Chapter 21: Meal, Recruit, Departure [2]

There was a sudden sound from upstairs as Aruru went to the bathroom, causing their kiss to end; with Moko breathing heavily as she rushed away from Grendel, darting upstairs to her room in shock.

She had just betrayed her Mistress and found herself not fully opposed to Grendel's touch, being tempted to invite him to bed instead of thinking of her lady. Her body was burning with a sensation, wanting to enjoy his touch deep inside her.

Her ears and tails stood up straight, and her body trembled. But there was this pain in her chest and her mind shouting.

Moko just committed a definite betrayal to Aruru, her master. A sin that would typically cost a servant their life if discovered normally.

However, Grendel was Aruru's future spouse, so it was not something she could even bring up. Moko could lie to say anything, and Aruru would not doubt her.

But even so, she was having confused and even angry thoughts towards herself, while all Moko could do in her shock was dart upstairs to her room for now and think.

Aruru appeared after Grendel's lips departed from Moko, curiously tilting her head and looking to Grendel for what caused Moko to hurry upstairs with an explanation; he cast Spirit Magic right after kissing Moko, listening for when the girl came closer.

When he sensed her coming, Grendel made the kiss more passionate, hoping for a Lust Task to trigger.

'But there wasn't one... Was it because I tried to force it?'

"Why did Moko run away with a red face and tears?"

"Mmm? She felt sick, almost vomited, and embarrassed because I saw her."

"Eh... really... Mmm. Ok."

I don't know if Aruru believed me; she seemed to have moments of increased maturity and intelligence out of nowhere as her lovely green eyes watched Grendel until she vanished into her room.

'Well, whatever, let's head to my room and start working out before bed.'

Grendel didn't just want to rely on the attributes he increased but also started performing the muscular exercises taught by Dennis back when he first joined the Savant group.

Inside his room a few minutes later, his body was oozing a sticky sweat and black tar from his pores, heaving for breath as all his muscles were visibly tightening and loosened in slow, focused intervals while standing on one leg, the other in the air pointing to the sky.

"Foo.... so tough..." He used a towel to avoid ruining the floor from his sweat.

After that, his body was weak, muscles without power, so he began to work on his magic, summoning the blue and red auras for his spells, swiping his right hand and fingers, trying to form tiny wind blades that trimmed his extra-long hair slowly with the least effort, and then burnt them by snapping his left hand's fingers.

***

[Aruru POV]

Aruru closed the door behind her as she disappeared upstairs. Moko heard a knock, jumped on instinct alone, and panicked. "W-What is it, mistress?"

Moko's shaky voice sounded through the door she slammed close.

Aruru kept a calm expression and stated clearly her desire, "Moko, open the door. Let me in."

"Mmm. Please hold for a moment, Mistress," she said, gathering the scattered pieces of her wits.

Moko cleaned the tear marks off her cheeks and slowly opened the door; her hands and legs trembled as she gazed at her Mistress with tearful eyes and a remorseful face.

"...S-Sorry about earlier!" Moko said while bowing lowly and kneed deeply, a low and sorrowful apology pouring from her soul.

She doesn't want to make amends because of a simple mistake but out of respect for her master. For not respecting or obeying her Mistress's orders.

"I didn't mean to kiss--"

Aruru pushed Moko back into the room, her eyes looking towards the room where the sounds of him working out echoed. Then sat on the soft bed of her servant. "Moko... You liked it, right?"

Moko nodded slowly, knowing the reason was her Mistress's magic; it was already useless even if she lied as her thoughts were revealed.

"...I see...."

Silence filled the space between them, but Aruru knew something now that her spirit connected her with nature.

Even though she didn't fully comprehend the situation, she could at least understand a simple thing like that. "You know, Moko... the night before we left, Mom did things with Grendel, but I didn't feel mad..."

With a look of frustration, Aruru realized what a huge hurdle their relationship's future would face if he had multiple partners around him simultaneously, and she became jealous all the time... But it wasn't jealousy.

"Young Lady?"

Aruru's misty eyes looked at Moko with a sense of loss or powerlessness. "Moko, your master is a pervert... I watch them, entangled, kissing and mating for hours. Yet my heart didn't feel anger, jealousy or pain...."

"You didn't; why?"

"Why didn't I get envious?"

"Mmm."

"Haa. Well, what's been done can't be undone..."

With a slight sigh, Aruru continued to pour out the contents of her mind. Moko listened to her words with great interest.

It wasn't the words she said that made Moko frown but was more because Aruru spoke these things directly to a servant, and they rarely shared or discussed things of this nature.

"I felt pleasure, burning heat in my crotch... When Mother began to ride him, my fingers moved like they had a will of their own, as all my dark feelings of jealousy and envy turned to pleasure. It's my fault; I kick him away normally because it's embarrassing, and my heart beats too fast when he's nice to me..."

Moko's face was blank, a mixture of shock and inability to understand; if she saw Aruru kissing Grendel, her chest would become a sea of fire, and she wanted to drag them apart.

Yet her lady became aroused at the sight; how strange.

"At least..."

Moko blinked as her master raised a hand with a sigh, looking more serene than Moko's ever remembered her being.

"It feels amazing when Grendel kisses me; I wonder if Mom feels the same every time... I want him to kiss me like he does mother every day."

Aruru lifted her arms and wrapped them around Moko. Aruru's words made the little cat's mind go white as her brain could not continue functioning correctly as she remembered that heavenly kiss.

"So Moko, don't hold back! I know you kissed him... You showed such a happy face; don't let your debt to my mother and tribe make you sad. If it's Moko... Aruru can accept it without pain."

Moko blinked in a stunned state, trembling when she hugged her Mistress. Moko held her tightly as the only family member besides her mother who accepted her without discrimination for being a Black Cat in a village of lions.

"Aruru... I will go for it. Are you sure?"

"Yep! If I don't stop my two most precious people's... happiness, they will be together like glue; we will only grow closer."

Aruru smiled brightly, nodding her head with certainty, a slight jealousy filling her heart, quickly becoming a faint trace and vanishing. It was true; Moko was special to Aruru, more of a sister than her true sister.

'You always protected me, now I want to protect your heart... We might lose him to other sneaky women otherwise.'

With those words, she patted her little fluffy-haired servant, calming her rapid heartbeat and soothing it. Aruru held the young black cat gently as if embracing glass in her chest, using comforting words and emotions, ensuring they wouldn't be forgotten. The feelings made Moko tremble more, and tears could not help but come out as her heart calmed.

The pair felt a sense of unity beyond master and servant.

For the first time, the sisterly feeling and bond surpassed just Aruru, and even Moko started to feel a more sisterly bond with Aruru, no longer letting her title and role stop her feelings.

"Master... I love your heart the most... Your determination and the kindness to share make me want to serve beside you so much! It will be our secret. It's embarrassing to admit, but my heart and body like his touch, voice and presence."

"Don't fret; it isn't bad for a servant to like their future Lord."

After all, Grendel would be her future spouse and mate. She wouldn't let anyone stop that from happening.

They continued to talk throughout the evening but soon heard his footsteps coming down the stairs as it seemed Grendel left the building.

"Let's sleep together tonight, hehe~ Moko; you don't get the blanket, though!"

"Meany Master, it's cold today, don't be mean; let's keep it even?"

Aruru smiled at the childish banter; it did bring up the previous kiss between Moko and Grendel in her mind, but it wasn't unpleasant.

***

Meanwhile, as Grendel left the building.

[Lust Module Active]