When Sakamo opened the door, the familiar faint glow was on the other side, instead of his house corridor. He crossed the door frame and closed the door behind him. Another door appeared in front of him, and when Sakamo opened it, he exited the closet inside his rented room in the Adventurer’s Guild in Azurath.
He quickly tied his long hair in his usual low ponytail while on Azurath and frowned at his room door.
Sakamo mumbled, puzzled by what he was sensing, “I feel something different in the air… Shinatobe taught me the ‘Sensing Air’ Spell…”
Alex Brim concentrated and whispered a short Spell, that made the air on the corridor outside carry to his room the scent and the visualization of whoever was standing next to it.
Alex wondered why he smelled the ocean, and then he recognized the shape the air was forming in front of him, of a very peculiar Mermaid dressed in a shell bra and a long, thin, light blue dress, adorned with a pearl belt.
Alex went to the door and opened it, just when Anika Wright was about to knock. She looked at him, surprised, and Alex stared back at her, waiting.
Anika asked, after a couple of seconds, “You… don’t seem surprised to see me. It’s not very often that my presence is detected. How did you…”
Before Alex could answer, an angry voice came from the left side, “Who told you that you could try to surprise my Master, you stupid Mermaid?”
Anika glared at the little blond girl in a long white dress that was shouting at her, and warned her, “Careful, little girl, I am not someone you should annoy. I may need to teach you how to respect grown-ups.”
Alex crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the way Shinatobe was increasing her Magic. Her hair floated, and she was shining. Anika Wright felt the surrounding air disappear, and she took a deep breath, wondering what was happening. Then, the thundering voice of the little girl surrounded by Magic scared her to death, “You are not a grown-up. You may be older than any Human alive, but in my eyes, you are just a baby. I was born when this World was created, and I am the one that allowed your kind to walk on land. Don’t challenge me, or I may forget my sacred vow to protect every living being, and end your life right here!”
Anika Wright fell to her knees and laid her chin on her chest while raising both arms, under the sudden realization of whom was standing in front of her, ready to end her life. “I am truly sorry, Spirit of the Wind Shinatobe! I am your humble servant! Please forgive me, and I shall worship you forever!”
Shinatobe asked, without lowering her Magic, “You mean you didn’t worship me until now? How stupid of you. Maybe I should end your miserable life, and free the World of your stupidity!”
Alex looked at Shinatobe, and he slowly shook his head. She immediately lowered her Magic and pointed at Alex’s room. “Go inside and apologise to him properly. And to me as well, of course.”
Alex barely had time to move away, because Anika rushed to the room. Shinatobe entered next, still looking angry. Alex closed the door and faced the kneeled Mermaid, that didn’t even dare to look at Shinatobe.
Alex crossed his arms and asked, “What did you want, Miss Anika? It was not a good idea to surprise me like that. I almost blew up the door with you along with it.”
“I… just wanted to make you a surprise… you left in such a hurry, that I thought I could come and tempt you with a kiss… or some… night activities…”
Shinatobe was almost bursting with anger. “The nerve of this Mermaid! How dare you think you are worthy of sleeping with my Master? Know your place, Mermaid! You are lucky enough to be in the same room as someone as amazing as him, don’t you think you deserve even more than that!”
Anika Wright trembled in fear, and Alex Brim placed one hand over Shinatobe’s left shoulder. “Calm down, will you? She is scared enough. You don’t need to make her cry. I thought you liked Mermaids, but you could fool me right now!”
“I like Mermaids, I just don’t like her! Imagine, thinking that she could come here and seduce you! I already have a lot of trouble keeping Sarutahiko Okami away, I don’t need another woman to rival me!”
Anika slowly raised her head and looked at Alex with a dumbfounded look. “You… You are a Mage Summoner! And you made a contract with the Spirit of the Wind and the Spirit of the Earth? I knew something was off because I could sense a lot of Magic in you! Who are you, Alex Brim?”
Alex approached and looked at her with a serious expression. “I can be your friend if you keep your mouth shut, or I can be your executioner. Choose wisely, because if you betray me and tell anyone about me, I might leave you to face Shinatobe’s wrath, instead of granting you a quick death.”
Anika vigorously shook her head. “I won’t tell anyone, you can trust me, and the Great Spirit of the Wind knows that the word of a Mermaid is a sacred vow. May I rot in the desert, if I betray your trust!”
Alex turned to Shinatobe and saw her nodding. He sat on the edge of the bed and spoke, “I will believe in you, considering that Shinatobe is willing to let this slide. If it won’t be too much of a bother, I hoped you could one day tell me a bit more about the underwater life of a Mermaid. I am rather curious about your kind because there is not much information around and Shinatobe told me she considers it impolite to babble about another species. Perhaps you could enlighten me.”
Anika nodded with a slight smile. “I was hoping to tell you more about me, along with some cuddling, but I guess tonight is not a good idea, considering that the Great Spirit of the Wind wants you all for herself.”
Shinatobe grunted. “I never said I want him only for myself. I just don’t want to share him with an easy woman such as you. You should be more prudish, Mermaid. It’s unfitting of a woman to be like that, despite the fact that Mermaids have a lot of trouble to hold their night urges.”
Anika Wright slowly nodded, without daring to look at Shinatobe. “It’s not only that, but I also feel a huge attraction towards Alex. I think he is pretty, and the amount of Magic I sensed from him, was making me go nuts. I also started to pay more attention to the way he talked and acted, and seeing him in action over these last days was too much for me to hold my urges at bay. Urges that are turning into genuine feelings… and… I was hoping to make him more interested in me, after tonight…”
Shinatobe went for the door, and after opening it, she faced Anika. “Get out. I got enough of you. Go find a Beast-kind or another Human that can cool you down. You have a long way to go until I allow you to be with my Master.”
Anika got up and looked at Alex with begging eyes, but faced an inexpressible look, and she went to the door. As she was about to leave, she said, “I will not give up this easily, Alex. It can take one week or one year, but I will have you falling for me, and I shall be at your side for the rest of your life.”
Shinatobe closed the door and sat on the chair near the bed. She took a deep breath and leaned forward. “It seems she is crazy about you. When a Mermaid goes so much as to make plans to be with a male until he dies, it says a lot about her feelings. You would be a fool if you refused her.”
“Wait a minute… Are you actually saying that I should choose her instead of you?”
“No, I am just saying. You are free to do as you like. I will not force myself upon you, you know that. I had some partners during my life, so I know a bit about how hard it is when a partner dies of old age, and we live on. A Mermaid lives for a very long time, but not as nearly as me, because I am eternal. I can give you to her because I will find another partner in a few centuries or millennia, I have all the time I want. That Mermaid will not find another male like you in her lifetime, and I think she knows that, that’s why she says she is not going to quit.”
“I see… I… don’t know what to say about that.”
Shinatobe shrugged. “You don’t need to say a thing. This is how things are around here. And don’t forget about that Fairy. She had her eyes on you during your voyage as well. Fairies are more cautious and more patient about their urges and partners, but I guess you made quite an impression on that six-winged one.”
“Six wings? Fairies have six wings?”
“No, they normally have four wings. A six-winged Fairy is very rare, and it also means she is a High Fairy. Those are at the top of the class, they have a tremendous amount of Magic, and they are like Human Nobles. I don’t know what she is doing in a Party of Adventurers. Maybe she wants to enjoy her youth before accepting the duties of a High Fairy.”
Sakamo thought for a while, and he raised one eyebrow. “Wait a minute, how do you know she has six wings or not? I didn’t see any, and if the others didn’t tell me, I would still think that she was an Elfian, because of her pointy ears and calm behaviour!”
“Who do you think I am? A Fairy flies, and I am the ruler of the air and wind. I could sense that she was a Fairy and the number of wings she had in my sleep! Well, I don’t actually sleep, but you get my drift.”
“Too many women, and I am just one… like if I didn’t have enough trouble to keep Hangaku Mae at bay… now I have a few more to worry about in this World…”
Shinatobe’s eyes narrowed, and she sounded annoyed. “Who is that Hangaku Mae? Another woman after you?”
“Yes, she is one of my classmates at School. She got very interested at first sight, and I didn’t do a thing to attract her attention. She was flirting with me all day, and she even told me she will make me fall for her.”
“Is she pretty, at least? Or just plain stupid?”
“She is pretty and with a nice figure. Her laughter is funny, and she said she wasn’t as stupid as other people normally think, because she always had good grades in her previous School. I guess she made me… intrigued, I think that’s the right term. She is interesting, and I like to talk to her. There is another girl that made me curious, but I know little about her. She is quieter than Hangaku and looks at everyone with a serious expression all the time, like if she is always thinking about something.”
“Great, two more… Well, those are in another World and another life, so it doesn’t bother me so much, as long as you keep coming here to be with me.”
Sakamo held her hands and spoke with a gentle smile, making her smile back. “Of course I will keep coming, my dear Shinatobe. Not only because of you but also because of my duty and the promise I made to my father when I took his place as the Hero in this World.”
“That’s nice to hear. Now, tell me everything about your day. How was it?”
“It was a lot of fun, actually. I was even invited to have dinner in a restaurant near my new house by the grandma of a boy that turned out to be my friend. I will tell you everything, but I must return because I am feeling hungry.”
Shinatobe asked with her cheeks turning pink, “Are you going to sleep here? I was hoping we could sleep together. Only sleep, that is, with nothing crazy like that Mermaid wanted to do! You are always sleeping on Earth, and I am left behind, all alone. I don’t need to sleep, but I could relax in your embrace and make sure you are safe and have a good night’s rest.”
“Anything, my dear Shinatobe. I wouldn’t deny any craziness from you, but perhaps it’s still early for that. We will have other opportunities to do crazy things.”
Shinatobe made a big smile, genuinely happy for having Alex all to herself, without worrying about other women around to annoy her. She liked to see him sleep while he was hugging her. She always felt at ease and happy, and she cherished those moments.