"Everyone was excited to get some revenge on the Stockhawkers so the operation has been approved for tonight," Sirgia answers my query. "The clan is working on the details as we speak. Cecil will fill you in before the mission."
"That fast? Do we have enough time to prepare everything properly? This isn't something that can't be half-assed." I look down at her with a frown.
"Don't worry, Master. I know the first impression of my family wasn't the best, but our people are quite capable when they need to be." She offers me a tiny smile. "Of course, that's also thanks to the fact that you will play a major role in this play. Things are guaranteed to end with the best possible results without a doubt."
Chuckling, I ruffle through her hair. "I appreciate the faith but we are acting in enemy territory and an unfamiliar land. At least to me. Plus, this is a much more sensitive matter. Maybe if I went alone, I would be more confident in not leaving any traces leading back to your family, but…"
"I'm afraid you won't be able to wriggle out of Cecil's company this easily, Master." My lovely mate giggles quietly. "She was so adamant that even her father was surprised. And he had experienced a lot of her character before. It seems like something has changed for the future Young Lady of the clan. Do you perhaps know anything about that, Master?"
Scratching my cheek, I escape with my gaze to the side, evoking more of those sweet snickers from my beloved.
She finds my other hand and her fingers stroke my skin dearly. "Was she as tight as her figure suggests?"
Snorting, I throw her an exasperated look. "We didn't fuck during those literal three days that the two of us first met."
"But…" Sirgia peers up at me expectantly.
Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. "I might have let her get a touch or two."
"That's it?" My adorable mate blinks at me a few times, then stops in place. "Goddess… No wonder she is desperate to prove herself if she's been left wanting after witnessing your amazing manhood…"
"Hey. It's not that bad." I squint at her. "She took care of it the morning after."
"With what? Fingers?" She raises a brow at me, then lets out a tiny sigh. "You still fail to understand how most females of this world work, Master. Touching oneself might feel good, but it doesn't compare in the slightest with the feeling of the member of the male you are attracted to moving inside your sensitive core. Especially when you know that your partner will bring you to the heights of achievable pleasure. I guarantee she's soaking through her panties every time she lays her eyes upon you, no matter how many times she has masturbated to the thoughts of you having her."
"Thankfully, we know someone who makes something better than fingers that can remedy the issue." I wink at her, evoking a fair blush on Sirgia's cheeks. "Speaking of which, how are we doing on that front? The girls are fine with their new job?"
"Don't think I'm not aware you are trying to switch the topic, Master." She pouts a little and pulls me down for a fluffy kiss. "But, I'll let you off the hook for today. Just, promise me you won't take too long, okay?"
Cupping her face to pepper her plump lips with a few more loving pecks, I smile warmly at my short lover. "I won't. Not like I would be able to anyway with your parents just having asked me to take Niel. You'll get your Dwarf sister-mates soon enough."
Sirgia pauses, then shows a wide grin and throws her arms around my neck. "That's fantastic news, Master! When are you going to show her what it means to be loved? She's been on the side for so long! Niel deserves to experience the joy of true pleasure too!"
Laughing, I straighten up with her in my arms, letting my petite Dwarf lady rub her cheek into mine. "Slow down a bit. Don't scare your friend away, okay? She might have been with us back then, but she's still fresh out of her previous life where you were gone for good and she was simply existing for the sake of your parents."
"I won't." She squeezes me harder. "Now that I know you are thinking about her, I can just wait patiently for things to unfold. I'm already slowly explaining everything to her so she will be ready to welcome you without any confusion, Master. It will be such a beautiful day. I so wish I could witness it."
"I mean, it's not like you can't, can you?" I meet her gaze as she raises her face to match mine. "With how close the two of you are, I bet Niel would appreciate you being around to show her the ropes, right? If by sheer coincidence you get to see her melt from bliss, that's just a bonus, isn't it?"
Her clever eyes glimmer with realisation. "Master, you are a genius."
We share a chuckle. While Sirgia dives into her brilliant mind to imagine how things might go, I call for Diana and get us both on top of your reliable lupine friend. For a change, I don't let my pretty girlfriend ride ahead of me.
This time, I set the scheming Dwarf sideways in my lap, bringing Sirgia out of her musings to blush at me profusely. She might be wearing her maid uniform, but to those we pass by on the streets, she's clearly treated like a princess. And she understands it, hiding timidly in my chest, shielded from all the curious and amused glances.
Witnessing Sirgia's impeccable acting as she deals with any family matters makes it easy to forget she's actually a shy little lady at heart. Being tough and important takes a toll on her, which is easily noticeable. Still, I respect and appreciate her efforts, making sure she feels comfortable and loved in private. Or sometimes in public like right now.
"So, how about our high and mighty heiress?" I decide to ease her mind with some casual chatter at a certain point. "Do you think she'll give you trouble staying behind?"
My dainty lover shifts a bit to rest more against me. "Daisy has her orders from her grandfather. Your appearance might have distracted her a tad, but she has to see them through and that is what she will be focusing on in the upcoming days. We will handle her without a problem. She definitely doesn't want to fully offend and alienate us after today."
"Glad to hear that. I'll do my best to help wherever I can. We might need to gain her trust before we can address the matter of the passages." I nod along.
"I don't think that will take long with you around." She gives me a sly smirk.
I bonk her on the head.
We continue the rest of the way in silence, simply enjoying each other's company as we ride down the charming streets. Soon enough, we arrive in front of your cosy shop and hop off Diana. I give the gorgeous wolf some scritches and ruffles before she lays down in front of the store. It doesn't seem to catch that much attention from the passersby and the visiting customers so this might not be the first time.
Leaving the big doggo to its own machinations, I approach the dazzling flower adorning the storefront. Two gorgeous figures peer at us from within its chalice, grinning excitedly. When I get close enough, Lilia and Lilie reach out of their homey spot to embrace me from both sides, nuzzling their faces into my neck. My hands slide down their smooth backs and give their bubbly rumps a welcoming rub, knowing well they appreciate soft gestures like these.
After a few mana-filled kisses and lots of wandering of my fingers, they submit a brief report of how things had gone during my absence. The green duo stopped plenty of small-time thugs and interrupted multiple attempts at disrupting the peace of our business. So far, they have been able to keep things harmless so that we don't incur any troubles with the law, which is incredible. The criminals have been passed onto the local enforcement teams and locked up.
Though, they most likely didn't stay in jail for long. Everyone knows that the reason why there are so many petty thieves and more sophisticated crooks who are interested in our new dildo factory is a certain rival household. Unfortunately, they are influential enough not to get caught in the act. Yet, at the very least.
We'll be working on that in the near future.
Showing my gratitude for their hard work, I then follow Sirgia into the shop. A few women are wandering around and browsing the wares. My arrival doesn't go unnoticed and they are somewhat surprised by a guy appearing in a store obviously targeted at the female population. Not like a dude couldn't enjoy these handy contraptions, of course, but it isn't that common in these parts.
Their confusion lessens to some extent when two charming girls in maid uniforms trot happily towards me, joining us with enchanting smiles.
"Welcome back, Master!" Mevana greets me with a lively hug.
Niel comes closer a bit more hesitantly but gives me a small squeeze too. "Welcome back."
Surrounded by three gorgeous Dwarf beauties, my person garners lots of attention from the visitors. Noticing it, the plump woodworker spins around to face the customers.
"This is Lord Alastair and he is our sponsor as well as the true mastermind behind the Pleasure Queen brand. Please, don't feel like he doesn't belong here as none of these products would have been brought into the world without his support. And if these useful gadgets haven't, I can personally assure you he knows what a female needs to feel good. If you have any doubts or questions, you can always ask him for advice," she explains while gesturing at me.
I catch a few sets of rosy cheeks, inquiring gazes, fairly quiet amorous giggles, and so on.
Welp.
There goes the hope that the locals aren't going to assume I'm fucking my employees.
It's now canon.
Three days.
It was a good run, I guess.
"Thank you for the introduction." I direct a firm smile at our guests and drag the unruly lady aside by the ear until all of us move far enough to talk without being overheard. "You know you could have spared them those details, right?"
"It was a good move, though." Surprisingly, Niel comes to Mev's rescue, speaking up anxiously. "There have been rumours that we are all social rejects unwanted by any male and thus our toys for intimate pleasure are not just bad but also dangerous. Since it implies we have never experienced a real man inside us."
I stop to look at her. The purple-haired girl tries to meet my eyes but gets too embarrassed and chooses to peer at the floor. In the end, out of the trio, this baseless and hostile rumour does hold a grain of truth for her, definitely hurting her confidence a tiny bit.
Sighing heavily, I run my fingers through my hair. "I had no idea they were spreading such vile gossip about you girls. Feel free to use me to deny those claims whenever you need to. As long as sleeping with a random Human won't ruin your image."
"Nothing can ruin it any more than being completely undesirable," Sirgia chimes in. "We might need you to make a display of affection here and there to support our counter-arguments however, Master. Words can achieve only so much."
"And not all of us can truthfully dispute their allegations either…" Niel whispers to herself.
"Then we'll just have to fight lies with lies." I kneel in front of Sirgia's precious friend and slide my hand across her face while looking up. "For a short while, at least."
Being as slow and gentle as possible, I press our mouths together. Niel lets it happen and her cute eyes widen a bit during the very real kiss, clearly catching on the implication of my words. She even opens up more and her small tongue bravely tickles mine, inviting it for an amorous and slightly awkward dance.
She still watches me attentively after I back off, searching for any signs of it being just an act as I have suggested earlier. But, recognising the genuine honesty in my eyes, she turns a pinch rosier, a barely noticeable smile adorning her dainty lips. I leave Niel to process the statement I just made and turn to the other two.
Mevana and Sirgia have been waiting for it and push themselves into me ostentatiously, making a total show for those looking at us. And right now, that's most likely the entirety of the store. I catch numerous heads poking past displays and sneakily peeking from behind the corners. As my little lovers take turns peppering me with adoring kisses, my hands dive under their skirts to enjoy the perks of my position. Everyone can see as my arms hike up the fabric and one palm fondles the thick female's thighs while the other plays with the lithe lady's tight butt.
That should do it for those pesky rumours.
If only we weren't replacing them with ones of a Human man amassing a Dwarf harem.
But, you can't control every detail of your life.
Nonetheless, with the goal of clearing the name of these three incredible women achieved, I cease feeling them up and step back.
"So, besides that horrendous slander, how has the work here been treating you?" I look between Niel and Mevana.
The latter brightens up first. "I need to show you something!"
Capturing my wrist, the chubby lass drags me to one of the glass displays and proudly puffs out her chest. What lies atop the purplish cushions is a whole set of manually sculpted dildos of various shapes, sizes, and styles. The variety is as impressive as the quality of these pieces. Even I'm getting captivated enough to almost open it up and examine each of them with my own hands.
"Pretty good, aren't they?" Mevana smirks adorably. "I call it the WouldCollection. They already have a few fans."
"Ah, because they are all wooden, I see." I chuckle amusedly.
She laughs. "No. Not wood. Would. As in would shove these up my pussy anytime."
Snickering, I shake my head. "You must have thought ages to come up with this pun."
"It's true that I've been stumped for a long time." Mev lets out a cheeky giggle, making me groan. "My favourite model isn't there, unfortunately. For obvious reasons."
I flick her on the forehead and spot Niel keeping herself close behind us. Sensing her hopeful yet uncertain glances, I turn to her with a curious smile.
"And you? Anything to boast about? Surely, a little Forgegraver genius such as yourself must have figured out something outstanding in as much as three whole days, am I right?" I walk up to her so she can guide me to her section.
She's much more reserved, but Niel perks up at my interest too, her foot digging into the ground timidly. "Ummm… I'm still lacking when it comes to handmade things like that… But I can show you if you would like…"
We switch to a different segment of the store, one further to the back. The displays are replaced by free space. No dildos seem to be presented here, however I notice a bunch of rectangular objects with rounded tops, like fallen trunks. As soon as we stop in front of them, I quickly recognise the obvious details of many different saddles attached to those elongated bases. Most of them have holes in the middle, either a single one, multiple, or a trench the length of several.
Niel pauses before one of the saddles, takes a peek over her shoulder to check if I'm with her, and brings her leg over it. Reaching to the side, she picks up a rubber cock from behind it and screws the fake dick to something inside the open slit. Finished attaching the elastic penis, she takes a small remote, which has a woven loop attached to it so that she can slip her hand through it.
"I've always been better with the mechanical side of things, so I made these with Sirgia's help," the violet-haired inventor begins her explanation. "There are many different versions, but this one means to stimulate a real horse ride. With a bit of an added excitement…"
Pressing a button, she brings the machine to life. I expected the dildo to start moving up and down, instead it's the whole saddle that begins shifting. She grabs the handles at the front and tenses her thighs as her seat rocks back and forth at a languid pace, gradually speeding up. It works in tandem with the toy that's currently in front of her tummy, showcasing how the wild bucking would cause it to pleasurably poke and drag itself over the owner's sensitive insides with each precise motion.
Even without actually using this advanced sybian, the implicative movements and mechanical noise the contraption makes cause Niel to blush faintly whenever our eyes meet. Still, I'm fairly sure I catch her matching the swaying with her own hips as if to show that she can ride it without that much of a problem.
And not only it most likely.
Turning the device off, Niel wipes her forehead and peers up at me. "A more static solution is already finished, and all models can be customised to include buzzers that stimulate the rider's outer labia, clit, and even the anal cavity or just its entrance. I'm still working on the rocking one with multiple points of penetration and it's the project I'm currently focusing on as making sure that the movements cause no harm or discomfort when opposing forces slide into the user's openings is extremely difficult. The calculations have to be perfect, and so do the timings of each cog and spring. Then, there are personal adjustments provided for the owner so that they can change how deep into their passages the toys slide and so on…"
As shy as she might be, she's still a Forgegraver and Sirgia's closest ally deep down. The moment she gets talking about the science of things, it matters not how lewd and inappropriate it is. She's gushing over stuffing herself with cocks in the pussy as well as in the ass like it's an everyday thing, worried only about achieving the most pleasurable combination of the moving parts.
My chuckle brings her back from her inner designs and her face displays a delicate flush again, definitely self-conscious about getting lost in her own world. I crouch in front of the device and rest a hand on her slender side, offering her a loving kiss. She relaxes a tad, sighing faintly into my mouth.
"You have well exceeded my expectations." I smile at her, watching her golden eyes widen again, starting to glint with joy. "If Sirgia had you by her side back at our place, I'm sure it would have taken less than one-third of the time for us to get where we are. I'm excited to see what else you construct. And to see it in action."
Niel's gaze skips to my departing mouth before she nibbles on her bottom lip, peering back into my eyes. "I could… show you? Sometimes. If you would like."
"With pleasure." I grin at her, receiving a matching grin in response. "Let me know when you need some feedback for your next project. I'll gladly contribute."
Giving her my arm, I help the sweet girl get off the mechanical saddle and watch her struggle to remain in place. She opens and closes her mouth repeatedly, sneaking peeks at the door leading to the workshop behind the store, valiantly trying not to rudely escape from the conversation. In the end, she fails at the social task and simply rushes into the forge, making me chuckle at how cute she is.
That double-dildo saddle might be finished sooner than anticipated.
Mevana, noticing the change, also disappears into the backroom, her competitive spirit ignited. Neither of the two wants to be outdone by the other too much and they dive into their creative processes with their all. Sirgia will make sure this stays purely professional and friendly, observing their efforts closely. Some healthy rivalry can be good, but we wouldn't want it to turn toxic by some silly accident or misunderstanding.
For the rest of the day, I stroll around the shop with her while she fills me in on the recent proceedings. A few customers require assistance so I step in like a good team leader should. Though, at least one of these situations seems to be an excuse to get me talking about how I would use the toys on the curious guest, the request to explain the functions in detail while using such a scenario as an example being rather obvious.
Perhaps we should think about introducing trying rooms where our clients can test the products before the purchase. Like changing rooms in clothing stores, but more… enjoyable.
The evening comes in a flash and a messenger arrives, letting us know that Lady Cecil will be expecting me to join her for our outing. Bidding farewell to my beloved, asking Sirgia to let the other two know as I don't want to distract them, I take Diana and jump straight to her family. From there, it's easy to find Cecil's chambers as I've already had the pleasure of setting foot in her sanctuary.
Reminiscing about that interaction, I knock on the door and answer after the inquiry comes in. Surely, now that she knows it's me, we won't have a repeat of our first meeting, right? It's kinda obvious, but I still wonder about it while passing the doorstep.
And I do pause for a second as, while not half-nude like that day, Cecil has chosen to wear a combo that puts her chiselled stomach and strong thighs at full display. The thin shoulder strap top barely extends past her chest, hanging off her taut breasts with only so much material that I can catch a portion of her underboob at a certain angle. Her slightly hardened nipples don't help. At the very least her shorts are actual shorts and not just a glorified thong smaller than her panties. It's clear she's putting on a show, but I'm glad she does so in a tasteful fashion.
"Hi." The raven-haired beauty waves from her sofa with a tense smile. "Ready to wreck some shit?"
Closing the door behind me, I unhurriedly walk towards her. "Sure am. What about you? Are you planning to break into a tightly secured compound looking like that?"
My tease brings forth the slightest trace of red to her rough cheeks. "Nah. I'll get my gear in a second. Nothing wrong with chilling out before the mission though, is there? You can dress down a bit for the briefing too if you would like."
Hah. I bet she would be the one to like that.
I decide to play along and shrug off my jacket, loosening my collar and rolling up my sleeves. Cecil's gaze follows every bit of movement, taking its sweet time to wander over my arms with a faraway look. She returns to the room when I plop myself across her.
"What are we working with, then?" I ask, raising a brow at her.
The experienced adventurer brings one foot onto the seat and pulls her knee to her chest, which coincidentally pulls up the fabric of her top and shares more of the full swell of her breasts with the world. The nipples are still hidden, but that might change if she leans in at any point.
This girl is playing dirty.
"Tonight's operation is simple. We are going after one of their warehouses, located and confirmed by our insiders. There were multiple opportune targets, but we settled on the one that should be fully dedicated to the ceramic toys. Our information should be solid, but that's as far as it can get us. I'm not sure what kind of security we will find in there. Most likely not much considering the fact that no one really dares to mess with them. Still, expect lots of guards and perhaps a few enchanted systems." She hugs her leg tighter as she wraps up her response.
"And what kind of skills do you bring in that would counter such measures?" I join my hands under my chin.
That sobers Cecil a bit, her foot slipping down the sofa. "Well… Uhhh… I should be able to knock out a guard or two if necessary… Maybe block the door or something…"
She twiddles her thumbs while peering up at me, making it clear that her offensive specialisation isn't exactly fit for infiltration.
"What about you?" The black-haired mercenary tries to deflect the question. "You certainly are strong, but do you have anything for covert proceedings?"
"My repertoire greatly exceeds the prerequisites of this plan, that's for sure," I answer calmly, watching her grow more doubtful. "And I'm fairly sure it would be safer for the clan to send one person instead of risking the safety of its valuable heiress."
I prepare myself to face an avalanche of reasoning and justification for it being better if she were to come with me, but Cecil doesn't immediately raise any disputes with my statement. The veteran warrior actually deflates a bit, aware that she is being at least somewhat irresponsible. Instead of throwing her position of power around and demanding to participate, I feel like she is about to apologise for being unreasonable.
And this proves that she is taking it seriously.
"When are we leaving?" I recline in my chair, putting my hands behind my head.
The gorgeous fighter blinks at me blankly. "We?"
"I could use someone to watch my back. Just in case." I smile at her. "As long as they are going to listen to my every word, no matter what it is."
"Any order, you can consider it done!" Cecil jumps off her perch, saluting to her springy boob. "If you tell me to strip and spread my legs, I'll instantly drop naked on my back and ask how far!"
"Pleasantries after the job, Partner." I snort at her. "Right now I need you focused, not dripping all over the crime scene."
"Yes, sir! Give me just a second to wipe myself and we can depart!" She sprints to her personal bathroom, her shorts down to her ankles at half-point already, revealing the obvious absence of any underwear as I catch the briefest glisten between her thighs when she disappears into the nearby compartment.
Guess I was closer to the truth than I would have thought.
The athletic Dwarf comes back in less than three minutes, fully dressed in a blacked-out set of reinforced leather that covers every bit of her strong body. Save for the face. She holds what must be a version of a balaclava in her hands. Continuing with the bit, she salutes to her chest again, awaiting further commands.
I get into my adventuring outfit too and summon Diana to our side. Cecil shares the location of our target and we are moved close to the warehouse. No surprises there, it's located at the edge of the mercantile district. It's a remote storage far from the Stockhawker compound, which makes it a prime target for our revenge.
Naturally, that doesn't make it easy by default. There are numerous other warehouses around with their own sets of sentries. Districts like these are undoubtedly full of hopeful individuals or groups with sticky fingers. From what I can see, we are dealing with a tall brick fence topped by barbed wire, multiple patrols made of at least two men and a dog, lots of magical lighting, and so on.
"How are we going to get past all of this?" Cecil wonders out loud, quietly muttering under her breath.
"So, you really were going to just wing it, weren't you?" I glance at her, making the tough woman squirm a little. "For starters, we can make sure they can't hear our steps."
Mentally browsing through the available skills, I pick a suitable one and cast it immediately. A faint breeze swirls around me before coalescing at the soles of my feet. My companion watches with fascination as the greenish glow dissipates with no visible changes.
To prove that anything happened, I make a few jumps around. Cecil's mouth opens in shock as none of my steps are audible, no matter how hard I try to land. Even as I kick the nearby wall, there is no sound of the impact.
"How?" she asks with fascination.
"Wind Magic. There's a thin cushion of air between my shoes and any surface they are aimed at. Your turn." I repeat the spell for her. "Try it out. Just be careful. It's easy to slip for newbies."
Excited about the prospect, Cecil takes way too big of a step and goes almost horizontal before I catch her. Wide eyes drill into mine as she realises that this requires actual proficiency to use properly and isn't just a one-and-done deal. Utilizing this technique is like walking on ice all the time.
We need fifteen minutes of practice before she grasps the concept. "This is mindblowing. Assuming it's barely scratching the bottom of the barrel in terms of the abilities you possess, it's not so unbelievable for you to get this done on your own."
"It's true that I'm extremely versatile, but there's a catch." I raise a finger at her. "I can only uphold one spell like this at a time and have to switch between them before I cast. With the exception of a select few that I have on me at all times."
"That does make it harder than I thought." She peers up at me with a newfound respect. "Back then, did you also have to switch between techniques to fight off the Rollos?"
"Three or four of them, yeah." I nod. "So, even if I'm decently fast at it, we need to be careful. Ready?"
She nods back, assuming a serious expression. A moment later, shadows swallow us and we shift to the roof of our target warehouse. Quickly making sure we are far from any edge, we drop to the ground and wait for any alarms to come to life. Nothing starts blaring and there is no commotion around or below so it looks like they haven't rigged the top with systems activated on simple touch.
Cecil covers her face and offers one balaclava to me. Smirking at her, I flick one of the buttons of my coat and darkness crawls up my skin, turning me into a faceless figure shrouded in black shadows which even seep out of my attire menacingly.
"Cool." I hear her whisper to herself as she admires my form.
Letting her know that I'm switching skills, I borrow some Fire Magic and use a spell that creates a flame from my fingertip. With my insane mana pool, I force it into a state closer to that of a burner and melt through the panel beneath us, tracing three straight lines. The metal pane is easily bent and we peer inside.
Just to be sure, I browse my available spells for a second and pick one that affects my sight. Soon enough, the colours of the nightly world turn into grayscale, broken by faint traces of other shades here and there. Those are magical imprints, and thanks to the special mana-sensitive sight, I'm able to discover a bunch of arrays in the corridor beneath us, as well as moving signatures of the guards.
Aiming for a safe moment and spot, I signal Cecil to jump, and the two of us drop into the simple passage. The air padding will work for an hour before I need to refresh it, so we enter silently. But, there is a patrol on their way, so I use an earth-based magnetic spell to pull the metal roof into its proper place before having to reactivate the magical sight, which requires continuous casting. Taking Cecil's hand, I guide us between the glowing traps and alarms.
We sneak through what must be the warehouse offices and the corridors surrounding them for a few minutes, avoiding any direct contact with the locals. But, it's obviously not possible to skip past every single living guard and we inevitably run into an issue. The door leading into the main hall is watched by a pair of bored Dwarves.
We'll have to take them out.
I can tell my companion is more than eager to prove herself in that regard, but I stop her and bring out something better into the play. Cecil frowns under her mask as I hold a weird contraption in my hand which to me looks like a steampunk dart gun. Materialising a second one from my spatial storage, I pass it to her, then gesticulate aiming at her neck, pulling the trigger, and fainting. The message is rough but it gets across. She obtains some practice on me, familiarising herself with the sights, before confirming her readiness.
Thankfully, we have them from the side so they shouldn't even see us peek from behind the corner before the projectiles hit them. Sharing a glance, we do exactly that and take aim. Almost at the same time, our dart guns release a whizz of air, and two purplish tufts cross the distance in a blink, sinking into the throats of the two unsuspecting guards. They let out a grunt before dropping down like dead.
"The hell is in those things? Our kin usually needs at least a horse-sized shot of sleeping drugs to even feel drowsy but this seems potent enough to drop a fucking elephant in a second." Cecil stares at me dumbfoundedly.
"Beats me." I shrug. "You'll have to ask Sirgia. Anything you see me using comes from her."
As she holds our sleeping beauties on the side, I peek through the crack in the door that I make for myself. It's a hall full of crates, barrels, and other types of repositories, as predicted. While I don't register any movements at first glance, there are some spiritual formations in a spot or two. Instructing my partner in crime to set up the guards so that they look like they fell asleep out of lethargy, I bring us both inside.
"Finally, I can be useful." Cecil rears her shoulder. "Let me just smash one of these boxes open to confirm our intel for you."
I catch her bicep before she escapes my range. "We should reduce the material damage to a minimum. I have a fun idea. Try to check the contents without breaking anything. Look for loose planks, lids, or something."
True to her words, she doesn't argue and moves to enact my command without a peep. I point out the spots covered by enchantments and we split up to search for any evidence of glass penises. Sure, we could destroy everything, but that's definitely going to be way too obvious. You gotta be smarter than that.
Five minutes later, I see Cecil waving at me and make my way to her. She points at a document clipboard hanging on a nail by one of the tall shelves.
"That's the in and out registry. They sort their stuff like true merchants. Dates, times, amount, labels, everything you might need." The raven-haired adventurer chuckles. "What do you think?"
I rub my obscured chin. "I think we are about to get close and personal with a certain shipment. Find crates marked by that red symbol."
"Got it, Boss." Cecil jogs away and spends the next five minutes taking notes, returning to me afterwards. "Found all of them. What now?"
I ask her to lead me to the first one and we stop by a massive box warning the handler about fragile contents.
"Now, it's time for the fun part." I smile to myself while placing my hand against the lid.
A second after, the whole thing trembles slightly, emanating a clinking noise of glassware hitting itself, before turning quiet again. My new friend tilts her head at the container, unsure about the effects of my action. Then, a small gasp escapes her as she notices a fine glittering dust seeping through a few bigger imperfections of the crate, the dildos reduced to mere powder.
"That's so devious!" She looks back at me. "If we go only after this batch, they might think that something is wrong with the transport or the manufacturer! That will throw a wrench into their logistics!"
"Exactly." I pat her on the head. "Here. Go and do some crime."
A flat circular device appears in my palm and she receives it with intrigue. Walking up to the next crate, she attaches it to the lid and takes a glance at me. Registering my nod, she taps the crystal at the top and the box jitters the same way as the one that I handled. Both the artefact and my spell work similarly, relying on powerful wavelengths to create seismic pressure inside the enclosed space. Quite deadly for a few pieces of glass.
Cecil takes the gadget and goes on a gleeful spree of chaos and destruction. We ruin the entire batch in no time. The containers remain spotless, which is perfect. All the issues have already been noted in the registry and might help shift the blame.
Once our task is completed, we regroup in front of our masterpiece. All that's left is to escape unnoticed and we should be good for tonight. After listening closely to the city news for a few days, we should be able to gauge if future attempts will be possible. Just imagine the fury and hopelessness of the executives when their shipments start to regularly end up in pieces for some unexplained reason.
As I turn to my partner, I find the previously overjoyed lady in a pensive mood.
"Something wrong?" I place a hand on Cecil's back.
"No, not really." She glances around the warehouse. "It's just… It feels way too easy, honestly… Not that I'm complaining or anything, but… Part of me did expect a bit more… thrill? Perhaps it was silly of me, now that I think about it. We have you with us. There's no way things would have gone awry at any point when not just the Counselor but even my father trusts you explicitly."
I ponder over her words for a moment. The logical choice here would be to retreat and wait for the response from the Stockhawkers. On the other hand, though…
This whole operation wasn't too entertaining. Things can be described as clinical. Granted, we weren't aiming to blow up the entire warehouse or anything, but she is right, this has been rather uneventful.
"Hmmm…" I tap my chin thoughtfully. "Want to mess with them a little more, then?"
Cecil slowly turns to me, then smiles mischievously under her balaclava. "And here I thought I couldn't like you any better."