Chapter 225
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Chapter 225:
"Alright, this one is for Scáthach." I used telekinesis to float a cup of coffee over to her. "Meridia, Yasaka, Raikou." I floated them over as well.
"Mmm, so this is coffee." Scáthach seemed to savor the taste. "I enjoy it."
"There are also many things you can add to alter the taste as well." I spoke up.
"I shall experiment with this beverage at a later time." She nodded happily, going back to her chat with Meridia.
Honestly, I thought they would butt heads, which they kind of did initially, but they seemed to have found some common ground. Scáthach was telling of her time in the Land of Shadows while Meridia listened aptly.
Raikou seemed to have hit it off with Yasaka on this second go around. Swapping stories from each of their times in their respective Kyoto. I was surprised by how much Raikou was opening up, as she usually didn't like to talk about her past.
"And Tea for Jinn and Artoria." I floated them over to my last two girls who were also having an animated conversation.
"Thank's Will~" Jinn winked at me.
"Thank you, Wilhelm." Artoria smiled.
Artoria wasn't really into bitter things, and Jinn's preferences seemed to change with her mood.
"Well, I'm glad that some people appreciate my effort." I very obviously looked over at the other four who practically ignored me. Though I wasn't truly upset, I was very happy they were all getting along.
"I would appreciate you more if you retrieved me a second." Scáthach shook her cup.
"Oh, I have another around here...." I started patting my pockets, as if looking all around. "..somewhere. Oh, here we are." I reached into my pocket and took my hand out a moment later with my middle finger extended. "Oh no, where did this come from?" I flipped her off.
Scáthach just snorted, holding back a small laugh.
Gods I loved that woman.
I kinda didn't want to interfere that much and just let them keep going. So I turned towards Artoria and Jinn who were sharing a little laugh to the side.
They noticed me as I snuck up and wrapped Artoria up from behind, resting my chin on her head. She was definitely the shortest of my girls. Though it in no ways detracted from her beauty.
"Am I interrupting." I asked.
"We were just speaking about –" Artoria began to talk but Jinn cut off her.
"Nuuh!" She quickly interrupted. "I wanna show him everything myself."
Interesting. Regardless, I always enjoy spending time with her and she apparently wanted to show me something she'd been working on.
"My apologies." Artoria nodded with a smile, tilting her head up to see at me. "Do you require our assistance with something?" she asked as her hands grabbed at mine, though she didn't pull me away but instead rested hers atop.
"Well, it's more something I want to speak with you about." I replied. "But before that, how have you been? And is Rin around I haven't seen her in awhile too."
"I have been very well." Artoria stated. "We had been exploring Skyrim's wilderness and diving into some very bleak catacombs, but that has its own excitement. I am however glad to be taking a break from such adventures. As for Rin, she relayed the words – 'I'm going to sleep for the next 10 years, don't wake me up.' Before collapsing on her bed."
"Dungeon diving is fun, lots of loot to take."
"Yes, I believe that is what drives Rin to continue this endeavor." Artoria said dryly. "Though we have yet to find the Bow we had been searching for." She cast a glance at Jinn.
"Oh fine, I'll give some spoilers. I found something interesting, and I want to show you when you had time." Jinn huffed.
"I would love to see what you've been working on. And how have you been Jinn? No one been bullying you at the college have they?" I questioned.
Jinn let out a giggle. "The Archmage made sure everyone treats me well. And an angry Orc is apparently also a good deterrent for most people."
Oh yeah, the Librarian was pretty intimidating.
"Though Ancano did approach me. Demanding answers to certain questions and tried to intimidate me with his 'status'." She snorted.
I paused, remembering that arrogant ass. "I guess he's tired of living."
"Oh, stop being so dramatic." Jinn laughed. "He was annoying but didn't do anything else. I told him off and Urag kicked him out of the library – permanently."
"Alright, alright." I accepted her little hint to not 'over react'. "If he just wants to skulk around and play at being important, it doesn't matter to me." Though if he touches one of my girls, not even his Gods will be able to protect him.
"That reminds me. Rin and I did encounter a contingent of those Thalmor on our adventure." Artoria interjected. "They tried to act as if it were a chance encounter, but I could see through their deceptions. They were interested in both Rin and I and tried to seek some answers regarding you."
"I know you can handle yourself fine. But as your boyfriend, I feel I'm obligated to ask. Need a hand to deal with anything?"
She smiled brightly. "I appreciate your sentiment and intent. And I am happy you acknowledge I can handle the situation. I feel as though it has not spiraled into something messy just yet and I shall be on guard for now so there is no need."
I know I'm defensive of what's close to me. I just don't want to overstep and make them feel like I'm smothering them. And Artoria Is good at talking about things she dislikes and what she wants even if certain romantic nuances are new to her.
Communication is key.
Besides, Meridia is also watching over them and I trusted her absolutely. Speaking off....it's been way too long since I've seen those amazing legs of her.
Almost as if reading my mind, Meridia looked over and quirked an eyebrow.
I grinned at her and mouthed something back.
She flushed.
Alright, stop getting distracted.
"I suppose I don't need to say it, but I'm always here, for anything. Both of you, even if you want to just talk about the inanest of things, I'm always happy to hear from you." I spoke to both Jinn and Artoria.
They shared a look before smiling. "We know, and we appreciate it." Jinn walked forward, wrapping up Artoria from the front.
Artoria looked a little flustered, but in a good way. "There is no need to worry, Wilhelm. We are aware that you have your own responsibilities and your own matters that take you far away. Just as we have things to focus our attention on."
"Good." I nodded. "I just want to make sure I talk about stuff like this more and don't make assumptions." Managing a Harem is looking to be a bit more daunting now that I had all six of my girls in one room.
"You are doing a fine job." Artoria replied. "Now, speak what you wish to truly talk about. We have danced around the matter long enough."
"We're just friends." I huffed.
"Mhmm."
"I believe you, Master." She smiled innocently.
I sighed, knowing this wasn't a fight I would win. We were only friends, why did no one believe me? I mean she's beautiful, yes. And we share many hobbies, and generally have a lot of fun together. But.....she hasn't expressed any kind of feelings like that towards me. And I haven't really flirted with her or anything.
Whatever.
"Anyways." I changed the subject. "How have the little group of misfits been? I distinctly noticed that the city isn't on fire. I'm guessing that's a good sign?"
Yasaka let out a laugh. "You say misfits, is Kunou added to that?"
"You tell me?'
Yasaka snorted in response. "Our little Kunou is getting more and more mischievous. And It's only going to get worse as she gets to 'that' age. She tried to get me to let her skip classes today so she could come with me."
"Isn't it normal for kids to look for any excuse to skip school?"
"Yes, but normal children aren't Youkai who can cast certain spells in an attempt to get out of it."
"Oh jeez, what did she do this time?"
"I'll let her tell you." She said dryly. "Maybe hearing her daddy give her a talking to might make her settle down. Though, I am happy she's been more expressive lately. I'm hoping it evens out soon once she realizing you are a mainstay in our lives."
Ah, I could understand. Kunou didn't have a real 'father' before, so it's sort of a switch in dynamic for the younger girl and she's acting out in this way in response. It's not necessarily bad, but it should be something we talk to her about. "It makes me really happy that you're talking to me about parenting problems, even if I have no idea what I'm doing here." I smiled.
"Oh honey, you make it sound like any parent knows what they're doing." She reached for my hand, taking it in hers. "Right, Raikou?"
"Fufu, of course. With my Kintoki I, to this day, didn't know what I was doing and just tried my best to raise him appropriately." Raikou agreed.
"And you are her parent now. You accepted that role, and you accepted both of us just as we have you." She playfully poked me in the chest. "So, I expect you to behave as such, mister. That means helping me rein in our little hellion. And believe me, that will be a trial in and of itself."
"I look forward to everything that entails." I took her hand and squeezed it.
She softened her expression again. "I really did luck out with you, didn't I?" That genuine smile on her face was one I always loved to see. "But I got a little off topic. Mordred hasn't been doing much, I haven't gotten any real reports. They're just enjoying my city from what I've seen. Achilles and Atalanta have taken a job to hunt down some Vampires causing issues in the human Kyoto. We had some reports about several dozen humans drained of their blood and such. And the Serial killer hasn't caused any issues yet."
"Well, it seems like everything is going well."
"About as well as can be." She nodded. "We're still dealing with the after effects of the attack, but we're going to feel this for several more years before it's done."
"Do you require any aid? I may not be much help, but I am adept with my sword." Raikou offered in a show of concern.
"I wouldn't say no to any help. Gods above, we're seeing an abnormal number of strays from dozens of different species and factions and they're all causing trouble." Yasaka let out a sigh. "And our resources are....not very good right now. So it's difficult to pay for outside assistance in dealing with these things since my own people are already running ragged."
"Hey." I squeezed her hand again. "It's not just Raikou. Tell me what you need and I'll do it. I can get ahold of many things, even the most mundane, in large quantities if needed. Or if you want me to bring my sword to bear against someone. I want to alleviate some of your burden."
"You're sweet." She smiled brightly. "Both of you." She turned towards Raikou. "Give me a couple days, let me see what's the biggest priority and I'll figure something out."
"I heard the last bit of the conversation." Scáthach stepped over. "My spear will be available if you require aid, as well." Scáthach offered.
"I'm pretty good at Magic." Jinn spoke up. "I can also help move things back and forth if you need anything."
"Rin and I were taking a break from exploring the Wilderness. I can offer whatever aid I'm able. I have my pride as a Knight, do not hesitate to call upon me." Artoria joined in.
"I do not believe it is wise for me to show myself in any blatant manner. But....I can call upon my followers if it's merely resources you require." Meridia spoke up in a rare show of concern.
Both her and Scáthach seemed to be really trying to build bridges here.
"You all...." Yasaka looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Thank you, it's been hard dealing with all these messes."
I didn't realize how hard she's had it since then.....I needed to be more attentive in the future.
Well, I have something to work towards now. Help Artoria and Mordred figure things out. Go visit Izzy in the next few days, and help Yasaka clean up the messes from the attack.
"Shall we speak of the changes our shared interest has gone through, now?" Meridia spoke up.
"Pardon?"
"Do you think you could hide the changes to your existence from me?" She put her hands on her hips. "You are very different and have things you shouldn't have. Now you will speak. Why do you possess divinity? And keep in mind that I am able to retrieve such information easily." She pointed towards the piece of fabric binding my hair. And I recalled that she did something to it so she could see what I've been up to.
"I believe that is a wonderful idea." Artoria turned to look at me with a blank expression.
"Divinity?" Yasaka also stared at me intently. "How could you possibly obtain divinity?"
"I don't understand either." Jinn muttered. "What could have happened for such a thing to happen?"
"Yes, Wilhelm. Please regale us with the tale of how you acquired this." Meridia snorted.
"Um....it's a funny story actually." And I completely forgot I had to explain how I decided to fight a God to my significant others.
"Do speak, I will fact check for them." Scáthach looked all too amused.
"It's not good to lie, Master." Raikou seemed to join in as well.
"I blame Zelretch."
"No. Try again." Meridia immediately denied.
"Crap, that usually works."
***
Taking the intro a little bit slow for now, but things will begin picking up. And I feel like I need to clarify, because too many people asked about this. On the interlude, when Akatosh took the spear, people kept saying I need to fix it because Wilhelm had the spear. Did yall miss the fact that Akatosh is the God of Time....I literally wrote about him messing with the time line like right before he retrieved it.
Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 225:
"Alright, this one is for Scáthach." I used telekinesis to float a cup of coffee over to her. "Meridia, Yasaka, Raikou." I floated them over as well.
"Mmm, so this is coffee." Scáthach seemed to savor the taste. "I enjoy it."
"There are also many things you can add to alter the taste as well." I spoke up.
"I shall experiment with this beverage at a later time." She nodded happily, going back to her chat with Meridia.
Honestly, I thought they would butt heads, which they kind of did initially, but they seemed to have found some common ground. Scáthach was telling of her time in the Land of Shadows while Meridia listened aptly.
Raikou seemed to have hit it off with Yasaka on this second go around. Swapping stories from each of their times in their respective Kyoto. I was surprised by how much Raikou was opening up, as she usually didn't like to talk about her past.
"And Tea for Jinn and Artoria." I floated them over to my last two girls who were also having an animated conversation.
"Thank's Will~" Jinn winked at me.
"Thank you, Wilhelm." Artoria smiled.
Artoria wasn't really into bitter things, and Jinn's preferences seemed to change with her mood.
"Well, I'm glad that some people appreciate my effort." I very obviously looked over at the other four who practically ignored me. Though I wasn't truly upset, I was very happy they were all getting along.
"I would appreciate you more if you retrieved me a second." Scáthach shook her cup.
"Oh, I have another around here...." I started patting my pockets, as if looking all around. "..somewhere. Oh, here we are." I reached into my pocket and took my hand out a moment later with my middle finger extended. "Oh no, where did this come from?" I flipped her off.
Scáthach just snorted, holding back a small laugh.
Gods I loved that woman.
I kinda didn't want to interfere that much and just let them keep going. So I turned towards Artoria and Jinn who were sharing a little laugh to the side.
They noticed me as I snuck up and wrapped Artoria up from behind, resting my chin on her head. She was definitely the shortest of my girls. Though it in no ways detracted from her beauty.
"Am I interrupting." I asked.
"We were just speaking about –" Artoria began to talk but Jinn cut off her.
"Nuuh!" She quickly interrupted. "I wanna show him everything myself."
Interesting. Regardless, I always enjoy spending time with her and she apparently wanted to show me something she'd been working on.
"My apologies." Artoria nodded with a smile, tilting her head up to see at me. "Do you require our assistance with something?" she asked as her hands grabbed at mine, though she didn't pull me away but instead rested hers atop.
"Well, it's more something I want to speak with you about." I replied. "But before that, how have you been? And is Rin around I haven't seen her in awhile too."
"I have been very well." Artoria stated. "We had been exploring Skyrim's wilderness and diving into some very bleak catacombs, but that has its own excitement. I am however glad to be taking a break from such adventures. As for Rin, she relayed the words – 'I'm going to sleep for the next 10 years, don't wake me up.' Before collapsing on her bed."
"Dungeon diving is fun, lots of loot to take."
"Yes, I believe that is what drives Rin to continue this endeavor." Artoria said dryly. "Though we have yet to find the Bow we had been searching for." She cast a glance at Jinn.
"Oh fine, I'll give some spoilers. I found something interesting, and I want to show you when you had time." Jinn huffed.
"I would love to see what you've been working on. And how have you been Jinn? No one been bullying you at the college have they?" I questioned.
Jinn let out a giggle. "The Archmage made sure everyone treats me well. And an angry Orc is apparently also a good deterrent for most people."
Oh yeah, the Librarian was pretty intimidating.
"Though Ancano did approach me. Demanding answers to certain questions and tried to intimidate me with his 'status'." She snorted.
I paused, remembering that arrogant ass. "I guess he's tired of living."
"Oh, stop being so dramatic." Jinn laughed. "He was annoying but didn't do anything else. I told him off and Urag kicked him out of the library – permanently."
"Alright, alright." I accepted her little hint to not 'over react'. "If he just wants to skulk around and play at being important, it doesn't matter to me." Though if he touches one of my girls, not even his Gods will be able to protect him.
"That reminds me. Rin and I did encounter a contingent of those Thalmor on our adventure." Artoria interjected. "They tried to act as if it were a chance encounter, but I could see through their deceptions. They were interested in both Rin and I and tried to seek some answers regarding you."
"I know you can handle yourself fine. But as your boyfriend, I feel I'm obligated to ask. Need a hand to deal with anything?"
She smiled brightly. "I appreciate your sentiment and intent. And I am happy you acknowledge I can handle the situation. I feel as though it has not spiraled into something messy just yet and I shall be on guard for now so there is no need."
I know I'm defensive of what's close to me. I just don't want to overstep and make them feel like I'm smothering them. And Artoria Is good at talking about things she dislikes and what she wants even if certain romantic nuances are new to her.
Communication is key.
Besides, Meridia is also watching over them and I trusted her absolutely. Speaking off....it's been way too long since I've seen those amazing legs of her.
Almost as if reading my mind, Meridia looked over and quirked an eyebrow.
I grinned at her and mouthed something back.
She flushed.
Alright, stop getting distracted.
"I suppose I don't need to say it, but I'm always here, for anything. Both of you, even if you want to just talk about the inanest of things, I'm always happy to hear from you." I spoke to both Jinn and Artoria.
They shared a look before smiling. "We know, and we appreciate it." Jinn walked forward, wrapping up Artoria from the front.
Artoria looked a little flustered, but in a good way. "There is no need to worry, Wilhelm. We are aware that you have your own responsibilities and your own matters that take you far away. Just as we have things to focus our attention on."
"Good." I nodded. "I just want to make sure I talk about stuff like this more and don't make assumptions." Managing a Harem is looking to be a bit more daunting now that I had all six of my girls in one room.
"You are doing a fine job." Artoria replied. "Now, speak what you wish to truly talk about. We have danced around the matter long enough."
"We're just friends." I huffed.
"Mhmm."
"I believe you, Master." She smiled innocently.
I sighed, knowing this wasn't a fight I would win. We were only friends, why did no one believe me? I mean she's beautiful, yes. And we share many hobbies, and generally have a lot of fun together. But.....she hasn't expressed any kind of feelings like that towards me. And I haven't really flirted with her or anything.
Whatever.
"Anyways." I changed the subject. "How have the little group of misfits been? I distinctly noticed that the city isn't on fire. I'm guessing that's a good sign?"
Yasaka let out a laugh. "You say misfits, is Kunou added to that?"
"You tell me?'
Yasaka snorted in response. "Our little Kunou is getting more and more mischievous. And It's only going to get worse as she gets to 'that' age. She tried to get me to let her skip classes today so she could come with me."
"Isn't it normal for kids to look for any excuse to skip school?"
"Yes, but normal children aren't Youkai who can cast certain spells in an attempt to get out of it."
"Oh jeez, what did she do this time?"
"I'll let her tell you." She said dryly. "Maybe hearing her daddy give her a talking to might make her settle down. Though, I am happy she's been more expressive lately. I'm hoping it evens out soon once she realizing you are a mainstay in our lives."
Ah, I could understand. Kunou didn't have a real 'father' before, so it's sort of a switch in dynamic for the younger girl and she's acting out in this way in response. It's not necessarily bad, but it should be something we talk to her about. "It makes me really happy that you're talking to me about parenting problems, even if I have no idea what I'm doing here." I smiled.
"Oh honey, you make it sound like any parent knows what they're doing." She reached for my hand, taking it in hers. "Right, Raikou?"
"Fufu, of course. With my Kintoki I, to this day, didn't know what I was doing and just tried my best to raise him appropriately." Raikou agreed.
"And you are her parent now. You accepted that role, and you accepted both of us just as we have you." She playfully poked me in the chest. "So, I expect you to behave as such, mister. That means helping me rein in our little hellion. And believe me, that will be a trial in and of itself."
"I look forward to everything that entails." I took her hand and squeezed it.
She softened her expression again. "I really did luck out with you, didn't I?" That genuine smile on her face was one I always loved to see. "But I got a little off topic. Mordred hasn't been doing much, I haven't gotten any real reports. They're just enjoying my city from what I've seen. Achilles and Atalanta have taken a job to hunt down some Vampires causing issues in the human Kyoto. We had some reports about several dozen humans drained of their blood and such. And the Serial killer hasn't caused any issues yet."
"Well, it seems like everything is going well."
"About as well as can be." She nodded. "We're still dealing with the after effects of the attack, but we're going to feel this for several more years before it's done."
"Do you require any aid? I may not be much help, but I am adept with my sword." Raikou offered in a show of concern.
"I wouldn't say no to any help. Gods above, we're seeing an abnormal number of strays from dozens of different species and factions and they're all causing trouble." Yasaka let out a sigh. "And our resources are....not very good right now. So it's difficult to pay for outside assistance in dealing with these things since my own people are already running ragged."
"Hey." I squeezed her hand again. "It's not just Raikou. Tell me what you need and I'll do it. I can get ahold of many things, even the most mundane, in large quantities if needed. Or if you want me to bring my sword to bear against someone. I want to alleviate some of your burden."
"You're sweet." She smiled brightly. "Both of you." She turned towards Raikou. "Give me a couple days, let me see what's the biggest priority and I'll figure something out."
"I heard the last bit of the conversation." Scáthach stepped over. "My spear will be available if you require aid, as well." Scáthach offered.
"I'm pretty good at Magic." Jinn spoke up. "I can also help move things back and forth if you need anything."
"Rin and I were taking a break from exploring the Wilderness. I can offer whatever aid I'm able. I have my pride as a Knight, do not hesitate to call upon me." Artoria joined in.
"I do not believe it is wise for me to show myself in any blatant manner. But....I can call upon my followers if it's merely resources you require." Meridia spoke up in a rare show of concern.
Both her and Scáthach seemed to be really trying to build bridges here.
"You all...." Yasaka looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Thank you, it's been hard dealing with all these messes."
I didn't realize how hard she's had it since then.....I needed to be more attentive in the future.
Well, I have something to work towards now. Help Artoria and Mordred figure things out. Go visit Izzy in the next few days, and help Yasaka clean up the messes from the attack.
"Shall we speak of the changes our shared interest has gone through, now?" Meridia spoke up.
"Pardon?"
"Do you think you could hide the changes to your existence from me?" She put her hands on her hips. "You are very different and have things you shouldn't have. Now you will speak. Why do you possess divinity? And keep in mind that I am able to retrieve such information easily." She pointed towards the piece of fabric binding my hair. And I recalled that she did something to it so she could see what I've been up to.
"I believe that is a wonderful idea." Artoria turned to look at me with a blank expression.
"Divinity?" Yasaka also stared at me intently. "How could you possibly obtain divinity?"
"I don't understand either." Jinn muttered. "What could have happened for such a thing to happen?"
"Yes, Wilhelm. Please regale us with the tale of how you acquired this." Meridia snorted.
"Um....it's a funny story actually." And I completely forgot I had to explain how I decided to fight a God to my significant others.
"Do speak, I will fact check for them." Scáthach looked all too amused.
"It's not good to lie, Master." Raikou seemed to join in as well.
"I blame Zelretch."
"No. Try again." Meridia immediately denied.
"Crap, that usually works."
***
Taking the intro a little bit slow for now, but things will begin picking up. And I feel like I need to clarify, because too many people asked about this. On the interlude, when Akatosh took the spear, people kept saying I need to fix it because Wilhelm had the spear. Did yall miss the fact that Akatosh is the God of Time....I literally wrote about him messing with the time line like right before he retrieved it.
Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone
Chapter 225:"Alright, this one is for Scathach." I used telekinesis to float a cup of coffee over to her. "Meridia, Yasaka, Raikou." I floated them over as well. "Mmm, so this is coffee." Scathach seemed to savor the taste. "I enjoy it." "There are also many things you can add to alter the taste as well." I spoke up. "I shall experiment with this beverage at a later time." She nodded happily, going back to her chat with Meridia. Honestly, I thought they would butt heads, which they kind of did initially, but they seemed to have found some common ground. Scathach was telling of her time in the Land of Shadows while Meridia listened aptly. Raikou seemed to have hit it off with Yasaka on this second go around. Swapping stories from each of their times in their respective Kyoto. I was surprised by how much Raikou was opening up, as she usually didn't like to talk about her past. "And Tea for Jinn and Artoria." I floated them over to my last two girls who were also having an animated conversation. "Thank's Will~" Jinn winked at me. "Thank you, Wilhelm." Artoria smiled. Artoria wasn't really into bitter things, and Jinn's preferences seemed to change with her mood. "Well, I'm glad that some people appreciate my effort." I very obviously looked over at the other four who practically ignored me. Though I wasn't truly upset, I was very happy they were all getting along. "I would appreciate you more if you retrieved me a second." Scathach shook her cup. "Oh, I have another around here...." I started patting my pockets, as if looking all around. "..somewhere. Oh, here we are." I reached into my pocket and took my hand out a moment later with my middle finger extended. "Oh no, where did this come from?" I flipped her off. Scathach just snorted, holding back a small laugh. Gods I loved that woman. I kinda didn't want to interfere that much and just let them keep going. So I turned towards Artoria and Jinn who were sharing a little laugh to the side. They noticed me as I snuck up and wrapped Artoria up from behind, resting my chin on her head. She was definitely the shortest of my girls. Though it in no ways detracted from her beauty. "Am I interrupting." I asked. "We were just speaking about " Artoria began to talk but Jinn cut off her. "Nuuh!" She quickly interrupted. "I wanna show him everything myself." Interesting. Regardless, I always enjoy spending time with her and she apparently wanted to show me something she'd been working on. "My apologies." Artoria nodded with a smile, tilting her head up to see at me. "Do you require our assistance with something?" she asked as her hands grabbed at mine, though she didn't pull me away but instead rested hers atop. "Well, it's more something I want to speak with you about." I replied. "But before that, how have you been? And is Rin around I haven't seen her in awhile too." "I have been very well." Artoria stated. "We had been exploring Skyrim's wilderness and diving into some very bleak catacombs, but that has its own excitement. I am however glad to be taking a break from such adventures. As for Rin, she relayed the words 'I'm going to sleep for the next 10 years, don't wake me up.' Before collapsing on her bed." "Dungeon diving is fun, lots of loot to take." "Yes, I believe that is what drives Rin to continue this endeavor." Artoria said dryly. "Though we have yet to find the Bow we had been searching for." She cast a glance at Jinn. "Oh fine, I'll give some spoilers. I found something interesting, and I want to show you when you had time." Jinn huffed. "I would love to see what you've been working on. And how have you been Jinn? No one been bullying you at the college have they?" I questioned. Jinn let out a giggle. "The Archmage made sure everyone treats me well. And an angry Orc is apparently also a good deterrent for most people." Oh yeah, the Librarian was pretty intimidating. "Though Ancano did approach me. Demanding answers to certain questions and tried to intimidate me with his 'status'." She snorted. I paused, remembering that arrogant ass. "I guess he's tired of living." "Oh, stop being so dramatic." Jinn laughed. "He was annoying but didn't do anything else. I told him off and Urag kicked him out of the library permanently." "Alright, alright." I accepted her little hint to not 'over react'. "If he just wants to skulk around and play at being important, it doesn't matter to me." Though if he touches one of my girls, not even his Gods will be able to protect him. "That reminds me. Rin and I did encounter a contingent of those Thalmor on our adventure." Artoria interjected. "They tried to act as if it were a chance encounter, but I could see through their deceptions. They were interested in both Rin and I and tried to seek some answers regarding you." "I know you can handle yourself fine. But as your boyfriend, I feel I'm obligated to ask. Need a hand to deal with anything?" She smiled brightly. "I appreciate your sentiment and intent. And I am happy you acknowledge I can handle the situation. I feel as though it has not spiraled into something messy just yet and I shall be on guard for now so there is no need." I know I'm defensive of what's close to me. I just don't want to overstep and make them feel like I'm smothering them. And Artoria Is good at talking about things she dislikes and what she wants even if certain romantic nuances are new to her. Communication is key. Besides, Meridia is also watching over them and I trusted her absolutely. Speaking off....it's been way too long since I've seen those amazing legs of her. Almost as if reading my mind, Meridia looked over and quirked an eyebrow. I grinned at her and mouthed something back. She flushed. Alright, stop getting distracted. "I suppose I don't need to say it, but I'm always here, for anything. Both of you, even if you want to just talk about the inanest of things, I'm always happy to hear from you." I spoke to both Jinn and Artoria. They shared a look before smiling. "We know, and we appreciate it." Jinn walked forward, wrapping up Artoria from the front. Artoria looked a little flustered, but in a good way. "There is no need to worry, Wilhelm. We are aware that you have your own responsibilities and your own matters that take you far away. Just as we have things to focus our attention on." "Good." I nodded. "I just want to make sure I talk about stuff like this more and don't make assumptions." Managing a Harem is looking to be a bit more daunting now that I had all six of my girls in one room. "You are doing a fine job." Artoria replied. "Now, speak what you wish to truly talk about. We have danced around the matter long enough." "We're just friends." I huffed. "Mhmm." "I believe you, Master." She smiled innocently. I sighed, knowing this wasn't a fight I would win. We were only friends, why did no one believe me? I mean she's beautiful, yes. And we share many hobbies, and generally have a lot of fun together. But.....she hasn't expressed any kind of feelings like that towards me. And I haven't really flirted with her or anything. Whatever. "Anyways." I changed the subject. "How have the little group of misfits been? I distinctly noticed that the city isn't on fire. I'm guessing that's a good sign?" Yasaka let out a laugh. "You say misfits, is Kunou added to that?" "You tell me?' Yasaka snorted in response. "Our little Kunou is getting more and more mischievous. And It's only going to get worse as she gets to 'that' age. She tried to get me to let her skip classes today so she could come with me." "Isn't it normal for kids to look for any excuse to skip school?" "Yes, but normal children aren't Youkai who can cast certain spells in an attempt to get out of it." "Oh jeez, what did she do this time?" "I'll let her tell you." She said dryly. "Maybe hearing her daddy give her a talking to might make her settle down. Though, I am happy she's been more expressive lately. I'm hoping it evens out soon once she realizing you are a mainstay in our lives." Ah, I could understand. Kunou didn't have a real 'father' before, so it's sort of a switch in dynamic for the younger girl and she's acting out in this way in response. It's not necessarily bad, but it should be something we talk to her about. "It makes me really happy that you're talking to me about parenting problems, even if I have no idea what I'm doing here." I smiled. "Oh honey, you make it sound like any parent knows what they're doing." She reached for my hand, taking it in hers. "Right, Raikou?" "Fufu, of course. With my Kintoki I, to this day, didn't know what I was doing and just tried my best to raise him appropriately." Raikou agreed. "And you are her parent now. You accepted that role, and you accepted both of us just as we have you." She playfully poked me in the chest. "So, I expect you to behave as such, mister. That means helping me rein in our little hellion. And believe me, that will be a trial in and of itself." "I look forward to everything that entails." I took her hand and squeezed it. She softened her expression again. "I really did luck out with you, didn't I?" That genuine smile on her face was one I always loved to see. "But I got a little off topic. Mordred hasn't been doing much, I haven't gotten any real reports. They're just enjoying my city from what I've seen. Achilles and Atalanta have taken a job to hunt down some Vampires causing issues in the human Kyoto. We had some reports about several dozen humans drained of their blood and such. And the Serial killer hasn't caused any issues yet." "Well, it seems like everything is going well." "About as well as can be." She nodded. "We're still dealing with the after effects of the attack, but we're going to feel this for several more years before it's done." "Do you require any aid? I may not be much help, but I am adept with my sword." Raikou offered in a show of concern. "I wouldn't say no to any help. Gods above, we're seeing an abnormal number of strays from dozens of different species and factions and they're all causing trouble." Yasaka let out a sigh. "And our resources are....not very good right now. So it's difficult to pay for outside assistance in dealing with these things since my own people are already running ragged." "Hey." I squeezed her hand again. "It's not just Raikou. Tell me what you need and I'll do it. I can get ahold of many things, even the most mundane, in large quantities if needed. Or if you want me to bring my sword to bear against someone. I want to alleviate some of your burden." "You're sweet." She smiled brightly. "Both of you." She turned towards Raikou. "Give me a couple days, let me see what's the biggest priority and I'll figure something out." "I heard the last bit of the conversation." Scathach stepped over. "My spear will be available if you require aid, as well." Scathach offered. "I'm pretty good at Magic." Jinn spoke up. "I can also help move things back and forth if you need anything." "Rin and I were taking a break from exploring the Wilderness. I can offer whatever aid I'm able. I have my pride as a Knight, do not hesitate to call upon me." Artoria joined in. "I do not believe it is wise for me to show myself in any blatant manner. But....I can call upon my followers if it's merely resources you require." Meridia spoke up in a rare show of concern. Both her and Scathach seemed to be really trying to build bridges here. "You all...." Yasaka looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Thank you, it's been hard dealing with all these messes." I didn't realize how hard she's had it since then.....I needed to be more attentive in the future. Well, I have something to work towards now. Help Artoria and Mordred figure things out. Go visit Izzy in the next few days, and help Yasaka clean up the messes from the attack. "Shall we speak of the changes our shared interest has gone through, now?" Meridia spoke up. "Pardon?" "Do you think you could hide the changes to your existence from me?" She put her hands on her hips. "You are very different and have things you shouldn't have. Now you will speak. Why do you possess divinity? And keep in mind that I am able to retrieve such information easily." She pointed towards the piece of fabric binding my hair. And I recalled that she did something to it so she could see what I've been up to. "I believe that is a wonderful idea." Artoria turned to look at me with a blank expression. "Divinity?" Yasaka also stared at me intently. "How could you possibly obtain divinity?" "I don't understand either." Jinn muttered. "What could have happened for such a thing to happen?" "Yes, Wilhelm. Please regale us with the tale of how you acquired this." Meridia snorted. "Um....it's a funny story actually." And I completely forgot I had to explain how I decided to fight a God to my significant others. "Do speak, I will fact check for them." Scathach looked all too amused. "It's not good to lie, Master." Raikou seemed to join in as well. "I blame Zelretch." "No. Try again." Meridia immediately denied. "Crap, that usually works." *** Taking the intro a little bit slow for now, but things will begin picking up. And I feel like I need to clarify, because too many people asked about this. On the interlude, when Akatosh took the spear, people kept saying I need to fix it because Wilhelm had the spear. Did yall miss the fact that Akatosh is the God of Time....I literally wrote about him messing with the time line like right before he retrieved it. Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone
