When the last Noble entered his carriage and followed the others through the main gate of the Castle, the King took one deep breath and said:
“Now, that was tiring! I don’t know about everyone else, but I could go for a visit to the hot spring. Who is with me?”
James Macdonald faced Alex and asked:
“When are we supposed to return to Bouria? Today or tomorrow? Because I wouldn’t mind joining the King in the hot spring.”
“I was thinking that we could go tomorrow after lunch because I want to go to the Capital with these three beautiful women and visit the Market. Tomorrow morning, I want to have a meeting with Viscount Finley, Viscount Tom and Miss Olive, just to make sure I don’t need to take care of anything before going to Bouria.”
James Macdonald made a big smile and looked around while asking:
“So, it will be me, Bethany, Gabriel, Ghar and the Princess joining the King? Okami and Suijin as well, it seems…”
Viscount Tom and Viscount Finley raised their right hands and a smiling white Rabbit-kind said:
“We will go with the King too because we also need to relax after having to put up with all those annoying Nobles! Next time, try to come alone, will you, King Otto? Those Nobles were so tiring!”
The King raised both opened palms and pretended to be shocked:
“It’s not my fault if I am so loved! Let’s get going, the sooner we arrive at the hot spring, the sooner we will be inside that hot water.”
The stable boys brought enough carriages for the ones that were going to the hot spring, and a simple carriage to Alex. He went quickly to his room to change to more inconspicuous clothes, followed by Wenammy, Pearl and Anika, that wanted to take off their expensive dresses and put on their usual clothes. In Wenammy and Perl’s case, their blouses with chest plates, tight trousers and leather boots, and Anika, with a shell bra and a long, thin, light blue dress, adorned with a pearl belt and in white sandals with laces tied around her ankles.
As soon as they were all dressed up, they meet on the patio again, and entered the carriage with only the driver and not a page, so that they didn’t attract too much attention.
As the carriage was travelling along the paved road, Pearl asked Anika that had her head leaned on Alex’s shoulder:
“So, how is your day going along, Anika? I thought you wouldn’t want us near you today so that you could have Alex all to yourself.”
“That was my intention, but since he said he wanted to visit the Capital and go to the Market, I thought it would be better if we all went with him, considering the recent events with the Consortium.”
Seeing Wenammy and Pearl looking at her so puzzled, Anika told them the meeting with Marquess Seth Perry and Earl Marley Barker, along with what happened to Baron Rowan’s manor and his staff. In the end, Pearl had her arms crossed over her chest and leaned against the wall of the carriage, making her breasts rise nearly out of her chest plate, and she spoke after a few seconds of silence:
“That means we need to be extra careful on our way back to Bouria. Using this carriage to go to the Capital was a good idea, but I am not sure if it will be enough, because I am guessing that Alex is well known in Beliersia, even with him trying to keep a low profile every time he could.”
Alex did a tremendous effort to avert his eyes from Pearl’s voluptuous breasts that were sticking out from the top of the chest plate and spoke while looking into those beautiful green eyes:
“You are not wrong, Pearl. I went a few times to the Capital, and even with me trying to blend in, there were always people that recognized me. I think there won’t be a problem, I doubt the Consortium and their minions will do anything in the open. After what happened to them three hundred years ago and since they were in hiding until now, I bet they will continue to act in the shadows, so that they don’t attract unnecessary attention towards them, making Shinatobe and the others go after them again.”
Anika lowered her eyes and asked:
“Talking about her… Is Shinatobe with you?”
“No, only Kagu. She went with the Princess, hidden on the tiara.”
Wenammy made a slight smile:
“I like that cute blonde boy. He always looks like that, right? Except when you or him, sense danger, right?”
A tiny ball of light came from behind Alex’s left ear and the little boy form of Kagu-tsuchi appeared, seated next to Wenammy:
“You are not so bad yourself, Wenammy. Your shyness and your smile are very attractive.”
Wenammy turned bright red and said:
“Thanks… I don’t do it on purpose, it’s that… I was always told since I was very little that I wasn’t pretty, and… I am not used to dealing with males. There weren’t any in my parent’s lands, and even after I started to work as an Adventurer, I would normally keep myself away from males because… I lack confidence…”
Kagu-tsuchi frowned and stared at Alex:
“I think it’s up to you to make sure Wenammy is desirable, Alex. It doesn’t look good if your women are insecure. Today it’s Anika’s day, but tomorrow you better be sure to put this beautiful High Fairy at ease, or she might begin to feel uncomfortable by being near you and these two.”
“I am well aware of that, Kagu, you don’t need to remind me.”
Pearl glanced at Wenammy, and after seeing her slowly nodding at her, she said:
“We talked about that before coming with you, Alex. We both think it would be better if both of us were with you tomorrow, for as much time as possible. Wenammy fears that she will lack words because of her nervousness and I don’t want to see her sad because she failed to seduce you. Unless you are against that idea.”
“I guess that’s not a problem if that’s okay with both of you.”
Pearl made a kinky smile and continued:
“Of course that means we are also aiming to be with you at night, at the same time. If you understand what I am saying.”
Anika and Kagu-tsuchi’s jaws dropped, and Alex gulped:
“I… understand… but why?”
Pearl spoke with the same kinky smile:
“Because none of us wants to wait any longer for that opportunity to arise. It would be foolish of us if we didn’t seize it when it comes in our grasp.”
Alex suddenly felt the collar of his shirt getting tighter, and he swallowed:
“I… see… It’s probably a good idea to put our… peculiar relationship to such a test…”
Anika quickly said:
“I also want to test something similar but with us four! On another night, of course! No way I am going to lose to these two!”
Alex turned bright red and Kagu-tsuchi spoke while looking at him:
“You lucky bastard… I suddenly remembered that Shinatobe and Okami might want to join that mess one night, but I am not sure if you will survive such ordeal!”
Pearl spoke with a glow in her eyes:
“Yeah, Wenammy and I are also waiting for that… it will for sure be amazing… Okami and her muscular body, and Shinatobe with her round butt and big, squeezable breasts…”
Kagu-tsuchi got up and punched downwards Alex’s head like if he was a nail:
“You lucky bastard! I hope you faint and are unable to enjoy all that! I am starting to hate you so much!”
Alex rubbed his head while Kagu-tsuchi turned into a tiny ball of light and went to his place, leaving behind a laughing trio that kept on teasing Alex for the entire journey to the Capital, either by telling what they wanted to do to him, or betting how long he would be able to stay awake before fainting of exhaustion.
When they crossed the main gate, Anika was looking through the window and said:
“Last time we were here, I thought that this capital was quite beautiful, but because I was a little nervous, I couldn’t appreciate it properly, but it is indeed pretty. I like the way the sun reflects in the marble of the most pompous buildings, but even the simplest ones made of wood and rock, are amazing.”
Alex looked at the window, remembering the day his father brought him there for the first time, and he couldn’t stop smiling at the view. His father kept on explaining what each building was, and most of them were still the same, minus a few upgrades on changes in the businesses.
When the carriage stopped in front of a blacksmith shop in the main street that led to the city square, Alex got out and the girls followed him by jumping graciously to the ground, without waiting for him to put out the helping step.
As they walked while looking at the windows of the several shops, Pearl noticed a few stares and disguised glances at Alex, but no one dared to approach him, probably because they were with him, and everyone around understood that it wasn’t polite to interrupt them when they were having fun.
Anika saw a man dressed in a dark brown outfit and a cloak with a hood over his head. She thought that she noticed a weird smile, but he then turned around and went in another direction. Anika forgot about the strange man and looked to where Pearl was pointing and smiled at the sight of a longbow that made Pearl so interested in that particular shop.
When they arrived at the city square, Alex approached a stall with sacs of cereal and greeted the seller:
“Good day! How is business lately?”
“Sir… It’s… such an honour! Today has been a great day, as usual. I already sold several kilograms of cereals and flour, and the day is just starting! My wife is normally here with me, but today she stayed in our warehouse with our older son, preparing a big order for the ‘Imamah of Sanstan’ that will be sent tomorrow by a big caravan.”
“That’s nice to hear. Business is booming, then.”
The seller winked:
“When the product is of a very good quality, it’s easy to sell!”
Alex waved and continued on his walk:
“Have a nice day, then.”
“For you as well, Sir!”
While walking amongst the crowd that was looking at the products of the several stalls, Anika asked:
“Alex, you know that seller? He is one of your guys?”
“He has a very big warehouse and buys a lot of my cereals that he then sells to other countries. Normally he is at his warehouse, and he has two boys selling in this market, but perhaps he is here because of that big order he talked about. I know that his wife is very strict with their business, and when they have big orders, she always takes care of it and sends him to another place, so that he doesn’t distract her.”
Pearl lowered her voice and asked:
“I see a lot of common people buying stuff, I never saw as many in the Capital of Bouria!”
“Yes, that’s one thing that I want to see change. Many common people in Beliersia earn money with their work, and they can spend it in this Market to buy fresh products for them and their families to consume, making the money flow and the economy grow. In Bouria, most of the money is in the hands of the Nobles or rich Merchants.”
Pearl slowly nodded while thinking about Alex’s words. She realized that the way Alex did things, made the commoners able to spend money, something that didn’t happen in any other country.
Then, from a stall at their right side, a little girl’s voice was heard:
“No way! You are here! What are you doing here, Sir?”
Alex put his index finger over his lips and said:
“Not so loud, pretty Sara Perry! I am disguised!”
Sara placed both fists on her waist and tilted her head:
“That’s not a very good disguise, Sir! Everyone can see who you are! You could perhaps use a hood over your head, but even the Miladies had to disguise themselves!”
Alex approached the vegetables stall where the little Sara Perry was, next to her mother that had her mouth wide open. She began to make a bow, but Sara stopped her:
“Stop it, mother! Or everyone will do the same, ruining Sir’s amazing disguise!”
Alex smiled and raised one eyebrow:
“You think you are funny, don’t you? Weren’t you supposed to be in School at this hour?”
“Not in the mornings! I only have classes in the afternoon! Other children have classes in the morning, and others in the afternoon. I am one of the lucky ones that don’t need to wake up early!”
Before Alex could speak, Sara Perry saw a glow from the corner of her eye. Something shining called her attention, and she looked at it, immediately understanding what was about to happen, and she shouted:
“Sir! Look out!”