Anika, Wenammy and Pearl noticed the sad look that Alex had, and Pearl asked, “You never talk about your parents. Are they dead?”
“My mother died when I was three years old. My father… he retired to a faraway place, after the events in the war with ‘The Galtian Khaganat’. He killed the Khaganat most powerful Mage Summoner and a bunch of her supporters, and he didn’t handle very well his regret. He was always a man of faith, and having to kill so many, took a huge toll on his soul. He abandoned his duties, his lands and title, and he did his best to teach me to take his place. I started to improve his lands and Earl Kayden’s lands five years ago, and little by little, I developed new methods to do things, and I created all sorts of equipment and products. Over time, word spread that anyone was welcome on my lands, and I began receiving a lot of farmers, workers and servants that wanted to work for me or Earl Kayden. I think Miss Olive is showing to the others so many unbelievable things that by the time we get back, they will either be peacefully eating, or they will all be laying in a bed, fainted because of so many surprises.”
Pearl fiddled with her fingers for a few seconds, and she leaned forward, looking at him deep into his eyes. “Why are you telling us so much? Because you used to be very secretive, and ever since that Priest and the City Chief talked with you in the border City of Haukagil, it’s like you can’t stop showing off. You don’t need to brag so much, you already conquered us. Unless you want to show us that we don’t deserve to be at your side because it seems you can have any woman you want.”
Alex blinked a few times, surprised by her question. “It… it was never my intention to brag about anything. I just… I thought I cloud trust you a lot more, and perhaps have your help, just in case I got myself into a situation I can’t solve on my own. Despite all my Magic and wealth, I am very aware that I lack experience in so many things, that you three for sure have plenty if we think about how many years you lived. And… maybe it’s foolish of me, but I could use a couple of good friends. My father had a bunch, people who would give their life for him if needed, and he would do the same for them. I just… I don’t know, maybe I am feeling a bit lonely. I know this is kind of stupid, considering that I have some extremely powerful Spirits and I am never completely alone, but… yeah, it does sound stupid, right?”
Pearl made a slight smile. “I used to feel lonely sometimes, in my village, even with all my family always with me. I guess what I lacked was beings from another specie, some that could show me different insights. Maybe that’s what you are also searching for. What about the others, Gabriel, James and Bethany? They are also Humans like you, but do you see them as friends?”
“I like them. Miss Bethany is very friendly, and she has a straightforward away of saying what is on her mind. Mister James is very reliable, I would follow him everywhere if he asked me to. As for Mister Gabriel, well, despite his scary big size and girlish scream, I think he is very funny. He pretends to be a serious person, but more than once, I saw him fooling around, just having fun.”
Pearl leaned back and spoke, “I know they also like to have you around. I honestly don’t know what their reaction will be after their visit, but I can’t wait do find out. There is just the matter of Ghar. What are you going to do with her?”
“I suppose I will have her travelling with me if that’s okay with all of you.”
“I think that with us she won’t have any problems, but what about your next job? What will happen if another Party hires you and you take Ghar along? What if they find out what she is?”
Alex slowly nodded. “Yes, I also thought about that. I suppose I can’t work again as a rented Hero, maybe I should make a Party with Ghar. Like that, we won’t take any risk by having more people finding out about her.”
Pearl slowly shook her head. “I don’t like that. We three already agreed that we will try to conquer you. We can’t do that if you keep on abandoning us to work only with Ghar. We already consider you as a member of our Party, perhaps you should think about joining us, officially, instead of jumping from Party to Party. I am sure the others will be delighted for having you in our ranks. If you continue to work as an Adventurer, that is, because you now have a lot more lands to worry about, remember?”
“I am not worried about my lands, I have people taking care of everything in my absence. If something happens, they send me a message and I deal with it as quickly as possible. I never had to do anything about my lands and businesses, ever since I started working as an Adventurer, so I suppose I can continue working like one. Unless any of you quits being an Adventurer and decides to settle on my lands. I am sure I can find a job for any of you if you want.”
Anika leaned her head on his shoulder. “Well, I could accept a job as your wife, if the payment is good. I could take daily cuddling, night interaction, and a couple of kids as payment, for instance. With a raise every two months in the amount of cuddling.”
Alex made a serious face, pretending to be lost in deep thoughts. “Yeah… sounds like a good idea… I could demand extra attention… A Mermaid with a long life would never be a bad investment, considering she will never get old, wrinkled, or annoying because of old age… but an Elfian could also be like that… or a Fairy… I wonder how good it would feel, going to sleep while receiving a gentle breeze from six wings… Shinatobe would kill me, or one of them, if I accept such direct proposal from this daring Mermaid… what to do, what to do…”
The mere mention of Shinatobe’s name was enough to make Anika stand straight, suddenly leaving Alex’ shoulder. Pearl disguised a smile and teased, “It seems Shinatobe is a good deterrent for this Mermaid. Lucky for me, Sarutahiko Okami seems to like me way more than Shinatobe likes Anika, and that means I only need to conquer Shinatobe as well, to have a clear path to your heart. If like you said she even agrees with sharing you, I have a happy future ahead of me.”
Alex raised one eyebrow and asked, “What if I can’t decide between any of you, and I want to have all of you as my wives? What if I want to join another woman in this group? Or, if I don’t want any of you?”
Wenammy bit her lower lip and spoke while Anika and Pearl were still thinking about his words, “I… wouldn’t mind sharing you with anyone you want, as long as you would treat me, and them, equally.”
Anika put her hands over her mouth, “Wenammy… you crazy Fairy! What about if he asked for a night with all of us, at the same time? I wouldn’t mind having your wings caressing my skin, but I don’t see you up for it!”
Wenammy turned bright red and lowered her voice, “I… wouldn’t exactly mind… if you stopped being so mean to me…”
Anika had her mouth wide open, and Pearl Pearson approached Wenammy, with her lips almost touching hers. “I never had a Fairy in my bed, I wonder what it would be like. Alex also said something about joining another woman to this mix, what do you say to that?”
Wenammy gulped, feeling lost on Pearl’s deep green eyes. “I guess… it depends on the woman… Fairies never had a problem with… being with males or females…”
Alex looked at the two women that seemed ready to kiss each other, and he felt an elbow on his ribs. He glanced at Anika that seemed as dumbfounded as he was and heard her speaking in in a low voice, “Alex… I don’t know if I am glad or worried… It’s surprising enough to find out that the shy Wenammy is a closet pervert, but now it seems that Pearl also goes both ways! You are either the luckiest man alive, or you were cursed by the Gods! I don’t know what to think about all this!”
“Yeah, me neither. It was already weird enough having you three after me, so eager to take me to a bed and to use me as a mere toy, and now you are all talking about our future together… I… don’t know what to say…”
Pearl leaned back and spoke while staring at Wenammy that was still all red. “You don’t need to say a thing, actually. This is just a possibility. None of us really knows what is going to happen in the future, but at least you don’t need to worry about fights between us, even if you choose to be with only one of us. I am not even considering the possibility of you not choosing one of us, because that would mean you are just plain stupid when you have such fine female specimens at your grasp.”
Alex went silent, trying not to pay any attention to the muffled laughter from Kagu-tsuchi, and the annoying mumbling from Shinatobe. He closed his eyes and went into deep meditation, to avoid being pulled into another weird conversation. Anika glanced at him and shrugged.
She then smiled at Wenammy and asked, “So, you said that if I treated you better you wouldn’t mind being with me in a bed. If I only tease you instead of threatening to take your head off like I normally do, would you consider it as me treating you better?”
“It… would be an improvement, for sure.”
“I see… I guess I can make some effort if that would mean that Alex would consider being with us is a good thing, instead of a bother because we are always fighting between us. What do you say, truces?”
Anika showed her right hand for a handshake, and Wenammy looked at it, thinking. Anika frowned and asked, “You prefer to seal this deal with a kiss? I don’t mind, actually, but it would seem a bit forced, considering that only a few hours ago we were about to kill each other.”
Wenammy shook Anika’s hand, with a slight smile. “A handshake will do. Let’s see how long it will take for you to forget and try to rip my wings.”
“Maybe I won’t do that, considering that the idea of having you flapping your wings for me to sleep, sounds like a good idea. What do you say, Pearl, are you willing to use those big boobs of yours to massage my back for me to relax before going to sleep?”
Pearl raised one eyebrow. “I could, as long as you do the same for me, once in a while. I don’t want to be the only one on the giving side, I also like to receive.”
“I guess I can do that. Strange as we went from Party comrades to deadly rivals, and to friends in a matter of days, right?”
Pearl smiled and winked one eye to Wenammy, that still had her face all red. They continued teasing each other all the way to Alex’s lands while he was meditating, trying to get used to keeping his Magic from leaking out every time he got distracted.