noah was left licking his lips, an incomprehensible fullness within his stomach.


    Yet there was something else, something strange. As his stomach slowly began to digest the fruit he could feel something meld with his body, an energy not his own.


    Before he could think more over it, Serris spoke. "Noah, I must now rest. I ask of you to return tomorrow, it is then we shall complete consummate our pact. Until then," two more branches sn.a.k.e.d from the ceiling of blossoms and cherries, each filled with tens of cherries, though as they grew nearer to him, the branches twisted and conjoined with one another, forming a bowl, then walls, then a handle.


    "A basket?" he murmured as the rough, organic weave was hung before him, stuffed to the brim with her waxy burgundy cherries.


    "These are the best of my first fruiting. They are yours, my fruiter."

 Chapter 48 - Gravestone

    "Those¡­ are big cherries," were Caina''s first words to Noah as he arrived back at the farmhouse. Her having plucked from the unusual root shaped basket a set of the drupes to inspect them.


    "That''s what I said," he snorted, his gaze turning around the room in search of Liora. "Has Liora not woken up yet?" he asked.


    "She has," Caina responded, trailing off at the end as she realized the strangely organic nature of the basket. "She''s busy doing something in the back. She looked lost in thought." in saying so, she plucked one of the segments of the basket and felt its rigidity and coarse, bark like texture, "where did you get this? It looks like it grew on a tree."


    He was tempted to say it had all grown on a tree, though that would likely fall to revealing Serris'' existence and he was unsure how Caina would react, ''it''s inevitable, but I''d rather tell Liora first.'' he thought and came to respond to Caina''s question, "I don''t know, I just found it while looking around the field. I think it might have been Harv''s and he lost it when he was still alive."


    "Hmm¡­" Caina''s eyes narrowed doubtfully, she knew he was hiding something though she wasn''t going to prod. Not yet. And when she did, she had other means to get her answers should he refuse to answer her.


    Letting the basket of berries lay atop the table, Noah took a set and pulled away, backing into the hall, "I''m going to check on Liora. Try not to eat them all."


    "You make it sound like I''m a glutton," watching as he disappeared around the corner, Caina rolled her eyes and brought a drupe to her lips and bit into it. Eyes parting wide as she relished the delectable texture and rich flavour.


    "This¡­" her mind raced, remembering Noah''s earlier question and proceeded to mumble to herself, "is not a normal fruit¡­" she turned her head to the window, pushing through them to stare out towards the lonesome serrul tree atop the slight inclination of a hill. It''s leaves rustling in the wind, scattering the odd petal across the field.


    ***


    "Oh Harv, what do I do," Liora voice escaped her in a worried whimper as she gently stroked dust and the odd fallen leaf from the roughly carved headstone that her husband had crafted long before his sickness had claimed from him his life.


    She would often find herself out here, wandering through the green pasture that marked the yard she and Harv had played games and had picnics with their daughter those many years ago. Those days when everything was simple and when she needn''t worry for more.


    Perhaps it was being in his presence that calmed her soul, to know he was there always listening. Illogical though it was as his soul had long since left for the crook back road.


    "He''s¡­ Noah he''s charming me. Haa¡­. He saved my life, he''s cared for me for days and now he''s gotten hurt because of me." her hands interlocked and rose to squeeze against her chest, feeling her hastened heartbeat. "And yet¡­ he doesn''t show frustration or, or, blame. He doesn''t blame me instead all he does is calls me beautiful and, and¡­" she flushed, her mind wandering to their first meeting, "he even calls me s.e.xy."


    She turned her gaze upwards, gleaming into the brilliant blue sky and its fluffy white clouds. "I can''t fall for him Harv. I''m not fit for another chance at love. I''m too old and my body, its nothing like Caina''s or those younger girls. We¡­ we made a promise to love each other forever and more, no matter if death took one of us. Yet here I am, my heart pattering like galloping centaurs and flushing whenever he stares at my body. Is it wrong that I feel like this? No, no¡­ it is. It''s wrong. It''s so wrong."


    Unfurling her fingers from each other, Liora once again patted away dust from the headstone. Pausing when she''d realized she''d already done so. "Look at me. I can''t even remember past a few seconds and I''m chattering about love. It''s strange, don''t you think? I just know you wouldn''t blame me. That you wouldn''t hate me for falling for someone else and I just can''t reason it. I really can''t reason with it. If¡­ if I acted on these budding feelings, I would be a disgrace, I would ruin him."


    "I''ve got nothing anymore. We went shopping in Redle and all I could do was watch as Caina handed buckle after buckle after buckle to the merchants. I know it was all Haggar''s money but still. Even then." A mist stole her eyes, threatening to assail her reddening cheeks with the stains of tears.


    "I can''t do anything anymore. He¡­ Haggar, he said I should go to mom, to ask for her help. But I know her. The moment I get there, she''ll latch her fingers around me and force me to stay, Gods above, she''s likely already heard of my debt and is waiting with bated breath for me to come running to her. I''ve tried so hard Harv. I''ve tried so hard to keep away from her, to be my own woman and I''ve become that." Going silent, Liora fiddled with her fingers and pondered a thought, "oh we''ve had it so good the two of us and Eleonora, oh I miss her.


    "Perhaps¡­ I should go. Give her myself so long as she saves this farm¡­ let Noah start a life here. Far from the war. Far from his past." with a sniffle, Liora wiped down her cheeks. "Look at me. I''m a mess, a royal mess. Things were so easy with you here. I miss those days, I miss us, I miss Eleonora, I miss those odd things you would do, those frogs you would scrounge up out of nowhere and hide in the bath just to hear me scream. Oh you were such an arse. But, you were my arse¡­"


    The odd soft rapping of feet against soil drew Liora''s voice to stilling, her head slowly swivelling to the boy, to Noah. His tawny hair a shiny, healthy gloss compared to those days when he''d first arrived. Even his face, and body in general¡ªthough still ominously thin¡ªone would be challenged to notice so were he dressed in heavier garb. His eyes were soft as he glanced to the gravestone and realized exactly what this was.


    "Noah," she exclaimed as he drew near. Her cheeks flushing just a bit and her heart pattering as evidence to her former notions, "w-what are you doing her. I thought you were out in the fields." noticing a glint of red in his hands, she questioned, "what are those?"


    Holding his hand out, he presented her two plump cherries, her brow rose confusedly. ''Cherries? where did he get these from?''


    "Well, I was out by the tree on the hill and as I was passing by, I noticed a bunch of these growing on the branches. They looked ripe enough so I collected a few and thought I''d bring them to you to show you them." he said, hand bobbing indicating for her to take it from him.


    From his words she could feel there was more to it, though she didn''t pry as that was not her place, taking it, Liora felt its smooth skin unblemished from imperfections. Confusion still evident on her expression, "it held fruit? It''s¡­ never done that before."


    Noah lightly jerked, ''of course not. No one ever thought that the tree needed s.e.m.e.n to fruit.'' he thought.


    "Really? I wouldn''t know, ahahahaa¡­" rolling his eyes around, unsure of how he should fess up to the tree being a monster and one he''d had an intimate encounter with, Noah''s gaze soon fell onto Harv''s gravestone.


    Seeing his gaze soften and his voice die, Liora turned back to Harv with solemnity in her eyes.


    "Hi, Harv." All of a sudden, Noah descended into a light squat.


    "Noah?" Liora questioned but could only listen as Noah continued.


    "I suppose you don''t know me. Or, you do. You probably do, you''re likely watching over this place aren''t you?" a wry chuckle he let out and Liora''s mouth parted with a light trembling. "I may not have been here for long. But I owe Liora a lot. She''s a good woman, brilliant in many regards. Though her self confidence is a little lacking."


    Her cheeks sparkled to red, not hearing the latter portion of his words as she repeated the ''she''s brilliant'' remark again and again. Each time making her heart race faster.


    "Otherwise, she''s perfect. As perfect as they get. I might not have much in the way of skills, or anything for that matter but what I do have is decent amount of determination and a good¡­ mostly good mind to myself. And to that degree," pushing on his knees to raise himself from the ground, his head swivelled, his eyes locking onto Liora''s with a sharp, heart shuddering determination, "I promise to do everything I can to help her."


    Like a roaring dragon, Liora rumbled and rocked, her face turning the pinkest she''d ever felt since that day when Harv accidentally walked into her room whilst she was changing. More than that day she''d ran out of her home to explore the city only to trip and be caught by a passing peasant boy who''d unashamedly groped her then developing bosom without remorse.


    It was a cruel feeling, a truly cruel feeling.


    "You are mean Noah. Really, quite mean." She murmured, earning a confused look from the boy.


    Pressing down her heart, she stilled it as well as she could yet could only find herself spinning around. The parting of her gaze from him being the only cure to her sickness. "Did you need me for something Noah?"


    "Actually, I was hoping I could talk with you about something."


    "Really? What about?" she gulped nervously, her mind racing about, pondering just exactly what it was he want to talk to her about.


    Noah nodded though she couldn''t see that and spoke, "I, think I have an idea of how we can save the farm."


    ***


    ***


    Officially last chapter I have on backlog, I''ll be working on the new version now.

 Chapter 49 - The tree at the top of the hill

    Climbing the hill up to Serris'' tree, Noah felt the mildew sodden hay drench against his pants. A glance to his side towards Liora saw she was narrowing her curiously sparkling eyes. On his other side was Caina, having decided that with nothing better to do she may as well join them in inspecting the surrule cherry tree. Carrying with her, her bag of medicine, when Noah had asked why Caina''s response was ''I feel like I''m going to need something in here.'' While patting the side of it with a few slaps.


    Liora on the other hand was carrying a basket, an empty one, thinking that she could grab a few more of the cherries to make something. Jam, a crumble, or anything like that really. How she was going to do both of those without the proper crumble topping or sugar, Noah was unaware, nor was he going to comment about that. His time here had proven confusing to say the least.


    There was a faint scent lingering about that only got stronger the closer they drew to the tree. Cherries and surprisingly a fragrant flowery blossom. Back on earth few things had smelt so strangely delicious, then again, Noah found anything that smelt fruity and sweet, delicious.


    "My lord, it''s actually fruiting¡­" Arriving past the encirclement of wheat and into the ring of verdant green grass, Liora''s head swivelled upwards to see branching arching from the weight of the sibling cherries. So, called for two having grown from one stem.


    It was a shock at first, in her over twenty winters of living on this farm this tree had been in a continuous state of blossoming. No matter how much fertilizer Harv would spread below its canopy it simply wouldn''t bloom and fruit and yet now, after so long it had done just that. What had changed? She began to think, her mind racing at galloping speed, from her daughters leaving, to the loss of Harv and everything they owned. Slowly her gaze descended, trailing over the smoother grey bark thinly veined with strange pinkish flickers of light, drawn to the soft stepping noise of Noah growing closer to the trunk. His body thin enough that even standing at the centre he was framed on either side by it. She doubted he could even wrap his arms halfway around the trunk from how thick it was.


    "I was thinking maybe we could sell these cherries at the market. I heard there''s a big one coming up in Tallmire soon so I thought we could sell these." Noah expression while a bright smile belied something else, worry?


    ''why would he be worried?'' Liora thought.


    Casting her focus back to the cherries, she scanned their abundance, their size and health. They were beautiful with a waxy vibrantly red skin and most pressingly, massive, compared to the ones she''d eaten during her time as an aristocrats daughter, these were comparatively huge. "I-I don''t know what to say. That''s-" she paused, any sentence she tried to make up in her mind only fizzled out in stutters and gabs.


    "Tallmire''s a long times away. It''ll take us days to get there by carriage, weeks on foot. By then anything we could carry¡ªwhich isn''t a lot with only us three¡ªwould have rotten by then." Leaning down, Caina plucked a cherry from the soil and inspected it, "not to mention Tallmire''s market is coming in a few days and the next one will be in months. By then these will have all fallen and been eaten by the animals around here or decayed into fertilizer for the next year." Done inspecting the orb, Caina tossed it to the side where it bounced and rolled further away.


    "You don''t need to worry about the ripeness. I can fix that." Noah strained an unusual expression like he was sucking on a lemon. "The transport on the other hand is an issue. That''s not something I can fix. I was thinking we could hire a carriage from the¡­ uh¡­ village." His voice softened at the mention of them, the previous days assault by the people she thought as friends still fresh in her mind causing her to tremble. Liora still felt guilty as she caught the red scab on Noah''s forehead. If she''d just not been there, he wouldn''t have protected her and wouldn''t have gotten hurt. "I''m not saying we should, that''s up to Liora to decide."


    What was she to say? It was a brilliant idea. Even she could tell these berries were valuable. Selling them just sounded like the smart thing to do. "That''s¡­ that''s an amazing idea Noah. I''m just, I wasn''t expecting this. How is this even possible? Harv tried so hard to get it to fruit so we could sell them alongside our flour and hay, but this, it''s never done this before. Sorry, I''m just trying to wrap my head around this."


    "Take as long as you need." You''re going to need it, he thought with a slight bob of his head.


    "How are you planning to keep them fresh? There isn''t exactly any onnaire silk we could wrap them in, and there''s definitely no way a village like Alder would have a cold-carriage for us to borrow. And I''ve been here for a while, so I can tell you that, that ''definitely no way,'' is a ''most certainly do not.'' Not even Granger has one and he''s the mayor."


    After yesterday when Noah had gotten to meet, or at least see most of the villagers, he guessed Granger was the tavernkeeper. Noah''s opinion of the man immediately dwindled to distaste as he barely did anything to stop the others from attacking them.


    "That is," scratching his head, Noah turned to the serrule tree and sighed, "no point in hiding it¡­" he whispered to himself. Looking to the two he glanced between them with his expression falling to a form of strain. "So, I know this is a stupid thing to ask. But could you both please not panic from what I''m about to show you?"


    Noah knew the futility of such a request, never once had he not seen a person panic when that was request was made. Even now, Noah could see both girls writhe uncomfortably at the question, both suspecting something was incredibly off for him to be asking something like that.


    "Noah, that makes it sound like you murdered someone to make them grow. You didn''t actually do that, did you?" Liora responded, gulping slightly as she was unsure of what to do if she was housing a murdered. Well, if the dead guy was a bandit then good, if they weren''t well, she wasn''t sure what to do then.


    "Oh god no." he exclaimed, "I, well, it''s better if I show you."


    Sharing a look, as Noah twisted around and took three half steps closer to the tree, Noah spoke.


    "Serris, could you come out please."


    ''Serris?'' both girls thought in tandem. Liora heart pattering just a bit harder than Caina''s, something she connected more to her age than to her current state of uneasiness.


    When the tree''s trunk began to twist and bubble out, the pattering turned to thumping. Her eyes widened, mouth hung in horror as each second the bubble grew and twisted and shifted, growing a thin, womanly torso with modest b.r.e.a.s.ts lacking in n.i.p.p.l.es. A head appeared, the face, its expression stagnant on an almost carved background of wood. The lips plump and took on a shade of greyish pink that was overtaken by the bright luminous flaring of two pink bulbs that made the eyes. When the head came, the arms also grew, first fingers turned then to a hand that slowly extruded into a lower arm, upper arm, and shoulders. They were thin limbs, lackng in fat but would throb with a pinkish light every now and then. Last to appear was the hair¡ªif that''s what vines laden with leaves, flowers and cherries could be called and with the hair came a crown of thorny wooden horns.


    Liora gaped, what was protruding from the tree she''d thought normal, was a monster. A dryad, something rare around these parts. And something dangerous to humans.


    She didn''t scream, though her face did drain of colour and sent her stumbling backwards to make as much distance as she could from the monster. Ultimately ending in her tripping at the precipice of the ring of grass sending her thumping onto her bottom into the hay field, crushing a few stems and turning them into a makeshift cushion.


    While she couldn''t see her, Liora could hear Caina to the side gagging and choking on her fingers to expel as much of the cherry she''d eaten earlier as she could. Liora''s own stomach was also churning as the slow realization crept in that what she''d eaten was a monsters fruit, likely filled with Manos that would corrupt her and slowly turn her into a monster herself.


    "Should I return?" Serris questioned Noah. The voice that of a young woman''s appropriate considering her outer appearance was similar to that of a twenty years lady.


    "No¡­ I think they just need to get used to your existence for now."


    "Understood. I will remain then. Would you like another of my fruits?"


    "Maybe later. Let''s deal with these two first."


    "Okay. Please say when you wish for one and I will provide it for you, my fruiter."


    "Will do."

 Chapter 50 - Meeting the tree

    "Noah, get away from that!" Liora''s voice came out as a scream of fear, her eyes bulging from their sockets as she shivered every time the dryad''s gaze landed on her. Growing up there had been story of Dryads, trickster monsters, mimics of nature who lured in men and women to feed them their fruits before drawing them in to drain them of their ethos before ultimately turning them into monsters. Women would become dryads themselves, their bodies twisted into a seed that would be planted and would grow with none of their previous humanity, while the men, they be draw into the trunk of the tree, their bodies melded with the wood to become a provider of s.e.x, s.e.m.e.n, and ethos for the rest of their now eternal lives. Some have said that when a man''s body has been corrupted enough and the dryad who''d claimed them had been killed, would turn into an ent, giant, walking monsters who sought out women to sate their everlasting l.u.s.t and to act as the w.o.m.b from which their dryad queen will be born from as a forest nymph.


    And one of those was now before her.


    It was still, barely moving as it loomed from the h.i.p.s from the tree, only its mockery of hair dancing in the wind. Every now and then small vines would squirm here and there, barely noticeable but from the focus Liora placed on it, she could see everything.


    Noah looked to the dryad and shrugged. He was calm, uncannily so considering his distance to a creature that would gladly force him down and drain him dry of all his male essence. Then again, Liora noted, just as Noah was calm, so too was the dryad. It wasn''t moving ready to attack, nor was it licentiously drawing Noah in to keep him as its personal s.e.x toy. It was just¡­ there. Besides Noah. Looking at her curiously.


    "You made me eat a dryads fruit!" Caina screeched, her voice so loud Liora winced as it thrummed painfully in her left ear. Wiping her mouth down with her sleeve to cleanse any of her¡­ expulsions, Caina sent a fiery glare Noah''s way and a cautious glare the dryads. "Do you know how dangerous that is!? And get away from that monster before it f.u.c.ks you into a tree!"


    Noah looked absolutely baffled by what he was to say, so he said the only thing he could think of, "Sorry?" in a confused, I didn''t know what I''d did was wrong, tone.


    "My brethren perhaps may seek to converge men into ents, but I seek no such action." The dryad spoke, the moment she did Caina''s lips were sealed and she stepped twice backwards into the hayfield. Her olive tone paling a shade as her throat writhed with a gulping swallow of saliva.


    "Not unless Noah may request such of me, then I shall gladly bring him within my embrace to forever become my fruiter."


    She spoke with little emotion which only further unnerved the strange hum that came from her barely moving lips. Whenever they did, the inside of her mouth was revealed, she lacked teeth, at least from what Liora saw from this distance and the little movement she made. But what she did have was a pink void of writhing, glossy strings. It was like those books had said, another hole it used to drain men or women of their vigour.


    "Noah, please. Just, come here." Aching to her feet, Liora stood on the precipice of the verdant ring. Her entire body shaking both in fear for her own safety and most pressingly, Noah''s safety. If he would get away from it while it was still calm, he would be safe and she could find someone to get rid of it.


    "Don''t worry, It''s fine. I''ll be fine. Let me introduce you to Serris." Straining with what to say, Noah opted to just further along his agenda and introduce the dryad, which surprisingly had a name. ''It must have stolen it from one of its victims.'' Thought Liora, still fearful for Noah possible demise.


    "No you won''t! That''s a dryad Noah! A dangerous, trickster monster that kill hundred of people every year!" Caina bellowed.


    "I have yet to kill anyone."


    "Yet?" Noah perked an eye the dryads way.


    "There have been opportunities. I found watching humanity over the years more intriguing. People also have tendencies to startle upon my appearance such as Liora and this other one have. Oft that leads to them running away and somehow tripping and landing on stones. They tend never to awaken after that."


    "You¡­ you weren''t tripping them, were you?"


    "Of course not. It would be simpler to have my flesh spear them. Much swifter and they likely would twitch less after such a wound."


    Draining of colour, Noah shivered and tried to push the deadmans thoughts to the back of his mind.


    "It-it knows my name," hyperventilated Liora.


    "I did sort of mention it the few times I was talking with Serris." Scratching at the back of his head, Serris spoke, interrupting his chain of thoughts.


    "I have known Liora''s name long fore you came Noah. Oft the man Harv would bring her below my leaves, and they would copulate into the night fore falling to bed atop my soil and verdure."


    In turn, Noah''s cheeks flushed. A sprouting image of Liora nude, her body brisking with sweat as her voice echoed against the meadow of gold, appeared in his mind. ''dammit, not the time for fantasies brain.''


    So too did Liora shimmer a red tone. Though little care was put behind the concept of s.e.x for her, having her past endeavors with Harv revealed was less than a pleasantly endearing idea. Quite the opposite as it sent her flaming a shade of cherry, that soon drained as a realization bared forth.


    "Oh god, I''ve had s.e.x next to a monster."


    "Three hundred and thirty-one times to be exact." Serris added, completely unnecessarily so as Liora was soon stood squat on the ground face in her hands and shrivelling into the wall of hay like she was wanting to be engulfed in it and forgotten.


    Noah awkwardly chuckled, "Serris, maybe you can not talk about Liora''s err¡­ love life, so casually."


    Serris tilted her head like a confused puppy, her drupes and blossoms shifting with a soft rustle before responding, "if that is what you will, I shall speak little of her and that man''s endeavours."


    "Thanks."


    It occurred then and there how little Serris'' EQ was likely to be. Considering her indubitable years of lonesomeness without any meaningful interaction with humans or her own kind, it was understandable how uneasily she picked up on social markers.


    ''I should work on that.'' Noah reasoned. If she was going to be here for the foreseeable future, it was better to have her at a point where it was less likely for her to anger a lumberjack who''d come a chopping.


    "Right." With one hand on hip, Noah scanned between the pale Liora and the twitchy Caina. "So. Long story short, this is Serris, as I just said. As you can see, she''s a dryad¡ª"


    "Hamadryad now, after your seeding I am no longer a dryad."


    "Of course, he f.u.c.k.i.e.d the dryad! He f.u.c.k.i.e.d the wolf, why not the tree!" Caina threw a hand up, bags hanging heavily beneath her eyes just moments away from ripping her hair out. Instead of doing that though, Caina shot a hand into her bag and pulled from it a murky glass bottle filled with a sloshing gold liquid. Unlatching the metal cork from it, she brought the bottle to her lips and tipped her head back, glugging half what was left in two gulps. When she looked to Noah again, her eye twitched and the rest rapidly disappeared down her gullet leaving her to gasp and belch unreservedly before stuffing the empty bottle into her bag, now with a bright, alcoholic flush taking her cheeks.


    "Okay, in my defence, that was prior to me learning that s.e.x could turn me into a monster. Not exactly something that just popped up on my curriculum when I was still on Earth-" Jolting suddenly, Noah zipped his lips, but quickly saw both the girls latch onto his choice of phrasing. "Uhh. While I was still in¡­ god I have no idea where I am." His diversion attempt failing whole heartedly.


    "Still on Earth¡­" Caina trailed off, the longer she kept still the further her jaw would hang. "Earth¡­ Earth¡­ Earth¡­ that was¡­ oh what was that¡­" she muttered, attempting revitalize a faint memory at the tip of her tongue.


    "Noah." Liora stole the control of the situation, her tone digging into his sides and sending him on alert. The sheer burning blaze steadily rising in her eyes even more terrifying than both Mother Camelia and that Kanyon wolf. "Get away from the dryad now." Clear on her face were her attempts to hide the embarrassing revelation of the extent, she and Harv had went.


    "Can I just say something."


    "No. After you''re safe. Then yes, you''ve got some things to explain."


    "Like why you fed us a dryads fruit." Offhandishly, Caina spoke, quickly returning to her mutterings of earth.


    "Okay, just. Let me say one thing."


    "And that is?"


    "That uh¡­ um¡­ I wasn''t actually expecting you to let me speak. I didn''t think this far. Look, Serris is a kind girl¡­ tree?" he looked to her for confirmation but got nothing but a blank, pink sparkling look in return from the dryad. "And as she said, she''s not out to kill anyone. Look, I''m still here and I was wrapped in her vines for a while before she let me go."


    "You were what?"


    "That''s not important. Just, can you calmly listen to me without that terrifying mother hen look."


    She wasn''t comfortable with that idea, not at all.


    "If you find my appearance displeasurable, I may leave so you may be calm."


    This isn''t right, the dryad is too calm, too¡­ kind. It''s not anything like those stories mother would tell me. Liora thought, chewing on her lip. "Just, Noah. Please just get away from the dryad for now. I-I need to calm down before this gets any further."


    "kay, fine, if that''s what it''ll take for you to calm down." One step lead to two, then three, then Noah was before her. Throughout the short trek she''d been watching the dryad, ready to lunge and rip Noah back if it made any sort of movement. Yet, it didn''t. It stayed as still as before, seemingly uncaring for its morsels increasing distance. Did it really not want to sap Noah of his seed? This wasn''t right. It was unreasonable.


    "Is this alright?" Noah questioned just a few steps away from her and the hiccupping Caina. The mead already hitting her mind causing her to wobble a bit though not taking the clarity of sanity from her eyes.


    Sticking a single finger up, Liora silenced Noah and began to slowly breath and calm her own heart. "Just, give me a few moments."


    <div class="SnapLinksContainer" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; display: none;"><div class="SL_SelectionRect"><div class="SL_SelectionLabel"></div></div><svg class="SnapLinksHighlighter" xmlns="w3.org/2000/svg">


    <rect width="0" height="0"></rect> <!-- Used for easily cloning the properly namespaced rect -->


    </svg></div>

 Chapter 51 - Meeting the tree [2]

    By a few moments Liora instead meant near ten minutes. Her head would hang, chest would heave as her lungs sucked in a thick breath of air only to release it in a hiss. She would lift her head, looked to Noah then trailed to the half-out-of-the-tree dryad only to drop her head and hyperventilate for a few more second before trying to calm herself again. Even now she was struggling with the minute concept that the human shaped piece of wood wasn''t reaching tendrils out to drag her, Caina, or Noah in to have some licentious energy sapping s.e.x.


    "Exactly¡­ why isn''t it trying to **** us?" she mumbled, finally breaking her silence with a cold glare Noah''s way.


    "She''s not interested in doing that?"


    "It''s a monster. That is literally all they do." Caina grumbled from the side just barely able not to stumble around from how tipsy her drink had made her.


    "Well not Serris. You''re not actually into that, are you?" he asked the dryad.


    It shifted slightly in the wind, its hair¡­leaves, billowing as a strong gust blew by bringing with it a faint crashing waves sound from the rich canopy above. "I do not." Was all it said. The sheer ridiculous notion that the dryad was genially talking to them and still not wrapping their legs in vines to drag them into the tree to do the dirty, was not lost on Liora.


    "I would as about how we''re meant to believe that but considering we''re not currently having or crotches abused, I can''t actually argue. Which is really annoying, and really confusing." Glancing to Noah, the boy shivered and looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "Explain what this is Noah."


    "Right," he licked his lips, throat rolling as he gulped air. "So, a while ago I may have fallen asleep against Serris'' trunk and ended up being pulled into her tree where we¡­ uh¡­"


    "F.u.c.k.i.e.d." Caina blurted mercilessly causing Noah to flinch and clear his throat.


    "That. And now Serris has turned into a hamadryad and is growing cherries that I thought we could sell at the upcoming market in Tallmire."


    Neither spoke up, instead sharing strained and cautious looks, "that''s¡­" trailing off, Liora scratched her arm but winced from the ache it caused and promptly stopped. "uh, I don''t know what to think anymore. Just, I have some questions-"


    "So do I."


    "First, how long has the tree been a dryad."


    "Hamadryad," Serris responded, voice echoing through the field, "I was sown three-hundred and ninety-six winters ago."


    "So, a long time ago," Noah awkwardly said.


    "I heard. Next, why did it only show itself now."


    "I felt Noah would be an apt fruiter and felt he would not trip and expire atop a protruding rock in my verdure after panicking upon my appearance."


    "Fruiter, I feel like I know what that means but at the same time I feel like I don''t want to know." Liora stared blankly into the distance, passing by the tree, Noah, and towards the forestry in the distance.


    "I believe in human words it would be to the likeness of a wife who will bring the fertilization of my seeds so that I may plant my sisters and create an orchard."


    Paling from the dead looks he was getting, Noah gulped, "husband. You mean husband. Wife is for women." The latter part he had no corrections to, though sisters was more likely to be considered children than actual sisters, ''semantics,'' he thought knowing fully well that it was far from actual semantics.


    "Basically, he f.u.c.k.i.e.d the tree and got it pregnant¡­ You know what. I don''t have enough mead in my bag to deal with this. I''m just going to go back to the house and I''m going to try and forget about this. Try not to get turned into an ent." Caina backed away, fumbling slightly as she proceeded further into the field, her voice faintly traveling to them, "gods what have I gotten myself into." Caina''s form grew smaller by the second leaving the two people and plant in silence.


    "Noah," Liora broke the silence with her tone grave and exhausted, "having s.e.x with a dryad is dangerous. You could have been turned into an ent¡ªit makes no sense that your not one right now¡ªbut still, you could have been turned into an ent and then you''d never come out of it alive."


    "Except, she let me go."


    "Which makes no sense. Monsters don''t just let men go, they drain them dry. Which is really confusing me right now because this is not normal."


    "Yeah I figured that out from your reactions."


    She huffed irately. Eyeing Serris, Liora patted her chest and let her arms hang by her side. Pushing her hip out on one side, she rested a hand on it and shook her head. "You thought we could sell¡­ its, fruits at the market?"


    Profusely nodding, Noah explained his reasoning, "I asked Caina about cherries and she said they could be quite expensive. I doubt we could pay back all the debt, but we could make a decent dent in it."


    "By selling a dryads fruit."


    "Yes."


    "You know dryad fruits are dangerous, right?"


    "No but considering Caina didn''t feel like keeping the one she ate down I figured that out."


    Shaking slightly, colour drained from Liora, she too had eaten one of the fruits. Likely it had been filled with manos and was running amok inside her. She doubted it was all that powerful or potent a dose, eating a singular dryad fruit was rarely if ever corruptive. Being honest with herself, selling dryad fruit was profitable. The merchants from around Morea and from over the seas from Zesune and Parlight earned many a buckle from her mother purchasing leagues of lemons, strawberries and any other monster raised fruits for her meals. Aristocratic societies loved them and the various unique effects they could have. While not as strong as the more natural Manosfruits, monster grown fruits were valuable. Thinking back to her days living beneath her mothers thumb, she faintly made out memories of a Zesian merchant bringing with them fruits much like the ones she was seeing dangling above herself.


    Serrule cherries, not particularly powerful in their effects but they had some form of aphrodisiac effect. Mild enough that eating one would be a kick-starter to the night but not strong enough to be the reason for the night to finish. Stroking her hand over her belly she began to realize a small discomfort, arousal she quickly surmised but just as swiftly drained away. It was weaker even than what she''d experienced in the past. A twitch coalesced on her cheek, thinking back, her mother had fed her quite a few over a few weeks, hidden them within teas and pastries, even feeding them to a passing noble boy with a sparkle to her eyes at the idea of her daughter finding herself a man of worth. Thankfully, that went nowhere when it said noble boy was found with the stable boy.


    He wasn''t on top.


    He was expelled posthaste from both his family, and the Ginsberg manor.


    Cautiously staring down Serris, she focused on Noah, "as confusing as this is, it''s not actually a bad idea. A single berry could be¡­ a hundred buckles each. If the effect was stronger maybe even two hundred."


    "For a single berry?" Noah gaped at the ridiculous sum, "Caina said a bundle would be fifty to a hundred."


    "Mmm," Liora bobbed her head to the side and hummed, "it would be if it was normal cherries, but considering its ones coming from a dryad with an actual effect they would definitely cost more. Farming them is risky after all. Nothing like just taking care of a few trees and cutting any down that become dryads. Adding in how most all of them come from Zesune it should really be three to four hundred buckles each."


    "Is that a lot?" asked Serris butting into the contemplative aura Liora had developed.


    Liora''s expression contorted, her lips puckering sourly as she remembered the humanoid log pushing out of the trunk. It seemed kind and reasonable enough, she wouldn''t be lowering her guard but she could at least treat it a little bit better. "very. Even for my mother, buying a lot of imported monster fruits made a dent in the vault stockpiles. It takes months for them to even cross the ocean and get here. Keeping them fresh enough is a mission in and of itself even with ethos enriching them¡­ wait, is that how you want to keep them ripe? By enriching them?" she leaned over, her eyes blaring wider in shocked realization.


    "I mean, Serris did say she could take care of the ripeness if I, well¡­"


    "Had s.e.x with it and gave it your ethos like a breeder." Gaping Liora looked to be rapidly loosing her will to deal with Noah''s proverbial shit. "Noah, do you even know what that means?"


    "It''s sort of in the name." he weakly answered, shrinking away when a fire lit in Liora''s eyes threatening him to shut up and that it wasn''t his time to speak.


    "Breeders are rare. Special. They have a type of immunity to manos. It''s not entirely perfect but they can survive for longer and may not even need to be cleansed after absorbing manos. They can process it over time so long as they don''t keep absorbing it. It is rare. Extremely so. So much so that the only ones I can think of are those heretical otherworlders."


    Noah jolted but stilled himself as Liora continued. "It''s not worth it. It''s too dangerous. I''m not letting you do it. Maybe if we had connections to the kingdoms and they would allow us to use their criminals, but not you¡­ Noah, why do you look like you liked ate a rats bottom."


    Flinching, Noah couldn''t help but keep his gaze diverted, "Well, that''s because¡­ Uh." Being called heretical was not a comfortable thing, as he''d found out. He realized it was likely to do with her being raised beneath that goddess, Artemia he recalled. Adding that with Xisaya''s warnings and it made him exceedingly unnerved by her tone.


    "Noah. Ignoring the very obvious. Very dangerous dryad-"


    "Hamadryad."


    Liora scathed a silencing glare Serris'' way, "what aren''t you telling me."


    Meeting her eyes, Noah felt minute, like an ant ready to be stomped by the giant human that was Liora. He could lie, though he felt he''d be easily seen through. Leaving him with one, possibly two options of escape, and he didn''t very well feel like bolting into the forest where monsters would drag him down and mate him into the abyss of death.


    "I''m¡­ from another world."


    "Pardon?"

 Chapter 52 - Meeting the Tree [3]

    It was becoming abundantly obvious to Noah how sick Liora was of these revelations he was lumping on her. The constant onslaught had drawn her to the blankest, most deadened stare Noah could ever have wished to see. Not even back on earth did he ever get such a blank look.


    The only ones that came near were those school girls who went full on deadfish when he tried to ask them out only to be shot down like a horse with a broken leg.


    In the minute of silence that followed his proclamation of otherworldly origin, Liora had blinked once about halfway through the minute taking a minimum of five seconds for a full revolution of shut and open.


    "You okay over the-"


    "No. I am most certainly not okay." She scathed, "what do you mean you come from another world!?"


    "I believe it harbours the meaning that he is not from our world." Serris added, drawing a spiteful glare from Liora.


    "Be quiet while I deal with Noah, okay?" sinister sweetness kindled with slitted eyes, a dark omen, and a twitching lip.


    "I shall not speak then." Serris budged in the wind, soft cracking of wood resonating from her as tendrils rose from her upper and lower lip sewing her mouth together into a perfectly smooth piece of wood.


    Liora huffed, straightened her spine, and bared her eyes down on Noah. His only response being to shiver in fear, any other movement he could make seeming to be insufficient under her petrifying glare.


    "Are there any other surprises you want to throw my way, like, oh, I don''t know, you''re a necromancer ontop of a forsaken otherworlder?"


    "Uhh," Noah looked to Serris then back to Liora, "I spoke with a goddess?"


    Twice Liora blinked, each one as slow as the previous.


    "Typhania I''m guessing?"


    "No, uh, I don''t actually know her name. She''s apparently a deity of agricultural endeavors."


    Liora visibly jolted, her brows raising as she took a double take of Noah to see if he was serious. As far as she was aware there weren''t many deities, especially female goddesses related to agriculture who were connected to Typhania. Most of them were neutral or otherwise part of Artemia''s pantheon. "Was she tall, beautiful, with hair like hay?" she questioned Noah.


    "Yeah."


    ''So it''s Demetria then?'' Liora shook her head in beffudlement. Demetria was part of Artemia''s pantheon, why would she summon an otherworlder? Artemia was sure to be enraged to learn one of her trusted sisters betrayed her in such a way.


    Pinching her brow, Liora cross one arm beneath her b.r.e.a.s.ts and sighed heavily. "I''m too old for this. I raise a hyperactive child for nearly half my life, and this day has been nearly as tiring as a week without Harv when Eleonora was five." Hunching forwards slightly.


    Locking onto Noah, he shifted uncomfortably like a deer under a hunters eye. A slight roll of his throat, a nervous swallow, darting eyes seeking escape. It was cute, to a degree. Irksome to another. She''d seen this type of reaction plenty in her life. Not only when Eleonora was causing mischief but when Harv went out to the village only to return stumbling, reeking of alcohol, and having suckling marks on places not easily conversable in public.


    "You know Noah. I am¡­ incredibly confused and extraordinarily tired. So just in easy words, explain to me what in the love of everything that exists, is going on. Skip over the dryad¡­ hamadryad, and the goddess¡ªI''m still going to be questioning you about that¡ªbut explain to me exactly why you think I''d accept risking that, even with you being an otherworlder which I am still not entirely convinced about."


    There wasn''t much of a reason to lie about something like that, he thought scratching at a suddenly itching spot on his side. "Right, so, that goddess. She wants me to help you save the farm and told me to look at the bounty of monsters to help pay off your debts and then I remembered this page in my book that spoke of ranchers and I thought ''hey, I could maybe do that.'' Next thing I know I''m here talking with Serris about letting us sell her fruits so I bring you here and now I''m going to shut up."


    Noah may not have spoken for long but it was long enough for the stormy atmosphere propagating around Liora to thicken only for it to suddenly dissipate as Liora lifted her head, her eyes moist with a whimpering haze. "You don''t put your life in danger for someone you barely know, Noah. That''s¡­ that''s just not sane."


    ''I''m in a world where monsters breed with men, I''m still figuring out if I''m not in a mental aslum going through weird shit right now.'' He bobbed his head but didn''t verbalize it.


    "I don''t exactly have anything in this world and since I got here you''ve been about the easiest thing to understand." Tilting his head to the side breaking line of sight with Liora, Noah''s voice shrunk inwards. "In my old world, I didn''t do much of anything. I lived in a small room doing nothing everyday and suddenly finding myself here, I can''t help but find myself wanting to do something. Note, might be related to the reincarnation thing. My brain hasn''t been hotwired to be helpful has it?" he trembled, the thought horrifying to even ponder on for a moment.


    Throwing that thought out he sighed, "I realize I''m not much of anything Liora. I''m just as confused as you when t comes to, well, everything going on around me. I spent about ten minutes talking with a goddess in my head and before that I was assaulted by a human shaped wolf woman and had s.e.x with what is tantamount to a tree."


    Serris remained unmoving, uncaring for the tree comment. He wasn''t exactly wrong.


    "I doubt I''ll have much time to get used to this world. No, I don''t have much time to get used to this world. Not even taking your debt into account that goddess, er, still don''t know her name, said something along the lines of ''without my blessing, you will cease to exist.'' Something along those lines. So really if you want to think about it I''m being incredibly selfish as I don''t want to die¡­ again¡­ and am trying to convince you to let me help so I don''t die and not because of you." Pursing his lips, he waited for Liora to react.


    When she did it was quite a bit contrarian to what he''d initially been expecting.


    A light chuckle and shake of her head. Wiping her eyes dry she lifted her head and pressed a hand onto her hip. "You''re not that selfish Noah. I may not have known you long enough, but someone who runs off into a forest filled with man eating monsters does not care about dying for those types of reasons. You''re¡­" she searched for the word, "selfless Noah. Not selfish."


    Looking to Serris she trailed over the dryads body then up the bark to the apple sized cherries dangling like crimson stars on a backdrop of a pink night sky. "I can''t believe I''m going to say this," she inched backwards, groaning all the way, "but if your willing to go so far as to risk yourself to save a haggard old woman like myself and a dying farm, I can''t refuse it. I can''t refuse you." She snorted, eyes rolling until they suddenly stilled and her cheeks were dyed a shade similar to the cherries above.


    She cleared her throat to the side, "I may not be thrilled with the idea of you having s.e.x with a monster," she seethed at the mere mention of the word, "but if its true you''re an otherworlder then you should be safe so long as you do it in modesty."


    ''Doubtful theres anything modest in having s.e.x outdoors twice.'' He thought.


    "So does that mean-"


    "We''ll sell the cherries. If we can even get to the markets in time Noah. It''ll be a rush just plucking all of these not to mention getting a cart to carry them off to Tallmire." She hushed herself, her cheek twitching as Serris creaked.


    "You needn''t worry of the harvest. I can verily do so myself." She said, a vine of her bark filled with petals of pink and a few drupes lowered before Liora, the wood forming into a basket similar to the one fallen by her side now filled with half a dozen of the balls. The basket didn''t detach, instead retracting after a few moments of terse gulping on Liora''s part.


    "I see¡­" her voice low, "and making them sustainable?"


    Serris shook her head, leaves ruffling, "I require more sustenance. Simply raising these fruits has worn my reserves thin. I will ask of Noah to offer me his seed once more." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B3%5D_51890894084830412 for visiting.


    In turn both sets of orbs shot to him sending every hair on his body on end. Likely more due to Liora than Serris'' general naivete.


    Liora struggled with the words but spoke them still, "are you alright with offering her your¡­ ''seed?''"


    "Yes?" his voice cracking.


    "Not convincing me here Noah." Glancing to Serris, Liora eventually sighed as a gust blew past rippling the hay into an oceanic roar. "Wait here." Spinning, she waited not for a response before falling into a light jog towards the farmhouse.


    A quick glance belied silence as Noah and Serris awaited her return.


    They needn''t wait very long as soon Noah noticed her form thumping in the distance. At first small, but the closer she got he felt his heart beating faster as the earth seemed to rumble. Like a storm approaching, the hay seemed to wilt away from her approach. Then he saw it, a glint and a near meter long handle, it was tipped in polished steel with rust along the connecting points where wood met metal.


    Noah''s face drained of colour and suddenly he felt his throat dry as a desert.


    "Is¡­ that an axe?" he muttered fearfully.


    Liora arrived to silence, her pose that of a demon holding one hand half way down the haft and on by the axe head. Licking her lips, she flared Serris'' way. "You move one leaf in the wrong way. And I. Am. Chopping. You. Down."

 Chapter 53 - Fruiting [1]

    Noah couldn''t pry his gaze from the axe. Though old the way Liora held it and the way her hair waved in the gusts of wind like serpents writhing ready to strike turned it into the very image of an executioners blade. He gulped nervously, eyes shaky.


    "I don''t think that''ll be necessary." He tried to say, yelping as Liora shot him a deathly look.


    "I decide what is necessary Noah. This is my farm. If I want to cut down a tree. I will cut. It. Down." She spoke more to Serris than to him.


    Serris barely flinched though seemed abundantly aware of what an axe like that could do to a tree like her. "Harming Noah is not in my seeking." She said, "he is my fruiter, harming him will leave me lonesome and without strength until his passing."


    Noah shot around in confusion, "excuse me? What does that mean."


    "I and my sisters seek only a single man to become our fruiter. After their passing we will seek another to fulfil the role."


    "Well that stings," he grumbled. Being told so bluntly that he was replaceable was just like a kick in the shin by someone wearing steel tipped boots pointed with a dagger. Unpleasant.


    A puff of smoke huffed from Liora''s mouth, gripping the axe tighter she looked between the two, not completely convinced by Serris'' proclamation. All eyes had fallen on her, Noah not able to say anything for fear of the axe being put into use, and Serris because she wasn''t particularly chatty.


    "I''m going to warn you once. Both of you, I may not know how to properly use an axe, and I am entirely sure that a single swing of this is going to pull my back, but if I see anything happen to Noah, I''m going to end you."


    As intimidating as both the tone and subject were, Noah couldn''t help but linger on a singular aspect.


    "If you see?" he trembled.


    Liora nodded once, glance his way with axe bouncing in her grip, "I''m not going anywhere Noah. You''re a stick and I don''t trust the dryad in the slightest. So I''m going to stand right here, ready to cut it down while you have¡­ uh, ''feed'' it."


    Flaring slightly, Noah trembled, cheek twitching profusely. "As in your going to watch?"


    "Of course. How else will I know if it sticks its sticks in places they don''t belong?" as innocently malicious as she phrased it, the underlying concept was not lost to him.


    "Do you have to?" he squeaked.


    "Yes Noah. I do." She billowed a response.


    A swift look to Serris showed she felt nothing but neutrality to the idea. ''Likely because she''s a monster,'' Noah reasonably reasoned. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B1%5D_51909538823071663 for visiting.


    "Oh, w-well, I don''t have to do it today." Stuttering he was tempted to skirt away. Being watched by his host while he was doing the nasty was not something on his list of wants.


    "Oh no, you are. You want to sell those cherries and just to get to Tallmire is going to take days so we need to leave as soon as possible. Meaning we want those cherries down as soon as possible so we can be on the way." With every utterance Noah paled while Liora struggled to keep herself from flaring. Just as aware how licentious such an idea was. But considering it was Noah''s life that could be in danger it was an acceptable effect. In fact, it calmed her slightly by removing the previously fetishistic concept and moved it into the point of being for the safety of Noah. Even if it did mean she was witness to something meant for privacy between lovers.


    Gaping in response, Noah was unsure of how to respond. In the end he shrivelled and shrunk like a kicked puppy being scolded. "I take it there''s no convincing you to¡­ y''know, not watch?" she shook her head determinedly. "Perfect."


    Facing Serris he met her pristine pinkish orbs and fumbled mentally. "I guess we''re going to¡­" Serris nodded.


    "We shall." She practically beamed as she disappeared back into her lumberous housing. Cracks soon echoed from the trunk as it snapped and shifted into the shape of a steep staircase much like the one he''d descended after his first meeting with her.


    Liora jumped at the noises, her axe rising above her head ready to bare down as she shook like a newborn deer but seeing the staircase appearing she calmed somewhat.


    Noah looked back conflicted then sighed his concerns away. It was his fault things got this far, no point in ignoring it and letting things get more out of hand than they already were. Lifting one leg, he moved closer to the tree, another, then by five he was before them. About to lay down his sole atop the first step, he was jolted as Liora blurted.


    "Wait!" she shouted sending Noah spinning, "you''re not going up there." She proclaimed with such assurance like that of a queen commanding her servantry.


    "But I have to-" he pointed upwards where Serris'' head was peeping over the top.


    "Not up there you''re not. It can appear, it can just stick its butt out down here." Clutching her axe Noah''s pallour darkened to the bounds of hopelessness.


    "You meant literally watch¡­" he whined. Having seen the ascending stairs appearance he''d been hopping that would be enough for her, clearly it was not. "You hear that Serris?"


    The wood twisted and reconnected into a perfect trunk unblemished by scars. Serris'' head popping out about halfway down. "I have. If that would calm Liora then I shall do so." Below her head, around hip height the wood bubbled outwards as a single ball that then separated into two. They connected together at the centre leaving a smooth crevice of a womans plump bottom. Serris'' rump extruded more forming the faint accentuation of dimples, thighs, and a slit at the crotch.


    Noah gaped, eyes bolting wide as he saw Serris'' slit lighten with pinkish lines of the same energy that permeated her eyes. A moist dripping line of pale rose nectar soon descended into a drooping line from the bottom of her v.a.g.i.n.a, the colour sticking out against the grey undertones her barky skin was coloured in.


    His gaze bolted away and fell to Liora who was equally as thrown back by the sight as he was. For all intents and purposes it was the rump of a young woman. Pert, plump, almost athletic in nature. Soft to look at and alluring.


    One drop of Serris'' nectar came loose and fell to the soil filling the verdure with a powerful smell of baking cherries. Liora tilted her head to the side and was blinking profusely as if trying to reason with herself to the unusual sight of a womans ass sticking out of a tree.


    Plaming his face and holding his hand there, Noah thought back to earth. He''d be remised if he didn''t liken it to those hip masturbators, he most certainly was not tempted to buy one of if they didn''t cost a fortune.


    ''How is this a thing?'' he thought as another eruption of cherry scent exuded from Serris. ''A week ago, I was worrying about renting an apartment and finding a job and now I''m next to a tree about to have s.e.x with the woman inside it while being watched by an older woman. I know I should be happy, but holy shit what the f.u.c.k is going on?'' doubtful this question would ever answered.


    Finding a sudden itch on his scalp Noah moved to scratch it, the slight shifting motion drawing Liora onto him only to flush and dart away a second later when she processed exactly what the dripping dryad''s bottom was meant for.


    "W-well then. I, uh, I guess you should start?" her grip loosening on the axe until the butt tapped the earth letting her muscles calm from its weight. Eyes darted all about unable to find anywhere to properly focus but finding herself constantly attracted to the womanly rump protruding from lumber and Noah stood just off to the side of it.


    He looked down to Serris'' butt then up to her eyes uncontrollably twitching all the while.


    "Yeah¡­ I guess I should." He spoke but thought, ''just think you''re alone and hope you don''t last long. No wait, that''s just as humiliating as this¡­"

 Chapter 54 - Fruiting [2]

    Staring down at Serris'' rump, Noah glanced over his shoulder to Liora¡ªshe was still darting her eyes around trying to find something that wasn''t him and the thought of what he was about to do only to remember exactly what he was about to do it with and that she needed to make sure Serris did nothing uncouth.


    ''This is so messed up¡­'' he commented, a wilting smile tilting his lips while the urge to tear up became readily apparent. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B2%5D_52063551250033955 for visiting.


    It was made clear that Liora wasn''t going anywhere nor was she going to give him any semblance of privacy to¡­ fruit Serris.


    Swiping a hand over his face, he dragged down his lower eyelids groaning helplessly only to retake Serris'' bottom in his vision. Compared to those days ago prior to this whole transformation into a hamadryad, it had become plumper, the skin smoother though still holding definition of woodgrain and bark. If the her of back then was a wood carving half finished then the her of now was complete with every jagged edge sanded down and perfectly veneered with some oil that gave her an uncannily realistic look like she had this everpresent sheen of sweat coating her.


    Between her plump cheeks was her mound of venus, the part of her crotch that bulged into a light upsidedown mountain that was split down the middle to reveal bright pink inner flesh of her p.u.s.s.y. Noah gulped, unable to hold his body from sending an animalistic amount of blood to his lower half as well as unable to stop the over production of saliva collecting in his mouth.


    Still reeling from the thought of being witnessed, he looked back to Liora then back to Serris'' rump only to trail up to her head pushing out of the tree.


    Tilting up to stare through her canopy and into the sky, Noah''s mind gradually blankened, "this¡­ is going to become normal isn''t it?" he spoke to no one but himself.


    When his head descended and a few moments of contemplative silence accented with a gusting breeze, Noah slowly took position behind Serris. His back fully to Liora while his hands hesitated at the buttons of his pants.


    Liora watched his back with flushed cheeks, his arm gradually moving like he was fiddling with something only sent even more heat to her cheeks and neck. Sounds of ruffling clothes told her it was just him unbuttoning but when his hand halted with the noise, she knew there was something else soon to be in hand.


    In reality Noah was stuck staring down at his lower half stuck at a half erection. ''I''m not enjoying this¡­ am I?'' he hoped not, exhibitionism was not at the forefront of his thoughts.


    Another pleading look behind lead only to him meeting Liora''s eyes for a split second before she shot away practically steaming like an engine.


    ''No way in hell I can just ignore her. But hesitating leave me here longer¡­'' he knew how abundantly out of place his thoughts were, his idilic view of s.e.x and the like. To him love making was something meant for a private setting not such open world.


    Arguind that thought with his current situation was likely to be speaking to a concrete wall and asking it to move out of the way. Idiotic.


    The longer he lingered on his past the longer he was going to be uncomfortable.


    Feeling bags growing beneath his eyes he stilled his heart as much as he could and dug his right into his briefless pants and pulled free his manhood. His other hand reaching out to lay atop Serris'' left buttocks.


    His hand sunk partially into the flesh¡­ lumber, of her ass. It was warm, smooth and what he may consider toned and taught like that of an athlete who''d trained her glutes for years. The swift memory that this rump was piercing from a tree reigned that thought in and religated it to some part of her just being naturally stiff.


    Swallowing a thick lump of saliva, Noah gently stroked his shaft into an energized state and squirmed uncomfortably as a short-lived piercing look from Liora sent his spine tingling.


    Glancing back to Serris'' head he saw her staring down at his shaft with interest. Though she never blinked he doubted she would either way if she could.


    His p.e.n.i.s twitched and with a shaken head he drew it closer, setting it in the crevice of her ass to give himself the barest moments of thought before doing ''it'' fully.


    Hesitantly, Noah pulled back his h.i.p.s and under the sparkling eyes of Serris guided it down the line of her bottom, past where an anus may have been had she the need for it, and towards her dripping wet honeypot.


    Chewing on his lower lip Noah brought in a breath that rose his chest high and expelled it. It stilled his addled nerves and slumped his shoulders.


    Trembling in the breeze, Noah pushed his h.i.p.s forth and felt as Serris'' lips parted lightly and enveloped the tip of his glans. He paused his stride, hissed lowly as her slick insides already began to tighten and attempt to suck him in.


    With his p.e.n.i.s stuck firmly and unable to come loose, Noah travelled his hands from her butt and his p.e.n.i.s and onto her h.i.p.s where he gently squeezed.


    A spike in adrenalin suddenly rose like a volcano erupting after an earthquake as Liora witnessed the movements her mind could only imagine in full. Those thoughts were reasonably expunged before they could dig their heels in.


    Lips curling to slits, Noah huffed and shuffled closer to Serris. Flinching the deeper his p.e.n.i.s pushed and as he did her walls began coiling like a million miniature tendrils coiling around his manhood. They twisted and squeezed as her walls excreted a slick and viscous nectar that exuded the scent of cherries and summer days.


    Noah groaned out a grunt as his h.i.p.s jostled to a halt. His back arched slightly forwards as hairs across his body went on alert.


    Powering through the jostle of current running his body Noah pushed what was left of his c.o.c.k in and let out a louder grunt. Serris herself shook, the entire tree even jostling as if shaken by an outer force.


    Meeting eyes with Serris he could see her expression shifting, her lips curling downwards¡ªnot in discomfort, but pleasure.


    Unable to stare at her disembodied head any longer, Noah shot hus head down to her pert bottom and h.i.p.s. His hand pressing his thumbs into the dimples of her back while his c.o.c.k was buried to the hilt within her.


    The scene was so obscene that even just thinking about what Liora must be imagining was sending signals to the computer that was his brain and setting it into a torrent of malfunctions that were steadily yet rapidly wilting away his sanity and bringing about his inner desire to the surface.


    Trembling with breath he pulled back his h.i.p.s unsheathing his p.e.n.i.s half way and held it there. Letting it out he stroked forwards and felt her tightness pull back his skin and clench around him already squeezing him for her wanted nutrition.


    Pulling back again he began to piston halfway. No faster than a few second between light squelches of his c.o.c.k going all the way.


    Little noise was made at first but as seconds drew into minutes the rustling of Serris'' leave became more prominent.


    Noah h.i.p.s bucked harder, his p.e.n.i.s plowing further as she tightened even more. The many light tendrils of v.a.g.i.n.a.l vines laced with sweet nectar rolled and squeezed even more.


    Harder.


    Tighter.


    She pulled him deeper, he pulled back farther.


    Noises resounded as his glans was left solely within her. His h.i.p.s slammed harshly with a squelch and a slap as his flesh drilled her deeper.


    "Mhm-"


    Serris whimpered, her trunk physically bounding with every licentious slap of Noah''s testicles hitting her belly.


    Flickering in the eyes her head extruded further, growing a neck and arms and her b.r.e.a.s.t soon fell from the wood.


    Her arms reached out to him and hooked around his neck and pulled his head close.


    Had she the ability, Noah was sure to feel her breath on his lip from the short distance between them.


    Lingering so close, Noah soon found himself unable to resist and pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth opened receptively as his tongue sn.a.k.e.d out and into her mouth. She lacked dentition and was surprisingly soft. Even the inside of her mouth though lacking in a tongue and teeth was incredibly smooth.


    That was until Noah felt them, two small threads snake up from her throat and began to coil and tease the tip of his tongue. Noah attempted to jolt away but Serris greedily held him in place and kept her ''tongues'' twisting with his, each going no further then his tongue.


    She tasted thickly of cherries like a syrup let simmer over night that has developed into this powerful suckerpunch of flavour.


    Noah''s spine shook, his c.o.c.k prowling deeper to knock against and pierce through some barrier and into a tightly squeezing chamber he knew to mimic her w.o.m.b. It clenched around his glans refusing to release it. Had his tongue not been entrusted with her own he was tempted to bite down and grunt heavily.


    Even minutes after their lips locked, Noah''s lungs sucked in breath that Serris'' body absorbed and fed back to him though now laced with her scent that sparked arousal deep within him.


    As the slaps grew louder and his h.i.p.s ramming''s grew harder, Noah soon felt a tightness in his loins.


    He was drawn sensitively to the brim of orgasm and he was fully ready to let himself fall and empty himself into her waiting orifice.


    One last far pull brough his glans to being the sole part of him within her. Serris seemingly sensing the impending ejaculation shifted, her p.u.s.s.y twisted tighter and drizzled with more slick red nectar that would provide him the lubrication he needed.


    Their lips parted and Noah though filled with breath, gasped and panted. She kept hold around his shoulders with a light trail a Noah drool down her chin and watch his face contort pleasurably.


    She too was feeling some type of sensation, a powerful one just like when she''d first taken his seed.


    Noah unable to hold her gaze turned down, shivered, and slammed his h.i.p.s home. A loud grunt escaped him. Serris shivered, falling into convulsions that rocked all of her being as Noah''s c.o.c.k bulged and began unleashing torrents and jets of s.e.m.e.n into her ''w.o.m.b.''


    The area sounded like oceans crashing against cliffs as Noah continued unleashing more ejaculate into her to the point that even through her constricting v.a.g.i.n.a s.p.e.r.m coloured pink with her nectar forced its way out and dripped from her bottom and to the grass where small white and burgundy flowers happily grew and lapped up the ethos rich s.p.e.r.m.


    Noah''s legs trembled, threatening to buckle and send him falling from how drained he was feeling.

 Chapter 55 - Fruiting [3]

    Noah''s c.o.c.k slid out from Serris as he stumbled a step away. His member shivered in tandem with the rest of his body as he stared down at her slit. S.e.m.e.n turned a pinkish shade due to her fragrant nectar began to dribble down like a levee broken.


    His eyes bolted wide and he gaped as he watched her slit stitch together, one side blending perfectly with the other turning her crotch into the very image of a barbie doll all for the purpose of not letting his seed escape her more than it already had.


    "I thank you," Serris spoke, drawing Noah''s attention to her head and upper body. At the same time her lower half of buttocks, thighs and legs, sunk back into the wood. "It will take me the day to fully consume your seed so I shall soon rest." She remained there, staring him the eyes awaiting a response.


    "Uh, y-yeah. You do that." He stuttered, his hackles still on end as he felt something ominous stabbing his back.


    Serris nodded, "my fruits shall be filled by morning come. I shall have them ready for you by then if that is your will."


    "That''s good."


    Noah struggled with his words, his voice even as small as his sentences were was cracked and baring a faint squeak.


    Giving another nod, Serris set her hand back against her trunk and slowly melded with it, disappearing completely not moments later.


    Stuck stood in place staring at where Serris once was, Noah licked his lips and tasted the sweet remnants of cherries she''d left behind from their kiss. A gusting breeze shimmied past and sent of a bout of sensitive shivers from his lower hald. Focus shooting down he flushed more than he already was at the sight of his languidly hanging member at a shrinking half mast.


    Setting it back into his pants, Noah was left befuddled at what to do. Turning around would mean dealing with Liora, just looking at her was going to leave him ashamed with himself, he''d fallen so far into the enthralling embrace of Serris that he''d completely blanked her out. Now that he was back¡ªin arguably sane straits¡ªhe knew fully that she was there, staring at his back with some type of glare that was sending each and every hair individually on end.


    On the other hand, he didn''t have any other option. Asking Serris to let him up was likely just to lead to her being chopped down by an enraged Liora, and that was not something Noah wanted to have stuck on his conscience.


    A tremor coursed him as he let out a lengthy sigh, if he left it any longer things were to get just as if not even more awkward than they already were. So he sluggishly spun on point, his head low but rising when he was facing Liora.


    She, for all the concern she''d had for him that lead to her bringing an axe to the field, had a much too different on her face now.


    Where concern had been followed by anger and hints of threat, she''d now morphed to something else. Her eyes were hazy, cheeks slick with red flushes of arousal and she was chewing on the right side of her lower lip. Her back hunched slightly as the axe she brought lay with its head on the verdure while the butt pressed the crotch of her dress inwards and while faint, Noah could see a slight, moist discolouration around the point it was grinding against.


    ''Was she-'' just as the thought appeared it was briskly shaken away to leave behind only a blank mind and the sight of Liora''s l.u.s.tingly shuddering body.


    Her chest heaved sending her bosom to soft bounces that only accentuated their size and sent even more blood rushing to his secondary brain threatening to tighten his pants once more.


    Shooting his head away, Noah took one, perhaps two sidelong looks at Liora. Half tempted to say something to break her out of the wanting stare she was giving him only to find himself unable to.


    Moving to hide his animalistic urges behind two hands Liora''s attention was stolen and watched him shift to do so. Before he could fully cover the tenting member, she had seen it, his pants conforming around his shaft. She gulped and just that small feeling of her throat undulating and her heart pattering hardly was enough to send her mind blaring awake.


    She jolted, the sense of the axe butt grinding through her dress and into her p.u.s.s.y sending spikes of clitorial pleasure made her hurl the thing thumpingly away. It didn''t bounce as it hit the soil. Hands dancing across her dress she pried it from her crotch and pivoted around.


    "A-are you done?" she squeaked.


    "Yeah¡­" he trailed off still unable to lift his head but invariably finding himself drawn to Liora''s bottom, her dress falling between the crevice of her bottom leaving her plump derriere fully defined. His heart shuddered excitedly while his mind shivered excitedly, unlike Serris, her''s was larger, more mature and full. Even through the thin fabris of her dress he could tell his fingers would melt into her flesh with barely a squeeze. ''can''t be thinking like this,'' his gaze thrown further to the side to block himself from desire.


    "G-good. I-I''m heading back to the house. I''m-I''m feeling quite tired right now." Liora marched through the wall of golden hay, her steps swift and without purpose like someone lost in thought or even someone running from something they couldn''t comprehened. The words she spoke though stuck with him, the reminded him of something, like someone in pain or unsure of something.


    Noah''s mouth opened as if to call for her though found nothing coming forth. A shaken head, a look back to Serris'' trunk and back to Liora left him addled with thought. Watching her form shrink into the distance Noah exhaled heavily and muttered, "she¡­ does she like me?" even just that sent his heart pattering a shade happier but his mind shivered a shade colder with reason, "no, she''s¡­ we just met, she couldn''t. Could she?"


    A sudden slap to his cheek blared pain that woke his thought addled self, "I should get back as well." One more look to Serris and Noah was stepping over the field of green towards the ocean of gold, halting at the edge where the axe was laid lonesomely on the ground and sticking out like a fish out of water.


    Bowing his knees he reached down and lifted it from the ground, he couldn''t leave it there, no doubt he''d forget about it if he did. Straightening out he inspected it and felt its surprisingly weighty mass but what had really taken his gaze was the butt, the wood around the upper centimetre or two was a shade darker and glistened wetly in the sunlight.


    He knew why, knew what¡ªor who in this case¡ªhad done that and for what reason.


    Spinning the axe around he gripped it in his right by the head and parted thoughts from that. Being stuck on fantasy was going to make this walk back to the farm house painful. Crossing the boundary between Serris'' verdure and the fields of the farmstead was like crossing the boundaries between worlds.


    Snorting he huffed, "little too accurate Noah." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B3%5D_52064606738238811 for visiting.


    ***


    Bursting through the doorway into the house, the door slammed shut behind Liora and she was soon resting her back upon it.


    Her heart was beating faster than a centaurs gallop.


    ''What have I done?'' she thought gripping part of her dresses crotch and tugged it out to see the slight discolouration where she had wettened it from her sickening display of l.u.s.t.


    It was shamefuly, utterly humiliating. She was a grown woman no? Getting aroused by watching a boy barely half her age have s.e.x was ridiculous. She was there to keep him safe from that monster, not imagine herself bucked over, her bottom pressed out while Noah gripped her thighs and pressed his c.o.c.k against her sl-


    Liora slammed a resonating slap against her cheek and swiftly awoke her wandering mind. Tightness in her loins and a wettening feeling on her chin left her more uncomfortable than just moments prior. Wiping down her lips she pushed off of the door and wandered deeper into the house, her goal the kitchen where she could get some water to splash against her heated cheeks to cool down her perverse thoughts.


    Entering the kitchen, she was brought to a halt. Caina was there, settled in a chair by the dinning table. She wasn''t awake from the looks of how her face was pressed onto the wood of the table and the puddle of drool pooling around her mouth. Slight wafting of honeyed mead rose from the girl, added with the crimsoning of her olive skin was enough to tell Liora that the girl was drunken and unlikely to be awakening any time soon.


    Liora stumbled past Caina, her steps careful as she arrived by the sink and had water fall from the faucet and into her cupped hands.


    Splashing it over her face she rubbed vigorously hoping that with the water her yearning for male companionship would fade. Long after the water disappeared though she still felt it, that tightening of her w.o.m.b, the twisting bubbling in her belly like a hundred butterflies in a bag.


    Another splash left her clutching the sink edge with one hand and grinding fingers over her eyes. Pulling back she looked down to her chest and weakly frowned at the points of her n.i.p.p.l.es pushing through her dress. No matter how much she tried to hide it her body was more than just simply yearning for Noah''s embrace.


    She couldn''t even refute it anymore. Didn''t mean she was pleased with the idea, someone like her was no fit for him no matter how much her body seemed to disagree.


    "What do I do¡­"

 Chapter 56 - The Long Road [1]

    The following morning had been belied by silence. Since returning to the house the day prior Noah had seen Liora but once when she was making the dinner for that evening. A simple stew with meat and vegetables, nothing particularly complex or extravagant but wholly loved as it wasn''t a sad noodle dish.


    There was a palpable tension between them. Noah chewed on his lip, head down in much a similar manner to Liora. Sometimes she''d lifted her head but seconds later when words wouldn''t escape her, she darted away like a startled deer.


    Didn''t halt the obvious flush that would only warm further each time she did.


    Come the morning, this morning, Noah had seen her once more after the terse parting of the day prior. It had been in passing when she was on the way to the bathroom while he was returning from it.


    They paused, met eyes, mouths opened as if to speak only to dart away and for Liora to hasten past practically steaming from how red she was.


    Caina had left early that morning clad with her satchel and a bundle of buckles on a trek to the village to get a carriage and some essentials for the travel to Tallmire. Hopefully even a more accepting mercenary to fend off any monster attacks that could happen.


    She would have gone yesterday but as she was at that point dead drunk¡ªalmost literally from how unmoving she was¡ªshe was unable to properly even stumble in a straightish line.


    Given it had been now two or so hours she was expected back at any moment.


    Until then it was just Noah and Liora stuck in the awkwardest day since his arrival.


    They''d found themselves now within the lukewarm confines of the kitchen, the only place in the building with half decent seating considering its emptiness. It was only now that Noah was truly coming to realize just how ''hollow'' this place was. It lacked for lack of a better word, life. The artifacts of furniture paintings and the like were gone, sold leaving only the barest of essentials as if Liora was awaiting the day she''d take the trip down to Charon and left as little nuisance for future owners of the house to clean up.


    Glancing to his side Noah spotted a basket of the day-old cherries, they still looked good, plump, round, red. Barely looked affected by the day and night that had just past.


    Rapping his fingers atop the table, so too did Noah''s leg bounce nervously. Though not impatient by any means, having survived an hour of waiting for his delayed train to arrive with little frustration back on earth, the current situation had proven grating since his so-named insemination of Serris and subsequent discovery of a wettened axe handle.


    "So¡­" Noah tried to speak but it came out as a whistle of a leaking balloon. "Have you ever been to Tallmire before?" he asked but quickly regretted it. He''d wanted to speak about yesterday, clear things up and yet he panicked.


    Liora shivered a jolt, head dashing up then quickly away. "A few times," she whimpered and scrunched tighter on her seat as if to hide away from him. "Harv usually went to sell our hay and flour. I usually stayed home to take care of Eleonora and the house." Beneath the table clutching the knees of her dress tightly while her legs ground uncomfortably together.


    "Oh¡­ uh, makes sense."


    ''Perfectly done Noah. You sound like an idiot.'' He though half tempted to take the very axe of the day prion and have an ''unfortunate wood chopping accident'' with it.


    Silence once again stole the atmosphere between the two.


    Liora''s eyes darted back to Noah but this time lingered as she saw him frowning like a punished child. He''d really become quite handsome since she started feeding him, though he still needed some cleaning up with his shaggy brown hair, the straggly beard having disappeared after a treacherous journey with a shaving knife Liora had scrounged out of somewhere.


    ''Miracle I didn''t cut myself,'' he thought stroking the faint stubble already rising from his pores.


    Liora sighed weakly, clutched her dress tighter then loosened her whitening grasp.


    "You''re¡­ you said you''re from another world?" she asked.


    Noah jolted surprised at her speaking, "yeah, yes. I mean, partially? I know about another world but I don''t look like I did there. I think I took this guys body when I got here." He explained scratching his cheek.


    Liora hummed letting him know she heard him, "how¡­ what is that other world like? Are there monsters?"


    "Not really. Nothing like here, we don''t have dryads or Kanyon wolves, we just have normal wolves that walk on four legs and look like dogs. Though, we do have mythologies with dryads and the like. None of them actually exist though."


    "It sounds¡­ safe." The conversation straining to even continue.


    "Mostly, I guess. A bunch of countries can be considered ''safe.'' We do still have crime, criminals, murders and famines happing in a bunch of the less developed countries but otherwise theres nothing to really worry about."


    "I see¡­ Noah," she perked up, rising high only to squeak and for her breath to hiss out, "Noah¡­ about yesterday. I''m sorry for forcing you to do¡­ that. I shouldn''t have been so forceful."


    Noah hastily shook his head, "no, no, don''t be. You were trying to keep me safe. I can''t blame you for that."


    "Still," whining her head fell, "it was rude of me, I didn''t give you a chance to say no or decide when to do¡­ it¡­ her¡­ the dryad. Gods above I still can''t believe that tree''s a dryad." She hunched over face burying into her palms.


    Noah snorted, he couldn''t believe many of the things that had happened to him. Monsters shaped like women who lived off of s.e.m.e.n was just a concept thought of as fantasy, something exclusive to a few mythological monsters like succubi.


    They went silent, Liora squirming uncomfortably but looking ready to say anything.


    Thinking to the day prior, and the days prior to that, Noah focused his thoughts to Liora. Her soft expressions, the way she seemed to tend for him so tenderly like a mother¡­ no, there was something else blended in there. Something he''d been avoiding seeing. Something forelorn. Though there were lacking in intimacy they certainly spoke familiarly. Most their conversations hung on laughter and amus.e.m.e.nt, filling near each and every day just hours upon hours of unending talking hearing stories from their pasts or chatting of concepts neither could comprehend. For as little as they knew each other, it felt like they knew everything about the other.


    ''I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t attracted to her,'' his vision fell from her hanging head, trailing down her pristine white skin freckled lightly and halted at the window to the crevice of her abundant b.r.e.a.s.ts. Noah gulped and pulled away as quickly as he could before his mind could fantasize about their softness and how they would feel wrapping certain area''s.


    Her body, full and rich with maturity was right in the strike zone of one of his more favoured preferences. While he didn''t have concrete favourites, mature women like her were possibly one of his most beloved concepts. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B1%5D_52206892025435757 for visiting.


    How could he not? While not as taught as the younger girls they were fuller, richer in experience and could ''ara'' him into oblivion.


    ''And my minds wandering. God I am going to hell¡­. Why doesn''t that sound like a bad idea¡­'' he could just imagine this worlds ''hell'' being filled with s.e.x addicted demonesses. Or maybe even slaanesh like monsters with crab hands and three b.r.e.a.s.ts¡­ which also didn''t sound completely awful so long as they kept their more threatening actions behind. Which was doubtful, they were slaanesh after all.


    Leaning over, Noah rubbed his face and noiselessly groaned.


    Sucking in her lips at seeing this, Liora felt her heart squeeze tightly. It was clear he was struggling with his thoughts and while her religion told her to keep away, she couldn''t. Not once since his arrival had she sensed anything as sinister as Artemia''s teachings portrayed. He was no beast, a man seeking wanton pleasure ready to slaughter masses to create a harem of unwilling slaves¡­ no, he was na?ve, confused, kind, innocent¡­ he cared for her, even for Caina, so much so did he care that his health was of less importance to him than hers.


    No man would just rescue a woman who slashed her wrist in drunken consumption, nor would a man of low morals bolt before a flying tankard to save her from injury.


    "Noah I-" words hitching as their heads rose and eyes interlocked. She was half tempted to bolt away but that instinct was stilled, she just couldn''t pry herself away. "Thank you. I, I haven''t been saying it enough but thank you."


    Noah was enthralled, her expression so beautiful and soft as her ruby lips curled into soft ascensions at each end.


    "Not just for saving me¡ªtwice¡ªbut this, the dryad, the cherries, I just. I don''t even know if its going to work, if we''re even going to get to Tallmire but I¡­ just, thank you, so much." Bowing her head more to hide her flaring flush than anything.


    "You don''t need to thank me!" he argued, "it''s nothing special. If anything I should be thanking you. I''d have been lost without you. If I''d awaken anywhere else I''d be lost, I''d be food for the monsters or worse."


    She steamed heavier, "that''s a mean thing to say Noah." Raising her hands to her chest she clutched them into balls and felt her heart beating out of her chest.


    "Wait what? Really?" Noah panicked, ready to apologize wholeheartedly.


    In the background a clopping noise of and creaking noise of wood slowly approaching rung in through the window alerting them both to Caina''s enclosing arrival.


    Lifting her head her expression was indescribable, she smiled softly like girl stuck lost in ''love'' her flush of rosy proportions extravagant and heart twistingly attractive for a woman of her maturity. Even her hair, as red as roses framed her face like a masterpiece.


    "No, not really Noah. You are the kindest man I know." She went quiet, the clopping grew louder, "I¡­ I was planning to push you and Caina together, but I don''t think I can do that anymore." Without response she pushed out, her seat scratching against the floor and soon she was skirting around the table, dress trailing like a curtain behind her as she faded around the corner. Noah left dumbfounded and mind creaking like a ramshackle building on the verge of standing proudly or collapsing into a heap of trash.


    His gaze travelled, following after Liora to gap in the direction of her parting, where the house turned a shade darker due to lack of windows.


    "I''m sorry, what?"


    Was all his malfunctioning brain could compute.

 Chapter 57 - The Long Road [2]

    Of all the things Noah had been expecting, Liora''s fib¡­ whatever that was, was not high on the list.


    Jaafa coming with Caina on the carriage was another. Noah hadn''t even computed the mans appearance before he''d moved with Liora and Caina to collect the cherries from Serris. All of which had been collected in a dozen or so vine wicker baskets.


    Serris had tried to speak with him but that flew right over his head, he was even pretty sure Liora and Caina had tried talking to him but his mind was stuck on autopilot only able to respond with ''yeah,'' ''okay,'' and ''really?''


    To say Noah was an idiot, was something he was abundantly aware of himself.


    It was only once they were getting settled in the carriage when Caina took seat on the drivers box with Jaafa and his blade that Noah started to lowly reboot. That of course lasted as long as a few moments when he saw Liora nestled against the opposite wall with the baskets off to the side just a bit deeper in like a barricade stopping anyone from getting to them.


    A heartthrobbingly warm smile was plastered like a masterpiece painting gave her an almost ethereal appeal that only made her sparkle evermore in his eyes.


    In the hours proceeding they''d travelled with clacking hooves echoing with gusts of wind. The odd whisperlike whimperings of women in his ears every now and then drew his gaze out the back curtain of the carriage to see ghostly forms just watching the carriage.


    "Wind nymphs." Liora spoke startling Noah her direction. "They don''t normally come out around here but they''re also not very uncommon. I see the more often during storms when the winds are hard, that''s the only real time they''re dangerous as well."


    "Right." Noah responded looking back to the nymph only to see it gone with the wind. "Do they normally whisper in peoples ears?" he asked.


    Liora''s brow perked then lowered when her head shook dismissevly, "In wind like this not really. Normally has to be quite breezy for that but I''m guessing this one is attracted to you."


    "Attracted to me?"


    He didn''t like the sound of that.


    "Mmm, it''s said otherworlders tend to attract monsters to them because they''ve got some type of blessing by the demon god Typhania. Some type of eye mark somewhere on their bo-" her words halted on point and she stared daggers Noah''s ways. Something had perked in her mind, a thought, a way to prove if Noah was truly an otherworld or not.


    "You, Noah you don''t have anything shaped like an eye on your body? Something like a birthmark?"


    His head tilted with confusion, "an eye? No, not that I know of. Least, not anywhere I can see." Hand lifted he turned it over, scanning his pale complexion finding only the odd brown freckle lacing his gaunt digits.


    "What about on your back?" a revelation blared loudly like a lions roar in her mind, if he had a mark¡­ wouldn''t that mean the church had seen it? "Noah turn around and take your shirt off!" she shot into a hastened crawl towards him.


    "Huh?"


    He was half tempted to say something and try to refuse the notion but from the imposing fire in her eyes he could only bow his head and accept her request. Sighing he slowly inched off the wall and turned his back to Liora and lifted up his shirt up to his shoulders. Not quite removing it as he saw no point to that.


    Liora''s piercing gaze scratched near physically against every inch of his back as she scanned from his lower back and up. Never once blinking until she saw it, three circles inside eachother connected by intricate archways finally ending in a slitted golden pupil.


    Life drained from her face. She didn''t want to believe it but how could she after seeing it in person? Typhania''s mark, her accursed touch. Pressing two fingers against the mark Noah shivered from her cold fingertips. Rubbing it softly she tried to reason that it was fake, a falsity, something merely painted on but even as she rubbed harder, nothing changed. It was there, buried in his skin never to disappear. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B2%5D_52235800896655592 for visiting.


    Shrinking in her hand dropped and she slumped backwards.


    "Can I drop my shirt now?"


    "What? Yes, yes." Distraction evident in her tone.


    Redressing himself and straightening his blouse Noah turned back to Liora and caught the true extent of her aghastment.


    "Take it I''ve got the mark?"


    Liora shook awake and weakly replied, "you do¡­" her throat rolled swallowing down a clump of saliva, "did¡­ do you know if mother Camelia saw it?" her voice desperate and eyes pleading him to say no.


    But, he couldn''t lie and as his head shook, Liora''s expression glazed with a dismayed blend of hopelessness and horror.


    Then as suddenly as it appeared, she lunged for him. Her hands clasping his shoulder and eyes billowing wide to stare with the determination of a wolf into his own, "you have to be careful. If-if the wrong person see''s that, I''m scared what will happen to you. If¡­ if mother Camelia saw that and she knows what it means then paladins are going to come soon." Her jaw quivered as if she wanted to speak more, to fully convey her distraught yet nothing could show it more than the fear she showed.


    While he may not know what these ''paladins'' are, nor why Liora was fearful of them. He trusted her.


    Restings his palms on her sides Noah trailed them higher up and soon gently held her own upper arms. "I understand, I may not know what these paladins are but I''ll be careful from now on."


    "We can never go to the church either again so-so you can''t be purified so we have to find another way to purify you or you can just not have s.e.x with monsters anymore. Which knowing you you will, so-so-so we''ll have to find anotherway." She rattled off without pause.


    "Liora," realizing this Noah cupped her cheeks and forced her wandering eyes to still onto his. "Breath." She did, she her chest heaving and quailing as it came out. "It will be fine. I''m mostly not an idiot. I may have done stupid things before but I will refrain as much as I can. Okay?"


    Quivering her gaze gradually stilled and her breathing softened. Bobbing her head she muttered, "yeah, yeah. I-I know you will. All the stupid things you''ve done have been for me. I know you wouldn''t do it on your own."


    A rough patch of turf bounced the carriage causing Liora to yelp and fall backwards out of Noah''s hands and onto her bottom. Catching herself from falling completely over by reaching her hands back and propping herself on the wood.


    As the carriage trembled further into the distance, crossing rough dirt pathways flattened by heavy use, they soon came to a steady stop by the side. The moon rising in the distance and the sun setting in the other. Night was quick to arrive after that. Jaafa was quick to collect a bundled tent and set it out with swift, experienced motions. A fire joining not long before where Liora was already field prepping a simple meal with help of Caina. Noah unable to do a thing but sit on the lip of the carriages backing and staring out over the darkening space surrounding them.


    ''Never thought I''d be scared of being outside.'' Back on earth, back where the most dangerous thing you could experience in the dark forests surrounding his home was particularly ornery deer, things seemed so much easier. Now though, with knowledge of monsters, he couldn''t even trust the creeping darkness.


    In the flicker of the four oil based fire pits Jaafa had set up surrounding them, Noah could see them. They crept along the earth, squirming between the darkest portions where the flames couldn''t lick, each drawing closer only to shrivel away when a gust spatter flames their way. The Almanac, the only one he''d brought with, it called them duskworms. A common, subterranean wormlike monster that burrowed free at night and with its many tentacles would seek out prey and ensnare them, dragging them back to its main body where it would sap them of ethos for all eternity. Finding them was a nigh impossible when they weren''t hunting, even when they were, they could just as easily shrink back into the earth and dissipate from all existence like ghosts.


    Common thought apparently told that they travelled with the night, roaming all of Minas living for all eternity within the confines of darkness seeking out men and woman to rip into another world to meet the queen of darkness, Mordi.


    Other things Noah had spotted in his rudimentary scans of the surroundings were three feminine forms perched in a tree not far away. They sat shoulder to shoulder, hunched with their scaled, three taloned claws clasped around the tree limb. Wings that were their arms laced thickly with feaths and downy feathers coating most their upperlegs and lower bodies. Their eyes were beady, staring me down with dulcet, wanting red eyes. They were a type of bird monster, harpies I remembered them being called. The almanac I''d brought with only told me of a single harpy species and that most certainly was not those, though similar they seemed to be.


    Sliding from the carriage Noah turned to Jaafa and the girls and began to walk towards them. Rustling of bushes drew his stride to a still his head turned to meet the feline eyes and features of a young girl. Her expression morphed with a Cheshire grin as she sat at the apex of the firepits just staring at Noah, yowling like a cat in heat as if to attract him towards her to feed her hungering belly with his s.e.m.e.n.


    Noah of course spun and marched closer to Jaafa and his sword, putting as much distance as he could from those waiting harpies.

 Chapter 58 - The Long Road [3]

    The remaining days, a total of three and a half, had been thankfully silent. Barring the odd growls, whimpers, whines, twisting vines, and any other noise monsters could make in an effort to drag him away from the carriage and into their waiting lower maws. Hell, at one point Noah had seen in the darkness of the forest about a dozen sets of eyes¡ªmany a different shade of ''I wanna f.u.c.k you'' all just staring at him, waiting for Jaafa to conk out and let them raid them.


    Whatever Jaafa was, it was arguably human. Till that point Noah had never seen someone be so uppity after three full days on not sleeping yet somehow this man was able to stand firm, sword on his waist ready to repel anything unbecoming. What Noah felt was strange was that not a single such incident had occured. He knew they were there, waiting, watching, yet not one seemed interested in testing Jaafa''s blade.


    It was also during these days that Noah discovered a disparity with the monsters, or at least, he''d discovered that not all of them had b.r.e.a.s.ts and a v.a.g.i.n.a. As it turned out in the back pages of the almanac there was more explanation on just ''what'' the monsters were and what had caught his interest, being the s.e.x.u.a.l dimorphism. In laymens terms he''d discovered that the females of most of the monster species took on a vaguely humanoid appearance, often that of a woman. The males on the other hand, they took the term ''monster'' and went full blaze with it.


    An example presented in the book were for the species of monsters known as satyrs. On earth he knew them as men and women with the lower halves of goats, but here on Minas that men and women turned into women exclusively. The men were just plain goats, though apparently larger than normal ones and much, much hornier. He didn''t want to know the story behind that comment.


    When Jaafa began to tire he''d come into the back of the carriage while either Liora or Noah took place by Caina''s side and let the man rest a bit.


    Any chatter Noah had with the man in question was¡­ odd, to say the least. Though Jaafa would give him more blade wielding tips¡ªthe metal kind, not something Noah was expecting to have to make clear in his lifetime¡ªsomehow the man would always bring it back to Mora and Gracia Rodis, the girls who''d been turned into a demon and a thrall respectively. After his unfortunate¡­ accident it appears he''d taken a bit of hate for Mora, or well the demon inhabiting her. He was borderline unhinged at some points. There hadn''t been a night when he hadn''t gone to the edge of the firewall and swung his blade at the air screaming ''I know your there demon! Come out and return those ladies to me!''


    Each time Noah would meet with Caina and Liora''s gazes finding all three of theirs were strained just physically saying ''we''re going to die, aren''t we?''


    That brought them up to today, just hours away from arriving in Tallmire. Jaafa and Caina had once again taken purchase atop the box and were guiding it through the plains surrounding the city while Liora and Noah sat silently in the back. Since the revelation of exactly what he was they''d spoken particularly little and had remained constantly opposite one another in the carriage. Often they''d meet eyes but just as quickly would Liora flush, squeak, and dart her gaze away. Each time leaving Noah to whine internally pondering if he''d done something wrong, apart from those monsters he''d consummated a relationship with, hiding his otherworldly origins, even the fact he''d unwittingly had this mark on his shoulder blade seemed to be weighing on their minds.


    "We''re close by!" he faintly heard Jaafa call from outside.


    Noah''s head perked up as Liora puffed light breaths opposite him. Her head hung languidly to the side and her eyes were gently tightened. For whatever reason she hadn''t slept that well the previous night and was now taking her long awaited beauty sleep. He''d asked her earlier that morning just when they were rising with the sun what it was yet all he got in response were flushed cheeks, a chirp, and hastened retreat. In his confusion he barely noticed a faint sweetness lingering about by her and Caina''s tent. Most unnervingly was the cold glare Caina was giving him. While she didn''t seem as tired, she did seem to be more mellowed out than usual. Almost like he was blaming him for something out of his control.


    Further proof came to him when he''d gone to Jaafa who was packing up the fire pits to ask if there was anything he could help with, only for Jaafa to rise up, smile brightly yet solemnly his way, and pat Noah''s shoulder like he was proud of him. No amount of ''what?'' got a straight answer from the man. Oft the response was ''you know what you did.'' Which ironically, Noah did not know.


    Seeing her resting so softly Noah''s focus was drawn to her arm still strapped in brown leather with a blaring red scar running down from her inner elbow down to her wrist. It flickered with warm, devilish light and every now and then the pale skin around it would turn a shade of crimson. Whenever that happened Liora would sweat lightly and her expressoin would tighten in pain. A side effect, he knew it to be. The carriage was breezy and every now and then cold air would wander in and stroke her underarm flaring the wound.


    He''d questioned Caina more about it, about the balm she''d used to seal the wound. Ignis balm, a type of poultice made from the curdled b.r.e.a.s.t milk and oil of an ignis of at least a hundred years of age blended with various herbs and some type of wax and oil. The side effects seemed harsh, feeling pain every time something cool or cold touched the wound just seemed cruel. And yet, he couldn''t refute the effectiveness of the balm, it had cured what should have been a life threatening wound in the manner of hours. Now it was only waiting until she could take of the straps and even hopefully find something to cure the aching pain. To do that he needed something else, something rare, which was an understatement apparently. Even Caina for all her knowledge had only seen it once and just that was barely enough to cure a knicked finger let alone what Liora was having to deal with. Just that cost a few thousand buckles more than anything Noah could even imagine.


    As the clatter of the carriage rumbled the innards of vine weaved baskets filled with engorged cherries, Liora''s expression tightened. Her eyes clenched raising crows feet to her cheeks. No sooner did her haze rubies flicker weakly open, waking her to the softly light interior. The sun beamed through the canvas weave above giving everything a faintly yellowish tinge and in the air lingered a sickly sweet taste of cherries that not only teased the nose but drew the mouth to excessive salivation.


    Focus grew more apparent to her, she lifted a hand and rubbed her eyes. Both arms raised as she let out a yawn that drew Noah''s attention to her bosom barely pulled tight by her muscles. Doubtful they could ever be brought tight considering their abundant size and voluptuos fullness. Though he may berate himself for it later, in the moment Noah couldn''t help but imagine their feel, how they would melt between his fingers, how they would feel wrapping his lower half. Even the rest of her body, she just seemed soft to the touch.


    Noah''s cheeks heated and he quickly diverted his gaze and clenched his legs tightly together to hide his rising manhood just in time as clarity finally came to Liora''s mind.


    "We there yet?" she mumbled drowsily.


    "Nearly." Noah gulped and replied. His unusual tone drawing a curious brow raise from Liora who just faintly noticed a slight bludge in his nethers. Biting her lips into lines she turned and looked out of the back of the carriage. Faintly in the distance another could be seen, though one much more regal with red painted wood and plenty of ornate accents dotting it.


    Lifting a hand she pressed it to her cheek and felt her own warmth. A tightness in her loins drew her to cast Noah a sidelong look only to meet with his own and dodge away the next moment. It was ridiculous. She was acting like a child seeing their first love, she thought shaking her head exasperated at the childish side she''d thought forgotten. Stilling her shaking she leaned her head to the side and forced herself to look Noah''s way. He was sat with one leg extended while the other curled under the opposite knee. His hands pressed between his legs attempting to quell his erection. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B3%5D_52372780288636470 for visiting.


    She couldn''t see what he saw in a hag like her. She was so far out of her prime it was ridiculous for a handsome young boy like him to find l.u.s.t in her body. She was old enough to be his mother even! That was just too much. Though she couldn''t deny her own feelings welling up for him. Honestly she knew it was only a matter of time before they were honest with each other and ultimately found themselves enthralled in the others body. As sick the thought was to her.


    ''When did love become so weak to me?'' she tilted her gaze to the prairies of verdant green outside. By Artemia''s decree, men and women were to wed only one. To love only one. Yet she was finding herself falling for another man. Yes, perhaps Artemia allowed consummations outside of wedlock, but emotional attachment was not to be allowed. Such sinnerous things would result in ones soul never finding peace in the here after. Even with her husbands death such a thing was still in effect, it was till both were deceased after all.


    She knew it wouldn''t work like that. Not if Noah kept being the good guy to her. Turning her eyes to halfmoons she began to think, was Artemia''s favor truly that important to her? No, it wasn''t. She may have been raised beneath the banner of the goddess of Chastity but now she barely prayed, barely made offerings, barely did anything that Artemia sought of her disciples. So maybe just this once she could ignore Artemia. Forsake what she''d been raised beneath and let herself be free.


    Turning once more to Noah, she saw him staring down through the carriage curtains and felt her cheeks tighten into a slight smile.


    ''If this works¡­ maybe I''ll give myself to you?''

 Chapter 59 - The Long Road [4]

    The carriage soon came to a creaking halt, the wheels agonizing as the horses huffed. Caina gripped the reigns loosely as she turned to an approaching soldier clad in the cities armour, an insignia of an aspis pierced by an arrow over each of his chest. His armour clattered as he drew near, ultimately halting by their side and looked up for a moment to Caina where he narrowed his eyes then just as quickly moved to Jaafa.


    "What is your intention for coming here?" he asked, his accent heavy.


    "Here to sell sir." Jaafa replied.


    The soldier glanced to the carriage then nodded to another who without pause marched around the carriage and to the back. Caina following him all the way until she no longer could.


    "Do you have any illicit substances with you?"


    "No sir. Just a bunch of fruit." Plastering the falsest smile he could. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B4%5D_52535951213263573 for visiting.


    The other soldier was soon upon the back of the carriage and pulled himself up onto a little lip to pull open the curtain and peer in. Inside the dim interior he saw two things, a boy and a woman and a collection of baskets stuffed filled with something red. Looking between Noah and Liora''s his eyes turned to inspective half moons before huffing a dropping down leaving the two to share shrugs.


    Clunking down, the soldier moved to the side and shook his head the others way, him returning a nod. He looked back up to Jaafa and said, "everything''s good then, you may pass." And stepped out of the way. Getting his own grateful bob from Jaafa before Caina snapped the reigns and set the horses to dragging them through the parting wall of half a dozen city guardsmen.


    "That was weird." Caina muttered under her breath. Normally when a market was coming people could just enter without worry.


    "With the war going on the cities are being more cautious," Jaafa whispered once they were past the wall and into the stone paved streets lumbering with life of carriages and Tallmire''s regular inhabitants. "Heard rumours that Kanyon''s trying to sneak some type of flame magic filled ball into Estalder. Haven''t seen it myself but apparently when the magic is activated it incinerates half a city."


    Caina shivered and turned to him eyes blared open, "that''s insane? How did Kanyon even make that? Aren''t they all idiots?"


    Jaafa shrugged and swept his golden hair over his ear and cast a passing woman a sparkling smile and wink. Only getting a cringe away from said woman who picked up pace in the opposite direction. "Witches I''d think. Seems like something a coven would make. Doubtful their doing it willingly though so I''d say Kanyon probably enslaved them and had them make it."


    "That''s insane." Caina paled.


    In Morea, well, Pregea in its whole, witch covens were the untouchable few. On their own they harbored anywhere from five to fifteen witches, all of whom were more than adept at wielding manos and ethos to highly proficient degrees. Just fighting a single well trained one was a challenge for five of the most elite of soldiers. Taking a coven, now that was insanity.


    "I know. It''s also terrifying." Jaafa huffed leaning onto his knees. "I just hope it''s all rumours. Cause if it isn''t Morea''s in for one hell of a war."


    That was assured, Caina gulped assuring herself that everything was going to be okay¡ªsomething she knew was up far, far in the air¡ªand scanned her eyes over the carriage logged streets, passing by a bakery wafting with exuberantly sweet scents and a leather worker where the scent of processing leather and salt kept all at bay. As she did so, she soon spotted a person, a young boy barely twelve of age, in his hand he held a long red stick tipped with a bulbous gold orb. He waved it back and forth screaming out, "rooms and board! We''ve got the finest meals this side o'' the street and stables for your horses an'' centaurs!"


    It was a tempting idea but just as she was ready to guide the horses to bring her past the child another appeared from further down.


    "No, we have the finest meal and board and even better stables for your horses and centaurs!" this one was slightly older and had the bumps of a growing woman.


    The first boy turned mouth agape to her. "Liar! You can''t even feed a dwarf!" he argued.


    The girl chuckled and sent him a mocking smirk, "yeah, and like you can feed a duck."


    The boy gasped, recoiled, then stomped his foot down, a vein rising over his forehead. "We can feed multiple ducks I''ll have you know!" his tone defiant and proud.


    "You forgot to put baby before ducks. Even then your cookings just going to poison them." The girl spun her cane, her hand on hip with her smirk never once faltering.


    "Ma''s cooking ain''t poison you rat infested slobber dragon!" gripped his cane tighter looking ready to bare it down like a morning star.


    His words had power it seemed as the girl shot open her eyelids and fire burned bright inside them. Her swinging cane halted and she stomped towards him, poking the bulbous end his way, "take that back! We don''t have rats¡­ anymore."


    "So you do have rats! Ha!"


    The girl''s expression faltered, her cheeks flushing.


    "No wonder your stew tastes like rat droppings!"


    A clunk came from her as her arms dropped, cane''s tip thunking hard on the ground as her head hung.


    "No wonder me an'' ma are getting all the buckles an'' not you! You can''t even keep the rats out! Ha-ha!" he cackled cruelly. Only, the next second the girl lunged, her arm swinging and before the boy even realizing her palm had met his cheek and he was sent collapsing to the floor still gripping his cane.


    "You bully!" she screamed, cheeks wettened with tears as she quickly spun around and shot into the distance leaving the boy confused, eyes wide and mouth agape just holding his blistering cheek seemingly uncomprehending of what just happened.


    "W-wait, Jillie!" he called out but was too late as the girl was gone. He slumped weakly and stared opposite himself to the cane she''d dropped.


    Caina finally pried away her attention, her head shaking and eyes rolling. "Children," she murmured. The carriage clopped further into the city, passing by a weeping girl being held tightly in a butch womans arms. Her expression seemingly reminiscent of a demons ready to burn a city to cinders, and passed even them by.


    The further they went, the thicker the masses grew.


    "Turn here," Liora poked her head out from the carriage curtain causing both Jaafa and Caina to bounce slightly. "There''s a nice tavern down the street. The owners a friend and me and Harv used to park there when we came to sell wheat and hay." Caina turned down to Liora with an incomprehensible shake of her head but nonetheless snapped the reigns and pulled the horses to the left sending them down the still bustling but tad bit barren street.


    "Have you come here often Ms. Rostrea?" Jaafa asked, fingers clenching and unclenching around his swords scabbard.


    "Mmm, every now and then. Mostly it was Harv coming here on his own. I was taking care of Elenora back then. Actually¡­ thinking about it it''s been a few years since I went and farther than Redle. Wow¡­ time just flies when your old."


    Jaafa chuckled, "I can''t imagine." An action that caused an immediate silence to take the carriage. Sweat acc.u.mulated on his back from the silnce and turned to the side, Caina''s expression sour while Liora''s was frowning and filled with something he couldn''t even imagine.


    Liora soon huffed and pulled her head back into the carriage. Not a second later did Caina''s elbow jolt outwards and into the mans side, just below the ribs where it hurt. "You''re supposed to say she''s young." Her whisper screamed.


    "But she''s not!" he whisper screamed back.


    Caina growled and rolled her eyes to the side drawing her head in a light circular motion. "You''ve never been with a woman before, have you?"


    "I have, plenty." He defiantly exclaimed, "in fact, I have plenty waiting for me back home."


    "I''m sure you do. Sticks, stones, and pillows with holes cut into them no doubt." Puffing one last time, Caina wholly ignored the flushing and bit-lip silence coming from Jaafa''s indignant face.


    The carriage clattered rocking the innards just as Liora stepped back from the curtain to the driving box. She stagered, Noah''s hands shot up to catch her murmuring ''whoa'' but she caught herself by grabbing the siding. Didn''t stop Noah from getting an almost mythical glance at her rump, it fullness forcing her dress to stick like glue to her ample curves even lightly creasing down her crevice. The licentious thoughts it''s cataclysmic rippling did rising unholy, impure thoughts into tightening his loins, added with the fact that he knew Liora went commando only furthered his rising desires. Him having seen her n.a.k.e.d before and even felt her soft body¡ªignoring her then bloody self¡ªmade holding back the blood even harder and arduous task.


    Steadying herself, Liora turned and lightly stumbled her way back to her seating opposite Noah. Before setting herself down atop a pillow she reached behind herself and pinched her dress free from her buttocks, then swiftly spun and sat down. Noticing Noah''s tight posture, flushed cheeks, and diverted head. Her brow rose then thought back just milliseconds. ''He was looking at my butt?'' she warmed, lip quivering threatening to rise high yet thankfully didn''t. Smile brightening she though of how cute Noah''s reactions were. Almost like a boy embarassed when he was finally begining to realize that girls were pretty and made their p.e.n.i.ses tingle.


    Just as quickly her smile faded and her mind raced back weeks to when she''d first met Noah, when she''d failed to tell him she was bringing him clothing, when she had seen his p.e.n.i.s. It''s girth, length, everything. Had she not wanted to keep herself low key she would have likely lifted a hand and sent a seering slap against her cheek yet now all she could do was just not look at him and just try to skim that thought away.


    Even if she did end up ultimately failing.

 Chapter 60 - The Auction of Tallmire [1]

    Since arriving in Tallmire there had been little rest for them, Jaafa had left to do his own thing. Once he''d passed them by with a woman fawning on his left. At first Noah wouldn''t have thought much about it but as he watched the girl reach her arm around and to Jaafa''s coin purse he knew what she was. They''d settled in at a tavern, the Drunken Dragonette, which thankfully wasn''t run by a more than promiscuously homos.e.x.u.a.l behemoth trying to get into Noah''s pants.


    Instead this time it was a promiscuously lesbian giant trying to get into Caina''s. The girl was fearful of the woman for every second they were there.


    Tallmire as it was, was a trading hub for this part of Morea, filled with many bustling stores and market stalls throughout the year that sold many different things from all around such as diamonds from the south in Kaling, and fabric''s from the north in Mallibra. There were other stores, empty one long since looking abandoned that Noah learned were once inhabited by Kanyon merchants but since the war started between them they had shut. Any products they did sell now having to go through the other kingdoms before arriving in the stall at a more costly price of course.


    Noah glanced around the bustling crowds of farmers and other professions that had all arrived on this day to hopefully make some profit from their hard work over the past few weeks. The sun shimmered hot while a cool breeze swept down bringing with it the faint ivory scent of sugar, salt, and blood. All things he considered for cooking or even for the preserved meats he could see hanging in the distance.


    "It''s busy." He muttered and went back to work scrubbing down the stall they''d been able to take with a dust old rag. "Don''t think I''ve seen this many men since the tavern back in Alder."


    "Makes sense," Liora weakly replied glancing to the scabbing wound over Noah''s brow. "Some of the larger farming families were allowed to avoid the draft for increased tallies on the crop. Though, from the looks of things its quieter than the last time I was here." Liora pulled tight an off white piece of fabric, strewing it over the stall table when Noah pulled away and quickly flattened it with several strokes of her hand. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B1%5D_52689569308540659 for visiting.


    She looked around cautiously then leaned close to Noah, "were markets like this where you''re from?" she whispered.


    "Mostly," he replied in just as hushed a tone, cautious to any listeners that may find themselves displeased with learning where he once came from. "I haven''t really been to many though there was always one every tuesday in the city square. A bunch of people would come around, butchers, cheesemakers, fruit importers. Generally anything you could want or need for a lifetime. Really it was more of a tradition than anything. Most people just bought stuff and it would magically arrive on their doorstep in days."


    "Magic?" Liora''s brow rose inquisitively, "I had heard your world, what was it called again¡­ ''Earth'' didn''t have magic?"


    "It doesn''t." His lips curled brightly and he swept a piece of tawny hair back over his head. "It''s just a figure of speach. There''s this phrase where I''m from that goes, Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Looking at things here I can already tell that many of the things I consider normal would be completely incomprehensible to you or even Caina." He looked around for the girl but she was still gone, off collecting the fruits from the carriage with some market handymen, both yet to return.


    "Really. Like what?"


    He looked to her, saw the intrigue so pure, almost childlike in her eyes and smirked causing her cheeks to flush. "I''d say the biggest thing would be the internet. Take for example this book," he patted his hand atop the almanac, it''s cover hidden with a folded piece of fabric, "now imagine this book was one thousand books all rolled into one that I could skim between at a moment notice and when I was finished with them I could instantaneously summon one thousand more in the blink of an eye. That I could even use this book to search for any information that interested me like whether it will rain in three days or if there''s a new species of undersea animal discovered just last night in a country halfway across the world. That I could use this very book as well to contact a person across the sea and talk to them face to face with our voices with only a seconds delay and not weeks of waiting for letters to travel and risk disappearing." He paused, observed the gaping doubt Liora now held, "magical, wouldn''t you say?"


    "It sounds impossible." She retorted.


    A clatter from the side drew their attention to a fallen man scrambling to pick up intricate carvings of wood and stone but quickly returned to each other when they saw nothing else interesting.


    "It''s plenty possible." Noah scratched the fabric covering of the Almanac, "all made possible by these tiny little machines created with every day metals and plastics and whatever else you can think of. Not a single piece of Manos or Ethos around."


    "Still." Liora skirted around the stall and to Noah''s side clearing the road for others to get past easier. "That sounds far fetched. I''ve only just heard of magic crystals capable of letting one speak from a kingdoms over. But a sea?"


    "Technology can do amazing things Liora." Noah''s lips gave a sharp incline as he reminisced. "Oh, should I also mention that all of that works on this little machine just barely bigger than your hand?" his own out reached and flat. "Just a small rectangle that can connect to this boundless wealth of knowledge available to everyone you can think of."


    They drew to silence, Liora not knowing what else to say and Noah in much the same predicament.


    "Do you¡­ miss your home?" she softly questioned. Feet shifting uncomfortably.


    "A bit." It was a weak response, but still he continued. "I miss the internet. That much is for sure but I never really have many connections there. Most all my family ignoring a few cousins had passed away already and I was barely getting by on part times just to pay rent. If anything I''m actually quite glad to have come here." He scratched an itch on his teeth, head drawn to a man bellowing slurs at a woman not far away.


    Liora turned confusedly, "why''s that? I mean, we have monsters here that will force you down and drain you dry and we have nothing like your internet. I can''t imagine this is that great compared to there." Her words now more cautious as the crowd grew in size. The centrefold of the streets still widely clear baring the odd carriage of a salesman come to set up.


    Noah''s head bobbed side to side like a bobblehead, "honestly?" he inclined her way, "I haven''t been here long enough to say whether I prefer it or not. Not having the internet while yes, isn''t that great. I don''t really mind¡­ the, uh, monsters." He tilted his gaze away, awkwardly fumbling with his words and drawing the thoroughly baffled Liora.


    This surprised her, "what do you mean you don''t mind the monsters. They''re monsters they eat people alive. Drain them dry of energy and turn them into monsters as well. I would think living in a world without them would be a godsend."


    When you live in a world where they exist maybe. He thought. "Thing is. On my world out monsters are more¡­ monstrous¡­ I''d guess you''d say. They don''t look like women, well, not all of them. But a vast, vast majority of them are just that. Monsters. Big dragons, giant snakes. Squids that come out and destroy passing sh.i.p.s for some reason or another. Not bee''s that look like young women or wolves that look like bronze goddesses who cosplay as wolf girls."


    A blank look took to Liora''s expression, her eyes deadening as something rose to her mind. A realization some may say. "You like the monsters don''t you. As in like, like them."


    He flinched for being so easily seen through. "I, well. To a degree? I''m not so fervent as some people were and I can actually hold myself back and think without mini me''s influence¡­ mostly¡­ but in all honesty? I can''t say I don''t like them. Hell, I''ve fantasized plenty about the idea." Shaking his head he noticed Caina approaching with a small congregation of two young boys behind her, wach carrying a basket of cherries in each hand. "Plus. If you ignore the monster parts they just look like beautiful women. At least from what I''ve seen."


    Rumble quickly passed Liora almost causing her to stumble, Noah''s attention was drawn to a horse drawn carriage, though horse was not what was pulling them, not fully at least. It was two centaurs, the lower half muscled and strong with a pale red almost bronze gloss stippled only with a few darker splotches of brown across their backs. From where the horses head would once have been now rose human bodies. One a male of slick tanned skin with sharp muscles and chisseled, determined expression. The other a woman, her body lean and her b.r.e.a.s.ts full. Her n.i.p.p.l.e bare and pointed with pink. The hair she wore was a similar shade of bronze but tied into a pony tail. Cruelly though they both had large bit gags pressed between their teeth and had blinders keeping their focus forwards. The driver pulled on one rein and tugged back on their left shoulders, their arms both tied behind their backs with leather straps reminiscent of bdsm arm harnesses that locked around the upper arms and kept the lower tied together at the centre of their backs.


    Yet they didn''t seem displeased. Not in the slightest from how their eyes were hazy and excited and how drool dripped from their chins glossing their chests. Fully accentuating the ill.u.s.trious curves of the beaten bronze skin of the female.


    "Do lots of people have centaurs?" Noah inadvertently found himself questioning.


    Liora followed his gaze and frowned darkly at seeing his interested expression. "No." She coldly said, "only the wealthy have them. They''re harder to tend to then normal horses and more likely to push you down and have their way with you." Huffing she turned away, marching to meet with Caina and help those boys carry their burdens. Leaving Noah with only the soft whisper of "though you''d like that."


    He turned back, eyes wide and mind racing. "Uhh, okay then. I will think about what I said and likely fail to figure out what went wrong."


    ***


    ***


    Here''s the actual chapter.

 Chapter 61 - The Auction of Tallmire [2]

    As time went by the stall was steadily building up with fresh cherries, the most luscious of the bunches, being set on display at the forefront while the rest were neatly stacked into tilted and leaning crates. Anything that couldn''t fit atop the stall being nestled behind them beneath the tarp equivalent of a blanket. The only place so as remotely clear was the centre of the stall where one of them would be able to peer out towards any potential customers and haggle the price to whatever seemed apt.


    A concern Noah had raised was the threat of thieves. Caina was swift to deny the issue by stating that there were guards on patrol all around the market place all throughout the days and nights. Apparently these were some of the safest days as the thieves were less than inclined to go spelunking for free goods fearing their capture and subsequent imprisonment. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B2%5D_52557324312692103 for visiting.


    Looking over the table, Noah found it lacking something. That something he was quick to discover after thinking back to his own experiences in markets and fresh food shops on earth. He skirted around the table, dug beneath it, and pulled out a razor sharp knife Caina had been sure to stock with the wording of ''for anyone who get grabby.'' Which he supposed was better then a metal serving tray like she''d used when they first met.


    Taking the knife he grabbed a cherry from beneath the tarp as well as the flattest piece of wood he could find and neatly quartered the cherry, quartering the pieces down once more into much smaller bit sized tasters which he then still halved. Frowning as he realized that only brought sixteen minute pieces excluding the robust pit inside. Can cut another one later if I need to.


    Sighing Noah sunk onto a crate he''d scrounged up, he leaned forth and rested his cheek on his palm. Liora just as Caina and Jaafa had, had left him to his lonesome. The girls off saying they were going to explore and see if they could find anything tasty to eat before the market truly started come the next bell toll. He''d been hoping they''d bring him something. Doubtful he''d be that pleased surviving off of these cherries, no matter how tasty they were.


    "Excuse me." A voice drew his gaze, that of a mans, it was low, almost harmonic. Noah''s eyes rose onto the white haired elder, his eyes barely slits and back hunched over.


    Noah immediately straightened his back and rose up, "how can I help you?" he asked as the man inquisitively inspected the fruits.


    "Oh yes. Just curious. But as I was passing by I couldn''t help but notice these odd fruits you have here. These are cherries no?" he asked. "They seem much larger than what I remember from my trips to Zesune." He rolled a finger through his pointed white beard causing a small bell to jangle at the tip.


    "They are." Noah responded with a smile, "the soil back homes quite special, or so I''ve been told. Our tree hadn''t fruited in a while so I''m thinking it was just storing up all the nutrients before letting these beauties grown." Inside his head replacing ''nutrients'' with ''my seed.''


    The man rose his brow and looked to the sliced assortment of fervent red flesh. "Nutrients? That is some odd word you use. Anyways, is this for tasting?" he questioned not reaching for the berry slices.


    "Yessir," Noah replied enthusiastically. "Feel free to have some. And if you really like them, I''ve got plenty on sale." He said putting on his best mercantile smile.


    While the market may not have officially started, Noah had heard passing chattering and bargains being made. Likely they were all the home brews just coming out for a walk while the workers were prepping to come out and start the purchasing.


    "If you say so." The man doubtfully to a piece with swaying wrinkled fingers and brought it to his mouth. Even with weak teeth he pierced through what little hide there was. His eyes shot opened revealing dark black irises that only proved to widen the more he chewed. "Delicious!" exclaiming so as the small piece was downed. "I don''t think I''ve tasted a cherry like this in quite some time. Ohhh, it''s bringing back memories¡­ ahhh, did you know I ran into a grove of dryads once?" her curled his beard around his index, head inclined just as the bell tolled and crowds left their houses as if startled awake by the noise. "Mmm, delectable bunch those. Drained me dry for a week. Had the softest, most loving touch I''d ever felt though. Had I stayed I would have happily become their husband. But lo, a wife had awaited me back here in Tallmire. Now I''m trapped with the immortal old bag." Sighing he straightened his beard and casted a sharp eyed look Noah''s way. Behind him a few leaning heads curious about what his stall was selling.


    "Anyways, anyways. How much are these? Can''t imagine you''re going to be that merciful to my pocket. Though I hope not too cruel as well, I still need plenty to get tonight groceries."


    Noah shrunk back, having not thought about how to properly price them. Looking around he sought idea''s but quickly returned to the man after thinking over his talks with Liora and Caina about their selling of these drupes. "Say¡­ fifty for two? Given their size that should be reasonable." At least he hoped so.


    The man jostled in his boots for a moment and looked back down to the fruits and to the plate of cherry bits. "That, that is quite a bit much more than I was hoping. Then again, you are right in saying they are quite large. May I taste one more before committing?" Noah nodded, giving the man permission and so he took another, relishing his taste with a youthful vigour to his eyes, that vigour morphing to surprise as he felt something else rise. Something that hadn''t for a long time. His lips coiled upwards, mouth parting slightly as he dug deep a hand into his pocket and tore free a single bronze aspis with emerald like gem at its core. "I''ll take four!" he slapped down the buckle and excitedly took two bunches before skipping into the distance, in the direct opposite direction he was heading.


    Noah was left stock still, staring at the mans back and the coin in hand. Though he could not think for long as a woman passing by having noticed the grandpa''s excitement drew near and curiously inspected the stall. A few more women, some with children also coming by for a breath or two before being dragged away by the children''s disinterest.


    That was until one of the kiddies, a little wisp of a girl of four, maybe five years, reached up her hand, snaking it towards the plate of cherry bits in an attempt to steal one for herself. A light slap from her mother sent the sneaking appendage back with the girl whining displeased. "Don''t be so rude Bea." The woman, he hair a bright shade of cinnamon looked to Noah with an apologetic look, "I apologise for her, she has sticky little fingers."


    "No need," Noah waved her concerns away, "they''re there for you to taste so go ahead and have one." Winking at the girl he chuckled, "maybe two for the little princess." In a second her eyes sparkled and a faint flush took her cheeks.


    The mother chuckled softly, "are you sure? I don''t have to pay, do I?"


    "No ma''am. Not for these small pieces. The full fruits though¡­" he left the latter unsaid as she nodded and plucked two pieces from the board and held them to her daughter, though hesitating still from the thought of getting them for free.


    The little wisp took the pieces from her mothers hand and in nary a second was bounding with glee as they melted in her mouth, looking to be practically melting in a childish ecstasy. Both laughed softly as the mother tasted one herself gaining even more of a pleased feeling. "Mmm, these are amazing." She exclaimed, hand before her mouth hiding her munching. "What are these? They''re softer than apples and even more richer then strawberries." Noah nodded and explained, "that''s," her face immediatly paled, "these must be quite costly then." Her coinpurse jingling as she looked down across the various types of buckle within.


    Noah leaned onto the table and said, "how about forty for a pair? Its a bit less than the usual price but think of it as my little gift to the princess."


    She fumbled slightly at the price but quickly changed her mind as she looked between the fruits and her daughter. Sighing she dug from her coin purse a bronze kite shield and dug a bit more before pulling out two more bronze target shields. All together counting to a round forty buckles.


    ''I''m so happy the almanac talked about money.''


    Noah cast her his thanks and she took a pair in one hand setting it into a small wicker basket before taking her daughter and dragging her away. The little one turning back to stare at Noah with wonder. ''Is calling her a princess a little much?'' Noah thought, unable to hold the thought for very long as another crowd of three appeared inspecting the fruits with intrigue, commenting about their size and one even who had tasted them before explaining where they were from and their usual price.


    Many who were more cautious tasted a piece and lit up, a few of the more perceptive noticing a strange tightness in their lower halfs. Something that Noah was glad to hear only started occurring once they reached maturity. Most of the customers ended up being women or elderly of both genders. As the minutes turned to an hour he was noting a drastic increase in the elderly crowding around, both men and women practically slamming their buckles down after hearing rumours from an elderly man who''d finally ''renewed his vows'' or as they put it, ''stuck it in the pigsty.'' Not the most apt of phrases, that much Noah agreed but there was little he could complain to when the women were the ones to say something like that.


    By another bellstoll Noah was drenched in sweat chattering between the customers apologizing for the price and explaining the fruits to new ones. And all he could think of in that moment was one thing. ''Where the hell are you two!?''

 Chapter 62 - The Auction of Tallmire [3]

    Exhausted, is the minimum of what Noah was feeling.


    The main throngs of customers had dwindled with the initial few hours of activity. Most all the cherries had been bought bringing in a decent four thousand buckles. Whether that was a lot or not much he wasn''t quite sure. He wasn''t quite sure about many things nowadays. The largest group of customers had expectedly been women in the late teens up to early forties. The older ones often were lumbering around with a child on their hip or desperately trying to catch up with said child. Noah''s tasters having acted more as a child magnet and a pit stop for the children that let their mothers catch up. If they made a purchase, well, who was going to complain about that?


    Noah held his head and rested against the stall. He was half tempted to groan, the other half tempted him to just keeling over and dying right there. His arms ached, his back cracked, his neck felt like it was ground into sand from looking left then right then left yet again. With what energy he could bolster he looked to the tarp covered baskets,it had noticeably shrunk with only the faint shapes of the baskets themselves pushing up the fabric.


    His stomach roared hungrily like a lion and he scanned the streets for Liora and Caina but found them not. He sighed mournfully and shimmied his way to the tarp to collect a fresh cherry. He''s chosen not to refill the baskets just yet so he could have the barest bit of a break. Slicing it into quarters Noah began feasting in an attempt to quell the hungering beast that was his belly. All the while he was watching the passing market goers. Some would toss him looks, curious to what he was eating and to the empty nature of his stall.


    He knew the only reason so many people had been buying from him was the novelty of the notion. Getting cheap cherries, something that was supposed to be a noble import was not something that just up and happened every day. Blend that in with the slight aphrodisial abilities for the elders and he''d somehow stumbled upon a windfall of a product. Though what he had was far from what was needed to pay off this ridiculous debt Liora was stumped with.


    With one hand he lifted one of the quarters and with the other he flipped through his Almanac. It spoke for the largest part about the monsters, describing their appearances and general descriptions with small ill.u.s.trations taking up most of one page. Inside this initial volume Noah had also found some general information about the world such as that description for what Ranchers and Breeders were.


    As it said the known world was divided between four continents, up at the northern most part of the world was Zesune which the writer said reminded him faintly of asian influence, there people had a calmer connection to the monsters and were generally more accepting of them. To the east was Icorius, that was where the church of Artemia originated from and made its headquarters. The people there held much vitriol against monsters and slave trade was much, much more prevalent. In the south was Grealira, otherwise called the demon continent or the demi homelands. It was subdivided across various factions of monsters that called themselves the demon queens. Surprisingly they were more peaceful compared to what they generally were in stories back on earth prefering to just live on on their own instead of constantly seeking out destruction and all that. The Church held a vendetta against them, distasting the idea of a land being ruled by monsters. Lastly was the land in the west, Pregea. This is where Noah thought himself currently to be, specifically in the kingdom of Morea, one of the two largest kingdoms ruling the continent with the other being Kanyon just across the mountain close to the Ranch.


    There were other kingdoms, many, many more than what could be described in this small books but from what was written most of them were allied to either Kanyon and Morea and were generally accepted as being part of said kingdoms. Laws though were still differentiated between the smaller kingdoms but generally followed some specific guidelines set forth by the ruling parties.


    Moving to devour the last of the cherry slices, Noah''s attention was drawn to approaching footsteps. They were closer than the footgoers going down the centre of the street and were approaching by the second. It didn''t take long for him to see who it was, no one he knew before unless Caina grew a meter and Liora suddenly turned blond and got a bronze hued tan.


    His brow rose curiously, slowly trailing from the womans wide h.i.p.s, up her thin mid section and over her plump bosom onto her neckline and sharp chin. She stared soft eyed at him with little blue orbs and a nose contrarily thin for a woman her stature. Most surprisingly to him was to contradiction between her skin and her hair. He''d never seen a woman as bronze as her with hair as light as battered gold look so natural. Her clothing dr.a.p.ed loosely around her resembling faintly a sari coloured in reds, dark browns, and golds. One piece slung over her shoulders hiding for a most part her b.r.e.a.s.ts and ran down to her wrists. This same fabric slew down from her right shoulder and around her left hip exposing the entire right side of her hourglass h.i.p.s. Has she not been wearing an ankle length dress he may very well have been able to offle her pristine and full body.


    She stepped close, the ornat embroideries of golden flowers hemming the dress glistened in the light. She look down at him, more specifically at the half eaten quarter in his hand. "That wouldn''t happen to be a cherry, would it?" she questioned, her voice as fine as freshly woven silk. It was translucent and hung over her b.r.e.a.s.ts lowering from her right shoulder to her left hip leaving most of her right side open for Noah to ogle at. Beneath that was a cropped blouse ending just beneath her b.r.e.a.s.ts. Lastsly was the wrap around her h.i.p.s, it was just as loose and looked ready to fall with a simple tug of the wind. Had Noah one thing to compare her clothing to, it was like she was wearing a billowing curtain from top to bottom. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%5B3%5D_52712767752291485">#%5B3%5D_52712767752291485</a> for visiting.


    She stepped close, the ornat embroideries of golden flowers hemming the dress glistened in the light. She look down at him, more specifically at the half eaten quarter in his hand. "That wouldn''t happen to be a cherry, would it?" she questioned, her voice as fine as freshly woven silk.


    Noah looked down to the cherry slice then back to her anticipatorially waiting sapphires, "it is." He shortly answered and immediatly her eyes sparked with excitement.


    "ReallY? Could you tell me where you got it?" she excitedly scanned the empty boxes then to the tarp behind him.


    "Uhh." Noah blanked, the womans accent was faintly indian to him though blended slightly with a more african tonation. Wherever she was from, it was not here. Even just her skin and clothing choice was enough to realize that. The accent just solidified the thought. "I have a tree. These are the first fruits it bared." He answered.


    The woman''s expression lit up with fireworks rising in her eyes. "Truly?" she leaned forth, her right hand rose and crossed over her chest laying atop her heart. Her nails finely pedicured and painted with red nail polish as well as highly intricate henna tattoo''s that wrapped around the better parts of her lower arms and top of her hands. Around the base of her middle finger the henna wrapped like a wring and connected with the rest of the tattoo forming an otherwise fingerless glove.


    Noah was unsure how to respond. "Y-yeah. I mean. It''s only one tree." He shrugged.


    "One tree can turn into two, and from two to ten." She was quick to add. "Do you think I could perhaps see one of these cherries in full? Or have you already sold them all?" her lips were wettened only accentuating the dark burgundy paint she used on them.


    Noah wilted a breath but gave a quick ''sure'' and spun, plucking a pair from the bottom of the tarp and set it down on the table before the woman.


    She leaned down even more and a passing old man bled at the nose. She leaned then left, then right, then looked to Noah and asked. "May I pick it up?" Noah told her she could and she did. She lifted it gently like a baby and scanned every small millimeter of the drupe, rolling it around in her hands and gulping with excitement. "This is an amazing thing you have here. I hope you do know that." She said bringing it close to her nose and sniffed. Her lips trembling as if wanting to take a bite out of it there and then. Somehow she held herself back and disappointedly lowered down her hands, her eyes now latching like daggers ploughed through flesh into Noah. There was determination somewhere in that look, and for some inexplicable reason it terrified him.


    "I would like to buy every one you have."


    ***


    ***


    In case you''re curious what I based her dress on.


    strandofsilk.com/renee-label/product/womenswear/sarees/rose-red-butti-sari

 Chapter 63 - The Auction of Tallmire [4]

    "Excuse me?" Noah had exclaimed at her proclamation of wanting to purchase all the fruits.


    She nodded and with one hand on her hip smirked brightly which only furthered the radiant exuberance of the sun glistening off her skin. "Of course." She began, "in fact, I''d like to purchase all of your future ones as well. Of course, I''ll pay just a little under market price for them." It was said with such a casual tone that Noah couldn''t even process it at first.


    "You mean. Like, everything? As in, all that I have?" he sounded like an idiot, he was self aware enough to notice that.


    "And everything you will ever have."


    Noah''s mouth hung, his mind clicking in a feeble attempt to catch up with the story. He pressed his hands into his face and groaned himself awake. "Sorry. I''m a little tired, give me one second." He held up a finger and the woman went silent. He breathed in until his lungs could take no more then slowly hissed it out, calming and clearing his thoughts then looked up to her verdant blues. "Sorry about that." He rose to his feet using the stall as leverage to pull himself up, "so you''re wanting to do a bulk order then? Or do you mean something along the lines of a hanging contract."


    The woman nodded heartily, "hanging contract preferably. Though, I would much prefer to speak more on the details in a more formal setting. Just to properly cut the details out of the pigskin."


    Noah slightly shook his head at the phrase, noting how he was never going to get used to this worlds peculiar differences. "That''s fine but¡­" he looked over the streets still not seeing the girls. Worry was steadily rising in his heart that something had happened to them, "but the people I came with aren''t back yet. So I''d rather not leave just yet."


    She arched a brow and followed his worried gaze. "Hmm, well. I would rather speak now rather then later. Would it work if I left an associate here to guide them to the merchants guild then?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%5B4%5D_52715276566842136">#%5B4%5D_52715276566842136</a> for visiting.


    It would, but still, Noah wasn''t entirely comfortable with this. "Sort of. It''s just, who are you?"


    The woman paused staring at him with confusion then the faintest of flushes rose up her cheeks. "Oh, excuse my rudeness," she elegantly placed her hand over her heart, "Meira aet Stefan. I am a merchant with the Bajan trading company." She watched for his reaction, frowning when she saw little.


    "Really?" Noah put on a facade, it sounded important but the thoughts that this was a scam kept wandering in. It wasn''t uncommon in his old world for fancilly dressed people to be utter sc.u.m when their cool outside was peeled away.


    She still saw his reluctance and sighed. "I can see you don''t believe me." A hand rose, dove between the cavern of her b.r.e.a.s.ts and pulled free a small metallic card and handed it out towards Noah. He took it and scanned it, on it an intricate shield with two woman, their bodies pressed together and fingers interwoven with the others. Just beneath them a wrapping of what looked like two lions tails and on the side the foreign yet legible words of ''Meira aet Stefan. Apprentice Merchant of the Bajan Trading Company.''


    "Apprentice¡­?" Noah mouthed.


    "As you can see," she held herself with her ample bosom outstretched and back straight in pride, "I harbour you no ill will."


    Noah kept still and eyed her, involuntarily finding himself latched to her b.r.e.a.s.t but quickly pulled away before his hormones could take over. "I guess. But an apprentice, are you out looking for contracts for your teacher?"


    "No, no. I''m looking for a contract for myself." She waved her hand as if to wave away the concept, "my first you may say. My studies have long since ended but I have been seeking an interesting partner for my first." Sparkling like the stars soon to come out, a giddy smile rose upon her face. "I think you may be just that."


    Noah verily doubted that and scanned the streets once again. Hoping for the slightest that Liora and Caina would return to help him with this new event. "How so? If you don''t mind my asking?"


    Meira bobbed her head in a short nod, "these aren''t simple cherries." Her voice lowered into a dulcet whisper while Noah heart pulsated to silence. His entire mind latching its attention onto what came next, "I''ve seen plenty over my apprenticeship and my father specialised in certain types of produce. Ethos enriched fruits and vegetables. The only cherries I have ever seen of this size, have been those from the Gaishiri serrule dryad orchards in Zesune." Noah paled but she kept talking. "I can smell they are rich and fresh, though their special aphrodisiac is noticeably weaker. So I can only think you chose to sacrifice that for something else and from the Ethos I can feel inside, its sapping by the moments like the cherry itself is eating it and sustaining its freshness. Longevity is likely what you had your dryad focus its ethos on."


    Her smile hollowed out though didn''t turn quite cruel. It was almost all knowing in how she could surmise so much from a single berry. "Also¡­" her tone lowered even further, "from the amount of ethos inside, I can tell this dryad has been fed, quite recently at that."


    Noah sucked in his cheeks half tempted to hiss like a deflating balloon. THough she didn''t say it outright, he could tell from the way she was looking at him that she had an idea that he was more than just the face of this sale. Noah hadn''t ever had that good of a poker face. Always easily seen through from what his friends on earth told him.


    There was no point in trying to sideline her, that and Noah was much too unaccustomed with this world to ever one up a woman like her. He sighed mournfully then looked over the fruits of his ''labour'' and scratched the slight frizz beneath his chin. "I can already tell this is one of those ''an offer you can''t refuse'' type of situations." He sighed and handed her card back over, "you''ll make sure my friends get to us?"


    Meira took back her card and stuffed it between her b.r.e.a.s.ts. "I will." She smirked and dug between her bosom yet again, this time pulling out a small token with a opalescent gemstone carved into a semi-circle atop it. She set it down then tapped the top five times setting off a small convalescence of lights. Noah eyed it curiously, "A representative of the local merchants guild will be by soon." She said as a thin metallic pen appeared in one hand and a small piece of parchment in the other. On it she swiftly scribbled down instructions and with that opalescent gem, weighed it down. "And with that, they now know what to do." She beamed as bright as the molten gold that was her hair.


    Noah could only watch astonished and confused from her actions. Half tempted to utter words in questioning whether her b.r.e.a.s.ts were b.r.e.a.s.ts or if they were pockets. Though that would be rude, he quickly calmed himself but not before she chirped a laugh and twisted her upper body causing a cascade like ripple to roam across her bosom. He realized this and pulled his vision away, flushing.


    Meira on the other hand was calm as could be, completely unfazed by his lecherous action and even looking for a small bit pleased with her feminine allure. "Now," she whispered, her voice now more womanly than the business like tone it was before. "Shall we head off then?"


    Honestly, he didn''t want to but as he wandered over her body once more, her full h.i.p.s, her perfect hourglass form and that strange gal like look she had with her bronze chocolate skin and sun strewn hair, he knew he couldn''t. Even if they didn''t do anything or if this was truly related only to business, Noah''s manhood refused to just allow his refusal.


    He wet his lip, looked around uncertainly, then nodded. "Yeah, yeah, alright." He eyed up the flashing gemstone and the note beneath it. From what he could see from his upside down view it looked like instructions for the cherries under the tarp and to tell Liora and Caina where to find him, though it didn''t quite say their name. He skirted around the stall and fixed up his tunic and pants and collected his sack of buckles, hooking it to his belt all whilst under the watchfully curious gaze of Meira. A shade of disappointment could be seen but that quickly faded as this ominous look like that of a woman finding a new project replaced it.


    She sidled to his side and forcibly hugged his arms, a task turned unusual by the fact she was near a heads higher then Noah himself. He did his utmost not to think about the amazing plushness of her bosom and the smoothness of her skin. She narrowed her eyes more as she squeezed his arm as if testing his musculature but finding him lanky. "Then shall we?" Noah couldn''t refute and gave his acknowledgement and soon they were off, Noah practically dragged by the collar only able to turn back his head worriedly at the empty stall hoping for the love of all that is holy, he didn''t stupidly loose everything.

 Chapter 64 - The Auction of Tallmire [5]

    Pulled through the city, Noah couldn''t help but let his gaze wander of the assortment of buildings they passed. Houses, shops, and even one larger building where numerous armoured and weaponed men and women were streaming in and out. It reminded him of an adventurers guild considering how battle ready and rowdy the people inside were. Someone even came barrelling out the door like he''d been hit by a cannon and just laid there with eyes white.


    Further on Noah was noting more guilds, though their buildings much smaller looking more to the likeness of small branch then the main headquarters of anything like a crafting guild. By far the smallest was the one with a small witches hat hanging from the front door. In fact, that building looked like it had been abandoned, he''d had believed it was were it not for the woman who appeared in the window with tired eyes and began to batter her blanket with nothing at all. Her hand was empty though fingers curled like she was grasping a club, when she walloped her hand down a light thump would resound and the blanket would move as if hit.


    ''Magic.'' Noah figured with the slightest shade of excitement.


    Magic as far as he was concerned was possibly one of the most exciting things he could think of. Yet he didn''t and internally he was berating himself for that. ''Should check the book, see if that has anything about it.'' Noah patted his side and quickly paled and paused. He looked down his body and to Meira on his arm, she looked down at him with curiosity to her sapphire blues as he realized he''d forgotten it back at the stall. ''Shit.'' Noah groaned, ''please no one steal it. I need that.''


    Noah looked to Meira hopefully, "I forgot something back at the stall. Do you mind if I quickly go get it?" he asked and Meira inclined her brow.


    "No worries," she beamed, "once the representative gets there he''ll ask your friends to pack up whatevers left before leading them to us." Her answer though perfect did little to wane his worries.


    Minutes drew by as her guiding continued until they came upon a large standalone building that stood at the least three stories high. The design was quite elegant with the small ornaments that gave it a fullness and beauty that the other buildings simply couldn''t live up to. Hanging over the door was a sign, on it a small painting of a carriage with a sack overflowing with buckles. Noah guessed it had something to do with merchants and traders moving from one place to the other.


    Just as they drew close a man,lanky and tall and with a beard as curled as Jaffar. The man forced a kindly smile and clasped his hands together in greetings. "Madame Meira! How pleasurable, I had been expecting you to return much later." His smile was false, his words spoken through grit teeth. He looked to Noah and some form of spite rose in the mans cold black eyes, "and who''s this?" though never once did he let his tone falter.


    "Just a potential client of mine, Davor" Meira strained clutching Noah''s arm tighter with a slight tremble that drew his attention for a breadth of a moment before narrowing his eyes the mans way. "I was hoping I could make use of the conference chambers."


    "Why of course Madame! Why of course. Brilliant to hear you''ve finally found yourself a client." There was something off to how he spoke and it wasn''t only the fire of hate welling in the mans eyes. It was almost like he was drilling holes into Noah for having Meira so close at arm.


    "May we enter?"


    "Hmm? Oh, why of course Madame Meira." Davor slid like a snake to the side and held a hand out for them to enter. With urgency Meira tugged him deeper using more of her strength than before. Noah watched her expression as they went, it was strained, nervous, and the way her head moved to look behind themselves, it was twitchy. That man, he scared her. At least, she wasn''t comfortable around him.


    The clambered up stairs, through hallways and billowed into a neat and royal room lathered in bright reds and soft browns. Meira unlatched his arm to open the door and shut it behind them. When she clicked in the latch and laid her hand against the door her body loosened, her shoulders drooped and she let out a sigh of relief. She rose her head then moved to the side of the door where a small black box like that of a doorbell was and pressed in the ivory button. Noah sensed an undulation of something but that was it. Nothing else happened. Nothing he could see at least.


    With that done she calmed even more and finally turned to face Noah. Her posture more lively and happy, like when she''d first met him in the market place. "Now then, please, take a seat." She indicated to the lush red couch and once Noah was seated she walked off to the side where a cabinet of fine crystal glasses were and took two from the top most shelf and from a small onnaire just beside took a dark green bottle with a parchment label wrapped around the body. ''Cragskin Winery,'' Noah read as lessened the distance between them.


    Meira poured out two glasses with finesse and flourish. She started off slow, pouring just a little layer of burgundy wine into the bottom of the glass but speed the flow up as she pulled the glass from the bottle and the bottle from the glass creating a perfect stream of red through the air, never once dropping or splashing a bit of the drink. The first glass went to Noah while she held onto the second, placing the bottle off to the side of the knee high table.


    She swirled the glass while Noah just looked down at the ruby hued liquid with strain to his expression. Crossing one leg over the other, her wrap pulled away revealing the ill.u.s.trious chocolate shading of her legs. They shone like polished metal in the soft lighting of the room. Downing a sip, she whispered a breath then stilled her expression.


    "Now then, why don''t we begin." She let out a little laugh, "I suppose introductions have been lacking so allow me to reintroduce myself." Once again she introduced herself and her position as a representative of the Bajan trading company. "May I ask your name?"


    Noah hesitated, ''should I be honest?'' he pondered but quickly relented knowing that once Caina and Liora arrived his name would undoubtably be announced. "Noah Arcturus." He curtly replied.


    "Arcturus, what an interesting name. Does it have any specific meaning?"


    Noah bobbed his head slightly, arching a look to the window at a flash of pearlescent light like the film of a bubble shimmering in sunlight. "It''s the name of a star where I''m from. Part of the constellation Bo?tes, brightest star actually." He uttered with a hint of pride. He wasn''t sure where that pride came from, he just chocked it up due to the brightest star thing. Meira listened intently even as Noah continued.


    "Bo?tes, another strange name. Is that a name of a god of sorts?"


    "No, not quite." Noah denied, "just a name given to it by the scholars. Most people use a different name for it, the Herdsman."


    "Oh really." Meira bubbled with a laugh, "quite appropriate then considering you are a rancher."


    "I''m not actually." Noah scratched behind his ear diverting his gaze from the woman''s¡­ b.r.e.a.s.ts. "I just know a dryad. Plus, I don''t even own the land Serris is living atop."


    Meira visibly latched to his wording, "Serris, you named the dryad?" Noah shook his head refuting, "it named itself?"


    "I guess. Is that a problem?"


    "Not in the slightest." Meira waved away and took another sip. A slight fruity fragrance leaving her as she breathed out. "It is just unusual for dryads to have names not granted to them. Is the owner of this land a rancher."


    "Farmers. Wheat farmers, at least that''s the only thing I''ve seen while I was staying there. Just one big field of wheat." He smacked his lips. "Meeting Serris was honestly pretty damn incidental and Liora didn''t know she even existed till I came¡­" his cheek twiched, "around."


    "So this dryad was in hybernation then?" Meira leaned even closer, her eyes a shade a fervant blue desiring every bit of gossip from him she could get.


    From the way she acted she seemed less like a merchant and more like a school girl latched to a cute teacher giving a lecture. "I guess? She only told me that people kept getting scared of her so she stopped coming out."


    It was then that Noah watched Meira freeze, she eyed him deep confusion turned to astonisment as her thoughts caught up to her. "Wait. It spoke?"

 Chapter 65 - The Auction of Tallmire [6]

    Pulled through the city, Noah couldn''t help but let his gaze wander of the assortment of buildings they passed. Houses, shops, and even one larger building where numerous armoured and weaponed men and women were streaming in and out. It reminded him of an adventurers guild considering how battle ready and rowdy the people inside were. Someone even came barrelling out the door like he''d been hit by a cannon and just laid there with eyes white.


    Further on Noah was noting more guilds, though their buildings much smaller looking more to the likeness of small branch then the main headquarters of anything like a crafting guild. By far the smallest was the one with a small witches hat hanging from the front door. In fact, that building looked like it had been abandoned, he''d had believed it was were it not for the woman who appeared in the window with tired eyes and began to batter her blanket with nothing at all. Her hand was empty though fingers curled like she was grasping a club, when she walloped her hand down a light thump would resound and the blanket would move as if hit.


    ''Magic.'' Noah figured with the slightest shade of excitement.


    Magic as far as he was concerned was possibly one of the most exciting things he could think of. Yet he didn''t and internally he was berating himself for that. ''Should check the book, see if that has anything about it.'' Noah patted his side and quickly paled and paused. He looked down his body and to Meira on his arm, she looked down at him with curiosity to her sapphire blues as he realized he''d forgotten it back at the stall. ''Shit.'' Noah groaned, ''please no one steal it. I need that.''


    Noah looked to Meira hopefully, "I forgot something back at the stall. Do you mind if I quickly go get it?" he asked and Meira inclined her brow.


    "No worries," she beamed, "once the representative gets there he''ll ask your friends to pack up whatevers left before leading them to us." Her answer though perfect did little to wane his worries.


    Minutes drew by as her guiding continued until they came upon a large standalone building that stood at the least three stories high. The design was quite elegant with the small ornaments that gave it a fullness and beauty that the other buildings simply couldn''t live up to. Hanging over the door was a sign, on it a small painting of a carriage with a sack overflowing with buckles. Noah guessed it had something to do with merchants and traders moving from one place to the other.


    Just as they drew close a man,lanky and tall and with a beard as curled as Jaffar. The man forced a kindly smile and clasped his hands together in greetings. "Madame Meira! How pleasurable, I had been expecting you to return much later." His smile was false, his words spoken through grit teeth. He looked to Noah and some form of spite rose in the mans cold black eyes, "and who''s this?" though never once did he let his tone falter.


    "Just a potential client of mine, Davor" Meira strained clutching Noah''s arm tighter with a slight tremble that drew his attention for a breadth of a moment before narrowing his eyes the mans way. "I was hoping I could make use of the conference chambers."


    "Why of course Madame! Why of course. Brilliant to hear you''ve finally found yourself a client." There was something off to how he spoke and it wasn''t only the fire of hate welling in the mans eyes. It was almost like he was drilling holes into Noah for having Meira so close at arm.


    "May we enter?"


    "Hmm? Oh, why of course Madame Meira." Davor slid like a snake to the side and held a hand out for them to enter. With urgency Meira tugged him deeper using more of her strength than before. Noah watched her expression as they went, it was strained, nervous, and the way her head moved to look behind themselves, it was twitchy. That man, he scared her. At least, she wasn''t comfortable around him.


    The clambered up stairs, through hallways and billowed into a neat and royal room lathered in bright reds and soft browns. Meira unlatched his arm to open the door and shut it behind them. When she clicked in the latch and laid her hand against the door her body loosened, her shoulders drooped and she let out a sigh of relief. She rose her head then moved to the side of the door where a small black box like that of a doorbell was and pressed in the ivory button. Noah sensed an undulation of something but that was it. Nothing else happened. Nothing he could see at least.


    With that done she calmed even more and finally turned to face Noah. Her posture more lively and happy, like when she''d first met him in the market place. "Now then, please, take a seat." She indicated to the lush red couch and once Noah was seated she walked off to the side where a cabinet of fine crystal glasses were and took two from the top most shelf and from a small onnaire just beside took a dark green bottle with a parchment label wrapped around the body. ''Cragskin Winery,'' Noah read as lessened the distance between them.


    Meira poured out two glasses with finesse and flourish. She started off slow, pouring just a little layer of burgundy wine into the bottom of the glass but speed the flow up as she pulled the glass from the bottle and the bottle from the glass creating a perfect stream of red through the air, never once dropping or splashing a bit of the drink. The first glass went to Noah while she held onto the second, placing the bottle off to the side of the knee high table.


    She swirled the glass while Noah just looked down at the ruby hued liquid with strain to his expression. Crossing one leg over the other, her wrap pulled away revealing the ill.u.s.trious chocolate shading of her legs. They shone like polished metal in the soft lighting of the room. Downing a sip, she whispered a breath then stilled her expression.


    "Now then, why don''t we begin." She let out a little laugh, "I suppose introductions have been lacking so allow me to reintroduce myself." Once again she introduced herself and her position as a representative of the Bajan trading company. "May I ask your name?"


    Noah hesitated, ''should I be honest?'' he pondered but quickly relented knowing that once Caina and Liora arrived his name would undoubtably be announced. "Noah Arcturus." He curtly replied.


    "Arcturus, what an interesting name. Does it have any specific meaning?"


    Noah bobbed his head slightly, arching a look to the window at a flash of pearlescent light like the film of a bubble shimmering in sunlight. "It''s the name of a star where I''m from. Part of the constellation Bo?tes, brightest star actually." He uttered with a hint of pride. He wasn''t sure where that pride came from, he just chocked it up due to the brightest star thing. Meira listened intently even as Noah continued.


    "Bo?tes, another strange name. Is that a name of a god of sorts?"


    "No, not quite." Noah denied, "just a name given to it by the scholars. Most people use a different name for it, the Herdsman."


    "Oh really." Meira bubbled with a laugh, "quite appropriate then considering you are a rancher."


    "I''m not actually." Noah scratched behind his ear diverting his gaze from the woman''s¡­ b.r.e.a.s.ts. "I just know a dryad. Plus, I don''t even own the land Serris is living atop."


    Meira visibly latched to his wording, "Serris, you named the dryad?" Noah shook his head refuting, "it named itself?"


    "I guess. Is that a problem?"


    "Not in the slightest." Meira waved away and took another sip. A slight fruity fragrance leaving her as she breathed out. "It is just unusual for dryads to have names not granted to them. Is the owner of this land a rancher."


    "Farmers. Wheat farmers, at least that''s the only thing I''ve seen while I was staying there. Just one big field of wheat." He smacked his lips. "Meeting Serris was honestly pretty damn incidental and Liora didn''t know she even existed till I came¡­" his cheek twiched, "around."


    "So this dryad was in hibernation then?" Meira leaned even closer, her eyes a shade a fervent blue desiring every bit of gossip from him she could get.


    From the way she acted she seemed less like a merchant and more like a school girl latched to a cute teacher giving a lecture. "I guess? She only told me that people kept getting scared of her so she stopped coming out."


    It was then that Noah watched Meira freeze, she eyed him deep confusion turned to astonishment as her thoughts caught up to her. "Wait. It spoke?"

 Chapter 66 - The Merchant [7]

    "Getting back on path," Meira pinched the tip of her left pinky and twisted till it gave a soft almost negligible pop, quickly doing so with the other hand. "Do you have any major hangups about making a contract with me?"


    He bobbed his head side to side in a noncommital manner, "this is more sudden than what I was expecting." He said, "I''d come here just to sell and try to build up some income for Liora to live off of once she has to leave the farm."


    Meira arched a curious brow and asked, "she has to leave? Why''s that?" He eyed her for a moment trying to figure out if he truly trusted her only to sigh and explain the nuances of Liora''s struggles.


    "I see." Meira clicked the tips of her ring fingers, her expression was now more sullen and concerned. "That''s quite a bit of buckles." Biting her lip she moved onto her middle fingers. "I''d offer to pay it off myself but my funds barely reach even a third of that."


    "I wouldn''t ask you to pay it off." Noah huffed.


    "And I would pay it as I''d get a bigger chunk of future arrangements." Meira pinched her index but didn''t pop it, instead, moved to her thumps and squeezed and pulled until they did so. "Considering what you are and the business I can see you going into six hundred thousand is a mere drop in the ocean. Given the right choice of stock and the proper focus, it would be quite simple to get even up to a million total in at the minimum five years."


    He mulled and a dower feeling grew in his heart, "so there''s no actual way to pay it off, is there?"


    Meira narrowed her lips and refilled her glass, "I wouldn''t say it''s impossible, just exceedingly difficult. Six months is barely enough time to travel to Icorius let alone build up connections willing to move over to a newly formed rancher they haven''t the faintest even harvests quality products. They would much rather stay with someone they trust."


    Going silent she stared coldly into the distance with a thousand-yard stare, her eyes glazing over in thought turning into mirrors that seemingly reflected ever multicoloured shimmer of the film over the windows.


    "In other words, there''s no point in us making a contract." Noah sighed, he hadn''t gone into this expecting much, he didn''t even have that open of a mind but hearing it, or at least interpreting it as such had given him this strange sense of forlorn hope that hung his head low.


    Meira woke from her dazed thoughts and turned to him with her expression soft yet simultaneously alluring. "I wouldn''t quite say that." She scratched an itch just below her right b.r.e.a.s.t causing small undulations to ripple through the plump mammary. "Just challenging to say the least. Given some smart decisions and some hair-brained schemes it''s actually quite possible." Her tone turned reassuring but how could he let that well up and give him hope? That was just asking too much.


    "How so?"


    "For one, the monsters you would be ranching. I''d say avoid the less valuable things and focus your time on the more exotic and rare creatures. Your dryad, for instance, could be quite profitable in the long run but things like holstaurs and sheepkin wouldn''t be as profitable. Though they would be much more stable short term wise." Meira sipped from her glass and wet her drying throat.


    "Another thing to focus on would be turning the basic resources into full-on products and build a business on that. Though things like the fruits from dryads are preferred fresh in the higher nobilitry, jams and the such would be profitable just as well. Though not quite as much as the whole fruit.


    "And considering you need to save up quite a bit in quite a short amount of time, hiring outside help will prove quite the unfavourable outcome. So we''d also have to look into cheap labour, slaves most likely. They don''t need to be particularly skilled at first but they do have to have the barest bit of competency to learn the trades we''d want of them."


    Noah recoiled though not physically at the mention of slaves. His pallor sunk in, he''d half been expecting it considering the nature he''d barely been able to see of this world, but just hearing it tossed about so casually was still kicking up some sick feeling in his stomach.


    Meira murmured more to herself as Noah fiddled uncomfortably with his fingers.


    "Then of course¡­" she trailed off, "there is one way to void this whole debt debacle instantly." Noah lifted his head and waited for her to say what. "Just move to a different piece of land I may not have much but I can make an investment in some uninhabited land or an old farmstead and we could set you up there. No worries of debt then."


    It was an easy thought, so simple yet it was not anything like what he wanted. Noah shook his head, "we can''t." He muttered, "that land is Liora''s home. It''s where her husbands buried, it''s where she lives. Can''t just give up on it if there''s even the smallest chance of saving it."


    Meira inclined her head and rolled her eyes. "You speak a lot for this woman. You must truly like her. Love even."


    "I wouldn''t go that far. I''ve known her for barely half a month." He rubbed his palm over his eyes and let out an exhausted breath. He was human, at least, he was in his old world he wasn''t quite sure if he could even be considered human or just another unique form of monster to this world. Part of him wanted to just keel over, the other part was wishing he''d been reborn as a baby so he at least had the time to acclimatize to this whole new situation of his.


    "Yet you still care for her." Meria set down her glass and her posture strengthened, filling with implacable determination. "All due respect is given to this woman but it is just as you''ve said. You have known her for not very long by human lifespan standards and you seem to be thinking more for her sake than your own. In case you aren''t aware there is a group that vyes to capture, kill, or enslave otherworlders. Be it your own sense of chivalry or whatnot, you must think of this logically. Should Artemia''s church come to your door, it will not be her saving you." She paused for breath but all of them rang for hours to Noah''s unsteadily clenching fists.


    "I can provide you with the barest modic.u.m of security, land that isn''t on the verge of being stolen by heartless monarchs and heartless fools. An occupation that will let you live like your own king whilst also letting you bed whichever type of beast you could want." The longer she spoke, the colder, the sterner her sapphires turned.


    She could see Noah didn''t know what to say. She sighed, took a few calming breaths then spoke, "I don''t mean to sound heartless, Noah. But you must look at this from a certain point of view. Six hundred thousand is a lot of buckles to collect in such a short amount of time. I barely know ten merchant families who even strike half that in a single year.


    "Still," it came out without thought and was followed by nothing.


    Meira drew back into her seat, sinking into the plush woollen seating and grumbled silent words. "Fine then. Stay at that farm. But¡­ I still want to make a contract. For your services. Not for her land." She gave Noah the barest amount of time to process before continuing. "Land is interchangeable, a tree, a dryad like that can be moved. Even if it couldn''t there is so much more profit to be found elsewhere. But either way, it''s you I''m wanting to make this contract with. You as a person. Not the land you stand atop."


    She did have a point, though Noah was still reluctant to accept it bare-faced. As his mouth fell open and breath hissed out as if to answer, Noah was suddenly drawn from his thoughts by a bright flash that turned to low, repeating flashes. He looked to the origin and noted a small circular bulb of sorts.


    "Ah, looks like your friends have arrived," Meira said rising. "You ponder on what I said and I will quickly go fetch them." She left leaving Noah with little more than an ogling glance at her accentuated posterior. He could just tell she was shaking it like it was supposed to be a magnet for him to accept the deal.


    As the door shut behind her Noah buried his face into his hands and screamed silently to the high heavens. "Jesus. Why am I so against this?" he grumbled. "She''s basically offering to sponsor me and I''m being a hardass." He knew the answer. Liora. He always seemed to come back to her and it being her land. It made no sense to him that he could just take such massive measures on his own. At least with her soon to arrive, he''ll have a second opinion and final say in Liora''s answer. ''At least it''ll take the pressure off of me for a bit.''


    Mulling he leaned into the sofa and felt his body melt. The ceiling was wood coloured a nice-to-the-eyes dark brown. Rustic compared to the elegant and chic decor of the rest of the room.


    "I wonder if I''ll ever have the option to take a nap¡­" his lips turned up at the end and a sullen snort rose through his nose. "Yeah, fat chance. Reincarnating as an a.d.u.l.t is a f.u.c.k.i.n.g nightmare."

 Chapter 67 - The Auction of Tallmire [1]

    "We''re going to be late," Caina complained, unable to stop as Liora travelled from stall to stall completely enthralled by the many things on display. Though she hadn''t the buckles to afford much of it, Caina was swiftly learning that Liora was something of a stall hopper who just liked looking in place of actually buying.


    "It''ll be fine," Liora murmured as she got permission from a jewellery vendor to try out a little blu gemmed necklace with a silver chain. It was much more ornate than anything a small village like Alder would have, there only leather and twine string was used for most all jewellery with the odd gemstone or just an exceedingly polished and round stone for ornamentation.


    "We left Noah alone and without food for hours now. We were supposed to be back two bells ago." Huffing Caina moved to Liora''s side and scanned across the assortment of jewellery. Liora turned to her and presented the necklace, asking how it looked on her. "It''s pretty," she said simply. "Fits your skin tone."


    Pleased with her answer Liora faced the vendor and asked how much it was, when the answer of four hundred buckles came up her colour faded and she jerkily removed it. Setting it down as gently as a newborn.


    "You know," she squeaked, "let''s just, let''s just head on back to Noah." Liora was already on her way, her movements slow and with a slight sway of shock. Caina rolled her eyes and fell back to the jewellery, there was a lot, from necklaces to circlets to even anklets and bracelets. Many of them were intricately woven leather dyed a few shades of dower browns and reds while others were metal and the usual gemstones and polished stones. They were pretty, but even she knew that four hundred was a bit much. She''d expect that much from gnome made jewellery. Things made with the ores harvested from gnome holes or from the body of the gnome itself.


    Puffing out Caina pivoted and left the scowling merchant behind, quickly joining Liora by her side as they filtered through the crowds, Liora still popping by the stalls every now and then but growing increasingly pale every time a sum higher than fifty popped up. Something told Caina that she wasn''t used to being so fearful of a few hundred buckles.


    From the little bakery down the left side of the street, Caina knew they were close to their stall. When a little boy jumped and came crashing to the earth with a resounding thump her vision was drawn to him. That''s when she noticed a neatly dressed boy just barely scratching his fifteenth carrying a grey vine basket woven almost as if it had grown on a tree. It was stuffed to the brim with large red orbs.


    Caina paused her stride, one brow raising over the other watching as the boy faded down the street. Then another, then two more, then one more but his basket was half full. One of them was even a girl and all walked with seeming haste. With the last one, she''d taken her time and noticed the small cap the boy wore with the telltale emblem of the merchants guild. A carriage and a sack filled to the brim with buckles.


    She didn''t know what to think but as she heard Liora''s exclamation she arched and looked to the stall just a bit further from herself. She stepped closer and as she slid around Liora she saw, him, a tall but portly boy with short cut brown hair. He too had a guild emblazoned cap on.


    There wasn''t much said between Liora and the boy bar the beginning confusion of Liora tossing out question over the panicked question when she didn''t see Noah there. Then just as the boy said, "it''s alright, miss Meira is with him right now at the guild house. She left me a note to guide you there so you two may join with her." She calmed and went silent.


    ***


    Liora, for the lack of a better word, was completely and utterly befuddled. She''d been gone a while, she knew that, she even knew she was getting lost in her thoughts most of the time unwilling to return to Noah and do something embarrassing with her mind the way it was.


    If she''d know this was going to happen, that Noah would be shipped off to the merchants guild she would have bolted back to him without a second breath. Compared to her own house¡ªsomething she knew to be quite large compared to the more frequent single storied houses of the village¡ªthis grand and imposing guildhall dwarfed her everything.


    She could tell her expression was dumb as she stood stock still staring straight up at the arches and the pristinely cut wood sidings. Everything was clean and tidy and in better shape than she''d seen a new shovel just thirty short minutes ago.


    The boy guided them inside and Liora was once again thrown through a loop by the amount of noise and people bustling about. They were all merchants and their apprentices though some she was guessing in the moment were potential clients or people calling to sell something through one of their many merchants.


    "If you''ll wait here I will call for Miss Meira and she should be down to pick you up post haste." He clapped his hands together, eyes narrowing like a serpents as he slithered behind a counter and past a doorway never to be seen by the two again.


    "What is this?" Liora questioned looking to Caina for reassurance.


    "I have no idea." Was all Caina could say before no words left them again.


    The two spun their heads around in search of Noah yet only found people they didn''t know. Fat men, thin women, fat women thin men. Neatly dressed princesses poorly dressed paupers. There was so much variety that picking Noah out of this line up was a nigh impossibility but that didn''t stop them from searching.


    "Excuse me." A voice both womanly and assured rumbled them awake, startling Liora from its closeness but drawing Caina''s head calmly around. "Would you happen to be the companions of sir Noah?"


    The woman was a beauty, yet also a behemoth. She stood well above Liora''s height and the size of her bosom and h.i.p.s caused Liora to nibble her lips. Everything about her was young and pristine and made Liora question her body. ''Does Noah like dark skin?'' she murmured silently stroking a hand over her h.i.p.s.


    Beneath the woman''s translucent sash Liora couldn''t help but frown at the pertness of her b.r.e.a.s.ts. They didn''t quite rival her own but they were more full compared to her aged bosom. "We are." Her voice shook nervously. "Who are you? Where''s Noah?"


    The woman smiled, her lips ruby and full sending a chill down Liora''s spine. They were wet and shiny and even she could tell they were alluring. In that small moment an image rose in her head of Noah, no, an image from Noah''s eyes of this woman between his legs, her lips latched around his shaft as she stared up at him with her little blue eyes. Just as quickly Liora flushed the idea away in tandem with a flushing of her cheeks.


    "My name is Meira aet Stefan," the woman greeted, adding her position in this guild just after. "Noah is fine. I just wished to have a discussion with him in a more private location."


    ''So you could f.u.c.k him in peace.'' An inner demon on Liora''s shoulder hissed. She didn''t know she had a demon like that.


    "If you''ll follow me I will bring you right to him. He is currently waiting inside one of the private chambers." The woman stepped to the side, the arm not covered by her translucent sash held out towards the staircase.


    Liora and Caina shared concerned looks but nodded and stepped past the woman, Meira. She lingered just a bit longer, looking over the crowd with narrowing eyes at a coldly glaring man watching their every move.


    At the top of the stairs, the girls paused and looked down each way before Meira pressed between them and lead them down one side and to a faintly shimmering doorway. Meira rose one hand, pressed it against a small silver dial on the topmost portion and the shimmer of light flickered away around the handle.


    "Noah is right in here." She said and opened the door allowing the two to enter and see Noah seated on a chic sofa at the centre of the room.


    "Noah!" Liora cried quickly tapping to his side. "I was so worried! You can''t just leave like that! What if something happened to you!" she fell into an almost motherly session of beratement.


    Noah inched back, a nervous twitch to his cheek that Liora was never going to let him turn into an actual answer.


    "Now now," Though before she could do so just as well, Meira stepped around and quelled her. "I am the one to blame for this. If you two may seat yourselves, I shall get you both refreshments and properly explain what we have been discussing."


    Liora hesitated, then glanced to Noah with a glare and nodded. "Noah." The boy shivered at her cold, authoritarian tone. "We''ll properly talk about you wandering off later."


    "Yes ma''am."


    A small tremor of her heart welled her lips to lightly turn upwards. He could be cute some times. Especially when intimidated.


    ****


    ****


    Okay, from now on I''ll be tossing chapters into Grammerly before posting them. If there''s any major issues like a mistaken name please tell me.

 Chapter 68 - The Auction of Tallmire [2]

    How exactly Noah had found himself in this situation, he wasn''t quite sure. It felt like just hours ago when it was really the day prior, that Liora had met with Meira and explained to her, her ideas and wants of the contract.


    Liora didn''t know how to react at first, she was still as a stone. Were he to liken her to something from his previous life, it would be a robot whose circuitry fizzled and was trying to reboot itself at any given moment. He couldn''t right blame her, Meira''s sudden appearance was still weighing on him even now as he stood staring up across the dock area of Tallmire.


    The city itself was situated close to a river, right on the bank actually. He hadn''t seen it coming in what with him being entrapped in the canvas canopy of their carriage but from what he could see, the river was quite large, large enough for at least two freight sh.i.p.s to float past each other with room to spare for a smaller ship in between.


    ''Suppose this is why this place is a trading hub.'' He thought staring down across the murky blue-tinged waters. A few fish swam by, small to medium-sized though nothing larger than his forearm. He leaned over the ledge pondering how he was half expecting for some type of mermonster to burst out and pull him under and have their way with him.


    With head shaking he pulled away and turned back to Liora. Her brows furrowed and her lips turned to falling lines at the end staring off into the distance. Ever since meeting Meira she''d been like this, lost in thought, whatever that was, Noah didn''t know but somehow from how she''d look at him then quickly look away, he knew it had to do with him.


    Swivelling around he searched the crowds for Meira, she was supposed to meet them around here, told so the day prior. Caina had opted to skip out on the day''s festivities, she''d much rather stay at the tavern or look for some cheap deals out in the market square now that people were beginning to run low on produce and will to remain in Tallmire.


    As he looked for the chocolate coloured merchant, his attention was stolen by a passing carriage. It wasn''t like the others, it was larger, longer, and in place of canvas pulled taught over ribbing of wood there was canvas dr.a.p.ed over a box of iron bars. He couldn''t see inside but he knew exactly what it harboured.


    Monsters.


    Nothing dangerous, he presumed. Meira had told him and Liora during their discussions that the auction here focused more on the farmstead monsters. Holstaurs and sheepkin for the largest part with a few harpies thrown in here and there if they were lucky, mermaids whose caviar was quite a famed delicacy even. Those were rare, exceedingly so in a place like Tallmire. They did come now and then, that was more because the city was on the river and the fishers would rarely pull up a wandering maid or two. Once a year, Meira said that happened.


    Noah followed the carriage, listening as it and a dozen more trailed down deeper to the place where the auction was to be held. He sighed heavily and held the back of his neck so his arm wouldn''t hang lazily by his side. It was a small thing, but it at least was a small thing to do as he waited.


    "Things have really taken a strange turn, haven''t they?" he muttered.


    Liora jostled from her thoughts and turned to him confusedly, she followed his gaze then hung her head. "It has, hasn''t it?" the weakest laugh escaped her. "Hard to believe not long ago I was drunk off my mind in depression. Feels like it''s been ages since then."


    Noah''s expression tightened up, "I know how you feel." With everything that''s happened, it felt like he''d spent a year on the farm, not mere days that barely added up to the whole of a month.


    "It''s not bad." Liora gently held her arm, the cool breeze was lightening the aching heat that was everpresent on her scar. By then it didn''t hurt as much, she''d become accustomed to it, didn''t let it hinder her mind. Though it didn''t help her fall to sleep in the slightest. Quite the opposite, the warmth kept her awake, not after a full glass of wine though.


    Noah knew she was still taking her drink in secret, doing her utmost to keep herself as lucid as possible yet still slightly buzzed enough to calm and push away any dark thoughts that came about here and there. He was tempted to talk to her, stop her, but he knew fully that with her life the way it was it wasn''t going to be a simple thing. Fully weaning her off it that is.


    The taverns didn''t help, they made the perfect excuse for her to enjoy a tankard just before bed with the littlest of recompense. The things she chose, Noah wouldn''t say they were high quality, cheapest things with the most proof. It was quite the miracle that she was walking about after a full pint. Noah had taken a single swig and already his ears and cheeks were scarlet and his brain felt like he''d put it through a paper shredder.


    "When Harv died everything just¡­ stopped. I gave up on just about everything. Living, getting up in the morning. Gods above," she held her face, "I only had noodles for dinner every day because I didn''t feel like cooking."


    Noah laughed, he doubted he''d ever be forgetting his first otherworldly meal. "I noticed."


    Liora gave him a light knock on his shoulder and huffed her dissatisfaction before turning back to the crowd, watching them as they did their things. "Ever since you came, Life has some worth to it, Noah. Things might not be perfect right now but it wasn''t perfect before. I owe you so much, even if you don''t think I do."


    He shrunk away, the day prior Liora had gone off on him, berating him like a mother berated her child for skipping an opportunity that could forever change their lives. For the better of course. She''d been relentless from the moment the words, ''but it''s your land'' escaped his mouth and left him no room for arguing. Noah wasn''t even sure he''d heard Caina once since their arrival at the merchants guild, that''s just how focused the conversation was between Liora and Meira.


    "It''s just," Noah mulled and searched for proper words, watching as another set of carriage rumbled past, "I don''t want to add more onto your worries."


    "Noah, you''re not a worry at all."


    "You''ve told me that plenty. Still just doesn''t feel right doing things like this without your permission."


    "For all, I care you can do what you want with the land. Salt it, burn it, turn it into a ranch. Just so long as it''s being used I''m happy."


    Weak, almost pathetic smiles crept to their faces and the conversation died down with only the soft smell of humidity and the sounds of city life surrounding them. A gust of wind blew past taking with it a lock of Liora''s hair. She rose a hand and caught it, drawing Noah''s attention for the slightest of moments.


    To him, she was like a retired model living a life of nonchalance, who was just as down on her luck. Beautiful even. She had this strange country gal vibe though held herself like a veritable queen. Something she''d learned from her childhood as the daughter of a baroness no doubt.


    As she turned to him and met his gaze her expression softened, taking on a nigh entranced hue to it with sparkling eyes that only proved to accentuate her fine and narrow features.


    Noah gulped and he could swear she was watching his throat move as the spit trailed down. He knew he had a penchant for the mature but he''d never expected hebe getting so close to one. He could try to hide his attraction but he knew equally as well that he was pathetic at doing so.


    A sense of approach pulled his attention away and let his furiously pounding heart quell just a breath. Meira stood opposite the street, looking to have just seen the two of them. Before crossing she waited for a single caravan to pass then took large¡ªsmall for her¡ªand hasty steps across the street. Noah doing his utmost to ignore the staring he was growing increasingly aware of by the day.


    "Pleasurable mornings you two." Meira stopped just before, her dress taking on a more purplish tinge though just as translucent as the day prior. Her hair had also been knotted up, tied into a tight and braided ponytail with a single fringe hanging free to make her forehead seem not as large.


    Noah gave his greetings, Liora following suit, though hers were more strained and twitchy as she found herself staring daggers at Meira''s almost exposed chest. She was frustratingly young and s.e.xy, she considered.


    Meira looked to the sky focusing on the sun then said, "We shouldn''t waste away our time. The auction for the first twenty lots starts come noon bells and I''d like to see what''s on sale for the day. So I''d very much like to get going." She eyed the streets with pursed almost worried lips. When she turned back to Noah and Liora they calmed considerably.


    This was likely to be her first time leading a partner around. Though a contract had yet to be fully signed between the two. It was a sudden want of hers, she''d told them, so she had yet to have the details inscribed on parchment for him to sign.


    Liora met with Noah''s eyes, and him with hers. It was a nervewracking proposition for them both yet still, they nodded slightly and fell in line with Meira, following her deep into the bowels of Tallmire.


    The city itself was bustling, most were now farmers seeking out some simple deals or refilling their stocks of ranch animals, some even there to auction off some monsters of their own. The actual ranchers made up the second-largest swathes of people, they had monsters they were trading in both young and old though mostly old. The young were happenstance mostly. Freak occurrences created through ''accidental'' breeding. No less than two of these ranchers were living on their couches. Or this words version of couches.


    By far the largest portion were the curious onlookers. The people there just interested in the creatures on display and the action soon to come with the approaching auction. Noah was more than aware how interesting something like that could be, his days of binging Auction Hunters more than enough evidence for that.


    It was odd to Noah knowing he was going to be one of the bidders in his very own auction.


    ***


    Okay, so, for the ''Auction of Tallmire'' arc I''m going to keep the shorter chapters but once this is finished I''ll start working on longer chapters.

 Chapter 69 - The Auction of Tallmire [3]

    The auction was to be held in in a large docking area. The sh.i.p.s Noah could faintly see over the throngs of men and warehouses plenty enough to tell him that. The venue was seperated into two main parts, the auction area, which was simple enough, that''s where the auctionier and everyone would gather to fight in a brutal war of deep pockets. The second portion was the viewing area, this was by far also the largest section as all the cages filled with monsters were set up neatly in lines with the current owners of the monsters staying near in an effort to grease up some potential bidders for their products.


    When Meira had told him the auction was mostly going to revolve around farmyard monsters, he was expecting one, maybe two types of each species of monster. How wrong he was. Just for the holstaurs there were at least seven different breeds of holstaur wach with different skin, fur, even horn colour. Though the most prevalent from the looks of it was the species Noah associated with the generic dairy cow, white hide with black splotching.


    Still no matter how much he tried to reason it, he was still struggling to accept these humanoid creatures were on auction. It knocked up some sick feeling in his stomach, made it churn as if ready to empty into a bucket.


    As they passed by a cage Meira came to a pause and leaned closer to the iron grating to inspect the creature inside. It was the basic dairy cow breed though unlike normal cows it stood on two legs the ended in two large black toes. The black blotches rose with the fur and ended around her h.i.p.s like waist high panty hose. The fur wasn''t even that long though around her crotch it was much thicker. Fur also rose slightly up her spine in a small pyramid stopping not two centimeters above the long fl.i.c.k.i.n.g tail topped with a bulbous and brush like tip.


    From her waist up it was clean white skin up until her arms and shoulder, from there her fur returned turning into some form of long sleeved bolero jacket that ran down to her wrists, coating only a small portion of her upper palms and dripping no further than the sides of her ribs. This left of course her large b.r.e.a.s.ts fully open to see. Noah did his beast not to look like he was ogling but when faced with b.r.e.a.s.ts of horrifying size, that proved to be an impossibility. Especially when the n.i.p.p.l.es were inverted in little slits that made them perfectly round and almost doll like in nature.


    Further up and finally, was the holstaurs face and head. The lips were plump and red and the eyes cool and brown. It''s dark brown, almost black hair framed a face of narrow proportions and m.a.t.u.r.e expressions. All topped off with two large cows ears fl.i.c.k.i.n.g about as if they were radars.


    The most surprising thing to him¡ªignoring her human shape¡ªwas it''s cleanliness. The fur was pristine not mucked up by dirt, grime, or worse. Her skin shone with a healthy gloss and her eyes were bright and full of life.


    If it weren''t for the bars seperating them he wouldn''t have even known she was up for auction. It made a sickening amount of sense all things considered. Why would you waste money buying one slave only to beat it and end up needing to buy a second? There was of course the abusive sides of things, those were the most ''popularized'' accounts, sadistic people being given too much control over a weaker persons life. To Noah it just made sense that if slaves, if monsters were even considered slaves, well and healthy then you didn''t have to worry about resistance or worse, having to buy more.


    Story''s he''d read also enjoyed telling tales of the slave traders being abusive, whipping and nigh torturing their ''product.'' Arguably removing their worth by injuring them severely enough that they couldn''t walk or were scarred so heavily in the mind that teaching them was like kicking a brick wall expecting it to suddenly grow a door.


    They looked, happy, if that was even the right word for it. They held themselves with pride pushing out their accentuated assets and making strange humanoid mooing noises whenever someone passed by.


    Meira leaned closer to the cage and peered through the rungs. The two holstaurs, one older and taller while the other was younger by a few years, kept still, happily mooing a mewling as Meira inspected them.


    "Lot twelve," Meira murmured looking to the little wood plackard hanging from the monkey bar ceiling. "These two would make for an easy start to building up a milking ranch." She turned to Noah and said. "Not massively valuable but a stable enough source of income until I can find more worthwhile assets."


    "Right," Noah was stumped for words. He doubted he''d ever be so calm as she was in this situation. "Does it say how much?"


    "It''s an auction. It depends more on how much your willing to spend but for these two I would say fifty, maybe a hundred buckles would be about the starting bid and I would expect these ones to run up to five hundred, perhaps seven hundred total."


    He nodded and asked, "any reason why?" Liora stood by his side, eyes trailing with interest across the other cages of holstaurs of varying colours and b.r.e.a.s.t size.


    "These are Fraerian''s, one of the more common species of holstaur but their milk is also one of the most versatile usable in both soap making, food, even as a good base for potions and medicines." Turning she moved towards another cage, one with only a single brown skinned and furred holstaur inside, "this one is a palisade holstaur, it''s milk is much thicker and less delicate to the tongue. Better for ointments and inedibles but because it produces much more than the fraerian''s it makes for a perfect alchemical base. In these parts this one would run two hundred to at most four hundred."


    "Which is less than the Fraerians."


    Meira shook her head, "not quite. If you notice this lot only has this single Palisade while that one has two fraerians. On their own fraerians would mark up to at most two hundred but if you''ll follow me." She pulled them back to lot twelve and pointed towards the placard, indicating towards the two circles just beneath the lot number. The first was a simple hollow circle while the second was filled in. "You see these markings? They tell us about the state of the holstaurs. The first circle, the hollow one tells me that one of these holstaurs is breedable while the filled in circle tells me that one of them is pregnant."


    Noah blinked profusely then glanced to the two not seeing any sign of a bulging belly.


    "There''s a few more icons, one with a cross would mean its infertile and worth only at producing milk. A diamond would be elderly and a square sickly. If there was a star that would be a prized monster. Those are the most expensive. I''ve yet to see any here in Tallmire. A few show up in Haverstead but if you want prized monsters your better off heading to Estalder for the big spender auctions. That''s where the treasures really show up."


    Meira went quiet, looking to Noah for understanding only to see him gaping her way. She laughed lightly in response, "you''ll start understanding them in time. There''s a few more markings that I haven''t told you about but I''ll tell you about them when they show up."


    "Ariesian sheep, most common of the sheepkin. Good all rounder wool and the milk is edible by those sickened by holstaur milk. Three to a lot, about hundred, max five hundred."


    She moved to another, this time a younger sheepkin who looked newly shaven from how thin its fleece was revealing an unusual black and white striping. Meira whistled and her eyes sparkled, "my, wasn''t expecting to find one of these here."


    "What is it?" Liora questioned just as confused as Noah.


    "It''s an ariesian sheep, just a little special. The striping happens every now and then in newborn ariesians, changes little in the fleece but its said to be a sign of goodluck and prosperity when one is born." Meira eyed up the placard frowning at the little star, "also means this one is particularly expensive. Upwards of one, possibly even at the highest ten thousand."


    Noah winced, "that''s a lot. For superstition."


    "Superstition or not, having a lucky clover is always of benefit." Meira swept back a lock of golden hair and grew a constipated expression, "just, it''s curious that this one''s on auction. It''s not elderly from the looks of it, nor newly born. Prime of its life if anything."


    As Meira feel into whispered contemplation, Noah''s attention was drawn away by Liora, she looked out of place. Jumpy whenever someone stumbled or spoke to close to her. Every time they did she''d rocket to her arm and tug it tighter to her body. Nervous that someone would notice the scarring hidden beneath her sleeve.


    He was about to say something when Meira went first, "shall we head off to another. I hear there is a few harpies hidden somewhere in this mix."


    Noah strained his mind but nodded nonetheless and let Liora take the lead. Joining by her side as Meira continued to trail all throughout the caging area, pausing here and there to mutter words to herself and memorize lot numbers.


    "It''ll be fine Liora." As they passed some chattering ranchers arguing about prebidding, Noah spoke.


    "I know it''s just¡­ I''m still not comfortable like this. All the eyes are making my arm hurt."


    "I''m pretty sure that''s a normal thing isn''t it?"


    She glared spitefully at him.


    "Sorry," he squirmed and lowered his head, "wrong place, wrong time to be making a joke."


    Liora sighed, suddenly pausing as Meira stopped and began to explain a new breed of Holstaur. "It''s alright Noah. Your denseness is nice, if not a little out of place."


    He fumbled with his fingers and awkwardly chuckled.


    When his head turned and inspected the surroundings at a sudden squaking, his gaze suddenly paused. There, peering through thin metal bars was a girl, a monster with wings in place of arms and feathers coloured a ligh brown shade. It held tight its wings and covered its body hiding beneath the thick down its legs of talons and claws and scaled lower legs.


    "A common harpy." Meira muttered following his gaze. "Lays decently sized eggs one ever two to three days with a clutch of three, at most five, but hard to keep under control."


    He''d guessed so from the fiery attitude it held in its eyes.


    "Good starting harpy, especially if you can get it fertilized and raise up a few chicks."


    Noah had lost his focus on Meira, there was something off with this harpy. It just didn''t feel as ''common'' as she was saying.


    He eyed it up and down scanning every inch of feather and skin her could before latching onto its eyes. They were brown, a deep, dark brown but there was something off about them. He stepped close, squinted and focused. The harpy met his gaze and chirped its disapproval at his presence.


    That''s when he noticed it, small red lines circling its pupil.


    "This is-"


    The bell tolled loudly and the people went silent. Meira stepped to his side and said.


    "The auction is starting, we should head off, I''ve asked a colleague to keep us some good spots at the front."


    Noah mulled and kept his eyes focused on those red lines. Eventually pulling away and nodded, about to leave but not before focusing his attention to the lot number.


    Number forty two.

 Chapter 70 - The Auction of Tallmire [4]

    Meira had lead them through the thickening crowd, uncaring for the odd glares she''d earned when she shoved a brutish farmer out of the way. Noah was unable to stop his cheek from flinching when their annoyance travelled to him, Liora''s meekness having seemed to tell them that she wasn''t the reason for Meira''s rudeness.


    It was hard to tell how many people were crowded around, while thick and brimming with life and bodies of all shapes and s.e.xes there was still a good few centimetres between every person. Enough that you could get through easily enough but not enough that you wouldn''t disturb at least one person in doing so.


    The further into the crowd they drew the more Noah could see the large wooden podium on which he was expecting the auctioneer to stand. Just beside it, not too far off from the centre was another podium though set much lower and with chairs atop it facing the central one.


    Meira brought them towards it about to climb the steps when a short boy with thin strands of hair held out his arm and stopped them.


    "Ticket." He said neither irately nor excitedly.


    Meira rolled her eyes and from her bosom pulled three small ivory tokens and tossed them to the boy. He caught them swiftly and inspected each one critically, nodding when he confirmed they were legit and stepped out of the way.


    As they sunk into the seats Noah and Liora couldn''t help but trail their focus to the crowds surrounding them. The faces that had looked at Noah with spite now even more irate at the confirmation that he was to blame for their shoving. They weren''t high up, barely at even calf height compared to many of the others but it was enough to give them a semblance of importance.


    ''Suddenly I feel like I have a target on my back.'' He solemnly thought.


    Eying to his right just past Meira, there was one more seat set out presumably for Caina if she''d come with.


    "Is this normal?" Liora questioned squirming uncomfortably on her seat. "These seats I mean?"


    "Not at all." Meira responded, "having these high seats put out requires some high bidders or some type of relevancy. I was able to use the latter to get these set out."


    "And this is just allowed? Doesn''t seem very fair."


    "Life isn''t fair. We''re all born different, we all have differences that separate us from each other. Wealth and connections being the most important of all."


    Liora had no retort, she, out of anyone was plenty aware of the difference a vault and a coin sack had between each other. It wasn''t a pleasant thought, but it was a realistic thought. No matter how much she wished it was different.


    "Being on a higher plane is to be expected when one has the means. Feel free to call that my ego."


    "I won''t. My mother is a baroness, so I understand fully."


    Meira spun an eye to Liora, shock evident in her expression. "And you''re at a cheap farmers market? Did the barony fall or something?"


    "I married a farmer." Liora laughed warmly and clutched her arm, feeling a disturbing itch on it.


    Meira turned down to Noah with one brow raised but quickly shook her head and focused back on the auctioneer''s podium just as a thinly, gaunt man with a straggly beard stepped onto the stage. Davor, Noah remembered him to be called. He dressed regally, his arms latched behind his back and head risen high enough that he gave off this holier than thou image.


    That or he was guzzling a gods shaft, as Meira had so pointedly muttered with a visceral growl.


    "What''s he doing here?" Meira hunched over and locked her fingers together, the grinding of her teeth almost audible.


    "He''s not the one who does these?" Noah questioned.


    "Not even close. Mikkelsen does the auctions around here. I spoke to him just last night and said he was excited for the day."


    "And this guy somehow stole the job?"


    "Not somehow. He pushed himself onto it without caring about my¡­ Mikkelsen''s wants."


    For just a brief second she flubbed. Call Noah dense, call him foolish and blind for his blatant ignorance with Liora and her actions. But when faced with a woman hunched over, teeth grinding and lips nibbling while her fingers squeezed her palms a shade lighter¡­ that was more than enough to be a punch in the face.


    Noah lifted his hand and brought it over her shoulder but hesitated to drop it. He forced those concerns away and did so anyway. Meira looked at him and his worried expression. Her body slowly loosened and she leaned back into her seat.


    "He didn''t do anything to me if that''s what you''re concerned about. Davor just has a horrible personality and thinks everything has to revolve around him."


    Noah removed his hand but not before giving her one more reassuring squeeze.


    "You''re a good man Noah." She sunk comfortably into the seat. It may not have been plush or kind to her backside but with what her backside was Noah was sure she had enough cushioning to not care.


    "Thanks, I guess."


    Their talking quietened down as Davor spoke.


    "Ahem! Good evening everyone and welcome to this months livestock auction." He began, inquisitively scanning over the crowd and putting all the ones he was predicting to be high rollers into his memories. Lingering over Meira, Liora and Noah longer than the rest. Meira the longest of all.


    "Sir Mikkelsen couldn''t be with us today after a severe bout of the runs, so I Davor Komadni have taken over him for the day."


    "Poisonous bastard." Meira hissed.


    "We have plenty to go through today, a total of fifty-four lots, second-highest ever to come to Tallmire." He laughed, "to that extent why don''t we begin with the first lot."


    Meira turned her head and indicated for Noah to follow her gaze to a small straw laden ring of heavy-duty wooden fencing. A gate opened to the left-hand portion where an empty path was and a single centaur was lead inside by a group of three men.


    It stepped inside, head swirling about as it circled the ring presenting itself to everyone. Contrary to what Noah had been expecting it wasn''t a female, but a male with light skin and chiselled musculature coating its body. Its lower horse half thick with a tawny almost hay-like hue.


    "Up first we have an Ambrosian Centaur, bids will be starting at fifty buckles, fifty buckles." Davor scanned and found a hand rising high, "fifty!, Do I hear sixty?" he spoke rapidly, quickly jumping from numbers and repeating them again with finesse Noah had only seen on the television. In the end, the final bid was a surprisingly meagre ninety buckles.


    "Is that cheap for something like this?" Noah pushed through his distaste and the sickening churning of his stomach at watching the centaur prance back to its cage.


    "For a centaur-like that? Yes, very much so. I would have expected it to run two, two-fifty at most. Not the best species you can get but decent for pulling a plough or ploughing antsy old women."


    Liora coughed into her hand, a visible tick mark risen to the side of her head.


    "Not you," Meira was quick to defend, "you have Noah to do that."


    Had Noah been drinking he may very well have spat it all out and glazed the people beneath him wet. Liora though flushed and squeaked into silence burying her face into her hands.


    "Lot three." Into the ring came a small group of three children sized monsters. Noah paled, quickly turning away when he expected their nudity much like all the others. Only realizing later that they were much, much more furred than the older ones thankfully hiding everything from view. "Three Fraerian holstaur calves, Three years of age. Bids will start at one hundred and twenty-five!"


    "Two hundred and twenty-five!" Meira shot up a placard and drew Davor''s attention.


    "Two twenty-five up on the podium! Do I hear three hundred?" someone rose their hand.


    "Three fifty!" Meira threw another hand up ignoring Noah''s horrified grimacing.


    Davor nodded, "Four hundred! Do I hear four hundred? Going once¡­ twice¡­ sold to the lady on the podium!"


    Meira leaned into her seat nodding proudly at her purchase. A boy clambered up to them, skirted behind Liora and Noah and held out to Meira a token with a 3 labelled atop it.


    When the boy was gone and the fourth lot came out¡ªanother centaur, a much larger one with black fur and large b.r.e.a.s.ts¡ªNoah face the woman unsure of what to say but said something nonetheless.


    "Did you just buy children?"


    Meira huffed and puffed amusedly, "I bought YOU, monsters."


    "I guessed as much but, exactly what are you expecting me to do with children?" his whisper screamed.


    "Raise them into maturity then milk and breed them. Simple enough." She shrugged, "though, if you plan on doing ''that'' to them now, I won''t stop you. Won''t be proud of you but I won''t stop you"


    Shivers crawled across Noah''s spine. "Yeah, uh, you know what. I''ll just, raise them. How long does it take for them to grow?" Internally he was pleading for a few years but seeing as they were three years and already looking like they were about to hit their teens, he wasn''t hopeful.


    "Six years then they''re breedable."


    "Is that from birth or till these are¡­"


    "From birth."


    Noah shrivelled into his seat, ''meaning three years and then they''re a.d.u.l.t¡­'' palming his face he was tempted to shrink further and just disappear from existence.


    "One thing you need to get out of your head this moment Noah. Is that these are monsters. Not people." Come lot five when a more m.a.t.u.r.e Holstaur came out, another Fraerian with full b.r.e.a.s.ts and n.i.p.p.l.es already dripping from how much was inside, Meira lifted her hand and bid a one-fifty. "They grow faster than humans. Where you might take sixteen years to m.a.t.u.r.e, monsters need only half. Some more, some less. An alraune can take a week while a dryad can take a hundred years. It''s simply illogical to compare humans to monsters with such outlandish ideologies."


    "That doesn''t remove the fact they look like humans."


    "To you perhaps. To me, I see women with tails, hooves and horns who moo and f.u.c.k anything that moves. They are bundles of instinct disguised in the body of humans. I don''t know how things worked where you come from and frankly, I do not care. You are here, not there. What seemed normal to you is unusual to us. It is not us that needs to change to fit you but you to fit us."


    Noah went silent, she had a point. It was the same on earth, places were different, people were different. Though here¡­ the differences were larger and more prevalent. It would take time for him to get used to it like it would everything else.


    "I suppose I should be grateful I have three years to get over this." He sighed and forced himself to look up. While his mind wandered, three more sales had passed with Meira taking no more.

 Chapter 71 - The Auction of Tallmire [5]

    Lot twelve, the one with the two holstaur women of which one had been pregnant had proven the more expensive of Meira''s purchases coming in to a neat seven hundred and seventy-five buckles in total. She had winced and grumbled that they shouldn''t have been that expensive.


    The stack of tokens she''d accrued come the thirties had come to a neat five lots. A total of seven holstaurs by then, most all already within breeding and milking range. The only ones that weren''t milkable just yet being the calves she''d proudly gotten for cheap and the one younger holstaur in lot twelve.


    Past lot thirty-three Meira''s bidding drastically decreased with her not winning any more, bar a single sub breedable holstaur just a few months off from the appropriate age.


    "That should be enough for a beginning," Meira muttered. "I would prefer to get a larger herd but that may very well be too much for a beginner." She pinched her chin and pondered. Mouthing something in silence to herself. Meira looked to him, narrowed her eyes then looked back to the auction ring as lot thirty-seven came in. A harpy with dark feathers and a twitchy temperament.


    It hugged its wings close to its body but Noah could still see them, her lower legs were a light grey shade and covered in small scales before ending in a taloned foot of four toes. She glanced around, hopping and walked to the centre of the ring with her dark raven hair framing a face of thin features and beady black eyes.


    "Black Harpy," Meira muttered.


    "Expensive?"


    "Not particularly. No more than the common brown harpy, if anything they''re cheaper. Superstitions around them say they bring death. Their eggs and feathers are popular in with the necromantics."


    Noah froze, necromancy was not something he wanted to know about. Not in this world, he could just imagine what form of ungodly monster would come out of the fray. Just the idea of a rotting, half decomposed woman with her organs spilling out of her stomach riding him was a disturbing notion. ''God I hope it''s anime zombies and not the walking dead kind.'' The difference being one had stitches and light green skin while the other had to suffer through hearing some guy shouting for Coral.


    "They''re not worth it?"


    "Not unless you know a witch or wizard with a penchant for raising the dead."


    In other words, no, they were not worth it.


    The lot went by quickly coming to the low price of one hundred and twenty buckles. The lowest he''d seen anything go by the entire day. More lots came but went just as quickly with little festivities. Noah was already guessing they were just there to watch at this point, that or Meira was waiting for something to show up. ''The striped sheep girl?'' he guessed.


    "Coming up next is lot forty-two! A common brown harpy." Noah perked up at Davor''s yelling. "This one is feisty as it''s a wild-caught specimen from the plains just west of here so it will need some breaking in before being a viable egg layer. Bids will start at one hundred buckles."


    She stumbled but didn''t fall. Spinning she glared and chirped at all the eyes staring at her. Much like the harpy before her, she had sharp eyes though brown was the prevalent colour within them. So much so that had Noah not seen her earlier he may not have realized she had those rings of red inside.


    Her nose was sharp and pointed which almost resembled a beak to Noah. Her hair was short, cut to just barely below her chin, Noah very much doubted she was the one to trim it like that. Most likely the seller had done so to make her more appealing.


    Body wise she was lithe yet also shapely. She didn''t have as drastic of curves as Liora or even Meira but she still had b.r.e.a.s.ts and h.i.p.s that gave her a small form of the enviable hourglass body shape. From her shoulders down her arms turned into a bundle of smoothly laid and matte brown feathers that ended in a small hand of three fingers. The largest bundling of her feathers descending from her arms in much the same shape one would expect from a bird.


    Her skin, though pristine and clean was muddled only by a few minor scars and the pinkness of her n.i.p.p.l.es. from her upper t.h.i.g.hs down to just below her knee she grew what essentially surmounted to stockings of smooth downy cinnamon feathers. From the bottom of those her legs drastically thinned gaining a more birdlike bony structure and scaling.


    Unlike the other monster girls he''d wandered upon to this point, this one didn''t have fur¡ªor feathers in a harpies case¡ªcovering her crotch. Meaning he could see her lower lips clear on view. The smoothness and W shaping of her l.a.b.i.a causing his inner boy to start running amok to beat down the portion of his brain that told him to turn away and show her some modic.u.m of respect.


    The harpy bounced and chirped in a strangely human way. Turning to the sky she grew a shade of determination and flared open her arms and launched herself into the air. Except, barely a meter up what power was meant to keep her aloft failed and she went careening straight back into the hay covered ring. She didn''t let that deter her and quickly rose back to her feet¡­ talons to make another attempt yet went nowhere fast.


    "One fifty! Am I hearing one seventy?" Davor bellowed.


    "What''s happening to her?" Noah turned his head and asked.


    "Clipped Wings," Meira replied. "Stops them from flying."


    Noah paled, her tone was so cold, so neutral and uncaring. He knew she wasn''t being cruel, but to him¡­ it just wasn''t right to watch a girl flounder in a desperate attempt to escape knowing full well she couldn''t.


    "Two hundred! Do I hear two twenty-five?" Davor rumbled, "Going once!"


    Noah s.u.c.k.e.d in his lips, watching as the girl swept her wings and slapped them against the ground in a feeble attempt to make them work again. Within the determination and fire of her eyes, there was something¡­ a cold fear. She dashed her head around, flinching at all the loud noises of people screaming over each other and let the fire die down to only focus on her clambering escape.


    The harpy flapped her wings, rose a meter but went not up but to the side, having to tap her claws across the hay to even walk once she came down. She reached the fence and Davor went silent as all eyes fell to her just as she reached up, grasped the topmost rung of wood with her hooked claws and pulled herself up to the ledge.


    Men with man catchers dashed around with their poles grasped like spears.


    She lifted her wings once more and when one closed in she kicked off the rung and threw herself into the air, a single flap from her wings kept her up and sent her skywards. There was excitement and happiness in the way she moved but when the wind''s catching halted panic quickly set in.


    She flapped harder yet the only direction she went was down.


    Below her, the men with man catchers jabbed them upwards and she tried to move her body out of the grasp but one still hooked her ankle and ripped from her, her flight. A harsh jerk of the man catcher brought her thumping painfully back into the ring.


    At first, she just laid there, still and staring at the passing clouds above. Birds she saw flying above seemed to flitter away, disappearing one by one until only one remained above. But its wings failed, the winds couldn''t catch it like they couldn''t catch her.


    She weakly sat up, her legs splayed out in an M around her. Looking around Noah could see the light rapidly dying in her hazy eyes then she curled in on herself. Brought her legs into her c.h.e.s.t and wrapped herself tightly beneath her wings. Hiding from the world with her head buried with the rest of herself. Leaving only her back and the dimples of her bottom b.a.r.e for all to see.


    "Ahem. Apologies for that. As mentioned earlier this one is quite the feisty one. Now, where were we, two twenty-five! Do I hear two tewnty f-"


    "Three hundred!"


    Heads spun and fell to Noah.


    "What are you doing?" Meira hissed. "Holstaurs are enough for now."


    "Three twenty-five!" Another man bellowed.


    "Three fifty!" Noah shot back without thought then looked to Meira. "I don''t care."


    A dark frown took her expression but she only rolled her eyes and huffed annoyed and rested back into her chair. "Fine, do what you will but it''s already way over the proper pricing for a harpy like this."


    Noah kept silent, he could tell her he suspected she was more than just a regular harpy but he didn''t want to say anything, not yet. Not until he could confirm it with his almanacs. He could swear he''d seen something about Harpies with red eyes in one of them.


    "Three fifty it is! Is there a bid for Four hundred?" Silence filled the square, the bidder who tried to go against Noah was quiet just as well. "Going once! Twice! Sold to the man on the podium."


    Auction assistants filed into the ring and caught the harpy around her neck and arms and forced her to her feet. She was limp, didn''t even struggle as they dragged her back to her cage and returned with another holstaur.


    Meira slightly turned her head and moved her eyes to his hands. Frowning heavily. "You can''t be a hero Noah. Not with what you are. Not with what you can do. You may be able to provide a haven for this Harpy but you can''t do it for them all. You''re better off just letting it be."


    No words could describe the tenebrous feelings running amok in his heart. He knew that, he knew that he was nowhere near the best for protecting them. "I didn''t buy her because I wanted to save her." He lied.


    "Ahhh, I see, so Harpies are a fondness to you."


    "I also didn''t buy her because of that."


    Sinking into his seat he leaned his head over the backrest ignoring Liora and Meira''s shared confusion as they glanced between him and each other. Soon a boy with the purchase token arrived and Noah took it. Staring at it with a horrible sense of exhaustion.


    ***


    ***


    Yo! So, little too uppity but I''m taking a break from MGR till the end of the month. In case you haven''t noticed, updates have been a snail pace recently which I blame entirely on myself. So while I figure myself out, MGR going on a short break till the beginning of the next month. Hopefully this''ll be the last one for a while.

 Chapter 72 - Ilsa [1]

    Walking through Tallmire, Noah pondered over the events of the day. ''I was rash,'' he sighed glancing to his side where Meira was sulking. She''d tried to put some bids in for that striped sheepgirl but it had ultimately proven futile as the rest of the auction goers had had enough with her hogging the monsters and just started tossing out bids the moment her mouth even opened an inch.


    He shook his head and looked to Liora, she had been in a daze since they went and handed in the tokens showing their won lots and went to pick them up¡ªalongside several of Meira''s underlings who brought with themselves carriages filled with plush hay bedding and one cage with a chain that was hooked to his harpies neck, just in case her wings suddenly started working and she was able to escape the cage.


    Reality was quickly coming in on Liora. She hadn''t expected for everything to get this far. They had actually bought monsters and those monsters were on their way back to Alder.


    "There will be another auction in the morning," Meira broke the ice and said, "just simple livestock. Bulls, sheep, simple things. I plan on heading there early and putting in some early bids for a bull or two. Nothing much considering what you are¡­" she shifted her eyes onto Noah and smirked, "You''ll be plenty good for feeding those girls but having a male will help lighten the load."


    Noah''s palor dropped. He couldn''t imagine that he''d bought what amounted to his own personal s.e.x pets. It was ridiculous to his earthly notions. "Need me to come with?" he questioned.


    "No, but I would like to take you somewhere after."


    "And where''s that?" Liora spoke for him, her tone while amiable belied a concerned shade of jealous nervousness.


    "A brothel where I will utterly ruin Noah''s h.i.p.s," Noah recoiled while Meira fell into laughter at Liora gaping and scarlet expression. "No, no, there''s a store by the walls that caters to ranchers and farmers. Thought it would be an idea to get Noah acquainted with the tools he''ll be making use of from now on."


    Liora looked to Noah, her gaze hesitant to even harbour the notion, "I''ll be-"


    "No need. It''s not a large store and it is one of the more bustling ones on the edge. Better just I and Noah go there."


    "But-"


    "We shouldn''t be very long."


    "That''s still-"


    "What do you say Noah? Shall I pick you up around a bells after noon? Should be back around dinner."


    Noah''s jaw fell open as he felt like he was trapped between two nodes of metal that were just waiting to pump with electricity and bridge them together with him being fried in the middle. ''Damned if I do, damned if I don''t?''


    "Haa¡­" he turned to Liora, "it''s not like we''re going to be back her for a while and I could honestly do with figuring out this whole ranching thing before we get back to the ranch."


    Liora mulled, her lips sealing tight looking mighty displeased with his willingness. She glanced over his shoulder to Meira, to her full and young b.r.e.a.s.ts, her wide h.i.p.s and her exotic chocolate skin. It was like every bit of this woman was designed with the intention of making her feel old, "can you trust her?" she whispered not so low enough to stop Meira from hearing.


    "No." He instantly replied. "I met her yesterday. For all I know she''s going to pull me into an alley way and harvest my liver." He glanced over his shoulder to Meira. He doubted she''d do that, so far she seemed pretty legitimate but just as well, he knew that merchants could have less than reputable sources. He knew far too little about her to be certain about anything.


    "Why would I want your liver? I''m not in to human flesh." She puffed and they kept walking, passing by alleyways and twisting around bends before finally arriving at the tavern they''d settled in at.


    "Well," Meira spoke up turning the two back towards herself, "I must be getting back. I have some other things to attend to before the morning. Noah, I should be here around a bells after noon. Liora, its been a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Till the morning." With a quick and subtle curtsy, Meira was already backing away, leaving Liora and Noah to themselves within the thinly bustling tavern.


    ***


    Settled in their room, Noah glanced over his shoulder and towards the doorway of the building. Liora was just passed there and past another doorway likely to be already sleeping soundly and contently with her stomach filled with meat and hearty stew. She alongside Caina had gotten a twins room. It was large than a single room like Noah had gotten but not quite as large as a couples room. Jusging by the names he guessed it had to do mostly with the beds. Singles got one, like he''d discovered, while twins got two beds seperated by a bit of space and couples got a single large bed for some fine nighttime rumbles.


    Something Noah had to actively block out from hearing even now. He just so happened to have gotten the misfortune of being settled below the room of an adventuring team. A man and a woman he''d see these passing days in the tavern. They were practically connected at the hip in the day and literally at night.


    How the Tavern keep just allowed this raucous, Noah wasn''t sure he wanted to know.


    Digging from his bedside¡ªa very small nightstand¡ªthe only copy of his Almanacs that he brought with, he began to scour it. Scanning through page after page all whilst having that harpy girl he''d bought in his mind. More specifically, the red rings lining her pupils.


    He would pause at any mention of wings then sigh annoyedly whenever it mention bat wings or scaled wings and moved to the next page. The flipping noises of pages turning filled the room alongside the low rumble of him mouthing out words in rapid succession, his finger trailing beneath each line of text giving him a place to focus on and speed up his scanning.


    Ultimately, he couldn''t find it. None of these monsters had red eyes, at least, none of the harpy species mentioned had them. There were dragons and alraunes that did even a few exotic species like an ignis and an ifrit though the latter had more golden eyes than red ones and lacked the definition of pupils and irises.


    Shutting the book, Noah g.r.o.a.n.e.d that he''d have to wait until they got back to the ranch to truly figure out whether his notion about the harpy was right or not. That she was more than just a simple common brown. He knew he''d read something about red eyed harpies, knew it for sure.


    Setting the book to the side he leaned over and blew dead the candle flicker that was giving him the pathetically low light he needed to even strain his eyes to see through and read.


    Come the next morning, Meira had promptly arrived at the tavern. Coming just perfectly at a bells after noon. Noah had cast his low ''later'' to Liora before filtering through the doorway and down the street, latched to Meira''s side as she once again hooked her arms through his and pulled him ominously close to her c.h.e.s.t.


    The city was surprisingly silent around the walls. There were less people bustling about, less carriages and Noah would even argue it was cleaner than the main centre. The people of this area clearly showed more care to their surroundings as since passing by half a dozen bakeries and small tailors shops he''d seen twice as many women out and about sweeping up dirt and the odd leaf blown in from over the wall or that had fallen from one of the scant few tree''s that added colour to the tightly knit community.


    The further they went though, things quietened down even more and they turned down a ways and into a strange alley-like road. It wasn''t small, not in the slightest, he''d argue t was half as large as the main roadway leading to the docks. At least fifty meters across and the buildings, they were all lined with empty glass displays.


    As they passed by one of the building Noah was able to glance inside and saw a sight he''d been less than expecting. A woman laid atop a table, her tunic pulled down revealing her b.r.e.a.s.ts while her legs hooked around a mans waist as he rhytmically thrusted into her. Noah gaped and was drawn to another bit of movement in his peripheral vision. This time a woman was knelt before a man whose hands clasped over the back of her head, his h.i.p.s thrusting harshly into her throat.


    He turned away and looked into another building only to see a woman yawning to herself as she patted white gunk from her nethers and belly.


    "Is this a redlight district?" his voice cracked nervously looking up to Meira.


    "Is that what you otherworlders call the whores highway?" she muttered, "isn''t any red light around here though." She responded continuing to tug Noah through the streets, neatly ignoring the cries of woman and grunts of men doing their dirty.


    "Why did you bring me here?" he tensed out.


    "As I said. To ride you till your h.i.p.s give out." Meira laughed heartily as Noah paled some more. "In all reality the store I spoke about is down here. Moonlights as a whorehouse at night, but mornings and evenings its a tool store for you ranchers and farmers."


    "Isn''t this a terrible place for a store like that?"


    "Oh, absolutely. But the land around here is cheap and the s.e.x is a decent way to get a bit more in the pocket. That and the owner is a nymphomaniac¡­ Right, I should mention. Do not let her be ontop. I may have been joking when I said I''d ride you till your h.i.p.s broke, but she truly will. So just don''t give her the chance." For just a second there, Noah could sense true concern not hindered by humour in her voice.


    "Aren''t there other places we could go?" Noah murmured nervously, his gaze drawn to one of the brothel doors opening letting a boy much too young to be legal in his past world, out with his cheeks scarlet and a girl in an age much similar to the boys follow behind, casting him a coy wink and a blown kiss. Seemingly noticing Noah''s gaping stare she looked up grinned and blew him his own kiss before turning and sauntering back into the bowels of the building.


    A sick churning rose in Noah''s stomach. "Medieval times, it''s medieval times, just don''t think about it. Just forget about what you saw." He chanted in a feeble attempt to quell that disgust growing in the depths of his belly.


    He knew that the medieval times were less than known for their age''s of consent but still, he was grateful to his modern norms for once in this world.


    "Do¡­ uh, ''children'' often work these brothels?"


    "They''re far from children. Most of them become women in this linie of work." Meira responded in turn sounding just as disgusted by the notion. "But yes, quite sad and disgusting but there is little to be done for the daughters of harlots. I try not to think of it. Believe that only other''s of the same aging pay their services." Even if they both knew it wasn''t only people of the same age range.


    No matter where one went, there was bound to be sick people. The only thing that changed being the laws that governed them¡­


    "Isn''t there anything stopping them? Laws? Rules?"


    Meira bobbed her head noncommittally, "there are but who would stop them? If the guards were to raid every whore house that skirted the laws they''d only draw the ire of the people and lose a manner of relieving their own stress. At most they will come to remove some drunkard or a man high off control. Keep the whores happy, keep the city happy. That''s the only law in these streets."


    As they trailed deeper down the whores highway, Noah steeled himself against those noises and kept his gaze straight. Doing his utmost not to glance to every opened door or follow any dulcet cry of a woman. That was until Meira brought him to a stop before one of the buildings. He looked up and saw a hanging sign emblazoned with a seed bag overlapped with a hoe on one side and and n.a.k.e.d man and woman bumping the nasties in a manner he could swear he''d seen in a past perusing of the kama sutra.


    A deep and womanly cry of ecstasy echoed from within causing Noah to jump in surprise and lower his gaze to the glass window peering inside. Only this time, it was two women, one crouched on the floor while the other rested against an ominously plush counter with her legs spread allowing the woman access to her lowers.


    "I would say we should give her a minute to finish up." Meira murmured staring intently at the slap and tickle going on within.


    "Yeah, let''s do that¡­"


    ***


    ***


    It has returned.

 Chapter 73 - Ilsa [2]

    The woman, a tall blond stepped out of the store with a content smile and a special hop to her skip. Noah followed her back whilst blinking slowly then soon shook his head and turned back to Meira who was already pushing through the aperture and into the store proper.


    ''I will never get used to this,'' following on her heel, Noah''s gaze danced around the room. It wasn''t large and was heavily rustic in appearance with aged dark brown woods lining the walls only just barely contrasted with the few lighter shelves, counter, and ceiling. All throughout the room was also a scent, an expetedly sour scent of a woman''s s.e.x.


    Stood just behind the counter was the perpetrator and reason for the smell. A short brunette rising to just above Noah''s shoulders. She turned her blue almond shaped eyes over Noah and Meira and looked like she''d s.u.c.k.e.d on something sour. She patted down her lips with a towel and swept back her long lock of brown out of her eye and Noah could see she was missing the pinky of her left hand. It was an old wound, long since scarred over.


    She lowered the towel from her mouth, reached out to something under the counter and lifted a glass of water and took a mouth full before swishing and spitting it out into a vase, all in the efforts of ridding herself of the sour taste of her previous client.


    When all was done she grumbled and looked to Meira, her arms crossing just beneath her minute bosom that was hidden even more by the baggy blue and wet stained tunic she was wearing. "Meira." She murmured. "Can''t believe you decided to show up again. Been what? Sixth months? Thought you''d just abandoned me to deal with this shithole on my own."


    Noah rose a brow and looked to Meira but she was too focused on the woman to notice.


    "I''ve been busy." Meira tried to quell the womans seeming scathing.


    "You always are. You say you''re going to be gone for a while but fail to mention that ''awhile'' in your book is half a year."


    "I know, and I apologize for not assisting when I should. That isn''t how partners should act."


    "Oh, you''re only figuring that out now?" The woman skirted around the counter with slow, sliding steps Noah thought were almost serpentine in nature from just how smoothly she seemed to skate.


    "I knew for plenty long that it''s not right. But as I said. I was busy. I focused myself on my training all to-"


    "Oh please," she scoffed, "the only reason you ''focused'' on training is because you want to protect your a.s.s. No other reason." Huffing she quickly moved to a cabinet near the left wall and pulled from it a mop and began cleaning up the wet puddle her client had left for her. "Do you know how many men I''ve hat to suck off? How many I''ve had to f.u.c.k? Plan was we''d get this cheap shithole building and build it into something reputable, but no. You just have to abandon me to deal with everything on my own."


    Meira s.u.c.k.e.d in her lips as Noah kept silent, just watching and analyzing everything that was going on between these two. Recognizing namely that this woman was like him, someone who''d been brought in by Meira''s wiles. Unnervingly though, he recalled Meira telling him he''d be the first contract she''d made but as it was turning out, he wasn''t sure if that was true.


    "I didn''t mean to abandon you Ilsa. But you know as well as I do that a merchant sponsoring a store without their license is tantamount to career suicide. I didn''t have a choice. I focused on my studies so I could get my license, and now I am on the verge of getting it. I just need your help to finish off the final details and then-"


    "And then what? You can run off again?" the now named Ilsa scoffed and stopped her mopping to glare up and into Meira''s eyes. Taking the opportunity, Noah took a single swift glance over her body.


    Compared to Meira, she was a complete opposite. Short, lacking in the plump and soft curves at her bosom and h.i.p.s but what she lacked in veritable thickness, she made up with a more cutesy tightness. In place of the usual skirts and dresses he''d seen the girls around the villages he''d been to wear, she instead wore short pants that hugged her bottom and sunk into her bottom, ending just half way down her t.h.i.g.hs before knee-high leather boots took the rest of her legs.


    Seeming to sense his thoughts, Ilsa looked to Noah and narrowed her eyes. Silencing his thoughts as the scurried away into the recesses of security.


    "No. I don''t intend on abandoning you Ilsa. Not again. I just, as I said, I need your help to finish off my studies, and then I can officially sponsor you without anymore cloak and daggers needed."


    "I''m sure. Let me guess, the greeny got something to do with this?"


    "Greeny?" Noah exclaimed.


    "Yes." Turning to him, Meira held out one hand as if presenting him and said, "this is Noah, he''s planning on starting a ranch. I will be acting as his liason and selling his produce. But unfortunately, Noah has had no training and is poorly prepared. So I''d like you to-"


    "Supply him with everything he could need." Ilsa puffed and rolled her eyes annoyed at what she''d expected coming into reality. "Fifty thousand."


    Meira staggered, "I can''t do that Ilsa. That''s unreasonable. For tools he may only buy once or twice."


    "And I want out of this shithole city like we''d made a deal on two years ago. I''ve made enough buckles getting my a.s.s reamed to be able to afford a trip up to Estalder. Now I need the buckles to buy myself a house and settle down once and for all."


    "I¡­" Meira clutched her hands into fists and shook her head, "I can''t pay you that much Ilsa. Not right now. Eventually maybe, but right now I just cannot. If you give me time I could-"


    "You had six months to come back. You''re not getting six more. Fifty thousand now, or just leave. I don''t need your sponsorship anymore."


    "Ilsa," Meira looked to Noah with her expression souring apoologetically before looking back to Ilsa, "would you change your mind if I told you he''s an other worlder?"


    Ilsa''s eyes bolted wide and she spun her gaze to Noah.


    "Meira!? What the hell!?" Noah recoiled, just as quickly sinking in on himself to mutter, "what''s the point of a secret when the people I know can''t even keep it? Might as well just parade through this world with a flip sign saying ''idiot from another world here.''" His words unheard by both women as it came out in only grumbles.


    It didn''t take long for Ilsa to throw down her mop and march past the two and to her door where she shut it, locked it, and flipped a sign in the display that said ''closed.'' When she turned back her expression was spiteful and loud, "what do you think you''re doing!?" she bellowed. "You can''t just go around spouting things like that in public you IDIOT! What if Artemia''s harlots heard you? I would be ruined. YOU would be ruined!" for some inexplicable reason, Noah heard more concern when she jabbed a finger Meira''s way.


    "I''m aware. But if it gets you on board, I''m willing to risk it."


    "I''m not," Noah once more went unheard, it was his life on the line after all.


    "No, NO! I might as well just go tell them there''s an otherworlder, at least then I''ll get some buckles in return."


    "Not a lot." Meira urged, "If you turn in Noah, you''ll get what? Ten thousand? Barely enough to afford a piece of dirt in Estalder let alone start up a new business. But keep Noah alive and he could be the gold you need to change everything."


    "Or ruin everything. If I''m found to be knowingly assisting an Otherworlder I could be tried for heresy, Meira!"


    "This isn''t Parlight, Ilsa. The church doesn''t have its fangs in so deep here."


    "That doesn''t matter! Either way I could lose everything the moment the church does."


    "Then you just never acknowledge Noah''s existence as an otherworlder. Simple enough."


    Ilsa threw her head back and fell into paces, "simple enough, SIMPLE ENOUGH!? Do you know what the church does to suspected harbingers? They''ve got truth serums or potions to make you say what they want! It doesn''t matter whether I acknowledge him or not, given the chance they will figure it out, and I will turned into another of their pets."


    "That won''t happen Ilsa."


    "You don''t know that." The woman stopped her pacing and pulled closer to Meira to jab a finger through Meira''s sari wrap and into her bared brown belly, the girl not high enough to comfortably poke her c.h.e.s.t, "you''ve got the safety of your father. I barely have the safety of four walls and a roof. The only reason, I haven''t been turned into a whore by the gangs is because I have to pay hundreds every month to keep them away. I barely feed myself enough to look pretty enough for men to come in for my a.s.s and even then, I barely have a body grown men enjoy. And the women, they pay me a pittance for everything they ask of me. So don''t get me started on ''this or that won''t happen,'' Meira. Because it won''t happen to you, but it will to me."


    Meira''s gaped at the girl, her jaw hanging wide, her expression fell, draining colour as her head soon came to hung. By then Noah was feeling like the third wheel in lovers quarrel and could only step away to watch the final throngs, the moment when they''d make up and kiss and everything would be ''better'' "I''m sorry. But I still want your help Ilsa. Given time, we could build up something and then we wouldn''t need to worry about the church anymore. They wouldn''t be able to touch you."


    "That''s not good enough." Ilsa''s voice cracked, her finger turning to a palm against Meira''s stomach, splaying out the four fingers she had left. Her gaze locked to her missing pinky and her throat tightened in turn. "I need security Meira. Not empty words."


    "They''re not empty." Meira took Ilsa''s hand into her own and lowered it from her stomach, "I will truly help you this time. And this time, I won''t leave you on your own."


    Shaking her head, Ilsa pulled her hand free and backed away. "I can''t bring myself to believing you this time. It was easy enough for you to do last time, the next will be the same." She moved to her counter and hunched over it, casting the shortest look to Noah where her eye twitched and her lips were s.u.c.k.e.d in unsure of what to do.


    Meira didn''t hesitate to click her heels closer and stood behind the girl, "what would it take to make you believe me?"


    Hesitantly, Ilsa stilled, glanced over her shoulder to Meira and met the gyaru''s bright blue eyes framed by ill.u.s.trious blonde hair and shook her head. She then leaned over her counter and sn.a.k.e.d one hand behind it. Noah¡ªand even Meira¡ªdrawn for the shortest of moments to the accentuation of her pert rump as she did so. It didn''t take long for her to remove herself from the back and turn back to Meira, now clutching something that sent Noah''s spine on end.


    A small silver dagger, its tip glinting in the light that reflected off its dual edged blade.


    "You owe me a bloodoath. That is the least you can do."


    ***


    ***


    Yellow people. To put my inexorably not-long story even shorter. Here''s a poll to figure out how you all would like to see me do MGR chapters from hence forth.


    (Basically longer chapters, 3-4000 words/a story arc (the Ilsa arc but instead of 4 chapters, its either 1 or two longer chapters. But at the detractor I might only get it out once a week.)


    Or shorter chapters (keep it as it is with two times a week with chapters any where between 1500 and 2000 words and twice a week release.


    Here''s a poll, use it. I don''t really read the comments anymore (which I really should)


    ***


    Oh yeah. Also, till I figure this out I''ll be tweaking release schedule.


    MGR will now be released on Sundays and Wednesdays and likely sundays if I start doing the longer chapters.


    ...


    Should also mention with the longer chapters, if I ever get to my backlog with MGR (which I sorely hope I can do sometime in the future) I will likely release twice a week then anything over the backlog threshold.

 Chapter 74 - Ilsa [3]

    "That''s¡­" Meira visibly paled upon hearing Ilsa''s requirement. "That''s a bit much isn''t it?"


    "No Meira. It''s not." She hissed and plunged the tip of her blade into the wood of her counter. With swift movements, she was already approaching the doorway to the backroom only to pause and look back with narrowed eyes at Meira. "Don''t forget. You''re coming to me. I don''t want this, but I need it."


    When Ilsa was gone, Noah watched as Meira hesitantly focused on the blade sticking like a spike up out of the counter.


    "I''m going to guess this blood oath isn''t anything good?" Noah already guessed as much. Whenever the words ''Blood'' and ''Oath'' were used in tandem rarely ever meant anything good.


    "It''s," Meira nibbled her lip hesitantly before letting out a surrendering sigh. "It''s not entirely bad. It''s more symbolic than anything. For my people, for the Rhegian''s, a blood oath is¡­ it''s not something you can just ignore. For you humans it''s nothing but an odd ritual, it has no danger, no threat to either party, unless of course, one has tainted blood. But¡­" she went still and gulped, her eyes darting all around the room as if seeking reprise. "For us, for me and my people, it is a highly, highly respected tradition. It can be considered a contract, much like the one I would like for you to sign. Except, the only place this will ever be written down is in our heads." She weakly indicated to her head.


    "And I''m guessing failing it isn''t a good thing?"


    She nodded, "betraying a blood oath¡­ I would be disowned by my father, persecuted by my people, even executed. Making something like this¡­ It is like standing atop a crumbling ruin with a rope tied around my neck. A single wrong move could very well be the end of me."


    Noah whistled lowly, "then just ignore it. We can go to a different store. A different person." Meira looked back to him, her eyes low and lips half amused.


    "No, no. This blood oath. It will also be of use to us."


    "How so?"


    "For making sure Ilsa will never speak of your existence as anything other than a human of Minas."


    "How? You just said it won''t affect her." He added.


    Meira scrunched her cheeks, head bobbing side to side as if to tell him he was only partially right. "It isn''t as if there aren''t any downsides to humans. It is just exceedingly limited in nature. The most Ilsa will have to worry about is perhaps the odd Rhegian Oathkeeper coming to capture her. But this is not Rhegia, and the Oathkeepers never leave Rhegia. The only other threat for her is that she will be banished from ever entering Rhegia itself."


    In other words, as Noah was quickly surmising, nothing would happen to her. "This still sounds very one-sided Meira."


    "Oh, it is. Very much so, but it gets us a second boon. Ilsa''s help as well as her store if we''re lucky."


    Noah looked to her quizzically, "the store? You want to use this place to sell anything I make?" Meira nodded in response.


    "If not for storing excess produce we can also begin building up a sort of brand you could say. Bring a name to your products, get it popular enough with the people and we will be bound to draw the eye of some nobleman. And once we have them, they will start talking to their friends, people who visit them will ask where they got their cherries for example and if they tell them here more business will come here which will not only bolster Tallmire''s economy but will subsequently bolster our pockets with plenty of buckles."


    "Isn''t that what you were saying with the special orders? The requests?" Noah asked.


    "Mmm, to a degree. While I may have a contact interested in some specialized resources otherwise not found freely in Morea, we, or well, you have no presence. You are a veritable nobody with nothing to your name."


    Noah flinched, she was right, didn''t mean he liked her being right.


    "But say you become a supplier of high end produce to a well-known store in one of the larger trading hubs of Morea¡­ well, I can only imagine how much face that will give you. Of course, getting to that point will take a while. Years even."


    "We don''t have years. We have months." He murmured.


    "I''m aware." She huffed, "hence why I''ll be focusing for the most part on the private requests. If we can use them, or heavens, find someone willing to pay off all the debt in one, this store will become a backbone to any excess you create. If we can''t pay off that absurd debt, then this store will become your new golden goose once we find new land for you to do your ranching on."


    He didn''t enjoy the idea of moving land but he couldn''t deny that should things go south it would be a much better plan than going to the street to become a beggar.


    As Meira''s whispered tones turned silent, Ilsa soon reappeared from the doorway, carrying with her various things, a bowl with a small spout on one end as well as a small thumb-sized vial that could stand on its own.


    Noah eyed the objects as she set them down on the counter by her dagger, now seeing another item, a thin metal rod leaning inside the bowl.


    "You go first." Ilsa hissed to Meira and Meira took a hesitant but stoic step closer. She eyed the bowl and the vial then sighed.


    "You prepared for this." She said.


    "I had a feeling you''d be back trying to get me into something. I was right."


    Sighing, Meira rocked the dagger and pried it from the counter. She stared down at the tip and lifted her opposite hand glazed with a slight sheen of sweat which she quickly wiped off on her sari. With another nervous lick of her lips, Meira brought the knife to her palm and breathed in a cold and slow breath.


    She winced as she pressed it down and dragged it across her palm, cutting a shallow slit in her hand that oozed thick red nectar that she ensures all collected in the wood of the bowl. Filling it just barely a fifth of the way up before quickly bandaging the cut with a towelette Ilsa had brought out from beneath the countertop.


    "I hate this, I hope you know that." Meira glanced up to Ilsa and handed the dagger to the girl.


    "I don''t care. You came back, I want to make sure you stay." Just as with Meira, Ilsa stared down at the blade, its edge tipped in red and frowned as she cut it thinly through the skin of her palm, adding another fifth to the bowl before patching it up. As she lowered her hand, Noah could see her trembling.


    The two kept silent as Ilsa reached for a long metal rod reminiscent of a scoop used for matcha tea powder back on earth and slowly stirred the blending of their blood until it was homogenous. Tapping the rod a few times on the edge, she laid it to the side, staining a small red dot on her counter in the process.


    Looking down to the blood-filled bowl and up to Ilsa, Meira said, "let''s make the terms of this clear." Ilsa met her gaze with a swift nod.


    "I will stay silent about your friend''s true nature and sponsor him for any equipment he may need."


    "And I will provide my unlimited assistance to you in any manner I can as well as a direct percentage of all successful sales."


    Ilsa''s eyes sparkled for a second before she said, "is there anything else? I presume you also want use of my store if you''re planning on setting him up as a halfway decent rancher?"


    "I do. Is that acceptable to you?" Meira asked hopefully.


    Ilsa pursed her lips and looked to Noah, eyes narrowing she glanced over his body, lanky and decently dressed. Far from perfect and handsome, especially with that horrible rat''s a.s.s of a beard, he had stuck on his face. Soon letting out a sigh Ilsa shook her head. "Not while he looks like a beggar who stuffed their face in a werewolves a.s.s. Get him cleaned up then yeah. I''ll accept that."


    Meira turned back to Noah with a tilt upwards of her lips, "looks like you''re going to the barber after this Noah."


    He chuckled and scratched his thin tawny beard. "I don''t think I''m going to complain about that."


    She bobbed her brows and turned back to Ilsa, she was staring at the bowl with a twitching cheek and a green hue to her skin. When she noticed Meira was looking her way she forced away from the green and steadied herself staunchly.


    Meeting her nod, Meira puffed her cheek letting out a hiss of air through her pursed lips and lifted the bowl with two hands. Staring down at the conglomeration of red she soon shook her head and brought the edge to her lip and smelling the revolting metallic scent, tipped back her head and downed a slim mouthful of the fluid. As she lowered the bowl her expression contorted at the taste and her throat rolled as she downed it.


    Barely holding herself back from gagging, Meira held out the bowl to Ilsa and she took it with slow, almost mechanical motions. Soon copying Meira''s actions to take a mouthful and swallow. Though, unlike Meira, Ilsa nearly keeled over and threw up. She would have had she not set the bowl down and slammed her fist down so hard the dagger and the vial bounced.


    "Oh, that''s sick." Ilsa g.r.o.a.n.e.d.


    "You wanted this."


    "Need Meira. Not want. Just, finish it off now." Stroking her undamaged hand over her face, she waved Meira onwards with her other.


    Giving a nod, Meira once more lifted the bowl and placed the spout over the lip of the vial and poured what remained into it. Corking it once the final drop was in and holding it in her hand, paled at it. "I''ll send this off in the morning." She said with no small amount of trepidation.


    Curious as to why Noah kept silent. Knowing now was far from the right time to question her about why and where she''d be sending a vial of blood. If anything he guessed it had something to do with those Oathkeepers she''d mentioned. ''But what could they do with blood? It''s not like they can sense if an oath''s been broken¡­ right?'' thinking that, the atmosphere in the store turned silent as the girls stared at the vial and each other.


    "So," Ilsa was the first to finally break the ice, "considering I''m now his sponsor, what does he need?" she said crossing her arms.


    Meira chuckled lowly, "quite a bit actually."


    ***


    ***


    Yeah, so I''ve been seeing comments, at least, in the previous chapter (the only comments I''ve read in months) about Noah being too sub. yeah, no, I agree. He''ll be getting out of that soon, and It''ll definitely get some reworking if I ever get to rewriting/reworking earlier chapters.


    My main reasoning though, if you''ll let me explain myself, is that Noah''s still dealing with the ''new world'' pangs and needs to get rid of old world sensibilities. Which shouldn''t be much longer considering a ranch is uh, going to be dealing a lot with ''breeding'' the monsters.


    Basically, Noah won''t be as much of a wuss soon.

 Chapter 75 - Ilsa [4]

    Thunking the large metal pail onto the counter. It was as long as Noah''s forearm with two thing metal handles welded onto the side of it. "First, most important for holstaurs is a place to keep the milk." Ilsa slapped the pail and it rand, "not much to say about them, it''s a pail, one of these will be good for about half of what you''ll get out of a m.a.t.u.r.e holstaur in a day. Considering you''ve got about seven I''d say a good twenty to thirty of these should keep you stocked up for a while. I''ve only got fifteen on hand right now so I''ll have to put in an order for those." She looked to Meira and narrowed her eyes to daggers, "which you''ll be paying for."


    Meira simply sighed and nodded her head, unable to refute or even unwilling to.


    "Right," Noah pulled the pail over the counter and popped off the lid to peer inside the dark innards. It was a bucket with a lid essentially. Little else to it. Ilsa then turned her gaze over the storefront and slid herself around her counter, making quick work of the room she arrived by a pile of stacked wooden buckets and pulled from the top two.


    "You''ll need these to catch the milk. Good to have two in case one break. If you start diversifying out into species other than Fraerian''s it''s also good to just keep the two apart from each other."


    Giving him a chance to check the bucket, Ilsa was already on the move. When she came back she was setting down an assortment of tools. Lifting the first Noah inspected the curve handled dagger-like tool with intrigue. It was a knife, though it couldn''t stab as the tip had been curled backwards into a half-moon shape, one edge fell to a knife-sharp edge.


    "Trimming knives," she met his gaze and said, "the auctions trim the holstaurs hooves before the show but once they get back to your farm that''ll be up to you. You''ll need these, a few of these actually, as well as sharpening stones to keep them ready for work. I''ll get those in a bit." Setting the hoof trimming knife down she didn''t give Noah the chance to pick one of the three up and inspect it before she was lifting the dark iron end cutter pliers the size of Noah''s forearm. "Hoof nippers, better for the larger chunks of horns around the edge of the toes and giving their feet a bit of shaping. Of course, you''ll need a few files to round everything down and get it all level but otherwise, these will be a big part of your arsenal."


    He could hear Ilsa''s feet tapping behind the counter as she fell into thought. Soon perking up as she remembered something. Noah looked over his shoulder to Meira, met her smile with his own strained one and waited for Ilsa to return from the backroom she''d escaped into. Bringing with her a thick leather apron and some heavy-duty gloves.


    "Protection. Some holstaurs can be particularly feisty, especially if you hit something s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e. These''ll help keep you in mostly one piece." She turned once more over her store, "should have a few crooks around here as well, Those''ll be good for keeping them in line." She mulled.


    "Anyways, there''ll be your main tools for keeping holstaurs well enough. I''ve got brushes as well that you can use to dust and clean them off every now and then but so long as you provide them with a decent amount of water they''ll clean themselves off." Biting the tip of her thumb she thought, "what else, what else¡­ a whip? Mmm, don''t have any in stock after my last order¡­"


    "Uh," Noah gaped at the slue of items presented before him. Wood and metal, knives and nippers. It wasn''t much, but knowing how every one of them had a specific use and a specific way to use them, it was already proving to be a daunting task as reality was quickly setting in on his heart. "Thanks, I guess?" he lifted one of the hoof trimming knives and watched its polished silver sheen glint in the evening light.


    Glancing over the assortment, he couldn''t help but lament how there weren''t any automatic milkers like he''d seen back on earth. Meaning he''d likely have to do it by hand, to the b.r.e.a.s.ts of women shaped cows.


    "Don''t thank me yet. We''ve still got feed to deal with but that''s something Meira will order from a farmer up the ways." Crossing her arms she looked up to Noah''s features and bobbed her head to the side, "you''ve also gotten a harpy yes?" he nodded at that, "there''s something''s you''ll need for that as well."


    "Is it as much as this?" he paled.


    "Not particularly, the gloves''ll be the main thing you keep between them." Digging somewhere beneath her counter she rose and set down a pair of oddly shaped scissors. Large, large enough for his finger to fit into its oddly short tip. Pushing her fingers into the holes, she opened it and the two sides opened crafting a sort of oval shape between the blades. "Nail clippers. They clip nails, no more, no less."


    He eyed them up, picked them up and inspected them with a few curious openings and closes. Though intimidating, Noah realized that in reality, it wasn''t that much compared to other occupations. He couldn''t imagine what his life would be if he''d been thrown into a world to become an engineer and suddenly be lumped with dozens of different tools and parts. ''Suppose I should be grateful, huh?'' he silently chuckled.


    "Is this it? I mean, everything I''ll need?"


    "Good heavens no. These are the tools and from what I heard you''ve only just gotten into the ranching game so I doubt you even have the proper buildings for all your monsters. But that''s something Meira will have to deal with."


    "Indeed," Meira stepped up besides Noah and took his attention. "When we head off to the ranch I''ll be bringing with a carpenter friend of mine and he''ll see to putting up some fences first and a barn or two once we''ve got all the livestock secured."


    Noah pursed his lips and nodded along but paused as he noticed something, "we? You''re coming with?"


    "Of course," she puffed sounding almost offended¡­ almost. "I''d like to check the land out myself. Just to give me an idea of what I have to deal with in the future."


    There was a lot, Noah internally remarked. He wasn''t sure how large it was but from what Liora had told him, the Rostrea''s owned a large, almost gargantuan chunk of that countryside. Though much of it went unused baring the farmland itself.


    Stepping off to the side, Ilsa plucked from the wicker weaved baskets the largest she could and brought it back to the counter where she stuffed what she could inside, the pails and buckets left off to the side. "All of this would cost six hundred normally but considering I''m to sponsor you and you''re just beginning, I''ll let you have these for free. After this though, I''ll be expecting payment upfront for any other tools."


    "That''s not in the oath-"


    "For cheap." Ilsa hissed, silencing Meira upfront. "I still have a business to run and I can''t live off of earnings you get once the product is out. You want equipment, I want pay." She accentuated her words making it abundantly clear she wasn''t going to budge on this position. "This should be everything a beginner''ll need. If Meira gets you a mentor to show you the ropes they might have some more niche things for you but I don''t."


    "This will be perfect Ilsa," Meira said, "and on the topic of mentors, I was wondering if you could teach Noah here how to properly milk a holstaur."


    It took a second for that to process in both Noah and Ilsa before Noah took a double take and Ilsa sighed.


    "Pardon?"


    "I''m not a cow Meira," Ilsa grumbled and glared at Meira''s abundant c.h.e.s.t. "If anything the one teaching him should be you."


    Meira fell into low, harmonic laughter, "I''ve trained myself as a merchant. I don''t have the know-how of such a thing as you do."


    In response, Ilsa''s expression narrowed like she was s.u.c.k.i.n.g on a lemon. "Then why don''t you get your t.i.t.s squeezed and I give him tips, huh? Instead of having to deal with it myself."


    "Uh," Noah trailed with cheeks faintly a darker red shade, "I don''t think that''s necessary."


    "My, that sounds perfect to me. What do you say, Noah?" Meira turned to him beaming brightly with a glint to his eyes that he could only construe as saying ''finally.'' She ignored what Noah had said only to smile as if she knew the answer her question would end with. She puffed out her c.h.e.s.t, swayed it just barely side to side but enough to draw Noah to her bosom''s pendulum swaying. He gulped, swallowed a thick clump of spit and physically felt his pupils dilate as he trailed through her sheer sari and over her bikini top that left open her warm, chocolate belly and how he could see that beautiful V form groin and t.h.i.g.hs created with her weakly accentuated muscles formed through whatever holy exercise she did.


    "Uhhhh," like any good man, Noah malfunctioned.


    "For the love of," Ilsa muttered, "are all otherworlders this annoying?"

 Chapter 76 - Milking 101 [1]

    Noah gaped, a lump in the back of his throat tried to drop but it seemed eternally plastered in place. Before him Meira was leaning over Ilsa''s counter, her hands pressed softly against the rounded wood edge while she simultaneously pushed out her a.s.s and kept her legs apart in a wide triangle that stabilized her properly. The wrap covering her modest feel, conforming lightly to the crevice of formed between her two voluminous b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s. Higher up, Noah fell onto the slight protrusion of her spine, she was thin, though not unusually so but still, the way her chocolately skin pulled over her bones bringing with it dimples and bumps, it gave this fine texture to her form that broke up the otherwise flat and smooth surfaces.


    Looking to Ilsa, the girl looked at Meira closely, analyzing her posture to ensure it was the best one to teach him how to milk a holstaur. Pushed off the counter with arms straight, her body bent at the h.i.p.s to an almost ninety degree angle, emphasis on almost, so her bosom could hang over whatever bucket was to have the milk squirted and collected inside of.


    When Ilsa nodded approvingly, Noah could tell with this twisting of his Earth morality filled heart, that he was to do something so debauched it was deviant to most all people of his homeworld.


    Ilsa looked to him as a howl of wind whizzed past outside, the scent it dragged along barely able to pierce through the gaps in the doorway. "Starting off I would say doing it from behind would be the easiest." He twitched at that, it was a double entendre, though both entendres were s.e.x.u.a.l in nature. "So just push yourself into Meira''s back."


    "Right," he glanced down to the woman''s rump, it looked soft like it could swallow his hand whole if he tried to grab it. He could feel a tightness rising in his pants as blood rushed to his ''head'' quickly he tore his gaze away and puffed out slow, calming breaths before looking back.


    By then Meira was smirking over her shoulder, revelling in his reactions finding them ''cute'' and pleasing to that little churning sensation Noah''s radiant ethos was causing with every moment they were together. Meira then swayed her a.s.s slowly back and forth, teasing him, offering it to him like a piece of meat on a silver platter.


    The lump that was at the back of his throat finally dropped as he licked his lips and let out a trembling puff and threw part of his earthly morals once more to the side. Something he had no doubt would one day be thrown away and never to return.


    That was just how corrupting this world was going to be. He could tell so much even these short few weeks in.


    Without much else, Noah slowly brought himself behind Meira in two sliding steps until his h.i.p.s were just centimeters from crushing into her waiting cheeks. Ilsa narrowed at the distance.


    "Stop being so prudish," she hissed, set her hand on his back and shoved him into Meira.


    "Mmm," Meira whimpered, it was an unnatural sound, a forced one she''d made just to please his ears, it succeeded, wholly at that as he could feel his lowers hardening even more. Meira''s rocking halted as she could feel his pant''s covered member find its way between her cheeks. On her face rose a sunken, predatory smile he could only shiver at.


    "Feels like your ready to burst down there." She jokingly said.


    Ilsa rolled her eyes as Noah flushed red. "Honestly, you''re not even screwing and this is getting you off? You otherworlders are so idiotic."


    He couldn''t retort to that.


    Stepping back to get a proper look at what was about to happen, Ilsa narrowed at Meira''s top, she''d pulled off her sari and neatly folded it off to the side, her crop topped bikini was still on and would get in the way if it wasn''t already practically releasing her b.r.e.a.s.ts to the world.


    She then turned to Noah, his back was straight meaning his hands would have to travel far to get a proper grasp on the Holstaurs b.r.e.a.s.ts and made it nigh infeasible to milk them from how his couldn''t squeeze them properly. "Lean over," she said, "until you''re just barely pressing your c.h.e.s.t into her back."


    Noah complied, though his movements were slow. Halfway through he fumbled, almost falling to the side as his hands latched onto nothing but the air, nervous to even touch Meira for whatever otherworldly reason there was running about in his head. His hands flailed as he stumbled and gripped on the closest thing for stability. Meira''s h.i.p.s.


    As he had thought, his fingers sunk into her ample flesh and it pressed easily through the gaps between his fingers.


    Stabilizing his position with a slight widening of his legs he looked to Ilsa, the girls head bobbing side to side telling him he was barely passable.


    "Not much else to do but to start milking her then." Noah''s cheeks s.u.c.k.e.d into his mouth turning his face gaunt. He could guess exactly what he had to do, it wasn''t rocket science after all. Ilsa crossed her arms beneath her c.h.e.s.t and said, "pull off her top and show me how you squeeze a womans t.i.t.s.


    Noah winced, "I uh, I''ve never really done that before," it was an excuse that just blurted out in the hopes.


    Ilsa twitched and Meira chuckled. "You''re mother didn''t show you how to squeeze a womans c.h.e.s.t?"


    "That''s not something mothers teach their sons. It''s not even legal." He argued.


    "Stupid, what''s the point of a mother if she can''t even show her son how to please a woman." Ilsa shook her head, sighing a lament at the unusuality of this otherworld.


    Noah''s expression quickly lagged and sunk as Ilsa''s words came to fester in his mind, bringing with them another notion. "Please tell me fathers don''t each their daughters how to please a man."


    Ilsa raised one brow, her lip raising at one end telling him how stupid his question was.


    "Right. Brilliant." He said, ''time to figure out how to castrate myself then.'' It may have been one of his favourites ''comics'' to read on earth, but in reality he knew he''d never be able to bring himself to doing ''that'' to his progeny.


    Letting his thoughts wander off, Noah gingerly reached around Meira''s body, his hands lifted to her bosom but didn''t know exactly how far to go until he could only jerk away feeling her n.i.p.p.l.es piercing even through her top. ''Oh god what the hell is this situation,'' he thought but stilled it as he bit his tongue and brought her b.r.e.a.s.ts into his hands. They were softer than her h.i.p.s and the moment he reactively squeezed them, Meira w.h.i.n.ed and pushed out her a.s.s even more, swallowing his tent even more.


    He couldn''t bring himself to move, fearing that any he made may very well be the last.


    "Did you not hear me or did you just intentionally ignore me?" grumbled Ilsa, "I said, take off her top first."


    Noah whimpered weakly and released Meira bosom just long enough for him to scratch one finger over her c.h.e.s.t, pulling up the bottom of her top until her could pinch it properly and whilst his mind fizzled with squeeling mechanical wheels, tugged it up and off her c.h.e.s.t.


    Meira''s b.r.e.a.s.ts dropped free, their plumpness amplified now that her two D cup b.r.e.a.s.ts were released from their enclosures. THough he couldn''t see them properly, Noah could only imagine how dark they must be and how they stuck out against her light brown skin tone. With a roll of her head she swept back her golden locks and sparkled her blue eyes his way, smirking like she could read the teenager portion of his brain working on overdrive.


    ''You''re a grown man Noah. It''s just b.o.o.b.s. No need to be such a wimp.'' He reasoned, though reasoning had little to do with the disjointedness of this situation of being watched as he was being taught how to milk a human shaped cow.


    Returning his hands to her t.i.t.s, his fingers dug deeper, her n.i.p.p.l.es pressed against his palms like stones atop a balloon, unwilling to give in so long as there was give beneath them.


    "Wrong." Ilsa grumbled from the side, "you''re milking her. Not playing with her. All you''re going to do is cover your hands in milk like that. Fix it." Her finger tapped across her arm, waiting for Noah to do so.


    At first his hands kept tight on Meira''s t.i.t.s, the woman herself seemingly happy with the feeling judging by the contractions of her rump sandwiching the shaft pressing through layers of fabric to find housing withing her crack. When finally he did move, Noah lightened his grasp and trailed them across her b.r.e.a.s.ts until he felt her erected n.i.p.p.l.es escape between his index and middle.


    "Wrong again. Like that you''re going to miss the bucket." Ilsa drew his gaze and pointed her palm his way, her fingers splayed out and curled slightly forwards into claws. "It''s easier to milk while holding the volume of the b.r.e.a.s.t in t palm of your hand while the n.i.p.p.l.e is between your pointer and thumb. Like that you can point the b.r.e.a.s.t towards the bucket and keep your earnings high. Do it now."


    Chewing his cheeks, Noah''s quelled his escapist thoughts and focused his mind as well as a student could while having their c.o.c.k fondled beneath the desk. Which wasn''t very well, but still, he followed her orders to a T.


    ***


    ***


    Right. I''m looking for opinions on 18+ games specifically the more text oriented variety but if you have thoughts on other types toss them out. I just need general thoughts so I can work on things and tweak them. Mainly on what you like dislike, so I can begin working on those while I develop scenes and hopefully the actual systems in the games. This can be anythign from how relationsh.i.p.s are portrayed, fetishes, s.e.x scenes, how frequently / how easy it is to get to them, etc. Basically anything that makes such games fun or annoying to play.

 Chapter 77 - Milking 101 [2]

    Noah''s fingers clenched into Meira''s plump t.i.t.s, squeezing, and massaging the double-D mammaries with furtive motions. His eyes would frequently dart to Ilsa to make sure his groping¡­ milking technique, was right. He kept Meira''s slight, darker shaded n.i.p.p.l.es between his index and thumb, squeezing and squishing, twisting, and twirling all in the effort to milk her of some non-existent cream she was ''producing.''


    All the while Meira was letting out dulcet m.o.a.ns and whimpers as she pushed her plump, rounded a.s.s back and into his crotch. Burying his long-since-hardened shaft into the crevice formed by her skirt wrap falling between each of her voluminous a.s.s cheeks. The grinding was slow yet was torturously harsh to him. His pants were rough and he''d yet to find himself any u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r to save him from the rough rubbing of his¡ªthankfully¡ªhooded glans.


    As his motions continued, Meira began to grow a thin layer of sweat that only became thicker the louder and less restrained her m.o.a.ns rose. Like candy to his ears, they were whimpers of ecstasy. It was almost shocking to him how it seemed like she was on the verge of climaxing at any moment with only the undulations of his thin fingers teasing her teats, pointing them to an invisible bucket Ilsa had ordered him to imagine filling up with ever tugging pull of Meira''s t.i.t.s.


    "That should be good." Just like that, Noah''s motions halted slowly, and he turned his head to Ilsa. Beneath him Meira quivered with heat and too joined his glance to the side, questioning Ilsa with her eyes. "That''s how you milk a holstaur," she said, arms still crossed. "Isn''t anything more or less to it. Just make sure you don''t miss." He looked to her cheeks, noticed a slight flush to them and a sway to her eyes as her t.h.i.g.hs ground uncomfortably together.


    ''Is she¡­ aroused?'' he thought, though didn''t voice it considering his own particular state of arousal.


    Between his legs, his manhood twitched against Meira''s cheeks, and she tensed her a.s.s, squeezing it within those buns like a hotdog. Leaving now, he knew he would be walking funny for an hour, constantly shoving his shaft down between his legs or keeping it flat against his body by putting just beneath the belt¡ªsomething he also didn''t have¡ªand that was not something he was particularly excited in dealing with. So, he did the only thing he could, at least, the only thing his brain could think of in the moment.


    He kept still, stuck to Meira''s body, hands on her t.i.t.s squeezing them and sinking into her flesh letting it melt between his digits as Meira continued grinding her a.s.s against him awaiting his first load or just tempting him to whip it out and ram it into her sodden, twitching hole.


    "Oh, there''s much, much more to milking a holstaur Ilsa love." Meira pushed off the counter and lifted her body enough to stretch herself and let her back make contact with Noah''s c.h.e.s.t. "Noah is after all an otherworlder." Ilsa stilled, her light blue orbs narrowed to slits but let Meira continue anyways. "He''s free to breed his monsters. We should teach him how." Noah''s expression contorted, lips falling open, eyes widening, and shaft twitching excitedly with a brain of its own.


    Ilsa breathed in, her c.h.e.s.t heaving as she turned up her head and puffed it out. Her expression stale like she''d expected the nymph to say that. "You must be joking." Ilsa ducked her gaze back to Meira, falling to her dangling t.i.t.s and the way Noah was clenching them tightly. It brought her to a gulp of jealousy and tossed a l.u.s.ting spark to the back of her eyes. Something she quickly hid behind eyelids and a turning away of her head. "No, deal was I''d teach him how to milk. I did that, we''re done. If you want to screw him, do it on your own time, in your own house."


    "Aww," Meira cooed, pushing free from Noah''s grasp by straightening her back and giving him a ''slight'' a.s.s ramming to push him away, she stretched herself and looked down her body to her plump, round udders, just barely able to catch the redness of where Noah had been clutching her t.i.t.s like a newborn baby before the colour faded, returning her chocolatey gloss in full. Crossing with a few steps towards Ilsa, Meira sidled around the stoic brothel/farm store owner and hooked an arm around her, holding her opposite shoulder with her left hand while the right softly teased Ilsa''s upper right arm. Ilsa didn''t move, instead casting the exotic, almost bellydancer-esque Venus the worst stink eye Noah had ever seen. "Look at him, he''s absolutely delectable. And I can tell you, he''s certainly got something to give us ladies." Meira winked his way and continued whispering into Ilsa''s ear something he couldn''t quite make out but could see it rising the girl''s cheek shade redder, tickling the girl causing the little rounded ear to twitch cutely. But when her gaze fell to his scraggly beard, the shade visibly retracted to pale coldness


    Speaking of Noah ducked down his hands to his crotch and kept his body inclined to the counter in an effort to hide his tented britches, hoping the blood swelling would quell at any moment. It didn''t, at least, not at a speed he was finding particularly favourable. It certainly didn''t help that Meira was looking at him like a lioness ready to pounce and devour his meat. He was on ends about the morality of such a thing. He wasn''t into the whole being forced or forcing, but just looking at her¡­ it made his heart quiver excitedly at the idea of burying himself between those t.i.t.s and that ass¡­ he couldn''t even imagine what was down there waiting for him.


    "No, I''m not being paid for that." Ilsa pushed Meira off, almost storming out of the chocolate goddesses grasp and around Noah to find herself settled behind her counter like it was a wall there to protect her chastity. "Just go."


    A puff from Meira jerked Noah''s gaze to the woman as she stepped up beside him, facing Ilsa all the while letting her hand closest to Noah dangle at her side. Following it a bit, he couldn''t help but notice it snaking between him and the counter. Noah kept quiet even as he felt her on his t.h.i.g.h tickling up to his crotch and further before speaking, "well, that''s perfectly fine then." She said, casting Noah a sly glance before she slowly began to sink lower, her legs bucking but hand holding the counter, as she went down and twisted towards Noah, saying, "but I could certainly do with some filling up. If you know what I mean."


    Landing on her knees, Meira gripped his t.h.i.g.hs and urged him to twist and face her. Noah didn''t even bother to resist considering the numerous malfunctions occurring in his brain as he looked down at her. Gazing fully at her perfect t.i.t.s, so large in fact that he swore he could dive into them and sink away into nonexistence. Just the idea of what they could do to him wrapped around his c.o.c.k, it was an insanely alluring thought.


    "No, no!" Ilsa just as quickly escaped her counter, storming like a bat out of hell around it with a fury to her eyes that told Noah that if he even thought about continuing ''this'' she was going to grab one of the sheers and make sure he never got one up ever again. "Stop this right n-" before she could even finish, Meira hooked her fingers around Noah''s pants hem and tugged them down, releasing his turgid manhood into the open. It curved back just a little and was thick enough that she doubted it could fit her p.u.s.s.y let alone her mouth. Ilsa froze while Meira cooed admirably at the hooded phallus before her.


    "Ohhh, bigger than I thought."

 Chapter 78 - Milking 101 3*

    A flush had taken to Noah''s skin. Looking down at Meira, he could barely see her face as she focused her attention fully on his girth. Even as she brought her face forwards, brought her lips close to his tip but he could tell she was smiling hungrily with this little sparkle in her eyes. By then Noah couldn''t even process her two mammoth t.i.t.s dangling just centimetres below. Just the fact this large, amazonian queen of a merchant was on her knees, ready to suck him off¡­ it sent tingles down his spine of excitement.


    Meira brought his c.o.c.k to her mouth and opened it, puffing out a small, teasing breath she watched happily as it bobbed in response. The slovenly merchant turned her eyes upwards for a second letting him see her sharp-eyed blues and that twisted smile curling her lips upwards. She was excited, even as her hands touched nothing but the wood beneath her knees. With a sultry wink and an otherwise silent invitation, Meira opened wide her maw, strands of stringy spit connected her upper and lower jaw but broke as she pushed out her long pink tongue, longer than a normal woman''s, at least, longer than his considering she easily surpassed her chin by a few small millimetres.


    "Come on, don''t leave a lady waiting." For a second her tongue retracted and her gaze darted to Ilsa, the p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e ne store owner was trapped staring at Noah''s shaft, seemingly entranced by its slight curvature and its furiously large glans. Ilsa gulped wantonly and Meira eyed back to Noah, "I''m not going to do it for you Noah," she laughed lowly, s.l.u.ttily by any meaning of the word and continued, "so you''re going to have to f.u.c.k my face yourself." When her mouth opened wide, revealing her alluring pink throat and near serpentine tongue, Noah couldn''t help but tremble at the idea of what it would feel to ram himself fully down her gullet.


    Part of him sunk at the idea, Meira was a woman, beautiful though she was, doing something like¡­ like that. It wasn''t how he was raised¡­ then again¡­ as he looked down at her, at that little stringy of spit dripping from the tip of her tongue that broke and fell to her sweaty, glossed t.i.t.s leaving a trail of frothy white across the voluptuous tit, almost resembling s.e.m.e.n¡­ it pushed those old-world ideals to the back of his mind and brought forth new-world urges. Things that on Earth would be decried as deviant, as sick and out of the norm. But then¡­ this wasn''t earth, was it?


    Slickening his lips with a swift slide of his tongue, Noah swallowed a thick conglomeration of spit and shakily brought a hand to the base of his manhood and held it softly. He was hard, painfully so, even more so than when he''d f.u.c.k.e.d Serris, the Kanyon wolf and even that nunette back in Redle. Reaching for the back of Meira''s head with his other hand, he clamped into her golden locks gently and guided her face forwards. A shimmer rose brighter in her eyes the closer his shaft came, she broke her gaze from looking up at him and turned them down to his stomach. Crossing her eyes, she watched his thick rod come closer and soon she felt its heat on her tongue.


    Almost instantaneously, Noah shivered as Meira tongue lifted and wrapped the underside of his member in her slick, almost gritty textured tongue muscle but kept pushing further. Soon his glans was in her mouth and Meira''s lips were closing around it, already bringing a vacuum to her muzzle as if to pull more blood into the tip to make it even larger, but it had already been there. L.i.c.k.i.n.g his shaft with sensual twists of her tongue, Noah''s legs buckled and his eyes rolled at her demonic skill and for a second his mind wandered, questioning exactly how many men she''d s.u.c.k.e.d off to become so skilled at giving head like this.


    Gargles soon filled the room as the suckling slurps of her vacuum turned to slobbering slaps in tandem with Noah''s hypnotized thrusts. He rammed deep into her guilt, pushing through her slickened throat p.u.s.s.y and to the back of it, she wasn''t tight, then again, was a mouth supposed to feel tight? In the moment he didn''t care to think so hard about such a useless notion. Instead, he looked down at her, felt her hands clamping onto the back of his t.h.i.g.hs urging him to slam into her face harder, to force her to take the other half of his heft man sword. Who was he to deny her that?


    Not noticing the almost cruelly mirthful grin on his face, Noah gripped the back of Meira''s head tighter in both hands, uncaring for if she was aching from the feeling of her hair wrapping around his fingers, threatening to tug out strands of battered gold. As he stared down at her, observing her expression he could see an exciting haze raising in her rolling sapphire blues and rammed down harder. Meira''s finger curled, her c.h.e.s.t heaved as slobber and gags forced their way out of her mouth leaving her gushing with frothy white spit dying her t.i.t.s and even parts of the floor with almost s.p.e.r.m like juices. Beneath her body a puddle was forming, even through her p.a.n.t.i.e.s and her dress, her nectar sapped its way through, dripping and saturating the fabric with her own horniness.


    It took all of Noah''s senses to stop himself from climaxing with every thrust, to end it so early, to stop this sick skull f.u.c.k.i.n.g when it had just begun¡­ it seemed too pitiable to him. So he pounded harder, bent his body over Meira''s head and clutched her deeper onto his sword. When he felt on the verge of c.u.m.m.i.n.g once more, he stopped the furious pistoning of his h.i.p.s and hugged Meira''s dishevelled face into his groin until her pointed nose pushed into her pubes and her dribble coated chin kissed his tensed ballsac and held her there. Uncaring for the choking gags of her body pleading for breath. Whether she enjoyed it or not, he couldn''t right tell, nor did he care in that moment as the s.l.u.ttish merchant''s hands dug deeper into his t.h.i.g.hs and kept herself locked there. Seemingly revelling in the threat that she could collapse into unconsciousness at any moment.


    Shivering as her tongue dashed across his c.o.c.k, Noah felt a swift surge of clarity and panic when his ears finally processed her pleading chokes. In seconds he had released her head and straightened up, pulling back his h.i.p.s, he was able to evacuate his c.o.c.k from her damp, warm, slobbering mouth and let her gasp freely for breath. He looked down in horror at what he''d done. Meira, she barely looked like the same girl he''d met just a day or two ago. Long gone was that sly smile and that confident smirk of an up and coming merchant. Now before him was a bitch, her chocolate brown skin glistening with spit and sweat that clumped her hair into strands that stuck to her forehead, and what wasn''t as messed up and frizzy from where he''d been ruthlessly grasping her scalp. Her eyes, once blue and so focused on the future¡­ now they were milky, glossed up and rolling unable to focus on anything at all, slowly they were gaining some focus in tandem with her hastened breaths slowing.


    "What¡­ what did I do?" Noah muttered, a clamping sensation in his gut told him what he''d done was evil if anything. To use her, a woman as fine as this chocolate goddess like a cheap onahole¡­ it was just wrong¡­ yet¡­ so, so right. No matter how much his mind may have churned at his actions, his instinct, the part of his human adaptability told him to f.u.c.k her face some more, even harder than before, till she couldn''t even walk let alone breath. His c.o.c.k twitched, catching even for a moment Meira''s lost eyes and like a magnet, she inched herself closer to it. Her ruby lips puckered and pecked the pink tip, her hands fell between her legs, undid her hip wrap and pushed through her p.a.n.t.i.e.s to fingers her dribbling snatch as her lips then began to kiss slovenly down the underside of the shaft before finding his balls. There she kissed and peppered Noah''s dangling gonad''s and when that wasn''t enough for her, took one into her mouth then the other and swirled them with her tongue.


    Noah g.r.o.a.n.e.d heavily, his legs shivering from the feeling of having his balls played with. When he heard a whimper from his side his spine tingled, his eyes widened, and his head shot to the side. To Ilsa, to the girl who was hunched over, hands between her t.h.i.g.hs pushing in her skirt on the verge of fingering herself into euphoria from the lascivious show presented before her.


    No matter how she tried to hide it though, that dampness soaking her clothes a shade darker. It was clear to all there that even she was aroused and ready to f.u.c.k.


    ***


    Was my mothers birthday yesterday and I was dragged to another city to celebrate...


    Here''s yesterday''s chapter.


    <div class="SnapLinksContainer" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; display: none;"><div class="SL_SelectionRect"><div class="SL_SelectionLabel"></div></div><svg class="SnapLinksHighlighter" xmlns="w3.org/2000/svg">


    <rect width="0" height="0"></rect> <!-- Used for easily cloning the properly namespaced rect -->


    </svg></div>

 Chapter 79 - Milking 101 4*

    Letting Noah''s balls fall free from her mouth, Meira stroked her slobbery wet tongue across the underside of his turgid shaft. At the tip, she puckered her lips and s.u.c.k.l.e.d the pink bell. Pulling a vacuum, she pulled back her head and popped free from his c.o.c.k. Noah shivered at the feeling, even as Meira grasped his base and steadied his member she continued to tease his senses with miniature strokes and more slovenly kisses.


    Noticing a little trembling form from the side, Meira inclined her head around Noah''s shaft and while kissing its meaty form glanced towards Ilsa. Though faintly hidden, her smile still drew her lips upwards. As she gave it one more lick, she pulled away and glanced to the horny shopkeep. "You don''t have to just stand there. Join in. There''s enough here for the both of us." She urged, her index trailing from base to tip before pinching his glans and giving a soft flick that made it bounce excitedly.


    Ilsa stared at it, licked her lips and swallowed the welling drool in her mouth. A glance to Noah still irked something in her heart, he was too unkempt. Too much of a mess to be handsome and yet she could tell he''d be good looking once he finally got himself trimmed and neat. Then she looked down, saw his manhood and felt her crotch tighten l.u.s.tingly at the magnificent display of manhood on display.


    She had seen many p.e.n.i.ses over the last few months, many shapes, many sizes. Clean, dirty, long, thin, thick, with tips that tapered into little shovels, but none of them even so much as compared to his. He had everything she loved in a c.o.c.k, length, thickness, and even a tip that could properly catch all those s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e nubules inside her.


    Glancing over her shoulder, Ilsa saw a few curious eyes peering in, watching Meira as she s.u.c.k.e.d him off. Cheeks were red on some of them and from their motions, they weren''t hesitant about masturbating in public. Nothing like Parlight. They didn''t care for modesty, better to show your a.s.s, get f.u.c.k.e.d and get it done with than wallow around pretending s.e.x was to be discouraged. Inside her, Ilsa mulled and turned back to Meira, listening to those lascivious smooches as she continued to pepper Noah''s c.o.c.k with her plump ruby lips.


    Even giving head, Meira was beautiful. Nothing like her. The chocolate goddess smiled, enjoyed every second that shaft touched the back of her throat and every twitch of nigh o.r.g.a.s.mic p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e the knocking sensation sent through Noah''s body. Perhaps she too could come to enjoy s.e.x again.


    Chewing her lip white, Ilsa nodded more to herself than to the other people in the room and made slow strides towards the two. Meira''s eyes sparkled as Ilsa descended thumpingly to the floor shoulder to shoulder with Meira. She sat on her heels and even then barely reached Meira''s shoulders.


    Letting Parc''s tumescent c.o.c.k fall free from her gullet and let the sword bounce and twitch in the open air. Her fingers still wrapped around the base squeezed and gave it some small strokes to ensure its rigidness didn''t diminish in the slightest.


    "Nice to have you," Meira teasingly said and Ilsa puffed her cheeks cutely in response like a hamster with its cheeks puffed full.


    "Don''t get used to this." Staring the c.o.c.k down, Ilsa felt a tremble to her heart and a quiver of her p.u.s.s.y in excitement. Something she''d thought gone, replaced with the simple, cold will to get the i.n.t.e.r.c.o.u.r.s.e done with, with her other clients. "This is a one-time thing." Lifting her a.s.s from her heels, Ilsa brought herself to Noah''s shafts height and watched with silent breaths as the glistening pink her turned red in excitement. Foam of Meira''s deepthroating still slobbered it all around, dirtying even a small part of his fluffy groin and his tensed balls.


    Meira chuckled softly, "oh, I''m sure it will be." Swapping the hand stroking Parc''s shaft to her left, she brought her wettened-with-spittle right behind Ilsa and dug her palm into the girls pert bottom. Squeezing easily a centimeter into Ilsa''s tight a.s.s flesh as she rolled and massage the cheek. The girl in question barely reacted to the feeling, instead of rolling her eyes she came to focus on the object before her and using the back of Noah''s knees as a ballast, pulled her lips towards it and smooched the warm and slimy man sword.


    It didn''t take long for her mouth to widen and for her to bring it into her tight mouth. Her tongue danced across it skillfully, trained from her previous clients both men and women. Noah''s legs trembled, halfway about to buckle from the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of her skill that could rival even a goddesses. But the blowjob didn''t last long as when Ilsa pulled back and caught her breath with her lips glistening with a blend of her own spit and Meira''s as well as a small, sticky blend of Noah''s prec.u.m, she began to tend to its underside. A tossed look Meira''s way sent the merchant nymph to tasting the other side.


    Their tongues and s.u.c.k.i.n.g worked in unison and asymmetry. When Meira found the base, Ilsa found the tip. When Ilsa found his balls, Meira''s throat struck his glans. Soon enough Noah''s body was jerking. His legs nigh gave out but he was able to grab the counter off to his side and steady himself long enough for them each to grab a side of his h.i.p.s and force him to stay.


    In moments, his balls tensed and the first spurt of jizz shot out and struck Meira''s face, glazing her chocolate skin with a dirty line of thick white e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.e. As more came out, Ilsa''s face too was soon coated in his gooey spunk. She jerked away for a second, but quickly steadied herself and opened her mouth, letting some land in her mouth. Meira on the other hand shut her eyes and smiled brightly as she seemingly showered in Noah''s torrential climax.


    Come the final spurt, Noah was finally left to stagger backwards and flattened his back on the counter. Shivering heavily. Turning his gaze down to the girls, he watched them sit there for moments on end, silent, enjoying the warmth of those many dirty white lines dripping across their bodies. C.u.m joined Meira''s spit on her t.i.t.s and descended between her bountiful mounds while they stained Ilsa''s loose tunic to her side. Some drops even found their way down her chin and onto her t.i.t.s before sinking into her modest tit crevasse.


    Ilsa''s cheeks puffed and rolled as she swept around his c.u.m inside her mouth. Tasting it like a sommelier wine and when her throat rolled, downing it, she panted out a misty breath and opened her milky and s.l.u.ttish eyes. They wandered to Noah, stared at him like a piece of meat causing his half withering erection to perk up, readying up for another round after a small break.


    "Mmm," Meira hummed, drawing his gaze as she swept a hand over her cheeks collecting a handful of his seed and cupping her palm. Brought the spunky hand to her lips and s.u.c.k.e.d it from her hand and swallowed it without even tasting. Shivering with almost climactic glee as it went down. "Delicious. I can really taste the otherworlder," giggling. Meira turned to Ilsa and saw the shop girl just sitting there, still, dripping in jizz and doing nothing with it. Her tongue riggled out of the right side of her lips and caught a descending c.u.m drop and mischievously twisted towards Ilsa and leaning in, l.u.s.tily began lapping up the jizz from her partner-in-crimes cheek.


    Ilsa leaned away at first but feeling Meira''s rough tongue against her cheek tickled her notions and soon she was turning to do the same to Meira. All the while Noah could only watch, his shaft twitching and bouncing at the licentious sight of two girls, both nothing like the other cleaning off his seed from their faces, rejoicing in the thick, musky man seed they were downing by the bucketful.


    Moments passed as Noah''s groin began to ache, wanting more tending to but the girls. They were too focused on each other to care. Ilsa was the first to capture Meira''s lips and Meira the first to wrap her arms around Ilsa and practically swallowed the girl in her mountainous b.o.o.b.s, each swapping their collected mouthfuls of c.u.m as Noah could only whimper and begin stroking himself uncontrollably. It wasn''t to do anything, it wouldn''t keep him hard, just watching them was enough to do that but it helped that twisting ache and tightness of his balls yearning to empty once more.


    The girls parted, panting and connected with a thick strand of sagging spit between them. Hazy though their eyes were, they soon noticed Noah''s motions and turned to him and watched him. Looking to each other they needn''t nod or say anything to ready themselves for part two. Standing, Meira gripped her hip wrap and let it drop to the ground, unveiling in full her plump a.s.s and thick t.h.i.g.hs. Between which her puffy p.u.s.s.y was on full display, not even she had p.a.n.t.i.e.s to keep her hungering c.u.n.t hidden. The lips formed to an upside-down V and coated with a slight forest of battered gold pubes kept neatly trimmed and even. Girl c.u.m dripped from her slit in tides that coated her inner t.h.i.g.hs, wetting halfway towards her knees.


    Ilsa was more dressed but even then, her clothing was just as easy to remove. Her top simply slid from her body but the rest required more finesse. As Meira moved towards Noah, tickled her fingers across his vest and began to strip him nude, Ilsa was peeling off her boots from her legs so she could drop her dampened shorts. They ended up n.a.k.e.d at near the same time. Her body was slim, fit to a degree yet not muscular. And her p.u.s.s.y, it was even puffier and horny than Meira''s. She even kept herself clean down there, not a hair in sight.


    Standing there, Ilsa descended a finger to her slit and stroked it through her l.a.b.i.a and m.o.a.n.e.d as she found her c.l.i.t. Like it was a sign, Meira parted from peppering Noah''s c.h.e.s.t and neckline with hickey leaving kisses and swaggered herself to the counter. She faced it, Set her hands on its edge and pushed out her full a.s.s out and let her t.i.t.s dangle like the milking position she''d taken not long ago. Noah licked his lips, peeking between her cheeks he found her puckered butthole but focused on that winking pink slit just a bit further down. Then once Ilsa joined her, unable to reach a more usable position due to her stature, instead clambered onto the counter. Keeping her legs wide she forced her a.s.s down as far as she could and let her p.u.s.s.y drip squalls of girlc.u.m over the floor.


    Noah looked between the asses and pussies offered before him. His throat was tight and his hands clammy. Unable to choose which of the hypnotically bouncing asses he was to f.u.c.k first.

 Chapter 80 - Milking 101 5*

    To make a choice in such a moment was proving to be quite the challenge. On one end, was Meira, her rump was plum, filled with delectable meat that jiggled and rippled with every soft, attracting bounce she made. The movement, while not harsh enough to make this noise that created this hypnotic effect where with the upwards bump, her cheeks would splay open, presenting her pink, sodden cunny and her cutely puckering bumhole.


    While on the downwards fall, the flesh would take a second to follow in momentum, and the second the fall stopped, the cheeks would push inwards, hiding even for the briefest of seconds her delicates. All made even more alluring by her chocolatey hide, glistened and sheening from sweat and the girlc.u.m dripping down her inner t.h.i.g.hs and to the floor.


    Just beside her, Ilsa sat on her belly pulled up onto the counter with her a.s.s just a bit off the ledge. She didn''t quite have the flesh to her that Meira did¡­ didn''t mean her rump was just as delectable a sight as the chocolate honey to her right. Ilsa''s skin was white, stark white with the odd freckles and whatnot. Her p.u.s.s.y even pinker than Meira''s and with puffier, redder l.a.b.i.a that were just begging him to ram himself inside. Just above her hungry cunny, her asshole puckered and winked, just as inviting as the hole below.


    Both girls glanced over their shoulders, Meira her left, and Ilsa her right, each peered towards him with differing expressions. One a l.u.s.ting ''I''m ready when you are'' face and the other more delicate and to a degree, unsure if she should go through with it. Ilsa didn''t move but to shake her taut cheeks side to side. Soon turning her head straight to catch her breath and look back at him.


    "Don''t keep us waiting," Meira m.o.a.n.e.d out, urging him to make his choice as her gaze descended to his twitching, pink-tipped shaft and licked her lips l.u.s.tily.


    Noah turned to Meira and her pendulous a.s.s and gulped heavily. His choice made long ago, only now coming to bear fruit in his mind, He stepped close, his stride hesitant but picking up confidence the more his rationality was replaced with the urge to stuff the raunchy merchant. Drawing closer, Noah is hit by a thick waft of sweet pheromones. It had already been strong and had filled the room since long before he and Meira had entered but now, so close to Meira''s yearning slit¡­ the smell could only be described as euphoric.


    His hands sn.a.k.e.d through the air, quickly finding their way onto Meira''s booty only to sink in nigh a centimetre from the sheer amount of fluffiness those cheeks hid. Meira forced out a w.h.i.n.e, one even noisier and s.l.u.ttier than when he''d been ashamedly fondling her teats. As his curious hand softened its grasp, he guided it between her cheeks and towards her slit. For a second he regarded Ilsa with an upwards toss of his gaze, seeing in her eyes what could be described as an expected disappointment that she wasn''t the first to be getting it.


    M.o.a.ning noisily and smirking all the while as his thumb found the back of her slit and pushed through her puffy brown l.a.b.i.a and the small gold forest coating it, Noah began to explore her gash. Teasing and spreading the slit to peer into her depths. An ache encompassed his erection that pulled him from his curious poking and prodding and walked up her rump, soon finding her puckering sphincter and rubbed the little hole before swiftly pulling away. Turning over his hand, he stared at the damp, syrupy fluid sticking to his thumb unable to think thoughtful thoughts as his monkey brain bashed his sentient self with a rock.


    Dashing over her back, Meira met his gaze and began to mewl and pushed her h.i.p.s back just far enough that her tushie touched his turgid member. Then Noah looked to Ilsa, she''d barely moved, her bottom still hanging from the ledge but noticeably more of her honey was drizzling from her cunny, staining the floor and the counter wall. She was watching them, watching as he reached down, grabbed his c.o.c.k and squeezed Meira''s hip and guided his glans between her l.a.b.i.a. Having to buckle his legs just slightly to get into the right, thrusting position.


    When his tip was firmly between her lips and Meira''s rocking h.i.p.s teasingly swayed side to side in an attempt to push him deeper, he grabbed her other h.i.p.s and after a drawn out breath. Pushed into her. Without rushing it, he pried open her warm, clamping walls and felt his foreskin peel away with every centimetre deeper he went. And by god, he went deep. Halfway through and he couldn''t feel an end in sight. Listening to Meira soft, breathy pants, almost pained, he seemed to realize. A swift look up, and he saw Meira''s head was lowered deep, her fingers clasped to claws as if to scratch gashes into the wooden countertop.


    "Are you¡­?" Noah trembled, half tempted to pull himself free but Meira, she wasn''t intent on letting him go. Around his shaft, her nubbed walls clamped and twisted like a vice as she contracted her surprisingly tight hole. He wouldn''t have expected her to be so ungodly tight just from her sheer giant-of-a-woman size, but here he was, buried half into her tightness.


    Meira curled her eyes over her shoulder, her minx like smile never fading even though it was heavily twitching. "Kept it for my first contract," panting, she let out a single, prolonged and quelling breath that loosened her p.u.s.s.y just enough that Noah could continue pushing deeper without restraint.


    He could tell there was more to that smile and those words. L.i.c.k.i.n.g his lips, he clacked his teeth together and shook away the thought. It just didn''t seem the most appropriate time to think about that while halfway to pound town. "I''ll be gentle." Gripping her cheeks a little softer, he moved his grasp to her t.h.i.g.hs and curled to her front and continued to push until her cunny swallowed his shaft whole. There was plenty more room to fit inside her, he could tell that intrinsically. A part of his monkey brain told him that if he ever wanted to seed this woman, he''d have to work especially hard and explore as much of her p.u.s.s.y as possible before it would take.


    Unable to hold himself back, Noah began to let out guttural groans as he began to piston and thrust into his new s.e.x sleeve. At first, his pounding was soft and slow, tenderly thrusting into her, knocking at several harder clumped bundles of nerves sending twitchy shivers through his partner and calming whatever v.i.r.g.i.nal¡­ post-v.i.r.g.i.nal pain she may have been experiencing.


    To their side, as if neglected to herself, Ilsa could only sit up on her knees and watch. The faster Noah began to thrust, the more Meira''s t.i.t.s would rock and sway like pendulums on a carriage while her a.s.s flesh would ripple like boulders crashing into a lake. She chewed her lip, unable to help herself her right hand dug between her t.h.i.g.hs and she lifted herself just high enough that she could push two fingers into her quivering slit with abandon. Her cries soon joined the raucous, breaking Noah from his one-sided daze of Meira''s glistening bronze back accentuated by the bumps of her spin and definition of her modest yet ample-for-her size musculature. Turning his head, he spotted the horny shopkeep guiltily. They weren''t alone, this wasn''t just a man on woman endeavour, but a woman on man on woman one.


    Noticing his look, Ilsa met his eyes. Desperation flared in them, yearning for fingers that weren''t her own. No sooner did Ilsa drop herself down. Her one free hand caught the other end of the counter as she lifted her a.s.s high, pressing thing her p.u.s.s.y and anus to him and with her girlc.u.m covered fingers, spread wide her slit. Noah stared intently into her innards of pink, inviting flesh inside her tunnel as well as this small.


    He lifted his hand, every centimetre Ilsa watched it move the harder she bit her lip. The moment his hand found its way to her rump and hesitantly touched her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e cunny, she was already whimpering a held back m.o.a.n. Noah danced within her, fingers at first pierced lowly into her, barely reaching the first knuckles of his index and middle, though for her that was already enough to launch of spasms of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    A gushing tide and cry escaped her with such force that Noah''s hand jolted away and his pounding of Meira halted. The spritzing noise drawing his d.i.c.klashed sleeve''s attention and amused, if not slightly lascivious laughter.


    "Someone''s been holding back for a true man." She rocked her h.i.p.s with skill, forcing winces of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to course their way through Noah''s c.o.c.k, forcing him to clasp her hip tighter. "Keep going. Finger my s.l.u.tty little shopkeep till she can''t breathe anymore Noah."


    It was certainly an interesting idea, considering the now thick puddle and fem-juice drizzling in droplets down the side of the counter and nearly a full meter across the room. The climactic maid''s arms gave way, sending her collapsing to her t.i.t.s but able to keep her a.s.s pointed high. Ready and uncomplaining to him continuing.


    And so, that''s what Noah did. Even as Ilsa convulsed softly on the counter, her head dangling over the end, hiding her molten expression from him and Meira, he pushed his fingers into her. Like a c.o.c.k penetrating her, her walls tightened with such force he was sure to lose his digits whether by severance or lacking blood flow. At the same time, he returned to pistoning into Meira.


    Their cries rumbled out in tandem throughout the store. Filling it with soft and whorish noises indicative of the type of establishment it was come night and morning. Ilsa once more climaxed, though this time Noah didn''t pull away, instead his fingers continued abusing her c.u.n.t, thoroughly preparing it for its own inevitable f.u.c.k.i.n.g. Though that would take a bit as Noah was just as entranced in Meira''s wide h.i.p.s and entrancing body. Feeling no need to hold back, Noah readily threw his head back and slammed even harder into her. Uncaring for her recent broken v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y, caring only for his own impending o.r.g.a.s.m.


    "C.u.m¡­ inside, ahhh¡­" Meira''s head c.o.c.ked back, she didn''t look to him but her words reverberated in his skull as a sign to let go. So he did, Noah pulled back one last time, his balls tensed and oozing with seed, and thrust as deep as he could. Jizz spurted out thrice, each conjoined with another pounding thrust he did on instinct, hoping somehow it would launch his e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.e deeper, to find her w.o.m.b and eggs and implant themselves deep within. Forcing the Rhegian goddess to b.a.r.e his progeny.


    "Gods¡­ You''re a beast, Noah. More than a minotaur in heat." Meira''s p.u.s.s.y clamped, undulations squeezed and rolled his c.o.c.ks underside, milking him of several more spurts. When the final came, he pried himself off Meira and stumbled back, heaving and watching as a thick tide of white jism spurted from her well-pounded c.u.n.t.


    Her hand appeared between her legs and using her three inner fingers, covered her hole, stopping the leaking flow while saying. "Don''t want to waste this, now do we?" giggling, she dug her fingers in and collected as much c.u.m as possible and began to suck it from her fingers. As she did the, she turned her vision to Ilsa, shivering and curled up, almost limp like a corpse from how she just dangled like leaves in the wind. Mischevity turned to cruelty as Meira lift high her left hand and sent a thumping smack atop the girls white a.s.s, leaving on it a bright red handprint and the squealing, pig-like noise as once more a tide burst forth from the seemingly unending supplies of squirt inside the girl as her head was thrown back and even more powerful convulsions assaulted her.


    "Always amazes me how much you have in you." Chuckling soft, Meira flips onto her back and meet''s Noah''s staggering form with a c.o.c.ky smirk. "Well? What are you waiting for? You''ve got another p.u.s.s.y to f.u.c.k now don''t you stud?"

 Chapter 81 - Milking 101*

    Swallowing a heavy lump, Noah''s c.o.c.k jerks. What little blood had escaped it and sent it slowly deflating, had returned in force as Meira smacked her hand down across Ilsa''s pert a.s.s sending ripples through the clean white flesh. Watching her as she pulls open the cheek, Noah could peer into her pink and sodden cunny, watching as her nectar steadily trickles in a thick, stringy stream from her shivering body.


    She looked so immodest, so debauched it was rending from him his already lacking sanity and morality. If anything he was a malfunctioning human being, of earth that is. He couldn''t imagine a normal woman doing what Ilsa was doing let alone Meira. He may not have been veritably versed in the opposite s.e.x but his experiences had told him that such acts of sheer depravity were often seen in a derisive light¡­ but here¡­ there was this weight it had been holding him down, locking his thoughts away and now it was being removed millimetre by millimetre, inch by inch and he wasn''t sure that weight would ever return.


    Stories from his homeworld¡­ his old world had frequently brought their protagonists to this idea, this wish to return to earth. It made no sense to his irrational mind, he had been born on earth, his family was there, his memories even. But looking at the sight before him. A girl quivering, her body ready for him and another oozing with his seed¡­ he couldn''t understand that notion.


    Perhaps it had to do with that incongruity, that sense that they didn''t belong, that the world they were in didn''t want, need or even care for them.


    Shivers poked down Noah''s spine, drawing him to turn his gaze over his shoulder and peer towards the closed and locked doorway of Ilsa''s shop and through the glass pane windows leading into the streets.


    He was on full display, his everything and everything he''d done. A few women stood there, a young one barely past her twenties and another greying on top. She was smirking as she looked at him, focusing on his backside but noticing his gaze gave him a bright thumbs up. While the girl beside her shivered and chewed her lip, a hand-dug between her legs hidden beneath her skirt fondled her slit sending an odd twist through Noah''s stomach.


    When he looked back to Meira and more imperatively Ilsa, he couldn''t help but down another congealed ball of nervousness. This wasn''t a private show, it was the middle of the day in a street of stalls and stores, though many more licentiously focused, which he was now a part of the entertainment for eyes to watch, to grope, to fantasize f.u.c.k.i.n.g.


    Wetting his lips he focused back on the girls, their slovenly forms and his shaft twitched excitedly as the stench of s.e.x sent goosebumps raising across his body. Seeing his readiness, Meira beamed impishly and faced Ilsa, leaning in she whispered something to the girl that Noah was unable to hear.


    As he waited, letting Meira chatter to Ilsa, the girl in question began to tremble heavily and when Meira leaned away, Ilsa gave a slight, almost unnoticeable bob before she began to move.


    Ilsa flipped slowly onto her back, her hands behind her pushed her upright while her legs splayed wide unashamedly showing off her puffy pink and shaven slit. For a second, Noah was taken aback as she lowered a hand between her legs and began to massage her quivering cunny. Two fingers pushed in and slowly escaped spreading the pink slit wider, giving him an unobscured chance to ogle her moist inner walls.


    "Well, come on then," Meira teased and sidled closer to the girl. Her left arm ran over Ilsa to hold the counter by her right hip, offering Noah a coy wink, the woman descended her lips to one of Ilsa''s perky pink and erected n.i.p.p.l.es and let her tongue dance across the cherry. In an instant Ilsa was whimpering, casting him wet looks with hazy blue eyes, practically pleading him to pound her senseless.


    Only a fool would say no to that.


    Beneath her dulcet cries, her other hand rose to Meira''s head, her pinky-less left hand dug into Meira''s bright battered gold hair, pushing the woman deeper onto her tit to suckle and tease her delicate bump even more.


    Noah wet his lips and audibly gulped, as enjoyable as watching them go was, his loins were growing tighter and more painful. Yearning for release for the second third time that day. A record, how he was able to keep up with one after the other lost to his uncaring mind.


    He stepped up, brought his hand to Ilsa''s hip and settled himself between her legs. Her hand had already disappeared from her slit to help her sit upright as she pressed Meira into her c.h.e.s.t. She watched anticipatorily as Noah gripped his girl-c.u.m and e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.e covered shaft and directed it to her sodden cunny.


    For a second he looked up from her separating labium and to her face but sanity was long gone, replaced by the s.l.u.tish stares of a woman in heat. He could do anything to her and she wouldn''t resist, slow, fast, harsh, gentle. She was content with it all so long as a c.o.c.k pushed open her walls and pounded her mind white.


    Noah released his base and dug beneath between Meira''s belly to grip Ilsa''s other hip and jerked the girl partway off the table. Ilsa slipped flat onto her back as that was more stable than sitting upright, the action separated Meira and let the merchant girl watch him angle himself into her friends c.u.n.t. Ilsa looked between her modest t.i.t.s as they splayed from gravity but quickly was unable to see anything as Meira''s head blocked her view and returned to s.u.c.k.i.n.g the girls delectable teet. A chocolate hand dashed in sweat clenched her other b.r.e.a.s.t, massaging and rolling the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e orb as she felt Noah''s exploratory first push.


    It was slow, testing her to see if she was like Meira but intrinsically knew she was far from v.i.r.g.i.n. Halfway in, her walls began to twist with the contractions of her muscles. She didn''t m.o.a.n, not as far as he could hear, not from his penetration at least. His motions were far too subtle for a woman as versed in the arts of s.e.x as she was.


    Digging into her h.i.p.s, he felt her thin, bony pelvis which added this odd allure to her thin and short form. Unlike Meira''s pillowy softness, Ilsa was sturdier, not hard, but she just didn''t accept as deep a squeeze as any part of Meira''s plump and muscular form. He moved his hands higher up her h.i.p.s to the sides of her lower belly and thrust until his ball slapped against her a.s.s and his c.o.c.k was sheathed thoroughly inside her.


    Ilsa gasped and let out the breath in a slow and delicate w.h.i.n.e, just barely overpowering the slurp of Meira''s unsubtle suckling. Noah pulled back only to thrust in again, halfway out a harsh slam in, he didn''t bother with a slow beginning, this girl was seeking something harsher, something that would knock against her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e g-spots without mercy. He had to clench his b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s tight just to prevent himself from ejaculating with every pound, his c.o.c.k still s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e from the last two ejaculations.


    Each thrust teased a new spot, his hip would push his c.o.c.k to places here and there, searching for the perfect position and soon found it. Noah bucked his knee''s slightly and leaned a degree or two backwards, giving himself just the right pathway to ram his c.o.c.k upwards against her belly. The sight of her stomach distorting, thickening around his invasive member stole his eyes but the intense shivers and quivering screams stole his thoughts¡­ if thinking was even a thing he could do.


    The shop clerk ne p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e squirmed, her p.u.s.s.y tightening around his shaft with every miniature climax and squeezed his c.o.c.k with milking undulations. Pleading him to empty his bulging t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e.s and fill her hungering cunny with his batter.


    Noah was all too happy to grant her that, but ending it so soon after they''d begun felt wrong to some part inside him. He gripped her t.h.i.g.hs tighter but soon moved his hands to the counter, every pound rocked her body, causing her to move further onto the counter. Her cries belied sanity and the gushing of her p.u.s.s.y around his shaft dripped to a puddle beneath them and wet Noah''s pants.


    Ilsa cries out, "Ahhh-haha, oh, gods," her c.h.e.s.t squeezes and breath escapes her, not willing to come back even with her gasping breaths. Her hand falls from Meira''s head and Meira pulls away, giving you the barest amount of time as she cleaned her plump red lips to leer at Ilsa''s bloated red n.i.p.p.l.e. Meira''s s.u.c.k.i.n.g turned even the skin around her a.r.e.o.l.ae red, reminding him of those hot cup massages that left bulging circles of redness across a person body.


    He''s too lost in l.u.s.t to think, to slow his roll by then. He f.u.c.k.e.d her faster, roughly ramming into her without a second thought or care to find her g-spots. At that point, her entire body had grown so s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e it was a g-spot on its own. The texture inside her, filled with nubs and twisting grew smoother and messier. Each pump let out another gush of the girls squirt across the floor.


    With a violent ram, Noah burried his c.o.c.k as deep as it could go. His balls tensing and twitching as his thick sauce shot out of his tip and into Ilsa''s waiting c.u.n.t. Vacuum pressure s.u.c.k.e.d every drop of his c.u.m deeper into her and the tightness failed to prevent it from leaking out. Noah threw his head back, h.i.p.s pumping in tandem with each ejaculation, his groan muffled beneath Ilsa''s wimpish cries. Soon her noises descend to w.h.i.n.es as her jittering slit tugs and massages his shaft harder.


    Not long later, her walls loosen, allowing him a reprieve to escape. The moment he does it''s like a dam unblocked as a thick tide of jizz and juice gush from her cunny and onto the floor, joining swiftly with the puddle made from Meira''s sauces. The girl suffers through post-coital spasms but still, she''s able to look down her c.h.e.s.t and to Noah, her eyes practically hearts as an addiction to d.i.c.k shone brightly and clearly in her expression.


    Noah puffed for breath, his c.o.c.k already limp and his body glazed in sweat. His clothing, in what form of sanity he could contain, he realized would have been better off removed.

 Chapter 82 - Days End 1

    To say they''d made a mess was a sore undervaluation to just how messy it was. Let alone the girls with their lower halves dashed with their blended juices of squirt an c.u.m, the entire floor was practically a veritable ocean of debauchery. White blended with translucent that left little imagination to what had occurred not moments ago. Noah''s cheeks paled then rapidly turned rosy.


    Meira was by far the stablest of the two, able to stand upright and even walk around relatively normally. Though with the odd twitch here and there as the recurrent spasms of her recently lost v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y weighed on her. Ilsa, on the other hand, could barely keep herself upright and if she did walk it was with a waddle, like a little s.e.m.e.n soaked penguin she panted her way off the counter. Her cutesy bottom rippling and a small o.r.g.a.s.mic cry escaping her as her belly contracted and sent another thick tide of jism squirting from her slit to join the puddle below.


    As her feet landed, she seemingly ignored the slick blend and stared at him with an untold sparkle to her eyes. Unable to hold her gaze, Noah darted his gaze away, hanging shamefully at his loss of composure.


    Ilsa grunted though it sounded like just another wimpish m.o.a.n than anything harsh. "You can''t even look at a girl after you f.u.c.k.e.d her¡­ you otherworlders are just pathetic." Using the counter as a crutch, she turned to Meira, met the shimmering chocolate goddesses eyes and flushed a little at the knowing smile, "but¡­ I can''t say you''ve got a bad c.o.c.k to you." It was the oddest bit of praise Noah had ever gotten, how he was supposed to take it his mind failed to comprehend.


    With a step across the c.u.m soaked floor, Ilsa inspected the sheer mess they''d made and sighed. "I''m going to need to replace these boards one day¡­" she mulled sourly. A side effect brought on by having to sell her body for rent meant that her floors were frequently dashed with all manner of unspeakable fluids, and sweat was not included in that, though it was certainly there.


    Her toes rolled in the thick soup and she shook her head as Meira chuckled. "Considering who you''re doing business with, I think you''ll be able to replace everything in here." Throwing an arm around Ilsa''s shoulder, Meira began to help the girl to the back room, "let''s get cleaned up," she tossed her gaze to her dress, finding it ominously spattered with fluids and twitched at how she''d need to get it washed quite heavily. When she focused on Noah she said, "look around for a bit. I''m going to help our new partner get all fixed up and proper." For a second Meira groped Ilsa''s right b.r.e.a.s.t but was thrown off with a glare.


    Without even a chance to say anything, the girls had faded through the doorway into the back room, leaving Noah to blink and stare around the room lost for words, thoughts, and self-respect. Come the uncomfortable feeling of wet pants clung to his skin, he looked down and saw how much of a mess he was as well. Thankfully not of his own excretions. "Great, bloody perfect. You wouldn''t happen to have an extra pair of pants back there for me, would you?" he called out, waiting for a few seconds till he got a simple one-word reply.


    "No!"


    "Perfect¡­" he drooped his shoulders and proceeded to grumble silently. In the corner of his eyes he was drawn to his new collection of equipment and after stashing his own, decided to familiarize himself with them better as he waited for the girls to return.


    ***


    "What in the seven hells was that?" Ilsa whisper screamed glaring up at Meira as she filtered through her drawer of garments for something she could use to stay and absorb the flow of juices between her legs.


    "A good time if you ask me." Meira laughed and scanned the room, noting many differences from her last visit to the small bed-chamber. It was packed full of items, bags and buckets and everything else a woman like Ilsa needed in her day job as a farm supplier.


    Ilsa slammed shut her drawer after finding another of her shorts and spun, shooting a spark Meira''s way. "You know what I mean Meira. ''C.u.m inside?'' what were you thinking!? What''s going to happen if you get pregnant!" she jabbed her finger into Meira''s belly just above her w.o.m.b. "That boy isn''t even a Rhegian."


    "I know," Meira said softly, her hand replacing Ilsa''s one on her belly. "But I''d rather it be his than that bastards," she scowled and sunk onto Ilsa''s bed sending ripples all throughout her buxom Amazonian form.


    Eyes widened as Ilsa''s arm hung by her side, "does that mean Davor''s¡­?" Ilsa bit her lip, unable to say anymore. She''d met, well, seen Davor here and there during her trips to the markets to set orders up to replenish her stock. She didn''t know the man personally, but from those months ago when she and Meira were working together¡­ she knew just how terrible the man was and the things he would do.


    Meira shook her head, her hand still over her belly. "No, not yet. Any day now I suppose. I''m due to finish my training in a month or two and with how he looks at me¡­ it''s inevitable that he''ll do something."


    Windswept by through the opened window, lifting and swaying Meira''s hair in faint ribbons that swiftly descended and flattened over her back as it just as quickly died down.


    "Can''t you do anything else? What about your father, I''m sure he could help you." Ilsa asked.


    Once more Meira shook her head and sighed, "doubtful. Davor and my father are better friends than I am family. If I told him, he wouldn''t believe me. Davor would spin it like I was lying, that I was cowering out at the final moment¡­" Meira leaned back on the bed, her b.r.e.a.s.ts splayed to the side and head inclined upwards to stare at the various pieces of leather and paper nailed to the roof, prayers to the gods of a woman seeking a better life.


    "Then this thing with Noah¡­ is he actually an otherworlder?"


    Meira nodded quickly and without hesitation, "oh yes. He is. I wasn''t lying when I said that he''d be the key to giving you the change you want."


    "So this isn''t just a ploy, a way for you to get away from Davor before he touches you?"


    "It isn''t. At least, not just yet," Meira went still, fingers dancing a massage over her n.a.k.e.d, sweat coated belly. "I won''t be getting away from Davor for a while. Once my training is over, I may end up being called back by my father, but by then¡­ I can just imagine the things Davor will have done to me." Each word weighed heavily on Meira''s shoulders, sapping energy from her eyes and colour from her skin. "Davor has his plans Ilsa. I''ve heard rumours from his henchmen that he''s planning to make me his pet. Or that he''s seeking to make me bear him an heir, they''ve only been picking up in the last few weeks. It''s near-daily that I hear off the side of my head another whispered mocking that they can''t wait to see me break." Meira''s expression curled back, her lips pulling wide revealing her teeth and nearly her gums like the snarl of a wolfkin girl.


    "Is that why you let him c.u.m inside you? Because you want him to get you pregnant? So you can''t with Davor? That you''d have a reason to leave?" Slowly, Meira bobbed her head in response as Ilsa''s pallor darkened and eyes trembled. "And what about him, Noah, have you told him about this plan of yours?" she shook her head.


    "No. I would rather he not. Not yet at least."


    "It would still be his child Meira. You shouldn''t keep something like that from him."


    "I''m aware. And I don''t want to, believe me on that. But still something like this¡­ if I were to tell him it would ruin what little a relationship I''ve built with him. No man enjoys being played a fool. No matter which world they come from."


    Ilsa wet her parched lips, thirst from her sweating and all her climaxes. Meira for once looked so small, so out of her comfort zone. It wasn''t something she''d show just anyone, she was far too cautious about her appearance to let such a weak sideshow. It gave too many opportunities to others to manipulate deals or whatnot. But here, with Ilsa, she was comfortable enough to let her walled-off inner self out.


    Clamping her eyes shut, Ilsa huffed and puffed, slowing her heart and cooling her body before opening and staring down at Meira. "I don''t know how to help you Meira, but if there''s anything I can do. Just don''t abandon me again."


    Meira''s lips quirked and met Ilsa''s worried gaze, "I''m not going to abandon you, Ilsa. I promise you that." Her knee bobbed, foot rapping hastily on the floor. "There is actually something you can help me with though¡­" Ilsa''s brow tilted questioningly, "you wouldn''t happen to have any Unibloom?"


    For seconds longer Ilsa visibly tilted her head in thought, processing Meira''s request only to stagger when she realized. "You are kidding right?"


    "I''m not."


    "Unibloom," Ilsa said but shook her head and began to pace, "how much are you planning¡­ do you want to take?" she didn''t deny Meira''s request, but a drug like that wasn''t just something Ilsa was intent on handing to her friend outright.


    "Enough to make sure this seed settles." She patted her belly softly like there was already something growing within.


    Ilsa buried her hands into her hair and g.r.o.a.n.e.d heavily. "My gods Meira. Unibloom of all things?"


    "You know how persistently infertile we Rhegians are throughout the year. I''m far from my fertile week."


    Ilsa hissed, how could she forget something like that? She remembered how seriously Meira''s species took children, but not of their struggles with fertility. "Isn''t it a little extreme to take Unibloom?"


    "It''s the best fertilizer out there."


    "For centaurs, Meira. For centaurs and maybe holstaurs in low amounts. Not Rhegian''s. I don''t even know how much you will have to take to even mimic part of the effects let alone get it to work properly."


    "Five pills," Meira responded swiftly. "Four really, but five to be extra sure."


    "Fi- are you kidding me!? I wouldn''t even give a centaur three then again two!"


    "What can I say," Meira chuckled, "we rhegian''s have always been proud of our tolerances."


    "That''s not just tolerance Meira. That''s poisoning yourself."


    Pushing herself into a hunched yet seated position, Meira swept a hand over her forehead and collected a thick conglomeration of sweat which she wiped off on her t.h.i.g.h and meeting Ilsa''s gaze, she held herself with heavy confidence.


    "That''s a risk I''m willing to take."


    ***


    Heeyo!


    So, remember when I said I was working on an IF (Interactive Fiction game?) Well, I''ve got a simple Proof of concept thing done and out on patre-on. There isn''t much to it, literally just a tutorial (which includes a blowjob / cunny munching scene with a robot) and you get a grope two girls. There is literally nothing else licentious right now. Which, considering it''s just a proof of concept right now, makes sense.


    Feel free to check it out on ******* (it''s public) patre-on.com/posts/53846207


    The next update to this will be when I get another scene or two done for it (and sort out my world building files) for you sick bastards and bastardettes to fap / flick to.

 Chapter 83 - Days End 2

    Come the day''s end, Noah had been contemplative as he stared through the window of his tavern room. The city outside, bathed in dusk, coddled within midnight embrace was faintly lit by the odd flaming lanterns on poles put up to guide the midnight wanderers home. Here and there he''d see forms, women mostly, though it was only women who were around. The war was draining the supply of men from these parts, their steps were hasty, unwanting to remain within mother nights hold for long without four walls and a roof.


    At that thought, Noah turned his gaze over his board room. There were two beds, one for himself and Jaffa, the pseudo guardsman of their little convoy during their trip to Tallmire¡­ A trip that would soon be drawing to a close come the morning rays.


    Jaffa sat on his bed, the one closest to the door where the blonde proclaimed a foe was most likely to infiltrate from. Odd, Noah considered. Odd in that he''d met a s.u.c.c.u.b.u.s and they prefered the window to the door. Even assassins, doubtful they''d have the courtesy to knock and stab before running off. The man was polishing his blades, he had two of them this time, unlike the one he had during the incident in Alder with the demonized Mora Rodis and her sister thrall, Gracia.


    The man lifted his long sword and main weapon and held its blade side perpendicular to the ground. One hand grasped lightly the metal while the other straightened the handle, letting him peer over its razor-thin edge in search of any warps or ch.i.p.s. When he saw none, he flipped it over and did the same with the other side. Repeating it for his slightly shorter and aptly named short sword.


    They were so different, Noah realized as he watched the man. He was at home with this world. Accustomed to its creatures and capable of surviving for days on months in the wild. While he¡­ Noah doubted he''d last even an hour.


    Such thoughts ached him, as he looked down at his gaunt hands that were steadily gaining fat after Liora''s generous feeding. He knew something had to change. After his encounter with Ilsa and especially with Meira and those other monster girls, he was tired of being kicked in the face repeatedly and treated like a fool. And yet¡­ he was a fool. Naive and latched to idealistic worldviews of a planet that to him simply didn''t exist anymore.


    Turning back to the world outside his glass-less windows, Noah leaned his head against the wall and watched as two girls, a mother and daughter from the looks of their sizes, hastened through the streets. His mind focused on the things the girls had told him, how parents taught their children more than any earth-based family was ever comfortable with even knowing. S.e.x¡­ it was supposed to be a private thing. Don''t ask. Don''t tell. Here though, on Minas, it was shifted and twisted into Do ask. Do tell. Do S.e.x. No two ways about it.


    It was jarring how sudden a shift something like that could be. For a boy who''d fantasized about such a situation, a world of monster shaped girls of the basis of things like Monster Girl Quest and Monster Girl Encyclopaedia, it was a dream world where morals were tossed to the wind. Just about anything on this world was looking for a lay, for seed and Ethos, the energy that fed their manos.


    Shutting his eyes, Noah slid and flumped to his back before opening them once more to stare with little focus to the log struts overhead. The day''s events, no, perhaps this short part of a week had been eye-opening to him. More so than the hunt for Gracia and Mora, more so than the hatred of the villagers and the encounters with Serris and the Kanyon wolf.


    Tilting his head to the side, Noah eyed up the canvas sack of buckles by his bedside. A few of the pieces, silvers and bronzes were strewn out letting him inspect them and memorize their shapes and whatnot. "Money¡­" he muttered loathsomely.


    "Hmm?" Jaffa hummed turning to look over his shoulder to Noah.


    "Nothing, just¡­ talking to myself." Noah smiled and focused back on the ceiling.


    "What about?" the boy asked curiously sheathing his blades and tossing the rag he''d been cleaning them with to the bedside table.


    Noah mulled, unsure what to say or focus on. "A few things¡­ more things than I''ve ever thought about at once, really."


    Jaffa twisted on his bed and slid to the other side before landing and resting hunched with elbows on his knees. "I know how that feels." Jaffa chuckled, "most days I think, I think about many things. Mostly women and weapons, but otherwise I think about many things other than women and weapons."


    Quirking a brow, Noah shook his head with a helpless smile plastering his lips. "Somehow that sounds like you."


    "I would hope so. Makes a good manner to make sure I''ve not been replaced with a doppler. Those beasts are good with body-snatching, not so with memories and personalities."


    "I''ll keep that in mind." Noah wet his lips and sighed.


    "Why don''t you tell me what your thinking?" Jaffa spoke softly, with a bit of concern and understanding even. "May not be the best to offer you life advice, but I''ve certainly got an ear to me."


    Turning to the calm man and his sharp eyes, Noah felt his thoughts escaping him as he lifted himself to a seated position against the backboard. One leg pulled up with arm atop, while the other hooked beneath.


    "Just thinking about my life right now. Just, this morning I met with Meira, that uh, Merchant woman you met when I came back? Well, I went with her to her friends store and we ended up looking through a whole bunch of things. Farming equipment, ranching stuff for Holstaurs and a harpy as well. It''s just sorta¡­ a lot to take in at once. Everythings just gone, y''know, zero to a hundred real quick." Noah looked to Jaffa for confirmation though got only an understanding nod and little comprehension of the phrase.


    "I can get that. When my village was raided by the orcs, I was left to fend for myself suddenly. Had much to deal with at once, so much that I barely remember the things I did back then." Jaffa laughed and Noah''s brows rose.


    "I didn''t know that." He said concernedly.


    "I don''t go around espousing my history. It makes sense you wouldn''t." Jaffa swept his hand through his hair, flattening it to his scalp. "But it''s not my turn to talk." He went still, smiling at Noah in a way he could only guess was to stop him from furthering the topic. "You are unsure of how you''re going to make this ranching work, is that right?"


    Noah bit his tongue and nodded slightly. "I don''t know how I''m going to make any of this work. There''s so much to do, so much work and things to learn and so little time to do it all in." Noah clasped his hands to his forehead and trailed them over his head until he was resting on his hands like they were his pillows. "Harpy''s, Holstaurs, a Dry¡ªa cherry tree and a giant a.s.s field of wheat. Barely know how to work with wheat and I''ve never touched a harpy or a holstaur let alone pruned a tree" though Serris was likely doing that herself.


    "Take it one piece after the other." Jaffa gripped his left wrist and twisted his left around it, massaging his hand. "Divide up the things you have to learn and focus on them one after the other. Set up priorities. What needs to be done and what can be done. You are starting quite small, for a ranch that is. I can''t say what that is as raising monsters has never been my focus," he nodded to his swords, "so I can''t rightly say what those priorities should be. But I can tell you that if you take it in small chunks, focus on one aspect and learn it to perfection before moving onto the next, it can help lighten the load tremendously. Though, a caveat I can see is that you deal with living creatures. Not inanimate blades. So perhaps you won''t be able to focus exclusively on one thing and may need to put some time to the others, say milking or cleaning or whatever it is you rancher types have to do."


    "That¡­" Noah was lost for words. For a man who''d creamed himself because of a demons attack, he somehow made knowledgable sense. Exactly how, Noah wasn''t sure, "...is actually good advice. Huh."


    "I may not be the smartest soul on the march, but I do have my moments." A yawn soon followed his chuckle as man and he blinked away a tear the uncontrollable action produced. He peeked past Noah''s shoulder and saw the midnight beyond. "We should rest now," the candles lighting up the room with a dozy atmosphere twisted as a gust came by. "We are to leave early from what I''ve heard." Meira had been the one to decide that, telling him that her carpenter friend would meet them just outside the walls come morning before heading back to Alder and the farm soon-to-be ranch.


    Jaffa flipped on his bed, nimbly climbing beneath the thing blanket to rest on his back with legs straight and arms flat to his sides like a soldier. "You should latch the shutters. Wouldn''t want a vampire thinking we''re offering entry."


    Noah nodded and quickly latched the shutters. A vampire was the last thing he wanted to deal with, With them shut, the room became a shade darker as the moonlight tried to squeeze through the thin gaps between the various wood planks. Sinking into his bed, Noah curled beneath his blanket, his back to the wall and stared out over the room.


    "Rest easy, Noah." Jaffa leaned over and blew out both candles.


    "Rest easy," he replied, once more wetting his lips and attempted to fall to sleep atop the crunchy, hay-filled pillow he rested on.


    Sleep would not come easy to Noah as each time his thoughts fell to darkness, dreams would erupt. Meira and Ilsa, nude before him, their noises and cries as he tainted their bodies with his seed. It was too debauched for him to forget, added with the fact that they had been watched, that in escaping the building he''d been offered a womans daughters first time¡­ it was all so odd to him. Odd and licentious¡­ And steadily, albeit slowly, he was beginning to accept it.

 Chapter 84 - Trip Home 1

    "Alright, careful there. She''s a little feisty this one." One of Meira''s lead crewmen called out as they checked the undercarriage and wheels of one of the many carriages during one of their soon to be a dozen pitstops on their trip back to Alder.


    Around him was a flurry of men and several women, each busy with their own thing, cleaning, hammering and locking down the cages so the over half-dozen holstaurs and singular harpy. Hay was thrown into the back by one of the younger kids, a boy barely past his teens who would constantly flush with every coy moo of the holstaurs as he spread the hay bedding across their enclosure. They never quite reached for him, something Noah hoped was merely because they weren''t interested in someone so young¡­ part told him that there were just too many people around that would stop them if they did try something like that.


    At one of the cages, Noah peered in through its tough iron bars and towards the huddled ball of brown feathers at the centre. It didn''t have a face, entirely because it was hiding within its large feathery wings making no noise. He guided his gaze over those wings, searching for wherever she''d had her flight feathers snipped but couldn''t see them. He chewed his cheek, he understood why they did it, to stop her from flying away as simple as that. But still, it left a sour taste in his mouth.


    With a sigh he glanced over his shoulder, seeing that no one was giving him any particular attention, he then focused on the book in his hands. His almanac, at least, one of them, and began flipping through it. Each page was a new species, a new concept, a new thing to learn about this world, its culture, its creatures, its history¡­ too much for a single day.


    His attention laid in the ill.u.s.trations and the names, ''slobber dragon¡­ no. Goblins¡­ also no¡­ Harpies, where are the harpies?'' his foot began to rapidly tap as he came near halfway through the book. There had been some harpies, black-winged ones and ones with colours like parakeet but none like the one before him¡­ no, that''s not right. There had been one, the simple brown Morean harpy, native to mountains, plains, and forests, known for their light to dark brown feathers and relatively modest sizing. They would have been perfect were it not for that single imperfection he noticed here and there.


    Whenever she would lift her head to peer around, pleading for the bars to dissipate and for freedom to return, or for when she forced herself to eat, he would notice something in her eyes. A little red ring, it was thin, shockingly so. No wonder everyone had missed it, but he hadn''t. It was there, clear as day. How he saw it, he didn''t know.


    Whenever he thought about that, his hand would unconsciously gravitate over his shoulder to where that mark of Demetria and Typhania was engraved into his skin. It wasn''t just a mark of his heritage as an otherworlder, there was something else to it. Whatever that is, he had yet to figure it out. ''Something related to the monsters? Or is it ranching?'' it could go either way, the tattoo was a blend of two deities, one of monsters, the other of agriculture. Was it the monster part that gave him that hint that she isn''t what she seems? Or is it the farming part telling him there''s something more than just eggs and feathers that could come from this one?


    He couldn''t tell, how could he? His time had denied him the tried and true system interface popularized in web novels and the like. He was thoughtfully left to figure things out on his own.


    With a heaving, tired sigh, Noah flipped onto one more page. His eyes aching from reading those small words while the setting sun shaded the ink words into splotches. His focus was dwindling as his stomach began to grumble with the rising sent of stew in the distance. They were too far from a tavern to have a meal, so everything was being made on hand. Meira hadn''t skimped out on the ingredients either, the meals over the passing two days had been regal for what surmounted to roadside sustenance.


    Another page, another pinch of his eyes. He looked to the harpy then back down, she hadn''t moved. Then another page flipped, and another, then a third, a fifth, a tenth, a twelfth. Each unsuccessful avian creature was met with a tired sigh, the colours were wrong, no, not with four legs, only two. She doesn''t have horns, just hair and no, she''s not a Quetzalcoatl, she''s not even a snake, or a lamia or whatnot.


    By the last baker''s dozen of pages, Noah was ready to give up, so she wasn''t in this book. He had another two back at the farmstead to check out, they could give him more answers. One of them must otherwise he wouldn''t have even thought of that oddness to her eyes as anything else than the uniqueness of her birth¡­ or hatching as the almanac had been so inclined as to inform him.


    When the final page flipped shut, so too did the book. Noah gripped its spine and dropped his hand, casting his vision back to the harpy one final time as he swept his hand through his hair. It was neater than before, albeit a little short for his liking. Meira had had enough with his unkemptness and stole some sheers used to cut the rope and subsequently began chopping his hair off piece by piece. Liora had thankfully come in to stop her before he went bald. By then the damage had been done, so she did what she could to fix it.


    Surprisingly, Liora was a decent hairstylist, if cutting it shorter counted as hairstyling. The conversation while it was happening ended up with her mentioning how Harv prefered his hair short and his beard sculpted and how she was the resident hair trimmer when her husband was alive and her daughter lived at home.


    In Noah''s case, the beard had disappeared entirely. With help from one of the men sacrificing their razors¡ªone of those old straight edge ones¡ªto him, well, Liora, and let her finally fix up his haggard appearance.


    It was odd, anticlimactic even. The girls had looked at him with prideful nods, albeit Caina was blinking confusedly at him while muttering under her breath, ''Shit, he actually looks good.'' While trying to deny that they still had something to do together once they returned to the farm.


    Noah trailed his hand down his cheek, felt the slight stubble poking through his skin. Hair always did that, sheer it flat and it''s back the next day. It wasn''t a horrible feeling but his skin was itchy and a pimple had risen on the back of his jaw, cutting that with another sweep of the razor was bound to leave him pumping blood for the following hour.


    Another exhausted sigh escaped him and he shook his head. With a pivoting turn, he glanced across the field they were settling in, tents and cots for the crew to sleep while firestacks kept the flame fearing nocturnals at bay. He found the girls, Liora and Caina settled by one of the fires. One each of their l.a.p.s a wood plank and in their hand''s knives, they were joined by two more girls, a mother and daughter from the looks of their similarities and ages.


    The mother Noah had heard was there to assist with the men''s ''frustrations'' while the daughter was there because she couldn''t be left home alone as her father was long since gone to the war. Not dead, from what they said about his letters, just not there.


    Another sweeping glance and he found Meira, she was at the carpenter''s wood-filled carriage. His name was Quil Vestiere, supposedly a master carpenter though what master would work for pennies, Noah didn''t know. He could see Meira''s head bobbing as Quil chattered on about some drawings he''d laid out on the hatch of his tool filled carriage.


    ''Should probably see what''s going on there,'' Noah thought. The man was there to build barns and whatnot for him, knowing exactly what was bound to be essential for any menial repairs he''d undoubtedly have to undertake in the coming days.


    With a self-assuring nod, Noah lifted his legs and began to walk. Slow, lumbering, pausing at the cages to peer in at the motherly and youngling holstaurs he was soon to be raising and¡­ tending¡­ to once old enough.


    As he passed the final cage before the carpenters, Noah noticed something off about the three small girls. They were huddled together, eyes darting about, not focusing on him or any of the people around them, but on the forest. He quirked his brow and followed their gazes, seeing nothing but dusking darkness peering through those veritable titans.


    ''We''re not alone, are we?'' When are you ever alone in a forest? He''d quickly add. There''s always something around the corner, hidden in the canopy. Just out of sight, watching, hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce or prance. He fell to the three once more and reached up to grab one of the bars. His motion drew one of their wandering, nervous gazes and he tried to reassure it with a soft smile and calming words. "It''s okay. You''re safe here."


    When truly, he didn''t know whether he was safe himself.