Nadyian slowly nodded:
“I think I understand. It seems Alex is indeed very powerful, no wonder all these women became attracted by him.”
Pearl Person raised her open right hand:
“Guilty as charged! It was indeed his proficiency with Magic that called my attention, but I first noticed his good looks, if that can serve as an excuse. I tend to be very picky with my partners, but he was overflowing with Magic, it was kind of hard not to fall for him. When he finally managed to keep his Magic under control, it was already too late for me, I had already fallen for him.”
Wenammy gulped and spoke:
“So… you also like him… He asked us about joining another woman in our group, but I was not counting it would be so soon.”
Wenammy immediately continued when she noticed the frowning on Nadyian’s forehead increasing:
“Not that I mind! You are very beautiful, and working in the shadows for all these years to get rid of our enemies says a lot about you!”
“Unfortunately for me, he never told me he had other women in his life. I am sorry if I am not as happy as you for being here, but up until today, I didn’t even suspect he was cheating on me. I am very tempted to take his head off, and I am doing a huge effort not to do it!”
Wenammy made an awkward smile:
“Not that he would need our help, but if you try anything against him, we will stop you.”
Nadyian increased her Magic and her hair floated as if she was underwater. She suddenly gasped for air, when she fell under the Magic of Pearl Pearson, which increased the gravity under her, ten times fold. Pearl tilted her head, with her body glowing with Magic:
“It’s better for your health if you learn how to be more careful around us, Mermaid. We have an agreement, we don’t fight among us, we love Alex in the same way, and he treats us equally. If you want to tip the balance in your favour, you will suddenly find yourself in more danger than all these years infiltrated gave you. I wouldn’t mind spending a few nights with you, or with you and him because you are indeed very pretty, but if you are stupid enough to think that you can go against us or do anything against Alex, you better get ready for some punishment.”
Nadyian felt something inside of her snapping. The strong pressure coming from Pearl was making all her senses sharpen up, warning her of danger.
Nadyian shot a quick Fire Slash around her, making Suijin intervene. He made a powerful Water Wall around her and spoke with his voice so full of Magic, that the pressure was enough to make Nadyian lose control of her Magic, and she fell on the floor, face down, unable to sustain her weight that was now twenty times more, because Pearl reacted almost as fast as Suijin started to speak:
“Stand down, daughter of the sea! I know your life was full of perils so far, but you are among friends. Don’t try to be a fool and lose your life just because of jealousy. Learn to respect them, if you want to be respected and acknowledged by them.”
Pearl dispersed her Magic when Suijin nodded at her, and Nadyian slowly got up, feeling ashamed because Suijin scolded her. She timidly raised her eyes and faced him:
“I am sorry, but this is too difficult for me. I never liked to share my men with another girl, and finding out that Alex has so many women with him, is too much for me.”
Anika approached her and placed one hand on her shoulder while speaking softly:
“It was also difficult for me to accept this situation, but I came to realize that they like Alex as much as me. I don’t want to see him sad or mad at me because I couldn’t stop myself from attacking them. All things considered, they are not so bad as I thought at first. Pearl is very kind and gentle, even if she is always overly serious. Wenammy is a bit shy and awkward, but that also makes her so damn cute. You could try and give us a chance. If you like Alex as much as you seem to, we understand your jealousy, because we also like him and we want him all for ourselves, but that wouldn’t be fair for the other girls.”
Nadyian bit her lower lip and said while staring at the floor:
“It’s just… I think it was because I never had a boyfriend. At least, not one that I loved. I had some boys interested in me, but I only saw them as servants or means to fulfil my revenge, because they were either the sons or the servants of a Dark Mage that I was aiming. When I met Alex, there were a lot of girls interested in him, but I made sure that he fell only for me. Now I find out I am not the only one he loves. It’s… kind of disappointing, to say the least.”
Alex held Nadyian hands and said:
“You don’t have to be with all of us if you don’t want to, but I must move here when I stop ageing because of all my contracts. Since I also have a Mermaid and a Fairy at my side, their Magic will also increase my life expectancy.”
Nadyian made a slight smile:
“Mermaids also live longer than normal Humans, but it seems I won’t live as long as you. I want to be at your side, but this situation is very difficult for me. Maybe in a few years, I accept it better, but not anytime soon. Besides, my mission is not ended, there are still seven Dark Mages to eliminate before I even consider such a life.”
Anika glanced around to check the other members of her Party and she then said:
“If the targets are Dark Mages, you can count on our help, you don’t need to go after them all alone and be in danger.”
“No, I have to do it alone. They won’t ever suspect me, but if they see you guys approaching, they will know we are after them.”
Nadyian then looked around to all the stares upon her and said:
“I am sorry for my behaviour, but this day was too stressful for me. I was forced to catch the Dark Mage Leader ahead of my schedule because he tried to kill Alex, I met a group of Orcs living on an Island, Monsters that my parents always told me to make a run for my life if I ever saw one, and now I am surrounded by rivals inside a Castle. Alex told me he could do a tour for me so that I learned a few things about him, perhaps we could do that, and maybe it also makes me feel more comfortable near you all.”
James Macdonald asked before anyone could say anything:
“You met Ghar, then. How are they doing? What about Gabriel Dawson?”
“For a group of Monsters, they seem quite harmful. That Gabriel is the partner of the Clan Leader, Ghar, right? She could speak using my aunt’s voice, but we left before I could ask my aunt about that.”
James Macdonald explained:
“That’s because Miss Olive made a contract with Ghar, after Earl Kayden’s death. We were all surprised as you are. It’s probably better if we tell you a few things about our voyage while we visit the facilities and the lands around. There is too much to see, so we will have plenty of time to talk and know each other better. Unless you are in a hurry to complete your mission.”
“I am in no hurry, they are not expecting me, and I still need to prepare some things, to make my approach to them as inconspicuous as possible. I disguised the deaths of the Dark Mages I killed as accidents so that the others didn’t suspect, so I think it’s better if I continue doing it like that. No one suspects a freaking accident no matter how weird it is, right?”
Alex offered his right arm for Nadyian to hold, and Anika quickly grabbed the left one, smiling at the surprised Nadyian:
“What? You better get used to always share him, none of us has first choice, regarding Alex. I may be a little more lenient today because I am so happy for seeing you alive, but you don’t think it means that you will have him all to yourself.”
Nadyian bit her lower lip and glanced at Alex that winked at her while slowly shaking his head with a serious look, and she understood. No way they would be able to handle the information that she was living with him on Earth, so it would be better if she kept her mouth shut.
They spent the rest of the morning visiting the several facilities and fields around, with Nadyian truly impressed how Alex managed to incorporate on that World some of Earth’s knowledge. They all had lunch in the Castle, with Akina flirting with Alex for Nadyian displeasure, and Pearl giving all of her attention to the happily smiling Wenamy.
Alex noticed that Nadyian was surprised by seeing the way that Pearl and Wenammy acted, and he explained:
“Pearl likes men and women, and Wenammy doesn’t have a problem with being with either. Sometimes I feel that I am competing with Pearl for Wenammy’s attention, other times I think she is teasing me.”
Nadyian noticed that the two girls were glancing at Alex and her occasionally, as if they were daring him or her, to join them:
“Yeah, I see what you mean. I am starting to think that it would be fun to be with them, and I never went that way. They are way too dangerous, Alex…”
“Tell me about it!”
After lunch, Alex showed the vineyards and the brewery to Nadyian, and when they were visiting the mountain with the waterfall and the shafts that distributed the power of the falling waters to the facilities on each side, Nadyian smiled, impressed by how Alex managed to build such an antique process from Earth in the Magical World of Azurath, without the need to use Magic. She tried the elevator to visit the upper levels, and she stared at the scenery as they were going up, in complete silence. Alex noticed and asked:
“What’s the matter? You kept on making questions till now, is something bothering you?”
“No, not really. I was just thinking that my father would love to see this. Mother used to tell me that before they got married, he was a free Spirit, always travelling to see the World and all its wonders. You are earning a ton of money with all this, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but I also spend a lot of money investing in the construction of Schools, Healing Houses, and Orphanages. I employ thousands upon thousands of people, and I do something that most Nobles aren’t used to, I pay my workers. Around here, commoners are mere servants, and the Nobles to whom they work for only gives them a roof and protection. I do things differently and many Nobles disapprove my methods.”
Nadyian shrugged:
“I don’t see why they get upset, paying workers is normal, on… Oh! I see! The way society is in Azurath, you are a revolutionary! It wouldn’t surprise me if some Nobles tried to get rid of you, because you are a threat to their way of life!”
“I already suffered some assassination attempts. But unknown to most people, I am not as worthless with Magic and fighting as I pretend to be. Besides, I have a group of women that act as my bodyguards, if needed.”