Oh Vex, please come back! I know that mother taught me that it is rude not to pay attention when someone is speaking to me…but I can't help it! My mind keeps wandering off, thinking about Vex again. Oh no, I'm doing it now! Come on Perlina, get it together; this is an important person speaking with you. Okay, I'll try focusing again…wait, what was his name? It was…Lord…Waltine, wasn't it?
Perlina towers high above a nobleman, who despite their glaring size difference, does not let the shimmer of Perlina's natural appeal escape from his glasses. His pearly white attire, the typical fancy expected of a noble, looks dirty in comparison to the glow from Perlina's fair skin enveloping him. With such a rare, glorious sight in view, who could resist eagerly engaging? On the contrary, Perlina–while looking back attentively–does not reciprocate such a fascination. Rather, a respectful indifference.
"...hmm? Is something the matter, Perlina? My request seemed to have stunned you for a bit. If it's too much to ask–"
"My answer is yes, I agree!"
"Yes, you say? So I have your consent to touch you there? The pleasure is mine!"
"W-wait, w-what–?"
"Big bro, big bro! You have to see what Jan can do with her curse–she said she managed to stop a bad adult with it and it's so cool and–whoa!!"
Barging into the room, a spiky chestnut-haired boy runs at full speed without much care for his surroundings. Naturally, his eyes were drawn to the biggest presence in the room, forcing his legs to quickly decelerate so as to not pass her by. Waltine crosses his arms as the boy comes to a halt at his side in front of the large fountain. Following suit, a young girl sprints within his trail, slapping his back as she finally catches up.
"There, I finally caught you! You may be able to sneak away really well, but I-"
"Okay okay, you win this time, Jan. Look at that!"
"?"
"Look at that", he said…! Is the boy referring to me? Why is he pointing at me like that? Am I standing out in a bad way that even a kid would notice? Now even the girl is staring! Oh no oh no oh no…
"Wow…she's so pretty! You never told me about her, BJ. Who is she? Come on, don't keep it a secret!"
"I didn't know either, but I would like to know too! Hey giant fish lady, who are you?"
Fish?! Do I really look like a big fish freak to humans?!
"M-me?...I'm not a–"
"Your voice is shaky! Are you really shy or something? It's okay, I love monsters, so we can be friends!"
"She could even play with us, right?"
"M-mmonster?...P-pl-play?..."
Like a gadget that went out of order, Perlina's mouth becomes a mumbling machine that spouts out incoherent sounds. Waltine who is witnessing his conversation being derailed in real-time, exhales deeply. He forcibly grabs the boy by his head, then ruffles his spiky hair. As he rubs his hand through BJ's hair, faint trails of steam arise. Those steam trails quickly turned into smoke.
"Hey, knock it off, bro! You're messing up my style!...!!! Hot hot hot too hot! S-stop it, you're gonna burn my head off!"
"You'll survive; I made sure to use just enough force to not actually ignite your hair. Moreover, you're the one who needs to knock it off, BJ. Can't you see that you are making our very special guest here uncomfortable? You should be a better example for Jan, too."
"I was being nice, though…"
"Is interrupting the conversation of others very nice?"
"...no."
"Your heart is in the right place, just be more mindful next time, okay? Ahem, I am sorry about that brief interruption from my kid brother. He's a good kid, but can't seem to help himself sometimes."
Ah, I see. Lord Waltine is a big brother who has to take care of his rambunctious younger brother. That's so wholesome! I was worried for no good reason–I should do my best to be friendly.
"No…no need to apologize. I-It's okay. I'm Perlina…nice to meet you both as well."
"That's…that's so cool! Did you notice that, Jan? Perlina looked right at me this time! In the face!"
"She was speaking to both of us, you know. Even her name is so pretty…! Hey, why is Miss Flenn sitting there with those weird watery rings around her? Is she okay? Gasp, did that suspicious hooded man do something to her?"
"A suspicious man wearing a hood? Sorry, but I'm not sure if…!"
Is she referring to Vex?! But it can't be, he is far from suspicious!
"Blah blah, who cares? It looks so fun to play with! Perlina, did you do this with your powers? Can you do that to me next? I want to try!"
"Okay you two kiddos, no more questions. Continue your playdate elsewhere within the palace–let the adults continue their important conversation."
"Fine, big bro–we'll leave. Nice to meet you, Perlina–hope to see you again!"
"Me too! You are so–"
BJ abruptly taps Jan on her back, knocking the cheerful smile towards Perlina off her face. By the time she turns around, he already started running away.
"Got you back, haha!"
"No fair, I wasn't ready! Get back here, BJ!"
Exactly the way they entered, Jan and BJ brazenly leave the room as they continue their game of chase. The sound of their footsteps against the squeaky marble floor mask the much softer steps of someone walking in. Now that the adults are the only ones remaining, Waltine couldn't have been bothered to watch the children safely exit.
"Anyway, back to where we left off–is it really true that you are a water nymph? An authentic water nymph?"
"Y-yes…indeed I am…"
"Then, do you remember a strawberry-blonde hair guy by the name of Stin from several decades ago? He wore a signature monocle too."
"It's difficult for me to remember exactly, but I faintly recall meeting such a man long ago…I think."
The truth is, my memory is not so great when it comes to remembering men in specific detail. After watching so many of them get lured and eaten over the past three centuries–even a few of them by me–details about them become blurry. Besides, I would rather not keep an active memory of all those men…I've consumed several more than I ever helped escape. My conscience is heavy enough…
"Really?! He is my grandfather. So the stories he used to tell my father and me were legitimate after all. This revelation is eye-opening; the legends were real–beautiful water nymphs like you exist! However, that means you also are a man eater–for some reason, I am just now remembering that detail, if you can believe it."
"N-no! I don't like eating men–I helped Stin escape my mother before she could force me to eat him…I swear that I won't try to eat you at all!"
"Hahaha, the more you speak, the more you confirm my grandfather's testimony. I wish he were here right now–he would feel so vindicated. I'll never doubt his words again…! How about you attend the Pristine Festival that begins this evening? My grandfather along with most of the citizens of Fraus will be there, eager to see a mythical being like you with their own eyes!"
What?! He wants me to attend a huge festival where the entire country will be watching me?! Oh no no no…no way no way no way!
"Uh..um…I-I'm not so sure about–"
"My, it seems as though you two are having a rather lively conversation, no?"
"??"
A voice colored with elegance and grace politely captures the attention of Perlina and Waltine, despite interrupting. Her crimson hair flows smoothly behind her neck with her every step towards the fountain.
"Lady Endori, how long were you standing there? I got so caught up, I forgot to check in on you, Serine and…?"
Waltine's eyes move back and forth rhythmically, then his head, and finally his body circles around Endori.
"Are you looking for my personal maid, perhaps?"
"Well, wasn't there another person you took with you? Some purple cloaked chap who arbitrarily showed up in my palace, disrupting the peace? Or so I heard."
"Do you mean Vex? Please don't be upset with him–he's a really good person…"
Perlina's abrupt interjection was full of assuredness and firm, yet said in a gentle tone. Such a contrast took Waltine by surprise, completely stunning him for a moment before he finally unfreezes his face with a grin.
"Ah, so you are well acquainted with him it seems. You came across quite defensive there, Perlina. What's your relationship? I'm curious."
"Eh?! Well…I'm…he's…we're…"
Oh no, why did I have to blurt that out?! My heart can stand to hear Vex's reputation tarnished, but if I keep blurting out without thinking, I'll get in trouble…I am in trouble right now! I can't just tell him that we are bound together so easily; what if the news spread throughout the country and then more people will look at me, and then–
"Has Vex told you that he's my most cherished citizen from Avarice? He has taken responsibility for my body–he literally knows me from the inside-out! That's the kind of relationship we have, Perlina."
How could she say something like that, something so embarrassing with such pride and a bright smile?! That must be a sign of true love…is my love falling behind?
"The inside-out? Are you two really…that close?"
"Naturally! Oh, speaking of Vex, I can feel him flowing through my body as we speak."
"Huh?"
Both Perlina and Waltine are utterly dumbfounded, staring at Endori speechlessly. The sincerity in her voice and body movements confuses them to an even greater degree.
"I wish I could keep him close to me longer, but alas…please excuse me for what I'm about to do."
Endori gradually lifts her left hand towards her lips–then bites down sharply on her index finger, sucking the blood leaking from it.
"?!!!"
After a few seconds of filling her mouth with her own blood, she spits it into the fountain. The blood sinks into the water, then a ray of light beams upward, revealing two familiar figures: Vex and Serine. They stand side-by-side, equally soaked, hand-in-hand.
"Welp, looks like we made it back, Serine. You can open your eyes now."
"For some reason, I don't think I want to do that right now…"
"Welcome back…Serine."
While Perlina and Waltine are completely out of breath at this point, Endori gives Serine her warmest welcome as she gazes sharply at the placement of her hand.
___________________________________________________________
"Fuuuuuuuuu…"
A beam of bubbles flows from Perlina's mouth and conceals her hand. After resting there for a few moments, the bubbles gradually pop one after the other, revealing a now spotless and dry Vex and Serine. With a look of humble satisfaction in her eyes, Perlina returns them down to earth.
"There, you are good as new…I hope. I didn't miss anything, did I? Was I not thorough enough? If not, I-I don't m-mind…you know…"
Perlina's tongue bashfully peeks out from her mouth, sandwiched between her lips as though it were too afraid to fully come outside its refuge.
"Relax, Perlina. You did good enough, and I am grateful for that. I'm sure Serine shares my sentiment. Right, Serine?"
"Yes, I apologize for my lack of outward expression at the moment; I cannot help but marvel at your capabilities, Perlina. The concern that I had about my body odor from milady's body fluids has been completely eradicated–my clothes are even completely dry without a spot of dampness. You have my sincere gratitude."
Serine gently bows her head, flustering Perlina to the point of scratching her cheek uncomfortably while avoiding looking downward at the gazing eyes of the tiny people below her waist.
"I-it's nothing s-special really…I…I…I need to excuse myself."
Sensing his opportunity preparing to leave his grasp, Waltine forces himself upfront past Vex and Serine, directly below Perlina.
"Hey, before you do, I wanted to hear your answer concerning the–"
"I have something I need to take care of! Just call me when you need me again, okay?"
Rubbing her stomach as "proof" of her excuse, she dives down into the fountain, leaving no trace behind–not even a splash of water or a ripple. The only thing reflected in the fountain was the last bit of hope fading from Waltine's eyes.
"...did I happen to upset her, by chance? Is bowing an impolite gesture in Perlina's culture?"
"No, I don't think you are to blame. Maybe I went too far with my pressing question..."
"Pay her no mind you two, that's just her personality. Not one's at fault."
"Is that so? Well, considering the fact that Perlina seemed hungry…I wouldn't have minded sacrificing myself to satisfy her."
The second the very last word finished being spoken, all sound surrounding Waltine ceased to exist. As he rubs his chin while turning towards his guests, all three of them blankly stare at him. Feeling the weight of their silent judgment, Waltine searches his brain for intelligible words to say.
"Hey, I didn't mean it like that! I was just saying that I am willing to sacrifice my valuable resources here to try to satisfy the hunger of a giantess like her and–"
"There's no need to speak further, Lord Waltine. Please spare your dignity as a nobleman."
"Yes…you're right."
Finishing her gentle chastising of Waltine, Endori takes a step closer to Vex and Serine. Without facing his way, she points towards him.
"Vex, have you and this gentleman been properly acquainted?"
"Not at all–I was too busy trying to escape your body just now."
"Hehe, I love the way you said that! Ahem…"
Receiving Endori's gesture and obvious cue to step up, Waltine shakes himself together.
"Right, I was so caught up with Perlina, I forgot to introduce myself properly. I am Lord Waltine Sidero, though going by that purple cloak of yours, you are that man my guards notified me of, correct? Quite the showman, you are."
"Vex's the name. I didn't intend to make such an impression before you and your citizens, but the situation left me no other choice."
"That sounds rather unfortunate that something could possibly pressure you into such a situation. Unfortunately, letting you cause chaos within the palace before several visitors without consequence would set a bad precedent…"
"I'll ask Perlina to do whatever request that you have for her."
"Nevermind, this will count as your bail. Give me a moment to ponder…"
"Anyway, let's discuss the pressing issue at hand, shall we? Please inform me of everything you discovered from within my body. Even if you have stated it before, please say it so that Lord Waltine can be informed as well."
"What I found out is pretty much what Serine showed you via transmission. Inside your heart–your left ventricle to be exact, if that matters–a large seed-like object is rooted there. According to your cells, it doesn't seem to be bringing harm to your body…at least not physically."
"Were you able to remove it? Serine's transmission abruptly disconnected, so I could not tell what happened during that time afterwards. I still feel a little…"
"When I touched that thing, I couldn't get it to budge. However, I immediately felt a familiar sensation throughout my body–a curse from an apostle."
"Oh, so I presume that you are committing to your accusation of this apostle?"
"That's right, I fully stand by it. The fact that you didn't feel this uneasiness until after your meeting with that guy, combined with the familiar feeling I felt, there's no way this apostle isn't at least partially involved somehow."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but would you so happen to be referring to the apostle of my country? Apostle…Zateon?"
Hearing the name "Zateon", a spark ignited within Endori's mind. She snaps her fingers, bringing the attention towards her.
"! I remember now! Vex, the apostle I met with recently was Zateon! I have no idea why I blanked out on his name…"
"Then that settles it. I want to meet this Zateon guy myself. He has some explaining to do."
"Halt! What are your intentions behind meeting Apostle Zateon? If you plan any harm against him, I am afraid that I will have no choice but to call for your arrest. Bringing harm to an apostle beloved by not only the people of Fraus, but the goddess herself would ensue unrepairable chaos that could bring this great nation to ruin. I understand that you may have grievances, but you can't make such drastic accusations based on a hunch."
"Hmph, I guess the nobles in this country are more strict about this kind of thing. At least they care more than Avarice."
"Hmm? You wouldn't happen to be slandering…your own country…before your lady, surely?"
"There's nothing to be confused about Lord Waltine. You see, every citizen of Avarice knows that–"
Before Vex could begin educating Waltine about the culture of Avarice, Endori pulls on his ear, bringing her lips as close as possible.
"Vex, not in front of Waltine! We are undergoing reformation, it'll take some time!"
"Okay, whatever."
Unable to bear the whisper of her breath any longer, Vex shakes himself free of her grasp, bringing some much needed distance between them.
"You are mistaken, Lord Waltine. I in no way intend to harm Zateon–I just want to ask him questions and conversate. Is that any different to what everyone else does?"
"Well if that's the case, then the best time to meet him will be at the Pristine Festival tonight. He'll be the main speaker there, so he is bound to show up and greet the people…! Hey, that's my request–please ask Perlina to attend this festival! Unfortunately, I would offer to take you there with me myself, but with my little brother and his friend in my hands…"
"That'll be of no concern, Lord Waltine–I will escort him there with me! He is my beloved citizen, after all."
"That seems like a fantastic idea to me–as expected of Lady Endori. Is that all right with you, Vex?"
Endori, hoping to have her ears blessed with the ideal response to Waltine's question, looks directly at Vex with a dazzling gleam in her eyes. Contrarily, Serine rolls her eyes–behind Endori's back and out of her line of sight, of course.
"I don't have many other options realistically…so I supposed I will–"
Endori latches onto Vex, sliding her hand down his sleeve until she loops around his arm, completely intertwining them together. With the speed and fluidity she demonstrated, one would think that Vex has a curse relating to human magnetism.
"Thank you for escorting me to our date! A festival sounds so romantic–there are so many things I can't wait to do with you!"
"You and I do not share the same definition of the word 'date'. Anyway, there's one more thing I need to address before we leave."
Vex shakes Endori off of him and walks over to the lone bunny encased in aquatic rings by the fountain. Vex crutches down and looks Flenn directly in her eyes. She tries looking away, but it does no good as he grabs her chin forcibly.
"?!"
"Answer me, bunny. Does the name Zateon ring any bells in your empty head?"
"!!!"
Hearing that name, Flenn's eyes widened. Her lips trembled, but no intelligible sound came out.
"Yep, he's the mastermind behind this. Thanks for telling me."
"Haven't you done enough? What more do you want from me? Leave me alone and let me go!"
"'Let you go'? Do you think I'm just gonna sweep what you did under the rug? You participated in this mess, so I will make you clean up your part. Until I find Lily, don't even think about your freedom from me."
"Tch, you can't be so naive to think that you can easily hold a Dark Mercenary down. As soon as you free me, I'll escape during the next opportune moment. There's no way you weren't aware of that possibility."
"Oh no, I know that that is more than just a mere possibility–but here's the deal…"
Vex pulls Flenn's floppy ears up to his lips, his faint breath sending shivers down her fur.
"If you even attempt to run away before I'm through using you, you will never walk or hop ever again. Your career, finished."
"!!!"
"What's with that face, is there something you need to tell me? Want to object to that? I dare you."
"I'll…I'll cooperate."
Her natural survival instincts sensing danger, Flenn gives in and submits herself to Vex's commanding presence. He finally lets go of her, releasing the tension.
"Okay, Endori–we are ready to follow your lead. Take us to this festival, please."
"Hmm, what was that? I think I would hear you better if you also pulled my hair and whispered directly into my ears and–"
"Serine, would you do it instead?"
"Right this way. Flenn, I think it would be for the best if you were up front with me."
Serine leads the way forward, Flenn drags her feet as she reluctantly follows somewhat awkwardly due to her bondage. Endori and Vex are paired-up, walking slightly behind.
"It was just a playful joke between us, Vex. Lighten up a little!"
Without warning, Vex swiftly reaches out for her long, crimson hair–Endori closes her eyes in anticipation, her tongue spreading across her lips.
"Just as I thought–you were dead serious."
"...?"
Endori, not feeling the sensation she imagined in her mind, slowly opens her eyes. Instead of any pleasurable moment, the sizable gap between her, Vex and the others becomes apparent.
"Wait for me, my love! You shouldn't leave a noble lady behind like this!"