My life was a circus where I was the clown who always took the pie to the face. The debt of 10 coins to Jorn, because of the chaos in the arena, was yet another burden, and Melina's song about "the strippers of the arena" now echoed even in the stables of Vaelor. My head was a hurricane. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with me in ways I couldn't understand. Elara, with her shy looks that made my heart race; Vespera, with her teasing that made me blush; and Liriel, with that jealousy she disguised with sarcasm — every moment of closeness turned into a disaster. I wanted to understand these feelings, but with this group, it was like trying to climb a mountain during an earthquake. The amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, and bracelet in my backpack glowed together, and Jorn said that the Demon King's general's minions were ready for a ritual in Vaelor. The danger was closer than ever.
At the guild, I found a mission that seemed inevitable: "Face a minion of the Demon King's general in Vaelor and interrupt his ritual. Reward: 120 silver coins." It was the chance to pay Jorn and stop the threat. Dragging Liriel from the inn was the same drama. "A demonic ritual? Unworthy of a goddess!" she complained, holding her glass of wine. Elara looked nervous. "I'll use attack spells, nothing too flashy," she said, gripping her staff. Vespera, with her bow, smiled. "A minion? This will be exciting!" I tried to sound firm: "No crazy spells, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just stop the ritual." They nodded, but I knew it was all talk.
The ritual was taking place in an abandoned warehouse in the center of Vaelor, with an altar glowing red. We found Elowen, Veyra, Nyx, Rorik, and Jorn, all alerted by previous clues. "The strippers? Great, more chaos," said Nyx with her mischievous smile. Elowen, serious, introduced us to Sylas, a necromancer in a black cloak, the minion of the Demon King's general. "He's dangerous," said Elowen. "The ritual could summon something worse." Sylas laughed, his eyes glowing. "The strippers? I'll use your souls for the ritual!" I noticed Elara walking closer, Vespera throwing me teasing looks, and Liriel posing with her glass as if competing for my attention. It was confusing, and I just wanted to focus on the mission.
The battle began, and chaos came quickly. Elara tried an attack spell. "Just to weaken him!" she said. A fireball glowed for a few seconds before she collapsed, panting. "Mana… gone," she groaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close I felt my heart pounding. "Takumi, I… I like you," she murmured, blushing, an almost complete confession — but Sylas cast a sticky mist that trapped us. Vespera, laughing, used her succubus charm. "Come here, necromancer!" She lured in summoned skeletons, but her arrows flew crooked, hitting a rune that released glowing slime. "What delicious chaos!" she shouted as a skeleton hit her, and she seemed to enjoy it.
"Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her glass. "Divine purification magic!" The slime turned into a sticky substance that clung to everyone, leaving our clothes semi-transparent — again. I tried to strike Sylas with the borrowed sword but slipped on the slime. Jorn, watching, growled, "You people are a plague." Elowen deactivated part of the altar, but Sylas summoned more skeletons. In the center, we found a necklace with markings identical to those on the amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, and bracelet. When I touched it, it released more slime, gluing all of us together. Elara, still weak, held my hand. "Takumi, I meant that…" she began, but a skeleton interrupted her. Vespera, laughing, leaned closer. "I like seeing you like this, all tied up." My face burned, but Liriel, irritated, tried another spell that only made things worse: the slime glued the four of us, Jorn, and Veyra together. "Mortals and their stupid crushes!" she huffed, but her jealous gaze was more intense than ever. Rorik and Nyx together defeated Sylas, interrupting the ritual, but the warehouse was damaged.
The crowd outside laughed, and Nyx improvised: "The strippers fight and strip, in the ritual none can resist!" Our new fame was now "the ritual strippers." We managed to stop the ritual but received only 80 coins at the guild, deducted for damages. We paid off the debt to Jorn, but Elowen charged us 10 coins for the warehouse. At the inn, I sat exhausted while Elara and Vespera argued over who "defeated" Sylas. "My spell helped!" said Elara. "And my charm distracted the skeletons!" Vespera shot back. Liriel, drinking wine, scoffed. "You're pathetic. I did everything."
When they went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's sitting on your throne now?" She shrugged. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she takes care of the rest." She took a sip. "Why? Planning to send me back?" She smiled, with a look that left me confused. Elowen stopped by the inn, saying that the necklace and the items pointed to a greater plan from the Demon King's general, with more minions in Vaelor. "Be careful, strippers," she said, leaving. I looked at the glowing items — amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace. Those moments with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel — Elara's almost complete confession — messed with me, but they always turned into humiliation. And now, a greater plan from the Demon King? My life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.