"Whew! This is really hitting the spot" 

The staff of the Royal Cassun were relaxing in their private hot springs after a long day of work.

"It's been nonstop work day after day with the influx of travelers coming to Cassun."

"This means your father's meeting with the King and Princess Aurora went well."

"Mr. Victor must have a way with words despite the way he acts!"

"No kidding. To be able to negotiate a trade deal and have the King agree to shelter civil war refugees in a single week."

"He must have had something planned beforehand. Otherwise there's no way he could have so confidently made his way to the capital."

"I don't doubt it. At any rate, his handiwork means we'll be receiving a lot more clients in the coming weeks."

"This sucks! We can't even count on your Legion for backup."

"Sorry…"

"Any idea what's wrong?"

"None. After my encounter with a demon, I just couldn't use it anymore."

"That just means everyone will need to be working at their best."

"But I'm so tired of working! I wanna go to the beach! Hike the mountains! Can't we take a break?"

"I'll have to send word back home and ask for leave. But that means they'll have to look for suitable candidates to take over in our absence."

"How long would that take?"

"Half a year at best."

"Ugh!! My inner dragon is telling me to stretch my wings and explore!"

"You don't even have wings."

"That's not the point—"

A crackle of blue energy surged above them, disappearing as quickly as it came.

"Wha?! The hell was that?"

"Are we… under attack??"

"We all saw that, right?"

"M-maybe it was nothing?"

Bzzzcrrrrrraacccckkk!

Blue lightning surged in all directions, tearing a hole just above the waters."

"What's going on?!"

"I don't know, but prepare for an enemy attack!"

"aaaaAAHHHHHH!"

SPLASH!

Something… someone just fell through the portal and crashed into the water."

Vic materialized both of her swords, and Deena was prepared to pounce with her claws. Taisha and Piper stood in the back to prepare their spells.

"Pttooooh! Blegh!"

A black-haired man emerged from the waters, wide-eyed and dazed.

"I'm… I'm really here! Haha! I'm in another world! It's real! And… ARE YOU GIRLS MY HAREM??" He yelled, seemingly triumphant of whatever he's accomplished.

"Who are you? How did you get here?"

Vic bared her teeth and pointed Flay at him.

"Wait a minute… horns… evil looking swords… demonic-looking generals." The intruder pulled a longsword out from the waters and pointed it at Vic. "You… must be the demon lord I have to slay. B-by the power granted to me by the Goddess, die fiend!"

The man charged forward, vainly, trudging through the spring waters with great effort. He lifted the sword above his head, the blade shimmers with holy energy. He attempted to strike… 

And it slipped from his wet hands.

"Ah?"

"..." 

"Wait… can we start over…?"

Vic's brow twitched. She lifted her own sword, and struck him on the side of the head with the pommel.

He crumpled motionless into the water. Blood trickled from the impact on his head.

"Y-you killed him."

"I barely hit him."

"He's clearly bleeding."

"Get him out. He's got some explaining to do."

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Piper was finishing wrapping the bandages around the man's head as he recounted his circumstances. The bleeding has stopped and he had regained consciousness, but the girls weren't about to just let him go.

Vic spoke for all of them when she said, "Itsuki Minato… from… Japan? Ridiculous."

"You're telling me! I'm the one who was sent here."

"How do we know you ain't lying? For all we know, you could just be an enemy spy." Deena bared her fangs.

"Damn it. How did other isekai protagonists prove they're from another world? Wait… my phone!" Itsuki pulled a rectangular device from his pocket. "Here, electricity in the palm of my— Aw, come on! The water screwed my phone!"

"You also said a goddess bequeathed this sword to you as a gift?" Taisha lifted the ornate longsword fashioned with angel wings on the hilt.

"That's right! She said it was capable enough to defeat the Demon Lord!"

"Well…"

Vic and Taisha nervously glanced at each other.

"The current Demon King isn't exactly evil..."

"Quite the opposite, in fact. He's trying to preserve it after the previous Demon King drove the world into war."

"Granted… I wouldn't mind if you killed him. But achieving that feat is a different matter entirely." Vic said, recalling how easily her father had defeated a demon.

"No way… I was supposed to become the hero of this world…"

"A hero that gets knocked out from one blow?"

"That was a cheap shot! Besides, I haven't had my training arc yet."

"You'll need a lot more training to even think about fighting a Demon King…"

Itsuki wracked his head at the situation, then took another look at the staff of the Royal Cassun. He saw a dark elf, a dragon girl, a succubus, and an… oni? "This might not be so bad after all. At least I still have my harem!"

"Uh. No, you don't." Vic said, ripping him away from his fantasy. "If you aren't from this world, then you have no money. If you have no money, we're kicking you out."

"Eh?! You can't do that to the hero!"

Vic felt her brow twitch for the second time today. "Oh, can't I? Deena."

"Ayo, Captain." Deena lifted the hero off his feet with one hand.

"Ahh! Wait, wait— Oh… hey, those green scales really bring out how pretty your eyes are."

"Y-you think my eyes are pretty?" Her green scales took on a red hue.

"Did I just trigger a flag?"

Vic grabbed Itsuki's face. "The hero should be able to survive on his own in the wilderness."

"But, I don't know anything about this world. I'll die!"

"It'll be the perfect training arc."

"Uhm, Vic. Maybe he can work here for a few days?" Piper finally found room to speak.

Vic and Taisha were surprised. It was unusual for Piper to make suggestions unprompted. 

"Go on, sweetie." Taisha urged.

"Well… if he really is new here, he won't have money to survive by himself. If… if we let him work here, he can earn his stay and make some money?"

"I don't like his face, but I'm with Piper. We've been swamped. He could give us a hand to lighten the load."

Vic turned to Itsuki.

"I'll work! I'll work!"

She sighed.

"You're lucky we have an extra room in the servant's quarters. But you're in charge of him, Deena."

"Why me??"

"If he's going to work anywhere, it's going to be on the first floor. And between you and Piper, you're the senior."

Deena threw Itsuki a look tinged with regret, and then dropped him to the ground. "Fine."

"Looks like I'll be in your care, Deena-senpai!"

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

"Alright, newbie. Servicing our guests is the foundation of everything we do at the Royal Cassun. The first lesson is taking requests from our patrons."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Choose a room and take the occupant's requests, then report back to me."

Itsuki knocked on the nearest room and a young, light elven woman answered. He listened for a few seconds, nodding in between her speech, and then returned to Deena.

"Now relay back to me what she wanted."

He stared blankly at her for a few seconds and then something clicked in his head. "I forgot."

"What?! Didn't you listen to a word she said?"

"She said something about pillows. But I kinda got lost staring at an elf for the first time aha…"

"Don't 'aha' me! Get back there and find out what she wanted!"

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

"Piper!" Deena caught the tiny dark elf before she descended into the servant's quarters.

"Hey, Deena!"

"You doing alright on the east wing by yourself?"

"Hehe, yep! Most of them are elderly, so they just need extra sheets." Piper glanced behind Deena. "Where's Itsuki?"

"Ahh… I kinda lost him. Was about to ask if you'd seen him?"

"I haven't, sorry. Did you look in the hot springs?"

"Why would he— oh…I'm going to incinerate him…"

The two of them rushed down the hall to the hot springs. In the middle of the day, there were few patrons occupying the baths. It shouldn't be hard to identify a scrawny, black-haired man.

Deena stopped two female guests who were just exiting the women's only section of the hot spring. They looked perturbed and in a hurry. 

"Excuse me! Did you see a male staff come by here? Black hair, kinda weird."

"Yes, we did. In fact, he's inside mopping the floors."

"Guh…"

"Uhm… did he… do anything strange?"

"That creep was doing anything but mopping! He had this gross face on the entire time and kept offering to wash our backs."

"We're going to report him to the proprietress."

Deena's heart fell. "I'm actually his supervisor! There's no need to involve Vic. I'll handle it."

"Fine, but if we see him come near us, we're going straight to report both of you!"

The ladies stomped away in a fury.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Itsuki was having the time of his life. Everywhere he looked. Boobs. Elven boobs, succubus boobs, human boobs. Boobs of all shapes and sizes. Nipples of varying perkiness and color.

He could get used to life working in a hot spring. Hell, he should have taken that as a job when he was in Japan. There was no going back though. In this world populated by so many different humanoid races and monster girls, there were no shortage of different boobs to check out.

"Oppai is love. Oppai is life." He hummed to himself as he haphazardly mopped the same spot for the past half hour. "I wonder if there are nekomimis in this world?"

"ITSUKI!"

The doors burst open, and out came charging a wrathful green dragon with fire pouring out of her mouth.

"Wait, I can explain!"

"CLENCH YOUR TEETH, YOU DAMN PERVERT!"

Itsuki lifted his hands to block his face, but the blow came not for his head.

It came from below.

THWUMP!

Deena drove her shin up between his legs.

Itsuki's vision flashed white. His legs collapsed beneath him.

"Ahh...iee…that's… cheating..."

"Uwawawawa…! Don't you think that was a bit much??"

Deena lifted him onto her shoulders.

"Haahh… why me?"

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

The blanket of night had fallen over Arabor Canyons and the Royal Cassun, dying it in its usual shade of lavender. Winter was fast approaching, and soon the migratory coraltip hippogryphs will fly south to the Shimmering Reefs in search of food.

Their elongated pink and green tail feathers made the majestic beasts a sight to behold in flocks. It was like watching a cluster of shooting stars.

For Vic, this was one of the few reasons that made being posted up north such a pleasure.

"Proprietress?"

"Vic?"

"O-oh, sorry."

Vic was so lost in thought, she had completely forgotten they were in an important meeting regarding the security of the Kingdom of Cassun.

Mayor Beurich adjusted his monocle and repeated his last thought to Vic. "The establishing of an Adventurer's Guild comes with several issues. Firstly, the pay…"

Vic gave the mayor her full attention this time. Mortimer Beurich was the half-elf mayor of Greenwick, an intersectional trading hub and the closest major town to their establishment. He was a frequent patron of the Royal Cassun, and often came on matters of securing their northern borders. After all, if the Royal Cassun fell to an enemy invasion, Greenwick would be the next target.

"Financing the initial wave of entrants shouldn't be a problem. I think the capital will find its coffers sufficiently full for some time thanks to a certain benefactor…"

Taisha stifled a laugh.

"There's also the matter of constructing a guild hall and inaugurating a guild master on top of that. Some among the Council are considering your name."

"That's quite an honor." Vic shot Taisha a glance who responded with a smirk. "Unfortunately, my hands are full here as it is."

"A shame. My heart would be more at ease with both of your talents nearby."

"Aw, Mortimer. I'm only a short ride away." Taisha winked.

"Ahem…"

"Regarding the guild hall, the Royal Cassun can offer temporary lodge to certified guild members until one has been built."

"Very well. Lastly, I've been informed that an envoy has been sent north from the capital."

"Why didn't they inform us?"

"I'm afraid that's all I know."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, thank you. As always, it is a pleasure to conduct business with you. My concerns have been assuaged."

Vic and Taisha made their way downstairs.

"Who do you think this envoy is?"

"Probably someone from the Council escorting Father back to the border."

It was quiet on the first floor. Most of the guests have retired to their rooms and the staff were probably downstairs. 

"How do you think that Itsuki boy is doing?"

"I'll have to ask Deena to report on that later."

"We can't exactly keep him here considering our line of… work."

"I know. I only made an exception because of Piper." Vic scratched her horn. "We can probably give him some coin and send him to Greenwick."

"We could tell him to enlist in the Guild."

"Does he honestly seem capable enough to you?"

"Not many people can match up to what you consider capable." Taisha said, sticking her tongue out.

Taisha opened the door to her room and paused.

"What? Did you see a ghost?"

The succubus smiled and said, "Not at all. Will I be expecting you in the middle of the night?"

"S-stop getting used to it…" Vic felt her face getting hot.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Taisha closed the door behind her and turned to face the naked intruder on her bed.

"I've been waiting." Itsuki mustered the deepest voice he could.

"How bold of you to sneak into a succubus' den."

"Back in my world, I was the lover of many women. They came to me seeking pleasure on a daily basis, but alas, I am only one man."

Taisha licked her lips and approached him. "Perhaps I can introduce you to a new horizon of pleasure."

"I…" Itsuki hadn't expected to come this far. He was beginning to sweat bullets. "I-I-I-I'm not an easy man to pleasure. I'm a hero after all—"

Taisha pushed him onto the bed and climbed on top of him. She grinded her lower body against his bare waist.

"Since you're new to this world, I should warn you. Succubi don't tire easily."

Itsuki gulped hard. His crotch was on fire just from being sat on. He couldn't believe he was about to lose his virginity. To a succubus to boot! All it took was for him to die in his previous world…

The succubus pulled loose a lace, undoing the entire dress to reveal a transparent, black negligee underneath. She dropped the lace on top of Itsuki's chest.

"Is… is this a dream…?" Itsuki reached up to touch her.

Hissssssss…

"Hehe… it's going to be that kind of play?" He hissed back, not seeing the lace had transformed into a black snake. "Eh?! Snake! Snake!"

"Oh, yes. It's going to be that kind of play." The snake wrapped around Taisha's arm, transforming into a whip she pulls taut.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

The next morning…

Deena was already up. Of the Royal Cassun staff, she was an early riser. Every morning she would spend ten minutes polishing her gold ingot, admire it for another ten minutes, and then finally start getting ready for work.

She knocked on Itsuki's room, careful not to wake the others. Who were still sleeping. Namely Vic, who recently started having trouble sleeping. 

She waited for another minute before knocking again, but still there was no answer. 

"I'm coming in. If you're not dressed, I'm gonna slug you."

Deena cracked open the door and came into a vacant room. Even the bed looked untouched. 

"Uh…"

She thought maybe he took the initiative to start working upstairs. 

Yeah, right. She concluded. If anything, he was sneaking into the women's baths again.

As Deena walked past the other girls' rooms, she heard groaning from Taisha's quarters. She pressed an ear against the door and heard a faint whimpering.

"T-Taisha… you good in there?"

Taisha answered the door dressed in something more befitting a succubus. It was a stringed outfit that barely covered anything except for the breasts and crotch. But what concerned Deena the most was the whip on her arm.

"Yes?"

"You…! Did you bring a guest down here?? What would Vic think?!"

"Shh." Taisha leaned out the door and glanced down the other rooms. "Oh, you must be looking for Itsuki."

She pulled Deena in and shut the door behind them. The half-dragon stumbled into the room slack-jawed at the sight of a blindfolded and gagged Itsuki strapped to a chair.

"Shafffve… me…"

Deena panicked, "What did you do to my trainee?!"

"He came into my room looking to play. I merely obliged."

They undid his restraints and removed the blindfold and gag. He fell to the ground on all fours.

"Man, don't you look beat up."

"Forgive… me…I've learned my lesson." He said, coughing up spit in between words.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Itsuki found himself prostrating before the four staff of the Royal Cassun once again.

"Whatcha do you do to him?" Deena inquired.

"I showed him what it was like to be on the receiving end."

"What does that mean? The receiving end?"

Taisha ruffled Piper's hair. "It's nothing, sweetie."

"I think I discovered something about myself that was best left unknown..." Itsuki said, rubbing his butt.

"Mind explaining yourself?" Vic had her arms crossed.

"I, uh… thought a succubus would be more receptive of my… advances… ahem."

"To be honest, I wouldn't mind sleeping with you. But my sexual services are reserved for guests in the VIP suites."

"Even then, only the highest paying clients can afford her."

Itsuki perked up. "Wait. I'm getting paid here, right?"

"Yes…?"

"How much did I make yesterday?"

Vic turned to Deena. Both of them sighed.

"I was told you caused more trouble than good. But you did work."

Vic tossed him a small pouch of twenty silver coins.

"O-oooh! How much can this get me?" He extended the pouch towards Taisha.

"Another night on the chair."

Itsuki felt his buttcheeks clench instinctively. "Er… never mind…"

"By the way," Piper began. "The standard currency is Orcus-minted copper, silver, and gold coin. Ten copper coins is the equivalent of one silver coin."

"And ten silver is one gold?"

Piper shook her head. "One hundred silver coins is one gold coin. There's also platinum which is a hundred gold coins, but those are usually traded during business affairs."

"So, I only have a fifth of a gold coin. What exactly can I do with this?"

"A lot of things! One silver coin can keep you fed for one day anywhere in the world. Twenty silver gets you a room on the first floor guest quarters. That includes two meals, two horses in the stables, and unlimited use of the hot springs!"

"Good sell, Piper." Vic grinned.

"Hehe!"

"Out of curiosity, what's the cost of Taisha's services?"

Taisha shrugged and said, "Anywhere between three to ten platinum depending on the desired play."

"Ah. The kid went pale."

"THAT'S SO MUCH MONEY! I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO SAVE ENOUGH!"

Vic clapped her hands twice.

"Enough chit chat. Time to get to work."

Itsuki dragged himself off the floor, but Vic stops him. "You're on standby."

"Aw, what?"

"I can't have you on the floor after that little stunt you pulled in the women's hot springs. You're lucky Deena took responsibility for it. I probably would've killed you."

He glanced at Deena who turned the other cheek. "Hmph."

"If we need you, we'll call. Until then, stay downstairs and fold the laundry."

"Yes, ma'am…"

Itsuki shuffled to the end of the hall to start his chores.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Deena and Piper were in the stables feeding their patrons' horses. This was their favorite task of the day. Sometimes they would spend hours shying away from work to play with the steeds.

The young dark elf had climbed onto a brown Felucian-bred horse to brush its thick mane. This breed was known for its height and endowed leg muscles. Its incredible speed was bested only by the demonic dreadsteads.

"Man, I'd love to own a Felucian one day."

"Hehe. They're perfect for you. Not so much for me."

"What would you like? A donkey?"

"N-no! Even I would want something like a dreadsteed!"

"Oh-ho! Maybe you can ask Vic's old man for one. He probably owns more back in Orcus."

"No way is he going to give one away. Dreadsteeds are too rare now that they've been hunted to near extinction.

"That's true. But I get what you mean. Having a horse as fast as that can get you anywhere in the world." Deena refilled the last water trough in the stable. "Oof. That's it."

"Are you heading back already?"

"Yeah. Just gonna check something downstairs."

"It's Itsuki, isn't it?" Piper teased.

"No…! M-maybe... Just worried. He was being an idiot yesterday, but he wasn't completely useless."

"Hehe. Deena, you're surprisingly cute when you worry about someone."

"Ahh, that's enough outta you!" She plucked Piper off the horse.

The Felucian nudged its muzzle against Piper's cheek. "Hey! It tickles! Ahaha!"

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Deena headed downstairs to the laundry room half-expecting to find Itsuki shirking his duties. Instead, when she opened the door, she saw that all the sheets and bedspreads that had built up the last two nights were all tidied and stacked.

She saw Itsuki tucked in between two stacks of laundry, head buried between his knees.

"Dang, you really outdid yourself."

"Huh?" Itsuki raised his head and wiped the tears and snot from his face. "Sorry—"

"H-hey, what happened?? Shouldn't you be rejoicing at your handiwork?"

He took a few deep breaths to compose himself and said, "I'm fine. You're right. I should be… happy."

Itsuki tried to get up, but Deena pushed him back down and took a seat beside him. "Relax."

"Am I in trouble?"

She shook her head. "You look like you're in a tough spot, so take a breather. Everything all good?"

"No. Nothing's good. When I was folding laundry, it finally dawned on me." He started to choke up again. "I died!"

Deena ripped the nearest towel from a stack of laundry and handed it to Itsuki, who blew his nose into it.

"I'm not on Earth anymore. Not in Akihabara, Japan. I can't see my friends anymore. I won't ever see my mom and dad either. Can't eat their home cooked curry. I never got to go to college. Crap, I never even got a girlfriend before I died!"

"Were you close to your family?"

He leaned against the stack of clean laundry, losing himself to a moment of nostalgia. "I wasn't the best son to my parents. I gave them a lot of trouble growing up. It sucks that the last thing I leave them with is more trouble. I wish I could make it up to them."

"Siblings?"

"Yeah. A little brother. Sorry, Haruto. Big bro can't come to watch your soccer games anymore…" He starts to tear up again. "Damn it, I really wish I had a girlfriend. At least I'd be comforted knowing they were mourning for me!"

Deena was at a lost at what to say. However, she did feel a sort of kinship with what he was going through.

"You know? The two of us ain't so different."

"You've never had a girlfriend before?"

"N-not that, you idiot!" She wanted to hit him, but suppressed the urge. "I had to leave everything behind, too. Friends, family… home."

"I thought you were from Cassun?"

"Nope! I lived faaaaaarrr north! It's a freezing place blanketed in ice and snow. Just thinking about it makes my scales shiver."

"What's stopping you from going back?"

"I could. But I'd get eaten by a dragon."

"A d-d-d-dragon?! Those exists here?"

"Hey, what do you think I am?"

"Well, you're… not a full dragon."

"Haha! That's what everyone says. Until I start breathing fire hot enough to melt mountains." Deena clenched her first. "My home was taken over by true dragons fifteen years ago when they sided with the Demon King."

"Your friends and family?"

"Slaughtered. I barely escaped with my life."

"I'm sorry…"

She slapped him on the back hard enough to knock the towel from his hand. "Don't sweat it! That was so long ago. I've got a new home and family."

"Right…"

"Ah… man, I'm not very good at talking. That's Vic and Taisha's job. What I'm trying to say is… you've lost everything familiar to you, but it ain't too late to start over. A hero wouldn't give up, would he?" She flashed a toothy grin at him.

Itsuki couldn't help but laugh. She was right in two regards. She wasn't very good at cheering him up. And, that it wasn't too late to start over.

"You're right. My story in this world has only just begun."

"Who knows? Like me, you might even find your own family and a place to call home."

"Yeah— AHH! I NEVER EVEN GOT TO PLAY MY EROGE!"

"You're… what?"

"Nothing!" Itsuki got to his feet and stood before the half-dragon. "Thanks, Deena-senpai. You suck at comforting people, but you should give yourself more credit. I think you're kindest soul at the Royal Cassun."

Deena got to her feet and blushed. "You… you think so—?"

"Chuuuuuu~" Itsuki had puckered his lips and leaned in to try to kiss her.

"What… are you doing?"

"Eh? I thought I triggered another flag, so I'm going in for a kiss!"

Her face goes red in a mixture of embarrassment and rage. "I'm not some easy girl in your made-up harem, you idiot!"

"Wait, wait! The face! Hit my face, not my balls!"

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Deena came upstairs feeling refreshed, but was instantly swamped with requests from the guests on the first floor.

"The heck? Where's Piper?"

Taisha descended from the second floor to investigate the commotion. "What happened?"

"I went downstairs for like five minutes and came back up to this. Have you seen Piper?"

"I haven't. I've been attending to VIPs with Vic the entire time."

"That little runt's probably still outside in the stables."

"Go get her. I'll cover you until you're back."

Deena dashed out the front and saw a terrified Piper with her back pressed up against the side of the stables.

"Hey! We got work to—"

"Shhhhh!" Piper put two fingers up and pointed to iron gates that were supposed to be closed, but have instead been knocked over. A gaping hole remained, and the iron bars were strewn across the field. 

Deena's mind raced. 

An enemy attack? Are we under siege?

Before she could get in another thought, the sight of what emerged from the stables answered her questions.

A gigantic ogre about thirteen feet in height hobbled out of the stables, dragging a half eaten horse in its hand. It tore off a leg and bit into it with a hideous crunch. 

Deena fell back behind the corner to avoid being seen. There were two, but the other one could be anywhere. She could return to get Taisha and Vic, but she would be leaving Piper alone outside.

"I asked for some action, and I got my wish." She cracked her knuckles and ran into the middle of the field. "Hey, ugly! Over here!"

 The ogre charged, flailing the half eaten horse as a makeshift weapon. "Bad lizard! Smash!"

"Piper! Go!"

The dark elf made a run for it as soon as the ogre distanced itself from the stables.

"Call me a lizard, will ya?" Deena breathed a massive blast of fire, slamming into the ogre and stopping it in its tracks.

"Urrr… " It dropped the corpse to pat away the embers. Unsurprisingly to Deena, it was unscathed save for being slightly singed.

She knew she couldn't kill giants with fire alone. For now, she had to buy time until the real monster showed up. 

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Itsuki came upstairs just in time to see Piper tripping through the front door.

"What's the hurry, squirt?" He helped Piper to her feet.

"Ogres! Deena's in trouble. Where's Vic and Taisha?"

"Ogres…? T-they're in the servant's quarters!"

Piper pushed past him.

Itsuki stood there frozen for what felt like minutes, but only a second after Piper had left he charged outside gripping his longsword.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

The ogre wrapped its hulking arms around a tree and tore it from the ground.

"Oh, no. That's not fair!" 

She prepared to breathe fire again, but the ogre hurled the tree in her direction. She dove away as the tree crashed into the watchtower.

"Yeesh— oh, shit!" Deena got to her feet just in time to parry a downward slam. The ogre's massive trunk of a leg struck forward, but she managed sidestep and throw an uppercut at its nose.

"Rraaaghh!" The ogre recoiled, clutching its bleeding nose.

"Ha!" She threw a fist out in triumph.  

She felt the air shifted behind her and put her arms up too late to block. A tree slammed into and sent her flying. She lifted her head just in time to see the second ogre lugging the uprooted tree.

"F… uck." She coughed up blood.

Both ogres gave her no time to recover. She brought her arms up to defend herself just as someone had entered the battle.

"Deena!"

Her relief turned to dread when she realized it was Itsuki who had come to her rescue.

"You idiot! Get back!"

"Not without you."

The ogre Deena had left with a bloody nose turned its attention to Itsuki and threw a straight at him. Itsuki lifted his sword just in time to connect with the large fist. Mana surged across the field and coalesced onto his longsword.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Neither of them could believe their eyes as the sword cut through the ogre's brawny arm like butter.

"I did! I can do it!"

Itsuki celebrated too soon. The ogre grabbed his body with the injured arm and lifted him into the air.

"You hurt me! Now I hurt you!"

"Itsuki!"

"What a handful."

Vic, Taisha, and Piper had finally arrived.

"Ur...huh?" The ogre clutching onto Itsuki loosened its grip enough for him to slip away.

"He's too tall, Taisha." Vic said, approaching the giant.

Taisha's eyes flashed a bright blue. "Be a good boy and sit." 

"What… happening…?"

The ogre obeyed and sat down, awaiting its executioner. Vic brandished Flay and Rend, and in a single strike severed the ogre's head.

"Shall I immobilize the second one?"

"No. They made a mess of my establishment. So, you'll have to forgive me for taking my time with this one." She said, waltzing to the other ogre.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

When Vic was done, the field was littered with unrecognizable pieces of flesh. Piper was taking care of repairing the gate and watchtower. Meanwhile, Taisha administered healing to both Itsuki and Deena.

"You… you butchered them." Itsuki squeaked.

"That's Captain for you! Haha— ow...oww…" Deena clutched her stomach.

"Stop moving. Restoration magic isn't instantaneous."

Vic wiped the blood from her swords with the ogre's loincloth. "I can't believe how reckless you were, Itsuki."

"S-sorry... "

"Cut him some slack. He bought enough time for you guys to save me."

"Haahh… True enough. The courage you displayed was commendable, albeit foolish. Thank you for saving my subordinate." Vic relented. "But you were lucky they were ogres. Their lack of magical affinity renders them vulnerable to Taisha's coercion. Anything else, and you would've been a bloody rag."

"Yes, ma'am… I understand…"

"Vic! I'm done with the repairs!"

"Well done, Piper."

Piper wrapped her arms around Deena. "Thank you for distracting them. I'm glad your okay!"

"Owowow… anytime, buddy. Just not right now!"

"Okay, you two should be completely healed after a few hours of rest. Soak in the hot spring to speed up your recovery." Taisha turned to her superior. "What about the horse?"

"I'll handle it…"

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Itsuki slung the knapsack over his shoulders and fixed the sword to a sheath on his back. It had been two days since the ogre incident, and today he made his resolve to leave the Royal Cassun.

"You sure you don't want to stay a few more days?" Deena asked.

Itsuki shook his head. "I'm taking your words to heart and making my own path."

Vic tossed him a pouch.

"But you already paid me? Wait. There's twenty gold in here!"

"For the road. Follow the main road south. When you get to Greenwick, ask for Mayor Beurich and tell him Vic sent you."

"Thank you. One day I'll be as strong as you, Vic!"

"Let's not make promises we can't keep."

"It's good to be ambitious!" Piper chimed in.

"Thank you, everyone!"

Deena walked him to the main road.

"I won't say I'll miss you, but don't forget to drop by."

"An open invitation to visit a hot spring? Definitely!"

"You're gonna have to be a paying customer next time, though."

"Well," He patted the pouch on his waist. "I think this will keep me up for a bit. See you around!"

As Itsuki turned to leave, Deena grabbed his arm and pulled in to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"EH?! DID I JUST TRIGGER ANOTHER FLAG?"

"S-shut up! That was just… you know… thank you for saving me."

"I can stay and the two of us could—"

"NO! Get going! Don't make this anymore awkward!" She pushed him along.

He waved back to them as he left.

"Ho? Deena is a maiden in love, after all?"

"Vic?!"

"He's definitely coming back for you, Deena!"

"Piper, you too? Stop it guys! It was just a… good luck thing. Like to wish him well!"

"He wants to buy my sexual services, you know?"

"H-hmph! Like I care what he does with his money when he comes back!"

Chapter 4 Preview...

"Kuh-kuh!I see it!"

The young elven lady leaned out the window of the carriage and finally saw the Royal Cassun in sight.

"Finally," She couldn't contain her excitement any longer. "My dear ladies of the Royal Cassun, we meet again! Ohohohoho!"

Victor Luciferon curled up in the corner, eyes wide with fear and drowning in the girl's shrill laughter. "F-forgive me… Victoria…!"

Meanwhile, back at the Royal Cassun…

"Ah-choo!" Vic sniffled and felt a chill shot up her spine.

Chapter 4 - Hot Springs Brigade vs Princess Aurora?!