51 Chapter 51: Archer and Celestine Part 1
Beta read by Shigiya and Fluffy Slayer.
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Her recollection of the past few months was faint, with her earliest memories centering around a woman hiding her younger self inside an abandoned house before hastily fleeing.
Hundreds of torch-wielding and pitchfork-bearing humans descended upon the scene, etching a vivid memory in her mind. Capturing the woman, they mercilessly stripped her of her clothes, revealing a waterfall of smooth purple hair and twisted-curved horns akin like her own.
"Demon!"
"Wretched succubus!"
"Kill her!"
"Show her the wrath of the goddess!"
She watched as they brought down their weapons upon her defenseless mother, causing blood to splatter everywhere. She screamed in agony, but her cries were buried under the cheers of the humans. Her eyes were fixated on the gruesome spectacle as they tore her limb from limb with smiles on their faces. The little girl could do nothing but stay quiet, desperately hoping that no one would find her. Shivering from the cold, fear and uncertainty engulfed her heart — Radomira wanted to escape this hell.
Soon days turned into months, and she learned to hide from human sight. Scavenging for food in the wild that were filled with predators and demons, stealing fruits from vendors in small towns when she got desperate.
Yet no matter how much she tried to live a quiet life, trouble inevitably sought her out at every turn. Even when she concealed most of her features with a dirty rag, Radomira could still feel the lecherous gazes from the people around her if she lingered in one place for too long. The unsettling desire that seemed to stir within everyone's heart sent a shiver down her spine.
From a tender age, she had already understood the significance of those lingering gazes, attuned to the implications they carried. It was ingrained in her very nature to decipher such signs and comprehend the perils that would ensue if they were to uncover her identity as a Tiefling or, worse… get their hands on her body.
"Got you!"
Her streak of luck ended abruptly early in the morning when she had no choice but to leave the village due to a large number of Knights storming the area in search of a redheaded boy by the name of Shirou. Getting caught by these people was no different than an instant death. They were not the type to imprison and rape her like the many unfortunate young girls she met along the way who ended up as prostitutes. Unfortunately, her escape attempt proved futile, as she was captured not even halfway across the road by a duo of hunters who were tipped off about her existence.
"Let me go!" She struggled, her mind haunted by the image of the woman in the past getting impaled and dismembered. Desperation surged within Radomira, but despite her non-human nature, she possessed no superhuman strength or magical abilities, having never awakened her powers. The two men proved too formidable for her struggles to make any difference.
"We got ourselves a succubus, a young one at that!" Screamed the man with jubilance, tying her hands and legs so that she wouldn't be able to move. "Just look at her skin, so smooth and soft. She'll make a fine woman in the future. Though I do know some clients who don't mind eating an unripened apple." He touched her legs, his hands traveling up her body, caressing it and kneading the flesh with a perverted grin.
It was unpleasant, disgusting, and frightening to the young girl.
"Hey, stop it, you fucking idiot!" shouted the old man, pulling the other human away from her. "That's not a human woman or an elf. You can't just fuck without consequences! You Kuroinu dogs can be so impatient at times. Last time, you couldn't resist sleeping with the Baron's wife while her husband was still talking to me in the room next door."
"Hah? It's clear to me that's she a fucking succubus, old man! Do you have any idea how rare these creatures are? The price of a single Dark Elf is around fifty gold coins. A blooming girl like her is easily going to be more than twice that value!" He was already salivating at the amount of money he could get with this catch. "I was just going to check if this girl is a virgin. Her price would easily jump to hundreds of golds if she was one."
"You must really take me for a fool," the old man snarled as he pulled the Kuroinu mercenary away. In one swift motion, the old man seized Radomira and shoved her inside a cage. He stood by her side whilst fiddling with the bag around his waist.
"O-Oi! What's the big deal, you crotchety old fuck!?"
"My 'deal' is you conducting this little check-up with that dick of yours. You were literally about to fuck her in the middle of nowhere if I wasn't here to stop you. Plus, she's not a succubus, you in-breed dumbass. Her horn and wings are a dead giveaway that she's a Tiefling — sleeping with one that has barely any control over their magic is no different than getting a death sentence. Don't ruin the goods, or the difference in price between a virgin and a used girl will come out of your pockets. That is if she doesn't kill you first."
"Tch, fine, let's take her back to Feoh." With those words, she saw the elderly man taking out a small potion from his pocket and proceeded to force her mouth open to get her to drink the putrid content inside. The smell was strong enough to make her gag.
"What's that?"
"A special concoction of mine. Tiger root mixed with the blood of a muck fish and a few moonflower petals, it creates a potion that can knock out a weak magical being, seeing as how they tend to have a natural resistance to such things, it will take a few seconds." He held her mouth shut, forcing her to swallow the bitter liquid. Soon, Radomira Radomira felt her strength draining away, her whole body growing weaker by the second. A sense of weakness engulfed her entire body, and her senses became clouded, as if trapped in a bewildering limbo where reality and bizarre hallucinations merged into an indistinguishable haze.
Even the simplest act of moving a single finger became an impossible task. All she could do was keep her eyes open—desperately attempting to resist the potion's effect with all her might. However, black spots began to creep into the girl's vision, multiplying until they enveloped her sight entirely. She eventually succumbed to a deep slumber, haunted by a barrage of unsettling nightmares.
'Mama…'
Not even knowing her mother's name, Radomira could only think about her as her sole memory of comfort.
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"She's quite the exquisite flower you found, Loyd. I expected nothing less from a merchant of your caliber. You always know where to find the best product."
After an unknown amount of time, she woke up drenched in cold sweat, only to realize she was now in an unfamiliar kingdom. Those who captured her led the young purple-haired girl inside a dark place where there were other unfortunate souls like her. Women from many different ages and races, Dark Elves, demi-humans, and even humans chained inside cages are put on display like a meat market.
"Hohohoho! You flatter me, Count Redbane. As a loyal customer for many years, I would undoubtedly know your preference by heart, and when I saw these girls, I instantly thought about you." The old man who had fed her the potion was replying to the middle-aged man next to him. Acting with an air of humility and submission, it was a far cry from the person she remembered who captured her. His posture reflected his efforts to appear less imposing, bending his back and knees so as to not appear as tall. He avoided meeting the customer's gaze and spoke in a gentler tone, careful not to speak over this noble.
Pathetic.
That was how she could summarize him at this moment.
"But of course, a succubus is merely an existence from legends. Not even Olga's army harbors any of them. She only keeps those ugly creatures by her side. Humph, maybe she sleeps with them on a daily basis to keep their loyalty for all I know. Why else would there be no other creatures aside from Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins? As expected from the Dark Queen, willing to open her legs to such disgusting creatures." The man now known as Redbane said in disgust, while still eyeing the alleged succubus, "A shame, really. I wouldn't mind buying her when she eventually gets captured — At any rate, I'm someone who prefers a romance that is innocent and pure. So this succubus will do." He said as he inspected her body which had been stripped of all pieces of clothing.
He licked his lips, a familiar hungry look in his eyes as he stared at her, "Yes... She will be a fine addition to my collection. But are you absolutely certain that this succubus is a virgin? Given how their race functions, that's a bit hard to believe. While I trust your words, Loyd. I hope you can understand my skepticism regarding this matter."
"She's a Tief— a-ah, yes, a succubus. Of course, my lord, we have conducted every test imaginable to check the state of her body. Sister Elissa has personally made sure that everything was in order, so you don't need to worry."
Redbane whistled, "So that former nun is still running around, huh? Is she still training the newer nuns on how to please those horny priests?"
"I… I'm not sure. A person of my status wouldn't dare to question a person like her."
Radomira's gaze remained fixed on the man, whom she could only liken to a disgusting demon. Now, however, he bowed his head before this man, an act that left her astonished. But it wasn't just him, every other slaver inside the room paid their respects to this noble, their eyes betraying fear and terror. As if their very lives depended on it, they submitted to his authority, despite the fact that the man appeared as though he had never fought a day in his life. Yet, with an air of unwavering dominance, he presided over the room, exuding an aura of supreme power.
That fascinated her.
If she wanted to live a life devoid of danger, to stand at the top where worries about food, water, and having a place to sleep vanished… would achieving such a life necessitate her becoming someone akin to this Count before her?
"How much for her?" Redbane asked. "Give me a good price. The incident with Blueborn had cost me a fortune to cover my tracks."
"Erm, given we never had a succubus as one of our products, I'm afraid the price will be higher than that of a Dark Elf. And given she's still a child with boundless room for growth — the final price might be higher than you may expect, L-Lord." He started to cower under the intense gaze of the noble.
"Don't waste my time with pointless rambles. Just tell me the price!"
"Y-yes! I wo-would say around s-six hundred gold, my lord?"
As Redbane hurled a small bag at him, the distinct sound of coins rattling filled Lloyd's ears. "O-Orichalcum!" He exclaimed in shock, unable to contain his astonishment as he opened the bag and beheld five pieces of gleaming blue coins.
His disbelief was palpable as he had never encountered such coins before. Based on his estimation, they appeared to be of mid-grade Orichalcum.
"I only brought this much with me for now, I was initially planning to buy five Dark Elves, but a succubus like her is worth the cost. I trust that this will suffice, right?" A vicious gleam surged in his eyes, intimidating the old man into silence. It was evident that any further words would lead to a swift execution for him.
"O-o-of course not, my lord! This is more than enough! In fact, you've even overpaid me. Never in my dreams have I ever expected to earn so much for a mere slave!" He prostrated himself to the floor, his head firmly pressed against the ground. "D-Do you wish to have some alone time with this succubus?"
The Count nodded.
"Then I'll arrange a room for you!" Loyd hastily called the other people around and then started to push Radomira's cage inside another room, through a corridor where the girl's sensitive ears picked up the sound of moaning, groaning, flesh hitting flesh, and crying. The stench of sweat, blood, and an acutely sweet scent were all detected by the Tiefling, who started shaking and hyperventilating in panic.
"P-Please don't do this…" she begged, not wanting to end up like those girls in those cages, with lifeless gazes in their eyes and covered with bruises and bite marks all over their bodies. "Please…" She had nothing to offer, not a single tool on herself or powers to break free.
"Shut up, bitch!"
She flinched at his venomous tone.
"Consider yourself lucky to get someone like Redbane to buy you. At least with him, you'll survive a couple of years easily. Most girls are sent back after a few weeks with the other customers. Having said that, be glad that you weren't bought by that obese man-child Pantielle, you wouldn't even last a few days… Trust me, you'll love it. Your kind tends to love fucking anything that moves, more so than a succubus. I reckon you'll become addicted to it soon enough."
"Please… let me go…" Radomira continued to plead but it fell on deaf ears, the cries around her were becoming too much to bear. She still continued to plead, her voice growing more erratic and chaotic.
Unbeknownst to both Radomira and Loyd, a near-invisible trail of dark purple smoke started to emanate from her skin, covering the halls and seeping into the doors around her. As a result the moans and groans got louder and more sensual.
"Sheesh, they are fucking like rabbits tonight," Loyd muttered, his face slightly flushed as he peeked at the little girl huddled in her cage, shaking like a leaf. His eyes trailed down her body as an urge rose within his core, lustful thoughts corrupting his mind. As if controlled like a puppet, his hands unconsciously went to grab the key to unlock the cage door, but before he could turn it, a light jolt woke the man up from his trance as he bumped his head on the roof of the cage.
Loyd quickly shook his head, regaining his thoughts. 'No, No! What the heck am I thinking!? I'll have my limbs ripped off by the Count if I laid a finger on her!'
In due course, he arrived at the rooms exclusively reserved for the most distinguished guests, lavishly adorned with velvet carpet and curtains made of silk. A bed befitting a high lord and a table brimming with wine and fresh fruits greeted him. There awaited the fat man from before, now clad in nothing but a robe.
"Finally, I was getting ready to get another slave to fuck." He approached the cage while Radomira tried to crawl away from the man, his robes falling to the ground as she faced his erect member.
"A-A-Ah!"
At that sight, the panic inside Radomira's heart worsened, and she couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks for what awaits her.
Woosh!
"What's going on!?" Both men shouted, their faces flushing instantly as an uncontrollable urge started to rise within their core. "Hah… hah… hah…" Redbane started to pant, his eyes clouded with lust and desire as he gazed at Radomira — the same happening with Loyd.
"G-Give me the key! Now!" He bellowed, reaching his breaking point, and feeling an overwhelming urge to push this girl onto the bed and ravage her. "HURRY!" He yelled at Loyd, as an animalistic, murderous intent began to emerge from his eyes, the sensation inside his body escalating beyond his control the longer he waited.
"Y–Yes!" The overwhelming sense of danger jolted the old man back to his senses, prompting him to reach for the keys on his belt, only to freeze when he realized it was missing! "O-O-Oh right, I must have left them in the… lock?" His voice trailed off as he glanced at the lock, realizing his mistake.
The key was no longer in the old man's possession; instead, it now rested securely in Radomira's possession. She clutched the precious item like a lifeline, maintaining a safe distance from his reach as she stood in the middle of the large cage.
"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE WHORE!!!!!"
She observed the man, his eyes consumed with pure madness. Just like everyone else in the room, she was just as perplexed about this mysterious fog — though in this moment, her only concern was to remain within the confines of the cage. The Count, at the corner of her eyes, grew increasingly violent and erratic. His mouth was salivating as he looked at her, akin to a predator eyeing its prey. His bloodshot eyes abandoned all semblance of reason, scanning the surroundings desperately, seeking anything to satiate his needs.
Bang!
"Kya!" Radomira let out a piercing scream when he lunged at her, his body smashing against the cage while his hands desperately attempted to grab her. "Come here! Come here! Hereherehereherehere!!!!!" Even his speech devolved into complete gibberish. Madness had completely consumed him.
No matter how much he exerted himself, attempting to forcefully pry apart the metal bars or striking the cage until his fist bled — he could not reach her.
Crash!
The sound of the room's door shattering reached the girl's ears, as a fist had punched through the wooden material. Through the newly formed hole, a multitude of bloodshot eyes peered, each one now resembling nothing more than the eyes of frenzied beasts. The instant those pupils gazed upon her, the roars on the other side escalated, growing louder and increasingly frantic.
Amidst the escalating chaos, Redbane had already succumbed to his primal instincts. Consumed by overwhelming frustration that eroded his sanity, his mind found itself driven to seek an alternate outlet… and there panting on the floor, gasping for breath was another potential prey.
"RAAAARGH!!!!" The Count ran for the man, already eyeing him as his only source of release.
"Wha-Wha-what are you doing!?" The old man screamed, powerless to break free and exhausted from using all his willpower to keep his mind stable. "Let me go! L-Let me you, Count! Please wake up! You're under the influence of this Tiefling! Mmf! Gurk!"
The door shattered, with dozens of people storming in and trying to seize her body. Behind them were the lifeless bodies of the girls she recognized from those cages, having been fucked to death by the lustful monsters.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO! GO AWAY!"
That night, Radomira witnessed a nightmarish sight that remained burned into the deepest corner of her mind. Despite all of this, she was still unable to escape, as leaving this cage would lead her to a fate worse than death. So she slept inside, drowning out the sounds around her till reinforcement came and took her away.
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"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, we have finally reached the end of our little event here and saved the best for last!"
After that night, the people who captured her grew afraid of her. She was forced inside another cage, a smaller and more restrictive one where all her limbs were bound with chains. Feeding her less food and water to the point that Radomira felt her stomach slowly start to digest itself, where even the carcass of a dead rat started to look appetizing. Her face had turned sunken and grimy, with a body that somehow managed to keep its youthful vigor despite feeling like there was nothing there but skin and bones.
"Just look at her beauty. Are there any lucky ones here willing to spend a pretty penny for her?"
Was she… was she ever going to be free?
'Ahh… I just want to live.'
As the days passed, her intention to escaping gradually waned, and only wanted to get out through any means necessary.
Crack!
The seals around her started to crack, a faint trace of purple mist once again seeping off of her skin.
Radomira didn't care if they ravaged her body as long as she could see the outside sky once again. Even if they all used her body, it didn't matter.
Thus, with a heart weighed down by emptiness, she unsealed the dam within her — allowing every single one of her emotions to run wild without restraint, indifferent to the consequences that might follow.
Woosh!
Everything erupted in a dense purple fog, far more abundant than last time, surging forth to overpower the barriers and envelop the entire room before her.
She had enough.
She accepted her fate.
{Break}
(A few minutes earlier)
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, we have finally reached the end of our little event here and saved the best for last!"
Baron Raul Azorius listened to the announcer with a look of genuine intrigue etched across his features.
"So you're certain she is the perfect vessel for producing aphrodisiacs?" He directed the question to the two pig brothers seated next to him, their attention also riveted on the ongoing auction. "That substance, in general, is notoriously difficult to produce, mainly due to the scarcity of required ingredients in Eostia. Last I remember, merely procuring the plants and roots would set you back at least ten silver coins per bottle, not to mention the other additional costs and profit margin… At a conservative estimate, a single bottle's production would cost around fifty silver. Of course, given its limited availability, it's not unusual for the price to soar to a single gold coin in particularly extreme cases."
Ruth and Duth nodded, their jiggly pink skin glistening with sweat drenching their clothes.
"As expected of the great Baron, despite your experience with the royal army, you also are a phenomenal businessman, oink!" Ruth chimed in, his words laced with a touch of flattery aimed at the man.
Duth, on the other hand, was writing on a piece of paper and slid it to the Baron, who curiously read the content.
"This is…?"
"Your profits," Duth answered. "With her ability, you can churn out a minimum of a hundred bottles per week,bypassing the need to procure any of the ingredients at exorbitant prices and sourcing the bottles from us — you'll easily sell each bottle at half the cost of the original, and they would fly off the shelves within days. Oink, we can even discuss establishing a trade route with the neighboring kingdoms. If you end up with a surplus, those bottles could be sold at a thirty percent discount compared to the competition, while still yielding substantial gains after covering minor transportation expenses, for example. And don't worry, we will take care of the mundane part. You can focus on the girl."
"Humph, it seems you're trying to entice me to buy her, aren't you." The Baron remarked, amused by their eagerness despite the fact that he hadn't actually acquired the girl. "If you are so eager for me to possess her, why not simply gift me the girl."
"Hehehehe, oink! As much as it wounds me, we can't comply with that request, lord Azorius. We have already extended an olive branch to you by not even asking for a share of the profits. Moreover, we are offering you a discount on an order for glasses bottles. I am of the opinion that considerable concession is insignificant when weighed against a minor auction fee. Additionally, it contributes to the overall atmosphere. If you were to buy her openly, people will know, and word will spread far quicker than anything else."
His brother added further, "Given this auction was set up by us, we'll even give you the option of getting back half of the amount you've paid for the girl. Though this comes with the condition… you'd let us have private moments with her every so often. Her aphrodisiac will grow more potent the more her body gets used to such activities and adapts. You may use her as much as you want if you'd like. She will be yours, after all."
The Baron found himself taken back by their offer. No matter how he analyzed the situation — it was overly generous, to the point of making him hesitant. But, he recognized the necessity of these brothers' assistance in helping his village survive the crisis. Gazingover the poor girls, Raul Azorius experienced a fleeting pang of sympathy, before it turned to cold realization. A demon, no matter what form it took, was still a demon. This one merely possessed a cute and innocent appearance to deceive humans, inciting sympathy and then backstabbing them when they least expected it. His focus shifted back to the brothers. Despite their peculiar appearance and demeanor, they have proven their worth time and time again with the kingdoms.
So there was no need to hesitate in the end.
"400 gold." He declared, making a resolute decision to invest the remnants of his treasury, his voice carrying an authoritative edge that reverberated through the previously boisterous crowd below. The excitement that had driven up the price from 80 silver to 100 gold was suddenly quelled as they recognized the voice that silenced them. The room turned silent, and the bound girl, craning her neck upwards, found herself confronted by his ruthless glare. Her face paled when she noticed the two pig brothers next to the man, recognizing them from the bits of memory she had from the terrible night.
Their gazes… they held the same predatory intensity as Redbane's. Those same desires that promised to violate her body were like those girls who lost all sense of life.
Had she been unable to change her fate all this time?
It was all a futile attempt to escape back then.
She was never destined to escape.
'Mama, please come back…'
The last string of hope inside her heart snapped as Radomira fell into a pit of despair and sadness. "Sold! To our dear Baron for 400 gold coins!!!! A first-ever record in our humble auction! Please, everyone, give a large round of applause to lord Raul Azorius!"
Unable to take it anymore, Radomira screamed in desperation.
Woosh!
"—!?"
The seals around the chains shattered, with an overwhelming amount of purple mist bursting from her body, far more abundant than anything in the past.
"Stop her!" The pig brothers, having witnessed and been informed of the aftermath of the Feoh incident, immediately squealed out orders. "How is this possible!? We had a high priest of the Church of Celestine and Kaguya herself forge those chains and seals! The latter should have been impervious to the magic of a mere child!"
The Baron, having instantly recognized something awful was about to occur by the presence of a demon, made a hasty and inconspicuous exit, slipping away quietly without attracting the attention of the pig brothers.
The hall erupted into chaos as people crumpled to the ground, struggling for breath as an unfamiliar sensation gripped their bodies and mind. Amidst the turmoil, a woman possessing a dusky complexion and ears similar to that of an elf shouted for everyone to evacuate — escorting women, children, and the elderly away from the scene. Radomira could see all of it happening from where she was held.
"Aaargh!!"
Unlike last time, she no longer held the key to a locked cage. Now, anyone could enter while she could do nothing but just watch as the carnage unfolded before her. The guards stationed around the cage had long lost their rationality.
Those who had managed to flee to the outside hastily shut the doors to the auction hall, fearing the unchecked frenzy of those who remained within. The purple mist had spread to every single corner by now, siphoning more energy from Radomira, who remained unable to rein in her unruly powers.
"I-I can't stop it…" she admitted, trying her best to contain everything but unable to change anything. Dread took hold as the now beast-like humans fixed their gazes upon her with a disturbing mix of hunger and lust. Those closest to her rushed towards the cage, sickening grins etched on her their faces.
"She's mine!"
"Leave her to me!"
"Get the hell out of the way!"
"Mine!"
Like moths drawn to a flame, in their eyes, there was nothing else but Radomira.
Unable to bear the impending horrors, Radomira shut her eyes, resigned to her fate and left with no choice but to await the inevitable.
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Splitch!
"My leg!"
Yet what reached her senses were agonizing screams and the overpowering stench of blood that filled her nose. A warm splatter of blood stained her eyes as she watched with both shock and terror at the collapsed people before her, who were just about to violate her body. A pool of blood spread across the floor around them, the result of precise slashes to their achilles tendons, immobilizing them immediately.
"Hehehehehe!" Despite some being further ensnared by the potent intensity of her scent, they persisted in their advance towards her. She flinched when one of their hands grabbed onto her ankle, his lips curled into a perverse grin despite the bloodloss. "Argh!"
This time, a dagger pierced his wrist, pinning it to the ground.
"Cough! Cough! Hurgh, the smell is overwhelming."
Radomira's head snapped upward to meet the sight of a tall, tanned man clad in black armor and red clothes. His white hair, which she'd never seen among humans, and frowning steel gray eyes that bore no trace of lust, hatred, or madness. He stood directly in front of her where the mist's effect was the strongest. In his hands, he wielded a single obsidian blade, its surface dripping with blood of those who had sought to harm her.
His hands reached out for her.
Radomira felt her panic rise once again.
"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She panicked, her body releasing a powerful burst of mist that caused the man to stagger a bit.
Radomira was rendered speechless when he summoned a twisted dagger that exuded a nauseating feeling and swiftly cut his palm.
He stared at his hands for a bit before sighing and shrugged, "Oh well, it was worth a try." Faster than her eyes could track, his weapon turned into a blur, and she could hear the sound of metal chains shattering. However, her body, weakened by malnutrition and days of sleeplessness, could scarcely hold itself upright.
"Careful there," he murmured, stepping forward to catch her. It was like a jolt of lightning crawling all over her skin. She found herself cradled by another person, a human, who tenderly lifted her up from the ground. Not throwing her to the wall or slapping her face like that old man or getting pushed to the ground like that man that captured her.
… Radomira did not know what to think.
Was he going to sell her like the rest?
Presenting an appearance of kindness and concern, only to reveal his true nature when alone or when her defenses were lowered, eventually deceiving her in the end?
Pat!
"Kya!" He flicked her forehead, interrupting the girl from her thoughts.
"Focus. Can you halt this mist?" He inquired, but alas, her capabilities were limited. She shook her head, not wanting to disappoint him, and potentially incur a beating or worse… get thrown back into the cage and left to get violated by those who had lost their sanity.
But that didn't happen.
"Hah, just my luck… I'll figure something out later. Don't worry kid, I'll get you out of here, so don't start freaking out again — I don't want to handle another burst of that ridiculous mist of yours while in the middle of this riot." He said, his pace quickening as he carried her securely against his chest, making his way out of the auction house. The wind swept across Radomira's face, a growing sensation of comfort and safety enveloping her as they drew nearer to the front doors.
Bang!
With an uncanny display of strength, he kicked the doors open, nimbly leaping over the heads of the onlookers and making a beeline for the main gates.
'Ah… the sun… it's warm.' Having been trapped in the cold cage, nearly naked for so many days had made her miss the outside world so terribly. 'He's warm as well….'
For the first time in her life, Radomira found solace in being cradled by a human. Despite the disarray outside, exhaustion overcame her, and she drifted into slumber in his embrace. Clinging steadfastly to the man's neck, he served as her sole anchor in a sea of chaos.
"Thank… you…" were the last two words she uttered before falling asleep in his embrace.
{Break}
"At least the kid is grateful," Archer said, running for the gates where his group waited for him.
People around him grew curious from the commotion occuring at the auction house and came out to see what was happening. Many started screaming with shock and horror after witnessing the unspeakable debauched horrors occurring inside the building — an image he would forever purge from his memory.
Especially those pig brothers who got a bit too intimate with each other.
"I can't remember the last time I experienced the urge to vomit." His nose twitched, actually feeling a bit of physical pain from the memory, "Damn it, it's not stopping." This girl kept exuding that faint mist which was apparently a highly potent form of aphrodisiac. He got to experience the most of it from that previous burst, and now holding her so close made it that much harder to focus. Holding his breath didn't seem to work as he could feel it seeping into his skin. Using Rule Breaker on himself didn't even last a single second — unless he stabbed himself with the dagger and left the weapon inside the flesh.
Though Archer wasn't so far gone that he needed to compromise with such methods.
Right now, running his Magical Energy through his body through multiple cycles helped to temporarily push back against the effects of the aroma.
"Stop right there!"
A few guards blocked his way, holding spears and shields emblazoned with the symbol of the Baron. Archer rolled his eyes at their feeble attempts. He didn't have time to waste on these morons with the mist contentiously seeping inside his body through his pores. It was as if the thing was alive and contentiously tempting him to end up like those people from before. He would've felt a little bad for them, if it wasn't for the fact that they were there to buy slaves.
Justice served, he supposed.
"Drop the girl if you want to live!" They shouted, brandishing their weapons and getting ready to strike. "By the order of the Baron, stand down!"
"Idiots." The notion of attempting to secure the girl, who posed a risk to everyone present due to the faulty seals, was nothing short of foolish.. Whoever created those seals were clearly incompetent, talentless, cheap, and useless mages!
{Break}
"Achoo!"
Praying in front of a giant mural with the shape of countless different insects all gathering around a giant moth with rays of sunshine emerging from its back was a young head priestess who sneezed unexpectedly — much to the confusion of the other half-naked priestess around her.
"Did you perhaps catch a cold, Kaguya-sama?" A servant asked, worried about their leader's health. "I can get you some medical herbs."
The black-haired Princess Knight shook her head.
"There is no need. I just had an unpleasant sensation come over me… yes, quite an irksome feeling it was."
Weird, it wasn't every day she would get so annoyed for no reason.
'Maybe I should get some rest.' The affairs leading to the death of the Kuroinu did take up a lot of her time. So the exhaustion must have been getting to her from these sudden bouts of feelings.
"I'll go back to my room. Make sure to finish the prayer in time."
"Yes, Kaguya-sama!"
{Break}
"Horah!"
Schrk!
Focused on his next course of action, Archer was not expecting Chloe to appear behind the guards with a sword she must have stolen from one of them and instantly cut through their numbers within a few seconds.
His eyes twitched from the large number of dead bodies hitting the floor. He would have preferred a less lethal approach if possible. 'Then again, not like I can say much without sounding like a hypocrite with what I've done before.'
"D-Dark Elf!"
"Olga's forces are attacking!"
"Run away!"
"Shit! I thought he was a human. They both are Dark Elves! He must be using some dark magic to blend in!"
The remaining soldiers and town guards cowered from seeing Chloe's face and confusing him as part of her species. They all dropped their weapons and ran away.
Wasn't one of them the idiot who tried to flirt with Anna?
He couldn't remember and just threw that thought away.
"Hahahaha! Fear us, you disgusting humans! The day when you all will be conquered by my Queen approaches along with the death of your precious Goddess Re — puh!" Her gloating was abruptly halted by an aggravated Archer, who promptly delivered a swift kick to her rear. Given his preoccupation with holding the Tiefling and the urgency of the situation, he opted for the kick over a series of slaps or a few blows from the Torashinai.
"Stop trying to cause unnecessary trouble for us, and let's go!"
"You'll pay for this!" She angrily screamed while recovering in an instant and running next to him. "I saved your life, and this is how you repay me!? I knew backstabbing was quite common with your kind, but to see it and experience it truly makes me realize how vile you are. And you owe me a favor!"
She certainly had a mouth on her, and since when did he need saving from a few amateur guards? Perhaps slapping her so much in the past had turned Chloe into an idiot or caused her short-term memory loss, not to mention he literally blew up Olga's castle while killing the Kuroinu.
'Oh no…' Archer quickly noticed the prominent blush on Chloe's face and her increasingly noticeable panting. "Keep some distance from me. You're getting affected by her mist."
"W-What?" The blonde Dark Elf almost tripped when she heard his words. "Y-Yes, her ability is p-powerful! Nothing else!" The blush grew more intense, whether it was out of embarrassment to have a young girl who was able to render her in such a state while the former was sleeping or if it was the effects growing stronger, Archer couldn't tell.
But he did entertain the idea of knocking her out just to be safe.
But then, who would carry her body?
How unfortunate.
It didn't take them long to rejoin the main party who was waiting for him on top of a hill. Anna and Grace were sweating from having evacuated as many people from the auction house. Olga still held the same pristine and perfect image of regal queen, not showing a single trace of tiredness.
"Be careful. The girl is still leaking whatever this smell is. I don't know when it will stop, so please… don't come too close." He feared that his control might slip if he was not careful. Just being near them made his body heat up bit by bit. Given his current body was not made from Magical Energy like his Servant self, these types of effects were more troublesome to deal with.
He was confident that his willpower would persevere long enough until things calmed down.
"Give her to me." Anna proposed, already by his side, where the mist had engulfed the area around him.
"Be careful!" Archer panicked, not wanting any of these women to turn into those mindless animals just by breathing this aroma. Though Anna ignored his warning and expertly took the young girl away from his arms, looking absolutely unaffected by her powers. With how easily she had done it, it not only surprised him but everyone as well.
"How?"
Was her willpower that great?
Anna tilted her head in confusion at Archer's inquiry, "I remember telling you about my condition, right? The whole falling inside a cauldron of this same mist in the form of a potion and having my body experience some change. Well, this is nothing compared to what happened. To me, it's basically breathing in the scent of a lightly sweet perfume." She answered so nonchalantly, rendering him speechless about that trait of hers.
'I severely underestimated her,' he thought to himself, feeling a bit of admiration for the blond elf to take all of this in stride.
"I'm impressed," said Olga, watching the sleeping girl and Anna with great interest. "Even I don't have that kind of immunity against the magic of a juvenile Tiefling. And hers seems unusually potent, far more than even an average succubus. How strange for you to be completely unaffected…"
"We can talk about this later. Let's hurry and get as far away from here as possible." Archer said, looking over the village where the Baron was rushing out of the gates with his entire available forces. "They haven't spotted us yet, but they'll find this place soon."
With that, the group pressed forward, departing the scene in the nick of time to evade the Baron's approaching troops, who were scouring the vicinity. Raul himself was livid, both at the pig brothers for the calamity they dared to bring inside his town and at the white-haired man responsible for the death of his guards. They clamored about this being an attack or an invasion from Olga's army, which was a notion that prompted him to roll his eyes. That woman would never stoop so low as to covertly infiltrate a human town willingly.
Not to mention, there wasn't a trace of Orcs or demons in sight.
Also, Olga would rather die than travel with a human. So clearly, those people were just a bunch of troublemakers or thieves who were aiming for that Tiefling.
Much to his frustration,there was no trace of any individuals to be discovered, and he was left with no choice but to return and take care of the mess. With no other recourse available, he directed his mounting frustration toward the Mortadella brothers.
"Fuck! I'm going to kill those incestuous pig fuckers!"
{Break}
(A few hours later)
On the road to Feoh, after having put as much distance as possible from the previous town, the group slowed down. Anna no longer carried Radomira, while Archer had managed to remove most of the effects of the mist from his system.
"That was quite stressful," mentioned Grace, happily pinching Radomira's cheeks and giggling, watching the girl's cute reaction. Her powers have stopped after an hour since they left. "I honestly would have never imagined that we would meet a succubus of all things."
"A Tiefling." Olga corrected her.
"What's the difference? She looks the same as those succubi I've seen while crossing the faraway lands."
"I'll keep it simple, succubuses are demons who feed on the essence of men and women to both survive and grow stronger. While a Tiefling, on the other hand, does not need to do such things to stay alive. They are merely a race of people whose ancestors were once humans who've made a pact with a dark god. The powers granted by said god altered their ancestors' physiology and their very souls, turning them into an existence that was no longer human, and this metamorphosis persisted through their lineage. Similar to us Dark Elves, they were ostracized by nearly everyone, had small numbers, and were gifted with magic."
She explained patiently while everyone listened. Chloe's face softened when she looked at the small girl cradled in Archer's arms. The child's sudden anxiety had taken her by surprise, yet it had dissipated swiftly upon his embrace — her arms encircling his neck once more. Archer also noticed how the tension between the women dissolved to some degree. At least now they weren't at each other's throats and could converse like normal people.
"I would advise you to be very careful with her." Olga said to Archer. "Tieflings are truly an unusual race with powers beyond even my comprehension."
"Is she dangerous?"
"I'm… not sure. I can't say she isn't dangerous, given what happened back there. Though I reckon the fear and panic of getting sold as a slave must have made her magic run rampant, which overwhelmed the seals and broke through."
Radomira yawned in her sleep and nuzzled into Archer's neck, making Grace squeal at the cute sight.
"Poor girl, she must have suffered a lot under the hands of those slavers. I'm honestly glad about the fate they ended up with, though death would've been an equally enjoyable end." Anna said, following Grace's action at messing with the sleeping girl's face. "She's malnourished, wounded, and needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."
Her voice trailed off, the once-present smile fading as a tinge of melancholy enveloped both her and Grace. Their gazes fixed upon the crossroads that lay ahead.. One leads to the kingdom of Feoh, while the other follows the route to Geofu and, finally, Ken.
"It's unfair how our paths have to end so quickly," Grace whispered, knowing full well that this was going to happen soon anyways.
"We must part ways." Honestly, Archer knew he was going to miss these two. They were a troublesome bunch that were constantly horny, but by no means were they a nuisance, having made the journey to this point enjoyable and tolerable. If it weren't for them, then his arm would have taken much longer to heal, and who knows if Olga back then wouldn't have taken advantage of his weakened self or would've been more troublesome to deal with than those Lycans.
"I'll miss you!" Grace didn't waste time embracing him with a giant hug, looking ready to bawl her eyes.
"Hm!?"
Taking full advantage of his inability to move his hands, she pressed her mouth against his for a long and passionate kiss, running her hands into his hair. The man flinched back when she sneaked her tongue inside, starting to get a bit into it, only for Anna to pull her back.
"Oh dear Grace, were you planning to eat poor Archer here alive?"
The Dark Elf giggled like a maiden while Archer took a deep breath, grateful that he was no longer under the influence of the mist, or else this could have ended in a completely different way. And something told him that Grace was hoping for that to happen, given how he felt her thighs sneak up his legs whenever they slept in the same tent.
'She's more aggressive now, far more than her past self.'
Perhaps, given that they had gotten to know each other better and this was where their paths split, she became like this.
"My turn~" before he could be done with his thoughts, Anna did the same thing as Grace. But surprisingly, her kiss was more simple and gentle, still feeling as intense as Grace, as she cupped her face but it lasted for a few seconds. Archer stared at her, a bit confused, "Were you thinking that I would also use my tongue?"
"Given how things have turned out with you so far, I won't lie and say such a thought didn't pass through my mind." There was no point in lying or avoiding the subject as he gazed into those bright blue eyes.
"I had contemplated doing just that, but I'm afraid I might lack the restraint to prevent myself from ravishing you in plain view of all." She quipped, her tone laced with a playful edge. It was hard to talk with her. Her hands trembled against his cheeks. A clear indication that she was suppressing her impulses from advancing any further. "I'm… we're going to miss you. Truly we will. "
"Why are you making it sound like we will never meet again?" Despite his yearning to swiftly accomplish his mission in this realm, Archer retained a longing to revisit the Inn one final time, to glimpse their faces prior to his departure from this realm. 'As her instructor, it remains my obligation to ascertain the extent of her progress… and whether or not the place is still in business.'
Archer hoped Alice didn't manage to get herself into debt once again.
"And I am excited to meet this student of yours. Ah, and be careful in the kingdom of Feoh. That place is filled with venomous snakes and back stabbing nobles." Grace spoke, her voice trembling while she tried to hold back her tears as she grabbed his arm, wanting to hold him for a little longer. "You promise that you'll come by to meet us, right?"
"Of course, that's a promise."
He continued to talk with the two elves, passing Grace the letter he had written to Alice, Jint, and Bianca while giving Anna some supplies for their travels. Olga and Chloe remained a short distance apart from their gathering, their attention not captivated by the impending departure. While the level of discord might have diminished — friendship still hadn't been established.
Before parting ways, they shared one last, briefer kiss than their previous embrace. Following this, the two women commenced their separate journey, with Archer extending a final wave before rejoining Olga and Chloe.
"Finished sucking off each other's faces?" Chloe said with disdain. Her attitude has not changed much now that he thought about it.
"Are you trying to get slapped to the ground again? No, I might just bring out something more painful to teach you a lesson if you don't change that haughty attitude."
Humph, that would scare her for a b—
"Bring it on!" She shouted, surprising the birds around them.
"Eh?"
"Enough, Chloe." Olga intervened, interrupting them from starting another dispute. "Feoh is ahead of us. We won't have much time to think about our next plan if we get spotted. Let's hope we don't meet unpleasant company at the entrance. It would be a shame to be introduced to the Princess Knight with a bloodbath."
Archer sent her a sharp glare, telling the woman to stay in line.
Olga was not phased by him and instead stared at the girl sleeping on his back. "You did not let those two take her?"
"No, for a couple reasons. First, she starts panicking whenever I try to take her off of me, triggering the emission of that mist from before. Should this happen and she's with those two, then it would be tantamount to inviting a disaster. Secondly, I already have someone in mind who might be able to not only oversee her but teach the girl how to control her powers as well. So until then, she'll be with me so I need to keep my eye on the brat."
Olga nodded, impressed by his sound judgment.
"Wise choice. Leaving a Tiefling child alone with amateurs is no different than a death sentence. More so if they don't have the same powers as you or mine, at least then they would be able to not only protect themselves but her from outside factors."
A smirk formed on his face, "Don't tell me the infamous Dark Queen is worried for this little child she just met? Why don't you try to carry her instead? She might mistake you for her mother."
"N-Nonsense! I don't care for such petty things, Archer."
Oh, this was the second time she called him as such instead of a human. In any case, progress was made, and he had to find a way to locate that shard somehow.
"Hey, how strong is Celestine's ability to see into the future and her divination?" If possible, he hoped she would have the capability to possibly to identify the shard itself and its approximate whereabouts. Alternatively, even if she couldn't pinpoint the shard directly, her foresight could unveil any impending calamities. If such events proved to be interconnected with the shard, he could then ascertain his next destination.
In the end, he was forced to admit that the old man was right. This task couldn't be done on his own, it would take years to complete if he had to… but time was not an option for him, especially with a Beast lurking in these lands.
Olga sighed, one that seemed to be full of exasperation, "Much more powerful than what you're imagining. Celestine can not only look into the future sometimes with her divination, but she can even look at the fate of others and kingdoms. If she actually tried hard enough, that woman would have had the ability to perfectly see the clear future and set up any countermeasures to always come out as the victor. But for reasons that escape me, she does not choose to push herself that far. Better ask her yourself." Olga said with frustration, unable to understand how someone could be so wasteful with such powers. If she had that, then no foe would ever be able to stand her might.
"My Queen! We've reached the kingdom of Feoh!" Chloe, who marched in front, shouted while pointing to the north. She looked in awe, and he could understand why after seeing the sight before him.
A beautiful landscape of lush forest surrounds the pristine white walls of the kingdom. The city resembles Ken in size but with plenty of buildings made from the finest material. And in the middle was the main castle where the Princess Knights gathered, most likely.
"For a city with such beauty, it makes you wonder how rotten the inside must be, given all I have discovered and have grown accustomed to witnessing from your kind." The Dark Queen remarked with a tinge of remorse. Regrettably, she couldn't build such a place for her people.
Though enormous in size, Castle Discordia did not even hold a tenth of Feoh's beauty.
One aspect he did notice with this kingdom was how, unlike Ken, where there were an equal amount of carts entering and leaving the main gates, here it was mostly the latter. More people were leaving the place than entering, and by a large amount. It put more credence in everything he heard about this place until now.
"Well now, let's not waste time and go inside… Olga?" Archer noticed the Dark Elf acting weirdly, her eyes wide as she gazed intently at the castle in the middle of the kingdom and her slightly pale face.
Bzzt!
"—!?"
He soon felt a weird sensation washing over his body.
The man recognized this feeling; someone powerful was watching him without even trying to hide their presence. Archer hastily looked around and found nothing until he froze and slowly turned his head to the castle a few kilometers away.
Reinforcing his eyes, the Counter Guardian witnessed a single person standing on the terrace at the highest levels of the structure. Alone, all by herself and standing still…
Locking eyes with him as if she could see him perfectly. Unmoving, uncaring of anything else but him. He doubted she even realized that Olga was standing right next to him.
"Celestine…" her big emerald eyes glowing with power, almost as if they would suck his consciousness with how intensely they were looking at him. She sensed him from so far away? How!? Even most of the Heroic Spirits he knew wouldn't be capable of such a feat!
Still in shock, Archer managed to see her lips move and uttered a single word.
'Shirou.'
And with that, the Counter Guardian broke out in a cold sweat.
"This is going to be… very troublesome."
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 1 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.
