“What exactly is your meaning, my Lord? This one is your loyal Knight! It is only natural that this one is by your side,” Theodore said as they walked.
“Theo,” Drake smiled wryly, “I’m not sending you away. I want you to help me because I know only you can do it. I want you to nurture the next generation with me, that’s the best way to help me.”
Theodore twirled his mustache for a moment, pondering Drake’s words.
“Understandable… But this one still does not see the benefit of having one such as this one in a magic academy?”
“I want you to take on the very important job of designing the school and the courses, Natto will help of course, and give you everything you need.”
“I will?” Natto asked, taking a bite of her potato chip.
Drake snatched the bag from her hands, her next bite tearing into nothing but air as her teeth clanked against each other giving her a small smirk.
“I most certainly will!” she amended, receiving her potato snackage back from Drake.
“Now let's go get one more thing,” Drake instructed, pointing down the road.
“Are we not going thitherward to the Auction house as thou instructed earlier?” Theodore asked.
“We are,” Drake affirmed, “But first I want to get a building from the Center I noticed earlier, it's cheap so I can still afford it before I need to go out and it will help a lot with everything we are doing while I’m gone.”
“What wouldeth that be my Lord?”
“A library my dear Theodore, a Library.”
Being in a hurry, Drake, Theodore, and Natto refrained from asking too many questions to the sassy, temperamental construct.
Leaving the center Theodore asked several questions to Drake, trying to clarify what his role exactly would be as the headmaster of the school.
“Well, like I said. I want you to basically lead and guide the kids from normal schooling. Preschool, kindergarten, etc. All the way up to them graduating. Which for the foreseeable future will be 18, giving them 2 years of proper training and education once they have gained classes if they wish. My plan is to keep schooling normal with some added classes for education on monsters and our new world as we learn about it. Right now though I only want you to deal with those willing to enroll. We’re going to keep the class small since we don’t have instructors really. But don’t worry I have plans about fixing that very soon,” Drake grinned mischievously.
“Will this one have freedom to add classes and courses as this one wishes?” Theodore asked, tapping his sleek black cane to his chin.
“Of course, you are the headmaster,” Drake nodded, wrapping his knuckle lightly on Theodore's shoulder.
Theodore smiled widely, “Marvelous! This one understands perfectly! It shall be the most magnificent of structures, this one swears it!”
Drake suddenly got a bad feeling, “W-wait, don’t go too far Theo,” he laughed nervously, “Keep it small for now.”
“Of course! Small but extraordinary!”
Drake gave up, hanging his head with a sigh as they went to the area he planned to place the Library as well as the base for the school.
“My Lord is this not more than just a stone’s throw from the town is it not?” Theodore looked around seeing that they were even outside the constructed walls.
“Yup. I plan on having this school be pretty big. It is going to eventually house grades from K through 12, maybe even all the way to college. And it will also include the whole world!” Drake smiled widely, “It will be the premier education, magic, profession, and adventuring school in the world. At least that's the plan.”
Natto looked around on his shoulder, “It seems that we are on the very end of the sphere of influence at the moment as well. It should not be a problem as long as you continue to increase your nobility rank. Speaking of such, have you looked at the ladder recently? I would certainly think you are close to increasing your rank at this point. We have had quite the number of quests completed by the townsfolk.”
“Not really, I’ve been so busy…” Drake admitted, “I haven’t had a breather to do much of anything if I’m being honest and it’s only going to get worse I’m sure,” he laughed wearily.
“You must keep up to date on such things, the higher on the ladder that you remain, the more likely it is for you to receive support from the other towns in the summit. You have only so many days to impress them with only the ladder. We unfortunately do not have communication with any other towns currently,” she explained.
“Right. Well, I’ll look when I’m with Sarah, we're basically going on a stroll to map out the kid’s leveling plan. Don’t forget to have a list for me ready by the time we leave. I already gave you the classes I’m going to have them use so I need complimentary skill combinations. For the twins, I still have to ask, but I’m sure it won't be a problem once I get back since they already have their main classes.”
“It will be done by the time you return,” Natto said evenly, looking at Drake from the side, “The Auction is also prepared for yes?”
“Yeah all set to go, somehow Taliya agreed to take care of it.”
“Do not lean on the she-fox too heavily. Everything in the multiverse has a cost and no one, especially one of such a high rank as her, will not do something not expecting something in return eventually,” Natto warned.
“I know that,” Drake said firmly, remembering the Dragon Matriarch, “But that’s in the future, right now we need to get this library installed and I’ll have to put up a temporary wall to cover the area. It’s a system building so it should be fine against monsters for now right?” he asked, pulling the building from his inventory a familiar green outline coming into vision.
“Yes, it will be fine, but I will have some of the orcs we have recruited as well as some of the adventurers patrol the area regularly.”
Drake nodded confirming the building in its location. He smiled looking at Theodore gape in wonder at the process he had seen several times already.
“Crazy isn’t it? I was the same way the first time,” Drake smiled.
“Yes my Lord, this is most wondrous! Fascinating!” Theodore beamed.
Once the building had finished materializing, Drake gave it a once over.
The building was a matte grey material but didn’t strike him as concrete, it had detailed pillars outlining a hexagonal-shaped building, and sticking out of the middle poking up above the roof was a fountain of pink water. Empty banners rolled and whipped in the breeze along the roof snapping against the wind.
“Fancy,” Drake grinned, “Let’s go meet the person or people inside yeah?” he said slapping Theodore’s back, making him lurch forward with a gasp.
“Y-yes my Lord….” Theodore winced.
Approaching the building Drake was surprised that there was a small cobbled undercropping behind the pillars giving it a very expansive feel.
“Pretty extra for just a library…” he mumbled, walking through the open archway made of some kind of lacquered wood.
Immediately as they entered the smell of paper and wood assaulted their noses, but not the same musty smell one would expect from old books, but a fresh scent almost like a forest.
And once they panned their vision over the library for a moment they found out why.
Sitting, or standing? They weren’t sure which was a man or better described as a tree in the form of a man. His skin was a dark brown and had the visible textile of bark. His head extended upward into a cropping of small branches with leaves and his fingers were elongated into thin branches, almost roots that creaked as they moved and bent, turning the page of the book he was looking at.
His head turned upward slightly the sound of a moaning oak bending in the breeze accompanying the motion revealing his deep green eyes.
“May…. I….. Help… you…?” he said in a long drawn-out tone.
“Hiya,” Drake waved, “Just stopping in to greet you and welcome you to the town. Is it alright if we take a look around? Oh, and I have some stuff from our old world I’d like to store here if possible.”
“All… knowledge… is... welcomed… here… “ he nodded slowly.
“Great!” Drake grinned, dumping all the books he had taken from the university and various other places he visited when rescuing people from the city.
The tree man’s eyes widened slowly as he saw the books piled on the floor, his hands extending slowly to grab and pile them neatly next to the desk. His hands stopped though on several picture books Drake had let join the pile.
“What… are… these…? Drawn… epics…?” the man asked.
“Oh, good taste! That’s Love Hina! The tale of a man in love with a girl, not one of my favorites but a classic all the same. May I recommend this one?” Drake smirked pulling a manga from the pile, “Toradora, now that’s the epitome of RomCom and don’t let anyone in any universe tell you different,” he said firmly.
The tree man wrapped his fingers gently around the book in interest, “Will…read.”
“Good man. Now we’ll be taking a look around, but could you give me a rundown of what’s available in this place?”
The tree man nodded, “There… is… many… books… and… knowledge… here… limited… to… low… ranked… but… more… with… power…”
Before the tree man could continue Drake held up a hand, knowing that the speed at which the tree man spoke would take too long.
“Is there perhaps a list or catalog you could give me instead? No offense but kind of in a hurry…”
A single finger extended from the man’s hand moving past Drake quickly and out of sight, returning a few moments later with a large book with a red leather-bound cover.
“Perfect! Thank you….?”
“I… am… Hector…. Tyri…. Keeper… of… Knowledge….” Hector answered giving a small bow of his head.
“Nice to meet you, Hector. I’m Drake, Drake Wallen.”
“Theodore Rotwood, good sir,” Theodore added, giving a small bow of his own.
“And this misfit is Natto, administrator of the town, I’m sure you will see her often,” Drake chuckled, Natto giving him a glare, crossing her arms.
“Then, we'll be on our way, Hec.”
Leaving the caretaker of the library they began walking the building briefly. The floor was made of sturdy dark wood, with carpets of red fur lining the aisles between the large bookshelves. There were rounding staircases that grew from the ground as if the building was alive inside, small branches with green leaves on the guard rails leading upwards.
After the second floor, they were blocked by interlocking roots leading the the higher floors.
“Guess that's as far as we can go at this rank huh?” Drake mused looking at the slightly slithering roots.
“It would appear so my Lord,” Theodore agreed, slightly poking the roots with his cane.
“Then let's take a look at that fountain really quick before we go.”
Moving back down the staircase they found their way with some directions from Hector to the courtyard that was in the center of the building.
Once back ‘outside’ an expansive open area with chairs, benches, and tables littered the courtyard. In the center, a large fountain shot up a stream of pink-tinted water that gave a springtime feel to the otherwise winter atmosphere that should have been there.
Drake looked upwards seeing a clear sky and not the same gray clouds he was sure were there.
“Huh, that’s not right…” he muttered.
“We are within a temporal spatial dimension, technically even the sky is of another world after we enter the front door,” Natto explained looking up at the sky as well.
“That explains no snow here, that's pretty cool,” Drake mused, “It’s a pretty good place for a date…” he added under his breath.
Satisfied with their tour the group left, Theodore still peppering Drake with more questions and excited ideas for the school they intended to raise around the library as they took care of their business inside the Auction House.
Theodore was once again surprised at the new experience, seeing the many races within the Auction House and the higher-ranking people who seemed to meander about the place, garnering a few eyes his way because of his proximity to Drake.
Once done they exited and moved to the north gate where they planned to meet up with the girls before he left.
“So you haven’t told me how your journey was on the way here Theo, how exactly did you guys meet up with Megan and Julia too?” Drake asked, sitting down at the gate with him, Natto kicking her feet back and forth in between them on the table.
“Well my Lord, after we set out hitherward to our destination, it was quite the perilous journey! Many monsters scour the lands now, I am sure thou has witnessed it as well. The animals that once populated the land have become beasts, infused and empowered by the magic in the world. There are also monsters of which this one could not say are from our once beloved world,” Theodore explained, taking a sip from his cup, a satisfied breath, “The two that hath joined my love and this one on their journey however… We somehow came across them when we were traversing a relatively intact highway. They had set up in a nonfunctioning gas-powered form of transportation, resting for a moment. And Harley had picked them up with her survey skill.”
Drake nodded content with listening to Theodore.
“We had crossed paths with many others in the same manner…” Theodore continued a tone of regret crossing over his voice, “But not all are such a joyous rendition of the fantasies we have read. Many of our meetings ended in, well, this one is sure his Lord understands without saying,” he explained clearing his throat.
Drake knew exactly what Theodore was eluding to. The world was a version of what he thought might happen when power was given to them, but it had still turned out worse than he expected. Many of the people used the power for whatever they pleased, giving in to their desires wholeheartedly. Even his brother, one he thought was long gone, seemed to have gone down a path he wasn’t sure he could bring him back from.
“It has been a bumpy ride hasn’t it?” Drake chuckled wryly.
[Guardian of the South - Macrium Golem Mega-Terraforma Glacia has been slain by Leonardo Velcruz - The True Hunter]
[Global Quest has been updated, 2 of 4 Cardinal Beasts remaining]
“Looks like it's only going to get bumpier… Someone who’s strong enough to beat a Cardinal Beast this early as well? Maybe it's…” Drake thought aloud hearing the notification, but was brought from his thoughts by the incoming footsteps.
“Patriarch! Please relieve me of this unending embarrassment! I am a warrior of the Rahk! Not some toy to be dressed at the whims of this woman!” Sah Ul’ growled.
Drake laughed but his voice was caught in his throat as he looked at Sah Ul’. Harley had dressed her up in an outfit he knew well. She was wearing a sweater that every weeb would know. A gray turtleneck sweater, modified with a cat chest window, the sides and back cut to expose her curvaceous sides and well-defined back. Long stalkings of see-through gray lace covered her legs up past her knees giving homage to the holy absolute territory.
“Zettai Roiki….” Drake mumbled finally, covering his face and mouth, a bead of red slipping through his fingers as he turned his rapidly heating face.
“Patriarch?” Sah Ul’ asked in concern.
“I-it’s nothing, I just think I might have gotten too much blood rushing to my head….” Drake scoffed, not able to look at her.
“One of your heads… that’s for sure…” Natto snickered, only to be shoved off the table into a patch of snow.
Harley finally caught up with Sah Ul’ out of breath.
“D-don’t hah… Run so fast! We could have been a little late! We were just getting to the good part…” she gasped, a very expensive-looking camera in her hand.
“Y-you took pictures?” Drake asked expectantly.
Harley gave him a thumbs up, “There’s a shop in town that laminates posters. I have a good plan in the works,” she smiled.
Drake gave her a thumbs up back, “I expect great things from you.”
Theodore shook his head, returning to his cup, and sipping on it casually.
“Patriarch enjoys this type of garment?” Sah Ul’ asked pensively.
“I… wouldn’t say I dislike them…” Drake answered.
“I see…” Sah Ul’ said, pulling down the sweater slightly, only making Drake gasp for breath at the sight.
Sah Ul’ turned to Harley whispering in her ear. Harley nodded excitedly and hurriedly took Theodore by the arm.
“Let’s get going love, we have work to do!” she shouted.
“But my Lord has given me an important task!” Theodore protested.
“I’m sure he has but this is more important!”
With that Theodore and Halrey left Drake, Sah Ul’, and the snow-covered Natto alone.
Drake was the first to speak after they had left, “Well, as much as I’m enjoying that outfit, you still have your armor right?”
Sah Ul’ nodded, instantaneously switching from the clothes back to her fur and leather armor.
Drake slightly groaned in disappointment but covered it with a cough, pulling out some things from his own inventory as well.
“What are those?” Sah Ul’ asked.
“Just more stuff to confuse people,” Drake smiled.
“Why do you have a Hawkeye costume….?” Natto asked from her position in the snow.
“None of your damn business,” Drake scowled.
Natto smiled, her plan of revenge plain on her face as she shot forward out of the snow clipping Drake’s leg and infusing herself into him.
“Get out of my head damn it!” Drake shouted.
“Hohoho…. I see! Did Little Drake Wallen want to be a cosplayer? Oh no… oh my….” Natto mused from inside his head.
“You better hope I don’t find you when I get back!” Drake roared.
Arthur_Inverse Spoiler
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[collapse]
“What exactly is your meaning, my Lord? This one is your loyal Knight! It is only natural that this one is by your side,” Theodore said as they walked.
“Theo,” Drake smiled wryly, “I’m not sending you away. I want you to help me because I know only you can do it. I want you to nurture the next generation with me, that’s the best way to help me.”
Theodore twirled his mustache for a moment, pondering Drake’s words.
“Understandable… But this one still does not see the benefit of having one such as this one in a magic academy?”
“I want you to take on the very important job of designing the school and the courses, Natto will help of course, and give you everything you need.”
“I will?” Natto asked, taking a bite of her potato chip.
Drake snatched the bag from her hands, her next bite tearing into nothing but air as her teeth clanked against each other giving her a small smirk.
“I most certainly will!” she amended, receiving her potato snackage back from Drake.
“Now let's go get one more thing,” Drake instructed, pointing down the road.
“Are we not going thitherward to the Auction house as thou instructed earlier?” Theodore asked.
“We are,” Drake affirmed, “But first I want to get a building from the Center I noticed earlier, it's cheap so I can still afford it before I need to go out and it will help a lot with everything we are doing while I’m gone.”
“What wouldeth that be my Lord?”
“A library my dear Theodore, a Library.”
Being in a hurry, Drake, Theodore, and Natto refrained from asking too many questions to the sassy, temperamental construct.
Leaving the center Theodore asked several questions to Drake, trying to clarify what his role exactly would be as the headmaster of the school.
“Well, like I said. I want you to basically lead and guide the kids from normal schooling. Preschool, kindergarten, etc. All the way up to them graduating. Which for the foreseeable future will be 18, giving them 2 years of proper training and education once they have gained classes if they wish. My plan is to keep schooling normal with some added classes for education on monsters and our new world as we learn about it. Right now though I only want you to deal with those willing to enroll. We’re going to keep the class small since we don’t have instructors really. But don’t worry I have plans about fixing that very soon,” Drake grinned mischievously.
“Will this one have freedom to add classes and courses as this one wishes?” Theodore asked, tapping his sleek black cane to his chin.
“Of course, you are the headmaster,” Drake nodded, wrapping his knuckle lightly on Theodore's shoulder.
Theodore smiled widely, “Marvelous! This one understands perfectly! It shall be the most magnificent of structures, this one swears it!”
Drake suddenly got a bad feeling, “W-wait, don’t go too far Theo,” he laughed nervously, “Keep it small for now.”
“Of course! Small but extraordinary!”
Drake gave up, hanging his head with a sigh as they went to the area he planned to place the Library as well as the base for the school.
“My Lord is this not more than just a stone’s throw from the town is it not?” Theodore looked around seeing that they were even outside the constructed walls.
“Yup. I plan on having this school be pretty big. It is going to eventually house grades from K through 12, maybe even all the way to college. And it will also include the whole world!” Drake smiled widely, “It will be the premier education, magic, profession, and adventuring school in the world. At least that's the plan.”
Natto looked around on his shoulder, “It seems that we are on the very end of the sphere of influence at the moment as well. It should not be a problem as long as you continue to increase your nobility rank. Speaking of such, have you looked at the ladder recently? I would certainly think you are close to increasing your rank at this point. We have had quite the number of quests completed by the townsfolk.”
“Not really, I’ve been so busy…” Drake admitted, “I haven’t had a breather to do much of anything if I’m being honest and it’s only going to get worse I’m sure,” he laughed wearily.
“You must keep up to date on such things, the higher on the ladder that you remain, the more likely it is for you to receive support from the other towns in the summit. You have only so many days to impress them with only the ladder. We unfortunately do not have communication with any other towns currently,” she explained.
“Right. Well, I’ll look when I’m with Sarah, we're basically going on a stroll to map out the kid’s leveling plan. Don’t forget to have a list for me ready by the time we leave. I already gave you the classes I’m going to have them use so I need complimentary skill combinations. For the twins, I still have to ask, but I’m sure it won't be a problem once I get back since they already have their main classes.”
“It will be done by the time you return,” Natto said evenly, looking at Drake from the side, “The Auction is also prepared for yes?”
“Yeah all set to go, somehow Taliya agreed to take care of it.”
“Do not lean on the she-fox too heavily. Everything in the multiverse has a cost and no one, especially one of such a high rank as her, will not do something not expecting something in return eventually,” Natto warned.
“I know that,” Drake said firmly, remembering the Dragon Matriarch, “But that’s in the future, right now we need to get this library installed and I’ll have to put up a temporary wall to cover the area. It’s a system building so it should be fine against monsters for now right?” he asked, pulling the building from his inventory a familiar green outline coming into vision.
“Yes, it will be fine, but I will have some of the orcs we have recruited as well as some of the adventurers patrol the area regularly.”
Drake nodded confirming the building in its location. He smiled looking at Theodore gape in wonder at the process he had seen several times already.
“Crazy isn’t it? I was the same way the first time,” Drake smiled.
“Yes my Lord, this is most wondrous! Fascinating!” Theodore beamed.
Once the building had finished materializing, Drake gave it a once over.
The building was a matte grey material but didn’t strike him as concrete, it had detailed pillars outlining a hexagonal-shaped building, and sticking out of the middle poking up above the roof was a fountain of pink water. Empty banners rolled and whipped in the breeze along the roof snapping against the wind.
“Fancy,” Drake grinned, “Let’s go meet the person or people inside yeah?” he said slapping Theodore’s back, making him lurch forward with a gasp.
“Y-yes my Lord….” Theodore winced.
Approaching the building Drake was surprised that there was a small cobbled undercropping behind the pillars giving it a very expansive feel.
“Pretty extra for just a library…” he mumbled, walking through the open archway made of some kind of lacquered wood.
Immediately as they entered the smell of paper and wood assaulted their noses, but not the same musty smell one would expect from old books, but a fresh scent almost like a forest.
And once they panned their vision over the library for a moment they found out why.
Sitting, or standing? They weren’t sure which was a man or better described as a tree in the form of a man. His skin was a dark brown and had the visible textile of bark. His head extended upward into a cropping of small branches with leaves and his fingers were elongated into thin branches, almost roots that creaked as they moved and bent, turning the page of the book he was looking at.
His head turned upward slightly the sound of a moaning oak bending in the breeze accompanying the motion revealing his deep green eyes.
“May…. I….. Help… you…?” he said in a long drawn-out tone.
“Hiya,” Drake waved, “Just stopping in to greet you and welcome you to the town. Is it alright if we take a look around? Oh, and I have some stuff from our old world I’d like to store here if possible.”
“All… knowledge… is... welcomed… here… “ he nodded slowly.
“Great!” Drake grinned, dumping all the books he had taken from the university and various other places he visited when rescuing people from the city.
The tree man’s eyes widened slowly as he saw the books piled on the floor, his hands extending slowly to grab and pile them neatly next to the desk. His hands stopped though on several picture books Drake had let join the pile.
“What… are… these…? Drawn… epics…?” the man asked.
“Oh, good taste! That’s Love Hina! The tale of a man in love with a girl, not one of my favorites but a classic all the same. May I recommend this one?” Drake smirked pulling a manga from the pile, “Toradora, now that’s the epitome of RomCom and don’t let anyone in any universe tell you different,” he said firmly.
The tree man wrapped his fingers gently around the book in interest, “Will…read.”
“Good man. Now we’ll be taking a look around, but could you give me a rundown of what’s available in this place?”
The tree man nodded, “There… is… many… books… and… knowledge… here… limited… to… low… ranked… but… more… with… power…”
Before the tree man could continue Drake held up a hand, knowing that the speed at which the tree man spoke would take too long.
“Is there perhaps a list or catalog you could give me instead? No offense but kind of in a hurry…”
A single finger extended from the man’s hand moving past Drake quickly and out of sight, returning a few moments later with a large book with a red leather-bound cover.
“Perfect! Thank you….?”
“I… am… Hector…. Tyri…. Keeper… of… Knowledge….” Hector answered giving a small bow of his head.
“Nice to meet you, Hector. I’m Drake, Drake Wallen.”
“Theodore Rotwood, good sir,” Theodore added, giving a small bow of his own.
“And this misfit is Natto, administrator of the town, I’m sure you will see her often,” Drake chuckled, Natto giving him a glare, crossing her arms.
“Then, we'll be on our way, Hec.”
Leaving the caretaker of the library they began walking the building briefly. The floor was made of sturdy dark wood, with carpets of red fur lining the aisles between the large bookshelves. There were rounding staircases that grew from the ground as if the building was alive inside, small branches with green leaves on the guard rails leading upwards.
After the second floor, they were blocked by interlocking roots leading the the higher floors.
“Guess that's as far as we can go at this rank huh?” Drake mused looking at the slightly slithering roots.
“It would appear so my Lord,” Theodore agreed, slightly poking the roots with his cane.
“Then let's take a look at that fountain really quick before we go.”
Moving back down the staircase they found their way with some directions from Hector to the courtyard that was in the center of the building.
Once back ‘outside’ an expansive open area with chairs, benches, and tables littered the courtyard. In the center, a large fountain shot up a stream of pink-tinted water that gave a springtime feel to the otherwise winter atmosphere that should have been there.
Drake looked upwards seeing a clear sky and not the same gray clouds he was sure were there.
“Huh, that’s not right…” he muttered.
“We are within a temporal spatial dimension, technically even the sky is of another world after we enter the front door,” Natto explained looking up at the sky as well.
“That explains no snow here, that's pretty cool,” Drake mused, “It’s a pretty good place for a date…” he added under his breath.
Satisfied with their tour the group left, Theodore still peppering Drake with more questions and excited ideas for the school they intended to raise around the library as they took care of their business inside the Auction House.
Theodore was once again surprised at the new experience, seeing the many races within the Auction House and the higher-ranking people who seemed to meander about the place, garnering a few eyes his way because of his proximity to Drake.
Once done they exited and moved to the north gate where they planned to meet up with the girls before he left.
“So you haven’t told me how your journey was on the way here Theo, how exactly did you guys meet up with Megan and Julia too?” Drake asked, sitting down at the gate with him, Natto kicking her feet back and forth in between them on the table.
“Well my Lord, after we set out hitherward to our destination, it was quite the perilous journey! Many monsters scour the lands now, I am sure thou has witnessed it as well. The animals that once populated the land have become beasts, infused and empowered by the magic in the world. There are also monsters of which this one could not say are from our once beloved world,” Theodore explained, taking a sip from his cup, a satisfied breath, “The two that hath joined my love and this one on their journey however… We somehow came across them when we were traversing a relatively intact highway. They had set up in a nonfunctioning gas-powered form of transportation, resting for a moment. And Harley had picked them up with her survey skill.”
Drake nodded content with listening to Theodore.
“We had crossed paths with many others in the same manner…” Theodore continued a tone of regret crossing over his voice, “But not all are such a joyous rendition of the fantasies we have read. Many of our meetings ended in, well, this one is sure his Lord understands without saying,” he explained clearing his throat.
Drake knew exactly what Theodore was eluding to. The world was a version of what he thought might happen when power was given to them, but it had still turned out worse than he expected. Many of the people used the power for whatever they pleased, giving in to their desires wholeheartedly. Even his brother, one he thought was long gone, seemed to have gone down a path he wasn’t sure he could bring him back from.
“It has been a bumpy ride hasn’t it?” Drake chuckled wryly.
[Guardian of the South - Macrium Golem Mega-Terraforma Glacia has been slain by Leonardo Velcruz - The True Hunter]
[Global Quest has been updated, 2 of 4 Cardinal Beasts remaining]
“Looks like it's only going to get bumpier… Someone who’s strong enough to beat a Cardinal Beast this early as well? Maybe it's…” Drake thought aloud hearing the notification, but was brought from his thoughts by the incoming footsteps.
“Patriarch! Please relieve me of this unending embarrassment! I am a warrior of the Rahk! Not some toy to be dressed at the whims of this woman!” Sah Ul’ growled.
Drake laughed but his voice was caught in his throat as he looked at Sah Ul’. Harley had dressed her up in an outfit he knew well. She was wearing a sweater that every weeb would know. A gray turtleneck sweater, modified with a cat chest window, the sides and back cut to expose her curvaceous sides and well-defined back. Long stalkings of see-through gray lace covered her legs up past her knees giving homage to the holy absolute territory.
“Zettai Roiki….” Drake mumbled finally, covering his face and mouth, a bead of red slipping through his fingers as he turned his rapidly heating face.
“Patriarch?” Sah Ul’ asked in concern.
“I-it’s nothing, I just think I might have gotten too much blood rushing to my head….” Drake scoffed, not able to look at her.
“One of your heads… that’s for sure…” Natto snickered, only to be shoved off the table into a patch of snow.
Harley finally caught up with Sah Ul’ out of breath.
“D-don’t hah… Run so fast! We could have been a little late! We were just getting to the good part…” she gasped, a very expensive-looking camera in her hand.
“Y-you took pictures?” Drake asked expectantly.
Harley gave him a thumbs up, “There’s a shop in town that laminates posters. I have a good plan in the works,” she smiled.
Drake gave her a thumbs up back, “I expect great things from you.”
Theodore shook his head, returning to his cup, and sipping on it casually.
“Patriarch enjoys this type of garment?” Sah Ul’ asked pensively.
“I… wouldn’t say I dislike them…” Drake answered.
“I see…” Sah Ul’ said, pulling down the sweater slightly, only making Drake gasp for breath at the sight.
Sah Ul’ turned to Harley whispering in her ear. Harley nodded excitedly and hurriedly took Theodore by the arm.
“Let’s get going love, we have work to do!” she shouted.
“But my Lord has given me an important task!” Theodore protested.
“I’m sure he has but this is more important!”
With that Theodore and Halrey left Drake, Sah Ul’, and the snow-covered Natto alone.
Drake was the first to speak after they had left, “Well, as much as I’m enjoying that outfit, you still have your armor right?”
Sah Ul’ nodded, instantaneously switching from the clothes back to her fur and leather armor.
Drake slightly groaned in disappointment but covered it with a cough, pulling out some things from his own inventory as well.
“What are those?” Sah Ul’ asked.
“Just more stuff to confuse people,” Drake smiled.
“Why do you have a Hawkeye costume….?” Natto asked from her position in the snow.
“None of your damn business,” Drake scowled.
Natto smiled, her plan of revenge plain on her face as she shot forward out of the snow clipping Drake’s leg and infusing herself into him.
“Get out of my head damn it!” Drake shouted.
“Hohoho…. I see! Did Little Drake Wallen want to be a cosplayer? Oh no… oh my….” Natto mused from inside his head.
“You better hope I don’t find you when I get back!” Drake roared.
Arthur_Inverse Spoiler
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